《Starting My Cultivation With Time Management》 Chapter 1 Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations ¡°Countdown to world destruction: 1,000 years.¡± ¡°Please hurry up and look for the Heaven Patching Stone1.¡± ¡°Point One: Kunlun Taiqing Sect, Golden Ridge Cave Abode.¡± ¡°Identity: Qiu Changtian1.¡± ¡°Imitation Mode covered, currently traveling through time.¡± He suddenly opened his eyes and found himself sitting on a stone bed in a cave adobe, his body in a meditative posture. Picking up the bronze mirror next to him, he finds that he is a handsome young man in the mirror. He had sword-like eyebrows, starry eyes, a jade-like face, red lips, white teeth, and was gentle and refined. Tsk, so handsome. How can I be so handsome? He put down the bronze mirror and thought for a moment. Then, he heard a cold female voice from outside. ¡°Is Senior Brother here? Junior Sister came to ask for guidance on swordsmanship.¡± He was stunned for a moment before he sighed. Again. Walking to the entrance of the cave abode, he confirmed his current identity once again. Well, the new disciples of the Kunlun faction, the personal disciple of headmaster, Qiu Changtian. Qiu Changtian left the cave abode and saw a white-robed fairy-like beauty standing outside. Her facial features were as exquisite as Venus and she had an otherworldly aura. She was dressed in a white, plain Daoist robe. Her long black hair hung down to the back of her waist and was casually tied with a strap on her shoulder blade. She was gentle yet not lacking in heroic spirit. She was the kind of super popular actress that would immediately be recognized by the audience when she appeared in Xianxia dramas. This white-clothed fairy was his junior sister, Xu Yinglian1. She was born in a large cultivation clan, the Xu family of Tiannan, and had the rare cultivation talent of the Smart and Adroit Mind. Therefore, last month, the Kunlun Taiqing Sect made an exception and allowed her to enter the sect. She became the personal disciple of the Kunlun Sect Headmaster and was a ¡°god¡¯s favored one¡± in all sorts of ways. Without him, she would be the undisputed leader of this generation¡¯s disciples. Seeing Qiu Changtian come out of the cave abode, Xu Yinglian formed a sword seal and summoned a red stream of light from behind him. The sword was about three feet and seven inches long, and it hung in front of her chest. There was a lifelike divine bird scarlet-feathered sculpture at the hilt. Xu Yinglian stroked the flying sword with her slender fingers and said in a serious tone. ¡°This sword¡¯s name is¡¯ Yu Jia1 ¡®. It¡¯s a legacy of my Xu family.¡± ¡°Master helps me seal its last eight levels of Daoist magic so that it can only unleash the power of the Qi Refinement Stage. It¡¯s a good match for our sword duel.¡± Her fingers slid over the sword, bringing with them a brilliant spark. Her eyes were filled with fighting spirit as if there were flames burning in them. Qiu Changtian was speechless. It was just a moment ago that she said that she was going to ask for guidance on swordsmanship, but now, it had turned into an unconcealed ¡®sword duel¡¯? He sighed. Junior Sister is actually perfect at every aspect except this. She was too stubborn. If he defeated her in any aspect, she would have to compete with him thousands of times. She had to win him back. This was the seventh time she had come to challenge him with an excuse of learning the Flying Sword Technique this week¡­ Qiu Changtian was a little distracted. Xu Yinglian saw that, and her beautiful face was slightly angry. She asked again, ¡°Senior Brother, can you teach me with your sword? Or are you inconvenienced?¡± Qiu Changtian: ¡­ To be honest, he was not someone who liked to show off. If possible, he really wanted to deliberately lose to his junior sister in this sword duel so that she could stop disturbing him for a few days. But my invincible persona does not allow that! ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare to teach you,¡± Qiu Changtian said gently. ¡°Let¡¯s just learn from each other.¡± He also formed a sword seal and pulled out his flying sword, ¡°Yu Yan1¡±. ¡°There¡¯s no need to introduce my flying sword, right?¡± Qiu Changtian smiled again. These words were slightly mocking, implying that his junior sister had lost to him many times and was extremely familiar with his flying sword. ¡°Senior brother, please enlighten me.¡± Xu Yinglian said stiffly with an expressionless face. The two of them formed another sword seal at the same time. Hence, two streaks of light shot into the sky. One was red and the other was green, indicating that the battle had officially begun! Xu Yinglian made a series of hand seals and controlled Yu Jia to attack Yu Yan. She knew that according to the standards of the Heaven Stems1 Forging Sword Technique, her senior brother¡¯s Jade Smoke was only at the seventh rank, while her Yu Jia was at the tenth rank. Although both of them were only at the Qi Refinement Stage and their sword techniques were sealed, the hardness, sharpness, and speed of a Level Ten flying sword far surpassed that of a Level Seven flying sword. Winning with her flying sword¡¯s rank was the chance of winning this match! However, Qiu Changtian¡¯s reaction was even faster. Yu Jia only moved slightly, but Yu Yan had already descended, slashing towards Xu Yinglian. Xu Yinglian¡¯s eyes turned cold, and she immediately had Yu Jia turn back to defend, trying to block Yu Yan¡¯s attack. However, Yu Yan quickly stopped and changed directions, easily breaking through Yu Jia¡¯s blockade. Then, she turned into a jade-colored streak of light, instantly closing in on Xu Yinglian¡¯s side, the sword point suspended in front of her chest. The outcome of the battle was decided within a few seconds. ¡°I lost.¡± Xu Yinglian lowered her head. Her face was filled with unwillingness, it was so thick that water was about to drip from it. At the same time, the Kunlun Mirror¡¯s voice sounded in his mind: [Invincible persona, synchronization value+1] ¡°Junior Sister¡¯s swordsmanship has improved tremendously recently.¡± After receiving the Kunlun Mirror¡¯s hint, Qiu Changtian felt relieved. He smiled and said, ¡°In the future, I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be your match.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Xu Yinglian seemed to be deep in thought. ¡°I think it¡¯s because I benefited a lot from competing with you in swordsmanship. I¡¯ll have to seek your guidance more frequently from now on.¡± Qiu Changtian¡¯s expression stiffened as he corrected himself. ¡°Cough, although Junior Sister¡¯s improvement is really fast, practicing the sword all the time is easy to encounter a blockage. Why don¡¯t you practice the Dharmic Dao and change your mood?¡± You come to me all day to compete with me in swordsmanship, but I can¡¯t reject your challenge in order to maintain this invincible persona. How annoying! ¡°Then I¡¯ll train harder and try to break through the blockage as soon as possible.¡± Xu Yinglian was unmoved and insisted. ¡°Junior Sister, what exactly do you want your Senior Brother to do?¡± Qiu Changtian said helplessly, ¡°I¡¯m not your personal sparring partner. You¡¯ve come to me every single day, and I don¡¯t even have the time to cultivate by myself.¡± ¡°Senior Brother.¡± Xu Yinglian was silent for a moment before saying, ¡°I want to defeat you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s easy. I can control¡ª¡± ¡°Senior Brother is not allowed to lose on purpose!¡± Xu Yinglian said angrily, ¡°I want to defeat you with my own strength!¡± ¡°How long will that take?!¡± Qiu Changtian was furious. As soon as he said it, he regretted it. This was because the meaning was: ¡°You won¡¯t win me no matter how many years you practice.¡± With Xu Yinglian¡¯s stubborn character, how could she possibly endure it? As expected, the junior sister¡¯s face immediately turned pale. Xu Yinglian held back her tears and bit her lower lip. She bowed with difficulty. ¡°I have indeed troubled Senior Brother these days. When I come again, it will not be sword training, but an official challenge!¡± Before Qiu Changtian could say anything, she flew up using her flying sword and disappeared. The Kunlun Mirror spoke again. [Invincible persona, synchronization value+1] Qiu Changtian: ¡­ Junior Sister, it¡¯s not that I have to show off in front of you. It was only because of the Kunlun Mirror that I had to maintain this invincible persona. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t be able to continue cultivating! Sigh, in the end, wasn¡¯t it all to save the world? He cast his gaze towards the northwest and saw that the Kunlun Mountains were endless. The white snow covered the land like it was wrapped in silver. It was majestic and magnificent. The sky was clear and cloudless, making one feel relaxed. However, who knew that after a thousand years, there would be a world-shaking Cultivationless Age? The place where Nuwa1 used to mend collapses once again. The sky tilted to the northwest, the stars hung upside down, and the sun and moon changed course. The Heavenly River, which was almost limitless in volume, surged out crazily from the shattered areas, causing the Divine Land1 flooded. All-stars of the sky descended to the nine states. Endless light and heat radiated outwards, burning mountains, and boiling the seas. Therefore someone says ¡°The fire never extinguishes, while the flood never ends¡±. The human race was wiped out, and the world was completely dead! The mortal with a limited lifespan would give up. They would die fast, so why would they care so much about it? Unfortunately, he was chosen by a Connate treasure called the Kunlun Mirror when he had just transmigrated to this world. He had to find the spare Heaven Mending Stone left behind by Nuwa from ancient times, and then repair the place where the heavens were repaired in the past to avoid the calamity of the Cultivationless Age. According to the Kunlun Mirror, the remaining Heaven Mending Stone had already been split into six pieces and scattered everywhere. The reason why he had used the Kunlun Mirror¡¯s ¡°Imitation¡± technique to disguise his appearance and disguise himself as Qiu Changtian to infiltrate the sect. It was because one of the Heaven Mending Stone fragments was in the Kunlun Taiqing Sect! It was in the Hollow Jade Temple on the Kunlun Pillar! Chapter 2 Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations At the peak of the Kunlun Pillar, Hollow Jade Temple. ¡°Ah Jing1.¡± Qiu Changtian called out in his heart. ¡°Can you locate the Heaven Mending Stone fragment?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t locate it,¡± the Kunlun Mirror replied. ¡°It¡¯s suspected to be concealed by magic.¡± ¡°I suggest you investigate carefully.¡± ¡°How do you want me to investigate?¡± Qiu Changtian said in a speechless manner. ¡°I¡¯m currently at the lowest level of the Qi Refinement Stage. Anyone from the Hollow Jade Temple would be at a much higher level than me.¡± ¡°I suggest you continue to maintain the invincible persona and raise your cultivation level.¡± ¡°That¡¯s easy. I¡¯m fine with pretending to be invincible, but do you have any quick success methods that can allow me to form my Gold Core in one day and form my Nascent Soul in two days?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be so cold.¡± Qiu Changtian continued to smile. ¡°The sooner my cultivation level improves, the sooner I can help you gather the Heaven Mending Rocks, right?¡± Kunlun Mirror: ¡­ When Qiu Changtian saw that the mirror didn¡¯t answer, he stopped teasing it and started planning in his heart. The cultivation path in this world was very simple. Foundation Establishment, Golden Core, and Nascent Soul were three major realms. Each major realm could be divided into three minor realms. For example, Foundation Establishment could be divided into Qi Refinement, Purification, and Transformation. Right now, he is still at the lowest level, Qi Refinement Stage. How stupid would he be to take the risk of exposing himself to investigate the news about the Heaven Mending Stone? He would wait patiently. Qiu Changtian thought to himself. He saw his junior sister, Xu Yinglian, walk past him. She did not even greet him and headed straight for Sect Master Polestar¡¯s lecture room. This girl was still angry with him! In the lecture room, Sect Master Polestar sat on the nine-colored lotus platform with her eyes closed. Below him were fourteen futons neatly arranged in two rows. The disciples filed in and took their seats accordingly. On the left was a Perfected Golden Core and on the right was a Foundation Establishment Cultivator. They were arranged according to strength or potential. According to the rules of the Kunlun Taiqing Sect, they would only accept a batch of disciples every thirty years. Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian were exempted from the entrance examination before the sect opened. They were only in-name disciples now, so there was temporarily no futon to sit on in the lecture hall, so they could only stand at the back. Both of them found a place to stay. Before Qiu Changtian could strike up a conversation, Xu Yinglian turned her head away, not letting him see her side profile. Ha, this proud-pussy junior sister. Qiu Changtian held his breath as he listened to Sect Master Polestar¡¯s lecture. For cultivators, if they wanted to raise their cultivation level, they would need to cultivate qi. This resulted in all kinds of Qi Refinement Techniques. Among the three sects of the Orthodox Dao, the Kunlun Taiqing Sect specialized in the Qi Refinement Techniques. Therefore, whether it was the high-level Cultivators in the Core Formation Stage or the Nascent Soul Stage, the variety and quantity of the Qi Refinement Techniques were far ahead of the other two sects. Among them, the most powerful Qi Refinement Technique in the world was the ¡®Nine Heavens Clarity Entering Enlightenment Mantra¡¯ known as the ¡®Immortal Secret Technique¡¯. It could only be passed down to the personal disciples of the current generation¡¯s Kunlun Sect Master and could not be taught to outsiders. Regardless of whether it was an immortal secret technique or not, it was true that it was extremely obscure and difficult to understand. Therefore, everyone listened attentively, afraid that they would miss out on any details that the Sect Master had mentioned. After the lecture ended, the crowd was still unsatisfied. However, since Sect Master Polestar had already waved his whisk, the disciples could only stand up and leave. ¡°Qiu Changtian and Xu Yingling stay,¡± Sectmaster Polestar said indifferently. As soon as he finished speaking, the senior brothers and senior sisters that left couldn¡¯t help but glance at these two people. After the senior brothers and sisters left, Sectmaster Polestar pointed forward with the handle of her Fuchen. ¡°Sit down.¡± Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian sat down on the futons. ¡°The Tiannan Xu Family sent a letter of appointment this morning.¡± Sect Master Polestar closed her eyes and said leisurely, ¡°They hope that I can lead and let the two of you become Dao partners1.¡± Xu Yinglian: ¡­ Qiu Changtian: ¡­ Both of them were shocked and speechless. After a while, Xu Yinglian said, ¡°Master, I don¡¯t want to¡­¡± ¡°Master.¡± Qiu Changtian rushed to speak first. ¡°Disciple is wholeheartedly focused on the Dao, so I don¡¯t have the mood for romantic relationships for the time being. Presumably, Junior Sister Ying Lian thinks the same.¡± Xu Yinglian was speechless. However, her senior brother¡¯s words indeed match her thoughts. She nodded slightly and remained silent. The two disciples refused at the same time, causing Sect Master Polestar to open one of her eyes. Her gaze lightly swept past their expressions before she closed her eyes and said, ¡°Xu Yinglian. Your Dao heart is unstable.¡± ¡°The problem lies with your senior brother.¡± ¡°As the saying goes, whoever started it should end it. If you want to pass this trial, you¡¯ll have to start with your senior brother.¡± Qiu Changtian immediately fell silent upon hearing this. The so-called Heart Tribulation was a flaw in the Dao Heart, and it was the great enemy of cultivators. If one was not careful, he would lose control of his mind and go berserk. At best, his cultivation would be destroyed in one day. At worst, he would be possessed by a demon. His energy, Qi, and spirit would crazily pour out and be swept away by the demon, leaving only his shell behind. His junior sister possessed the Smart and Adroit Mind that armed her with a strong resistance to the invasion of demons. If her Dao Heart was still unstable despite her natural talent, then how terrifyingly deep would the obsession that caused her to fall into madness be¡­? Wait, obsession? He turned around and saw Xu Yinglian looking at him expressionlessly. Ugh. Could it be¡­ me? ¡°Master.¡± Xu Yinglian retracted her gaze and lowered her head. ¡°I only hope to defeat my Senior Brother. How can my Dao heart not be stable?¡± ¡°To seek victory,¡± Sect Master Polestar said indifferently, ¡°is the obsession.¡± ¡°What are you going to do if you can¡¯t get what you want?¡± ¡°Master.¡± Xu Yinglian¡¯s voice trembled. ¡°Do you also think that I will never win against Senior Brother?¡± Sect Master Polestar ignored her and asked Qiu Changtian, ¡°Changtian, your talent, the Enlightened Dao Heart, is one of the best talents in the world of cultivation.¡± ¡°If I am to take in another disciple in the future, and his talent surpasses yours, what will you do?¡± ¡°Master.¡± Qiu Changtian replied respectfully. ¡°What does his talent have to do with me?¡± He thinks silently in his heart: Besides, what cultivation talent can surpass my ¡°Enlightened Dao Heart¡±? The effect of the Enlightened Dao Heart was to increase the speed of cultivation and increase the chances of comprehending the Dao greatly. Moreover, it was permanently immune to illusions, mental disorders, and other negative states. Thus, it was the best cultivation aptitude in the world. The only flaw was that his Enlightened Dao Heart was not innate but obtained through the Kunlun Mirror¡¯s strength. In order to maintain the state of ¡®Imitation Mode¡¯, he had to constantly play the role of an invincible genius in order to be highly synchronized with the ¡®Enlightened Dao Heart¡¯ and make it work¡­ ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Sect Master Polestar nodded approvingly. She turned to Xu Yinglian and said, ¡°When you cultivate, don¡¯t listen to other people¡¯s words and only care about your own cultivation. What has your senior brother¡¯s cultivation realm got to do with you?¡± ¡°So what if you beat him? So what if you can¡¯t win?¡± ¡°When will you be able to let go of all these? Only then will your Dao heart be completely stable.¡± ¡°Master.¡± Xu Yinglian gave a miserable smile. ¡°The reason why Senior Brother doesn¡¯t care is that above Enlightened Dao Heart, there is no more outstanding cultivation talent.¡± ¡°No one can compete with him, so he will not compete. If there is no one ahead, who can he chase?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± she said in a choked voice.¡± I was born in the Tiannan Xu Family. Since I was young, my family has had high expectations of me. I also had the rare aptitude of the Smart and Adroit Mind. I thought I was already peerless, but I didn¡¯t know that I was just a frog in a well. ¡± ¡°Senior Brother has always treated me well. It¡¯s just that¡­ ever since I entered the sect, I¡¯ve always lived under Senior Brother¡¯s shadow.¡± ¡°I opened up the sea of vital energy in seven days when my Senior Brother finished it in half a day. I could not understand the lectures, while the Senior Brother obtained master¡¯s meaning within just a few words. Even if it¡¯s the Kunlun Flying Sword Technique, I cultivated painstakingly for half a month and felt that I had achieved some small success, but I could not withstand one or two attacks from my Senior Brother¡­¡± She fell to the ground gracefully, tears streaming down her face. She gritted her teeth and said, ¡°Defeating my Senior Brother is my obsession. Whether it¡¯s destroyed or not, I can¡¯t let it go¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m really¡­ sorry, Master¡­¡± Qiu Changtian, who was listening by the side, was stunned. He could not help but feel guilty in his heart. He heard the Kunlun Mirror say: [Invincible persona, synchronization value+1] Sect Master Polestar opened her eyes and was speechless. After a long while, she shifted her gaze and looked up at Qiu Changtian. Her meaning was clear: Look at what you¡¯ve done! Hurry up and take your silly junior sister away! Chapter 3 Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations He sent Xu Yinglian to the entrance of the Golden Ridge Cave Abode. This silly junior sister¡¯s eyes were red as if she had not completely calmed down. However, because she had spoken offensive words in the lecture hall, she had humbly apologized to Qiu Changtian. Qiu Changtian naturally wouldn¡¯t keep it in mind. To be honest, the mission of obtaining the Heaven Mending Rocks occupied all his mind. He could not be bothered to treat this junior sister as an opponent. His real enemy was the unknown person who lived in the Hollow Jade Temple and possessed the Heaven Mending Stone fragment! To be able to obtain this Connate Treasure, it was very likely that this person was a powerful figure at the level of a Grand Elder, and his status was even higher than Sect Master Polestar. Whether it was persuasion, deception, or theft, the current Qiu Changtian did not have the confidence to obtain the Heaven Mending Stone fragment from the Grand Elder level person. It was impossible to tell the whole story that happened 1000 years later. Putting aside whether others believed it or not, he cannot explain how he knew about the calamity of the Cultivationless Age. Moreover, the Kunlun Mirror in his body was a Connate treasure on the same level as the Heaven Mending Stone. If anyone were to find out about it, it would definitely be a disaster and not a blessing! After sending his junior sister back, Qiu Changtian returned to his cave abode and meditated on the stone bed for a few hours. He followed the route of the Nine Heavens Clarity Entering Enlightenment Mantra and circulated his True Qi a few times, allowing his sea of vital energy to fill up a little. After today¡¯s training, Qiu Changtian called out in his heart, ¡°Ah Jing! Ah Jing!¡± After a long while, a helpless voice awakens. ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s time to go to Mount Shu,¡± Qiu Changtian reminded. The Kunlun Mirror fell silent for a moment before asking, ¡°What do you plan to do with Xu Yinglian?¡± ¡°Of course I refuse.¡± Qiu Changtian smiled. ¡°Women will only affect my cultivation speed!¡± Kunlun Mirror:¡­ ¡°Why? Is something wrong?¡± ¡°Xu Yinglian¡¯s primordial Yin is naturally extremely pure. If you can dual cultivate with it1, yin and yang will become harmonious and it will be very beneficial to you,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said truthfully. ¡°How do you, a lust mirror, know about dual cultivation techniques?¡± Qiu Changtian asked suspiciously. ¡°Tell me, did you take a fancy to her?¡± ¡°Xu Yinglian has the Phoenix bloodline,¡± the Kunlun Mirror explained. ¡°Although it¡¯s thin, its rank is still there.¡± ¡°Phoenix bloodline, so?¡± Qiu Changtian sneered in his heart, ¡°within expectation¡±, so he continued asking. ¡°The phoenix is a scarlet phoenix, a true spirit among demons. Its blood is blazing,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said frankly. ¡°If you dual cultivate with her, yin and yang will become harmonious, stimulating the true spirit qi in the depths of your bloodline. Then, I will be able to engrave the phoenix bloodline into the mirror.¡± ¡°And then?¡± Qiu Changtian sighed and asked, ¡°In order to obtain the talent of the Phoenix bloodline, I have to act as Xu Yinglian, right?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the Kunlun Mirror replied. ¡°Her character profile is¡¯ seeking victory ¡®. You knew her very well.¡± Qiu Changtian pondered silently for a moment before he said, ¡°Send me to Shushan first.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± The Kunlun Mirror began to function. Qiu Changtian felt the light in his sea of mind grow brighter, and his three souls and seven spirits seemed to be trembling. ¡°Countdown to world destruction: 1,000 years.¡± ¡°Please hurry up and look for the Heaven Patching Stone.¡± The Kunlun Mirror chanted: [Point two: Mount Shu¡¯s Shangqing Faction, Green Spiral Peak] [Character Identity: Ling Yunpo.] ¡°Imitation Mode covered, currently traveling through time.¡± Ling Yunpo opened his eyes abruptly. At this moment, he was sitting on a soft bed and meditating. Around him was an antique bedroom. A bronze mirror hung on the wall next to the bed. Ling Yunpo looked into the bronze mirror and saw a black-haired young man. He was handsome, majestic, and had a determined expression. Although his facial features were rather similar to Qiu Changtian¡¯s, his aura was completely different, giving off a bitter and hate feeling. To describe this temperament as human-like, it was like a dark youth whose older brother had killed the entire family and fled outside, so he was bent on seeking revenge on his brother¡­ From Qiu Changtian to Ling Yunpo, he only needed to activate the Kunlun Mirror¡¯s Imitation Mode to create a permanent illusion that would quietly affect everyone¡¯s five senses. Regardless of whether it was sight, hearing, smell, or touch, no matter who used their perception to probe him, the image they could sense was no longer Qiu Changtian, but Ling Yunpo. Of course, the premise of maintaining this image was to act as the corresponding persona. If the persona did not match the appearance, the synchronization value would be too low. It would make people feel that something was wrong, and there was a risk of breaking the Imitation Mode. As for Time Travel, it was a unique skill of the Kunlun Mirror. It could stabilize a space-time coordinate and teleport oneself to the designated time and place. For example, Qiu Changtian stayed at the Kunlun Taiqing Sect for an entire day. At night, he would teleport his body to the Qing Sect on Mount Shu and disguise himself as Ling Yunpo. This meant that Qiu Changtian and Ling Yunpo could appear at different locations at the same time. These two identities could be considered as having alibis. As for why he did this, it was because the second Heaven Mending Stone fragment was hidden in the Shangqing Faction on Mount Shu. ¡°Little Jing1, can you detect the location of the second Heaven Mending Stone fragment?¡± Ling Yunpo asked in a low voice. ¡°The location hasn¡¯t changed,¡± the Kunlun Mirror replied. ¡°Three kilometers underground.¡± Ling Yunpo: ¡­ What the hell is three kilometers underground? Do I have to dig it down? However, it was obvious that those who could hide things three thousand meters below Mount Shu were definitely important figures of the Shangqing Faction ¨C they might even be Grand Elders. He had to take his time and plan slowly. ¡°Junior Brother, are you awake?¡± The Senior Sister¡¯s voice came from outside. ¡°Senior Sister!¡± Ling Yunpo quickly got dressed and got up. He pushed the door open and saw his senior sister standing outside with a smile. Senior Sister An Zhisu was the only disciple of Su Jian, the Peak Master of the Green Spiral Peak of Mount Shu. She was already at the perfected level of the Transformation Realm and was one step away from reaching the Core Formation realm. However, because her master, Su Jian, was in seclusion and Senior Sister An had no one to guide her, her cultivation had been stagnant for a long time. She had no choice but to shift her focus to managing secular affairs. For example, taking in disciples on behalf of his master or nurturing his junior brother. Ling Yunpo looked over and saw that Senior Sister An had changed into a light yellow short-sleeved shirt and a long white skirt. Her hair was tied into a beautiful bun behind her head. Coupled with her pure and charming looks and gentle older sister aura, no man could resist her charm. However, there was a slight murderous aura between her brows¡­ As a Mount Shu sword immortal, she had fought her way through countless duels. Ling Yunpo did not dare to underestimate her at all. ¡°Junior Brother, you just entered our Green Spiral Peak yesterday, so I¡¯ll tell you about cultivation today.¡± An Zhisu led him to the Quiet Hall and said with a smile. ¡°If you want to start cultivating from the mortal body, you first need to abstain from eating and then refine Qi. Finally, you need to master the Dharmic formulation of Refining Qi. Cultivators call it ¡®Trial of Three Gates¡¯.¡± ¡°Because Master is currently in seclusion, I¡¯ll teach you three scriptures on behalf of Master.¡± ¡°¡®Nine Essences Rejuvenation and Integration Divine Higher True Jade Scripture¡¯ is used to abstain from grains.¡± ¡°The ¡®Ultimate Immemorial Record¡¯ is used to open up the Sea of Qi.¡± ¡°The ¡®High Clarity Secret Qi Refinement and Flying Sword Technique of Mount Shu¡¯. It¡¯s used to learn the technique of Qi Refinement. There¡¯s also the general chant for the Mount Shu Sword Control Technique.¡± As Qiu Changtian, Ling Yunpo had already learned the ¡°Trial of Three Gates¡± that An Zhisu had mentioned. However, he was currently playing the role of Ling Yunpo, so he used the Imitation Mode to disguise himself as a mortal who had yet to enter the Refinement Stage. He patiently listened to the Senior Sister¡¯s explanation of the contents of the introductory scripture in detail. Chapter 4 Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations About ten days later. At Kunlun, the matter of becoming Xu Yinglian¡¯s Dao partner seemed to have been decided. His junior sister did not express any objections. She only practiced the Kunlun Sword Control Technique diligently at the entrance of the cave abode day and night. She was determined to defeat his senior brother in swordsmanship! Of course, Dao partners were ultimately just a relationship of status. The most important thing was that after they became Dao partners, they could officially propose dual cultivation¡­ Let¡¯s not talk about this for now. Because it involved Xu Yinglian¡¯s obsession and even her heart demon, she still had to wait for Sect Master Polestar¡¯s arrangements. In the past few days, Qiu Changtian had been calmly circulating the Qi Refinement in his Qi Circulation, and he enjoyed this precious and hard-won period of time during which he wasn¡¯t disturbed by his junior sister. Every once in a while, he would make use of the Kunlun Mirror¡¯s time travel to return to Mount Shu, where he had saved the last time. He would continue to conceal himself as Ling Yunpo, pretending to cultivate. It was a pity that Qiu Changtian¡¯s synchronization value, which had no enemies, began to decrease because he had not been showing off for a long time. This morning, Ling Yun finally passed the ¡°Trial of Three Gates¡± with great difficulty and reported this good news to Senior Sister An. ¡°That¡¯s great, Junior Brother!¡± An Zhisu said happily. ¡°From what I know, the fastest one to pass the three trials at Mount Shu took about seven days.¡± ¡°The fact that you were able to enter the Qi Refinement realm within ten days proves that your cultivation aptitude is also top-notch. It¡¯s a pity that Master is in seclusion and not around. Otherwise, I would definitely let him know of such good news¡­¡± ¡°Senior Sister.¡± Seeing that she was about to cry again because of Master¡¯s seclusion, Ling Yunpo quickly changed the topic and asked curiously, ¡°There¡¯s surprisingly someone in Shushan who has opened up his Sea of Qi in seven days. It looks like he has greater potential than me. Who is he?¡± ¡°It¡¯s me,¡± An Zhisu said embarrassedly. ¡°Actually, it doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s three days or three days later. The sword immortals of Mount Shu don¡¯t care too much about the speed of Qi Refinement. The most important thing is the Flying Sword Techniques.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Ling Yunpo pretended to be unwilling. ¡°It seems like I didn¡¯t have any outstanding aptitude for breaking through the three gates in ten days¡­¡± ¡°No!¡± Seeing the disappointment on her junior brother¡¯s face, An Zhisu quickly changed her words. ¡°The time taken to pass the three stages can still reflect the quality of one¡¯s aptitude!¡± ¡°However, the difference between seven days and ten days isn¡¯t that great¡­¡± She stammered and suddenly changed the topic. ¡°Oh! Since you¡¯ve already grasped the Flying Sword Techniques, Senior Sister will bring you to the Sword Pool to get a sword!¡± Then, An Zhisu summoned her flying sword and flew up with Ling Yunpo. ¡°Senior Sister, your flying sword is¡­¡± Ling Yunpo pretended that he had never seen a flying sword before and asked curiously. ¡°This is my intrinsic sword, a level-ten water-type. Its name is Frostfall,¡± An Zhisu explained. Ling Yun asked again, ¡°What is Level-Ten? What is water-type?¡± ¡°I was just about to explain it to you.¡± An Zhisu smiled. ¡°Flying swords can be divided into the five elements of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth according to the materials, environment, time, and even the sword maker and sealing dao techniques. ¡°Similarly, according to the difference between the materials used to refine the sword and the energy of the sword maker, according to the Heaven Stems Forging Sword Technique, the grades from low to high are Kappa, Iota, Theta, Eta, Zeta, Epsilon, Delta, Gamma, Beta, and Alpha. However, we usually use numbers to name the ten levels, which are the first to tenth grade.¡± ¡°Among them, one to nine levels correspond to the nine realms of Foundation Establishment, Golden Core, and Nascent Soul. The flying sword¡¯s level is higher than that of a sword immortal and can be resolved through seals. If the level is lower than that of a sword immortal, it would be like a general¡¯s weapon being unsuitable, causing the sword immortal to be unable to unleash his full strength.¡± ¡°As for the top-tier Level-Ten flying sword, it is a flying sword that can even unleash the power of Immortals. That¡¯s why it has the elegant name ¡®Immortal Sword¡¯.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Even though Ling Yunpo already knew this, he still asked with a smile, ¡°I wonder if I¡¯ll be lucky enough to receive an immortal sword to use?¡± ¡°There are very few Level-Ten Immortal Swords in the Sword Pool.¡± An Zhisu hesitated for a moment before consoling him, ¡°But don¡¯t worry too much.¡± ¡°The most exquisite aspect of my Mount Shu Sword Manual lies in nurturing the sword with one¡¯s body.¡± ¡°As long as the flying sword¡¯s grade is not too bad, after you refine it into your Intrinsic Sword, it will be purified as your cultivation level increases. There might even be a chance for it to increase in level.¡± Ling Yunpo nodded but thought to himself. Instead of me taking a Level-Nine sword and raising it to the tenth-rank with my own body, why not directly take a Level-Ten sword? What if I raised it to level-11? Of course, from the meaning behind the Senior Sister¡¯s words, the flying swords in the Sword Pool are not allowed to take totally as you expect. He might even have to pass some tests. An Zhisu controlled her flying sword and brought Ling Yunpo to the top of the Sword Peak. The Sword Pool was a pool of jade-green water. It was said that every drop of water in the lake was actually formed by a flying sword. The Sword Immortals of Mount Shu loved to fight. They loved swords as much as their lives, and this was especially true in the outside world. Every time they fought with other cultivators, after winning, he would seize their flying swords and throw them into the pool. As time passed, such a Sword Pool was created. Countless flying swords were training and fighting against each other inside. From the outside, it looked like a pool of rippling water without the force of the wind. What a magnificent scene! As for the Mount Shu¡¯s disciples who lacked swords, they only needed to stand near the Sword Pool and activate the Mount Shu Sword Control Technique to summon the flying swords that were willing to respond. As for whether the flying sword was good or bad, it could not be forced. An Zhisu explained the history of the Sword Pool to her junior brother as they stepped onto the ground. Ling Yunpo clapped his hands in amazement. The two had just walked up when a Mount Shu¡¯s disciple guarding the Sword Pool came over to verify their identities. ¡°Wait, you are¡­¡± When the female disciple saw An Zhisu¡¯s face, she immediately cried out, ¡°You are! Sword Immortal Grasscutter¡­¡± Before she could finish her sentence, the male disciple beside her dragged her behind him and glared at her to silence her. Then, he turned around and braced himself. ¡°Senior Sister An, are you here to get the sword?¡± ¡°What else can I do if I don¡¯t come to the Sword Pool to get a sword?¡± An Zhisu smiled gently. ¡°Could it be that I¡¯m here to compete with you?¡± The male disciple was immediately terrified when he heard that. He said anxiously, ¡°I made a mistake in my sword practice the other day and injured my meridians, so I can¡¯t compete in swordsmanship today! Senior Sister An, please don¡¯t compete with me. Your nickname wasn¡¯t created by us, and it was passed down from other peaks! Every injustice has its perpetrator, every debt has its debtor. Senior Sister An, please do not pick the wrong opponent!¡± ¡°Look at what this junior brother is saying.¡± An Zhisu couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°You¡¯re a Purification realm disciple, but I¡¯m a Transformation realm disciple. My cultivation level is one realm higher than yours, so how can I compete with you in swordsmanship? Wouldn¡¯t that be bullying the weak and violating the sect¡¯s rules?¡± ¡°Yes, Senior Sister cannot be more reasonable. Senior Sister An, do you want to take the sword? This way please, this way please.¡± The male disciple acted as if he¡¯d been granted amnesty and hurriedly bowed to let her through. An Zhisu walked forward calmly with Ling Yunpo following behind her. The male disciple kept wiping his sweat while the female disciple hid behind him with a fearful expression. After leaving the two behind, Ling Yunpo took a few steps forward and smiled. ¡°I¡¯ve finally learned the Senior Sister¡¯s fame.¡± ¡°What fame?¡± An Zhisu rolled her eyes at him and said helplessly, ¡°It¡¯s just that back then, Master was in a rush to enter seclusion, and the various peaks of Mount Shu targeted my Green Spiral Peak. Every few days, they would send disciples to my peak to challenge me and request a sword competition.¡± ¡°If we compete too much, everyone will get to know each other. It¡¯s not a big deal.¡± ¡°I see. This must be the so-called ¡®friendship grows without discord¡¯.¡± Ling Yunpo nodded. ¡°But who is the ¡®Sword Immortal Grasscutter¡¯ that senior sister mentioned just now?¡± An Zhisu was embarrassed. After a while, she said in a low voice, ¡°Who gave me such a terrible nickname?¡± ¡°After Master went into seclusion, there were too many people who came to compete against me. I couldn¡¯t bear to be disturbed. In order to establish my prestige, I had no choice but to steel myself and attack a little more heavily¡­ How did it become like cutting grass?¡± Ling Yunpo pretended to be enlightened and sneered. ¡°I understand now. I think those competitors were unwilling to lose, so they started rumors to slander Senior Sister.¡± ¡°Hearing the title of ¡®Sword Immortal Grasscutter¡¯, I thought that Senior Sister had once killed people like flies. This rumor-maker ruined the Senior Sister¡¯s reputation. How hateful!¡± ¡°When have I ever killed so many?¡± An Zhisu gritted her teeth and said angrily, ¡°When have I ever killed indiscriminately?¡± ¡°If the people that come to challenge me with swords are to be courteous, I will stop when the outcome is determined.¡± ¡°If they spout nonsense or show malicious intent, I will cut off their natal swords and teach them a lesson.¡± ¡°Once in a while, I couldn¡¯t stop myself from piercing someone¡¯s chest¡­ After that, I tried my best to save him!¡± ¡°Senior Sister, this is well done.¡± Ling Yunpo nodded and said, ¡°Those who came to provoke us with ill intentions deserve to die! Hmm¡­ So how many died?¡± ¡°About¡­ Out of the 20 times, I only killed one or two.¡± An Zhisu felt guilty. Ling Yunpo: ? Chapter 5 Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations The two of them chatted and laughed, and they quickly arrived at the side of the Sword Pool. The jade pool was thousands of feet deep, it was almost bottomless. There was a huge rock standing by the pool. Four lines of big words were written on it as if it was carved by a knife. Su Ming Su Ming1. Why not tweet? Zhen Mei Zhen Mei1. How foolish! Even though there were only sixteen words, the writer¡¯s resentment, unwillingness, and despair were written on it, which surprised Ling Yunpo. ¡°Senior Sister, who wrote this?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± An Zhisu shook her head. ¡°According to Master, when his Master entered the sect, this sword tablet was carved with words.¡± She looked up at the sword tablet and slowly said, ¡°Su Ming is the Sword of Su Ming of Grand Yin. Zhen Mei is the Sword of Zhen Mei of Grand Yang.¡± ¡°In the past, the founder of mankind, Fuxi, took the Connate Yin and Yang Qi left behind after Pangu split the heavens and the earth, and he created two supreme immortal swords, Su Ming and Zhen Mei, to suppress the demon race and protect the human race. ¡°To this day, the whereabouts of the two supreme immortal swords are unknown. Therefore, the mainstream opinion of Mount Shu is that the four lines on the sword monument represent the regret of our ancestors for not being able to find the immortal swords of the human race.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Ling Yunpo said with a smile. ¡°I wonder what level are the two supreme immortal swords?¡± ¡°You already said that it¡¯s a supreme immortal sword. How can we know about its level?¡± An Zhisu covered her mouth and laughed. ¡°For example, those immortal swords left behind from ancient times, such as the Taiyi Light-Splitting Sword and the four swords of slayer¡­ None of them have a grade, but it has no impact on their fame of immortal swords.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not talk too much, Junior Brother. Go to the edge of the Sword Pool and activate the Flying Sword Technique. A flying sword will be summoned.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re unsatisfied, you can throw it back into the lake and select it repeatedly.¡± ¡°I can choose again!¡± Ling Yunpo clicked his tongue and said, ¡°If I don¡¯t throw it back into the lake and instead summon the flying sword repeatedly to drain the pond dry, wouldn¡¯t I be able to sell those swords¡­¡± ¡°This is why the Sword Pool is guarded.¡± An Zhisu smiled. Ling Yunpo broke into an awkward smile. He stopped teasing his Senior Sister and focused on the Sword Pool. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª In the Imitation Mode, the character profile of ¡°Ling Yunpo¡± was called ¡°unyielding¡±. However, he had yet to figure out how to synchronize with ¡°unyielding¡±. Could it be that I let my Senior Sister beat me up? And then I¡¯ll shout, ¡°Life has its ups and downs; don¡¯t look down on a poor young.¡± ¡°Senior Sister,¡± Ling Yunpo said in a low voice after pondering for a moment. ¡°Huh?¡± An Zhisu asked. ¡°Have you ever thought about what we would do if Master remained in seclusion and the situation on Green Spiral Peak worsened day by day?¡± Hearing that, An Zhisu was silent for a long time before she said faintly, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°But junior brother, you don¡¯t have to worry too much.¡± ¡°As long as your senior sister is here, I will not let you suffer.¡± ¡°Thank you, Senior Sister.¡± Ling Yun smiled casually. ¡°Then I¡¯ll say something too.¡± ¡°As long as I, Ling Yunpo, am here, I will definitely not let my Senior Sister suffer!¡± In his sea of mind, the Kunlun Mirror suddenly said: [Unyielding character design, synchronization value+1] Ling Yunpo: ¡­ ¡°So it really is like that!¡± He broke out in a cold sweat and could not help but think to himself silently. Wait, this is a good thing! How familiar am I with this tone? I can just say it! ¡°Senior Sister,¡± Ling Yunpo said painfully. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Although I¡¯m only in the Qi Refinement Stage now,¡± Ling Yunpo said in a clear voice, ¡°Life has its ups and downs, don¡¯t look down on a poor young!¡± ¡°So?¡± Anzim blinked. ¡°So¡­ one day, with the sword in my hand, my destiny is governed by me not God!¡± ¡°Yes, yes, very energetic.¡± An Zhisu nodded and smiled. ¡°Go get your sword.¡± Ling Yunpo: ? ¡°Ah Jing, why didn¡¯t you give me the synchronization value?¡± he asked in his heart. After a while, the Kunlun Mirror spoke. ¡°Don¡¯t you feel embarrassed saying these lines?¡± ¡°Awkward, I¡¯m getting goosebumps,¡± Ling Yun complained. ¡°So why don¡¯t you give me synchronization values?¡± ¡°Although the Imitation Mode is an illusion, at the very least, you have to fake the real in order to imitate others,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said helplessly. ¡°Even if you don¡¯t believe your own words, the imitation mode is powerless.¡± ¡°I understand now. The main problem is that the situation isn¡¯t right.¡± Ling Yunpo seemed to be deep in thought. ¡°If a villain appears and humiliates me ruthlessly, which creates the vibe and gives me the right situation to say these lines.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± The Kunlun Mirror agreed. ¡°However, you still have to be careful. After you finish your lines, don¡¯t be killed by the villain.¡± Ling Yunpo used his inner vision again and looked at the ¡°unyielding¡± template in the Kunlun Mirror. This persona template had an embedded talent called ¡°Innate Sword Bones¡±. Although the name sounded unpleasant1, the effect was surprisingly strong. Innate Sword Bones: All bones in the body are like the cutting edge of a sword. The efficiency of nurturing a sword using the body increases. Resistance to Sword Qi and Sword Intent increases. Can resonate with a flying sword. Under special circumstances, the body could be regarded as a flying sword. Other than the last point that seemed to have some problems, the other three points were easy to understand. Firstly, it increased the nurturing effect of the flying sword. Secondly, it increased the defense of the flying sword. Thirdly, it increased the control ability of the flying sword. His compatibility with Mount Shu¡¯s Sword Immortal could be said to be extremely high. Ling Could Breaker stared at the Sword Pool and took a deep breath. Then, he focused and extended his hand toward the Sword Pool, trying to use his Innate Sword Bones talent to resonate with it. ¡°Accio Sword!¡± An Zhisu watched from behind and felt that her junior brother was really cute. However, before she could react, the Sword Pool suddenly boiled! Large amounts of water swirled and surged, forming a huge whirlpool. A drop of water splashed out from the pool and turned into a black flying sword in the air. It was about three feet and six inches long. There was a green lotus flower engraving on the sword hilt. Just looking at it made one dizzy. The black flying sword landed in Ling Yunpo¡¯s hand. He looked at the Sword Pool again and saw that it was calm and clear. There was no sign of the raging waves from before. ¡°Did you see it just now?¡± An Zhisu asked in surprise. ¡°See what?¡± Ling Yunpo revealed a baffled expression. ¡°¡­Nothing.¡± An Zhisu shook her head and looked at the flying sword in his hand. ¡°What kind of flying sword is this?¡± Ling Yunpo asked curiously. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I¡¯ll go back and look through the records.¡± An Zhisu examined the flying sword over and over again and said uncertainly. ¡°Could it be a gradeless sword?¡± Ling Yunpo was secretly shocked. He asked the Kunlun Mirror secretly, ¡°Ah Jing, Ah Jing, tell me, what kind of sword is this?¡± Kunlun Mirror: ¡­ ¡°Ask her yourself,¡± Kunlun Mirror said suddenly. Then, no matter how Ling Yunpo asked, the mirror remained silent. An Zhisu led him away. Moments later, the male and female disciples who were guarding the Sword Pool rushed to the side of the Sword Pool. ¡°Was it Pool Agitation earlier?¡± The male disciple asked amazingly. ¡°Ten Thousand Swords Encirclement, Surging Vortex, it¡¯s undoubtedly a Pool Agitation!¡± The female disciple screamed. ¡°A level-ten immortal sword has appeared!¡± ¡°Quickly inform the elders of the peak!¡± Chapter 6 Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations Mount Shu, Purple Cloud Peak, Rosy Dawn Temple. ¡°A level-ten flying sword?¡± The Master of Purple Cloud Peak, Perfected Ming Hua, frowned in deep ponderance. He was a high-level Mount Shu elder at the Nascent Soul Stage. He looked to be a middle-aged man in his forties. He was stern and rigorous. He wore a simple robe, a high crown, and a belt. He sat on the lotus platform and listened to the male and female disciples below describe what happened at the Sword Pool today. ¡°That flying sword is three feet and six inches long. It¡¯s completely black, and there seems to be a black lotus flower at the tip of the sword,¡± the male disciple described. ¡°It¡¯s only because that Grasscutter Sword Immortal is here that we don¡¯t dare to come close to take a look. After they leave, we immediately come and report it to Master.¡± ¡°A pure black lotus¡­¡± Perfected Ming Hua began to ponder.¡± Could it be the Qingping Sword? ¡± ¡°That¡¯s not right. The Qingping Sword was shattered by the Wonderful Seven Treasures Tree during the Primordial Interruption War. It has lost all its spirituality.¡± ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s a replica of a reforged flying sword or some other similar-looking flying sword. Since it can cause such a phenomenon in the pond and cause the swords to circle and protect it, it must be a level-ten immortal sword.¡± ¡°If Perfected Seven Kills, Su Jian, was still alive, I naturally wouldn¡¯t have provoked him in the slightest. However, Su Jian has been in seclusion for a long time, so I reckon he¡¯s most likely dead. An Zhisu already has an intrinsic sword. This sword must have been prepared for her junior brother.¡± ¡°However, Ling Yunpo is only at the Qi Refinement stage and has yet to enter the Purification stage. He cannot hide the sword with his body, so it is naturally impossible for him to immediately refine that immortal sword into his natal sword.¡± Thinking of this, Perfected Ming Hua pondered for a while and looked up at the disciples again. Seeing their Master looking up at them, the disciples in the hall became excited. Were they going to snatch the sword? That was a tenth rank immortal sword! Now that people have lost the method of forging, they could only seek out tenth rank immortal swords from ancient times! Regardless of whether it was Foundation Establishment, Golden Core, or Nascent Soul, even if one became an immortal, he could still fully display the power of a tenth rank immortal sword! ¡°Lou Zhizheng.¡± Daoist Ming Hua suddenly pointed out. Among the disciples, a short and fat youth who had just joined the sect quickly stepped forward, his face filled with ecstasy. ¡°I¡¯m here.¡± ¡°Master looked at you earlier. Do you have anything to say?¡± Perfected Ming Hua spoke slowly. Lou Zhizheng thought quickly and immediately said, ¡°Perfected Seven Kills is in seclusion, and there are only two people left on Green Spiral Peak. How could they be worthy of possessing a tenth rank immortal sword? Since ancient times, treasures have always belonged to those with virtue¡­¡± ¡°Ridiculous,¡± Perfected Ming Hua said calmly. ¡°We are all disciples of the various peaks of Mount Shu. How can we covet someone else¡¯s sword? Think again!¡± Lou Zhizheng was sweating profusely. After a while, he said, ¡°I¡­ I want to compete with Green Spiral Peak in swordsmanship! Yes, I want to get guidance on swordsmanship from them!¡± ¡°From whom?¡± Perfected Ming Hua looked up. ¡°An Zhisu?¡± ¡°Naturally I¡¯ll compete with Ling Yunpo!¡± Lou Zhizheng¡¯s heart settled upon hearing this, and he was immediately filled with inspiration. He chuckled and said, ¡°I¡¯m in the Refinement Stage, and that Ling Yunpo is also in the Refinement Stage, which conforms to Mount Shu¡¯s sword competition rules.¡± ¡°If Ling Yunpo refuses to accept the challenge, he will have to pay spirit stones according to the sect rules. If the Green Spiral Peak can¡¯t afford spirit stones due to certain reasons, then they will use the immortal sword as compensation. We from Purple Cloud Peak are willing to buy it.¡± ¡°What if Ling Yunpo accepts the sword competition?¡± Daoist Minghua continued to ask. ¡°Master, please help me in this situation!¡± Lou Zhizheng said with a wicked smile. ¡°After the application for the competition is approved, please bestow me with pills to help me ascend the Stairway to Heaven and enter the Purification Stage!¡± ¡°Fighting a Purification disciple as a Qi Refinement disciple, that Ling Yunpo is definitely not my match. There are only two people on the Green Spiral Peak, so how can An Zhisu bear to send her only junior brother to his death? Hah, I¡¯ll definitely make her give that immortal sword with both hands!¡± The surrounding disciples had complicated expressions. On one hand, they felt that this plan was indeed feasible. This was because Mount Shu encouraged sword immortals to fight against each other and challenge those at the same cultivation level. Lou Zhizheng¡¯s idea was completely in line with the rules. On the other hand, they felt that he was too scheming to come up with such a vicious plan to bully the weak. Framing the Green Spiral Peak to make it lacking in spirit stones, and then intentionally bringing up the duel for the sake of bullying the weak. He could have competed fairly with others, but he insisted on having his master help him escalate to the Purification stage because he wanted to bully others. This junior brother was so vicious. Everyone had to be more careful in the future. Lou Zhizheng, who was completely unaware of his senior brother and senior sister¡¯s fear, continued to bow and say. ¡°I still need to plan this properly. Master, please allow me to be in charge. When I get the immortal sword, I will return to offer it to you.¡± Perfected Ming Hua sat upright on the lotus platform and remained silent for a long time. Finally, he casually waved his hand, indicating his acquiescence. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª On Green Spiral Peak. Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu studied the ancient books left behind by their master Su Jian for a long time, but they still couldn¡¯t figure out the origins of the pure black flying sword. There was only one ancient book that mentioned the ¡°Qingping Sword¡±. From its description, their sword looked rather similar to the flying sword. However, the Qingping Sword was shattered by the Wonderful Seven Treasures Tree at the end of the Primordial Interruption War. In other words, the flying sword might have been reconstructed after the Qingping Sword was shattered, or it might have been forged according to the Qingping Sword. It was impossible to determine its specific characteristics. They could only wait until Ling Yunpo enter the Purification realm to ¡°nurture the sword with his body¡± and refine it into Natal Sword. Then, Ling Yunpo could use his divine sense to confirm it. Back to the main topic. Now that he had a flying sword, An Zhisu began to teach him the Flying Sword Technique of Mount Shu. Ling Yun realized that the Kunlun Flying Sword Technique and the Mount Shu Flying Sword Technique were similar to the Huashan Sect¡¯s Qi Sect and Sword Sect. The Kunlun Flying Sword Technique took a bold and open path. The reason was that the Kunlun Sect revered Qi Refinement the most and believed that the key to sword kinesis was the cultivation realm. As long as one¡¯s cultivation was able to crush his opponent, then he would be able to defeat any opponents with only the force. No matter what the opponents use, they would be nothing more than trash. On the contrary, the general principle of Mount Shu¡¯s Flying Sword Technique was all-encompassing and varied. It focused on defeating the strong with the weak. On the basis of the general outline, each peak developed its own swordsmanship path. On the Green Spiral Peak¡¯s side, the disciples got the Perfected Seven Kills Su Jian¡¯s legacy, the Seven Kills Sword Swordsmanship of Mount Shu. ¡°The Seven Kills Swordsmanship focuses on attacking the body.¡± An Zhisu formed a sword seal and pulled out her Frost Flying Sword. She recited the mantra and said, ¡°There is a formulation that is partial to the official, but without a formulation, it is known as the Seven Kills. Two Yang counter, two Yin counter. Separated by seven, they counter each other. If there is killing, we will talk about killing. If there is no killing, we will talk about using.¡± Ling Yunpo couldn¡¯t help but shake his head, indicating that he didn¡¯t understand at all. An Zhisu smiled and explained, ¡°The Seven Kills Swordsmanship focuses on defeating the enemy and suppressing the enemy. We must not be suppressed by the enemy.¡± ¡°The style of swordsmanship is like meeting your enemy on a narrow path. If you draw your saber, you will immediately cover it with blood, not giving your enemy any chance to rest.¡± ¡°In terms of sword-arts, we should focus on offense. If we can kill them by force, we won¡¯t tie them down. If we can tie them down, we won¡¯t defend.¡± Ling Yunpo: ¡­ It turned out that Senior Sister¡¯s murderous nature was so deep that she could easily break someone¡¯s limbs and pierce through their chest and stomach. It was all because she had practiced the Seven Kills Sword Art! From this, it could be seen that my never-seen master who was in closed-door cultivation, the Peak Master of the Green Spiral Peak who created the Seven Kills Sword Art, the Perfected Seven Kills Su Jian, was probably not easily-bullied either! Chapter 7 Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations As he continued to learn from Senior Sister An, Ling Yunpo realized that the Seven Kills Swordsmanship was too ferocious. Every move was an attack without any defense. Take the opening stance of ¡°Pine Welcoming¡± as an example: The general outline of the Flying Sword Technique of Mount Shu mentioned that the ¡®Pine Welcoming ¡®was to allow the flying sword to move in an arc to attack the opponent. Moreover, the sword body and sword path were separated by about one-sixth of the right angle (which was also 15 degrees). The purpose was to be flexible in dealing with various situations. If the opponent chooses to defend, the sword can turn the angle at any time and launch a probing attack. If the other opponent also attacked, the flying sword could take advantage of the situation to turn around and block the other opponent¡¯s flying sword. Attack while you can defend, and advance while you can retreat, which are the essence of this move. When it came to the Seven Kills Swordsmanship, it was changed by Su Jian to ¡°the sword path coincides¡±, that is, the tip of the sword and the path of the sword completely overlap. If the other party was defending, he would control his flying sword to move around and change directions rapidly until breaking through the entanglement of the other party¡¯s flying sword to directly assassinate the sword immortal! If the other party attacked, he would activate his flying sword with all his might and charge forward at full speed. Before the other party¡¯s flying sword touched him, he would kill the sword immortal opposite him first! Ling Yunpo could even imagine how Su Jian had considered this move when he first created the Seven Kill Sword Technique. ¡°What? Probing him? Why don¡¯t we just kill him directly?¡± ¡°Senior Sister.¡± He hesitated for a long time before asking, ¡°Don¡¯t we need to consider defense when using the Pine Welcoming?¡± ¡°This is called a preemptive strike,¡± An Zhisu explained with a smile. ¡°When both sides are facing each other¡¯s swords, you will use your flying sword to attack from the very beginning. When the other party is shocked, six out of ten will choose to defend.¡± ¡°As long as he defends, you can suppress him. Most of the sword moves in the Seven Kills Swordsmanship teach you how to break through the opponent¡¯s defense.¡± ¡°Therefore, ¡®breaking through defense¡¯ is our Seven Kills Swordsmanship¡¯s strong point.¡± ¡°What if the opponent doesn¡¯t defend?¡± Ling Yunpo asked again. ¡°If the opponent doesn¡¯t defend and counterattack, you will fight him.¡± An Zhisu was still smiling. ¡°Most of these people don¡¯t dare to fight you head-on. They will turn their swords halfway and come back to defend. Thus, we returned to the first situation.¡± ¡°What if they still attack?¡± Ling Yunpo confirmed. ¡°Then let¡¯s see who¡¯s faster,¡± An Zhisu said calmly. ¡°Master once said that the fastest swordsmanship in the world is invincible.¡± ¡°Therefore, the Seven Kills Swordsmanship¡¯s mental cultivation technique has pushed the speed of the flying sword to the limit.¡± ¡°Regardless of cultivation level or grade of the flying sword, it only depends on the circulation path of the sword technique. Our Green Spiral Peak¡¯s Seven Kills Swordsmanship is the fastest among Mount Shu¡¯s Flying Sword Techniques.¡± Ling Yunpo pondered for a while and smiled. ¡°In other words, the other party can¡¯t win in terms of offense and they will fall into our advantageous zone when defending. Then, wouldn¡¯t this Seven Kills Swordsmanship be invincible?¡± ¡°Silly junior brother.¡± An Zhisu shook her head. ¡°Our Green Spiral Peak¡¯s swordsmanship is famous for its high speed. Everyone in Mount Shu knows about it.¡± ¡°Thus, when you are fighting against them, they will definitely not compete attacking with you. Instead, they will strike after you to suppress you.¡± ¡°The Seven Kills Swordsmanship must suppress the attack. As long as you suppress the opponent¡¯s swordsmanship, the Seven Kills Swordsmanship can easily end the battle in a few breaths. But what if you can¡¯t?¡± ¡°Once your swordsmanship is inferior to the opponent¡¯s, when your momentum is exhausted and your swordplay is exhausted, it will be time for the opponent to counterattack.¡± ¡°Therefore, the second line of the mantra is¡¯ Unrestrained is the Seven Kills¡¯. The main point is that we cannot be suppressed by the opponent.¡± ¡°Let me show you all the moves of the Seven Kills Sword Swordsmanship. Watch carefully.¡± An Zhisu held her hands together and pointed forward. The Frost Sword pierced through the air and stabbed into the rock wall on the opposite side. It was like cutting tofu, and the stone fragments fell down. ¡°This is Pine Welcoming.¡± She spun her sword again, and the Frost Sword followed suit. She executed the other moves one by one. ¡°This is Heart Following Mind.¡± ¡°This is the White Rainbow Penetrating Sun.¡± ¡°This is Solitary Drinking Under the Moon.¡± Ling Yunpo looked at the Senior Sister silently. She was dressed like a colorful butterfly, her sword dancing in the air. She is heroic like the Houyi shooting down nine suns, and she is energetic like a red dragon. Its start was like a bolt of lightning struck down, and its end was like a clear light gathering in the sea! He looked at it as if he was intoxicated. It was unknown whether he was looking at the immortal sword¡¯s brilliant splendor or his senior sister¡¯s beautiful figure. An Zhisu danced with her sword and sang a clarion song: ¡°Lighting, lighting, listen to me!¡± ¡°Take my blood, my pride, and forge the three-foot flying sword.¡± ¡°Its voice is like the roar of a dragon, and its light was like violet lightning.¡± ¡°Slaughter the world, soar to the nine heavens.¡± ¡°Soul Sealing Jadefall, Blood Descent the hell.¡± ¡°Immortals and devils offer their heads, gods and buddhas are buried!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard of the East Imperial Demon Realm, but I don¡¯t know how far it is.¡± ¡°Where is Su Ming? Where is Zhen Mei?¡± ¡°I shall enter with my sword and cut through the natural moat.¡± ¡°Monitor Meng Zhang is unable to live, and Judge Ling Guang will die too.¡± ¡­ She slowly finished her song, and the sword light returned to its sheath. Ling Yunpo clapped and praised. ¡°Good singing! The Senior Sister¡¯s song was full of heroic spirit, it really makes Junior Brother admire you.¡± An Zhisu blushed and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t write this. Master used to sing it and beat it with chopsticks after drinking. I thought it was nice, so I memorized the lyrics and melody.¡± ¡°The lyrics are good, the melody is good, and the Senior Sister sings even better!¡± Ling Yunpo laughed. An Zhisu became even more embarrassed. She forced herself to act like a senior sister and interrupted him. ¡°I¡¯m not going to argue with you anymore. Did you see the sword move I showed earlier?¡± ¡°Oh no,¡± Ling Yun said awkwardly. ¡°I was too focused on the Senior Sister and forgot to look at the flying sword. It¡¯s my fault.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do it again.¡± An Zhisu rolled her eyes at him and summoned her Frost Sword again. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Ling Yunpo practiced for a few days while Qiu Changtian had a peaceful time without his junior sister. In the end, the synchronization value of the invincible setting kept decreasing, forcing the Kunlun Mirror to issue several reminders. He had no choice but to find someone to show off. Using the Kunlun Mirror, he loaded the template of Qiu Changtian and sent his body to Golden Mountain Range in the morning. Qiu Changtian left his cave abode and went to find his junior sister, Xu Yinglian. Xu Yinglian¡¯s cave abode was located on the south side of Golden Ridge Peak. There was an empty space at the entrance, and there were often many cranes walking around, waiting for Xu Yinglian to feed them. He walked along the path for dozens of steps before arriving at the entrance of his junior sister¡¯s cave abode. Xu Yinglian was dressed in white and was practicing her swordplay in front of the mansion. In her left hand, she held the sword manual of the Kunlun Flying Sword Techniques. In her right hand, she formed a sword with fingers and circulated her qi. The scarlet Yujia Sword drew across the sky, leaving behind a blazing trail. ¡°Junior Sister!¡± Qiu Changtian greeted her with a smile. ¡°Senior Brother.¡± Xu Yinglian bowed slightly and forced a smile. However, there was a lingering look in her eyes. Qiu Changtian could tell that her obsession seemed to have deepened. According to Sect Master Polestar, if this continued, it might turn into an inner demon. No! Although I often need Junior Sister to help increase my synchronization value to maintain my enemy-free profile¡­ I can¡¯t harm Junior Sister because of this! It seemed like he had to find a way to encourage her and cheer her up. Thus, Qiu Changtian put away his smile and watched her focus on the swordplay for a few minutes. Suddenly, he spoke in an incredulous tone. ¡°That can¡¯t be, right, Junior Sister? You¡¯ve been practicing for so many days. Is this all?¡± Chapter 8 Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations Xu Yinglian was furious. ¡°Senior Brother, what do you want?¡± She squeezed out every word through gritted teeth. Qiu Changtian did not answer her. Instead, he heard the Kunlun Mirror say, [Invincible setting, synchronization value+1] After calming down, he slowly said seriously, ¡°In a few days, it will be the opening day of the Kunlun Taiqing Sect.¡± ¡°At that time, those who can complete the Path to Heaven will become the 280th generation disciple of Kunlun.¡± ¡°Because of our talent in cultivation, you and I were admitted by Kunlun early.¡± ¡°If we don¡¯t have the ability to suppress other disciples, how will we convince the masses in the future?¡± Xu Yinglian widened her eyes and said in an unfriendly tone, ¡°Do you think that I can¡¯t suppress the other junior brothers and sisters and be a good second senior sister?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t say that.¡± Qiu Changtian smiled again. ¡°It¡¯s just that there are many flaws in your swordsmanship, so I¡¯m a little worried.¡± ¡°Flaws?¡± Xu Yinglian¡¯s pupils constricted as she asked coldly, ¡°I¡¯m practicing the orthodox Kunlun Flying Sword Technique, what flaws can there be?¡± ¡°Even if all of you practice the orthodox sword techniques of Kunlun, there will still be differences due to individual insights,¡± Qiu Changtian said with a smile. ¡°Show me the Pine Welcoming.¡± Xu Yinglian didn¡¯t reply. She just formed a sword technique and the sword Yu Jia suddenly flew up, drawing a sharp arc and directly attacking Qiu Changtian. The three major orthodox sects of today, Kunlun, Mount Shu, and Penglai, had all originated from the ancient Chan Sect thousands of years ago. Therefore, their respective sword kinesis general outline had also inherited the basic sword techniques of the ancient Chan Sect. The opening stance of the Kunlun Sword Kinesis General Principle was also the ¡°Pine Welcoming¡±, and it was no different from the Mount Shu Sword Manual. It was just that Ling Yunpo had been practicing the Seven Kill Sword Art of Shushan with Senior Sister An for many days. From the perspective of a strategically advantageous position, and looking at the basic sword techniques of the Chan Sect, he could tell that in order to allow beginners to get used to it as soon as possible, a large number of deletions and simplifications were made. It was just like the Shaolin fist in the wuxia world. It was enough to build a foundation, but it wasn¡¯t much in actual combat. Xu Yinglian attacked with the standard Pine Welcoming. Qiu Changtian saw five or six flaws with a single glance. The Jade Smoke Sword shot out like a bolt of lightning. Xu Yinglian wanted to use the sword Yu Jia to block, but her senior brother¡¯s flying sword¡¯s angle was so tricky that it completely exceeded her expectations. Yu Jia was directly sent flying by the Jade Smoke Sword. ¡°Here, here, and here¡­¡± Qiu Changtian pulled Yu Yan back and imitated Xu Yinglian¡¯s sword technique. He pointed out a few flaws in the sword technique, causing Xu Yinglian to be stunned. Why didn¡¯t I notice it before? Well, Senior Brother was right¡­ ¡°But this is the general outline of the Kunlun Sword Technique.¡± After he finished explaining in detail, Xu Yinglian frowned and said, ¡°According to you, could it be that this general outline of swordsmanship already had so many loopholes and flaws when it was designed? Has no one improved it after so many years?¡± ¡°Of course there are improvements.¡± Qiu Changtian smiled slightly. ¡°For example, if the first flaw I mentioned is targeted by the enemy, you only need to make a small change here¡­¡± He used all the sword moves that could break and counter it. When he looked at Xu Yinglian again, this junior sister already had a look of realization. ¡°Therefore, don¡¯t believe in books all the time,¡± Qiu Changtian concluded. ¡°Although the general outline of the Flying Sword Technique is written in this way, if you follow it without thoughts, you¡¯ll fall behind. You have to have your own understanding and changes.¡± ¡°I see, I understand.¡± Xu Yinglian regained her senses and thanked him sincerely. Unlike An Zhisu, Xu Yinglian was serious on the outside but soft on the inside. She was usually cold, but after all, she was from the cultivation clan of the Tiannan Xu family. In her speech and actions, she still had the gentleness and charm of a classical court lady that she had cultivated since young. At this moment, she only bowed slightly in thanks. The graceful curve of her figure when the Daoist robe bended and the fair neck under her clothes made Qiu Changtian¡¯s heart slightly move. ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± Qiu Changtian suppressed the charming and gentle emotions in his heart, and then he turned around with his hands behind his back and said, ¡°I¡¯m your Senior Brother, so I naturally have to guide your cultivation so as to avoid being laughed at by others.¡± [Invincible setting, synchronization value+1] Huh? Qiu Changtian seemed to be lost in thought. It turned out that showing off had such a method. Teaching others as he liked, he could actually increase his synchronization rate. Before Xu Yinglian could say anything, Qiu Changtian spoke again. ¡°What other questions do you have? Hurry up and ask!¡± ¡°You¡¯re my junior sister. I won¡¯t allow you to lose face in front of other disciples!¡± Xu Yinglian:¡­ Fury erupted in her eyes as she sneered. ¡°Senior Brother boasts. Can you really answer every question?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Qiu Changtian said indifferently, ¡°Otherwise, how could I be worthy of being your Senior Brother?¡± Xu Yinglian: ! Hearing this, her fighting spirit was ignited. In other words, if Qiu Changtian was unable to answer a question about the Sword Dao, then would it prove that he wasn¡¯t worthy of being my senior brother? If so, he lost! Hmph, hmph, ha ha ha, ha ha ha ha ha, my Senior Brother will definitely lose to me this time¡­ ¡°Alright.¡± Xu Yinglian lowered her gaze to prevent her senior brother from discovering the battle intent in his eyes. ¡°Then the junior sister does have a few questions that I need to ask the senior brother¡­¡± She had already accumulated a lot of questions while cultivating sword techniques, so she asked all of them at once. It had to be mentioned that the records of the Shushan Flying Sword Technique were much more detailed than the Kunlun Flying Sword Technique. It was because, in the latter general outline, there were many ambiguous descriptions, making it so that even if a cultivator read it several times, he wouldn¡¯t know what it was. Xu Yinglian¡¯s questions were mostly vague in the Kunlun Flying Sword Technique, but they were all answered in the Shushan Flying Sword Technique. Thus, Qiu Changtian replied without thinking, ¡°What¡¯s so difficult about that?¡± He divided Xu Yinglian¡¯s question into several key answers. One, two, three, four, five, all of them were in-depth and concise. His answers were perfect. Xu Yinglian felt enlightened after hearing this. All the problems that troubled her cultivation in the past were now resolved. However, she was not happy. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about swordsmanship for now. I still have some questions to ask you about the ¡®Nine Heavens Clarity Entering Enlightenment Mantra ¡®¡­¡± Xu Yinglian forced herself to remain calm and continued to embarrass her senior brother. The Kunlun Mirror was already reciting in Qiu Changtian¡¯s mind: [Invincible setting, synchronization value+1] ¡°What¡¯s so difficult about that?¡± Qiu Changtian cheered in his heart, but he said again, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you in detail¡­¡± With every point he spoke, Xu Yinglian¡¯s face turned pale. By the time he reached the end, her face had already turned as white as a sheet of paper, and her body started to sway. Could it be that my understanding of the Qi Refinement and Senior Brother¡¯s are really that different? Impossible! Impossible! Definitely impossible!!! ¡°As¡­ As for the derivative Daoist magic of the first level of the Qi Refinement Technique, the Light of Universal Voice, Junior Sister has a few questions to ask¡­¡± Xu Yinglian¡¯s mind was a mess and her emotions were fluctuating. There was even a hint of pleading in her tone that she did not realize. ¡°¡­If the Senior Brother can¡¯t answer, it¡¯s fine¡­ I¡¯ll ask the other seniors¡­¡± ¡°Ask which Senior?¡± Qiu Changtian said impatiently, ¡°This question is extremely simple. Let me tell you¡­¡± After he finished speaking, Xu Yinglian finally broke down and turned to leave. ¡°Senior Brother is great. I still have something on, so I won¡¯t disturb you any further.¡± She held back her tears and stepped onto the Sword Yu Jia before disappearing. [Invincible setting, synchronization value+1] Qiu Changtian watched Xu Yinglian leave and couldn¡¯t help but smile. This junior sister was really cute. Chapter 9 Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations The day of Mount Kunlun, which happens once every thirty years, has finally arrived. Thirty years meant half a sixty-year cycle. The Taiqing Sect of Kunlun was founded on the ¡°gold in the sea¡±. Therefore, it would officially open the mountain in the Jia Zi or Yi Chou year. It would be supplemented in the Jia Wu or Yi Wei year, which was twice in the sixty years cycle. There was too much to talk about in detail, so let¡¯s not mention it for now. But for the ancients whose average lifespan was less than 50 years, it meant that most people only had one or two chances to enter Kunlun Sect in their lives. Of course, if someone as talented as Qiu Changtian was able to complete the Kunlun Path to Heaven on any day besides the day of the Mountain opening, it wouldn¡¯t be a problem for him to join the Taiqing Sect. Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian rode their swords down and circled around the Kunlun Pillar. The mountain steps of the Kunlun Path to Heaven surrounded the Kunlun Pillar in circles. Countless mortals clung onto it like ants and climbed up with difficulty. ¡°I heard that back then, the senior brother ascended the Kunlun Pillar when the mountain wasn¡¯t supposed to be opened up?¡± Xu Yinglian looked at him with a cold expression. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Qiu Changtian nodded. ¡°Can you tell Junior Sister what¡¯s so special about this Path to Heaven?¡± Xu Yinglian pointed down. Because Xu Yinglian possessed the cultivation talent of the ¡°Smart and Adroit Mind¡±, she was carefully nurtured by the Xu family of Tiannan. Then, the eldest senior brother of the Foundation Establishment Stage, Xu Changqing, personally brought her to Kunlun to be a disciple. She had never walked the Path to Heaven. In the future, for example, a university exempted students asked what it felt like to take the college entrance examination. In essence, it was a form of showing off. Qiu Changtian did not seem to notice and only replied with a smile, ¡°This Kunlun Path to Heaven has a hundred thousand steps. It¡¯s not empty talk, but real hundred thousand steps.¡± ¡°If a mortal can complete the path to heaven within a day and night, they will be allowed to join the Kunlun Taiqing Sect.¡± ¡°According to the rankings of finishing the path to heaven, inner and outer sect disciples can be divided. Inner sect disciples can participate in the disciple recruitment assembly. Outer sect disciples can only learn Qi Refinement techniques by themselves.¡± ¡°In addition, if you want to cultivate our sect¡¯s supreme ¡®Nine Heavens Clarity Entering Enlightenment Mantra¡¯, you must become a disciple of Sect Master Polestar.¡± ¡°Our master only accepts seven disciples in each generation, and only the chief disciple is a personal disciple. He can enter the Hollow Jade Temple¡¯s lecture room to listen to the scriptures. The other disciples can only learn from the chief disciple.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Xu Yinglian interrupted him and said, ¡°Since this generation¡¯s Chief Disciple has already been internally decided to be Senior Brother, why can I also go to the lecture room to listen to the scriptures?¡± ¡°Because Junior Sister¡¯s Smart and Adroit Mind is one of the best cultivation talents in the world.¡± Qiu Changtian smiled and said, ¡°Geniuses can always make people break the rules.¡± Geniuses can always make people break the rules¡­ Xu Yinglian carefully ruminates over these words. Suddenly, she saw his senior brother pressing down the sword so she quickly followed. On the mountain path below, a mortal youth was sitting on the steps, covering his face without saying a word. His companion was tugging at his sleeve, trying to persuade him. ¡°Don¡¯t rest. Come with me.¡± The youth only shook his head and refused to get up. ¡°The mountain path is endless, it¡¯s really tiring. Let me rest for a while more.¡± The two of them spiraled down. Qiu Changtian said coldly, ¡°He is bewitched by the otherworldly demon, he has already developed a lazy and dispirited heart. You can go and leave him alone.¡± When the youth heard this, his expression changed several times, but in the end, his will was not firm. He really did not want to continue, so he lowered his head and did not say anything. His companion gritted his teeth and could only abandon him and continue forward. Qiu Changtian raised his sword again and said to Xu Yinglian, ¡°It is truly not easy to walk on this path to heaven. The higher you reach the peak, the closer you are to the skydome. The mortal flesh does not have any immortal spells to protect it. If one wants to stop due to being tired, it will be magnified by the otherworldly demon. Those who do not have a firm heart of seeking Dao, once stopping to rest, it will be difficult to rise again.¡± ¡°Extraterrestrial Demon?¡± Xu Yinglian asked in disbelief. ¡°In the territory of our Kunlun Taiqing Sect, will anyone be affected by an Extraterrestrial Demon?¡± ¡°There are three disasters and nine tribulations in cultivation, and one can¡¯t avoid them anywhere.¡± Qiu Changtian shook his head and said, ¡°If one wants to attain the path to immortality with a mortal body, then one must possess great willpower and great aspirations.¡± The two of them continued to fly upwards. The higher the mountain road, the fewer walking people there were and the more resting people there were. It was just as Qiu Changtian had said. As long as one stopped to rest on the path to the heavens, one would be able to let go of their obsession with cultivation. It was extremely difficult to rise and continue. Qiu Changtian saw that Xu Yinglian was eager to land and compete with these mortals on the path. ¡°Junior Sister¡¯s Smart and Adroit Mind is very resistant to otherworldly demons. Even if you are bewitched by magic, you can see through it quickly. That¡¯s why Master allowed you to skip the entrance examination. It¡¯s because this Kunlun Path to Heaven is really not difficult for you.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s it.¡± Hearing her senior brother say this, Xu Yinglian let go of her competitive spirit and said with a sigh, ¡°Then what about the senior brother¡¯s ¡®Enlightened Dao Heart¡¯?¡± Qiu Changtian smiled silently. Your Smart and Adroit Mind is only resistant to demons. My Enlightened Dao Heart is immune to the invasion of demons. Which one was better? It¡¯s easy to tell. However, if he said this, although it would greatly increase his synchronization value, Junior Sister would definitely fall out with him. Thus, Qiu Changtian changed the topic and pointed downwards. ¡°Speaking of that, there are also a few disciples that possess extraordinary talent among the disciples that were ascending the mountain this year.¡± ¡°The person at the front is called Guan Zhan. It¡¯s said that he¡¯s from the Longyou Guan Clan.¡± ¡°Longyou Guan family?¡± Xu Yinglian said with a frown. ¡°Aren¡¯t his family all sword immortals and disciples of the Shangqing Faction on Shu Mountain? Why did they send a youth to Kunlun this time?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know about that either.¡± Qiu Changtian shook his head. ¡°However, Guan Zhan¡¯s foundation is extremely strong, and he left the others behind after the mountain opened. Now his pace has slowed down, he probably can¡¯t hold on any longer, but the position of first is still difficult to shake for now.¡± ¡°In the past, he would be the chief disciple of this generation.¡± Xu Yinglian sneered and said with a slightly mocking tone, ¡°Unfortunately, he met Senior Brother this time.¡± ¡°He only encountered me?¡± Qiu Changtian couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°Junior Sister, don¡¯t forget that according to the order of entry, you¡¯re ranked before him as well. If he chose to take the Sect Master as his Master, then he would at most be ranked at the third position.¡± ¡°En.¡± Xu Yinglian nodded. When she thought about the junior brother below her, her mood became a bit better. ¡°The person who is ranked second is Yan Zhitui from Jiang Prefecture¡¯s White Deer Cave Academy.¡± Qiu Changtian pointed at a person and continued to say to his junior sister, ¡°The three great ancient sects are Chan Sect, Jie Sect, and Ren Sect. Among them, Ren Sect has been passed down until now. It is Ru Sect who has inherited its legacy.¡± ¡°Yan Zhitui came from the Yan family of Qingzhou, and his family has been well-educated for generations. In the end, this generation¡¯s successor didn¡¯t take the imperial examinations to become an official but instead came all the way to Kunlun to become a disciple. It¡¯s quite strange.¡± Xu Yinglian pondered for a moment and said, ¡°Senior Brother, what are you trying to say? Kunlun is flourishing with luck, attracting the descendants of the aristocratic families to join us?¡± ¡°No.¡± Looking at such a cute junior sister, Qiu Changtian could not help but tease her. ¡°This generation of disciples is full of talents. Junior Sister, you must work hard in cultivation and not be surpassed by Junior Brothers and Sisters.¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible!¡± Xu Yinglian was immediately enraged. Chapter 10 Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations The next day. Qiu Changtian continued to bring Junior Sister Xu along. The two of them flew around the heaven pillar with sword lights revolving around them as they chatted and laughed. They were extremely content. Guan Zhan, who was on the Kunlun Path to Heaven below, had been running on the mountain road for an entire day and night. He was already exhausted. On the day of the Mountain Opening, before ascending the mountain, Kunlun Sect gave everyone a mountain climbing token. It had the effect of making the carrier feel no hungry. However, even though he did not need to eat or drink, during the long climb up the mountain, it was inevitable that he would suffer physical and mental torture. When he reached the 90,000th step, he saw Yan Zhitui chasing after him. Shocked, Guan Zhan forcefully increased his speed. Running and stopping like this was harder than walking at normal speed. When he reached the last dozen steps of the 100,000 steps, Guan Zhan finally ran out of energy and accidentally fell onto the stone steps, still forcefully climbing upwards. Yan Zhi watched from behind but didn¡¯t take the opportunity to overpass him. Although he did not look tired, he was still a mortal after all. At this moment, his limbs were already moving like lead. It was just that he had been taught from a young age to be a gentleman, so no matter how tired he was, he could not lose his composure. Therefore, he forced himself to keep a normal expression. In the end, Guan Zhan finally reached the finish line. He was only three ranks ahead of Yan Zhi. He was sprawled on the ground, his chest heaving up and down. He did not even have the strength to turn over. Yan Zhifei calmly lifted his foot and walked past him, sitting down on a nearby rock to rest. After a short while, a red sword light flew over. Xu Yinglian pressed down the sword light and glanced at Guan Zhan, who was lying on the ground, then looked at Yan Zhitui, who was sitting on a rock. She said coldly, ¡°The two of you have already completed the path to heaven. You can rest here for a while. Later, there will be a disciple who will guide the two of you to attend the ceremony.¡± Guan Zhan raised his head and said weakly, ¡°You guys go ahead, I still need to rest.¡± ¡°You have to go now.¡± Xu Yinglian frowned and said, ¡°After the ceremony is the disciple recruitment event.¡± ¡°You need to choose the Kunlun Elder who is willing to accept you as a disciple according to the order of finishing the Path to Heaven.¡± Guan Zhan shook his head and said, ¡°I¡¯m the first one this time. According to the sect rules, I should be the chief disciple of this generation. What else can I choose?¡± Xu Yinglian sneered. ¡°The 280th generation¡¯s chief disciple is Senior Qiu Changtian, and has nothing to do with you.¡± ¡°What!?¡± Guan Zhan cried out. Even his voice became shrill. ¡°But I¡­ I¡¯m clearly the champion this time! Who is Qiu Changtian?!¡± ¡°Senior Brother finished the Path to Heaven on foot long before the Mountain-Opening Day, so the Sect Master appointed him as the Chief Disciple of this generation,¡± Xu Yinglian said coldly. ¡°If you¡¯re not convinced, you can also ascend the mountain on a day other than the Mountain-Opening Day.¡± Guan Zhan was lying on the ground in rage, cursing something. On the other hand, Yan Zhitui was deep in thought and asked, ¡°Senior Sister, I remember that on the day when the Kunlun Path to Heaven wasn¡¯t opened, from the 85,000th step up, there were winds of calamity from beyond the heavens. The color was like nothing, the smell was like aroma, the sharpness was like a blade, the keenness was like an awl, and there was even the sound of a demon¡¯s soul corroding.¡± ¡°That Senior Brother Qiu was only a mortal body at that time, right? Even with the mountain climbing token on him, he didn¡¯t know how to control it. The moment he had the slightest desire to enter the demonic path, that disaster wind would enter the mind, skewering his bones, until it surged into the meridian, turning his entire body into feather threads, and he would pass away with the wind.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Xu Yinglian turned his gaze over and nodded indifferently. ¡°However, Senior Brother Qiu has the peerless talent of ¡®Enlightened Dao Heart¡¯. What¡¯s so strange about being able to complete the path to heaven on the non-mountain opening day?¡± ¡°Enlightened Dao Heart?¡± Guan Zhan immediately became stunned when he heard this. Yan Zhitui also sucked in a cold breath of air. It was clear that he understood the weight of these words. That was an unparalleled cultivation talent! According to ancient records, it was hard to find one in ten thousand years! Seeing that both of them were at a loss for words, Xu Yinglian felt a sense of satisfaction in her heart. In the past, she had been bullied by her senior brother for his peerless talent. She felt extremely aggrieved, but now, she used her senior brother¡¯s name to intimidate these newbies. In next to no time, the path to heaven closed once more. Those who failed to reach the peak of the heaven pillar before the end were sent out of Kunlun by the mountain-protecting array formation. At this point, there were a total of 323 people who successfully completed the path to the heavens. 107 of them became inner court disciples, and 216 became outer court disciples. Apart from Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian, the seven spots of Sect Master Polestar were coincidentally occupied by the top five disciples among those who had successfully ascended the mountain this time. It could be seen just how great the allure of the Nine Heavens Clarity Entering Enlightenment Mantra was. Qiu Changtian had also participated in the disciple recruitment event. The five disciples who had chosen to become disciples of the Kunlun Sect¡¯s Leader were: Longyou Guan Clan, Guan Zhan. White Deer Cave Academy, Yan Zhitui. Guangling Chen Clan, Chen Zhen. Nanyang Zhong Family, Zhong Tianhuai. Qingzhou Jian Clan, Jian Qingnan. Among them, the Longyou Guan Family had been sword immortals for generations. White Deer Cave Academy was a sacred land of Confucianism. The Chen Family of Guangling and the Zhong Family of Nanyang both had a small cultivation sect with many disciples. The Jian family of Qingzhou was always talented in calculating. The head of this generation was a master of divination. From this, it could be seen that these five junior brothers and sisters were actually all second-generation immortals¡­ Qiu Changtian sighed and began to think in his heart. The phenomenon of inner sect disciples being occupied by cultivation clans had to be traced back to the source of the dispute between the Chan Sect and the Jie Sect. The ancient Chan Sect emphasized teaching according to one¡¯s talents. The so-called ¡®Chan¡¯ was the meaning of ¡®expounding¡¯ according to aptitude. The result of this was that the sect of Chan Sect would only take in disciples with great talent. They thought that one would not be able to cultivate immortality if one did not have the talent. Now that the Chan Sect was already separated into three parts, they still maintained such sect customs. The Taiqing Sect of Kunlun tested one¡¯s temperament. The Shangqing Sect of Mount Shu focused on one¡¯s roots, while the Yuqing Temple of Penglai focused on one¡¯s comprehension. As for the aptitude for cultivation, how could the commoner disciples who had nothing compare to the disciples of cultivation families who had fed Heavenly Treasures from a young age and had the guidance of famous teachers? The result was that the ascending path was completely controlled by the aristocratic descendants. On the other hand, the ancient Jie Sect emphasized ¡°teaching without discrimination¡±. Regardless of whether one¡¯s aptitude was good or bad, one could cultivate it. It could be considered as bringing hope to the disciples of the commoners. In the end, the disciples of the sect were extremely different in the talent, and it was even to the extent that for the sake of avoiding the lack of natural endowments, they¡¯d invented all sorts of unorthodox methods like sacrificial streams, blood consumption streams, nourishment streams, and so on and so forth, causing their reputation to be utterly ruined. Putting aside the historical background, there were now four junior brothers and a junior sister. Furthermore, they were all second-generation immortals. They were probably people with high aspirations. He had to think of a way to show off and establish his might¡­ No, he had to educate them well and nurture them into obedient and sensible juniors like Junior Sister Xu. Qiu Changtian turned to look at Xu Yinglian. Junior Sister Xu is really cute. I have to tease her again! ¡°Why are you looking at me?¡± Xu Yinglian was puzzled. ¡°You¡¯re the chief disciple of this generation now. Your words and actions must be dignified. Don¡¯t look around.¡± ¡°Junior Sister is willing to recognize me as the Chief Disciple?¡± Qiu Changtian asked with surprise. ¡°I can¡¯t accept this!¡± Xu Yinglian said angrily, ¡°Sooner or later, I will defeat you and take this chief disciple position!¡± Chapter 11 Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations After the disciple recruitment event ended, the new disciples dispersed. Qiu Changtian looked at the six people before him, feeling a little strange. Among these six people, be it Longxi Guanzhan, White Deer Cave Yan Zhitui, or anyone else, they were all from cultivation clans and weren¡¯t unknown. But now, he had to respectfully call him Senior Brother. This feeling was really¡­ satisfying. ¡°Senior Brother,¡± Xu Yinglian said calmly, ¡°where are we going now?¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Qiu Changtian reacted. ¡°Let¡¯s go back to the Golden Ridge first.¡± He took out something from his sleeve and threw it into the air. The object grew in the wind. It was actually a small wooden boat magic tool that Qiu Changtian had borrowed from his Foundation Establishment senior brother, Xu Changqing. No matter how invincible his Enlightened Dao heart was, it was impossible for him to produce a Dharmic Artifact. Fortunately, he and Xu Yinglian already had a Dao companion engagement, so he could obtain a certain amount of resources from the Tiannan Xu Family. Everyone was shocked. It was actually a flying magic tool! This Senior Martial Brother Qiu was actually so rich! Everyone present was from a cultivation family and knew how expensive flying Dharma artifacts were. For such a low-grade wooden boat, it did not have any protective arrays or restriction breaking abilities. It could only carry people. Without two thousand spirit stones, it could not be bought. Although this senior-apprentice brother was the chief disciple of this generation, he was still only a Qi Refinement disciple. If he excluded his usual cultivation costs, he would have to save up at least half a year or a year¡¯s worth of money to buy this small boat. Chen Zhen and Zhong Tianhuai were quick-witted, and they secretly calculated in their hearts. They thought to themselves, this Senior Brother is someone who cares about his face, and he actually bought this boat for the sake of welcoming us. How laughable. Qiu Changtian seemed to be completely oblivious to everyone¡¯s exclamations and criticisms, and he instructed everyone to board the boat. With a wave of his hand, the flying boat rose into the wind and flew towards the distant snowy peaks. Qiu Changtian stood at the bow of the boat with his hands behind his back. With a gentle expression, he said to his junior brothers and sisters, ¡°The Kunlun Pillar that you¡¯ve climbed is the highest peak in the Kunlun Mountains. It¡¯s 8,000 feet tall and majestic. It runs through the clouds and is also the number one peak in the world.¡± ¡°The other snowy peaks of Kunlun are divided into three regions according to the distance from the heaven pillar.¡± ¡°The outermost region is called Fan Tong. It¡¯s located in the eastern section of the Kunlun Mountain Range and is the residence of the outer sect disciples. It also has many marketplaces of our Kunlun Sect.¡± ¡°The central area is called the ¡®Xuan Pu¡¯. It¡¯s located in the middle section of the Kunlun Mountain Range. It¡¯s the cave abode area for inner sect disciples. There are also many famous medicines, spirit springs, and demonic beasts scattered around. You can understand them yourselves.¡± ¡°The innermost area is called ¡®Ceng Chen¡¯. It¡¯s located in the western section of the Kunlun Mountain Range. It¡¯s where the elders, Perfected Ones, and we personal disciples live. In addition, there are many grotto-heavens left behind by ancient immortals. Among them, there are many powerful restrictions that even our Kunlun Elder wouldn¡¯t dare to casually touch.¡± ¡°Therefore, you must not fly around randomly in the upper-level district. You only need to move around near the mountain.¡± ¡°The mountain where we live is called ¡®Golden Ridge¡¯. It used to be the residence of the disciples of Ancient Kunlun. Now, it is deserted and uninhabited, so the cave abodes are all ready-made.¡± ¡°After you land, you can choose what you like.¡± As he spoke, he suddenly noticed that everyone¡¯s faces were turning green and their bodies were trembling uncontrollably. Only then did he immediately realize. This wooden flying boat didn¡¯t have any restrictions against the wind. As it flew high up in the sky, heavenly winds blew across it. The air was also thin. He was fine, but these mortals lacked oxygen and were nearly freezing to death. Thus, Qiu Changtian secretly formed a hand seal. It was the first derivative Dao technique of the Clarity Truth Mantra. It was called the Junior Light of Universal Voice. It was the technique of recovery, cleansing the heart, and detoxifying the poison into one. As soon as the light appeared, everyone immediately felt their bodies warm up. It was as if a spring breeze had surrounded them, and they no longer felt cold. Even so, everyone was still shocked by Qiu Changtian¡¯s move. Some, like Chen Zhen and Zhong Tianhuai, thought that their senior brother had seen through their disrespect earlier, so he deliberately lectured them. They quickly restrained their postures and expressions, feeling slightly anxious. [Invincible setting, synchronization value+1] Qiu Changtian was overjoyed. These junior brothers and sisters were indeed cute! Upon arriving at the Golden Ridge, everyone disembarked the boat and chose their own cave abodes. Guan Zhan was cold and solitary. He chose a cave at the back of the cliff, entering and not coming out again. Chen Zhen was on good terms with Zhong Tianhuai, so they chose two neighboring buildings. Yan Zhitui liked to read, so she chose the cave abode facing the sun. Jian Qingnan was a thirteen to fourteen years old little girl who was pestering her ¡®Sister Ying Lian¡¯ to stay with her. Xu Yinglian was full of fighting spirit in front of Qiu Changtian, but she was cold and proud towards the others. She didn¡¯t show any expression and remained indifferent toward Jian Qingnan¡¯s hospitality. ¡°Whose abode is the one on the right?¡± Jian Qingnan looked around, and only that abode was the closest to Sister Ying Lian. At the same time, it was the highest and best abode on Gold Ridge. ¡°That¡¯s Senior Brother Qiu Changtian¡¯s residence,¡± Xu Yinglian said coldly. Jian Qingnan immediately wilted upon hearing this. No matter how fearless she was, she didn¡¯t dare to not respect her senior brother. She knew that only the chief disciples of each generation could go to the lecture hall to listen to the scriptures! The other disciples could only learn by themselves. If there was anything they did not understand, they would have to ask the chief disciple. If she offended the Chief Senior Brother, she would not be able to cultivate there in the future. Qiu Changtian didn¡¯t know the thoughts of everyone, and he just stood at the entrance of his abode while looking calmly at the distant sea of clouds. It was great to have a few more cute juniors who could help increase his synchronization points. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Through the Kunlun Mirror, he loaded the archive and switched to Ling Yunpo. Senior Sister An Zhisu was a little troubled recently because there was a problem with the monthly allowance of the Green Spiral Peak. In Mount Shu, each peak would receive a monthly allowance from the sect to maintain the operation of the spirit gathering formation. As for how much each month was, it was through the ¡°discussion¡± between the various Peak Masters at the annual sect meeting. Because peak master Su Jian had been in seclusion for a long time, his monthly allowance had been reduced to the lowest. Even An Zhisu could do nothing about it. Under normal circumstances, the spirit stones she received every month would barely be enough. However, for some reason, the Political Affairs Hall had changed the middle-tier spirit stones given to the Green Spiral Peak to low-tier spirit stones. This ¡°equivalent¡± referred to the equivalent of the total amount of spiritual energy, but the purity of the spiritual energy was much worse. To maintain the current spiritual Qi environment of the Green Spiral Peak, the consumption of low-grade spirit stones was even greater, causing the budget to immediately become tight. An Zhisu was also forced into a corner. It was one thing for her cultivation to stagnate, but she couldn¡¯t let her junior brother suffer! Therefore, she decided to raise the Frosted Sword and cause a scene at the entrance of the political hall. Ling Yunpo didn¡¯t know what his senior sister was thinking. The Kunlun Mirror had given him a new mission. ¡°I¡¯ve already found the third Heaven Mending Stone fragment.¡± ¡°Where?¡± Ling Yun asked. ¡°East Sea, Penglai Yuqing Temple,¡± the Kunlun Mirror replied. ¡°I can¡¯t confirm its exact location. It seems to be some kind of spatial dislocation. I suggest we investigate further.¡± Was it put in a storage bag? Ling Yunpo sighed. ¡°So we¡¯re going to hide again? Come on, Ah Jing, bring out all your treasures.¡± The Kunlun Mirror pulled out the template list. There were all kinds of figures and their corresponding talents. The Penglai mainly tested one¡¯s comprehension ability. Therefore, Ling Yunpo had chosen the talent for comprehension. Soon, he found a young man. The binding talent was called ¡°Heard One but Comprehend One Thousand¡±. It allowed one to quickly comprehend all kinds of new techniques and was very compatible with the requirements of Penglai¡¯s Yuqing Temple. The corresponding persona was¡¯ hypocritical ¡®. It sounded like a template that required high intelligence to play around with. This was also very compatible with himself. The young man¡¯s appearance was similar to the other templates. They were all based on his original appearance. His hairstyle and aura had been altered by Imitation Mode. His hair was even messier, his skin was even paler, and he had a simple and honest smile on his face. Although his temperament was harmless, his eyes were narrowed like a fox¡¯s, making people want to know how his eyes would look when they were fully opened¡­ ¡°Tell him to open his eyes,¡± Ling Yun ordered. The Kunlun Mirror complied, and the youth¡¯s eyes widened. Ling Yunpo: ¡­ This, this aura! It instantly turned from harmless to profound! His smile also became unfathomable! Are you the final BOSS in a long storyline? Of course, even if everyone¡¯s appearance and facial features were identical, there were still differences in hairstyle and temperament. For example, Qiu Changtian had fair skin and combed his hair meticulously. After that, he tied his hair into a bun like the Kunlun cultivators and wore a high crown, causing him to seem upright and handsome. Ling Yunpo¡¯s skin was darker than Qiu Changtian¡¯s, and his hair was longer than Qiu Changtian¡¯s. His gaze was sharp, and he looked more like an unrestrained hero. This newcomer had fluffy and slightly curled hair. He had a smile on his face and looked gentle. When he narrowed his eyes, he gave off a harmless sense of security. In addition, Imitation Mode would also give mental hints to the observers outside to strengthen their impression of this persona. Therefore, it was basically impossible to misidentify them. ¡°What¡¯s the name of this character?¡± Ling Yunpo asked the Kunlun Mirror. ¡°Luo Yan,¡± the Kunlun Mirror suggested. Chapter 12 Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations ¡°Countdown to world destruction: 1,000 years.¡± ¡°Please hurry up and look for the Heaven Patching Stone.¡± [Position 3: Penglai Yuqing Temple.] [Character Identity: Luo Yan.] ¡°Imitation Mode covered, currently traveling through time.¡± Luo Yan opened his eyes¡­ No, Luo Yan didn¡¯t open his eyes because his eyes were too small. Although his eyes were small, there was actually a tiny slit, so his vision was not affected too much. The Kunlun Mirror teleported him to a small fishing village on Penglai Immortal Island in the East Sea. The Penglai Yuqing Temple was different from the Kunlun Taiqing Sect and the Shangqing Sect of Mount Shu. Its base was located overseas and was not open to the public. If mortals wanted to come here from the mainland, they could only head east from Qingzhou and head to the outer area of the 72 grotto-heavens of the East Ocean first. Then they needed to spend a lot of money to hire an ocean boatman who knew how to use the magic called Qi Men Dun Jia. Only then could they pass through the layers of obstacles outside the island and successfully reach Penglai Immortal Island. It was precisely because of this that the disciples who came to Penglai¡¯s Yuqing Temple might not have an excellent perception, but most of them were rich children with excellent family backgrounds. The son of the General of the Yue Country, the son of the State Preceptor of the Qi Country, the Fourth Prince of the Chu Country, and all kinds of second-generation officials and wealthy second-generation heirs can be found there. Even the inns in the small fishing village were built very well, forming a sharp contrast with the houses of the fishermen around. Although Luo Yan had some money with him, he would not waste it on accommodation. After asking the fishermen in the village, he walked towards Yuqing Temple. The Yuqing Temple was built in the middle of Penglai Mountain. It didn¡¯t look very big. Apart from the architectural style of the Daoist temple, it looked like a garden for the nobility. However, considering that there were many array masters in Penglai¡¯s Shangqing Temple, perhaps there might be another world inside. When Luo Yan arrived at the main entrance of the Penglai Shangqing Temple, he saw a puppet made of white jade. It was blocking a beautiful young girl who was about sixteen years old. ¡°According to Elder Shi Ding¡¯s orders, you are not allowed to enter or leave the sect freely¡­¡± Before the puppet could finish its sentence, the beautiful girl threw out a small seal impatiently. The small seal grew large in the air, quickly becoming the size of a pot lid. It spun around and struck the puppet! Thus, it smashed the puppet into smithereens. ¡°Hmph, a mere slave¡­¡± The beautiful girl put away the small seal and was about to leave the temple when she saw Luo Yan standing outside with his mouth agape. To be precise, he only opened his mouth in shock and did not stare¡ªafter all, small eyes could not easily open. Although Luo Yan was a new cultivator, Qiu Changtian was not. He immediately recognized the small seal. Wasn¡¯t the small seal in the girl¡¯s hand the Heaven Upheaval Seal that had once destroyed the instructor¡¯s head during the great battle between the Chan Sect and Jie Sect? That was a Postnatal Spirit Treasure! ¡°You are¡­¡± At first, the beautiful girl was a little afraid of strangers, but she quickly realized something and asked tentatively,¡± Are you here to acknowledge a master? ¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Luo Yan came back to his senses and hurriedly said with a respectful smile, ¡°Disciple is dedicated to the Dao and has long heard of the great name of Penglai¡¯s Shangqing Temple. I¡¯ve come from thousands of miles away just to study the Dao¡­¡± ¡°Stop! Stop!¡± The beautiful girl crossed her arms in front of her chest, indicating rejection. ¡°Stop, stop!¡± ¡°All you have to do is say that you¡¯re here to acknowledge a master.¡± She looked at Luo Yan in disdain, thinking that this person was smiling foolishly. He didn¡¯t look very bright, and his eyes seemed to be unable to open, making him look even more foolish. It would probably be difficult for such a person to pass the entrance examination, right? Luckily, you met me. Since we were fated to meet, I can help you. This is a blessing that you have cultivated for eight lifetimes. You can just secretly be happy! ¡°Since you want to take a master, come with me then.¡± The beautiful young girl coldly spoke as she turned and led the way. ¡°Thank you, Senior Sister!¡± Luo Yan was overjoyed and hurried to catch up. ¡°May I know the Senior Sister¡¯s name?¡± ¡°Shi Liuli,¡± said the beautiful girl. Luo Yan smiled. ¡°Flowing Cloud and Glazed Glass1. The Senior Sister¡¯s name sounds great.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the ¡®Liu Li¡¯ of the ¡®Wu Se Liu Li1¡¯!¡± Shi Liuli glared at him. For some reason, she was in a good mood. ¡°It¡¯s not the ¡®LIu Li¡¯ of the ¡®Liu Yun Li Cai2¡¯. Remember it clearly!¡± ¡°Yes, Senior Sister.¡± Luo Yan smiled. Shi Liuli was delighted to hear her call her senior sister. As Elder Shi Ding¡¯s youngest daughter, as a junior-apprentice sister, she was usually treated with care and concern by her fellow disciples. When she saw a junior respectfully calling her ¡°Senior Sister¡±, she immediately felt a sense of responsibility as a senior. For example, she was like Yue Lingshan in ¡°The Smiling Proud Wanderer¡±. Yue Lingshan¡¯s attitude towards Lin Pingzhi immediately became warmer when Yue Lingshan first met her junior brother, Lin Pingzhi. ¡°That¡¯s easy,¡± Shi Liuli said proudly. ¡°Do you know what our entrance exam is?¡± ¡°I really don¡¯t know. Please tell me, Senior Sister,¡± Luo Yan said respectfully. ¡°You don¡¯t even know this. Did you come here to pray for immortality without any preparation?¡± Shi Liuli shook her head, showing an expression of ¡°I really don¡¯t know how to help you¡±. ¡°The entrance examination is a written test. There are a thousand questions. If you can answer six hundred correctly, you pass.¡± ¡°The contents of the exam¡­ Dao Zang, have you heard of it?¡± ¡°Dao Zang? Never heard of it,¡± Luo Yan replied with a smile. This was a lie. To martial cultivators, the Dao Zang was like the Buddhist Dharma to the disciples of Shaolin Monastery. No matter how obsessed a monk was with martial arts, it was impossible for him to not know the Buddhist Dharma. However, Luo Yan said this to test the effectiveness of the hypocritical persona. Indeed, just as Shi Liuli chuckled, the Kunlun Mirror in her mind started to read: [Hypocritical character design, synchronization value+1] Luo Yan heaved a sigh of relief. So that was it. As long as the deception was successful, it would increase the synchronization value of the hypocritical persona, right? According to Qiu Changtian¡¯s experience, since he already had an effective method to increase his synchronization value, it would be best to find a fat lamb¡­ Pui! Pui! Pui! Pui! It was to find a cute senior sister or junior sister to help me maintain this synchronization daily! Besides, since he wants to be ¡°hypocritical,¡± it¡¯s best if this person is a little stupid. Hope that the one can¡¯t see through my lies and see through my ¡°hypocrisy.¡± For example, this silly-looking senior sister. Shi Liuli did not know what he was thinking, but she was thinking about it. This Narrow-Eyed Junior Brother looked like an idiot, but he had never even heard of taking the entrance examination to the ¡®Daoist Scripture¡¯. How could he possibly pass the entrance examination? If it was anyone else, it would be fine if they couldn¡¯t pass the test, but since this junior brother respectfully called me senior sister, I¡¯ll reluctantly give him some guidance. ¡°Listen carefully.¡± Shi Liuli coughed and said, ¡°The Dao Zang is known as three thousand. Actually, according to the content, it can be divided into three caves, four aides, and twelve types.¡± ¡°The three caves are the Cave True, Cave Mysterious, and Cave God. The Grand Dao described within them are the most important, and they are also the main content of the entrance examination. ¡°The four aides are the Taiqing, Taiping, Taixuan, and Zhengyi. They are the explanations and supplements for the first three caves.¡± ¡°The twelve types refer to the twelve types below each cave. The three caves have a total of thirty-six types of scriptures. These are supplements and other miscellaneous combinations for the first three caves and four auxiliary paths.¡± After bringing Luo Yan to the entrance of the Dao Zang Repository, Shi Liuli stopped and said meaningfully, ¡°So, do you understand the content of the entrance examination?¡± ¡°I get it, I get it,¡± Luo Yan said in his heart. How could he not understand? Since everything else was just supplementary, then the exam would definitely test the three categories of Cave True, Cave Mysterious, and Cave God. ¡°Alright.¡± Shi Liuli pushed him into the Dao Zang Repository and said, ¡°You have two hours to read the Dao Zang.¡± ¡°In two hours, there will be an array that will teleport you out and send you to the neighboring chamber to participate in the entrance examination.¡± ¡°Since you called me senior sister, I¡¯ve already given you a clear answer. How to use these two hours, you should plan it yourself.¡± After he finished speaking, the door to the Dao Zang Repository closed automatically and locked Luo Yan inside. Luo Yan turned around and saw a large number of bookshelves in the room. There were four rows, eight rows, thirty-two shelves. Each bookshelf was divided into five floors, and each floor had twenty books. In total, there were 3200 books. After Shi Liuli¡¯s reminder just now, Luo Yan knew that he should mainly read the three sections of the Cave True, Cave Mysterious, and Cave God. Therefore, he quickly started to search for the books on these three sections. In less than ten seconds, he found the book labeled ¡°Three Caves¡± on the top of the first shelf on the side of his left hand. After a rough count, there were actually 24 books! According to the two-hour timeline, he would have to finish reading one book every five minutes (which required memorizing and understanding). How could he make it in time? No wonder Shi Liuli said that she was unprepared! It turned out that she would definitely not pass the entrance examination without preparation! ¡°Ah Jing!¡± Luo Yan quickly called out. ¡°Can you load Qiu Changtian¡¯s archive now without being detected by the array here?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± the Kunlun Mirror replied. ¡°Can you still load Luo Yan¡¯s archive back after that?¡± ¡°No problem.¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Luo Yan gritted his teeth. ¡°Let¡¯s go back to Qiu Changtian and check the Kunlun Scripture Holding Depository! Prepare for the exam!¡± Chapter 13 Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations The Dao Zang was known to have three thousand books. Ordinary cultivation families would not have that many books, but the Kunlun Taiqing Sect naturally had them. So in the next few days, Qiu Changtian kept wandering in the Dao Zang Hall of the Sutra Repository Pavilion, learning the theoretical knowledge of Daoism. He was so hardworking that the most hardworking students would be scared. Because he had no time to pretend to be coercive in front of Junior Sister Xu, the synchronization value of Invincible Setting dropped all the way, and it looked a little frightening. This news even reached the ears of Headmaster Polestar. After a certain sermon, he said, ¡°Don¡¯t indulge in this empty talk¡±, ¡°Do you want to learn from those idiots of Yuqing Temple¡±, which left Qiu Changtian caught between laughter and tears. After the lecture, Xu Yinglian found Qiu Changtian and asked, ¡°Have you been interested in Dao Zang recently?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Qiu Changtian hurriedly went to the Sutra Repository Pavilion to read, and said casually, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been at home since I was young. I don¡¯t have any other habits other than reading and playing the zither,¡± Xu Yinglian said reservedly. ¡°Although I don¡¯t dare to say that I¡¯m familiar with the Daoist Canon, I¡¯ve basically read it a few times.¡± Although her expression is reserved and cold, her eyes are shining, and she almost wrote ¡°Ask me quickly¡± on her face. ¡°Oh,¡± Qiu Changtian replied, then hurried towards the Sutra Repository Pavilion. Xu Yinglian: ? She hurriedly followed and said, ¡°Senior Brother, if you¡¯re not familiar with Dao Zang, you can ask me! Isn¡¯t it better to have someone help you get the general idea of those books?¡± Qiu Changtian stopped in his tracks. He thought to himself that it made sense. Just as he was about to say ¡°It would be great to learn from Junior Sister¡±, the Kunlun Mirror rushed out. ¡°Be careful! If you say anything that doesn¡¯t match your setting, your synchronization value will drop drastically!¡± Qiu Changtian quickly swallowed the words he was about to blurt out, then put on a disdainful expression as if saying, ¡°You?¡± Xu Yinglian¡¯s blood pressure skyrocketed immediately, and said coldly, ¡°Or is it that you don¡¯t dare to admit that I know more about Dao Zang than you do? How about this, Senior Brother, feel free to ask questions. If I can¡¯t answer one question, it¡¯ll be considered your victory, how about it?¡± Seeing her fighting spirit, Qiu Changtian sighed in his heart. Why was this Junior Sister Xu so headstrong? It was really tough being her senior brother. Seeing that Qiu Changtian stopped talking, Xu Yinglian sneered. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Could it be that senior brother is afraid?¡± Qiu Changtian smiled faintly and said, ¡°What scriptures are there in the Three Cave Divisions?¡± ¡°Ha, this question is easy.¡± Without thinking, Xu Yinglian answered smoothly, ¡°Three Cave Divisions are ways to communicate. They are able to communicate through profoundness. There are three generalities, which are the Three Caves. The first is Cave True, the second is Cave Mysterious, and the third is Cave God.¡± ¡°The Sutra of Eight Elements said: There are three paths of the Supreme Dao, seven paths of the Up True Dao, six paths of the Middle True Dao, and eight paths of the Down True Dao. There are a total of 24 scriptures, respectively¡­¡± She rattled off the names of the twenty-four books as if they were the names of dishes. Then she lifted her chin haughtily and asked, ¡°Senior Brother, am I right?¡± ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Qiu Changtian nodded slightly and asked, ¡°Let me question you again, what¡¯s the difference between the three caves?¡± ¡°What¡¯s so difficult about that?¡± Xu Yinglian smiled sweetly. ¡°The ¡®Ben Ji Sutra¡¯ said: If there are any scriptures, the 12 scriptures will be formed and correspond to the 3 Cave Saints. It¡¯s called the Law of Righteousness. The Cave True is justified by not being mixed. The Cave Mysterious is named for not being stagnant. The Cave God is used for unexpected things¡­¡± The two of them moved forward side by side, and Qiu Changtian asked while Xu Yinglian answered. One of them said, ¡°I¡¯ll ask,¡± and the other said, ¡°What¡¯s so difficult about this?¡± Unknowingly, they¡¯d arrived at the Sutra Repository Pavilion and spent a few hours there. Xu Yinglian was not lying. She was indeed quite familiar with the Daoist Canon. Every time Qiu Changtian asked a question, she would always be able to blurt out the answer. At most, she would quickly think for the duration of several breaths. After answering, Qiu Changtian said, ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Then, Xu Yinglian revealed a pure and happy smile, and even the gloominess between her brows dissipated. Looking at her expression, Qiu Changtian knew that most of the flaws in her Dao heart had been fixed, and Qiu Changtian couldn¡¯t help but nod secretly in his heart. Junior Sister. Senior Brother has done so much for you. If you are disturbed by your inner demons in the future, you can¡¯t blame me. ¡°Let¡¯s stop here today.¡± Qiu Changtian closed the book. Xu Yinglian¡¯s mouth was a little dry. She subconsciously pursed her lips and said reluctantly, ¡°That¡¯s it? So you¡¯ve already admitted being defeated?¡± Qiu Changtian didn¡¯t answer, and he just stood up calmly with a light smile. Sorry, sister. If there is no synchronization value, I will admit defeat to you once a day, and what¡¯s the harm? However, the synchronization value of my Invincible Setting had naturally dropped to 77%. If you want me to admit defeat, what if I fall below 60%? It is impossible to admit defeat to you, impossible in this life. Seeing that her senior brother did not say anything, Xu Yinglian took it as a silent agreement and immediately smiled. ¡°Senior Brother, I won this time.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go back to Golden Ridge.¡± Qiu Changtian avoided answering. ¡°Yeah, yeah, I won.¡± The two left the Yuqing Temple and mounted their swords. Seeing Xu Yinglian still smiling, Qiu Changtian felt something strange and said casually, ¡°The wind tonight is really noisy.¡± ¡°The wind must be happy because Senior Brother lost to me,¡± Xu Yinglian actually continued. Qiu Changtian:¡­ ¡°I wonder how Junior Brothers and Junior Sisters are doing.¡± He changed the topic. ¡°Are they used to living in the new cave abode?¡± ¡°As long as they win a few more times, I believe they will soon be able to adapt to the cultivation life.¡± Xu Yinglian said with a smile. ¡°Junior Sister, can you not always talk about this?¡± Qiu Changtian asked helplessly. ¡°Alright, then tell me this yourself. I won¡¯t bring it up again,¡± Xu Yinglian said in high spirits. ¡°Say: On the seventh day of the seventh month, Qiu Changtian lost to Xu Yinglian in the Sutra Repository Pavilion of Kunlun Hollow Jade Temple.¡± ¡°Hurry up and tell me this,¡± she urged excitedly. Qiu Changtian:¡­ Sister, you are really not cute. Qiu Changtian ignored Xu Yinglian¡¯s hopeful gaze and refused to admit that he had lost. He returned to the Golden Ridge Cave Abode and left under his junior sister¡¯s angry gaze. Returning to the cave, Qiu Changtian said lightly, ¡°Ah Jing, I want to reload the archive!¡± ¡°Countdown to world destruction: 1,000 years.¡± ¡°Please hurry up and look for the Heaven Patching Stone.¡± The Kunlun Mirror chanted: [Position 3: Penglai Yuqing Temple, Dao Zang Repository.] [Character Identity: Luo Yan.] ¡°Imitation Mode covered, currently traveling through time.¡± Luo Yan raised his eyelids slightly and saw himself standing in front of the bookshelf in a daze. He quickly pulled a copy of The Hidden Book of the Jade from the shelf. His gaze swept over a paragraph and the full text instantly appeared in his mind. By relying on Qiu Changtian¡¯s Enlightened Dao heart and hard work, he had already memorized all twenty-four scriptures. Through the discussion with Xu Yinglian, he also basically understood the meaning. Next, he would go through the knowledge once more and wait for the final examination! Outside the Dao Zang Repository, Shi Liuli was pacing back and forth in boredom. She wondered how her junior brother was doing inside. Aiya, if it were any other senior brothers or senior sisters, how would they care so much about a junior brother who had yet to enter the sect? I, the fairy, was just that responsible¡­ ¡°Junior Sister Liuli!¡± A few senior sisters who passed by called out to her. ¡°There¡¯s a new batch of Cosmetic Cultivation Pills in the market square over at Fang Hu¡¯s side. It¡¯s said that they¡¯re only sold today. They¡¯re selling very well and will be sold out soon. Do you want to come with us?¡± ¡°Limited?¡± Shi Liuli¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°It¡¯s going to be snatched away soon?¡± At that moment, the responsible senior sister and the junior brother who was going to take exams all disappeared from her memory. ¡°Let¡¯s go, right now! Wait for me!¡± Chapter 14 Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations Because Qiu Changtian, with the help of junior sister Xu Yinglian, has already memorized all the three holes. Hence, Luo Yan only roughly flipped through the 24 scriptures before starting to read the other scriptures. Luo Yan¡¯s innate talent was known as ¡°Heard One but Comprehend One Thousand¡±. The effect was that he was knowledgeable, had a photographic memory, and was extremely good at deduction and analysis. He was able to infer more from what he saw. He was able to infer three things from one, infer nine things from three, infer twenty-seven things from nine¡­ Progressing layer by layer, the universe can be deduced from a leaf, which is simply a super characteristic that the hardworking students dream of. Of course, the above statement is an exaggeration, but it is enough to explain the characteristics of Heard One but Comprehend One Thousand, which is a terrifying bonus to the cultivator¡¯s logical ability, memory ability, and calculation ability. As long as one¡¯s intelligence increased, array formations, talismans, pill refinement, weapon refinement, divination, and other unorthodox methods would also get great benefits. With the blessing of his talent, Luo Yan only needs to read the book once to understand its main points. In addition, he had previously studied the three caves, so he could calmly choose and leisurely read other scriptures. Before he knew it, the books around him piled up into a hill. Just as he was on fire, the surrounding scenery suddenly changed. When he returned to his senses, Luo Yan discovered that he had been transported to another room by the array formation. The windows were bright and clean. There was a desk in front of the window, and on the desk was a stack of exam papers. Beside it was a sharpened inkstone, which had a classical charm. Luo Yan pulled out the chair and sat down, calmed down, picked up the pen, and quickly answered the question. After answering all one thousand questions, Luo Yan leisurely picked up the test papers. Just as he was about to examine all the questions and answers with the imposing manner of a king of students, he saw a white jade puppet walk in from outside the door. It picked up the test papers and scanned through them one by one, saying mechanically: ¡°Test results: 1000 marks.¡± ¡°Access to Dao Repository: One.¡± ¡°The overall evaluation is A+.¡± ¡°According to the sect rules, you are now allowed to become the 280th generation first-class disciple of our Yuqing Temple.¡± ¡°Please follow me to the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets to register.¡± Luo Yan followed the white jade puppet out. Upon seeing that it was still the main entrance of the Dao Zang Repository, he wanted to report the good news to Miss Shi Liuli. Eh, where¡¯s that lady? ¡­ After registering at the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets, Luo Yan became a glorious disciple of the Yuqing Temple of Penglai. Of course, the pieces of the Heaven Mending Stone from Penglai were still hidden in a mysterious location. The Kunlun Mirror searched for a long time and could only sense that the fragment was inside the Yuqing Temple. As for the exact location, it was unclear. He could only take his time. Returning to Shushan, Ling Yunpo continued practicing the Flying Sword Technique. Luo Yan had yet to learn the Penglai Sword Driving Technique and didn¡¯t know how it was. But at the very least, the Kunlun Sword Control Technique was far inferior to Shushan¡¯s. The teaching materials were too simple and crude. Ling Yunpp even had a feeling that if he could continue practicing the Flying Sword Technique of Shushan, it would be very beneficial to Qiu Changtian¡¯s improvement in the Flying Sword Technique of Kunlun. After all, they had all originated from the ancient sword techniques of the ancient Chan Sect. On the other hand, he had Senior Sister An, who was an expert in the Transformation Realm. She lowered her status and helped him every day. Naturally, Ling Yunpo¡¯s Sword Dao cultivation improved rapidly. On the other hand, An Zhisu couldn¡¯t obtain the Core Formation realm cultivation technique because her cheap master, Perfected Seven Kills, Su Jian, was in seclusion. Therefore, even though she had perfected her cultivation at the Transformation Stage, she was unable to take that crucial step, which made Ling Yunpo feel pity. When I ascend to the Transformation level, and the master has not yet cleared the pass, I will use the contacts of Qiu Changtian and Luo Yan to get a copy of the Core Formation Technique and say that Ling Yunpo got it through the experience outside. Yes, let Senior Sister An be able to form her Core smoothly! Hmm, where¡¯s Senior Sister An? Ling Yunpo waited until midnight before a sword light finally descended. It was indeed Senior Sister An, who was covered in blood. It¡¯s just that the blood on her body belonged to someone else in the past, but this time she was really covered in bruises. As soon as she landed, Ling Yunpo immediately came to her and said anxiously and angrily, ¡°Senior sister! What¡¯s wrong with you? Who hurt you like this?¡± ¡°Senior sister is fine.¡± An Zhisu said weakly. The moment she landed, she lost her balance and almost fell to the ground. Ling Yunpo hurriedly held him up and scanned her with his divine sense. Fortunately, it was only his True Essence that had been exhausted and she¡¯d fainted, so her life wasn¡¯t in danger for now. Even so, he still had to deal with her injuries. Ling Yunpo carried her into the chamber and examined her carefully. Due to too much blood, many wounds on An Zhisu¡¯s body could not be clearly seen. He could only take off all her clothes and strip off Senior Sister An to naked. Well, now he could see clearly. There was a cut on her neck, a cut on the right shoulder to the lower left chest, a puncture wound on the right side of the abdomen, and a stab wound on the left leg. As for the burning of Dharmic Dao and the traces of sword Qi wreaking havoc, there were countless of them. He could only deal with them one by one. First, he carefully wiped away the blood around him with a warm towel. Then, he secretly activated the Sword Art of Mount Shu and slowly drew out the remaining sword Qi from the wound, scattering it into the air. As a result, Senior Sister An, who was in a coma, looked much better, and it seemed that the pain was slightly reduced. He then finely ground Jiuhua Yulu Pills, Liuxiong Xuanhuang Powder, Tianji Jieyin Pills, etc. in a mortar, mixed with kudzu leaves, Baopu, and other herbs in boiled water, made a paste, and covered the wound with a bandage. This can not only speed up the healing of the wound but also prevent damage to the bone. It is a good recipe recorded in the Dao Zang that Luo Yan has read. After this was done, Senior Sister An still hadn¡¯t woken up. Ling Yunpo stared at Senior Sister An¡¯s body and wondered if he had missed some steps. Oh, right. Senior Sister was injured by swords. Perhaps some vicious sword Qi would flow through her meridians after entering her body. If it was not handled properly, it would cause endless trouble. No, no, he had to investigate thoroughly. Therefore, he continued to examine her thoroughly. It was just that Senior Sister¡¯s body had developed too much. The dents that should be dented and the protrusions that should be protruded undoubtedly increased the difficulty of his examination. After scanning her entire body with his Spiritual Perception, he found that there was indeed no hidden sword Qi. It¡¯s so good, so I can feel at ease. In the end, he took Senior Sister An¡¯s clothes and wanted to put them on her. However, Senior Sister An fell into a coma, and the ancient women¡¯s clothes had both hidden buttons and belts, which were very difficult to wear. After several attempts, he had no choice but to wrap Senior Sister An up with a blanket. Leaved the clothes by the side and let her wear them when she woke up. It was a long night, and he was worried about his senior sister. Ling Yunpo sat beside her and waited silently. He doesn¡¯t know how long it took before Senior Sister An let out a panting and woke up slowly. ¡°Junior Brother¡­¡± she called out in a daze. ¡°Senior Sister.¡± Ling Yunpo carried her up and helped her sit up straight against the wall. An Zhisu rested her head on his shoulder. After a moment, he slowly opened his eyes. ¡°Senior sister, are you awake?¡± Ling Yunpo asked in a low voice. An Zhisu didn¡¯t answer. She just stared at the ground in silence. ¡°You can take the medicine if you wake up.¡± Ling Yunpo took out a few JiuHua Yulu Pills and handed them to An Zhisu. Senior Sister An¡¯s lips were tightly pursed. No matter how much he stuffed, she remained unmoved. He said helplessly: ¡°Senior Sister, can you open your mouth?¡± ¡°Junior¡­ Junior Brother!¡± An Zhisu finally opened her mouth, but the words that came out were angry. ¡°How can you take off your Senior Sister¡¯s clothes at will!¡± ¡°Senior Sister!¡± Ling Yunpo described her situation to her and expressed how he had no choice. The main point was that he did not touch it at all. He only used his divine senses to probe! An Zhisu was silent for a moment, and then she said a little embarrassedly, and her voice became lower: ¡°Well¡­ you can¡¯t just take it off¡­¡± Speaking that, her voice was as thin as a gnat, and it was silent. There was a long pause before she spoke again, in a strange voice: ¡°You, you go out first.¡± Ling Yunpo opened the door and looked up at the starry night sky. There was a rustling of clothes coming from behind the door. After a while, Senior Sister An went out and stood beside him. ¡°Junior Brother.¡± She sighed faintly and said, ¡°Our Green Spiral Peak¡­ will probably have a tough time from now on.¡± Chapter 15 Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations After learning about what happened from Senior Sister An, Ling Yunpo was also depressed. The matter itself was not complicated: For some reason, the monthly money earned by the Green Spiral Peak was exchanged for low-grade spirit stones by the Political Affairs Hall. As a currency, the two are basically equal. However, as the material used to cast the Spirit Gathering Formation, low-grade spirit stones were far inferior to middle-grade spirit stones. So An Zhisu went to the Political Affairs Hall with her sword and asked why the monthly money had been confiscated in such a way. In the end, she was challenged by Senior Martial Brother Shi of the Political Affairs Hall. What needed to be explained was that the Shangqing Sect on Mount Shu advocated communicating using swords. People of the same level could challenge each other and practice sword techniques. If the challenged wanted to refuse the challenge, he would have to pay spirit stones as punishment. As the same restriction, if the challenged accidentally killed the challenger in the match, there was no need for any punishment. An Zhisu was not prepared for this battle because she had already cultivated to the Major Perfection stage of the Transformation Realm and nearly entered the Golden Core Realm. Indeed, no one in the same realm was her match. Unexpectedly, during the battle, her opponent had used some sort of secret technique to forcibly raise the cultivation level, thereby temporarily possessing the strength of a ¡°False Core¡±, thereby severely wounding the senior sister An who had been caught off guard. ¡°Shi Ziming!¡± Ling Yunpo was furious. ¡°He actually schemed against the Senior Sister like this. I, Ling Yunpo, will definitely give him no peace!¡± [Unyielding setting, synchronization value+1] ¡°Shut up, Ah Jing! I was serious just now, not to get synchronized values!¡± Ling Yun gritted his teeth. ¡°Don¡¯t take it to heart, Junior Brother.¡± An Zhisu shook her head. ¡°Shi Ziming is already dead.¡± Ling Yunpo: ¡­ Could it be that the cultivation of the other party¡¯s ¡°False Core¡± was one major realm ahead of yours, yet he was still defeated by you? This was a situation that you didn¡¯t know about beforehand. If the Senior Sister were to be prepared in advance, would you be completely unscathed in this match? How ridiculous, Senior Sister! Your strength is beyond expectation! ¡°That guy got lucky.¡± Ling Yunpo sneered. ¡°Otherwise, I would have brought the Three-Foot Sword to his door and let that Shi Ziming know how powerful I am!¡± An Zhisu shook her head with a smile. ¡°He¡¯s at the Transformation stage, while you¡¯re at the Qi Refining stage. How could you defeat him?¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll catch his junior brother to challenge!¡± Ling Yunpo said indignantly. ¡°How he injured Senior Sister, I¡¯ll return it to his junior brother¡­ No, I¡¯ll return it tenfold!¡± ¡°Well said,¡± An Zhisu said approvingly. ¡°As sword immortals, we need to have such drive. We need to take revenge quickly. Anyone who stands in our way, even Godfiend, will be killed with a single strike!¡± With that said, she sighed faintly. ¡°But don¡¯t be too rash. After all, this month¡¯s money problem can¡¯t be solved.¡± Ling Yunpo was speechless. Fighting was one thing, but money was another. The Head Elder of the Political Affairs Hall was at the Nascent Soul Stage, so Senior Sister An couldn¡¯t possibly threaten him with the sword. Even though Shi Ziming was the one who made the decision on his own in the beginning, after Senior Sister An killed Shi Ziming, it was even more impossible for the political hall to change the monthly allowance. Otherwise, others would think that An Zhisu had threatened the Political Affairs Hall and forced the elders to recalibrate their monthly allowance. How would the Political Affairs Hall survive in Mount Shu? Did the Nascent Soul elder in charge have no shame? Ling Yunpo was at a loss thinking of that. The bad thing was that his master, Su Jian, was in seclusion! It was not that Mount Shu did not have rules, but rules were not laws after all. If they encountered any mistakes, they could only rely on their teachers to coordinate. Now that Green Spiral Peak no longer had its master, if they were to encounter evil people who exploited loopholes in the rules, wouldn¡¯t they become dough that could be kneaded at will? It was no wonder that Senior Apprentice Sister An would be so ruthless every time she fought. If she could not establish her might, this Green Spiral Peak would probably not be able to defend for a day! ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Junior Brother,¡± An Zhisu said with a smile. ¡°Before Master went into seclusion, he left some valuables in his room. I¡¯ll sell them in the market outside and exchange them for spirit stones. It won¡¯t affect our cultivation.¡± ¡°Senior Sister, this is not a long-term plan after all,¡± Ling Yunpo said in a low voice. ¡°Yes, I will find a way,¡± said An Zhisu seriously. ¡­ In terms of cultivation, Ling Yunpo wasn¡¯t lacking in spirit stones. This was because Qiu Changtian of Kunlun, as the personal disciple of Sect Master Polestar and the current chief disciple, received extremely abundant cultivation resources every month. Of course, the spirit stones Qiu Changtian received from the Kunlun Sect had to be thrown into the Golden Ridge¡¯s Spirit Gathering Array. He couldn¡¯t give those spirit stones to Ling Yunpo to reassure Senior Sister An. Otherwise, if his junior brothers and sisters saw that the number of spirit stones in the Spirit Gathering Array was wrong, there would be a problem. ¡°Speaking of which,¡± the Kunlun Mirror suddenly said in his mind, ¡°do you like this Senior Sister An?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Ling Yunpo admitted frankly. ¡°My Senior Sister is beautiful, charismatic, and kind. She takes care of me meticulously. Isn¡¯t it normal for me to like her?¡± ¡°What about Xu Yinglian?¡± The Kunlun Mirror was silent for a moment before asking again. Ling Yunpo remained silent for a long time before saying, ¡°Ah Jing.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°The sky is actually colorless. It¡¯s not deceiving you. It¡¯s just your own eyes deceiving yourself.¡± ¡°¡­What do you mean?¡± ¡°The one engaged to Xu Yinglian is Qiu Changtian of the Kunlun Taiqing Sect. What has this got to do with me, Ling Yunpo of Mount Shu?¡± Kunlun Mirror: ¡­ It had the urge to break. Ling Yun continued. ¡°There is no truth in this world, nor is there a lie. There is only the truth that exists.¡± ¡°However, everyone in this world will only mistake the ¡®facts¡¯ that are beneficial to them for real. ¡°Because if they don¡¯t, there¡¯s no other reason to survive.¡± ¡°But in reality, to the living beings that occupy half of the world.¡± ¡°The ¡®truth¡¯ that cannot be used to affirm oneself is the truth.¡± ¡°I am neither Qiu Changtian nor Ling Yunpo.¡± ¡°I am the savior of this world, the one who wants to gather all of the Heaven Mending Stone fragments, the one who will completely destroy this end of Cultivation Less Age.¡± ¡°Under such heavy pressure, I have to be unscrupulous in my pursuit of a higher existence.¡± ¡°I had to take advantage of different sects, be proficient in all kinds of techniques, and leave everyone behind.¡± ¡°Until I stand above the Nine Heavens!¡± The Kunlun Mirror was rendered speechless. Well, cultivators were basically like that anyway. It was understandable for them to pursue power within themselves. ¡°Are you going back to Kunlun now?¡± ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s go through the records.¡± Ling Yunpo nodded. ¡°Countdown to world destruction: 1,000 years.¡± ¡°Please hurry up and look for the Heaven Patching Stone.¡± The Kunlun Mirror chanted: ¡°Point One: Kunlun Taiqing Sect, Golden Ridge Cave Abode.¡± ¡°Identity: Qiu Changtian.¡± ¡°Imitation Mode covered, currently traveling through time.¡± Qiu Changtian suddenly opened his eyes on the stone bed in his cave abode. It was still night outside. The time was maintained after Qiu Changtian finished studying the Dao Zang and returned from the Yuqing Temple with Xu Yinglian. Qiu Changtian walked out of the cave abode and looked at the starry sky and the brilliant stars. He could not help but sigh. The path of cultivation consisted of wealth, companionship, magic, and land. It was absolutely impossible to cultivate without wealth. I should think of a way to get Ling Yun some money. Chapter 16 Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations As the chief disciple, Qiu Changtian had to go to the lecture hall regularly and listen to Sect Master Polestar preach the scriptures. He also had to come back to explain the scriptures to his junior brothers and sisters. The reason was simple: Sect Master Polestar had to accept disciples every generation. After so many generations, the number of disciples had long exceeded a hundred. If they were all squeezed in the lecture room, the master definitely wouldn¡¯t be able to handle it. Therefore, only the chief disciples of each generation could listen to the scriptures in the lecture hall. The other junior brothers and sisters could only wait for the chief disciple to finish listening before returning to teach and answer questions on their master¡¯s behalf. Of course, Xu Yinglian, who possessed a smart and adroit mind, was an exception. With her precious cultivation aptitude, she had special privileges in Kunlun. In the lecture room, all of the futons were divided into two rows on the left and right. The order was also quite particular. Golden Core disciples were on the left, Foundation Establishment disciples on the right. The disciples with good aptitudes were at the front, and the disciples with poor aptitudes were at the back. In addition, the futons at the front of the two rows were prepared for the two strongest disciples in the Golden Core stage and Foundation Establishment stage, respectively. Therefore, these two people had another name, ¡°Senior Chief¡±. Although the others were ranked first among their peers, they were still ranked according to seniority under the Sect Master. They could only be considered ¡°Junior Chief¡±. After the opening ceremony, Qiu Changtian came as an official disciple to listen to the scriptures for the first time. He was personally chosen by Master Polestar to sit on the second futon on the right, causing the others to feel envious and dejected. The senior brother, who was originally second on the right, was forced to step down from the futons. He was unwilling and his face was gloomy. However, the Foundation Establishment Senior Chief disciple in front of him, Senior Martial Brother Xu Changqing, fiercely glared at him a few times. Then he hurriedly lowered his head, not daring to continue being lecherous. Qiu Changtian occupied his meditation cushion and apologized, so he forced a smile and went to sit on the third meditation cushion. On Xu Yinglian¡¯s side, if it was based on aptitude, she should be sitting behind Qiu Changtian, who was on the third mat. But Sect Master Polestar knew she was too competitive and even had a deep obsession with Qiu Changtian. If she were to sit behind Qiu Changtian and talk about scriptures a few more times, she would probably depart. The master even could imagine that Xu Yinglian vomited blood, gritted her teeth, and suffered from Qi deviation. Then she shouted three times, ¡°Since Yinglian has already been born, why was Changtian ever born?¡± Then, she died and her soul went to heaven. Thus, Polestar instructed her to bring a futon over and sit on Qiu Changtian¡¯s right side to form the third row. Xu Yinglian was a little confused, but since it was her master¡¯s order, she sat to Qiu Changtian¡¯s right with a calm expression. After Master Polestar finished her lecture, the crowd was still immersed in the lecture and reluctant to leave. Qiu Changtian stayed behind, obviously wanting to say something. Seeing that he was not leaving, Xu Yinglian asked softly, ¡°Senior Brother?¡± Qiu Changtian gestured for her to not ask any more questions and just listen. Sect Master Polestar sat quietly for a moment and asked with her eyes closed, ¡°What?¡± ¡°Master.¡± Qiu Changtian bowed sincerely. ¡°I want to go out and experience the secular world.¡± When Sect Master Polestar heard this, she looked up at him and asked in surprise, ¡°Did you lack spirit stones?¡± Qiu Changtian¡¯s expression did not change, and he said, ¡°I want to do something for the sect.¡± Headmaster Polestar laughed and shook her head. In the current cultivation world, the paths of many sects, outer sect disciples, and inner sect disciples were completely different. Outer sect disciples had poor qualifications and the sect¡¯s resources were limited. The normal speed of cultivation would definitely not be able to catch up to the speed of lifespan consumption. Therefore, they had to go out to gain experience and do sect missions. They had to search for the ruins left behind by the ancient Chan Sect and Jie Sect and seek some fortuitous encounters. The inner sect disciples had excellent talents and the sect provided them with ample resources. The Spirit Gathering Array in their cave abodes would be activated for 24 hours a day and not be deactivated even if they left. Therefore, unless they encountered a bottleneck, they would be Sword Gods of the Ten-Mile Slope. They wished they could stay in the sect until they reached the maximum level before leaving. Therefore, Sect Master Polestar¡¯s judgment was that Qiu Changtian wanted to go out and obtain some treasures or spirit stones¡­ You¡¯re only in the Qi Refinement realm, so what treasures do you want? I reckon you want to exchange them for spirit stones. ¡°Fine.¡± Seeing that he was unwilling to admit it, Sect Head Polestar did not expose him. ¡°Go to the steward¡¯s hall and receive the order.¡± ¡°Master.¡± Qiu Changtian continued. ¡°I want to bring Junior Sister Yinglian along.¡± Xu Yinglian: ? ¡°Why is that?¡± asked Sect Master Polestar. What reason could there be? He only had 77% of his synchronization values left. He had to get it back. He had to rely on this junior sister. ¡°Master, this is my own selfishness.¡± Qiu Changtian smiled bitterly and said, ¡°If I obtain a fortuitous encounter outside and my cultivation increases explosively, then I¡¯m afraid Junior Sister won¡¯t be convinced¡­¡± ¡°Who won¡¯t be convinced?¡± Xu Yinglian was furious. ¡°Let me put it another way.¡± Qiu Changtian immediately changed his words. ¡°If I encounter a fortuitous encounter outside, I¡¯m currently in the Qi Refinement realm, and my magic power is low. I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be able to handle it. If I can have Junior Sister Yinglian¡¯s help, my chances of winning will be higher.¡± Xu Yinglian¡¯s anger gradually subsided. Sect Master Polestar pondered for a moment and smiled. ¡°You¡¯re quite thoughtful. However¡­ If you really did obtain a fortuitous encounter, would you be willing to share it with Junior Sister? Aren¡¯t you afraid that she will defeat you because of this?¡± The internal affairs of the Kunlun Sect were still alright, but the external cultivation world was a place where the strong preyed on the weak. Killing and stealing treasures was a common occurrence, and no government would care about it¡­ Where would the government of cultivators come from? It was only logical that he would want to keep the fortuitous encounter to himself. ¡°Of course.¡± Qiu Changtian said seriously, ¡°If Junior Sister is able to improve her cultivation in the fortuitous encounter and surpass me, then it would be even better.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Xu Yinglian asked in disbelief. Qiu Changtian smiled faintly and said, ¡°On the path of cultivation, it is truly lonely to walk alone. With junior sister following me, I have no regrets.¡± What if he had been training outside for too long and got no one to show off? What if his synchronization value dropped? Xu Yinglian was in a daze and couldn¡¯t speak. Her anger had completely disappeared and was replaced with a complicated expression. [Invincible setting, synchronization value+1] ¡°Excellent!¡± Sect Master Polestar clapped and smiled, praising, ¡°Since you have such intentions, I will not stop you.¡± She waved her sleeve, and a sword descended from the hall. ¡°This is the sect¡¯s important treasure, the Taiyi Light-Splitting Sword. I¡¯ll lend it to you temporarily to ensure that you don¡¯t have to worry about safety outside.¡± Qiu Changtian was shocked. The Taiyi Light-Splitting Sword was a famous immortal sword! Since the battle between Chan and Jie of the Primordial Era, it had already become famous. It was an immortal sword that far surpassed the tenth rank and could not be measured by grade! He wanted to confirm it, but he was afraid that it would be inconsistent with his setting, so he maintained a neither servile nor overbearing attitude and said in a deep voice, ¡°Thank you for lending me the sword, Master.¡± Xu Yinglian, who was at the side, was also shocked and speechless. After the two of them left, Sect Master Polestar remained silent for a moment before slowly picking up the horsetail whisk by the side of the lotus platform. ¡°Troubled and delusional things disturb the body and mind. If greed is not extinguished, how can one have peace and quiet?¡± Qiu Changtian had just left the Yuxu Temple when Xu Yinglian pulled him from behind. ¡°What do you want to do?¡± Xu Yinglian frowned and asked, ¡°Go out to train? As one in the Refinement Stage, what to train for? Without the flying sword, I¡¯m afraid you can¡¯t even defeat martial artists in Jianghu1 I went out to get spirit stones¡­ Of course, Qiu Changtian couldn¡¯t say that. Otherwise, Xu Yinglian would definitely say, ¡°I¡¯ll lend it to you¡± and ¡°What you need the spirit stones for¡± Hence, he only smiled faintly and asked, ¡°Are you afraid?¡± Xu Yinglian: ? ! ! She almost jumped. Strangely enough, as someone with the Smart and Adroit Mind, she could see everything clearly. Because she had seen through everything, it was boring. Because everything was boring, she had a cold character. With her senior brother¡¯s words, Xu Yinglian knew that it was a simple provocation. However, she could not hold back the anger in her chest. It was like an erupting volcano that kept surging upwards. ¡°What would I be afraid of?¡± She laughed coldly. ¡°It¡¯s your first time going out and was so nervous that you insisted on bringing me along. You want to use me to boost your courage, right?¡± ¡°You noticed it.¡± Qiu Changtian grinned as he spoke. His teasing tone made Xu Yinglian even angrier. Chapter 17 Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations The Kunlun Mountain Range was located on the west side of the Divine Land. It was located on the east side of the Yong State in Xi¡¯ning County. The desert in the extreme west was as long as almost four thousand kilometers. If the people of the divine continent wanted to go to Kunlun to become a disciple, they had to set off from Guanzhong and cross Longyou to Xining County. After that, they would take the Qiang Middle Road into the Sand Region. They would pass by Ruoqiang, Qimo, and Khotan along the northern foothills of the Kunlun Mountain Range before finally arriving at Shulik Town to rest for a few days. They then headed south into the Kunlun Mountains and arrived at the Kunlun Pillar. However, there was no need for the Kunlun disciples to go out. They only needed to fly from the heaven pillar on their sword and head east along the Kunlun mountain range, passing through Layer City, Xuan Pu, and Fan¡¯tong. After leaving the Kunlun mountain range, they would reach Xi¡¯ning County. After that, they would turn southeast and pass through Long You before arriving at Chang¡¯an. The entire journey was about six thousand kilometers. They only needed three hours to complete it. Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian rode on their swords and crossed the entire mountain range from the west to the east, arriving at the Yuxu Peak on the eastern edge of Fantong. The Yuxu Peak was where the Tai¡¯qing Sect¡¯s external deacon hall was located. Whether it was the management of external businesses or training missions, they were all assigned by the Yuxu Peak. Located at the foot of the northeast mountain of the Yuxu Peak was the largest market outside Kunlun, the ¡°Red Platform¡±. There was also the ¡°Kunlun Spring¡±. It was said that soaking in it could nourish one¡¯s face and beautify one¡¯s skin. It was the holy land for the female disciples of the Kunlun Sect. Xu Yinglian stayed in the Yuxu Peak warden¡¯s hall for a while and wanted to soak in the Kunlun Spring. However, seeing that Qiu Changtian was still patiently browsing through the mission jade plates on the wall, she could only forcefully suppress her impulse and continue to accompany Qiu Changtian in his selection. ¡°Collaborate to explore the newly discovered Qi Mountain Ruins?¡± Xu Yinglian looked at one of the missions and suddenly said, ¡°This looks good, it¡¯s challenging.¡± ¡°No.¡± Qiu Changtian¡¯s answer was also very simple. ¡°What about this?¡± Xu Yinglian asked again, ¡°Are we searching for the severely injured Demon Cult cultivators who escaped from Beijing Mountain?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Xu Yinglian asked in confusion. ¡°Because it¡¯s too troublesome,¡± Qiu Changtian said as he glanced at the jade plaque beside him that ¡°eliminated the rampaging demon beasts¡±. Hunting demonic beasts was a clear goal, and the process was short. He could quickly obtain spirit stones as remuneration and give it to Ling Yunpo to help him solve his urgent problem! ¡°Troublesome?¡± Xu Yinglian asked in bewilderment, ¡°We¡¯re here to train, why would we be afraid of trouble?¡± Qiu Changtian chuckled. ¡°Explore the ruins? Who knows how big the ruins are and how long it will take to explore?¡± ¡°As for searching for the severely injured Demon Cult cultivator, who knows where that fellow ran off to? If the mission doesn¡¯t come to an end even after half a month, I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t even have the chance to soak in the Kunlun Spring!¡± Xu Ying Lin¡¯s face turned red. She thought that he had seen through her thoughts and lowered her voice subconsciously. ¡°If necessary, I won¡¯t soak in the Kunlun Spring this time. There will be many chances in the future¡­¡± ¡°Who said anything about you?¡± Qiu Changtian glanced at her. ¡°I mean I want to soak in the Kunlun Spring myself.¡± As a result, the Junior Sister with pretty hair had her expression quickly turned icy and her eyes became terrifying. ¡°What do you think of this mission?¡± Qiu Changtian pointed at the jade tablet beside him. ¡°Are you interested in hunting demon beasts?¡± ¡°Forget it.¡± Xu Yinglian laughed coldly. ¡°When chasing demonic beasts in the deep mountains and dense forests, my vision is dim. I¡¯m afraid that my flying sword will miss the target and pierce Senior Brother¡¯s body.¡± ¡°Could it be that Junior Sister¡¯s eyesight isn¡¯t good?¡± Qiu Changtian asked with surprise. ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve heard of someone being able to mix a four-legged demon beast with a cultivator.¡± ¡°Although their appearances are different, their auras are all smelly and annoying.¡± Xu Yinglian looked away. ¡°I can¡¯t tell them apart with eyes closed.¡± ¡°So why is Junior Sister using the Flying Sword Technique with eyes closed? Are you planning to murder Senior Brother and seizing the Chief position?¡± ¡°If the Senior-apprentice Brother was so easily assassinated by the Junior-apprentice Sister, wouldn¡¯t that mean that the Senior Brother isn¡¯t qualified for being the chief disciple?¡± ¡°Uh, did you just say ¡®assassinated¡¯?¡± ¡°Senior Brother, you heard wrong. Junior Sister said ¡®accidentally killed¡¯.¡± ¡°There¡¯s still a difference between accidentally killed and assassinated. How could I have heard wrongly?¡± ¡°It seems that the Senior Martial Brother¡¯s ears aren¡¯t very good either. How about I recite the Ear Clear Incantation for Senior Brother? Otherwise, if you can¡¯t even hear Master¡¯s scriptures clearly, then when you come back to report, Junior Brother and Junior Sister will suffer.¡± ¡°Junior Sister, don¡¯t change the topic!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t hear with your ears, use your heart. Don¡¯t hear with your heart, use your Qi¡­¡± ¡°So don¡¯t recite it anymore!¡± Seeing Qiu Changtian speechless, Xu Yinglian couldn¡¯t help but reveal a cold smile. She had finally found a way to not be at a disadvantage in front of her senior brother. That was to use cold and aggressive words to fight back. Although this did not match the upbringing of the Xu family in Tiannan, if the elders in the family heard her harsh words, they would most likely faint from anger. But she also did not want Qiu Changtian to make her lose her composure. That was another kind of unbearable failure. Qiu Changtian saw her smile from the corner of his eye and secretly sighed. ¡°Let¡¯s take this demon hunting mission,¡± he said, pointing to the sign. ¡°Since my Senior Brother doesn¡¯t listen to my advice, don¡¯t blame me if something happens.¡± Xu Yinglian deliberately scared him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Junior Sister.¡± Qiu Changtian smiled and pointed at the Taiyi Light-Splitting Sword on his back. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Speaking of the Taiyi Light-Splitting Sword, it had to be mentioned that back to the destruction of the Chan and Jie sects in the primordial era. The flying sword system was different. First of all, to the two sects, there was no such thing as one or two grades of flying swords. All of the flying swords were immortal swords that were way beyond the tenth grade. However, after the destruction of the two sects, the Weapon Refinement Masters lost the method to forge a perfect immortal sword. Thus, they could only forge lower-grade flying swords for cultivators below the Immortal realm to use. Thus, there was a system of division between the first and tenth ranks, and it was called the Heaven Stems Forging Sword Technique. Moreover, the forging technique to restore a tenth rank immortal sword had become the dream of all equipment refiners. Secondly, in order to make up for the combat power of the low-level flying swords, they had no choice but to strengthen the research on the flying swords¡¯ Dharmic Dao seal. For example, a ninth-grade flying sword had to seal nine different Dao techniques of different strengths on it. When the user¡¯s realm increased by one level, the flying sword Dao technique would be unsealed by one level, thus perfectly conforming to the user¡¯s realm of strength. For example, Qiu Changtian¡¯s Yu Yan Sword could only unseal the first Dharmic Dao on it because he was at the Qi refinement realm now, and it was called the Dragon Qi Coil Cloud Sea. As long as he formed a sword seal with his hands and recited the words ¡°the clouds appear with rainfall, the jade rainbow gives birth to smoke¡±, he would be able to activate the sword¡¯s Dao technique and divert a large number of light swords to restrain the enemy. However, the Taiyi Separation Light Sword was an extremely powerful immortal sword that had existed since ancient times, so it naturally didn¡¯t abide by the tenth rank Heaven Stem Casting Sword Technique. There were only three Forbidden Techniques on it (the so-called Forbidden Technique was the powerful ancient Dao Technique). Two of them were sealed by Sect Master Polestar, and only one was left. It was called ¡°Mountain Connecting Seas¡±. After activating it, it could pull out endless mountains and seas, trapping enemies within and suppressing them. It could be said to be an almost omnipotent life-saving and killing method. After hearing Qiu Changtian¡¯s explanation, Xu Yinglian stopped provoking him. Although she was competitive, she was not arrogant enough to look down on the Immortal Sword Forbidden Technique. Since the senior brother had the Taiyi Light-Splitting Sword to protect themselves, no matter who the demon beast was, it would not be able to threaten their safety. Now that she thought about it, she was eager to give it a try. She couldn¡¯t wait to find the whereabouts of the demon beast and kill it before her senior brother did. ¡°When are we leaving?¡± Xu Yinglian asked. ¡°Don¡¯t be anxious. If we want to find the whereabouts of that demon beast, then we have to first contact the other disciples that have accepted this assignment.¡± Qiu Changtian spoke unhurriedly. ¡°Before that, why don¡¯t you soak in the Kunlun Spring first?¡± Chapter 18 Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations Kunlun Spring was actually not a hot spring. It was just an underground mineral spring. The spring water that gushed out was cold to the touch and never froze all year round. It also contained a rich mineral content. Or rather, it was the spiritual force contained within the minerals that had the effect of cleansing one¡¯s skin while bathing. Therefore, the female cultivators of the ancient Chan Sect led the water from the spring into the pool made of warm jade. They created an indoor hot spring. It has now become a tourist attraction at the border of Kunlun. In the individual hot spring room, Xu Yinglian took off her white robe and revealed her flawless body. Her long black hair was wrapped in a towel. She first lifted her feet and slowly tested the temperature of the water. Then, she slowly stepped into the clear water and soaked her curvy body. ¡°Hu.¡± Lying in the hot spring, gently leaning against the warm jade wall, Xu Yinglian let out a long breath amidst the rising mist, revealing a comfortable and blissful expression. After an unknown period of time, a thought suddenly arose in her mind. What was the Senior Brother doing right now? Was he also enjoying the hot spring in a certain room? Xu Yinglian both respected and hated her senior brother Qiu. What she respected was his peerless talent, which was truly admirable. What she hated was also his unparalleled talent. It was too terrifying and made her almost despair from chasing him. The most irritating thing is that the family doesn¡¯t even ask her before making a marriage contract with him¡­ Xu Yinglian slowly submerged her face into the water, feeling a little powerless. In truth, she did not hate Senior Martial Brother Qiu, but she had never considered a romantic relationship with him. Qiu Changtian was merely a target that she was going to surpass. After she completely defeated him, he would be no different from other bored people in this world. At that time, she would not even look at him. hum. Thinking like this, Xu Yinglian, who was soaking in the hot spring water, felt better again. Contrary to her expectations, Qiu Changtian was currently socializing outside and meeting with the Kunlun disciples who had also accepted the mission to hunt demon beasts. In the restaurant, all the participants were present. Apart from Qiu Changtian, there were three men and two women. They were all dressed as Kunlun¡¯s outer sect disciples and exchanged their names. ¡°My name is Lu Zheng. Greetings, fellow Kunlun disciples.¡± One of them took the lead to bow and greet. ¡°I¡¯m Liu Daoran.¡± ¡°Liu Yiyi.¡± ¡°Wen Qin.¡± ¡°Hu Haozhi.¡± After the introductions were done, everyone¡¯s gaze fell on Qiu Changtian. ¡°Qiu Changtian.¡± He smiled and introduced himself. The room was silent for a moment. Then, as if to break the awkward atmosphere, that disciple named Lu Zheng chuckled: ¡°What a coincidence, you have the same name as this generation¡¯s chief disciple.¡± Qiu Changtian:¡­ Wait, how did I become someone that had the same name as my own? However, he was quick-witted and thought of the reason soon. Because Qiu Changtian was the personal disciple of the Sect Master and possessed a respected status, he utterly didn¡¯t have to go out to temper himself! Which of those who would stand here were not outer sect disciples who were forced to stand on their own without the protection of their master? In order to increase their cultivation level as soon as possible, he had no choice but to take Qi Refinement realm missions in the steward¡¯s hall regularly in order to earn those few spirit stones to supply their cultivation. Among all the Qi Refining missions, hunting demon beasts was the one with the least rewards and the hardest work. It had to be known that whether it was exploring ancient ruins or searching for hostile cultivators, there was a chance to obtain additional Dharma treasures, pills, and even cultivation techniques. What could one get from hunting demon beasts? Fur? Flesh? Pissed? The only advantage of this mission was that one could complete it quickly and increase the number of spirit stones in a short period of time. One had to rely on accumulating missions to obtain sufficient spirit stones¡­ Therefore, the people who accepted this mission were all outer sect disciples who urgently lacked spirit stones. Not to mention this generation¡¯s chief disciple, even other personal disciples and inner sect disciples who could receive monthly money from their master would not be interested in these spirit stones! Considering that, Qiu Changtian could no longer emphasize that he was the chief disciple, so he could only agree. The other outer sect disciples did not seem to notice and only chatted with each other. ¡°Speaking of Kunlun¡¯s Chief Qiu Changtian, he doesn¡¯t seem to live up to his name.¡± The disciple who introduced himself as ¡°Liu Daoran¡± sneered. ¡°I heard that when he first joined Kunlun, he didn¡¯t even walk the Path to Heaven. He was directly appointed by the sect master!¡± ¡°Really?¡± Another female disciple named ¡°Wen Qin¡± obviously had never heard of this thing before, and she asked in surprise, ¡°How can the sect confirm his cultivation aptitude before he has completed the Path to Heaven? What right does he have to be the chief disciple of this generation?¡± ¡°What other reason could it be?¡± Liu Daoran curled his lips. ¡°It¡¯s most likely because he came from some cultivation family or something.¡± Everyone was speechless when they heard this. The disciples of great cultivation clans often occupied the majority of the inner and personal disciples of the Kunlun Taiqing Sect. This was already considered a public secret. In fact, many people with poor aptitudes would sometimes be able to obtain a spot in Kunlun because their elders play an important role in Kunlun. This made the disciples of the same sect look down on them. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that chief disciple, we¡¯re here to watch this mission.¡± Seeing everyone¡¯s dejected expressions, Lu Zheng hurriedly tried to smooth things over and introduced the mission to everyone. ¡°In the spirit stone mine in Old Dragon Ridge, there¡¯s recently been an earth ant that has intruded and obstructed the mining.¡± ¡°This monster looks like a wild goat. It has four horns and is good at running and jumping. It eats people and is fierce when it sees blood.¡± ¡°Thankfully, it can¡¯t use the Five-Spirit Technique, so it¡¯s a low-grade demon beast. As long as we¡¯re careful and kill it first with our flying swords, it won¡¯t be difficult.¡± ¡°The Old Dragon Ridge is not far from here. If everything goes smoothly, the hunt will take at most four hours.¡± He passed the mission scripture to everyone and no one had any objections. In the end, Qi Refinement cultivators had yet to undergo Purification. Although their bodies were as weak as ordinary people¡¯s, the flying swords¡¯ attacks were sharp enough. Unless a demon beast could find an opportunity to launch a sneak attack, they would all die once their vital points were pierced by a flying sword. It was not a round of exchange like the ¡°You cast a Fire Curse, and then I cast a Wind Blade¡± in the mystic illusion fiction. After confirming the mission, everyone was about to set off when Qiu Changtian suddenly said, ¡°Wait a moment, I still have a junior sister who is going with me later. Can everyone wait for me to bring her here?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea,¡± Lu Zheng said with difficulty. ¡°There aren¡¯t many spirit stones for this mission to begin with. It¡¯s still alright for five people to share, but it¡¯s too little for six people.¡± Qiu Changtian was speechless upon hearing this. He had looked at the mission reward earlier, and it was only one hundred and twenty low-grade spirit stones. Six people compared to five people, it would only be four pieces less. What difference would that make? He then looked at the other disciples. Although they did not speak, their expressions all had the same meaning: They did not want to add another person to share. Qiu Changtian came to a sudden realization. Four low-grade spirit stones were nothing to him, but to these outer sect disciples, it was a considerable amount of money! ¡°How about this?¡± He changed his words and said with a smile, ¡°Junior Sister and I will work together, but we will only take a share of the reward.¡± ¡°That¡¯s naturally good!¡± Lu Zheng was overjoyed. After all, this was the same as earning free labor. ¡°But will your junior-apprentice sister be willing?¡± ¡°She doesn¡¯t care,¡± Qiu Changtian said with a smile. ¡°She comes from a cultivation family, so she doesn¡¯t care about these spirit stones.¡± As soon as these Versailles-like words came out, everyone could not hold themselves back. Lu Zheng was about to continue asking, ¡°Then why did you come to do the mission?¡± but was rudely interrupted by Hu Haozhi beside him. ¡°Fellow Daoist, since you want to bring Junior Sister here, hurry up. You can¡¯t possibly make us wait for you two!¡± The others were all disciples of the 280th generation who had just joined the sect, but this Hu Haozhi was from the 279th generation and had joined Kunlun thirty years earlier than everyone else. As a result, he took out the status of a senior to interrupt him. Lu Zheng did not continue asking and only revealed a doubtful expression. ¡°Okay. Please wait for a moment. I¡¯ll be right back.¡± Qiu Changtian turned around and left. After he left, Liu Daoran sneered and said, ¡°How could the young miss of a cultivation clan come out to do such tiring work? This person probably doesn¡¯t speak the truth. Everyone, be careful later. Don¡¯t let him take advantage of the situation.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about that.¡± Liu Yiyi, who had been silent all this while, suddenly said, ¡°At least he¡¯s quite handsome.¡± ¡°You think so too?¡± Wen Qin said excitedly. ¡°He looks like a handsome young man from a big family!¡± ¡°Can a pretty face be treated as a spirit stone?¡± Liu Daoran said with a black face. ¡°An embroidered pillow is a bag of grass. Do you understand?¡± ¡°You ugly man! What do you know!¡± Wen Qin had been annoyed by him for a long time, so she directly scolded him. ¡°If you¡¯re jealous of others¡¯ beauty, just hold it in! Don¡¯t be so annoying!¡± ¡°You!¡± Liu Daoran was flustered and going to exasperate. Just as he was about to counterattack, Lu Zheng hurriedly came over to mediate. ¡°Alright, alright. We¡¯re all from the same sect in Kunlun. Don¡¯t damage the harmony.¡± After calming his anger, Liu Daoran had the thought of leaving the team alone. After all, he had fallen out with the female cultivator from the guild. If he did not argue with them, he would end up getting scolded. If he did, he would lose his poise. He¡¯d better leave. However, if he were to slip away like this, he might be mocked and ridiculed by these female cultivators behind his back. He decided to wait for Qiu Changtian to bring that junior sister back and let everyone see what kind of ¡°Her Highness¡± she was! Chapter 19 Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations After Xu Yinglian finished soaking in the hot spring, she changed into a Dao robe and came out. She received a message from her senior brother. After meeting up with Qiu Changtian and hearing him finish introducing task, she frowned and asked, ¡°The mission target was just earth ants, yet you want to team up with other disciples? There¡¯s no need to seek help considering our strength.¡± ¡°We¡¯re all from the same sect. It¡¯s rare for us to meet, so it wouldn¡¯t be too much for us to help each other.¡± Qiu Changtian smiled as he explained. If I don¡¯t team up with others, how am I going to show off and increase my synchronization points? Am I only going to use you? It¡¯s all because I cherish you! Ying Lian, Junior Sister! Xu Yinglian looked at him suspiciously, obviously not understanding his senior brother¡¯s good intentions. After a while, she nodded and said, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. I came with you anyway.¡± When the two of them arrived at the restaurant, they saw five outer sect disciples waiting at the entrance. Liu Daoran¡¯s face was filled with impatience and contempt, but when he saw Xu Yinglian, his eyes immediately were stuck on her. It was actually the real Her Highness! There was no such thing as ¡°long-straight-black-hair pretty¡± in this world, but the mainstream aesthetics were still heavily biased toward long-black-hair girls. Girls¡¯ hair was preferred to be ¡°dark without the companion of jewelry¡±, and skin could not be better to be ¡°white without makeup¡±. In short, public advocated the beauty of nature. Xu Yinglian¡¯s looks and temperament were undoubtedly at the peak of this aspect. She was dressed in a plain white robe and didn¡¯t have a jade pendant. Her face was pure and not stained with makeup. Her black hair was like a waterfall and didn¡¯t have a pearl hairpin. She only used a belt to tie it casually, and it poked at the mainstream aesthetic point everywhere. The three Kunlun male disciples were dazed for a moment before they quickly reacted. They straightened their backs and put on a humble and elegant posture. On the other hand, the other two Kunlun female disciples were originally quite happy to see Qiu Changtian return, but when they saw Xu Yinglian¡¯s appearance, they immediately felt some instinctive rejection and jealousy. Everyone introduced themselves again, and when it was her turn, she simply said, ¡°Xu Yinglian,¡± and stood beside Qiu Changtian without saying anything. ¡°Does she happen to have the same name as Xu Yinglian? Or did she give herself a fake name on purpose?¡± Wen Qin curled her lips and said. Liu Yiyi hurriedly pulled her arm. ¡°Keep your voice down.¡± Liu Daoran, who had doubted whether she was Her Highness, was currently explaining the contents of the mission to Xu Yinglian with Lu Zheng. Hu Haozhi was confident that he was one generation older than everyone else, so he couldn¡¯t lower himself to explain it. Therefore, he just kept nodding, indicating that ¡°they¡¯re right, and I approve.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll only listen to Senior Brother Qiu.¡± Xu Yinglian spoke indifferently after the male disciples finished speaking. Seeing the three of them deflated, the two female disciples could not help but cover their mouths and laugh. Everyone had their own thoughts as they rode their sword lights and flew towards Old Dragon Ridge. Along the way, there were tall grasslands, herds of cows and sheep, and herdsmen¡¯s tents dotted the area. In the distance, there was a green field and blue sky, with snow-capped peaks extending endlessly, making one feel relaxed and happy at the ¡°vastness of the world¡±. Considering that there were exactly seven people in the team, Qiu Changtian wanted to say ¡°Seven Swords Descend the Heavenly Mountain¡±, but considering that no one would understand this joke, he could only give up. In order to test the synchronization mechanism of Imitation Mode, he chatted with the female disciples in the team and introduced the story of Old Dragon Ridge. Wen Qin and Liu Yiyi praised him for being ¡°knowledgeable¡±, but the synchronization value didn¡¯t change at all. Xu Yinglian snorted and said, ¡°Senior Brother, do you think I don¡¯t know this?¡± As a result, the synchronization value+1. It was clear that even though Qiu Changtian showed off in their presence, the two outer sect female disciples didn¡¯t truly feel that he was formidable, only pretending to worship him in order to curry favor with him. Junior Sister Xu, on the other hand, didn¡¯t know the story behind the Old Dragon Ridge. She was very concerned that she had lost to her senior brother in terms of knowledge, so she had contributed a little bit of synchronization value. That¡¯s why my junior sister is the cutest. What kind of precious species are you outer sect disciples? Crap! Fortunately, he had brought his junior sister along on this trip! Back to the main topic, north of the main peak of the Old Dragon Ridge, there was a long and narrow valley called ¡°Dazhi Valley.¡± There was a river in the Dazhi Valley called the ¡°Camel River¡± by the locals. The spirit stone mine was located at the source of the Camel River. Several deacons and a large group of miners were standing outside the mine with worried expressions. After Qiu Changtian¡¯s group of seven landed, the deacons hurried forward as if they had found a life-saving straw. ¡°The immortals are finally here!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be anxious,¡± Qiu Changtian said gently. ¡°We have limited time. Tell us about the demon beasts first.¡± Hearing this, Lu Zheng was a little unhappy. He had wanted to ask about this matter, but Qiu Changtian had taken the initiative. It was as if Qiu Changtian was the leader. However, if he argued with Qiu Changtian, he would definitely have words with the other female teammates. Liu Daoran¡¯s fate was still in front of him, so he remained silent and listened to the deacons speak in detail. It turned out that a few days ago, a miner suddenly went missing in the mine, and there was a faint flash of blood in the depths of the mine. The deacons thought that it was some wild beast, such as a cave bear, so they organized the miners to go in and investigate. In the end, they found human-eating ants inside. Demonic beasts were different from wild beasts. The latter could be dealt with by shooting arrows, but the former required flying swords. Therefore, the deacon hurriedly reported it to the sect, and the steward¡¯s hall issued missions to the Qi Refining disciples. After listening to the report, their team walked to a corner and started discussing. ¡°What do you think?¡± Lu Zheng had learned his lesson earlier. He didn¡¯t wait for Qiu Changtian to speak. Instead, he took the initiative to bring up the topic. He wanted to preside over this discussion and put on a good performance in front of Xu Yinglian. ¡°What else can we do? They¡¯re just ants. Let¡¯s just kill our way in.¡± Hu Haozhi said impatiently. ¡°What do you think, Senior Brother Qiu?¡± Wen Qin asked with a smile. ¡°It would have been better if the beasts were just Earth Ants,¡± Qiu Changtian said seriously. ¡°But do you remember? The warden said that on the day of the incident, there was a faint bloody glow in the cave.¡± He called the wardens over again and asked them what had happened. The wardens confirmed that there had been bloody light inside the cave at the time. ¡°Then here comes the problem.¡± Qiu Changtian dismissed the deacons and said calmly, ¡°Earth ants do not know the Five-Spirit Spells, so where did the bloody light come from?¡± ¡°Bloody light is just an adjective,¡± Lu Zheng objected. ¡°It¡¯s possible that the light reflected by the blood splattered on the wall after an earth ant attacked its prey.¡± Qiu Changtian was speechless. What¡¯s wrong with his brain for him to think that the bloody light was the reflection of blood? I checked with the deacons again and again about the ¡®bloody light¡¯. ¡®Were you not there just now so you didn¡¯t hear it, or did you have bad ears?¡¯ ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Liu Daoran stole a glance at Xu Yinglian¡¯s expression before smiling at Qiu Changtian. ¡°If you¡¯re afraid, you can stay behind the team.¡± Xu Yinglian raised her eyebrows in shock when she heard Qiu Changtian ridiculing her senior brother. She turned around and asked Qiu Changtian in a low voice, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with him?¡± ¡°He was just jealous,¡± Qiu Changtian replied softly. ¡°After all, Junior Sister is pretty.¡± ¡°How boring.¡± Xu Yinglian was a little speechless. ¡°Why can¡¯t they focus on the righteous path?¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Autumn said. Seeing the two of them whispering to each other like a couple, the faces of the five outer sect disciples beside them darkened. We¡­ we were all from the same sect, how could they have no mercy? You¡¯re hurting us with your lovey-dovey! Chapter 20 - Hunting Demonic Beasts with Junior Sister Chapter 20 Hunting Demonic Beasts with Junior Sister No matter which dynasty it was, the working environment in the mine was quite harsh. Even the Kunlun Taiqing Sect of the Orthodox Dao had inferior spirit stone mines. Around him were rock walls that had been carved out irregularly, showing a green color in the frozen soil. At every set distance, there was a wooden structure supporting the rock wall. An oil lamp hung on the top, emitting a faint light in the dim mountain. Hu Haozhi was at the front. As a Qi Refinement disciple of the older generation, he had already stayed in Kunlun for thirty years and had completed countless missions to hunt demonic beasts. Before entering the cave, he gave Static Talismans to everyone and made them stick to the back of their boots to avoid making any noise disturbing the demonic beasts. Miss Xu Yinglian was naturally taken care of by Hu Haozhi. Not only did Hu Haozhi give her two additional Static Talismans, but he also let her walk behind him so that he could protect her more easily. ¡°These people are so annoying!¡± Xu Yinglian refused coldly. She turned around and complained to Qiu Changtian. ¡°Do they really treat me as a powerless lady?¡± Qiu Changtian smiled and satirized. ¡°Why would the young firebird pay attention to the intimidating sounds made by the owl when it¡¯s flying towards the north sea?¡± Xu Yinglian: ¡­ She naturally knew what this meant. The ¡°owl¡± was a bird that ate rotten flesh. Its cry was like an ¡°intimidation¡±, hoarse and unpleasant. Meanwhile, the ¡°firebird¡± is a kind of five-colored phoenix. Its natural disposition is noble and unsullied, it won¡¯t make any other trees other than the chinese parasol tree to be its home, nor would it drink water that is not sweet. The meaning of this sentence was: ¡°A gentleman doesn¡¯t have to care about the noisy little person.¡± However, her Senior Brother clearly knows that the outside world praises her as the ¡°Phoenix Fairy¡±, but earlier, he compared herself to ¡°a young firebird¡±. What does this mean? Was it a disguised confession? Xu Yinglian was a little troubled. Her senior brother¡¯s words seemed to be a confession but not a confession. She didn¡¯t know how to respond. Qiu Changtian waited for a long time, but the Kunlun Mirror didn¡¯t give him any hints after his posture. He felt strange and continued, ¡°You have to be careful. Demonic beasts don¡¯t just recognize people by their voices. They also recognize light, smell, wind, and even the tremors on the ground¡­¡± ¡°I won¡¯t be careless,¡± Xu Yinglian said coldly. Relying on her Smart and Adroit Mind, she quickly calmed down. Saying that it was a confession was too far-fetched. Actually, what he said was just a double meaning. On the surface, he¡¯s comparing herself to a phoenix, but the main reason for the metaphor is to remind her not to care too much about other people¡¯s words. Hmph, as expected of my senior brother. It was a good satirization, but I still broke through it. [Invincible persona, synchronization value+1] Qiu Changtian: ? He was puzzled when he heard the notice from the Kunlun Mirror. What¡¯s wrong with Junior Sister Xu? Is her brain delayed? They continued to walk for dozens of meters before they felt a cold wind blowing, mixed with a rotten stench. It was obvious that the demonic beasts were right in front of them. Everyone pulled out their flying swords and prepared to attack. After a while, a strange beast indeed pounced out of the darkness, raising a strong evil wind. Everyone was intimidated by its ferocious aura and the stench made them dizzy. Therefore, they did not react for a moment. Hu Haozhi, who was at the front, was an experienced senior after all. He subconsciously bit the tip of his tongue with his teeth and immediately woke up from the pain. Just as he was about to drive his flying sword at the critical moment, two streaks of light shot out from behind him! The jade color was in front, and the red color was behind. They were only a hair¡¯s breadth apart, but when they rushed in front of the demonic beast, the red flying sword, which was slightly faster, had already arrived first. It stabbed into the mutated beast¡¯s neck and sliced it in a circle. The demonic beast¡¯s head rolled down, and blood gushed out from the severed neck. In the blink of an eye, the demonic beast was killed, and the remaining disciples did not even have the time to react. Xu Yinglian took back the Yujia Sword and flicked it to get rid of the blood on the sword. ¡°A mere demonic beast is nothing much.¡± Qiu Changtian: ? My junior sister¡¯s show-off has 70% of my charm, but you don¡¯t need to maintain the Imitation Mode, so why are you showing off? He also put away the Yu Yan Flying Sword and saw Xu Yinglian turn her head over. The corners of her mouth curled up slightly. Hmph, Senior Brother, I won this time. The other disciples were still in shock, but Hu Haozhi was the first to recognize it. His eyes widened and his face was filled with shock as he cried out in disbelief. ¡°What a fast sword! A red stream of light and a flash. There¡¯s a phoenix engraving on the sword hilt. Could it be the Tiannan Xu Family¡¯s immortal sword, Yu Jia?¡± Xu Yinglian didn¡¯t even look at him. She just continued to look at the demonic beast¡¯s corpse with a cold expression. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to really be Senior Sister Xu Yinglian!¡± Hu Haozhi put on a warm smile and asked obsequiously, ¡°Senior Sister, why do you have the time to come and do missions?¡± Xu Yinglian sneered. ¡°Why can¡¯t I do the sect mission?¡± ¡°Ahem, indeed. It¡¯s my fault for being blind. I didn¡¯t recognize you at first.¡± Hu Haozhi pretended to slap himself and apologized with a smile. ¡°Senior Sister, be careful. I¡¯ll go see how that demonic beast is doing.¡± Lu Zheng, Liu Daoran, Wen Qin, and Liu Yiyi were all stunned. It had to be known that this Senior Brother Hu Haozhi had been putting on the haughtiness of a senior from the very beginning. He either didn¡¯t speak, or he would urge others to hurry up when he opened his mouth. In the end, he recognized Xu Yinglian¡¯s true identity. Not to mention completely losing his status, he would even abandon his seniority and be willing to call himself junior brother! He switched from arrogance to deference as if he was a different person, and it was truly an eye-opener. Wen Qin¡¯s face turned pale. After all, she had mocked Xu Yinglian in a low voice before. Her legs turned weak at the thought of the possible revenge. Liu Daoran¡¯s expression was similar. Since she was Xu Yinglian, wouldn¡¯t the handsome young man beside her be¡­ No one dared to think further because it was too terrifying. This is a god descending to the mortal world to cultivate with us mortals! However, none of them had the ¡°flexibility¡± of Hu Haozhi, so they only forced a smile and pretend that nothing had happened. After checking the corpse, Hu Haozhi returned and said respectfully, ¡°Senior Sister Xu, Senior Brother Qiu, that earth ant is dead.¡± ¡°If you want the corpse, then you can take it,¡± Qiu Changtian said gently. ¡°However, that deacon said that there¡¯s a bloody light appearing in the depths of the mine just now. This earth ant might not be the only one here. Everyone has to carefully investigate and confirm that there¡¯s no danger.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± The outer sect disciples immediately nodded rapidly. Even Liu Daoran, who had targeted him the most previously, agreed respectfully. ¡°Senior Brother Qiu is brilliant. We will definitely be careful.¡± ¡°Heh.¡± A teasing voice suddenly came from inside the cave. ¡°To act so pragmatically and switch from arrogance to deference. Is this how a disciple of a famous orthodox sect acts?¡± Hu Haozhi¡¯s eyes turned cold. He quickly raised his hand and shot the flying sword forward, but it disappeared into the darkness. In the next second, his expression changed drastically as he cried out, ¡°My flying sword has lost its connection!¡± Under everyone¡¯s gaze, a thin person walked out from the darkness ahead. His hair was messy and his face was withered. It could only be vaguely recognized that he was a young man. Of course, the cultivation world could not judge age by appearance, and it was not easy to determine the cultivation of the other party. It was because the other party was covered in a dark green Daoist robe from head to toe. His temperament was also sinister and evil. He was clearly a disciple of the Devil Dao. Xu Yinglian narrowed her eyes slightly, and the Yu Jia sword trembled slightly in the air. She watched Qiu Changtian¡¯s reaction from the corner of her eyes and prepared to cooperate with his attack. Fighting devil cultivators and hunting demonic beasts were two completely different things. Although she was competitive, she was not to the extent of using her life to gamble. Since Xu Yinglian did not attack, and with Hu Haozhi as a precedent, the other Kunlun disciples naturally did not dare to attack. They only pulled out their flying swords and suspended them in front of them with nervous expressions while waiting seriously. The devil cultivator walked under the light of the oil lamp and threw the object in his hand onto the ground. Qiu Changtian saw clearly that it was Hu Haozhi¡¯s flying sword. However, for some reason, the flying sword¡¯s surface had already dimmed and lost all its spirituality, making it look like a piece of scrap metal. ¡°Kunlun Sect¡¯s current chief disciple, Enlightened Dao Heart, Qiu Changtian?¡± The devil cultivator¡¯s withered eyes moved slightly. He looked at Qiu Changtian¡¯s face and then turned to look at Xu Yinglian, his gaze stopping on her red flying sword. ¡°The Yin Ghost Dao of the Beimang Mountain?¡± Qiu Changtian asked expressionlessly. The two of them paused for a moment before suddenly shooting out their flying swords at the same time! Chapter 21 - In His Mind, There Are Thousands of Mountains and Seas! Chapter 21 In His Mind, There Are Thousands of Mountains and Seas! Qiu Changtian¡¯s Yu Yan drew out a stream of light. Xu Yinglian¡¯s Yu Jia was even faster, bringing with it a red arc, instantly competing with the Yu Yan Sword! The other Kunlun disciples also shot out their flying swords and followed closely behind. The flying sword that the devil cultivator shot out was dark red like blood. Just as it was about to strike Yu Yan and Yu Jia, it suddenly exploded into a bloody mist! Qiu Changtian¡¯s reaction was extremely fast because he had practiced the Seven Kills Swordsmanship of Mount Shu. With a hook of his Qi, the Yu Yan Sword stopped in front of the bloody mist, and then flew back like a bolt of lightning The other flying swords did not have the time to stop and rushed into the bloody mist, instantly dimming. Only Xu Yinglian¡¯s Yu Jia Sword was too high-grade to be contaminated. It still circulated smoothly in the bloody mist and clashed with the dark red flying sword several times. Sparks flew everywhere. Qiu Changtian controlled the Yu Yan Sword to turn around. He raised the sword in his right hand and hurriedly recited, ¡°The clouds appear with rainfall, the jade rainbow gives birth to smoke!¡± The Yu Yan Sword suddenly lit up in the mines, and countless golden lights turned into sharp swords that shot towards the bloody mist in front of them. The devil cultivator didn¡¯t show any fear. He only sneered and stabbed his finger forward, also chanting, ¡°Demons and monsters, curse and kill!¡± Countless grayish-white phantoms quickly surged out from his fingertips, one portion met the golden sword rain of the Yu Yan Sword and easily extinguished them. The other portion scurried into the bloody mist and wrapped around the Yu Jia Sword. Xu Yinglian immediately felt that the sword seemed to have a thousand tons of force, and it was difficult for her to continue controlling it. They exchanged several blows in the blink of an eye. The devil cultivator opposite actually destroyed the flying swords of the outer sect disciples by himself and resisted the attacks of Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian, the two personal disciples. He was not at a disadvantage at all! ¡°Purification realm?¡± Qiu Changtian asked in a low voice. ¡°Yes!¡± Xu Yinglian gritted her teeth and forced herself to activate the Yu Jia Sword to resist the ghostly phantoms. The Kunlun disciples were immediately shocked as their expressions turned to despair. Purification realm! This person was a Purification realm devil cultivator! It must be known that Foundation Establishment disciples needed a long time to refine Qi and fill up their dantian and sea of vital energy from the Qi Refinement realm to the Purification realm. For those with better aptitudes, they might take twenty to thirty years, but for those with poor aptitudes might take fifty to sixty years. In other words, the other party had refined Qi for at least twenty to thirty years more than them. They were not on the same level as him based on the total amount of True Qi, let alone the more powerful Dharmic spells that could be used during the Purification realm. There was also the stronger flying sword, the reaction nerve after Purification, and even the augmentation of sword kinesis. All in all, it means they were crushed by the difference in realms! In reality, if it wasn¡¯t for Xu Yinglian¡¯s sharp swordsmanship and Yu Jia¡¯s tenth rank immortal sword¡¯s tough attributes, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to exchange a few blows with her opponent. The Kunlun disciples¡¯ faces were pale. They were trembling and almost wanted to leave. Xu Yinglian¡¯s eyes were about to spit fire. She gritted her teeth so hard that they almost shattered. The True Qi in her entire body surged, and she forcefully activated the Immortal Sword Yu Jia to resist the opponent. So what if she crossed realms? I don¡¯t want to lose. I¡­ I won¡¯t lose! The devil cultivator opposite laughed sinisterly. He probably felt that victory was in his grasp and his tone became sharp and ruthless. ¡°So what if you¡¯re a personal disciple? Do you think you can defeat those at a higher cultivation realm? Let me tell you, the reason I let out the ants is to draw the disciples with Qi Refinement realm over to hunt and then let my Yin Ghost feed on the blood of the cultivators.¡± ¡°If you surrender now, I will let you go and reincarnate. Otherwise, I will capture your souls. I will lock you in the banner and torture you for eternity. You will not be allowed to reincarnate!¡± ¡°I see,¡± Qiu Changtian said calmly. ¡°I was in the deacon¡¯s hall and they said that there was a severely injured Devil cultivator wandering over from Beimang Mountain. It¡¯s you, right?¡± ¡°You¡¯re about to die, yet you still have the time to care about this?¡± The devil cultivator sneered. ¡°You have quite a lot to say.¡± Qiu Changtian took a step forward and shielded Xu Yinglian, who was still gritting her teeth and fighting hard, as well as the other terrified Kunlun disciples behind her, leaving only his majestic back to everyone. His right index and middle fingers formed a sword shape. The Taiyi Light-Splitting Sword on his back shot out and steadily floated in front of him. Although his voice was calm, there was a stern and inviolable tone in it. It was like a bright and open sun! ¡°Evil can never triumph over good. So what if you¡¯re in the Purification realm?! This is the territory of our Kunlun, how can we allow you devil cultivators to be fierce!!¡± The teasing look in the devil cultivator¡¯s eyes deepened. He raised his thin arm and chanted, ¡°Demons and monsters, curse and kill¡­¡± ¡°In the space of others, there are thousands of Mountains and Seas!¡± Qiu Changtian¡¯s voice was like thunder as he brazenly activated the forbidden technique of the Taiyi Light-Splitting Sword! It was as short as the snap of a finger, but also as endless as the blue sea and mulberry fields. The surrounding mining environment had already disappeared, and everyone was actually high up in the sky. In front of him was the vast and endless sea, and behind him was the endless mountain range. There was only a long, winding coastline that separated the two sides like the Chu River and the Han River. ¡°This is a forbidden technique!¡± The ruthlessness on the devil cultivator¡¯s face instantly disappeared, replaced with disbelief and shock. Even his pupils nearly dilated, and his voice was almost heart-wrenching. ¡°How is this possible!? How could you possibly possess a forbidden technique?!!¡± Qiu Changtian couldn¡¯t be bothered to waste his breath on him. Couldn¡¯t he see that he didn¡¯t want to listen to him spouting nonsense, and he¡¯d turned the situation around in an instant? Villains die because they talked too much! He calmly formed the Three Purities Finger with his right hand. As his True Qi circulated, he completely activated the ¡°Mountain Connecting Seas¡¯ Forbidden Technique on the Taiyi Light-Splitting Sword. Hence, everyone rose again and left that devil cultivator far below. And far below, the endless sea actually swelled up at the sight of the wind, reaching a thousand meters high in the blink of an eye. The tall mountains rose from the ground and suddenly pierced through the clouds. The devil cultivator was still hysterically chanting Dharmic spells as if he wanted to activate some escape magic to save his life. However, in the forbidden technique of the Taiyi Light-Splitting Sword, all struggles were futile. The last thought that flashed through the devil cultivator¡¯s mind like a bolt of lightning was, how could the Kunlun Taiqing Sect not leave a backup plan for a cultivation talent like the Enlightened Dao Heart, which was hard to come by in ten thousand years, and let this genius disciple go out to train? As his thoughts were extinguished, the surrounding mountains and seas had already expanded. They only covered the sky and pressed down on the devil cultivator from both sides regardless of his magic. Until they collided with a copious force, emitting a loud bang that sounded like the heavens splitting the earth! After a moment, the illusion of the Mountains and Seas slowly passed away, and everyone returned to the mine. The devil cultivator and the bloody mist flying sword had already turned into powder that fell down and accumulated into a pile of unknown ashes on the ground. Everyone: ¡­. After a moment, everyone recovered from their shock when someone suddenly sobbed. Liu Yiyi and Wen Qin collapsed to the ground and hugged each other tightly. They cried and laughed. Lu Zheng leaned back against the rock wall, his right hand gripping the lapel of his Dao robe tightly, his back already covered in cold sweat. Hu Haozhi revealed a relieved expression. He wanted to go over and take a look at the ashes, but he found that his legs were so weak that he could not move at all. Liu Daoran was stunned for a moment before he suddenly knelt down and bowed to Qiu Changtian. His voice was trembling with guilt. ¡°Senior Brother Qiu, thank you for saving our lives. If it wasn¡¯t for you making a move this time, all of us would have died without a burial site today. Our souls would have dispersed, and we wouldn¡¯t have been able to enter Samsara!¡± ¡°Junior Brother Daoran, there¡¯s no need for formalities.¡± Qiu Changtian spoke gently. He guessed that Qiu Changtian had noticed how formidable he was and was afraid that he would suffer revenge since he offended Qiu Changtian earlier. In addition, he had survived a calamity, so the spiritual impact was too great. He was at a loss for what to do, that¡¯s why knelt down. Therefore, Qiu Changtian made another hand seal and cast a ¡°Junior Light of Universal Voice¡± on the Kunlun disciples. ¡°We¡¯re all disciples of Kunlun. It¡¯s our duty to help others. There¡¯s no need to talk about saving grace.¡± The Junior Light of Universal Voice was the first derivative Dao technique in the Qi Refinement realm of the Nine Heavens Clarity Entering Enlightenment Mantra. It had the effect of nourishing blood, exorcizing evil, and cleansing the heart. Therefore, the Kunlun outer sect disciples, who were still in a daze, slowly regained their senses with the help of this technique. They felt relieved as if they had been reborn. Xu Yinglian put away the Yu Jia Sword and felt that the almost exhausted True Qi in her body had also recovered a little with the help of the Junior Light Spell. Recalling the mighty collision of the endless mountains and seas just now, her eyes were a little dazed for a moment, but they quickly recovered their clarity. Although she relied on the Taiyi Light-Splitting Sword¡¯s rank, she was really envious of her senior brother for being able to control such a terrifying forbidden technique. However, her master had lent him the Taiyi Light-Splitting Sword, while Yu Jia Immortal Sword belonged to her! According to the clan, there was also a forbidden technique sealed within the Yu Jia Immortal Sword besides the nine levels of Daoist magic. However, it had to stimulate the Phoenix bloodline in order to be unsealed and used. In the future, I will definitely awaken my bloodline and completely master this forbidden technique, thereby defeating my senior brother in one fell swoop! She thought with surging emotions in her heart, yet she saw Qiu Changtian standing silently on the spot with a light expression as if he¡¯d done something insignificant. Thus, the fighting spirit in her chest slowly calmed down. Since my Senior Brother does not have any complacency, I will also abstain from arrogance and impatience. Xu Yinglian thought like this, but she didn¡¯t know that Qiu Changtian had already been flooded with the Kunlun Mirror¡¯s notifications. [Invincible persona, synchronization value+1] [Invincible persona, synchronization value+1] [Invincible persona, synchronization value+1] [The synchronization value has exceeded the upper limit, and the efficiency of the Enlightened Dao Heart has reached 100%. Please continue to work hard.] Chapter 22 - Ah Jing, I Hate Being Strongest Chapter 22 Ah Jing, I Hate Being Strongest Kunlun Mountain Range, eastern Fantong, Yuxu Peak, deacon hall. ¡°That¡¯s why I said it! That devil cultivator has already been shattered by Senior Brother Qiu Changtian!¡± Liu Daoran roared angrily at the counter, and the deacon opposite the counter explained with a helpless expression. ¡°It¡¯s not that we¡¯re unreasonable, but the sect does have rules. Either we examine the corpse or we have a token. In short, we have to prove that the target is dead¡­¡± ¡°What else can we do when that person¡¯s turned to ashes?¡± Lu Zheng also had a furious expression as he questioned from the side, ¡°Could it be that we¡¯re going to bring the powder over for you to examine?¡± ¡°How could the deacon¡¯s hall be so shameless!¡± Wen Qin shouted behind them with Liu Yiyi. ¡°Even if there is powder, it can be considered evidence¡­¡± Before the deacon could finish speaking, he was pulled out of the counter by Hu Haozhi. Hu Haozhi held his shoulder and pulled him out to have a private chat. ¡°Old Su, you know me, Hu Haozhi, right?¡± He patted his chest and said impatiently. ¡°Aiya, how could I not know Senior Brother Hu?¡± The deacon smiled. ¡°You¡¯re a regular at the deacon¡¯s hall. Most of our missions are handled by you¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Hu Haozhi gave a thumbs up and pointed outside. ¡°That person outside is Senior Brother Qiu Changtian, this generation¡¯s chief disciple, the personal disciple of the Sect Master. He has no reason to lie because of such a thing, right?¡± ¡°I, I can¡¯t say for sure¡­¡± ¡°Why would he lie to you? Is he after these spirit stones or his reputation?¡± ¡°This is what I don¡¯t understand.¡± The deacon smiled bitterly and said, ¡°If he really is the personal disciple of the Sect Master, why would this generation¡¯s Chief come to our deacon¡¯s hall to do missions?¡± ¡°You.¡± Hu Haozhi shook his head, his expression actually looking a little aged. ¡°Do you know what it means to ¡®come out of Kunlun together and help others¡¯?¡±. ¡°Huh?¡± The deacon was stunned. In the cultivation world where the strong preyed on the weak, was there such a thing as ¡°righteous help¡±? ¡°In this Kunlun Sect, there aren¡¯t many people that can make me, Old Hu, admire. Even the past chief disciples can be found everywhere with empty reputations,¡± Hu Haozhi said with a sigh. He looked at the distant snow-capped peaks as if he had fallen into some deep thought. ¡°But that Senior Brother Qiu Changtian is definitely the fully deserving chief disciple.¡± When he recalled the perilous battle that day, he still felt a lingering fear. It was just as Liu Daoran had said. If Qiu Changtian wasn¡¯t present, everyone would have already had their souls seized by now, and they would be unable to die. But what was Qiu Changtian after? Those few spirit stones? Or the admiration of a few insignificant outer sect disciples? None of this makes sense. Which chief disciple in history has been willing to lower himself to lead outer sect disciples on missions? After thinking about it, he could only say that he was ¡°helpful¡±. ¡°Senior Brother Qju¡­¡± He muttered as his gaze fell on the endless sea of clouds. ¡°What an immortal-like figure.¡± ¡­ ¡°So, what is Senior Brother after?¡± Xu Yinglian asked in confusion. ¡°As a member of Kunlun, why must I have other motives for doing sect missions?¡± Qiu Changtian asked with a smile. Xu Yinglian nodded and revealed a ¡°why the hell would I believe you¡± expression. She turned around and said, ¡°Since they¡¯ve already brought the spirit stones here, let¡¯s rest today. I¡¯m going to soak in the Kunlun Spring.¡¯ ¡°Junior Sister, why do you want to take a bath again? You¡¯ll lose your skin.¡± ¡°Senior Brother, only dirty things that don¡¯t bathe all year round will shed their skin when bathing.¡± ¡°Junior Sister, I bathe and burn incense every seven days.¡± ¡°But this is also good. If Senior Brother enters the Kunlun Pool, the entire spring water will probably be ruined. No one is willing to soak in the quagmire, except for the wild boars.¡± ¡°I really did shower regularly! And don¡¯t make me sound like a wild beast!¡± Qiu Changtian was speechless, and Xu Yinglian revealed a cold smile. After sending his junior sister to the Kunlun Spring Pavilion, Qiu Changtian summoned the Kunlun Mirror. ¡°Ah Jing, Ah Jing, are you there?¡± ¡°When was I not around?¡± The Kunlun Mirror asked helplessly. ¡°What?¡± ¡°If I were to give the spirit stones to Ling Yunpo now and fly directly to Mount Shu to meet him, would there be a space-time paradox?¡± Qiu Changtian said excitedly. ¡°For example, the first thing I heard Ling Yunpo say was ¡®Hello, Qiu Changtian¡¯. After that, when I reloaded the archive and turned into Ling Yunpo, the first thing I said to him was ¡®Nice to meet you, Qiu Changtian¡¯¡­¡± ¡°No,¡± the Kunlun Mirror replied. ¡°The timeline is the only one that doesn¡¯t allow for a paradox.¡± ¡°So in the first example, you heard what Ling Yunpo said. In the latter example, as Ling Yunpo, you have to say the same thing.¡± ¡°Of course, if it¡¯s just a difference of a few words, I¡¯ll help you eliminate these minor disturbances with Imitation Mode, so you don¡¯t have to care too much.¡± ¡°What if it¡¯s a big difference?¡± Qiu Changtian asked warily. ¡°For example, returning to the past and deliberately changing the history that has already happened on a large scale?¡± ¡°Your attempt will fail,¡± the Kunlun Mirror replied. ¡°Furthermore, you will suffer a backlash from the Great Dao of Time.¡± ¡°For example, you saw Xu Yinglian die in front of you. Then, you rewound the archive and wanted to stop her death and change history.¡± ¡°Then there¡¯s a high chance that you can¡¯t stop it for some reason before you can stop it ¡ª for example, you were killed by a bolt of lightning on the way.¡± Qiu Changtian listened patiently and said thoughtfully, ¡°But I can stop her in advance and think of a way to create some illusions to let the ¡®past self¡¯ see the ¡®death of Xu Yinglian¡¯ according to the history that has already happened, right?¡± The Kunlun Mirror was stunned for a long time, as if it had not expected such a thing. After a while, it said, ¡°If you can do this, then it won¡¯t be a problem. It won¡¯t cause a time backlash. Besides, my Imitation Mode can do it.¡± Qiu Changtian sighed and said, ¡°Isn¡¯t this the Novikov self-consistency principle? I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t think of such a magical setting without ten years of cerebral thrombosis.¡± ¡°What¡­ What nov principle?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± Qiu Changtian sighed. ¡°Let¡¯s leave it at that.¡± The Kunlun Mirror fell silent for a moment before asking carefully, ¡°Actually, I¡¯m very curious. What exactly do you think of Xu Yinglian? I¡¯m not asking Qiu Changtian, I¡¯m asking you.¡± ¡°Oh, Junior Sister Xu.¡± He smiled faintly. ¡°A cute junior who chose to follow me because she yearned for me.¡± ¡°What about An Zhisu?¡± ¡°Senior Sister An? She¡¯s like a flower on a high ridge. Although she¡¯s extremely beautiful and charming to begin with, what I truly admire is her courage and strength that isn¡¯t afraid of stepping into the sky.¡± ¡°Do you like them?¡± He fell silent for a moment and sneered. ¡°Ah Jing, the so-called trust and reliance have the same meaning. That¡¯s the behavior of the weak. The path I want to take has been paved. Before reaching the end, nothing can stop me. The lonely Sky Throne has yet to be ascended. And this unbearable empty window period will not last long.¡± The Kunlun Mirror felt even worse when it heard that. It felt like it was about to break. What was wrong with this guy? Did he really have human emotions? ¡°¡­Alright.¡± It echoed vaguely as a strong and irrepressible thought suddenly arose in its heart. The two of them seemed to be partners, but they were actually in a serious business relationship in exchange for benefits. He helped itself to mend the heavens and save the world, and it helped him to obtain various peerless cultivation talents with Imitation Mode. However, deceiving the innocent girl¡¯s sincerity was not within the scope of what they had agreed on back then! Therefore, it was understandable for this Imitation Mode to occasionally make a mistake and let them realize this guy¡¯s true colors, right? For example, he could slowly change Xu Yinglian¡¯s impression of him from a completely disguised ¡°invincible Qiu Changtian¡± to the real him under his mask. She would do the same thing to An Zhisu. It would make Senior Sister An know the ¡°fake Ling Yunpo¡± was just him in disguise¡­ After this tool helped me mend the sky, he would stop using the Imitation Mode disguise and return to his original temperament and appearance. However, he was shocked to find that Xu Yinglian and An Zhisu could still recognize him. If that was the case, it would probably be very interesting, right? Chapter 23 - Im Killing You Chapter 23 I¡¯m Killing You At the same time, in a cave abode in the upper-level district, Song He asked in a deep voice, ¡°Qiu Changtian actually went out to train?¡± Song He looked to be in his forties. He had a white face and a short beard. He looked rather honest. His cultivation level was already at the perfected level of the Transformation Realm. His strength was ranked second among the Foundation Establishment Chiefs under Sect Master Polestar, second only to the Head Chief, Xu Changqing. On ordinary days, when he was preaching the scriptures, he would sit on the second futon behind Xu Changqing. The previous time, he was forced to give up his position to Qiu Changtian, who had officially joined the sect. It was too humiliating, and it nearly broke his Qi cultivation. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Zhao Wencheng replied with a grin. ¡°Senior Brother Song He, he is a Qi Refinement brat after all. Why do you worry too much?¡± This was Song He¡¯s junior brother and confidant. He looked younger than thirty, and he seemed to be quite scheming as his eyes darted around. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± His junior brother, Qiu Yuan, agreed. ¡°It won¡¯t be more than twenty years until the day Chief Xu Changqing undergoes the Tribulation Transcendence.¡± ¡°Even if that person has an Enlightened Dao heart and peerless talent, he would at most be in the peak stage of the Qi Refinement Stage and started Purification when Xu Changqing is in the Core Formation Stage.¡± ¡°Counting his dog-shit luck, he might probably ascend the Stairway to Heaven. He might be lucky to have succeeded in Purification, but he would only barely enter the Transformation Stage. At that time, how can he compete with you, a Senior Brother at the perfected level of the Transformation Realm, for the position of Head Chief?¡± Both of them were confident that Qiu Changtian would not be able to skip two levels and advance to the perfected level of the Transformation Realm before Xu Changqing could form the core. However, Song He remained frowning. After a while, he said, ¡°I heard that the Li Palace is about to open.¡± ¡°Li Palace?¡± Zhao Wencheng asked in surprise. ¡°Could it be the East Sea Li Palace?¡± Qiu Yuan was also shocked. ¡°Other than that, which Li Palace can it be?¡± Song He sighed faintly. ¡°If it really is that Li Palace of the East Sea, could it be!?¡± Zhao Wencheng suddenly thought of something and said in shock, ¡°Master probably already had plans to let him take a trip to the East Sea Li Palace and obtain a vast amount of True Qi, directly skipping the Qi Refinement stage that would have required at least twenty years of hard work. ¡°Then, he will use the bone marrow cleansing technique to help him speed up his Purification stage and vaporize his True Essence to form the Purple Mansion. ¡°Leaping two levels in a row, and finally investing resources at no cost before Xu Changqing forms his core, rushing to the perfected level of the Transformation Realm in one go to inherit this chief disciple position!¡± Qiu Yuan¡¯s expression darkened as he echoed, ¡°It¡¯s very possible! If that wasn¡¯t the case, why did the Master let him sit on the second mat that day?¡± Song He was silent for a moment before he sighed. ¡°The path of cultivation is narrow, and it doesn¡¯t allow two people to walk together. We can only compete with our strength.¡± Zhao Wencheng and Qiu Yuan¡¯s expressions immediately became serious. The position of the Head Chief of the Foundation Establishment Stage was really too important to their chief disciple. The source of this was Sect Master Polestar. This cold master was usually very busy and needed to cultivate. He would only teach the chief disciples the scriptures once every ten days, and from time to time, he would guzzle it due to almost all the reasons. They couldn¡¯t even think about asking personal questions. If anyone encountered any difficult questions during their cultivation, the chief disciple could only answer them. In order to ensure that the chief disciple had this ability, Sect Master Polestar would take time out alone to give him special treatment and personally answer his questions. The ¡®Nine Heavens Clarity Entering Enlightenment Mantra¡¯ was an immortal¡¯s true magic. It was famous for being obscure and difficult to understand. It was not an exaggeration to say that every word has a hidden meaning. The effect of Sect Master Polestar answering the questions personally and the chief disciple answering the questions was definitely far inferior. Being able to become the Head Chief meant that he could obtain the guidance from Sect Master Polestar. His understanding and comprehension of the Clarity Truth Mantra would be even more perfect, and the quality of the core he formed in the future would naturally be higher. SUCO res v Without mentioning anything else, the successive great chief disciples¡¯ cores were all grade-three or higher. As for the personal disciples of non chief disciples, the worst among them was said to be at the fifth-grade. There were also many fourth-grade disciples in each batch. It could be seen that the benefits behind this chief disciple position were too great, and everyone had no choice but to compete. Song He said, ¡°Two people are not allowed to walk together, so we can only compete with our best.¡± His meaning was simple: He had to be unscrupulous in his attacks against Qiu Changtian! ¡°The Enlightened Dao Heart has too many implications,¡± Qiu Yuan said with a serious expression. ¡°I don¡¯t know how many pairs of eyes in Kunlun are watching us. It is as difficult as ascending to the heavens on flat groundI if we want to eliminate him secretly and not let anyone suspect us.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t forget that even if he goes out to train, Master will give him the Taiyi Light-Splitting Sword to protect himself!¡± ¡°We won¡¯t directly attack.¡± Zhao Wencheng narrowed his eyes. ¡°The Enlightened Dao Heart, how can such a rare talent not be envied? Why not get someone else to kill for Us¡­¡± ¡°Can you completely clear the slate by using someone else?¡± Song He sighed faintly. ¡°Even if we don¡¯t do anything, Qiu Changtian could die from choking on water halfway through his cultivation. He might fall to his death while walking and might be assassinated by the spy of the fiend sects¡­ If we consider from the perspective of whoever benefits, the suspect will be me, right?¡± The two junior brothers were speechless. ¡°The key is the evidence.¡± Song He shook his head. ¡°As long as he dies, all the stakeholders will be suspected.¡± ¡°But our Kunlun is a righteous sect! When we do things, we need to pay attention to evidence and convince people. It¡¯s impossible for us to be like the devil sects and capture people to extract their souls and read their hearts because of suspicion.¡± He patted his head and decided. ¡°You can do it as long as you do it cleanly!¡± Zhao Wencheng and Qiu Yuan hesitated for a moment before nodding slightly. Song He was the chief disciple of their generation. Although the two of them were disciples of Sect Master Polestar, they did not have the qualifications to listen to the scriptures. They could only wait for Song He to finish listening before he gave the lecture and answer everyone¡¯s questions. Their personal interests had long been tied to Song He. ¡°In that case, how do you plan to do it, Senior Brother?¡± Qiu Yuan analyzed carefully. ¡°Qiu Changtian doesn¡¯t leave the Golden Ridge Cave Abode most of the time. It¡¯s rare for him to leave Kunlun to go out and train. He also has the Sect Master bestowed the Taiyi Light-Splitting Sword to protect him. Even if we don¡¯t consider concealment, we don¡¯t have many chances to attack.¡± ¡°That¡¯s simple.¡± Zhao Wencheng suddenly had a plan. ¡°Actually, there¡¯s a place that Qiu Changtian will definitely go to in the future, and it¡¯s impossible for him to bring the Taiyi Light-Splitting Sword.¡± ¡°You mean¡­¡± Song He pondered for a moment before narrowing his eyes. ¡°East Sea Li Palace?¡± While the three of them were discussing their plan in the secret chamber, Qiu Changtian had already handed the spirit stone to the Kunlun Mirror and sent it to where Ling Yunpo was. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that excluding that devil cultivator, the sect would actually reward so many spirit stones,¡± he said with a sigh. ¡°Is it a lot?¡± The Kunlun Mirror asked curiously. ¡°Every time I teleport you to the archive, the spiritual energy consumption is tens of thousands of times greater than these spirit stones.¡± ¡°That¡¯s different,¡± Qiu Changtian said casually. ¡°You¡¯re a Connate Spirit Treasure, you¡¯re considered a wealthy woman in the magic treasure world with the amount of your Spirit Qi. Don¡¯t compete with me.¡± Kunlun Mirror: ? Chapter 24 - Ah Jing Is Working! Chapter 24 Ah Jing Is Working! Recently, the speed of the decline in his character synchronization value had been very unstable. Sometimes it was very fast, but sometimes it was very slow. In short, it was extremely metaphysical and mysterious. There was no way to summarize the rules. However, one thing was certain. When he was acting as a certain persona, the synchronization value of the other two persona was definitely dropping. It was just a question of how much it dropped, and the speed in which it dropped. In addition, if the synchronization value dropped too low, the corresponding talent of the persona template and the illusions of Imitation Mode would begin to be discounted. Therefore, he had to keep an eye on the synchronization value of everyone to ensure that it did not drop too low. Ling Yunpo¡¯s synchronization value was still alright, but Luo Yan¡¯s was stagnant. Therefore, even though Qiu Changtian had already obtained a batch of spirit stones, he couldn¡¯t immediately turn into Ling Yunpo and curry favor with Senior Sister An. He could only bring Xu Yinglian back to the Kunlun Pillar and return the Taiyi Light-Splitting Sword to Sect Master Polestar. Then, he would find a place to reload an archive and teleport to Penglai. On Penglai Immortal Island of the East Sea, Luo Yan had just become a glorious disciple of the Yuqing Temple when he was taken away by the white jade puppet of the sect. He went to the warehouse to receive a large gift bag. It was all textbooks. It was ridiculous. At the top of the textbook was the three-piece set of the pre-study materials for cultivation. ¡°Golden Cabinet of Immortal Qi Devouring¡± was used to abstain from eating. The ¡°Inscription of Preserving Spirit Qi¡± was used to refine Qi. ¡°Daoist¡¯s Scripture for Meridian Qi¡± is used to refine Qi. Of course, Luo Yan did not need to use these at all. In the days of pretending to be Qiu Changtian, he had already cultivated to the Qi Refinement realm. It was just that under the effect of Imitation Mode, he had disguised Luo Yan¡¯s identity as a mortal with no cultivation level. If he really encountered any fatal danger, there was no need to pretend anymore. He could brazenly remove Imitation Mode. At that time, whether it was Qiu Changtian¡¯s Kunlun Dao Technique or Ling Yunpo¡¯s Mount Shu Swordsmanship, he could use them freely¡­ It was just meaningless. The combat power of Qi Refinement cultivators was too poor. It was better for them to stay in the sect and cultivate properly. It was better for them not to take such risks. Apart from the three basic teaching materials, the rest were all kinds of general knowledge textbooks. The ¡°High Clarity Cave True Treasure, Great Cave, Three Visions Treasure Talisman¡± taught people to draw all kinds of talismans. ¡°The Essence of the Three Mysteries and the Unparalleled Six Mysteries of Grand Unity¡± taught people to set up all kinds of array formations. ¡°The Nine Legends of The Immortal Consumes the Spirit Herb of Calamus¡± taught people to handle all kinds of spirit herbs. ¡°The Three Essences Dharma Spell of Divine Pill Refinement¡± taught people to refine all kinds of pills. ¡°The Book of Changes and the Contraction Cauldron Mirror Imprint Sword Pattern¡± taught people to forge all kinds of Dharma treasures. There were actually thirty three books for divination, God invitation, horoscope, and calendar techniques. Luo Yan was a little stunned. Impressive, am I here to cultivate immortality or to learn technical skills? Could it be that your Penglai Yuqing Temple is the Lanxiang Technical School of the cultivation world? What was even more ridiculous was that even though I clearly passed the entrance examination with full marks, I did not become an inner sect disciple and acknowledge a certain elder as my master. He asked the white jade puppet. The reason was that the Yuqing Temple emphasized autonomous selection of specializations, allowing the disciples to first understand all kinds of courses. Then, according to ¡°true interests and hobbies¡±, they would choose the corresponding lecture elder to become their disciple. Then here comes the problem. Without the sect¡¯s designated apprenticeship segment, when you want to acknowledge a master after a few classes, will the elders you choose be willing to accept you as a disciple? In the end, they still had to rely on their connections! If you still don¡¯t understand, for example, the college entrance examination will no longer determine which school you go to but whether you can go to college or not. Then, you can choose a university that you like to ¡°study¡±. You can rely on your good performance during the trial to choose a university¡­ All that was left was to say, ¡°You need someone you know in college.¡± It was no wonder that the Penglai Yuqing Temple was the weakest of the Three Pure Ones of the Orthodox Sect. What trash! Luo Yan quietly took his textbooks and went to the classroom to study with the other disciples. The one teaching today was Elder Shi Ding. The course he taught was treasure forging. It was said that this elder¡¯s cultivation was actually not high and was a relatively weak existence among the Nascent Soul elders. However, this guy was good at the most obscure ¡®weapon refinement¡¯ of the unorthodox methods. Because learning consumed too many resources, there had never been many practitioners, and there were even fewer Masters. In ¡®weapon refinement¡¯, there was another very important technique called ¡®Molding Sword¡¯. There was no need to mention the importance of the flying sword to the cultivation sect. Therefore, although Elder Shi Ding¡¯s cultivation level was not very high, his status within the Penglai Yuqing Temple was rather high. Even if he went to Kunlun or Mount Shu, he would be personally received by the sect master level. The many disciples in the classroom also fought to be the first to do all kinds of positive performances, hoping to obtain this elder¡¯s favor. Naturally, because Elder Shi Ding was used to seeing all kinds of performances, he had no interest in these disciples with positive attitudes. Every time, he would come on time to class, not allowing anyone to ask questions. After he finished, he would leave, appearing extremely cold. As for a disciple like Luo Yan who had an extremely negative attitude because he¡¯d guessed what the outcome would be, it was naturally even more impossible for him to take seriously. Later on, Luo Yan began to learn from the other disciples in the back row and just slept in the classroom. Before finding a way to maintain the synchronization value, he would lie flat for the time being and not ask for a master. Just as he was thinking this, he suddenly saw someone pat his shoulder from the side. Hmm, Shi Liuli? ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to really pass the entrance examination.¡± Shi Liuli greeted him and said in surprise. ¡°Senior Sister.¡± Luo Yan hurriedly smiled. ¡°Yes, I was lucky to pass the test.¡± ¡°Okay, then you should focus on your studies.¡± After chatting with him for a while more and confirming that he had already adapted to the rhythm of the class, Shi Liuli said casually and prepared to get up. She was just passing by when she suddenly saw a familiar face in the classroom, so she came over to ask. Since he had already successfully joined Yuqing Temple and could also keep up with the teaching pace, as a senior sister, she had already done her duty. She had already lost interest in this silly junior brother. Seeing that she was about to leave, Luo Yan felt a little helpless. Qiu Changtian had relied on his aptitude for the Enlightened Dao Heart to fly all the way to becoming a disciple. Ling Yunpo, on the other hand, was lucky to have met Senior Sister An and took care of him with all his heart. Luo Yan was the most miserable. He didn¡¯t have any environment to climb up nor did he encounter a benefactor like An Zhisu. He felt like he was stuck in a quagmire. He had a golden finger but couldn¡¯t use it. He didn¡¯t have any good ideas for the time being. The Kunlun Mirror was also speechless when it saw this. This girl was clearly interested in you in the beginning, but you forced yourself to act like a mediocre and harmless person for the sake of your ¡°hypocritical¡± persona. In the end, the other party couldn¡¯t from it and directly treated you as a mediocre person. Was that reasonable? I have to do it myself so that I can test the feasibility of my previous idea. Thinking like this, it secretly activated Imitation Mode and opened up a hole in Luo Yan¡¯s natural disguise. While weakening this persona, it also exposed his true temperament. Then, it temporarily deactivated the Psychic Cues! Shi Liuli, who was about to leave: ? She suddenly acutely noticed that this silly little junior brother seemed to have suddenly changed into a different person earlier. Suddenly, he lost his original pure aura. However, when she looked carefully, he did not change. Could it be my imagination? Shi Liuli thought for a moment and decided to take it as an illusion. Just as she was about to stand up and leave, the Kunlun Mirror opened up again, revealing his true aura. Therefore, the real aura and the hypocritical persona clashed. It was like two incompatible magnetic fields overlapping each other, giving Shi Liuli a strong sense of violation. Huh? Hmm? No! There was something wrong with this junior brother! Shi Liuli sat down again and turned around to look at Luo Yan suspiciously. She kept staring at him. ¡°Senior Sister¡­ Senior Sister, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Luo Yan pretended to be embarrassed and asked. Shi Liuli did not answer. Of course, she couldn¡¯t ask if he was pretending to be stupid. If he was really pretending to be simple and honest, he definitely wouldn¡¯t admit it. Hmph, interesting junior brother, what are you hiding? Let the smart lady like me see through your true colors! Chapter 25 - Why Dont You Call Me The Qingping Sword? Chapter 25 Why Don¡¯t You Call Me The Qingping Sword? Elder Shi Ding was a little vexed. His daughter, Shi Liuli, had sat at the back of the classroom and was chatting happily with a male disciple. She completely disregarded the fact that her father was giving a lecture, and this made him feel angry. Of course, he was currently being ¡°stared at¡± by a group of disciples who wanted to acknowledge him as their master, so he couldn¡¯t show any abnormalities. Otherwise, these disciples would surround him like flies. Or perhaps after discovering abnormalities, they would surround Liuli, which would be even more troublesome. Therefore, he slowly finished the contents of the lecture and accurately announced the end of the class at the right time. When Shi Liuli heard her father announce the end of the class, she smiled and said goodbye to Luo Yan. Then, she ran out of the classroom and followed her father. ¡°Father!¡± After returning to the cave abode, she pulled at Elder Shi Ding¡¯s arm and called out sweetly, ¡°Father, it¡¯s been tough teaching. Let me brew tea for you.¡± ¡°Good, good.¡± Elder Shi Ding laughed heartily. When Shi Liuli went to the inner room to get the tea leaves, he suddenly reacted. En? Wait a moment, I want to ask her about that young male disciple, I can¡¯t forget. Seeing Shi Liuli come out with a teacup, Elder Shi Ding coughed and said, ¡°Liuli¡­¡± ¡°Father, please have some tea.¡± Shi Liuli served the tea obediently. ¡°Oh, alright.¡± Elder Shi Ding took a sip in satisfaction. ¡°Hmm, not bad. Your tea brewing skills have improved.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Shi Liuli turned around and said, ¡°I still have homework to do today. I¡¯ll get going first.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah¡­ Hey, wait a moment.¡± Elder Shi Ding nearly forgot about the important matter. ¡°Liuli, I think I saw you making a new friend during my class today?¡± Shi Liuli was smart and immediately understood what her father was worried about. She sneered. ¡°Father.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°I think there¡¯s something wrong with him. He might be a foreign spy.¡± ¡°Something wrong?¡± Elder Shi Ding put down his teacup and said in surprise, ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°He¡¯s pretending to be stupid.¡± Shi Liuli was confident and said seriously, ¡°He looks honest and harmless on the surface, but his actual character is not like that.¡± Elder Shi Ding was silent for a moment. He swallowed the words that nearly escaped his mouth and gently explained to his daughter, ¡°Liuli, it¡¯s normal to pretend. After all, our Yuqing Temple¡¯s sect is not as safe as you usually think. When I first joined the sect¡­¡± ¡°Stop!¡± Seeing that her father was about to start ¡°thinking back¡± again, Shi Liuli hurriedly shouted, ¡°Stop, stop, stop! I understand. Father means that he¡¯s only doing this to protect himself, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Elder Shi Ding smiled and said, ¡°The cultivation world is a place where the strong prey on the weak. The sect only used rules to restrict competition and hide these things under the seemingly impartial order. It¡¯s normal to disguise oneself and be wary of others.¡± ¡°Besides, if he was really a spy from another sect, you wouldn¡¯t have detected anything wrong so easily.¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± Shi Liuli was still a little doubtful and argued, ¡°But he didn¡¯t reveal any flaws. It¡¯s just that my intuition tells me that he¡¯s pretending to be himself.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Elder Shi Ding did not continue arguing with his daughter. Instead, he asked, ¡°Then what¡¯s his knowledge and talent? I mean, throw away your subjective impression of him and evaluate his talent and aptitude objectively.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve tested him.¡± Shi Liuli wrinkled her nose and said, ¡°His theoretical foundation is very solid. He must have read the ¡®Dao Zang¡¯ well. The content in Father¡¯s class is not difficult for him¡­¡± Speaking of that, she suddenly thought of something and said in surprise, ¡°Oh right, when I took him to the entrance examination that day, he clearly said that he had never read the ¡®Dao Zang¡¯! There must be a problem here! I want to check his entrance examination answers and marks!¡± As soon as she finished speaking, Shi Liuli turned around and ran away. Elder Shi Ding felt a little helpless as he watched his daughter leave in a rush. Although he did not believe that Luo Yan was a spy, since his daughter wanted to do something serious, he would let her go and play. Well, just in case, it was better to eliminate the hidden danger in advance. ¡°Slave Nian?¡± Elder Shi Ding called out. The white jade puppet standing in the corner of the room suddenly opened its eyes. ¡°Elder Shi Ding.¡± ¡°Go and check the test records of the new disciple Luo Yan¡­ Hmm, send me the full video of him from the Dao Zang to the entrance examination.¡± ¡ª ¡ª ¨C ¨C ¨C After Luo Yan finished his lesson, he returned to his residence in the temple. Yuqing Temple provided cave abodes for disciples to live in, but what was more ridiculous was that renting them cost money, and the prices were not cheap. Fortunately, with Qiu Changtian¡¯s support, Luo Yan could afford to stay. He directly paid a year¡¯s worth of fees and rented a small single room. Returning to the cave abode, Luo Yan called out the Kunlun Mirror in his heart and said, ¡°Take me to Mount Shu.¡± Kunlun Mirror said, ¡°Countdown to world destruction: 1,000 years. Please hurry up and look for the Heaven Mending Stone.¡± ¡°Stop!¡± Luo Yan said helplessly. ¡°Can you skip the first two lines? I¡¯ve already memorized them every time.¡± ¡°Then why don¡¯t you recite it to me?¡± The Kunlun Mirror said indignantly. Luo Yan: ¡­ He recited the two lines backwards and sneered. ¡°Dumb Mirror, Dumb Mirror, have you forgotten that my current talent is ¡®Heard One but Comprehend One Thousand¡¯? With my current extraordinary intelligence, not to mention memorizing lines, even advanced mathematics is nothing difficult.¡± ¡°What is advanced mathematics¡­ Forget it.¡± The Kunlun Mirror recited truthfully: [Point two: Mount Shu¡¯s Shangqing Faction, Green Spiral Peak] [Character Identity: Ling Yunpo.] [Imitation Mode covered, currently traveling through time.] Returning to the Green Spiral Peak of Mount Shu, Sword Immortal Ling Yunpo opened his eyes and saw a bag on the table. It was filled with the spirit stones Qiu Changtian had earned from completing missions. He picked up the bag and went out to find Senior Sister An, planning to give her a surprise. In the end, he walked through all the rooms but could not find An Zhisu. Then, Ling Yunpo suddenly remembered that before he saved the last time, his senior sister had told him that she would bring some things to the market in Mount Shu to sell and exchange for spirit stones. This was the problem with frequently going through the archive. He had jumped from Mount Shu to Kunlun to do a bunch of things, then jumped to Penglai to do a bunch of things. Finally, after jumping back to Mount Shu, Ling Yunpo had already forgotten most of the situation here. He returned to his wing and dropped the package on the table again. He suddenly noticed the black flying sword hanging on the wall. This sword was the flying sword that had flown out of the pool after he had resonated with it the other day. The refinement process was very smooth. When he was learning swordsmanship from Senior Sister An, this flying sword was also used frequently and was very obedient. However, without his master¡¯s help, he still knew nothing about this flying sword. Ling Yunpo waved his hand, and the flying sword immediately flew over and landed in his palm. ¡°Ah Jing, what do you think the name of this sword is?¡± Ling Yunpo flicked its blade and let out a crisp sound. ¡°Senior Sister said that it¡¯s very similar to the Qingping Sword recorded in ancient books, but the Qingping Sword has long been destroyed in the Chan Interruption War. Is this the Qingping Sword that has been reconstructed?¡± Before the Kunlun Mirror could answer, another unfamiliar, gentle female voice sounded in its mind. ¡°If you want to think like that, you can ~ Then call me Qingping from now on.¡± Chapter 26 - Ling Yunpo, Youre In Big Trouble! Chapter 26 Ling Yunpo, You¡¯re In Big Trouble! ¡°Qingping Sword?¡± Ling Yunpo frowned. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± said the Qingping Sword. ¡°Ah Jing!¡± Ling Yunpo ignored her and asked the Kunlun Mirror, ¡°Is what she said true?¡± ¡°Otherwise, how could it be fake?¡± The Qingping Sword said. ¡°Don¡¯t you think so, Yaoyao?¡± ¡°What the hell is Yaoyao?!¡± The Kunlun Mirror protested. ¡°In the Queen Mother of the West¡¯s Palace, on the mirror at the Jade Pool. What¡¯s wrong with calling you ¡®Yaoyao¡¯?¡± The Qingping Sword said with a smile. ¡°According to your nickname, I should call you ¡®Jianjian¡¯.¡± The Kunlun Mirror ridiculed. ¡°Alright. Although it¡¯s not as nice as Qingping, it¡¯s not a problem,¡± the Qingping Sword said indifferently. Seeing that the Kunlun Mirror didn¡¯t refute, Ling Yunpo asked again, ¡°Qingping, what¡¯s your level? What are your attributes? What Dharmic Dao do you have?¡± ¡°Level?¡± The Qingping Sword said in surprise, ¡°Isn¡¯t it an immortal sword?¡± ¡°The Heaven Stems Forging Sword Technique only became popular eight thousand years ago. According to that algorithm, you should be considered a Level-Ten now,¡± the Kunlun Mirror reminded her. ¡°Then I¡¯m a level-ten flying sword.¡± The Qingping Sword adapted very quickly. ¡°As for the five elements, they are actually Heaven River water.¡± en ¡°The Natal Yin Five Elements are no longer popular now,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said again. ¡°All you have to do is say that you are of the water element.¡± ¡°Oh, oh. A level-ten water-type flying sword.¡± The Qingping Sword followed smoothly. ¡°As for the Dharmic Dao, it¡¯s temporarily kept secret.¡± ¡°What do you mean by temporarily keeping it a secret?¡± Ling Yunpo said unhappily. ¡°You¡¯re my flying sword, how can you keep it a secret from me?¡± ¡°Little Brother,¡± the Qingping Sword reminded him. ¡°I¡¯m not your flying sword. I¡¯m only playing with you because I¡¯m bored.¡± Ling Yunpo: ? He turned to ask the Kunlun Mirror, ¡°Ah Jing, it¡¯s not too late to throw this slut back to the Sword Pool and exchange her for a proper flying sword, right?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said. ¡°And I strongly suggest you do so. She¡¯s not an easy target to tame.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Ling Yunpo left. ¡°Hey, wait a moment, wait a moment!¡± The Qingping Sword hurriedly cried out. ¡°I was just joking. I have already pledged my life to you. How could I easily betray my Sword Master?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give you one more chance. Whose flying sword are you?¡± Ling Yunpo asked coldly. ¡°It¡¯s yours, it¡¯s yours, alright?¡± The Qingping Sword said in a coquettish tone. ¡°Yaoyao and I belong to the Lord Sword Master ~¡±. ¡°Don¡¯t drag me into this.¡± The Kunlun Mirror, which was watching the show, expressed its displeasure. ¡°Continue to talk about your Dharmic Dao,¡± Ling Yunpo interrupted them. ¡°You won¡¯t be able to use most of the Dharmic Dao.¡± The Qingping Sword pretended to hum for a while. ¡°How about you play with this?¡± ¡°This technique is called ¡®Green Mist Green Range¡¯. It transforms water-type Quintessential Essence into a large fog that spreads for thousands of kilometers. When the enemies are within it, the enemies¡¯ six senses would be sealed, their body would become sluggish, and the power of all non-water-type magic techniques is greatly reduced. ¡°When activating it, you only need to recite the incantation, ¡®Dense Fog, Floating Mist¡¯. You can recite it or recite it silently.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Ling Yunpo nodded and said, ¡°I¡¯ll give it a try first. If it¡¯s not good, you can go back to the Sword Pool!¡± ¡°No!¡± The Qingping Sword began to sob. ¡°I don¡¯t want to leave the Lord Sword Master. Can¡¯t the Lord Sword Master give me some trust? As long as the Lord Sword Master becomes stronger, I will provide more and more useful Dao techniques!¡± ¡°Qingping,¡± Ling Yunpo said coldly. ¡°You have to remember that it¡¯s not you who chose me, but me who chose you. ¡°It is not that the weak choose to follow the strong, but because the strong are existences that are superior to the weak, the weak have no choice but to follow him. Followers who are too weak will only be left far behind by the strong. On this point, whether it¡¯s you or me, it¡¯s the same.¡± Qingping Sword: ¡­ ¡°If you don¡¯t want to be unable to catch up to me, then work hard to become stronger,¡± Ling Yunpo said finally and walked out. ¡°Yaoyao, I¡¯m starting to like him.¡± The Qingping Sword didn¡¯t answer. It avoided Ling Yunpo¡¯s divine sense and said quietly to the Kunlun Mirror, ¡°What should I do? This is the first time I¡¯ve encountered such an interesting Sword Master.¡± ¡°Are you planning to take human form and fall in love with him?¡± The Kunlun Mirror asked. ¡°No, no, no. There¡¯s no meaning in being a human. It¡¯s better to be a sword.¡± The Qingping Sword shook its head. Ling Yunpo ignored their criticisms and left the Daoist temple. He went to the empty space outside and raised his sword finger. His divine sense interacted with the Sword Spirit, and the Qingping Sword floated in the air, trembling slightly. ¡°Dense Fog and Floating Mist.¡± Ling Yunpo recited. In an instant, endless mist surged out of nowhere, instantly covering the surrounding empty space. Ling Yunpo scanned his surroundings and found that everything was white as far as the eye could see. It was as if there were endless snowflakes on the old-fashioned television screen that couldn¡¯t receive the signal. Unable to see or hear anything, the thick fog seemed to have absorbed all color and sound, leaving only pure white in the world. His body seemed to become heavy. Ling Yunpo looked down and realized that his clothes were already drenched. Water dripped down the corner of his shirt. Ling Yunpo tried to use his divine sense to circulate his sea of vital energy, but he found that his divine sense was blocked less than half a meter from his body. His True Qi circulation also became stagnant. He connected his vital energy to the Qingping Sword, and the weight on his body immediately lightened. His divine senses also spread along the large fog without any stagnation. In this dense fog, every drop of water could become a part of his spiritual sense. Ling Yunpo stopped circulating his True Qi and dispersed the surrounding mist. Then, he put away the Qingping Sword and sat down in a shade. He started to wait for Senior Sister An to return. At the same time, he was thinking about how to use this Sword Dao technique to build a flexible combat system. For example, when he was competing with his fellow Mount Shu disciples in swordsmanship, a large fog would rise up to obscure their senses. Then, he would use the Qingping Sword to stab them in the back. Well, his train of thought was still a little conservative. Since the thick fog suppressed the opponent¡¯s divine sense, the opponent would definitely withdraw the flying sword to stand guard. For example, he brought two swords with me and deliberately threw the flying sword at his opponent from the front. At the same time, he would control the Qingping Sword to circle around the opponent¡¯s back and stab him. If the enemy¡¯s reaction was fast enough to block the frontal throw of the sword, he would definitely miss the back stab¡­ Just as he was thinking this, Ling Yunpo suddenly looked up and saw an unfamiliar, short, and fat youth pressing down the sword light and descending on Green Spiral Peak. ¡°Ling Yunpo, Junior Brother Ling?¡± The other party looked over. ¡°That¡¯s right. May I know who you are?¡± Ling Yunpo asked with cupped hands. ¡°Lou Zhizheng.¡± The pudgy youth¡¯s gaze turned and landed on the Qingping Sword behind him. ¡°Wow! This person¡¯s gaze is so disgusting!¡± The Qingping Sword yelled in his mind. ¡°Quickly hide me! I don¡¯t want him to see me!¡± ¡°Is Senior Sister An here?¡± Lou Zhizheng confirmed. ¡°She¡¯s gone out,¡± Ling Yunpo said calmly. ¡°Senior Brother, please come in and have a seat to wait for Senior Sister to return.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need.¡± Lou Zhizheng lifted his chin and sneered with a certain stubborn and regretful tone. ¡°Junior Brother Ling, do you know?¡± ¡°You¡¯re in big trouble!¡± Chapter 27 - Lets Duel, Young Man Chapter 27 Let¡¯s Duel, Young Man Ling Yunpo was baffled. ¡°Senior Brother Lou, may I know how I am getting in trouble?¡± Lou Zhizheng smiled. ¡°Junior Brother Ling, do you know that your master, who is currently in seclusion, was seriously injured and returned to the mountain back then? His seclusion was a Life-and-Death Seclusion!¡± Ling Yunpo¡¯s pupils constricted. In fact, Perfected Seven Kills, Su Jian, had been in seclusion for a long time. He had roughly guessed that something was wrong, but he had never expected that he would really enter seclusion because of serious injuries. The so-called Life and Death seclusion was to go into seclusion with the highest cultivation before entering it. Due to the same cultivation level, going into seclusion was easy but it¡¯s difficult to break through. Therefore, one had to break through the next realm and increase his cultivation greatly before breaking through. The restrictions of doing this were too great, so often only those who were at the end of their lifespan and had no choice but to risk everything, or those who were heavily injured and on the verge of death and needed to use the secret technique, Turtle Breath, to survive would choose to seal themselves in the Life-and-Death seclusion. To put it bluntly, it was simply a close shave to death. Forget about when he came out of seclusion, it was unknown whether he could even come out alive! ¡°Junior Brother Ling, you were too rash when you first joined the Green Spiral Peak as a disciple. Didn¡¯t you ask the other senior brothers and sisters in advance?¡± Lou Zhizheng said bitterly. ¡°In Mount Shu, who doesn¡¯t know that Su Jian was severely injured back then? That if he doesn¡¯t enter seclusion, he will immediately die? ¡°According to the concept of Nascent Soul cultivators, such injuries will require at least several hundred years of seclusion to recover. Which Qi Refinement cultivator can afford to wait this long? ¡°If one doesn¡¯t form the Golden Core, one¡¯s lifespan will not exceed two hundred years. When your master comes out of seclusion, you will have long turned into a pile of bones!¡± Ling Yunpo was silent for a moment before saying, ¡°Thank you for the reminder, Senior Brother, but¡­¡± ¡°Listen to me.¡± Lou Zhizheng interrupted him and tried to persuade him.¡± Junior Brother Ling, you haven¡¯t cultivated for long, so you don¡¯t know the hardships involved. The path of sword immortal cultivation is filled with countless difficulties and obstacles. Without anyone to guide you, your cultivation will hardly improve! ¡°I¡¯m not trying to scare you. Think about it, who can teach you when you have some problems during your cultivation? Who can teach you when your sword seal is not working well? Even if you have a great fortuitous encounter and successfully break through to the Transformation realm, who can protect you from the final Golden Core Heavenly Tribulation?¡± Ling Yunpo was speechless. He could not possibly tell Lou Zhizheng that he did not have to worry about this. Qiu Changtian had taken Sect Master Polestar as his master in Kunlun. Regardless of whether it was Dao techniques, mantras, sword techniques, or Golden Core Heavenly Tribulation, there would be someone taking care of them. Seeing that he was speechless, Lou Zhizheng thought that he had been persuaded, so he continued to incite him with spittle flying everywhere. ¡°Look at your Senior Sister An. She¡¯s a disciple that Su Jian secretly adopted outside. When she came to the mountain, she was already at the Transformation Realm. Has her cultivation improved in the past thirty years? ¡°Go and ask the other senior brothers and junior brothers. As long as they know the benefits and disadvantages, who would dare to enter the Green Spiral Peak to be an itinerant cultivator? Only senior sister An treats Elder Su Jian like her father. She would rather work hard for many years and barely maintain the Green Spiral Peak than switch to another master. ¡°Our Purple Cloud Peak can¡¯t bear to watch you ruin your future, so Master asked the Sect Master to allow you another chance to choose. When you enter my peak and cultivate diligently under my master¡¯s guidance for sixty years, you might surpass Senior Sister An and enter the Golden Core Realm early!¡± Ling Yunpo listened silently and roughly understood what was going on. Oh, the headhunters had come to poach. What he said was indeed right. Everything else on the Green Spiral Peak was good, but the ¡°lack of a master¡± was too hurtful. Cultivating here was basically the same as cultivating as an itinerant cultivator. If it was the normal Ling Yunpo of Mount Shu, and even though Senior Sister An was as gentle as water and had been caring for her junior brother since he entered the sect, it still involved the longevity of the Great Dao. He would have thought, I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m leaving. I wish my Senior Sister a happy life from now on. Goodbye. Coincidentally, Ling Yunpo was not an ordinary person. He was a spy who was going to infiltrate the upper echelons of the sect. As a spy, he could not be suspected of being a traitor. If he betrayed his sect and joined another sect soon after he joined the sect, even if the Purple Cloud Peak¡¯s Peak Master was willing to take him in, what would the senior brothers and senior sisters of Purple Cloud Peak think of him? Look, that Ling Yunpo is the guy who betrayed the Green Spiral Peak. With such a precedent, it means that he has no loyalty. It¡¯s not impossible for him to betray Purple Cloud Peak in the future¡­ How was he going to survive in the future then? Whether or not he should use his reputation to exchange for a better cultivation environment might be a choice that was worth considering: However, it was impossible for Ling Yunpo to do that. After Lou Zhizheng finished speaking, Ling Yunpo revealed a determined expression and said in a low voice, ¡°I thank the Purple Cloud Peak for their kindness. However, I¡¯ve already become a disciple of the Green Spiral Peak and became Master Su Jian¡¯s disciple. Once he became my master, he will forever be my master. How can I easily betray him? ¡°I, Ling Yunpo, am not such a disloyal and unjust person! Even if there are thousands of obstacles in the future and all kinds of difficulties, I will shoulder them all!¡± (Unyielding character design, synchronization value+1] After he finished speaking in an impassioned tone, he heard Senior Sister An shout excitedly from behind him. ¡°Junior Brother!¡± Ling Yunpo turned around and saw An Zhisu running out from the observation room and hugging his arm excitedly. When Lou Zhizheng was saying, ¡°Your master is in a life and death seclusion¡±, she happened to fly back to Green Spiral Peak from behind on her sword. When she saw her junior brother and an unfamiliar youth talking in front of the Daoist temple, she secretly hid behind the main entrance and listened. An Zhisu¡¯s expression was cold at first after she heard Lou Zhizheng mention ¡°who dares to enter the Green Spiral Peak as an itinerant cultivator¡±, but then she remained silent. In the end, her expression darkened. The greatest flaw of the Green Spiral Peak is that they do not have their master¡¯s guidance. The other party would be invincible in the argument as long as they do not let up on this point. Therefore, over the years, he did not receive a single disciple from the Green Spiral Peak other than Ling Yunpo. It was even more dilapidated. She remembered that before her master went into seclusion, he had instructed her, ¡°Su¡¯er, I¡¯ll leave the Green Spiral Peak to you.¡± She didn¡¯t know what was at stake at the time and agreed innocently. After that, she experienced the coldness of the world and was despised by others. Her cultivation had reached a bottleneck for many years and was mocked and disdained by others. Now, her monthly allowance was deducted and she did not even have enough spirit stones to cultivate. No matter how lonely she was, she still remembered her master¡¯s instructions. His voice seemed to be in her ears, so she kept working hard and refused to admit defeat. When her monthly allowance was deducted, she went to the Political Affairs Hall to argue. When someone barged into the Green Spiral Peak to provoke her, she raised her sword and beat him until he couldn¡¯t get up. In any case, according to the sect rules, Perfected Golden Core was not allowed to deal with Foundation Establishment disciples. So she had been practicing sword technique day and night and had now become the number one person below the Golden Core realm. The Green Spiral Peak was actually barely maintained under her efforts. There was only the matter of recruiting disciples. After all, with the current situation of the Green Spiral Peak, it was not good to ask others to sacrifice their own Dao path and forcefully keep them in the Green Spiral Peak. Therefore, they had never been able to recruit any junior brothers or sisters. It was precisely because of this that when Ling Yunpo entered the Green Spiral Peak, she cared for him in all kinds of ways, as if he was her biological brother. Her heart warmed when she heard that Junior Brother Ling had rejected the Purple Cloud Peak¡¯s recruitment for her sake, and his words were filled with emotion and his expression did not seem to be fake. She said gently, ¡°Junior Brother, are you serious?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Ling Yunpo said decisively OU (Unyielding character design, synchronization value+1] An Zhisu¡¯s gaze softened as she asked again, ¡°In the future, Master might be in seclusion for a long time and not come out to guide us in our cultivation. We have to rely on ourselves for everything. Can you accept this?¡± Ling Yunpo said sternly, ¡°So what if I don¡¯t have a master? In the future, Senior Sister and I will support each other and support the Green Spiral Peak!¡± [Unyielding character design, synchronization value+1] This unyielding synchronization rate was a little difficult to increase! ¡°Junior Brother¡­¡± An Zhisu was extremely touched. Tears immediately welled up in her eyes, and she bit her lower lip, unable to speak. Lou Zhizheng was already stunned. After a while, he came back to his senses and waved his sleeve angrily. ¡°Stubborn! In that case, there¡¯s no need for my Purple Cloud Peak to show mercy!¡± With that, he threw down a sword talisman and left on his sword. An Zhisu reacted quickly. The Frost Sword turned into a stream of light and swept the sword talisman back before it landed. When she saw the words on it, her expression immediately changed. It read: Mount Shu¡¯s Law Hall approved the Purple Cloud Peak¡¯s disciple, Lou Zhizheng, to challenge the Green Spiral Peak¡¯s disciple, Ling Yunpo, to a sword duel under the witness of the deacon. Chapter 28 - Increasing Favorability From His Senior Sister Chapter 28 Increasing Favorability From His Senior Sister After Lou Zhizheng left, he heard Senior Sister An talk about the past. Only then did Ling Yunpo know that there was an old grudge between the Purple Cloud Peak and the Green Spiral Peak. To be precise, it was Elder Ming Hua, the Peak Master of the Purple Cloud Peak, who had an old grudge with his master, Su Jian. It was said that back then, his master was a ruthless person with a fierce reputation. When he went crazy, even the Sect Master had to give in to him. He was also merciless during the competition. When challenging others, he would never hold back. He would almost always end up breaking the other party¡¯s Intrinsic Sword before ending the challenge. Such heartless actions would naturally attract hatred. Therefore, many sword immortals came to take revenge on him because their senior brothers and sisters had their Intrinsic Swords broken by Su Jian and their cultivation levels had been greatly reduced. Then he started killing people. If he took the initiative to challenge someone, he would break their Intrinsic Swords. If someone challenged him, he would kill the challenger. So Perfected Seven Kills¡¯ fierce reputation spread in Mount Shu. There was even a saying that he was the ¡°Number One Sword of Mount Shu¡±. Yes, it was very reasonable for him to be the ¡°Number One Sword of Mount Shu¡± if he had the ability to kill all the other sword immortals. In addition, many Mount Shu¡¯s sword immortals had arrogant personalities. When they heard this ferocious name, most of them did not believe it and wanted to challenge him. In the end, they lost their lives. For a time, it almost caused Mount Shu¡¯s talents to wither, forcing the Sect Master to change the sect rules. The challenge could only be carried out after obtaining the sword talisman from the Law Hall. No private sword challenge was allowed! Violators would be punished with a serious crime! Since approval was required, there was a review process. As long as they found out that the challengee was Su Jian, they would delay and report to the Sect Master in secret. The Sect Master quickly found an opportunity to issue a sect mission to the challenger and send him out. Relying on this delay process and disguised exile, he forcefully eliminated everyone¡¯s hatred towards Su Jian in Mount Shu. Later, when Su Jian came out of the mountain to pick up An Zhisu, he was ambushed by an elder of a fiend sect. As a result, he was seriously injured and on the verge of death. When he returned to the Green Spiral Peak, he hurriedly entered seclusion. The Sect Master let those people who had been sent out previously back to Mount Shu in batches after he saw that this ferocious person was not coming out. These people all had a grudge against Su Jian. Although they had calmed down during their exile period and no longer wanted to challenge him, they did not hide their hatred of him. Therefore, the situation on the Green Spiral Peak became worse. Hearing this, Ling Yunpo did not know whether to laugh or cry. Good lord, so it was all because of that cheap master who had been in seclusion! ¡°As for Elder Ming Hua, his natal sword was broken by Master during the sword duel back then, and his cultivation was greatly damaged. He changed to a better flying sword later on,and didn¡¯t have the heart to seek revenge from Master. However, the grudge was still formed.¡± An Zhisu tucked her hair behind her ear and continued. ¡°If I¡¯m right, the Purple Cloud Peak must have taken a fancy to your flying sword.¡± ¡°They have good eyes,¡± Ling Yunpo said seriously. ¡°I¡¯ve already confirmed that this sword is the ancient Qingping Sword. There¡¯s no doubt about it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s it.¡± An Zhisu didn¡¯t ask him how he confirmed it. She just sighed and said, ¡°Otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t have come after you had just gone to the Sword Pool to retrieve the sword.¡± ¡°Junior Brother, don¡¯t worry. There¡¯s no need to pay attention to this sword duel. I will gather the fine and spirit stones.¡± ¡°No, Senior Sister,¡± Ling Yunpo hurriedly said. ¡°There¡¯s only a thousand days of being a thief. How can there be a thousand days of guarding against thieves? ¡°If we use the spirit stones to refuse the challenge, then what should we do if the Purple Cloud Peak finds another person to continue challenging me? Our Green Spiral Peak doesn¡¯t have so many spirit stones to pay!¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± An Zhisu¡¯s brows were still tightly furrowed. ¡°But Junior Brother, did you know? The Purple Cloud Peak has a secret technique called ¡®Purple Cloud Summit¡¯. At the cost of being dispirited for three years and unable to improve your cultivation, you can increase your strength by one level in a short period of time.¡± She said worriedly, ¡°After our Mount Shu¡¯s Sword Immortal enters the Purification realm, one can ¡®nature one¡¯s sword with one¡¯s body¡¯. One can usually hide the flying sword in their body and nourish it with their blood to improve its quality. ¡°In battle, one can also become one with the sword, greatly increasing the impact and lethality of the flying sword. ¡°If Lou Zhizheng uses a secret technique to forcefully enter the Purification realm before the battle, your chances of winning will be slim.¡± ¡°Senior Sister,¡± Ling Yunpo said passionately, ¡°Others might be afraid of crossing realms to challenge others, but I, Ling Yunpo, am not!¡± (Unyielding character design, synchronization value+1] ¡°The so-called Sword Immortal has to sever life and death in order to have the possibility of achieving the Great Dao! If I have to retreat and protect myself from a clown who¡¯s playing tricks, what can I do when I encounter the Three Calamities and Nine Tribulations in the future?¡± As he spoke righteously, he heard the Kunlun Mirror say numbly, (Unyielding character design, synchronization value+1] ¡°Junior brother,¡± said An Zhisu, biting her lower lip as tears filled her eyes. One had to throw out one punch now to avoid a hundred punches in the future. How could she not understand this? That was how she had lived back then! However, this time, the person who was going to challenge someone of a higher level was not her, but her honest and stubborn Junior Brother! How could she watch her junior brother die? ¡°Senior Sister.¡± Ling Yunpo carefully wiped the tears from her cheeks and smiled decisively. ¡°If you¡¯re really worried about me, teach me more sword techniques.¡± As for how to defeat a Purification realm Sword Immortal, I¡¯ll naturally consult the Sect Master Polestar. Hmph. Coupled with his words of sacrifice, Ling Yunpo¡¯s face also revealed an expression of facing death calmly and risking his life. An Zhisu couldn¡¯t help but sob again. ¡°Junior brother¡­¡± Seeing that this naive Senior Sister An was completely bewitched by Ling Yun¡¯s unyielding persona and even shed tears because of it, the Kunlun Mirror was inexplicably angry. It quietly opened a small opening in the mirror again. While weakening his unyielding persona, it also revealed his true temperament. ¡®Hmph, I¡¯ll remove the psychic suggestion again! An Zhisu: ??? Why did Junior Brother suddenly seem like a different person just now? If the previous Ling Yunpo had given her the impression of a determined youth who would risk his life even if he knew that there was no way out, but just now, although it was only for a moment, that aura seemed to be¡­ Wise-minded? Confident? Unflustered?¡¯ Hmm, could it be that Junior Brother already had a plan, but it was not convenient for him to say it? Oh my, seriously, Junior Brother Ling, what plan can¡¯t you discuss with Senior Sister? At this thought, An Zhisu was puzzled. However, she was extremely gentle and protective of her family after all. Since her Junior Brother was unwilling to say it out loud, she naturally would not deliberately expose him. She wiped her tears and nodded with a smile. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll teach you! Whether it¡¯s the two-handed sword technique or other sword techniques, I¡¯ll teach you everything I know!¡± Seeing how close the two of them were, the Kunlun Mirror could not help but fall into a long thought. Initially, it was only because it couldn¡¯t stand seeing An Zhisu being deceived into such a pitiful state that it secretly removed Ling Yun¡¯s disguise, wanting her to understand this person¡¯s true colors. Why did it seem like An Zhisu¡¯s impression of him had increased instead? Chapter 29 - Thunder King Qiu Changtian Chapter 29 Thunder King Qiu Changtian After rejecting the Purple Cloud Peak¡¯s recruitment and accepting Lou Zhizheng¡¯s duel, Ling Yunpo¡¯s relationship with his senior sister was rapidly heating up. In the morning, he was woken up by his senior sister from his meditation state. Then, he practiced his swordsmanship at a high intensity in the afternoon and in the evening. He dreamed of the days when he did questions every day during the college entrance examination in his previous life. Fortunately, Senior Sister An¡¯s charming appearance as she held her sword was not so boring that it was unbearable. After learning the general layout of the Seven Kills Sword Swordsmanship, Ling Yunpo began to learn the Two-Handed Flying Sword Technique. Currently, the two-handed Flying Sword Technique that was circulating in Mount Shu mainly used their Intrinsic Sword and another auxiliary sword, the two swords had to attack and defend at the same time. However, after Su Jian¡¯s improvement, the two-handed sword control technique of the Seven Kills Sword Swordsmanship was truly multitasking. The two swords could attack and defend at the same time, but they could also attack and defend at the same time. They each took a different sword path. It was like a single-core CPU suddenly becoming a double-core. This combat ability was naturally greatly enhanced. If he wanted to control the sword with both hands at the same time, he would need to walk different paths with his arms. As Ling Yunpo had yet to break through to the Purification realm, he could not reach the beginner level even after many tries. An Zhisu was also worried, so she planned to find someone to teach him in this aspect. Let¡¯s not talk about Ling Yunpo for now. Anyway, there was still some time before the day of the sword duel. He could load it onto Qiu Changtian and ask Sect Master Polestar for his trump card. On the side of the Kunlun Taiqing Sect, everyone left the lecture room one after another after today¡¯s lecture ended. Qiu Changtian sat on the meditation cushion without moving. Xu Yinglian was about to get up, but seeing this, she continued to sit on his right. ¡°What is it?¡± Sect Master Polestar asked after the others had left. ¡°Master,¡± Qiu Changtian said respectfully, ¡°When I was training outside the other day, I encountered a Purification cultivator of the Yin Ghost Dao. If Master hadn¡¯t given me the Taiyi Light Splitting Sword to save my life, I¡¯m afraid I would have died.¡± ¡°I want to ask you, Master, what should I do if I don¡¯t have the Taiyi Light Splitting Sword against enemies in the Purification realm?¡± Beside him, Xu Yinglian was stunned. Senior Brother is so ambitious! A mere Qi Refinement Realm cultivator is already looking for a way to defeat a Purification Realm enemy? Sect Master Polestar did not answer immediately. She only pondered for a moment before suddenly opening her eyes and asking, ¡°You arranged a duel with someone?¡± How the hell could she guess that? Qiu Changtian was shocked. He denied it. ¡°I¡¯m just thinking about what happened the day before yesterday. I¡¯m just terrified.¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± Sect Master Polestar snorted and did not expose him. She only turned to look at Xu Yinglian and said, ¡°Yinglian, go back first.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Xu Yinglian stood up and left. After his junior sister left, only the master and disciple were left in the lecture room. Qiu Changtian looked at his master and saw Sect Master Polestar wave her fuchen and say clearly, ¡°280th generation disciple Qiu Changtian, I will now teach you the technique of ¡®Howling Wind and Thunder¡¯. The Great Dao is above, listen quietly!¡± Her voice was deafening, like spring thunder on the tip of the tongue. Qiu Changtian subconsciously sat up straight. He felt cold sweat dripping down his back. The smoke in front of him curled up and he gradually could not see anything. It was as if he was in a small universe that was isolated from the world. Only the Sect Master¡¯s chanting echoed in his ears. ¡°The Lightning Bearer is the Heaven and Earth Pivotal. The Heavenly Pivot and the Earth Pivot are the two Pivotal of the East and the West. They control the seventy two divisions of the Lightning. The Yang Thunder pivot the Yin and the Yin Lightning pivot the Yang. The Thunder is good and the Lightning is evil. The good Thunder is angry and the evil Lightning is inauspicious. The gathering of the angry and inauspicious flay one¡¯s skin. The Thunder is the best. The East is Three and the South is Two. The North is One and the West is Four. The Central where the Five Elements are the best¡­¡± In his epiphany, in a daze, his consciousness quickly sank. He saw that his surroundings were dim, and only a speck of starlight in his sea of vital energy flickered and swayed for a long time. In an instant, the light lit up and gradually burned through his entire body. However, he did not feel that the heat was unbearable. It was just like a warm bath. His limbs were warm. After a while, the chanting stopped, and the flames on his body quickly dissipated. In a trance, someone patted his cheek. ¡°Open your mouth.¡± Qiu Changtian subconsciously opened his mouth. The Sect Master took out a pill bottle from her sleeve, took out a pill, and placed it under his tongue. The pill melted in his mouth and turned into a stream of heat. It entered his throat all the way to his dantian and fell into his sea of vital energy. It mixed into a ball of purple-gold light and floated in his sea of vital energy, flickering Qiu Changtian woke up slowly and saw the Sect Master throw the pill bottle into his arms. He closed his eyes and said, ¡°This is the thunder seed. Take one every three days and take it for nine consecutive days to consolidate your realm. ¡°Go to the Sutra Repository Pavilion and obtain the Divine Firmament Jade Pivot and Five Thunder Great Technique. Learn it carefully. ¡°I don¡¯t care if you¡¯re fighting or protecting yourself. In short, you have to do it perfectly and not ruin my reputation.¡± Qiu Changtian was silent for a moment before thanking her. After leaving the lecture hall, Qiu Changtian immediately headed to the Sutra Repository Pavilion to retrieve the scriptures that his master had mentioned. The elder in charge of the Sutra Repository Pavilion was surnamed Xu (it was said that he was also from the Xu family in Tiannan). He was a thin old lady who was very familiar with the hundreds of thousands of scriptures in the Sutra Repository Pavilion. Hearing the name of the Divine Firmament Jade Pivot and Five Thunder Great Technique, Elder Xu looked at Qiu Changtian suspiciously and asked curiously, ¡°Why are you borrowing the thunder technique? That thing is¡­ not easy to practice.¡± ¡°Senior, may I ask why it¡¯s not easy to practice?¡± Qiu Changtian asked respectfully. ¡°It¡¯s mainly because cultivation is too difficult,¡± Elder Xu explained in detail. ¡°Thunder is the cardinal of the world, the command of the heavens. It has the heaviest killing intent. ¡°Thunder has a baleful aura and is specialized in destroying evil. It¡¯s extremely powerful against magic. It can shock the earth and can break through armor. Even flying swords and magic treasures can¡¯t resist it. ¡°It¡¯s so powerful that it¡¯s easy to hurt others and itself. If you¡¯re not careful when cultivating, you¡¯ll hurt your body and wither to death. Or your temperament will change drastically and you¡¯ll become irritable.¡± She paused to think for a moment, then said, ¡°You have a bright Dao heart, so the risk of cultivating thunder techniques is much lower. If you can get the innate thunder crystal to be used as a thunder seed, it will be twice the result with half the effort. ¡°However, because too few people have cultivated it in the past, most of the thunder techniques have been lost. Wouldn¡¯t it be a joke if you took the risk to cultivate the Introduction to Thunder Techniques but didn¡¯t have the corresponding techniques to use? ¡°Even in our Kunlun Taiqing Sect, we only have one volume of the ¡®Divine Firmament Jade Pivot and Five Thunder Great Technique¡¯ that can cultivate the Jade Pivot Thunder. If you have the time, you might as well practice the complete techniques of other orthodoxies¡­¡± As she rambled on, she saw Qiu Changtian standing respectfully by her side. She suddenly came back to her senses and smiled apologetically. ¡°What am I talking about! Since you¡¯ve specified the scripture of the thunder technique, you must have made up your mind long ago. Why should I interfere?¡± Elder Xu took out a thin book from a bookcase somewhere, handed it to Qiu Changtian and said, ¡°This is the Jade Pivot Thunder you wanted. Be very careful when you practice.¡± ¡°Thank you, Elder Xu.¡± Qiu Changtian bowed in thanks. ¡°There¡¯s no need to be polite. I¡¯ll have to trouble you to take care of Yinglian in the future,¡± Elder Xu said kindly. ¡°Well, as a gift for you two becoming Dao partners¡­¡± She pondered for a moment, then took a pen and ink from the side and wrote him a note, ¡°Other than the Jade Pivot Thunder, our Sutra Repository Pavilion originally still had the Divine Firmament Thunder Dharma Scroll. However, its whereabouts have been unknown since six hundred years ago. ¡°I checked the records and found that the successor of the Divine Firmament Thunder Dharma Scroll was Perfected Chonghe six hundred years ago. The last time he left the mountain was to go to Yangzhou for a meeting. After that, he never returned. ¡°If you have time in the future, you can go to Yangzhou to search.¡± Chapter 30 - Junior Sister and I Have a Telepathy Chapter 30 Junior Sister and I Have a Telepathy Kunlun Mountain Range, Golden Ridge Cave Abode. Eldest Senior Brother Qiu Changtian seemed to be in a good mood recently. Even Guan Zhan, who had always been cold and arrogant, was stopped by Qiu Changtian for the first time this morning when they met at the entrance of the cave abode. He said a few encouraging words to encourage him to cultivate. Chen Zhen and Zhong Tianhuai, who were each other¡¯s best friends, hid below and whispered to each other again while he preached. He did not give them a warning as usual. He just smiled, making the two junior brothers¡¯ hair stand on end. ¡°Could it be that Eldest Senior Brother has fallen in love?¡± Chen Zhen speculated privately. ¡°Who knows?¡± Zhong Tianhuai¡¯s tone was ambiguous. ¡°Isn¡¯t there a rumor that Eldest Senior Brother likes Second Senior Sister?¡± ¡°Love?¡± Guan Zhan said coldly, ¡°Eldest Senior Brother has a bright Dao heart. What kind of love is there?¡± They both looked sheepish at that. However, the rumors of Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian being ¡°close¡± had indeed spread widely among the Kunlun disciples. After all, to most Kunlun disciples, Qiu Changtian¡¯s image was too perfect. He was handsome, talented, good-tempered, powerful, and had a high status. It was impossible to pick out any flaws. It was said that although he was the chief disciple, he would go out to train from time to time and help the other Kunlun disciples with their missions. When they asked him why he helped, he just said, ¡°We came from Kunlun together, so we should help each other.¡± Everyone was touched. He was too bloody honorable. Qiu Changtian had such a high reputation. Among the disciples of this generation, only Xu Yinglian could barely compare to him. This Phoenix Fairy was also very beautiful. Her aptitude was outstanding, her temperament was excellent, and her strength was not bad. She came from a large cultivation clan, the Xu family of Tiannan. Her background was terrifyingly deep. Even so, she was still no match for Eldest Senior Brother Qiu. However, if anyone in Kunlun was worthy of Eldest Senior Brother, it would probably be Xu Yinglian. And if there was anyone Xu Yinglian would like, it could only be Eldest Senior Brother. That settles it, doesn¡¯t it? Judging from the gossip of the Kunlun crowd, Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian were a perfect match. There were even rumors that the two of them had already secretly made an engagement and became Dao partners¡­ It was just that there was no evidence to prove it. Thinking of this, Chen Zhen and Zhong Tianhuai looked at Xu Yinglian. The latter had just finished meditating. She stood up and said indifferently, ¡°Not me.¡± Eh, we didn¡¯t say it was you, why did you make the connection yourself? The two of them looked at each other and immediately felt that something was amiss. They reached out and pulled Jian Qingnan, who was about to leave with Xu Yinglian, and asked with a wink, ¡°Little Junior Sister ¨C Look at how happy Eldest Senior Brother has been recently. Did something happen, huh? Probably with your Second Senior Sister, understand?¡± ¡°With Sister Yinglian? I didn¡¯t know anything about this.¡± Jian Qingnan was still a little confused at first. Then she reacted and said, ¡°I¡¯m not one to gossip behind people¡¯s backs. Don¡¯t ask me. Ask Eldest Senior Brother.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just afraid that Eldest Senior Brother and your Second Senior Sister will be embarrassed,¡± Chen Zhen said anxiously. ¡°People in love are always ignorant and distant.¡± ¡°Perhaps the two of them are a little interested in each other, but it wouldn¡¯t be good if they got exposed when we asked.¡± ¡°Huh, how do you know so much?¡± Jian Qingnan stared at him and sneered. After a while, she held her chin and said, ¡°I don¡¯t see any ambiguous relationship within them. But they do play together in front of the cave. It feels like they have some chemistry.¡± ¡°A duet?¡± Zhong Tianhuai and Chen Zhen were shocked. Playing a duet was beyond their understanding ¡°What did they play? Feng Qiu Huang?¡± (4. A male phoenix pursuing a female phoenix) ¡°Why? Do you want to participate too?¡± Qiu Changtian¡¯s voice sounded from behind. Immediately, they were so frightened that they turned around and stammered, ¡°Eldest, Eldest Senior Brother, we were just¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about these matters of love. Focus on improving yourself and bring honor to the sect,¡± Qiu Changtian said seriously. ¡°If you have nothing to do after cultivating, follow me out to train!¡± ¡°Ah, this!¡± They both hurried to find a reason to slip away. What a joke! Who wants to go out and train! What is there to train outside? Spirit stones? Not to mention that they were all second-generation immortals, even without the support of their families, they had never lacked spirit stones for cultivation just because they were ¡°Sect Master¡¯s personal disciples¡±. Chen Zhen and Zhong Tianhuai fled in panic, and Qiu Changtian looked at the others. ¡°I still have to practice my sword technique,¡± Guan Zhan said succinctly and quickly left. ¡°I also have a scripture to read.¡± Yan Zhitui also smiled and stood up. ¡°I¡­¡± Jian Qingnan was a little reluctant to part with Sister Yinglian, but in the end, she still said honestly,¡± Senior Brother Qiu, we Qi Refinement Realm disciples only have some low-level missions to do.¡± ¡°And these low-level missions only reward some spirit stones. They¡¯re useless to us.¡± ¡°Qingnan, you¡¯re too short-sighted.¡± Qiu Changtian said earnestly, ¡°Don¡¯t always focus on the rewards! ¡°The so-called training is the process of cleansing the worldliness and honing one¡¯s Dao heart. On the one hand, it will increase one¡¯s knowledge and experience. On the other hand, it will also help one¡¯s fellow disciples and accumulate connections. Why not?¡± ¡°This¡­¡± Jian Qingnan couldn¡¯t refute this logic. Of course, she couldn¡¯t be convinced. She could only stammer, ¡°Senior Brother is right, but I still have homework to do. I¡¯ll definitely do it next time.¡± She hurried off. Qiu Changtian sighed inwardly. The ways of the world are getting worse by the day. Are all the young disciples nowadays so calculative? Why can¡¯t they have a more noble mindset¡­ The Kunlun Mirror suddenly said coldly, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the sake of using those outer sect disciples who worship you to increase your synchronization value, would you have gone out so actively to train?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Qju Changtian said righteously, ¡°Don¡¯t forget, Senior Sister An still lacks spirit stones at Mount Shu!¡± Kunlun Mirror: ¡­ ¡°Junior Sister Xu, are you willing to go with me this time?¡± Qiu Changtian invited Xu Yinglian. ¡°What¡¯s the point of going out to train?¡± Xu Yinglian put down the scripture in her hand and asked indifferently. ¡°That will depend on your own comprehension,¡± Qiu Changtian said with a smile. ¡°If you don¡¯t understand the deeper meaning, you can choose to give up.¡± ¡°Hah.¡± Xu Yinglian immediately sneered. ¡°Senior Brother, are you trying to goad me? What a clumsy technique.¡± ¡°Goad?¡± Qiu Changtian looked disappointed and sighed. ¡°Junior Sister, you didn¡¯t even figure out why I wanted to bring you out, and you blindly judged that I was goading you. Don¡¯t you think such a guess is like a castle in the air, where one can¡¯t be convinced? If your comprehension is only at this level, I¡¯d rather you stay here¡­¡± With a loud bang, Xu Yinglian slammed the scroll in her hand on the table, interrupting Qiu Changtian¡¯s pitying words. ¡°Senior Brother Qiu.¡± Xu Yinglian maintained her cold and polite smile and said word by word, ¡°I heard that Senior Brother has recently cultivated a thunder technique? I would like to see it. Is it convenient?¡± ¡°I was just about to use this opportunity to let you see,¡± Qiu Changtian immediately said gently when he saw the other party agree. They stopped talking and smiled at each other. Their eyes met, and their hearts were connected. Everything was said without words. Chapter 31 - Please Become Dao Partners As Soon As Possible! Chapter 31 Please Become Dao Partners As Soon As Possible! A few hours later, Xu Yinglian regretted it at the speed of light. Where did all these bootlickers come from? The training mission Qiu Changtian accepted this time was that a Kunlun outer sect disciple had accidentally discovered an entrance that was suspected to be a leyline on the west side of Long Mountain. The so-called leyline was a branch of the Nine Provinces¡¯ Dragon Vein. It was usually a place with dense spiritual energy and a suitable place to cultivate. There were even more small houses of those ancient cultivators. The benefits of the relics were not much, but they could also be filled with traps and occupied by demonic beasts. The risks and benefits existed. The spiritual energy in the leyline here was not very strong. Even if there were ancient ruins, it would only benefit the Foundation Establishment disciples. Even Perfected Golden Core was unwilling to come. The Kunlun disciple who invited Qiu Changtian was originally a little anxious. He was afraid that the chief disciple would be worried about the risks and benefits and would not come. In the end, when he received the reply, he immediately burst into tears and praised the chief disciple for being righteous. When Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian arrived on their swords, more than ten Kunlun disciples had already surrounded them. They respectfully addressed them as ¡°Eldest Senior Brother¡± and ¡°Second Senior Sister¡±. Xu Yinglian was impatient to deal with these bootlickers and only nodded coldly. Qiu Changtian was not arrogant at all. He nodded at everyone and greeted them one by one. His expression and tone were like the spring breeze, making everyone feel close but not cold. Immediately, their favorable impression of him increased. [Invincible persona, synchronization value +1] The Kunlun Mirror said indifferently. As his synchronization value increased, his Enlightened Dao Heart aptitude could also be steadily displayed at 100%. During this period of time, his cultivation was ridiculously strong. It could be said to be an upgraded accelerator. ¡°Eldest Senior Brother, please take a look. This is the entrance to the leyline.¡± The disciple who accepted the mission this time was called Duan Tianbao, so he took the responsibility of leading the way. Qiu Changtian took a closer look and indeed discovered that there was a small hole leading to the interior behind the vines in the cave. ¡°The spiritual energy here is very weak. It¡¯s rare to be able to detect it.¡± Qiu Changtian smiled gently. ¡°It¡¯s so hidden that there might not be any cultivator ruins inside. Perhaps it¡¯s just an empty natural leyline. Everyone, you have to be mentally prepared for this trip.¡± ¡°Of course. If there are really no ancient ruins, we will report to the sect and exchange this place for spirit stones. In short, there will definitely be a portion for Eldest Senior Brother,¡± everyone said. ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary. I¡¯m also here to keep all of you safe.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s really an empty leyline and I didn¡¯t do anything, I won¡¯t accept spirit stones.¡± Qiu Changtian laughed loudly. He raised his hand and used the ¡°Junior Light of Universal Voice¡± to disperse the darkness ahead before leading the way in. Xu Yinglian followed behind silently. She thought to herself that her senior brother was really interesting. He always pretended to be so elegant to others. Who knew that his nature was not like that at all? She should really record his words that he used to anger her with a photostone and let these bootlickers listen. Everyone followed closely behind him. The tunnel was winding and difficult to traverse. There was also moss attached to it, making it slippery and unstable. After descending for more than 200 meters, it was still pitch-black ahead. The disciples who had yet to undergo marrow cleansing kept climbing down. They were already panting from exhaustion and hurriedly cast their gazes at the imposing figure of their Eldest Senior Brother. Being begged silently by so many people, Qiu Changtian could only hold back Xu Yinglian, who wanted to continue forward, and signal for everyone to stop and rest. The air in the cave was humid and deep, and the echoes echoed. The longer they stayed, the more sinister and terrifying it became. Many disciples vaguely wanted to retreat and did not dare to go deeper, so they asked Duan Tianbao to come and talk. However, facing Qiu Changtian¡¯s warm smile, Duan Tianbao could not bring himself to say it, so he said angrily to others, ¡°Those who want to leave can leave by themselves. Don¡¯t drag the Chief Senior Brother down for nothing!¡± They all looked at each other, speechless. After resting for a moment, they continued on their way. After descending for hundreds of meters, they finally saw light. It was a night pearl embedded in the wall. The following path had unknowingly changed from a natural cave to a squarish underground palace passageway. Seeing the green brick and gray wall, everyone was half excited and half afraid. They were excited because this place was indeed not an empty leyline, but one that had been occupied by cultivators. They were afraid because of the green brick and gray wall. Why did it look so sinister and strange? Qiu Changtian watched coldly and pinched it between the walls. Yes, there were indeed ashes mixed in. Others might not be able to tell, but Luo Yan had studied in the Yuqing Temple for so long. How could he not recognize such a refining technique of the evil sect? The style seemed to be the early-stage refining style of the Yin Ghost Dao not long after the ancient Jie Sect split. From the looks of it, this underground palace must be related to the ancient Yin Ghost Dao. However, the ancient cultivators who occupied this place were not very powerful. Qiu Changtian silently took stock of his Dharma spells. He realized that be it the Yu Yan Sword or the Jade Pivot Thunder, they were both effective against Yin Ghosts. He called for everyone to continue forward. As they walked deeper, the temperature became colder. From time to time, strange rustling sounds could be heard. After a moment, a shadow suddenly pounced from the darkness. It was very fast. Before the Kunlun disciples could react, Qiu Changtian quickly raised his hand and released a jade-colored stream of light, nailing the black shadow to the wall. He reminded calmly, ¡°This is a low-level zombie spider. Everyone, be careful.¡± Hearing Eldest Senior Brother¡¯s warning, everyone took out their flying swords and focused their attention. Qiu Changtian raised his hand again, and the Yu Yan Sword flew back from the corpse. Everyone looked at the zombie spider¡¯s corpse and was very excited. They only felt that Eldest Senior Brother was indeed worthy of being Eldest Senior Brother. Even his sword techniques were much more proficient than theirs, so they felt even more admiration. [Invincible persona, synchronization value+1] Only Xu Yinglian was a little indignant. Her Yujia Sword was even faster than the Yu Yan Sword, but her reaction speed just now was slower than her senior brother. She had lost completely. The team continued forward, clearing all the zombie spiders they encountered along the way. This seemed to be their nest. They had killed more than 70 of them, but they could not kill them all. Not long after, strange sounds suddenly sounded from the front and back at the same time. A large number of zombie spiders surged over from both sides and rushed towards the Kunlun disciples in the center! Qiu Changtian was not afraid in the face of danger. He immediately shouted loudly to wake everyone up and ordered them to start forming a formation to face the enemy. On the other side, more than ten disciples were either squatting or standing. They split into three rows and controlled their flying swords in order to repel the attacking zombie spiders. The zombie spider was covered in hard fur and had a strong defense. Ordinary flying swords could not penetrate it with one strike. It took three or four strikes to kill one. In just a few seconds, the disciples¡¯ defense line was on the verge of collapse, and it was almost broken through many times. On the other side, Qiu Changtian controlled the Yu Yan Sword alone to kill the incoming zombie spiders. The Yu Yan Sword was a seventh-stage metal-type flying sword, and he had obtained the essence of the Mount Shu Sword Technique. Therefore, this flying sword was actually unstoppable. No spider could block it. Basically, it was pierced through by the golden light and killed instantly. On this side, he was fighting with ease. Seeing that the disciples behind him were in a difficult situation, he quickly asked Xu Yinglian to provide support. Under his command, Xu Yinglian immediately wanted to compete with him. Yujia Sword also flew faster and faster, shuttling back and forth among the zombie spiders. At that moment, the two of them executed exquisite sword techniques at the same time, chasing all the zombie spiders a few meters away. [Invincible persona, synchronization value+1] Everyone was dumbfounded. The spider tide alone was already something that no one could deal with even if they worked together. However, Senior Brother Qiu and Senior Sister Xu could actually defend alone with ease. Their strength was really unparalleled. Then, they looked at Qiu Changtian¡¯s elegant demeanor and Xu Yinglian¡¯s clothes which fluttered in the wind, making the surrounding people feel inferior. What an immortal couple! Hurry up and become Dao partners, please! Chapter 32 - If We Dont Get Rid of This Kid, Hell Be A Great Trouble! Chapter 32 If We Don¡¯t Get Rid of This Kid, He¡¯ll Be A Great Trouble! When the corpses of the spiders on both sides piled up like a mountain, the remaining zombie spiders knew that they were no match for them and retreated one after another. Only then did the Kunlun disciples heave a sigh of relief. Some were sweating profusely, some were in a mess, and some were overly exhausted. They simply sat on the ground and stared at the corpses in a daze. In any case, this was the first battle for most of the Kunlun disciples present. The dark tunnel and the endless spider tide left a lot of trauma for everyone who had just entered the cultivation world. Senior Brother Qiu and Senior Sister Xu¡¯s powerful strength were also deeply engraved in everyone¡¯s hearts. They rested for a moment and moved on. At this moment, Qiu Changtian led the way and almost became the spiritual pillar of support for the Kunlun disciples. They were all glad that they had invited this Eldest Senior Brother over. Otherwise, everyone would really be wiped out in this pitch-black underground [Invincible persona, synchronization value+1] Xu Yinglian walked silently beside him, feeling that something was wrong. In the massacre of the zombie spiders just now, Senior Brother and I were clearly evenly matched. Why did it seem like Senior Brother had gained most of the reputation now? After walking for hundreds of meters in the tunnel, everyone entered a spacious place that looked like a palace. This palace was octagonal and had eight entrances on the walls. Everyone entered through one of the entrances. There was an irregular pit in the center, nearly a hundred square meters. Countless stone coffins were scattered around, and there were all kinds of skeletons surrounding them. Phosphorescence was everywhere, and it was eerie. When the Kunlun disciples saw this, their expressions changed. This scene was clearly the ruins of an ancient evil sect. No matter how powerful this evil sect¡¯s treasure was, the righteous disciples could not use it. They also had to be wary of sinister restrictions. It was really not worth it. Only the corpses of the zombie spider from before had some value to cultivate some evil-slaying Dao techniques. It could be handed over to the sect to exchange for spirit stones. Thinking of this, all the disciples spoke in unison and began to persuade their Eldest Senior Brother not to advance alone. It was better to retreat and collect the zombie spiders. Qiu Changtian saw this and naturally understood what everyone was thinking. He pretended to be silent for a moment and nodded in agreement. Seeing that the Eldest Senior Brother had agreed, everyone heaved a long sigh of relief and planned to turn around and go back. ¡°What evil creature is lurking in the dark?¡± Qiu Changtian suddenly shouted. He raised the Yu Yan Sword slightly and pointed it at a cave in front of him. The Kunlun disciples were shocked and turned around warily. A group of cultivators slowly walked out of the darkness in the cave. Everyone was wrapped in black robes with silver patterns on the edges. Their hair was tied up in ancient hairpins, and looked thin. They were clearly dressed like the demonic cultivator from last time. The leader was a beautiful woman with heavy makeup and gorgeous clothes. She stood in a lazy half-slant and slowly parted her red lips, but what came out was a deep magnetic male voice. ¡°Fellow Daoist, why are you barging into my old place?¡± Qiu Changtian stared at him cautiously. He said, ¡°We are Kunlun disciples. We are only here to search for the earth vein and happened to meet you. We have no other intentions.¡± ¡°Just a chance encounter?¡± The half-man and half-woman opposite him sneered. ¡°You brought more than ten people into my underground palace, and you still say that you have no other intentions? ¡°If we hadn¡¯t arrived in time, I¡¯m afraid these good ancient corpses and Yin bones in this pit would have been ruined by your righteous disciples, right?¡± Qiu Changtian said coldly, ¡°The ancient corpses here don¡¯t belong to the Yin Ghost Sect, but are left behind from the ancient times. It¡¯s first come, first served. We know how to handle them. What does it have to do with you?¡± ¡°What a joke. This place is not ownerless. It¡¯s the ancient land of our Ancient Yin Ghost Dao. How can you Kunlun people dare to interfere!¡± The man narrowed his almond-shaped eyes and suddenly stabbed his fingers. He quickly chanted, ¡°Demons and monsters, curse and kill!¡± ¡°The clouds appear with rainfall, the jade rainbow gives birth to smoke!¡± Qiu Changtian shouted and activated the Dao technique on the Yu Yan Sword. At the same time, countless light swords shot out, turning into a large net of light in the air. From the sleeve of the person opposite him, countless grayish-white ghosts suddenly surged out and ruthlessly collided with the light net. The shattered light flickered and the vengeful spirits wailed. Qiu Changtian¡¯s expression changed. He knew that the other party was a Purification realm demonic cultivator and immediately warned, ¡°Retreat!¡± Even if he used his trump card to eliminate these disciples of the Yin Ghost Sect, who knew if he would attract stronger enemies? Besides¡­ The cute junior brothers and sisters behind him were all painstakingly brought out by him during this period of time when he was doing missions. They could help him increase his invincible synchronization value skillfully. If one of them died here, he would be heartbroken for a long time! As soon as he finished speaking, the disciples of the Yin Ghost Sect raised their hands and stabbed towards him. ¡°Demons and demons, curse and kill!¡± This sinister move of ¡°demons and monsters¡± was obviously very powerful. Just one shot was enough to defeat Qiu Changtian¡¯s sword technique. At this moment, several disciples attacked at the same time. Qiu Changtian did not have so many techniques to block it. He immediately retreated quickly and pointed at the top of the wall. ¡°Lightning and fire runes, break the divine lightning!¡± This technique was the ¡°Jade Pivot Lightning¡± that Qiu Changtian had obtained from cultivating the ¡°Divine Firmament Jade Pivot Cleaving Five Thunder Technique¡±. The light was green and the inside was red. A ball of lightning the size of a palm shot out and exploded on the top wall of the tunnel. The disciples of the Yin Ghost Sect felt the ground under their feet tremble violently, and it was almost difficult for them to maintain their balance. When they looked ahead again, bricks and dust were already flying everywhere, causing countless grayish-white ghosts to miss. When everyone dispersed the dust, they realized that the tunnel had already collapsed and was completely blocked. ¡°Senior Brother Wen, what should we do?!¡± The disciples of the Yin Ghost Sect asked in unison. The androgynous fellow frowned. After a while, he spat out a word. ¡°Chase!¡± On this side, the Kunlun disciples were running along the path they came from. They saw that the person who was fighting with their Eldest Senior Brother and the Yin Ghost Sect disciple who attacked later were all at the Purification realm. But they were all of the Qi Refinement Realm cultivators, so they definitely had no chance of winning. They immediately ran as fast as they could, not even caring about their Eldest Senior Brother who was lagging behind. Qiu Changtian was at the back of the team. Xu Yinglian supported him and asked in a low voice, ¡°You still have energy left?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Senior Brother¡¯s lightning technique is quite powerful,¡± Xu Yinglian commented. Her Yujia sword would not have caused the ten-meter-long wall to collapse even if she activated her spell on her sword. Qiu Changtian did not answer. When he finished recovering his True Qi, he raised his finger to the sky and released a Jade Pivot Lightning, causing the tunnel behind to collapse again. On the other side, the disciples of the Yin Ghost Sect used all their techniques and finally blasted open the blocked rubble. In the end, they saw it collapse again. They wanted to vomit blood and cursed the Kunlun b*tch in their hearts. They had no choice but to clear the path again. Everyone from Kunlun ran to the place where they battled the zombie spiders. Qiu Changtian waved his sleeve and shot out the Yu Yan Sword, wrapping up a few of the zombie spiders and putting them back into his sleeve. Taking advantage of the blockage he had created, he could still stall the other party for some time. It was a good opportunity to fish up more zombie spiders to make up for his losses. Seeing Eldest Senior Brother¡¯s behavior, the Kunlun disciples also released their flying swords. In an instant, a large number of zombie spiders disappeared. After retrieving it, Qiu Changtian pinched his fingers and released the lightning again. After running and exploding, everyone finally managed to escape from the cave. They immediately rode their swords and flew towards Kunlun. After an unknown period of time, the disciples of the Yin Ghost Sect finally cleared the blockage. When they arrived outside, they realized that the Kunlun disciples had long disappeared. ¡°Senior Brother Wen.¡± Someone said uneasily, ¡°Should we report this to the sect¡­¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Senior Brother Wen narrowed his eyes and said ruthlessly, ¡°What that leader released in the end was clearly a lightning technique!¡± ¡°Lightning technique?¡± The disciples of the Yin Ghost Sect looked at each other, and then their expressions changed drastically. The Lightning Technique, aka the Five Lightning Technique, rarely appeared in the world nowadays because of the high risk of cultivating it. According to the ancient records in the sect, lightning carried a baleful aura and was born to restrain evil magic. Therefore, Lightning cultivators, who cultivated lightning techniques, had always been the enemy of Yin Ghost cultivators. If that person¡¯s lightning technique had not hit the wall of the tunnel but the cultivators of the Yin Ghost cultivators, they would probably have been killed. Everyone recalled again and realized that they had just brushed past Death. They could not help but feel a strong sense of relief. However, Senior Brother Wen didn¡¯t look relieved at all. He knew that the quality and quantity of the disciples of the Yin Ghost Sect far exceeded that of the Kunlun Sect disciples. Therefore, if the Qi Refinement Stage Lightning cultivator had chosen to stay and fight, there was a high chance that both sides would have suffered. Even if his side suffered heavy casualties, that Lightning cultivator would definitely be targeted immediately and die on the spot. However, the other party did not choose to advance rashly because the lightning technique countered the Yin Ghost. Instead, he immediately retreated without hesitation, which was greatly unexpected. According to the ancient records in the sect, the biggest weakness of lightning cultivators was their ¡°evil aura charging at the spirit¡±. Beginners often became irritable and aggressive because they cultivated lightning techniques. In other words, the person they encountered this time was a Lightning cultivator with brains! If they did not investigate and get rid of him soon, he would probably become a huge threat to the sect in the future! Chapter 33 - Junior Sister Xu Wants to Follow Chapter 33 Junior Sister Xu Wants to Follow It wasn¡¯t until they reached the Yuxu Peak that the Kunlun disciples finally descended. Their faces were filled with relief and fear. ¡°As expected of Senior Brother Qiu!¡± After a while, someone said sincerely, ¡°If not for Senior Brother Qiu assistance this time, we would definitely be doomed!¡± Everyone thought about it and realized that it was indeed the case. In addition, Qiu Changtian really did not obtain any benefits on this trip, so they hurriedly flattered him, afraid that he would not come for the next mission. ¡°We will never forget Senior Brother Qiu¡¯s kindness!¡± ¡°We will remember Senior Brother Qiu¡¯s righteousness!¡± ¡°Senior Brother Qiu, I can¡¯t repay your kindness. I¡¯m willing to give myself to you!¡± ¡°Go, go, go!¡± Soon, the female disciples present pushed the female disciple out of the circle to prevent her from continuing her silliness. Qiu Changtian smiled awkwardly but politely as he dealt with the disciples¡¯ flattery. Xu Yinglian, who no one cared about, stood alone outside the circle. She stared blankly at Qiu Changtian, who was surrounded by people. No one knew what she was thinking. ¡ª ¡ª- ¨C After returning to Gold Ridge, Qiu Changtian continued to cultivate lightning techniques for a few days. Combined with his combat experience in the leyline ruins, he had already confirmed Jade Pivot Lightning¡¯s greatest flaw. It was too powerful! The advantage of this lightning technique was that it could be released quickly, consumed a lot of True Qi, and was extremely destructive. It was a high explosive attack method. However, it was also because it was too powerful that there was no way to control its strength and retract it freely. In the leyline ruins, the rubble that exploded at the beginning almost smashed his face. When the second passageway was blown up, Qiu Changtian deliberately wanted to control the power of the lightning technique. In the end, he realized that there was no way to control it. He was overjoyed. The palm-sized ball of lightning shrank to the size of a seal, but it was still extremely powerful. If it exploded within a step, the aftershock would even hurt him¡­ Don¡¯t ask how Qiu Changtian knew. Because of this, Jade Pivot Lightning¡¯s information had to be kept as secret as possible. If too many people knew about it, it would be easy to crack. For example, when lightning was shot out, the opponent would shoot out a flying sword in advance. As the speed of the flying sword far exceeded the lightning, it only needed to collide with the lightning the moment it was shot out to detonate in advance and blow up Qiu Changtian himself¡­ That would be too stupid. He shouted ¡°break the divine lightning¡± and it exploded on the spot, his entire body covered in blood. If there were onlookers present, the synchronization value of his invincible persona would probably fall through In short, the Jade Pivot Lightning was suitable as a trump card and could only be used as a trump card. On that morning, Qiu Changtian was in his cave abode as usual, explaining the Nine Heavens Clarity Entering Enlightenment Mantra to his junior brothers and sisters. After that, it was time to answer the questions. ¡°Senior Brother Qiu,¡± Yan Zhitui suddenly asked, ¡°I heard that you¡¯ve recently cultivated a very powerful Dao technique. Can you tell us about it?¡± ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Qju Changtian coughed a few times, and his mind quickly spun. First of all, it was best to keep Jade Pivot Lightning¡¯s matter a secret. Junior Sister Xu was too familiar with him, so he couldn¡¯t hide it from her. But there¡¯s no need to tell others. Secondly, he could not refuse immediately. After all, it was not good to hide any trump cards when he¡¯s got an invincible character. After thinking for a while, Qiu Changtian smiled and asked, ¡°Junior Brother Yan, let me ask you first: Do you know what the ¡®two techniques and two treasures¡¯?¡± ¡°The so-called ¡®two techniques¡¯ are Qi Refinement techniques and Dao techniques. The so-called ¡®two treasures¡¯ are magic swords and Dharma treasures,¡± Yan Zhitui said cautiously. ¡°I wonder if I¡¯m right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Qiu Changtian nodded and explained to his junior brothers and sisters. ¡°The ¡®two techniques¡¯ is based on the Qi Refinement Technique because only the Qi Refinement Technique determines the most crucial cultivation realm. Without a sufficient cultivation realm, no matter how powerful a Dao technique is, it¡¯s just an empty building. ¡°The ¡®two treasures¡¯ respect the magic sword because there is a sealed technique on the magic sword. It can be used immediately after refinement. ¡°If you don¡¯t use the magic sword to cultivate your own Dao technique, it will undoubtedly occupy your Qi Refinement time. If one¡¯s Qi Refinement is slow, their cultivation realm will increase slowly, which will affect their lifespan. ¡°Ordinary people can only live for about a hundred years. If they successfully enter the Purification realm, they can extend it to two hundred years. Golden Cores can extend to eight hundred. Nascent Souls can extend to five thousand. After that, they can ascend to immortality. ¡°Compared to the time needed to cultivate and advance, the extended lifespan can be said to be very insufficient, so¡­¡± Before Qiu Changtian could finish, he heard Guan Zhan sneer and say, ¡°Therefore, instead of asking about any Dao techniques, it¡¯s better to focus on refining Qi and increasing our cultivation. ¡°Senior Brother Qiu¡¯s has the Enlightened Dao Heart, and the speed of your cultivation improvement far exceeds that of ordinary people. Back then, even when he opened his sea of vital energy, it only took him half a day! That¡¯s why he had the time to study a Dao technique. ¡°How long did it take you to clear the ¡®Trial of Three Gates¡¯ back then? It took you half a month! How are you qualified to ask for Dao techniques?¡± [Invincible persona, synchronization value+1] Qiu Changtian: ¡­ Although Junior Brother Guan usually had an ice-cold face and often spoke too bluntly and mercilessly, he was actually quite cute. While he was secretly relieved, Chen Zhen and Zhong Tianhuai were a little indignant. Yan Zhitui was not angry. He only bowed and said, ¡°Thank you for your guidance, Senior Brother Guan.¡± ¡°Junior Brother Guan is right, but it¡¯s a little too obvious.¡± Qiu Changtian smiled and said, ¡°If everyone intends to stay in the sect forever, it¡¯s fine. ¡°If you want to go out and train, it¡¯s necessary to practice some Dao techniques to protect yourself. ¡°After all, the Dao techniques on the flying sword are often compatible with the attributes of the flying sword itself. If you encounter an enemy that counters the attributes of your flying sword and you don¡¯t have any other methods to turn the tables, you¡¯ll be in danger.¡± ¡°Senior Brother Qiu is right!¡± Chen Zhen and Zhong Tianhuai deliberately shouted. Guan Zhan¡¯s expression changed slightly (he felt like he had been slapped in the face). However, he did not have much experience in going out to train, and Senior Brother Qiu was already a king in this aspect, so he could only lower his head and remain silent. ¡°Alright.¡± Qiu Changtian clapped his hands and said, ¡°In short, everyone still needs to focus on refining Qi to increase your cultivation level. If you want to increase your self-protection methods, you can follow me out to train in private. I¡¯ll see where your flaws and deficiencies in actual combat are before giving targeted suggestions.¡± Everyone nodded in thanks and stood up to leave. Only Xu Yinglian remained sitting quietly on the meditation cushion. Seeing that everyone else had left, Qiu Changtian smiled and said, ¡°Junior Sister, what¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°I want to cultivate a Dao technique,¡± Xu Yinglian said concisely. Qiu Changtian did not answer immediately. He only pondered for a moment and asked, ¡°You want to imitate me because I¡¯ve mastered a Dao technique?¡± Xu Yinglian sneered and said, ¡°If Senior Brother is afraid that I will catch up to you, you can choose not to guide me.¡± Qiu Changtian smiled. ¡°Junior Sister Xu, what kind of person do you think I am? Well, with your aptitude, it¡¯s not a problem for you to cultivate Dao techniques. It¡¯s just that the specific Dao technique you choose depends on your goal¡­¡± ¡°The goal is to surpass your lightning technique!¡± Xu Yinglian blurted out without thinking ¡°Why are you always aiming at me?¡± Qiu Changtian didn¡¯t know whether to laugh or cry. ¡°Can¡¯t you focus on ¡®perfecting yourself¡¯?¡± Xu Yinglian was silent for a moment before suddenly smiling. ¡°Didn¡¯t Senior Brother once say that it¡¯s really lonely to walk alone on the path of cultivation? That you have no regrets when I¡¯m following you? If my strength is far inferior to yours, how can you make me follow you?¡± ¡°Ahem.¡± Qiu Changtian¡¯s guard was accidentally broken by her beautiful smile. He hurriedly turned his head to adjust his expression, then said with a bitter smile, ¡°Yinglian, why did you suddenly confess to me? You scared me¡­¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t confess to you!¡± Xu Yinglian jumped up and said angrily, ¡°I would rather chase after you than be left behind!¡± At this point, she realized that there was still some ambiguity in it. She quickly tried to salvage the situation. ¡°Of course, catching up to you is the first step. The second step is to surpass you! Then¡­ you¡¯ll be the one left behind, Qiu Changtian!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll look forward to it, Junior Sister,¡± Qiu Changtian said with a smile. Xu Yinglian gritted her teeth in anger. The Kunlun Mirror, which had been observing the two of them, could not stand seeing him bully his junior sister like this. It hurriedly secretly opened a corner of the mirror. While weakening the invincible setting, it also released his true temperament. Remove the psychic cue again! Seeing that her senior brother did not care about her provocation and even revealed a mocking and arrogant smile, Xu Yinglian was so angry that she almost trembled. She felt that her blood was about to rush to her head. Suddenly, she realized that her senior brother¡¯s temperament seemed to have changed. He no longer looked like the arrogant and cold ¡°god¡± who had always looked down on her. At this moment, the gentle smile on the other party¡¯s face was more like that of a childhood friend. With the expectations for their future, he made a friendly promise to her that ¡°she would surpass him¡±¡­ The blood rushing to her head suddenly receded, and her body gradually felt strangely hot. In order to hide the inexplicable tiny throbbing in her chest, Xu Yinglian turned her head away and said in a barely audible voice, ¡°Hmph, just you wait and see. Qiu Changtian!¡± Chapter 34 - Targeted by Miss Shi! Chapter 34 Targeted by Miss Shi! All things considered, it had been almost a while since the three personas had been set up side by side. He took the time to sort out the progress of each persona. Kunlun Qiu Changtian had the fastest progress so far. He was the chief senior brother of this generation and the personal disciple of the Sect Master. Not only did he have the immortal Qi Refinement Technique and the Five Lightning True Technique, but he was also loved by many Kunlun outer sect disciples. It could be said that his future was already smooth. Penglai Luo Yan¡¯s progress was the most behind at the moment. He was just an ordinary disciple who had just entered the Yuqing Temple. He had yet to find an opportunity to climb up the ranks. Every day, he listened to classes, listened to classes, and listened to classes. Mount Shu¡¯s Ling Yunpo was a long story. It could only be said that there was good and bad. Fortunately, Senior Sister An took good care of him. Unfortunately, not only did that cheap master, Su Jian, enter seclusion, but he also attracted countless hatreds before his seclusion, causing the situation of the two of them in Master to be difficult. Now, he was even schemed against by the Purple Cloud Peak and was forced to participate in a sword duel. Furthermore, he was at the Qi Refinement Realm and had to fight the opponent who was in the Purification realm. This can be described as tragic. Speaking of the upcoming battle, Ling Yun had two trump cards: The first was the tenth-stage immortal sword, Qingping. On it was the Dao technique, Green Mist Green Range, which could raise endless fog. Those who were in it would have their divine sense limited and their senses blinded. The power of non-water-type Dao techniques would be halved. The second was Qiu Changtian¡¯s lightning technique, the Jade Pivot Lightning. He had already made a plan. During the battle, he would first activate the Dao technique on the Qingping Sword and isolate himself from the outside world with the fog. Then, he would unleash the Jade Pivot Lightning. He had to kill his opponent in one strike and ensure that the existence of the lightning technique would not be leaked. Currently, Qiu Changtian could not be said to be ¡°expert¡± in the Jade Pivot Lightning. He could only be considered to have ¡°a rough grasp¡± of it. However, just the ¡°rough grasp¡± was already extremely terrifying. Any cultivator below the Golden Core realm would either die or be injured by this lightning, so it was his greatest trump card at the moment. What else could I say? I could only praise the wisdom of Sect Master Polestar and thank the Kunlun Mirror¡¯s ¡°Enlightened Dao Heart¡± talent for allowing me to master such an awesome Dao technique. Next, all he had to do was to load Ling Yunpo and continue to practice his swordsmanship. Qiu Changtian pondered for a long time in the cave abode and planned to load. Ling Yunpo¡¯s synchronization value was quite high now. Previously, he had used Lou Zhizheng, the villain, to recite many lines in front of his senior sister, so he did not have to worry for the time being. Luo Yan¡¯s synchronization value was already very low. Any lower and it would affect the effects of the Imitation Mode. Forget it, forget it. He should go to Penglai first and find an opportunity. ¡°Ah Jing, load!¡± [Point Three: Penglai Yuqing Temple, dormitory.) [Character Identity: Luo Yan.] [Imitation Mode covered, currently traveling through time.) Luo Yan opened his eyes from the soft couch. The so-called ¡°archived¡± mechanism of the Kunlun Mirror referred to marking the time/ space coordinates at this moment. The so-called ¡°Loading¡± mechanism was to teleport his body to the time/space coordinates marked in the last archive, then change the illusion mask of the Imitation Mode. For example, Luo Yan was initially saved in the dormitory before his body was teleported away. Then, as Ling Yunpo and Qiu Changtian, they lived in Mount Shu and Kunlun for a period of time. Finally, he was teleported to the time/space coordinates that Luo Yan had stored. It was completely seamless, so even if someone was observing him, they would not notice that he had left halfway. Of course, just in case, Luo Yan would still choose to save and load in a place where no one was around. After spending the night in the dormitory, Luo Yan planned to go to class as usual the next morning. However, on the way to the school, he was blocked by Shi Liuli, who was already prepared. ¡°Tell me the truth.¡± Shi Liuli pulled him to a secluded spot and directly summoned the Heaven Upheaval Seal. She threatened, ¡°Are you a spy for the sect outside?¡± ¡°Senior Sister, what are you talking about?¡± Luo Yan revealed a helpless expression that said, ¡°I¡¯m dumbfounded.¡± Coupled with his drooping eyebrows and kind narrowed eyes, it really made the originally confident Shi Liuli waver. (Hypocritical character design, synchronization value+1] ¡°Your entrance exam.¡± Shi Liuli took out his graded paper and demanded, ¡°Before the exam, you clearly admitted that you didn¡¯t know what the Dao Zang was!¡± ¡°However, you got full marks for this exam! Full marks! Can you be more fake? How did you get full marks if you didn¡¯t learn Dao Zang? Don¡¯t tell me that you guessed all the questions correctly!¡± ¡°But Senior Sister, I learned the Dao Zang before the exam,¡± Luo Yan said innocently. ¡°Haha, so you admit that you were lying when you said to me that you ¡®didn¡¯t learn the Dao Zang¡¯, right?!¡± Shi Liuli immediately cried out triumphantly like a big cat stepping on a mouse¡¯s tail. ¡°When I first met Senior Sister, I really didn¡¯t learn Dao Zang.¡± Luo Yan explained in embarrassment, ¡°However, two hours before the exam, I studied the ¡®Three Cave Divisions¡¯ of the Dao Zang Repository, so I was lucky to pass the entrance examination.¡± ¡°Ah, right!¡± He smiled gratefully again. ¡°It was you who reminded me that the main test for the entrance examination is the ¡®Three Cave Divisions¡¯. I forgot to thank you¡­¡± (Hypocritical character design, synchronization value+1] Shi Liuli was already dumbfounded. She suddenly reacted and grabbed his arms. ¡°You said that after spending two hours in the Dao Zang Repository, you¡¯ve memorized all the contents of the ¡®Three Caves Divisions¡¯ and mastered them?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Luo Yan said embarrassedly. ¡°Senior Sister, don¡¯t laugh at me for cramming at the last minute. I didn¡¯t know that our sect was going to take the Dao Zang test.¡± (Hypocritical character design, synchronization value+1] ¡°How!¡± Shi Liuli cried in disbelief. Among the three thousand Daoist scriptures, there were twenty four scriptures in the ¡°Three Caves Divisions¡± alone. How could he finish reading them in two hours?! Luo Yan looked at her with a pure and innocent expression and chuckled to himself. Although she¡¯d called out ¡°how is that possible,¡± the reminder of the rising synchronicity suggested that, in fact, she¡¯d been just a tiny bit convinced. Don¡¯t ask why. If you ask, it could only be said that this fat sheep is especially gullible! ¡°Alright, in that case, I¡¯ll test you!¡± Shi Liuli calmed down and said, ¡°I¡¯ll teach you the Nine Cauldron Divine Pill Scripture now. I¡¯ll only recite it once to see if you can remember and understand it!¡± She widened her pretty big eyes and read quickly: ¡°If you want to make a divine pill, you have to first make it black and yellow. Take ten pounds of mercury and twenty pounds of lead. Put the ironware on fire. The essence of the lead and mercury will come out. It¡¯s purple or golden. Receive it with an iron spoon. It¡¯s called black and yellow¡­¡± It took three or four minutes to read the thousand words. Finally, Shi Liuli stopped and said coldly, ¡°Do you remember, Junior Genius?¡± ¡°I roughly remember,¡± Luo Yan said, nodding. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll test you!¡± Shi Liuli sneered. ¡°Tell me, according to the theory of the Nine Cauldron Divine Pill Scripture, what should the preparation method for Huandan be?¡± Luo Yan smiled and said loudly, ¡°Since it is called Huandan, it should take nine things, namely: ocher, honor stone, daihu, Rong salt, oysters, logite, earth dragon arrow, mica, talcum. Burn it one day and one night on the fierce fire, combine all to quench it and make it like powder. Then combine it with the left flavor and make it like mud. With a straight cauldron, take a pound of osmium¡­¡± As he smoothly explained the method to make Huandan, Shi Liuli¡¯s expression quickly turned from cold mockery to dullness, from dullness to surprise, from bewilderment to shock, from shock to ecstasy. ¡°Is there really someone in this world who has a photographic memory?¡± Luo Yan was still feeling a little regretful because this identity had no synchronization value for showing off. He only heard Shi Liuli suddenly shout, ¡°Quick! Junior Brother, I¡¯ll take you to see my father and ask him to take you as his disciple!¡± Chapter 35 - Junior Brother Luo Yan of the Heavenly Workshop Chapter 35 Junior Brother Luo Yan of the Heavenly Workshop When Shi Liuli pulled Luo Yan in front of Elder Shi Ding and finished talking excitedly, Elder Shi Ding could not help but reveal a puzzled expression. She went to investigate a spy, but as she investigated, she brought back a disciple for me? Back when Shi Liuli had gone to check on him, Elder Shi Ding had also seen his test video records and did not find any problems. It would be more accurate to say that a spy who should have kept a low profile was not stupid enough to score full marks on the entrance exam. Besides, if his talent for comprehension was as exaggerated as Liuli said, then it would be a waste of his talent to be a spy. Wasn¡¯t it good for the sect to nurture him carefully? Whether it was the alchem, the essence of forging treasures, or the array formation that could be said to have a ¡°huge¡± in calculation, it required an extremely high comprehension ability to master it. If one¡¯s comprehension was insufficient, the speed at which one learned¡­ was truly touching! Thinking of this, Elder Shi Ding said calmly, ¡°Your name is Luo Yan, right?¡± ¡°Greetings, Elder.¡± Luo Yan quickly bowed. ¡°Who are you?¡± Elder Shi Ding asked. ¡°I was born in Lin¡¯an County, Yangzhou,¡± Luo Yan said respectfully. ¡°My parents died and I was all alone. In my early years, I helped to write papers in a private school.¡± (Hypocritical character design, synchronization value+1] ¡°Hmm.¡± Elder Shi Ding did not comment. ¡°Then what are your birth characters?¡± Luo Yan: ¡°?¡± Was there a need to count one¡¯s birth date and eight characters to become a disciple? While he was in a daze, Shi Liuli, who was beside him, shouted in embarrassment and anger, ¡°Father! Why are you calculating Junior Brother¡¯s birth characters?!¡± ¡°I actually¡­¡± Elder Shi Ding finally realized that his question was indeed ambiguous. He wanted Luo Yan¡¯s birth characters only because he wanted to use the Taiyi Divine Number to calculate if Luo Yan¡¯s background was true. But to his daughter, it sounded like he was calculating whether their marriage was compatible¡­ Of course, it was impossible for Elder Shi Ding to explain to his daughter in front of Luo Yan that he¡¯s not talking about marriage. He¡¯s just confirming if what he said is true. So, he could only lie. ¡°I just want to calculate if he¡¯s suitable to become a disciple¡­¡± ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you count Senior Brother and Senior Sister¡¯s birth characters when they entered the sect?¡± Shi Liuli asked angrily. ¡°That¡¯s because¡­¡± Elder Shi Ding could not continue the topic. He forcefully waved his hand and changed the topic. ¡°Forget it, forget it, Luo Yan. I¡¯ll tell you. ¡°My name is Shi Ding. In my early years, I entered the Dao by forging a cauldron. Now, I¡¯m proficient in various refining methods and have inherited the Heavenly Workshop. ¡°In Penglai Yuqing Temple, although I don¡¯t dare to claim to be number one in refining weapons, I can say that I¡¯m not inferior to anyone. ¡°I saw your entrance exam. You¡¯re extremely talented in terms of comprehension. You¡¯re suitable to inherit my heritage. ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m asking you here. Are you willing to become my disciple and learn how to refine weapons?¡± Luo Yan immediately became serious and bowed respectfully. ¡°I¡¯m willing to learn.¡± (Hypocritical character design, synchronization value+1] ¡°Alright.¡± Elder Shi Ding stroked his beard and smiled. Although Luo Yan was decisive in acknowledging a master, he had already thought it through. The cauldron was the key to the array, and ¡°entering the Dao¡± was a very strict term. To use a realistic analogy, he was about the top level among the academicians. Perfected Shi Ding claimed to have entered the Dao by ¡°refining a cauldron¡±, which meant that he had extremely high attainments in array formations. Then, he was ¡°proficient in all kinds of refining methods.¡± This was a very valuable short sentence. There were many ways to refine artifacts. The cauldron, mirror, seal, pot,sword, zither and clock. Who dared to say that they could master all of them? Therefore, there were the fewest cultivators who cultivated the Dao of refining artifacts, causing the price of artifacts to be high all year round. The ¡°sword forging¡± needed to be mentioned again. Flying swords were the fastest and had strong lethality. They could also seal Dao techniques. They could be considered the ¡°guns¡± of the cultivation world. Therefore, all the sects used flying swords. Currently, in the cultivation world, there¡¯s a phrase, ¡°out of the ten, six were from Penglai¡±. In the future world, it could be said that Penglai was the monopoly in the industry. There was naturally no need to say how much wealth it represented. In short, he had to cozy up to Elder Shi Ding. So that he would not lack flying swords, Dharma treasures, or spirit stonesIn the future! As for Shi Liuli, she was just an ignorant young lady. If Master doesn¡¯t want me to be involved with her, I promise I won¡¯t care about her! Seeing that Luo Yan chose to become his disciple without hesitation, Elder Shi Ding was very satisfied. Due to his hypocritical persona and the psychological hints of the Imitation Mode, Elder Shi Ding¡¯s first impression of Luo Yan was excellent. With a high level of comprehension and an honest personality, who wouldn¡¯t love such a disciple? Shi Liuli pouted beside him, feeling a little unhappy. In her expectations, her father would look down on Luo Yan and she would strongly recommend him to her father so that he could reluctantly accept Luo Yan as his disciple. Hence, Luo Yan would be deeply grateful and loyal to her. Then, her father finally realized that Luo Yan¡¯s comprehension was very high. He would then look at him in a different light and praised her for her foresight¡­ That¡¯s how it should go! Why didn¡¯t you follow my script? However, after having a junior brother, I am no longer the youngest. Hence, she excitedly called herself a senior sister and said to Luo Yan, ¡°Since you¡¯ve also become my father¡¯s disciple, I¡¯ll bring you to familiarize yourself with the environment and meet the other senior brothers and sisters¡± Elder Shi Ding watched his daughter pull Luo Yan out and could not help but smile. Putting aside the matters between men and women, his daughter had been surrounded by her senior brothers and sisters since she was young. She was doted on very much and had also developed an innocent personality. It would definitely be a good thing if her junior brother, Luo Yan, could make her consider herself as a senior sister and nurture a sense of responsibility. As for whether his daughter would like him in the future, that was up to the younger generation. Shi Liuli pulled Luo Yan around the workshop. She also took the opportunity to visit her senior brothers and sisters¡¯ residence. Her eldest senior brother, Linghu Chu, was a Golden Core Daoist who specialized in the Dao of Sword Refinement. At the same time, he was also quite accomplished in the Penglai Sword Technique. However, he seemed to be an alcoholic. Shi Liuli pulled Luo Yan into the main hall and saw him leaning against the armchair, drunk and sleeping. Shi Liuli wrinkled her nose in disgust and introduced him indifferently. Then she pulled Luo Yan away, as if she was afraid that he would be infected with alcohol. Second Senior Sister, Lei Caiyan, was also a Golden Core Daoist. She specialized in making zithers and was very talented in music and divination. However, her thoughts and words were a little dull. In order to express her welcome to her new junior brother, Senior Sister Lei directly gave him a ¡°Phoenix-Tailed Zither¡±. It was made of a thousand-year-old parasol tree wood and was carefully unblocked with True Essence. It was an extremely high-quality zither-type Dharma treasure. Qiu Changtian was proficient in music and had put in a lot of effort on the flute. He planned to appear when he needed to in the future with the flute. However, he was not good at playing the zither, so Luo Yan was prepared to give this Phoenix-tailed Zither to Qiu Changtian and then give it to his junior sister to play. Third Senior Sister Liang Ruohua was also a Golden Core Daoist. She refined mirrors and seals and had deep experience in sealing techniques. Shi Liuli¡¯s usual Dharma treasure, the Heaven Upheaval Seal, was forged by her according to the Sky Flipping Seal of Postnatal numinous treasure. It was said to be 30% of the original treasure¡¯s power. 30% of the power of a postnatal numinous treasure treasure was already very ridiculous, okay? A tenth-grade immortal sword could be bent by it, but it was slightly weaker than an ¡°eleven-grade immortal sword¡± like the Taiyi Light Splitting Sword. Shi Liuli begged for a ¡°Life Mirror¡± from Liang Ruohua for Luo Yan. It was said that with it, it could withstand a fatal attack at a critical moment. Luo Yan was flattered and thanked her profusely. Fourth Senior Brother Shi Wenshi was a Transformation Realm cultivator who specialized in making pots and clocks. In addition, his family¡¯s spatial Dao technique was very profound. It was said that almost 80% of the storage bags, and cosmic bags on the market came from the Fourth Senior Brother¡¯s Shi family of Guangling However, this family had never produced a Nascent Soul cultivator in history, so they kept a low profile and were considered ¡°invisible tycoons¡± in the cultivation world. As a greeting gift, Shi Wenshi gave Luo Yan a ¡°Hundred Treasure Bag¡±. The space inside was so huge that it could even fit a large ship. Luo Yan was pleasantly surprised and hurriedly thanked him. It had to be said that because the cultivators of the Yuqing Temple in Penglai were obsessed with cultivating all kinds of techniques, the number of Golden Core and Nascent Soul cultivators was at the bottom of the three orthodox sects. No wonder the Sect Master Polestar of the Kunlun called them ¡°nerds¡±. However, Luo Yan discovered that in Elder Shi Ding¡¯s Heavenly Workshop, not only were they familiar with each other, but they were also close enough to give each other Dharma treasures at will. It was as if they were family. It warmed Luo Yan¡¯s heart. On the other hand, on Kunlun¡¯s side, although Sect Master Polestar had many personal disciples, his senior brothers and sisters could not even speak other than listening to the scriptures together in the lecture hall. Human nature paled in comparison. Chapter 36 - You Cant Get Senior Sister By Flattering Chapter 36 You Can¡¯t Get Senior Sister By Flattering The matter on Luo Yan¡¯s side came to an end, and his synchronization value finally escaped the danger line. Therefore, after Shi Liuli brought him to the single room in the Heavenly Workshop to settle down, Luo Yan saved it here. Then, he loaded the file and teleported his body to Mount Shu. He used the Imitation Mode technique to put on Ling Yunpo¡¯s persona. (Point two: Mount Shu¡¯s Shangqing Faction, Green Spiral Peak] (Character Identity: Ling Yunpo.) [Imitation Mode covered, currently traveling through time.] was Recently, Senior Sister An Zhisu had been especially enthusiastic. Even though he was born with a sword bone and had a strong constitution, he was still trained to the point of wanting to die. In addition, in order to practice the two-handed sword control technique, it was said that Senior Sister An had hired someone to teach him, but he didn¡¯t know who it was. Ling Yunpo stayed in the room for a moment before carrying the Qingping Sword and planning to take a walk. However, before he reached the main hall, he heard an unfamiliar male voice. ¡°Back then, Shi Ziming¡¯s senior sister died in your hands. Therefore, Shi Ziming didn¡¯t do it for the Political Affairs Hall at all. He came to take revenge on you with his personal grudges¡­¡± ¡°I know, Junior Brother Lin,¡± An Zhisu said irritably. Ling Yunpo subconsciously thought that she was calling him, but later realized that it was ¡°Lin¡± and not ¡°Ling¡±. Well, Senior Sister An¡¯s accent belonged to the Wu language, so it was normal for her to be nasal. ¡°Shi Ziming is dead, so I don¡¯t intend to pursue the matter,¡± An Zhisu continued. ¡°The priority now is¡­¡± ¡°Let me finish!¡± The male voice interrupted her and said hurriedly, ¡°Shi Ziming¡¯s fake pill technique is the Purple Cloud Peak¡¯s Purple Cloud Summit! Do you understand? Although Shi Ziming hates you, the Purple Cloud Peak is the one who is adding fuel to the fire! ¡°It¡¯s precisely because the Purple Cloud Peak failed to harm you that they shifted their target to your junior brother. If Ling Yunpo fought with Lou Zhizheng, it would be equivalent to stepping into a trap set up by others. ¡°If I were you, I would never let Junior Brother Ling take the risk alone!¡± An Zhisu said with a sigh, ¡°Junior Brother Ling has already made up his mind. I really can¡¯t persuade him anymore¡­¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll advise,¡± the male voice said. Who are you! Ling Yunpo was furious and walked into the main hall with his head held high. An Zhisu stood in the middle of the main hall in a white dress, her eyes filled with worry. A strange young man stood beside her. He was wearing a green robe and carrying a sword case on his back. He had a straight face and was whispering something to her. An Zhisu immediately put away her worries and smiled again when she saw Ling Yunpo come out of the backyard. She called him over and said, ¡°Junior Brother, this is Senior Brother Lin Duanshan. I invited him to teach you the two swords controlling technique.¡± ¡°Greetings, Senior Brother Lin.¡± Ling Yunpo cupped his hands. ¡°Adamantine Peak, Lin Duanshan.¡± The other party also cupped his hands in return and said proudly, ¡°Let me tell you first. Your Senior Sister An asked me to teach you. Although I agreed, I¡¯m not your master. I have no obligation to explain to you in a way that you can understand! ¡°If you¡¯re not talented enough and can¡¯t learn what I teach, then give up on the competition as soon as possible. Don¡¯t let your senior sister worry about you!¡± Oh? Ling Yunpo broke into laughter. Who the hell are you? How dare you jump in front of my senior sister to instruct me? ¡°Senior Brother Lin is ranked third on the Immortal Sword Ranking,¡± An Zhisu said with a smile. ¡°Although he doesn¡¯t speak politely, he¡¯s actually cold on the outside but warm on the inside. Since he agreed to teach you, he will definitely teach you well.¡± Third on the Immortal Sword Ranking? Ling Yunpo frowned, realizing that this person was not simple. The so-called Immortal Sword Ranking was designed by the Mount Shu Shangqing Sect to encourage Foundation Establishment disciples to compete with each other. Every once in a while, the Shangqing Sect would hold an internal competition to rank the Immortal Sword Rankings according to the results of the competition. To a certain extent, this Immortal Sword Ranking did have its meaning-it was to directly display the strength of each disciple. If you¡¯re ranked 30th on the Immortal Sword Ranking, you have to know not to challenge the top ten on the Immortal Sword Ranking. Otherwise, you won¡¯t even know how you died. After all, there was no internet in the cultivation world, and news was limited. Unless one was as awesome as a certain Sword Immortal who was ranked first on the Immortal Sword Ranking and had a blood feud with almost every sword peak, it would be difficult for one¡¯s reputation to spread to other peaks. For example, Ling Yunpo had never heard of Lin Duanshan before. However, when he heard that he was ranked third on the Immortal Sword Rankings, he understood. He was a Transformation Realm expert who was slightly weaker than his senior sister. He instantly understood the other party¡¯s strength. ¡°Then please enlighten me, Senior Brother Lin,¡± he said reservedly. ¡°Hmph.¡± Lin Duanshan snorted and walked out. In the open space outside the Green Spiral Peak Daoist Temple, Lin Duanshan summoned two flying swords and hovered in front of him. ¡°On the right is my Intrinsic Sword, Level 9 Earth-Element Flying Sword, Kai Yue. On the left is my usual auxiliary sword, the ninth-rank metal-attribute flying sword, Chang Bing ¡°In order to teach you the Qi circulation method of the Double Handed Sword Control Technique, you only need to compete in sword techniques. You don¡¯t need to use your own cultivation and the Dao technique on the sword.¡± He suddenly shouted in a deep voice, ¡°Ling Yunpo! Draw your sword!¡± Ling Yunpo immediately formed a sword seal. The Qingping Sword flew from behind and stopped in front of him. ¡°This is my tenth-stage water-type flying sword, ¡®Qingping,¡± he said loudly. ¡°According to Senior Brother, we¡¯ll only compete in sword techniques and not cultivation!¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Lin Duanshan shouted, ¡°Senior Sister An, give him another flying sword!¡± Standing beside him, An Zhisu pointed her finger, and the Frostfall Sword shot out from her fingertip and stopped in front of Ling Yunpo. Ling Yunpo extended his left hand and established a connection with the Frostfall Sword. Under An Zhisu¡¯s control, he had no difficulty attaching his divine sense to it and successfully obtained command of the Frostfall Sword. ¡°What route did you take to control Qingping with your right hand?¡± Lin Duanshan asked loudly. ¡°Small intestine meridian!¡± Ling Yunpo replied in a clear voice. ¡°Exit Jugu, pass through Quchi, cross Hegu, turn to Shang Yang, and connect with the Qingping Sword!¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Lin Duanshan quickly said, ¡°Yin-Yang must merge! Use your left hand to circulate Qi through the pericardium channel of Hand Jueyin. Leave Tian Chi, pass through Quchi, cross Laogong, turn to Zhongchong, and try to control the Frostfall Sword!¡± Ling Yunpo did as he was told and circulated his Qi in order. Soon, he realized that while controlling the Qingping Sword, he could also use the Frostfall Sword as if it was his arm. An Zhisu watched from the side and could not help but smile happily. Her routes to control the two-handed Sword Control Technique are respectively the small intestine meridian channel for her right arm and the lung meridian of Hand Taiyin for her left arm. However, Ling Yunpo could not learn it no matter how hard he tried. It must have been due to their different physiques from the looks of it now. The suitable circulation route was indeed different. ¡°Multi-tasking and dual-wielding are just the basics!¡± Lin Duanshan said coldly, ¡°The important thing is to combine them in actual combat and use them skillfully! Let me ask you first. What sword techniques have you learned since you entered the sect?¡± ¡°Of course it¡¯s the Mount Shu Sword Control Technique and our Seven Kills Sword Technique!¡± Ling Yunpo immediately replied. ¡°Only the Mount Shu Sword Technique?¡± Lin Duanshan said coldly, ¡°We sword cultivators use the sword to break the techniques. There are all kinds of techniques in the world. You only know one sword technique, so how can you break it cleanly?¡± He sneered, the disappointment in his eyes deepening. ¡°The Seven Kills Sword dual-wielding is famous for its completely different left and right sword paths. However, you only know the Mount Shu Sword Art. Could it be that the left sword also walks the Mount Shu Sword Art and the right sword also walks the Mount Shu Sword Art? You might as well tie the two swords together! ¡°Such standards are really ruining Senior Sister An¡¯s reputation. In the future, don¡¯t say that you¡¯re her junior brother!¡± ¡°Lin Duanshan!¡± An Zhisu immediately frowned and shouted, ¡°Does my Green Spiral Peak need you to talk too much about how we teach our disciples? Junior Brother Ling called you Senior Brother. Do you really not treat yourself as an outsider?!¡± ¡°Yes, Senior Sister An.¡± Lin Duanshan hurriedly smiled apologetically. He turned around and glared at Ling Yunpo. ¡°I¡¯ll use the Mount Hua Sword Technique to hit you first. Watch my sword path carefully!¡± Chapter 37 - With Little Missy, Why Do I Need an Old Grandpa? Chapter 37 With Little Missy, Why Do I Need an Old Grandpa? The cold gray Kai Yue Sword was blocked by Ling Yunpo¡¯s Qingping Sword. Lin Duanshan formed another sword seal with his left hand. The golden-red Chang Bing circled around and shot over from the other side. Ling Yunpo hurriedly circulated his Qi with his left hand and controlled the Frostfall Sword to try to block. However, be it the Kai Yue Sword on the right or the Chang Bing Sword on the left, their flight trajectories were abnormally agile. Their routes were also extremely tricky. They actually kept aiming towards Qingping and Frostfall openings. Ling Yunpo had to divert his attention to control the Qingping Sword and suppress the Kai Yue Sword on the other side. He also had to divert his attention to control the unfamiliar Frostfall Sword and stop the guerrilla attack of Chang Bing Sword. How could he have the time to observe and learn the Mount Hua Sword Technique? On his right, the Qingping Sword gained the upper hand. On his left, the Frostfall Sword was at a disadvantage. Once the Frostfall Sword regained its advantage, the Qingping Sword was disrupted. He really lost track and was flustered. Lin Duanshan took the opportunity to pursue and immediately increased the attack of his two swords. He used the Mount Hua Sword Technique with great strength and shouted coldly, ¡°The path of the sword must be stable! If you seek perfection with both sides, you will lose both sides! Do you know what the priority is? With such perception, I wonder how you became a disciple of the Green Spiral Peak. Aren¡¯t you afraid of embarrassing Senior Sister An¡­¡± ¡°Lin Duanshan!¡± An Zhisu glared at him. ¡°If I hear you insult my junior brother again, I¡¯ll skewer your lute bones with my sword!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Senior Sister An.¡± Lin Duanshan hurriedly tried to curry favor with her. ¡°It¡¯s not that I despise Junior Brother Ling¡¯s talent. I think it¡¯s because the tenth-grade Qingping Sword is unruly. In addition, he hasn¡¯t reached the Purification realm and can¡¯t nurture the sword with his body. That¡¯s why he completely refined the Qingping Sword, causing his sword path to wander and affect his swordsmanship.¡± Senior Sister An¡¯s expression relaxed slightly, but the Qingping Sword was unhappy. She immediately shouted in Ling Yun¡¯s consciousness, ¡°What the hell is this man talking about? You blame me for your lousy swordsmanship?¡± ¡°Qingping,¡± Ling Yunpo said coldly. ¡°Why don¡¯t I throw you into the Sword Pool and you find another good swordsman?¡± ¡°Lord Sword Master!¡± The Qingping Sword hurriedly smiled charmingly. ¡°A loyal subject never serves two masters. A virgin doesn¡¯t marry a second husband, so how can I leave Lord Sword Master?¡± ¡°Jianjian.¡± The Kunlun Mirror interrupted and mocked, ¡°You look 60-70% similar to Lin Duanshan when you¡¯re flattering people.¡± ¡°Yaoyao, don¡¯t slander me!¡± The Qingping Sword argued with it. ¡°How could you call me a bootlicker when I¡¯m just currying favor with my Sword Master?¡±. At this, her voice softened again. ¡°Lord Sword Master, let me tell you. That fellow opposite us is using the unorthodox Mount Hua Sword Technique. It looks exquisite and complicated, but the true essence is a ruthless sneak attack. If it can attack from the blind spots, it will never take the direct route. ¡°If the sword takes an unorthodox approach, the frontal defense will become weaker. Therefore, this sword technique is ultimately difficult to enter the mainstream. ¡°For example, after his Chang Bing is blocked by the Frostfall Sword, it will bounce back with the recoil and then have a retreating action. This is called ¡®turnaround¡¯ in the Mount Hua Sword Technique. It¡¯s a prerequisite move to prepare to move around. The flaw is also very obvious. ¡°You only need to change the target of the Frostfall Sword to Lin Duanshan when it retreats and use all your strength to stab him. Then, you will be able to just miss the edge of the Chang Bing and break through its defense. This move is called ¡®Truth Revealed¡¯, one of the few assassination sword moves worth learning in the Mount Hua Sword Technique¡­¡± Ling Yunpo immediately did as she said. The Chang Bing Sword came at him from a tricky angle but it was blocked by Ling Yunpo¡¯s Frostfall Sword. Metal clashed and sparks flew. Both sides were repelled by the recoil. As expected, the Chang Bin Sword sank slightly. Ling Yunpo could see it clearly. He immediately injected True Qi into his left arm and quickly urged the Frost fall Sword forward. As expected! It would have been better if the Chang Bing Sword had not sunk. With its body sinking, the Frostfall Sword was urged forward at the same time. It missed the Chang Bing by a millimeter and stabbed straight at the defenseless Lin Duanshan! Lin Duanshan was originally still focused on attacking, but he almost broke out in a cold sweat when he was suddenly stabbed by this attack. He hurriedly turned the Kai Yue Sword back to defend and barely blocked it with half a step in front of him. ¡°What a pity.¡± The Qingping Sword clicked its tongue and said regretfully, ¡°Lord Sword Master, if you had used all your strength just now, this Lin Duanshan would already be a dead man.¡± ¡°Hmph,¡± Ling Yunpo said coldly. ¡°For Senior Sister¡¯s sake, I¡¯ll spare his life.¡± ¡°Good!¡± Opposite him, Lin Duanshan recovered from his shock. As if to regain his dignity, he shouted, ¡°What a good move! Let¡¯s see how you break this move!¡± He formed a few sword seals with his left hand, and the sword path of the Kai Yue Sword immediately became even stranger. ¡°This move is called ¡®Flourishing Blossoms¡¯. Actually, it¡¯s flashy but useless. It¡¯s the most trashy move in the Mount Hua Sword Technique!¡± The Qingping Sword hurriedly said. ¡°You don¡¯t have to observe its sword path. Those are to confuse you. It will suddenly stop before it attacks. You should seize this opportunity and drive me to suddenly slash down. This is called the ¡®Bear Splitting Mountain.¡¯ It specializes in breaking that ¡®Flourishing Blossoms¡¯¡­¡± Although the text on it was very long, it only took a thought for Ling Yunpo and the Qingping Sword to communicate telepathically. Ling Yunpo did as he was told. The Frostfall Sword was still fighting with the Chang Bing Sword, while the Qingping Sword was swaying slightly, pretending to be observing the path of the Kai Yue Sword. As expected, the Kai Yue Sword was still moving strangely a second ago. In the next second, it suddenly stopped. Then, it took the opportunity to pass through the defense of the Qingping Sword and directly stab in the direction of Ling Yunpo! However, as soon as it increased its speed, it was slashed from above by the prepared Qingping Sword. It suddenly fell heavily to the ground and was instantly half buried in the ground. Under Lin Duanshan¡¯s exasperated urging, it pulled itself out again in a sorry state. ¡°What a good move, ¡®Bear Splitting Mountain¡¯!¡± Lin Duanshan laughed in anger. He tried his best not to lose his composure in front of Senior Sister An. He forced himself to calm down and said, ¡°You¡¯ve already grasped the essence of this Mount Hua Sword Technique. It¡¯s nothing more than being unexpected. ¡°But what about frontal defense? I¡¯ll use the Mount Wutai Primordial Chaos Sword Technique. Come and take a look!¡± His finger seals quickly changed, and the sword path of Kai Yue and the Chang Bing immediately changed again. They began to fight with Frostfall and Qingping. The Qingping Sword sneered and said disdainfully, ¡°This Mount Wutai Primordial Chaos Sword Technique is said to be a combination of all kinds of unorthodox methods. It¡¯s extremely defensive and airtight. ¡°However, why did you need to attack its defense? The greatest flaw of the Primordial Chaos Sword Technique is that it¡¯s not chaotic enough. By borrowing a move here and intercepting a move there, you can piece together a ¡®Four Unlike¡¯! ¡°It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t learn this kind of trash sword technique! Don¡¯t worry about the other party¡¯s sword path. Just use your full strength to drive the two swords to attack him. He will definitely be forced to retreat!¡± Ling Yunpo did as he was told. The Frostfall Sword and the Qingping Sword charged straight at Lin Duanshan. As expected, the other party was forced to retreat. Lin Duanshan gritted his teeth and ignored An Zhisu¡¯s expression. He roared, ¡°The Primordial Chaos Sword Technique of Mount Wutai needs to be used with the various unorthodox spells of the All Life Sect. Without the combination of spells, it¡¯s indeed not useful. It¡¯s fine if I don¡¯t learn it! ¡°Look at my Asura Dao All-Kill Sword again!¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Kai Yue and the Chang Bing immediately became murderous, and their sword paths became firm and fierce. The Qingping Sword snorted and said, ¡°The All-Kill Sword of the Asura Dao is indeed a pure sword technique with extreme killing power. But it just focused on killing, and had lost variety. Instead, you¡¯re easily targeted. ¡°Listen to me. The essence of the All-Kill Sword lies in its angle of power and method¡­¡± Chapter 38 - Defeating Senior Brother Lin All on My Own Chapter 38 Defeating Senior Brother Lin All on My Own The essence of the Asura Dao¡¯s All-Kill Sword lay in its strange method of exerting strength. It originated from the ancient Western Sect¡¯s cultivation book called ¡°Yajurveda¡±. Its characteristic was the triple force, each stronger than the last¡­ but that was all. If he did not understand this characteristic, he would definitely suffer a huge loss if he rashly used his flying sword to block it. However, with the Qingping Sword¡¯s reminder, Ling Yunpo naturally wouldn¡¯t fall for it. With his Innate Sword Bones, his control over the flying sword was extremely strong. He immediately mastered the Qingping Sword after only one explanation. Qingping and Frostfall clashed in the air with Kai Yue and Chang Bing. The latter immediately found it difficult to hold on. A ninth-grade flying sword was naturally inferior to a tenth-grade flying sword in terms of head-on collision. Lin Duanshan¡¯s expression was cold as he secretly used the secret technique of the All- Kill Sword. The strength of the two swords immediately became heavier. Unexpectedly, the strength of the other party¡¯s flying sword also suddenly increased, suppressing Kai Yue and Chang Bing to the point that they were instantly forced to fly back, almost hitting Lin Duanshan himself. Lin Duanshan: ??? I¡¯ve only used it once. Why do you suddenly know it? He gritted his teeth and said fiercely, ¡°The All-Kill Sword is simple and crude. It¡¯s too easy to imitate its power. There¡¯s no difficulty! ¡°Look at my East Sea Jade Coral Sword!¡± Before he could finish his sentence, Kai Yue and Chang Bing started moving nimbly. The Qingping Sword said lazily, ¡°The East Sea Jade Coral Sword is a sword technique of the Penglai Yuqing Temple. It has to be used with talisman formations. Otherwise, it¡¯s just for show. Just fight casually.¡± Ling Yunpo remained calm and collected. Soon, he activated the Qingping Sword and Frostfall Sword and easily broke through the defense of the two swords. Lin Duanshan¡¯s eyes widened and he was exasperated. It was because he had put on too much airs previously, but in the end, he was humiliated by his junior brother in front of An Zhisu. At this moment, he could not put himself on the spot and could only shout, ¡°It¡¯s useless to learn so much. Watch me use the Xuan Sect¡¯s authentic Kunlun Sword Technique!¡± Without waiting for the Qingping Sword to speak, Ling Yunpo¡¯s eyes lit up. Oh dear, I¡¯m so familiar with that! In just a few moves, Ling Yunpo used his extremely rich experience and suppressed Kai Yue and Chang Bing with the Qingping Sword alone. The Frostfall Sword took the opportunity to circle around and pressed against Lin Duanshan¡¯s back. Lin Duanshan was stunned on the spot. His lips were pursed tightly, and his eyes were wide open. He seemed to want to defend himself, but in the end, he did not say anything An Zhisu, who was watching from the sidelines, finally laughed and said, ¡°Junior Brother Lin, thank you for your guidance.¡± ¡°Forget it, forget it.¡± Lin Duanshan waved his hand dejectedly. Kai Yue took off and flew to his side. Chang Bing turned into a stream of light and entered the sword case on his back. He turned away so that neither of them could see his face. He said in a muffled voice, ¡°I, Lin Duanshan, am not a sore loser. ¡°Senior Sister An, your junior brother is talented. It¡¯s only because your master is in seclusion that he wasted his talent in swordsmanship. Although he defeated me in the path of swordsmanship, Lou Zhizheng of the Purple Cloud Peak will definitely use his cultivation in the following battle. ¡°To fight a person in the Purification realm with a Qi Refinement realm is something that can only be done with extreme methods. Anyway¡­ you guys take care.¡± When Kai Yue¡¯s sword light landed at his feet, Lin Duanshan rode his sword and flew into the distant sky. ¡°Thank you, Senior Brother!¡± Ling Yun shouted at his back. In the distance, Lin Duanshan¡¯s sword light suddenly fell half a meter before flying up shakily and quickly disappearing. ¡°Senior Sister.¡± Ling Yunpo turned his head and smiled. ¡°How did I do this time?¡± ¡°You performed very well,¡± An Zhisu said gently. ¡°Lin Duanshan is the Eldest Senior Brother of the Adamantine Peak. He is quite perceptive in the Sword Dao. He knows many sword techniques of other sects at a glance, so he is extremely arrogant. ¡°There aren¡¯t many disciples in the entire Mount Shu that he thinks highly of. ¡°You were able to learn his sword technique in the competition and even make him swallow his pride and admit defeat. This shows that Junior Brother¡¯s talent in the Sword Dao must be outstanding.¡± Ling Yunpo knew that Senior Sister An said this because she was afraid that Lin Duanshan¡¯s words would affect his confidence. He hurriedly smiled and said, ¡°Of course! Hmph, even if he¡¯s Eldest Senior Brother of the Adamantine Peak, he still lost to me in the Sword Dao, didn¡¯t he?¡± Seeing his smug expression, An Zhisu was a little amused. She wanted to reach out and pat his shoulder, but she couldn¡¯t help but remember how she had returned injured that night and had her clothes taken off by her junior brother to apply medicine. The emotions in her mind became strange, and she withdrew her hand, which was halfway out. Then she remembered the time Lou Zhizheng threw down the sword talisman. She was so flustered that tears flowed down her face. However, her junior brother calmly wiped her tears away. At that time, his face indeed shone with the confident smile of ¡°in control.¡± It was still in An Zhisu¡¯s memory. Although Junior Brother is Junior Brother, but¡­ After all, he was someone she could trust and rely on. Thinking of this, An Zhisu suddenly reached out and grabbed Ling Yunpo¡¯s arm. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Junior Brother!¡± She said with a smile. ¡°To celebrate you learning the Two-Handed Sword Control Technique, I want to give you a treasure.¡± ¡°What treasure?¡± Ling Yunpo asked curiously. ¡°A tenth-grade immortal sword that Master left behind.¡± An Zhisu blinked. ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª The Mortal Immortal Sword was very arrogant. In other words, it was easy for an immortal sword to produce a sword spirit. With a sword spirit, it would choose its master. So it wasn¡¯t that easy to use it. The flying sword left behind by Perfected Seven Kills, Su Jian, was called ¡°Thunderbolt¡±. It was a tenth-grade metal-elemental flying sword. And it had its own sword spirit. As this sword spirit¡¯s personality was rather extreme, when Ling Yunpo asked if there were any tenth-grade flying swords in the Sword Pool, An Zhisu hesitated for a while, but in the end, she did not tell him about the existence of this immortal sword. In any case, it was too ridiculous for a disciple who had just learned the Sword Control Technique to try to tame such an extremely difficult sword spirit. What if the blow hit him too hard and hurt his pride? However, today¡¯s battle between Ling Yunpo and Lin Duanshan made An Zhisu realize that her junior brother¡¯s talent in the Sword Dao was extremely shocking. Coupled with the fact that the Kunlun Mirror had tampered with him previously, causing his true temperament to leak out, Senior Sister An realized that Ling Yunpo was not only her obedient junior brother-he was already mature enough to have his own plans and schemes. In that case, why couldn¡¯t she trust him a little more and let him try to refine the ¡°Thunderbolt¡±? ¡°Senior Sister.¡± Ling Yunpo¡¯s voice interrupted her thoughts. ¡°What did you say was wrong with this immortal sword?¡± ¡°Oh, Thunderbolt,¡± said An Zhisu with a sigh. ¡°It only recognizes immortals as Swordmasters.¡± ¡°Immortals?¡± Ling Yunpo¡¯s expression was strange. ¡°How many immortals are there in this world?¡± Above the Nascent Soul realm were the legendary immortals. Immortals were extremely rare in this world. Many cultivators had never heard of immortals in their entire lives. However, everyone guessed that at least in the Orthodox Three Pure Ones, each sect had a Grand Elder at the immortal level. How could they fancy an ordinary tenth-grade immortal sword like Thunderbolt? ¡°Hmm.¡± An Zhisu shook her head. ¡°That¡¯s why it still doesn¡¯t have a Sword Master.¡± Chapter 39 - Subduing the Thunderbolt Sword Chapter 39 Subduing the Thunderbolt Sword The Qingping Sword was three feet and six inches long. Its entire body was black, and there were green lotus carvings on the sword. The Thunderbolt Sword was three feet and eight inches long. The body of the sword was shiny, and the sword was engraved with a golden lion¡¯s fang. It looked very mighty and domineering. Well, or to put it another way, flashy. Although it was a tenth-grade immortal sword, it was thrown into the storeroom where no one cared about it. It was piled up with other brooms like firewood. Finding the dusty Thunderbolt Sword in the corner, An Zhisu picked it up and shook it a few times, then wiped the hilt with a handkerchief before handing it to Ling Yunpo. ¡°Come, give it a try? If you can successfully refine it, we won¡¯t have to go to the Sword Pool to retrieve the second sword.¡± Ling Yunpo took the flying sword and tried to connect the aura. As soon as he touched the sword, he was immediately bounced back. What followed was a very showy middle-schooler¡¯s voice. ¡°Who wants to refine me? Miscellaneous cultivator! Are you an Immortal? Are you worthy?¡± Ling Yunpo: ¡­ ¡°Senior sister,¡± he said seriously, ¡°I don¡¯t have much experience with sword spirits, but I think we can throw a sword spirit like this back into the Sword Pool and let it go and fence with other flying swords day and night.¡± In his mind, he heard the laughter of the Qingping Sword and the furious cursing of Thunderbolt. An Zhisu laughed after hearing this. ¡°Junior Brother, Thunderbolt is a tenth-grade immortal sword after all. Isn¡¯t it a pity to throw it into the Sword Pool?¡± The Thunderbolt Sword heaved a sigh of relief and continued to sneer in his mind. ¡°Pfft, fortunately, this little girl knows her stuff. Unfortunately, she hasn¡¯t even reached the Golden Core realm. As for you, a rude miscellaneous cultivator, you can forget about subduing me even if you can really become an immortal!¡± ¡°Alright, Senior Sister.¡± Ling Yunpo nodded. ¡°Then I¡¯ll take it back and see if I can refine it.¡± ¡°Yes, yes,¡± An Zhisu said with a smile. ¡°Take your time. It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Ling Yunpo returned to the bedroom with the Thunderbolt Sword and placed it on the desk. ¡°Ah Jing, Qingping, is there any way to train the sword spirit?¡± After a long silence, the Kunlun Mirror said, ¡°What do you mean by ¡®training¡¯?¡± ¡°Training means by making it listen to me obediently.¡± Ling Yunpo sneered. ¡°Like throwing it into the manure pit in the dry toilet?¡± ¡°You¡¯re inhuman!¡± Qingping Sword cried in disbelief. As a tenth-stage immortal sword, there was naturally no need to worry about a mere Qi Refinement realm disciple causing any physical damage to it. However, being thrown into a manure pit¡­ was not very lethal but was extremely insulting. The Thunderbolt Sword would probably rather destroy its sword spirit than keep such memories. ¡°May I be so bold as to ask, Sword Master?¡± The Qingping Sword asked carefully. ¡°If we were to throw it into that defile, even if we were to use it to force it to submit, we wouldn¡¯t be able to use it in the future, would we? After all, it¡¯s already such a smelly sword¡­¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Ling Yunpo said leisurely. ¡°Just wash it. In any case, the flying sword doesn¡¯t need to be held in your hand to be used. Even if it stinks, it will only stink others. I don¡¯t mind.¡± Qingping Sword: ¡­ It wanted to say, ¡°But I mind,¡± but it knew that this cold Sword Master would definitely not care about its senses. Therefore, after thinking for a moment, the Qingping Sword tried to please him again. ¡°Do you want me to try, Lord Sword Master?¡± ¡°You?¡± Ling Yun said lazily. ¡°How do you want to try?¡± During his training with Lin Duanshan, he knew that this Qingping Sword was not an ordinary immortal sword-he had to take the initiative to extract its value. ¡°I can convince it,¡± Qing Ping Sword said obsequiously. ¡°How do you convince¡ª¡± Ling Yunpo broke off, then asked warily, ¡°Wait, it¡¯s not a honey trap, is it?!¡± ¡°Look at what you¡¯re saying, Sword Master.¡± The Qingping Sword laughed coquettishly. ¡°To us sword spirits, there¡¯s only the gender that we consider ourselves to be, but there¡¯s no such thing as a natural gender. How can there be a honey trap? ¡°Besides, since I serve the Sword Master, I will be the Sword Master¡¯s immortal sword for life. How can I welcome another sword¡­¡± ¡°Alright, alright.¡± Ling Yunpo also felt that he seemed to be thinking too much and was forcefully asking for it. ¡°Then I¡¯ll leave it to you, Qingping. Don¡¯t disappoint me.¡± He also placed the Qingping Sword on the desk and slowly walked out the door. ¡°Hmph, mortal iron, what are you trying to do?¡± The Thunderbolt Sword lying on the table asked arrogantly. In the next second, an extremely terrifying aura rose from the Qingping Sword beside it. Ling Yunpo had nothing to do, so he walked around the top of the Green Spiral Peak for a while. The Mount Shu peaks were located in the Divine Territory. They were beautiful. Although the scenery was not as beautiful as the Kunlun snow peaks, it had a unique taste. The trees, vines, flowers, mountain streams, birds, and insects were all full of life. By the stream behind the temple, Ling Yunpo saw two lines of poetry carved on a stone wall beside him: As time passed, this hatred would last forever. Ling Yunpo: ? Judging from the handwriting, it didn¡¯t look like Senior Sister An. However, it was said that his cheap master, Su Jian, the Perfected Seven Kills, had been obsessed with the Sword Dao his entire life. It was unlikely that he would have such lingering emotions. Well, I wonder which senior left it. After walking around outside, Ling Yunpo returned to the room and saw the two tenth-grade immortal swords still lying quietly on the table. Ling Yun raised the Qingping Sword and picked up the Thunderbolt Sword, colluding his aura. The Thunderbolt sword did not resist at all, leaving him slightly puzzled. So he tried to communicate with it. ¡°Thunderbolt, you¡ª¡±. ¡°Ah! I¡¯m here,¡± the Thunderbolt Sword said obsequiously. ¡°Sword Master, what can I do for you?¡± Ling Yunpo: ??? He wanted to show a black question mark expression, but considering that there was no audience around him, he asked patiently again, ¡°What did Qingping tell you?¡± ¡°Lord Sword Master,¡± Thunderbolt said respectfully, ¡°Her Majesty taught me many things. For example, a good bird chooses a tree to perch on, and a bright sword chooses its master. Or a sword can have pride, but not arrogance¡­¡± ¡°Stop,¡± Ling Yunpo shouted, interrupting its nagging. ¡°What the hell is Her Majesty?¡± ¡°Her Majesty Qingping thinks she¡¯s the Queen of Swords, so I call her Her Majesty.¡± The Thunderbolt Sword chuckled. ¡°What¡¯s your gender, then?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have a gender for the time being,¡± the Thunderbolt Sword said quickly. ¡°If the Sword Master likes women, then I will be a beautiful woman. If the Sword Master likes men, then I will be a beautiful pederast. My voice can also correspond to the different characters¡­¡± ¡°Stop, stop, stop!¡± Ling Yunpo scold angrily. ¡°What do you mean by liking men? From today onwards, speak with the voice of a little loli!¡± ¡°Lord Sword Master, this little loli is¡­¡± ¡°A thirteen or fourteen-year-old girl.¡± ¡°As you command.¡± The Thunderbolt Sword began to pronounce, its voice gradually becoming sharp and brittle. ¡°Uh, oh, ah!¡± In the end, it successfully changed to a silver bell-like, slightly milky girlish voice. ¡°Sword Master ¨C Is this good?¡± ¡°Hmph, that¡¯s fine,¡± Ling Yunpo said coldly. He carried Qingping and Thunderbolt on his back. He walked out of his room calmly and turned to Senior Sister An¡¯s door. He knocked. ¡°Senior Sister An,¡± he said in a deep voice, a smile in his tone. ¡°I¡¯ve already subdued the Thunderbolt Sword!¡± ¡°Really?¡± An Zhisu heard the voice and quickly came to open the door for him. When she saw the Thunderbolt Sword in his hand, she asked in surprise, ¡°How did you subdue it?! ¡°Of course it¡¯s by my virtue!¡± Ling Yunpo said sternly. Chapter 40 - The Sword Competition Is a Speciality of Mount Shu, I Have to Taste It Chapter 40 The Sword Competition Is a Speciality of Mount Shu, I Have to Taste It With his outstanding character and charm, after subduing the Thunderbolt Sword, Ling Yunpo holed up in the Green Spiral Peak and focused on practicing sword control with Senior Sister An. Occasionally, he would load and go to Qiu Changtian¡¯s place to secretly practice how to fire the Jade Pivot Lightning. Or perhaps, he could go to Penglai Temple as Luo Yan to attend classes and deal with Miss Shi. Time passed, and it was finally the day of the competition. At noon, sword lights descended one after another on the peak of Mount Shu Golden Peak. Most people were here to observe the sword competition. There were also some who were on good terms with the Purple Cloud Peak or had a grudge against the Green Spiral Peak. All of them had ulterior motives. Lou Zhizheng was standing alone on the south side of the arena with his sword behind his back. After a while, two sword lights landed on the north side. They were Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu. ¡°Since you¡¯re here,¡± Lou Zhizheng said, ¡°you can tell me your last words before the sword contest begins.¡± His voice was loud and full of energy, causing the sky above the peak to buzz.The surrounding Foundation Establishment disciples all said in shock. ¡°Could this person have really entered the Purification realm?!¡± No matter what the rumors were, in the eyes of most Mount Shu disciples, competing in swordsmanship has to be upright. Victory and defeat should be honorable. It was shameless to use such a sinister move. For example, the challenger was in the same realm of the challengee when he issued the notice of duel, but then the challenger would then deliberately force himself to break through to the next realm on the day of the competition. Now that they saw that Lou Zhizheng had really broken through to the Purification realm with the help of the secret technique, they all booed enthusiastically. ¡°Tsk, schemes are also part of the sword competition. What do you fools know!¡± Lou Zhizheng was completely unconcerned. He just crossed his arms and sneered. Using the secret technique, Purple Cloud Summit, to forcefully break through would also greatly damage his future cultivation. ce he had paid such a price, he would definitely beat Ling Yunpo to death this time. He would do whatever it took to damage his bones. It was only when An Zhisu couldn¡¯t bear it anymore and was willing to offer the immortal sword in exchange for spirit stones that he would stop. Then, he would defeat Ling Yunpo and let him go. In that case, the plan was perfect. It was flawless. The only regret was that no advanced senior brothers from the Purple Cloud Peak came to watch. If a Perfect Golden Core stood on the sidelines, no one would dare to disturb him! Listening to the waves of boos outside the arena, Lou Zhizheng¡¯s eyes twitched. He secretly suppressed his anger and clenched his fists tightly. ¡°That guy doesn¡¯t seem to be popular,¡± Ling Yunpo said. ¡°Don¡¯t take those outsiders to heart,¡± An Zhisu said with a smile. ¡°Just do your best.¡± When Ling Yunpo stood still in the arena, the surrounding crowd burst into even louder boos. The viciousness of the curses and the sharpness of the curses shocked him. ¡°Is this the new disciple of the Green Spiral Peak? Why is he so blind to want to join the evil land of the Green Spiral Peak?¡± ¡°Is he the junior brother of that Grass-cutting Sword Immortal? I heard that he¡¯s only at the Qi Refinement Realm. He¡¯ll definitely die this time.¡± ¡°Hahaha, no matter which side is seriously injured or died tragically, it¡¯s a satisfying thing. After the sword competition, I¡¯ll treat everyone to wine.¡± I just said that the other party is really unpopular. I didn¡¯t expect my reputation to be so bad, Ling Yunpo thought to himself. As for why this was the case, he had already roughly found out during the time before the competition. It was said that his cheap master, Su Jian, was originally the killing machine of Master. Just the number of Perfected Ones and elders who had died in his hands was countless. It was only because he was in seclusion that he faded from everyone¡¯s sight. As for his Senior Sister An Zhisu, although she was usually gentle and considerate, she was a little killer in the eyes of outsiders. There were even rumors in the outside world that if there was a slight conflict, she would smile and slash people with her sword. Not to mention that she was very powerful. Without at least a hundred disciples of the same level, she could not be restrained at all. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that Mount Shu had a sect rule that said that sword duels aren¡¯t allowed to have people of different realms, the Perfected Golden Cores would have long rushed over to kill her. The old and young of the Green Spiral Peak had suppressed the other peaks and many fellow disciples of Mount Shu for a long time. As a result, the reputation of the Green Spiral Peak was so bad in Mount Shu that it was almost second only to the Devil Sect. From this, it could be imagined how much discrimination and blame Ling Yunpo would receive in the outside world as a disciple of the Green Spiral Peak. Before the competition began, there was a commotion of curses. They scolded Lou Zhizheng for being unscrupulous and for being a disgrace to Mount Shu. They scolded Ling Yunpo for being a disciple of the ¡°killing machine¡±, that he should die early. Their curses were comparable to a ninth-rank flying sword. They simply wanted to skin the two people alive in front of everyone. An Zhisu stood at the side of the stage, frowning slightly. It was obvious that she could not hide her worry. Although Junior Brother was strong, this was the first time he had seen such an away-team formation. He wouldn¡¯t feel pressured, right? She thought about it, and became more worried. When a certain disciple saw this, he felt a little happy. This disciple also had a grudge against the Green Spiral Peak. His senior sister, whom he admired, had once challenged An Zhisu. In the end, her Intrinsic Sword was broken, and her cultivation level was greatly reduced. She could not recover from her setback after that. Six years ago, she asked to be released from Mount Shu. He usually did not dare to provoke the Green Spiral Peak. Seeing An Zhisu¡¯s expression was gloomy because Ling Yunpo was surrounded by public opinion, he mustered his courage and came over to ridicule her. ¡°Senior Sister An, I didn¡¯t expect your Green Spiral Peak to be so obsessed with sword duels. He can even do something like a Qi Refinement Realm challenging a Purification Realm? ¡°Tsk, tsk, tsk. Senior Sister, you¡¯ve always been carefree with your sword, but there are times when you make mistakes. Now, you have to collect your junior brother¡¯s corpse.¡± An Zhisu smiled faintly and said, ¡°Sword competition is a method for us sword immortals to break through. It¡¯s only when we¡¯re on the verge of death that we can have a great opportunity to achieve enlightenment. ¡°By the way, you should be a disciple of the Emerald Bamboo Peak, right? I wonder if your Senior Brother Jin, who is in the Transformation realm, has recovered from his injuries from the sword competition last time? ¡°If he¡¯s better, please tell me. I¡¯ll come again in a while.¡± At first, the disciple only sneered. When he heard the latter words, his expression changed and his heart skipped a beat. Initially, he just wanted to mock her, but he did not expect to get his senior into trouble. If Ling Yunpo died in the sword competition, Senior Brother Jin would be half-dead from Killer An¡¯s anger! He looked at the surroundings. Not to mention the Purple Cloud Peak, none of the Transformation Realm disciples in Mount Shu dared to come! They must have been afraid that Ling Yunpo would unfortunately die later and Killer An would go berserk on the spot to find someone to compete with her sword to vent her anger. Therefore, they had long hidden! The more he let his imagination run wild, the more terrified he became. He could only muster up his courage again and lower his voice to An Zhisu, saying a few words of submission. Seeing him so timid, An Zhisu couldn¡¯t help but smile and comfort him. The disciple¡¯s expression became even worse when he heard that. He thought to himself that this Grass-cutting Sword Immortal was really vicious. How could she have such a treacherous smile? He could only quickly find an excuse to leave and take the opportunity to make a hand seal to rush back to the Emerald Bamboo Peak to inform his Senior Brother Jin. However, Senior Brother Jin turned pale with fright and scolded him fiercely. Then, he immediately left Mount Shu overnight on his sword and hid outside. Chapter 42 - Chapter 42: Chapter 42: You’re Both Senior Sisters, Learn from Her! Chapter 42: Chapter 42: You¡¯re Both Senior Sisters, Learn from Her! By then, the fog had completely dispersed, revealing on the field one person sprawled, the other standing, clearly indicating that a victor had emerged. Suddenly, someone exclaimed in shock, ¡°Impossible!¡± ¡°A Qi Refining Rank against a Marrow Cleansing Rank, and he won?¡± ¡°Could it be that Ling Yunpo concealed some Supreme Rank magical treasure on his person?¡± ¡°Are you out of your mind? His master, Su Jian, has been in seclusion for ages, where would he get a Supreme Rank magical treasure for him?¡± ¡°With or without a magical treasure, he must have cheated in this match. If not, why the need for that dense fog earlier? He must have been afraid of us seeing through his tricks!¡± ¡°Even though there¡¯s no evidence, we all agree. The gap between Qi Refining and Marrow Cleansing is just too vast. If one doesn¡¯t cheat, how else could they win? What¡¯s the point of having divisions of cultivation realms!¡± ¡°This match is clearly tainted by cheating; it should be null and void! We bet spirit stones on him losing before, and you can¡¯t just let this slide!¡± The sword cultivators clamored louder and louder, each filled with righteous indignation and brimming anger. Ling Yunpo stood in the center of the competition arena, listening to the unanimous denunciation from the crowd outside, and he couldn¡¯t help but chuckle inwardly. What does it matter if the results are nullified? Now that he¡¯s dead and I¡¯m alive, can you turn it around? Ling Yunpo crossed his arms, a slight smirk appearing at the corner of his mouth, seeming unwilling to argue any further. On seeing this, the spectators became even more furious, boiling over with rage, and wished they could drown him with their spit of justice. It wasn¡¯t until the overseeing elder descended gracefully riding on sword light that things changed. People hastily quieted down and stopped talking, turning their eyes toward the elder, with gazes clearly saying, ¡°Please, elder, seek justice for us.¡± The elder swept his divine sense over the corpse of Lou Zhizheng, sighed, and then declared the outcome of the match. ¡°The result of this competition: Qingluo Peak¡¯s disciple Ling Yunpo wins! As per the competition¡¯s rules, the deceased disciple of Ziyun Peak, Lou Zhizheng, initiated the challenge, hence no further action will be pursued in this matter, that is all.¡± With a flick of his robe, the overseeing elder left without caring for the crowd below, turning into a streak of light as he departed. What a shoddy plan, he thought to himself. However, although the Immortal Sword had not been obtained, it was likely that Elder Ming Hua had also used this sacrificial piece to probe another matter. That Su Jian, the Qi Sha True Person¡­ Is still trapped in his deadly seclusion. Chances are, it¡¯s more bad news than good. At first, there were still curses from the crowd, but they refrained from loud complaints out of respect for the elder¡¯s authority. However, as time went on, some people took note of what the elder had just said, and their expressions grew stiff, standing in stunned silence. The whole peak fell into an awkward hush, broken only as An Zhisu gracefully walked up and gently patted Ling Yunpo¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Well fought.¡± ¡°Senior sister,¡± Ling Yunpo nodded slightly, ¡°I¡¯ve won.¡± ¡°Good,¡± An Zhisu said softly with a smile, ¡°let¡¯s head back.¡± She took Ling Yunpo¡¯s hand, flung her sleeve to propel the sword light, and took off into the sky with him. After returning to Qingluo Peak, Ling Yunpo went to rest, while An Zhisu entered the depths of the Daoist temple, descending along the stairway through the outer hall, corridor, inner chamber, and secret chamber of Qingluo Peak, and into the mountain¡¯s interior. Eventually, she stopped in front of a certain stone wall. On the stone door was a sword mark as if freshly carved, brimming with murderous aura. An Zhisu knelt before the sword mark, saying softly: ¡°Su Su pays her respects to Master.¡± ¡°Having been in seclusion for so long, I am unsure how Master¡¯s health is.¡± ¡°Junior Brother Ling has finally won today¡¯s competition with Ziyun Peak.¡± ¡°If Master were aware of this, he would surely be proud of him.¡± ¡°I have passed on the Thunder Punishment Sword that Master left for me to Junior Brother Ling.¡± ¡°He has successfully subdued the Thunder Punishment Sword.¡± ¡°Ling Yunpo¡­ has the potential to become an excellent Sword Immortal.¡± ¡°I will definitely protect him.¡± When An Zhisu said this, she bowed deeply once again. After a long while, she stood up again, her gaze resolute and unwavering: ¡°I and Ling Yunpo.¡± ¡°Will surely uphold the Daoist heritage of Qingluo Peak.¡± ¡°Definitely.¡± [Point Three: Penglai Jade Pure View, dormitory.] [Character identity: Luo Yan.] [Overlaying Mirror Flower Water Moon Template, undergoing time-space travel.] Luo Yan had also been very busy lately. On one hand, Elder Shi Ding had already decreed that he should learn the art of Cauldron Casting, so he was currently cramming on formations, with a heap of Qimen Dunjia knowledge to learn. On the other hand, Shi Liuli came to bother him every day, insisting that he call her ¡°Senior Sister.¡± Although Luo Yan indeed needed to raise his Synchronization Value, and though this Miss Shi was not stupid, she must have been protected too well since childhood, her social experience was almost equal to zero, making it very easy for him to raise the Synchronization Value around her. But she can¡¯t find me from morning to night, either! Her clingy nature even gave Luo Yan an illusion of going back to the days with Qiu Changtian, involuntarily recalling the time when he just entered the sect, being relentlessly pursued by Xu Yinglian¡­ Do I not need to cultivate? However, Qiu Changtian could bully and torment Xu Yinglian in various ways, but Luo Yan couldn¡¯t do the same to Shi Liuli since she was the only beloved daughter of Elder Shi Ding and the dearest little junior sister adored by everyone in the Heavenly Craft Workshop. Offending Shi Liuli meant you couldn¡¯t get by in Penglai Jade Pure View anymore. ¡°Little Junior Brother, Little Junior Brother!¡± Just as he was getting distracted, Shi Liuli barged in, all fired up, and said, ¡°Quick, quick, help me look up a name of a place!¡± ¡°A noun?¡± Luo Yan revealed an appropriately confused and wry smile. Shi Liuli suddenly remembered he knew nothing about this and hastily began prattling on. The matter was, in fact, not complicated ¡ª Miss Shi Liuli had been at the Qi Refining Rank for several years, feeling that it would take a long time before her Qi Sea was filled to the brim, yet she was impatient to continue the slow grind of Qi Refinement, so she went to pester Elder Shi Ding, asking if there was any way to quickly enter the Marrow Cleansing Rank. Elder Shi Ding then painstakingly educated her, saying that cultivation, like eating, requires one bite at a time, and one step at a time; lofty aspirations without foundation were not desirable. These words were indeed those of maturity and prudence, but it was obvious that Miss Shi wouldn¡¯t listen. So she went on to pester her senior brothers and sisters, inquiring if there was a way to speed up the cultivation process. Everyone unanimously said, ¡°This cultivation is just like eating¡­,¡± in short, it was clearly a rehearsed response, leaving Miss Shi in a huge huff. In the end, it was the eldest senior brother Linghu Chu who couldn¡¯t help slipping up, saying ¡°Anyway, the Pavilion will be open soon,¡± though he stopped the second half of his words in time, it was keenly noted by Shi Liuli. ¡°The Pavilion, huh.¡± Luo Yan also pondered. ¡°Pavilion,¡± clearly refers to a palace. ¡°Leave,¡± the most likely possibility was the ¡°Li¡± in the ¡°Eight Trigrams.¡± The ¡°Book of Changes ¡¤ Explanation of the Trigrams¡± says: ¡°Li, stands for fire, for the sun, for lightning, for the middle daughter, for armors and helms, for spears and armies.¡± Thus, ¡°The Pavilion,¡± is likely a palace built in a special environment, such as surrounded by flames, scorching sun, lightning, and so on¡­ Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Seeing Luo Yan deep in thought without answering, Shi Liuli immediately flared up, grabbed his shoulders, and started shaking him forcefully: ¡°Will you help me will you help me will you help me¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll help!¡± Luo Yan was nearly shaken apart, ¡°Definitely help!¡± ¡°Senior sister¡¯s business is my business, after all!¡± [False persona, Synchronization Value +1.] Chapter 43 - Chapter 43: Chapter 43: Can it be Considered Cultivation Without Skipping Grades? Chapter 43: Chapter 43: Can it be Considered Cultivation Without Skipping Grades? Penglai Yuqing View, Daozang Pavilion. Luo Yan lifted his head from the pile of books, his expression slightly dazed. After flipping through hundreds of scriptures, he still hadn¡¯t found any information related to the ¡°Pavilion.¡± The only mention was in the ¡°Comprehensive History of the Ancient Clarify Cult,¡± which stated, ¡°The Heavenly Lord grew worried and thus established the Pavilion.¡± So who is this Heavenly Lord? What are you worrying about? And why build a Pavilion just because you¡¯re worried? What exactly is this Pavilion? Looking at the author¡¯s name of this scripture again, well, no surprise there! It¡¯s indeed from predecessors of ancient Kunlun. It seemed that any scripture from the Kunlun Taiqing Sect always adopted this exasperatingly minimalist style. They¡¯d use one word when necessary, never two¡ªas if adding an extra word would somehow lower their chicness. You want to save on words and show off your chicness, why the hell don¡¯t you make a PowerPoint? How about some clear graphs and charts? Luo Yan showed this text to Shi Liuli, who also scratched her head in confusion. ¡°The Heavenly Lord probably refers to the leader of the Clarify Cult, the Primordial Heavenly Lord,¡± Shi Liuli speculated, ¡°As for this worry¡­¡± ¡°Hold on a second!¡± Luo Yan said, laughing and crying at the same time, ¡°Senior Sister, if it really was established by the Primordial Heavenly Lord, then the Pavilion¡¯s rank would be terrifyingly high, and it shouldn¡¯t have anything to do with us at the Qi Refining Rank.¡± ¡°You have a point,¡± Shi Liuli said with frustration, ¡°So who exactly is this Heavenly Lord?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not worry about who this Heavenly Lord is for now,¡± Luo Yan tried to persuade Miss Shi, ¡°But the scriptures in the Daozang Pavilion are vast like the sea of smoke; searching for a special term within is like looking for a needle in the ocean. I think it might be better to get our Chief Senior Brother drunk and then coax some information out of him¡­¡± ¡°You think I haven¡¯t tried that?¡± Shi Liuli glanced at him sideways, ¡°He¡¯s been on his guard against me lately, carrying hangover pills with him.¡± ¡°That¡¯s strange,¡± Luo Yan mused, ¡°What is it that¡¯s so secretive that everyone keeps tight-lipped?¡± ¡°It might not necessarily be a secret,¡± Shi Liuli replied, ¡°It¡¯s just that the Senior Brothers and Sisters really listen to father.¡± ¡°Father probably just casually mentioned not to tell me directly, and they all refused to say anything to me.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Luo Yan thought for a moment and then made up his mind. Time to ask the audience for help! ¡°I need to use the bathroom,¡± he said as he stood up. ¡°No, you don¡¯t!¡± Shi Liuli exclaimed angrily. ¡°Senior Sister! Not even allowing a trip to the bathroom, isn¡¯t that too overbearing?¡± Luo Yan protested with a pained expression. ¡°Do you take me for a fool?¡± Shi Liuli said, hands on her hips, ¡°As a cultivator at the Qi Refining Rank, you¡¯ve long since practiced fasting, so why would you need to go to the bathroom?¡± Luo Yan: ¡­¡­ The Miss had suddenly become sharp again! ¡°See, you clearly just want to run away!¡± Shi Liuli accused angrily. ¡°Senior Sister,¡± Luo Yan said helplessly, ¡°I actually had an inspiration, and I was just planning to go to the bathroom to organize my thoughts.¡± ¡°What kind of inspiration needs to be sorted out in the bathroom?¡± Shi Liuli laughed coldly. ¡°Art Calculation,¡± Luo Yan lied. ¡°Can¡¯t you do the Art Calculation here?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Senior Sister is too beautiful; it distracts me and I can¡¯t focus on the calculations.¡± Shi Liuli: ? ¡°Oh dear, I really can¡¯t with you.¡± She waved her hand dismissively, still smiling, ¡°Why go to any bathroom? There¡¯s no such filthy place in our Heavenly Craft Workshop. Inside the Daozang Pavilion there is a quiet room where you can do your calculations, but don¡¯t you dare run off!¡± ¡°Alright, alright,¡± Luo Yan quickly agreed as he stood up. Once in the quiet room, making sure there was nobody around, he called for the Kunlun Mirror in his mind: ¡°Yao Yao, I want to load the save!¡± The Kunlun Mirror ignored him. ¡°Ah Jing?¡± Luo Yan quickly changed his address. ¡°Which profile?¡± asked the Kunlun Mirror. ¡°Kunlun.¡± [Point one: Kunlun Taiqing Sect, Golden Ridge Cave Abode.] [Identity: Qiu Changtian.] [Mirror Flower Water Moon template overlaying, currently time-space traveling.] His body reappeared in Kunlun, simultaneously cast with the invincible setting of the illusion technique Mirror Flower Water Moon. He swiftly switched to Qiu Changtian¡¯s mindset and left the cave abode calmly, soaring up on his sword. He was preparing to visit Xu Changqing, the Chief Disciple of the Foundation Establishment Stage. Xu Changqing, born to the Xu Family of Southern Heaven, was the two hundred and seventy-sixth generation Chief Disciple of Kunlun. Now the Chief Disciple of the Foundation Establishment Stage, he¡¯s known as ¡°the number one person below Golden Core¡± within the Kunlun Taiqing Sect. By the way, the ¡°number one person below Golden Core¡± of the Shushan Shangqing Faction is Senior Sister An, An Zhisu. There¡¯s no need to elaborate on the relationship between Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu, while the relationship between Qiu Changtian and Xu Changqing is actually not far behind. The reason is quite simple: in the genealogy of the Xu Family of Southern Heaven, Xu Changqing is the great-great-uncle of Xu Yinglian, meaning the uncle of her grandfather. That is to say, according to the Daoist companion marriage agreement already set, Qiu Changtian is the prospective great-great-nephew-in-law of Xu Changqing. Although this title is a bit of a mouthful, Xu Changqing truly regarded Qiu Changtian as a member of his own family because of this relationship. ¡°Changtian?¡± Upon seeing Qiu Changtian coming to visit, Xu Changqing, who was meditating, stood up to greet him. He appeared to be around thirty years old, lacking both the immaturity of the young and the weathered feeling of middle-aged men; his appearance could be said to be quite unremarkable. His usual conduct was very low-key, which made Qiu Changtian envious: wouldn¡¯t he himself wish for the same? It was simply that his character setting did not allow for it. ¡°Senior Brother Changqing,¡± Qiu Changtian greeted respectfully, then got straight to the point and asked, ¡°Changtian has come to inquire about a location from Senior Brother.¡± ¡°What location?¡± Xu Changqing asked, somewhat surprised. ¡°The Pavilion,¡± Qiu Changtian replied with a heavy voice. Xu Changqing blinked and then said with a smile: ¡°I see. You¡¯ve actually heard about it ahead of time.¡± Qiu Changtian: ? How so, the Pavilion has something to do with me, Qiu Changtian? Seeing his unchanged expression, Xu Changqing pondered for a moment and then elaborated on the matter: ¡°Changtian, as you know, the practice of the Qi Refining Rank is mainly about drawing Qi into the body to fill the Qi Sea.¡± ¡°The Marrow Cleansing Stage involves refining bones and cleansing marrow, expanding the meridians, which requires a substantial amount of True Qi. Hence, one needs a full Qi Sea.¡± ¡°In general, depending on the individual cultivator¡¯s aptitude and the quality of their Qi Refining Technique, it would take about thirty to sixty years to fill the Qi Sea.¡± ¡°During this period, if there¡¯s no assistance from treasures like the Flying Sword, the combat ability of a Qi Refining Rank cultivator is very fragile.¡± ¡°During Ancient Times, the Clarify Cult faced a problem: they had far fewer low rank disciples compared to the Intercepting Cult.¡± ¡°Although the average aptitude was higher, because of the lower cultivation realms, they couldn¡¯t create much of a gap from the disciples of the Intercepting Cult.¡± ¡°Therefore, a great being of the Ancient Clarify Cult used Supreme Divine Power to construct a ¡®Pavilion Secret Realm¡¯ under the East Sea, borrowing the immense spiritual power of an Earth Vein Volcano.¡± ¡°This Pavilion Secret Realm was designed specifically for the Foundation Establishment Rank disciples of the Clarify Cult to undergo trials.¡± ¡°As long as you can pass the trials, not only do you have the chance to obtain Flying Swords, magical treasures, spiritual medicines, and Daoist Magic, but you can also steadily increase your Cultivation Realm by one rank.¡± ¡°From Qi Refining to Marrow Cleansing, Marrow Cleansing to Refining Mansion, or from the beginning of Refining Mansion directly to Great Perfection of Refining Mansion, and even to the half-step Golden Core realm, all can be achieved through the Pavilion Secret Realm.¡± Qiu Changtian suddenly understood: ¡°I see, then this Pavilion¡­¡± ¡°The opening and closing times of the Pavilion are not within our foresight,¡± Xu Changqing said with a smile, ¡°but according to the Master, the next opening should be soon.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°The reason the Sect doesn¡¯t inform you is simply to prevent you from knowing that the Pavilion Secret Realm can guarantee advancement and thus developing the mindset of becoming lax in your practices.¡± ¡°Since you¡¯ve already caught wind of it, I no longer keep you in the dark.¡± Qiu Changtian certainly understood his meaning and nodded seriously: ¡°Senior Brother, rest assured, I won¡¯t reveal a word of this matter to any disciple, including Junior Sister Xu.¡± However, how should I approach Miss Shi regarding this? Chapter 44 - Chapter 44: Chapter 44 Miss Shi’s Aura of Diminished Intelligence Chapter 44: Chapter 44 Miss Shi¡¯s Aura of Diminished Intelligence Penglai Jade Pure View, within the Scriptural Repository, Luo Yan finally thought of his excuse and began explaining to Shi Liuli with a lengthy discourse. The differentiation of cultivation ranks, each rank has its special significance. Qi Refining Rank is the process from opening the Qi Sea to fully saturating it, which requires a large amount of time to draw in and refine energy. Marrow Cleansing Rank refers to the process after the Qi Sea is filled, where True Qi is permeated into every limb and bone, cleansing the meridians and refining the marrow, a stage that can greatly enhance a cultivator¡¯s physical qualities and extend life to around two hundred years. Refining Mansion Rank is about transforming the Dantian around the Qi Sea into the Purple Mansion and condensing the True Qi in the Qi Sea into True Yuan, thereby laying the Daoist foundation for the subsequent critical step of ¡°True Yuan Core Formation.¡± Overall, the Qi Refining Rank takes the longest time, a short period being over thirty years and a longer period, more than sixty years. Marrow Cleansing Rank takes the shortest time, generally less than ten years to complete. As the most crucial step in foundation establishment, the time for Refining Mansion Rank is very flexible. Theoretically, it only takes an average of five years to construct the Purple Mansion, and the remaining time is just for further improvement of the Purple Mansion and purification of True Yuan. But if one skips the refinement and attempts Core Formation right after constructing the Purple Mansion, there¡¯s nearly a hundred percent chance of failing to withstand the Core Condensation Tribulation. Cores are divided into nine grades, with clear distinctions between good and poor quality. For those in the Refining Mansion Rank less than a hundred years, even if they endure the Core Condensation Tribulation, the highest grade Golden Core they can form is merely lower seventh grade, which is absolutely impossible to advance to Nascent Infant later on, effectively setting a cap on their lifespan. Therefore, everyone invests as much time as they can in the Refining Mansion Rank¡­ ¡°So, what exactly are you trying to say?¡± Shi Liuli asked impatiently. Luo Yan smiled slightly and said, ¡°Senior Sister, for this very reason, there must definitely be people who want to skip the Qi Refining Rank and quickly pass through Marrow Cleansing, thereby saving more time for the Refining Mansion to possibly raise the final grade of their Core Formation.¡± ¡°If my calculations and analysis are correct, this Pavilion should be a secret realm that allows one to jump from Qi Refining to Marrow Cleansing, or to directly enter Refining Mansion¡­ In this way, the logic behind why our eldest senior brother slipped up makes sense.¡± ¡°Your guess does make some sense.¡± After pondering carefully, Shi Liuli found his reasoning convincing and looked at him in surprise, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to be quite clever, junior brother.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not clever, I just habitually think a few steps further than others,¡± Luo Yan immediately replied with modesty, his squinted eyes making him appear extremely harmless. [False persona, Synchronization Value +1.] ¡°Is that so?¡± Shi Liuli said naively, ¡°No matter, I¡¯ll use your conclusion to try to get more information out of our eldest senior brother!¡± Having said that, she excitedly got up and ran off. Luo Yan watched her retreating figure, the squint in his eyes conveniently masking the sharp gleam within. This Miss Shi, you can¡¯t say she¡¯s stupid, as she knows how to extract information. But if you say she¡¯s clever, she¡¯s indeed na?ve and innocently charming. Truly a prime fat sheep¡­ cough, I mean, a lovely young lady. After sending Shi Liuli away, Luo Yan returned to his workspace and continued his meticulous research in the art of cauldron crafting, completing the assignment Elder Shi Ding had set for him. Insofar as cauldrons, they are bronze vessels with three legs and two handles, originally used for cooking meat, but later evolved into a kind of Formation magic artifact. Mythology recounts that in ancient times the Earth Vein cracked open to the Nine Nether, allowing countless Nether Ghosts from the underworld to burst into the Mortal World. It was Shennong who collected metals from the Nine Provinces to cast the Nine Cauldrons and established the grand formation of the world, using the Nine Cauldrons to secure the Nine Provinces and once again separating the underworld from the Mortal World. The Shennong Cauldron mentioned here is an Innate Spiritual Treasure of the same caliber as the Nuwa Stone and Fuxi Sword, used to suppress the formation¡¯s focal point in the Nine Provinces. For the assignment Elder Shi Ding gave Luo Yan, it was the ¡°Quicksand Net¡± previously used by Lou Zhizheng, a sort of portable Cauldron Vessel used to trap enemies. First, one must cast a small cauldron, the size of a palm will suffice. The base should be square and the mouth circular, symbolizing ¡°heaven is round, earth is square,¡± resembling a Penglai Jug and the shape of a human. Then it would be divided into three layers, representing the upper, middle, and lower Dantians. Last, inscribe the Formation within it, with Kan below and Dui above, carefully draw the lines, and steadily infuse it with Spiritual Power. Thus, the Cauldron Vessel was completed. Phew! Luo Yan took a long breath out, starting to scrutinize the Cauldron Vessel in his hands. This object was named Quicksand Net. Once activated and thrown on the ground, the Cauldron Vessel would sink into the soil and immediately form a Formation area nine feet wide around it. Any enemy that fell into this area would continuously sink and be trapped, as if the ground had turned into a quagmire, rendering them unable to move further. Of course, as an extremely low-ranked Formation, the Quicksand Net¡¯s weakness was Water System Daoist Magic. The ¡®Xiang¡¯ says: Without water in the marsh, one is trapped. If the Quicksand Net encountered Water System Daoist Magic, the formation ¡°water beneath the marsh¡± would be reversed, rendering its ability to trap people useless. After revisiting the crafting process, Luo Yan confirmed that there was really nothing about the artifact that could be improved. After all, with a talent like ¡°grasping a thousand things upon hearing one,¡± every scripture scroll was comprehensible at a glance and committed to memory easily. Crafting such a low-level Cauldron Vessel to perfection on the first try was naturally not at all difficult. Well, in this case, he could make a few Cauldron Vessels to give to Qiu Changtian and Ling Yunpo, so they could carry them around. Taking them out at critical moments for self-defense would be like having an extra card up one¡¯s sleeve. Just as Luo Yan began to silently calculate the combat systems of Qiu Changtian and Ling Yunpo, wondering what kind of Cauldron Vessel Formation would best complement them, he could hear Shi Liuli¡¯s excited voice from afar: ¡°Junior Brother! Junior Brother! Big Senior Brother has admitted it! There really is such a Pavilion, just as we guessed!¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Luo Yan said very calmly. Of course, under the illusion of a false persona using the technique of Mirror Flower Water Moon, his calmness felt naive and simple-minded, similar to the character Guo Jing. ¡°Task two! Task two!¡± Shi Liuli burst into the workshop, grabbed his shoulders, and shook him, ¡°Quick, help me check what kind of secret realms are in the Pavilion, and how we can get through the trials!¡± Luo Yan: So I¡¯m neither Doraemon nor an encyclopedia. Miss, do you think too highly of me if you come to me with every question? ¡°Do you think the Pavilion could be built in flames?¡± Shi Liuli casually sat on his desk and speculated, ¡°So should we prepare some fire-resistant magic artifacts?¡± ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s very likely,¡± Luo Yan thought to himself. According to Xu Changqing¡¯s words, the Pavilion made use of the spiritual power from submarine volcanoes, so there might well be some fire-based trials. ¡°When will the Pavilion open?¡± Shi Liuli asked again, ¡°Next month? The end of this year? Next year?¡± Luo Yan pondered for a long time, then under Shi Liuli¡¯s expectant gaze, he slowly said: ¡°I think you should ask Big Senior Brother about that.¡± ¡°Idiot!¡± Shi Liuli slapped his head, ¡°If Big Senior Brother would honestly answer, why would I come to you for help!¡± ¡°So in Sister¡¯s eyes, I¡¯m just Big Senior Brother¡¯s spare tire?¡± Luo Yan immediately feigned sadness. [False Persona, Synchronization Value +1.] ¡°Ah, that¡¯s not what I meant!¡± Shi Liuli immediately felt a bit embarrassed and hastily explained, ¡°No, Junior Brother.¡± ¡°Because Senior Brother and Senior Sister know the answer, and were instructed by Father not to respond, that¡¯s why I¡¯m seeking your help. You¡¯ll help your Senior Sister, won¡¯t you?¡± She leaned her pretty face forward, batting her big eyes at Luo Yan, and with her hands pressed together in front of her chest, she shook them back and forth furiously, making a ¡°please¡± expression. Luo Yan suddenly felt his face grow hot and quickly shifted his gaze away awkwardly. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only It wasn¡¯t that he had never seen a beautiful woman before, whether it was the cool and aloof Xu Yinglian or the gentle and soft-hearted An Zhisu, neither of them would lose to Shi Liuli in terms of looks or temperament. But the exuberant and innocent nature of this young girl was really hard for him to handle¡ªit was like a sweet naivet¨¦ from his high school days, reminiscent of heart-throbbing moments with a cute female classmate. Wait a minute! Luo Yan suddenly snapped out of his sentimental reverie. She actually managed to affect me; could it be that Miss Shi¡­ might actually have a natural charm to befuddle? Chapter 45 - Chapter 45: Chapter 45 Everyone Loves Qiu Changtian Chapter 45: Chapter 45 Everyone Loves Qiu Changtian [Location: Kunlun Taiqing Sect, Golden Ridge Cave Abode.] [Character Identity: Qiu Changtian.] [Overlaying the Mirror Flower Water Moon Template, currently traveling through time and space.] His body was transported to the Golden Ridge Cave Abode, and the art of Mirror Flower Water Moon accordingly adjusted itself. Whether it was his hairstyle or the aura he exuded, both had transformed from Luo Yan to Qiu Changtian. Another application of the Universal Pure Tone Minor Illumination Technique allowed the emotions stirred up by Shi Liuli to calm down. Qiu Changtian calmly picked up the bronze mirror beside his stone bed and looked at his own face. Still as handsome as ever. It seems my appearance is quite suitable for the role of a dashing young master. Setting down the bronze mirror, Qiu Changtian then sat upright with eyes closed, quietly cultivating his spirit. The junior brothers and sisters arrived at the cave abode one after another, prepared to listen to the lecture from the chief disciple. The Ziwei Master held lectures for all the chief disciples once every ten days, while Qiu Changtian held lectures for his junior brothers and sisters every morning, followed by a Q&A session. It wasn¡¯t until Qiu Changtian finished expounding on ¡°Harmonize with the outer light and dust, while inwardly maintaining the true one¡ªsuch is the subtlety of these words¡± that the junior brothers and sisters looked at each other, wanting to speak but hesitating. ¡°If you have any questions, speak them all,¡± Qiu Changtian said indifferently. ¡°If I may,¡± Chen Zhen blurted out, ¡°are senior brother and second senior sister truly Daoist companions?¡± Qiu Changtian managed to control his facial expression well, not letting anyone detect any hint, meanwhile, Xu Yinglian, sitting quietly to the side, unexpectedly said with coldness: ¡°No.¡± That was the truth. The two were only engaged, not yet officially Daoist companions. Daoist companionship is more casual compared to mundane marriage, hence The Xu Family of Southern Heaven let the betrothed couple decide on the wedding date themselves, with the deadline being before Qiu Changtian¡¯s Core Formation. Because upon successful Core Formation, Qiu Changtian would become a True Person of Kunlun. If the relationship had not been confirmed by then, they feared unforeseen complications. The intention of the Ziwei Master was that as long as Xu Yinglian¡¯s obsessive thoughts didn¡¯t worsen, delaying the matter was acceptable. But if these thoughts deepened into a flaw in her Daoist heart, they would need to become Daoist companions immediately, requiring Qiu Changtian to put aside his own cultivation for a time and focus on helping her resolve her inner conflict. The idea Xu Yinglian had settled on was to delay for as long as possible. The key was that she must achieve Core Formation before Qiu Changtian! As long as she became a Golden Core True Person first, The Xu Family of Southern Heaven couldn¡¯t possibly fall out with her, and the matter could be dragged on. As for calling off the engagement, she hadn¡¯t considered that¡­ not because she was reluctant to part with Qiu Changtian, but because on one hand, she worried about a fallout with her clan, and on the other hand, having the senior brother Qiu out front could ward off many bothersome suitors. Even before coming to this side of Kunlun, she had a whole pack of sycophants within her family. Of course, as a fairy with a cold temperament, Xu Yinglian would never give these sycophants any face, but she still couldn¡¯t stand the incessant bribery of her maids and the snooping around for every bit of gossip about her, which was truly annoying. Seeing Xu Yinglian¡¯s clear denial, the junior brothers and sisters once again exchanged silent glances. Jian Qingnan then held his forehead and sighed, ¡°This is bad. If they find out senior brother is still single, they might just turn Kunlun upside down.¡± Qiu Changtian: ? Xu Yinglian: ? ¡°Senior brother and senior sister don¡¯t know.¡± Seeing the puzzled looks on their faces, Zhong Tianhuai also explained, ¡°Senior brother Qiu, because of his many experiences outside, has gained tremendous reputation among the outer sect disciples.¡± ¡°Not to mention this generation, even the two hundred and seventy-ninth, seventy-eighth generation of outer sect disciples have many who have heard of senior brother Qiu¡¯s great name.¡± ¡°Additionally, among the Inner Sect Disciples of this generation, there are also quite a few loyal followers of Senior Brother Qiu¡­¡± ¡°Hold on a second,¡± Qiu Changtian said, puzzled, ¡°It¡¯s one thing for the Outer Sect disciples, but I know fewer than five Inner Sect Disciples. How did I gain followers among them?¡± ¡°Because Senior Brother, you¡¯re just too handsome,¡± Jian Qingnan sighed and said, ¡°You¡¯re also strong and hold a high status.¡± ¡°If that were all, it would be fine. Since they can¡¯t see you normally, everyone would just treat you as an untouchable celestial idol, respecting you from a distance.¡± ¡°But the key point is that you, Senior Brother Qiu, are always out and about, making contact with everyone without putting on airs, and blending in¡­ If you didn¡¯t have any popularity among the Kunlun disciples after that, now that would be strange, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± Qiu Changtian fell silent for a moment, and couldn¡¯t help but inwardly curse his oversight. Curse this overwhelming personal charm of mine! Initially, I was just looking for someone to show off to, to boost my Synchronization Value, but I didn¡¯t expect to build an invincible character setting and inadvertently cultivate a large group of fans! ¡°From the same Kunlun, we assist each other with righteousness.¡± Yan Zhitui suddenly stood up, bowing respectfully, ¡°Senior Brother¡¯s generous words from the past, I¡¯ve also recently heard from fellow disciples. Your profound words are awakening and inspiring, moving people¡¯s hearts. Please allow me to express my admiration with a bow.¡± Qiu Changtian: ¡­¡­¡­. Wait! That was just because after I made a move, they wouldn¡¯t stop thanking me, so I filled their mouths with fancy words to thank them in return. How did that become proof of my noble character? After Yan Zhitui completed his grand bow, Guan Zhan let out a snicker and turned his head away. Everyone was somewhat aware of this Third Senior Brother¡¯s caustic nature, so they didn¡¯t take it too seriously. Jian Qingnan immediately laughed and said: ¡°Indeed, that¡¯s true. If it were any other Chief Disciple, who would be so kind-hearted?¡± ¡°From the same Kunlun, we assist each other with righteousness. Not only does Fourth Senior Brother like this saying, but several Inner Sect female disciples I know were also warmed by it, so much so that they asked me to inquire whether Chief Disciple and Second Senior Sister have a Daoist Companion relationship.¡± ¡°If Senior Brother has already been overtaken by Junior Sister Ying Lian, then they have no chance, and they can only nurture a secret affection, carrying a silent and unrequited love.¡± ¡°If they knew that Senior Brother hadn¡¯t taken Junior Sister Ying Lian as a Daoist Companion, I reckon they would be eager to compete.¡± Xu Yinglian: ! What, someone wants to compete with me? Although she questioned her interest in Qiu Changtian in a romantic sense, the word ¡°compete¡± instantly ignited her fighter¡¯s spirit. Seeing her expression darken, everyone understood that even if Xu Yinglian hadn¡¯t established a Daoist Companion relationship with Qiu Changtian, their relationship didn¡¯t seem to be that of just pure Senior Brother and Junior Sister. ¡°Ahem, I¡¯m truly unworthy of such high esteem from my peers,¡± Qiu Changtian finally spoke up. ¡°However, I¡¯m currently not inclined to consider matters of love. Junior Sister, if you come across them again, you may relay my words to them.¡± Xu Yinglian¡¯s expression softened. ¡°I refuse,¡± Jian Qingnan said with a smile, ¡°They¡¯re interested in you, Senior Brother, not me. How could I speak on your behalf and reject them outright?¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Xu Yinglian said expressionlessly, ¡°If you¡¯re going to reject them, you should do it yourself. What¡¯s the meaning of letting Qing Nan do it?¡± ¡°Without any proof, how can Qing Nan speak for you? If others doubt there¡¯s someone behind her pulling the strings, what then?¡± ¡°Ahem, everyone knows Qing Nan is my Junior Sister. Who else could have instructed her to convey these words if not me¡­¡± Qiu Changtian had only said half a sentence when he saw Xu Yinglian giving him a deathly gaze that seemed like she could kill. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only He quickly realized the error and shifted his tone, saying: ¡°But Junior Sister Xu does have a point.¡± ¡°Um, Junior Sister, let¡¯s not bring up this matter for now. I have my own plans. Anyway¡­ there¡¯s no way I¡¯m having a harem! If I, Qiu Changtian, have agreed to take Junior Sister Xu as my Daoist Companion, I absolutely won¡¯t lay a finger on any other woman!¡± Chapter 46 - Chapter 46: Chapter 46: What’s So Difficult About a Simple Formation? Chapter 46: Chapter 46: What¡¯s So Difficult About a Simple Formation? The Kunlun Taiqing Sect¡¯s Qiu Changtian currently serves as the 280th generation¡¯s Chief Disciple of Kunlun. He practices the secret Kunlun supreme Qi Refining Technique of the Immortal Sect, the ¡°Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra.¡± The characteristic of this Qi Refining Technique is that it is difficult to learn and understand, but the True Qi and True Yuan it refines are exceptionally pure. This grants precious additional bonuses in the grade rank of the final Core Formation and Nascent Soul Transformation. In addition, reaching the first layer unlocks a derivative Daoist Magic called the ¡°Universal Pure Tone Minor Illumination Technique,¡± which can heal injuries, cure sicknesses, dispel evil, and purify the mind¡­ Whenever in doubt, use it directly, and it has various marvelous effects. Beyond Qi Refining Technique, Qiu Changtian also possesses a Seventh Rank metal system Flying Sword named ¡°Jade Smoke,¡± and the Thunder Method ¡°Jade Pivot Thunder.¡± The Jade Smoke Sword is a flexible standard attack method, while Jade Pivot Thunder is used as a trump card for explosive power. Overall, Qiu Changtian¡¯s personal combat strength is much stronger than Ling Yunpo¡¯s, and far surpasses Luo Yan, who is as weak as a chicken. Of course, these three identities are still just virtual, and the body under the illusion is the same. All abilities, in fact, are his own. Next, there are three things to do: First, go on daily excursions for training, establish a character setting with sect members, and increase the synchronization value. As for the prestige of being the Chief Disciple, Qiu Changtian doesn¡¯t actually care about it. In cultivation sects, strength is king; what¡¯s the use of great fame? Second, continue to study the Five Thunder True Law. As Jade Pivot Thunder is his trump card, he must master it very proficiently. As for the Shenxiao Thunder clue that Elder Xu gave last time, since the location is in the distant southeast Yangzhou, Qiu Changtian doesn¡¯t plan to run there from thousands of miles away before he completely masters Jade Pivot Thunder in his hands. Third, prepare for the Pavilion trials. Although the specifics of the trial are still unknown, one could guess that the Pavilion, as an Ancient Times Clarify Cult relic, will definitely focus on testing those qualities valued by the Clarify Cult: That is, the cultivation level, temperament, root bone, combat ability, wisdom, and comprehension that Kunlun, Shushan, and Penglai respectively focus on, Conveniently, no matter which one of these aspects is tested, Qiu Changtian is not worried at all¡ªso he continues to calmly go on his excursions for training. This day, while wandering around the administrative hall on Jade Void Peak, he encountered an interesting mission: Rescue a group of Penglai disciples trapped in the Qinling Mountains. It is said that these Penglai disciples, following a secret cache clue, found an Ancient Times Clarify Cult hole in the sky in the Qinling Mountains, only to accidentally trigger the formation inside, causing most of them to be trapped. Luckily, one female disciple was fortunate not to be trapped, and she hurriedly flew to the nearby Kunlun administrative hall to ask for help, just running into Qiu Changtian. Qiu Changtian followed her, controlling his sword to reach the Qinling hole in the sky, and saw beyond a dense tangle of vines, the panic-stricken cries of the Penglai disciples: ¡°Bi Lian sister! Is that you coming back?¡± The Penglai female disciple known as ¡°Bi Lian¡± hurriedly shouted through the vines: ¡°It¡¯s me! I¡¯ve brought Chief Disciple Qiu Changtian from Kunlun to help!¡± Hearing this, the Penglai disciples inside began chattering all at once, making it impossible to hear what they were saying clearly. Qiu Changtian calmly walked forward, sweeping his divine sense over the lush vines that were obviously growing abnormally, and compared them with the formation knowledge in Luo Yan¡¯s mind. ¡°It should be the Yimu Kunlong Formation,¡± he said with a frown. ¡°Yimu Kunlong?¡± Bi Lian¡¯s face changed drastically upon hearing this, ¡°But isn¡¯t that a mountain-protecting array large enough to encompass a hundred miles?¡± ¡°There are also smaller ones, used for guarding mansions,¡± Qiu Changtian said calmly. ¡°You should have tried all sorts of methods to break the formation, right?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± said Bi Lian, turning somber, ¡°Whether it¡¯s slashing with knives, cutting with swords, burning with fire, or tearing with blunt force, none can do anything to these vines. The more you destroy, the more they grow back.¡± As she spoke, she couldn¡¯t help but to start shedding tears. It¡¯s well known that the incident arose because of her. If it wasn¡¯t for her accidentally finding the clue to this relic and rashly coming to explore, she would not have caused her fellow disciples to be trapped. If her master learns about this, who knows what punishment she would face! ¡°The Yimu Kunlong Formation is indeed beyond your current ability to solve,¡± Qiu Changtian comforted her, ¡°The handiwork of the formation setter seems to be that of a Cultivator at the Refining Mansion Rank.¡± Bi Lian, relieved that it wasn¡¯t the work of a Golden Core True Person, began to feel troubled again. Formations were inherently designed to overcome the strong by the weak; forcefully breaking a formation set by a Refining Mansion Rank Cultivator would basically require the intervention of a Golden Core True Person. However, as a mere Marrow Cleansing Rank Cultivator, where could she possibly find a Golden Core Cultivator to assist her? Even in Kunlun, it was unlikely she knew any True Persons. It seemed she had no choice but to rush back to Penglai to apologize to her master and ask him to pull some strings, to request the assistance of a few skilled in formations from her Sect¡­ Bi Lian bit her lower lip and her tears began to fall once again as she felt a bitter ache in her heart. She only heard Qiu Changtian¡¯s leisurely voice saying: ¡°However, the level of this formation is really quite poor; the spiritual power infused into it has, at most, been utilized to sixty percent of its potential, so it¡¯s not difficult to break.¡± Bi Lian: At this moment, she couldn¡¯t care less about how he seemed to be holding back in his speech; she hastily asked with urgency, as if clutching at a lifeline: ¡°Senior Brother Qiu, do you have a solution to break it?¡± ¡°If my observations are correct, this formation is established by the method of the Three Talents,¡± Qiu Changtian said with his hands behind his back and a supremely confident smile, ¡°This vine is just one of the formation gates; the real Yimu Kunlong Formation is actually much larger, composed of three small formations nested within each other, mutually supportive.¡± He flew up along the nearby stream with Bi Lian, and they soon found a pond at the mountaintop. ¡°This is the Gui Water Nourishing Formation, responsible for transforming the external spiritual energy to provide for the operation of the Yimu Kunlong Formation.¡± As he said this, Qiu Changtian issued a bolt of thunder light with his finger. The Jade Pivot Divine Thunder fell into the pond, instantly blasting the water apart. The pond water splashed in all directions, only to disappear suddenly, leaving behind a slightly damp depression. Bi Lian was stupefied by the sight, then heard Qiu Changtian continue: ¡°This formation is now broken; come with me.¡± Qiu Changtian once again led Bi Lian down the mountain, pausing here and there before finally alighting in front of a rock. With a wave of his hand, he summoned the Jade Smoke Sword and smiled: ¡°This is the Ji Earth Bearing Formation, the foundation of the Yimu Kunlong Formation, yet deliberately disguised to look like an ordinary rock, even the fluctuations of spiritual power were concealed.¡± ¡°If it weren¡¯t for my deductions based on the formation¡¯s pathways, pinpointing that it should be right here, we wouldn¡¯t be able to recognize it even if it was right in front of us.¡± He controlled the Jade Smoke Sword to strike down upon it, splitting the rock in two, revealing a small cauldron half-buried beneath. After meticulously collecting the cauldron and seeing that Bi Lian had no objections, Qiu Changtian once again led her back to the entrance of the cave dwelling. The vines blocking the path had withered and wilted but were still tough and difficult to tear. ¡°Look around,¡± Qiu Changtian yelled inward, ¡°Is there a big tree nearby?¡± After a moment, a Penglai disciple replied from inside: ¡°There¡¯s no large tree, but there¡¯s a potted iron tree!¡± ¡°Yimu must cling to Jiamu to thrive,¡± Qiu Changtian laughed, ¡°All that¡¯s left is to chop down the iron tree, and the formation will dissolve itself!¡± Then, the sounds of chopping wood came from inside; after a few strokes, sure enough, the obstructive vines fell rustling down, turning into dead twigs and leaves. The Yimu Kunlong Formation that had trapped the Penglai disciples was thus easily unraveled by Qiu Changtian! Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Bi Lian, who had followed along and witnessed the entire process, was both overjoyed and excited. After all the vines had fallen, she finally breathed a deep sigh of relief, as if a heavy burden had been lifted. In her eyes, as she gazed at Qiu Changtian, there was now an additional hint of admiration and longing. [Invincible Character Setting, Synchronization Value +1.] So said the Kunlun Mirror as a reminder. Chapter 47 - Chapter 47: Chapter 47: Junior Sister Xu Feels Endangered Chapter 47: Chapter 47: Junior Sister Xu Feels Endangered ¡°Qiu Daoist friend,¡± really only at the Qi Refining Rank?¡± ¡°Absolutely certain.¡± ¡°But I feel that Qiu Daoist friend¡¯s demeanor is not inferior to that of a Golden Core True Person.¡± ¡°You flatter me, Daoist friend.¡± ¡°Why be so formal? Just call me Bi Lian.¡± Qiu Changtian: What exactly is this Penglai Daoist friend scheming? How could he not see it? Clearly, she¡¯s salivating over my body! Although this Bi Lian is not unattractive, compared to Xu Yinglian, An Zhisu, Shi Liuli, and the like, she still falls short by a notch. To draw a comparison, it¡¯s like the difference between an average college and Tsinghua or Peking University. Of course, that¡¯s not the main reason; the main reason is that he and his junior sister have already arranged a Daoist Companion wedding. As Qiu Changtian¡¯s mind wandered, he heard Bi Lian casually probe: ¡°Does Qiu Daoist friend have a Daoist Companion?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard it¡¯s the Phoenix Immortal from Kunlun, Xu Yinglian?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Seeing Qiu Daoist friend hesitate, it must be that you¡¯ve arranged the marriage, but have not yet fulfilled it, right?¡± Bi Lian made such a guess, of course, she had her confidence. That is because Cultivators strictly preserve their Yuan Yang, which doubles their efficiency in cultivation. If they were already Daoist Companions, who knows when they might lose control, mix Yin with Yang, and affect their cultivation, which is why Cultivators generally are not keen on affairs of men and women. Qiu Changtian did not answer but merely gave a wry smile by way of acknowledgment, which gave Bi Lian something to ponder. Upon returning to the Kunlun Jade Void Peak¡¯s office, Bi Lian immediately went to confirm the completion of her mission and pay her dues. Qiu Changtian waited outside and happened to see Xu Yinglian descending with her Sword Light, greeting him: ¡°Senior Brother, are you out on an experience mission?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Qiu Changtian replied with a gentle smile, ¡°Junior Sister Xu, have you just soaked in the Kunlun Spring?¡± Xu Yinglian appeared somewhat unnatural, perfunctorily saying: ¡°I¡¯m also doing an experience mission, just got back.¡± Qiu Changtian smiled without a word, the droplets at the end of your hair are still wet! At this moment, Bi Lian came out of the office and saw Qiu Changtian conversing with a woman in white. The woman in white was so stunningly beautiful, with Flying Sword beneath her feet emitting a red streak of light ¨C if not the Phoenix Immortal, who else could she be? Bi Lian hesitated for a moment, the feeling of inferiority that had briefly arisen was quickly replaced by another thought. ¡°Is this the Phoenix Immortal Xu Yinglian?¡± she asked Qiu Changtian with a smile. ¡°Exactly,¡± Qiu Changtian replied with a smile, ¡°Allow me to introduce, this is Daoist friend Bi Lian whom I met on the last mission, from Penglai Yuqing View.¡± Xu Yinglian nodded slightly, then suddenly noticed the underlying hostility well concealed in Bi Lian¡¯s smiling eyes. With her Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart, she instantly saw through the other¡¯s hostility and intentions, naturally she wasn¡¯t foolish enough to compete in this regard¡­ compete my ass! No one can defeat me in any way!! No one!!! Noticing the tense atmosphere, Kunlun¡¯s Chief Disciple, No One, Qiu Changtian instinctively felt a bit uneasy, and immediately smiled: ¡°Then let¡¯s part for now, Daoist friend Bi Lian. Next time you¡¯re welcome to visit Golden Ridge in Kunlun.¡± ¡°Next time?¡± Bi Lian laughed with her hand over her mouth, ¡°Does that mean I¡¯m not welcome this time?¡± Qiu Changtian felt somewhat embarrassed; was it necessary to be so literal over a mere courtesy? Just as he was about to explain, he heard Xu Yinglian respond indifferently: ¡°Senior Brother Qiu has sword practice with me this afternoon. If Daoist friend Bi Lian is interested, you¡¯re naturally welcome to join.¡± Bi Lian resigned herself, as swordsmanship and Daoist Magic were the weaknesses of Yuqing View. If it were merely a discussion on the Dao, she might have been interested. The other party deliberately said they were practicing swordsmanship, which was obviously a way of rejecting her. But this also served to test out the fact that this Phoenix Immortal did indeed care about Qiu Changtian, and her possessiveness was exceptionally strong. How amusing. ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, I won¡¯t impose any further,¡± Bi Lian said with a smile, ¡°Should Senior Brother Qiu have some free time to visit the East Sea, you¡¯ll be warmly welcomed.¡± There were two key points in this statement, one being the ambiguous phrase ¡°warmly welcomed,¡± and the other only mentioning Qiu Changtian but not Xu Yinglian. Xu Yinglian naturally could also understand the hostility in it, and her smile became increasingly cold and grim. Bi Lian gracefully rose on her Flying Sword, exchanging one final look with Xu Yinglian in midair: Go fuck yourself. And with that, she disappeared into the horizon, going to find her junior brothers and sisters. Xu Yinglian turned her head around, and one could imagine just how sour her expression was, staring at Qiu Changtian with a gaze that seemed to freeze everything. ¡°Ahem.¡± Qiu Changtian coughed, feeling oddly as if he had been caught cheating by his wife, and started to explain that mission, ¡°Previously, it was because her junior brothers and sisters had been trapped while exploring a cave heaven in the Qinling Mountains¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to explain to me,¡± Xu Yinglian cut him off and said sarcastically, ¡°Senior Brother Qiu is so sociable; how could I dare to comment whimsically?¡± ¡°Junior Sister, listen to my explanation¡­¡± Before Qiu Changtian could finish, a large group of Kunlun disciples suddenly emerged from the Hall of Duty, looking as if they had just formed a team to take on a mission. ¡°Ah, isn¡¯t that the Chief Disciple?¡± someone with sharp eyes shouted, and immediately a whole crowd rushed up, greeting him warmly and excitedly. ¡°Senior Brother Qiu, good day!¡± ¡°Senior Brother Qiu has been radiating vigor lately, a sign of flourishing luck!¡± ¡°Chief Qiu! We¡¯ve taken on a mission to find Spirit Grass, would you like to join us?¡± ¡°Senior Brother Qiu, Senior Brother Qiu! Is it true that you still don¡¯t have a Daoist Companion?¡± The onlooking disciples, primarily female, gradually turned the conversation toward teasing and bantering¡ªafter all, everyone knew that Chief Qiu was always genteel and would never get mad at this. Qiu Changtian cheerfully responded to the situation, surrounded by laughter sweet and clear. Xu Yinglian¡¯s eyes twitched for a moment, and she subconsciously wanted to leave quietly on her Flying Sword. However, she then thought that leaving this way would appear shameful, as if she, the legitimate Junior Sister, was losing out to these shameless brats? ¡°Losing out¡±¡­ The words emerged in her mind, and Xu Yinglian found herself unable to move her legs. Murderous intent. Thick, heavy murderous intent. Chief Qiu, surrounded by fellow disciples, suddenly received, as if from some distant sister, a glare like that of a ghastly demon, sending an involuntary shiver through him. After politely dismissing his admirers, Qiu Changtian managed to get free and came to Xu Yinglian¡¯s side, only to see the Junior Sister taking up her Sword Light without a word and leaving. Qiu Changtian hurriedly followed on his Flying Sword, saying with a laugh: ¡°Could it be that Junior Sister is jealous?¡± Xu Yinglian: If this were a novel, perhaps only a string of ellipses could express the feeling she had right now¡ªspeechless, wanting to swear. ¡°Alright then,¡± Qiu Changtian sighed, ¡°it seems like jealousy.¡± Xu Yinglian: She revealed a terrifying expression, one that seemed to say, ¡°Say another word, and I¡¯ll scatter your ashes.¡± ¡°Oh, Junior Sister,¡± Qiu Changtian continued, ¡°I suddenly understand why you¡¯re always so cold.¡± He said with a gentle smile: ¡°Because if you weren¡¯t, the number of fellow disciples pursuing you would only be greater, not fewer, than those who admire me.¡± Xu Yinglian¡¯s expression softened slightly, and after a long while she finally said: Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Senior Brother.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Losing one¡¯s Yuan Yang can hinder the speed of cultivation,¡± Xu Yinglian said indifferently. ¡°So, I hope Senior Brother will take good care of himself.¡± Qiu Changtian: ? Chapter 48 - Chapter 48: Chapter 48 Junior Sister Xu Meets Miss Shi for the First Time Chapter 48: Chapter 48 Junior Sister Xu Meets Miss Shi for the First Time Jade Void Palace, Scripture Lecture Hall. After the Ziwei Master finished lecturing on the scriptures, just as the disciples were about to leave, they heard the Sect Leader say in a drawn-out tone: ¡°Qiu Changtian, Xu Yinglian, stay behind.¡± Under the astonished gazes of their senior brothers and sisters, the two sat quietly on their meditation cushions, silent and serene. Once everyone in the Scripture Lecture Hall had left, the Ziwei Master maintained his posture of resting with closed eyes, waved his horsetail whisk, and said: ¡°Qiu Changtian.¡± ¡°Your disciple is here,¡± replied Qiu Changtian respectfully. ¡°Coming from Kunlun together, helping each other with righteousness,¡± the Ziwei Master slowly said, ¡°This saying is very good.¡± Even with Qiu Changtian¡¯s skill in acting cool nearing its peak, he couldn¡¯t help but curse inwardly at that moment. The Ziwei Master, ignoring his disciple¡¯s embarrassment, continued: ¡°Our Kunlun Taiqing Sect, and the Penglai Jade Pure Pavilion, both originated from the Ancient Clarify Cult, hence we maintain the custom of exchange visits at regular intervals.¡± ¡°Tomorrow morning, as your teacher, I shall be invited to visit the East Sea to discuss many affairs between the two sects.¡± ¡°According to tradition, both sides will also arrange a meeting of elite disciples at the Foundation Establishment Rank, to enhance understanding and network.¡± ¡°Previous visitors were always disciples at the Great Perfection rank of Refining Mansion. However, considering the two of you often go out on adventures, this time you will accompany your teacher on the visit and also see the world.¡± Qiu Changtian: Xu Yinglian: See the world? I¡¯m already familiar with Penglai, what¡¯s there to see? Qiu Changtian thought to himself. Does Master think I usually go out for adventures with my senior brother? Cough, actually, I¡¯m just soaking in the Kunlun Spring. Xu Yinglian thought to herself. Of course, neither of them could reveal the truth to their master on the spot, so they could only nod in agreement. It wasn¡¯t long before the next day arrived. Given the long distance, flying on swords was naturally not possible. The group arrived at the plaza in front of Jade Void Palace, where the Ziwei Master pulled out a treasure ship model from his sleeve and tossed it forward. The treasure ship grew with the wind, getting longer and longer, until it quickly reached over a hundred meters in length. A number of true immortals and disciples followed the Sect Leader onto the ship, among them the lowest in cultivation, Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian, naturally receiving another round of astonished gazes. From Kunlun to Penglai, it was almost nine thousand miles, but the actual flight took no time at all. In this world, the speed of magical treasure ships is the fastest, even more so than Flying Swords. As evening neared, the treasure ship finally arrived at Penglai Island, where the Pavilion Master of Yuqing View and a number of Elders came out to welcome the Kunlun envoy group into the residence of Yuqing View. Qiu Changtian followed within the group of disciples, noticing ahead the Ziwei Master in amiable conversation with Elder Shi Ding, evidently acquainted for some time. He discreetly withdrew his gaze and then heard Junior Sister Xu beside him ask: ¡°Senior brother, it seems this is not your first time here?¡± Qiu Changtian responded with a faint smile: ¡°Why do you say that?¡± ¡°Because senior brother seems too uninterested,¡± Xu Yinglian pointed out towards their surroundings. Following her indication, Qiu Changtian saw the Refining Mansion rank senior brothers and sisters looking around with great interest, examining their surroundings. After all, within the Kunlun Shangqing Sect, almost all Inner Sect disciples were recluses, staying in their secluded snowy mountain cave dwellings, practicing cultivation for a hundred years without stepping out of the mountain. Now coming to an Island Sect for the first time, they were attracted by the vast and unseen sights, which was very normal. Not only the Kunlun disciples but also the Penglai disciples, who had come to greet them, looked at these visitors from the western snowy ridges with inquisitive and curious eyes. Judging by their attire, the Kunlun disciples mostly wore white or sky-blue Taoist robes with wide sleeves, carrying Flying Swords on their back and their heads crowned with high-caps, appearing extremely dignified and solemn. The Penglai disciples, on the other hand, favored brocade clothes with slim sleeves, no headwear, and various magical treasures such as flags and amulet bags at their waists, more resembling wealthy young masters and ladies out on an excursion. Both sides examined each other; whatever they thought inside, they had to maintain decorum, greeting each other with smiles. The reception banquet was held in the main hall of Yuqing View, with disciples from both sects mixed and seated together to facilitate mutual acquaintance and friendship. Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian found a spot to sit down and saw a variety of exquisite dishes on the table, mainly cold dishes, including all kinds of meats and fruits, thinly sliced with thick soups, dazzling to the eyes. Although cultivators had long ago practiced fasting, feeding on wind and dew, having a bite to eat occasionally was fine, and the impurities within the stomach could simply be refined away afterward. Qiu Changtian picked up a flat peach from the plate and slowly ate it, finding it succulently juicy and extremely sweet. It was far more delicious than the sliced fruits and snacks that Luo Yan usually scrounged from Miss Shi. ¡°This is no ordinary peach,¡± said a female voice nearby. ¡°It is the fruit of a peach sapling grown among spirit grass, bathed in the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, and thus sweet and luscious. While it may not increase one¡¯s lifespan, it can cleanse the mind and body.¡± Qiu Changtian turned his head to look beside him and immediately cursed inwardly. It was none other than Shi Liuli! At this moment, the typically fearless Miss Shi was sitting to his left, behaving demurely, looking at him with an adoring and passionate gaze. To be exact, it didn¡¯t seem like love at first sight between a man and a woman, or falling in love. It was more like the inexplicable emotions of a fan upon meeting their idol. Qiu Changtian instinctively felt a sense of extreme unease, but in order not to give himself away, he had to pretend to be a stranger who hadn¡¯t met her before, and he smiled and asked, ¡°May I ask who this Daoist friend is?¡± ¡°Yuqing View, Shi Liuli,¡± she replied with a slight smile, continuing, ¡°Daoist Qiu, Sister Bi Lian once mentioned to me that it was you who broke the Yimu Kunlong Formation in the cave heaven at Qinling and rescued our Yuqing View disciples, correct?¡± With her saying this, combined with Luo Yan¡¯s understanding of Miss Shi, Qiu Changtian immediately understood. It must be that Bi Lian went back and boasted extensively about his heroic deeds to Shi Liuli. Shi Liuli, with her typical girlish nature, admired the strong and detested mediocrity; additionally, she was a senior member of the appearance appreciation society. Having heard that Qiu Changtian, the chief disciple of this generation from Kunlun, was handsome, gentle, and powerful, how could she not become instantly interested? The test of his acting skills had arrived! Qiu Changtian modestly said, ¡°It was just a fluke, not worth mentioning. The art of formations mostly belongs to Penglai; I, Qiu Changtian, dare not show off my meager skills.¡± ¡°Daoist Qiu is too modest.¡± Shi Liuli said with a smile, ¡°The way of formations is truly abstruse, and even within our Yuqing View, there are few cultivators who study Qimen Dunjia.¡± This was indeed true; Luo Yan had spent a considerable time in Yuqing View and was aware that the most studied within the view was alchemy, followed by talisman scripts. Workshops like Heavenly Craft that specialized in weapon-making were no more than three in the entire Yuqing View. As for those who studied formations, there were probably only seven or eight. ¡°Daoist Qiu¡¯s ability to break the Yimu Kunlong Formation wasn¡¯t just a stroke of luck; it required profound knowledge of formations.¡± Seeing no sign of pride in Qiu Changtian, Shi Liuli became even more intrigued and said smilingly, ¡°Even my junior brother who delves into formation and alchemy probably hasn¡¯t mastered the solution to the Yimu Kunlong Formation.¡± No, he actually had¡­ Qiu Changtian forced himself to remain calm, not wanting to continue the conversation on this topic. After all, his facial features were exactly the same as Luo Yan¡¯s. The only difference was that Luo Yan had squinty eyes, while Qiu Changtian had his hair tied in a tall crown and, combined with the modifications in demeanor from Mirror Flower Water Moon and mental suggestions, had kept Shi Liuli from immediately recognizing the similarities with Luo Yan. But what if she continued to discuss Luo Yan and suddenly noticed the similarities in their appearance? He had to shift the topic quickly! Qiu Changtian suddenly turned his body to the side, introducing the Junior Sister Xu sitting on his right: ¡°By the way, this is my junior sister, Xu Yinglian.¡± Xu Yinglian was drinking tea at the time, only to hear Shi Liuli opposite her say, ¡°Oh, the Phoenix Immortal? Hehe, I¡¯ve long admired your reputation.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only The hint of barely concealed hostility in her voice immediately triggered Xu Yinglian¡¯s competitive spirit. ¡°Shi Liuli?¡± she asked coldly, ¡°Is the Daoist friend the beloved daughter of Elder Shi Ding?¡± ¡°I never expected to be recognized by the Phoenix Immortal herself,¡± Shi Liuli said with restraint. ¡°It truly is an immense honor.¡± ¡°You¡¯re too kind,¡± Xu Yinglian replied indifferently, ¡°After all, you are the daughter of Elder Shi Ding.¡± Emphasizing ¡°the daughter of Elder Shi Ding¡± twice, Shi Liuli immediately picked up on the tone of mockery (implying she was nothing special aside from having a notable father), and her face strained to maintain its composure. Chapter 49 - Chapter 49: Chapter 49 More People Craving for the Flesh Chapter 49: Chapter 49 More People Craving for the Flesh The guest banquet had ended, and it was deep into the night. The accommodations for the Kunlun emissary group were arranged in the eastern guest room area by Yuqing View. This place was at a suitable elevation, with a cool temperature. Pushing open the window revealed the ocean wide, each room offering a perfect sea view. After spending a moment in his room, Qiu Changtian planned to step out for a walk. Of course, the possibility of meeting Luo Yan was out of the question. Though Ah Jing had assured that if there was any inconsistency between the timelines of Qiu Changtian and Luo Yan, it would be smoothed over using the Mirror Flower Water Moon technique. But Qiu Changtian, always cautious and careful, naturally wouldn¡¯t risk unnecessary trouble. Besides, Luo Yan was well-acquainted with the map of Yuqing View, whereas Qiu Changtian should not be. If he went outside later, he would have to pretend to be unfamiliar with the place, asking for directions everywhere, which would be incredibly bothersome. Suddenly, the sound of a zither string resonated from outside, seemingly played by Xu Yinglian. Speaking of Xu Yinglian, he could not help but recall how she had exchanged sarcastic and mocking words with Shi Liuli at the earlier banquet. To Shi Liuli, Xu Yinglian was like that ¡°white lotus bitch entwined in scandal with the idol brother she was fanatical about.¡± And for Xu Yinglian, Shi Liuli was probably one of those ¡°idiots in the fan circle¡±, no wonder they found each other disagreeable. Stepping into the courtyard outside the room, he saw a cold plum planted in the central garden, its pink petals lightly tinted and its subtle fragrance enveloping the surroundings, adding an elegant charm to the area. Xu Yinglian was sitting beneath the cold plum, her fingers gently plucking the strings of the zither, producing a long, melodious sound¡ªit was the Phoenix Tail Zither Luo Yan had acquired from his second senior sister and later handed over to her by Qiu Changtian. ¡°Senior Brother, heading out in the late night, are you planning to find Shi Liuli?¡± She lowered her head, tuning the Phoenix Tail Zither as she asked indifferently. Faced with such a leading question, Qiu Changtian would naturally not answer incorrectly, and laughed, ¡°Blind to the beloved¡¯s intent, I only hear the sound of the zither.¡± Yet Xu Yinglian was not inclined to let him off easily, continuing to ask with her head down, ¡°Junior Sister is dull and doesn¡¯t know whom the beloved refers to?¡± ¡°Junior Sister¡­¡± Qiu Changtian sighed and said, ¡°After all, we are guests here, why do we need to provoke conflicts with the people of Yuqing View?¡± ¡°Senior Brother,¡± Xu Yinglian furrowed her brows lightly, countering, ¡°Is it I who desires to provoke a conflict?¡± Qiu Changtian was left speechless. If you ask who started it, it was definitely Miss Shi who picked the quarrel. But considering her princess syndrome that feared neither heaven nor earth, why must you retaliate with biting remarks? If you just stepped aside, wouldn¡¯t the problem have been avoided? Yet on second thought, given Junior Sister Xu¡¯s strong nature and the fact that the other party had initiated the challenge, asking her to admit defeat would probably be harder than killing her. Thinking this, Qiu Changtian sighed heavily, suspecting that these two would likely never get along. ¡°Why does Senior Brother sigh?¡± Xu Yinglian¡¯s expression grew colder, and her gaze became more fearsome, ¡°Is it because you find Junior Sister unaccommodating and unreasonable?¡± Qiu Changtian, of course, understood what upset her and immediately shook his head, ¡°No. It¡¯s just that with Elder Shi Ding¡¯s considerable reputation, I fear there will be many burdens in the future.¡± His words were veiled, but Xu Yinglian was not at a loss. He was implying that Shi Liuli would too easily attract animosity, which might eventually bring trouble to Elder Shi Ding. So her expression immediately softened, even feeling a bit triumphant in her heart: Hmph, how could my relationship with Senior Brother be rivaled by Shi Liuli whom I¡¯ve only met for one day? ¡°Senior Brother, Junior Sister was just inside listening to the sound of the ocean tides and was inspired with a fragment of a beautiful melody.¡± She plucked the strings with her graceful fingers, playing a short segment of music, then elegantly asked, ¡°Does Senior Brother have the leisure to help Junior Sister finish this piece?¡± Hearing the warmth in her voice, Qiu Changtian knew that Junior Sister had calmed down, and laughed, ¡°Of course, let me retrieve my flute from inside.¡± Together they played the zither and flute, the lingering sounds filling the courtyard with the vitality of spring. As for the noise outside, there was a soundproofing formation, so there was no need to worry about disturbing others. After discussing music with Junior Sister, Qiu Changtian returned to his bedroom and immediately began to summon the Kunlun Mirror. ¡°Load Luo Yan¡¯s file,¡± he calmly said. ¡°I need to confirm whether Shi Liuli has noticed anything amiss.¡± ¡°What if they notice?¡± asked the Kunlun Mirror. ¡°Shut up, it¡¯s just a routine matter. I¡¯m certain my acting won¡¯t have any issues,¡± Xu Yinglian responded confidently. The Kunlun Mirror spoke helplessly: [Location Three: Penglai Yuqing View, dormitory.] [Character Identity: Luo Yan.] [Overlaying with the Mirror Flower Water Moon Template, currently undergoing time-space travel.] Transferred to several days earlier at Yuqing View (before the Kunlun envoy team had arrived), Luo Yan made his move to find Shi Liuli. Before he even reached the door, he heard a burst of exclamations from a group of girls inside. ¡°Junior Sister Linlang, you really didn¡¯t know?¡± Shi Liuli exclaimed in surprise, ¡°Senior Brother Qiu is none other than the current Chief Disciple of Kunlun, the newly risen number one figure among the Orthodox Sect¡¯s disciples, Qiu Changtian!¡± ¡°Rumors say he is exceptionally handsome and has an excellent character, courteous and humble in his dealings with everyone.¡± ¡°And his strength is formidable. He is the prime disciple under the Ziwei real person, the Head of the Kunlun Sect. He once led Kunlun disciples deep into the Demon Sect¡¯s Underground Palace and slew thousands of Demon Cult disciples with his sword, emerging unscathed!¡± Luo Yan stood outside the door, his eyes glazed over from the initial part of the conversation, and by the end, he was utterly flabbergasted. Miss Shi, you can joke about anything else, but not about these wildly exaggerated tales; where in the world did these thousands of Demon Sect disciples come from? At this moment, another sister spoke up: ¡°I heard from Junior Sister Bi Lian of the Furnace Hall that on that day she took some junior brothers and sisters to explore a celestial cave in Qinling Mountains, only to get trapped by the Yimu Kunlong Formation inside the ruins!¡± ¡°It was fortunate that the Kunlun Chief Disciple, Senior Brother Qiu Changtian, just happened to be passing by. Seeing Junior Sister Bi Lian crying covertly, he took the initiative to help!¡± ¡°Wow!¡± all the young ladies gasped in unison, ¡°Then what happened?¡± The sister clasped her hands before her chest, her voice tremulous with excitement: ¡°He was a vision of sword light and elegance, effortlessly breaking three formation points and rescuing the disciples of the Penglai Sect, who had been on the brink of death, leading them all to safety!¡± ¡°Right there on the spot, Junior Sister Bi Lian was so touched that she wanted to repay him with spirit stones. But Senior Brother Qiu politely declined, saying that as fellow disciples of the Orthodox Sect, it was only right to help without expecting anything in return.¡± ¡°As he was leaving, he even retrieved the elixir and scripture scrolls Junior Sister Bi Lian needed from deep within the cave and presented them to her, insisting it was a simple effort and not to be hung up on.¡± ¡°Junior Sister Bi Lian was smitten right there and then. Unable to persuade him to stay, she could only watch as Qiu Changtian gracefully took his leave.¡± ¡°From that moment on, she became preoccupied with thoughts of him, washing her face with her tears every day!¡± What the¡­ Who concocted this melodramatic nonsense? Luo Yan was shocked and appalled. Bi Lian, isn¡¯t it? I kindly saved your junior brothers and sisters out of goodwill, and this is how you repay me by singing such high praises behind my back! Hey, wait a minute, something seems off here¡­ ¡°Junior Sister Bi Lian is really dense!¡± a sister exclaimed indignant, ¡°If I were her, I would have confessed on the spot, face be damned! Even if it didn¡¯t work out, I would have at least tried to get a token from him, anything would¡¯ve been good!¡± ¡°Junior Sister Yulang, you¡¯re too greedy!¡± another sister teased, ¡°Do you know how much Senior Brother Qiu Changtian¡¯s belongings go for in the black market?¡± ¡°Even a single strand of hair from his pillow sells for six hundred low-grade spirit stones inside Kunlun! That¡¯s if you can even find it, as it¡¯s snapped up immediately by the lady disciples of Kunlun!¡± Luo Yan¡¯s eye twitched involuntarily as he heard someone ask: ¡°You¡¯re kidding. Six hundred spirit stones for a single hair?¡± Another sister spoke enviously: ¡°You have no idea. That Qiu Changtian is blessed with Daoist Heart Clarity, an incredibly rare trait among cultivators!¡± ¡°Those with the Daoist Heart Clarity are not haunted by evil spirits, nor daunted by calamities. Even a single hair of his, kept close to one¡¯s body, can clear the mind and improve vision, possessing the effect of driving away evil spirits!¡± ¡°Do you know about Qing Nan Jian Qingnan? She¡¯s the prodigious cultivator girl who stirred up rumors ten years ago, now she¡¯s Qiu Changtian¡¯s junior sister.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Every month she tries her best to sneak into Senior Brother Qiu¡¯s cave dwelling and manages to steal just one or two hairs to auction. They¡¯re snapped up instantly in Kunlun on the same day!¡± Jian Qingnan, you¡¯re the traitor within! Just wait until I get back; I¡¯ll teach you a lesson you won¡¯t forget¡­ Luo Yan thought fiercely, grinding his teeth. Six hundred spirit stones for a hair; this rumor is just too outrageous, exaggerated to the point of absurdity. So another sister voiced her confusion, sparking an uproar of debate, until finally, Shi Liuli came out to dispel the rumors: ¡°Stop arguing, it¡¯s all true!¡± Chapter 50 - Chapter 50: Chapter 50 My Number One Fan Turns Out to Be Myself Chapter 50: Chapter 50 My Number One Fan Turns Out to Be Myself ¡°My dad said when Master Qiu first joined the Kunlun Sect, the elders almost came to blows over who would take him as a disciple.¡± ¡°Because to one with Daoist Heart Clarity, there are no obstructions on the path of cultivation, and they are naturally set on a smooth road. After several cycles, they become a Nascent Soul powerhouse.¡± ¡°So, after a fierce competition, the Head of the Kunlun Sect went to great lengths to take him under his wing.¡± ¡°Wow.¡± After hearing this, everyone could only sigh in admiration, their faces full of envy. ¡°And the rumors about his deeds are all true. There are people in both Kunlun and Penglai who can vouch for them, none of it is fabricated.¡± Shi Liuli said this while pulling out a small booklet from her sleeve, and continued, ¡°I got this by calling in favors and paying a hefty price from a Kunlun practitioner. It¡¯s the biography of Qiu Changtian, I can let you have a look.¡± So, the crowd swiftly gathered around to look over it, heads coming together. Luo Yan, standing outside, scratched his head in frustration, wanting to go in but not daring to, truly feeling miserable. Inside, the discussion was vigorous: ¡°This cover actually has his sketch portrait! Indeed, he is handsome and stately, just my type!¡± ¡°Different from what I imagined, but the one in this picture is even more handsome! Ahh, I really want to touch his face!¡± ¡°To think there¡¯s such a perfect man in this world! Damn it, if I had known, I would have gone to Kunlun to become a disciple!¡± ¡°Junior Sister Shi, may I borrow this little booklet to admire for a few days?¡± a senior sister eagerly asked. Upon hearing this, Shi Liuli immediately took it back, clutching it to her chest and shaking her head fiercely: ¡°No way, no way, I must keep this booklet close to me. You can go buy it from someone in Kunlun.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be so stingy, Junior Sister.¡± ¡°How about I trade a Demon-Sealing Talisman for it? I¡¯ll add two Luminous Pearls from the East Sea!¡± Luo Yan left with an expressionless face. Walking along the garden paths within the Yuqing View, he began to ponder a profound question: Is this considered cuckolding oneself? Of course not. First off, Miss Shi¡¯s view of Qiu Changtian was currently only idol worship, not actual romantic feelings. Even if there¡¯s a chance it could turn into a secret crush later on, that is in the future, and at least for now, it isn¡¯t the case. Secondly, Luo Yan himself harbored no romantic feelings towards Miss Shi. That was the key! Even though Miss Shi was pretty and cute enough (particularly cooperative when it came to increasing Synchronization Value), as Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian mentioned, her immature personality was really a turnoff. To provoke Xu Yinglian, whom he had never met before, over such a trivial matter was indeed folly. To put it nicely, it was being ignorant of the world; to put it bluntly, it would lead to trouble in the future! Of course, her personality could also be attributed to an overly privileged upbringing. Her father, Elder Shi Ding, was an important figure in the Artifact Refining Sect of the Yuqing View¡ªnot only did he command respect from the Pavilion Master, but even the Ziwei Sect Leader of Kunlun showed him courtesy. Add to that the fact that within the Heavenly Craft Workshop, they had a family of three Golden Cores; the third senior sister, Liang Ruohua, was at the Soul Storing Rank; the second senior sister, Lei Caiyan, was at the Root Seeking Rank; and the chief disciple, Linghu Chu, had reached the Perfection level of the Obscure Weave Rank, just awaiting the final transformation into an infant spirit to become a Nascent Soul Elder. With so many formidable senior brothers and sisters, who would dare to pick on Shi Liuli? Even if someone found her disagreeable, they¡¯d be sure to steer clear of her. Under such conditions, developing a self-centered character came naturally¡ªand not to mention anything else, the fact that Shi Liuli was still somewhat caring towards her junior brothers at times already showed her intrinsic goodness. Although Luo Yan had to attend to Miss Shi in order to boost his Synchronization Value, he honestly found her character far less appealing than that of the gentle and considerate Senior Sister An or the smart and proud Junior Sister Xu. Whatever, let her fancy whoever she wants. After all, Qiu Changtian is me, and Luo Yan is also me; as long as I don¡¯t like her, it doesn¡¯t matter who she likes. After returning to his workspace, Luo Yan continued to tackle his assignments. Elder Shi Ding had given him three tasks: First, to study the ways of Formation and Cauldron Casting. Second, to practice Qi Refinement and enhance his Cultivation Level. Third, to take good care of Miss Shi. Of course, that was not how it was originally phrased; the actual words were ¡°take the opportunity to consult your Senior Sister more.¡± With the talent of ¡°comprehending a thousand things upon a single hearing,¡± how could Luo Yan not understand the hidden meaning in his master¡¯s words? He was always ready to fulfill Shi Liuli¡¯s every request, which conveniently allowed him to boost his Synchronization Value for maintaining a false facade. As for practicing Qi Refinement and enhancing his Cultivation Level, there was no need to be too obsessed. After all, the Qi Refining Technique of the Heavenly Craft Sect was ¡°Three Flowers Gathering Spirit,¡± which had very average efficiency. Practicing it was fruitless; it was better to wait for an opportunity to advance ranks at the Pavilion. After a few more days of study, Luo Yan finally caught up with Qiu Changtian¡¯s schedule on the day the Kunlun delegation arrived. At that time, Qiu Changtian was accompanying the Ziwei Master and others into the main hall for the welcome banquet, with Elder Shi Ding also in attendance to show support. Unexpectedly, the fellow senior and junior disciples were not keen on networking with people from Kunlun. Aside from Shi Liuli, who was eager to meet her idolized elder brother, only the eldest disciple Linghu Chu was reluctantly brought along. The rest stayed in their workspaces, which spared Luo Yan the trouble of making up excuses. In the evening, after the banquet ended, Shi Liuli came barging into his workshop in a flurry. ¡°Junior Brother, Junior Brother!¡± she complained as soon as she entered, ¡°Ugh, that Xu Yinglian is so disgusting, let me tell you!¡± She rattled off a string of complaints about Xu Yinglian, rendering Luo Yan utterly speechless. Mhm, in addition to her princess syndrome, add vengefulness, pettiness, and gossiping to the list. ¡°Junior Brother! What do you think?¡± Shi Liuli said, puffing up angrily. Luo Yan: ¡°Are you saying it¡¯s my fault?!¡± Shi Liuli immediately flared up, eyebrows inverted and hands on her hips, presenting a look that said, ¡°If you don¡¯t explain this clearly, I¡¯ll bite you to death.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not,¡± Luo Yan could only sigh and say, ¡°I was just thinking, Qiu Changtian of the Kunlun Sect is such a dashing figure, how come his Junior Sister happens to be so uncivilized?¡± [Falsehood Persona, Synchronization Value +1] Despite not finishing the sentence, Shi Liuli understood what he meant and immediately beamed with delight, ¡°Well said! You¡¯re worthy of being my Junior Brother. Indeed, if Xu Yinglian were just an ordinary disciple, I wouldn¡¯t bother with her, but as Qiu Changtian¡¯s Junior Sister, she doesn¡¯t strive for progress and instead spends her days fantasizing about scandals with her Senior Brother¡ªthat, I cannot tolerate!¡± Luo Yan had already become utterly numb to it and simply nodded, acquiescing to Shi Liuli¡¯s continued denigration of Xu Yinglian, throwing around phrases like ¡°faking aloofness¡± and ¡°molted phoenix.¡± As he did so, his Synchronization Value soared, Miss Shi¡¯s heart burgeoned with joy, and the anger she harbored from her verbal skirmish with Xu Yinglian finally dissipated completely. ¡°You really do understand, Junior Brother,¡± Shi Liuli said cheerfully. ¡°Oh right, I¡¯ve got to tell you, a few Senior and Junior Sisters and I have formed a club. Do you want to join?¡± ¡°What club?¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°It¡¯s a fan club to support and learn from the esteemed Senior Brother Qiu, tentatively named ¡®Zhang Tian Club¡¯.¡± Luo Yan almost spat out blood. You want me to join my own fan club? But on second thought, it wasn¡¯t such a bad idea. If left unchecked, who knows what kind of trouble Shi Liuli and her group of Senior and Junior Sisters might stir up against Qiu Changtian! I can¡¯t just stand by and do nothing! Chapter 51 - Chapter 51: Chapter 51: Shouldn’t Talk Back to Senior Brother Chapter 51: Chapter 51: Shouldn¡¯t Talk Back to Senior Brother The next day, the envoy delegation embarked on a treasure boat, heading back to Kunlun, westward. Song He sat near the stern, silently looking out at the sea of clouds outside the window. This time, the Ziwei Master¡¯s visit to Penglai Jade Pure was primarily to finalize the joint venture of Foundation Establishment Rank disciples to the Pavilion. Although it was a remnant secret realm from ancient times, the Three Cults had already established themselves independently, and their relations were not as solid as iron. Moreover, since the Pavilion Secret Realm was located deep in the East Sea and its access mechanism was controlled by the Yuqing View, Kunlun disciples needed to gain approval from Yuqing View to participate in the Pavilion trials. In short, without dwelling on the minutiae of interest exchanges, the two sects eventually came to an agreement, and the list of disciples destined for joint cultivation in the Pavilion was settled. His junior brothers, Zhao Wencheng and Qiu Yuan, who had recently entered the Refining Mansion Rank, sought to swiftly transform their Purple Mansion with the help of the Pavilion¡¯s power, thus leaving time to perfect it and were successfully included on the list. Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian were also on the list, as it was intended for them to skip the prolonged phase of Qi intake for Qi Refinement. Since the Pavilion Secret Realm was situated in the distant ocean of the East Sea and within the sphere of influence of Yuqing View, it was impossible for the Sect Leader to let him take the sect¡¯s treasure, the Tai Yi Dividing Light Sword, there. Additionally, non-Foundation Establishment Rank disciples were unable to enter the realm, creating a rare window of opportunity. A window where Qiu Changtian would be isolated outside, without any Magical Treasures or elders for protection, was also the most suitable time to act against him. Song He stretched out a finger and gently massaged his brow. Last night, he visited an old acquaintance from Yuqing View and managed to learn the details of the Pavilion Secret Realm¡¯s trial from him. Inside the secret realm, the world was vast and boundless. Theoretically, it was possible to find fellow daoists and tackle challenges together. However, upon entering the Secret Realm, the Pavilion¡¯s Prohibitions would identify each entrant¡¯s Divine Soul and intentionally scatter everyone to different locations. Due to different starting points and varying sequences of completing the trials, it was very difficult for the trialists to meet. But there was one place where all trialists would inevitably reach, differing only in the order of arrival. That was the end point after passing all trials¡ªthe Pavilion Main Hall! As long as he cleared the trials before Qiu Changtian, he could ambush him at the entrance to the Pavilion. Given Qiu Changtian¡¯s qualities, he was likely to clear the trials faster than most others. As long as he arrived earlier and ambushed him, employing a powerful Magical Treasure for a rapid kill, the chances of success were very high! As for the aftermath, it was even easier. Once the Pavilion Secret Realm closed, who knew when it would open again, and the cause of his death would be entirely unverifiable. It was known that to prevent cheating by concealing the divined fate, the Restrictions of the Pavilion Secret Realm brutally blocked off all Divination methods of investigation. While Song He was carefully plotting, on the other side, Luo Yan and Shi Liuli were also called over by Elder Shi Ding. ¡°You have already learned about the Pavilion from your Chief Disciple, haven¡¯t you?¡± Elder Shi Ding spoke solemnly, ¡°Our Heavenly Craft Workshop lineage¡¯s Three Flowers Gathering Spirit Technique is not very efficient in Qi Refinement.¡± ¡°Thus, using this opportunity in the Pavilion Secret Realm to skip the originally prolonged process of filling the Qi Sea is a rare opportunity for you all.¡± Seeing his serious and solemn demeanor, Luo Yan and Shi Liuli sat upright and listened patiently to Elder Shi Ding¡¯s guidance: ¡°The Pavilion trial secret realm is divided into six paths: the One Line Fire Prison Gate, Double Lives Mortal World Gate, Three Kinds Animal Gate, Four Kings Asura Gate, Sixth Heaven Heavenly Demon Gate, and the Ten Halls of Fengdu Gate.¡± ¡°Of these, the Fire Prison, Asura, and Fengdu Gates will test combat capabilities; the Mortal World, Animal, and Heavenly Demon Gates will test heart and Comprehension.¡± ¡°After entering, the Pavilion¡¯s Restrictions will teleport you randomly to one of the gates. As long as you succeed in clearing it, you will be randomly teleported to the next gate, making it very unlikely for you to meet with each other.¡± ¡°Thus, you must clear the gates on your own, and don¡¯t trust anyone you encounter¡ªregardless of whether you know the person, you should treat them as strangers.¡± ¡°The disciple understands (The daughter understands),¡± Luo Yan and Shi Liuli replied respectively. ¡°Hmm,¡± Elder Shi Ding pondered for a moment before sighing and saying, ¡°The Qi Refining Rank is not only the process of drawing Qi into the body but also the process of cultivating Qi to Purify the Mind.¡± ¡°The Qi Refining Rank, as the first hurdle for cultivators, often requires thirty to forty years and is actually a test of Daoist Heart.¡± ¡°Whether you can withstand loneliness and remain true to your core is key to your subsequent cultivation.¡± ¡°By taking advantage of the Pavilion Secret Realm, skipping this stage, it¡¯s uncertain whether it will be beneficial or detrimental.¡± Elder Shi Ding heaved a long, deep sigh and then, with his hands clasped behind his back, slowly walked away. ¡°Hmph!¡± No sooner had he left than Shi Liuli jumped up and said, ¡°Father looks down on me again!¡± ¡°What master said is not without reason¡­¡± As soon as Luo Yan tried to smooth things over, he was stared down by Miss Shi, and sensing the mood, he cleverly shut his mouth. ¡°Daoist Heart, Daoist Heart, do I not possess a Daoist Heart?¡± Shi Liuli said angrily, ¡°Am I not a cultivation genius? Who decreed that others must spend thirty to forty years in the Qi Refinement rank, and that I must follow suit and also spend thirty to forty years?¡± ¡°Senior sister is absolutely right!¡± Luo Yan could only falsely flatter her, ¡°Master, being a father, always subconsciously treats his children as if they are still little kids.¡± ¡°And?¡± Shi Liuli asked, tilting her head. ¡°But in fact, with senior sister¡¯s talent, there¡¯s really no need to worry,¡± Luo Yan said with a smile. [False persona, Synchronization Value +1.] ¡°Exactly!¡± Shi Liuli said as if it were only natural, and then smiled contentedly, ¡°Junior brother understands me best.¡± ¡°Alas, even though my talent may not be as clear-sighted as Chief Qiu¡¯s Daoist Heart Clarity, it can¡¯t be considered poor compared to other senior brothers and sisters, right? They all took one or two months to pass the three trials, but I managed to cultivate my Qi Sea in just half a month!¡± ¡°To be fair, it¡¯s indeed so,¡± Luo Yan continued with a flurry of flattery, ¡°Cultivating a Qi Sea in half a month, what kind of cultivation talent is that? I bet it took master more than half a month to pass the three trials when he did them.¡± ¡°Junior brother, I¡¯ll tell you a secret, but you can¡¯t tell anyone else, okay? Father actually wasn¡¯t that talented,¡± Shi Liuli said with a smile in her eyes, whispering in his ear, ¡°It took him a month and thirteen days.¡± Luo Yan was left speechless at her words. Miss Shi, there¡¯s a saying that family shames should not be spread abroad, and your actions are truly very ¡®filial¡¯. Of course, to some extent, this also reflected the deep trust Shi Liuli had in him. In any case, since Miss Shi had no awareness of the relationship between Qiu Changtian and Luo Yan, he could safely reload Qiu Changtian¡¯s save and start preparing for the trip to the Pavilion Secret Realm. He reloaded the save to last night, donned Qiu Changtian¡¯s persona, and spent the night in his room. The next morning, Qiu Changtian joined the others and boarded the treasure ship headed back to Kunlun. Upon arriving at Golden Ridge, Qiu Changtian said to Xu Yinglian: ¡°Junior sister, you should go back first. I still have things to take care of.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Xu Yinglian didn¡¯t ask further, only descended at the entrance of her cave dwelling with the light of her sword. Qiu Changtian controlled the sword light and quickly arrived at the entrance of Jian Qingnan¡¯s cave, bursting in with great momentum. Not long after, the caught-in-the-act Jian Qingnan, under the chief disciple¡¯s interrogation, confessed everything: ¡°¡­ Actually, all these concentric knots are fakes, just human hair I casually collected from Red Platform Market.¡± Heh, still daring to deceive with fakes? Qiu Changtian then sternly warned her: ¡°Hair and nails, if they fall off within a month, can be used by someone as a vehicle for curse mystique, did you know that?¡± ¡°Of course I know,¡± said Jian Qingnan in a wronged tone, ¡°But most of these curse mystiques have been long lost.¡± ¡°In ancient times, there was the Seven-Arrow Nail Head Scripture. Just by knowing a person¡¯s name, you didn¡¯t need hair or nails to connect with the other person¡¯s divine soul! By that logic, shouldn¡¯t even names not be revealed¡­¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Qiu Changtian burst into anger, interrupting her: ¡°You still dare to talk back?¡± ¡°I dare not,¡± Jian Qingnan quickly shrank back. ¡°Say ¡®junior sister should not talk back to senior brother¡¯ ten times! Louder!¡± ¡°Junior sister should not talk back to senior brother¡­¡± Tears were almost falling from Jian Qingnan¡¯s eyes. Chapter 52 - Chapter 52: Chapter 52: The cheat finally works! Chapter 52: Chapter 52: The cheat finally works! About a week later, it was finally the day the Pavilion opened. The East Sea Pavilion, located in the remote sea abyss of the eastern part of Yingzhou, was three thousand zhang deep. If not for the protection of High-Rank Magical Treasures of those with Nascent Souls, ordinary cultivators would have been crushed into minced meat by the immense water pressure at this depth. Above the sea surface, a multitude of dragonships and shuttle boats of various colors packed densely, all belonging to cultivators from the Kunlun and Penglai sects. Qiu Changtian, Xu Yinglian, along with Guan Zhan, Yan Zhitui, and other disciples of the current Sect Leaders, were standing on the deck of the Meng Chong, waiting for the opening of the Pavilion below the sea. Shi Liuli was decked out in colorful clothing and ornate hairpins today, looking beautiful as she pulled at Qiu Changtian¡¯s sleeve, chatting with him. As for Luo Yan, being the version of himself from a future timeline, he was probably skulking around somewhere. On the deck, Qiu Changtian courteously and humbly dealt with Miss Shi, feeling utterly helpless inside. Xu Yinglian stood at the edge of the boat, gazing down into the sea without a word, only occasionally turning her head to cast a disdainful look as if she were staring at bugs, towards her senior brother and Shi Liuli, causing Qiu Changtian¡¯s back to tingle with unease. As for the other unscrupulous junior brothers and sisters, they didn¡¯t come forward to rescue their senior brother, just hiding behind and whispering, giggling and laughing. Qiu Changtian, looking at the distant sea with a smile, had already thought of thousands of ways to deal with them. Hum, just wait when I get back to Kunlun, I¡¯ll start with you guys! On another shuttle boat, Zhao Wencheng and Qiu Yuan stood side by side at a corner of the deck, their expressions serious as they looked out over the sea. For this plan, Song He, their senior brother, had used up almost a century¡¯s worth of resources to barely scrape together two Tenth-Rank Magical Treasures for them, all replicas of Post-Heaven Spiritual Treasures, extremely powerful in their might. This time, they intended to take advantage of the power of the two Tenth-Rank Magical Treasures to pass through the levels quickly and then ambush Qiu Changtian at the square in front of the Pavilion Main Hall at the end for a powerful attack! With the arrival of the wee hours, sudden trails of meteors surged onto the sea surface. Everyone leaned over the railing to look down, only to see below the sea surface, a few zhang deep, multicolored, undulating water light that rippled and waved like brocade, unfolding and folding like clouds of cotton, dazzling and blinding to the eyes. The East Sea Pavilion opened right on schedule at the third quarter of noon! Instantly, the sea surface erupted as various Immortals Sect¡¯s Magical Treasures, shuttle boats, and ships dived down into the sea in unison. Diving deep, one could see a splendid palace gate, quietly enveloped within a water film. Many Meng Chongs stopped within it, and the Pavilion Master of the Yuqing View stood at the bow, hands behind his back, and declared, ¡°The Pavilion has opened, all disciples enter swiftly and undergo the trials! The gate will close three days hence, you must escape before then, make no mistake!¡± No sooner had his words fallen than countless rainbow lights rose in response, forming bridges directly to the palace gate from the boats above. All the Kunlun and Penglai disciples flew up on their swords, transforming into colorful streams of light as they sped along the rainbow bridges into the majestic palace gates. Qiu Changtian too took control of his sword to move forward when suddenly he saw Xu Yinglian dart past him with a whoosh, racing ahead into the palace gate. What¡¯s there to compete over¡­ he muttered to himself, somewhat speechless. He then followed and vanished inside too. As the perspective spun and the surroundings shifted, Qiu Changtian regained his senses and found himself standing in the middle of a barren wasteland. Black sky, black earth, with a dim light all around, numerous shadows flickered and trembled in the distance, hazy and frightening, enough to send chills down one¡¯s spine. ¡°This place is the Land of Fengdu of the Ten Courts.¡± Someone nearby spoke. Qiu Changtian turned his head to look. Damn it! It was actually Luo Yan! The person standing by his side, with messy hair and squinting eyes, radiating an aura of harmlessness, was none other than Luo Yan, one of his false identities, and a disciple of Penglai Jade Pure. ¡°Don¡¯t panic, listen to me first,¡± Luo Yan said expressionlessly, ¡°I am you from a future timeline.¡± ¡°To be precise, I am you who had completely cleared the Pavilion and left, then went back to the cabin on the ship outside and immediately loaded the Luo Yan file.¡± ¡°I came here this time to help you avert an imminent calamity,¡± he continued. ¡°You can verify my identity through the Kunlun Mirror, as I have a Kunlun Mirror on me too.¡± ¡°Ah Jing,¡± Qiu Changtian called out in his mind, ¡°Is this really me from the future?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the Kunlun Mirror replied, ¡°and the future Kunlun Mirror has spoken to me.¡± ¡°What did it say?¡± ¡°It said to record all of Luo Yan¡¯s current words,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said helplessly, ¡°When you reach his point in time along the timeline, I will reproduce these lines and have you play the role of Luo Yan, reading them to the past Qiu Changtian.¡± Qiu Changtian: ??? So, the Luo Yan across from me is reciting lines, right? No wonder it sounded a bit like rote reading. But since the Kunlun Mirror has already confirmed it, then the Luo Yan across from me is indeed myself from the future. ¡°You must also know,¡± Luo Yan continued, ¡°that the words I am saying now, are the words I heard the future Luo Yan say when I was playing the role of Qiu Changtian at your point in time.¡± ¡°And his lines were also what he heard from another future Luo Yan when he was playing Qiu Changtian in his past.¡± ¡°So you must be wondering, where does this time loop originate from?¡± At this point, Luo Yan¡¯s voice paused: ¡°Don¡¯t mind these details.¡± ¡°Where does time begin? Where does it end? Unless you can comprehend the great Dao of time, don¡¯t explore these details¡­ just treat these lines as if they were written for you by the great Dao of time.¡± Qiu Changtian: Alright, I won¡¯t ask then. Luo Yan continued: ¡°The reason I met you here is that the Pavilion¡¯s Prohibition identifies different cultivators by their divine souls and teleports them to different locations.¡± ¡°Mirror Flower Water Moon can¡¯t disguise divine souls, and since our divine souls are identical, we were teleported to the same place.¡± ¡°This is a weakness of the Mirror Flower Water Moon, you must remember it in the future.¡± Qiu Changtian nodded, although his mind was brimming with thousands of questions, he remained silent. Because he knew, the more he asked, the more the Luo Yan across from him would have to answer. And then, when the future self would play Luo Yan, he would have to repeat even longer lines to the past Qiu Changtian¡­ so better not to create trouble for himself. The most important thing for now was, as Luo Yan said, to resolve the imminent calamity he was about to encounter! Luo Yan spoke flatly: ¡°This is the domain of the Land of Fengdu, simulating the great terror between life and death, testing your ability to confront fear.¡± ¡°The future me has already led me through it once. Now it¡¯s my turn to lead you through, thus completing this causal cycle.¡± ¡°Come with me.¡± He urged his sword light and flew forward, saying at the same time: ¡°This is a Ninth Rank Wood System Flying Sword named ¡®Peach Blossom¡¯.¡± ¡°After you load Luo Yan¡¯s memory, remember to ask the eldest senior brother for one.¡± Qiu Changtian looked at the pink sword light beneath his feet and hesitated to speak. Never mind, it¡¯s already history that has happened, unchangeable. So what if it¡¯s girly pink! ¡°Besides, you also need to borrow an item from Shi Liuli,¡± Luo Yan continued, flipping his hand and a small seal appeared on it, ¡°it is the replica magical treasure ¡®Heaven-flipping Seal¡¯ that she used before.¡± Qiu Changtian: ? ¡°You must be wondering now why Miss Shi would lend it to you,¡± Luo Yan said, ¡°Don¡¯t ask, just borrow it.¡± ¡°Pay close attention to how I¡¯ll be leading you through the entire process.¡± Qiu Changtian, having nothing to say, could only smile and nod. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only After all, the person across from him is himself from the future! The memories in his mind are like a walkthrough for his current self! What is an ultimate cheat code? This is it! Ah Jing, the eternal genius! Kunlun Mirror: ? Chapter 55 - Chapter 55: Chapter 55: The Killing of Emperor Shitian, The Junior Sister is Furious Chapter 55: Chapter 55: The Killing of Emperor Shitian, The Junior Sister is Furious ¡°These four-armed individuals are Asuras.¡± ¡°Those flying beings are celestial beings.¡± Furtively moving forward with Qiu Changtian, and trailing behind Xu Yinglian and the Asuras, Luo Yan whispered an explanation: ¡°The goal of this challenge is to defeat Emperor Shitian. To find Emperor Shitian, we must first defeat the celestial beings that block our path.¡± ¡°Xu Yinglian¡¯s approach is the standard solution to pass this level, which is to escort the battle-ready Asuras and fight our way through.¡± ¡°But there¡¯s an even less energy-consuming strategy, which is to follow stealthily like us.¡± ¡°When she gets to the last of the celestial being¡¯s armies, we¡¯ll quickly pass the Asuras and rush to sneak attack Emperor Shitian.¡± Qiu Changtian was stunned. Isn¡¯t this just like stealing the boss? ¡°Yes, it¡¯s exactly like stealing the boss.¡± Luo Yan said emotionlessly, ¡°In accordance with the celestial beings¡¯ cycle of decay, Emperor Shitian revives fully restored every five quarters. Whoever kills him first will be able to move on to the next level sooner.¡± ¡°And the time it takes to pass the level is very important to us,¡± he enunciated each word, ¡°even a second¡¯s lead is worth fighting for.¡± For some reason, Qiu Changtian felt that Luo Yan¡¯s last remark seemed to carry a deeper meaning. The two continued to follow Xu Yinglian and saw Junior Sister Xu demonstrating her formidable power. The Kunlun Sword Technique allowed for her Flying Sword to soar, cutting down a large number of celestial beings, and occasionally she would unleash Sword Dao Techniques, sending out countless firebirds that screeched across the sky. These firebirds, composed of high-temperature flames and extremely fast, unaffected by the celestial beings¡¯ lightning attacks, reaped the battlefield with efficiency. With victory after victory, Xu Yinglian went from being initially silent and aloof to gradually becoming spirited and lively. After all, the point of battle is to win, isn¡¯t it? I couldn¡¯t beat my senior brother in swordsmanship not because I was too weak, but because he was just too abnormal! Now it seems, with my strength, dealing with these illusionary monsters in the Pavilion Secret Realm is more than manageable! Hahaha¡­ Confidence and joy seemed to brim from her excited eyes and brows. Watching from behind, Qiu Changtian grew increasingly hesitant. If I were to snatch the final blow on Emperor Shitian right before her, surely Junior Sister Xu wouldn¡¯t be driven by rage into Deviation, right? Sigh, to smack her down from the pinnacle of happiness into the depths of despair¡­ I really can¡¯t bring myself to do such a mean deed¡­ ¡°Don¡¯t worry, she won¡¯t succumb to Deviation,¡± Luo Yan suddenly said, ¡°In fact, what we¡¯re doing is teaching her a valuable lesson.¡± ¡°And that is, never let your guard down or become complacent until the very end.¡± Qiu Changtian: ? Ah well, you do have a point when you put it that way. Moreover, according to what Luo Yan said, something like this must have already happened to him in the past. It¡¯s now a fixed part of history. How could I attempt to change history so easily? No choice then, I¡¯ll just have to follow through with it. I believe Junior Sister Xu will surely understand the senior brother¡¯s difficulties! The two continued to trail behind, and the further they progressed, the more celestial beings they encountered, and the more potent the thunder and lightning released by their Vajra Pestles became, resulting in increasing casualties among the Asuras. With a grave expression, Xu Yinglian focused intently on wielding her Feather Jia Sword, swiftly slaying the approaching foes. Thanks to her outstanding performance, she was able to hold off the vast numbers of celestial beings, inspiring the Asuras on the ground to fight even more fiercely, persistently pressing forward under the barrage from the celestial beings. ¡°Now!¡± Luo Yan suddenly whispered, wrapping his sword light around himself and Qiu Changtian and charging forward from their hiding place. His sword light grew faster and faster until it almost became a straight line. In an instant, it pierced through the heavenly beings who failed to react in time, shooting straight towards their rear. Xu Yinglian caught that fleeting streak of light, her expression immediately turning ice-cold. Such fast sword light! Even if she gave it her all, she could never make her Flying Sword shoot out at such speed. The person controlling the Flying Sword must be above the Marrow Cleansing Rank, and also using some sort of profound Sword Control Technique¡­ Wait? Why is he penetrating deep into the enemy¡¯s rear? Could it be¡­ An alarming thought suddenly sprung to mind, causing Xu Yinglian to quickly activate the Sword Dao Techniques, trying to rapidly clear away the obstructing heavenly beings. However, for every group she eliminated, another group of heavenly beings would take their place, infuriating Xu Yinglian to the point of grinding her teeth, the frustration and resentment on her face so thick it was nearly tangible. That person¡­ that person took advantage of me holding the heavenly beings back, and suddenly appeared, controlling the Flying Sword to dash into the enemy¡¯s rear, certainly aiming to snatch the task¡¯s target¡ªEmperor Shi Tian! While Xu Yinglian was desperately fighting and still unable to break through the heavenly beings, Luo Yan had already used the Shushan¡¯s Man-Sword Unity technique, carrying Qiu Changtian and rushing towards the distant Emperor Shi Tian. The Emperor Shi Tian manifested by the Pavilion Secret Realm was an image of a female Divine King nearly a hundred meters tall, dressed in splendid and magnificent attire, with a dignified and elegant posture, wearing a phoenix crown, hands clasped together in prayer, and besides the Vajra Pestle hanging by her side, her entire appearance was that of a royal consort. But celestial beings have no gender. Whether male or female, it¡¯s merely the form they wish to present. ¡°Thunder Light Fire Pattern, Jade Pivot Divine Thunder!¡± Luo Yan called out, holding a sword technique in his right hand and loudly reminding Qiu Changtian, while his left hand quickly formed an incantation. Both of them roared ¡°Break!¡± and then two streaks of azure thunder light, one after the other, struck the Divine King¡¯s head accurately! Thunder roared and the world reverberated. Luo Yan once again drove the Peach Blossom Sword with all his might, and the pink sword light was abruptly elongated, piercing through like lightning, carrying an overwhelming aura. Unity of Body and Sword! The head of the Divine King finally exploded, and the colossal figure slowly collapsed to the ground. In the distance behind them was Xu Yinglian, who had hastily broken through the encirclement and was rushing their way. ¡°After all, it¡¯s a target for the Foundation Establishment Rank¡¯s trial, it was never going to be too difficult to deal with,¡± Luo Yan said lastly in a low voice. ¡°With this, the Fourth King Asura trial is broken.¡± As the sound of his voice faded, the two of them had already disappeared from sight. Dozens of seconds later, Xu Yinglian finally rode her sword light to the scene, only to see that the Divine King¡¯s body was also gone, leaving only a huge crater on the ground. She gripped her fists in silent, furious frustration, her fingernails digging into her flesh. After a long while, she released her anger by forcefully swinging her fist into the air. Qiu Changtian was once again transported away, feeling the world upside down, day and night misaligned, until he finally arrived in a new world. The sky here was still tinged with red, but not the blood red of the Fourth King Asura¡¯s realm; rather, it was closer to the beautiful twilight hues. The ground was gray soil mixed with gravel, surrounded by numerous yellow-leaved ginkgo trees. It seemed that the two of them were now in the middle of a ginkgo forest, next to a stream that meandered through it. Although as far as the eye could see, the falling leaves were soft like cotton and the river was as thick as cream, with the elegance and fun of autumn, Qiu Changtian still did not dare to take it lightly, just gazed solemnly at Luo Yan. ¡°This place is the Sixth Heavenly Demon Land,¡± Luo Yan stated indifferently, ¡°The trial here is to test your resistance to temptation.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°You possess Daoist Heart Clarity, so you need not fear the attack of Heart Demons. But I am currently playing the role of Luo Yan, not well equipped to counteract the many illusions to come,¡± he added. After speaking, he sat down on the fallen leaves and said: ¡°You should proceed alone along the river.¡± ¡°We are essentially one person; as long as you pass this trial, I will be transported along with you,¡± he explained. Qiu Changtian nodded and walked along the river towards the deeper parts of the golden forest. Chapter 57 - Chapter 57: Chapter 57: Though the Qi Sea Brims, It Cannot Withstand the Frost Hell Chapter 57: Chapter 57: Though the Qi Sea Brims, It Cannot Withstand the Frost Hell A golden-yellow marten beast weaved through the forest, its four paws hitting the ground as it ran swiftly. A snow-white large bird glided behind, closely following the marten¡¯s figure. Qiu Changtian couldn¡¯t help but sigh again¡­ Within this third-class beast land, how to find the place with the most abundant spiritual energy? There¡¯s no clue at all, okay? One could only rely on their future self cheating to smoothly clear the level. It¡¯s just unknown how Junior Sister Xu and Miss Shi, upon entering here, would find any clue to break through the level. About fifteen minutes later, Qiu Changtian followed Luo Yan, tracing the stream into the mountains. That stream was originally spring water in the mountains, bubbling out from a dark cave. The Luo Yan marten took the lead and went in, tearing the obstructing vines with its paws and squeezing into the narrow cave with its small figure in just a moment. Qiu Changtian, as a crane, followed inside and felt the damp air growing heavier, dampening his feathers and making it extremely uncomfortable. The two advanced dozens of steps inside the cave and saw that the depths unexpectedly revealed a cave heaven. Holes were chiseled in the roof, letting down daylight, with several vines hanging down like curtains. In the column of light lay a natural stone platform. Countless exotic flowers bloomed around the stone platform, bursting into life like steps. ¡°Gugu,¡± called the Luo Yan marten, and the Kunlun Mirror translated, ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°You and I are one and the same, and only one person here can receive the anointment of Sun Essence and Moon Splendor.¡± ¡°I have already experienced this once in the past and successfully advanced to the Marrow Cleansing Rank.¡± ¡°Now, it¡¯s your turn.¡± Upon hearing this, Qiu Changtian fell silent for a moment, then flapped his wings to move forward, landing in the center of the stone platform. And then? There was no ¡®then.¡¯ Qiu Changtian cast an inquiring gaze at Luo Yan, only to see that the golden-yellow marten had found a dry spot, comfortably curled up and lay down. Since his future self had not offered any guidance, that meant there was likely nothing wrong with him simply standing there on the platform for now. With this in mind, Qiu Changtian once again instinctively began to preen his wet and tangled feathers with his long beak. It wasn¡¯t because of avian instinct, but rather because the wet, entangled feathers were truly uncomfortable. After standing within the beam of light for a good while, Qiu Changtian began to feel slightly sleepy. So he stood on one leg, closed his eyes, and started to rest. In the midst of his hazy consciousness, he suddenly heard a chanting sound, holy and ethereal, drifting uncertainly, slowly descending from the daylight: ¡°How grand is the Seven Treasures Palace, where lotuses naturally arise. Illuminating the night with shimmering brightness, its faint glow graces the abode of gods. Looking up at the Mystical Reality Platform, cloud towers majestic and high. Radiance flows, lighting up the profound expanse, summon armies to crush countless demons¡­¡± By the time the chant reached ¡°Fortune and sin arise with no set rule, delivered by one¡¯s own freedom of body,¡± Qiu Changtian immediately shed his feathers and transformed into human form, adopting a meditative posture, and continued to absorb the Sun Essence on the stone platform. After an indeterminable amount of time, the outside had shifted from daytime to night, and the Sun Essence in the daylight had changed to Moon Splendor. Qiu Changtian was still sitting on the stone platform, slowly absorbing the Moon Splendor completely. A moment later, the chanting ceased. Qiu Changtian opened his eyes only to find that his Qi Sea was already brimming, his cultivation level had nearly surged! After a brief internal observation, he confirmed he had skipped at least twenty to thirty years of the Qi Refining Rank and successfully advanced to the Marrow Cleansing Rank! ¡°Not bad,¡± Luo Yan emerged from the shadows of the cave and said indifferently, ¡°With that, the third-class beast land has also been broken through.¡± ¡°Upon entering the Marrow Cleansing Rank, the ¡®Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra¡¯ will gain an additional derived Daoist Magic, called ¡®Shangyang Sword Qi¡¯.¡± ¡°This is purely an offensive Daoist Magic. Within one hundred steps, Sword Qi crisscrosses, able to pierce through gold and split stone, controllable at will, untainted by evil, and suitable to be used in conjunction with the Flying Sword.¡± ¡°In the next trial, you should start by getting accustomed to it¡­¡± Once again the familiar sensation of the heavens spinning and the earth overturning, the Universe shifting position occurred. By the time Qiu Changtian regained his senses, he found himself and Luo Yan already transferred to the fifth trial by the Restrictions. This place, however, was a world of red skies and red earth, the Heavenly Dome stained like blood, the ground¡¯s magma forming rivers, and fiery sparks fluttering in the air¡ªa heat nearly intolerable, reminiscent of a Fire Prison. ¡°This is the Fire Prison trial.¡± Luo Yan said with a frown, ¡°The reason being, this trial is to test your ability to deal with powerful enemies, so¡­¡± ¡°So, it will generate an opponent we are unable to defeat?¡± Qiu Changtian thought to himself. Then he saw a figure slowly appearing in front of them. The person was wearing a blue Daoist robe, tall and slender, with a Sword Box on his back, his hair white with age, and his features handsome and cold-hard, truly a middle-aged hunk. ¡°Qi Sha True Person Su Jian¡­¡± Luo Yan slowly said, ¡°Run.¡± The two turned and flew away with Sword Control, and only after Su Jian fully materialized did he look up toward the direction they were fleeing, his eyes filled with coldness. The two fled desperately into the distance, practically Qiu Changtian following Luo Yan as they sped past smoke-engulfed volcanoes and through seas of magma, and soon the far side was in sight¡ªa range of iron-blue peaks rising up like axes and knives. Suddenly, a frosty white Sword Light came flying from afar and in a moment appeared in front of them. As if prepared, Luo Yan called for his Magical Treasure, and the Heaven-flipping Seal spun half a circle in the air, then violently smashed toward Su Jian¡¯s head. With his right hand forming a Sword technique, Su Jian¡¯s Harsh Cold Sword met the Heaven-flipping Seal head-on, the Sword Light as round as a full moon. With a thunderous noise, the Harsh Cold Sword was actually bent by the impact. Qiu Changtian: !!! Could the power of this Heaven-flipping Seal be a bit too outrageous? Well, after all, it was a Magical Treasure famous for its ¡°great-power brick-flying,¡± and it exerted itself to the utmost in sheer brute force to barely contend with Su Jian¡¯s Harsh Cold Sword. As he was thinking this, he was suddenly enveloped by Luo Yan¡¯s Sword Light, and they once again fled toward the mountain range ahead. Behind them came the cold, merciless incantation from Su Jian: ¡°The void is clear and chill, the night eternally frosty.¡± The next moment, the entire world was engulfed by endless wind and snow. The cold was piercing to the bone. Even though Qiu Changtian had Daoist Heart Clarity, witnessing such terrifying elemental power for the first time caused his mind to go blank for an instant. When he came back to his senses, he was already enveloped in Luo Yan¡¯s Sword Light, not knowing how far they had broken through. He turned his head sharply, and saw that within the relentless expanse of the red sky and sea of flames, the place where they had just battled with Su Jian had now abruptly transformed into a nearly hundred-mile expanse of chilling ice Hell. Inside it, fierce winds surged, frost and snow flew wildly, jagged rocks stood stark against the Heavenly Dome. Its outer shell was layered obsidian, keeping the massive rivers of magma completely at bay. The shocking and grand sight was only a flash before Qiu Changtian¡¯s eyes, quickly obscured by the iron-blue mountain range. Luo Yan drove them into the Iron Thistle Mountain Range, and with the Heaven-flipping Seal, he directly smashed a very deep cave into the mountainside nearby, and they quickly ducked inside. Qiu Changtian then noticed that Luo Yan¡¯s entire body was turning a shade of blue and purple, with many places torn open by Su Jian¡¯s Sword Qi, leaving narrow, dreadful wounds. He silently cast the Universal Pure Tone Minor Illumination Technique on Luo Yan, and then he watched as Luo Yan expressionlessly took out an Elixir Bottle from his bosom. ¡°Caowu Baijiang Pills, most suitable for extracting cold energy.¡± He tilted the Elixir Bottle into his mouth without a glance, not even drinking water, as all the pills went straight down his throat, and only then did he slowly exhale, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t be stingy with money, buy the best.¡± Qiu Changtian nodded gravely. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Seeing you like this, how could I possibly go for cheap ones? I¡¯ll keep ten bottles on me after the reset! After taking the Caowu Baijiang Pills, the blue and purple on Luo Yan¡¯s skin slowly faded away, and the wounds also began to heal under the effects of the Universal Pure Tone Minor Illumination Technique. Then he reached into his bosom and pulled out a broken mirror. ¡°The Life-commanding Mirror you got from your third Senior Sister last time can withstand one fatal external attack, don¡¯t forget to carry it with you.¡± Chapter 58 - Chapter 58: Chapter 58: Escaping the Jedi Realm, Entering into the Asura Field Chapter 58: Chapter 58: Escaping the Jedi Realm, Entering into the Asura Field Both of them held their breaths in the cave, secretly on guard. Qiu Changtian¡¯s expression became solemn, his pupils contracting slightly. The terrifying spell that had shaken the heavens was still deeply etched in his memory. The first attack had been blocked by Luo Yan with the Life-commanding Mirror, but what about the second one? If Su Jian¡¯s Illusion launched a second attack, they did not have a second Life-commanding Mirror to protect themselves! However, just by looking at Luo Yan¡¯s expressionless face, they knew that the future self must have confidence in getting through this predicament. Or rather, Luo Yan¡¯s very existence was proof that they did not die within this thin line of Fire Prison! Qiu Changtian¡¯s thoughts raced when suddenly he heard a thunderous boom from outside. It¡¯s coming! Without a word, they immediately flew out of the cave on their swords, only to see Su Jian standing in the sky with a cold expression, pinching his Sword technique and looking down as he recited the incantation: ¡°Ice lies three feet under, snow covers a thousand miles!¡± The harsh cold wind howled again, turning the surrounding ten thousand miles into a freezing hell. The two hastened to flee in a flash of Sword Light but saw their Flying Swords operating sluggishly, as if they were frozen by ice and snow! Obviously, noticing that the first strike didn¡¯t succeed, Su Jian had given up on the strategy of a swift kill and instead opted to trap them first before aiming to kill. Realizing that they were in a dire situation, Qiu Changtian actually became much calmer than before, just desperately urging on the Flying Sword while once again turning his gaze to Luo Yan. How can we break through this? As death approached, where was the opportunity for life? Luo Yan, however, did not speak, simply looking indifferently upwards. Su Jian stood above the heavens, his gaze toward the two devoid of any warmth, once again chanting: ¡°The Sword Emerges as white scales, its Qi like a cold Jiaolong!¡± With the incantation, the Harsh Cold Sword split into a myriad of blades, the enormous Sword Qi forming into a gigantic Jiaolong shape, bringing a might that seemed capable of destroying heaven and earth as it roared straight down at them! Qiu Changtian quickly murmured ¡°Dew gathers into bones, fingertips strike the clouds,¡± unleashing the full force of Shangyang Sword Qi towards the giant Harsh Cold Jiaolong in the sky. Countless Shangyang Sword Qi pierced into the Jiaolong, and the struck Harsh Cold Sword Qi instantaneously dispersed. However, compared to the vast amount of Sword Qi inside the Jiaolong¡¯s body, it was just a drop in the bucket. In a few breaths¡¯ time, the massive Jiaolong composed of Sword Qi crashed down, utterly engulfing both the motionless Luo Yan and the still struggling Qiu Changtian. Qiu Changtian suddenly opened his eyes. He then realized he was in a city. Greenstone paved the ground beneath his feet, and dark clouds crowded overhead, looking as though it would rain soon; passersby hurried along their way. ¡°I¡¯ve said before, the One Line Fire Prison test is about the ability to deal with strong enemies,¡± Luo Yan stood by his side, looking at a stand selling conical hats, and said indifferently, ¡°Whether it¡¯s to stay and fight or to flee, both are just possible choices.¡± ¡°But when you truly face a life or death situation, and all hope for the road ahead is severed, the key to breaking through this test is whether you can continue to struggle to survive, rather than resigning yourself to death.¡± Having said that, he sighed deeply, and earnestly added: ¡°The path of cultivation is narrow; others obstruct me, I obstruct others. Even at the last moment, how can we speak lightly of success or failure, life or death?¡± Qiu Changtian was silent for a long while before nodding. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about that anymore,¡± said Luo Yan with a smile, ¡°This place is the Mortal World of Two Realms. The Two Realms refer to the past and the future.¡± ¡°You and I are not from this realm, having no past to speak of, so what the Illusion Domain reflects here is the future.¡± He paid the stand owner, then picked up a conical hat and put it on his head: ¡°Or rather, it¡¯s a potential future that you fear.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not talk anymore; it¡¯s related to the Illusion Domain, you¡¯d better figure it out yourself, it¡¯ll be good for you.¡± After finishing his words, he leisurely disappeared at the corner of the street. Qiu Changtian looked at him suspiciously, feeling as if a future version of himself was expecting something. Hmm, could it be that I will make a fool of myself here in the Illusion Domain? What a joke, I¡¯m someone with Daoist Heart Clarity! How could I be fooled by mere illusions? But just in case, it¡¯s better to be cautious¡­ ¡°Ah Jing,¡± he called out softly, ¡°help me break this Illusion Domain.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you?¡± the Kunlun Mirror spoke indifferently, ¡°It¡¯s better for you to figure it out yourself.¡± ¡°I sense a whiff of conspiracy,¡± Qiu Changtian said coldly, ¡°Ah Jing, have you already seen through this Illusion Domain and are intentionally hiding something from me?¡± The Kunlun Mirror remained silent. Since the damn mirror started playing dead again, Qiu Changtian had no choice but to continue walking down the street for the time being while carefully scanning his surroundings. It seemed to be the busy time in the marketplace, with people coming and going, a never-ending stream. However, all the pedestrians had no faces, their bodies surrounded by a dim and murky gray, quite eerie. He walked for a moment when suddenly, he saw a figure pushing through the crowd, waving and coming towards him. Shi Liuli? No, it¡¯s an illusion! With his Daoist Heart Clarity, Qiu Changtian quickly realized that the ¡°Shi Liuli¡± opposite him was not a real person but made of illusions. Good, I want to see what kind of tricks this Illusion Domain is trying to play. As these thoughts whirled in his mind, he saw that Shi Liuli come forward with a charming smile, clasped his arm, and said in a crisp voice: ¡°It¡¯s already noon; why is my husband still leisurely strolling outside? Are you not terribly hungry? The banquet at home is already prepared, just waiting for my husband to dine!¡± Qiu Changtian sneered inwardly. If this Mortal World wants me to play the role of Miss Shi¡¯s husband, I¡¯ll play along for now and see how things unfold. Thinking this, he smiled warmly and said to Shi Liuli: ¡°Very well, I am indeed hungry; let¡¯s return to the mansion together.¡± Following Shi Liuli back to the mansion and stepping into the dining hall, sure enough as she had said, all kinds of dishes were already served on the round table. Xu Yinglian sat at the right side, and An Zhisu at the left. Seeing him come in, they stood up to greet him and called out ¡°Master¡± with a bow. Ah, what¡¯s the meaning of this? Why do I feel like I¡¯m in some Republican-era lady of the manor scene? Qiu Changtian was filled with doubts in his heart but called for everyone to sit down nonetheless. One man and three women sat around the round table in their respective positions. He had eaten a few slices of meat when Shi Liuli cheerfully put a chicken drumstick in his bowl and said: ¡°Husband, eat more; this meat is very tender and fresh.¡± Qiu Changtian bit into it and immediately noted that the marinade was rich and savory, deliciously salty and fresh. Seeing that Shi Liuli¡¯s face was full of a ¡°hurry up and ask me¡± eager expression, he asked: ¡°This taste is wonderful; was it made by a cook at home?¡± ¡°It was me!¡± Shi Liuli raised her hand and shouted, looking playful and cute, ¡°I learned this secret recipe from the master chef at the Xing Xiang Building!¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°I¡¯ll tell you a secret, my husband, it¡¯s made with top-quality chicken drumsticks and a mix of various ingredients like star anise, cinnamon, pepper, orange sauce, and more, marinated for three days and three nights. Without comprehension and patience, it would be very difficult to learn, you know!¡± Qiu Changtian smiled faintly, about to praise her, when he heard Xu Yinglian from across the table humph and say coldly: ¡°As a married woman, how can you so easily show your face about and learn skills in such noisy places like taverns?¡± After finishing her words, she picked up some asparagus with her chopsticks and placed it in Qiu Changtian¡¯s bowl, adding: ¡°My husband, have some vegetables.¡± Chapter 59 - Chapter 59: Chapter 59: Pass Six Trials, Receive Rewards at the Pavilion Chapter 59: Chapter 59: Pass Six Trials, Receive Rewards at the Pavilion Shi Liuli put down her chopsticks and gave the table a firm smack, huffing: ¡°At least I have this intention, willing to offer my meager strength for my husband¡¯s gastronomic desires.¡± ¡°Naturally, I cannot compare to certain concubines who spend all day composing poems and playing zither, humming tunes, and fancying themselves as refined and cultured, oblivious to their utter uselessness at home, which is truly laughable.¡± Xu Yinglian¡¯s eye twitched as she sneered: ¡°Who says I am utterly useless? At least I have a son, continuing our family¡¯s lineage and the ancestral incense.¡± ¡°Unlike some women who, after sharing the marital bed for three years, can¡¯t even bear a child.¡± ¡°Who are you saying can¡¯t bear a child!¡± Shi Liuli screamed, about to flip the table. But the tabletop wouldn¡¯t budge; it was An Zhisu across from her, holding down the table with one hand, preventing her from flipping it. She spoke in a soft voice: ¡°Ladies, the master of the house is still here. Let¡¯s not disrupt the harmony in front of the family head, it would be embarrassing for the master.¡± Immediately, Shi Liuli¡¯s tears fell like rain as she clung to Qiu Changtian¡¯s right arm, wailing: ¡°Husband, look at how jealous she is, always bullying me, where is the decency expected of the main wife¡­¡± At that moment, Xu Yinglian also had tears in the corners of her eyes, she nibbled her lower lip and whimpered: ¡°I, from Xu Family, have been married for seven years and believe I have upheld my marital duties, treating my in-laws with respect, and teaching the children diligently while managing household affairs.¡± ¡°Who would have thought that someone, having been in the marriage for three years, would have the audacity to try to oppress me, causing unrest in the inner courtyard¡­¡± Each crying their grievances, one on the left and one on the right, An Zhisu chiming in from the side with veiled barbs in her tone. The three women¡¯s incessant chatter combined into a cacophony that buzzed in his ears, causing him to grow dizzy. He could not help but smash the tabletop with force and bellowed: ¡°Shut up all of you!!!¡± The three women immediately fell silent, yet their faces were streaked with tears, each looking at him with eyes brimming with more tears. ¡°What¡­ what kind of hellish trial is this!¡± Qiu Changtian stood up from the table, his heart in turmoil. What kind of bizarre illusion is this?! A harem catfight? Is this a test of my ability to deal with domestic disputes? You¡¯ve got to be kidding me! What does this have to do with cultivation? I must be seeing ghosts! Don¡¯t panic, do not panic, these women are fake, calm down, it¡¯s all an illusion¡­ Forcing himself to revolve his Daoist Heart Clarity, Qiu Changtian quickly regained his composure. Ah, I¡¯ve got it. This illusion must be intentionally crafted this way, creating a complicated harem situation that if you become obsessed with solving it, you¡¯ll fall right into the trap. The correct action should be to decisively cut through the mess, the so-called ¡®sharp sword cutting through love¡¯s ties¡¯, surely that would allow me to pass the trial¡­ Upon this realization, he suddenly commanded his Jade Smoke Sword, aiming to slash directly at the three madams. Only to be met with Xu Yinglian conjuring the Feather Jia Sword, Shi Liuli wielding the Heaven-overturning Seal, and An Zhisu drawing the Frostfall Sword to deflect his attacks with a clattering din, blocking them all. ¡°Husband, what is this? Could it really be that for that woman¡¯s sake, you would kill me?¡± ¡°My lord, how could you be so cruel? Willing to silence me despite years of affection, dreaming only of roaming the skies with that woman?¡± ¡°Master, did you see through my plans? I had no choice, as you¡¯ve been seeking pleasures too frequently in recent years, I had to resort to such vulgar tactics to win back your attention¡­¡± The madams¡¯ faces reflected choked-up sobs, but their hands unleashed various Divine Skills as they clashed fiercely with Qiu Changtian. In an instant, the mansion was reduced to rubble. In the sky, Xu Yinglian had transformed into a phoenix, raining down heavenly fire; on the ground, Shi Liuli deployed myriad treasures, dazzling with flowing lights; from a distance, An Zhisu¡¯s sword thrust across the sky, her Sword Qi vast and mighty. Caught in such a pincer attack, Qiu Changtian could not hold them off, and he fought while retreating. The three pursued relentlessly, battling him until the heavens grew dim and the earth darkened, the sun and moon void of light. It was only when his True Qi was exhausted and his divine essence dwindled that he realized he was standing in a square. Luo Yan was standing by the side, looking at him with profound meaning: ¡°You¡¯ve passed the Mortal World trial of the two realms. Do you have any thoughts on it?¡± ¡°Go to hell.¡± ¡°Why would you curse yourself?¡± ¡°Then why would you want to harm yourself?¡± ¡°Because I am you from the future; I have already personally experienced that chaos,¡± said Luo Yan, his tone leisurely. ¡°I couldn¡¯t let go of this opportunity to let you understand it too; my conscience wouldn¡¯t allow me otherwise.¡± Qiu Changtian: I have a swear word on my mind, not sure whether to say it or not. After thinking it over, I¡¯ll hold back. I don¡¯t want to curse myself while impersonating Luo Yan in the future. ¡°Alright,¡± said Luo Yan at last, ¡°The Pavilion is just ahead. You can push the door open and receive your reward.¡± ¡°What about you?¡± asked Qiu Changtian suspiciously. ¡°Me?¡± Luo Yan smiled slightly with an air of profound mystery. ¡°I must stay here, to deal with the impending calamity that¡¯s about to come.¡± ¡°Calamity?¡± Qiu Changtian was confused, only to hear Luo Yan urge him with a wave of his hand. ¡°Hurry up. After you¡¯ve received the reward and been teleported away, find a place to ¡®load the save¡¯ of Luo Yan.¡± ¡°As for what this calamity actually is, you¡¯ll know once you become Luo Yan.¡± ¡°Alright then,¡± sighed Qiu Changtian and walked towards the Pavilion ahead. ¡°Wait,¡± Luo Yan suddenly called out to him. ¡°What is it?¡± Qiu Changtian turned his head and asked. ¡°Remember this when choosing a reward,¡± Luo Yan said seriously, ¡°Two birds in the bush are not worth one in the hand.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Qiu Changtian pondered for a moment, then nodded. The Pavilion was a majestic palace, its exterior somewhat resembling the Forbidden City Palace of his previous life. Qiu Changtian climbed up the nine-rank white jade steps, stood in front of the mammoth nanmu doors, took a deep breath, and then pushed them open. Once inside, he saw a vast and empty palace hall. There was only an incense table, one meditation cushion, and a scroll painting on the wall depicting a beautiful immortal woman, and nothing else. It seemed the secret must lie within that meditation cushion. Qiu Changtian walked up to it, knelt down on the cushion, bowed deeply to the scroll, and instantly a voice resonated within the hall, sounding like a young woman, her articulation ethereal, filling the space with fragrance: ¡°Clarify Cult branch, Kunlun disciple, Qiu Changtian. Passed six trials, first to clear this round, outstanding performance.¡± After a short pause, the voice continued: ¡°It is observed that what you practice is the Immortal Sect¡¯s Nine Heavens Pure and Minor Entry Daoist Incantation, a wondrous method. Given time, you will surely become a Golden Immortal, so this time you shall not be given the Qi Refining Technique.¡± ¡°Flying Sword, Magical Treasure, Daoist Magic, choose one of the three.¡± Three objects then descended from the air. Whenever he set his gaze on any one of them, the celestial voice would explain it to him: ¡°The Flying Sword is the Dual Polarity Dust Sword, a Daoist Magic Sword. Harmoniously blending Yin and Yang, carrying the Universe within, whoever wields this sword can pass through the Dual Polarity Dust Formation undisturbed by any Qimen Dunjia. It contains Triple Prohibition Law, which will reveal itself upon touching.¡± ¡°The Magical Treasure is the ¡®Changes and Exchanges Map¡¯, a Daoist Magical Treasure. Inscribed upon it are the Great Expansion numbers of heaven and earth, the River Map Four Symbols Eight Trigrams, Dragon Diagram Turtle Scripture discussion; it can activate corresponding formations: the Great Expansion Array, the River Map Four Symbols Eight Trigrams Array, the Dragon Diagram Turtle Scripture Array.¡± ¡°Daoist Magic includes the middle volume of the Five Thunder True Law, containing the Immortal Capital Thunder, Polar Thunder, Tai Yi Thunder ¨C three types of Thunder Methods with supreme power.¡± Qiu Changtian fell silent for a brief moment. Curse it, I want them all, what to do? First off, the Dual Polarity Dust Sword, this thing is often mentioned in ancient texts, at the same level as the renowned ancient Tai Yi Dividing Light Sword, also known as the ¡°Eleventh Rank Immortal Sword.¡± If talking about value, among the three treasures, the Dual Polarity Dust Sword ranks first. However, for Qiu Changtian, the biggest issue with this Immortal Sword is¡­ its rank is too high, beyond his capability to refine without external assistance. Thereupon he called upon the Kunlun Mirror in his heart, laughing as he asked: ¡°Ah Jing, Ah Jing! Don¡¯t you think this sword would perfectly match Qing Ping? Could you help me refine it, to pair it with Qing Ping?¡± ¡°Do not choose the Dual Polarity Dust Sword,¡± the Kunlun Mirror advised leisurely, ¡°Though it bears the same name and rank, it¡¯s actually a Tenth Rank replica, possessing only a fraction of the original Dual Polarity Dust Sword¡¯s capabilities.¡± Qiu Changtian uttered an ¡®oh¡¯, suddenly enlightened. No wonder it was called the Dual Polarity Dust Sword, yet couldn¡¯t ¡°manipulate¡± the Dual Polarity Dust Great Formation, only aiding the Sword Master to ¡°pass through¡±¡ªit was just a replica! Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Said replicas, also known as ¡®subsidiary products¡¯, refer to a high level of Artifact Refining skill, wherein a crafter can use a fragment of an Eleventh Rank genuine Magical Treasure¡¯s essence to cast a Tenth Rank Magical Artifact that possesses a portion of the original¡¯s power. In the current Cultivation Realm, the art of replicating Immortal Swords has gone lost; it can only be done by recasting broken swords. The art of replicating Magical Treasures is also mastered by very few. If Luo Yan¡¯s knowledge wasn¡¯t wrong, only his Third Senior Sister Liang Ruohua, with the help of Elder Shi Ding, could replicate ¡°Eleventh Rank¡± Magical Treasures of the Spiritual Treasure level¡ªand those had to be the simple and crude variety, like the purely physical attacking Heaven-overturning Seal, Divine Smiting Whip, and the like. If it were a true Dual Polarity Dust Sword, he might indeed have found it difficult to part with; but since it¡¯s merely a replica, its value plummets substantially. Thus Qiu Changtian turned his gaze onto the next Magical Treasure, the ¡®Changes and Exchanges Map¡¯. Chapter 61 - Chapter 61: Chapter 61: Fully Equipped, Back to the Pavilion! Chapter 61: Chapter 61: Fully Equipped, Back to the Pavilion! Linghu Chu hurried to the backyard, first to check if the jars of wine buried underground had been dug up recently. Then he went to the workshop, brought back a Flying Sword, and forcefully handed it to Luo Yan with a laugh, saying, ¡°Junior brother! You did very well. In the future, if junior sister tries anything with the wine jars in my backyard, you must notify me in advance!¡± Luo Yan looked down and indeed it was the pink Flying Sword he remembered. His brows furrowed slightly, and just as he was about to speak, he heard Linghu Chu say, ¡°I figured you¡¯d be heading to the Pavilion soon to participate in the trial, so I wanted to gift you this sword. This is the ¡®Peach Blossom,¡¯ a ninth-rank Wood System Flying Sword. I¡¯ve refined it using the heartwood of millennia-old peach trees along with poisonous swamp gas as auxiliary materials. Not only can it poison flesh and blood, but it can also taint magical treasures, which I thought would be most suitable for your gentle and modest nature.¡± Big brother, do you have some misunderstanding of the phrase ¡°gentle and modest¡±? Speechless, Luo Yan could only solemnly accept the gift, thank his senior brother, and then take his leave. After saying goodbye to Linghu Chu, Luo Yan planned to borrow the Heaven-flipping Seal from Shi Liuli. Miss Shi was currently in an empty room at Yuqing View with her senior and junior sisters, setting up the surrounding environment. Upon seeing Luo Yan coming, Miss Shi pulled him over and, without explanation, stuffed a test paper and writing materials into his hands, ¡°Junior brother, you¡¯ve come at just the right time! Try out the exam for the new members of our society and see how many points you can score?¡± So, you have to take an exam to join your fan club? Luo Yan thought wearily. Such a trashy society should close down sooner rather than later. He sighed and looked at the test paper, the first question read: What are the most attractive traits of Qiu Changtian (list at least ten)? Luo Yan barely suppressed the urge to tremble and vomit blood as he continued to read the second and third questions: What is your favorite quote from Qiu Changtian? What is Qiu Changtian¡¯s favorite color? Scrolling further down, the questions were similar, about sixty or so in total. Luo Yan: As he shamefully wrote his answers, Shi Liuli found a moment to lean over, glanced at his paper, and said, ¡°Qiu Changtian¡¯s favorite color is sky blue! You got that wrong, didn¡¯t you?¡± What I like is the deep blue of the Sky Throne! How could that guy like a sky blue that leans towards green?! Luo Yan, with an expressionless face, crossed out the answer and rewrote ¡°sky blue,¡± only to hear Shi Liuli, looking at his test paper, continue to say, ¡°His favorite quote is ¡®Emerging from Kunlun, united by justice¡¯¡­ haha, most people write this one. The attractive traits of Qiu Changtian¡­ you answered well, but you missed one thing, that although he is high above, he is also approachable, and it¡¯s this seemingly contradictory contrast that is central to his charismatic personality¡­¡± Luo Yan suppressed the severe urge to vomit and corrected the entire test paper according to Miss Shi¡¯s suggestions. Shi Liuli then picked up the test paper, put it away with satisfaction, and said, ¡°Well done, junior brother. From today onwards, you are the sixteenth official member of our ¡®Changtian Society¡¯.¡± Luo Yan replied woodenly, ¡°Okay, sister. Also, I would like to borrow the Heaven-flipping Seal.¡± ¡°What do you need the Heaven-flipping Seal for, is it for the Pavilion trial?¡± Shi Liuli took out the Heaven-flipping Seal and passed it over readily, ¡°Here you go.¡± Luo Yan took it in surprise and asked, ¡°If you give me the Heaven-flipping Seal, what will you use for the Pavilion trial?¡± ¡°Third Sister has made me a replica of the Divine Smiting Whip, the Divine Striking Whip, which is much more useful than the Heaven-flipping Seal,¡± Shi Liuli replied. Luo Yan didn¡¯t know what kind of expression to show to this little rich girl, so he just responded with a strained smile. After bidding farewell to Shi Liuli, Luo Yan went to the other shops in the Taoist temple, buying a large number of Talisman Scripts and Elixirs. In the end, he took out the ¡°Life-commanding Mirror¡± that his third senior sister Liang Ruohua had given him last time and carried it with him. All set, fully armed! ¡°Ah Jing! Anything else that needs to be prepared?¡± Luo Yan asked in his mind. The Kunlun Mirror remained silent for a moment, then started to play the scenes it had recorded earlier in the Pavilion. There¡¯s even a little film? Luo Yan was thrilled and hurriedly rewatched the whole process. During his trip to the Pavilion, Luo Yan had used a total of five battle techniques. The first, the Ninth Rank Wood System Flying Sword ¡°Peach Blossom¡±. The second, the Heaven-flipping Seal. The third, a large quantity of Flame Rush Talismans. The fourth, the Grass-U White Descending Elixir. The fifth, the Life-commanding Mirror. Wait, that¡¯s not right, there was another one: it was the Shushan Sword Technique ¡°Unity of Body and Sword¡± he had used to kill the incarnation of Emperor Shitian in the Four Kings Asura Land. So, Luo Yan reloaded a save and went back to Ling Yunpo, without telling Senior Sister An about his advancement to the Marrow Cleansing Rank, he first absorbed the Green Duckweed Sword into his body to ¡°nourish the sword with his body,¡± then he practiced Unity of Body and Sword for several days, and initially mastered the technique skillfully. Then he reloaded the save and returned to Luo Yan¡¯s side, beginning preparations for the trip to the Pavilion. Soon, the day the Pavilion opened arrived. On Penglai¡¯s side, at Yuqing View, a large number of dragon boats and shuttles were prepared, carrying the disciples to meet with Kunlun in the open sea. To avoid meeting Qiu Changtian, Luo Yan locked himself inside the cabin the whole time, rehearsing again and again the lines and expressions he would need to use later on. As a result, his senior brothers and sisters seemed to have misunderstood, seeing Miss Shi eagerly chatting with Qiu Changtian and thinking Luo Yan had been through a heartbreak, thus coming to comfort their junior brother. Luo Yan could only deal with them one by one through the cabin door, placating each in turn. Soon, the moment the Pavilion opened arrived, and Miss Shi hurried over, knocking on the door from outside: ¡°Junior Brother! The Pavilion has already opened, hurry up and come out!¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Luo Yan checked his equipment one last time, then got up, opened the door, and went out, only to be grabbed by Shi Liuli, who pulled him to the side of the ship and jumped towards the rainbow light outside. Her hand was soft and slippery, causing him to be slightly distracted, but soon he was pulled by Shi Liuli into the splendid palace gate, whirling around, and then they were teleported away. Luo Yan opened his eyes in the secret realm. He looked at the stunned Qiu Changtian next to him. In his field of vision, the little assistant of the Kunlun Mirror activated the teleprompter, revealing the lines he needed to read before his eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t panic, just listen to me,¡± Luo Yan said expressionlessly, ¡°I am you from a future timeline.¡± ¡°To be precise, I am you who had completely cleared the Pavilion and left, returned to the cabin on the ship outside, and immediately reloaded Luo Yan¡¯s save.¡± ¡°I have come here to help you resolve an imminent disaster.¡± ¡°You can verify my identity through the Kunlun Mirror because I have one too.¡± The Qiu Changtian opposite him fell silent for a moment; it seemed he was communicating with the Kunlun Mirror in his Sea of Consciousness. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Then, he showed a helpless expression that read ¡°you¡¯re really half-assing this read.¡± After finishing the rest of the lines, Luo Yan set off on Sword Light, taking Qiu Changtian with him as they proceeded forward. The Kunlun Mirror¡¯s little assistant timely produced an electronic map, guiding Luo Yan towards the direction of the Ghost Gate. Arriving at the Ghost Gate, Luo Yan explained dully for a few sentences, then with a strike of Jade Pivot Thunder, he knocked the Soul Hooking Envoy over. The two of them turned into Sword Light and entered, instantly passing through the Ghost Gate and rushing in the direction of the River of Forgetfulness. Chapter 62 - Chapter 62: Chapter 62: Ah Jing Opens Up, Qing Ping Offers Support Chapter 62: Chapter 62: Ah Jing Opens Up, Qing Ping Offers Support Upon traversing the realm of the ten halls in the Land of Fengdu, following the guidance of the Kunlun Mirror, they successfully fought their way from start to finish with Qiu Changtian. In the land ruled by the four kings of Asura, it was still Xu Yinglian who led the frontline, while the two of them stealthily followed behind, eventually snatching the boss¡ªand once again witnessed the fury of their junior sister. In the Sixth Heavenly Demon Land, Luo Yan simply sat down in the forest and allowed Qiu Changtian, with his Daoist Heart Clarity, to clear the stage on his own. In the land of the three types of beasts, Luo Yan, transformed into a raccoon-like beast, exchanged words with Qiu Changtian in the language of birds and beasts, then led him into a cave to absorb the essence of the sun and the moon, smoothly bypassing Qi Refinement to enter the Marrow Cleansing Rank. In the realm of the narrow Fire Prison, Luo Yan led Qiu Changtian in a frantic escape, and halfway, they were struck by Su Jian¡¯s slash of Daoist magic, avoiding a fatal injury through the use of the Life-commanding Mirror, then removed the chill poison with an elixir. In the Two Worlds Mortal Realm, Luo Yan kept his distance throughout, watching Qiu Changtian fight fierce illusions of Xu Yinglian, An Zhisu, and Shi Liuli, nearly erasing the very essence of the Dao in their battle. It was thrilling, exciting, and spectacular. Just before the two were transported to the Pavilion Main Hall, Luo Yan leisurely said: ¡°The Two Worlds Mortal Realm level has been cleared, what are your thoughts?¡± ¡°Screw you,¡± Qiu Changtian responded coldly. ¡°Why do you want to curse yourself?¡± Luo Yan asked curiously. ¡°Then why do you want to harm yourself?¡± Luo Yan couldn¡¯t help but chuckle and said: ¡°Because I am you from the future. I have already personally experienced that Asura battle.¡± ¡°Taking advantage of this opportunity to let you experience it too, I really couldn¡¯t rest easy if I didn¡¯t.¡± Seeing Qiu Changtian¡¯s crestfallen expression, Luo Yan¡¯s interest waned somewhat. After explaining a few more things, he ushered him into the Pavilion Main Hall. Next, Luo Yan slipped to the back of the Pavilion Main Hall, found a spot where he was unlikely to be noticed, and hid himself. ¡°Ah Jing,¡± he said coldly in his mind, ¡°tell me, what exactly is that calamity?¡± Kunlun Mirror was silent for a moment before asking: ¡°How do you know that I can answer this question for you?¡± Luo Yan replied solemnly: ¡°The gift of time, you think I would believe that excuse?¡± ¡°These lines, there are too many details and clear directions in them, how could they possibly be written by the Dao?¡± ¡°Ah Jing, although you never mentioned it, I know that in addition to being able to record to the past, you can actually observe the future.¡± ¡°Otherwise, how would you know that the world will be destroyed in a thousand years?¡± ¡°Since you can observe the future, it must be that you saw an unavoidable death that I am about to face, thus deciding to employ the extraordinary measure of ¡®letting the future me save the past me,¡¯ which naturally becomes the only logical explanation.¡± There was a long silence. ¡°Do you know?¡± Kunlun Mirror spoke faintly, ¡°Knowing the future is actually not a good thing.¡± ¡°The future is uncertain, but the moment you become aware of the outcome, it becomes fixed.¡± ¡°Whether it is good or bad; continuation or destruction.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± After pondering for a moment, Luo Yan smirked and said, ¡°So, it means that when you observed the destruction of the world in a thousand years, that outcome had already become ¡®history,¡¯ unchangeable, right?¡± ¡°To all things in this world, yes,¡± the Kunlun Mirror whispered, ¡°Only those from the other world can interfere with the future¡¯s direction.¡± Luo Yan suddenly shivered. With the help of the insight granted by a single whiff of magical aroma, he instantly grasped the cryptic meaning of the Kunlun Mirror. Schr?dinger¡¯s sealed box was in an indeterminate state before observation. When the Kunlun Mirror observed the dead cat inside, the cat¡¯s death became certain. Observation was the dividing line, with the state being uncertain before and confirmed death after, imprinting the process from beginning to end upon the timeline, which could no longer be altered by the Kunlun Mirror. For all its efforts, including its own existence, had already become parts of this timeline, steering towards the predetermined ¡°destruction of the world.¡± One cannot lift oneself by pulling one¡¯s own hair, just as individuals within the light cone cannot break free from their predestined fate. The only possibility of breaking this predicament is to introduce ¡°parts that do not belong to this timeline.¡± Which is to say, from outside the light cone, theoretically unable to enter yet abruptly crossing through¡ªthe other self. ¡°You helped me mend the heavens and save the world, and I granted you top-notch talent for cultivation. Our relationship of mutual benefit was established from the beginning,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said softly. ¡°Thus, even if there are some things I cannot explain to you, I can promise that I will never harm you.¡± ¡°Ha,¡± Luo Yan scoffed, ¡°I just fear that, under the pretense of benefiting me, you would do things behind my back that you believe wouldn¡¯t harm me.¡± ¡°Not at all!¡± the Kunlun Mirror said guiltily, ¡°Look, I¡¯ve always been residing in your Sea of Consciousness, how could I possibly do anything without you knowing?¡± ¡°So, what is the deadly tribulation I am about to face?¡± Luo Yan asked indifferently, not pressing further. ¡°There are two individuals at the Great Perfection rank of Refining Mansion stage who want to kill you,¡± the Kunlun Mirror replied, ¡°And they¡¯ve brought some rather formidable defensive magical treasures.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Luo Yan closed his eyes. After thinking rapidly for a moment, he released the Green Duckweed Sword from his fingertip. Upon entering the Marrow Cleansing Rank, a Shushan Sword Immortal can ¡°nourish the sword with the body,¡± using their own Root Bone as a Sword Box to harbor and nurture the Flying Sword. Over time, one can achieve a profound connection with the Flying Sword, linking breaths and spirits, what is called the ¡°Life-bound Sword Artifact¡± technique. The Green Duckweed Sword slipped out from his fingertip, and a coquettish voice rang in his mind: ¡°What is it, Sword Master?¡± ¡°The Kunlun Mirror says two people are out to kill me, and they have brought some powerful defensive magical treasures,¡± Luo Yan said coolly. ¡°I need your assistance.¡± ¡°Easy,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword chuckled, ¡°Since the Sword Master has reached the Marrow Cleansing Rank, I can unlock another Daoist Magic.¡± ¡°This technique is called ¡®After Rain in the Empty Mountain¡¯, which condenses the water system True Yuan into needle-sized Sword Qi to attack the enemy. By chanting ¡®Clouds form where the skin rises, rain comes upon feet¡¯s retreat¡¯, you can activate it.¡± ¡°Sword Master, you should know that ¡®water says it moisturizes everything below¡¯; it means that the water system True Yuan possesses penetrative abilities that leave no crevice unfilled.¡± ¡°This move ¡®After Rain in the Empty Mountain¡¯ is specifically designed to break through various defensive spells. If combined with ¡®Green Mist Veil Over the Mountains¡¯, it can be particularly effective.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Hearing the Green Duckweed Sword¡¯s delighted laugh, Luo Yan quickly firmed up his thoughts. Green Mist Veil Over the Mountains can raise a fog that blocks Divine Sense, where all non-water system Daoist Magic have their power halved, yet ¡®After Rain in the Empty Mountain¡¯, being a water system Daoist Magic, is unaffected. As for his trump card, the Jade Pivot Thunder, while it would suffer negative effects, its original power is so excessively formidable that even halved, it remains significantly formidable. More importantly, the thick fog completely conceals one¡¯s form and also covers the trajectories of the Green Duckweed Sword and Jade Pivot Thunder, creating a perfect environment for a sneak attack. With proper planning, taking advantage of ¡®After Rain in the Empty Mountain¡¯s¡¯ ability to break defenses, there is a chance of a one-hit kill even against two Refining Mansion stage enemies! Chapter 63 - Chapter 63: Chapter 63: Activate the Trump Card, Slaying Two Fiends! Chapter 63: Chapter 63: Activate the Trump Card, Slaying Two Fiends! Luo Yan and Qiu Changtian, equipped with their own strategies, passed through the challenges at an incredibly fast pace, significantly outpacing those behind them. He had waited for quite a while, yet no second person managed to break through the six barriers and arrive at this Pavilion Main Hall¡¯s square. As he was starting to have some doubts, a figure suddenly appeared on the square. Zhao Wencheng quickly scanned his surroundings to confirm that there were no others present. Hmm, I borrowed Chief Disciple Song He¡¯s magical treasure, and I¡¯m also at the Great Perfection of the Refining Mansion Rank, so I should be the first to clear the stages, right? Now, all I need to do is wait for Qiu Yuan to arrive, and then we can start setting the trap for Qiu Changtian. In a hidden spot behind the Pavilion, Luo Yan saw that he wasn¡¯t rushing into the Pavilion Main Hall and was just frantically looking around, so he guessed that the other party had ulterior motives. ¡°Ah Jing, is it him?¡± ¡°Yes, he is one of them.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Luo Yan immediately began reciting an incantation in his heart, ¡°Cloudy and hazy, like a mirage out of steam.¡± In a moment, the square in front of the Pavilion Main Hall was enveloped in dense fog. Zhao Wencheng was shrouded in the thick fog, his Divine Sense limited in its outreach, and he quickly sensed something was wrong, swiftly activating the Divine Fire Mantle magical treasure on his body. This was a replica of the Innate Spiritual Treasure, the Nine Dragons Divine Fire Mantle; it could not only protect oneself inside from external damage, but also trap the opponent inside and refine them with divine fire, making it a formidable magical treasure for both offense and defense. As the Divine Fire Mantle descended, glimmering with gold and red brilliance, as radiant as the sun at dawn, it kept the dense fog completely at bay. Zhao Wencheng quickly maneuvered his Flying Sword, sweeping across 360 degrees around him. Should anyone have taken advantage of the rising fog to launch a close-quarters surprise attack, they would inevitably suffer injury. However, his Flying Sword found nothing but empty air, and Zhao Wencheng realized his opponent was still watching him. Just as he was about to speak to stall for time, a blast suddenly sounded from behind the Divine Fire Mantle! By the greenish-red glow, thunder bolted. His Divine Fire Mantle was hit directly by Jade Pivot Thunder, shaking violently, and its luster dimmed considerably. But, after all, it was a Tenth Rank magical treasure specialized in defense, and it wasn¡¯t breached by a single Divine Thunder strike. Zhao Wencheng hurriedly infused more True Yuan to keep it operating, causing the brilliance of the Divine Fire Mantle to shine anew. ¡°That was Jade Pivot Thunder just now, wasn¡¯t it?¡± He tentatively asked, ¡°Could it be Junior Brother Qiu?¡± Another Jade Pivot Thunder struck the Divine Fire Mantle, its brilliance dimming, and its defensive system nearly collapsed instantly. Zhao Wencheng simply invested more True Yuan, and in the blink of an eye, he easily fixed it. ¡°Why is Junior Brother Qiu attacking me? Unprovoked aggression, plotting against a fellow sect member, this is a great sin within Kunlun!¡± Zhao Wencheng¡¯s voice held sternness, but Luo Yan remained silent in the mist, simply launching another Jade Pivot Thunder. Perfect! Zhao Wencheng had discerned the direction from which the Thunder Method originated. He braced for the strike with the Divine Fire Mantle while shooting out the Flying Sword in stealth! Sword Dao Techniques instantly activated, but only stirred up the dense fog, revealing no figure within it. Something¡¯s wrong, my Sword Dao Techniques should be more powerful than this! This fog is eerily strange! Could it be not Daoist Magic¡­ but a Forbidden Technique? As this thought struck him, Zhao Wencheng instantly knew he couldn¡¯t just sit and wait for demise. If the opponent probes the limits of the Divine Fire Mantle and Qiu Yuan fails to arrive in time, the situation could take a dire turn! Zhao Wencheng¡¯s expression became fierce as he rapidly recited an incantation in his mind, activating the Third level derivation of the Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra. Supreme Jasper Spiritual Talisman! A giant talisman script, formed by True Yuan, shot out, with spiritual light stretching out like a line. Wherever it passed, the boundless fog dispersed entirely. This Supreme Jasper Spiritual Talisman actually held the power to suppress Daoist Magic! Zhao Wencheng let out a sigh of relief, only to see a small quadrate seal spinning and flying towards him from the clearing fog. Before he could react, the Heaven-flipping Seal slammed directly onto the Divine Fire Mantle. Crack! A resounding thunderous noise shook the earth, and not only did the Divine Fire Mantle¡¯s brilliance nearly extinguish, but it also displayed an alarming number of web-like deep cracks! Scared out of his wits, Zhao Wencheng immediately poured all his effort into driving True Yuan, rapidly repairing the Divine Fire Mantle. Fortunately, the Heaven-flipping Seal¡¯s single hit wasn¡¯t successful, and after spinning in the sky, it took some time before the second strike came down. Seeing this, Zhao Wencheng finally breathed a sigh of relief. After all, Qiu Changtian was only at the Marrow Cleansing Rank, and his True Qi was not as potent as True Yuan. Operating such a replica of an Innate Spiritual Treasure would also require considerable effort to sustain, making it impossible to smash down several strikes in a short time. True Qi, compared to True Yuan, suffers from a decisive quality disadvantage. Seeing that the Heaven-flipping Seal cannot break through the Divine Fire Mantle, and its destruction speed is even slower than the repairing speed here, one could glimpse the difference. Zhao Wencheng calmed down and was about to activate the Supreme Jasper Spiritual Talisman again to completely clean the dense fog surrounding him. The next second, countless streams of Water System Sword Qi silently pierced through the Divine Fire Mantle from behind, instantly severing his head from his neck. His head tumbled down, still wearing an expression of disbelief and terror. Through the mist, Luo Yan observed coldly the headless corpse opposite him. The previous Jade Pivot Thunder and Heaven-flipping Seal were only feints, aiming to catch him off guard in that moment when he saw that the attacks were failing, and then strike a fatal ambush! He had already calculated everything clearly in advance, knowing that battles between Foundation Establishment Rank cultivators rely heavily on ¡°Rank¡± and ¡°Hidden Cards¡±. ¡°Rank¡± here refers to the rank of Flying Swords, Magical Treasures, Daoist Techniques, and of course, one¡¯s own Cultivation Level. Had it been an ordinary Marrow Cleansing Rank cultivator, they would have been easily blasted to pieces by this Refining Mansion Rank cultivator. Why was he able to counter-kill? Because although his Cultivation Level wasn¡¯t as high as his opponent¡¯s, he possessed higher-Rank Green Duckweed Sword, Heaven-flipping Seal, and Jade Pivot Thunder, which enabled him to fight evenly across Ranks. ¡°Hidden Cards,¡± naturally refers to the secrecy of one¡¯s combat methods. Among the aforementioned sword, seal, and thunder, only Jade Pivot Thunder was commonly used by Qiu Changtian and known by the members of the Kunlun Sect. The opponent had specifically brought the Divine Fire Mantle this time, which perfectly countered the attack of the Jade Pivot Thunder¡ªthis was the price of having one¡¯s hidden cards exposed. Had he not possessed the Green Duckweed Sword and Heaven-flipping Seal, the outcome would have been more likely grim than not. Fortunately, being a ¡°triple agent,¡± what he was best at was concealing himself, laying down an endless series of hidden cards¡­ With these thoughts in mind, he had a pretty clear idea of how to fight the next battle. After waiting for a while, a figure suddenly emerged again in the dense fog. Although the entry points for the Pavilion Secret Realm were not fixed, the endpoint was inevitably before the Pavilion Main Hall, so Qiu Yuan and Zhao Wencheng had previously agreed to leverage their Magical Treasure and intelligence advantage to swiftly clear the levels and then set up an ambush at the entrance of the Main Hall. In truth, although Qiu Yuan arrived a little later, he was not more than a quarter-hour behind Zhao Wencheng; the plan itself was without issue. If only they hadn¡¯t overlooked the fact that Qiu Changtian could clear the level with a ¡°speedrun.¡± Just as he emerged into the fog, Qiu Yuan¡¯s brows furrowed in confusion. According to what that disciple from the Yuqing Sect said, after clearing six levels, he should be at the Pavilion Main Hall, right? Why does it seem like a new level? No sooner had this thought arisen than he suddenly found his vision spinning. It wasn¡¯t because of spatial disorientation caused by the Restrictions teleporting him but because his head had already flown into the air. Having successfully executed a double kill with ¡°Misty Rain after the Empty Mountains,¡± Luo Yan also discovered the advantages of this Daoist Technique: In the thick fog, not only could he launch it silently, but it also came with its own armor-piercing effect, making it a blatantly obvious stealth weapon. Hmph, such a fine Green Duckweed Sword, truly worthy of being my Life-bound Sword Artifact designated by Ling Yunpo. After carefully inspecting the two bodies, Luo Yan took out the two Flying Swords they carried, Zhao Wencheng¡¯s Divine Fire Mantle Magical Treasure, and the Jade Emperor Bell Magical Treasure that Qiu Yuan had not used. Both Flying Swords were of Ninth Rank, to be kept for the time being; The two Magical Treasures were also Tenth Rank treasures imitations of Post-Heaven Spiritual Treasures. The Divine Fire Mantle could be used both for defense and to trap others, refining them with True Fire; The Jade Emperor Bell could also defend oneself and disrupt the enemy¡¯s True Yuan circulation with sound waves. Both Tenth Rank treasures could be used by Luo Yan. If anyone asked where they came from, just say they were refined by the Third Senior Sister. Don¡¯t believe it? Looking down on our Heavenly Craft Workshop, are you? Finally, using a poison Dao Technique from the Peach Blossom Sword, he eradicated the bodies, making sure no clues were left behind, before Luo Yan waved his hand to dismiss the ¡°Green Mist Veil Over the Mountains¡±. He then turned and stepped up the stairs, pushing open the door of the Pavilion Main Hall, ready to teleport and flee. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Upon reaching the cushion, Luo Yan kneeled on it proficiently, bowing toward the scroll. Then, the ethereal female voice rang out again: ¡°Clarify Cult branch, Penglai disciple, Luo Yan. Passed six trials, being the first to clear them this time, the score is¡­¡± Suddenly, the voice stalled as if stuck, silent for a long moment. Luo Yan: ? Chapter 64 - Chapter 64: Chapter 64 Postnatal Five Elements Great Extermination Divine Light Chapter 64: Chapter 64 Postnatal Five Elements Great Extermination Divine Light Indeed, Luo Yan had already noticed that the female voice he heard in the Pavilion Main Hall after passing the trial sounded like some sort of preset artificial intelligence. Or, in terms of this world¡¯s terminology, it could be ¡°a mechanical artifact spirit with a rigid personality.¡± If the female voice really belonged to an artifact spirit, then the entire Pavilion could very well be a giant magical treasure. This giant magical treasure operated on fixed rules, periodically opened to the outside world, and the Penglai Yuqing Sect controlled part of its access privileges, using them for trials and cultivating disciples of Clarify Cult. At the same time, this magical treasure possessed the ability to ¡°recognize divine souls.¡± The evidence was that whether it was Meng Po in the Ten Halls of the Land of Fengdu or the Heavenly Demon¡¯s sound in the Sixth Heaven Demon Lands, both would target Qiu Changtian while avoiding Luo Yan. Because, in the judgment program of the Pavilion¡¯s Prohibitions, Qiu Changtian and Luo Yan were the same person. Then the question arose: Normally, disciples of Foundation Establishment Rank who passed the Pavilion¡¯s trial would be unable to re-enter the Pavilion for a short time after being teleported away. The Pavilion would close after being open for only three days, and the period before it opened again often spanned hundreds of years. By then, the previous Foundation Establishment Rank disciples who had been to the Pavilion would typically either have perished or reached Core Formation, naturally losing the qualification to enter the Pavilion. So, theoretically speaking, a disciple is not supposed to enter the Pavilion twice. Qiu Changtian and Luo Yan, recognized by the Pavilion¡¯s Prohibitions as the same person, yet when the Pavilion opened, the Penglai Yuqing Sect ¡°registered¡± them as two different individuals. As a result, the female voice in the Pavilion Main Hall just now had made the mistake of declaring ¡°Qiu Changtian as the first to pass,¡± ¡°Luo Yan also as the first to pass.¡± In a state of sudden enlightenment, Luo Yan almost instantly thought of this and immediately cried out ¡°not good¡± three times in his heart. To use a programming analogy, if there was a BUG, the program would probably crash and could not continue to run. So, could this Pavilion artifact spirit also fall into a state of error, thereby being unable to teleport me out? If that were the case, it would be terrible! Just as Luo Yan was breaking out in a cold sweat, he heard the mechanical female voice say: ¡°Hmm¡­ that¡¯s not right, hmm¡­ strange, hmm¡­¡± It hummed for a long time, then suddenly lamented: ¡°So that¡¯s how it is. Since you were able to borrow the Secret Transmission Formation, forcibly open the Restrictions, and return to my Pavilion, I suppose the Daoist lineage of my Clarify Cult has already perished outside.¡± Luo Yan: ???????????? What? My Three Pure Ones Orthodox Sect has perished? The female voice sighed again and said: ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, I shall impart to you the Immortal Law ¡®Postnatal Five Elements Great Extermination Divine Light,¡¯ you must cultivate it well, and take self-preservation as the priority.¡± ¡°One day, if it is within your power, you must reestablish the sect, and carry on the ultimate teachings of the Clarify Cult¡¯s lineage¡­¡± Luo Yan was momentarily stunned, then shouted in his heart: Brilliant, absolutely brilliant!!! It turned out that this Pavilion Secret Realm was not only the trial ground for Clarify Cult¡¯s Foundation Establishment disciples but also a contingency plan left by an Ancient Power for when the Clarify Cult fell. According to what the Pavilion artifact spirit said, there should be some ¡°Secret Transmission Formation¡± within the Three Pure Ones Orthodox Sect. If one day the sect faced extinction, they could send elite disciples back to the Pavilion to obtain its precious resources, preserve their lineage, and continue the teachings of the Clarify Cult. And because of the Kunlun Mirror¡¯s tricky manipulation, he had come to the Pavilion a second time and just happened to hit a logic loophole of the artifact spirit, making it mistakenly believe he had come using the Secret Transmission Formation¡ªafter all, under normal circumstances, a disciple couldn¡¯t enter the Pavilion twice. Luo Yan suppressed his excitement and continued to listen to it speak for a long while, but nothing descended. He was bewildered for a moment, then suddenly realized what had happened and immediately swore sincerely: ¡°Disciple Luo Yan swears to diligently cultivate this law to maintain the Clarify Cult¡¯s Daoist lineage unbroken!¡± ¡°Very good,¡± the female voice said with satisfaction, and then a light appeared in the air and rushed into his Spirit Mansion. In an instant, Luo Yan felt a shock in his heart; the light entered his Dantian and immediately turned into red, green, yellow, black, and white colors, making his Spirit Mansion as bright as daylight. After a good while, the five-colored speck of light finally sank deep into the Qi Sea, and his mind was now imprinted with a set of methods for cultivation. Postnatal Five Elements Ultimate Extermination Divine Light, harnessing the generative and overcoming forces of the Five Elements, could melt metal, cut wood, cover water, extinguish fire, and bind earth, possessed of infinite might! Any magical treasure, magic sword, spell¡­ as long as it falls within the Five Elements, nothing is unbreakable! ¡°Now that the evil demons are rampant in the Nine Provinces, and the legacy of Clarify Cult has been destroyed, it seems there are no safe places left outside,¡± the woman¡¯s voice continued in a deep tone, ¡°If you wish to stay here longer, then stay.¡± ¡°If you wish to go somewhere, I can transmit you there using the Pavilion Formation. You can go anywhere in the East Sea.¡± They¡¯re even giving out a return ticket to the city, huh? Luo Yan thought long and hard, weighing all the various factors before choosing to be transmitted to the front entrance of the Pavilion. In the whirl of heaven and earth, he soon reached the boundary of the water membrane. Aside from Qiu Changtian, the others had yet to emerge. Following the rainbow light back to the deck, he saw that the Ziwei Sect Leader was no longer there¡ªshe must have returned to the treasure ship on the Kunlun side. True Person Shi Ding beckoned him over, said a few words, and then asked about the rewards for passing the trial. Luo Yan had already thought it through while inside: The Postnatal Five Elements Ultimate Extermination Divine Light, according to the Artifact Spirit of the Pavilion, was a technique capable of founding a sect and continuing the legacy of the Clarify Cult. If his master knew it was a technique of Immortal Law, he would surely become suspicious. Therefore, Luo Yan could only choose to surrender one of his spoils of war, the Jade Emperor Bell. ¡°Hmm.¡± Gazing at the Jade Emperor Bell, Elder Shi Ding appeared somewhat surprised. The Jade Emperor Bell, a Tenth Rank magical treasure, immensely powerful in defense, was a normal reward for the Pavilion trial. However, with Qiu Changtian acquiring the Five Thunder True Law, that was a hard act to follow; compared to that, Luo Yan¡¯s reward as the second finisher of the Pavilion trial seemed rather meager. But Elder Shi Ding had no suspicions regarding this. After all, Luo Yan was always honest and, having been exposed to various knowledge on artifact refining at the Heavenly Craft Workshop, it was only natural for him to favor magical treasures. Thus, he warned Luo Yan with a few words, essentially advising, ¡°Don¡¯t become reckless just because you have a defensive magical treasure,¡± to which Luo Yan naturally agreed wholeheartedly. It was only when he returned to his cabin and closed the door that he couldn¡¯t contain his excitement and began to search his Sea of Consciousness again. The Postnatal Five Elements Ultimate Extermination Divine Light, according to the general outline of the mental method given by the Pavilion, was created in imitation of the Innate Five Elements Great Chaos Divine Light. That Innate Five Elements Great Chaos Divine Light was the innate divine ability of the Peacock Clan from the Eastern Emperor Demon Realm, renowned for its ability to cleanse anything. No matter what magical treasure or magic sword you have, if it can¡¯t transcend the Five Elements, a swipe can erase its divine powers and essence, a force even immortals fear greatly. As for this Postnatal Desolation Divine Light, though not as powerful as the Innate Chaos Divine Light, it¡¯s on the same level of Immortal Law, boasting the ability to break everything. If an opposing magical treasure or magic sword approaches, a swipe can heavily damage it. Continue swiping a few more times, and its power would nearly match a single swipe of the Innate Chaos Divine Light. If the Green Duckweed Sword is the Life-bound Sword Artifact of Ling Yunpo, then the Postnatal Five Elements Ultimate Extermination Divine Light could serve as Luo Yan¡¯s Life-bound Daoist Magic, worthy of dedicating his entire life to master! ¡°Who would¡¯ve thought it would be the Postnatal Five Elements Ultimate Extermination Divine Light?¡± the Kunlun Mirror also exclaimed. ¡°Hmph, Ah Jing,¡± Luo Yan arrogantly said, ¡°What do you think of this technique of Immortal Law?¡± Not liking his attitude, the Kunlun Mirror retorted stubbornly: ¡°To call it strong, it¡¯s not that strong. Compared to Kon Xuan¡¯s Innate Five Elements Great Chaos Divine Light, it¡¯s certainly inferior.¡± ¡°If you cultivate this technique to a profound level, at most, it will be on par with one of his five feathers, roughly equal in power to a Postnatal Spiritual Treasure.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°A Postnatal Spiritual Treasure is enough,¡± Luo Yan pondered, ¡°I¡¯m not a peacock, so how could I possibly obtain the Innate Chaos Divine Light?¡± ¡°Speaking of that, my Mirror Flower Water Moon does record the innate divine abilities of the Peacock Clan, but it can only be activated at the Nascent Soul Rank.¡± ¡°Oh, and what¡¯s the corresponding persona?¡± ¡°Conceited.¡± ¡°Alright, enough said, store it away.¡± Chapter 65 - Chapter 65: Chapter 65: Exchanging Tokens, Deepening Bonds Chapter 65: Chapter 65: Exchanging Tokens, Deepening Bonds ¡°` After Miss Shi also returned from the Pavilion, the Heavenly Craft Workshop¡¯s Meng Chong began its journey home. In the cabin, Luo Yan was sitting on his bed, concentrating on comprehending the Postnatal Five Elements Ultimate Extermination Divine Light. According to the annotations in his memory, he first needed to refine his True Qi into Yuan Magnetic Gang Qi, then he had to find the Five Elements True Vein, and lastly, infuse it into the Yuan Magnetic Gang Qi, transforming it into Divine Light. The Five Elements True Veins of the Postnatal world are to be sought from ¡°Wood that is close to death but not dead,¡± ¡°Fire that seems extinct but is hard to extinguish,¡± ¡°Earth that is lowly and untainted,¡± ¡°Metal that appears like jade but isn¡¯t,¡± and ¡°Water that is rootless and unceasing.¡± All five types are rare natural treasures seldom encountered, and they represent the true threshold in cultivating the Postnatal Five Elements Ultimate Extermination Divine Light. Fortunately, the Pavilion had thoughtfully found all five types of these treasures and had extracted the corresponding Five Elements True Veins, which were the red, blue, yellow, black, and white spots of light that had entered Luo Yan¡¯s Sea of Consciousness at that time. Next, all Luo Yan needed to do was slowly cultivate the Yuan Magnetic Gang Qi and then refine these ¡°Postnatal Five Elements True Veins¡± into it. As he was cultivating, Miss Shi rushed to the door, knocked a few times vigorously, and then pushed the door open and came in. ¡°Little junior brother!¡± She pounced beside Luo Yan¡¯s bed, excitedly said, ¡°Guess what I got from the Pavilion?¡± ¡°It must be something incredibly powerful,¡± Luo Yan said helplessly. Forgetting to lock the door was really a miscalculation. ¡°Humph,¡± Shi Liuli said proudly, ¡°The ¡®Five Latitudes Heavenly Secret Record,¡¯ ever heard of it?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± The perfectly confused expression on Luo Yan¡¯s face made Miss Shi even more satisfied. Thus, she began to explain exuberantly: ¡°The so-called ¡®Five Latitudes¡¯ refer to Tai Bai, Sui Xing, Chen Xing, Ying Huo, and Zhen Xing, the collective name for these five stars.¡± ¡°The ¡®Five Latitudes Heavenly Secret Record¡¯ uses the power of these five stars to perform a profound Qi Refining Technique of breathing and cultivation.¡± ¡°Besides Qi refinement, it also contains many incredibly powerful derivative Daoist Magic techniques, which all require the summoning of the Five Latitudes to use.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Luo Yan understood her point and nodded. To assess the quality of a Qi Refining Technique, there are mainly two criteria: One is the efficiency and purity of the refined True Qi. The higher the efficiency and purity, the higher the grade rank of the Elixir formed eventually. The other is whether the Qi Refining Technique comes with its own derivative Daoist Magic. Only Qi Refining Techniques that are in deep accordance with the Dao can naturally produce various profound magical abilities during breathing exercises and cultivation level enhancement, saving the effort of cultivating additional Daoist Magic separately. ¡°Father said that starting from today, I no longer have to cultivate with you guys!¡± Shi Liuli boasted, ¡°Because the efficiency of my ¡®Five Latitudes Heavenly Secret Record¡¯ is much higher than our Heavenly Craft Workshop¡¯s Three Flowers Gathering Spirit Technique.¡± Luo Yan was speechless in his heart, but he smiled and said: ¡°Then congratulations to senior sister.¡± Wasn¡¯t Miss Shi too naive about the world? Didn¡¯t she know that such blatant bragging was the easiest way to bring trouble to her parents and family? It was only because she was spoiled by everyone in the Heavenly Craft Workshop that she could speak so recklessly. If she said these things outside, inducing envy and covetousness in others, it could even unintentionally bring disaster upon her! Thinking this, Luo Yan cautiously asked: ¡°Senior sister, didn¡¯t father instruct you not to talk about this with others?¡± ¡°Of course he did,¡± Shi Liuli gave him a dismissive glance, ¡°It¡¯s common sense that wealth should not be flaunted and that techniques should not be leaked, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Then why are you¡­¡± ¡°You are not ¡®others,¡¯ are you?¡± Miss Shi interrupted him, ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for the fact that cultivating the ¡®Five Latitudes Heavenly Secret Record¡¯ required ¡®Five Latitudes Mystery Elixirs¡¯ and the Pavilion only provided enough pills for one person to cultivate¡­ I would have passed this secret record to you for us to cultivate together!¡± ¡°` ¡°Ah, Senior Sister, there¡¯s no need for this,¡± Luo Yan immediately said with righteous indignation, ¡°I¡¯m not the kind of person who would covet my Senior Sister¡¯s possessions!¡± ¡°Did I say you were?¡± Shi Liuli blinked and naturally responded, ¡°If it could be passed on to you, as your Senior Sister, of course, I wouldn¡¯t hide or hoard it.¡± ¡°Senior Sister¡­¡± Luo Yan then gave a bitter smile. His previous statement actually had two layers of meaning: The first was that I¡¯m not interested in your ¡°Five Latitudes Heavenly Secret Record,¡± so I won¡¯t scheme for your ¡°Five Latitudes Mystical Elixir.¡± The second was that you shouldn¡¯t speak of this outside; what if a villain heard it and came to steal this bottle of elixir? As a result, Miss Shi, staying in the basement, didn¡¯t understand even the first layer of the meaning, causing Luo Yan to feel the urge to go crazy. [Falsehood persona, Synchronization Value +1.] The reminder from the Kunlun Mirror echoed in his mind, leaving Luo Yan completely numb. He didn¡¯t bother pondering why the Synchronization Value had increased and simply moved on from the matter. He took out the Heaven-flipping Seal from within his garments and said: ¡°Senior Sister lent this treasure, which was a great help to me at the Pavilion. It¡¯s time for it to return to its original owner.¡± ¡°The Heaven-flipping Seal is very useful, isn¡¯t it?¡± Shi Liuli said with a giggling smile, yet she did not reach out to take it. ¡°Indeed,¡± Luo Yan also smiled. ¡°Then I¡¯ll just keep lending it to you for a while longer,¡± Shi Liuli waved her hand, ¡°I¡¯ve got the Divine Striking Whip now, so I don¡¯t need the Heaven-flipping Seal for the time being.¡± The so-called ¡°Divine Striking Whip¡± was an imitation of the acquired spiritual treasure ¡°Divine Smiting Whip¡± and was also a Tenth Rank magical treasure. That spiritual treasure, the Divine Smiting Whip, was also within Penglai Jade Pure View, but it was unknown which elder was in charge of it. Last time, Elder Shi Ding had borrowed it to allow the artifact refining genius third Senior Sister to study and advance the Path of Artifact Refining. The ¡°Divine Striking Whip¡± was the final product of that research. ¡°Alright then.¡± Since the magical treasure was handy for Luo Yan too, no matter how the other party responded, he¡¯d just smash down with a Seal from above, ¡°Thank you, Senior Sister¡­¡± ¡°Oh right!¡± Shi Liuli clapped her hands and said, ¡°I heard that the reward you received at the Pavilion was the Tenth Rank magical treasure ¡®Jade Emperor Bell¡¯? I now have the Divine Striking Whip and am lacking a defensive treasure. How about lending the Jade Emperor Bell to me for a bit, Junior Brother?¡± Pah, pah, pah, what do you mean ¡®lend it to me for a bit¡¯, Junior Brother? Just say you¡¯re aiming for my Jade Emperor Bell! However, Luo Yan already had the Divine Fire Mantle, so he didn¡¯t need the Jade Emperor Bell. Moreover, Miss Shi cleverly proposed to exchange it for the Heaven-flipping Seal, so he readily agreed and handed her the Jade Emperor Bell. Seeing how willingly he gave it, Shi Liuli became even more delighted, her eyes almost curving into crescents with joy: ¡°Good Junior Brother! I knew you would lend it to me!¡± She played with the Jade Emperor Bell, turning it over in her hands, unable to put it down. She was about to ask in detail about how to use it, but outside, the Meng Chong had already returned to Yuqing View and landed on the peak of Penglai Fairy Mountain. Thus, Shi Liuli excitedly pulled Luo Yan and jumped off the ship, sprinting toward the direction of their sect. She couldn¡¯t wait to try out the power of the Jade Emperor Bell. Elder Shi Ding and several fellow senior and junior disciples were walking up from the cabins below the deck, only to see the two holding hands, running off and disappearing at lightning speed. ¡°Sigh,¡± Elder Shi Ding couldn¡¯t help but sigh. His daughter had been practicing Dao since she was five and it had almost been twenty years now; how come her temperament was still like that of a thirteen- or fourteen-year-old girl? Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only But, to be fair, it was good that she got along so well with Luo Yan, her junior brother. Normally her closest was the eldest disciple, but they seemed to only have a fraternal relationship. Mainly because Linghu Chu was too free-spirited, and really couldn¡¯t catch Shi Liuli¡¯s eye¡­ Thinking of this, Elder Shi Ding came back to his senses and let out a wry smile again. Who his daughter would eventually be fond of, as an old father, what use was there in him worrying? As long as she was happy, that was enough. Chapter 66 - Chapter 66: Chapter 1: The Great Competition Approaches, the Immortal Sword Rankings Chapter 66: Chapter 1: The Great Competition Approaches, the Immortal Sword Rankings ¡°` Looking back on his trip to the Pavilion, his gains could be described as a full bounty. First of all, he had skipped the twenty to thirty years of Qi Refining that would normally be required, directly filling his Qi Sea and smoothly entering the Marrow Cleansing Rank. Secondly, he had acquired the middle volume of the ¡°Five Thunder True Law,¡± the Postnatal Five Elements Great Extermination Divine Light, the Divine Fire Mantle, the Heaven-flipping Seal, and two Ninth Rank Flying Swords. Let¡¯s not dwell on the two Flying Swords for now, as they are merely Ninth Rank and nothing out of the ordinary, so Luo Yan took them to the Fanghu Immortal Mountain Market next door and secretly sold them for Spirit Stones. After classifying their gains, Qiu Changtian and Luo Yan had become the biggest winners. Aside from the ¡°Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra,¡± Qiu Changtian¡¯s Thunder Method trump card was further strengthened, now possessing four of the ten thunders. He was progressing further and further on the path of the Thunder Method King. Luo Yan, who originally had the weakest combat power, turned the tables immediately upon obtaining the Five Elements Ultimate Extermination Divine Light. Beyond the Five Elements Extinguishing Divine Light, he also had the Tenth Rank Magical Treasure, the Heaven-flipping Seal, borrowed from Miss Shi, which could smash anyone it encountered, shattering their foreheads and sending their souls to the heavens. Additionally, he had acquired another spoil of war, the Tenth Rank Magical Treasure Divine Fire Mantle, which could be used both defensively on oneself or offensively to trap and refine an enemy, combining attack and defense in infinite marvelous uses. As for the big sum of Spirit Stones earned from selling the two Ninth Rank Flying Swords, and how many Elixirs and Talisman Scripts he bought with them¡­ naturally, there¡¯s no need to elaborate. On Ling Yunpo¡¯s side, for reasons unknown, the Shushan Shangqing Faction had not participated in the trip to the Pavilion, hence they didn¡¯t reap any benefits. Now, the young Sword Immortal only had the Green Duckweed Sword and the Thunder Punishment Sword, two Tenth Rank Immortal Swords, making his net worth somewhat modest in comparison. However, he was about to undergo Marrow Cleansing, which would greatly enhance his physical foundation, so the Sword Immortal¡¯s own strength was also set to enter a period of rapid development. In addition, Ling Yunpo could ¡°nourish the sword with his body,¡± by taking the Qing Ping Sword into his spine and slowly nurturing it with his own flesh and blood to become his Life-bound Sword Artifact. Not to mention, he had an ace up his sleeve with ¡°Unity of Body and Sword,¡± but let¡¯s not get into that now. The disadvantage of not having a master¡¯s guidance in the three paths was finally starting to show. Luo Yan, who had secluded himself to comprehend the Five Elements Extinguishing Divine Light, had initially refined the Primary Magnetism Qi. He then loaded the file back to Ling Yunpo and continued practicing swordsmanship with Senior Sister An. Since there was no master to offer guidance, he could only extract as much experience as possible from An Zhisu at the Refining Mansion Rank. An Zhisu was somewhat surprised to find that Ling Yunpo¡¯s swordsmanship had recently improved by leaps and bounds. Or rather, it had reached a level that was not attainable at the Qi Refining Rank. She carefully raised her cultivation level to match the Marrow Cleansing Rank, only to find that Ling Yunpo was still steadily holding his ground. ¡°Junior Brother,¡± An Zhisu eventually stopped her swordplay and hesitantly asked, ¡°have you¡­?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Ling Yunpo didn¡¯t intend to hide it from her, so he retracted the Green Duckweed Sword into his body and then called it out again, ¡°I had a stroke of fortune the other day and made a breakthrough. I have now entered the Marrow Cleansing Rank.¡± An Zhisu stood motionless for a moment, then covered her mouth with her slender hand in disbelief, her pretty eyes reddening as she became so excited that tears fell. Ling Yunpo was at a loss for words upon seeing this reaction, momentarily speechless. ¡°Why¡­ Why did you suddenly make a breakthrough!¡± An Zhisu fiercely wiped her tears away, trying hard to spread a smile, ¡°It¡¯s okay, Senior Sister is just¡­ just too happy.¡± ¡°If your master were here, he would surely be overjoyed as well.¡± Seeing her transition from tears to smiles, Ling Yunpo felt both relieved and puzzled. Relieved because Senior Sister An truly didn¡¯t ask ¡°what kind of fortune,¡± allowing him to avoid using the excuse he had carefully fabricated. Puzzled because, why would she cry? Fortunately, An Zhisu didn¡¯t keep him in suspense, simply wiping away her tears and cheerfully saying: ¡°Junior Brother Ling, do you know? The Shushan Swordsmanship Tournament is about to begin.¡± Another swordsmanship competition, Ling Yunpo inwardly groaned. You Shushan Sword Immortals fight and kill all day long, always ending in fratricide; no wonder you¡¯ve been losing to Kunlun in recent years, with all your elite disciples perishing in internal strife! As if seeing through his thoughts, An Zhisu proceeded with a smile: ¡°This swordsmanship competition, however, is not the usual private fight, but the official disciple contest of the Shushan Sect.¡± ¡°For the Foundation Establishment Rank competition, only disciples who have at least reached the Marrow Cleansing Rank and possess a Life-bound Sword Artifact may participate.¡± ¡°Each match is held on a specialized field with protective Restrictions in place, and with High Rank elders in attendance, there is no threat to life.¡± ¡°Moreover, as long as one¡¯s rank in the swordsmanship competition enters the Immortal Sword Ranking, they will have the opportunity to enter the Shushan Demon Locking Tower for a trial after the competition concludes.¡± ¡°The Shushan Demon Locking Tower usually opens once every two sixty-year cycles. Inside, Demons lurk with great risks, but there are also great opportunities.¡± ¡°Take the Marrow Cleansing Rank disciples as an example; there¡¯s a place inside the tower called the ¡®Blood Pool,¡¯ where bathing for three days and nights can greatly improve one¡¯s foundation, eliminate impurities, and accelerate the Marrow Cleansing process.¡± ¡°Senior Sister originally thought that, no matter how hard you trained, it would still be difficult for you to catch up with the opening of the Demon Locking Tower this time, but unexpectedly, you made a breakthrough through a stroke of fortune¡­ Maybe it really is a blessing from the master.¡± ¡°` Speaking of Master, she couldn¡¯t help but have her eyes turn red and teary, appearing utterly charming and captivating. ¡°What do you mean ¡®Master¡¯s blessing¡¯?¡± Ling Yunpo said with a hint of jealousy, ¡°Senior Sister An, don¡¯t make it sound like Master is already a spirit in heaven, it¡¯s such bad luck. ¡°Besides, he is currently in seclusion, how could he bless me?¡± ¡°My achievements today are all thanks to my unyielding efforts and relentless self-improvement!¡± [Unyielding character set, synchronization value +1.] ¡°Yes, Sister was wrong,¡± An Zhisu admitted her mistake and changed for the better, smiling as she said, ¡°Indeed, Junior Brother is impressive. Then, An Zhisu started to explain to Ling Yunpo what the Immortal Sword Ranking was all about. The order of the Shushan Sect¡¯s Chief Disciples and other ranked positions was different from those in Kunlun. While the Kunlun Sect took into account disciple potential and aptitude when assigning meditation mat positions, the Shushan Sect ranked based solely on true merit. The Sword Immortals were straightforward and brutal, indifferent to the order of initiation. Below the Golden Core, the strongest was the Chief Disciple, the second rank was the deputy, and the third was third seat, and so on until the ninety-ninth and the hundredth final rank. If you desired a certain position, you simply sought out the corresponding Sword Immortal and challenged them for their rank. This challenge for rank, unlike private duels, must be an official challenge initiated by the challenger ¡°under the supervision of a high-rank elder,¡± targeting a ¡°Sword Immortal with a higher ranking on the list,¡± thus it lacked various restrictions and penalties of private duels. As long as you won, you could take the other¡¯s rank. That¡¯s why, especially when it came to rank challenges, the Sword Immortals among the top hundred were exceptionally fierce. With a Nascent Soul Elder overseeing, they held nothing back in their swordplay, aiming to kill without mercy. Otherwise, if they failed to establish their dominance, they would have to brace themselves for endless harassment from challengers. Over time, the list of these top hundred Sword Immortals became nicknamed by the disciples of Shushan as the ¡°Immortal Sword Ranking.¡± The Sword Immortals on the list were referred to by their Life-bound Sword Artifacts, a way for the disciples to express their reverence. ¡°When it comes to this Immortal Sword Ranking, it reminds me of something I¡¯ve heard about,¡± Ling Yunpo said purposefully. ¡°I heard that the current Chief Disciple of Shushan, the leader of the Immortal Sword Ranking, wields a sword called ¡®Frostfall.¡¯ It is rumored to be a once-in-a-century fiercesome star that cuts down people as if mowing grass.¡± ¡°It has reached the point where everyone fears the name. Those in the know won¡¯t talk about it, and those who don¡¯t are afraid to inquire, so strangely, no one knows who it is.¡± ¡°It¡¯s me,¡± Senior Sister An said, eyes filled with a deep hurt as if embarrassed by his teasing. She held back for a while before she muttered, ¡°Ah, according to the rules of rank challenge, one must be ruthless to establish authority. There¡¯s no room for mercy.¡± ¡°These past years, I really had no choice¡­¡± No choice? Indeed, she had none. The others on the Immortal Sword Ranking also only fought mercilessly during rank challenges. But for a certain Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal, whether it was a rank challenge or a private duel, they would always sever their opponent¡¯s Life-bound Sword Artifact viciously! As a result, except for Ziyun Peak, which recently dared to provoke and test the waters, other peaks would normally avoid Qingluo Peak altogether! Yet, to be fair, this couldn¡¯t be blamed on Senior Sister An. After all, the grudges drawn by that pesky Master, Su Jian, were too numerous, and his infamy was indeed overwhelming. Ling Yunpo had already witnessed the severity of it in his last duel with Ziyun Peak. If Senior Sister An had not succeeded in establishing her dominance, Qingluo Peak today would be subject to attacks, its predicament more miserable. Therefore, he simply laughed and said: ¡°Sister is absolutely right! Those who cannot defeat you in swordmanship then malign your reputation behind your back, they are despicable. ¡°They better not let me encounter them. If it happens during the official competition, I must beat them to a pulp to avenge the years of defamation you¡¯ve suffered,¡± Upon hearing this, An Zhisu laughed and said: ¡°In this official competition, the initial few days involve randomly drawing lots for the matchups, it¡¯s not that easy for you to encounter them. Only in the final days will you have the chance to freely choose your opponents and initiate rank challenges.¡± ¡°Based on the results of previous competitions, if one¡¯s strength is ranked first among those in the same period of Marrow Cleansing Rank, they could probably secure around the seventieth place on the Immortal Sword Ranking.¡± ¡°You just need to diligently practice your swordsmanship and improve your strength.¡± ¡°When the time comes, whether it¡¯s through random drawing or free challenging, first win against a Sword Immortal on the ranking to obtain a position.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Then, no matter who challenges you for your rank, ruthlessly break their Life-bound Sword Artifact.¡± ¡°Continue until those ranked below you no longer dare to challenge you for your position, and your seat will be secure.¡± Ling Yunpo internally sighed, Is this the path of a little Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal you¡¯re setting me on? ¡°Alright!¡± He confidently asserted, ¡°Since Sister has such high hopes for me, I will let you see what I¡¯m capable of!¡± ¡°I, Ling Yunpo, will certainly make it onto the Immortal Sword Ranking this time!¡± Chapter 67 - Chapter 67: Chapter 2: Sharing All That One Has, Imparting Profound Knowledge Chapter 67: Chapter 2: Sharing All That One Has, Imparting Profound Knowledge As mentioned previously, the save/load mechanism of the Kunlun Mirror follows a certain ¡°resume from breakpoint¡± rule. For instance, with the Shushan storyline, whenever you saved and left last time, you would pick up from the same point upon loading next time. By now, Qiu Changtian and Luo Yan had both completed the Pavilion trial, while Ling Yunpo¡¯s timeline in Shushan was still at the moment right before the Pavilion was about to open. One day, after finishing a sparring session with Senior Sister An, Ling Yunpo saw a streak of sword light flash across the sky, descending upon Qingluo Peak. Ling Yunpo took a closer look and saw it was Lin Duanshan, the chief disciple of the Golden Peak and a sycophant of his sister¡¯s. ¡°Senior Sister An!¡± As soon as Lin Duanshan landed, he hurried over and said, ¡°The East Sea Pavilion has opened this morning, with disciples from both Kunlun Penglai and our sect entering the secret realm for the trial.¡± ¡°The Emei Golden Summit has sent a message, saying that as we are all from the Orthodox Sect, we cannot lag behind others, hence the Demon Locking Tower must be opened ahead of schedule.¡± ¡°Accordingly, the Shushan Sect¡¯s grand competition is likely to be brought forward as well!¡± ¡°I understand,¡± An Zhisu replied with a composed demeanor, but Lin Duanshan couldn¡¯t contain his impatience and turned to glare at Ling Yunpo, saying, ¡°The big competition is imminent, are you ready?¡± ¡°Without a single doubt!¡± Ling Yunpo replied with a sneer. Lin Duanshan was slightly startled, then he said seriously: ¡°Since Senior Sister An wants you to participate in the Demon Locking Tower trial, then according to Shushan¡¯s rules, you must secure a place on the Immortal Sword Ranking in this sect competition.¡± ¡°On the Immortal Sword Ranking, the strong and weak are clearly delineated. The chief disciple, which is your Senior Sister An, occupies a tier of her own; the second to fourth places form one tier; the fifth to fiftieth places another tier; and from the fiftieth place onwards, yet another tier.¡± ¡°Within the same tier, the power levels are similar, and the ranking of positions often changes; but if you rise one tier, there is a crushing advantage in strength, making it extremely difficult to win a sword fight against them.¡± Lin Duanshan paused slightly before continuing earnestly: ¡°With your talent in the sword arts, you should aim for a position below fifth place and above the fiftieth.¡± ¡°If you end up outside the top fifty, then you would be bringing shame to Qingluo Peak¡­¡± An Zhisu cut him off, speaking indifferently: ¡°Our peak has such a bad reputation already, what does it matter if we lose a little more face? Even if I secure a position above the fiftieth place, the other peaks would not change their opinion of us.¡± ¡°All I want is for Ling to participate in the Demon Locking Tower trial and successfully undergo the Marrow Cleansing at the Blood Pool. As for those empty honors, they are dispensable.¡± Lin Duanshan was left speechless by her retort, suddenly at a loss for words. As the chief disciple of the Golden Peak lineage and deeply trusted by his master, he often had the final say in matters concerning the Golden Peak. Moreover, with his serious personality, he has always been stringent with his junior brothers and sisters, driving them on with severity and harshness. As for something like ¡°tactful tone¡± or ¡°encouraging teaching,¡± impossible, not in ten thousand years. Therefore, when facing a senior sister like An Zhisu who was protectively irrational, he found himself a bit helpless. Fortunately, Ling Yunpo didn¡¯t let the awkward moment last too long. Or perhaps, not willing to let him continue interacting with Senior Sister An, he said: ¡°Senior Sister, I of course understand your intentions.¡± ¡°Regarding the challenge for ranking positions, anyone with a lower rank can challenge those above.¡± ¡°In other words, if I secure a certain position, I must have the strength to defeat everyone below that rank, otherwise, even if I manage a lucky victory, I wouldn¡¯t be able to maintain the position afterward.¡± ¡°But Brother Lin is also right! Ever since our master started his retreat, hasn¡¯t our Qingluo Peak gone from being in a tight spot from facing numerous enemies to not being lightly regarded anymore, all thanks to you, Senior Sister, fighting each battle, forcibly carving out our reputation?¡± ¡°Keep in mind that even a bad reputation is still a reputation! If the name that Qingluo Peak has built up were to be ruined by me, I wouldn¡¯t be able to forgive myself either!¡± [Indomitable Persona, Synchronization Value +1.] After he finished speaking with fervor and conviction, even An Zhisu¡¯s beautiful eyes reddened, and Lin Duanshan nodded repeatedly. Both were momentarily subdued by his spirited words, speechless. [Indomitable Persona, Synchronization Value +1.] ¡°Junior Brother,¡± after a long while, Senior Sister An finally said softly, ¡°since you have such lofty ambitions, naturally I won¡¯t meddle.¡± ¡°Since that is the case, let Senior Brother Lin teach you about the Shushan Sect Competition.¡± Ling Yunpo: ??? Wait a minute, I just didn¡¯t want him to interact with Senior Sister anymore, not that I wanted to interact with him! However, Lin Duanshan turned a blind eye to his inner turmoil and burst into laughter as he said: ¡°Very good! Since Ling Junior Brother aspires for greatness, I will not be stingy with my skills and will pass on all I know.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no time like the present, let¡¯s start fencing right away!¡± ¡­¡­¡­ Of course, the so-called fencing was just the very ordinary clashing of Flying Swords, with no special meaning. If the Swordsmanship of Qingluo Peak¡¯s Seven Kills emphasizes ¡°striking first to gain control¡± and ¡°speed is unbeatable¡±, then the Myriad Forms Sword line of the Golden Peak values ¡°going with the flow¡± and ¡°endless variability¡±. There are countless paths in swordsmanship, none of which are absolutely superior or inferior to the others; ultimately, it all depends on the Sword Immortal¡¯s own true strength. Because they needed to simulate the Shushan Competition, Lin Duanshan directly used his cultivation level, wielding the Kaiyue Sword with Marrow Cleansing Rank True Yuan, delivering strikes powerful and heavy, forcing Ling Yunpo into a defense that made it extremely difficult for him to fend off the attacks, repeatedly pushing him to his limits. An Zhisu silently observed from the side, and whenever Ling Yunpo looked like he couldn¡¯t hold on, she would place her hand on the hilt of the Frostfall Sword, making Lin Duanshan instantly break out in a cold sweat and feel chilling fear. ¡°Ahem, after entering the Marrow Cleansing Rank, I¡¯ve got a rough idea of your strength level.¡± Feeling that if he continued fighting, the probability of being killed would only get higher, Lin Duanshan immediately chose to pull back from the brink and put away the Kaiyue Sword, saying earnestly: ¡°As I expected, as long as you perform to your stable strength during the Shushan Competition, ranking within the top fifty should be no problem for you.¡± Hearing Lin Duanshan make his prediction, An Zhisu agreed with a radiant smile: ¡°Indeed, with your ability, Junior Brother, there really is no need for too much worry.¡± ¡°Senior Sister only hopes that you won¡¯t put too much pressure on yourself. The reputation of Qingluo Peak is not important; what¡¯s important is whether you can advance in your swordsmanship and improve your cultivation level.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Lin Duanshan said with a straight face, ¡°knowing yourself and knowing your enemy is crucial, aside from your own strength level, you also need to understand the strength of other competitors.¡± ¡°Currently, on the Immortal Sword Ranking, only the top four seats can be said to have a stable advantage over you, so let¡¯s start with those top four.¡± ¡°The top of the list ¡®Frostfall¡¯ is your Senior Sister An. Since her induction, she has never been defeated, whether in official seat challenges or private sword duels.¡± ¡°You are all too aware of her combat style and strength level, so there¡¯s no need for me to elaborate further.¡± ¡°Second on the list ¡®Cang Tie¡¯ is Duan Fenhai, the Chief Disciple of Yellow Dragon Peak. Originally from a family of well-off heroes, his approach is not reckless or vicious; instead, he is known for his calm demeanor and vast experience, surpassing you in every aspect of quality.¡± ¡°Third on the list ¡®Kaiyue¡¯ is me, we¡¯ll skip that for now; fourth on the list ¡®Fragmented Moon¡¯ is Guan Shanyue, the Chief Disciple of Green Bamboo Peak.¡± ¡°She hails from the Longxi Guan Family, a Sword Immortal Clan, possessing numerous tricky Sword Control Secret Techniques. Even I am not fully confident against her, let alone you.¡± Lin Duanshan spoke bluntly but noticed An Zhisu¡¯s livid expression and quickly added: ¡°Of course, I¡¯m saying the you right now is not their match¡­ given time, with your talent in sword arts, your achievements won¡¯t be far off.¡± ¡°All in all, if during the drawing phase of the Shushan Competition, you happen to draw one of the top four seats, just concede directly. There¡¯s no need to stubbornly fight to the end.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°The Shushan Competition is divided into two parts. The first half is an elimination round to advance in rank, where matches are randomly drawn, and losing means demotion while winning means promotion.¡± ¡°The top hundred disciples who finally advance will be placed on the Immortal Sword Ranking according to the results of the bouts.¡± ¡°The second half is the challenge to climb the ranking; all disciples can choose to challenge competitors ranked higher than themselves on the list, ascending to that seat with a victory, with no punishment for losing.¡± ¡°That is to say, apart from the top four seats, you need to remember the fighting style and sword habits of the other ninety-six competitors currently on the Immortal Sword Ranking.¡± ¡°Because, in the upcoming Shushan Competition, you might encounter them in the draw phase, or they might single you out for elimination during the challenge phase!¡± Chapter 68 - Chapter 68: Chapter 3 Shushan Demon Tower, The Clues Emerge Chapter 68: Chapter 3 Shushan Demon Tower, The Clues Emerge Next, the process of cramming began. Senior Sister An¡¯s strength was certainly not weak, but she really wasn¡¯t that great at teaching. The reason was her strength was too formidable; she simply didn¡¯t need to and wouldn¡¯t bother understanding other sword cultivators¡¯ combat styles and habits in swordsmanship. Why bother with such things? Would you pay attention to the differences between every ant under your feet? On the contrary, Lin Duanshan, whose main focus was the Myriad Forms Sword, a sword Dao that emphasizes strategic variation, had an excellent grasp of intelligence on various sword cultivators. Not only that, but Elder Brother Lin was also a genius in swordsmanship, proficient in the major sword methods of various sects. Whenever he talked about a Sword Immortal on the Immortal Sword Ranking, he could hit the nail on the head, describing their style of swordsmanship in great detail, and instantly point out their flaws, even the fatal ones. Besides, Lin Duanshan was able to replicate another cultivator¡¯s style of swordsmanship almost perfectly during sparring practice, allowing Ling Yunpo to not only acquire knowledge but also to apply it quickly and adapt! No wonder Senior Sister An asked him to teach herself. However, simulating swordsmanship styles still had its gaps compared to real combat, as it was impossible to replicate Sword Dao Techniques exactly. So Lin Duanshan didn¡¯t stay for too long, merely briefed on the intelligence of a hundred Sword Immortals from the Immortal Sword Ranking, and then simulated the corresponding swordsmanship for Ling Yunpo to get a basic adaptation. Who prefers to fight head-on, who is accustomed to treacherous tricks; he familiarized him with these roughly. Having done all that, Lin Duanshan hastily took his leave again. Because he had sniffed out an ominous scent, it seemed like if he continued to use sparring as an excuse to thrash a certain junior brother, he would end up being hung up and beaten by a certain senior sister¡­ After Lin Duanshan left, Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu continued practicing swordsmanship for several hours. During a break, Ling Yunpo ventured to ask: ¡°Senior Sister, what is your relationship with Lin Duanshan¡­ with Elder Brother Lin?¡± An Zhisu thought seriously for a moment: ¡°I have defeated him.¡± Ling Yunpo: ¡­¡­¡­ ¡°Senior Sister, have you ever shattered his life-bound sword artifact?¡± ¡°Not that far,¡± recalled An Zhisu. ¡°He was polite in his speech at that time, so I didn¡¯t go too hard on him.¡± ¡°Oh, I see he seems to know you quite well,¡± Ling Yunpo probed again. ¡°You heard him say it; the strength of the top four seats on the Immortal Sword Ranking is of the same level,¡± smiled An Zhisu. ¡°Plus, they are all individuals with great pride, so it¡¯s quite normal for them to know each other well.¡± No, no, no, Lin Duanshan said it was the second to fourth seats that were in the same level; you, An Zhisu, are in a level by yourself¡­ But Ling Yunpo knew that his senior sister was accustomed to downplaying the fact that she was ¡°more formidable than her junior brothers,¡± so he changed the subject, asking: ¡°Now that I¡¯ve met Lin Duanshan, what are the people in the other two seats like?¡± An Zhisu pondered before answering: ¡°Duan Fenhai in his early years came from a background of a jianghu hero and even reached the position of Martial Arts Alliance Hierarch.¡± ¡°Later, because he offended a certain enemy, his entire family was killed¡­ That¡¯s why he came to our Shushan to practice swordsmanship.¡± ¡°Almost a decade ago, he left the mountain to exterminate his enemy¡¯s clan. After avenging his great grudge and returning to the mountain, he, in fact, became much more disillusioned and was often lethargic.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Ling Yunpo silently noted. ¡°As for Guan Shanyue, she is a woman with extreme pride,¡± continued An Zhisu. ¡°From the Longxi Guan Family, generations of Sword Immortals, and Guan Shanyue is the strongest of the Guan Family¡¯s younger generation.¡± ¡°Although she usually looks all smiles and pretends to be without schemes, she actually has a foul temper and holds grudges,¡± ¡°Junior Brother, if you ever encounter that Guan Shanyue, it¡¯s still best to keep your distance from her.¡± Got it, Senior Sister An is jealous. Ling Yunpo immediately nodded in agreement: ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Senior Sister, I won¡¯t get entangled with that Guan Shanyue!¡± ¡°Senior Sister isn¡¯t trying to interfere with your relations with others,¡± An Zhisu said awkwardly. ¡°Just worried that you might get deceived out there.¡± Got it, she¡¯s worried I might get duped by a bad woman. After thinking for a while, Ling Yunpo asked again: ¡°What kind of place is the Demon Locking Tower then?¡± ¡°The Demon Locking Tower,¡± An Zhisu said with a smile, ¡°is an ancient inverted tower located beneath the rocky cliffs of Thunder Hole Plateau, extending almost a thousand zhang into the ground. It is a place Clarify Cult used in ancient times to confine demons.¡± ¡°An ¡®inverted tower¡¯ looks like a normal pagoda, but flipped upside down, larger on top and smaller at the bottom.¡± ¡°The deeper you go, the fewer the imprisoned demons, but the more formidable they become. It¡¯s said that the demons at the deepest level of the Demon Locking Tower even possess the strength of Daluo Golden Immortals, though it¡¯s uncertain if this is true or not¡­¡± Ling Yunpo zoned out for a moment before suddenly catching on. One zhang is three point three meters, almost a thousand zhang¡­ isn¡¯t that about three kilometers underground? Could it be, the fragment of the Heaven-Mending Stone I¡¯m looking for is in the deepest part of the Demon Locking Tower? ¡°Senior Sister,¡± Ling Yunpo said cheerfully. ¡°Tell me more about this Demon Locking Tower.¡± An Zhisu looked somewhat surprised but without suspicion, she continued: ¡°The history of the Demon Locking Tower is said to be even more ancient than that of Clarify Cult, likely dating back to the era of Fuxi and Nuwa.¡± ¡°Nearly a thousand zhang deep with a hundred levels, each level ten zhang high. But the inside is not an open area; it¡¯s divided into various big and small isolated spaces.¡± ¡°Ancient cultivators would catch demons outside and throw them into the Demon Locking Tower. The tower would automatically transport these demons to a level corresponding to their strength.¡± Ling Yunpo pondered for a moment, then asked: ¡°Is the existence of the Demon Locking Tower solely for the imprisonment of demons?¡± ¡°Of course not,¡± An Zhisu said softly. ¡°The Demon Locking Tower has many uses. For example, there¡¯s a Blood Pool within it that¡¯s greatly beneficial to cultivators at the Marrow Cleansing Rank; it¡¯s said to be filled with Dragon Blood.¡± ¡°And this Dragon Blood comes from a dragon of the Dragon Clan imprisoned somewhere inside the tower.¡± ¡°In fact, many of Shushan¡¯s products come from within the Demon Locking Tower. For instance, some of the Flying Swords in the Sword Pool come from the outside world, some from trade with Yuqing View, and others from the Sword Slave tribe within the Demon Locking Tower.¡± ¡°Sword Slave?¡± Ling Yunpo asked in surprise. ¡°They seem to be demon blacksmiths,¡± An Zhisu said uncertainly. ¡°Sword Slaves are mild-tempered demons,¡± Kunlun Mirror suddenly spoke up in the Sea of Consciousness. ¡°They feed on metal ores and are especially skilled in sword casting.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Ling Yunpo quickly grasped the crux of the matter. ¡°So, our Shushan Shangqing Faction actually maintains regular communication and exchanges with many demons inside the Demon Locking Tower, right? Who in the faction is responsible for these tasks?¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°It should be managed by Golden Core True Persons. I¡¯m not very clear on the details,¡± An Zhisu answered. ¡°After all, entering the Demon Locking Tower is dangerous, and it can¡¯t be entrusted to an outer disciple.¡± As expected. Ling Yunpo became thoughtful. That means, Shushan has the ability to enter the Demon Locking Tower at any time. I need to figure out a way to get clear on this. Chapter 69 - Chapter 69: Chapter 4: Return to Kunlun, Reunion with Song He Chapter 69: Chapter 4: Return to Kunlun, Reunion with Song He The great Shushan tournament was just around the corner. After practicing swords with his senior sister for several days, Ling Yunpo returned to Kunlun to play the part of Qiu Changtian again. Coming back from the Pavilion Secret Realm, Qiu Changtian¡¯s junior brothers and sisters had all gained a great deal. Xu Yinglian ranked at the forefront in the trial, thereby obtaining a powerful Daoist Magic from the Pavilion, named the ¡°Tai Su Yuan Jun Zhen Xuan Great Bright Fire.¡± It was said that its might was no less than that of the Five Thunder True Law. Every morning at sunrise, Junior Sister Xu would sit cross-legged on the top of Golden Ridge precisely on time, cultivating this technique. When the sunrise illuminated the sea of clouds, she would open her mouth to breathe, ingesting the precious solar Qi and converting it into Sun Qi, then swallow saliva with her eyes closed, pouring it into her limbs and five viscera. After a while, as the Sun Qi refined the scenery within her, a bright, dazzling red light shone through her body, both inside and out, making Xu Yinglian look like a little gilded figurine, her jade skin luminous, shining brilliantly. As for the other junior brothers and sisters, they had also successfully advanced to the Marrow Cleansing Rank. Guan Zhan acquired a Flying Sword, keeping it close to his chest so that no one else could see it. Yan Zhitui got a book, although not a Daoist tome but a book-shaped Magical Treasure, which led him to read laboriously through the night. Chen Zhen and Zhong Tianhuai chose Elixirs, intending to return to their diligent cultivation, eager to press on with their Qi Refinement. Only the little girl Jian Qingnan did not choose a Flying Sword Treasure, instead selecting a book called ¡°Zhou Yi Pointer to Mystical Heart Sutra,¡± likely following the wishes of the Qingzhou Jian Family, wanting her to continue developing towards the art of Tai Yi fortune-telling and calculations. Of course, the one who reaped the biggest harvest was certainly Chief Qiu. Not to mention Luo Yan¡¯s side, just the Thunder Method sections from the Five Thunder True Law alone, by association and extension, elevated his understanding of Thunder Method by a notch. The Jade Pivot Thunder had a blue light and a red color, a palm-sized thunder ball. By comparison, Immortal Capital Thunder was greyish-red in color, its form unstable, but its flight speed was much faster than that of Jade Pivot Thunder, striking out like lightning with a ¡°crack!¡± extremely fast. Polar Thunder was completely black and also a condensed ball of thunder light. It appeared deep and unfathomable, emanating a chilling cold that was oppressive on close contact, and when it struck a rock wall, its power was tremendous. The surrounding area would even frost over and split, clearly having an effect similar to a refrigeration system, fitting for a type of thunder that was particularly effective against the aquatic produce of the Dragon Clan. As for Tai Yi Thunder, it had no color to it at all; holding it in one¡¯s hand was like holding an almost transparent thunder ball, with a very broad range of attack. Because its power was less concentrated, its ability to damage a single target was not as strong as the other three types of thunder, but in terms of moving mountains and altering landscapes, it was second to none. Apart from the Thunder Method, Qiu Changtian, who had advanced to the Marrow Cleansing Rank, obtained the second derived technique from the ¡°Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra,¡± which was the ¡°Lesser Shangyang Sword Qi.¡± The activation method was somewhat similar to the Six-Pulse Divine Sword, compressing pure True Qi in the meridians to whet its sharpness, and then projecting it out from the Shangyang point on the index finger to injure the enemy. This Sword Qi was colorless and intangible, extraordinarily effective for sneak attacks and assassinations. The only drawback was that its attack power was not very high (compared to Thunder Method). Not to mention something like the Divine Fire Mantle, a defensive Magical Treasure, even if the opponent used a Flying Sword to block it, they could easily stop the Lesser Shangyang Sword Qi. It was said that a Nascent Soul Elder from Kunlun (a Direct Disciple of the previous Sect Leader and now the senior brother of Ziwei Master) had devoted an unknown amount of effort and finally optimized this Lesser Shangyang Sword Qi, renaming it the ¡°Taiqing Xuanmen Intangible Sword Qi.¡± It retained its stealthiness while greatly enhancing the Sword Qi¡¯s lethality. Qiu Changtian made some inquiries and found out that the elder listed Intangible Sword Qi as a secretly inherited technique. That is to say, it would only be taught to Direct Disciples. As a Direct Disciple of the Ziwei Master, he obviously could not switch to the sect of this senior uncle, so he had to let it go. In order to master the Thunder Method quickly and to maintain a high Synchronization Value for his persona, Chief Qiu still kept up with the rhythm of ¡°going out for trials once every ten days.¡± The rest of the time, he holed up in his cave dwelling, routinely lecturing, refining Qi and cleansing marrow, and studying the central principles of the Five Thunder True Law. That afternoon, he once again led several outer sect disciples back from a grueling trial outside, and went to the administration hall on Jade Void Peak to turn in the task. Those outer sect disciples, receiving their task rewards, were overwhelmed with gratitude towards Chief Qiu, thanking him profusely, and then they left reluctantly. Chief Qiu had long grown accustomed to the praise and thanks from his Kunlun fellow disciples, so he simply continued to calmly browse the task catalog, when out of the corner of his eye, he suddenly noticed someone approaching the counter and speaking quietly with the Kunlun officials. Hmm, it seemed to be Song He. Qiu Changtian immediately remembered that this person was Song He, the second senior brother under the Ziwei Master, whose strength was second only to the Chief Disciple, Xu Changqing, among the Foundation Establishment disciples directly taught by the Ziwei Master. However, the rules of Kunlun were different from those of Shushan; only the position of Chief Disciple was determined by strength, while the ranking of other disciples was determined by their natural talent. Whether under the Ziwei Master or the other Nascent Soul Elders, this was the rule. As a result, compared to the brilliant and shining Chief Disciple Xu Changqing, this second senior brother Song He was much more low-profile. He was thinking about this when he saw Song He suddenly look up, smile, and greet him: ¡°Junior Brother Qiu, have you returned from another experience outside?¡± Qiu Changtian keenly noticed that Song He¡¯s gaze lingered for a moment on the Tai Yi Dividing Light Sword on his back. The Tai Yi Dividing Light Sword, wielded by successive Heads of the Kunlun Sect, was entrusted to him by the Ziwei Master for protection during each of Qiu Changtian¡¯s outings, which spoke volumes about his status in the Master¡¯s eyes. ¡°Yes.¡± Qiu Changtian nodded, ¡°Senior Brother Song, what brings you here?¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve come to deliver the possessions of two junior brothers who¡¯ve passed away,¡± said Song He, staring into his eyes as he spoke slowly. Zhao Wencheng and Qiu Yuan, although not Chief Disciples, were disciples under the Ziwei Master and had mysteriously disappeared in the Pavilion Secret Realm, not returning even by the time the realm¡¯s gates closed. The Pavilion trial was not supposed to be lethal. If one was killed by the trial¡¯s restrictions, they would be teleported out at the brink of death from severe injuries. However, if they were killed by other trialists within the secret realm, there was no such protective mechanism. If Zhao Wencheng and Qiu Yuan did not return before the closure of the Pavilion, it was highly likely that they had perished within, but it was not known whether the culprit was a Kunlun disciple, a Penglai disciple, poison, a Heart Demon, or perhaps accidental harm from the impact of wide-ranging lethal Daoist magic¡­ In the world of cultivation, there are simply countless ways to end a life. The Ziwei Master used divination for a while but couldn¡¯t come up with any results and could only set off to return to Kunlun. After returning to Kunlun, both were judged by the Taiqing Sect to have died. As for the possessions left in their dwellings, naturally they had to be packed and sent to their families in the secular world. ¡°Alas.¡± Qiu Changtian sighed, ¡°The trial of the Pavilion Secret Realm, left by the Clarify Sect, should have been straightforward; how could such a disaster have happened¡­¡± Seeing no flaw in his demeanor, Song He withdrew his gaze and said lightly: ¡°The path of cultivation is inherently against the heavens; how can there be any straightforward path?¡± ¡°Any hardship and danger must be broken through with great resolve and great wisdom.¡± ¡°If you cannot break through, then you will fall, and there is no reasoning behind it.¡± Qiu Changtian smiled warmly: ¡°You are right in your teachings, senior brother.¡± Song He nodded slightly in an encouraging manner, patted his shoulder, and then left with his hands behind his back. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only As Qiu Changtian watched his back recede from the duty hall, he quickly said in his mind: ¡°Ah Jing, when he patted my shoulder just now, did he do something to me?¡± ¡°No, he didn¡¯t,¡± replied the Kunlun Mirror. ¡°However,¡± its voice paused, then continued, ¡°this Senior Brother Song He of yours¡­¡± ¡°¡­actually harbors a very well-concealed enmity towards you. Hmm, it would be more appropriate to call it ¡®malice¡¯.¡± Chapter 70 - Chapter 70: Chapter 5: Using Reverse Psychology to Rescue Junior Sister Xu Chapter 70: Chapter 5: Using Reverse Psychology to Rescue Junior Sister Xu Jade Void Palace, Scripture Lecture Hall. As the disciples finished listening to the scriptures and were about to rise from their meditation cushions, they heard the Ziwei Master suddenly speak: ¡°Qiu Changtian, remain.¡± Therefore, the fellow senior brothers and sisters quickly exchanged glances, then their eyes unanimously fell upon Xu Yinglian. Xu Yinglian frowned slightly but did not speak. She simply rose indifferently and left. Based on past incidents, if the Ziwei Master asked someone to stay, it often meant that he would keep both Qiu Changtian and her behind¡ªbut this proved nothing. What difference did it make if she wasn¡¯t kept this time? Although Xu Yinglian was competitive by nature, she was not so trivial as to fight for the Sect Leader¡¯s attention, she was not a child after all. As she left unfetteredly, the others looked at each other and then left one after another. Thus, only Qiu Changtian was left in the Scripture Lecture Hall. ¡°On the first day of next month, the Shushan Demon Locking Tower will open,¡± the Ziwei Master said with closed eyes, speaking leisurely, ¡°There is a ¡®Blood Pool¡¯ inside.¡± ¡°Bathing in the Blood Pool can accelerate Marrow Cleansing, strengthen the Root Bone, and replenish vitality. It will greatly benefit you.¡± ¡°On the twenty-ninth of this month, at the third watch of the night, come here alone. I will arrange for a true master to take you to Shushan.¡± ¡°Do not let others know about this, especially your Junior Sister Xu. Understand?¡± Wow, master is giving me special one-on-one instruction! Qiu Changtian quickly bowed and said: ¡°Disciple understands.¡± No sooner had his words fallen than the Ziwei Master tapped him lightly yet firmly on the head with the handle of the horsetail whisk. ¡°Do not think that your master is being partial. It¡¯s just that my Kunlun Taiqing Sect and the Shushan Shangqing Faction aren¡¯t particularly close. It took an owed favor from the Shushan Sect Leader for your master to secure a spot for you.¡± ¡°If your Junior Sister knew about this. her obsessions would surely deepen. Then, you alone will be held accountable by your master.¡± Qiu Changtian said solemnly: ¡°Disciple understands the painstaking intent of master. After leaving this room, I will not reveal a single word!¡± The Ziwei Master nodded slightly and then let out another long, helpless sigh, sounding both melancholic and advisory: ¡°Zhang Tian.¡± ¡°You have the Daoist Heart Clarity of an unrivaled talent. Most of the difficulties and dangers on this path of cultivation turn invisible when it comes to you.¡± ¡°However, those crises that can¡¯t be dispelled are even more perilous for you.¡± ¡°The Three Calamities and Nine Tribulations are inevitable. Only by treading cautiously, as if on thin ice, can you see a sliver of hope for survival. Have you remembered?¡± ¡°Disciple has remembered,¡± Qiu Changtian affirmed seriously. ¡°Very well,¡± the Ziwei Master nodded slightly, ¡°You may go.¡± Qiu Changtian bowed respectfully and then got up and left. After an unknown amount of time, from behind the golden curtain and atop the nine-colored lotus dais, another long and resigned sigh was heard. Highly accomplished in cultivation and having been at the helm of Kunlun for many years, there¡¯s hardly anything in this world that can pose a challenge to the Ziwei Master. Except¡­ only the future fate of this Direct Disciple has been calculated by him thousands of times over and yet remains elusive. It¡¯s as if it¡¯s being concealed by someone. But in this world, who could possibly hide a fate from him, the Ziwei Master¡¯s calculations? If it were an immortal, that would be one thing, but if, by any chance, it is the Heavenly Dao¡­ Qiu Changtian returned to Golden Ridge, only to find Xu Yinglian in white clothes, waiting for him at the entrance of the cave dwelling. Ah, this¡­ Could she possibly know? Impossible! I haven¡¯t spoken a word to her since coming from the Scripture Lecture Hall! ¡°Senior Brother,¡± Xu Yinglian saw him finally return and seriously said: ¡°My Great Bright Fire has made minor achievements. I wonder how your Five Thunder True Law is coming along?¡± Is she suggesting another contest? Qiu Changtian was almost speechless. Enough with the constant competition¡ªswordsmanship, Daoist discourses, Daoist Magic. Does it ever end? ¡°The Five Thunder True Law is immensely powerful and must not be wielded lightly,¡± he found an excuse to decline. ¡°No matter,¡± Xu Yinglian was prepared, ¡°To the west of Kunlun, on the way to the Extreme West, there is a long and narrow valley, an uninhabited area called ¡®Congling Xuan Pass,¡¯ where we can fully exercise our Daoist Magic.¡± Qiu Changtian was somewhat surprised; Junior Sister Xu had clearly come prepared! To refuse again would make this foolish junior sister think he was looking down on her, so he could only get rid of her as soon as possible and talk later. The two then took to sword flight, heading west. The entrance to the Extreme West was obstructed by a vast expanse of barren mountains, also known as ¡°Congling.¡± Except for the summer season, the mountains were always covered in heavy snow and uninhabited. Arriving at the Congling passageway described by Junior Sister Xu, Qiu Changtian saw winding barren mountains on both sides and a tremendous gap in the middle, as if it had been forcibly blasted open by a great deal of Daoist magic. Traveling several dozen miles along the mountain pass, the corridor gradually narrowed. ¡°Should we stop here?¡± Xu Yinglian stopped the sword light, asking for confirmation. ¡°Mm,¡± Qiu Changtian nodded reservedly. Xu Yinglian then turned to gaze at a distant rock wall and chanted an incantation: ¡°Floating Morning Light, shine forth ten thousand ren!¡± In that instant, brilliant light burst forth, spewing from her mouth and nose outward, turning into a mass of intense fiery clouds that landed on the rock wall, instantly melting and eroding it! In just a few breaths, tens of meters wide and nearly a hundred meters deep of mountainous rock and soil had been burned to flying ash by the Great Bright Fire. Qiu Changtian: ? If it had been Jade Pivot Thunder, firstly, it wouldn¡¯t have blasted such a large area, and secondly, it couldn¡¯t have burned all that soil and rock to nothing. Junior Sister Xu, you¡¯ve been plotting this for a long time! Looking at her own achievement in front of her, Xu Yinglian also felt somewhat proud and glanced sideways at Qiu Changtian. Qiu Changtian sighed for a moment, then began to form hand seals and chanted: ¡°Sound that shakes the three realms, Tai Yi Divine Thunder, shatter!¡± Semi-transparent thunder light emerged from his hands, silently shooting towards the mountain wall ahead. A thunderous explosion that could shake heaven and earth nearly deafened Xu Yinglian. After the dust cleared, the two of them, looking past a mess on the ground, saw nothing but empty space where the mountain wall used to be. Moreover, the ground and rocks within a radius of over a hundred meters around them had been leveled (and this was Qiu Changtian specifically restraining its power). As for the marks of the Great Bright Fire that Xu Yinglian had used earlier, they had been completely covered by the Tai Yi Thunder, leaving not a trace behind. [Invincible Character Setting, Synchronization Value +1] [Invincible Character Setting, Synchronization Value +1] [Invincible Character Setting, Synchronization Value +1] ¡­ The Kunlun Mirror directly prompted with a tenfold notification. Xu Yinglian: ¡­¡­ She silently gazed at the scene before her, her expression forlorn, remaining speechless for a long time. ¡°No matter how strong Daoist magic is, after all, it¡¯s just an external technique,¡± having racked up a wave of Invincible Character Setting synchronization values, Qiu Changtian spoke contentedly, ¡°As Kunlun cultivators, in the end, we still need to consider our cultivation realm¡­¡± ¡°If it comes to cultivation realm, can I defeat senior brother?¡± Xu Yinglian asked softly, her expression vague, eyes misty, and even a trace of sorrow appeared in her tone. Bad! The junior sister¡¯s Daoist heart is wavering! She¡¯s deviating! Seeing Xu Yinglian¡¯s face grow increasingly shadowed with demonic qi, Qiu Changtian hurriedly stepped forward, grabbing her hands tightly, and said sternly: ¡°So what?¡± ¡°Does a temporary defeat mean you¡¯re doomed to be behind for life?¡± ¡°Xu Yinglian, don¡¯t make me look down upon you!¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°My junior sister Xu Yinglian should be the one who obsessively seeks to surpass me, who never yields, not someone who becomes resentful and self-pitying, sinking into depravity just because of a temporary loss!¡± This thunderous voice jolted Xu Yinglian abruptly awake, and her previously dim Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart, affected by the violent emotions, quickly resumed its operation. Seeing the demonic qi on her face quickly recede and her expression clear up again, Qiu Changtian had just breathed a sigh of relief when Xu Yinglian suddenly grabbed the collar of his long robe, forcibly pulling his head down toward her. Her flushed face was very close to Qiu Changtian¡¯s, close enough for him to see the bright fury about to erupt in her eyes: ¡°Who did you just call trash?!¡± Chapter 71 - Chapter 71: Chapter 6 The Flaw in the Daoist Heart, What to Do About It Chapter 71: Chapter 6 The Flaw in the Daoist Heart, What to Do About It Xu Yinglian, endowed with a Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart, briefly lost her composure when she was called ¡°trash,¡± but she quickly regained her senses. When her senior brother scolded her at the time, he was actually trying to save her. If it weren¡¯t for that startling accusation of ¡°trash¡± freeing her from her bewitched state in time, she would have likely already lost her Daoist Heart and destroyed her entire cultivation level in a flash. Thus, Junior Sister Xu could only sincerely apologize to her senior brother and thank him earnestly before obediently following him back to the Kunlun Mountain Range. Qiu Changtian brought Xu Yinglian to the Jade Void Palace and hurriedly relayed the events to the Ziwei Sect Leader. The Ziwei Sect Leader was so shocked that he immediately descended from his nine-colored lotus platform and pointed his horsetail whisk at Xu Yinglian¡¯s brow, carefully probing her Sea of Consciousness. No traces of a lurking Demon Head were found. The Daoist deviation can be divided into two categories based on its cause: The first is a breach in the Daoist Heart. For example, due to extreme emotions such as love, hatred, stupidity, or desire that cannot be fulfilled, the mind becomes unguarded and is spotted by external demons, who directly conquer the Daoist Heart, leading to immediate demise. The second is the lurking of a Heart Demon. If your Daoist Heart has no breach for the time being, but you¡¯re targeted by an external demon, it will secretly reside in the deepest, most shameful thoughts within you. It transforms into a Heart Demon, waiting for the right moment. One day, you might encounter something that shakes your mental state, creating a breach; or, you might face a life-and-death situation, like a Heavenly Tribulation, for example. At that point, the parasitic Demon Head will suddenly cause trouble, attacking both from within and without, significantly increasing the danger. Cultivators most commonly face the second scenario. After all, a breach in the Daoist Heart can be mended, but a parasitic Heart Demon is exceedingly difficult to detect¡ªDaoist Heart Clarity is considered a peerless talent partly because the heart is like a bright mirror, leaving the Heart Demon nowhere to hide. Although the Ziwei Sect Leader conducted a cursory inspection of Xu Yinglian¡¯s Sea of Consciousness and found no traces of a Heart Demon, this did not guarantee absolute safety. Therefore, he invited several Nascent Soul Elders, who employed various magical treasures and divine skills, to meticulously search Xu Yinglian¡¯s Sea of Consciousness again, leaving no stone unturned. ¡°At present, the likelihood of a Heart Demon lurking seems minimal,¡± stated the Elder of the Criminal Law Hall, withdrawing the Bright Mirror and speaking solemnly, ¡°With a Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart, one naturally has strong resistance to Heart Demons. If an external demon were lurking within, it would be like oil scorched by fierce flames, with no place to hide¡­ We can largely rule out this possibility.¡± ¡°However, regardless of this, the breach in Xu Yinglian¡¯s Daoist Heart was indeed significant, particularly in the realms of anger and infatuation.¡± ¡°One must know, that to desire without fulfillment, to harbor unresolved resentment, is the greatest taboo in cultivation¡­¡± ¡°That will be enough,¡± interrupted the Ziwei Sect Leader, swaying his horsetail whisk and cutting off the Elder¡¯s words, ¡°Erasure of Sin, I have my own plans for this matter.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± the Elders exchanged glances and then took leave of the Sect Leader. Xu Yinglian¡¯s face was pale, and she remained silent. Qiu Changtian stood beside her, stern and quiet. A moment later, the Chief Disciple, Xu Changqing, hurriedly arrived upon hearing the news. ¡°Great-grandfather.¡± Xu Yinglian greeted him with a bow. Xu Changqing did not look at her but instead asked the Ziwei Sect Leader: ¡°Master, regarding the marriage arrangement between Yinglian and Changtian as Daoist Companions, do you think it could be moved up¡­¡± Upon hearing this, Xu Yinglian¡¯s face immediately turned paler. Xu Changqing, in his secular identity, was the uncle of Xu Yinglian¡¯s grandfather. Since her great-grandfather had passed away, he was begrudgingly considered a direct elder of hers, with the authority to decide her marital matters on behalf of the Xu Family of Southern Heaven. The Ziwei Sect Leader pondered for a short while and was about to speak when Qiu Changtian stepped forward assertively and said: ¡°Master, brother Xu. Now that Junior Sister has a breach in her Daoist Heart, I, as the Chief Disciple, cannot shirk the blame.¡± Having said that, he was about to kneel in apology, lifting his robe, but Xu Changqing quickly steadied him, repeatedly saying ¡°There¡¯s no need for such,¡± his expression filled with shame. After all, in Xu Changqing¡¯s eyes, Xu Yinglian¡¯s current plight was purely self-inflicted. Was it not enough for you to be strong-willed, but also unacceptable for someone else to be stronger? Failing to achieve dominance, you¡¯ve allowed your Daoist Heart to be riddled with holes. Can you really blame anyone else? Qiu Changtian did not insist, merely saying: ¡°As her senior brother, I will naturally do everything in my power to help her mend the flaws in her Daoist Heart. Whether we become Daoist companions or not, this will never change!¡± His tone was resolute, emphatic, and so forceful that it moved Xu Changqing and the Ziwei Master simultaneously. It is known that to marry early means Qiu Changtian would become the son-in-law of the Xu Family of Southern Heaven and thus receive the full support of this old and reputable family devoted to cultivating immortality. The cost is also clear: helping Xu Yinglian mend the flaws in her Daoist Heart would definitely delay his own cultivation. So, in essence, it was a mutually beneficial exchange of interests. Yet now, Qiu Changtian took the initiative to state that he did not need to marry early (that is, he did not need the Xu Family of Southern Heaven to fulfill their promise in advance) and was willing to help Xu Yinglian¡­ His statement was so magnanimous that even Xu Yinglian herself bit her lower lip, unable to utter a word. If Qiu Changtian had not expressed his position, even if she lacked the confidence to persuade Xu Changqing, she would at least have the courage to protest. But her senior brother had taken the initiative to step forward for her, preventing the advance of the marriage alliance, leaving her unable to agree, lest she appear ungrateful and disloyal. Xu Changqing was silent for a long while before he let out a long sigh and said, ¡°It is also acceptable not to advance the marriage. But from today onwards, let¡¯s provide Qiu Changtian with everything according to the standard of being Ying Lian¡¯s Daoist companion.¡± ¡°That would be excellent,¡± the Ziwei Master said with a smile, twirling his beard. What Xu Changqing meant was, even if you do not wish to marry early, we still have to provide Qiu Changtian with the resources in advance; our Xu Family of Southern Heaven, too, has a reputation to uphold. But Xu Yinglian was thinking of something else: If everything is according to the standard of Daoist companions, doesn¡¯t that mean that when I return home for a visit in the future, my senior brother will have to accompany me? At the Xu Family¡¯s ancestral worship ceremony, would my senior brother also act as my husband and recite the sacrificial words with me? Even if we stay overnight in the clan¡¯s homes, we might be given only one room, one large bed, one set of quilts¡­ This! Wouldn¡¯t this be ¡°though not in name,¡± yet ¡°indeed in reality¡± a married couple? Considering this, she felt increasingly embarrassed. But in the end, it was her own inability to maintain her Daoist Heart that had led to reliance on her senior brother¡¯s help. If she made more demands, she would truly be unappreciative of her senior brother¡¯s kindness. So Xu Yinglian could only remain silent, neither nodding nor opposing, showing a stubborn attitude. As for the Ziwei Master and Xu Changqing, they naturally ignored her behavior and quickly settled the matter with just a few words. Upon leaving the Jade Void Palace, Xu Yinglian managed to calm her indignant feelings before speaking helplessly, ¡°Then, senior brother, how do you plan on stabilizing my Daoist Heart?¡± ¡°Or, do you already know that the blemish in my Daoist Heart is due to consistently lagging behind you?¡± ¡°In that case, do you have any method that can quickly make me stronger?¡± ¡°I have my ways,¡± Qiu Changtian said calmly. ¡°You just need to follow my instructions.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Xu Yinglian took a deep breath, evidently aware that this matter was related to her own life and she could not afford to be capricious. She could only nod and say, ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Qiu Changtian nodded solemnly and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go, we have preparations to make back at Golden Ridge.¡± ¡°Prepare what?¡± Xu Yinglian mounted her Sword Light. ¡°Prepare to take on our Kunlun peers,¡± Qiu Changtian said casually. Chapter 72 - Chapter 72: Chapter 7: The Proud Cat Likes to Be Stroked the Right Way Chapter 72: Chapter 7: The Proud Cat Likes to Be Stroked the Right Way It¡¯s common knowledge that the Shushan Shangqing Faction is a rather netherworldly sect. Because Sword Immortals heavily rely on the ¡°breakthroughs and sudden enlightenment at the brink of life and death,¡± the sect also encourages peer-level sparring among its members. The most typical rule is that if someone challenges you to a duel and you refuse, you have to compensate with a substantial amount of Spirit Stones. Such a culture and environment make everyone extremely combative. Even Senior Sister An, with her gentle nature, had to pretend to be vicious and cruel. Otherwise, she¡¯d be taken advantage of like a soft persimmon. By that logic, Junior Sister Xu would have been better suited for the Shushan Shangqing Faction. With her competitive nature, whenever she felt unhappy, she could just challenge a junior brother or sister to a duel, easily defeat them, and have her thoughts cleared in no time. Whereas at Kunlun, where everyone is busy practicing breathing and Qi Refinement, she can¡¯t let loose, which becomes a flaw in her Daoist Heart, right? It¡¯s all a matter of the sect¡¯s culture! To this day, Qiu Changtian still remembered when Junior Sister Xu, leading the Asura troops in the Trial Secret Realm of the Pavilion, achieved one victory after another against the celestial opponents. Back then, her face truly carried a pure smile that came from the depths of her heart. Now, all that needed to be done was to resurrect that smile for Junior Sister Xu. ¡°Overturn my Kunlun peers?¡± asked Xu Yinglian, puzzled for a moment, then starting to feel annoyed, ¡°Are you suggesting I go and overwhelm those junior brothers and sisters weaker than me?¡± ¡°Hehe,¡± Qiu Changtian shook his head with a smile, ¡°Ying Lian.¡± ¡°What?¡± Xu Yinglian felt a bit uncomfortable being called by her name, and her attention swiftly shifted. ¡°If you don¡¯t consider cultivation level, just swordsmanship, how do you compare to Third Junior Brother Guan Zhan?¡± Qiu Changtian asked with a smile. ¡°¡­We are about equal,¡± Xu Yinglian said hesitantly. ¡°About equal?¡± Qiu Changtian pressed on seriously, ¡°The Kunlun Sword Technique, compared to the Shushan Swordsmanship or even the secret Sword Control Technique of the Longxi Guan Family, how does it fare?¡± Xu Yinglian was silent for a moment, then sighed and said: ¡°It¡¯s inferior.¡± Qiu Changtian bombarded her with questions: ¡°Since the Kunlun Sword Technique is far less refined than the secret swordsmanship of the Longxi Guan Family, which specializes in the sword path, could it be that Junior Sister has decades more experience in swordsmanship than Junior Brother Guan, which helps you outdo him in battle? Or is it that your swordsmanship talent is so exceptional that Junior Brother Guan simply can¡¯t match you?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Xu Yinglian started to speak, then paused before reluctantly admitting, ¡°Regarding just swordsmanship, I might¡­ well, indeed, at the moment I can¡¯t confidently beat Junior Brother Guan.¡± ¡°Good!¡± Qiu Changtian applauded and laughed heartily, ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, let¡¯s find a way to improve your swordsmanship so you can confidently beat him, how about that?¡± ¡°Ah, that?¡± Xu Yinglian became confused. As Qiu Changtian said, she was not significantly better than Guan Zhan in talent or experience, and was far behind in Sword Control Technique. How could she possibly beat him with swordsmanship alone? Unless she relied on a Flying Sword! However, recently Guan Zhan had also obtained a Tenth Rank Flying Sword from the Pavilion¡¯s Trial Secret Realm. I don¡¯t have an advantage in equipment either, do I? ¡°Are you afraid, Junior Sister?¡± Qiu Changtian teased with a smile. ¡°Afraid?¡± Xu Yinglian blurted out instantly, ¡°How is that possible?!¡± Her first instinct was to say ¡°I¡¯m not even afraid of you, how could I be afraid of a junior brother,¡± but that seemed like self-defeat, and not wanting to undermine her own spirit, she forcefully changed it to ¡°How is that possible?¡± at the last second. ¡°Then it¡¯s settled!¡± Qiu Changtian laughed boisterously, ¡°Ying Lian, don¡¯t sell yourself short; you are a junior sister recognized by me, Qiu Changtian!¡± [Invincible Character Setting, Synchronization Value +1.] ¡°I¡¯m not selling myself short!¡± Xu Yinglian grew irritated and muttered, ¡°Hmph, I¡¯m well aware of my own potential, but you tell me, how can I improve my swordsmanship to definitely beat him?¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s fencing with me!¡± Qiu Changtian said loudly. ¡­¡­¡­ Xu Yinglian clenched her teeth. When Qiu Changtian used the training method of Lin Duanshan from the Vajra Peak and crushed Xu Yinglian with his extraordinary swordsmanship, pushing her to the limit, her subconscious reaction was to stubbornly hold on for dear life. Never avoid, never show weakness, never admit defeat. She performed even stronger than the original Ling Yunpo. Qiu Changtian silently commended her in his heart, but verbally he said: ¡°Don¡¯t think about the gap between you and me. What you really need to defeat is the timid, cowardly self inside you that constantly wants to give up!¡± ¡°I know that, of course!¡± Xu Yinglian snapped fiercely. Concentrating intensely, long hours of controlling the Flying Sword had pushed both her physical strength and will to the verge of collapse. Yet she still gritted her teeth, mobilizing the little remaining True Qi she had left to continue propelling the Feather Jia Sword to block the attacks from the Jade Smoke Sword. ¡°Enough,¡± Qiu Changtian suddenly retracted his Flying Sword, ¡°rest for a while.¡± Xu Yinglian, trembling, recalled the Feather Jia Sword, then settled slowly on the piece of bluestone next to her, sitting in meditation to recover her True Qi. ¡°Next, let¡¯s talk about the problems with your swordsmanship¡­¡± Qiu Changtian did not let her rest. Because the moment this girl had free time, she was prone to wild thoughts. And with wild thoughts, she tended to obsess over things and then descend into madness. Therefore, drawing from the Ling Yunpo¡¯s sword training experience, Qiu Changtian planned to subject her to ¡°high-pressure training,¡± filling up her schedule to the brim to occupy all her time and keep her from overthinking. Indeed, once they started discussing ¡°the problems with swordsmanship,¡± even though Xu Yinglian was already exhausted, she still forced herself to start listening attentively. Although they were both using the Kunlun Sword Technique, relying on his ability to draw inferences about other cases from one instance, Qiu Changtian¡¯s swordsmanship attainment had long since completely overwhelmed her. Normally, this girl might not be able to accept this reality, ¡°The gap between my senior brother and me is actually this big,¡± but at this moment, Xu Yinglian didn¡¯t have the time for such thoughts. She was just listening attentively, like a sponge, eagerly soaking up all the swordsmanship knowledge Qiu Changtian was imparting to her. Her heart harbored only one firm thought, constantly circling, unable to be dispelled: I must surpass Guan Zhan in swordsmanship! And then, find the method to surpass my senior brother! After several days like this, noticing that his junior sister¡¯s swordsmanship had improved by leaps and bounds, Qiu Changtian declared the training over and took her to challenge Guan Zhan to a bout with swords. ¡°No Cultivation Level, no Daoist Magic, only swordsmanship?¡± A bewildered Guan Zhan exclaimed in astonishment. Just in terms of swordsmanship alone, not to mention Junior Sister Xu, even if you, Senior Brother Qiu, came at me, wouldn¡¯t I easily suppress you? Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Xu Yinglian said coldly. At this moment, although there were still traces of exhaustion around her eyes and eyebrows, her entire demeanor was like a blade that had just been quenched in water, chillingly sharp. ¡°Fine,¡± Guan Zhan laughed coldly as well. If you¡¯re asking for humiliation, then you can¡¯t blame me. Hearing that Junior Sister Xu was challenging Brother Guan in swordsmanship, Chen Zhen and the others could not stay put in their retreats either, hastily riding their Sword Light, following Senior Brother Qiu to the scene of the battle. Chapter 73 - Chapter 73: Chapter 8 A Good Straight Pitch Attack Chapter 73: Chapter 8 A Good Straight Pitch Attack The sword competition was lackluster and hardly worth watching. For the junior brothers and sisters, it might have seemed like a thrilling battle. Without any definitive and splendid Daoist magic, it was merely a slaughter between Flying Swords, interspersed with innumerable exchanges of attack and defense, so much so that everyone watched intently, deeply anxious about the outcome of the competition. Only Qiu Changtian found it boring. These two Kunlun weaklings pecking at each other, neither knowing how to disguise their attack intentions nor understanding tactical deception, was just pure offense and defense, to see who would make the first mistake and reveal a flaw. Of course, such a battle was extremely advantageous for Xu Yinglian because Qiu Changtian knew very well, after this period of mentoring, just how exaggerated this girl¡¯s unyielding spirit was. If Guan Zhan engaged in a war of attrition with her, it was like being drawn into her most familiar territory, and he was bound to be defeated by her strong will. Just as expected, after a prolonged tug-of-war, Guan Zhan soon ran out of True Qi. The moment he showed a flaw, Xu Yinglian immediately urged the Feather Jia Sword to strike. Seeing that he couldn¡¯t defend in time, Guan Zhan actually made a Sword technique gesture, giving up on defense to go all out in attack, adopting a posture as if willing to perish together with her. Just as the two¡¯s Flying Swords were about to pierce each other simultaneously, suddenly, a bolt of Immortal Capital Thunder struck from outside the arena, knocking Guan Zhan¡¯s Flying Sword aside. At the same time, Qiu Changtian¡¯s Jade Smoke Sword shot out, blocking Xu Yinglian¡¯s Feather Jia Sword. ¡°I¡¯ve lost.¡± Before he even spoke up, Guan Zhan coldly dropped the words, recalled his Flying Sword, and left without looking back. Above the sword competition arena, Xu Yinglian also withdrew the Feather Jia Sword, and gave a vigorous fist pump towards Qiu Changtian outside the arena. That gesture was naturally ¡°I won.¡± Qiu Changtian smiled in response, noting the tension in Xu Yinglian¡¯s eyes and brows had clearly dissipated by quite a bit. In the distant sky, Xu Changqing stood with his sword, looking down at the radiant Xu Yinglian below and let out a long sigh of relief, musing to himself: Master said that only the creator of the knot can undo it, and now it seems, he was indeed correct. What Ying Lian truly desired was not so much victory but rather Qiu Changtian¡¯s recognition¡­ With that thought, Xu Changqing descended. Xu Yinglian was about to leave the sword competition arena when she saw her great-grandfather arrive and so she stopped. ¡°Ying Lian, you won beautifully just now. How did your swordsmanship improve so dramatically recently?¡± Xu Changqing said encouragingly. ¡°I studied diligently with brother for a while.¡± Xu Yinglian didn¡¯t deny it, and though her expression was reserved, her eyes and brows already hinted at a smile. On the edge of the arena, Guan Zhan who was indignant in defeat, as well as Chen Zhen, Jian Qingnan, and the others who watched with excitement, turned their hopeful gazes to Qiu Changtian upon hearing this. ¡°It¡¯s fine to learn swordsmanship from me,¡± Qiu Changtian said warmly to them, ¡°Like Junior Sister Xu, if you accompany me on my journeys, I¡¯ll teach you.¡± So everyone began to feel conflicted again. Learning swordsmanship was certainly good, but if it had to be exchanged for time spent on external experiences, it became a difficult decision to make. After all, the most crucial thing for a Cultivator is the Cultivation Realm. If during the Foundation Establishment stage, one doesn¡¯t invest enough time in perfecting the Purple Mansion, it would affect the ultimate Grade Rank of the core formation. The Pill divides into nine grades, and there are upper, middle, and lower tiers within those. If the Pill Formation turns out to be of the lower third grade, the speed of cultivation in the Golden Core Rank would severely lag, and one might not even live long enough to reach Nascent Infant. Senior Brother Qiu and Junior Sister Xu, one with Daoist Heart Clarity and the other with Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart, both have a talent for cultivation as a bonus, which gives them the confidence to venture out and gain experience, or to study swordsmanship and Daoist Magic. But they didn¡¯t have that confidence, to say that they could practice both Qi Refining Technique and swordsmanship Daoist Magic and still ensure a smooth core formation afterwards. Seeing the junior brothers and sisters were clearly hesitant, Qiu Changtian didn¡¯t force them, only telling them to go back and think it over. Whenever they made a decision, they could come and find him then. After sending the junior brothers and sisters away, Xu Changqing pulled Qiu Changtian aside and handed him a Flying Sword. ¡°This is the ¡®Yu Long,¡¯ a Tenth Rank Metal System Flying Sword,¡± Xu Changqing said solemnly, ¡°From the Xu Family of Southern Heaven, as a gift to Chang Tian.¡± Qiu Changtian accepted the Flying Sword with due gravity and nodded his thanks. Tenth Rank Flying Swords, in the Ancient Era, were standard issue for disciples of various sects, but now, due to the lost art of sword casting, they have become an unrenewable resource. Given Qiu Changtian¡¯s identity as the Chief Disciple of Kunlun, if he really wanted to obtain a Tenth Rank Flying Sword, with time, it wouldn¡¯t be impossible to acquire, but for The Xu Family of Southern Heaven to give one as a gift upon meeting, that indeed surprised him. Hmm, it felt like someone was currying favor with him. ¡°Yinglian, from now on, she will be in your care,¡± Xu Changqing said seriously. ¡°I will take good care of Junior Sister,¡± Qiu Changtian replied earnestly. Xu Changqing gave a faint smile, did not correct his use of ¡°Junior Sister,¡± and then rode away on his sword light. ¡°What did Great-Grandfather give you?¡± Xu Yinglian walked over and asked. ¡°Oh, just a Flying Sword,¡± Qiu Changtian said nonchalantly. ¡°The Yu Long Sword, huh,¡± Xu Yinglian stared at the long sword in his hand and said, ¡°Impressive, they really went all out.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Qiu Changtian asked in surprise. ¡°The Xu Family of Southern Heaven currently possesses eight Tenth Rank Flying Swords other than the Feather Jia Sword,¡± Xu Yinglian stated modestly, ¡°The Feather Jia Sword must not be passed on lightly to those outside our Xu Family lineage, it was originally Great-Grandfather¡¯s accompanying sword, but later he transferred it to me.¡± ¡°Apart from the Feather Jia Sword, the strongest one is the Yu Long Sword.¡± ¡°As far as I know, everyone in the family with aspirations for Cultivating Immortality, from the top down, has their eyes on that sword, yet the family actually gave it to you.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Qiu Changtian immediately understood, this was the Xu Family of Southern Heaven treating him as one of their own. ¡°Certainly,¡± Xu Yinglian also realized this and blushed slightly, ¡°I am a bit tired, accompany me back, will you?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The two of them rode the sword light, and returned to the Golden Ridge Cave Abode. In front of Xu Yinglian¡¯s cave, at some point, many cranes had appeared, standing elegantly on one leg, using their long beaks to preen their feathers. Perhaps because she had just won and was in a good mood, Xu Yinglian took a basket of herbs from her cave and began feeding the cranes one by one. ¡°Help me,¡± she said softly. The Kunlun Mirror, acutely sensing the change in atmosphere, immediately and quietly withdrew the Mirror Flower Water Moon illusion, allowing the intimidating aura surrounding Qiu Changtian to slowly dissipate. ¡°Mm,¡± Qiu Changtian took the basket of herbs and helped feed the cranes. These white-feathered birds weren¡¯t afraid of him either, simply standing lazily in place, waiting for him to bring the herbs to their beaks, then opening their mouths to grab the food and lifting their heads to swallow. Suddenly, Qiu Changtian remembered the Pavilion Secret Realm with its three categories of beasts, where he had turned into a crane¡­ Xu Yinglian stood at the entrance of the cave dwelling and watched him, suddenly noticing that the aura around him had vanished. The sharp aura that belonged to a genius of his caliber, which always made her feel choked with deference, seemed to have completely disappeared. So Xu Yinglian mustered her courage and spoke in a faint tone, ¡°The only ones these cranes don¡¯t reject, other than me, are only you,¡± she said. ¡°Junior Sister Jian has tried many times, no matter what she holds in her hands, even if it¡¯s thousand-years-old Polygonum multiflorum, as soon as she gets close, the cranes immediately spread their wings and fly away.¡± ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because I have a unique affinity with animals,¡± Qiu Changtian replied. ¡°No, it¡¯s pride,¡± Xu Yinglian paused silently, then said, ¡°Only the proud of their own kind can gain the cranes¡¯ recognition.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Senior Brother and I are the same kind of people. Or rather, a person even more proud than I am.¡± ¡°So, if I were to ask you directly, you certainly wouldn¡¯t deign to lie to me, right?¡± She lowered her gaze slowly toward the ground, her eyelashes trembling slightly, ¡°Senior Brother, do you like me?¡± Qiu Changtian looked at her in astonishment. Chapter 74 - Chapter 74: Chapter 9: Riddle Man Defies Proud Junior Sister Chapter 74: Chapter 9: Riddle Man Defies Proud Junior Sister ¡°Senior Brother, do you like me?¡± Xu Yinglian did not look at him, but calmly stared at the ground. Qiu Changtian looked at her in surprise. After a while, he suddenly smiled and said, ¡°The moon in the sky and the moon in the water, which is real and which is fake?¡± The nervous Xu Yinglian immediately began to ponder rapidly. The moon in the sky is naturally real, but it is unreachable; the moon in the water is within reach, but ultimately an illusion. So Senior Brother means to ask me whether I want to hear ¡°pleasant lies¡± (implied by the moon in the water) or ¡°unknown truths¡± (implied by the moon in the sky). Pleasant lies, naturally, are that he likes me¡­ but what is the point of such lies? ¡°The moon in the water is close at hand, yet it shatters upon touch, so why yearn for it?¡± Xu Yinglian said without hesitation, ¡°Even if it is unattainable, I still wish to part the clouds to see the moon and glimpse the truth.¡± Qiu Changtian blinked his eyes, then laughed, ¡°Junior Sister, what are you talking about?¡± Did I misunderstand¡­ Xu Yinglian frowned slightly and began to ponder again. If the moon in the water and the moon in the sky are not referring to lies and truths, respectively, what do they imply? ¡°Well, let¡¯s stop here for today,¡± Qiu Changtian said leisurely, ¡°I¡¯ll continue to teach you Daoist magic tomorrow.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Xu Yinglian nodded slightly. With her competitive spirit, she naturally wouldn¡¯t simply admit defeat and directly ask Qiu Changtian for the answer to this conundrum. She needed to return to her cave abode and think it over properly. On the other hand, as Qiu Changtian once again rode the sword light to the Scriptural Repository, he heard the Kunlun Mirror ask curiously, ¡°What did you mean by the moon in the water and the moon in the sky just now?¡± ¡°It means nothing,¡± Qiu Changtian said after a moment of silence, ¡°It was just a distraction to shift her attention away.¡± Kunlun Mirror: ¡­¡­ You can even wrap up a situation like that? It wanted to describe him with a word, but couldn¡¯t think of what that word was for a moment. ¡°When she realizes, she will eventually ask again,¡± the Kunlun Mirror reminded him. ¡°How will she realize?¡± Qiu Changtian scoffed, ¡°My answer lies within this riddle.¡± ¡°If she can¡¯t solve the riddle, it¡¯s the same as admitting intellectual defeat to me. Do you think she will just concede and then ask me what this riddle really means?¡± ¡°Wow.¡± The Kunlun Mirror still couldn¡¯t think of that word and could only express its complex feelings with an emotionless interjection. ¡°Next is the Daoist magic,¡± Qiu Changtian said confidently, ¡°Junior Sister Xu¡¯s Heart Demon arose because she was defeated by the power of my Daoist magic.¡± ¡°But what kind of Daoist magic can compare to the Thunder Method? The Thunder Method is extremely difficult to cultivate and very risky. If its power could be surpassed, Thunder Cultivators would have been extinct long ago.¡± ¡°Besides, Thunder Method deals damage in an instant, while the Great Bright Fire does sustained damage. Does she have water in her brain trying to compete with me in burst damage?¡± ¡°I think she has picked the wrong opponent. She needs to be beaten by an easier target to regain her confidence.¡± ¡°She indeed picked the wrong opponent,¡± the Kunlun Mirror thought to itself. How did Xu Yinglian¡¯s Heart Demon originate in the first place? Do you, you great villain, really have no idea? Wait, if we really trace it back, it¡¯s also because I selected him as the Savior which led him to bring disaster upon Junior Sister Xu. Am I the villain myself? The Kunlun Mirror fell into a confused state of self-doubt. ¡­¡­ In the following days, Qiu Changtian sacrificed much of his time, taking Xu Yinglian around to visit and challenge the direct disciples of various elders. ¡°Senior Brother Liu, I¡¯ve heard that you¡¯ve recently mastered the ¡®Scorching Sun Bing Fire Divine Skill.¡¯ I came to seek guidance,¡± Qiu Changtian said with a smile. Senior Brother Liu asked in confusion, ¡°I¡¯m at the Refining Mansion rank, while you are only at the Marrow Cleansing Rank. Are you sure you want to seek guidance from me?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Xu Yinglian said seriously. Moments later, after a demonstration of Daoist magic near Congling, Senior Brother Liu¡¯s expression had become stupefied. The Great Bright Fire released by Xu Yinglian was on par with his Scorching Sun Bing Fire in terms of its destructive range, yet it boasted even greater power. Where his flames had scorched the rocks, leaving noticeable chunks and gravel, the area Xu Yinglian targeted had almost melted into glass. This¡­ Junior Sister Xu really was at the Marrow Cleansing Rank? A cultivator at the Marrow Cleansing Rank, whose True Qi has not yet been purified into Yuan, how could their Daoist magic be so terrifyingly powerful! Could it be that all the 280th generation disciples are monsters?!! Xu Yinglian calmly withdrew her Daoist formula, acting as if defeating Liu, a Refining Mansion Rank senior brother, in Daoist magic was not something worth being surprised about. Qiu Changtian then said with a smile, ¡°Senior Brother Liu¡¯s Scorching Sun Bing Fire is truly fierce and aggressive. As a junior, I have been watching from the side and have a few questions to ask¡­¡± He asked his questions one by one, all basic ones often encountered when deploying Daoist magic. Senior Brother Liu patiently answered each question, and Qiu Changtian nodded slightly in thanks, then also shared some of his insights about using Thunder Method, asking Senior Brother Liu to guide and correct his understanding. With this exchange, Senior Brother Liu no longer felt the embarrassment and awkwardness of losing to a junior. Instead, he silently marveled at Qiu Changtian¡¯s proficient social skills, which made one feel refreshed like a spring breeze, truly deserving of the praise he received from the entire sect as the current generation¡¯s Chief Disciple. Standing to the side, Xu Yinglian seemed to be listening to their conversation, but inside, she was feeling both shocked and delighted. Delighted that she had indeed defeated Refining Mansion Rank Senior Brother Liu. Shocked because her victory had come with Qiu Changtian¡¯s guidance. With just over a dozen words, it was as if he had poured enlightenment into her head, allowing Xu Yinglian to make a leap in her understanding of Great Bright Fire, almost like a qualitative jump. However, what she could not understand was why Qiu Changtian¡¯s knowledge of the Fire System Daoist Magic was so profound? Wasn¡¯t Thunder Method his usual practice? Of course, Qiu Changtian wouldn¡¯t tell her that he had mastered an ancestral immortal art of the Five Elements category, the ¡°Acquired Great Five Elements Extermination Divine Light,¡± which allowed him to offer unique enlightenment and pointers on the application of Great Bright Fire to Xu Yinglian. Thus, as Xu Yinglian pondered silently on her side, Qiu Changtian, who was interacting with Senior Brother Liu, heard an incessant string of prompts from the Kunlun Mirror: [Invincible Character Setting, Synchronization Value +1.] [Invincible Character Setting, Synchronization Value +1.] [Invincible Character Setting, Synchronization Value +1.] ¡­ Qiu Changtian: ??? Wait, Junior Sister Xu was the one who had a successful show, so why is my Synchronization Value rising? Unable to comprehend it, after saying goodbye to Senior Brother Liu, he took Junior Sister Xu back to Golden Ridge Cave Abode. Having continuously defeated those she had thought unbeatable in both swordsmanship and Daoist magic, Xu Yinglian¡¯s expression had now completely normalized, returning to her original cool and aloof demeanor. There was no lingering shadow in her eyes anymore, and her confidence was through the roof. Even if she couldn¡¯t defeat Senior Brother Qiu for the time being, she was now confident that she could beat 99% of the Foundation Establishment Rank disciples of Kunlun Taiqing Sect. Senior Brother was just the final guardian she needed to challenge. In summary, she was extremely happy. After escorting Xu Yinglian back to her cave abode, Qiu Changtian turned to leave but was suddenly called back by her: ¡°Senior Brother.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Qiu Changtian turned back and asked. ¡°That¡­¡± Xu Yinglian hesitated to speak. She wanted to ask Qiu Changtian what the meaning of ¡°the moon in the sky¡± and ¡°the moon in the water¡± was, but she didn¡¯t want to admit to her senior brother that she couldn¡¯t solve his riddle. ¡°Ahem.¡± Finally, Xu Yinglian coughed and said unnaturally, ¡°Thank you for your effort.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Qiu Changtian smiled faintly and then said in all seriousness, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, after all¡­¡± ¡°¡­how could the junior sister of I, Qiu Changtian, be second to anyone other than myself?¡± [Invincible Character Setting, Synchronization Value +1.] The Kunlun Mirror lamented. Chapter 75 - Chapter 75: Chapter 10: Overseas Isolated Island, Ten Thousand Years of Molted Shell Chapter 75: Chapter 10: Overseas Isolated Island, Ten Thousand Years of Molted Shell Qiu Changtian spent over ten days and finally began to mend the rift in Xu Yinglian¡¯s Daoist Heart. Then, he switched to loading his saved progress and went to Penglai Yuqing View, assuming the role of Luo Yan to cultivate the Postnatal Five Elements Ultimate Extermination Divine Light. If he were to evaluate it from a sensory perspective, Yuqing View was undoubtedly the sect within the Three Cults that offered the best treatment. The master was generous, fellow disciples were kind and loving, and the salary was exceptionally generous. If you include the elixirs, talisman scripts, and other benefits, the monthly stipend that Luo Yan received even surpassed what Qiu Changtian got. One could only say that the Heavenly Craft Workshop was really rich. If there was anything less than perfect about it, it would probably be that a certain young lady always clung to him, preventing him from focusing on his work. Get lost! Women only affect the speed of my cultivation! ¡°Little Junior Brother!¡± Shi Liuli pinned a hairpin to her head, ¡°How do I look wearing this?¡± Today, Miss Shi, as always, bore a natural face void of makeup, dressed in a cyan-green long skirt, looking charming and cute, her hair tied into a lively bun at the back of her head, with a hairpin inserted on top. Luo Yan was somewhat speechless. Your hairpin is dull in color, devoid of spiritual energy, obviously not even a magical treasure, what¡¯s there to comment on? ¡°Ah, the hairpin really suits Senior Sister well,¡± he said with a beaming smile, ¡°The shape of the hairpin itself is fine, delicate and graceful, but the touch of dark green jade is what brings it all together, elevating Senior Sister¡¯s jade-like charm to the pinnacle.¡± [False persona, Synchronization Value +1.] ¡°Does it really look that nice?¡± Shi Liuli asked in surprise. She held a bright and clear bronze mirror, admiring herself with the hairpin from every angle. ¡°Of course,¡± Luo Yan assured her solemnly. Having deceived the elated Miss Shi to leave, Luo Yan sighed softly. Alas, it can¡¯t be helped. Such is the power of personal charm; even if I don¡¯t seek her out, she would actively seek me. She does so tirelessly, impossible to stop. While I can use her to brush up the Synchronization Value, the Synchronization Value is merely a bonus to innate talent for comprehension, not as though knowledge would directly pop into my mind. After all, I still need to find time to study. But, with her coming over seven or eight times a day, I¡¯m almost out of time to study. Hmm, wait a second¡­ Is there a possibility that Shi Liuli comes to me so frequently not because she¡¯s attracted by my charm but simply wants to hear me say some pleasing flattery? After thinking for a moment, Luo Yan quickly discarded this conclusion. The reason is nothing else but his full confidence in his own charisma. If Miss Shi fancied Qiu Chang Tian, then Luo Yan, sharing a similar appearance, would naturally fit her aesthetic preferences, which made perfect sense. With that in mind, Luo Yan promptly slipped away from Yuqing View while Shi Liuli had not come to find him again. You should know, the Postnatal Five Elements Ultimate Extermination Divine Light could be cultivation technique enough to become a mainstay Immortal Law of the Clarify Cult. During the process of refining the Five Elements True Veins with the magnetism of the primordial energy, bizarre celestial phenomena would occur, so it absolutely must not be allowed to be known easily. He must find an utterly safe place for his practice. Flying eastward over the vast sea with his sword control technique, Luo Yan closely scanned the waters below with his gaze, on guard for any demonic beasts that might surge out at any time. In this world, east of the Divine Land Continent lies the boundless ocean, and the further east one goes, the more formidable the monsters in the sea become. It is said that at the easternmost point, at the edge of the ocean, lies the Dragon Palace where the Dragon Clan resides, a place that only immortals can reach ¡ª from this saying, one can infer that continuing to fly east would eventually lead to encountering demonic beasts of Golden Core rank. As a result, when Luo Yan noticed that the demonic beasts in the surrounding waters were generally at the Refining Mansion rank, he stopped going any deeper east and began to head south in search of uninhabited islands. Finally, after flying for about half an hour, he found a deserted island. There were no man-made structures on the island, its center was hilly, surrounded by dense jungle, while the coastline was formed of sandy beaches. Luo Yan descended on the beach with his sword light and headed into the island¡¯s jungle, bringing out the Heaven-flipping Seal as well, just to be cautious. After passing through the woods and using the Heaven-flipping Seal to kill a few beasts that resembled cheetahs, Luo Yan finally found a natural cave near the central hills. ¡°` He circulated his Qi Refining Technique, pulling out the ¡°Universal Pure Tone Minor Illumination Technique¡± with his left hand, but instead of releasing it, he just gripped it as a light source in his hand; his right hand formed a Daoist formula, manipulating the Heaven-flipping Seal, ready to smash it forward at any moment. Delving deeper into the cave, after dozens of breaths, the air remained remarkably fresh, but the surroundings grew increasingly dim. Suddenly, Luo Yan noticed the path ahead sloping downward, which had become roughly hewn stone steps. Was there someone here? He immediately went on high alert, continued forward for a few dozen steps, turned around a corner, and entered a small stone chamber. The stone chamber was quite small, about thirty square meters, with nothing else inside except for a stone bed against the wall. There was a skeleton sitting on the stone bed in the lotus position, its bones grayish-white indicating it had died a long time ago. Next to the skeleton, there was a jade slip. Luo Yan silently backed up a few steps, retreated outside the stone chamber, pulled out the Green Duckweed Sword from within his body with his right hand, and pinched a Jade Pivot Thunder in his palm with his left hand. If the long-dead person¡¯s Primordial Spirit was hiding under the jade slip, ready to pounce and attempt a soul possession, he would instantly release the Jade Pivot Thunder and then flee through the passage without looking back. The Green Duckweed Sword shot out, flicking the jade slip into the air, but there was nothing underneath it. So he controlled the Green Duckweed Sword to turn into a sword light and rolled the jade slip back, but didn¡¯t use his hands to pick it up. Instead, he wiped it on the corpse of the demonic beast. Hmm, the corpse did not react unusually, it seemed that there was no contamination of flesh and blood poison on the jade slip. Eventually, he picked up the jade slip, and inwardly called out: ¡°Ah Jing, scan this jade slip and see if there¡¯s any trap inside.¡± ¡°You¡¯re being overly cautious,¡± the Kunlun Mirror commented. ¡°It¡¯s not very likely that there¡¯s a trap inside a jade slip.¡± ¡°This is called being prudent,¡± Luo Yan said impatiently. ¡°Just help me confirm!¡± The Kunlun Mirror sighed and then scanned the jade slip. ¡°No problem, it¡¯s just a last message left by the body.¡± Thus Luo Yan immersed his Divine Sense into it, and indeed discovered a message: ¡°I am Tai Yi of the Intercepting Cult, a true person of Tong Xuan, who was ambushed near Moon Island in the East Sea by a sly dog from Clarify Cult with white eyebrows, destroying all my cultivation and might. Having escaped to this place, my physical body in ruins and my Primordial Spirit exhausted, I had no choice but to undergo physical dissolution and be reborn.¡± ¡°Here I leave a letter, if a fated individual should see this, please bury me in an abandoned tomb, and go to the Intercepting Cult to find the Sect Leader of the Tong Xuan Gate, and inform him of my death.¡± ¡°The Tong Xuan Gate is the sect I established, continuing my Daoist legacy, with the secret phrase ¡®Tai Yi Tong Xuan, Myriad Laws Break the Path,¡¯ known by all successive Sect Leaders.¡± ¡°After passing on the message, tell him the secret phrase to prove the truth, and you may join my Tong Xuan Gate as a Direct Disciple of the Sect Leader. Any cultivation techniques or secret arts can be imparted to you!¡± ¡°If you already have a master and do not wish to join my sect, you may still receive a Qi Refining Technique.¡± ¡°This technique is called ¡®Devil Purging Uplifting Spirit Splitting the Clear and Turbid Scripture,¡¯ it is the essence of my being and should not be carelessly passed on.¡± ¡°Be aware: Qi is the vessel of the divine; the origin of clarity and turbidity exists in the mystery, as in the heavens so clear, as in the body so alive. Life and death, surplus and deficiency, truly follow between absorption and control¡­¡± Luo Yan read the message with an odd expression, thinking that this Tai Yi of Tong Xuan truly had bad luck. The will was well-written: bury his body, then tell his disciples of his death, and upon proving the message¡¯s authenticity with a secret phrase, the reward was an opportunity to join the Tong Xuan Gate he founded, in addition to receiving a Qi Refining Technique. The request was not difficult, and the promised reward was quite generous. The only problem¡­ was that not only were Tai Yi¡¯s Daoist lineage gone, but the entire Intercepting Cult had also vanished, right? After feeling wistful about the vicissitudes of life for a while, Luo Yan silently memorized the ¡®Devil Purging Uplifting Spirit Splitting the Clear and Turbid Scripture,¡¯ then activated his Thunder Method to turn the jade slip into fine powder. The ¡®Devil Purging Uplifting Spirit Splitting the Clear and Turbid Scripture,¡¯ as a Qi Refining Technique, could only be described as ¡°average,¡± with an efficiency far inferior to the ¡®Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra.¡¯ Its sole advantage was its ability to freely convert clear and turbid Qi. If one was originally cultivating low-grade Demonic Techniques, this technique could be used to transform the dirty Demonic Qi into true Daoist Yuan, and vice versa. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Since the Intercepting Cult had a diverse array of disciples, some may have already been practicing Demonic Techniques before joining the sect, this Qi Refining Technique could be used for ¡°resetting their points,¡± but Luo Yan clearly didn¡¯t need it at this point. Therefore, Luo Yan went out and dug a pit several meters deep where he buried the remains of the Tai Yi of Tong Xuan. He then returned to the underground cavern, inside the stone chamber, and sat down cross-legged on the bed, ready to begin refining the Postnatal Five Elements True Veins with Magnetization Qi. Since the remains of a true person from the Intercepting Cult have been undiscovered here for over ten thousand years, it proved that this place was indeed rarely visited by man. It was the perfect place to cultivate the Five Elements Ultimate Extermination Divine Light! Chapter 76 - Chapter 76: Chapter 11 Five Elements Divine Light, Miss Shi Chapter 76: Chapter 11 Five Elements Divine Light, Miss Shi ¡°` The Five Elements True Veins of Acquired Nature are known as ¡°Wood that is dying but not dead,¡± ¡°Fire that seems extinguished but is hard to put out,¡± ¡°Earth that is humble and untainted,¡± ¡°Metal that is like jade but not jade,¡± and ¡°Water that is rootless and unceasing.¡± These strange objects all share a common characteristic: while on the verge of extinction, they possess an almost infinite vitality. Being on the verge of extinction, they are not prone to violent instinct, which makes them easier to refine. The infinite vitality aligns perfectly with the way of the Five Elements Generation. According to the formula provided by the Pavilion, the best way to start refining the Five Elements Extinguishing Divine Light is from the Water System True Vein. The first step is to refine the Water Vein, followed by the Wood Vein, in accordance with the principle that water generates wood. The third step is to refine the Fire Vein, but since the Fire Vein is suppressed by the Water Vein, it is extremely difficult to cultivate. Because the Wood Vein has been refined prior, using the principle that wood generates fire, the previous Wood Vein needs to be refined more than the Water Vein. The fourth step is to refine the Earth Vein, and as the Wood Vein restrains the Earth Vein, the previous Fire Vein needs to be refined more than the Wood Vein. Finally, the Metal Vein is to be refined, which is restrained by the Fire Vein, therefore sufficient Earth Vein must be refined to provide support. However, following the previous steps, the Earth Vein should be refined to the highest degree at this point, with the Water Vein being the least refined. Since earth overcomes water, it can easily suppress the Water Vein, causing an imbalance of the Five Elements. Therefore, the ¡°extra refinement¡± mentioned at each step is an extremely subtle amount. A tiny bit of extra refining, amplified over each step, could lead to the difficulty of subsequent refining steps rising exponentially. Luo Yan reviewed the cultivation formula in his mind several times, making sure he had committed it to memory and grasped it thoroughly, without any hindrance, before he began to cautiously embark on the first step of cultivation. The Qi Sea circulated, and his Divine Sense led out a black speck of light. This was the ¡°Rootless and Unceasing Water,¡± the Gui Water True Essence. Upon contacting it with his Divine Sense, he felt a chill deep to the bone. Luo Yan then activated the Yuan Magnetic Qi, carefully enveloped it, and began the refinement process. An hour later, a light rain started to drizzle above the area surrounding the small island. The rain grew heavier, soon leading to flash floods. The animals in the forest on the island ran away in terror, and flocks of birds scattered in all directions. The water flow cascaded down through the cave, accumulating in the stone chamber to the height of a person¡¯s lower leg, perfectly flooding the stone bed where Luo Yan was sitting. Suddenly, as the rain outside eased up, the grass and trees began to spur a burst of growth, quickly turning the entire rain-soaked island into lush, verdant greenery. The green crept down the mountain steps, entering the stone chamber like spreading moss, where it turned into duckweed on the water surface, with roots drifting in the water like jellyfish and swaying like willow branches. Luo Yan, amidst all these odd phenomena, sat with his eyes tightly shut, as if completely unaware of his surroundings. Suddenly, the flames around him blazed fiercely, quickly spreading across the duckweed on the water surface. Water and fire clashed, sending up steams of white mist. The fire on the water was clearly suppressed, but it did not go out completely, sustained only because the duckweed continued to provide fuel incessantly. The dense forest on the island was also engulfed in flames. The fiery blaze reached for the sky, the smoke becoming more intense, swaying unpredictably under the onslaught of the pouring rain. As for the birds and beasts on the island, they either scrambled to flee or perished by plunging into the sea. Inside the stone chamber, Luo Yan remained sitting with his eyes closed. The Five Element Water Vein, Wood Vein, and Fire Vein had been preliminarily refined into his Yuan Magnetic Qi. Now came the most difficult step: refining the Earth Vein. In his Yuan Magnetic Qi, the Water Vein was the weakest, the Wood Vein moderate, and the Fire Vein the strongest. If the newly born Earth Vein was refined too little, it would be overcome by the Wood Vein; if too much, it would extinguish the Water Vein. Finding the right balance was extremely challenging. But Luo Yan, after all, possessed the trait of ¡°comprehension upon hearing,¡± and had already gained a complete understanding of the heart method and formula for the Five Elements Ultimate Extermination Divine Light. With a slight stir of his thoughts, a layer of fine soil suddenly appeared at the bottom of the accumulated water in the stone chamber. As the soil emerged, it was immediately absorbed by the duckweed roots. ¡°` Yet as the flames scorched the duckweed, the ashes sank to the bottom and once again gave rise to dust. Since the blaze was fiercer than the growth of the duckweed, the sand at the bottom of the water gradually increased, acting like a giant sponge with a siphoning effect that caused the water level to slowly drop. Although Luo Yan sat calmly, a fine sweat faintly emerged on his forehead, a clear sign that his mind was consumed too much, as he was fully concentrating on controlling the progress and extent of the refinement. On the island outside, fire burned, rain poured, forests grew, and dust accumulated; the various spectacular changes were too fast to follow, inspiring fear in those who watched. Suddenly, a bolt of lightning tore through myriad phenomena and struck heavily upon the hills at the center of the island, shredding the soil layers, piercing through rocks, and striking directly at Luo Yan, who was sitting and cultivating in an underground chamber! After a long while, the wildfire was extinguished, the storm ceased, the trees withered¡­ leaving only a bare and desolate island. Luo Yan escaped through the cracks split by the lightning riding on the Sword Light, only to see the island deserted with nothing but wasteland ¨C as if all the Five Elements Spiritual Energy had been drained. He formed a Daoist formula with his hands, and behind him, a five-colored Spiritual Light flashed out, sweeping over every part of the island. Thus, the forests grew anew, clear springs converged into streams, rainbow light enveloped the sky, and the whole island once again brimmed with vitality. After Luo Yan retracted the Five Elements Divine Light, he realized that his True Qi was nearly depleted, and his complexion paled with shock. This Five Elements Divine Light, how could it consume so much? Even more extravagant than the Five Thunder True Law! Fortunately, being cautious by nature, he had brought enough Elixirs with him for cultivation, just in case. After slightly recovering his True Qi, he rode the Sword Light away to the distance. Back in Yuqing View, within his own room, Luo Yan began to introspect his Qi Sea. Where once there were five-colored specks of light, the Five Elements True Veins, now there was a vast expanse of brilliant radiance flowing continuously among red, green, yellow, white, and black. This was the Postnatal Five Elements Great Extermination Divine Light, able to suppress all things in the world that ¡°do not transcend the Five Elements¡±. For example, if the enemy deployed a Metal System Flying Sword, Luo Yan would sweep it away with the Divine Light. Metal generates water, fire overcomes metal; the interplay of water and fire¡¯s radiance would instantly drain the Metal System Spiritual Power of the Flying Sword, extinguishing its spirit and turning it into scrap metal. Its intense and domineering nature was even more formidable than Tenth Rank¡¯s Five Thunder True Law. Of course, now that Luo Yan had refined the Five Elements True Veins, the Five Elements Divine Light he cultivated could only be considered a ¡°faint glow¡±. The reason was simple: the Quality of True Qi at the Marrow Cleansing Rank was not enough. Once transformed into elemental magnetic Qi, the capacity to host Five Elements Divine Light was limited, and its durability was also weak. Once he entered the Refining Mansion Rank and his True Qi condensed into True Yuan, the power of the Five Elements Divine Light would leap again. By then, even facing a Golden Core True Person, he might not be without the strength to retaliate. However, as his ultimate trump card, the Postnatal Five Elements Great Extermination Divine Light must not be used rashly. If it had to be used, he must ensure all witnesses were eliminated. Otherwise, ¡°a man with no guilt can be made guilty by the possession of a priceless treasure,¡± and if some Nascent Soul old monster were to catch him and coerce him to reveal the mental method of the Five Elements Divine Light, that would be troublesome. The trump cards hidden upon him, such as the Kunlun Mirror, Green Duckweed Sword¡­ would not withstand thorough scrutiny. ¡°Little Junior Brother!¡± Shi Liuli ran into the room again, indignantly saying, ¡°When did you come back? I¡¯ve been here several times and you weren¡¯t here!¡± What, I have to report to Miss every time I step out? Luo Yan sneered inwardly but replied with a smile, ¡°Sister, I just went out to practice the Sword Control Technique at sea.¡± [Falsehood persona, Synchronization Value +1.] ¡°What¡¯s there to practice with Sword Control Technique?¡± Shi Liuli asked, puzzled, ¡°No matter how exquisite the Sword Control Technique, it¡¯s still not as good as slamming down with the Heaven-flipping Seal.¡± Luo Yan forced a laugh, while internally he was full of sarcastic thoughts. The statement was indeed true. As a Foundation Establishment Rank disciple, no matter how ingeniously you practiced Sword Control, what can you do against a Tenth Rank magical treasure like the Heaven-flipping Seal smashing down on you? Without a defensive Magical Treasure, you would have no choice but to block with a Flying Sword! Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only The saying goes: the poor rely on effort, the wealthy on their resources. Capitalist Miss can¡¯t see the struggle of bricklaying and says things like ¡°eating bread isn¡¯t as good as cake,¡± which completely infuriates people, making them wish they could tie her up for a good criticism¡­ Oh, I am also part of the wealthy class in the Cultivating Immortality realm now, so never mind. ¡°Right!¡± Shi Liuli suddenly remembered something important, ¡°Father said to call you over.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Luo Yan asked tentatively, ¡°Did Master mention what it¡¯s about?¡± ¡°It seems to be about a visit from Wuzhi Cave,¡± Shi Liuli pondered, ¡°They¡¯re asking our Heavenly Craft Workshop to send someone to repair their island defensive Formation.¡± Chapter 77 - Chapter 77: Chapter 12: Wuzhi Cave, Four Seas Restaurant Chapter 77: Chapter 12: Wuzhi Cave, Four Seas Restaurant To the east of the Divine Land Continent lies the ¡°East Sea,¡± vast and boundless, stretching over ten thousand miles. Above the East Sea, many cultivation sects revere Penglai Jade Pure as the most esteemed. There are also seventy-two caves in the East Sea, each belonging to a large cultivation sect that governs the surrounding seas. Wuzhi Cave is one such sect in the East Sea. The sect is named ¡°Wuzhi Cave¡± and is situated across five neighboring islands. These islands are so named because they each produce Danzhi, Jinzhi, Yuzhi, Xuanzhi, and Muzhi, respectively. In reality, there are more than one hundred and forty other islands, but as the spiritual energy is thin, no cultivators reside there permanently. ¡°Speaking of Wuzhi Island, one simply cannot fail to mention their Wuzhi Seafood Soup.¡± As she swiftly controlled her sword above the sea¡¯s surface, Miss Shi introduced it with excitement to Luo Yan: ¡°Danzhi paired with green abalone makes a soup that is fresh, smooth, and refreshing. Consuming it can make one¡¯s vision clear and pupils bright.¡± ¡°Jinzhi paired with silver-shell lobster makes a soup that is sweet and delicious. Drinking it can make one¡¯s ears sharp and hearing acute.¡± ¡°Yuzhi paired with bloodline ginseng makes a soup that is spicy and fragrant. Consuming it can help clear the nose, enhancing the sense of smell.¡± ¡°Xuanzhi paired with ink-sand iron crab makes a soup that is slightly bitter yet rich. Drinking it can clear the throat, making the voice as melodious as a guzheng.¡± ¡°Muzhi paired with yellow-claw rock fish makes a soup that is sour and salty, stimulating the appetite. Consuming it can invigorate the spirit and clear the mind.¡± Luo Yan: ¡­¡­¡­ Has this advertisement turned into a parallel structure? And can those last two ¡°bitter soups¡± and ¡°sour soups¡± really be palatable? ¡°Now that sister mentions it, I¡¯m getting a bit of a craving myself,¡± he said with a smile twinkling in his eyes. [Falsehood persona, Synchronization Value +1.] ¡°Of course,¡± Shi Liuli said with anticipation shining in her eyes, ¡°the Wuzhi Seafood Soup is a must-try when visiting Wuzhi Cave. Besides, there are many other delicacies there, like the largest seafood hotpot at Four Seas Tower on Danzhi Island¡ªit¡¯s said to be second to none¡­¡± Luo Yan verbally agreed, despite feeling helpless inside. The reason for this trip wasn¡¯t complicated: the island-protecting formation of Wuzhi Cave, previously set up by Elder Shi Ding, had recently started malfunctioning. Since there were no formation experts in the sect, they had sought help from Heavenly Craft Workshop. Elder Shi Ding had calculated the time since the formation was set up and determined that it shouldn¡¯t have degraded so quickly, surmising there must be an issue with the formation flags¡­ So he dispatched Luo Yan, his disciple, to go and attempt a repair, resolving to step in himself if the problem persisted. Under normal circumstances, it was merely a routine business trip financed by public funds. However, Shi Liuli had whimsically insisted on accompanying Luo Yan, justifying it by claiming, ¡°It¡¯s my junior brother¡¯s first time out on an adventure, and I, as his senior sister, really can¡¯t rest easy.¡± In reality, everyone knew that Miss Shi was just there to have fun. Considering that the pair had the Heaven-flipping Seal and Divine Striking Whip, as well as the Divine Fire Mantle and the Jade Emperor¡¯s Bell, and that Wuzhi Cave had good relations with Yuqing View, Elder Shi Ding finally relented to his daughter¡¯s coaxing and tantrums, agreeing to let them go. The two of them controlled their swords and flew southeast at full speed, and in about a quarter of an hour, they arrived at the Wuzhi Islands. They were soon greeted by someone who came by sword control, smiling and saying: ¡°The two distinguished guests have traveled far from Penglai, please follow me down to rest.¡± The greeter was a female cultivator, appearing to be around seventeen or eighteen years old, with a melon-seed face, a slender figure, bright eyes, and a smile that bloomed like a flower. With hair dark as ink, simply secured by a Gold Step Shake, she wore a light red lipstick-colored phoenix-patterned long dress. A faint fragrance emanated from her, lingering at the nose like a gentle breeze caressing the face. Shi Liuli, after all, was a senior member of the Beauty Association. Seeing how pretty the girl was, she instantly took a great liking to her and curiously asked: ¡°How did you know we¡¯re from Penglai?¡± The female cultivator smiled gently and said: ¡°I had the pleasure of meeting Sister Liuli last time when I went to the Fanghu Market to look for Sister Yulang.¡± ¡°Right, I also joined your ¡®Zhang Tian Society¡¯ then!¡± ¡°Really?¡± Shi Liuli¡¯s eyes lit up. Those who liked Qiu Zhangtian, couldn¡¯t be bad people! The two girls chatted for a bit and quickly became close. From their conversation, Luo Yan learned that the female cultivator¡¯s name was ¡°Li Qinniang,¡± a Marrow Cleansing Rank cultivator from Wuzhi Cave, and she was almost done with her vein cutting, ready to advance to the Refining Mansion rank. ¡°By the way, Daoist Li.¡± Once the three of them landed on a forest path of Danzhi Island, with their sword light touching down, Luo Yan finally found an opportunity to interject, ¡°Regarding the formation problem of your sect, what exactly has gone wrong?¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s like this.¡± Li Qinniang twirled her hair with her fingers and sighed, ¡°Our sect¡¯s island-protection grand formation is a Land Sha and Celestial Gang Formation, personally arranged by your master back in the day. It has one hundred and eight formation flags, each distributed on one of the one hundred and eight surrounding islands of the cave.¡± ¡°There¡¯s also a main flag, which is situated in the central altar within the cave, incorporating functions like scouting, warning, defense, and trapping the enemy.¡± ¡°As long as the main flag changes position, the formation accordingly rotates and transforms. Therefore, even if someone has been spying on the formation for a long time, it is very difficult to find a way to break it.¡± ¡°However, since last month, the information returning from the central altar has been somewhat odd.¡± ¡°First, the circulation of spiritual power within the formation was unsmooth, often getting blocked; then, the scouting function sometimes worked and sometimes failed¡­ Alas, we¡¯re not well-versed in formations, so we don¡¯t know if it¡¯s an issue with a flag being out of place, which is why we came for help.¡± Luo Yan thought for a moment and said: ¡°Formation flags are placed at the key points, so they can¡¯t be easily shifted by external forces. Unless there¡¯s a change in the mountains and spirit veins that obstructs the operation of the formation, or the formation flags have been tainted by evil and polluted spirits, clouding their spiritual nature¡­ Of course, we¡¯ll only know for sure after we investigate.¡± ¡°Mm-hm.¡± Li Qinniang nodded and laughed, ¡°It¡¯s just that these one hundred and eight formation flags are scattered and quite far from each other, so it will certainly take a lot of time and effort to inspect. Therefore, there¡¯s no rush for the moment.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you two rest at our cave for a while? I¡¯ll treat you to a taste of our local ¡®Wuzhi Five Delicacies Soup¡¯.¡± This invitation was perfectly reasonable, as cultivators live much longer than ordinary people and are thus not very urgent about efficiency and time management. For example, it¡¯s quite normal to spend a month or two exploring relics and caves with good friends during travels ¡ª keeping one¡¯s mind open and receptive is very important, for who knows when sudden enlightenment could strike? Therefore, Shi Liuli and Luo Yan also gladly accepted. Li Qinniang led the two on a leisurely walk through the woods. The trees around were not too dense, and the sea could be seen in the distance where the water met the sky in a frothy line. There was also a moist sea breeze blowing through, slightly salty and rich in water vapor, which made it feel refreshing and uplifted one¡¯s spirits. Upon arriving at the largest local establishment, the Four Seas Tower, Li Qinniang ordered food for them. A variety of immortal vegetables and fruits, fish, shrimp, crab, shellfish, and other exquisite delicacies were present in abundance. Of course, there was also the Wuzhi Five Delicacies Soup that Miss Shi couldn¡¯t stop thinking about, served separately in five large bowls in red, green, yellow, white, and black colors, with spiritual energy swirling above, extremely tempting. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Oh, the colors of these five soups happened to exactly correspond to the Five Elements True Veins, which was quite interesting. Shi Liuli first chose the green abalone soup and took a sip from her bowl. Her eyes instantly widened. ¡°Wow, this broth is utterly delicious!¡± she exclaimed, unable to restrain her praise, then scooped another bowl for Luo Yan, ¡°Junior Brother, you have to try this soup. I simply can¡¯t describe it with words, it¡¯s too good!¡± Luo Yan, seeing Miss Shi remember him even while enjoying her soup, felt slightly moved and comforted. Just as he was about to bite into the abalone, he noticed Li Qinniang across the table, smiling at him and Shi Liuli with an amused expression. That kind, hidden playfulness in her smile¡­ It was just like when he looked at himself in the mirror. Chapter 78 - Chapter 78: Chapter 13 Just left the East Sea, Heading to Shushan again Chapter 78: Chapter 13 Just left the East Sea, Heading to Shushan again ¡°Ah Jing, does this Li Qinniang have any ill intentions towards me?¡± Luo Yan asked. This broken mirror wouldn¡¯t produce oil unless squeezed; he always had to proactively ask before it would speak. Before inquiring, he had no idea it had the ability to sense ill will. ¡°Currently, no,¡± the Kunlun Mirror replied. ¡°She is simply curious about you.¡± ¡°Oh, she¡¯s coveting my body, huh.¡± Luo Yan sneered, ¡°Ah Jing, keep a close watch on her, and report back immediately if anything unusual happens.¡± Kunlun Mirror: ¡­¡­¡­ Are you sick? Do you think every woman is coveting your body? However, there indeed seemed to be something off about this Li Qinniang, hmm¡­ Ah Jing decided to observe her for a while first. After the meal, Miss Shi couldn¡¯t stop praising the Five-Mushroom Five-Delicacies Soup, especially the abalone and lobster soups. Luo Yan, on the other hand, preferred seafood hotpot. It felt like he was back to the days before his time travel when he would go out for a communal pot with his three college roommates on weekends. Alas, while others graduated and looked for jobs, I started cultivating immortality; everyone has a bright future ahead of them. Stuffed and satisfied, they left the Si Hai Building. Shi Liuli then suggested inspecting the local market. Li Qinniang readily agreed, only Luo Yan inwardly cried out in dismay. Be they mortals or immortals, women¡¯s behavior is universally the same in a place filled with shops. The only difference being that many girls just browse without buying, whereas Miss Shi has been accustomed to a life of luxury from a very young age, wandering the market and buying anything she liked without hesitation, never bothering to ask the price. Soon, her treasure pouch was filled to the brim, and she took Luo Yan¡¯s storage bag, continuing her shopping spree as if nothing happened. Stunned by Shi Liuli¡¯s generous actions, Li Qinniang watched from behind and, after a long while, said to Luo Yan: ¡°Shi Daoist¡­ truly is a heroine among women.¡± Luo Yan glanced at her indifferently, then suddenly feigned surprise and asked: ¡°Eh? Didn¡¯t Li Daoist herself claim that you met my senior sister at the Fanghu Market? She practically emptied the entire market that day, didn¡¯t Li Daoist see her?¡± ¡°I was with Senior Sister Yulang at that time,¡± Li Qinniang replied without a change in her expression, ¡°I only had a brief encounter with Shi Daoist.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Luo Yan said, as if oblivious to anything amiss, and continued, ¡°By the way, Li Daoist has also joined ¡®Zhang Tian Society¡¯?¡± ¡°Mhm,¡± Li Qinniang nodded. ¡°There was one question I got wrong in the entry exam,¡± Luo Yan said with narrowed eyes and a smile. ¡°What is Qiu Changtian¡¯s favorite color? Could Li Daoist enlighten me?¡± ¡°I answered purple,¡± Li Qinniang also smiled, ¡°I just don¡¯t know whether it was correct.¡± ¡°She¡¯s lying,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said inside the Sea of Consciousness. ¡°Purple?¡± Luo Yan asked, puzzled, ¡°Why purple?¡± ¡°Because I like purple,¡± Li Qinniang said with a smile, ¡°I figure that even if Qiu Changtian doesn¡¯t like purple, he probably wouldn¡¯t dislike it.¡± Luo Yan: ¡­¡­¡­ This woman¡¯s level was quite high; even though he already knew she was lying, on the surface, there was nothing to fault her for. ¡°What are you two whispering about back there?¡± From the front, Shi Liuli, who had been shopping for a while, finally noticed her little junior brother and the newly acquainted ¡®bestie¡¯ sharing laughs and hurried back to ask in panic. ¡°We¡¯re talking about the Zhang Tian Society,¡± Li Qinniang replied smoothly without a hitch. ¡°Is that so?¡± Shi Liuli blinked, seemingly still a bit skeptical. But after Li Qinniang whispered a few words to her, Shi Liuli immediately understood and the two of them happily continued their market stroll. Luo Yan watched the backs of the two ladies with narrowed eyes, a cold light flickering within. This trip to the Wuzhi Cave, as well as Miss Li Qinniang, who was to meet them, was definitely not as simple as it appeared on the surface. However, the priority was still the Shushan Sect competition involving Ling Yunpo. There was no need to initiate a new quest line at the moment. Best to focus on advancing the Shushan storyline first. While the two young ladies ahead had not yet shifted their attention onto him, Luo Yan quickly found a secluded spot nearby and began to load his save. [Save Point Two: Qingluo Peak, Shushan Shangqing Faction.] [Character Identity: Ling Yunpo.] [Mirror Flower Water Moon Template overlay, undergoing time-space travel.] Returning to Qingluo Peak in Shushan, he also changed his illusory appearance to that of Ling Yunpo. The great Shushan competition was imminent. The prices of elixirs, spirit grass, and others in the various markets had all surged. It was said that long queues had already formed at the Sword Pool. The reason was that many Shushan disciples dissatisfied with the grade rank of their Flying Swords were there to draw better ones. It was fortunate that the upper echelons of the Shushan Shangqing Faction were straightforward in their ways, putting no obstacles in the way of drawing swords from the Sword Pool. If it had been the calculating Penglai Yuqing View, you¡¯d probably see ¡°pay Spirit Stones to draw a Flying Sword,¡± coupled with ¡°ten-draw deals,¡± ¡°168 Spirit Stone package,¡± ¡°648 Spirit Stone package,¡± and I guarantee these Shushan disciples would be crying for their fathers, investing their entire fortunes into it. Of course, Ling Yunpo, as a Sword Immortal with awareness, had long abandoned such narrow thinking of ¡°relying on external objects.¡± A Sword Immortal who does not polish oneself but instead relies on a Flying Sword is surely on a wicked path! I, Ling Yunpo, did not farm the Sword Pool either. I simply drew a random sword and used it, and haven¡¯t I firmly stepped up to my current position, step by step? ¡°Junior Brother!¡± An Zhisu returned from outside the view and smiled, ¡°Look what I bought for you?¡± ¡°This is¡­?¡± Ling Yunpo looked over, ¡°A Sword Box?¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± An Zhisu said with a beaming smile, ¡°We Shushan Sword Immortals carry our swords within ourselves and can only nurture our Life-bound Sword Artifacts.¡± ¡°But if you¡¯re proficient in Two-Handed Sword Control Technique, you can then keep a second sword in the Sword Box to nurture it.¡± ¡°This Sword Box is made entirely from magnetite iron, and it¡¯s ideal for nurturing Metal System Flying Swords.¡± ¡°Your Thunder Punishment Sword happens to be of the Metal System. Isn¡¯t that perfect?¡± Ling Yunpo was profoundly touched and said, ¡°Senior Sister, you are so thoughtful. But where did this Sword Box come from?¡± ¡°I won it at an auction in a nearby market,¡± An Zhisu said with a chuckle, ¡°It didn¡¯t cost much.¡± Upon hearing that it was purchased rather than a gift from some fawning admirer, Ling Yunpo breathed a sigh of relief and slung the Sword Box on his back. Then, with a gesture of a sword technique, his Thunder Punishment Sword shot up from his waist and automatically inserted itself into the Sword Box. ¡°Sword Master!¡± The Thunderbane let out the cheerful laughter of a young girl, ¡°This Sword Box is truly wonderful. It¡¯s spacious and comfortable to live in, and I feel full of power.¡± Ling Yunpo didn¡¯t pay it any mind, just turning to Senior Sister An with a smile, Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Senior Sister¡¯s foresight is truly impressive. I¡¯ve been feeling lately that I was missing something, and it turns out it was this Sword Box.¡± He stood in front of a bronze mirror, turning back and forth for a moment. Not bad, impressively imposing, Ling Yunpo¡¯s persona¡¯s charm finally enhanced. An Zhisu stood behind him, her eyes brimming with tender emotion, looking at her junior brother dressed in a blue sword robe, carrying the Sword Box, standing with his hands behind his back, and suddenly, for no particular reason, she thought of their master. For a moment, she felt the urge to cry but tried hard to hold back the tears. Chapter 79 - Chapter 79: Chapter 14: The Shushan Tournament, Mercurial Elixir Flower Chapter 79: Chapter 14: The Shushan Tournament, Mercurial Elixir Flower Finally, the day arrived. At the Emei Golden Summit, ten thousand swords were unsheathed, announcing the official start of the sect competition. Normally, the opening ceremony of such a grand event would be described in at least several hundred words. However, one needed a master¡¯s guidance to participate in the opening ceremony. Since Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu both lacked a master, there didn¡¯t seem to be any point in them attending the ceremony, where they would just face disdain from others, so they simply didn¡¯t bother going up. The two of them found a shaded pavilion halfway up Mount Emei to take a rest and chat leisurely. An Zhisu patiently explained to Ling Yunpo the various matters that needed attention for the Shushan tournament. For example, one should not hold back, remember to establish one¡¯s might, wield their sword as ruthlessly as possible, and if they cannot beat their opponent, to surrender right away instead of giving the opponent a chance to be fierce, and so on. Ling Yunpo appeared to listen seriously on the surface, but in reality, he was constantly gazing at Senior Sister An¡¯s tender face. As for the matters that needed attention, he would let the Kunlun Mirror take note of them first and listen later when he had time. Only after the opening ceremony concluded did the two ride their Sword Light to ascend to the summit of the clouds. By then, the Shushan Cloud Summit had already been turned immensely vast, its space cleaved open by a high individual with Supreme Sword Intent. Parting ways with An Zhisu, Ling Yunpo joined the queue of other disciples to draw lots, while concurrently having the Kunlun Mirror replay Senior Sister An¡¯s earlier admonitions. They say an elder sister is like a mother, but why is An Zhisu, as a senior sister, as nagging as someone else¡¯s real sister? After drawing the lot, Ling Yunpo went to find the corresponding arena indicated on his lot. In the sword-fighting arena, his opponent had already been waiting there, dressed in the customary blue robe of the Shushan Sect Disciples, holding a Flying Sword. He went up to salute, and the sword fight was declared officially underway. As soon as it began, Ling Yunpo leaped into the air, propelling the Green Duckweed Sword in a ¡°Rainbow Through the Sun¡± thrust straight toward his opponent¡¯s chest! The opponent, in utter shock and haste, released their Life-bound Sword Artifact to defend but was easily defeated by the Tenth Grade Green Duckweed Sword, which sent the Flying Sword Artifact flying and pierced him through the heart! By the time Ling Yunpo retracted his Sword Light, that opponent had been transmitted out of the arena by the Restrictions, declaring his defeat. The first battle was a victory, uneventful and without risk. This was to be expected. During previous training sessions, Lin Duanshan had introduced him to the hundred elite disciples on the current Immortal Sword Ranking. His first opponent was not included in his memory; he must have been a mere extra, so he finished him off with his aggressive move right away, saving quite some time and effort. After leaving the arena, Ling Yunpo went to look for Senior Sister An. And there, at another sword-fighting arena across from him, he saw Senior Sister An holding her sword with one hand while standing there, giving a graceful smile: ¡°Brother Yu, can we start now?¡± The person opposite Ling Yunpo was also in his memory, supposed to be ranked sixty-seventh in the last Immortal Sword Ranking. At that moment, the person¡¯s face was pale as he said with trepidation, ¡°Senior Sister An, I, Yu, have never caused trouble for you or Qingluo Peak. Let¡¯s agree before the fight that this time, you won¡¯t chop down my Life-bound Sword Artifact, shall we?¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯re not planning to use your Life-bound Sword Artifact this time?¡± Senior Sister An asked with a laugh. Instantly, the man opposite was drenched in sweat and lowered his head, saying dispiritedly, ¡°Forget it, forget it, I concede.¡± The surrounding audience immediately burst into a torrent of abuse, accusing An Zhisu of being duplicitous with her smile, intimidating her opponent, and disdain the man surnamed Yu for conceding without a fight, lacking backbone. High in the sky, three Nascent Soul Elders, seeing that the sword fight had ended, announced the victory of Qingluo Peak¡¯s An Zhisu, then disappeared in Sword Light. An Zhisu stepped down from the stage with grace, and upon seeing Ling Yunpo, she smiled and said, ¡°Junior Brother, finished so quickly?¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Ling Yunpo nodded and expressed his astonishment, ¡°Senior Sister, your entrance was truly majestic. To have three Nascent Soul Elders supervising!¡± ¡°When I had my sword fight just now, there was only a Golden Core True Person watching nearby.¡± ¡°Oh dear,¡± An Zhisu said softly with a smile, ¡°The elders were just concerned about the security of the arena Restrictions, so they came to check for themselves.¡± Ling Yunpo was taken aback: ¡°What do you mean? I thought the Restrictions of the arena are meant to transfer the loser out just in the moment before death. Can these Restrictions also fail?¡± ¡°I¡¯m rather embarrassed,¡± An Zhisu said sheepishly, ¡°The Restrictions of this arena were activated by a Magical Treasure called ¡®Xuanguang Ruler¡¯.¡± ¡°In a previous duel, I thought the Restrictions were secure enough and did not hold back my sword. Unfortunately, I accidentally broke the Restrictions, and that resulted in the death of my opponent.¡± ¡°After that, the elders no longer trusted the effectiveness of the Xuanguang Ruler, so they personally came over to watch over it.¡± Ha-ha, it¡¯s not that they don¡¯t trust the magical treasure¡¯s effectiveness¡ªthey¡¯re clearly worried that you¡¯re too ruthless, and that even these competition ground restrictions can¡¯t stop you! Ling Yunpo couldn¡¯t help but feel both amused and helpless inside, but he said aloud, ¡°So that¡¯s how it is. The elders really worry too much. Why not go to Yuqing View and buy some better restriction magical treasures? Our Shushan¡¯s resources are great, we can certainly afford it.¡± ¡°The Xuanguang Ruler is also a famous magical treasure from the Ancient Clarify Cult,¡± An Zhisu explained. ¡°If it¡¯s used to place restrictions on a single person, it can even lock down immortals for a few breaths. It¡¯s just that it¡¯s difficult for the wielder of the magical treasure to divide their attention when trying to lock down several thousand martial arts competition grounds¡ªat times, they can become careless by accident.¡± The two of them joked and chatted as they walked, and the crowd automatically parted to make way for them. Seeing the fearful and resentful expressions on the faces around him, Ling Yunpo sighed in his heart. His reputation among his fellow Shushan disciples was probably not much different from Qiu Changtian¡¯s in Kunlun, except his was the negative kind. While he was absentmindedly thinking about this, he suddenly saw someone blocking the way ahead¡ªit was Lin Duanshan, Brother Lin. Seeing An Zhisu and Ling Yunpo approaching, he clasped his hands together and said, ¡°Senior Sister An, I have something to discuss with Ling Yunpo.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± An Zhisu didn¡¯t ask further and walked to the side. Lin Duanshan pulled Ling Yunpo aside and made sure they were far enough that An Zhisu couldn¡¯t hear them, then he asked in a low voice, ¡°Ling Yunpo, do you know what a ¡®Refining Mansion Rank¡¯ is?¡± ¡°I wish Brother Lin would enlighten me.¡± Ling Yunpo knew he had something to say, so he cut straight to the chase. Seeing his willingness to listen, Lin Duanshan explained in detail, ¡°This Refining Mansion First Rank involves transforming the Dantian into Purple Mansion, to be the residence of the Golden Core.¡± ¡°The longer one stays at the Refining Mansion Rank, nurturing the True Yuan over an extended period, the more perfect the Purple Mansion that¡¯s built, and thus the higher the grade of the Golden Core formed after Tribulation.¡± ¡°Pills are graded in nine ranks. If the Pill Formation is of the lowest three grades, the prospects for reaching the Nascent Soul Rank are almost nonexistent; if it is of the middle three grades, even with smooth Tribulation, it is difficult to form a high-grade Nascent Soul.¡± ¡°Only with a Pill Formation of the highest three grades, does one have the chance to form a high-grade Nascent Soul in the future.¡± ¡°Your Senior Sister An has high cultivation talents. In just a half-cycle, her Qi Sea was abundant, she performed Marrow Cleansing and directly cultivated to the Refining Mansion Rank.¡± ¡°However, because your master, Su Jian, wasn¡¯t around, the cultivation resources for Qingluo Peak had almost dried up, causing her cultivation level to stagnate for a long time and resulted in less than ideal nurturing efficiency for her Purple Mansion.¡± ¡°But this Shushan martial arts competition is different. In order to encourage disciples to vie for places on the Immortal Sword Ranking, the higher-ups have prepared special rewards for those on the Immortal Sword Ranking!¡± Hearing Lin Duanshan¡¯s increasingly solemn tone, Ling Yunpo asked in surprise, ¡°What rewards?¡± Lin Duanshan clenched his teeth and lowered his voice, ¡°It is said that among the rewards for the top three, there is Mercurial Elixir Liquid!¡± Hearing ¡°Mercurial Elixir Liquid,¡± Ling Yunpo also took a sharp breath. This thing was mentioned in the ¡°Nine Cauldrons Divine Pill Scripture¡± taught by Shi Liuli, touted as ¡°the world¡¯s number one divine pill.¡± When consumed by a cultivator at the Refining Mansion Rank, it can quickly perfect any imperfections in the Dantian¡¯s Purple Mansion. One spoonful equates to the nurturing of True Yuan for a cycle. In summary, it means there¡¯s a high chance to make one¡¯s final Pill Formation grade forcefully improve by one rank! Knowing the gravity of the situation, Ling Yunpo tensed up inside but still puzzled, asked, ¡°I see, but there are no worthy opponents for my senior sister in the Immortal Sword Ranking. This Mercurial Elixir Liquid will naturally be hers; why do we need to worry for her?¡± ¡°Sigh.¡± Lin Duanshan let out a long sigh, his expression also turned somber, ¡°If it were normal times, indeed there would be no need for us to bother.¡± ¡°But Ling Yunpo, you also understand Senior Sister An¡¯s temperament.¡± ¡°If she obtains the Mercurial Elixir Liquid, do you think she would consume it herself, or would she think to keep it until you ascend to the Refining Mansion Rank, to then give it to you?¡± Ling Yunpo: ¡­¡­ Ah, could that be the case? Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only If it were something else, it would be one thing, but this concerns the path to greater achievement in the future. How could Senior Sister An possibly give it away so easily to me¡­ ¡°Given your Senior Sister An¡¯s nature, she would certainly think that way,¡± said the Kunlun Mirror leisurely in the Sea of Consciousness. ¡°I¡¯m not so lacking in the Mercurial Elixir Liquid that I won¡¯t be able to form the pill in the future. It¡¯s better to keep it for Ling Yunpo¡­¡± Hearing this, cold sweat ran down Ling Yunpo¡¯s back. ¡°You understand now, don¡¯t you!¡± Seeing his fluctuating expression, Lin Duanshan spoke gravely, ¡°In this Shushan competition, you must bring out all your strength and strive for the highest possible rank on the list to give Senior Sister An enough confidence in you!¡± ¡°Otherwise, if her confidence in you wanes even slightly, she will surely keep the Mercurial Elixir Liquid to herself. She¡¯ll be willing to risk her own path for your future achievement!¡± Chapter 80 - Chapter 80: Chapter 15: Sworn to Capture the Top 3, Cang Tie Carnage! Chapter 80: Chapter 15: Sworn to Capture the Top 3, Cang Tie Carnage! If there were one word to describe my relationship with Senior Sister An, it would be ¡°doting.¡± Two words, ¡°protective.¡± Three words, ¡°little brother fixation.¡± It must be said that the judgments of the Kunlun Mirror and Lin Duanshan are probably quite accurate. After careful reflection, Ling Yunpo realized that the probability of An Zhisu doing so was indeed not low. Think about it, the Thunder Punishment Sword is a Tenth Rank Immortal Sword, yet she gave it to me so casually¡­ No! If I take Senior Sister An¡¯s opportunity for Core Formation, I can¡¯t conscionably feel guilt-free! If my conscience is burdened, my thoughts will not be clear, and my Daoist Heart won¡¯t be harmonious, affecting my future path! The road to the throne in the sky does not permit defilement! Thus, in the following battles, Ling Yunpo exerted an extra 20 percent of fierceness, cutting through obstacles and passing several stages, finally making it onto the Immortal Sword Ranking, temporarily placed at seventy-second. After each victory, he would go and report his achievements to Senior Sister An. An Zhisu was overjoyed, but Ling Yunpo was puzzled in his heart, wondering if his character had truly burst with luck, having encountered weak opponents in several consecutive battles, allowing him to win so easily? With that thought, he unwittingly raised a flag, bringing upon himself a formidable enemy. Now, during the fifth round, as soon as Ling Yunpo left the arena, he saw a middle-aged man in a plain robe with white at his temples and a face weathered by the elements, standing quietly with hands bound and waiting. With just one glance, Ling Yunpo recognized who the man was. Duan Fenhai, who entered swordsmanship through martial arts, is one of the rare figures in the entire Cultivating Immortality world¡¯s history. It is said that he was originally a swordsman from the Mortal World. As a youth, he was competitive and, with a sword in his right hand, became invincible under heaven. Later, after being plotted against and his right arm injured, he turned to practicing the sword with his left hand and starting from zero, once again reached the peak of invincibility. Having occupied the position of the Martial Arts Alliance Hierarch for three years straight, his enemies were scattered across the martial world. One day, a peerless master was finally invited, who defeated and severely injured him on the spot. Yet that master, seeing his extraordinary courage, ultimately chose to spare his life. After the master left, enemies great and small swarmed him, surrounding Duan Fenhai in a chaotic battle. Somehow, Duan Fenhai managed to fight his way out from the Blood Sea, and upon hearing that his entire family had also been cruelly killed by his foes, he hid until the turmoil settled, then unexpectedly forsook vengeance and went straight to the Shushan Sect to become a disciple. The Shushan Sect does not limit age for taking disciples, but those who pass the tests are mostly teenagers. The reason is that these young people¡¯s Root Bone is just forming, and their willpower and spirit are at their most vigorous. If one waits until their thirties or forties, after being worn down by the distractions of women, alcohol, and the like, the purity of their Root Bone and spirit won¡¯t be so perfect anymore. Duan Fenhai was also an oddity, perfectly retaining his Root Bone at over forty years old, with no interest in women or alcohol, he smoothly passed the mountain¡¯s sword tests and successfully became a disciple of the Shushan Sect. Then, relying on his abundant combat experience and tenacious fighting will, he cultivated diligently for many years, eventually becoming a strong Sword Cultivator, ranking second in the previous Immortal Sword Ranking, with his sword known as ¡°Cangtie.¡± Lin Duanshan had said earlier that Duan Fenhai would likely be this competition¡¯s toughest enemy for Ling Yunpo to defeat. And for no reason other than his profound understanding of swordsmanship, rich combat experience, and unyieldingly tough mental constitution, which made him seem flawless all around; how to attack? This strongest enemy of the competition just happened to appear halfway through the stages, and to say that the organizers did not cheat during the drawing of lots, even I wouldn¡¯t believe! Ling Yunpo inwardly cursed the Shushan officials thoroughly, but on the surface, he had to act perfectly, cupping his hands and saying: ¡°Senior Brother Duan.¡± ¡°Junior Brother Ling.¡± The middle-aged man waved his hand indifferently, saying, ¡°I know your intent, there¡¯s no need for more words. Shall we start the fight directly?¡± Start your sister! Ling Yunpo felt helpless inside, but at that moment, he only steeled himself and said through gritted teeth, ¡°Fine!¡± As soon as the words fell, he activated the Qing Ping Sword¡¯s first layer of Daoist Magic, ¡°Green Mist Veil Over the Mountains!¡± ¡°The mist rises ethereal, like towers among the clouds.¡± With the incantation sighing in the air, a thousand-mile mist arose, enveloping the entire scene. Obscure and hazy, they completely shrouded the figures of both combatants. The outside audience immediately cursed in anger, having expected to see a good fight, yet here Ling Yunpo was using this same trick again, causing them to protest vehemently, though they were powerless to change anything. Within the dense fog, clouds and mists stretched afar, with not a single object visible. In the fog, Ling Yunpo maneuvered his sword at high speed, keeping his body extremely low, almost brushing the ground. This was a Hidden Sword Technique taught to him by Lin Duanshan, which excelled in silent and invisible flight. With this Forbidden Technique domain in place, Divine Sense was suppressed for everyone except for him, who could extend his Divine Sense to cling to every drop of water in the thick fog. Every blade of grass, every grain of sand, was clear to him. In comparison, the opponent was like groping in the dark, almost like a blind person. He circled around the edge of the arena while Duan Fenhai stood motionless in the center, his gaze fixed straight ahead, steadying his Flying Sword without moving. Could it be that he¡¯s staying put because he can¡¯t see, thus choosing to remain unchanging in response to myriad changes? Ling Yunpo felt puzzled and quietly flew to a position twenty meters behind him, but still, there was no reaction; he just stood there. Looking at the immovable figure, Ling Yunpo suddenly felt that his opponent was full of openings. Perhaps I should strike with my sword to test him? With that thought, he executed a Sword technique, and from the Sword Box on his back flew the Thunder Punishment Sword, tracing a wide arc towards Duan Fenhai¡¯s back. As the Sword Light neared, Duan Fenhai suddenly turned around and chanted, ¡°Zichen stars, the winds rise to Tian Gang!¡± As soon as he finished speaking, an Immortal Sword appeared in the palm of his hand¡ªit was Duan Fenhai¡¯s Life-bound Sword Artifact, the Tenth Rank Metal System, Starry Sky Iron Sword. The sword, dark all over, suddenly rotated sharply in the air, bringing a wind and thunder momentum as it slashed down. Metal clashing against metal, the sound was like thunder, and Ling Yunpo¡¯s Thunder Punishment Sword was directly sent flying upon impact with the Starry Sky Iron Sword! ¡°This sword is sharp and firm, perhaps not inferior to the Immortal Sword!¡± Ling Yunpo had just thought, when he saw the Cangtie Sword, as if sensing something, immediately dive along the original path of the Flying Sword toward him. Bad news! He hastily summoned the Green Duckweed Sword, blocking the Cangtie Sword¡¯s attack mid-air. The two swords collided fiercely, their forces vibrating off each other. The Cangtie Sword, relentless, struck down again in mid-air. Ding ding ding ding, ding ding ding ding! The swords clashed numerous times in an instant, sparks flying, and amidst the vast fog, those outside couldn¡¯t see what was happening inside, seeing only the constant disturbance of the thick mist. Within the mist, Ling Yunpo retreated quickly. The Cangtie Sword hesitated for a moment before slashing towards his chest again. Ling Yunpo attempted to block with the Green Duckweed Sword, but unable to withstand the momentum, he had to deflect the force upwards. The swords rubbed against each other, spitting out a trail of brilliant sparks. ¡°Your swordsmanship is not bad,¡± Duan Fenhai said indifferently, his voice echoing in the mist, ¡°But compared to An Zhisu, it¡¯s too inferior and sloppy.¡± ¡°With your level of strength, entering the top fifty of the Immortal Sword Ranking would already be reaching the limit. To expect to climb even higher is an impossible feat.¡± ¡°It¡¯s laughable how those people feared you climbing directly into the top ten, resorting to such despicable methods to have me intercept and kill you here.¡± ¡°Hmph, truly an overabundance of concern by mediocrities.¡± Duan Fenhai continued, his tone becoming more impatient: ¡°I want to break your Life-bound Sword Artifact, to injure you seriously enough to be bedridden for half a year, so An Zhisu won¡¯t let it go without a fight.¡± ¡°But your strength is so weak that I can¡¯t exert full effort; I still need to control my power, which is really troublesome.¡± ¡°Just surrender quickly and don¡¯t waste any more of my time.¡± This guy¡¯s ridicule seemed to have no end! The Cangtie Sword kept slashing and chopping, carrying the Wind and Thunder Sword Qi, displaying absolute dominance, while Ling Yunpo was in a difficult situation, frantically thinking. He knew from the beginning that his opponent was stronger than himself, which is why he had chosen this Hidden Sword Technique, to avoid a direct confrontation. Unexpectedly, during the previous sneak attack, he accidentally revealed himself, and now the opponent¡¯s Life-bound Sword Artifact relentlessly pursued, catching him in a tight bind with no room to break free! Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only If this continued, not only would the Hidden Sword Technique lose its purpose, but he would also expend more energy in controlling his sword and defending himself than his opponent. In a sword duel, the stronger must use direct attacks to overbear the weaker, while the weaker must use cunning to win. If I continue to be completely dominated like this, I might not even have a chance to turn the tables in the end! As he formulated strategies in his mind, Duan Fenhai, also shrewd, sensed his momentary lapse and increased the speed of his Flying Sword¡¯s attacks, giving him no chance to catch his breath or think. Ling Yunpo struggled to hold on and quietly executed the sword incantation, activating the second layer of Daoist Magic of the Green Duckweed Sword, ¡°Mountain¡¯s Echo after the New Rain¡±! Chapter 81 - Chapter 81: Chapter 16: Having Many Trump Cards Means You Can Do As You Please Chapter 81: Chapter 16: Having Many Trump Cards Means You Can Do As You Please The forbidden technique activated, and water system sword qi appeared out of nowhere¡ªslender and sharp like a slanting wind-driven drizzle, finding an extremely tricky angle to shoot rapidly towards Duan Fenhai. Just as it was about to reach his back, Duan Fenhai seemed to notice something and then another sword qi soared to the sky; it was his signature Immortal Sword ¡°Heavenly Wind Weighs a Thousand Pounds¡± unsheathed, spinning rapidly behind him like the full moon, blocking all incoming sword qi. Ling Yunpo¡¯s finger techniques changed continuously, and the water system sword qi now dodged left and right with unpredictable movements. Duan Fenhai let out a cold laugh, merely using the Heavenly Wind Sword to guard his whole body, adopting a passive defensive stance to take the hits. This old bastard! Ling Yunpo cursed inwardly. Now that he was completely suppressed head-on, he had to rely on stealth attacks from the side to disrupt the offense. With Duan Fenhai taking up such a position, it was clear that he saw through this tactic and intended to focus on stability, giving him no chance at all. As he anxiously pondered, he heard Duan Fenhai snort coldly and say, ¡°Hmph, I never thought you¡¯d force me to use my Heavenly Wind Weighs a Thousand Pounds Sword; I truly underestimated you.¡± ¡°That water system life-bound sword artifact of yours, and the metal system flying sword you used at the beginning, must also be tenth rank Immortal Swords, right?¡± Ling Yunpo didn¡¯t answer, but heard Duan Fenhai continue, ¡°What a pity!¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a shame that Su Jian, after being in seclusion all these years, has let the gem amongst his disciples gather dust.¡± Just as Ling Yunpo was about to speak, he heard Duan Fenhai speak again: ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand. The gem amongst the disciples isn¡¯t you but your Senior Sister An Zhisu.¡± ¡°With her aptitude, if it weren¡¯t for the lack of guidance from her master, preventing her cultivation from advancing, why would she need to pour so much effort into you?¡± ¡°Although you have talent in swordsmanship, you are not even one percent as good as she is.¡± ¡°It¡¯s ridiculous how some people compare you to her, calling you the ¡®Big and Small Star Killers of Qingluo Peak.¡¯ Do you even deserve it?¡± The bastard kept spouting contempt, blabbing on and on without end. Ling Yunpo felt his head swell from listening and, out of spite, could only shout, ¡°Shut up!¡± and hurled the Green Duckweed Sword and the Thunder Punishment Sword outwards. Duan Fenhai sneered, ¡°Bring it on!¡± He immediately shot out two swords to counter the Green Duckweed Sword and the Thunder Punishment Sword¡¯s attack. Ling Yunpo¡¯s thoughts sank as he realized that the opponent¡¯s Starry Sky Iron Sword and Heavenly Wind Weighs a Thousand Pounds Sword were both tenth rank Immortal Swords, with a quality not inferior to that of his Green Duckweed and Thunderbane. However, the opponent was at the Refining Mansion rank, and the True Yuan attached to his sword was more than a hundred times purer than his own True Qi. Engaging the enemy head-on would be extremely disadvantageous for him. If he didn¡¯t play his ace, he really had no chance of winning! Having thought it through, Ling Yunpo quietly formed a hand seal, bending his middle finger and silently chanting: ¡°Vast and lightless, Beiming Yin Thunder!¡± This belonged to the Five Thunder True Law¡¯s North Pole Thunder, a Daoist magic belonging to his split persona, Qiu Changtian, and was not something he preferred to use lightly. But now, pressed by urgency, for the sake of the rankings contest, for his mentor, he couldn¡¯t care less. Ling Yunpo opened his hands and held the black thunder light in his palms, using the Dense Fog Forbidden Law to conceal any trace. Battling the Cangtie Sword at the forefront, the Thunder Punishment Sword was slashed into a sorry state due to the disparity in the quality of the True Qi on the swords, and it began to cry out in Ling Yunpo¡¯s mind: ¡°Master Sword Master, boo hoo! How can there be any chance of victory for a Marrow Cleansing rank against a Refining Mansion rank? They have pure True Yuan, and I only have True Qi; this is just bullying the weak¡­¡± ¡°Do not panic!¡± Ling Yunpo reprimanded in the Sea of Consciousness, ¡°Watch as my Thunder Method defeats the enemy!¡± On the opposite side, Duan Fenhai used the Cangtie Sword to repel the Thunder Punishment Sword, and after a brief pause in mid-air, he shot fiercely towards Ling Yunpo¡¯s direction. The Heavenly Wind Sword tightly entangled the Green Duckweed Sword on the outside, preventing it from breaking free to help. Ling Yunpo let out a cold laugh, raised his hands, and unleashed the North Pole Thunder. ¡°` These two clumps of North Pole Thunder are lightning from the Beiming Abyss. Although their appearance is dark and unremarkable, the power contained within is extremely terrifying. Under the cover of the thick fog, Duan Fenhai had no idea and simply maneuvered the Starry Sky Iron Sword, stabbing towards the location of Ling Yunpo he remembered. The result was that the flying sword directly collided with the two clusters of thunder light, with the first one immediately halting the swift-flying Stellar Dark Iron Sword, scattering its surrounding brilliance; The second strike hit again, instantly blasting the Cangtie Sword away like a cannonball leaving the muzzle, piercing through the restrictions of the arena, with no clue where it ended up flying off to. There stood Duan Fenhai, still appearing haughty, but the next second his complexion drastically changed, and he vomited a large mouthful of blood, clearly indicating that his life-bound sword artifact had been severely damaged, and his root bone and spirit had suffered substantial injuries. ¡°You!¡± he bellowed, eyes wide with a mix of panic and disbelief, ¡°What kind of Immortal Sword Forbidden Technique is that? It¡¯s so overbearing¡­¡± ¡°No comment,¡± Ling Yunpo replied with a faint smile, pointing with his sword. Duan Fenhai wanted to resist, trying to use the Daoist magic of the Heavenly Wind Sword to buy time, but with his life-bound sword artifact severely damaged and injuries upon him, he couldn¡¯t hold on and was immediately pierced through the chest by the Thunder Punishment Sword, sent out of the arena by the restrictions. At last, victory was his. With a sigh of relief¡­ Ling Yunpo also took a long breath, dispelling the ¡°Dense Fog Conceals Green Phoenix¡±, causing the dense fog to dissipate. This battle was indeed tough; he had been discovered at the very beginning when trying a sneak attack, and he faced peril at every turn. Had he not taken a risk to use Qiu Changtian¡¯s decisive technique, he would surely have been defeated. The Kunlun Taiqing Sect emphasizes Qi Refinement, while the Shushan Shangqing Faction specializes in sword techniques. Although both are from the ancient Clarify Cult lineage, the True Qi cultivated from their respective methods differ. The Qi Refining Technique of the Shushan Shangqing Faction is the ¡°Supreme Primordial True Record¡±. The Hunyuan True Qi refined through breathing exercises is tough and durable, very suitable for driving flying swords. If used to employ Thunder Method, however, its purity is not as good as the ¡°Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra¡±, and its power is significantly diminished. Were it not for the concerns of leaving traces of foreign True Qi at the scene, Ling Yunpo would have simply used the pure immortal qi to unleash the thunder; there would have been no need for a second strike, likely breaking the Stellar Dark Iron Sword in one go. Even so, the spectators around the arena at this moment looked at him as if they were looking at a demon or a monster. After all, they were looking at the one who defeated the second-ranked Cangtie Sword Immortal on the Immortal Sword Ranking, Duan Fenhai! At the peak of the Refining Mansion Rank, approaching the threshold of Golden Core, a super powerhouse! And he was defeated by this young man who hadn¡¯t even made it into the top fifty of the Immortal Sword Ranking? Considering that this fellow¡¯s Senior Sister is the infamously ruthless Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal of Qingluo Peak, it was not difficult for everyone to draw the conclusion: It must have been that Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal who gave her Junior Brother some kind of trump card that enabled him to instantaneously defeat Duan Fenhai on the stage; otherwise, there would be no explanation! With that thought, a hush fell both inside and outside the arena. No matter who was dissatisfied or skeptical about the result of the bout, they could only keep their doubts to themselves. Otherwise, if word got back to the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal, what then? It would likely end badly for all their fellow disciples. Above the arena, the overseeing Golden Core True Person was rather frustrated. He was well aware that Duan Fenhai¡¯s appearance was no coincidence but deliberately arranged by certain ¡°anti-Qingluo Peak¡± forces. The aim was to use the hand of the second-ranked on the Immortal Sword Ranking to cut down that youngster named Ling Yunpo¡ª at least to break his life-bound sword artifact and make him unable to participate in the upcoming sword competitions. To think that in this nefarious scheme of using one to kill another, not only did the intended target not die, but the ¡®weapon¡¯ itself broke. It was truly a case of lifting a rock only to drop it on one¡¯s own foot. There were powerful forces behind Duan Fenhai as well, his teacher being Luo Beihe, the Peak Master of the Yellow Dragon Peak lineage. With his Direct Disciple¡¯s life-bound sword artifact heavily damaged, how could this Peak Master stand idly by? He would certainly come to settle accounts at the first opportunity! This is not good at all; I hope they won¡¯t come to me when the trouble starts, blaming me for failing to intervene as an overseer! Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only With a furrowed brow, the Golden Core True Person hurriedly announced the competition results and quickly fled the scene atop a streak of Sword Light. Below the arena, the now-defeated Duan Fenhai¡¯s complexion was deathly pale, his face ashen. After standing still for a moment, he stomped over to Ling Yunpo, infuriated. ¡°What technique was that?¡± he barked straightaway, ¡°Was it a Forbidden Technique of the Water System Immortal Sword? Or of the Metal System Immortal Sword? Could it be a Thunder Method you¡¯ve cultivated in addition?¡± ¡°No comment,¡± Ling Yunpo waved dismissively, annoyed, ¡°How could I possibly reveal my tactics now when I still have swords to compete with?¡± ¡°` Chapter 82 - Chapter 82: Chapter 17 My Senior Sister is Really Over-Protective Chapter 82: Chapter 17 My Senior Sister is Really Over-Protective Duan Fenhai¡¯s complexion was extremely poor as he leaned in and said in a low voice: ¡°Do you really think after snatching away my second place on the Immortal Sword Ranking, you¡¯ll be able to keep it?¡± ¡°This spot isn¡¯t so easy to keep.¡± ¡°Not to mention, everyone from the third to the sixth place on the Immortal Sword Ranking, Lin Duanshan, Guan Shanyue, Sima Changyan, and Bi Sheng, who doesn¡¯t want to move up the ranks?¡± ¡°Previously they couldn¡¯t beat me, let alone dare to challenge your Senior Sister An. But now it¡¯s you sitting in this spot.¡± ¡°When the time comes and you¡¯re brought down by a series of challenges, how long do you think you can keep it hidden?¡± ¡°That¡¯s no problem at all.¡± Ling Yunpo, with many trump cards up his sleeve, was not afraid at all, and he said righteously, ¡°Senior Brother Duan, you worry too much!¡± ¡°We, as Sword Immortals, ought to wield our swords and press forward, cutting down all obstructions and Heart Demons in our path!¡± ¡°As for those demons, whether the swordsmanship is sharp, or the Daoist Magic powerful, can I possibly walk around them?¡± ¡°Senior Brother, you¡¯re overly concerned with so-called intelligence, to the point where it seems like a hesitation to move forward, a sign of inferiority.¡± [Unyielding character established, Synchronization Value +1.] [Unyielding character established, Synchronization Value +1.] [Unyielding character established, Synchronization Value +1.] ¡­¡­¡­ With every sentence Ling Yunpo uttered, the Kunlun Mirror¡¯s Synchronization Value increased by +1. Duan Fenhai almost spat out blood hearing this; just as he was about to burst out, a flash of light appeared in the distance. Having just finished her battle, An Zhisu, controlling her sword, rushed to the two, enveloped in an ascent of murderous aura. She pointed her Frostfall Sword at Duan Fenhai from afar and shouted: ¡°Duan Fenhai! If you dare harm a single hair on my junior brother, I swear to run you through with my sword and cast you up into the Nine Heavens to suffer the torment of the whipping winds!¡± Duan Fenhai¡¯s eyes twitched as he said coldly: ¡°An Zhisu, what does your junior brother¡¯s sword match have to do with you?¡± An Zhisu rushed in front of Ling Yunpo, grabbed his right hand, and checked him over with her Divine Sense, the color of anxious concern clear on her face. Standing opposite, Duan Fenhai took in the expression on Senior Sister An¡¯s face and was taken aback. Isn¡¯t this Qingluo Peak¡¯s killing god supposed to be inherently cold and heartless? How come she¡¯s showing such an indecisive expression of a tender-hearted woman? Could it be that she¡¯s been possessed by a soul? Once she thoroughly examined him with her Divine Sense, confirming that her junior brother indeed had not a single injury inside him, An Zhisu finally let out a sigh of relief as if a weight had been lifted. Turning her head, her eyebrows sharply raised, she reverted to the familiar cold-blooded killer the others knew and coldly said to Duan Fenhai: ¡°It appears you were sensible enough this time to hold back. But that¡¯s beside the point. This attempt to ambush and kill Junior Brother Ling is a grudge I will have to settle with Yellow Dragon Peak¡¯s folks when I have the time.¡± Duan Fenhai let out a breathless laugh: ¡°An Zhisu, you¡¯re probably just too consumed by your killing intent, nearing Deviation.¡± ¡°My Yellow Dragon Peak and your Qingluo Peak have always had no quarrels. I¡¯ve had nothing to do with your junior brother prior to this, why would I look for an opportunity to plot against him?¡± ¡°The real adversary who manipulated the drawing of the sword match is someone else. Don¡¯t you have any clue who it might be?¡± ¡°Just now, dragging out the sword fight with me was none other than your own Yellow Dragon Peak¡¯s Xue Qianchao!¡± An Zhisu scolded him angrily, ¡°And you¡¯re saying Yellow Dragon Peak isn¡¯t involved?¡± ¡°Junior Brother Xue? Impossible!¡± Duan Fenhai¡¯s face went completely pale. ¡°He was gravely injured during an expedition last month and has been recuperating deep in Yellow Dragon Peak. He didn¡¯t even register for the sect competition this time!¡± ¡°Whether it¡¯s true or not, you¡¯ll find out once you go back and ask,¡± An Zhisu said, no longer engaging with him, grabbing Ling Yunpo by both hands. ¡°Junior brother, let¡¯s go.¡± The two of them conjured their Sword Light and departed into the distance, leaving Duan Fenhai standing there with a face alternating between pale and green. After a long moment, despite the severe injuries on his body, he also summoned his badly damaged Stellar Dark Iron Sword and conjured a Sword Light to escape. On the way back to Qingluo Peak, An Zhisu rode her sword above the floating clouds with a grave expression and said to Ling Yunpo: ¡°Junior Brother, fortunately, you were not injured this time. Otherwise, if anything had happened to you, I truly do not know how I would explain it to our master.¡± ¡°Although you were defeated in the sword fight this time, your defeat was not unjust.¡± ¡°Your opponent Duan Fenhai is ranked second on the Immortal Sword Ranking, has reached perfection in the Refining Mansion Realm, and wields the Twin Fairy Swords. He is indeed a formidable figure, second only to those with the Shushan Golden Core.¡± ¡°Even I wouldn¡¯t be confident in claiming a sure victory against him. After this defeat, you should return to Qingluo Peak and recuperate well to avoid being targeted.¡± ¡°When the sect competition is nearing its end, I¡¯ll find an opponent who matches your strength on the Immortal Sword Ranking and let you challenge and defeat them.¡± ¡°Senior Sister, I won,¡± Ling Yunpo touched his nose and said. ¡°Hmm, winning is good. Losing to that Duan Fenhai is no big deal; there will always be a chance for you to win next time.¡± An Zhisu kept rambling on, suddenly coming to her senses. ¡°Won¡­ You won? Who did you win against?¡± ¡°I won against that Duan Fenhai.¡± Ling Yunpo said helplessly. With a whoosh, An Zhisu¡¯s sword light suddenly went out of control, and the two of them plunged into the clouds. Less than ten seconds later, they emerged from beneath the clouds, both drenched in moisture from the clouds, their clothes and hair wet. An Zhisu¡¯s eyes widened as she stared at her junior brother, asking in alarm: ¡°You¡­ won the fight just now?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Ling Yunpo said. ¡°You defeated Duan Fenhai?¡± ¡°Right.¡± ¡°How did you win?¡± ¡°With a sword,¡± Ling Yunpo said vaguely. An Zhisu fell silent for a moment, then suddenly reached out her slender hand and placed it on Ling Yunpo¡¯s forehead. ¡°You¡¯re not feverish, and it doesn¡¯t seem like you¡¯re speaking nonsense¡­¡± she mumbled, her eyes beginning to redden, ¡°Are you really not deceiving your senior sister?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± ¡°This is just too¡­¡± An Zhisu wanted to say it was unbelievable. But upon reflection, how many unbelievable things had her junior brother done since he started his training? Slaying Lou Zhizheng, advancing rapidly through Marrow Cleansing ¨C weren¡¯t they all beyond belief? Master often said that geniuses of extraordinary talent were common in this world. If the junior brother was a swordsmanship genius, what¡¯s so surprising about him defeating Duan Fenhai, who is second on the Immortal Sword Ranking? With this thought, An Zhisu¡¯s protective instincts kicked in, and she immediately discarded any sense of rationality. My junior brother is the best in the world, unrivaled by anyone! ¡°Junior Brother, you did very well.¡± Adjusting her damp hair slightly, Senior Sister An said with a beaming smile, ¡°With this, you are now second on the Immortal Sword Ranking.¡± ¡°The third seat is Lin Duanshan, we¡¯ve already given him a heads up, so he definitely won¡¯t make a move against you.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°The fourth seat is Guan Shanyue, whose thoughts run deep; she likely won¡¯t risk provoking my anger by challenging you for the seat.¡± ¡°With Duan Fenhai defeated by you and off the rankings, he must be both shocked and afraid. Given his character, he won¡¯t rush to reclaim the second seat without being certain of victory.¡± ¡°But you need to watch out for those further back in the rankings; with dozens of people, there will inevitably be some bold enough to test your strength.¡± As she spoke, she made a cutting motion with her hand, and a flash of fierceness passed through her eyes. ¡°In the upcoming drawing of lots for sword fights, you must win decisively, slaying any Life-bound Sword Artifacts that should be slain, and quickly establish the majesty of a second seat Sword Immortal!¡± Chapter 84 - Chapter 84: Chapter 19: Is the Last Name An or Su? Chapter 84: Chapter 19: Is the Last Name An or Su? In the pavilion by the clear spring stream, An Zhisu gazed down at the babbling water, sadly recounting her life story: ¡°I was born in a mountain village in Yangzhou¡¯s Guangling County.¡± ¡°My mother was a widow in the village, my father had passed away before I was born, so life was very tough.¡± ¡°But ever since I can remember, my master would often visit my mother and me.¡± ¡°Each time he came, he would bring some money to help out, so our life wasn¡¯t too destitute.¡± Ling Yunpo listened with interest, only then understanding that Su Jian wasn¡¯t some swordsmanship-obsessed murderous lunatic¡ªhe too possessed the kindness and warmth of an ordinary person. An Zhisu continued: ¡°Every time my mother would refuse to take master¡¯s money, saying he ¡®doesn¡¯t owe us mother and daughter anything¡¯.¡± ¡°But master always found a way to leave the money, making it impossible for my mother to refuse.¡± ¡°Sometimes he would seemingly take it back, yet in the blink of an eye, the money would reappear on the stove, beside the pillow, or hidden in the clothes pile.¡± ¡°When my mother saw the money he¡¯d left behind, she would sigh helplessly.¡± Ling Yunpo sympathetically sighed: ¡°Ah, Sister¡¯s family life hasn¡¯t been easy.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just about poverty.¡± An Zhisu said with a touch of sadness, ¡°A widow in a village without the support of her parents or husband is subject to gossip and even bullying.¡± ¡°Sometimes, the idlers in the village would gather outside my house, spewing unspeakable filth and laughing boisterously.¡± ¡°My mother would hold me tightly in her arms, not letting me hear those dirty words.¡± ¡°How despicable!¡± Ling Yunpo immediately glared with anger, saying righteously, ¡°If I had been there, no matter how many of them there were, I¡¯d grab a firewood cutter and rush out to kill all the scum who dared to bully a mother and her daughter!¡± [Unyielding Character, Synchronization Value +1.] ¡°Brother, you have the same temperament as master,¡± An Zhisu laughed, ¡°When master first learned of this, he immediately grabbed his sword and went door to door, killing all those scoundrels one by one.¡± ¡°How exhilarating!¡± Ling Yunpo clapped his hands in approval, yet inwardly criticized: retracting previous words, this Su Jian is still a murderous lunatic. ¡°However, from that time on, there was a rift between my mother and master.¡± An Zhisu continued to reminisce, ¡°The village people all avoided our house, even taking detours to avoid meeting us on the road.¡± ¡°My mother was very sad, not because her reputation in the village declined, but because she felt that master considered ordinary people to be no better than pigs or dogs, and that sooner or later, he would also become estranged from us.¡± ¡°Master had a few arguments with my mother because of this, and finally, he decided to take me to cultivate immortality, secretly teaching me Shushan Swordsmanship behind the sect¡¯s back.¡± Ling Yunpo mused silently, suddenly finding something strange. He originally thought Su Jian had taken an interest in An Zhisu¡¯s qualifications for cultivation and thus took care of her family¡¯s finances. But according to Sister¡¯s account, it seemed that Su Jian had some sort of intimate relationship with An Zhisu¡¯s mother, and that was why he chose to accept her as a disciple?! ¡°Sister, I have a question,¡± he cautiously asked, ¡°Is there a possibility that your father is not dead, and he is just trying to win your mother¡¯s recognition in various ways, like stuffing money into your home, standing up for your mother, and taking you on as a disciple?¡± An Zhisu looked at him silently, then after a long moment, smiled and said: ¡°Brother, you¡¯re talking nonsense again. Master¡¯s surname is Su, and mine is An, how could we possibly be father and daughter?¡± ¡°What is your mother¡¯s name?¡± Ling Yunpo asked. ¡°My mother¡¯s name is An Susu,¡± An Zhisu replied. ¡°So, you actually take your mother¡¯s surname,¡± Ling Yunpo immediately said. ¡°What else?¡± An Zhisu opened her eyes wide looking at him, ¡°My father was gone before I was born, so taking my mother¡¯s surname is quite normal, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°What I mean is,¡± Ling Yunpo got tangled in her logic and took a while to come to his senses, ¡°perhaps your mother was unwilling to forgive your father, and that¡¯s why she let you take her surname¡­¡± ¡°Junior Brother,¡± An Zhisu fell silent again, and it took a long moment before she spoke, ¡°Stop guessing.¡± ¡°If there was even a sliver of possibility to what you¡¯re suggesting, then our master should have stayed at home to accompany my mother instead of sparing only a monthly visit.¡± ¡°To neglect his wife and daughter, to be immersed in swordsmanship with only occasional, perfunctory returns for brief visits, how could such a man possibly be my father?¡± Ling Yunpo was at a loss for words. From the slightly annoyed tone of Senior Sister An¡¯s words, he understood her meaning. Su Jian could only be her master, and not fit to be her father. She was resisting the acceptance of this fact. However, since it was, after all, Senior Sister An¡¯s family matter, it wasn¡¯t right for him to press further, so Ling Yunpo decisively changed the subject, asking: ¡°What happened later then, between your master and your mother¡­¡± ¡°Later,¡± An Zhisu paused for a moment, then said, ¡°My mother passed away.¡± ¡°Passed away?¡± ¡°Yes, her natural life came to its end,¡± An Zhisu said softly, ¡°Master accompanied me to bury her, and then took me back to Shushan to officially start my cultivation.¡± ¡°On the way, we were ambushed by a Nascent Soul Elder of the Demon Cult, and Master was gravely injured. After arranging my entry into the sect, he hastily went into seclusion, possibly to the death.¡± Ling Yunpo thought to himself, so that¡¯s how it was. Actually, with Su Jian¡¯s status as a Nascent Soul Elder, had he taken An Zhisu to Shushan earlier, she might have been the next Shi Liuli¡ªthe daughter of Shushan¡¯s God of Killing; who would dare provoke Miss Shi? But Senior Sister An¡¯s childhood was vastly different from that of Miss Shi. Her childhood was spent in the countryside, and her adulthood was spent alone with Su Jian learning swordsmanship. After cultivating to the Refining Mansion stage, and with her mother having passed naturally, Su Jian, unbound by worldly ties, took her back to Shushan, only to be ambushed on their way. Then, upon their return to the mountain, he secluded himself, possibly to death¡­ Her life was indeed fraught with hardship, an endless ordeal! Senior Sister An, this unyielding character¡¯s template should truly be yours. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about this anymore.¡± An Zhisu suddenly smiled, with all traces of gloom swept away, ¡°Master will surely make it out of seclusion successfully. Let¡¯s not dwell on the past.¡± ¡°Today, we should be celebrating for Junior Brother¡¯s ascendancy to the second seat of the Immortal Sword Ranking.¡± As if by magic, with a wave of her hand, the Frostfall Sword emerged as a beam of Sword Light, bringing along a platter and a wine flask. Ling Yunpo was somewhat astonished to see this: wine and appetizers were all prepared; Senior Sister had come fully equipped! An Zhisu grasped the flask, tilting its narrow neck, as the wine flowed into the cup. A rich amber hue and the fragrance of sweet orchids filled the air; it was Shushan¡¯s specialty Spiritual Wine ¡°Jade Brow Spring,¡± a precious commodity. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only In the dish lay eight vermilion fruits, plump and lustrous, resembling small tomatoes but emitting an exotic fragrance. With a gentle wave of the Frostfall Sword, all the vermilion fruits were halved into equally sized sixteen segments. Ling Yunpo picked up a segment and tasted it, finding it sweet and refreshing, almost like swallowing Spiritual Liquid, an endless aftertaste. With another small sip of wine, the effect was lingering and gentle, not intoxicating but making him feel satisfied and invigorated, as if his Divine Sense had become much clearer. In his gaze, the silhouette of Senior Sister An, who continued to pour wine for him, became even more softly graceful and charming, making it difficult for him to shift his eyes away. Chapter 85 - Chapter 85: Chapter 20 Junior Sister Xu Suddenly Realizes Chapter 85: Chapter 20 Junior Sister Xu Suddenly Realizes Xu Yinglian, An Zhisu, Shi Liuli. Three girls with distinct personalities. Junior Sister Xu Yinglian is currently the easiest female target for conquest. Bound by a Daoist Companion marriage contract, she herself is assertive and refuses to be left behind. I can easily influence and control her by leveraging this point. Moreover, the long-term benefits of an alliance with the Xu Family of Southern Heaven are also the most substantial. If one must choose one out of three from a purely utilitarian standpoint, it would be her. Senior Sister An Zhisu, on the other hand, is the woman I admire the most. She¡¯s tenacious, powerful, sweet on the inside but cool on the outside. Of course, what¡¯s most important is that she wholeheartedly treats me well, her junior brother. If one must choose one out of three from a rational selection standpoint, it would be her. Miss Shi Liuli, however, is a woman I cannot deal with. She¡¯s naive, clingy, a super little rich girl, with no idea what¡¯s going on in her head all day. But strangely, being with her always brings a sense of youthful naivety, like first love. If influenced by hormones and forced to make a choice, it would be her. Of course, in reality, there¡¯s no need to choose just one; in fact, I have no intention of choosing at all. What¡¯s fake will ultimately remain fake, and even with feelings involved, they won¡¯t become genuine. There is only one constant, undeniable truth: I am the one decreed by destiny! ¡°Are you finished?¡± Kunlun Mirror asked helplessly. This guy is not only skilled at deceiving his master, senior sisters, and junior sisters, but now he¡¯s even deceiving himself, which is truly astonishing. However, it is precisely because his ¡°driving skills¡± are so advanced that Kunlun Mirror is eagerly looking forward to the day he ¡°wrecks the car¡± and to see how marvelous the expression on his face will be. For mending the heavens and saving the world, Kunlun Mirror has already rewarded him with all sorts of peerless talents. For deceiving the hearts of young women, Kunlun Mirror will also make sure he experiences a setback at a critical moment, as a form of punishment! The righteous Ah Jing will never neglect to reward accomplishments nor fail to penalize for misdemeanors! ¡°Alright,¡± Ling Yunpo suppressed his emotions and said indifferently, ¡°Let¡¯s reload the save.¡± [Location one: Kunlun Taiqing Sect, Golden Ridge.] [Character Identity: Qiu Changtian.] [Overlaying with Mirror Flower Water Moon Template, engaging in time-space travel.] Adopting the invincible aura of Qiu Changtian, he calmly walked out of the cave residence. In terms of sect¡¯s scenery, the Kunlun snow ridges were undoubtedly the most monotonous, with nothing but sky and snow as far as the eye could see, which could make one¡¯s eyes go blurry if gazed upon for too long. Therefore, most Kunlun Cultivators are homebodies, capable of staying in their cave residences for years without stepping foot outside. Xu Yinglian was an exception. Aside from breathing exercises and Qi Refinement, she would also take time to practice her Sword Control Technique and Daoist Magic, so she didn¡¯t spend all her time cooped up in her cave residence. Looking down from above, Qiu Changtian saw Xu Yinglian standing at the entrance of her cave residence, sparring in swordsmanship with Third Junior Brother Guan Zhan. After a few exchanges, the Feather Jia Sword finally penetrated the blockade of the Iron Gall Sword, bringing its tip to the front of Guan Zhan¡¯s throat. ¡°I lost,¡± Guan Zhan said coldly. He summoned back his Iron Gall Sword and departed emotionlessly. Qiu Changtian watched speechlessly. After Guan Zhan left on his sword, Qiu Changtian approached Xu Yinglian and asked, ¡°Another sword duel?¡± Xu Yinglian glanced at him sideways and explained, ¡°Junior Brother Guan lost to me last time and wasn¡¯t convinced, so he wanted another match.¡± Of course, Qiu Changtian understood that Junior Sister Xu meant ¡°It wasn¡¯t me who sought him out,¡± so he said with a smile, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Junior Brother Guan to be quite competitive.¡± ¡°Heh,¡± Xu Yinglian scoffed. ¡°Despite being unbeatable, he still challenges me; it¡¯s annoying, right?¡± Qiu Changtian: ? The comment seemed out of the blue, but being a clever man, Qiu Changtian immediately realized that Xu Yinglian was alluding to the times she had frequently challenged him to sword duels in the past, so he smiled and said, ¡°Junior Sister, your unwavering determination in seeking the Dao, how could I ever disdain you?¡± The words reached Xu Yinglian¡¯s ears and, mixed with Qiu Changtian¡¯s invincible character setting, took on a different flavor immediately. It felt like mockery and pity from the strong. Recalling the past Sword Control Technique competitions where she had never once bested him, frustration kindled within Xu Yinglian. Her ire arose, and she simply drew her Feather Jia Sword and said, ¡°Would Senior Brother be willing to enlighten me once more?¡± Qiu Changtian paused for a moment before replying, ¡°It¡¯s not convenient¡­¡± ¡°Does Senior Brother look down on me?¡± Xu Yinglian grew even more irritated. ¡°It¡¯s really not like that¡­¡± Qiu Changtian saw that his Junior Sister was getting worked up again, completely unresponsive to reason, so he could only sigh and say, ¡°Today, my hands are quite skilled, and if you were to compete with me in swordsmanship and lose badly, you must be careful not to let the Heart Demon take advantage of you.¡± [Invincible Character Setting, Synchronization Value +1.] ¡°Come on!¡± Xu Yinglian said angrily. It wasn¡¯t long before Qiu Changtian proved his words were true. Having won so many matches in the Shushan competition, even defeating Duan Fenhai, who was ranked second on the Immortal Sword Ranking, his momentum was at its peak and his state couldn¡¯t be better. The Yu Long Sword collided with the Feather Jia Sword several times in mid-air before it easily crushed the latter¡¯s moves. Xu Yinglian bit her lip and spurred on the Feather Jia Sword, ready to make another effort, but was again struck at a weak point by the Yu Long Sword and sent flying back, defeated and unwilling. ¡°How¡¯s that?¡± Qiu Changtian did not pursue her, merely asking leisurely. [Invincible Character Setting, Synchronization Value +1.] Xu Yinglian silently summoned back her Feather Jia Sword and asked with an expressionless face, ¡°Our True Qi strengths are similar, so is the reason Yu Long can send my Feather Jia flying due to the angle of force applied?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Qiu Changtian was somewhat surprised and began to explain, ¡°You see, when I use my Qi to initiate a slanted slash with the Flying Sword, the force is actually applied at the hilt.¡± ¡°This way, there is torque¡­¡± ¡°The so-called torque, its mechanism is like this¡­¡± He explained the mechanical principles of the Sword Control Technique in a simple and clear way, then concluded, ¡°These principles are all mentioned in the ¡®Renyou Swordsmanship Miscellany.¡¯ You can go to the Scriptural Repository to borrow and read it.¡± The ¡°Renyou Swordsmanship Miscellany,¡± written by a Sword Immortal of the ancient Clarify Cult, was collected by the Three Pure Ones¡¯ Orthodox Sect, yet since it didn¡¯t fall into the category of Qi Refining Technique or Daoist Magic, Kunlun naturally classified it as ¡°miscellaneous reading.¡± Considering there are hundreds of thousands such miscellaneous books in the Kunlun Scripture Pavilion, how could an ordinary Cultivator come to know and see it? It¡¯s all up to fate. Only a faction like the Shushan Shangqing Sect, which values the inheritance of swordsmanship, would single out all the books related to swordsmanship to refer to when refining their Sect¡¯s sword techniques. Xu Yinglian silently noted the title of the book, feeling utterly shocked. Apart from his daily breathing exercises, Qi refinement, Daoist Magic and Sword Control Technique practice, as well as his outings for experience, Senior Brother Qiu also found the time to read these miscellaneous books? Damn it! How could this detestable Senior Brother¡­ be so outstanding? [Invincible Character Setting, Synchronization Value +1.] Where does he get so much time? Upon this thought, Xu Yinglian suddenly had an epiphany. In the past, her way of catching up to Qiu Changtian was to rush forward recklessly, without care. As if to say, ¡°I¡¯ve lost to Senior Brother in Sword Control, so I¡¯ll practice swordsmanship hard, six hours a day, and if that¡¯s not enough, seven or eight hours¡­¡± The result was being left so far behind by Qiu Changtian that she couldn¡¯t even see his shadow. She used to be able to exchange blows with him, but now she couldn¡¯t even withstand a few of his moves. However, after some careful consideration, could the way she was trying to catch up be the problem? Senior Brother Qiu¡­ how exactly does he manage his time? When does he perform breathing exercises or investigate Daoist Magic? When does he study swordsmanship? When does he go out for experience? Why can he overpower me in every aspect? Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Could he have some unique time management techniques? At that thought, the Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart started to operate, and Xu Yinglian began to realize how she had previously taken the wrong path. Knowing the enemy and knowing yourself, you will not be imperiled in a hundred battles. If you don¡¯t even know how the other person cultivates, just blindly rushing forward, how can you possibly win? I need to observe Senior Brother carefully, to see how he arranges his daily twelve hours! Chapter 86 - Chapter 86: Chapter 21 Junior Sister Xu’s Observation Diary Chapter 86: Chapter 21 Junior Sister Xu¡¯s Observation Diary Qiu Changtian felt that something was amiss. He couldn¡¯t put his finger on it, but it seemed as if someone was watching him. Could it be that my spy identity has been discovered by the big shots of the Kunlun Sect?! Impossible! I have no backing force, and I joined the Kunlun Sect as a mortal. My background is clean without any flaws, how could I have possibly attracted the attention of the higher-ups in the sect? He rode his Flying Sword to the Extreme West, the edges of Congling, to continue his study of the Five Thunder True Law. Among the four Thunders he had at his disposal: Jade Pivot Thunder was the most handy to use, consuming less True Qi than the other three, yet its power was not much inferior. Tai Yi Thunder consumed the most True Qi and had a vast range of attack, suitable for casting once and then taking advantage of the chaos to escape. Polar Thunder came with a chilling effect. Its overall power was less than Tai Yi Thunder¡¯s, but it was superior in terms of burst power, exceeding the Jade Pivot Thunder, and could be used for attacking formidable enemies. Immortal Capital Thunder was the fastest, striking instantly and even too quick for a Flying Sword to catch up, making it suitable for sneak attacks or frontal assaults. As for the properties like special attacks on yin spirits and the Dragon Clan, he didn¡¯t need them for now. In any case, each Thunder had its characteristics, and Qiu Changtian needed to master them all to use them as countermeasures at critical moments. Hm? He suddenly turned his head, but saw no one. ¡°Ah Jing, tell me, is someone watching me?¡± Qiu Changtian asked vigilantly. ¡°Yes,¡± the Kunlun Mirror answered leisurely. ¡°Who is it?¡± Qiu Changtian asked with a frown. ¡°Someone who likes you,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said calmly. God damn someone who likes me! Qiu Changtian flew into a rage, to hell with riddle mirrors! All of Kunlun knows how beloved I am by my fellow sect members. There are plenty who like me, how am I to know which one it is? ¡°And it¡¯s the one who is usually closest to you.¡± As if detecting his thoughts, the Kunlun Mirror added. ¡°Oh, Junior Sister Xu eh.¡± Qiu Changtian pondered, ¡°What is she spying on me for?¡± The Kunlun Mirror was speechless. Just hearing ¡°likes you¡± and ¡°closest to you¡± and you can spontaneously deduce it¡¯s Xu Yinglian¡ªaren¡¯t you a bit too narcissistic? The coating of the Kunlun Mirror was ultimately too thin. It didn¡¯t dare contemplate the face-smashing words further, so it decisively chose not to dwell on them and instead asked: ¡°She is on the mountain peak right behind you, watching you intently right now. What do you plan to do?¡± ¡°Not much,¡± Qiu Changtian responded, ¡°If I were to catch her in the act, she¡¯d definitely deny it to her last breath with her thick skin, and even less could be gotten out of her.¡± ¡°Better to pretend I haven¡¯t noticed for now, and see what she¡¯s up to.¡± He continued practicing the Five Thunder True Law, casting a few Divine Thunders, stopping to recover his True Qi, and casually asking the Kunlun Mirror if Junior Sister was still watching from behind. Then he cast a few more Divine Thunders, took a rest, and slowly meditated on the profound truth within the Thunder Method that ¡°Yin and Yang clash, generating fierce peeling energy.¡± Xu Yinglian on the mountaintop gazed down from afar, beginning to ponder as well. Senior Brother has been practicing the Thunder Method here for almost half an hour. Compared to my practice of the Great Bright Fire, the frequency of his Daoist Magic casting is much slower. Meaning that casting Daoist Magic more doesn¡¯t necessarily lead to mastering it faster. Practice isn¡¯t the ultimate goal, deepening the understanding of Daoist Magic through practice is where the true meaning lies. Hmm, worthy of being Senior Brother, I was still too naive. [Invincible Character Setting, Synchronization Value +1.] Qiu Changtian: ? Wait a minute, what did I do? Why did my Synchronization Value increase? He was quite puzzled in his heart, and subconsciously stopped practicing the Thunder Method for a moment. Xu Yinglian saw this and was secretly shocked: Why did Senior Brother suddenly stop? Could it be that he has had a realization? So that¡¯s how it is! How could Senior Brother have so much time to practice multiple Qi Refining Techniques, Daoist Magic, and Sword Control Technique? It turns out it¡¯s all thanks to sudden insights! Under this state of sudden enlightenment, like receiving an infusion of wisdom, barriers swiftly lifted, and naturally, the efficiency of cultivating the Dao increased exponentially compared to the ordinary. To frequently enter the state of sudden enlightenment, aside from relying on one¡¯s innate talent, it seemed that long-term practice and deep contemplation were also part of the secret. Hmph, Senior Brother, you only know how to hide these tricks up your sleeve, but you never expected that I would see right through them, did you? [Invincible Character Setting, Synchronization Value +1.] Qiu Changtian: ?? No, who is increasing my Synchronization Value? Could it be Junior Sister? Has she become so adorable to the extent that she can increase my Synchronization Value even when I¡¯m just standing still? The more Qiu Changtian thought about it, the more he felt something was amiss, so he mounted his Sword Light and flew away. Xu Yinglian hastily followed with her Sword Control Technique, silently taking notes in her heart: [Senior Brother in the east of Congling, practicing the Thunder Method for an hour.] [Although the time allocation is similar to mine, frequent states of sudden enlightenment can increase the efficiency of cultivation.] She carefully followed Senior Brother all the way back to Golden Ridge, then saw Qiu Changtian enter his cave abode. Following quickly into the cave abode, Xu Yinglian cautiously refrained from using her Divine Sense to explore, and after waiting outside the stone room for a long time, she quietly peeked in. She saw Senior Brother Qiu sitting on the stone bed, with legs crossed and facing heavenward, his chest moving slightly as strands of white vapor rose from the top of his head, clearly cultivating the Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra, practicing Breathing and Qi Refining. Xu Yinglian noted to herself: [At the fourth quarter of the Earth Branch corresponding to approximately 1 to 3 p.m., Senior Brother Qiu returned to his cave abode to commence Breathing and Qi Refining.] After cultivating for approximately two hours, Qiu Changtian finally reopened his eyes, slowly exhaling a long breath. Xu Yinglian quickly retracted her head and again took note: [Senior Brother practiced Breathing and Qi Refining for two hours.] [The duration is similar to mine.] Qiu Changtian rose from his meditation posture, seemingly preparing to leave, and Xu Yinglian quickly turned and walked away. As she had just exited the entrance of the cave abode, she saw Jian Qingnan flying by on his sword, suddenly stopping in the air, staring dumbfounded at Junior Sister Xu emerging from the First Senior Brother¡¯s cave abode. Xu Yinglian promptly raised her right index finger to her lips, indicating that this matter was not to be disclosed. Jian Qingnan¡¯s face immediately turned pale: Is Ying Lian implying that I must not disclose this private meeting between her and Senior Brother, or she will tear apart my mouth? He hastily shook his head as if he was playing a pellet drum, and Xu Yinglian seemed satisfied with the response, nodding her head and then hurriedly walked away. Following which, Qiu Changtian came out of his cave abode and, upon seeing Jian Qingnan standing in the air, asked: ¡°Junior Sister, what are you doing here?¡± ¡°I was admiring the majestic and noble bearing of First Senior Brother outside his cave abode,¡± Jian Qingnan said, barely holding back her expression as she blurted out a fib. ¡°Ah?¡± Qiu Changtian was startled for a moment before he saw Jian Qingnan turn her Sword Light and hastily fly away. [Invincible Character Setting, Synchronization Value +1.] Qiu Changtian: ¡­¡­ Which Junior Sister increased my Synchronization Value? Come out, let me properly commend you! As he walked down the mountain path, Xu Yinglian, hearing the footsteps, quickly hid inside her own cave abode. After a moment, she heard Senior Brother Qiu¡¯s voice resounding outside: ¡°Junior Sister Xu, today I was in high spirits and had a spark of inspiration; could you help me complete this piece of music?¡± Xu Yinglian was silent for a moment before she quickly composed her expression, revealing a reserved and aloof demeanor. She then collected the Phoenix Tail Zither from the inner chamber and stepped out of the cave abode, answering: ¡°Okay.¡± Qiu Changtian gave a faint smile and also took out the jade flute hanging from his waist. The two began to play the zither and flute together, with the flute initiating a tune, and the zither subsequently joining in¡ªa meld of call and response, resonating like the profound dialogue between mountains and flowing water, as if a musical kindred spirit was harmonizing. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only The music, initially hesitant and sporadic, gradually became smoother, ultimately rendering a complete piece. The Kunlun Mirror also showed tact, discreetly removing the aura of the Invincible Character Setting, making Qiu Changtian in his white robe, holding a flute, even more spirited and handsome, as gentle and refined as jade. Xu Yinglian felt his change in demeanor, and it seemed as though Senior Brother was no longer so cold and distant, stirring up subtle emotions within her. [Playing music together with Senior Brother for half an hour.] [Feeling a little happy.] Chapter 87 - Chapter 87: Chapter 22: Meeting a Kindred Spirit Overseas, Turns Out to Be a Colleague Chapter 87: Chapter 22: Meeting a Kindred Spirit Overseas, Turns Out to Be a Colleague Over at Shushan, Qiu Changtian¡¯s task in the Ling Yunpo swordplay competition was to defeat Duan Fenhai and secure the second rank on the Immortal Sword Ranking, which he did successfully. The next goal was to hold onto that second rank, which required striking down any challengers with thunderous might, to ensure no one else dared attempt a challenge. This ¡°thunderous might¡± was quite literal in meaning. The Postnatal Five Elements Great Extermination Divine Light was too domineering, turning a Flying Sword into scrap metal with a single brush. It looked unharmed on the outside but was devoid of spiritual essence within, something anyone could detect as being amiss. Only the Five Thunder True Law could deceive with the Daoist magic sealed within the Thunder Punishment Sword¡­ after all, no one knew which Daoist magics were sealed inside it. So, during this period, besides his daily breathing and Qi Refinement, Qiu Changtian focused on practicing the Five Thunder True Law to increase the power of his Thunder Method. He also made sure to check on Junior Sister Xu¡¯s mood, watching for any signs of deviation. Junior Sister Xu¡¯s mood had improved lately, spending her time wholly in cultivation, playing the zither and composing music, or soaking in Kunlun Spring at the market¡ªa life of considerable comfort. The other junior brothers and sisters were much the same, engaging in their own hobbies after their daily breathing and Qi Refinement, allowing their thoughts to flow freely and unhindered. Guan Zhan was addicted to practicing his swordsmanship, Yan Zhitui liked to read, Chen Zhen and Zhong Tianhuai were fond of adventuring everywhere in search of ruins and blessed lands, while Jian Qingnan would gather with other Inner Sect junior sisters, chattering endlessly about who knows what. Compared to the warmth of the Penglai Jade Pure View, and the competitive atmosphere within the Shushan Shangqing Faction, the Kunlun Taiqing Sect was probably the most in line with the ¡°disinterestedness¡± of Cultivating Immortality¡ªan unrestrained, do-what-you-like kind of sect. After several days of cultivation, Qiu Changtian then loaded his save file to visit Luo Yan. There was no particular reason for it; he had simply grown accustomed to spending a few days in each line before switching, to prevent forgetting what needed to be done on a line that hadn¡¯t been loaded for a while. Currently, Luo Yan was on an expense-paid business trip to Wuzhi Island on orders from his master, Elder Shi Ding, alongside Miss Shi. The Heavenly Craft Workshop had previously helped set up an island protection formation for the Wuzhi Cave, but now the formation was malfunctioning, requiring Luo Yan to find the problem and fix it. The disciple from Wuzhi Cave assigned to receive them was a beautiful female cultivator named ¡°Li Qinniang.¡± Luo Yan always felt that there was something off about this woman. [Position Three: East Sea, Wuzhi Island.] [Identity: Luo Yan.] [Mirror Flower Water Moon Template overlay, in the midst of time-space travel.] In the market alleyways of Danzhi Island, Luo Yan got used to the blurry feeling for a moment, then walked out with a warm smile. At a stand ahead, the vendor was eagerly promoting a so-called ¡°beautifying¡± pearl powder to two fairies, only to be quickly seen through by Li Qinniang with a few words, sheepishly offering them a fifty percent discount. Miss Shi, considering Li Qinniang a bosom friend by now, walked arm in arm with her, sharing intimate girlish secrets, as Luo Yan followed behind with a smile. No matter what trick Li Qinniang was plotting, he wasn¡¯t very worried. If she chose to hide it, it meant she didn¡¯t want to provoke a conflict with us for the time being. As for ambushing us, it was even less likely. After all, who the Heavenly Craft Workshop would send to Wuzhi Island was an utter unknown¡ªwhat if Elder Shi Ding himself came? So first of all, on our side, no suspicions were to be revealed, to avoid letting the other party easily detect anything. Second, the reasons why the other party invited us had to be uncovered, to eliminate unnecessary risks. For the latter, Luo Yan planned to take responsibility personally, as only his superior intellect could smoothly penetrate the enemy¡¯s conspiracy. As for the former, that would be left to Miss Shi, who didn¡¯t know anything to begin with and could therefore confuse the other party. Thus, Luo Yan adopted a relaxed demeanor, pretending to be in no rush, and started having a grand time with the two fairies, eating and playing around the market. ¡°Junior Brother, Junior Brother, how about that clam pot?¡± Shi Liuli suddenly asked. Luo Yan followed her gaze and saw rows of neat clay pots set up at a small stand by the side of the street. Steam rose from the pots, which contained clams and glass noodles cooked to a mushy consistency, with a bright soup color and tempting aroma. However, all the ingredients were ordinary foods with no rare or beneficial items for cultivators. Eating out of loneliness, it seems. ¡°Wow, Senior Sister, you really have a sharp eye,¡± Luo Yan feigned surprise, ¡°These vermicelli pots look incredibly delicious.¡± ¡°Oh, there¡¯s just no dealing with you,¡± Shi Liuli said, very pleased with herself, and then turned to Li Qinniang. ¡°My little Junior Brother is good in all aspects, except he¡¯s always craving for tasty food, and no matter how many times I¡¯ve told him, he never changes.¡± She showed a helpless expression that said ¡°It¡¯s all because Junior Brother wants to eat,¡± signaling Luo Yan to hurry up and buy it. Luo Yan went to grab his wallet with a wry smile. No, I must be professional as a spy, never using force unless absolutely necessary. Li Qinniang found it amusing from the sidelines. She could see right through Shi Liuli¡¯s excuse of blaming her own cravings on her Junior Brother. Luo Yan secretly scrutinized her smile and suddenly realized that this woman seemed very much like him. For example, both treated Miss Shi as a fool¡­ ¡°Would Fellow Daoist Li also like to try some?¡± He asked while unhesitatingly buying three cans, and passed the first one to her. ¡°I¡¯ve already tried these local snacks countless times,¡± Li Qinniang said with a flower-like smile, accepting it, ¡°but indeed, they¡¯re so good I never tire of them.¡± Luo Yan took the second can, patiently blew it cool, and then handed it to Miss Shi. Shi Liuli was overjoyed. These little tacit understanding moments between senior sister and junior brother, especially when displayed in front of outsiders, brought her great pleasure and enjoyment. However, Li Qinniang seemed to have no realization of this, simply eating the vermicelli calmly. No, that¡¯s not right. Luo Yan mused in his heart. With the woman¡¯s previous behavior, she couldn¡¯t possibly have missed Miss Shi¡¯s show-off. She just didn¡¯t care. With that thought, Luo Yan could finally confirm that this person was likely the same kind as him. I should bestow my false persona upon you, Fellow Daoist Li¡­ Hm? Suddenly, Luo Yan remembered something and quickly said to the Kunlun Mirror: ¡°Ah Jing! Does Li Qinniang show any traces of being possessed by a Heavenly Demon?¡± ¡°Just telling it like it is,¡± the Kunlun Mirror covertly activated its ability, observing for a while before saying without changing her expression, ¡°Indeed¡­¡± Her voice paused for a moment, then she continued: ¡°It¡¯s not a case of Heavenly Demon possession, but like you, she¡¯s not showing her true appearance to others¡ªshe¡¯s used some kind of Heavenly Demon Illusory Art to disguise herself into what you all see now.¡± ¡°Hmph,¡± Luo Yan burst into laughter, ¡°So that¡¯s how it is.¡± This ¡°Li Qinniang¡± wasn¡¯t a cultivator from Wuzhi Cave at all but a Demonic Path spy that had been swapped in. Trying to spy in front of me is like showing off woodworking skills in front of Lu Ban, or wielding a broadsword in front of Guan Yu! ¡°Can you confirm it¡¯s the Heavenly Demon Illusory Art?¡± Luo Yan asked to confirm again. ¡°Confirmed,¡± said the Kunlun Mirror with certainty. The Heavenly Demon Illusory Art is a signature illusion technique from the Intercepting Cult¡¯s Demonic Path. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only This branch of the Demonic Path excels at harvesting people¡¯s Seven Emotions and Six Desires, and even living souls, to refine all sorts of Demon Heads and cast various Evil Demon Laws. Among them is a magic called ¡°Ten Aspects Release Method,¡± which allows the caster to freely change their face, stature, skin color, voice, and scent, and even become a child, youth, elder, strong man, or woman, considered the most inscrutable illusion in the world. Of course, Ah Jing¡¯s Mirror Flower Water Moon is an exception and is not included in this. Confirming the true identity of the opponent as a cultivator from the Heavenly Demon Path, Luo Yan felt as if a weight had been lifted from his chest and immediately became assured. A mere Evil Demon of the External Path, impersonating a righteous cultivator, let¡¯s see how I deal with you! Chapter 89 - Chapter 89: Chapter 24 Using Each Other, Mutual Wariness Chapter 89: Chapter 24 Using Each Other, Mutual Wariness ¡°In the Ancient Era, this island was located on the border between the Clarify Cult and the Intercepting Cult, not inhabited by anyone. The Clarify Cult called it ¡®Wuzhi Island¡¯, while the Intercepting Cult called it ¡®Five Poisons Island¡¯.¡± ¡°Wuzhi refers to the growth of five types of spiritual fungi on each of the five islands, known as the Red, Gold, Jade, Black, and Wood Lingzhi.¡± ¡°Five Poisons refers to the presence of five types of poisonous creatures on each of the islands, specifically scorpions, spiders, centipedes, toads, and snakes. Each feeds on one of the Lingzhi fungi.¡± Upon hearing this, Li Qinniang tightened her clothes around her body without showing any reaction. Although she was not afraid of bugs, she found them quite repellent. Seeing her discomfort, her Senior Sister showed a pleased expression and continued, ¡°Originally, Five Poisons Island was under the control of the Intercepting Cult, used for raising and cultivating poisons.¡± ¡°After the Intercepting Cult met defeat in the East Sea, many of its powerful members were killed. The poisons on Five Poisons Island were also exterminated by the Clarify Cult, which had taken over the place.¡± ¡°But the most crucial poison creature, due to its exceedingly secretive hiding place, luckily survived the massacre.¡± ¡°How can you be so sure?¡± Li Qinniang asked softly. ¡°After the destruction of the Intercepting Cult, the Beast Taming Path has been continuously sending people to the East Sea,¡± her Senior Sister said coldly. ¡°Given the considerable resources and manpower they¡¯ve invested, it¡¯s highly unlikely they¡¯re searching for some elusive phantom. They must have some way to confirm that the creature is still alive.¡± Li Qinniang said nothing for a moment, her mind churning with thoughts. If what her Senior Sister said was true, then considering the Beast Taming Path¡¯s previous arrogant behavior, a poison creature that could intrigue them to such an extent that they would go to great lengths to deal with it, was very likely the one her Senior Sister suspected¡­ ¡°I understand now.¡± She smiled sweetly. ¡°Then I will follow the plan and lead those two to the place.¡± ¡°Good,¡± her Senior Sister responded sternly, ¡°Once they¡¯ve disabled the Formation, you¡¯ll use the Divine Light to subdue them both.¡± ¡°Yes, Senior Sister,¡± Li Qinniang complied. After bidding farewell to her Senior Sister, her face once again took on a playful expression. To be honest, when she first met Luo Yan, she had an inexplicable sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu but couldn¡¯t quite pin down what it was at the time. It suddenly dawned on her: The similarity between him and me is that we both have idiotically foolish Senior Sisters. The only difference is that he is still subtly manipulating his Senior Sister, while I can no longer tolerate this imbecile. Well, this could be a good opportunity to get rid of her. ¡­¡­¡­ The following days passed with nothing eventful happening. Ling Yunpo continued his streak of easy victories. Among his seven or eight opponents, only one was ranked beyond the eightieth place on the Immortal Sword Ranking; the rest were unranked newcomers. It was an effortless win that delighted Senior Sister An. On Qiu Changtian¡¯s side, when he wasn¡¯t busy with routine cultivation, he was taking care of Xu Yinglian. If the Junior Sister wasn¡¯t happy, he would take her out to challenge others or to gain experience through adventures. This led to strange rumors within the Taiqing Sect, suggesting the two had already become Daoist Companions. When Xu Yinglian first heard these rumors, she felt a mix of embarrassment and annoyance, but seeing Qiu Changtian¡¯s calm demeanor, she didn¡¯t want to lose to her Senior Brother in terms of composure and gradually became indifferent towards the gossip. Luo Yan accompanied Shi Liuli on various tours with Li Qinniang, the host, providing them with delightful company throughout. It wasn¡¯t until they had finished visiting all of Wuzhi Island and sampled all the local delicacies that Miss Shi remembered the real purpose of their trip. Guided by Li Qinniang, the two made their way to the uninhabited islands of Wuzhi Cave and began examining the key points of its Formation one by one. Luo Yan had to admit that his master, Shi Ding, was truly skilled in setting up Formations. ¡®Observing the mountains and the waters¡¯ means integrating the artificial Formation with the natural terrain to minimize operational loss and prolong the life of the Formation. No wonder his master¡¯s first reaction was ¡®impossible¡¯ when he heard there was a problem with the Formation. After examining more than a dozen small islands, Shi Liuli, finding it boring, used her sword to fly back to Danzhi Island to explore the market. Luo Yan patiently adjusted the Formation flags, only to hear Li Qinniang ask from behind, ¡°It seems that Luo Daoist Friend is quite adept at Formations?¡± ¡°I dare not claim to excel,¡± Luo Yan said indifferently, ¡°I only have a slight understanding.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Li Qinniang neither agreed nor disagreed, simply smiling as she said, ¡°I wonder if my friend understands ancient formations?¡± Upon hearing this, Luo Yan¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Was she showing her true colors? At the moment, the two were on a deserted island, and Miss Shi was not present; whether she desired to attack him or he wished to kill her, there was ample opportunity. Well, if she makes even the slightest move, I¡¯ll just kill her with the Postnatal Five Elements Great Extermination Divine Light. With that thought in mind, Luo Yan decided not to keep up the pretense any longer, and simply said: ¡°Speak then, what formation do you want me to break?¡± Li Qinniang giggled: ¡°My friend is truly amusing. Why would you think that I want you to break a formation?¡± ¡°Because the protective grand formation of Wuzhi Cave has no problems,¡± Luo Yan said expressionlessly. ¡°And my friend is not someone from the Wuzhi Cave.¡± Li Qinniang fell silent for a moment, then suddenly revealed a mischievous smile: ¡°Interesting.¡± ¡°I thought my disguise was flawless¡­¡± ¡°So could my friend enlighten me, where did I slip up?¡± ¡°What are you plotting?¡± Luo Yan countered instead of answering. Li Qinniang stared at him intently for a while before biting her finger in frustration and saying: ¡°You¡¯re not going to take action directly? I thought all you orthodox sect people had the straightforward nature of ¡®demons and heretics must all be executed.¡¯¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct,¡± Luo Yan replied calmly. ¡°So based on your answer, I will determine whether you are a demon or heretic.¡± Li Qinniang¡¯s mind raced, and she surmised that his seemingly confident demeanor might indeed be backed by a powerful trump card capable of self-protection. Indeed, he is similar to me. ¡°Actually, it¡¯s quite simple,¡± she said with a smile. ¡°I found an ancient relic on Wuzhi Island, protected by an obscure formation on the outside, so I wish to borrow my friend¡¯s strength to break through it.¡± ¡°Once the formation is broken, we can split the spoils inside the relic fifty-fifty. How about that?¡± Luo Yan thought for a moment, then asked: ¡°Where is this relic located?¡± ¡°Right on this island,¡± Li Qinniang narrowed her eyes. ¡°But the entrance is extremely hidden. If my friend were to go alone, you would definitely not find any clues.¡± Luo Yan, astute as he was, immediately understood that she was cautioning him not to think about ditching her to look for the relic. As for her saying ¡°the entrance is extremely hidden,¡± that made sense. After all, this place had been under the control of the Wuzhi Cave for thousands of years, and even if located on a rarely visited island, it would be difficult to conceal from the eyes of the local cultivators. There must be some mechanism that conceals its presence. Of course, Luo Yan had no intention of starting a fight with her either, since he wasn¡¯t a Guardian Taoist who detested evil to the extent of needing to eradicate it completely at the sight of a Demon Cult cultivator. Moreover, since she had taken the initiative to reveal her identity and was not worried about him attacking her¡­ perhaps she also had a similar trump card for self-preservation. There was no need to rashly attack her without any benefit. And she likely held the same belief towards him. With both parties using and wary of each other, a fragile basis for cooperation was established. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Alright,¡± Luo Yan then nodded and said, ¡°let¡¯s first locate that relic.¡± ¡°Let me say this upfront,¡± Li Qinniang smiled charmingly, reminding him, ¡°Although it is an ancient relic, it may not be safe; my friend must still be cautious.¡± ¡°You need not worry about that,¡± Luo Yan replied without hesitation under her probing gaze, ¡°Lead the way quickly!¡± Seeing that his expression remained flawless and he didn¡¯t even ask for more details, Li Qinniang felt increasingly puzzled about his strength, but could only smile and say: ¡°My friend, please follow me.¡± Chapter 90 - Chapter 90: Chapter 25 The God-Devil of Forms, Five Elements Divine Light Chapter 90: Chapter 25 The God-Devil of Forms, Five Elements Divine Light ¡°` At that moment, what the two sides had reached was a fragile equilibrium. On one hand, they were mutually exploiting each other¡¯s value. Luo Yan needed Li Qinniang to lead the way to the ruins, while Li Qinniang needed Luo Yan to decipher the formations surrounding the ruins. On the other hand, they were also wary of each other¡¯s hidden strength. Without necessity or confidence, rashly starting a fight would be disadvantageous for both parties. But such a fragile balance could not last forever. The moment one party showed a weakness, or a sufficient benefit arose, someone would immediately take the risk. Therefore, Luo Yan kept his hands constantly hidden in his sleeves, making sure he could silently unleash the Immortal Capital Thunder¡ªthis thunder was the fastest among all Thunder Methods, even faster than Flying Sword, perfectly suited for taking the initiative in combat. At the same time, he reminded the Kunlun Mirror in his Sea of Consciousness to help keep an eye on any movements around them. Following Li Qinniang through the woods, they entered a swamp. Luo Yan frowns, noticing that these swamps were primarily made up of pale blue wastewater, teeming with vermin and larvae squirming in the water, swarms of mosquitoes flying above them, enough to make even cultivators take a step back. Going further in, they would most likely encounter miasma. Li Qinniang, however, was indifferent and continued on calmly. Luo Yan followed her to the center of the swamp, where the trees grew denser, blocking out the sun and shrouding the area in darkness. ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± Li Qinniang suddenly said. Following the direction she pointed, Luo Yan saw a deep pool with a diameter of about three or four meters, located on the edge of where the swamp and the low hill met. At first glance, it seemed inconspicuous. But upon closer inspection, anomalies could be found. First, the color of the water was wrong, too clear, sharply contrasting with the surrounding swamp. Second, there were no bugs in the water, and swarms of mosquitoes refused to approach, as if there was an invisible wall of air. ¡°Daoist Luo, do you recognize this formation?¡± Li Qinniang asked with a smile. ¡°Mount Sumeru Great Elaboration Formation?¡± As Luo Yan sent out his Divine Sense to investigate the distribution of Spiritual Power, his face suddenly showed a look of surprise, ¡°No, there¡¯s also the Ren Water Dragon-Locking Formation.¡± ¡°Dual formations nested together, one for defense outside, the other for locking inside. What kind of structure is this? It doesn¡¯t look like ruins, it¡¯s more like a prison.¡± ¡°Do you have a way to solve it?¡± Li Qinniang continued to ask, while imperceptibly glancing at a location in the distance. Her senior sister was hiding behind the low hill, having laid an ambush with thirty-six corporeal Demon Heads, waiting for Luo Yan to solve the formation so they could rush out and kill him outright. ¡°It¡¯s hard to say, the rank of the person who set up the formation is too high,¡± Luo Yan was studying the formation when he heard the Kunlun Mirror speak, ¡°There is a Demon Path Cultivator behind the low hill in front.¡± Hmm? Luo Yan immediately tensed up, suddenly noticing Li Qinniang beside him emitting a trace of Demonic Qi. But it was fleeting, so quick it was almost as if he had imagined it. What¡¯s with this person? Luo Yan was extremely cautious in his heart. The trace of Demonic Qi just now almost made him believe that she was about to attack, and he was about to cast Thunder Method, when she retracted it again. It was as if it was meant to intimidate me¡­ wait, deliberately? Linking this to the warning from the Kunlun Mirror, Luo Yan quickly realized what was happening. The Demon Path Cultivator behind the low hill and this Li Qinniang were in cahoots, lying in ambush here to attack him the moment he disabled the formation. However, Li Qinniang and her accomplice had a seemingly harmonious but actually strained relationship; she didn¡¯t want to be directly assassinated, so she deliberately released Demonic Qi to put him on his guard. In essence, she wanted to incite a deadly fight between him and the other person, so she could profit from their conflict. With these thoughts in mind, Luo Yan continued to calmly study the formation. The Mount Sumeru Great Elaboration Formation and the Ren Water Dragon-Locking Formation were both extremely profound formations. Even Elder Shi Ding, if he were here, probably wouldn¡¯t dare claim he could easily solve these two formations. Luckily, the formation had been set up ten thousand years ago, and since then, landscapes had shifted, and the stars had changed their courses, creating many weaknesses in what was once a flawless formation. The person who set up the formation must have been a Nascent Soul old monster, or even a higher-level immortal, but their mastery of formation was not deep, nor did they know the techniques of repairing and maintaining it, which left the once perfect 100-point formation with only about 15 points remaining. ¡°` Even 15 minutes, for a cultivator at the Foundation Establishment Rank, seemed as unattainable as the heavens. As the saying goes, without a diamond how can you cut porcelain? Even if Luo Yan could think of a hundred methods, he struggled as his cultivation level was too low to begin¡­ That¡¯s right! With the talent of ¡°Enlightened Upon Hearing,¡± Luo Yan suddenly had an inspiration flash through his mind. I have the Postnatal Five Elements Great Extermination Divine Light! The Ren Water Dragon-Locking Formation is an extremely formidable Water System formation. The body of water below appears to be a deep pond, but its actual volume is nearly infinite, not an exaggeration to say it¡¯s like an entire ocean. An ordinary cultivator stepping into it would not be surprised to be crushed into a meat paste. But such a formation certainly can¡¯t escape the Five Elements. I just need to activate the Five Elements Divine Light, extract and refine the Ren Water True Essence from it, and the formation will resolve itself! As for the Mount Sumeru Great Elaboration Formation, it is a profound spatial class formation. Within Mount Sumeru, one can make vast distances seem as close as a hair¡¯s breadth, perfect for entrapping enemies. However, I have a mirror on me that possesses the Daoist Magic of the time-space category, specialising in transporting me here and there¡­ ¡°Cough cough.¡± The Kunlun Mirror spoke up, ¡°I can help you break the Mount Sumeru Great Elaboration Formation.¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to break it,¡± Luo Yan said with a slight smile, ¡°Ah Jing, can you take control of the formation instead?¡± ¡°I can, but¡­¡± the Kunlun Mirror responded subconsciously, then realized, ¡°You want to use the formation to counter-kill them?¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Luo Yan smiled, ¡°How could I not make good use of running into two big formations that I can solve?¡± ¡°Alright.¡± The Kunlun Mirror agreed. Luo Yan, controlling the Flying Sword in the air, extended his arm and made a pressing motion towards the water pond below. The air barrier that separated the inside from the outside began to twist faintly. Li Qinniang: ? She suddenly had a very bad premonition. From a young age, her premonition for fatal danger had always been very accurate, this intuition even saved her life several times between life and death. A great terror rose from the bottom of her heart, and almost immediately, Li Qinniang screamed as she retreated: ¡°The formation is broken! Senior Sister, make your move now!¡± The Demon Path female cultivator ambushed behind the hillock immediately leapt out with numerous Demon Heads! These Demon Heads, known as ¡°Thirty-six Manifestation Demons,¡± were invoked through a secret technique that drew in a ¡°Fifth Delighted Heaven¡± being from beyond the Heavenly Dome, calling down the otherworldly Demon Heads into the Lower Realm, and then refining them for personal use. The Demon Heads from the Delighted Heaven naturally could morph into various shapes, birds in the sky, elephants and horses on the ground, impervious to any physical blades and swords. Once the thirty-six Demon Heads appeared, they immediately transformed into green-faced and fanged Asura figures, rushing towards Luo Yan! Li Qinniang, being closer to Luo Yan, quickly widened the gap, while from her sleeves she sent out another Demon Head, a regular-looking Heavenly Demon with a human head, howling as it charged at Luo Yan. Luo Yan descended a few dozens of feet with his Sword Control and landed in the Mount Sumeru Great Elaboration Formation. With a flick of his right hand, the Immortal Capital Thunder was released, a red lightning bolt slammed downwards, instantly killing and disintegrating the human-headed Heavenly Demon into a wisp of black smoke. The female Demon Path cultivator took advantage of the situation, commanding the Manifestation Demons to kill their way to the front, the thirty-six Demon Heads surrounded Luo Yan, spewing out masses of ink-like dense smoke, directing it straight at Luo Yan¡¯s face! This smoke was the innate divine ability of the Manifestation Demons, incredibly sinister. An ordinary cultivator touched by it would immediately stir up the Seven Emotions and Six Desires, fire of the heart blazing uncontrollably, unable to move, left at the mercy of the Demon Heads¡¯ slaughter and consumption. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only However, Luo Yan remained still within the formation. The masses of black smoke enveloped him, yet could not get within a few inches of his body, as if blocked by an invisible air barrier. The female Demon Path cultivator paused upon seeing this, then looked towards her junior, Li Qinniang, only to see her already driving her Sword Light at full speed, disappearing into the dense forest. The next second, Luo Yan brought his hands together and rubbed, and a five-colored radiance squirted out from between his palms, quickly sweeping over the surrounding Demon Heads. The Demon Heads wailed in unison, the Five Elements in disarray, turning into black smoke that dissipated into nothingness! These thirty-six Manifestation Demons, capable of besieging a Golden Core Rank cultivator, couldn¡¯t even withstand a mere moment under the radiation of the Five Elements Ultimate Extermination Divine Light! Chapter 91 - Chapter 91: Chapter 26 The Gold Sesame and Jade Leaves Flower Chapter 91: Chapter 26 The Gold Sesame and Jade Leaves Flower The Postnatal Five Elements Great Extermination Divine Light, achieved unexpectedly excellent results in its first real battle. The thirty-six substantial demonic entities were instantly turned into flying ashes under the overwhelming might of the Five Elements Divine Light. Seeing this, the female demon cultivator was momentarily stunned before she quickly changed direction and made a run for it. Only then did she realize that earlier, Jiang Shimei¡¯s cry of ¡°Senior sister, make your move quickly,¡± was not really urging her to engage the enemy. It was to distract the cultivator¡¯s attention so she herself could seize the chaos to escape! ¡°Damn it!¡± she immediately activated the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Technique, with her cultivation dramatically increasing, and her essence blood beginning to burn furiously. Desperate to escape, she blasted herself forward while mentally cursing the junior sister countless times. ¡°Damn junior sister, after I escape this time and catch you, I will definitely skin you, pull out your tendons, crush your bones to dust, lock your soul in the Demon Refining Pot, and refine you for forty-nine days, turning you into a vengeful demon to suffer for eternity¡­¡± Before she could finish her curse, she realized that despite the Sword Light reaching its peak speed, she had strangely not made much progress in her location. To be more precise, the space had been oddly stretched by the formation¡­ Suddenly, both she and her Sword Light were completely devoured by the endless Five Elements Ultimate Extermination Divine Light. Luo Yan staggered out from the Mount Sumeru Great Elaboration Formation, feeling his True Qi almost depleted. The consumption of the Five Elements Divine Light was really exaggerated¡ªit had only lasted for about four or five seconds¡­ When he arrived at where the demon cultivator had perished, he found that her body had already disintegrated into ashes, and the Flying Sword she had commanded had turned into a piece of scrap metal. Luo Yan: ¡­¡­ Did the Storage Bag and all the treasures inside also turn into ash? Alright, from now on, unless necessary, I must not use the Five Elements Divine Light recklessly, lest it block my path to wealth and riches. Luo Yan turned around again, looking in the direction where ¡°Li Qinniang¡± had fled. She fled quickly, just in the nick of time when I controlled the formation but had not yet used the Five Elements Divine Light. After a brief hesitation, Luo Yan decided to abandon his plan to pursue her. On one hand, she had already left the range of the formation, and there was no certainty of catching up; on the other hand, with Miss Shi still playing on Danzhi Island, the priority was to explore the ruins below as quickly as possible, without wasting any more time! With that thought in mind, he took out an Elixir from his sleeve to recover his True Qi, then swiftly dove into the deep pool below. With the help of the Kunlun Mirror, he effortlessly penetrated the Mount Sumeru Great Elaboration Formation and plunged into the Ren Water Dragon-Locking Formation. As soon as he was underwater, what came from all around were immense pressure, cold, and darkness. There are two types of true water, Gui Water and Ren Water; if the Gui Water True Essence is the Rootless and Unceasing Water, the ¡°spring eye¡± of all rivers, lakes, and seas in the world; Then Ren Water is the vast Beiming Water, a single drop possessing the terrifying volume of myriads of catties. If it were any ordinary cultivator, they would have been crushed into meat paste, but Luo Yan was well prepared. Relying on the True Qi replenishment from the Elixir and once again stimulating the Five Elements Divine Light, he protected his body and with a forceful envelopment. The pressure, cold, and darkness all receded in an instant. By forcefully breaking the Ren Water Dragon-Locking Formation with the Five Elements Divine Light, Luo Yan only felt darkness before his eyes. The True Qi that he had just restored using the Elixir was instantly depleted again. Although frequently taking Elixirs in a short period of time was certain to increase drug resistance and decrease conversion efficiency, there seemed to be no better solution for the moment. He took another Elixir, then peered inwardly, seeing the Qi Sea slowly filling up, with the enlightening glows of red, blue, yellow, white, and black among them. The black glow was notably deeper, clearly due to absorbing the Ren Water True Essence. According to the mental method of the Five Elements Divine Light, if one could gather the Great Sun True Yang Fire, along with four other types of ¡°Yang Five Elements True Veins¡±¡ªthe Ten-Thousand-Year Sky-Supporting Wood, the Deep, Thick, and Long Breath Earth, the Heavenly Meteorite Tai Bai Metal, and the Vast Beiming Water¡ªcombining them with the previously refined ¡°Yin Five Elements True Veins,¡± the Yin and Yang Five Elements would complement each other and elevate the Postnatal Five Elements Great Extermination Divine Light to the Innate Rank. Of course, that¡¯s probably even harder than ¡°becoming an immortal.¡± For example, the Ren Water True Essence exists only in the depths of the Sea Abyss, ten thousand zhang beneath the end of the North Sea, unreachable by anyone who is not immortal. The only way is to have a stroke of huge luck, like this time, finding a drop in ancient ruins. Hmm, on careful thought, just four more similar strokes of tremendous luck would allow the Postnatal Five Elements Great Extermination Divine Light to upgrade. It seems not difficult¡­ Suppressing the torrent of thoughts, Luo Yan controlled the Sword Light to continue sinking, penetrating the water membrane. Below the deep pool was a vast underground space, roughly the size of a football field. Surrounding it were about a dozen stone houses, standing side by side, indistinguishable from each other on the outside. In the very center was a large golden field, but it wasn¡¯t wheat that was planted there, but some kind of bizarre plant, not a flower yet not a mushroom either, with petals or mushroom slices as thin as cicada wings, trembling up and down as if breathing. Luo Yan cautiously drew out the Green Duckweed Sword, which hovered in the air, as if facing a formidable enemy, looking around vigilantly. ¡°Eh?¡± Green Duckweed Sword suddenly said, ¡°Isn¡¯t that the Golden Mushroom and Jade Leaf Flower?¡± ¡°What?¡± asked Luo Yan. ¡°Golden Mushroom and Jade Leaf Flower,¡± Green Duckweed Sword replied. ¡°It¡¯s a hybrid of five species of mushrooms, watered day and night with flesh and blood, crossbreeding for over a hundred generations until the color gradually turns to bright gold.¡± ¡°Then they¡¯re watered with hundreds of poisons to weaken the mushroom, making it increasingly frail until its thickness is as tender as a petal; the toxins inside are so violently extreme that it becomes the Golden Mushroom and Jade Leaf Flower.¡± ¡°This thing is used to cultivate the Hundred Poison Golden Silkworm Gu; why would it be planted here¡­ oh, this is a relic of the Intercepting Cult from ancient times, right?¡± ¡°How do you know that too?¡± Luo Yan said with an expressionless face, ¡°Where is the Hundred Poison Golden Silkworm Gu?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been over ten thousand years; while the Golden Mushroom and Jade Leaf Flower, as a near-dead entity, can endure, the Golden Silkworm Gu as a living thing couldn¡¯t last that long,¡± Green Duckweed Sword replied. ¡°They should all be in the form of unhatched larvae. Look in the nearby buildings for some kind of sealing treasure containers, like a basin or bowl.¡± Luo Yan did as instructed and began to search through the nearby houses one by one. The first was an ordinary stone room, with only a bed, chest, table, and chairs, all empty. The second was also an ordinary stone room, with an old meditation cushion in the center of the floor and nothing else. The third room was slightly larger, but inside it was furnished like a prison, with stone bars dividing countless single cells, and their surfaces covered with talisman scripts emitting a sinister black aura, frightening to behold. Luo Yan, who was not a talisman script researcher, could not understand them at all, so he dared not touch and exited carefully. The interior of the fourth room seemed to be a storeroom, with plenty of stone cabinets and platforms for placing Elixir Bottles and Magical Treasures¡ªbut now they were all empty. In other words, the owner of this dwelling had not fled in an emergency but had packed everything meticulously before leaving calmly. So, the so-called Hundred Poison Golden Silkworm Gu might also¡­ ¡°Of course not,¡± the Kunlun Mirror reminded. ¡°If the Hundred Poison Golden Silkworm Gu were not left here, the owner of the dwelling wouldn¡¯t have left the Golden Mushroom and Jade Leaf Flower either.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± agreed Green Duckweed Sword. ¡°The Golden Mushroom and Jade Leaf Flower is virtually a half-alive entity, extremely fragile, and almost impossible to transplant elsewhere.¡± ¡°Without the Golden Mushroom and Jade Leaf Flower, once the Hundred Poison Golden Silkworm Gu hatches outside, it can¡¯t be tamed and immediately poses the danger of turning against its master.¡± ¡°Similarly, without the Hundred Poison Golden Silkworm Gu, there¡¯s no use for the Golden Mushroom and Jade Leaf Flower; it¡¯s better to uproot it, press out the juice, and extract the venom, for it is also a rare spiritual object.¡± The Kunlun Mirror concluded: Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Since there are Golden Mushroom and Jade Leaf Flowers growing here, and the dwelling¡¯s Formation is still in operation, it¡¯s very likely that the owner would have also left the Hundred Poison Golden Silkworm Gu here, sealed somewhere, planning to return and deal with it later.¡± After pondering for a moment, Luo Yan neither agreed nor disagreed, simply continuing the search in the next stone house. After searching through seven or eight houses, upon entering a certain room, Luo Yan suddenly caught his breath. He saw a palm-sized mortar quietly placed on a stone table, with a bell cover inverted on top, covering it. The mortar and the bell cover were both swirling with radiance, clearly Magical Treasures specially used for sealing. Chapter 92 - Chapter 92: Chapter 27 The Hundred Poisons Golden Silkworm Gu Chapter 92: Chapter 27 The Hundred Poisons Golden Silkworm Gu ¡°Ah Jing, help scan for traps.¡± Luo Yan stood cautiously outside the door, not making any move, not even using his Divine Sense to investigate inside. After all, with a thing like the Hundred Poison Golden Silkworm Gu at stake, he simply didn¡¯t believe the ancient powerhouses would leave it unprotected, just lying carelessly on the opposite side. ¡°Mirror Flower Water Moon, Silent Photographic Void!¡± The Kunlun Mirror readily shone its radiance over. Thus, the scene before Luo Yan¡¯s eyes changed once again: The Hundred Poison Golden Silkworm Gu was still placed on the stone table, only it had shifted positions. Moreover, the floor, walls, and ceiling, which were originally bare, were now covered with countless Formation curse scripts drawn in black lines, twinkling with cold light and emitting a chilling atmosphere. Upon a cursory glance, Luo Yan recognized three of the Formations. The Myriad Souls Devouring Heart Formation, Blood Decay and Flesh Withering Formation, Soul Dispelling and Spirit Destroying Formation¡ªall archaic and sinister formations, long lost and only recorded in ancient texts, caused Luo Yan¡¯s back to break out in cold sweat. If someone were to rush in and fall for these traps, it¡¯s doubtful they¡¯d even have the chance for reincarnation; the owner of this dungeon was certainly ruthless. However, even though he had now confirmed that the place was riddled with traps, he still felt somewhat at a loss about how to dismantle or bypass them. Well, Qing Ping¡¯s Daoist Magic ¡°Green Mist Veil Over The Mountains,¡± having its power halved for not being of the Water System, could be used to give it a try. But even halved, the power of these formations was not something he could withstand at the moment. ¡°Or how about I give you a suggestion?¡± The Kunlun Mirror suddenly spoke, ¡°You can¡¯t pass through these traps unscathed, but she can.¡± ¡°She?¡± Before Luo Yan could react, the Green Duckweed Sword started to scream: ¡°Kunlun Mirror, you should accumulate some virtue!¡± ¡°Hang on,¡± Luo Yan spoke calmly, ¡°The Green Duckweed Sword can remain unharmed under the power of these traps? It¡¯s my Life-bound Sword Artifact, and our auras have already started to connect. If it were to be severely damaged, I would be hurt as well.¡± ¡°She can,¡± the Kunlun Mirror stated calmly, ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, ask her yourself.¡± After a long silence, the Green Duckweed Sword, seeing that Luo Yan had stopped talking, finally spoke in a low voice: ¡°I can indeed pass through these traps unharmed.¡± ¡°Just command me, Sword Master.¡± ¡°Command?¡± Luo Yan couldn¡¯t help but laugh upon hearing this, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t do such a thing.¡± The Green Duckweed Sword seemed taken aback by his words, only to hear Luo Yan continue: ¡°As a Life-bound Sword Artifact, do you still need the Sword Master to issue orders to you personally?¡± ¡°Considering the Sword Master¡¯s interests should be something you do on your own initiative. If I have to command you for everything, what¡¯s the difference between you and a Flying Sword that has no Sword Spirit?¡± Then, in the awkward silence, the Green Duckweed Sword finally laughed heartily: ¡°Alright, Sword Master.¡± ¡°Please step back a bit.¡± After Luo Yan retreated, the Green Duckweed Sword turned into a streak of black light and shot straight into the stone house. Almost simultaneously, the entire stone house exploded violently from the inside. In the rising Demonic Qi, among the shockwaves and dust spreading in all directions, the black light curled back and returned, stopping in front of Luo Yan, revealing its undamaged blade as well as items trapped under a mortar and cloche. ¡°Sword Master,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword said cheerfully, ¡°I have succeeded without shaming your command.¡± ¡°Very good,¡± Luo Yan nodded, but did not reach out to take them, obviously concerned there might be some toxins on them. ¡°The eggs of the Golden Silkworm Gu inside seem to all be in a state ready to hatch at any moment,¡± the Kunlun Mirror reminded, ¡°You just need to drop your Essence Blood on top of the cloche, and it will permeate through, allowing you to Refine and hatch the Golden Silkworm Gu.¡± After a brief moment of thought, Luo Yan did as instructed. He held his hand above the cloche and used the Shangyang Sword Qi to pierce his fingertip, releasing a few Blood Beads. Falling onto the cloche, they immediately soaked in like water on a sponge. After a moment, the mortar and cloche began to shake violently. Luo Yan frowned and stepped back a few paces, only to suddenly hear a rustling noise emanating from within his Sea of Consciousness. That sound was extremely shrill, resembling the cries of a baby, and it seemed to be coming from the golden silkworm gu that had been refined from the bowl: ¡°So hungry, so hungry, so hungry, so hungry, so hungry, so hungry, so hungry¡­¡± ¡°Eat flowers, eat flowers, eat flowers, eat flowers, eat flowers, eat flowers, eat flowers¡­¡± Before the echoes faded, the bell-shaped cover was finally lifted. Several streaks of white light darted out quickly, rushing towards the nearby flower field in an impatient frenzy. After a short while, the sound of incessant nibbling could be heard. Just a few breaths¡¯ time and about one-fifth of the Golden Fleece Jade Leaf flowers had been nibbled clean. The three golden silkworm gu had had their fill and flew back from the flower field, landing in the palm of Luo Yan¡¯s right hand, each curling up into a ball. Luo Yan looked indifferently at the three insects. Hmm¡­ pretty ugly. The Hundred Poison Golden Silkworms, in appearance, were plump white caterpillar-like creatures with four segments to their bodies. Their skin wasn¡¯t soft flesh but the hard chitinous shell characteristic of insects. Beneath each body segment were two pairs of tiny pincers, totaling eight pairs, which allowed them to cling onto objects like tortoise beetles and secure themselves. Additionally, on the back of the first and second body segments, they sported two pairs of beetle-like elytra¡ªouter layers of hardened shell with an inner layer of semi-transparent cicada wings. On their heads, they had four half-convex, black-jade-like eyes, two pairs stacked vertically, their surfaces crisscrossed with countless grid lines, resembling the eerie structure of compound eyes. Underneath the eyes were a pair of gigantic mandibles akin to those of a longhorn beetle, presenting a purplish-black sheen and occasionally snapping shut crisply, quite unnerving to witness. Perhaps due to feeding on the Golden Fleece Jade Leaf flowers, a certain golden hue was spreading from the top of their heads down to their tails. Once their entire bodies turned golden, these three Hundred Poison Golden Silkworms would be considered adults, ready to be utilized for combat and attack. With a flip of his hand, Luo Yan tucked the golden silkworms into his sleeve, then continued his search. After scouring through the remaining stone houses without yield, his effort turned out to be fruitless. The owner of this dwelling had departed after a thorough clean-up, it seemed. If it wasn¡¯t for the fact that the Golden Fleece Jade Leaf flowers were not easily transplantable, and the three Hundred Poison Golden Silkworms were probably not developed enough to be hatched at that time, this trip truly would have been in vain. Riding the sword light once more, he passed through the membrane of water, bursting out of the deep pool. Luo Yan didn¡¯t hurry to leave. Instead, he stayed within the range of the Mount Sumeru Great Elaboration Formation, carefully scanning his surroundings with his Divine Sense. Hmm, no ambush, time to leave! He turned into sword light and soared into the sky, reaching Danzhi Island in no time. Danzhi Island¡¯s market hosted the largest elixir trade in the East Sea, with even the alchemists of Yuqing View setting up a sales branch here. Miss Shi, a woman of wealth, went on a shopping spree in the market until she couldn¡¯t stuff any more items into her storage bag. When Luo Yan found her, the young lady was on the street corner, nonchalantly popping elixirs into her mouth as if they were candy beans, one after another. ¡°What elixir are you eating?¡± Luo Yan asked in alarm, ¡°Senior sister! You can mess with food, but you cannot carelessly consume elixirs!¡± ¡°This is a Licorice Pill,¡± Shi Liuli tossed an elixir into his mouth. Luo Yan tasted it with his tongue, detecting a hint of sweetness. Wait a minute, the Licorice Pill isn¡¯t an elixir; it¡¯s just a snack for children! Alright then, while I¡¯m outside fighting to the death with Demon Path Cultivators, you¡¯re here happily shopping and snacking, completely unconcerned about your junior brother¡¯s well-being, right? Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Luo Yan chuckled and then said: ¡°Senior sister, the formation has been repaired, and Li Dao-friend has also left. Shall we go?¡± [Falsehood Persona, Synchronization Value +1.] ¡°It¡¯s repaired already?¡± Shi Liuli was surprised; she had intended to enjoy herself for a few more days. ¡°Yes, it went very smoothly,¡± Luo Yan replied with a faint smile, his hands tucked into his sleeves, feeling the three plump Hundred Poison Golden Silkworms. Chapter 93 - Chapter 93: Chapter 28 Sword Bone, Tears of Affection Chapter 93: Chapter 28 Sword Bone, Tears of Affection ¡°` Loading the saved file, he returned to the Shushan storyline. The Great Tournament of Shushan was in full swing. If you looked at the early stages of the Great Tournament from a modern sporting perspective, the drawing lots and matchups were typical of a ¡°single elimination¡± format. For example, 100 disciples would pair off and compete in sword fighting. The 50 victorious disciples would then compete among themselves again in pairs, and so on, until the ranks from 1 to 50 were decided; Similarly, the 50 disciples who lost would also spar in this manner to determine the ranks from 51 to 100¡­ without any messy rules like a losers¡¯ bracket comeback. The problem with single elimination is that victories in the early stages are far more important than those later on. For instance, in the earlier example, if you lost in the first round, you would have no chance of making the top 50, and even if you won every subsequent match, you would still only rank 51st at best. And with random drawings, there¡¯s always the chance that someone will come up against one of the powerhouses on the Immortal Sword Ranking. This is why there is the latter half of the Tournament: the seat challenge battles. Now, the lot-drawing and sword fighting phase of the early stages was approaching its end. Ling Yunpo, An Zhisu, Lin Duanshan and others were still maintaining an undefeated record, and the competition for the coveted ranks on the Immortal Sword Ranking had narrowed to the top twenty. Duan Fenhai, who had been defeated once before, also managed to maintain a winning streak afterwards, but even if he won all the way to the end, his final rank would not be appealing, hence he was bound to initiate a seat challenge in the latter half. As the Foundation Establishment Rank disciples had been competing for many days in a row, they were utterly exhausted, leading the Shushan higher-ups to announce a day off so everyone could have a good rest and reset themselves. Senior Sister An ran to the interior of Qingluo Peak to report this good news to her master. Ling Yunpo decided to take this opportunity to go to the market at the foothills to buy some wine and dishes, and celebrate with his Senior Sister. Unlike Kunlun, the Shangqing Sect of Shushan coexisted with mortal villages, with Sword Immortals living atop various peaks while common folk dwelt in the valleys between the mountains. The corresponding markets were all set up within these valley villages, where mortals and cultivators lived together. To avoid being pestered by the villagers (like requests for elixirs and such), Shushan Sect disciples entering the market would usually hide their Flying Swords and the like to avoid attracting undue attention. Ling Yunpo entered a wine shop, asked the owner for a jug of wine, specifically the fine Monkey Brew, and also bought some spiced beef and hundred-year ginseng as a reserve. While waiting for the boss to cut the meat and ginseng, he suddenly heard a group of Shushan Sect disciples chatting at a wine table across the room: ¡°¡­As for this Tournament, let¡¯s not mention those powerhouses; the only person worth mentioning is the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal¡¯s junior brother who directly defeated Cangtie Sword Immortal Duan Fenhai and seized the second seat.¡± ¡°Is it the same person who went from Qi Refinement to Marrow Cleansing and killed a disciple from Ziyun Peak?¡± someone asked. ¡°Exactly. Eh, what was his name again? I only vaguely remember his surname is Ling¡­¡± The crowd fell silent. ¡°I remember now!¡± Suddenly someone slapped the table, ¡°I just happened to hear someone talking about it the day before yesterday, when the opening bets for this Tournament were brought up.¡± ¡°The first seat is definitely going to the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal; there¡¯s no other possibility. But who will end up with the second seat after the seat challenges conclude is the biggest focus of this wagering.¡± ¡°There are only four contenders, the three powerhouse veterans of past tournaments, and this newcomer who suddenly emerged, the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal¡¯s junior brother.¡± ¡°These four will be this tournament¡¯s ¡®Four Kings,¡¯ and someone summarized them in a four-character idiom: ¡®Duan Shan Fenhai, Sui Yue Po Yun.¡¯ Hearing this, the group responded with an ¡°Oh,¡± and someone said: ¡°Duan Shan is Lin Duanshan of Diamond Peak, Fenhai is Duan Fenhai of Yellow Dragon Peak, Sui Yue is Guan Shanyue of Green Bamboo Peak, whose sword is named ¡®Crushing Moon,¡¯ then Po Yun is¡­¡± ¡°It must be the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal¡¯s junior brother who¡¯s called Ling Poyun,¡± another disciple exclaimed, ¡°My goodness, is a fierce and domineering name a prerequisite to becoming a strong person?¡± ¡°That does seem true. Hey, what do you think about me changing my name to ¡®Overlord¡¯?¡± Ling Yunpo, having received the jug of wine and side dishes from the shopkeeper, turned around expressionlessly. I¡¯m Ling Yunpo, damn it! Returning to Qingluo Peak in a gloomy mood, Ling Yunpo saw An Zhisu drinking alone in the pavilion at the back. ¡°Senior Sister!¡± He dropped down to the ground along his sword light, holding up his wine and dishes, and smiled, ¡°Why are you drinking alone here?¡± An Zhisu let out a sigh and said: ¡°Junior Brother, did you know? They say that the rewards for the top three ranks in this Shushan Tournament include Mercurial Elixir Liquid.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Ling Yunpo was startled inside but smiled outwardly, ¡°Since Senior Sister is specifically mentioning it, it must be an extremely precious item.¡± ¡°Precious?¡± An Zhisu shook her head, ¡°After reaching the Refining Mansion Rank, a spoonful can match sixty years of arduous cultivation.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fantastic!¡± Ling Yunpo exclaimed with delight, ¡°Senior Sister is at the Refining Mansion Rank, so this item is perfect for you.¡± ¡°No,¡± An Zhisu said seriously, ¡°I¡¯m going to save it for you.¡± ¡°` Ling Yunpo: ¡­¡­¡­.. Even though he had long suspected it, hearing Senior Sister An confirm it in person still shocked him. This was about the quality of Core Formation! It was about your Dao and future, Senior Sister! ¡°I don¡¯t want it!¡± Ling Yunpo urgently refused, but An Zhisu held his hand down and spoke firmly, ¡°Junior Brother, listen to me.¡± ¡°Master has been in seclusion for too long, and Qingluo Peak has become increasingly targeted in recent years, now facing hostility from all sides.¡± ¡°The last time our monthly stipend was deducted, and the manipulation of the lots in this sword competition are the best evidence of this.¡± ¡°Ultimately, it¡¯s because Qingluo Peak not only lacks a Nascent Soul Elder, but we also don¡¯t even have a Golden Core True Person, leaving us struggling to hold on by ourselves.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t go on like this.¡± An Zhisu¡¯s tone was resolute, with an air of determination in her eyes so solid, it seemed almost to pierce through his chest: ¡°Junior Brother.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve made up my mind, to protect Qingluo Peak¡¯s Dao lineage, I will form my core within thirty years.¡± ¡°The time in the Refining Mansion is too short, even drinking Mercurial Elixir Liquid is useless¡­ it¡¯s better to leave it for you.¡± Ling Yunpo opened his mouth, but he couldn¡¯t say anything. Thirty years sounds long, but for a cultivator at the Refining Mansion Rank, it is exceedingly short. Ordinary cultivators at the Refining Mansion Rank, if they start cultivating at the age of twenty, need sixty years for Qi Refinement, and ten more for Marrow Cleansing; they often have to dedicate a hundred years to Refining Mansion, testing Core Formation only when their lifespan of two hundred years is reduced to just over a decade. This is to maximize the chance of achieving a high quality core, which is vital for the cultivation path during the Golden Core Rank and not to be taken lightly. An Zhisu, at the Refining Mansion Rank, has almost cultivated for thirty years; to cultivate for another thirty years would be a sixty-year process at the Refining Mansion. Given her cultivation talent, if she tries Core Formation after just sixty years, at most she could achieve a fourth or fifth Grade Pill Formation, definitely missing out on the third Grade. A fourth or fifth Grade Pill Formation means that the subsequent evolution will peak at an Intermediate Grade Nascent Soul. Without a High Grade Nascent Soul, in the later stages of Ascension, it¡¯s impossible to become a Daluo Golden Immortal. At best, she could only cut down the Three Corpses and become a Heavenly Immortal¡­ falling behind at one step means lagging at every step, with not even a chance to remedy the situation! Were Ling Yunpo himself in her place, he acknowledges that despite his deep respect and affection for Senior Sister An, he could not possibly take such a matter lightly. Yet Senior Sister An was willing to give up a brighter future for herself, just to become a Golden Core True Person as soon as possible and protect him¡­ ¡°Senior Sister¡­¡± His voice was somewhat suppressed. ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll find a way!¡± Ling Yunpo suddenly burst out, grabbing An Zhisu¡¯s hands firmly, and said vehemently: ¡°I¡¯ll find a way to change Qingluo Peak¡¯s situation of facing enemies on all sides, starting with this Shushan competition!¡± [Unyielding Character Attribute, Synchronization Value +1.] In the Sea of Consciousness, prompts from the Kunlun Mirror began to flood in, but Ling Yunpo completely ignored them, gritting his teeth and swearing: ¡°Please, Senior Sister, don¡¯t say such absurd things like ¡®forming the core in thirty years¡¯! If you treat your future as a joke again, Junior Brother here will go to the base of the Daoist temple and bash my head against the wall of Master¡¯s seclusion chamber!¡± ¡°Junior Brother!¡± An Zhisu¡¯s eyes immediately reddened, about to angrily scold him for making such a toxic vow, but she noticed in Ling Yunpo¡¯s eyes a stubbornness and determination as unyielding as cold steel. It was almost exactly like the steely expression on their master¡¯s face when he took the Asura Path Elder¡¯s attack to protect her. She stared blankly at her Junior Brother, suddenly feeling a mournful sense of mission rising in her heart: Perhaps our Qingluo lineage is of such unbreakable Sword Bone. To desperately protect the people close to us, we soar out like Flying Swords burning at our core, never looking back. But Junior Brother¡­ Now, it¡¯s my turn to protect you like Master did¡­ With a heart heavy with sorrow, An Zhisu suddenly extended her arms, pulling him into a tight embrace. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Ling Yunpo: ? ¡°Junior Brother.¡± An Zhisu leaned her head on his shoulder, letting her tears fall as she said, ¡°Don¡¯t say such things ever again.¡± Her tears slid down her cheeks, making her hold Ling Yunpo even tighter, her voice choking up: ¡°You mustn¡¯t say such things, you have to be alright¡­¡± ¡°Even if it¡¯s for your Senior Sister¡­¡± Chapter 94 - Chapter 94: Chapter 29: Crumble Moon, Duan Shan Chapter 94: Chapter 29: Crumble Moon, Duan Shan The next day at the grand competition, Ling Yunpo¡¯s expression was wooden as he stepped onto the sword competition grounds. He was numb, no desire to speak. To have my Senior Sister An bullied to this extent, all I want now is to exterminate the entire Shushan Sect. Starting with my opponent in the Shushan grand competition. As soon as he entered the arena, without a word, he drew out his Green Duckweed Sword and with Unity of Body and Sword, he directly unleashed a powerful move at his opponent! This Green Duckweed Sword, in the previous relics of deep pools, could withstand various sinister formations of an ancient mighty power, and roll back the container of the Hundred Poison Golden Silkworm Gu, and moreover, its blade was still perfectly intact, which shows its sword casting material must be extraordinary. Could it be that the flying swords of these fellow Shushan disciples are more formidable than the formations of the ancient power? As expected, the Sword Cultivator ranked slightly beyond the twentieth place on the Immortal Sword Ranking, who had never seen such an opener with a full-powered move, hastily spurred the Daoist Magic on his Life-bound Sword Artifact. Yellow brilliance shimmered atop the sword, which then attempted to intercept the Green Duckweed Sword, only to be split in two by the Unity of Body and Sword of Ling Yunpo directly. The black Sword Light continued unabated, piercing through the unsuspecting opponent¡¯s chest and sending him straight out of the arena. This sight caused another uproar among the surrounding crowd. As the reputation of ¡°Duan Shan Fenhai, Sui Yue Po Yun¡± spread, Ling Yunpo¡¯s swordfighting gradually gained fame. The audience drawn to watch were half there to see him fail, while the other half sincerely wanted to study his swordsmanship, or gather intelligence on him in preparation for their upcoming matches. Now seeing him delivering a one-hit-kill with his massive move, even severing the Life-bound Sword Artifact, everyone truly struggled to maintain their composure. The man who had just been defeated was Xu Ziyan, ranked twenty-third, a powerhouse on the Immortal Sword Ranking. In the preceding rounds of the competition, he had also won all his matches, and most of his opponents had their Life-bound Sword Artifacts broken by him. The reason was Xu Ziyan¡¯s Life-bound Sword Artifact was the Tenth Grade Earth System Flying Sword ¡°Chenzhou,¡± with Sword Dao Techniques that could significantly increase the flying sword¡¯s weight, greatly enhancing the sword¡¯s strength, hardness, and True Yuan adherence, thereby massively boosting the innate power of the Immortal Sword. Flying swords of slightly lower Grade Rank would crack upon a single strike from it. Without conceding promptly, the second strike would almost certainly result in a broken weapon. Yet now, the tables have turned, with Ling Yunpo using Unity of Body and Sword to directly sever the Life-bound Sword Artifact¡­ Considering Unity of Body and Sword doesn¡¯t require extensive swordsmanship attainment, one can only conclude that the inherent strength of Ling Yunpo + Green Duckweed Sword has far surpassed the defensive threshold of Xu Ziyan + Chenzhou Sword. Is this Po Yun Sword Immortal truly as formidable as this? Ling Yunpo walked down from the sword competition platform, his arms crossed, silent, and started heading toward Senior Sister An¡¯s competition arena. Yet he saw six or seven Shushan disciples, blocking his path together. The one leading them was a female Sword Cultivator, tall and slender, almost 1.8 meters tall, with sharp and defined facial features, somewhat reminiscent of Guan Zhan. ¡°Are you An Zhisu¡¯s junior brother, Ling Poyun?¡± the other party asked directly. ¡°It¡¯s Ling Yunpo, not Poyun,¡± Ling Yunpo said with a frown. ¡°Ling Yunpo, that name isn¡¯t as nice-sounding as Ling Poyun,¡± the female Sword Cultivator said with a light smile, ¡°I am Guan Shanyue from Green Bamboo Peak.¡± She sized up Ling Yunpo with her gaze for a moment, then showed a satisfied look and said: ¡°You¡¯re quite good, but it¡¯s a pity that in this grand competition of Shushan, it seems there won¡¯t be a chance to compete against you.¡± ¡°After the competition is over, feel free to visit the Bright Moon Pavilion.¡± After speaking, Guan Shanyue smiled radiantly and left with the Shushan disciples. Ling Yunpo: ¡­¡­ Under normal circumstances, he would probably curse someone as a lunatic and then cast this matter out of his mind. But now, Ling Yunpo had come to understand that defeating these people was not difficult. What was difficult was how to break through the current predicament where ¡°everywhere he looked he faced enemies.¡± As long as he played his trump card, not to mention winning in the sword competition, even splitting Guan Shanyue¡¯s life-bound sword artifact would not be difficult; but would that make Green Bamboo Peak concede willingly? Defeating Guan Shanyue wouldn¡¯t mean he could defeat the peak master of Green Bamboo Peak, Bi Yun True Person, who could bring more unsolvable troubles for Qingluo Peak simply by saying a few words among the higher-ups of Shushan or by remaining silent when other forces kicked them while they were down. Senior Sister An¡¯s way of thinking was not wrong. At first, their master was forced into seclusion, surrounded by malice that surged time and again, indeed necessitating a swift and heavy-handed approach to establish authority. However, after establishing authority and stabilizing the surrounding situation, it was necessary to change the strategy to one of appeasement and alliance building. But no one had taught Senior Sister An these things; she still habitually wielded a heavy hand, which, on the contrary, prevented her from breaking through the predicament Qingluo Peak faced¡ªonly thinking that it was because she was not strong enough and that once she became a Golden Core True Person, all problems would be swiftly resolved¡­ This is the thinking of a problem-solver! Ling Yunpo silently made up his mind. After today¡¯s sword fight, he would go to keep his appointment and make alliances. Then he went to the competition arena where Senior Sister An was. He saw that on the field, a great flurry of wind and snow suddenly arose, pure white as goose feathers, sharp as the edge of a knife, causing the sword cultivator opposite to be covered in blood, wounds all over, before dispersing as a streak of light. This was Senior Sister An¡¯s Frostfall Sword Dao Techniques, known for their wide range and high attack. It was said that every snowflake was transformed from a piece of Sword Qi and could be controlled by her divine sense, swirling and flying about at will on the field. However, Ling Yunpo had previously seen Su Jian¡¯s overwhelming Sword Qi attacks in the Pavilion Secret Realm, so he didn¡¯t feel much about Senior Sister An¡¯s Daoist Magic. After Senior Sister An finished the match, Ling Yunpo went over to meet her and reported his recent achievements with a smile. The two chatted and rested for a while, and then the results of the next round of draws came out. Ling Yunpo bid farewell to his senior sister and found the corresponding competition field, where he saw Lin Duanshan standing on the stage with his hands behind his back. ¡°Senior Brother Lin,¡± Ling Yunpo said with a salute, ¡°I have benefited from your advice many times, and I keep your kindness in my heart. However, this grand competition is related to Senior Sister¡¯s future, and I cannot afford to yield.¡± Lin Duanshan nodded at his words and then revealed a gratified smile, saying, ¡°That¡¯s only natural. You need not have any reservations; let us reveal our true abilities in our hands.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Ling Yunpo said as he drew the Green Duckweed Sword and then released the Thunder Punishment Sword from the sword box, declaring loudly, ¡°I¡¯ll take the initiative.¡± According to ancient sword-fighting etiquette, juniors should make the first move, but nowadays, everyone is desperate to win in sword fights, and hardly anyone observes this kind of etiquette. However, Lin Duanshan was always strict and upright. Seeing Ling Yunpo still adhering to the sword-fighting etiquette, his favorable impression of him increased greatly, so he too drew out his Kaiyue and Long Weapons swords, indicating for him to attack first. The spectators outside the field were all showing oddly strange expressions. What was this display of brotherly love from a teacher and humble courtesy from a disciple? Wasn¡¯t Ling Poyun a disciple of the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal? How could he still talk about etiquette? Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Since it was Lin Duanshan¡¯s sword-fighting segment, there were also many disciples from Mount Jin¡¯gang there to watch. Seeing Ling Yunpo¡¯s courteous behavior toward Lin Duanshan on the field, they all proudly declared to their fellow disciples around them that it was because of the grandeur and grace of our Mount Jin¡¯gang¡¯s Senior Brother Lin that people were won over. Look, even the Po Yun Sword Immortal, who treats other sword immortals like a grandfather treating a grandchild, is still polite to our Senior Brother Lin, isn¡¯t he? The next moment, on the field, Ling Yunpo controlled the swords with both hands, sending the Green Duckweed Sword and the Thunder Punishment Sword shooting out, attacking from the left and right to create a pincer; he then unleashed ¡°Fresh Rain on an Empty Mountain,¡± with countless Water System Sword Qi swiftly circling to the back for a sneak attack and stab. He was making an aggressive move from the start, aiming to suppress Lin Duanshan fiercely from three directions! Chapter 95 - Chapter 95: Chapter 30: Win at All Costs! Chapter 95: Chapter 30: Win at All Costs! Facing attacks from three directions, Lin Duanshan¡¯s expression remained unchanged as he calmly formed hand seals. The longsword blocked the assault of the Thunder Punishment Sword, while the light flashed on the Kaiyue Sword, suddenly splitting it into two. One blade entangled with the Green Duckweed Sword, while the other protected Lin Duanshan¡¯s rear, blocking all of the Water System Sword Qi. This was one of Lin Duanshan¡¯s signature Sword Dao Techniques of the Kaiyue Sword, ¡°Twin Peaks Forming Mountains,¡± which could instantly activate the Earth System¡¯s True Yuan, forming a second Kaiyue Sword. It was flexible in operation, as responsive as if it were one¡¯s own limb, and its power was no different from the original. When opponents dueled with him, they would often just manage to use their Flying Swords to block the Kaiyue Sword, only to see a flash of light on it and another sword flying out, swiftly circumventing the defense to slash at the enemy. Even if one knew it in advance, it was almost impossible to guard against. Ling Yunpo initiated a three-pronged assault right from the start to force out his ¡°Twin Peaks Forming Mountains,¡± otherwise, it would be too mentally taxing to remain vigilant during the course of the sword duel. Upon seeing the second Kaiyue Sword appear, Ling Yunpo immediately fell silent and chanted an incantation, activating the ¡°Green Mist Veil Over the Mountains.¡± A dense fog suddenly rose up on the field, thick as white silk covering the face, so dense that one could not see one¡¯s own fingers. But Lin Duanshan was well-prepared and also silently chanted an incantation, activating the second layer of Sword Dao Techniques on the Kaiyue Sword, ¡°Earthshaking Strike.¡± A swirling mass of sand and stones emerged, sword Qi flew in all directions, creating a tornado close to three zhang high on the spot, directly sweeping open a circle in the thick fog. Ling Yunpo was not surprised by this and quickly retreated in silence. As the duels unfolded, his frequently used swordsmanship and Daoist Magic had already been thoroughly analyzed by the watching Shushan Sect disciples. It was not unusual for them to be prepared for his ¡°Green Mist Veil Over the Mountains.¡± While he remained composed, Lin Duanshan exclaimed in surprise because the area cleared by the Earthshaking Strike was much smaller than he had expected. Although the Green Duckweed Sword was Tenth Rank and the Kaiyue Sword only Ninth Rank, within the Five Elements Earth overcomes Water, and given that Ling Yunpo was only at the Marrow Cleansing Rank, with True Qi that couldn¡¯t match True Yuan, he should have been slightly inferior in a contest of Daoist Magic. The fact that ¡°Earthshaking Strike¡± was clearly suppressed by the opponent only meant that the sword suspected to be the Green Duckweed Sword might have a higher Rank than imagined, such that the fog was not confined to the realm of Daoist Magic, and was likely a higher-ranked Forbidden Technique! With this in mind, the Daoist Magic of Earthshaking Strike had already come to an end, and the dense fog spread once more, swiftly enveloping Lin Duanshan. Lin Duanshan surveyed his surroundings with a calm and composed expression, silently chanting another incantation. The Myriad Forms Sword lineage excelled in calculation and would certainly not stake the outcome on a single move. The third layer of Sword Dao Techniques on the Kaiyue Sword, ¡°Earthshaking Strike,¡± was another lethal move he had prepared for Ling Yunpo! Crowds of dense, earthy yellow Sword Qi burst from the Kaiyue Sword, fanning out in all directions. Where the Sword Qi passed, the dense fog roiled, not from being suppressed by spells, but from the shock waves of the Sword Qi itself. Although Ling Yunpo was covered by the dense fog, he couldn¡¯t ignore the harm from the Sword Qi and had to dodge in embarrassment. Dodging one wave after another, Lin Duanshan abruptly utilized the full force of the Sword Dao Techniques on his sword, launching a continuous, indiscriminate strike across the entire dueling field! Although the audience outside the field couldn¡¯t see the positions of the two within the fog, they could still see waves of Sword Qi piercing through the fog, continuously striking the Restrictions outside the field and then dissipating into nothingness. The power and consumption of Earthshaking Strike¡¯s Sword Qi could be adjusted by Lin Duanshan at will. He had now set both to the lowest, seeking only to maximize the number and coverage area to penetrate the surrounding layers of dense fog. Even if the visibility was insufficient, the Sword Qi could still tear open the dense fog! Once Sword Qi from any direction was blocked, it meant Ling Yunpo¡¯s position would also be exposed. Since the Sword Qi covered the entire field, he would have to keep moving to avoid getting hit. And even if he simply ran away, Lin Duanshan could still use precise calculations to gradually cut down and reduce his range of movement with a large amount of Sword Qi, until Ling Yunpo had nowhere to retreat and then launch a fatal attack on him. With Duan Fenhai¡¯s experience as a warning, Lin Duanshan would certainly not engage in a purely swordsmanship-duel under such circumstances! After dodging several times, Ling Yunpo realized his range of movement was rapidly shrinking under the onslaught of the Sword Qi. The strategic thinking of the other side was also instantly clear to him. He must not be hit by the Sword Qi! But merely running away would still play into the opponent¡¯s hands, and he would definitely be forced into a dead end eventually. What to do? Ling Yunpo¡¯s mind raced. If he was attempting a feint, he could deploy the Green Duckweed Sword or the Thunder Punishment Sword to destroy these sword Qi from a distance, preventing his location from being exposed. But Lin Duanshan would not likely fall for this. He only needed to shoot out his spear-like sword in time, entangling the revealing Flying Sword, and I would have no choice but to divide my attention, controlling the Flying Sword to fend off the attack while maintaining my own movement and evasion! Hmm? ¡°Ah Jing,¡± Ling Yunpo suddenly said, ¡°Let¡¯s save our location here first, then I¡¯ll run to another spot to load the save, and you can teleport me back to the last saved location, that¡¯s okay, right?¡± ¡°No way,¡± the Kunlun Mirror was essentially speechless, ¡°This is after all a fair and square sword duel, you want me to help you cheat, wouldn¡¯t that be a bit inappropriate¡­¡± ¡°How could this be considered cheating?¡± Ling Yunpo¡¯s eyes widened as he argued, ¡°A sword duel is all about using every possible means at your disposal, going all out to achieve victory! That¡¯s a sign of respect for your opponent!¡± The Kunlun Mirror was at a loss for words, finally responding after a long pause: ¡°I can teleport you to a location without time-traveling¡­ but you can¡¯t abuse my teleportation, it does consume spiritual energy after all.¡± ¡°Hmm, I can only teleport you once during this duel.¡± ¡°Once is more than enough!¡± Ling Yunpo laughed heartily, ¡°Let¡¯s save here!¡± After saving the location, Ling Yunpo began to dash away. He quickly activated the Sword Control Technique and flew straight to the edge of the sword Qi range, slashing out with the Green Duckweed Sword in a swift motion. The Green Duckweed Sword struck the sword Qi directly, annihilating it in an instant. Almost at the same time, Lin Duanshan had already looked in his direction. The spear-like sword turned into a blazing stream of light, shooting towards him! Ling Yunpo smiled slightly, then started to control the Green Duckweed Sword to entangle with it, while simultaneously continuing to move. Lin Duanshan was not about to let him go. As he besieged him with the long weapon sword, he continued to unleash a massive amount of Earthshaking Strike sword Qi, completely sealing off the surrounding space. Then he silently recited the incantation, preparing for a one-hit kill. In the blink of an eye, Ling Yunpo had already charged halfway across the field, grasping the Green Duckweed Sword and immediately calling on the Kunlun Mirror to load the save. In the next instant, both he and the sword disappeared from the spot. Lin Duanshan had just performed a Daoist formula, only to find his spear-like sword had lost its target. He assumed Ling Junior Brother was trying to break line of sight again and immediately invoked Daoist magic with full force. Countless earthy-colored sword Qi suddenly converged into a giant sword, slashing fiercely across a huge area ahead! This strike covered a full one hundred and eighty degrees, nearly encompassing half the field! The result, however, failed to hit anything, causing Lin Duanshan to freeze for a moment, then his expression changed dramatically. It was too late to react, as behind him, the Thunder Punishment Sword accompanied by Jade Pivot Thunder came roaring in, blasting him directly out of the arena. Outside the arena, Lin Duanshan looked up in a daze, his expression one of utter disbelief. To his specialized Wan Xiang Sword lineage, calculation was the very foundation of swordsmanship. Even in defeat, he had to figure out why he lost. However, in the battle just now, he had no clue how the other party had escaped his attack range. Keep in mind, before the giant sword was unleashed, I had already covered the remaining space of the dueling area with sword Qi, leaving no place for him to hide! How did he manage to appear behind me? Unable to fathom the answer, Lin Duanshan gathered his spirits, intending to approach Ling Junior Brother for an explanation. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Even if the other party kept things secret to maintain confidentiality and didn¡¯t reveal the specifics, getting even a hint would be beneficial. He had only taken a few steps toward Ling Yunpo, raising his hand to call out ¡°Ling Junior Brother,¡± when he saw An Zhisu had already gone over to meet him, smiling and chatting. Since the great Shushan competition, whenever either of the siblings finished their match, they would go to the other¡¯s arena to wait. After exchanging a few words of affection, An Zhisu took his arm and together they soared away on a sword light. Lin Duanshan: ??? Chapter 96 - Chapter 96: Chapter 31: How Can There Be Unforgetting Without Having Asked About Love? Chapter 96: Chapter 31: How Can There Be Unforgetting Without Having Asked About Love? Qingluo Peak, behind the Taoist temple. By the stream in the courtyard, An Zhisu and Ling Yunpo were drinking several cups, their faces flushed with tipsiness and a hint of crimson. She was truly thrilled. The first time her junior brother defeated Duan Fenhai, others might attribute it to ¡°luck¡± or ¡°fluke¡±; But defeating Lin Duanshan the second time was a genuine display of power. Luck? Try having luck like that two times in a row. Not only the onlookers from Shushan, but even An Zhisu began to question herself: she had probably underestimated her junior brother before. My brother has the makings of a Chief Disciple on the Immortal Sword Ranking! Um, wait a moment¡­ If I lose to my junior brother in the final sword competition, wouldn¡¯t he truly become the first ranked? As for whether she was first or second on the ranking, An Zhisu really didn¡¯t care. Instead, why not let her junior brother take the top spot, while she, content being second, protected him by his side? If someone defeated her junior brother and took the first place, she would step in, beat them until they were helpless, take back the chief position, and then intentionally lose to her junior brother¡­ Thinking about it this way, it seemed like a rather nice idea, didn¡¯t it? With a gentle intoxication tinting her beautiful face a shy red, her lips slightly curled up in an enchanting, bewitching smile. The allure of a mature woman that it conveyed made Ling Yunpo freeze for a moment. When he snapped out of it, he hastened to lower his head to drink, hiding his awkward expression. The two of them had been drinking for a while, and as the sky turned dusky and the moon rose above the treetops, Ling Yunpo helped his somewhat tipsy senior sister slowly walk back to the Taoist temple. For those pursuing the path of cultivation, getting drunk was a joke. Senior Sister was indulging in the wine over her excitement, and he thought it was only fair to let her enjoy herself. After settling Senior Sister An in her room, Ling Yunpo went down the mountain to buy wine¡ªtheir recent string of continuous victories in sword duels had led to an astonishing depletion of the Taoist temple¡¯s Spiritual Wine, all consumed by his senior sister. Arriving at River Valley Village, he entered a restaurant in the market. Ling Yunpo eyed the various wine signboards for a moment before someone called out to him: ¡°Junior Brother Ling.¡± Turning his head, Ling Yunpo saw Guan Shanyue sitting at a table near a window in the main hall, smiling and beckoning to him. What does this guy want with me¡­ Oh, she had invited me over at the Emei Golden Summit saying we could ¡°have a chat when free.¡± Ling Yunpo approached the table and sat down opposite Guan Shanyue. She inquired languidly: ¡°Wine? Tea?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll follow the host¡¯s lead,¡± Ling Yunpo replied. ¡°Did you know?¡± Guan Shanyue poured him a drink, ¡°The first time I met your Senior Sister An was at this table too.¡± Serenely filling his cup and sliding it towards Ling Yunpo, she continued: ¡°You certainly have better manners than she does.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a compliment,¡± Ling Yunpo picked up the cup but didn¡¯t drink, just twirling it in his hand. ¡°You¡¯re wondering why I sought you out,¡± Guan Shanyue stated calmly, ¡°Nothing much, just wanted to meet the recently hot topic, Ling Poyun.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Ling Yunpo, not Ling Poyun,¡± he furrowed his brow and corrected her. ¡°But Ling Poyun sounds better,¡± Guan Shanyue waved a hand dismissively, ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about that.¡± Ling Yunpo felt a bit uncomfortable. He realized this Senior Sister Guan was too dominating, always steering the conversation. ¡°So, do you plan to continue walking the path your master has set out for you?¡± Guan Shanyue raised her cup, drank it down in one gulp, her gaze fixed intently on him, ¡°To forget love, or to inquire about sentiments?¡± Ling Yunpo: ? Seeing his confused frown, Guan Shanyue chuckled and set down her cup: ¡°Hasn¡¯t An Zhisu told you about it?¡± She raised three fingers: ¡°Within the Shushan Shangqing Faction, although various peaks have their own swordsmanship schools, none are sufficiently profound to form a legitimate lineage.¡± ¡°The only three paths that can truly be said to follow the doctrine are,¡± ¡°Indifference, Forgetting Love, and the Sentiment Inquiry Path.¡± ¡°I would like to hear the details,¡± Ling Yunpo sighed and said, ¡°I really don¡¯t understand. How can love elevate to the height of a doctrine?¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s related to a problem that goes straight to the Daoist Heart,¡± Guan Shanyue said slowly, ¡°As a Sword Immortal, why should you draw your sword?¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s for eternal life,¡± Ling Yunpo answered without hesitation. ¡°Eternal life,¡± Guan Shanyue scoffed, ¡°If one day the higher-ups of Shushan want to kill your Senior Sister, you should hide and preserve your own life, watching her get executed with your own eyes¡­ Would you do that?¡± Ling Yunpo was rendered speechless. ¡°Actually, that answer isn¡¯t entirely wrong,¡± Guan Shanyue put away her mocking expression and calmly said, ¡°For eternal life, for complete freedom, for the pursuit of the ultimate in swordsmanship, essentially, it¡¯s all for oneself.¡± ¡°This is the doctrine of Indifference.¡± ¡°If you were to cultivate the doctrine of Indifference, then you must center yourself and not have the slightest attachment in the Mortal World. Otherwise, you will produce Heart Demons, at the very least halting your cultivation level, or at the worst shaking your Daoist Heart and leading to Deviation.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re not that kind of person,¡± she said, staring intently at Ling Yunpo and speaking in a heavy tone. ¡°Senior Sister believes I am what kind of person?¡± Ling Yunpo countered. ¡°Forgetting Love, or perhaps the Sentiment Inquiry Path,¡± Guan Shanyue said frankly. ¡°The so-called Forgetting Love Path is actually a branch of the Indifference Path. They first acknowledge the existence of love, then immerse themselves within it, and finally detach from it to achieve transcendence.¡± ¡°The Indifference Path regards love as a dangerous flood and beast, daring not to easily come into contact with it. If one were to develop worldly emotions, they might even annihilate an entire lineage to eliminate loose ends¡­ But the Forgetting Love Path is different. Pick it up, put it down, no longer cling to it¡ªthat¡¯s what¡¯s most important.¡± ¡°Your master, Qi Sha True Person, originally followed the doctrine of the Forgetting Love Path.¡± ¡°Originally?¡± Ling Yunpo¡¯s interest was suddenly piqued. ¡°Yes, originally,¡± Guan Shanyue took a sip of her drink, ¡°He once had a wife and daughter in the secular world, did you not know?¡± ¡°I have heard a bit about it,¡± Ling Yunpo was slightly taken aback and replied. ¡°The cultivation method of the Forgetting Love Path is to find a mortal spouse, to love and cherish each other,¡± Guan Shanyue said with a sigh, ¡°A mortal¡¯s life eventually comes to an end.¡± ¡°Once the spouse¡¯s life ends, the Sword Immortal experiences the pain of separation and finally lets go and moves on¡ªthat¡¯s when the Forgetting Love Path is considered to have started.¡± ¡°But there¡¯s a key point here one must not have descendants,¡± her tone shifted, she chuckled and said, ¡°Not only did Qi Sha True Person have a daughter with her, but he also taught her cultivation and brought her back to Shushan.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t the Forgetting Love Path at all, but the Sentiment Inquiry Path. Qi Sha True Person¡¯s sword was drawn for his wife and daughter.¡± ¡°So, the master can¡¯t let go?¡± Ling Yunpo asked wistfully. ¡°I am not entirely sure about the specifics,¡± Guan Shanyue shook her head, ¡°So, what do you think is the reason that Various Peaks of Shushan are so against you all from Qingluo Peak?¡± ¡°Is it because Su Jian kills without blinking an eye? Or is it because An Zhisu kills without blinking an eye? Neither is entirely correct.¡± ¡°Behind this, actually lies a dispute over doctrines.¡± Ling Yunpo remained silent for a long time. ¡°Why is the doctrine of the Sentiment Inquiry Path so unwelcome?¡± he showed a puzzled expression. ¡°Have you ever read the two lines of poetry beside the Sword Pool?¡± Guan Shanyue asked instead of answering. ¡°Suming, Suming, why do you not sing?¡± Ling Yunpo read quietly, ¡°Truly muddled, truly muddled, how utterly obtuse.¡± ¡°The ancient doctrine of the Sentiment Inquiry Path was completely severed from that time on,¡± Guan Shanyue said with a slight smile, ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m looking forward to seeing whether Qingluo Peak can pave this path anew, no matter if it¡¯s Qi Sha True Person, An Zhisu, or you.¡± She stood up, leaving the money for the wine on the table: ¡°After all, being a stone woman or marrying a mortal, is truly a bit dull.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Guan Shanyue gracefully left the table, and all of the customers from the other tables stood up and followed suit, leaving behind her. Ling Yunpo then understood that to create a safe environment for their conversation, this tavern had already been taken over by the disciples of Green Bamboo Peak. Seeing the tavern owner and servers emerge from the back, trembling, Ling Yunpo sighed. He had learned another new way to show off. ¡°Waiter, bring a pot of good wine,¡± he called out loudly, ¡°I¡¯ll take it with me.¡± Chapter 97 - Chapter 97: 32 Chapter: The Secret Realm of Kunlun, The Trap of Song He Chapter 97: 32 Chapter: The Secret Realm of Kunlun, The Trap of Song He Qi Sha True Person¡¯s sword was drawn for the sake of his wife and daughter. Until Ling Yunpo returned to Qingluo Peak, the words of Guan Shanyue seemed still to echo in his ears. Then, for what reason should my sword be drawn? ¡°I think you actually don¡¯t need to be too troubled,¡± the Kunlun Mirror suddenly said. ¡°Unless you choose the path of heartlessness, whether it is forgetting love or questioning love, you must first fall for someone.¡± ¡°Without ever having loved, how can there be questioning love? And how can there be forgetting love?¡± ¡°Ah Jing,¡± Ling Yunpo spoke earnestly, ¡°I¡¯m not considering which path to take.¡± His tone suddenly grew somber: ¡°I¡¯m just very curious, on the path leading to the throne of the sky, who is truly worth drawing my sword for?¡± Kunlun Mirror: ¡­¡­¡­ Me worrying about who you¡¯ll fall in love with is indeed foolish of me. Fine then, I¡¯ll leave on my own. It was about to dive into the Sea of Consciousness, to speak no further, when it heard Ling Yunpo say again: ¡°Load game, I want to go rest in Kunlun.¡± The Kunlun Mirror mechanically recited: [Location one: Kunlun Taiqing Sect, Golden Ridge.] [Character identity: Qiu Changtian.] [Overlaying the Mirror Flower Water Moon template, time-space travel in progress.] After returning to the Golden Ridge Cave Abode, Qiu Changtian continued with his breathing exercises and qi refinement to enhance his cultivation level. As previously mentioned, among the three orthodox sects, the lifestyle of the Kunlun Sect most closely aligns with the immortal¡¯s ideal of ¡°peaceful simplicity.¡± There is none of the netherworldly atmosphere of constant sword-fighting like in the Shushan Shangqing Faction, nor the worldly atmosphere of various personal interactions at the Penglai Yuqing View. There¡¯s plenty of abundant time at one¡¯s disposal, do whatever one pleases. Compared to those direct disciples who spend all day cooped up in their cave abodes, Qiu Changtian is fairly fond of socializing since he has to frequently lead teams on missions outdoors to brush up on Synchronization Value with the help of a bunch of lovely junior brothers and sisters. As such, not only did his reputation grow amongst the outer sect disciples, but even the inner sect disciples held him in reverence and sought his friendship, known as ¡°Chief Qiu, the epitome of generosity and righteousness.¡± One day, while Qiu Changtian was playing the zither and flute duet with Xu Yinglian, suddenly two streaks of sword light descended. Qiu Changtian looked closely; both were inner sect disciples of this generation¡ªhe had made their acquaintance on previous visits, so they were familiar. One of them was Lingbao elder¡¯s direct disciple, Jiang Yuhuan, and the other was an inner sect disciple of Yuqi elder, Hu Bugui. The two descended to the ground and bowed in greeting to Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian. After the greetings and pleasantries, Jiang Yuhuan cut straight to the point and said: ¡°I wonder if Senior Brother Qiu and Senior Sister Xu are available to explore a newly discovered Cave Heaven and Blessed Land with us?¡± Qiu Changtian expressed his surprise and then inquired: ¡°May I know about this Cave Heaven¡­¡± Seeing that he did not outright reject them, Hu Bugui breathed a sigh of relief, and with a smile, he said: ¡°It is an ancient ruin located in the southern district of the layered city, hidden by an illusion technique formation at its entrance, which brother Jiang and I stumbled upon by chance.¡± ¡°Upon entering, one finds an immense space beyond. In the distance are pavilions, towers, corridors, and water pavilions, with misty celestial music surrounding, and auspicious clouds enveloping the area¡ªit does not seem like an ordinary dwelling.¡± ¡°Nearby, however, is a vast sea of clouds, with only a rope bridge leading forward. At the entrance of the rope bridge, there is a Divine General guarding, clothed in golden armor and a silver robe, carrying a long blade, very difficult to contend with.¡± ¡°Brother Jiang and I estimate that we are no match for it, hence we have no choice but to seek the help of Senior Brother Qiu and Senior Sister Xu. Afterward, we can explore the Cave Heaven together and share the treasures equally, how does that sound?¡± Upon hearing this, Xu Yinglian pondered and then said: ¡°Based on your description, I fear it¡¯s not a common ancient ruin, but an Immortal Palace Secret Realm.¡± ¡°Senior Sister Xu mustn¡¯t jump to conclusions so lightly,¡± Jiang Yuhuan hastily said. ¡°If we use the existence of an Immortal Palace Secret Realm as a reason to seek help from our elders, and it turns out to be just an ordinary ruin in the end, wouldn¡¯t that be making a big deal out of a minor issue?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Hu Bugui also chimed in. ¡°Let¡¯s first try to defeat that Golden Armored Divine General. Afterward, we can explore further to confirm.¡± Xu Yinglian gave a faint cold smile, knowing that these two were insincere and actually just wanted to get their share of the loot from the secret realm first, reap the benefits, and then report it to the sect for handling. However, every man for himself, heaven dooms those who do not look out for oneself, so it¡¯s normal to have such thoughts. Therefore, Xu Yinglian turned to look at Qiu Changtian, signaling him to make a decision. But Qiu Changtian hesitated, knowing that a secret realm and an ancient relic were two different things. The latter might only be the dwelling of an ancient cultivator, full of traps that could be solved, such as formations, talisman scripts, and mechanisms. The former, however, were specially designed spaces, often accompanied by extremely complex and powerful restrictions, with no possibility of being broken. If it were a trial-type secret realm like the Pavilion Secret Realm, it would be manageable, but he feared encountering the unfriendly kind, where the restrictions could easily kill. Once deeply trapped, one would no longer be in control of their own life or death. At this time, not to mention Jiang Yuhuan and Hu Bugui, who were full of anticipation, even his junior sister was watching. If he were to show hesitation and cowardice, it would not only damage the reputation of Chief Qiu, but also cause his character to collapse and his synchronization value to plummet, which was the bigger problem. As a result, he could only agree for now and then adapt to the situation later. Since Jiang Hu were both able to explore and then extricate themselves, it was unlikely to be a secret realm with difficult entry and exit. If they really encountered an insoluble trouble, they would just retreat in time¡ªBesides, there was always the Kunlun Mirror. ¡°To be honest,¡± Qiu Changtian said gently, ¡°I actually don¡¯t lack treasures.¡± The two showed disappointed expressions, but then they heard Senior Brother Qiu¡¯s tone change and he said, ¡°However, unexplored secret realms are often fraught with danger, and I would feel uneasy letting you two junior brothers go alone. I might as well accompany you.¡± Jiang Hu were overjoyed upon hearing this, and hurriedly assured that they were willing to make concessions in the distribution of spoils and would not let Chief Qiu be disadvantaged, feeling secretly relieved. The reason they asked for Qiu Changtian¡¯s help was precisely because of the chief senior brother¡¯s reputable and righteous image, making it unlikely that he would take advantage of them. If it were other senior brothers or sisters, they might demand an exorbitant share, such as priority in selecting treasures or a seventy-thirty split of the spoils, which would be disgustingly greedy. Now it seemed that Chief Qiu really lived up to his name, generous as the sky! After a brief rest, the four of them rose on their swords and flew towards the southern foothills of the western section of the Kunlun Mountain Range. After an indeterminate length of time, the four of them finally descended in a valley, with Jiang Yuhuan taking the lead and guiding everyone into a crevice in the rock face opposite them. After a few steps, their figures gradually faded away, eventually disappearing completely. A moment later, another sword light arrived from a distance, landing before the crevice. It was Song He. He looked at the entrance to the secret realm before him, his expression changing several times before turning grim. The clue to this secret realm was not first discovered by Jiang Hu but had been accidentally obtained by Song He during a fortuitous encounter. He had spent nearly half a month to thoroughly investigate the entrance of the secret realm and decided to use it as a trap to kill Qiu Changtian. The reason was simple: within the secret realm, all divination from the outside world could be shielded. If Qiu Changtian were to die inside, the cause and effect would be obscured by the secret realm¡¯s restrictions, unable to be traced or calculated from the outside. Therefore, he cleverly allowed Jiang Hu to ¡°accidentally¡± discover the clue, knowing their greed and boldness¡ªif they couldn¡¯t handle the Guardian General, they were likely to seek aid from the respected Chief Qiu, rather than reporting to the sect. In this way, he was confident in luring Qiu Changtian into the trap. As for what lay beyond the Guardian General, Song He had no clue, but he knew the secret realm had an extremely long history and its rank was high, making it impossible for disciples at the Foundation Establishment rank to break through. To exchange a secret realm that he could not benefit from for the life of Qiu Changtian and the position of chief was a deal too good to pass up. After all, the magic artifact to open the entrance of the secret realm was obtained by Song He through his fortuitous adventure¡­ Song He took a small incense burner from his sleeve, placed it on the ground recess in front of the crevice, then took out an incense stick, lit it, and chanted: Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Rich earth carries all, mountains and rivers close naturally. Seal!¡± As his voice fell, the mountains in front began to tremble. The rocks on the left and right sides slowly closed in towards the center, completely sealing the crevice in the middle. In doing so, those inside could no longer come out. It had become a deadly trap. Chapter 98 - Chapter 98: Chapter 33 Queen Mother Divine Palace, Golden Armored Warriors Chapter 98: Chapter 33 Queen Mother Divine Palace, Golden Armored Warriors Jiang Yuhuan and Hu Bugui led the way, with Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian following, as they squeezed into the crevice. Strangely, from the outside, the crevice appeared to narrow the further one looked inside; but once they actually entered, after a few steps, the space ahead opened up increasingly wider. After walking dozens of steps, they suddenly came onto a bright open space, standing atop a clifftop platform, having emerged from a cave. Before them, a vast sea of clouds stretched out, with white mist swirling like tides. There was no sun in the sky, yet it was as bright as daytime. An Iron Chain Long Bridge extended from the platform towards the distance. Just as Jiang Hu had mentioned, one could see at a distance the dome of an Immortal Palace, standing majestic and magnificent atop the sea of clouds, irresistibly stirring one¡¯s longing. In front of the long bridge, a golden-armored and silver-robed Divine General stood silently, his eyes firmly shut, immovable. The long sword in his hand rested on the ground, as if it had taken root. All four involuntarily stopped in their tracks, their gaze fixed on the golden-armored figure. Here, Sword Control was impossible, and the only way to continue forward was to cross the Iron Chain Long Bridge¡ªhowever, to do so, they would evidently need to confront the golden-armored Divine General. As Qiu Changtian stared intently for a moment and was about to speak, he suddenly heard the Kunlun Mirror in his Sea of Consciousness exclaim in shock: ¡°The Divine Palace of the Queen Mother of the West?¡± The Mirror paused, then added: ¡°Ah, it¡¯s the Divine Flame Path.¡± ¡°The Divine Flame Path?¡± Qiu Changtian asked. ¡°To become gods through the power of incense and wishes, that is the Divine Flame Path.¡± the Kunlun Mirror answered. ¡°Now that you mention it, I have heard of it.¡± Qiu Changtian replied in surprise, ¡°An offshoot of the Ancient Human Cult, the Divine Flame Path, inheriting the concept of ¡®Non-Action¡¯ from the Supreme Old Lord.¡± ¡°Claiming not to practice Breathing, Qi Refinement, or any Cultivation Method, they gather the power of wishes, sitting in meditation to become gods¡­ However, it seems their lineage has since perished.¡± ¡°When the path forward is severed with a single cut, doesn¡¯t that mean extinction?¡± the Kunlun Mirror remarked, suddenly recalling something, it said with gravity, ¡°Since it¡¯s constructed to mimic the Divine Palace of the Queen Mother of the West, this secret realm must be the lost ground of the Ancient Divine Flame Path, not a place for disciples of the Foundation Establishment Rank to intrude upon.¡± ¡°Ah Jing speaks truthfully.¡± Qiu Changtian cleared his throat as if he had just noticed something, and with a frown he exclaimed, ¡°Eh?¡± ¡°Senior Brother Qiu, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Jiang Yuhuan asked in a hushed voice. ¡°If my memory serves me right, this should be the secret realm of the Divine Fire Cult.¡± Qiu Changtian replied. ¡°The Divine Fire Cult?¡± Everyone was taken aback and speechless, only to hear Xu Yinglian say, ¡°That bunch who play at being gods and ghosts with the Divine Flame Path?¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Seeing that Jiang and Hu were still puzzled, Qiu Changtian explained, ¡°This path is an offshoot of the Ancient Human Cult. They preach not about practicing Breathing or Qi Refinement, instead focusing on saving the world and the people, spreading beliefs, and relying on the collective wish power of the masses to become gods.¡± ¡°Can that really work?¡± Hu Bugui laughed, ¡°Just like local deities in temples who, receiving incense and worship from people, ascend smoothly to immortality?¡± ¡°No one knows the specifics of their cultivation method, because the Divine Fire Path¡¯s teachings perished ten thousand years ago.¡± Xu Yinglian added, ¡°According to Senior Brother, this guardian of the bridge dressed in golden robes must be the ¡®Golden-armored Divine General¡¯ of the Divine Fire Path, each of whom possesses strength comparable to a Golden Core Rank.¡± ¡°Power of the Golden Core Rank¡­¡± Jiang Yuhuan and Hu Bugui looked at each other with apprehension visible on both faces. Beforehand, when they had entered the secret realm and witnessed the formidable Divine General guarding the bridge, they dared not test him and left the realm to seek reinforcements. Now it seemed fortunate that they hadn¡¯t acted impulsively, for otherwise, they might have been struck down by the Divine General. ¡°In that case, shouldn¡¯t we return to the Sect and ask the Elders to deal with it?¡± Jiang Yuhuan suggested tentatively. ¡°It should be so,¡± Qiu Changtian said with a smile. Although he possessed a trump card like the ¡®Immortal Capital Thunder¡¯, tailor-made to overcome wish-powered Immortal Gods, he didn¡¯t want to risk a forceful encounter with a Divine General in an unfamiliar realm¡ªnot knowing what lay beyond even if he defeated the opponent. Consequently, everyone turned around to crawl back into the cave. After retracing dozens of steps, they faced a dead end. ¡°` Everyone: ? ¡°How could it be a dead end?¡± Jiang and Hu were both shocked and pale, they quickly used their Flying Swords to cut the rock wall in front of them, trying to dig out an entrance. Of course, behind the rock wall was still the rock wall. ¡°You two stop digging,¡± Qiu Changtian couldn¡¯t bear to watch and began to persuade, ¡°It¡¯s likely not a mechanism that has sealed the entrance, but rather some changes in the secret realm¡¯s restrictions that have trapped us inside.¡± To the side, Xu Yinglian raised her eyebrows. Her senior brother really was used to being invincible, even describing being trapped by restrictions as something so trivial, truly befitting of a senior brother. [Invincible Character Setting, Synchronization Value +1] Caught off guard, Qiu Changtian turned to look at Xu Yinglian, while Jiang and Hu, upon hearing ¡°trapped inside the secret realm,¡± couldn¡¯t keep calm and immediately drove their Flying Swords at full force, turned into crazy excavators, and began to madly continue digging at the rock wall. Seeing that persuasion was futile, Qiu Changtian could only make eye contact with Xu Yinglian, signaling her to leave with him. The two of them walked out of the cave again and returned to the cliff platform by the sea of clouds. They saw the majestic golden-armored warrior standing nearby, and the slow and rolling sea of clouds in the distance looked seemingly open but also gave a strange feeling of narrowness and oppressiveness. ¡°What does senior brother plan to do?¡± Seeing he was composed and not panicked, Xu Yinglian lowered her voice and asked. The reason why Qiu Changtian wasn¡¯t panicked was, of course, that the Kunlun Mirror could teleport him out of the secret realm at any time, after which he could find his master to come back and save his junior sister. Ah Jing, forever divine! Of course, doing so carried a great risk of being exposed. Let alone his junior sister, even his master would certainly ask, How did you escape from that secret realm? If it really came down to a life-and-death crisis, then there would be no other choice; but as long as there was a way, it was better not to use Ah Jing, this ultimate weapon. After careful consideration, Qiu Changtian spoke with determined confidence: ¡°From the perspective of the designer of the restrictions, if an entrance is suddenly sealed, it is definitely for the purpose of trapping people.¡± ¡°Merely staying at the entrance won¡¯t lift the restrictions. We can¡¯t stay put, we have to move.¡± ¡°As for where to go, we don¡¯t seem to have much choice, do we?¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Xu Yinglian looked toward the Iron Chain Long Bridge ahead, ¡°but this golden-armored warrior¡­¡± ¡°According to records, the reason why the golden-armored warrior is ¡®comparable to a Golden Core True Person¡¯ is because he is impervious to sword and spear, extremely fierce, and hard to kill without Golden Core Rank methods, not that he actually has the strength of the Golden Core Rank.¡± Qiu Changtian pondered for a moment and slowly said, ¡°Maybe we can test the waters with an attack¡­¡± Before he could finish, the golden-armored warrior suddenly opened his eyes, drew his sword, and despite Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian swiftly adopting an attack stance, he ignored them and strode toward the inside of the cave. With Qiu Changtian¡¯s experience and Xu Yinglian¡¯s Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart, how could they not see that this was because Jiang and Hu inside had dug too greedily, triggering the restrictions¡¯ countermeasures? They quickly, and simultaneously, shut their mouths, fearful of attracting the golden-armored warrior¡¯s animosity. Once the warrior entered the cave, Qiu Changtian suddenly came to his senses, grabbed his junior sister¡¯s hand urgently, and said: ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Xu Yinglian also realized, and taking advantage of the golden-armored warrior¡¯s entry into the cave, she immediately followed Qiu Changtian onto the Iron Chain Long Bridge. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Because they couldn¡¯t use Sword Control within the secret realm, the two could only run wildly along the bridge. The iron chains shook violently, and the planks underfoot trembled nonstop, coupled with the deep and endless sea of clouds on both sides, giving a foreboding sensation of ¡°stepping onto a road of no return.¡± After dashing out for roughly a few hundred meters, they suddenly heard a brief scream from behind. Jiang and Hu in the cave had likely met their end. ¡°` Chapter 99 - Chapter 99: Chapter 34 Celestial Music on Cloud Platform, Jade Pond Golden Lotus Chapter 99: Chapter 34 Celestial Music on Cloud Platform, Jade Pond Golden Lotus ¡°` Vast sea of clouds, Iron Chain Long Bridge. No shore in sight ahead, nor the place from whence we came. Even though Xu Yinglian possessed the Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart, realizing the bridge couldn¡¯t possibly lack an end, she couldn¡¯t help feeling an inexplicable tension rising within her. Fortunately, her senior brother was by her side¡­ Sensing her thoughts, Kunlun Mirror quickly and quietly withdrew its Invincible Character Setting aura. Thus, Xu Yinglian gradually noticed a warm sensation coming from the palm of her senior brother, as if he was infusing her with strength. If she knew what the ¡°Suspension Bridge Effect¡± was, she would understand that in perilous circumstances, girls instinctively develop a reliance and fondness for the boys beside them, a natural physiological phenomenon evolved by humans. Of course, Junior Sister Xu didn¡¯t understand this; all she did was tightly grasp her senior brother¡¯s hand and desperately move her legs forward, with the Feather Jia Sword waving ceaselessly by her side, ready to strike out at any moment. After an indeterminate amount of time, the two of them finally arrived safely on the opposite shore. What they saw was a wide Cloud Platform, clear springs like crystal, white jade for tiles, with ethereal immortal melodies harmonizing in the distance, contributing to the surrounding aura of transcendental sanctity. ¡°What the hell is this?¡± Kunlun Mirror complained, ¡°Even if it¡¯s built to imitate the Divine Palace of the Queen Mother of the West, playing music every day like this is quite excessive, isn¡¯t it noisy?¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t the Divine Palace of the Queen Mother of the West have an atmosphere group?¡± Qiu Changtian asked. ¡°What is an atmosphere group¡­¡± Kunlun Mirror sighed, ¡°Of course not, the Empress prefers serenity.¡± ¡°Who is the Empress?¡± Though he knew the answer, Qiu Changtian asked intentionally. ¡°Of course, it¡¯s the Queen Mother of the West,¡± Kunlun Mirror said, ¡°But she has left this world a long time ago.¡± ¡°Ah Jing, I would like to hear the details.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a long story. In short, nearly ten thousand years have passed, the Immortal Realm has grown increasingly distant from the Mortal Realm¡ªnow they are nearly forever separated, unable to interfere with each other,¡± Kunlun Mirror said in a tone of melancholy, ¡°If it were not so, this world wouldn¡¯t have just me busying with the task of mending the heavens.¡± ¡°If you wish to listen, there will be time later. Right now, we should focus on finding a way to leave this place.¡± ¡°Let me tell you: the Divine Flame Path holds an almost fanatical obsession and admiration for the abodes of Immortal Sects, so I estimate that since this place is built to imitate the Divine Palace of the Queen Mother of the West, the terrain and environment should be similar.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then behind the Divine Palace, in the flat peach orchard, there exists a ¡®Rain Well,¡¯ which leads to the Lower Realm, corresponding to the exit from this mysterious realm,¡± Kunlun Mirror concluded. Upon hearing this, Qiu Changtian nodded and then turned to his junior sister, saying, ¡°To my knowledge, the Divine Flame Path holds an almost fanatical obsession and admiration for the abodes of Immortal Sects¡­¡± He repeated Kunlun Mirror¡¯s analysis to Xu Yinglian, which caused her to slightly furrow her brows in mild surprise, ¡°So the exit is likely in the backyard of the Divine Palace? Well, we have no choice but to explore this place anyway.¡± ¡°Correct,¡± Qiu Changtian agreed, ¡°However, as we move on, we are bound to encounter other dangers like golden armored warriors. Junior Sister, stay close behind me and do not wander off on your own.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Xu Yinglian replied coldly, ¡°Also, senior brother, could you let go of my hand first?¡± Qiu Changtian was momentarily startled, realizing he was still holding onto his junior sister¡¯s hand. He then released it with an easy smile. Xu Yinglian gently massaged her left hand, which had just been held, her expression slightly unnatural as she asked, ¡°Shall we head directly to the Divine Palace ahead? Or should we first explore this Cloud Platform?¡± ¡°Caution is paramount. It¡¯s better to thoroughly explore first,¡± Qiu Changtian responded, ¡°If there¡¯s danger like golden armored warriors here, and we¡¯re unaware and proceed deeper, only to get trapped between forces from before and behind, that would be troublesome.¡± ¡°That makes sense,¡± Xu Yinglian nodded. The two of them began to explore the Cloud Platform. Though the platform was vast, there weren¡¯t many structures obscuring the view. Only pools, Heaven¡¯s Gate, and archways stood. When Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian arrived at the edge of the pool, they saw withered lotus leaves and shriveled lotus pods, as if everything had died off over the ten thousand years. ¡°Huh?¡± Kunlun Mirror suddenly exclaimed, ¡°These are actually the Jade Pond Golden Lotuses, where did they get these from?¡± ¡°Jade Pond Golden Lotuses?¡± ¡°` ¡°For this world, it is quite a rare spiritual object of the Immortal Sects. Eating its seeds can open up all the body¡¯s orifices, increasing the efficiency of breathing and Qi Refinement.¡± ¡°I see, so are there any Illusion Technique traps around this pond¡­¡± ¡°There are no traps,¡± the Kunlun Mirror answered. Thus, Qiu Changtian conjured his Yu Long Sword and directly swept toward the pond. Xu Yinglian was startled and quickly readied her Feather Jia Sword in a defensive stance, only relaxing when she confirmed that there were indeed no Formation traps within the Jade Pond. The senior brother is too reckless, what if there were hidden Restrictions triggered? She pondered to herself and was tempted to give her senior brother a lesson, but then another thought came to her: Could it be that senior brother noticed some detail that confirmed the absence of traps and Formation here, which is why he made a decisive move? Indeed, no matter what, it ultimately proved that senior brother made no mistake. If I rashly chastised him and he rebutted with evidence to mock me, it would only show my lack of observation¡­ Humph, I refuse to fall for senior brother¡¯s trick. [Invincible Character Setting, Synchronization Value +1.] Qiu Changtian received the prompt, remained silent, and kept his expression unchanged. He meticulously peeled the shriveled lotus pod that his Sword Light had swept up and finally found two intact seeds. ¡°Jade Pond Golden Lotus Seed, want to eat one?¡± He offered one to his junior sister. ¡°Can this seed really be eaten?¡± Xu Yinglian asked, pinching the seed between her fingers and closely examining it in the light. ¡°Of course,¡± Qiu Changtian confidently stated, and in his mind, he asked Kunlun Mirror, ¡°Right?¡± ¡°Spiritual object of the Immortal Sect, it might lose Spiritual Power over time, but it¡¯s still edible,¡± the Kunlun Mirror provided an answer. Therefore, Qiu Changtian popped the seed into his mouth and chewed on it. Well, it was crunchy like a fried potato chip, hard like a roasted pea, but the taste wasn¡¯t anything special, and he didn¡¯t feel anything after eating it. Seeing her senior brother eat so decisively, Junior Sister Xu naturally followed suit and tossed it directly into her mouth. ¡°Cough! Cough cough cough!¡± The seed unfortunately slipped into her throat, got stuck in her esophagus, and induced violent coughing. Qiu Changtian quickly went to pat her back, just as Xu Yinglian tensed her chest and swallowed hard, finally managing to get it down and avoiding becoming the first Cultivator in history to choke to death. Then she turned around and glared at Qiu Changtian. ¡°Junior sister, don¡¯t be hasty,¡± Qiu Changtian said with a soothing smile. ¡°This seed is a spiritual object from the Immortal Realm. Although it has lost much of its Spiritual Energy, it should still have the effect of opening all the body¡¯s orifices and increase the efficiency of breathing Spiritual Energy.¡± Xu Yinglian was moved immediately. Improving the efficiency of breathing Spiritual Energy directly affected the efficiency of cultivation leveling; even a slight improvement was incredibly precious. With this in mind, she turned to look at the lotus pod on the ground again, unable to resist checking it over one more time. Unfortunately, Qiu Changtian had not been mistaken; there really were only two seeds, with no more left. Xu Yinglian still wasn¡¯t convinced and stretched her neck to peer into the Jade Pond, hoping to confirm whether there were any undiscovered pods. Qiu Changtian found this amusing and asked her: ¡°Is the junior sister looking for koi fish in the pond?¡± Xu Yinglian¡¯s cheeks turned slightly red, realizing that her senior brother was teasing her, so she defiantly retorted: Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°I am just wondering why there is a pillar standing oddly in the center of that pond? Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s very conspicuous?¡± Qiu Changtian followed her gaze and indeed saw a short pillar in the middle of the Jade Pond, rising above the water, with a groove at the top where there was a mirror placed. ¡°That¡¯s the Jade Pond Mirror Stand,¡± said the Kunlun Mirror with a distant tone. ¡°I was once placed upon it within the Western Queen Mother¡¯s palace, silently reflecting all living beings, oblivious to the passage of seasons.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Qiu Changtian then looked at the mirror on the mirror stand. As his gaze fell upon the mirror surface, it seemed to flicker with a subtle and imperceptible light. Chapter 100 - Chapter 100: Chapter 35: Tracing Back Again, The Temporal Puzzle Chapter 100: Chapter 35: Tracing Back Again, The Temporal Puzzle He walked forward tens of steps, and the view suddenly opened up. They found themselves on a plateau above a cliff, with an endless sea of clouds in the distance, connected only by an Iron Chain Long Bridge on this side. A tall, armored warrior stood guard at the head of the bridge, a long saber in hand, eyes closed and unmoving. Qiu Changtian tried but found that he couldn¡¯t use Sword Control here, so he carefully observed the armored warrior. Suddenly, he heard the voice of the Kunlun Mirror in his Sea of Consciousness exclaiming in surprise, ¡°What is going on here?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Ah Jing?¡± Qiu Changtian asked, frowning. The Kunlun Mirror fell silent for a moment, then spoke gravely to Qiu Changtian, ¡°The things I¡¯m about to tell you, you mustn¡¯t be afraid, no matter what.¡± ¡°You can count on me,¡± replied Qiu Changtian earnestly, ¡°I¡¯ve been professionally trained; no matter how terrifying the situation, I won¡¯t be afraid¡­ unless I can¡¯t help it.¡± ¡°What sort of professional training¡­ Never mind.¡± The Kunlun Mirror then recounted the previous events to him in detail and rapidly. Qiu Changtian listened in silence and then said, ¡°So, time has reversed?¡± ¡°I suspect that the mirror on the Jade Pond Mirror Stand is actually a fragment of my true form,¡± sighed the Kunlun Mirror, ¡°which is why it has the power to reverse time and space.¡± ¡°Fragment? When did you die, Ah Jing?¡± Qiu Changtian asked in surprise. ¡°After descending to the Lower Realm from the Western Mother¡¯s Divine Palace,¡± the Kunlun Mirror replied nonchalantly, ¡°My true form shattered¡­ into many pieces, scattered everywhere, leaving only the Artifact Spirit.¡± ¡°Condolences. If I get a chance, I¡¯ll see if I can help you retrieve the fragments and make the mirror whole again.¡± While Qiu Changtian was talking to the Kunlun Mirror, Junior Sister Xu, who had been watching for a while, recognized that the armored warrior was a follower of the Divine Flame Path, so they planned to return to the cave and leave the Secret Realm. Xu Yinglian was about to follow them out but noticed her senior brother standing still, and turned her head to look at him in confusion. Qiu Changtian took Junior Sister Xu¡¯s hand and walked a few steps towards the edge of the Cloud Platform. Before long, they saw the armored warrior suddenly open his eyes and walk towards the cave with his saber. Qiu Changtian immediately grabbed Junior Sister Xu¡¯s hand and dashed across the Iron Chain Long Bridge to the Cloud Platform on the other side. As soon as they reached the Cloud Platform, celestial music rang out, as if right beside their ears. ¡°The music is louder than last time,¡± said the Kunlun Mirror suddenly. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s hinting that time has already been reversed once,¡± speculated Qiu Changtian, ¡°If the music keeps getting louder, could it mean that some kind of change is happening in the Secret Realm?¡± ¡°And it¡¯s definitely not a good change,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said gravely, ¡°This isn¡¯t the Pavilion Secret Realm of the Clarify Cult; it may not welcome outsiders like you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Qiu Changtian agreed, looking warily towards the Jade Pond and then said, ¡°Ah, Ah Jing!¡± ¡°Do you think if I went to the Jade Pond and picked the Golden Lotus Seeds again, I could eat them a second time?¡± The Kunlun Mirror: ? ¡°It should be possible,¡± it said hesitantly. ¡°After time reverses, would the effects of the previously eaten seeds remain?¡± Qiu Changtian cautiously asked. ¡°The time reversal here doesn¡¯t mean time is going backward,¡± replied the Kunlun Mirror, ¡°but rather your and Junior Sister Xu¡¯s bodies are being sent to the past, with the Mirror Flower Water Moon Illusion Technique casting a mental suggestion on you both, causing you to forget the previous events.¡± ¡°For example, if your Junior Sister dies next, after time reverses, all you¡¯ll see is her Illusion¡­ just like those two Kunlun Disciples just now.¡± ¡°After all, it¡¯s one thing for the flesh to travel backward, but to make the dead come to life requires too great a causal effect, something even I can¡¯t do, let alone a fragment of my true form.¡± ¡°So the two of them were Illusions just now?¡± Qiu Changtian realized, sighing. Jiang and Hu had invited him to help because they trusted him, and he never expected they would be killed¡­ It was out of his hands. He mourned in silence for a few seconds, then unrolled a Sword Light and scooped up the withered lotus pod from the Jade Pond into his hands. Xu Yinglian was startled, but when she saw that no formation had been triggered in the Jade Pond, she slowly let out a sigh of relief. Qiu Changtian peeled open the lotus pod and indeed extracted two more seeds from it. That¡¯s strange, doesn¡¯t that mean these lotus seeds can be repeatedly harvested? ¡°Ah Jing,¡± he couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°I remember you once said that history that has already happened cannot be changed.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the Kunlun Mirror sighed, ¡°so this is a ¡®false history.¡¯¡± ¡°What do you mean by ¡®false history¡¯?¡± Qiu Changtian asked in surprise. The Kunlun Mirror fell silent for a moment, then said: ¡°You¡¯re walking down the road and suddenly you encounter yourself from tomorrow, who gives you a lotus seed.¡± ¡°To ensure that history isn¡¯t changed, the next day you travel back in time to yesterday and pass the lotus seed you got earlier to your past self.¡± ¡°So, where does this lotus seed, which must be sent back to yesterday every other day, actually come from?¡± ¡°The answer is: this lotus seed comes from a ¡®false history,¡¯ a temporary timeline created by the pathways of time to ensure a linear loop that doesn¡¯t exist on the main timeline.¡± Qiu Changtian fell silent for a moment, then said: ¡°Ah Jing, can you put it in layman¡¯s terms?¡± ¡°Oh, I forgot you¡¯re not Luo Yan now, without the added comprehension,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said with a sheepish laugh, ¡°It¡¯s quite complicated to explain. First, you need to know that time is a ray; it has a starting point but no endpoint¡­¡± ¡°All right, stop there,¡± Qiu Changtian sighed, ¡°in the end, the lotus seed is edible, right?¡± ¡°Right.¡± ¡°Then can it be harvested infinitely?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± said the Kunlun Mirror, ¡°Even as a fragment of myself, I cannot create an infinite number of temporary timelines, that would provoke a backlash from the pathways of time.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Qiu Changtian then ate a lotus seed and handed the other one to Xu Yinglian, ¡°Be careful not to choke.¡± Xu Yinglian: ? ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°Jade Pond Golden Lotus Seed, consuming it can enhance the efficiency of breathing and Qi Refinement.¡± Upon hearing this, Xu Yinglian was momentarily taken aback, hastily ate the lotus seed, and then turned her eyes to the remaining lotus pods. ¡°Don¡¯t bother looking, there¡¯s nothing left in there,¡± said Qiu Changtian as he abruptly formed a sword technique with his hand, and the Yu Long Sword transformed into a streak of light, heading straight for the mirror on the Jade Pond Mirror Stand. ¡­¡­ The view suddenly brightened up. Qiu Changtian stepped out of the cave and looked at the armored guards at the bridge, about to whisper something, when he suddenly heard the Kunlun Mirror say with resignation: ¡°Let me show you a little video¡­¡± Qiu Changtian watched the video with astonishment and then his eye twitched: ¡°So you¡¯re telling me that I¡¯ve been through two reincarnations already?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the Kunlun Mirror replied. ¡°And you have no idea why I fell for it?¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Not a clue. As it stands, it¡¯s best to avoid getting close to my main body fragment, that mirror.¡± ¡°So that means,¡± Qiu Changtian pondered, ¡°considering I might very well revert back this time too, even if I sneak a kiss from Junior Sister Xu now, she won¡¯t remember it after the reversal.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said dully, ¡°as long as you can survive until the third reversal after kissing her.¡± Just imagining it for a moment, the scene of Xu Yinglian wielding a sword and chasing him on the Iron Chain Long Bridge, Qiu Changtian quickly shook his head, throwing the impractical thoughts out of his mind. I am a gentleman of integrity, how could I possibly do such despicable deeds! Chapter 101 - Chapter 101: Chapter 36: Bizarre Mechanisms, Phantom Reborn Chapter 101: Chapter 36: Bizarre Mechanisms, Phantom Reborn ¡°` To tell the truth, Qiu Changtian really had no recollection of the previous time retroversions at all. But he was well aware of the power of Mirror Flower Water Moon¡¯s illusion technique: Despite sharing the same facial features as Luo Yan, Qiu Changtian went unnoticed by everyone, from the Ziwei Master and Elder Shi Ding to Xu Yinglian and Shi Liuli. It was truly an unparalleled illusion technique under the heavens. After time retorsion, failing to detect even the slightest sense of incongruity should not be a difficult task. However¡­ ¡°By the way, Ah Jing,¡± sighed Qiu Changtian, ¡°you are an artifact spirit after all. Don¡¯t you have a way to deal with the original body?¡± ¡°I do not possess the power of time. I merely borrow from the Grand Dao of Time,¡± replied the Kunlun Mirror helplessly, ¡°It is mainly because your rank is too low. How could a cultivator at the Foundation Establishment Rank possibly withstand an Innate Spiritual Treasure?¡± Qiu Changtian was somewhat amused by this: ¡°So, it seems that you died without fulfillment, and your body is being used against me, all because my cultivation realm isn¡¯t high enough?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want this either!¡± The Kunlun Mirror became increasingly embarrassed and said with a grievance, ¡°After all, I am just a mere mirror. If it weren¡¯t for residing in your sea of consciousness, I wouldn¡¯t even be able to move freely.¡± ¡°That¡¯s too disappointing, Ah Jing. You should feel some shame.¡± ¡°Feel shame, feel shame,¡± Kunlun Mirror quickly brushed it off, ¡°listen to me, this time try to bypass the Jade Pond, and do not go to the mirror stand.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± nodded Qiu Changtian. Following the steps laid out in the Kunlun Mirror¡¯s guide, once the golden armored strongmen were alerted by the two people inside, Qiu Changtian led Xu Yinglian across the Iron Chain Long Bridge, running straight to the Cloud Platform on the opposite side. ¡°The celestial music is louder this time,¡± Kunlun Mirror reminded. ¡°Hmm,¡± Qiu Changtian nodded, then took Xu Yinglian around the Jade Pond towards the direction of the Divine Palace. Xu Yinglian was clueless and originally wanted to explore around, but seeing her senior brother dragging her along without explanation, she felt slightly embarrassed and insecure, with no resistance. The two of them circled far around the Jade Pond, passing through the arched corridors at the edge of the Cloud Platform, and then over the towering Heaven¡¯s Gate, arriving in front of the Divine Palace. The Divine Palace of the Queen Mother of the West, known as the ¡°Zhao Palace.¡± The word ¡°Zhao¡± signifies a brilliant radiance. From the outside, it was indeed a Divine Palace of the Immortal Sect, with columns winding with dragons, and eaves soaring with phoenixes, in the utmost splendid and brilliant style. As they ascended the steps, the two stood before the sealed palace doors. The doors were approximately three zhang high, tightly sealed, and extremely heavy. After confirming there were no traps, Qiu Changtian pushed on the door with force. Seeing him struggling a bit, Xu Yinglian stepped forward to help. Both of them shouldered the door and let out a concerted shout as they exerted themselves, finally managing to push the doors open. Inside, the spacious main hall was filled with stands and desks. Innumerable magical treasures, Flying Swords, Daoist texts, and elixirs, gleaming with flowing light and rising spiritual energy, were neatly arranged on the stands and desks, nearly dazzling their eyes. Taking a deep breath, Xu Yinglian¡¯s Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart operated, and she suppressed the greedy feelings that rose in her heart, then turned to ask Qiu Changtian: ¡°What should we do?¡± Qiu Changtian fell silent for a moment, then after confirming through the Kunlun Mirror that there were no traps or restrictions inside, he nodded to Xu Yinglian. Together, they stepped through the palace doors. ¡­¡­ Their vision suddenly became bright. Qiu Changtian¡¯s gaze swept over the sea of clouds toward the Divine General guarding the bridge, when suddenly a fast-forwarded miniature film played by Kunlun Mirror flashed before his eyes. ¡°¡­Ah, this,¡± after watching it, Qiu Changtian felt quite troubled, ¡°Which time retroversal is this for me?¡± ¡°The fourth time,¡± answered Kunlun Mirror. Qiu Changtian quickly pondered: The first time, he stared at the mirror stand and was reverted. The second time, he tried to take a piece of the Kunlun Mirror and was reverted. The third time, he bypassed the Jade Pond and tried to enter Zhao Palace. Time reverted again. Combining the only evidence available, it seemed that the shard of the Kunlun Mirror was guarding this location at the Cloud Platform. As soon as it perceived a threat, or an attempt was made to leave the Cloud Platform and enter Zhao Palace, it would trigger the defensive mechanism of the Kunlun Mirror shard. ¡°` To confirm this conjecture was quite simple. By wandering around the Cloud Platform with Junior Sister Xu, without trying to enter the Zhao Palace or investigate the central Jade Pond, if after the same amount of time the time retrospection still hadn¡¯t been triggered, then they could largely prove their point. Therefore, Qiu Changtian replicated the method, and after the golden-armored warriors were lured away, he didn¡¯t say much and directly pulled Xu Yinglian onto the Iron Chain Long Bridge. Although Xu Yinglian often liked to compete with her senior brother, deep down she acknowledged his abilities and decisiveness. Since Qiu Changtian didn¡¯t care to explain, she didn¡¯t ask further, merely following closely behind him, her expression tense as she silently pondered the deeper meaning of her senior brother¡¯s actions. Upon reaching the Cloud Platform, the two heard the sounds of celestial music, seemingly just within reach. It was louder than the sound from their previous time retroversions. Not only that, the surrounding archways and stone columns began to gradually reveal illusory images. Although the outlines were faint and flickered unsteadily, one could vaguely make out the countless golden-armored warriors standing guard around them. However, the eyes visible through their facial armor were cold and lifeless, unlike those of regular people. There were also fairy maidens weaving in and out of the crowds, their faces half-hidden behind pipas, their jade throats rolling as they sang enchanting tunes. Yet within the shifting glances of their eyes, a bitter and malevolent intent flashed by frequently. With a grave expression, Qiu Changtian realized that if they were subjected to a few more retroversions, these golden-armored warriors and fairy maidens might become real and would likely attack them en masse¡­ They had to break the time retrospection mechanism as quickly as possible! He ignored the illusions, simply walking in circles along the edge of the Cloud Platform with his junior sister. After about ten rounds, Xu Yinglian couldn¡¯t hold back her curiosity any longer and asked with a frown, ¡°What are you looking for, senior brother?¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m studying a formation,¡± Qiu Changtian responded. ¡°Formation?¡± Xu Yinglian exclaimed in astonishment. Were these illusions caused by a formation? Moreover, her senior brother understood formations? Wait a second, I remember during his previous excursion, he had helped the cultivators of the Yuqing View break a formation¡­ Dammit, not only does senior brother have a high cultivation level, powerful Daoist magic, and a mastery of Sword Control Technique, but now he¡¯s even delving into formations? When will I ever catch up to senior brother? While Junior Sister Xu was thinking this, she saw Qiu Changtian giving her a strange look. [Invincible character setting, synchronization value +1.] ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Xu Yinglian suppressed her frustration and asked again. ¡°Don¡¯t talk for now,¡± Qiu Changtian frowned and replied, ¡°I¡¯m thinking over a problem.¡± Since their arrival at the Cloud Platform, he had been constantly keeping track of time. Up to now, nearly three times the duration of the previous time retroversions had passed without triggering the mechanism, which was telling. Qiu Changtian asked Xu Yinglian to stand on this side of the archway and then cautiously approached the Jade Pond. He didn¡¯t look at the mirror stand in the pond¡¯s center but instead used sword light to sever a dried lotus pod. Then he turned around, peeled out two lotus seeds, and gave half to Xu Yinglian, saying, ¡°Eat these.¡± Xu Yinglian hesitated, but seeing Qiu Changtian chew and swallow without hesitation, she too put the lotus seeds into her mouth. After eating the lotus seeds, Qiu Changtian turned his back on the Jade Pond and contemplated. Hmm, still no time retrospection triggered. The triggering mechanism was almost clear: as soon as they tried to force their way into the Zhao Palace or if the Kunlun Mirror shard on the mirror stand sensed a threat, it would initiate the retrospection mechanism. That is, they only had to launch a surprise attack while it wasn¡¯t paying attention¡­ Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Thinking this, Qiu Changtian suddenly turned around, and from his sleeve, the Immortal Capital Thunder flew out, striking the Jade Pond Mirror Stand like a bolt of lightning! ¡­¡­ Qiu Changtian emerged from the cave, his vision suddenly clear. In the distance was the endless sea of clouds; nearby were the Iron Chain Long Bridge and the bridge-guarding Divine General, and¡­ the mini movie played by the Kunlun Mirror. Listening in astonishment to the Kunlun Mirror¡¯s explanation and realizing he had failed four times already, Qiu Changtian began to silently reflect once more. Chapter 102 - Chapter 102: Chapter 37: Junior Sister’s Inspiration, Immortal Capital Divine Thunder Chapter 102: Chapter 37: Junior Sister¡¯s Inspiration, Immortal Capital Divine Thunder ¡°` It seems that the method of launching a sudden attack on the fragment of the Kunlun Mirror when it¡¯s not paying attention is no longer viable. Immortal Capital Thunder is already Qiu Changtian¡¯s fastest method of attack, on par with the Five Elements Divine Light. If even the Immortal Capital Thunder can¡¯t make a difference, then it proves that conventional methods are simply ineffective against the Kunlun Mirror fragment. As he took Junior Sister Xu up the Iron Chain Long Bridge, this time Qiu Changtian did not sprint at full speed but rather hastened his step. His stride was heavy, his expression grave, his eyebrows almost knotted together in deep thought, pondering over a strategy to turn the situation around. Xu Yinglian had never seen her senior brother like this. In her memory, Qiu Changtian was always mild-mannered and unruffled, confidently declaring ¡°Evil can never overcome Good¡± even when facing enemies a rank higher. To see such a frowning, battle-ready Qiu Changtian was a first for her. Kunlun Mirror: ¡­¡­¡­ The Synchronization Value of the Invincible Character Setting was about to fall, but it did not tell Qiu Changtian, silently dissolving the illusion technique instead. As long as the character setting isn¡¯t maintained, there¡¯s no problem with the Synchronization Value. It¡¯s like not having to add fuel to a boiler that¡¯s been shut off, quite rational. The dissipating aura of dominance immediately made Xu Yinglian feel a sense of closeness. She didn¡¯t actually dislike her senior brother and even harbored some faint admiration for him, but because of her overly assertive personality and being constantly provoked by his domineering aura, she always maintained a tense and combative stance around him. Now, without that choking sensation, Xu Yinglian relaxed and asked with curiosity: ¡°Senior brother, why are you wearing such an expression? Is there a problem with this secret realm?¡± ¡°You wouldn¡¯t understand even if I told you,¡± Qiu Changtian replied perfunctorily. Had the domineering aura still been in place, that remark would have set Xu Yinglian off instantly. But since the aura was gone, sensing his irritation, she gently grasped his hand and said softly: ¡°I may not know what you¡¯re worried about because you¡¯ve never shared it with me.¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t you tell me the problem? Or do you think Junior Sister is too foolish to be of any help to you?¡± Qiu Changtian glanced at her impatiently. Xu Yinglian responded with a serene smile. Qiu Changtian then sighed and said: ¡°Junior Sister, do you believe that we are experiencing Time Retrospection?¡± He didn¡¯t mention anything about the Kunlun Mirror, only briefly mentioned the concept of Time Retrospection and casually pointed out that ¡°this mechanism seems to be related to the Jade Pond Mirror in the center of the Cloud Platform.¡± Xu Yinglian fell silent after listening. It wasn¡¯t until the two had crossed the long bridge and stepped onto the Cloud Platform, seeing the half-corporeal phantoms around them and hearing the resonant music of the Immortal Sect, that Xu Yinglian confirmed her senior brother wasn¡¯t joking. In other words, she and her senior brother had indeed experienced Time Retrospection at least once, which could explain why he seemed to possess foreknowledge, describing the scenery of this place with great accuracy beforehand. ¡°Truly amazing¡­¡± she murmured, looking at the phantoms of the Golden Armored Divine Generals surrounding them. For some reason, Xu Yinglian suddenly felt the illusion that these Divine Generals were also watching her maliciously, restrained from attacking the two only by the restrictions of the secret realm. ¡°According to Senior Brother, the core of this Time Retrospection is that mirror in the center of the Jade Pond,¡± Xu Yinglian said. ¡°Mhm,¡± Qiu Changtian responded absently. ¡°Since Senior Brother has already tried and can¡¯t approach the Kunlun Mirror from the front, have you thought about trying to circumvent it sideways?¡± Xu Yinglian analyzed earnestly. Qiu Changtian thought to himself, isn¡¯t that what I¡¯m trying to figure out, and suddenly noticed Junior Sister Xu¡¯s delicate profile. ¡°` Her deep in thought and racked her brain with such earnestness, which was completely different from her usual aloof and reserved expression, instead, there was a kind of unique, pretty cuteness. Well, since the secret realm¡¯s countdown is based on the number of retracements, not the duration of stay, it would do no harm to let Junior Sister ponder for a while longer. Therefore, Qiu Changtian stared at Junior Sister¡¯s profile intently, until Xu Yinglian suddenly had a stroke of insight and said: ¡°Brother, do you see by the edge of the Jade Pond, is there a Golden Armored Warrior standing there?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Qiu Changtian also seemed to realize something, but it still felt like there was a veil he couldn¡¯t pierce through, leaving him unclear, ¡°And then? What does this imply?¡± ¡°The Golden Armored Warrior can approach the Jade Pond,¡± Xu Yinglian said solemnly. These words struck like lightning in the night, deafening and clarifying, instantly breaking Qiu Changtian¡¯s mental fixation. He himself would be perceived as a threat by the mirror shard, but the Golden Armored Warrior would not. If he could disguise himself as a Golden Armored Warrior, and with Ah Jing¡¯s Illusion Technique of Mirror Flower Water Moon on him, could he deceive that shard? ¡°Of course you can!¡± the Kunlun Mirror excitedly said in the Sea of Consciousness, ¡°How did I not think of this? Junior Sister Xu is really smart!¡± ¡°Have you recorded the Golden Armored Warrior before?¡± Qiu Changtian asked calmly. ¡°No,¡± the Kunlun Mirror laughed, ¡°But isn¡¯t there one by the Iron Chain Long Bridge?¡± Qiu Changtian immediately had an epiphany, as if a veil was lifted from his confusion. With this, all the elements for success had been gathered! ¡°Junior Sister,¡± Qiu Changtian said composedly, ¡°Let¡¯s go back to the Iron Chain Long Bridge.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Hearing that her brother wanted to return to the long bridge, Xu Yinglian immediately understood that Qiu Changtian was planning to kill the bridge-guarding Divine General at the bridgehead, taking its equipment to disguise as a Golden Armored Warrior to approach the Jade Pond Mirror Stand! Though unsure if it would work, it seemed there were no other methods available at the moment. The two returned to the Iron Chain Long Bridge once more, with the vast sea of clouds on both sides, and the gentle breeze blowing over, causing the bridge to sway slightly. Xu Yinglian felt somewhat shy, remembering how her brother had held her hand earlier, running all the way from the entrance of the secret realm to the Cloud Platform. That warm sensation seemed to linger in the palm of her hand even now. Moreover, according to what her brother had said, time had already retraced four times, which meant her brother had held her hand four times¡­ Thinking this, she felt a bit flustered. Xu Yinglian hurriedly circulated her Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart to suppress these amorous thoughts. But considering time retracement would erase her memory, so had her brother made even bolder moves before, like kissing¡­ With those thoughts, she was even less composed. Xu Yinglian quickly focused all her effort on the Seven Crafty Exquisite Heart, to push down these shy notions. However, Qiu Changtian was unaware of the multitude of tumultuous thoughts filtering through his Junior Sister¡¯s mind in such a short time. He was walking on thin ice, vigilantly moving forward until the distant cliff platform was faintly visible. Then, the silhouette guarding the bridge on the platform suddenly moved! Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Junior Sister! Cover me!¡± Qiu Changtian warned, as the Yu Long Sword shot out from his hand. ¡°Floating Morning Light, shine across ten thousand zhang!¡± Xu Yinglian immediately recited the incantation, breathing out an immense amount of flames from her mouth and nose, swiftly surging forward along the Iron Chain Long Bridge. However, in order not to burn the bridge, she deliberately controlled the intensity of the flames, merely creating a blaze of light and thick smoke. Amidst the flames, the figure of the Golden Armored Divine General charged out, swinging the long saber in the air and deflecting the attacking Yu Long Sword. The next second, the red and black Immortal Capital Thunder, like a long serpent, struck directly at the chest of the Golden Armored Divine General! Chapter 103 - Chapter 103: Chapter 38: Subduing the Fragments and Entering Zhao Palace Chapter 103: Chapter 38: Subduing the Fragments and Entering Zhao Palace The golden-armored guardian, clad in full armor, was not only impervious to ordinary weapons of the mortal world, but even Immortal Flying Swords struggled to break through his defenses. The reason was simple: his armor was a manifestation of the mortal world¡¯s collective wishes, converging the faith of millions, which naturally endowed him with strange divine skills. However, Immortal Capital Thunder was known as the ¡°Majesty of the Jade Emperor,¡± and it had a natural restraining effect on such wish-powered entities, with a destructive power three times that of ordinary thunder methods. A thunder method struck the golden-armored guardian, instantly creating a huge crack on the Bright Light Mirror on his chest. Countless wisps of black smoke poured out, as if blood gushed from a spring, yet the Divine General seemed oblivious, continuing to charge forward with large strides, his long blade dragging behind him. Xu Yinglian, pulling Qiu Changtian, retreated hastily, her Feather Jia Sword shooting out urgently only to be split open once again by the Golden Armored Divine General. At the moment of the clash between gold and iron, another Immortal Capital Thunder struck precisely at the crack in the Divine General¡¯s chest, piercing straight through it, then bursting from the inside. The lower half of the Divine General¡¯s body continued to charge forward, while his upper half was cut off at the waist, flying backward. Soon, the golden armor, helmet, and long blade fell onto the Long Bridge. The body, composed of the willpower, was perfectly vanquished and disintegrated by the precisely controlled power of the Immortal Capital Thunder. As Qiu Changtian¡¯s Yu Long Sword swept past, it gathered the scattered gear to his side, while he asked the Kunlun Mirror in his heart: ¡°How is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s recorded,¡± replied the Kunlun Mirror. ¡°The moment the willpower spilled out, I had already captured and inscribed it.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Qiu Changtian said as he attempted to don the armor. Xu Yinglian helped him from the side, fastening the straps and belt for her senior brother, then circled around him a few times, scrutinizing him up and down. ¡°Aside from the crack in the chest of the armor, there are no other flaws,¡± she eventually concluded. ¡°We can try it.¡± ¡°Mhm,¡± agreed Qiu Changtian as he put on the faceplate and headed towards the direction of the Cloud Platform. The Kunlun Mirror also began to alter the Mirror Flower Water Moon Illusion Technique, and as for the persona template of the golden-armored guardian, it was one of ¡°persistence.¡± The so-called wish-power was essentially great persistence. The more devout and firm the beliefs of the praying masses were, the purer the wish-power they contributed. At this moment, Qiu Changtian had discarded all distracting thoughts, maintaining only the firm intention to leave the secret realm, striding along the Iron Chain Long Bridge. As the Synchronization Value rapidly climbed, the trailing Xu Yinglian keenly felt that her senior brother¡¯s aura was changing again¡­ But it wasn¡¯t the first time it had changed; she had long since grown accustomed to it. Qiu Changtian, silent and uncommunicative, advanced with rapid strides, eventually crossing the Iron Chain Long Bridge and stepping onto the jade bricks of the Cloud Platform. Indeed, by employing the Mirror Flower Water Moon Illusion Technique of the Kunlun Mirror and assuming the guise of the golden-armored guardian, neither the Golden Armored Divine Generals nor the music and dance maidens paid any attention to him. The malice that had always seemed to lurk, as if spying on him, had also vanished without a trace. Without further ado, Qiu Changtian proceeded directly to the Jade Pond Mirror Stand and reached for the mirror on top. The surface of the mirror shimmered faintly, seemingly about to initiate Time Retrospection, but it did not activate in the end¡ªthe artifact itself was merely a piece missing its Artifact Spirit, taken by the Divine Flame Path to serve as the core for the secret realm¡¯s outer defenses. It was imbued with a low-level consciousness composed of wish-power, with orders to guard against any strangers from outside the realm. Members of the Divine Flame Path, golden-armored guardians, and music and dance maidens from within the Sect naturally did not fall within the range of entities to guard against. By adopting the illusion of the golden-armored guardian¡¯s persona, Qiu Changtian finally avoided the risk of Time Retrospection and took the mirror directly from the Mirror Stand. The next second, the fragment merged into his body as Ah Jing within his Sea of Consciousness began to work, allowing the Artifact Spirit and the fragment to recombine through a profound connection. ¡°Oh dear,¡± called out Ah Jing, half in distress and half in annoyance, after the fusion, ¡°why did it use so much Spiritual Power?¡± ¡°Is the loss of Spiritual Power serious?¡± Qiu Changtian asked. ¡°It makes sense, seeing as nearly ten thousand years have passed¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a matter of time.¡± The Kunlun Mirror said with a desire to cry but no tears, ¡°The main consumption was due to the multiple activations of Time Retrospection just now.¡± Qiu Changtian: ¡­¡­¡­ Indeed, having taken Junior Sister Xu through several rounds of the Jade Pond Golden Lotus Seeds, it seemed that they were produced by the Kunlun Mirror fragments consuming their reserves of spiritual energy. As the mirror on the mirror stand was removed by the senior brother and then disappeared abruptly and oddly, the surrounding illusions also vanished along with it, and the sound of the music from the heavens above slowly died down. Seeing Qiu Changtian begin to remove his armor, Xu Yinglian breathed a sigh of relief and then asked with a smile, ¡°Does this mean we¡¯ve solved it?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Qiu Changtian nodded slightly, and then harvested a withered lotus pod from the Jade Pond, extracting two Golden Lotus Seeds from it. Anyway, since the artifact¡¯s fragment created some ¡°false history¡± by using spiritual energy to pull out the Golden Lotus Seeds from the recursive space-time, it would be a waste not to eat them. After sharing a lotus seed with Junior Sister Xu, Qiu Changtian spoke concisely, ¡°Eat it, it can increase the speed of Qi Refinement.¡± Xu Yinglian was stunned for a while, but after seeing Qiu Changtian eat his, she reluctantly followed suit and popped it into her mouth. After consuming the Jade Pond Golden Lotus, the two made their way through Heaven¡¯s Gate, heading towards the Zhao Palace of the Queen Mother of the West. Just as on the previous occasion, after exerting effort to push open the doors of the Zhao Palace, they were greeted by an array of colorful magical treasures, flying swords, books of Dao, and elixirs¡­ all laid out on shelves, free for choosing. Despite Xu Yinglian¡¯s usual cool and reserved demeanor, she couldn¡¯t help showing a delighted expression, yet she didn¡¯t rush through the entrance and merely looked eagerly at her senior brother. Qiu Changtian pondered for a moment, then heard the Kunlun Mirror speak in his Sea of Consciousness, ¡°I have absorbed the knowledge and intelligence from my main body¡¯s fragments.¡± ¡°Although this place is built to imitate the Divine Palace of the Queen Mother of the West, it is actually a secret realm designed by the Divine Flame Path to train the combat capabilities of Golden Core True Persons.¡± Qiu Changtian understood clearly. Unlike the Pavilion, as a purely combat-training type secret realm, it made sense for there to be hostile entities like the Golden Armored Strongmen. ¡°The ancient Divine Flame Path emphasized collecting aspirations to become divine while sitting, leading their Golden Core True Persons to covet peace and quiet, having cultivation levels but not skilled in magical combat.¡± ¡°Therefore, within the secret realm, inside the Zhao Palace¡ªthat is, the room before you¡ªthe Divine Flame Path designed a total of thirteen training levels called ¡®The Thirteen Luminaries of Divine Flame of the Upper Primordial¡¯.¡± ¡°The might of the divine soldiers and generals at each level will change according to the cultivation rank of the trainees, ranging from the Soul Storing Rank to the Obscure Weave Rank of the Golden Core Realm.¡± ¡°After the trialists finish their challenges and return to the starting point¡ªwhich is the room you are in now¡ªthey can choose their rewards based on the number of kills.¡± ¡°Additionally, as you have slain the Golden Armored Strongman at the entrance of the secret realm, which is equivalent to a Soul Storing Rank of the Golden Core Realm, this counts as defeating one Golden Armored Divine General. You do not need to challenge the subsequent levels and may directly select a reward.¡± ¡°Note, according to the restrictions of the Zhao Palace, each of you should only be able to choose one reward.¡± After hearing the explanation from the Kunlun Mirror, Qiu Changtian understood. This secret realm of the Divine Palace of the Queen Mother of the West was specifically designed by the Divine Flame Path for cultivators of the Golden Core Rank, much like a combat-training type secret realm like the Pavilion. The training levels were located inside the Zhao Palace, in the rooms beyond the main hall, and corresponding rewards for passing the challenges were also set up. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only As for himself and his junior sister, what they had solved on the Cloud Platform was merely the ¡°firewall¡± of this secret realm to prevent outsiders from entering¡­ With this in mind, he felt his enthusiasm wane and decided not to challenge the ¡°Thirteen Luminaries of the Upper Primordial¡± levels inside. The ability to defeat the Golden Core Rank Golden Armored Strongman earlier was indeed crucial due to the Opposite Capital Thunder that countered aspirations, but even more critical was that the battle took place on the narrow Iron Chain Long Bridge where the opponent couldn¡¯t maneuver or dodge attacks well. If placed in a more spacious environment, given the opponent¡¯s terrifying sprint speed within a hundred meters, he probably wouldn¡¯t even have time to unleash his Thunder Method. So he decided to choose rewards with his junior sister first and then leave the secret realm. Chapter 105 - Chapter 105: Chapter 40 Report to the master, Rewards within the Sect Chapter 105: Chapter 40 Report to the master, Rewards within the Sect A sword light pierced through the surface of the water. The two emerged from the lake, both dripping wet. Xu Yinglian sneezed and suddenly felt warmth returning to her body¡ªit was Qiu Changtian casting the Universal Pure Tone Minor Illumination Technique. Looking around, as the sword light hovered for a moment, Xu Yinglian uncertainly said, ¡°This place¡­ seems to be Guozha Lake?¡± Guozha Lake, locally known as ¡°Guozha Cuo,¡± is a lake at the southern foothills of the Kunlun Mountain Range. The north side is fresh water, and the south side is salt water, which is indeed strange. The location from which the two had emerged from the secret realm was precisely at the boundary between the fresh and salt water. As such, after using the Minor Illumination Technique to dry their clothes, Qiu Changtian¡¯s body ended up covered in countless tiny salt crystals that sparkled in the sunlight, while Xu Yinglian remained completely clean. ¡°How can big brother be so unlucky?¡± Xu Yinglian couldn¡¯t help but laugh as she saw the reason, and began to brush the salt grains off Qiu Changtian¡¯s clothes. Qiu Changtian, however, remained silent, just gazing at her quietly. Soon, Xu Yinglian also realized the ambiguity of her actions and hurriedly withdrew her hand in embarrassment. At the same time, she summoned her Feather Jia Sword, and riding the sword light, she sped off to the north, hastily leaving behind a sentence: ¡°Big brother, this secret realm affair is of great importance. We should report to master as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Mm,¡± Qiu Changtian nodded slightly, and the Yu Long Sword¡¯s light immediately shot up into the sky. The two flew on their swords, one after the other, and quickly arrived back at the top of the Heaven¡¯s Pillar of Kunlun, entering the Jade Void Palace. Xu Yinglian arrived first at the Ziwei Master¡¯s location, but without speaking, she simply gestured for Qiu Changtian to talk. Qiu Changtian respectfully bowed to the Sect Leader and then recounted how Jiang and Hu had come seeking them, how the four entered the secret realm, how the golden-armored divine general showed aggression, and how they subsequently fell into a bizarre time retrospection. In the end, relying on Junior Sister Xu¡¯s clever plan, they killed the golden-armored divine general and successfully broke through the defense of the Cloud Platform surrounding the secret realm, acquired the rewards from the Zhao Palace, and left. The Ziwei Master remained silent, merely holding a horsetail whisk and listening with a stoic expression. However, the faint trembling of the whisk¡¯s tip seemed to indicate that the heart of this esteemed Sect Leader was not as composed as his facade. Only when Qiu Changtian mentioned their escape from Guozha Lake did the Ziwei Master finally speak slowly: ¡°The Divine Flame Path¡­ About ten thousand years ago, it indeed once thrived within the Kunlun Mountain Range.¡± ¡°But afterwards, for some unknown reason, it vanished mysteriously from this world.¡± ¡°If that hadn¡¯t been the case, our ancestors wouldn¡¯t have been able to so easily occupy the entire Kunlun Mountain Range.¡± ¡°Your survival from that secret realm is exceedingly rare.¡± ¡°However¡­ to ensure the situation is as you described, I must go there with you once more.¡± Qiu Changtian immediately agreed. Of course, this was to be expected, since if the Divine Palace of the Western Queen Mother was indeed a trial secret realm for the Golden Core Realm, its significance to the Taiqing Sect of Kunlun was self-evident. Given that it had not been explored by anyone for nearly ten thousand years, the abundance of treasures and resources within could even surpass those of the East Sea Pavilion. Therefore, it was within expectation for the Ziwei Master to want to personally verify it. Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian once again took flight on their swords, bringing the Ziwei Master to the original rock crevice location, only to find that the crevice had already disappeared. The Ziwei Master narrowed her eyes at the shallow groove on the ground in front of where the rock fissure had been, fell silent for a moment, and then drew out the Tai Yi Dividing Light Sword. With a single slash, she cleaved through a hundred meters of rock, exposing the crevice once more. The three stepped into the crevice again, and before long, they re-entered the secret realm, arriving on the cliff platform with an endless sea of clouds stretching out in front of them. The golden-armored divine general guarding the bridge had respawned and stood immobile at the head of the bridge, when they heard the Ziwei Master say: ¡°How did you deal with it? Demonstrate it once more for your master.¡± Qiu Changtian bowed and then silently chanted an incantation, performed the hand seals, and cast an Immortal Capital Thunder, causing a crack in the breastplate of the Golden Armored Divine General. The Golden Armored Divine General immediately opened its eyes wide with a fierce gaze and charged with its blade, but was casually pointed at by the Ziwei Master, and the Tai Yi Dividing Light Sword elegantly swept by, slashing the enemy in half at the waist. ¡°It truly is a manifestation of willpower,¡± the Ziwei Master observed the Divine General for a moment and said, ¡°Golden Core rank, with willpower as its armor, impervious to blades and spears, and immune to the trials of water and fire.¡± ¡°Had you not possessed the Immortal Capital Thunder, which happens to restrain it, this journey would have become perilous.¡± The three continued across the long bridge and reached the Cloud Platform. Now the Jade Pond was empty, with nothing but the hollow mirror stand and the water, nothing else. Regarding the fragments of the Kunlun Mirror, Qiu Changtian only mentioned ¡°they vanish upon touch,¡± and the Ziwei Master did not pursue the matter further, continuing through Heaven¡¯s Gate. With a whisk of his horsetail whisk, the palace doors opened on their own. In the main hall inside, various treasures were still displayed, dazzling to the eyes. The Ziwei Master¡¯s gaze moved swiftly, and with a flick of his horsetail whisk, he rolled up two elixir bottles from one of the stands and tossed them to Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian. The two hurriedly caught the elixir bottles and felt themselves immediately transported back to the peach garden at the touch of them. Qiu Changtian took out the elixir bottle and sniffed it lightly under his nose. Could it actually be the Pure Yuan Qi Pill? ¡°This is the Pure Yuan Qi Pill!¡± Xu Yinglian, hailing from the Xu Family of Southern Heaven, soon recognized it as well, exclaiming excitedly, ¡°After consuming and refining its power, it facilitates the flow through the limbs and bones, and can shorten the time needed for Marrow Cleansing.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Qiu Changtian said unemotionally as he secured the elixir bottle. ¡°It¡¯s just a pity we didn¡¯t encounter the Mercurial Elixir Liquid again,¡± Xu Yinglian remarked regretfully, ¡°Shall we wait here for Master to return?¡± ¡°Master must be confirming the situation inside Zhao Palace; there¡¯s no telling how long it will take,¡± Qiu Changtian contemplated for a moment, then said, ¡°Even if we wait, it¡¯s best to do so outside the exit of the secret realm.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Xu Yinglian had no objections. So, the two rode their sword light, directly entering the downpour of the peach garden¡¯s well, and then broke through the surface of the water from Guozha Lake in the outer world. After waiting by the lake for almost half an hour, they saw the water suddenly part to both sides, and the Ziwei Master, holding his horsetail whisk, came out calmly from within, approaching them. ¡°You both did well this time,¡± the Ziwei Master slowly spoke, his face though not clearly showing a smile, but his tone carried contentment, ¡°The sect will record a great meritorious deed for you.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go, you two head back to Kunlun first.¡± Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian nodded in agreement, then mounted their swords and headed back to Golden Ridge. The Ziwei Master was left standing silently by the lakeshore, staring at the shimmering lake surface, his fingers slightly moving within his sleeve, seemingly calculating something. Upon returning to the Golden Ridge Cave Abode, Qiu Changtian had just landed when he heard Xu Yinglian hesitate before finally speaking up: ¡°You know, although there¡¯s little, I can share half of it with Elder Brother¡­¡± Qiu Changtian was stunned for a long time before he realized she was talking about the Mercurial Elixir Liquid. He slightly furrowed his brows, showing impatience as he said: ¡°Surely Junior Sister isn¡¯t looking down on me?¡± Xu Yinglian was dumbfounded by his response; she was usually the one to throw that remark at Elder Brother, but didn¡¯t expect to have it thrown back at her. Her face quickly turned cold, and she scoffed: Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°It seems Junior Sister has indeed underestimated Elder Brother. Well, with Elder Brother¡¯s peerless talent, I suppose even without relying on external aids, you would easily achieve First Grade Pill Formation.¡± After saying that, she huffily turned around and left, and once out of Qiu Changtian¡¯s sight, she couldn¡¯t help grinding her teeth in frustration, cursing him in her heart. Qiu Changtian watched her retreating figure, smiling slightly, completely unaffected by her sarcasm. Of course, he would not covet such a small amount of Mercurial Elixir Liquid, for that was Junior Sister Xu¡¯s opportunity. Besides¡­ with his own abilities, how could he possibly lack the chance to form a pill? Chapter 106 - Chapter 106: Chapter 41 The Golden Silkworm Falls Asleep, Liuli Runs Away Chapter 106: Chapter 41 The Golden Silkworm Falls Asleep, Liuli Runs Away Qiu Changtian returned to his cave dwelling and first took a ¡°Pure Yuan Qi Pill.¡± After a brief period of refining, he took out the cone-shaped magic artifact and began to carefully examine it. The cone was seven inches long and weighed about five ounces. The material felt smooth and delicate to the touch, with an inscription carved at one spot, arranged vertically from the base to the tip. This was Ancient Immortal Seal Script, supposedly every inscription has countless meanings, and it¡¯s only by different combinations of inscriptions that one could determine their ultimate meaning. Therefore, since ancient times, only immortals could decipher Immortal Seal Script; it had never been decoded by any cultivator of the mortal world. Of course, objects endowed with the essence of immortals also probably count as one of the ranks of immortals. ¡°Ah Jing,¡± Qiu Changtian once again sought help from an outside expert, his own immortal spiritual object, ¡°do you understand the meaning of these inscriptions?¡± ¡°This probably means ¡®splitting metal and cleaving stone,¡¯¡± the Kunlun Mirror said uncertainly. ¡°Splitting metal and cleaving stone? Does it mean it¡¯s meant to counter the Metal System and Earth System?¡± Qiu Changtian pondered. ¡°I don¡¯t know about that,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said demurely, ¡°but anything that bears the ancient inscription is definitely an artifact from the ancient times, no doubt about that.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Qiu Changtian said with a chuckle, ¡°truly, listening to a single word from you is better than a whole conversation. Thank you, Ah Jing.¡± Kunlun Mirror: ? After putting away the cone, Qiu Changtian spoke indifferently: ¡°Load the file, Luo Yan.¡± The Kunlun Mirror then began to broadcast: [Location three: East Sea, Penglai Yuqing View.] [Character identity: Luo Yan.] [Mirror Flower Water Moon Template overlay, undergoing time-space travel.] Getting up from the bed, Luo Yan went to check the iron cauldron in the corner of the room. Three plump, white Hundred Poison Gold Silkworm Gu were curled up together at the bottom of the cauldron, fast asleep. The Gold Silkworm Gu instinctively loves cleanliness, so Luo Yan put them in the cauldron and covered it with a lid to ensure not a speck of dust could enter. But looking at the bodies of these bugs, the golden color had only reached the first segment of the outer shell and was very faint. He didn¡¯t know when they would fully mature in color. According to the records, the Hundred Poison Gold Silkworm Gu was successfully bred in the late period of the ancient Intercepting Cult, the king of all poisons, whose bite causes flesh to rot instantaneously; And it¡¯s also the king among insects, with a shell as tough as gold and steel, unbreakable as refined metal, impervious to swords and fire, no matter the magic artifact, just a bite with their large teeth and it instantly falls to pieces. The only pity was that these insects had almost gone extinct with the decline of the Intercepting Cult, and even the ones Luo Yan had were too few, a mere three. If he could be like the ancient cultivators of the Intercepting Cult, releasing tens of thousands of Hundred Poison Gold Silkworm Gu with a wave of his hand, forming a cloud in the sky, diving down like rain, buzzing into a symphony like the thundering boom of thunder. Only then would it be like meeting gods and slaying gods, meeting Buddhas and slaughtering Buddhas, destroying heavens and earth. With just two or three tiny insects like these, they could only be used to assassinate in secret. Luckily, Luo Yan specifically checked the scriptures and confirmed that these three Hundred Poison Gold Silkworm Gus were one male and two females. If there were resources and opportunities later, he would let them breed, to become his second trump card after the Postnatal Five Elements Great Extermination Divine Light. Looking at the three Gold Silkworm Gus still asleep, Luo Yan had already planned their entire future. Let them shine brightly and burn, realizing the full value of their existence as insects! ¡°Junior Brother!¡± Shi Liuli came rushing in once again, ¡°Father is calling for you.¡± Even before Miss Shi stepped through the door, her impatient voice had already preceded her into the room. Luo Yan made a swift decision and skillfully tossed the three Gold Silkworm Gus back into the cauldron, pulled over the lid, pasted a Sealing Talisman on top, activated the formation on the floor, and erased all traces clean. ¡°Alright,¡± he said with a smile. Why Elder Shi Ding was looking for him was, of course, not hard for Luo Yan to guess; he must have heard about the trip to the Five Elements Cave Heaven from Shi Liuli and realized that there was something off about Li Qinniang¡¯s identity, so he had hurriedly sought him out for confirmation. Therefore, upon meeting Elder Shi Ding, Luo Yan explained the whole situation truthfully: She asked me to fix the flags of the formation, I checked all the flags, found no problem, and came back. Luo Yan spoke honestly, as the prompt for the rise in Synchronization Value constantly popped up in his Sea of Consciousness, to the point where even Ah Jing nearly got numb from it. I have never seen such a person so adept at lying! Under the guise of his false persona, Elder Shi Ding harbored no doubts, but merely let out a long sigh, signaling Luo Yan that he could leave. After Luo Yan left, a person emerged from behind the screen, none other than the Pavilion Master of Penglai Jade Pure, Master of Xuan Du. ¡°This is strange,¡± the Master of Xuan Du said with surprise, ¡°the people of the Heavenly Demon Path, disguised as cultivators from Wuzhi Cave, just to make your disciple run a fool¡¯s errand?¡± ¡°Luo Yan is pure of heart, he should not have lied,¡± Elder Shi Ding said with a sigh. ¡°I don¡¯t think your disciple is lying either,¡± the Master of Xuan Du said solemnly, ¡°It¡¯s just that this makes the situation even more confusing.¡± ¡°Nothing seems to be missing on the Wuzhi Cave¡¯s end,¡± said Elder Shi Ding gravely, ¡°At the time, they didn¡¯t even know that there was a ¡®Li Qinniang¡¯ disguising as one of their sect¡¯s cultivators.¡± ¡°So it seems that the enemy¡¯s target is not within Wuzhi Cave,¡± the Master of Xuan Du sneered coldly, ¡°If there is no outcome, there¡¯s no need to worry about it either, lest we fall for the Heavenly Demon Path¡¯s tactic of creating a diversion.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± stroked his beard, Elder Shi Ding¡¯s face remained clouded with concern. His daughter and Luo Yan were of too low a realm, they couldn¡¯t be entangled in the struggles between Yuqing View and the Heavenly Demon Path too early. Indeed, over the next few years, it¡¯s best to keep them within Yuqing View instead of going out. ¡­¡­ A few days later. ¡°What? Grounded again?!¡± Miss Shi exclaimed in disbelief, ¡°Why?!!¡± ¡°Per the orders of Elder Shi Ding, you are not allowed to enter or leave the sect at will¡­¡± the White Jade Puppet tasked with guarding the main gate of Yuqing View hadn¡¯t finished speaking when it was smashed to pieces by Shi Liuli wielding the Divine Striking Whip with a loud snap. Luo Yan, who was standing behind her, wanted to say something but hesitated, feeling helpless inside. Having stayed at Yuqing View for so long, he knew that this White Jade Puppet was called ¡°Nian Nu.¡± Simply by attaching one¡¯s Divine Sense to it, it could move freely like a robot with artificial intelligence, much more useful than a servant. For this reason, each Nian Nu cost a fortune in Spirit Stones. To see Miss Shi casually destroy one, Luo Yan genuinely felt a headache coming on. Even the wealthy Heavenly Craft Workshop, capable of compensating the loss, might find such waste somewhat inappropriate¡­ ¡°Junior Brother, let¡¯s go quickly!¡± Shi Liuli suddenly cried out, grabbing his hand without further explanation, and soared into the sky with a surge of Sword Light. Below the fleeing pair, a large flock of White Jade Kites took flight, beginning the chase for the culprit who had destroyed the sect¡¯s property. Luo Yan, wrapped up in the Sword Light beside her, stared blankly back at the scene they left behind, his mind filled with messy thoughts like ¡°Who am I,¡± ¡°Where am I,¡± and ¡°What am I supposed to do.¡± Fortunately, Miss Shi¡¯s Flying Sword was powerful enough to quickly leave the pursuers far behind out of sight. ¡°Senior Sister,¡± Luo Yan reminded her, ¡°We have left the territory of Yuqing View, so where shall we go next?¡± ¡°Next¡­¡± Shi Liuli seemed troubled. She had originally planned to go shopping at the Fanghu Market, only to run into obstacles while trying to sneak out of the sect. Now, having once again destroyed the gate-keeping White Jade Puppet, she expected her father to be furious when he found out. If they were to continue shopping at Fanghu Market, they might get caught by her senior brother sent to retrieve her, and then she would be confined to the Heavenly Craft Workshop, unable to even leave the door¡­ Alright, decision made! We¡¯ll have fun outside for a while, and when father probably cools down, we¡¯ll go back! ¡°Next, let¡¯s explore the various relics and secret realms of the East Sea! What do you say, Junior Brother?¡± Shi Liuli, thinking she found an appropriate reason, proposed to Luo Yan with high spirits. Luo Yan almost grimaced upon hearing this. Qiu Changtian¡¯s last exploration of a secret realm was fraught with peril, nearly costing both him and Junior Sister Xu their lives. Having barely escaped the secret realm, who would want to accompany Miss Shi on another adventure? Even the most iron-willed Daoist Heart couldn¡¯t withstand it! No way! Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Of course, you can¡¯t just bluntly say ¡°no¡± to Miss Shi, because she would become furiously embarrassed and insist on going just because you said she couldn¡¯t. Therefore, Luo Yan feigned great interest and responded: ¡°That¡¯s great, Senior Sister! I¡¯ve been feeling cooped up in the Heavenly Craft Workshop myself. Why don¡¯t we start by heading east, then turn south to search for uninhabited islands? How does that sound?¡± [False persona, Synchronization Value +1.] ¡°That sounds wonderful!¡± Shi Liuli, unaware that Luo Yan had already scoured that island while cultivating the Five Elements Divine Light, leaving no chance for any relics to exist, eagerly agreed with keen interest. Chapter 108 - Chapter 108: Chapter 43: One Hundred Thousand Gods and Demons Attack Penglai Chapter 108: Chapter 43: One Hundred Thousand Gods and Demons Attack Penglai Shi Liuli meticulously cleared her way, soon reaching the stone chamber she had discovered before. Above the stone chamber¡¯s ceiling, the crack split open by thunder remained starkly visible, casting down large swaths of clear sky light. There was also a spring trickling down the crack, resembling strings of pearls. Green vines hung down alongside the water, like a folding screen. In the center of the stone chamber, there was a stone bed¡ªthat was where the Myriad Laws True Person from the Intercepting Cult had transcended physical form, only now it had been scorched black by the lightning. Surrounding it were pools of accumulated water, dotted with stars of lotus flowers, with delicate leaves gently bobbing and petals strikingly beautiful, much to the delight of Shi Liuli. ¡°This place must have been the dwelling of an immortal.¡± She declared with absolute certainty, her expression extremely serious and solemn, ¡°The immortal is gone, so henceforth this place shall be my cave abode!¡± What else could Luo Yan say? He could only agree repeatedly. ¡°Junior brother, you help me set up a formation outside to cloak it, so passing cultivators won¡¯t detect anything,¡± Shi Liuli instructed. Luo Yan really wanted to say that in the depths of the East Sea, there wouldn¡¯t be any cultivators passing by casually. But seeing Miss Shi in such high spirits so rarely, he just laughed, shook his head, and left to arrange the formations. He set up a few simple illusion arrays outside, then interlocked them with each other and added a deeper recursion¡ªit was perfect. Studying arrays at the entrance to the Wuzhi Island ruins had greatly increased Luo Yan¡¯s experience, especially in interlocking two arrays. Nobody understands arrays better than I do. Nobody. After arranging the formations, as Luo Yan was admiring his handiwork, he suddenly heard the Kunlun Mirror panicking in his sea of consciousness: ¡°The fragment of the Heaven-Mending Stone from Yuqing View has just left Penglai Immortal Island!¡± ¡°What?¡± Luo Yan was startled but quickly calmed down, ¡°Which direction is it moving?¡± ¡°South.¡± ¡°Can you be more precise, Ah Jing?¡± ¡°We¡¯re now a hundred and eighty thousand li from Yuqing View, how can I be precise? Being able to sense their movement at all is pretty amazing, okay?¡± ¡°Alright alright, my Ah Jing is the most amazing.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to praise me like that¡­ anyway, you better head back to Yuqing View quickly and find out who has left Penglai Immortal Island recently.¡± ¡°Of course, but what about Miss Shi?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about her for now, just go!¡± Kunlun Mirror urged, ¡°It¡¯s rare that we¡¯ve detected the location moving. If we don¡¯t confirm their identity now, once they return, it will be impossible to do so!¡± Luo Yan then fell silent for a long while before finally saying: ¡°That won¡¯t work, Ah Jing.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t just leave Miss Shi here all alone. She¡¯s so foolish; what if she encounters danger while she¡¯s out here alone?¡± Kunlun Mirror: ¡­¡­.. To say that this guy had a despicable character, well, he didn¡¯t seem all that despicable. At least he remembered that he had come out here with Shi Liuli, so he felt responsible for her. But to say that this guy was loyal and righteous, that didn¡¯t seem quite right either. Would he dare to say ¡°She¡¯s so foolish¡± to Miss Shi¡¯s face? ¡°Fine then, you bring her back quickly,¡± Kunlun Mirror had no choice but to compromise, saying anxiously. Luo Yan turned to leave when suddenly he saw two streaks of sword light landing on the open ground in front of the crevice. It was a man and a woman, two mysterious cultivators. ¡°There¡¯s no one around. You can speak now,¡± the male cultivator said. The female cultivator, still cautious, simply swept the area with her divine sense. Luo Yan immediately hid within the crevice. Thankfully, one of the interlocked formations he had set up was designed to shield against divine sense, so he managed not to get exposed by the female cultivator¡¯s scanning. After confirming there was no one around, the female cultivator then began to speak: ¡°Have you ever heard of the ¡®Hundred Thousand Deities and Demons Attacking Penglai¡¯?¡± Luo Yan, who was eavesdropping: !!! ¡°I¡¯m not aware,¡± the male cultivator said with a wry smile, ¡°but it sounds interesting.¡± ¡°Iron Fan Daoist, we know you have a grudge with Yuqing View, so we wanted to invite you to join us,¡± the female cultivator said coldly. ¡°If you keep playing the fool, there¡¯s no need to continue this conversation.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t rush, Madam Liu.¡± Iron Fan Daoist quickly said, ¡°Actually, no one has told me about this, but I have also noticed something recently.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about anything else. Just consider how Madam Liu has been visiting along the way, always picking those sects with conflicts against Yuqing View. Even the most obtuse cultivator could see the implication, right?¡± ¡°Nonsense,¡± Madam Liu sneered. ¡°Which sect in the East Sea doesn¡¯t have conflicts with Yuqing View?¡± ¡°Penglai Yuqing View prides itself on being the direct lineage of the Clarify Cult and behaves arrogantly without restraint. Every item produced in the East Sea is hoarded by them alone, and the other sects have been holding back their anger for years. Who could be the exception?¡± ¡°Just take the previous opening of the East Sea Pavilion. Out of the thirty-six Cave Heavens and Blessed Lands of the East Sea, whose disciples were allowed to enter the secret realm for training?¡± ¡°Instead, it was the Kunlun Taiqing Sect who sent their elite disciples from thousands of miles away¡­ It¡¯s as if the East Sea Pavilion did not belong to the East Sea but to the Clarify Cult themselves!¡± Iron Fan Daoist fell silent for a moment and then said through gritted teeth: ¡°That¡¯s right! The East Sea belongs to the cultivators of the East Sea, not just to Yuqing View alone! What Clarify Cult direct lineage, the ancient Clarify Cult has long perished. How can Yuqing View continue to dominate arrogantly!¡± ¡°Iron Fan Daoist,¡± Madam Liu¡¯s tone softened as she continued, ¡°This operation, named ¡®Hundred Thousand Deities and Demons Attacking Penglai¡¯, isn¡¯t entirely a bluff.¡± ¡°I can reveal to you: among the thirty-six Cave Heavens of the East Sea, twenty-four have already agreed to join; from the Demon Cult¡¯s Six Paths, both the Heavenly Demon Path and Mortal Life Path will also partake.¡± ¡°As for the loose cultivators willing to assist from all over, there are at least seventy to eighty thousand.¡± ¡°When the wall falls, everyone pushes. Even if we can¡¯t completely destroy Yuqing View, we will make sure their vital energy is greatly damaged, so they can no longer pose as the hegemony of the East Sea!¡± ¡°Madam Liu,¡± Iron Fan Daoist said sternly. ¡°If it¡¯s just a matter of lacking people and resources, my Iron Wire Mountain would of course be willing to support.¡± ¡°But you have to be clear with me: if ¡®Hundred Thousand Deities and Demons Attack Penglai¡¯, will Shushan and Kunlun come to aid?¡± ¡°If the Three Pure Orthodox Sect truly is as united as they claim to be, then we¡¯re not only dealing with Yuqing View alone, but we¡¯re also facing three sects at the same time¡­ Even if all the paths of the Demon Cult gathered here, victory wouldn¡¯t be possible.¡± ¡°You worry too much,¡± Madam Liu chuckled again, but a cold look flashed in her eyes, ¡°As far as I know, Kunlun Taiqing Sect has recently discovered a new secret realm.¡± ¡°All of their Golden Core True Persons are in that secret realm, exploring the mechanisms. Who would have the time to come all the way to support the East Sea?¡± ¡°A secret realm,¡± Iron Fan Daoist¡¯s eyes also glinted with greed. Secret realms, to the cultivators of the outside world, were blessed lands brimming with Daoist Techniques, Flying Swords, Magical Treasures, and Elixirs, offering trialists whatever they sought. But the vast majority of these secret realms in the world were either controlled by the Three Pure Orthodox Sect or dominated by the Six Paths of the Demon Cult. It was extremely difficult for sect cultivators to enter a secret realm and gain its benefits. What to do? There¡¯s only one solution: Kill. For instance, was the ¡°Hundred Thousand Deities and Demons Attacking Penglai¡± just about resisting the hegemony of Penglai Yuqing View? At least the majority of the Demon Path cultivators and loose cultivators must have come with the intent to kill and seize treasures ¡ª and Iron Fan Daoist himself was no exception. ¡°What about Shushan?¡± Iron Fan Daoist continued to inquire. ¡°Shushan,¡± Madam Liu pondered briefly, then sneered, ¡°If all goes well, Shushan will likely be greatly injured soon enough, so there¡¯s no need for concern.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Iron Fan Daoist¡¯s eyes brightened, ¡°Go on.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay to disclose the details,¡± Madam Liu said, looking around with furrowed brows, ¡°But let¡¯s not discuss it here. What if someone passes by suddenly? Let¡¯s go above the sea with Sword Control to talk in detail.¡± The two of them then mounted their Sword Light and left. After a moment of silence, Luo Yan turned to look for Shi Liuli down below. And then he saw Miss Shi walking back and forth in the passageway with a face full of panic. Luo Yan: ¡­¡­¡­ Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Only now did he remember that even before those two had landed, he had already activated the Array in the tunnel. The result was that people outside could not discover the crevice, and those inside could not find the passage; Miss Shi, affected by the Array, had her senses confounded and was now spinning around in circles on the spot. Trying to hold back laughter, Luo Yan deactivated the Array and was about to speak when he was suddenly wrapped around the neck from behind by an angry and embarrassed Shi Liuli. Ah, so soft¡­ Snap! Chapter 109 - Chapter 109: Chapter 44: My Sword Could Never Be Thrust at My Senior Sister! Chapter 109: Chapter 44: My Sword Could Never Be Thrust at My Senior Sister! On the way back to Yuqing View, Shi Liuli still lingered on the memories. After all, this was her first time venturing so far for fun. Luo Yan, however, was burning with impatience. Not only because he needed to confirm the location of the Heaven-Mending Stone but also because he had learned of the news ¡°one hundred thousand demons attacking Penglai.¡± Despite carrying the mission of Heaven-Mending and having to infiltrate this sect to obtain the Heaven-Mending Stone, the care from everyone in the Heavenly Craft Workshop, as if from kin, was still etched in his heart. He had feelings for Yuqing View! Yet, just as they were about to reach Yuqing View, the Kunlun Mirror suddenly said with a sigh: ¡°The location of the Heaven-Mending Stone has returned to Yuqing View; it¡¯s no longer possible to confirm it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Luo Yan stated calmly, ¡°I¡¯ll inquire later who has recently returned to the sect.¡± ¡°Moreover, regarding the ¡®one hundred thousand demons attacking Penglai,¡¯ I also need to discuss this with Master¡­¡± He paused and suddenly frowned, ¡°Wait a moment. Such a major event can¡¯t possibly be unknown within the view.¡± ¡°How am I going to explain the source of my information if I go and tell them?¡± The Kunlun Mirror asked in confusion: ¡°Why don¡¯t you just honestly say you overheard it while passing by¡­¡± ¡°Why would I have the ability to eavesdrop?¡± Luo Yan counter-asked. ¡°That¡¯s not by using a formation¡­¡± The Kunlun Mirror began, then quickly realized. To maintain his false persona, Luo Yan had always concealed his true strength from the Heavenly Craft Workshop. For instance, claiming he didn¡¯t acquire the Postnatal Five Elements Great Extermination Divine Light when he actually did in Pavilion. Or forcefully denying he obtained the Five Poisons Golden Silkworm Gu at the Five-Zhi Archipelago. And such as Luo Yan¡¯s Qi Refinement progress, Formation skills¡­ In short, everything was understated. Every time he reported to his Master, he added to his Synchronization Value, reveling in the deceit. If he were to speak the truth now, Elder Shi Ding would inevitably question him, and his cover would be blown. ¡°Forget about it!¡± Luo Yan made a decision, ¡°We have to trust that Penglai Jade Pure View can withstand these disaster risks! How can such a huge conspiracy go unnoticed by the view? Are all those Elders who practice Art Calculation hopeless?¡± ¡°What if no one has predicted it?¡± the Kunlun Mirror deliberately argued, ¡°What if you don¡¯t speak up and it leads to Yuqing View suffering a heavy blow; what then?¡± ¡°If Yuqing View has fallen to the point where it depends on a mere Foundation Establishment disciple like me to survive, then isn¡¯t its demise inevitable sooner or later? I might as well take the opportunity to confirm the location of the Heaven-Mending Stone, or even personally attempt to seize it, rather than dying alongside Yuqing View.¡± The Kunlun Mirror was speechless, almost forgetting that he was actually a spy lurking in Yuqing View. ¡°If Yuqing View is untroubled, then I will continue to lurk,¡± Luo Yan finally resolved, ¡°After all, it¡¯s impossible for me to be at a loss. That¡¯s that!¡± The Kunlun Mirror had nothing to say in response. Upon returning to the Heavenly Craft Workshop, as Miss Shi had previously predicted, their early return had caught Elder Shi Ding while he was still irritated, and he immediately decreed a one-year confinement for both individuals. Aside from this, Luo Yan wasn¡¯t too harshly reprimanded, knowing full well he couldn¡¯t control his daughter¡ªif not even himself, how could he expect his disciple to? Consequently, Luo Yan and Shi Liuli were confined within the Heavenly Craft Workshop, strictly supervised by their fellow disciples, forbidden from leaving for a year. Yet, after three days of confinement, they heard that Elder Shi Ding had cooled off, changing the confinement period from one year to one month¡­ Setting aside Yuqing View for the moment, Luo Yan, taking advantage of the confinement, used his previous save to go to Shushan and impersonate Ling Yunpo, continuing the great competition in Shushan. To this day, having overtaken Duan Fenhai, who held the second seat on the Immortal Sword Ranking, and Lin Duanshan, who held the third, even the arrogant higher-ups of Shushan wouldn¡¯t be foolish enough to keep thinking of him as merely ¡°the younger brother of the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal.¡± Aside from the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal himself, no one was confident in defeating the Po Yun Sword Immortal. It was probably for this reason that the following random processes seemed ¡°too random,¡± featuring Sword Immortals who were beyond the fortieth seat and lucky enough, as well as those ranked in the top ten who were almost powerhouses. For Ling Yunpo, without utilizing his other trump cards and solely based on his swordsmanship strength, he was roughly between the Tenth and Twentieth Rank. But with his trump cards, not even strong individuals like Duan Fenhai and Lin Duanshan were his match. In a sense, these two did not lose to Ling Yunpo, but to Qiu Changtian¡­ Guan Shanyue had lost to An Zhisu in the previous competition segment, leading all three veteran powerhouses to be defeated early in the drawing of lots and eliminated from the top ten, to the surprise and astonishment of the audience. After several rounds of victory, Ling Yunpo¡¯s final opponent was only one person left. An Zhisu. In the final segment, Senior Sister An stood in the arena with a beaming smile. Previously, her courteous smile often carried a kind of stubborn determination and a cold indifference that kept people at a great distance. But now, she smiled warmly and happily. Ling Yunpo stepped into the arena, bowed respectfully to Senior Sister An under the watchful eyes of the crowd, and then said, ¡°I concede.¡± ¡°Wait a moment!¡± An Zhisu¡¯s smile immediately faded, replaced by an unanticipated panic. She had planned to control her strength, fight a guiding battle with her junior brother, and then appropriately let him win, but Ling Yunpo¡¯s preemptive resignation disrupted all her plans. Rustling discussions began among the surrounding crowd, but not all were hostile curses; it was a strange, mixed noise. ¡°Are you sure you want to concede?¡± One of the Nascent Soul Elders hosting the sword contest lowered the height of his Sword Light slightly, asking with a peculiar expression on his face. You must realize that the convention of giving way to fellow sect members is not the tradition of Qingluo Peak. Qi Sha True Person Su Jian, even when up against his fellow disciples, would show no mercy; if he needed to break a Life-bound Sword Artifact, he would do so without hesitation. It was precisely because of his ruthless attitude that all the various peaks¡¯ factions, which had strong expectations for his strength and sought to win him over, eventually backed down. If you are to form an alliance, at the very least, you need to show the attitude of how you treat an ally. If he could be ruthless to his own brothers, how could one expect him to treat his allies? After Su Jian went into seclusion, An Zhisu generally inherited his battle style: merciless towards enemies, decisive in killing, and leaving no room for bargaining. But Ling Yunpo seemed to be different¡­ In response to the Nascent Soul Elder¡¯s query, Ling Yunpo simply nodded, then turned around and said gravely, ¡°Even if I were to unsheathe my sword, I would not face my senior sister in combat.¡± Then he left the arena. There was silence around the final battleground; no one expected this Po Yun Sword Immortal, who had fought his way to the finals with a tough style, to choose to concede so unhesitatingly. Was it because he admitted he could not defeat An Zhisu? No, according to what he said, it seemed he was unwilling to compete with his senior sister for the position of chief disciple¡­ For a moment, everyone was at a loss for words; regardless of whether they believed what he said or not, their expressions were all complex. ¡°Junior Brother Ling is indeed a gentleman.¡± Lin Duanshan commented from the seats opposite the field. Given his staunch character, the term ¡°gentleman¡± was an extraordinary commendation indeed. ¡°I won¡¯t comment on his character, but his strength is truly peculiar.¡± Duan Fenhai said, frowning. First was the Dense Fog Forbidden Law; the higher-ups of Shushan had reached a consensus that the dense fog generated by that Tenth Rank Water System Flying Sword (presumably the Qing Ping Sword) was undoubtedly of a Forbidden Technique Rank. The second was the Lightning Forbidden Law; although the outside world attributed it to a Forbidden Technique sealed within the Nine Heavens Thunder Execution Sword, Duan Fenhai did not agree. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only He felt that the Lightning Forbidden Law would certainly be used under the cover of the Dense Fog Forbidden Law, and Ling Yunpo was clearly trying to conceal something. ¡°What does Po Yun Sword Immortal think?¡± Lin Duanshan was noncommittal and simply turned his head to ask Guan Shanyue. ¡°I think he¡¯s quite interesting,¡± Guan Shanyue responded leisurely, ¡°far more interesting than his senior sister.¡± Duan Fenhai shook his head, just about to speak when he heard Guan Shanyue say softly again, ¡°However, this is not necessarily a good thing¡­¡± Chapter 110 - Chapter 110: Chapter 45: Ranking in the Competition, Receiving Rewards Chapter 110: Chapter 45: Ranking in the Competition, Receiving Rewards The Immortal Sword Ranking of Shushan is, in fact, not officially established. Officially, it¡¯s referred to as the ¡°Results of the Shushan Great Competition,¡± whose purpose is to issue awards based on the results. However, as soon as the ranking results come out, they quickly spread throughout the Various Peaks of Shushan, with everyone judging the strength of the Sword Immortals based on the list. For example, the three powerhouses of Shushan¡ªLin Duanshan, Duan Fenhai, Guan Shanyue¡ªare called ¡°strong people¡± because they¡¯ve dominated the top four spots for years without any changes, hence it¡¯s a popular topic of conversation. As for the leader of the list, the Frostfall Sword Immortal, people generally do not mention her name. If they really must, they don¡¯t call her ¡°Frostfall Sword Immortal¡± or ¡°An Zhisu,¡± but rather ¡°Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal,¡± implying ¡°she¡¯s the knife, and I¡¯m the leek¡±¡ªshe¡¯s simply no longer in the same category of beings; therefore, there is no sense in comparison. Now, with Ling Yunpo¡¯s meteoric rise, he reached the second rank with his Marrow Cleansing Rank strength, showing no mercy as he defeated Duan Fenhai and Lin Duanshan, naturally causing a sensation across the Various Peaks of Shushan. Initially, people hadn¡¯t even remembered his name and simply referred to him as ¡°Little Weed-Cutting,¡± distinguishing him from the ¡°Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal.¡± Before they got used to that, Jinguang Peak came out with a statement that the eldest brother Lin Duanshan saw the other as someone with ¡°the demeanor of a gentleman.¡± Green Bamboo Peak was not to be outdone, with another statement saying that Senior Sister Guan Shanyue also spoke, that ¡°Ling Poyun has the appearance of a strong person.¡± The former could be considered as Lin Duanshan trying to save face after losing to a junior of the Marrow Cleansing Rank, praising him so as not to look too bad. The latter, however, caused a small wave of public opinion because if Guan Shanyue expressed such a view, it meant she did not intend to challenge Ling Yunpo in the upcoming ranking challenge match. The message released by these two was quite clear: ¡°He¡¯s in the same league as us.¡± When the eldest brother of Yulong Peak, Duan Fenhai, also commented, looking forward to ¡°the next time he would compete with him,¡± the Shushan disciples gradually unified their view: the usual three powerhouses had now become four. It wasn¡¯t that the mighty Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal had brought up a ¡°Little Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal¡± but rather that a Shushan disciple had become one of the four powerhouses. The former has a connotation of disdain and intimidation, but the latter is more positive, marking the point where Ling Yunpo himself had shed the negative influence of An Zhisu¡¯s bad reputation, beginning to enter the Shushan public¡¯s view with a comparatively more positive impression. ¡°Breaking mountains and parting seas, shattering moons and cleaving clouds,¡± the titles of the four great Sword Immortals also began to spread, leaving many people confused, thinking that one of the four strong was called ¡°Ling Poyun¡±¡­ But let¡¯s not dwell on that for now; the drawing of lots has ended, with the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal in first place, and Po Yun Sword Immortal second, while neither Lin Duanshan, Duan Fenhai, nor Guan Shanyue made it into the top ten. Therefore, everyone is looking forward to these three powerhouses boldly attacking during the seat challenge portion, and battling Po Yun Sword Immortal for a spot in the top five, fighting fiercely in a cloud of woe and a downpour of blood. True to form, as soon as the seat challenges began, Duan Fenhai was the first to call out Sima Changyan, the third-ranked in the great competition, to a sword fight. Sima Changyan struggled to hold on but was soon defeated in swordsmanship, with neither side using their Sword Dao Techniques. In the spectator stands, An Zhisu and Ling Yunpo stood side by side, with Senior Sister An offering insights on the match: ¡°Junior Brother, what do you think is Duan Fenhai¡¯s strength?¡± she asked. Ling Yunpo concentrated for a moment before responding, ¡°I can¡¯t tell; it seems Brother Duan has no weaknesses.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± An Zhisu affirmed. ¡°Duan Fenhai¡¯s true strength lies in his ample experience in combat before he pursued cultivation.¡± ¡°Therefore, when you face him, don¡¯t think about looking for his weaknesses. Because of his rich experience, he¡¯s likely already covered all of his vulnerabilities.¡± ¡°Sima Changyan didn¡¯t use any Sword Dao Techniques in his sword fight because his Flying Sword Rank is inferior to Duan Fenhai¡¯s. He definitely can¡¯t beat him in Daoist Magic and had a better chance in swordsmanship.¡± ¡°And Duan Fenhai didn¡¯t use Daoist Magic to conceal his own strength. You should know that during a sword duel, every move you make is being watched by others¡­¡± As she spoke, she suddenly realized something and laughed awkwardly, ¡°But with your Green Duckweed Sword, capable of releasing a fog to cover the whole field, you don¡¯t have to worry about that aspect.¡± Ling Yunpo nodded at her words, unable to deny that what Senior Sister An said made sense. Even though he had ¡°Green Mist Veil Over the Mountains¡± to conceal his form, both Lin Duanshan and the Kunlun brother who had lain in wait at the Pavilion had come up with strategies to counter it. There are no absolutely unsolvable winning tactics. ¡°` It¡¯s still the same principle, the battles between cultivators come down to one¡¯s ¡°Rank¡± and ¡°hidden cards.¡± Either your rank is higher, overpowering your opponent with superior strength, or it comes down to who has the deeper hidden cards, revealing them at the critical moment to clinch the victory. As he pondered this, he saw that Lin Duanshan and Guan Shanyue had also chosen their challengers and emerged victorious. Thus, aside from Senior Sister An¡¯s top position, the remaining spots in the top five were successively filled by Po Yun, Fenhai, Duan Shan, and Sui Yue. And then¡­ there was no more. With the last sword fight concluded, the top one hundred rankings of the competition were set in stone. Ling Yunpo thought he would be challenged, but ended up being completely overlooked, which made him heave a sigh of relief, though he also couldn¡¯t help but feel puzzled about it. However, his confusion was quickly resolved. It turned out that for this Shushan competition, the reward for the top five seats was the same: They could each select any item they wished from the third level of the Shushan Fire Element Cave¡¯s inventory to take away. As soon as the rankings were decided, a Golden Core True Person came forward to lead An Zhisu, Ling Yunpo, Duan Fenhai, Lin Duanshan, and Guan Shanyue¡ªfive people in total¡ªtoward the Emei Golden Summit via controlled sword flight. Detouring to the east above the main hall atop the golden peak was a suspended cliff known as ¡°Sacrifice Cliff.¡± The Sword Immortals rode their sword light downwards, passing through layers of clouds, and descended into a large hollow at the valley¡¯s bottom. Continuing down, they saw flames rising from beneath them. ¡°This is the Fire Element True Qi,¡± the Golden Core True Person stated indifferently, ¡°Hold your breath and concentrate, and do not inhale the Qi.¡± Everyone quickly held their breath and saw the Golden Core True Person take out a ruler, gently spinning it in hand, conjuring several blossoms of light that enveloped everyone within them. From behind, Ling Yunpo could clearly see that this was the Shushan Shangqing Faction¡¯s acquired Spiritual Treasure ¡°Xuanguang Ruler.¡± Once covered by these blossoms of light, the fiery red glow was completely kept at bay, unable to advance an inch. After putting away the Xuanguang Ruler, the Golden Core True Person continued: ¡°The Fire Element Cave below is vast and deep, beyond even immortals to fully explore.¡± ¡°The deeper you go, the more intense the Fire Element True Qi becomes, thus giving rise to the saying ¡®The Fire Element Cave leads directly to the heart of the Earth.¡¯¡± ¡°Furthermore, the deeper you go, the more winding and complicated the pathways become, with numerous intersections, constantly changing and difficult to remember.¡± ¡°The Fire Element True Qi melts the rock walls and then they solidify again in an instant, making the routes uncertain and easy to get lost within.¡± ¡°From here on, you must not act recklessly, as if we become separated, even deities would struggle to save you.¡± Everyone promptly acknowledged and followed closely behind the True Person¡¯s sword light. The Golden Core True Person¡¯s expression remained unchanged as he led the way ahead. After an indeterminate amount of time, they finally reached a vast subterranean chamber. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only The floor was a sea of magma, churning and bubbling, with endless vapors rising up. The surroundings were cylindrical walls, and every thirty feet there was a small cave, about the length of a forearm, with a treasure inside, glowing and brightening the entire cave. The Golden Core True Person stopped his sword light, gestured with his hand, and said: ¡°You have a quarter of an hour, make your selections, I will not wait for stragglers!¡± Thus, the five of them quickly propelled their sword light, spiraling down along the walls, while scanning the nearby caves for treasures using their Divine Sense. Chapter 111 - Chapter 111: Chapter 46: Could the Senior Female Disciple Be the Female Lead? Chapter 111: Chapter 46: Could the Senior Female Disciple Be the Female Lead? Ling Yunpo rapidly propelled the Sword Light, his Divine Sense sweeping over the treasures in the surrounding caves, so thrilled that his heart almost surged. The Fire Element Cave contained numerous treasure caves, and the one they were in at the moment was the third cave deep within. The rare treasures inside were much more uncommon than those in the first and second caves. For example, there were almost countless Tenth Rank Flying Swords, Magical Treasures, and various Elixirs and strange objects, and so on. Ling Yunpo even saw a fragment of a scripture on Purple Mansion Thunder, which was the Seventh Thunder among the ten types of Thunder Method that Qiu Changtian was collecting. If it weren¡¯t for the Mercurial Elixir Liquid, he almost couldn¡¯t help but exchange for it. Continuing to lower his Sword Light for a moment, Ling Yunpo then saw a candlestick placed inside another cave, with a tiny flame flickering upon it. This was a sliver of the Great Sun True Yang Fire, one of the Innate Five Elements True Veins! An essential for the ascension of the Five Elements Divine Light! ¡°No, restrain yourself! You have to restrain yourself!¡± Ling Yunpo repeatedly brainwashed himself, forcefully suppressing the urge to take the Innate Fire, and continued to lower the Sword Light. Only one¡¯s own cultivation level is the foundation! All external objects and external methods are illusory! As he thought this, he suddenly heard Senior Sister An calling out to him below: ¡°Junior Brother!¡± Ling Yunpo hurriedly turned into Sword Light and rushed over, arriving next to An Zhisu. Indeed, in the cave next to her, he saw the Mercurial Elixir Liquid contained in a small bottle, about the size of a spoon. ¡°Senior Sister, you¡­¡± Ling Yunpo was just about to say something when he was interrupted by An Zhisu, ¡°You go take it first, I¡¯ll keep looking.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ling Yunpo didn¡¯t hesitate, reasoning that if Senior Sister didn¡¯t find a second bottle of Mercurial Elixir Liquid, he would just exchange this one with her¡ªit was all the same. Having taken the Mercurial Elixir Liquid, he then steered the Sword Light in a circle, noting the locations of the previously seen Purple Mansion Thunder and Great Sun True Yang Fire, before finally soaring up quickly to rejoin the Golden Core True Person. Even though the Golden Core True Person was positioned high in the sky, resting with eyes closed, in reality, he monitored everyone¡¯s movements below through the Xuanguang Ruler. Seeing Ling Yunpo¡¯s Sword Light returning, he knew the other party had taken the Mercurial Elixir Liquid, but he just nodded slightly without making a sound. Soon after, Lin Duanshan and Duan Fenhai, one after another, also returned. About ten minutes later, An Zhisu also rose into the sky on her Flying Sword, nodding and smiling at Ling Yunpo from afar, indicating that she had also found it. With only seconds left in the quarter hour, Guan Shanyue still continued to search below, her Sword Light flying extremely fast, circling in a flash, then swiftly spiraling down another level. Suddenly, she reached out like lightning and grabbed something from a certain cave, then immediately merged body with sword, transforming into a streak of light rapidly ascending! Stopping abruptly before the Golden Core True Person, Guan Shanyue¡¯s fatigued face emerged, smiling and asking: ¡°May I ask True Person, am I out of time?¡± ¡°A few breaths short.¡± The Golden Core True Person said calmly, wavering the Xuanguang Ruler again to split light into flowers, covering everyone¡¯s bodies, then pulled up the Sword Light and left. After a series of twists and turns inside the Fire Element Cave, as they followed the Golden Core True Person¡¯s left and right turns according to the colorful light of the Xuanguang Ruler, they finally went through a long vertical passage, leaving the deep underground and returning to the valley. ¡°Three days later, at chen hour, gather on the cliff top of the Thunder Cave Flat, to enter the Demon Locking Tower for the trial!¡± Leaving these words behind, the Golden Core True Person¡¯s Sword Light shot up into the sky, heading towards the direction of the Emei Golden Summit. The rest also quickly activated their Sword Lights, eager to leave, except for An Zhisu and Ling Yunpo, who leisurely went side by side, chatting and laughing all the way, slowly returning to the daoist convent on Qingluo Peak. ¡°Senior Sister, did you get the Mercurial Elixir Liquid?¡± Right after entering the convent, Ling Yunpo confirmed. ¡°Yes, I got it.¡± An Zhisu took out a transparent Purifying Bottle from her sleeve, within which was a sphere of golden liquid, rolling and bouncing at the bottom of the bottle as if endowed with sentience. ¡°Good, Senior Sister, go to the inner chamber to refine it quickly. I¡¯ll stand guard for you outside.¡± Ling Yunpo immediately said. An Zhisu hummed in agreement; after all, her junior brother¡¯s words had no issue, so she turned and walked toward the secret chamber inside the mountain where Su Jian was in seclusion. Ling Yunpo stood guard outside, took out the Mercurial Elixir Liquid he had obtained, and silently began to ponder. Common sense dictated that an item capable of enhancing the pill formation grade should naturally be consumed at the earliest opportunity, to avoid unforeseen complications. However, Ling Yunpo¡¯s own level had yet to reach the Refining Mansion stage. With his Purple Mansion still unformed, taking the Mercurial Elixir Liquid would harden his Dantian, turning what should be a panacea into poison instead. Therefore, he needed to find a secure place to store it. After much thought, the only suitable place seemed to be the secret chamber within Qingluo Peak. Any other location appeared to bear the risk of theft¡­ He fretted over this for a long time, until finally An Zhisu finished refining the medicinal strength and gracefully emerged from her seclusion. Senior Sister An had changed into a light yellow dress, her hair pinned up with a jade hairpin, with the excess hair woven into a braid that fell from the side of her neck to her chest, adding an especially soft and enchanting charm. Seeing that Senior Sister An¡¯s divine light was subdued and her eyes were profound, Ling Yunpo knew that she had perfected her Purple Mansion and had greatly advanced her realm, equivalent to an added sixty years of arduous cultivation. ¡°Senior Sister, how was your refinement?¡± ¡°Very good,¡± answered An Zhisu with a smile, ¡°The Mercurial Elixir Liquid truly deserves its reputation as a Foundation Establishment strange object. With each thread refined, my Purple Mansion became a bit more rounded and perfect.¡± ¡°In the end, the inner wall of the Dantian became nearly as white as snow and as bright as jade, and my Daoist Foundation was also much more stable than before.¡± ¡°Senior Sister,¡± Ling Yunpo said with a smile, ¡°If I remember correctly, this means your Purple Mansion is approaching perfection, stepping into what is known as the ¡®Jade Mansion¡¯ realm.¡± ¡°Based on past experience, those who establish the Jade Mansion before you form the core have about a seventy-percent chance of forming a Third Grade Golden Core.¡± ¡°If the core is of high grade, then the Nascent Soul might have the prospect of forming an Immortal Infant; with an Immortal Infant formed, there is a chance to become a saint in the flesh, and then a Daluo Golden Immortal¡­ doesn¡¯t that mean I would be the junior brother of a Daluo Golden Immortal?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be silly,¡± said An Zhisu with a radiant smile, ¡°Do you think reaching Daluo Golden Immortal status is that easy? Every step must be flawless, only then there¡¯s a minuscule chance of achieving it¡­ Anyway, you won¡¯t need your Mercurial Elixir Liquid for now, just keep it in the secret chamber for the time being.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± Ling Yunpo immediately responded. The two once again passed through the inner hall, secret chamber, and tunnel, ultimately arriving in front of the stone wall where Su Jian was in seclusion. An Zhisu opened the secret compartment underground and carefully placed the Mercurial Elixir Liquid inside. Seeing her solemn and earnest demeanor, Ling Yunpo couldn¡¯t help feeling moved. He suddenly recalled what Guan Shanyue had said about the Sentiment Inquiry Path. ¡°Senior Sister,¡± he asked cautiously, ¡°I heard that our Shushan has three different routes of cultivation doctrines, right?¡± ¡°Cultivation doctrines?¡± An Zhisu appeared slightly surprised, ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°Because most of us Sword Immortals are of profound sentiments, we¡¯re far more susceptible to falling into demonic states due to emotions and love than those of the Kunlun and Penglai sects.¡± ¡°For this reason, our sect has three distinct attitudes towards handling mortal love and affections: one is to exterminate emotions and desires, another is to forget emotions and achieve tranquility, and the third is to inquire into feelings with the sword.¡± She explained the three schools of thought in detail, which were similar to Guan Shanyue¡¯s explanations. The path of exterminating emotions centers on oneself, eradicating love; The path of forgetting love is to experience passionate love followed by separation, seeing through the mortal world; Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only The Sentiment Inquiry Path is about knowing and staying by someone¡¯s side, never leaving nor forsaking. To draw a parallel with web novels, the path of exterminating emotions has no female lead, the forgetting love path is like literary romance, and the Sentiment Inquiry Path entails feeding dog food (romance). ¡°So, Senior Sister, which path do you plan to follow?¡± Ling Yunpo finally asked the crucial question. An Zhisu paused for a moment before lowering her head and saying: ¡°I¡­ of course I plan to continue our master¡¯s teachings.¡± Chapter 112 - Chapter 112: Chapter 47 Demon Locking Tower Group Tour Package Chapter 112: Chapter 47 Demon Locking Tower Group Tour Package Three days later. At the peak of Leidongping, one hundred disciples from the Shushan Immortal Sword Ranking had already gathered at the entrance of the Demon Locking Tower. Ling Yunpo stood within the group, occasionally glancing at Senior Sister An beside him. Senior Sister is also taking the Sentiment Inquiry Path, yay! Then I might be able to¡­ huh? Before long, another group of Golden Core True Persons arrived by Sword Control, led by a Nascent Soul Elder, their Sword Light drifting down like rain. The trial in the Demon Locking Tower, though involving both Foundation Establishment Realm and Golden Core Realm, actually follows different paths once inside. The goal for the Foundation Establishment disciples is to start from the inverted tip of the tower and ultimately reach the ¡°Four Symbols Formation Eye¡± on the thirtieth floor. The Golden Core True Persons, on the other hand, enter from the ¡°Four Symbols Formation Eye¡± on the thirtieth floor and make their way down to the ¡°Two Yi Formation Eye¡± on the fiftieth floor. Thus, there would be no intersections between the two groups. As he watched the Golden Core swordsmen descend into the valley, Jinghua True Person withdrew his gaze and looked again at the Foundation Establishment disciples before him. This Jinghua True Person was a Direct Disciple of the Jade Capital Sect Leader of the Shushan Shangqing Faction and also the leader of the Foundation Establishment disciples for this trial. His gaze swept over everyone as he said in a deep voice: ¡°The trial in the Demon Locking Tower is different from the Shushan competition.¡± ¡°The demons imprisoned within do not care about stopping at a touch, nor is there constant protection and accompaniment by Nascent Soul Elders.¡± ¡°In the competition, having your Life-bound Sword Artifact severed just results in being sent out of the arena by restrictions; but in the Demon Locking Tower, the consequence of a broken sword often equates to death.¡± ¡°In the history of the Demon Locking Tower trials, the one with the highest death toll saw seventy-two perish, with a survival rate of less than thirty percent.¡± ¡°If you do not wish to participate in the trial, it¡¯s still not too late to withdraw.¡± Jinghua True Person kept a stern face and waited half a day, but no one stepped forward to quit. After all, Shushan is such an intensely competitive sect. Using the words of Chief Linghu Chu from the Heavenly Craft Workshop, Shushan recruits ten times more disciples than Kunlun in every generation; and after several hundred years, fewer than one-tenth of them survive, yet those who do can defeat ten Kunlun Cultivators of the same rank¡­ Such exaggerated combat capability is built on a very high casualty rate. Those who can fight their way out in such an environment are the kings of competition; how could they possibly be scared away by the mere Demon Locking Tower? To the kings of competition, whether it¡¯s a ninety, seventy, fifty, or thirty percent pass rate, they¡¯re not scared at all, okay? Seeing that no one was reacting, Jinghua True Person turned his head away, stood silently with his hands behind his back, as if waiting for something. It didn¡¯t take long before a melodious flute sound suddenly came from afar, twisting and uplifting like the chant of dragons and phoenixes, instantly drawing the attention of the Shushan disciples present. Chief Qiu Changtian of Kunlun, dressed in white robes and holding a jade flute, arrived on his sword. None had ever seen a man whose entrance came with its own BGM before, so they were all stunned by this impressive display and fell utterly silent. Qiu Changtian landed with Sword Light, stepped onto the ground, and the last note of the flute was played perfectly on cue. He stowed the jade flute on his waist and gave a salute to Jinghua True Person: ¡°True Person.¡± ¡°My esteemed nephew Qiu seems to be in good spirits,¡± said Jinghua True Person with a faint smile, a stark contrast to the cold face he had shown to the Shushan disciples. ¡°It was merely inspiration that struck upon first witnessing the strange wonders of Heavenly Mansion, its splendor and peerless beauty,¡± Qiu Changtian said modestly. He then turned to the Shushan disciples and bowed, ¡°Chief Qiu Changtian of Kunlun, pleased to meet all the Shushan daoists here.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve heard much about you,¡± the Shushan disciples hastily returned the gesture. It wasn¡¯t just because of Jinghua True Person¡¯s affable attitude towards him, but also Qiu Changtian¡¯s own aura and poise that impressed them, prompting these usually haughty Immortal Sword Ranking disciples to suddenly become courteous. Even Duan Fenhai, who had been distracted the whole time, made a symbolic gesture of clasping his fists. ¡°This Qiu Changtian is the Chief Disciple of this generation from the Kunlun Taiqing Sect, a Direct Disciple of the Ziwei Master,¡± Jinghua True Person said again. ¡°He will participate in the Demon Locking Tower trial with us. Make sure you don¡¯t lose your manners, lest Kunlun looks down on our Shushan.¡± ¡°Absolutely not,¡± the Shushan disciples promptly responded in unison. Of course, what they truly thought was another matter. However, the title of Kunlun¡¯s Chief Disciple was certainly intimidating. Especially since many Shushan disciples weren¡¯t aware of Kunlun¡¯s distinction between ¡®junior chief¡¯ and ¡®senior chief¡¯. They subconsciously applied the rules of the Immortal Sword Ranking, assuming Qiu Changtian to be ¡°the foremost beneath Golden Core¡± in Kunlun, and their gaze inevitably shifted to An Zhisu. One wondered, who was more powerful, the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal of Shushan, or Kunlun¡¯s Chief Qiu? An Zhisu, however, paid no mind to their stares. Having returned the salutations with everyone earlier, she turned her head back around to continue gazing at the imposing Demon Locking Tower piercing into the valley. ¡°Once inside the Demon Locking Tower, you must work in groups and follow my commands,¡± Jinghua True Person continued. ¡°When to move forward, when to stay put, and when to scatter and act on your own will all be directed through specific instructions.¡± ¡°Those who disobey will be left behind by the group, killed in a sneak attack by demons, or if I¡¯m in a bad mood, I might just slay you myself with a single sword strike, and don¡¯t expect anyone to come save you.¡± The Shushan disciples remained silent. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Jinghua True Person said coldly, sweeping his long sleeves. So, the Shushan disciples roughly lined up in four columns and followed Jinghua True Person one by one into the entrance of the Demon Locking Tower. The top five ranks of the Immortal Sword Ranking were at the front of the team, closely following behind Jinghua True Person, while Qiu Changtian was pulled to his side for special protection. Ling Yunpo walked beside An Zhisu, sneaking glances at Qiu Changtian, only to find that Qiu Changtian was also stealthily looking his way. Then, the future him withdrew his gaze, continuing to look intently ahead. The passageway into the Demon Locking Tower was a corridor wide enough for four people to walk abreast, with a depth beyond the reach of sight at first glance. As Ling Yunpo moved forward in the corridor, he suddenly realized that this place was very similar to the crevice passageway that led to the secret realm of the Queen Mother of the West. The sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu was incredibly strong. ¡°Ah Jing,¡± Ling Yunpo asked quietly, ¡°is there a secret realm ahead?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Kunlun Mirror said after a moment of silence, ¡°And just now, Qiu Changtian sent me a message through the future Kunlun Mirror.¡± ¡°A message?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Kunlun Mirror replied. ¡°He said he has come to avert a deadly calamity that you will soon face.¡± Ling Yunpo: ????????? What, is it time to cheat again? ¡°Anyway, he doesn¡¯t plan to make direct contact with you this time, lest you have to remember what he said, what he did, and then demonstrate it all over again to your past self in the future,¡± ¡°Fair enough,¡± Ling Yunpo nodded. ¡°It should have been like this all along.¡± ¡°Also, he has a message for you,¡± Kunlun Mirror added. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Speak.¡± ¡°No matter what,¡± the voice of Kunlun Mirror hesitated slightly, ¡°you must trust Senior Sister An.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean!¡± Ling Yunpo blurted out angrily. ¡°As if I would betray my senior sister!¡± ¡°Wake up, do you really consider yourself a Shushan disciple?¡± Kunlun Mirror said helplessly. ¡°Didn¡¯t you join Qingluo Peak and become a disciple of Su Jian to seize a piece of the Heaven-Mending Stone?¡± ¡°Cough, how can saving the world be considered a betrayal?¡± Ling Yunpo argued. Chapter 113 - Chapter 113: Chapter 48: Senior Sister Leads the Team, Experienced Tour Guide Chapter 113: Chapter 48: Senior Sister Leads the Team, Experienced Tour Guide ¡°` Passing through the narrow corridor, everyone entered the secret realm of the Demon Locking Tower. The first scene they came upon in the secret realm was a spacious hall. Real Person Jinghua had everyone rest here for a while to adjust their condition, so people either sat or stood, chatting with sectmates or cautiously observing their surroundings. Due to Qiu Changtian¡¯s reminder, Ling Yunpo was particularly vigilant of his surroundings. He noticed that the hall was an octagonal structure, composed of eight walls, with an octagonal pyramid as the dome. All the walls, the floor, and the dome were engraved with a strange yet somehow familiar script. Immortal Seal Script. This Immortal Seal Script, also known as tadpole writing, was made up of various curved strokes that resembled tadpoles. It was said that each character had no meaning, or rather, it had infinite meanings. It was only when a large number of Immortal Seal Scripts formed a sentence, a paragraph, or even an article that they had a readable and understandable meaning. According to the Kunlun Mirror, anything with this Immortal Seal Script could be considered an artifact from ancient times¡ªancient here even predates the era of Clarify Cult and Cult Intercept from Ancient Times. This also proved that the Demon Locking Tower was not built by the Clarify Cult of ancient times but was an even older structure. ¡°Ah Jing,¡± Ling Yunpo asked again, ¡°can you understand the meaning of these Immortal Seal Scripts?¡± ¡°Different paths for humans and demons,¡± the Kunlun Mirror replied. ¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡°Just the literal meaning,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said. ¡°Humans and demons are ultimately not the same kind, so do not let your guard down.¡± ¡°So the predecessors who built the Demon Locking Tower were racists, huh,¡± Ling Yunpo said nonchalantly and suddenly noticed that Qiu Changtian had disappeared. ¡°Eh, where¡¯d he go?¡± ¡°He left a while ago and told you not to worry about him,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said. Ling Yunpo¡¯s brow furrowed as he heard Senior Sister An Zhisu ask with concern: ¡°Junior Brother, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± Ling Yunpo replied with a quick smile. ¡°There¡¯s no need to be too tense,¡± An Zhisu comforted him. ¡°Although there are many demonic creatures in the Demon Locking Tower, the formidable ones are all on the lower levels.¡± ¡°Besides, we have a Golden Core True Person leading the team, so we don¡¯t have to worry too much.¡± Ling Yunpo verbally agreed, but inwardly he gave a wry smile of helplessness. Senior Sister An¡¯s reasoning was sound, but he was unable to explain to her that he knew about the dangers ahead because he had cheated and foreseen them. Thus, he could only hide the worry from his face and expertly display a reassuring smile. After a brief rest, Real Person Jinghua gathered the Shushan disciples once again and announced it was time for free activity. Beneath each of the eight walls, there was an archway leading to eight different passages, in perfect accordance with the meaning of the eight gates of Qimen Dunjia. Among them, excluding the Life Gate leading out of the tower, there were seven passages: Opening, Rest, Blocking, View, Shock, Harm, and Death. The Opening Gate led to the next level, and the Rest Gate led to a safe area with no danger. The Blocking and View Gates led to low-risk areas where the demons were less aggressive and mostly would not attack humans proactively. The Shock and Harm Gates led to mid-risk areas where demons would actively attack, requiring extra caution and care. The Death Gate led to a high-risk area; behind it, the demonic creatures were often powerful or possessed strange abilities, making them incredibly difficult to deal with. Real Person Jinghua¡¯s suggestion was for the disciples of Marrow Cleansing Rank to enter the Blocking and View Gates, and the other disciples to enter the Shock and Harm Gates for their respective trials. Furthermore, those in the top five of the Immortal Sword Ranking could enter the Death Gate. Speaking of this, Real Person Jinghua let out a cold laugh, saying: ¡°` ¡°Of course, if you have confidence in your own strength, you¡¯re certainly not obliged to follow my suggestions. After all, each selection process sees disciples attempting to challenge greater difficulties¡ªfew of them are modest about their hidden depths, but the majority are merely courting death. Either way, it¡¯s none of my concern.¡± ¡°I¡¯m giving you only an hour. Once the time is up, I will lead the team to the next level, and we shall wait for no one.¡± Having said that, he leaned against the wall near the Rest Gate, crossed his arms, and closed his eyes for a quiet moment of rest. After a brief contemplation, everyone started to form groups of two or three and dispersed through the various gates around them. Ling Yunpo watched from behind, noticing that fewer people chose the Du and Jing gates, while the Surprise and Injury gates saw the most traffic. Strangely enough, a good number of disciples chose the Rest Gate, reasoning that this was only the first level and they did not intend to partake in the trial. Duan Fenhai was also among them, seemingly unwilling to expend too much effort on the first level. Guan Shanyue stood up and headed straight for the Surprise Gate; Lin Duanshan chose the Death Gate. Thus from the top five of the Immortal Sword Ranking, only Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu had yet to choose. ¡°Junior Brother, which one would you like to choose?¡± An Zhisu asked with a smiling gaze. ¡°I¡¯ll leave it completely in the hands of Senior Sister,¡± Ling Yunpo immediately replied. ¡°The Blood Pool is within the Death Gate on the twenty-eighth level of the Demon Locking Tower, not to be missed,¡± An Zhisu said with a smile. ¡°As for the trials on the other levels, they¡¯re optional.¡± ¡°If Junior Brother would like to get accustomed beforehand, Senior Sister can take you for a stroll through the Death Gate.¡± Ling Yunpo was deeply touched. Listen to this¡ªother disciples advised against it, but to my Senior Sister, the ¡®Death Gate¡¯ was merely a ¡®stroll¡¯. He fell silent for a moment and, finding no objection from the Kunlun Mirror, nodded and said: ¡°Then let¡¯s go for that stroll.¡± ¡°Mhm, let¡¯s go, Junior Brother,¡± An Zhisu said as she gracefully rose to her feet. The two of them headed toward the Death Gate, immediately attracting the gazes of numerous Shushan disciples. Upon reaching the archway, An Zhisu took Ling Yunpo¡¯s hand and stepped through. This gesture held no romantic implications, but rather, since the Demon Locking Tower was filled with formation mechanisms, even if they entered one after the other, it was easy to end up in different rooms¡ªso holding hands was a precaution. Ling Yunpo, his hand held by Senior Sister, felt its soft and silky warmth, with fingers long and delicate; he couldn¡¯t help but interlace his fingers with hers and hold tightly. An Zhisu¡¯s cheeks turned slightly red, but feeling shy to show her awkwardness to her Junior Brother, she quickly turned her head away and hastened her steps. Ling Yunpo followed closely behind her, only able to see the fair and slender curve of her neck, which also seemed to be blushing slightly. As they stepped into the Death Gate, they were surrounded by pitch-black darkness, as if all light were excluded from beyond its threshold. Ling Yunpo swept his divine sense around, this time encountering no barriers, only aware that he and his Senior Sister were in a narrow passage. After walking dozens of steps, the space suddenly opened up¡ªa typical effect of spatial formations. The two of them were now in a valley. The valley was devoid of trees but had large, lush grasslands and a river running through it. This was typical of the Longyou region¡¯s climate, something Qiu Changtian had become quite accustomed to during his time away from the sect for training. Suddenly, An Zhisu¡¯s voice rang out in warning: ¡°Be cautious, Junior Brother! It¡¯s a Yato!¡± Before her words fully faded, several creatures burst forth from the earth. These creatures resembled the Komodo dragon, covered in ochre-yellow scales, armed with sharp claws, pointed teeth, and saw-toothed tails, their vertical pupils cold, their appearance ferocious, and their bloodthirsty eyes fixed on the two of them. Ling Yunpo immediately ascended on his sword with An Zhisu, only to see one of the demonic beasts, named ¡°Yato,¡± suddenly constrict its pupils dramatically. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only It opened its mouth wide and let out a frantic roar. Although Ling Yunpo could not understand demonic speech, he could sense the terror within it, as if it were saying: ¡°Beware! It¡¯s the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal!¡± The other two Yatos, upon hearing this, froze for an instant, and then scurried to roll back into the same hole they had emerged from, desperately trying to burrow back underground. The next second, the Daoist magic on the Frostfall Sword was activated, and endless snowflakes shot down as An Zhisu shouted angrily: ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going, demons!¡± Chapter 114 - Chapter 114: Chapter 49: Expanding into the Unknown Chapter 114: Chapter 49: Expanding into the Unknown The sky is vast, the wild is boundless, the wind blows the grass low and shows cattle and sheep. At this moment, the ¡°herd of cattle and sheep¡± was frantically fleeing in all directions, chased hither and thither by An Zhisu in the sky like a hunting falcon. Ling Yunpo watched from behind, dumbstruck. Whether it was demonic beasts as large as buffaloes or demons as swift as cheetahs, all were slain by Senior Sister An, scattering in panic. If their hide was thick and flesh was tough, An Zhisu would target their weaker areas, thrusting her Flying Sword into their eyes, nostrils, or limbs; If they were as fast as lightning, An Zhisu would use her Sword Qi to block off most of their escape routes, then deliver a fatal, unavoidable strike with her Frostfall Sword. Such supremely precise changes in swordplay, Ling Yunpo had also seen under the tutelage of Lin Duanshan, but as Duan Fenhai said, ¡°Compared to An Zhisu, it was far inferior.¡± In fact, Ling Yunpo suspected that Senior Sister An¡¯s swordplay was not purely based on calculation, but also relied on a certain level of ¡°intuition,¡± a combat instinct only attainable at a profound level of mastery in the Seven Kills Sword Technique. Without a second thought, each move she made and its timing were just right, precise and deadly. Sometimes, when demonic beasts were driven to desperation, they would huddle and turn to launch a joint attack, sending a barrage of various dazzling demon arts toward An Zhisu and Ling Yunpo. An Zhisu would then activate the Sword Dao Techniques of her Frostfall Sword, conjuring countless icy Sword Qi, extinguishing all the demon arts one by one. The remaining Sword Qi fell like a downpour, piercing those rebellious demonic beasts, impaling them to the ground. Having watched Senior Sister An for a while, Ling Yunpo realized her invincibility came from her exceptional strength in every aspect. Her True Qi was abundant and resilient, the rank of her Frostfall Sword was high, coupled with her rich combat experience and the special ¡°battle intuition,¡± making the slightly less powerful demonic beasts face a one-sided slaughter in combat. The nickname ¡°Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal¡± wasn¡¯t entirely unfounded. As for how she would fare against stronger opponents, Ling Yunpo was not sure, for Senior Sister An was now the foremost under the Shushan Golden Core, and no Golden Core True Person would make a move against her, thus there was no chance to witness it. The only indirect evidence was the time when Shi Ziming of the Administrative Hall used a secret technique to forcibly elevate his Cultivation Level to the False Core Realm, only to leave her severely wounded ¡ª at the cost of being killed by her on the spot. From this, it can be seen that Senior Sister An wasn¡¯t incapable of fighting battles where she had to win against stronger foes; it¡¯s just that the enemies she usually faced were too weak, resulting in battles that were sheer overkill. My Senior Sister, forever invincible! ¡°Do you want to give it a try as well?¡± An Zhisu suddenly stopped her swordplay and asked with a smile. Her tone was as relaxed as if she wasn¡¯t fighting with demonic beasts but as if she were hunting. ¡°Alright then.¡± Ling Yunpo drew out the Qing Ping and Thunderbane Swords. He felt no pity for the demonic beasts below, as the creatures in the Death Gate region actively attacked humans, even relishing in cannibalism, and there were no compassionate Bodhisattvas around to preach about the equality of all beings. We Shushan Sword Immortals are just that savage! Ling Yunpo silently recited the incantation and then triggered the Sword Dao Technique ¡°After the Rain in the Empty Mountains¡± of the Qing Ping Sword, creating countless long, sharp Water System Sword Qi, which he poured down densely below. Compared to Senior Sister An¡¯s exquisite swordsmanship, his method of attack was undoubtedly much more brutal. He didn¡¯t bother with weaknesses or vital points; seeing a demonic beast, he would just send a barrage of Sword Qi, and with ¡°After the Rain in the Empty Mountains¡± having its own armor-piercing effect, disregarding the defenses of the demonic beasts¡¯ shells, he slaughtered them as if chopping melons and cutting vegetables. Occasionally, there were beasts that stubbornly resisted, refusing to sit still for death, launching demon arts at Ling Yunpo, who would simply point a finger, and immediately a golden lightning would strike, killing the opponent before they could react. This was not the Thunder Method that Qiu Changtian possessed, but the innate Daoist Magic of the Thunderbane Sword, ¡°Nine Heavens God Shocking Thunder,¡± characterized by long attack distance and exceptionally strong penetration, capable of killing enemies from afar. The brother and sister pair bombarded the skies, quickly slaughtering all the demonic beasts within sight, with the remaining scattering and fleeing to places they could no longer find. Just this for the Death Gate region? Ling Yunpo felt disdainful, and the Kunlun Mirror, aware of his thoughts, reminded him: ¡°Think about it carefully. If these demonic beasts hadn¡¯t run helter-skelter upon seeing your Senior Sister and instead grouped together to besiege you, would you still be able to kill as effortlessly?¡± Ling Yunpo gave it some thought and realized it was true. ¡°If I were surrounded by so many demonic beasts, I¡¯d have to devote half of my strength to self-preservation, such as casting ¡®Green Mist Veil Over the Mountains¡¯ to conceal my form,¡± he pondered. Consequently, to avoid detection by the enemy, one naturally wouldn¡¯t be able to strike at will. ¡°Senior Sister An,¡± Ling Yunpo asked knowingly, perplexingly, ¡°why do these demonic beasts not resist and simply allow us to slaughter them?¡± ¡°After a certain Shushan tournament ended, the Demon Locking Tower was once opened,¡± An Zhisu explained, ¡°I had been here at that time¡­¡± ¡°And then? Oh¡­ I see, worthy of Senior Sister,¡± Ling Yunpo was slightly stunned, then he couldn¡¯t help but laugh and say. The title of the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal was not only feared by the disciples of Shushan, but even the demonic beasts were terrified. An Zhisu nonchalantly waved her hand and said: ¡°Actually, it¡¯s nothing much, these creatures are all bullies who fear the strong. If you are weak, they will swarm you and bite; if you are strong, they can only scatter in a frantic escape.¡± Ling Yunpo agreed repeatedly, truly convinced. After the demonic beasts below were almost completely exterminated, the two descended with their swords¡¯ light and began to clean up the battlefield. These demonic beasts hadn¡¯t reached the Transformation Rank and had no demon cores, only their bodily materials might be worth some money. For instance, the giant lizard demonic beast ¡°Yayu¡± they first encountered had scales that were exceptionally hard. If made into inner armor, it could withstand a frontal stab from a Flying Sword¡­ Although it would be damaged after three or four uses, it could still save one¡¯s life at a critical moment. After all, not every Shushan disciple has defensive magical treasures like the Divine Fire Mantle or the Jade Emperor Bell. After roughly reaping the materials and putting them into a storage bag, the two set off on their return journey. Arriving near the entrance of this space, in a certain valley, Ling Yunpo had yet to see the original passageway and was wondering when he saw An Zhisu suddenly summon the Frostfall Sword and activate the Sword Dao techniques on it. Suddenly, thick snowflakes began to fall like feathers, covering the sky and blanketing the ground with a rustling sound. Several demonic beasts stumbled out from behind a hill. They intended to take advantage of the moment when the two were searching for the entrance and let down their guard to sneak up and attack from behind. They didn¡¯t expect An Zhisu to directly discern their locations. Before they could escape far, the snowflake Sword Qi landed on them, tearing their flesh open, blood gushing like fountains, and they died on the spot. ¡°Demons cannot leave the space that confines them,¡± An Zhisu explained softly, ¡°So, whenever there are demons near an entrance, these entrances won¡¯t appear.¡± ¡°Therefore, when we enter a certain space, if there are demons nearby, the entrance will immediately disappear, preventing us from leaving¡­ take note of this mechanism,¡± she said. ¡°Of course, you can also use this mechanism to detect if there are any hidden demons nearby.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Ling Yunpo expressed his eagerness to learn. As the demonic beasts were killed, the entrance for the return path also emerged from the void. The two rode their swords into the passage, through the long, dark corridor, and quickly returned to the original hall. But in the hall, the atmosphere was tense as if drawn swords were at the ready, and when a few Shushan disciples saw An Zhisu and Ling Yunpo return from the passage, they immediately summoned their Life-bound Sword Artifacts and braced for battle. Ling Yunpo frowned slightly, only to see An Zhisu¡¯s eyebrows arching as she drew the Frostfall Sword, her whole body exuding an aura so fierce it almost pierced the sky, and she asked coldly: Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°What are you trying to do?!¡± ¡°We¡¯d like to ask what Qingluo Peak is plotting!¡± a Shushan disciple in the crowd roared, ¡°Committing murder amongst fellow disciples, what is the punishment according to our sect¡¯s rules?¡± ¡°Senior Sister An and I have been together the whole time, observed by all as we entered the Death Gate, and we have just come back from inside, how can there be any talk of murdering our fellow disciples?¡± Ling Yunpo quickly stopped Senior Sister An, who was ready to counterattack, and calmly asked in a deep voice. ¡°Our disciples from Red Sun Peak were not attacked by demons in the Wound Gate, but died at the hands of fellow Shushan disciples,¡± the disciple opposite them said with red eyes, filled with grief and anger, ¡°Now that our master is not present, please have True Person Jinghua make a judgment for our Red Sun Peak.¡± ¡°The murderer is none other than the Peak Master of Qingluo Peak, Su Jian!¡± Chapter 115 - Chapter 115: Chapter 50: Disputes, Doubt, and Betrayal Chapter 115: Chapter 50: Disputes, Doubt, and Betrayal ¡°This is impossible!¡± Hearing the name uttered by the disciple from Red Sun Peak opposite her, An Zhisu immediately widened her eyes in disbelief and blurted out without thinking: ¡°This is impossible!¡± Her expression was one of shocked horror, and she swept her gaze over everyone present once more, as if to reinforce her persuasiveness, she emphasized again: ¡°It simply can¡¯t be! Before Junior Brother and I entered the tower, our master¡­ our master was still in seclusion!¡± No one responded. The faces of all the Shushan disciples present bore an expression that was a mix of skepticism and hostility. ¡°I dare to ask for enlightenment from True Person Jinghua.¡± Ling Yunpo said loudly, ¡°Did anyone witness our master committing murder?¡± The usually silent True Person Jinghua spoke after a long moment: ¡°I have not seen it.¡± ¡°Then why is this fellow disciple so certain that it was our master who did it?¡± Ling Yunpo turned around, his gaze suddenly sharp, and he asked sternly: ¡°The disciple from Red Sun Peak died from Water System Sword Qi, a sword stroke to the back,¡± that disciple said through clenched teeth. ¡°Moreover, words were left at the scene saying ¡®The schemer shall suffer a stab in the back,¡¯ with Su Jian¡¯s signature below!¡± ¡°I see.¡± Ling Yunpo turned to face True Person Jinghua and said somberly, ¡°The matter is clear now; this is an extremely clumsy attempt to sow discord.¡± ¡°If our master truly sought revenge, why would he target a disciple of the Foundation Establishment rank? Wouldn¡¯t it be more direct to challenge the Peak Master of Red Sun Peak to a sword duel? That way none of you would have anything to say!¡± True Person Jinghua was silent for a moment before speaking again: ¡°Indeed.¡± ¡°I implore True Person Jinghua to see clearly!¡± the previously speaking Red Sun Peak disciple hastily called out, ¡°Even if it was not the work of Qingluo Peak¡¯s Peak Master, it could still be a Qingluo Peak disciple acting in their master¡¯s name! Because¡­ because my Senior Brother, he had an old grudge with that An Zhisu!¡± ¡°Since you¡¯re accusing me and Senior Sister, then present your evidence!¡± Ling Yunpo immediately threatened, ¡°If you are slandering Qingluo Peak based solely on a message of unknown origin, be prepared for my merciless response!¡± The Red Sun Peak disciple gnashed his teeth but dared not provoke further, choosing instead to fall into sullen silence. After all, Po Yun Sword Immortal was the second-place victor of the grand competition of Shushan, having defeated Lin Duanshan and Duan Fenhai. If he were to engage in a sword duel with him, he certainly wouldn¡¯t stand a chance, so it would be better to seek justice from his Peak Master after leaving the Demon Locking Tower. ¡°I would like to add a word.¡± Lin Duanshan, who had just returned to the hall and understood the situation from his junior brothers, spoke up, ¡°If it was indeed Junior Brother Ling or Senior Sister An who stealthily killed him, why leave such a message and expose one¡¯s identity?¡± ¡°Perhaps it was to make a display of power.¡± Duan Fenhai said idly from the side. ¡°Such talk is absurd.¡± Lin Duanshan said coldly, ¡°Display of power? To kill and deliberately leave a clue pointing to oneself, and now vehemently deny the accusations, what kind of display of power is that?¡± ¡°This can only lead to distrust among Shushan disciples, leaving everyone to fend for themselves!¡± ¡°Correct.¡± True Person Jinghua nodded, ¡°No matter who the real culprit is, the purpose of leaving behind those words is to confuse and take advantage of the chaos.¡± ¡°From now on, during the trials, disciples from the same peak must stay together, advance and retreat as one, and must not separate! If attacked by anyone, do not seek immediate revenge; instead, make sure to report back to me first!¡± After saying this, he intended to lead the group to the second level but then heard Guan Shanyue suddenly say: ¡°True Person Jinghua, might I ask for a moment of your time?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± True Person Jinghua stopped in his tracks. ¡°You said the murderer intends to sow discord among us Shushan brethren, and I agree with this.¡± Guan Shanyue spoke leisurely, ¡°But among those who entered the Demon Locking Tower this time, isn¡¯t there one who is not a Shushan disciple?¡± ¡°Where is that Chief Disciple of Kunlun named ¡®Qiu Changtian¡¯ at this moment?¡± Once these words were spoken, they were like an Earthshaking Strike, immediately stirring up discussions among the disciples of Shushan. Even though everyone was still wary of the disciples from other peaks, in the presence of True Person Jinghua, they definitely couldn¡¯t outright express suspicion towards their fellow sect members. However, it was different for a cultivator from Kunlun. Accusing Qiu Changtian of grave suspicion, demanding that he be captured for detailed interrogation, and kept under strict surveillance ¨C that couldn¡¯t possibly be wrong, right? Ling Yunpo, who was listening from behind, almost spat blood. Damn it, you all think Qiu Changtian is a cultivator from Kunlun, but do you not know he has another identity called ¡°Ling Yunpo¡±? How could I possibly scheme against myself? Hey, wait a minute! Could it be¡­ could this really have been done by a future version of myself? Considering the last visit to the Pavilion, during the final challenge between the two realms in the mortal world, myself as Qiu Changtian, I was outmaneuvered by a future Luo Yan, literally going through a tough battle in an Asura-like situation¡­ To say that I wouldn¡¯t scheme against myself, that would be far too naive. But one thing is for certain, my future self would definitely not truly harm me. After all, any harm that I suffer will carry forward with the normal passage of time to the future. As Ling Yunpo was carefully contemplating, he heard True Person Jinghua assert unequivocally: ¡°This is impossible!¡± ¡°Why is it impossible?¡± Before Guan Shanyue could speak, a hot-tempered Shushan disciple hurriedly asked. ¡°When I say it¡¯s impossible, it means it¡¯s impossible!¡± True Person Jinghua retorted angrily. This Golden Core True Person spoke with such domineering authority that, although people still harbored doubts, they couldn¡¯t question any further. Everyone remained silent, following True Person Jinghua through the opened door, and then descended to the second floor of the Demon Locking Tower. As previously stated by True Person Jinghua, this time the participants were not allowed to choose any door at will; the disciples from the same peak were required to enter the same trial. The reason was simple: similar to the transportation mechanism of the Pavilion, inside the Demon Locking Tower, regardless of which door one chose, if there was a sequence in entering, one would be transported to different demon locking spaces. Under these circumstances, the chance of trialists being separated was very high, which provided opportunities for the murderer to strike. Requiring the Shushan disciples of the same peak to enter the trial environment together was to prevent anyone from being isolated. Under these circumstances, should the murderer dare to strike again, the victim would most likely be a Shushan disciple from the same peak as the murderer. Such a design was indeed an appropriate response. Still, Ling Yunpo subconsciously felt that the murderer would not stop because of this¡­ ¡°Junior Brother, which door would you like to choose this time?¡± An Zhisu asked indifferently. Even though she tried her best to suppress the fluctuations in her voice, Ling Yunpo still keenly detected that Senior Sister An¡¯s heart was in disarray. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only It wasn¡¯t because she had been framed by someone, but because the murderer had left a message in the name of Su Jian, causing Senior Sister An to also become somewhat suspicious. After all, even Ling Yunpo himself didn¡¯t have enough confidence to convince himself that his frugal master Su Jian was truly in seclusion within the belly of Qingluo Peak¡­ ¡°Senior Sister,¡± Ling Yunpo said in a deep voice, ¡°let¡¯s not go through the trial this time, how about we take a rest in the Rest Door?¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Senior Sister An was utterly unprepared and upon hearing this, she agreed without much thought. Seeing these two enter the Rest Door, the remaining Shushan disciples in the hall secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Chapter 116 - Chapter 116: Chapter 51: Sharing a Room with My Senior Sister Chapter 116: Chapter 51: Sharing a Room with My Senior Sister Unlike the Death Gate passage where one couldn¡¯t see their hand before their face, the resting gate corridor was built magnificently, similar to the style of the Zhao Palace in the secret realm of the Western Queen Mother. Whether it was the intricate and bright wall relief or the Everbright Lamps set at intervals, everything highlighted the uniquely ornate style of the ancient era of Cultivating Immortality. The end of the corridor led to a spacious room, completely furnished with tables, chairs, beds, and cabinets. There were also fur rugs spread on the floor, cotton drapes hanging before the beams, and soft cushions beside the bed, which felt thick and comfortable as well as soft and warm to lie on, making one immediately feel all fatigue dissipate and wanting nothing more than a good sleep. Ling Yunpo sat down by the bed, briefly organized his thoughts, and asked in a deep voice, ¡°Senior Sister, can we produce any evidence at the moment to prove that Master is indeed in closed-door cultivation and couldn¡¯t possibly appear in the outside world?¡± An Zhisu fell silent for a while before sitting down beside him and sighing, ¡°We cannot.¡± This was only natural since the place where Su Jian was currently in closed-door cultivation was a black box, and no one had any information about the situation inside. Conversely, if it could be confirmed that Su Jian was still alive, then the state of Qingluo Peak wouldn¡¯t be as desolate as it was now. Ling Yunpo also sighed. The true frustration in this matter lay in the fact that it was clear that the perpetrator couldn¡¯t possibly be someone from Qingluo Peak, but since there was absolutely no clue or lead regarding the murderer, blame was temporarily placed on Qingluo Peak. The reason for choosing to bring Senior Sister An to the rest gate was to try and reduce the Shushan Sect disciples¡¯ vigilance as much as possible. Of course, if the murderer took this opportunity to strike again, both of them could use it to completely clear themselves of suspicion¡­ although, the chances of that happening were slim. If it comes to it, we¡¯ll just keep on resting like this! In reality, the only places they truly needed to visit were the twenty-eighth and thirtieth floors. The twenty-eighth floor had a Blood Pool, in which Marrow Cleansing Rank Sword Immortals could bathe to swiftly cleanse their meridians and veins, furthering their Marrow Cleansing progress. The thirtieth floor had a cocoon forest, where Refining Mansion Rank Sword Immortals could cultivate to quickly perfect their Jade Mansion and advance their Refining Mansion progress. Apart from these two floors that Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu needed to visit, the trials on the other floors, despite offering various rewards and Strange Objects, were not critical and could be forsaken if necessary. As for Ling Yunpo at this time, his ambitions were already too high. Not to mention the materials of Demonic Beasts used for Alchemy and crafting, even if Tenth Rank Flying Swords were bundled up and tossed before him, he might not give them a second glance. ¡°Senior Sister,¡± Ling Yunpo sighed, and seeing that there was still a long way to go until an hour had passed, he sought out a topic and asked, ¡°Tell me about Master¡¯s past, would you?¡± ¡°It seems that whenever the other Various Peaks mention Qi Sha True Person, their attitude is one of both hatred and fear. What exactly did Master do back then that provoked such spiteful and petty people?¡± ¡°Master,¡± An Zhisu said with a sigh, ¡°was actually not fond of killing or fighting; he was just stubborn by nature.¡± ¡°The reason he didn¡¯t hold back when sword fighting with others was because he believed that Sword Immortals should give their all. Holding back was an insult to his sparring partners.¡± ¡°Furthermore, regarding those who challenged him and were easily killed by him, Master actually complained privately, saying that these people clearly lacked skill in swordsmanship yet instead of diligently cultivating the path of the sword, they were impetuous and belligerent, clamoring to fight and kill with him, leaving him quite perplexed.¡± Ling Yunpo: ¡­¡­¡­ Man, this cheap Master really doesn¡¯t care about face! He was just like the high school top student who would say, ¡°If your grades are so bad, why don¡¯t you stay up all night studying?¡± ¡°However, Master was not being sarcastic.¡± As if afraid Ling Yunpo wouldn¡¯t believe her, An Zhisu emphasized again, ¡°Master really felt perplexed.¡± ¡°You see, when others challenge him to a duel, he can¡¯t really refuse. But to go easy on them during the duel wouldn¡¯t be in line with his principles. If he goes all out, the opponent is too weak to withstand even one of his strikes.¡± ¡°So when outsiders accuse Master of indiscriminate killing, I think that¡¯s an unfair assessment. It¡¯s clear they can¡¯t win, yet they insist on challenging Master to a duel. Isn¡¯t that just seeking their own demise? How can they blame Master?¡± Ling Yunpo had no reply. Senior Sister An¡¯s argument seemed logically flawless, yet upon reflection, it was sophistical. You kill someone¡¯s senior brother or junior brother, and they, bearing a grudge, come to seek revenge to the death. Could it still be their own fault? But of course, Senior Sister would defend Master, so making far-fetched arguments was quite normal, just as I am bound to unconditionally defend Senior Sister. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you a secret, Master actually has a weakness.¡± An Zhisu blinked and whispered to him, ¡°You can¡¯t tell anyone else.¡± ¡°What weakness?¡± Ling Yunpo perked up his ears, ¡°I promise not to tell anyone.¡± ¡°Master can¡¯t hold his liquor,¡± An Zhisu said with a smile, ¡°If he doesn¡¯t use his True Yuan to refine the alcohol, he¡¯s practically guaranteed to get drunk from the slightest drink.¡± ¡°And when he¡¯s drunk, he starts to confess, crying out everything that has made him feel guilty. To take care of him when he was drunk, my mother had to put in a lot of effort.¡± Hearing this, Ling Yunpo chuckled to himself. The idea of a cultivator getting drunk and acting crazy was simply a joke. But he understood that Su Jian was just using this as a way to relieve stress. For him to speak freely, he and An Zhisu¡¯s mother must have shared a very deep connection. ¡°In any case, Master is not the cold-hearted and ruthless person that outsiders claim he is,¡± An Zhisu concluded, ¡°If he has to kill for our sake, he does so openly, he would never hide and leave room for speculation¡­ That¡¯s just not his style.¡± ¡°True Person Jinghua must also understand this,¡± Ling Yunpo sighed, ¡°But as to who the murderer is, we still have no clue.¡± ¡°Speaking of which, I think Guan Shanyue¡¯s words make some sense.¡± An Zhisu said gravely, ¡°That Chief Disciple from Kunlun, Qiu Changtian, disappeared without a trace as soon as he entered the Demon Locking Tower, isn¡¯t he the most suspicious one?¡± ¡°Moreover, True Person Jinghua is covering for him in every possible way, it¡¯s really hard not to be suspicious¡­ Hmm, Junior Brother, what do you think?¡± What do I think? I think it¡¯s completely absurd, okay? Why would the future me want to cause trouble for myself? Of course, I can¡¯t tell Senior Sister An that, so Ling Yunpo could only pretend to agree and then raise a question: ¡°So, that makes Qiu Changtian a bit suspicious, but observing his behavior, he seems to be a fairly upstanding Cultivator and it doesn¡¯t seem likely for him to do such things.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± An Zhisu frowned and said, ¡°You see, he could have come earlier, but instead he deliberately arrived late, waiting for everyone to arrive before making an exaggerated, pretentious entrance¡­ Just like someone with a frivolous style.¡± Ling Yunpo became instantly enraged upon hearing this¡ªwhat did she mean by a frivolous style? Prestige, Sister, it¡¯s called prestige, okay! But since Senior Sister had said so, Ling Yunpo couldn¡¯t directly argue with her, so he had to persuade her circuitously: ¡°It¡¯s said that you can¡¯t judge a book by its cover. I think it¡¯s better for us not to jump to conclusions too hastily and just wait and observe his future actions.¡± Chapter 117 - Chapter 117: Chapter 52: Holding Your Hand, Roaming the Riverbed Chapter 117: Chapter 52: Holding Your Hand, Roaming the Riverbed The crowd continued to descend to the seventh floor, where the second victim finally appeared. The victim was from the Xuan Shi Peak lineage, and had died in a certain area of the Jing Gate. He had been traveling with his Senior Brothers and was at the very end of the group. As they passed through a forest, someone suddenly realized this Junior Brother was missing, so the group turned back to look for him. They found the victim dead under a tree, the ground around him covered with frozen frost. The victim had a sword wound at the front of his neck and had been struck once, fatally, across the throat. Blood had sprayed out massively from the wound. At the base of the tree trunk where the body leaned, a line of small characters had been carved with sword qi: ¡°Those who spread falsehoods, your throats shall be locked and tongues sealed. Su Jian.¡± The disciples from Xuan Shi Peak took the body and the tree bark with the carved message back to the hall, where Jinghua True Person personally examined them. Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu returned from the Xi Gate to find the Shushan disciples gathered around the re-created scene and the body, every one of them looking extremely grave. Then, Ling Yunpo realized that the Shushan disciples present were all seemingly avoiding his gaze as if by some unspoken agreement. Since he and Senior Sister An went to the Xi Gate in full view of everyone each time, and only returned when it was necessary to go down to the next level, they could basically be ruled out as suspects. But the question remained: who was the murderer? At the moment, all clues pointed to Su Jian¡ªso obviously, in fact, that it could almost be determined as a frame-up. Would a Golden Core True Person kill a disciple of the Foundation Establishment Rank in a sneak attack? A sneak attack is a sneak attack, but why sign it? What did it mean? The vast majority of Shushan disciples actually believed that it definitely had nothing to do with Su Jian. Of course, this did not stop everyone from being wary of Qingluo Peak, because the only common trait between the two victims so far was: Their grudges with Qingluo Peak¡­ more precisely, with An Zhisu. One of the victims had, more than a decade ago in a sword contest, used underhanded tactics against An Zhisu, almost injuring her. The cause of death was a stab in the back with the message left at the scene read, ¡°Plot against others, and you will be backstabbed.¡± The second victim had been inciting hatred among disciples of Various Peaks, calling for them to isolate Qingluo Peak. The cause of death was a torn neck and the message left at the scene claimed, ¡°Spread malicious lies, and your tongues shall be sealed and throats locked.¡± Even if the murderer wasn¡¯t Su Jian, their logic in committing the crimes was very clear: to target Shushan disciples who bore old grudges with Qingluo Peak. Yet who among the present Shushan disciples could claim to be without grudges against Qingluo Peak? Everyone questioned themselves on what could be considered a grudge. If it was as simple as having spoken ill of someone, then likely the whole of Shushan would be apprehended¡­ Therefore, everyone tried hard not to look at Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu. It wasn¡¯t that they suspected them of being the murderers; rather, they feared that any eye contact now might lead to them being found dead on the spot, eyes gouged out, with a carved message beside them: ¡°What are you looking at? Mind your own business. Su Jian.¡± The Shushan disciples had these concerns, but Jinghua True Person had no such scruples and directly called Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu over, asking them if they had any clues about the murderer. ¡°I must speak frankly,¡± Ling Yunpo said outright, ¡°If someone is acting under the pretense of our master¡¯s name to commit murder, it¡¯s clear they cannot be friends of Qingluo Peak.¡± ¡°As for enemies of Qingluo Peak, True Person, you surely know that they are too numerous to count. The murderer choosing Qingluo Peak as their guise must have considered this¡­¡± ¡°I am well aware,¡± Jinghua True Person interrupted, ¡°But tell me, do you have any leads at all?¡± Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu looked at each other and after a long pause, they said: ¡°None.¡± ¡°Go then!¡± Jinghua True Person said impatiently. Afterward, paying no heed to the protests of the Xuan Shi Peak disciples, he forcefully seized their Life-bound Sword Artifacts and restricted their freedom of movement, requiring them to stay in the hall on each floor, subject to questioning, and not allowing them to leave. Everyone continued down to the eighth floor, and Ling Yunpo went to seek out Jinghua True Person to inquire if he and An Zhisu could continue the normal trials. After all, always staying in the Xi Gate to rest with Senior Sister¡ªalone together in a room¡ªa man and a woman, could harm Senior Sister¡¯s reputation¡­ Of course, the main reason Ling Yunpo was worried was that he feared he might not be able to restrain himself and would make a mistake. The bed in the Xiumen area is just too soft! ¡°Since the murderer committed the crime when you were in the Xiumen area, the suspicion on you can basically be ruled out,¡± Jinghua True Person pondered for a moment, then said, ¡°Of course, it would be best if you choose the ¡®Death Gate¡¯ and undergo your trial in a different area from the other disciples.¡± ¡°No problem,¡± An Zhisu said coldly. Thus, the two of them entered the Death Gate, passed through a long, dark corridor, and finally entered a new area. This world was submerged in deep water, but it was unclear whether it was a river, lake, or sea. The riverbed glistened with wavering light, aquatic plants swayed and generated ripples, and schools of fish swirled and circled, their silver scales and long tails exhibiting elegant forms. Both being at the Marrow Cleansing Rank, not only could they hold their breath to avoid using up oxygen, but they could also withstand the deep-water pressure. Furthermore, with their Flying Swords being of the Water System, controlling them was like fish taking to water, moving with ease. After continuing forward for over ten kilometers, An Zhisu casually chatted with her junior brother, saying: ¡°Ahead should be an underwater cave dwelling, filled with river spirits and water demons.¡± ¡°If you fight deep enough, you¡¯ll encounter a Water Viper. I failed to kill it last time, and it got away.¡± ¡°Inside the chamber where it resides, there seems to be some treasures¡­ though I didn¡¯t look closely.¡± Ling Yunpo almost fell over upon hearing this. It seemed there might be some treasures, but I didn¡¯t look. Senior Sister An, how can you say such things so matter-of-factly? Alas, my Senior Sister An is just too naive, devoted only to the sword in her life, indifferent to other worldly possessions, of course she wouldn¡¯t be interested in these low-rank magical treasures. But I simply can¡¯t ignore them! Ling Yunpo even remembered a documentary about marine conservation he had watched before crossing over to this world. It talked about how humans dumped all kinds of trash into the ocean, with plastic bags taking ten thousand years to decompose, often entangling marine life like dolphins and turtles, ultimately leading to their helpless demise. Whatever exists deep in that underwater cave dwelling that Senior Sister spoke of must also be trash casually thrown into the water by someone. These treasures¡­ No, these pieces of trash clearly won¡¯t decompose on their own, and might be ingested by small fish, shrimp, or dragons, thus endangering these aquatic creatures. I simply can¡¯t bear it! For the sake of a pristine and pure underwater environment, I must clean up this rubbish! With this in mind, Ling Yunpo spoke with righteous indignation: ¡°Senior Sister! How about we explore that underwater cave dwelling once more?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± An Zhisu immediately agreed. That¡¯s really great about Senior Sister An, she always directly agrees to whatever Ling Yunpo asks, never pestering with this or that question. One can only say she spoils him tremendously. The two continued to control their swords, swiftly arriving at the underwater cave dwelling. The entrance to the cave dwelling was a crevice formed between the riverbed rocks, just wide enough for the two to pass through side by side. Since the passage was narrow and didn¡¯t allow for agile movement, An Zhisu sheathed her Sword Light and descended, then positioned the Frostfall Sword above her head to be ready for any enemies. She herself walked a few steps deeper, then turned around and extended her hand to Ling Yunpo with a smile: Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Junior Brother, this place is covered with dense moss and is slippery when stepped on; be careful.¡± ¡°Okay, Senior Sister,¡± said Ling Yunpo as he took her hand. Hand in hand, the two moved through the internal passage amid the scattered rocks on the riverbed. All of a sudden, Ling Yunpo felt a subtle sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu as he remembered Qiu Changtian holding Xu Yinglian¡¯s hand and running across the Iron Chain Long Bridge above the sea of clouds. Only, that time he was the one holding Junior Sister Xu¡¯s hand, but this time it was Senior Sister An holding his. Chapter 118 - Chapter 118: Chapter 53: Ten Thousand Li Water Vein Godspeed Talisman Chapter 118: Chapter 53: Ten Thousand Li Water Vein Godspeed Talisman ¡°` The riverbed cavern was a clutter of jumbled rocks. As the terrain gradually descended, the surrounding space became oddly more spacious. The originally disorderly river stones on both sides also started to show signs of being neatly cut, slowly revealing traces of man-made work. Ling Yunpo moved forward cautiously, the Green Duckweed Sword swaying slowly above his head, taut as a spring ready to shoot out at the slightest disturbance. Of course, he hoped there wouldn¡¯t be any disturbances, so he could hold Senior Sister An¡¯s hand a little longer. But it seemed the river spirits and water monsters didn¡¯t understand the concept of spoiling the mood. After about ten minutes of walk, shadows suddenly darted out from cracks in the corner rocks like green lightnings. However, the Frostfall Sword was faster, striking before the enemies could, nailing one to the rock wall. Only then did Ling Yunpo make out that it was a long, narrow water snake, with a triangular head and red tongue, twisting its body in pain. ¡°Junior brother must be careful, these creatures are very skilled at ambushes; I almost got caught off guard¡­¡± An Zhisu spoke softly. Although there were no signs that she had been ¡°almost caught off guard,¡± Ling Yunpo obligingly nodded, saying, ¡°Fair point, indeed. These demons are too vicious and treacherous, Senior Sister should also be careful.¡± The water snake nailed to the wall suddenly stopped struggling. It was unclear whether it had lost its last breath or if it was simply passed out from the humans¡¯ conversation. An Zhisu pulled out the Frostfall Sword and, with another swift stroke, decapitated the snake¡¯s head, allowing them to continue onward. As they ventured deeper, the surrounding environment changed from haphazard, roughly cut stones, to neatly stacked blue stone walls, creating an especially serene and profound atmosphere underwater. Ling Yunpo¡¯s expression grew serious and he readied himself for battle, holding the Green Duckweed Sword in front of him, wary of any potential attacks. But every time a shadow flickered, Senior Sister An¡¯s Frostfall Sword had already shot out. By the time Ling Yunpo discerned the nature of the attacking monster, it had already fallen under Senior Sister¡¯s sword. Then Senior Sister An would turn back and say, ¡°See, weren¡¯t they difficult to handle?¡± Ling Yunpo really wanted to reply, ¡°I think Senior Sister is the most difficult one to deal with,¡± but, being a professional spy, he wouldn¡¯t make such a rookie mistake; instead, he just obediently nodded, signaling that he had taken her words to heart. As they continued fighting, Senior Sister An suddenly said with curiosity, ¡°It seems that there are fewer monsters inside than last time.¡± ¡°Perhaps they were intimidated by Senior Sister¡¯s strength and fled in advance,¡± Ling Yunpo replied with a smile. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, it¡¯s a bit disappointing,¡± An Zhisu lamented. ¡°I was hoping to show you the Water Viper.¡± When they reached the depths of the underwater cavern, there was indeed no trace of Jiaolong. While An Zhisu felt somewhat let down, Ling Yunpo¡¯s spirits were undiminished as he eagerly pulled his Senior Sister towards the treasure room of the cavern. Almost every cavern had a treasure room ¡ª more precisely, a ¡°storage room¡± for a cultivator¡¯s residence. Magical treasures, Flying Swords, Elixirs, and the like, which were occasionally found and not regularly used, were too precious to be sold or thrown away, so they were all piled up in the treasure room. Ling Yunpo quickly identified the location of the treasure room after some discernment. After confirming with the Kunlun Mirror that there were no traps, he pulled Senior Sister in to start their search. Most of what was piled up inside were Spirit Stones with dissipated spiritual energy, now defunct, heaped around like little mountains. Ling Yunpo used the Green Duckweed Sword to shift aside the discarded Spirit Stones and uncovered a Water-Repelling Pearl from beneath them. The Water-Repelling Pearl created a spherical water-free environment with a radius of about ten feet, isolating all water outside. Considering cultivators can mostly retain their breath under water and don¡¯t need to breathe, this magical treasure was both rare and of limited use. It was typically only effective in special environments, such as the deep-sea bed under immense water pressure¡­ ¡°` Ling Yunpo casually stored the Water-Repelling Pearl away and heard An Zhisu chuckle beside him, ¡°Junior Brother, what do you think of this?¡± She used the Frostfall Sword to push aside the pile of stones and discovered a small, three-legged bronze cauldron inside. Upon careful inspection, Ling Yunpo saw that the cauldron was about the size of two hands put together, its surface covered with patches of rust, clearly indicating that the Formation on it had lost its effect. The cauldron also had a lid, which upon lifting revealed a Talisman Script inside¡­ Eh? Those characters on the Talisman Script were ones Luo Yan had seen in the texts at Yuqing View; even in the Ancient Times, they were considered extremely rare¡ªthe ¡°Godspeed Talisman of the Vast Water Vein.¡± Once activated, this Talisman allows one to traverse from any water vein and leap to another unconnected water vein, making it an exceptional artifact for escaping. Its only flaw was that it required the energies of Ren and Gui Waters to charge the Godspeed Talisman of the Vast Water Vein. As mentioned before, Ren Water Essence is found only in the depths of Beiming, nearly inaccessible to ordinary Cultivators; the Gui Water Essence is an even stranger object, impossible to find. Therefore, due to these stringent recharging requirements, the method to craft such Talisman Scripts was not passed down and had been completely lost by now¡­ However, Ling Yunpo was different. He had already obtained the Gui Water Essence from the Pavilion and had refined it into the Postnatal Five Elements Great Extermination Divine Light; he had also acquired the Ren Water Essence from the ancient Formation left in the Five Zhi Islands. Thus, he met the conditions for using this ancient divine Talisman. ¡°This Talisman Script looks rather mysterious, I¡¯ll take it back to study,¡± Ling Yunpo found an excuse to claim the Talisman Script for himself. An Zhisu had no objections. To her, even if they had found the Supreme Immortal Swords Suming and Zhenmei, if her Junior Brother said, ¡°Senior Sister, I want them,¡± she would probably give them to him directly. What was an old Talisman Script with undecipherable directions in comparison? Seeing Senior Sister An nod with a smile, Ling Yunpo reached for the Talisman Script. But the moment he touched the script, the patterns within suddenly lit up, and amidst the flow of Spiritual Energy, it was already triggered! Ling Yunpo: ??????? Wait a second! I didn¡¯t activate it! This thought flashed through his mind in an instant, and both Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu disappeared simultaneously. The only things left at the scene were two small whirlpools; these were the surrounding water currents filling the void left by their vanished bodies. Soon the stone chamber returned to tranquility, as if nothing had happened at all. ¡­ The third victim appeared. The deceased was the second disciple of the Peak Master of Bi Yun Peak, a female sword Cultivator whose arms were severed before her death. According to the disciples of Shushan, this sword Cultivator had a generous and benevolent character, almost never had conflicts with other disciples from different peaks, let alone Qingluo Peak. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Yet, the message left at the crime scene read, ¡°For the greedy, sever both arms. Su Jian.¡± After Real Person Jinghua inquired about the female sword Cultivator¡¯s usual cultivation resources from the other disciples of Bi Yun Peak, he had a rough idea in mind. The killer¡­ so familiar with the secrets within the Various Peaks of Shushan, could not possibly be one of the Demons from the Demon Locking Tower, nor a figure from outside Shushan. It must undoubtedly be one of Shushan¡¯s own disciples. The only question was whether the person was operating from outside or among the people present here. His gaze swept over the assembled crowd, and all disciples seemed somewhat uneasy, only the disciples of Xuan Stone Peak, who had regained their freedom, exchanged glances with grim expressions. Chapter 119 - Chapter 119: Chapter 54 Innate Sword Bone, Instant Marrow Cleansing Chapter 119: Chapter 54 Innate Sword Bone, Instant Marrow Cleansing ¡°This place is¡­¡± Ling Yunpo, who was accustomed to being teleported by the Kunlun Mirror, quickly recovered from the dizziness. Looking around, all he could see was a tide of red! The two of them were now in the middle of a Blood Sea. An Zhisu also steadied her mind, looked around, and said with a frown, ¡°This place is the ¡®Blood Pool¡¯.¡± ¡°Senior Sister An, are you saying we were teleported to the twenty-eighth level by the Talisman Scripts?¡± Ling Yunpo asked in astonishment. ¡°Yes, if there isn¡¯t a second Blood Sea inside the tower,¡± An Zhisu summoned Sword Light, circled high in the sky, ¡°Something¡¯s not right.¡± ¡°What¡¯s not right?¡± ¡°The space of the Blood Sea should be open-air, and the surroundings boundless,¡± An Zhisu said gravely, ¡°Apprentice brother, look¡­¡± Ling Yunpo looked around and saw that above their heads was not the sky, but ochre-red sandstone, approximately ten zhang high, extending outwards and slowly descending until it met the farthest edge of the water, creating a suffocatingly narrow feeling. In other words, this place was less of a ¡°sea pool¡± and more of an enclosed underground lake with a considerable size. For ordinary people, the danger of an enclosed underground lake lies in the fact that the air above the water is sealed, and the oxygen would quickly be depleted. But for a cultivator, this is not a problem. Accompanied by An Zhisu, Ling Yunpo circled around the space above the Blood Sea several times before confirming that there were no openings in the rock walls. Afterward, the two of them dived into the Blood Sea and circled several times, only to find that there were no living creatures in the sea¡ªit was empty and completely enclosed by sandstone. There were only about seven Blood Corals, their roots plunging deep into the seabed, their porous tops constantly bubbling as they exhaled bubbles. Ling Yunpo, looking at those Blood Corals, suddenly said, ¡°Senior Sister An, do you feel a bit hot?¡± ¡°Hot?¡± An Zhisu was slightly taken aback, then quickly realized something and joyfully said, ¡°That¡¯s great! It¡¯s the purifying force of the Blood Sea trying to enter your body to help with your Marrow Cleansing!¡± ¡°Find a place to sit cross-legged, hold your breath, focus your mind, and breathe to refine your Qi, try to guide the Blood Sea Qi around you into your body!¡± Hearing this, Ling Yunpo suddenly understood, found a large boulder on the seabed nearby to sit on, crossed his legs, and operated the Supreme Primordial Secret Record Mental Art of Shushan. Soon, a scorching hot force of extreme yang began to seep into his body from the pores all over his body. For others, it might only feel warm and comfortable, but Ling Yunpo had eaten four Jade Pond Golden Lotus Seeds after all, and his acupoints were half more open than ordinary people¡¯s, feeling that hot force surge into his meridians aggressively, as if they were trying to ignite every cell in his body. He felt terribly uncomfortable on his end, feeling sweat pouring down all over his body, which soon mixed with the surrounding blood water, indistinguishable from each other. To An Zhisu, who was guarding nearby, she only saw dirty turbid water flowing around Apprentice Brother Ling, like black smoke drifting and spreading out. She knew that it was the turbid Qi residing in the meridians and marrow cavity of her apprentice brother¡¯s body, now being forcibly expelled by the Blood Sea Qi that was being inhaled into the body, so she secretly felt relieved. After a little more than a moment, she saw that the flow of dirty water had not yet ceased, still slowly seeping from the pores of Apprentice Brother Ling, which made An Zhisu start to feel anxious again. Ordinary cultivators at the Marrow Cleansing Rank who absorb Blood Sea Qi for Marrow Cleansing would stop after at most a quarter of an hour, which could shorten the overall duration of the Marrow Cleansing phase to about forty percent of its original length. As for the remaining turbid Qi, it mostly remains in narrow and hidden areas such as the end of the spinal cord and the back of the skull, where Blood Sea Qi is difficult to reach, and they have to be slowly grinded away using their True Qi. But Ling Yunpo had already exceeded a quarter of an hour, and the process of Marrow Cleansing and expelling turbidity had not yet stopped. It was either because he naturally had more open acupoints and stronger meridians, allowing him to absorb more Blood Sea Qi, or because there was too much turbid Qi inside his body, making it difficult to expel completely, therefore slowing down the process¡­ An Zhisu was truly anxious, not knowing what to do, so she could only walk around the meditating Ling Yunpo back and forth, back and forth, and back and forth again. Almost half an hour had passed, and the Blood Sea Qi within Ling Yunpo¡¯s body finally reached saturation. To be precise, due to his ¡°Innate Sword Bone¡± talent, his meridians were unobstructed, and impure qi could hardly linger. In several marrow cavities where ordinary people¡¯s True Qi could not enter, he forcefully infused them with Blood Sea Qi, purging all impurities and turbid qi. At last, Ling Yunpo opened his eyes, his pupils bright and clear, his skin translucent. He had successfully broken through to the Marrow Cleansing Rank and entered the Refining Mansion Rank! ¡°Senior Sister, I¡¯ve had a breakthrough,¡± Ling Yunpo said as he opened his eyes, and just as he spoke, he saw Senior Sister An pouncing toward him and tightly embracing her junior brother. ¡°That¡¯s great, I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re okay¡­¡± She hugged her junior brother as if a great burden had been lifted, unwilling to let go, and murmured. Meanwhile, she reached to wipe tears from the corner of her eyes, forgetting that she was in the midst of the Blood Sea, where her tears dispersed as soon as they fell. Ling Yunpo was both amused and helpless, only able to carefully extend his hand and gently pat her back a few times, offering comfort. Senior Sister An had many virtues, she was strong, considerate, and protective, but she was also overly sensitive. Any slight mishap with him would make her anxious and overreact; And once she was sure everything was fine, she couldn¡¯t help but shed tears, crying from joy¡­ it was indeed an excess of genuine emotion. Speaking of ¡°genuine emotion,¡± Ling Yunpo recalled that Senior Sister An had once said that she also cultivated the Sentiment Inquiry Path. Thinking of this, his heart softened, and he reciprocated by hugging Senior Sister An in return. The two of them nestled against each other tenderly for a moment, until An Zhisu finally let him go, choking up as she said, ¡°I thought you¡­ Nevermind, it¡¯s good that you¡¯re fine.¡± ¡°Why do you underestimate me so much, Senior Sister?¡± Ling Yunpo said teasingly, ¡°How could anything go wrong with this mere Blood Sea?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about that now,¡± An Zhisu said with a smile, ¡°There is no exit in this eerie Blood Sea, we might need to pick a direction and dig a tunnel through the sandstone.¡± ¡°No need to dig any tunnels.¡± Ling Yunpo took out the Godspeed Talisman, and said earnestly, ¡°It was this talisman script that suddenly activated and teleported us here.¡± ¡°That means we just need to activate it again to teleport us to the next location¡ªthough where exactly that might be is unknown.¡± After pondering for a moment, An Zhisu said, ¡°In that case, let¡¯s use the talisman.¡± ¡°Inside the Demon Locking Tower, many spaces are not physically interconnected. Simply moving in one direction may not break through the spatial barriers, so it¡¯s better to rely on this talisman for teleportation.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Ling Yunpo nodded, and said, ¡°Hold on to me tightly, Senior Sister, I¡¯m going to activate the talisman script.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Alright.¡± An Zhisu blushed slightly, but still moved closer, gently taking her junior brother¡¯s hand. They had already embraced, so holding hands was not a difficulty. Ling Yunpo activated the Godspeed Talisman once more, and the two of them felt the world spin before their vision gradually stabilized. This place was shrouded in dense fog, with the fog sprawling everywhere, so thick that they could scarcely see their own fingers in front of them, and the clear water underfoot reached up to their knees. ¡°This place¡­¡± An Zhisu said uncertainly, ¡°seems to be the ¡®Cloud Sea Realm¡¯?¡± Chapter 120 - Chapter 120: Chapter 55 Cloud Sea Giant Cocoon, Rotten Stump Refining Mansion Chapter 120: Chapter 55 Cloud Sea Giant Cocoon, Rotten Stump Refining Mansion The Cloud Sea Realm, located on the thirtieth floor of the Demon Locking Tower. According to what Senior Sister An had said, this place should be a sea of clouds where the sky was not seen above and the ground not touched below, enveloped by hazy clouds, requiring the constant maintenance of a Sword Control flying posture. However, at this moment, the place where the two of them stood had firm ground underfoot, and there were clear deep waters reaching up to the knees. Ling Yunpo looked down and saw, between the mists, a clear reflection of himself on the surface of the water. An Zhisu held his hand, her gaze vigilantly sweeping the surroundings. Unable to see clearly. Just a few steps away, obscured too much by the clouds, the line of sight simply couldn¡¯t reach, and they could only rely on Divine Sense to probe. For now, there appeared to be no creatures or buildings around the two of them. Upon closer inspection, both the water currents at their feet and the clouds in the air were slowly moving and drifting in one direction. The two continued to move in the direction of the water flow. Before long, they arrived at a cocoon forest. There were a large number of white giant cocoons, nearly ten feet in length, which could easily accommodate an adult lying within. An Zhisu and other Refining Mansion stage disciples had come to this Cloud Sea Cocoon Forest for their mission in the Demon Locking Tower, but¡­ ¡°This is strange,¡± An Zhisu said with surprise after circling a giant cocoon a few times. ¡°The cocoon forest I know of is supported by extremely thin silk threads wrapped around pillars hanging in the midst of the cloud sea.¡± ¡°These horizontally lying cocoons in the water are something I¡¯ve never seen before, nor have I heard others speak of them.¡± ¡°Supported in the air by silk pillars?¡± Ling Yunpo asked with curiosity, ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that require a supporting ground?¡± ¡°Not sure,¡± An Zhisu replied. ¡°Many seniors have tried flying at full speed upward, downward, or in all other directions, but the boundaries of the Cloud Sea Realm have never been detected.¡± ¡°Among the clouds, there lives a kind of ferocious avian Demonic Beast. Anyone outside the cocoon forest will be attacked by such beasts. The further one strays from the height of the cocoon forest, the more numerous the beasts become¡­¡± An Zhisu paused there, exchanging a glance with Ling Yunpo. If this place was indeed part of the same world as the Cloud Sea Realm, then it must certainly be the lowest level of the Cloud Sea Realm. The cocoons whose supporting silk pillars broke would fall here, and also because of the low height, there would be no harassment from those avian Demonic Beasts. Verification was simple: one only had to fly upward from here to see if they could find the silk-pillar-supported cocoon forest. But according to what Senior Sister An had said, the cocoon forest was vastly extensive in every direction, upwards, downwards, and to the southeast, northwest, such that ordinary cultivators could never detect its end. Heaven knows how far this bottom part is from the height of the cocoon forest. If it would take a very long time (such as several days) to reach it just to verify whether this world was the Cloud Sea Realm, it definitely wouldn¡¯t be worthwhile. Ling Yunpo¡¯s gaze landed on a giant cocoon. For Refining Mansion stage cultivators, what mattered lay within this very cocoon. According to the records, this type of giant cocoon possessed a peculiar ability related to time and space. Cultivators who fell into the giant cocoon could maintain a state of cultivation and rapidly fast-forward their bodies by thirty years. These thirty years would be equivalent to day and night cultivation without interruption, free from any external disturbances, single-mindedly perfecting the Purple Mansion for thirty years. Although it consumed thirty years of lifespan, it could probably compensate for about thirty-four or thirty-five years of normal cultivation. After all, in the outside world, cultivators couldn¡¯t maintain the highest efficiency of cultivation every day, and would inevitably encounter periods when they weren¡¯t in top form. The two climbed onto the giant cocoon and tentatively placed their feet on the mouth of the cocoon. Soon, the mouth of the cocoon began to move, engulfing Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu¡¯s ankles, then their calves, thighs, and half of their bodies, until finally, they were entirely enveloped. Ling Yunpo felt an incredibly subtle sensation, with warm, omnipresent, rhythmically pacing pressure coming from all around, which inexplicably reminded him of a womb filled with amniotic fluid. However, consciousness soon became groggy, indicating that the speed of time was slowly increasing. The ¡°Accounts of the Marvelous¡± by the Southern Dynasty once recorded a tale of a woodcutter who stopped to watch children playing chess and singing. He was so engrossed that only after the children finished did he realize his axe handle had completely rotted away; upon returning to his village, he discovered that a hundred years had passed, and everyone he knew had vanished. As the flow of time accelerated, the thoughts of cultivators would also begin to slow down, much like the woodcutter watching the chess game. Eventually, the body could only mechanically repeat actions without any capacity for thought. ¡°` Therefore, Ling Yunpo quickly calmed his emotions and began to stimulate the rotation of the Qi Sea. While breathing and refining Qi, compressing True Qi into True Yuan, he attempted to use True Yuan to nourish and perfect the flaws of the Purple Mansion¡¯s inner walls. As the Qi Sea spun faster and faster, in his half-conscious state, a strand of True Yuan began to refine itself from within the Qi Sea, clinging to the Purple Mansion¡¯s inner walls to circulate. This was what the Daoists referred to as ¡°the Union of Dragon and Tiger.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± The Kunlun Mirror suddenly spoke, ¡°This power of time and space, it feels like a fragment of my true form¡­¡± Watching Ling Yunpo¡¯s consciousness slip into silence, it knew that the flow of time had accelerated, and now the guy was unable to speak. ¡°However, the fragment of my true form should not be here,¡± the Kunlun Mirror continued to muse to itself. ¡°This place is merely borrowing its authority.¡± ¡°The only certainty is that my fragment is definitely within the Demon Locking Tower, hmm.¡± ¡°With your current realm, it is still too early to be plotting for these things.¡± ¡°Strive to get stronger quickly.¡± ¡­¡­ About a quarter of an hour later, Ling Yunpo¡¯s consciousness finally began to slowly awake. He subconsciously called upon his Divine Sense for introspection, and then was startled. Most of the Qi Sea was now occupied by True Yuan, with only about one-third to one-fourth of True Qi remaining, slowly drifting at the top of the upper Dantian. If True Qi could be likened to mountain streams, then True Yuan was akin to great rivers and seas, greatly eclipsing the former in quality. The result was a dual enhancement of the power and endurance in the activation of Sword Control Technique, Daoist Magic, and Magical Treasures, among other things. However, Ling Yunpo had no time to confirm how much stronger he had become. He quickly extricated himself from the giant cocoon and then went to look for Senior Sister An nearby. After a short while, An Zhisu also struggled out of the cocoon and rolled over, falling right into the waiting arms of Ling Yunpo, who had been waiting for some time. ¡°Senior Sister,¡± Ling Yunpo clearly breathed a sigh of relief, ¡°Glad you¡¯re okay.¡± ¡°As if something would happen with this mere cocoon,¡± An Zhisu joked as well, her expression warming up, ¡°You can put me down now.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Having landed on the ground and steadied herself, the two then realized they were both covered in the goo from the inside of the giant cocoon, stickily uncomfortable. After washing briefly with the water on the ground, Ling Yunpo chuckled and said: ¡°Mercurial Elixir Liquid for sixty years, Cloud Sea Giant Cocoon for thirty years, isn¡¯t it equivalent to you having endured ninety years of rigorous cultivation, Senior Sister? With this, isn¡¯t the Pill Formation of High Grade beyond question?¡± ¡°To achieve a Pill Formation of the top three grades would, under normal cultivation efficiency, require two hundred years in the Refining Mansion.¡± An Zhisu pondered for a moment before calmly stating, ¡°Considering this rate, if nothing unexpected occurs, my Core Formation should reach the third grade.¡± Ling Yunpo immediately congratulated Senior Sister, his heart also starting to fill with emotion. To form a Third Grade Golden Core requires two hundred years in the Refining Mansion; for the Second Grade, at least four hundred years are needed. As for First Grade Pill Formation, the estimates say at least eight hundred years¡­ and there¡¯s no historical record of its achievement. That¡¯s probably because, without entering the Golden Core Realm, a human¡¯s lifespan is at most two hundred years, deducting time for Qi Refinement and Marrow Cleansing, at most, one can only have one hundred and fifty years of cultivation. How could it be possible to spend two hundred years in the Refining Mansion? One must join a renowned sect, like my Senior Sister and I did, then enter various secret realms, relying on one fortunate encounter after another to stack up, only then do we have a chance to strive for a Third Grade Golden Core. As for a Second Grade Golden Core, it¡¯s unthinkable unless one is an unparalleled genius! Now, with my identity as a Shushan Po Yun Sword Immortal, the treatment is roughly similar to Senior Sister An¡¯s, first gaining the power of the Mercurial Elixir Liquid, then accelerated by the Cloud Sea Empty Cocoon, I estimate I can save myself ninety years of arduous cultivation. The Mercurial Elixir Liquid can only refine a spoonful at most; any more would be considered poison. The Cloud Sea Empty Cocoon can only be used once for acceleration; any more would cause insanity. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Continuing this step-by-step cultivation, I should have about one hundred and fifty years of life remaining. Excluding the last ten years for Pill Formation, it is equivalent to spending two hundred and thirty years in the Refining Mansion. A Third Grade Golden Core is guaranteed, and the gap from the Second Grade is about one hundred and seventy years. Once the Demon Locking Tower¡¯s event ends, I will have to switch focus to Qiu Changtian and Luo Yan to see if Kunlun Taiqing Sect and Penglai Jade Pure View have any similar secret realms and fortuitous encounters that can help me stack up to a Second Grade Golden Core! Seeing Ling Yunpo¡¯s expression brimming with emotions, An Zhisu couldn¡¯t help but smile. If my junior brother and I can both achieve a Third Grade Core Formation, then the day when Master emerges from seclusion, I can say with confidence that I have not let him down, and that I have adequately maintained Qingluo Peak¡­ ¡°` Chapter 121 - Chapter 121: Chapter 56: The Swarm of Weaving Spiders, Blade Mountain Divine Dragon Chapter 121: Chapter 56: The Swarm of Weaving Spiders, Blade Mountain Divine Dragon After slightly consolidating their explosively increased realm, Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu began to explore their surroundings. Passing through numerous dormant water cocoons, they continued to follow the flow of the water and saw even more of the towering silk pillars. The so-called silk pillars, that is, ¡°Columns of Woven Silk.¡± According to ancient records, three strands make a twist, three twists make a string, three strings make a bundle, three bundles make a braid, three braids make a wrap, three wraps make a branch, three branches make a stem, and three stems make a trunk; and with a hundred and eighty trunks interwoven, they form the Columns of Woven Silk, supporting the aerial cocoons with infinite length, yet the root of which is unknown, as if it lies within the abyss. At this time, the two seemed to be at the roots of these Columns of Woven Silk, which is the bottom of the ¡°Abyss¡± as recorded in the ancient texts. They saw these silk threads intertwining and knotting at the bottom, submerged underwater; there was also a multitude of ¡°spiders,¡± slender and light, walking on the water with extreme timidity. Seeing Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu approaching, they scattered in panic, creating ripples upon the water¡¯s surface that spread outwards. ¡°So it¡¯s these spiders that have woven the aerial cocoons,¡± An Zhisu said with a sudden laugh of realization. Following Senior Sister An¡¯s gaze, Ling Yunpo saw among the roots of the Columns of Woven Silk, many incomplete aerial cocoons scattered about, some more than half-finished, and some only a third complete. ¡°These are ¡®Weaving Cloud Spiders,¡¯¡± the Kunlun Mirror suddenly said from within the Sea of Consciousness, ¡°They are a type of time-space demonic beast that feeds on ¡®broken histories¡¯, which are the ¡®threads of time¡¯ I¡¯ve spoken of before.¡± It couldn¡¯t help but express its sentiment: ¡°The Weaving Cloud Spiders are inherently harmless, yet even they are imprisoned here. It appears that the construction purpose of the Demon Locking Tower is definitely not for the so-called ¡®defense against the Demon Race.¡¯¡± ¡°The Demon Locking Tower was not built by the Shushan Shangqing Faction in the first place,¡± Ling Yunpo said dismissively, ¡°Shushan claims it was built by a great power of the Human Race for defense against the Demon Race, but where is the evidence for that? It¡¯s just arbitrary fabrication and interpretation for political purposes.¡± ¡°However, Ah Jing, I thought you, as an object from Ancient Times, would know the secrets of the Demon Locking Tower¡­ Turns out you only know bits and pieces as well,¡± he added. ¡°I am a mirror from the palace of the Western Queen Mother, not a mirror of the Mortal World; how could I possibly be so knowledgeable about worldly affairs?¡± the Kunlun Mirror said indignantly, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for¡­ never mind.¡± Its voice paused for a moment, then it continued: ¡°The Weaving Cloud Spiders weave the threads of time, extending inevitably from the past to the future. Therefore, the space-time in this realm is discontinuous; the more you try to fly upwards, the more stretched the space becomes, and you will never reach the end.¡± ¡°So, it is better to leave using the ¡®Godspeed Talisman of the Myriad Mile Water Vein,¡¯¡± it suggested. Ling Yunpo was somewhat speechless, and after a moment said: ¡°Why does this damned talisman keep taking us to abnormal places? Can¡¯t it just properly transport us outside the tower?¡± ¡°All water veins, within the system of the Water Element of the Five Elements, have incredibly mystical connections. The Godspeed Talisman of the Myriad Mile Water Vein merely transfers you from the upstream part of this mystical connection to the downstream,¡± the Kunlun Mirror stated meaningfully, ¡°Besides, leaving the Demon Locking Tower now might not necessarily be a good thing.¡± ¡°Not a good thing? What do you mean¡­ Oh.¡± Ling Yunpo was quick to understand, immediately relating this to what Qiu Changtian had mentioned earlier about ¡°an impending deadly tribulation.¡± That is to say, in the time that my Senior Sister and I have been absent, some kind of extremely unfavorable change has already taken place outside. With this in mind, Ling Yunpo said to An Zhisu: ¡°Senior Sister, if we continue to fly upwards, there¡¯s no telling where we might arrive. Considering the Cloud Sea Realm is almost infinitely tall and deep, and its boundaries have never been fully explored, wouldn¡¯t it be better for us to use the talisman again and jump to the next water source?¡± ¡°We could,¡± An Zhisu hesitantly said, ¡°but the first time we activated it, we jumped from the eighth floor to the twenty-eighth; the second time, straight to the thirtieth. It seems to be taking us further towards the bottom of the Demon Locking Tower each time.¡± ¡°The deeper we go into the Demon Locking Tower, the more powerful the imprisoned demons become; past the thirtieth floor lies the strength of the Golden Core Rank. Could that be too dangerous?¡± Ling Yunpo: ¡­¡­¡­.. She had a point. Having completed the Marrow Cleansing and secured the strength of thirty years of arduous cultivation from the Refining Mansion Rank, his journey to the Demon Locking Tower could be described as overwhelmingly lucrative. There was no need to take further risks. Had it not been for Qiu Changtian¡¯s reminder, he would have long since sought a way to exit the trial and return to Qingluo Peak to drink the Mercurial Elixir Liquid. Nevertheless, considering his experience at the Pavilion journey, Ling Yunpo still had a basic trust in this golden finger of his, and thus spoke to Senior Sister An: ¡°Indeed, why don¡¯t we first ascend. If we fail to find the exit of this world, then we can descend and use talisman scripts to leap. How does that sound?¡± ¡°Alright,¡± An Zhisu agreed without hesitation. Thus, the two rode their Sword Light, flying up along the thread-like pillar. After flying for six or seven hours, they still did not see the end of the pillar. It extended upwards into the Cloud Sea and downwards into the misty mountains, with neither end in sight. An Zhisu sighed deeply, then had no choice but to suppress the Sword Light with Ling Yunpo. After a while, they finally returned to the water. Ling Yunpo took out the Godspeed Talisman of the Thousand Mile Water Vein, infused it with True Yuan, and activated it. The two disappeared from their original spot once again. Moments later, countless weaving spiders crept out cautiously and tentatively from behind each thread-like pillar. They gathered around the spot where Ling Yunpo had been standing, looking around as if perceiving something. In the midst of the world spinning, Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu once again arrived in a different realm. Upon opening their eyes, all they could see was the crimson river water gushing down, washing and beating against the riverbanks on both sides, like a roaring Jiaolong. Are we back to the 28th layer¡¯s Blood Sea? Ling Yunpo was somewhat dazed when he heard An Zhisu clenching her teeth, squeezing out a few words through the gaps, her voice forcibly calm: ¡°Junior Brother, look ahead¡­¡± Ling Yunpo suddenly looked up, only to see atop the surging river¡¯s source, on the peak of the red sandstone mountain, a gigantic dragon was coiled up. The dragon¡¯s body was almost as long as the mountain itself, its golden scales neatly arranged with colorful feathers attached to its sides. Several thick chains pierced through its lower half, firmly binding it to the mountain peak, sharp like blades. Blood incessantly flowed down from the wounds caused by the chains, like springs. However, its upper body could still move freely. At this moment, it was lowering its massive head, its cold and merciless golden vertical pupils closely staring down at Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu, as if a giant was observing ants. Ling Yunpo could even feel the dragon¡¯s breathing. When it inhaled, the wind blew forward; when it exhaled, the wind blew backward, alternating, carrying a strong moisture. ¡°Two humans¡­¡± it finally said, trying to speak softly, yet the sound was still like thunder, ¡°two humans not yet at the Transformation Rank¡­¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°¡­how did you get here?¡± Ling Yunpo was silent for a moment, then took hold of the apprehensive An Zhisu beside him and slowly said: ¡°The Godspeed Talisman of the Thousand Mile Water Vein.¡± The dragon tilted its head slightly, its gaze fixed on the talisman in his hand. ¡°¡­I see.¡± Chapter 122 - Chapter 122: Chapter 57: Prisoner’s Dilemma, Trust in Senior Sister Chapter 122: Chapter 57: Prisoner¡¯s Dilemma, Trust in Senior Sister The dragon coiled atop Blade Mountain. Its tail swung back and forth incessantly, accompanied by frequent violent mountain collapses, sending a large amount of reddish soil and rocks into the Chijiang River. Even though it was pierced and bound by chains, such actions should have caused its wounds to continue bleeding profusely, yet it seemed to show no signs of weakness from blood loss. The upper body of the dragon, however, remained motionless, its golden vertical pupils quietly gazing at the two humans, an invisible, mountainous fear slowly descending with its look. Then, it suddenly slowly cracked a smile, displaying a human-like expression that seemed to suggest amusement. ¡°Two humans, I want to play a game with you.¡± Ling Yunpo did not answer, merely silently moving closer to Senior Sister An. An Zhisu¡¯s fingers curved slightly, Frostfall Sword already primed to strike. ¡°Do not attempt to resist with martial force,¡± the dragon continued with a weird chuckle, ¡°Given the gap in our realms, you have no hope of victory.¡± No sooner had the voice faded, an extremely terrifying pressure descended out of nowhere. Both of their expressions changed drastically as they felt some sort of intangible bond that prevented any movement of their divine sense or limbs, as if they were fragile frogs being forcibly stuffed into small jars. The next second, the pressure vanished just as suddenly as it had arrived, leaving no trace, as if everything before was merely an illusion. Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu looked at each other, reading shock and fear in each other¡¯s eyes. ¡°My game is called ¡®Prisoner¡¯.¡± The dragon gently exhaled, and a thick fog rose up, separating Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu. In the midst of the fog, Ling Yunpo found his vision hampered, voice dissipated, and divine sense unable to expand, much like the ¡°Green Mist Veil Over the Mountains¡± sealed on the Green Duckweed Sword. ¡°This is the Five Elements Water System Daoist Magic,¡± the dragon¡¯s voice floated leisurely from within the fog, ¡°Under this magic, light, sound, divine sense¡­ all intangible transmissions are under my control.¡± ¡°In other words, you and your Senior Sister are now my prisoners.¡± ¡°The rules of the game are simple,¡± the dragon continued languidly, ¡°Although you can¡¯t see or hear her, you know your Senior Sister is right beside you.¡± ¡°You can choose whether or not to strike her down. Of course, she can make a choice, too.¡± ¡°If both of you choose not to act, then I will let you go.¡± ¡°If both of you choose to act, then I will destroy your Life-bound Sword Artifacts.¡± ¡°But if one of you chooses to act and the other chooses not to, then¡­ the one who chooses not to will be killed, and the one who acts¡­¡± The voice paused for a moment, then nonchalantly said: ¡°I will give them a reward.¡± ¡°Of course, a real reward. Flying Swords, Magical Treasures, Daoist Magic, Strange Objects¡­ Overall, it depends on my mood.¡± ¡°The more disbelieving the expression on the face of the betrayed, fatally wounded person, the more pleasure I experience, and the more valuable the corresponding reward will be¡­¡± As the dragon¡¯s leisurely speech continued, Ling Yunpo¡¯s mind already began racing. This dilemma was, in fact, a game-theory proposition. From a pure theoretical model perspective: If I choose not to betray, then there are only two outcomes: to leave unharmed or to be killed. If I choose to betray, there are also two outcomes: to receive a reward or to have my Life-bound Sword Artifact destroyed. Comparing these four outcomes, it¡¯s obvious that the dragon¡¯s rules encourage participants to betray and kill each other. Raising the fog to block the sight and sounds of the two people is also meant to further increase the suspicion between them: Will Senior Sister betray me? Or thinking that I would betray her even though she doesn¡¯t want to, would she choose to betray me as a precaution? In fact, if the trust between each other can¡¯t outweigh the doubts, then decisively choosing to act is the optimal move under these game conditions. However, reality cannot be fully encompassed by a pure theoretical model. With Qiu Changtian¡¯s prior warning, Ling Yunpo certainly wouldn¡¯t make a mistake, so he stated outright: ¡°I choose not to act.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be hasty,¡± the dragon¡¯s voice carried a hint of mockery, ¡°let¡¯s see what she chooses first.¡± Ling Yunpo: ¡­¡­¡­.. So, you¡¯re intentionally scaring me, huh? Sorry, I¡¯ve had professional training, I absolutely won¡¯t be afraid. However, as time slowly passed, he couldn¡¯t help feeling a bit of instinctual restlessness. Senior Sister An couldn¡¯t possibly¡­ Impossible, impossible. If she wanted to kill me, she would have done it by now, why the hesitation until now? Maybe Senior Sister An is also hesitating¡­ That¡¯s even less likely. For me, she could give up her own future, how could she betray me over such doubts? Rational thoughts, emotions, and instincts waged a relentless battle in Ling Yunpo¡¯s mind, tugging back and forth. Reason told him there was no need for his Senior Sister to hesitate, emotions also insisted she couldn¡¯t possibly choose to betray, only instincts kept feeding a strong sense of unease. Ling Yunpo realized that deep within his heart, there was always an instinctual sense of insecurity, which was the natural anxiety not to trust anyone, spawned from the pressure of self-vigilance during his long spy career. He had not genuinely wished to become a Shushan disciple when he joined Qingluo Peak¡¯s ranks but had done so to seize the Heaven-Mending Stone fragment from the Shushan Shangqing Faction. Should his scheme be exposed, there was no doubt he would be regarded as a traitor to Shushan, and then how would his Senior Sister view him, her ¡°Junior Brother¡± who had schemed and infiltrated? As soon as his thoughts slipped in this direction, Ling Yunpo would start to overthink, unable to completely eliminate the last bits of suspicion in his heart. But the dragon before them seemed to have finally lost its patience. Looking at Ling Yunpo, who remained silent, and An Zhisu, determined and unwavering on the other side, it ultimately let out a long, turbid sigh, blowing their hair and robes rustling: ¡°Fine, this is so boring. You can go now.¡± As its words fell, the dense mist immediately dispersed. Ling Yunpo looked at Senior Sister An, who was close at hand, and his heart was suddenly filled with relief, as well as a sense of guilt and shame for having doubted her. However, he concealed the latter feeling well, revealing a face that said ¡°I knew it would be like this,¡± smiling as he reached out his hand: ¡°Senior Sister.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± An Zhisu also reached out her hand, and they clasped hands. Ling Yunpo immediately activated the Godspeed Talisman of the Thousand Mile Water Vein, and under the indifferent gaze of the Blade Mountain dragon, he transported away with An Zhisu. After a long while, the dragon lazily yawned. ¡°¡­It seems I have won,¡± said a sword light emerging from behind the mountain belly. It was Qiu Changtian, the Kunlun Chief Disciple, riding his sword through the air, standing with his hands behind his back, speaking indifferently. ¡°Hmph.¡± The dragon snorted out sparks from its nostrils, ¡°You already knew these two Shushan disciples, and knew they practiced the Sentiment Inquiry Path, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s irrelevant to our bet,¡± Qiu Changtian said with downturned eyelids, disinterestedly, ¡°Or do you, Ying Long, intend to back down from the agreement?¡± ¡°Heh.¡± The dragon gave a smile that was not quite a smile, ¡°Why would I go back on my word? Even a lost bet is to my advantage, after all.¡± It folded its five-colored wings on its back and released its formidable dragon¡¯s might, but not aimed at Qiu Changtian in the air, rather it radiated aimlessly in all directions. Suddenly the Chijiang River almost came to a standstill, Blade Mountain crumbled inch by inch, and the heavens and earth seemed to change color at this moment. Qiu Changtian, on his Yu Long Sword, appeared as though a small boat in a storm under this terrible dragon¡¯s might, almost about to capsize. After a while, the dragon then withdrew its oppressive presence, saying lazily: ¡°Are we done?¡± Qiu Changtian steadied himself, looking bedraggled, and remained silent. Only after consulting the Kunlun Mirror in his mind and receiving the reply ¡°Recording complete,¡± did he solemnly nod his head. ¡°Very well, remember your promise,¡± the dragon then spat out a Blood Bead, floating it over to his face, ¡°If you get the chance to go to the Eastern Emperor Realm, go find my daughter and take her to the Beiming You Realm.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Where might your esteemed daughter be found? And what features does she have that can be identified by?¡± Qiu Changtian took out the Purifying Bottle, stored the Blood Bead, and asked seriously. ¡°Her nickname is ¡®Long Hu,¡¯¡± the dragon fell silent for a long time before answering, ¡°She carries the bloodline of humans, dragons, and foxes, making her look like a white fox but with the golden pupils of a dragon. With such a mixed appearance, she should be unique in the Eastern Emperor Realm.¡± ¡°As for her location, I¡¯ve been imprisoned in the tower for at least a hundred thousand years, how could I know? She¡¯s likely with her mother. If you find her, tell her mother¡­¡± ¡°¡­Tell her mother what?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing,¡± the dragon closed its eyelids, lying back on Blade Mountain, and coiled its body tightly again. Chapter 123 - Chapter 123: Chapter 58: Su Jian Did It, Confirmed Chapter 123: Chapter 58: Su Jian Did It, Confirmed True Person Jinghua sped out of the injury sector with Sword Light, charging back into the hall. His expression was extremely pale with cold severity, as if he were suppressing an immense shock and fury, such that the Shushan disciples present, under his chilling gaze, all involuntarily shifted their own eyes away. ¡°Ling Yunpo, where is An Zhisu?¡± True Person Jinghua said in a frosty voice, which was completely devoid of any warmth. ¡°They have not returned yet,¡± Lin Duanshan stepped forward with a clasped hand salute and said, ¡°True Person, the disciples from Wutong Peak who went to the injury sector for their trial, have they found any clues?¡± ¡°The disciples from Wutong Peak have all perished,¡± True Person Jinghua coldly stated, ¡°The murderer is none other than Qi Sha True Person Su Jian from Qingluo Peak.¡± A tide of noise surged among the Shushan disciples, a mixture of shock and anger, interrupted by Lin Duanshan¡¯s incredulous question: ¡°Is True Person certain? Please be aware that this hall is the only passage connecting the upper and lower levels, guarded at all times by Shushan disciples. We can guarantee that no one else has passed through here!¡± ¡°If the murderer on the upper level is indeed Su Jian, how did he evade the eyes of all of us and quietly descend to this level?¡± True Person Jinghua, in extreme anger, laughed derisively: ¡°I went to the injury sector in search of the missing disciples from Wutong Peak, and saw with my own eyes Su Jian standing amidst the corpses, and he even exchanged several blows with me¡­ Lin Duanshan, are you doubting my words?¡± Lin Duanshan was lost for words, and the Shushan disciples around him fell silent as well. No one had anticipated that Su Jian would indeed be the one who had acted, let alone confirmed personally by True Person Jinghua! ¡°Listen well, all of you!¡± True Person Jinghua shouted, ¡°The trial in the Demon Locking Tower is hereby canceled on short notice, and I will take full responsibility!¡± ¡°Everyone is to leave the tower with me immediately! If there is any lead on Ling Yunpo or An Zhisu, report at once!¡± As he spoke, he seemed to recall something else and angrily demanded: ¡°Has anyone seen Zhang Tian, the Chief Disciple from Kunlun?¡± Before his words could fade, as if timing his entrance, Zhang Tian appeared from the doorway behind and gave True Person Jinghua a bow. Following that, all of the Shushan disciples, including True Person Jinghua, displayed expressions of shock. Elsewhere, Ling Yunpo activated the Godspeed Talisman of the vast water veins and was transported with An Zhisu to another water source. The moment they opened their eyes, they were met with immense water pressure. It was unknown how many thousands of meters beneath the sea this environment was, where the light was faint, visibility extremely low and the water temperature exceedingly cold, a frigid pain as if diseased bone marrow was being pressed upon from all directions. Before they could stabilize themselves, a pair of huge golden vertical pupils suddenly emerged from the darkness ahead. Then another pair of golden pupils appeared, followed by the ferocious head of a Jiaolong covered in scales and tentacles. Two enormous Jiaolongs from the depths of the sea. Ling Yunpo held his breath, aware that these aquatic dragon species were different from human cultivators, naturally possessing extremely formidable strength. Their initial form is the ¡°Water Viper,¡± roughly equivalent in power to a cultivator at the Foundation Establishment Refining Mansion stage; their evolved form is the ¡°Jiaolong,¡± which possesses the strength of the Golden Core Realm Soul Storing Rank. Had it been any other Refining Mansion stage cultivator without the Golden Core Realm, they probably couldn¡¯t even penetrate a Jiaolong¡¯s scales. But Ling Yunpo, after all, had practiced the North Pole Thunder as Zhang Tian, a thunder specifically effective against the Dragon Clan, thus against the Golden Core Realm Jiaolong, he wasn¡¯t completely without the power to fight back. However¡­ His hands concealed within his sleeves clenched the Godspeed Talisman in silence. It would not activate. This damned Talisman Script, after multiple teleportation jumps, had already exhausted its Water System Spiritual Power! It needed to be charged with Ren Gui Water Essence. This charging process would consume who knows how much time¡­ As they braced themselves for battle, they heard the Jiaolong on the right suddenly opening its mouth, astonishingly speaking in human language, threateningly saying: ¡°Human cultivators, how did you come to this place? Confess honestly, and you may be spared¡­¡± The Jiaolong on the left, unwilling to show weakness, growled: ¡°Let me eat them first!¡± The Jiaolong on the right, with wide-open eyes, turned to its companion and said: ¡°You mustn¡¯t act on a whim just for the sake of your appetite! Blood-food can be found elsewhere, but we must find out why human cultivators are here! There¡¯s only one entrance to this sea area, they couldn¡¯t have slipped past the guard undetected, so they must have come from where that one is imprisoned. We need to find out how they got there¡­¡± The Jiaolong on the left feigned an epiphany and howled: ¡°Then I¡¯ll eat them first!¡± It opened its bloody maw wide, unable to restrain itself, and charged straight at them! Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu had been on high alert, and they immediately aimed at the head of this Jiaolong, firing Thunderbane and Frostfall Swords. To make sure, Ling Yunpo, while shooting the Thunder Punishment Sword, pretended to invoke Sword Dao Techniques, but in fact, he flung the Polar Thunder along with it. Two sword lights, one gold and one white, dazzlingly bright, shot straight into the Jiaolong¡¯s mouth. The Jiaolong, unafraid, relying on its sufficiently sharp teeth, aimed to snap these low-realm human cultivators¡¯ Flying Swords in one bite. But before it could close its mouth, it experienced an exceedingly harsh cold aura from the Polar Thunder, and an innate sense of dire crisis emerged, startling it into retracting its head. It was too late to dodge, and its dragon head was struck by the Polar Thunder, exploding into a bloody mess. Not only that, the frosty and harsh thunder continued to pour into its wound madly, causing the Jiaolong to thrash in pain, nearly losing the ability to maintain its sanity, as it went berserk. An Zhisu moved her fingers through the Sword technique, piercing the Frostfall Sword into the wound. While infusing Sword Qi, she cleanly withdrew it. In the moment of withdrawal, it got hit by a breath of cold air from the Jiaolong beside it, freezing over half the body of the sword. An Zhisu¡¯s body trembled slightly, clearly because the Frostfall Sword had been invaded by a higher grade cold air and was damaged. The connection through her Life-bound Sword Artifact caused her to suffer considerable injuries as well. However, her combat experience was indeed extensive; behind her risky behavior was a well-calculated plan. Using the Frostfall Sword as bait to lure the Jiaolong to turn its head, she shot another ray of cold light from her sleeve lightning-fast, as swift as electricity, as bright as frost and snow, ruthlessly stabbing into the golden vertical pupils of the Jiaolong! This Jiaolong, living in the Demon Locking Tower for years, was experienced in dealing with its similar-sized kind but had no experience whatsoever in fighting human cultivators. Instantly hit hard, the entire dragon went berserk, ready to unleash all sorts of divine skills in a furious assault. However, it heard An Zhisu chanting swiftly: ¡°Ice depths three feet, snow covers ten thousand miles!¡± In a blink, a multitude of frost blossoms sprang out of nowhere on the Jiaolong¡¯s body, spreading rapidly over its scales. Taking advantage of one Jiaolong¡¯s rampage from the Polar Thunder and the other being stabbed in the golden eye and temporarily restrained by the frost Daoist magic, An Zhisu quickly pulled Ling Yunpo away. Both of them sped up, riding the sword light to flee frantically. After a short while, distant, intense dragon roars resonated. Its volume was so thunderous that it could pierce metal and split stones, causing the surrounding seawater to tremble. If the two were a bit slower, they would have been caught in the Jiaolong¡¯s divine skills and demon arts. ¡°Senior sister,¡± Ling Yunpo hurriedly checked An Zhisu¡¯s condition. Fortunately, though she was pale, she hadn¡¯t lost color entirely; presumably, a slight chill had entered her body, which should not impede their further actions. Thus, Ling Yunpo continued to stimulate True Yuan, secretly coordinating with the Water System Divine Light in his Qi Sea, fueling the talisman at full speed. This Godspeed Talisman, fortunately, could leap as long as there was water, unfettered by any spatial obstacles. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only The drawback was that the landing point couldn¡¯t be chosen at will¡­ Of course, at that moment, they didn¡¯t really have other options. If they didn¡¯t use the talisman, the two of them wouldn¡¯t get far before being caught and killed by the two Jiaolong. They had to finish charging quickly and then escape with the talisman! However, senior sister had seemingly used another Immortal Sword besides the Frostfall Sword just now. It seemed to be¡­ Master¡¯s Harsh Cold Sword? Chapter 126 - Chapter 126: Chapter 61 Emei Golden Summit, Ying Long’s Demonic Might Chapter 126: Chapter 61 Emei Golden Summit, Ying Long¡¯s Demonic Might Seeing that both Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu wore bewildered expressions, True Person Jinghua grew even more irritated and said in a harsh tone, ¡°Stop the deception! Su Jian colluded with demons, releasing the dragon imprisoned within the Demon Locking Tower and thus, committed a heinous crime against the sect! If you do not wish to be punished with him, then speak the whole truth without reserve!¡± An Zhisu became very anxious upon hearing this, and she was about to speak, but she was stopped by Ling Yunpo reaching out a hand. Even though his senior sister was flustered with concern, Ling Yunpo was no fool and instantly sensed something amiss. If his master had truly colluded with demons, wouldn¡¯t Shushan have already forcefully seized him and his senior sister? Why would they need True Person Jinghua here to ¡°interrogate¡± us? ¡°What True Person Jinghua is talking about, neither my senior sister nor I have any knowledge of,¡± he said, perplexed, ¡°If it is true that our master has colluded with demons, then please have the Criminal Law Hall come to take us away. My senior sister and I will tell all that we know, holding back nothing.¡± The implication was, as long as True Person Jinghua was interrogating alone, they would say nothing at all. Upon hearing this, True Person Jinghua became even more enraged, made a sword-finger gesture, and repeatedly said the word ¡°good¡± three times. Then¡­ he turned and walked away. Seeing him actually turn to leave, An Zhisu realized that the other party was trying to deceive them, and she let out a long sigh of relief. Under normal circumstances, even while facing a Golden Core True Person, she would insist on arguing her point. But now that her life-bound sword artifact was damaged, and her body was weak and fatigued, especially with her junior brother beside her, she subconsciously began to rely on him. Ling Yunpo didn¡¯t say anything, so she also obediently stood by, remaining silent. On Emei Golden Summit, at Tianji Square, disciples of the Foundation Establishment Realm were already filling the area. It wasn¡¯t because the higher-ups required the disciples to stay there, but because everyone was too anxious to feel at ease inside the main hall. If Shushan were to be defeated, then they, even if hiding in the main hall, could not escape the fate of being captured and killed by the Dragon Clan. And if Shushan were to win, they would certainly want to be outside to witness how their predecessors slew the dragons. As An Zhisu and Ling Yunpo entered Tianji Square, they quickly attracted the gazes of many Shushan disciples. Unlike True Person Jinghua, the gazes these disciples cast did not contain much hostility or fear. They merely gave them a few symbolic glances before their expressions returned to one of tension as they looked towards the distance and the sky. Halfway up the stairs leading to the main hall, Duan Fenhai was half closing his eyes as if taking a brief rest. Lin Duanshan was standing at the bottom of the steps, holding his sword, saying nothing. Guan Shanyue, on the other hand, was leaning on the railing, chatting merrily with Sima Changyan and Bi Sheng. Seeing the two return, Lin Duanshan immediately came forward to greet them, asking, ¡°Where did you go earlier in the Demon Locking Tower? Why couldn¡¯t we find any trace of you later on?¡± An Zhisu and Ling Yunpo chuckled awkwardly, after all, explaining the ¡°strange object like the Water Vein Godspeed Talisman¡± was not something that could be clarified in a short moment. Luckily, Lin Duanshan was very considerate. Seeing that they were reluctant to speak, he did not press further but explained, ¡°Thanks to the timely intervention of Kunlun¡¯s Chief Disciple Qiu Changtian, the Sect Leader has been informed about the gruesome affair within the Demon Locking Tower. It was an Eastern Emperor Path traitor lurking within our sect who allowed an external demon skilled in illusion techniques to enter, disguising as Qi Sha True Person from Qingluo Peak.¡± ¡°An Eastern Emperor Path traitor?¡± Ling Yunpo inquired with surprise, ¡°How could our Shushan have spies from another sect infiltrating our ranks?¡± ¡°The traitor is a disciple from Red Sun Peak,¡± Lin Duanshan said with a sigh. ¡°He joined the sect as an ordinary mortal with a clean background and has been in hiding for over twenty years. If he hadn¡¯t revealed himself this time, who would have suspected?¡± ¡°This time, a great demon secretly infiltrated the Demon Locking Tower, attempting to rescue the imprisoned members of the Dragon Clan. It just so happened that we entered the tower for our trials, and they activated this mole with the goal of creating chaos within our ranks and framing Qi Sha True Person, forcing Jinghua True Person to end the trial early and lead people out of the tower.¡± ¡°Fortunately, Qiu Changtian, the chief disciple of Kunlun, exposed him in time, otherwise if a large number of demons had escaped from the Demon Locking Tower while we were still completely unprepared, our sect would have truly suffered heavy losses this time,¡± Lin Duanshan said, endlessly praising Qiu Changtian, while An Zhisu remained silent. After all, she had previously suspected that he was the culprit. ¡°So it was Qiu Changtian, the chief disciple, who made the effort.¡± Ling Yunpo also breathed a sigh of relief. On further thought, if he had not cheated and brought Qiu Changtian over, what would have happened if he had suddenly encountered this situation? Wouldn¡¯t it be hard to defend himself? He might have been cut down by Jinghua True Person with one strike¡­ or, if he had been lucky to survive, he still would¡¯ve perished in the subsequent attack by the demons leaking from the Demon Locking Tower. ¡°What¡¯s the situation like now?¡± An Zhisu asked gravely. ¡°By the time the higher-ups received the message, it was actually a bit late,¡± Lin Duanshan replied, ¡°And the first wave of the Dragon Clan had already escaped.¡± ¡°The Jiaolong are trying to destroy the Demon Locking Tower to release more demons from their bindings. The Sect Leader has already taken a team of Sword Immortals to stop them.¡± Hearing this, both Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu realized that when they left the Demon Locking Tower, the Jiaolong Clan had just broken free, and the Sect Leader was on his way with his team. If they had left any later, the area around the Demon Locking Tower would have turned into a battlefield between high-ranked Sword Immortals and Jiaolong, where just the terrifying aftershocks of the battle would¡¯ve been enough to grind them into dust¡­ Ling Yunpo squinted toward the direction of the Demon Locking Tower, where various radiance flickered, clashing of metal rang out, and dragon roars filled with rage reached them across the long distance, with no sign of attenuation, as if right beside their ears. Glancing at the disciples of Shushan, some looked nervous, others anxious, while some were itching to fight, almost wishing they could leave the Emei Golden Summit right away to battle the Jiaolong Clan. An Zhisu also focused on the direction of the Demon Locking Tower, but her face remained calm, and it was unclear what she was thinking. Suddenly, a dragon¡¯s roar echoed, piercing the heavens and startling the wilderness. From the overhanging clouds above, a gigantic head suddenly emerged, followed by a neck and upper torso, and vast, multicolored wings. Ling Yunpo was shocked; wasn¡¯t this the Divine Dragon that had previously perched atop Blade Mountain, giving him and his senior sister puzzles to solve? Why had it come out as well? Before he could ponder further, he heard the Divine Dragon emit a prolonged roar: ¡°Long Eyebrow! Come out! The oath from the past is still in effect!¡± ¡°If you win, kill me or imprison me, whatever you wish; if I win, then let the Shushan Shangqing Faction completely disappear from this world!¡± Its voice was like thunder, and simply speaking caused the Xuanguang Ruler¡¯s light shield to tremble unstably, nearly breaking apart. The disciples inside Shushan were all frightened, and even Duan Fenhai, who had been indifferent before, now stood up as if facing a formidable enemy, and said to Lin Duanshan in shock: Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°It is the Ancient Ying Long! Lin Duanshan, do you know of Ying Long?¡± ¡°Of course I know,¡± Lin Duanshan replied, his face ashen. The so-called ¡°Jiaolong has five transformations,¡± which means that Jiaolong have five developmental stages. Initially, as Water Vipers, they are at the Foundation Establishment Realm of Refining Mansion. If they evolve into Jiaolong, they possess the strength of the Golden Core Realm at the Root Seeking Rank. Beyond that are three more stages, with the final one being Ying Long, which appears once every million years, but according to the records, it possess strength comparable to a Daluo Golden Immortal! A Great Demon of Daluo Golden Immortal level has actually escaped from the Demon Locking Tower! Chapter 127 - Chapter 127: 62 Chapter: The Two Instruments and Dust, the Immortal Makes a Move! Chapter 127: 62 Chapter: The Two Instruments and Dust, the Immortal Makes a Move! ¡°` The Emei Golden Summit, Sky¡¯s End Plaza. All Shushan disciples looked up at the sky, their expressions a mix of shock, panic, and despair. Amidst the somber clouds in the firmament, the head of Ying Long peeked down through the oppressive cloud layer, its dragon head alone nearly as large as the Emei Golden Summit. Along with its speech, the light barrier from the Xuanguang Ruler began to quiver, while the unprotected peaks of Shushan suffered a series of landslides, with a great number of trees, soil, and rocks crumbling and falling down. The power of mere words was terrifying to such an extent! At that moment, the Jade Capital Sect Leader was leading the Nascent Soul Realm Peak Masters in battle near the Demon Locking Tower against the main forces of the Jiaolong. The other Golden Core True Persons were scattered among the various peaks, hunting down the stray Jiaolong that had escaped. If the Ying Long within the clouds truly launched an attack on the Emei Golden Summit, there wouldn¡¯t even be a high-rank Sword Immortal to restrain it! Of course, Ying Long wouldn¡¯t go out of its way to trouble these ¡°lower-end cultivators¡±; it merely lowered its head to gaze at Mount Emei, the golden vertical slit in its eyes showing only cold majesty, without a trace of other emotions. Suddenly, it seemed to notice Ling Yunpo within the crowd, as its pupils flashed with a complex and inexplicable light. Then, Ying Long opened its massive mouth, and a five-colored radiance began to condense in its throat, resembling the planetary destruction cannon from a sci-fi blockbuster. ¡­ Time seemed to freeze for a moment. Ling Yunpo looked up to the sky, seeing Ying Long still maintaining its posture of gathering energy with its mouth open, but the sky was already filled with numerous strange lines. These lines formed a dense net that perfectly covered the gigantic body of Ying Long. The next second, the lines spread across the sky suddenly vanished. At the same time, the five-colored brilliance in the throat of Ying Long dissipated, as if choked and locked tight around its neck. Moments later, its body suddenly burst with a large amount of blood, the slender wounds matching exactly with the previous distribution of the lines. Ling Yunpo gazed in stunned silence at this miraculous sight, while Lin Duanshan beside him exclaimed with a tone mixed with zeal, longing, and adoration: ¡°That¡¯s the Dual Polarity Dust Sword Array!¡± ¡°The Dual Polarity Dust Sword Array?¡± Ling Yunpo was also shocked, ¡°Is it the large sword array that needs the Eleventh-Rank Immortal Sword¡ªthe Dual Polarity Dust Sword to activate?¡± ¡°To be precise, it¡¯s not that the Dual Polarity Dust Sword Array needs the Dual Polarity Dust Sword for activation.¡± Duan Fenhai also rarely opened up, his deep gaze fixed on the sky, ¡°It¡¯s that the Dual Polarity Dust Sword was forged from the beginning to preside over the Dual Polarity Dust Sword Array.¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± Lin Duanshan elaborated, ¡°Back in ancient times during the great battle between the Clarifying and Intercepting Cults, the Intercepting Cult used the Four Swords of Massacre to create the Immortal Slaying Sword Formation, irresponsibly killing countless Clarifying Cult Sword Immortals.¡± ¡°Later, the Clarifying Cult developed the Dual Polarity Dust Sword Array, which was inspired by the Intercepting Cult Sword Formation. With the Dual Polarity Dust Sword as the eye of the formation, it could harness the immense force of post-heaven Yin and Yang to crush everything within the formation into dust.¡± While the two were explaining, the bloodied Ying Long had already escaped back into the clouds, still as free and unimpeded as before, showing no signs of serious injury. The lines in the sky reappeared, this time denser by a factor of two, seeming like inexhaustible intersecting Sword Qi, slicing directly into the clouds. A heavy dragon chant soon emitted from within the clouds. The outcome of the battle within the clouds was still unknown, but the Shushan disciples atop the Emei Golden Summit only saw more and more lines appearing. They weren¡¯t just densely covering the sky above the summit, but were rapidly spreading in all directions. It was as if someone was carelessly painting in the sky. The lines doubled, then quadrupled, increasing at a geometric rate. They crossed mountains and swept over valleys, passing over the battling Shushan Sword Immortals and Jiaolong as if they were insubstantial, but slicing into the Jiaolong¡¯s white scales and flesh like tangible Sword Qi, instantly dismembering and killing them. ¡°` ¡°` It seemed like a quarter of an hour had passed, yet felt like the flick of a finger; when the disciples of the Shushan faction from Emei Golden Summit looked again, no jiaolong existed between heaven and earth. Even the dark clouds in the sky were cut into disarray by dense lines, allowing the brilliant golden light of day to scatter down. A majestic and profound white sword light shot out from the depths of the Demon Locking Tower, entering the clouds where the Ying Long had been before, and then retreated back into the Demon Locking Tower. ¡°So it¡¯s true,¡± Duan Fenhai said quietly after a long silence. ¡°What¡¯s true?¡± Ling Yunpo asked curiously. ¡°Wielding the Dual Polarity Dust Sword and spreading the Dual Polarity Dust Formation across the entire Shushan territory, what rank do you think this predecessor is?¡± Lin Duanshan chuckled. Ling Yunpo was momentarily speechless upon hearing this but then heard An Zhisu say from the side: ¡°An Immortal.¡± ¡°It seems our Shushan Shangqing Faction¡­ and we should add Kunlun and Penglai to the list, have an ancient Clarify Cult Immortal of the Daluo Golden Immortal rank backing us. Starting today, this is probably confirmed,¡± Lin Duanshan said with a sigh, ¡°Actually, when you think about it, it makes sense since we are the inheritors of the ancient Clarify Cult teachings.¡± ¡°You¡¯re putting the cart before the horse,¡± Guan Shanyue said while ascending the steps, speaking indifferently, ¡°It¡¯s not because the Three Pure Ones Orthodox Sect inherited the Clarify Cult teachings that ancient Clarify Cult Immortals are stationed here.¡± ¡°But rather because, at the time of the decline of the Clarify Cult, the three surviving ancient Clarify Cult Immortals each chose one of these three forces¡ªKunlun, Shushan, and Penglai.¡± ¡°Only these three sects ultimately survived and became the inheritors of the ancient Clarify Cult teachings.¡± The crowd fell silent. The ancient secrets Guan Shanyue spoke of were not recorded in any official texts within the Orthodox Sect but were passed down among the top families of cultivators. No one had heard of them before, yet upon reflection, they seemed quite plausible. After the fall of the ancient Clarify Cult, it just happened to split into three forces¡ªKunlun, Shushan, and Penglai? Of course, that was impossible. After all, the Intercepting Cult could be divided into five based on different teachings. If the Clarify Cult were to be meticulously divided according to sect lineages, the corresponding forces would certainly be more numerous, not less. The reason why only the teachings of the Three Pure Ones survived until today was naturally that the teachings of the other Clarify Cult lineages were eventually integrated and unified by the Three Pure Ones Orthodox Sect. ¡°The Immortal from Shushan is called ¡®Long Eyebrow¡¯,¡± Guan Shanyue continued, ¡°Of course, knowing this name doesn¡¯t really matter since he is far beyond our current rank. Apart from the Jade Capital Sect Leader, probably only the Various Peaks Sword Masters might have the chance to meet him.¡± ¡°Regardless, this is good news,¡± Ling Yunpo concluded upon seeing everyone¡¯s conflicted expressions, ¡°Having an Immortal personally intervene and dissolve this turmoil into nothingness means we no longer have to worry.¡± Upon his words, everyone agreed, finding Po Yun Sword Immortal¡¯s reasoning sound. ¡°So, it was Long Eyebrow Immortal,¡± the Kunlun Mirror mentioned wistfully within the Sea of Consciousness, the tone seemingly laden with complexity. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Ling Yunpo joked, ¡°Could it be that this Long Eyebrow Immortal is an old acquaintance of yours?¡± ¡°Not exactly, he probably wasn¡¯t even born when I fell into the mortal world,¡± sighed the Kunlun Mirror, ¡°What I mean is¡­¡± ¡°When he wielded the Dual Polarity Dust Sword and emerged from the Demon Locking Tower, I perceived that the location of the Heaven-Mending Stone fragment also shifted.¡± Ling Yunpo: ??? ¡°The Heaven-Mending Stone fragment of the Shushan Shangqing Faction is on the body of the sect-guarding Long Eyebrow Immortal?¡± he asked in disbelief. ¡°It seems that way now,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said bitterly. ¡°Well, Ah Jing,¡± Ling Yunpo paused for a moment before speaking, ¡°What do you think about slightly modifying our plan?¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°What modification?¡± ¡°Instead of scheming to acquire the Heaven-Mending Stone from an Immortal, how about I go find Long Eyebrow Immortal right now and turn you in?¡± Ling Yunpo said solemnly, ¡°Let this ancestor of Shushan be your savior and mend the heavens, how about that?¡± ¡°¡­Even though I can tell you¡¯re joking, I still want to say one thing,¡± the Kunlun Mirror rebuked angrily, ¡°You¡¯re a beast, not human!¡± ¡°Thanks for the compliment.¡± ¡°` Chapter 128 - Chapter 128: Chapter 63: Dust Settles, Return to the Taoist Temple Chapter 128: Chapter 63: Dust Settles, Return to the Taoist Temple Demon Locking Tower central hub at the bottom level. In the extremely spacious hall stood huge sword hilts, roughly numbering twenty-eight. These sword hilts extended upwards to the top of the tower, serving as supportive pillars¡ªit was because of these sword hilts that when the Jiaolong broke free and tried to entangle and shatter the Demon Locking Tower, it ultimately failed. The longer sword blades were stabbed downwards into the heart of the earth. To be precise, they penetrated into the Fire Element Cave, charging the Demon Locking Tower with the inexhaustible Fire Element True Qi. An old man sat cross-legged in the center of the hall surrounded by sword hilts, floating in mid-air, meditating with closed eyes. The elder was dressed in white robes, with white hair, white eyebrows, and white beard, and his long eyebrows met in the middle, easily leaving a deep impression. A short sword lay on his knees, three feet and four inches long, transparent throughout, its brightness reflecting like a mirror. This person was the Long Eyebrow Immortal of the Shushan Shangqing Faction, and the short sword was the renowned Dual Polarity Dust Sword. Jade Capital Sect Leader strode over, his robes rustling with his movements. He came in front of Long Eyebrow Immortal, formed a sword salute with his left hand, and then spoke succinctly, ¡°The demon calamity has been quelled, and currently of the Jiaolong that fled from the tower, there are three hundred and sixty, one hundred and twenty-seven Chi dragons, and thirty-five Qiu dragons. Apart from those executed by the Dual Polarity Dust Sword, all have been bound and brought back to the tower.¡± The Jade Capital Sect Leader did not mention Ying Long, but continued, his tone shifting, ¡°This calamity was caused by a collusion between a traitor within our Sect and a great demon from outside.¡± ¡°The internal traitor was planted by the Eastern Emperor Path and became a disciple under Red Sun Peak of our Sect one hundred and twenty-seven years ago, claiming to be an orphan from Yongzhou. Combining the records of the service and feedback from Red Sun Peak, the spy indeed seemed to be a mere mortal at the beginning.¡± Long Eyebrow Immortal remained undisturbed, as he had long anticipated this outcome. What spies feared most was being such an ordinary person, never having cultivated any other Sect¡¯s techniques, and were, apart from their thoughts, not much different from a regular disciple. If the enemy were even more cunning, it would be almost impossible to discern their true nature. However, such spies also have a characteristic; they lay dormant for an exceptionally long period. A mere mortal would need at least two hundred years to reach the Golden Core Realm, and in the Foundation Establishment Realm, they hardly could play any significant role. Yet, the main cause of the calamity was not the spy but the external great demon involved. ¡°The external great demon, after investigation, is presumed to be an Illusionary Moon Celestial Fox from the Qingqiu tribe,¡± continued Jade Capital Sect Leader. ¡°The steward of Demon Locking Tower has discovered one person missing, likely attacked by the Illusionary Moon Celestial Fox while on an external mission, and then replaced by the Celestial Fox to infiltrate the tower.¡± The Illusionary Moon Celestial Fox was at least in the Nascent Soul Realm and also skilled in Illusion Techniques; it made sense that the tower stewards, being only True Persons by rank, would be no match for it. ¡°However, the day when the intruder sneaked into the Demon Locking Tower coincided with the beginning of the tower¡¯s trial.¡± The Jade Capital Sect Leader sneered, ¡°After entering the tower and finding the trial ongoing, caught off guard, the intruder had no choice but to crudely activate the hidden traitor within, causing chaos in the trial team and forcing the trial to end prematurely.¡± ¡°The disciples who died during the trial period were killed by the Illusionary Moon Celestial Fox, and, with intelligence provided by the spy, impersonated Qi Sha True Person to commit the deed. This stirred confusion and panic and has been confirmed.¡± ¡°After the incident, the Golden Core and Foundation Establishment teams were forced to interrupt the trial and evacuate from the Demon Locking Tower¡­.¡± ¡°That Illusionary Moon Celestial Fox,¡± interrupted Long Eyebrow Immortal suddenly, ¡°what was its calculated plan by infiltrating the tower?¡± Jade Capital Sect Leader started to smile bitterly. To say that the fox was there to aid Ying Long¡¯s escape was ludicrous. After breaking free, Ying Long did not flee Shushan immediately but instead went to clash with the Dual Polarity Dust Formation above Emei Golden Summit, clearly showing no intention to escape. Long Eyebrow Immortal, who presided over the Dual Polarity Dust Formation, initially chose not to activate it, intending to confirm which Great Demon had infiltrated the tower. However, when Ying Long threatened to breath a destructive blast at the Emei Golden Summit, Long Eyebrow Immortal was compelled to activate the formation early and severely wounded Ying Long. The Illusionary Moon Celestial Fox probably seized this chance to escape. As such, the reason for the fox¡¯s infiltration into the Demon Locking Tower became an unsolvable mystery¡­. ¡°I dare to speculate there might be two possibilities,¡± Jade Capital Sect Leader pondered for a long while before speaking, ¡°The first, it intended to convey a certain message to Ying Long.¡± ¡°The second, it sought to receive a certain message from Ying Long.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Long Eyebrow Immortal also pondered. Obviously, the Illusionary Moon Celestial Fox came empty-handed and left the same way without taking any demons¡ªthus, it must be something intangible. For instance, the secrets that only Ying Long was privy to¡­ and so on. ¡°Let¡¯s leave this matter at that for now,¡± Long Eyebrow Immortal decided, ¡°It¡¯s not appropriate to make a big show of investigating within the Sect, but you can choose some trustworthy people to observe carefully.¡± ¡°At this juncture, external factions are paying closer attention to our Shushan circumstances. Other spies within the Sect will also become more active in gathering intelligence. It¡¯s a good opportunity to eliminate a batch as a warning to others.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± Jade Capital Sect Leader hesitated before adding, ¡°There¡¯s just one more thing.¡± ¡°If we don¡¯t explain this matter within the Sect, many disciples will think that it was Qingluo Peak that took action¡­¡± Long Eyebrow Immortal replied directly: ¡°No harm, let them think what they will.¡± Jade Capital Sect Leader sighed inwardly. The Immortal still couldn¡¯t let go of Qi Sha True Person, after all, he was his most valued Direct Disciple¡­ But such compulsion may not necessarily achieve the desired effect. Su Jian¡¯s stubbornness, Jade Capital Sect Leader knew all too well. If An Zhisu really was harmed one day because of this, once Su Jian finished his retreat and sought revenge for his daughter, how could he not see the deliberate indulgence of the Immortal in this matter? By then, he feared that Su Jian would rather betray the Sect than return to the path of Forgetting Love. Unfortunately, this struggle for doctrinal dominance is utterly ruthless. As long as Su Jian chose to return to the path of Forgetting Love, everything would proceed to a successful conclusion, and Qingluo Peak¡¯s lineage would be safe and sound. But if Su Jian still insisted on following the Sentiment Inquiry Path, then he would be deemed a heretic, deserving of death. The Immortal probably saw it that way. It¡¯s just a pity for An Zhisu and Ling Yunpo, who stood out among their Foundation Establishment Realm peers, but in the Immortal¡¯s eyes, they likely didn¡¯t come close to even a ten-thousandth of Su Jian¡¯s importance. Setting aside the affairs of the Shushan upper echelons for now, let¡¯s say that after the Demon Locking Tower incident was settled, Ling Yunpo returned to Qingluo Peak with An Zhisu and came to a secret chamber deep within the mountain. Ling Yunpo took out the Mercurial Elixir Liquid and began refining it. In this world of Cultivating Immortality, there are indeed rare and strange methods that can improve one¡¯s elixir grade, not limited to just one or two kinds. Among them, Mercurial Elixir Liquid is considered top tier, saving one sixty years of arduous cultivation, a pity that one can ingest only a spoonful; The Cloud Sea Realm is regarded as second tier, accelerating half a sixty-year period of arduous cultivation, but of course, it can also be used only once. For Pill Formation Third Grade, two hundred years are required in the Refining Mansion, giving one ninety years of cultivation. The remaining one hundred and ten years, Ling Yunpo does not plan to spend in terms of lifespan but aims to search in Kunlun and Penglai. He does not believe that the Taiqing Sect and Yuqing View, also of the Three Pure Orthodox Sect, lack profound methods to speed up the Refining Mansion process! Ling Yunpo refines the Mercurial Elixir Liquid on that side, while on this side, An Zhisu kneels on a cushion, praying to her master Su Jian about her latest journey. ¡°Master, I have something to report.¡± ¡°This venture to the Demon Locking Tower was fraught with treachery and unpredictability.¡± ¡°Fortunately, as your disciple, I managed to bring back my junior brother unharmed.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°The Frostfall Sword has been damaged because of this, but I¡­ do not feel regretful. Saving my junior brother is more important than anything.¡± ¡°Although¡­ I¡¯ve lost my Life-bound Sword Artifact, fortunately, with the support of the Mercurial Elixir Liquid and the Cloud Sea Realm, attaining Pill Formation Third Grade is within reach, and I won¡¯t disappoint you, Master.¡± ¡°I hope you will leave your retreat soon, Master. Here, your disciple bows deeply.¡± Having recited these thoughts silently, An Zhisu gently bowed down, resting her forehead on the ground. Yet in the corner of her eyes, there flickered a glimmer of tears. Chapter 129 - Chapter 129: Chapter 64: Rediscovering the Sword Artifact, Senior Sister Transforms Chapter 129: Chapter 64: Rediscovering the Sword Artifact, Senior Sister Transforms Five or six days had passed since Ling Yunpo returned from the Demon Locking Tower. Ling Yunpo had accepted the harsh reality that the fragments of the Heaven-Mending Stone were now in possession of Long Eyebrow Immortal, and he resolved to take his time and plan carefully. Taking his time and planning carefully: it meant at least making it to the Nascent Soul Rank before discussing further. The reason for such a decision stemmed from an extremely helpless reality. Firstly, he needed the Mirror Flower Water Moon from the Kunlun Mirror to maintain his peerless talent for cultivating Daoist magic. Secondly, once Long Eyebrow Immortal became aware of the Heaven-Mending matter, the existence of the Kunlun Mirror as a source of intelligence was at risk of exposure. Based on these two points, a conclusion could be drawn: The matter of mending the heavens must not be known to Long Eyebrow Immortal. Otherwise, looking at it optimistically, Long Eyebrow Immortal would be willing to take on the responsibility of mending the heavens, then take the Kunlun Mirror, relegating Ling Yunpo to mediocrity. Pessimistically thinking, Long Eyebrow Immortal wouldn¡¯t believe in something like the impending destruction of the world, and would take away the Kunlun Mirror, relegating Ling Yunpo to mediocrity. In either case, there was no other possibility but the painful loss of Ah Jing. Ling Yunpo asked himself and found that he did have deep feelings for Ah Jing, even though this broken mirror was naive, simple-minded, foolish, stubborn, and stuck in its ways, not knowing how to adapt nor how to overlook trivial matters. But at least it didn¡¯t impose its values upon him. As everyone knows, being overly kind makes one a saint, but demanding others to be overly kind is sanctimonious. As long as Ah Jing didn¡¯t suddenly become judgmental, Ling Yunpo was much willing to consider it a close friend and to protect it from covetous immortals. ¡°After all is said and done, you just don¡¯t want to lose your talent for cultivation,¡± the Kunlun Mirror suddenly said, ¡°It¡¯s not that you can¡¯t bear to lose me.¡± ¡°Ah Jing, why would you say that?¡± Ling Yunpo said with heartfelt distress, ¡°We share common ideals, aspirations, and goals. It wouldn¡¯t be too much to even call you ¡®comrade.¡¯ How can you doubt our friendship as steadfast as gold?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t recall us ever having a ¡®common goal,¡¯¡± the Kunlun Mirror sighed, ¡°My goal is to mend the heavens and prevent the world from destruction, while someone else¡¯s goal is to ¡®ascend to the Sky Throne.¡¯ Our paths only converge temporarily because of mutual benefit, don¡¯t they?¡± ¡°Of course not,¡± Ling Yunpo said with conviction, ¡°A person destined for greatness cannot have just one goal. I do not desire to rise to a broken Sky Throne. If you, Ah Jing, are willing to assist me on my journey to ascend, what harm is there in leaving you a peaceful and intact world?¡± Kunlun Mirror: ¡­¡­ ¡°Pfft.¡± The Green Duckweed Sword suddenly laughed. ¡°What are you laughing at!¡± the Kunlun Mirror immediately snapped back. ¡°Nothing, I was just pondering how to handle his Senior Sister An¡¯s Life-bound Sword Artifact,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword changed the subject. At the mention of this, Ling Yunpo¡¯s face fell into a frown. Securing a Tenth Rank Immortal Sword wasn¡¯t necessarily difficult, but it wasn¡¯t simple either. Chief Qiu could acquire one given time, but the quality was uncertain¡ªthe gap between the upper and lower limits within Tenth Rank Immortal Swords could be vast. The Frostfall Sword was among the higher-quality grades within the Tenth Rank Immortal Swords. It not only helped Senior Sister An achieve the title of ¡°Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal¡± but also withstood demon arts from several hundred Golden Core Realm Jiaolong before breaking. To find an Immortal Sword of a similar grade would largely depend on luck, beyond what human effort alone could secure. ¡°It¡¯s best to first consult Senior Sister An¡¯s wishes,¡± Ling Yunpo sighed. Many factors constitute the strength of an Immortal Sword: its inherent quality, Five Elements Attribute, Sword Dao Techniques, and so on. It¡¯s unrealistic to demand perfection in all aspects, so priorities must be set. For instance, if Senior Sister An preferred a Water System Flying Sword, or a sword with great speed, or one with powerful Daoist magic¡­ Determining the primary and secondary preferences would allow for a targeted search for the appropriate sword. Thus, Ling Yunpo departed from the Daoist temple and went to Linxi Pavilion at the back to find his Senior Sister. An Zhisu, when alone, would only engage in two activities, one was sword practice, and the other was drinking. For sword practice, she visualized past enemies she had battled, pondered over how to break their moves, and then mastered these skills through practice. As for drinking, it involved sitting in a small pavilion and pouring for herself. However, Senior Sister An¡¯s alcohol tolerance was poor, and she had to refine the alcohol with her True Yuan after each cup, or she would easily become drunk. Yet, when Ling Yunpo came to find Senior Sister An, he discovered that An Zhisu was neither practicing swordplay nor drinking, but instead¡­ she was practicing the Sunflower Manual¡­ No, she was actually holding an embroidery needle and working on some needlepoint. ¡°Senior Sister, what are you embroidering?¡± Ling Yunpo approached and, looking at the fat duck in her hands, asked in confusion, ¡°A duck?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a mandarin duck,¡± An Zhisu said calmly and evenly. ¡°Ah, my mistake,¡± Ling Yunpo said with a sheepish laugh, ¡°Senior Sister¡¯s mandarin ducks are so lifelike, as if they would come alive¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make fun of me, Junior Brother,¡± An Zhisu said with a hint of embarrassment, as she set down her needle and thread and let out a sigh, ¡°It¡¯s indeed a bit oversized.¡± ¡°What made you suddenly interested in needlework, Senior Sister?¡± Ling Yunpo asked with a smile. ¡°Just whiling away the time when there¡¯s nothing to do¡­¡± An Zhisu said in a low voice. Ling Yunpo immediately cursed inwardly, why did he have to bring up the very topic he should have avoided? Senior Sister An, because her life-bound sword artifact was damaged, could not advance in her cultivation level for at least half a year. That¡¯s why she was disinterested in sword practice and took up a hobby to relieve her worries and boredom, so why did he have to poke at her sore spot? Realizing he had said something out of line, Ling Yunpo hastily changed the subject and asked: ¡°By the way, Senior Sister, if you were to choose an Immortal Sword, what kind would you want?¡± An Zhisu looked slightly surprised, but soon calmed down and said: ¡°If I could choose, I would hope for a Fire System Flying Sword.¡± ¡°A Fire System Flying Sword?¡± Ling Yunpo asked in surprise. You should know, due to the distinct characteristics of Flying Swords of the Five Elements, they differ in their style of combat. Generally speaking, Metal System Flying Swords are swift and sharp, excelling at rapid assaults and annihilation; Wood System Flying Swords are resilient and tough, skilled at entanglement and hindrance; Water System Flying Swords are nimble and flexible, adept at guerilla tactics and changing moves; Fire System Flying Swords are fierce and domineering, excelling at powerful offensive strategies to overpower enemies; Earth System Flying Swords are solid and heavy, skilled at frontal suppression. If Water System Flying Swords are considered the ¡°swordsmen¡± of agility, then Fire System Flying Swords are the ¡°warriors¡± of strength, and these two styles are quite different! If one wanted to transition, choosing a Metal System or Wood System as an intermediary would be more suitable. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only As if sensing what was on Ling Yunpo¡¯s mind, An Zhisu explained: ¡°The Frostfall Sword was the Flying Sword Master prepared for me, but it was not one I chose for myself.¡± ¡°Over the years, despite Frostfall aiding me greatly, it has also hindered the advancement of my sword dao in some aspects.¡± ¡°For example, when facing powerful enemies, I subconsciously choose to dodge their sharp edges rather than confront them head-on¡­ If I switch to a Fire System Flying Sword, perhaps I can also shift my style and make further progress on the Sword Dao.¡± Ling Yunpo listened, wide-eyed and dumbfounded. Good gracious, I thought Senior Sister An was fierce enough, but it turns out she didn¡¯t think she was fierce enough. She plans to switch her life-bound sword artifact to the Fire System! Chapter 131 - Chapter 131: Chapter 66 Arrival at Shushan, Before the Trial Chapter 131: Chapter 66 Arrival at Shushan, Before the Trial ¡°` There were still a few days until the opening of the Demon Locking Tower. At noon on this day, Qiu Changtian was summoned to the Scripture Lecture Hall of Jade Void Palace, where he saw the Ziwei Master in conversation with a Sword Immortal. That Sword Immortal appeared to be in his thirties, and it was none other than Jinghua True Person from Shushan. ¡°Is this the Qiu Changtian, Qiu Xian nephew?¡± Jinghua True Person said, his smile a stark contrast to the cold demeanor he had previously shown towards the disciples of Shushan, ¡°Indeed, a man of notable appearance, a seedling of those who seek the Dao.¡± ¡°What seedling of seeking the Dao, he still has a long way to go,¡± said the Ziwei Master with a stern face, saying things like ¡°my unworthy disciple is not up to par,¡± but Qiu Changtian knew that his mind was actually filled with immense pleasure at the moment. After another round of mutual praise, Ziwei Master finally pointed to Qiu Changtian and said to the other, ¡°For this trip to Shushan, I entrust my unworthy disciple to you.¡± He then turned to Qiu Changtian and said, ¡°This is Jinghua True Person from Shushan, a descendant of your master¡¯s secular family. If there is anything in the Demon Locking Tower, feel free to discuss it with him.¡± Qiu Changtian was shocked to hear this. He keenly noted the Ziwei Master¡¯s choice of words, ¡°discuss it with him¡± rather than ¡°listen to his orders.¡± There was a significant difference between the two. The former meant acting under Jinghua True Person¡¯s orders, while the latter meant having a certain degree of autonomy. I, a Kunlun disciple, stepping onto the territory of Shushan, am actually allowed to act freely? Upon further reflection, it made sense: The Demon Locking Tower was by no means a benevolent place. The Shushan disciples participating in the trial were to follow Jinghua True Person¡¯s control, which meant he was responsible for their lives and deaths. If Qiu Changtian, as the Chief Disciple of Kunlun, were to have any mishap, how could Jinghua True Person be held responsible? Could he bear such responsibility? Hence, Jinghua True Person certainly would not consent to be Qiu Changtian¡¯s caretaker; at most, he would just play a role as a guide. Thinking this way, it made sense that when the future Qiu Changtian first entered the Demon Locking Tower, he immediately ran off without a trace. Who would have thought that Jinghua True Person, despite his harsh treatment of the Shushan disciples throughout, was actually protecting them? He greeted Qiu Changtian with a smiling face, but in reality, he hardly cared at all. Having thought through this thoroughly, Qiu Changtian proceeded to salute Jinghua True Person. Jinghua True Person repeatedly insisted there was no need for such formalities and asked Qiu Changtian to rise quickly. In the end, the Ziwei Master gave him a few instructions and then let Jinghua True Person lead him to Shushan. Once outside Jade Void Palace, Jinghua True Person took out a wine gourd and gestured for Qiu Changtian to step onto it with him. For short-distance flying, a Flying Sword is used; for long-distance travel, a magic artifact is preferred. Even the Shushan Shangqing Faction, renowned for their Sword Immortals, did not enjoy flying on swords and facing the wind for hours on end. The wine gourd bore inscriptions of a formation that provided wind protection, warmth, and shock absorption, making the journey very comfortable. Soon, they reached Shushan. They landed at the Heavenly Extreme Square on the Emei Golden Summit and Jinghua True Person, accompanied by Qiu Changtian, entered the main hall of Shushan to pay a visit to the Jade Capital Sect Leader. The main hall of the sect at the peak of Kunlun Heavenly Pillar is called ¡°Jade Void Palace¡±; the main hall of the sect at the Emei Golden Summit of Shushan is called ¡°Ancestral Master Hall.¡± Upon entering the hall, the walls on both sides were lined with rows of sword steles. Each stele detailed the life story of a Sword Immortal who has made significant contributions to the Shushan Shangqing Faction since its establishment. A cursory glance by Qiu Changtian caught sight of the sword stele of Qi Sha True Person, Su Jian. The stele was densely inscribed with his glorious achievements: how many Demon Cultivators he slew on the Asura Path today, how many beast cultivators of the Eastern Emperor Path he slaughtered tomorrow, and the various heterodox practitioners he casually eliminated the day after¡­ The exaggerated numbers piled up, making Qiu Changtian wonder how the Demon Cult hadn¡¯t been exterminated yet. However, he was Qiu Changtian at that moment, not Ling Yunpo, so it would not be appropriate for him to linger and examine the stele closely. Instead, he glanced over briefly and continued to follow Jinghua True Person. ¡°` Passing the Sword Tablet Pavilion, one find¡¯s himself before the Incense Hall. Here, an ancestral spirit tablet is venerated, depicting Yu Yutian of the Shangqing Realm, the Heavenly Treasure Great Deity¡ªtestament to the Shushan Shangqing Faction¡¯s continuation of the ancient Daoist heritage of the Clarify Cult. Walking past the Incense Hall, Qiu Changtian caught sight of the Jade Capital Sect Leader of the Shushan. This middle-aged, lean Daoist, adorned in a Seven Star Daoist robe and a long beard, carried an imposing and serious demeanor as he patiently spoke with Qiu Changtian. Qiu Changtian, abiding by the etiquette expected of juniors, responded respectfully. The exchange between them consisted mostly of superficial pleasantries, with each uttering courteous remarks such as ¡°coming from afar¡± and ¡°grateful for your reception,¡± flawlessly observing all social proprieties. After the pleasantries were through, the Jade Capital Sect Leader summoned a disciple and instructed her to take the Chief Disciple Qiu around. Upon closer inspection, Qiu Changtian realized she was none other than Bi Sheng, ranked sixth on the Immortal Sword Ranking. As previously mentioned, among the Foundation Establishment disciples of Shushan on the Immortal Sword Ranking, there was a solitary Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal at the very top, referred to as ¡°the woman we do not speak of.¡± Next were the four powerful individuals known as ¡°Duan Shan, Fenhai, breaking the moon, and Po Yun,¡± dominating the second to fifth places and being the subject of many discussions and admiration by the Shushan disciples. Following these five were Sima Changyan and Bi Sheng. While not as strong as the top four, their abilities were exceptional within the top twenty, earning them the moniker ¡°contenders for the strong ones.¡± Although not acquainted with them, Ling Yunpo had heard extensive details from Lin Duanshan before the Shushan Great Competition and had come face to face during the competition, leaving him with some impression. Sima Changyan appeared to be in his thirties, short-bearded and serious; while Bi Sheng was a girl in her twenties with a long ponytail, equally cold and awe-inspiring in demeanor. Both were said to have chosen the path of the unfeeling Dao, pursuing the ultimate swordsmanship as their life¡¯s goal; therefore, Qiu Changtian had no intentions of engaging in small talk with Bi Sheng, merely gesturing a hand salute. Bi Sheng was straightforward in speaking, bluntly stating, ¡°Fellow Daoist Qiu, if you have traveled far and wish to rest, I can show you to the guest rooms.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re in the mood, I¡¯ll take you on a tour of Shushan.¡± Qiu Changtian replied with a smile, ¡°Then I¡¯ll trouble you to lead the way.¡± Truth be told, he was already well-versed in the terrain surrounding Shushan, particularly the area around Qingluo Peak, which he had traversed countless times with Sword Light by day and night. But that was Ling Yunpo¡¯s memory, and for Qiu Changtian, it was his first visit to Shushan. To avoid blowing his cover, he had no choice but to act as if this was all new to him, feigning curiosity towards the scenery of Shushan. Bi Sheng wasn¡¯t surprised by Qiu Changtian¡¯s response¡ªafter all, the Sect Leader had said to ¡°take him around¡±¡ªand so she turned and said, ¡°Fellow Daoist Qiu, please follow me.¡± Leaving the Ancestral Master Hall, they rode their sword lights across the Sky Edge Square and flew onward. Bi Sheng led the way, explaining, ¡°Although the influence of our Shushan does not stretch as far and wide as the two-thousand-mile span of the Kunlun Mountain Range, our domain is also vast, reaching from Micang Mountain in the north to Daliang Mountain in the south, encompassing nearly a thousand miles.¡± ¡°The Various Peaks within Shushan are often named for their color, shape, or associated elements, such as Red Sun Peak, Green Bamboo Peak, Ziyun Peak, and so on.¡± ¡°The one exception is Mount Emei, the location of our ancestral Ancestral Master Hall, the traditional dwelling of the Sect Leader lineage.¡± The Sect Leader lineage¡­ Qiu Changtian pondered. He had heard from Lin Duanshan and Guan Shanyue that, though it appeared the Jade Capital Sect Leader held the highest position in the Shushan Shangqing Faction, there was actually another figure looming above¡ªLong Eyebrow Immortal. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only According to the Kunlun Mirror, the Heaven-Mending Stone was carried by Long Eyebrow Immortal, who resided deep within the Demon Locking Tower beneath Thunder Hole Flat, which itself was situated within the bounds of Mount Emei. This meant that Long Eyebrow Immortal must have a very close connection with the Sect Leader lineage residing on Mount Emei¡­ and it might be reasonably inferred that each generation¡¯s Sect Leader appointment was likely subject to Long Eyebrow Immortal¡¯s approval. In the Immortal Cultivation World, the lifespan of immortals could match the heavens themselves. Having stayed in Shushan for at least ten thousand years, Long Eyebrow Immortal¡¯s influence and control over the entire sect, regardless of his terrifying power, must have been profound. Whether Qiu Changtian chose to seize the Heaven-Mending Stone overtly or scheme to attain it covertly, success seemed improbable; he felt that revealing himself to Ah Jing might be a more feasible approach. Chapter 132 - Chapter 132: Chapter 67 Traitor’s Rendezvous, Spy Within a Spy Chapter 132: Chapter 67 Traitor¡¯s Rendezvous, Spy Within a Spy Qiu Changtian stayed at the Taoist temple guest rooms on Mount Emei for a few days. Every morning, Bi Sheng would visit once to ask if the guest from Kunlun had any needs, such as Spirit Stones, Spirit Fruits, and so on. Each time, Qiu Changtian politely declined. After stepping onto the path of cultivation, cultivators¡¯ needs for the outside world had already been reduced to the extreme. No need for food or water, there were fasting techniques; no need for elimination, there was impurity removal; no need for breath, they practiced the tortoise breathing technique. In a word, it was all about sitting in meditation and practicing breathing exercises, and time would quickly pass by. When the day to open the Demon Locking Tower arrived, Qiu Changtian changed into a moon-white Taoist robe and also took a green jade flute, preparing to act according to the strategy recorded in the Kunlun Mirror. Seeing that Ling Yunpo was right in front, he took out the flute and played. Before he was seen, the sound of the flute arrived first, making a dashing entrance in his white robe. Having played the last note, Qiu Changtian stepped down from the sword light and onto the ground, arriving at the Demon Locking Tower under everyone¡¯s watchful eyes. Listening carefully within the Sea of Consciousness, he only heard the Kunlun Mirror report a few ¡°+1 Synchronization Values,¡± and then it was quiet. Qiu Changtian was immediately somewhat displeased. However, these Shushan disciples were inexperienced with his true power, so it was expected they couldn¡¯t contribute a large amount of Synchronization Value. It could only be said that they were all short-sighted. ¡°True Person,¡± he greeted Jinghua True Person with a bow. ¡°Qiu Xian nephew indeed has a refined interest,¡± said Jinghua True Person with a faint smile. With the relationship of Ziwei Master, Jinghua True Person¡¯s tolerance for him was extraordinarily high. As a result, the Shushan disciples nearby immediately became agitated¡ªthey all wanted to know who this unfamiliar guest was, to receive such a favorable response from Jinghua True Person. Qiu Changtian exchanged pleasantries with Jinghua True Person and then bowed to the astonished Shushan disciples: ¡°Kunlun¡¯s Qiu Changtian greets all the Shushan Taoist friends.¡± The Shushan disciples hurriedly returned the greeting, and the atmosphere became much more harmonious. Among them, in the team from Red Sun Peak, there was a Refining Mansion stage disciple named ¡°Xu Anze.¡± His gaze towards Qiu Changtian carried a different meaning from his fellow sect brothers and sisters. In reality, he was an undercover spy who Eastern Emperor Path had planted within Shushan. He quietly pondered at this moment: ¡°Previously, I received a secret message from the sect, saying that a member of the Demon Race, ¡®Marquis of Mount Tu,¡¯ planned to infiltrate the Demon Locking Tower to rescue someone important and that I should await instructions to make contact with this individual.¡± ¡°Could it be that this Kunlun Chief Disciple Qiu Changtian is the Marquis of Mount Tu, who has sneaked in under disguise?¡± ¡°Hmm, assassinating the Kunlun Chief Disciple along the way and then using an Illusion Technique to take on his appearance. Considering that Shushan is not familiar with Kunlun disciples, this possibility is quite high indeed.¡± ¡°Later on, I should still find a way to make contact and test the waters.¡± Jinghua True Person then told his disciples the matters they should pay attention to before leading the team into the Demon Locking Tower. Walking alongside Jinghua True Person, Qiu Changtian¡¯s Kunlun Mirror began to project the video recorded by the ¡°future Kunlun Mirror,¡± guiding him to act according to the strategy. Well, it was time to take a look back at Ling Yunpo and transmit the strategy to the Kunlun Mirror of the past. Qiu Changtian turned his head to cast a covert glance at his past self, then turned his head back, focusing intently on the path ahead. After passing through a narrow corridor, he entered the grand hall with eight gates on the first level of the Demon Locking Tower. While Jinghua True Person was still detailing the rules of engagement, Qiu Changtian took the opportunity when no one was paying attention and, according to the strategy, directly slipped away to descend to the lower level. Before even reaching the third level, he saw Xu Anze chasing after him from behind, calling him to a stop: ¡°Qiu Taoist friend! Everyone is acting on the first level; why have you run down here alone?¡± Upon reading the strategy¡¯s dialogue, Qiu Changtian immediately understood this man¡¯s identity and thus replied with a sneer: ¡°If we didn¡¯t leave the first level, how would there be a chance for me to contact you alone?¡± Upon hearing this, Xu Anze immediately became serious, frowning as he asked: ¡°Who exactly are you?¡± Qiu Changtian replied with an expressionless face: ¡°Our clan has an agreement with your faction. According to it, your faction should provide assistance in this operation. I wonder if the agreement still stands?¡± As he spoke, his right hand, which had been hanging down, silently began to gather Jade Pivot Thunder in his palm. Looking at the ball of green Thunder Light forming in the hand of the other party and the terrifying threatening aura it emitted, Xu Anze immediately felt his soul on the edge, knowing that if he let half a word of refusal slip from his mouth, Marquis of Mount Tu would kill him on the spot. He quickly nodded and said: ¡°Of course, it still stands! This lowly one has seen Marquis of Mount Tu, please give your orders.¡± The ability to speak of ¡°agreement¡± and ¡°assistance¡± suggested that this person must undoubtedly be the Marquis of Mount Tu! Qiu Changtian snorted coldly through his nose and said: ¡°I came here in a hurry, and I did not expect that Shushan Demon Locking Tower would open today.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Xu Anze hurriedly said, ¡°Normally, it should have opened in a few years.¡± ¡°But recently, the elite disciples from Kunlun Penglai entered the East Sea Pavilion, and many of them have greatly increased their strength. Thus, in desperation, the Shushan higher-ups opted to open the Demon Locking Tower trial ahead of schedule.¡± ¡°Their trial is their own business, but they must not ruin my important affair,¡± Qiu Changtian said irritably. ¡°To rescue that person, I will need to leave the team for quite a long time. You must immediately create chaos within the team and divert everyone¡¯s attention!¡± ¡°Understood, to create chaos,¡± Xu Anze immediately nodded in agreement, his mind spinning rapidly. ¡°I¡¯ve got it! Two disciples from Qingluo Peak are also participating in the trials this time. If I arrange a little incident and blame it on An Zhisu or Ling Yunpo, with the hatred for Qingluo Peak within Shushan, that will surely turn the team upside down!¡± Qiu Changtian was near to spitting blood: great, turns out I¡¯m the one who caused this damn mess! ¡°No, wait!¡± Xu Anze thought carefully for a moment before speaking again, ¡°Each floor of the Shushan Demon Locking Tower has eight separate gates to mystical realms, all connected only through the central hall.¡± ¡°If I set up a trap for these two people, it would be easy for them to prove they were not present¡­ Better to falsely blame it on Qi Sha True Person, leaving them with no way to clear their names!¡± Qiu Changtian was beyond exasperated but eventually replied: ¡°Not bad. I¡¯ve heard that Qi Sha True Person has been in seclusion for a long time, unseen by anyone¡ªwho knows if he¡¯s alive or dead or if he has secretly broken out of seclusion? Using this to misdirect would indeed suffice.¡± ¡°Marquis of Mount Tu is indeed wise. However, there is still a difficulty,¡± Xu Anze said with a flattering smile. ¡°As I mentioned before, each floor¡¯s Eight Gates Mystical Realm is connected solely by the central hall.¡± ¡°If we delay too long, and an accident happens in any one of the mystical realms, Jinghua True Person will surely investigate everyone who entered that realm. After a few times, simply by process of elimination, it would be easy to trace back to me.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard that Marquis of Mount Tu¡¯s Illusion Technique is exceptionally unique. Could you bestow a simple method on me, allowing me to disguise myself as a disciple from another peak? If I can just confuse Jinghua True Person¡¯s judgment, I have the confidence to hold up the team¡¯s progress and prevent them from coming down too soon, thereby not spoiling your important affair.¡± Qiu Changtian sneered inwardly: this guy is unrepentantly cunning, actually finding an excuse to ask for Daoist Magic! If it was the real ¡°Marquis of Mount Tu,¡± perhaps appreciating his quick wit, he might indeed grant him an Illusion Technique¡­ But where would I conjure such a technique from? But then? He looked at the strategy broadcast by the Kunlun Mirror, remained silent for a long time, and then slowly said: ¡°Your point is indeed valid.¡± ¡°I have a talisman script here, called ¡®The Godspeed Talisman of the Water Veins,¡¯ which allows you to leap between different water veins.¡± ¡°The leaping distance has been set by me, and it can only transport you between water veins on the same floor. If you enter any mystical realm, by activating this talisman with your True Yuan, you will be able to leap to another realm, undetected by others.¡± ¡°Furthermore, this talisman can only be used four times at most before needing recharging from me. Be careful with it and don¡¯t waste it.¡± Xu Anze listened helplessly, recognizing that the Marquis of Mount Tu was indeed cunning and astute; not only did he refuse to bestow an Illusion Technique, but he also handed over a Strange Object with limited uses, clearly unwilling to let him gain any advantage. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only On Qiu Changtian¡¯s side, his face expressionless, he followed the unique method recorded in the Kunlun Mirror¡¯s strategy, silently circulating the Water System Divine Light among the Five Elements Divine Light, and resetting the jumping route of the Godspeed Talisman of the Water Veins. Then he handed it over to Xu Anze. ¡°Thank you, Marquis of Mount Tu.¡± Xu Anze quickly expressed his gratitude. ¡°If there is nothing else, you may leave now!¡± Qiu Changtian waved his hand, his heart full of a thousand words, which couldn¡¯t find their way out. Where did the method to set the Godspeed Talisman of the Water Veins come from¡­ No, this whole strategy, who wrote it in the first place?! Chapter 133 - Chapter 133: Chapter 68: Middlemen Profiteering Both Ways Chapter 133: Chapter 68: Middlemen Profiteering Both Ways ¡°There are infinitely many possibilities for the future,¡± explained Kunlun Mirror. ¡°To give you an analogy, it¡¯s as if there are infinitely many paths before you.¡± ¡°I randomly sampled ten thousand of them and found that only one was a path to life, the rest led to death.¡± ¡°Then I recorded the details of that one path, which is the strategy you¡¯re seeing now.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Qiu Changtian pondered, ¡°so if I go now to kill Long Eyebrow Immortal, can you also find that one possibility for my survival among tens of thousands of certain-death outcomes?¡± ¡°If you go kill Long Eyebrow Immortal now, the success rate is definitely less than one in several tens of thousands, okay?¡± the Kunlun Mirror said with exasperation. ¡°Besides, my spiritual power isn¡¯t endless. I have to transport you back and forth, provide you with Mirror Flower Water Moon for disguise and now also devise a strategy for you¡­¡± ¡°Alright, alright, don¡¯t say anymore,¡± Qiu Changtian immediately said. ¡°I understand your difficulties, but isn¡¯t this all for the future we both aspire to?¡± No sooner had he finished speaking than he suddenly felt something was amiss. Why did he feel like a husband weary of his wife¡¯s nagging? Casting aside the jumbled thoughts in his mind, Qiu Changtian continued to look at the strategy. The strategy said that next, he would have Ah Jing disguise him to look like Xu Anze, whom he had just seen, and then descend to the thirtieth floor. So, after donning the Illusion Technique of Mirror Flower Water Moon, Qiu Changtian passed through various levels, descending the stairs. The deeper he went, the darker the color of the walls around him, and the more dense and numerous the tadpole texts on them, giving a sense of tense, oppressive danger. On reaching the thirtieth floor, Qiu Changtian saw someone with the appearance of a Shushan Golden Core True Person overseeing duties, standing in the center of the hall, back facing him, scrutinizing the Immortal Seal Script on the walls. ¡°Greetings, Marquis of Mount Tu,¡± said Qiu Changtian with a bow. The person turned around, revealing the figure of a middle-aged beautiful woman, and said with a smile: ¡°How did you know I am Marquis of Mount Tu?¡± ¡°If I were to infiltrate the Demon Locking Tower, I would also choose to disguise myself as an overseeing officer in the tower,¡± Qiu Changtian replied. ¡°Not necessarily,¡± laughed Marquis of Mount Tu. ¡°Why not disguise oneself as a Shushan disciple entering the tower for trials?¡± ¡°Because Marquis of Mount Tu could not have known in advance that the Demon Locking Tower would open for trials today,¡± Qiu Changtian answered. ¡°Why would I not know?¡± ¡°If Marquis of Mount Tu had known, there would have been no need to engage my services,¡± Qiu Changtian said in a low voice. ¡°You are indeed a clever one,¡± Marquis of Mount Tu laughed. ¡°You must be ¡®Xu Anze,¡¯ right?¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± ¡°This Demon Locking Tower¡¯s formation is too profound for me to understand,¡± Marquis of Mount Tu said, her voice pausing for a moment. ¡°I need to talk with some of my juniors in the tower.¡± ¡°During this time, we can¡¯t allow those disciples undergoing trials to come down here and cause disturbances. Do you have any good ideas?¡± After pretending to consider it for a moment, Qiu Changtian said: ¡°In that case, I have a plan.¡± ¡°Currently, among the Shushan peaks, Qingluo Peak is notorious for its bad reputation. Coincidentally, the Peak Master, Qi Sha True Person, is currently undergoing a closed-door Death Gate trial, and no one knows the situation inside.¡± ¡°First, I¡¯ll go around attacking Foundation Establishment disciples, leaving behind the name of Qi Sha True Person.¡± ¡°Once everyone is on edge, I would request Marquis of Mount Tu to disguise as Qi Sha True Person and attack Jinghua, the Golden Core True Person leading the Foundation Establishment trials.¡± ¡°I see,¡± the Marquis of Mount Tu nodded slightly, ¡°If Jinghua True Person is suddenly attacked, it will push the panic to its peak. To protect these Foundation Establishment disciples, she will surely choose to end the trial.¡± ¡°Moreover, once it is confirmed that Qi Sha True Person, Su Jian, is seeking revenge within the tower, the news would spread from Jinghua True Person to the lower floors. The Golden Core trial teams will also be horrified and afraid of Su Jian finding them, and will choose to temporarily withdraw from the Demon Locking Tower.¡± At this point, Marquis of Mount Tu suddenly pivoted on his heel. From a dignified middle-aged beautiful woman, he transformed in an instant into a tall, silver-haired, imposing, and stern-looking old hunk. ¡°How about this?¡± the Marquis of Mount Tu asked in a deep male voice, conjuring a cold-hued Flying Sword that looked eight or nine parts similar to the Harsh Cold Sword, ¡°Do I bear any resemblance to Qi Sha True Person?¡± Qiu Changtian: ¡­¡­¡­¡­ ¡°Absolutely flawless,¡± he immediately praised, ¡°Comparable to the spells of the Immortal Sects.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a minor trick,¡± Marquis of Mount Tu said indifferently, suddenly raising his hand and shooting a cold light into Qiu Changtian¡¯s body. ¡°What¡¯s this!¡± Qiu Changtian¡¯s expression changed dramatically. ¡°Your reward,¡± Marquis of Mount Tu replied. Qiu Changtian held his breath and looked inward to his Sea of Consciousness, only to notice an extra point of light. Upon probing with his Divine Sense, he found some basic Illusion Techniques and¡­ ¡°She has planted a secret Illusion Technique in you,¡± Kunlun Mirror reminded him, ¡°If you have any thoughts of betrayal, she will immediately sense it through your spirit and thus become aware.¡± ¡°Is it that amazing?¡± Qiu Changtian said in surprise. He had only known about Soul Search to check memories but had no idea there was also such a secret lie-detection spell. ¡°Not amazing. As she said, it¡¯s just a small technique,¡± Kunlun Mirror said with a chuckle, ¡°Your Daoist Heart Clarity is naturally immune to Illusion Techniques, and I have already shielded it; you need not worry.¡± ¡°Excellent, worthy of being my Ah Jing,¡± thus Qiu Changtian acted surprised, bowed his hands and said, ¡°Thank you, Marquis of Mount Tu, for granting me Illusion Techniques.¡± ¡°You¡¯re about to create chaos among Shushan Sect Disciples; you certainly need some life-saving skills,¡± Marquis of Mount Tu, confirming that the person before him had no intent to betray, spoke amicably, ¡°Go. If you encounter any problems, look for me in the Death Gate area on the forty-seventh floor.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Qiu Changtian bowed and departed. Following the strategy to return to the upper levels, he quickly made it back to the tenth floor. In the central hall of the tenth floor, Xu Anze, who had been waiting in the rest gate passage, saw Qiu Changtian returning and hastily showed himself, eagerly reporting: ¡°This subordinate pays respect to Marquis of Mount Tu. To let the True Person know, the team has now descended to the seventh level, and two have already been killed in a sneak attack by ¡®Qi Sha True Person.¡¯¡± ¡°Now in the trial team of the Foundation Establishment Realm, the disciples are extremely nervous, and Jinghua True Person doesn¡¯t allow everyone to freely choose the eight gates of the trial; disciples from the same peak must act together.¡± ¡°Many disciples are worried about being killed now. In the secret realm, they are all proceeding with extreme caution; their progress is slow.¡± ¡°Very good,¡± Qiu Changtian expressed approval, ¡°I have important matters to attend to below; you continue to delay their progress!¡± ¡°There¡¯s another thing to report to Marquis of Mount Tu,¡± Xu Anze took out the Godspeed Talisman of the Water Vein, saying, ¡°This talisman has been used twice and has two uses left.¡± ¡°In case of an emergency, could I ask Marquis of Mount Tu to help recharge it?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Qiu Changtian took the Godspeed Talisman of the Water Vein and put it into his sleeve. Xu Anze: ???? ? ¡°This talisman has many limitations, and is inconvenient to use,¡± Qiu Changtian said with a cold smile, ¡°I see you are clever and aware. For now, I will impart some Illusion Techniques to you, listen carefully¡­¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Xu Anze was initially startled, but then, immediately, he was overcome with great joy. For a traitor like him, compared to the Strange Object that could only be used a few times and would definitely be taken back, the coveted disguise Illusion Techniques were clearly the more important of the two. Qiu Changtian then orally relayed the techniques given by Marquis of Mount Tu to Xu Anze. Xu Anze quickly took them to heart, again and again expressing vast gratitude and inexplicable emotion, causing Qiu Changtian to be somewhat at a loss whether to laugh or cry. To become a middle-man playing both ends, enjoying the benefits from both the buyer and the seller, felt truly exceptional! Chapter 134 - Chapter 134: Chapter 69: Killing the Water Viper, Completing the Loop Chapter 134: Chapter 69: Killing the Water Viper, Completing the Loop After imparting the Illusion Technique divine skills, Qiu Changtian instructed Xu Anze to continue his infiltration and create chaos. Once this person returned to the upper levels, Qiu Changtian followed the guide¡¯s instructions and directly entered the tenth floor¡¯s Jinghua Gate. The area of the Jinghua Gate was a beautiful valley plain, inhabited by numerous floral demonic beasts swirling and nesting. When the uninvited Qiu Changtian intruded, the little floral demonic beasts flew around in panic, all hiding deep in the bushes. Qiu Changtian paid no attention to them, and instead found a stream nearby, stepped into it, and then activated the Godspeed Talisman of the Water Vein. Following the method provided by the Kunlun Mirror, as the Water System Divine Light circulated, a profound perception immediately emerged in his Sea of Consciousness, which were all of the independent water veins nearby. From small streams and pools to large rivers and seas, as long as they were separate from each other and not interconnected, they constituted an independent water vein, mysteriously linking with Qiu Changtian. However, Qiu Changtian could only sense where the water veins were, without being able to perceive in advance whether they were streams and pools or rivers and seas, nor could he determine the distance or direction. But with the strategy guide, these weren¡¯t problems at all. Soon, Qiu Changtian, guided by the strategy guide, locked onto a distant water source and then teleported there. Between the spinning heavens and earth, he had teleported to the entrance of an underwater mansion. Calculating the time, Senior Sister An and his past self should have been just right when entering this secret realm, and the entrance was more than ten miles away from here. Qiu Changtian hurried, first starting the Water-Repelling Pearl to reduce resistance in the water and then charged into the underwater mansion¡¯s passage. He hadn¡¯t gone far when he saw a host of water viper demonic beasts emerging, twisting and entangling, looking fierce and terrible with their wide-open bloody mouths and sharp poisonous fangs, pouncing viciously at Qiu Changtian. Qiu Changtian remained fearless, merely drawing out the Polar Thunder and sending a mass of Thunder Light directly at them, immediately smashing the foremost water vipers to pieces, their venomous blood spilling out. The remaining water vipers quickly scattered in terror. Although they didn¡¯t know what Polar Thunder was, they had the instincts of demonic beasts and sensed the extreme danger of the Thunder Light¡ªeven faintly restraining themselves, and soon they dispersed like birds and beasts. Qiu Changtian wasn¡¯t intent on eradicating all the evil beasts, just nonchalantly advancing forward, using the minor Shangyang Sword Qi to harvest those water viper demonic beasts that hadn¡¯t managed to escape, thinking to himself, so that¡¯s how it was. No wonder Ling Yunpo faced very few demonic beasts when he came here with Senior Sister An; it turns out I had already killed them all. Understanding the sequence of events, Qiu Changtian felt some emotion: So, it was all planned! He entered the mansion as if stepping into a land without owners, and there he saw a large water viper coiled up, which immediately spewed out a mass of venomous fog at him. The purple fog was dense in the water, looking extremely thick, clearly not a benevolent ¡°demon art.¡± Qiu Changtian¡¯s expression remained unchanged as he swiftly formed Daoist formulas. After cultivating to the Refining Mansion stage, he derived the third Daoist Technique from the ¡°Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra,¡± called the ¡°Supreme Jasper Spiritual Talisman.¡± This talisman had no special traits except for its powerful spiritual power and strong abilities to suppress and seal. A giant talisman script made of spiritual power struck out, immediately dispersing the toxic fog. The water viper was stunned, seemingly not expecting its innate divine ability to be so easily countered. By the time it recovered from its shock, it was struck by Qiu Changtian¡¯s Polar Thunder, its entire dragon skull bursting open like a watermelon. The Polar Thunder, specifically potent against the Dragon Clan, would leave even a Golden Core Realm Jiaolong bloodied and bruised from a direct hit, let alone a Refining Mansion stage water viper. The torn remnants of the water viper¡¯s corpse floated in the center of the hall, with flesh and blood scattered everywhere. Qiu Changtian, not wanting to dirty his Daoist robe, simply activated the Five Elements Extinguishing Divine Light, using the principle of ¡°wood engenders fire¡± to vaporize all the flesh and blood to ash. Then he walked through the mansion¡¯s main hall to the treasure chamber inside. Inside, there were still piles of discarded Spirit Stones, like dust and rubble, with no value whatsoever. Only a few magical treasures were sparsely distributed upon it, likely collected after the Water Viper took over this place. However, the Water Viper itself was only at the Refining Mansion level, so what good magical treasures could it have gathered? In the eyes of Qiu Changtian, who far surpassed peers of his level, there was no doubt that they were all trash. No wonder Senior Sister An didn¡¯t even give them a glance and directly passed them by! Wait a second, where were the Water-Repelling Pearl and the Godspeed Talisman of the Thousand-Mile Water Vein? Qiu Changtian turned the pile of spirit stones upside down repeatedly, but still couldn¡¯t find the Water-Repelling Pearl from before. The small cauldron that held the talisman scripts was found, but when he opened the lid and looked inside, it was completely empty, with not a single item. Now he was in trouble. What would happen when Ling Yunpo and Senior Sister arrived and couldn¡¯t find the Water-Repelling Pearl and the Godspeed Talisman of the Thousand-Mile Water Vein? Without the former, it¡¯s a small matter. But without the latter, how would Ling Yunpo leave this place with Senior Sister An? And how would they go to the Blood Pool¡¯s Red Tide or the Cloud Sea Realm? Wouldn¡¯t this mess up the historical timeline? ¡°What are you worrying about so aimlessly!¡± said the Kunlun Mirror, observing at the side and unable to keep silent, ¡°Aren¡¯t the Water-Repelling Pearl and the Godspeed Talisman of the Thousand-Mile Water Vein both on you?¡± Qiu Changtian: ??????? After being stunned for a while, he suddenly realized. So I received these two items in the past just so that I could return them to their original place in the future, allowing my past self to obtain them again following history¡¯s course? Isn¡¯t this¡­ what do you call it, an infinite loop? Then, where exactly did this Water-Repelling Pearl and the Godspeed Talisman of the Thousand-Mile Water Vein originally come from, and where did they end up in the end? ¡°As I¡¯ve said,¡± the Kunlun Mirror sighed with resignation, ¡°this was created to realize the historical cycle, a ¡®loose end¡¯ not existing in the original timeline.¡± ¡°It came from nothingness, and after helping you through this deadly trial, it naturally has to return to nothingness.¡± Qiu Changtian: ¡­¡­¡­ One could only say that the Dao of Time is indeed mysterious and utterly beyond comprehension. The Water-Repelling Pearl indeed played a decisive role in reducing resistance and facilitating escape when Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu teleported into the deep sea environment teeming with Jiaolongs on their fourth attempt. But strictly in terms of escaping, the ¡°Godspeed Talisman of the Thousand-Mile Water Vein¡± that allowed transmission wherever there was water was even more practical. To let them return to nothingness and fall into an endless time loop was truly a pity¡­ However, Qiu Changtian was, after all, someone with a firm will, knowing that if it weren¡¯t for his current advantage, Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu would not have strayed from the trial team. Then, Xu Anze and Marquis of Mount Tu would get on the normal track, creating a series of attacks afterward, and framing Su Jian, resulting in the two being victimized. Even if they weren¡¯t killed on the spot by the True Person of Jinghua, the trials couldn¡¯t have continued, and they would have missed both the Blood Pool and the Cloud Sea Realm. Not to mention surviving the ¡°Dragon Clan Uprising¡± brought by the Marquis of Mount Tu later. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Compared to those deadly trials that could be avoided, the benefits that could be obtained were mere trinkets like a Godspeed Talisman of the Thousand-Mile Water Vein, a single Water-Repelling Pearl ¨C what was there to begrudge? Abandon them! Qiu Changtian gritted his teeth, fully charged the Godspeed Talisman of the Thousand-Mile Water Vein, set it to activate upon touch, and according to the strategy guide, set the destination to the water vein representing the twenty-eighth level, the Blood Pool. He then stuffed it into the small cauldron, covered it with the lid, and hid it under the pile of spirit stones, casually tossing the Water-Repelling Pearl aside. Finally, without looking back, he left the underwater cave dwelling and headed outside. Chapter 135 - Chapter 135: Chapter 70: The Beiming Sea Abyss, The Endless Expanse Chapter 135: Chapter 70: The Beiming Sea Abyss, The Endless Expanse Leaving the riverbed cave dwelling, Qiu Changtian recalculated the time, knowing that Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu were about to arrive, so he hurriedly took a wide arc to avoid meeting them. Then he retraced his steps according to his memory and arrived back at the entrance to this secret realm. According to the strategy guide, one should not directly return to the central hall after reaching the entrance, but instead, wait there for two hours. Qiu Changtian had no choice but to rest in place. After about two hours had passed, he saw a figure flash in front of him. It was a Shushan sect female disciple with an unfamiliar face who had just come through the entrance passage. ¡°Greetings, Marquis of Mount Tu,¡± Qiu Changtian hastily said. The Shushan sect female disciple was slightly stunned, then covered her mouth and giggled, ¡°How interesting, how did you recognize me for the second time?¡± ¡°Due to several attacks we¡¯ve encountered, Master Jinghua now requires fellow sect disciples to act together,¡± Qiu Changtian said with a smile. ¡°Isn¡¯t Marquis of Mount Tu deliberately defying Master Jinghua¡¯s orders by being alone like this?¡± ¡°Oh, but just because Master Jinghua gave the order, does that mean everyone has to obey it?¡± Marquis of Mount Tu laughed. ¡°Can¡¯t we secretly disobey?¡± ¡°This is the Death Gate area. Even if one intentionally separates from the group, no one would choose the Death Gate as a trial ground,¡± Qiu Changtian seriously stated. ¡°Even if one were to choose the Death Gate for their trials, ordinary disciples would enter this place trembling with fear, as if walking on thin ice. How could they possibly be as calm and collected as your grace?¡± Marquis of Mount Tu was taken aback by his response, and then she fell into thought. Having dared to enter Shushan alone, she was certainly not a fool. With her masterful Illusion Technique, most sect fortes were virtually defenseless against her. But this man was right; she couldn¡¯t just rely on her Illusion Technique, she had to practice her acting skills as well. Hmm? Wait, this guy seems to be quite clever, so maybe¡­ ¡°Follow me,¡± Marquis of Mount Tu turned around. The two of them left the secret realm and returned to the central hall. Then they made their way downward, discreetly circling around the Shushan sect¡¯s trial team with the aid of concealed Illusion Techniques, all the way to the forty-seventh floor. Passing through the Death Gate, they came to a deep-sea area. The surrounding waters were dim and shimmering, with dark currents flowing in all directions, no seaweed, rocks, fish, or crustaceans in sight, only the impurities and bubbles rising in the water. Marquis of Mount Tu led Qiu Changtian further on. As the depth gradually increased, Qiu Changtian could vaguely make out the contours of the seabed below. ¡°This secret place is built to resemble the Beiming Abyss,¡± Marquis of Mount Tu said leisurely. ¡°The Mortal Realm and the Demon Realm have been separate for so long, your human kind probably doesn¡¯t know what ¡®Beiming¡¯ is anymore, right?¡± ¡°Not exactly,¡± Qiu Changtian responded calmly. ¡°There are still some records in our texts, which say that Beiming is ¡®a vast and distant place unseen by mortals,¡¯ ¡®perpetually dark with neither day nor light,¡¯ and ¡®surrounded by Jiaolong, dreadfully fierce¡¯.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Marquis of Mount Tu said, seemingly unconcerned. ¡°That is indeed surprising.¡± After traveling several miles, they arrived at a certain abyss in the sea. Continuing their descent along the abyss, visibility became increasingly lower, until they finally landed at the bottom of the Sea Abyss. The water pressure here was already quite strong, causing Qiu Changtian some discomfort. He noticed that the ground beneath his feet seemed to be made of fine sand, but it was compressed solid as if made of refined steel, firm underfoot akin to stony ground. ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± Marquis of Mount Tu stated. ¡°My journey to the Mortal Realm, infiltrating the Demon Locking Tower, was to rescue a senior member of my clan.¡± Her voice paused for a moment, and she then continued, ¡°Have you ever heard of ¡®Ying Long¡¯?¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Qiu Changtian replied, ¡°I have heard that Jiaolong undergoes five transformations: Initially, they are ¡®Water Vipers,¡¯ which after five hundred years, if they survive, grow scales and transform into ¡®Jiaolong.¡¯¡± ¡°Another thousand years without death, and they turn red and become ¡®Chi Dragons¡¯; another five hundred years without death, they grow horns and become ¡®Horned Dragons.¡¯¡± ¡°In the end, after another thousand years of cultivation, he would grow wings and transform into a ¡®Ying Long¡¯.¡± ¡°Merely in terms of physical transformation, there¡¯s nothing wrong with what you said,¡± the Marquis of Mount Tu said with slight surprise, correcting, ¡°But in reality, the evolution of the Dragon Clan doesn¡¯t just depend on time, but on the promotion of rank.¡± ¡°The higher the rank one aims for, the more difficult it becomes to advance. And the senior I¡¯m about to rescue this time is probably the only Ying Long in this world.¡± ¡°According to the records in the Demon Realm, this senior Ying Long fell into the Mortal Realm ten thousand years ago and was imprisoned by human cultivators in the Demon Locking Tower, locked away in this secret realm known as ¡®Endless¡¯.¡± ¡°Endless?¡± Qiu Changtian asked curiously. ¡°It means ¡®an interval without an interval¡¯,¡± the Marquis of Mount Tu explained seriously, ¡°It appears to be some kind of independent space.¡± ¡°Normal space is continuous, just like an endless plain, where you can run freely.¡± ¡°An independent space, however, is discontinuous, akin to islands in the sea; running on one island, no matter what you do, you¡¯ll never reach another without some other means to cross the ocean.¡± Feigning contemplation, Qiu Changtian asked with puzzlement, ¡°In that case, what are your thoughts, Marquis of Mount Tu?¡± ¡°I possess no divine skills related to space, so naturally, I can¡¯t cross this ¡®sea¡¯,¡± the Marquis of Mount Tu sighed, ¡°but there should be a ¡®bridge¡¯ over this ¡®sea¡¯; I just can¡¯t find it, which is why I called you to help me.¡± Listening to this, Qiu Changtian was stupefied. This talk of ¡®seas¡¯ and ¡®bridges¡¯, what ploy is he playing at with me? However, as for how to reach the space where the Ying Long is imprisoned, he had already known: since he can¡¯t ¡°move¡± there, of course, he must ¡°leap¡± there. Like the Godspeed Talisman of the Water Vein that stretches for ten thousand li. Of course, he had already given that talisman to Ling Yunpo and the others, so he had to think of another way, like perhaps¡­ An idea struck Qiu Changtian: When it comes to spatial leaping, isn¡¯t that Ah Jing¡¯s specialty? ¡°Ah Jing, you¡­¡± He had barely begun to speak when he heard the Kunlun Mirror interject, ¡°It¡¯s possible. According to the strategy, I will teleport you there.¡± Then, Qiu Changtian vanished on the spot. Marquis of Mount Tu: ??? She slowly widened her eyes, then incredulously extended her arm and waved it a few times where Qiu Changtian had been standing. Gone. How could he be gone? Could it be that he found the ¡®Endless¡¯ realm? What the hell! I¡¯ve been searching here for ages and couldn¡¯t find a trace, and this human brat, who hasn¡¯t even reached the Transformation Rank, just comes along and immediately finds it???! She stood there for a while and couldn¡¯t help but start getting angry. As the sky turned and the earth spun, Qiu Changtian appeared in a familiar space. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only To his side was the rushing Chijiang River, and in front of him stood the towering Blade Mountain. A massive Divine Dragon lay coiled atop Blade Mountain, its lower half pierced by Dragon Binding Chains, from which a large amount of blood flowed down the rocky surface, like a rapid waterfall¡¯s current. ¡°Human?¡± the Ying Long said lazily, then yawned as if opening its massive mouth. As heart-stopping energy swiftly gathered in its mouth, ready to annihilate the tiny human below in an instant, it heard Qiu Changtian suddenly say, ¡°Would you dare to make a bet with me, Lord Ying Long?¡± Chapter 136 - Chapter 136: Chapter 71: Ying Long’s Wager, A Drop of Essence Blood Chapter 136: Chapter 71: Ying Long¡¯s Wager, A Drop of Essence Blood ¡°A bet?¡± Ying Long heard this and suddenly closed his mouth, revealing a thoughtful and strange expression. During the long years of his imprisonment, he had become so lazy that he took little interest in most things; he usually spent his time sleeping away the hours. But before this, his favorite pastimes had been betting and testing human nature¡­ It¡¯s just that those memories were so distant, he had almost forgotten he had this fondness. Moreover, among the untransformed low-rank vermin, this human was the first to dare to gamble with him. To the first occurrence in life, Ying Long always adopted an extra tolerant attitude, because the first time often meant ¡°worth remembering and savoring.¡± So, he leaned down his huge head again, intending to hear what kind of bet this human would propose. If the bet was truly uninteresting, then there was no rush in killing him afterwards. ¡°The bet I wish to make with you,¡± Qiu Changtian said in a deep voice, ¡°is that the next human to arrive here if faced with the dilemma of choosing between ¡®sentiments¡¯ and ¡®interests,¡¯ I bet they will ultimately opt for the former.¡± Ying Long¡¯s golden vertical pupils narrowed as his thoughts began to race. This bet tested the value orientation of an individual human, whether they leaned more towards ¡°valuing relationships and righteousness¡± or ¡°putting interests above all.¡± The one being tested was limited to ¡°the next human to arrive here,¡± which meant there was a certain unpredictability. The conditions proposed by the other party didn¡¯t have an obvious advantage, and were fairly reasonable. He could agree to this bet, but¡­ ¡°Fine, then I¡¯ll bet they will choose interests,¡± Ying Long said in a deep voice. ¡°However, the specific test that challenges their decision must be decided by me.¡± Qiu Changtian sneered: ¡°How can that be fair? Since we are betting on his choice, the ¡®sentiments¡¯ and ¡®interests¡¯ on both ends of the scale should at least be equivalent in value and mutually recognized by both of us.¡± ¡°If Lord Ying Long determines the content of the test, you only need to offer staggeringly great interests and then place them against trivial sentiments, making the choice an assured defeat for me.¡± ¡°Do you think I would engage in such a boring act?¡± Ying Long disdainfully exhaled a fierce gust of fire, melting a large swath of rock under his feet, ¡°If you don¡¯t trust me, then we might as well not make the bet.¡± Not betting also meant that Ying Long had lost interest in him, and the outcome for him was self-evident. Therefore, Qiu Changtian feigned a struggle on his face for a moment before finally having to compromise, saying: ¡°I have no choice but to make this bet. As such, I can only trust you for now.¡± ¡°My demand for the bet is: if I win, you need to unleash your Dragon¡¯s Might for a moment, then give me a drop of your Essence Blood.¡± Upon hearing this, Ying Long fell silent for a moment, then suddenly burst into uproarious laughter, shaking the entire Blade Mountain to the point of trembling and collapsing: ¡°Interesting, really interesting! You actually want my Essence Blood? Do you know, what exactly a drop of my undiluted Essence Blood represents?¡± ¡°You, you dare to covet it? You, you think you are worthy?¡± Qiu Changtian replied expressionlessly: ¡°Lord Ying Long is now a prisoner, having been bled by others for so many years, why would giving me a drop of Essence Blood be a concern?¡± ¡°Heh,¡± Ying Long said mockingly, ¡°I was not forced to give blood, but instead lost a bet with a certain immortal among your humans and had to be temporarily trapped here to fulfill my oath, donating only regular blood.¡± ¡°Back to the matter at hand, since you have the courage to wager with my Essence Blood, it¡¯s not impossible¡­ but what can you offer as an equivalent stake in return?¡± ¡°Whether the stakes are equivalent, isn¡¯t that for Lord Ying Long to decide?¡± Qiu Changtian replied with a cold smile. ¡°In that case, why not just state your price.¡± ¡°You do have some self-awareness,¡± Ying Long expressed with a humanized sarcastic smile, ¡°There is nothing on your person of interest to me.¡± ¡°If you lose, I will kill you; if you win, I can do as you say and give you a drop of Essence Blood.¡± ¡°But you must also agree to a demand of mine so the stakes will be equal, how about it?¡± ¡°Agreed,¡± Qiu Changtian nodded. If he lost the bet, he would be killed; if he did not bet at all, he would still be killed. So, the cost of losing the bet didn¡¯t need to be considered at all; what was important was whether the ¡°drop of Essence Blood¡± and the ¡°demand¡± after winning the bet were equivalent. Of course, this question couldn¡¯t be asked directly, as Ying Long would certainly disdain to make any guarantees in advance. In Ying Long¡¯s view, the mere willingness to bet with the ant beneath its feet was already the greatest grace bestowed upon the ant ¡ª do you think you deserve even more fairness? Of course, if Ying Long had known what the Kunlun Mirror was, it would probably have abandoned such a contemptuous attitude. However, ignorant of its significance, it was bound to lose without a doubt. ¡­¡­¡­ Only after Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu were teleported away did Qiu Changtian control his Sword Light to circle around from behind the mountain and say, ¡°It seems I have won.¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± Ying Long¡¯s pride was evidently wounded. After all, it had agreed to the bet beforehand, and also designed the specific challenges; still, to have lost¡­ it had never felt so suffocated by defeat in its memories! The only explanation was that the two who had arrived just now had anticipated every test they faced, and their reactions had been within the other¡¯s expectations. ¡°You¡¯ve known these two Shushan disciples for a long time, and you knew they practiced the ways of the Sentiment Inquiry Path, didn¡¯t you?¡± Ying Long asked him with an unfriendly expression. Qiu Changtian didn¡¯t bother with lengthy explanations and simply said, ¡°That has nothing to do with our bet. Or is it that Lord Ying Long intends to go back on your word?¡± Ying Long, further infuriated by the response, could only scoff and reluctantly conceded, ¡°Why would I renege? After all, even a lost bet is to my advantage.¡± It folded its five-colored wings and its golden vertical pupils suddenly dilated, releasing an explosion of Dragon¡¯s Might that erupted like a nuclear bomb! Facing the brunt of the Dragon¡¯s Might, Qiu Changtian, like a small boat struck by a tsunami¡¯s massive wave, almost capsized and tumbled to the ground, straining greatly to stabilize his figure in the air. Seeing his embarrassed state, the remnants of Ying Long¡¯s rage dissipated, and it lazily withdrew its Dragon¡¯s Might, asking, ¡°Are we done?¡± After confirming that the Kunlun Mirror had indeed recorded the other in its mirror, Qiu Changtian finally nodded, his face pale. ¡°Very well, remember your promise.¡± Ying Long vibrated its heart meridian slightly, emitting a drop of Essence Blood, and spat it out in front of him. ¡°If you have the chance to travel to the Eastern Emperor Realm, seek out my daughter and bring her to the North Dark Ocean Realm.¡± Ying Long¡¯s daughter? Qiu Changtian pondered for a moment before taking out the Purifying Bottle to collect the drop of Essence Blood and then asked, ¡°Where may your esteemed daughter be located? And what features does she have that I may recognize her by?¡± Ying Long fell silent for a long while, seemingly lost in deep, lingering thoughts, before finally saying, ¡°Her nickname is ¡®Long Hu¡¯.¡± ¡°Possessing the blood of humans, dragons, and foxes simultaneously, she resembles a white fox but has the golden pupils of a dragon.¡± ¡°Such mixed-blood features should be unique in the Eastern Emperor Realm.¡± ¡°As for her location, having been imprisoned in this tower for at least a hundred thousand years, how would I know?¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°She is likely with her mother. If you find them, help me tell her mother¡­¡± At this point, Ying Long suddenly hesitated again. ¡°¡­tell her what?¡± Qiu Changtian saw that it wasn¡¯t reacting and couldn¡¯t help but ask. ¡°No, nothing.¡± Ying Long closed its golden vertical pupils and coiled its body around Blade Mountain, falling silent once more. Chapter 138 - Chapter 138: Chapter 73: Return to Kunlun with Full Rewards Chapter 138: Chapter 73: Return to Kunlun with Full Rewards The journey to the Demon Locking Tower thus came to an end. Next came Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu¡¯s escape from the Demon Locking Tower, being hunted by a Jiaolong, then returning to the Emei Golden Summit Sky Extreme Plaza. In the end, the Long Eyebrow Immortal launched the Two-Yi Micro Dust Formation, killing all the escaped Jiaolongs, and recaptured the Ying Long back into the Demon Locking Tower. All of this was of no concern to Qiu Changtian, because right from the time the alarm was raised regarding the Demon Locking Tower¡¯s appearance, Shushan had immediately sent him away in order to avoid any accidents that might harm the relationship between the two factions. He had arrived via magical artifact, and could only return by sword control, after all, with Shushan on the verge of chaos, it was impossible for the Real Person Jinghua to escort him all the way back to Kunlun. The return journey was unusually smooth, the number of cultivators in this world was so small compared to the vast expanse of the Divine Land Continent, that the probability of encountering a cultivator while flying on a sword was probably lower than winning the lottery. After crossing the Tibetan Plateau and reaching the Kunlun Heavenly Pillar, Qiu Changtian entered the Jade Void Palace and ¡°completely and in detail¡± reported his trip to Shushan to the Ziwei Master. To summarize that would be: I arrived at Shushan and visited the Jade Capital Sect Leader, with no lapse in etiquette. After entering the Demon Locking Tower, I went straight to the lower levels to the Blood Pool, and broke through the Marrow Cleansing Rank in one breath, then visited the Cloud Sea Realm and gained thirty years¡¯ worth of cultivation from the Refining Mansion. After coming out, I found that a great conspiracy was taking place within the Demon Locking Tower trial team. So, I carefully investigated in the secret realm, and just happened to come across the perpetrators committing a crime, so I took action, killed them, and prevented the conspiracy from expanding and endangering Shushan. The Jade Capital Sect Leader acknowledged and thanked me for my contribution, it¡¯s just that because they had to urgently save the Demon Locking Tower, that¡¯s why I was sent out of Shushan first. The Ziwei Master, seated upon the Seven-Colored Lotus Platform, silently listened to the narrative of the Direct Disciple, without showing any emotion for a long time. ¡­ I only sent you to the Demon Locking Tower to take advantage of the Blood Pool used by the Marrow Cleansing Rank Sword Immortals. How did you not only complete your Marrow Cleansing, but also take advantage of the Cloud Sea Realm of the Refining Mansion Rank? Not only that, you just happened to come across a Demonic Beast conspiracy? And you resolved it as well? Even the Ziwei Master, with vast knowledge and experience, had truly never seen such strange occurrences. To use an analogy, this disciple went out for the first time to practice and was merely supposed to kill a Demonic Beast ravaging a mine, but instead, he just happened to encounter a high-rank Demon Path Cultivator fleeing to the area¡­ After reciting the ¡°Classic of Purity and Stillness¡± in her mind, the Ziwei Master managed to calm her spirit. Regardless, this Direct Disciple had ultimately returned safely and even gained tremendous benefits. Isn¡¯t that all right then? ¡°I am aware, you may leave.¡± The Ziwei Master said calmly, waving her horsetail whisk. Qiu Changtian bowed and left with trepidation. With someone else, he was confident he could blunder through; but this master of Kunlun was truly not easy to deceive, so Qiu Changtian tried to avoid lying, opting instead for a ¡°selective¡± recounting of the truth, lest he reveal any clues. Fortunately, it seemed the master did not intend to probe further¡­ Upon returning to the Golden Ridge Cave Abode, Qiu Changtian began to organize his gains. First of all, the most significant gain was the dramatic increase in his cultivation realm. Leveraging his Innate Sword Bone from Ling Yunpo, he purged the impurities from his marrow, thus directly completing the Marrow Cleansing. Then with the help of the Mercurial Elixir Liquid and the Cloud Sea Realm, he effectively gained ninety years¡¯ worth of cultivation in an instant. If I do nothing else and simply continue my closed-door cultivation for another hundred and ten years, I will certainly be able to form a superior Third Grade Golden Core. Of course, as one who aims to ascend to the throne of the heavens, Qiu Changtian¡¯s vision is naturally not limited to the mere Third Grade. With another two hundred years of cultivation, wouldn¡¯t it be wonderful to form an even more formidable Second Grade Golden Core? I¡¯ll have to ask my master if the Kunlun Taiqing Sect has any secret realms prepared for Cultivators at the Refining Mansion rank¡­ I¡¯m sure there must be; after all, the Taiqing Sect places great importance on the cultivation realm. Otherwise, why would there be more Golden Core Cultivators in Kunlun than in Shushan + Penglai combined? With the major changes happening at Shushan, the master surely must consult with the elders first to devise countermeasures, so it¡¯s probably better to look for him a few days later. Next, there are various spoils of war, including the fox demon illusion technique taught by the Marquis of Mount Tu, a drop of essence blood from Ying Long, and the bloodline talents of Ying Long that Ah Jing has inscribed. All these were obtained by strictly following the strategy guide, and though I¡¯m not sure what use they hold, I doubt they are useless. Just like in literary novels, if ¡°a hunting rifle is hanging on the wall, later in the story it must go off,¡± Ah Jing¡¯s habit of being secretive surely wouldn¡¯t include unnecessary steps in the strategy guide. Anyway, they will come in handy sooner or later! Thinking of this, Qiu Changtian couldn¡¯t help but once again inventory all the strengths he currently held. What Qiu Changtian has available includes the Tenth Rank Yu Long Sword, three derivative Daoist Magic from the ¡°Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra¡± (the Universal Pure Tone Minor Illumination Technique, Shangyang Sword Qi, Supreme Jasper Spiritual Talisman, serving roles of healing, attack, and control respectively), and four types of Thunder Methods: Jade Pivot, North Pole, Immortal Capital, and Tai Yi. Ling Yunpo has available the Tenth Rank Qing Ping Sword, Tenth Rank Thunder Punishment Sword, along with various swordsmanship skills that are mastered, knowing, and familiar from different schools. On Luo Yan¡¯s side, what¡¯s available includes the Ninth Rank Peach Blossom Sword, Heaven-flipping Seal, Yu Huang Bell, and various elixirs, talisman scripts, formation devices, etc., accumulated over this period. All in all, it is clear that Qiu Changtian is following the Daoist Magic route, Ling Yunpo is on the swordsmanship route, and Luo Yan is on the Magical Treasure route. The three routes each have their advantages and disadvantages, there¡¯s no need to forcefully rank them. Additionally, there is the Immortal Law level Postnatal Five Elements Great Extermination Divine Light, serving as a trump card in reserve. Also, there¡¯s the Hundred Poison Golden Silkworm Gu (awaiting maturation), the ¡°Exorcising Superior Spirit Separating Clear from Turbid Scripture¡± (awaiting exploration of use), and an Ancient Times odd awl obtained from the secret realm of the Queen Mother of the West (awaiting appraisal), and so on¡­ I have too many cards in my hand! In the future, I can play whatever card I want! After doing the inventory, Qiu Changtian felt confident. It feels like I don¡¯t need to send out Ah Jing; I can continue to lay low as planned and slowly plot for the Heaven-Mending Stone fragments! ¡°Why are you always thinking of cutting corners?¡± the Kunlun Mirror said languidly, ¡°There are still nine hundred and ninety-nine years left until the celestial leak.¡± ¡°With all kinds of peerless talents in your possession, the assistance of the Qing Ping sword, and strategies I have designed for you to avoid fatal calamities and reap benefits¡­ If you still can¡¯t achieve Feather Transformation and ascend to immortality within a thousand years, you would have to be quite a waste.¡± ¡°Shut up, Ah Jing!¡± Qiu Changtian scolded, ¡°Forewarned is forearmed, don¡¯t you understand?¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°He who has great ambitions must consider every aspect. What¡¯s the point in doing something when you know it¡¯s impossible?¡± ¡°Yao Yao, don¡¯t bother with him,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword chuckled, ¡°From the beginning, he never really planned to sell you. He¡¯s just been repeatedly bringing it up to tease you.¡± ¡°Of course, I know,¡± the Kunlun Mirror huffed, ¡°This fellow is always so frivolous and mocking, truly detestable!¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t teasing you¡­¡± Qiu Changtian was just about to defend himself when he heard the voice of Xu Yinglian coming from outside the cave abode. ¡°Senior Brother, may I have a moment of your time?¡± Chapter 139 - Chapter 139: Chapter 1: Junior Sister Xu Doesn’t Want to Be Left Behind Chapter 139: Chapter 1: Junior Sister Xu Doesn¡¯t Want to Be Left Behind ¡°Immortal Execution Order?¡± Upon hearing Xu Yinglian¡¯s words, Qiu Changtian was somewhat bewildered. How did I suddenly end up on the hit list of a demon cult? ¡°Yes.¡± Xu Yinglian said in a deep voice, ¡°This time, it was jointly issued by Mortal Life Path, Nether Ghost Path, Heavenly Demon Path, and Eastern Emperor Path.¡± ¡°No matter if it¡¯s a demon cult cultivator or a loose cultivator, whoever kills you by any means can take the evidence to Mount Wutai to claim the reward.¡± Qiu Changtian pondered for a moment before asking, ¡°Aren¡¯t there two more Paths? What about Hell Path and Asura Path?¡± ¡°Hell Path has always been mysterious and never publicly walks the world, so naturally, they will not make a statement about this.¡± Xu Yinglian explained, ¡°As for Asura Path¡­ they generally do not issue hit orders, but they specialize in accepting such orders.¡± So the Asura Path is essentially an assassin organization! Qiu Changtian reluctantly thought and then asked, ¡°How substantial are the assassination rewards, approximately?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Xu Yinglian replied, ¡°Probably elixirs, Daoist magic, and the like.¡± ¡°In any case, for the time being, you¡¯d best not leave Kunlun, lest you become a target.¡± Qiu Changtian responded noncommitally, thinking how could he not leave the mountain? The synchronization value of the invincible character setting depends on taking my disciples out for training to accumulate. Senior Sister An¡¯s life-bound sword artifact would also require a journey far to the Southern Sea to find. Could it be that I have to send Luo Yan and Ling Yunpo out? But most of my skills are vested in Qiu Changtian! Unless one uses trump cards like the Five Elements Divine Light¡­ Seeing that Qiu Changtian was preoccupied, Xu Yinglian became somewhat indignant. How could you be so attached to going out for training? I think you¡¯re not trying to contribute to our sect but rather to show off in front of your junior brothers and sisters! Junior Sister Xu, with her Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart, had guessed Qiu Changtian¡¯s true intention and said with a chuckle, ¡°Senior brother should not underestimate the Demon Cult¡¯s Immortal Execution Order. The tricky part is that we have no idea how much the reward offered inside their ranks is.¡± ¡°If the Demon Cult truly sees senior brother as a significant threat to their future, they may offer an extravagant reward. Then it¡¯s possible that even Golden Core True Persons, and even Nascent Soul old freaks, might take on the job.¡± ¡°Senior brother certainly possesses the peerless talent of Daoist Heart Clarity, but after all, you¡¯re at the Marrow Cleansing Rank. Could you really transcend your rank to defeat cultivators of the Golden Core and Nascent Soul Realm?¡± This speech instantly sobered Qiu Changtian up. That¡¯s right! In the real world, unlike in novels, not all the big shots will kindly wait for you to develop your strength before making a move! Isn¡¯t it a common scenario to meet an insurmountable foe and be brutally snuffed out in your developmental phase? Even as someone as cautious as me, meticulously planning every step and being extremely careful, I¡¯ve already encountered death twice! The problem is that the taller the tree, the harder the wind blows! With Qiu Changtian¡¯s exceptional talent, quality, and experience, it would be quite reasonable and natural for the Demon Cult to use extreme measures to eliminate someone like him. At this thought, Qiu Changtian suddenly remembered the Ziwei Sect Leader¡¯s warning: ¡°¡­You have the peerless talent of Daoist Heart Clarity, which makes most of the hardships and dangers on the path of cultivation invisible to you. However, those unsolvable crises become even more perilous for you¡­¡± With a start, he finally fully awakened. It seems that the smooth experiences from countless times of training outside had made me develop an unconscious air of arrogance and complacency. Thank goodness for Junior Sister Xu¡¯s timely reminder! I¡¯d better stay in Kunlun and lay low for a while before considering my next move. Senior Sister An¡¯s life-bound sword artifact can be sought by Luo Yan, who has the least reputation and won¡¯t attract much attention. But what about the synchronization value of the invincible character setting? No other identity can replace Qiu Changtian in accumulating synchronization value! Without being able to go out for training, I can¡¯t set a good example for my junior brothers and sisters, and my synchronization value will definitely drop. What should I do¡­ Then, Qiu Changtian¡¯s gaze involuntarily shifted to Xu Yinglian. Hmm? Come to think of it, has the junior sister been somewhat negligent lately? Always laughing and joking around in front of me, as a cultivator, one should maintain dignity; how can she be so frivolous? Perhaps it¡¯s because I¡¯ve neglected her recently that she¡¯s become so lazy. It¡¯s an excellent opportunity to encourage her to be diligent and focus on her cultivation while I stay at Kunlun. Xu Yinglian, completely unaware, continued to earnestly persuade her senior brother: ¡°Senior brother, you¡¯ve also fought with Demon Cult cultivators before; you must know that the Demon Art is often bizarre and venomous, making them difficult to deal with even when they¡¯re at the same level.¡± ¡°The Heavenly Demon Path manipulates demonic heads, moving unseen; the Nether Ghost Path binds souls and refines corpses, unpredictable and strange; the Eastern Emperor Path commands beasts and controls insects, domineering and brutal; let alone the fierce monks of the Asura Path, each one bloodthirsty and not afraid of death.¡± ¡°If you recklessly venture out and are ambushed and beaten, dealing with one or two might still be manageable, but what if they come in groups? What if there are Golden Core cultivators among them?¡± ¡°I know your Thunder Method is divine, but after all, you only possess the cultivation level of Marrow Cleansing¡­¡± ¡°Refining Mansion rank,¡± Qiu Changtian suddenly interjected. ¡°What?¡± Xu Yinglian hadn¡¯t even reacted yet. ¡°A few days ago, with the help of the Pure Yuan Qi Pill, I have successfully reached the Refining Mansion rank,¡± Qiu Changtian said earnestly. Xu Yinglian was momentarily dazed, her mind filled with echoes of Qiu Changtian¡¯s voice saying, ¡°I have already reached Refining Mansion.¡± Qiu Changtian was nearly the same, with the reminder of [Invincible Character Setting, Synchronization Value +1] echoing in his head, so he went on to say: ¡°So, Junior Sister, you¡¯re absolutely right. The Refining Mansion stage is crucial for the process of forming the Elixir; it cannot be taken lightly.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve decided to stay in Kunlun to cultivate in seclusion and perfect my Purple Mansion.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s for the best¡­¡± Xu Yinglian was still somewhat bewildered, as if she couldn¡¯t accept the fact that she had ¡°suddenly been left far behind by her senior brother,¡± and just murmured subconsciously. ¡°How is Junior Sister¡¯s cultivation progressing?¡± Qiu Changtian smiled. Although it was a gentle smile, complemented by the aura of an invincible character setting, it looked like a sneer to Xu Yinglian. It felt as if a wave of anger was rising from her throat. She tried hard to suppress the negative emotions in her heart, when she suddenly heard Qiu Changtian say: ¡°Junior Sister Xu, I would like to make a bet with you.¡± ¡°What bet?¡± Xu Yinglian immediately looked up and glared, her voice also unavoidably rising in pitch. ¡°For ordinary cultivators, doesn¡¯t Marrow Cleansing take ten years?¡± Qiu Changtian said with a smile. After being with his junior sister for so long, he knew exactly how to shift her attention and stop her from obsessively dwelling on a single point: ¡°With your talent for the Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart and the aid of the Pure Yuan Qi Pill, let¡¯s cut that cultivation time in half. Five years, how about it?¡± ¡°Junior Sister, can you complete Marrow Cleansing within five years?¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t I!¡± Xu Yinglian¡¯s chest blazed with a fire, no longer filled with jealousy and unwillingness, but with a high-spirited flame of the will to fight, ¡°I don¡¯t even need five years!¡± ¡°Senior brother has Daoist Heart Clarity; since leaving the Pavilion, he only took two months to complete the Marrow Cleansing! Although my Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart can¡¯t compare with Daoist Heart Clarity, I don¡¯t need as long as five years, two years is more than enough!¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Qiu Changtian was nearly caught off guard by his own response: It took me two months to complete the Marrow Cleansing because of the Innate Sword Bone talent from Ling Yunpo, coupled with the Blood Sea Marrow Refining in the Shushan Demon Locking Tower¡ªit¡¯s the result of both these boosts! Without these ¡®cheat codes,¡¯ even someone with Daoist Heart Clarity couldn¡¯t complete Marrow Cleansing in two months! Before he could say anything else, he heard Xu Yinglian speaking decisively: ¡°If I can¡¯t complete Marrow Cleansing within two years, catch up with you, senior brother, then what dignity do I have to be the second senior sister?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to persuade me any further, senior brother; my mind is made up! Let¡¯s make it two years¡ªif I cannot enter the Refining Mansion, then I will¡­¡± ¡°Snap!¡± But it was Qiu Changtian who quickly covered her mouth, preventing her from rashly swearing a toxic oath with her Daoist Heart. Chapter 140 - Chapter 140: Chapter 2: 4 sub-accounts are already in progress Chapter 140: Chapter 2: 4 sub-accounts are already in progress After seeing off the somewhat shy but more resolute and ambitious Junior Sister Xu, Qiu Changtian returned to his cave dwelling and immediately reached out to the Kunlun Mirror. ¡°Marrow Cleansing in two years? How could that be possible!¡± the Kunlun Mirror exclaimed in disbelief. ¡°Could it be that she has some aid similar to the Kunlun Mirror?¡± ¡°What kind of Ah Jing does she have to help her!¡± Qiu Changtian said angrily. ¡°She just can¡¯t bear to fall too far behind me, so she is pushing herself into a corner in a desperate attempt to catch up! Such a foolish girl!¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± the Kunlun Mirror sighed. ¡°And why did you have to provoke her on purpose?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that setting a goal for her? Five years,¡± Qiu Changtian explained patiently. ¡°With the Pure Yuan Qi Pill and the Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart, if she really buckles down on her cultivation, there is still hope in five years.¡± ¡°Even if five years isn¡¯t enough, there¡¯s still the sixth year, or the seventh year.¡± ¡°Who could have imagined she would cut it down to two years? If I hadn¡¯t stopped her in time, she would have made a poisonous oath on her Daoist Heart!¡± ¡°You¡¯ve really brought disaster upon her,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said with a sigh. ¡°I haven¡¯t¡­ how have I brought disaster upon her?¡± Qiu Changtian retorted discontentedly. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the Daoist Heart Clarity you gave me, which corresponds to the Invincible Character Setting, would I have to pretend to be this ungratifying toughie of a Chief Disciple?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not my fault the template for the Invincible Character Setting was designed that way!¡± the Kunlun Mirror erupted in anger. ¡°Besides, why must you always provoke her? Don¡¯t you have other junior brothers and sisters?¡± ¡°Other junior brothers and sisters just aren¡¯t as adorable as Junior Sister Xu,¡± Qiu Changtian said helplessly. ¡°The same rhetoric, when spoken in front of them, would only be seen as normal by them, and the contribution of the Synchronization Value would be less.¡± ¡°But Junior Sister Xu would react in all kinds of shocked ways. In terms of contributing Synchronization Value, she alone is worth all those other junior brothers and sisters combined.¡± The Kunlun Mirror was at a loss for words for a moment. How could it not know what Qiu Changtian was talking about? It simply subconsciously thought that ¡°a gentleman should have things he does not do.¡± ¡°In the past, when it was possible to go out for trials, although the other fellow disciples didn¡¯t give as much Synchronization Value as Junior Sister Xu, there were more of them after all, so the total amount wasn¡¯t falling behind,¡± Qiu Changtian continued with a sigh. ¡°Now that I¡¯m wanted by the Demon Cult and it¡¯s inconvenient to go out for trials, and without any other excuse to organize the disciples to show off, I have to rely on Junior Sister Xu alone, don¡¯t I?¡± He clenched his teeth fiercely and continued, ¡°The maintenance of the Mirror Flower Water Moon cannot be given up lightly. At worst, I just need to study Junior Sister¡¯s character and temperament more carefully and try not to let her be affected by the Heart Demon in the process of gathering Synchronization Value!¡± ¡°This is not a long-term solution either,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said, then suddenly inspiration struck, ¡°Right, I¡¯ve stumbled upon a clue to the fourth fragment of the Heaven-Mending Stone.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Qiu Changtian raised an eyebrow. ¡°Are you opening a fourth alt account? Tell me, where¡¯s the location?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no specific location this time,¡± the Kunlun Mirror admitted. ¡°By screening the future timelines, I discovered that a fragment of the Heaven-Mending Stone seems to have ended up in the hands of the Hell Path of the Intercepting Cult.¡± ¡°The Hell Path?¡± Qiu Changtian asked in surprise. ¡°Is it the branch created in seclusion by the No Worries Holy Mother, who inherited the teachings of the Intercepting Cult after its downfall in ancient times?¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± the Kunlun Mirror confirmed gravely. ¡°After the final battle between the Clarify and Intercept sects, the Myriad Immortals Formation of the Intercept Cult was broken, resulting in their overwhelming defeat.¡± ¡°Knowing there was no hope left, Tongtian allowed his Direct Disciple, the No Worries Holy Mother, to leave the formation early to preserve the lineage of the Intercept Cult.¡± ¡°After her departure, to prevent the Clarify Cult from coveting and pursuing her, she hid from the world and broke off all karma with everything, thus shielding any divination attempts.¡± ¡°Since then, over ten thousand years have passed, and her direct teaching sect has gradually evolved into ¡®the Hell Path¡¯. The No Worries Holy Mother is revered as the ¡®Holy Mother No Worries¡¯, and the Sect Residence is hidden in the ¡®Home of the Void¡¯. They have always adhered to the principle of ¡®hiding from the mundane and cutting off karma¡¯ so secretive that today nobody knows where the Hell Path is or how many disciples walk the Mortal World.¡± ¡°Given that, how are we supposed to find it?¡± Qiu Changtian frowned. ¡°If even the karma has been shielded and divination is not possible, how are we to search?¡± ¡°I suggest you first find a way to infiltrate the Demon Cult, and then slowly look for clues about the whereabouts of the Hell Path,¡± Kunlun Mirror advised him. ¡°Among the Six Paths of the Demon Cult, the Mortal Life Path is the most extensive and complex, encompassing all sorts of beliefs from the Three Cults.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you previously obtain the legacy of Tai Yi from the Intercepting Cult, the ¡®Five Elements Severing Demons Profound Spirit Scripture¡¯? Isn¡¯t this the perfect opportunity to use it as a stepping stone to go to the Mortal Life Path and inquire about the whereabouts of the ¡®Tong Xuan Gate¡¯ he founded?¡± ¡°If you can successfully join the Tong Xuan Gate, you will have a foundation to then pursue the Hell Path.¡± ¡°It turns out it¡¯s still a gradual process, right?¡± Qiu Changtian said with a vacant look. ¡°Honestly, nearly ten thousand years have passed, and I really doubt whether this Tong Xuan Gate still exists.¡± ¡°No problem, you can first confirm it,¡± Kunlun Mirror said as it pulled out the character template from Mirror Flower Water Moon. ¡°How do you like this talent?¡± ¡°This is¡­¡± Qiu Changtian looked closely, ¡°Chaotic Demon Body? What kind of cultivation talent is this?¡± ¡°Since Pangu created heaven and earth, the pure qi rose to form heaven, and the murky qi sank to form the earth,¡± explained Kunlun Mirror. ¡°Humans walk on the ground, so their bodies contain more murky qi, about seventy percent.¡± ¡°And because they breathe air, they have thirty percent pure qi. The phrase ¡®all things carry yin and embrace yang,¡¯ with murky qi being yin and pure qi being yang, refers to this.¡± ¡°Since pure qi is nimble and murky qi is heavy, most paths of cultivation are about refining the murky to the pure. Even when undergoing the Feather Transformation to ascend as an immortal, whether one becomes an Earth Immortal, Heavenly Immortal, or Golden Immortal, it also depends on the residual murky qi in their body.¡± ¡°As for the Chaotic Demon Body, it is a constitution even rarer than ¡®Daoist Heart Clarity.¡¯ Its carrier¡¯s murky qi can flow freely just like pure qi, so there¡¯s no need to refine the murky into pure.¡± ¡°One could even reverse the process and refine the pure into murky, using the pure murky qi to condense and solidify True Yuan, which has unique effects not possessed by pure qi True Yuan.¡± Qiu Changtian listened with wide eyes: Using murky qi to condense True Yuan, is that even possible? You should know, the Qi Refining Rank involves refining the murky qi in the Dantian and meridians, and the Marrow Cleansing Rank is about purifying the residual murky qi in the marrow¡­ This murky qi is something that many low-rank cultivators detest deeply, and most people avoid food and water altogether after Fasting, fearing they might contaminate themselves with even a hint of murky qi. But on closer thought, it seems only the Orthodox Sects are so averse to murky qi. To my knowledge, although the cultivators of the Six Paths of the Demon Cult still base their cultivation on pure qi, they also refine murky qi into Demonic Qi, mainly storing it in Magic Artifacts and Flying Swords, to have unique methods of attack. For example, befouling Divine Sense and tarnishing Magical Treasures are things that pure qi cannot achieve. Now Ah Jing says, with a ¡°Chaotic Demon Body¡± constitution, one can use murky qi as the foundation of cultivation, which could significantly expand one¡¯s array of tricks. Thinking of this made Qiu Changtian¡¯s heart race, like a collector who had just seen an extremely rare artifact. ¡°It¡¯s just that¡­¡± he hesitated, ¡°although cultivation talents can be switched, the body is still the same.¡± ¡°If I accommodate too much Demonic Qi while in the Chaotic Demon Body state, could it affect my body when I switch back to other character settings?¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Generally speaking, it definitely would,¡± Kunlun Mirror said earnestly. ¡°Once you lose the Chaotic Demon Body, the murky qi in your body will slowly become inert, stubbornly remaining in the meridians and Qi Sea.¡± ¡°But don¡¯t you have the ¡®Five Elements Severing Demons Profound Spirit Scripture¡¯?¡± Qiu Changtian: ? Right! The ¡®Five Elements Severing Demons Profound Spirit Scripture¡¯ can transform the pure qi and murky qi in the body into each other! As long as I convert all the active Demonic Qi into Daoist Spiritual Energy while in the state of the Chaotic Demon Body, and then switch back to another character setting, wouldn¡¯t that resolve the issue? Chapter 141 - Chapter 141: Chapter 3 First, Create a New Folder Chapter 141: Chapter 3 First, Create a New Folder Having decided to use the Chaotic Demon Body template, Qiu Changtian looked again at the character requirements. ¡°Mysterious? What does that mean?¡± ¡°As the name implies, it means to make others unable to see through your strength, only to feel that you are as unreachable as towering mountains and unfathomably deep,¡± the Kunlun Mirror explained. ¡°Isn¡¯t that just an invincible character setting¡­¡± Qiu Changtian started to say, then caught on. Invincibility and mystery are actually quite different. An invincible character setting displays one¡¯s formidable strength, eliciting amazement, admiration, and envy from the surrounding audience. A mysterious character setting, as Ah Jing had mentioned, is about hiding one¡¯s formidable strength, inciting suspicion, wariness, and fear among the audience. The former is about actively showcasing, while the latter is about concealing and then inadvertently revealing just enough to scare the opponent, letting them imagine the extent of your power, thus demanding stricter requirements in terms of acting skill. ¡°Sigh, I¡¯ll try my best,¡± Qiu Changtian said as he closely inspected the character¡¯s appearance. The facial features were still his own, but the expression was serious, showing a commanding presence without anger. For comparison, he looked like Yue Buqun from either the 1996 Hong Kong or the 2001 Mainland version of ¡°The Swordsman¡±¡­ Qiu Changtian admired the Mirror Flower Water Moon Illusion Technique of Ah Jing so much that he was completely in awe. It was the same face, but just changes in hairstyle and demeanor could make him look like a totally different person. Even Teacher Tony couldn¡¯t achieve such a miracle, right? ¡°You¡¯re not meeting me for the first time,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said with a mixture of embarrassment and pride, ¡°Mirror Flower Water Moon, reality blended with illusion, changing in the blink of an eye. No one else in this world can do it but me.¡± ¡°Oh my, you truly live up to being my Ah Jing,¡± Qiu Changtian said with a beaming smile. ¡°Stop with the sweet talk,¡± the Kunlun Mirror changed the subject, ¡°Mount Wutai has been located, shall we teleport now?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not rush.¡± Perhaps due to Junior Sister Xu¡¯s reminder, Qiu Changtian realized he couldn¡¯t just barge in directly. The destination was Mount Wutai, the stronghold of the Demon Cult, and all three of his identities had lived among the Orthodox Sect for a long time, subtly adopting the manners and habits of an Orthodox Cultivator. If he revealed the slightest hint of his true identity within the Demon Cult, it might lead to a fatal disaster! The Demon Cult, unlike the face-conscious Orthodox Sect, often didn¡¯t require evidence; mere suspicion could result in a soul-searching and spirit-seizing fate. He must prepare his intelligence work in advance! So Qiu Changtian set out for the Scriptural Repository to look up information about the Six Paths of the Demon Cult. ¡­¡­¡­.. Meanwhile, over the past few days, Xu Yinglian had been sitting in her cave dwelling, ingesting a Pure Yuan Qi Pill and began guiding the True Qi to cleanse her marrow and forge her meridians. At Qi Refining Rank, one circulates the Qi Sea, engaging in Grand Circulation, while filling the Qi Sea, it is also necessary to cleanse all the turbid qi from the twelve meridians. The twelve meridians are the main channels for the flow of qi, akin to expressways with a high volume of traffic, hence they can be cleansed of turbid qi more easily. Beyond the twelve meridians, the human body also has the Eight Extraordinary Meridians, as well as various nooks and crannies within the marrow, resembling the provincial highways, secondary roads, and rural dirt paths. Since the rate of qi cleansing here is slower, one can only use brute force to grind away the turbid qi bit by bit. Of course, if one wants to quickly get through the Marrow Cleansing Rank, there are some cleverer methods. For example, the Pure Yuan Qi Pill can activate the blocked turbid qi, making it easier to be flushed out by the True Qi; another example is the Blood Pond Qi from the Demon Locking Tower, its level of refinement is countless times stronger than True Qi, making marrow cleansing extremely efficient. The most astonishing is Ling Yunpo¡¯s unparalleled innate talent ¡°Innate Sword Bone,¡± ensuring unimpeded and robust channels throughout the body, devoid of dead corners in the meridians, making cleansing of turbid qi instant when combined with the previous two methods. Although Xu Yinglian didn¡¯t have the latter two means, thankfully she had the Pure Yuan Qi Pill, which made her marrow cleansing efficiency much faster than her peers at the same Cultivation Realm. But as she continued to progress with the marrow cleansing, she gradually noticed something was amiss. This Pure Yuan Qi Pill, although it can help with Marrow Cleansing, its benefits are not exaggerated enough to ¡°complete Marrow Cleansing in two months¡± ¡ª it could at most reduce the time by forty to fifty percent. How could Senior Brother Qiu have completed Marrow Cleansing in two months? Could it be the additive effect of Daoist Heart Clarity? Attributing the gap in cultivation realms to a difference in innate talent for cultivation is naturally a time-and-effort-saving approach. But Junior Sister Xu, how proud she was, would never deceive herself in that regard. She knew that Daoist Heart Clarity referred to a clear and untroubled Daoist Heart, which enhances enlightenment, mental focus, and immunity to Heart Demons¡­ all of which are related to one¡¯s mentality. But what does Marrow Cleansing, which is about improving the Root Bone, have to do with mentality? It¡¯s like saying a star student scored perfect in physical education because his IQ is over 200, which is simply nonsense. Senior Brother must have some special techniques for Marrow Cleansing! If it were the early days when she had just started, Xu Yinglian would definitely have been stubborn. Knowing full well that Senior Brother had secret techniques, she would have refrained from asking, insisting on figuring them out herself. However, after a series of events such as becoming Daoist Companions, repairing her Daoist Heart, and braving secret realms together, Xu Yinglian still sought to surpass Senior Brother, but no longer regarded him as an adversary to be vigilantly guarded against. For any questions, I can just go and ask him! If Senior Brother can¡¯t answer, it just means he is scared! With that thought, Xu Yinglian got up, planning to find Senior Brother Qiu. Having just reached the entrance of her cave, her thoughts suddenly shifted and she went back into the stone chamber to look in the bronze mirror. In the mirror was the reflection of a celestial maiden with delicate features and an ethereal temperament, looking somewhat haggard around the eyes and eyebrows due to recent stress, which inadvertently added a certain frail beauty. Xu Yinglian stared into the mirror and slowly rubbed her forehead with her slender jade fingers, smoothing away all traces of knitted worry. Even though I am going to ask for advice, I cannot let Senior Brother realize that this is troubling me. Otherwise, he would think I am asking a favor of him, and his arrogance would only increase! Having adjusted her expression, Xu Yinglian then took a Youth Preserving Pill to ensure a radiant appearance before slowly stepping out. ¡°Senior Brother, are you there?¡± she called out at the entrance of Qiu Changtian¡¯s cave. A moment passed, but there was no response from inside. Xu Yinglian was frowning when she saw Fourth Junior Brother Yan Zhitui passing by, who casually reminded her: ¡°Are you looking for Eldest Senior Brother? He¡¯s been buried in studying at the Scriptural Repository these past few days.¡± ¡°The Scriptural Repository?¡± Xu Yinglian asked puzzledly. ¡°What is he doing there?¡± ¡°It seems he is looking up information from the Intercepting Cult,¡± Yan Zhitui said with a smile. Information from the Intercepting Cult¡­ With a little thought, Xu Yinglian understood what was going on. Presumably, Senior Brother was also worried about being hunted by the Demon Cult and had to research countermeasures in advance. In that case, Senior Brother actually has his weaknesses, such as an ordinary background, a shallow foundation of knowledge, and little understanding of the Immortal Cultivation World. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Faced with such sudden events, he can only cram last minute and urgently make up for the relevant knowledge¡­ Realizing this, Xu Yinglian had another bright idea: I can answer any knowledge about the outside world Senior Brother wishes to understand; as repayment, he must also answer my questions about Marrow Cleansing. This way, it wouldn¡¯t be just me asking him for a favor! Thinking this, she let go of all reservations and couldn¡¯t help but smile brightly. Chapter 142 - Chapter 142: Chapter 4 Then, look up some information. Chapter 142: Chapter 4 Then, look up some information. Kunlun Scripture Pavilion. Qiu Changtian sat beside the desk, focusing intently as he flipped through the scripture scrolls. The light streaming in from the window lattice fell on his peerlessly handsome profile, as if adding an exquisite golden rim. A few Kunlun female disciples hid by the bookshelves, ogling Chief Qiu with either infatuation or zeal. If this were modern times, girls would have been unable to restrain themselves from striking up a conversation. But after all, this was ancient times; even though cultivators generally did not adhere strictly to propriety, the notion of proactively flirting with strange men was non-existent. Xu Yinglian watched for a moment and felt a sudden sense of crisis in her heart, as if her senior brother was about to be stolen away. That¡¯s not right! It wasn¡¯t worry about her senior brother being snatched away, but rather that these senior and junior sisters didn¡¯t understand his true nature! Senior brother might seem perfect, but in reality, he is arrogantly conceited. If one doesn¡¯t have a certain breadth of mind, one would soon be driven crazy by his various words and actions. These sect members are only covetous of his external splendor, yet unaware of his inner despicability. How can I sit idly by? So she marched over assertively, sat down opposite Qiu Changtian, and along the way, threw a sharp glance toward the direction of the bookshelves. The Kunlun female disciples who were sneaking peeks at Qiu Changtian immediately scattered like caught mistresses, flying away in a flurry. ¡°Eh, Junior Sister Xu, why have you come?¡± Qiu Changtian looked up, first asking in surprise, and then as if he suddenly understood, he smiled with a ¡°So that¡¯s why¡± expression, ¡°Have you encountered some issues with Marrow Cleansing and want to ask me about it?¡± Seeing his ¡°Here to seek my advice again, aren¡¯t you?¡± smile, Xu Yinglian felt a nameless anger rise within her, and it took quite an effort to suppress it before she calmly said: ¡°I heard that senior brother has been researching the Intercepting Cult for several days?¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Qiu Changtian nodded calmly. ¡°Whatever you need to research, I can help,¡± Xu Yinglian offered directly. ¡°Mainly some history about the Demon Cult¡¯s Six Paths, as well as their current situation,¡± Qiu Changtian said with a hint of surprise. Why is Junior Sister Xu suddenly offering to help? Perhaps she¡¯s worried about me, her senior brother? After Xu Yinglian listened calmly, she went deeper into the Scriptural Repository, took a book from the shelf, opened it in front of Qiu Changtian, and began to explain: ¡°The Demon Cult¡¯s Six Paths, claiming to have inherited from the ancient Intercepting Cult, is not entirely accurate.¡± ¡°Hell Path, Heavenly Demon Path, Nether Ghost Path¡ªonly these three paths have inherited the Intercepting Cult¡¯s teachings. Among them, the Hell Path, inherited from the Immaculate Mother, should have the most complete teachings, but they generally do not appear in the mortal world, resulting in scant information.¡± ¡°The Heavenly Demon Path inherited from the Three Immortal Islands, the Nether Ghost Path from Skull Mountain; their teachings have become somewhat defective and warped. Overall, they exhibit an attitude of seeking quick success, undervaluing the foundation of cultivation and favoring aggressive magical attacks.¡± ¡°The Mortal Life Path, descended from former external disciples of the Intercepting Cult, itself encompasses numerous factions and a complex system, and it indiscriminately recruits all sorts of loose cultivators, resulting in a bloated and uneven state.¡± ¡°The Eastern Emperor Path was once a peripheral force of the Beast Taming Path. After completely destroying the Beast Taming Path and plundering its teachings, they claimed to continue the legacy of the Intercepting Cult. However, compared to the former grandeur of the Beast Taming Path, they are vastly inferior. There are also suspicions that the Eastern Emperor Path is actually a vanguard force planted in the mortal world by the Demon Realm, but there is no evidence to prove this yet.¡± ¡°As for the Asura Path, it is a doctrine that hails entirely from the West, arriving in Central Plains around the same time as Buddhism. They generally do not partake in the affairs of Central Plains but are known for their bravery and ferocity, accustomed to being the vanguard enforcers of the Demon Cult.¡± After Qiu Changtian listened patiently, he smiled and said: ¡°So it seems that the only ones we really need to worry about are the Heavenly Demon Path and the Nether Ghost Path, right?¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Xu Yinglian thought to herself, ¡°Worthy of brother,¡± and nodded, ¡°Hell Path does not concern itself with worldly affairs, Asura Path only knows slaughter, Eastern Emperor Path is all bark and no bite, Mortal Life Path is just a mess.¡± ¡°Those four sects do not possess the will or capability to unify the Demon Cult. Based on past experiences, the collective actions of the Demon Cult are mostly led by the Heavenly Demon Path or the Nether Ghost Path.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Qiu Changtian murmured, ¡°Currently, the Nether Ghost Path seems to be the most suspicious.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Xu Yinglian agreed, ¡°Do you remember the last incident at Long Mountain Vein?¡± ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, it must be the Nether Ghost Path who realized brother¡¯s enormous potential, and so they planned to eliminate brother ahead of time.¡± Qiu Changtian nodded his head, indicating his approval of his junior sister¡¯s speculation. Suddenly, another thought rose in his mind. Compared with the Nether Ghost Path, wasn¡¯t Marquis of Mount Tu more suspect? After all, during the last mission to the Demon Locking Tower, it was Qiu Changtian who single-handedly killed the Eastern Emperor Path¡¯s traitor within the Shushan Sect and alerted the higher-ups of the sect in advance. So it was possible that Marquis of Mount Tu, using the name of Eastern Emperor Path, had set a hefty bounty on him out of spite¡­ If he did not figure out who was behind all this, it would be like a fishbone stuck in his throat; it seemed he had to make a move on the fourth small account towards Mount Wutai. ¡°Junior Sister,¡± Qiu Changtian spoke gently, ¡°Why not tell me more about Hell Path and Mortal Life Path?¡± ¡°If Hell Path does not walk in the mortal world, how can everyone be sure that the teachings of Hell Path are still being passed down?¡± ¡°Why is Mortal Life Path such a mess? Do they not have a leader?¡± Xu Yinglian pondered for a moment and said: ¡°Although Hell Path does not show itself, it has special ways to communicate with Heavenly Demon Path, Nether Ghost Path, and Mortal Life Path.¡± ¡°Mortal Life Path, rather than a sect, is more like a loose alliance composed of a multitude of sects. The nominal leader is ¡®Hunyuan Sect¡¯ of Mount Wutai, but in reality, there are numerous factions within, and their opinions can hardly be unified.¡± ¡°Hunyuan Sect? What a bold name,¡± Qiu Changtian couldn¡¯t help but laugh. The term ¡°Hunyuan¡± refers to the state before Chaos, the origin of vital energy, ranking even above ¡°Acquired¡± and ¡°Innate¡±; the rank couldn¡¯t be any higher. The Daoist Magic of the Three Pure Ones from the Orthodox Sect, although long and pretentious in names, is generally chosen with caution. Terms like ¡°Hunyuan,¡± ¡°Great Void¡± and other highbrow words are rarely used recklessly. Other sects don¡¯t care so much, and even for entry-level cultivation techniques, they wish to stack up a super highbrow name. ¡°Even though it¡¯s called Hunyuan Sect, the disciples under its banner are all rather ordinary, so to maintain the overall strength of Mortal Life Path, they have to accept a large number of loose cultivators,¡± Xu Yinglian said with a chuckle, ¡°The price being the loss of leadership.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°If it weren¡¯t for Heavenly Demon Path and Nether Ghost Path acknowledging only Hunyuan Sect as the representative of Mortal Life Path, it might have been overturned by other paths, just like what happened with Beast Taming Path previously.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Qiu Changtian thought to himself. This Mortal Life Path seems to be a suitable place for infiltration. The thing spies fear most is a strong leader in the rival sect, who then conducts internal audits and strict investigations periodically¡­ A sect like Mortal Life Path, with no one in charge and no one minding the store, is simply a spy¡¯s paradise! Chapter 143 - Chapter 143: Chapter 5: The Witch Jiang Liyan Chapter 143: Chapter 5: The Witch Jiang Liyan After communicating with Junior Sister Xu in the Scriptural Repository for several days, Qiu Changtian had gained a basic understanding of the Six Paths of the Demon Cult. The ones most worthy of vigilance were naturally the Heavenly Demon Path and the Nether Ghost Path. The organizational structures within these two sects were tightly knit, with various Qimen techniques emerging endlessly. They required special attention. Next were the Eastern Emperor Path and the Asura Path. The former was akin to a cuckoo taking over the nest; it originated from a small sect with weak accumulation and had snatched some Daoist doctrines from the Beast Taming Sect; overall, their strength was still on the lower side. The latter was a bunch of killers, fierce in magical fights and murders but a complete mess in other aspects. The largest in scale was the Mortal Life Path; yet, the weakest in overall strength was also the Mortal Life Path, like a dragon without a head. After organizing the intelligence, Qiu Changtian seriously thanked Junior Sister Xu and then left the Scriptural Repository. Xu Yinglian beamed with a triumphant smile, returning to her cave dwelling only to remember: Wait a second, I was supposed to ask my senior brother why the Marrow Cleansing was so fast, not to help him collect intelligence! On Qiu Changtian¡¯s side, he returned to his cave dwelling and instructed the Kunlun Mirror, saying: ¡°Ah Jing, what do you think I should name my fourth persona?¡± ¡°Wei Dongliu, how about that?¡± the Kunlun Mirror suggested and asked. ¡°That name has a bit of dominance,¡± Qiu Changtian said skeptically, ¡°How did you come up with it? It feels like you haven¡¯t even thought it through.¡± ¡°Thinking of a name is not really a difficult task,¡± the Kunlun Mirror replied, ¡°If you don¡¯t like the name Wei Dongliu, there are others like Yue Nantian, Yan Chang¡¯an, Tang Wanzhong, and Xue Dinglu¡­¡± ¡°All right, all right, let¡¯s go with Wei Dongliu,¡± Qiu Changtian considered briefly, feeling that they were all quite similar, and interrupted its litany, ¡°Then it¡¯s Wei Dongliu, teleport!¡± The Kunlun Mirror then spoke solemnly: [Location Four: Mount Wutai, Nanliang Gully.] [Identity: Wei Dongliu.] [Mirror Flower Water Moon Template overlay, undergoing time-space travel.] When Wei Dongliu opened his eyes again, he found himself in the midst of the mountains. Compared to the snow-capped peaks of Kunlun and the islands of Penglai, the environment of Mount Wutai was closer to that of Shushan, with undulating terrain and densely forested hills. However, in comparison, the mountains of Shushan were steeper, whereas Mount Wutai was slightly gentler, and the trees were more cold-resistant and sparse. Wei Dongliu trekked along the mountain path and came across a few woodcutters. ¡°Excuse me,¡± he called to the woodcutters, ¡°to visit the immortals of Mount Wutai, is it in this direction?¡± The woodcutters exchanged glances for a moment, then one of them spoke up: ¡°Deep within Mount Wutai, indeed, there are some who practice cultivation, but most of them are not easily dealt with.¡± ¡°If they take a liking to you and accept you as a disciple, that¡¯s fine; but if they find you disagreeable, I¡¯m afraid you might even lose your life.¡± ¡°Young man, I see you also come from a decent family. It¡¯s better to stop here and not venture deeper.¡± Wei Dongliu sincerely thanked them and then continued climbing upward. The woodcutters shook their heads and sighed as they saw his determination to proceed. After almost two hours, he suddenly heard an ethereal singing from up ahead. The voice was soft and sweet, but it was sung in dialect, incomprehensible. Wei Dongliu narrowed his eyes slightly, sensing that the voice seemed to carry an attack from an illusion technique. Not daring to go further, he looked around and chose to take another mountain path that veered away from the source of the sound, thinking to himself that the woodcutters had indeed not been wrong. If an ordinary person heard this singing, they would surely be mesmerized by the illusion within it, foolishly seeking the source of the sound, and what fate befell them need not be mentioned. After about a quarter of an hour, the singing abruptly stopped. Wei Dongliu continued on his way and reached a turn in the mountain stairs, only to see a small pavilion ahead. A copper pot was propped up on the stone table in the pavilion, bubbling with cooking ingredients. Next to it sat a young girl in purple clothes, who looked to be no more than twenty years old, staring blankly at the flames beneath the pot with her cheek propped on her hand. Wei Dongliu¡¯s brows furrowed slightly, and he was about to bypass the area when he heard the other party gazing at the pot and saying: ¡°Since you¡¯ve come this far, why not come closer and have a chat?¡± ¡°` ¡°I fear I may be a bother,¡± Wei Dongliu said with a cupped-fist salute, swiftly making a distinction in his mind. The voice of this purple-clad young lady was identical to the singing they had heard earlier! ¡°No trouble at all,¡± the young lady in purple lifted her head, suddenly revealing a bright and beautiful smile. Her eyes were large, but the corners were slightly upturned, characteristic of peach blossom eyes. Even without any expression, there was always a trace of enchantment in her glances. Her nose was small and delicate, and her mouth¡¯s corners curved slightly upward, ¡°not speaking yet smiling,¡± always stirring fanciful thoughts without end. In the art of physiognomy, such features belonged to ¡®beauties who bring disaster,¡¯ exquisite on the surface but often cunning and tricky, capable of leading to unrest at home. Wei Dongliu therefore became extremely vigilant, ensuring there were no formations hidden around the pavilion before carefully stepping inside and sitting down opposite the girl in purple. ¡°May I know your esteemed name?¡± he asked. ¡°My surname is Jiang,¡± the girl said with a sweet smile, ¡°My name is Li An, what¡¯s yours?¡± That smile was full of allure, intermingled with illusion techniques, aimed directly at bewitching the mind. Ordinary cultivators who fell for it would become deeply infatuated, their feelings for her maxing out instantly. They would be led astray by her few words, willing to walk through fire and water for her. Although Wei Dongliu did not possess the talent of Daoist Heart Clarity, it was fortunate that the Kunlun Mirror was the master of illusions. He dispersed the illusions right away and quickly notified Wei Dongliu. Realizing he¡¯d been attacked by her illusion techniques again, Wei Dongliu slightly narrowed his eyes as a hint of murderous intent arose within him. Jiang Liyan: ? The appearance of this man when he narrowed his eyes reminded her of a very dangerous person she had met before¡­ She steeled her mind, nonchalantly withdrawing the illusion technique, and smiled, ¡°Is it inconvenient to disclose your name?¡± ¡°I am Wei Dongliu.¡± ¡°So, it¡¯s Cultivator Wei,¡± Jiang Liyan said with a smile, her thoughts secretly turning. ¡°Wei Dongliu¡± might not be his real name, but ¡°Jiang Liyan¡± was actually a pseudonym; the last character of her real name was not ¡°Li An¡±. Because in the Intercepting Cult, there were innumerable unusual techniques, including secret incantations based on a person¡¯s name, like the famous Seven-Arrow Nail Head Scripture from ancient times¡­ Of course, those secret techniques had all been lost over time, but to be on the safe side, the Heavenly Demon Path still required its disciples to keep their true names hidden, using pseudonyms even within the sect. ¡°From whence do you hail, Cultivator Wei, and why have you come to Mount Wutai?¡± Jiang Liyan asked with a glowing smile. ¡°I am but a loose cultivator,¡± Wei Dongliu said seriously, ¡°Many years ago, I chanced upon an opportunity left by a predecessor, and now I am here in search of my sect.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Jiang Liyan immediately understood, ¡°May I ask which sect you are seeking?¡± ¡°Tong Xuan Gate,¡± Wei Dongliu replied, ¡°Reportedly a sect left over from the ancient Intercepting Cult.¡± Jiang Liyan paused for a moment then burst into laughter, ¡°Are you serious, Cultivator Wei?¡± ¡°Why do you ask?¡± Wei Dongliu inquired with surprise. ¡°That one you speak of should be the Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect, once a leading force of the Mortal Life Path, but it perished and its lineage was cut off four thousand years ago,¡± Jiang Liyan said with a smile, ¡°If it weren¡¯t so, the Mortal Life Path wouldn¡¯t have fallen into such a state.¡± The Tong Xuan Gate was gone? Wei Dongliu felt a dull heaviness in his thoughts. Although he was mentally prepared, hearing the news so abruptly still irritated him. ¡°If you are searching for that Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect, then I¡¯m afraid you have indeed come too late,¡± seeing his somber expression, Jiang Liyan feigned sorrow as she sighed and said: ¡°Not to mention the lineage of the Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect, even the outer disciples died fully during the sect-destroying catastrophe. The sect¡¯s Daoist techniques and Magical Treasures are also gone¡­ Even if something miraculously remained in some ruins, after four thousand years they would have been looted nearly clean.¡± ¡°All that¡¯s left is perhaps the name, which some ignorant loose cultivator sects have improperly adopted.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°However, I can assure you, these so-called ¡®Tong Xuan Gate¡¯ factions have no hereditary connection to the original Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect.¡± ¡°You might as well start your own Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect, Cultivator Wei. I wager it would be more authentic than theirs,¡± Jiang Liyan said, her smile tinged with disdain as she shook her head. ¡°I see,¡± Wei Dongliu mused for a long while, then said, ¡°It seems that to revive my master¡¯s legacy, I have no choice but to reestablish the Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect myself.¡± Jiang Liyan: ??? ¡°` Chapter 144 - Chapter 144: Chapter 6: What Can Be Done If He Cannot Be Persuaded? Chapter 144: Chapter 6: What Can Be Done If He Cannot Be Persuaded? ¡°Are you serious, Daoist Brother?¡± Jiang Liyan asked in astonishment. ¡°How could I jest?¡± Wei Dongliu replied earnestly. ¡°Has Daoist Brother reached Core Formation?¡± Jiang Liyan inquired. ¡°Not yet,¡± Wei Dongliu responded, ¡°As far as I¡¯m aware, for a Loose Cultivator to establish a Sect within the Mortal Life Path, one only needs to be at the Refining Mansion stage of cultivation.¡± ¡°Although that¡¯s the rule, a Sect founded by a Refining Mansion stage Loose Cultivator is nothing but cannon fodder in the Mortal Life Path,¡± Jiang Liyan reminded him. Wei Dongliu simply smiled slightly, without replying, he stood up, bowed ceremoniously, and then gracefully departed. Jiang Liyan watched his figure disappear at the end of the mountain road. After a long while, she slightly narrowed her eyes. This man constantly claimed to be a Loose Cultivator who had fortuitously received the inheritance of the Tong Xuan Gate. Yet, how could an ordinary Refining Mansion stage cultivator have possibly withstood her Heavenly Demon Marvelous Sound Technique just now? Furthermore, he intended to establish his Sect¡­ Who doesn¡¯t know that Sects founded by Refining Mansion stage cultivators in the Mortal Life Path are no better than third-rate organizations? Unless this man¡¯s actual cultivation level far surpassed that of average Refining Mansion stage Loose Cultivators, then it would make sense for him to withstand the Heavenly Demon Marvelous Sound Technique, as well as his plans to rebuild the Tong Xuan Gate. Thinking this, she felt a sense of curiosity and anticipation rise within her. Picking up her chopsticks and dipping them into the copper pot to pick up a slice of fish, Jiang Liyan¡¯s eyes curved into crescent moons as she chewed carefully. She had thought that her time in the Taihang Mountains was exceedingly dull, but unexpectedly she had encountered such an intriguing person. How marvelous, indeed marvelous! Meanwhile, after leaving the pavilion, Wei Dongliu continued walking up the mountain, when he heard the Kunlun Mirror in his Sea of Consciousness asked: ¡°Why have you suddenly decided to start your Sect?¡± ¡°The Tong Xuan Gate has already fallen,¡± Wei Dongliu spoke indifferently, ¡°If I join another Sect, with the temperament and practices of the Demon Cult, my life and death will ultimately be at the mercy of a master.¡± ¡°If I could ascertain that a piece of the Heaven-Mending Stone is within a certain Sect, I would endure the humiliation and remain hidden among them. But now, I¡¯m merely investigating news about the Hell Path, so why take such a huge risk? Establishing my own Sect would be safer.¡± The Kunlun Mirror pondered for a moment before speaking: ¡°What you say is not without reason.¡± ¡°What do you mean ¡®not without reason¡¯? This is the most rational course of action, okay?¡± Wei Dongliu replied disdainfully, ¡°I won¡¯t waste more words with you, this foolish mirror. I must hurry and attend to important matters.¡± After another hour passed, Wei Dongliu arrived at the Affairs Office of Mount Wutai. The so-called Sect Affairs Office is generally located at the outermost part of the Sect Residence, to facilitate interaction with the external mines, medicine gardens, and branch residences. Of course, even at the outermost part, there are usually patrolling disciples responsible for security, not allowing individuals from other Sects to enter without permission. That Wei Dongliu, a mere Loose Cultivator, could even reach the doorstep of the Affairs Hall without encountering a single disciple to question his identity, this demonstrated just how lax the discipline and system within the Mortal Life Path really were. ¡°Excuse me,¡± he approached the counter and knocked on the tabletop, ¡°What is the procedure to establish a Sect?¡± The Mortal Life Path deacon looked up, glancing at him with slight surprise: ¡°You want to establish a Sect?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What cultivation level has Daoist Brother achieved?¡± ¡°Refining Mansion stage.¡± ¡°That will cost ten Intermediate Grade Spirit Stones.¡± Wei Dongliu: ¡­¡­¡­ Now they were asking for money. Luckily, both Qiu Changtian and Luo Yan weren¡¯t short on money; he took out a large Intermediate Grade Spirit Stone and handed it over. The deacon took the Jade Slip, lifted his writing brush, and asked: ¡°The name of the Sect?¡± ¡°Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect,¡± Wei Dongliu replied. ¡°If Daoist Brother really insists on this name, then this would be the thirty-third Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect registered here,¡± the deacon said, having found him to have a pleasant appearance and a neither servile nor overbearing attitude, and since he handed over the money readily, he gave him an extra reminder, ¡°Nowadays, there are too many Sects with ¡®Tong Xuan¡¯ in their name, which may not be advantageous for gaining fame. Has Daoist Brother given this proper thought?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve made up my mind.¡± Wei Dongliu nodded and said. ¡°Okay.¡± The deacon wrote two plaques, keeping one and handing the other to Wei Dongliu, saying, ¡°With this, your sect is now officially registered and becomes an affiliate of our Mortal Life Path.¡± ¡°As for matters concerning the selection of your sect residence and recruitment of disciples, you will need to resolve them on your own. Our Affairs Office is only responsible for registration.¡± Wei Dongliu heard this and couldn¡¯t help but laugh. What a setup, even in my previous life¡¯s franchise agreements, at least some technology and raw materials were provided to the franchisee. You, Mortal Life Path, give nothing but a ¡°nominal protection right¡± and still charge me an intermediate grade spirit stone? ¡°Then, the principles for selecting the sect residence¡­¡± he had just begun to speak when he heard the deacon point to the Taihang Mountains map on the wall, saying, ¡°Those marked with vermilion are already occupied by sects. You just need to choose an unclaimed area.¡± Wei Dongliu looked at the map again, only to see it densely dotted with marks drawn in vermilion. Overall, the closer one got to the main ridge line of the Taihang Mountains (that is, the direction of the Dragon Vein), the more abundant the spiritual energy, the denser the marked areas. Many circles even overlapped, suggesting that these areas were shared by two sects. The amount of bitter conflicts and struggles, both overt and covert, behind this was self-explanatory. He was staring at the map, lost in thought, when suddenly a pleasant and enchanting female voice rang out beside him: ¡°If fellow Daoist is looking for a place to start a sect, we have some vacancies near Tongtian Gorge.¡± Wei Dongliu turned his head and who else could it be but the witch Jiang Liyan, who had previously tested him with an illusion technique? ¡°To think it¡¯s Fellow Daoist Jiang!¡± The deacon recognized her as well, a hint of fear flashing in his eyes. He bowed and took a half-step back, saying, ¡°If the Heavenly Demon Path doesn¡¯t mind, then there¡¯s no issue.¡± ¡°Tongtian Gorge?¡± Wei Dongliu expressed his slight surprise. ¡°Right here.¡± Jiang Liyan flicked her right hand, and a stream of starlight flew out from her sleeve. It was a silver needle that she then nailed directly onto the map. Wei Dongliu focused and saw that it was a location south of the Taihang Mountains, surrounded by a large area of blank space not circled in vermilion. ¡°Fellow Daoist Jiang.¡± He pondered for a moment before asking, ¡°That area near Tongtian Gorge¡­¡± Jiang Liyan didn¡¯t let him finish, cutting straight to the point: ¡°The terrain is extraordinary, and the river is vigorous, making it a splendid place full of spiritual energy. An ancient Intercepting Cult powerhouse once lived there. It¡¯s a perfect place for starting a sect.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Wei Dongliu nodded, ¡°Such an Immortal Sect wonderland, why hasn¡¯t any other sect settled there?¡± ¡°Because the Heavenly Demon Path¡¯s branch residence in the Taihang Mountains is in Tongtian Lake.¡± Jiang Liyan¡¯s face was all smiles, ¡°Those weak, unsupported common loose cultivators naturally fear the Heavenly Demon Path as they would scorpions or tigers, and they would rather avoid me than to get close.¡± ¡°Then why does Fellow Daoist Jiang invite me over?¡± Wei Dongliu also smiled, ¡°After all, I am merely a loose cultivator.¡± ¡°You are different, Fellow Daoist Wei.¡± Jiang Liyan stepped closer, pressing her body close, and spoke in a charming voice, ¡°I took a liking to you at first sight. If you could settle down in Tongtian Gorge, where we could see each other day and night, I would be more than satisfied.¡± She pressed very near, as if about to cling to him. Before they even touched, a refreshing fragrance wafted to Wei Dongliu¡¯s nostrils. The Kunlun Mirror spoke irritably: ¡°This fragrance is mixed with an illusion technique! Does this demoness have her eyes on you, or what? Find a chance and deal with her quickly!¡± ¡°Ah Jing, be patient.¡± Wei Dongliu allowed her to press closer, merely whispering, ¡°If it¡¯s just an illusion attack, it means she¡¯s only testing me. There¡¯s no need to fall out with the Heavenly Demon Path just yet.¡± ¡°I think you¡¯re enjoying her tests!¡± the Kunlun Mirror said indignantly. While he was communicating with the Kunlun Mirror, Jiang Liyan stopped just as she was about to press against him. Seeing that his expression remained clear, she couldn¡¯t help but be secretly shocked. The Heavenly Demon¡¯s wonderful sound technique failed to achieve, but how could her sprayed Ghostly Illusion Water not confuse him? Could this man¡­ Could this man be at the Golden Core Realm?! No, that¡¯s not right. The Ghostly Illusion Water is a strange object that confuses the divine sense. Even a Golden Core True Person, unless having taken an antidote in advance or using a cultivation technique to neutralize the effect, would be at risk of being affected. How could he be so indifferent as if the Ghostly Illusion Water didn¡¯t exist at all? With various shocks in her heart, her mouth kept up the act, smiling: Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Would you honor me with your company, Fellow Daoist Wei?¡± Wei Dongliu pondered for a moment, and just then, the Kunlun Mirror suddenly reminded him: [Mysterious persona, Synchronization Value +1.] This witch is really adorable! Wei Dongliu was thrilled. Honor your company, of course, I¡¯ll honor your company! Chapter 145 - Chapter 145: Chapter 7: Establishing a Sect in Shiping Mountain Chapter 145: Chapter 7: Establishing a Sect in Shiping Mountain The Heavenly Demon Cult¡¯s base in the Taihang Mountains was located on an artificial island at the center of Tongtian Lake, and their palace was called ¡®Biyun Palace¡¯. Legend had it that an ancient Intercepting Cult powerhouse once stayed here for some time, and his hermitage was called a similar name. Immortals, although they may live as long as the heavens, cannot stay in the mortal world forever. Today, aside from a few junior immortals, those ancient powerhouses have all left this realm, so when the Heavenly Demon Path named this place, it also implied a tribute to the ancients. Inside Biyun Palace, Jiang Liyan was chatting with her eldest senior sister about Wei Dongliu¡¯s matters. ¡°Golden Core True Person?¡± her eldest senior sister, Ai Zhenzhi, laughed scornfully, ¡°You really dare to dream!¡± ¡°Would a loose cultivator who manages to reach the Core Condensation Realm not be aware of our Heavenly Demon Path¡¯s formidable aspect? And still be foolishly lured to Tongtian Gorge by you?¡± ¡°If senior sister doesn¡¯t believe me, you could accompany junior sister later to investigate Wei Dongliu¡¯s background?¡± Jiang Liyan suggested with a smiling face. ¡°What¡¯s there to investigate?¡± Ai Zhenzhi waved her hand impatiently, ¡°Such foolish loose cultivators are a dime a dozen in the Taihang Mountains. If you lure one in, should I deal with each one of them? Should I take your place as the eldest senior sister and handle these trifling characters?¡± ¡°Why would senior sister say such things?¡± Jiang Liyan immediately burst into tears, wiping her eyes as she said, ¡°junior sister truly didn¡¯t mean it that way. I will handle this matter right away and dare not trouble senior sister¡­¡± As she stood up and weepingly walked out, Ai Zhenzhi just watched her back with cold eyes, not saying a word to retain her. Once Jiang Liyan left Biyun Palace, she wiped away the remaining tears on her face, revealing an almost cold expression. It was within her expectations that her eldest senior sister, Ai Zhenzhi, would refuse to take action. The reason was simple: now that their master was in the East Sea and there were no Golden Core Realm cultivators in Biyun Palace, if Wei Dongliu was indeed a Golden Core True Person, Ai Zhenzhi would have no chance against him. By requesting Ai senior sister to probe into his background, it would naturally make Ai Zhenzhi suspicious of deceit, leading her to be cautious of Wei Dongliu. This way, a foundation for pitting the two against each other would be established. Honestly, Jiang Liyan hoped more that Wei Dongliu could kill Ai Zhenzhi rather than Ai Zhenzhi successfully getting rid of Wei Dongliu. After all, if it was the latter, most of Wei Dongliu¡¯s heritage would be taken by Ai Zhenzhi, and Jiang Liyan would get nothing out of it¡ªthough she would definitely clear herself entirely of the situation, ensuring she suffered no losses. But if it was the former and Ai Zhenzhi died, who would take the position of the eldest senior sister? Clearly, it would lead to a fierce struggle among all the senior and junior sisters, even to a bloody turmoil! Being the youngest and weakest disciple of the master, Jiang Liyan had virtually no chance of climbing to the position of the eldest senior sister through normal means. Only in chaos lay her sole ladder to promotion. Having considered her plan again, Jiang Liyan once more rose on her flying sword and headed towards Shiping Mountain on the opposite side of Long Qu Water. At the very top of Shiping Mountain, Wei Dongliu was surveying the surrounding terrain. The spiritual energy here was quite abundant, only the bare mountain top without flowers or trees was too ugly to look at. However, Qiu Changtian was accustomed to living in the desolate snow peaks of Kunlun, so Wei Dongliu rode the sword light, flying around Shiping Mountain, looking for a suitable spot to excavate a cave dwelling. The flying sword he was currently using was a Ninth Rank Wood System Flying Sword from the Kunlun Sword Pavilion, called ¡®Green Bamboo¡¯. This sword was neither sharp nor heavy, but it was capable of creating many duplicates. There was no limit to the number, yet it consumed the Sword Master¡¯s True Yuan. As long as the Sword Master had True Yuan, he could create an endless number of flying swords, each with the capability to harm, making it a rather peculiar Wood System Flying Sword. Finding a stream, he saw Jiang Liyan flying over from the opposite side, with a mischievous smile she said: ¡°Have you found a location, Wei Fellow Cultivator?¡± ¡°Not yet,¡± Wei Dongliu said indifferently, ¡°To set up a Spirit Gathering Array, the spiritual energy here isn¡¯t sufficient. It would be best to find a place close to an earth vein.¡± Jiang Liyan¡¯s eyes widened, growing increasingly astonished. A Spirit Gathering Array is used to collect all the surrounding spiritual energy into the cultivator¡¯s retreat, enhancing the efficiency of their breathing exercises. For the Three Pure Ones of the Orthodox Sect and the Six Paths of the Demon Cult, a Spirit Gathering Array is naturally basic, but for a Loose Cultivator, it¡¯s a luxury that¡¯s out of reach. Not to mention anything else, even if you have enough Spirit Stones, do you have the connections to find an Array Master to set up and maintain a Spirit Gathering Array for you? Those who can set up a Spirit Gathering Array, even if not from a great sect, are absolutely core figures within small and medium-sized sects! Just who is this Wei Dongliu? As Wei Dongliu spoke, he suddenly heard [Mysterious Character Setup, Synchronization Value +1] and was puzzled. ¡°If you¡¯re looking for a place rich in spiritual energy, I do know of one,¡± said Jiang Liyan with a smile. She maneuvered the Sword Light, taking Wei Dongliu down into the mountain¡¯s foothills, through the forest, and then, after several twist and turns, they slipped into a rocky peak. After navigating through the narrow rocky peak for a while, the view suddenly opened up dramatically. It turned out that inside Shiping Mountain, there was a huge space. A mountain stream cascaded down, pooling into a lake at the valley floor before pouring into the underground water system. Daylight also fell through the narrow gaps at the top, lighting up the valley, and a clear breeze seeped out from cracks in the rocky peak, making the valley well-ventilated. With light, water, and air, the moist soil by the lake sprouted a vast array of wildflowers and grasses. Even in the center of the daylight, at a damp spot by the lake shore, a wild peach tree grew, its branches rough and knotty but robust and thriving. Wei Dongliu was delighted at the sight, very satisfied with this ¡°hidden path to a secluded spot¡± and ¡°another world within,¡± while Jiang Liyan was somewhat reluctant to part with it. After all, she had discovered this secret inner territory by happenstance, and although it had no relics, the scenery was uniquely appealing, making her linger and forget to return. But now, in order to prevent Wei Dongliu¡¯s existence from being exposed too soon, she had no choice but to contribute it, to serve as the site for Tong Xuan Gate¡¯s Sect Residence¡­ However, it didn¡¯t matter, as she could still come to play often. As long as Wei Dongliu established his sect here, took in disciples, and later had a conflict with Sister Ai, he wouldn¡¯t be able to just walk away without a care. In any case, the first step was to keep this ¡°supposedly eminent person¡± tied down here! Wei Dongliu, unaware of her thoughts, only knew that this Demon Head Ah Jing looked sweet and attractive, contributed to his Synchronization Value, and found him a suitable Sect Residence¡­ How could she be any female demon head? She was simply a bosom friend to Wei Dongliu! Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°You¡¯re really foolish,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said earnestly, ¡°How could she possibly help you wholeheartedly? She must have ulterior motives!¡± ¡°Then aren¡¯t you helping me wholeheartedly, too, Ah Jing?¡± Wei Dongliu laughed, ¡°You better not have any ulterior motives.¡± The Kunlun Mirror almost spat blood in response: This is a transaction of interests, alright! And even though we are allies of interest, it doesn¡¯t stop me from brewing the right moment to backstab you, let alone this female demon head! You don¡¯t even know what she wants from you; how can you trust her so easily?! Chapter 146 - Chapter 146: Chapter 8: First Take a Senior Disciple Chapter 146: Chapter 8: First Take a Senior Disciple It took Wei Dongliu several days to finally finish setting up the formation. First was the Valley Protection Formation, which enveloped the entire mountain valley in its embrace. Its function was to temporarily trap the enemy, preventing them from locating his position. At that time, as long as he presided over the Valley Protection Formation and then pulled out the Postnatal Five Elements Great Extermination Divine Light to slash wildly at the opposition, even a Golden Core True Person would lose a layer of skin. Next was the passageway formation, covering the entrance to this rocky peak, with the purpose of concealing the entrance and confusing the enemy, making them unable to find the rocky peak¡¯s entrance, or mistaking it for a dead end. After setting up the formation, he began to build housing. The style and distribution of the housing followed the pattern of the ancient Intercept Cult beneath the Wuzhi Archipelago. The central area near the lakeshore¡¯s moist depression was designated for the cultivation of spirit flowers and grasses. The surrounding area had disciples¡¯ residences, storage rooms, elixir rooms, meditation chambers, and even prisons and so on. In Cultivation sects, the task of building houses was usually entrusted to mortals. If it was a small sect unwilling to spend money, they would have to let their own disciples do the work, but without wood system or earth system Daoist techniques, cultivators weren¡¯t much faster at building houses. However, if one used the Five Elements Divine Light, it only took a gentle sweep to freely control the growth of wooden trunks and the rise of the earth into walls ¨C it was incredibly convenient. After advancing to the Refining Mansion stage, True Qi transforming into condensed True Yuan, the Five Elements Ultimate Extermination Divine Light could finally exhibit at least its minimum might ¡ª at least not like before, when a few seconds of use would completely deplete the Qi Sea. With the infrastructure complete, Wei Dongliu prepared to go out and find some disciples to fill his ranks. The identity of Wei Dongliu was not for infiltrating any sect, but for collecting intelligence on the Hell Path. Doing it alone was definitely not enough. He needed to recruit a batch of disciples first, and then use their social circles to maximize the channels of information. Leaving the valley and walking into the rocky peak, Wei Dongliu was surprised to see Jiang Liyan standing in the center of the rocky peak¡¯s passage, her expression calm and alert as she watched her surroundings. So she was trapped by the formation¡­ huh, why does she seem familiar? After pondering for a moment, he remembered that Shi Liuli had once been trapped by his formation in the same way on an overseas deserted island. Only, Miss Shi had been panic-stricken, running around wildly; whereas Jiang the Witch remained calm and cautiously observed her surroundings. This alone showed that Jiang the Witch¡¯s experience in battle was far richer than Miss Shi¡¯s by more than a thousandfold. Wei Dongliu waved his hand and dispelled the formation, only to see Jiang Liyan look over, her expression revealing a trace of relief and¡­ resentment? ¡°Wei Daoist friend,¡± she quickly hid her negative emotions, smiling sweetly again, ¡°was that a formation just now?¡± ¡°Just some minor tricks,¡± Wei Dongliu said indifferently. ¡°I never expected that the Tong Xuan Gate¡¯s legacy would include knowledge of formations,¡± Jiang Liyan remarked half seriously and half mockingly, ¡°I fell into the formation without a sound, and couldn¡¯t find a single flaw. If Wei Daoist friend hadn¡¯t taken action to save me, I might have been completely at others¡¯ mercy.¡± ¡°As Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect is named, it naturally incorporates a wide array of strengths,¡± Wei Dongliu patiently explained, ¡°Daoist magic, swordsmanship, formations, and strange objects¡ªI understand a bit of each.¡± Jiang Liyan¡¯s mind stirred, secretly thinking: Although Wei Dongliu has received the Intercept Cult inheritance, why does his speech have the rigid style of the Clarify Cult? We in the Intercept Cult don¡¯t care about the ¡°coherence of name and meaning¡±¡ªwe simply choose the most domineering names. Who decreed that being called ¡®Myriad Laws¡¯ means one must be adept in all laws? Yet such thoughts of criticism circulated only briefly in her mind before being suppressed again. ¡°This time I¡¯m out, I plan to recruit a few disciples to return with me,¡± Wei Dongliu said again. ¡°Recruit disciples?¡± Jiang Liyan pondered for a moment and smiled, ¡°What kind of disciples does Wei Daoist Friend intend to recruit?¡± ¡°Honest and obedient,¡± he replied. ¡°Anything else?¡± she asked. ¡°No, that¡¯s it.¡± Wei Dongliu said in surprise, ¡°Isn¡¯t that enough?¡± Jiang Liyan was somewhat speechless, you¡¯re looking for a successor to pass on your mantle! Even if you can¡¯t find someone with high cultivation talent (after all, geniuses have been picked up by the big sects), you should at least look for someone smart and clever, right? Who just looks for the honest and obedient? ¡°That¡¯s too simple a criterion,¡± Jiang the Witch said with a chuckle while covering her mouth, ¡°Wei Daoist Friend could go to some remote mountain village to find those skinny little kids who are dark and have hardly had a decent meal, and I guarantee they¡¯ll all be obedient and honest.¡± Her insinuation was that ¡°honest, obedient¡± equals ¡°foolish, slow-witted,¡± and aren¡¯t fools found everywhere? Unexpectedly, Wei Dongliu nodded and said: ¡°I see, I have learned something.¡± In the eyes of Wei Dongliu, the Wei family¡¯s eldest son, the first disciple must be honest and obedient, so he could serve as his confidant. The information gathered by other junior brothers and sisters would have to be summarized by him before being passed on to oneself. For such a critical position, if the person seated here harbors ulterior motives, engaging in actions that are contradictory to their outward appearance, then the harm could be truly great. Better to be a bit slow-witted and dull, than to compromise on loyalty! Jiang Liyan couldn¡¯t understand his logic but, seeing that he still refused to speak frankly, she could only sigh and say: ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then shall I take Wei Daoist Friend out for a spin? Just to the west here lies the ancient city of Shangdang. We often go there to collect materials¡­ ahem, slip of the tongue. Mainly to find some quick-witted mortals to come and help with cultivating techniques.¡± ¡°That would be great, please lead the way, Jiang Daoist Friend,¡± Wei Dongliu said, not caring at all about how this witch cultivated her demonic techniques. Since she offered to lead the way, nothing could be better. Upon leaving the range of Shiping Mountain, they took to their sword light and flew towards Shangdang City in the west. Shangdang in Jinzhong, an ancient city once belonging to the Zhao kingdom, is now known as ¡°Luzhou¡± or ¡°Luzhou Prefecture¡±, a city located on the Loess Plateau. The two landed near the city to avoid unnecessary attention and then entered the city on foot, pretending to be mortals. Jiang Liyan even used the ¡°Ten Aspects Release Method¡± to disguise her exquisite appearance into something plain and unremarkable, causing Wei Dongliu to give her a few surprised glances. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only The Ten Aspects Release Method, it seems everyone in the Heavenly Demon Path knows it. Luo Yan encountered a Heavenly Demon Path female disciple who knew the Ten Aspects Release Method as well on Wuzhi Islands¡­ ¡°Wei Daoist Friend seeks disciples who at least must be literate,¡± Jiang Liyan said with a smile as they walked through the bustling streets, ¡°If they¡¯re illiterate, they won¡¯t understand Daoist Technique Scrolls. Surely Wei Daoist Friend doesn¡¯t wish to start by teaching literacy?¡± ¡°On the other hand, it¡¯s best if the prospective disciple is young and still impressionable so that they can be shaped more easily. Otherwise, if they¡¯ve been seasoned in the mortal world for too long, there¡¯s the risk of deep-seated worldly attachments, which are detrimental to subsequent cultivation.¡± ¡°Combining these factors, we should go to some affordable private schools, to look for those good family¡¯s children who are studying there. That would be the most suitable choice.¡± ¡°Indeed, that¡¯s true,¡± Wei Dongliu nodded, affirming Jiang the Witch¡¯s judgment. Chapter 147 - Chapter 147: Chapter 9 Could This Disciple Be Silly Chapter 147: Chapter 9 Could This Disciple Be Silly Wei Dongliu and Jiang Liyan sat side by side under the parasol tree in the courtyard, listening to the resonant sounds of reading coming from inside. According to Jiang the Witch, those who stayed behind to continue reading after the private school was dismissed were definitely the most honest and dutiful kind. Wei Dongliu agreed with this, after all, he had attended high school in his previous life and knew very well the nature of those who studiously worked on problems¡ªthey were the ones who stayed behind to read a bit more even after the dismissal bell had rung. ¡°Speaking of which, why is Daoist Jiang so eager to assist me?¡± Seeing that it was still early, Wei Dongliu casually asked. ¡°We hit it off at first sight, what¡¯s wrong with me helping you?¡± Jiang Liyan¡¯s eyes danced flirtatiously as she glanced at him obliquely. This was mixed with some Illusion Technique; the Kunlun Mirror was numb and could only silently block it all out. Wei Dongliu was completely oblivious and simply continued to ask, ¡°What kind of bond is this ¡®hitting it off¡¯?¡± ¡°Do bonds need to be explained?¡± Jiang Liyan placed her hand on his leg and cooed, ¡°This young lady fell for you at first sight, and if Daoist does not mind, I am willing to offer myself for your pillow and mat¡­¡± ¡°How many children do you want to have after we¡¯re married?¡± Wei Dongliu suddenly asked. ¡°I don¡¯t want any,¡± Jiang Liyan paused, then said, ¡°Looking after children is too troublesome.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯m sorry, I cannot accept that,¡± Wei Dongliu moved his body a bit further away. Jiang Liyan was silent for a moment, then couldn¡¯t help but burst into hearty laughter, tears streaming from her laughter. ¡°You really are an interesting person,¡± she said, wiping the corner of her eye, ¡°We¡¯re both cultivators, what significance do children have?¡± ¡°Then what¡¯s the significance of a woman?¡± Wei Dongliu asked her in return. Jiang Liyan was stumped by the question and after a while became somewhat angrily embarrassed. Good, he had it planned out from the start to block me with words here! From the beginning, Wei Dongliu had never believed her so-called ¡°love at first sight¡± nonsense; he was just deliberately going along with it, using the topic of having children to block her. ¡°It seems like class is over,¡± Wei Dongliu suddenly said. He saw a throng of young boys pouring out from the private school; boys of their age were the most restless and were already impatient to go outside and fly kites. The old schoolteacher also walked out of the room, holding scrolls in his hand, looking somewhat weary and frustrated. After the disciples and teacher had left, Wei Dongliu walked to the window lattice. He then saw a young boy still sitting in the corner of the schoolhouse, intently reading a book. The young boy had a full forehead and a high nose bridge, his appearance and temperament were simple and honest. But his eyebrows were tightly knitted, and his lips were pressed together, creating the impression of a student struggling to understand, ¡°I¡¯m working hard to comprehend, so why can¡¯t I grasp it?¡± ¡°This person looks to be honest and faithful,¡± Jiang Liyan chuckled from the side, ¡°Daoist Wei, does he meet your criteria?¡± ¡°Whether he fits or not, we should first ask him,¡± Wei Dongliu entered the school and approached him. The young boy looked up, hurriedly stood up, and respectfully greeted, ¡°Good day, Teacher.¡± Wei Dongliu waved his hand, indicating that the boy needn¡¯t be so formal. He didn¡¯t clarify that he wasn¡¯t actually a tutor at the private school, but simply asked in a mild tone, ¡°What is your name?¡± ¡°Responding to Teacher, my surname is Guo, and my given name is Jin,¡± the young boy replied. Wei Dongliu: ??? ¡°Guo Jin?¡± He couldn¡¯t help but laugh and said, ¡°That¡¯s a good name. What book are you reading?¡± ¡°Disciple is reading ¡®The Commentary of Guliang¡¯.¡± ¡°Is there anything you don¡¯t understand?¡± Wei Dongliu waved his hand grandly. ¡®The Commentary of Guliang¡¯ is one of the Thirteen Confucian Classics, which Luo Yan had once read in Yuqing View to pass the time. ¡°Responding to Teacher, disciple hardly understands any of it,¡± Guo Jin confessed honestly. Snort! Outside, Jiang Liyan couldn¡¯t contain her amusement, and even Wei Dongliu found it difficult to keep a straight face, frowning as he said, ¡°If you don¡¯t understand, why don¡¯t you ask the schoolteacher?¡± ¡°To answer the teacher,¡± Guo Jin said earnestly, ¡°the tutor has said, ¡®Read a book a hundred times, and its meaning will reveal itself.¡¯ I have now read it sixty-seven times.¡± Ha ha ha ha ha! Jiang Liyan laughed so hard he almost rolled on the ground, and Wei Dongliu also started to hesitate. The young man¡¯s first impression on him was actually quite good, but now it seemed¡­ This wasn¡¯t honesty and earnestness; it was starting to look like foolishness! He subconsciously thought about giving up and leaving, but then he thought that, since the youth¡¯s name was ¡°Guo Jin,¡± could he be the embodiment of apparent foolishness but hidden wisdom, the classical late bloomer? ¡°Let me ask you,¡± Wei Dongliu continued, ¡°if you have read a hundred times and still don¡¯t understand, what will you do?¡± ¡°I would then go and consult my tutor,¡± Guo Jin replied. ¡°What if the tutor says that if you still don¡¯t understand after a hundred reads, it means you have no talent for studying, what would you do then?¡± Upon hearing this, Guo Jin¡¯s thick brows knitted, and it took him a long while to speak: ¡°Then I will find another tutor and continue learning.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Wei Dongliu was somewhat surprised, ¡°Why would you do that?¡± If Guo Jin had said ¡°then I shall not read,¡± he was certain to turn around and leave immediately, but he had not expected this young man to show a stubborn side. ¡°Replying to the teacher,¡± Guo Jin earnestly said, ¡°my mother once said before she passed away, ¡®One must not listen blindly to what others say about right and wrong, merit and fault.¡¯¡± ¡°If the tutor says I have no talent for studying, then I must first verify whether it is true or not; otherwise, it would be ¡®blindly believing others¡¯ words¡¯ and go against my mother¡¯s admonition.¡± Wei Dongliu pondered for a moment, his thoughts slightly altered. It seemed that this young man was not foolish, just simple-minded, as shown by his adherence to his late mother¡¯s words as his guiding principle. In other words, being simple-minded often equates to ¡°loyalty,¡± which happens to be the quality Wei Dongliu valued most at this moment. ¡°Your mother has passed away, do you have any other family members left?¡± he continued, asking gently. ¡°No more,¡± Guo Jin shook his head, ¡°Before she died, my mother sold the house for money and entrusted the village head to hand it over to the private school so that I could stay there to study.¡± Wei Dongliu nodded. This mother was quite shrewd. Guo Jin, having lost his mother at a young age, was unlikely to keep the family property, which, in the end, would inevitably be divided by ¡°distant relatives from who knows where.¡± So by selling the property in advance, and using the village head as a guarantee (the village head definitely benefited from this) to deliver it to a city private school in exchange for a place for Guo Jin to stay and study, seemed like an apprenticeship, in essence. The private school received a hefty tuition fee, and with the village head¡¯s guarantee and oversight, they naturally would not refuse Guo Jin¡¯s enrollment. If Guo Jin excelled in his studies, the private school would do its best to nurture him, and even becoming a scholar would bring honor to the tutors. If he did not perform well, then the private school would eventually get tired of him and wouldn¡¯t let him stay indefinitely¡­ but by that time, he would likely be literate and able to write, so helping the villagers draft family letters and such, he would manage to make a living. This mother had truly done her utmost to arrange for her son before she died. ¡°Let me ask you,¡± continuing with this in mind, Wei Dongliu spoke gravely, ¡°would you be willing to learn the ¡®Way¡¯ with me?¡± Guo Jin paused for a moment and asked: ¡°What is ¡®the Way¡¯?¡± Wei Dongliu was immediately stumped. That question is a bit terrifying! What is ¡®the Way¡¯ speaks directly to the ultimate truth. Laozi once said, ¡°The Way that can be told is not the eternal Way,¡± meaning the ¡®Way¡¯ that you can understand at your level is not the real eternal ¡®Way.¡¯ Seeing that Wei Dongliu couldn¡¯t answer, Guo Jin kindly said: ¡°Thank you for your high regard, but for the time being, I have no intention of seeking another master. You should still seek someone more capable.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only You¡¯ve used the idiom ¡°seek someone more capable¡± wrong! Wei Dongliu left the school with a sagging face, only to see Jiang Liyan covering his mouth with his left hand, leaning against the wall with his right hand, his shoulders shaking uncontrollably. ¡°What are you laughing at, fellow Daoist Jiang?¡± he asked, feigning indifference. ¡°I am not laughing,¡± Jiang Liyan tried to make his voice sound calm. ¡°You are clearly laughing!¡± Wei Dongliu flared up indignantly, ¡°You haven¡¯t stopped!¡± Chapter 148 - Chapter 148: Chapter 10 It Doesn’t Matter if She’s a Witch as Long as She’s Cute Chapter 148: Chapter 10 It Doesn¡¯t Matter if She¡¯s a Witch as Long as She¡¯s Cute In the courtyard, Jiang Liyan finally had enough of laughing and started to console Wei Dongliu with feigned sympathy. ¡°It¡¯s alright, Daoist Wei. I think that kid is pretty stupid, doesn¡¯t seem like he¡¯d make a good cultivator at all. How about we visit some other private schools?¡± Wei Dongliu glanced at him, his face expressionless. What he was looking for was not an heir to pass on his mantle, but a trustworthy and loyal confidant¡­ Of course, he couldn¡¯t tell Jiang the Witch directly. After calming down for a moment, Wei Dongliu came up with a new plan and discussed it with Jiang the Witch while smiling: Guo Jin is supposed to listen to his tutor, isn¡¯t he? If I can get the tutor on my side, won¡¯t I have that kid wrapped around my finger? Jiang the Witch fell silent upon hearing this, her thoughts whirling: What¡¯s with Wei Dongliu, why is he so fixated on that boy? Could it be that the young man named Guo Jin possesses some special cultivation talent? After pondering for a moment, she dismissed that guess: No! Before we even came here, Wei Dongliu had already decided to find an ¡°obedient and compliant¡± disciple. His desire to take Guo Jin under his wing must be for the same reason, unlikely due to any ¡°cultivation talent.¡± Time passed, and soon the old tutor was seen returning, staggering with a string of cured meat in tow, clearly drunk. Wei Dongliu approached him and asked directly: ¡°Old sir, do you have a disciple named Guo Jin?¡± The old tutor looked up on hearing this, about to burst into anger, but then abruptly held back. Shangdang City is close to the south of Taihang Mountains, where Demon Cult Cultivators often come to gather materials; hence, the common folk are very cautious, aware of the distinction between ¡°mortals and immortals¡± and ¡°being at someone¡¯s mercy.¡± Though the man and woman before him did not seem overly arrogant, they also lacked the respect that juniors should have for their elders. They directly inquired about his disciple¡­ What if they were cultivators? Thinking this, the old tutor was so frightened that he sobered up a bit and stammered: ¡°He is not my disciple, just that his mother has him stay at the private school¡­ May I ask what business do you two have? Perhaps this old man could be of some help¡­¡± ¡°This child is fated to be with me, and I wish for him to study the Dao with me,¡± Wei Dongliu declared bluntly. Indeed a cultivator! The old tutor quickly began nodding like a pecking chicken, saying: ¡°It¡¯s truly his fortune from a past life that an immortal like you would take notice of Guo Jin! I will immediately go and make things clear to him!¡± Leading the two back to the classroom, Guo Jin saw the old tutor storming in and quickly got up to greet him, but the old tutor stopped him with both hands on his shoulders and said with a big smile: ¡°Guo Jin, I¡¯ve watched you grow up since you were little, and I¡¯ve always known that you are destined for great fortune!¡± ¡°Now that an immortal master wants to take you as a disciple, your good fortune has arrived. Go pack up your things and follow the master.¡± Guo Jin was completely dumbfounded and after a long pause replied: ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°No buts!¡± The old tutor knew what he was going to say; it must be all that ¡°I cannot switch to another master¡± nonsense. Of course, he knew all too well Guo Jin¡¯s honesty and stubbornness. But the person interested in him now was a cultivator! If they just decided to kill him with a casual sword strike and then coldly said, ¡°Now you have no master,¡± where could he go to make his case? Therefore, without letting him finish, the old tutor cut him off: ¡°Your mother had you stay at my private school, but she never said you had to study with me!¡± ¡°In fact, your mother had already spoken to the village chief and me, saying that if there was a chance, she wanted to send you to a better place to study. Now hasn¡¯t that opportunity come?¡± As soon as the old tutor mentioned his mother, Guo Jin indeed fell for it and said honestly: ¡°If the tutor commands it, Guo Jin dares not disobey.¡± He rose from his seat to stand, first kneeling before Wei Dongliu and gave him a loud kowtow: ¡°Disciple pays respects to Master!¡± ¡°Good,¡± Wei Dongliu nodded and said. According to the customs of ordinary people, taking on a disciple usually involved giving gifts, but he naturally did not care for such formalities. Guo Jin straightened his upper body, hesitantly looking towards Jiang Liyan next to him. Clearly, this elder sister had come with the master. It wouldn¡¯t be right not to pay respects, but what should he address her as if he did? Suddenly, as if inspired, he turned around and also gave Jiang the Witch a loud kowtow: ¡°Disciple pays respects to Master¡¯s wife!¡± Wei Dongliu almost burst out laughing. Jiang Liyan was also taken aback but quickly recovered, not denying it, merely smiling as she reached into her sleeve, pulled out a silver needle, and said: ¡°Good child. I didn¡¯t bring anything else, only a ¡®Chaste Girl¡¯s Yin Needle.¡¯ I¡¯ll give it to you as a meeting gift.¡± Guo Jin, however, did not reach out to accept it but instead observed the strange look on Wei Dongliu¡¯s face, immediately sensing that something was amiss, and cautiously said: ¡°With my teacher present, your disciple does not dare to accept¡­¡± ¡°Accept it,¡± Wei Dongliu sighed. As for his relationship with Jiang Liyan, there was no need to clarify that here¡ªnot with the unrelated old school teacher still present! ¡°Congratulations to the Immortal Master on accepting a disciple!¡± The old school teacher, noticing his unfriendly gaze, quickly said, ¡°I¡¯ll go fetch Guo Jin¡¯s bedding and clothes¡­¡± ¡°No need,¡± Wei Dongliu waved his hand, then left the classroom with Jiang Liyan and Guo Jin. Both of them produced Sword Light, simultaneously wrapping the unsuspecting Guo Jin in it and shooting directly into the sky. Watching the two disappear in a flash of light, the old school teacher stood in a daze for a while before collapsing onto the ground, having broken out into a cold sweat from fright. Taking Guo Jin back to Shiping Mountain, Wei Dongliu waved his sleeve to disable the Formation, and propelled Sword Light to enter. Jiang Liyan, without a word, cheekily followed. Passing through the long, narrow rocky crevices, the two arrived at the belly of Shiping Mountain. Upon seeing the scenery in the valley, Jiang Liyan¡¯s expression suddenly changed. She saw that the marshy area by the lake, which had previously been overgrown with wildflowers and weeds, had been mostly cleared out, with only the more attractive ones transplanted elsewhere, and various Spiritual Herbs and Elixirs planted in their place. Around the perimeter, many stone houses had been constructed. Their arrangement, seemingly random and disorderly as if carelessly placed, subtly hinted at the intention of Qimen Dunjia, the mystical intricacies hidden within. Jiang the Witch suddenly recalled that the style and arrangement of these stone houses seemed familiar, as if she had seen them in ancient illustrations from the Intercepting Cult within the Heavenly Demon Path¡ªat least, the layout was similar. Of course, she didn¡¯t understand the knowledge of Formations and couldn¡¯t recognize the profound intricacies within¡­ but she could tell that there was an extremely formidable Formation here! This person is truly well-versed in Formations? He has hidden it well! Wei Dongliu heard the Kunlun Mirror indicate that the Synchronization Value of his mysterious persona was rising rapidly, thinking to himself that Jiang the Witch was indeed adorable. All notions of ill intent, all thoughts of cunning schemes, none of it mattered. After all, this was Demon Cult territory; could you really expect that any Cultivator you meet should be of the benevolent kind? In any case, as long as she¡¯s cute, that settles it! While he rejoiced inwardly, his expression remained impassive as he turned to Guo Jin and said: ¡°Your teacher¡¯s secular surname is Wei. This is Jiang the Cultivator, do not mistake her identity again in the future.¡± ¡°Disciple has seen Elder Jiang,¡± Guo Jin hastily apologized, unsettled, ¡°I am truly ashamed of my earlier mistake¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a matter of address, it doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Jiang Liyan said cheerfully, ¡°Wei the Cultivator surely wouldn¡¯t mind, right?¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Wei Dongliu: ¡­¡­ He did not pay attention to Jiang Liyan, simply continuing to speak with Guo Jin: ¡°Our sect is called the Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect, upholding the ancient teachings of the Real Person of the Tai Yi Mystic Profundity from the Intercepting Cult. Remember this well.¡± ¡°Yes, your disciple will remember it,¡± Guo Jin recited silently several times, stating earnestly. The Real Person of the Tai Yi Mystic Profundity from ancient times? Jiang Liyan also noted it silently in her heart, planning to return to Biyun Palace and thoroughly research the details behind this name. Chapter 149 - Chapter 149: Chapter 11 Jiang the Witch Continues to Probe Chapter 149: Chapter 11 Jiang the Witch Continues to Probe ¡°` Ancient Intercepting Cult Tai Yi Mystic Profound True Person¡­ Inside the Biyun Palace, Jiang Liyan stood in front of the vast sea of bookshelves and patiently began to search by name, repeatedly muttering this name in her heart. Ah, there it is. She found a bamboo slip, held it in her hands, and carefully opened it. According to ancient records, after the end of the Clarify-Intercept war, the great powers each went into hiding, and the Cultivation Realm entered a long period of calm. And then it began to enter the Age of Dharma Decline. The Tai Yi Mystic Profound True Person was a great power of the Intercepting Cult during the Age of Dharma Decline. His prowess lay in his proficiency in multiple disciplines: profound Daoist magic, sharp swordsmanship, powerful magical treasures, and also being well-versed and talented, proficient in all sorts of side and minor paths, even his Qi Refining Technique was self-created. The Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect he established was also once one of the strongest sects of the Intercepting Cult, but it was severely damaged when the Intercepting Cult fell, and its subsequent rise and decline were uncertain, eventually its teachings completely ceased four thousand years ago. Reading up to this point, Jiang the Witch began to ponder in silence. Tai Yi Mystic Profound True Person indeed existed, and was also the founding ancestor of the Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect. This was not widely known in the Mortal Life Path, after all, not everyone is interested in ancient history. Knowing this name, the so-called ¡°accidental inheritance from ancient times¡± that Wei Dongliu mentioned seemed to gain a bit more credibility. On the other side, within the quiet chamber in Shiping Mountain, Wei Dongliu was teaching Guo Jin ¡°Exorcising Supreme Spirit Division of Purity and Turbidity Sutra¡±: ¡°¡­not the same as harnessing the yin qi of the secluded valleys, seeking the spiritual essence of galloping horses, traversing seas in search of salvation, or riding feathered chariots on fire mountains. One must be cautious, indeed be cautious.¡± Having said this, he stopped the explanation and asked, ¡°Did you understand?¡± ¡°No,¡± Guo Jin honestly shook his head. Wei Dongliu fell silent. This was what, the seventh time he had explained it? ¡°Where don¡¯t you understand?¡± He suppressed his impatience and asked again. Guo Jin then mentioned several points he didn¡¯t understand, and Wei Dongliu answered each one. ¡°Now your disciple almost understands,¡± Guo Jin pondered for a long time before finally speaking dully. ¡°Go practice!¡± Wei Dongliu waved his hand broadly. Leaving the quiet chamber, he found that Jiang Liyan was standing by the lakeside, staring absentmindedly at the Spirit Grass planted in the hollow. When renovating the valley, Wei Dongliu had taken the opportunity to visit Penglai once, where he purchased various materials needed to run a sect, such as plant seeds, furniture, utensils, and also brought the Hundred Poison Gold Silkworm Gu with him. Although it seemed somewhat plain and simple compared to many small sects, it was basically suitable for long-term habitation. ¡°Wei Daoist Friend, your Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect residence is indeed well-designed,¡± Jiang Liyan spoke with a cheerful smile, ¡°Though the sparrow is small, all its vital organs are intact.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a minor skill of carving,¡± Wei Dongliu waved off the compliment, ¡°Would Daoist Friend Jiang like to have a look around?¡± ¡°This mountain belly was discovered by me first; is there a place I haven¡¯t been to?¡± Jiang Liyan¡¯s eyes flickered, ¡°How about I take Wei Daoist Friend to tour the Taihang Mountains for a few days, and we can also gather some necessities along the way.¡± Wei Dongliu pondered for a moment, thinking it would be a good opportunity to understand the real situation of the Mortal Life Path, and then nodded in agreement: ¡°Good.¡± After telling Guo Jin not to go out and leaving him a thousand-year-old Polygonum multiflorum for sustenance, Wei Dongliu followed Jiang Liyan out of Shiping Mountain and flew northward along the Taihang Mountain Range. ¡°Wei Daoist Friend,¡± Jiang Liyan suddenly said, ¡°In former times, the Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect once controlled the entire Mortal Life Path, encompassing the whole Taihang Mountain Range within the sect residence.¡± ¡°` ¡°Compared to the current situation, which is as scattered as sand, it truly makes one sigh with regret.¡± Wei Dongliu was fully aware of her probing intentions and said indifferently, ¡°There is a regularity to the heavens, and what comes together must eventually part. How could any sect last for ten thousand years? I now only want to restore the Daoist orthodoxy of my sect; let¡¯s not talk about the rest.¡± ¡°Wei Daoist friend is truly open-minded,¡± said Jiang the Witch as she narrowed her eyes slightly, seeing that he was not taking the bait, ¡°If the cycles of the Heavenly Dao dictate such retribution, then the Three Pure Orthodox Sect should also face difficulties for it to be fair.¡± Her words were laden with meaning, prompting Wei Dongliu to recall the dragon clan¡¯s turmoil at Shushan and to become more vigilant internally. However, he casually responded, ¡°There is a regularity to the heavens, yet it doesn¡¯t follow a sequence of orderly changes, but rather, survival of the fittest.¡± ¡°The strong prevail, simply occupying the world. In time, they can¡¯t help but become complacent, and from strong, they turn to weak, which is why prosperity is bound to decline.¡± ¡°What a concept, ¡®survival of the fittest, prosperity bound to decline!¡¯¡± Jiang Liyan clapped her hands and laughed. ¡°Wei Daoist friend, your words are absolutely in line with the spirit of our Intercepting Cult!¡± ¡°It¡¯s known that the Dao has fifty paths, and the heavens evolve from forty-nine, leaving one unaccounted for. This one element, I shall seize it. After all, it all boils down to one word, ¡®struggle¡¯!¡± Her eyes sparkled as she spoke, and her lips curled into a seductive smile as she said, ¡°During the ancient struggle between the Clarify Cult and the Intercepting Cult, we, the Intercepting Cult, fell due to our lack of strength, but it was misrepresented by the Clarify Cult as the destiny set by the Heavenly Dao, which is utterly ridiculous!¡± ¡°One day, if the Three Pure Orthodox Sect falls in succession, I would really like to know if they dare say it¡¯s the result of destiny!¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Wei Dongliu feigned interest and asked, ¡°Listening to Jiang Daoist friend, it seems the Orthodox Sect¡¯s Three Pure Ones are about to encounter disaster?¡± Jiang Liyan continued smiling but did not answer directly, instead counter-questioning, ¡°If Wei Daoist friend were to lead the six paths of the Demon Cult against the Orthodox Sect¡¯s Three Pure Ones, what would your strategy and arrangements be?¡± After pondering for a moment, Wei Dongliu said, ¡°If I were to arrange the attack? I would certainly make a direct assault on Shushan and launch a surprise attack on Penglai.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Jiang Liyan appeared slightly startled, ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°The Shushan Sword Immortals seek enlightenment between life and death and thus are extremely prone to battle.¡± Wei Dongliu said with a smile, ¡°If we attack the other two sects, the Shushan Sword Immortal will surely come to their aid.¡± ¡°So the intention is to attack Shushan first, to tie down their capacity to help,¡± mused Jiang the Witch thoughtfully, ¡°Then what about the surprise attack on Penglai? Why not Kunlun?¡± ¡°Because among the Three Cults, Penglai is the weakest and Kunlun the strongest,¡± Wei Dongliu replied. ¡°Why would one forsake the weak to attack the strong?¡± ¡°Moreover, even Penglai, being the weakest, isn¡¯t something the six paths of the Demon Cult could easily defeat. Penglai excels in Artifact Refining and Alchemy; the benefits of conquering Penglai would certainly far exceed those of seizing Kunlun.¡± Jiang Liyan fell silent for a long while, then suddenly said, ¡°Wei Daoist friend wasn¡¯t just fortuitously receiving your sect¡¯s legacy, were you? How is it you know so much about the situation in the Cultivation Realm?¡± ¡°Since I need to enter the Cultivation Realm, naturally I had to inquire clearly about all parties involved,¡± said Wei Dongliu lightly. These words, falling into Jiang Liyan¡¯s ears and matching his mysterious persona, immediately took on a different tone. This person¡­ could actually deduce so much information without any clues? Jiang the Witch was secretly awe-struck. If it were another Demon Cult Cultivator, coming to these conclusions based on the understanding of the Cultivation Realm¡¯s situation wouldn¡¯t be strange, but Wei Dongliu had only recently joined the Mortal Life Path, hadn¡¯t he? Before that, he claimed to have been a wandering Loose Cultivator, so how could he possibly know so much? Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only There¡¯s definitely something off about this person! At the very least, he can¡¯t be just an ordinary Loose Cultivator! Jiang Liyan was thoroughly convinced of this internally, yet outwardly she chatted warmly and smilingly with him. Wei Dongliu was unruffled, simply listening as the Kunlun Mirror reported a Synchronization Value +1 alert, his mood becoming even more elated. As Jiang Liyan grew more suspicious about his origins, the synchronization value of his mysterious persona rose higher and higher, and he could feel the innate abilities of the Chaotic Demon Body gradually revealing themselves. If he could later obtain Demonic Techniques or a Demon Cult Magical Treasure, as long as he activated it with Demonic Qi, he would be able to unleash power beyond the ordinary! Chapter 150 - Chapter 150: Chapter 12 No One Understands Sword Casting Better Than Me Chapter 150: Chapter 12 No One Understands Sword Casting Better Than Me The two traversed the layered Taihang Mountains and finally arrived at Mount Cloud Platform. Here, within Taihang Mountain, was the largest ¡°Cloud Platform Market,¡± a place for internal trading for the Mortal Life Path as well as a free market for loose cultivators from outside. Before they officially entered the market, Jiang Liyan magically produced two masks, handing over the dog-faced one to Wei Dongliu. ¡°Do we have to wear masks to enter the Mount Wutai Market?¡± Wei Dongliu took the mask and asked hesitantly. ¡°Not necessarily,¡± replied Jiang the Witch straightforwardly. ¡°Unless you don¡¯t mind being chased down for assassination after leaving the market¡­¡± Before she finished speaking, Wei Dongliu sighed and put on the dog-faced mask. Jiang Liyan also put on her cat-faced mask, then led him into the market. As soon as Wei Dongliu stepped into the market, surprise filled his gaze. What a wildly demonic spectacle! He saw that almost everyone in the market was dressed in dark, long robes. Those with black robes wore black, and those without wore grey or brown, their faces also hidden behind a variety of masks, making them look like smuggling operatives. No wonder Jiang the Witch suggested I wear a mask. If I were to go in there with my bare face, I would immediately become the center of everyone¡¯s attention. Although in fact, this face also wore the invisible mask of Mirror Flower Water Moon¡­ ¡°What do you plan to buy?¡± asked Jiang Liyan, turning her head. The clear and coquettish voice, coupled with a cute cat-head mask, completely belied any trace of a witch¡¯s demeanor. ¡°Let¡¯s start with some Flying Swords and Magical Treasures,¡± answered Wei Dongliu. The supply of resources in the sect was primarily procured by Luo Yan from Penglai Yuqing View. However, as a righteous sect, whether it was Flying Swords or Magical Treasures, Yuqing View produced them bright and righteous, without any trace of Demonic Qi in their insidious Magic Artifacts. Wei Dongliu¡¯s talent was the ¡°Chaotic Demon Body,¡± which allowed him to harness Demonic Qi to drive Daoist Magic, Flying Swords, and Magical Treasures, granting an enhancement due to his unique physique; thus, his corresponding Magic Artifacts naturally had to be switched to the ¡°Demonic Qi model.¡± ¡°If you want Magic Artifacts, then we have to look for Smokey Old Ghost,¡± Jiang Liyan mused, her chin propped up by her finger. ¡°Smokey Old Ghost?¡± Wei Dongliu asked, puzzled. ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s a senior who uses smoky Magical Treasures to conceal his form. You¡¯ll know him when you see him,¡± Jiang Liyan explained as she led him through twists and turns, finally finding a stall in a corner of the market. At the stall, there was just a long table with a variety of Flying Swords and Magical Treasures on it, gleaming primarily in black and purple with tinges of grey and brown, radiating intense Ghost Qi and a sinister aura, clearly all insidious in nature. But standing behind the table, was an incredibly dense cloud of smoke, completely obscuring whoever was within. ¡°Smokey Old Ghost,¡± Jiang the Witch greeted him nonchalantly, ¡°You¡¯ve set up your stall today, huh? Where¡¯s your wife from last time?¡± ¡°Heh heh heh,¡± the smoke emitted a raspy, grating laugh, like the sound of something scraping on sandpaper. ¡°That old lady of mine has already been killed. Little Witch, if you want to take her place, now¡¯s your chance.¡± ¡°Who would be interested in an old guy like you!¡± Jiang Liyan scoffed with a sneer, dismissing him. ¡°Wasn¡¯t that lady of yours quite obedient? How did she not manage to last even a month?¡± ¡°She made me dumplings in the morning and without even asking, she put coriander in them!¡± the smoke grumbled incessantly. ¡°Such a stinky thing, how could an old man like me possibly stomach it!¡± ¡°So I had to kill her with a palm strike, then placed her head in my cave dwelling. That way, the next woman I find knows to ask for my opinion when she¡¯s cooking¡­ What, the one beside you, is she your new sweetheart?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense, or the Heavenly Demon Path might snatch you and wring your tongue!¡± Jiang Liyan picked up a magical treasure, examined it closely for a moment, then turned to Wei Dongliu and said, ¡°This Smoky Old Ghost is one of the best Artifact Refiners in the Taihang Mountains; everything he sells is of high grade, it¡¯s just a bit pricey.¡± ¡°Of course, the only thing I have to show off is my Artifact Forging skill,¡± boasted Smoky Old Ghost, ¡°I charge ten percent more than the market rate in spirit stones, fair and square, no bargaining.¡± Wei Dongliu picked up a Flying Sword from the table and looked it over back and forth before asking, ¡°A Ninth Rank Flying Sword made from Ghost Vine Wood? The craftsmanship is indeed exquisite, but why was Corrosion Water added?¡± ¡°Without Corrosion Water, how can the Yin Soul within be purified?¡± Smoky Old Ghost scoffed disdainfully, ¡°The stench of decay permeates it, lingering for a long time; can you stand it?¡± ¡°Then why did you use the blood and flesh of children to nurture the Ghost Vine Wood?¡± Wei Dongliu shook his head, ¡°Mortal flesh, although rich in murky energy, is inevitably impure.¡± ¡°Even if you pick young children who have consumed little grain, it cannot possibly be pure.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t spout nonsense!¡± Smoky Old Ghost suddenly roared in irritation, ¡°If not the blood and flesh of children, then what? Infant blood and flesh aren¡¯t enough for sword casting by volume, and using more infants would make it even more impure¡­¡± ¡°Why fixate on mortal flesh and blood?¡± Wei Dongliu sighed, ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard of Nether Yin Soul Stones?¡± ¡°Nether¡­¡± Smoky Old Ghost had only uttered two words before the rest got stuck in his throat. Who didn¡¯t know that Nether Yin Soul Stones were more suitable for sword casting than mortal flesh? But that item only grew in places heavy with ghost qi like Mass Burial Mounds or deep under the ground of ancient battlefields, which weren¡¯t easy to find at all. ¡°Hmm, to think you know about Nether Yin Soul Stones; I underestimated you,¡± Smoky Old Ghost thought hard to himself, then finally said, ¡°I get it; you¡¯re implying you¡¯re an expert too, telling me not to try to fool you with these inferior goods on the table, right?¡± Jiang Liyan: ??? For a moment, the expression beneath her mask was extremely vivid. Her previous words of praise for Smoky Old Ghost still hung in the air, yet now it felt as though she was being harshly slapped. Wei Dongliu remained noncommittal, just continued after hearing the notification that his Synchronization Value had increased: ¡°After the devastation of the Chanjiao, the art of Ancient Artifact Forging was lost as well. How good can a Ninth Rank magical treasure Flying Sword really be? If you can¡¯t produce a Tenth Rank magic artifact, then let¡¯s not waste our time here.¡± ¡°Such audacity in the youth, daring indeed!¡± Smoky Old Ghost laughed heartily and then suddenly waved his smoky arm, clearing everything from the table, ¡°What exactly do you want? A magical treasure, or a Flying Sword?¡± ¡°Bring out an Eleventh Rank Immortal Sword first,¡± Wei Dongliu stated gravely. A sword suddenly flew out of the smoke and clattered onto the table. ¡°Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword,¡± Smoky Old Ghost said sinisterly, ¡°This sword is forged from Netherworld Yin Iron, washed with Netherworld water for forty-nine days, possessing the might to snatch souls and control minds. Does it meet your requirements?¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword?¡± Jiang Liyan suddenly spoke up in reminder, ¡°Isn¡¯t that the Eleventh Rank Immortal Sword that Nether Ghost Path has been seeking for years?¡± ¡°Indeed, that¡¯s the one,¡± Smoky Old Ghost snorted, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the fear of using this sword outside and having those mad dogs of the Nether Ghost Path come knocking, why would I even consider selling it here?¡± ¡°Wei friend,¡± Jiang the Witch chuckled coldly several times, her voice ethereal, ¡°The sword¡¯s features are all too prevalent. Every strike brings a wail of a hundred ghosts; it simply cannot be concealed.¡± ¡°If you buy this sword, unless you keep it boxed up and unused, sooner or later word will reach the ears of the Nether Ghost Path¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take it!¡± Wei Dongliu declared resolutely. Chapter 151 - Chapter 151: Chapter 13: Obtained the 11th-Rank Immortal Sword Chapter 151: Chapter 13: Obtained the 11th-Rank Immortal Sword Because the disparity between the upper and lower limits of Tenth Rank Immortal Swords is so vast, many cultivators jokingly refer to the particularly powerful and famous ones as ¡°Eleventh Rank Immortal Swords.¡± The Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword is also considered to be among the more renowned levels among Immortal Swords. Although it does not compare to the Tai Yi Dividing Light Sword or the Dual Polarity Dust Sword, it roughly meets the threshold of the Eleventh Rank. Moreover, according to ancient texts, there should also be a ¡°Thousand Demons Soul Sword,¡± forged by the hands of the same Ancient Artifact Forging Master. However, later on, the Thousand Demons Soul Sword for some reason disappeared without a trace, leaving only the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword passed down through the lineage of the Intercepting Cult at Skull Mountain, boasting various terrifying achievements in battle. So it was only natural for the Nether Ghost Path to regard it as a symbol of their doctrine and to search for it desperately, at all costs. If it were any other Immortal Sword, Smoke Old Ghost definitely wouldn¡¯t have made a move, but this sword¡¯s emergence caused such a commotion, and with the Nether Ghost Path being a well-known mad dog within the Demon Cult, it forced him to use it clandestinely. Better to sell it. Wei Dongliu decisively declared, ¡°I¡¯ll buy it,¡± which immediately sent Smoke Old Ghost into a frenzy of joy. But the next second, he was pulled aside by Jiang Liyan, and the two of them started whispering closely. ¡°My friend Wei, there are indeed problems with that sword,¡± Jiang the Witch earnestly advised, ¡°Legend has it that every time it is activated, various ghastly cries lament loudly, reverberating within a hundred miles, and it¡¯s utterly impossible to hide.¡± ¡°The Nether Ghost Path views this sword as the lost treasure meant to stabilize their sect. If they learn that you possess this sword, they will definitely stop at nothing to kill their way to your doorstep¡­ unless you lock it up forever and never reveal it. But if that¡¯s the case, what¡¯s the point of buying this sword?¡± ¡°For collection.¡± Wei Dongliu said. Jiang Liyan: ¡­¡­ ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Wei Dongliu suddenly said loudly on purpose, then turned his head and looked at the Immortal Sword reluctantly, saying, ¡°Still, it¡¯s impossible to wield it openly, and if I buy it, it¡¯s likely to rot away in my possession.¡± Smoke Old Ghost: ¡­¡­ ¡°Enough is enough!¡± Seeing the other party¡¯s intention, he impatiently said, ¡°If you want to start bargaining, then bargain. You go first with a price.¡± ¡°Forty High Grade Spirit Stones,¡± Wei Dongliu said. ¡°How about this¡ªI give you forty High Grade Spirit Stones, and if you can buy an Eleventh Rank Immortal Sword for this price from anywhere else, I¡¯ll give you the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword for free, alright?¡± Smoke Old Ghost said hopelessly. ¡°That¡¯s different,¡± Wei Dongliu argued, ¡°This sword can¡¯t be used openly without attracting the Nether Ghost Path, so how can it be valued at a normal price?¡± ¡°Moreover, after I buy your sword, I still have to be vigilant that you don¡¯t go straight to the Nether Ghost Path to betray me after completing the trade. I¡¯m taking on a risk here, you know?¡± ¡°What the hell would I betray!¡± Smoke Old Ghost burst out in anger, ¡°If the Nether Ghost Path asks me how I knew the sword was in your hands, and I tell them I sold it to you myself, won¡¯t the Nether Ghost Path crush my bones and scatter my ashes? Two hundred High Grade Spirit Stones, take it or leave it!¡± ¡°Two hundred is definitely too much,¡± Wei Dongliu began to bargain skillfully, ¡°These are High Grade Spirit Stones! Unless there is a massive vein of Spirit Stones in one¡¯s family, who could afford two hundred High Grade Spirit Stones? It wouldn¡¯t sell for even a thousand years! How about one hundred¡ªI could bite the bullet and offer that.¡± ¡°One hundred, you might as well buy a scabbard,¡± Smoke Old Ghost scoffed, ¡°If you can¡¯t afford two hundred, why should I sell it to you? Couldn¡¯t I sell it to some rich Sect?¡± ¡°Wake up, if you go to a Sect, it¡¯s as good as seeking your own death, alright?¡± Wei Dongliu laughed, ¡°So the Sect buys the sword and doesn¡¯t kill you, waiting for you to go and snitch to the Nether Ghost Path, right?¡± Smoke Old Ghost fell silent. The reason he did not sell the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword to the major sects was exactly due to such concerns: Sects cannot ensure that, after the transaction is complete, he wouldn¡¯t go to the Nether Ghost Path to betray them for a second payment, so they would definitely need to eliminate him to seal the news about the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword completely, eliminating the possibility of leakage. In other words, Smoke Old Ghost could only opt to sell to Loose Cultivators, as they carry no burdens and can flee across the world at any time without risking their lives in a fight to silence him. However, a Loose Cultivator who could afford two hundred Spirit Stones was probably rarer than an Eleventh Rank Immortal Sword¡­ ¡°160.¡± The Smokey Old Ghost decided to concede. To him, even if it was a Tenth Rank Immortal Sword, if it couldn¡¯t be used, it was equivalent to trash, and might even attract the Nether Ghost Path, making it a hot potato. ¡°140.¡± Wei Dongliu said indifferently, ¡°Recently, the exchange rate between high grade and intermediate grade Spirit Stones has risen to nearly one to one hundred and twenty; the price has to be adjusted accordingly.¡± ¡°Tch.¡± The Smokey Old Ghost¡¯s brows furrowed tightly, and his thoughts sank. In just a few minutes of conversation, this dog-headed customer had shown his rich knowledge of artifact forging, an accurate grasp of market trends, and an extremely cunning and shameless style. He truly was one of the most troublesome and disgusting customers he had ever encountered over the years. He even had a suspicion that this person could not possibly be a Loose Cultivator, but more likely a Direct Disciple from some major sect; otherwise, it would be impossible to explain the qualities he exhibited. This wouldn¡¯t do; he had to get out of there fast, or if he stayed a moment too late, he might be blocked by the other party outside the Cloud Platform market! ¡°140 it is!¡± he gritted his teeth and said, ¡°But I want cash! Paid in full and at once!¡± Wei Dongliu nodded and pulled out a Storage Bag from his sleeve. Although there were no mines at his home, Luo Yan was after all with the Heavenly Craft Workshop, an incredibly lucrative place. He had saved up almost 150 high grade Spirit Stones in this period, all of which he brought to Wei Dongliu for his startup. Little did he know he¡¯d spend them all today. As each high grade Spirit Stone fell onto the table, both the Smokey Old Ghost and Jiang Liyan¡¯s breathing became heavy. This man was actually so wealthy, to carry so many high grade Spirit Stones on his person! ¡°That¡¯s it,¡± Wei Dongliu closed up his Storage Bag, ¡°Count them and we can complete the transaction.¡± The Smokey Old Ghost swallowed, forcefully suppressing the urge to snatch the Spirit Stones and run. He just tossed over the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword and started counting the weight of the Spirit Stones quickly. After a quick tally, the Smokey Old Ghost let out a low chuckle as the smoke around him suddenly stretched into a line and he swiftly shot up into the sky, vanishing from sight. ¡°The Smokey Old Ghost just ran off like that?¡± Jiang Liyan said, puzzled. ¡°Mhm, there¡¯s no problem with the goods.¡± Wei Dongliu spoke indifferently, tucking away the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword, ready to take it back for refinement. Bumbling upon an Eleventh Rank Immortal Sword this time, although it was one of the inferior ones within its rank, and also a hot potato that was inconvenient to wield¡­ such a gain still far exceeded his expectations. Not to mention that during the process, both Jiang the Witch and the Smokey Old Ghost contributed countless Synchronization Value to his mysterious persona. When he returns, he will be able to harness the Chaotic Demon Body¡¯s innate talent, first extracting Pure Demonic Qi and then refining the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword! ¡°Congratulations to Wei for fulfilling your long-cherished wish,¡± Jiang Liyan said with a soft smile, suppressing the greed in his heart, ¡°The Forbidden Technique sealed within the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword targets the three souls and seven spirits of a person, notorious for being unpredictable and hard to defend against.¡± ¡°Even the wailing of the myriad ghosts when it is activated has the effect of shaking one¡¯s mind¡­ it¡¯s just that the sound is too loud, truly impossible to hide from others¡¯ ears.¡± ¡°No need to worry, Jiang,¡± Wei Dongliu said warmly, ¡°I have my ways to handle the wailing of the myriad ghosts.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Indeed! Jiang Liyan shuddered internally. This guy dared to buy the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword because he was confident he had a solution for the wailing of the myriad ghosts! But¡­ a problem that even the Smokey Old Ghost couldn¡¯t solve, he actually had a way to fix. Could he be even more skilled in artifact forging than the Smokey Old Ghost? Wei Dongliu, who in the world are you? [Mysterious persona, Synchronization Value +1.] Chapter 152 - Chapter 152: Chapter 14: When in Doubt within, Consult Qing Ping Chapter 152: Chapter 14: When in Doubt within, Consult Qing Ping ¡°` Having returned to the belly of Shiping Mountain and said farewell to Jiang Liyan, Wei Dongliu went to check on Guo Jin¡¯s condition. At that moment, Guo Jin was sitting upright on the stone bed, adopting the Five Hearts Facing the Sky position for Qi Refinement, breathing in and out slowly, opening up his Qi Sea. The Cadaverous Yin Needle given to him by Jiang Liyan lay wrapped in black cloth on the stone table beside him and seemed untouched since he had returned. The thousand-year-old Polygonum multiflorum that Wei Dongliu had left him before descending the mountain had been partially consumed, with the remainder sitting untouched in a pot¡ªsuch aged Polygonum was particularly resistant to hunger and excellent for Fasting. The ¡°Dispersing Demons and Invoking Spirits, Dividing the Clear from the Turbid Scripture¡± from Tai Yi the Mysterious True Person also contained methods for Fasting and Qi Refinement. These foundational entry-level steps were largely the same across all major sects; even the Fasting and Qi Refinement methods of Kunlun were not significantly superior. Having confirmed that Guo Jin was still diligently cultivating, Wei Dongliu leisurely returned to his own room, also assumed the Five Hearts Facing the Sky posture, and began to circulate his mental method. Being at the Refining Mansion realm himself, he circulated the mental method from the ¡°Dispersing Demons and Invoking Spirits, Dividing the Clear from the Turbid Scripture¡± for a moment and felt his Qi Sea suddenly become heavy, as if a weight were hanging in his lower abdomen. Nowadays, whether it¡¯s the Three Pure Ones of the Orthodox Sects, the Six Paths of the Demon Cult, as well as the Buddhist and Confucian sects and other heterodox paths, there were myriad methods of breathing, but their essence all boiled down to refining the turbid and purifying the clear. That is, to refine and expel the turbid Qi within the body and to absorb Pure Qi from the outside world to constantly purify. The reason is straightforward: the Pure Qi is ethereal, whereas the turbid Qi is dull. The former, being light and agile, can be refined into True Qi, used for powering spells, improving physique, advancing realms, and so on. The latter, being muddy, is practically immovable and thus unusable. For these turbid Qis, the Orthodox Sects would typically discard them entirely, expelling them from the body. The Demon Cults, on the other hand, often retain a tiny amount of turbid Qi and use Demonic cultivation methods to refine it into Demonic Qi, cautiously storing it within the Qi Sea. When necessary, they push it out wrapped in True Qi in combination with cultivation techniques to harm others. This so-called Demonic Qi is millions of times more inert than turbid Qi, extremely difficult to eradicate, much like venom: Corrupting Magic Artifacts, rendering them unresponsive; hitting cultivators, blocking their meridians and stripping them of cultivation levels¡­ a particularly insidious and malignant form of magical combat. Before long, Wei Dongliu inverted the circulation of the mental method of the ¡°Dispersing Demons and Invoking Spirits, Dividing the Clear from the Turbid Scripture,¡± transforming all his True Yuan into Demon Origin. For an ordinary Demon Path Cultivator, such a feat would be impossible. With the Jade Mansion filled completely with Demon Origin, they would have met their end by exploding Dantian. But Wei Dongliu possessed a Chaotic Demon Body, within which any Demonic Qi could flow as freely as Pure Qi¡­ This included the condensed essence of Demonic Qi, the Demon Origin. After the transformation was complete, Wei Dongliu stood up and looked into a bronze mirror. What he saw startled him. The man in the mirror had distinct handsome features, with no changes in size or position. But the iris of the eyes had turned from brown to pitch black, the hair from jet black to dark red, and although the skin tone had dimmed, there was no sense of weakness from a ¡°loss of blood color.¡± Instead, it carried an additional air of evil rebellion. Quite the dashing Demon Lord! ¡°Tsk tsk tsk,¡± the Kunlun Mirror didn¡¯t speak in the Sea of Consciousness but just clicked its tongue. Knowing that Ah Jing was taunting him for ¡°self-praise¡± and ¡°shamelessness,¡± Wei Dongliu said sternly, ¡°What¡¯s there to click your tongue at? Has Ah Jing never seen such a charming and attractive Demon Lord before?¡± ¡°Alright, alright, whatever you say,¡± the Kunlun Mirror replied helplessly. Wei Dongliu couldn¡¯t be bothered with it and simply flicked his left hand in the air several times, setting up an isolation Formation. Raising his right arm, he gestured and the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword sprang up from the case and flew towards him. ¡°` The hilt fell into his palm, and as the rich Demonic Origin poured into it, the wails of myriad ghosts immediately rose. One could only hear those cries filled with grief and yearning, weeping and lamenting, each thread piercing the ear, every sound startling the soul. Even Wei Dongliu, with his stalwart determination, found it somewhat unbearable to withstand the wailing of these ghosts, relying on the help of the Kunlun Mirror to stabilize his mind. What a piece! This Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword truly lived up to its reputation as an Eleventh Rank Immortal Sword! Even with no one deliberately invoking it, and at its lowest power, the wails of myriad ghosts could still ensnare a cultivator like me in the Refining Mansion phase. If I were to drive it with all my strength, wouldn¡¯t I have the power to battle a Golden Core True Person? ¡°It¡¯s pretty good for ambushing,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword spoke. ¡°Qing Ping ah,¡± Wei Dongliu chuckled inwardly, I¡¯ve been waiting for you to speak, ¡°Everything else about this sword is fine, but the cries of these myriad ghosts cannot be controlled freely.¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be that every time I unsheathe my sword, the cries of the ghosts are heard within dozens of miles, can it? The facade of my mysterious character is about to crumble¡­ Do you have a way to tame this Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword, like you did with the Thunder Punishment Sword last time?¡± ¡°How can I train it if the sword has no Sword Spirit?¡± said the Green Duckweed Sword with a chuckle. ¡°No Sword Spirit?¡± Wei Dongliu¡¯s brows furrowed, his gaze suddenly sharp, ¡°How can an Eleventh Rank Immortal Sword be without a Sword Spirit?¡± ¡°First of all, there¡¯s no such thing as an Eleventh Rank Immortal Sword,¡± interjected the Kunlun Mirror, ¡°Secondly, not all Immortal Swords possess a Sword Spirit.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword agreed, ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, the previous owners of this sword never properly nurtured it.¡± ¡°How can a Sword Spirit exist for a heartless Sword Master?¡± ¡°In that case,¡± Wei Dongliu still refused to give up, and continued to ask, ¡°There has to be some other way to suppress the cries of the myriad ghosts, right?¡± ¡°To suppress the cries of the myriad ghosts, you first need to know why there are cries at all,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword said indifferently, ¡°This sword is forged with netherworldly iron and refined with the water of Netherworld. Both possess a mighty ability to bind souls.¡± ¡°You mean to say¡­¡± ¡°The so-called cries are the lamentations of the thousands of beings slain by this sword, whose part of the soul was seized by it,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword responded, ¡°Because of the sheer volume, their collective cries shock the heart and scatter the soul.¡± ¡°If you want to silence these cries, it¡¯s quite simple¡­ just roast them in the Red Lotus Karma Fire for a few days to kill and remove all the souls, and the cries will naturally disappear.¡± ¡°How can that be?¡± Wei Dongliu couldn¡¯t help laughing, ¡°I don¡¯t want to eliminate the cries of the myriad ghosts; I only wish to make them from uncontrollable to controllable.¡± ¡°In other words, they cry only when I want them to cry; and when I don¡¯t, they stay silent without making a peep.¡± Green Duckweed Sword: ¡­¡­¡­ Faced with a Sword Master who always makes unreasonable demands, it¡¯s really troublesome and bothersome¡­ ¡°There is a way, after all.¡± The Green Duckweed Sword pondered for a long while, then sighed and said, ¡°These souls don¡¯t have much sense, merely driven by the lingering pain of death, which is why they cry.¡± ¡°However, death is not only accompanied by persistent pain but by immense fear as well.¡± ¡°All you need to do is channel the Five Metals Qi through the sword, which will terrify these souls into silence, afraid to make a sound.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Wei Dongliu feigned sudden understanding, ¡°Then what is the ¡®Five Metals Qi,¡¯ and what does it mean to ¡®channel it through the sword¡¯?¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Five Metals Qi is the Qi of slaughter,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword said helplessly, ¡°You can use your own Shangyang Sword Qi from the Lesser Mansion.¡± ¡°As for channeling it through the sword, I have a technique here called the ¡®True Spirit Seal Sword Technique,¡¯ which allows Daoist Magic to adhere to the Flying Sword. Listen carefully now¡­¡± ¡°Mhm, go ahead, Qing Ping.¡± Wei Dongliu immediately perked up and started to listen to the Green Duckweed Sword explaining the technique. Indeed, when unsure about external matters ask Ah Jing, and for internal matters consult Qing Ping! With their assistance, why worry that Tao will be hard to seek? Chapter 153 - Chapter 153: Chapter 15: Not Allowed Chapter 153: Chapter 15: Not Allowed [Location Three: Penglai Immortal Island, Yuqing View.] [Character Identity: Luo Yan.] [Mirror Flower Water Moon Template overlay, currently in time-space travel.] Having returned to the Yuqing View of Penglai, Luo Yan once again reviewed the timeline of this character. Compared to the Western Queen¡¯s secret realm in Kunlun and the trial of the Demon Locking Tower in Shushan, nothing much had happened in Penglai since the journey from the Pavilion. If any incident were to be mentioned, it was the conversation Luo Yan and Miss Shi overheard from passing cultivators about ¡°the attack of a hundred thousand gods and demons on Penglai.¡± Initially, he had thought to inform his sect of the news, but later felt it better to keep silent, fearing it might expose himself. Now, having assumed the identity of Wei Dongliu at Mount Wutai and having received hints from Jiang the Witch, Luo Yan guessed that the Demon Cult¡¯s Six Paths were indeed plotting against the Three Pure Orthodox Sect, with the overall strategy likely being ¡°a frontal assault on Shushan with a stealth attack on Penglai.¡± The Dragon Clan was in upheaval, the Demon Locking Tower was damaged, until the Long Eyebrow Immortal had to deploy the Taiji Micro Dust Formation to rescue the Shushan Shangqing Faction from the demonic might of Ying Long. The current Shushan Shangqing Faction was like a wounded hedgehog bristling with spikes, warily watching for any rustle of grass or wind¡­ As for the distant East Sea Penglai, there probably wasn¡¯t any spare attention to give. If Penglai were suddenly attacked, the only external support available would likely be from Kunlun. But nestled within the far reaches of the Extreme West, by the time the cultivators traversed the Divine Land Continent and made their arduous journey to the East Sea, the battle for Penglai could very well be over¡­ No, he still needed to observe whether there was any forewarning within the View. Cleaning up his room, Luo Yan had just stepped out when he saw Miss Shi rush out with her head in her hands, wailing, ¡°I won¡¯t listen, I won¡¯t listen, I won¡¯t listen! Father is just annoyed by me and wants to send me away!¡± She dashed into her room like a streak of smoke, slamming the door shut with a loud bang and locking herself inside. Elder Shi Ding walked into the courtyard, looking at Shi Liuli¡¯s door. He opened his mouth as if to speak, then sighed deeply after a moment of silence. Then, he turned his gaze toward Luo Yan, involuntarily adopting a stern expression, and asked, ¡°Luo Yan, how have your studies been going recently?¡± Luo Yan, knowing his master needed to change the subject, hurriedly asked several questions regarding formations with utmost respect. ¡°That question is quite interesting,¡± Elder Shi Ding stroked his beard and turned to leave, ¡°Come with me.¡± Luo Yan quickly followed his master¡¯s steps, keeping entirely silent on the way, without inquiring about what happened with Miss Shi. Arriving at the back hall of the Heavenly Craft Workshop, Elder Shi Ding pointed to the ground and said, ¡°Complete this formation.¡± Luo Yan looked intently and saw an incomplete formation drawn on the ground, about ten meters in diameter. In the center of the formation was a cauldron vessel approximately half the height of a person, surrounded by a myriad of densely packed curse scripts, seemingly numbering over ten thousand. There were more than a dozen flags alone maintaining the formation¡¯s eyes. As he stared intently, Elder Shi Ding asked with a smile, ¡°Do you know where to start in order to complete it?¡± ¡°Here,¡± Luo Yan pointed directly beneath the cauldron¡¯s feet. ¡°Why?¡± Elder Shi Ding asked. ¡°The outer structure is intact, no connection with the cauldron in the inner layer. It must be Fu Yan¡¯s layout,¡± Luo Yan extended a finger, circulating his True Yuan to inscribe a runic script in the air, then sent it into the cauldron. The moment the runic script entered the cauldron, it immediately appeared beneath its feet. The multitude of curse scripts that surrounded the central cauldron made room for it by expanding outward by the space of one character, like tightly interlocking gears moving by one tooth. ¡°Very good,¡± Elder Shi Ding said, satisfied, ¡°In the way of formations, with your comprehension, you are capable of surpassing me.¡± Being acknowledged to outdo his master signified a very high praise, so much so that Luo Yan promptly bowed his head, fearfully saying, ¡°How did this disciple earn such honor¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for false modesty,¡± Elder Shi Ding waved his hand, unaware of Luo Yan¡¯s attempt to align his exterior show of Falsehood, simply finding his modesty extremely gratifying, ¡°To understand a thousand things from one hearing, that is your talent, but it may also be your burden. After all, in the Cultivation Realm, one still has to make their case with strength.¡± As he spoke, there was a brief pause in his voice, suddenly tinged with a hint of melancholy, ¡°Apart from the knowledge of formations, my own cultivation level must not fall behind. There might not be much time left for you¡­¡± Luo Yan: ??????????? Though he appeared to be puzzled on the surface, alarms were sounding off in his heart!!! What does ¡°there might not be much time left for you¡± mean? Thoughts clashed like lightning in his mind, rapidly whirling, and a sudden realization dawned on him, shocking Luo Yan into lifting his head halfway as he tentatively asked, ¡°Master, what exactly is happening in the pavilion right now? Could it be that even us Foundation Establishment disciples are not spared?¡± Upon hearing this, Elder Shi Ding was stunned for a good while before he realized that his disciple must have misunderstood, and he explained with an embarrassed smile, ¡°That¡¯s not it. It¡¯s just that the pavilion master came to me the day before yesterday, wanting to establish a good connection between his son and Liuli.¡± The so-called ¡°establishing a good connection¡± was essentially socializing with a hint of matchmaking. The two would spend some time together, and if they got along, they might become Daoist companions; if not¡­ at least they would get to know each other better. For the master of Xuandu Pavilion, the Heavenly Craft Workshop under Elder Shi Ding¡¯s control was the main source of income for the pavilion. Shi Liuli was his only beloved daughter, so it was only natural for him to express such a wish to connect. Elder Shi Ding had no objections. In the end, it all depended on whom Shi Liuli liked. Unexpectedly, when he brought this up to Shi Liuli, the miss immediately took it the wrong way, thinking that her father was trying to ingratiate himself with the master of Xuandu Pavilion by promising her to someone else¡­ Hence, the scene that had unfolded earlier. After listening to Elder Shi Ding express his frustrations, Luo Yan also looked somewhat dumbfounded. He had seen for himself just how strong Miss Shi¡¯s imagination was¡ªespecially when it came to matters of the heart. Based on Luo Yan¡¯s long-term observations and in-depth analysis, Miss Shi was a typical case of fear of intimacy: On one hand, she harbored excessive fantasies and idealism about love, such as forming the Zhang Tian Society and concocting various excellent traits for Qiu Changtian. On the other hand, she recoiled from and feared ¡°genuine emotional involvement.¡± Whether it was Elder Shi Ding or other fellow disciples, whenever she was asked similar questions, she would always change the subject and avoid answering. Elder Shi Ding even asked her if she liked that Qiu Changtian from Kunlun, which was also flatly denied by Miss Shi. As a bystander, Luo Yan could see it all very clearly: The current Miss Shi was enamored with an ideal male that she had conjured up with her vivid imagination; a man who did not exist in reality. It was the classic ¡°Mary Sue mate selection¡± that many girls have during their childhood. Out of fear and ignorance of love, she crafted an ideal partner, then desperately piled on various positive buffs on that person, to ease her own worries and anxiety¡­ It could only be said that such a Miss Shi was not fully mature in terms of personality, and was not suited for arranged matchmaking. Of course, this was not something suitable to say to Elder Shi Ding, so Luo Yan could only gently remind him, ¡°The reason sister is so sensitive about this matter may be because she is not mentally prepared for it. It would be good for Master to be more patient with her.¡± ¡°Hmm, of course, I understand,¡± Elder Shi Ding nodded as he stroked his beard, his gaze toward his disciple becoming more genial, ¡°Luo Yan.¡± ¡°Disciple is here.¡± ¡°If it were up to me to choose,¡± Elder Shi Ding said with significance, ¡°I would still hope for a younger disciple with a trustworthy character who can tolerate her temper and take good care of her in the future to be Liuli¡¯s Daoist companion.¡± You might as well just give my sect number outright. Luo Yan internally grumbled, bowing his head and replying, ¡°Indeed, but it still depends on what Sister Liuli wants.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Elder Shi Ding continued leisurely, ¡°but right now she is only at the Marrow Cleansing Rank, with a lowly realm, which is why she has to stay in the Heavenly Craft Workshop.¡± ¡°When she progresses to the Refining Mansion and Core Formation, I won¡¯t be able to keep her in the pavilion anymore. Then, she will go out into the world and meet all kinds of cultivators, among whom she might even encounter bad people¡­¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Luo Yan, you may be pure and loyal by nature, but you¡¯re not foolish, so you should understand what I mean.¡± After a brief silence, Luo Yan assumed a thoughtful expression that was just right and lowered his head to say, ¡°Disciple understands.¡± The master wants me to win over Miss Shi¡¯s heart before she forms her core. How could I not understand that? But isn¡¯t Miss Shi, with her psychological age in this aspect still not of age¡­ Wouldn¡¯t this be considered forcing things? Chapter 154 - Chapter 154: Chapter 16 The Millennium Meeting Comes Again Chapter 154: Chapter 16 The Millennium Meeting Comes Again ¡°` In the back hall of the Heavenly Craft Workshop, after completing the repair of the formation, Luo Yan bid Elder Shi Ding farewell and left. During the process of repairing the formation, Elder Shi Ding also imparted a lot of profound knowledge about formations. Even with Luo Yan¡¯s current understanding, he felt like he had been enlightened and had greatly benefitted. However, regarding the favor Elder Shi Ding had asked of him, Luo Yan still found it somewhat troublesome. If he weren¡¯t a spy from another sect, pursuing Miss Shi would naturally be a good option, at least he wouldn¡¯t have to worry about cultivation resources. But taking into account his true identity and purpose, Luo Yan, out of a kind of simple moral consciousness, didn¡¯t really want to bring harm to Miss Shi. Of course, when the Xu Family initially proposed that he and Junior Sister Xu become Daoist Companions, he felt the same way¡­ It was only when there was really no other choice that Qiu Changtian finally gave in. In any case, the plan was to take good care of Miss Shi, but not to actively pursue her; let nature take its course. Luo Yan had made up his mind on this, while the Kunlun Mirror in his Sea of Consciousness silently observed, without any comment. After leaving the back hall of the Heavenly Craft Workshop and returning to his quarters, Luo Yan was immediately grabbed by the arm by Miss Shi, who rushed over to him from a corner. ¡°Did my father just look for you?¡± she asked excitedly. ¡°What did he say to you?¡± ¡°Just now, Master asked me if I had any difficulties, and I mentioned a few issues with the formations, mainly¡­¡± Luo Yan was about to elaborate on the specific problems when Shi Liuli violently shook his arm, ¡°Then what? What after that?¡± ¡°Then he took me to the back hall,¡± Luo Yan said leisurely. ¡°What did he say in the back hall?¡± Shi Liuli pressed eagerly. ¡°He asked me to complete a formation¡­¡± Shi Liuli immediately widened her eyes, as if she could hardly resist biting her junior brother to death, and said fiercely, ¡°If you keep tantalizing me like this, see if I pay you any attention in the future!¡± ¡°What exactly does Senior Sister want to ask?¡± Luo Yan asked with a wry smile. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­¡± Shi Liuli looked somewhat uncomfortable and shifted her gaze, ¡°About the matter of forming good connections¡­¡± ¡°Oh, that,¡± Luo Yan nodded and said, ¡°I suggested to Master not to rush things and to give Senior Sister a little more patience.¡± ¡°Junior Brother, you¡¯re so kind!¡± Shi Liuli¡¯s heart swelled with joy and she was about to beam with happiness when suddenly she realized something and glared, ¡°That¡¯s not right! Why would he talk to you about these things? They have nothing to do with you at all!¡± ¡°Why is Senior Sister asking me about this then?¡± Luo Yan countered calmly. ¡°Because!¡± Shi Liuli paused for a moment before saying uncertainly, ¡°Because I feel that father usually holds you in such high regard, maybe he would talk to you about something¡­¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Luo Yan immediately agreed, ¡°It must be because Master values me that he would casually chat with me about some difficulties he¡¯s encountering from time to time.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Shi Liuli said skeptically. ¡°Of course, even Senior Sister subconsciously thinks so, doesn¡¯t that make it even more evident?¡± ¡°What you say makes sense¡­¡± Miss Shi still felt something was off, but couldn¡¯t pinpoint exactly what. On Luo Yan¡¯s part, seeing the synchronization value of his false persona skyrocket, he flashed a victorious and sincere smile, saying, ¡°Senior Sister, sometimes, you really are a bit too sensitive.¡± ¡°Huh?!!¡± Shi Liuli was still trying to figure out what was wrong when he diverted her attention like this, immediately her eyes shot open, ¡°How am I being sensitive? If I hadn¡¯t made a big fuss, I would have already been pulled into an arranged marriage by father, okay?¡± ¡°` ¡°No,¡± Luo Yan said patiently, ¡°Master regards Senior Sister as the apple of his eye. How could he possibly force Senior Sister into becoming Daoist companions with someone she does not like?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t understand!¡± Shi Liuli waved her hand sadly, ¡°Precisely because Father dotes on me, he insists on imposing what he thinks is good for me onto me¡­¡± Hearing this, Luo Yan could only silently roll his eyes in his heart. To be fair, it was not that Elder Shi Ding¡¯s way of educating was wrong, but that Miss Shi, your way of thinking is too unconventional; any father would struggle to cope with it¡­ Of course, this was something he could never say in front of Miss Shi, so Luo Yan could only put on a troubled and helpless expression and said: ¡°Indeed, sometimes Master does care too much, to the point of overlooking your feelings, Senior Sister.¡± ¡°Exactly!¡± Shi Liuli suddenly felt like she had found a kindred spirit and started to pour out her complaints to Luo Yan. After finally listening to Miss Shi¡¯s bitter recollections and having exchanged revolutionary sentiments and friendship, Luo Yan was able to extract himself from the conversation. This Shi Liuli¡­ Innocence and cheerfulness is one thing, but being willful and childish is quite another. Elder Shi Ding asked me to pursue her; it¡¯s practically like coaxing a child. This matter needs a long-term plan. Of course, there is a benefit to having such a Miss Shi, which is that the Synchronization Value goes up particularly fast with her, almost four or five times faster than with Elder Shi Ding. As long as the Synchronization Value for the Falsehood persona is high, the talent boosted by high Comprehension can continue to operate, and learning Formation knowledge becomes exceptionally fast. As for the uses of Formations, they have already been fully realized through Wei Dongliu. Without the ability to set up Formations, Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect would have no defenses, making it easy for ill-intentioned outsiders to infiltrate¡ªlike a certain witch. Of course, aside from Formations for personal use, Luo Yan also often works as a Heavenly Craft Workshop¡¯s Formation Master, traveling to various Great Hollows of the East Sea to help set up and maintain Formations. If not for this, Wei Dongliu wouldn¡¯t have been able to save up a stash of one hundred and fifty High Grade Spirit Stones. Unfortunately, the savings were exhausted by the purchase of the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword, and there is an urgent need to replenish the economy! Thus, these past few days, Luo Yan started to study hard and work diligently, accumulating operational funds for the Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect. One day, having just returned from maintaining a Formation outside, Luo Yan was suddenly called to the Heavenly Craft Workshop¡¯s back hall by Elder Shi Ding. Upon arriving at the back hall, he saw Elder Shi Ding was instructing Linghu Chu: ¡°This time when you head to the Three Isles Treasure Ship, you must protect your Junior Brother and Sister.¡± ¡°Disciple understands.¡± ¡°Luo Yan, you¡¯ve arrived just in time.¡± Elder Shi Ding beckoned him over upon seeing Luo Yan, ¡°A Three Isles Treasure Ship has been discovered in the sea area near Redtail Isle to the south.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°The Three Isles Treasure Ship?¡± Luo Yan was also surprised, ¡°The Three Isles Treasure Ship? Isn¡¯t that an exceedingly rare secret realm that appears only once every thousand years?¡± The so-called Three Isles Treasure Ship is a mystical three-masted vessel, crafted by some unknown Immortal (certainly from before the time of Chan and Jie), which appears and disappears within the ranges of the East Sea and Southern Sea, surfacing at intervals spanning thousands of years. Inside there are various monsters, traps, and Formation defenses, and, of course, also Immortal Realms and treasures that can greatly benefit cultivators who enter to explore. Naturally, because of the ship¡¯s infrequent appearances, there is little documented in ancient texts, resulting in a lack of in-depth exploration by the various Great Hollows of the East Sea and Southern Sea, and a risk that is much greater than that of the East Sea Pavilion. But Luo Yan and Shi Liuli had no choice but to go because, inside, not only were there secret realms that could speed up Marrow Cleansing, but also various rare treasures that could save years of arduous cultivation in the Refining Mansion¡­ Missing this opportunity meant waiting at least another thousand years for the next one! Chapter 155 - Chapter 155: Chapter 17: The Treasure Ship of the Three Isles, Random Routes Chapter 155: Chapter 17: The Treasure Ship of the Three Isles, Random Routes Given that the Treasure Ship only appears for a maximum of three days before departing again, the members of the Heavenly Craft Workshop set off immediately. Considering the various gains to be found within the Treasure Ship Secret Realm, ranging from the Foundation Establishment Realm to the Nascent Soul Realm, this time the entire Workshop was mobilized. Not only did Second Sister Lei Caiyan, Third Sister Liang Ruohua, and Fourth Brother Shi Wenshi join the trial, but even Elder Shi Ding decided to personally search the secret realm for treasures. Since the first senior brother, Linghu Chu, had already reached the Great Perfection of the Golden Core Realm and was still some time away from forming his Nascent Infant, the fortunes and treasures aboard the Treasure Ship were not of great value to him. Therefore, he would be taking Luo Yan, who was at the Marrow Cleansing Rank, and Shi Liuli with him, and would protect them throughout the journey. After all, the Treasure Ship was not as harmless as the Pavilion Secret Realm, and Elder Shi Ding only had this one daughter. If something were to happen to her, the people of Heavenly Craft Workshop would certainly not accept it. Luo Yan also breathed a sigh of relief. Since the eldest senior brother would protect them throughout, couldn¡¯t he simply coast through? Not only that, it seemed that he could also use this opportunity to ¡°break through the Marrow Cleansing Rank¡± and ¡°enter the Refining Mansion Rank¡± in front of everyone at Heavenly Craft Workshop, which would truly be wonderful. In the Meng Chong warship, Elder Shi Ding was explaining the many ¡°rules¡± of the Treasure Ship: ¡°After boarding, you will enter an independent oceanic secret realm.¡± ¡°You will be randomly transported to the deck of a ship within the secret realm, from where you can steer the ship to reach nearby islands.¡± ¡°The Treasure Ship¡¯s secret realm will only be open for three days, after which you must be on the ship to return. You absolutely must not miss the time limit, or you will be trapped in the secret realm and unable to come out.¡± ¡°The locations of the islands seem to be fixed, but there are too many of them. According to the records of Yuqing View, less than one-tenth has been explored so far.¡± He took a map out of his sleeve: ¡°This is the complete record of the previous generation within the View who explored the Treasure Ship Secret Realm. Luo Yan, you have a good memory, so memorize these charts. Once you enter the secret realm, you will navigate for your senior brother.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Luo Yan took the charts and quickly flipped through them, allowing the Kunlun Mirror to record all their contents. Shi Liuli sat in a chair beside him, shaking her leg. She didn¡¯t seem nervous at all; instead, she was quite eager to try. But the eldest senior brother, Linghu Chu, looked solemn and asked in a low voice: ¡°Teacher, can we control the direction and route of the ship¡¯s voyage?¡± ¡°Yes, there is a steering wheel at the back of the deck that can control direction, but not speed,¡± Elder Shi Ding said with a sigh, ¡°but that sea area is vast and largely unexplored.¡± ¡°Only in very few cases will you be lucky enough to encounter an explored island, and then you can follow the routes marked on the map.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Shi Liuli immediately said, ¡°So if we encounter only unfamiliar islands, wouldn¡¯t that mean¡­¡± ¡°Right,¡± Elder Shi Ding said with a wry smile, ¡°in such cases, you leave what gains you might find entirely up to fate.¡± Luo Yan listened quietly on the side while quickly leafing through the charts. He saw that in the map, which ¡°merely recorded information on one-tenth of the islands,¡± there were already over seven thousand entries. Of these, only three islands were marked with ¡°enhance the efficacy of the Jade Mansion,¡± and that was it. Considering the mission was certainly to prioritize Miss Shi¡¯s Marrow Cleansing first, it would be best to pick an island from all those marked with ¡°increasing the Marrow Cleansing rate¡± that was closest to one of the three ¡°Jade Mansion¡± islands. Once Marrow Cleansing was complete, they would then quickly proceed to the Refining Mansion. But the problem lay in the fact that the secret realm was only open for three days¡ªhow many islands could they explore within these three days? Taking sailing time into account, the number of islands they could probably explore was extremely limited. Moreover, considering that 90% of the islands in the secret realm were unfamiliar islands that had never been explored¡­ ¡°In addition to the islands, you also need to be wary of the dangers that come with encountering other cultivators in the secret realm,¡± continued Elder Shi Ding. ¡°The Treasure Ship is different from the Pavilion Secret Realm; it¡¯s not only Yuqing disciples who enter, hence there might be loose cultivators or even Demon Cult Cultivators who kill without a second thought.¡± ¡°Because in the Treasure Ship Secret Realm, the rewards range from those suitable for practitioners in the Foundation Establishment Realm to those for the Golden Core and Nascent Soul Realms, the danger of encountering unfamiliar cultivators is extremely high.¡± ¡°The safest course of action, naturally, is to avoid contact with any ship as much as possible. Upon spotting one on the sea, quickly steer clear.¡± ¡°When arriving at an island, it is also necessary to conduct a long-distance reconnaissance before landing. If traces of a magical competition are found on the island, one must determine the realm of the other party before deciding whether to go ashore.¡± ¡°Disciple understands,¡± Linghu Chu said solemnly. ¡°Simply letting Luo Yan and Liuli go, as a teacher, I would certainly be worried,¡± Elder Shi Ding said with a sigh, ¡°Chu, with your ample experience and knowledge, their safety on this trip is in your hands.¡± ¡°Disciple will not let down Master¡¯s trust and will bring back junior brother and junior sister safely!¡± Linghu Chu immediately assured earnestly. Shi Liuli is Master¡¯s only daughter, and Luo Yan is a formation genius from Heavenly Craft Workshop. If these two encounter any misfortune in the secret realm, it would be a severe blow to Heavenly Craft Workshop. Linghu Chu understood the stakes and thus continued to discuss various emergencies with Elder Shi Ding, clearly intending to devote his utmost efforts to the task. The other senior brothers and sisters were each adjusting their condition in their cabins. But Shi Liuli couldn¡¯t sit still and thus went out onto the deck to observe whether there were any traces of the Treasure Ship ahead. Luo Yan continued to swiftly and steadily record all the information about the islands in the charts and part of the map into the Kunlun Mirror. Finally, the Meng Chong sailing in the waters suddenly came to a stop. Everyone quickly went on deck and saw at the far end of the vast sea, the silhouette of a three-masted ship looming in and out of sight on the sea. The giant masts stood tall, their straight tips piercing the sky, like three towering mountains¡ªthat¡¯s why it was named the ¡°Treasure Ship.¡± Elder Shi Ding raised his right arm and gestured towards the distant Treasure Ship, saying, ¡°The entrance is right here.¡± After speaking, he stepped forward and suddenly vanished from the deck. Luo Yan, watching from behind, felt a shiver and understood why Master had said earlier that they couldn¡¯t prevent other cultivators from entering the Treasure Ship Secret Realm. It was because the way to enter the secret realm was to approach the Treasure Ship to a certain distance, and then you would be automatically pulled into the realm. From this point stretching towards the Treasure Ship at the horizon, the radial area delineated was much too large for Penglai Jade Pure Sect to possibly seal such a vast boundary. Any cultivator approaching the Treasure Ship from any direction could likewise be transported into the secret realm¡ª and among these, there could be Nascent Soul cultivators from the Demon Cult that are hostile to the Orthodox Sect¡­ Upon this reflection, Luo Yan saw his senior brothers and sisters had already stepped forward, one after another, entering the secret realm of the Treasure Ship. Only the eldest senior brother, Linghu Chu, was still tirelessly explaining things to Miss Shi, ¡°¡­In short, inside you must listen to my arrangements, and you absolutely must not wander about.¡± ¡°I know, I know!¡± Shi Liuli said impatiently, ¡°Eldest senior brother, you are even more long-winded than father! Can we go in now?¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Yes,¡± Linghu Chu nodded gravely, and then looked at Luo Yan. But Luo Yan didn¡¯t respond immediately, instead calling out in his Sea of Consciousness, ¡°Ah Jing.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Kunlun Mirror asked. ¡°Help me save a record here, noting the time and spatial coordinates,¡± Luo Yan said. Chapter 156 - Chapter 156: Chapter 18 Mysterious Seawaters, Luo Yan Leading the Way Chapter 156: Chapter 18 Mysterious Seawaters, Luo Yan Leading the Way The secret realm of the Three Isles treasure ship was a boundless ocean without any visible end. Compared to the seas of the outer world, this mystical realm seemed normal, yet it bore many oddities. There was no sun in the sky, yet it was as bright as day; there was no breeze at sea, yet the ship moved without wind. Miss Shi was delighted, running around on the deck and even took out the Flying Sword to practice Sword Control¡­ naturally, in this secret realm, Sword Control was forbidden. Linghu Chu stood at the helm on the top deck, carefully inspecting the steering wheel¡¯s structure. Luo Yan quickly surveyed the surroundings, silently making calculations in his mind. Every time the Three Isles treasure ship appeared, the secret realm would only be open for three days. From the initial opening of the secret realm to receiving the news at Yuqing View, followed by the group from Heavenly Craft Workshop rushing over, six hours had already passed. Meaning, the time left to explore the secret realm was another two days and six hours. The surrounding sea was calm, without even the basic tide and waves, one could only see the upper part of an island appearing faintly at the two o¡¯clock direction from the ship¡¯s bow. It seemed to be a mountain range in the center of an island. ¡°Luo Yan?¡± Linghu Chu signaled and asked. After comparing the shape characteristics of the mountain range with all the island information recorded in the Kunlun Mirror, Luo Yan slowly shook his head. Meaning, that island was not on the map. Linghu Chu¡¯s thoughts sunk slightly, and he sighed, ¡°Then let¡¯s go.¡± Although the island ahead was unfamiliar, there was nowhere else to go. He turned the steering wheel, adjusting the ship¡¯s course to head straight towards the distant island. At the same time, he spread out his Divine Sense, monitoring every move in the surrounding sea. Luo Yan too observed the surroundings, but didn¡¯t tense up like the senior brother. Firstly, after all, they had the protection of a Great Perfection Golden Core Realm senior brother, and secondly, there wasn¡¯t a Qiu Changtian or Ling Yunpo appearing before him saying, ¡°I¡¯ve come this time to resolve your death tribulation,¡± so he could maintain a relatively composed demeanor. Huh, where¡¯s Miss Shi??? Noticing Shi Liuli¡¯s sudden disappearance, Luo Yan¡¯s heart jolted with shock. Rushing into the cabin below the deck, he found Miss Shi kneeling on a meditation cushion, which brought him relief. What¡¯s this about? In front of Miss Shi, at the table, three sticks of incense were burning in the incense burner, though it was unclear when she had lit them. Shi Liuli had her hands together in prayer, kneeling on the meditation cushion, muttering a chant under her breath. On a closer listen, her soft prayer was ¡°May the heavens bless me, on the next island, to encounter a rare adventure that will promote Marrow Cleansing¡±¡­ Miss Shi, if prayer were effective, the Cultivation Realm would be full of religions instead of the great Sects, you know? ¡°Junior Sister Xu,¡± Luo Yan barely suppressed his urge to laugh, pretending to be curious as he asked, ¡°What are you doing?¡± Shi Liuli ignored him and continued her silent prayer until she had finished, only then saying, ¡°Quiet, I¡¯m cultivating power.¡± ¡°Cultivating power?¡± Luo Yan was baffled. ¡°I¡¯m influencing the luck and fate of the next few days,¡± Shi Liuli stated indifferently. Luo Yan felt he was about to lose his composure and took half a minute to regain his calm before asking, ¡°So what is the principle behind this¡­ no, behind this manipulation of fate?¡± After seriously pondering for a moment, Shi Liuli said: ¡°It¡¯s not that complicated to explain,¡± she said, rising gracefully to her feet and cradling the incense burner in her palms, raising her chin as she spoke: ¡°First of all, I, Miss Shi, am a person of destiny.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Luo Yan finally couldn¡¯t hold back. ¡°What the hell are you laughing at!¡± Shi Liuli immediately glared at him. ¡°No, I wasn¡¯t laughing,¡± Luo Yan weakly tried to explain a few words, and then he asked, ¡°What do you mean by a person of destiny?¡± ¡°You know, ¡®the favored one by the heavens¡¯,¡± Shi Liuli stated matter-of-factly. ¡°Look, your senior sister here is beautiful, intelligent, and from an Orthodox Sect family, a senior¡¯s daughter. Isn¡¯t that the most powerful proof?¡± Luo Yan suddenly fell silent. Is he¡­ at a loss for words? On closer thought, if being born was considered a kind of starting point, then Miss Shi¡¯s starting point was indeed as perfect as it could be. Among the female cultivators he knew, probably only Xu Yinglian, who came from the Xu Family of Southern Heaven, could compare with her. But even Junior Sister Xu, despite enjoying the benefits of a Cultivation family, had to passively accept her family¡¯s arrangements, being forced into an engagement with senior brother Qiu Changtian¡­ unlike Miss Shi, who, from childhood to adulthood, only enjoyed the benefits without the need to fulfill any obligations. Seeing that he had no comebacks and had tacitly agreed, Shi Liuli gave a triumphant smile and continued: ¡°Having so many favorable conditions in one person is enough to show that I am being paid attention to by the fate of the Heavenly Dao.¡± ¡°As long as I pray sincerely, the heavens will definitely hear my plea and reach out to help me.¡± Luo Yan sighed internally: Fine, whatever makes you happy. Miss Shi then set down the incense burner and fumbled with the storage bag she carried with her, saying: ¡°Junior brother.¡± ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Lend me a High Grade Spirit Stone. I¡¯ll pay you back after we leave this secret realm.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Luo Yan fished out a High Grade Spirit Stone and handed it to Miss Shi. According to Luo Yan¡¯s experience, a High Grade Spirit Stone in the Cultivation Realm was equivalent to a ¡°hundred-thousand-yuan bill,¡± mainly used for large transactions, like purchasing a Sect¡¯s land or immovable properties like caves and heavens. Beyond that, you couldn¡¯t really buy anything with it in the market because no one could make change for it. So, it was normal for Miss Shi not to have it on her. Still, Luo Yan believed that Miss Shi would be able to effortlessly produce any number of High Grade Spirit Stones upon returning, so he lent it quite willingly. Upon receiving the Spirit Stone, Shi Liuli left the cabin and went up to the deck. Then, to Luo Yan¡¯s astonishment, she threw the High Grade Spirit Stone into the sea. Luo Yan: ??? ¡°This is a necessary sacrifice,¡± Shi Liuli turned around to explain, ¡°Even when throwing dice, the odds of good and bad luck are close.¡± ¡°So, to fulfill my wish, I must first make a corresponding sacrifice. This way, it meets the requirements of the Heavenly Dao¡¯s fate.¡± Hearing this, Luo Yan felt numb, thinking what kind of metaphysical method is this? Isn¡¯t it too mystical? However, seeing the look of deep conviction on Miss Shi¡¯s face, he started to have his doubts. Considering this world isn¡¯t one that follows a scientific setting, what if the Heavenly Dao¡¯s fate Miss Shi spoke of truly exists¡­ Wait a minute, the Heavenly Dao does indeed exist, doesn¡¯t it? Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Ah Jing, Ah Jing!¡± With this thought, Luo Yan hurriedly called out to the Kunlun Mirror in his mind, ¡°Can Miss Shi¡¯s method really communicate with the Heavenly Dao¡¯s fate?¡± ¡°What are you thinking?¡± The Kunlun Mirror was simply speechless, replying irritably, ¡°The fate of the Heavenly Dao doesn¡¯t give a damn about anyone; it¡¯s not something you can communicate with!¡± ¡°Besides, even if it could communicate, it would definitely be utterly ruthless. Trying to get a favor from it? Dream on!¡± ¡°I suppose so,¡± Luo Yan patted his head, feeling like Miss Shi¡¯s erratic behavior had really driven him crazy. If the will of the Heavenly Dao does exist and is watching over Miss Shi, he dreaded that it would be the first to strike down him, a ¡°time thief¡± who ¡°cheated with Ah Jing¡±! Chapter 157 - Chapter 157: Chapter 19: The Solitary Island Cave, Message from the Demon Lord Chapter 157: Chapter 19: The Solitary Island Cave, Message from the Demon Lord ¡°We¡¯re here!¡± Linghu Chu reminded. His divine sense had swept over the island ahead, confirming the absence of any signs of magical competition¡ª the probability of other cultivators being on the island was not significant. Luo Yan and Shi Liuli on the deck had been on alert for the past fifteen minutes and immediately became tense, ready to follow their senior brother off the boat. The spot where the vessel docked was a concave-shaped cape, a natural harbor. Linghu Chu dropped the anchor and moved the boarding plank from the side of the deck to connect with the cape, testing its stability before calling his junior brother and sister to disembark. The terrain of the island was extremely steep, rising roughly ten meters above sea level, presenting sheer cliffs all around when viewed from outside. The three of them raised their magical treasures, the Flying Swords, ready to confront any enemies, and carefully made their way forward. After traversing through the dense jungle and killing some attacking demonic beasts, the group arrived at the central mountain range of the island¡ªthe same peak that Luo Yan had seen from the sea. The mountain towered high, about a kilometer in height, with many areas consisting of vertical rock faces. Linghu Chu quickly scouted the vicinity and found a narrow path up the mountain, but with no steps, just barely sufficient footholds that seemed to be carved out by wild beasts. ¡°Judging from the demonic beasts we encountered earlier, there shouldn¡¯t be any demons capable of transformation on this island,¡± Linghu Chu pondered for a moment before warning, ¡°But just to be safe, stay close behind me and don¡¯t wander off.¡± He gave Luo Yan a meaningful glance, who immediately understood and instructed Miss Shi to walk in the middle of their group while he covered the rear. This mountain was incredibly steep, its perilousness surpassing that of Shushan, though its vegetation was not as dense, with many places exposing bare rocks, pocked and uneven, evidently weathered over time. About two-thirds of the way up, a natural cave suddenly came into view. The cave was large, approximately five meters in width and three meters in height, with its inner depths shrouded in darkness. Linghu Chu took out a magical treasure, a Luminous Pearl that emitted light on its own, and let it float into the cave ahead of them. Wherever the pearl went, the terrain became visible. The deeper they went into the cave, the more narrow and constricted it became, until at last, it was barely wide enough for a single person to pass through. ¡°Let¡¯s go in and take a look,¡± Linghu Chu said gravely, ¡°Be ready to follow my commands at any time. If I give the order, turn around and run out with all your might.¡± Seeing his senior brother look towards him, Luo Yan nodded earnestly, understanding that Linghu Chu actually meant, ¡°You grab Shi Liuli and run.¡± Yet Shi Liuli, unaware of the exchange of glances between the two men, clutched Luo Yan¡¯s left arm tightly, both excited and afraid. The three moved through the narrow rock corridor for some distance, the light around them growing dimmer, the temperature dropping, and their footsteps beginning to echo. After several turns, the passage suddenly opened up. They entered a large cavern where the temperature turned chilly. The cavern was filled with stalagmites and stalactites, with water droplets falling from above to the ground, producing prolonged echoes in the tranquil chamber. ¡°Are there characters on the wall?¡± Shi Liuli suddenly said. Linghu Chu shone the pearl towards the wall and indeed saw several lines of large characters carved onto a relatively smooth surface, ancient seal script characters¡­ Other cultivators might have been unable to translate and been left baffled, but Yuqing View encompassed the teachings of many ancient scholars, and reading ancient seal script was one of the required subjects, so everyone present could read it without difficulty. The wall bore the following message: I am the True Lord Suan Ni, having strayed into the You Ming Sea for two thousand years with no escape, I discovered this natural cave on this island. To preserve our lineage¡¯s teachings, I hereby inscribe our Suan Ni clan¡¯s Body Refining Technique ¡°Swallowing Smoke and Gleaming Gold Technique.¡± Should any descendant from the Demon Race come upon this, you may learn it based on how closely related you are to our clan. If you are of the Human Race, withdraw on your own volition. The diagrams below depict a large long-haired cat stretching its back and limbs vigorously, posing in various bizarre breathing positions. There are countless acupoints and energy pathways on the cat¡¯s body, alongside various cues like ¡°Here the demonic energy turns back again¡± and ¡°Here one must accumulate physical strength to break through the acupoint¡±, filling the entire stone wall densely, leaving not a single blank space. Linghu Chu: ¡­¡­¡­ Luo Yan: ¡­¡­¡­ Shi Liuli: ¡­¡­¡­ No, but what¡¯s the deal with ¡°For Demon Race only¡±? Are you kidding me? Nowadays, the Demon Race has all rolled off to the Eastern Emperor Demon Realm, okay? ¡°Truly unfortunate,¡± Linghu Chu said with a wry smile. ¡°There is a fortunate encounter, but it¡¯s specially prepared for the Demon Race; we can¡¯t use it.¡± As for the Human Race, the Body Refining Technique from the era when the Ancient Times were at their peak has also been lost and can only be traced back to the prehistoric times. If it were possible for the Human Race to practice it, Linghu Chu would also like to learn it to improve his own physical quality. However, Luo Yan was not giving up and asked the Kunlun Mirror in his Sea of Consciousness: ¡°Ah Jing, is there really no way for me to learn this? Don¡¯t you have any Suan Ni bloodline template that could grant me the Suan Ni¡¯s talents, so I could learn this Body Refining Technique?¡± ¡°It¡¯s like you¡¯re pouring vinegar just to eat dumplings, but now you see a plate of vinegar and you¡¯re asking me if I have dumplings, right?¡± the Kunlun Mirror said, torn between laughter and tears. ¡°Of course not.¡± ¡°Furthermore, to disguise as a member of the Demon Race using Mirror Flower Water Moon, one must have the corresponding race¡¯s Essence Blood. The difference between human bodies and those of the Demon Race is too great, without the matching Essence Blood, the Mirror Flower Water Moon can¡¯t bridge the gap.¡± ¡°Of course, the main thing is that I haven¡¯t recorded the Suan Ni¡¯s bloodline talent. Such Demonic Beasts prefer quietness and are not fond of movement. Unless you specifically go looking for them, it¡¯s hard to encounter them in the outside world.¡± ¡°Tch,¡± Luo Yan said with regret. ¡°To think there¡¯s something even Ah Jing can¡¯t do¡­ It seems I¡¯ve overestimated you.¡± ¡°Asking for a beating?¡± Kunlun Mirror replied with a laugh born of anger. ¡°Say that one more time, and I¡¯ll withdraw your Mirror Flower Water Moon!¡± ¡°Ah Jing, don¡¯t be like this! I take back what I said!¡± While Luo Yan was bickering with the Kunlun Mirror, Linghu Chu spoke up: ¡°It seems this Ancient Great Demon had a deep sense of exclusivity, and didn¡¯t leave anything useful for us on this island, shall we go?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s look a little more.¡± Shi Liuli was still not convinced¡ªhow could my metaphysics fail? I even sacrificed a High Grade Spirit Stone! Damn Heavenly Dao, give me my money back! ¡°At the very least, we should thoroughly investigate this place¡­¡± she said, still hopeful as she fumbled in the darkness, ¡°Hey, look, isn¡¯t there a cave here?¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Linghu Chu shone the Luminous Pearl in that direction and saw sure enough, beyond the stalagmites and stone forests, there was a smaller cave, about a meter high, which required adults to stoop to enter. ¡°This cave doesn¡¯t seem like it¡¯s passable¡­¡± Before he could finish his thought, Shi Liuli had already ducked inside, startling Linghu Chu and Luo Yan to their cores. If anything long or short happened to Miss Shi inside, wouldn¡¯t Elder Shi Ding flay our skins off when we get back?! Both men hurriedly shouted, ¡°Wait,¡± and bent over to follow her into the cave, only to hear Shi Liuli suddenly clap her hands and laugh ahead: ¡°Big Senior Brother, Little Junior Brother, come over quickly and take a look!¡± Chapter 158 - Chapter 158: Chapter 20 Dragon Spring Hundred Forms, Body Refining Secret Technique Chapter 158: Chapter 20 Dragon Spring Hundred Forms, Body Refining Secret Technique Linghu Chu and Luo Yan passed through the narrow passageway and came to the second cave chamber. The rocks walls here were also smooth, and Shi Liuli had already fetched a palace lantern magical treasure, which was floating in the air and illuminated the words on the rock wall: ¡°The outside is full of writing by the big cat, and there¡¯s no space left, so the old man writes here.¡± ¡°What ¡®Swallow Smoke and Glisten Gold Charm¡¯? Utter rubbish, don¡¯t even bother learning it!¡± ¡°The demon race¡¯s innate qi contains impurities, and following that method to circumnavigate the meridians will result in an accumulation of these impurities with each cycle and you¡¯ll suffer when it comes time to form your Nascent Infant!¡± ¡°You might as well learn our Witch Clan¡¯s ¡®Dragon Spring Hundred Forms Song,¡¯ the strongest body refining secret technique of the human race. Demons need not bother!¡± Below were pictures of a naked man performing various odd movements, and they were likewise labeled with various acupoints, qi circulation pathways, and notes. Linghu Chu: ¡­¡­¡­ Luo Yan: ¡­¡­¡­ Shi Liuli: ¡­¡­¡­ Are you two leaving messages and competing with each other here? ¡°Eh?¡± Linghu Chu suddenly exclaimed with surprise, ¡°This cultivation technique seems to have miraculous effects on Marrow Cleansing?¡± Upon hearing this, Luo Yan was shocked and hastily followed the direction pointed out by the eldest senior brother. Indeed, the qi circulation pathway of the cultivation technique did pass through the most difficult-to-reach dead corners within the Marrow Cleansing Rank, with annotations from that elder of the Witch Clan beside them: ¡°Behind the brain there is a protuberance on the occipital bone. Here, one should guide the qi in the small Heavenly Circuit three times, and then inject it from the side of the brain¡­¡± ¡°There are intervertebral foramen along the spine that become wider from top to bottom, thus qi should be directed from bottom to top¡­¡± After carefully reviewing it, Luo Yan realized that this wall-contained body refining secret technique offered much more detailed pathways for guiding qi than the breathing techniques did. That¡¯s not right either, one can¡¯t really say that. After all, the aim of the Daoist Qi Refining Technique is to facilitate breathing, to strengthen the Qi Sea, and hence the qi merely circulates through the main meridians. However, the aim of the body refining secret technique is to eliminate impurities and nourish the body, and for this reason the qi must pass through various muscles and bones, as well as many minor and intricate places. When it comes to advancing one¡¯s Cultivation Realm, one must certainly use the Qi Refining Technique; but for the Marrow Cleansing stage alone, the efficiency of the body refining secret technique is indeed superior¡­ To be precise, the efficiency crushes the Qi Refining Technique. On the other side, Linghu Chu was marveling and deeply admiring, saying: ¡°I¡¯d long heard of the Witch Clan¡¯s body refining secret techniques from ancient times, holding their own against the Daoist Qi Refining Techniques in prestige. Now it seems they truly are profound and ingenious.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a pity, though, that as the practice of refining techniques progresses, it becomes increasingly difficult to advance in realms. If this were not the case, they would not have ended up with their teachings obliterated¡­ However, I didn¡¯t bring a jade slip for record on this trip. Little junior brother, your memory is good, can you remember all these techniques?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve remembered them,¡± said Luo Yan, who had already scrutinized all the diagrams without missing a single word, and nodded. In his mind, the Green Duckweed Sword commented: ¡°¡®Dragon Spring Hundred Forms Song,¡¯ a secret body refining technique of the Witch Clan, I did not expect to find it here.¡± ¡°Your elder senior brother was indeed correct. The problem with all of the Witch Clan¡¯s body refining techniques lies in their difficulty to make further progress as one reaches the later stages. The ¡®Dragon Spring Hundred Forms Song¡¯ is a supreme technique among their secret methods, and its practice is even more profound. From the Golden Core Realm onward, the benefits in the same amount of cultivation time become far less than that of the Daoist Qi Refining Techniques.¡± ¡°But for your current Cultivation Level, practicing it can still rapidly enhance your strength.¡± Luo Yan asked uncertainly: ¡°Can this Body Refining Secret Technique be cultivated alongside Daoist Qi Refining Technique?¡± ¡°Why not?¡± the Green Duckweed Sword chuckled, ¡°The origins of the Daoist Qi Refining Technique and the Witch Clan¡¯s Body Refining Technique run much deeper than you realize.¡± ¡°The Witch Clan¡¯s Body Refining Technique aims to cultivate the entire body, whereas the Daoist Qi Refining Technique simply shifts the focus to primarily cultivating the Dantian. The essence of circulating Qi doesn¡¯t differ much.¡± ¡°I agree with her on this point,¡± the Kunlun Mirror chimed in, ¡°When the Daoist Qi Refining Technique was first developed, its main slogan was ¡®First establish the Dantian¡¯s Jade Mansion, then forge the limbs and bones.¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s just that later on,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword said with a coy laugh, ¡°Cultivators found that they could achieve immortality and become celestial beings without having to train their bodies.¡± ¡°The so-called ¡®Severing of the Three Corpses¡¯ involves discarding the physical body to ascend with the True Spirit¡­ Of course, the highest one can reach in that way is the Heavenly Immortal Realm, but with a lifespan equal to the heavens, who insists on pursuing physical sanctification?¡± ¡°I understand now.¡± Luo Yan took note of this conversation between the mirror and the sword to heart. After confirming there was no remnants left in the cave, Linghu Chu led his junior brothers and sisters out of the cave and back onto their ship to set sail. In the cabin below the deck, Luo Yan watched Miss Shi, who was gleefully practicing the Body Refining Secret Technique, and felt a mix of emotions. This Miss Shi, after conducting a mysterious and secretive ritual, had actually found an extraordinary encounter that could accelerate her Marrow Cleansing? Could it be she wasn¡¯t joking, and she was truly a person of heavenly fate? ¡°Don¡¯t be foolish,¡± the Kunlun Mirror couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Probabilistically speaking, no matter how small the chance, there¡¯s always a possibility for it to occur¡ªthat doesn¡¯t really prove anything.¡± ¡°Ah Jing, do you mean to say that Miss Shi just got lucky?¡± ¡°Yeah, what else?¡± the Kunlun Mirror lamented, ¡°To actually believe her nonsense, I¡¯m starting to question your intelligence.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t completely believed it either, I¡¯m just making a bold assumption,¡± Luo Yan reflected seriously, ¡°Do you think if I let her perform another ritual, to seek an extraordinary encounter that could ¡®accelerate the Refining Mansion,¡¯ it might work?¡± ¡°You are so boring¡­¡± His idea was met with ruthless ridicule from the Kunlun Mirror. But Luo Yan didn¡¯t give up and instead returned to his own cabin to begin practicing the Dragon Spring Hundred Forms Song. Although he had already entered the Refining Mansion Rank and didn¡¯t need to accelerate Marrow Cleansing, the Body Refining Secret Technique could strengthen the body. Moreover, he needed to leave the impression on his elder brother that ¡°I achieved Marrow Cleansing through this technique,¡± so he found it necessary to practice it. After cultivating for a while, Luo Yan left his cabin and went to find Miss Shi. ¡°Senior Sister,¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Shi Liuli opened her eyes, ¡°How is your practice going?¡± ¡°Not bad,¡± Luo Yan said casually, ¡°Senior Sister, could you speak to the will of the Heavenly Dao again, requesting that we have an encounter for the Refining Mansion Rank next? Ideally, one that can directly perfect the Jade Mansion, save time in Refining Mansion, and improve the Quality Rank of the Golden Core.¡± Shi Liuli said with a frown, ¡°I¡¯ve just asked the heavens for help once; you want me to do it again¡­ How could that be possible?¡± She glanced outside the cabin and then whispered mysteriously to Luo Yan: ¡°My method has two limitations: first, the more people who know about it, the less effective it becomes; second, the more often it has been used, the less effective it is. So we can¡¯t let others know, and we can¡¯t use it frivolously.¡± ¡°There¡¯s such a thing?¡± Luo Yan didn¡¯t know what to say and after a pause finally said, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, we shouldn¡¯t have sought to accelerate Marrow Cleansing; we should have sought to speed up the Refining Mansion instead¡ªthat¡¯s related to the Quality Rank of forming the Golden Core!¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Are you stupid?¡± Miss Shi tugged at his ear, ¡°Two birds in the bush are not as good as one in the hand. I haven¡¯t fully completed Marrow Cleansing, what use is an encounter to accelerate the Refining Mansion?¡± ¡°We could save it for later!¡± Luo Yan said anxiously, ¡°For example, if we got an Elixir, we could not consume it now, but wait until after Marrow Cleansing to do so; wouldn¡¯t that be better?¡± Shi Liuli was stunned for a while before suddenly slapping her forehead: ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say so earlier!¡± Luo Yan: ¡­¡­¡­ Chapter 159 - Chapter 159: Chapter 21: You Must Not Hide Anything from Your Senior Martial Sister Chapter 159: Chapter 21: You Must Not Hide Anything from Your Senior Martial Sister Not until he stepped onto the deck after leaving the cabin did Luo Yan still agonize over it. ¡°How could it be used like this?¡± ¡°Why was it used at the Marrow Cleansing Rank?¡± Even without acceleration, the Marrow Cleansing Rank would only take about ten years; the Refining Mansion Rank could easily take more than two hundred years, and that¡¯s just for the Third Grade Golden Core requirement! Since there¡¯s such a strong capability, why the hell didn¡¯t they use it to improve the grade of the Golden Core, damn it! ¡°You don¡¯t really believe it, do you?¡± the Kunlun Mirror said somewhat helplessly. ¡°Why shouldn¡¯t I believe it?¡± Luo Yan directly countered, ¡°If it¡¯s fake, then I¡¯ve lost nothing; but if it¡¯s true, the loss would be huge, okay?¡± He said through gritted teeth: ¡°I¡¯d rather she was just bluffing; otherwise, if this happens a few more times, my blood pressure is definitely going to explode.¡± ¡°You have such a small capacity for dealing with issues,¡± said the Kunlun Mirror leisurely. ¡°Shut up, Ah Jing! If you¡¯re capable, go find the Heaven-Mending Stone yourself.¡± Luo Yan chatted with the helmsman, the senior brother Linghu Chu, for a moment on the deck. Seeing that there was still no sight of islands in the surrounding sea area, he went back below deck again. He had a new understanding of the secret realm of this Three Islands Treasure Ship¡­ Not only was which island you ended up at completely random, but even the chance of encountering an island was unpredictable. It was far too unstable. However¡­ Luo Yan suddenly remembered the text written by that ¡°Suan Ni True Monarch¡± in the cave on the previous island. Lost in the You Ming Sea, unable to leave for two thousand years. Adding ¡°Witch Clan¡± at the end, one could roughly deduce that this secret realm had existed since the distant past when the Witch Clan was active and was known as the ¡°You Ming Sea.¡± The ancient cultivators who entered this secret realm at the time didn¡¯t have such ships to leave with, so once they entered, they were trapped. So, who exactly built the Three Islands Treasure Ship afterward? Luo Yan stuck his head out over the side of the ship and looked down towards the sea. The sea was dark and deep, bottomless, and there was no seaweed or other floating debris. The waves were indeed heaving, but the direction of the current was not clear, and there was no wind whatsoever. ¡°You Ming Sea¡±, where did this name actually come from? ¡°Junior brother, be careful!¡± Linghu Chu called out from the upper deck, ¡°If you fall down there, we can¡¯t save you!¡± According to what elder Shi Ding had said before, whether it was entering or exiting this secret realm, or traveling between the many islands, one must travel by this ship. If one were to fall off unintentionally and drop into the sea, there would be a risk to one¡¯s life. The reason is simple: here, one cannot practice Sword Control, and the buoyancy of the water is extraordinarily low; if one fell into the water and failed to grab onto a rope or some other fixture on the ship in time, one would sink in the blink of an eye, then be gone without a trace. Luo Yan thus retracted his neck and paced the deck with a frown, feeling increasingly uneasy about this secret realm. So he went below deck again to find Miss Shi. To his surprise, upon entering the cabin, Luo Yan discovered that Shi Liuli had not continued to run the Body Refining Secret Technique, but was lying on the bed like a dead dog. ¡°Senior sister, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Luo Yan hurried over and placed a finger on her neck to check the flow of True Qi within her body, to confirm whether she had experienced Deviation or not. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Shi Liuli pushed his finger away and said weakly, ¡°That Body Refining Secret Technique is too tiring to practice!¡± Luo Yan: ¡­¡­¡­ I feel that the Cultivation Realm should pass a law in the future: no one with a mental age under eighteen should be allowed to cultivate immortality. ¡°Why is Marrow Cleansing more tiring than Breathing Qi Refinement?¡± Shi Liuli asked, propping her head on her hands and pressing against the pillow while her black hair cascaded over the bed. Her slender legs were bent and lifted, revealing the white silk stockings, playfully swinging one after the other. She suddenly turned her head and asked, ¡°Junior brother, is there a way to directly undergo Marrow Cleansing without having to practice every day?¡± ¡°There probably is.¡± Luo Yan said vaguely. Indeed, there are such things as the Blood Pool of the Demon Refining Tower in Shushan, the Pure Yuan Qi Pills in the secret realm of the Western Queen Mother of Kunlun¡­ but you can¡¯t get your hands on them! Hmm, wait a minute, because Qiu Changtian underwent Marrow Cleansing in the Blood Pool ahead of time, the Pure Yuan Qi Pill was actually spared. Junior Sister Xu has her own sufficient share, and Senior Sister An is already at the Refining Mansion Rank; neither of them need it. Could there be an opportunity to give it to Miss Shi? No, it can¡¯t be given directly, we have to get some benefits from her. Luo Yan was daydreaming when he suddenly snapped back to reality, only to see that Shi Liuli¡¯s pretty face was extremely close, almost to the point of kissing him. ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± she asked, her eyes wide, ¡°Are you keeping something from me?¡± Must her perception be so acute! Luo Yan quickly composed himself and said with a dry laugh, ¡°Not at all? Sister, you shouldn¡¯t make baseless guesses.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Shi Liuli straightened up and crossed her arms again. Luo Yan let out a sigh of relief inwardly, but then he noticed that the Kunlun Mirror did not indicate an increase in the Synchronization Value and was slightly startled. Then, he noticed the way Shi Liuli was eyeing him and immediately realized that she hadn¡¯t been fooled by him. ¡°That said,¡± Shi Liuli spoke as if talking to herself while still holding her arms, ¡°if there were a faster direct method for Marrow Cleansing, surely my junior brother would actively tell me, right?¡± ¡°Absolutely!¡± Luo Yan quickly professed his loyalty, ¡°If such a fortuitous opportunity arose, I probably wouldn¡¯t be able to handle it on my own, and would definitely report it to Master!¡± ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Shi Liuli nodded. However, the Synchronization Value still did not increase, indicating that Miss Shi didn¡¯t believe a word of his nonsense. ¡°Well, the senior brother was looking for me just now, I have to go up and reply to him,¡± Luo Yan, feeling that the situation was turning dire, hastily made up an excuse to beat a hasty retreat. Only after he had left the cabin and closed the door did Shi Liuli show a pouting expression. Just now, when she asked her junior brother if there was a direct method for Marrow Cleansing, he first forced a smile and said, ¡°Probably there is,¡± then he began to space out¡­ clearly indicating there was a method, but he was hesitating whether to tell me! Thinking this, she clenched her silver teeth in frustration, thinking to herself, Luo Yan oh Luo Yan, how well I¡¯ve treated you, and yet you still keep things from me? Who was it that brought you into the Heavenly Craft Workshop? Have you forgotten? An ungrateful, stinky man! With these thoughts, Shi Liuli sustained a stretch of sulking before finally having to accept the current reality. Even if the junior brother was hiding something, she had no way of forcing it out of him! If the hard approach wouldn¡¯t work, it seemed she would have to try a softer one. With this in mind, Shi Liuli raised her eyebrows and checked herself in the bronze mirror. Not bad, her features were delicate, and her demeanor charmingly adorable. What kind of man could resist the charms of such a beauty? No one! With this thought, Shi Liuli straightened her clothes and then put on a smile as lovely as a blooming flower. She got up, opened the cabin door, and headed towards the upper deck. Usually, to get what she wanted, Miss Shi had three tricks up her sleeve: The first was the money tactic; use a massive amount of Spirit Stones to stun the other party, which could resolve most problems. The second was the coquetry tactic, which so far she had only used on her father. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only As soon as she acted coquettishly, Elder Shi Ding would mostly become completely obedient to her¡ªif not, she would shift to acting aggrieved and crying, and Elder Shi Ding often couldn¡¯t withstand this move either and would go to negotiate with the other party. If the other party wouldn¡¯t accept Spirit Stones, then more valuable items would have to be exchanged, such as the prestige of Elder Shi Ding of the Penglai Jade Pure Artifact Forging, or a Heavenly Craft Workshop magic artifact customization¡­ The third was the esoteric tactic, used when things couldn¡¯t even be handled by Elder Shi Ding. Of course, since Luo Yan was their little junior brother, there was no need to use something as forceful as esoteric methods. She¡¯d let him experience the power of acting coquettishly first! Chapter 160 - Chapter 160: Chapter 22 Shi Liuli’s Super Combo Chapter 160: Chapter 22 Shi Liuli¡¯s Super Combo On the deck, Luo Yan was chatting with his senior brother Linghu Chu, discussing the Body Refining Secret Technique. ¡°The Body Refining Secret Technique, lost during the ancient times along with the discontinuation of the Witch Clan¡¯s Daoist traditions, now only some Martial Arts Secret Manuals remain, but they merely scratch the surface,¡± Linghu Chu commented, ¡°You are at the Marrow Cleansing Rank. Do not circulate your qi according to the Qi Refining Technique, but instead use the Body Refining Secret Technique; it will greatly increase the efficiency of your Marrow Cleansing.¡± ¡°After Marrow Cleansing, you can also carve out a quarter of an hour each day to practice it, as it has the benefit of strengthening the body. But any longer would delay your own cultivation.¡± ¡°So what you mean, Senior Brother, is that the efficacy of the Body Refining Secret Technique in advancing one¡¯s cultivation level is far less than that of the Daoist Qi Refining Technique?¡± Luo Yan thought to himself; his senior brother¡¯s words seemed to align with what Ah Jing and Ah Jian had said. The biggest problem with the Body Refining Secret Technique is that it¡¯s too slow to take effect. The further one progresses, the slower the advancement of the cultivation level becomes, far inferior to the Daoist Qi Refining Technique. Luo Yan even had a suspicion that there might be some ¡°key¡± medicine or rituals intended to complement these Body Refining Secret Techniques. But due to some reasons, these key factors were unfortunately lost, leading to the disuse of the Body Refining Secret Technique because of its low efficiency. Of course, looking at the history of the entire Cultivation Realm, it is a lengthy process of weakening. Who knows how many Daoist traditions have been lost in the river of time¡­ ¡°Indeed,¡± the Kunlun Mirror sighed, ¡°In fact, Daoist cultivation techniques are just the least damaged part.¡± ¡°From the ancient times, to the ancient era, to the middle ages, to the modern era, and then to today. Every once in a while, the distribution of Spiritual Energy in the Cultivation Realm would undergo drastic changes.¡± ¡°Daoist Heart Clarity, Innate Sword Bone, these peerless cultivating talents, how long have they not appeared? It¡¯s not just an issue of probability; the probability itself is diminishing¡­¡± At this point, the Kunlun Mirror suddenly stopped. ¡°¡­What¡¯s wrong, keep talking,¡± Luo Yan said, puzzled. ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing,¡± the Kunlun Mirror fell silent. ¡°So you mean you¡¯ve let something slip?¡± Luo Yan laughed, ¡°In this phase, you accidentally told me something secret that you shouldn¡¯t have?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said indifferently, ¡°Now is not the time to discuss this topic. Look, who is coming to find you?¡± Luo Yan turned his head in surprise and saw Shi Liuli approaching with a smile. Miss Shi was naturally delicate and beautiful, and her smile made her even more stunningly irresistible. But for some reason, whether it was Luo Yan who was up close, or his senior brother Linghu Chu standing at the helm, both felt an inexplicable chill rise from the depths of their hearts. Her smile is so strange! It wasn¡¯t that Miss Shi couldn¡¯t smile, but she had always been someone who couldn¡¯t hide her feelings. Even her smiles were genuine, so when did she ever show such a polite and ingratiating smile that was clearly seeking a favor? Linghu Chu shivered and immediately turned to lean on the ship¡¯s rail, pretending to gaze into the distance and zone out. Luo Yan also planned to walk away, but Miss Shi grabbed his arm and wouldn¡¯t let him go. ¡°Little Junior Brother~¡± she smiled sweetly, ¡°Come with me, I have something to tell you.¡± Such a coy statement caused Luo Yan to shiver all over. Devoid of any strength to resist, he was confusedly dragged by her beneath the deck. Linghu Chu: ¡­¡­ He turned around with a complex expression, wondering if their master already knew about the thing between his junior brother and junior sister. When would master plan for them to get engaged and become Daoist Companions? And was there any plan for offspring? What would be more appropriate for the wedding gift and the monthly stipend? Luo Yan was pulled into the cabin by Miss Shi and was about to speak when Shi Liuli locked the cabin door behind her. Luo Yan: !!! Just Miss Shi, thinking to take away my Yuan Yang? Impossible! ¡°Why are you gripping your pants?¡± Shi Liuli frowned and said. ¡°Nothing.¡± Luo Yan calmed down, released his grip on his waistband, and rubbed his dumbstruck face, ¡°What does Senior Sister want with me?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t I come to you if there¡¯s nothing important?¡± Shi Liuli smiled beautifully, ¡°Caring for my junior brother is a senior sister¡¯s duty.¡± ¡°Thank you for your concern, Senior Sister.¡± For some reason, whenever Luo Yan heard her speak in such a sickly sweet tone, he felt like a bug trapped in honey, with a sweet yet suffocating feeling. ¡°How is your Body Refining Secret Technique training going?¡± Shi Liuli asked cheerily, ¡°Do you have any difficulties that require your Senior Sister¡¯s guidance?¡± Luo Yan found himself momentarily at a loss for words. You¡¯re asking me, a Refining Mansion rank cultivator if I have any questions for you, a Marrow Cleansing rank cultivator? Of course, he was a professional spy, after all, so he wouldn¡¯t be stumped by such a request. After silently grumbling for a moment, Luo Yan quickly changed his train of thought, asking her about a problem he had encountered himself during his own Marrow Cleansing: ¡°Mm-hm, Senior Sister, I do have a question: Why does the flow of qi always pause at the second Heaven¡¯s Gate from the top when it circulates up the spine during the full cycle?¡± Shi Liuli¡¯s smile froze on her face. ¡°Listen carefully to this,¡± Shi Liuli coughed after a moment of silence, settling herself, ¡°It¡¯s because, um, when qi circulates during the full cycle, up the spine, it will get stuck slightly at the second Heaven¡¯s Gate¡­ because that¡¯s the second Heaven¡¯s Gate, do you understand?¡± Luo Yan: ??? If one day I ascend to the celestial throne, I must enact the ¡°Minor Cultivator Protection Act¡± to prevent ¡®big kids¡¯ with immature psychological ages from becoming Senior Sisters! ¡°Alright, since I have solved a question for you, you owe me a favor now!¡± She pulled a chair over, sat down almost next to Luo Yan, leaned in, and asked, ¡°Little Junior Brother~ you have a simpler method for Marrow Cleansing, don¡¯t you?¡± Upon hearing this, Luo Yan breathed a sigh of relief. Thank goodness, she¡¯s not suspicious of my identity, nor coveting my body; she just intends to get the Marrow Cleansing secret technique from me. Seeing that Luo Yan did not deny it immediately, Shi Liuli could see right through him, that this junior brother indeed possessed a secret Marrow Cleansing technique. She immediately grabbed his arm and started shaking it, coaxing persistently: ¡°Tell me, please! Tell me tell me tell me tell me¡­¡± Dammit, she¡¯s using a combo attack! Luo Yan prided himself on having been through a lot, but Miss Shi was simply too adept at leveraging her assets: Knowing how exquisite and flawless her appearance was, cute and charming, she deliberately pleaded with the coyness of a daughter; Aware of her own innocent and cheerful nature, winning people¡¯s hearts, she purposely acted spoiled like a child. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only If it were just one of those things, Luo Yan could resist with an iron will, but when all these traits wove together into a net, a massive web capable of melting a man¡¯s heart, he was ever so slightly breached. Forget it, there¡¯s no use holding onto it anyway. ¡°Senior Sister¡­¡± Luo Yan closed his eyes, struggling visibly, and finally said slowly, ¡°I originally planned to give it to you after we left.¡± ¡°I have a bottle of Pure Yuan Qi Pill¡­¡± The Kunlun Mirror watched his performance coldly, then glanced at the rapidly rising Synchronization Value, wondering whether he was role-playing or being true to himself at this moment. Chapter 161 - Chapter 161: Chapter 23 Not Even Giving a Chance to the Titanic! Chapter 161: Chapter 23 Not Even Giving a Chance to the Titanic! Miss Shi was very happy. Miss Shi was also very angry. Her happiness lay in the fact that her junior brother indeed had a method to quickly perform Marrow Cleansing! The source of her anger, naturally, was that her junior brother hadn¡¯t told her right away¡­ Of course, this wasn¡¯t that important, and overall, she was happier than she was angry. Luo Yan took out a bottle of Pure Yuan Qi Pill from his Storage Bag and placed it in Shi Liuli¡¯s hands, instructing, ¡°Taking this Elixir every three days will activate the stagnant vital energy in the hard-to-reach corners of the marrow, making it easier to expel with Vital Energy circulation.¡± ¡°To put it simply, you still need to practice the Body Refining Secret Technique daily, but combined with this bottle of Elixir, you can shorten the corresponding Marrow Cleansing time.¡± ¡°Mm-hmm!¡± Shi Liuli was elated, thinking that as long as it could shorten the Marrow Cleansing time, it was fine. Otherwise, she couldn¡¯t stand another five or six years of practice. ¡°Then, senior sister, I won¡¯t disturb your cultivation anymore.¡± Seeing that Shi Liuli didn¡¯t care how he came by the Pure Yuan Qi Pill¡ªmuch like how a woman shopping doesn¡¯t worry about whether her husband finds earning money difficult¡ªLuo Yan quickly excused himself to leave. ¡°Go on, go on.¡± Miss Shi was quite swift to dismiss him this time, giving Luo Yan a somewhat inexplicable sense of loss. If you stick around, it¡¯s annoying; if you don¡¯t, it¡¯s loss¡ªthat¡¯s just how we men are! He mocked himself inwardly, walked up to the deck, but suddenly heard an explosion in the distance, like thunder striking, nearly deafening him. ¡°Junior brother, quickly return below deck!¡± Linghu Chu yelled anxiously. Upon hearing this, Luo Yan didn¡¯t hesitate and hurriedly turned around to run below, just in time to run into Shi Liuli who had rushed out from her cabin in a panic. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± she asked anxiously. ¡°It seems there¡¯s someone having a Magical Competition on the sea surface!¡± Luo Yan had only taken a quick glimpse and said uncertainly. No sooner had he spoken than the ship they were on, under Linghu Chu¡¯s fierce steering, suddenly executed a 180-degree drift. The violent turn and tremendous acceleration flung Luo Yan directly out, crashing him against the hallway wall. He felt a sharp pain in his back and hadn¡¯t yet steadied himself when he saw Miss Shi also getting thrown his way, sandwiching him in a front-and-back collision. Her mouth knocked directly into Luo Yan¡¯s lips, the pain almost making him cry out¡ªhis lip was cut by his teeth, and a faint iron-tasting blood spread between his tongue and teeth. Miss Shi sat down on the floor in disarray, her hands tightly covering her mouth, her beautiful eyes already brimming with tears. On one hand, it was because of the pain, but on the other hand, it was shyness and panic¡­ Even with her innocent and carefree nature, she at least understood the significance of losing her first kiss. ¡°Senior Sister, are you okay?¡± Luo Yan struggled to stand up and wanted to help her up, but only saw Shi Liuli retreating rapidly back to the corner with a clear look of panic, tears still lingering in her eyes. Luo Yan: ¡­¡­¡­ Don¡¯t make it seem like I took advantage of you, okay? I¡¯m a victim too! However, something outside seemed amiss, and the floorboards of the ship shuddered violently again¡ªit felt as if the entire ship was lifted by a giant wave and then slammed back down onto the sea. Luo Yan felt like he was on a roller coaster without a seatbelt, as he was thrown up and down again, tumbling into a heap with Miss Shi. If it were outside the Immortal Realm, being able to fly in the sky with Sword Control wouldn¡¯t have been so embarrassing¡­ As this thought flashed through his mind, his view suddenly shifted a dozen meters sideways! To be exact, some overwhelmingly terrifying external force had cleaved the entire ship in half from the outside! At this moment, Luo Yan and Shi Liuli were located in the front half of the ship¡¯s body, and the torn breach of the treasured ship suddenly came into view, with the rolling sea water outside, and on the deck of the rear half of the ship stood their senior brother with an expression of shock and panic. ¡°Hold on!¡± he rapidly formed a hand seal, pinning the Flying Sword to the lower hull, then leaped down like a wild goose, landing steadily on the back of the Flying Sword. Subsequently, with his right hand grabbing hold of a protrusion on the side of the ship to stabilize himself, he formed a Sword technique with his left hand, and the Flying Sword shot out from under his feet again, pinning itself lower down¡­ After a few such leaps, Linghu Chu quickly descended, rushing swiftly towards the two of them. However, the situation on Luo Yan¡¯s side was even less optimistic, as the front half of the ship had already begun to tilt, and it was tilting downwards towards the sea at the breach where they were, causing immense volumes of sea water to start flooding in through the break. Luo Yan and Shi Liuli had to hastily retreat towards the front of the ship to avoid being submerged by the incoming water. Shi Liuli tightly clung to Luo Yan¡¯s arm, her pretty face already pale with fright, and Luo Yan realized her body was shaking violently, a clear sign of utter helplessness. Luo Yan himself was somewhat shocked and panicked, but after all, he had a strong mental fortitude. He was not some pampered Immortal Sect miss with the mental age of a minor; he quickly regained his composure, imitated his senior brother by drawing the Peach Blossom Sword, and forcefully pinned it in the deck beneath his feet to stabilize himself. This treasured ship, although it appeared no different from a common wooden boat, must necessarily contain some special qualities, otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t have been able to carry everyone in and out of the You Ming Sea, nor would it have been possible to sail on water without buoyancy. Thinking of the rumor that ¡®one who falls into the You Ming Sea shall surely drown¡¯, Luo Yan immediately concluded: Even if the treasured ship is destroyed and capsizes, they must cling to the wreckage and floatboards until the third day! Just as he had resolved to do so, the ship suddenly shook violently again. Caught off guard, Miss Shi, who had not held on tight enough, was flung off and fell down the deck sloping more than sixty degrees. She desperately tried to clutch at the deck, but there was neither protrusion nor indentation to grasp onto; she could only cast a desperate yet hopeful look toward Luo Yan. Seeing her plight, Luo Yan cursed inwardly without hesitation, pulled out the Peach Blossom Sword, and accelerated down the tilted deck, his thoughts turning as fleetingly as lightning. Why? If this was a certain death trap, why hadn¡¯t his future self appeared in advance? Unless I¡¯m not going to die at all¡­ He didn¡¯t even have time to consult the Kunlun Mirror before he had already reached Shi Liuli, leaning over to grab Miss Shi¡¯s arm. However, the downward force of Shi Liuli¡¯s fall far exceeded his expectations. Before he could pin the Peach Blossom Sword into the deck again, Luo Yan was already being dragged into the sea by Shi Liuli. The icy sea water filled his robes, and in vain, he thrust the Peach Blossom Sword forward forcefully. Finally, it pierced upwards into the hull from underneath the water. However, perhaps due to exerting too much force, he failed to secure his grip on the hilt, and was helplessly dragged into the deep sea by Shi Liuli¡¯s struggling. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Luo Yan could only watch as the broken treasured ship floated farther and farther away on the sea surface, the waterlight around him gradually dimming. He tried to swim forcefully a few times, and after realizing that the sea water had absolutely no buoyancy, he simply used his arms to forcefully pull Shi Liuli, who was clinging to his arm like an octopus, into his embrace. Shi Liuli, still shivering, gradually quieted down in his arms, her eyes lifelessly staring at him. You should lose some weight. Luo Yan ¡®said¡¯ without words, using the shape of his mouth underwater. Shi Liuli was stunned for a moment, then suddenly began to struggle fiercely again. Chapter 162 - Chapter 162: Chapter 24 The Prisoner of the Underwater Dragon Palace Chapter 162: Chapter 24 The Prisoner of the Underwater Dragon Palace In the deep sea, the two embraced and sank downward. For cultivators, lack of oxygen was not a problem at all. As long as they had passed the Fasting period, their bodies could circulate internally and sustain themselves without any exchange with the outside world to maintain life. However, this did not mean they could dive into the deep sea without dying, because the deeper they went, the greater the water pressure, and the bodies of cultivators would be crushed by the immense force¡­ Yet, about two quarters of an hour later, Luo Yan surprisingly discovered that the surrounding water pressure had not increased at all. Hmm? After pondering for a moment, he realized the truth. Buoyancy, essentially, was caused by the difference in water pressure above and below an object. If this seawater lacked even buoyancy, then how could there possibly be any water pressure? He was lost in thought for a long time, while Shi Liuli in his arms tightly closed her eyes, her eyelashes trembling slightly. She had originally thought that she was surely going to die, so she clung to Luo Yan, motionless, waiting for death to come with trepidation. But after waiting for two quarters of an hour and still not dying, she finally became a little impatient and forced her eyes open. It was so dark. Descending to this depth, the visibility around them had become so dim that they could hardly see anything at all, and they could only sense Luo Yan¡¯s presence through the most basic sense of touch. However, the seawater was extremely cold, nearly numbing her entire body, forcing her to hold on tightly to Luo Yan. Suddenly, it seemed something had wrapped around the two of them. That thing seemed like seaweed, yet also like silk, winding around the two several times before dragging them downwards. Luo Yan tried to struggle, realizing he couldn¡¯t break free at all¡­ Moreover, his entire True Yuan seemed to be stagnating, unable to circulate at all. About another quarter of an hour passed when a light gradually appeared below. What hung in the abyss below was a palace, brightly lit and breathtakingly beautiful. Crystal for walls, coral for trees, clams for candles, and fragrance wafting in the smoke decorated the whole palace like an immortal realm, akin to the Dragon King¡¯s palace of mythological tales, overwhelmingly beautiful. What bound the two was a long, thin rope that did not seem to be woven from plant fibers, but rather like the sinew of some creature¡­ The two were dragged into the palace of the Dragon King, and the palace gate quietly opened, revealing a layer of shimmering water membrane. They passed through the water barrier without any impediment, and immediately felt lighter. The cold, cultivation-sealing water that felt almost suffocating was all isolated outside the water membrane; even their clothes were not wet. Shi Liuli shivered, anxiously clinging to Luo Yan¡¯s arm. Luo Yan, however, looked around calmly and asked the Kunlun Mirror in his Sea of Consciousness: ¡°Where¡¯s my future warrior? Where¡¯s my strategy guide?¡± ¡°What do you need a strategy guide for?¡± Kunlun Mirror was baffled, ¡°I didn¡¯t see any deadly tribulation, and I can¡¯t be staring at your future all the time, can I?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no deadly tribulation, you say?¡± Luo Yan immediately feigned a leap, ¡°Then I¡¯ll just sweep this place directly!¡± ¡°Be careful,¡± Kunlun Mirror said, half amused, half exasperated, ¡°A deadly tribulation refers to a life-and-death crisis that you can¡¯t escape from without external interference when it¡¯s one hundred percent certain! Don¡¯t foolishly court death and forcefully bring about a tribulation from nothing!¡± ¡°Got it,¡± Luo Yan said, relieved, ¡°Ah Jing, you¡¯re always so good to me.¡± That is to say, if I face a fate of one hundred percent certainty of death, Ah Jing will remind me, right? ¡°Hmph.¡± The Kunlun Mirror was not fooled, ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m just a tool for you. Useful and I¡¯m ¡®Ah Jing,¡¯ useless and I¡¯m a ¡®broken mirror¡¯¡­ Hmph! Just go on hugging Miss Shi.¡± It sank into the Sea of Consciousness and fell silent, no matter how Luo Yan called for it, it did not respond. So, all that was left was the chuckling sound of the Green Duckweed Sword near his ear. Luo Yan brought his attention back to reality and saw a long corridor ahead, with all the doors on both sides shut tight. Only the main door at the end was open, which was self-explanatory. So, Luo Yan planned to move forward to explore, but Miss Shi held onto his arm, stopping him from leaving. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Senior Sister?¡± Luo Yan asked. Shi Liuli didn¡¯t speak, only shrinking her neck and shaking her head. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, Senior Sister,¡± Luo Yan comforted her, ¡°Since the master of this place brought us here safely, it seems that there¡¯s no intention to harm us.¡± Shi Liuli still shook her head, looking genuinely frightened. ¡°Come with me, be good!¡± Seeing that neither persuasion nor intimidation worked, Luo Yan simply used his hand to lift her chin, pretending he was going to kiss her lips. Frightened, Shi Liuli hurriedly let go of his arm, retreating several steps like a little rabbit. Then she suddenly realized she was in a strange environment full of dangers and quickly jumped back to cling to his arm again, glaring at him and grinding her teeth, showing a vicious look that said, ¡°Tease me again, and I¡¯ll bite you to death.¡± Luo Yan was somewhat amused but relieved that Miss Shi had finally regained her unique spirit. He then patiently persuaded her again: ¡°Let¡¯s go. Don¡¯t let them get anxious waiting.¡± Shi Liuli hesitated for a long while before asking in a low voice: ¡°Is this the Dragon Palace?¡± ¡°Not every palace built at the bottom of the sea is the Dragon Palace,¡± Luo Yan analyzed with a wry smile, ¡°Look at the width of these corridors, the height of these doors, it¡¯s clear that humans, not some Great Demon, move around here¡­¡± Before he could finish, a drawn-out voice came from ahead: ¡°That¡¯s not necessarily true, after all, Great Demons can transform, can¡¯t they?¡± Luo Yan fell silent for a moment before leading Shi Liuli forward. As they passed through the room at the end of the corridor, they saw a splendid and spacious hall where a handsome man in white robes was leaning lazily on a throne, his gaze drifting lazily over them. The man¡¯s features were too handsome for a mortal, with a full forehead, a high nose bridge, and long, narrow eyes. His expression¡­ was very similar to the Marquis of Mount Tu that Luo Yan had seen in the Shushan Demon Locking Tower before. ¡°I greet the Great King,¡± Luo Yan quickly greeted with a bow. Having interacted with the Marquis of Mount Tu, Luo Yan already knew how to deal with these Great Demons: Be interesting when you meet, to capture their attention; be smart in between, to make them respect you; be useful at the end, so they won¡¯t want to kill you. ¡°Why do you call me ¡®Great King¡¯?¡± The man in white was indeed intrigued and started to smile, ¡°Interesting. Others call me True Monarch or Your Excellency, but you call me ¡®Great King¡¯? Do I look like some bandit leader to you?¡± ¡°Not a bandit chief, but a True Dragon,¡± Luo Yan immediately followed up, ¡°If not a destined ruler, how could one sit upon the throne?¡± The man in white pondered for a moment, then tapped the armrest of the throne with his slender fingers and continued: ¡°Does sitting on the throne necessarily make one a ruler? Maybe the ruler is away, and I¡¯m just sitting here casually?¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Luo Yan smiled without saying a word, his expression reflecting utter certainty that needed no explanation. ¡°Well then,¡± the man in white sighed, ¡°You are also smart, to even see that I am from the Dragon Clan.¡± Upon hearing this, Shi Liuli couldn¡¯t help but grip Luo Yan¡¯s arm even tighter. The man in white continued to speak: ¡°However, I am not any Dragon King, and this is not any palace.¡± ¡°I am merely a prisoner, confined here.¡± Chapter 163 - Chapter 163: Chapter 25: The Cage of Immortality Chapter 163: Chapter 25: The Cage of Immortality ¡°If you have any questions, you may ask them now.¡± ¡°May I ask, Your Majesty, where is this place?¡± ¡°You may call me Lord Zhunmang,¡± the man in white said gently, ¡°This sea is known as the ¡®Great Gorge,¡¯ which is the end of all waters under heaven.¡± ¡°The waters of the Eight Extremities and Nine Territories, the flow of the Celestial River, they converge from west to east into the East Sea, Southern Sea, and finally all come here to this Great Gorge.¡± ¡°Deep within the Great Gorge, lies this travelling palace, known as ¡®Gui Xu.¡¯¡± Luo Yan silently noted his words, then asked: ¡°For what purpose did Lord Zhunmang bring the two of us here?¡± ¡°Naturally, it was to save you,¡± Lord Zhunmang blinked. Luo Yan: ¡­¡­¡­ Damn, there¡¯s no way to argue that. ¡°The depths of the Great Gorge have no end,¡± Lord Zhunmang continued, ¡°If you had continued sinking and missed Gui Xu, you would have fallen into eternal oblivion, unable to extricate yourselves.¡± ¡°Thank you, Lord Zhunmang, for your rescue,¡± Luo Yan could only bow his thanks. ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± Lord Zhunmang said gently, ¡°In saving you, I also had some self-interest.¡± Now this was the crux of the matter! Luo Yan and Shi Liuli immediately pricked up their ears, curious about what price this member of the Dragon Clan would demand. ¡°If you say that the Great Gorge is the end of all spaces, then Gui Xu would be the closest observation point to the Great Gorge,¡± Lord Zhunmang said with a smile, ¡°I don¡¯t know who the builder was, but they must be from a time even more ancient than our Dragon Clan¡¯s. ¡°Within Gui Xu, there are many historical records left by the ancestors of the Dragon Clan. According to the current research, the essence of the Great Gorge is actually a kind of Formation.¡± ¡°Formation?¡± Luo Yan was amazed. ¡°Yes, a Formation,¡± Lord Zhunmang said leisurely, ¡°What do you think a Formation is?¡± Shi Liuli remained silent, carefully hiding behind Luo Yan. Luo Yan thought for a moment and then replied: ¡°A Formation is a special and orderly state of matter and energy.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Lord Zhunmang¡¯s eyes flashed with a different light, ¡°Have you studied Formations?¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare say studied, but I¡¯ve learned about them,¡± Luo Yan said modestly. ¡°That¡¯s wonderful!¡± Lord Zhunmang clapped his hands and laughed, ¡°After such a long time, finally, another cultivator who understands Formations has come! Human, what is your name?¡± Shi Liuli was about to speak, but Luo Yan had already replied: ¡°Responding to Lord Zhunmang, my name is Luo Yan.¡± ¡°Luo Yan¡­ Very well, Luo Yan,¡± Lord Zhunmang nodded, committing the name to memory, ¡°Luo Yan, you said that a Formation is a special and orderly distribution of matter and energy, so let me ask you: Isn¡¯t the world we live in an orderly distribution of matter and energy?¡± Luo Yan¡¯s mouth opened slightly, feeling a certain enlightenment rising from the depths of his heart. ¡°Why does the sun rise in the east and set in the west? Why do all things fall to the ground? Why does water turn into vapor when heated?¡± Lord Zhunmang spread his hands as if chanting, ¡°Our world operates under a series of woven rules and systems.¡± ¡°This world is a gigantic Formation. Or to put it another way, our understanding of ¡®Formation¡¯ is actually the study of the fundamental mechanisms of this world.¡± ¡°The Great Gorge is one of the most important formation points in this world.¡± Luo Yan patiently listened to him finish before asking, ¡°Forgive my frankness, but what does this have to do with a ¡®prison¡¯?¡± ¡°Because located deep within the Great Gorge, Gui Xu has a very special rate of time flow,¡± Lord Zhen Mang smiled, ¡°Time here passes extremely slowly.¡± ¡°In here, for every year your perception experiences, your body has only aged three days, and the outside world has also merely passed three days.¡± Time flows at different rates? Luo Yan was momentarily stunned by the words, and then slowly, he understood, ¡°Doesn¡¯t that mean¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Lord Zhen Mang said candidly, ¡°after discovering this characteristic of Gui Xu, the Dragon Clan started using this place as a prison to banish their prisoners.¡± ¡°A prison of time, where the prisoners are almost immortal. But more torturous than immortality is the nearly eternal boredom, along with the unstoppable desire to escape from this prison.¡± He stood up, gesturing for the two to follow him. The three of them passed through the main hall and entered a side hall. In the side hall, shelves filled with books stretched as far as the eye could see, like walls of a maze, fragmenting the hall. The shelves were densely packed with thread-bound paper books, and even more books were piled directly on the ground, forming small mounds. Many cultivators stood in front of the bookshelves or piles of books, some immersed in reading, while others furiously penned their thoughts at the desks, their expressions fervent. Among them were human cultivators and Great Demons of the Dragon Clan; some wore simple clothes never seen before, and others wore robes from the Ancient Times. Their commonality was particularly manic expressions. ¡°They are all cultivators who, like you, unfortunately fell into the Great Gorge before you and were saved by me to Gui Xu,¡± Lord Zhen Mang explained indifferently, ¡°Inside the Great Gorge, there is an extremely strong sealing power. Cultivators are unable to mobilize True Yuan and can only sink slowly in the deep sea.¡± ¡°But only within Gui Xu do cultivators not face such restrictions.¡± ¡°Which means, you want to study the mechanism of this Gui Xu,¡± Luo Yan suddenly realized, summarizing, ¡°and find a way to resist the seal of the Great Gorge from within so you can escape from here!¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Lord Zhen Mang nodded, ¡°This Gui Xu is formed by a Grand Formation.¡± ¡°Before this place was used as an exile prison, there were many Dragon Clan ancestors who entered here by mistake and couldn¡¯t escape from the Great Gorge, so they could only research the Formation here, hoping to find a way to escape.¡± ¡°And later, as your human race began to rise, human cultivators also started arriving here.¡± ¡°What you see now, all the books in this entire hall¡ªthere are probably just over a hundred thousand volumes by now¡ªare their research findings.¡± Luo Yan: ¡­¡­¡­. Shi Liuli: ¡­¡­¡­. ¡°Immortality, what a boring term,¡± Lord Zhen Mang remarked, ¡°All cultivators who came here had initially indulged in pleasures, engaged in strenuous cultivation, or did nothing at all¡­ but in the end, they all concentrated their efforts on researching the Gui Xu Grand Formation.¡± ¡°After all, once you have infinite time, you will find that those hobbies that once obsessed you mean nothing under the merciless passage of time¡ªyou will grow tired of them someday.¡± Luo Yan feigned a sympathetic expression, but inwardly, he disagreed: Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Without smartphones and the internet, of course it¡¯s like this. With both, I could loiter until the end of the world, okay? Of course, this was ultimately an impractical fantasy, so Luo Yan gently patted the trembling Miss Shi beside him and asked, ¡°Then, when can we start researching the Gui Xu Grand Formation?¡± ¡°Anytime,¡± Lord Zhen Mang said with a smile, ¡°But I suggest you stay here for a few days first, get accustomed to it for a while, and adjust your mindset and condition.¡± ¡°After all, what we have in abundance here is time.¡± Chapter 164 - Chapter 164: Chapter 26 Miss Shi Weeping and Sobbing Chapter 164: Chapter 26 Miss Shi Weeping and Sobbing Chun Mang Jun arranged a room for Luo Yan and Shi Liuli. The furnishings in the room were extremely simple, consisting only of a stone bed, stone table, and stone stools. Luckily, Luo Yan¡¯s storage bag contained many commonly used pieces of furniture¡ªthey were leftovers from when he initially helped Wei Dongliu arrange the Sect at Shiping Mountain, which he had purchased from Yuqing View. He then took them out one by one, carefully arranging them in the room: cabinets, racks, and even a copper kettle and tea leaves for brewing tea, as well as some meditation cushions and wall hangings. After everything was set up, the room felt much cozier. Luo Yan then took out several small flags and began to set up the defensive array, only to hear Miss Shi suddenly start sobbing next to him. ¡°Sister, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Luo Yan asked as he worked on the formation. ¡°Are we going to be stuck here forever?¡± Shi Liuli asked sorrowfully. ¡°Ah, that¡­¡± Luo Yan paused for a moment and then gave a strained smile, ¡°I don¡¯t think so. How about we first study the Gui Xu Grand Formation when the time comes?¡± ¡°But Chun Mang Jun said it already.¡± Shi Liuli spoke in despair, ¡°Since ancient times, no cultivator has ever been able to unravel the mysteries of the grand formation and successfully leave this place!¡± ¡°Just because they couldn¡¯t, doesn¡¯t mean we can¡¯t,¡± Luo Yan said, unconvinced. He turned and quietly asked the Kunlun Mirror in his Sea of Consciousness, ¡°Ah Jing, the save from before outside the secret realm, we can still load it, right?¡± ¡°¡­We can,¡± the Kunlun Mirror confirmed, ¡°However, this Great Gorge is indeed peculiar. To transport you out, it would consume far more spiritual power than usual.¡± ¡°Then that¡¯s settled,¡± Luo Yan said, immediately as if he had taken a calming pill, his tone also lightening up, ¡°I knew I could always trust my Ah Jing! By the way, about Miss Shi¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s not possible,¡± the Kunlun Mirror frowned and said, ¡°I¡¯ve told you before, you are a person from outside this world, not within the ¡®future¡¯ set by the Time Dao, that¡¯s why you can traverse time and space and change fate. That¡¯s also the reason I chose you.¡± ¡°She is from this world. The moment I try to take her through time and space, she would immediately be subjected to the backlash of the Time Dao.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Luo Yan said seriously, ¡°So if I want to use your help to leave the Great Gorge, I can only leave Miss Shi behind, right?¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s how it is,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said, somewhat nervously. Was he really going to leave Shi Liuli behind and save himself? Strictly speaking, it indeed couldn¡¯t be helped. After all, Miss Shi couldn¡¯t be transported by me, which was a truly sad and helpless reality. But¡­ even if you were to abandon her, at least make an effort to hesitate and struggle for a while first, right? Instead of immediately making a cold-hearted and ruthless decision, it would make me feel¡­ The Kunlun Mirror couldn¡¯t help but get lost in thought, but Luo Yan didn¡¯t immediately make a statement. Instead, he said: ¡°I see, so this can only be considered a last resort.¡± ¡°Yes, it can serve as a last resort,¡± the Kunlun Mirror hastily added, inwardly relieved. ¡°Sister,¡± Luo Yan began to comfort Shi Liuli again, ¡°Don¡¯t rush to conclusions. After all, we haven¡¯t studied that Gui Xu Grand Formation yet. Don¡¯t easily assert that we will fail.¡± Miss Shi didn¡¯t believe him. She thought about the over one hundred thousand books in that hall that hadn¡¯t been thoroughly studied, all those ancient cultivator predecessors who hadn¡¯t figured it out, and the chances that she and her brother could succeed seemed incredibly slim. She might end up trapped here until death¡­ With that thought, she couldn¡¯t help but have a mental breakdown and burst into loud tears. Luo Yan was so anxious that he ran in circles around her. He wiped her tears, held her to comfort her, made funny faces to make her laugh, pinched her cheeks to annoy her, but nothing worked. Miss Shi could do nothing but cry up a storm, sobbing uncontrollably, as she rubbed her tears forcefully onto Luo Yan¡¯s clothes. Finally, Luo Yan had a flash of inspiration and said, ¡°That¡¯s right, Senior Sister! You¡¯re a person of destiny, aren¡¯t you? Don¡¯t you have that¡­what¡¯s it called¡­mysterious studies?¡± He found it a bit embarrassing to mention, as the concept of mysterious studies was quite far-fetched. But after careful consideration, all that mattered was that Miss Shi believed in it, and the priority was to cheer her up! Upon hearing the phrase ¡°person of destiny,¡± Shi Liuli¡¯s sobbing seemed to have subsided a little. Luo Yan seized the moment to press on, ¡°Senior Sister, someone as beautiful and smart as you, born into an Orthodox Sect family, a daughter of an elder, is clearly a favorite of the heavens. How could you possibly end up alone in a place like this? Why would the heavens grant you so many favorable conditions if that were to be your fate? That simply doesn¡¯t make any sense!¡± ¡°What you¡¯ve said¡­ does make some sense¡­¡± Shi Liuli said intermittently, beginning to blow her nose with a handkerchief. Seeing Miss Shi gradually returning to her senses, Luo Yan asked her to rest a bit in the room and went out to get her something to eat. After activating the defensive array of the room, Luo Yan went to the hall and found Zhun Mang Jun lying on the throne. ¡°Food?¡± Zhun Mang Jun seemed slightly surprised before responding with a smile, ¡°You can just go to the garden in the backyard and look for yourself; whether it¡¯s animal flesh or fruits and vegetables, or even cooking utensils and spices, you¡¯ll find everything you need.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± Luo Yan immediately became interested, ¡°Can this place still communicate with the outside world?¡± ¡°Of course not,¡± Zhun Mang Jun replied, ¡°But with so many cultivators stranded here, even with the tiniest probability, there have been ones who brought various types of animal offspring and vegetable seeds¡­ Moreover, most cultivators have practiced fasting and have no desire for food, so I initially left them in the garden to breed freely.¡± ¡°Plus, the Gui Xu Grand Formation enriches the spiritual power. Eventually, they proliferated so much in the garden that they became a plague, forcing me to periodically get rid of them. It would be good if you could help alleviate some of that.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Luo Yan said with a somewhat amused expression. It made sense; aside from a few cultivators, most were accustomed to surviving without food or drink, plus the presence of spiritual power within Gui Xu made the sustenance of animals and vegetation plausible. ¡°Ah,¡± he sighed with a hint of emotion, ¡°In the outside world, with limited lifespans, which cultivator doesn¡¯t yearn for immortality? Now that we¡¯ve achieved it here, everyone fears it like a tiger. It¡¯s really strange.¡± ¡°You only know their words, not their meaning,¡± Zhun Mang Jun said with a smile, ¡°The so-called immortality is merely a foundation for ultimate freedom and ease.¡± ¡°If one doesn¡¯t achieve immortality, one would live in fear of nearing death. Where is the ease in that? If one is confined here, unable to leave, it¡¯s like languishing in captivity, devoid of any freedom.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been enlightened,¡± Luo Yan first feigned a look of sincere admiration, complimenting the other for a few sentences, before subtly probing, ¡°I noticed that many of the cultivator seniors in the side hall seem to have been driven mad by being trapped here for so long, but despite having been here even longer than them, you seem to be quite normal.¡± ¡°My method wouldn¡¯t work for you,¡± Zhun Mang Jun said leisurely. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Oh?¡± Luo Yan expressed surprise, ¡°I¡¯m keen to hear the details. If it could help maintain sanity over the long term, it would certainly aid me in studying the Gui Xu Grand Formation.¡± ¡°I am of the Dragon Clan,¡± Zhun Mang Jun stated plainly, ¡°The Dragon Clan has the ability to hibernate in the summer and the winter, and can choose to enter a state of deep sleep at will, avoiding the erosion of sanity over time.¡± ¡°If you have a way to become a member of the Dragon Clan, you might as well try my method.¡± Luo Yan: ¡­¡­¡­ That¡¯s nonsense, how could I possibly become a dragon¡­hmm? Chapter 165 - Chapter 165: Chapter 27 It must be a misunderstanding Chapter 165: Chapter 27 It must be a misunderstanding Luo Yan came to the backyard garden. He saw the hall was unknowably tall, with countless towering trees rising from the ground, and wild grass growing everywhere. Instead of an unattended garden, it seemed more like a primeval forest. A rabbit burrowed out from the underbrush and, upon seeing Luo Yan, showed no fear; it continued to nibble on something. Luo Yan locked eyes with it for a moment, then smiled slightly. He cleaned a few skinned rabbits by the pond, tied them with grass ropes, and then carried them back with him. On the way, he saw a few cultivators holding their heads, wailing at the side of the road, shouting, ¡°Take me with you¡± or ¡°Old ancestor, take me with you.¡± It was hard to tell how long they¡¯d been driven mad. Luo Yan sighed, thinking that these cultivators were indeed pitiful. The rate of time flow within Gui Xu was very peculiar. It appeared normal at first, but when one started to cultivate, they would discover that the speed was alarmingly slow. According to Master Zhun Mang, spending a year in this place only reduced one¡¯s lifespan by three days. As for cultivation, it was almost the same: practicing Breathing and Qi Refinement for a year only amounted to three days¡¯ worth of cultivation in the outside world. For those cultivators who only knew how to advance in their cultivation and didn¡¯t understand how to enjoy the pleasures of life, this place must have been nothing short of Hell. But Luo Yan felt it was okay¡­ at least for now. When he returned to his room with the rabbits, he saw Miss Shi kneeling on a meditation cushion, praying and looking mournful. ¡°What are you holding in your hand?¡± she turned and asked. ¡°Rabbits,¡± Luo Yan replied with a smile, lifting the meat in his hand. ¡°Yuck!¡± Liuli made a sound of disgust and turned her head away. ¡°Rabbits are so cute, why would you kill them?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t kill them,¡± Luo Yan said with a smile, ¡°They ran into tree stumps and died by themselves.¡± ¡°Nonsense!¡± Liuli started to shed tears again. ¡°Raw meat looks so disgusting, I won¡¯t eat it!¡± Left with no choice, Luo Yan silently set up the roasting rack, lit the charcoal fire, and began to brush and flip the meat. Liuli, fuming with anger, turned her back to him, wondering when she had ever been so wronged? In the past, even when eating meat, it had always been prepared and given to her. When had she ever witnessed such bloodiness? The little junior brother simply didn¡¯t know how to be considerate of his senior sister! As Luo Yan roasted the rabbit meat until it was shiny and dripping with fat, the unique aroma began to waft through the air. Liuli stared at the painting on the wall, swallowed her saliva, and thought, if the junior brother apologizes now, perhaps I can forgive him. Luo Yan turned the bamboo skewers over and over, brushing on some spicy oil, intensifying the fragrance even more. Liuli swallowed her saliva again and again, and after some deliberation, she thought that maybe she should turn around and glare at him, just to let him know to respect his senior sister. As Luo Yan began to sprinkle pepper and cumin, and the oil dripped onto the charcoal, making a loud explosion sound, Liuli¡¯s cravings got the better of her, and she spun around to snatch the bamboo skewer from his hand, biting into it eagerly. ¡°Senior sister, if rabbits are so cute, how can you eat them?¡± Luo Yan asked with a smile. ¡°Shut up! Give me the chili powder.¡± Liuli shook the can vigorously, resulting in all the chili spilling onto the rabbit meat, then she ferociously bit into it as if it were Luo Yan¡¯s own flesh. ¡°Cough, cough, cough.¡± But she hadn¡¯t eaten much before she started to choke. ¡°Slow down, senior sister,¡± Luo Yan quickly passed her a teacup and helped her pat her back to ease her breathing. Miss Shi finally calmed down, but she was somewhat embarrassed by Luo Yan¡¯s intimate actions and felt uncomfortable, twisting her body slightly. ¡°What do you plan to do next?¡± she asked, holding a cup of tea and looking down at the tea leaves without looking at her junior brother¡¯s face. ¡°Oh, I plan to go to the side hall first to look over the materials on the Gui Xu Grand Formation.¡± ¡°Do you want me to accompany you?¡± Shi Liuli asked softly. Luo Yan was about to say it was unnecessary when he saw a timid plea in Miss Shi¡¯s eyes. Taking into account her temperament, Luo Yan understood what she meant. It was not ¡°Do you want me to accompany you?¡± but ¡°Can I go with you?¡± ¡°Of course, you can.¡± He said with a smile. ¡°So hypocritical.¡± After reporting ¡°Synchronization Value increased,¡± the Kunlun Mirror couldn¡¯t help but criticize, ¡°You know she is timid, so why don¡¯t you just coax her a bit? She has been so scared¡­¡± ¡°With your eloquence and emotional intelligence, wouldn¡¯t it be very easy for you to calm her down?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need,¡± Luo Yan said, chuckling. ¡°A proper fear of the unknown can help to close the distance between her and me¡ªafter all, during such anxious times, she can only rely on me, right?¡± Kunlun Mirror: ¡­ If you were not planning to abandon the identity of Luo Yan once the situation is restored, I would simply think you were a noble suitor and keep quiet. But since you¡¯ve already planned to have Luo Yan be just a passerby in your life, why bother leaving so many traces in her heart? Scumbag! However, Luo Yan was unaware of Kunlun Mirror¡¯s thoughts; he simply left the room with Shi Liuli and went to the side hall filled with books. Along the way, Shi Liuli held tightly to Luo Yan¡¯s arm, looking around like a timid hamster. When she saw three unfamiliar cultivators by the roadside, she immediately hid behind Luo Yan. But those three cultivators didn¡¯t pay any attention to them, just shouting at each other as if possessed. One was shouting, ¡°Distributed nodes are invincible,¡± while another roared, ¡°Increasing coupling is the only way out,¡± both looking as if they wanted to tear each other apart on the spot. The remaining cultivator could only futilely call out, ¡°Don¡¯t discredit,¡± ¡°Everything has value,¡± but was directly ignored by his companions. ¡°Do you see?¡± Luo Yan said to Shi Liuli when they had walked far enough, ¡°The cultivators here are all very erratic.¡± ¡°Think about it, one year here is equivalent to three days outside. The outside world¡¯s Treasure Ship Secret Realm opens every thousand years, which means that the last batch of cultivators who entered the Secret Realm and fell into the Great Gorge have already spent a hundred thousand years in the Gui Xu Palace.¡± ¡°A hundred thousand years! Who other than immortals could live that long in the outside world? Plus, there¡¯s no way to practice Qi Refinement here, nor is there anything to do. Those cultivators who don¡¯t think about escaping have likely already fallen into despair and committed suicide. Those who have survived are all erratic, what¡¯s there for you to fear?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say such scary things!¡± Shi Liuli hit him hard, tearfully saying, ¡°What if we are also trapped here for a hundred thousand years?¡± ¡°If I am trapped with sister,¡± seeing her like a startled bird, Luo Yan deliberately said seriously, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind even a million years, let alone a hundred thousand.¡± Shi Liuli listened and became indignant: she was already feeling so uncomfortable, and the little junior brother was still trying to tease her! Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only She was just about to start grinding her teeth, preparing to bite her annoying junior brother, when unexpectedly the Kunlun Mirror suddenly withdrew the Illusion Technique of Mirror Flower Water Moon. As soon as this false persona was dropped, his demeanor immediately became extremely sincere, so much so that Shi Liuli actually couldn¡¯t figure out on the spot whether her junior brother¡¯s words were just to distract her attention so she wouldn¡¯t continue to be panicked and frightened, or whether it was a genuine confession to her. After walking a distance further, Shi Liuli finally stuttered: ¡°Um, junior brother¡­ I need to think about it, seriously think about it¡­ okay?¡± Luo Yan: ? Chapter 166 - Chapter 166: Chapter 28: Can’t Cultivators Sleep? Chapter 166: Chapter 28: Can¡¯t Cultivators Sleep? The two came to the side hall and were once again astonished by the nearly oceanic quantity of books. Shi Liuli found a deserted corner, pulled a book off the shelf, and after a moment of reading, her eyes immediately seemed to emit spirals of mosquito coil smoke. Luo Yan also picked up a book, read for a moment, and found the author¡¯s writing intriguing¡ªalthough somewhat mad. The author claimed that the reason the Gui Xu Grand Formation appeared different with each observation was because it was actually three-dimensional, not flat. Each time the cultivators made an observation, what they recorded was just ¡°a certain cross section¡± of this three-dimensional formation¡­ Luo Yan quickly flipped to the back and discovered that the author was all speculation with no evidence to support his views, which immediately diminished his interest. It appeared that among the more than one hundred thousand books, there truly weren¡¯t many that were useful. He then went over to a window in the side hall and looked out. The Gui Xu Grand Formation, located in the central courtyard, was best viewed from above, right at the heart of Gui Xu. Anyone looking out from the windows of the side hall could see the extremely intricate and lavish formation below, like a piece crafted from silver threads, exquisitely beautiful yet wholly natural. Even more peculiar was that the formation was constantly changing, growing more and more complicated and indescribable¡­ ¡°Can you understand it?¡± Miss Shi¡¯s voice suddenly rang in his ear, interrupting Luo Yan¡¯s thoughts, which he was almost immersed in. ¡°Uh, it¡¯s kind of interesting,¡± Luo Yan responded noncommittally. ¡°Liar,¡± Shi Liuli pursed her lips and then continued to stare at him. The junior brother had just been staring at the formation for a quarter of an hour¡ªhow could it just be ¡°kind of interesting¡±? She cautiously surveyed her surroundings once more and found that everyone was still engrossed in their own activities, paying no attention to them whatsoever. Unable to understand the books and with no entertainment around, Shi Liuli could only sit next to Luo Yan, motionless, and cast her gaze toward the Gui Xu Grand Formation outside the window. Luo Yan, on the other hand, went to the bookshelves and started to search quickly. With the talent of understanding a thousand things from one scent, he could get a general idea of what any book was about with just a brief glance through a few pages. Therefore, most of the books full of subjective speculation and guesses were ruthlessly skimmed over by him. Only those about formations that truly had substance were kept in his hands to read slowly, page by page. Though ¡°slowly¡± still meant flipping each page after about two seconds, the expression on Luo Yan¡¯s face was extremely serious. And none of the surrounding cultivators gave him even the slightest bit of attention. After some time had passed, Luo Yan was suddenly awakened again by Miss Shi. ¡°How¡¯s it going?¡± Shi Liuli asked. ¡°These books are fantastic!¡± Luo Yan said, his expression animated, ¡°There are discussions by several Array Masters, some which my master had mentioned before¡­¡± ¡°Alright, alright,¡± Shi Liuli glanced nervously around and quickly pushed Luo Yan to walk out. As they passed through the main hall again, they saw Zhun Mang sitting on the throne, holding a piece of wood and casually carving it into a rough treasure ship shape. Then, he tossed it outside carelessly. The treasure ship shot out of the water film, rapidly growing larger as it swiftly ascended. Luo Yan: ¡­¡­¡­. Shi Liuli: ¡­¡­¡­. Turns out the San Yu Treasure Ship that brought us in was your handiwork! ¡°I always need to bring more people in,¡± Zhun Mang noticed their complex looks and turned back with a handsome smile, ¡°Otherwise, the rate at which cultivators in Gui Xu take their own lives would be much faster than the rate new people come in.¡± ¡°May I ask Zhun Mang, why is that treasure ship not affected by the Great Gorge, being able to ascend freely?¡± Luo Yan asked seriously. ¡°I don¡¯t know either,¡± Zhun Mang admitted candidly, ¡°Perhaps it has something to do with the material. These pieces of wood¡­ have been piled on the Gui Xu Grand Formation in the central courtyard for a long time. Maybe they¡¯re soaked with the power of the formation. Perhaps that¡¯s why, like Gui Xu itself, they don¡¯t sink in the Great Gorge?¡± Luo Yan seemed contemplative as he asked, ¡°May I go to the central courtyard to look at those pieces of wood?¡± ¡°Feel free,¡± Master Chun Mang said with a smile. ¡°But be careful not to block the line of sight of the cultivators behind the surrounding windows.¡± ¡°If you block their observation of the Gui Xu Grand Formation, they might become¡­ a bit irritable.¡± ¡°Of course, within the Gui Xu, all individuals are prohibited from attacking each other, and I will step in to stop them.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Luo Yan said with a slight bow. After they returned to their room, Shi Liuli suddenly relaxed. She lay down on the stone bed and stretched languorously. ¡°Phew, I¡¯m bored to death,¡± she yawned, covering her mouth, ¡°The day has been so long; I finally understand why those cultivators go mad. Ten thousand years¡­ How did they endure it?¡± ¡°If Senior Sister finds it dull, you can simply sleep in the room tomorrow,¡± Luo Yan genuinely suggested. His tone was quite earnest, but this time the Kunlun Mirror did not dispel the illusion technique, so Miss Shi, comparing this demeanor to the previously ¡®incomparable¡¯, ¡®First Grade¡¯ one, immediately felt something was amiss and said with grievance, ¡°Are you implying that my presence beside you is bothersome?¡± Luo Yan: ? ¡°No, how could that be?¡± Seeing that Miss Shi seemed on the verge of tears again, Luo Yan could only sigh inwardly and hasten to reassure her, ¡°I find it more comforting to have Senior Sister by my side.¡± ¡°You¡¯re lying!¡± Shi Liuli sobbed. ¡°I¡¯m not lying¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been burying your head in those books all day, not even glancing at me once!¡± Why does it feel like a girlfriend throwing a tantrum to get her boyfriend¡¯s attention? Luo Yan pushed down the strange feeling in his heart and patiently said, ¡°Senior Sister is overly concerned; I have actually been watching you.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s true, truer than true. If you don¡¯t believe me, look into my eyes.¡± Luo Yan shamelessly widened his eyes. Shi Liuli mustered her indignation and ¡°fiercely¡± met his gaze for a few seconds, then suddenly, perhaps thinking of something, she retreated with a red face. ¡°There aren¡¯t even any bedding here, how am I supposed to sleep tonight?¡± she changed the subject. ¡°Sleep?¡± Upon hearing this, Luo Yan expressed great surprise, ¡°Why would Senior Sister still have the habit of sleeping? Don¡¯t we cultivators just need to sit in meditative concentration?¡± ¡°I like to sleep, what¡¯s it to you!¡± Shi Liuli glared at him, then quickly resumed her worried frown, ¡°The bed I usually sleep on has several layers of blankets, soft and fluffy¡­ I can¡¯t get used to this hard stone bed at all.¡± ¡°But Senior Sister, I really didn¡¯t bring any bedding,¡± Luo Yan said with difficulty. It¡¯s not like I can have Ah Jing teleport me out to buy some and bring it back, right? Even without considering the risk of exposing our secret, Ah Jing is unlikely to tolerate Miss Shi¡¯s unreasonable demands. Shi Liuli also pondered for a moment, then suddenly said, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to sit in meditation for the entire night?¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Yes?¡± Luo Yan replied, puzzled. Which cultivator didn¡¯t spend the night in meditation? ¡°Then I¡¯ll sleep on your thigh,¡± Shi Liuli said assertively and, without giving Luo Yan any chance to refuse, she promptly nestled onto his lap as he sat cross-legged. Luo Yan: ¡­¡­¡­ Forget it; let her be. The next morning, Miss Shi woke up with a stiff neck. Chapter 167 - Chapter 167: Chapter 29 Miss Shi’s Far-reaching Thoughts Chapter 167: Chapter 29 Miss Shi¡¯s Far-reaching Thoughts ¡°Ouch.¡± In the side hall, Miss Shi clutched her neck, tears welling up in her eyes. ¡°Should I get you some ice?¡± Luo Yan sat next to the chair, holding a fragrant bronze incense burner, with a book still in his hands. ¡°It¡¯s all because your leg is too stiff!¡± Shi Liuli said, huffing angrily. ¡°My fault, my fault.¡± Luo Yan surrendered at the speed of light. In the entire side hall, probably only Luo Yan and Shi Liuli, sitting on cushioned chairs wrapped in blankets and embracing the fragrant incense, comfortably read their books. The other cultivators all had red eyes, hunched backs, disheveled hair, roughly flipping the pages of books back and forth, as if they wished they could tear them to shreds. Most of the books here in the side hall were observation diaries regarding the Gui Xu Grand Formation, with a small portion being notes left by Array Masters, for those cultivators with no foundational knowledge to learn the ways of Formations¡ªwhat Luo Yan focused on reading was the latter. Furthermore, there were a very few books that were the diaries of some cultivators who were in the habit of writing things down, recording their life¡¯s deeds and the aura of the times; Miss Shi used them to pass the time. ¡°Junior Brother,¡± Shi Liuli suddenly said, ¡°why do most of the ancient cultivators mention opposing sects and even enemy cultivators in their diaries?¡± ¡°Logically speaking, whether a cultivator can ultimately achieve the Way, isn¡¯t it only about their own cultivation? Why are they constantly calling for fights and bloodshed?¡± ¡°Senior Sister makes a good point,¡± Luo Yan thought to himself, surprised. Since when did Miss Shi become interested in history? And she even began to reflect on historical matters, ¡°It¡¯s just that cultivation is indeed not that simple.¡± ¡°The so-called ¡®wealth, companionship, law, and territory¡¯ are indispensable; at its core, it¡¯s a struggle over cultivation resources. Based on conflicts of interest, more intense hostility and confrontation arise.¡± ¡°For example, during the ancient conflict between the Human Race and the Demon Race, it was because the Demon Race wished to consume human flesh and blood, while the Human Race coveted the Demon¡¯s inner core.¡± ¡°Another case is the rivalry in the Ancient Era between the Clarify Cult and the Intercepting Cult, because the Intercepting Cult aimed to ¡®teach without distinction¡¯ and ¡®open the gates to all marvels,¡¯ threatening the interests of the Clarify Cult¡­¡± Shi Liuli listened, half-understanding, yet she grasped a bit, the root of all evil: ¡°conflict of interests.¡± ¡°Now look at us, trapped inside Gui Xu,¡± Luo Yan continued persuasively, ¡°unable to leave, with nearly infinite time, so bored we¡¯re nearly going mad.¡± ¡°At this time, the original conflicts of interests aren¡¯t important anymore. What matters most is escaping this place as soon as possible. Therefore, the Human Race and the Demon Race can coexist peacefully, and the cultivators of the Clarify Cult and Intercepting Cult can ignore each other. Everyone lives in peace.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Shi Liuli suddenly realized and then asked, ¡°So, what if one day, your interests conflict with those of everyone in the Heavenly Craft Workshop, would you choose to betray us all?¡± Luo Yan was suddenly shocked to his core. Was she on to my true identity? However, he quickly saw from Shi Liuli¡¯s expression that she did not have any intention of probing or suspicion¡ªit was just a casual question. Miss Shi, she really knew how to speak. ¡°Ahem.¡± Luo Yan coughed and sincerely said, ¡°Senior Sister, if such a situation were to occur, I would definitely sacrifice my own interests for the sake of everyone in the Heavenly Craft Workshop. Because Master would surely compensate me afterward.¡± Shi Liuli was immediately choked up because, had Luo Yan not added the latter part, she would have had to question how that fit with what he had said earlier about ¡°conflicts of interest determining everything.¡± Upon further thought, it made sense¡ªher father indeed valued him highly¡­ Thinking this, Shi Liuli¡¯s face grew a bit red, and she quietly hid it behind the book. She was currently reading a diary written by an ancient female cultivator. This female cultivator, due to her sect¡¯s arrangements, had become Daoist Companions with a senior brother whom she did not like. Thus, between the lines of her diary was filled with contradictions: on one hand, she couldn¡¯t stand the senior brother¡¯s personality and habits, but on the other hand, she had to admit the Daoist Companion status had brought many benefits to her cultivation. As she recalled her father¡¯s suggestion that she should try getting along with the son of the Sect Leader of Xuandu, Shi Liuli felt an instinctual resistance and irritation. If her father insisted on arranging her marriage like the female cultivator in the diary, what should she do? Compared to that, being with her little junior brother didn¡¯t seem like such an unacceptable option anymore. Thinking this, Shi Liuli felt both shy and uneasy, since such a frivolous thought was truly beneath her dignity. Why would she entertain such an indecorous idea? It¡¯s all the little junior brother¡¯s fault! Saying things like as long as he is with me, he¡¯d be content even if trapped here¡­ How can he say that to his senior sister! With a ¡°smack,¡± it was Luo Yan¡¯s head that got hit by the thick book Shi Liuli picked up, as if venting and striking him neither too lightly nor too heavily. Luo Yan: ? ¡°Focus on your reading!¡± Shi Liuli glared and scolded him. How have I offended her¡­ Luo Yan thought helplessly. With his exceptional gift of grasping things upon a brief exposition, his learning efficiency was extraordinarily high. The books he had read now piled into a small hill behind him, and his understanding of formation arts advanced by leaps and bounds each day. In a few ancient texts, Luo Yan even discovered several exquisite formations that had been lost for a long time, each with supreme utility in various situations. However, he still had not made any progress in breaking the Gui Xu Grand Formation. This formation was far more complex than any other he had come to understand, on an entirely different level. If the formations that Luo Yan had mastered were basic arithmetic, then the challenge of the Gui Xu Grand Formation was akin to a supercomputer-level problem, leaving Luo Yan feeling almost hopeless about solving it. No wonder so many cultivators in Gui Xu ended up losing their minds¡­ Luo Yan sighed, closed the book, and stood up. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Miss Shi quickly got up in a fluster, ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to the central courtyard to look at the wood used for constructing the Treasure Ships.¡± Luo Yan replied. ¡°I¡¯ll go with you!¡± Miss Shi had already decided not to leave his side for a moment. The two left the side hall, walking along the corridor. Gathering her courage, Miss Shi asked softly: ¡°Little junior brother, what should we do if we really end up trapped here and can¡¯t get out?¡± ¡°If that happens¡­¡± Luo Yan pondered for a moment, ¡°The first thing to consider would be how to maintain our sense of self and rationality throughout the long erosion of time.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Sigh.¡± Shi Liuli nodded with a worried expression, ¡°The closure of the Treasure Ship Secret Realm is in two days. That means we have another eight months here¡­¡± As for what would happen if they stayed beyond that time, it went without saying, naturally. Assuming the secret realm opened again in a thousand years, that would be at least over a hundred thousand years inside the Gui Xu Palace. If she really fell into such a scenario, Shi Liuli admitted to herself that she knew nothing about formations and would unlikely be able to join the research, inevitably falling into a horrifyingly empty state of existence. If she hoped to maintain her sanity, maybe the only option would be to start a romantic relationship with her little junior brother so as not to be driven mad by boredom. Chapter 168 - Chapter 168: Chapter 30: Quiz Masters, Time to Limit the Flavor Chapter 168: Chapter 30: Quiz Masters, Time to Limit the Flavor Gui Xu Palace, central courtyard. This was an open-air spacious courtyard, its ground graced by the intricate Gui Xu Grand Formation, which resembled a constantly spinning kaleidoscope, endlessly shifting its dazzling lines and structures. Above, a deep abyss stretched into unfathomable depths, its boundless waters forming a pitch-black ¡°night sky¡± that instilled a daunting sense of fear in those who gazed upon it. The only sources of light, aside from the rays casting through the windows of the surrounding side halls, were probably those emitted by the Gui Xu Grand Formation itself¡ªthe incantations and silver lines that made up the formation were luminous. Luo Yan did not rashly step into the courtyard, for there were many cultivators observing the formation from behind the windows. Even just one step on their part could block the view of several people and might provoke a violent reaction from those enthralled by madness. After all, those seized by madness were not known for their reason! Therefore, he cautiously walked around the open area surrounding the formation and came to a pile of wood in the corner. These logs, judging by their grain, seemed to have been felled from the abandoned gardens in the backyard and were haphazardly stacked in the corner. Luo Yan used his Divine Sense to probe into the crevices of the wood, inspecting carefully, but he did not find anything unusual. They seemed to be just ordinary logs¡­ but then why were they able to resist the sinking force of the Great Gorge? ¡°We need to do an experiment,¡± Luo Yan said as he took a piece from the pile of wood. ¡°What?¡± Miss Shi, caught off guard, didn¡¯t catch what he said. She had been distracted the whole way there, her mind filled with all sorts of wild thoughts: For instance, if the two really were trapped here for hundreds of thousands of years, whether she and her junior brother should become Daoist Companions to resist the erosion of time, and whether they should have children or not. In the world of Cultivating Immortality, cultivators who became Daoist Companions could choose to have children or not, purely based on personal preference. For Shi Liuli, it was partly due to the subtle influence of her family environment (Elder Shi Ding was clearly not an advocate of celibacy or childlessness), and partly out of concern that her junior brother might change his heart one day. Perhaps having a child might bind him more tightly? Of course, Luo Yan had no idea that this miss with her erratic thoughts was even considering whether to have children after being trapped here, so he patiently repeated his idea: ¡°As it seems now, aside from the Gui Xu Palace itself, the wood used to construct the San Yu treasure ship also has the same effect in resisting the sinking trend in the Great Gorge.¡± ¡°If direct research on the Gui Xu Grand Formation yields no results, we can try studying these logs. Simply put, first we go to the backyard to get the same kind of wood, and then compare it with the logs piled near the formation for experimental comparison, looking for differences and similarities between the two.¡± Shi Liuli understood this time and obediently responded with an ¡°oh,¡± thinking to herself that she should be a good capable wife and mother, right? No problem, Liuli, you can definitely do it! Seeing her reaction, Luo Yan found it odd, considering Miss Shi had never shown such a docile and submissive attitude in the past. Even when she agreed to his requests, it was because ¡°I find it interesting,¡± not because ¡°it¡¯s what my junior brother wants.¡± He guessed that Miss Shi must have been truly frightened this time, her courage shattered, so he took her hand to comfort her: ¡°Don¡¯t worry, senior sister, we¡¯ll definitely be able to get out of here.¡± At the very least, I will be able to get out¡­ Miss Shi felt an impulse to pull away shyly as he held her hands, but another thought struck her¡ªif she were trapped here, what else could she do but stay with her junior brother? So she turned her head away and nodded almost imperceptibly. Luo Yan grew even more bewildered, thinking her rational endurance was exceedingly low. How long had they been here for her to already become so unsettled? Well, after all, she was a psychological minor, and it wasn¡¯t right to be too harsh on her. ¡°` Luo Yan led her into the garden at the back courtyard and, after walking around the perimeter for a moment, noticed that certain areas did indeed bear the marks of logging. Apart from that Chun Mangjun, who else would be chopping down trees here¡­ Hmm? ¡°Who¡¯s there!¡± Luo Yan suddenly shouted loudly, his hand ready to unleash Daoist magic from within his sleeve, startling Shi Liuli so much that she quickly hid behind him. However, what emerged from the woods was not some ill-intentioned villain, but rather a crazy old Taoist. ¡°Futile! Futile!¡± he laughed heartily, ¡°Another one researching the wood of the vessel, do they not know that it will float without people aboard, but sink with them? This path is a dead end, a dead end!¡± The old Taoist ran off laughing and crying, leaving behind a bewildered Shi Liuli and Luo Yan with a face that darkened then cleared unpredictably. Luo Yan had heard the crazed man¡¯s words clearly: He said that the route of studying the wood used for the magic vessel had already been attempted by predecessors. Perhaps it was due to the Great Gorge at this location and the formidable suppressive force it exerted, if wood imbued with the power of the grand formation was carved into a vessel, it would only float when unoccupied. Once someone sat on it, it could not withstand their weight and would instead continue to sink. In contrast, the Gui Xu Palace, no matter how many cultivators entered, remained firmly afloat in this spot, clearly showing that in resisting the Great Gorge¡¯s downward force, the two were not even comparable. Luo Yan chopped off several sections of wood from the back courtyard garden and brought them back to his dwelling to compare with the wood near the Gui Xu Grand Formation in the central courtyard. To the naked eye, there was indeed no difference between the two. Yet, if one were to scan the interior with Divine Sense, a subtle difference would be revealed: The wood from the back courtyard garden had a fiber distribution with clear regularity, which was due to the phototropism plants develop in response to the direction of a fixed light source during their growth. However, the fiber distribution in the wood near the Gui Xu Grand Formation in the central courtyard was chaotic and lacked any similar pattern. Next, there were two experiments to be conducted: The first was to carve the wood from the back courtyard into a magic vessel and apply an ¡°Adaptive Formation¡± from the formation to it, enabling it to rapidly enlarge upon leaving the water membrane¡ªas a control group, to see if it could successfully float. If it couldn¡¯t, this would prove that the ability to float was not an inherent property of the wood, but rather due to the Gui Xu Grand Formation in the courtyard. The second experiment was to take wood from the central courtyard and ¡°refresh¡± the arrangement of the wood fibers inside using the Wood System Divine Light from the Five Elements Ultimate Extermination Divine Light, and then to see if it could float. If it couldn¡¯t, that would prove that the ability of the magic vessel to float was associated with this specific pattern of wood fiber distribution! As Luo Yan was intently designing his experiments, his face was suddenly hit by a strand of hair. He turned his head in confusion, only to see Miss Shi, Shi Liuli, mischievously sporting a twin ponytail hairstyle, playing with her hair out of boredom. ¡°¡­Senior Sister.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Junior Brother?¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t interrupt my train of thought, thank you.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Shi Liuli paused for a long while, then flew into a sudden rage: I¡¯m not yet married to you, and you¡¯re already sick of your senior sister? With my father not present, are you too lazy to even pretend anymore? Her expression was as cold as icy water, and a hint of chill flickered in her eyes. She quietly circled to the unsuspecting Luo Yan¡¯s back and suddenly wrapped her right arm around him, pulling his neck upwards sharply. Crack! ¡°` Chapter 169 - Chapter 169: Chapter 31: The Commonalities Between Cooking and Doing Problems Chapter 169: Chapter 31: The Commonalities Between Cooking and Doing Problems A month later. In his residence, Luo Yan was burying his head in his desk, writing feverishly. By his side, half of the room was piled with test data from that period, along with more possible guesses and verification plans. The more he wrote, the more pained his expression became, until his eyes were red with urgency, like a contractor who¡¯d revised their plan hundreds of times without approval, almost wishing to flip the entire table over in frustration. Why were these formation formulas wrong no matter how he modified them? Luo Yan was so vexed that he almost wanted to rip his scalp off. ¡°I told you earlier, that step before shouldn¡¯t be calculated like that,¡± the Kunlun Mirror droned beside him. ¡°Ah Jing, it¡¯s useless. Even with another formula it¡¯s still wrong, the initial assumption is incorrect,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword began to argue with the Kunlun Mirror. At first, Luo Yan still had the patience to tell the two voices in his mind to shut up, but now he was left with only indifference and disregard. In another part of the room, near the door, Shi Liuli had turned the space into a kitchen. As Luo Yan became increasingly engrossed in solving problems, Miss Shi, who loved fine food, had no choice but to become self-reliant, and started to learn cooking seriously. Although previously she wouldn¡¯t dip her fingers in spring water, after cooking for a while, the dishes she made became edible at least. Seeing Luo Yan¡¯s complexion getting visibly worse day by day, Miss Shi, worried, decided to make some delicious food to take care of him¡ªof course, satisfying her own culinary desires was secondary; the main reason was to reward her hardworking junior brother. She chopped ginseng and Solomon¡¯s seal into chunks, diced the Hundred-Knot Grass, and, after blanching the beef chunks, put them all in the pot, adding bay leaves and Sichuan pepper¡­ Shi Liuli covered the pot, admiring her work and clapped her hands in satisfaction. In the side hall of the Gui Xu Palace, aside from a large number of books related to formations, there were also many other miscellaneous books. For example, this miraculous cookbook that used various Spirit Grasses from the Immortal Sects to cook was like a treasure trove for Shi Liuli. Turning the ginseng and Solomon¡¯s seal into soup and stewing the beef until tender would take at least an hour and a half, so Shi Liuli carefully adjusted the Fire Control Magical Treasure before turning to find Luo Yan to play with. ¡°Junior brother!¡± She sat down next to Luo Yan, grabbed his arm, and asked, ¡°Guess what I made today?¡± ¡°Food,¡± Luo Yan replied without even lifting his head. ¡°What kind of dish?¡± Shi Liuli teased playfully. Luo Yan ignored her and resumed writing quickly after a brief pause of his pen tip. He suddenly had a brilliant idea about the Gui Xu Grand Formation model that needed immediate verification. Seeing her junior brother ignoring her again, Shi Liuli was somewhat annoyed but still barely managed to hold back. Fine, he¡¯s now focused on studying the Gui Xu Grand Formation, I won¡¯t hold it against him. You won¡¯t get a single bite of the stewed beef later! Shi Liuli returned to the kitchen and continued fiddling with her new dish. She added vegetable oil and butter to the pot; melting them together, she poured in flour to mix well, increasing viscosity. Then, she added the soul of this dish¡ªthe sauce made from hundred-year-old vermillion fruit, which had to be at least a century old; otherwise, the taste would be too sour. Next, she stirred continuously with a spoon over low heat until all the water in the pot dried up, then added water in batches and kept stirring, letting it slowly melt and turn into a pot of fragrant, spirit-energized nourishing sauce. Shi Liuli rolled up her sleeves, and after stirring vigorously with a ladle until her arm felt sore, she abandoned the ladle altogether, cleaned her Flying Sword, then with her left hand forming a Sword technique, made the Flying Sword stir in the pot by itself. The sauce finally turned a bright orange hue, and Shi Liuli stood her sword upright, summoned the battered Flying Sword with a gesture, making it fly out of the pot to shake off the sauce, and then land in a tub of water beside her. ¡°Add salt to the sauce,¡± she followed the recipe, continuing her work, ¡°add wine, then add scallop powder for flavor. Mmm, a small amount of maltose.¡± ¡°Next, scoop out the previously stewed beef, Solomon¡¯s seal, and ginseng; pour them into a pot.¡± ¡°Mix in mushrooms, pitless dates to mix well, then pour in the sauce.¡± ¡°Continue slow stewing.¡± This time Shi Liuli decided not to cover the pot, wanting the aroma of the stewed beef to fill the entire room, waiting for her salivating junior brother to come and beg for food. The rich aroma of the beef and the unique fragrance of the various Spiritual Medicines started to waft out of the pot. She cooked the cleaned rice, then, with a triumphant look, she folded her arms and waited for Luo Yan for a long time, but he didn¡¯t even lift his head, still there working on his formulas. The formation formulas were still incorrect, the so-called brilliant inspiration from earlier had now been proven to be an illusion¡­ Frustration had Luo Yan feeling like he wanted to lash out indiscriminately. No matter what, a random act of violence would settle it. Shi Liuli watched his silhouette, her expression shifting from triumphant to hesitant, then to confused, and finally to that of utter frustration. Could it be, he wouldn¡¯t even glance up once? Could it be that my stewed beef isn¡¯t fragrant? I think it smells quite nice though¡­ Hisss! Swallowing a large gulp of saliva, Miss Shi decided to confirm if there was a problem with her food. She first sipped a little of the broth; mmm, deliciously savory and replenishing with spiritual energy, definitely a dish worth trying for those in the midst of cultivating immortality. Then she took a piece of the stewed beef; mmm, tender and flaky, soaked with broth, combining both the essence of meat and spiritual medicine, creating a clearly distinguished layer of flavors. So why isn¡¯t the junior brother interested at all? Shi Liuli pondered as she tasted, and unwittingly ate most of the pot of stewed beef. By the time she came back to her senses, only a shallow layer of broth and three or four pieces of beef remained. She jolted, instinctively glancing at Luo Yan with a sense of guilt. Confirming that the junior brother was still immersed in his problem-solving and hadn¡¯t noticed anything here, Miss Shi quickly scooped up the remaining broth and beef into a small bowl, then hurried to clean the large pot to destroy the evidence. Just as she finished cleaning, she heard Luo Yan suddenly slam down his pen. Damn it, I just can¡¯t solve it, I¡¯m done with it! Having barely suppressed his sense of defeat, Luo Yan slowly came back to his senses. This problem must be unsolvable. My ¡°Eureka¡± trait should theoretically grant me the best comprehension in the world. If even I can¡¯t solve this problem, it definitely must be unsolvable¡ªthat¡¯s the only way to explain it. I should eat something instead. Sigh, such a waste of time¡­ Luo Yan stood up to get some rice, tried the soup and beef left by Miss Shi, and immediately started singing praises: ¡°Sister, this beef is simply divine! The broth paired with rice is also amazing, the overall assessment is like refining spiritual medicine into a spirit pill, nearly a qualitative leap¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad you like it,¡± Shi Liuli said with a guilty conscience. Luo Yan, unaware of her thoughts¡ªor perhaps he had guessed but pretended not to¡ªcontinued to boost the Synchronization Value, smiling as he said: ¡°I see, so you cooked the beef with spirit grass, right? Ordinary ingredients, after being infused with the medicinal juice, have turned into such a delicacy¡­¡± As he spoke, his expression suddenly turned grave. Wait, boiling spiritual medicine into a juice, then infusing the beef with it? The so-called Gui Xu Grand Formation, could it also be¡­ a kind of ¡°juice¡±? Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Seeing his expression darken abruptly, Shi Liuli hurriedly tried to explain: ¡°The reason there¡¯s only a little bit left is because I was so hungry just now, and you didn¡¯t seem like you were going to come to eat for a while¡­¡± Luo Yan suddenly stood up, held Shi Liuli tightly in his arms, kissed her on the cheek, and then rushed out of the room. Shi Liuli stood in a daze for a moment, then covered her cheek tightly with her hands. Her body was heating up. Chapter 170 - Chapter 170: Chapter 32: The Mantis Stalks the Cicada Chapter 170: Chapter 32: The Mantis Stalks the Cicada As he moved swiftly through the corridor, Luo Yan¡¯s thoughts became more and more fluid and clear. From the very beginning up until now, he had been seeking the connection between the Gui Xu Grand Formation and the materials of the treasure ship. Little did he know that what he saw as the ¡°Gui Xu Grand Formation¡± was not actually the formation itself. For instance, it was as if he attributed the flavor of the beef stew he just made to the soup being very special. However, no matter what, he couldn¡¯t replicate the same soup. The reason was that the soup itself was an ¡°Intermediate Product¡± made from the overlay of various raw ingredients. What he observed in the courtyard, the ceaselessly changing Gui Xu Grand Formation, was actually some kind of extremely complex ¡°Intermediate Product.¡± To deduce results from an intermediate product was like solving a system of multivariate higher-degree equations ¨C he could be confounded by countless possible answers. The real key to the puzzle lay in finding the true ¡°Spiritual Medicine¡± that led to the creation of the ¡°soup¡± ¨C that is, the true Gui Xu Grand Formation. Arriving in the central courtyard, Luo Yan gazed quietly at the rotating and shifting lines, his mind already constructing the corresponding geometric models. If the Gui Xu Grand Formation itself is three-dimensional, and what we see is just the two-dimensional motion profile of the three-dimensional model following a certain path¡­ Then, by mapping the motion profile over time into countless frames in his mind and stringing these moving frames together to form an animation, he would reveal the true shape of the Gui Xu Grand Formation. ¡°Do you understand what he¡¯s talking about?¡± Green Duckweed Sword whispered. ¡°Not really,¡± Kunlun Mirror replied, ¡°but I kind of get it.¡± ¡°You can actually keep up with his train of thought,¡± Green Duckweed Sword said discontentedly, ¡°Who exactly is the Life-bound Sword Artifact?¡± Shi Liuli hurried from behind and saw her little junior brother intently staring at the Gui Xu Grand Formation, his forehead already covered with cold sweat as if he had been overworking his mind to the point of almost burning out. No! That¡¯s not right¡­ If we move from two dimensions to three, the complexity is still too high. We must continue to ascend dimensions! He began to forcefully compress the continuously moving model in his mind towards the interior. Had he not absorbed countless formation knowledge in the side hall during this time, he would definitely not possess the theoretical basis for such complicated calculations. But more importantly, his talent for grasping a thousand mysteries from a single whiff provided him with enough computing power! ¡°Little junior brother, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Seeing his body start to tremble, Shi Liuli quickly went up in an attempt to stop him, but suddenly a snow-white long sword blocked her path. ¡°We can¡¯t let you disturb him now,¡± Zhun Mang Jun, holding the long sword, emerged from the shadows of the corridor, wearing a dark, strange, desirous smile, ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for this day for a long time¡­ ¡± In the central courtyard, Luo Yan¡¯s face slowly turned red, a vast amount of Qi Sea surged from his Dantian along his meridians into his brain, and as his thoughts accelerated at an ever-increasing pace, his entire Sea of Consciousness seemed as if it was boiling over. ¡°Ah Jing!¡± the Green Duckweed Sword in the spine suddenly said, ¡°If this goes on, he¡¯ll burn out his essence and die! We must sever his Governor and Conception vessels to stop the Qi from flowing back!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t cut yet!¡± the Kunlun Mirror in the Sea of Consciousness said, ¡°Trust me, he¡¯ll be alright!¡± Green Duckweed Sword hesitated for a moment, then coldly said, ¡°Fine¡­ but if he falls as a result, you know what will become of us!¡± Luo Yan was completely oblivious to the conversation between the sword and the mirror within him, or perhaps he chose to ignore it entirely. At that moment, he had devoted all his energy to the calculation, while also constantly rotating his Qi Sea and mobilizing True Yuan, driving it into his brain like a steam engine and maximizing the talent of grasping a thousand mysteries to make his thoughts run even faster. The model of the Gui Xu Grand Formation in his mind had already compressed to the eighth dimension. Countless complex lines kept coiling and compressing, gradually revealing the outline of a stunningly elegant existence of high-dimensional form. Still not enough! He must keep calculating! Compressed to the ninth dimension, the changes in the lines became incredibly slow, demanding a much higher level of computation power. From Luo Yan¡¯s eyes, nostrils, ears, and corners of his mouth, tiny droplets of blood began to ooze out, a sign that the pressure from the circulation of Qi in his skull had caused the endpoints of his meridians to rupture. Shi Liuli wanted to rush over and scream, but she found her limbs as heavy as lead, her jaws clamped shut, leaving her unable to utter a sound. Moreover, the invisible pressure became increasingly heavy, almost making it difficult to stand, let alone activate a Magical Treasure. This was¡­ Dragon¡¯s Might! Chun Mang Jun placed his hands within his sleeves, as if exerting Dragon¡¯s Might had not required any effort at all. His gaze fixed upon the teetering Luo Yan in the courtyard, his face bore a nearly solidified smile, yet his eyes shimmered with a covetous gleam. Many cultivators in the side hall had also noticed the anomaly in the central courtyard; quite a few people had already entered the corridor, rushing towards the entrance of the central courtyard. The Tenth Dimension! Luo Yan¡¯s train of thought suddenly broke off, and he felt as if his soul had split. On one hand was the rational thinking spurred by the talent ¡°Insight upon Hearing,¡± like the engine of a high-speed train, continuously roaring and operating; On the other hand was his own consciousness, slowly being extracted from rationality, beginning to assess the condition of his body. This is bad, very bad. At this moment, the subcutaneous temperature of his body had risen to nearly seventy degrees, a fever no ordinary person could survive. And protecting him was¡­ The Sword Qi of the Green Duckweed Sword. The Green Duckweed Sword used its Sword Qi to protect all his meridians and continued to run the Body Refining Secret Technique, utilizing True Yuan to repair the parts of his body burned by the high temperature. The Kunlun Mirror shone brightly, suppressing the boiling Sea of Consciousness, like a long track of iron, restraining the runaway train of thoughts from plunging directly off a cliff. The Eleventh Dimension! All the lines of motion, Runic Script, structures¡­suddenly condensed into an entity with finite boundaries. This ¡°Formation¡± within the Eleventh Dimension was so complex, gorgeous, and naturally formed, rapidly rotating in Luo Yan¡¯s Sea of Consciousness and morphing into countless dazzling patterns. As the Gui Xu Grand Formation in his Sea of Consciousness rotated, Luo Yan took notice of the Gui Xu Grand Formation beneath his feet, its rate of rotation starting to change as well. The changes in both formations grew increasingly similar until they were almost in perfect sync. Then, from the center of the Gui Xu Grand Formation beneath his feet, a rift broke open in the void, revealing a black shuttle-shaped object. Without making a move, Luo Yan heard Chun Mang Jun suddenly burst into laughter next to him, transforming into a stream of light that darted into the central courtyard, reaching out to grab the object ahead of everyone else. At this point, half of the object had emerged from the void, and with Luo Yan¡¯s extensive experience, how could he not recognize it as a shuttle-shaped magical treasure? What level of power must a magical treasure possess, that the Gui Xu Grand Formation would use it for refining and concealment? Luo Yan maintained a placid expression, bracing his feeble body, with his fingers already forming seals within his sleeves, ready to unleash the Postnatal Five Elements Great Extermination Divine Light at this Chun Mang Jun who was waiting for his chance, when suddenly he saw his opponent throw something at him. Shi Liuli! Why is it Miss Shi? The previously composed Luo Yan instinctively dissolved the Divine Light in his sleeves, fumbling to catch Shi Liuli¡¯s body, while his feet pressed back in a quick retreat. ¡°Junior Brother, not yet¡­¡± The moment they moved out of the central courtyard¡¯s range, freeing themselves from the cover of Dragon¡¯s Might, Shi Liuli regained control of her body and was about to speak when she saw bursts of light flashing from the nearby corridor! The ancient cultivators lurking around the courtyard also clearly saw the outline of the shuttle-shaped magical treasure. It was common knowledge that most shuttle-shaped magical treasures possessed the power to traverse and manipulate space. Moreover, since this treasure had appeared from the Gui Xu Grand Formation, it was clearly the key to leaving Gui Xu. How could these ancient cultivators, mad to the point of near insanity, restrain themselves? They immediately charged towards the central courtyard in unison, hurling their strongest techniques, flying swords, magical treasures¡­all directed at Chun Mang Jun, who was at the forefront. A furious dragon¡¯s roar erupted amidst the onslaught of brilliant lights, as a White Dragon soared into the sky, brazenly breaking through the dome¡¯s watery barrier atop the central courtyard! In its mouth, it held the shuttle-shaped magical treasure that had materialized from the center of the Gui Xu Grand Formation, about three feet and seven inches long, completely black, as if it could absorb all the light from the surroundings. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Seeing countless cultivators piercing through the water membrane, chasing after the White Dragon in haste, Shi Liuli quickly grasped Luo Yan¡¯s hand, thinking to herself that her Junior Brother had put so much effort and thought into this, only to see others reap the benefits. He must be feeling terrible now, right? Yet she did not know how to comfort her Junior Brother and could only silently tighten her grip on his hand, their palms touching and fingers interlocked. Luo Yan watched the sky expressionlessly, while in his mind came the Green Duckweed Sword¡¯s voice, which seemed to be laughing: ¡°Why, aren¡¯t you going to chase after it? Perhaps there¡¯s a slim chance to snatch it back, huh?¡± ¡°No need,¡± Luo Yan replied with a cold laugh. Chapter 171 - Chapter 171: Chapter 33: The Yellow Sparrow is Also Me Chapter 171: Chapter 33: The Yellow Sparrow is Also Me The massive White Dragon pierced through the water film, soaring into the sky like a silver ribbon. The Dragon¡¯s Might crashed down like Mount Tai bearing down with its weight. Below it, countless cultivators also broke through the water film, deploying various Divine Skills to withstand the Dragon¡¯s Might and rapidly pursued the White Dragon. However, once they left the water film, both the White Dragon and the cultivators¡¯ speeds in flight visibly slowed. Within the Great Gorge, it was difficult to summon True Yuan. Thus, everyone relied solely on the initial velocity and inertia from breaking through the water film. Seeing that their momentum was about to expire, the White Dragon funneled the last prepared bit of True Yuan at full speed into the shuttle-shaped Magical Treasure, activating it. The Black Shuttle quickly began to vibrate, just for an instant, and then it exploded with a loud bang. The body of the White Dragon had vanished from sight, and the Black Shuttle began to descend toward the ground below. The cultivators below had already become thoroughly agitated¡ªwasn¡¯t the disappearance of the White Dragon the perfect proof that this black shuttle-shaped Magical Treasure was the key to escaping Gui Xu? After a brief moment of chaos, an even greater turmoil and conflict erupted. Luo Yan, carrying Shi Liuli, fled through the corridor, only to see the central courtyard outside the window almost bright as day, with countless Spell aftereffects falling to the ground like a meteor shower, as if they wanted to destroy the entire courtyard. Fortunately, the structures of Gui Xu were sturdy enough to withstand the onslaught of Spell aftereffects, showing not even a tremor or shake. Having escaped to a side hall, Luo Yan set down Shi Liuli, and both turned their attention to the scene outside the window. By then, the brightness outside had gradually subsided, and dozens of fallen bodies now lay on the ground. The remaining were either blasted into the Great Gorge or had managed to seize the Black Shuttle Magical Treasure, activating it to transport themselves away. Half a minute later, the Black Shuttle fell from the sky, landing right at the center point of the Gui Xu Grand Formation on the courtyard ground, where it remained suspended motionless. Shi Liuli: ¡­¡­¡­ She wore a look of puzzled bewilderment, and after a long while, she said: ¡°They¡­ they just teleported away without taking the Magical Treasure with them?¡± ¡°Teleported away?¡± Luo Yan glanced at her curiously, ¡°How could that be? Borrowed time doesn¡¯t need to be repaid?¡± ¡°Borrowed?¡± Shi Liuli asked, confused, ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Inside the Gui Xu Palace, time flows at a rate increased to one hundred and twenty times that of the outside world,¡± confirming there were no more cultivators outside, Luo Yan walked toward the courtyard and continued, ¡°Three days have passed in the outside world, but a year has already gone by here. Yet, lifespan and cultivation are calculated according to the time of the outside world, what do you think is the reason for that?¡± ¡°In fact, if you delve deeply into the principles of the Gui Xu Grand Formation, you¡¯ll realize that time hasn¡¯t actually been accelerated but compressed instead.¡± ¡°A day in the outside world equates to one hundred and twenty days within Gui Xu. It¡¯s not that time moves faster in Gui Xu, but rather, every hundred and twenty days of each cultivator here are compressed to match a single day in the outside world.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just that because cultivators are within the time system of Gui Xu, their perception of time is similarly compressed, so they don¡¯t notice the problem.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± Shi Liuli said, somewhat getting it but not quite. ¡°Put it this way,¡± Luo Yan patiently explained, ¡°think of it like this: inside Gui Xu, for every day you live, the Gui Xu Grand Formation additionally ¡®borrows¡¯ you one hundred and nineteen days.¡± ¡°That is, you actually only live through one day, but your perception feels like it has been one hundred and twenty days.¡± ¡°You mean¡­¡± Shi Liuli, though not understanding what ¡°relativity of time¡± meant, did know about ¡°what a loan was,¡± ¡°those extra one hundred and nineteen days need to be repaid?¡± ¡°Once a cultivator leaves the Gui Xu Grand Formation and enters the time coordinate system of the outside world, a conversion is needed,¡± Luo Yan seriously explained, ¡°the time originally compressed into a single day will then revert back to one hundred and twenty days.¡± ¡°In other words, the body will fast forward by one hundred and nineteen days.¡± Shi Liuli was stunned for a moment, and after she understood the hidden meaning behind it, she immediately felt a biting chill rise within her. ¡°At one year here, only three days pass in the outside world, and the body ages only three days,¡± Luo Yan sighed deeply, ¡°However, once you leave the range of Gui Xu, the year compressed into three days will burst forth, causing your body to rapidly age to one year.¡± ¡°And the cultivators here have lived for at least over a hundred thousand years¡­¡± Shi Liuli said in a daze, ¡°Once they leave the range of Gui Xu¡­¡± ¡°They would instantly die of old age,¡± Luo Yan said in a low voice, ¡°Even their bodies would directly rot away under the ravage of time¡ªthat¡¯s why they seem to have teleported away, but the fact that they didn¡¯t take the Black Shuttle with them indicates they have already perished.¡± His tone was somewhat emotional, thinking to himself that he had realized it all too late: how could one have nearly infinite lifespan within Gui Xu?! After all, in the world he came from, there was the folklore of ¡°Urashima Taro¡±; even in this world, Ling Yunpo had experienced the Cloud Sea Realm with Senior Sister An, where they accelerated time by thirty years within a giant cocoon. He should have long understood the principle of the Dao of Time, it¡¯s like a commercial bank: only if you pay it the time, don¡¯t even dream of earning even a second of time from it! Even the Kunlun Mirror, which allowed him to hop across multiple timelines, still required him to pay the same amount of time. Playing four roles as one person meant that, in the eyes of the outside world, his lifespan was only a quarter of that of an ordinary person. ¡°Then we¡­¡± Shi Liuli fell silent for a long while before she finally exhaled in relief. The two of them had stayed in Gui Xu for a month, which equated to only six hours passing in the outside world, and their lifespans were temporarily reduced by only six hours. After leaving Gui Xu, it would just be an acceleration of one month, no big deal. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Luo Yan turned around, ¡°Start packing up.¡± ¡°Mhm,¡± Shi Liuli was about to reach for his hand when she suddenly came to a startling realization. Wait, does that mean I won¡¯t be trapped here? I don¡¯t have to marry my junior brother? As soon as this thought arose, all the grievances she felt from being neglected over the past month sprouted like bamboo after rain, one after another. Today, she had finally gotten through it, and there was no need to endure anymore! ¡°Ah! Ah! Ah!¡± Shi Liuli suddenly roared and pounced forward, ¡°Little thief Luo Yan, take my punch!¡± ¡­ Luo Yan couldn¡¯t understand why Miss Shi had such huge resentment at this moment, to the extent that she tackled him to the ground, rolled a few times, and then randomly hit him with her dainty fists. Fortunately, she hadn¡¯t practiced her Body Refining Secret Technique for long, so her punches felt light and not painful at all. Luo Yan just assumed she was overwhelmed with happiness and let her vent her feelings for quite a while. After retrieving the Black Shuttle Magical Treasure from the central courtyard, Shi Liuli clamored to see the treasure. She took it over and examined it closely, noticing that it was engraved with a line of Immortal Seal Script. If it was ancient seal script, Miss Shi could understand it, but Immortal Seal Script was beyond her comprehension. Even Yuqing View had only a handful of elders with hobbies in linguistics who had the capability to interpret it. Thus, she returned it to Luo Yan, her interest waning. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Luo Yan took it back and asked the Kunlun Mirror in his Sea of Consciousness: ¡°Ah Jing, what¡¯s written on this?¡± ¡°Its name is written on it,¡± Kunlun Mirror scanned for a while and said, ¡°Its name is ¡®Universe Creation Heavenly Weaving Divine Shuttle.¡¯¡± Luo Yan:¡­. This name, it¡¯s like stacking BUFFs, right? Chapter 172 - Chapter 172: Chapter 34: Back to the Surface of the Sea Chapter 172: Chapter 34: Back to the Surface of the Sea ¡°` As everyone knows, within the Daoist system, terms like ¡°Universe,¡± ¡°Cosmos,¡± and ¡°Creation¡± carry special connotations and a certain sense of grandeur. The Universe implies the perfection of Yin and Yang, and it cannot be restrained by any of the Five Elements. The Cosmos signifies the capability of space and time¡ªin some sense, the Kunlun Mirror could also be called the ¡°Cosmic Mirror,¡± without any error. Creation indicates the divine skill of the one becoming two, the two becoming three, and the three generating all things. Luo Yan recognized each of these words, but when put together, he did not know what they meant. If these words were all true, then this ¡°Heavenly Weaving God Shuttle¡± might very well have been buffed to the level of an Innate Spiritual Treasure. Of course, not everyone follows naming conventions, for example, the Clarifying Cult is often strict and reserved, while the Intercepting Cult is more flamboyant and unrestrained¡­ Since this shuttle originated from an ancient era before the formation of both Cults, Luo Yan was more inclined to think that the creator was someone with a flair for the dramatic. Inside Gui Xu, it wasn¡¯t a good place to study magical treasures, so Luo Yan and Shi Liuli decided to pack up first. In the side hall, all sorts of ancient tomes, whether on formations or other subjects, were packed up without leaving behind a single one. In the abandoned garden of the backyard, any pluckable spirit herbs and spiritual medicines were all uprooted, while common herbs and wild animals were left to continue thriving there, unbothered. Back in the room, Shi Liuli looked at the bedding, the pots, pans, and utensils, and felt a bit troubled. Logically, these were common items, not worth taking with them at all. But for a girl, there is a concept called ¡°sentimental value.¡± So after a brief moment of contemplation, Shi Liuli emptied some less precious spiritual medicines from her storage bag and made room for these ordinary items. Once everything was packed, Luo Yan activated the Heavenly Weaving God Shuttle with Shi Liuli, and in an instant, the two vanished within Gui Xu. Above the sea, Linghu Chu sat blankly on the wreckage of a broken half-boat, gazing worriedly into the distance. The junior brother and junior sister have sunk down, how am I going to face Master after leaving the secret realm? True, it was because the boat had been hit by the aftershocks of a distant magical competition, but what of it? Would it change the fact that Master had lost his beloved daughter and disciple to sorrow? Maybe I should run away¡­ just pretend we all disappeared in the secret realm, giving Master a sliver of hope and longing¡­ Suddenly, a shadow flashed by, and Luo Yan and Shi Liuli broke through the water, landing on the broken half-boat with the momentum of their exit. ¡°Senior brother!¡± they called out in unison. Linghu Chu stood in disbelief, and then couldn¡¯t help but shed tears of joy. After some time, Luo Yan explained what had happened¡ªthey had fallen into a relic site, and after Luo Yan had exhausted all efforts to break the formation, they were finally transported to the surface of the sea. As for the likes of Lord Gui Xu, the Heavenly Weaving God Shuttle¡ªnone of that was mentioned. Shi Liuli listened quietly on the side, thinking things through thoroughly. After all, the Heavenly Weaving God Shuttle and the Gui Xu Grand Formation represented ranks that were terrifyingly high, and knowing about them might not be good for the senior brother who had not yet achieved Nascent Infant. The secrets of this journey would at most be shared with their father; it was better to keep the other senior brothers and sisters in the dark. Linghu Chu listened patiently and sighed with emotion several times. He certainly sensed that the junior brother was avoiding specifics, but those were the juniors¡¯ own adventures, and it didn¡¯t concern him. Just having the two return safely was reason enough for Linghu Chu to go thank the Three Pure Ones. Using broken planks as paddles, the three of them began rowing towards the nearest island. Shi Liuli, feeling sore from rowing, couldn¡¯t help but send Luo Yan a meaningful look: How long is this going to take? Shouldn¡¯t we just use that shuttle of yours to speed up the journey? Luo Yan responded with a look: ¡°` ¡°` Not yet, it¡¯s not the right time. The corner of Linghu Chu¡¯s eye caught the subtle exchanges between the two, sparking a sense of loneliness typical of a single dog within him. Then again, he thought, with junior sister¡¯s pampered personality, having her as a junior sister isn¡¯t too bad, but as a Daoist companion¡­ that would be a real ordeal for junior brother. So, his mood brightened up. After a whole day¡¯s effort, the three finally paddled the small boat back to the island they had landed on before. Shi Liuli jumped off the boat, hurriedly ran onto the beach and, throwing aside any pretence of ladylike grace, lay sprawled on the sand. Luo Yan also jumped into the sea and pushed the remains of the treasured boat towards the beach while casually asking: ¡°Do you guys want to eat something? I remember there are some wild animals in the woods, I can go hunt some later.¡± ¡°I want barbeque!¡± Shi Liuli, lying on the beach, whined, ¡°Luo Yan, you make it for me!¡± ¡°Alright, alright, what do you want to eat, eldest senior brother?¡± Luo Yan asked. Linghu Chu: ¡­¡­¡­ We are cultivators who have mastered fasting, what¡¯s so great about mundane meat? ¡°I¡¯ll just have whatever you¡¯re having, I¡¯m easy,¡± Linghu Chu said reluctantly. Luo Yan¡¯s heart skipped a beat when he suddenly realized the eldest senior brother didn¡¯t eat. On second thought, aside from Miss Shi, the odd one out, which cultivator would hanker after culinary pleasures? Still, he¡¯d spoken too soon, and Luo Yan didn¡¯t intend to rectify the situation. He knew that the more one tries to cover things up, the more slip-ups there are; it¡¯s better just to go with the flow openly and avoid arousing further suspicion from the eldest senior brother. Having settled his thoughts, he stood up and headed for the forest on the island, soon returning with a deer. He set up the spit, bled the deer, then removed the entrails and applied marinade¡­ Luo Yan did all this with practiced ease before going to the seashore to wash his hands, only to see eldest senior brother looking at him with a confounded expression. That look clearly said, ¡°Where did you get all these seasonings from!¡± ¡°Found them in the relics,¡± Luo Yan explained offhandedly. Oh, found them. Linghu Chu didn¡¯t question it and simply overlooked the matter. After all, wondering why a sea relic would contain barbeque seasonings is a quite troublesome and meaningless endeavor. While waiting for the marinade to set in, Luo Yan, with nothing else to do, sat on the beach and gazed into the distance listlessly. No need to read or solve puzzles, or study formations; he felt completely relaxed. ¡°Is it done yet?¡± Shi Liuli began to clamour, ¡°Have you started grilling yet?¡± ¡°Not yet,¡± Luo Yan responded without turning around, ¡°It needs to marinate a bit longer.¡± ¡°What¡¯s there to marinate!¡± Shi Liuli got up impatiently, ¡°Just cut it, use lots of salt and oil, and marinate while you grill, right?¡± She took out a small knife from her storage bag, deftly slashed the surface of the deer meat, stuffed in peppercorns and salt, then took out her fire control magical treasure to heat it from below, and started brushing oil on in layers with a small brush. Meanwhile, Linghu Chu¡¯s expression went from confounded to horrified. Is¡­ is she really my junior sister? Linghu Chu never considered himself a culinary expert, but being fond of drinking, he often made his own snacks to accompany his liquor. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only But that¡¯s my junior sister! Raised and pampered by the entire Heavenly Craft Workshop from childhood, the junior sister who had never even seen raw meat! Noticing her senior brother¡¯s utterly baffled gaze, Shi Liuli explained nonchalantly: ¡°Learned it in the relic.¡± So what is this undersea relic, a restaurant¡¯s back kitchen or what?! ¡°` Chapter 173 - Chapter 173: Chapter 35 Not yet available in the current version, right? Chapter 173: Chapter 35 Not yet available in the current version, right? The secret realm entrance of the Three Islands Treasure Ship. Elder Shi Ding paced back and forth on the Meng Chong, a kindly smile appearing on his face each time a disciple emerged from the secret realm, yet a faint trace of worry still lingered between his brows. Not Liuli¡­ Not Liuli either¡­ Why still not Liuli¡­ Finally, Linghu Chu appeared from the secret realm, causing Elder Shi Ding¡¯s heart to leap into his throat. Following him was¡­ Luo Yan. Elder Shi Ding took a deep breath, about to inquire, when Shi Liuli finally appeared. With that, the worried look on his face disappeared, and all he heard was Shi Liuli shouting, ¡°Daddy,¡± before she flung herself into his arms like a swallow returning to the forest. ¡°As long as you¡¯re alright, that¡¯s good, that¡¯s good.¡± Elder Shi Ding hugged his daughter with a beaming smile, then turned to look at Linghu Chu, ¡°Thank you for your hard work, Chu-er.¡± ¡°It¡¯s my duty as the eldest disciple,¡± Linghu Chu said with a touch of guilt, because he had actually messed things up halfway through¡ªand the fact that his junior brother and sister ultimately escaped had nothing to do with him. The real decisive factor in this matter, Luo Yan, was simply nodding calmly at the side. After some pleasantries, everyone set off for the return voyage. Back at the Heavenly Craft Workshop, Shi Liuli and Luo Yan exchanged a few glances before going into detail about the events in Gui Xu with Elder Shi Ding. Elder Shi Ding sat in a chair, his brow slightly furrowing upon hearing that both had fallen into the water, and when the discussion turned to the appearance of the Underwater Dragon Palace, he couldn¡¯t help but tug at his beard. At the mention of the one hundred thousand ancient manuscripts in the side hall, Elder Shi Ding immediately stood up in agitation and asked: ¡°Did you bring back all those ancient books?¡± ¡°We brought them back.¡± Luo Yan and Shi Liuli took out their storage bags, removed all the ancient books, and soon a small mountain piled up on the hall floor. Elder Shi Ding: ¡­¡­ He didn¡¯t know what expression to show for a moment. With the destruction of the Chan and Jie sects, it was clear how many lost techniques had vanished. Nowadays, no one can even reforge a Tenth Rank Immortal Sword, showing the sadness of the academic discontinuity. Now that he had so many ancient books unexpectedly, Elder Shi Ding could hardly contain the joy in his heart, but thinking that his daughter and beloved disciple had exchanged their lives for this, he also felt some residual fear and dread. Seeing his master¡¯s facial expression, Luo Yan knew what he was thinking and quickly explained. They had met many ancient cultivators in Gui Xu, each of them talented, with pleasant conversation. They cooperated to decipher the Formation and worked hard to escape from Gui Xu, with very harmonious relations. During that time, he had learned a lot about Formation knowledge, Shi Liuli had also learned cooking techniques, and they both had grown considerably. Elder Shi Ding listened sternly and then asked: ¡°So how did you manage to escape?¡± ¡°I broke the Gui Xu Grand Formation and acquired this Magical Treasure,¡± Luo Yan said quickly as he presented the Heavenly Weaving God Shuttle. Miss Shi had also seen this treasure, so keeping it a secret was definitely not going to work. Moreover, on their way back, Luo Yan had thoroughly examined the ¡°Heavenly Weaving God Shuttle of Creation and Transformation of the Universe¡± with his Divine Sense and found out that aside from being exceptionally fast and able to fly with people on board, it seemed to have no other functions. If that was really the case, then such an impressive name would be wasted¡­ Of course, the likelihood of that was slim; Luo Yan was more inclined to believe that there was some secret within the Divine Shuttle that he was currently unable to discover due to his low Rank and knowledge level. Elder Shi Ding received the Divine Shuttle, looked at it for a few moments, and said curiously: ¡°This shuttle, it¡¯s very peculiar, why does it seem like it has no spirit at all?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know either,¡± said Luo Yan honestly, ¡°Perhaps the divine skills are all locked within, which is why I cannot detect them.¡± ¡°Hmm, it does look like an ancient strange object indeed,¡± Elder Shi Ding stared at the Immortal Seal Script on the shuttle, muttering to himself for a moment, then said, ¡°Follow me.¡± Luo Yan quickly kept pace with his master, and Miss Shi also followed with a calm demeanor, as if she didn¡¯t consider herself an outsider at all. The three of them left the Heavenly Craft Workshop and headed to the nearby Tianji Pavilion. ¡°I need the Dragon and Tiger Attraction Device for three hours,¡± Elder Shi Ding instructed the attendant, ¡°Postpone all other requests for me.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± the attendant hurried to say, ¡°Elder, please use it, I will explain to the other applicants.¡± Luo Yan and Shi Liuli followed into the Tianji Pavilion, where they saw a huge device placed in the center, occupying over sixty square meters, with a shell made mainly of copper spheres, and countless iron rings winding around it. This was the ¡°Dragon and Tiger Attraction Device¡± of Penglai Yuqing View, able to observe extremely minute structures of spiritual power, the best identification equipment within the View. Elder Shi Ding then pinched a Daoist formula as if entering some sort of password. The copper spheres began to rotate by themselves, the iron rings rapidly spun into position, then split apart to the sides, revealing a jade platform. Having placed the Heavenly Weaving God Shuttle on the platform, Elder Shi Ding pinched another formula, causing the copper spheres to close up again. Luo Yan watched from behind with eager curiosity, wondering if this device was akin to the scanning tunneling microscope of the Cultivation Realm? What if he put Ah Jing and the Green Duckweed Sword inside for meticulous identification, one by one? What kind of results would that yield¡­ But if they were both girls, wouldn¡¯t such identification be like X-ray vision? ¡°I advise you not to ask for trouble,¡± the Kunlun Mirror suddenly said. ¡°I advise you not to court death,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword also threatened. Luo Yan smiled without saying a word, watching as Elder Shi Ding approached the Dragon and Tiger Attraction Device and twiddled one of the protrusions for a moment before staring blankly at the runic script above it. After some time, he turned back and said: ¡°This ancient magical treasure is sealed.¡± ¡°Sealed?¡± both Luo Yan and Miss Shi asked in unison. ¡°Correct, there are three layers of seal,¡± Elder Shi Ding nodded and said, ¡°Before the seals are lifted, I fear it can¡¯t exhibit even one percent of its true power.¡± ¡°Please elaborate, teacher,¡± Luo Yan respectfully said. ¡°The first seal requires Nine Nether Yin Soul Stones and Nine Phoenix Scorching Sun Stones to unravel,¡± Elder Shi Ding sighed as he spoke, ¡°The second seal lies even deeper, which can only be known after unlocking the first.¡± Shi Liuli went off to look at the runic script, while Luo Yan stood silent for a long while, showing a helpless bitter smile. Nine Nether Yin Soul Stones are formed by the accumulation of Yin energy, usually found underground in Mass Burial Mounds or ancient battlefields. These stones are not so scarce as to be considered unique treasures, but many cultivation techniques of the Nether Ghost Path require the help of Nine Nether Yin Soul Stones, thus almost leading them to extinction due to relentless searching over the last hundred years. Nine Phoenix Scorching Sun Stones, in contrast, are formed from the accumulation of Yang energy, appearing only near the habitats of the Golden Crow species. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only The problem is, the Golden Crow species, as part of the Demon Race, have been exiled to the Eastern Emperor Demon Realm since ancient times. After hundreds of thousands of years, even if there were any Nine Phoenix Scorching Sun Stones left, they¡¯re likely to have been already thoroughly scavenged by various cultivators. Seeing Luo Yan¡¯s dejection, Elder Shi Ding comforted him: ¡°Don¡¯t be too fixated on this. Even if it can¡¯t be unsealed, it¡¯s still good as a mode of transportation.¡± ¡°That¡¯s all I can hope for now,¡± Luo Yan sighed. Chapter 174 - Chapter 174: Chapter 36: In Shushan, Just Off the Flying Sword Chapter 174: Chapter 36: In Shushan, Just Off the Flying Sword After returning to his room, Luo Yan began to organize the gains from the Three Islands Treasure Ship Secret Realm: First and foremost, the acquisition of the Body Refining Secret Technique and the breakthrough to the ¡°Marrow Cleansing Realm¡± were significant. With the Witch Clan¡¯s Body Refining Secret Technique, Luo Yan could, as a matter of course, ¡°shorten the Marrow Cleansing duration,¡± and then, one day, he would be able to enter the Refining Mansion stage without arousing suspicion¡ªa legitimate reason was now in hand. Secondly, there was the knowledge of various ancient formations. Modern formations tend to emphasize simplicity and grandeur, such as the Mountain Protection Array or the Sect¡¯s Grand Formation, with tens of thousands of flag nodes aligned in a clear and straightforward structural order. However, the ancient formations found in Gui Xu often emphasized complexity and integration, such as the Gui Xu Grand Formation with its immense volume of information, where the Formation Setter deliberately depicted its magnificent essence in a high-dimensional plane, revealing only the tip of the iceberg in the two-dimensional plane. Perhaps the cultivators of ancient times felt this was more impressive. Indeed, from Luo Yan¡¯s perspective, both had their pros and cons. The simplicity and grandeur of modern formations meant they were easier to learn and maintain, which was the result of the massive loss of Taoist traditions after the annihilation of the Chan and Jie teachings¡ªafter all, those complex and hard-to-learn formation traditions had almost all but vanished. The complexity and integration of ancient formations, on one hand, made them difficult to decipher, and on the other, advantageous for use in battle, with many records even mentioning portable Formation Devices. Luo Yan had already decided that, when he had the time, he would design a set of Formation Devices for himself. The last gain was this Universe-constructing Heavenly Weaving God Shuttle. It was completely black, dull, and lusterless, with an outline that resembled an elongated American football. Except for a column of vertical Immortal Seal Script at a certain angle, there was nothing else. For now, its function was akin to a mode of transport, with a flight speed faster than Sword Control, and less True Yuan consumption. More importantly, in secret realms where Sword Control was not possible, this Divine Shuttle could still achieve spatial jumps, reaching places one¡¯s feet could not. Elder Shi Ding mentioned that the magical treasure contained three layers of seals, prompting Luo Yan to speculate: Perhaps these three seals corresponded to ¡°Universe,¡± ¡°Cosmos,¡± and ¡°Creation¡± in the Divine Shuttle¡¯s name¡ªeach unsealing might realize one of these titles¡­ Of course, this was merely speculation. ¡°Ah Jing, it¡¯s time to load the save and go to Shushan.¡± ¡°Okay, are you going to see Senior Sister An?¡± Kunlun Mirror casually asked. ¡°Shut up, I¡¯ve just returned from Gui Xu and simply want to rest for a bit,¡± Luo Yan said coldly. Laughing silently, Kunlun Mirror knew that Luo Yan didn¡¯t know how to face Shi Liuli at the moment (after all, in Gui Xu, their relationship had developed to an almost intimate level), so he wanted to find a place to calm down. [Save Point Two: Shushan Shangqing Faction, Qingluo Peak.] [Character Identity: Ling Yunpo.] [Overlaying Mirror Flower Water Moon Template, time-space travel commencing.] Back at Qingluo Peak in Shushan, Ling Yunpo got up from the stone bed and dismantled his meditative posture, slinging his Sword Box over his shoulder. ¡°Master!¡± The Thunder Punishment Sword immediately called out, ¡°Are we going to practice swordsmanship? I haven¡¯t sparred with Senior Sister An in a long time!¡± ¡°How long could it have been?¡± Ling Yunpo thought to himself that it had indeed been a long time for him. But for you, it was only a day¡¯s absence on a trip to the Demon Locking Tower¡­ With this thought, he suddenly remembered that An Zhisu¡¯s Life-bound Sword Artifact, the Frostfall Sword, had been shattered by a Golden Core Realm Jiaolong in the Demon Locking Tower while protecting him. Now, Senior Sister An could only temporarily use the Harsh Cold Sword left by their master, Su Jian. Although it also belonged to the Water System Flying Swords, it was not her Life-bound Sword Artifact, making it weaker in both power and control. Indeed, he needed to find a new sword for Senior Sister An. The Green Duckweed Sword had mentioned the ¡°Flying Smoke Sword¡± located in the Southern Sea¡ªwithout the necessary information collected, there was no opportunity to pursue it for now. ¡°` However, perhaps I could go to the Sword Pool to find a sword to serve as a transitional one for Senior Sister An. With that thought in mind, Ling Yunpo set out for the Sword Pool. The Shushan Sword Pool, located at the summit of Heavenly Gate Peak, also serves as the gateway of the Shushan Shangqing Sect. Every aspirant seeking to join the sect must ascend Heavenly Gate Peak in their mortal flesh, facing many areas along the entire path with steps over one meter high and even sections where they must cling to cliff faces to pass. A moment of inattention can lead to a fatal fall. Ling Yunpo, wielding the Thunder Punishment Sword, circled above Heavenly Gate Peak and saw several mortals climbing the mountain. They seemed to be disciples from the martial world, which invoked in him a mix of emotion and sighs. Descending near the Sword Pool, he was immediately approached by two duty disciples who asked, ¡°Have you come for a sword¡­ You are, Po Yun Sword Immortal!¡± The other disciple quickly added with a smile, ¡°This way, please, Brother Po Yun.¡± Ling Yunpo: ¡­ What the hell is ¡®Brother Po Yun¡¯? Who has been spreading my name incorrectly? He couldn¡¯t be bothered to argue with the two unfamiliar disciples and, with a cold expression, passed between them to reach the edge of the Sword Pool. Activating the innate talent of his Innate Sword Bone, Ling Yunpo began trying to resonate with the water in the pool. However, this time there was no outburst of thousands of swords as there had been when he claimed the Green Duckweed Sword. Not long after, a Ninth-Rank Earth System Flying Sword burst forth from the water and landed in the palm of his hand. ¡°Ninth-Rank Earth System Flying Sword,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword lazily stated. ¡°Ninth-Rank won¡¯t do, Senior Sister An¡¯s transitional Flying Sword must be at least Tenth Rank,¡± Ling Yunpo lamented, casting the Flying Sword back into the pool. He then resonated again, pulling out a new Flying Sword. ¡°Ninth-Rank Wood System Flying Sword,¡± said the Green Duckweed Sword in response. ¡°Wood System doesn¡¯t suit Senior Sister,¡± Ling Yunpo said as he cast the sword back into the pool before resonating once more. ¡°Eighth-Rank Fire System Flying Sword,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword stated calmly. ¡°How come the Grade Rank is getting lower and lower?¡± Ling Yunpo said, annoyed, throwing the Flying Sword back into the pool, ¡°Qing Ping, didn¡¯t you have any girlfriends in the pool? Isn¡¯t there one that would respond to my call?¡± ¡°No,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword chuckled, ¡°Even among the Tenth Rank Flying Swords, not all Immortal Swords have a Sword Spirit. What are you thinking?¡± ¡°Without a Sword Spirit, summoning a Flying Sword from this Sword Pool is purely a matter of fate,¡± the Kunlun Mirror added. With a cold expression, Ling Yunpo continued to summon about a dozen Flying Swords, not one of which was Tenth Rank. Given such scarcity, it¡¯s no wonder that he was immediately targeted by Ziyun Peak after pulling out the Green Duckweed Sword. Forget it, I need to find another way. This public pool is just not reliable. Ling Yunpo turned to leave the Sword Pool, intending to ride his sword back to Qingluo Peak when he suddenly saw Guan Shanyue descend. One of the four mighty figures of Shushan, the senior sister of Green Bamboo Peak, the Fragmented Moon Sword Immortal Guan Shanyue, was usually accompanied by a procession of many junior brothers and sisters, making quite the scene. This time, however, she was accompanied by only one person on a sword, the fifth-ranked Sima Changyan from the last Shushan competition. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°¡­In any case, I hope Senior Sister Guan will consider it,¡± Sima Changyan had just said when he caught sight of Ling Yunpo below and immediately fell silent. Guan Shanyue, however, wasn¡¯t as cautious and greeted Ling Yunpo with a warm smile, ¡°Isn¡¯t this Brother Po Yun? Are you looking for a new Flying Sword at the Sword Pool?¡± ¡°Can you call me ¡®Ling Yunpo¡¯ please?¡± Ling Yunpo said helplessly. ¡°` Chapter 176 - Chapter 176: Chapter 38 The Guan Family Patriarch has already decided Chapter 176: Chapter 38 The Guan Family Patriarch has already decided Time quickly approached the first day of the following month. Initially, An Zhisu still had the mood to eat and drink and, during Ling Yunpo¡¯s sword practice, would offer guidance on his swordsmanship. But as time drew closer, she seemed to grow increasingly agitated. On the morning of the first day, Ling Yunpo changed into his long robe and left his room to call for Senior Sister An. As a result, after knocking on the door for a long time, An Zhisu refused to come out, only making excuses such as ¡°I¡¯m not feeling well today¡± and ¡°Let¡¯s not go.¡± Ling Yunpo flew into a rage, ¡°A cultivator, telling me ¡®I¡¯m not feeling well today¡¯¡ªdo you take me for a fool?!¡± He pinched the Sword technique, and the Thunder Punishment Sword flew out of the Sword Box, directly smashing the door, and then he strode in. Not long after, An Zhisu, who was already dressed, was forcibly dragged out of her room by Ling Yunpo. Overall, with Senior Sister¡¯s looks and temperament, she didn¡¯t need any makeup at all. She just needed her hair done well and to choose a good hairpin and dress. Before travelling here, Ling Yunpo had been a typical man with no sense for such things, but Luo Yan had spent enough time at the Heavenly Craft Workshop with Miss Shi (whose clothes managed to vary every day for a whole year), and had thus gleaned some experience in this area. Using an oxhorn comb, he meticulously combed Senior Sister¡¯s long hair, simply tying it into an elegant chignon at the back of her head, then inserting a jade hairpin. He chose a goose yellow long dress for her attire. Although the dress was connected, it had a tighter fit from the cuffs to the shoulders, facilitating the movement of the arms for casting spells. The hem of the dress was quite loose, but considering Senior Sister was wearing knickers inside, there was no worry of decency issues. As for boots, people in this world were not very fanciful about them, so Ling Yunpo chose a pair of cloud-patterned shoes interwoven with silver threads for Senior Sister An. Only after completely dressing her in front of the copper mirror did he notice that Senior Sister An¡¯s face and neck had turned red-hot. Ling Yunpo chuckled inwardly, pretending to be oblivious, and pulled the Senior Sister out the door. After leaving the Daoist temple on Qingluo Peak, An Zhisu had also calmed down. Truthfully, all the junior brother did was help her dress up, which couldn¡¯t count as any inappropriate intimacy. Although the ancients used ¡°the joy of painting one¡¯s eyebrows¡± to illustrate the affection between a married couple or Daoist companions, the junior brother didn¡¯t paint eyebrows, did he! What¡¯s wrong with combing one¡¯s hair or choosing an outfit? After convincing herself of this, An Zhisu called out her Harsh Cold Sword, and together with Ling Yunpo, they flew away on their swords. The two headed north across the Qin mountains, reaching Tianshui County, where they descended from the Sword Light outside the city. The way of the Clarify Cult differed from the Intercepting Cult, typically valuing subtlety and restraint. If they flew into the city ostentatiously, it wouldn¡¯t matter if the common people gathered to gawk, but being looked down on by fellow cultivators and laughed at behind their backs would be a far greater problem. After asking passersby nearby, they learned that the Longxi Guan Family did not reside in the city of Tianshui County, but near Mount Guan to the east of the city. The reason why the Guan Family was named ¡°Guan¡± was because they had lived near Mount Guan for generations. Thus, Ling Yunpo spent some money to hire a horse carriage, carrying Senior Sister An eastward. After about half an hour, they finally arrived at the entrance of the Guan Clan¡¯s estate. The estate covered a vast area, with towering walls, and further up along Mount Guan, it was filled with layers of buildings that truly epitomized ¡°built along the mountainside.¡± There were many servants at the gate who, upon meeting them, first respectfully checked the invitations and, after confirming the identities of Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu, immediately welcomed the two inside and arranged for them to stay in a guest room. The guest room was extremely luxurious, with six rooms and two halls, including a bathroom with a spacious hot water pool built of stones¡ªa far cry more comfortable than soaking in a bathtub. Although Ling Yunpo had completed the Marrow Cleansing and no longer produced dirt or dead skin, he too thought of Xu Yinglian¡¯s ¡°a good wash is more healthy.¡± An Zhisu, however, showed little interest. She went around each room once and eventually returned to the living room, sitting down to rest and meditate in an armchair. After getting used to the bathing pool, Ling Yunpo changed into his clothes and got up again, joining an already-waiting An Zhisu to go out for a walk. Cultivators naturally have long lifespans, and sometimes, relentless cultivation is not necessarily appropriate. Experiencing the diverse states of existence in the mortal world is also a rare form of practice. Added to that, Ling Yunpo had first entered the Demon Locking Tower and then gone to the Treasure Ship Secret Realm rather promptly, with not much time in between. He was quite fatigued¡ªthis was the perfect opportunity to relax and unwind thoroughly. As the two walked side by side, there was no need to hold hands, yet they seemed to be in perfect harmony, their pace and speed matched just right. In the courtyard of the Guan Clan¡¯s villa, with its small bridges over flowing water and clusters of bright flowers, all the delicate sights delighted Ling Yunpo, and An Zhisu was exceptionally at ease as well. Just as they were leisurely appreciating the scenery, suddenly a voice sounded ahead: ¡°Senior Sister An, you¡¯ve really come. I knew it was right to ask Junior Brother Ling to deliver the invitation.¡± An Zhisu¡¯s originally relaxed expression immediately turned cold. Guan Shanyue, who emerged from behind the archway, seemed completely oblivious to the change and continued to smile as she said: ¡°Junior Brother Ling, are you settling in well here? Have you tried the stone-built bath?¡± Ling Yunpo didn¡¯t pick up on her cue, but responded with a straight face: ¡°I am deeply grateful for your hospitality.¡± ¡°Not at all,¡± Guan Shanyue covered her mouth and laughed, ¡°How about Senior Sister An?¡± An Zhisu looked at her for a long while before suddenly asking: ¡°What is your intention in inviting me?¡± ¡°Intention?¡± Guan Shanyue blinked and said, ¡°The elder wishes to invite the newcomers of swordsmanship. As the top person under the Shushan Golden Core, isn¡¯t it normal for Senior Sister An to receive an invitation?¡± ¡°Whether it¡¯s under the Golden Core or the newcomers of swordsmanship, since when is it up to the Guan Family to decide?¡± An Zhisu asked coldly. ¡°Are you questioning my judgment, or do you think you don¡¯t deserve it?¡± Guan Shanyue narrowed her eyes. ¡°You know I always decline such invitations.¡± ¡°But this time with Junior Brother Ling around, you will definitely accept.¡± An Zhisu was slightly taken aback by this statement, then a murderous aura was released: ¡°I warn you, do not harbor intentions towards my junior brother¡­¡± ¡°Senior Sister An is joking.¡± Faced with the sharp killing intent, Guan Shanyue treated it as a gentle breeze and continued to smile, ¡°Who meets the conditions of the invitation among other Foundation Establishment cultivators indeed is up to me to judge. However, both of your names were personally decided by the elder.¡± Ling Yunpo raised his eyebrows, and he exchanged glances with An Zhisu. ¡°Chosen by the elder?¡± Seeing that his Senior Sister was also confused, Ling Yunpo asked in a deep voice, ¡°Both my Senior Sister and I are but mediocre, how did we come into your family elder¡¯s notice?¡± ¡°Shushan¡¯s main competition, the Chief Disciple and the second seat, can also be considered mediocre?¡± Guan Shanyue was still smiling. ¡°Even if my Senior Sister and I are the Chief Disciple and the second seat, we haven¡¯t yet formed a Golden Core, so how could we be of concern to an immortal?¡± Ling Yunpo said coldly, ¡°Sister Guan, if you¡¯re thinking of fobbing us off here, I¡¯m afraid that won¡¯t be appropriate.¡± ¡°Junior Brother Ling, don¡¯t be hasty, I have no intention of fobbing you off,¡± Guan Shanyue dropped her jovial tone and spoke earnestly, ¡°The reason the elder specifically wants to see you is nothing else but because you are Su Jian¡¯s disciples.¡± ¡­¡­¡­ Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Even An Zhisu, who had been on guard, could not help but be moved at this point. If Guan Shanyue had given any other reason, no matter how flowery her words, An Zhisu wouldn¡¯t have believed a word. But Guan Shanyue mentioned it was ¡°because of Su Jian,¡± and this An Zhisu could not refute from the bottom of her heart. Because their master¡­ truly had extraordinary and rare talent in the realm of swordsmanship, highly treasured not only by the Long Eyebrow Immortal of Shushan but also renowned far and wide. That the elder of the Guan Family knew their master was nothing out of the ordinary. Chapter 177 - Chapter 177: Chapter 39: This Child and I are Destined Chapter 177: Chapter 39: This Child and I are Destined ¡°I finally understand why Senior Sister dislikes her.¡± After Guan Shanyue left, Ling Yunpo couldn¡¯t help but express his sentiment. ¡°Hm?¡± An Zhisu paused for a moment, then shook her head, ¡°Right? I told you, communicating with her is like torture.¡± ¡°The Riddle Speaker is truly revolting,¡± Ling Yunpo sighed. No matter how they probed, Guan Shanyue remained inscrutable, only answering, ¡°You¡¯ll know when the Sword Tomb opens and you see the ancestor.¡± If that were the case, why inform us in advance? Is keeping people in suspense considered fun? ¡°Talking to her ruins a good mood,¡± An Zhisu said, massaging her temples, ¡°Let¡¯s go back.¡± ¡°Okay, Senior Sister.¡± The two turned around and went back to the guest room to rest. After several days, a maid came to inform them that the Sword Tomb had officially been opened. Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu followed the leading maid through a mountain belly tunnel and entered a valley. They saw that the valley was flat without trees or hills, just a large number of swords scattered about, thrust haphazardly into the ground. This place was the Sword Tomb of the Longxi Guan Family. Whenever a Sword Immortal of the Guan Family unfortunately fell, the Guan Family would seal their Flying Sword into the Sword Tomb, creating what is called a ¡°Sword Stele,¡± akin to a spiritual tablet for ancestors. Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu walked on the small path through the forest of Sword Steles, listening to the Guan family maid narrate the history of the Sword Tomb. It was said among the fallen Sword Immortals here, those who died in battle and those who perished during Transcending Heavenly Tribulation were about even in number, while those who died of old age were less than five percent. This was probably because Sword Immortals of the Guan Family were too proud to die in their sickbeds. Once their life span was nearing the end and a breakthrough in their realm seemed impossible, they would go out to fight the Demon Cult, seeking an honorable death in battle. An Zhisu listened with a respectful solemnity, while Ling Yunpo feigned a similar respect on the surface, but inwardly sneered to himself. If my life was nearing its end, I definitely wouldn¡¯t want to stay at home waiting to die either; I¡¯d go out looking for opportunities to break through, making a last desperate struggle. If I failed and fell, wouldn¡¯t you be able to say whatever you pleased? Even if you claimed I died assassinating the Demon Lord for justice, how could I refute it? Of course, everyone tries to present themselves in the best light, which is understandable. Therefore, Ling Yunpo didn¡¯t say anything and merely looked around at the surrounding Sword Steles with great interest. Hm? He suddenly spotted a familiar face in the crowd in the distance. Isn¡¯t that Guan Zhan? How is this third junior brother here¡­ Ah, his surname is Guan, so it¡¯s no problem. Ling Yunpo withdrew his gaze and continued with his Senior Sister through the dense forest of swords until they saw a thatched cottage ahead. The maid led the two of them to the front of the cottage and pushed open the door. Upon entering the cottage, they saw an elderly but spirited man seated on a couch, wearing grey robes, sitting cross-legged with his eyes tightly closed, and on either side, there was a gilded incense burner with blue smoke curling upwards. ¡°Sit,¡± he said blandly. Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu sat down on meditation cushions, their expressions somewhat uneasy and solemn. Although the elder appeared ordinary, the two, using their intuition as Sword Immortals, sensed the profound depth and towering strength behind his demeanor, indicating an extremely high rank and realm. ¡°How has Su Jian been recently?¡± the Guan Family ancestor asked with closed eyes. ¡°Our master is doing well,¡± An Zhisu replied. ¡°Has he come out of seclusion?¡± ¡°Not yet.¡± ¡°Since he hasn¡¯t left seclusion, how do you know he¡¯s still in good condition?¡± the Guan Family elder opened his eyes and asked with a hint of mockery. An Zhisu frowned slightly, only to hear Ling Yunpo say beside her: ¡°The lineage of Qingluo Peak has not ceased, which indicates that my master is still well.¡± ¡°Ha!¡± The Guan Family elder immediately burst into laughter, his gaze towards Ling Yunpo changed, and he said with amusement, ¡°What a sharp tongue you have indeed.¡± Seeing that the other party did not fly into a rage, Ling Yunpo also secretly breathed a sigh of relief. This elder must not bear any ill will towards Qingluo Peak; he just wanted to test the courage and spirit of me and my Senior Sister. It seems that we¡¯ve passed his test. After staring at them for a moment, the Guan Family elder finally spoke slowly: ¡°The descent of Qingluo Peak to its current state can¡¯t be blamed on you; it¡¯s truly Su Jian who brought it upon himself.¡± ¡°I beg to differ with the elder¡¯s words,¡± An Zhisu immediately raised her eyebrows and said, with Ling Yunpo hastily grabbing her arm in alarm. ¡°What does it matter to me whether you agree or not?¡± The Guan Family elder chuckled, tauntingly said, ¡°Even if Su Jian were standing here, he would have to admit that it¡¯s his own fault. What qualification do you have to deny it for him?¡± An Zhisu fell silent, unable to speak, while Ling Yunpo beside her sweated inwardly and said nothing. If Su Jian were here, he would, of course, admit his responsibility. Or could he possibly shove the blame onto his disciples instead? Senior Sister An¡¯s words were merely a stance, yet who would have thought they would be seized upon by the Guan Family elder for criticism? Immortals can pretend to be foolish and misunderstand, can¡¯t they? Wait¡­ now I think I know where Guan Shanyue¡¯s nasty character comes from. ¡°I told Su Jian in the past that if he doesn¡¯t change his stubborn nature, he will ultimately ruin himself and even bring disaster upon his family,¡± continued the Guan Family elder with a cold laugh. ¡°Cause and effect, the way of Heaven cycles. Can you not see that it has come to pass now?¡± He looked at An Zhisu and said: ¡°If all you know is to emulate your master, recklessly making enemies and holding grudges, you will eventually meet the same end.¡± An Zhisu kept silent, while Ling Yunpo sat beside her, deep in thought, only to hear the Guan Family elder turn his head and speak to him: ¡°You¡¯re different from your master and Senior Sister, a clever and perceptive younger generation, which is quite rare.¡± Ling Yunpo smiled faintly, thinking to himself that this assessment sounded a little familiar. ¡°It¡¯s only because Su Jian was in seclusion and allowed your Senior Sister to take on disciples that you chanced upon becoming a disciple of Qingluo Peak.¡± The Guan Family elder snorted coldly, ¡°If Su Jian had made the choice, even if your talent were great, you would definitely not have been admitted to Qingluo Peak.¡± ¡°The elder has it wrong there,¡± An Zhisu couldn¡¯t help but interject once more, ¡°Master admires disciples with extraordinary swordsmanship talent the most, and Ling Yunpo, my junior brother¡­¡± ¡°Even geniuses are useless,¡± the Guan Family elder said, unabashedly, ¡°It¡¯s not like there haven¡¯t been prodigiously talented disciples seeking to become Su Jian¡¯s disciples after he inherited Qingluo Peak. Yet has he taken a liking to any of them?¡± An Zhisu was silent once again. ¡°Ling Yunpo.¡± The Guan Family elder turned his gaze, and his expression softened, ¡°Su Jian wouldn¡¯t have taken you in, not because of your fault, but because he is innately arrogant. No matter how outstanding the talent in swordsmanship, none could catch his eye.¡± ¡°As for your Senior Sister An, the reason she could become his disciple owes to another connection, which is best left unsaid.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°If Su Jian never emerges from seclusion, you will be like a Loose Cultivator without a master; if Su Jian does emerge, you are unlikely to be well-treated by him.¡± Hearing this, the Guan Family elder suddenly paused, then spoke earnestly: ¡°Su Jian once owed me a favor that has not yet been repaid. If you are willing to switch to my sect and take me as your master, I will use this favor to make a deal with him, so that even if he comes out from seclusion, he will have no objections, what do you say?¡± Ling Yunpo stood stunned on the spot, only to see An Zhisu spring up from her seat, exclaiming in shock: ¡°How can this be!¡± Chapter 178 - Chapter 178: Chapter 40: It Turns Out to Be the Forerunner Seniors Fault Chapter 178: Chapter 40: It Turns Out to Be the Forerunner Senior¡¯s Fault ¡°Why not?¡± the Longxi Guan Family¡¯s ancestor asked displeasedly. ¡°You rise to interrupt before your elder has finished speaking. Is this the kind of unruly and disrespectful upbringing Su Jian has provided?¡± Clenching her lower lip, An Zhisu refused to give in, insisting: ¡°Even if my master truly owes you a favor, it still requires a direct conversation between you two to settle it. If my master doesn¡¯t wish for my junior brother to leave and is only preoccupied with his seclusion, does it justify you seizing the opportunity to snatch away his disciple? How should I, as a junior, handle myself? If this were known to all, how would the world view the Longxi Guan Family?¡± The Longxi Guan Family¡¯s ancestor snorted coldly and said: ¡°Don¡¯t try to provoke me with that.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve said it yourself, your Ling Yunpo is exceptionally talented¡ªhe¡¯s an ¡®Innate Sword Bone,¡¯ do you understand?¡± An Zhisu gasped in shock, while Ling Yunpo fell silent, his heart nearly bursting with emotion. At last¡­ after many years at Shushan, someone had finally recognized the extraordinary talent of Ling Yunpo! ¡°Innate Sword Bone?¡± An Zhisu pondered for a moment, hesitant, ¡°Is that the ¡®Innate Sword Bone¡¯ known alongside the ¡®Innate Sword Heart¡¯?¡± ¡°Precisely,¡± the Longxi Guan Family¡¯s ancestor affirmed proudly. ¡°In fact, the cultivation potential of the Innate Sword Bone is even stronger than the Innate Sword Heart, mainly because while one¡¯s state of mind can change, the root bone is extremely difficult to alter.¡± ¡°With such a peerless talent, even if Su Jian were willing to personally teach him, he would struggle to utilize eighty percent of his potential. How could that compare to instruction from an immortal like me? If you truly cared for your junior brother, you wouldn¡¯t stand in the way of his great future.¡± An Zhisu¡¯s face turned pale as she stumbled several steps back until her back was against the wall¡ªeach sentence from the Longxi Guan Family¡¯s ancestor was like a heavy hammer, relentlessly striking at her heart. Indeed, no matter how it was dressed up (whether the junior brother himself wished to stay, or how hard she tried to be kind to him), it couldn¡¯t change one fact. Ling Yunpo was indeed delaying his own cultivation progress by staying on Qingluo Peak. Not to mention, the one currently aiming to poach him was one of the rare terrestrial immortals in the world, the Longxi Guan Family¡¯s ancestor! Even as much as An Zhisu found it hard to let go, as long as she still had a shred of goodwill towards her junior brother, she couldn¡¯t find the words to let him refuse the Longxi Guan Family¡¯s ancestor. Seeing her subdued and retreating, the Longxi Guan Family¡¯s ancestor then turned his gaze to Ling Yunpo: ¡°I¡¯ve already heard about your experiences at Shushan from Yue¡¯er.¡± ¡°You joined Qingluo Peak alone, involving your master Su Jian, and fell victim to the targeting by Ziyun Peak and the other peaks. Fortunately, you overcame the hardships with significant determination and fought your way here, you must be aware of the various difficulties of the sect with no one to turn to.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re willing to join my sect, firstly, the resources of the Longxi Guan Family will be fully available to you, and secondly, I will teach you my Dao without reservation. Those Shushan disciples who once humiliated you will have to avoid you by three clear steps when they see you, giving you due respect!¡± Ling Yunpo hung his head, unable to deny that he was completely tempted. Being favored by an immortal, bestowed with longevity. If he accepts here and now, Ling Yunpo¡¯s identity would catapult him upward, surpassing even Qiu Changtian and becoming the ¡°super account¡± among numerous secondary ones, with Qiu Changtian unable to grasp its edge! It¡¯s well known that Qiu Changtian¡¯s status as the Chief Disciple of Kunlun is partly due to his innate ¡°Daoist Heart Clarity¡± talent, with the greater part owing to the Ziwei Sect Leader¡¯s insightful recognition and full support. As for the Longxi Guan Family¡¯s ancestor, a terrestrial immortal, it goes without saying that he would only be more formidable than the Ziwei Sect Leader, and not less! Under normal circumstances, Ling Yunpo would have immediately nodded vigorously, knelt as if his knees were rooted to the ground, and performed the grand gesture of discipleship to the Longxi Guan Family¡¯s ancestor¡­ alas, what a pity, what a pity! ¡°Ah Jing, ah,¡± he sighed inwardly, ¡°for the sake of helping you seize that fragment of the Heaven-Mending Stone from Shushan, I¡¯ve made quite the sacrifice.¡± ¡°Tsk,¡± the Kunlun Mirror scoffed disdainfully, ¡°If you have the heart to hurt Senior Sister An, then just go ahead and do it.¡± ¡°Hmph,¡± Ling Yunpo laughed without a word, his face falling silent for a moment before he revealed a sequence of expressions indicative of hesitation, inner turmoil, long deliberation, heartache, and finally resolute determination, saying gravely: ¡°I am grateful for the ancestor¡¯s generous love, but¡­ having been accepted into the Shushan sect, it would be improper for me to change allegiance to another. I apologize for not living up to the ancestor¡¯s recognition.¡± ¡°No matter,¡± the Longxi Guan Family¡¯s ancestor waved his hand dismissively, ¡°I am also a Guest Elder of the Shushan Shangqing Faction; moving from Qingluo Peak to join my sect does not constitute a betrayal of Shushan.¡± ¡°Qingluo Peak is all the same,¡± Ling Yunpo said with a small smile, one laden with extreme determination. So determined that his synchronization value for an unyielding persona even began to rise. The Longxi Guan Family¡¯s ancestor furrowed his brow and stared at him for a long while before suddenly asking in a deep voice: ¡°Are you practicing the Sentiment Inquiry Path?¡± Ling Yunpo: ? He had already prepared five or six excuses to deal with the various recruiting conditions offered by the old immortal, but he did not expect him to ask such a question. Seeing him at a loss for words, the Guan Family elder turned to An Zhisu and frowned: ¡°Are you also practicing the Sentiment Inquiry Path?¡± An Zhisu lowered her head in silence, uttering not a word. Seeing that neither of them could speak, the Guan Family elder realized the situation and immediately felt a bit numb. Su Jian, oh Su Jian, you are truly a disgrace to Shushan! Not only did you switch from the Forgetting Love Path to the Sentiment Inquiry Path, but you also led two outstanding disciples astray! However, he was after all of Immortal rank, and at least he had some composure, so he heaved a sigh, patted his knee, and said: ¡°The Sentiment Inquiry Path, why is it always the Sentiment Inquiry Path? Alas, I had long told Jade Capital to let you young disciples know of the past misdeeds of the Sentiment Inquiry Path, but he always insisted on not airing our dirty laundry¡­¡± ¡°May I ask, elder, what exactly is the old affair?¡± Seeing that the elder had more to say, Ling Yunpo immediately caught on to the subject, going with the flow to ease the awkward mood. ¡°It¡¯s nothing indescribable.¡± The Guan Family elder sighed, ¡°Do you know that the ancient progenitor of the Human Race, Fuxi, once forged two Supreme Immortal Swords called ¡®Tai Yin¡¯ and ¡®Sun¡¯?¡± ¡°Of course we remember.¡± Ling Yunpo replied. ¡°After the Demon Race was driven to the Eastern Emperor Demon Realm, the contact between the two realms was not as weak as it is nowadays. Often, great demons would cross the Boundary Gate to attack.¡± The Guan Family elder, feeling quite melancholic, began to recount the secrets of the past, ¡°Therefore, the Human Race passed down the two Supreme Immortal Swords from generation to generation, with each generation having two people responsible for holding the swords, defending the Human Race, and deterring the Demon Race. The title bearers were known as the ¡®Tai Yin Sword Master¡¯ and the ¡®Sun Sword Master¡¯.¡± ¡°By the last generation, the Sun Sword Master was named ¡®Ouyang Zhao¡¯, and the Tai Yin Sword Master was ¡®Yin Xiaojing¡¯. These two were cultivators of the Sentiment Inquiry Path and, after years of studying under the same master, ascended to immortality and became Daoist Companions, with a remarkably affectionate relationship.¡± ¡°Little did anyone know, Yin Xiaojing¡¯s true identity was that of a Celestial Fox from Qingqiu of the Eastern Emperor Demon Realm, who had smuggled herself over. She had just transformed and, using a special magical treasure of the Celestial Fox Clan, assumed a human identity and infiltrated this realm for many years, all to seize the Tai Yin ¡®Suming¡¯ Sword.¡± An Zhisu listened intently, while Ling Yunpo was inwardly laughing and crying. Goodness me, so this Yin Xiaojing is also a senior in the same line of work as me! Both of us infiltrated a sect to obtain a precious treasure, each using some kind of special magical treasure. This sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu is overwhelming¡­ Alas, from what the Guan Family elder said, it seems Yin Xiaojing resorted to using her charms, something I disdain to do! ¡°Later, not long after Yin Xiaojing became the Tai Yin Sword Master, before she could escape back to the Eastern Emperor Realm, her identity was exposed.¡± The Guan Family elder contemptuously said: ¡°The Human Race cultivators intended to surround and kill her, but that Sun Sword Master Ouyang Zhao, to protect his Daoist Companion, boldly made himself an enemy of the entire Human Race. The two fought their way to the Boundary Gate of the Eastern Emperor Realm, causing countless deaths and injuries to the Human Race.¡± ¡°In the end, Yin Xiaojing returned to the Eastern Emperor Realm while Ouyang Zhao died at the Boundary Gate. Before dying, he sealed the gate with the Sun True Fire Sword. Ever since, the passage between the two realms has been eternally separated by the burning Sun True Fire, and humans and demons took separate paths, no longer able to interact.¡± ¡°And the Tai Yin ¡®Suming¡¯ Sword has been lost ever since.¡± ¡°Lost?¡± asked Ling Yunpo curiously, ¡°Wasn¡¯t it taken back to the Demon Realm by Yin Xiaojing?¡± ¡°Before Ouyang Zhao¡¯s defection, he proposed that he and Yin Xiaojing relinquish the swords and find a place in this realm to live together in seclusion forever, never to step into the outside world again. Hence, he had left the Tai Yin ¡®Suming¡¯ Sword somewhere, intending to trade its location for Yin Xiaojing¡¯s life.¡± The Guan Family elder said with a cold laugh. ¡°But later, probably because negotiations with the Human Race failed, they ended up with one dead and one escaped. As for the Tai Yin ¡®Suming¡¯ Sword, the likelihood of it being taken back to the Eastern Emperor Demon Realm is low; otherwise, across these hundreds of thousands of years, it would not have remained hidden unused by the Demon Race¡­ It is indeed likely, as Ouyang Zhao claimed, hidden somewhere in this realm, simply yet to be found.¡± ¡°And ever since then, the Sentiment Inquiry Path was swiftly severed, considered by the various cultivator sects as dangerous as floods and wild beasts, strictly shunned.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°You have to understand, the Sentiment Inquiry Path prioritizes emotion, but if your whole heart¡¯s emotions are mistakenly devoted to a non-human, then what?¡± ¡°If you insist on the Sentiment Inquiry, you might make a grave mistake like Ouyang Zhao; but if you try to switch to forgetting love, your Daoist Foundation may immediately become unstable, risking deviation¡­¡± Towards the end, the Guan Family elder was sneering continuously, ¡°After all, binding the pursuit of Dao with the desires and love of ordinary people is extremely foolish behavior!¡± Seeing that Ling Yunpo remained indifferent, he then derided and mocked: ¡°Take you, for example! You¡¯re willing to give up the Daoist lineage of immortals for your Senior Sister An, is it not an act of cutting yourself off from the great Dao?¡± ¡°Over the years, all cultivators of the Sentiment Inquiry Path have been fools to the extreme, just like you!¡± Chapter 179 - Chapter 179: Chapter 41: Sword Tomb Convention, Teasing Senior Sister Chapter 179: Chapter 41: Sword Tomb Convention, Teasing Senior Sister After leaving the thatched cottage, the atmosphere between the two became ambiguous. Ling Yunpo was slightly annoyed, his mind filled with the thought, ¡°Does the Guan Family ancestor really think we¡¯re practicing the Sentiment Inquiry Path together, and developing affections for each other? Why didn¡¯t Sister deny it?¡± An Zhisu was also somewhat disturbed, merely fiddling with the hem of her clothes, wondering, ¡°Why didn¡¯t I clarify just now? Could it be because I wanted to use this misunderstanding to persuade the Guan Family ancestor to let Ling Yunpo stay?¡± An Zhisu, oh An Zhisu, you really are a bad woman¡­ ¡°Sister, let¡¯s go back,¡± Ling Yunpo said. ¡°Hmm, oh, let¡¯s go back,¡± An Zhisu replied in a flustered manner. ¡°Have you two finished your talk?¡± Just as they were about to leave, they saw Guan Shanyue approaching from the opposite side, who asked, ¡°Did Po Yunpo brother agree?¡± ¡°First of all, it¡¯s Ling Yunpo¡­¡± Ling Yunpo hadn¡¯t finished correcting when he heard An Zhisu coldly ask, ¡°Did you incite this?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t joke,¡± Guan Shanyue dismissed, ¡°I don¡¯t have the influence to guide the elder. Besides, it¡¯s only natural for someone with an Innate Sword Bone to be sought after, right?¡± ¡°You better really not be scheming behind our backs,¡± An Zhisu said gravely. ¡°Rest assured,¡± Guan Shanyue waved his hand, ¡°But don¡¯t leave just yet, for the elder will formally summon everyone in a moment.¡± Implicit in his words was the fact that the Guan Family ancestor had only had a ¡°private meeting¡± with the two just now. And the formal summoning to come had other official matters to attend to. Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu exchanged a look and followed Guan Shanyue into a nearby courtyard. In the open space surrounded by numerous sword steles, scattered tables and chairs had been set up, where many Sword Immortals were already seated. The Guan Family disciples were the most in number, followed by the Shushan cultivators. Representatives from Kunlun and Penglai were also in attendance, and aside from Qiu Changtian¡¯s third disciple Guan Zhan, Ling Yunpo also spotted Luo Yan¡¯s eldest senior brother Linghu Chu¡ªcurrently, he was deep in a discussion about sword casting with a Guan Family cultivator, apparently well-acquainted for some time now. Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu sat in a corner, unable to integrate into the conversations of these strangers, so they began whispering to each other. ¡°Brother, are you really not considering it?¡± An Zhisu asked softly. ¡°Is Sister trying to send me away?¡± Ling Yunpo teased back with a smile. ¡°No, it¡¯s just that¡­¡± An Zhisu hesitated, stopping mid-sentence before finally saying, ¡°After all, it¡¯s an immortal we¡¯re talking about.¡± ¡°What of an immortal?¡± Ling Yunpo feigned grandeur, ¡°Without an immortal, can I not become one myself? If it means giving up Sister to achieve the Great Dao, I would rather forsake it!¡± [Unyielding character trait, Synchronization Value +1.] ¡°Brother,¡± An Zhisu looked at him with tenderness in her eyes, but even more so with helplessness and reluctance, ¡°I¡¯m truly happy you want to stay at Qingluo Peak¡­ but still, I fear holding back your path¡­¡± ¡°More than the path, what I care about is not disappointing Sister,¡± Ling Yunpo stated immediately. So, An Zhisu became shy again, her head bowed, revealing her fair neck, her long eyelashes quivering as if masking some emotion. Ling Yunpo suddenly found that his normally steadfast and valiant Sister, occasionally being shy, was quite charming¡ªhe could tease her a little more. ¡°Sister,¡± Ling Yunpo deliberately elongated the word. ¡°Hm?¡± An Zhisu didn¡¯t look at him, her gaze fixed on her own toes. ¡°The Guan Family ancestor said you practice the Sentiment Inquiry Path, is that true?¡± An Zhisu didn¡¯t answer, she just nodded imperceptibly. She didn¡¯t know what she was thinking; her thoughts felt tangled like a mess of threads. At first, she wondered, ¡°How could junior brother say something so misleading,¡± then she thought, ¡°Maybe junior brother is really trying to express his feelings subtly,¡± then she thought, ¡°What if junior brother just meant he can¡¯t let me down,¡± and then, ¡°But what if junior brother¡¯s intention actually is¡­¡± Her mind became a confusing mush until Ling Yunpo asked her if she planned to cultivate the Sentiment Inquiry Path. That¡¯s when she broke free from those embarrassing illusions and blurted out hurriedly: ¡°Junior brother, whether it¡¯s the Sentiment Inquiry Path or some other faction, that should be considered after Core Formation. It¡¯s too early to think about this now! Too early!¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Ling Yunpo feigned confusion, ¡°but why did the ancestor of the Guan Family ask us if we had all cultivated the Sentiment Inquiry Path?¡± ¡°Actually, the ancestor of the Guan Family wanted to ask us if we have¡­¡± An Zhisu spoke quickly and hurriedly, but then abruptly stopped. ¡°Have what?¡± Ling Yunpo teased her once more. ¡°Just that¡­¡± An Zhisu¡¯s face turned red, and after a long pause, she suddenly exclaimed as if seizing a lifeline, ¡°Ah, look, the ancestor of the Guan Family is coming out.¡± Ling Yunpo turned around to look and saw the ancestor of the Guan Family already stepping out of the thatched hut, with the younger disciples of the Sword Immortals standing up one after another to greet the old immortal. The ancestor of the Guan Family gestured with his hand, indicating for everyone to sit back down. Then, he extended his hand and summoned Guan Shanyue, who approached carrying a sword. ¡°The sword is the king of a hundred weapons,¡± the ancestor of the Guan Family said slowly, taking the long sword, ¡°My friends, why do cultivators often use Flying Swords, but seldom use Flying Daggers, Flying Spears, or other weapons?¡± His gaze swept over everyone and then settled on Ling Yunpo, signaling him to speak: ¡°You tell me.¡± ¡°Cough,¡± Ling Yunpo began awkwardly, ¡°Is it because the Flying Sword excels in assassination and can also seal Daoist Magic within it?¡± ¡°Barely satisfactory,¡± the ancestor of the Guan Family nodded, ¡°Those that are good for piercing must be straight; those that are good for magic must be heavy.¡± ¡°The Flying Sword overcomes the knife with its straightness and the spear with its weight, so it becomes distinguished. Such is the nature of swordsmanship; not to seek to overpower alone but to be flawless in every aspect.¡± The Sword Immortals all showed looks of sudden understanding. Then began the time for the ancestor of the Guan Family to lecture. In ordinary swordsmanship factions, the master¡¯s teachings to the disciple are often limited to the ¡°techniques,¡± such as how to thrust with this sword, how to block when the enemy attacks this way, and so on. But the ancestor of the Guan Family, who is indeed a land immortal, had spoken only a few words, and the Sword Immortal disciples immediately sensed that these phrases had transcended to the ¡°Dao,¡± a realm far beyond their reach yet greatly aspired to. Thus, they paid close attention, listening intently and silently reciting. At the most exciting points, some couldn¡¯t help but shed tears, loudly praising with admiration. Only Ling Yunpo was perfectly calm, because he could not only record the talk with the Kunlun Mirror but also have the Green Duckweed Sword explain it to him word by word later. Therefore, he was not eager to understand it on the spot. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only The ancestor of the Guan Family noticed his composed demeanor, and couldn¡¯t help but think even more highly of him. It¡¯s commendable to seek the Dao with a great thirst, but to hear of the Dao without surprise is an even more excellent quality. After the lecture, many were still immersed in an enraptured state, as if they had not yet awakened from their enlightenment. The next moment, the blockbuster news announced by the ancestor of the Guan Family abruptly woke them: ¡°I have communicated with and reached an agreement with the Shushan Shangqing Faction. I will now leave the Sword Tomb to search for the lost ancient Tai Yin Suming Sword!¡± Chapter 180 - Chapter 180: Chapter 42: Pre-registration for the Sword-Seeking Operation Chapter 180: Chapter 42: Pre-registration for the Sword-Seeking Operation ¡°` The ancient ancestor of the Guan Family announced the search for the lost Tai Yin Suming Sword, of course not for the young sword immortals present to hear. He aimed to have the message relayed through them to the Kunlun, Shushan, Penglai, and other major cultivation sects behind them¡ªanyone who could provide valid clues would be rewarded by the Longxi Guan Family and receive the favor of the ancient ancestor. A favor from a terrestrial immortal¡­ The advertisement could not be called anything less than sensational, and it instantly spread throughout the north and south of the great river. After the Sword Tomb conference ended, Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu were kept behind for a few words with the immortal. ¡°Although you¡¯re unwilling to take me as your master, you can still join in my subsequent sword search,¡± the ancient ancestor of the Guan Family said to Ling Yunpo, ¡°I have already roughly confirmed the escape route of the two last sword masters from ancient times, and will follow the route to search.¡± ¡°Normally, you won¡¯t need to do anything. When I need your help, I¡¯ll have Yue¡¯er contact you in advance. How does that sound?¡± ¡°I dare not decline the request of my elder,¡± Ling Yunpo thought carefully for a moment and felt that if it was only to leverage his ¡°Resonate with the Sword¡± ability, it was indeed doable. After all, the compensation given by an immortal would likely not be disappointing. ¡°Very good,¡± said the ancient ancestor of the Guan Family, satisfied. ¡°Then it¡¯s settled.¡± After Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu left, the ancient ancestor of the Guan Family rose on his sword and in an instant arrived at the Shushan Demon Locking Tower. At the base of the Demon Locking Tower, he met with Long Eyebrow Immortal, who guarded the place. ¡°Long Eyebrow,¡± the Guan Family¡¯s ancient ancestor said directly, ¡°I have ensured that boy Ling Yunpo¡¯s safety.¡± Upon hearing this, Long Eyebrow Immortal opened one eye and said indifferently: ¡°Isn¡¯t he unwilling to join your sect?¡± ¡°But he will join my subsequent sword search,¡± the Guan Family ancestor laughed. ¡°There have been more than thirty sword searches between the Chan and Jie teaching throughout history,¡± Long Eyebrow Immortal stated coldly, ¡°Even those that involved greater forces and resources than you, seven or eight times, all returned empty-handed. What makes you think you will be any different?¡± ¡°Did they have cultivators with Innate Sword Bone?¡± the Guan Family ancestor retorted with disdain. ¡°Innate Sword Bone, although capable of resonating with a sword, cannot ignore spatial distance,¡± Long Eyebrow Immortal remained unmoved, ¡°If it¡¯s within a resonating distance, how could it escape the divine perception of immortals?¡± ¡°It¡¯s also possible that formations are shielding it. We will never know unless we try,¡± the Guan Family ancestor sighed, ¡°Long Eyebrow, don¡¯t deceive me. What do you think of the divination results from Wan Xiang? What are the chances of them coming true?¡± ¡°I do not know,¡± Long Eyebrow Immortal replied indifferently, ¡°You may ask him yourself.¡± ¡°If in the future demons attack the Mortal Realm, then retrieving the Sun and Tai Yin swords will be our most critical move,¡± the Guan Family ancestor said with hair and beard bristling, ¡°The Sun True Obscure Sword is at the Eastern Emperor Boundary Gate. To retrieve the sword, we must pass through the burn zone of the Sun True Fire. We just need to wait for Wan Xiang to complete his Absolute Fire True Spirit Orb.¡± ¡°The Tai Yin Suming Sword, on the other hand, its whereabouts are unknown. I will search along the escape route of the two last sword masters from ancient times. Ling Yunpo¡¯s Innate Sword Bone may very well be the key to success or failure in this endeavor, so this time, do not interfere with me.¡± ¡°Boring,¡± Long Eyebrow Immortal closed his eyes again. ¡°Has your disciple, Qi Sha True Person, left his seclusion yet?¡± the Guan Family ancestor changed the subject. ¡°Not yet,¡± Long Eyebrow Immortal said softly, ¡°If he¡¯s lucky to be alive, it won¡¯t be too long now.¡± ¡°If he comes out of seclusion and learns about the treatment his two disciples have endured over the years, he is certain to go mad,¡± the Guan Family ancestor sneered, ¡°Though the Various Peaks had long been at odds with the Qingluo lineage, if it wasn¡¯t for your consent as an immortal, who would dare make a move against them?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid that Su Jian would sever his ties with you completely after he comes out of seclusion?¡± Long Eyebrow Immortal was silent for a moment and then said: ¡°If he continues to be obstinate, I will pretend he is not my disciple.¡± ¡°` ¡°Very good, very good.¡± the Guan Family elder gave a thumbs up, ¡°Impressive! Full of guts!¡± ¡°The Demon Locking Tower is an important place in the Shushan, and it¡¯s not convenient for outsiders to stay long. Please leave!¡± Long Eyebrow Immortal said furiously, swinging his sleeve vigorously. Therefore, the Guan Family elder burst into a hearty laugh, turned around and left, and for a time, the entire space at the base of the tower was filled with his mocking and unrestrained laughter. After a long while, the sound faded into silence. In the center of the hall, on the Eight Trigrams Purple Gold Platform, Long Eyebrow Immortal remained silent for a long while before taking out a stone from his sleeve. The stone seemed ordinary, but if someone used their Divine Sense to carefully perceive it, they would find that it was still just as ordinary. How could something that the immortal kept specially on him be just an ordinary stone? ¡°The great calamity¡­¡± Long Eyebrow Immortal muttered in a low voice, ¡°The great calamity¡­¡± If the divination results of the Wan Xiang Immortal were to come true, then the apocalyptic calamity looming in the future would indeed be inevitable. Therefore, the key to protecting the entire Shushan Shangqing Faction rested on the ordinary stone he held in his hand. At that time, the person capable of assuming the heavy responsibility of the Sect Leader, other than Qi Sha True Person Su Jian, would not be anyone else. However, to take up this position, one must abandon the Seven Emotions and Six Desires of a mortal, or else how could they command respect after the precedents set by Ouyang Zhao and Yin Xiaojing, and the last Sect Leader from the Sentiment Inquiry Path? Long Eyebrow Immortal slowly caressed the surface of the stone, then slowly closed his eyes again. No matter what form the apocalyptic calamity would take¡ªwhether it be an invasion by the Demon Race, descent of the Heavenly Demon, manifestation of Nether Ghosts, or some other natural disaster¡­ At least the Shushan Shangqing Faction could not be destroyed on his watch! ¡­¡­ Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu returned to Qingluo Peak, arriving at the backyard of the Taoist temple. The discourse on swordsmanship by the Guan Family elder was indeed exquisite, so much so that even Senior Sister An, with her powerful sword techniques, gained many insights and realizations from it. Therefore, upon returning to the backyard, she stretched out her hand to summon the Harsh Cold Sword from behind her back and began to practice according to her new understandings. Ling Yunpo sat leisurely in the pavilion by the stream, watching Senior Sister An gracefully control her sword, as if a beautiful dancer were whirling with fish and dragons. Although Senior Sister had been quite disheartened for a time because her Life-bound Sword Artifact had been destroyed, seeing so many distinguished swordsmanship displays today and receiving guidance from the earthly immortal had evidently revived her spirits somewhat. After I find her the Flying Smoke Sword, she will surely return to her peak condition! He watched as the sun set and the moon rose, night fell, the cicadas began to chirp, and the water continued to flow. An Zhisu suddenly stopped the sword light and turned around, smiling as she said, Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Junior Brother, why are you still sitting there? Won¡¯t you practice with me for a while?¡± ¡°Since Senior Sister has invited me, Junior Brother naturally obeys!¡± Ling Yunpo immediately hopped off the stone stool, with his right hand forming a seal to summon Qing Ping and his left hand calling out Thunderbane; both Immortal Swords were now aimed at An Zhisu. ¡°What, trying to bully me with numbers?¡± An Zhisu said laughing, obviously in a good mood. ¡°Senior Sister is more advanced in cultivation than I am, it¡¯s only fair that you allow me one sword,¡± Ling Yunpo shamelessly said. Beneath the moonlight, the three Immortal Swords clashed, sparks flying with each strike of metal on metal, as if phoenixes were singing and dragons were chanting. Chapter 181 - Chapter 181: Chapter 43: Fooling Junior Sister Xu is Just Too Easy Chapter 181: Chapter 43: Fooling Junior Sister Xu is Just Too Easy [Position One: Kunlun Taiqing Sect, Golden Ridge.] [Character Identity: Qiu Changtian.] [Mirror Flower Water Moon Template overlay, currently time-space traveling.] Qiu Changtian sat upright on the stone bed, ready to begin today¡¯s scripture lecture. As the direct disciple of the Ziwei Sect Leader and the chief senior brother of this generation, Qiu Changtian had to replace his master every morning to lecture and answer questions for his junior brothers and sisters. Soon, people began to arrive at his cave abode one after another. Third junior brother Guan Zhan, cold and gloomy, found a spot in a corner and did not utter a word. Fourth junior brother Yan Zhitui, gentle and scholarly, stepped in with a scroll in his hands and even gave Qiu Changtian a junior¡¯s bow. Qiu Changtian nodded in response. Fifth junior brother Chen Zhen and sixth junior brother Zhong Tianhuai, who always stuck together, were horsing around and laughing as they entered the cave abode. Upon seeing Qiu Changtian sitting upright on the stone bed, they immediately knew to shut their mouths. The last to enter were junior sister Jian Qingnan and second junior sister Xu Yinglian. Jian Qingnan¡¯s expression seemed a bit stiff, as if she wanted to say something but didn¡¯t dare to, while Xu Yinglian¡¯s face was full of frost, her gaze sharp as a snow-bright blade, cutting towards Qiu Changtian as she entered. Qiu Changtian: ? He was initially puzzled, but, being a person who had impersonated four characters, he immediately realized: The reason he could skip Marrow Cleansing and enter the Refining Mansion was because he went to the Demon Locking Tower for a trial¡ªthis fact was now known to Junior Sister Xu. Upon reflection, it seemed quite normal: according to the instructions of the Ziwei Sect Leader, he should have entered the Demon Locking Tower discreetly, soaked in the Blood Pool quietly, and then left unobtrusively. However, he couldn¡¯t resist showing up in grand style riding a sword and blowing a flute when he first impersonated Ling Yunpo¡ªhis entrance couldn¡¯t have been more conspicuous. Then there were the Great Demon invasion and the Dragon Clan riot¡­ To maintain the consistency of historical events, later when impersonating Qiu Changtian, he also had to follow the guide of the Kunlun Mirror and go through the process step by step. Ultimately, nearly the whole of Shushan knew that Kunlun¡¯s chief disciple Qiu Changtian had foiled the Great Demon¡¯s conspiracy in advance and protected the Demon Locking Tower trial team as they left. Up until now, the news had just reached Kunlun, which slightly surprised him. Qiu Changtian calmed his mind and showed Xu Yinglian a carefree smile. Xu Yinglian remained silent, just staring intently at her senior brother. Stare¡­ Soon, the atmosphere in the entire cave chamber turned awkward. Guan Zhan closed his eyes, not wanting to get involved in these messes. Yan Zhitui seemed to have something to say but held back, looking helpless. Chen Zhen and Zhong Tianhuai clamped their mouths shut, frantically exchanging glances as if they were transmitting Morse code with the frequency of their blinking. Only junior sister Jian Qingnan kept winking and gesturing at Qiu Changtian, hinting that there was serious trouble and he must do something quickly. ¡°Has Junior Sister Xu been well lately?¡± Seeing that Xu Yinglian had no intention of sitting down on the meditation cushion, Qiu Changtian could only take the initiative to start a conversation, smiling as he spoke. ¡°Not well.¡± Xu Yinglian said coldly, ¡°I am deeply hurt.¡± ¡°Why are you deeply hurt?¡± ¡°In the past, someone said they would walk alongside me, but then secretly took a shortcut on a darker path, that¡¯s why I¡¯m hurt.¡± Xu Yinglian¡¯s gaze swept across his face like a knife. Qiu Changtian: ¡­¡­¡­. He found himself at a loss for words, so he smiled awkwardly for a while. If anyone else had said that, Qiu Changtian would definitely have looked at her as if she were a fool: Whoever dictated that any fortunate encounter of mine must be shared with you? However, Junior Sister Xu was not just anyone else. Back then, in order to boost the Invincible Character Setting synchronization value, I almost caused her to develop a Heart Demon. Latter, because of the matter concerning a Daoist Companion, I had no choice but to take on the task of helping her ¡°dissolve her obsessions.¡± Therefore, I spoke many sweet words to her, such as ¡°With Junior Sister by my side on the path of cultivation, I have no regrets,¡± and ¡°You are a Junior Sister whom I, Qiu Changtian, personally acknowledge,¡± and also ¡°I¡¯d like to make a bet with Junior Sister¡±¡­ Right, I even made a bet with Junior Sister Xu before. She even nearly swore a venomous oath to complete her Marrow Cleansing within two years and catch up with me. The result is that upon discovering the target she was chasing had ¡°cheated,¡± what her feelings must be now is all too imaginable. On one hand, Qiu Changtian was overwhelmed with guilt and self-reproach, and on the other hand, his mind was spinning rapidly, leaving him temporarily speechless. Xu Yinglian, full of indignation and with a hint of unperceived bitterness and sorrow, naturally was also left without words. Both gazed at each other in silence, while the rest of the junior brothers and sisters naturally did not dare to speak, instead communicating with each other through glances. ¡°Junior Sister Xu looks like a pitiful woman who¡¯s been abandoned,¡± said Chen Zhen through his gaze. ¡°This faithless wretch of an elder brother!¡± Jian Qingnan communicated with her eyes, responding, ¡°Shameful! Senior Brother Qiu, to think I respected you so much usually!¡± ¡°Alas, to ask what love in the world really is, it¡¯s only something that rends the heart into pieces, leaving a woman¡¯s love shattered without a trace,¡± Zhong Tianhuai made an expression of sighing. ¡°Don¡¯t make wild guesses; this is not what a gentleman would do,¡± Yan Zhitui frowned and continuously signaled them with his eyes not to make faces. Guan Zhan in the corner snorted coldly and turned his head away. ¡°Would Junior Sister Xu take a seat? Even divine injuries have their remedies,¡± Qiu Changtian said with a clear voice. ¡°With what as the medicine?¡± Xu Yinglian asked after a long silence, sitting down on her cushion. ¡°Let¡¯s wait until elder brother has finished reciting the scripture and then talk,¡± Qiu Changtian said with a composed smile. So everyone hurriedly sat down properly. Arguments aside, they still had to listen to the scripture; after all, it related to the grand Dao. In his mind, the Green Duckweed Sword suddenly asked curiously: ¡°I also want to know with what as the medicine. Surely he is not planning to kneel and apologize to Junior Sister Xu after the crowd disperses, right? Or is he going to hold her in his arms and fool her with a fierce kiss?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be foolish,¡± the Kunlun Mirror sneered with disdain, ¡°He clearly has not yet thought of what to do, so he¡¯s deliberately using this to stall for time!¡± ¡°Shut up, both of you!¡± Qiu Changtian said irritably. After the scripture was recited, the junior brothers and sisters fled as if they had been granted amnesty, all at once. Only Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian were left, looking at each other, one with a forced smile, the other with a cold smile. ¡°Junior Sister,¡± Qiu Changtian suddenly had a flash of inspiration and asked, ¡°Does that bet still count?¡± Xu Yinglian continued to stare at him. ¡°Sigh,¡± Qiu Changtian pretended to sigh, ¡°If Junior Sister wants to cancel the bet for this reason, so be it¡­ Let¡¯s pretend we never made that agreement.¡± He put on an act and stood up to leave, but as expected, was stopped by Xu Yinglian: ¡°What do you mean, elder brother? Do you think I¡¯m behaving this way in order to muddle through the previous bet?¡± ¡°Junior Sister, you are misunderstanding me!¡± Qiu Changtian hurriedly defended himself, but Xu Yinglian didn¡¯t believe a word, her anger reaching its peak as she gritted her teeth and said fiercely, ¡°Senior Brother Qiu, I am not as calculating as you!¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Even without the assistance of the Demon Locking Tower¡¯s Blood Pool, the two years I set for Marrow Cleansing are still two years!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you dare look down on me!¡± Angry and frustrated, she stormed off, leaving behind a dumbstruck Qiu Changtian. After a while, he let out a long sigh. Perhaps he should transcribe a copy of the Body Refining Secret Technique he obtained from the Three Isles Secret Realm and send it over to Junior Sister Xu. Chapter 182 - Chapter 182: Chapter 44: Begin Harvesting the Chives! Chapter 182: Chapter 44: Begin Harvesting the Chives! Body Refining Secret Techniques are different from Qi Refining Techniques. One aspect is their rarity; most cultivators are unfamiliar with them. Even if they see someone progressing rapidly in their Marrow Cleansing, they wouldn¡¯t immediately think of Body Refining Secret Techniques. The second aspect is their time sensitivity; they are most effective before one has formed a Golden Core, especially during the Marrow Cleansing Rank. Once a Golden Core is formed, the rate at which Body Refining Secret Techniques can enhance cultivation can¡¯t keep up, and they will inevitably be abandoned by cultivators. Thus, as long as Xu Yinglian doesn¡¯t go outside and shout ¡°I¡¯m practicing Body Refining Secret Techniques¡±, generally speaking, there won¡¯t be any unexpected risks. Considering that the Body Refining Secret Technique is a secret passed down from the ancient Witch Clan, once its origins are exposed, it will certainly attract covetous eyes (who doesn¡¯t know a few juniors who need Marrow Cleansing?), I trust Junior Sister has this sense of vigilance. Qiu Changtian finished transcribing the Body Refining Secret Technique, then took the jade slip and went to Xu Yinglian¡¯s cave dwelling. Within the cave dwelling, Xu Yinglian looked at her reflection in the copper mirror and slowly lay down at the stone table. She began to regret. The so-called Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart should easily see through everything without causing ripples. Why then, when it came to her senior brother, could she not help but be at odds with him? She buried her head in the crook of her arms and sighed deeply. Even as Daoist Companions, there¡¯s no obligation to share one¡¯s adventures. Besides, it was the master who chose senior brother to go to the Demon Locking Tower for trials. If one really wanted to blame someone, it would be the master¡¯s favoritism; it¡¯s not senior brother¡¯s fault¡­ Yet, I showed disapproval in his cave dwelling, making a fool of myself in front of junior brothers and sisters, thoroughly embarrassing myself. Xu Yinglian closed her eyes and emitted a low sound of regret, suddenly hearing Qiu Changtian calling from outside: ¡°Junior Sister Xu, are you in your cave dwelling?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Xu Yinglian quickly lifted her head and responded. Qiu Changtian entered the cave dwelling, only to see that Junior Sister Xu¡¯s ascetic living quarters had no noticeable difference from his own. Both of their living environments were primarily simple, the only difference being that Xu Yinglian¡¯s stone bed had an extra large soft cushion, probably for more comfort during meditation. Seeing Xu Yinglian sitting at the stone table, Qiu Changtian placed a jade slip in front of her: ¡°Here, take this.¡± ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Xu Yinglian cast her gaze toward the jade slip. ¡°Body Refining Secret Technique,¡± answered Qiu Changtian. ¡°A martial art from a wandering warrior?¡± Xu Yinglian laughed in disbelief, apparently mistaking the ¡°Body Refining Secret Technique¡± for something like the ¡°Golden Bell Cover¡± or ¡°Iron Cloth Shirt,¡± ¡°Why are you giving this to me?¡± ¡°No, just take a look at it first,¡± said Qiu Changtian. Xu Yinglian picked up the jade slip, immersed her divine sense into it, and realized that the technique was called ¡°Dragon Spring Hundred Forms Song.¡± As she continued to read, her expression turned cold and her eyebrows furrowed, ¡°How could this be a heritage left by the ancient Witch Clan? Senior brother, where did you get this?¡± ¡°Shh.¡± Qiu Changtian gestured for her to not inquire further, ¡°This object, although rare and precious, has very limited application. It is most worth practicing below the Foundation Establishment Realm, especially during Marrow Cleansing.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Xu Yinglian read on and immediately saw that the circulation routes of this technique within the body were far more intricate than those of Qi Refining Techniques, making it extremely suitable for Marrow Cleansing. ¡°Thank you, senior brother,¡± she sincerely offered her thanks. ¡°Don¡¯t thank me,¡± winked Qiu Changtian, ¡°This is not just about senior and junior helping each other out, you understand, right?¡± Xu Yinglian pursed her lips with a blush on her face. She suddenly thought: Although she usually doesn¡¯t mention it, deep down, she probably still sees senior brother as a potential future Daoist Companion. Otherwise, why would she become irritated when senior brother received benefits but didn¡¯t share with her? Upon reflection, there seemed to be some pettiness involved, which was truly too embarrassing¡­ As these thoughts crossed her mind, Xu Yinglian could no longer contain herself and said with embarrassment: ¡°I got it, I got it! You can go now!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Qiu Changtian was immediately baffled. I give you a secret technique, and you want to send me off? Talk about biting the hand that feeds you! ¡°Hurry up, go, go!¡± Xu Yinglian didn¡¯t bother to explain, stood up, pushed his back, and rushed him out, clamoring, ¡°I¡¯m going to practice!¡± After kicking her senior brother out of her cave dwelling, Xu Yinglian returned to the chamber within, her expression complex as she looked at the jade slip in her hand. In the past, with her competitive spirit and pride, she would never have accepted such an almost charitable ¡°gift¡± from her senior brother. But now¡­ Consider it an advance on the dowry. What¡¯s important is to seize this opportunity and catch up with her senior brother¡¯s progress as soon as possible! Xu Yinglian clenched her fists tightly, her fighting spirit soaring. Qiu Changtian left the cave dwelling, still not quite understanding his junior sister¡¯s sudden change in attitude. Forget it, maybe she just wasn¡¯t feeling well today. Tossing aside the common knowledge that cultivators don¡¯t get sick, Qiu Changtian happily concluded. Considering the massive Synchronization Value she contributed for me, I¡¯ll forgive my junior sister this time! Seeing that it was still early, Qiu Changtian mounted his Immortal Sword and flew eastward. When he arrived at the central area of the Kunlun Mountain Range, the Xuan Gardens, he saw lights streaking through the sky everywhere, much busier than the West Layer City District where he lived. The Xuan Gardens, not only the place where Inner Sect Disciples (not Direct Disciples) cultivate and reside but also the central area for planting spiritual medicines and raising spirit beasts, is equivalent to the internal production area of the entire Kunlun Taiqing Sect. Compared to the Outer Sect Disciples, who work hard every day to earn resources through missions, Inner Sect Disciples, who are more relaxed and mostly keen on social interactions, stay in their cave dwellings and focus solely on cultivation. Many of the little tidbits within the sect are circulated by Inner Sect Disciples; some are even directly concocted by them. In short, these people are a bit like low-level civil servants who hold an iron rice bowl, not aspiring to be promoted and content to simply clock in and out, and are also the group of juniors that Qiu Changtian has been focusing on nurturing lately¡­oops, I misspoke, they should be called the group of juniors he intends to earnestly take under his wing. After all, since they can¡¯t go out on adventures or take on missions, it¡¯s not that easy anymore to farm Synchronization Value from Outer Sect Disciples. Therefore, Qiu Changtian planned on targeting these Inner Sect Disciples¡­ more precisely, he was looking to open up new channels of Synchronization Value. And this time, what he intended to attempt was to emulate the old ancestor from the Guan Family by holding a public lecture and winning people over. Considering that the current generation of disciples, barring extraordinary encounters, were still mainly at the Qi Refining Rank, Qiu Changtian was rather confident about this approach. Soon, through a few familiar Inner Sect Disciples, word that Chief Disciple Qiu Changtian was going to host a lecture spread like wildfire among the 280th generation of Inner Sect Disciples. About an hour later, Qiu Changtian arrived above the meeting venue on his sword and found that not only disciples of the current generation but also seniors from several previous generations had come, drawn by his reputation. Among these senior brothers and sisters, the majority were at the Marrow Cleansing Rank, and there were quite a few at the Refining Mansion Rank, to Qiu Changtian¡¯s great shock and surprise. Thankfully, no Golden Core True Persons attended¡­ of course, it would be quite preposterous for a Golden Core True Person to attend a lecture held by a Foundation Establishment Realm disciple, even if the host was the Chief Disciple. The venue was set up at the peak of Dry Cloud Mountain, where a large natural depression on the mountaintop could accommodate many disciples to watch. Descending sword lights continuously landed, all dressed as Inner Sect Disciples, who after landing would look around for a bit and then find acquaintances in the venue to sit with and chat¡­ quickly filling most of the space. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Qiu Changtian, watching this grand scene from above, couldn¡¯t help but click his tongue in secret. Who¡¯d have thought the name ¡°Qiu Changtian¡± would spread so widely among Inner Sect Disciples! All I did was ask a few familiar disciples to invite people, and in the end, so many came to the lecture! With this thought, he subconsciously felt somewhat uneasy, but then he thought of all these fellow Sect brothers and sisters and if he could nurture them all to contribute Synchronization Value like Junior Sister Xu had¡­ All in! Even if it means clenching my teeth, I¡¯m doing it! Chapter 184 - Chapter 184: Chapter 46 Everything Is Beyond Calculation Chapter 184: Chapter 46 Everything Is Beyond Calculation Xu Yinglian and Jian Qingnan took off on their flying swords and rushed to the sky above Ku Yun Peak. Ku Yun Peak was a mountain range within the Xuan Pu area of the middle section of the Kunlun Mountain Range, named because its summit had a depression where the snow accumulated like clouds yet never moved. Descending through the clouds, Xu Yinglian heard a tumult of voices below, as if trying to pierce the heavens. ¡°Senior Brother Qiu!¡± Someone attempted to shout over the din, ¡°I have a question about the seal of Daoist magic on the sword, have you heard¡­¡± The rest of the voice was drowned out by the wind. Xu Yinglian quickly sped up her descent, only to hear Qiu Changtian¡¯s voice rise again: ¡°This is not difficult, everyone listen to me¡­¡± Suddenly, Xu Yinglian felt an impulse to vomit blood: when she used to cause him trouble, he would lift his chin in contempt and chuckle, ¡°What¡¯s so difficult about that¡±; but now, in front of everyone, it had changed to the mild ¡°This is not difficult¡±? So it was just targeting me, huh? Following Jian Qingnan, they landed on the top of Ku Yun Peak, only to find that the summit was almost overflowing with people. Nearly a thousand cultivators were gathered around, listening to Qiu Changtian debating with everyone below. ¡°¡­thus one cannot manage everything through reason. What do you say?¡± Qiu Changtian had already finished speaking in one breath, smiling as he looked towards the questioner. The questioner stammered and could not speak, covering his face with his sleeve to signify submission. A loud cheer immediately erupted from around: ¡°Good!¡± ¡°Senior Brother Qiu is awesome!¡± ¡°Morning bell and evening drum, profound meaning in subtle words! Marvelous!¡± After watching for a long time, Xu Yinglian turned her head and asked Jian Qingnan: ¡°Isn¡¯t this just an ordinary discussion of Dao?¡± ¡°What ordinary discussion of Dao, Sister Yinglian!¡± Jian Qingnan tiptoed and pointed to several spots in front, ¡°Look there, there, and there, a bunch of people surrounding Senior Brother Qiu, taking turns asking all sorts of deep and difficult questions. Isn¡¯t this like a tag-team battle?¡± ¡°And what¡¯s the result?¡± Xu Yinglian asked helplessly. ¡°The result¡­ of course, is that they cannot win in debate.¡± Jian Qingnan said matter-of-factly, ¡°How could anyone pose a difficulty to Senior Brother Qiu, so mighty as he is?¡± ¡°Which means, he¡¯s showing off his prowess again,¡± Xu Yinglian said with a complex expression, looking down at the field below. As Jian Qingnan described, it was essentially the audience taking turns asking questions, with Qiu Changtian answering each one. Among the questioners, some asked in earnest, posing very basic questions; others intentionally picked out profound and complex questions that were off the curriculum. However, whether the questions were one type or another, Qiu Changtian would ponder for a moment and answer smoothly, as if no question could surpass the boundary of his knowledge. The crowd¡¯s judgment was crystal clear. If the questioner was sincerely seeking guidance, they would respond with pure applause; if the question was asked with malice, they would go wild with praise for Qiu Changtian, making the questioner feel what is known as ¡°the disadvantage of being overwhelmed on away ground.¡± Standing with the victorious majority and beating the fallen can bring a strong sense of pleasure to these crowds. After all, inside the Kunlun Taiqing Sect, which advocates purity of heart and few desires, everyday immortality cultivation was quite boring, and there were no variety shows to watch¡ªsuddenly encountering such an event, everyone was almost overjoyed. ¡°How does it feel?¡± The voice of the Ziwei Master suddenly appeared beside her; the master, unbeknownst to her, had been standing at the edge of the field for a while. ¡°Master?¡± Xu Yinglian hurriedly performed the disciples¡¯ salute, then said bitterly, ¡°The feeling is¡­ still unable to compare to Senior Brother.¡± ¡°Before, I could at least see his back, but now it seems I can¡¯t even spot where he is.¡± ¡°Yinglian,¡± the Ziwei Master said solemnly, ¡°you are still too obsessed.¡± ¡°He has his path, and you have yours. A tiger does not compete with an eagle for flight, so why must you compare yourself so excessively on the path of cultivation?¡± ¡°This disciple acknowledges her mistake,¡± Xu Yinglian sighed in her heart and bowed her head. ¡°Hmm.¡± the Ziwei Master said with some surprise. I still remember the time when she first joined us, how this girl would stubbornly fixate on Qiu Changtian without letting go. When I tried to say a few words to her, she just put on the ¡°I know, but I won¡¯t change¡± attitude, which gave me quite a headache as her mentor. Now she actually knows how to bow her head and admit fault¡­ Whether she changes or not is another matter, but at least her arrogance has lessened quite a bit from before. The gaze of the Ziwei Master shifted and fell upon Jian Qingnan: ¡°You are¡­ Qingnan from the Jian Family of Qingzhou?¡± ¡°Greetings, Master.¡± Jian Qingnan hurriedly followed with a disciple¡¯s salute. ¡°No need for such formalities.¡± The Ziwei Master didn¡¯t pay much attention to this newly inducted disciple, simply stating indifferently, ¡°The Jian Family of Qingzhou has achieved their Daoist magic through Art Calculation, yet they sent you to the Kunlun instead of Penglai. You should understand the meaning behind this.¡± ¡°Your cultivation from now on must not be wasted in idleness. Should you have any issues, you will need to frequently consult with your Senior Sister Xu and Senior Brother Qiu.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± Jian Qingnan said softly. Turning back around, the Ziwei Master waved her horsetail whisk, and the gathered crowd immediately parted, divided by some invisible force. The elder from the Disciplinary Hall also used the Sword Control Technique to come forward, ordering everyone to leave in an orderly fashion. First the disciples on the outer edges departed on their flying swords and then gradually those on the inner side followed suit, taking off in sequence to prevent any collisions. ¡°Master sure is fierce,¡± remarked Jian Qingnan, recovering his composure as he watched the Ziwei Master walk towards the center of the arena, whispering to Xu Yinglian. ¡°Fierce?¡± Xu Yinglian shook her head. ¡°She¡¯s neither fierce nor aloof.¡± ¡°She acts purely based on the individual.¡± In the center of the arena, Qiu Changtian was relieved to see the elder from the Disciplinary Hall interrupt from above. At the beginning of the questioning, he had been able to handle it with ease. But as the atmosphere on the field heated up, some of his fellow senior brothers and sisters who were displeased began to pose tricky questions in various ways, asking him to debate and clarify. Despite Qiu Changtian¡¯s extensive knowledge and mastery of the Myriad Laws, he was nearly burnt out by these obscure questions. Fortunately, for external matters, one should ask Ah Jing, and for internal matters, inquire of Qing Ping. In terms of odd and secondary paths like Formations and Artifact Refining, as long as it wasn¡¯t about specific details, just discussing the profound and erudite aspects of Dao, the Kunlun Mirror could provide many interesting answers. As for matters involving the Flying Sword and Sword Control Technique, Qing Ping was an expert in this area. Aside from Sword Dao Techniques, even common questions about Daoist Magic, it could occasionally answer one or two. In this way, through some scares but without danger, Qiu Changtian had managed to hold out until the elder from the Disciplinary Hall arrived¡­ Of course, Qiu Changtian also seriously suspected that those seniors who were giving him a hard time had probably run out of questions to ask. If the questioning continued, it would only be creating trouble out of nothing. While it wouldn¡¯t destroy his Invincible Character Setting, if this debate concluded on an unhappy note, it wouldn¡¯t look good to the master. Now that the elder from the Disciplinary Hall had forcefully interrupted¡­ it seemed to be okay? As Qiu Changtian was weighing the pros and cons, he saw the Ziwei Master walking through the parted crowd with an expressionless face, asking Qiu Changtian: ¡°During this assembly of immortals to discuss the Dao, have you gained anything?¡± ¡°Reporting to Master, many aspects that I did not understand before became clear after this debate,¡± Qiu Changtian replied respectfully. ¡°How does it feel to be challenged?¡± the Ziwei Master asked again. ¡°I felt apprehensive and managed to respond barely adequately,¡± Qiu Changtian modestly answered. ¡°At least you didn¡¯t lose your head.¡± The Ziwei Master lifted her horsetail whisk and gently tapped it on his head, ¡°Next time you wish to discuss the Dao, simply invite a few close friends and have a casual talk in your cave abode, what¡¯s the need for such a grand display? If you continue to make a spectacle of yourself, aren¡¯t you afraid you will attract unwarranted calamities seeking to take advantage?¡± On the edge of the arena, as he was about to leave, Song He glanced back and saw the Ziwei Master tapping Qiu Changtian and suddenly had an inexplicable bad premonition. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Turning his head back, he saw the elder from the Disciplinary Hall already on his sword blocking his path, casually pointing at him. Song He immediately felt his flow of True Yuan stop, sealed off. It¡¯s over! A flash of realization crossed his mind. He had only been focused on using the Nether Ghost Path to kill Qiu Changtian, acting too hastily in this move without considering the fatal risk: The moment he delivered information about Qiu Changtian, he would lose his value, and the Nether Ghost Path could easily put out a bounty on Qiu while turning around and selling him out to Kunlun, negotiating a suitable price. For all he knew, even the bounty the Nether Ghost Path placed on Qiu Changtian might have been funded by Kunlun! Chapter 185 - Chapter 185: Chapter 47: The Mystery of Time Chapter 185: Chapter 47: The Mystery of Time The two hundred and seventy-fifth generation Chief Disciple, Song He, was captured by the elders of the Disciplinary Hall due to the leakage of his collusion with the Demon Cult! This heavy news spread quickly among the Inner Sect Disciples, but was soon contained, as if the higher-ups of Kunlun had intervened. However, at the Ziwei Master¡¯s scripture lecture, the ironclad fact was that Song He had not attended. The Sect Leader¡¯s Direct Disciples at the scene looked at each other, but none dared to ask about it. The Ziwei Master didn¡¯t bother to explain, merely having the disciples behind move up one place each. Thus, everyone began to feel a sense of foreboding. After the scripture lecture, Qiu Changtian privately sought out Xu Changqing, the Foundation Establishment Rank¡¯s eldest senior brother, to inquire about Song He¡¯s situation. ¡°He brought about his own destruction through his misdeeds,¡± Xu Changqing clearly knew something, but he spoke lightly. ¡°Senior Brother Xu,¡± Qiu Changtian pretended not to believe what he heard, continuing to probe, ¡°What exactly happened? Is there a possibility that Brother Song has been wronged¡­¡± ¡°Wronged?¡± Xu Changqing revealed a somewhat strange expression, then shook his head, ¡°Not likely. This time the evidence is irrefutable, he has no way to deny it.¡± ¡°There¡¯s actually a witness?¡± Qiu Changtian was shocked, ¡°I heard he was accused of colluding with the Nether Ghost Path, can we even trust what the Demon Cult has to say?¡± ¡°The collusion with the Demon Cult is true, but the witness is actually a Loose Cultivator,¡± said Xu Changqing. A Loose Cultivator? Doubts grew in Qiu Changtian¡¯s mind, and after bidding farewell to Xu Changqing, he flew on his sword to the Disciplinary Hall. Song He plotting against him was something he could not possibly have been completely unaware of. It¡¯s just that at the time, Qiu Changtian was only at the Marrow Cleansing Rank, with the trial at the Demon Locking Tower imminent. He thought to elevate himself to the Refining Mansion Rank first, then find an opportunity to investigate properly. But before he had the chance to investigate, Song He was suddenly killed by an outsider. What was the meaning of this? Arriving at the Disciplinary Hall, Qiu Changtian requested to view the relevant files. ¡°Junior Brother Qiu, this isn¡¯t quite proper,¡± the officer of the Disciplinary Hall refused, saying, ¡°Regarding this case, the Sect Leader has already ordered strict handling, how can I reveal the details to you so casually?¡± ¡°The Sect Leader is my master,¡± Qiu Changtian couldn¡¯t help but smile wryly, ¡°If I didn¡¯t want to trouble his Excellency, I would¡¯ve already asked him myself.¡± Thinking it over, the officer realized this was true: Now that Song He had been imprisoned, and once Xu Changqing entered the Golden Core Realm, this Qiu Changtian would be taking over the position of the Chief Disciple of the Foundation Establishment Realm. There was no point in creating discord over this matter. Furthermore, as the victim in this case, Qiu Changtian was more than justified in seeking information. Even if details were disclosed to him and the elders asked later, the officer could always claim it was out of respect for the Sect Leader¡­ After all, the Kunlun Taiqing Sect didn¡¯t have a policy of ¡°governing the faction by the law,¡± so as long as he could convince the elders of the Disciplinary Hall, and the Sect Leader didn¡¯t pursue the matter, wouldn¡¯t it be settled? ¡°Alright then, but Junior Brother Qiu must not share this information, lest you make things difficult for us,¡± the officer finally relented with a ¡°troubled¡± face. Qiu Changtian naturally understood what the officer meant, and quickly assured him that he wouldn¡¯t, then inquired about the officer¡¯s specific name to show familiarity. Following the officer into the Disciplinary Hall, Qiu Changtian discovered for the first time that the place was built inside the mountain, and that the surrounding walls, ceiling, and floor were all engraved with dense arrays that seemed familiar in style. ¡°This Disciplinary Hall and the dungeons below were once used to imprison war prisoners during ancient Kunlun times,¡± seeing Qiu Changtian seemed interested, the officer introduced, ¡°But their construction predates ancient Kunlun by much more, we suspect it¡¯s of the same era as the Shushan Demon Locking Tower, look at these runic scripts that resemble Immortal Seal Script¡­¡± Qiu Changtian nodded slightly, looking around, but continued moving without stopping, and quickly arrived at the place where the scrolls were stored. The officer took out the scroll from the cabinet, handed it to Qiu Changtian, and reminded him, ¡°You can only view it here, leave no trace, nor are you allowed to take it away.¡± Qiu Changtian thanked him and then began to read the scroll. Hm?!! In the section concerning the witness, four big characters were written: Loose Cultivator Guo Jin. ¡­¡­ Leaving the Disciplinary Hall with a heavy heart, Qiu Changtian couldn¡¯t help but sigh as he flew back to the Golden Ridge Cave Abode on his sword: ¡°Ah Jing, do you think the future has already been woven together?¡± ¡°Of course not,¡± the Kunlun Mirror, knowing what he was thinking, gently consoled him, ¡°If everything were predestined, then the world would have to embrace a doomed fate, so why bother sending you here through time?¡± ¡°What if my travel through time isn¡¯t outside the tapestry of fate, but part of it?¡± Qiu Changtian sighed deeply and expressed his melancholy thoughts. ¡°Do you think there¡¯s a possibility that all the destinies in this world are scripted in some book, and that we are actually the protagonists in a novel¡­¡± ¡°Shameless,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said speechlessly, ¡°Protagonists in novels are either scholarly talents or princes and generals. Do you think you¡¯re as refined and gentle as a scholarly talent, or as shrewd and capable as a prince or general? Your character isn¡¯t like a protagonist at all, okay?¡± ¡°Ah Jing,¡± Qiu Changtian earnestly said, ¡°I don¡¯t know what era of romance script you¡¯re referring to, but those novels with a protagonist whose character is either wimpy or overbearing have long been eliminated by the market. Nowadays, popular novel protagonists are extremely perfect, handsome and dashing, elegant and romantic, wise and brave, with extraordinary courage and insight ¨C these are all standard character settings, and relying on a single label simply won¡¯t cut it.¡± ¡°What are ¡®wimpy¡¯ and ¡®overbearing¡¯ anyway¡­¡± the Kunlun Mirror said helplessly, ¡°Forget it, stop rambling and focus on the task at hand.¡± ¡°That¡¯s all I can do,¡± Qiu Changtian nodded in agreement. He certainly understood what the Kunlun Mirror meant: It was nothing more than worrying that he would lose his subjective initiative by getting caught up in philosophical speculation about predestination. I am not someone who would so easily submit to fate! ¡°Ah Jing, let¡¯s teleport!¡± After returning to the Golden Ridge Cave Abode, Qiu Changtian rallied his spirits and spoke, ¡°Let¡¯s go check what¡¯s really going on with Wei Dongliu!¡± ¡°Okay,¡± the Kunlun Mirror began to recite: [Destination Four: Tongtian Gorge, Shiping Mountain.] [Identity: Wei Dongliu.] [Mirror Flower Water Moon Template overlapping, time-space travel in progress.] Wei Dongliu rose from bed and went to the next room to check on the progress of his new disciple¡¯s training. ¡°How is your training going, Guo Jin?¡± ¡°Reporting to Master,¡± answered Guo Jin, ¡°I am still cultivating my Qi Sea.¡± Wei Dongliu glared and questioned: ¡°After so many days, why are you still cultivating your Qi Sea? I¡¯m giving you two more weeks. If you can¡¯t cultivate your Qi Sea by then, don¡¯t claim to be a disciple of Wei Dongliu when you¡¯re outside!¡± ¡°Yes, Master,¡± Guo Jin replied naively. Only after Wei Dongliu had left with his hands behind his back did Guo Jin¡¯s face fill with worry. What do you mean ¡®so many days¡¯? Didn¡¯t Master just teach me the cultivation technique yesterday? I¡¯d better focus on cultivating¡­ Wei Dongliu, completely oblivious to the fact that he was complicating his disciple¡¯s situation by adding the timelines from other narrative threads to his own, hurried back to his residence, puffing with anger. Opening the Sealing Altar, he saw the golden color of the Hundred-Poison Golden Silkworm Gu extending to the second section of the shell¡¯s wing case. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Very good, according to ancient texts, the process slows towards the end, and it should take almost one more year to mature. Wei Dongliu cast several spells to activate the array in his room, then took out the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword. As soon as the sword was revealed, a wail of ghosts ensued. Fortunately, the array completely blocked out the noise, or else it would have alarmed the area for miles around. But if he planned to use it outside, there was no way to set up an array to isolate it every time the sword was drawn. Best to refine and assimilate it quickly. Chapter 186 - Chapter 186: Chapter 48: Chaoyang Cave at Mount Wutai Chapter 186: Chapter 48: Chaoyang Cave at Mount Wutai Wei Dongliu sat upright on his bed with the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword placed horizontally across his knees. The nested Formation within the room, along with the grand array outside in the valley, had been fully activated. In his mind, he meticulously and repeatedly went through the ¡°True Spirit Seal Sword Technique¡± taught by the Green Duckweed Sword last time. Then he raised his left hand, and the Shangyang Sword Qi burst forth from his meridians, shaping into a saber-like blade several feet long at his fingertips. Next, he ran his technique with all his might and pressed the Sword Qi powerfully onto the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword! Instantly, a multitude of ghostly wails erupted within the room, no longer the plaintive sobs from before, but the lamentation of thousands of people. Pain, fear, resentment, despair¡­ endless negative emotions flooded in through his ears, causing Wei Dongliu¡¯s mind to tremble tremendously, nearly breaching his defenses. Fortunately, the wailing of the ghosts at this moment was not driven by a cultivator¡¯s True Yuan, and thus the damage they could do to the psyche was limited. He soon managed to resist the demonic sounds piercing his ears, grinding his Sword Qi over and over against the spine of the sword on his knee until the wailing weakened completely, seemingly subdued. ¡°If you wail recklessly outside in the future, I will eradicate all of you residual souls!¡± Wei Dongliu transmitted his Divine Sense into the sword and began to refine it only after issuing a threat. Perhaps intimidated by the threat, the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword just trembled without making a sound, allowing him to drip his Essence Blood onto it, infuse his Divine Sense, and permeate it from beginning to end. After finishing the refining process, Wei Dongliu fetched a strip of cloth and said, ¡°You are now a mature Eleventh Rank Immortal Sword; you should learn to wrap yourself up.¡± The Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword vibrated slightly, allowing him to drape the cloth over the hilt; it then began to spin vertically, wrapping the cloth tightly around the blade. Perfect. Wei Dongliu was extremely satisfied. Using this cloth to wrap the sword, rather than putting it into a scabbard or sword box, gave off the impression that its sharpness could not be concealed. It suited the temperament of his mysterious and powerful persona perfectly. Having adjusted the Formation one more time, Wei Dongliu left the valley intending to check out the wanted poster at Mount Wutai. Last time, he had meant to check it with Jiang the Witch by his side, but as they passed by the Market, he stumbled upon the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword and had to hurry back to settle it. He couldn¡¯t delay it any longer this time. He rode the cloth-wrapped Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword towards Mount Wutai, only to see a purple streak of light rushing toward him halfway there, coming to a halt in front of him. What a coincidence, if not Jiang the Witch, who else could it be? ¡°Wei Daoist friend, how come you¡¯re here?¡± Jiang Liyan asked urgently, ¡°That Old Smoke Ghost sold you out!¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Wei Dongliu replied, unfazed. ¡°Although he didn¡¯t go directly to confront the Nether Ghost Path, he used a puppet to find Judge Wen Yang and sold our information to him!¡± Jiang Liyan spoke rapidly and urgently, her face darkened as she said, ¡°We are both wearing masks, so your identity has not yet been revealed, but Wen Yang now knows that I come from the Heavenly Demon Path!¡± ¡°So, is the Nether Ghost Path going to negotiate with the Heavenly Demon Path?¡± Wei Dongliu inquired. ¡°That¡¯s unlikely,¡± Jiang Liyan frowned and said, ¡°I suspect Old Smoke Ghost has no hard proof, so he can only describe the characteristics of the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword roughly to gain Wen Yang¡¯s trust.¡± ¡°But the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword has been lost for many years; how can one be sure whether the features Old Smoke Ghost described are from actually having obtained this Immortal Sword or from some ancient tome?¡± ¡°Therefore, Wen Yang will most likely not report back to the Sect but will instead follow this clue alone, searching all the way to the Heavenly Demon Path!¡± ¡°I see,¡± Wei Dongliu nodded in understanding, ¡°This Wen Yang you speak of, is he powerful?¡± ¡°This man is extremely formidable in magical competition, and among his peers, he is almost without equal,¡± Jiang Liyan said gravely, ¡°If the Nether Ghost Path were to select a ¡®number one person below Golden Core,¡¯ it would undoubtedly be Wen Yang. It is said that he has fought against Golden Core Realm cultivators at the Soul Storing Rank and in the end, none could get the better of him!¡± In other words, he considered himself a degraded version of Qiu Changtian, Wei Dongliu thought to himself. Seeing that he had no intention of leaving, Jiang Liyan became even more troubled. She thought to herself, I¡¯ve already greatly exaggerated Wen Yang¡¯s strength; how can this guy still look so unconcerned? Does he not believe what I said? Or does he not think Wen Yang can find out his identity? Or is it even possible¡­ that he¡¯s confident he can contend with Wen Yang without falling short? Jiang Liyan was inherently suspicious. At this thought, all kinds of past clues immediately linked together in her memory. For example, their first encounter, when Wei Dongliu remained indifferent to her Heavenly Demon Wonderful Music Technique. And then there was their second meeting, where Wei Dongliu still ignored the Prepared Ghost Illusion Water she had¡ªsomething that could lead an unguarded Golden Core True Person astray. Furthermore, his expertise in various Daoist Magic, Sword Control Technique, and even Formation. Perhaps it wasn¡¯t because he was learned and talented, but because his cultivation level wasn¡¯t at the Foundation Establishment Realm at all¡­ As her thoughts delved deeper, Jiang Liyan became increasingly uneasy. This guy, he couldn¡¯t really be a Golden Core True Person who has lived for a very long time, or even an ancient Nascent Soul, could he? Wait a minute, a Nascent Soul is too outrageous, but a Golden Core True Person is not impossible. If he¡¯s really undergone Core Formation, then why pretend to be at the Refining Mansion rank and establish a sect on Shiping Mountain? It¡¯s like a big shot playing house with a little girl¡­ ¡°Right, Daoist Jiang,¡± Wei Dongliu said gently, ¡°we spoke of a warrant from the Mortal Life Path last time, but I¡¯m curious about its location in Mount Wutai. Could you lead the way for me?¡± ¡°Ah? Oh, of course,¡± Jiang Liyan was momentarily startled, then she immediately revealed a flower-like smile, with even a bit more enchantment and eagerness to please, ¡°I will lead the way for you right now.¡± No matter whether he is a disguised Golden Core True Person, she decided to maintain a good relationship with him first, believing there would ultimately be an opportunity to use him in the future. After all, Jiang the Witch was part of the Demon Cult. Not to mention outsiders, even the fellow Sect disciples, senior and junior sisters, and even the master were nothing more than utilitarian targets with clear price tags in her heart. She then took Wei Dongliu and flew northward, diligently saying: ¡°This Demon Cult wanted notice is in the Chaoyang Cave in Mount Wutai.¡± ¡°There is a cliff in the Chaoyang Cave which an ancient prowess cast a spell upon, allowing names to be inscribed on it.¡± ¡°Once the person the name represents dies, the name will vanish from the cliff.¡± ¡°That¡¯s quite peculiar,¡± Wei Dongliu commented without a change in expression, though he was surprised inwardly. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Qiu Changtian¡± is a fake name! How could it correspond to me? Or could it be that it doesn¡¯t actually correspond to me but to someone else? ¡°Actually, it reacts to the ¡®Daoist Heart Clarity¡¯ personality template engraved in my mirror,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said helplessly, ¡°Because if I didn¡¯t let it react, they¡¯d immediately know ¡®Qiu Changtian¡¯ is a fake name.¡± ¡°I see, Ah Jing, you did well,¡± Wei Dongliu breathed a sigh of relief, ¡°So you¡¯re saying this kind of reaction won¡¯t harm me, right?¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± Chapter 187 - Chapter 187: Chapter 49: Deceiving the Kind Judge, Bewitching Jiang the Witch Chapter 187: Chapter 49: Deceiving the Kind Judge, Bewitching Jiang the Witch At Mount Wutai¡¯s Chaoyang Cave, names of various individuals were densely inscribed upon the rocky walls. Every so often, bits of rock would trickle down as a name disappeared¡ªsignifying yet another target had been harvested and killed. Wei Dongliu looked carefully and saw not only Qiu Changtian¡¯s name but also Xu Yinglian¡¯s, as well as Lin Duanshan, Duan Fenhai, Guan Shanyue, and An Zhisu. By focusing on a name for a moment, the corresponding bounty information would emerge in one¡¯s mind. The bounties of others stayed within the normal range, but the bounty on Qiu Changtian¡­ it even gave Wei Dongliu the impulse to ¡°kill myself¡± and then go claim the reward. Jiang Liyan was also staring at the rock wall, but the corner of her eye was secretly peeking at Wei Dongliu, observing the expressions on his face. Why is this guy looking at the bounty wall? Could it be that he intends to take on a bounty? Jiang the Witch followed his gaze, trying to lock onto the focal point of his vision, and said with a smile: ¡°Does Brother Wei have a preferred target in mind?¡± ¡°No particular target, just casually looking,¡± Wei Dongliu responded nonchalantly. Unwilling to let me know, huh? Jiang the Witch¡¯s thoughts sank slightly. If she could figure out his criteria for selecting bounties, perhaps she could arrange one for Sister Ai¡­ With her covert motives silently turning, she suddenly heard a somewhat magnetic and hoarse male voice coming from the distance: ¡°Eh, isn¡¯t that Brother Jiang?¡± Wen Yang had arrived! Jiang Liyan quickly controlled all the muscles in her face, turning around in feigned surprise: ¡°Eh, Brother Wen?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since we¡¯ve seen each other.¡± Wen Yang descended with the sword light and stepped onto the ground, then turned his gaze to Wei Dongliu and asked, ¡°And this is¡­¡± ¡°Wei Dongliu, a newcomer to the Mortal Life Path,¡± Jiang Liyan said with a slight smile. ¡°Brother Wei, it¡¯s a pleasure to meet you,¡± said Wen Yang lazily. ¡°I am Judge Wen Yang of the Nether Ghost Path.¡± Wei Dongliu bowed in greeting, suddenly recognizing this individual before him as the leader of the Nether Ghost Demonic cultivators whom Qiu Changtian had encountered in the Earth Vein ruins on the western side of Long Mountain. He had left a profound impression on Qiu Changtian as a beauty dressed in women¡¯s clothing but with a man¡¯s voice. Yet at that time, the other party was only at the Marrow Cleansing Rank, and now it seemed he had already promoted to the Refining Mansion Rank. The Demon Cult¡¯s Six Paths were full of various quick-success Cultivation Techniques that could forcefully hurry one¡¯s progress, rapidly advancing one¡¯s Cultivation Realm¡ªthe only drawback being the emotion-stirring pass rate of the Heavenly Tribulation. ¡°The Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect, Wei Dongliu.¡± He introduced himself, noticing Wen Yang¡¯s gaze lingering on the wrapped sword on his back for a moment. ¡°From which sect does Brother Wei inherit his Daoist magic?¡± Wen Yang asked with a smile. His own attire was flamboyant, with dark green robe sleeves, silver trimmed edges, and a turquoise hairpin elegantly holding up his long hair that was as dark as ink. If not for his voice, one would never perceive him to be a man. ¡°Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect,¡± Wei Dongliu said gravely. ¡°The Daoist heritage of the Tai Yi Mystic Profound Real Person of Myriad Laws?¡± Wen Yang showed a trace of curiosity. ¡°Brother Wen is also familiar with this name?¡± Jiang Liyan asked with a radiant smile, yet unsurprised. After all, the Heavenly Demon Path and the Nether Ghost Path retained the most complete collections of the Intercepting Cult¡¯s ancient texts and materials. ¡°I have heard a little,¡± Wen Yang said with a slight smile. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that the Real Person was versed in all laws, particularly good at innovation, and possessed unrivaled Sword Casting Techniques; many famous swords came from his hand.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t hide it from you, I have always loved observing swords, and I regret not having been born in the era of the Real Person, to discuss the art of famous swords with him.¡± ¡°By the way, I¡¯ve been wanting to ask since earlier: the sword on Brother Wei¡¯s back, to what extent does its sharpness exceed, that it couldn¡¯t be contained in a scabbard or sword box, prompting you to wrap it in cloth?¡± Jiang the Witch maintained her smile on the side, but her heart was already in turmoil, immediately devising at least thirteen methods to flee on the spot. ¡°Although it is abrupt, may I ask Brother Wei to lend me that Flying Sword to observe in my hand?¡± Wen Yang continued to smile, but a chill was gradually appearing in his eyes. ¡°Since you recognize it¡¯s abrupt, why propose such a request?¡± Wei Dongliu asked indifferently. ¡°Because I¡¯m irresistibly curious,¡± Wen Yang nestled his hands in his sleeves, giving the impression that he was forming hand seals for a spell, still with a smile on his face, ¡°I trust Brother Wei won¡¯t embarrass me.¡± Wei Dongliu silently observed him, while Wen Yang responded with a smile, the two thus staring at each other for a long while. ¡°Alright then,¡± Wei Dongliu reached out to touch the long sword on his back, while Wen Yang slightly narrowed his eyes. However, the other party did not launch an attack but rather calmly took down the sword from his back and tossed it over casually. Wen Yang caught it firmly, and the smile on his face quickly faded, solemnly unwrapping the cloth layer by layer to reveal the dark purple, almost black sword beneath. Hmm¡­ Although it was indeed close to pitch black, there were too many swords with this kind of luster, and no wailing of myriad ghosts when the cloth was unwrapped. Wen Yang ran his slender fingers over the spine of the sword, feeling a chilling coolness, but it was merely the coolness of the metal surface and not the cold that would displace a soul. Indeed, it was not the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword¡­ As his thoughts whirled, a smile reappeared on his face, and he said, ¡°What a fine sword.¡± Who are you calling a fool? Wei Dongliu¡¯s eyebrows jumped. ¡°Water System?¡± Wen Yang asked. ¡°Water System Tenth Rank,¡± Wei Dongliu answered. ¡°Does the sword contain Daoist Magic or Forbidden Technique?¡± Wen Yang continued to probe. ¡°What is a Forbidden Technique?¡± Wei Dongliu didn¡¯t fall for the bait, ¡°Please enlighten me, Brother Wen.¡± ¡°You jest, Brother Wei,¡± Wen Yang returned the Immortal Sword to him and then took out an Elixir Bottle from his sleeve, ¡°Soul Cleansing Pill, it can slightly increase the speed of your Refining Mansion but carries a trace amount of toxicity, so it must not be consumed excessively.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Wei Dongliu re-slung the Immortal Sword on his back. ¡°Don¡¯t mention it,¡± Wen Yang bowed with hands clasped together and saluted the two, ¡°I have matters to attend to and must be going.¡± He rode off on his Sword Light and disappeared into the horizon. Jiang the Witch turned her head, her beautiful eyes swirling with curiosity. When Wen Yang had unwrapped the cloth earlier, she saw clearly that it was definitely the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword sold by the old ghost Yan last time! The question was, why didn¡¯t Wen Yang recognize it after he¡¯d handled it? If Judge Wen Yang had gone blind, that was clearly nonsense; to say that she ¡°saw it wrong¡± seemed even more unlikely. Just how many secrets was this guy hiding? With these thoughts in mind, Jiang the Witch found her eyes almost unable to leave Wei Dongliu. In response to her displayed curiosity and thirst for knowledge, Wei Dongliu simply smiled without a word, feeling secretly thrilled. The key to deceiving Wen Yang lay in the Mirror Flower Water Moon Illusion Technique cast by the Kunlun Mirror, a secret Jiang Liyan would never guess. Because of this, the Synchronization Value of his mysterious persona was once again soaring¡­ Surely, to boost the Synchronization Value of such a persona, one must find someone as clever, quick-witted, and brimming with curiosity as Jiang the Witch. On reflection, he realized that beside each persona he had, there always seemed to be an opportune target for harvesting Synchronization Value. For Qiu Changtian¡¯s Invincible Character Setting, which required showing off, there was Xu Yinglian, a proud and strong junior sister. For Ling Yunpo¡¯s indomitable persona, which thrived on struggle, there was An Zhisu, a senior sister with enemies wherever she looked. For Luo Yan¡¯s Falsehood persona, which demanded deceit, there was Shi Liuli, a naive and innocent young lady. Now, for Wei Dongliu¡¯s persona of mystery which required suspense, encountering someone like Jiang Liyan who was inquisitive yet cautious was extremely fortunate. Being prone to overthinking meant paying attention to the many mysteries about Wei Dongliu; Being vigilant prevented her from asking directly, instead pondering repeatedly in her mind¡ªthere came the Synchronization Value! Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Brother Jiang,¡± Wei Dongliu held back his joy and said indifferently, ¡°As neighbors, we should indeed visit each other more often.¡± Jiang Liyan: ? This guy¡­ he couldn¡¯t possibly be coveting my beauty, could he? With a sense of wariness rising inside, she responded with a sweet smile and a soft voice, ¡°Of course, we must visit each other often indeed.¡± Chapter 188 - Chapter 188: Chapter 50: Live Sales of Song He Chapter 188: Chapter 50: Live Sales of Song He ¡°Brother Wei, are you planning to return?¡± ¡°No rush.¡± ¡°Where else would you like to go? I can lead the way for you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m thinking of finding a disciple. Just Guo Jin alone is ultimately not enough.¡± With a chuckle, Jiang Liyan¡¯s enchanting and beautiful face instantly bloomed like a myriad of flowers, captivating and hard to look away from: ¡°I¡¯ve said it long ago, although that child Guo Jin is loyal and honest, as the chief disciple, he¡¯s still somewhat dull¡­ So, Brother Wei, are you looking for someone clever and quick-witted this time?¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Wei Dongliu nodded, ¡°If they could be called ¡®Huang Rong,¡¯ that would be even better.¡± Jiang Liyan: ? Was there a special meaning to the name Huang Rong? She didn¡¯t ask further but made a mental note of it. Just as the two were about to take off on their swords again, they saw Wen Yang return after having left, approaching the two, and said to Jiang Liyan with a smile: ¡°I almost forgot¡­ I heard that Fellow Daoist Jiang is proficient in the ¡®Ten Aspects Release Method,¡¯ which even Nascent Soul cultivators find hard to see through. Is it true or false?¡± ¡°Brother Wen flatters me,¡± Jiang Liyan certainly wouldn¡¯t admit it, only saying with a smile, ¡°It is but a minor skill, not worthy of mention.¡± Wen Yang pondered for a moment and then said: ¡°Actually, I have a business deal here that I would like to share with Fellow Daoist Jiang.¡± ¡°A business deal?¡± Jiang Liyan was slightly surprised. ¡°Yes.¡± Wen Yang tilted his head to look at Wei Dongliu, and upon seeing that he wasn¡¯t intending to leave, continued, ¡°It is a deal concerning the Orthodox Sect.¡± Jiang Liyan immediately understood. The Three Pure Orthodox Sect and the Demon Cult¡¯s Six Paths, though outwardly irreconcilable, also have relentless struggles in secret. However, if both parties had a need for an exchange of interests, secret transactions could still be made: For example, a disciple of the Demon Cult obtained a sword that a particular Orthodox Sect disciple was desperately seeking; so, would it be possible to sell it to him? Yes. The only risk was that the other party might choose to deal first and then kill, taking both money and goods¡­ After all, on the surface, good and evil stand opposed, and killing the other party is politically correct, so there is no need to worry about the infamy of ¡°killing for wealth.¡± Even if the person¡¯s sect found out, they wouldn¡¯t punish them in this regard. Therefore, a safer method came into being, which was to entrust the deal to a neutral Loose Cultivator who would deal with the other party on their behalf, so as to not give the other party a justified reason to turn the table over. This Loose Cultivator must be powerful enough to deter the other party from harboring thoughts of murder and looting; otherwise, if the incident was exposed, it would be hard to justify to the sect, especially since the Orthodox Sect is particularly sensitive to such matters. At the same time, this Loose Cultivator must be someone they can trust to prevent them from simply running away with the goods and money halfway through the transaction¡­ which makes the selection even more difficult. Wen Yang chose Jiang Liyan, proficient in the Ten Aspects Release Method, because she could use illusion techniques to disguise herself as a Loose Cultivator and deal with a certain Orthodox Sect. Another reason was that Jiang Liyan came from the Heavenly Demon Cult and wouldn¡¯t abandon her sect for some money, making her far safer than a regular Loose Cultivator. With this in mind, Jiang Liyan shook her head and declined: ¡°Unfortunately, Brother Wen. Although the Ten Aspects Release Method can disguise oneself, it is not without flaws, so I cannot put myself in a risky situation.¡± ¡°I can give you thirty percent of the proceeds from the transaction,¡± Wen Yang held up three fingers. Jiang Liyan hesitated for a moment but shook her head again. In the past, she might have agreed¡ªafter all, that was thirty percent of the profit! Keep in mind, even in the realm of Cultivation, a Loose Cultivator broker¡¯s transaction fee is at most five percent. However, ever since last time on the Five Mushrooms Immortal Island, when an apprentice of the Penglai Jade Pure Sect saw through her illusion disguise, Jiang the Witch became much more cautious in this area. Having money is certainly good, but if one might lose their life over it, then it¡¯s certainly not worth it. ¡°Alright.¡± Wen Yang withdrew his finger, his face showing no sign of disappointment, ¡°It seems that this deal of mine won¡¯t be successful.¡± ¡°Hold on a moment.¡± Wei Dongliu suddenly spoke up, ¡°Brother Wen, you just need to find someone to help, right?¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± Wen Yang turned his gaze towards him, wondering if this person had inherited the Daoist lineage from the Tai Yi Mystic Profound Myriad Laws real person? I remember that Myriad Laws real person; initially, he cultivated high-grade demonic techniques and then, for some reason, had an epiphany and switched to cultivating the Xuanmen Qi Refining Technique. As a result, the disciples in the sect who were of higher generations all followed him in cultivating high-grade demonic techniques early on; the junior disciples, who were just starting, all exclusively practiced the Xuanmen Qi Refining Technique. The two groups were distinctly divided, each firmly opposing the other, both believing their own cultivation path to be the best, leading to a subtle struggle over the Daoist lineage. Latterly, the Myriad Laws real person went out in search of inspiration to create a new Qi Refining Technique that would transform clean and turbid Qi into each other¡­ However, he never returned, which also laid the groundwork for the eventual split and destruction of the Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect. Of course, let¡¯s not dwell on the past. Since this Brother Wei has inherited the lineage of the Myriad Laws real person, could it be that he also cultivates the Xuanmen Qi Refining Technique? High-grade demonic techniques operate with a large amount of Pure Qi and a small amount of Turbid Qi, the former used for breathing and refining the body, and the latter suited for magical competition and killing. Once the Turbid Qi is refined into Demonic Qi, although its killing power is superior, it¡¯s pungent like the stench of a toilet. Once tainted with it, it¡¯s impossible to hide from the Divine Sense of mainstream Orthodox Sect cultivators. But if one starts with cultivating the Xuanmen Qi Refining Technique, then there would be no problem at all¡­ Wen Yang¡¯s thought process was quite similar to Jiang Liyan¡¯s, or rather, like all the elite disciples of the Demon Cult nowadays who have emerged from the perilous environment, they all like to think things through meticulously in their minds, then subtly probe step by step without stirring any sound. So, after pondering for a while, he slowly asked: ¡°Brother Wei, do you have experience dealing with the Orthodox Sect?¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t call it experience,¡± Wei Dongliu said calmly, ¡°just a bit of understanding of the Orthodox Sect, that¡¯s all.¡± Wen Yang pondered for a moment, then turned his gaze to Jiang Liyan. Jiang Liyan smiled slightly and took half a step closer to Wei Dongliu. Therefore, Wen Yang immediately caught on and said solemnly: ¡°A friend of Brother Jiang is my friend, Wen. I trust you. What do you think about the promised thirty percent in profits?¡± ¡°The profit is not important, what matters is that I, too, would like to make friends with Brother Wen,¡± Wei Dongliu said with a faint smile. Wen Yang immediately burst into a hearty laugh, and while his laughter was generous and hearty, when paired with his gentle and delicate features, it was somewhat jarring: ¡°Good, we shall find a place to talk in detail.¡± The three found a dilapidated temple nearby, and once they were sure no one else was around, Wen Yang slowly recounted the matter: ¡°The Chief Disciple of the two hundred seventy-fifth generation of the Kunlun Taiqing Sect, Song He, came to me in private some days ago, wanting me to get rid of his junior brother, Qiu Changtian, through my hands.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Jiang Liyan drew out her words with a hooked smile, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have thought that beneath the Orthodox Sect¡¯s righteous exterior lies behavior even more despicable than ours. At the very least, when we deal with our own, we do it openly and challenge them.¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± Wen Yang shot her a nonchalant glance, not exposing her embellishment but instead continued, ¡°Many years ago, while exploring an ancient relic, I encountered that Kunlun Song He and built some rapport, which is why he reached out to me for assistance this time.¡± Jiang Liyan just smiled, saying nothing. Rapport? I suspect it¡¯s more than just that; it must involve shared interests. What common interests could there be between an elite disciple of the Taiqing Sect and an elite disciple from the Nether Ghost Path? It could only be the unauthorized exchange of secret intelligence between the Orthodox Sect and the Demonic Path¡­ Of course, this is a sensitive matter, and surely Wen Yang wouldn¡¯t admit it. ¡°So what you¡¯re saying is, the rapport has run its course, and now, Brother Wen, you plan to sell out Song He to the Kunlun Taiqing Sect, right?¡± Wei Dongliu, who had been silent all along, suddenly interjected coldly. Wen Yang¡¯s eyes widened slightly, thinking how sharp-witted this person was to guess his intentions in advance¡­ Yet he let out a cold laugh: Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Rapport, like material wealth, eventually runs out one day. Originally, I thought that Song He would surely secure the top Foundation Establishment position in the next Kunlun hierarchy; thus, I deigned to build rapport with him in advance.¡± ¡°But unexpectedly, this Qiu Changtian emerged out of nowhere, brutally blocking Song He¡¯s path to ascend!¡± ¡°Regarding this Qiu Changtian, I¡¯ve also heard about him recently,¡± Jiang the Witch revealed a thoughtful expression, ¡°According to the bounty information, it¡¯s said that this person possesses ¡®Daoist Heart Clarity¡¯ that¡¯s rare in a millennium?¡± ¡°Precisely,¡± Wen Yang said with a cold expression, ¡°Daoist Heart Clarity, without need for further explanation, you can find information about its formidable aspects in the texts.¡± ¡°With Qiu Changtian there, Song He no longer held any value for connection. If he had not contacted me, that would have been the end of it. But he delivered this leverage into my hands, and if I didn¡¯t take full advantage of it, how would I live up to the title of ¡®Judge¡¯ bestowed upon me by my sect?¡± Chapter 189 - Chapter 189: Chapter 51: Taking Another Second Disciple Chapter 189: Chapter 51: Taking Another Second Disciple ¡°Some days ago, a loose cultivator approached me,¡± Wen Yang whispered, explaining the origin and development of the situation, ¡°saying that Kunlun intended to pay a high price for information about a traitor.¡± ¡°How odd,¡± Jiang Liyan clicked her tongue in amazement, ¡°An orthodox sect has a traitor who leaks information to the Demon Cult, and then the orthodox sect goes to buy information about this traitor from the Demon Cult?¡± ¡°After all, for Qiu Changtian, who is now the apple of the eye of the Kunlun Taiqing Sect,¡± Wen Yang also sneered, ¡°the bounty is so detailed that it even clearly marks the features and flaws of the cultivation technique he practices. How could the upper echelons of Kunlun sit still?¡± ¡°They have no way to deal with the bounty, but if they were to prohibit Qiu Changtian from going out, there would be no worries. However, the damn traitor is still within the sect, and that is the bigger hidden danger.¡± ¡°So, you plan to sell Song He to Kunlun,¡± Jiang Liyan nodded. Wei Dongliu listened quietly by the side, gaining a deeper understanding of the Demon Cult¡¯s operations. To put it bluntly: interests are supreme. Even the orthodox sect understands this, so they specifically entrusted a loose cultivator to come and convey the message, to see if they could buy information about the traitor¡ªWen Yang actually intended to take the offer, which shows that nothing is impossible when the interests are sufficient. ¡°I have recorded the message in this jade slip,¡± Wen Yang took out a jade slip and tossed it to Wei Dongliu, ¡°The question now is, how to take it and transact with Kunlun.¡± ¡°Among the Three Pure Orthodox Sects, the Kunlun Taiqing Sect is the most hypocritical,¡± Jiang Liyan also sneered, ¡°When dealing with the Taiqing Sect, don¡¯t worry about them attacking you directly, but always beware of the hidden arrows from behind.¡± Wei Dongliu: ¡­¡­¡­ Give me a break, as if I don¡¯t know how the Kunlun Taiqing Sect treats members of the Demon Cult! No one understands Kunlun better than I do! ¡°Then, I shall leave it to Daoist Wei,¡± Wen Yang glanced again at Jiang Liyan, ¡°After the matter is settled, you can have Daoist Jiang bring you to find me.¡± Jiang Liyan sneered inwardly. Wen Yang was still wary, hinting that she should vouch for Wei Dongliu. But based on her observations, Wei Dongliu was not the type to be dazzled by money¡­ Of course, even if she was mistaken, there were ways to sever ties with Wei Dongliu. Thus, she remained silent. Seeing her tacit agreement, Wen Yang also felt relieved and heard Wei Dongliu speak again: ¡°However, I had planned to take a disciple today¡­ This matter isn¡¯t urgent, is it?¡± ¡°I trust Daoist Wei will not keep me waiting long,¡± Wen Yang said smoothly. This statement was so equivocal that even the shameless Jiang the Witch couldn¡¯t help but roll her eyes. ¡°By the way, what kind of disciple is Daoist Wei planning to recruit?¡± Wen Yang continued with a smile. ¡°I have resided in both the Luoyang and Jinnan regions. Perhaps I could be of help¡­ Of course, if you¡¯re looking for a disciple with peerless talent, that might be a bit difficult.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need someone with peerless talent,¡± Wei Dongliu waved his hand, ¡°Just someone clever and astute, good at handling matters, and articulate.¡± Jiang Liyan let out a snort of laughter, while Wen Yang felt a little embarrassed and slightly annoyed upon hearing this. He thought Wei Dongliu was making a dig at him, but Wei Dongliu¡¯s expression didn¡¯t seem to imply that. Noticing Jiang Liyan¡¯s mocking smile, he immediately understood that he was overthinking. ¡°I see,¡± Wen Yang said earnestly, ¡°So Daoist Wei plans to recruit a disciple to handle the sect¡¯s mundane affairs?¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Wei Dongliu stated. ¡°I suggest looking among the merchant families,¡± Wen Yang smiled, ¡°Because merchants have to deal both with various officials and with people from all walks of life, they are quite capable and flexible in their actions¡­ The only problem is finding someone with a good aptitude for cultivation, which is extremely difficult.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t be an issue,¡± Wei Dongliu remarked, ¡°As long as they¡¯re not too poor in talent.¡± Wen Yang then had an idea, guessing that Wei Dongliu didn¡¯t intend to recruit any true disciple, but rather was looking for a nominal ¡°worker.¡± He immediately laughed and said: ¡°That¡¯s good, we can start by going to Luoyang.¡± Three people flew into the air on their swords from the mountain, only to hear Wen Yang continue, ¡°In terms of business, Luoyang¡¯s prosperity far surpasses that of Guanzhong and Jinzhong. Among them are over a hundred and twenty merchant families of considerable wealth and fame who often send various resources to our sect, hoping to have their family¡¯s offspring embark on the path of cultivation.¡± ¡°However, there are not many among their kin who barely pass muster in terms of cultivation aptitude. Friend Wei, if you don¡¯t mind, I shall take you to meet these families.¡± After arriving in Luoyang, Wen Yang led the two to the Wang Family estate. When it comes to the wealth of Luoyang, the Wang Family is generally considered first; the current patriarch, Wang Lin, serves as the Minister of Revenue for the Great Xia Dynasty, in a position ¡®hot enough to scorch the hands with power.¡¯ Of course, compared with the Cultivator Families of the Xu Family of Southern Heaven, the Longxi Guan Family, and the like, they simply do not measure up¡­ These elite families have essentially severed all dependencies on secular authorities, whereas the Wang Family is still pursuing positions and power within the imperial court. Upon hearing that Elite Judge Wen Yang of the Nether Ghost Path was visiting, the patriarch Wang Lin, who was resting that day, immediately came out to greet him and anxiously inquired about the purpose of the Immortal¡¯s visit. ¡°There¡¯s no particular matter with you,¡± said Wen Yang, pointing to Wei Dongliu beside him, ¡°but my friend here is looking to select an honorary disciple from among you to handle mundane affairs for his sect.¡± Wang Lin quickly ordered his servants to summon all the young members of his family, who then lined up in the courtyard for Wei Dongliu to choose from. Wei Dongliu scrutinized the assembly carefully. Most here were under twenty years of age, likely because the older offspring had already been filtered through numerous screenings and had essentially been deemed devoid of any talent for cultivation. There were also noticeably more females than males, clearly revealing a calculating intention on the part of the Wang Family leader¡ªif Wei Dongliu were fond of beauty, then the likelihood of a female being selected was greater; if not, it was no loss either way. As Wei Dongliu¡¯s gaze swept over them, most bowed their heads respectfully while a few boldly met his eyes. Some of the pretty ones even dared to flutter their eyelids, attempting to flirt but not daring to do so outright, looking pitifully adorable in their restraint. ¡°Ah Jing,¡± Wei Dongliu asked in the Sea of Consciousness, ¡°how is the cultivation aptitude of these people?¡± ¡°The third one in the first row, the fifteenth one; the twenty-second one in the second row¡ªthese have the best talents among them,¡± answered the Kunlun Mirror, ¡°but they¡¯re only passable in comparison. If these three were to go to the Kunlun Taiqing Sect to seek discipleship, they probably wouldn¡¯t even meet the threshold for outer sect disciples.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Wei Dongliu said nonchalantly, ¡°the Orthodox Sects might be picky about innate talent, but we in the Demon Cult embrace all. As long as the talent is just about adequate.¡± He raised his arm and singled out the three individuals identified by the Kunlun Mirror, signaling for them to step forward. The two youths in the first row were of a delicate scholarly appearance. Wei Dongliu spoke with them for a bit and discovered they both had a significant scholarly foundation¡­ a pity they had been brought up on literature alone, almost devoid of experience handling family affairs. The one from the second row, however, was a young girl. She was not breathtakingly beautiful, certainly no match for the likes of Jiang the Witch or the captivating Wen Yang, but her appearance was decent and proper compared to the rest. It was just the pair of dark eyes, always rolling about, that did not give the impression of someone particularly straightforward or honest. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± he asked. ¡°To answer the Immortal, my name is Wang Cong,¡± the girl replied. Jiang Liyan frowned slightly at this, since the origin of ¡°Cong¡± suggests clinging plants, which carries a disparaging connotation. Seeing this, Wang Lin hurriedly explained, ¡°She is my younger brother¡¯s daughter, given a humble name for ease of upbringing.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only The justification was clearly an embellishment, as the truth surely was that little care was given to naming due to her being an illegitimate child. However, Wei Dongliu was unconcerned with this and continued to ask, ¡°Have you ever engaged in business?¡± ¡°I have managed a pharmacy owned by my mother,¡± the girl caught on that the Immortal seemed to have a preference for ¡°those with commercial experience¡± and took the initiative to add, ¡°on a day-to-day basis I assisted the shopkeeper grandfather with purchasing herbs, bargaining, dealing with patients seeking medical advice, and also with debt collection¡­¡± ¡°Enough,¡± Wei Dongliu waved his hand dismissively and said, ¡°You¡¯ll do!¡± Chapter 190 - Chapter 190: Chapter 52: The Unconcerned Master Wei Dongliu Chapter 190: Chapter 52: The Unconcerned Master Wei Dongliu Back at the territory of Mount Wutai, Wen Yang was still somewhat puzzled and confused. This Wei Dongliu, the way he recruits disciples is really too casual, he didn¡¯t even carefully examine that girl¡¯s talent for cultivation, he simply asked a few questions and decided to take her in. You should know that if her aptitude and quality are not up to par, she will struggle greatly on the path of cultivation, and might even become discouraged and self-destructive, affecting efficiency in handling mundane affairs¡­ There have been lessons in the histories of various sects. Wei Dongliu, after all, is still too young. Thinking this way, Wen Yang¡¯s guard against him dropped a few notches. After bidding each other farewell, Wen Yang turned around and left. Wei Dongliu then, along with Wang Cong and Jiang Liyan, took a detour southward, flying towards the direction of the Tongtian Gorge. Back at Shiping Mountain, Wei Dongliu called out Guo Jin, who was still cultivating in the room, to introduce him to his new brother and sister disciples. ¡°Guo Jin, from now on, you will be her senior brother. You are responsible for leading her through the three challenges of Fasting and Qi Refinement,¡± he said. Jiang Liyan almost spat blood upon hearing this: The girl had just acknowledged you as her master, and you¡¯re already passing her over to that foolish boy to teach? This master of yours is truly lazy! Unaware of Jiang the Witch¡¯s inner criticism, Wei Dongliu was actually quite satisfied. This tactic of ¡°senior disciples leading junior disciples,¡± thereby achieving ¡°collective advancement in cultivation level,¡± was a ¡°management method¡± he learned from the Ziwei Master, and now it seems to be very effective. In the future, all the junior brothers and sisters entering the sect will be led by this lad Guo Jin! Wang Cong felt a bit dumbfounded too; how could her master seem so unreliable? But after all, she was thoughtful and noticed that the immortal sister beside her also seemed somewhat displeased, yet she did not directly object, which suggested that it was probably not easy to speak with her thrift-shop master. Therefore, she also held back silently, thinking that if it was difficult to speak with her master in the future, she could go through a ¡°roundabout rescue¡± via this immortal sister. After Wei Dongliu and Jiang Liyan left, Guo Jin solemnly brought out the scriptures copied by his master and earnestly started to explain to Wang Cong: ¡°Junior Sister Wang, let¡¯s start by going through the principles of the Fasting technique¡­¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare take up too much of Senior Brother¡¯s time,¡± Wang Cong said with a clever and charming smile, ¡°How about I read it myself, and if I have any questions I¡¯ll come to ask you, is that alright?¡± Guo Jin thought silently for a few minutes, then shook his head and said: ¡°No. What if you misunderstand and think there¡¯s no problem when actually you¡¯re on the wrong path? If the foundation is skewed, the more you cultivate later on, the more problematic it gets. This is what Master has said.¡± Wang Cong still wanted to use her clever words to persuade her senior brother, but Guo Jin didn¡¯t pay her any attention and just continued reciting to her: ¡°Did you remember that?¡± ¡°I remembered all of it,¡± Wang Cong hurriedly nodded like a pecking chicken. ¡°Hmm, I¡¯ll read it again, and this time you should try to understand¡­¡± Outside the house, by the water¡¯s edge, Jiang Liyan lifted the hem of her robe slightly, as if a young lady gracefully lifting her skirt, to avoid soiling it on the damp earth beneath her feet. She carefully squatted down, her slender fingers pinching the stem of the Jade Cymbidium, bringing it close to her nose to gently sniff. Wei Dongliu watched speechlessly: Are you taking an artistic photo? Still here posing. ¡°Wei Dao-friend is really learned, even in the cultivation of spiritual medicine,¡± Jiang Liyan said softly, ¡°I¡¯ve also tried to grow Jade Cymbidium, but not one has survived, so I had to buy them.¡± ¡°The roots of Jade Cymbidium like moisture but fear light, yet the petals need ventilation and sunlight, so they are difficult to grow,¡± Wei Dongliu explained, ¡°To ensure the roots and petals are in different environments, you need to use formations for separate treatment.¡± ¡°I¡¯m very curious,¡± Jiang Liyan suddenly stood up, and brought her delicate and beautiful face closer, her breath fragrant like orchids, with a gentle voice she said: ¡°I¡¯m really curious. Is the Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect¡¯s heritage truly so vast and extensive, encompassing all phenomena?¡± ¡°Otherwise how could it be worthy of the name ¡®Myriad Laws¡¯?¡± Wei Dongliu tilted his head back slightly, only to see Jiang the Witch suddenly step closer again, her mouth directly planting a kiss on him! Just as their lips were about to touch, she suddenly stopped and gracefully turned around, tapping her cheek with her slender finger and thoughtfully said, ¡°There¡¯s some truth to that.¡± Having been played by this witch, Wei Dongliu could see that she was deliberately flirting with him! ¡°This demoness harbors ill intentions, I advise you to keep your distance from her,¡± the Kunlun Mirror suddenly spoke from within his sea of consciousness. ¡°How come she suddenly dares to boldly test me?¡± Wei Dongliu frowned and asked, ¡°Could it be that there is something wrong with Mirror Flower Water Moon that she has discovered?¡± ¡°How could there be anything wrong with my Mirror Flower Water Moon!¡± The Kunlun Mirror immediately grew angry, and with some well-hidden guilt, retorted, ¡°Even if there is a problem, it would be with your acting skills!¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Wei Dongliu thought it over carefully and seemed to agree. To him, Ah Jing was like a system in a system novel¡ªhow could it possibly go wrong? Did he still need to find the pieces of the Heaven-Mending Stone? If there was a real problem, then forget about saving the world, he might as well find a place to bury himself in advance. Jiang Liyan saw him standing there without responding and her heart thumped: He couldn¡¯t be angry, could he? Wait a minute, don¡¯t turn on me just yet, I still need to use you to get rid of my elder sister! With their own ulterior motives, the two of them exchanged glances for a moment, only to hear Wei Dongliu say, ¡°I¡¯ll go check how they¡¯re doing with their learning.¡± Typical avoidance¡­ The Kunlun Mirror thought to himself. ¡°I¡¯ll come too,¡± Jiang Liyan immediately said with a smile. Contrary to avoidance, this demoness liked to take the initiative to attack, with both strong curiosity and a desire to control¡­ The Kunlun Mirror thought to himself. When they returned to the room, they saw Wang Cong already sitting on the bed, cultivating in meditation. Guo Jin, clutching the scriptures, honestly said to Wei Dongliu: ¡°Master, my sister asked me some questions that I don¡¯t quite understand¡­¡± He repeated these questions and Wei Dongliu¡¯s head started to ache. ¡°You even need to ask such simple questions?¡± Wei Dongliu said impatiently, ¡°Didn¡¯t I explain this last time?¡± ¡°Master, the explanation you gave last time was for another question¡­¡± ¡°You should be able to draw parallels and learn by analogy, understand?¡± Wei Dongliu glared. ¡°Oh.¡± Guo Jin was an honest child, and having been scolded by his master, he dared not make a sound, instead casting a pleading look toward Jiang Liyan beside him. ¡°If you want to ask the senior, just ask directly. What are you looking at?¡± Wei Dongliu continued to scold. ¡°Disciple, disciple would like to ask Senior Jiang¡­¡± Guo Jin stuttered. ¡°There¡¯s no problem, go on and tell me,¡± Jiang Liyan said, pulling Guo Jin to sit beside her on a chair, taking the scroll from his hands, and beginning to explain in detail, while her gaze quickly skimmed the content of the pages, seeking to uncover traces of Wei Dongliu¡¯s Daoist heritage. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Unfortunately, the fasting method described in it was very basic and revealed nothing significant. ¡°Do you have any other questions? I might as well explain them all while we¡¯re here,¡± Jiang Liyan said with a hint of disappointment, speaking offhandedly. ¡°Yes, these are the other questions¡­¡± Guo Jin started to list all the questions he had accumulated up to that point, while Jiang Liyan answered absentmindedly, her mind still secretly speculating and analyzing. With Guo Jin¡¯s talent and comprehension both being outrageously poor, why would Wei Dongliu take him as his eldest disciple? Was there a particular reason for this? Could it be that there is something extraordinary hidden about him that I just can¡¯t see? Chapter 191 - Chapter 191: Chapter 53 Jiang occupies Weis nest Chapter 191: Chapter 53 Jiang occupies Wei¡¯s nest ¡°Winter has come,¡± Wei Dongliu suddenly said. The two of them stood at the summit of Shiping Mountain, watching the snowflakes flutter down. The river that flowed through Tong Xuan Gate had also frozen over quite a bit. ¡°Every time winter arrives, I just want to sleep,¡± Jiang Liyan yawned. ¡°I can never seem to wake up fully.¡± ¡°You could try Daoist meditative concentration,¡± Wei Dongliu suggested. ¡°Meditative concentration? I¡¯m enjoying the tranquility of sleep, okay?¡± Jiang Liyan said, exasperated. Wei Dongliu chuckled wryly and shook his head. This Jiang the Witch, how similar she was to Miss Shi. It¡¯s just that Miss Shi was obsessed with food, while Jiang the Witch was obsessed with sleep. On reflection, Senior Sister An also seemed quite fond of drinking alcohol, while only Junior Sister Xu had no particular hobbies; she did nothing but cultivate every day, truly a role model for us cultivators. Thinking of those three, Wei Dongliu suddenly realized: Since coming to Mount Wutai, time had insensibly passed by. This must be the longest he had stayed in one place under one identity. Upon reflection, the reason was simple: Life on Mount Wutai was too peaceful, hardly resembling the life of a Demon Cult cultivator. In Kunlun, Qiu Changtian had to expound scriptures to junior brothers and sisters every day, cultivate diligently as an example, and every so often debate scriptures with other sect members, boosting his Synchronization Value¡ªjust like a regular office worker. At Shushan, Ling Yunpo had to practice swordsmanship with his Senior Sister every day, practice swordsmanship, and then practice some more swordsmanship, and every so often spar with her, getting beaten up in all sorts of ways¡ªalmost like those preparing for postgraduate studies. In Penglai, Luo Yan had to accompany Miss Shi in chatting to relieve her boredom, stroll in the market, eat, choose clothes and jewelry, and gossip about Elder Shi Ding and other brothers and sisters, just like a college student. Only here, here in the southern part of Mount Wutai, within Shiping Mountain, and in the company of Jiang Liyan, did Wei Dongliu truly obtain a rare sense of freedom and peace. There were no sects here, no masters, no senior or junior sisters to attend to, just plenty of ample, disposable time¡ªlife as a Loose Cultivator was indeed so unrestrained. When he felt like cultivating, he would cultivate; when he didn¡¯t, he would train his two disciples. Although Jiang Liyan had the demeanor of a little demoness, her emotional intelligence was astonishingly high, her words always comforting, occasionally granting heart-fluttering little benefits¡­ ¡°I¡¯m a bit curious, Daoist Jiang,¡± Wei Dongliu said slowly, ¡°your sect doesn¡¯t seem to keep a close eye on you?¡± ¡°In the Heavenly Demon Path, we have always valued freedom and competition,¡± Jiang Liyan said with a smile. ¡°For the sect, once they provide you with the corresponding cultivation secret techniques, the rest is up to you.¡± ¡°Whether you are slow in cultivating, dying of old age, perishing from the Heavenly Tribulation, killed by enemy cultivators, or even dying at the hands of fellow sect members, that¡¯s all because you were less skilled, and the sect has no need to protect you.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that social Darwinism?¡± Wei Dongliu remarked. ¡°What¡¯s Darwin?¡± Jiang Liyan asked curiously. ¡°Never mind,¡± Wei Dongliu said thoughtfully. ¡°You think I should use this method too, letting Guo Jin and Wang Cong freely compete and improve on their own?¡± Jiang Liyan: ¡­¡­ So you¡¯re saying you only learn the bad things, not the good ones, huh? After watching the scenery from the mountaintop for a while, they both began to feel the chill and decided to return to the warm Tong Xuan Gate base. Inside the belly of Shiping Mountain, Guo Jin and Wang Cong had completed their Fasting and were practicing Breathing and Qi Refinement to open up their Qi Sea. Guo Jin¡¯s cultivation speed was slower, but his foundation was very solid, and he had a thorough grasp on the Demon Purifying Qi Scripture. Wang Cong progressed faster, but he often looked for shortcuts and had subtle misunderstandings about the Demon Purifying Qi Scripture. It was all thanks to Guo Jin¡¯s corrections that she got back on track. Of course, Guo Jin was not what you¡¯d call highly perceptive¡ªwhenever he encountered problems understanding the scriptures, no matter how simple, he would take them to his master, much to Wei Dongliu¡¯s annoyance, who preferred to pass as many of them as possible to Jiang the Witch. But as for Jiang the Witch probing into our Sect¡¯s Qi Refining Technique, Wang Cong had recently also sneakily reported this to the master. Although the Demon Purifying Qi Scripture was quite intricately designed, with Wei Dongliu in possession of the ¡°Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra,¡± he didn¡¯t consider it a closely-guarded secret never to be divulged; thus, he allowed Jiang Liyan to probe it at will. Jiang Liyan certainly didn¡¯t miss this opportunity, answering any questions they had in great detail. It¡¯s just that before answering, she couldn¡¯t help but confirm details of the Demon Purifying Qi Scripture under the guise of ¡°clarifying their questions.¡± Guo Jin was okay with it; Wang Cong, on the other hand, felt like crying without tears. On one hand, she sensed that this Senior Sister had ulterior motives, with her problem-solving seeming somewhat intentional. On the other hand, Senior Sister¡¯s serious and responsible demeanor while clearing up queries was indeed much better than her master¡¯s¡­ Forget it, since the master doesn¡¯t mind, it¡¯s not for me, a mere Qi Refining Rank disciple, to worry. ¡°Jiang Sister, I have a question I¡¯d like to ask you~¡± Seeing Jiang Liyan come in, she approached her eagerly, speaking sweetly. ¡°What¡¯s the question?¡± smiled Jiang Liyan amiably. She had an excellent impression of the young girl; on one hand because her personality and cleverness were quite similar to her own and on the other, because of her past uncherished status in the Wang family, which evoked an involuntary empathy in Jiang Liyan. Of course, the girl¡¯s constant wariness towards her gave Jiang Liyan a sense of ironic frustration. ¡°You¡¯re thinking in the wrong direction here,¡± Jiang Liyan laughed after hearing Wang Cong¡¯s question, ¡°Pure Qi is nimble, while turbid qi is sluggish; hence, the pathways for their circulation differ.¡± ¡°Pure Qi supports your Microcosmic Orbit, so you should store it in the Qi Sea and circulate it through your meridians.¡± ¡°Turbid qi drives magic, fights, and kills. But it has hard-to-remove impurities, so it must be enveloped many times over with pure qi to ensure none of it leaks out.¡± ¡°Of course, when you reach the Refining Mansion phase later, the pure qi will condense into True Yuan and the turbid qi into Demonic Qi, and you¡¯ll come to a deeper understanding then.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s how it is, thank you, Jiang Sister.¡± Wang Cong knew how to speak pleasingly, aware that calling her ¡°sister¡± rather than ¡°senior¡± would make Jiang the Witch happier, the specifics of which naturally didn¡¯t need to be stated. Wang Cong had just left when Guo Jin came running over from the other side and said respectfully: ¡°Senior Jiang, I have a few questions to ask as well.¡± ¡°Mhm, what questions?¡± asked Jiang Liyan, patiently. Listening to Guo Jin finish his questions, Jiang Liyan couldn¡¯t help but marvel at the¡­ delicacy and simplicity of them, and thus she explained to him in the most straightforward manner. After listening, Guo Jin had an epiphany, solemnly thanked her, and then left. Jiang Liyan watched his receding figure, reflecting in her mind. Wang Cong was shrewd, but her flaw was her impatience; she tended to skim over many things without seeking in-depth understanding. Guo Jin¡¯s fixation on details was commendable, yet his problem was the inability to prioritize; he¡¯d ponder over some inconsequential questions for ages. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only However, since their initiation up to now, the growth of these two disciples had indeed been startling, particularly in how they cooperated and learned from each other. When Guo Jin was slow to understand, Wang Cong would often give him pointers to help him come around; when Wang Cong was impatient, Guo Jin would make her read carefully and think deeply. Watching these two disciples grow increasingly excellent gave Jiang Liyan a sense of achievement, as if her own disciples were maturing before her eyes. Hold on, that¡¯s not right! They are not my disciples! What on Earth is Wei Dongliu doing? Chapter 192 - Chapter 192: Chapter 54 Setting Off! Searching for the Flying Smoke Sword Chapter 192: Chapter 54 Setting Off! Searching for the Flying Smoke Sword Wei Dongliu had his reasons for playing the role of a hands-off master. Firstly, his ultimate goal was not to expand and glorify ¡°Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect¡±. Instead, it was to establish a network of contacts within the Demonic Path to search for the whereabouts of the Hell Path. Secondly, with the talents of Guo Jin and Wang Cong, it was almost impossible for them to embark on the path of cultivation. Wei Dongliu took them as disciples with the purpose of having them help collect information, rather than to cultivate their talents¡­ Although it sounds cruel, Wei Dongliu doubted that either of them would even find it difficult to form an Intermediate Grade Golden Core. He could only play the role of a guide; as for how high they could climb, that was up to them! After entrusting his two disciples to Jiang Liyan, Wei Dongliu set off to meet with the people of Kunlun. The time arranged by Kunlun was precisely one day before Qiu Changtian¡¯s ¡°Debating Scriptures Conference¡± in Kunlun. It seemed coincidental, but upon closer consideration, it appeared to have been predestined. Wei Dongliu rode his sword westward, arriving on the outskirts of Xining County. Unexpectedly, the Kunlun Cultivator who came to meet him turned out to be an old acquaintance of Qiu Changtian. The Chief Disciple of the Foundation Establishment Realm, Xu Changqing. Upon meeting, Wei Dongliu sharply detected that Xu Changqing¡¯s Divine Sense had immediately fallen upon him. Using Divine Sense to probe others is considered exceedingly unfriendly in the Cultivation Realm, as it is often a precursor to an attack during a magical competition. As a result, many cultivators interpret the probing of Divine Sense as a sign that the other party is about to make a move. However, Wei Dongliu had no reaction, as the Divine Sense came quickly and left just as fast, seemingly only to confirm whether there were any traces of magic usage on him¡­ which is to say, remnants of turbid qi. ¡°Who goes there?¡± Xu Changqing asked coldly. ¡°A mere Loose Cultivator, Guo Jin,¡± Wei Dongliu replied with a bow. Xu Changqing nodded indifferently. There was no turbid qi on the other person, indicating that he hadn¡¯t practiced Demonic Cultivation Methods, but he still asked: ¡°Being a Loose Cultivator, why would you collude with the Demon Path Cultivator of the Nether Ghost Path?¡± ¡°I have not colluded,¡± Wei Dongliu wouldn¡¯t make the low-level error of answering such a leading question, simply stating, ¡°Someone asked me to deliver an item to your Sect and to retrieve the corresponding reward.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Xu Changqing¡¯s expression shifted subtly, and he inquired with profound meaning, ¡°Aren¡¯t they afraid you might take the reward and flee after completing the trade?¡± ¡°They¡¯re not afraid,¡± Wei Dongliu responded calmly, ¡°because I won¡¯t.¡± ¡°How can you be so sure?¡± ¡°Integrity.¡± Xu Changqing: ¡­¡­ Even with his broad experience, he had never encountered such a ¡°frank¡± Loose Cultivator. Catching the Jade Slip thrown by Wei Dongliu, Xu Changqing probed it with his Divine Sense, examining it in detail. His brows furrowed deeply. ¡°Is the information recorded here true?¡± he asked in a grave tone. ¡°I do not know,¡± Wei Dongliu replied earnestly, ¡°My only responsibility was to deliver the item; I did not view its contents.¡± Xu Changqing looked at him suspiciously, as if trying to detect any trace of lying on his face, but eventually gave up. He drew a Storage Bag from his sleeve and threw it in Wei Dongliu¡¯s direction. Seeing Wei Dongliu catch it, Xu Changqing warned him again: ¡°If you join the Demonic Path afterward, then you will be an enemy of Kunlun!¡± With that said, he stepped onto a streak of Sword Light and headed west. Wei Dongliu checked the contents of the Storage Bag, even feeling an impulse to take the money and run for a moment. Of course, this identity was not to be squandered in such a way, so after a brief pause, he carefully stowed it away. Returning to the dilapidated temple at Mount Wutai where he had been before, Wei Dongliu saw Wen Yang waiting for him there. ¡°Wei Dongliu indeed keeps his word,¡± Wen Yang said with great joy after checking the storage bag, immediately taking out his share and handing it over to him, ¡°Thank you so much.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± Wei Dongliu accepted the bag. ¡°Friend Wei is an honest man,¡± Wen Yang began, hesitating as if he wanted to say something but stopping himself, then after a long pause continued cautiously, ¡°But¡­ why would you have dealings with a Demon Path cultivator of the Heavenly Demon Path?¡± ¡°What leads you to say that?¡± Wei Dongliu asked in surprise. ¡°It is not my intention to stir up trouble,¡± Wen Yang started in an attempt to cover up, then tactfully added, ¡°Everyone says that my Nether Ghost Path is cruel in its infighting, often resulting in the overthrow of the superior by the inferior, but who knows that the infighting in the Heavenly Demon Path is a hundred times more brutal than in my Sect?¡± ¡°The Heavenly Demon Path conspires with Heavenly Demons, often capturing the weakest disciples to sacrifice to the Heavenly Demons.¡± ¡°Nether Ghost Path disciples can still protect themselves if they do not seek to contend, but there are no weak or mediocre ones among the Demon Path cultivators; each and every one has survived through bloody storms.¡± Wei Dongliu¡¯s face remained expressionless, but inside he was stunned: True to its reputation as a Demon Cult, this Sect¡¯s competitive nature is indeed far fiercer than the Orthodox Sects! While Kunlun is still maintaining a ¡®once-and-for-all¡¯ philosophy, the Nether Ghost Path has already started to implement ¡®promotion and demotion,¡¯ and the Heavenly Demon Path has even begun ¡®elimination of the lowest-ranked¡¯! ¡°Jiang Liyan started her training the latest and is the youngest in seniority, so logically her strength should be the weakest,¡± Wen Yang went on, a hint of wariness flashing across his expression, ¡°But since her induction, three of her senior fellow sisters above her have perished, each with different causes of death¡ªbut virtually none related to her.¡± ¡°I think that Friend Wei is a person worth establishing a deeper relationship with,¡± he said as he waved his sleeve, summoning a cluster of gray-white Sword Light and rising into the air on his sword, ¡°I also hope you don¡¯t end up dead in an unexplained manner someday, to my regret and frustration.¡± As Wen Yang departed on his sword disappearing into the horizon, Wei Dongliu gazed intensely at the sky for a long time, then suddenly smiled coldly. Stirring up trouble, huh? Think I¡¯ll fall for it? He had just returned to Shiping Mountain when he saw Guo Jin and Wang Cong engaging in a swordfight. Both were beginners, just having learned how to channel True Qi, and their Flying Sword control was awkward and unstable, making Wei Dongliu find it unbearable to watch. Jiang Liyan had set up a little wooden bed by the lakeside, covered with thick sheep wool and brocade, comfortably napping in the afternoon sun. From above her head, pure sunlight seeped through a narrow gap in the mountains, shining on her curled slender body, stirring a sudden tender and protective feeling in Wei Dongliu. Of course, with the Kunlun Mirror in his possession, it certainly wasn¡¯t any Illusion Technique, just the natural male instinct of yearning for beauty. ¡°Friend Jiang,¡± Wei Dongliu nudged the wooden bed. ¡°Hmm?¡± Jiang Liyan rubbed her eyes groggily. ¡°I need to step out for a while soon, and I would trouble you to look after the two disciples,¡± Wei Dongliu said softly. ¡°Mhm¡­¡± Jiang Liyan turned over and went back to sleep. After an unknown amount of time, she suddenly opened her eyes on the wooden bed: Wait, what did he just say to me? Did he just dump his disciples on me again??? Jiang the Witch jumped from the bed and hastily flew out of the cave on her sword, only to see the vast sky and earth, no trace of Wei Dongliu to be found. ¡°Dammit!¡± Her expression shifted unpredictably, but then she reached into her storage bag and pulled out a ghastly pale and decayed Demon Head, which she held aloft in the center of her palm, muttering to it: ¡°Heavenly Demon invades the scenery, revealing every trace! Find that damn fool for me!¡± After a moment, the Demon Head suddenly cackled eerily and turned its face toward the south. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡­¡­ Not long before, Wei Dongliu had been propelling the ¡°Heavenly Weaving God Shuttle of the Universe¡¯s Creation,¡± speeding towards the south. ¡°There should be a golden-bearded giant turtle in the Southern Sea,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword told him, ¡°Its body is immense, forming an island of its own, floating in the Southern Sea with the Flying Smoke Sword embedded in the center of its shell.¡± ¡°Of course, this is what other Sword Spirits from the Sword Pool shared with me thousands of years ago, and some time has passed since then¡ªso there might be some changes, and you need to be prepared.¡± ¡°No problem,¡± Wei Dongliu said decisively, ¡°I have to try anyway. Senior Sister An sacrificed her Frostfall Sword for me, I can¡¯t let her be without a Life-bound Sword Artifact forever.¡± Chapter 193 - Chapter 193: Chapter 55: Chase to the Southern Sea Chapter 193: Chapter 55: Chase to the Southern Sea The Southern Sea, from its appearance alone, more closely resembled the blue of the sky, while the depths of the East Sea were a profound azure. Regarding aquatic demonic beasts, the Southern Sea was less frequented by the large types found in the East Sea, but there was a noticeable increase in groups that moved in formation¡­ and they were also more sensitive and combative. After firing the Five Elements Divine Light once more, felling an entire school of swordfish, Wei Dongliu turned his gaze toward the distance and couldn¡¯t help but feel a headache coming on. That Gold-whiskered Turtle¡­ where on earth could it be? With the vast sea before me, when will I ever find it? ¡°It should be close by,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword said. ¡°That was thousands of years ago in this vicinity,¡± Wei Dongliu said somewhat speechlessly. ¡°It¡¯s not like the turtle has roots tethering it to the spot. How could it possibly remain in the same place?¡± ¡°Gold-whiskered Turtles love to eat Southern Sea horse mackerel,¡± the Kunlun Mirror suggested. ¡°It¡¯s December now; the horse mackerel schools should be in the southern sea currents to avoid the cold.¡± ¡°Worthy of you, Ah Jing!¡± Wei Dongliu praised. When in doubt about external matters, one should consult Ah Jing. Qing Ping is, after all, not as learned as Ah Jing. Hovering in the air for a moment, Wei Dongliu was about to proceed when he suddenly saw a flash of light shoot towards him from behind. ¡°Daoist Wei!¡± Jiang the Witch halted her advance in front of him, then revealed a feigned, relieved smile. ¡°Why have you not returned for so long? I thought the people of Kunlun had captured you.¡± Her seemingly sincere and earnest words paired with her innocent expression made Wei Dongliu also start to doubt. Was it possible that when I returned to Shiping Mountain, she was really asleep so deeply that she didn¡¯t hear what I told her? ¡°Thank you for your concern, Daoist friend,¡± Wei Dongliu said with a wry smile. ¡°The trip to Kunlun was smooth. As for my being here, it¡¯s to look for a sword.¡± ¡°A sword?¡± Jiang Liyan displayed a perfectly curious look. ¡°Yes, this sword I seek for a good friend, and it was he who provided the information about the sword,¡± Wei Dongliu replied. ¡°To have Daoist Wei¡¯s friend worried must mean it¡¯s undoubtedly a Tenth Rank Immortal Sword,¡± Jiang Liyan said with a smile. ¡°No, it¡¯s not for his own use, but rather he is fulfilling another¡¯s request. Since he was too busy to do it himself, he asked me to search for the sword,¡± Wei Dongliu said gravely. It was a precautionary warning for Jiang the Witch: to let her know that this Flying Smoke Sword had been ¡°passed around¡± and ¡°transferred several times¡± before finally ending up in An Zhisu¡¯s hands, thereby disconnecting Ling Yunpo and Wei Dongliu¡¯s association. ¡°Is that so?¡± Jiang Liyan chuckled and inwardly marveled. It sounded like a very complicated network of connections? No wonder Wei Dongliu, though a Loose Cultivator, knew much about the great affairs of the world. It turned out to be because he had connections with many other cultivators¡­ Having information like the Immortal Sword, does his origin lie in Penglai or Shushan? [Mysterious character setting, Synchronization Value +1.] Upon hearing the prompt from the Kunlun Mirror, Wei Dongliu was slightly surprised. I just made up an excuse; how could the synchronization value of the mysterious character setting increase? This Jiang Witch¡­ with such extraordinary imagination, she¡¯s just too adorable! He gave her a meaningful look and said with a smile: ¡°Well, now that Daoist Jiang has come this far, would you like to accompany me on my journey, or shall you return?¡± Jiang Liyan pondered for a swift moment, then replied with a radiant smile: ¡°Having come all this way, if I were to return now, wouldn¡¯t that be disappointing?¡± Sure enough, Wei Dongliu smiled: ¡°Then let¡¯s go, Daoist Jiang.¡± This witch had an extraordinary curiosity. Whether it was her true nature or a facade she had deliberately constructed, at least for the time being, it could be used to anticipate her actions. The two continued flying on their swords, and Wei Dongliu detailed his objective and the clues provided by the Kunlun Mirror. ¡°I see, so if we find the school of Southern Sea horse mackerel, we can follow the trail to trace the whereabouts of that Gold-whiskered Turtle, right?¡± Jiang Liyan said with a smiling twinkle in her eye while secretly making her own calculations, ¡°The Southern Sea currents¡­ I am aware of them, they should be over a thousand miles south of here in the depths of the Southern Sea.¡± ¡°Thank you, Daoist Jiang, for leading the way,¡± Wei Dongliu said, pleased. After an unknown amount of time, the two finally arrived deep in the Southern Sea. The sunlight here was extremely intense, hardly resembling winter at all. The water below had turned the color of emerald green, and upon closer inspection, there was a large amount of seaweed drifting among it. Looking down, Jiang Liyan said, ¡°The sea horses sustain themselves on these seaweed fruits, so that Golden Whisker Tortoise should also be nearby¡ªif it does indeed exist.¡± ¡°It should be in the nearby waters,¡± said Wei Dongliu, who naturally could not tell her that the news came from thousands of years ago. He laughed and said, ¡°Even if we end up empty-handed, it won¡¯t be a wasted trip for Daoist Jiang.¡± ¡°You¡¯re too kind, Daoist Wei,¡± Jiang Liyan said, covering her mouth with a laugh. After searching for roughly another hour, they finally arrived at a small island. ¡°Is this the place?¡± Jiang Liyan circled above the small island. ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like a tortoise, does it?¡± ¡°This is the place,¡± Wei Dongliu affirmed. ¡°The Golden Whisker Tortoise, with a shell that spans a hundred miles and supports earth to form mountains, drifts back and forth across the seas. If Daoist Jiang wishes to verify, you might dive beneath the waters to see if the island¡¯s base has four limbs and a head.¡± ¡°No need, I naturally believe you,¡± Jiang Liyan said nonchalantly, though inwardly she chuckled to herself. The Golden Whisker Tortoise feeds on sea horses in the ocean, so it usually buries its head beneath the sea¡¯s surface. If I rashly dive in, what would I do if it suddenly decided to snap at me? Seeing her change the topic, Wei Dongliu followed the descent of his Sword Light downward, landing on the edge of a towering bamboo grove. Having circled above the island for a long time, the two had a clear view of most areas, but this dense bamboo grove, with its fluttering fragmented leaves, obscured whatever lay within. Moreover, the bamboo grove¡¯s location¡ªall too conveniently in the center of the island¡ªaroused Wei Dongliu¡¯s suspicions even further. Jiang Liyan followed him to land, and saw a densely packed bamboo forest in front of them, each bamboo shoot nearly twenty to thirty feet high, far exceeding the height that ordinary bamboo could grow. The bamboo grew so densely between each other that it was almost impossible to walk through. It took a long while for the two to navigate around the grove until they found a small path through the wilderness that they could pass through. Entering the bamboo forest, they saw the harsh sunlight disappear immediately above them, replaced by the cool shade of the bamboo. ¡°Formation,¡± Wei Dongliu suddenly said. ¡°Do you recognize this formation, Daoist Wei?¡± Jiang Liyan quickly asked. ¡°The Mustard Seed Mt. Sumeru Formation,¡± Wei Dongliu replied, having seen this formation before in the library of the Gui Xu annex, ¡°It¡¯s just used for concealing a Secret Realm.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a Secret Realm here?¡± Jiang Liyan exclaimed. ¡°Hard to say,¡± Wei Dongliu shook his head, ¡°The Mustard Seed Mt. Sumeru Formation can contain a Secret Realm, but it doesn¡¯t mean that there must be one.¡± ¡°But it sounds like a very high-level formation?¡± Jiang Liyan pondered. ¡°At least Earth Immortal Rank,¡± Wei Dongliu replied. Earth Immortal¡­ Jiang Liyan fell silent. There are four classes of immortals: Earth Immortals, Heavenly Immortals, Golden Immortals, and Daluo Golden Immortals. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Among them, the Earth Immortal Rank is the lowest and most numerous, with the closest ties to the Cultivation Realm; they are also known as the ¡°Land Deities.¡± Of course, even the lowest rank of immortals is not something that two mere Refining Mansion Rank cultivators can handle. ¡°Earth Immortal Rank simply refers to the rank, and does not mean that the Formation Setter is within the Array,¡± Wei Dongliu saw her concerns and tried to reassure her. ¡°This Array itself has no offensive power, so there¡¯s no need to worry too much.¡± Seeing his calm, Jiang Liyan also cooled down and thought to herself: How many land deities can there be in this world, just waiting to be encountered? It¡¯s probably been set up a long time ago! Chapter 194 - Chapter 194: Chapter 56 Suppressing Jiang the Witch Chapter 194: Chapter 56 Suppressing Jiang the Witch The two continued to walk through the bamboo forest, feeling the gentle breeze brush their faces, refreshingly pleasant. The wind whispered through the fragmented leaves of the bamboo, like the low chanting of scriptures, an indistinct murmuring barely audible. If Miss Shi were here, she would probably be terrified, trembling with fear, and wishing she could hide in Luo Yan¡¯s arms. But Jiang the Witch was not afraid at all; she had seen far stranger scenes than this. As she moved, she kept waving the sleeves of her robe, sending out eerie black lights that circled around her before quietly flying back. ¡°Is that the spell of the Heavenly Demon Path for manipulating demon heads?¡± Wei Dongliu casually asked. ¡°It¡¯s just a minor trick,¡± Jiang Liyan replied with a coquettish smile, ¡°hardly worth mentioning.¡± Seeing she was reluctant to say more, Wei Dongliu did not pursue the topic. Instead, he asked seriously: ¡°Did you notice anything?¡± ¡°The demon heads don¡¯t like this place,¡± Jiang Liyan replied. ¡°There¡¯s an aura nearby that they find quite displeasing¡­ hmm, it¡¯s not the spellcraft of an Orthodox Sect, but rather it smells somewhat of the bald monks.¡± ¡°Buddhist cultivators?¡± Wei Dongliu frowned slightly, ¡°But I wonder from which Buddhist Sect.¡± Just as the Daoist Sect is divided into the Clarify and Intercepting Cults, the Buddhist Sect is not monolithic, but as religious sects, they can internally be differentiated into a progressive left faction and a conservative right faction. The Clarify Cult emphasizes ¡°teaching according to one¡¯s abilities¡±, valuing objective conditions more than subjective will; people without the aptitude for spiritual practice are advised against it, instead they should farm, conduct business, or study¡­ Due to their lack of interest in spreading their teachings, they are part of the conservative right faction. The Intercepting Cult, on the other hand, believes in ¡°education for all¡±, asserting that human will can triumph over fate; even those with lesser aptitude can set foot on the path of cultivation if they have the heart for it¡­ Thus, they tend to recruit as many disciples as possible to expand their influence, belonging to the progressive left faction. Currently, the Three Pure Orthodox Sect is thriving while the Demon Cult¡¯s Six Paths are being suppressed, it could be said that the Daoist conservative faction is prevailing. However, the situation is completely reversed within the Buddhist Sect. The Theravada school of Buddhism, with its conservative view, advocates for ¡°to save others, one must first save oneself¡±; while the Mahayana school believes that ¡°all beings can be saved,¡± hence it belongs to the progressive left faction. Since the followers of Theravada Buddhism prefer to live in seclusion and do not venture out much, those who travel outside and engage with other sects are almost invariably from the Mahayana school. If the one secluded here belongs to the Theravada Buddhism, it is highly likely they will ignore Wei Dongliu and Jiang Liyan, which means they wouldn¡¯t persecute them nor offer any assistance. But if it is the Mahayana school, depending on their stance towards the Intercepting Cult and Loose Cultivators, the specifics could be much more variable. Wei Dongliu pondered carefully and continued deeper with Jiang the Witch, until at last they saw an ancient temple ahead. Although it was referred to as ¡°an ancient temple¡±, a closer look revealed it to be a complex of temples. As the two drew nearer, more buildings seemed to squeeze out from the void, stretching out to both sides. Jiang Liyan was clearly hesitant, but Wei Dongliu knew it was the automatic shifting of the Mustard Seed Mount Meru Formation, and thus he stepped onto the staircase without hesitation, walking towards the heart of the ancient temple. Seeing his decisiveness, Jiang the Witch had no choice but to follow with gritted teeth, her hand already grasping a spell. They ascended the steps, crossed the main gate, and saw within the vast temple hall only an old monk with his back to them, sitting upright on a meditation cushion, hunched over as he rhythmically struck a wooden fish. Towering Buddha statues, two to three zhang tall, were arrayed on either side, their heads almost level with the rafters. What was even stranger was that these Buddha statues were not benevolent and compassionate; instead, each depicted various emotions¡ªjoy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure¡ªshowing the diverse expressions of mortal life. On closer inspection, these expressions were all exceedingly peculiar. The laughing Buddha statue was indeed smiling, but with eyebrows drooping, as if forcing a cheerful countenance. The weeping Buddha statue was indeed crying, yet the corners of its mouth were slightly upturned, as though feigning sorrow. Even the angry Buddha statue, with its wide-open eyes, conveyed a sense of cold indifference and cruelty¡­ All in all, the faces of the Buddha statues seemed to be the creations of some soulful artisan. Well, it seems my earlier assumptions were off, Wei Dongliu thought to himself. This isn¡¯t a place of the Mahayana nor Theravada Buddhism, but rather some kind of unusual heresy. Once again, his gaze fell upon the old monk before him, and he thought to himself: ¡°Ah Jing, scan it.¡± If it were a Divine Sense scan, it might be detected by the other party, but there would be no such issue with the Kunlun Mirror taking action. Ah Jing, forever divine! ¡°A Buddha Candle Demon,¡± the Kunlun Mirror replied. ¡°Its cultivation level is roughly in the Demon King Realm, specifics unknown.¡± The so-called Buddha Candle Demon is an everbright lamp that has turned into a demon in many dilapidated monasteries, a common phenomenon. But reaching the Demon King Realm is truly rare, almost equivalent to a cultivator¡¯s Earth Immortal Realm. With this thought in mind, Wei Dongliu suddenly saw the old monk in front of him slowly stand up, turn around, and say, ¡°It is rare for our monastery to have visitors, and we are not well-prepared to receive guests, please forgive us.¡± Before the sound of his voice had faded, a long table suddenly appeared before them, on which were placed two celadon cups of plain flower design, filled with fragrant tea, steaming hot. Wei Dongliu¡¯s eyes twitched. Although it was the hour of Shen, which was suitable for drinking tea, who would dare to drink this tea of unknown origin? Jiang Liyan also dared not drink it, merely staring at the old monk, hesitating over whether or not to make a move and test him. As if sensing her inner thoughts, the old monk suddenly raised his eyebrows and shouted at her, ¡°You cunning demon! You almost slipped past, daring to enter my Mahavira Hall so brazenly!¡± No sooner had he finished speaking than Jiang Liyan spread her robe¡¯s sleeves, from which several points of black light shot out, viciously lunging toward the old monk! The old monk¡¯s expression did not change as he simply stretched out his hand and flicked his fingers, instantly shattering the points of black light, shocking Jiang Liyan into a pale retreat out of the hall while she shouted out loud: ¡°An immortal! Fellow Daoist Wei, run quickly!¡± Before she could escape the main hall, a gigantic purple-gold alms bowl descended from the sky, and with a ¡°smack,¡± like a fly swatter hitting an insect, Jiang Liyan was slapped to the ground. Fortunately, the old monk seemed to have held back, so Jiang the Witch did not turn into a mass of mush, but was merely trapped by the Alms Bowl Treasure, pressed halfway into the ground and unable to move, her expression fluctuating uncertainly. ¡°How curious, how strange,¡± the old monk murmured, walking next to the alms bowl, peering at the dispirited Jiang the Witch and musing, ¡°How can you, a demon, still manage to speak human language? And even know to urge your accomplice to flee?¡± ¡°Great Master~¡± Jiang Liyan began to weep, her eyes filled with tears like rain on pear blossoms, pleadingly said, ¡°I was born poor and inadvertently went astray onto the Demonic Path, yet I often feel remorse and pity for myself. If the great master could show compassion, as soon as I leave here, I would correct my ways and seek a reputable Daoist sect to follow the path of goodness!¡± She swore oath after oath, repeatedly pleading in a soft voice, but the old monk paid no attention, only turning his head to look at Wei Dongliu and asked: ¡°You seem to practice orthodox Daoist magic, so what is this demon to you?¡± Wei Dongliu hesitated slightly, his gaze noticing Jiang Liyan next to him, trapped by the alms bowl, her expression one of pleading and distress. Indeed, if he admitted any connection with her, he might be treated by the old monk as a fellow demon, and be executed alongside her¡­ But you¡¯re a demon yourself! Disguised as a human high monk, talking of slaying villains and eradicating evil? Gathering all the clues at hand, Wei Dongliu immediately made a deduction and said, Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Jiang Daoist friend came here with me. We are old acquaintances. If we have caused any offense, we ask for the great master¡¯s forgiveness.¡± The old monk looked somewhat surprised on hearing this, while Jiang Liyan slightly opened her mouth, looking at him with a complex expression. ¡°Why would you¡­ Alas, Amitabha.¡± The old monk then put his palms together, chanting a verse: ¡°Once human form is lost, countless kalpas cannot restore. Temporarily residing in the mortal world, yet always dwelling in Hell. Endless suffering is the retribution, originating from the three poisons. Attachments and love ensnare, entangling oneself. Without generating revulsion, when can liberation be sought?¡± While shaking his head and chanting, he also sat back down on the meditation cushion and started to vigorously strike the wooden fish. Chapter 196 - Chapter 196: Chapter 58 Abi Devil Lord Chapter 196: Chapter 58 Abi Devil Lord Ailian led the way in front, while Wei Dongliu followed leisurely behind. According to what the other had said, the alms bowl in the hands of the Arhat statue was the sealing magic artifact used to imprison the Heavenly Demon. On their way, Wei Dongliu indeed saw several alms bowls with a broken opening at the bottom, from which it seemed the Heavenly Demons inside had already escaped. It was unclear just how many Heavenly Demons had already been let loose in this Demon-Imprisoning Hall. Hmm, could this guy be leading me into a trap? Otherwise, why haven¡¯t we encountered a single escaped Heavenly Demon along the way? With this thought, Wei Dongliu looked again, only to find that the space ahead was empty; where was even half a shadow of Ailian? This Heavenly Demon actually managed to escape right under my watch; that¡¯s somewhat interesting¡­ With that thought, Wei Dongliu pulled the Green Duckweed Sword from within his body and also lifted the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword from behind his back. The two flying swords hovered in mid-air simultaneously, one black and one purple, brimming with murderous aura. Then, he reversed the flow of the Demon Purifying Qi Scripture, turning all the Daoist True Yuan in his body into pure Demonic Qi. Instantly, his hair turned crimson red, his skin tone darkened, and flames seemed to dance within his pupils as his entire demeanor began to exude a wicked and unruly charm. Wei Dongliu¡¯s innate ability, the ¡°Chaotic Demon Body,¡± could immunize him from the corrosive effects of Demonic Qi, allowing it to move freely within his body just like Daoist True Yuan. In this way, he could use Demonic Qi to deal with the Heavenly Demon, and it could be considered fighting poison with poison. He injected Demonic Qi into the flying swords, and the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword immediately buzzed with excitement, even the languishing soul fragments within the sword began to emit satisfied wails. Although the Green Duckweed Sword was a Daoist flying sword, it seemed not to resist the Demonic Qi at all. It was completely soaked in the Demonic Qi without any impact on its spirit. ¡°This Chaotic Demon Body is quite interesting,¡± the spirit of the Green Duckweed Sword chuckled. ¡°If driven by Demonic Qi, my Sword Dao Techniques would also change. Later, we can use those Heavenly Demons for practice.¡± ¡°Not so fast,¡± Wei Dongliu said coolly. ¡°Let¡¯s start with the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword, and use them as a test for my blade.¡± As the Demonic Qi circulated through his body, a kind of icy and violent emotion also began to infect his mind, causing a cold light to grow in Wei Dongliu¡¯s eyes. So, this Chaotic Demon Body can also affect one¡¯s mind? Broken Mirror, is this your ¡®Mirror Flower Water Moon¡¯? How ridiculous! ¡°Tone it down,¡± Kunlun Mirror said helplessly. ¡°Demonic Qi indeed amplifies your desires, but as long as your will is strong, you can still resist it with reason¡­¡± ¡°Since when do I, Wei Dongliu, need your broken mirror to interfere in my affairs!¡± Wei Dongliu flicked his sleeve and strode forward. Kunlun Mirror: ¡­¡­¡­ ¡°Alright, Yao Yao,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword said playfully. ¡°A Demon Lord should be wilful and unrestrained after all. If you¡¯re too rational, it¡¯s no fun¡­ Huh? Here they come!¡± No sooner had its words fallen than a black mist burst out from behind the Arhat statue next to them and launched a stealthy face-to-face assault on Wei Dongliu from a very close distance! Wei Dongliu did not dodge or evade, but simply raised his hand, and the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword flew into his palm, emitting an eerie wail from within. The black mist was originally moving at extreme speed, but upon hearing the sound, it suddenly stalled in mid-air. Wei Dongliu had already drawn his sword, thrusting it once more towards the mist. Soul-Stripping Stab! This was the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword¡¯s first layer forbidden technique, called ¡°Soul-Stripping Stab.¡± As long as it pierced the opponent¡¯s body, it could inject soul poison and tear soul fragments from the opponent. The black mist, originally an intangible body of a Heavenly Demon, was not affected by any soul poison, but was caught by the soul-stripping power of the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword and was about to be shredded and pulled into the sword. Startled, the Heavenly Demon quickly divided its body and employed a last-ditch escape tactic. Wei Dongliu had anticipated this, and with his left hand, his two fingers joined to form the shape of a sword and stabbed forward once more. Bursting forth from between his fingers was the Five Elements Divine Light, which struck the escaping figure squarely, annihilating it on the spot. The Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword also sucked in all the remaining mist and emitted a satisfied sound that was like a mix of crying and laughing. ¡°Not satisfying!¡± Wei Dongliu said with a cold laugh, turning his head toward the empty space ahead, ¡°You didn¡¯t even force out one ten-thousandth of my strength. Is this all a Heavenly Demon is capable of?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give you one more chance to swarm me. If you dare not come out, then I will seek you out and kill you one by one!¡± The surroundings remained eerily silent. ¡°Fine!¡± Wei Dongliu said coldly, stepping onto the Green Duckweed Sword. Astonishingly, he began to control the sword directly within the grand hall, turning into a streak of Sword Light and escaping! In the distance, countless Heavenly Demons were fleeing in panic, communicating with each other using Divine Sense, wailing in despair: ¡°Protect the body with Demonic Qi, Abi Rakshasa! That person is none other than Abi Rakshasa!¡± ¡°How did we provoke such vile evil? Such misery!¡± One of the Heavenly Demons spoke up: ¡°Why don¡¯t we do as he wishes, use grand Illusion Techniques to confuse him, and then strike from both front and back, invading his Sea of Consciousness and seizing his mind?¡± Another Heavenly Demon rebutted: ¡°Do you know what an Abi Rakshasa is? It is a Demon Lord that wanders in Abi Hell, its entire being shrouded in profound Demonic Qi. Once released, it is so utterly dark that there is no sight of sun or moonlight.¡± ¡°One touch, and your consciousness will come to a halt, unable to escape, only to be tortured at his whim. You¡¯ll suffer endlessly with no deity to save you!¡± ¡°Ordinary celestials would avoid it at all costs, and yet you want to throw yourself at him? Go seek your own death!¡± No sooner had these words fallen than a dark red figure burst forth ahead¡ªit was none other than Wei Dongliu, with his hair and beard bristling and an evil intensity about him, speaking in an ominous tone: ¡°Where are you all heading? You should all enter my sword; why are you running around in disorder?¡± ¡°What misery!¡± The Heavenly Demons cried out in unison, desperately scattering in every direction. Some of the Heavenly Demons were encircled by Wei Dongliu with the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword and then all were absorbed into the sword. Yet many more, in sheer panic, ran amok, knocking over the statues of Arhats, toppling some and overturning others, and in the blink of an eye, most had fled. Just as Wei Dongliu was about to pursue his advantage, he suddenly felt a chill over his head that cleared his mind considerably. ¡°Stop being foolish!¡± the Kunlun Mirror chided, ¡°These Heavenly Demons have been imprisoned here for ten thousand years, their will and spirit long since eroded. They fled in all directions only because they mistook you for a Demon Lord from Abi Hell!¡± ¡°If they return to their senses and collectively attack you, do you think you could withstand them? You haven¡¯t even reached the Golden Core Realm!¡± As soon as these words were spoken, they struck Wei Dongliu like a tolling bell in the morning, causing him to come to a sudden realization. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Indeed, his Chaotic Demon Body and Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword did have a restraining effect on the Heavenly Demons, but it was not to the point of complete domination. If these Heavenly Demons did not merely focus on fleeing but attacked from all directions, could he possibly turn the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword into countless swords to fend them off one by one? It was better not to entangle with them and to quickly find the Flying Smoke Sword¡ªthat was the proper course of action! Thinking this, Wei Dongliu maintained the wild and unrestrained expression on his face, controlling the sword as he charged fiercely ahead. The Kunlun Mirror also projected the small map it had drawn for his guidance. Following the directions on the map, he delved deeper into the back halls until he finally caught sight of a small hut ahead. Chapter 197 - Chapter 197: Chapter 59: Return to Shiping Mountain Chapter 197: Chapter 59: Return to Shiping Mountain In the Demon-Imprisoning Hall, there was a simple, humble cottage. When Wei Dongliu entered the cottage, he saw the refined and elegant furnishings and could tell that a woman once lived there. Next to the desk by the window, there lay a pristine white Jade Slip. After confirming there were no traps on the Jade Slip, Wei Dongliu invested his Divine Sense into it, glanced through it for a moment, and saw that it contained the content of a letter: ¡°I am Real Person Caidie from the outer disciples of the Intercepting Cult.¡± ¡°The battle between Clarify Cult and Intercepting Cult is almost hopeless. Lady Sanxiao and the ten great Heavenly Lords have perished one after another, their Divine Souls bound and captive.¡± ¡°I had no choice but to flee to the south of Golden Turtle Island to avoid being plundered by the Clarify Cult.¡± ¡°Inside this cottage are the remnants left by our numerous teachers: one Flying Smoke Sword, a purple-gold gourd, a scroll of the Nine Curves Yellow River Formation, a Bewitching Immortal Pill, and a scroll of the Sealing Immortal Secret Arts. Additionally, there are one hundred and eight Heavenly Demons of ferocious and sinister nature outside, who would be very difficult for anyone but disciples of our Intercepting Cult to bypass.¡± ¡°Since you are a junior disciple of our Intercepting Cult, you are to inherit and carry forward the doctrine, following my will. Once your cultivation is successful, seek revenge against the Clarify Cult in the future!¡± After reading the letter, Wei Dongliu thought to himself that Real Person Caidie¡¯s will no longer needed to be fulfilled by him. The Clarify Cult is gone! He carefully stored the Jade Slip and then looked around. The purple-gold gourd was placed at the edge of the desk. It was a Magical Artifact that Alchemists dreamt of owning, said to retain the efficacy of any Elixir placed within it for over a thousand years without any loss, akin to a ¡°portable refrigerator¡± of the Cultivation Realm, which could be of use to Luo Yan. The Flying Smoke Sword hung on the wall with a red cord. Its form was a dark crimson color, the blade exceptionally sharp, and there was no scabbard. Later, it would be gifted to Senior Sister An. The Nine Curves Yellow River Formation was recorded on a Jade Slip, and upon careful examination by Wei Dongliu, he found it contained a massive amount of information. He decided to keep it for now and lay it out later within the Tong Xuan Gate¡¯s base in the belly of Shiping Mountain. As for the Bewitching Immortal Pill and Sealing Immortal Secret Arts, they were a matched set of Magical Artifact and Refinement Technique, able to seal the opponent¡¯s True Yuan¡­ This thing was too underhanded and did not match the style of Demon Venerable Wei, so he took it to offer to Jiang the Witch as a borrowed gift. Of course, he would memorize the Sealing Immortal Secret Arts, lest Jiang the Witch catch him off guard with the Bewitching Immortal Pill later on. Wei Dongliu swiftly gathered the items and then, with his Sword Control Technique, he burst forth. Before the Heavenly Demons could react, he had already dashed out of the Demon-Imprisoning Hall. The ground sloped upwards and the surrounding light grew brighter. Upon returning to the Mahavira Hall, Wei Dongliu saw the old monk still striking the wooden fish and loudly chanting some mysterious Incantation: ¡°Duozieta, Pishilinpo Pishilinpo¡­¡± Crushed under the Alms Bowl, Jiang Liyan felt dizzy and almost saw stars, but when she suddenly saw Wei Dongliu burst from the rear hall, she excitedly cried out: ¡°Master! Now that he has returned, could you let the young lady go?¡± The old monk sighed, got up, and crouched next to Jiang the Witch. He said patiently: ¡°Demon Head, after hearing the Dharani Incantations chanted three thousand times, have you gained any enlightenment?¡± ¡°Enlightenment?¡± Jiang Liyan was immediately stumped, then after a moment, she said with a forced smile, ¡°Master, as expected of an enlightened monk, I feel like I have obtained something, but cannot describe it in words. It feels so mysterious¡­¡± She blabbered on pointlessly, making the old monk sigh, fold his hands, and say: ¡°Amitabha, take good care of yourself.¡± He returned to sitting on his cushion, made a motion with his sleeve, and the Alms Bowl rose into the air, spinning and gradually shrinking until it flew back to his sleeve. Afterward, the old monk hunched his body, closed his eyes, and sat in silent meditation without striking the wooden fish or chanting any Buddhist Scriptures. Jiang Liyan clumsily got to her feet and hurried over to grab Wei Dongliu¡¯s hand, asking: ¡°Did you get it?¡± ¡°Mm,¡± Wei Dongliu nodded. ¡°Quick, let¡¯s get out of here!¡± Without further ado, Jiang Liyan summoned Sword Light, enveloping him, and the two immediately fled the Mahavira Hall, dashing into the bamboo grove. They saw the temple getting smaller and smaller behind them until it finally disappeared. After leaving the bamboo grove and returning to the air above Golden Turtle Island, Jiang Liyan finally breathed a sigh of relief. Being brutally suppressed by the Earth Immortal, and having her life and death in someone else¡¯s hands, was such an awful feeling that she still felt a lingering fear. ¡°I¡¯ve suffered so much this time, if Wei Dongliu doesn¡¯t give me enough benefits, I¡¯ll¡­ I¡¯ll turn against him!¡± ¡°Wei Fellow Daoist,¡± Jiang Liyan said sweetly, ¡°you¡¯ve finally come back just in time. If it were any later, I might have been brainwashed by Buddhist scriptures and converted to the Buddhist Sect.¡± ¡°If Jiang Fellow Daoist wishes to convert to the Buddhist Sect, I believe you could also find another bright path,¡± Wei Dongliu said meaningfully. Jiang Liyan nearly spat out blood on hearing this: How good he was at making such cold remarks! ¡°Is that the sword Wei Fellow Daoist was searching for?¡± She looked behind Wei Dongliu and saw¡­ two swords, both tightly wrapped in cloth strips. She had no idea which one was the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword and which one was the recently acquired sword. As for the flying sword¡¯s appearance, Five Elements Attribute, rank, Daoist magic, and so on, she knew nothing at all, leaving Jiang Liyan extremely frustrated. Wei Dongliu gave a slight smile, not bringing up the matter of the flying sword; instead, he took out a box containing a Bewitching Immortal Pill and a Jade Slip with the Sealing Immortal Secret Arts written on it and handed them to her. ¡°This is¡­¡± Jiang Liyan took it with confusion, opened the box, and then let her Divine Sense penetrate the Jade Slip. Her expression became complex in an instant. ¡°Jiang Fellow Daoist has lain under that alms bowl for quite a while, a bit of compensation is only fair,¡± Wei Dongliu said with a smile. ¡°Thank you, Fellow Daoist,¡± Jiang Liyan said softly, knowing this was Wei Dongliu¡¯s ¡°hush money¡± for her to keep their trip a secret from others. The Bewitching Immortal Pill was a powerful external type of magical treasure, capable of strongly sealing True Yuan; when combined with the Sealing Immortal Secret Arts, it was even harder to resist. If such rare treasures and techniques could be given away so casually, it could only mean that he must have gained a fortune within the rear hall. However, as the other party always acted mysteriously, asking him directly would surely yield no answers, so she would have to probe gradually later on. With this thought in mind, Jiang the Witch made up her mind and smiled, ¡°I heard there were many demons within that rear hall? I¡¯m very curious, how did Wei Fellow Daoist deal with them?¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s a long story,¡± Wei Dongliu began to spin a tale. As the two chatted and controlled their swords, they made their way back to the Divine Land Continent, laughing and joking with their own thoughts, eventually arriving at Shiping Mountain in the southern part of Taihang Mountains. Back at the sect, Wei Dongliu checked on the studies of his two disciples. Guo Jin and Wang Cong had both successfully passed the three tests and become Qi Refining Rank disciples, with a foundation of cultivation that was quite solid ¡ª at least compared to their poor innate qualities; such a foundation was quite remarkable. Upon reaching the Qi Refining Rank, cultivators face two daily tasks: One is Breathing and Qi Refinement, to enhance their Cultivation Realm. Second is the Sword Flight Technique, to improve their combat abilities. Guo Jin, who was dull and honest by nature, remembered Wei Dongliu¡¯s words that ¡°Realm is the foundation.¡± During the time the two were away, he had practiced the circulation of Qi thoroughly. Wang Cong, spirited and restless, couldn¡¯t stand the loneliness of meditating and Qi Refining. Instead, she practiced the Sword Control Technique to perfection. Fortunately, with their master absent for a long time, the two had developed the habit of helping and supporting each other. Guo Jin urged his junior sister to devote a certain amount of time to Qi Refining every day, while Wang Cong taught her senior brother many difficult parts, managing to fend for themselves for the time being. Excellent! Wei Dongliu was quite satisfied with the two, thinking that at this rate, they would soon be able to stand on their own! Jiang Liyan was somewhat distracted, seemingly seeing the shadows of Wei Dongliu and herself in Guo Jin and Wang Cong. If she had not been found by the Heavenly Demon Path back then and had stayed with Wei Dongliu instead, even though she would have had a master who didn¡¯t care, she still might have had a serene and peaceful life. ¡°Jiang Fellow Daoist?¡± Wei Dongliu suddenly said. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Ah!¡± Jiang Liyan awoke from her reverie, briefly thinking her thoughts had been seen through and feeling a bit embarrassed. ¡°I need to teach my disciples the sect¡¯s Qi Refining Technique,¡± Wei Dongliu said with a beaming smile, signaling her to leave and avoid propriety. ¡°Oh, then I shall take my leave,¡± Jiang Liyan turned and left, feeling a bit upset again. Who else would I take as a senior brother if not him! You want to teach your disciples, huh? As long as you continue to neglect them in the future, I will eventually turn your disciples into mine, and I¡¯ll get all your techniques too! Chapter 198 - Chapter 198: Chapter 60: Senior Sister is Forever 20 Years Old Chapter 198: Chapter 60: Senior Sister is Forever 20 Years Old Shushan, Qingluo Peak. Ling Yunpo found Senior Sister An sitting in the backyard, unfastened the long sword from his back, and said with a smile, ¡°Senior Sister, please take a look.¡± ¡°A Flying Sword?¡± An Zhisu was drinking when she saw it and set down her cup, taking the Flying Smoke Sword , ¡°Where did you get a Fire System Flying Sword¡­huh?¡± She infused her True Yuan into it and refined it for a moment, immediately becoming shocked. This¡­isn¡¯t this the usual Immortal Sword? Could it be an Eleventh Rank Immortal Sword? ¡°To let Senior Sister know.¡± Seeing An Zhisu¡¯s astonished expression, Ling Yunpo calmly smiled and said, ¡°This is the ¡®Flying Smoke Sword¡¯, a relic from Ancient Times. Originally a pair, one was destroyed during the great war between the factions, leaving only this one. And it just so happens to be of the Fire System, suitable to be Senior Sister¡¯s Life-bound Sword Artifact.¡± After stroking the sword¡¯s spine for a moment and sensing the abundant Fire System True Essence within, An Zhisu placed it back on the table, then smiled and said, ¡°Junior Brother, how about I trade this sword for your Thunder Punishment Sword?¡± ¡°Why?¡± Ling Yunpo asked, puzzled, ¡°The Thunder Punishment Sword is a Metal System Tenth Rank, both in attribute and grade rank, it¡¯s more suitable for Senior Sister than this Flying Smoke Sword¡­¡± An Zhisu shook her head, speaking softly, ¡°Senior Sister doesn¡¯t need such a good sword, a Tenth Rank is enough.¡± Ling Yunpo was speechless. ¡°This will be your Life-bound Sword Artifact!¡± he pretended to be furious as he stood up, indignantly saying, ¡°Senior Sister, it¡¯s only because you¡¯re my Senior Sister that I¡¯m going to say one more thing: the thing I hate the most are flip-floppers! Once it¡¯s my sword, it¡¯s my sword for life! Don¡¯t even think about taking my Thunder Punishment Sword!¡± Having said that, he grabbed the Flying Smoke Sword, stuffed it into An Zhisu¡¯s hands without a word, then turned and walked away. An Zhisu was stunned for a long while before her expression gradually softened, tenderly stroking the patterns on the Flying Smoke Sword, her eyes brimming with happiness, rippling out like waves. ¡­¡­¡­¡­.. Because Wei Dongliu¡¯s side took too long, the timelines of the other three characters lagged relatively behind; therefore Ling Yunpo also planned to stay longer at Shushan before moving on to the next phase. The overall atmosphere at Shushan had now settled down from the previous turmoil of the Demon Locking Tower incident, and external exchanges were gradually increasing, with Loose Cultivator Sword Immortals occasionally coming to visit relatives and friends and exchange sword techniques. An Zhisu had already initially refined the Flying Smoke Sword into her body, but since the Fire System Flying Sword was aggressive and fierce in attack, she still needed some time to adapt her fighting style. Meanwhile, Ling Yunpo, after rising to the Refining Mansion rank following his return from the Demon Locking Tower, unlocked the third Sword Dao Technique of the Qing Ping Sword, named ¡°North Wind Rolls The White Feathers¡±. Turning Water System Sword Qi into heavy snowfall, descending boundlessly from the sky, with great cutting and sharpening power. Of course, when sparring with Senior Sister An, there was no need to resort to using Sword Dao Techniques. Ling Yunpo¡¯s right hand continuously formed Sword Techniques, as the Qing Ping Sword struck out swiftly and fiercely, making the Harsh Cold Sword retreat over and over. However, observing the Harsh Cold Sword¡¯s movements, it was only temporarily suppressed, as Senior Sister An never lost her rhythm. He discreetly manipulated his left hand, and the Thunder Punishment Sword suddenly changed direction, attempting a sneak attack, which was blocked by An Zhisu with the Flying Smoke Sword. Indeed, Ling Yunpo inwardly sighed. No matter how cleverly he timed his attacks or from what concealed angle he attempted to sneak attack, they were always guarded against by Senior Sister An, as if she had anticipated them in advance. Where exactly was the problem? ¡°Actually, Junior Brother,¡± An Zhisu suddenly said, ¡°what you think are very clever sneak attack moves have already been used by many Sword Immortals many times.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Ling Yunpo pressed on fiercely, but An Zhisu casually parried all of his moves, ¡°So what should I do?¡± ¡°Just steadily accumulate experience,¡± replied An Zhisu. The two sparred for hundreds of rounds before stopping to rest for a moment. ¡°Senior Sister, how¡¯s the new life-bound sword artifact?¡± Ling Yunpo asked with a smile. ¡°Pretty good,¡± An Zhisu replied cheerfully, ¡°It¡¯s lighter than the Frostfall Sword but more agile and forceful, and its flexibility is a notch higher.¡± ¡°After all, it¡¯s an eleventh grade Immortal Sword,¡± Ling Yunpo joked, ¡°You even had your eye on my Thunder Punishment Sword at the beginning, how do you feel about it now?¡± ¡°What?¡± the Thunder Punishment Sword cried out in his heart, ¡°Master, although I must admit your senior sister has good taste, a sword master shouldn¡¯t be changed lightly, or it¡¯ll tarnish the reputation of me, the Thunder Punishment Sword!¡± ¡°What reputation could you possibly have?¡± Ling Yunpo laughed coldly, only to hear An Zhisu explaining, ¡°The Harsh Cold Sword is of the water system, and the Flying Smoke Sword of the fire system. Water and fire clash; if both swords invoke their sword dao techniques at the same time, they would weaken each other, reducing their power. But if it¡¯s a metal system flying sword, as cold metal generates water, there wouldn¡¯t be such a concern.¡± Ling Yunpo remained silent for a moment before saying with vexation, ¡°Senior Sister, why didn¡¯t you say so earlier? If I had known¡­ I would have made you a metal system or wood system flying sword.¡± ¡°No need,¡± An Zhisu said with a smile, ¡°When our master comes out of retreat, I still have to return the Harsh Cold Sword to him. By then, you can just make me a wood system or an earth system flying sword. Mhm, earth system would be best so that it can complement the Flying Smoke Sword with one being defensive and the other offensive.¡± ¡°Senior Sister¡­¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Do I look like someone who can forge flying swords?¡± Ling Yunpo said helplessly, ¡°Do you think I can just conjure up whatever flying sword you want?¡± ¡°I believe in my junior brother¡¯s abilities,¡± An Zhisu said, covering her mouth with a laugh, ¡°After all, in just ten years, junior brother has already reached the Refining Mansion rank~¡± What, has it already been ten years? Ling Yunpo was slightly shocked. For cultivators leading a secluded life, the passage of time is often hard to perceive. But with An Zhisu¡¯s reminder, he had a sudden realization that he had been in this world for ten years already. The East Sea Pavilion was the third year, and the Demon Locking Tower started in the seventh year; it was now the tenth year. Ordinary cultivators at this time probably hadn¡¯t even perfected the Qi Refining Rank yet, whereas he had already reached the Refining Mansion rank. But upon further reflection, due to frequent use of the Kunlun Mirror to load previous saves, he had actually spent over thirty years in this world. Kunlun, Shushan, Penglai, they each spanned thirty years, with the remaining time spent on Mount Wutai. No matter what pseudonym he used, when alone practicing Qi Refining Technique through breathing exercises, he cultivated the secret Immortal Realm Qi Refining Technique ¡°Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra,¡± which is why his cultivation level advanced so swiftly. Thirty years to reach the Refining Mansion rank would probably be considered a peerless genius. However, to the outside world, reaching the Refining Mansion in just ten years wasn¡¯t just genius, it was monstrous. ¡°Senior Sister,¡± Ling Yunpo ventured to ask, ¡°Don¡¯t you find it strange that I advanced to the Refining Mansion rank so quickly?¡± ¡°Not strange at all,¡± An Zhisu shook her head, ¡°Master also took a little over thirty years to reach the Refining Mansion rank.¡± ¡°Junior brother and Master are both geniuses, unlike me¡­ I spent sixty years on Qi Refinement and another ten years on Marrow Cleansing before I barely entered the Refining Mansion rank.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Ling Yunpo said somewhat embarrassingly. Both of us reached the Refining Mansion rank in thirty years; I only managed it by cheating with the Kunlun Mirror, relying on various talents and fortunate encounters meant for cultivation to force my progress, but my master Su Jian, he was the real genius. But¡­ Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only I remember Senior Sister was cultivating in her hometown in Yangzhou and it was only after entering the Refining Mansion rank that Su Jian brought her back to Shushan, right? Plus, Senior Sister has only been in Shushan for half a sexagenary cycle (30 years). That means Senior Sister An is already a hundred years old? ¡°Junior brother, what are you thinking?¡± An Zhisu asked curiously. ¡°Nothing, nothing at all,¡± Ling Yunpo hurriedly laughed heartily. What am I thinking! Senior Sister is forever the gentle and protective older sister who¡¯s twenty at heart! Chapter 199 - Chapter 199: Chapter 61 The Sword Quest Chapter 199: Chapter 61 The Sword Quest At dawn, Ling Yunpo rose from bed and took up a broom to start sweeping outside. Shushan enjoyed a pleasant climate, but when autumn and winter came, the cold winds from the north would blow, and the leaves still fell in rustling heaps, truly ¡°a pile-up of yellow flowers on the ground.¡± To deal with the accumulated fallen leaves, using Daoist magic was naturally the most convenient method. The reason why Ling Yunpo chose to sweep by himself was simple: Boredom. This world hardly had any forms of entertainment. There were neither cell phones, TVs, nor computers, and neither was there an information-bombarding internet. Even the storytelling and opera, much beloved by officials and nobles, seemed lackluster to Ling Yunpo. After all, he had seen the world before crossing over; what splendid cultural works hadn¡¯t he seen? Only the gentle and adorable An Zhisu, Senior Sister An, who was indulgent and protective, was one of the few brilliant colors in life. Should he go find Senior Sister to practice swordplay with later, or drink with her? As he was lost in his wild thoughts, he saw Guan Shanyue flying towards him on her sword, gracefully descending from afar. ¡°Junior Brother Ling,¡± she said with a smile, ¡°the elder has summoned you.¡± ¡°The Guan Family elder is looking for me?¡± Ling Yunpo asked in surprise. ¡°There¡¯s no need to be so shocked,¡± Guan Shanyue said oddly, ¡°Hasn¡¯t the elder talked to you about the sword-seeking mission?¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Ling Yunpo explained, ¡°I just didn¡¯t expect it to happen so soon.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t know how long it¡¯s going to take, of course we need to start as soon as possible,¡± Guan Shanyue looked towards Qingluo Peak¡¯s Daoist temple behind him, ¡°Bring Senior Sister An out as well.¡± ¡°The elder is looking for her too?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Ling Yunpo then went around to the back of the Daoist temple and found An Zhisu drinking. ¡°What does he want me for?¡± An Zhisu was just as surprised. ¡°Don¡¯t know, let¡¯s just take it as a chance to clear our minds,¡± Ling Yunpo said. The reason of accompanying Junior Brother to clear their minds, without a doubt, immediately convinced An Zhisu, so she returned to her room to change into her skirt and prepared to set off. Looking at An Zhisu, who had turned into a completely refreshed figure with a gentle look in her eyes and eyebrows, Guan Shanyue also clicked her tongue in wonder. She had known An Zhisu for a long time. Back when Qingluo Peak hadn¡¯t taken in any disciples yet, this Frostfall Sword Immortal always had an off-limits aura, as if she wished to kill everyone in sight. Ever since Junior Brother Ling came along, it seemed even the maternal halo had been activated. Thinking about this, Guan Shanyue smiled slyly to herself. It wasn¡¯t that she absolutely had to engage in romance, but both the heartless path that exhausted ways and rejected desires, and the forgetting love path that involved self-deception were too self-torturing and foolish. Let¡¯s see how far these two can go along this path in the future. After exchanging pleasantries with An Zhisu for a moment, Guan Shanyue led the two of them on her sword and rose to the top of Heavenly Gate Peak. By the Sword Pool, everyone saw the Guan Family elder standing beside the Sword Pool, staring at the stele next to it. The Jade Capital Sect Leader and several unfamiliar cultivators stood by, hands tied, not uttering a word. ¡°Suming, Suming, why won¡¯t you summon. So hidden, so hidden, how utterly obtuse,¡± the Guan Family elder stroked his beard and chatted casually, ¡°When the past Sun Sword Master Ouyang Zhao etched these two lines, I wonder what kind of frustration and despair he felt in his heart.¡± ¡°He betrayed the Human Race for his own selfish desires. The Sun Sword and the Tai Yin Sword refused to be wielded by him, which was truly his own fault,¡± the Jade Capital Sect Leader said in an unemotional manner. ¡°Does the Jade Capital Sect Leader think I sympathize with Ouyang Zhao?¡± the Guan Family ancestor asked in surprise. ¡°How could Elder Guan possibly sympathize with a traitor?¡± the Jade Capital Sect Leader shook his head. ¡°Of course, I don¡¯t think what he did was right,¡± the Guan Family ancestor said casually, ¡°but if you put yourself in Ouyang Zhao¡¯s shoes, you would realize that without doing anything yourself, you suddenly discover that the whole world wants to kill your wife. What would you do?¡± ¡°One must put justice before familial ties,¡± the Jade Capital Sect Leader said without hesitation. ¡°It¡¯s said that at the time, Yin Xiaojing was pregnant with a child,¡± the Guan Family ancestor continued, ¡°Ouyang Zhao had no other kin. To put justice before familial ties would mean to wipe out his entire family.¡± ¡°Wiping out his entire family is the right thing to do,¡± the Jade Capital Sect Leader said coldly, ¡°It¡¯s his own fault for being blinded by love and falling for a demon.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why those of you who practice the ¡®Forgetting Love¡¯ technique have never been able to find the Tai Yin Summoning Sword,¡± the Guan Family ancestor said with a sneer, ¡°In my view, while Ouyang Zhao¡¯s reasoning is hard to accept, his situation is pitiable. If the Human Race had been willing to show leniency to Yin Xiaojing by changing the sentence from extermination to life imprisonment, the later mistakes made by Ouyang Zhao might have been avoided.¡± ¡°I must disagree,¡± the Jade Capital Sect Leader said, ¡°Humans and demons cannot coexist, nor is there room for personal sentiment.¡± The Guan Family ancestor turned his head towards Ling Yunpo and beckoned with a smile: ¡°Is Ling Yunpo here? Come here.¡± What kind of address is ¡®Ling Yunpo¡¯¡­ Ling Yunpo really wanted to criticize, but seeing the other cultivators around him, including Guan Shanyue, all staring in shock with a ¡°how did you catch the old ancestor¡¯s eye¡± expression, he could only walk up helplessly with a wry smile. ¡°You must have heard the conversation we just had,¡± the Guan Family ancestor said with a chuckle, ¡°If you were in Ouyang Zhao¡¯s position and suddenly found out that your Senior Sister An Zhisu is a demon, and the whole of Shushan wants to kill her, what would you do?¡± The Jade Capital Sect Leader¡¯s expression changed slightly, while Ling Yunpo instantly panicked, saying hurriedly: ¡°The elder should not spout nonsense! My Senior Sister¡¯s identity is clear, how could she possibly be a demon?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t take it so seriously,¡± the Guan Family ancestor said, waving his hand, ¡°I, of course, know she is the daughter of Su Jian. I¡¯m just making a comparison.¡± Do you make comparisons like this? Ling Yunpo secretly heaved a sigh of relief. If I didn¡¯t know that my Senior Sister is the master¡¯s daughter, I might have really thought that the Guan Family ancestor was hinting at something. As for the question posed by the other side, to be honest, Ling Yunpo really didn¡¯t want to answer such a loaded question, but seeing the Jade Capital Sect Leader looking at him with keen eyes, he said resolutely: ¡°If I were Ouyang Zhao, I would first send Yin Xiaojing back to the Eastern Emperor Demon Realm, and then present myself before the Human Race wielding both the Sun Sword and Tai Yin Sword, to take my life as an apology!¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± The Jade Capital Sect Leader was clearly not satisfied, with a tone of slight mockery, ¡°The Sect has expended a great deal to cultivate you, and yet you would ruin your prospects for the sake of a demon?¡± This is just the Guan Family ancestor setting up a hypothetical scenario¡­ Ling Yunpo thought helplessly, while aloud he said: ¡°At least I wouldn¡¯t lose the Sun Sword and Tai Yin Sword, causing the Human Race to lose a treasure that secures the clan.¡± ¡°Enough!¡± Seeing the Jade Capital Sect Leader wanting to speak, the Guan Family ancestor interrupted, ¡°It¡¯s just a hypothetical scenario, why get into an argument with the younger generation over it!¡± The Jade Capital Sect Leader was also left speechless, wasn¡¯t it because you hypothesized recklessly? ¡°Jian Buyan, where¡¯s your item?¡± the Guan Family ancestor turned to ask. ¡°Right here,¡± said a stranger cultivator quietly. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Jian Buyan? Ling Yunpo¡¯s mind stirred. Jian Buyan, the head of the Jian Family of Qingzhou, a Nascent Soul Realm master and an unmatched master of the Art Calculation, the Direct Disciple of the Penglai Jade Pure Sect¡¯s Master of Xuandu, and the ancestor of Jian Qingnan, the junior sister of Qiu Changtian¡­ it was unexpected that he would be invited by the Guan Family ancestor to this location. Jian Buyan appeared to be a refined middle-aged cultivator. Upon seeing Ling Yunpo¡¯s gaze, he smiled amiably and from his Storage Bag took out an exquisite jade pillow. ¡°This is the Huangliang Pillow,¡± he said. Chapter 200 - Chapter 200: Chapter 62 A Dream of Yellow Millet Chapter 200: Chapter 62 A Dream of Yellow Millet ¡°The Dream Pillow is the rarest of all art calculation strange objects, capable of inducing dreams in cultivators who sleep upon it,¡± Jian Buyan explained to everyone: ¡°With my art calculation techniques aiding it, I can recreate scenes from history within those dreams.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, why must it be him?¡± the Jade Capital Sect Leader asked in a heavy voice. ¡°Jade Capital Sect Leader,¡± Jian Buyan said with a faint smile, ¡°art calculation is not omnipotent, nor can it perfectly recreate the past. To increase the accuracy of the dream¡¯s results, ¡®Dual Union¡¯ is needed.¡± ¡°This ¡®Dual Union¡¯ refers to the union of bloodlines and the merging of hearts and minds.¡± ¡°Ouyang Zhao has no descendants in this realm,¡± the Guan Family¡¯s elder said irritably. ¡°Yin Xiaojing has gone to the Eastern Emperor Demon Realm, so a union of bloodlines is out of the question.¡± ¡°As for a merging of hearts and minds, apart from Ling Yunpo, who else among the disciples of Shushan who follow the Sentiment Inquiry Path? Would you, Jade Capital, care to recommend another?¡± The Jade Capital Sect Leader was at a loss for words, falling silent. Whether it was to seek clues through the Dream Pillow or to search for the Immortal Sword through the resonance of the Innate Sword Bone, Ling Yunpo was undoubtedly the best choice. And the reason the elder of the Guan Family asked that question earlier was to have Ling Yunpo try to step into the shoes of Ouyang Zhao¡­ Thinking this way, it made a lot more sense. He decided to remain silent from then on, merely watching with a cold eye. Ling Yunpo, under Jian Buyan¡¯s guidance, attempted to lie on the Dream Pillow alongside Senior Sister An. The Dream Pillow was not wide enough for two people to lie on it and enter dreams simultaneously; their bodies needed to be extremely close. Not to mention the crowd of onlookers, let alone An Zhisu, even Ling Yunpo himself felt somewhat embarrassed. But after all, he was someone of exceptional mental strength; he hypnotized himself with the thought ¡°This is for the sake of finding the sword,¡± and slowly fell asleep. ¡­¡­ Through blurry vision, indistinct figures could be made out. Ling Yunpo vaguely remembered that he seemed to be called ¡°Ouyang Zhao¡±? Standing on the peak of Heavenly Gate Peak, facing him was his wife, Yin Xiaojing, pregnant with their child¡ªher true identity was that of a Celestial Fox from the Qingqiu of the Eastern Emperor Demon Realm. At that moment, suddenly learning of her true identity, his feelings were almost those of despair, as if the entire world had grown dim on this one day. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± Ouyang Zhao said in agony. ¡°I¡­¡± Yin Xiaojing, silent for a moment, said, ¡°At first, I only wanted to take advantage of your feelings.¡± ¡°Is it still the same now?¡± Ouyang Zhao had a heavy feeling in his chest, at times even feeling as if he couldn¡¯t breathe. ¡°If I had no affection for you now, I would have simply left. Why would I wait here for you?¡± Yin Xiaojing said miserably, coming forward to embrace Ouyang Zhao, ¡°Let¡¯s elope. Since the Human Race won¡¯t accept us, let¡¯s return to the Eastern Emperor Demon Realm.¡± ¡°The Sun True Obscure Sword and the Tai Yin Summoning Sword are the Human Race¡¯s treasured swords; I can¡¯t take them with me to the Demon Realm,¡± Ouyang Zhao said with a trembling voice, as if giving in to despair while pulling at his hair, ¡°I can¡¯t¡­ I¡¯ve already betrayed my sect; I cannot betray the Human Race again¡­¡± ¡°You suspect I¡¯m after the twin swords?¡± Yin Xiaojing said with a tragic laugh. ¡°Then what if we leave the swords behind? I only want you to come with me.¡± These words struck Ouyang Zhao¡¯s heart like an arrow, shattering all his lingering doubts. After pondering for another moment, he gritted his teeth and said: ¡°Without the twin swords, how would we reach the Eastern Emperor Realm? First¡­ First, let¡¯s hide the Tai Yin Summoning Sword, to prevent the sect from using it against us.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll exchange the location of the Summiting Sword to ensure the sect lets us go. As soon as we reach the Boundary Gate, I will inform them of its whereabouts and return the Sun True Obscure Sword.¡± ¡°But after all, the Sun True Obscure Sword is in your hands,¡± Yin Xiaojing said softly. ¡°The sect will never allow the True Obscure Sword to be lost, nor will they trust your verbal assurance.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no other way,¡± Ouyang Zhao said with difficulty, ¡°The Dual Swords have already become unresponsive. If we return them to the sect now, we¡¯ll only die faster.¡± There was something he kept to himself, that so long as he could prevent the Tai Yin Sunming Swords from falling into the hands of the Demon Race, his own death here would not matter. But Yin Xiaojing and the child in her womb¡­ they must survive¡­ Once again he tried to communicate with the Sun True Obscure Sword, and he was met with feelings of anger and resistance from the Sword Spirit. Ouyang Zhao knew that the Sun True Obscure Sword was resisting him. The Dual Swords were originally created to suppress the Demon Race, yet now he was about to betray his sect for the sake of a demon. How could the swords still recognize him as their master? Overwhelmed by despair, he simply took the Sun True Obscure Sword in hand and etched two lines of large characters onto the stele. ¡°Why must it be this way¡­¡± Yin Xiaojing silently wept, ¡°If only I hadn¡¯t been born into the Demon Race¡­¡± ¡°At this point, there¡¯s no turning back.¡± Ouyang Zhao said through clenched teeth, ¡°It has to be this way!¡± He grabbed Yin Xiaojing¡¯s hand, and just as the two of them were about to ascend with sword control, they saw countless streaks of light suddenly flying towards them from a distance. Ouyang Zhao didn¡¯t react in time and was directly pierced through the chest by the radiance, and the entire world seemed to shatter like a broken mirror in an instant. ¡­ Consciousness rapidly sank, returning to his body. Ling Yunpo slowly woke up, steadied his mind for a moment, and then had time to sort through Ouyang Zhao¡¯s memories from the dream. Although not self-aware in the dream, upon waking, it became clear: That Ouyang Zhao did not die unjustly¡ªhis mistake was thinking he could play both sides! He could have either thrown in his lot completely with the demons, taking the Dual Swords and boldly fighting his way out, or he could have chosen to negotiate with the Human Race, trying to resolve the differences between them. Whichever way he chose, he needed steadfastness and unwavering resolve from the start¡­ What was he thinking, always trying to keep a way out? Ling Yunpo even speculated disdainfully that there were surely divisions within the Human Race at that time. If there was a Martial Annihilation Faction, there must also have been a faction advocating negotiation and appeasement. You, Ouyang Zhao, served as the Sword Master for so many years, did you not have any connections within the sect? Were there truly no senior members willing to protect you, to plead on your behalf? Offer the peaceful surrender of the swords in exchange for your kin¡¯s protection. Even if it was only temporary, later on you could have Yin Xiaojing reveal some Demon Race intelligence, proving her critical value, wouldn¡¯t that allow both of you to survive? In the era before I transmigrated, how many nobles depended on peacefully yielding power to withdraw from intense political struggles in time? It¡¯s all clearly documented in the history books. The key points boiled down to three: The first: everyone hadn¡¯t reached the point of no return and were still willing to play by political rules (after all, politics is the art of compromise); The second: you must possess sufficient value to protect yourself, making the cost of your political enemies utterly destroying you greater than the benefits of letting you live; The third, and most critical: you must have a keen political sense to timely display your willingness to negotiate. Ouyang Zhao had the first two points but he did not grasp the most crucial third point, which led to his ultimate downfall. On the Human Race¡¯s side, they also lost a treasure of their lineage. It was a pyrrhic defeat, with everyone ending up as the losers. A pity! A lament! A tragedy! Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Ling Yunpo silently gripped his wrists while An Zhisu, looking completely distressed, seemed yet to recover from Yin Xiaojing¡¯s emotions. But the Guan Family ancestor couldn¡¯t wait for them to regain their senses, and urgently asked Jian Buyan: ¡°How did it go?¡± ¡°Their hearts are lined up,¡± Jian Buyan said somberly, ¡°The process of Art Calculation went without any issues.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s first ask them what exactly they saw in the dream.¡± Chapter 201 - Chapter 201: Chapter 63: Senior Sisters Wild Imaginations Chapter 201: Chapter 63: Senior Sister¡¯s Wild Imaginations Under the scrutinizing gaze of the elders in the Sect, Ling Yunpo organized his thoughts for a moment before recounting what he had seen in his dream. As he spoke of ¡°being pierced through the chest by sword light, plummeting swiftly downward as if drowned by water,¡± he was finally interrupted by the Jade Capital Sect Leader, who could no longer contain himself: ¡°So what? Did he reveal the whereabouts of the Tai Yin Suming Sword?¡± ¡°No,¡± Ling Yunpo shook his head and said, ¡°I woke up directly.¡± Thus, everyone couldn¡¯t hide their disappointment, and the Guan Family patriarch turned to ask: ¡°Is it possible to enter the dream once more?¡± ¡°The Art Calculation doesn¡¯t allow for a second guess,¡± Jian Buyan smiled as he declined. ¡°Why is that?¡± the Jade Capital Sect Leader asked with a frown, ¡°Is there a risk of backlash? Or is the second calculation inaccurate?¡± ¡°It can be calculated,¡± Jian Buyan still smiling, ¡°And it¡¯s accurate, but it would mislead.¡± The crowd fell silent. In the art of calculation, the most frightening thing is ¡°accuracy that misleads,¡± which is much more terrifying than ¡°inaccuracy.¡± An apparently correct but erroneous conclusion is more insidious than a completely wrong one. While the elders discussed the next plan of action, Ling Yunpo went to An Zhisu¡¯s side and asked with concern: ¡°Senior Sister An, are you alright?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± An Zhisu hesitated as if wanting to say more. In the dream, when she stepped into Yin Xiaojing¡¯s shoes, she could feel the other¡¯s heart-wrenching pain, as well as the regret for having been born a demon. Of course, sympathizing with Yin Xiaojing was deemed entirely politically incorrect in the current Shushan, so she dared not to voice it, only hiding it quietly in her heart. The Guan Family patriarch and the Jade Capital Sect Leader, among others, had a collective discussion for a while, and finally decided that since another calculation was not possible, they would use the method of a sweeping search once again. The so-called sweeping search meant maintaining Ling Yunpo¡¯s Sword Bone resonance and having him walk all over Heavenly Gate Peak, trying to lure out the Tai Yin Suming Sword that might be hidden in some corner. The search operation took a full five hours, nearly wearing Ling Yunpo thin, only to ultimately declare a fruitless endeavor. Returning to Qingluo Peak utterly exhausted along with Senior Sister An, Ling Yunpo didn¡¯t have the mood to talk, planning to quickly return to his room for meditative rest. After taking a few steps forward, he only saw An Zhisu standing in the shadows, seemingly weeping. Ling Yunpo: ??? Hold on, is Senior Sister An so sensitive? Getting so immersed in a little movie? ¡°Senior Sister?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± An Zhisu said, obviously against her true feelings. Having spent so much time together, Ling Yunpo had already figured out his Senior Sister An¡¯s temperament, and so he feigned ignorance, saying: ¡°Then let¡¯s go back and rest for now.¡± Seeing that her junior brother did not inquire further, An Zhisu, with no other options, took the initiative to speak: ¡°Junior Brother, while I was in the dream today, stepping into Yin Xiaojing¡¯s shoes, I kept feeling something¡­¡± ¡°Feeling a bit of sympathy for her?¡± Ling Yunpo ventured. ¡°Yes,¡± An Zhisu nodded. ¡°It¡¯s normal for Senior Sister An to think that way,¡± Ling Yunpo gently coaxed, ¡°But you are not Yin Xiaojing; you are An Zhisu.¡± ¡°Think about it, if our Qingluo Peak had a pair of junior brother and sister, and our master had invested a lot of effort in them. Suddenly we discover the junior sister is a demon, the junior brother wants to flee with her, and moreover, take our Qingluo Peak¡¯s treasure away¡­¡± ¡°Then I would stop them and plead on their behalf to our master,¡± An Zhisu said without hesitation. Ling Yunpo grunted and then remembered his Senior Sister¡¯s temperament; she was so protective that she disregarded reason. He had no choice but to change his words again: ¡°Then let¡¯s consider the disciples of another peak. Now one of them is a demon, and another wants to elope with her, planning to take away the treasures of our Qingluo Peak. What would you do?¡± ¡°Why would the disciples of another peak take away the treasures of our Qingluo Peak?¡± An Zhisu first asked in puzzlement, then her tone became stern, ¡°Of course, kill them!¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Ling Yunpo sighed, ¡°Different identities and positions lead us to completely different attitudes when facing the same issue.¡± ¡°If Senior Sister were in Yin Xiaojing¡¯s position, torn between racial righteousness and her husband¡¯s and children¡¯s well-being, she would naturally feel incredibly pitiful.¡± ¡°But Senior Sister is not Yin Xiaojing; you are An Zhisu. You¡¯re not Ouyang Zhao¡¯s wife, but you are my Ling Yunpo¡¯s¡­ cough, Senior Sister, so it¡¯s better to consider it from the perspective of a Shushan disciple.¡± ¡°I see,¡± An Zhisu then smiled gently, ¡°Junior Brother need not worry; I won¡¯t be troubled by this anymore.¡± After helping his Senior Sister untangle her complex thoughts, Ling Yunpo took his leave to return. An Zhisu went back to her room, gazing at the moonlight shimmering outside the window, and suddenly sighed again. Ling Yunpo had persuaded her to consider things from the standpoint of Shushan¡¯s greater good, and of course, she understood his meaning. However, she had an instinctual fear of ¡°sacrificing individual interests for the collective good¡± because over the past decades, the Various Peaks of Shushan had used excuses such as ¡°for the righteousness of the sect¡± and ¡°Sentiment Inquiry Path is heretical¡± to collude against and jointly ostracize Qingluo Peak. An Zhisu could fend off provocations and malice from fellow sect disciples with her formidable martial force, but she had no good solutions for the exclusion and difficulties posed by those who wore the mask of righteousness. If one day, the Shushan Shangqing Faction decided to kill my Junior Brother in the name of justice, what should I do? Even more, if my master after emerging from seclusion also took the side of the sect, what then? If it really came to that¡­ should I choose righteousness over kinship, or follow in Ouyang Zhao¡¯s footsteps and betray the sect¡­ An Zhisu bit her lip in silence, her mind in turmoil, and she couldn¡¯t even enter a state of meditative concentration. The next morning, Ling Yunpo woke from his meditative concentration and cycled through several Grand Circulations according to the ¡°Supreme Primordial True Record,¡± completing his Refining Mansion practice for the day. Once a cultivator reaches the Refining Mansion Rank, they must practice breathing and refine Qi daily, using True Yuan to moisten the Purple Mansion within their Dantian. To be honest, it¡¯s quite boring. In the Qi Refining Rank, the cultivation allows one to see the Qi Sea within the Dantian expanding with each advance in practice; In the Marrow Cleansing Rank, one can see the turbid qi within the marrow being gradually cleansed by the constant flushing of True Qi. Both stages result in noticeable changes, giving cultivators a clear sense of achievement. However, the Refining Mansion Rank is different, with cultivators mechanically immersing their Purple Mansion in True Yuan day after day, with almost imperceptible changes. After finishing the morning practice, Ling Yunpo picked up a broom and went to sweep the entrance of the temple. He hadn¡¯t been sweeping for long when he saw Lin Duanshan and Guan Shanyue descend from the sky on Sword Light. ¡°Why are you sweeping again?¡± Guan Shanyue asked, puzzled. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about the important matter first,¡± Lin Duanshan interrupted her, ¡°The miasma in the Hundred Thousand Mountains is about to dissipate.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Ling Yunpo responded listlessly. The Hundred Thousand Mountains, located to the south of Shushan, is a vast landscape of mountain ridges teeming with Demonic Beasts, Spirit Grass, and ancient ruins. However, for over three hundred and fifty days a year, they are enveloped in deadly miasma that not only hinders the spread of Divine Sense but also damages the physical foundation of cultivators if inhaled over a long period. The Eastern Emperor Path lies within Yu Long Mountain inside the Hundred Thousand Mountains. Its method of traversing the miasma is a closely-guarded secret of the Sect, coveted by the Shushan Shangqing Faction but thwarted by the miasma, preventing incursion. Yet, during the coldest two weeks of the year, which are also the least hot days in the Southern Border, the miasma encasing the Hundred Thousand Mountains slowly dissipates. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only At this time, the Shushan Sword Immortals would form groups and travel southward, competing with cultivators from the Eastern Emperor Path for various resources, always returning fully laden. But what does that have to do with me? Ling Yunpo continued sweeping, only to hear Guan Shanyue say: ¡°As compensation for participating in yesterday¡¯s sword-seeking event, the elders secured two slots for Qingluo Peak.¡± Upon hearing this, Ling Yunpo paused, raising his eyebrows. Chapter 202 - Chapter 202: Chapter 64: Senior Sisters Pleasant Surprise Chapter 202: Chapter 64: Senior Sister¡¯s Pleasant Surprise The Shushan Shangqing Faction refers to the yearly winter expeditions to the Hundred Thousand Mountains as the ¡°South Expedition.¡± It is not a mere raid, but a South Expedition ¡ª the difference lies in its righteousness, as the Shushan Shangqing Faction has always regarded the Hundred Thousand Mountains as their domain ¡°since ancient times.¡± In Ancient Times, the Hundred Thousand Mountains in the Southern Border were the battlegrounds of the Human and Demon Races, where a large number of Sword Cultivators stationed around Shushan, responsible for repelling Demons attempting to move northward into Sichuan Shu. By the Ancient Times, with the full rise of the Human Race in Divine Land, the number of Cultivators also began to surge. A few powerful figures from Immortal Sects began to integrate the forces of the entire Cultivation Realm through discipleship and alliances, gradually forming the massive entities of Clarify Cult and Intercepting Cult. At that time, Clarify Cult was in the west, and Intercepting Cult in the east, with the middle section of the ancient Xiaohan Path as the boundary of influence. Sichuan Shu remained the preserve of Clarify Cult¡¯s Sword Cultivators¡ªand so began their claim over the Hundred Thousand Mountains. As for how the power distribution of the Clarify and Intercepting Cults later became interlocked and spread out like stars in a game of Go, and how the Hundred Thousand Mountains came to be ¡°covertly occupied¡± by Intercepting Cult¡¯s Cultivators, that is another long story. Within the Hundred Thousand Mountains, the temperature remains constant throughout the year. This constancy allows the particularly temperature-sensitive miasma to persist steadily, only briefly receding between the Greater and Lesser Cold each winter. At that time, the Shushan Shangqing Faction would send out a large number of Sword Immortals on a South Expedition to ¡°harvest¡± the resources within the Hundred Thousand Mountains. Although Cultivators from the Eastern Emperor Path can navigate through the miasma, they cannot completely ignore it and also need to take advantage of this time to harvest resources. Moreover, facing competition and threats from Shushan Sword Immortals, it is common to invite other Demon Path Cultivators to assist, turning the entire Hundred Thousand Mountains into a brutal battlefield, a place far more perilous than any secret realm trial. For this reason, every year, the Shushan Shangqing Faction selectively chooses Sword Immortals for the South Expedition, rather than giving each disciple an equal opportunity to compete, as is the case with trials at the Demon Locking Tower. Strong combat ability is a necessary basis, while veiled political status is naturally within the scope of consideration. After all, within the Hundred Thousand Mountains, in addition to enemies, there are all kinds of unparalleled fortunate encounters and harvests¡­ Therefore, Qingluo Peak is almost always uninvolved in the South Expedition each year. This time, with the help of relations with the Guan Family¡¯s elder, Ling Yunpo was genuinely surprised to catch such a valuable opportunity, feeling as if a joy had descended from the heavens. Great! Now I can start investigating in advance for relics within the Hundred Thousand Mountains that could accelerate the refining process of the Refining Mansion! ¡°Where¡¯s Senior Sister An?¡± Lin Duanshan asked. Ling Yunpo immediately became alert, ¡°What do you need Senior Sister for? She¡¯s practicing swordsmanship at this time; you can tell me anything, and it¡¯s all the same.¡± Lin Duanshan frowned slightly, while Guan Shanyue immediately caught on, teasingly saying, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s not a personal matter we¡¯re looking for her for, it¡¯s official business. It¡¯s said that this time the Eastern Emperor Path has unprecedentedly gathered the Asura Path, Heavenly Demon Path, Nether Ghost Path, and Mortal Life Path, intending to ambush our Shushan Sword Immortals in the Hundred Thousand Mountains.¡± ¡°All five paths together?¡± Ling Yunpo asked in surprise, ¡°In the past, wasn¡¯t it only the Asura Path that was involved?¡± ¡°They¡¯ve had this planned out for a long time,¡± Lin Duanshan said seriously, ¡°First, by using the Dragon Clan¡¯s uprising incident at the Demon Locking Tower to weaken our Shushan¡¯s strength¡­¡± ¡°It didn¡¯t weaken us that much though,¡± Ling Yunpo reminded. ¡°Ahem, although it didn¡¯t weaken us much, our Sword Immortals¡¯ thirst for revenge has been ignited,¡± Lin Duanshan added. ¡°With five paths gathered together, our Shushan is at a disadvantage. But if we avoid battle or seek help from the Taiqing Sect and Yuqing View, we fear it will damage morale.¡± So can we stop being so obsessed with saving face? Ling Yunpo thought critically to himself, but aloud he said, ¡°That¡¯s right! If the Eastern Emperor Path thinks they can succeed like this, then we must disappoint them! We Shushan Sword Immortals have never feared strong enemies; we worry only that the enemy isn¡¯t strong enough!¡± [Unyielding character setting, Synchronization Value +1.] ¡°Well spoken, Younger Brother Ling!¡± Lin Duanshan greatly appreciated his stance, ¡°With only the five paths of the Demon Cult gathered, what is there for us Sword Immortals to fear? Even if myriad gods and spirits block the way, I would cut them down with a single sword strike!¡± Guan Shanyue, however, did not respond, only staring suspiciously at Ling Yunpo, wondering how this guy could also have a rash side? I thought he was rather deep¡­ It seems it¡¯s just that he was made to look good by An Zhisu, after all, the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal is the very epitome of rashness. ¡°But to respond to the situation, in addition to great courage, we also need to do our homework on intelligence in advance,¡± Lin Duanshan added, ¡°That¡¯s why we planned to come to you and Senior Sister An to discuss preparations in advance.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± Ling Yunpo nodded, thinking there was no harm in that. After all, Lin Duanshan, Senior Brother Lin, likes to do intelligence investigations in advance. Before the Great Comparison among the Shushan peers, he made me memorize all the battle intelligence of the top fifty Sword Immortals by rote. The three arrived at the courtyard of the Taoist temple and saw An Zhisu, with a flushed face slightly inebriated, sprawled over the stone table in the pavilion, fast asleep, with a few slender jade porcelain wine bottles rolling around next to her. Everyone: ¡­¡­¡­ Lin Duanshan, astonished, looked at Ling Yunpo, as if to say, ¡°Is this what you call practicing swordsmanship?¡± Ling Yunpo hurriedly took three steps and made them into two, rushing to the pavilion to shake An Zhisu¡¯s shoulders vigorously: ¡°Senior Sister! Wake up!¡± But An Zhisu refused to wake up and even burped with her eyes closed, a strong aroma of alcohol wafting in the air. Ling Yunpo, out of options, could only whisper into his senior sister¡¯s ear: ¡°Master has exited seclusion!¡± An Zhisu almost instinctively sat up, and it took her a while to come to her senses, realizing she had been tricked by her junior brother. She could only silently circulate her True Yuan to refine all the alcohol, then, as if nothing had happened, she spoke to Guan Shanyue and Lin Duanshan, who were already staring dumbfounded: ¡°What¡¯s going on, any issue?¡± Lin Duanshan was still in a daze, but Guan Shanyue quickly steadied his nerves and smiled: ¡°The miasma of the Hundred Thousand Mountains is about to dissipate, and the faction has already begun preparations for the southern expedition.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± replied An Zhisu in the same manner as Ling Yunpo, which was essentially ¡°What does that have to do with me?¡± ¡°As a reward for the last sword-seeking mission, the elder secured two spots for both of you,¡± Guan Shanyue continued. ¡°Really?¡± An Zhisu was overjoyed and turned to Ling Yunpo, ¡°That¡¯s great, Junior Brother! There¡¯s a site in the Hundred Thousand Mountains that should be able to expedite the refinement process in the Refining Mansion, we must go this time!¡± ¡°I was about to tell Senior Sister An another piece of bad news,¡± Lin Duanshan began, ¡°The Eastern Emperor Path has almost summoned the entire Demon Path to come to the Hundred Thousand Mountains to confront us from the Shushan, so the danger level is likely far greater than before¡­¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Even better,¡± An Zhisu said, beaming, then turning to Ling Yunpo she continued, ¡°Junior Brother, this is a rare opportunity, we can go all out and have a full-fledged battle with the Demon Cult.¡± Lin Duanshan: ¡­¡­¡­ Guan Shanyue: ¡­¡­¡­ Ling Yunpo: ¡­¡­¡­ So, staying in Shushan all this time, there hasn¡¯t been anyone worth your full effort, has there? Chapter 203 - Chapter 203: Chapter 65 Quasi-Innate Sword Heart Chapter 203: Chapter 65 Quasi-Innate Sword Heart Having secured a spot in the expedition to the Hundred Thousand Mountains, Senior Sister An¡¯s attitude became even stricter during this period. First, she aimed to train Junior Brother Ling¡¯s ¡°Sword Immortal Basic Skills,¡± specifically his reaction speed and response time. The method was to have him spar against Senior Sister An¡¯s two swords with just a single sword. After only a few days of practice, Ling Yunpo began to complain incessantly. In the past, when I used my Two-Handed Sword Control against Senior Sister An¡¯s, I was still not her match. Now that I¡¯m restricted to using only a single sword, isn¡¯t that the same as cutting off my own arm and serving it to her on a platter? I protest! There¡¯s something wrong with this method of training! He tentatively raised the issue several times, only to be outright rejected by his always-smiling Senior Sister. Her reasoning was simple and straightforward: shed more tears during practice, bleed less in battle. Indeed, during this period, sparring with Senior Sister An was far more than just sweating; it was about being hit until a grown man cried, nearly doubting whether one even had talent for swordsmanship. When Ling Yunpo could no longer endure it, he could only secretly communicate with the Green Duckweed Sword and the Kunlun Mirror, devising a strategy to defeat Senior Sister An. ¡°Your Senior Sister seems to possess the talent of the ¡®Innate Sword Heart,¡¯¡± the Kunlun Mirror suddenly said. ¡°Innate Sword Heart?¡± Ling Yunpo said in surprise, ¡°Isn¡¯t that the exceptional aptitude that matches the Innate Sword Bone? And I remember, though often mentioned together, the Innate Sword Heart is actually slightly inferior to the Innate Sword Bone, so why can¡¯t I beat Senior Sister?¡± ¡°That¡¯s natural,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword said with a laugh, ¡°The Innate Sword Heart enhances swordsmanship experience, but one can acquire swordsmanship experience through hard work, which doesn¡¯t compare to the Innate Sword Bone¡¯s enhancement of the Flying Sword itself.¡± ¡°However, at your current low realms, you are unable to unleash the power of high-rank Flying Swords, plus your Senior Sister has much more combat experience than you, that¡¯s why you¡¯re not her match.¡± Ling Yunpo suddenly saw the light: Senior Sister¡¯s talent lay in the software, mine in the hardware; poor software could be upgraded by downloading better versions, but poor hardware would require reincarnation to change. ¡°No, that¡¯s not quite right,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said unsurely, ¡°She probably doesn¡¯t possess the ¡®Innate Sword Heart¡¯ yet, she merely has the potential and is starting to grasp the threshold of developing her aptitude¡­ When she fully unlocks her talent, I think I will imprint her into the mirror as well.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine by me,¡± thought Ling Yunpo, considering that imprinting wouldn¡¯t harm his Senior Sister, ¡°But what is Senior Sister¡¯s character template?¡± ¡°Protective,¡± replied the Kunlun Mirror. ¡°Indeed,¡± Ling Yunpo found it hard to disagree. Externally, she was cold and cautious, but internally she was like a caring big sister, full of tenderness and warmth; describing her as ¡°protective¡± couldn¡¯t be more apt. ¡°Let¡¯s get back to the matter at hand,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword said with a chuckle, ¡°Her not fully developed Innate Sword Heart is actually a form of intuition that operates without conscious thought.¡± ¡°Since it is without thought, it can easily be misled or deceived. You should make your moves as I¡¯ve taught you¡­¡± Ling Yunpo immediately put what he learned into practice, using a variety of cunning tricks that made An Zhisu somewhat troubled and vexed. However, she did not become frustrated or irritable; instead, she thought to herself that it was just like her Junior Brother to quickly find a way to counter her, and her Sword Control Technique became even sharper. After about a month of practice, Ling Yunpo then performed a time-space travel to Kunlun. [Location One: Kunlun Taiqing Sect, Golden Ridge.] [Identity: Qiu Changtian.] [Mirror Flower Water Moon Template overlay, time-space traveling in progress.] Early in the morning, after Qiu Changtian finished discussing scriptures with his junior brothers and sisters, they all paid their respects to the Chief Disciple and then exited the cave dwelling one by one. Yet Xu Yinglian remained behind as usual, without uttering a single word. After her junior brothers and sisters left with suggestive expressions, Qiu Changtian finally opened his mouth to ask, ¡°What is it, Junior Sister? Have you gained new inspiration for a song?¡± ¡°Other than composing and playing together, is there no serious business to talk to you about?¡± Xu Yinglian raised an eyebrow and began to bicker with him, ¡°Does Senior Brother think that I only come to bother you with personal matters?¡± ¡°Of course not,¡± Qiu Changtian replied with an easy laugh. However, with his invincible character setting accentuating the mood, it only seemed more hateful in Xu Yinglian¡¯s eyes, ¡°So, what important matter is it then, Junior Sister?¡± Xu Yinglian took a moment to calm her emotions and then said, ¡°Great Granduncle wants to see you.¡± ¡°Great Granduncle?¡± Qiu Changtian was momentarily taken aback, then realized she was referring to Xu Changqing, the chief disciple of the Foundation Establishment Realm. As the Ziwei Master was often busy with countless matters, if there was anything to command the disciples of the Foundation Establishment Realm, he would usually have Xu Changqing relay the message. Therefore, Qiu Changtian joined Xu Yinglian to fly on their swords to Xu Changqing¡¯s cave abode to see what their master had to delegate. Upon entering the cave abode, they saw Xu Changqing seated on a stone bed, not dressed in the Kunlun robes but in plain white garment with his hair casually spread over his shoulders. ¡°Great Senior Brother,¡± Qiu Changtian greeted with a bow. ¡°Qiu Junior Brother,¡± Xu Changqing asked warmly, ¡°How have your studies and cultivation been progressing recently? Do you have any questions?¡± It was also the duty of the chief disciple to answer questions for other disciples in the Foundation Establishment Realm, so Qiu Changtian did not hold back and candidly spoke about a few difficulties from the Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra. Xu Changqing pondered for a moment before explaining things in an easy-to-understand manner. His answers were not as exquisite as those of the Ziwei Master but were straightforward and simple, which actually suited the junior brothers and sisters¡¯ understanding better. After the question session ended, Qiu Changtian thanked him profusely. Xu Changqing waved his hand to indicate it was unnecessary and said, ¡°Qiu Junior Brother, do you know¡­ in a few days, I am going to form my Golden Core.¡± ¡°Core Formation?¡± Qiu Changtian asked in astonishment, ¡°I heard it was still a few years away, wasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Already I am one hundred and eighty-six years old,¡± Xu Changqing laughed heartily, ¡°Along with the fortuitous encounters and resources I have acquired throughout my life, they roughly amount to two hundred and thirty years of Refining Mansion cultivation.¡± ¡°Although the Jade Mansion of my Dantian has been built, a Second Grade Golden Core is still far-fetched. If I continue to delay for a few more years, what purpose would it serve?¡± Qiu Changtian remained silent, thinking to himself that it wasn¡¯t quite that simple. Ordinary cultivators usually chose to form their core at one hundred and ninety years of age. Although Xu Changqing had only four years left, if he traveled around visiting celestial caves, who could assure an unexpected encounter would not bring him several decades more of Refining Mansion cultivation? Alright, a Second Grade Golden Core requires at least four hundred years, and there¡¯s still a shortfall of one hundred and seventy years. The gap is indeed quite substantial¡­ Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Ultimately, there is the foundation of a Third Grade Golden Core.¡± Qiu Changtian congratulated with a bow, ¡°As long as the Core Formation and embryonic immortal formation go smoothly, ascending to the position of a Daluo Golden Immortal is not impossible.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to think too far ahead for the moment,¡± Xu Changqing waved his hand, chuckling, ¡°If I can successfully overcome the Third Grade Golden Core Heavenly Tribulation, I¡¯ll owe a great deal of thanks to the Three Pure Ones.¡± ¡°Great Granduncle must not speak of such inauspicious words!¡± Xu Yinglian hastily interjected. ¡°No matter,¡± Xu Changqing stopped at the right time and then brought up the proper affairs with Qiu Changtian, ¡°The Sect Leader intends, on the day I undergo the tribulation, for you all to watch attentively from the periphery to feel and comprehend what exactly the Heavenly Tribulation is like.¡± Chapter 204 - Chapter 204: Chapter 66 The Might of the Heavenly Tribulation Chapter 204: Chapter 66 The Might of the Heavenly Tribulation Heavenly Tribulation, the thing all cultivators fear the most. Though the path of cultivation is full of many hardships, if one is cautious and lays low, it¡¯s not impossible to avoid risks. But the three Heavenly Tribulations¡ªCore Condensation Tribulation, Embryo Formation Tribulation, and Ascension Tribulation¡ªare unavoidable for every cultivator. The higher the quality of the Golden Core, the more the power of the Heavenly Tribulation multiplies, to the extent that the survival rate for high-rank Heavenly Tribulations is much lower than that of lower ones¡­ It must be known, those who achieve a higher Golden Core grade are without exception the elite disciples of the major sects, each of them blessed with certain fortunes, truly the chosen ones! It can only be said that cultivation is ultimately an act against the heavens. The more capable the cultivator, the more likely they are to perish during the Heavenly Tribulation, which is really the Heavenly Dao redistributing wealth by its own hand. The essence of the Heavenly Tribulation is the Thunder Method. Qiu Changtian¡¯s cultivation of the ¡°Five Thunder True Law,¡± one of which is the Heavenly Thunder, is identical to the Tribulation Lightning, and may come in various rich forms, such as metal, wood, water, fire, earth, wind, light, sound, darkness, smoke¡­ but it is definitely of the Thunder Method nature. As for the power of the Thunder Method, there¡¯s no need to say much. Just look at the absurd bounty the Demon Cult has placed on Qiu Changtian¡¯s head, one can see the strong sense of fear behind it. And the lightning of the Heavenly Tribulation, both in scale and intensity, far surpasses the Thunder Method that cultivators can employ. Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian stood atop the snow peak, watching Xu Changqing, who was seated in the distant snow valley. This place is known as the ¡°Thunder Tribulation Valley¡± of Kunlun, where generations of cultivators mostly choose to overcome their tribulations. As a result, the surroundings of the valley¡¯s bottom have been nearly flattened by Heavenly Tribulations, and every so often, they expand yet again. ¡°Senior Brother,¡± Xu Yinglian said in a low voice, the mountain wind making her Daoist robe rustle loudly. She tucked her windblown hair behind her ears, then hugged her arms tight: ¡°I¡¯m somewhat afraid.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Qiu Changtian was somewhat surprised, unable to imagine this strong-willed junior sister suddenly showing such a weak emotion. The Kunlun Mirror quickly removed the invincible character setting, only to hear Xu Yinglian continue: ¡°I worry whether Great Grandfather will survive the Heavenly Tribulation.¡± ¡°Worrying is of no use,¡± Qiu Changtian said gently. ¡°But I believe that Senior Brother Xu would not do something if he weren¡¯t confident.¡± ¡°Facing the Heavenly Tribulation, who can be sure of themselves?¡± Xu Yinglian said somberly. ¡°Cultivation itself is an act against the heavens,¡± Qiu Changtian said. ¡°But I¡¯ve heard that if one dies under the Heavenly Tribulation, it¡¯s not just a matter of being crushed to pieces but also of the soul disintegrating, not entering reincarnation,¡± Xu Yinglian said. ¡°Is Junior Sister Xu afraid?¡± Qiu Changtian glanced at her obliquely. However, without the aura of the invincible character setting, that glance lacked any provocative power and was instantly seen through by Xu Yinglian¡¯s Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart. She knew her senior brother was using reverse psychology to boost her spirits, so she responded with a light smile: ¡°How could I not be afraid? I too will have to face the Heavenly Tribulation someday, and it might even be the Second Grade Golden Core Tribulation~¡± ¡°Second Grade Golden Core¡­¡± Qiu Changtian was speechless and smiled wryly, swallowing the rest of his words. It could only be said, if you¡¯re happy, that¡¯s all that matters. ¡°But,¡± Xu Yinglian paused for a moment, then continued, ¡°fear or not, one still has to keep moving forward. The so-called pursuit of the Dao is probably just that.¡± ¡­Perhaps it¡¯s because I¡¯m even more afraid of being left behind that I mock myself in my heart. ¡°Junior Sister¡¯s words resonate deeply with me,¡± Qiu Changtian said approvingly, echoing the ¡°sect spirit¡± of the Kunlun Taiqing Sect. ¡°No time to talk, the Heavenly Tribulation is about to start,¡± Xu Yinglian shifted her gaze toward the sky. The sky, which had been clear and transparent, now bore large swaths of dense clouds; within them, lightning flickered and thunder rumbled ominously. The brilliant arcs of electricity were almost the size of mountain peaks, presenting a terrifying sight. ¡°What kind of lightning is that?¡± Xu Yinglian asked in alarm, her voice quivering with an uncontrollable tremor. ¡°Plain Cloud Golden Lightning,¡± Qiu Changtian said gravely, ¡°It¡¯s approaching the power of a Second Grade Golden Core Heavenly Tribulation.¡± No sooner had he spoken than the golden lightning arced down like a violent storm, sending them both hastily retreating on their swords into the air. Striking the valley floor, the Plain Cloud Golden Lightning¡¯s shockwave spread rapidly, shaking the airborne Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian so much that they nearly lost their balance and struggled to maintain it. Looking back, the peak where they had just been standing had been sheared off by the shockwave. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the range of the Heavenly Tribulation to be so far¡­ Watch out!¡± Xu Yinglian suddenly shouted a warning. Several strands of Plain Cloud Golden Lightning had transformed into huge electric serpents that were slashing down from the edges of the tempest clouds toward them. Without hesitation, Xu Yinglian formed a hand seal and quickly released Great Bright Fire from her mouth and nose, instantly enveloping the sky above. However, the electric serpents tore through the wall of flames like knives shredding fragile cloth and continued to descend toward them¡ªuntil they were slowed to a visible speed by being struck by a massive spirit talisman made of spiritual energy. ¡°Your rank is too low!¡± Qiu Changtian said as he continued to cast the Supreme Jasper Spiritual Talisman to slow down the Heavenly Thunder, pulling back Xu Yinglian, who was ready to release more Great Bright Fire, ¡°The strength of True Qi at the Marrow Cleansing Rank isn¡¯t enough to confront the Heavenly Tribulation head-on!¡± Xu Yinglian, pulled backward by him, saw the electric serpents tearing through one spirit talisman only to get trapped in another. With reluctance, she had to admit that her own strength at the Marrow Cleansing Rank was insufficient against the Third Grade Golden Core Heavenly Tribulation. They retreated to a safe area in a single breath, and only then did the electric serpents cease their pursuit, turning back to attack Xu Changqing at the valley floor instead. Looking again at the elder brother Xu, he seemed to have adopted the same countermeasures as Qiu Changtian: using the sealing abilities of the Supreme Jasper Spiritual Talisman to bind and weaken a large number of electric serpents. Yet, more and more Tribulation Lightning began to break free from the bond of the spirit talismans, continuing their ferocious assault on Xu Changqing. ¡°Watch carefully,¡± Qiu Changtian suddenly said. Xu Yinglian looked intently only to see Xu Changqing in the center of the valley, his right hand constantly casting spirit talismans, while his feet began to move in mysterious steps, just in time to dodge the Tribulation Lightning, causing them to create large craters in the ground as they missed. ¡°Is that¡­ a Formation?¡± Xu Yinglian asked uncertainly. ¡°A pre-arranged Formation,¡± Qiu Changtian replied, ¡°The time and location to confront the Heavenly Tribulation can be chosen, it would be a pity not to use formations.¡± ¡°But I¡¯ve heard that if one relies on the power of a formation, the intensity of the Heavenly Tribulation would increase with the strength of the formation,¡± Xu Yinglian said with nervous apprehension. ¡°To put it precisely, a cultivator cannot rely completely on formations,¡± Qiu Changtian corrected her, his gaze fixed intently on the center of the valley, ¡°Look closely, for the weaker lightnings, he chooses to defend with the Flying Sword.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Xu Yinglian focused her look and noted that indeed, Xu Changqing was executing the layered tactics as Qiu Changtian had described. The main force of the Heavenly Tribulation was being delayed and bound by the Supreme Jasper Spiritual Talisman. This Daoist technique, derived from the ¡°Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra,¡± was an indisputable method passed down through the disciples of the Kunlun Sect Leaders for countering the Heavenly Tribulation. As for the Tribulation Lightnings that broke through the bindings, the larger ones were deflected or dodged using formations, while the smaller ones were countered directly with the Flying Sword or Magical Treasures. ¡°How long can this hold?¡± Xu Yinglian said dryly, her expression showcasing utmost concern, ¡°The Supreme Jasper Spiritual Talisman merely delays the descent of the main force of the Heavenly Tribulation, it doesn¡¯t dissipate them¡­¡± Before she finished speaking, a great number of electric serpents furiously descended, surpassing the critical point of the talisman¡¯s binding and instantly engulfing Xu Changqing¡¯s figure! Chapter 205 - Chapter 205: Chapter 67 Foundation Establishment Realm, Chief Disciple! Chapter 205: Chapter 67 Foundation Establishment Realm, Chief Disciple! Xu Yinglian¡¯s face turned pale. As a member of a Cultivating Immortality family, she had long understood the terrifying nature of Heavenly Tribulation from various ancient texts. However, it was only when she truly witnessed the Heavenly Tribulation before her that she realized all the records in the ancient texts had severely downplayed its actual power. Each bout of Tribulation Lightning was a thick electric serpent, capable of easily tearing through all kinds of Daoist Magic, and could only be shattered with a high-rank Immortal Sword or a powerful Magical Treasure. And there were hundreds, if not thousands, of such bolts of Lightning at the same time¡­ As the tribulation clouds grew denser, the serpentine lightning became even more intense, forcing Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian to retreat once again, to avoid being harmed by the tribulation¡¯s aftermath. The means Xu Changqing had used to deal with the Lightning were also gradually overwhelmed by more and more electric serpents, eventually disappearing completely from both their sight. ¡°Great-grandfather, he¡­¡± Xu Yinglian hesitated to ask. ¡°He¡¯s still alive,¡± Qiu Changtian consoled her, ¡°otherwise the Heavenly Tribulation wouldn¡¯t still be continuing.¡± ¡°But isn¡¯t he nearing his limit?¡± Xu Yinglian asked anxiously. By this time, the two had retreated nearly twenty miles away, only to see that the tribulation clouds in the distance had pressed extremely low, and the valley¡¯s floor was almost unseen, completely covered by an ongoing, intensely brilliant ¡°lava ocean.¡± In fact, it was an almost limitless accumulation of the terrifying disaster created by layer upon layer of Plain Cloud Golden Lightning. Within a few miles of the ocean¡¯s periphery, all the Snow Peaks had been melted and scorched by the immense heat, revealing almost glass-like, dazzling colors on the surface, and the ground continued to tremble incessantly. The air above was filled with an ominous gale, the hot air from the Heavenly Tribulation rising and causing turbulence, tossing about the two on their Flying Swords. Qiu Changtian silently watched that ocean, and after a moment of silent estimation, he realized the scale of this Heavenly Tribulation could almost be compared to a nuclear explosion. And it was the kind of concentrated explosion that involved bombarding the target area with continuous blasts¡­ Is this unreasonable thing what I will have to face when undergoing my Core Condensation Tribulation? No, no, no, when I face my Core Condensation Tribulation, the Pill Formation will likely reach the Second Grade, and the corresponding Heavenly Tribulation will probably be unsolvable! He pondered with mixed feelings, while Xu Yinglian was wide-eyed, staring at the apocalyptic scene of the horrific Heavenly Tribulation. With such a terrifying Heavenly Tribulation, do I even have hope of overcoming it? For a moment, her will wavered and, almost involuntarily, her eyes flicked to her Senior Brother beside her, only to see Qiu Changtian¡¯s handsome profile marked by surprise and deep thought, but no sign of worry or fear. Junior Sister Xu immediately felt as if she had found her pillar of strength, and somewhat mysteriously, her confidence was restored. After years of competing with her Senior Brother, she had developed an almost conditioned instinctive response: If Senior Brother can do it, why can¡¯t I? I can do it too, and I must, even if I seem unable! This kind of thought did not require any logical support. In short, if Senior Brother can¡¯t do something, I may or may not be able to; but if Senior Brother can do it, then I must be able to do it too! And I have to do it even better than him. Thus, all the worries and anxiety were transformed into full-blown fighting spirit. Qiu Changtian was puzzled, noticing how Junior Sister Xu¡¯s face had initially been pale, but somehow, her spirits suddenly lifted, and he couldn¡¯t help but murmur to himself, this Junior Sister is really something. The Heavenly Tribulation lasted for about three hours, and as the tribulation clouds gradually dispersed, the ¡°lava ocean¡± below also began to dry up slowly. A stream of azure light shot from afar; it was the arrival of the Ziwei Master, who crossed above their heads in an instant and flew towards the center of Thunder Tribulation Valley. Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian exchanged a glance and then followed suit on their Flying Swords. Upon arriving in the center of Thunder Tribulation Valley, they saw Xu Changqing, who was covered in blood, sitting on the ground, his face tinged with a greenish-purple blackness, constantly casting the Universal Pure Tone Minor Illumination Technique on himself. Scattered around him on the ground were all manner of fragments¡ªmagical treasures, Flying Swords, array flags¡­ Most had turned to dust under the Heavenly Thunder, with only a few remnants left that still bore glowing traces of spiritual power. Having experience with artifact forging at the Heavenly Craft Workshop, Luo Yan could make a rough estimate at a glance: the number of magic artifacts destroyed in the Heavenly Tribulation was no fewer than fifty. On one hand, it showed the financial strength of The Xu Family of Southern Heaven; on the other hand, with so many magical treasures and Flying Swords used, Xu Senior Brother still ended up in this state after the tribulation? How many magic artifacts would I need to prepare for my own Second Grade Golden Core Tribulation in the future? A hundred? Two hundred? It¡¯s useless if they¡¯re not of high enough grade¡­ He silently calculated in his mind only to see the Ziwei Master cast a few spells, and Xu Changqing¡¯s complexion immediately improved significantly. ¡°Master,¡± Xu Yinglian asked softly. ¡°He¡¯s fine,¡± the Ziwei Master said indifferently. ¡°His foundation is severely damaged. It¡¯s already fortunate that he¡¯s alive. He will need to go into seclusion to recuperate for a while.¡± Xu Yinglian visibly relaxed, while Qiu Changtian watched Xu Changqing¡¯s complexion and thought to himself that this ¡°for a while¡± would be at least a decade. ¡°From today,¡± the Ziwei Master turned towards Qiu Changtian, pointing with the handle of a horsetail whisk, ¡°you are the Chief Disciple of the Foundation Establishment Realm.¡± ¡°Disciple is undeserving,¡± Qiu Changtian said with a clasped-hand salute. The Ziwei Master didn¡¯t give him a chance to continue being modest and simply waved his hand. Then, wrapping Xu Changqing in a light of sword, he left a message before flying in the direction of the Kunlun Heavenly Pillar: ¡°This matter is concluded. Hurry to the Kunlun ancestral hall to receive the rites!¡± As the sword light disappeared into the sky, Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian exchanged a look. Junior Sister Xu then sighed and said: ¡°Congratulations, Senior Brother.¡± ¡°Congratulations to us both,¡± Qiu Changtian said modestly. With Qiu Changtian becoming the Chief Disciple of the Foundation Establishment Realm, he would be able to receive personal consultation from the Ziwei Master, which would lead to a qualitative leap in his understanding of the Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra. Xu Yinglian and the other junior sisters and brothers usually had their questions answered by Senior Brother Qiu, who would naturally also benefit greatly from this¡ªhence the saying, ¡°When one man attains Dao, his poultry and dogs ascend to heaven.¡± After escorting Junior Sister Xu back to Golden Ridge Cave Abode, Yan Zhitui and others had also received the news and came over to congratulate the new Chief Disciple: ¡°Congratulations to Senior Brother Qiu on taking the position of Chief Disciple of the Foundation Establishment Realm.¡± ¡°Senior Brother Qiu is now truly the ¡®great senior brother,¡¯ isn¡¯t he?¡± Qiu Changtian nodded and thanked each of them, chatting and laughing with his junior brothers and sisters. Xu Yinglian stood to the side with her lips pursed, simply smiling faintly. Her great-grandfather Xu Changqing had successfully overcome the Heavenly Tribulation, and Senior Brother Qiu had become the Chief Disciple of the Foundation Establishment Realm. With double happiness gracing them, her mood was also extremely joyful. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Seeing the happiness on her face, the junior brothers and sisters who were unaware of her and the newly appointed Chief Disciple¡¯s grandparent-grandchild relationship thought to themselves how concerned Junior Sister Xu was for Senior Brother Qiu, wondering how far their relationship had progressed¡­ After bidding farewell to the junior brothers and sisters, Qiu Changtian proceeded to fly on his sword towards the Kunlun Heavenly Pillar. According to the sect¡¯s regulations, the current Chief Disciple was mainly responsible for internal affairs, but the Chief Disciples of the Foundation Establishment Realm and the Golden Core Realm had to shoulder some of the sect¡¯s external responsibilities, hence the need to formally receive the rites in the ancestral hall. Arriving at the ancient Kunlun ancestral hall in the Jade Void Palace, Qiu Changtian was surprised to see not only the Ziwei Master present, but most of the Nascent Soul Elders as well, and even several sect Guest Elders who were usually as elusive as divine dragons. They had all gathered in the hall, engaging in pleasantries and casual conversation with the other elders. It wasn¡¯t for any other reason but to meet the newly advanced Chief Disciple, a once in a millennium peerless genius with a Daoist Heart of Clarity! Chapter 206 - Chapter 206: Chapter 68, Chief Disciple Appointed, Meeting with the Ancestral Master Chapter 206: Chapter 68, Chief Disciple Appointed, Meeting with the Ancestral Master ¡°Qiu Changtian, the 280th generation disciple, assumes the position of the Chief Disciple of the Foundation Establishment Realm from today. Ancestors above, please take note,¡± the Ziwei Master said solemnly as he inserted three sticks of incense into the burner with great reverence. The sound echoed in the ancestral hall, where the elders all had solemn expressions on their faces. Outside of Kunlun, within the countless cave abodes, the various leaders also had a sense of awareness; as they lifted their heads, they knew that the position of Chief Disciple in the Foundation Establishment Realm of Kunlun had been transferred. As the ceremony for the Chief Disciple concluded, the Ziwei Master waved his horsetail whisk, and a Daoist robe and a Daoist crown floated towards Qiu Changtian, landing in his embrace. The Daoist robe, called the ¡°Star Orbs Shift Robe,¡± felt as smooth as silk to the touch, yet upon closer inspection, there were no visible seams; in style, it was nearly identical to the robes worn by the Inner Sect Disciples of Kunlun, with hardly any noticeable difference. Only embroidered on the back was a map of the constellations, which included the ¡°Four Symbols Constellation Formation Method¡± that held special defensive and life-preserving qualities¡ªIt was said that in his most critical moment, Xu Changqing had activated the Four Symbols Star Constellation Formation Method on the robe to narrowly survive amidst a molten sea formed by tribulation lightning. Considering how, during his ordeal of transcending the heavenly tribulation, Xu Changqing¡¯s array of magical treasures and Flying Swords were all destroyed, yet this robe remained intact without even a scorch mark, one could understand its extraordinary nature. The Daoist crown was named ¡°Sun and Moon Essence-Gathering Crown,¡± and similarly to the crowns worn by the Inner Sect Disciples, it had the same outer shape; however, the front was embroidered with the sun in silver threads and the back with the moon, concealing two layers of Daoist magic that could be activated: One was the ¡°Great Sun Wheel Method,¡± which upon activation could revive the dead and restore white bones¡ªthe divine technique for regenerating blood and extending life. The other was the ¡°Illusory Moon Reflection Method,¡± which upon activation could stabilize the soul and ward off mental attacks. One for healing and blood regeneration, the other for dispelling negative states, coupled with the robe¡¯s Four Symbols Constellation Formation Method, essentially meant that once the Chief Disciple of the Foundation Establishment Realm donned this attire, his ability to survive would increase manifold instantly. After reflecting for a moment, Qiu Changtian realized the intended design of the robe and crown was to allow the Chief Disciple to focus on breathing and qi refinement, to concentrate fully on advancing his cultivation level without having to worry about whether he could stand his ground against others in magical competition. ¡°Now go change in the back hall, then enter the inner hall to meet the Ancestors,¡± the Ziwei Master instructed. Qiu Changtian respectfully complied without a word, then holding the Daoist robe and crown, he headed into the back hall. In a secluded corner where no one else was present, he changed into the clothes symbolizing the Chief Disciple of the Foundation Establishment Realm and pulled out the Yu Long Sword, examining his own reflection against the bright and flawless blade. Not bad, dignified and imposing¡ªI am worthy of the title, and the majesty of the Chief Disciple was immediately evident. Gathering his sleeves, Qiu Changtian strode majestically towards the depths of the back hall. This ancestral hall was not normally open to the public, and he had never been here before; he had only heard people mention that it seemed to contain the spiritual tablets of many great Ancestors from the Clarify Cult. Passing by the long table of spiritual tablets, Qiu Changtian saw a door at the end. Upon opening the door, the view suddenly expanded before him; he had unexpectedly come outside. Just three paces ahead was the edge of a cliff, below which was an endless sea of clouds, quite similar to the secret realm of the Divine Palace of the Queen Mother of the West. There was also a stone staircase leading from the edge of the cliff all the way to the top of a certain mountain peak opposite. Underneath the stone staircase, there seemed to be no support of any kind, as if defying gravity, it floated in mid-air. With a slight curl of his lip, Qiu Changtian cautiously stepped onto the first stair to test its stability. Indeed, it was stable, with no shaking at all. Considering the length of the staircase, it was likely some form of Immortal Law Restriction that did not follow the laws of physics, so there was no need to worry about it collapsing midway. Qiu Changtian continued to ascend, feeling the weather around him was excellent¡ªsunny and breezy, completely different from the cutting winds above the snow peaks of Kunlun. The stone steps under his feet were also firmly supportive, easily holding up his weight. When he reached the top of the stone staircase, Qiu Changtian saw that the summit was not very spacious and only had a solitary small temple. An elderly man was sitting on a stone bench in front of the hall, staring blankly at a stone table. On the stone table, intersecting lines carved out a Go chessboard, dotted with black and white stones in an intricately staggered layout, seemingly equally matched. The old man stroked his beard with his left hand, using his right hand to place a white stone first, then a black one, followed by another white one, murmuring, ¡°Hold on, let the old Daoist finish this game of chess¡­¡± Qiu Changtian bowed in salute and then stood respectfully to one side without looking at the chessboard, remaining silent. If this were any other novel¡¯s protagonist, this would be the moment when the male lead nonchalantly gives a few pointers on the game, leading the old man to ponder for a moment before being struck with astonishment, looking at him with new eyes¡­ But unfortunately, Qiu Changtian didn¡¯t know how to play Go. Even if he did, he wouldn¡¯t be able to grasp this old man¡¯s personality. What if the latter was the type who didn¡¯t like interference; wouldn¡¯t his good intentions backfire? Fortunately, the old man didn¡¯t keep him waiting; after thirty or forty moves, the outcome on the chessboard became clear. Sweeping across the chessboard with a wave of his long sleeve, making all the pieces vanish, the old man then turned around and smiled, ¡°Very good, you¡¯re sensible. Are you the new Chief Disciple of the Foundation Establishment Realm?¡± ¡°I have seen the Patriarch,¡± Qiu Changtian hurriedly bent down to salute, ¡°Your junior¡­¡± ¡°No need, no need,¡± said the old man, beaming, ¡°It is rare to encounter someone whose Daoist Heart is as clear as yours; I would surely know.¡± He gestured towards the inner hall, saying, ¡°Go ahead. Seeing that you didn¡¯t disturb my mood, I¡¯ll give you a hint: if you find yourself inadequate, feel free to rest.¡± Qiu Changtian: ??? What does that mean? To just sleep through difficulties? Nevertheless, the old man didn¡¯t seem inclined to explain further, just waving his sleeve, and the doors of the small hall opened. Qiu Changtian quickly stepped inside and saw that the hall wasn¡¯t very large, approximately thirty square meters. At the front, by the wall, there was an altar with the divine image of ¡°Taiqing Realm¡¯s Great Red Heavenly Virtue Celestial Honored One.¡± In front of the altar was a worn meditation cushion, its purpose obvious. Taiqing, Yuqing, and Shangqing, the ancestral halls of the Clarify Cult¡¯s Three Pure Ones, weren¡¯t devoted to any historical figures of great ability, but rather to anthropomorphic representations of the Great Dao. Therefore, Qiu Changtian knelt down without any psychological burden and began to silently pray: ¡°Disciple Qiu Changtian, currently the Chief Disciple of the Foundation Establishment Realm of the Kunlun Taiqing Sect, prays for the Patriarch¡¯s blessing¡­¡± With this thought, he suddenly became aware of a mysterious force descending from nowhere, beginning to invade his Dantian. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only To be precise, after this force infiltrated the Jade Mansion, it quickly began to rotate his Qi Sea¡¯s True Yuan and continuously soaked and repaired the damaged inner walls of his Jade Mansion. Kneeling here can actually increase my Refining Mansion Cultivation! Qiu Changtian was overjoyed and promptly coordinated the circulation of his energy, speeding up his cultivation. However, as more of the mysterious force infiltrated, he began to feel as if he were losing control of his body, and his mind became groggy. Instinctively, he wanted to bite his tongue to maintain consciousness, but then he recalled the old man¡¯s advice outside and relaxed imperceptibly, quickly succumbing to the overwhelming drowsiness that overtook his consciousness. Chapter 207 - Chapter 207: Chapter 69: The Whereabouts of the Second Heaven-Mending Stone Fragment Chapter 207: Chapter 69: The Whereabouts of the Second Heaven-Mending Stone Fragment All chief disciples of the Foundation Establishment Realm throughout Kunlun¡¯s history had an unknown benefit. That was, after their inauguration, they could visit the deeply situated Heaven¡¯s Gate Hall in the ancestral shrine to pay respect to the Taiqing Heavenly Venerable. The ancient image of Taiqing Heavenly Venerable here is not an ordinary clay or wooden idol, but an ancient artifact that has been handed down from before the Clarify Cult. It could bestow the worshiper a one-time ¡°Enlightenment Baptism,¡± which would greatly advance their current cultivation realm. Theoretically, regardless of what realm a cultivator is in, they could gain an almost enormous boost through this enlightenment. In reality, to attain enlightenment in the Refining Mansion phase of the Foundation Establishment Realm is the most cost-effective, because whether the foundation at the Refining Mansion phase is solid or not directly determines the Grade Rank of Core Formation. And the Grade Rank of a Golden Core limits the maximum Grade Rank of a Nascent Soul, and even the maximum limit of Feather Transformation and ascension to the Immortal Realm¡­ It is indeed like the foundational cornerstone of a high tower of cultivation, none can afford to be careless. If a Kunlun cultivator with relatively good innate talent starts cultivating at the age of ten, spends forty years on Qi Refinement, ten years on Marrow Cleansing, and uses all remaining time for Refining Mansion, One¡¯s lifespan wouldn¡¯t exceed two hundred years without reaching a Golden Core. By the age of one hundred and ninety, that roughly equates to one hundred and thirty years in the Refining Mansion stage. As long as one becomes the chief disciple of the Foundation Establishment Realm and then visits the Heaven¡¯s Gate Hall to pay respects to the ancient image of Taiqing Heavenly Venerable, one can attain seventy years of Refining Mansion cultivation in one enlightenment. Altogether, that makes two hundred years, just reaching the threshold of a Third Grade Golden Core¡ªthis is also why the Grade Rank of Core Formation for all chief disciples of Kunlun¡¯s Foundation Establishment Realm throughout history has never been below Third Grade. To rise further to a Second Grade Golden Core, one would need to double the cultivation level in the Refining Mansion to four hundred years, which requires a variety of serendipitous encounters, and isn¡¯t something that can be forced without being the chosen one. Ling Yunpo, when he entered the Refining Mansion stage in the Demon Locking Tower, took into account the acceleration from the Cloud Sea Empty Cocoon, had one hundred and thirty years of mortal life left. Setting aside ten years as a precaution, that means one could still laboriously cultivate for one hundred and twenty years. Adding sixty years from the Mercurial Elixir Liquid, thirty years from the Cloud Sea Empty Cocoon, and seventy years of enlightenment from the Kunlun Heavenly Pillar Hall, that makes a total of two hundred and eighty years of arduous cultivation, leaving a gap of one hundred and twenty years from the Second Grade Golden Core¡­ Qiu Changtian suddenly awoke from enlightenment, quickly inspected his inner self, and discovered that his Purple Mansion was nearly immaculate, already possessing the basic outline of the Jade Mansion. This meant he was close to reaching the threshold of a High Grade Golden Core. He rose from his meditation mat, respectfully bowed to the ancient image of Taiqing Heavenly Venerable to express his gratitude. There still was a gap of one hundred and twenty years, Luo Yan from Yuqing View needs to start exerting effort now. He must first let Elder Shi Ding know and accept the fact that he himself had advanced to the Refining Mansion stage in an adequately reasonable way, then begin inquiring about methods to advance his Refining Mansion cultivation. The expectation was to at least advance for a cycle of sixty years! The remaining gap would be filled by Wei Dongliu from there. Second Grade Golden Core, charge, charge, charge! Leaving the Heaven¡¯s Gate Hall, Qiu Changtian once again bowed in gratitude to the old Taoist outside the hall. ¡°There is no need for such formalities.¡± The old Taoist chuckled, ¡°With your natural talent and aptitude, this position of chief disciple is well deserved; I dare not take credit for it.¡± ¡°I also thank the ancestor for the reminder,¡± Qiu Changtian earnestly said. With his emotional intelligence, it was not difficult for him to guess that the amiable old Taoist in front of him was the legendary guardian immortal of the Kunlun Taiqing Sect¡ª otherwise, who would have the power to guard the Heaven¡¯s Gate Hall here? Wasn¡¯t he afraid that other powerful beings would steal the ancient image of Taiqing Heavenly Venerable? After exchanging a few words with the old Taoist to make a good first impression, Qiu Changtian bid farewell and left. On his way back along the stone steps to the Kunlun Heavenly Pillar and entering the back hall of the ancestral shrine, he suddenly heard the Kunlun Mirror softly call out: ¡°Chen Guanshui¡­¡± Qiu Changtian: ? It took him quite a while to realize that this was his name before he had transmigrated to this world. This is the only name I truly acknowledge, the ¡°true name¡± that represents my real identity. Really, having worn so many different masks for such a long time, I¡¯ve even started to get a bit fuzzy on what my true face looks like under them. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Ah Jing?¡± Chen Guanshui asked patiently. ¡°A fragment of the Heaven-Mending Stone.¡± The Kunlun Mirror spoke slowly, ¡°I just sensed it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s in that old Daoist¡¯s¡­ the basket holding the black chess pieces.¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Chen Guanshui was somewhat speechless. The fragments of the Heaven-Mending Stone had split into six pieces; the whereabouts of four had already been ascertained, each located within the Kunlun Taiqing Sect, Shushan Shangqing Faction, Penglai Yuqing View, and the Demon Cult¡¯s Hell Path. Among them, the two fragments in Kunlun and Shushan were in the hands of the Sect Guardian Immortal, the Supreme Elder. On closer thought, it seemed that the owner of such an innate strange object like the Heaven-Mending Stone could hardly be an ordinary mortal. Ah Jing, Ah Jing, you¡¯re being inhumane! You want me to obtain fragments of the Heaven-Mending Stone from immortals, and not just from one, you you you¡­ ¡°Alright, alright.¡± The Kunlun Mirror said dejectedly, ¡°There¡¯s no helping it. Besides, I didn¡¯t set a time limit for you.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it a thousand years?¡± Chen Guanshui said, at a loss for words. ¡°That limit wasn¡¯t set by me either.¡± The Kunlun Mirror defended staunchly, ¡°If the heavens are falling, what¡¯s that got to do with me? Go blame the heavens then.¡± ¡°How did Lady Nuwa repair the heavens back then?¡± Chen Guanshui grumbled resentfully, ¡°Was it a shoddy job?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a quality issue, it¡¯s because when the Heavenly Sphere intersected, the Mortal Realm and the Immortal Realm separated¡­¡± The Kunlun Mirror began explaining, then stopped short, saying, ¡°In any case, knowing the reason now won¡¯t help you, you¡¯re better off thinking of a remedy.¡± ¡°What other remedy could there be?¡± Chen Guanshui retorted, ¡°Unless I turn around now, report everything to the ancestral masters of the immortals, and ask them to figure out a way to mend the heavens.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± The Kunlun Mirror snorted coldly, ¡°Whether he¡¯ll mend the heavens or not is another matter, but you definitely won¡¯t be able to keep me safe, so you can say goodbye to your ¡®Daoist Heart Clarity,¡¯ ¡®Innate Sword Bone,¡¯ and other peerless talents.¡± Chen Guanshui:¡­¡­ His mood at this moment could only be summed up by a common plant. For the Kunlun Mirror, a Supreme Elder of a cultivation sect was undoubtedly harder to control than a multi-faced spy; if they decided not to save the world, what could it do? It told Chen Guanshui that gathering the six fragments of the Heaven-Mending Stone could repair the rift in the heavens and save the world. What it didn¡¯t tell Chen Guanshui was that even with just one fragment of the Heaven-Mending Stone, although it wasn¡¯t enough to mend the sky, it was more than sufficient to protect the land of an entire province. The fragments of the Heaven-Mending Stone were, after all, strange objects of sealing enchantments nearly at the same rank as the Great Way! Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only These Supreme Elders of the cultivation sects, if they knew the true reality of the apocalypse, would they choose to make the effort to collect the fragments and save the world, or would they choose to use the single fragment they had to first protect their own sect¡­ The Kunlun Mirror neither knew nor wished to know. The only thing it knew was that aside from Chen Guanshui, whose fate lay beyond this world, no one else could stop the preset destruction. ¡°Cough, I was just joking.¡± Chen Guanshui said awkwardly, ¡°How could I possibly hand you over, Ah Jing? You are my life-bound magical treasure after all!¡± ¡°Do I need to show humor in response to your joke?¡± The Kunlun Mirror said dryly, ¡°Hahaha.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s think long-term!¡± Chen Guanshui immediately made amends, ¡°The fragment of the Heaven-Mending Stone from the Kunlun Taiqing Sect is a must-have for me!¡± Chapter 209 - Chapter 209: Chapter 1: The Rival Isnt Really a Rival Chapter 209: Chapter 1: The Rival Isn¡¯t Really a Rival Luo Yan always believed that if it weren¡¯t for Shi Liuli¡¯s existence, life here at Yuqing View would be much easier. He could leisurely practice his breathing and Qi Refinement, freely study Formation knowledge, calmly work on raising his master¡¯s favorability towards him, and surreptitiously inquire about the whereabouts of the Heaven-Mending Stone fragments¡ªmost likely held by the Immortal Cultivator in charge of Yuqing View. He had ample experience in this area. Instead of frolicking with Miss Shi every single day! ¡°Little Junior Brother, hurry up and hand me the Spirit Grass!¡± Shi Liuli urged. Luo Yan could only pick up the basket, grab a handful of Nine-sectioned Calamus from inside, and pass it over. ¡°Good boy, good boy,¡± Shi Liuli cooed as she fed it, caressing the Nine-colored Deer¡¯s beautiful fur, her eyes filled with love for the fluffy creature. The Nine-colored Deer chewed on the Spirit Grass silently, then slowly raised its head, casting Luo Yan a look of aged helplessness. With just a glance, Luo Yan understood that this Nine-colored Deer was not enjoying Miss Shi¡¯s petting. It was being forced to put on an act. ¡°Senior Sister,¡± he tentatively said, ¡°even though the Nine-colored Deer is a Spirit Beast raised by our sect, it still has its own pride. Treating it like a cat, stroking it this way, could this not make it feel humiliated¡­¡± ¡°Shut up, Little Junior Brother,¡± Shi Liuli said irritably, then grinned and asked, ¡°But it likes me, doesn¡¯t it, little deer?¡± The Nine-colored Deer stared at the Spirit Grass in her hand, seeming to make an extremely difficult decision, before finally nodding its head. Luo Yan also sighed inwardly. Life is hard, let alone for a deer, huh? After feeding the Nine-colored Deer, the two found an open space by the clear stream. Luo Yan set up the grill and placed a three-legged cauldron underneath it. This three-legged cauldron, originally a magical treasure used by Alchemists to generate flames, why use it for barbecue? Because Miss Shi is rich. Shi Liuli took out a large chunk of beef, carefully sliced it with her Flying Sword, then began to smear it with sea salt and other seasonings for a heavy marinade. Since she shifted her primary cultivation from the Qi Refining Technique to the ¡°Five Latitudes Heavenly Secret Record,¡± Miss Shi had recently changed her Flying Sword as well. The new Flying Sword is called ¡°Moonfall,¡± a Tenth Rank Wood System Flying Sword with Daoist Magic sealed within¡­ not that Luo Yan knew, because as far as he could remember, every time it was used, it was utilized by Miss Shi to slice meat. If Moonfall had a Sword Spirit, it probably would have burned with rage to death by now. Although Shi Liuli was inexperienced in swordsmanship, her culinary skills had improved dramatically since returning from Gui Xu. In just a few swift motions, she sliced the marinated beef into countless thin pieces as delicate as cicada wings. Then, she placed them skillfully on the grill to roast. As the fragrance of the fat slowly wafted through the air, Luo Yan had to admit that Miss Shi wasn¡¯t entirely without virtues. At the very least, her barbecue skills were indeed exceptional. However, choosing a picnic spot remained as bizarre as ever¡­ While the scenery here was beautiful, it was, after all, the place within the sect where Spirit Grass was planted and Spirit Beasts were bred! It could only be said that Miss Shi wielded enormous power, and I, Luo Yan, was just a minor follower, having no say in the matter. Once the barbecue was complete, the two began their meal. Shi Liuli devoured her food with relish, grease smearing her mouth. Luo Yan took a small skewer and ate slowly, quietly circulating the True Yuan in his Dantian to Refine away the impurities in his stomach. Immortal Cultivator True Persons fast not to save on food expenses, but to avoid ingesting impurities. Beasts and birds feed on grains, which absorb the earth¡¯s impurities. The more one eats, the more impurities accumulate in the body, leading to aging and reduced lifespan. Someone like Shi Liuli, who indulged in the pleasures of food and drink, willing to put in the effort to Refine away the impurities just to enjoy eating and drinking, was truly a rare oddity among Cultivators. While I was happily enjoying the meal, I suddenly saw a sword light flash in the distance and a Daoist in a blue robe descended. ¡°Miss Shi,¡± the person greeted, ¡°and Brother Luo, what a refined pleasure to be tasting the mortal life here?¡± Luo Yan looked carefully and recognized that the Daoist was the son of the Sect Leader of Xuandu from Yuqing View, his surname Tian, with a single name, Zhang. While he bowed in greeting, Shi Liuli seemed somewhat unhappy and just kept her head down eating meat. Seeing that Shi Liuli was unwilling to engage with him, Tian Zhang started to chat with Luo Yan: ¡°I¡¯ve heard that Brother Luo has inherited Elder Shi Ding¡¯s formation methods. Even the other heavenly grottoes in the East Sea have been praising Brother Luo¡¯s expertise. People have even given you the nickname ¡®Little Ding True Person.¡¯ It seems that Heavenly Craft Workshop has a successor.¡± Hearing this, Luo Yan felt somewhat embarrassed. What is this ¡°Little Ding True Person¡±? I¡¯m not Elder Shi Ding¡¯s son! ¡°Brother Tian is too kind,¡± he said with clasped hands and humbly responded, ¡°I have only a superficial understanding of formations, far from reaching my master¡¯s level. The praise from other Daoists is really more than I deserve.¡± ¡°Not at all. I believe that there will certainly be a place for Brother Luo in Yuqing View in the future¡­¡± Tian Zhang continued to talk with a smile, noticing that Shi Liuli was completely uninterested, he covertly gestured to Luo Yan with his eyes, meaning ¡°Let¡¯s go over there and talk.¡± Luo Yan immediately pretended not to see. I would have to be foolish to go with you. What if you pull out a ¡®Rival-Killing Sword¡¯ move on me when we¡¯re alone? Who would I call for help then? Seeing that he seemed not to understand, Tian Zhang started to speak at great length, discussing the various factions within Yuqing View, the traditional friendship between the Sect Leader¡¯s lineage and the Heavenly Craft Workshop¡­ Shi Liuli rolled her eyes at that and simply picked up a skewer of meat and said to Luo Yan: ¡°You guys take your time, I¡¯ll excuse myself first.¡± As soon as Miss Shi left, Tian Zhang immediately revealed his true intentions, clutching Luo Yan¡¯s arm earnestly and pleading: ¡°Good brother, save me!¡± Luo Yan calmly withdrew his arm and said: ¡°Brother Tian is joking. How could I possibly be able to save you¡­?¡± ¡°All you need to do is become Daoist companions with Shi Liuli,¡± Tian Zhang blurted out quickly. Luo Yan: ??? ¡°Our Sect Leader¡¯s lineage has always been friendly with all the major factions within the View,¡± Tian Zhang sighed helplessly, ¡°and now that the Heavenly Craft Workshop is thriving, my father has the intention of having me form a good relationship with your sister, ideally to become in-laws with the Heavenly Craft Workshop.¡± After a long silence, Luo Yan asked: ¡°Is Brother Tian reluctant?¡± ¡°Brother Luo,¡± Tian Zhang then showed a bitter smile, ¡°if it were you, would you be willing to become Daoist companions with a female cultivator who you can¡¯t scold or hit, who spends money like water, lords over others, causes trouble everywhere, sneaks out of Yuqing View every few days to disrupt peaceful cultivation and bring chaos?¡± Luo Yan: ¡­¡­ Every word¡­every single word Brother Tian said! It hit right at the core of my heart! I, Luo Yan, have been a junior brother for so many years, thinking that the sorrow in my heart was known to no one. I never imagined that Brother Tian would understand me so well! ¡°Ahem.¡± He cleared his throat and said with difficulty, ¡°Actually, sister is not like what you imagine. Most of the time, she is gentle and considerate, virtuous and dutiful¡­¡± ¡°Brother Luo, would you dare to swear on your Daoist Heart?¡± Tian Zhang pressed relentlessly. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Luo Yan was immediately at a loss for words. ¡°If you become Daoist companions with your sister, my father will not force me to seek out Shi Liuli,¡± Tian Zhang paced back and forth, excitedly saying, ¡°For you, Brother Luo, it would mean going from being Elder Shi Ding¡¯s beloved disciple to his son-in-law, adding kinship upon kinship, and naturally taking over the Heavenly Craft Workshop in the future. Moreover, it would also be helping me out once, owing you a favor. Wouldn¡¯t that be wonderful?¡± Luo Yan gave a forced smile, thinking to himself that you would rather give up the position of successor to Heavenly Craft Workshop than become Daoist companions with Shi Liuli. Doesn¡¯t that say enough? Having been her junior brother for so many years, no matter how splendidly you paint the picture of becoming kin with her, you can¡¯t fool me. That¡¯s just preposterous! Chapter 210 - Chapter 210: Chapter 2: Elder Shi Dings Affirmation Chapter 210: Chapter 2: Elder Shi Ding¡¯s Affirmation After Tian Zhang had left, Shi Liuli finally returned leisurely, her face full of suspicion as she asked: ¡°What did that person say to you?¡± ¡°He said that although Senior Sister has the grace of an orchid and the heart of a reed, it¡¯s a pity she holds no affection for him, so he has given up hope,¡± Luo Yan creatively conveyed the message that ¡°the Sect Leader¡¯s son is not interested in you¡± in a tactful manner. ¡°Hmph,¡± Shi Liuli crossed her arms, ¡°at least he has some self-awareness. Why doesn¡¯t the Master of Xuandu?¡± Luo Yan broke out in a cold sweat. The other man just wanted to propose marriage, and you¡¯re already badmouthing an elder? I dread to think what you might dare to do next. One could only say that Tian Zhang¡¯s unwillingness to get involved was indeed well-founded. ¡°I¡¯ve lost my appetite; this is so disappointing.¡± With that, Shi Liuli walked away. ¡°Junior Brother, you clean up the stall.¡± Miss Shi went straight back, leaving Luo Yan to silently clean up everything before he pulled out the Peach Blossom Sword and fled. Upon returning to the Heavenly Craft Workshop, it was time for Elder Shi Ding¡¯s assignment review. This time the task was the ¡°Nine Curves Linked Formation,¡± which required setting up nine formations at once, all interconnected, touted as the strongest formation within the Foundation Establishment Realm. Unless the person entering the formation also understood the way of formations, or with overwhelming power disrupted all nine formations simultaneously, if even one formation was broken, the remaining eight would connect energies and slowly restore the broken formation, like a centipede that keeps moving despite being mortally wounded. After some careful thought, Luo Yan suddenly realized that this ¡°Nine Curves Linked Formation¡± was actually a simplified version of the ¡°Nine Curves Yellow River Formation¡± from ancient Intercepting Cult? With a slight pause, he directly flung his sleeves and planted the formation flags into the ground. Elder Shi Ding saw him act so boldly, starting without careful planning, and felt somewhat dissatisfied and disappointed in his heart. However, by the time Luo Yan laid out the fifteenth formation, Elder Shi Ding suddenly discerned the brilliance in it and couldn¡¯t help but widen his eyes in surprise and delight. Excellent, excellent, excellent! Truly worthy to inherit my mantle as a Direct Disciple. His proficiency in the way of formations has actually reached such a profound realm! Most of the formations below the Golden Core level are probably no longer a challenge for him. After Luo Yan finished setting up the Nine Curves Linked Formation in one go, Elder Shi Ding could hardly hide the joy on his face, and he said with a smile: ¡°Well done! Luo Yan, with your current mastery of formations, before you reach Core Formation, there¡¯s nothing much I can teach you,¡± he said. He took out a Jade Slip from his sleeve and tossed it to Luo Yan, saying: ¡°Inside are all the formations suitable for the Foundation Establishment Realm. From now on, focus on your Breathing and Qi Refinement. Simply take some free time to learn them all.¡± ¡°Thank you, Master,¡± Luo Yan carefully stowed away the Jade Slip, seeing Elder Shi Ding in such high spirits, he knew this was the best moment to speak, ¡°Master, I had an epiphany a few days ago and have entered the Refining Mansion stage.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Elder Shi Ding¡¯s eyes lit up, and he reached out to grab Luo Yan¡¯s wrist, probing with his Divine Sense. Ah Jing activated an Illusion Technique, disguising Luo Yan¡¯s Purple Mansion, which was almost at the level of Jade Mansion, to appear as if he had just entered the Refining Mansion stage not long ago. With a sweep of his Divine Sense, Elder Shi Ding was immediately overjoyed: ¡°Truly at the Refining Mansion stage? Wonderful! I originally thought I¡¯d wait another ten years, but it seems unnecessary now.¡± Luo Yan heaved a sigh of relief, seeing that his master had no suspicion and even seemed to have had plans in mind, and said with a smile: ¡°I leave it up to you to arrange, Master.¡± Come on, Yuqing View, bring on whatever opportunities, treasures, and secret realms that might accelerate my progression in the Refining Mansion stage. Throw them all at me without holding back! ¡°There¡¯s no need to rush,¡± Elder Shi Ding said with a chuckle, ¡°I told you before, to hurry and advance your cultivation level.¡± ¡°Mainly because the Sect Leader also has his eyes on Liuli, wanting to join our Heavenly Craft Workshop in marriage¡­ Now that you¡¯ve also entered the Refining Mansion stage, at least you have a fighting chance in terms of status.¡± Luo Yan: ??? Hold on, Master, when you said you ¡°intended to wait another ten years for me,¡± you weren¡¯t preparing to speed up my Refining Mansion stage; instead, you were planning to match me with Miss Shi? Recalling Elder Shi Ding¡¯s previous words, he couldn¡¯t help but feel troubled. ¡°However, as much as I favor you, the key still lies with Liuli¡¯s own feelings,¡± Elder Shi Ding nodded. ¡°At least for now, nobody seems able to compete with you, not even the Sect Leader¡¯s son. Liuli doesn¡¯t have a very good impression of him either.¡± Luo Yan quickly pondered for a moment and immediately said: ¡°Master, I¡¯ve also encountered Brother Tian earlier, and he secretly told me that he doesn¡¯t harbor that kind of feelings for Senior Sister.¡± ¡°If that is indeed the case, that would be wonderful!¡± Elder Shi Ding immediately clapped his hands in approval and smiled benevolently. ¡°Luo Yan, I regard you as my own son.¡± ¡°As a student respects his teacher, I too regard Master as my father,¡± Luo Yan immediately replied smoothly, though he sighed inwardly. Upon closer consideration, Miss Shi does have many strong points, such as being cute, being cute, and also being cute. Yet, for some reason, there didn¡¯t seem to be many male cultivators who liked her. The Sect Leader¡¯s son, Brother Tian, didn¡¯t want anything to do with her, and Master Elder Shi Ding was trying every means to push her towards himself as if worried that she would end up undesirable in the future. Luo Yan¡¯s thoughts shifted slightly, and with his talent for quick understanding, he immediately grasped the essence of the matter. This world of cultivation was different from the modern Earth he had traversed from; it was, after all, a world resembling ancient cultures. On modern Earth, a girl generally only needed to be attractive to win over a host of fawning admirers. But here, the prevailing idea was ¡°marry for virtue rather than beauty.¡± If a woman had nothing to offer besides her looks, she would be scorned. So, did Liuli possess other strong points besides her looks? Well¡­ Until he left the thoroughly pleased Elder Shi Ding and returned to his room, Luo Yan had still not found the answer. ¡°Little Junior Brother!¡± The door was once again rudely pushed open from the outside, and Liuli burst in excitedly, clinging to his arm and cooing, ¡°Quick, help me, help me, help me¡­¡± Well, being willing to provide favors could be considered a strong point. Luo Yan calmly withdrew his arm and asked: ¡°Thinking of Marrow Cleansing shortcuts again?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Liuli gave him a satisfied look that said ¡°As expected of my Junior Brother,¡± and sighed. ¡°The Body Refining Secret Technique is too exhausting.¡± Luo Yan suppressed the urge to hit her and said with a fake smile: ¡°Sister, with the Pure Yuan Qi Pill I¡¯ve given you, it¡¯ll only take a few years¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to wait a few years either.¡± Liuli sat down on his bed and put forward a very excessive demand with a serious look. ¡°Is there a way to complete Marrow Cleansing today?¡± ¡°There isn¡¯t,¡± Luo Yan feigned helplessness, thinking to himself that there indeed was one, such as the Blood Pool in the Shushan Demon Locking Tower. But you can¡¯t go there! He internally scoffed, maintaining a perfectly helpless expression on his face, as though dealing with a daughter who wants the moon from the sky. But unexpectedly, Liuli suddenly stood up and said with renewed vigor: ¡°You¡¯re lying to your sister again! There must be a way, right?¡± ¡°There isn¡¯t, where would I lie?¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°You hesitated when you spoke just now!¡± ¡°How could there be any hesitation?¡± Luo Yan immediately denied, saying, ¡°I answered without a second thought¡­¡± ¡°So you¡¯re not denying the fact that you lied to me, right?¡± Liuli said sharply. Luo Yan: ¡­¡­¡­ The last strong point: She¡¯s brilliantly clever at the worst possible times. Chapter 211 - Chapter 211: Chapter 3: Innocence and Reluctance to Stab in the Back Chapter 211: Chapter 3: Innocence and Reluctance to Stab in the Back ¡°Speak, confess honestly!¡± ¡°Martial Sister, I really don¡¯t know¡­¡± ¡°Spill it quickly!¡± After being roughed up by Miss Shi, Luo Yan could only think of a way to reveal some less crucial information in a vague manner: ¡°I¡¯ve heard that Taiqing focuses on Qi Refinement, Shangqing cultivates the Sword Technique, and Yuqing enters the path through a side door.¡± ¡°The Shushan Shangqing Faction mainly concentrates on Sword Cultivators, so they pay more attention to Root Bone when taking disciples, and I¡¯ve heard they seem to have a Secret Technique for Marrow Cleansing too.¡± His words were unclear, but they made Miss Shi¡¯s eyes light up. That¡¯s right, Shushan! As the heiress of Heavenly Craft Workshop, she certainly wasn¡¯t completely ignorant about Shushan. Shushan, as the frontline against the Demon Race in Ancient Times, once had the largest material reserves of the Human Race. Beneath Thunder Plains, the Fire Element Cave was said to store countless treasures and rarities. Considering that the Marrow Cleansing Rank generally only lasts ten years, and most Cultivators choose to cultivate on their own, it¡¯s highly likely that a lot of Magical Treasures or Spirit Pills that can speed up Marrow Cleansing still remain! Liuli immediately turned around to leave, planning to run to Elder Shi Ding and act adorably in order to persuade him to use his connections to trade with Shushan. Seeing that Miss Shi was finally fooled, Luo Yan secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Unexpectedly, just as Liuli reached the doorway, she turned around as if prompted by some mysterious force and caught a glimpse of Luo Yan¡¯s relieved expression. She couldn¡¯t help but reveal a fox-like wary expression. ¡°Junior Brother.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Martial Sister?¡± ¡°You¡¯re coming with me,¡± Liuli said, not up for discussion, as she reached out and grabbed his hand. This was the first time Luo Yan had held Liuli¡¯s hand¡­ wrong, actually, it had happened quite often, but every time felt like the first. Liuli¡¯s hand was soft and smooth, with a wonderful warmth that made him involuntarily want to cherish it like a treasure. In a daze, he remembered his school days before his transmigration, studying hard every day within the exam-oriented education system, stuffing all his youthful hormones into piles of textbooks. How nice it would have been to have such a youthful, beautiful girl run across the school field with me under the envious gaze of other students. Hmm? Attention? Luo Yan suddenly snapped back to reality and saw passersby, fellow disciples of both genders, giving them stunned looks of attention. ¡°Wait, Martial Sister!¡± he quickly tried to pull away, ¡°In front of so many people, holding hands like this is too embarrassing!¡± He had intended to say ¡°It¡¯s too damaging to your reputation,¡± but thinking about it, he knew that Miss Shi, who feared neither heaven nor earth, probably didn¡¯t care about her reputation at all. ¡°Ha! You do want to escape!¡± Liuli immediately turned back and glared at him, ¡°No way!¡± Luo Yan: ¡­¡­ It¡¯s over, at this rate, the rumors that Luo Yan is being kept by the wealthy Miss Shi are going to spread all over Yuqing View. Rushing to Elder Shi Ding¡¯s residence, Liuli was just about to speak when Elder Shi Ding interrupted her: ¡°Liuli, you should be mindful of your conduct when you¡¯re outside!¡± Looking at the two holding hands, he sighed. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Liuli said nonchalantly, ¡°Let them spread rumors, it¡¯s even better. At least this way, the Sect Leader won¡¯t think about setting me up with his son anymore.¡± Luo Yan chuckled to himself, it seems Miss Shi was using me as a shield. ¡°Sigh.¡± Elder Shi Ding continued to sigh, but said nothing, for Luo Yan was the disciple he approved of the most, ¡°Rushing over here with your junior brother in tow, what cunning plan do you have this time?¡± ¡°Father!¡± Shi Liuli immediately smiled sweetly and hugged her father¡¯s arm, ¡°Junior brother mentioned that Shushan has magical treasures and spiritual medicines that can speed up the process of Marrow Cleansing, is that correct?¡± ¡°What do you want that for?¡± Elder Shi Ding looked confused. Marrow Cleansing¡­ isn¡¯t a decade of cultivation enough? Do you really need external aids to hasten the process? ¡°Father~¡± Shi Liuli started cooing, ¡°Look, in the Heavenly Craft Workshop, only your daughter and junior brother are at the Marrow Cleansing Rank.¡± ¡°If junior brother cultivates faster and surpasses me, how can your daughter still be a good senior sister then? Father, please be considerate of your daughter!¡± Elder Shi Ding furrowed his brows and looked towards Luo Yan. Luo Yan could only offer a sheepish smile, thinking that Miss Shi¡¯s concern is indeed valid¡ªI¡¯ve actually already surpassed her. ¡°Alright, alright, alright.¡± Even Luo Yan, who was so adept at falsehood, couldn¡¯t withstand Shi Liuli¡¯s full-set of coquetry attacks, how could Elder Shi Ding, her doting father, hold out? He quickly surrendered, ¡°Father will ask around for you.¡± ¡°Thank you, Father!¡± Shi Liuli¡¯s face bloomed with joy, and she hurried to pour tea and wait on her father, massaging his shoulders and patting his back. Observing the father and daughter getting along so harmoniously, Luo Yan quietly signaled Elder Shi Ding with his eyes, then gracefully turned and departed. Upon reflection, he did hold a certain fondness for Shi Liuli as a person. But just a fondness, nothing more. Shi Liuli¡¯s innocence and vivacity were built on the joint protection and affection from everyone in the Heavenly Craft Workshop, which in turn led Miss Shi to develop a certain ¡°dependency mindset.¡± When faced with any problem, it was either seeking help from junior brother or from father, or from other senior brothers and sisters¡­ Looking on the bright side, this was conducive to quickly building ¡°bonds¡± with everyone. The strong family atmosphere in the Heavenly Craft Workshop hinged largely on their cherished pearl, Shi Liuli. However, for Luo Yan alone, such bonds were too much of a good thing. He was willing to establish bonds within the sect, provided they helped him further infiltrate the sect¡¯s inner workings to gather intelligence and secure pieces of the Heaven-Mending Stone. But bonds that are too deeply forged¡ªthe inevitable ¡°severing of emotional ties¡± when the time comes would certainly be bloody. As an elegant spy of many faces, Luo Yan¡¯s vision for himself was to manipulate everyone deftly and then depart nonchalantly after achieving his goals, leaving behind only a wondrous and elegant legend¡­ not to shatter Miss Shi¡¯s heart into pieces and leave her in tears when his true identity was revealed. Xu Yinglian was inherently strong-willed, and An Zhisu was tough on the inside despite her gentle exterior. Only Shi Liuli was too tender-hearted. Should she discover a betrayal, Shi Liuli would likely be the one most deeply hurt. Therefore, the intimacy of his relationship with Miss Shi would need to be kept within a prudent boundary. ¡°Luo junior brother!¡± Someone suddenly called out from behind. Luo Yan turned around and saw Tian Zhang waving at him from a distance. ¡°What¡¯s up, Tian senior brother?¡± ¡°It¡¯s like this, my father wishes to see you,¡± said Tian Zhang with a smile. Luo Yan immediately showed a wary expression. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Don¡¯t be anxious,¡± Tian Zhang patted his shoulder, ¡°It¡¯s not to give you a hard time, but rather to see what kind of outstanding talent can win the heart of Shi junior sister, who is revered by Elder Shi Ding.¡± Upon hearing this, Luo Yan relaxed, and after giving it some thought, it indeed made sense: The reason Master of Xuandu wanted to match his son with Shi Liuli was to further win over the Heavenly Craft Workshop. Now that Luo Yan was favored by Shi Liuli and valued by Elder Shi Ding, if he became angry with Luo Yan due to his son¡¯s lack of opportunity, wouldn¡¯t it be putting the cart before the horse? Better to straightforwardly invite him over, to show esteem and encouragement, that would properly reflect the Sect Leader¡¯s magnanimity and grandeur! Chapter 212 - Chapter 212: Chapter 4: Five Qi towards the Yuan Cave Chapter 212: Chapter 4: Five Qi towards the Yuan Cave The Pavilion Master of the Yuqing View, the Sect Leader of Xuan Du, was a middle-aged man dressed in a white robe, with a refined and scholarly demeanor. If Luo Yan hadn¡¯t already known of his identity, he probably would have taken him for some great scholar, an important official in the Imperial Court, or a prefect of a region at first sight. ¡°Please, have a seat,¡± the Sect Leader of Xuan Du said kindly. Luo Yan then respectfully sat down on the cushion. ¡°Do you specialize in formation techniques?¡± the Sect Leader of Xuan Du asked gently, ¡°Elder Shi Ding has mentioned that you have been promoted to the Refining Mansion Rank.¡± ¡°To answer the Pavilion Master,¡± Luo Yan replied earnestly, ¡°the junior indeed specializes in formation techniques and was fortunate to achieve Marrow Cleansing during a visit to the Pavilion, followed by a fortuitous event on the Three Isles Treasure Ship that led me into the Refining Mansion.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to add ¡®to answer the Pavilion Master¡¯ before you speak,¡± the Sect Leader of Xuan Du laughed heartily, looking at his son, Tian Zhang, who stood by his side, ¡°Luo Yan is cautious and polite, while you are lazy and disrespectful. When will you, my boy, learn his thorough manners?¡± Tian Zhang immediately caught the hint and said with a laugh, ¡°I shall definitely learn earnestly from Brother Luo.¡± Luo Yan smiled, knowing that this was the Sect Leader of Xuan Du¡¯s way of expressing his intent to become closer. If his son couldn¡¯t marry Shi Liuli, it was still good to interact more with Luo Yan. ¡°Have you encountered any difficulties recently?¡± the Sect Leader of Xuan Du continued to inquire. Luo Yan thought to himself that the critical moment had arrived, and this was an opportunity to receive a favor! Trying to appear a bit embarrassed, he said, ¡°There are no other difficulties, only that I worry about my limited lifespan; I fear it would be difficult to advance to the Core Condensation Rank.¡± To the ears of the Sect Leader of Xuan Du and Tian Zhang, this seemed entirely reasonable: Luo Yan started cultivation at the age of twenty, and within ten years, he encountered fortuitous events that propelled him into the Refining Mansion Rank¡ªhis progress could not be faster. Upon careful calculation, by the time he reached one hundred ninety years old, he would still have one hundred sixty years to cultivate, just forty years shy of forming a High-Grade Golden Core. If one lacked only this final step and because of missing opportunities, couldn¡¯t break through, who could be content? After a long contemplation, the Sect Leader of Xuan Du slowly said, ¡°The View has always provided key support and cultivation to outstanding disciples. Some days ago, in the transaction with Shushan, there was a surplus of about three spoonfuls of the Mercurial Elixir Liquid.¡± Luo Yan almost choked upon hearing this: I¡¯ve already drunk the Mercurial Elixir Liquid! Seeing that Luo Yan had no reaction, Tian Zhang thought he didn¡¯t know what it was and explained, ¡°This Mercurial Elixir Liquid is a famous and precious elixir of the ancient Human Race, where one spoonful is roughly equivalent to the cultivation level of sixty years in the Refining Mansion.¡± ¡°The preparation of this medicine is extremely complex, requiring a variety of rare minerals, Spiritual Medicine, and even materials from Demonic Beasts. Hence, the process has traditionally been that Shushan provides the raw materials, we are responsible for refining them, and then we split the output.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Luo Yan could only force a smile. Seeing the perfunctory joy on his face, the Sect Leader of Xuan Du could tell something was amiss, thinking to himself that this junior¡­ surely couldn¡¯t have drunk it already, could he? Well, the Heavenly Craft Workshop has extensive connections; it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if Elder Shi Ding had already acquired the Mercurial Elixir Liquid for him. ¡°Besides the Mercurial Elixir Liquid,¡± the Sect Leader of Xuan Du continued with a smile, ¡°there¡¯s also the option of the Five Qi Dynasty Yuan Cave.¡± ¡°The Five Qi Dynasty Yuan Cave?¡± Luo Yan said, surprised. ¡°That is a cave located overseas,¡± Tian Zhang explained, ¡°The exact location is confidential, currently only in our hands at the Yuqing View.¡± ¡°Deep within the cave, there lies a vent of Dynasty Yuan vital energy, where one can absorb the Dynasty Yuan spiritual energy through breathing, which has miraculous effects of repairing damages and filling deficiencies.¡± Dynasty Yuan spiritual energy? Luo Yan immediately pondered within his memories. The so-called Dynasty Yuan spiritual energy should be a unique form of spiritual energy found at the end of a Dragon Vein. The Dragon Veins of the Divine Land Continent run from east to west, beginning in the Kunlun Mountain Range and ending deep in the East Sea. The spiritual energy produced at the end of a Dragon Vein is called ¡°Dynasty Yuan spiritual energy,¡± which, according to records, encompasses the Way of the Five Elements of Acquired Nature, possessing effects that bring forth life from the brink of death, heal the living and mend the dead, enable old women to bear children, and cause withered trees to sprout anew. It is one of the world¡¯s most elusive and remarkable things. Turning a damaged Purple Mansion into a Jade Mansion naturally falls within the scope of ¡®repairing damages and filling deficiencies.¡¯ The only problem is that this item is incredibly rare, so much so that there are very few records of it. If Luo Yan didn¡¯t possess a wide knowledge and a strong memory, he might not even recall it. ¡°If that¡¯s the case,¡± he carefully considered his words and asked, ¡°why have I never heard of it within the Pavilion?¡± ¡°Because the Five Qi Dynasty Yuan Cave is extremely dangerous, few people venture there, hence not many know of it,¡± Master of Xuandu said solemnly, ¡°Yuqing View can grant you permission to explore, but there are many risks involved. Elder Shi Ding and you need to discuss these beforehand to decide whether or not you should go.¡± Luo Yan bid farewell to Master of Xuandu and returned to the Heavenly Craft Workshop with a heavy heart, only to see Shi Liuli chatting with Elder Shi Ding. ¡°¡­In any case, during that time in Gui Xu, I took care of junior brother all by myself!¡± Miss Shi puffed out her chest proudly, like a peacock, ¡°I also learned to cook during that time.¡± ¡°Very good, very good,¡± Elder Shi Ding was nearly tamed into a nodding puppet, always praising, then turned his head to Luo Yan, who had come back, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°It¡¯s like this,¡± Luo Yan glanced at Miss Shi and asked, ¡°Father, have you ever heard of the ¡®Five Qi Dynasty Yuan Cave¡¯?¡± ¡°Did Pavilion Master mention this to you?¡± Elder Shi Ding frowned, ¡°That¡¯s no good place.¡± ¡°What is the Five Qi Dynasty Yuan Cave?¡± Shi Liuli curiously asked. ¡°This cave is located under the deep sea, meandering and extensive,¡± Elder Shi Ding explained, ¡°Ordinary cultivators who enter are unlikely to return, with nine out of ten not making it back.¡± ¡°A casualty rate of over ninety percent?¡± Luo Yan exclaimed, ¡°So dangerous, are there demons inside?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it,¡± Elder Shi Ding sighed, ¡°It¡¯s just that the cave is winding and deep. Moreover, the magnetic fields inside are chaotic, causing most path-finding magical treasures to fail. This leads many cultivators to lose their way inside, becoming trapped and unable to exit.¡± ¡°How deep is the cave approximately?¡± Shi Liuli asked curiously. ¡°If converted to distance, it¡¯s at least over ten thousand li,¡± Elder Shi Ding replied. Luo Yan¡¯s heart jumped: Ten thousand li? The radius of the Earth before he crossed over was just around twelve thousand li¡­ But this figure refers to the effective length of a cavern, not a straight line, so it must be an incredibly deep sea cave. ¡°If it were your fourth senior brother, I definitely wouldn¡¯t let him go,¡± Elder Shi Ding¡¯s tone shifted, then added, ¡°But Luo Yan, you do have corresponding advantages.¡± ¡°What advantages?¡± Luo Yan was about to speak when he heard Shi Liuli¡¯s coquettish question, ¡°Father, don¡¯t keep us in suspense, just tell us.¡± ¡°Luo Yan has a good memory.¡± Elder Shi Ding laughed, ¡°Although the Five Qi Dynasty Yuan Cave is extensive and winding, it doesn¡¯t change its topography or reshape the way back like the Fire Element Cave in Shushan does from time to time.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°As long as you can remember the way you came, you can safely return the same way.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Luo Yan was about to speak when Shi Liuli interrupted, ¡°Then I want junior brother to take me there to play!¡± ¡°Absolutely not!¡± Elder Shi Ding¡¯s face changed immediately, speaking sternly, ¡°You are still at the Marrow Cleansing Rank and haven¡¯t reached the Refining Mansion stage yet; what would you do in the Five Qi Dynasty Yuan Cave?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not at ease with junior brother going alone,¡± Shi Liuli quickly changed her plea, ¡°It¡¯s to protect him, as well as to memorize the terrain in advance to make it easier for me after reaching the Refining Mansion stage.¡± ¡°Absolutely not!¡± Luo Yan sighed, then heard Elder Shi Ding emphatically declare, his face turning ashen. Chapter 213 - Chapter 213: Chapter 5 Where Do All These Problems Come From? Chapter 213: Chapter 5 Where Do All These Problems Come From? ¡°The Five Qi Dynasty Yuan Cave is located beneath the deep sea. Due to the high water pressure in the depths, it is necessary to carry a Water-Avoiding Talisman.¡± ¡°Third Senior Sister Liang Ruohua has prepared a Water-Sealing Charm for me, so there shouldn¡¯t be any problem in that aspect.¡± ¡°The magnetic field inside the cave is strong. Not only can it destroy any path-finding treasures, but it can also interfere with cultivators¡¯ sense of direction, causing one to lose track of east, west, north, south, up, down, left, and right¡ªthis is the main reason cultivators become trapped and go missing in there.¡± ¡°Master prepared for me a map Jade Slip left by predecessors. Plus, I have the Kunlun Mirror to record the route taken and correct the bearings, so that shouldn¡¯t be a problem either.¡± ¡°From the entrance to reach the nearest Yuan Qi vein, it takes at least two months. Ordinary people who are in the pitch-black sea cave environment for a long time can easily be tormented to the point of shaking their Daoist Heart, and even lose their sanity.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m not an ordinary person. I have Ah Jing and Qing Ping to chat with me.¡± ¡°There are no dangerous creatures in the cave, but intermittent earthquakes or underwater thermal eruptions may occur.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. The probability of that happening is too small, and if it does occur, it¡¯s an unavoidable natural disaster that can only be handled as it comes.¡± ¡°Shi Liuli somehow convinced Elder Shi Ding to let her go with me.¡± ¡°¡­What should I do about this?¡± Luo Yan once again went over the plans for the trip to the Five Qi Dynasty Yuan Cave in his mind. He had prepared contingency plans for nearly every risk¡ªexcept for the disruption caused by Shi Liuli¡¯s sudden involvement. Why does this Miss always follow me around? Could it be that she has actually taken a liking to me? ¡°I have a premonition,¡± Shi Liuli said earnestly, ¡°that in the Five Qi Dynasty Yuan Cave, there is an opportunity that will allow me to skip Marrow Cleansing and enter the Refining Mansion.¡± ¡°Sister, did you use your metaphysical ritual again?¡± Luo Yan asked lazily. ¡°Of course,¡± Shi Liuli affirmed confidently, ¡°Anyway, this time I will definitely succeed in Marrow Cleansing.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what you said last time you went to the Treasure Ship Secret Realm,¡± Luo Yan deliberately reminded her, ¡°and all you got was a Body Refining Secret Technique you were too lazy to use.¡± ¡°That was an accident! An accident!¡± Shi Liuli retorted, flustered and her face reddening, ¡°I¡¯m not talking to you anymore. You don¡¯t understand the weight of being ¡®favored by the heavens.¡¯ It¡¯s pointless to explain it to you! Humph!¡± She turned her body away to show her dissatisfaction, at the same time pressing her hands together in front of her chest and shaking them vigorously, mumbling some incomprehensible phrases like ¡°heaven energize¡± and ¡°earth energize.¡± Luo Yan didn¡¯t bother with her. Although this Miss always liked to cling to him, at critical moments she would at least not intentionally cause trouble. Taking into account that they would have to stay in the Five Qi Dynasty Yuan Cave for at least two months, there was also a risk of the Synchronization Value declining. If the Synchronization Value dropped, the ¡°One Whiff and Thousands Enlightened¡± trait would fade, so he might as well use Shi Liuli¡¯s company this time to boost the Synchronization Value. Thinking this way, her coming along suddenly seemed like a good thing. Luo Yan quickly convinced himself and then continued to ponder. The two were currently inside a shuttle-shaped magical treasure, which was being operated by a Nascent Soul Elder of their sect. The reason for being enclosed within a treasure for long-distance travel was to keep the location of the Five Qi Dynasty Yuan Cave secret¡ªthis place was located in the Extreme East Sea, far too distant from the Penglai Yuqing View to station people for long-term surveillance, and it could not be revealed to other sects, so strict confidentiality measures had to be in place. At last, the shuttle-shaped treasure stopped and released Luo Yan and Shi Liuli. ¡°Be careful once you enter the cave,¡± the elder operating the treasure warned, ¡°If something seems wrong, it is better to retreat timely than to risk continuing deeper.¡± ¡°Thank you, Senior, for your advice,¡± Luo Yan said, bowing in gratitude, and Shi Liuli hurriedly followed suit. ¡°In two months, I will come here again to pick you up,¡± the elder continued, ¡°If neither of you appears within three days, the sect will assume you died in there.¡± ¡°This is the eastern edge of the East Sea. With your abilities, it¡¯s basically impossible to get back to Penglai from here, so don¡¯t miss the timing. Remember, two months!¡± After speaking, he slapped the shuttle-shaped magical treasure with the back of his hand, and his entire being turned into a dark stream of light, disappearing into the distant horizon. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Watching the elder leave, Luo Yan sighed and said to Shi Liuli. ¡°Okay!¡± Shi Liuli became excited. ¡°Everything I told you on the way here, have you remembered it all clearly?¡± Luo Yan emphasized and asked again. ¡°I know, I know, I¡¯ll listen to everything you say, little junior brother,¡± Shi Liuli smiled brightly like a blooming flower. Luo Yan sighed in his heart again, guessing why Elder Shi Ding would allow Miss Shi to come along. If Shi Liuli were to come here alone, Elder Shi Ding would definitely not feel at ease and would surely arrange for a trustworthy person to accompany her as an escort. For example, during the last adventure at the Treasure Ship Secret Realm, he had arranged for senior brother Linghu Chu to escort the two of them. Me, Luo Yan, what merit or ability do I have to be someone my master could trust enough to let me escort Miss Shi? Perhaps it was because of my exceptionally outstanding performance in the Gui Xu at the last Treasure Ship Secret Realm, which contrasted sharply with the big senior brother who was unable to do anything after the accident, that my trust value in my master¡¯s heart soared rapidly. ¡°In any case, from now on, you must strictly follow my commands. Do you understand?¡± Luo Yan advised tirelessly. ¡°Mhm mhm!¡± Miss Shi nodded eagerly and impatiently. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Luo Yan then activated the Water-Sealing Charm, creating a two-meter radius water repelling space around them, and then jumped into the sea with Shi Liuli. This was the seawater at the edge of the East Sea, and the transparency was much worse compared to the central East Sea. The pair had only descended a few dozen feet when the light around them quickly became dim and deep. Luo Yan then took out a lighting magical treasure, which was a Hexagon Palace Lantern, shining brightly in the water. About a thousand feet down, they finally reached the seabed. The seabed here was made of white limestone rock, which looked like a vast plain at a glance. In the center of the plain stood a stele abruptly. The two flew swiftly on their swords towards the stele and upon reaching it, they saw that it was carved as if with a chisel and axe¡­ but it was no longer clear, seemingly eroded away by the seawater, leaving only faint indentations. They could roughly make out four characters. Below the stele was a deep and bottomless sea cave. ¡°Little junior brother,¡± Shi Liuli circled the stele and asked curiously, ¡°Wasn¡¯t the location of the Five Qi Dynasty Yuan Cave supposed to be kept secret? Why is there a stele erected here? Are they worried that passing cultivators from other sects won¡¯t be able to find this cave?¡± ¡°Perhaps the stele wasn¡¯t erected by Yuqing View,¡± Luo Yan replied offhand. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Then who put it up?¡± Shi Liuli asked. ¡°Ancient cultivators, of course,¡± Luo Yan answered. ¡°Of course, it¡¯s ancient cultivators, could it be future cultivators?¡± Shi Liuli said, somewhat speechless. She still felt something was off: even if the stele was put up by ancient cultivators, why didn¡¯t Yuqing View move it after discovering this place? However, Luo Yan, anxious to hurry on their way, repeatedly urged her by the cave, so Miss Shi could only set aside her doubts, quickly ran to her junior brother¡¯s side, and with their hands held together, they took the plunge into the sea cave, protected by the Water-Sealing Charm. Chapter 214 - Chapter 214: Chapter 6 Your Wreckage Chapter 214: Chapter 6 Your Wreckage After entering the cave, they were first met with a long, vertical tunnel going downward. About a quarter of an hour later, the terrain gradually shifted to a slope, until two diverging paths appeared. Take the one on the right. ¡°Wait a minute,¡± Shi Liuli said as she saw him head towards the right, unable to resist asking, ¡°Didn¡¯t Father give you a jade slip with the map? Aren¡¯t you going to check it first?¡± ¡°Senior Sister,¡± Luo Yan said with resignation, ¡°didn¡¯t we agree to follow my lead?¡± ¡°I am following you,¡± Shi Liuli replied with a sweet smile. ¡°If you say we absolutely must go right, of course, I¡¯ll follow you, but that doesn¡¯t prevent me from asking before you make a decision, right?¡± ¡°My answer is,¡± Luo Yan said as he tossed the jade slip to her, confidently declaring, ¡°the entire map and steps to navigate are all recorded in my mind, so there¡¯s no need to check again.¡± Shi Liuli immersed her divine sense into the jade slip, looked carefully, and indeed the path on the right was the correct one. She obediently returned the jade slip to Luo Yan, her expression somewhat sheepish as she whispered, ¡°It was just a subconscious feeling that we should take the one on the left¡­¡± ¡°This time we brought a map with us, so let¡¯s not play with your metaphysical hunches, alright?¡± Luo Yan said decisively. Shi Liuli fell silent and obediently followed Luo Yan. Proceeding to the next three-way intersection, take the middle tunnel; Proceeding to a bottle-shaped cave chamber, descend to the bottom of the bottle and take the passage with the entrance shaped like a melon seed. Proceeding to a slope, do not go uphill, but circle around to the back of the slope and take the hidden entrance beside the pile of rubble. Following the map¡¯s guidance, Luo Yan led Shi Liuli along the route, while he couldn¡¯t help but grumble in his mind once more: Even though he already knew it, what on earth was this map? Couldn¡¯t they have just surveyed and drawn out a proper path? After about a day¡¯s effort, Shi Liuli started to feel exhausted¡ªnot physically, but moving through stone-walled cave tunnels was incredibly dull and uninteresting. Understanding her predicament, Luo Yan considerately took a break. After all, with their current pace, they could reach the source of primordial vital energy deep at the bottom of the cave in about twenty-four days, so they had plenty of time to spare. Shi Liuli let out a cheer, found an open space nearby, and took out the grill and ingredients to start cooking, leaving Luo Yan speechless. Barbecue at the bottom of the sea, can you believe it? Only Miss Shi could think of something like this! ¡°If I hadn¡¯t come out with you this time, Junior Brother, where would you get such good meat, huh!¡± Shi Liuli was still quite proud. Luo Yan replied helplessly: ¡°Senior Sister, eating really isn¡¯t a necessity for cultivators.¡± ¡°Put down my skewer before you speak!¡± Shi Liuli said, annoyed. After the two leisurely finished their barbecue skewers, Miss Shi somehow produced several oddly-shaped fish and continued to roast them on the grill. ¡°What kind of fish is this?¡± Luo Yan asked with a frown. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen them before.¡± ¡°Caught them near the pile of rubble just now,¡± said Miss Shi. You dare to eat fish caught so casually¡­ Luo Yan quickly took one and thoroughly examined it with his divine sense. Hmm, there were no toxins in the fish, clearly, these deep-sea caverns did not harbor predators that necessitated the evolution of toxic abilities. The only issue was that it contained a lot of turbulence, with a higher content than that of ordinary meat. In ancient times, the universe was chaotic and round like an egg. After Pangu created the world, the pure qi rose and the turbid qi sank, simply put, the lower the altitude, the higher the concentration of turbid qi in living beings. Eating this would definitely cause diarrhea¡­ Well, no need to stop Miss Shi. It might be good for her to learn a lesson. Luo Yan calmly ate his grilled meat, watching Miss Shi skillfully grill the fish with degenerated vision, then savored them with relish. She even kindly offered him one, which Luo Yan declined under the pretext of ¡°not wanting to try new foods.¡± ¡°Little Junior Brother, you are really too timid.¡± Shi Liuli covered her mouth and laughed, ¡°I have already checked with my divine sense. These fish are not poisonous at all.¡± Not poisonous means it¡¯s edible? Luo Yan chuckled inwardly and pretended to focus his attention on observing his surroundings. Hmm? His expression suddenly changed, and he silently took out the jade slip that recorded the map. Something isn¡¯t right! ¡°Ah Jing,¡± Luo Yan asked in his mind, ¡°there¡¯s something off.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Kunlun Mirror asked in puzzlement, ¡°Isn¡¯t it exactly the same as what¡¯s recorded on the map?¡± ¡°That¡¯s exactly the problem,¡± Luo Yan frowned deeply, a worried look on his face, ¡°The original version of the map jade slip was left by ancient cultivators and has since been passed down within the Penglai Yuqing sect. Each generation of cultivators would modify and supplement the map based on their actual exploration findings.¡± ¡°In fact, since the time gap between each exploration is generally much greater than the occurrence cycle of underwater earthquakes, the terrain explored each time and the routes recorded in the map jade slip always have roughly similar outer pathways, but differing inner pathways¡ªthis is also why one cannot rely solely on the map and must remember the way they came.¡± ¡°But look, we¡¯ve already ventured this deep, yet it¡¯s exactly the same as recorded on the map jade slip. Isn¡¯t that strange?¡± ¡°If you put it that way, indeed it is,¡± Kunlun Mirror pondered, ¡°Could it be that there just hasn¡¯t been an underwater earthquake between the last exploration and this one? So the terrain here hasn¡¯t changed?¡± ¡°The so-called underwater earthquake, which is thought to change the terrain of the Five Qi Dynasty Yuan Cave, is only a conjecture within the sect, without any solid proof,¡± Luo Yan said with a sigh of concern, ¡°If this place is a mystical domain, and the terrain changes are caused by restrictions of the mystical domain, then why didn¡¯t the terrain change this time? Thinking this way makes it even more troubling.¡± ¡°Mystical domain restrictions?¡± Kunlun Mirror pondered for a moment, ¡°Wait, let me use more spiritual power and scan the surroundings.¡± After a while, she suddenly exclaimed in shock: ¡°No way¡­¡± ¡°What happened?¡± Luo Yan hurriedly asked. ¡°At a position right below us¡­¡± Kunlun Mirror hesitated, ¡°Though it¡¯s weak, I indeed detected a spatial fluctuation.¡± ¡°That fluctuation frequency, it seems¡­ it¡¯s a characteristic of a fragment of my main body.¡± ¡°A fragment of your main body is in this cave?¡± Luo Yan suddenly realized with a start, ¡°So you mean, it has been the fragment of your main body changing the terrain of the Five Qi Dynasty Yuan Cave all along, causing many cultivators to be trapped and die here?¡± ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Kunlun Mirror said awkwardly, ¡°After all, I possess the ability of time and space.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Then during this trip to find the Vital Energy vein, let¡¯s also take the opportunity to look for a piece of your ¡®corpse,¡¯¡± Luo Yan had just resolved to do so, when he saw Miss Shi holding her stomach and saying, ¡°Junior Brother, my stomach feels a bit uncomfortable.¡± ¡°Would Sister like to go to the adjacent cave to relieve herself?¡± Luo Yan thought ¡°as expected¡± inwardly and feigned a look of concern. [Falsehood persona, Synchronization Value +1.] ¡°Yeah.¡± Shi Liuli nodded with a troubled expression, ¡°But, Junior Brother, you mustn¡¯t take the opportunity to leave me behind and run away on your own.¡± ¡°How could I!¡± Luo Yan immediately chuckled. Chapter 215 - Chapter 215: Chapter 7 Its Not My Place to Give Directions Chapter 215: Chapter 7 It¡¯s Not My Place to Give Directions Miss Shi went to the adjacent cave room. As a cultivator who had completed the Fasting, abdominal pain must have been an entirely new and novel experience for her. Luo Yan sincerely hoped that after this lesson, her psychological age would mature a bit more. At the very least, don¡¯t be excessively greedy for the pleasures of the palate and disgrace us cultivators. Of course, educating Miss Shi was just something he did along the way. The most important thing right now was to figure out the mysteries within the Five Qi Dynasty Yuan Cave. ¡°Your corpse can read minds?¡± Luo Yan frowned and asked. ¡°What do you mean ¡®your corpse¡¯?¡± Kunlun Mirror protested his choice of words, ¡°It¡¯s not mind-reading, it¡¯s just sensing your surface-level thoughts. Like last time in the secret realm of the West Queen Mother¡¯s Divine Palace, it could sense you had the thought of stealing from it.¡± ¡°I remember that the Heavenly Demon seemed to have this ability too,¡± Luo Yan¡¯s tone became even more skeptical. ¡°As long as one is proficient in illusion techniques, sensing thoughts is a basic skill,¡± the Kunlun Mirror replied, ¡°I¡¯ll help you shield against its senses first.¡± ¡°So before, it was your fragment that was sensing my thoughts and deliberately designed this labyrinth according to the map in my memory,¡± Luo Yan said with a darkened expression, ¡°all to entice me to keep going deeper.¡± ¡°Not necessarily to entice you to go deeper,¡± Kunlun Mirror objected, ¡°It might just want you to follow the original route, smoothly reach the vital energy vein to cultivate, and then hurry back, instead of searching everywhere and possibly discovering its existence.¡± ¡°But now I have learned of its existence,¡± Luo Yan sighed. ¡°So from now on, it won¡¯t arrange the passages according to the original map,¡± the Kunlun Mirror also sighed. ¡°Last time it was constantly resetting, and this time it changed to the Universe¡¯s Far-reaching Shift, right?¡± Luo Yan said with an expressionless face, ¡°Kunlun, how do you always manage to come up with something new for me?¡± ¡°I am naturally proficient in the power of space and time!¡± Kunlun Mirror argued, ¡°Space and time! Manipulating time and space isn¡¯t it instinctive?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the next step?¡± Luo Yan asked impatiently, ¡°If it connects the ends of the cave rooms to form a circular path, wouldn¡¯t I be walking forever without ever getting out?¡± ¡°Theoretically, that is possible,¡± the Kunlun Mirror stated seriously, ¡°but don¡¯t worry, I can also interfere with its manipulation of the space here.¡± ¡°Are you talking about teleportation?¡± Luo Yan asked, puzzled, ¡°Just don¡¯t let Shi Liuli catch on.¡± ¡°Of course not teleporting you over!¡± Kunlun Mirror explained with a laugh and a cry, ¡°If it interferes with the teleportation, you might end up buried somewhere at the bottom of the sea halfway through the teleport!¡± ¡°So, instead of teleporting us to the location of your fragment, you¡¯ll assemble the cave rooms ahead of us spatially, creating a passable route,¡± Luo Yan said thoughtfully, ¡°Like the sliding-block puzzle game?¡± ¡°What¡¯s a sliding-block puzzle game?¡± Kunlun Mirror asked curiously, ¡°But you¡¯re generally right.¡± ¡°If the Five Qi Dynasty Yuan Cave is divided into different sections with each room as the center, then each section is connected by corridors one zhang high and half a zhang wide.¡± ¡°The fragment is trying to continuously combine these sections in such a way that even if you keep going down, you will be getting farther and farther from it.¡± ¡°However, I¡¯ve already stopped its assembly.¡± ¡°That is to say,¡± Luo Yan pondered for a moment, then said, ¡°the terrain of the Five Qi Dynasty Yuan Cave no longer changes now.¡± ¡°As long as I¡¯m not defeated in my confrontation with it, the terrain will not change,¡± Kunlun Mirror gave an affirmative reply, ¡°Of course, it¡¯s already different from what¡¯s recorded in the map on the jade slip. You¡¯ll have to explore on your own from now on.¡± ¡°That being said, you¡¯re not going to lose to it, right?¡± Luo Yan asked with a mix of skepticism and teasing, ¡°After all, as the original, it would be too embarrassing to lose to a fragment that has no Spiritual Wisdom and only instincts left.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t!¡± Kunlun Mirror became annoyed, ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about me; you should take care of yourself! The path below is very complicated now!¡± The Kunlun Mirror stopped talking, and Luo Yan continued to ponder. The Five Qi Dynasty Yuan Cave had transformed from a non-static simple maze into a static complex maze. The former was meticulously designed and adjusted by the Kunlun Mirror shards at any given moment, with the purpose of concealing its own existence and allowing Luo Yan to quickly find the path to the Vital Energy veins and leave. When Luo Yan suddenly realized something was amiss, that intent had already failed. Thus, the shard quickly scrambled the maze¡¯s terrain. Realizing this, Ah Jing immediately intervened to stop it, eventually fixing the maze¡¯s layout as static and unchangeable. With that, it returned to a pure exploration activity. ¡°Oof.¡± Shi Liuli returned from a nearby chamber, looking a bit wilted, likely exhausted, ¡°Little junior brother, my legs are numb.¡± ¡°Find somewhere to sit first.¡± Seeing Miss Shi like a rabbit with droopy ears, Luo Yan felt both annoyed and amused, and teased her, ¡°Are you still going to eat things randomly in the future?¡± ¡°Not anymore.¡± Shi Liuli pouted, ¡°I¡¯ve completed the Marrow Cleansing.¡± Luo Yan: ??? He slightly widened his eyes, as if trying to discern whether there was any pretense in Shi Liuli¡¯s expression. However, from her eyes, he saw only pure emotion. An emotion that was both happy and vexed from obtaining the desired object, yet having paid a heavy price. ¡°I don¡¯t know why.¡± Shi Liuli gathered the hem of her robe, found a clean spot on the ground to sit, and grimaced, ¡°The residual turbid qi in my marrow all rushed out at once¡­ Although the process was truly painful.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what happened.¡± The Green Duckweed Sword suddenly spoke, ¡°The fish she ate before, those with white eyes and no sight, are called ¡®Without Turbidity¡¯.¡± ¡°The East Sea has an abyss, unknown in depth. It harbors fish without turbidity, embodying the path of combining Yin and Yang and spawning life. Eating them clears the ears, sharpens the sight, and purges deep-rooted ailments¡­ In short, these fish only grow in seabeds where turbid qi is extremely dense and heavy, but eating them can cleanse one¡¯s own turbid qi, which does echo the principle found in the Vital Energy veins.¡± Luo Yan: ¡­¡­¡­ So, whatever is needed just appears, huh? Seems like you truly are blessed with invincible luck, Miss Shi, you illogical mystical being¡­ Well, wait a second, this might actually be useful now. ¡°Senior sister!¡± Luo Yan suddenly spoke earnestly, startling Shi Liuli so much she jumped, ¡°This is bad!¡± ¡°What¡¯s bad?¡± Miss Shi asked blankly. ¡°We took a wrong turn!¡± Luo Yan wore an expression of deep regret, ¡°At a certain point earlier, I remembered the map steps wrong, and now I have no idea where we¡¯ve ended up!¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Shi Liuli nodded with an air of understanding, ¡°But you still remember the route we took to get here, right? Should we backtrack the same way then?¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°No.¡± Luo Yan said with a pleasing smile, ¡°Since we¡¯re here, let¡¯s finish exploring the area ahead. If it¡¯s all dead ends, it¡¯s not too late to turn back. But since this time we¡¯re going off the map, why don¡¯t we let senior sister pick the route?¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Shi Liuli was somewhat tempted (to actually lead the way), and also a little proud (the junior brother admitted he was wrong), so she deliberately made a troubled face and said, ¡°Didn¡¯t we agree from the start that I would follow your instructions in the cave? Wouldn¡¯t this be inappropriate¡­¡± ¡°I must retract my earlier arrogant claims.¡± Luo Yan smiled modestly, ¡°Senior sister¡¯s divinely favored luck is infinitely superior to my crude and inferior schemes by thousands and millions of times.¡± ¡°Fortunately, we have senior sister here, so there¡¯s no reason for me to continue meddling with the journey planning or arrogantly directing. Please use your unique intuition and luck to help me conquer this insignificant Five Qi Dynasty Yuan Cave.¡± ¡°Can you stop talking? I¡¯m going to throw up!¡± In his mind, accompanied by the flashing notice of Falsehood Synchronization Value, was the Kunlun Mirror¡¯s almost uncontrollable outcry. Chapter 216 - Chapter 216: Chapter 8: The Second "Gui Xu Chapter 216: Chapter 8: The Second ¡°Gui Xu At the fork in the road, turn left. At the crossroads, turn left. If you encounter a dead end, turn back and go left. Luo Yan finally couldn¡¯t hold back and asked: ¡°Since a while ago, it seems we have always been turning left?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t like turning left?¡± Shi Liuli glanced at him, ¡°Then let¡¯s go right from now on.¡± ¡°No,¡± Luo Yan simply didn¡¯t know which words to use to describe his current feelings, ¡°Are we just wandering around aimlessly? What happened to that great luck you mentioned?¡± ¡°You dare to question my luck?¡± Shi Liuli placed her hands on her hips. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare,¡± Luo Yan immediately changed his expression, showing a flattering smile, ¡°But¡­ could Senior Sister please explain how exactly your great luck works? Cough, I¡¯m not doubting Senior Sister, I¡¯m just purely curious to broaden my horizons, that¡¯s all.¡± ¡°It¡¯s actually quite complex when you talk about it,¡± Shi Liuli said seriously, ¡°This so-called great luck is the ability to make whatever you wish come true.¡± ¡°As long as I focus my mind on finding the Yuan Vital Energy vein as soon as possible, then even if I keep turning left, I will eventually arrive at the destination smoothly. Do you understand?¡± Luo Yan suddenly felt bewildered. Isn¡¯t this mysticism a bit too unreasonable? If you always turn left at the forks, you can still reach the end? Hey, wait, if there are no circular routes in the maze, then always turning left would mean traversing the entire maze, wouldn¡¯t it? That seems to work out¡­ The two of them walked for several more hours, not knowing how deep into the undersea they had gone; the surrounding area was still the same unchanging gloomy rock walls. Shi Liuli suddenly stopped and said: ¡°Let¡¯s rest for a while and eat something.¡± Seeing her somewhat boredly take out a cauldron, Luo Yan started to mutter to himself and asked the Kunlun Mirror: ¡°Ah Jing, are we currently on the right path?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± the Kunlun Mirror replied. ¡°You useless mirror, how come you don¡¯t even know this? Then why did your fragment know?¡± ¡°Why would I know?¡± the Kunlun Mirror responded speechlessly, ¡°It has been down here for hundreds of thousands of years, of course it has scanned every inch of the cavern. I am just as new to this place as you are, how could I possibly know? All I can do is use spells to interfere with its magic.¡± ¡°Then tell me, does Miss Shi really have some kind of great luck that can lead me out of this labyrinth, find your main body¡¯s fragment, and locate the Yuan Vital Energy vein?¡± Luo Yan continued to ask skeptically. ¡°If you¡¯re asking for my opinion, I think it¡¯s preposterous,¡± the Kunlun Mirror honestly said, ¡°Where in this world is there such a thing as great luck? Even the Heavenly Dao wouldn¡¯t specially favor any one person.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, how do you explain the Three Isles Treasure Ship last time and the Five Qi Dynasty Yuan Cave this time?¡± Luo Yan was still very suspicious, ¡°She said she wanted to speed up the Marrow Cleansing, and as a result, we found a Body Refining Secret Technique; she said she wanted to skip Marrow Cleansing, and then we encountered the Untainted Fish.¡± ¡°Think about it, skipping Marrow Cleansing just by going to the toilet; if that¡¯s the case, then what was the point of me braving the dangers at Shushan Demon Locking Tower in search of the Blood Pool to undergo Marrow Cleansing?¡± His words grew more indignant as he spoke, ¡°Even Senior Sister An broke her Life-bound Sword Artifact!¡± ¡°Calm down, don¡¯t embarrass yourself,¡± the Kunlun Mirror hurriedly said, ¡°A person¡¯s luck can¡¯t stay the same forever; just because it worked the last two times doesn¡¯t mean it will work this time too.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not jealous of her¡­¡± Luo Yan was about to continue defending himself when he saw Shi Liuli lifting the lid off the cauldron, the aroma of broth wafting through the space sealed by the Water-Sealing Charm. He swallowed a mouthful of saliva, ¡°I better drink the soup first, to give some face to Senior Sister.¡± Within the cramped and dark chamber, the two huddled around a cauldron, each taking turns sipping the soup until they felt a warm and cozy sensation throughout their bodies. Shi Liuli packed up the cauldron and sighed: ¡°It¡¯s really too boring to keep going like this, can¡¯t we encounter something strange and unusual?¡± ¡°Senior Sister, isn¡¯t it good to be safe and sound?¡± Luo Yan asked bewilderingly. ¡°What¡¯s the fun in smooth sailing?¡± Shi Liuli said discontentedly, ¡°Why not have a sudden encounter with danger, and then have us, master and disciple, support each other through thick and thin, finally reaching the position of the vital energy vein? Wouldn¡¯t such a design be more interesting?¡± ¡°That¡¯s such a clich¨¦d plot from some old novel¡­¡± Luo Yan had just started to retort when suddenly the Kunlun Mirror exclaimed, ¡°Be careful! It realizes it can¡¯t beat me and is going to make a desperate move!¡± No sooner had the words left its mouth, the rocks beneath their feet began to tremble violently. Luo Yan had just enough time to wrap his arms around Shi Liuli¡¯s waist before everything around them started to collapse. ¡­¡­¡­ At the top of a huge natural cavern, a massive collapse and cave-in took place all of a sudden, sending countless broken rocks scattering downwards. Two figures burst out from the dust and smoke, drawing sword light in mid-air and swiftly circling down to land on the ground¡ªit was Luo Yan, holding Shi Liuli. In that instant, as they were plummeting down due to the split in the ground, Luo Yan had already assessed their surroundings. The violent earthquake had not only destroyed the chamber they were in but the entire space around them. If they were to stop abruptly in mid-air, they might have been hit directly by the large amount of falling debris from above. So, Luo Yan calmly held onto Shi Liuli, falling along with the countless falling rocks while continually using the Peach Blossom Sword to fend off any stones that came too close. Facing this sudden event, Miss Shi once again exposed her psychologically immature side. She could only cling to Luo Yan¡¯s arm for dear life, eyes tightly shut, without the courage to look at what was happening around them. It was not until they dropped into the great cavern that Luo Yan swiftly maneuvered his controlled sword mid-air, moving sideways with Shi Liuli and away from the range of the collapsing assault. Their original location had been covered by a large amount of rocks and dust, even forming mounds of rubble below the cavern¡ªif they had moved sideways even a little slower, they could have been buried alive by the debris, or they might have had to expose Qiu Changtian¡¯s thunder method to protect themselves, neither of which would have been a good outcome. ¡°You can open your eyes now, Senior Sister,¡± said Luo Yan, ¡°We¡¯ve landed.¡± Hearing the sporadic sounds of falling pebbles around her, Shi Liuli shivered violently and shook her head vigorously in fear. ¡°Open your eyes!¡± Luo Yan intentionally shouted at her in a stern voice. ¡°Why are you being so harsh!¡± Shi Liuli fell for it and immediately opened her eyes to retort. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for your ill-omened remarks about a ¡®sudden encounter with danger,¡¯ would we have encountered this kind of situation?¡± Luo Yan said, touching his forehead in resignation, ¡°If the exit has been blocked by the collapse, we might be trapped to death in the depths of this ocean!¡± Of course, that was a false statement because the Kunlun Mirror could teleport through space, provided there were no interference from its physical fragments. As long as they could find the fragments of the original body, they would be able to teleport away from this place at any time and place. However, Shi Liuli was unaware of these facts and thought their current plight was caused by her careless words, which supposedly triggered the catastrophic collapse of the undersea cavern. Her eyes brimmed with tears as she said, ¡°I didn¡¯t know I had such a powerful effect!¡± ¡°How can you not know your own luck?¡± Luo Yan sighed and said, ¡°Well, never mind. Since your earlier prophecy came true, you had better make sure the part about us ¡®finally finding the vital energy vein¡¯ comes true too!¡± ¡°It will definitely come true, it will definitely come true,¡± Shi Liuli closed her eyes again, brought her hands together at her chest, and started shaking vigorously as if she was a rustic Daoist priest invoking deities. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Luo Yan stopped minding her and began carefully surveying their surroundings, only to discover that this cavern was much larger than any other chamber they had encountered before, almost as big as a modern soccer field. Unlike the other chambers, this cavern wasn¡¯t completely dark. Scattered throughout were coral trees, their jagged, antler-like surfaces spotted with starry points of light, which reminded Luo Yan of the floating Gui Xu in the deep Great Gorge of the Treasure Ship Secret Realm. Around that Gui Xu Palace, similarly luminescent coral trees also grew, setting the entire palace aglow, as if it were a palace in an Immortal Realm. Luo Yan¡¯s gaze followed the faint light from these coral trees all the way to the end of the cavern, where he saw, about a mile ahead, a palace as ethereal and exquisite, encircled by dense forests of glowing coral. It was reminiscent of the Gui Xu Palace from days gone by. Chapter 217 - Chapter 217: Chapter 9 Coral Divine Palace, Gloomy Ghost Dragon Chapter 217: Chapter 9 Coral Divine Palace, Gloomy Ghost Dragon ¡°Is that¡­¡± Following Luo Yan¡¯s gaze, Miss Shi also found it hard to believe her own eyes, ¡°Gui Xu?¡± ¡°No.¡± Luo Yan shook his head, ¡°It should just be an ancient relic from the same era, which is why it has the same architectural style and exterior silhouette.¡± ¡°You mean, the ancient cultivators who once lived at the bottom of the Five Qi Dynasty Yuan Cave¡­¡± ¡°¡­are very likely the same group of ancient cultivators who built Gui Xu in the Great Gorge,¡± Luo Yan said. ¡°I see.¡± Shi Liuli pondered thoughtfully and suddenly said excitedly, ¡°Why don¡¯t we explore that palace?¡± Luo Yan hesitated for a moment, only to hear the Kunlun Mirror suddenly speak: ¡°The Yuan Qi vein is inside that palace.¡± ¡°Are you sure, Ah Jing?¡± ¡°We are so close now, of course, I can sense it¡­¡± The voice of the Kunlun Mirror paused, ¡°A piece of my essence is also inside.¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s a good chance to catch everything in one fell swoop,¡± Luo Yan sneered. ¡°Be careful, since it didn¡¯t hesitate to collapse the cave to lead you here, there must be some sort of trap,¡± the Kunlun Mirror quickly warned. ¡°Ah Jing, there¡¯s no need to worry. Whatever tricks that piece of your essence is up to, how can it possibly deceive me¡­ fuck!¡± Luo Yan was speaking disparagingly when he suddenly saw a huge and ferocious head emerge from the dark void ahead. It was a massive Jiaolong¡­ to be exact, it didn¡¯t look like a living Jiaolong, but more like a sort of undead creature unique to Western fantasy worlds. Its body was almost translucent, emitting an ominous blue glow, and the bones inside were as bleak as ivory, bright as cold jade, with not a trace of flesh to be seen. ¡°Such a vicious demonic technique!¡± the Green Duckweed Sword exclaimed in surprise, ¡°Using the dragon bone as the base of the array, flesh and blood as ink, inscribing a soul-binding array onto it, confining countless souls of the Dragon Clan within to create this stitched-together monster; does the formation setter not fear divine retribution?¡± ¡°Never mind that for now,¡± Luo Yan quickly pulled Shi Liuli behind a pile of rocks and urged, ¡°Is there any way to deal with this creature?¡± ¡°My suggestion would be to run,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword snickered, ¡°Even a living member of the Dragon Clan, no matter the breed, will at least be at the Golden Core Realm. Sword Master, you¡¯re just a minor disciple in the Foundation Establishment Realm, what are you thinking?¡± ¡°If we were to reveal Qiu Changtian¡¯s methods, which specialize in defeating the Dragon Clan, such as the Polar Thunderbane, I wonder what the odds of success would be,¡± Luo Yan gritted his teeth evaluating the situation, when the Ghost Dragon suddenly let out an earth-shaking roar, causing the stone walls around them to tremble. Next, it pointed the two balls of Nether Ghost Fire leaping in its skull eye sockets straight at Luo Yan hiding behind the rocks. Suddenly, his vision blurred into obscurity, and his ears filled with a deafening buzz¡­ until the Kunlun Mirror¡¯s scream rang out, jolting Luo Yan from near unconsciousness in an urgent awakening: ¡°Guan Shui, run!¡± Luo Yan jolted, his scattered gaze quickly focused, landing on the Ghost Dragon¡¯s skull approaching rapidly¡ªthe latter was already within mere dozens of yards, with the chilling breath of the cold stream punching through the seawater towards his face. ¡°Shrouded in darkness, Beiming Yin Thunder!¡± Luo Yan silently recited the spell, his right hand in his sleeve coalescing a pitch-black Thunder Light, the very Polar Thunder known for defeating the Dragon Clan of the four seas. Then again chanting, ¡°Thunder Light Fire Pattern, Jade Pivot Divine Thunder,¡± his left hand in his sleeve pulled out a ball of blue Thunder Light, which was the Jade Pivot Thunder that specialized in defeating the souls of Nether Ghosts. Quickly glancing to confirm that Shi Liuli was caught in a dizzy state, oblivious to her surroundings, he immediately swung his hands, casting both balls of Thunder Light from his sleeves. The Ghost Dragon was too close to dodge and got hit squarely. The Jade Pivot Thunder, being faster, struck the blue ¡°soul flesh¡± first, melting through it like a red-hot iron through snow, directly burning a hole through it. Following half a beat behind, the silent and traceless Polar Thunder penetrated the hole made by the Jade Pivot Thunder, slamming into the runic inscribed dragon bone. Amidst the earth-shattering noise, Luo Yan had already drawn the Green Duckweed Sword. The sword light wrapped around the unconscious Miss Shi and then he directly activated Man-Sword Unity, charging towards the palace within the distant Coral Forest! Escape! Run run run run run run¡­ He didn¡¯t even dare to look back to confirm the status of the Ghost Dragon; knowing full well that considering he hadn¡¯t even reached the Golden Core Rank, the idea of killing the adversary was foolish daydreaming. Barely halfway through the distance, a wave of dizziness took over his mind¡ªclearly, the Ghost Dragon was catching up from behind, once again casting a bizarre and eerie Illusion Technique. At the critical moment, the Kunlun Mirror came to the rescue once more, a shout startling Luo Yan awake. Regaining his senses, Luo Yan was so frightened he nearly lost his soul. He quickly formed a spell with his hands and unleashed his strongest trump card, the Postnatal Five Elements Great Extermination Divine Light¡ªrecklessly sweeping it behind him. The Divine Light struck the Ghost Dragon head-on. Luo Yan, carrying Miss Shi, rushed into the front entrance of the palace, and only then did he find a moment to look back. He saw that the head of the Ghost Dragon had completely shattered, losing its form, yet it still moved effortlessly through the water, furiously charging towards the palace. Even with Immortal¡¯s Secret Techniques and unmatched Thunder Methods, constrained by his current Cultivation Realm, his lethality was still insufficient! He hurriedly picked up Miss Shi again and directed his sword flight straight into the depths of the palace. Another sound like thunderous roaring resounded as the Ghost Dragon smashed directly into the palace¡¯s main entrance. Although the entrance was wide open, it was far too small compared to the size of the Ghost Dragon, which couldn¡¯t squeeze through. Instead, it went mad, violently striking the palace, causing the walls on both sides to tremble. Luo Yan, with Miss Shi in tow, charged deep into the palace. Only when he saw that the Ghost Dragon hadn¡¯t followed did he stop and breathe a sigh of relief. Shi Liuli made a soft groan, slowly waking up. Noticing Luo Yan by her side, she was about to speak when she suddenly took in her surroundings and let out a terrified scream. All around the hall where they stood were bones and skeletons scattered in disarray. Some sat on ornate stone chairs, clutching silver cups with floral carvings in their bony hands; others lay collapsed on the cold stone floor, embracing or holding hands with other skeletons. ¡°Is this¡­¡± Shi Liuli said with a trembling voice, ¡°the Netherworld?¡± ¡°There are plenty of ghosts, not corpses, in the Netherworld,¡± corrected Luo Yan. ¡°This place must be an ancient Dragon Clan¡¯s dwelling that met with some disaster, leaving them all to die here.¡± ¡°Dragon Clan?¡± Shi Liuli asked timidly. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± said Luo Yan. ¡°Look at the foreheads of these skulls.¡± Shi Liuli looked closely and indeed noticed that there were slight protrusions on either side of their foreheads, one characteristic of the Dragon Clan¡¯s Transformation. ¡°How did they die?¡± she asked, fearfully clinging to Luo Yan¡¯s arm. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Luo Yan replied, looking around. He then asked the Kunlun Mirror, ¡°Where is your fragment?¡± ¡°It¡¯s in the inner chamber, straight ahead,¡± answered the Kunlun Mirror. ¡°You stay here for now. Don¡¯t move,¡± Luo Yan instructed Shi Liuli as he turned to her. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡± ¡°No!¡± Shi Liuli quickly clung to his arm, ¡°I want to go with you!¡± He knew it would be like this¡­ Luo Yan sighed internally. With a flick of his hand, the Heaven-flipping Seal was invoked, smashing towards the inner chamber door ahead! Chapter 218 - Chapter 218: Chapter 10 Eastern Pole Divine Palace Chapter 218: Chapter 10 Eastern Pole Divine Palace The Heaven-flipping Seal smashed through the door, and rushing currents surged in, filled with fragments and bubbles that momentarily obscured Shi Liuli¡¯s vision. Seizing the opportunity, Luo Yan released the Green Duckweed Sword close to the ground, dashing into the inner chamber ahead. A multitude of spell radiance burst from within the inner chamber, clearly indicating that fragments of the Kunlun Mirror¡¯s main body were hiding there, not without preparation, ready to meet their end. However, upon encountering the Green Duckweed Sword, it was as if waves crashed against a hard reef, quickly dissolving into foam and dissipating. Shi Liuli hastily ducked behind Luo Yan to avoid being splattered by the flying debris, but failed to notice a streak of black light that silently returned from ahead and slipped into Luo Yan¡¯s right sleeve. The second fragment, obtained! ¡°Not bad,¡± the Kunlun Mirror remarked. ¡°This fragment is full of spiritual power. I feel my strength has returned¡­ at least a part of it.¡± ¡°No need to thank me, Ah Jing,¡± Luo Yan said indifferently. ¡°Considering the many years you¡¯ve served me, this is just a small token of my appreciation.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t thank you,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said speechlessly. ¡°I was just¡­ never mind.¡± As the dust settled around them, Shi Liuli cautiously peeked into the inner chamber and asked, ¡°Little junior brother, do you think that¡¯s the Dynasty Yuan spiritual vein you mentioned?¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Luo Yan followed her gaze and discovered a vent in the style of an earth dragon beneath the floor of the central chamber. Faint spiritual energy rose from below, like simmering steam, forming wisps of white smoke in the air. So that was it¡ªthe Kunlun Mirror¡¯s main body fragments rested here to draw upon the Dynasty Yuan spiritual energy, didn¡¯t they? Luo Yan immediately had an epiphany, while Miss Shi couldn¡¯t wait to sit cross-legged on the spot, close her eyes, and hold her breath, beginning to breathe in and absorb the surrounding spiritual energy. Another loud bang came from outside, it seemed the ghost dragon had not yet given up, still persistently ramming the palace gates. Before it could break in¡­ With that thought, Luo Yan also sat down on the spot, positioned himself with Five Hearts Facing the Sky, and silently began to practice the ¡°Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra.¡± His True Yuan circulated vigorously, and with each complete circulation, all the pores in his body opened, drawing in the surrounding spiritual energy as well. The Dynasty Yuan spiritual energy at the end of this dragon vein was indeed profound. It initially entered his body in faint threads so delicate they seemed on the verge of collapse, yet in reality, they were incredibly tenacious and constantly regenerating. Everywhere it passed, whether through the meridians or flesh and bones, all hidden ailments were being healed and restored. Following the circulation route of the Grand Circulation, the Dynasty Yuan spiritual energy finally followed the Daoist True Yuan back to the Purple Mansion, settling into the Qi Sea. Luo Yan saw a faint tremor in his own Purple Mansion, followed by an expansion of his Qi Sea, which soaked all the inner walls of the Purple Mansion and gradually transformed them into a jade-like pure and glistening interior wall of the Dantian. Jade Mansion achieved! Up to this point, he had accumulated ten years of Cultivation Level at the Refining Mansion stage (autumn, Ling, and Luo lines combined), plus an equivalent of sixty years of cultivation from the Mercurial Elixir Liquid, thirty years from the Cloud Sea Empty Cocoon, seventy years of Sense the Way in the Kunlun Heaven¡¯s Gate Hall, and now fifty years of nourishment from the Dynasty Yuan spiritual energy, totaling two hundred and twenty years of Refining Mansion Cultivation. He had broken through the threshold of a Third Grade Golden Core and officially established his Jade Mansion! Not only that, but he also had a lifespan of one hundred and twenty years left. Leaving aside ten years as a precaution (after all, it wasn¡¯t practical to wait until the end of his lifespan to form the core, as the risk was too great), that meant he could cultivate for another one hundred and ten years, totaling three hundred and thirty years of Refining Mansion Cultivation. He was only seventy years shy of reaching the threshold for a Second Grade Golden Core! Worthy of me! Luo Yan completed the last cycle of the Grand Circulation, and the Dynasty Yuan spiritual energy inside him began to slowly disperse. ¡°Too much of anything is not good, and moderation is better,¡± his body had already absorbed enough Dynasty Yuan spiritual energy, and to force more into it would now be harmful. Shi Liuli also opened her eyes, her pretty face brimming with ecstasy. Truly worthy of being my Shi Liuli! The very day Marrow Cleansing was completed, she gained fifty years of Refining Mansion cultivation. Who else in this world could achieve such a feat? Before she could express her promotion sentiments for reaching Great Perfection in the Marrow Cleansing Rank, she only heard Luo Yan say in a deep voice, ¡°That¡¯s strange, why has the Ghost Dragon stopped its assault?¡± ¡°Ghost Dragon?¡± Shi Liuli blinked, ¡°Could it be that it gave up and left after realizing it couldn¡¯t get in?¡± ¡°There¡¯s that possibility,¡± said Luo Yan seriously, ¡°but we can¡¯t let our guard down until we have confirmation.¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Shi Liuli, in high spirits, didn¡¯t bother herself about what the Ghost Dragon was up to. She just started counting on her fingers, ¡°I¡¯m twenty-three this year, with one hundred sixty-seven years left to cultivate; adding the fifty years gained from the Dynasty Yuan Spiritual Energy, doesn¡¯t that mean a Third Grade Golden Core is already in my grasp?¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Luo Yan said, keeping a vigilant eye on the surroundings, ¡°that Ghost Dragon should be incapable of Transformation. Where could it have gone?¡± ¡°Even if we¡¯re talking about a Second Grade Golden Core, I¡¯m only one hundred eighty-three years short. Encountering extraordinary opportunities like the Five Qi Dynasty Yuan Cave four more times would suffice!¡± Shi Liuli laughed, her eyes nearly crescent-shaped with joy, as she began to plan excitedly, ¡°Even considering Yuqing View¡¯s history to date, there are scarcely a handful who have achieved a Second Grade Golden Core. And they have all at least reached the Golden Immortal rank!¡± ¡°If that Ghost Dragon is lurking just outside the palace, how am I to escort Miss Shi out of here?¡± Luo Yan also felt a headache coming on, ¡°For now, let¡¯s explore this palace a bit more.¡± With one delighted and one concerned, the two left the inner chamber and continued upwards. The second floor was the Dragon Clan¡¯s repository of scriptures. Since this place was underwater, naturally, there was no writing on paper scrolls; all were uniformly made of jade slips, without any signs of decay. Luo Yan picked up a jade slip and immersed his Divine Sense within, only to discover that it was written in the Dragon Clan¡¯s script¡­ In ancient times, the Human Race and the Demon Race were at odds, and their languages and scripts were mutually unintelligible. Even though he possessed the ability to learn swiftly and had studied some ancient scripts at Yuqing View, he could still only translate and guess roughly thirty to forty percent ¡ª from the recorded content, it seemed to be a history book. The history book stated that this place was called ¡°Eastern Pole Palace¡±. Its location in the Eastern Pole Sea was where the great Goddess N¨¹wa had erected the eastern Heaven Pillar in the old days. In ancient times, when the heavens crumbled and the earth split, the Goddess N¨¹wa forged the Heaven-Mending Stone and sealed the breach in the heavens. She also slew the cosmic tortoise, severing its four limbs, and placed them at the extreme points to the east, south, west, and north, thus propping up the previously tilted heavenly dome once again. The Dragon Clan established the Eastern Pole Palace here, but the reason was¡­ with the succeeding words too complex, Luo Yan simply couldn¡¯t translate them, only left scratching his head. He turned his head painfully and saw Miss Shi engrossed in reading a jade slip. ¡°Senior Sister, you understand the ancient language of the Dragon Clan?¡± Luo Yan asked in surprise. ¡°I studied it previously at the View,¡± Shi Liuli said matter-of-factly. ¡°Great Senior Sister!¡± Luo Yan exclaimed joyfully, ¡°Then you should be able to help me translate all these jade slips!¡± ¡°What do you want to translate?¡± Shi Liuli puffed out her chest proudly, thinking to herself that her little junior brother needed her help once again. Ah, what¡¯s to be done with him? After all, I am his senior sister. Luo Yan handed over the jade slip he was holding, and upon inspection, Shi Liuli exclaimed in surprise, ¡°This appears to be a history book.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°It should concern the history of this palace,¡± Luo Yan asked patiently, ¡°What does it say inside?¡± After carefully reading through, Shi Liuli furrowed her brows and said, ¡°It says here that the ancient Dragon Clan established the Eastern Pole Palace in these seas to prepare for a possible apocalyptic catastrophe in the future.¡± ¡°An apocalyptic catastrophe?¡± Luo Yan¡¯s eyebrows lifted, calmly suppressing his urgency, ¡°Senior Sister, please elaborate.¡± ¡°It¡¯s written rather cryptically here.¡± Shi Liuli stroked her chin, lost in thought, ¡°Hmm, the convergence of the Heavenly Spheres, tearing¡­ tearing the vault of the heavens?¡± Chapter 219 - Chapter 219: Chapter 11: The Infallible Escape Plan Chapter 219: Chapter 11: The Infallible Escape Plan The materials in the Scriptural Repository could roughly be divided into three categories: The first was historical records, which documented the Dragon Clan¡¯s intentions in constructing the Eastern Pole Palace, namely to surveil the Heaven Pillar of the Eastern Pole. The second was tests, recording a series of observational data the Dragon Clan gathered about the Heaven Pillar of the Eastern Pole. The Heaven Pillar of the Eastern Pole was considered to exist not within this space but on the reverse side of the main world, ¡°back to belly,¡± propping up the firmament of the main world. However, this support was far from fail-safe because the Heavenly Demons from beyond would continuously bombard the firmament, and yet, the Heaven Pillar remained unmaintained. As one side weakened and the other grew, there would inevitably be another cataclysm one day. The ancient Dragon Clan conducted research on the Heaven Pillar for a thousand years and finally concluded: They couldn¡¯t understand it. The construction principle of the Heaven Pillar was nearly akin to the world¡¯s origin and the essence of the Great Way; almost all attempts to study the Pillar failed. The third was miscellaneous writings, documenting the Dragon Clan¡¯s pessimism and despair over the ¡°inevitable destruction of the world,¡± giving birth to a series of ¡°Dragon Clan characteristic trauma literature.¡± According to various diaries, essays, and narrative poems, it was evident that in the later stages, the madness-stricken Dragon Cultivators stationed in the Eastern Pole Palace had planned to transform it into a second ¡°Gui Xu.¡± Within Gui Xu, time would be stretched as much as possible. For the Dragon Cultivators inside, it meant that the world¡¯s end, which would eventually arrive in the outside world, was delayed as much as possible. In doing so, they could fight for more preparation time. However, the Human-Demon War outside was nearing its end, and the Dragon Clan had already planned to withdraw from the Eastern Emperor Demon Realm, issuing an evacuation order to the cultivators in the Eastern Pole Palace. The Dragon Cultivators of the Eastern Pole Palace refused to evacuate and decided to use a forbidden technique within their Clan, determined to fight to the end against the invading Human Race cultivators. ¡­ After reviewing these archives, both were in a subtly complex mood. So these ancient Dragon Cultivators were trying to save the world, only to be annihilated by the ancient Human Race? ¡°Records involving the Human Race cannot be wholly trusted,¡± Luo Yan said solemnly. ¡°As the two races are hostile towards each other, these Dragon Cultivators would certainly mince words, embellishing their own intentions and slandering our ancestors.¡± ¡°Yeah, definitely,¡± Shi Liuli nodded, yet felt inwardly uneasy. So, what exactly was this impending world¡¯s end? Now¡­ how much time was left? Having packaged these Dragon Clan historical records, the two of them made one final sweep through the palace and, finding nothing else, prepared to leave and return. Looking outside from a hallway window, they saw the massive-bodied Ghost Dragon circling above the palace, its venomous gaze scanning back and forth below. According to the Dragon Clan¡¯s records, this monster was called ¡°Decaying Bone Corrupt Soul,¡± an eerie creature created by live sacrificial rituals of some of the Dragon Clan, characterized by undying nature and regeneration abilities. Unless obliterated into smithereens in an instant with supremely powerful immortal techniques, even a small piece left behind could re-coalesce into the monster¡¯s shape¡ªthe price being the Dragon Clan souls trapped forever within the dragon bones, never to be reincarnated. Luo Yan had previously employed the Five Thunder True Law and Desolation Divine Light, blasting the Ghost Dragon¡¯s head to smithereens. To no effect, as if it went entirely unharmed, the creature continued chasing them all the way to the palace, and it never stopped ramming into the palace doors, ruthlessly aggressive. From their current location to where they had fallen was roughly one thousand seven hundred meters¡­ Luo Yan made a rough estimate and knew that to fly Sword Control through this distance, it would only take a matter of seconds. The issue was, once the two left the palace and made it halfway, there was a very high chance they would be immobilized by the Ghost Dragon¡¯s eerie incantation, their consciousness scattering. Even with Ah Jing¡¯s help to break the incantation, their escape would be interrupted, forcing them to confront and fight the Ghost Dragon. If the Ghost Dragon had learned from the previous encounter and devised some trump card against my techniques, then the risk just became much greater. Luo Yan stared fiercely at the Ghost Dragon outside, then turned to look at Miss Shi, gradually formulating a plan in his mind. ¡°Why are you looking at me?¡± Miss Shi asked in puzzlement. ¡°Senior Sister, do you see it?¡± Luo Yan pointed towards the distance to Shi Liuli, ¡°That¡¯s where we fell from above, and it¡¯s also the starting point for us to return the way we came.¡± ¡°You mean¡­¡± Shi Liuli pondered for a moment, then asked, ¡°Take advantage of it being unalert and rush over there in one go?¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± Luo Yan said with a beaming smile. ¡°I have a feeling there¡¯s a catch.¡± Shi Liuli suddenly had a premonition, thinking could her junior brother be intending to deceive her into drawing away the Ghost Dragon, then take the opportunity to slip away? So she glared with wide eyes, and said fiercely: ¡°You go first, I¡¯ll follow behind you!¡± Luo Yan feigned difficulty, waited for a while, and then said: ¡°Alright, but Senior Sister, you must follow closely.¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Shi Liuli patted her chest, ¡°I¡¯ll cover our rear!¡± If I really relied on you to cover our rear, I¡¯d be better off hoping the Ghost Dragon commits suicide¡­ Luo Yan silently criticized for a moment, then said with a smile: ¡°Then let¡¯s go!¡± As the two approached the open palace gate, Luo Yan naturally reached out his hand and took Shi Liuli¡¯s small hand in his. Miss Shi instinctively wanted to struggle, but upon second thought, they were going to escape together, holding hands was just to prevent separation, right! So she restrained the slight shyness rising in her heart and let Luo Yan lead her by the hand. Taking advantage of a moment when the Ghost Dragon turned its head, Luo Yan suddenly activated the Peach Blossom Sword, pulling Shi Liuli with him as they turned into a streak of sword light and sped away! They hadn¡¯t gotten far when a heavy blow seemed to hit Luo Yan on the head, nearly causing him to faint on the spot. Luo Yan quickly regained his senses and caught a glimpse from the corner of his eye that Miss Shi had already rolled her eyes back; he immediately flicked his sleeve, shooting out the Postnatal Five Elements Great Extermination Divine Light. However, he only saw the Ghost Dragon taking the full brunt of the Five Elements Divine Light straight on, then whipping its tail like a long lash and striking Luo Yan with the speed of lightning. He only had time to drag Miss Shi behind him and bring the Peach Blossom Sword in front just before it was hit, and the two were suddenly smacked away by the immense physical strength. Pieces of the shattered Flying Sword embedded themselves in his body, and Luo Yan felt a sweetness in his throat, as if all his internal organs had been shattered. He endured the intense pain, pulled out the Green Duckweed Sword in mid-air, quickly stabilizing his backward flight, threw a Jade Pivot Thunder at the Ghost Dragon, then immediately changed direction and flew upward with sword control at high speed. The exit was within an arm¡¯s reach! By the time he reached the exit, Luo Yan took a good look and nearly spat out blood. He saw that the hole they had fallen through had already been sealed off by the Ghost Dragon with even more rubble. The adversary really had held back a trump card! Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Catching a glimpse from the corner of his eye of the bloodied Ghost Dragon bellowing like a fiend as it approached, Luo Yan gritted his teeth, took out the Heavenly Weaving God Shuttle to cover both of them, his entire True Yuan surged, preparing for a desperate struggle, and shouted in his mind: ¡°Ah Jing! Teleport!¡± The Kunlun Mirror immediately initiated spatial teleportation, moving the obstructing rubble above and exposing a narrow gap. The Divine Shuttle turned into a streak of light, instantly shooting into the gap and vanishing. The Ghost Dragon¡¯s damaged head hit the rock wall in vain, and after a thunderous noise that shook heaven and earth, the underground cavern began to collapse again. Chapter 220 - Chapter 220: Chapter 12: The Hundred Poison Golden Silkworm Gu, Ive Tamed It! Chapter 220: Chapter 12: The Hundred Poison Golden Silkworm Gu, I¡¯ve Tamed It! The Heavenly Weaving God Shuttle broke through the Five Qi Dynasty Yuan Cave. Luo Yan controlled the Magical Treasure to stop its momentum, hovering in the seawater, waiting for the elders from Yuqing View to come and collect him. Shi Liuli was still in an unconscious state, which clearly showed that the Ghost Dragon had learned from its previous failure to trap Luo Yan, greatly enhancing the strength of its spell. As a result, Miss Shi had yet to regain consciousness. If Luo Yan didn¡¯t want to continue the ambush at Yuqing View, he could take advantage of her at that moment and do as he pleased. No, considering Liuli¡¯s personality and emotional intelligence, if he really did as he pleased and then hugged and coaxed her afterwards, it¡¯s not impossible that she could be appeased¡­ Of course, all these thoughts were just that¡ªthoughts. After all, Luo Yan hadn¡¯t planned to lose his Yuan Yang that soon¡ªat least not until Wei Dongliu went to the Demonic Path and obtained some exquisite Dual Cultivation Technique. Having roughly estimated the remaining time, Luo Yan instructed the Kunlun Mirror: ¡°Teleport to Shiping Mountain.¡± The Kunlun Mirror was still reminiscing about its brilliant recent teleport, which had perfectly made the Ghost Dragon¡¯s trajectory of collapsing and blocking the route disappear into nothingness. It had hoped for Luo Yan¡¯s praise, but upon hearing his words, felt a twinge of disappointment. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Ah Jing?¡± ¡°¡­No, it¡¯s nothing.¡± The Kunlun Mirror sighed, thinking that it was fine not to be praised, after all, it had also helped locate the second piece of its main body. [Location four: Shiping Mountain, Tong Xuan Gate.] [Identity: Wei Dongliu.] [The Mirror Flower Water Moon Template is being overlaid; time-space travel is in progress.] Wei Dongliu stepped out of the stone cottage, only to see Jiang Liyan lying on a lounger by the lake, sleeping. It must be said that Jiang the Witch had many similarities with Miss Shi in appearance and personality: such as an intense curiosity, skill in leveraging the natural advantages of being a woman, and a strange but often accurate ability to predict the future¡­ among other things. However, the crucial difference was that Miss Shi¡¯s behavior was genuine, while Jiang the Witch was merely pretending. Therefore, Shi Liuli often committed acts that were both laughable and annoying, while Jiang Liyan had much better control over herself, showcasing true acting talent. Perhaps only in sleep did she reveal such a purely innocent and unguarded expression. Wei Dongliu felt slightly moved, while from behind the window of the adjacent stone cottage, the young girl Wang Cong was secretly observing them. ¡°Junior sister¡­¡± Guo Jin called out weakly from behind, ¡°Hurry up and finish today¡¯s daily tasks.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t bother me!¡± Wang Cong turned her head to shush him, ¡°Master is standing beside his wife, staring at her sleeping face and daydreaming!¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the mistress.¡± Guo Jin honestly corrected her, ¡°It¡¯s the senior from next door, Jiang.¡± ¡°It will be eventually!¡± Wang Cong thought to herself that the spells Jiang taught her were far more interesting than the Qi Refining Technique taught by her master. If Jiang couldn¡¯t become my mistress, how could I shamelessly continue learning spells from her? She had to think of a way to help! As Wei Dongliu was deep in thought, the Demon Head within Jiang the Witch¡¯s sleeve sensed his approach and started to get restless, waking its master from her light slumber. Her consciousness then cleared, her eyelids flickered, and her thoughts turned quickly as she pretended she had been faking sleep the whole time¡ªsuddenly, she opened her eyes wide and glared at him, half shyly, half reproachfully saying: ¡°Daoist Wei, how can you stare at a girl¡¯s face like that! That¡¯s quite impudent and rude!¡± Wei Dongliu¡¯s expression remained unchanged as he simply said: ¡°You¡¯ve gained weight.¡± Jiang the Witch: ???!!! Anger surged to her forehead, only to be quickly suppressed by her strong willpower. After all, she was a woman of the Demon Sect, and of course, she wouldn¡¯t be provoked by such words. So, she began to sob and cry mockingly: ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Brother Wei to be this kind of person, not only presumptuous and frivolous but also shaming me, wuu wuu wuu¡­,¡± Wei Dongliu looked at her expressionlessly for a long time until Jiang the Witch sheepishly dropped her pretense, only then did he ask in confusion: ¡°Doesn¡¯t Fellow Jiang have her own sect? Why do you spend all your time at my Tong Xuan Gate¡¯s residence? Aren¡¯t you afraid your master will be jealous?¡± Jiang Liyan¡¯s defenses broke instantly, and she left covering her face and crying: ¡°Then I¡¯ll leave, I¡¯ll leave!¡± Watching Jiang the Witch leave indignantly, Wang Cong sighed from behind the stone house window and climbed down from the table, saying to Guo Jin: ¡°It seems this master is really going to be single for a lifetime¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with cultivators being single?¡± Guo Jin asked, puzzled. ¡°The problem is that fools like senior brother here don¡¯t even realize there is a problem,¡± Wang Cong responded irritably, glancing at him, but quickly hid behind Guo Jin, because Wei Dongliu had already started knocking on the door outside. ¡°It¡¯s been many days since I¡¯ve seen you, let¡¯s have your teacher check your homework,¡± he said stiffly. Guo Jin and Wang Cong exchanged glances, thinking, what ¡®many days since we¡¯ve last seen you¡¯? If you want to make things hard for us, just say it! Wei Dongliu entered the stone house and began to examine the condition of his two disciples. Surprisingly, the cultivation progress of both was quite decent; although they couldn¡¯t compare to his own past progress at their age, they were nonetheless up to a respectable standard. ¡°Now that you both have started Qi Refining, your teacher will explain carefully,¡± Wei Dongliu turned around and spoke indifferently with his hands behind his back, ¡°The foundation of cultivation lies in the Purple Mansion, and the basis of the Purple Mansion is the Qi Sea. The Qi Refining Rank is the very foundation of foundations on the path of cultivation, one must not be careless.¡± ¡°Ordinary-talented cultivators need about sixty years to fill their Qi Sea, and those with slightly better talent need thirty or forty years. With your aptitude, it¡¯s estimated that you won¡¯t finish in seventy or eighty years.¡± ¡°Therefore, you must not slack off in your daily lessons. You need to cycle at least three hundred and sixty heavenly circuits every day. Understood?¡± Wang Cong¡¯s face stiffened; those three hundred and sixty heavenly circuits would take up at least two-thirds of each day! Guo Jin obediently replied, ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Wei Dongliu nodded, ¡°When you enter the Marrow Cleansing Rank, that¡¯s when your teacher will permit you to go out and gain experience.¡± Wang Cong, who was naturally lively and restless, had been frowning, but at this news, she brightened up a bit. Guo Jin was still his stolid self as he replied: ¡°Yes, Master. My junior sister and I will strive to enter the Marrow Cleansing Rank.¡± ¡°Hmm, Guo Jin,¡± Wei Dongliu continued, ¡°Cultivation is like sailing against the current, if you do not advance, you will fall back. You are the eldest brother of our sect, ensure you don¡¯t neglect your own cultivation level while also urging your junior sister¡¯s practice.¡± ¡°Yes, Master,¡± Guo Jin responded compliantly. Wang Cong, on the other hand, thought the master knew she was slacking off and quickly looked anxious, adopting a humble and obedient expression. Pleased, Wei Dongliu nodded in satisfaction, gave a few more instructions, and then turned and left. Back in his quarters, Wei Dongliu was about to sit on the bed to meditate when he suddenly heard a buzzing from a tripod in the corner; three golden rays of light flew out, circling in the air for a moment before landing in the palm of Wei Dongliu¡¯s spread hand. He saw three round, golden beetles, closing their smooth wing covers, gently clutching his fingers and starting to meticulously clean their antennae and mouthparts. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only The Hundred Poisons Golden Silkworms had finally matured! Wei Dongliu was overjoyed, his trump card had increased by one more! According to the records, once the Golden Silkworms matured, they became impervious to knives and flames, could eat through metal, and came with a deadly poison, making them first-class ferocious creatures in the world. What was more important was that, since they had been ¡°extinct¡± for nearly ten thousand years, the methods to counter the Hundred Poisons Golden Silkworms had also been lost, with neither Kunlun, Penglai, nor Shushan possessing them. If used well, they might replace the Five Elements Extinguishing Divine Light and become Wei Dongliu¡¯s unique weapon! Chapter 221 - Chapter 221: Chapter 13 A Trip to the Southern Border, 5 People Gather Chapter 221: Chapter 13 A Trip to the Southern Border, 5 People Gather After that incident, Jiang the Witch hadn¡¯t visited for a while, which left Wei Dongliu somewhat concerned. ¡°My mysterious persona needs someone to keep the Synchronization Value going¡­¡± Not only was Wei Dongliu concerned, but Wang Cong also missed the prospective mistress of their Sect. He dared not mention her in front of Wei Dongliu but had complained several times in private to Guo Jin, certain that it was the master who had driven the mistress away. One day, Jiang Liyan suddenly paid another visit, bringing with her a piece of news. ¡°Assist the Eastern Emperor Sect?¡± Wei Dongliu asked in surprise. ¡°Precisely,¡± Jiang the Witch said with a smile, ¡°Other Mortal Life Path Cultivators have been making connections for days and have already received the news. How come you, Brother Wei, rely on an outside cultivator like me to get wind of what¡¯s happening?¡± ¡°Ahem,¡± Wei Dongliu said somewhat awkwardly. This identity was meant for infiltrating the inner workings of the Demon Cult, specifically to gather intelligence, yet it turned out to be less well-informed than Jiang Liyan¡­ Seeing that Wei Dongliu didn¡¯t respond, Jiang Liyan didn¡¯t press on but simply continued: ¡°Every winter, when the miasma disperses from the Hundred Thousand Mountains, those brutes from Shushan head south to sweep and plunder.¡± ¡°The Eastern Emperor Path asks us for help every year, but since they¡¯re not from the Intercepting Cult and are unwilling to offer a proper price, nobody really cares to deal with them, with the exception of those madmen from the Asura Path.¡± ¡°This year, however, is different. Firstly, Shushan¡¯s strength has significantly declined after the tumult at the Demon Locking Tower, and secondly, the Eastern Emperor Path is willing to open up the Hundred Thousand Mountains as a reward. Therefore, everyone made an agreement with the Eastern Emperor Path to launch a fierce surprise attack on Shushan this time.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Wei Dongliu nodded, ¡°The Eastern Emperor Path should have made up their mind earlier, right? Why wait to be beaten down by Shushan for so many years before reluctantly giving up their land?¡± ¡°The honored founder of the Eastern Emperor Sect is said to have once been a beast-slave of the Beast Taming Path, not even an outer disciple,¡± Jiang Liyan said with a covered laugh, ¡°If the founder was like that, what strategic foresight can we expect from his descendants?¡± ¡°After all, nowadays, the real pillars of the Demon Cult are nothing more than the Heavenly Demon Path, the Nether Ghost Path, and the Mortal Life Path.¡± Wei Dongliu listened calmly, sneering inwardly. If one were to speak of the true pillars of the Demon Cult, it would actually just be the Heavenly Demon Path and the Nether Ghost Path. As for the Mortal Life Path, Wei Dongliu knew that although there were a few powerful and influential figures, the group as a whole was disorganized, bloated, and fundamentally weak. It was better left unmentioned. ¡°In that case,¡± he asked noncommittally, ¡°do I need to report to the Sect if I want to participate in the hunt at the Hundred Thousand Mountains?¡± ¡°Report?¡± Jiang the Witch laughed, ¡°Of course not. Have you heard the joke, Brother Wei?¡± ¡°What joke?¡± ¡°Joining the Mortal Life Path only involves dealing with the Sect on two occasions,¡± Jiang Liyan said with a wink, ¡°one is when establishing a Sect, and the other is when changing locations.¡± Wei Dongliu: ¡­¡­ So your Mortal Life Path is basically the civil affairs bureau, huh? They only show up to make money through procedures! ¡°Let¡¯s not dwell on that for now. I wonder if Brother Wei would like to join forces with others?¡± Jiang Liyan said with a full smile. ¡°Join forces? Isn¡¯t it joining forces with you?¡± Wei Dongliu was momentarily stunned, then he caught on, ¡°You¡¯ve called others as well, right?¡± ¡°Since it¡¯s a hunt and ambush, we should of course maximize our advantage,¡± said Jiang Liyan, her expression unchanged as he guessed her intention, ¡°Single combat is something those brutes from Shushan would insist on.¡± ¡°Who are the companions?¡± Wei Dongliu asked to confirm. ¡°Nether Ghost Path¡¯s Judge Wen Yang, whom Brother Wei has dealt with before,¡± Jiang Liyan said with a smile, ¡°Additionally, there¡¯s Gu Lie of the Asura Path and Long Qi of the Eastern Emperor Path, all very reasonable people.¡± Very reasonable¡­ Wei Dongliu immediately understood that it meant they had rather unpleasant attitudes. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± he said indifferently, ¡°One more or one less, it¡¯s all the same to me.¡± Jiang Liyan was somewhat surprised and began to wonder to herself. Although Wei Daoyou does not like socializing, he puts on quite a show of strength¡­ No, judging from all the signs, this guy must be so confident in his own strength that he truly doesn¡¯t care. That¡¯s fine; Wen Yang is not easily fooled, but Gu Lie can be provoked with just a nudge. It¡¯s perfect for testing Wei Daoyou¡¯s strength with that hot-headed youth. ¡°In that case, Wei Daoyou, please come with me,¡± she said with a smile as lovely as a flower, ¡°Let us make haste to the Southern Border and meet up with the other three Daoyous.¡± Wei Dongliu then summoned Guo Jin and Wang Cong, and said: ¡°I will be traveling for some affairs in the coming days. You two practice here on your own, and do not entertain any visitors.¡± ¡°If anyone shows up without notice, activate the Protective Sect Array. Wang Cong, have you memorized the incantations for the formation I taught you?¡± ¡°Reporting to Master, your disciple has memorized them,¡± Wang Cong obediently replied. Jiang Liyan listened from the side, full of curiosity. A Protective Sect Array? If it really is an array of that caliber, it would require a cultivator specialized in formations to set it up, not something an amateur could handle. Could it be just a bluff, with a minor formation masquerading as a ¡°great array¡±? Of course, Wei Dongliu had no intention of explaining to her, and limited by their understanding, neither Guo Jin nor Wang Cong could appreciate the subtleties and complexities of the ¡°Nine Curves Yellow River Formation,¡± so they simply complied. Leaving Shiping Mountain, Jiang Liyan finally found the opportunity to ask him seemingly offhand: ¡°Is Wei Daoyou¡¯s Protective Sect Array reliable? If not, your two disciples can go to my Biyun Palace to stay temporarily.¡± ¡°No need,¡± Wei Dongliu waved his hand and said. Jiang Liyan couldn¡¯t figure out his attitude, and seeing that he was unwilling to elaborate, she could only continue to wonder to herself, with his mysterious character¡¯s Synchronization Value sharply rising. The two of them traveled south on their swords and arrived at Dali City in the Southern Border. Perhaps because the day when the miasma from the Hundred Thousand Mountains would dissipate was nearing, there were many more cultivators in the city. Some carried sword boxes on their backs, openly identified as Shushan Sword Immortals; others were tattooed and scarred, handling snakes and insects in a way that did not at all resemble orthodox sects. Both groups maintained a tacit peace, not encroaching on each other¡¯s territory, not because they couldn¡¯t confirm each other¡¯s identities, but because there were no conflicts of interest at the moment, making it unnecessary to engage in conflicts. Following Jiang Liyan, Wei Dongliu arrived at a tavern in the city. They went up to the second floor and saw Wen Yang drinking with two cultivators. Wen Yang was still dressed in a strikingly gorgeous manner, with ornate and intricate clothes, and long hair fastened with a hairpin, appearing entirely the beautiful young woman until he spoke. The other two cultivators were an old man and a child. The old man dressed like a foreign monk, bald-headed, with no visible prayer scars on his forehead, large earlobes with earrings, and fierce eyes looking around. The child was dressed as a girl, her hair done up in two buns, with an expression of innocence¡­ However, if she could sit at the same table as Wen Yang and the monk, how could she possibly be of virtuous kind? Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Jiang Liyan went over to greet them with a smile, and then introduced: ¡°This is Wei Dongliu from the Mortal Life Path, an exceptionally strong cultivator. I assure you of his joining us in our venture.¡± ¡°Wei Daoyou is indeed trustworthy,¡± Wen Yang lazily said while pinching his wine glass with slender fingers. With both of them vouching for him, the gazes of the monk and the girl turned his way. However, while the monk looked at him with strong hostility, the girl only seemed to be curiously sizing him up¡ªat least on the surface. Chapter 222 - Chapter 222: Chapter 14 Go, Hundred Poison Golden Silkworm Gu! Chapter 222: Chapter 14 Go, Hundred Poison Golden Silkworm Gu! Everyone introduced themselves and gathered at a table to drink. The old monk, named ¡°Gu Lie,¡± was a Han-Tibetan hybrid, a cultivator of the Asura Path at the Refining Mansion stage. The young girl claimed to be ¡°Long Xiaoqi,¡± a local from Dali, and an outer disciple of the Eastern Emperor Path, also at the Refining Mansion stage. Wei Dongliu looked around the table and saw old people, children, beautiful women, and even a third-sex person; he realized that he was the only serious cultivator there, and couldn¡¯t help but think to himself, ¡°Is this some kind of freaks¡¯ gathering?¡± Gu Lie caught the sentiment in Wei Dongliu¡¯s eyes and took it as mockery. He narrowed his eyes and said: ¡°Brother Wei, Brother Wen and Sister Jiang have given you high praise, which makes me quite curious. Would it be convenient to let me experience how strong you are?¡± ¡°How does Brother Gu wish to learn?¡± Wei Dongliu asked with a smile. Gu Lie didn¡¯t answer but instead curled his middle finger and suddenly flicked out a streak of Sword Qi, aiming straight for Wei Dongliu¡¯s face! Wei Dongliu remained calm in the face of this poisonous and vicious sneak attack, seated and drinking his wine, as a golden light blocked the Sword Qi. Upon closer inspection, it was a golden beetle that caught the Sword Qi with its mouthparts, chewing it up and dispersing it in an instant. ¡°Myriad Poisons Golden Silkworm Gu?¡± Wen Yang exclaimed in shock. ¡°Myriad Poisons Golden Silkworm Gu!¡± Jiang Liyan rejoiced inwardly. Gu Lie also recognized the fame of the Golden Silkworm Gu, and his pupils constricted. He suddenly stamped on the ground, retreating while raising both hands and throwing out two streams of Sword Qi, aiming straight for the middle of Wei Dongliu¡¯s eyes! This move was meant to be an offensive instead of a defensive action, blocking the assumption that Wei Dongliu would choose to defend and thus buying himself time to save his own life. Targeting the eyes was to trigger the opponent¡¯s subconscious nervousness, creating a greater sense of fear and pressure. However, Wei Dongliu simply smiled slightly without a trace of fear. From his sleeves, two more streaks of golden light shot out like lightning, blocking the two streams of Sword Qi from left and right¡ªit was another pair of Myriad Poisons Golden Silkworm Gus. As for the first one that had flown out, it buzzed and rushed towards Gu Lie¡¯s head in an instant! ¡°Please calm down, Brother!¡± Wen Yang called out urgently. After the flash of light and spark of fire, the scene quieted down. Gu Lie raised his empty hands, still retreating, but dared not make any rash moves. One of the Myriad Poisons Golden Silkworm Gus was already clinging to his entire face, its sharp, huge mandibles clicking as if it might bite him at any moment. Wei Dongliu just sat leisurely in his spot, with an expression of being quite at ease, turning his gaze to Wen Yang. ¡°Amazing!¡± Long Xiaoqi suddenly exclaimed. Her seemingly innocent remark instantly eased the previously tense atmosphere, so Wen Yang revealed a smile again and smoothed things over, asking: ¡°Brother Gu, have you now experienced Brother Wei¡¯s divine skills?¡± ¡°I have, indeed!¡± Gu Lie, the old rascal monk, hurriedly capitulated, his bald head shining with sweat. He quickly admitted, ¡°Wei Dongliu is immensely gifted, and from now on, Gu Mou would be willing to be just a small pawn before your horse!¡± ¡°What virtues or abilities do you have that you dare to be a pawn before my horse?¡± Wei Dongliu asked with a half-smile. ¡°Brother Wei,¡± Jiang Liyan said with a smiling voice, ¡°you must not underestimate this old thief Gu.¡± ¡°In terms of fighting and killing, the internal strife within the Asura Path is even more severe than in Shushan. The strongest under the Golden Core are called ¡®Vajra,¡¯ a title fraught with danger. It changes hands every year, often with holders dying violently, with few managing to keep it for long.¡± ¡°This Gu the old thief may seem fierce, but he¡¯s actually incredibly cunning. He has been in the Foundation Establishment Realm Vajra position for three years without being taken down by his junior brothers and sisters, so he must have some real skills up his sleeve.¡± With a few words, she had made clear the capabilities and background of Gu Lie, letting Wei Dongliu also understand. ¡°What skills could Gu Mou possibly have,¡± Gu Lie said with a forced bravado, ¡°I simply know when to admit defeat in the face of a superior opponent. If Brother Wei still feels unsatisfied, I can kowtow a few more times!¡± ¡°You should call yourself ¡®poor monk,¡¯¡± Long Xiaoqi said softly from the side. Ignoring her, Gu Lie was about to bow down to kowtow when suddenly, he felt his face relax, and the three Hundred Poisons Golden Silkworm Gus had already burrowed back into Wei Dongliu¡¯s sleeve. ¡°Kowtowing isn¡¯t necessary. As cultivators, why should we care for such worldly formalities?¡± Wei Dongliu said indifferently, tucking his hands into his sleeves, ¡°Do one thing for me later, and we¡¯ll consider this matter settled.¡± ¡°Fair enough.¡± Gu Lie stood up, dusting off the dirt from his knees, ¡°Then I owe Brother Wei a favor.¡± He sat down again at the table as if nothing had happened, telling several jokes with relish, making Jiang the Witch laugh out loud, and the atmosphere became harmonious once more. Everyone continued to drink and joke, but each had their own schemes and chose not to mention them. The appearance of the Hundred Poisons Golden Silkworm Gu, a fierce creature lost almost ten thousand years, needed time for everyone to digest and assess the implications of its emergence. Jiang Liyan was naturally overjoyed, as she had long suspected that Wei Dongliu was concealing his true strength. Such as being immune to the Heavenly Demon¡¯s Enchanting Music, being able to hide the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword, and having an unfathomable expertise in formations, and so on. But, those were all intangibles¡­ Ultimately, the key standard to judge the strength of a Demon Cult Cultivator is whether he has the ability to kill others outright! And the emergence of the Hundred Poisons Golden Silkworm Gu finally added a stroke of vivid color to the blank ¡°combat power¡± aspect of the old Wei thief. Wen Yang felt mixed emotions, happy that this powerful individual was not only an acquaintance but also someone with whom he had had dealings and formed ties. He was concerned because the Hundred Poisons Golden Silkworm Gu was a long-sought item of the Beast Taming Path, like the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword for the Nether Ghost Path, which had a special historical significance besides its formidable strength. Long Xiaoqi has been my good friend for many years; if she were to plan or even attempt to take it by force, should I help Wei Dongliu to stop her or help him kill her? Gu Lie¡¯s eyes darted back and forth, and though he joked aloud, he felt somewhat depressed on the inside, using drinking to mask his emotions. Only Long Xiaoqi maintained a dazed, absent-minded look, not sparing even a glance at the Hundred Poisons Golden Silkworm Gu. Seeing her sitting there unresponsive, Wen Yang thought that perhaps the Eastern Emperor Path had lost its ambition and had no intention of carrying on the legacy of the Beast Taming Path, and said with a smile, ¡°About this operation¡­¡± ¡°Brother Wen,¡± Jiang Liyan interrupted suddenly, ¡°Beware of eavesdroppers.¡± ¡°I have booked this entire tavern, and Nether Ghosts have been set up at all four corners; it¡¯s impossible for anyone to sneak in,¡± Wen Yang said with a slight smile, her gaze shifting, and her charm exuding. ¡°Better safe than sorry.¡± Jiang the Witch waved her sleeves, and several Demon Heads flew out, scattering in all directions and soon vanished into the walls. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Are you satisfied now?¡± Wen Yang asked nonchalantly, continuing, ¡°For this operation, the Eastern Emperor Path has requested support from the other five paths. So, if we want to join the hunt, we need Long Xiaoqi to guide and vouch for us.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Jiang Liyan nodded, ¡°Even though the miasma in the Hundred Thousand Mountains is about to dissipate, the area is still teeming with Demonic Beasts and fraught with danger, so we do need a guide familiar with the terrain to lead us.¡± Wei Dongliu listened idly, knowing these two were outlining the importance of Long Xiaoqi for him, and so he simply nodded slightly. Seeing he had no objections, Wen Yang said with a smile, ¡°There are a few days left; let¡¯s first get to know from Long Xiaoqi the basic intelligence about the Hundred Thousand Mountains.¡± Chapter 223 - Chapter 223: Chapter 15 Oh, Interesting Humans Chapter 223: Chapter 15 Oh, Interesting Humans ¡°` The miasma of the Hundred Thousand Mountains would take some more time to completely dissipate. Therefore, Long Xiaoqi decided to take the group back to the Eastern Emperor Sect¡¯s base first. After leaving Dali City and continuing their journey by flying swords to the northwest, they soon saw the clouds and mist in the distance turning a blushing red, softer than the colour of a burning sunset yet more captivating and enchanting. It was a sight that dazzled the eyes and mesmerized the mind. That was the ¡°Peach Blossom Miasma¡± that blanketed the Hundred Thousand Mountains. Speaking of miasma, Wei Dongliu was reminded of Luo Yan¡¯s original sword ¡°Peach Blossom,¡± which was said to have been forged by the eldest brother using the miasma from the Southern Border. Sadly, at the bottom of the Five Qi Dynasty Yuan Cave, it was smashed to pieces by the strike of a Ghost Dragon while saving him. What a pity! Upon reaching the edge of the miasma, they heard Long Xiaoqi say, ¡°Stay close to me and don¡¯t wander off; otherwise, it will be hard to save you if you inhale the miasma.¡± So the four drew closer to Long Xiaoqi, with Jiang the Witch pressing up right beside Wei Dongliu, and laughed, ¡°Wei, stick close to me, or it won¡¯t be good if you breathe in the miasma. ¡°I¡¯ll stick with Xiaoqi,¡± Wei Dongliu casually moved closer to Long Xiaoqi. Jiang Liyan: ??? She was somewhat inclined to curse, but being good at managing her emotions, she only showed a look of silent resentment. Weaving past Jiang the Witch to Long Xiaoqi¡¯s side, Wei saw the girl showing no reaction but murmuring incantations and casting several spells forward, causing the Peach Blossom Miasma to slowly clear and reveal a narrow passageway. ¡°It can only get this wide at most,¡± she whispered to everyone. ¡°I see,¡± Wen Yang clapped his hands and said, ¡°This is enough for a few to pass through, but to explore the Hundred Thousand Mountains, it¡¯s insufficient.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why we have to wait for the miasma to dissipate,¡± Jiang Liyan agreed. Wei Dongliu didn¡¯t speak but stared at Long Xiaoqi¡¯s back and asked the Kunlun Mirror, ¡°Ah Jing, is she¡­?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the Kunlun Mirror replied. ¡°Do you think I have some kind of fate with the Dragon Clan?¡± Wei Dongliu said curiously. ¡°Ling Yunpo, Qiu Changtian, Luo Yan, and now me, we have all had dealings with the Dragon Clan.¡± ¡°The Dragon Clan is indeed the progenitor of all demons,¡± Qing Ping Sword said. ¡°With the body of a serpent, antlers of deer, ears of ox, whiskers of goat, claws of an eagle and scales of fish, the myriad forms and features of the demons in the world originate from them.¡± ¡°You always encounter the Dragon Clan because the identity of each character you assume has already reached a relatively high level in the Cultivation Realm.¡± After pondering for a while, Wei Dongliu had to admit it was true. Qiu Changtian, Ling Yunpo, and Luo Yan corresponded to the Kunlun Taiqing Sect, the Shushan Shangqing Faction, and the Penglai Jade Pure View respectively. The Three Pure Orthodox Sect ¨C they were the three giants of the Cultivation Realm, and with each character rising rapidly within their Sects, it was not strange to come into contact with the Dragon Clan. Even the identity of Wei Dongliu had him dealing with many up-and-coming powerhouses of the Demon Cult. Jiang Liyan, Wen Yang, Gu Lie, which of them were easy to handle in their own Sects? It turns out I¡¯m just too outstanding! Without seeking them out, the Dragon Clan flocked to me like moths to a flame! ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Kunlun Mirror said with a laugh, ¡°Last time, you were chased by the Dragon Clan all over the place; if I hadn¡¯t helped to teleport away the obstacles, you almost died in that undersea cavern.¡± ¡°Shut your mouth, broken mirror!¡± Wei Dongliu bragged unabashedly, ¡°Fated encounters with enemies are also a type of fate. Why don¡¯t you say that meeting an enemy like the Ghost Dragon is the best proof of my outstanding abilities?¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Qing Ping Sword laughed as well, ¡°The key is that he really managed to escape with his life from such a foe. No other normal Refining Mansion stage cultivator could have done that.¡± ¡°` ¡°` The Kunlun Mirror very much wanted to stress again, ¡°You only escaped with your life thanks to me,¡± but then it thought better of it, realizing that boasting about its achievements would only earn a few dismissive retorts of ¡°broken mirror.¡± So, it simply shut its mouth and sulked in silence. After trekking through the Hundred Thousand Mountains for three days and nights, the group finally reached the Eastern Emperor Path¡¯s station¡ªYu Long Mountain. As they approached, the vegetation gradually thinned until it was replaced by a continuous stretch of snowcapped mountains, which for a moment gave Wei Dongliu the d¨¦j¨¤ vu of returning to the Kunlun Mountain Range. However, within the Kunlun Mountain Range, there were almost no trees¡ªjust snow or bare rocks, with at most some low shrubs. The climate on Yu Long Mountain was much milder: the high altitudes held snowcapped mountains, which turned into meadows further down, then coniferous forests in the cold zone, and at the foot of the mountain, temperate broadleaf forests. Interspersed among these were numerous ice-eroded and unfrozen lakes¡ªthe landscape was distinct in its layers. Nearing the base of the mountain, as the temperature dropped, the Peach Blossom miasma also faded away. Without hesitation, everyone flew on their Flying Swords, following Long Xiaoqi up the mountain. After soaring over several mountain peaks, they saw the magnificent Eastern Emperor Divine Palace, perched on the highest peak of Yu Long Snow Mountain. In ancient times, the Eastern Emperor Divine Palace was known as the ¡°Demon Suppressing Palace,¡± a prehistoric relic that was mentioned in the same breath as the ¡°Demon Locking Tower¡± of Shushan. According to records, however, the two had different functions: the former served as a military front for fighting against the Demon Race, while the latter was a prison for captive demons. But as time passed and after the great war between the Intercepting Cult and the Orthodox Sect, with the Intercepting Cult¡¯s defeat and dissolution, the Demon Suppressing Palace nearly fell into ruin and desolation, even suffering from multiple lootings, a shadow of its former glory. During the heyday of the Beast Taming Path, Demon Cult Cultivators attempted to restore the internal functions of the Demon Suppressing Palace. Yet, for years they faced suppression by Shushan and their influence never extended beyond the Southern Border, lacking both resources and manpower to make any difference. Later, when the Beast Taming Path suddenly declined, it was replaced by the Eastern Emperor Path. This ancient human relic, known as the ¡°Demon Suppressing Palace,¡± was unceremoniously converted into the oddly-named ¡°Eastern Emperor Divine Palace,¡± much to the Cultivation Realm¡¯s lament. Indeed, considering the rumors that ¡°the Eastern Emperor Path had long been infiltrated by the Demon Race¡± and factoring in Long Xiaoqi¡¯s identity, delving deeper into these thoughts became somewhat terrifying. Arriving at the entrance of the Eastern Emperor Divine Palace, the group saw a mythical creature lying lazily in the plaza before the palace gates. This creature had four legs, a robust body, the head of a goat, the hooves of a wolf, and skin covered in colorful patterns. It was about twelve feet tall and was currently napping with its head buried between its two front legs. ¡°This is Lord Qilin,¡± Long Xiaoqi explained matter-of-factly. ¡°It has been lying here since the Beast Taming Sect¡¯s time, never bothering to pay attention to anyone, unresponsive to all calls.¡± ¡°Could it be it¡¯s a deep sleep from which it does not wish to be disturbed?¡± Jiang the Witch asked curiously. She fully understood the desire to sleep undisturbed. ¡°No,¡± Long Xiaoqi shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s feigning sleep. It can hear everything we say; it just doesn¡¯t want to bother with us.¡± ¡°In the past, when the Beast Taming Sect was attacked to the brink of the Divine Palace, Lord Qilin would awake and move to a place unaffected by the war to continue napping.¡± The group: ¡­¡­ So, this being wasn¡¯t the guardian beast of the Sect but an itinerant creature that had taken up residence and refused to leave? Observing the Qilin pretending to sleep with closed eyes, Wei Dongliu imperceptibly curled his lips, reminded of the stray cat that used to loiter at his doorstep in a previous life. Then, the Qilin opened its eyes. Its eyes were as large as copper bells, amber in color but lacking the majesty and killing intent typical of a superior predator like the dragon. Instead, there was a sense of ageless calm, as if it had seen through the world¡¯s affairs. ¡°What is your name?¡± the Qilin asked slowly. It spoke with the resonance of an evening drum and morning bell, its tone deep and measured with the patience characteristic of the elderly, fixating its gaze on Wei Dongliu, clearly directing the question at him. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only The rest fell silent, expressions complex and indescribable. In Wei Dongliu¡¯s mind, the Kunlun Mirror¡¯s exclamation rang out: ¡°Synchronization Value is rising too quickly! I¡¯m not reporting anymore! You know it in your heart!¡± ¡°I am Wei Dongliu,¡± he hastily collected his thoughts and replied with a bow. ¡°Oh,¡± the Qilin leaned forward, seemingly sniffing around him¡­ ¡°I¡¯ll remember that,¡± it said in an even tone, then slowly buried its head back between its front limbs and closed its eyes. Chapter 224 - Chapter 224: Chapter 16 Expedition Team Chapter 224: Chapter 16 Expedition Team ¡°¡­Lord Qilin, at that time you asked Brother Wei, ¡®What is your name?¡¯ Then Wei Dongliu clasped his fists and replied, ¡®Wei Dongliu at your service.¡¯ Lord Qilin nodded and said, ¡®I will remember that,¡¯ before lying down again.¡± Inside the Divine Palace Main Hall, Long Xiaoqi reported in a low voice. ¡°Reconstruct the scene at that time for me, and don¡¯t omit any details,¡± commanded an authoritative female voice. Sect Leader Shi Yao of the Eastern Emperor Path was a mature woman who appeared to be in her thirties, wearing a cyan robe with flowing ink patterns, her black hair tied up in a towering bun. She had a full broad forehead and exhibited a majestic presence even without anger, and there was a cinnabar mole between her eyebrows. If Wei Dongliu were here, he would certainly have a snide thought, ¡°Which TV drama version of the character ¡®Miejue¡¯ are you?¡± ¡°When Lord Qilin said those words, what was his facial expression?¡± Shi Yao asked, frowning intently. ¡°No expression,¡± answered Long Xiaoqi. ¡°What tone of voice?¡± ¡°No particular tone,¡± Long Xiaoqi replied. ¡°Very flat.¡± ¡°What do you mean by flat?¡± Shi Yao persisted, seeking further confirmation. It wasn¡¯t that she was overly cautious; after all, Lord Qilin was a celestial of high rank. Being extremely careful with matters related to such a figure could never be considered excessive. ¡°Just like my expression and tone right now,¡± Long Xiaoqi said flatly. Shi Yao: ¡­¡­¡­ Long Xiaoqi: ¡­¡­¡­ After a moment of silent eye contact, Shi Yao eventually broke the silence and cleared her throat before asking: ¡°What about this Wei Dongliu, what is his background, what is his character like?¡± ¡°Wei Dongliu is a Mortal Life Path Cultivator,¡± Long Xiaoqi said softly. ¡°He founded the ¡®Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect¡¯, and he has a good relationship with Brother Jiang of the Heavenly Demon Path, as well as Brother Wen of the Nether Ghost Path whom he¡¯s known for a long time.¡± ¡°Brother Jiang?¡± Shi Yao pondered a bit from her memory and asked, ¡°Is it Jiang Liyan, the one recruited by the Heavenly Demon Path more than twenty years ago, born on an inauspicious year, month, day, and hour?¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know about that,¡± Long Xiaoqi admitted earnestly. ¡°But her name is indeed Jiang Liyan, so it must be the same person you¡¯re talking about.¡± ¡°And how did he come to know Wen Yang?¡± Shi Yao inquired further. ¡°I don¡¯t know that either,¡± Long Xiaoqi answered crisply. ¡°What is the nature of their relationship?¡± Shi Yao pressed on. Long Xiaoqi thought carefully for a while, then said: ¡°It seems that Brother Jiang quite likes Brother Wei.¡± ¡°Has the Heavenly Demon Path already taken an interest in this Wei Dongliu?¡± After a lengthy silence, Shi Yao declared with a wave of her sleeve, ¡°You may leave now, and ask them if they are willing to join the expedition team.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± said Long Xiaoqi as she turned to leave. No sooner had she left than a figure emerged from the inner hall. She was tall and slender, her eyes as deep as autumn waters, her face adorned with the glow of peach blossoms, exuding charm with every move. It was the same ¡°Marquis of Mount Tu¡± who both Ling Yunpo and Qiu Changtian had seen in the Demon Locking Tower last time, now no longer dressed as a male Shushan cultivator, but in a captivating peach-colored dress. ¡°I would like to meet this Wei Dongliu,¡± said the Marquis of Mount Tu with a smile. ¡°No,¡± Shi Yao rejected immediately. ¡°This plan is of grave importance, and you must not create any complications.¡± ¡°I know my limits,¡± the Marquis of Mount Tu retorted petulantly. ¡°You know nothing about limits!¡± Shi Yao erupted in fury. ¡°I must return to the Eastern Emperor Realm at once, and you will take me there.¡± ¡°If you go back, what will happen here?¡± The Marquis of Mount Tu was not upset, just asking languidly. ¡°That is not your concern,¡± Shi Yao said, not wanting to elaborate any further, her words resolute. ¡°Your only task is to transport my kin back and forth between the two realms, and you¡¯re not allowed to meddle in anything else!¡± ¡°How utterly heartless,¡± Marquis of Mount Tu laughed behind her hand, ¡°Keep offending me, and one day you might just get outsmarted by me.¡± ¡°Are you trying to provoke a dispute between the two races?¡± Shi Yao asked, her expression turning sharp as one eyebrow archly rose. ¡°Stop, stop, stop ¨C don¡¯t intimidate me,¡± sighed Marquis of Mount Tu, ¡°I¡¯ll take you there, okay?¡± She turned her gaze toward the exterior of the hall and let out a deep sigh. ¡­¡­¡­ Wei Dongliu sat in meditation in his guest room for a moment before beckoning his gold silkworm gus forth with a wave of his hand. The three gold silkworm gus danced and weaved through the air, buzzing happily as if they were greatly enjoying themselves. In theory, once mature and if there is a pair of male and female, the Hundred Poisons gold silkworm gus should be able to reproduce. But how to induce them to procreate? On this, Wei Dongliu was without a clue. The more he thought about it, the more he realized that probably only the Eastern Emperor Path would have intelligence on such matters, considering they had fully inherited the heritage of the Beast Taming Path. Although Long Xiaoqi seemed unconcerned, that didn¡¯t necessarily mean that the Eastern Emperor Path didn¡¯t covet the Hundred Poisons gold silkworm gus. Upon this realization, Wei Dongliu casually stood up, ready to go out and probe Long Xiaoqi for information. Just as he stepped out, he saw Jiang the Witch leaning against the rails of the outer corridor with Long Xiaoqi, idly chatting and gazing into the distance. The Eastern Emperor Divine Palace was built atop the snowy peak of the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain; from the railing of this corridor, one could see layers of ice and snow, grassy meadows, lush conifers, and in the distance, the vast Hundred Thousand Mountains, tropical rainforests, and the miasma of Peach Blossom, a panoramic view of diverse landscapes. ¡°What¡¯s truly fearsome in the Hundred Thousand Mountains isn¡¯t the demonic beasts,¡± said Long Xiaoqi in a low voice, ¡°but the ruins.¡± ¡°Ruins?¡± Jiang Liyan asked curiously, ¡°Aren¡¯t those opportunities for serendipity?¡± ¡°It¡¯s only an opportunity if you make it out alive,¡± replied Long Xiaoqi, ¡°If you die inside, that¡¯s not serendipity ¨C it¡¯s a death trap.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Wei Dongliu joined in the conversation naturally, ¡°and the Hundred Thousand Mountains were once the ancient battlefield of the Human Race and the Demon Race, so the ruins there aren¡¯t just the dwellings of immortals but also purely military traps.¡± ¡°If you wander into one by mistake, even if it doesn¡¯t kill you, it will skin you alive, let alone any hope for treasures.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Jiang Liyan said thoughtfully, yet the gleam of interest in her eyes remained unabated, and she smiled, ¡°Little Qi is a local; you must be very familiar with the terrain here, right? You should know all about where the ruins and traps are.¡± ¡°Brother Jiang,¡± said Wei Dongliu with a wry smile, ¡°All the outer areas that she knows like the back of her hand have certainly been explored long ago; what¡¯s there left for us?¡± ¡°True,¡± nodded Long Xiaoqi, ¡°Every year when the miasma fades, expedition teams enter the Hundred Thousand Mountains, focusing on areas that haven¡¯t been explored before.¡± ¡°Furthermore, there are many ancient ruins that we¡¯ve never explored before, but when we enter, they¡¯re already plundered. It seems that the Shushan folk have gotten there first.¡± ¡°Apart from the expedition teams, we also need to form hunting squads every day to protect the expedition teams from being ambushed by Shushan or to ambush the located Shushan Sword Immortals, to prevent them from jeopardizing our exploration efforts.¡± Ambush the other side¡­ Wei Dongliu couldn¡¯t help but smirk inwardly; you think I don¡¯t know that every year you¡¯re the ones getting decimated by Shushan, with no strength to fight back? Jiang Liyan obviously knew this as well, but chose not to call out Long Xiaoqi¡¯s bluff and laughed instead: ¡°With our Five Sects uniting this time, the barbarians of Shushan will be like a solitary tree incapable of making a forest, hardly worth mentioning.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Long Xiaoqi nodded in agreement, ¡°According to the original agreement of the Five Sects, the hunting squad should be staffed by members rotated from all five sects, with each person spending on average one day hunting for every two days spent exploring.¡± ¡°However, I¡¯ve discussed this with the Sect Leader¡­ well, Brother Wei, Brother Jiang, Brother Wen, and Brother Gu, as strong cultivators within the Foundation Establishment Realm, you have the option not to participate in the hunting but to join the expedition team instead.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Expedition team?¡± Wei Dongliu asked curiously. ¡°It¡¯s the team that goes deep into the Hundred Thousand Mountains towards the area near the Eastern Emperor Boundary Gate,¡± explained Long Xiaoqi, ¡°The region is incredibly dangerous, and even Golden Core cultivators frequently perish there. Only the strongest among the Foundation Establishment disciples are qualified to accompany the Golden Core seniors into that area.¡± Wei Dongliu and Jiang Liyan exchanged a glance. The former remained expressionless, covertly weighing his options. The latter broke into a smile, eager to test her mettle. Chapter 226 - Chapter 226: Chapter 18: Do Not Seek Your Own Demise Chapter 226: Chapter 18: Do Not Seek Your Own Demise Long Xiaoqi had no objections to everyone¡¯s decision not to join the expedition team. After the meeting disbanded, she planned to report everyone¡¯s decision to the Sect Leader, only to find out that the Sect Leader had already gone out on business. Standing outside the main hall, Long Xiaoqi thought hard for a long time. ¡°¡­Forget it, such a hassle.¡± ¡°Never mind.¡± She leisurely made her way back to the guest quarters, only to see Wei Dongliu leaning against the railing on the corridor, apparently waiting for her. ¡°Fellow Daoist Long,¡± he turned around and cupped his hands in greeting. ¡°Just call me Xiaoqi,¡± Long Xiaoqi said softly, ¡°that¡¯s what Sister Li An calls me.¡± Sister Li An? It took a moment for Wei Dongliu to realize she was referring to Jiang Liyan. Probably because Jiang Liyan and Long Xiaoqi were quite close, they had a different way of addressing each other in private. Now that Long Xiaoqi sensed Jiang the Witch¡¯s attitude towards Wei Dongliu, she intended to include him in their intimate little circle. ¡°Xiaoqi, there¡¯s still some time before the Hundred Thousand Mountains opens. I am bored alone in my guest room; is there any chance I could find some books to read here?¡± Wei Dongliu asked with a hopeful smile. ¡°Sure,¡± said Long Xiaoqi, with no guile whatsoever, ¡°we have a Scriptural Repository that visitors are allowed to enter. I can take you there.¡± Wei Dongliu was overjoyed. He had thought that he would only manage to borrow some books with Long Xiaoqi¡¯s help, but to his surprise, he was allowed to go in and search for them himself! This Eastern Emperor Sect, truly a ragtag group within the Demon Cult¡¯s Six Paths, had such a lax management system! How delightful and commendable! Long Xiaoqi led Wei Dongliu to the Scriptural Repository, only to see the vast attic empty, not a soul in sight. Even the Shushan Sword Immortal, who was not fond of reading, had one or two people in the Scriptural Repository. It seemed that Demons probably didn¡¯t like being bookworms. ¡°You can¡¯t go into the inner chambers there,¡± Long Xiaoqi pointed out, ¡°you can look at any of the books outside, but you can¡¯t take them away.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Wei Dongliu said sincerely, ¡°thank you, Miss Xiaoqi.¡± ¡°No need to thank me,¡± Long Xiaoqi said, looking down and seeming a bit embarrassed, ¡°I¡¯ll leave first, you remember the way back, right?¡± ¡°Of course I do.¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± Long Xiaoqi then turned around and left, while Wei Dongliu strolled around the Scriptural Repository, searching carefully through the scriptures. The characteristic of Scriptural Repositories from the later periods of the Intercepting Cult, as opposed to the Clarify Cult, had become quite distinct, the most typical being ¡°technique over magic,¡± placing the more powerful and quicker-to-master Daoist magic scriptures within easy reach. As for the profound and difficult magic, which requires a long time to cultivate, they were mostly neglected in the corners of the deeper parts of the repository. Wei Dongliu guessed that this was rooted in the survival crisis felt by the cultivators after the Intercepting Cult¡¯s defeat in the great war, placing ¡°preserving life¡± as a higher priority. When it came to quickly enhancing combat power, the simplest and most effective method was ¡°commanding external forces.¡± From the scriptures in this Scriptural Repository, it was clear that three schools had developed in the later period of the Intercepting Cult: ¡°commanding Heavenly Demons,¡± ¡°commanding Nether Ghosts,¡± and ¡°commanding Demonic Beasts,¡± corresponding to the later Heavenly Demon Path, Nether Ghost Path, and Beast Taming Path. With such classification, Wei Dongliu quickly found the section with books on commanding Demonic Beasts. According to the records of the Intercepting Cult¡¯s cultivators, Demonic Beasts were divided into five categories: ¡°Shell, Scale, Fur, Feather, and Insect.¡± ¡°Feather¡± referred to birds, ¡°Fur¡± to mammals, ¡°Scale¡± to fish and amphibians, ¡°Shell¡± to smooth-skinned mollusks, and ¡°Insect¡± to crustaceans. After searching for a long time in the ¡°Insect¡± category, Wei Dongliu found many scriptures related to the Hundred Poisons Gold Silkworm Gu. Unfortunately, most of the contained records extolled how incredibly powerful the Hundred Poisons Gold Silkworm Gu was, while the scriptures discussing its cultivation, nurturing, and commanding were pitifully few, and those that existed were brief, almost the same as the scriptures in the Heavenly Craft Workshop. Wei Dongliu suddenly had an ominous premonition: Could it be that the methods for using the Hundred Poisons Gold Silkworm Gu were traditionally passed down orally from master to disciple within the Intercepting Cult, not committed to writing? That would be terrible! Now that the Intercepting Cult had fallen and the Beast Taming Path was in decline, where would I find someone to ask! ¡°` ¡°Are you looking for this?¡± Suddenly, a voice came from the side. Wei Dongliu turned his head and saw Marquis of Mount Tu standing opposite the bookshelf, smilingly handing him a jade slip. What a surprise, it was the Great Demon he had met before, [but] not recognizing her at first glance after she changed into women¡¯s attire! Accepting the jade slip, scanning it with his divine sense, Wei Dongliu felt a surge of joy, yet his face remained impassive as he said: ¡°Yes, thank you, senior.¡± ¡°Why are you unwilling to join the expedition team?¡± Marquis of Mount Tu pressed curiously. ¡°May I ask who the senior is?¡± Wei Dongliu parried with a question instead of answering. ¡°Guest Elder of the Eastern Emperor Path, Hu Li.¡± Hu Li, a fox¡­ although Wei Dongliu pretended to be oblivious, he said: ¡°Senior Hu. The tree that stands out in the forest is the one that is most likely to be blown down.¡± ¡°They have a forest, but you do not.¡± The female cultivator, now calling herself Hu Li, said with a smile, ¡°The Mortal Life Path is just a loose sand, whom are you afraid of tempting the envy of?¡± ¡°Caution never led to any harm,¡± Wei Dongliu replied nonchalantly. Of course, he couldn¡¯t possibly reveal to her the plethora of secrets he bore. Even just the existence of the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword, once exposed, the Nether Ghost Path would come calling for his head, regardless of whether he was from the Mortal Life Path or not. ¡°Being too cautious is also no fun,¡± Hu Li chuckled behind her hand, then abruptly asked, ¡°How do you know the Qilin?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± Wei Dongliu was not fazed by her sudden assault, simply responding steadily, ¡°It was my first time meeting the Qilin senior as well.¡± ¡°It wouldn¡¯t casually take note of a nobody¡¯s name,¡± Hu Li¡¯s smile was fraught with implication. ¡°Why doesn¡¯t senior ask it directly?¡± Wei Dongliu countered. ¡°If it were willing to pay attention to me, I would have asked already,¡± Hu Li waved her hand nonchalantly and turned around to leave. ¡°Really not considering joining the expedition team?¡± She suddenly turned back, ¡°I¡¯m also in the team and could look after you.¡± ¡°Thank you for your concern, senior,¡± Wei Dongliu bowed, ¡°I have no way to repay you.¡± Having no way to repay meant that he dare not accept, so Hu Li finally left with a light laugh. Wei Dongliu watched her leave until she was far away, then his expression turned grave as he began to ponder. Why would Marquis of Mount Tu appear here? Since she claims to be a Guest Elder of the Eastern Emperor Path, the rumors of the Eastern Emperor Path being infiltrated by demons were almost certainly confirmed. From the perspective of demons, weakening Shushan was definitely more important than weakening the Demonic Path, so the expedition team was unlikely to be a trap. Even so, Wei Dongliu did not want to deal with a bunch of big shots from the Demonic Path. Isn¡¯t Jiang the Witch, who can help me increase my Synchronization Value, adorable? Having copied the entire contents of the jade slip through the Kunlun Mirror, Wei Dongliu left, content. When he reached the door to his room, he suddenly heard a cry of alarm from the other end of the corridor. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only It seemed to be Jiang the Witch¡¯s voice. He went over to take a look, just in time to see Jiang Liyan toppled to the ground, covering her cheek, eyes brimming with tears, and a bright red slap mark on her face. The one who had just slapped her was an unfamiliar female cultivator with upturned triangular eyes and sunken cheekbones, her countenance suggesting a mean and sinister character. ¡°The Heavenly Demon Path is handling an internal affair!¡± The moment Wei Dongliu looked like he might approach, she glared at him and coldly shouted, ¡°Outsiders, stand back! Don¡¯t seek your own death!¡± ¡°` Chapter 227 - Chapter 227: Chapter 19 Jiang the Witchs Big Failure, Yet Not a Total Failure Chapter 227: Chapter 19 Jiang the Witch¡¯s Big Failure, Yet Not a Total Failure Jiang Liyan lay on the ground, emitting sobs, unable to stop the tears from flowing down, yet her eyes stealthily glanced at Wei Dongliu. Then, she saw an extremely complex expression on Wei Dongliu¡¯s face. It was a look that was half smile, half grimace, with a sense of irony. Jiang the Witch¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and a profound crisis suddenly surged within her. With the inspiration that followed, she immediately scrambled up from the ground and hid behind Wei Dongliu, calling out anxiously, ¡°Be careful! That¡¯s my senior apprentice sister, Ai Zhenzhi, a master of the Refining Mansion tier!¡± This sentence was nearly perfect, and it instantly made Ai Zhenzhi regard Wei Dongliu as the enemy¡ªespecially since he allowed Jiang Liyan to hide behind him and didn¡¯t make any subconscious effort to evade, nor did he show any signs of surprise or shock, which further corroborated that notion. Ai Zhenzhi clenched her right hand into a fist, and countless Demon Heads howled out, attacking Wei Dongliu from all sides. As the eldest apprentice sister of the Heavenly Demon Path, the thirty-six corporeal Divine Demons she fostered were far more formidable than those Luo Yan had dealt with on the Five Zhi Islands last time. Each Demon Head was eight feet tall, with a green face and ferocious fangs, possessing immense strength¡ªthey could tear a person apart with their hands and even withstand direct attacks from the Flying Sword, making them nearly flawless when facing cultivators below the Golden Core tier. The reason the word ¡°nearly¡± is used is that these Demon Heads were bulky and vast, and if faced with Daoist Magic or Magical Treasures specifically designed to counter Demon Heads, they could become easy targets and struggle to escape due to being easily hit. Wei Dongliu remained expressionless as the cloth behind him unfurled without wind, revealing a purple-black, sinister Immortal Sword that shot out from behind him. After being infused with Demonic Qi from the Chaotic Demon Body, the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword had become extremely docile to him, almost comparable to a Life-bound Sword Artifact. With a mere thought from him, the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword suddenly leveled its blade horizontally and swept across, cutting open the first three Divine Demons that approached it. It was said that upon reaching a high level of mastery, each of the thirty-six corporeal Divine Demons was impervious to blades and resistant to fire and water. However, under the attack of the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword, their robust bodies seemed as fragile as paper, tearing apart as a great amount of black Qi dispersed from within. Ai Zhenzhi¡¯s pupils contracted sharply, alarms ringing in her mind, and she immediately realized she had been tricked. There weren¡¯t many methods that could counter the thirty-six corporeal Divine Demons; how could the opponent just happen to possess one! Instead of attributing it to bad luck, it was almost certain that Jiang Liyan had leaked her information beforehand and specifically sought out an opponent capable of countering her abilities! Recalling Jiang Liyan¡¯s previous words and demeanor, the ostensibly normal yet subtly provocative behavior and tone that agitated her, Ai Zhenzhi snapped out of her rage, returning to her cold, rational state. Being strategically outwitted, the situation was dire, and it was not a place to linger! She had to escape! She made a decisive bite on her teeth, formed a Spell with her hands, and the three Demon Heads that were nearly bisected suddenly swelled up like balloons. Burst! A thick black smoke filled the surrounding space like fog. The substance that made up the thirty-six corporeal Divine Demons was the most superficial layer of human emotions, composed of a mixture of joy, anger, worry, thought, sorrow, fear, and shock. Upon contact with even a hint of it, ordinary cultivators would immediately lose their Daoist Heart, falling into fits of madness, laughing or crying uncontrollably, or other bizarre states of frenzy. But Wei Dongliu was not an ordinary man; with a light flick of his sword finger, the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword vibrated again, activating the Sword Dao Technique ¡°Soul-Stripping Stab.¡± In an instant, it was as if a whale was swallowing a dragon, sucking up all the surrounding emotional black smoke, leaving nothing behind. Jiang Liyan popped out from behind him, gaping at the now empty space in front of her, her face displaying utter disbelief. Where¡¯s the eldest apprentice sister? My big senior apprentice sister, she escaped? How could you let her get away? Where¡¯s that, your Hundred Poisons Golden Silkworm Gu? Use the move you used on Gu Lie last time! Just straight-up grab her face and kill her ahhhh! At this moment, Jiang the Witch was filled with mixed emotions, wishing she could scream out in anguish like a meerkat on the verge of collapse, but after all, she was also a seasoned woman of the Demon Sect. She quickly gathered her unwilling feelings, her face showing a mix of gratitude and concern, as she bowed in thanks, saying, ¡°Many thanks, Brother Wei, for your assistance,¡± ¡°No need for excessive courtesy,¡± Wei Dongliu said indifferently with hands clasped behind his back, ¡°She initiated the attack. I was merely defending myself, and saving you was just incidental.¡± Jiang Liyan¡¯s eyes brimmed with tears, and she had a torrent of curses on the tip of her tongue, ready to erupt. Who found you the Sect Residence, led you around Mount Wutai, introduced you to Wen Yang and many other contacts, and helped clarify doubts for your disciples¡­ And this is how you repay me, Old Devil Wei? You can¡¯t even help me kill a fellow disciple! ¡°That was your fellow disciple, wasn¡¯t it?¡± asked Wei Dongliu with puzzlement, ¡°Why did she want to attack you?¡± Jiang Liyan forced a miserable smile, covering her cheek, and said sorrowfully: ¡°Within the Demon Sect, it¡¯s nothing but the law of the jungle. Alas, the weak get hit; there¡¯s no ¡®why¡¯ to it.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Wei Dongliu sighed and continued, ¡°Is Brother Jiang alright?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Jiang Liyan said as she awkwardly stood up, still sporting a palm print on her face. Truth be told, even for non-cultivators, most slaps are more insulting than damaging. Furthermore, Jiang Liyan had deliberately borne that slap to strengthen her narrative of being ¡°oppressed by a fellow disciple¡±. To think that Wei Dongliu had actually let her escape¡­ At this thought, she couldn¡¯t help but grind her teeth in frustration, wishing she could bite Wei Dongliu in half to vent her anger. However. It wasn¡¯t irremediable. Knowing Ai Zhenzhi as she did, having detonated three pieces of her Chaotic Demon Body just to get away, the elder sister must be bleeding inside. Having suffered such a loss, the elder sister would assuredly not let things rest. She would definitely think that Wei Dongliu was an ally Jiang Liyan had solicited, specifically setting up an ambush for her here. Therefore, from a vengeful perspective, she would likely gather more forces and, once they were in the Hundred Thousand Mountains, would seize an opportunity to track them down. It was not only to settle a grudge but also to eliminate a future threat. As long as the two lived, the elder sister would surely not rest easy. By the time she was attacked continuously twice, even if Old Devil Wei was cautious, he wouldn¡¯t allow a tiger to return to the mountain, right? Hmph, there are plenty of opportunities anyway! With this thought, Jiang the Witch¡¯s mood quickly improved again. Putting on a face of guilt and self-reproach, she said with a sigh to Wei Dongliu: ¡°Alas, it¡¯s my fault. It¡¯s a private grudge between my fellow disciple and me, yet I¡¯ve dragged you, Brother Wei, into it.¡± Seeing her convincing act without any flaws, Wei Dongliu naturally played along, saying: ¡°It¡¯s not Brother Jiang¡¯s fault. I was just passing by when your fellow disciple attacked me. If there¡¯s blame, it lies with her.¡± Comforted by his words, Jiang Liyan took the opportunity to soften her expression, replying with a wry smile: ¡°Brother Wei, you¡¯ve angered my elder sister this time, and she managed to escape using a ruse. I fear that when we enter the Hundred Thousand Mountains, she might ambush us in retaliation.¡± ¡°Let her come,¡± said Wei Dongliu, unconcerned. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°After seeing your strength, she will definitely seek out more formidable allies,¡± Jiang Liyan reminded him. ¡°However many come, it¡¯s all the same,¡± Wei Dongliu stated coolly, without a trace of fear. Beneath the level of a Golden Core Cultivator, no matter how many you are, I just need to employ the Hundred Poisons Golden Silkworm, the Five Elements Extinguishing Divine Light, the Five Thunder True Law¡ªare any of those not enough to wipe you out? Even if it¡¯s a Golden Core Cultivator, if I really can¡¯t beat them, at least Ah Jing can help me escape! Jiang Liyan, unaware of many things, could only ponder to herself upon seeing Wei Dongliu¡¯s confidence. Chapter 228 - Chapter 228: Chapter 20: Schemes and Seeing Through Chapter 228: Chapter 20: Schemes and Seeing Through Returning to her room, Jiang Liyan took out the medicine from the elixir bottle and carefully applied it to her face, quickly removing the bright red handprint. Gazing at the pretty face in the bronze mirror, she slowly revealed an incredibly charming, seductive, and enticing sweet smile. Her beauty remained unchanged. Unlike the foolish Miss Shi, Jiang the Witch had a profound understanding of her own beauty and temperament. To describe her as a ¡°rose watered with poison,¡± not an exaggeration at all. However, why didn¡¯t he fall for it? Thinking about the carefully plotted scheme she had in mind for a long time, Jiang Liyan couldn¡¯t help but feel a wave of discouragement. Senior Sister Ai Zhenzhi had a violent temper and would not tolerate any form of insubordination. Hence, the junior sisters had to act humbly in her presence to avoid her punishment and revenge. Jiang the Witch¡¯s understanding was even more profound; she knew that all the brutality displayed by the senior sister actually stemmed from a deep-seated fear within her. Like a house dog barking wildly at a black bear, fierce on the surface but meek at heart. As for the source of the fear¡­ like the other sisters, it originated from their shared, ¡°kind and affable¡± master. Fairy Cai¡¯e, among the elders of the Heavenly Demon Path, was the most capricious one. Whenever she took on disciples, she would choose young and cute girls; Whenever she summoned a Demon Head, she almost always used her disciples as the sacrifice. As for the criteria for selecting sacrifices, those sisters who have survived until now have almost deciphered the master¡¯s habits: Those who are foolish, weak, and displeasing to the eye. Since Heavenly Demons are considered disposable, especially in battles against formidable enemies (as seen when Ai Zhenzhi faced Wei Dongliu and had to detonate three Demon Heads to escape), cultivating under Fairy Cai¡¯e meant one couldn¡¯t be too conspicuous nor too inconspicuous. Being too conspicuous would attract Fairy Cai¡¯e¡¯s attention, and then one day, if she was in a bad mood and found you unpleasant, she¡¯d directly grab you as a Heavenly Demon Sacrifice. Being too inconspicuous would cause Fairy Cai¡¯e to look down upon and ignore you, and then one day, if she was in a good mood and doing a headcount of disciples, she would pick you last as a Heavenly Demon Sacrifice. The balance here is extremely difficult to master, and many sisters have fallen due to this, vanishing like fragrance and jade, dying with grudges. But Jiang Liyan had survived until now, and she had essentially grasped Fairy Cai¡¯e¡¯s character¡ªher arbitrary treatment of disciples as if they were livestock stemmed from her belief that only disciples who had formed a Golden Core truly qualified as a cultivator of the Heavenly Demon Path. Those who hadn¡¯t formed a core, regardless of whether they were in Qi Refinement, Marrow Cleansing, or Refining Mansion, were no different from mortals in her eyes. And to the Demon Cult, mortals were merely materials for casting spells. Now, under Fairy Cai¡¯e, Jiang Liyan had become the youngest in seniority and the weakest in strength. Those junior sisters who had joined after her had mostly been taken and killed by the master. Until new disciples were taken in, if the master decided to refine a new Demon Head at any time, she was highly likely to be chosen. Fortunately, more than a decade ago, after the master lost a magical competition to a Shushan Sword Immortal and returned in embarrassment, she conveniently took the second senior sister as a sacrifice. She is now in seclusion at the main branch of the Heavenly Demon Path in the Hundred Thousand Mountains of Yangzhou, refining Demon Heads, and has yet to emerge successfully. Before the master comes out of seclusion, Jiang Liyan must eliminate a few more sisters. By doing so, by the time the master emerges, finding so few disciples at the Foundation Establishment Realm, she will go out to recruit a new batch of disciples, removing Jiang Liyan from the position of weakest among them! As for why she targeted Ai Zhenzhi, the reason was actually very simple: she was just too competent. Having been stationed at the Biyun Palace branch on Shiping Mountain for many years, she had managed many affairs in an orderly fashion, which made the master feel that she could do the work of several people, thus diminishing her urgency to take in new disciples. Ever since Ai Zhenzhi became the eldest apprentice sister, the frequency of Master taking in disciples had greatly decreased, to the point where there were now absolutely no disciples of the Marrow Cleansing or Qi Refining Rank, and Li An of the Refining Mansion stage had become the ¡°little apprentice sister.¡± This was a clear testament to the harm that this eldest apprentice sister had inflicted. Jiang the Witch had long been scheming: As long as Ai Zhenzhi died, the position of the eldest apprentice sister would become vacant, and the other sisters would immediately start infighting. When Master emerged from seclusion, he would find not only that Ai Zhenzhi had long perished, but also that a significant number of the Refining Mansion stage disciples had died. In such a case, recruiting new disciples would become an urgent matter, as one couldn¡¯t possibly expect Golden Core disciples to do the work meant for Foundation Establishment disciples, after all. Getting rid of the high-risk title of ¡°little apprentice sister¡± was the first step in the plan; The second was to eliminate the remaining apprentice sisters, seize the position of the eldest apprentice sister, and then display a stronger work capability than Ai Zhenzhi, ensuring Master felt comfortable and reassured in using her. Only then would she have at least some assurance of surviving until Core Formation! Li An supported her cheeks with her hands and looked into the copper mirror at the beautiful reflection that emerged. She revealed an innocent and sweet smile, yet it contained a hint of poison. She had the brains, the wrist, and a ruthless and decisive character, with only the background lacking. Although the old thief Wei was deeply reserved and hid his strength well, causing her repeated setbacks, she was not intimidated or fearful. On the contrary, she actually hoped that the old thief Wei¡¯s strength was as formidable as possible. After all, compared to the other sisters, the cards in her hand were far too few¡ªif she did nothing, her future would almost certainly be doomed. Ai Zhenzhi had already been angered by her, and had developed a great deal of animosity towards Wei Dongliu. Next, she would surely look for every possible way to find out his background. Since Wei Dongliu was ostensibly ¡°invited by the Eastern Emperor Path,¡± Ai Zhenzhi would certainly seek out cultivators familiar with the Eastern Emperor Path to inquire. All she needed to do was to use Long Xiaoqi¡¯s mouth to pass on the information she wanted the eldest apprentice sister to know to her ears, just right. After going over the plan in her mind once more, Li An gracefully stood up, ready to go out and join the others. Upon reaching the door, she smiled briefly and then rubbed her face with her hands, turning into a somewhat frail and haggard smile before reaching out to open the door. Outside on the corridor, everyone had already gathered by the railing and were chatting casually. Gu Lie was telling Wen Yang some bawdy jokes, and Wen Yang was laughing heartily, his rough and husky male voice completely ruining his otherwise feminine and exquisite appearance. Long Xiaoqi was grasping the railing with both hands, eyes unblinking as she looked outside, as though she might fall asleep at any moment. Wei Dongliu stood with his hands behind his back, listening quietly at the side. Upon seeing Li An emerge from her guest room, he nodded at her in greeting. After the five of them had gathered, they planned to head out to the external market of the Eastern Emperor Path to purchase supplies needed for their deep expedition into the Hundred Thousand Mountains. ¡°Jiang Dao friend, you seem unwell?¡± Wen Yang suddenly spoke up as they walked. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just a minor mishap during practice,¡± Li An shook her head and managed a smile. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Such a wan, numb smile would elicit pity and tenderness from any man who saw it, and Wei Dongliu was no exception. However, he refrained from expressing concern for Li An, because a voice inside his head had been incessantly speaking ill of her since earlier. ¡°Hmph! Look at that acting; it¡¯s so blatantly ¡®I¡¯m suffering, but I won¡¯t say.¡¯ Such an affectation, do they really think people will fall for it?¡± ¡°Ah Jing, tone down the acidity,¡± Wei Dongliu said with a frown, ¡°Even if she was pretending earlier, at least the slap she received was real¡­ It¡¯s normal for her face to be haggard.¡± ¡°No way, you can¡¯t be serious! You¡¯re not actually falling for it, are you?¡± the Kunlun Mirror exclaimed in disbelief, ¡°A cultivator taking a slap can¡¯t get hurt! And especially not this Demon Head!¡± Chapter 229 - Chapter 229: Chapter 21: Night, The Hum of Swords Chapter 229: Chapter 21: Night, The Hum of Swords Wei Dongliu was meditating in the room. As for the thoughts of Jiang the Witch, he wasn¡¯t actually unaware. If he didn¡¯t originally know, he couldn¡¯t help but learn from Ah Jing¡¯s various ¡°live commentaries¡± beside his ear, much like watching a magician¡¯s stage show while the girlfriend beside you keeps saying, ¡°The trick is actually done like this,¡± ¡°That contraption is hidden over there,¡± blah blah blah. It made Wei Dongliu feel a mix of laughter and tears every time he saw Jiang the Witch¡¯s performance, always feeling particularly taken out of the experience, even though her acting was indeed flawless¡­ ¡°Let¡¯s go back to Shushan, Ah Jing,¡± he said with his eyes closed, instructing. [Checkpoint Two: Shushan Shangqing Faction, Qingluo Peak.] [Character Identity: Ling Yunpo.] [Mirror Flower Water Moon Template overlay in progress, time-space travel commencing.] Ling Yunpo donned his robe and left the daoist temple to see that the trees outside had shed all their yellow leaves, leaving only bare branches. Cultivators have a unique constitution that is indifferent to heat and cold, but it is only upon seeing the desolation of all things that they realize winter is about to arrive. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± An Zhisu asked as she gracefully approached from behind. Today, Senior Sister An had unusually dressed as a Daoist nun, her black hair pinned up within her headdress, looking three parts less gentle than usual, but seven parts more awe-inspiring and heroic. This bearing, how can it be described with just the word ¡®impressive¡¯? ¡°I¡¯m just looking at the scenery,¡± Ling Yunpo said truthfully. ¡°I need to take a trip to Yangzhou,¡± An Zhisu hesitated, ¡°do you want to join me?¡± ¡°Yangzhou?¡± Ling Yunpo pondered, ¡°If I remember correctly, isn¡¯t Senior Sister from Guangling County of Yangzhou?¡± ¡°Right.¡± An Zhisu felt a warmth in her heart, thinking to herself that she had only mentioned it once, and yet her junior brother actually remembered where her hometown was, which showed he truly cared. ¡°Every ten years, I have to return to my hometown to pay respects to my deceased mother¡­¡± She pinned up a stray lock of hair near her ear and said softly, ¡°I suddenly thought that since Junior Brother has been at Shushan for so long without ever leaving for experience, I wondered if you would be willing to join me for a trip out¡­¡± ¡°If Senior Sister wishes it, how could I dare to refuse,¡± Ling Yunpo saw right through her thoughts¡ªit was nothing more than taking him to meet her parents, wasn¡¯t it! It¡¯s just that Senior Sister was too shy to say it directly. ¡°That¡¯s settled then,¡± An Zhisu sighed in relief and smiled, ¡°Pack up, and follow me.¡± Ling Yunpo turned and walked back into the temple, to his own room. Hmm, there wasn¡¯t much to take with him. The character of Ling Yunpo didn¡¯t carry many Daoist Magic spells or Talisman Scripts; after all, as a Shushan Sword Immortal, he relied solely on the sword in his hand. The Green Duckweed Sword was his life-bound sword artifact, cultivated within his body and requiring no carrying, so he simply hoisted the sword box containing the Thunderbane Sword and headed out. Cultivators favoring long-distance flight often prefer flying artifacts to flying swords, but Qingluo Peak¡¯s finances were limited, unable to afford a magic artifact, so the two of them flew along the Yangtze River using Sword Control. The wind faced them head-on, so strong it nearly made it impossible to open one¡¯s eyes, but Ling Yunpo had to maintain the persona of unwavering determination, enduring the dryness in his eyes relying on his Marrow Cleansing physique. By the time they arrived at Guangling County, it was already dusk. The two descended outside Jiankang City and then entered the city on foot, finding an inn to rest. Ling Yunpo shamelessly proposed that to save money they could just get one room¡­ and then backed down in the face of An Zhisu¡¯s surprised gaze. This Senior Sister of his, you¡¯d say she¡¯s complex-minded, and yet in many ways, she¡¯s unexpectedly naive; you¡¯d label her innocent and naive, yet look, she actually understands everything! She couldn¡¯t be provoked like Xu Yinglian, nor could she be coaxed like Shi Liuli, and definitely not seduced like Jiang Liyan¡ªtruly the most difficult one to handle among everyone. Forget it, sleep! Back in his own room, he sat on the bed in meditation, and Ling Yunpo suddenly recalled something. Speaking of which, there¡¯s a Thunder Method practiced by Qiu Changtian that I remember requires a trip to Kuaiji County of Yangzhou to find¡­ Should I look for it on this trip as well? He pondered the idea in his mind and gradually entered a state of meditative concentration. After an indeterminate amount of time, he suddenly heard a sharp whistling sound above his head. It was the hum of a sword! Ling Yunpo had been the Shushan Sword Immortal for over a decade, how could he not recognize the sound of a Flying Sword being pushed to its limit, slicing through the air? Someone was engaging in a magical competition in the sky! He hurriedly jumped out of bed, rushed out the door, and saw An Zhisu also emerging from her room, with the Flying Smoke Sword in her hand. Ling Yunpo gave her a knowing look that meant, ¡°There¡¯s a duel outside.¡± An Zhisu pointed her sword outward as if to say, ¡°Let¡¯s talk outside.¡± With someone battling outside, staying indoors wouldn¡¯t give them any knowledge of the situation and if the building was affected by the residual waves of Daoist magic, they wouldn¡¯t even be able to respond properly; therefore, they had to leave quickly! They hurriedly left the inn, and Ling Yunpo immediately took to the skies on his sword, quickly scanning the surroundings. ¡°Northwest direction, thirty zhang,¡± An Zhisu reminded him. Ling Yunpo concentrated and looked, just in time to see a person riding a sword, shooting up from the ground and clearing the rooftops. Hmm? Junior Brother Guan? He saw Guan Zhan rising into the air on his sword, not yet flying high when another sword light shot out from behind him, striking him fiercely from the back and causing him to plummet! To be more precise, it was a slap down, as the adversary used the back of the sword. An Zhisu sighed. Ling Yunpo frowned and continued watching as he saw Guan Shanyue rise on her sword from below, catching the off-balance Guan Zhan with one hand as he fell, then leisurely flew over. ¡°What a coincidence,¡± she said with a smile, ¡°Senior Sister An, Junior Brother Ling, are you also here?¡± ¡°And this is?¡± Ling Yunpo feigned ignorance about Guan Zhan, curiously asking. Guan Zhan¡¯s face was ashen, his lips trembling fiercely as he struggled to break free from Guan Shanyue¡¯s grip, summoning his own flying sword to step onto. ¡°This is my cousin from the Guan Family, Guan Zhan,¡± Guan Shanyue chuckled, ¡°He secretly joined Kunlun without informing the Guan Family, and I happened to run into him while he was out gaining experience, so I took the opportunity to teach him a lesson.¡± ¡°Whether I join Kunlun or Shushan, what business is it of yours?¡± Guan Zhan spat out angrily through gritted teeth. ¡°As long as Guan Family blood runs through your veins, you cannot sever ties with the Guan Family,¡± Guan Shanyue spoke calmly, but her eyes showed a hint of disdain. This made Guan Zhan even more infuriated and frantic, nearly hysterical as he roared: ¡°If the Guan Family truly cared a bit for me, how could they have allowed my mother¡­¡± He couldn¡¯t finish his sentence; the rest of his words were choked back as Guan Shanyue crisply slapped him across the face, stunning him completely. Ling Yunpo, or rather Qiu Changtian, had never seen such a miserable Junior Brother Guan. Usually, during scripture reading sessions in the cave dwelling, he was always the one sitting silently in the corner, and when he did speak, it was mostly in a sharp and sarcastic tone. Qiu Changtian thought it was just his nature, but now he suspected there might be hidden reasons. An Zhisu, however, was surprised as she looked at Guan Shanyue. After knowing her for many years, she had never seen this woman become so angry, her face still wore a false smile, but her muscles were almost too tense to maintain her composure, clearly she was struggling not to lose her temper on the spot. ¡°Sorry for making a spectacle in front of you two,¡± Guan Shanyue apologized as she grabbed Guan Zhan¡¯s arm and dragged him away without another word, ¡°We have some private family matters to take care of, so we¡¯ll take our leave now.¡± The two of them left quickly on their swords and soon disappeared into the night. ¡°Who would have thought someone from the Guan Family would join Kunlun,¡± An Zhisu said with surprise, ¡°The Longyou Guan Family, who devote all their resources and connections to Shushan ¨C what for did that person join Kunlun? To stand out?¡± ¡°Perhaps there are some underlying reasons,¡± Ling Yunpo said with a sigh. An Zhisu nodded, not disagreeing with this notion. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only She was unfamiliar with Guan Zhan to begin with, only finding it strange what could cause Guan Shanyue to reveal such a suppressed expression as if she had been betrayed. However¡­ If she put herself and Junior Brother Ling in their shoes, she might be able to understand. If Ling Yunpo suddenly decided to switch his allegiance to Kunlun, An Zhisu wasn¡¯t sure if she, in her current state, would let him go with tears, or¡­ She dared not think any further. Chapter 230 - Chapter 230: Chapter 22 Cleaning Graves, Offering Sacrifices Chapter 230: Chapter 22 Cleaning Graves, Offering Sacrifices After seeing off Guan Shanyue and Guan Zhan, the two of them returned to their room at the inn. Ling Yunpo soon entered meditative concentration, but An Zhisu felt somewhat perturbed and couldn¡¯t calm down. She sensed something was amiss about herself. In the past, if Ling Yunpo were to leave Qingluo Peak, she would be heartbroken and pained, but she wouldn¡¯t try to make him stay. Because the reason was clear: the lineage of Qingluo Peak had no masters. Without a master and not valued by the sect, what difference would there be from a loose cultivator? Moreover, since Junior Brother Ling had the ¡°Innate Sword Bone¡± aptitude, there was naturally no need for him to be confined to Qingluo Peak. Not to mention anything else, just the recruitment offers that came to him were twice. Once was from Ziyun Peak, and the other was from the Guan family ancestor; although she felt anguished at the time, she was still willing to let Junior Brother make his own choice. If the Junior Brother wanted to soar into the world, she would let him go despite how reluctant she might be. However, just now, when she heard Guan Shanyue mention Guan Zhan joining Kunlun, the first thought that sprang to her mind when she subconsciously put herself in that situation, if Junior Brother were to leave, was to teach him a lesson like Guan Shanyue did and forcefully make him change his mind and stay at Qingluo Peak. After all, Guan Zhan had the noble blood of the Guan Family, which made Guan Shanyue barely tolerant of his betrayal. But Junior Brother Ling¡­ what kind of position did she claim to have to harbor such aggressive thoughts that insisted he should not leave? Thinking about this made An Zhisu feel deeply terrified. It was as if she suddenly discovered that she was no longer the person she used to be. Her heart was in turmoil throughout the night. When she got up the next day, she naturally had dark circles under her eyes. ¡°Eh, Senior Sister,¡± Ling Yunpo encountered her in the hallway and asked with concern, ¡°Why do you look so haggard? Didn¡¯t you meditate last night?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± An Zhisu smiled helplessly, avoiding an answer and diverting the conversation, ¡°From here to my hometown, it¡¯s less than half an hour¡¯s journey. Let¡¯s go.¡± The two left Jiankang City, found a secluded area with no one around, and took to the sky on their swords. After crossing the Yangtze River, they turned northeast and quickly arrived at an old village deep in the mountains. The village was nestled among the mountains. Although it was inconvenient for travel, it was spared from wartime calamities, so it remained a peaceful and tranquil place, hardly changing over hundreds of years. ¡°Let¡¯s enter the village quietly later; we don¡¯t want the villagers to see us,¡± An Zhisu whispered, looking toward the houses in the distant valley. ¡°Why?¡± Ling Yunpo asked curiously, ¡°Would they still recognize Senior Sister after all these years?¡± ¡°I come back once every ten years, there are always people who recognize me,¡± An Zhisu sighed. ¡°It¡¯s better to avoid trouble.¡± Ling Yunpo uttered an ¡°Oh,¡± and immediately understood. Cultivators often choose to keep a low profile when moving through the mortal world to avoid revealing their identities. This was mostly because being seen by mortals meant dealing with a horde of people seeking immortality and elixirs, which can be quite troublesome. An Zhisu¡¯s situation was even more special. Her mother was buried here, and it was impractical to relocate the grave, so they had to rely on the villagers for care. Thus, it was actually not feasible to keep her distance from the villagers, especially since Senior Sister was not the heartless type. The two quietly went around to the back of the village and saw big and small grave mounds dotting the hillside. The grave of An Zhisu¡¯s mother was situated at the highest point of the mountain peak. Descending before the grave, Ling Yunpo took a close look and noticed that the area around the grave was covered with dust and fallen leaves, although the weeds were not overgrown¡ªsomeone must have cleaned it a few months ago. With a flick of his fingers, he activated the spell on his Green Duckweed Sword, and a cascade of Water System Sword Qi swept like rain, brushing away the dust, fallen leaves, and weeds in front of the grave. An Zhisu took out offerings: chicken, duck, fish, goose, and an eight treasure hot pot, meticulously placing each before her mother¡¯s grave, then she brought out an incense burner and lit some sandalwood incense. Those born into cultivation should not actually believe in such things. After all, it¡¯s common knowledge that when a person dies, their soul falls into the Netherworld, and then they are reborn. Senior Sister An has come here to offer sacrifices now; it is more of a ceremonial act than one with actual significance. Thus, Ling Yunpo also helped by taking out a cushion and placing it in front of the tombstone. However, An Zhisu waved her hand and didn¡¯t go for the cushion, but knelt directly on the stone slabs. After bowing deeply in homage, she lowered her head and closed her eyes, holding her hands to her chest, and began to pray for her late mother. Ling Yunpo saw her lips moving slightly, just like when she prayed to Master at Qingluo Peak. He thought to himself that he was unsure if Master could hear him, but he was certain that her mother definitely couldn¡¯t. Anyway, it¡¯s just for comfort¡­ His gaze fell upon the tombstone and his mind suddenly drifted away. This An Susu, the late matriarch, I wonder how gentle and beautiful she was in life, that she was able to make someone as arrogant and ungrateful as Su Jian change his ways from the Forgetting Love path to the Sentiment Inquiry Path, shocking nearly the entire Shushan. Looking carefully at Senior Sister An¡¯s profile, with such a delicate and exquisite face, combined with the image of Su Jian that appeared in the Pavilion Secret Realm, who was a completely handsome middle-aged man, it¡¯s likely that the matriarch¡¯s beauty was not far off. An Zhisu finished her prayers and opened her eyes to stand up, and somehow her cheeks were slightly flushed; it was unknown what she had said to her mother. ¡°Junior Brother,¡± she said gently, ¡°It¡¯s done. Let¡¯s go back.¡± ¡°Senior Sister, someone entrusted me with a task, and when I have free time, I¡¯m supposed to visit Kuaiji County.¡± Ling Yunpo spoke tentatively. ¡°Since I¡¯m already here in Yangzhou, I thought I¡¯d finish the task first before returning to Shushan.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± An Zhisu nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll accompany you.¡± There it is, this is my Senior Sister! Ling Yunpo was deeply moved. If it were Junior Sister Xu, Miss Shi, or Jiang the Witch, who would agree so easily without even asking what it¡¯s about? Only Senior Sister, with her complete trust in me, would so readily agree to accompany me. ¡°There¡¯s one more thing I need to do before we leave,¡± An Zhisu suddenly said. She and Ling Yunpo turned into Sword Light and flew towards the village, promptly landing in the backyard of a certain house. In the backyard, there was a woman dressed like a peasant feeding chickens. She was almost frightened into screaming when she saw someone descending from the sky. On the other hand, the elderly lady next to her reacted quickly, pulling the younger woman into her arms and covering her mouth. ¡°Gui Niang, I hope you are well,¡± An Zhisu greeted with a nod. ¡°Well indeed, well indeed,¡± the elderly lady responded with a chuckle. ¡°Old An has gone out. Would the Immortal like to stay here for a meal and rest for a while?¡± ¡°Who might this be?¡± An Zhisu asked, turning her attention to the unfamiliar-looking woman instead of answering. ¡°My daughter-in-law, she¡¯s been part of the family for around five or six years now,¡± the elderly lady hastened to explain. ¡°The Immortal visits once every ten years, and she hadn¡¯t had the opportunity to meet you before, so she was almost disrespectful just now, my apologies, my apologies¡­¡± ¡°No harm done,¡± An Zhisu retrieved an Elixir Bottle from her sleeve, which contained the ¡°Detoxification Elixir¡± commonly used in Daoist Sects to regulate one¡¯s constitution, and placed it on the ground. ¡°These past years, I must also thank the village chief for looking after my mother¡¯s grave.¡± ¡°No thanks necessary,¡± the elderly lady waved her hand, her eyes fixed on the Elixir Bottle on the ground. ¡°After all, we¡¯re from the same village and share the same surname; it¡¯s only right to look out for one another.¡± ¡°Since the village chief isn¡¯t here, I¡¯ll be leaving,¡± An Zhisu said, turning to Ling Yunpo. ¡°Junior Brother?¡± ¡°Yes, let¡¯s go,¡± Ling Yunpo nodded. The two once again rose into the sky on their swords, disappearing from sight. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only It was only then that the younger woman managed to break free from her mother-in-law¡¯s embrace and picked up the Elixir Bottle on the ground, hesitantly saying: ¡°Mother-in-law, this¡­¡± ¡°Give it to me!¡± The elderly lady snatched the Elixir Bottle, first verifying that it indeed contained elixirs, then seriously warned, ¡°Apart from your father-in-law and me, no one else must know about this! That includes your husband and those reckless nephews!¡± ¡°Understood,¡± the woman realized the significance and excitedly said, ¡°Are these Immortal Pills inside?¡± ¡°No matter the ailment, just one pill will do!¡± the elderly lady said quivering. ¡°They are undoubtedly Immortal Pills¡­¡± Chapter 231 - Chapter 231: Chapter 23: The Tale of the Demons Extermination at Mount Tianmu Chapter 231: Chapter 23: The Tale of the Demon¡¯s Extermination at Mount Tianmu This time, heading to Kuaiji County in Yangzhou, the Thunder Method I sought was called ¡°Shenxiao Thunder¡±. According to the general outline of the Five Thunder True Law, Shenxiao Thunder specializes in ¡°extinguishing the vitality¡±, which is highly effective against demons with robust vitality. Along with the Jade Pivot Thunder, which specializes in killing Nether Ghosts, and the Great Hollow Thunder, which specializes in killing demons from beyond the heavens, they are called the ¡°Three Daoist Foundations of the Thunder Method¡±. Almost every Thunder Cultivator could master them proficiently. Of course, the lineage of Thunder Cultivators has almost completely died out now. The widely spread Shenxiao Thunder, along with the departure of Chonghe True Person, has since vanished from this world. Lucky for me, Ling Yunpo did some digging and found that the lineage left by the other party was actually still around, located on Mount Tianmu to the south of Kuaiji County, reportedly now with only a single temple and two or three disciples left. The two of us flew on our swords from Guangling County, heading southwards. Below, the fields stretched continuously, crisscrossed by paths, with travelers and caravans on the roads, bustling with activity¡ªan indication of a peaceful and bountiful year. Unfortunately, for rural Daoist priests, peace means no demons or ghosts, and bountiful harvests mean no droughts or disasters, yet demon hunting and rainmaking constitute the main source of their income. The consecutive years of peace and harvest in Yangzhou have caused the business of rural Daoist priests to decline. Now it¡¯s no wonder that the descendants of the Chonghe predecessor are living such miserable lives. Passing through Lin¡¯an and Kuaiji, we arrived at Mount Tianmu and landed at the temple on the mountain¡¯s peak. What a dilapidated temple! Honestly, whether it was Ling Yunpo, Qiu Changtian, Luo Yan, or Wei Dongliu, none had ever seen such a rundown temple. The roof tiles were all damaged, most of the plaster on the walls had fallen off, and one corner of the stone threshold was even missing¡­ Ling Yunpo mused that if he were looking for someone to make it rain or catch ghosts, he would probably turn around and leave at the sight of such a decrepit facade. He walked up and knocked on the door; there was no response. ¡°There¡¯s no one inside,¡± An Zhisu said. ¡°Looks like we¡¯ll have to come back another time,¡± Ling Yunpo had just turned around when he saw a young Daoist coming from the other end of the mountain path. The young Daoist was dressed in a tattered Daoist robe covered in patches, carrying a basket full of wild vegetables, staring dumbfounded at the two guests before him. Ling Yunpo, handsome and resolute, with a sharp gaze; An Zhisu, tall and valiant, exuding an air of heroism. Combined with their Shushan Daoist robes that indicate they are from a major sect, the sight frightened the young Daoist so much that he dropped his basket and came over to give a loud kowtow: ¡°Kunlun has finally sent someone! Please, seniors, save my master! A demon has captured him!¡± Ling Yunpo: ¡­¡­¡­ An Zhisu: ¡­¡­¡­ ¡°Calm down, we are not cultivators from Kunlun.¡± Seeing the young Daoist kneeling and continuously kowtowing, Ling Yunpo helplessly explained, ¡°We are cultivators from Shushan. And what do you mean your master has been captured by a demon? ¡­Stop kowtowing to me!¡± The young Daoist slowly raised his head, his gaze dizzy and puzzled, obviously having kowtowed himself into a bit of stupor. An Zhisu was speechless as well and took out a white jade liquor cask. First, she poured a little in her hand and then flicked it into the young Daoist¡¯s mouth with the flick of a finger. ¡°Cough¡­ cough cough¡­¡± Suddenly startled by the liquor, the child coughed several times, his senses somewhat returning to him. ¡°You¡¯re¡­ not from Kunlun?¡± he asked, still somewhat dazed as he looked at the two of them. ¡°We are Shushan Sword Immortals,¡± Ling Yunpo replied. ¡°Shushan¡­ where is that?¡± the young Daoist asked, confused. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about where Shushan is,¡± An Zhisu patiently said, ¡°You just need to know that we from Shushan have a good relationship with Kunlun. So where exactly was your master taken when he was captured?¡± ¡°In the Thousand Fathom Valley! East of the Nineteen Peaks!¡± The young Daoist¡¯s eyes lit up, and he immediately began to spill everything out like beans pouring out of a bamboo tube, ¡°The demon on that side is powerful! The master didn¡¯t dare to provoke it, but during an exorcism mission in Kuaiji County, he accidentally killed a lesser demon under the other¡¯s command.¡± ¡°Afterwards, the monster refused and came knocking on our door to reason with my master. My master couldn¡¯t argue with him and was kidnapped!¡± ¡°What is your master¡¯s cultivation level?¡± Ling Yunpo pressed, ¡°And the demon¡¯s cultivation level?¡± ¡°Cultivation level? I¡¯m not sure,¡± the young Taoist said blankly, ¡°but that demon is very powerful, able to summon clouds and ride the fog, flying about¡­¡± As he spoke and gestured, he couldn¡¯t come to the point, and Ling Yunpo had to interrupt him: ¡°Never mind that, can the demon transform?¡± ¡°Transform?¡± ¡°As in, turn into a human.¡± ¡°It probably can¡¯t,¡± the young Taoist recalled carefully, ¡°Master said that demons that can turn into humans are fierce. If we encounter one, we must flee immediately, and there would be cultivators from some island who would deal with it¡­¡± ¡°Penglai Island?¡± An Zhisu asked for confirmation. Yangzhou was under the influence of Penglai¡¯s Yuqing View, although the Heavenly Demon Path certainly didn¡¯t see it that way. ¡°Right, right, right!¡± the young Taoist nodded repeatedly. ¡°Without transformation, it means it hasn¡¯t formed a demon core yet.¡± Ling Yunpo looked up and said to his senior sister. ¡°It can be killed,¡± An Zhisu nodded. ¡°Where is that Thousand Fathom Valley you mentioned?¡± Ling Yunpo asked the young Taoist again. ¡°Over there!¡± The young Taoist pointed in a direction, ¡°Past those three mountains, on the east side of the fourth mountain¡­¡± He was interrupted by his own startled cry. Because Ling Yunpo had already swept him up under his arm and soared up with his sword, shooting up nearly a hundred feet into the air. ¡°Where? Point it out to me directly,¡± he asked again. Still in shock, the young Taoist strived to calm down for a moment, then pointed towards the distance and said: ¡°There! That narrow, long gorge!¡± ¡°Good.¡± Ling Yunpo turned and spoke to his senior sister, and the two of them turned and headed northwest, setting the young Taoist down outside the city of Kuaiji County. ¡°Stay here for now, so that when we exterminate the demon, none that flee will go to your temple to vent their frustration,¡± An Zhisu advised, and then took out a Green Nourishment Pill, ¡°I see you haven¡¯t yet started fasting? Take one of these pills daily, and you can go a day without food.¡± ¡°Thank you, Fairy Sister,¡± the young Taoist said earnestly. Ling Yunpo couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at the side. Senior Sister An wasn¡¯t that thoughtful; it was his own idea to leave the young Taoist at a distance. But to a child, a sister is undoubtedly easier to approach than a brother, so he didn¡¯t quibble with him. The two turned around once again and set off, this time flying directly to the entrance of the gorge, then descended with their sword lights. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Entering with swords a-blazing was the approach of high rank cultivators looking to overpower their enemies. Catching a target from above was far less easy than locking on to one coming from the sky when you¡¯re on the ground. Stepping into the gorge, and walking on the mountain trail for a while, Ling Yunpo suddenly cast his gaze into the distance. A demon! On the rocks on the other side of the valley, stood a horned little demon with the head of a deer and the body of a human, erect and retreating, gazing intently in their direction. The next second, a scorching streak of light flew across, pinning the small demon dead against the rock face! Chapter 232 - Chapter 232: Chapter 24: Eradicating Demons Chapter 232: Chapter 24: Eradicating Demons ¡°Senior Sister An, your swordsmanship is impressive!¡± Ling Yunpo exclaimed in admiration. Just a moment ago, he had almost projected himself into Qiu Changtian¡¯s place, subconsciously thinking that it was Junior Sister Xu¡¯s Feather Jia Sword. Because Senior Brother Qiu used to go out for real combat practice with Junior Sister Xu, he was very fond of playing this game of ¡°who kills the monsters first¡± with her¡­ But Senior Sister An was not so competitive; she probably just saw the demons and killed them in passing without thinking too much about it. ¡°It¡¯s just a ¡®White Rainbow Piercing the Sun¡¯, how can it be called impressive swordsmanship?¡± An Zhisu said with a slight smile. ¡°Senior Sister¡¯s White Rainbow Piercing the Sun truly captures the essence of ¡®speed¡¯ from the Seven Kills Sword Technique!¡± Ling Yunpo said earnestly, ¡°This junior lacks talent but wishes to show what I¡¯ve learned.¡± He formed a sword technique with his hands and pointed forward, and the Green Duckweed Sword shot out like lightning. Opposite, on the mountain path, a small demon had just appeared, seeing its companion¡¯s body nailed to the cliff, it hastily raised the gong in its hand, just preparing to strike it when suddenly it felt a chill at its neck and its vision dimmed instantly. ¡°Not bad.¡± An Zhisu commented, ¡°You can try to incorporate more variation in your sword movements.¡± As the small demon was killed by the Green Duckweed Sword, its gong fell to the ground, producing an extremely loud sound of metal clashing, immediately echoing through the valley and startling a flock of birds and herons. ¡°How should I vary it?¡± Ling Yunpo pondered, calling back the Green Duckweed Sword from afar, ¡°Do you mean to use the terrain to my advantage and aim to pass through the target¡¯s blind spots?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± An Zhisu also called back the Flying Smoke Sword, speaking in an instructive tone, ¡°Although a straight line is the shortest distance between two points, very often, it is not the best choice.¡± ¡°Seven Kills Swordsmanship emphasizes on striking the first blow, but it doesn¡¯t rely solely on ¡®speed¡¯ to defeat the enemy; such swordsmanship is too crude.¡± ¡°Our usual sparring on Qingluo Peak focuses on counteracting moves and controlling the rhythm, with basically no consideration of the terrain.¡± ¡°Since we have the chance to engage in real combat this time, I will teach you how to use various terrains to execute the movements of the Seven Kills Sword Technique.¡± No sooner had her voice fallen than a horde of demons appeared on the mountain path opposite, fluttering, scampering, winged and hooved creatures of all sorts surged forth in an instant. ¡°What is going on with Yuqing View?¡± Ling Yunpo frowned and said, ¡°So many demons occupy this place, and yet they turn a blind eye!¡± ¡°A good opportunity to test my sword!¡± An Zhisu said in a grave voice, stepping on the Harsh Cold Sword to lift her figure and dashed into the crowd of demons in an instant. In a short while, countless severed limbs and body parts were flung about, blood splattered and even the stream below was dyed crimson. Ling Yunpo watched intently from behind, filled with admiration for his Senior Sister¡¯s exquisite swordsmanship. A snake demon approached him from behind, about to bite at his neck, when a glint of golden light suddenly shot out from the sword box on his back, as the Thunder Punishment Sword swept across, cleaving the snake demon to pieces. An Zhisu gracefully returned on her sword, her robe sleeves fluttering in the wind without a single speck of blood on them. Looking back at the creek and valley below, it was now a scene of utter destruction, too gruesome to behold. ¡°Did you see that clearly?¡± An Zhisu asked softly. ¡°Yes, Senior Sister,¡± Ling Yunpo nodded in response. He had seen clearly just now; those demons were mostly at the Qi Refining Rank, even if he were to venture alone with his sword, he could easily come back unharmed. But to remain as unblemished as his Senior Sister in the midst of flying flesh and blood with his current level of swordsmanship, that was indeed not feasible for him. No wonder Ah Jing had said that Senior Sister An was probably nearing the threshold of the ¡°Innate Sword Heart,¡± which was the realm of some kind of ¡°Dao.¡± ¡­¡­¡­ While An Zhisu was using the demons to test her sword and demonstrating in person for Ling Yunpo, cutting a path through them all the way. In a cave within a thousand-zhang deep valley, an old Daoist was cautiously studying the restrictions, while a green-faced, fanged bat demon impatiently tapped its steel trident on the ground, repeatedly urging and cursing. ¡°This is torture! Torture!¡± the old Daoist cried in his heart. If only he had known about the swarms of demons here, he would have abandoned his ancestor¡¯s Daoist temple and fled with his disciples at the earliest opportunity! ¡°Old Daoist, are you done yet?¡± Listening to the noisy sounds coming from afar, the bat demon grew even more impatient, ¡°If the king returns and finds the restrictions still in place, being ripped open and having your liver dug out will be your fate!¡± ¡°I have already figured out something about these restrictions,¡± the old Daoist said with a fawning smile, ¡°Have you ever heard of ¡®Dreaming of Mount Tianmu and Leaving a Farewell Poem¡¯?¡± ¡°Ah?¡± the bat demon uttered a confused sound, not understanding. ¡°Mount Tianmu in Yangzhou has been associated with tales of Immortal Sect since ancient times,¡± the old Daoist continued. ¡°It¡¯s said that there was an Exiled Immortal who was reincarnated as a human and dreamt of wandering through Mount Tianmu, eventually reaching the Immortal¡¯s Palace. And this poem was composed based on what he saw in his dream.¡± ¡°The poem says, ¡®The heavens cracked and thunder roared, hills and ridges crumbled. The Stone Gate of Cave Heaven, with a thunder, did open.¡¯ That is to say, one needs to strike the cave with Thunder Method to open the entrance to that Immortal¡¯s Palace.¡± ¡°I see!¡± the bat demon was overjoyed, ¡°But where can we find this Thunder Method?¡± ¡°Right here.¡± The old Daoist gave a sly chuckle as a white light suddenly shone in the palm of his hand and he slammed it onto the bat demon¡¯s body faster than lightning! Before the bat demon could react, it was struck by a Shenxiao Thunder. The expression of surprise was still frozen on its face, but its body stiffened like a statue and toppled forward to the ground. A single Shenxiao Thunder obliterated all signs of life within the demon¡¯s body¡ªits power terrifying to such an extent! The old Daoist grabbed its wings from behind and dragged it laboriously into the cave, then tumbled and scrambled down the mountain. With his current Qi Refining Rank cultivation level, he could only muster three strikes of the Shenxiao Thunder at best, yet there were at least a thousand demons entrenched in this mountain¡ªhe stood no chance by himself. The demon horde leader was a deer spirit, who somehow had come upon news of a celestial hermit¡¯s cave dwelling within Mount Tianmu and led its underlings to settle in the mountain, trying to uncover traces of this clue. Moreover, this cunning and patient deer spirit leader usually severely constrained its minions from disturbing human villages, so much so that it had not attracted the attention of the nearby Cultivation Sects¡­ No, I must get word out! Otherwise, if the deer spirit king discovers the celestial hermit¡¯s relics, Yangzhou will no longer have peaceful days! The old Daoist staggered along the stream, his shoes and socks soaked with water and mud, his hair disheveled when suddenly two figures descended from the sky. ¡°Excuse me, are you Daoist Zhang Zhengfa?¡± the younger of the two asked. The old Daoist looked up in astonishment to see a handsome and brave figure with a determined look, dressed in a green cloud-patterned Daoist robe, carrying a sword box as tall as himself. From memory, it seemed only a Shushan Sword Immortal would wear such an attire. ¡°I am indeed Zhang Zhengfa,¡± the old Daoist quickly greeted with a bow, then eagerly said, ¡°There are many demons in this mountain, we should talk more after we get out!¡± ¡°The demons have all been slain by us,¡± the female sword immortal on the side said. Though she was dressed as a nun, with long hair coiled up, beyond the grace and beauty of a woman, she also possessed an inherent heroic spirit that complemented her male counterpart. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°You might not be aware,¡± the old Daoist said hesitantly, ¡°but there are many concealed demons in this mountain¡ªin the woods, under the streams, inside the valleys, at the bottom of caves, numbering as many as a thousand¡­¡± ¡°One thousand two hundred and more,¡± Ling Yunpo interrupted, ¡°All slain.¡± Old Daoist: ¡­¡­¡­ His lips parted slightly, but he didn¡¯t know what to say. One thousand two hundred and more¡­ Even if they were pigs, it would take several days for a butcher to kill that many! Indeed, these were none other than the Shushan Sword Immortals! Chapter 234 - Chapter 234: Chapter 26: The Cave Heaven Stone Gate Opens with a Bang Chapter 234: Chapter 26: The Cave Heaven Stone Gate Opens with a Bang ¡°` The heavens trembled, and thunderous roars erupted! Even the seasoned Daoist priest, despite his preparation, almost jumped out of his skin. What kind of thunder attribute flying sword was that? The sword dao techniques on it were so powerful that even my Shenxiao Thunder was no match for it! When the dust settled, everyone saw that the rock wall in front of them had disappeared, replaced by a vast expanse of water-blue light, like a crystal-clear sky. The immortal ruins had been opened! All three could hardly conceal the surprise on their faces, yet they all maintained their composure. The Daoist priest knew his realm was too low, and entering might not only render him powerless but perhaps even threaten his life. An Zhisu, having seen much of the world, understood that although the secret realm was designed for people to enter, it certainly did not welcome just anyone. For example, in the snow peaks west of Shushan in Tubo, there exists a ¡°Pink Demon Palace.¡± Its creator, an eccentric and powerful individual, made it so that female cultivators faced challenging trials. Should they fail, they would be expelled by the restrictions; male cultivators, however, faced difficulty doubled, and death inside meant real death¡­ In short, although the secret realm of the immortal sect was successfully opened, one must not be careless. Ling Yunpo was well-prepared and instructed the Kunlun Mirror in his mind: ¡°Ah Jing, what¡¯s it like inside?¡± ¡°The entrance seems to be two-way, so it won¡¯t trap us inside,¡± analyzed the Kunlun Mirror, ¡°Hmm, judging from the style of restrictions, it doesn¡¯t seem malicious¡­¡± ¡°You can tell if it¡¯s malicious or not?¡± Ling Yunpo asked in surprise. ¡°Of course, you¡¯re also knowledgeable about formations, which are similar to restrictions,¡± explained the Kunlun Mirror, ¡°Some formations are mostly about restrictions and confinement, with not much killing power, leaving a lot of leeway; other formations are clearly designed to either kill or exhaust you to death. The approaches are definitely different!¡± ¡°When you put it that way, it does make some sense,¡± Ling Yunpo was convinced and no longer dwelt on the issue, turning to smile at An Zhisu, ¡°Senior Sister, shall we?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± An Zhisu turned and said, ¡°Fellow Daoist¡¯s disciple, we met him earlier in the mountains. To prevent any demons seeking revenge from escaping and harming him, we secured him in Kuaiji City for now.¡± The old Daoist was astonished and profusely grateful, thinking to himself that these two were indeed thoughtful and kind-hearted. It was not in vain that he shared the news of the secret realm with them. After bidding farewell to the old Daoist, An Zhisu took the lead with her Flying Smoke Sword and stepped into the water-blue light. Ling Yunpo followed suit and felt the world spinning as everything around him suddenly brightened. They found themselves in a square. The square was on the peak of a mountain, with white jade as railings and dark stone as steps, somewhat reminiscent of the Emei Golden Summit¡¯s utmost square in Shushan but much more grand in carving and style. In front of them, connected to the White Jade Square, was a wide and straight hanging corridor that led to the layered pavilions and buildings in the distance. Ling Yunpo keenly noticed that the architectural style of these pavilions and buildings bore a resemblance to the ¡°Queen Mother of the West¡¯s Secret Realm¡± that he had seen in the Kunlun Mountain Range. They were both lofty in the clouds and had the grandeur and atmosphere of an immortal¡¯s palace. However, while the Queen Mother¡¯s Secret Realm was bold and simple, these buildings in the secret realm were intricate and ornate. Looking closely, one could see finely carved pavilions and open halls; the green tiles and golden pillars glittered brightly. The corridor leading to these pavilions and buildings was also constructed of dark sandalwood, extremely elegant to behold. Every few paces, there were mythical beasts carved on the handrails as if sitting in meditation, but they were unrecognizable as any specific demons. At the entrance to the corridor, which connected to the square, stood one pillar on each side. The left pillar read ¡°Twelve Towers and Five Cities.¡± The right pillar read ¡°Heavenly White Jade Capital.¡± ¡°` ¡°White Jade Capital?¡± Ling Yunpo stared at the pillar, feeling a sense of wonder inside. ¡°Does Junior Brother recognize the origin of this secret realm?¡± An Zhisu asked curiously. ¡°No, I just think ¡®White Jade Capital¡¯ sounds very grand.¡± Ling Yunpo said with a wry smile. ¡°Has Senior Sister heard of it?¡± ¡°No,¡± An Zhisu shook her head. In fact, Ling Yunpo had just told a lie. The place name ¡°White Jade Capital¡± is recorded quite extensively in Taoist scriptures. However, nowadays, apart from the cultivators of Penglai Jade Pure Sect, few people go through the effort of reading the entire Taoist canon. According to the Taoist scriptures, to ascend to Heaven Realm as a mortal, one first reaches the ¡°White Jade Capital,¡± then proceeds to the ¡°Golden Que,¡± continues to the ¡°Seven Treasures Mysterious Garden,¡± and finally arrives at the ¡°Great Bright Hall.¡± As annotated by the predecessors from Yuqing View, these four places do not actually describe the environment of the Heaven Realm. Instead, they use metaphors to hint at the four steps of ascension to immortality. White Jade Capital symbolizes the flesh; Golden Que represents consciousness; Seven Treasures Mysterious Garden signifies the soul; Great Bright Hall alludes to the origin; The four steps of ascension, each step as difficult as ascending to the heavens. Similarly, the Immortal Ranks are subdivided into four, which are divided according to the completion rate of the four steps of ascension. Earth Immortal Rank, ¡°not beyond the city of White Jade Capital¡±: it means there is a deficiency in the physical body, so every thousand years one must face tribulation, ranked as the lowest among immortals. Heavenly Immortal Rank, ¡°hindered at the courts of the Golden Que¡±: it signifies impure consciousness, thus necessitating the severing of the Three Corpses, discarding humanity to preserve divinity, ranked as a slightly higher grade among immortals. Golden Immortal Rank, ¡°dwelling overnight in Seven Treasures Mysterious Garden¡±: it means that the soul is clear and the flesh and consciousness are penetrated, capable of achieving complete sanctification, ranked as high grade among immortals. As for the Daluo Golden Immortals, ¡°seated in the Great Bright Hall,¡± they are the extremely powerful few among Golden Immortals, the highest grade among immortals. At this level, not only is the soul clear and the flesh sanctified, but one¡¯s origin merges with the universe¡ªunless the heavens crumble and the world is destroyed, they are virtually impossible to be killed by any external force. Of course, legend has it that above the Daluo Golden Immortals there is an even more formidable realm called ¡°Hunyuan Daluo Golden Immortal.¡± In this realm, even if the universe comes to an end and the great Dao collapses, they would not die¡­ All in all, since this secret realm is called ¡°White Jade Capital,¡± it is very likely a test of Root Bone Strength. Given Ling Yunpo¡¯s character setting, he is supposed to be ignorant of the Taoist canon, so he couldn¡¯t share this information with his Senior Sister directly. Luckily, when Shushan Sword Immortal accepts disciples, Root Bone Quality is of the utmost importance. An Zhisu, as the foremost person below the Shushan Golden Core, surely has remarkable Root Bone strength; He himself, with the quality of ¡°Innate Sword Bone,¡± has an unbelievably strong Root Bone. Therefore, the upcoming tests of the secret realm should not be difficult for him and his Senior Sister, unless they are specially designed to be only accessible for those of Golden Core Rank and above¡­ Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only While Ling Yunpo was deeply contemplating, An Zhisu beside him didn¡¯t interrupt his thoughts, simply walking around the square leisurely with her hands behind her back, admiring the clouds, the mountains, and gazing at distant pavilions and towers. Hmm? She suddenly felt an intuition and noticed that the layout of the distant pagodas and towers gave her a peculiar, sharp sensation. To put it metaphorically, it was like a sword that, despite being sheathed in layers and layers of scabbard, still couldn¡¯t conceal its cutting aura¡­ A sword? Chapter 235 - Chapter 235: Chapter 27: The Lower Si Pairs with the Upper Si Chapter 235: Chapter 27: The Lower Si Pairs with the Upper Si Both stepped onto the corridor. The corridor hung in the air, with nothing beneath supporting it; it seemed to sway on the verge of collapse under the force of the heavenly winds. Ling Yunpo had set foot on such a structure before; last time, when Qiu Changtian ascended to become the Chief Disciple of the Foundation Establishment Realm in Kunlun at Heaven¡¯s Gate Hall, he had walked one just like this. He knew that such floating structures unaffected by gravity were supported by Immortal Sect restrictions and thus felt no fear or trepidation. An Zhisu, however, was walking such a path for the first time, hence her face was extremely grave. The Flying Smoke Sword and Harsh Cold Sword rotated beside her, ready to turn into a streak of sword light to whisk them away should any mishap occur. It was only after they safely passed through the corridor that she let out a sigh of relief. Past the corridor was the first pavilion. On the pillar to the right of the door were carved the words ¡°Five truths converge to form the perfect pearl of qi¡±; on the pillar to the left, ¡°Bones like cinnabar jewels, appearance like an infant.¡± The inscriptions were written with cinnabar, the brushstrokes ancient and robust, filled with strength. The former referred to ¡°Core Formation,¡± and the latter to ¡°Nascent Infant,¡± which made Ling Yunpo even more certain in his heart that this secret realm was certainly one for trials; otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t be inscribed everywhere with these Daoist philosophical sayings. Just like how campuses dedicated to teaching and nurturing students, love to hang portraits of great scientists and great writers on the walls of the hallways in academic buildings¡ªit¡¯s the same principle. An Zhisu took a deep breath and was the first to push the door open. Just as Ling Yunpo was about to follow her in, he saw a transparent film of light appear in front of him, firmly barring him from entering. ¡°Flag flutters in the heavenly wind, summoning true qi from the five directions; sword crosses the Big Dipper, cleansing a thousand miles of demonic miasma,¡± a dream-like, illusory female voice said from within the pavilion, ¡°Trialist, state your origin and name.¡± ¡°Shushan, An Zhisu,¡± Senior Sister An said calmly. ¡°An Zhisu of Shushan challenges the first floor of the White Jade Capital,¡± the voice continued. ¡°Based on cultivation level, a sword foe is generated.¡± No sooner had the voice faded than a shadowy figure appeared on the blue-tiled floor opposite An Zhisu, seemingly formed from mist. The details were unclear; only the general outline suggested a Daoist of average height and build, neither fat nor thin, clad in a Daoist robe. It extended its right hand, made of condensing mist, and from its palm emerged a Flying Sword, also made of mist, about three feet and seven inches long, which appeared even more solid than its own misty physique. Then, in a sudden motion, it flung its hand, and the mist-made Flying Sword thrust directly at An Zhisu! With quick reflexes, An Zhisu reacted as the Flying Smoke Sword sprang up from her palm, parrying the attack of the misty Flying Sword in midair. Based on the sound and force, it was almost indistinguishable from a real metal sword! Combining this with the earlier female voice, An Zhisu knew that this mist-formed figure was the opponent generated by the secret realm of the White Jade Capital for her to challenge and trial against. Without hesitation, An Zhisu raised her eyebrows, exuding a fierce energy as she shouted lowly. The Flying Smoke Sword and Harsh Cold Sword shot forward together. The mist-formed figure hurriedly retracted its Flying Sword in an attempt to defend itself, but was struck from both sides and barely lasted a dozen breaths before directly being pierced through the heart and the throat by An Zhisu¡¯s swords, bursting apart alive. Ling Yunpo: ¡­¡­¡­ He watched clearly from outside; the swordsmanship of the mist-formed figure was roughly at the level of a Refining Mansion stage cultivator, the same realm as An Zhisu. However, Senior Sister An¡¯s attainment in swordsmanship was far superior to her cultivation level, so much so that the opponent was easily defeated in just a few exchanges. Brutal! After the sword fight ended, the sealing membrane at the door did not disappear. An Zhisu slashed at the membrane a few times with the Flying Smoke Sword, finding it completely impenetrable. She could only talk to Ling Yunpo through the membrane for a few moments before heading towards the large open doors on the other side. As soon as she crossed the threshold of the opposite door, the light membrane in front of Ling Yunpo abruptly vanished, as if indicating permission for him to proceed had been granted. So, within each pavilion, only one person could exist at a time? And one must defeat the corresponding sword foe to pass through this pavilion¡­ Ling Yunpo quickly grasped the rules and, seeing the encouraging look from the senior sister opposite, understood she was indicating ¡°this one isn¡¯t hard to defeat.¡± He chuckled softly and stepped over the threshold. Just as he stood firm in the center of the pavilion, he heard the female voice again: ¡°Trialist, state your origins and name.¡± ¡°Shushan¡¯s Ling Yunpo!¡± he confidently declared aloud. ¡°Shushan¡¯s Ling Yunpo, challenging the first floor of White Jade Capital.¡± The voice seemed to pause for a moment and then said, ¡°According to comprehensive strength, generating Sword Foe.¡± No sooner had the voice faded than mist rose before him, quickly solidifying into a figure wielding a sword, lunging towards him. Ling Yunpo drew forth the Thunder Punishment Sword to parry the misty Flying Sword, and with the Green Duckweed Sword, he thrust forward, using the same strategy as Senior Sister An to exploit the dual advantage of the Two-Handed Sword Control Technique, intending to crush the misty figure in one fell swoop. However, the misty figure extended an arm, reaching into the air and solidifying another long sword, which clashed with the Green Duckweed Sword several times, sending sparks flying in all directions. Ling Yunpo: ? Wasn¡¯t it fighting with just one sword against the senior sister? Why is it using Two-Handed Sword Control against me? Picking on the soft ones, huh! ¡°Fight properly.¡± The Green Duckweed Sword suddenly spoke, ¡°Something¡¯s off about this guy.¡± Ling Yunpo¡¯s spirits lifted, and he quickly focused on controlling both swords. The Green Duckweed Sword usually remained silent unless spoken to, and its sudden initiation of conversation this time must mean that there was some mystery in the White Jade Capital Secret Realm, significant enough to warrant its advice! Ling Yunpo intensified his offense. The Thunder Punishment Sword charged fiercely like a seasoned warrior on the battlefield; the Green Duckweed Sword moved with agility like a wandering swordsman. Nevertheless, the misty figure opposite him remained composed, its two misty long swords flipping and somersaulting. Regardless of how the Thunder Punishment Sword attempted to break through, it blocked all attacks; no matter how the Green Duckweed Sword changed its moves, the defense was impermeable. They were almost equally matched! As Ling Yunpo engaged fiercely, he wondered, what on earth was going on? The level of swordsmanship of the person opposite was many times stronger than when it fought Senior Sister¡ªimpossible! An Zhisu, watching from the outside, felt anxious and couldn¡¯t fathom that White Jade Capital would play such a trick¡ªdeceiving them with a weaker opponent and then sending out a stronger one to fight her junior brother! Fortunately, Ling Yunpo was not truly the ¡°weaker¡± one; embodying a steadfast and unyielding character, he immediately rallied and fought with even more ferocity, eventually disrupting the opponent¡¯s rhythm and causing them to falter. The misty figure seemed to stagger back a few steps, as if lacking strength. Then, a third misty Flying Sword suddenly condensed above its head and swiftly aimed for Ling Yunpo. Ling Yunpo, dumbfounded, hastily directed the Green Duckweed Sword to intercept the attack, internally cursing the situation. This¡­isn¡¯t this cheating? Three swords against two? Unless the difference in Cultivation Realm is enormous, how could one hope to win? All they need to do is use two swords to entangle mine, leaving the third free to strike at will! With thoughts whirling in his mind, Ling Yunpo had no choice but to pull the Green Duckweed Sword and Thunder Punishment Sword back to his side, assuming a defensive posture. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Going up against three swords with two required significantly increased coordination between them, and he was forced to reduce the range of his sword moves out of necessity. An Zhisu, watching from outside, was also completely taken aback. Normally, a cultivator could at most split their focus between two tasks, and to control three swords simultaneously, one must cultivate a secret technique known as ¡°External Incarnation,¡± hosting the split Spiritual True Spirit in the third Flying Sword. As for ¡°External Incarnation,¡± it¡¯s an extremely profound Daoist Magic, which can only be cultivated after reaching Core Formation. This means that the ability to simultaneously control three swords is actually at the level of a Golden Core Cultivator! As she was coming to understand the situation, she saw the misty figure wave its arms, its two swords parrying the Green Duckweed and Thunder Punishment Swords, and the third sword, like lightning, shot forward, piercing through Ling Yunpo¡¯s forearms, which he reflexively put in front of his chest, and impaling his torso! Chapter 236 - Chapter 236: Chapter 28 The Hidden Level Mount Fajue Chapter 236: Chapter 28 The Hidden Level Mount Fajue ¡°Ouch¡­¡± Ling Yunpo slowly woke up, only to realize there were no wounds on his chest at all. ¡°Ah, Sword Master has awakened,¡± Thunder Punishment Sword announced, descending from the sky and landing beside him. ¡°Just now, His Majesty Green Duckweed and Lord Kunlun were arguing,¡± it said. Ling Yunpo fell silent for a moment and decided to ignore its bizarre references to the Green Duckweed Sword and the Kunlun Mirror, and asked: ¡°How long was I unconscious?¡± ¡°Not long, about a quarter of an hour,¡± Thunder Punishment Sword replied and was about to dish out some flattery when he saw the Green Duckweed Sword approaching from a distance, also stopping in front of him, and it said with a smile: ¡°You¡¯re awake, Sword Master.¡± ¡°Where is this?¡± Ling Yunpo looked around and realized he was not in the Tongtian Pavilion anymore but seemed to be in some sort of dungeon. Instead of the light-permitting wooden lattice windows, there were stone walls impervious to wind, meeting at the top to form a pointed ceiling. The floor was covered with a thin layer of accumulated water, up to the edge of the boot soles, and the back of his robe was completely soaked, probably due to him having lain on the ground just now. And, most troubling of all, there were no visible exits from this place. ¡°I have no idea,¡± Green Duckweed Sword answered. ¡°After you were defeated, you were immediately transported here. Yao Yao did not give any hints beforehand.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve said it many times, I can¡¯t keep track of his every possible future,¡± Kunlun Mirror said helplessly. ¡°Unless he faces an unavoidable fate of death¡­ which he hasn¡¯t, has he!¡± ¡°¡®Trapped¡¯ is also a form of ¡®not dead,¡¯¡± Green Duckweed Sword said coldly. ¡°If Sword Master and I were forever trapped in some secret realm, you couldn¡¯t predict that in advance either?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not omnipotent!¡± retorted Kunlun Mirror, annoyed. ¡°Besides, his failure in the sword duel just now, wasn¡¯t that because you didn¡¯t give him any hints?¡± ¡°The opponent resorted to tricks like turning two swords into three, it was impossible to win anyway,¡± Green Duckweed Sword argued. ¡°So what difference would a hint have made?¡± ¡°Enough, both of you stop it!¡± Ling Yunpo interrupted their bickering. ¡°Assigning blame is pointless! In the end, I¡¯m the one who suffers¡­ Now what should we do about our current predicament?¡± ¡°Judging by the spatial fluctuations, you should be in another space within the White Jade Capital Secret Realm,¡± Kunlun Mirror soothed him. ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s a restriction similar to one triggered by failing the trial.¡± ¡°Incorrect,¡± Green Duckweed Sword corrected. ¡°These restrictions were triggered the moment you stepped into the Pavilion.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t forget, the person you were up against was much stronger than the one Senior Sister An faced!¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard not to acknowledge that,¡± Ling Yunpo said with a sullen face, resentfully. ¡°So why the hell does this shitty White Jade Capital Secret Realm have it out for me?¡± Both Kunlun Mirror and Green Duckweed Sword pondered this. ¡°Is there a possibility,¡± Green Duckweed Sword hypothesized, ¡°that it¡¯s because your strength is weaker than your Senior Sister¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°No, next,¡± Ling Yunpo cut it off firmly. ¡°My personal belief is quite the opposite,¡± Kunlun Mirror analyzed. ¡°From what we can see, this secret realm provides swordsmanship trials, so any adjustments or changes to the difficulty of the trial can¡¯t possibly be unrelated to the trialists¡¯ own strength.¡± ¡°Could it be, because your opponent was stronger than Senior Sister An¡¯s, that the secret realm judged your strength to be much higher than your Senior Sister¡¯s?¡± ¡°There¡¯s some reason to that,¡± Ling Yunpo said, confused. ¡°But when it comes to swordsmanship alone, I¡¯m not far superior to Senior Sister.¡± ¡°Swordsmanship is certainly a criterion, but the rank of the Immortal Sword itself cannot be overlooked,¡± Kunlun Mirror remarked. ¡°Might as well just report my name,¡± Green Duckweed Sword said irritably. ¡°I didn¡¯t say that,¡± Kunlun Mirror replied with a chuckle. Hmm? Ling Yunpo caught the undertone of Ah Jing¡¯s words; was it implying that this secret realm was targeting him because of the Green Duckweed Sword? He paced around the surroundings again, confirming that indeed no passageways existed on the walls. The tenacious Ling Yunpo, wielding the Green Duckweed Sword, taps here and strikes there until he finally notices that the echo from a certain wall segment is different¡ªthe area behind seems to be hollow. He then lets out a cold laugh, steps back to a distance, chants a spell and says, ¡°Resonate through the three realms, Tai Yi Divine Thunder, break!¡± A colorless, transparent Thunder Light lashes out from his hands, none other than the power of Tai Yi Thunder known for ¡°moving mountains and filling seas.¡± It strikes directly at the opposite wall, instantly causing dust to fly and bricks to scatter, with the entire building trembling violently. Once the dust settles, Ling Yunpo sees that the wall has nearly disappeared, revealing a passageway behind it. Entering the passageway with caution, he carefully surveys his surroundings when suddenly he hears the female voice from before say, ¡°Shushan¡¯s Ling Yunpo, possessing the Innate Sword Bone talent, is hereby granted a special trial on Mount Fajue.¡± Ling Yunpo: ¡­¡­¡­.. So the Restrictions recognized my exceptional talent and led me here on purpose! Realizing that this situation wasn¡¯t a malicious trap specifically against him, he breathes a sigh of relief. Whatever the case, since this too is part of the trials and not some trap, I should explore freely and to the fullest. Ling Yunpo proceeds through the corridor and enters into a second sealed room, where he suddenly sees figures rising in front of him. Compared to the misty silhouettes from before, these figures are obviously more solid, with their facial features clearly discernible; it¡¯s an emaciated, clear-eyed old man, dressed in a hemp Taoist robe, wearing a tall hat with an iron hairpin, his hair and beard gray, his expression serious and devoid of smiles, coldly saying, ¡°This humble Daoist Zhu Ling, requests instruction from the Sword Bone bearer.¡± He bows deeply, and Ling Yunpo hastily returns the gesture, ¡°Please impart your instruction.¡± The two bow to each other, then immediately activate their Immortal Swords and clash fiercely in the air! ¡­ Outside Mount Fajue, in one of the five cities, An Zhisu¡¯s pupils abruptly contract upon seeing Ling Yunpo being run through by a long sword and disappearing on the spot. She stands still for a moment, then, with a swift movement, her Flying Smoke Sword strikes at the light curtain in front of her with all her might. She¡¯s rebounded. Clearly, each pavilion is a trial. Trialists who have already passed a trial are not allowed to enter it again. But why would my junior brother¡­ Forcing herself to calm down, An Zhisu feels her blood turn cold as ice, and all her thoughts sink, leaving nothing but pure reason. Firstly, given the mechanisms of most secret realms, if a trialist were truly killed, they typically wouldn¡¯t transport the body away on the spot¡ªsuch a move would be entirely superfluous. Secondly, there¡¯s a high probability that the secret realm is a type designed for trials, meant to temper the abilities of the trialists. Therefore, Cultivators who fail the trial will probably be teleported out of the secret realm, not killed. Verification is simple¡ªjust pass all the trials, and everything will become clear upon exiting! With this in mind, An Zhisu turns on her heel and strides forward without looking back. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Passing once again through the suspended corridor, she quickly reaches the second pavilion, only to hear the female voice say, ¡°Shushan¡¯s An Zhisu, challenging the second floor of the White Jade Capital. Generating a Sword Foe according to the Cultivation Level.¡± Before the misty figure can even take shape, An Zhisu charges forward with high-speed Sword Control, her Flying Smoke Sword enveloped in fierce flames and radiant brilliance, slashing down like Mount Tai bearing down on her foe! The misty figure has just enough time to draw its sword for a hasty block. But then An Zhisu¡¯s Harsh Cold Sword suddenly springs from below her feet, piercing straight through its chest. Countless ice crystals freeze the mist, and An Zhisu grabs the hilt of the Harsh Cold Sword with a backhanded grip, pulling fiercely to one side, cleanly cutting the silhouette in two! Chapter 237 - Chapter 237: Chapter 29 Senior and Junior, Advancing Side by Side Chapter 237: Chapter 29 Senior and Junior, Advancing Side by Side ¡°` Mount Fajue, in the dungeon. ¡°Damn! Damn! Damn!¡± Ling Yunpo cursed inwardly three times in a row. The Daoist opposite him was incredibly skilled in swordsmanship, surpassing him in strength, speed, skill, and judgment. Facing off with swords, he was violently overpowered; trying to stealthily attack from behind, he was promptly seen through; Attempting to flank from the side, only to find the opponent effortlessly flicking their sword, disrupting his moves and restraining him instead of gaining any control. Ling Yunpo gritted his teeth and fought fiercely, using the Thunder Punishment Sword to block the left sword¡¯s cleave, while the Green Duckweed Sword feigned entanglement with the opponent¡¯s right sword, before abruptly turning and stabbing directly at the Daoist. With no block on the right, the opponent¡¯s sword pierced fiercely into his right arm. Ling Yunpo, with his left hand, grabbed the tip of the sword, his hand covered in blood, desperately holding it in place; His right hand summoned his full strength in True Yuan, turning the Green Duckweed Sword into black light piercing through the Daoist¡¯s chest. He¡¯d done it! Almost simultaneously, the Flying Sword that pierced his right arm suddenly vanished as if it had been an illusion from the beginning. The Daoist, with his chest pierced by the Green Duckweed Sword, did not fall dead. He simply said indifferently, ¡°Sword Bone, Sword Bone, a body filled with hundreds of bones and five metals. If not tempered in the great furnace, how can it be sharp?¡± As soon as he finished speaking, he vanished without a trace. Ling Yunpo maintained his stern expression, casting a ¡°Universal Pure Tone Minor Illumination Technique¡± on his right arm, and the wound quickly healed. ¡°What did that Daoist mean by that?¡± he said through clenched teeth. ¡°He¡¯s probably telling you not to fear getting hurt and to fight with all your might when necessary,¡± guessed the Kunlun Mirror. ¡°I think it means your technique is too conservative, and there¡¯s a clear suspicion that you fear injury,¡± analyzed the Green Duckweed Sword, ¡°You could fight more unrestrainedly, accepting some minor injuries in exchange for the advantage during offensive and defensive switches.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Ling Yunpo stood in silence for a moment, then sighed. The Daoist just now could be considered the first real adversary he had truly defeated since his reincarnation. Before this, either he had just the right countermeasure for his opponent, or he used various clever methods to avoid confrontation¡­ It¡¯s almost as if he¡¯d ingrained the awareness of risk control into his very genes. Of course, this was unavoidable as he was spying within many Sects, playing multiple roles, where being cautious was the least he could do. However, this inevitably affected his combat style, even forming an intangible shackle in his consciousness: That is, ¡°don¡¯t clash head-on with an opponent.¡± Thinking of this, Ling Yunpo suddenly recalled Senior Sister An¡¯s similar words: ¡°¡­Frostfall, though it has aided me greatly, has also hindered my progress in the sword¡¯s path to some extent.¡± ¡°¡­When facing strong enemies, I would subconsciously choose to evade their edge, rather than confront them head-on.¡± Indeed, Senior Sister An originally practiced with the Water System Immortal Sword, just like him, and her combat style was also focused on being flexible and unpredictable. She faced the same problem, so how come he had just discovered it now? He should¡¯ve realized this long ago! Sigh, what is Senior Sister An up to now? As Ling Yunpo worried about his senior sister, in the twelfth floor of the White Jade Capital, Senior Sister An was already fighting like a madwoman. Starting from the third tower, the Sword Foes she faced became more and more formidable. By the time she reached the fifth tower, the Sword Foe actually possessed Golden Core Rank Cultivation Level, so that no matter how hard An Zhisu struggled, she eventually could not withstand the opponent and was penetrated by a sword. However, after being pierced through the chest, unlike Ling Yunpo being transferred away immediately, she was reborn outside the fifth tower¡¯s gate. An Zhisu: ¡­¡­¡­. ¡°Where is my junior brother!¡± In a fury, she activated her Flying Sword again, smashing towards the surrounding towers. ¡°` After venting for a while (surroundings still intact), An Zhisu finally calmed down again, her full chest heaving up and down, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, don¡¯t worry¡­ Sigh, Junior Brother must be fine. This is clearly a trial-oriented secret realm; it wouldn¡¯t intentionally harm the trialists.¡± ¡°I was defeated by the sword at the fifth pavilion and got ¡®killed¡¯, didn¡¯t I? And yet I didn¡¯t die, right?¡± But¡­ ¡°At least teleport me and him to the same place!¡± An Zhisu repressed her anger, her beautiful face frosting over with cold. Standing in silence for a moment, she then picked up the Flying Smoke Sword again, her aura murderous as she strode forward. Meanwhile, Ling Yunpo had traveled through the tunnel and arrived at the second dungeon. He saw the water on the ground suddenly rise, coalescing into a massive human shape about seven feet tall, burly as a wild ox. The figure said with a cupped fist salute, ¡°My name is ¡®Wu Sheng.¡¯ I am honored to cross swords with a ¡®Sword Bone.¡¯ Please do not hesitate to enlighten me.¡± ¡°Please enlighten me,¡± he replied, returning the gesture with a cupped fist salute. Once the formalities were finished, Ling Yunpo shot the Green Duckweed Sword forward, a streak of white light aimed at the giant. But the giant, with a backhand flick, dismissed the Green Duckweed Sword as if it were a toothpick, knocking it away. Before Ling Yunpo could react, he received a heavy blow to the abdomen¡­ the giant had burst forward two steps and was already upon him. The palm as large as a fan clenched into a fist and sent him doubling over like a shrimp. Ling Yunpo coughed out a mouthful of water, a shock of terror crossing his mind: A Body Refiner! What about the sword duel we agreed on? Why isn¡¯t this following the rules?! ¡°Sword Bone! Sword Bone!¡± The giant, however, did not follow up with an attack, but backed off a few steps, stood firm, and burst into loud laughter, ¡°His hide is tough like copper that won¡¯t break! Endure a thousand hammers to forge steel refined a hundred times!¡± ¡°It means that it wants you to learn how to take hits in adversity,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword quickly reminded him. ¡°I know that!¡± Ling Yunpo had just replied when he saw the giant lift its thick leg again, sweeping a cruel and fierce kick at him, startling him so much that he abandoned all pretense of a Sword Immortal¡¯s grace and rolled on the ground to narrowly avoid it. No sooner had he barely managed to get up than he saw the opponent stop the half-kicked sweep and changed it to a ¡°War Stomp¡± from above. Ling Yunpo, having just gotten up and not yet steady, could only hurriedly raise his sword to block. He, along with his sword, was kicked flying by the giant¡¯s foot, slamming hard into a wall, his back breaking who knows how many ribs. Slumping down the wall like mud, Ling Yunpo sat in disarray on the ground. He barely managed to mobilize his True Yuan, casting a ¡°Universal Pure Tone Minor Illumination Technique¡± on himself. This spell, truly worthy of being the first layer of Daoist Magic derived from the ¡°Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra,¡± is perfect for Regenerate. It was capable of recovery from bleeding, bruising, or bone fractures. With one application, one could recover in a few breaths. While he was healing, the opponent indeed did not take advantage of his victory to pursue but simply crossed his arms to watch. Thus, Ling Yunpo could confirm that this test was indeed meant to train him in ¡°how to take a beating.¡± However, his experience in this area was practically nonexistent¡­ whether it was the untouchable Qiu Changtian, the unfathomable Wei Dongliu, or the Magical Treasure-reliant Luo Yan, where would he have had such an experience of being beaten like a dog? ¡°So what am I supposed to do!¡± Ling Yunpo became anxious, ¡°Even if I have to learn how to take a beating, how do I know when I¡¯ve learned it? I can¡¯t just keep getting beaten like this!¡± ¡°Perhaps it is training your ability to withstand pressure,¡± the Kunlun Mirror speculated, ¡°Maybe when you¡¯re beaten half to death and barely clinging to life, yet still barely maintaining your consciousness for battle, that means you¡¯ve passed this level?¡± ¡°Impossible! Next!¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°I think you might try to deflect the force,¡± said the Green Duckweed Sword, ¡°Since taking the hits is inevitable, if you could find a way to reduce the harm inflicted, wouldn¡¯t that be another viable approach?¡± ¡°Deflect the force?¡± Ling Yunpo wondered aloud. After all, as a Sword Immortal, he was accustomed to countering flying swords with flying swords. If an opponent¡¯s flying sword broke through his defense and reached him, he typically wouldn¡¯t even have time to cast a spell before being considered as good as dead. Deflecting force¡­ Chapter 238 - Chapter 238: Chapter 30 Sword Heart is Dizzy, Sword Bone is Weary Chapter 238: Chapter 30 Sword Heart is Dizzy, Sword Bone is Weary An Zhisu stood in the center of the arena, with the Flying Smoke Sword and the Harsh Cold Sword returning to her side, one on the left and one on the right. She was bathed in blood, covered with wounds all over her body, and her right hand dangled limply, with several sections of the bone inside already broken. In front of her stood a Golden Core Cultivator, his chest pierced by the Flying Smoke Sword. The opponent¡¯s lips parted slightly, uttering hoarse words, ¡°Sword Heart! Sword Heart! For whom does the long blade clank and ring? I hear only¡­¡± Before he could finish, his head was severed by the Flying Smoke Sword, and the following words dissipated with the crumbling mist, vanishing into thin air. Clenching a sword technique in her left hand, An Zhisu was shaking with anger. What do you mean, ¡°For whom does the long blade clank and ring¡±? None of your damn business! You filthy, damned thing deserving of a thousand cuts! At this moment, her mind was in utter chaos, even though she continuously tried to convince herself that ¡°my junior brother will be alright,¡± she couldn¡¯t help but be consumed with worry. If, after leaving the secret realm, she discovered that her junior brother hadn¡¯t come out¡­ The very thought made her want to tear down the entire White Jade Capital. Once she had somewhat regained her composure, An Zhisu didn¡¯t rush to leave but quickly sat down cross-legged right there. She first took an elixir bottle out of her sleeve and swallowed an elixir. As the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal of Shushan, the enemy of the various peaks, she had been challenged eighteen times in a single month, and she had suffered serious injuries countless times. She was more than experienced in treating her own injuries. As the elixir¡¯s potency spread through her meridians, An Zhisu reached out with her left hand, pressing on several major acupoints on her right arm, then aligned the broken sections of the bone and stimulated her True Yuan to heal them. After her injuries were mostly recovered, she struggled to stand up and walked toward the sixth pavilion. Her originally sky-blue Shushan Daoist robe was now completely soiled with blood, unclean to an extreme. ¡­ Underground environment, Mount Fajue checkpoint. Almost a day had passed¡­ Although Ling Yunpo felt nothing, Ah Jing, after all, was keeping track of time. It had been ten hours since meeting the giant. Even though a cultivator can go without eating, drinking, or sleeping, continuous fighting (or rather, enduring beatings) for a whole day is naturally quite a mental strain. Ling Yunpo had no experience in fighting against body refiners until now and only now he realized how troublesome it was. Deploying Daoist magic was completely too slow, even the quickest Thunder Method, as he recited incantations and just formed a spell in his mind, the opponent would already be upon him. Casting a spell at close range only risked damaging himself before it could harm the opponent, possibly leaving him half dead from collateral damage. Under such circumstances, he could only use the quicker Flying Sword or magical treasures. Luo Yan wouldn¡¯t have had magical treasures on hand; only the Green Duckweed Sword and Thunder Punishment Sword were available for use. The issue was that the physical attack of the two flying swords couldn¡¯t break the opponent¡¯s defense¡­ It was clear that the secret realm had arranged for a body refiner to appear here to send a message, ¡°Focus on learning how to endure beatings; don¡¯t think about counter-killing.¡± But what exactly does it mean to ¡°learn how to endure beatings¡±? ¡°Endure countless hammerings to forge steel of the highest refinement¡± ¡ª could it really be, just as Mirror had said, that I have to be beaten half dead to count? Ling Yunpo thought this as he took another heavy punch to his abdomen. After enduring so much punishment for so long, his body was almost developing reflexes. Seeing an unavoidable punch coming, he would instinctively curl up the moment the fist impacted his body. Thrown by the force, he flew and landed, rolling several times to dissipate the power. Ling Yunpo clumsily scrambled to his feet, ready to face the next onslaught of blows, when he saw the burly man standing in place, folding his arms and nodding as he said, ¡°` ¡°Wonderful! Truly worthy of the Innate Sword Bone! As steadfast as bamboo in form, unshaken by wind or rain like the pine.¡± After speaking, his figure transformed back into a flow of water and collapsed with a thunderous crash. Ling Yunpo: ¡­¡­¡­. The other¡¯s final comment, ¡°You really do take a beating handsomely,¡± left him unsure whether to feel joy or sorrow for a moment. Ling Yunpo once again cast the ¡°Universal Pure Tone Minor Illumination Technique,¡± healing his body covered in wounds, then took a brief moment to tidy up before leaving the chamber. Stepping into the third room, he saw water rising from the ground and forming a figure¡­wait, not a human figure. Why was it shaped like a big cat? ¡°Meow, the name¡¯s ¡®Absolute Electricity.¡¯¡± The big cat licked its paw, then spoke in human language, ¡°Sword Bone, Sword Bone, seated watching all directions, hearing the wind¡ªwhatever¡­uh, what was it again?¡± Ling Yunpo stood there, staring blankly at it. ¡°Nevermind.¡± The big cat revealed a human-like smile, ¡°I really can¡¯t remember your human poetry. Anyway, this level is to train your ability to ¡®use stillness to control movement.¡¯ Meow, are you ready? I¡¯m going to pounce¡­¡± Before its voice faded, it suddenly turned into a streak of light and disappeared. Ling Yunpo felt a strong force coming at him; his body didn¡¯t even have time to brace before he was knocked to the ground, rolling several times. Rising awkwardly, he saw his daoist robe torn at the chest with three sharp claw marks etched across it. This demon¡¯s speed is astonishingly fast! Ever since the Marrow Cleansing, even a Flying Sword pushed to its limit and turning into a streak of light, Ling Yunpo believed he could catch a glimpse of it. But before the big cat pounced, not even a shadow lingered for an instant, let alone seeing its movement clearly! If he couldn¡¯t see where the attacks were coming from, how was he supposed to defend and respond? Wait, it previously mentioned ¡°using stillness to control movement,¡± which means it¡¯s training me on how to cope when ¡°unable to match the opponent¡¯s speed.¡± After standing up, Ling Yunpo leaped back, pressing his back against the wall. This way, he wouldn¡¯t have to worry about attacks from behind. The Green Duckweed Sword and Thunder Punishment Sword floated at the ready on either side in front of him, always prepared to defend against attacks from three directions. As for the big cat, it merely strolled leisurely in the pool of water in front of him, wearing an odd smile that seemed to mimic that of a human. ¡°Back to the wall, huh? Meow. Seems like a good idea, but the terrain limits my attack routes. What about you, though? Hasn¡¯t your evasive space been reduced as well?¡± It casually finished speaking and then disappeared from the spot again. Ling Yunpo knew this was bad; he took another claw to the chin, his head knocked back so hard that it struck the wall behind him, leaving him completely disoriented. Damn it! This damned cat, it¡¯s right! Since he couldn¡¯t keep up with the opponent¡¯s speed at all, it didn¡¯t matter much whether the attacks came from the front, side, or back. But the wall behind him directly hindered the possibility of rolling to dissipate the force. Hmm? Ling Yunpo suddenly had an epiphany, realizing that the second level trained him in how to dissipate force because this third level would be an onslaught? And thinking about it more, wasn¡¯t the first level about training him to ¡°face injury head-on¡± because he would be ¡°brutally beaten¡± in the second level? In other words, this so-called ¡°Mount Fajue Trial¡± was actually a complete training course designed for those with Innate Sword Bone, with each level¡¯s content serving as a foundation for the next, linked together in a chain. Having the courage to face injury, becoming proficient in dissipating force, and then dealing with faster enemies, learning to use stillness to control movement¡­ The smile on the big cat¡¯s face suddenly vanished when it saw Ling Yunpo close his eyes, step forward a few paces, his right hand forming a sword finger placed in front of his chest, his left hand performing a Sword technique behind his back, adopting the stance of ¡°Fighting in Eight Directions at Night.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Fighting in Eight Directions at Night¡± is a strategy used in pitch darkness when the eyes cannot see, completely abandoning reliance on vision. Martial Artists depend on their hearing and the sound of the wind, whereas Cultivators rely on their Divine Sense. Thus, a playful look intensified in the big cat¡¯s eyes as it slowly circled around Ling Yunpo, now and then drawing near, now and then moving away, seemingly probing the range of his Divine Sense. Yet Ling Yunpo remained unmoved, merely standing with closed eyes. The Green Duckweed Sword blocked in front of him, the Thunder Punishment Sword guarded behind, like a motionless statue. ¡°` Chapter 239 - Chapter 239: Chapter 31 Where is the Tai Yin Sword Master Chapter 239: Chapter 31 Where is the Tai Yin Sword Master Another day had passed. Ling Yunpo¡¯s figure once again flew backward, as the opponent¡¯s claw struck his chest. But the moment he was hit, his Green Duckweed Sword and Thunder Punishment Sword crossed and slashed, leaving several deep wounds on the body of the large cat. The large cat awkwardly leaped and rolled backwards, slowly getting up, thinking to itself that this fellow was just too unbelievable. In merely a day¡¯s time, he had already developed the ability to defend and counterattack, striking back in the direction of the attack the moment he was hit¡­ Even for someone with Innate Sword Bone, this rate of progress was outrageous! ¡°No more fighting!¡± it suddenly growled, leaping back several steps, ¡°This time, I¡¯ll consider you to have passed!¡± ¡°Thank you, senior.¡± Ling Yunpo bowed with his hands clasped and asked, ¡°May I ask, senior, what is the content of the next test?¡± The large cat gazed at him steadily, then suddenly revealed a sly smile: ¡°You should have discerned the purpose of the first three trials by now. They are all in a successive sequence.¡± ¡°The first trial is called ¡®Adversity¡¯, the second ¡®Hardship¡¯, and the third, which is my trial, is called ¡®Peril¡¯.¡± ¡°As someone blessed with Innate Sword Bone, resilient and brave, faced with adversity you should rise up to struggle, faced with hardship you should persist, faced with peril you should remain calm in the face of danger.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Ling Yunpo nodded and said, ¡°Then the fourth trial is¡­¡± ¡°The fourth trial is also the last test of Mount Fajue¡¯s trial, called ¡®Desperation¡¯.¡± The large cat chuckled mischievously, its form suddenly dissolving like falling water, collapsing downward. Ling Yunpo: ¡­¡­ So it¡¯s ¡°face adversity and become trapped,¡± ¡°trapped for long then in peril,¡± ¡°extreme peril leads to desperation,¡± right? It indeed progresses step by step. Considering the abnormal difficulty of the first three trials, the final ¡®Desperation¡¯ is likely to be incredibly challenging. But having come this far, of course, I cannot shrink back before the final trial. Moreover, there¡¯s no option to quit here anyway. Thus, Ling Yunpo took a short rest, and then, rallying his spirits, prepared to step into the very last trial. ¡­¡­ On the eleventh floor of White Jade Capital. An Zhisu was seated cross-legged in the center of the floor, silently recovering from her injuries. From the fourth to the eleventh floor, the Realm of the Sword Foes she faced continued to rise. By the tenth floor, the foggy figures had already reached the Obscure Weave Rank of the Golden Core Realm, terrifyingly close to the Nascent Soul Realm. As soon as An Zhisu entered the arena, she was almost killed by the Flying Sword in an instant, with no chance to retaliate. Fortunately, though these Sword Foes were of the Golden Core Realm, they were all castrated versions¡ªpossessing Cultivation Realms but unable to use Daoist Magic or activate Spells on the swords, relying solely on the basic attributes (such as Physical Strength, speed, agility, etc.) of the Flying Sword and the refinement of Sword Control Technique. Due to the vast difference in Realms, An Zhisu couldn¡¯t even cross swords with the foggy figures. To say nothing of a direct clash¡ªif even grazed during the Sword Control process, her Flying Smoke Sword or Harsh Cold Sword would immediately be sent flying, as ineffectual as a mantis attempting to block a chariot wheel, without any room for resistance. An Zhisu had no choice but to abandon all tactics, pushing her assassin-style technique to the extreme. First off, upon entering, she had to unleash the Shushan Sword Immortal¡¯s ultimate move ¡°Unity of Body and Sword¡±. Because only the speed of Unity of Body and Sword could barely dodge the ordinary attacks of an Obscure Weave Rank Sword Foe. Second, because the interior of the tower was not spacious, the speed of Unity of Body and Sword was simply too fast for An Zhisu to control to roam the entire area. In other words, she could only charge towards the Sword Foe, seeking the quickest one-hit kill. The Obscure Weave Sword Foe¡¯s Sword Control speed was so fast that it was almost infuriating. An Zhisu managed to dodge the first attack with Unity of Body and Sword, and even had the leisure to call back the Flying Sword to rescue. After avoiding the attack, An Zhisu aimed to break through the opponent¡¯s defensive rescue and directly assassinate the main body while still in Unity of Body and Sword. If the strike failed, it would mean death on the spot. The tenth floor took two days, the eleventh floor took three days, dying tens of thousands of times, until finally, there was only the last pavilion of White Jade Capital left. Considering the progression of strength, it was estimated that the Sword Foe there would have the Cultivation Level of the Nascent Soul Realm. An Zhisu circulated her Grand Circulation a few times, feeling as if all the bones in her body were about to fall apart, with a faint sense of dizziness that was hard to contain, probably due to excessive blood loss. Her mood was like a volcano about to erupt, which could explode violently at any moment. However, there was some kind of wonderful power that suppressed all her restlessness and impatience, keeping her mind cold and efficient. A Sword Foe of the Nascent Soul Realm, even if they entered Unity of Body and Sword from the outset, there was probably no chance of fighting and winning. No matter what, she could only try to probe first. After healing her injuries, An Zhisu slowly got up, took up her sword, and walked toward the twelfth pavilion. Pushing open the grand doors of the pavilion, she stepped across the threshold and saw a figure made of condensed mist rising before her, seemingly a slim and graceful female Cultivator. The other party drew a black long sword, looking over with a charming demeanor¡ªalthough the features were formed of mist, An Zhisu somehow made out the coquettishness on the face. ¡°So you are an Innate Sword Hearted One,¡± sighed the figure somberly, ¡°I haven¡¯t seen someone from outside in a long time. Before the trial, let¡¯s have a chat first.¡± ¡°What do you want to talk about?¡± An Zhisu asked impatiently. Without confirmation that her junior brother was safe, she had no interest in communicating with this figure. ¡°Who is the Tai Yin Sword Master of this generation?¡± the other voice asked melodiously. ¡°There is none,¡± An Zhisu shook her head and said. ¡°The Tai Yin Suming¡¯s Sword has been missing for a long time.¡± ¡°But why?¡± the figure asked in surprise. ¡°The last Tai Yin Sword Master was actually a demon in disguise,¡± An Zhisu replied impatiently. ¡°Her identity was later revealed, and she was hunted by the Human Race. During this process, the Tai Yin Suming also went missing.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± the figure sighed again, murmuring, ¡°Suming¡­ even she could misjudge?¡± She stood still for a moment, then suddenly laughed: ¡°If Suming were to be reborn, a Sword Immortal as straightforward as you would probably be to her liking.¡± ¡°Are you a projection of the Tai Yin Sword Master?¡± An Zhisu asked, alert. ¡°Just one of the generations,¡± the figure laughed. ¡°White Jade Capital, the place of trial, was the sacred place for Cultivators of the Human Race Sword Immortals in our era.¡± ¡°Sadly, I don¡¯t know when, but gradually, there have been fewer and fewer visitors.¡± ¡°There will be more visitors in the future,¡± An Zhisu stated flatly. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°I hope so. Please promote this place when you leave, so it does not continue to be buried in dust,¡± the figure smiled beautifully. ¡°The sword in my hand, though a projection, has sealed a trace of the real aura of Tai Yin Suming.¡± ¡°Since you are an Innate Sword Hearted One¡­ if you can catch my sword, then you shall have passed the trial of White Jade Capital.¡± ¡°Of course, even if you can¡¯t catch it there¡¯s no worry, you won¡¯t die. You can think it over outside and come back again.¡± ¡°Come!¡± An Zhisu¡¯s wrist flicked, as she propelled the Flying Smoke Sword with her Sword Control Technique, and in a flash, unified with the sword, she charged directly at the Cultivator! Facing the wielder of Tai Yin Suming, to be defensively passive was the most foolish choice! Chapter 240 - Chapter 240: Chapter 32 The Sun Sword Master Bragging Chapter 240: Chapter 32 The Sun Sword Master Bragging Ling Yunpo stepped into the last chamber. He saw the accumulated water on the ground suddenly rise, converging in the air into a humanoid figure that looked like a lean Daoist. Even though his specific facial features were indistinct, the figure stood with his hands behind his back, his posture as straight as a green pine, almost exuding the aura of an immortal Daoist. ¡°There¡¯s no need to ask for my name,¡± the figure said in a clear voice. ¡°Are you the one with the Innate Sword Bone?¡± ¡°Yes, may I ask if this place is the deadlock trial?¡± Ling Yunpo was about to ask ¡°May I know the senior¡¯s name¡± when he suddenly remembered the figure¡¯s words ¡°no need to ask¡± and promptly changed his question. ¡°Indeed.¡± The Daoist spread his arms, and the water at his feet began to boil fiercely. Amidst the churning water, a white-golden Immortal Sword slowly ascended, its hilt rising to the Daoist¡¯s hand where he deftly grasped it. As he took hold of the hilt, the water that formed his arm also began to boil violently, leaving Ling Yunpo astonished¡ªwhat rank of Fire System Immortal Sword could possibly possess such terrifying heat? ¡°This sword is a projection of the Sun True Obscure Sword, with a sealed whisper of its true essence left behind,¡± the Daoist said calmly. ¡°You must have heard of the Sun True Obscure before, right?¡± ¡°I have,¡± Ling Yunpo replied with an expressionless face, yet his heart was deeply shocked. The Sun True Obscure Sword? What kind of trick is this? Even as a mere projection, this is one of the Supreme Immortal Swords, the Sun True Obscure! Not to mention it contains a whisper of true essence¡­ Even if it includes a mere sliver, or half, a quarter, or even an eighth of its essence, how could I ever withstand it? I haven¡¯t even formed my Golden Core yet! This trial¡¯s final deadlock is too outrageous. It would be better to just strike me dead with a bolt of Heavenly Thunder directly. ¡°The essence descends, dividing light, opening the murky darkness,¡± the Daoist held the sword horizontally, his gaze sweeping over its blazing brilliance, his eyes growing fervent. ¡°Transforming and refining the yin spirit, melting away lingering karma.¡± ¡°This Sun True Obscure was forged by our human ancestor Fuxi, from a strand of pure and profoundly masculine Innate Pure Qi when heaven and earth first divided. The day the sword took shape, there was no rival in all the lands.¡± ¡°Keep blowing,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword remarked sarcastically. ¡°What do you mean ¡®no rivals¡¯? Isn¡¯t there the Tai Yin Suming Sword?¡± ¡°Shut up, Qing Ping,¡± Ling Yunpo said despairingly. ¡°They¡¯re wielding the Sun True Obscure Sword. Let them boast how they wish¡­ We can¡¯t beat them anyway.¡± ¡°For ordinary cultivators at your rank, it would be impossible to withstand a single blow from it,¡± the Daoist raised the Sun True Obscure Sword above his head, suddenly bursting into laughter. ¡°But as an Innate Sword Bone, you have the unique honor of challenging it!¡± ¡°Come! If you can withstand my single strike, then you shall be deemed to have passed this trial!¡± The figure waved the Sun True Obscure Sword with force to one side, all the water at his feet boiling over, the air filling with a scorching smell, even the light distorting in the rising heat. Feeling the heatwave hitting his face, Ling Yunpo¡¯s heart sank. Can I refuse? No. Then what¡¯s the point of talking? He had no choice but to squint his eyes and grab the Green Duckweed Sword in his hand. A moment of circulating True Yuan around the sword, turning it into the Water System, brought a much-needed coolness to his body. ¡°Here goes, Qing Ping, Thunderbane,¡± he said, determined. ¡°Charge, charge, charge!¡± Thunderbane Sword cried out ready to meet its fate. ¡°Don¡¯t hold back. Go all out,¡± Green Duckweed Sword also advised. Ling Yunpo did not respond but instantly executed Unity of Body and Sword, merging with the Green Duckweed Sword into a streak of light, and rushed toward the Daoist! ¡­¡­ Within a cavern in a thousand-zhang deep valley. Several Golden Core True People from Kunlun had come down with the old Daoist. They saw that what was once the entrance to the secret realm was now replaced by rock once more. ¡°This is the place,¡± the old Daoist pointed ahead and said, ¡°Back then, those two friends from Shushan used the Thunder Attribute Flying Sword spell to blast the rocks and successfully entered the secret realm.¡± The Golden Core True People looked at each other for a moment, then a middle-aged nun stepped forward and drew a purple bronze hairpin from her hair. Because of the high risks and dangers of cultivating the Five Thunder True Law, scarcely any Kunlun cultivators practice it nowadays, but there are many Magical Treasures sealed with Thunder Method spells. The nun thrust the purple copper hairpin forward, and several purple thunder balls suddenly appeared out of thin air, exploding towards the rocks ahead. With a thunderous boom, the rocks parted, revealing the entrance shrouded in a light membrane. There really is a secret realm here! The Kunlun True Persons exchanged glances again, each reading the delight in the others¡¯ eyes. Before anyone could speak, the light membrane suddenly rippled. Afterward, An Zhisu stepped out from within, her expression slightly surprised as she looked at the Kunlun Cultivators outside. ¡°Are you a Shushan disciple?¡± the middle-aged nun who had attacked first asked. An Zhisu didn¡¯t make a sound, merely nodding in acknowledgment, her gaze swiftly sweeping the surroundings, her heart suddenly plummeting into an icy abyss. No junior brother¡­ The light membrane rippled again, and Ling Yunpo also stepped out from it. ¡°Junior brother!¡± An Zhisu exclaimed with joy, quickly rushing over to him and grabbing his hand to check for any injuries. ¡°Senior sister, I¡¯m alright,¡± Ling Yunpo patted her hand and with his gaze landing on the distant Kunlun True Persons, he involuntarily cursed inwardly. The Disciplinary Hall¡¯s Shenxiao True Person, as well as the Purple Green True Person and the Scattered Sun True Person, why had these three come here? Seeing the old Taoist standing by respectfully, Ling Yunpo immediately guessed the answer and stepped forward to greet them with a bow: ¡°Shushan¡¯s Ling Yunpo, greets the three seniors.¡± The atmosphere, which had become somewhat stiff due to An Zhisu¡¯s lack of response, relaxed once again with Ling Yunpo¡¯s gesture of respect. The Scattered Sun True Person, well-versed in social pleasantries, immediately smoothed things over with a laugh: ¡°It is said that Shushan has four sword immortal geniuses, whose names together read ¡®Duan Shan, Fenhai, Sui Yue, Po Yun¡¯. You must be the Po Yun Sword Immortal, right?¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t it be Ling Poyun?¡± the middle-aged nun, who was the Shenxiao True Person from the Disciplinary Hall, frowned and asked doubtfully. ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s ¡®Ling Yunpo¡¯,¡± Scattered Sun True Person laughed heartily, ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s just that Shushan wanted the names to be symmetrical and roll off the tongue. Anyway, these two are undoubtedly true Shushan disciples.¡± Ling Yunpo could only offer an awkward laugh, while An Zhisu seemed somewhat irritated, her eyebrows slightly raised. ¡°Do you two have any time to answer a few questions for us?¡± Shenxiao True Person gestured invitingly with a hand. ¡°We have been away from our Sect for too long, and if we do not return soon, I fear the elders will come looking for us,¡± said An Zhisu lightly. She was subtly hinting to them that their trip to Yangzhou Kuaiji County had already been reported back to Shushan. If we were to be silenced here, suddenly disappear, and then the discovery of a secret realm at Mount Tianmu by Kunlun were to emerge, Shushan would inevitably make the connection. Shenxiao True Person caught the wary undertone in her words and casually replied with a smile: ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we have already notified your Sect¡¯s Jade Capital Sect Leader and the Master of Xuandu from the Penglai Yuqing View about the existence of this secret realm.¡± ¡°How to further explore this realm will require mutual discussion amongst the Three Sects to formulate a plan¡­ Our visit here was merely to take the lead in exploring the secret realm.¡± ¡°Mutual discussion amongst the Three Sects?¡± An Zhisu¡¯s eyes widened in confusion. Ling Yunpo, however, quickly guessed the reason: We have entered the secret realm, so it would be impossible for Shushan to cover it up. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Mount Tianmu is located in Yangzhou¡¯s Kuaiji County, which according to the legal division of the Clarify Cult, falls within the sphere of influence of the Penglai Jade Pure View. Opting not to attempt an arrogant monopoly, but instead seeking to get involved as discoverers with the intention of joint exploration or even leading the development of the secret realm, speaks to the confidence of the Kunlun Taiqing Sect as the leader of the Orthodox Sects! ¡°That would be most excellent,¡± Ling Yunpo agreed, smiling, ¡°If there are any questions, I shall not hesitate to answer.¡± Senior sister doesn¡¯t know who Shenxiao True Person is, so it¡¯s natural for her to be cautious and wary. But I am well aware that this True Person is one of the most straightforward and upright characters in Kunlun, so one can assuredly engage with him! Chapter 241 - Chapter 241: Chapter 33 Ah Jing, Whos With Whom Chapter 241: Chapter 33 Ah Jing, Who¡¯s With Whom About White Jade Capital, there actually isn¡¯t much that needs to be explained. Ling Yunpo merely described the scene and mechanisms once, and the three Kunlun Cultivators could immediately affirm that it was a secret trial ground for ancient human swordsmen. As for why White Jade Capital ¡°mysteriously vanished¡± during the Ancient Era, it can only be said that from ancient to ancient times, from ancient to modern times, too many things have been lost in history, and White Jade Capital is not a unique case. However, it was the projections of the Sun Sword Master and the Tai Yin Sword Master that caused the three Kunlun Cultivators to ask several times over. Upon learning that they were indeed only projections, they also sighed in disappointment, although it was expected. As for how the two defeated the Sword Master projection and what benefits they obtained from the trial in White Jade Capital, these topics belonged to more sensitive, private matters, not suitable for an external True Cultivator to inquire about. Soon, the Jade Capital Sect Leader of Shushan, the Master of Xuandu from Penglai, and several other True Elders from their respective sects also arrived at Qianzhang Valley via sword control. ¡°You two did well this time,¡± said the Jade Capital Sect Leader to the pair, succinctly speaking, ¡°After returning to the sect, do not mention this matter to others.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± Ling Yunpo immediately replied. ¡°Take these.¡± The Jade Capital Sect Leader produced two tokens and tossed them to them. Ling Yunpo caught one and saw, to his great surprise and joy, that it was actually the Demon Locking Tower Command. The so-called Demon Locking Tower Command, as its name suggests, allows any Shushan Sect Disciple to hold this command and enter the Demon Locking Tower at any time¡ªa ¡°Special Sect Contribution Reward¡± from Shushan¡¯s Shangqing Temple, only bestowed upon disciples who have performed great deeds. As for the richness of resources within the Demon Locking Tower, there is no need to mention further here. Even a Golden Core Sword Immortal can only enter the tower once a year. If the two of them had no use for the command, selling it to the sect elders would definitely not result in a loss. ¡°Thank you, Sect Leader!¡± Ling Yunpo sincerely expressed his gratitude. Senior Sister An, of course, also knew the weight of the command and hesitated for a moment before following Ling Yunpo in showing their thanks. ¡°Return now,¡± the Jade Capital Sect Leader said indifferently, merely waving his hand. There was still a consultation between the Three Sects to attend to, and naturally, there was no need for these two Foundation Establishment disciples to participate. Thus, the pair took their leave and rose into the air upon their swords. ¡°Guan Shui,¡± Kunlun Mirror suddenly spoke, ¡°it seems that your Senior Sister An has already awakened the Innate Sword Heart talent.¡± Ling Yunpo: ? He looked incredulously at An Zhisu, thinking that even his ¡°Innate Sword Bone¡± was maintained by playing the role of Ling Yunpo non-stop for twelve hours a day. How could Senior Sister awaken the talent of the Innate Sword Heart after just one visit to White Jade Capital? ¡°Your Senior Sister has it naturally,¡± Qing Ping Sword said mysteriously, ¡°yours is cheated and borrowed, of course, it¡¯s different.¡± Ling Yunpo didn¡¯t want to bother with this annoying sword, he just asked Ah Jing: ¡°Do you need to scan and record?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Kunlun Mirror said somewhat sheepishly, ¡°I¡¯ve only recorded Sword Bone on my side, not Sword Heart, so having a complete pair is naturally best.¡± ¡°Are you some kind of noble player who collects all the data?¡± Ling Yunpo complained, ¡°How exactly should we do this?¡± ¡°The simplest method, of course, is dual cultivation¡­¡± Kunlun Mirror hadn¡¯t finished speaking when Ling Yunpo brutally interrupted: ¡°Shut up, another way.¡± ¡°Is Sword Master such a naive scholar?¡± Qing Ping Sword mocked in his tone. ¡°During dual cultivation, her whole heart is open to you without reservation and is highly emotional, which makes the recording much more effective,¡± Kunlun Mirror sighed, ¡°If that¡¯s not possible, romance is another method.¡± ¡°Why though?¡± Ling Yunpo was somewhat flabbergasted, ¡°When recording the Ying Long Bloodline, wasn¡¯t just a drop of essence blood needed? How come for Senior Sister, we have to turn to romance?¡± ¡°For bloodline talents, a drop of essence blood is sufficient,¡± Kunlun Mirror patiently explained, ¡°For instance, if your Junior Sister Xu awakens the Phoenix Bloodline, just give her a drop of essence blood.¡± ¡°Of course, asking her directly for essence blood would definitely arouse suspicion. It¡¯d be better to dual cultivate and naturally obtain maiden blood¡­¡± ¡°Why are you always fixated on dual cultivation?¡± Ling Yunpo laughed and cried, ¡°What about the Innate Sword Heart?¡± ¡°Innate Daoist Heart belongs to the type of mental state talent, which has nothing to do with blood.¡± Kunlun Mirror sighed, ¡°Recording the Innate Sword Heart requires capturing a trace of the Sword Heart¡¯s natural aura.¡± ¡°Breath?¡± Ling Yunpo mused. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± The Kunlun Mirror patiently explained, ¡°Beneath the flowers and under the moon, where the heart flutters, unable to contain one¡¯s feelings, whether it be an Innate Sword Heart, Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart, Daoist Heart Clarity, or any other kind of naturally gifted state of mind, I can capture and record it.¡± ¡°So Qiu Changtian¡¯s Daoist Heart Clarity was also something you pilfered while he was falling in love?¡± Ling Yunpo asked with a cold laugh. ¡°What do you mean ¡®pilfered while he was falling in love¡¯!¡± the Kunlun Mirror retorted angrily, ¡°At that time, he was already heartbroken, and it was only after going through great hardships that he found me and begged to use my Time-Space Teleportation Technique to see that person just one more time¡­¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Ling Yunpo¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°So there¡¯s actually a story behind it?¡± ¡°Go on, tell us!¡± the Green Duckweed Sword said, becoming curious as well. ¡°No more speaking,¡± the Kunlun Mirror, realizing its slip of the tongue, waved its hands and said, ¡°It¡¯s all ancient history now, and I¡¯m not about to make light of the deceased¡¯s past to amuse you.¡± ¡°Just remember that I never steal talents from anyone. It¡¯s always been a mutual exchange of benefits!¡± ¡°What do you have to offer for the exchange?¡± Once Ling Yunpo heard there were benefits to be exchanged, he immediately asked in a serious tone. As for where Ah Jing initially obtained the Daoist Heart Clarity that had been recorded, he had completely lost interest. ¡°If you let me record the ¡®Innate Sword Heart,¡¯ I will give you a secret technique,¡± the Kunlun Mirror calmly said, ¡°You must use this secret technique in conjunction with the ¡®Innate Sword Bone¡¯¡­ That¡¯s right, the one that the original possessor of the Innate Sword Bone exchanged with me.¡± ¡°To put it simply, by burning the essence of the ¡®Innate Sword Bone,¡¯ you can attain a state of Rapid Regeneration for an hour. As long as you aren¡¯t instantly pulverized by your opponent, no matter how severe the injury, it will instantly heal.¡± Ling Yunpo froze for a moment, his eyes widening involuntarily. This ability, which granted instant healing of any injury, was more aptly described as ¡°Invincible and Undying¡± rather than just ¡°Rapid Regeneration.¡± However, Ah Jing¡¯s mention of ¡°burning essence¡± instinctively made him a bit uneasy. ¡°The so-called burning of essence is to damage the very core of the Innate Sword Bone,¡± the Kunlun Mirror explained, as if perceiving his concern, ¡°After using it two or three times, the Innate Sword Bone would most likely be reduced to a withered bone.¡± ¡°How can that be okay?¡± Ling Yunpo frowned, ¡°If it was just a period of weakness, I could accept it, but this kind of core damage is irreversible¡­¡± ¡°Wake up, you fool, do you even have an Innate Sword Bone?¡± Green Duckweed Sword, unable to watch this any longer, reminded him. Ling Yunpo: ¡­ Right, where did I get an Innate Sword Bone from? Isn¡¯t that just Ah Jing using its spiritual power to simulate it? ¡°Your Innate Sword Bone consumes my spiritual power,¡± the Kunlun Mirror sighed, ¡°The so-called burning of essence is actually just the consumption of my precious spiritual power.¡± ¡°Help me record an Innate Sword Heart, and I will teach you how to use this technique, as well as provide you with one opportunity to use it at the expense of my spiritual power.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Ling Yunpo nodded. So, by courting Senior Sister An, I could trade for a precious lifeline¡­ This deal makes sense, I should accept it! ¡­ Wait a second. If I didn¡¯t make this exchange, and I truly faced some kind of life-threatening danger, wouldn¡¯t Ah Jing have to save me anyhow? Of course, she would! With that in mind, wouldn¡¯t I just be giving away my talent for nothing¡­ ¡°Wow, your thought process is simply inhuman!¡± the Kunlun Mirror exclaimed in horror, ¡°Are you treating me like I owe you something, Chen Guanshui? Relying on being the Savior to demand I save you and yet unwilling to do me a small favor, is that it?¡± ¡°Cool it, Ah Jing!¡± Seeing that Ah Jing appeared on the verge of splitting open, Ling Yunpo quickly rephrased himself with righteous indignation, ¡°What I mean is, with the level of intimacy in our relationship, why discuss any exchange of benefits? That¡¯s unseemly and embarrassing!¡± ¡°The previous times you saved my life, did you ever ask for anything in return? Now it¡¯s my turn to repay you and record an Innate Sword Heart for you; how could I possibly demand a benefit in return?¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°That is somewhat reasonable,¡± the Kunlun Mirror¡¯s tone softened slightly, still holding some residual anger, ¡°Just before, who was it mentioning an exchange of benefits? Hmph, it infuriates me.¡± ¡°Who brought up the exchange of benefits first?¡± Ling Yunpo glared. ¡°Obviously, you did!¡± the Kunlun Mirror stated spontaneously. ¡°Uh, Yao Yao,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword suddenly interjected, ¡°It seems like you were the first to bring it up.¡± Kunlun Mirror: ? Chapter 242 - Chapter 242: Chapter 34 Nonsense Chapter 242: Chapter 34 Nonsense ¡°¡±¡± Upon reaching Shushan¡¯s Qingluo Peak, the two returned to the Daoist temple for a brief rest. This trip to White Jade Capital appeared unscathed on the surface, yet in reality, I had died countless times. Even the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal¡¯s habit of ¡°killing without blinking¡± was nearly driven to the brink of collapse by tens of thousands of defeats and deaths, held together only by some unspeakable tenacity. As soon as I returned to the Daoist temple, I immediately drowned myself in a pot of monkey wine to reward myself. Ling Yunpo followed behind, wanting to speak, then hesitating, hesitating then wanting to speak. Normally, flirting with Senior Sister An anytime and anywhere was effortless, and I could even enjoy her slightly coquettish glaring. Yet when it came to professing love, I found myself somewhat at a loss as to where to begin. In the end, Ling Yunpo was not prepared to take responsibility for Senior Sister An. After all, I am a spy, and one day my true identity will be revealed; I cannot accompany Senior Sister An to the end. However, Senior Sister An is so tender, protective, and attentive to the point of willingness to sacrifice everything for me, even her own life¡­ To deceive and disappoint such a Senior Sister, even if Ling Yunpo could deceive his own conscience, he was afraid that he would be struck dead by Heavenly Thunder during the Heavenly Tribulation. The Kunlun Mirror, listening to his inner monologue, remained silent, simply observing from the sidelines. It¡¯s alright, Guan Shui, just follow your heart. Don¡¯t worry about failing Senior Sister An because such an opportunity will never come¡­ ¡°Ah,¡± said Ling Yunpo with irritation, ¡°Ah Jing, I remember when I first joined Qingluo Peak, you seemed to have advised me not to cause trouble for Senior Sister An, did you not?¡± ¡°Me? When did I say that?¡± the Kunlun Mirror asked in surprise. ¡°The one engaged to Junior Sister Xu was Qiu Changtian, what does that have to do with me, Ling Yunpo?¡± Ling Yunpo reminded him. The Green Duckweed Sword exclaimed with a ¡®Wow,¡¯ uncertain as to what it was amazed by, but Ling Yunpo chose to ignore it. The Kunlun Mirror fell silent. At this point, it couldn¡¯t possibly say, ¡°Originally I was pure and only supported one female lead,¡± ¡°Now you forcibly tarnish the image of the sole female lead, which is actually ungrateful and heartlessly disloyal; I¡¯d prefer you to be caught and exterminated by them.¡± After struggling to think for a moment, it stuttered as it spoke: ¡°After all, Senior Sister An likes you¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯ve noticed too?¡± asked Ling Yunpo in surprise. ¡°Is it hard to notice?¡± the Green Duckweed Sword chuckled, ¡°I think she¡¯s just deceiving herself by masking it as ¡®sisterly care for her junior brother.¡¯ Just push a little harder and break through that thin veil, she certainly won¡¯t be able to deny it.¡± ¡°I feel like both of you are waiting to laugh at me¡­¡± Ling Yunpo said suspiciously. ¡°No, no. Not at all,¡± both the mirror and the sword hurriedly retorted. Ignoring them, Ling Yunpo walked to the back courtyard and saw An Zhisu heavily intoxicated in the pavilion, her graceful figure leaning carelessly against a pillar, radiating charm. When it comes to Senior Sister¡¯s figure, I must mention the time she returned bloodied, and I had once tended to her wounds¡ªthe curves of her body were simply breathtaking. Unfortunately, since then, Senior Sister An has never returned injured again. Ling Yunpo suspected that instead of ceasing her sword duels, she would find someplace to hide and secretly heal before coming back. Stepping into the pavilion, Ling Yunpo touched Senior Sister¡¯s forehead. It was a bit hot, and her flushed face didn¡¯t seem feigned, so it looked like she was truly drunk. The taste of alcohol itself isn¡¯t pleasant. Many people relish what¡¯s in their cups not for the pungent taste but for the drunken haze that helps them forget all their troubles, which seemed to be the case with Senior Sister An. Based on what Ling Yunpo knew, Su Jian¡¯s father was said to be a heavy drinker, so Senior Sister An was likely led astray by him. ¡°Hmm?¡± Feeling the weight on her forehead, An Zhisu hazily opened her eyes, ¡°Junior Brother?¡± ¡°Why are you drinking all by yourself here, Senior Sister?¡± Ling Yunpo asked with a bittersweet smile, ¡°Is something troubling you?¡± Upon mentioning this, An Zhisu suddenly burst into tears, caught Ling Yunpo off guard with a hug, and sobbed: ¡°Junior brother, I am sorry¡­ I shouldn¡¯t have had such bad thoughts¡­¡± Ling Yunpo: ?????????? At this moment, he wasn¡¯t sure how many question marks he would need to express the confusion on his face. ¡°¡±¡± Bad thoughts? What bad thoughts? Could Senior Sister be planning to kill me¡­ Mmm! Mmm mmm mmm! Before he could even ask, he was embraced around the neck by Senior Sister An and buried into her chest, which made even breathing difficult. ¡°Senior Sister really doesn¡¯t want you to leave¡­¡± Under the influence of the alcohol, her tone was mournful, broken and sobbing, and she rambled on without end, ¡°The situation at Qingluo Peak is indeed bad, but¡­ but Senior Sister really doesn¡¯t want you to leave¡­¡± Towards the end, it seemed less like she was venting her frustration through drunkenness and more like she was acting spoiled and willful. It took Ling Yunpo some effort to struggle free from the excess flesh, and then he took her into his arms, gently patting her back for comfort, but his eyes flickered with a hint of doubt: Could it be possible that Senior Sister is actually pretending to be drunk right now, taking the opportunity to confess to me¡­ ¡°No chance.¡± the Kunlun Mirror spoke out, ¡°I¡¯ve scanned her, she¡¯s truly drunk.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Ling Yunpo sighed and then saw An Zhisu struggle out of his embrace with a flushed face, turn around to hug a pillar, and cry out: ¡°Master¡­ Your disciple has let you down, had bad intentions towards my junior brother¡­¡± As she spoke, her voice gradually turned into sobbing and she fell silent. Since Senior Sister is indeed drunk, does that mean¡­ everything she¡¯s saying now is the truth? Ling Yunpo moved behind her and asked in a low voice: ¡°Tell me, what bad intentions are you talking about?¡± ¡°Your disciple originally only wanted to be his Senior Sister¡­¡± An Zhisu¡¯s eyes were blurred with drunkenness, and her voice trailed off, ¡°but doesn¡¯t want to be¡­ just his Senior Sister forever¡­¡± ¡°Then what do you want to be to him?¡± Ling Yunpo asked patiently. The response he received was the even sound of breathing; Senior Sister had already fallen asleep hugging the pillar. ¡°Ah, really.¡± Ling Yunpo stared at An Zhisu¡¯s defenseless sleeping face, his heart filled with complex feelings, unable to decide whether he was happy or guilty. ¡°Let¡¯s take Senior Sister back to her room first.¡± The next morning. An Zhisu slowly woke up on the bed, feeling a severe headache as if she hadn¡¯t recovered from a hangover. She silently circulated her True Yuan, passing it over the many major acupoints on her head, and her consciousness immediately cleared up. Clutching her head, she vaguely remembered the events of the previous day and couldn¡¯t help but groan. She remembered accumulating too much pressure in White Jade Capital and then drinking a lot of alcohol in the pavilion by the creek upon returning, eventually even forgetting to use her True Yuan to dissipate the alcohol, ending up completely intoxicated. As for who brought her back, it went without saying. Uh, I hope I didn¡¯t say anything foolish when junior brother found me, right? At this thought, An Zhisu had the urge to bang her head against a wall. To show herself in a bad light while drunk was a minor issue; what¡¯s worse was if she had said something nonsensical in front of her junior brother and lost the dignity of a Senior Sister! Regarding her ¡°drunken behavior¡±, An Zhisu really had no confidence. She straightened her clothes slightly, then walked out of the Daoist temple. Seeing Ling Yunpo practicing swordsmanship in the open space in front of the temple, An Zhisu subconsciously straightened her face, planning to rectify yesterday¡¯s misconduct and authoritatively said: ¡°Junior brother, your swordsmanship is not bad, but there are some areas for improvement, such as¡­¡± She gave some scattered comments, but then saw Ling Yunpo looking at her with a strange expression. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Junior brother! You, what are you doing¡­¡± An Zhisu tried to put on a senior sister¡¯s authority, sternly scolding him, but her voice involuntarily softened as she spoke. ¡°Senior Sister, you are really beautiful.¡± Ling Yunpo said with a smile. ¡°Ah, is that so?¡± An Zhisu said frantically, only then realizing she had been too hasty getting out of bed and had forgotten to dress her hair and put on her hairpin. Her long black hair cascaded smoothly over her shoulders like a vast waterfall. She quickly covered her face, turned around, and hurried back into the Daoist temple, bashfully leaving behind a sentence: ¡°I¡¯m going to tidy up!¡± Chapter 243 - Chapter 243: Chapter 35 The 100,000 Mountains, Before Departing Chapter 243: Chapter 35 The 100,000 Mountains, Before Departing The news from White Jade Capital had not yet spread within the Shushan Sect when Qingluo Peak welcomed a group of new guests. ¡°So this is Qingluo Peak?¡± Duan Fenhai asked in surprise. ¡°Does it not match your expectations?¡± Guan Shanyue asked with a smile. ¡°I thought it would be some kind of dragon¡¯s lair or tiger¡¯s den¡­¡± Duan Fenhai said offhandedly, but upon seeing Ling Yunpo come out of the Taoist temple, he immediately fell silent. ¡°Brother Lin, Brother Duan, Senior Sister Guan.¡± Ling Yunpo greeted everyone with a clasped fist salute. ¡°It has been a while, and your swordsmanship seems to have improved.¡± Lin Duanshan said approvingly. ¡°How can Brother Lin tell that my skills have improved?¡± Ling Yunpo asked curiously. ¡°In the past, Junior Brother, you were sharp and outstanding, but today your divine light is restrained, hence I know there is improvement,¡± Lin Duanshan explained. ¡°Indeed.¡± Duan Fenhai looked at him with surprise, ¡°It¡¯s said that one should regard someone with a new perspective even after a separation of just three days.¡± Ling Yunpo laughed heartily and then invited everyone to enter the temple to sit for a while. The three of them had come this time to discuss the upcoming southern expedition. Although Sword Immortals are keen on one-on-one fights, they cannot stand against Demon Path Cultivators who are accustomed to teaming up for group attacks, so the Shushan side also made it a rule that during the southern expedition, Cultivators in the Foundation Establishment Realm need to travel in groups, usually in teams of four to six. In the previous southern expeditions, Lin, Duan, and Guan would usually team up together, mostly because the other Foundation Establishment disciples could not keep up with them, and would often become a drag on the team; they were better off with fewer people. This year, thanks to the care from the elder of the Guan Family, both Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu joined the team, so the original trio naturally expanded into a team of five. Also, because both of them had never participated in a southern expedition before, Lin Duanshan and the others had specially come over to explain the basic situation of the southern expedition to them. Of course, the main purpose was to familiarize Ling Yunpo. The Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal, that freak, did not need intelligence; he would just obliterate the enemies upon encounter. ¡°Junior Brother Ling, let me tell you, the Hundred Thousand Mountains are like this¡­¡± After sitting down in the hall, Lin Duanshan began to explain the intelligence of the Hundred Thousand Mountains in detail to Ling Yunpo. Ling Yunpo listened attentively but was almost on the verge of ¡®spitting blood¡¯ inside. He had heard all of this information from Wei Dongliu long ago through Long Xiaoqi and the others, and the details were far more intricate than what was being offered. Matters of Demonic Beasts in the mountains, mechanisms of miasma, which areas had been explored¡ªLing Yunpo was nearly dozing off while listening but had to force himself to look attentive and as if he was seriously memorizing everything. Fortunately, An Zhisu finally came out from the inner chamber and interrupted Lin Duanshan¡¯s briefing: ¡°We¡¯ll leave other relics aside for now; which ones can improve the Purple Mansion and increase the efficiency of Refining Mansion progression?¡± ¡°I was just about to get into that,¡± Lin Duanshan said earnestly. ¡°Within the Hundred Thousand Mountains, there are currently two Secret Realms of the Purple Mansion that have been discovered by our Shushan Sect.¡± ¡°One is exclusively owned by our Shushan, called ¡®Langgan Cave¡¯, which contains a Millennium Stone Milk. Drinking it can perfect the Purple Mansion.¡± ¡°Equivalent to how much cultivation?¡± Ling Yunpo inquired seriously. ¡°One sip can increase one year of cultivation.¡± Duan Fenhai said in a grave voice, ¡°But the Stone Milk is poisonous and must not be consumed in excess; the exact amount depends on one¡¯s Root Bone.¡± ¡°An ordinary Cultivator can drink at most ten sips. Any more than that and they would feel their face turn dark purple, with limbs heavy as if they were filled with lead,¡± Guan Shanyue also added. ¡°But if you drink only one sip each year, you can slow down the buildup of tolerance in the body, potentially extending up to forty years at most.¡± Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu exchanged a glance, clearly understanding Guan Shanyue¡¯s point. If they were to consume the Stone Milk in one go, they could gain at most a decade¡¯s worth of cultivation before reaching their physical limit. But if they were to drink just one sip each year and come back the following year, letting the benefits accumulate slowly, they could keep increasing their cultivation for nearly forty years, which was undoubtedly much more advantageous than the former approach. However, the reason Guan Shanyue specially brought this up was another. The southern expedition to the Hundred Thousand Mountains was not the same as the grand competition with Shushan; not every disciple could participate. In essence, it was a partitioning of resources by those in high positions, involving the contest and compromise between the powers of the Various Peaks, where Qingluo Peak was undoubtedly a weak contender. Owing to a favor from the Guan Family¡¯s ancestor, they secured the qualifications to join this year¡¯s southern expedition, but there might not be such an opportunity next year. Therefore, following in Lin Duanshan¡¯s footsteps, joining the expedition each year to take just a sip was rather unrealistic¡­ If there would hardly be a chance to join the expeditions in the future, it would be better to drink their fill at once and extract the maximum benefit. Guan Shanyue reminded them of this point so the two could discuss and make a clear decision on how to choose. ¡°Many thanks to Senior Sister Guan for the information,¡± Ling Yunpo said, clasping his hands in gratitude. ¡°Besides Langgan Cave, there is also the Misty Forest that is rumored to enhance the Refining Mansion¡¯s cultivation,¡± Lin Duanshan continued. ¡°Rumored?¡± An Zhisu asked, frowning. ¡°Not every cultivator who enters the Misty Forest perfects their Purple Mansion,¡± Duan Fenhai said coldly, ¡°Only one or two out of ten encounter such fortune, and they generally cannot describe exactly what encounter they experienced.¡± ¡°That¡¯s rather curious,¡± Ling Yunpo said with a laugh, ¡°Does it mean that Refining Mansion stage cultivators entering this Misty Forest could lose their consciousness?¡± ¡°Exactly so,¡± Guan Shanyue nodded in confirmation. Everyone: ¡­¡­¡­ ¡°No consciousness?¡± An Zhisu said with knitted brows, ¡°Then what if they encounter misfortune? How would they cope?¡± ¡°So far, it seems that none of the cultivators entering the Misty Forest have fallen or gone missing; they wake up outside the forest when the time comes,¡± Lin Duanshan explained, ¡°Some increase their Refining Mansion cultivation, while others gain nothing.¡± ¡°The Jade Capital Sect Leader once entered the Misty Forest alone to investigate; upon returning, he claimed it was essentially harmless, which eased everyone¡¯s concerns,¡± Lin Duanshan added. Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu then understood; if the Sect Leader had investigated and said there was no problem, then there should indeed be no problem. ¡°But there is a crucial issue with the Misty Forest,¡± Duan Fenhai suddenly said, ¡°Every year after the miasma dissipates, the location where the Misty Forest appears is uncertain.¡± ¡°You mean¡­¡± Ling Yunpo immediately came to an understanding. ¡°If it appears in territories controlled by our Shushan, naturally, there is no issue; however, if it emerges in the core heartlands of the Demonic Path, we can basically forget about it,¡± Duan Fenhai continued, ¡°But if it is within the boundaries of both powers, it is almost certain to cause a bloody storm.¡± ¡°Will Golden Core Cultivators be involved?¡± Ling Yunpo asked in a low voice. ¡°Hard to say,¡± Lin Duanshan shook his head, ¡°The Misty Forest is too vast; to dispatch Golden Core Cultivators to patrol the periphery, specifically to ambush Refining Mansion stage cultivators from the opposing camp, would be too inefficient.¡± Being ¡®inefficient¡¯ meant they would not conduct such operations on a large scale, but whether or not they would send some idle immortals over, that was uncertain. ¡°If one hits the jackpot in the Misty Forest, they can advance their Refining Mansion cultivation by thirty years,¡± Guan Shanyue concluded, ¡°But it is more likely that you come out with nothing. Thankfully, it¡¯s an opportunity available every year, so one can try their luck. Therefore, it is also a path we must take.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°In the remaining unexplored areas, some are clear and open for the collection of Spiritual Herbs and Elixirs, Demonic Beast materials, and such; and there are also many areas still unexplored, with unknown relics and encounters. What do you think we should prioritize this time?¡± Although the question was seemingly directed to both, it was actually intended for Senior Sister An. An Zhisu did not immediately answer but turned her gaze to her junior brother. After pondering briefly, Ling Yunpo replied without hesitation: ¡°Obviously the latter!¡± Chapter 244 - Chapter 244: Chapter 36 The True Transmission of Swordsmanship Chapter 244: Chapter 36 The True Transmission of Swordsmanship After discussing the situation of the Hundred Thousand Mountains, everyone started to chat idly again, bonding with one another. After all, forming a team meant that getting to know each other was a necessity. Lin Duanshan, Duan Fenhai, and Guan Shanyue, having had to team up every year for the southern campaign, were quite familiar with each other. As for Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu, they could only say they were relatively familiar with Lin Duanshan, while their interactions with Duan Fenhai and Guan Shanyue were more about ¡°fighting each other.¡± Now that they were supposed to cooperate and work together, they naturally had to set aside past affairs and get to know each other anew. Lin Duanshan, as the mediator known to both sides, took up the role of leading the communication without hesitation. He first discussed the characteristics of the Various Peaks¡¯ swordsmanship schools and then mentioned the Seven Kills Sword Technique of Qingluo Peak. ¡°The essence of the Seven Kills Sword Technique lies in ¡®speed,¡¯¡± Lin Duanshan summarized, ¡°In the realm of swordsmanship, nothing can withstand absolute speed.¡± ¡°I have some reservations about that,¡± Guan Shanyue pondered, ¡°Rather than ¡®speed,¡¯ it would be more accurate to say ¡®striving to be first.¡¯ Ling Yunpo was slightly surprised; Senior Sister Guan had quite a discerning eye! ¡°True,¡± Duan Fenhai agreed with the suggestion, ¡°The Seven Kills Sword Technique is known for speed, but it doesn¡¯t blindly pursue it; it emphasizes striving to be first.¡± ¡°Is Brother Duan recalling the thrashing he received from Brother Ling during the great Shushan competition?¡± Guan Shanyue covered her mouth and laughed, ¡°You didn¡¯t even have time to use your Sword Dao Techniques.¡± Duan Fenhai¡¯s mouth twitched and after a moment, he spoke seriously: ¡°Hmph, to achieve a preemptive strike and use the weak to overcome the strong are the hallmarks of the Seven Kills Sword Technique. I lost to Brother Ling in the past and upon reflection, I realized that being too complacent was one reason, but more so, it was because of Brother Ling¡¯s swift swordplay, which truly brought the advantages of the Seven Kills Sword Technique to their full potential.¡± His words, while serving as an excuse for himself, were also meant to praise Ling Yunpo, so there was no need for anyone to refute them. ¡°Speaking of striving to be first, Senior Sister An¡¯s swordsmanship must have reached a state of perfection,¡± Lin Duanshan suddenly said, ¡°Not only does she seize the initiative, but she¡¯s also quick to consolidate her advantage.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Duan Fenhai echoed, ¡°There used to be a saying among the peaks: ¡®Never give ground when facing Senior Sister An. Once you retreat, you will have lost any chance of gaining the upper hand.¡± ¡°Although I hate to admit it, Senior Sister An¡¯s swordsmanship is indeed better than mine,¡± Guan Shanyue said with a forced smile, ¡°With Senior Sister An in our team this time, the campaign to the south will surely encounter no unexpected changes.¡± While everyone showered An Zhisu with compliments, she showed no response, which made things somewhat awkward. To put it precisely, she had never encountered this situation before and didn¡¯t know how to respond, so she chose to remain silent. The atmosphere turned quiet for a moment, and just as Ling Yunpo was about to say something to break the ice, he suddenly heard Guan Shanyue ask: ¡°I heard that Senior Sister An intends to inherit the Dao lineage of Qi Sha True Person and also cultivate the Sentiment Inquiry Path, right? So, who is the Daoist Companion for Sentiment Inquiry, Brother Ling?¡± The question was so direct that Lin Duanshan and Duan Fenhai glared at her, signaling her not to say things that would make it difficult for others to respond, yet they couldn¡¯t help but prick up their ears, waiting to hear how An Zhisu would answer. An Zhisu maintained her expressionless, silent demeanor. Then her neck began to redden, slowly spreading to her cheeks¡­ ¡°Cough, cough!¡± Ling Yunpo suddenly stood up, breaking everyone¡¯s gaze, and said, ¡°Brother Duan, I would like to have a duel with you!¡± Duan Fenhai: ? ¡°Sure!¡± He immediately stood up as well, coldly responding, ¡°I¡¯m more than willing!¡± Having been unexpectedly defeated by Ling Yunpo during the great Shushan competition, the incident was like a fishbone stuck in Duan Fenhai¡¯s throat, always uncomfortable. But if he were to challenge Ling Yunpo again, it would seem too deliberate, so Duan Fenhai had set aside his plans for revenge¡­ little did he expect that Ling Yunpo would voluntarily seek him out today! Without hesitation, the two agreed and left the Daoist temple to spar. Lin Duanshan and Guan Shanyue hurried to follow. When they turned to look at An Zhisu¡¯s complexion, it had already returned to normal, completely calm, a stark contrast to her previous menacing ghost-like demeanor at the Shushan competition, where she was quick to threaten others. Was she completely confident that Ling Yunpo would not lose? Guan Shanyue mused, while Lin Duanshan¡¯s expression subtly changed. The sword duel began swiftly, with Duan Fenhai hastening to complete his sword technique. The Cangtie Sword shot out like lightning, aiming straight for Ling Yunpo¡¯s chest. Attack fiercely! This time he had clearly learned from his past experience at the Shushan grand tournament, and he didn¡¯t plan to give Ling Yunpo any chance to entangle him, going straight for a preemptive attack. Ling Yunpo¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change, as his Thunder Punishment Sword was held in front of him to block the attack of the Cangtie Sword. The moment the metal clashed, Duan Fenhai sensed something was amiss; the force transmitted from the opponent¡¯s sword was actually stronger than his own?! The strength of the Flying Sword only depended on two factors: the Flying Sword¡¯s own attribute and the robustness of the Sword Immortal¡¯s True Yuan. Both the Thunder Punishment Sword and the Cangtie Sword were renowned in the Metal System for their swiftness and sharpness, lacking any significant enhancement to their strength. Which meant that the robustness of the opponent¡¯s True Yuan at that moment, seemed to have far exceeded his own¡­ With this thought crossing Duan Fenhai¡¯s mind, he saw a flash of black light; the Qing Ping Sword had already sliced towards his head. He quickly drew out his Tianfeng Qianjun Sword in an attempt to block the Qing Ping Sword¡¯s assault. After another clashing of metal, the Qianjun Sword couldn¡¯t withstand the impact and was brutally knocked away by the Qing Ping Sword. Before he could regain his senses, the Qing Ping Sword was already poised at his throat. Duan Fenhai: ¡­¡­¡­ He furrowed his brows tightly, extended his finger, and gently pushed the Qing Ping Sword away, asking in confusion, ¡°What kind of spell is this?¡± ¡°Sword technique,¡± Ling Yunpo said lightly with a flick of his hand, and the Qing Ping Sword automatically flew back into his palm. ¡°Seven Kills Sword Technique, capable of amplifying the power of the Flying Sword?¡± Duan Fenhai looked at Lin Duanshan, who was watching on the side. To have directly knocked away his Tianfeng Qianjun Sword was not something that could be achieved by mere ¡°robust True Yuan¡±¡­ Being of the same Refining Mansion stage and having not yet achieved Core Formation, how much more powerful could it get? Lin Duanshan¡¯s face was also solemn as he shook his head and said, ¡°I¡¯ve never seen it before. It kind of resembles the Asura Path¡¯s Jiesha Sword¡¯s forceful techniques, but it¡¯s definitely not that.¡± The Jiesha Sword¡¯s triple-force exertion grows stronger with each layer, but it requires the buildup from the earlier strikes. Seeing Ling Yunpo dish out a devastating blow right at the start, rendering his peers at the same stage unable to even block it, was a first for everyone. All eyes turned to An Zhisu, who remained silent for a moment before saying, ¡°Junior brother has indeed received the true legacy of the Seven Kills Sword Technique¡­¡± Then everyone seemed to have a sudden realization: Oh, I see, it¡¯s the true legacy of the sword technique. I don¡¯t believe you! Ling Yunpo became a disciple after Su Jian went into seclusion, what true legacy of the sword technique could Su Jian have taught him? And why wouldn¡¯t the senior sister know but the junior brother does? Facing the skeptical looks from everyone, An Zhisu fell silent once more before forcing out an explanation, ¡°Actually, I know it too, just that I¡¯ve never used it.¡± Upon hearing this, everyone nodded: That¡¯s becoming even more far-fetched. The Seven Kills Sword Technique was already known for its speed. If it also had the advantage of being forceful and heavy, it would be invincible amongst peers. And you, An Zhisu, have been at Shushan for so many years, yet you claim to have never used it? Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Indeed, that is the case,¡± Ling Yunpo said earnestly. Since the Jade Capital Sect Leader had forbidden them from revealing any information about White Jade Capital at this time, Ling Yunpo naturally could not openly say that this was a secret gain from his trial at Mount Fajue, so he could only laugh it off, ¡°Senior Sister has truly captured the essence of the Seven Kills Sword Technique¡¯s true legacy; it¡¯s just that during regular sparring among sect members, it would not be appropriate to use excessive force, hence it was never used.¡± Everyone: ¡­¡­¡­ So it¡¯s because we¡¯re too weak, right? Chapter 245 - Chapter 245: Chapter 37 Supreme Sun and Moon Primordial Classic Chapter 245: Chapter 37 Supreme Sun and Moon Primordial Classic Let¡¯s rewind time to the last challenge of the trial at Mount Fajue. The thirty-eighth death, Ling Yunpo was resurrected once again, his breathing slightly disordered. However, there was only to see the Sun Sword Master, dressed as a Taoist priest, his face growing heavier with disappointment, finally unable to restrain himself, he asked: ¡°What on earth is going on? How come your swordsmanship is so mediocre? Not to mention possessing the Innate Sword Bone, even if you brought out a Loose Cultivator of the Refining Mansion rank, he wouldn¡¯t be so inferior!¡± Ling Yunpo nearly coughed up blood, but still put on a resolute and unyielding face, and said: ¡°My skills are not refined, I am at the mercy of the senior¡¯s comments; but the teachings of my sect cannot be insulted!¡± The Sun Sword Master indeed scoffed, speaking directly: ¡°What kind of crappy swordsmanship is your sect teaching? Ridiculous, show me what you¡¯ve got!¡± Ling Yunpo then fell silent for a moment, feigning hesitation and struggle, before finally saying: ¡°I will make a fool of myself.¡± He demonstrated all the various sword techniques of the Seven Kills Sword Technique, only to see the Sun Sword Master cover his face and sigh: ¡°The swordsmanship is somewhat interesting, but in your hands, there are too many mistakes and flaws.¡± ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, this swordsmanship must have been created by your master, and your master is a person with extremely proud temperament, hence every movement and posture in this created swordsmanship is imprinted with his strong personal flair.¡± ¡°What a pity! In his hands, this swordsmanship could be called extraordinary; but the more it is deeply integrated with him, the harder it is to use by others. Moreover, with your crude sword skills, I guess your master didn¡¯t give you any guidance after passing down the swordsmanship, did he?¡± Ling Yunpo: ¡­¡­¡­ If it had not been that the other party was just a projection, he would have been moved to tears at this moment, shouting three times, ¡°Senior¡¯s discernment is as brilliant as fire, I am thoroughly convinced and grateful.¡± That crappy master of his, Su Jian, since I became his disciple, he has never fulfilled a single responsibility of a master! Seeing his ¡°indignant¡± expression, seeming ¡°daring to be angry but not daring to speak¡±, the Sun Sword Master took it as an inability to refute and sneered: ¡°If you had been born in my era, many a Sword Immortal would have fought to take you as a disciple. How come you ended up under such a person?¡± ¡°Enough! I know you hold respect for your master and the Way. I will not say more on this subject. Watch carefully, this is how the swordsmanship should be executed!¡± He picked up the Sun True Obscure Sword, and displayed exactly all the moves and postures that Ling Yunpo had just used. Ling Yunpo watched intently, only to see the exact same moves, but for some reason when performed by the Sun Sword Master, they carried an overwhelming and fierce power, an unstoppable terror. ¡°Did you understand?¡± the Sun Sword Master stopped his sword movements and turned to ask. ¡°I understood,¡± replied Ling Yunpo truthfully, ¡°but not completely.¡± ¡°Truly dull-witted!¡± the Sun Sword Master scornfully cursed, ¡°Even the most dim-witted disciple under me would have understood after watching thrice!¡± He performed the Seven Kills Sword Technique moves once again, and Ling Yunpo focused, finally confirming that the issue was not with the swordsmanship techniques, but the path of Qi flow during Sword Control, which somewhat resembled the ¡®Supreme Primordial True Record¡¯ of Shushan in general, but was much more exquisite in detail. ¡°May I ask the senior, is your Sword Control¡¯s Qi path derived from the ¡®Supreme Primordial True Record¡¯?¡± Ling Yunpo ventured to ask. ¡°¡®Supreme Primordial True Record¡¯?¡± The Sun Sword Master spoke with a strange tone, ¡°That is the coarse and simplified cultivation technique given to the outer disciples. Why would someone with Innate Sword Bone practise that?¡± No sooner had he finished speaking than it seemed he misunderstood something, and started to sneer disdainfully: ¡°So that¡¯s how it is, indeed a ¡®brilliant discernment¡¯ from a good sect, a good master¡­ Listen well, forget that crude classic, I am now going to impart the true explanation of swordsmanship to you, the ¡®Supreme Sun and Moon Primordial Classic¡¯!¡± He swung the Sun True Obscure Sword and suddenly sang out, his voice clear and melodious: ¡°Sword Bone, Sword Bone, listen to my truth! Qian Kun, Kan Li, hardness and softness in unison, the four encompassing elements are the keys. Two, four, three, five, one, the essence of heaven and earth¡­¡± ¡­¡­¡­ Having seen Lin Duanshan and the others off, Ling Yunpo found himself unconsciously reminiscing about the scenes from the trials at Mount Fajue, and couldn¡¯t help but feel a surge of emotion. After learning the Supreme Sun and Moon Primordial Classic, his swordsmanship skills had not just improved by leaps and bounds. From initially being utterly powerless against the Sun Sword Master to barely being able to withstand a strike of the Sun True Obscure Sword, it had taken only a day and a night. It was indeed unclear whether the Shushan higher-ups were hoarding this true Sword technique as a treasured secret, deliberately hiding it from others, or whether this true solution had indeed disappeared into the river of history due to some reasons over the epochs, leaving only the castrated version of the Supreme Primordial True Record. Regardless of the situation, it was a pity. ¡°Senior sister,¡± he turned his head and asked An Zhisu, ¡°aren¡¯t you curious about my swordsmanship?¡± An Zhisu blinked and said, ¡°Why should I be curious? Isn¡¯t this the true transmission of the Seven Kills Sword Technique of our Qingluo Peak?¡± Ling Yunpo was slightly stunned by her words, then chuckled and said, ¡°Indeed, it seems I¡¯ve forgotten about this matter. Since it is the true transmission of the Seven Kills Sword Technique, it should be fine for me to recite the mental method to senior sister again, right?¡± He took his senior sister¡¯s hand and walked towards the pavilion by the stream on the back mountain. An Zhisu didn¡¯t struggle but allowed him to take her hand with a smile. Sitting beside the long pavilion, Ling Yunpo completely recited the Supreme Sun and Moon Primordial Classic. ¡°Is this what you gained from the trials in the White Jade Capital?¡± An Zhisu asked in astonishment. With her insight, she immediately noticed that this overarching Sword Control Heart Method seemed to share the same origin with the Supreme Primordial True Record of Shushan, but its rank was countless times higher. What was more ingenious was that since the sources were so close or even identical, outsiders couldn¡¯t tell that this was a different Sword Control Heart Method. They would only think that it was the Supreme Primordial True Record cultivated to an extremely profound level. ¡°What do you think, senior sister?¡± Ling Yunpo said with a smile, ¡°How formidable is this ¡®true transmission of the Seven Kills Sword Technique¡¯?¡± An Zhisu pondered for a long while before seriously saying, ¡°Junior brother, this true transmission¡­ is too sensitive. It absolutely must not be spread to others.¡± ¡°Senior sister, I understand,¡± Ling Yunpo said solemnly. The Supreme Primordial True Record was the orthodox Sword Control Heart Method that had been passed down in Shushan for nearly ten thousand years. If another version suddenly appeared, it was hard to predict how the Shushan higher-ups would react. If things turned out well, they might adopt a permissive attitude, turning a blind eye and allowing this heart method to spread freely among the disciples of Shushan; If things went badly¡­ they might adopt an attitude reserved for heresy, prohibiting its circulation and cracking down severely (while secretly studying it). Considering their wariness and isolation of Qingluo Peak, this was also a possibility. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Ultimately, it all came down to Qingluo Peak being too weak and, due to Su Jian¡¯s involvement, tainted with heterodoxy, which was a particularly sensitive matter. If it were Qiu Changtian at Kunlun, no matter when he brought it out, he would immediately receive rewards from the Ziwei Master, with no worries at all. At this point, Ling Yunpo once again thought of the Shenxiao Thunder. Rushing things with his senior sister wouldn¡¯t do ¨C after all, with her modesty, teasing too much would set her off. For now, it was best to find time to return to Kunlun and learn Shenxiao Thunder¡­ and incidentally, see how Junior Sister Xu was getting on. Chapter 246 - Chapter 246: Chapter 38 Junior Sister Xu is Being Pressured into Marriage Chapter 246: Chapter 38 Junior Sister Xu is Being Pressured into Marriage Kunlun, Golden Ridge Cave Abode. Xu Yinglian rose from the stone bed, straightening her slightly wrinkled Taoist robe. She had finally completed the Marrow Cleansing, entering the Refining Mansion stage! Feeling a bit smug, she wanted to boast to her senior brother, ¡°Even without the favors Master showed you, haven¡¯t I caught up all the same?¡± But then she remembered, whether it was the Pure Yuan Qi Pill that could clear turbid qi, or the Body Refining Secret Technique that worked wonders for Marrow Cleansing, both were linked to her senior brother, so she quickly dismissed the thought. Forget it, I should tell Great-Grandfather the good news first. Qiu Changtian sent himself to his own cave abode, where he activated the Invincible Character Setting Illusion Technique of Mirror Flower Water Moon before heading out, but suddenly received a Flying Sword message from Xu Changqing. Inviting him to the cave abode for a chat. Upon arriving at Xu Changqing¡¯s cave abode, Qiu Changtian saw the former Chief Disciple of the Foundation Establishment Realm, who was now seated on the stone bed looking rather pale. Xu Yinglian sat quietly on a stone stool nearby, serene and expressionless. ¡°Senior brother,¡± Qiu Changtian greeted, then suddenly laughed, ¡°I forgot that now I should address you as ¡®True Person¡¯.¡± ¡°Master gave me the Daoist name ¡®Qing Yang¡¯,¡± Xu Changqing said with a smile, ¡°but you can continue to call me senior brother.¡± ¡°Senior brother Xu,¡± Qiu Changtian asked with warmth, ¡°How has your health been recently?¡± ¡°I need a few more years to recuperate,¡± Xu Changqing coughed a few times, ¡°the essence loss was too great during the Transcending Heavenly Tribulation.¡± ¡°It¡¯s good that you made it,¡± Qiu Changtian said with a smile, ¡°Years pass in the blink of an eye compared to the lifespan of a Golden Core.¡± Smiling, Xu Changqing replied. There are three major hurdles in cultivating immortality, and the toughest one is Core Formation. Of course, this saying doesn¡¯t mean Nascent Soul Transformation and ascension to immortality are not hard, but refers to the fact that the Golden Core Heavenly Tribulation has claimed the lives of the most cultivators, with survivors being one in a hundred. As the Chief Disciple of the prestigious Kunlun Taiqing Sect, and the top figure below Golden Core, supported by the Xu Family of Southern Heaven, Xu Changqing had all the cultivation techniques and magic artifacts at his fingertips. Yet, even he found transcending the Heavenly Tribulation so difficult, let alone ordinary cultivators¡ªfor whom passing the Heavenly Tribulation is known as ¡°a stroll in front of the gates of hell,¡± no exaggeration intended. In conclusion, that old saying still holds true: It¡¯s good that you made it! Qiu Changtian chatted casually with Xu Changqing but noticed that Xu Yinglian sitting beside them seemed to bear a heavy heart. There was no smile on her face. Qiu Changtian secretly took note and soon heard Xu Changqing point to Xu Yinglian and say: ¡°The phoenix daughter of our family has also completed her Marrow Cleansing today, entering the Refining Mansion stage.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Qiu Changtian¡¯s eyes brightened as he offered his congratulations, ¡°Indeed befitting of Junior Sister, the reputation of your Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart is well deserved.¡± ¡°How does that compare to your Daoist Heart Clarity?¡± Xu Yinglian couldn¡¯t help but speak out, her voice tinged with sarcasm. The tone was so surprisingly biting that Qiu Changtian was taken aback, and Xu Changqing scolded in a low voice: ¡°Ying Lian!¡± Xu Yinglian turned her head away, falling silent. ¡°Ahem.¡± Xu Changqing spoke earnestly, ¡°Junior Brother Qiu, the marriage arrangement for you and Ying Lian as Daoist companions has long been set. The Xu Family recently asked if we can pick an auspicious day?¡± Qiu Changtian: ¡­¡­¡­ No wonder Junior Sister seemed as if she had eaten gunpowder; being pressured to marry by the family, who could feel at ease? Moreover, the family pressure to marry here, compared to the gentle ¡°parental marriage pressure¡± from the modern society he came from before his transmigration, was a difference of almost a fundamental nature. In modern society, parents raising children is purely ¡°giving out of love,¡± and once grown up, children can completely ignore their parents¡¯ wishes and live as they please¡ªsuch a concept is utterly unimaginable in this world. The cultivator families here exert very strong personal control over every family cultivator who hasn¡¯t reached the Golden Core Realm. If Xu Yinglian said today she didn¡¯t want to marry, there¡¯d be no need to wait until tomorrow, as the Xu Family of Southern Heaven would immediately retaliate. Not only would she be completely cut off from cultivation resources, but elders from the sect would come to persuade her, and even the Ziwei Master would take action¡­ Under such circumstances, if she still chose to go her own way, it was highly likely that she would suffer social death, a fate even worse than Qingluo Peak¡¯s status in Shushan. The only way to break this situation was Core Formation. Any cultivator from Kunlun who managed Core Formation would have the qualifications to go outside and start a sect or establish a branch of Kunlun. Chonghe True Person, who left with the Shenxiao Thunder Method, had done exactly this. For the Xu Family of Southern Heaven, a Golden Core Cultivator had the power to intervene in family affairs and belonged to the ¡°ruling¡± class of the family, naturally not having to worry about being forced into marriage by anyone. However, it seemed that fearing this, the Xu Family of Southern Heaven had chosen to immediately arrange for Xu Changqing to urge marriage as soon as Xu Yinglian had completed her Marrow Cleansing and just entered the Refining Mansion stage, unwilling to wait even a year more. Just how proud a character was Junior Sister Xu? Qiu Changtian was more than clear about this. Now that she was so carefully guarded against and calculated by the Xu Family of Southern Heaven, forcibly pushed into marriage to bind Qiu Changtian with her as a bargaining chip, how could she let it go? ¡°Ahem,¡± Qiu Changtian cleared his throat, about to say something, when he suddenly saw Xu Changqing staring intently at him. Then he knew that the Xu Family of Southern Heaven was very serious this time. Any attempt at making excuses would be seen by the other party as evasive. Forget it, having taken their Immortal Sword and cultivation resources, not to mention already having agreed to the Ziwei Master earlier, what reason was there to keep dragging this out? ¡°Brother Xu,¡± Qiu Changtian thus said with a smile, ¡°I have no elders in my family; this matter is solely up to my master.¡± ¡°Excellent!¡± Xu Changqing showed his joy, laughing as he clapped his hands, ¡°With that, it¡¯s perfect! I¡¯ll immediately go report to the master and the family so they are aware. Brother, you and Ying Lian take a rest here.¡± Without caring for his weak body, he hurried out the door. That left Qiu Changtian with a face of helplessness, and Xu Yinglian with a face clearly showing ¡°I am not happy.¡± ¡°Junior Sister¡­¡± Qiu Changtian barely began when he saw Xu Yinglian ask softly, ¡°Are you expecting me to start calling you husband?¡± ¡°Ah, no need for that,¡± Qiu Changtian said awkwardly, ¡°This¡­¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Xu Yinglian stood up, spoke indifferently, ¡°I¡¯m feeling a bit unwell, so I must excuse myself.¡± Her white garments fluttered as she gracefully left, leaving Qiu Changtian in the cave abode with a bitter smile. He originally thought Junior Sister may have had some feelings for him, but with the Xu Family coming over and meddling, now he couldn¡¯t be sure anymore. Sigh, why does the Xu Family have to be in such a rush! Could it be that they are worried Junior Sister would rather sacrifice her path to swiftly reach Core Formation just to escape marriage? With such a proud character as Junior Sister, how could she be willing to hastily form a core without first refining her Purple Mansion into a Jade Mansion over two hundred years? How could she be content with marrying before even securing a Third Grade Golden Core? That¡¯s really overthinking it! After much deliberation, Qiu Changtian could only sigh deeply and get up to leave. ¡°What do you plan to do?¡± the Kunlun Mirror suddenly asked. ¡°Do what?¡± Qiu Changtian laughed, ¡°Are you still hung up on me undergoing Dual Cultivation with her to stimulate the Phoenix Bloodline for you to record?¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean,¡± the Kunlun Mirror seemed hesitant, ¡°I just feel¡­¡± ¡°Junior Sister, she¡¯s quite pitiable.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Qiu Changtian frowned, ¡°What¡¯s this Junior Sister business? She¡¯s my Junior Sister! Ah Jing, you have no relationship with her whatsoever!¡± Kunlun Mirror: ¡­¡­¡­. ¡°Fine, fine, fine!¡± it flared up completely, ¡°Just keep fudging the issue! Wait until your identity is exposed when you seek the Heaven-Mending Stone, when she learns the truth and comes at you with the Feather Jia Sword, it will have nothing to do with me!¡± Chapter 247 - Chapter 247: 39th chapter Although the process was flawed, the outcome was not bad Chapter 247: 39th chapter Although the process was flawed, the outcome was not bad Soon, the news that Qiu Changtian, the current Chief Disciple in the Foundation Establishment Realm of Kunlun, was to become Daoist Companions with junior sister Xu Yinglian, spread throughout the Taiqing Sect like wildfire. Of course, ¡°like wildfire¡± isn¡¯t quite precise. Qiu Changtian surmised the information must have been released in advance by the Xu Family of Southern Heaven, to let everyone know, ¡°Qiu Changtian, whose Daoist Heart Clarity foresees a boundless future, has become our Xu Family¡¯s son-in-law.¡± Instantly, not only did familiar junior brothers and junior sisters, but also senior sisters and senior brothers whom he did not know, and even some True Elders, all began to send congratulations and gifts. According to custom, the congratulations and gifts are to be sent to the home of the male party. However, Qiu Changtian had no elders, and the Ziwei Master preferred not to indulge in complex formalities, so everyone ended up sending their gifts to his cave dwelling. All sorts of seventh, eighth, and ninth rank Flying Swords and Magical Treasures, as well as various kinds of Spirit Grass and Elixirs¡ªeven though Qiu Changtian never lacked money, this time he indeed became a little richer overnight. Hmm, distinctive Flying Sword Treasures aside, things like Spirit Grass and Elixirs that couldn¡¯t be identified were all later sent to support Wei Dongliu. ¡°Using the resources of the orthodox Kunlun to support the Demonic Path¡­¡± Both the Kunlun Mirror and the Green Duckweed Sword were speechless. ¡°What do you guys know, this is called reasonable allocation under emergency conditions!¡± Qiu Changtian couldn¡¯t be bothered to argue, dismissing it with a ¡°necessity knows no law.¡± While Qiu Changtian was busy receiving gifts on one side, Xu Yinglian was on the other side, busy with various visits. The Xu Family female elders from the Southern Heaven, senior and junior sisters from the Kunlun Taiqing Sect¡ªwhether familiar or not, all came over to make acquaintance and visit. Now, it was clear to any discerning person that Qiu Changtian, as one with the Daoist Heart Clarity and the Chief Disciple in the Foundation Establishment Realm, coupled with the support of the Xu Family of Southern Heaven¡¯s resources, was destined to soar high and have a limitless future. As for Xu Yinglian, who was to become Daoist Companions with Qiu Changtian, she was naturally ¡°ascending to heaven along with him.¡± Why not seize the moment to familiarize oneself, if not now then when? One day, as Qiu Changtian was sitting comfortably in his cave dwelling, joking and laughing with junior brothers and sisters, he heard his fifth junior brother, Chen Zhen, say in jest: ¡°Everyone says the path of cultivation is difficult, with challenges in wealth, partner, magic, and territory. Now that our senior brother has all four, I can¡¯t help but be envious.¡± Thinking about it, everyone agreed and began to offer their congratulations. With wealth from the resources of the Xu Family of Southern Heaven; a partner, with junior sister Xu, a favored daughter of heaven, for support and assistance; magic, with the immortal ¡°Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra¡±; territory, under the protection of the Kunlun Taiqing Sect¡­ his conditions for cultivating immortality were truly what cultivators all over the world dreamt of. Just as Qiu Changtian was about to modestly deflect the compliments, Xu Yinglian burst in, seething with anger. Her clear eyes slightly widened, her pretty face frosty, and her lips pressed tightly together, clearly indicating that her anger had reached a certain limit. Seeing the signs, everyone knew something was amiss. They quickly made various excuses and hurried away. ¡°Look at the great job you¡¯ve done!¡± Xu Yinglian, seeing everyone else had left, immediately said through clenched teeth, ¡°I¡¯m being besieged at the entrance of my cave dwelling! At least thirty invitation cards every day, all wanting to discuss philosophy and Dao with me, and I don¡¯t even have a moment¡¯s rest!¡± ¡°Junior sister, how can you blame me?¡± Qiu Changtian replied, looking innocent, ¡°It¡¯s clearly your popularity within the sect that¡­¡± Before he could finish, he saw Xu Yinglian¡¯s gaze turn icy cold, as if she were looking at some utterly despicable bug. All right, it¡¯s indeed my fault. Who made me shine so bright that simply by being someone destined to become my Daoist Companion, you should be courted by so many of our fellow sect members, much to your frustration¡­ Indeed, I cannot shirk responsibility for this! ¡°Take me out,¡± Xu Yinglian said directly. ¡°Ah?¡± Qiu Changtian asked in surprise. ¡°I said, take me out on the pretext of traveling, so I have a reason not to entertain those guests,¡± Xu Yinglian said with patience, her tone cold. ¡°Ohh, of course,¡± Qiu Changtian immediately had an epiphany. He had thought junior sister was taking the initiative to ask for a date. Upon closer thought, there¡¯s no such concept as a date in the world of immortal cultivation, let alone the woman making the first move¡­ That¡¯s just wishful dreaming. The two left the cave dwelling and took to the skies with their swords. The Yu Long Sword shone resplendently, and the Feather Jia Sword trailed intense flames. The male cultivator was handsomely strapping, and the female cultivator was ethereally detached. They quickly caught the attention of all the cultivators around Golden Ridge. ¡°What a perfect pair of celestial companions!¡± suddenly exclaimed a female cultivator. ¡°` This remark resonated deeply with many, prompting heartfelt praise to pour forth as everyone proclaimed Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian to be a match made in heaven, with no other couple in the world as well suited to each other as they were. As the Flying Sword left the vicinity of Golden Ridge, it soon arrived at the Extreme West, which was where Xu Yinglian used to practice the Great Bright Fire. ¡°Would junior sister like to give it a try?¡± Qiu Changtian asked with a smile, ¡°Advancing from the Marrow Cleansing Rank to the Refining Mansion Rank, True Qi will be condensed into True Yuan, greatly enhancing the power of Daoist Magic.¡± Xu Yinglian, feeling there was no harm in trying, silently nodded. She chanted loudly, ¡°Floating Morning Light, cast brilliance ten thousand ren,¡± and instantly flames burst from her mouth and nostrils, sweeping and howling towards the rock wall in front of her, burning away all the rocks within a hundred zhang radius. ¡°This¡­¡± Xu Yinglian was also somewhat surprised. She had not expected the Great Bright Fire to be so powerful after ascending to the Refining Mansion Rank! Her heart rejoiced silently, but she modestly asked, ¡°How was it? How does it compare to elder brother¡¯s Thunder Method?¡± ¡°Quite excellent,¡± Qiu Changtian replied truthfully, ¡°It¡¯s not as powerful as the Thunder Method, but its range is far superior. In my opinion, it¡¯s on par with the powerful Daoist Magic of the Five Thunder True Law in terms of rank.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Xu Yinglian nodded lightly, feeling an immense joy inside but went on to ask, ¡°Has elder brother heard about a certain matter recently?¡± ¡°What matter?¡± ¡°There was an ancestor in Yangzhou who left behind a Daoist lineage, and his descendants discovered an Immortal Sect relic on Mount Tianmu, so they reported it to their sect,¡± Xu Yinglian explained gradually, ¡°The Disciplinary Hall reputedly values it greatly and has already sent three seniors to verify it.¡± A faint smile appeared in Qiu Changtian¡¯s heart. It seemed that the White Jade Capital had been discovered. So, it would not be long before the Shenxiao Thunder Method would follow the old Daoist¡¯s lineage and be sent to the Kunlun Scripture Pavilion, where it could be learned subsequently. ¡°Elder brother,¡± Xu Yinglian looked towards the distant Congling, speaking slowly, ¡°Life passes swiftly like a fleeting white steed. Even for cultivators who extend their lifespan, it is not truly long-lasting.¡± ¡°When I was young and had not yet begun learning the Dao in Kunlun, I only enjoyed reading at home, encountering countless tales of unfulfilled ambitions and lifelong regrets.¡± ¡°Thus, I secretly vowed to live without any regrets. Even if I fail to attain immortality and my life is finite, I will have tried my utmost.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s why junior sister is so ambitious, simply because you do not wish to live a mediocre life,¡± Qiu Changtian said with a smile, ¡°That¡¯s why you strive to be the best in every aspect.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Xu Yinglian said, nodding, ¡°Choosing a Daoist Companion is no exception.¡± Hmm? Qiu Changtian looked at her in surprise. Of course, he understood her meaning in an instant, ¡°Even in choosing a Daoist Companion, I would not settle for someone I am not satisfied with.¡± ¡°However,¡± Xu Yinglian said, gazing up at the sky above Congling, her voice lower, ¡°Though I have always chased after elder brother¡¯s footsteps and often felt resentment for not getting what I wanted¡­ ¡°¡­I don¡¯t hate elder brother.¡± Qiu Changtian: ? Was this a confession? ¡°I¡¯m not so arrogant as to think that elder brother is unworthy of me,¡± Xu Yinglian continued in a lower voice, her delicate and aloof face revealing rare emotions of helplessness and sorrow, ¡°but I do not wish this marriage to be entirely orchestrated by our families from beginning to end¡ªat least give me some room to make my own choice.¡± ¡°Life is filled with many such inevitabilities,¡± Qiu Changtian sighed as well. ¡°Indeed,¡± Xu Yinglian agreed with a nod, ¡°Even if you don¡¯t want to have any regrets, it¡¯s hard to manage.¡± She turned her head away, not letting Qiu Changtian see the expression on her face, pausing for a moment before adding, Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°But¡­ sometimes when I mull it over at night, even if the process is flawed, at least the result is passable.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Qiu Changtian didn¡¯t understand for a moment. ¡°Hmph,¡± Xu Yinglian turned around, her tone carrying a faint hint of a smile, ¡°I will make this into a riddle, the answer to ¡®the moon in the sky, and the moon reflected in the water,¡¯ to test elder brother¡¯s comprehension.¡± After speaking, she spread her snowy white robes, drew forth the fiery red Feather Jia Sword, and took to the sky gracefully. ¡°` Chapter 248 - Chapter 248: Chapter 40: Running Away from the Wedding Chapter 248: Chapter 40: Running Away from the Wedding Half a month later. At Kunlun Heavenly Pillar, in the Scriptural Repository of Jade Void Palace. ¡°This is the Shenxiao Thunder Method sent back by Fellow Daoist Zhang,¡± the elder Xu, who was guarding the Scriptural Repository, handed the scripture scroll over to Xu Changqing and said with a smile, ¡°You¡¯re quite lucky, you didn¡¯t do anything and someone has already returned the Thunder Method.¡± Qiu Changtian smiled without responding. Who said anything about not doing anything? He had slain a mountain of minor demons to rescue that person, hadn¡¯t he? ¡°I heard that within Mount Tianmu, where Fellow Daoist Zhang resides, hides the secret realm of the ancient White Jade Capital,¡± Elder Xu remembered something and cautioned, ¡°The trials within are greatly beneficial to a Sword Immortal.¡± ¡°The three orthodox sects have decided to open it once a year in January. If you can find the time, you can register with your master next month,¡± he said. ¡°Thank you for the reminder, senior,¡± Qiu Changtian responded with a smile, thinking to himself that he had already cleared the trial long ago. ¡°When cultivating the Thunder Method, don¡¯t rush it,¡± Elder Xu cautioned again, ¡°You are to be engaged tomorrow, you should conserve your strength and rest up today.¡± Qiu Changtian agreed repeatedly, but deep down he was feeling rather sentimental. In this world, it usually took half a year from engagement to marriage among the common folk. The reason why the Xu Family had everything arranged in just half a month, rushing the couple to get married as though they were coercing ducks onto a perch, was clearly because they feared delays might lead to complications. Or perhaps, they were all-too familiar with Xu Yinglian¡¯s stubborn temperament and feared that if they delayed any longer, the girl might do something foolish and wreck the engagement. Of course, they weren¡¯t wrong to worry. Xu Yinglian had said before that ¡°even in choosing a Daoist companion, she wouldn¡¯t want to have any regrets.¡± If the Xu Family truly had chosen a Daoist companion she was dissatisfied with, she would probably have bolted from the marriage¡­ He could only say it was fortunate that she met him. ¡°I can¡¯t take it anymore, I¡¯m going to throw up,¡± the Kunlun Mirror suddenly spoke up. ¡°Are you pregnant?¡± Qiu Changtian asked in surprise. ¡°No, do you really think her meeting you is lucky or unlucky, don¡¯t you have any idea in your heart?¡± the Kunlun Mirror criticized him unabashedly, ¡°If I may speak frankly, isn¡¯t this just marriage fraud?¡± ¡°How is this marriage fraud?¡± Qiu Changtian asked with surprise, ¡°Did I actively seek out this marriage to deceive someone? Weren¡¯t the arrangements made by the Xu Family of Southern Heaven and the Ziwei Master and simply notified to me? If I want to remain in Kunlun, I have no room to turn things down!¡± The Kunlun Mirror was silent for a moment, then said softly: ¡°Then¡­ even if you were forced, isn¡¯t it still marriage fraud?¡± ¡°I think ¡®deception¡¯ isn¡¯t the right word,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword interjected, ¡°Considering Sword Master didn¡¯t use his real name to marry Junior Sister Xu, I think ¡®fake marriage¡¯ is a more appropriate term.¡± ¡°Correct,¡± Qiu Changtian said with satisfaction, ¡°My Qing Ping truly understands reason better than some broken mirror that keeps empathizing all the time.¡± The Kunlun Mirror went silent. It wasn¡¯t that it had nothing to counter with, but because it suddenly realized that whatever it said was useless at this point. Was this person not understanding? No, he was feigning ignorance! How do you awaken someone pretending to be asleep? Qiu Changtian took his leave from Elder Xu and then rode his sword to visit Xu Changqing. This newly-anointed Qing Yang True Person had just seen off a wave of old friends who had come to visit and offer their congratulations. Seeing Qiu Changtian approaching from afar on his sword, he immediately dropped the forced smile from his face, revealing an anxious expression as he sighed: ¡°The day before yesterday, I spoke to the clan and asked them to keep the ceremony as simple and modest as possible, but for some reason, the clan leader changed his mind a few days ago and insisted on a grand celebration with a wide array of guests¡­¡± ¡°Maybe they just want it to be more lively,¡± Qiu Changtian casually replied. ¡°The clan wants to use you to boost their reputation,¡± Qing Yang True Person said with annoyance, ¡°Cultivator families have always prided themselves on their superior cultivation seeds, why bother with such empty fame now? It seems the clan leader has been pondering over the fact that for the past ten years, apart from Ying Lian, there have been no other outstanding younger generations, and thus wants to use this wedding to revitalize our reputation.¡± ¡°What I worry about is twofold: first, such a grand display by the clan will fool only the mediocre masses but not the discerning people, ultimately only revealing our shortcomings.¡± ¡°Second, Junior Brother Qiu, you¡¯re already on the hit list of the Demon Cult. You were supposed to remain hidden and conceal your identity, and yet the clan is messing things up like this¡­ Sigh!¡± The more he talked, the angrier he got, and by the end, he flung his sleeve with such force he wished he could confront the clan leader and give him a piece of his mind. Qiu Changtian, on the other hand, didn¡¯t mind, because he had Invincible Character Setting synchronization values to farm. But recently, as he couldn¡¯t go out for trials, he could only discuss the profound with others within the sect, and the efficiency of farming synchronization values clearly wasn¡¯t as satisfying as it used to be. Xu Changqing said it was but an empty title, yet he didn¡¯t realize that what Qiu Changtian needed at the moment was exactly these seemingly useless honors. If the wedding could be held with great fanfare and Qiu Changtian¡¯s glorious resume was promoted everywhere, wouldn¡¯t it harvest a large wave of Synchronization Value? However, considering what Junior Sister had said that day¡­ Thinking this, he started to murmur to Qing Yang True Person. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª The day of the wedding soon arrived. The ceremony for a Cultivator to become Daoist Companions could be grand, simple, or even neglected, mostly depending on the Cultivator¡¯s own wishes. For a supreme Cultivator Family like The Xu Family of Southern Heaven, especially for Xu Yinglian who was renowned far and wide as the ¡°Phoenix Immortal,¡± not holding the ceremony was definitely not an option. As for the specific details of the ceremony, it was quite different from folk weddings and did not include picking up the bride or carrying bridal sedans¡­ Cultivator Families needed to maintain a certain style, too festive and lively would seem no different than common folk, which would actually be demeaning. Overall, it actually involved just two parts: ancestral rites within the clan and a banquet for the guests. Ancestral rites within the clan were the core ceremony, involving a series of complicated steps such as honoring the ancestors, meeting the elders, and registering in the family annals. The purpose was for the relatives of the groom and the bride to quickly get acquainted and establish corresponding social connections. Daoist Companion, where ¡°Companion¡± refers not just to the partner themselves but also includes the partner¡¯s social resources. As for hosting a grand banquet for guests, it was an optional part. After all, many Cultivators are naturally reclusive and simply can¡¯t find friends to invite, so there would be no guests to entertain at the banquet. Xu Yinglian sat in her bridal chamber, attended by several maids helping her dress and apply makeup. Once the makeup was finished, the maids bowed and stepped out of the room, waiting for the groom to finish the ancestral rites before coming to escort the bride outside to greet the guests. Xu Yinglian sat blankly in front of the dressing table, feeling extremely depressed. She was naturally strong-willed, and now she had to be ¡°forced into marriage¡± by her family, which she found very upsetting. In this way, what difference was there between the illustrious Phoenix Immortal and an ordinary girl who had not yet left her father¡¯s side? She wallowed in self-pity, unable to stop thinking about it, and inevitably laid her head on the desk, burying her face in her arms. If the groom wasn¡¯t my senior brother, I would¡­ I would! As she was immersed in her chaotic thoughts, she suddenly heard the sound of the door being pushed open. Xu Yinglian slightly turned her head and saw Qiu Changtian enter the room in wedding attire, his face brimming with a smile. ¡°Why have you come?¡± she blurted out instinctively, then realizing her current posture was rather unruly, she quickly straightened her back and sat upright, revealing her beautiful figure and curves, and said with restraint, ¡°Has the ancestral rite ended already?¡± ¡°It hasn¡¯t even started yet.¡± Qiu Changtian pulled up a chair and sat down, ¡°I just arrived, coming to check on you.¡± ¡°Are you here to take pleasure in my misfortune?¡± Xu Yinglian sighed. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Qiu Changtian asked in surprise. ¡°You know well that I¡¯m unwilling to accept the family¡¯s forced arrangement, and right now my mood must be gloomy. You¡¯ve come just to see my frustrated expression, haven¡¯t you?¡± Xu Yinglian said sullenly. ¡°Junior Sister, in your heart, am I the kind of person who takes joy in bullying you?¡± Qiu Changtian asked with a mix of laughter and helplessness. Xu Yinglian turned her head away, thinking to herself that you¡¯ve deliberately annoyed me so many times before. She decided to simply keep quiet and ignore him. But suddenly her delicate hand was grasped firmly. She let out a soft cry of surprise and saw Qiu Changtian lean in close, asking earnestly: ¡°Junior Sister, you don¡¯t object to becoming Daoist Companions with me, you just dislike ¡®the family forcing you to become Daoist Companions with me,¡¯ right?¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Mm.¡± She was a bit shy, dodging Qiu Changtian¡¯s gaze and still said, ¡°Not bad. I didn¡¯t expect you could solve the question I gave you.¡± ¡°What¡¯s there not to solve?¡± Qiu Changtian threw in a casual remark, and seeing Xu Yinglian about to get angry again, quickly brought the conversation back to the main point with a smile, ¡°Junior Sister, if you don¡¯t want to have any regrets¡­¡± ¡°What now?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s elope!¡± Qiu Changtian said with all seriousness. ¡°Ah?¡± Xu Yinglian hadn¡¯t even processed it yet when she was pulled up by Qiu Changtian by the hand and led towards the door. Chapter 249 - Chapter 249: Chapter 41: Escaped, But Not Completely Chapter 249: Chapter 41: Escaped, But Not Completely By the time Xu Yinglian was pulled out the door, she realized that all the maids outside had disappeared, seemingly sent away in advance. ¡°Stop making a fuss!¡± she finally reacted, trying to break free from her senior brother¡¯s grip, ¡°Even our master is on the guest list this time, don¡¯t act on impulse!¡± ¡°I am not acting on impulse,¡± Qiu Changtian said with a smile, ¡°Don¡¯t you think that, at least in this marriage, the family should give you a choice?¡± ¡°I did say that,¡± Xu Yinglian stiffened her face, reprimanding him coldly, ¡°But that¡¯s no reason for you to act recklessly now!¡± ¡°Act recklessly? I don¡¯t think so,¡± Qiu Changtian said with a grin, ¡°Tell me honestly, Junior Sister, if everything were to go according to the family¡¯s arrangements this time, wouldn¡¯t it be a lifelong regret for you?¡± ¡°So what if it is?¡± Xu Yinglian said angrily, ¡°The reason I¡¯m willing to endure this humiliation is because¡­¡± Her words came to an abrupt end since Qiu Changtian had already reached out and gently wiped the tears from the corner of her eyes¡ªshe didn¡¯t even realize when she had started crying. ¡°Junior Sister Xu,¡± Qiu Changtian said earnestly dropping his smile, ¡°As long as you¡¯re willing to call me Senior Brother, I won¡¯t let you be humiliated anymore.¡± ¡°You!¡± Xu Yinglian started to panic, trying to retreat instinctively, but was embraced by Qiu Changtian. Sensing Senior Brother was about to forcefully take her away, Xu Yinglian quickly tried to shout, but her mouth was sealed by him again. The Yu Long Sword flew out of his sleeve, turning into a golden sword light, wrapping them both in an instant and soaring into the sky. Only above the clouds did Qiu Changtian finally let go of his breathless Junior Sister and laughed out loud: ¡°Who do you think I am? I am Qiu Changtian, the Chief Disciple of Kunlun! If I can¡¯t even protect my Junior Sister from being wronged, what kind of lousy Senior Brother would I be!¡± ¡°You bastard!¡± Xu Yinglian, frustrated, pounded his chest forcefully several times, but then wrapped her arms around her senior brother. It wasn¡¯t because she was moved by him, but because the Yu Long Sword was flying too high, and it seemed dangerous¡­ she told herself silently, closing her eyes and resting her face against her senior brother¡¯s chest. About a quarter of an hour later, the Xu Family members, realizing the bride and groom were both missing, immediately became like ants on a hot pan, running about in confusion. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± The patriarch of the Xu Family, along with the elders, came rushing in, looking at the deserted bridal chamber and the maids trembling on the ground, pounding his walking stick and asking furiously, ¡°How could this happen? Could it be that Yinglian and the groom had a quarrel, and parted on bad terms?¡± ¡°Never mind that for now!¡± an elder said in panic, ¡°The ceremonial items are all ready at the family grounds, and the clan members have all gathered, but what should we do next!¡± ¡°What to do, what to do¡­¡± the patriarch of the Xu Family gritted his teeth in anger, when suddenly Xu Changqing parted the crowd of elders and stepped forward. ¡°True Person Qing Yang, what should we do?¡± the elders buzzed with questions. ¡°Qiu Changtian had already spoken to me about this matter earlier,¡± True Person Qing Yang, Xu Changqing, said calmly without any panic. ¡°This¡­¡± the elders looked at each other in confusion. ¡°Qiu Changtian said,¡± True Person Qing Yang continued, ¡°Yinglian does not dislike the marriage, what she doesn¡¯t want is for the family to forcibly intervene in the marriage.¡± The expressions on the elders¡¯ faces were bewildered; so, you were willing at first, but if the family helps arrange it, you¡¯re not willing¡ªwhat kind of reasoning is this? ¡°Therefore, Qiu Changtian wanted to ask for her opinion first,¡± True Person Qing Yang said with a smile, ¡°If Yinglian decides not to follow the family¡¯s arrangement, then he will take her away directly. As a Kunlun Cultivator, one should pursue an unobstructed state of mind and realm, how can one bow to mere formalities for some vain reputation? Being clouded in thought is a minor issue, but affecting further cultivation is a major concern.¡± The elders fell silent, while the patriarch of the Xu Family thought for a moment and then his face lit up with joy. Indeed, with both the bride and groom gone, the wedding could not continue. However, this precisely illustrated another point, ¡°Similarly arranged in marriage, Qiu Changtian bore no dissatisfaction with the match.¡± On the contrary, he valued Xu Yinglian¡¯s feelings so much that he didn¡¯t hesitate to elope with her prematurely just to spare her a bit of grievance. (Here, the Xu Family Patriarch had already defined their actions as ¡°leaving early,¡± rather than ¡°eloping.¡±) While failing to hold a wedding was certainly embarrassing, if it could be exchanged for a closely related son-in-law of the Xu Family who was also a genius with Daoist Heart Clarity, then losing face was truly worth the significant substance gained, making him more than satisfied. ¡°Then what should be done about the wedding?¡± An elder, not catching the implication, asked with a frown. ¡°No matter,¡± said Qing Yang True Person with a smile, ¡°Let¡¯s first gather the clan members in the inner residence and prevent them from going out, pretending that Junior Brother Qiu is inside participating in the ancestral rites.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go out to receive the guests, and after the feast is over, we¡¯ll just say the wedding ceremony has been completed,¡± he continued. ¡°But what if someone asks why the bride and groom are not seen¡­¡± Another elder asked with concern. ¡°I¡¯ll handle it,¡± said Qing Yang True Person. Thus, there were no further objections from the crowd. Meanwhile, Qiu Changtian had already brought Xu Yinglian back to Kunlun, landing at the entrance to her cave dwelling. At this time, all the junior brothers and sisters were at the Xu Family of Southern Heaven¡¯s clan territory attending the wedding banquet, so Golden Ridge was deserted with not a soul in sight, with only numerous white feathered immortal cranes resting there, leisurely preening their feathers. ¡°Let me go,¡± Xu Yinglian said, releasing the hand that had been holding her senior brother the moment they landed, and shyly jabbing him with her elbow. Qiu Changtian loosened his grip around her waist, thinking Junior Sister Xu¡¯s waist was indeed both slim and soft¡­ no, should he now call her his virtuous wife? He furrowed his brow slightly, troubled, and said, ¡°Junior Sister, since we have eloped, does it mean we are not yet Daoist Companions? If I refer to myself as ¡®your husband,¡¯ would it be improper and presumptuous?¡± Upon hearing the term ¡°your husband,¡± Xu Yinglian first appeared slightly dazed, then felt discomfort, and responded with a bitter smile, ¡°Let¡¯s not. I¡¯m used to calling you Senior Brother.¡± ¡°Is that so,¡± Qiu Changtian nodded. ¡°As for whether or not we¡¯re Daoist Companions, does it matter?¡± Xu Yinglian blinked and suddenly laughed, ¡°Everybody knows that I am already united with Senior Brother as Daoist Companions, and even the clan will surely not publicize the matter, declaring that the wedding was wholly conducted.¡± ¡°Whether I address you as my husband or as Senior Brother in the future, what difference does it make? As for the so-called ¡®proper and appropriate,¡¯ we no longer need a ceremony to prove it.¡± Her smile was radiant and beautiful, less of the cold, ethereal charm she usually conveyed and more of an overflow of warmth and happiness, almost mesmerizing Qiu Changtian. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only But he quickly regained his composure, teasing her deliberately, ¡°So Junior Sister also takes heed of public opinion. I thought such a detached and transcendent Phoenix Immortal as Junior Sister had long since triumphed over material concerns and did not care about how others viewed her.¡± ¡°Public opinion can kill, who wouldn¡¯t fear it?¡± Xu Yinglian didn¡¯t get angry, but merely continued to smile, ¡°As for the title of ¡®Phoenix Immortal,¡¯ I do like it but also don¡¯t mind it.¡± ¡°What then does Junior Sister care about?¡± Qiu Changtian pressed on. The answer he received was a gentle kiss. Chapter 250 - Chapter 250: Chapter 42: Oh? Are you feeling shy? Chapter 250: Chapter 42: Oh? Are you feeling shy? East of the Kunlun Mountain Range, in the Chitai Market, there lies a tavern. ¡°Senior Brother Qiu does have a taste for elegance,¡± Qiu Changtian said slowly. The person sitting across the wine table was the successor to Chonghe True Person¡¯s Daoist inheritance, the elderly Daoist who had previously been rescued from the depths of Mount Tianmu by Ling Yunpo and Senior Sister An. ¡°Cough.¡± The elderly Daoist drained the cup of wine in one gulp and said with a smile, ¡°Who would have thought that in today¡¯s Kunlun Sect, there would still be those willing to practice the Thunder Method.¡± ¡°Cultivating the Thunder Method is fraught with huge hidden dangers,¡± Qiu Changtian said warmly, ¡°If I didn¡¯t have Daoist Heart Clarity, I wouldn¡¯t dare to delve into it lightly.¡± Senior Brother Qiu¡¯s words are very true,¡± the elderly Daoist nodded. The two then talked about knowledge related to the Thunder Method. What surprised Qiu Changtian was that although the elderly Daoist¡¯s realm was modest, the theoretical foundation of his Thunder Method was unexpectedly solid. However, other than Shenxiao Thunder, Chonghe True Person did not leave behind much Daoist inheritance. For the past few decades, this elderly Daoist had nothing else to do but study the Thunder Method, so it was only natural that he had a solid foundation. ¡°I do have a question I wish to ask Senior Brother Zhang,¡± said Qiu Changtian modestly, ¡°Among the Ten Thunders, Jade Pivot, Shenxiao, and Great Hollow are the lower three; Immortal Capital, North Pole, and Tai Yi are the middle three; Purple Mansion, Yu Chen, and Tai Xiao are the upper three; and ultimately the supreme Divine Thunder of Tai Ji.¡± ¡°According to the Thunder Method¡¯s general principles, these ten thunders can be divided into lower, middle, upper, and supreme four Ranks, but in my view, the lower three and the upper-middle thunders each have their own characteristics and there is no distinction of superiority or inferiority.¡± ¡°Then why are these three lower and three middle thunders defined in this way?¡± ¡°Senior Brother Qiu¡¯s question is indeed thoughtful,¡± said the elderly Daoist with a laugh, ¡°These lower and middle thunders¡­ do not pertain to the power of the Thunder Method, but to its rarity.¡± ¡°Rarity?¡± Qiu Changtian asked in surprise. ¡°Indeed, rarity begets value, and the less there is, the more people want it. It has always been so since ancient times,¡± the elderly Daoist stroked his beard and said, ¡°Jade Pivot, Shenxiao, Great Hollow are known as the lower three because, in ancient times, these three types of Thunder Methods were the most widely spread, and even Loose Cultivators without a Thunder Method lineage could also manage to learn a thing or two.¡± ¡°And the reason these three types of Thunder Method were spread is tied to the three ancient disasters.¡± ¡°The three disasters?¡± Qiu Changtian pondered, ¡°Does it refer to ¡®heavens shattering, earth cracking, and demons running rampant¡¯?¡± ¡°Exactly those disasters,¡± the elderly Daoist tapped the table lightly, ¡°When the heavenly dome shattered, there were frequent invasions by Demon Heads from outside, moving between worlds as if passing through a door left open; it wasn¡¯t until Nuwa forged the Heaven-Mending Stones that the cataclysm was fully resolved.¡± ¡°Before heaven was mended, how did human Cultivators combat the Heavenly Demons? They focused on the Great Hollow Thunder, which was specialized against Heavenly Demons.¡± ¡°Likewise: With the Nine Provinces cracked, meddlesome Nether Ghosts emerged from beneath Huangquan. Before Shennong cast the Shennong Cauldron to suppress the Earth Veins of the Nine Provinces, humans relied on Jade Pivot Thunder to exterminate Nether Ghosts.¡± ¡°After mending the heavens and suppressing the earth, the protracted battles between humans and the Demon Race began. Shenxiao Thunder, which was extremely effective against Demons, immediately stood out, with nearly all major Sects having their scripture scrolls. It wasn¡¯t until Fuxi forged the Tai Yin and Tai Yang pair of swords, cutting down Demons as if they were rotting wood, and drove all the Demon races into the Eastern Emperor Realm, that Shenxiao Thunder lost its place of use and gradually ceased to be passed down.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Qiu Changtian had an epiphany, ¡°Cultivating Thunder Method is arduous and perilous, the threshold is too high. It can only flourish when faced with natural disasters and calamities.¡± ¡°Or, like Senior Brother Qiu, who has exceptional talent and regards the difficulty of Thunder Method cultivation as nothing, can also cultivate it,¡± the elderly Daoist complimented, ¡°Now that you have become Daoist Companions with the Phoenix Immortal, it truly makes one envious.¡± ¡°Cough.¡± Qiu Changtian modestly said a few words, feeling helpless in his heart. Previously, when he had helped Junior Sister Xu escape the marriage, the result was a great increase in her fondness for him¡ªeven earning a kiss. The trouble was that this kiss wasn¡¯t a result of Junior Sister Xu¡¯s careful deliberation, but the release of emotions from long confinement; a moment where her feelings got the better of her. By the next day, Xu Yinglian abruptly cooled down from her passion, and what followed was an endless tide of shame, wishing she could travel back to the day before, find her earlier self who had taken the initiative to kiss Senior Brother, and slap her fiercely eighteen times, both left and right, while shouting, ¡°How could you be so lacking in restraint!¡± She might even indulge in wild speculation, thinking that Senior Brother would take it as ¡°Junior Sister must be deeply infatuated with me, which is why she took the initiative to kiss,¡± ¡°Ah, this Junior Sister is too sentimental, so easily pleased with such a small gesture,¡± ¡°Not only is Junior Sister behind in cultivation, but now she has also lost to me in terms of charm.¡± Lost to me in charm¡­ Lost to me¡­ Lost¡­ Therefore, when Qiu Changtian went to Junior Sister Xu¡¯s cave dwelling the next day, he discovered that she had already left early in the morning to cultivate. On the third day, he went to the entrance of the sister¡¯s cave dwelling to discuss music, only to find that she had already left again. On the fourth day, he went early in the morning to stake out and, sure enough, he caught the junior sister leaving her cave dwelling at the hour of Yin. Xu Yinglian flew on her sword all the way to the Extreme West, an expansive and desolate place with no human inhabitants, making it an excellent location for Kunlun Cultivators to practice Daoist Magic. She landed in a certain valley and began with practicing the Great Bright Fire, completely melting a large area of the surrounding rock. After resting for a while, she seemed to think of something and, grinding her teeth furiously, drew the Feather Jia Sword to vent her feelings by chopping wildly at the rock face. Qiu Changtian followed behind and watched apprehensively, wondering if Junior Sister Xu had succumbed to a Heart Demon. Thinking this, he rushed over to stop her, but when Xu Yinglian saw him, she immediately turned and fled. Qiu Changtian chased her for dozens of miles until she shouted indignantly, ¡°Stop following me,¡± and then he suddenly understood. It wasn¡¯t a Heart Demon, but embarrassment¡­ ¡°Senior Brother Qiu?¡± the old Daoist asked softly. ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± Qiu Changtian returned from his thoughts and said smilingly, ¡°I just remembered some things.¡± This junior sister is too embarrassed to see me; chasing after her will only backfire. It¡¯s better to let her cool down for a while. ¡°By the way,¡± Qiu Changtian took out a cone from his storage bag and placed it on the table, ¡°Daoist Zhang, do you recognize this object?¡± The old Daoist stared at the cone with furrowed brows without reaching for it, instead carefully scanning it over several times with his gaze. Suddenly, he noticed the Immortal Seal Script inscribed on the side of the cone and said uncertainly, ¡°Could this be Thor¡¯s Awl?¡± ¡°Thor¡¯s Awl?¡± Qiu Changtian asked in surprise, thinking the name seemed rather common. As is well known in this Cultivation World, the majority of orthodox Daoist artifacts and techniques bear names that essentially stack buffs. For instance, the ¡°Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra¡± indicates origins from the Immortal Realm with ¡°Nine Heavens,¡± purity from transforming the turbid with ¡°Clear Entrance,¡± and signifies that one can achieve Dao with this technique¡­ The more prefixes it has, the higher the level, denoting a typically higher rank. However, there are exceptions, such as certain Spiritual Treasures linked to the Immortal Realm, whether Innate or Acquired, with names that are extremely succinct, like the Kunlun Mirror, Qing Ping Sword, Heaven-overturning Seal, and so on. Could this Thor¡¯s Awl be something similar? ¡°Legend has it that in ancient times, there was an old great Sect called ¡®Donghua Sect,¡¯ which mastered the cultivation secret technique of the Tai Xiao Thunder, one of the three Supreme Thunders,¡± the old Daoist said cautiously. ¡°Tai Xiao Thunder is profound and obscure, rumored to possess the power to destroy worlds. Human Cultivators need exceptional talent to master it, initially requiring the aid of Thor¡¯s Awl to release and gradually learn to adapt.¡± ¡°From this, it seems that Thor¡¯s Awl was probably a specialized magic artifact used to learn Tai Xiao Thunder¡­ Later, as the Donghua Sect declined in the ancient last era, both Tai Xiao Thunder and Thor¡¯s Awl disappeared without a trace.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°If Senior Brother Qiu could search the place where Thor¡¯s Awl was found, perhaps you could find a trace of Tai Xiao Thunder,¡± he suggested. ¡°I see. Thank you, Daoist friend,¡± Qiu Changtian secured Thor¡¯s Awl properly and thought to himself: This Thor¡¯s Awl was obtained last time from the secret realm of Western Queen Mother of the Divine Flame Path. Could Tai Xiao Thunder be there as well? Unfortunately, the secret realm requires Golden Core Cultivators to enter for trial; I¡¯ll have to pay attention for now. Chapter 251 - Chapter 251: Chapter 43 Qilins Entrustment Chapter 251: Chapter 43 Qilin¡¯s Entrustment Southern Border, Yu Long Mountain. For some reason, Wei Dongliu had keenly noticed that Jiang Liyan¡¯s attitude toward him had grown increasingly affectionate recently. Could it be because he had driven away her senior martial sister for her? But Wei Dongliu was well aware that the reason Jiang Liyan had put on a performance in front of him was to have him eliminate her senior martial sister, not just to chase her away. In any case, the thoughts of this witch were truly hard to fathom; Wei Dongliu could only react accordingly, appreciating any increase in Synchronization Value no matter how small. Finally, the day of departure arrived. Everyone stood in front of the Eastern Emperor Divine Palace¡¯s plaza, only to see the peach blossom miasma in the distance receding fast toward the south like a tidal wave. It revealed the lush, tropical forest below, layered and stacked like hues of cyan and indigo. ¡°Legend has it that this peach blossom miasma is an ancient curse from the Demon Race,¡± Long Xiaoqi suddenly said in a ghostly voice, ¡°At the end of ancient times, a large number of the Demon Race were driven to the Eastern Emperor Demon Realm; those who refused to leave were slaughtered to near extinction.¡± ¡°In this Southern Border, the number of the Demon Race slaughtered was in the millions. After the Eastern Emperor Realm¡¯s Boundary Gate was sealed, the peach blossom miasma also appeared. Within three days of entry, one¡¯s complexion turns crimson, within five days blood flows from all seven orifices, and if one doesn¡¯t leave, they are certain to die within seven days.¡± ¡°Therefore, there¡¯s another theory claiming that this peach blossom miasma is a deliberate curse and revenge left by the Demon Race¡­ What do you all think?¡± ¡°Either way is fine,¡± Gu Lie said nonchalantly. ¡°It doesn¡¯t make a difference whether it is or not,¡± Wen Yang said. ¡°If the Demon Race really had such great power, wouldn¡¯t they have just cursed the Human Race to death directly?¡± Jiang Liyan said with a sneer, ¡°Would they have ended up like homeless dogs, being chased in groups to the Eastern Emperor Realm?¡± Long Xiaoqi was silent for a moment, then turned to Wei Dongliu and asked, ¡°Fellow Daoist Wei hasn¡¯t spoken. What do you think?¡± ¡°I think only the Demon Race knows the truth,¡± Wei Dongliu said indifferently. ¡°Not necessarily,¡± Long Xiaoqi said after a moment of silence, ¡°After more than a hundred thousand years, even the current Demon Race probably doesn¡¯t know the situation of the Demon Race back then.¡± ¡°What does it matter if they know or not!¡± Gu Lie said impatiently, ¡°Oh! We can set off now!¡± Just then, they saw multi-colored banners rising rapidly in the wind in the distance, and on the plaza of the Eastern Emperor Divine Palace, countless Sword Lights ascended, rushing toward the continuous mountain ranges and rainforests in the distance. The five-person team here naturally wouldn¡¯t fall behind; they quickly took to Sword Control, soaring into the sky and plunging down along the slopes of Yu Long Snow Mountain. Suddenly, Wei Dongliu seemed to sense something. He turned his head and saw the Qilin lying on the plaza¡¯s floor tiles, opening its eyes. Its pupils, like yellow brass bells, rotated slightly, looking in his direction. It was impossible to discern any emotion. Wei Dongliu slightly furrowed his brow and then turned his head back. ¡°The area around the Eastern Emperor Divine Palace has basically been fully explored,¡± Wen Yang said quickly to the others while they flew by Sword Control, ¡°Currently, there are two directions.¡± ¡°To the north, the danger level of the heritage sites is lower, and there are more Human Race sites than Demon Race sites. The likelihood of us being able to mutually use any treasures or opportunities found there is also higher.¡± ¡°However, that direction is Shushan¡¯s main focus, and it¡¯s highly likely that we will encounter conflict with the Shushan team¡ªespecially since this time, five paths are united in opposition to Shushan, which is sure to greatly increase the risk level in that area.¡± ¡°To the south, the closer we get to the Eastern Emperor Realm¡¯s Boundary Gate, the higher the danger level of the heritage sites, with more Demon Race sites to be found. If we struggle greatly only to end up with a Cultivation Technique that only the Demon Race can use, you can imagine how infuriating that would be.¡± ¡°But the problem is, it would help us avoid the battlefield with Shushan.¡± ¡°Wait, Wen Yang,¡± Jiang Liyan interrupted him, ¡°Haven¡¯t we already decided? We¡¯re going north this time.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Wen Yang said off-handedly, ¡°I¡¯m just reminding you all, if you want to change the plan, now is the last chance.¡± ¡°If we get to the north and then find the battle situation too severe and want to turn back south¡ªsurely it would be too late then.¡± ¡°What¡¯s there to hesitate about?¡± Gu Lie said with a glum expression, ¡°If anyone wants to back out then, they¡¯ll need to ask if my sword agrees first.¡± ¡°Wait a moment!¡± Wei Dongliu suddenly called out. His voice was so loud that the other four reflexively grabbed their Sword Light and suspended themselves in mid-air. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Jiang Liyan asked, puzzled. ¡°The Qilin is speaking to me,¡± Wei Dongliu said with a frown. The other four: ? Their expressions were incredibly complex for a moment. But if one observed carefully, Jiang Liyan was skeptical, Wen Yang was serious, Gu Lie was shocked, and Long Xiaoqi had no expression¡­ She always had no expression. ¡°Go south,¡± came the sonorous and low voice of the Qilin in his mind. ¡°Why?¡± Wei Dongliu asked with a furrowed brow. ¡°There is a Mirror Pond there,¡± the Qilin said in a muffled voice, ¡°which can increase your Refining Mansion Cultivation level by seventy years ¡ª that¡¯s what you need the most.¡± Wei Dongliu: !!! ¡°What¡¯s the price?¡± he asked again in a deep voice. ¡°Help me retrieve an item from there,¡± the Qilin replied. The people around saw Wei Dongliu standing still, sometimes frowning deeply, sometimes widening his eyes¡­ They quickly exchanged glances. Wen Yang¡¯s gaze was full of disbelief. Jiang Liyan shook his head almost imperceptibly and moved closer to Wei Dongliu, clearly taking his side. Gu Lie¡¯s eyes whirled around a few times and he also moved closer to Wei Dongliu from another side ¡ª he did not believe that this mysterious and elusive Wei Daoist Friend was the type to lie for attention. Moreover, everyone had witnessed the Qilin addressing him before. Long Xiaoqi shrugged and looked towards Wen Yang. So Wen Yang put on an expression that read, ¡°Alright, but I will need an explanation afterward.¡± After finishing his conversation with the Qilin, Wei Dongliu came back to his senses and saw the four of them looking at him with burning gazes and serious expressions. Even Long Xiaoqi, who was always lazy and absent-minded, seemed unusually serious at this moment. ¡°Lord Qilin wants me to retrieve an item for him,¡± Wei Dongliu stated concisely, ¡°The reward is¡­ a secret realm that adds seventy years to Refining Mansion Cultivation.¡± Seventy years! Gu Lie¡¯s eyes immediately bulged, and Wen Yang¡¯s eyes twitched, with only Jiang Liyan and Long Xiaoqi maintaining their composure. The former was well prepared, after all, with so many suspicions about Wei Dongliu¡¯s identity, it wouldn¡¯t be surprising what he could offer. The latter, however, displayed a contemplative expression. ¡°What item do you need to retrieve, Daoist Friend Wei? Can you disclose it?¡± Wen Yang asked with a solemn expression. Wei Dongliu shook his head, then suddenly turned his gaze back to the Qilin lying prone on the plaza. As soon as the Qilin opened its mouth, a streak of light flew over and went straight into his sleeve. Immediately, everyone stopped their thoughts; they were not so presumptuous as to spy on the Qilin¡¯s secrets. But similarly, since it was indeed an order from the Qilin, it was probably not a lie¡­ After all, with its rank made clear, if it truly wanted help, many seniors within Eastern Emperor Path would volunteer without needing any reward, just for a bit of favor from it! There was no need to concoct a lie to deceive them. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Which meant that seventy years of Refining Mansion Cultivation was likely true. Seventy years¡­ Thinking of this, their hearts heated up. If there indeed existed such a large benefit, they would dare to brave even a mountain of blades and a sea of fire. At the top level of the Eastern Emperor Divine Palace in the distance, Hu Li leaned lazily against the balcony railing, looking down at the Qilin and Wei Dongliu and the others¡¯ interaction. After a long while, she yawned languidly, then lowered her eyelids, her lips slightly curled, deep in thought. Chapter 252 - Chapter 252: Chapter 44: The City of All Demons, The Metropolis of Wan Xiang Chapter 252: Chapter 44: The City of All Demons, The Metropolis of Wan Xiang The canopy above was so dense that no sunlight could penetrate it. However, the temperature in the forest was not low at all; instead, it was as warm as spring, without a hint of chill. Gu Lie led the way at the front, his arms swinging as the blood-red Flying Sword sliced left and right, neatly cleaving through the obstructing bushes and leaves. Since the miasma was almost completely diluted on the ground, it became denser higher up, so they all had to give up flying on swords and proceed on foot. Suddenly, a giant python dropped from a tree and in the blink of an eye swallowed him from head to toe, whole. The next second, the blood-colored Flying Sword slashed the python open from the inside, and Gu Lie casually appeared from behind another tree, spotless, evidently untouched. Wei Dongliu watched clearly from behind: The moment the python fell, Gu Lie had dodged at high speed using some kind of technique. What the python had swallowed was nothing but an afterimage of Gu Lie, along with the blood-colored Flying Sword left in place, which then internally dissected and killed the python. This Gu Lie, he seems to have practiced some kind of Body Refining Secret Technique¡­ Wei Dongliu observed Gu Lie, while Wen Yang and Jiang Liyan also watched Wei Dongliu from behind, in secret. ¡°Brother Jiang,¡± Wen Yang whispered a Daoist formula from within his sleeve, activating a spell to communicate secretly, and asked Jiang Liyan, ¡°What exactly is the background of Brother Wei?¡± ¡°Did Brother Wen see something?¡± Jiang Liyan answered with a question instead of a reply. Wen Yang stayed silent for a moment: ¡°Can¡¯t see through him.¡± ¡°He claims to be a Refining Mansion Cultivation level cultivator. But from what I see, there are too many odd aspects.¡± ¡°I would like to hear the details.¡± Jiang Liyan responded with a smile. ¡°Firstly, as a Loose Cultivator with no master, where did he get the Hundred Poisons Gold Silkworm Gu?¡± Wen Yang said slowly. ¡°Maybe he¡¯s just lucky and stumbled upon some ruins.¡± Jiang Liyan said dismissively. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s say he¡¯s lucky and found an unincubated Hundred Poisons Gold Silkworm Gu in some ruins.¡± Wen Yang glanced at the trees in the distance, ¡°What about hatching it?¡± ¡°To make the Hundred Poisons Gold Silkworm Gu recognize its master, you must first perform a sacrificial refinement with essence blood and then feed it Gold Ganoderma and Jade Leaf Flowers; otherwise, this fierce creature will emerge from its shell, and in its hunger, fail to recognize anyone, even its own master, and could turn and bite him. How did he know the Sacrificial Refinement Method, and have Gold Ganoderma and Jade Leaf Flowers on hand?¡± ¡°Maybe the ruins also contained Gold Ganoderma and Jade Leaf Flowers, and a Jade Slip that recorded the Sacrificial Refinement Method,¡± Jiang Liyan speculated. ¡°Fine, let¡¯s assume the ruins had everything,¡± Wen Yang said with an icy tone, ¡°The Hundred Poisons Gold Silkworm Gu must recognize its master from within the egg, and its eggs must be suppressed by an extremely Yin and toxic Array, or else they will hatch within a few hours.¡± ¡°If he¡¯s truly a Loose Cultivator, how could he break the formation? Are you suggesting the Array conveniently failed? If it had, the Hundred Poisons Gold Silkworm Gu would have come out long ago, right?¡± ¡°Brother Wei claims to be a master of Arrays.¡± Jiang the Witch thought to herself that Judge Wen was damn right in his analysis¡ªthis man had too many suspicious points, and every single one didn¡¯t seem like ordinary aspects of a Refining Mansion Cultivation level cultivator, yet she replied with a beaming smile, ¡°Breaking these formations naturally comes with the territory¡­¡± ¡°Myriad Souls Devouring Heart Formation.¡± Wen Yang suddenly interjected. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Among the Arrays sealing the Hundred Poisons Gold Silkworm Gu, there¡¯s one called the ¡®Myriad Souls Devouring Heart Formation¡¯,¡± Wen Yang said with a sinister tone, ¡°Unless a cultivator reaches the Nascent Soul Rank, entering this Array would mean their soul would disperse instantly, with absolutely no chance of resistance.¡± ¡°Brother Jiang, are you also suggesting that Brother Wei has some Innate Spiritual Treasure at his disposal that can fend off an attack from a Nascent Soul Rank Array, and just happens to be something that a Refining Mansion Cultivation level cultivator can wield?¡± Jiang Liyan had no response; that was, of course, impossible. Firstly, regardless of the scarcity of Innate Spiritual Treasures¡­ such high-caliber Spiritual Treasures would definitely possess Spiritual Wisdom, so how could they willingly serve a Refining Mansion Cultivation level cultivator? Wouldn¡¯t they prefer a deity? Secondly, even if an Innate Spiritual Treasure did somehow become dim-witted and acknowledged Wei Dongliu as its master, wouldn¡¯t an ordinary cultivator who gained the recognition of such an Innate Spiritual Treasure immediately seek a powerful master and then rocket to the sky? Why bother to establish a sect on the Mortal Life Path and find two random disciples just to put up appearances¡­ This was far beyond what could be described as simply unorthodox. Even Jiang the Witch, who prided herself on her cunning and strategies, could only be certain of one thing at this moment, he had other motives for founding the ¡°Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect¡±! As for what those motives were, she really couldn¡¯t guess. Seeing that Jiang Liyan had nothing to say, Wen Yang also came to a conclusion. This Wei Dongliu was certainly not just any ordinary Refining Mansion Rank cultivator, and it was even questionable whether he was of the Refining Mansion Rank at all¡­ Up ahead, Gu Lie casually controlled the Flying Sword, skinning and deboning the ink panther, and then turned his head to ask: ¡°Want the materials?¡± No one responded; none of them had the need for artifact refining. Thus, Gu Lie gathered the items and beckoned everyone to continue onwards. The location given by the Qilin was deep in the Hundred Thousand Mountains, over six hundred miles south of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, a place where few people ever went, likely only visited by expedition teams heading to the Boundary Gate of the Eastern Emperor Realm. All kinds of Demonic Beasts encountered along the way were ferocious and brutal; ordinary Refining Mansion Rank cultivators simply couldn¡¯t cope with them. Luckily, the five of them were no ordinary cultivators; even if Gu Lie acted alone, it was like slicing through melons and vegetables, cutting a clear path. The group didn¡¯t rest; after completing their Marrow Cleansing, they had endless energy, crossing mountains and rivers as if on flat ground. In about seven or eight days, they arrived at the location mentioned by the Qilin. Ailao Mountain. ¡°Is this our destination?¡± Jiang Liyan looked at the towering peaks ahead with curiosity and asked. ¡°It should be,¡± Wei Dongliu explained to the group, ¡°According to the esteemed Qilin, this mountain is called Ailao Mountain.¡± ¡°Ailao Mountain was once a core stronghold of the ancient Demon Race. The so-called ¡®Ailao,¡¯ in the ancient southwest Human Race dialect, means ¡®center,¡¯ and the Demon Race called it ¡®City of Wan Xiang,¡¯ ¡®Capital of all Demons.¡¯¡± ¡°Capital of all Demons?¡± Wen Yang pondered for a moment and said, ¡°If that is the case, why is it so obscure today that we have never heard of it?¡± ¡°How many secrets have disappeared into the long river of history, from ancient times to Ancient Times, and from Ancient Times to modern days?¡± Wei Dongliu shook his head, ¡°Moreover, the southwest Hundred Thousand Mountains have changed hands several times, Intercepting Cult, Beast Taming Sect¡­ With each transition, countless records have been lost, so it¡¯s normal for us not to have heard about it.¡± ¡°It is said that inside Ailao Mountain there is a special magnetic field. Ordinary cultivators who enter this place are extremely likely to lose their sense of direction, unable to discern north, south, east, or west¡ªeven magical treasures that aid in navigation might fail.¡± As he said this, Wei Dongliu took out a small golden sword from his sleeve. It was bestowed upon him by the Qilin before they parted. It was only the length of a palm, shimmering brilliantly with a golden luster. ¡°This is the ¡®Menghuan Sword,¡¯ which can lead us through the maze and to the Mirror Lake Divine Palace at the mountain¡¯s summit.¡± Upon hearing this, Gu Lie immediately asked with impatience: ¡°The fortuitous encounter that could grant us seventy years¡¯ worth of Refining Mansion Cultivation, is it within that Mirror Lake Divine Palace?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Wei Dongliu nodded. Jiang Liyan remained silent, seeing everyone¡¯s eyes blazing with fervor, even the introverted Long Xiaoqi showed a longing gaze. Only Wei Dongliu had a calm demeanor, without any hint of urgency, as if the prospective seventy years of arduous cultivation were of little consequence to him. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Little did they know that this flawless expression was his biggest giveaway! Unbeknownst to him, Jiang the Witch, after much thought, had analyzed hundreds of words about the expression on his face, but Wei Dongliu was just confirming with the Kunlun Mirror in his mind: ¡°Ah Jing, are you certain?¡± ¡°Very likely,¡± the Kunlun Mirror sighed, ¡°Upon hearing ¡®Mirror Lake,¡¯ I felt a resonance. Now that we have arrived at the foot of the mountain, I can more or less confirm¡­¡± ¡°Inside the Mirror Lake Divine Palace, there should be a fragment of my original body, and it seems to be suppressed by something, devoid of any Spiritual Wisdom.¡± Chapter 253 - Chapter 253: Chapter 45 Mirror Lake Divine Palace, Their Own Schemes Chapter 253: Chapter 45 Mirror Lake Divine Palace, Their Own Schemes The group walked through the forest. This mountain had long been untraversed, the original stone steps had decayed and weathered, covered by countless vines and wild grasses. Wei Dongliu held the Menghuan Sword in the palm of his hand, guiding everyone in the direction the sword tip pointed, sometimes climbing upwards, sometimes moving sideways, and at times even turning around to walk downwards. ¡°Wei Daoist friend, are you sure?¡± Long Xiaoqi suddenly said, ¡°If my memory serves me right, it seems we have turned back.¡± ¡°Long Daoist friend,¡± Wei Dongliu spoke gently, ¡°the magnetic field here is chaotic, what you think is a straight path is actually circling back and forth.¡± ¡°Instead of trusting your own sense of direction, why not trust my Palm Sword, how about it?¡± ¡°Um,¡± Long Xiaoqi said no more, as if he had just asked casually. The group had started ascending the mountain from noon, and it wasn¡¯t until the evening twilight that they finally arrived at the lake by the mountain top. Atop the mountain, there lay a huge lake. From a distance, it looked like a bright blue mirror, its shine so clear that it could reflect images; up close, the water was crystal clear, with the lakebed pebbles visible in fine detail. Alongside the lake, there was a dense growth of lush and erect forests. However, there was no sign of any Divine Palace. Jiang Liyan gathered up his robe and squatted by the lake to examine the surface of the water, saying: ¡°There are fish in the lake, it should be fine.¡± ¡°There are deer, goats, and monkeys moving around in the forest on the opposite side.¡± Wen Yang¡¯s Nether Ghost returned from its scouting and reported to the group. The group fell silent together. With such a rich ecological environment around, it didn¡¯t seem like the place would harbor any kind of ruins! Wei Dongliu glanced at the golden little sword, only to see its tip pointing directly towards the center of the lake. ¡°We need to go into the lake,¡± he said. ¡°Cut down trees to make a boat?¡± Jiang Liyan asked. ¡°No, Sword Control,¡± Wei Dongliu said. Jiang Liyan looked hesitantly, only to see that there was no miasma over the surface of the lake¡­he couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit embarrassed. The five of them each pulled out their Flying Swords and used Sword Control to move straight ahead. When they arrived at the center of the lake, the golden little sword suddenly began to spin erratically. The group: ¡­¡­¡­ ¡°Has it malfunctioned?¡± Gu Lie asked with a twitch in his eye. ¡°No,¡± Wei Dongliu turned his hand over. The golden little sword that was still rotating abruptly stopped as if guided by some invisible hand, quickly aligning itself straight downwards, motionless. ¡°Is it under the lake?¡± Wen Yang looked down, ¡°There¡¯s nothing at the bottom of the lake.¡± Everyone followed his gaze downward, only to see that although the water was deeper here, its clarity allowed them to see the sandy bottom, aquatic plants, and schools of swimming fish¡­there was no shadow of a palace to be found. ¡°It must be opened with that little sword,¡± Long Xiaoqi, who had been quiet, suddenly said. ¡°Exactly,¡± Wei Dongliu flung the sword, and the golden little sword swiftly transformed into a beam of light that vanished into the lake. Then, the entire lake changed color¡­to be more precise, in the reflection cast upon the lake¡¯s surface, a palace appeared. Seeing this, Jiang Liyan¡¯s mind flickered with thoughts, and she immediately released a Demon Head from her sleeve into the lake. ¡°Beneath the surface of the water lies another world,¡± she said quickly. ¡°Then let¡¯s go,¡± Wei Dongliu suggested. Everyone agreed, and they followed using Sword Control to descend. The moment they plunged into the lake water, the world seemed to turn upside down, and they emerged from the water once again. This place appeared to still be atop Ailao Mountain, but there were no mountain ranges in the distance, only a blanket of grey fog. The forest by the lake was devoid of animals, with only leaves rustling, swaying in the breeze. In the midst of the lake stood a huge palace, constructed with jade bricks and liuli tiles, its reflection shimmering on the glistening water, looking incomparably majestic in the sunlight. Looking at this palace, a term suddenly sprang to Wei Dongliu¡¯s mind: What a ¡°Crystal Palace¡±! Of course, the Crystal Palace here is not the one filled with an assortment of main female characters wielding cleavers¡­ it is purely the literal meaning. Facing the Mirror Lake Divine Palace, everyone had different expressions on their faces. Wen Yang and Gu Lie were extremely delighted, obviously seeing by the style of this palace that it was some kind of ancient ruin that had not been explored before, which significantly increased the likelihood of encountering magical opportunities inside. Jiang Liyan and Long Xiaoqi, on the other hand, had eyes filled with fascination, as the grandiose yet exquisite palace perfectly hit these two female cultivators¡¯ aesthetic spot. ¡°Let¡¯s find an entrance first and talk about it after we get in,¡± Wei Dongliu reminded them. The group then flew around the Divine Palace on their swords and saw that the lower half of the palace had a large number of steps and foundations immersed in the lake. The upper half was pavilions and buildings, closely spaced and highly structured, the design also radiant with gold, full of all sorts of splendid grandeur. But no matter what, all the doors and windows were firmly closed, with no entrance to go through. ¡°Shall we try breaking in?¡± Gu Lie said with a fierce look in his eyes. ¡°Good, Brother Gu should go first,¡± Wen Yang said with a smile, ¡°If anything goes wrong, I¡¯ll collect your corpse.¡± Gu Lie chuckled and said, ¡°I was just saying it off the cuff.¡± If it were an ordinary building, let alone tightly closed doors and windows, even blue brick walls would just be a one-sword affair for a cultivator. But in these mystic realms, the doors and windows that are tightly shut from the inside often cannot be forcefully broken from the outside. Unless your rank is much higher than the realm, where you could crush everything by force, but then the realm would no longer have any value to explore. The group, still refusing to give up, circled around a few more times, still failing to find an entrance. All doors and windows were completely shut, with no space to open at all. ¡°Brother Wei,¡± Jiang Liyan couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°has the Qilin Lord ever mentioned how to handle this situation?¡± ¡°It hasn¡¯t,¡± Wei Dongliu shook his head, ¡°it only said to go seek the Mirror Lake Divine Palace where there is a Taiwei Hall; within are ¡®Vermilion Grass¡¯ and ¡®Golden Nectar and Jade Liquid¡¯.¡± ¡°Among them, the Vermilion Grass looks like a small mulberry with stem resembling coral, and its juice flows like blood.¡± ¡°The Golden Nectar and Jade Liquid are useless to the human race, it commanded me to harvest one for it; as for the Vermilion Grass, if you take it and put it in a basin, then cast gold and jade upon it, it will turn into ¡®Golden Nectar and Jade Liquid¡¯. If people of the human race drink it, they will gain seventy years of cultivation in one go, but one must not drink it twice.¡± Everyone listened until their mouths went dry, but inside, they were secretly calculating. From ancient times to now, through the changes of the sea into mulberry fields and shifts of the mortal coil, no one knew how the Mirror Lake Divine Palace had changed. If the group found the Taiwei Hall and it only contained Vermilion Grass without any Golden Nectar and Jade Liquid, what would they do? If there was none, it was not a big deal; they would just have to accept their bad luck. But if there was some and it wasn¡¯t enough for everyone, how would they divide it? Were they to settle it by playing rock-paper-scissors? Demon Path Cultivators, of course, have characteristic ways of the Demonic Path to resolve such issues. Now that they haven¡¯t found the Vermilion Grass yet, there¡¯s no need to turn against each other. Once it¡¯s found, that would be the start of another war. After circling the Divine Palace again, Long Xiaoqi suddenly said, ¡°Could the entrance be at the bottom of the lake?¡± As this was said, everyone had a flash of insight, as if enlightened. It wasn¡¯t convenient for the human race to have an entrance built at the lake bottom given the daily ins and outs, but who knew what the ancient Demon Race was thinking? Therefore, everyone once again flew into the lake with their swords, but this time there was no little golden sword to lead the way. Instead of returning to the real world, they went directly underwater. ¡­That little golden sword was the key to traveling back and forth from the mystic realm. If there was an internal fight among the team later, the key must be taken; otherwise, they would have to die trapped here¡­ Everyone noted this in their hearts and saw ahead that amongst the underwater grass and corals, the walls of the underwater section of the Divine Palace emerged. In the middle, there was a huge opening, with no door and wide open, through which they could see the Everbright Lamps embedded in the walls. ¡°The entrance really is at the bottom of the lake!¡± Upon seeing this, Jiang Liyan was overjoyed and looked around to see if anyone was willing to go first. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only But she only saw Wen Yang, Gu Lie, and the others were looking at each other¡­ Everyone was an old hand at the Demonic Path, and no one wanted to take the risk of entering the Divine Palace first. They were all waiting for someone to test the waters first, then competing for the chance to be the second one to go. This way, if there were any mechanisms by the door, such as traps specifically targeting the human race, they would be able to withdraw in time. ¡°I¡¯ll go first,¡± Wei Dongliu said, patting his palm, and without waiting for anybody¡¯s response, he led the way with his sword toward the entrance. As he approached the entrance, he suddenly stopped abruptly, and in his mind, he shouted, ¡°Ah Jing, scan!¡± Chapter 255 - Chapter 255: Chapter 47 I Found the Hell Path! Chapter 255: Chapter 47 I Found the Hell Path! Wen Yang felt that something was very off. He had dealt with Jiang Liyan before and knew that although the witch was curious, her personality was filled with extreme suspicion. For example, during the exploration of ancient ruins, she would often suddenly take off halfway through. Of course, everyone was unaware that Jiang the Witch had the feature of being ¡°extremely reliant on intuition,¡± and simply thought she saw a bow in a cup¡¯s reflection and suspected enemies in every bush, hence they treated it as a joke. How could such an extremely cautious witch entrust her ¡°life in his judgment¡± just because of a sentence from fellow Wei? What a joke! How long have these two known each other? Could they be having an affair? While Wen Yang was making various speculations and gossipping, he saw Jiang Liyan moving meticulously step by step to the spot where the dragon puppet had been destroyed by the Thunder Method Restrictions. There was no reaction. Wei Dongliu felt greatly relieved, thinking to himself that his Ah Jing would not make a mistake. Wen Yang and the others were also overjoyed, someone had finally passed through the Thunder Method Restrictions! After the joy, they immediately turned to rage: Damn, why wasn¡¯t that person me! This way, all the benefits inside would be taken by Jiang the Witch! Jiang Liyan also realized this and found that her Ten Aspects Release Method could safely pass through the entrance restrictions, she immediately controlled her sword and turned into a streak of light, rushing inside, completely different from her earlier dawdling. Her sword light disappeared into the depths of the corridor, and the four cultivators outside stood silently in the water, wordless with one another. ¡°Won¡¯t fellow Wei explain?¡± Wen Yang couldn¡¯t help but ask. ¡°Explain what?¡± Wei Dongliu asked nonchalantly in return. ¡°If it goes on like this, all the benefits inside will be swept up by Jiang the Witch!¡± Gu Lie said angrily, ¡°We would be left picking up nothing on the outside!¡± ¡°That won¡¯t be the case,¡± Wei Dongliu said, ¡°She will come back.¡± ¡°Why won¡¯t that be?¡± Long Xiaoqi asked curiously, his eyes blinking as if to say, ¡°Could it be that there really is an affair between you two?¡± ¡°Because the key is in my hand,¡± Wei Dongliu said. The others were slightly stunned and then remembered the golden sword that the Qilin had given him, they immediately fell silent. Jiang the Witch thought she had stumbled upon good luck, but wasn¡¯t she completely calculated by others? In the end, it was a wasted effort, which was truly pitiful. Sure enough, not even half a moment passed when Jiang Liyan, with the appearance of a fox demon, appeared again from around the corner, greeting everyone casually as if nothing had happened: ¡°I just went in for a look, it¡¯s okay, there aren¡¯t any mechanisms¡­ why are you all looking at me like that?¡± ¡°To think that even after entering the Divine Palace, fellow Jiang did not forget her old friends, it¡¯s truly touching,¡± Wen Yang said sardonically. ¡°Of course, we are a team, after all,¡± Jiang Liyan said shamelessly and then turned to look at Wei Dongliu, ¡°Fellow Wei, now that I have come in, is there any way to break this mechanism?¡± ¡°On the wall, count the third Everbright Lamp from the left to the right and rotate it clockwise for one complete turn,¡± the Kunlun Mirror prompted. Wei Dongliu repeated the instructions exactly, and Jiang Liyan followed them precisely, only to hear a sound resembling electric arcs exploding all around. ¡°Is it unlocked?¡± Gu Lie asked uncertainly. ¡°Hmm,¡± Wei Dongliu received a prompt from the Kunlun Mirror and took the lead in moving forward. The group watched in silence as he calmly walked into the entrance, and nothing happened. The restrictions had indeed been lifted. Gu Lie and the others hastened to follow, meeting up with Wei Dongliu and Jiang Liyan. They had finally entered the Mirror Lake Divine Palace, and although everyone visibly relaxed, they couldn¡¯t help but feel anxious. If the entrance¡¯s restrictions were so difficult to break, how dangerous would it be inside? They could only take one step at a time and see. After a moment, Wen Yang secretly transmitted his voice to Jiang Liyan, asking: ¡°Who exactly is this Wei fellow? How do you know him?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a long story,¡± Jiang Liyan chuckled. Saying it¡¯s a long story meant if you insist on asking, I can only make up a lie for you. Wen Yang then tactfully closed the subject, shifting the topic: ¡°Don¡¯t you think that he seems like someone from¡­ that place?¡± ¡°Where?¡± Jiang Liyan didn¡¯t understand. Wen Yang hinted discreetly: ¡°Among the Six Paths, who takes precedence?¡± ¡°That would be either the Heavenly Demon Path or the Nether Ghost Path¡­¡± Jiang Liyan began, but suddenly her realization hit her hard, ¡°Could it be the Hell Path?¡± ¡°Mm.¡± ¡°No way, how did you figure that out?¡± Jiang Liyan was incredulous and uncertain. ¡°Because I can¡¯t figure him out, that¡¯s exactly why I suspect he¡¯s from the Hell Path!¡± explained Wen Yang, ¡°Look, people from the Hell Path are also incredibly powerful yet mysterious in their origins, aren¡¯t they?¡± Jiang Liyan knew well what he referred to: It was said that over seven hundred years ago, a Nascent Soul bigwig from the Mortal Life Path¡ª for some unknown reason, whether dissatisfaction with the long-term stealth of the Hell Path, or an intent to usurp their prestige as direct descendants of the Intercepting Cult¡ª took the lead in convening a summit of the Six Paths. He declared that any Sect not attending would be expelled from the Six Paths alignment. This was obviously aimed at the Hell Path because after the Intercepting Cult¡¯s defeat in the great battle of interpretation and detriment, the Hell Path¡¯s forebear, the Immaculate Mother (then called ¡°Immaculate Virgin¡±), had decreed upon passing down the teachings that disciples were strictly forbidden to participate in public events under the banner of the Hell Path. In other words, you could visit other Cultivators privately as a Hell Path Cultivator or join public events under a disguised identity, but you could not swagger around proudly with your Hell Path status¡­ Basically, the Hell Path was not to appear before the public eye. That Nascent Soul bigwig from the Mortal Life Path obviously meant to strip them of their status and prestige, betting that the Hell Path wouldn¡¯t dare to show themselves and seize the opportunity to depose them. The Hell Path¡¯s response was straightforward: on the day of the Six Paths summit, the Nascent Soul bigwig who had initiated the event did not show up. Later, it was discovered that he and about a hundred Golden Core and Foundation Establishment disciples had all been killed within their Sect Residence in the Mount Wutai Range. In short, when it comes to the Hell Path, the first impression for everyone is ¡°mysterious¡±¡ªbecause few Cultivators have dealt with them, and most of those who claimed they had were mostly lying or boasting. The second impression is ¡°powerful¡±¡ªas no one witnessed their moves, and most who did witness were dead, so presumably they must be overwhelmingly powerful, otherwise how could they maintain such mystery? Upon closer reflection, Jiang the Witch suddenly realized that all of Wei the Scoundrel¡¯s characteristics almost perfectly matched those of the Hell Path! Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Firstly, his origins were obscure, which he very secretively avoided discussing, yet he seemed thoroughly knowledgeable about the various situations in the Cultivation World¡ªsurely a source of information from the Hell Path! Secondly, he claimed to have no master, saying he was a self-taught Loose Cultivator, yet his strength was preposterously formidable¡ªsurely cultivated with the Hell Path¡¯s resources! Finally, learning the way of Formations required abundant resources, not possible without the backing of a major Sect. All the new talents from the other Five Paths were here, and previously none knew Wei the Scoundrel, while Orthodox Sect Cultivators were unlikely to practice Demonic Techniques¡­ All things considered, the likelihood that Wei the Scoundrel originated from the Hell Path was extremely high! It was virtually a certainty! Chapter 256 - Chapter 256: Chapter 48 Wei the Demon Lord Makes Another Appearance Chapter 256: Chapter 48 Wei the Demon Lord Makes Another Appearance ¡°` The group continued forward and saw that at the end of the corridor there was a mirror. A huge mirror, like a floor-to-ceiling window. Within the mirror, five different faces were reflected. Wen Yang¡¯s face differed on the left and right sides, the left being male and the right female. The left side was withered and rotting like a corpse, while the right side was transparent and gloomy like a ghost. Gu Lie had the face of an aged Buddha, grimacing and glaring as though possessed by a mad demon. Yet, tears flowed from his eyes and blood from the corners of his mouth, revealing a hint of compassion amidst the madness. Long Xiaoqi had the bizarre face of an ancient person, with long whiskers, a protruding mouth, and horns on top of his head. His pupils were golden and vertical, his gaze vacant as he stared straight at his own reflection. Jiang Liyan was a shapeless mass of skin that concaved and convexed, inflated and deflated. His orifices emitted a large amount of black mist, like a leaking high-pressure balloon. As for Wei Dongliu, he was a mysterious figure with no face. Countless faces flashed across his own, as if each were his own, and yet as if none belonged to him. The group stared at their reflections in the mirror, silent and wordless. After a while, Gu Lie murmured, ¡°What the hell is this damn thing?¡± ¡°There are no traces of illusion techniques here,¡± Jiang Liyan said seriously, ¡°it seems that it¡¯s merely distorting our images in some way.¡± ¡°Can I smash it?¡± Wen Yang asked in a sinister tone, clearly displeased with the reflection in the mirror. ¡°Better not,¡± Wei Dongliu advised as he took out a golden small sword, balanced it on his palm, and flicked it forward like a dart. The small sword went into the mirror, and in an instant, the reflections of everyone disappeared. The giant mirror surface opened like a door, revealing the passage behind. ¡°So what exactly was that?¡± Gu Lie asked, his tone still somewhat lost and hazy. ¡°Who cares what it was, as long as we¡¯re past it,¡± Wen Yang said impatiently. Wei Dongliu watched calmly from the side and silently asked the Kunlun Mirror, ¡°What was that in the mirror just now?¡± ¡°Template mapping,¡± Kunlun Mirror replied tersely, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t understand if I explained.¡± Wei Dongliu: ? Hey, how am I supposed to understand if you don¡¯t tell me? Damned riddle mirror! The group continued moving forward until they reached a spacious area resembling a main hall. Both Kunlun and Shushan had such halls where ancestral worship and other ceremonies were held, and thus, they were often decorated with magnificence and splendor¡­ otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t reflect the majesty of the sect. However, while the main hall of the Mirror Lake Divine Palace was also luxurious and grand, it was probably left in such disarray due to the hasty departure previously, leaving the scene almost a mess. Overturned tables, cups scattered on the ground, torn and ripped draperies showcased the desperate tension the Demon Race felt when they were cornered, vividly displayed before everyone¡¯s eyes. ¡°Be careful,¡± Jiang Liyan suddenly said, ¡°The Demon Race withdrew almost a hundred thousand years ago, the palace itself might be fine, but how could these pieces of furniture last undamaged to this day?¡± Hearing this, everyone immediately converged towards the center, careful not to touch the tables and cups on the ground. ¡°Wei Dao-friend, what do you think?¡± Wen Yang suddenly asked, clearly seeking his advice. ¡°Illusion technique,¡± Wei Dongliu replied succinctly. ¡°It¡¯s an illusion technique?¡± Gu Lie said in shock and skepticism. He then bit his finger, smeared the blood on his forehead, and pinched a strange spell, then widened his eyes to look. No change. Whether it was the tables, cups, the draperies, or even the gold paint on the pillars, none of them showed any signs of aging. It was as if the departure had occurred just the day before. He couldn¡¯t help looking suspiciously at Wei Dongliu again, only to see him snap his fingers. In concert with the Kunlun Mirror, a secret technique to break the illusion was activated, and in an instant, all the surrounding furniture vanished¡­ The only thing left was the wall in front of the main hall, which also had a giant mirror embedded in it. ¡°` A figure emerged from the mirror, initially vague, but as he walked closer, his facial features became clearer and clearer until he stood in front of the mirror and everyone saw that it was actually Gu Lie. To be precise, it was the demonic Buddha-like Gu Lie they had seen in the mirror before. The Demon Buddha greeted them with a single-palm salute, chanted ¡°Amitabha,¡± and then stepped straight out of the mirror into the great hall. ¡°What the hell are you!¡± Gu Lie immediately screamed. ¡°Amitabha.¡± The Demon Buddha glared with bulging eyes, grinding his teeth, his expression full of furious ferocity. But for some reason, there was a look of compassion in his eyes, and his tone was gentle and merciful: ¡°Gu Lie, I am the good thoughts in your heart.¡± ¡°You disguise yourself with slaughter and brutality, but it¡¯s to keep the goodness in your heart¡­.¡± ¡°Shut the hell up!¡± Gu Lie didn¡¯t dare to let him finish, immediately drawing the Blood-colored Flying Sword and charged forward with clenched teeth. Facing the Blood-colored Flying Sword, the Demon Buddha didn¡¯t dodge or evade but simply swung the Buddhist beads in his left hand which wrapped around several times on the incoming sword, stopping it completely from chopping down. Jiang Liyan waved her robe and three Demon Heads flew out, transforming into giant men with green faces and fangs in the air, the thirty-six manifested demons of the Heavenly Demon Path, ferociously grabbing at the Demon Buddha. The Demon Buddha counter-stroked, exchanging a palm strike with the manifested demons, only to see the latter¡¯s arm from palm to elbow, from elbow to shoulder, explode instantaneously, bones shattered and flesh bursting apart. ¡°The Esteemed One of Blood Rage!¡± Jiang Liyan screamed, ¡°Old Demon Gu, you¡¯ve cultivated the Heiluga Dharma Body?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not me!¡± Gu Lie ranted frantically. Jiang Liyan continued manipulating the spells, controlling the two remaining manifested demons to keep engaging with the Demon Buddha, avoiding a direct and tough confrontation. Wen Yang brought his two fingers together and initiated the ¡°Grudge Curse Binding Kill,¡± an attack incantation from the Nether Ghost Path, sending countless gray ghost shadows toward it. The Demon Buddha, holding his Buddhist beads in his right hand, was arm-wrestling the sweat-drenched Gu Lie who was controlling the Flying Sword, and with his left hand, he was entangled with Jiang the Witch¡¯s manifested demons. Suddenly, as if by magic, he produced a purple-gold alms bowl from his sleeve, catching the rushing gray ghost shadows in one fell swoop. Wen Yang suddenly realized the connection with his ghost spirits was severed, nearly spitting blood in anger and fear, exclaiming: ¡°Golden Core Realm! If the opponent can easily capture my Nether Ghosts, they must be of the Golden Core Realm without a doubt!¡± ¡°If not in the Golden Core Realm, how could he confront the Esteemed One of Blood Rage?!¡± Gu Lie yelled in horror and disarray, completely at a disadvantage, with his Flying Sword being pulled around by the Demon Buddha¡¯s beads, utterly embarrassed. ¡°Get out of the way! Let me do it!¡± Long Xiaoqi suddenly charged forward, her arm swelling rapidly into a giant claw, smacking straight down toward the Demon Buddha¡¯s crown. Her giant claw was even mightier than Jiang the Witch¡¯s manifested demons, bearing a strong gust of wind on its strike. The Demon Buddha cleverly stepped back to evade, and with a backhanded elbow, toppled Long Xiaoqi. Gu Lie attempted to seize the chance to recover his Flying Sword but was thwarted as the Demon Buddha span his beads, tossing the Blood-colored Flying Sword into a corner where it lay immobilized. Then another palm strike from the Demon Buddha sent Gu Lie flying. He then strode towards Wen Yang and the others. Wen Yang clenched his teeth, forming a spell with his hand, seemingly ready to launch a desperate secret technique. Jiang Liyan also summoned five more manifested demons, placing them in front, while she quietly retreated. The Demon Buddha continued his pace, chanting aloud: ¡°I am but a drifting duckweed, why seek the lifespan of a green pine? I shall now relieve you of your burdens, just give me a moment.¡± He launched his palms forward, and an iron-blue glow surfaced above them, accompanied by the thunderous roar of the wind following the punches. One palm dispersed Wen Yang¡¯s Nether Ghosts and another repelled Jiang the Witch¡¯s manifested demons, and just as he was about to kill them on the spot, a Flying Sword suddenly intercepted from the side, holding off his iron fist. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only There stood Wei Dongliu, holding the sword with one hand, his hair and pupils blood-red, clearly in the state of a Chaotic Demon Body, scornfully scanning the surroundings and saying: ¡°Such a mediocre opponent has you all looking like this?¡± No sooner had his words fallen than the Demon Buddha abruptly retreated, growling: ¡°Where has this outsider evil demon come from? No¡­ this aura, are you the progeny of Abhramu?¡± ¡°Are you fit to inquire about my origins?¡± Wei Dongliu countered with a sword swing, and the Demon Buddha met it with both hands, only to have his palms penetrated by the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword, thrusting straight at his face! Chapter 257 - Chapter 257: Chapter 49 Jiang the Witch Has Been Sunk Chapter 257: Chapter 49 Jiang the Witch Has Been Sunk Hearing the roar of the Demon Buddha, everyone was slightly taken aback at his words. What is A Bang Luo Sha? Only Wen Yang was dazed for a moment, his heart suddenly filled with great alarm. A Bang Luo Sha¡­ Wasn¡¯t that the Demon Lord from Abi Hell? How could it be possible! As a Nether Ghost Path Judge, he naturally knew more about the Nine Serenities Underworld than any other Cultivator. The Nine Serenities Underworld was the land of Souls¡¯ Reincarnation, and it was also a ¡°special secret realm¡± that Nether Ghost Path Cultivators could attempt to visit after reaching the Golden Core Realm. Below the Nine Serenities Underworld lay the Multi-layered Hell. Compared with the Nine Serenities Underworld, Hell was undoubtedly much more perilous, and even Nascent Soul Realm Cultivators did not dare to involve themselves easily, with only fragments left by past Intercepting Cult Immortals providing a glimpse to Cultivators. The deepest layer of Hell was ¡°Abi Hell,¡± the least mentioned among all the hells. References to the Abi Devil Lord were sparse, with only one line in a certain scripture: Utterly evil and foul, an incarnation of filth. Putting aside other factors, just Wei Dongliu¡¯s red hair and beard, including his blood-filled, abnormal pupils, made calling him a ¡°Demon Lord¡± absolutely fitting. While Wen Yang was in a state of anxious doubt, Jiang Liyan was paralyzed on the spot, suddenly covering her nose and letting out a muffled hum. So handsome!!! Wei Dongliu¡¯s Demon Lord getup was domineering, powerful, and devilishly charming; it thoroughly danced upon every one of her fetishes, to the point that Jiang the Witch even felt an impulsive urge to throw herself at him recklessly for a moment. However, being a mentally mature Cultivator, she naturally wouldn¡¯t allow her primal instincts to easily sway her. She bit her tongue lightly, suppressing all fanciful thoughts, and then summoned her Manifest Demonic Spirits to block off the Demon Buddha¡¯s escape routes from both sides and the rear. Wei the Demon Lord, holding the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword, casually swung it to sever the opposition. The Demon Buddha struggled awkwardly, lacking his former composure when single-handedly confronting three opponents, and even chose to take a punch from the Manifest Demonic Spirits on his back rather than face the direct stab of the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword. He hurriedly took several steps back, suddenly feeling an itch on the back of his neck. A Hundred Poison Golden Silkworm Gu had already bitten through his neck, and the Demon Buddha quickly moved to swat it away, but his arm turned black halfway through the motion, and his whole body helplessly collapsed forward. Wei Dongliu smoothly raised the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword, its tip gliding across the Demon Buddha¡¯s neck, cleanly severing his head from his body. Then, with a backhanded throw, he cast the golden little sword towards the mirror, and instantly, the mirror wall opened up a portal, revealing the corridor leading to the Inner Hall. Long Xiaoqi slowly awoke, Gu Lie struggled to rise, Jiang Liyan¡¯s gaze wandered, and Wen Yang¡¯s expression was blank. At this moment, Wen Yang was completely dumbfounded, with only one thought in his mind: Abi Devil Lord, Endless Hell¡­ Who would dare say you¡¯re not from the Hell Path?! The onlookers looked at each other, and all were momentarily speechless concerning the Demon Buddha¡¯s death at the hands of Wei Dongliu, not sure how to react next. The Demon Cult preaches ¡°might makes right,¡± where your power determines others¡¯ attitudes towards you. When the five had initially met, Wei Dongliu swiftly subdued Gu Lie with the Hundred Poison Golden Silkworm Gu, earning his position as the leader of the team¡ªbecause everyone reckoned they couldn¡¯t withstand the Hundred Poison Golden Silkworm Gu facehug. Bearing this in mind, when the team set out and Wei Dongliu suddenly received a transmission from the Qilin, stating they should take the southern route, everyone, despite being astonished and hesitant, still trusted his judgment. However, ¡°defeating those Foundation Establishment Realm Cultivators¡± and ¡°defeating a Golden Core Realm Cultivator¡± imply levels of power that are not on the same plane. To put it in a commonplace analogy, the former lets everyone acknowledge you as the ¡°big brother,¡± but at least we are still of the same generation. The latter means that we¡¯re not on the same level anymore, and everyone should treat you as a senior¡­ It¡¯s not an impossible adjustment, as Demon Cult Cultivators can be very adaptable, but it does involve a quick shift from calling someone ¡°bro¡± to ¡°boss,¡± essentially tearing off one¡¯s own face and trampling it underfoot. After a long stare, Gu Lie made a decision first. The Demon Buddha¡¯s cultivation technique and combat style were exactly the same as his own, just like a ¡°future version of Gu Lie¡± at the Golden Core Realm. Even he, who has already formed his core, was severely beaten by the other party. What face did he have to call someone else ¡°fellow Daoist¡±? Was he worthy? He might as well just start licking ass! So, he quickly put on a smile and was about to flatter the others respectfully, when he saw Jiang the Witch rush towards Wei Dongliu with a speed much faster than his, and in an instant, she eagerly said: ¡°Wei fellow Daoist! What kind of cultivation technique is this?¡± Wei Dongliu looked at her coldly without uttering a word. Seeing that he didn¡¯t strike her and given that her Danger Intuition didn¡¯t issue any warnings, Jiang Liyan immediately relaxed, and the smile on her face became even more brilliant. She was a witch of the Heavenly Demon Path, most adept at observing words and expressions, manipulating hearts, and she also discerned that Wei Dongliu was in an abnormal state at that moment, seemingly some kind of Dharma Body. Hmm, in light of what the Demon Buddha said earlier, let¡¯s tentatively call it the ¡°Abi Devil Lord Dharma Body.¡± This Abi Devil Lord Dharma Body clearly changed Wei Dongliu¡¯s personality, making him proud and unyielding, wild and unrestrained. Of course, this actually added to his charm¡­ Of course, that¡¯s not the point! The main thing was that even though his disposition changed, he hadn¡¯t lost his sanity. As long as Wei Dongliu was still rational, there was no reason for him to harm her. After all, she was helping to guide his two disciples! ¡°Wei fellow Daoist, why is your hair red?¡± Jiang Liyan shamelessly moved closer, trying to touch his hair but Wei Dongliu slapped her hand away impatiently. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡± ¡°Wei fellow Daoist, what¡¯s with your eyes, a pupil within a pupil? It looks pretty good, though!¡± ¡°Get lost!¡± Jiang the Witch was undeterred, just kept giggling and pestering Wei Dongliu, talking to him non-stop, with adoration almost materializing from her eyes. Seeing this, the others breathed a sigh of relief. Thanks to Fellow Daoist Jiang¡¯s shameless interruption of the awkward atmosphere, they didn¡¯t have to hesitate about whether to let go of their dignity and start groveling¡­ She had already slobbered all over him; what¡¯s wrong with a few complimentary words from us? And so, everyone started to heap praise on him. ¡°We owe it to Wei fellow Daoist for striking down that Demon Buddha!¡± Wen Yang said with a beaming smile, ¡°Otherwise, we¡¯d be in grave danger right now!¡± ¡°Wei fellow Daoist, this must be the Demon Lord Dharma Body.¡± Gu Lie also showed an expression of admiration, ¡°To possess a Dharma Body before forming a Golden Core, you truly have a limitless future ahead of you, Wei fellow Daoist!¡± ¡°Impressive,¡± said Long Xiaoqi. Wei Dongliu ignored all the flattery, just kept waving his hand to shoo away the faceless Jiang the Witch. ¡°Wei fellow Daoist, how long can you maintain this Dharma Body? All day?¡± ¡°Wei fellow Daoist, I will pick out a black robe for you when we get back; the black and red combination will look even better!¡± ¡°Wei fellow Daoist, can you scold me one more time? Something like, ¡®I¡¯m not interested in you, woman,¡¯ perhaps?¡± Wei Dongliu looked at her expressionlessly, silently operating the ¡°Demon-Subduing Upper Spirit Division to Clarify the Obscure Classic,¡± transforming all the Demon Origin in his body back into Daoist True Yuan. Soon, his blood-red hair shifted back to jet black, the double-pupils in his eyes quickly faded away, and the unruly and enchanting demeanor also disappeared from his face, restoring it to an expressionless icy visage. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Jiang Liyan blinked, feeling suddenly empty inside as if she had lost something very important to her. Ah, how bland. ¡°Let¡¯s continue onward,¡± she turned around, pointing to the entrance of the corridor ahead, and said indifferently to Wei Dongliu, ¡°We don¡¯t have much time left.¡± Wen Yang and Gu Lie chuckled awkwardly, keeping an eye on Wei Dongliu¡¯s expression. Long Xiaoqi¡¯s gaze wandered back and forth between the two, seemingly curious about Jiang Liyan¡¯s 180-degree change in attitude. ¡°Alright,¡± Wei Dongliu didn¡¯t hold these things against them and took the lead, walking forward. Chapter 258 - Chapter 258: Chapter 50: Ambush the Two-faced Ghost Chapter 258: Chapter 50: Ambush the Two-faced Ghost Passing through the main hall, they arrived at the side hall. In most Sects, the side hall is an auxiliary building to the main hall. For instance, while immortals gather in the main hall, disciples wait in the side hall to be summoned. The group left the main hall and entered the side hall along the corridor, only to see it was empty except for a huge mirror embedded in the wall opposite them. Everyone revealed a distressed expression almost simultaneously. It was only natural for the Mirror Lake Divine Palace to be equipped with mirror-related Restrictions, and everyone had anticipated this. However, the thought of what was to follow still caused them considerable headache. The moment they stepped into the side hall, an apparition appeared on the mirror. They saw a creature with faces on either side; its figure was bewitchingly voluptuous, the left face shriveled like a male corpse, the right ethereal like a female ghost. Stepping out of the mirror, it asked with a seductive female voice, ¡°Brother, is my body still useful to you¡­¡± Before the voice had faded, Wen Yang had already exploded into action, chanting an incantation with urgency, ¡°Sovereign of Darkness and Demons, Tai Xuan gives birth to water!¡± As soon as he finished speaking, a child-like Nether Ghost appeared at his feet. It was five inches tall, dressed in a black feathered coat, holding a black banner. The child cackled and waved the black banner, which produced large amounts of ink-black water that surged towards the two-faced ghost. The two-faced ghost spoke with a resentful tone, ¡°Why did brother ruin my voice? It¡¯s so hoarse, so unpleasant¡­¡± Pointing its right arm at the black water and uttering some unintelligible Curse Script, the murky water immediately parted on either side, rushing by without touching it. ¡°Nether Ghost Technique, all at will! It indeed has reached the Golden Core Realm!¡± On seeing this, Wen Yang¡¯s expression turned grave, and he felt a surge of fear, realizing he couldn¡¯t dispose of the adversary in a short time. He turned back and shouted, ¡°Daoist Wei! I beseech your aid, I, Wen, will be indebted to you and follow your lead from here on!¡± ¡°Wait a moment, keep it occupied,¡± Wei Dongliu said leisurely with his hands behind his back, ¡°It will take me about ten breaths to summon my Dharma Body.¡± Hearing this, Wen Yang almost spat blood: Why didn¡¯t you say that earlier! Yet, recalling how in the prior incident in the main hall, everyone was thoroughly beaten by the Demon Buddha before Wei Dongliu transformed into the Abi Devil Lord¡¯s Dharma Body and stepped in, he found himself without a word to criticize. He could only recite the ¡°Grudge Curse Binding Kill,¡± conjuring countless grey and white ghostly shadows that violently attacked the two-faced ghost. His intent was not to harm but to delay, all the while turning to call out, ¡°Fellow Daoists, assist me in striking it down! Otherwise, we all face endless troubles!¡± Jiang Liyan and the others were experienced Demon Path Cultivators, the kind who could infer thrice the meaning from a single sentence. Naturally, they instantly grasped Wen Yang¡¯s implied message, The demonic being conjured by the mirror understands our deepest inner fears. Help me conceal the truth and slaughter it, and later when your own fears incarnate, I will naturally aid you to shroud and surround them just the same. Therefore, everyone took action in unison. Gu Lie stretched out his right hand to produce a Blood-colored Flying Sword, and with peerless agility, he instantly darted to the side of the two-faced ghost, thrusting the sword towards its chest. At the same time, his left arm also gathered a dark cyan light, which he smashed directly into the two-faced ghost¡¯s chest. A sound akin to thunder and wind reverberated with his punch; it was very much like the ¡°Blood-drinking Fury Noble¡± used earlier by the Demon Buddha. The Asura Path¡¯s ¡°Blood-drinking Fury Sovereign¡± is a Dharma Body that wields immense power in every action. Today¡¯s Gu Lie had not yet reached the realm of the Demon Buddha, where power is wielded at will with freedom and without hindrance. His thunderous voice was deep but not sharp, and his speed was also a notch slower. The two-faced ghost, seemingly weightless, suddenly floated backwards gracefully, dodging Gu Lie¡¯s sword and fist attacks, while simultaneously extending a delicate hand to her lips and lightly blowing a breath towards him. Whoosh~ No sooner had the breath left her mouth than it transformed into a large amount of frost and snow, enveloping the unprepared Gu Lie entirely, causing him to stagger and fall to the ground, his entire body turning a frozen purple-blue. ¡°Multiriver Cold Technique!¡± Wen Yang immediately cried out a warning, ¡°Don¡¯t get close to it!¡± ¡°How can we fight if we don¡¯t get close?¡± Long Xiaoqi said coldly, stopping five steps away from the two-faced ghost and launching her Flying Sword towards the opponent. Her Sword Control Technique was not very sophisticated, but this sword, thrown with the force of her hand, actually had more strength than her Sword Control Technique, nailing the two-faced ghost directly to the wall with the speed of lightning. However, pierced through the chest, the two-faced ghost seemed unfazed, let out a giggle, and its body suddenly split open, expelling the sword within, then closed back up, leaving no trace of the wound. ¡°Bonesplitting Expansion Technique!¡± Wen Yang cried out in alarm once again, ¡°Pure sword strikes are useless against it!¡± ¡°What kind of strange techniques have you been practicing!¡± Jiang Liyan complained, ¡°We can¡¯t fight up close, we can¡¯t use sword control, how are we supposed to fight?¡± She manipulated her Asura demons, surrounding the two-faced ghost entirely, only to have two of them frozen dead in a short while, which pained her deeply. ¡°Hold it off!¡± Wen Yang was also deeply frustrated. Multiriver Cold Technique and Bonesplitting Expansion Technique¡ªthese were secret techniques that he had practiced for years without success, and now they were being used so slickly by this creature that he was almost green with jealousy. ¡°Hold off my ass!¡± A proud voice suddenly came from behind. The group turned around in surprise and joy, only to see Wei Dongliu had finally converted his True Yuan back into Demon Origin again; his hair and beard turned crimson, his eyes revealed double pupils, and with a casual wave of his arm, the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword shot out, piercing through the chest of the two-faced ghost once more. Just as the two-faced ghost was about to repeat its escape trick using the Bonesplitting Expansion Technique, it suddenly felt a strange and powerful sucking force from the sword. After a brief struggle, it let out a mournful cry as its soul was sucked into the sword, and its body lost all signs of life. ¡°Wow!¡± Before the crowd could even relax, Jiang the Witch rushed over to Wei Dongliu¡¯s side, grabbing his arm and smiling, ¡°You truly deserve to be called Wei Dao You.¡± ¡°Get lost!¡± ¡°How did you do it? Wasn¡¯t it said that sword thrusts are ineffective?¡± Jiang Liyan, undeterred by being pushed away and showing no shame, pressed on with curiosity shining in her eyes, much like Miss Shi when she first met Qiu Changtian, ¡°Could it be the technique of the Abi Devil Lord? Oh, you don¡¯t have to answer, I¡¯m not probing your secrets¡­ I¡¯m just asking casually.¡± Wei Dongliu glared coldly, about to withdraw his Demon Origin once more, but Wen Yang gave him a look and Long Xiaoqi immediately grabbed Jiang the Witch from behind, dragging her away forcefully. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only What a joke! If Wei Dongliu, annoyed by the interruption, withdrew the Demon Lord Dharma Body again, for them to gather strength for the next challenge¡­ wouldn¡¯t they nearly exhaust themselves with another ten seconds of desperate struggle? As the Multiriver Cold Technique dissipated, Gu Lie¡¯s frozen body slowly started to revive as well. Trembling, he took an Elixir from within his robes and swallowed it; his complexion immediately brightened visibly. Looking at Wen Yang and Wei Dongliu, Wen Yang was earnestly expressing his gratitude at the moment, while the latter kept his arms crossed and remained silent, obviously too lazy to engage. Jiang the Witch, on the other hand, was thrashing about, trying to break free from Long Xiaoqi¡¯s hold to get close and interact with Wei Dongliu. Chapter 259 - Chapter 259: Chapter 51 Polar Thunder Light, Slaying the Dragon Lady Chapter 259: Chapter 51 Polar Thunder Light, Slaying the Dragon Lady At last, Wen Yang also let out a sigh of relief after resolving the Two-faced Ghost issue. Coming to his senses, he saw Gu Lie move closer to him and whisper, ¡°How did it go? How much did you comprehend?¡± ¡°What ¡®comprehend how much¡¯¡­¡± Wen Yang had just started to furrow his brow in question when he immediately realized what was being asked. Ever since they had left the Eastern Emperor Divine Palace, it had been Gu Lie who was paving the way and clearing the path, utilizing his Blood-colored Flying Sword and speed-focused footwork as his primary tactics. The reason being that the cultivators from the Asura Path of Iron City Mountain mainly relied on the Sword Control Technique for combat at the Foundation Establishment Realm. However, the appearance of the Demon Buddha had pointed Gu Lie down a new path. This individual had access to all of Gu Lie¡¯s cultivation techniques, including those he had learned and was currently learning, and even possessed a Cultivation Level at the Soul Storing Rank of Golden Core Realm, executing tactics that were significantly more mature than Gu Lie¡¯s current methods, by who knows how many times over. Therefore, after dealing with the Demon Buddha, Gu Lie also took the time to summarize his experience and, referencing the opponent¡¯s method of fighting, integrated the incomplete Blood Drinking Rage Dharma Body with the familiar Asura Sword Control Technique from the Asura Path, developing a new tactical direction. Although his initial attempt resulted in getting blown up by the Two-faced Ghost upon their first encounter, that was because the opponent had a realm that completely overpowered him! The Multiriver Cold Technique naturally countered close-quarter enemies, but it didn¡¯t mean that Gu Lie¡¯s new attempt was meaningless. Thinking along these lines, might he also learn something from the Two-faced Ghost¡¯s combat techniques? For instance, using the Multiriver Cold Technique to form a defensive layer in close quarters, forcing the enemy to rely on long-range Sword Control attacks, and then countering with the Bonesplitting Expansion Technique? Combining what he had just seen from the Two-faced Ghost, Wen Yang felt as if a moment of enlightenment surged up in him. The group continued on their way, passing through the side hall, which led directly to the rear hall. If the side hall served as the place where disciples waiting to enter the hall resided, the rear hall was where immortals would go after leaving the main hall. While the main hall might receive visiting cultivators from other factions, the rear hall was typically out of bounds for outsiders. Upon entering the rear hall, the group saw orderly desks and complete incense burners, with purple-gold pillars draped in curtains embroidered with golden thread featuring big characters: ¡°Primordial Eight Majestic Dragon Script Sutra¡± Ineffable is the beginning of the Dao, manifest is the remainder of the Dao, to know the beginning is to align with the progenitor of the Primordial, to know the remainder is to pact with the pivot of Yin and Yang¡­ Long Xiaoqi managed only a glance before her eyes widened, as though she were committing the contents to memory at full speed. Wei Dongliu also took a casual look and instructed Ah Jing to record it, then turned toward the mirror wall on the right side. At the far end of the rear hall, away from the main hall, was an enormous mirrored surface on the wall. A figure rapidly approached from within, and in an instant, stepped out of the mirror¡ªit was a delicately beautiful little girl, her face devoid of any monstrous traits, a stark contrast to her previous mirrored image with long whiskers and a large mouth. ¡°Xiaoqi?¡± She stared at Long Xiaoqi and said in a low voice, ¡°Do you still remember who you are¡­?¡± Before the words were fully out, Long Xiaoqi, with a speed akin to teleportation, dashed in front of her, and with right fist swung hard! In a hurried defense, the little girl managed an immediate response, clashing fist to fist with Long Xiaoqi head-on. Both took a half step back simultaneously, trying to diffuse the collision¡¯s force; the immense power shattered the floor beneath their feet and sent tremors violently through the ground. Wen Yang swiftly used Sword Control to float in the air while Gu Lie stabilized himself with the Iron Horse Bridge, but Jiang Liyan wasn¡¯t so steady, trying to grab onto Wei Dongliu for support, only to clutch at thin air and nearly tumble to the ground. Great Demon Lord Wei had already charged forward, commanding the Flying Sword to slash at the little girl. She, however, countered with a backhand punch and sent the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword flying back. Feeling the robust force transmitted through the sword, Wei Dongliu¡¯s expression darkened slightly. Well, isn¡¯t she blatantly disregarding any attempt to hide her Demon Race identity? Oh, it¡¯s the mirror simulation¡ªnever mind, then. Calling the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword back with a gesture, Demon Lord Wei sneered darkly and pinched a few Sword Technique signs, ready to show off his skills. The Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword shot out again, and the little girl, who was fighting with Long Xiaoqi, impatiently grabbed for it, only to be outmaneuvered when the sword jolted in a ¡®Z¡¯ shape, easily evading her grasp. Gu Lie, who was lying in wait to make a move, saw this masterful display of the Sword Control Technique and instantly felt an instinctual fear surge from his heart, his scalp tingling with dread. This move, known as ¡°Vertical and Horizontal Interweave¡± within the Shushan Sword Control Technique, involved the Flying Sword shooting out vertically and, when encountering a block or barrier, shifting horizontally in a lightning-fast motion to bypass the defense and thrust forward rapidly. Since this move demanded such a high level of reaction speed and manipulation skill from the Sword Immortal, of all the disciples in the Foundation Establishment Realm of Shushan, fewer than ten could perform it¡­ and each of them was a major concern for the Asura Path. Like the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal An Zhisu, and the four powerhouses of Shushan¡ªLin Duanshan, Duan Fenhai, Guan Shanyue, and Ling Poyun¡ªas well as rising stars like Sima Changyan and Bi Sheng, each of them someone not to be trifled with. With such exquisite swordsmanship from Great Demon Lord Wei, Gu Lie needed only a few glances to judge that his skill was not inferior to that of the four powerhouses, and even comparable to the prowess of the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal! The little girl facing him hadn¡¯t expected Wei Dongliu to strike in such a manner, and was directly impaled in the throat by that otherworldly sword thrust. She tensed the muscles in her neck, stopping the gushing blood instantaneously from the wound, then grasped the hilt of the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword, seemingly immune to pain as she pulled it out and continued to swing it, hacking at Long Xiaoqi. Long Xiaoqi, unaware that his opponent had been unarmed just a moment before and now wielded a sword, was caught off guard and suddenly marked with several wounds. Wei Dongliu secretly formed a hand sign, and the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword vibrated intensely, struggling to break free from the little girl¡¯s grip. Realizing that there were others watching, he understood that he couldn¡¯t continue like this. To maintain the prestige of a mysterious power player, he had to play one of his trump cards! Wei Dongliu advanced with a cold laugh, reaching out to retrieve the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword, while the little girl landed a heavy counterpunch that sent Long Xiaoqi staggering back, then spun around, her sword lunging toward Wei Dongliu. Great Demon Lord Wei expertly sidestepped, his hand striking down on the sword. True Spirit Seal Sword Technique! At that moment, his back to the trio, he stretched out his five fingers, covering the black light of the Polar Thunder in his palm. Everyone saw the Great Demon Lord Wei ¡°pat¡± his own Immortal Sword, after which the sword immediately burst into an intense black radiance, causing the little girl¡¯s face to change dramatically, as she hastily released her hold and abandoned the sword. But it was already too late, the Polar Thunder, designed to specifically counter the Dragon Clan, surged through the sword hilt into her arm, wrecking havoc along her meridians like a force seizing territory. Forced to use her left hand, she grabbed her right arm and tore it off at the shoulder. On his side, Wei Dongliu gestured with his hand and the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword, now covered in Polar Thunder, returned to his grip, and he continued his assault on her. Having been covertly wounded by the Polar Thunder, she didn¡¯t dare to parry and quickly turned to flee, only to be blocked by Long Xiaoqi cutting off her escape. With combined attacks from the front and rear, they successfully executed the Dragon maiden. Long Xiaoqi breathed a sigh of relief, then suddenly braced herself, retreating a few steps. Her gaze towards the black sword in Wei Dongliu¡¯s hand was clearly tinted with intense wariness and fear. That thing¡­ was obviously some kind of Cultivation Technique specifically designed to counter the Dragon Clan, but she had no idea what it was or how to counter it. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Hmm, I haven¡¯t offended this Wei fellow before, have I? I should be able to live and get back home this time. On the journey following this incident, I definitely must not conflict with him¡­ Long Xiaoqi thought to herself, forciung a smile on her usually expressionless face, she said: ¡°Thank you for your assistance, Fellow Daoist Wei.¡± Wei Dongliu did not reply, merely dissipated the True Spirit Seal Sword Technique expressionlessly, allowing Long Xiaoqi to quietly release a breath of relief. Chapter 260 - Chapter 260: Chapter 52: Acquiring the Kunlun Mirror Fragment Chapter 260: Chapter 52: Acquiring the Kunlun Mirror Fragment After passing through the three trials, everyone started to harbor their own ulterior motives. Gu Lie, Wen Yang, and Long Xiaoqi were mainly concerned about their secrets being exposed by the mirror monster. Although only a few words were revealed, who knows how much their teammates guessed? They¡¯re all millennia-old foxes; why bother pretending to be in a supernatural tale? Another concern was the mirror monster corresponding to Wei Dongliu that they were theoretically going to encounter next. Of course, they weren¡¯t interested in whatever secrets Wei Dongliu had, it¡¯s just that the mirror monster reflecting his strength would probably be off the charts and could kill everyone on the spot. Jiang Liyan was also somewhat worried. On one hand, she feared what secrets her corresponding mirror monster might reveal. On the other hand, she couldn¡¯t think of any secrets of hers that, if exposed, would cause a devastating social demise¡­ Though Missy¡¯s actions weren¡¯t always scrupulous, she¡¯d never done anything ¡°not to be shared with others¡± that was secretive! Even so, she snuggled up to the Great Demon Lord Wei and said in a delicate voice, ¡°Wei Daoist, if a twisted version of me appears in the next trial, you must act swiftly to help me kill it!¡± ¡°Scram!¡± Wei Dongliu¡¯s reply was always succinct. For Jiang Liyan, as long as Wei Dongliu didn¡¯t actually drive her away, all his responses would be interpreted as ¡°Ah yes, yes,¡± and so she immediately beamed with joy, ¡°Thank you, Wei Daoist. This little lady has nothing with which to repay you, but when I return to report to my master, I shall offer my hand in marriage.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need cattle or horses!¡± Wen Yang, Gu Lie, and Long Xiaoqi walked behind, listening to their sugary talk, and even the usually impassive Long Xiaoqi¡¯s cheeks twitched a bit. Such sycophancy. Of course, being a sycophant is not a derogatory term among their Demon Path Cultivators. Being stupid is. The reason everyone felt awkward was simply that they couldn¡¯t bring themselves to act like Jiang the Witch, pressing forward despite cold words from the other side. Wen Yang and Gu Lie were conscious of their gender disadvantage and couldn¡¯t afford to be too intimate; Long Xiaoqi was at an age disadvantage, guessing that Wei Dongliu probably wouldn¡¯t fancy that either. Only the youthful and beautiful Jiang the Witch, with a face that could launch a thousand ships and a clingy personality, could shamelessly play to her strengths to such an extent. Passing through the main hall, they came to the inner chamber. If the main hall is a communal rear hall for immortals, then the inner chamber is often a functional space exclusively used by a certain immortal. For example, in the rear hall of the Jade Void Palace at the Kunlun Heavenly Pillar, there is a Scripture Lecture Hall, specifically for the Ziwei Master to preach to the generations of Chief Disciples ¨C this Scripture Lecture Hall is a typical example of an inner chamber within the rear hall. In this inner chamber, there seems to be a Pill Room. In the very center of the floor was an engraved Xuanji Bagua Diagram. A huge purple-gold Pill Furnace stood right at the center of the Eight Trigrams; it was pitch black inside, as if void of anything. Both walls were lined with shelves made of coral and bone, holding various Purifying Bottles, gourds, and pill vials, dazzling to the eyes. Everyone looked on greedily but didn¡¯t move an inch from where they stood¡ªbecause it was likely all an illusion. On the wall ahead, a huge mirror still dominated the space. A shadow appeared on it, and in a flash, it burst from the mirror¡¯s surface¡ªa bloated ball of skin that shot black Qi in all directions before suddenly coalescing into human form. The features on the human figure¡¯s face were identical to Jiang the Witch: delicate and lovely, except the eyes were pure black like ink, devoid of any iris or pupil. Looking at the terrified Jiang Liyan, it burst into loud laughter and said, ¡°Dorlodot! Vishelinpo, Vishelinpo!¡± The crowd was stunned for a moment. How did it start speaking a foreign language? Before it could finish its speech, Wei Dongliu pointed a finger, and the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword shot out, piercing through the false Jiang the Witch¡¯s chest. The imposter Jiang the Witch spat out black blood, then started laughing tragically, pointing at Wei Dongliu and saying, ¡°In such times, seeing oneself, there is not a single characteristic present! Only emptiness prevails, and even in the ten directions, all is but emptiness!¡± After speaking, blue flames suddenly rose from beneath its feet, rapidly engulfing its body, and soon it was burned to ashes. The crowd: ¡­¡­ ¡°Fellow Daoist Gu.¡± Wen Yang frowned and slowly asked, ¡°What does it mean by what it said? It seems to contain Buddhist principles.¡± ¡°Amitabha.¡± Gu Lie touched his bald head, then suddenly placed his hands together and said, ¡°All phenomena in the world are illusory; all existences lack true substance.¡± ¡°Buddhism believes that what we see and hear is actually false and illusory. This is known as ¡®no form¡¯ and ¡¯empty purity¡¯,¡± explained Jiang Liyan. ¡°So, what does this have to do with you?¡± Wen Yang asked with suspicion. ¡°It has nothing to do with me,¡± Jiang Liyan was also completely bewildered. Wei Dongliu did not care about these things; he simply threw the golden small sword, which entered the mirror. Soon, the surface of the mirror suddenly opened up, revealing the passage behind it. Just as everyone was about to continue forward, suddenly they heard Wei Dongliu say: ¡°Wait here for me. I¡¯ll go take care of what¡¯s inside and then come back for you.¡± Everyone was on the verge of speaking but hesitated, not daring to say a word. They hesitated because the place ahead might be the final challenge. What if this Demon Lord cleared out everything inside after breaking through and left nothing for the rest of them? They stopped because, even if the Great Demon Lord Wei really intended to do that, what could they possibly do? Could they defeat him? Rather than plotting against a cultivator they were certain they couldn¡¯t defeat, it was better to bet he wouldn¡¯t stoop so low as to regard his words as nothing more than passing wind. The Great Demon Lord Wei paid no heed to what they were thinking; holding the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword in his hand, he walked toward the passage ahead. As he took steps forward, demonic qi poured into the sword. Once he disappeared from everyone¡¯s sight and entered the innermost room, the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword had completely shed its original dull and unimpressive form, revealing an extremely sinister deep purple blade. The room turned out to be unexpectedly large, with a sacrificial altar placed in the center, surrounded by Everbright lamps providing illumination. In the center of the altar lay an irregularly shaped mirror fragment. What could it be, if not a piece of the Kunlun Mirror? However, there stood a faceless man next to the altar. As he turned his head to look at Wei Dongliu, features suddenly emerged on his smooth face. It was a face that seemed familiar. Wei Dongliu finally remembered. Although it had been a long time since he had seen it, he had actually seen that face countless times before. It was the face of Chen Guanshui, his own original appearance. ¡°Do you still remember who you are?¡± Chen Guanshui asked in a ghostly voice. ¡°How could I forget?¡± Wei Dongliu said with a cold laugh, ¡°I have not lost my memory.¡± ¡°If you wear a mask for a long time, you can¡¯t take it off,¡± Chen Guanshui said meaningfully. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to fight me?¡± Wei Dongliu said impatiently. ¡°I¡¯ve got no strength left.¡± Chen Guanshui shook his head, ¡°Ever since entering this place, she has been continuously suppressing the fragment¡¯s power. By the fourth challenge, the fragment could not even mobilize half of its spiritual power.¡± ¡°After all, a fake is still a fake.¡± Wei Dongliu said contemptuously, taking a step forward. ¡°I may be a fake, but I¡¯m also a reflection of your inner heart, conjured by the Illusion Technique of Mirror Flower, Water Moon,¡± Chen Guanshui did not attempt to flee, merely speaking indifferently, ¡°You must have also felt the tender affection between you and that mirror, which is nothing more than a disguise for the nature of mutual exploitation.¡± ¡°I have never had any affection for that broken mirror,¡± Wei Dongliu¡¯s steps did not pause as he directly approached the altar to reach for the mirror fragment, ¡°it won¡¯t stop me from helping it gather the fragments.¡± ¡°Remember¡­¡± As Wei Dongliu¡¯s hand touched the fragment, Chen Guanshui¡¯s outline instantly began to blur, and his voice became intermittent, ¡°Never¡­ fully trust¡­ that mirror¡­¡± As the voice trailed off, Wei Dongliu absorbed the Kunlun Mirror fragment into his Sea of Consciousness, where Ah Jing completed it. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°It¡¯s finally over.¡± The voice of the Kunlun Mirror evidently relaxed, then exclaimed with surprise a moment later, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect suppressing it to be so difficult, no doubt because it contained such a vast amount of spiritual power!¡± ¡°Pathetic,¡± Wei Dongliu said disdainfully. ¡°What¡¯s with you!¡± complained the Kunlun Mirror, ¡°If I hadn¡¯t suppressed it from the beginning to the end, how could you have passed the last three challenges so easily?¡± Wei Dongliu thought carefully and realized that both the Demon Buddha and the Two-Faced Ghost had used Daoist Techniques, yet the Little Dragon Girl did not use Daoist Techniques but relied solely on physical attacks. By the time it got to the elastic sphere and Chen Guanshui, there were no attacks at all¡­ was it all thanks to Ah Jing¡¯s efforts? Chapter 261 - Chapter 261: Chapter 53: Achieving a Grade 2 Golden Core Ahead of Schedule Chapter 261: Chapter 53: Achieving a Grade 2 Golden Core Ahead of Schedule ¡°Why is your fragment here in the Mirror Lake Divine Palace?¡± Wei Dongliu asked indifferently. ¡°Of course, it¡¯s to make use of its spatial capabilities. Otherwise, how would I be able to create such a vast independent realm?¡± the Kunlun Mirror replied, clicking its tongue a few times, ¡°But you weren¡¯t deceived by it. Not bad!¡± ¡°Who would fall for such low-rank rhetoric, instigating discord?¡± Wei Dongliu sneered. ¡°Oh?¡± The Kunlun Mirror seemed touched, ¡°Guan Shui, even though you usually act without a bottom line like a complete scoundrel, at critical moments, you still haven¡¯t let down my trust.¡± ¡°Trust? It¡¯s nothing but a means for mediocre people to huddle together for warmth,¡± Wei Dongliu laughed arrogantly, ¡°A real powerhouse never fears betrayal, for when he ascends the throne in the sky, he relies on his own strength, not the ¡®help¡¯ of anyone!¡± ¡°¡­I take back what I said before, sorry,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said speechlessly. After dealing with the Kunlun Mirror, Wei Dongliu quietly began to circulate his cultivation technique, transforming all of the Demon Origin back into Daoist True Yuan. Then, he turned his gaze toward the pool at the end of the hall. In the pool was water about four fingers deep, with twelve ears of fine grain glowing golden within it; there were also four-foot-tall Vermilion Grass, with its blood-red, delicate, and lush beauty. There were two stalks of the fine grain and four stalks of the Vermilion Grass. Excluding one for the Qilin, there was exactly one for each of the five people. But how should they be divided? With an expressionless face, Wei Dongliu used Luo Yan¡¯s knowledge of spirit grass to take out a vessel made of Liuli material (as some spirit grasses melt upon touching soil, perish at the sight of metal, or dissolve on contact with jade, vessels made from stone, jade, or metals were not used). He picked the six stalks of spirit grass and packed them up. Turning around and going out, he returned to the outer chamber. Under the expectant and anxious gazes of everyone, Wei Dongliu took out the Liuli vessel, opened it, and placed it on the ground: ¡°How shall we divide them?¡± Seeing six stalks of spirit grass inside, everyone first breathed a sigh of relief, then noticed there were only four stalks of Vermilion Grass and became tense. ¡°This¡­¡± Jiang Liyan tried to smooth things over with a smile, ¡°Actually, it¡¯s not like everyone must have Vermilion Grass, right? Since fine grain and Vermilion Grass are planted in the same pool, they seem to be of the same grade of rare spirit grass. Perhaps some sect elders would like to purchase them.¡± ¡°If Heavenly Demon Path elders are willing to buy the fine grain, that would be excellent,¡± Wen Yang said earnestly. ¡°Why not ask the Nether Ghost Path elders?¡± Jiang the Witch immediately retorted. An awkward silence fell upon everyone. Indeed, since the Qilin favored the fine grain, it must be a treasure of the same rank as Vermilion Grass. But what treasure can compare to seventy years of Refining Mansion Cultivation? None could beat Wei Dongliu, meaning it was down to four people vying for three stalks of Vermilion Grass. Normally, upon seeing the pool, everyone would have immediately broken away from the group and rushed for it, with success being a matter of individual ability. However, Wei Dongliu¡¯s overwhelming might, which suppressed all his peers, left everyone daring not to act, only glancing at each other and fuming in silence. ¡°I¡¯ll take the fine grain,¡± Long Xiaoqi suddenly said. Her taking the initiative came as a surprise, yet upon reflection, it seemed to make sense. If the Qilin willingly chose the fine grain, it likely held some utility for the Demon Race, and everyone had some idea of what Long Xiaoqi¡¯s true form might be, especially given her strong and unreasonable physical prowess seen in the mirrored monster. In ancient times, discovering a teammate was a demon would have resulted in immediate combat. But in present times, the conflict between the Human and Demon Races was unfashionable. With many in the Demon Race residing within the Eastern Emperor Demon Realm and not intervening in the Mortal Realm, the hatred between Humans and Demons had long subsided. Moreover, with Wen Yang, Gu Lie, and others harboring guilty consciences, they pretended ignorance and forced a smile: ¡°It¡¯s wonderful that Daoist Long is willing to give up her share of Vermilion Grass.¡± ¡°Long Daoist Friend¡¯s integrity and lofty principles are deeply appreciated by us all,¡± Long Xiaoqi waved his hand dismissively, his face revealing no particular expression. Once the distribution was decided, everyone couldn¡¯t wait to claim their share. Apart from Long Xiaoqi carefully storing the precious grains, the rest of the people put theirs into bowls, mixed it with metals and gems, and it immediately turned into Golden Nectar and Jade Liquid which they then quickly drank in one gulp. Soon, the medicinal power began to rise within their Purple Mansions. Wen Yang, Gu Lie, and Jiang Liyan, all felt a burning heat in their lower abdomens like a fierce blaze, their Purple Mansions swiftly approaching perfection, and hurriedly sat down cross-legged on the spot to refine the medicine¡¯s power. Only Wei Dongliu felt nothing after drinking it, because he had already refined his Jade Mansion¡­ If it weren¡¯t for the Green Duckweed Sword telling him that the extremely fine imperfections on the inner walls of his Jade Mansion were still being repaired, he would have suspected he had drunk fake medicine. Long Xiaoqi¡¯s gaze turned his way, his eyes showing a bit of curiosity, as if asking, ¡°Aren¡¯t you in a hurry to refine the medicine¡¯s power?¡± Wei Dongliu acted as if he didn¡¯t notice and just stood there with his arms folded, causing the synchronization value increase notification to echo in his mind again. Time passed by minute by minute, the three others were still intently refining their medicine¡¯s power; Long Xiaoqi looked around out of boredom, yawning; Wei Dongliu, on the other hand, silently calculated the remaining years of his life, as well as his expected Cultivation Level. As a cultivator, managing one¡¯s lifespan is fundamental, and given his unique situation of using the Kunlun Mirror for multiple timeline cultivation, this aspect was even more complex, requiring frequent reassessment and planning: He joined Kunlun when this body was twenty years old, and then began multiple timeline cultivation. Seven years later (adding up three timelines, in actuality twenty years had passed, making the body forty years old), he completed Marrow Cleansing in the Demon Locking Tower¡¯s Blood Pool, officially beginning Refining Mansion cultivation. Then he accelerated thirty years through the Cloud Sea Empty Cocoon, aging to seventy. Three years later (adding up three timelines, actually ten years had passed, making the body eighty), he now had one hundred and twenty years of lifespan left. Reserving ten years for unforeseen circumstances, that meant he could, through daily accumulated cultivation, amass a maximum of one hundred and twenty years of Cultivation Level (having already cultivated at the Refining Mansion stage for ten years, there were another one hundred and ten years left to cultivate). However, in reality, it was impossible to use every day of the remaining lifespan for cultivation. After all, life is bound to encounter various unexpected events that would delay one¡¯s cultivation progress. Therefore, by the time he was one hundred and ninety years old, based purely on daily cultivation advancements, his cultivation years would be less than one hundred and twenty¡ªthough he could make up the difference from the reserved ten years of lifespan, so let¡¯s tentatively count it as one hundred and twenty. Next, he calculated the Cultivation Level gained from fortuitous encounters: The Mercurial Elixir Liquid was equivalent to sixty years of cultivation, Cloud Sea Empty Cocoon added thirty years, sensing the Way at the Heaven¡¯s Gate Hall of Kunlun added seventy years, Dynasty Yuan Spiritual Energy soaking for fifty years, and then there was this Golden Nectar and Jade Liquid which added another seventy years. A total of two hundred and eighty years! Adding the previously mentioned daily cultivation of one hundred and twenty years, that made exactly four hundred years of Refining Mansion Cultivation. That is to say, if he from now on stopped seeking fortuitous encounters and focused solely on cultivating within the Sect, when he approached the end of his lifespan at one hundred and ninety years old and attempted Core Formation, he would just about reach the threshold for a Second Grade Golden Core. As for a First Grade Golden Core, the threshold is said to be eight hundred years, requiring an additional four hundred years¡­ The number was so ludicrous that he didn¡¯t dare to entertain lofty ambitions. He would just continue to seek other fortuitous encounters slowly afterward. If in the end he couldn¡¯t gather eight hundred years, then a Second Grade Golden Core would suffice. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only If this were overheard by anyone present, they would probably be so envious as to choke on lemons until they bled. What is the concept of a Second Grade Golden Core? Even in the Kunlun Taiqing Sect, which places the highest emphasis on cultivation realm, from the foundation of the sect ten thousand years ago to the present, only one Second Grade Golden Core has emerged, and that is the currently reigning Ziwei Master. In the entire Cultivation World, they can almost be counted on one hand¡­ Clearly, it isn¡¯t something that can be achieved with resources alone. It requires exceptional talent, overwhelming strength, and the favor of destiny altogether. Of course, in the eyes of Wei Dongliu or, to be precise, Qiu Changtian, since my master is a Second Grade Golden Core, naturally, I cannot fall behind. That¡¯s a different matter altogether. Chapter 262 - Chapter 262: Chapter 54: Returning and Long-term Cooperation Chapter 262: Chapter 54: Returning and Long-term Cooperation Several days later, the three of them finally finished refining the medicinal power and got up one after another. Jiang Liyan was the last to complete the refinement, and upon inspecting his Qi Sea again, he found that the Purple Mansion had been mostly repaired and was faintly taking on the outline of the Jade Mansion. As previously mentioned, cultivators with first-rate aptitude typically enter the path at the age of ten, fill their Qi Sea by fifty, and achieve great success in Marrow Cleansing at sixty. By the age of one hundred ninety, they would roughly have a hundred and thirty years¡¯ worth of Refining Mansion cultivation level. That is to say, to form a Third Grade Golden Core, one would need to supplement an additional seventy years of external cultivation power at the least. As for the source of the cultivation power, people often refer to it as ¡°Purple Mansion Secret Realm¡± or ¡°Purple Mansion Spiritual Medicine¡±. Purple Mansion Secret Realms are either under the control of major sects, such as Kunlun¡¯s Heaven¡¯s Gate Hall, or they are kept strictly confidential, such as the Five Qi Toward Yuan Cave. Purple Mansion Spiritual Medicine is somewhat easier to obtain, such as the widely circulated Mercurial Elixir Liquid, which Shushan produces steadily every year. Although the internal disciples of the sect never get enough each year, somehow a portion always ends up in the outside world, and no one knows why. The Golden Nectar and Jade Liquid that the group ingested this time is a typical Purple Mansion Spiritual Medicine. Seventy years of Refining Mansion cultivation power is first among all known Purple Mansion Spiritual Medicines. Vermilion Grass, a rare spiritual medicine that exists only in ancient texts¡ªwouldn¡¯t it be rare with at least a hundred thousand years of history? All in all, the fortuitous encounter this group experienced is, from any aspect, of the kind that can only be encountered rather than sought after. The news stemmed from the Qilin of Yu Long Mountain, and the success in passing the trials owed much to Wei Dongliu¡ªwhat ordinary cultivator would have such opportunities? At this thought, Jiang the Witch suddenly realized that Wen Yang and Gu Lie had already gotten up and were now whispering in a corner of the room. As for Wei Dongliu and Long Xiaoqi, they were nowhere to be seen, probably tired of waiting these past few days and had gone out to clear their minds. While she was quietly pondering, she suddenly saw Wen Yang wave at her. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Jiang Liyan went over skeptically. ¡°We owe Wei Daoist Friend a great debt of gratitude.¡± Just as she approached the two of them, Gu Lie started speaking with a serious tone. ¡°Tsk!¡± Jiang the Witch immediately let out a disdainful sneer. Gratitude? Among us of the Intercepting Cult, what is there to speak of as gratitude? Don¡¯t think that I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re up to! ¡°Ahem, it¡¯s like this.¡± Seeing her sneer, Wen Yang knew immediately that his prepared speech would not fool her, so he could only speak frankly, ¡°Jiang Daoist Friend, we truly wish to repay Wei Daoist Friend¡¯s kindness¡­ Without him this time, how could we have had the chance to forge a top-grade Golden Core?¡± Once again, Purple Mansion Spiritual Medicine is too rare. Even the top disciples of the Three Pure Orthodox Sect can¡¯t guarantee that in the one hundred thirty years of their cultivation path in the Purple Mansion Realm, they will definitely get their hands on Purple Mansion Spiritual Medicine, First, it depends on whether the sect has it, and secondly, whether you deserve to obtain it. Even Shushan, which can produce Mercurial Elixir Liquid consistently, would only have several spoonfuls every hundred years. However, just the Direct Disciples of the Various Peaks¡¯ Peak Masters alone number over twenty. They must compete with one another to obtain it. Wen Yang and Gu Lie speak of receiving a great favor, which is indeed true, but what of it? When they talk about finding an opportunity to repay him, they are essentially seeing that Wei the Demon Lord possesses vast divine skills and wish to cling to him for their own future gains! Seeing Jiang Liyan¡¯s teasing expression, Gu Lie couldn¡¯t help but say: ¡°Jiang Daoist Friend, don¡¯t let beauty cloud your judgment. Wouldn¡¯t you, too, seek to make connections with a powerful ally like Wei Daoist Friend?¡± ¡°Make connections?¡± Jiang Liyan said contemptuously, ¡°I¡¯ve known Dong Liu for a long time and have no need to deliberately make connections¡­ His two disciples even have to call me ¡®Senior Jiang¡¯!¡± Wen Yang chuckled awkwardly a few times before urging again, ¡°Although Fellow Wei¡¯s cultivation level is indeed profound, it¡¯s a pity that he¡¯s a Mortal Life Path cultivator. Who doesn¡¯t know that the Mortal Life Path is as loose as sand? The ancestral secrets of the Ancient Intercepting Cult¡¯s inheritance have been almost completely lost!¡± ¡°Within our sect, there are a large number of ancient records passed down from generation to generation, many of which mention bits and pieces about several secret realms. It¡¯s just that our current cultivation realm is low and our strength too weak to explore them.¡± ¡°Fellow Wei, on the other hand, is certainly capable of exploring them, but suffers from a lack of reliable information, unaware of the whereabouts of many ancient secret realms.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be a win-win situation if we join forces?¡± Jiang Liyan also thought it made sense. After all, two birds in the bush are not as good as one bird in hand. Previously, whenever we found the whereabouts of a secret realm, we had to worry about whether we had the ability to explore it, which necessitated careful probing. This often took a long time, and whether we could reap any benefits in the end was another matter. The key issue was that sometimes we underestimated the dangers of the secret realms, which made it easy to lose our lives within them. Now, with the mighty Wei the Rogue, the four of us can split up to look through our sect¡¯s records, find the whereabouts of secret realms, and then take Wei the Sorcerer to fight. It¡¯s like having the strength of a Golden Core Rank with us the entire way. At this thought, Jiang the Witch found her heart racing. ¡°Ahem.¡± She coughed once, frowning, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you mention this sooner? Fellow Wei isn¡¯t the kind to be hard to talk to. I¡¯ll go and discuss it with him in a moment.¡± When Wen Yang and Gu Lie heard her say this, despite their wide experience and knowledge, they couldn¡¯t help but retch internally. Who was it that had just put on a protective wife act, eager to send us away? Perhaps she¡¯d already ceased being human! After a few more hours, Wei Dongliu and Long Xiaoqi also returned from outside. While the three were refining the effects of the medicine, they went for another round through the remaining rooms of Mirror Lake Divine Palace. Apart from some books that were not related to cultivation techniques, they found nothing else. Long Xiaoqi showed great interest in these books, flipping through them one by one. Wei Dongliu was also somewhat interested, but to maintain his persona as a mysterious big shot, he was forced to feign total disinterest, allowing the Kunlun Mirror to secretly record everything on his behalf. Once everyone gathered again, they prepared to set sail and return¡­ Considering the time, the period of miasma dissipation was also almost over. Leaving the Divine Palace, crossing Mirror Lake, and returning to reality, on their way out of Ailao Mountain, Jiang Liyan cheerfully proposed a long-term partnership. Simply put, it involved using the information resources of their respective sects to locate ancient secret realms left behind from ancient times, and then teaming up with Wei Dongliu for expeditions. Whether it was Jiang Liyan, Wen Yang, Gu Lie, or Long Xiaoqi, almost all of them were elite disciples within their sects with complete lineages and sufficient status. This was fundamentally different from ¡°Mortal Life Path Loose Cultivators¡± like Wei Dongliu, thus they could provide the informational intelligence he was most lacking. Wei Dongliu was responsible for the most critical combat power, with the split of the final gains calculated based on contribution. Because he held the top combat power in the team, the more dangerous and difficult the secret realm, the more benefits he would be able to obtain. Although it might seem like he was eating meat while others were drinking soup, the four working together, with the number of explorations added up, could also mean that even drinking soup would be satisfying. Had they sought help from other Golden Core Cultivators within the sect, they wouldn¡¯t have found such a good deal! Basically, those individuals would swallow both meat and soup, given they also had Foundation Establishment juniors within the sect. Wei Dongliu listened quietly and suddenly felt that something was off. This¡­ Their logic, wasn¡¯t it the same as the outer disciples of Kunlun Sect who sought help from Big Brother Qiu Changtian for cultivation guidance? It was exactly the same! Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only In essence, it¡¯s the excessive exploitation of the lower layers by the upper echelons of the Cultivation Realm that¡¯s the issue. Only someone like himself, who needed to increase his Synchronization Value¡­ No, rather, one who is bright, noble, and righteous with a generous character willing to fairly and reasonably accommodate others, could gain the trust of so many fellow sect members and outer disciples! Of course, the key was that Wei Dongliu¡¯s persona carried the responsibility of finding information about the Hell Path. Forming a sect and training disciples to help gather information was an effective method; Personally reaching out, making widespread friends across various paths, and subtly probing for secret news was another viable strategy. ¡°Hmm.¡± Having thought through the details, Wei Dongliu nodded and accepted the proposal. Chapter 263 - Chapter 263: Chapter 55: I Dont Believe She Can Kill Me Chapter 263: Chapter 55: I Don¡¯t Believe She Can Kill Me After a long and arduous journey, everyone finally returned to the Eastern Emperor Divine Palace. At this time, Divine Palace Square was eerily quiet, aside from a Qilin lying lazily in a corner, there were no other five-path cultivators in sight. A stark contrast to the bustling scene upon their arrival. After bidding farewell to the group, Wei Dongliu approached the Qilin alone, took out the golden little sword and the box containing the Jiahe, and opened it. The Qilin lazily opened its mouth wide, inhaled through its nose, and sucked in both the golden little sword and the Jiahe, revealing a content expression. ¡°May I ask, senior, why is there nobody else on this plaza?¡± Wei Dongliu took the opportunity to strike up a conversation. ¡°Most of them are dead,¡± responded the Qilin, still in its lazy tone. ¡°Dead?¡± Wei Dongliu asked in shock. Wasn¡¯t it said that the disciples of the five paths were going to jointly ambush Shushan? To think they could suffer a devastating defeat¡­ Wait, Sister and Ling Yunpo were also in there; they should be fine. But that¡¯s not right! This expedition to the Hundred Thousand Mountains involved Golden Core, and even Nascent Soul cultivators! Even if Sister and Ling Yunpo were strong, it¡¯s not like they could defeat so many high-rank cultivators from the five paths of the Demon Cult. Otherwise, what¡¯s the point of the five paths? They might as well be wiped out by the Three Pure Orthodox Sect. ¡°Hmph,¡± the Qilin snorted with a scoff, ¡°using low-rank disciples as bait, these descendants of the Intercepting Cult are getting more and more regressive.¡± ¡°Before you left, that fox hinted and warned you; did you not understand? If you had refused my commission and insisted on heading north, you would have ended up dead like them.¡± Having said that, the Qilin closed its eyes and rested its chin on its forelimbs, keeping silent. A few words, but they sent a chill down Wei Dongliu¡¯s spine: What, there was a conspiracy this time? He quickly rushed back to the Eastern Emperor Divine Palace and saw Wen Yang and others who had received the news from their sectmates gathered outside his room. ¡°Wei Fellow Daoist!¡± Seeing him finally return, Jiang the Witch hurried over and said anxiously, ¡°This journey to the Hundred Thousand Mountains was a trap!¡± ¡°Using low-rank disciples as bait?¡± Wei Dongliu said leisurely. ¡°You knew?¡± The others were slightly stunned upon hearing this. The Synchronization Value began to surge. ¡°A fine strategy of diversion!¡± Gu Lie was the first to break the silence, unable to help but exclaim, ¡°First, they pretend to unite the five paths to set up an ambush for Shushan at the Hundred Thousand Mountains to lure Shushan into seeking reinforcements from the Kunlun Penglai factions.¡± ¡°Then, they gather all the high-rank cultivators, pretending to deploy them to the distant Eastern Emperor Boundary Gate, but in reality, they take a huge detour through the Southern Sea, East Sea, and launch a fierce attack on Penglai Jade Pure View! Our five paths have truly reasserted our dominance this time!¡± Wei Dongliu: ¡­¡­¡­ So, it turns out to be a master of military strategy? By now, he had realized: to the north of the Eastern Emperor Divine Palace, the area was originally expected to be the main battlefield between the five paths of the Demon Cult and Shushan, and the five paths had an absolute advantage, whether it was low-rank or high-rank cultivators. Since Shushan had learned of this in advance, they certainly could not just wait to die. Long before the expedition to the Hundred Thousand Mountains, Lin Duanshan, Brother Lin on Ling Yunpo¡¯s line, had mentioned that Shushan was still hesitating whether to seek help from the other two factions. Looking back now, it seems they finally made the decision to seek help, but unexpectedly fell right into this side¡¯s trap. The five paths abandoned the low-rank disciples as bait to be slaughtered while pulling away all the elite high-rank cultivators under the pretext of heading to the Eastern Emperor Boundary Gate, secretly switching course to the Southern Sea, East Sea to attack Penglai Jade Pure View. ¡°How were the results over there?¡± Wei Dongliu asked slowly. ¡°With the five paths united, even the sword barbarians of Shushan were no match, let alone those bookish folks of Jade Pure View,¡± Jiang the Witch sneered, ¡°Even the Protective Sect Array was broken, high-rank cultivators led low-rank disciples to scatter and flee, suffering heavy casualties.¡± ¡°If it weren¡¯t for Kunlun¡¯s quick reinforcements, Jade Pure View would have been erased from existence.¡± ¡°Even so,¡± Wen Yang added, ¡°it is said that this expedition team also plundered countless magic artifacts, Flying Swords, and Spiritual Medicines from Penglai, making a fortune indeed.¡± At this point, everyone¡¯s expressions were somewhat dejected and resentful. The dejection stemmed from the recognition that their own strength was insufficient to join the siege on Penglai and make a profit. The resentment, however, was because some fellow Sect members they knew, thanks to connections like clan elders, had been secretly called up to the expedition team and received an abundance of benefits until their hands were almost full. In contrast, they, although also elite disciples within the Sect, lacked solid background support and thus ended up being used as bait in the Hundred Thousand Mountains. If it hadn¡¯t been for Wei Dongliu receiving the favor and attention of the Qilin, cleverly avoiding the deadly peril, they would have likely met their demise on the northern battlefield. Wei Dongliu was speechless for a moment, then heard the Kunlun Mirror suddenly say: ¡°Guan Shui, stop asking any further.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Wei Dongliu frowned and asked; he still wanted to find out about the status of Yuqing View¡¯s Heavenly Craft Workshop. ¡°Any news you hear will become a fixed, historical fact that has already taken place,¡± the Kunlun Mirror reminded, ¡°To ensure the future still has room for change, you better stop here.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Wei Dongliu immediately understood. Schr?dinger¡¯s cat, right? Observation equals collapse; better to keep the mystery. ¡°Speaking of which,¡± Jiang Liyan suddenly said, ¡°Fellow Daoist Wei, do you remember my senior sister Ai Zhenzhi?¡± ¡°I heard that before she left, she was called to join the expedition team and seems to have gotten a powerful Magic Artifact this time.¡± ¡°Do you have a grudge against that Ai Zhenzhi?¡± Wen Yang also spoke in surprise, ¡°I¡¯ve heard she¡¯s extremely irritable and holds deep grudges. If she really did get a powerful Magic Artifact this time, Fellow Daoist, you¡¯ll need to be careful from now on.¡± ¡°Sigh.¡± Jiang Liyan also heaved a sigh. She had thought her senior sister would lie in ambush in the Hundred Thousand Mountains; she could have joined forces with Old Scoundrel Wei and others to counter-attack¡­ but she hadn¡¯t expected such an unforeseen event! Everyone changed their course southward following the Qilin¡¯s guidance, and my senior sister joined the expedition team at the last moment. As both sides skillfully missed each other, they also each gained considerable benefits. Senior sister Ai got a powerful Magic Artifact from Yuqing View. Though it definitely can¡¯t compare to my seventy years of Purple Mansion cultivation, her combat strength is likely to increase dramatically. With her temperament, she will surely seek revenge once she¡¯s back. I wonder if Old Scoundrel Wei can handle her. If Old Scoundrel Wei is not her match, then my fate is sealed! Maybe I should run away in advance? For some reason, whenever she thought of ¡°Old Scoundrel Wei,¡± Jiang the Witch¡¯s thoughts would also drift to ¡°Wei the Demon Lord.¡± Given the inscrutable strength of Wei the Demon Lord, it seemed implausible that he could be defeated by my senior sister¡­ Just imagining such a possibility seemed absurd. No, that won¡¯t do, I need to pull more people in before returning. With that thought, she smiled and said to everyone: ¡°The journey to the Hundred Thousand Mountains has ended. How about fellow Daoists come together at Shiping Mountain?¡± ¡°It¡¯s said that Fellow Daoist Wei¡¯s Sect Residence is near Biyun Palace, isn¡¯t it?¡± Wen Yang seemed interested as well, ¡°I would like to visit Fellow Daoist¡¯s Sect, but I wonder if it would be convenient?¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°It is of course no trouble at all,¡± Wei Dongliu said indifferently. Looking at Gu Lie and Long Xiaoqi, they also had no objections¡ªeveryone had long decided to cling to Wei the Demon Lord¡¯s coattails, so naturally, they would want to socialize and get familiar with each other. Seeing things progress so smoothly, Jiang Liyan also secretly felt at ease. Excellent! With the help of Wei the Demon Lord and the other three, even facing a Golden Core Cultivator, we might not be without a fighting chance. I refuse to believe my senior sister can kill me! Chapter 264 - Chapter 264: Chapter 56: Wei and I are Fellow Townsmen Chapter 264: Chapter 56: Wei and I are Fellow Townsmen The group quickly took to their swords and began their journey from the Southern Border towards the southern foothills of Mount Taihang. Along the way, Wei Dongliu carefully recalculated once again. The current intelligence network of this persona mainly consists of two tiers. The lower tier consisted of the disciples Guo Jin and Wang Cong; as they gradually grew, he would have them travel far and wide in search of intelligence on the Hell Path. The advantage of this line was that the disciples were handy to use, but the drawback was that the disciples needed time to be nurtured. An ordinary cultivator would usually reach the Refining Mansion stage about fifty years into cultivation, but Wei Dongliu felt that it might take even longer for these two disciples given their aptitude. Perhaps seventy to eighty years; there was no rush for now. The upper tier was Wei Dongliu himself, who would gather intelligence through Jiang Liyan, Wen Yang, Gu Lie, and Long Xiaoqi from the Heavenly Demon Path, Nether Ghost Path, Asura Path, and Eastern Emperor Path respectively. The advantage lay in the shorter cycle, as Wei Dongliu himself started as a cultivator of the Refining Mansion stage; the disadvantage was that he needed to maintain his persona and couldn¡¯t just ask around freely. Of course, as a qualified spy and traitor, he wouldn¡¯t be so narrow-minded as to stick to just one line of action. I want it all! Beyond Wei Dongliu¡¯s situation, what was more worrying was the situation on Luo Yan¡¯s side. At the current timeline, Wei Dongliu was a few days ahead of Luo Yan¡¯s progress. This meant that as long as he reloaded to Luo Yan¡¯s situation, he would soon encounter the ¡°Hundred Thousand Heavenly Demons Attacking Penglai¡± incident. According to what Jiang Liyan and others said, the Yuqing View in Penglai had been breached, even the Mountain Protection Array was gone; it was a complete and utter defeat. However, the specifics of Heavenly Craft Workshop were not mentioned in detail. According to Ah Jing, he still couldn¡¯t ask proactively, otherwise what if someone remarked, ¡°The whole Heavenly Craft Workshop was wiped out,¡± or ¡°Some guy named Luo Yan died a miserable death¡±? What then? Therefore, although his mind was spinning with thoughts, he refrained from directly asking. Jiang Liyan and the others were not part of the expedition team after all, merely overhearing and getting some second-hand news. Thus, the conversation didn¡¯t linger on this topic for long and quickly shifted to other matters. ¡°It¡¯s said that on the northern battlefield this time, as no high-rank cultivators stepped forward, Shushan has gone into a frenzied killing spree,¡± said Wen Yang casually in conversation. ¡°The most frantic killer is that Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal.¡± ¡°Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal An Zhisu?¡± Jiang Liyan curiously said. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that she¡¯s a star of slaughter within Shushan as well, afraid that more fellow sect members have died by her hand than enemy cultivators from rival sects.¡± ¡°After all, Shushan is skirt-tied to the Three Pure Ones; their rules are different from ours,¡± Wen Yang scoffed with disdain. ¡°No matter how strong you are, without sufficient networks of relationships, you are useless. So in the past Southern Expeditions, the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal never got the chance to participate. Still, I don¡¯t know why they let her come this time.¡± (The term ¡®skirt-tied Three Pure Ones¡¯ is a derisive term for the Three Pure Orthodox Sect, mocking the elite disciples of Kunlun, Shushan, and Penglai, who are often dominated by cultivator families, suggesting that they¡¯ve essentially started to become clan-based.) ¡°An Zhisu¡¯s father is Qi Sha True Person Su Jian, the Peak Master of Qingluo Peak,¡± Gu Lie also added. ¡°The man is also a big star of slaughter and is said to be a direct disciple of the Supreme Elder Long Eyebrow Immortal of Shushan.¡± ¡°Later, Su Jian was ambushed and seriously injured by several elders of our sect. Once he returned to his sect, he began to seclude himself for life and death meditation, leading to Qingluo Peak¡¯s downfall thereafter.¡± ¡°That¡¯s quite unusual,¡± Jiang Liyan said with a smile, narrowing his eyes. ¡°If the direct disciple¡¯s lineage is declining, why doesn¡¯t the Supreme Elder intervene?¡± ¡°Who knows,¡± Wen Yang shrugged dismissively. ¡°It¡¯s probably just all those messy schemes and power struggles.¡± Jiang Liyan raised an eyebrow, clearly not convinced. No matter the scheming involved, it shouldn¡¯t have influenced the Supreme Elder. At his position, to put it bluntly, even a sneeze from him would cause ripples through the Various Peaks of Shushan¡­ The fact that the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal wantonly kills fellow sect members and isn¡¯t valued in the sect, clearly indicates the indifference of the patriarch ancestor. ¡°What do you think, Brother Wei?¡± she asked, tilting her head with a winsome smile, and turning to Wei Dongliu. ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s a dispute over the path.¡± Wei Dongliu said offhand. ¡°A dispute over the path?¡± Jiang the Witch blinked. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m clear on this.¡± Gu Lie suddenly interjected, ¡°Take our Asura Path, for example. Within our sect, there are those dedicated to magical competition, and there are also those who delve deeply into Buddhism. The two sides don¡¯t see eye to eye.¡± ¡°So, Brother Gu, are you affiliated with the magical competition branch, or the Buddhist branch?¡± Jiang the Witch asked with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m naturally of the magical competition branch.¡± Gu Lie said without hesitation. The atmosphere suddenly grew silent. Everyone suddenly remembered that inside the Mirror Lake Divine Palace, Gu Lie¡¯s reflection in the mirror was furious in appearance, but harbored a compassionate heart¡­ Did that mean that, on the surface, he was bloodthirsty for combat, but in reality, he yearned for Buddhism? ¡°Ahem!¡± Gu Lie also realized something was amiss and explained, ¡°My father was an accomplished monk in a temple, proficient in the theories of Esoteric Buddhism, and he even obtained the title of ¡®Aran Bagshi.¡¯ ¡°Aran Bagshi?¡± Jiang Liyan asked curiously. ¡°It¡¯s a title among monks, one that requires prolonged and arduous study of Buddhism in an Esoteric Buddhism academy,¡± sighed Gu Lie. ¡°Ever since I was little, he imparted to me many classics, and I was supposed to inherit his mantle.¡± ¡°But when I was fourteen, he fell in a magical competition with his enemy and perished, his soul shattered to the point that there was no chance for reincarnation. ¡°From that day on, I understood, what¡¯s the use of studying Buddhism so deeply?¡± The old monk sighed, raised one palm, and solemnly chanted, ¡°Amit¨¡bha,¡± ¡°If you can¡¯t defeat your enemy in magical competition, will the Buddha really send a fierce deity to save you just because your knowledge of Buddhism is profound?¡± ¡°Brother Gu¡¯s words have the nature of Buddha!¡± Wen Yang applauded with a laugh, ¡°As long as one¡¯s skills in magical competition are formidable, what does it matter if they¡¯re not versed in Buddhism?¡± Gu Lie gesture dismissively with a lack of interest, indicating he didn¡¯t wish to elaborate further. ¡°Brother Gu actually comes from a family of high monks,¡± Jiang the Witch also said with a smile. ¡°Little Seven also knows that before entering the path, he was herding in the Southern Border. What about Brother Wen?¡± ¡°Just from an ordinary, well-off family,¡± Wen Yang passed over the subject succinctly. A well-off family usually meant being a landlord¡­ As Wei Dongliu was watching coldly on the side, he saw Jiang the Witch turn the topic towards him: ¡°Brother Wei was a loose cultivator before joining the Mortal Life Path. It seems you¡¯re not from a Cultivator Family, but based on your speech and demeanor, you¡¯re not from a minor household either, right?¡± ¡°I¡¯m from overseas,¡± Wei Dongliu said mysteriously. ¡°Overseas?¡± Everyone became curious, ¡°The Southern Sea or the East Sea?¡± Sea of time, I¡¯m a time traveler, believe it or not? Wei Dongliu answered perfunctorily: ¡°The Southern Sea and the East Sea are connected. As for the specific location, I¡¯m not sure; I came to the Divine Land by accident.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°I see,¡± the others, seeing he didn¡¯t want to elaborate, tactfully stopped inquiring and just heard Wen Yang laugh again: ¡°We¡¯ve asked everyone else, but what about you, Sister Jiang?¡± ¡°Me?¡± Jiang Liyan smiled with curved eyes, ¡°My secular parents were fishermen overseas, living on the west isle of Penghu Island. However, shortly after I was born, my master took me in to start my cultivation journey.¡± She suddenly thought of something, clapped her hands with a laugh, ¡°In that case, like Brother Wei, I too am of overseas origin. Does that make us fellow countrymen then?¡± At this, everyone was left speechless, figuring out that just being from overseas made you fellow countrymen, right? Chapter 265 - Chapter 265: Chapter 57: Miss Shis Divine Striking Whip Chapter 265: Chapter 57: Miss Shi¡¯s Divine Striking Whip ¡°We¡¯re approaching Shiping Mountain,¡± said Jiang Liyan suddenly. Since they planned to team up for a long period, relationships had deepened along the way, enhancing their understanding of each other¡¯s backgrounds. Probably the only one who had been half-hearted throughout was Wei Dongliu. The vaguer he was, the faster his Synchronization Value soared. The others didn¡¯t mind. It didn¡¯t matter if we didn¡¯t understand Wei Demon Lord, as long as Wei Demon Lord understood us! Familiarity is the foundation of trust, after all. Just as Biyun Palace came into sight, Jiang Liyan suddenly felt a surge of dangerous intuition. She quickly grabbed the Flying Sword to stop it and exclaimed in alarm, ¡°Be careful¡­¡± Before she could finish her sentence, a whooshing sound erupted and rushed to their rear in an instant. In haste, she had no choice but to throw a Divine Smiting Whip backward and screamed, ¡°Wei Daoist brother, save me!¡± No sooner had the Divine Smiting Whip left her sleeve than it was struck head-on by a Magical Treasure. It exploded on impact, scattering white and black debris in all directions, like an egg smashed against a rock. Only then did everyone see clearly that the Magical Treasure was a steel whip, spinning idly in mid-air. The Divine Smiting Whip! Jiang Liyan and the others felt as if they had fallen into an ice cave; it was the legendary Divine Smiting Whip! How was it possible? How could the Sect elders have given such an Eleventh Rank Magical Treasure to Ai Zhenzhi? Only Wei Dongliu, with his extensive Artifact Refining experience, saw clearly. He immediately deduced it was not the Divine Smiting Whip but a replica, the Divine Striking Whip¡­ Thinking this, he maintained a calm exterior while his heart sank into a cold abyss. Wasn¡¯t the Divine Striking Whip supposed to be with Miss Shi? Could it be¡­ Ai Zhenzhi rose on her Flying Sword from below, her gaze fixing on Wei Dongliu with a sinister tone, ¡°What is your relationship with that little bitch? Why did you protect her last time?¡± ¡°Where did you get that Magical Treasure?¡± Wei Dongliu countered without answering, his tone icy. ¡°Naturally, from killing people and seizing their treasures,¡± Ai Zhenzhi¡¯s gaze swept across Wen Yang, Gu Lie, and Long Xiaoqi, finally resting on Jiang Liyan as she spoke darkly, ¡°It seems you¡¯ve found quite a few people, little junior sister?¡± ¡°Big senior sister, why are you doing this?¡± Jiang Liyan feigned a pitiable look, her eyes brimming with tears as she spoke, ¡°After such a long time apart, why do you try to take my life without a word¡­ If the other senior sisters knew, they might think you intend to clean up the Sect.¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Ai Zhenzhi immediately flared up. Last time she tried to discipline her junior sister, Wei Dongliu had interfered, and she had almost fled in disgrace. She had harbored a grudge for a long time. Now that she had acquired a Tenth Rank Magical Treasure, she was determined to avenge her previous humiliation! The junior sister had a point. If she directly killed her, it could cause ripples among her other junior sisters. It would be better to first subdue and restrain her, then bring her before the others and, under the pretense of ¡°insulting a senior sister¡±, carry out a justified punishment. Even if their master emerged from seclusion and learned of this, he wouldn¡¯t care too much. She had already inquired clearly about Wei Dongliu; he was just a Loose Cultivator who had joined the Mortal Life Path, without any background to speak of. His odd Flying Sword probably just happened to restraint Heavenly Demons. With the Divine Striking Whip, this time she was determined to split his skull open and scatter his soul! She formed the Daoist Formula again and said sharply, ¡°I am Ai Zhenzhi of the Heavenly Demon Path, here only to capture Jiang Liyan and take the life of that Wei surname cur. The rest of you, leave quickly, or I will strike you all down!¡± In her eyes, as the power of the Divine Striking Whip had just revealed itself, these Demon Path Cultivators, no matter how closely related to her junior sister, should weigh their options carefully at this moment. Yet what she heard was Wen Yang coldly saying: ¡°Ai Zhenzhi, have you got pork lard in your eyes? Don¡¯t you recognize me?¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s Judge Wen from the Nether Ghost Path.¡± After taking another careful look and recognizing him (with his androgynous features, he was quite distinctive), Ai Zhenzhi burst into loud laughter, ¡°What, does Judge Wen also want to meddle in the family affairs of the Heavenly Demon Path?¡± Gu Lie, seeing that she did not recognize him, became instantly furious and moved closer to Wei Dongliu to ask: ¡°Brother Wei, what now? Do we kill him or not?¡± Wei Dongliu squinted his eyes and said: ¡°Let¡¯s capture her first before we talk.¡± No sooner had the words left his mouth than he suddenly surged forward with his Sword Control! Ai Zhenzhi had been on her guard against his sudden attack, so she swiftly waved her sleeve, releasing over ten corporeal Demons to obstruct his paths from all sides. Wen Yang quickly created distance and urgently chanted ¡°Grudge Curse Binding Kill¡± as he launched countless grey-white Nether Ghosts fiercely pouncing towards Ai Zhenzhi. She had just directed a corporeal Demon to block these ghostly attacks when she saw Gu Lie circling from the left, shooting a Blood-colored Flying Sword at her; Long Xiaoqi was charging in directly from the right, apparently determined to engage in close combat with her. With a hardened heart, Ai Zhenzhi activated the Divine Striking Whip above her head, fiercely lashing it towards Wei Dongliu, who was momentarily restrained by the corporeal Demons. She decided to kill the chicken to scare the monkeys, to let these shortsighted people know her ferocity! Wei Dongliu casually manipulated the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword, cutting down the corporeal Demons that approached him one by one. Suddenly, seeing the Divine Smiting Whip in the air hurtle down, he sneered inside. From his robe, a speck of golden light emerged¡ªit was the Hundred Poisons Golden Silkworm shaking its wings rapidly to meet the attack! A loud clang resonated like metal striking iron; the Hundred Poisons Golden Silkworm collided with the Divine Striking Whip, sending the latter flying away, while the former, despite being forced downwards by the tremendous force, falling more than a dozen feet before stabilizing, fluttered dizzily yet appeared to be completely unharmed! This Hundred Poisons Golden Silkworm was indeed famously known for its extreme hardness, claiming immunity to blades and spears, unaffected by water or fire. If it was the original Divine Smiting Whip, perhaps it could have destroyed a few of the silkworms, but an imitation Divine Striking Whip certainly could not. Seeing that the Divine Striking Whip¡¯s strike was ineffective, Ai Zhenzhi frowned slightly, and then her expression turned to one of great alarm upon recognizing the Hundred Poisons Golden Silkworm. As Long Xiaoqi was about to reach her, she quickly maneuvered the unsteady Divine Striking Whip to defend herself, only to see Wei Dongliu finally complete the transformation of Demon Origin, becoming a figure with red hair and heavy pupils, the image of a Demon Lord. He leapt in front of the Divine Striking Whip and directly grabbed its steel whip body. Though the Divine Striking Whip, upon its master¡¯s command, tried to struggle, it was filled with boundless Demonic Qi by Wei Dongliu, instantly losing its spirit and its luster dimming, refusing to follow Ai Zhenzhi¡¯s commands. Long Xiaoqi closed in and threw a punch. Ai Zhenzhi hastily retreated, her lips slightly parting as she uttered a weird sound full of lament. Heavenly Demon Enchanting Sound Technique! This technique was an Enchanting Sound Illusion Technique, capable of disturbing one¡¯s mind and consciousness, causing dizziness and inability to maintain clarity. Particularly for those ¡°Body Refiners¡± who swung their fists and kicks, with low resistance to illusions, once caught by this move they would become incapacitated, utterly unable to continue fighting. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only However, she had no idea that this girl-like Body Refining Cultivator was actually a demon in disguise¡­ Suddenly, Long Xiaoqi also opened her mouth to let out a long roar. The Heavenly Demon Enchanting Sound Technique was quickly disrupted, and the dragon¡¯s roar containing supreme Dragon¡¯s Might resonated in all directions. Ai Zhenzhi, being the closest, was immediately stunned and disoriented. Gu Lie, with his Blood-colored Flying Sword, tied up the surrounding corporeal Demons that wanted to rush back to protect their master. Wei Dongliu seized the opportunity to charge through, approaching Ai Zhenzhi and grabbing her shoulder. Infinite Demonic Qi rapidly infused into her, quickly sealing her meridians and acupoints. Chapter 266 - Chapter 266: Chapter 58 Planning to Run Away in Advance Chapter 266: Chapter 58 Planning to Run Away in Advance If we¡¯re talking about combat abilities, Jiang the Witch is indeed not a match for Wei the Demon Lord. But when it comes to tricks, not even ten Wei Demon Lords would be enough to play against Jiang the Witch. Soon enough, the captured Ai Zhenzhi spilled all the secrets cleanly and thoroughly, The good news is that the Divine Striking Whip wasn¡¯t obtained by Ai Zhenzhi after killing someone but was captured by some predecessor from a disciple of Yuqing View. The bad news is that said disciple was rumored to be an Array Master, and quite young at that, reportedly not yet at Core Formation¡­ If there had been something like an identity card in the Cultivation Realm, he believed the confession would certainly match Luo Yan¡¯s identity number. Having roughly inquired about the situation, Wei Dongliu decided it was time to reload a previous save. [Save Point Three: Penglai Immortal Island, Yuqing View.] [Character Identity: Luo Yan.] [Overlaying Mirror Flower Water Moon Template, time-space traveling in progress.] After being transported to Yuqing View, Luo Yan had already thought through the situation thoroughly. First of all, he needed to figure out how much information Penglai had on the subject. If he rashly went to the Pavilion Master or the master, and revealed everything from A to Z, he wouldn¡¯t be able to explain the source of the intelligence ¡ª he¡¯d most likely be treated as a spy ¡°defecting to the light.¡± Well, considering that I am indeed a spy, doing so would be utterly foolish. He should probe the situation first. When Luo Yan ran to Elder Shi Ding, he saw his master reading in the study. What he read were the various ancient Formation manuscripts he and Shi Liuli had brought back from the Gui Xu Palace. ¡°Master,¡± Luo Yan made up a lie on the spot, merely saying that he happened to pass by an island when, due to an unforeseen coincidence, he overheard some passing Cultivators discussing the ¡°Attack on Penglai by a Hundred Thousand Demon Soldiers.¡± ¡°Attack on Penglai by a Hundred Thousand Demon Soldiers?¡± Elder Shi Ding exclaimed surprisingly, ¡°Isn¡¯t it supposed to be Shushan? Recently, the Demon Cult has been clashing with Shushan in the Southern Border¡¯s Hundred Thousand Mountains. How would they have time to attack Penglai?¡± ¡°Is there a possibility,¡± Luo Yan of course couldn¡¯t say he had solid evidence, he could only pose as having a wild idea in hopes the master would take it seriously, ¡°that the situation in the Hundred Thousand Mountains is just a decoy?¡± ¡°To draw the Orthodox Sect¡¯s attention to the Southern Border, and then secretly redirect their forces to circle around and attack Penglai, how about that?¡± ¡°All right,¡± Elder Shi Ding said helplessly, ¡°If that is the case, from the Southern Border to Penglai, it¡¯s more than ten thousand miles. How could the Demon Cult ensure they won¡¯t be detected on this journey?¡± ¡°Ahem, maybe they have some kind of Flying Magical Treasure?¡± Luo Yan said awkwardly, ¡°If they circled around the Southern Sea, the East Sea, they could avoid detection to the greatest extent.¡± ¡°Even if they have magical treasures that can travel thousands of miles a day and they did manage to circle around the East Sea,¡± Elder Shi Ding slapped his thigh and said, ¡°to the south of Penglai in the East Sea, there are thirty-six Cave Heavens and Blessed Lands. Once the Demon Cult enters the East Sea, how will they escape their scrutiny?¡± ¡°Ahem, if all the thirty-six Cave Heavens in the East Sea have betrayed us¡­¡± Luo Yan was still insisting. ¡°Let¡¯s not even talk about whether they¡¯d dare to betray.¡± Elder Shi Ding spoke impatiently, ¡°Even if they did betray, Penglai Immortal Island has the Tai Yi Escaping Armor Yin Yang Great Formation. Even if the Demon Sect¡¯s Six Paths combined with the thirty-six Cave Heavens were to attack us together, how would they possibly breach it?¡± ¡°If there were a traitor¡­¡± ¡°Are you the traitor?¡± Elder Shi Ding asked oddly. Pfft! Luo Yan almost spat blood when he heard that. Luckily, his mind raced and he saw that Elder Shi Ding was not serious ¡ª otherwise, how could he still be alive? He only heard Elder Shi Ding frown and say: ¡°This Formation was left by the ancestors of Clarify Cult, and currently, even I am in charge of maintaining it. Apart from our Heavenly Craft Workshop, no one knows the secrets of the great array.¡± ¡°And within our Heavenly Craft Workshop, only you have received the true transmission of my Formation knowledge. If there is a traitor, besides you, who else could it be?¡± Luo Yan then showed an expression of wry amusement. This couldn¡¯t go on any further; talking more would really arouse the master¡¯s suspicion. ¡°Luo Yan,¡± Elder Shi Ding spoke kindly again, ¡°Is it Liuli urging you to find an excuse to take her out for fun again?¡± ¡°Go and tell Liuli, in recent years, the conflicts between the Demon Cult and the Orthodox Sect are growing more and more intense, and it¡¯s really not stable outside. Even if she really wants to go out, she must wait until your eldest senior brother forms his Nascent Infant. It¡¯s only a matter of twenty some years away¡­ Understand?¡± ¡°Understood,¡± Luo Yan said dully. Still twenty years to go; if we can survive the upcoming catastrophe, we should be grateful to Heaven. He silently bade farewell to his master and then turned to leave. Well, when I think about it, it¡¯s normal not to convince the master. Even Ai Zhenzhi actually doesn¡¯t know exactly how the Tai Yi Escaping Armor Yin Yang Great Formation at Penglai was broken through in the future. As long as there is no evidence of a problem with the formation, the disciples of Yuqing View will not feel any sense of crisis. When asked, they just say, ¡°With the great formation in place,¡± what¡¯s there to discuss? Upon careful analysis, there are two possible ways the formation could be destroyed: One is the presence of a traitor. This is the most reasonable explanation, as solid fortresses are often breached from within. However, the master has already said that only he knows the secrets of the formation. He hasn¡¯t even passed them on to me. Even if there is a traitor, how could they shut down the formation from the inside? Could it be that the traitor is the master¡­ cough, how could that be possible! If Elder Shi Ding were a traitor from the Demon Sect, wouldn¡¯t going to him directly be like a lamb walking into a tiger¡¯s den? Impossible, impossible! Luo Yan thought again, the second possibility is that the Demon Cult has come up with a method to break the formation from the outside. This possibility can only be acknowledged as existing, but as for the specifics, it¡¯s impossible to confirm. After all, Luo Yan himself doesn¡¯t understand the Tai Yi Escaping Armor Yin Yang Great Formation, let alone how to break it. After much thought, Luo Yan came to a conclusion: First, according to the message from the future Demon Cult, Yuqing View suffers a significant defeat this time, with even the Mountain Protection Array being broken, and high-rank cultivators are fleeing everywhere with the low-rank cultivators. Taking into account the presence of a defending immortal at Yuqing View, it means that the Demon Race¡¯s expedition must also have an immortal. Otherwise, the Demon Cult would not be able to achieve success. Second, though the likelihood is remote, if I could sneak in and grab the Heaven-Mending Stone fragments while the immortals are fighting, that would be the best. If there¡¯s no chance, then the next best thing is to figure out a way to lure the master and my fellow disciples¡ªsenior and junior, as well as Miss Liuli¡ªout in advance. As long as we¡¯re not in Penglai, whether it¡¯s a hundred thousand demons or a million demons besieging it, why should we worry? And achieving this is easy, just trick Miss Liuli into going out, trap her, then go back for help¡ªthat¡¯s it. With his daughter missing, the master definitely won¡¯t be able to sit still. No matter how damaged Yuqing View becomes, as long as Elder Shi Ding is alive, my position within the sect won¡¯t be shaken, and I will still have the chance to pursue fragments of the Heaven-Mending Stone. Lastly, it¡¯s the help from external allies. Although Elder Shi Ding does not trust me, I am not without other masters! According to the future information from the Demon Cult, it was the reinforcements from Kunlun, thousand miles away, that relieved the siege of Penglai. That means, if Qiu Changtian can persuade the Ziwei Master, might there be more viability? Just trick everyone from the Heavenly Craft Workshop to Divine Land and when Penglai is under attack by the Demon Cult, Kunlun will immediately send support. En route, they will ¡°coincidentally¡± encounter the master and his group and take them under protection. By doing so, the greatest risk would be perfectly avoided. With his plans thoroughly considered, Luo Yan stood up and went towards Daozang Pavilion. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only First, he needed to find a secret sanctuary to lure Miss Shi for exploration. Ordinary cultivators seeking an opportunity to find Refining Mansion would first look into the scriptures. The collection of scriptures in Penglai is as vast as the sea of stars, ten times more than that of Kunlun and Shushan combined. For ordinary cultivators, it would take forever to go through them all. But Luo Yan, with his talent to understand a thousand things with one glance, could read at a glance and understand instantly. As long as he finds the secret scroll containing clues, he could immediately deduce the location of the secret sanctuary from the information between the lines! Chapter 267 - Chapter 267: Chapter 59: Kuocang Mountain Vocational Technical School Chapter 267: Chapter 59: Kuocang Mountain Vocational Technical School Yangzhou, Kuocang Mountain. Luo Yan held a scroll in his hands as he walked through the mountains. Despite it being winter, the scenery was still stunning, with a gentle stream by the road, its waters clear and transparent to the bottom. In the Dongzhen section of the authentic Daoist canon, there was an anecdote recorded in one of the books: It told of a man named Yang Yin, who lived in Jinyun County of Yangzhou. He was fond of the tranquility here at Kuocang Mountain and often came to roam and reside. One day, while drinking with a Daoist priest from Jinyun Temple, he suddenly collapsed to the ground as if dead, awakening only after seven days. When the priest asked him about it, he said that he had been invited by a fairy named Ling Ying to visit the Immortal Realm. The entrance to the Immortal Realm was through a cave that had no name; Yang Yin dubbed it ¡°Kuocang Cave.¡± Inside the cave, he saw ¡°magnificent towers and pavilions, phoenix and cranes soaring, the sky clear and the scenery warm, a realm distinct from the Mortal World¡± ¡ª clearly, it was a secret realm. The fairy Ling Ying had him eat Green Cloud Ganoderma and took him to pay respects to the three masters of the secret realm: the relatively known King, the Grassy Sovereign of Huayang, and the Hidden Sovereign of Xuanxuan who received Heaven¡¯s Mandate. After the meeting, the three immortals told him, ¡°You possess the bones of an immortal, but you have not yet cultivated to the realm of Ascension. Continue your practice in the Mortal World,¡± and then had Ling Ying send him away. After Yang Yin left Kuocang Cave, he ¡°lost taste for grains; drinking only three liters of water and eating a hundred lilies a day,¡± evidently with the help of the Green Cloud Ganoderma¡¯s potency, he had skipped the three stages of Fasting and entered the Qi Refining Rank directly. If the descriptions in the book were true, there must be a secret realm built by immortals within Kuocang Mountain. Find the entrance, and later on, it would be possible to lure Miss Shi here for an adventure. Using half a day¡¯s effort, Luo Yan finally reached Jinyun Temple in the mountain. There were just a few Daoist priests in the temple, all with white, frosty hair. Luo Yan used his Divine Sense to probe and discovered that all three priests were mortals and had not yet undergone Fasting. He then disguised himself as a tourist and inquired about the old matter of Yang Yin. ¡°This matter is nothing more than casual gossip,¡± one of the priests chuckled as he stroked his beard, ¡°Many have come to inquire about it, but in the end, they all returned without any fruitful results.¡± ¡°If the honored guest is interested, you may go and take a look at Ruan Lang Pavilion in the mountains. Our ancestors once drank with Yang Yin there.¡± Luo Yan nodded and thanked him. After not quite an hour had passed, he found Ruan Lang Pavilion along the mountain path. The pavilion was built on a stone platform halfway up the mountain, next to a vast cliff, upon which countless inscribed characters could be seen. According to the records, Yang Yin had drunk himself into stupor there, before entering into the secret realm. Hmm¡­ Luo Yan first inspected for a while and found no Formation around. Sitting down in the pavilion, he took out a jug of wine from his Storage Bag. After a thought, he put the wine jug back into the bag. Since the Daoist priests of Jinyun Temple said that many had visited before, they must have tried to emulate Yang Yin by getting drunk and collapsing. However, those visitors all came back fruitlessly, which indicated that drinking was of no use. The mechanism to enter the secret realm surely wouldn¡¯t be so easy to uncover; only those with great wisdom, great determination, and great fortune could discover it. With this in mind, Luo Yan spoke firmly: ¡°Ah Jing, help me scan!¡± Kunlun Mirror: ¡­ ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Luo Yan asked again. ¡°Wait a moment.¡± The Kunlun Mirror was silent for a short while, then suddenly said, ¡°The text on that wall is problematic.¡± ¡°Where?¡± Following the direction indicated by the Kunlun Mirror, Luo Yan finally found a piece of text in a particularly low hollow of the mountain. The text was obstructed by shrubs and was situated very low. Additionally, due to the angle, one had to lie down on the ground by the side of the pavilion to see it. Putting aside his dignity, Luo Yan laid on the ground and saw a five-character quatrain written there: Where does the guest from Ruan reside? The entrance of the Immortal Cloud Cave lies across. Places unreachable by mortals, today we tread into this realm. Huh? Luo Yan suddenly thought, if Yang Yin really got drunk, could it be that he happened to fall right in this spot and saw this poem? Then, he felt the world spinning, and the scene before his eyes dramatically changed. He saw that the large patch of writing on the cliff had already vanished, replaced by a cave entrance. The entrance was wide and didn¡¯t seem man-made, with green moss growing in several places. Yet Luo Yan didn¡¯t rush to proceed, but rather discussed with the Kunlun Mirror: ¡°Can you analyze this entrance mechanism, Ah Jing?¡± ¡°It appears to be a visual mechanism,¡± the Kunlun Mirror fell silent for a few minutes before answering. ¡°When you gaze at it, it pulls you into the secret realm.¡± ¡°And the way out?¡± Luo Yan asked again for confirmation. ¡°The same,¡± the Kunlun Mirror responded. ¡°Look behind you at the rock wall, there¡¯s writing there too.¡± Luo Yan carefully searched and indeed, behind the vines on the rock wall, he found a line of extremely fine inscription that was difficult to notice without a close look: Few pieces of immortal bone, hard to ascend to the Nine Heavens. Return then to the Mortal World, to Weiyu Mountain next year. Before he could fully comprehend it, he felt the world spinning, and found himself outside at Ruan Lang Pavilion. Luo Yan then returned to the secret realm several times, confirming the entry and exit mechanism clearly. ¡°Ah Jing,¡± he asked in a low voice, ¡°is there a way to cover up this line of poetry inside?¡± ¡°You plan to trap Miss Shi inside after she enters so she can¡¯t leave?¡± the Kunlun Mirror pondered, ¡°Yes, I can cover it with an illusion technique.¡± ¡°However, if she can¡¯t get out, why could you leave to send a message to Master? This issue might still need some smoothing over.¡± ¡°No need to smooth anything over,¡± Luo Yan said. ¡°Only Miss Shi entered the secret realm by accident, and I somehow stayed outside, unable to find the entrance, so I had no choice but to seek help from Master¡­ How about that?¡± ¡°It could work,¡± the Kunlun Mirror sighed, feeling uneasy about Luo Yan¡¯s swiftly woven lies. ¡°But this way, Miss Shi will be trapped alone in the secret realm. Aren¡¯t you afraid something might happen to her?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why we will explore this secret realm first, to ensure we eliminate unnecessary risks,¡± Luo Yan replied firmly. ¡°If this place doesn¡¯t work, we¡¯ll look for another secret realm.¡± He continued walking forward, through the cave, and entered a valley. Although it was winter outside, the valley was warm as spring. The sky was clear, the sun was warm, the vegetation thriving, as if it was the beginning of spring. Not far away stood three small buildings, constructed in a forest clearing surrounded by a stream. Luo Yan walked directly into the woods and saw that the plaques in front of the three small buildings read ¡°Little Heavenly King Mansion,¡± ¡°Grand Huayang Thatched Hut,¡± and ¡°Hidden Profound Heavenly Destiny Residence.¡± ¡°This looks like a trial-type secret realm,¡± the Kunlun Mirror guessed. ¡°If it truly were the old dwelling of immortals, it wouldn¡¯t be necessary to specifically turn it into a secret realm; moreover, it¡¯s not likely to put the immortal¡¯s title on the very outside.¡± ¡°Whether it is or isn¡¯t, we¡¯ll know once we enter,¡± Luo Yan said decisively. He stepped straight into the ¡°Little Heavenly King Mansion¡± on the left. Inside, it was extremely spacious, very similar to the White Jade Capital Secret Realm. A Daoist stood with his hands behind his back and said indifferently: ¡°Another honored guest has arrived; come and test your Daoist magic with me.¡± After speaking, he turned around, formed a spell with his hands, and immediately a black wind arose from the ground, sweeping towards Luo Yan. Luo Yan¡¯s brows furrowed ever so slightly. This black wind didn¡¯t seem quite like the Daoist magic of the Three Pure Orthodox Sect, lacking that upright and proper aura. But it also lacked the Demon Cult¡¯s Six Paths¡¯ sinister and brutal nature. If he had to say, it was a bit like the other techniques of the Intercepting Cult from ancient times. His thoughts moved slightly, and he began to have a vague guess about the background of the secret realm, then he directly pulled out the Postnatal Five Elements Great Extermination Divine Light, pressing it against the black wind coming from the opposite direction. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only When the black wind hit the Five Elements Divine Light, it disintegrated immediately on the spot. ¡°Postnatal Five Elements Great Extermination Divine Light?¡± the Daoist asked with a slight frown. ¡°Are you from Moon Island in the East Sea?¡± Luo Yan: ? Moon Island in the East Sea, wasn¡¯t it wiped out some seven thousand years ago? ¡°Not yet in Core Formation, but to cultivate the Five Elements Divine Light to such a degree is indeed rare,¡± the Daoist nodded with satisfaction and continued, ¡°However, in my view, your use of this Daoist magic still has many imperfections, specifically¡­¡± Chapter 268 - Chapter 268: Chapter 60 Miss Shi Indeed Falls for the Trick Chapter 268: Chapter 60 Miss Shi Indeed Falls for the Trick Next, it took roughly a quarter of an hour or so for the Daoist to impart some knowledge about ¡°Five Elements Genesis¡± to Luo Yan. Clearly, this Daoist was not his true physical form, but rather an image with memory and intelligence left behind by the master of the secret realm, whose purpose was to guide the cultivators through their trials. Had it been any other cultivator, they might have felt dejected. So it seems that in this secret realm, there was not only a lack of treasures and miraculous encounters but just a virtual elder responsible for passing down experiences? Yet Luo Yan didn¡¯t feel the slightest discomfort. After all, he was used to attending lectures at Yuqing View, and immediately engaged enthusiastically in the discussion with the Daoist. Once many of the difficulties had been resolved, Luo Yan once again used the Five Elements Divine Light, and found that many previously obscure aspects were suddenly made clear, which brought him even more joy. ¡°Thank you, senior,¡± he sincerely said, ¡°May I ask for your honored name?¡± ¡°You may call me ¡®King of Minor Renown,¡¯¡± the Daoist nodded in satisfaction and continued, ¡°I have left this image here to impart knowledge of Daoist Magic.¡± ¡°Next door, there are precious memories left by the ¡®King of Hua Yang Great Thatch¡¯ and ¡®King of Hidden Profundity Divine Mandate,¡¯ with the former teaching swordsmanship and the latter instructing in Art Calculation.¡± ¡°If you are interested, you can also visit their residences to learn.¡± After finishing, Luo Yan suddenly felt a gust of wind brush past, his feet unable to hold firm, and he was forcibly pushed out the door by the physical strength of the wind. He then paid visits to the other two pavilions, indeed as the King of Minor Renown had said: one taught swordsmanship, and the other taught Art Calculation. However, whether it was Daoist Magic, swordsmanship, or Art Calculation, they all seemed somewhat mixed and not refined. They were excellent for providing a foundation for beginners, but for him, only the first round of learning yielded significant gains, with little more to be learned after that. Luo Yan logically presumed that these three individuals were likely Earth Immortals of loose cultivator origins. Of course, in the star-studded Ancient Era, it wasn¡¯t unusual for loose cultivators to become immortals through their own efforts. On the contrary, it is this era where cultivation resources are wholly occupied by the Orthodox Sect and the Demon Cult. Within the Orthodox Sect, it¡¯s the children of noble families that divide the resources, while the Demon Cult¡¯s Six Paths are entangled in infinite internal strife, and as for loose cultivators¡­ to reach the Nascent Soul would be an immense blessing. In summary, this secret realm was basically free of danger and was a ¡°trial-type secret realm¡± contrived by three bored Earth Immortals, which was perfect for trapping Miss Shi. And then, through this means, they lured out Elder Shi Ding, avoiding the event of a hundred thousand gods and demons attacking Penglai. Perfect! Luo Yan then returned to the cave, had Ah Jing apply an Illusion Technique to the text at the entrance, and left the Illusion Domain. Riding his sword, he crossed vast oceans and at last arrived at Yuqing View, where he suddenly acutely noticed that the aura of the Protective Sect Array seemed to have changed. In Formation terminology, this meant that the scanning and defense levels had both been raised. It seemed Elder Shi Ding, though very confident in the Tai Yi Escaping Armor Yin Yang Great Formation, had taken my previous advice and thus raised the alert level. Luo Yan felt incredibly gratified. He descended his Sword Light on the slopes of Mount Penglai and entered the view on foot. No sooner had he returned to the Heavenly Craft Workshop than he saw Miss Shi Liuli, angrily storming out: ¡°Luo Yan! Little Junior Brother Luo, where on earth have you been! Master has repeatedly decreed that no one is allowed to leave the View without approval. How dare you ignore his commands?¡± ¡°Sister, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Luo Yan began with an apology upon meeting, and seeing that Miss Shi¡¯s expression had eased somewhat, he then smiled and said, ¡°How come I remember Master saying, ¡®Sister, you¡¯re not allowed to leave the View without approval¡¯?¡± ¡°How dare you!¡± Shi Liuli¡¯s anger, which had subsided, suddenly flared up again, ¡°You still talk back!¡± With her sleeves rolled up, revealing arms as white as jade lotus roots, she came over with hands on her hips, pretending to hit Luo Yan. Luo Yan immediately took to flight: fighting back was out of the question, and being pinched on the ear by Miss Shi would be too embarrassing, so fleeing was the only option. Miss Shi seemed delicate, but unexpectedly, her stamina was surprisingly good. Running around the entire Heavenly Craft Workshop chasing Luo Yan, she shouted: ¡°Senior Sister is forbidden from going out, so you think you can just go out and have fun, right? Who exactly is the Senior Brother here, you or me?¡± ¡°No, this has nothing to do with seniority, right?¡± Luo Yan yelled back. ¡°I¡¯m the Senior Sister, and I¡¯ve been grounded, so you should consciously stay in the View and keep me company!¡± Shi Liuli yelled indignantly. ¡°Where did this rule come from!¡± Luo Yan cried out in grievance, hoping a master or fellow senior brothers and sisters would come and restrain Miss Shi. However, when the senior brothers and sisters came out upon hearing the commotion, they just stood aside and watched, laughing and chatting as if they were shippers delighting in a love story. Luo Yan was chased to the point where he had no choice but to hide behind his senior brothers and sisters, enraging Miss Shi so much that she screamed and yelled. ¡°Alright, little Junior Sister,¡± the eldest Senior Brother, Linghu Chu, spoke, ¡°Don¡¯t bully him anymore.¡± Shi Liuli stopped in her tracks, merely glaring at Luo Yan with a huff. ¡°Disperse, disperse!¡± Linghu Chu waved his hand to send the onlooking junior brothers and sisters away and then advised Shi Liuli, ¡°Getting angry with your Junior Brother is pointless because it was Master¡¯s idea to ground you. It¡¯s better to wait for Master to return, and I¡¯ll plead with the old man on your behalf, at least to let you go to the market.¡± ¡°Thank you, Elder Senior Brother!¡± Shi Liuli immediately switched from anger to joy, ¡°Elder Senior Brother is the best!¡± Luo Yan felt a bit disappointed: I¡¯ve been waiting on you for so long, yet I¡¯ve never heard you say ¡°Junior Brother is the best.¡± Elder Senior Brother says a word on your behalf, and you butter him up? Linghu Chu, on the other hand, didn¡¯t take it to heart, knowing that his little Junior Sister¡¯s praise was as good as a fart, spontaneously given, and he waved his hand and left. He had been cultivating in the Obscure Weave Rank of the Golden Core Realm for a long time, just half a step away from forming a Nascent Infant, and he also had to start preparing recently. After all the senior brothers and sisters had left, Miss Shi put her hands on her hips and glared once more. But Luo Yan knew her too well and knew that the Miss¡¯s anger had dissipated by now; she was only continuing to maintain a ¡°angry¡± expression as not to let Luo Yan think she was easy to appease. ¡°Senior Sister, calm down,¡± Luo Yan said in an ingratiating tone, ¡°I didn¡¯t go out just for fun this time, but to seek out a secret realm.¡± ¡°Oh, a secret realm?¡± Shi Liuli¡¯s eyes immediately brightened. She loved those unknown secret realms that could be explored, but it was a pity that finding such realms usually depended on sifting through the vast collection of scriptures in the Daozang Pavilion, something she hated most was sitting still and reading¡­ ¡°Ahem.¡± She ¡°reluctantly¡± let go of her anger and said seriously, ¡°Tell me in detail, and I¡¯ll decide whether or not to forgive you.¡± ¡°Here¡¯s how it is, Senior Sister,¡± Luo Yan recounted the legend of the sheep sages, mentioning that he had followed the route to find Ruan Lang Pavilion, but could not break the restrictions at the entrance. ¡°Anyway, there must be an entrance hidden there!¡± he avowed. ¡°Indeed.¡± Shi Liuli found it hard not to support him. As for whether she truly believed there was a secret realm there or just wanted an excuse to go out and play, that remained unknown. ¡°I¡¯ve decided!¡± She swung her fist, ¡°Miss is going to find this secret realm!¡± ¡°Senior Sister, you¡¯re still grounded,¡± Luo Yan reminded her half-heartedly, ¡°Anyway, we should wait for Master to lift your confinement before seeking that secret realm, right? That¡¯s just in another twenty or thirty years¡­¡± The Kunlun Mirror listened indifferently to his antics with language, too lazy to even report the increase in Synchronization Value. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Sure enough, the moment she heard ¡°another twenty or thirty years,¡± Shi Liuli was almost ready to jump: ¡°What grounding? You must remember incorrectly! Father just said I should try to go out less, he didn¡¯t say I couldn¡¯t go out!¡± She feigned innocence with righteous indignation and walked out the door, with Luo Yan hastily following her: ¡°But what if Master asks afterward¡­¡± ¡°Just say you tried to stop me, but couldn¡¯t!¡± Chapter 269 - Chapter 269: Chapter 61: A Duos Trip to Kuocang Mountain Chapter 269: Chapter 61: A Duos¡¯ Trip to Kuocang Mountain Yangzhou, Kuocang Mountain. Shi Liuli walked joyfully through the mountain paths, sometimes touching the bushes growing wildly around her, sometimes running to the edge of a cliff to look down. Probably because she was born on an island and seldom visited the mainland, she had a special fondness for the scenery of the mountains. However, such an attitude that clearly indicated she was out for a leisurely stroll made Luo Yan couldn¡¯t help but complain internally. What happened to exploring the secret realm? Even if she wanted to have fun, at least she could pretend otherwise! If it were so, he wouldn¡¯t be worried¡­ but he feared that Miss Shi¡¯s penchant for play might cause them to miss the ¡°optimal time to get trapped,¡± leading to trouble if he couldn¡¯t get back in time to call for reinforcements. He must strictly control the timing without Shi Liuli noticing. ¡°The Daoist temple is just ahead,¡± Luo Yan said. ¡°I want to stay there!¡± Shi Liuli immediately responded. ¡°Senior Sister.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Are we here to explore the secret realm, or are we here for a trip?¡± Luo Yan asked weakly. Shi Liuli pondered for a moment, then said: ¡°Junior Brother.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°When you came here before, did you find the secret realm?¡± ¡°That I did not¡­¡± Luo Yan dragged out his words. ¡°And have you ever stayed in the Daoist temple?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°Then how do you know that staying in the Daoist temple for a few days won¡¯t help us find the entrance to the secret realm?¡± Shi Liuli asked with a smile, her eyes squinting. Luo Yan: ¡­¡­¡­.. That¡¯s a slippery slope argument, isn¡¯t it! Of course, he also couldn¡¯t say at this moment that the entrance mechanism had nothing to do with staying in the Daoist temple, otherwise he would be asked to ¡°provide evidence¡±. Therefore, Luo Yan could only pretend to be troubled and finally, grudgingly said: ¡°It¡¯s possible, but Senior Sister must not linger here too long. Otherwise, it would be difficult to explain to our master!¡± ¡°All right.¡± Shi Liuli then revealed a ¡°there¡¯s nothing I can do about you¡± expression, further irritating Luo Yan. The two entered the Daoist temple and requested to stay overnight with three old Daoist priests. In that era, it was very common to go deep into the mountains for leisure and then stay overnight in Buddhist temples or Daoist temples, after all, they could contribute to the temples¡¯ income. The three old Daoist priests happily agreed and even brought out the temple¡¯s treasured tea leaves to entertain the two guests. On a cold winter¡¯s day, brewing tea on a stove in the courtyard and warming hands by the fire was an interesting activity¡­ Luo Yan was thinking precisely that when he saw Shi Liuli, with tongs in hand, excitedly stuffing firewood into the stove. ¡°Why don¡¯t you use a fire control magical treasure?¡± Luo Yan asked curiously. ¡°Don¡¯t you have that Divine Fire Lamp?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t bring it.¡± Shi Liuli answered with unassailable confidence. When the water in the kettle was boiling, Miss Shi picked up the kettle and brewed tea for the two of them. Then she performed a technique¡ªshe clasped her hands together, chanted ¡°Stellar water essence, reflect Beiming¡¯s depths¡±, and cold starlight flowed out of her palms like a ribbon, falling into the tea, causing the rising wisps of steam to instantly dissipate. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Luo Yan asked again. ¡°It¡¯s a new Daoist magic I¡¯ve been practicing,¡± Shi Liuli said with a smile, her eyes squinting. ¡°It¡¯s called ¡®Right Six Yuan Fall Stellar Essence Talisman.¡¯ How about it, impressive, right?¡± ¡°Is it a derivative Daoist Magic of your Qi Refining Technique?¡± Luo Yan asked. ¡°Mm.¡± The ¡°Five Latitudes Heavenly Secret Record¡± was the cultivation technique Miss Shi had acquired from her trip to the Pavilion. According to Elder Shi Ding¡¯s appraisal, it was supposed to be a rare Qi Refining Technique that utilized the Stellar Force to assist with breathing exercises, so it wasn¡¯t surprising that there would be derivative Daoist Magics. From the effects of this technique, it appeared to be some sort of cultivation technique with a cold attribute¡­ Yet, having Miss Shi use it to cool her tea was quite in line with her character. Luo Yan, clasping the slightly chilled teacup, took a sip and found that the temperature was just right¡ªit wasn¡¯t too cold. With a touch of languor in his demeanor, he watched Shi Liuli sitting across from him, comfortably cradling her cup of tea. The slight movement of her throat revealed the delicate and slender beauty of her neck. Lowering his gaze, though, was a tad disappointing. However, considering her na?ve and childlike personality, her figure was probably normal. ¡°What are you looking at!¡± Shi Liuli suddenly became aware of his regretful gaze and slammed her palm onto the stone table, causing the stove to shudder. A beautiful hint of annoyance surfaced on her pretty face. ¡°Your outfit looks quite nice today, Senior Sister,¡± Luo Yan replied indifferently, calmly retracting his gaze. ¡°Really?¡± Shi Liuli immediately dissolved her angry expression, stared at her clothes for a long while, and showed a pleased look suggesting, ¡°You do have an eye for beauty.¡± Like Penglai, Kunlun, and Shushan, the sect had its own official Daoist robes, but most disciples did not like to wear them. Miss Shi was the most extravagant, with probably hundreds of dresses in the Heavenly Craft Workshop¡ªshe theoretically could go through the entire year without repeating an outfit. But whether it was her master or her fellow senior brothers and sisters, they were all very serious about cultivating and did not pay attention to the beauty of clothing¡­ Now, being complimented by Luo Yan, she immediately felt a sense of camaraderie as if ¡°only my junior brother understands me.¡± ¡°So, do you think my outfit today looks better, or did yesterday¡¯s?¡± Miss Shi asked smugly. Luo Yan: ??????? This question stumped him completely! After all, yesterday for Miss Shi was the day before, but for Luo Yan¡­ There were several months in between, including seeking Qiu Changtian, Ling Yunpo, and Wei Dongliu! Curse it! If she asked me this question tomorrow, how could I not have an answer? ¡°Ah Jing, help me!¡± Seeing Shi Liuli¡¯s increasingly suspicious face, Luo Yan hurriedly sought help from his accompanying elder sister figure. The Kunlun Mirror was silent for a moment, sighed, and then projected the image of the previous day in Luo Yan¡¯s timeline before his eyes. ¡°Today¡¯s is better!¡± Luo Yan immediately pretended to ponder and then replied, ¡°Today¡¯s dress has a more ethereal and celestial air, while yesterday¡¯s was too heavy; it seemed to hide your beauty, Senior Sister.¡± ¡°Right?¡± Shi Liuli beamed with joy, ¡°That dress yesterday was picked by Father, and I knew he has no aesthetic sense!¡± ¡°Your master still picks your clothes for you?¡± Luo Yan asked, astonished. ¡°He always complains that the clothes I wear aren¡¯t sober enough,¡± Shi Liuli said with a huff, ¡°What do you think, Junior Brother?¡± ¡°Not at all,¡± Luo Yan affirmed, staring at the fair skin below her neck, quickly adding his opinion. With no low neckline or V-collar, where does the idea of immodesty come from? The master, no, the Nascent Soul Elder, with a lifespan of a thousand years, truly is an old fuddy-duddy¡­ Plus, being an overprotective father on top of that, he¡¯s doubly conservative. Thinking of this, Luo Yan felt a bit uneasy. Leading Miss Shi out like this, won¡¯t I incur the master¡¯s displeasure? Sigh, I also have the elder¡¯s best interests at heart; he¡¯ll understand my good intentions after he realizes I¡¯ve helped him avoid disaster, right? After finishing their tea, the two went out for a walk. They strolled leisurely to Ruan Lang Pavilion, where Shi Liuli stared at the inscriptions on the rocky cliff and asked: Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Is it here?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. According to the records, Yang Yin got drunk here and stumbled into the secret realm,¡± Luo Yan replied. ¡°Hmm.¡± Miss Shi continued to look at the inscriptions and suddenly asked, ¡°Do you think the entrance to the secret realm could be behind this cliff?¡± Luo Yan was startled, only to hear Shi Liuli continue: ¡°Why don¡¯t we just strike it with Daoist Magic and see?¡± Chapter 270 - Chapter 270: Chapter 62 Sending Miss Shi into the Secret Realm Chapter 270: Chapter 62 Sending Miss Shi into the Secret Realm Almost ten days had passed. Unable to find the entrance to the secret realm, Shi Liuli¡¯s initial fascination had gradually turned into restlessness, gloom, and even despair. ¡°I don¡¯t want to look anymore!¡± In Jinyun Temple¡¯s guestroom, Miss Shi rolled around on the bed, ¡°You look for it, you look for it, you look for it¡­¡± Luo Yan immediately showed a worried and troubled expression, but thought to himself: Of course I can look for you, but we still have to wait another two days. ¡°I¡¯ve decided!¡± She suddenly jumped out of bed, ¡°It¡¯s been so many days, father must be very worried. Sigh, I¡¯m really unfilial¡­¡± Miss Shi said as she started to walk out, scaring Luo Yan into action as he hurriedly tried to stop her, saying: ¡°How about we look one more time? If we still don¡¯t find any clues, we¡¯ll go back.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Shi Liuli looked at Luo Yan, and for some reason, suddenly felt a twinge of guilt. She knew that her little junior brother hadn¡¯t originally planned to bring her along. It was she who, upon hearing the words ¡®secret realm,¡¯ insisted on following him here. And now that she couldn¡¯t find the secret realm, she was venting her frustration on her junior brother and clamoring to return first? With this thought, a sense of guilt surged in her heart. So she slowed her tone, showed a gentle smile, and said: ¡°Alright then. Let¡¯s go have another look.¡± The two left the Taoist temple and headed toward Ruan Lang Pavilion. It was colder in the mountains recently, and the grass and leaves by the roadside were covered with a bright, white frost. Walking beside Shi Liuli, Luo Yan caught a glimpse of the young lady¡¯s listless appearance from the corner of his eye and felt somewhat helpless inside. I¡¯m doing all this to save you, and yet you resent me for it¡­ Tsk. Returning to Ruan Lang Pavilion, Shi Liuli sat down in the pavilion and looked around boredly. In the past ten days, she had searched every inch of the pavilion, stopping just short of prying it up and digging three feet into the ground. Therefore, Miss Shi currently had no interest in continuing the search¡ªbecause she had no idea where else she could possibly look. Luo Yan, as if performing magic, took out a brazier and a wine pot from the storage bag he had prepared in advance, and smiled, saying: ¡°If we want to find an ancient secret realm, I think we should start with the story of Ah Jing.¡± Miss Shi, not too obtuse herself, saw the wine pot and suddenly realized: ¡°Are you saying we should get as drunk as Ah Jing did, and then, as the legend says, we might be guided into the secret realm by immortals while in a daze?¡± Luo Yan: ¡­¡­ No, if someone really appears while you¡¯re dead drunk, they¡¯re probably up to no good. And you¡¯re still willing to follow them? He didn¡¯t want to criticize Miss Shi¡¯s bizarre ideas, but instead he continued: ¡°Let¡¯s just give it a try first. Maybe it¡¯ll work?¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ve never drunk alcohol before¡­¡± Miss Shi watched as Luo Yan warmed the wine, looking a little nervous. ¡°Big senior brother loves to drink so much, he¡¯s never tricked you into drinking?¡± Luo Yan asked incredulously. He still remembered the time when Linghu Chu invited him to drink Zhu Guo wine, claiming it ¡°could enhance half a Jiazi¡¯s Qi Refinement cultivation.¡± It was only after drinking he was told, ¡°It¡¯ll take about thirty years to digest the wine¡¯s effects.¡± ¡°Actually, I¡¯ve drunk once.¡± Shi Liuli said as she rested her chin in her hand, ¡°When I was little¡­ well, about waist-high compared to now, big senior brother tricked me into drinking what he called ¡®Osmanthus wine,¡¯ and told me it was sweet.¡± ¡°And then?¡± Luo Yan thought, Linghu Chu, you dare to deceive even a little girl? ¡°Then my father caught us.¡± Shi Liuli chuckled, ¡°Big senior brother got a beating.¡± Luo Yan was speechless, thinking that having been caught by Elder Shi Ding, the doting father, Linghu Chu would likely never dare to trick Miss Shi into drinking again. Soon the wine was warm, and Luo Yan first poured a cup for Miss Shi before filling his own. ¡°Drinking this, we shouldn¡¯t use True Yuan to counteract the alcohol, right?¡± Shi Liuli held up her cup, hesitantly asking. ¡°Of course.¡± Luo Yan said, ¡°Ah Jing got ¡®dead drunk.¡¯ How can you activate the secret realm if you remain sober?¡± ¡°You sound so sure, junior brother?¡± Shi Liuli huffed, ¡°If I get drunk and the secret realm still doesn¡¯t appear, you¡¯re finished, I¡¯m telling you.¡± ¡°Sister, when you¡¯re drunk, what can you do?¡± Luo Yan started with a smile on his face, then suddenly realized his mistake and quickly shut his mouth. Why did it sound like I was planning to take advantage of her while she was drunk? ¡°Alright, I do need to do some things to her, but it¡¯s all for her own good!¡± Shi Liuli had no suspicions, merely lifting the cup to her lips and taking a light sip. ¡°So bitter! And a bit spicy¡­ not tasty at all,¡± she stuck out her little tongue, making an adorably playful frown. ¡°Hang in there, Senior Sister,¡± Luo Yan said with keen eyes, ¡°Finish this cup!¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you drink?¡± Shi Liuli said angrily, ¡°Trying to get me drunk¡­ burp, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it at all!¡± Luo Yan immediately put on an aggrieved expression, ¡°If that secret realm truly requires one to be drunk to enter, how can you do so without getting drunk, Senior Sister?¡± ¡°Really?¡± Shi Liuli¡¯s doubtful gaze swirled around him, but in the end, she believed her good junior brother with whom she spent day and night, and thus she raised her cup and downed it in one gulp. ¡°Senior Sister, bravo! Have another!¡± Luo Yan hurriedly, diligently poured her more wine. ¡°Senior Sister has a really good capacity for liquor, can you still drink?¡± ¡°Senior Sister, I see you in a new light, here¡¯s a full cup for you.¡± After three rounds of drinks, Shi Liuli was already a bit tipsy, and suddenly she slammed the table and called out: ¡°You¡­ Junior Brother, why aren¡¯t you drinking? Trying to get me drunk, and then¡­ have your way with me, right?¡± ¡°Senior Sister, one can drink recklessly, but words must not be spoken lightly!¡± Luo Yan retorted right away, ¡°Elder Brother was nearly beaten to death by Master just for tricking you into drinking; if I dared to have any improper thoughts about you, would Master not directly extract my soul and spirit?¡± ¡°That¡¯s also true,¡± Shi Liuli mumbled, after all, the word ¡°father¡± always gave her a great sense of security. So she gave Luo Yan a sideways glance, smugly saying: ¡°I bet you wouldn¡¯t dare.¡± That glance was coquettish and amorous, filled with allure, causing Luo Yan to also feel his mouth go dry and his tongue parched. Miss Shi was naturally beautiful and delicate, the top-tier representation of the delicate beauty type, only her childlike speech usually prevented people from harboring any thoughts about her. Now that she was slightly drunk, she became even more innocently charming, almost irresistible¡­ Of course, Luo Yan could not be swayed; after all, he had received professional training, so he just poured wine for himself with a smile, drank it all under Senior Sister¡¯s watchful eyes, and then quietly circulated his True Yuan to refine it. Seeing him drink as well, Shi Liuli finally let go of her last cautiousness and started to drink fuzzily. ¡°Senior Sister?¡± Luo Yan, seeing she had drunk about enough, tried calling out, ¡°Senior Sister?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Shi Liuli swayed, seemingly about to lay down on the table, but still trying to hold herself up. ¡°Ah Jing!¡± Luo Yan called out urgently. ¡°I¡¯m here.¡± The Kunlun Mirror immediately cast the Mirror Flower Water Moon Illusion Technique on Shi Liuli. This Illusion Technique contained very secretive psychological suggestions that could make one mistake Chen Guanshui for Qiu Changtian, Ling Yunpo, Luo Yan, and other personas, and it was naturally usable for other purposes as well. Now that Miss Shi was already out of her senses, how could she resist Ah Jing¡¯s Illusion Technique? She thought she was in her bedroom and slowly lay down on the ground intending to sleep. Suddenly, she saw characters seemingly etched on the bedroom wall. She strained her eyes to look, her gaze falling on a lower recess of the cliff. She had only read half of the little poem there when her entire being suddenly vanished. She had been transported into the secret realm. Excellent! Luo Yan¡¯s spirits soared, and he immediately lay on the ground too, entering the secret realm. Within the secret realm, at the end of the cavern, Shi Liuli could no longer fend off the drowsiness and began to sleep soundly right where she was. Luo Yan carefully picked her up and then walked towards the valley ahead. Pushing open the great doors of ¡°King¡¯s Mansion,¡± Luo Yan placed Shi Liuli on the ground, bowed to the Taoist apparition inside, and said: ¡°This junior pays respects to King. I have an inconvenient request and hope the senior will consider it.¡± ¡°What request?¡± The Taoist apparition turned around and spoke indifferently. ¡°This junior wishes to seek shelter in your esteemed land for my Senior Sister and ask that you not reveal that I brought her here,¡± Luo Yan earnestly said, ¡°In a few days, this junior will surely send someone to fetch her back.¡± ¡°That should be fine,¡± the Taoist apparition nodded, ¡°This secret realm was built to aid the younger generation, and there¡¯s no reason to turn anyone away.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°When she wakes up, I¡¯ll treat her as a trialist, let her face the trials, nothing more will be said.¡± ¡°Thank you, senior.¡± This response was within Luo Yan¡¯s expectations¡ªhe had long maxed out the good feelings of the senior and had a fairly good grasp of his disposition. So, he bowed again and then extended his hand to press several major acupoints on Shi Liuli, infusing True Yuan, and quickly neutralizing the alcohol in her body. About five breaths later, Shi Liuli slowly came to. By then, Luo Yan had already run off without a trace. Chapter 271 - Chapter 271: Chapter 63: The Immortal Stroked My Head, Bestowed Upon Me Fine Gifts Chapter 271: Chapter 63: The Immortal Stroked My Head, Bestowed Upon Me Fine Gifts ¡°Where am I¡­?¡± Shi Liuli slowly sat up, dazed in place for a while. She looked around, but didn¡¯t see Luo Yan¡¯s figure, only the phantom of a Taoist priest, seated cross-legged on a meditation cushion, his eyes closed in meditation. She suddenly realized: She seemed to have entered a secret realm. But what about her younger martial brother? ¡°Senior,¡± Shi Liuli hesitantly asked, ¡°have you seen my younger martial brother? The male cultivator whose eyes are always slightly squinted, and who has a silly smile¡­¡± ¡°This is the Minor Heavenly King¡¯s Mansion,¡± the Taoist priest said indifferently, ¡°provided for trialists who enter the secret realm to study Daoist magic.¡± Even though it was just a phantom of the priest, it still inherited the original owner¡¯s memories and personality. Having promised Luo Yan not to talk too much, he definitely wouldn¡¯t say an extra word. He slowly opened his eyes and looked at Shi Liuli, who wore a confused expression, and asked: ¡°Do you want to practice Daoist magic?¡± ¡­¡­¡­ Luo Yan took his time flying back to Penglai Immortal Island on his sword but didn¡¯t hurry to land near Yuqing View. Instead, he rubbed his face to adopt a panicked and terrified expression. Then he rushed straight to Heavenly Craft Workshop. ¡°This is terrible! Terrible!¡± He went directly to Elder Shi Ding¡¯s residence, shouting loudly, ¡°Master, elder sister has been captured by the secret realm!¡± Elder Shi Ding: ? After Luo Yan had finished explaining the situation, panting and out of breath, Elder Shi Ding sighed helplessly with a complex look in his eyes as he looked at Luo Yan. The more one frequents the mountains, the more likely an encounter with a tiger is; his daughter was always wandering around, so it was only a matter of time before trouble found her. Fortunately, from Luo Yan¡¯s description, it didn¡¯t sound like she had been captured by the Demon Cult but instead had blundered into the secret realm by mistake¡­ pah pah pah, what does ¡°captured by the secret realm¡± even mean? ¡°Lead the way for your master,¡± Elder Shi Ding said as he got up, his demeanor a bit more composed than Luo Yan had expected. ¡°Master, should we also bring along our martial brothers and sisters?¡± Luo Yan proposed, ¡°The mechanism of the secret realm entrance is unknown, and it might just fall within someone¡¯s area of expertise by chance.¡± ¡°No need,¡± Elder Shi Ding waved his hand, ¡°They learned all of their skills from me, what can they do that I cannot?¡± Luo Yan: ¡­¡­¡­ He originally intended to save more people, but since he couldn¡¯t persuade his master and couldn¡¯t risk exposing himself by revealing more information, he could only hope his martial brothers and sisters could fend for themselves. The two left the Daoist temple, and as Luo Yan was about to fly off on his sword, he saw Elder Shi Ding take out a Meng Chong magical treasure from his sleeve, throw it into the air, and it transformed into a large ship. ¡°Come aboard,¡± Elder Shi Ding instructed from the deck. Luo Yan hastily flew onto the ship, and as the deck beneath his feet vibrated slightly, it turned into a ray of light, streaking rapidly toward the southwest. Too fast! Much too fast! Although you¡¯re anxious to save your daughter, master, at this full-speed run, we might not only save Miss Shi but also get back in time to defend against a hundred thousand demons attacking Penglai! Luo Yan¡¯s expression turned grave as he anxiously racked his brain. Seeing his anxious and sorrowful face, Elder Shi Ding thought the young man was sincere and said to comfort him: ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Liuli might be a bit spoiled usually, but at the end of the day, she is bright and lucky. If that secret realm has protective mechanisms like the Pavilion, there¡¯s even less reason to be concerned.¡± ¡°Lucky¡± I can agree with, ¡°bright¡± I¡¯m not so sure about¡­ Luo Yan mused silently but then asked aloud: ¡°Ah Jing, do you think master will be able to break the entrance restrictions of the secret realm?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± the Kunlun Mirror replied. ¡°How can you not be sure!¡± Luo Yan immediately became furious. ¡°How am I supposed to know your master¡¯s level?¡± the Kunlun Mirror shot back, also annoyed. ¡°` ¡°You have that scanning thing, don¡¯t you!¡± Luo Yan tried to argue forcefully. ¡°Scanning can only detect material objects, it can¡¯t read thoughts!¡± Kunlun Mirror spoke loudly, ¡°Otherwise, I would have thoroughly scanned your brain a long time ago to see what kind of mess you have in there! To think you would berate me over something like this!¡± Luo Yan: ¡­¡­¡­. Having been rebuffed by the broken mirror, he found himself at a loss for words, looking even more displeased. Meanwhile, inside the Kuocang Mountain Secret Realm. Shi Liuli left the small building with a dusty face, in an extremely foul mood. What kind of lousy secret realm is this? No treasures, no serendipity, just three old Daoists who, upon meeting her, would start training her in various Daoist magics, swordsmanship, and art calculations, followed by theoretical teachings, pointing out her shortcomings¡­ If Elder Shi Ding were here, he would immediately recognize this as the so-called ¡°Heritage Secret Realm,¡± built by immortals (mostly from loose cultivator backgrounds) who hoped to pass down their Daoist lineage, the most harmless type among all secret realms. However, for Miss Shi, the plethora of inheritances at Yuqing View were enough for her to study for a lifetime, so why bother learning from three Daoist phantoms here? If she could leave this place¡­ With gritted teeth and a bit of reluctance, Shi Liuli began searching the valley again. The valley wasn¡¯t large, she had turned over every inch of it, even stumbling upon the original cave again. Yet under the veil of Kunlun Mirror¡¯s illusion technique, she completely missed the inscriptions behind the vines. Considering she had come here drunk, could it be that she needed to be equally intoxicated to leave? No, that can¡¯t be right. According to the stories shared by her junior brother, Yang An left after visiting the three Daoists. That meant the authority to exit the secret realm lay in the hands of those three Daoists! Having no other options, Shi Liuli stepped once more into ¡°Huayang Thatched Pavilion.¡± Inside was a gaunt old man, dressed like a Daoist, standing with his hands tied. Seeing her enter again, the old man chuckled and said: ¡°Swordsmanship requires daily practice. Very good.¡± ¡°Cut the crap!¡± Shi Liuli drew her Immortal Sword, shouted fiercely, ¡°If I defeat you, you must let me out of the secret realm!¡± ¡°Why not?¡± The old man laughed, ¡°You girl have sufficient comprehension; you¡¯re just too lazy. Your swordsmanship has obviously improved a lot over these sessions¡­¡± ¡°Stop evaluating me!¡± Shi Liuli raised her sword and thrust directly at the old man. ¡°I¡¯ve discussed with the other two,¡± the old man said nonchalantly as he controlled the Flying Sword to block Shi Liuli¡¯s attack, ¡°If you meet our assessment criteria, we are prepared to pass on the secret treasures we have hidden here for you to inherit. It¡¯s not impossible.¡± ¡°What inheritance?¡± Shi Liuli suddenly stopped. ¡°Your Daoist foundation, you¡¯ve practiced the ¡®Five Latitudes Heavenly Secret Record,¡¯ right?¡± the old man said slowly, ¡°There¡¯s a magical treasure on King¡¯s side, called the ¡®Taiwei Hook Chen Brilliant Soul Star Sand¡¯¡­¡± ¡°Is it powerful?¡± Shi Liuli¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Using your Five Latitude Stellar True Essence to activate it can turn it into a sky of dazzling stardust. Anyone caught in the Milky Way will be pulverized in an instant. Tell me, is that not powerful?¡± the old man stroked his beard and smiled. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, it must be powerful!¡± Miss Shi¡¯s face lit up with a smile too. ¡°I have an Immortal Sword here, called ¡®Purple Extreme Han Yuan¡¯.¡± The old man went on, ¡°Although it doesn¡¯t compare to King¡¯s Taiwei Star Sand, it¡¯s still better than the sword you¡¯re currently using.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only My sword is a Tenth Rank! Shi Liuli was initially disbelieving, but then she reacted and was immediately overjoyed: Could it be that the Purple Extreme Han Yuan Sword is an Eleventh Rank Immortal Sword? ¡°Additionally, your destiny is quite peculiar,¡± the old man added slowly, ¡°Zhen Xuan, the Destiny Augur King, said that if you¡¯re willing to take up his Art Calculation inheritance, he would teach you a secret technique. With diligent practice, you can prevent the chaos of fortune and misfortune, maintaining balance.¡± Shi Liuli initially overjoyed, frowned upon hearing this. She had no desire to learn some secret technique! Chapter 272 - Chapter 272: Chapter 64: Master is also at his wits end! Chapter 272: Chapter 64: Master is also at his wit¡¯s end! If Shi Liuli could have another chance, she would definitely bring all the magical treasures she could carry with her before leaving home. She¡¯d cover herself with the Jade Emperor Bell and whip wildly ahead with the Divine Striking Whip, not caring about any swordsmanship or Daoist magic, and beat everything into a mushy pulp in one breath. ¡°That won¡¯t do,¡± the mildly amused Heavenly King said, skillfully manipulating Daoist magic to once again repel the disheveled Shi Liuli, and spoke, ¡°In our time, there was an old saying, ¡®Qi refinement is the foundation, spells are the means, and magical treasures are external objects.¡¯¡± ¡°What you cultivate through your own breathing is what you can truly control. Whereas magical treasures are handy, they don¡¯t help your growth in the slightest.¡± ¡°I know!¡± Shi Liuli said impatiently. This was nothing but the same old tune, for Elder Shi Ding had told her this hundreds of times. Useless. Miss Shi was so lazy that anything requiring her to cultivate for over a month was preemptively abandoned in her mind. This time, however, she was trapped in the secret realm with no escape, and so she was forced to diligently cultivate Daoist magic, swordsmanship, and art calculations to meet the standards demanded by the three Daoist apparitions in this place. She brought her palms together again and shouted, ¡°Chen Xing Water Essence, reflect the Beiming,¡± and her True Yuan surged within her along a specific route, with a great deal of starlight emerging from the joining of her palms. Cold as icy smoke and bright as the stars, it rushed towards the old Daoist across from her. The old Daoist chuckled and flicked his finger, summoning a whirlwind of black air to wrestle with the dazzling starlight. For most Daoist magic, unless there is an encounter with mutually enhancing or countering elements (like the Five Elements Divine Light overpowering anything not covered by the Five Elements), it¡¯s mostly a contest of strength. Whose True Yuan is more vigorous, whose Daoist magic is more refined, that person will be able to crush the opponent¡¯s magic ahead of time. Of course, control skills of True Yuan are also very important. Excellent control can increase the power by up to fifty percent given the same base of True Yuan¡­ and that¡¯s a significant proportion. Training control skills requires a lot of patience, and patience is precisely what Shi Liuli lacks the most, resulting in her original rudimentary control of True Yuan ¨C barely any finesse whatsoever. But in this secret realm, out of necessity, she had no choice but to patiently cultivate it. ¡°Not bad, not bad,¡± seeing her ¡°Right Six Yuan Chen Xing Essence Talisman¡± becoming more adept and her control of starlight extraordinarily stable, the old Daoist finally nodded, withdrawing his own Daoist magic, ¡°It¡¯s not easy to cultivate to such a degree. You¡¯ve passed this level.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Shi Liuli let out a sigh of relief, then said with surprise, ¡°Does that mean I can have that very powerful¡­ whatever stardust magical treasure now?¡± ¡°Not yet,¡± the old Daoist said with a smile, seeing through her little ruse, ¡°You have to pass the tests set by all three of us before you can get all the rewards.¡± Shi Liuli: ¡­¡­ ¡°This is so boring,¡± she murmured dejectedly and turned to leave. After leaving the residence of Heavenly King, Shi Liuli stood before the other two pavilions, hesitating once more. What should she tackle next, the swordsmanship challenge or the calculation art challenge? If you ask Miss Shi, she wouldn¡¯t want to try either. Swordsmanship was absolutely Shi Liuli¡¯s weak spot. It¡¯s largely because swordsmanship tests ¡°eyesight¡± and ¡°reaction speed,¡± and having almost no actual combat experience from a young age, Shi Liuli had decent eyesight but her reaction speed was painfully slow. Often, her Flying Sword had reached her neck before she began to scream in terror. As for art calculations, although not as difficult as swordsmanship, the trouble was several times greater. This thing is a bit like mathematics, it first requires a great deal of memory, then a great deal of calculation, and finally, a great deal of inference. Three ¡°great deals¡±, indicating its troublesome nature, and considering that Miss Shi is the person who hates trouble the most, one can imagine her aversion to learning Art Calculation. After thinking it over, swordsmanship ultimately could not be beaten, so he had to choose Art Calculation. Outside the secret realm, Luo Yan had already brought Elder Shi Ding and landed in the midst of Kuocang Mountain, outside Ruan Lang Pavilion. ¡°It was right here,¡± Luo Yan pointed to the pavilion and said, ¡°We imitated the old tales of Yang An, drinking here.¡± ¡°After my senior sister got drunk, she suddenly disappeared.¡± ¡°Hmm, let me try,¡± Elder Shi Ding nodded and said. He took out a large number of array flags from his storage bag, waved his hand, and those nearly one hundred array flags scattered and vanished without a trace. Then, Elder Shi Ding took out a compass Magical Treasure, cradled it in his palm, and silently recited the calculation words. ¡°Tai Yi Huang Ying Ding Xing Pan?¡± the Green Duckweed Sword suddenly spoke. ¡°What is that?¡± Luo Yan anxiously asked. ¡°A top-tier Strange Object for measuring geomancy,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword replied, ¡°I reckon the entrance to the secret realm won¡¯t stay hidden for much longer, and it will soon be discovered by your master.¡± ¡°Ah Jing!¡± Luo Yan urgently said, ¡°Quickly lend me a helping hand!¡± With at least a day and a half before the hundred thousand gods and demons attack Penglai, how could he let his master find his senior sister so quickly? The Kunlun Mirror sighed and then covertly activated its time-space abilities. Elder Shi Ding had just pinched a few Daoist Formulas, when all of a sudden, he saw the magnetic needle on the Tai Yi Huang Ying Ding Xing Pan spin wildly and crazily like a headless fly. ¡°Time-space abilities?!¡± Elder Shi Ding exclaimed, ¡°There are time-space abilities in the restrictions here?¡± ¡°Master, are these time-space abilities¡­very powerful?¡± Luo Yan pretended not to understand. ¡°Time and space are the most obscure of the great Daos,¡± Elder Shi Ding said with a solemn expression, ¡°For example, the highest-tier shuttle Magical Treasures would involve spatial abilities.¡± ¡°As for the abilities of time, they are even rarer¡­ Hmm, the complexity of the restrictions here is extraordinary, I don¡¯t have the right equipment on hand to deal with it.¡± He tossed the compass to Luo Yan and said, ¡°Take this Magical Treasure and return to Yuqing View to exchange it for the ¡®Liang Yi Zhou Tian Fen Shui Pan¡¯ from the Master of Xuan Du.¡± ¡°Yes, master,¡± Luo Yan took the Magical Treasure and after a moment¡¯s thought, he added, ¡°There is a Daoist temple down the mountain in that direction. Master can rest there before I return.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Elder Shi Ding nodded. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only So Luo Yan once again rose on his Flying Sword, and only after flying out of the bounds of Kuocang Mountain did he show a trace of joy on his face. Coming here on my master¡¯s Meng Chong Magical Treasure and returning on the Sword Control Technique, my Sword Control Technique is not proficient, so it¡¯s normal to be a bit slower, right? Returning to the East Sea, I¡¯ll just happen to find the hundred thousand gods and demons attacking Penglai; in the midst of panic, I won¡¯t be able to enter Yuqing View and will have to turn back to find my master, that¡¯s very reasonable, right? The Sect Residence being besieged by a large number of real persons and elders from the Demon Cult, people inside can¡¯t escape at all, my master would naturally rush to seek help from Kunlun, that¡¯s a natural course of action, right? That way, I¡¯ll perfectly avoid the murky waters of Yuqing View! Chapter 273 - Chapter 273: Chapter 65: Spy Hunting Spy Chapter 273: Chapter 65: Spy Hunting Spy Luo Yan dragged his feet, slow and unhurried, finally reaching Penglai Immortal Island. According to what the captured Ai Zhenzhi had confessed, the expedition team had arrived here in the morning. However, the surroundings were calm and tranquil, with not a shadow of a Demon Cult Cultivator in sight. He immediately grew suspicious¡ªcould it be that Ai Zhenzhi had lied? After lurking on the sea for nearly an hour, the Demon Cult Cultivators still did not appear. So, Luo Yan sighed and urged his sword light to descend upon Penglai Island. If he delayed any longer in returning, his master would likely grow suspicious. Back at Yuqing View, Luo Yan planned to go straight to the Sect Leader of Xuandu. As soon as his steps entered the pavilion, he saw about a dozen Disciplinary Hall cultivators surging out from both sides, all dressed in white robes, with stern expressions. Leading them was the head of the Disciplinary Hall, Elder Jiu Ling, who pointed at Luo Yan, sealing all his cultivation. Luo Yan: ?????????? His first thought was that his spy identity had been exposed, and he was about to urgently call out to Ah Jing to take him away, when he saw Elder Jiu Ling extend a finger and press several key points on his body. With spiritual power circulating, divine sense carefully swept over him. ¡°There¡¯s no trace of the Ten Aspects Release Method,¡± Elder Jiu Ling waved his hand, and the surrounding cultivators all breathed a sigh of relief, instantly releasing the restraints on Luo Yan. Once again free, Luo Yan pretended to be puzzled and asked, ¡°Senior, is there a Heavenly Demon Path Cultivator that has infiltrated the View?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a Heavenly Demon Path Cultivator,¡± Elder Jiu Ling said succinctly, ¡°It¡¯s a Hell Path Cultivator.¡± Luo Yan was startled, his heart churning like a stormy sea. What? The one Wei Dongliu had desperately sought was actually found by Luo Yan? ¡°Your Heavenly Craft Workshop¡¯s fourth disciple, Shi Wenshi, is dead. From the scene, it was determined that a Hell Path Cultivator was responsible,¡± Elder Jiu Ling continued, ¡°The murderer must be hiding within the View, and all disciples must cooperate with the investigation. Luo Yan, go back to the Heavenly Craft Workshop right now, and you are not to leave¡­ Right, where¡¯s your master?¡± ¡°My master is out on some business,¡± Luo Yan replied, his eyes dull, but inside, he was screaming, this is not good. To come across such a matter! How am I supposed to escape now? Keep in mind, even if a hundred thousand gods and demons were to attack Penglai, Luo Yan wouldn¡¯t fear at all. As long as he found a place, let Ah Jing teleport him away, the so-called Demon Cult¡¯s siege would be a joke. But if Yuqing View restricts his movements, then unless he¡¯s ready to defect from the sect, he really has no way to escape¡ªonce he leaves, he¡¯ll be treated as a suspect of being a traitor, but how could he continue to mix in Penglai afterward? Forget it, he could only return to the Heavenly Craft Workshop first and investigate who the traitor was by the way. Luo Yan silently walked toward the Heavenly Craft Workshop, then suddenly realized something: What does ¡°established history cannot be changed¡± mean? I recall Ai Zhenzhi saying the Divine Striking Whip was obtained from a ¡°young Array Master.¡± That means, when the Protective Sect Array is breached, I will inevitably be besieged by some true members of the Demon Cult and elders. I¡¯ll have no choice but to wield the Divine Striking Whip for self-preservation, thus completing the closure of temporal significance¡­ So, this return of mine is precisely why I¡¯ve encountered such a mess! Tsk, once I¡¯ve observed the outcome of the future, the future becomes unavoidable, right? Back at the Heavenly Craft Workshop, Luo Yan saw his third senior sister, Liang Ruohua, coming out from the inner room after completing the interrogation. ¡°Junior brother,¡± she nodded at Luo Yan, her eyes still slightly swollen, ¡°You can go in. Don¡¯t worry, they won¡¯t make things difficult for you.¡± Luo Yan remained silent for a moment, then nodded. The inner room was originally the storage room of the Heavenly Craft Workshop but had now been temporarily requisitioned by the Disciplinary Hall. As Luo Yan entered the inner room, he saw a Disciplinary Hall male cultivator standing by, adjusting a mirror-like magical treasure¡ªprobably some kind of lie detecting tool. Another female cultivator sat behind the table, gesturing for Luo Yan to sit down opposite her. ¡°Where were you at the third quarter of Chen hour this morning?¡± The other party asked directly. ¡°I was with Master on the way to Yangzhou,¡± Luo Yan honestly replied. The two cultivators looked at each other for a moment. With Elder Shi Ding¡­ that would be the perfect alibi; the murderer¡¯s suspicion could almost be excluded. ¡°Your senior sister Shi Liuli, she hasn¡¯t appeared in the pavilion for over ten days,¡± the female cultivator continued to ask, ¡°do you know where she is?¡± ¡°I do,¡± Luo Yan continued nodding, ¡°She is trapped in a secret realm in Kuocang Mountain; Master and I were going there to save her.¡± ¡°Then why did you come back?¡± the male cultivator asked. ¡°Master sent me back to borrow a magical treasure from the Pavilion Master,¡± Luo Yan answered. The two Disciplinary Hall cultivators fell silent for a moment before the female cultivator spoke up: ¡°All right. Do not leave Heavenly Craft Workshop during this time; we will notify you after the review is concluded.¡± ¡°May I ask, how did my fourth senior brother die?¡± Luo Yan asked tentatively. ¡°Outside your master¡¯s study,¡± the female cultivator hesitated for a moment before replying, ¡°He fell after his soul was drawn out by a Hell Path evil spell.¡± ¡°We suspect the murderer sneaked into your master¡¯s study to search for something and was just happened to be seen by your fourth senior brother passing by.¡± ¡°A brief magical competition occurred between them, and by the time we were alerted and arrived, your fourth senior brother was already killed, and the murderer was long gone.¡± Hearing this, Luo Yan fell into contemplation: clearly, what the traitor was trying to find, might very well have a direct cause and effect relationship with the eventual breach of the Penglai Island¡¯s Protective Sect Array. Since the breach of the array is an imminent fact that is bound to happen, it seems there¡¯s no need for me to intervene to prevent it. The key is to find the traitor who killed my fourth senior brother to avoid being backstabbed by them when I make my escape. This traitor, nine times out of ten, is among the Heavenly Craft Workshop! Right among my senior brothers and sisters! ¡°Alright,¡± he sighed and got up. Leaving the inner chamber, Luo Yan did not head to his own bedroom, but instead went straight to Miss Shi¡¯s room and pushed the door open. From the corner of the drawer¡¯s storage bag, he fished out the Divine Striking Whip and the Jade Emperor¡¯s Bell. This Miss Shi¡­ to carelessly place Tenth Rank Magical Treasures like this without even setting up an array for protection, she really is careless! After securing both treasures, Luo Yan hurriedly left and came to the door of his eldest senior brother, Linghu Chu. He knocked on the door, only to find that his eldest senior brother was not inside. So he went to his second senior sister¡¯s residence. The door was open, and there was no one inside. ¡°Stop looking.¡± Liang Ruohua, his third senior sister, opened her door and poked her head out to say, ¡°Your eldest senior brother is being interrogated.¡± ¡°What about second senior sister?¡± ¡°She just got back from being interrogated and went to the zither workshop.¡± ¡°Third senior sister,¡± Luo Yan said with a grave tone, ¡°do you think the murderer could be one of our Heavenly Craft Workshop people?¡± Liang Ruohua¡¯s face shifted slightly, and after a moment, her gaze turned cold: ¡°Are you suspecting your eldest senior brother? Or your second senior sister? Or are you suspecting me?¡± ¡°If I suspected senior sister, I wouldn¡¯t have asked directly,¡± Luo Yan calmly replied. ¡°Your second senior sister is a dull character, and she has always had a good relationship with your fourth senior brother, why would she kill him?¡± Liang Ruohua spoke coldly, ¡°As for your eldest senior brother¡­ he has taken such good care of you and Liuli in the past; you should trust him even less.¡± ¡°I see,¡± said Luo Yan with an unconcerned smile, ¡°It was my mistake to rashly suspect my senior brother and sister. We might as well assume fourth senior brother committed suicide; I won¡¯t look for a murderer anymore.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°You¡­ come back!¡± Seeing Luo Yan turn around to leave, Liang Ruohua hurriedly called him back. ¡°What is it, senior sister?¡± Luo Yan turned his head to ask. ¡°Come in first,¡± Liang Ruohua stepped back half a step and said with a worried tone, ¡°I have something to tell you.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Luo Yan turned and came back, his demeanor calm and collected. In his sleeves, his hands were already forming the spell for the Five Elements Divine Light. Chapter 274 - Chapter 274: Chapter 66: 100,000 Gods and Demons Attack Penglai Chapter 274: Chapter 66: 100,000 Gods and Demons Attack Penglai Liang Ruohua pulled Luo Yan into the room, then closed the door before speaking, ¡°Little Junior Brother, how do you feel everyone at Heavenly Craft Workshop treats you?¡± ¡°They treat me as if I were a family member,¡± Luo Yan replied very sincerely. Liang Ruohua was indeed moved by his expression and sighed, ¡°To be honest, I too hope that the murderer is actually someone from outside.¡± ¡°But¡­ if, as the Disciplinary Hall says, the culprit is from a Hell Path Cultivator, then the situation would be extremely bad for us.¡± ¡°Hell Path?¡± Luo Yan expressed just the right amount of curiosity, ¡°I¡¯ve only heard that it¡¯s one of the six paths of the Demon Cult, but they almost never show themselves in public.¡± ¡°They indeed never appear publicly,¡± Liang Ruohua sighed, ¡°but they have traitors within all the major Sects¡­ Almost every few hundred years, our Yuqing View discovers one or two of them.¡± Luo Yan: ¡­¡­¡­ Wait, does this mean I¡¯ve been reincarnated into the wrong life? If I could have been reborn as a Hell Path Cultivator, with their network of traitors within the major Sects, plus Ah Jing¡¯s Mirror Flower Water Moon abilities¡­ Of course, and most importantly, with my outstanding acting and intelligence, wouldn¡¯t collecting the fragments of the Heaven-Mending Stone be a matter of minutes? Makes sense! If Wei Dongliu does indeed connect with the Hell Path one day, I¡¯ll first see if there¡¯s an opportunity to switch sides! ¡°Major Sects?¡± Luo Yan showed an incredulous look of astonishment, ¡°You mean, even the other five paths of the Demon Cult have them?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Liang Ruohua nodded. ¡°What are they trying to do?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Liang Ruohua responded with a sigh, ¡°but according to Master and the seniors in our Sect, the Hell Path definitely has a long-term, secret plan to manipulate the situation in the Cultivation Realm.¡± ¡°But what the specific plan and goal are, only the Cultivators within the Hell Path would know.¡± ¡°Senior Sister, do you have any suspects in mind?¡± Luo Yan asked with concern, ¡°Do you think the Eldest Senior Brother or Second Senior Sister could be a Hell Path traitor?¡± ¡°To tell the truth,¡± Liang Ruohua shook her head, ¡°I originally thought that the most likely traitor would be you.¡± Luo Yan: ? ¡°Every traitor planted by the Hell Path is exceptionally talented,¡± Liang Ruohua continued, ¡°It is precisely because of this that they quickly gain favor from the elders of the Sects and rapidly snatch up corresponding positions and power.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Luo Yan also sighed deeply, ¡°It¡¯s precisely because they are all talented disciples that, unless there is substantial evidence, the Sects simply cannot capture them for a strict investigation.¡± ¡°The one with the most overflowing talent in our Heavenly Craft Workshop is you,¡± Liang Ruohua fixed her gaze on his eyes, ¡°Master has said more than once that after we advance to the Nascent Soul Realm, we can go out and establish our own Sects. But the only one who could truly inherit the Heavenly Craft Workshop¡¯s name is you, Little Junior Brother.¡± Luo Yan then showed an embarrassed and pleasantly surprised expression. ¡°So I did suspect that you were the insider who killed our Fourth Junior Brother,¡± Liang Ruohua spoke indifferently, ¡°But on the day of the incident, you left Yuqing View with Master, so this conclusion is not possible.¡± No, it¡¯s still possible¡­ Luo Yan thought to himself, who said there¡¯s only one insider? Of course, he also saw that Third Senior Sister had truly ruled out his suspicion, so he asked in a low voice, ¡°Then does Third Senior Sister think it could be Eldest Senior Brother?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think it would be Eldest Senior Brother,¡± Liang Ruohua said simply. Then the most suspicious one is Second Senior Sister. Luo Yan understood in his heart; in fact, Liang Ruohua did not want to suspect Second Senior Sister, let alone investigate her herself. However, from the evidence presented by the Disciplinary Hall, it seemed highly likely that the traitor came from the Heavenly Craft Workshop, which is why she shared these details with me, hoping I could help her clear things up. Unfortunately, at this point, it¡¯s probably too late¡­ As the two were speaking, suddenly, a world-shaking explosion sounded from outside. Boom! Luo Yan was startled and immediately rushed out of the Heavenly Craft Workshop, only to see that the sky was already filled with densely packed, spider web-like cracks. The Tai Yi Escaping Armor Yin Yang Great Formation, originally based on the numerology of armor melding, could perfectly transform and displace the force of incoming attacks. However, the formation now seemed to have been tampered with by someone, its ability to meld armor wholly ineffective. Countless spell radiances and sword shadows fell from the sky like rain, smashing onto the formation, creating even more invisible spatial cracks. Liang Ruohua also ran out upon hearing the noise. When she saw the sky filled with flashing lights and the dense crowd of Demon Cult Cultivators in the distance, she felt her limbs grow icy cold, almost collapsing to the ground: ¡°How¡­ How could this be? Where did these Demon Cult Cultivators come from?!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about where they came from!¡± Luo Yan roared back, ¡°Third Senior Sister! Does the workshop have any secret escape routes leading outside?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± Liang Ruohua desperately shook her head, ¡°Aside from Master, probably only the Eldest Senior Brother is likely to know!¡± No sooner had she spoken than the Eldest Senior Brother Linghu Chu and two cultivators from the Disciplinary Hall also came rushing out. ¡°Where is Lei Caiyan?¡± The female cultivator¡¯s expression hardened as she quickly instructed the male cultivator, ¡°I¡¯ll go find Lei Caiyan. You go find Elder Jiu Ling at once!¡± ¡°Okay!¡± The male cultivator immediately soared into the sky on his sword. As the two dispersed rapidly, Luo Yan swiftly grabbed the sleeve of the Eldest Senior Brother, urgently asking: ¡°Eldest Senior Brother, does our Heavenly Craft Workshop have any escape routes leading out?¡± ¡°The Heavenly Craft Workshop does not have the authority to create such passages!¡± Linghu Chu replied grimly, ¡°But there definitely should be some in the Sect!¡± ¡°Then what should we do?¡± Liang Ruohua also asked in a panic. Just by looking at the swarm of Demon Path Cultivators and the various mighty attacks outside, without the protection of the great formation, it would mean certain death. But if they were to hide within the formation, it would be no different than sitting ducks¡ª the Sect¡¯s escape routes, if they existed, were their only hope. There was no time to delay, and the three of them quickly went back to the workshop to find Second Senior Sister Lei Caiyan. As soon as they stepped into the musical instrument workshop, they saw the female cultivator from the Disciplinary Hall lying on the ground, eyes lifeless, bleeding from all seven orifices¡ªclearly dead beyond doubt. Lei Caiyan stood in the middle of the courtyard, dressed in a black robe from head to toe. Her long hair, initially put up with a hairpin, was now let down, and her typically silent and blockheaded demeanor had become chillingly stunning. ¡°Eldest Senior Brother, Third Senior Sister, Junior Brother.¡± She nodded slightly, her eyes betraying no emotion. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Second Senior Sister, so you¡¯re the traitor!¡± While Linghu Chu and Liang Ruohua were still in shock, Luo Yan quickly came to his senses, immediately expressing his deep pain, ¡°Why did you betray the Heavenly Craft Workshop?¡± ¡°Betray?¡± Lei Caiyan¡¯s brow wrinkled, seemingly puzzled, ¡°I originally belong to the Hell Path Sect. I changed my name and joined the Yuqing View to infiltrate. How could it be called betrayal? It should be deception, right?¡± Luo Yan: ??? F*ck, this reasoning is really refreshing! I must remember this well; I can reuse it next time. Chapter 275 - Chapter 275: Chapter 67: Emergency Evacuation Chapter 275: Chapter 67: Emergency Evacuation The first time Luo Yan encountered a Hell Path cultivator, his heart was extremely excited. He wished he could capture his opponent immediately and interrogate him thoroughly to extract all sorts of information about the Hell Path. Of course, that was merely wishful thinking. Lei Caiyan seemed to have the Cultivation Level of the Golden Core Realm, Root Seeking Rank on the surface, but in reality¡­ no one knew for sure what Realm she actually was in. By comparing himself to her, Luo Yan felt certain that Lei Caiyan was concealing her true Cultivation Level! Thus, with Elder Shi Ding absent from the scene and his Eldest Senior Brother unlikely to restrain the opponent, Luo Yan could only try to worm out whatever information he could from her, one sentence at a time. ¡°Why did you infiltrate the Heavenly Craft Workshop?¡± Linghu Chu asked harshly. ¡°Because the control switch of the Tai Yi Escaping Armor Yin Yang Great Formation is in the hands of Elder Shi Ding,¡± Lei Caiyan said indifferently, ¡°My mission in sneaking into the Heavenly Craft Workshop was to ensure that the Hell Path could control the great formation once.¡± ¡°Now that I have been activated, I believe I will no longer deal with you all as Lei Caiyan in the future, so I specifically came here to bid farewell.¡± ¡°Were you the one who killed our Fourth Junior Brother?¡± Liang Ruohua asked in disbelief. ¡°He didn¡¯t have to die,¡± Lei Caiyan said softly, ¡°but unfortunately, he insisted on obstructing me. Carrying out the inner orders of the Dao is my first duty as a mole, the relationship of many years as senior and junior siblings has to be put aside¡­¡± Before she could finish speaking, Linghu Chu couldn¡¯t contain himself anymore and leapt up, sword in hand! His Flying Sword shot out like lightning, aiming straight for Lei Caiyan¡¯s head. But all that was seen was Lei Caiyan waving her hand, flicking a few black lights from her fingertips, and nonchalantly knocking down the Flying Sword. Linghu Chu¡¯s face turned ashen, and he immediately understood that the Cultivation Realm of the opponent was not below his own; otherwise, it would have been impossible for her to block his attack so easily. Luo Yan watched with envy, thinking that to be a mole to this extent was utterly superb, almost to the point of bursting with panache. The reason it was ¡°almost¡± and not ¡°completely¡± bursting was because there was one imperfection¡ªher hand movements were a bit too excessive. If it were me revealing my identity, and someone came at me with an Immortal Sword, I would simply raise a finger and sturdily deflect the Immortal Sword, regarding the sharpness of its blade and the power of its Dao Techniques as nothing¡­ That would have been perfect! ¡°Our destiny has ended; why insist on something that¡¯s not meant to be?¡± Lei Caiyan said calmly, ¡°It¡¯s better to part on good terms.¡± ¡°Thinking of leaving?¡± Luo Yan immediately charged forward, activating the Divine Striking Whip for Sword Control, and swung it down over her head, ¡°Take this blow from my whip!¡± Although he sounded fierce, his mind was heavy with concentration as he said: ¡°Scan her, Ah Jing!¡± Lei Caiyan waved her arm again, and with a flourish of her sleeve, the incoming Divine Striking Whip was rolled up and vanished within it. ¡°The scan is complete,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said in surprise, ¡°How strange, she actually practices pure Daoist internal arts with no trace of turbid energy. That move just now was ¡®Sleeve Universe,¡¯ a rather ancient Daoist spell¡­¡± Before it could finish, Lei Caiyan suddenly frowned, turned around, and said: ¡°I¡¯m leaving now. If you all don¡¯t want to die, you should leave quickly as well.¡± ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± Liang Ruohua drew out an ancient zither from her sleeve, her delicate hands fluttering over it as countless soundwaves attacked Lei Caiyan. Linghu Chong also directly activated his Sword Dao Techniques, creating countless small swords composed of white and golden lights in an attempt to block her path. Lei Caiyan seemed not to notice, simply exhaling a breath of black energy to shield herself. All those soundwaves twinkled, and the Light Swords shuttled around, but they were all blocked by the thick black energy outside. The ball of black energy rose swaggeringly, disappearing from the sight of the three. Luo Yan silently watched, feeling a great sense of pity well up in his heart. If it were me, why would I need this black energy to protect myself? That would be lowering my own standards. Rather than that, why not just turn my back, let all the attacks land behind me, while I remain completely unharmed? Now that would truly exude majesty! Lei Caiyan drifted away, leaving the eldest senior brother, Linghu Chu, and the third senior sister, Liang Ruohua, struggling to accept the outcome, both falling into silent dismay. A while later, it was Luo Yan who first spoke up to break the silence: ¡°We shouldn¡¯t stay here any longer. Let¡¯s hurry to find the Pavilion Master. As for the traitor, we¡¯ll handle that after reporting to Master when he returns!¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Recognizing the outstretched hand of his junior brother, Linghu Chu snapped out of it and nodded, ¡°That¡¯s exactly what we should do.¡± So the three of them hurriedly took to their swords, left the Heavenly Craft Workshop, and headed towards the Daozang Pavilion. The Pavilion Master¡¯s residence was not far from the Daozang Pavilion, which had already been surrounded by a horde of cultivators, with more elders and their disciples continuing to arrive. ¡°The Pavilion Master¡¯s decree states that all sect members should enter the pavilion and evacuate in order!¡± a True Person shouted at the front of the pavilion, his voice booming like thunder and deafening, ¡°All Nascent Soul Elders, the Feather Courtyard and Huaming ranks are the first batch, and the Treasure Light Rank is the second batch!¡± ¡°All Foundation Establishment Realm disciples and Golden Core Realm True Persons, your turn will be the same as your masters¡¯! Masters and disciples must enter the pavilion in groups to evacuate!¡± A few Golden Core True Persons from the Pavilion Master¡¯s lineage came out and quickly called out the names of all the elders belonging to the first batch, urging them to enter the Daozang Pavilion immediately. Luo Yan frowned as he heard this from behind: considering the state of the grand formation, which could be breached at any moment, delaying each entry into the Daozang Pavilion even by a moment increased the risk of catastrophe considerably. And the order of the list clearly favored two groups: first, the strongest among the Nascent Soul Elders, and second, the disciples of these Nascent Soul Elders, who essentially represented the sect¡¯s most promising younger generation. The former ensured the immediate survival of Yuqing View, while the latter represented the future hope of the sect. Unfortunately, his nominal master, Elder Shi Ding, was not present. Although his cultivation realm was only at the Treasure Light Rank, his unparalleled artifact refining capabilities might have merited special treatment from the Pavilion Master¡­ However, what surprised Luo Yan more was that the cultivators not listed in the first batch did not cause trouble or play tricks but instead silently watched the first batch leave. No, that¡¯s not right. The ones able to join Yuqing View were all clever people; they surely understood that acting out against order now would only lead to suppression by the higher-ups. Only when the grand formation shattered and the situation suddenly spiraled out of control would it be the best opportunity for everyone to attempt a coup and rush in. This meant it was best not to be too close to the Daozang Pavilion now, as it made one an easy target for the mass attacks from behind. But being too far from the Daozang Pavilion was also not an option; otherwise, one might be too late to rush in. As Luo Yan pondered the various parties¡¯ psychologies with an incredibly cynical mindset, he suddenly heard someone ahead calling out: ¡°Luo Yan! Luo Yan! What are you standing there for?¡± Luo Yan: ? Looking up, he saw Tian Zhang, the Pavilion Master¡¯s son, flying over on a sword, passing over the crowd, landing next to him, and then taking his arm and flying towards the pavilion entrance while shouting: ¡°Luo Yan is here!¡± The Golden Core True Person guarding the Daozang Pavilion quickly waved his hand and said: ¡°Let him go in first!¡± Luo Yan: ??? Wait, what happened to the rule of masters and disciples entering in pairs? He subconsciously looked back and saw Linghu Chu and Liang Ruohua behind the crowd, giving him a reassuring look that said, ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°With this, even if we can¡¯t escape the calamity this time, at least our junior brother will survive. This way, we¡¯ve managed to preserve a spark for our Heavenly Craft Workshop.¡± Linghu Chu watched Luo Yan being ushered into the Daozang Pavilion, visibly relieved. ¡°Indeed.¡± Liang Ruohua also expressed her sentiment. ¡°If the formation breaks, conserve your True Yuan and don¡¯t make a move,¡± continued Linghu Chu, ¡°My Sword Control Technique is superior to yours; I can take you to escape using Sword Light.¡± ¡°Senior brother, knowing that my Sword Control is inadequate, you should conserve your own strength even more,¡± Liang Ruohua said after a moment of silence, ¡°It¡¯s better for you to survive than for us both to head to the Netherworld together.¡± ¡°I am the eldest brother of the Heavenly Craft Workshop,¡± Linghu Chu shook his head. Chapter 276 - Chapter 276: Chapter 68: The Great Array is Broken, Liuli Emerges from Retreat Chapter 276: Chapter 68: The Great Array is Broken, Liuli Emerges from Retreat ¡°` Luo Yan was pushed into Daozang Pavilion, where he saw that the surrounding bookshelves had already been pushed into the corner, and the various books and jade slips that had been on them were gone, evidently packed away in advance. At the end of the room, several elders were leading their disciples to line up and enter the formation. Every ten breaths or so, two people could be teleported away. The Master of Xuandu stood beside the teleportation formation, watching the formation expressionlessly. ¡°Luo Yan is here!¡± Tian Zhang called out loudly. ¡°Let him come over!¡± the Master of Xuandu said in a deep voice. So, under the watchful eyes of the many queued elders and disciples, Tian Zhang pulled Luo Yan straight up to the front of the teleportation formation. ¡°Stand firm once you get inside,¡± the Master of Xuandu instructed. Luo Yan obediently took his position inside the teleportation formation, looking around at the queued cultivators with confusion. Then, the brilliance of the teleportation formation engulfed him. In an instant of the world spinning, Luo Yan opened his eyes again, only to find himself standing in the square in front of the East Sea Pavilion. Surrounding him were the powerful elders from Yuqing View, along with their Golden Core True Persons and Foundation Establishment disciples. Everyone was gathered around the teleportation formation, clutching Flying Sword magical treasures, ready for battle¡­ When they saw Luo Yan had teleported in, they quickly signaled him to hurry out. Luo Yan quickly took large strides, stepping out of the teleportation formation, only to see everyone still staring unblinkingly at the teleportation formation as if they were fearful a Demon Path Cultivator would suddenly emerge from it. The teleportation formation could only send two people at a time; how could the Demon Path Cultivators be so foolish as to just waltz right in and get surrounded and attacked? Seeing that no one was paying attention to him, Luo Yan quietly slipped to the front of the Pavilion, trying to push the door open, but found it was tightly locked, as if some invisible force had sealed it shut. While disappointed, this was within his expectations. Merely being forced to flee the sect probably wasn¡¯t enough for the Pavilion¡¯s Prohibition to deem the ¡°Clarify Cult doctrine extinct.¡± Otherwise, if people knew such a mechanism existed, they would invite other sects to attack Yuqing View every now and then, taking the opportunity to flee to the Pavilion to farm for magical treasures¡­ Wouldn¡¯t that be wonderful? Luo Yan looked back towards the center of the square, only to see cultivators teleporting in from the formation every ten breaths or so. Sometimes it was a Nascent Soul Elder, sometimes a Golden Core True Person, sometimes a Foundation Establishment disciple. However, as time passed, the expressions on the faces of the arriving cultivators become increasingly panic-stricken, signaling that the grand formation on the other side was not going to hold much longer. Finally, the teleportation formation suddenly flickered a few times, then went completely dark. Obviously, it had been cut off from the other side. This made Luo Yan quite regretful, for his eldest senior brother and third senior sister had not been teleported over. Every ten breaths, every two people¡ªthis efficiency was just too low. If it were up to Luo Yan to design it, he could probably find seven or eight points of optimization, increasing the transportation efficiency by at least threefold. Ultimately, Yuqing View had been at peace for too long, so as soon as the Tai Yi Escaping Armor Yin Yang Great Formation was breached, they were almost immediately laid bare in their awkwardness and struggle. Seeing that the teleportation formation had completely shutdown, the faces of the crowd changed dramatically, and no one could not guess that the Penglai Protective Sect Array had been breached. ¡°Do not panic!¡± an elder shouted boldly, ¡°With the Wan Xiang Immortal guarding, even if we are overpowered, it won¡¯t lead to a massive fall of our fellow sect members!¡± ¡°Exactly!¡± the other elders echoed, ¡°Three Pure Orthodox Sect, branches from the same root, Kunlun and Shushan will not sit by and watch our Penglai dao lineage be extinguished!¡± Everyone chimed in one after another, quickly stabilizing the collective emotions of the Golden Core True Persons and Foundation Establishment disciples. As for how much truth was in those words, that was known to no one. And so, the crowd dispersed quickly, gathering in small groups to converse. Only Luo Yan sat alone on the stone steps at the entrance of the Pavilion, as the Heavenly Craft Workshop lineage had only him present, lost in his own thoughts. Above Penglai Immortal Island. With the Tai Yi Escaping Armor Yin Yang Great Formation forced open, the Demon Cult Cultivators dove in like wolves into a flock of sheep, directly storming into the Yuqing View below. ¡°` Many Penglai Cultivators fled in all directions, like monkeys scattering when the tree they climbed on falls, with some being pursued and killed by pursuing Demon Path Cultivators and others using secret techniques or treasures to instantaneously travel thousands of miles, disappearing without a trace in a moment¡¯s notice¡ªleaving their pursuers far behind, unable to catch up¡­. There were numerous such cases, too many to count. The seated Immortal of the Heavenly Demon Path had already departed after a standoff with the Wan Xiang Immortal of Yuqing View, and now there was no one left to stop the destruction of Yuqing View. Hu Li, a Nascent Soul Elder from the Eastern Emperor Path, stood in the air with a lazy posture, watching the fires below the pavilion with a light that flickered dim and bright in his eyes. Lei Caiyan suddenly appeared behind him, as if materializing out of thin air. ¡°Oh, isn¡¯t this our great hero from the Six Paths?¡± Hu Li said with a chuckling laugh. Lei Caiyan did not reply, only frowning slightly as she gazed at the pavilion below on the brink of destruction. ¡°I hear that you handed out the magical treasures you got from Yuqing View to the juniors as if you were handing out New Year¡¯s money?¡± Hu Li continued to tease, ¡°Is that your idea of giving out holiday bonuses?¡± ¡°With this battle, Penglai is gravely wounded, never again to rise.¡± Lei Caiyan said indifferently, ¡°Kunlun and Shushan will surely be terror-stricken, as if facing a formidable enemy.¡± ¡°The world is about to be thrown into chaos,¡± Hu Li added in the tone of a storyteller, speaking leisurely. ¡°No,¡± Lei Caiyan disagreed, ¡°the Three Pure Ones combined are stronger than the Six Paths. Now that Penglai has declined, the balance between them has instead become more even. In the aftermath, both sides are likely to maintain a state of contention without breakdown.¡± Hu Li also put away his joking smile and narrowed his eyes: ¡°Is this what the Hell Path wants, hmm? Contention without breakdown?¡± ¡°Such contention will intensify internal competition among the sects, restoring the combativeness that was once dull,¡± Lei Caiyan turned away, ¡°This world has been too peaceful for too long, so much so that everyone has nearly forgotten how to struggle.¡± ¡°But even in this stagnant world, it must belong to the Human Race!¡± After saying this, her figure suddenly disappeared from sight. Hu Li watched her disappear from her original spot, and the corners of his mouth gradually stretched into an exaggerated, inhuman smile: ¡°Is this a warning to me, or to those old geezers?¡± ¡°The world of the Human Race¡­ haha, did Pangu dictate when splitting heaven and earth that the Divine Land Continent must carry the ¡®Human¡¯ name?¡± ¡°Nothing but a group of pawns hiding behind the scenes. If they want to turn the tide, let them struggle all they want.¡± In Yangzhou, Kuocang Mountain. Elder Shi Ding felt that something was amiss since Luo Yan had been gone for too long and there had been no news at all. He seriously considered the possibility of Luo Yan¡¯s ¡°betrayal¡± but soon cast the thought out of his mind. As long as he was dedicated to his cultivation, it would mean he was loyal to his lineage, and the entire Heavenly Craft Workshop would be his. That was the Heavenly Craft Workshop of Yuqing View, the most wealthy and capable of generating income! Even if there were traitors from other sects, faced with such vast cultivation resources, they should come crawling back to the righteous path! Hmm, there must have been some sort of mishap, like being held up by an unexpected event on the way¡­ Just when Elder Shi Ding was feeling annoyed, Shi Liuli suddenly ¡°walked¡± out from the stone wall. The many characters on the stone wall twisted into an opening, like a large mouth spitting out Shi Liuli, then closed back to its original form. ¡°Dad!¡± Shi Liuli had just steadied her vision when she saw Elder Shi Ding staring in astonishment. Filled with joy, she rushed into his embrace like a swallow returning to its nest. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°It¡¯s fine as long as you¡¯re safe, it¡¯s fine as long as you¡¯re safe,¡± Elder Shi Ding first patted her back gently, then, he noticed the differences in his daughter. Her eyes were still bright, but now they carried an added weight of depth and restraint. A ribbon wrapped around her arms, and upon closer inspection, it was made of countless sparkling star sands, shining brilliantly. And behind her floated an Immortal Sword, with a strange luster that was unlike ordinary iron. Had his daughter¡­ looted an Immortal Sect treasure house? Chapter 277 - Chapter 277: Chapter 69: Penglai Recaptured, Kunlun Prepares for War Chapter 277: Chapter 69: Penglai Recaptured, Kunlun Prepares for War Miss Shi earned a fortune in the secret realm, but for Luo Yan, those magical treasures and Immortal Swords were hardly impressive. After all, whether in terms of cultivation realm or combat ability, the two were not on the same level. In Shi Liuli¡¯s camp, what could serve as the main force among the magical treasures and Immortal Swords would have to compete with the likes of the Green Duckweed Sword, Five Elements Divine Light, and Five Thunder True Law in Luo Yan¡¯s arsenal¡ªall terrifyingly powerful tools that could overcome those of higher ranks and might not even get a chance to be used. Miss Shi was blissfully unaware of this, excitedly showcasing her newly acquired ¡°superpower¡± to Elder Shi Ding. ¡°If my junior brother sees how amazing I¡¯ve become, he will surely be shocked!¡± she said proudly. Elder Shi Ding smiled without saying anything. ¡°By the way, where¡¯s junior brother?¡± Shi Liuli suddenly realized that Luo Yan, who had accompanied her, was not there. ¡°He went back to the sect to call for help, so I told him to stay there,¡± Elder Shi Ding said awkwardly, not revealing that he was unable to lift the entrance restrictions and had therefore sent Luo Yan to get reinforcements. Shi Liuli did not mind, simply chattering with her father about the things that had happened in the secret realm. Both rose on their swords and Shi Liuli said, ¡°This sword is called ¡®Purple Extreme Core Encompassing¡¯; what do you think, father?¡± ¡°A fine sword,¡± Elder Shi Ding nodded with a smile. ¡°However, swordsmanship requires diligent practice to make progress; otherwise, it¡¯s difficult to improve.¡± ¡°My swordsmanship is already very impressive,¡± Shi Liuli muttered. The two flew a long distance, crossing vast seas, and finally returned to Penglai Immortal Island, only to find Yuqing View in ruins. The Master of Xuan Du and Ziwei Master stood in the air talking. Groups of Kunlun Cultivators and Yuqing Cultivators flew by below on their swords, with serious and somber expressions. Elder Shi Ding: ? Shi Liuli: ? The two of them were clueless about what had happened, completely baffled. Back at Heavenly Craft Workshop, Elder Shi Ding was shocked to see that the eldest disciple, Linghu Chu, was pale as death, evidently having suffered severe internal injuries, and was currently taking elixirs to refine. The third disciple, Liang Ruohua, was silent, focusing solely on tallying the resources lost in the workshop, with Luo Yan helping as his assistant. As for the treacherous second disciple, Lei Caiyan, and the fourth disciple, Shi Wenshi, their whereabouts were unknown, leaving no trace behind. ¡°Junior brother!¡± Shi Liuli immediately ran over excitedly, activating the star sand to swirl around her, ¡°Look at this!¡± But Luo Yan just nodded wearily and said, ¡°Knowing that elder sister has returned unharmed eases my mind.¡± ¡°What a reaction!¡± Shi Liuli was somewhat unhappy, but Elder Shi Ding quickly called her over and asked Liang Ruohua, ¡°Has Penglai been attacked?¡± Liang Ruohua nodded and explained the situation in full detail. Hearing this, Elder Shi Ding¡¯s face turned ashen, and he nearly passed out from shock. The betrayal of the second disciple led to the breaching of Penglai¡¯s protective array, resulting in heavy losses throughout the sect. The fourth disciple was killed, the eldest disciple¡¯s foundation was heavily damaged, possibly affecting his Nascent Infant Rank¡­ How could nearly half of my disciples be gone just because I stepped out for a while? Luo Yan then comforted his master, saying, ¡°Master, our Heavenly Craft Workshop has been rather lucky! You don¡¯t know about the neighboring Hundred Herbs Pavilion; over a dozen disciples died leaving only one, Elder Miao Bao is so angry he¡¯s considering setting a bounty¡­¡± ¡°Enough, Luo Yan!¡± Elder Shi Ding scolded. The so-called comparison that highlights one¡¯s fortune may not be morally correct, but its effectiveness is immediate. Elder Shi Ding was initially quite annoyed, but after hearing that the situation next door was even worse, much of his anger dissipated. After much contemplation, he could only sigh deeply and went to seek forgiveness from the Master of Xuan Du. As soon as Elder Shi Ding left, Shi Liuli, unable to contain herself any longer, grabbed Luo Yan¡¯s arm, shockingly asking, ¡°That can¡¯t be true, can it? Are you joking!? You¡¯re saying that the second elder sister killed the fourth elder brother; how is that even possible¡­¡± She spoke incoherently, then saw that everyone was silently watching her, and gradually she couldn¡¯t help but burst into tears. Although Second Senior Sister Lei Caiyan was usually introverted and reticent, she had a comparatively close relationship with Shi Liuli. The naive Miss Shi had long regarded her as family. Now that she suddenly learned that her supposed kin was the traitor and had even turned around and murdered Fourth Senior Brother, Miss Shi felt as if her entire worldview had shattered¡­ just like a flower in a greenhouse that accidentally glimpses the cruel world outside, and suddenly can¡¯t accept it. ¡°Junior Brother, take her back,¡± Liang Ruohua said softly, seeing Miss Shi trembling as she began to sob. ¡°Okay,¡± Luo Yan immediately took Shi Liuli¡¯s hand, and they walked toward the Heavenly Craft Workshop. After escorting Miss Shi to her room, Luo Yan was about to turn around and leave when he suddenly heard Shi Liuli murmur: ¡°Junior Brother, will you also become a traitor?¡± Luo Yan slowly turned around, and with the best acting he had ever performed in his life, he said helplessly with a light smile, ¡°How could that be, Senior Sister?¡± After leaving Shi Liuli¡¯s room, Luo Yan returned to his own residence and instructed the Kunlun Mirror, ¡°Ah Jing, let¡¯s do a save point reload to Kunlun this time.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± the Kunlun Mirror began to chant. [Save Point One: Kunlun Taiqing Sect, Golden Ridge.] [Character Identity: Qiu Changtian.] [Mirror Flower Water Moon Template overlaying, initiating time-space travel.] Upon arriving at Kunlun, at dawn, Qiu Changtian, as usual, lectured his junior brothers and sisters on the scriptures. After the lecture, everyone dispersed to their duties, except Xu Yinglian, whom Qiu Changtian called aside. ¡°What is it, Senior Brother?¡± she asked with a puzzled expression. ¡°We¡¯re going to the Extreme West,¡± Qiu Changtian said with a smile, ¡°you are now a Refining Mansion rank cultivator, and I want to see how strong you¡¯ve become.¡± Xu Yinglian immediately became serious, a fighting spirit flaring in her eyes. That¡¯s right, I¡¯m also a Refining Mansion rank cultivator now. The perfection of a cultivator¡¯s Purple Mansion only determines the grade rank after Core Formation and doesn¡¯t affect the cultivator¡¯s own combat power. In other words, although Senior Brother has been in the Refining Mansion longer than I have, now that we are on the same rank, our combat strength should be about the same. ¡°Good!¡± she immediately said seriously, ¡°Then please don¡¯t hold back, Senior Brother!¡± The two flew on their swords to the skies above the Extreme West, where Qiu Changtian stood with his hands behind his back, letting the wind whip his Taoist robe as he calmly said, ¡°Please make the first move, Junior Sister.¡± Xu Yinglian didn¡¯t speak but quickly started to think. A Refining Mansion rank cultivator has their True Qi in the Dantian condensed into True Yuan, which is many times more powerful, and therefore they often control two swords in battle. One is used for flying and rapid areal maneuvering to enable swift and agile movement. Naturally, this excludes environments where flying is prohibited or impractical. As it¡¯s merely for locomotion, there is no particular requirement for the flying sword¡¯s rank, and most cultivators would just take any random sword from the Sword Repository to make up the numbers. The other sword is used as a weapon to attack the opponent. Since this determines the outcome of a magical competition, it must be the Immortal Sword that the cultivator relies on the most. As most cultivators cannot multitask, they focus either on moving and evading or on launching full-force attacks at any given time. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Apart from Shushan¡¯s unique Two-Handed Sword Control Technique, it¡¯s almost impossible to manage both simultaneously, to run and fight at the same time. However, Xu Yinglian had recently taken a special trip home to learn a technique called ¡°Luan Bird True Spirit Technique.¡± The Xu Family of Southern Heaven breeds many spiritual birds. When a spirit bird has reached the end of its life, its soul can be extracted and refined, then attached to a sword. The bird spirit and the owner¡¯s intent are in harmony; with just a thought, they can direct the flying sword beneath their feet to turn agilely, achieving a transformation that is somewhat akin to Shushan¡¯s secretive Two-Handed Sword Control Technique, transitioning from a ¡°foot soldier¡± to a ¡°professional cavalry.¡± This time, she was determined to show her Senior Brother what she was capable of! Chapter 278 - Chapter 278: Chapter 70: You might have a chance to win, but I will never lose. Chapter 278: Chapter 70: You might have a chance to win, but I will never lose. Xu Yinglian pinched the Daoist formula and silently chanted the magic incantation, immediately spewing forth an endless Great Bright Fire from her mouth and nose, aiming to incinerate Qiu Changtian. Here one could see the difference between the Kunlun Cultivators and the Shushan Sword Immortals: when a Shushan Sword Immortal makes a move, the first strike is usually a probing Flying Sword. The Sword Control Technique consumes less True Yuan and allows for more flexible responses. The only issue is, if the opponent launches a powerful attack right from the start, the Shushan Sword Immortal would need to react incredibly fast. Starting the battle with sweeping Daoist Magic, as Xu Yinglian did, is actually more favored by Kunlun¡¯s tactics. Kunlun emphasizes spirituality and foundational cultivation level, so their cultivators possess more vast and condensed True Yuan, which can support the heavy consumption of sweeping Daoist Magic. Moreover, the reaction speed and combat experience of Kunlun Cultivators aren¡¯t as seasoned and formidable as those of the Shushan Sword Immortals, so starting with Daoist Magic also provides a certain degree of self-protection. Even though Qiu Changtian possesses the reaction speed and combat power of a Sword Immortal, he naturally could not use it now, so he just smiled slightly, pinched the spell, and cast a Supreme Jasper Spiritual Talisman. This technique is a derivative Daoist magic from the ¡°Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra¡± when cultivated to the Third Level. It uses robust True Yuan to condense a gigantic spirit talisman with overwhelming suppressing and sealing abilities, the nemesis of most Daoist Magic. As soon as the spirit talisman appeared, it cleared a large area in the sea of fire¡­ and then, the Feather Jia Sword suddenly tore through the center of the talisman, shooting straight towards his face in an instant. ¡°Good!¡± Even with his wealth of experience, Qiu Changtian couldn¡¯t help but exclaim in admiration. The way his Junior Sister responded, whether in anticipation or timing, was exquisite to the extreme, not falling short by Shushan Sword Immortal standards. Of course, if compared to An Zhisu, Senior Sister An¡­ it is recommended to simply compete in cultivation level, and not in actual combat. Ling Yunpo is a man who could battle Senior Sister An for three hundred rounds, so faced with Junior Sister Xu¡¯s impressive performance, Qiu Changtian merely expressed admiration and recognition, not yet reaching a point of panic. With a slight shift in thought, without even pinching a sword technique, he held his Yu Long Sword horizontally in front, perfectly blocking the Feather Jia Sword. As the swords clashed several times, Qiu Changtian immediately sensed something was amiss. He had to hold back! It wasn¡¯t that Xu Yinglian¡¯s swordsmanship was poor; it was more that Ling Yunpo improved too quickly from being fed various moves by Senior Sister An, so much so that he was now out of sync with Junior Sister Xu! As everyone knows, Junior Sister Xu is known for her tsundere nature. When she can see her senior brother¡¯s back, she is a proud, confident, and spirited Phoenix Immortal. When she is out of sight of her senior brother, she becomes frail, resentful, and even a weeping and wailing vulnerable Junior Sister. Therefore, Qiu Changtian had to strictly control his own strength, maintaining it at a level that seemed ¡°with a little more effort she could catch up,¡± to re-assess his Junior Sister¡¯s combat strength while preventing her from harboring irrational thoughts or giving up on herself. While their swords were still clashing, Xu Yinglian also cast a Supreme Jasper Spiritual Talisman, countering Qiu Changtian¡¯s talisman. Following that, her eyes suddenly blazed with light and her True Yuan surged, fueling the Great Bright Fire to spread across the heavens, once more sweeping toward Qiu Changtian! Qiu Changtian¡¯s eyes lit up. Although her swordsmanship was quite good, the level at which Junior Sister Xu had cultivated the Great Bright Fire was beyond his expectations. With such a vast sweeping range, coupled with the almost face-melting intense heat, an ordinary Cultivator without a protective Dharma Treasure or sufficient agility would be burned to ashes within minutes. Qiu Changtian had no choice but to propel his Flying Sword quickly backwards, chanting as he went: ¡°Echo through the three realms, Tai Yi Divine Thunder, break!¡± The Tai Yi Thunder Light exploded, instantly clearing a large area within the sea of fire. However, before Qiu Changtian could locate Xu Yinglian from within, he saw the endless Great Bright Fire once again surge from the edges to the center, instantly filling the gap and continuing to roll towards him with ferocious intensity. Qiu Changtian: ¡­¡­¡­ He cursed several times in his mind, then realized that he couldn¡¯t find an appropriate response to Junior Sister Xu¡¯s move for a moment! Having been senior brother and sister for many years, Qiu Changtian had also discussed Daoist Magic with Xu Yinglian. If Five Thunder True Law triumphs with quality, then Great Brilliance Fire dominates with quantity. The former can split mountains and shatter stones, destroy gold and break spells, and can be considered invulnerable, possessing extreme explosive power¡ªbut if it fails to hit the target, it is useless. Although the latter¡¯s lethality does not match the former, it prevails with its endless, broad range. As long as one turns the opponent¡¯s surroundings into a sea of fire, there is no need to worry about missing the target. On this point, the Five Thunder True Law truly falls short. Now, Junior Sister Xu had clearly brought the advantages of the Great Brilliance Fire to their ultimate expression. Not only was her sea of fire vast and boundless, leaving Qiu Changtian almost nowhere to hide, but more importantly, she used the dense smoke and firelight to completely conceal her form, rendering it impossible for Qiu Changtian to use decapitation strategy for a counterattack, as he couldn¡¯t find her exact location! No, this can¡¯t be happening. Could it be that my invincible golden body, my undefeated record, is about to be broken here? Qiu Changtian thought to himself and then burst into laughter: How could that be? Although Junior Sister¡¯s technique has astonished me, it is not without flaws¡­ Let me, Chief Qiu, teach you a good lesson! ¡°Ah Jing! Scan her location!¡± ¡°Over there,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said indifferently, marking a distant human silhouette within the vast sea of fire in Qiu Changtian¡¯s vision while considerately giving the real-time distance. ¡°Hmph,¡± Qiu Changtian smiled slightly, and the Yu Long Sword, which was still entangled with the Feather Jia Sword, suddenly changed direction, shooting into the sea of fire. Xu Yinglian, who had been using the sea of fire to conceal herself, was suddenly startled, as the Yu Long Sword seemed to have locked onto her position, charging straight towards her! She quickly maneuvered the Feather Jia Sword to her aid while swiftly moving with Sword Control Technique. However, no matter how she changed direction, the Yu Long Sword firmly tracked her location, and then suddenly accelerated, ending up right at her neck. ¡°I¡¯ve lost,¡± Xu Yinglian said, dissipating the Great Brilliance Fire and speaking indifferently. The feeling of reluctance had barely risen in her heart when she immediately suppressed it. The reason was simple: even though she had been extremely close to victory at one point, she did not believe her Senior Brother lacked countermeasures. Now, it seemed her anticipation was correct. Hmph, Senior Brother, I never thought I could defeat you with just this move. But the fact that you have no way to counter my Great Brilliance Fire, only to counterattack against my body, is undeniable! As long as my Great Brilliance Fire is faster, more powerful, and hotter, one day I will make Senior Brother concede! Thinking this, a fighting spirit blazed hotter in Xu Yinglian¡¯s eyes, as if ready to ignite. Qiu Changtian waited for a while and, seeing no increase in the Invincible Character Setting synchronization value, could only sigh inwardly. Just as he was about to speak, he saw a sword light flying from a distance¡ªit was a Flying Sword Messaging from the Ziwei Master: ¡°Hurry to Jade Void Palace!¡± Five simple words sketched out an atmosphere of an impending storm that could not be taken lightly. Xu Yinglian approached Qiu Changtian to take a glance and frowned slightly. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Yet Qiu Changtian¡¯s expression remained indifferent as he said: ¡°Junior Sister, let¡¯s go.¡± Even though the Sect Leader hadn¡¯t specified in the letter, he already knew what had happened that required his presence at Jade Void Palace. Tens of thousands of gods and demons attacking Penglai, initiated by the Demonic Path, undertaken by Shushan, shifting to Penglai, and finally set to converge at Kunlun. And as the Chief Disciple of Qiu, directly targeted by the Demon Cult and thus unable to leave the mountain for a long time, he was now ready to seize the opportunity when the sect¡¯s high-level combat forces were sent out, to race thousands of miles to aid Penglai, to right past wrongs, and to restore the Chief Disciple¡¯s glory! Chapter 279 - Chapter 279: Chapter 71: Senior Brother and Junior Sister, Two Travel Together Chapter 279: Chapter 71: Senior Brother and Junior Sister, Two Travel Together In the Jade Void Palace, sword lights darted like shuttles. Countless message-conveying flying swords shot from the Heaven Pillar in all directions, and numerous members of the Kunlun Taiqing Sect took to the skies with their sword control technique, converging towards the direction of the Jade Void Palace. Qiu Changtian, along with his junior sister Xu Yinglian, rushed to the Scripture Lecture Hall of the Ziwei Master, only to see their master standing in the center of the hall, the Tai Yi Dividing Light Sword strapped to his back, and the Seven Treasures Duster resting across his arms. ¡°Members of the Demon Cult have besieged the Penglai Jade Pure abode, claiming to be a hundred thousand strong,¡± the Ziwei Master said gravely upon seeing Chief Disciple Qiu Changtian arrive. ¡°The Shushan Shangqing Faction is trapped in the Southern Border and finds it inconvenient to send reinforcements.¡± ¡°Out of the thirty-six cave heavens of the East Sea, almost two-thirds have betrayed us and are in league with the Demon Cult. Therefore, currently, the only one who can support the Penglai Jade Pure abode is our Kunlun Taiqing Sect.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll follow Master¡¯s orders,¡± Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian said in unison. The Ziwei Master cast a solemn glance at Xu Yinglian. He had originally only sent a message with a flying sword to Qiu Changtian alone, which is to say he had not planned for Xu Yinglian to enter the battlefield, for two reasons: First, Qiu Changtian had been hunted by the Demon Cult for many years, to the point where he could not leave the Kunlun Mountain Range, truly making him the most frustrated Chief Disciple in the history of Foundation Establishment Realm. Although he reclaimed some of his dignity through Sect debate, it still wasn¡¯t enough. This time, with the protection of various senior members of the Sect, it was an opportune moment for him to join and erase his disgrace! Second, Qiu Changtian¡¯s strength was indeed sufficient for this mission. Daoist Heart Clarity is a peerless talent in cultivation, not combat strength. If Qiu Changtian were not capable of defending himself on the battlefield of the East Sea, the Kunlun Taiqing Sect naturally would not allow him to go. But his actions during the last expedition to the Divine Flame Path secret realm proved that Qiu Changtian was not just a fool obsessed with cultivation¡ªhe also possessed the tact and vision befitting of a Chief Disciple in the Foundation Establishment Realm. For these reasons, the Ziwei Master chose to have Qiu Changtian accompany them on the journey. As for Xu Yinglian, she neither needed to take such a risk nor had her strength been verified. If the Ziwei Master had to choose, he would have decided against it. But of course, he understood the temperament of this disciple of his. She had already expressed her resolve to ¡°await Master¡¯s instructions.¡± If he said, ¡°Your senior brother can go, but you should stay,¡± Xu Yinglian would likely burst into tears right away, and perhaps decide to retire to her abode and resign right after. Resign by sending a letter, from then on forsaking the great Dao and living the life of a secluded Daoist¡­ The Ziwei Master quietly sighed and thought, well, if she wants to go, let her go. If nothing else, he could arrange for a real person to protect her individually. ¡°Return and make ready for battle,¡± commanded the Ziwei Master with solemnity. ¡°Gather in the grand hall of the Jade Void Palace within three-quarters of an hour!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The two responded promptly. After leaving the Jade Void Palace, Xu Yinglian finally spoke: ¡°The demonic forces are besieging Penglai? With immortals stationed on both sides, our strength, not having reached Golden Core, would be of limited use on the battlefield. Why would Master want us to go?¡± In his heart, Qiu Changtian thought, it¡¯s not ¡®us¡¯ he wants to go, but ¡®me,¡¯ yet he said aloud: ¡°No matter how outstanding the cultivation talent, if one lacks the ability to fight, how are they different from the statues in temples? Although we haven¡¯t formed our cores, our combat prowess is second to none in the Foundation Establishment Realm.¡± ¡°Plus, there was the achievement of defeating a Golden Core Realm armored warrior in the secret realm of the Queen Mother of the West. It¡¯s not unreasonable for Master to have us join the seniors this time.¡± ¡°That makes sense,¡± Xu Yinglian nodded. Though she didn¡¯t have much experience in magical competition, she certainly wasn¡¯t one to shy away or fear battle. Qiu Changtian understood her thoughts completely, as if they were an open book. That¡¯s why, right after concluding matters with Luo Yan, he immediately teleported to Kunlun, as he knew full well of the ¡°historical fact¡± that Kunlun would come to Penglai¡¯s aid. He also thoroughly grasped the Ziwei Master¡¯s intentions, knowing that it was highly likely he would be arranged to join the battle¡­ If his calculations were wrong, he could at worst volunteer himself, holding a great chance of persuading his master. As to why he wanted to join the battle, there was indeed a part of him that wished to redeem his past shame, but the main reason was to gather news of the Hell Path. Being the Chief Disciple of the Kunlun Taiqing Sect, he could not afford to show excessive interest in the Hell Path. However, if he went with the elders, he could overhear intelligence during daily meetings, and perhaps gain some insights. In short, going might not guarantee any news, but staying would certainly bring none! For the sake of gathering intelligence on the Hell Path, I went to the extent of establishing a separate identity as Wei Dongliu, this opportunity was naturally not to be missed. Besides that, taking Xu Yinglian to the battlefield also involved a bit of Qiu Changtian¡¯s personal motives¡­ the obvious need not be mentioned here for now. Anyway, from the test of the Great Bright Fire just now, Qiu Changtian felt that his junior sister might be even more suitable for the battlefield than himself. The two returned to Golden Ridge Cave Abode, and Qiu Changtian began to check his luggage. Elixirs were a must ¨C they were vital for enhancing endurance¡­ ¡°Senior brother,¡± Xu Yinglian arrived at the entrance of the cave dwelling and asked, ¡°How many elixirs should we bring?¡± ¡°The more, the better,¡± Qiu Changtian replied casually. ¡°There¡¯s no more room in the storage bag¡­¡± Xu Yinglian said in a low voice. Qiu Changtian: ? ¡°How many elixirs did you bring, so many?¡± he asked incredulously, snatching the storage bag from her hand and sweeping his divine sense inside. ¡°I brought them all.¡± Xu Yinglian said earnestly, ¡°Master said that the Demon Cult was besieging Penglai, but he didn¡¯t specify their numbers. If the war drags on, the local price of elixirs will surely skyrocket. It¡¯s not realistic to carry more from Kunlun later on¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need that many,¡± Qiu Changtian said succinctly, ¡°Just keep a two-day supply, and clear the rest to make room for other items.¡± In fact, it was all sorted out in just one day. ¡°Okay.¡± Xu Yinglian did not question further, she nodded slightly, took the storage bag, and left. After a while, Xu Yinglian came back and said: ¡°Should we bring talisman scripts? I received some from the clan a few days ago.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Qiu Changtian said subconsciously, then remembered that he was not Luo Yan. ¡°Why?¡± Xu Yinglian asked curiously, ¡°With elixirs and Daoist magic, it seems that talisman scripts are not really necessary¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯ll need them when your True Yuan is exhausted and you need to take elixirs, talisman scripts can buy you crucial time,¡± Qiu Changtian answered, ¡°Of course, Sword Control Technique works too, but sometimes your Flying Sword might get entangled by the opponent.¡± The senior brother¡¯s experience is indeed vast. Xu Yinglian thought to herself, while saying: ¡°So we should choose those talisman scripts that are quick to activate, prioritising those that can conceal one¡¯s presence?¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± So Xu Yinglian went back again to select talisman scripts. After a short while, she appeared again at the entrance of the cave dwelling and said: ¡°Senior brother, the spare Flying Swords¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll come over and help you pack!¡± Qiu Changtian said irritably. ¡°Thank you, senior brother,¡± Xu Yinglian said softly, relieved in her heart. It wasn¡¯t that she had to bother her senior brother, it¡¯s just that since it was her first time participating in a great war, she inevitably wanted everything to be perfect¡­ Hurriedly rushing to his junior sister¡¯s cave dwelling, Qiu Changtian quickly scanned the surroundings and asked: Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Where are all your things?¡± ¡°Here, here, and here¡­¡± Xu Yinglian began to direct him. ¡°Got it,¡± Qiu Changtian scanned each location with his divine sense and casually said, ¡°Junior sister, now that we are Daoist companions, wouldn¡¯t it be better to live together in the future? That way, whether it¡¯s helping you pack or coming to see you, it¡¯ll be more convenient.¡± Xu Yinglian: ? Somehow, she felt her face suddenly starting to burn. Chapter 281 - Chapter 281: Chapter 73: Far Surpassing Peers, Taking a Risky Bet Chapter 281: Chapter 73: Far Surpassing Peers, Taking a Risky Bet ¡°Your Thunder Method¡­ What¡¯s going on?¡± Qing Yang True Person Xu Changqing asked in astonishment. He naturally knew that Qiu Changtian was cultivating the Thunder Method. It was an ancient Daoist Magic that was too risky and costly, so much so that hardly anyone practices it nowadays, and it was extremely adept at vanquishing evil and exterminating spirits. However, the ability to breach a Golden Core Cultivator¡¯s protective Daoist Magic in one strike, with such exaggerated lethality, still greatly exceeded his expectations. Qiu Changtian simply smiled and began to explain the characteristics of the Five Thunder True Law. In simple terms, there were ten schools of Thunder Method, and each school had specific types of targets it could counteract. The various Cultivation Techniques of the Nether Ghost Path were primarily related to the nether ghosts¡¯ souls, and the Jade Pivot Thunder inflicted especially enhanced damage to ghostly beings, making it exceptionally effective against Nether Ghost Path Cultivators. Qing Yang True Person also heard this for the first time, so he showed a thoughtful expression and after a while said, ¡°I originally just planned to take you all around the outskirts of the Sword Array, to let you learn how to fight Demon Cult Cultivators.¡± ¡°But if Ying Lian¡¯s Great Bright Fire and Junior Brother¡¯s Five Thunder True Law are both so powerful, perhaps we can go deeper.¡± ¡°Deeper into the Sword Array?¡± Xu Yinglian asked in surprise, ¡°Great Grandfather, are you saying¡­¡± ¡°This Immortal Slaying Sword Formation, if fully deployed, will slice you with a sword no matter which direction you enter from, and no one below immortals can survive,¡± Qing Yang True Person said gravely. ¡°Now that the northern gate is missing the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword, the Demon Cult will certainly arrange a large number of people in the north to stop our Sect¡¯s Cultivators.¡± ¡°With the five paths of the Demon Cult united, the absolute number of Cultivators they have surpasses ours, but in terms of high-end Cultivators, especially those of Nascent Soul Rank, Kunlun has the advantage in average Cultivation Level.¡± ¡°Therefore, they will definitely use the home-field advantage of the Formation to cut our Cultivators apart and defeat them in detail.¡± ¡°Otherwise, if the elders group together and protect each other as they fight towards the center of the Formation this war would be unnecessary.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Qiu Changtian nodded in agreement and pondered, ¡°Troop for troop, general for general, using the numerical advantage to wage a war of attrition¡­ In this light, it seems the Demon Cult has an extremely skilled commander.¡± ¡°Without someone planning and scheming behind the scenes, considering the prior disunity of the Demon Cult, how could they have reestablished the Immortal Slaying Sword Formation?¡± Qing Yang True Person said earnestly, ¡°However, this tactic has one weakness.¡± ¡°If there appears a Cultivator whose combat power far exceeds those of the same rank,¡± said Qiu Changtian calmly, ¡°they will be quickly broken through.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Qing Yang True Person nodded, ¡°That¡¯s precisely it.¡± ¡°The Nascent Soul Cultivators on their side will likely be deployed entirely elsewhere because they are at a disadvantage in terms of average Cultivation Level, thus they will probably use their numerical advantage to block our Sect¡¯s elders.¡± ¡°The ones before us are only Golden Core Cultivators who have severely underestimated our combat power. If we can successfully break through in one go, even if we can¡¯t break the Formation, we can at least disrupt their deployment, creating more advantageous opportunities for battle.¡± ¡°Of course, if one link in the above speculation goes wrong, leading us to encounter Nascent Soul Cultivators, or if the Demon Cult commanders react and call in a large group of Golden Core Cultivators to encircle us, we could instead fall into peril and face the risk of destruction.¡± ¡°Whether to play it safe or to take a risk is for you to decide,¡± he said. Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian exchanged looks for a moment and said, ¡°Of course, we take the risk!¡± Upon hearing this, Qing Yang True Person was somewhat surprised, Xu Yinglian¡¯s nature was something he understood well, headstrong and indomitable, with each daunting challenge only serving to stoke her competitive spirit even more. But Qiu Changtian was also so brash¡­ no, this junior brother was not one to sit idle either. As early as when he had just entered the sect, he endlessly led the outer disciples on experiential missions, known as the ¡°Impatient and Righteous, Chief Qiu¡±. Now with an opportunity to contribute to the sect before him, how could he be content to follow others? However, Qing Yang True Person had his own motives for such a proposal, or perhaps, the motives of the Xu Family of Southern Heaven. The Xu Family of Southern Heaven was eyeing Qiu Changtian¡¯s future prospects, hoping to quickly establish a reputation and influence for their prospective son-in-law. Nevertheless, the Ziwei Master of the Kunlun Taiqing Sect, out of concern for the Demon Cult¡¯s wanted order, had Qiu Changtian stay within the sphere of Kunlun¡¯s power, to avoid being coveted or even intercepted by high rank cultivators. Both parties naturally had Qiu Changtian¡¯s best interests at heart, but one was relatively aggressive, while the other more conservative, which inevitably led to certain conflicts. Now, presented with this great battle, the Ziwei Master, in a rare decision, allowed Qiu Changtian to participate. Naturally, the Xu Family of Southern Heaven seized the opportunity and specifically instructed Qing Yang True Person to ensure, while guaranteeing Qiu Changtian¡¯s safety, that they create opportunities for him to gain fame as much as possible. It was no secret in Kunlun that Qing Yang True Person¡¯s essence had been damaged during the previous Core Condensation Tribulation. But unknown to everyone, with the aid of his family¡¯s secret medicines and techniques, his injuries had actually healed significantly. As such, as long as he distinguished himself in this war, Kunlun would not attribute all merit to a ¡°damaged essence¡± Golden Core Cultivator, but would consider the active performances of Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian, perhaps even using them as examples to publicize. ¡°Such is very good,¡± Qing Yang True Person said contentedly, his eyes growing sharper. If the time, place, and people were all aligned, then it was time to take the risk! The three hurriedly advanced within the Immortal Slaying Sword Formation. Since the northern region lacked the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword for defense, they didn¡¯t need to worry about the formation¡¯s own restrictions attacking them and only needed to deal with the intervening cultivators. Before long, they encountered three more Golden Core Cultivators, who were accompanied by eight Foundation Establishment Realm disciples. ¡°Heavenly Demon Path Cultivators,¡± Qing Yang True Person murmured, leading the charge with his Flying Sword. The opposing Heavenly Demon Path Cultivators were also seasoned warriors. Two of the Golden Core Cultivators instantly confronted him from the left and right, trying to trap Qing Yang True Person in a pincer attack. The remaining Golden Core Cultivator led the disciples swiftly to the side, releasing countless Demon Heads from their sleeves, aiming to take advantage of the chaos and dispose of Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian. Junior Sister Xu began to recite an incantation in a clear voice, and countless Bright Flames surged out from her nose and mouth, flooding towards the enemy like a tide. The sea of fire was so intense and fierce that even Golden Core Cultivators dared not cut through its edge, hastily chanting to deploy their Demon Arts in an attempt to suppress the Great Bright Fire. Before the incantation was finished, a sudden Tai Yi Thunder ripped through the sea of fire, blasting towards the cultivator¡¯s head. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only The Tai Yi Thunder was colorless and tasteless, already difficult to detect, and with the brightness of the sea of fire for cover, by the time the Golden Core Cultivator noticed, it was nearly upon him. A thunderous boom that resonated as if shaking the heavens erupted, and among the eight Foundation Establishment Realm Heavenly Demon Path disciples, six perished instantly on the spot. Only two who were fortunate had Demon Heads nearby to shield them and were not blasted into pieces by the Thunder Light. And the Golden Core Cultivator who had taken the brunt of the thunder to his face, even with Demon Arts as a shield, was almost instantly deprived of half his life. He hurriedly activated his secret technique, trying to stabilize his injuries, only to see that the sea of fire churned and engulfed him completely. Chapter 282 - Chapter 282: Chapter 74 Ying Lian, Ying Lian Chapter 282: Chapter 74 Ying Lian, Ying Lian The deeper they delved into the sword array, the more Qing Yang True Person realized that Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian were simply a perfect match. Of course, this wasn¡¯t about matching in terms of physical appearance or character (though they did indeed match in that respect), but rather, their tactical synergy was almost innate. Xu Yinglian¡¯s Great Bright Fire possessed an extremely strong suppressive power. Expanses of sea of flames grew with the wind, quickly covering the entire area, forcing even Golden Core Cultivators to resort to using Daoist magic to suppress it. Otherwise, if surrounded by the Great Bright Fire without a protective dharma treasure, even Golden Core Cultivators would not be able to save their own lives. However, once the opponent chose to use Daoist magic to suppress the flames, Qiu Changtian would immediately take action. His Five Thunders True Law was extremely lethal, not to mention its ability to overcome specific resistances, just its effects in breaking evil and exterminating demons were enough to harm Golden Core Cultivators. What was most ingenious was that the Thunder Method would be released amidst the Great Bright Fire, with the thunder light perfectly concealed by the endless luminance of the sea of flames, so much so that by the time most cultivators reacted, Divine Thunder had already struck their faces. In theory, the visual obstruction caused by the Great Bright Fire was bidirectional. If opponents couldn¡¯t see the thunder light clearly, then likewise, they should not be able to lock onto the positions of the cultivators here. How exactly Qiu Changtian was able to accurately capture the target amidst the blinding fiery light, even Qing Yang True Person couldn¡¯t figure out. But it didn¡¯t really matter. The advancement was unexpectedly smooth, and they hadn¡¯t encountered more than three Golden Core Cultivators at once. If this went on, they seemed they would soon reach the center of the sword array. Qing Yang True Person¡¯s mindset was quite optimistic, while Qiu Changtian, on the other hand, was somewhat worried. Because he had seen Lei Caiyan when following Luo Yan¡¯s lead and knew that she wasn¡¯t foolish. Being a traitor after all requires high intelligence to manage effectively; fools have no place in this role. If the opponent had already discovered that a Kunlun team was penetrating deep into the array, yet they did nothing to prepare and respond, could it be because¡­ ¡°Senior brother, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Xu Yinglian, seeing his expression change, spoke up. ¡°Nothing,¡± Qiu Changtian shook his head. He couldn¡¯t very well explain to his junior sister that, although he had no evidence, he felt unexpected complications might arise. If it turned out, later on, that nothing went wrong¡­ did he not care about their invincible character setting¡¯s synchronization value? ¡°Do you feel like our journey has been a little too smooth?¡± Xu Yinglian suddenly spoke. ¡°Really?¡± Qiu Changtian said in surprise, ¡°Junior sister, you also feel that¡­¡± Before he could finish his sentence, a rolling red glow appeared in front of them, as if sandstorms were rising or tsunamis churning, an endless tide of Sword Qi sweeping towards them! The three of them were instantly terrified, belatedly becoming aware: The Demon Cult was transforming the sword array! The Immortal Slaying Sword Formation was vulnerable because of the loss of the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword, leaving the northern gate wide open, the largest weakness of the entire sword array. Yet, the enemy was able to use this weakness to lure Kunlun Cultivators to attack from the north and suddenly transform the array¡ªmoving the Blood Sea Trapping Immortal Sword that originally suppressed the west to the north! More absurdly, there had never been any accounts of the Immortal Slaying Sword Formation being capable of transformation since the ancient times of the great conflict between the Daoist sects! There was no intelligence to support such a maneuver! No one would have considered it, seeing as the sword array assembled from four eleventh-rank Immortal Swords needed several Sect Guardian Immortals to break the formation; otherwise, it was invincible to all, slaying gods and buddhas alike, so why would there be any thought of transformation? At this point, whether cursing the Demon Cult¡¯s treachery or regretting their overzealousness, all was meaningless. Because the Blood Sea Trapping Immortal Sword was already surging towards them through the rolling red glow, rapidly approaching all in the northern area! ¡°Retreat quickly!¡± Qing Yang True Person made a decisive call, pushing Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian behind him, ¡°I¡¯ll try to block the Sword Qi as much as I can, you two escape from the formation quickly!¡± Although he looked solemn and determined, Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian knew that this was just a futile gesture. How long could a Golden Core True Person withstand the Immortal Slaying Sword Formation, which could fell even immortals? ¡°` Despite the situation, neither of them said anything like ¡°No, you go first,¡± but rather turned around and fled without hesitation. Qing Yang True Person looked ahead at the Sword Qi, silently preparing to activate his family¡¯s desperate secret technique, and chuckled bitterly to himself. He had just barely recovered a large portion of his original essence from a previous injury, and now it seemed he was going to lose it all over again. Activating the secret technique completely, his True Yuan flared wildly, converging on his Flying Sword, and then he launched an almost full-powered strike towards the approaching Blood Sea Trapping Immortal Sword! The swords collided abruptly, shattering instantaneously. The difference was, Qing Yang True Person¡¯s Flying Sword was destroyed, whereas the opposing Blood Sea Trapping Immortal Sword was merely an ephemeral projection of Sword Qi from the Immortal Slaying Sword Formation. Just a projection of Sword Qi, and yet it possessed immense power¡ªthis was the supreme protective formation of the ancient Intercepting Cult! Countless projections of Sword Qi emerged again, howling towards Qing Yang True Person. As he was about to struggle desperately, he suddenly felt his body shake. As if something had grabbed the back of his neck, he was hoisted into the air. He quickly focused his eyes and realized he was now above the sea of clouds. The stern-faced, diminutive elder held his neck with one hand, as though picking up a kitten, and set him aside. Ziwei Master stood beside the elder, and upon seeing Qing Yang True Person rescued, she quickly asked in urgent concern, ¡°Where¡¯s Qiu Changtian?¡± ¡°Down there¡­¡± Qing Yang True Person hurriedly looked downward, but only saw the formation filled with surging red light and fierce killing intent, with no sign of anyone. ¡°Ge Yan,¡± said the elder, ¡°if he dies in the formation, that¡¯s his destiny, and we must not force it.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Ziwei Master struggled briefly with her emotions, but eventually fell silent. Ge Yan was Master¡¯s secular name. That is to say, this person was the Supreme Elder, the Sect Guardian Immortal of the Taiqing Sect¡­ With fear coursing through him, Qing Yang True Person saw the elder reach into the void below and pull up a Kunlun cultivator. The Kunlun cultivator was disheveled, his complexion as pale as golden paper, his entire body drenched in sweat, as if he had not yet recovered from the immense fear of impending death. The elder discarded him to the side with disdain. ¡°Where is he?¡± he muttered to himself, squinting down at the great formation, ¡°Even in blind chess, you¡¯re supposed to be able to see the pieces. Isn¡¯t this just cheating?¡± Within the Immortal Slaying Sword Formation, Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian raced desperately, only to see another burst of red light appearing ahead, resembling burning coals and morning twilight¡ªtinged with a kind of dazzling beauty, it unleashed a vast array of knife-sharp Sword Qi, ferociously striking at them. ¡°Senior brother,¡± Xu Yinglian suddenly said, ¡°I¡¯ve always fallen behind you, but this time, your junior sister must take the lead.¡± With those words, she brandished her sword and leaped forward, intending to use her own sacrifice to buy Qiu Changtian more time! Qiu Changtian was horrified and not at all moved. Instead, he nearly scared the soul out of his body. I have Ah Jing to protect me and can teleport away at any moment; I don¡¯t need junior sister taking hits for me! He hurriedly steered the Yu Long Sword in pursuit, but saw Xu Yinglian activating her secret technique, causing her True Yuan to surge violently, pouring it into the Feather Jia Sword, and then unleashing a full-powered strike against the boundless Sword Qi! The Sword Qi instantly dissipated, and the Feather Jia Sword flew back, striking Xu Yinglian in the chest. It smashed into her, bending her waist, breaking her spine, and sending her tumbling down like a kite with its string cut¡­ Into Qiu Changtian¡¯s arms. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Qiu Changtian: ¡­¡­ He had thought that becoming Daoist companions with his junior sister was just the best choice under the circumstances (since he couldn¡¯t find anyone he liked more), but to his surprise, she was willing to sacrifice her life for him. But one day my true identity will be exposed¡­ Pushing aside these thoughts and distractions, Qiu Changtian¡¯s face was as calm as still water, as he reached up to adjust the Daoist crown on his head. ¡°` Chapter 283 - Chapter 283: Chapter 75: Breaking the Formation All Depends on My Own Strength! Chapter 283: Chapter 75: Breaking the Formation All Depends on My Own Strength! ¡°` He wore a Daoist crown on his head, called the ¡°Sun and Moon Coalescing Crown,¡± which he had received upon becoming the Chief Disciple in the Foundation Establishment Realm of the Kunlun Sect. It had the ¡°Great Sun Wheel Method,¡± acclaimed for its ability to bring the dead back to life and mend white bones; as long as the soul had not left the body, it could save a person even if they had turned into flesh paste. When he activated the Great Sun Wheel Method, the Junior Sister Xu in his arms, who was nearly dead and in a coma as delicate as a thread, quickly began to breathe more steadily. Qiu Changtian held her with one hand and shaped a spell with the other, activating the magic on his Daoist robe once more. This robe was called the ¡°Constellation Shifting Robe,¡± which bore the ¡°Four Symbols Constellation Formation Method.¡± Back then, Xu Changqing had survived the Golden Core Heavenly Tribulation with the help of this formation. However, the power of the Immortal Slaying Sword Formation was far more formidable than the Golden Core Heavenly Tribulation, and he estimated it wouldn¡¯t hold for many rounds. Qiu Changtian sighed and drew his life-bound Immortal Sword, the Qing Ping, saying, ¡°Qing Ping, oh Qing Ping, it seems we are destined to fall here today.¡± ¡°Is this the Immortal Slaying Sword Formation?¡± the Qing Ping Sword asked in surprise, as if it had just learned of this. ¡°Yes,¡± Qiu Changtian replied, as he activated the Four Symbols Constellation Formation Method. Suddenly, countless stars shimmered, forming an Azure Dragon in the east, a White Tiger in the west, a Vermilion Bird in the south, and a Xuanwu in the north, clashing fiercely with the myriad Sword Qi around them. It was quickly torn to shreds¡­ Back then, it had held up for a long while under the Core Formation Tribulation for Xu Changqing! ¡°Blood Sea Trapping Immortal Sword.¡± Qing Ping Sword commented, ¡°The person activating the sword array isn¡¯t very skilled, their understanding of formations is much worse than yours.¡± ¡°Yet the control of the sword array lies in her hands,¡± Qiu Changtian said with a sigh, repeating, ¡°To fail in such a manner, I truly cannot reconcile with it!¡± ¡°What happened to Junior Sister Xu?¡± asked the Qing Ping Sword, pretending not to understand as it continued. ¡°She took a sword blow for me and almost died,¡± Qiu Changtian replied. ¡°Tsk, tsk,¡± Qing Ping Sword made a sound that seemed to convey both admiration and mocking, ¡°using her body to block a sword? She truly has deep feelings and a sense of righteousness for you.¡± ¡°If I wanted to leave, I could have Ah Jing teleport me away at any moment,¡± Qiu Changtian said through clenched teeth, ¡°but I cannot possibly abandon her here!¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then let¡¯s break the formation,¡± Qing Ping Sword suggested. The sword had finally spoken up! Overjoyed, Qiu Changtian hastily asked, ¡°How do we do that?¡± The surrounding Sword Qi howled again, and the Qing Ping Sword explained: ¡°If it were a complete Immortal Slaying Sword Formation, breaking it would naturally be difficult. But this formation is not complete; it has flaws when activated.¡± ¡°Listen to me, first move seven steps to the west¡­¡± Qiu Changtian immediately controlled his sword to move seven steps westward, narrowly evading an assault of Sword Qi. ¡°Move four steps north.¡± Qiu Changtian again retreated four steps north, and the Sword Qi once again shot past narrowly in front of him. ¡°Move seven steps to the east, and then rush full speed to the south,¡± the Qing Ping Sword continued. Following the directive, Qiu Changtian flew seven steps eastward, and a multitude of red Sword Qi, like tidal waves, swept by his right side, roaring toward the north. He promptly controlled his sword to rush southward, successfully leaving the Sword Qi behind. ¡°In truth, the Immortal Slaying Formation Map is quite complex, requiring someone with deep understanding of formations to oversee it¡ªit¡¯s not something any Tom, Dick, or Harry can manipulate,¡± Qing Ping Sword said calmly, ¡°otherwise, it¡¯s like swinging a broadsword at a mosquito¡ªyou can¡¯t hit anything, so it¡¯s useless.¡± ¡°If so, what comes next to break the formation?¡± Qiu Changtian asked eagerly, telling himself he had known there was a way! ¡°Reach the center of the formation and strike it with all your might using the Thunder Method,¡± Qing Ping Sword replied. ¡°What if there are Nascent Soul Cultivators there?¡± asked Qiu Changtian uncertainly. ¡°You¡¯re not supposed to kill them,¡± Qing Ping Sword responded, ¡°your Tai Yi Thunder has such a wide range of attack. Once you smash it down, with so many junctions densely packed from the formation center to the four directions, can they possibly protect them all?¡± ¡°In the end, allowing a cultivator to reach this position without killing them means the formation is already unsustainable,¡± it concluded. ¡°I¡¯ll trust you this once,¡± said Qiu Changtian solemnly, holding Xu Yinglian tighter as he flew powerfully toward the center of the sword array. In the center of the sword array, ¡°Lei Caiyan¡± sat cross-legged on the formation platform, holding the Immortal Slaying Formation Map, silent with eyes closed. Everyone knew of the three swords¡ªSlay, Execute, and Trap¡ªthat were in the hands of the Heavenly Demon Path, the Nether Ghost Path, and the Mortal Life Path, respectively; but they didn¡¯t realize that the most precious Immortal Slaying Formation Map had always been in Hell Path¡¯s possession. She had privately visited the three great leaders of the paths and finally borrowed the three swords, bringing the Immortal Slaying Sword Formation back into the world. Coupled with the staggering blow to the Kunlun Taiqing Sect, it was certain to cause the Three Pure Orthodox Sect to tremble simultaneously. As a result, the full-scale conflict between the two factions would become unstoppable. With the intensification of friction and conflict, under the tremendous pressure of the Three Pure Orthodox Sect, the Six Paths would inevitably trend toward unity and seek further integration. ¡°` ¡°` This process must be driven by the Hell Path, finally bringing together the disbanded and destroyed Intercepting Cult once more¡­ Hmm? She suddenly perceived through the Immortal Slaying Formation Map that someone was rapidly approaching the center of the Sword Array. The Blood Sea Trapping Immortal Sword was restlessly oscillating, partly because it couldn¡¯t hit the target. It seemed that the person understood the mechanisms of the Immortal Slaying Sword Array quite deeply, taking each step right atop the blind spots of the Formation¡¯s operation. On the other hand, it was the unsettling aura emanating from the individual that caused the sword¡¯s uneasiness. Could it be, something that even the Blood Sea Trapping Immortal Sword felt uneasy about¡­ an Immortal? Lei Caiyan¡¯s expression turned grave, and she quickly poured her Divine Sense into the Immortal Slaying Formation Map, attempting to manually control the mechanisms. She wasn¡¯t formally trained in Array Mastery. Despite having infiltrated the Heavenly Craft Workshop for many years and surreptitiously learning quite a bit, her understanding could only be considered superficial when compared to that of a true Array Master. Whether it was mediating the Tai Yi Escaping Armor Yin Yang Great Formation or managing the Immortal Slaying Sword Array, a special ¡°key¡± was needed to accomplish this. Just as she tried to redirect most of the Sword Qi to eliminate the rapidly approaching Kunlun Cultivator, she suddenly noticed that part of the Sword Qi in the Array mysteriously collapsed. To be precise, there was something approaching the center of the Sword Array at an even faster speed, like lightning. Wherever it passed, the Sword Qi would disintegrate and vanish from sight. Above the sea of clouds. The Sect Guardian Immortal of the Taiqing Sect continued to display his Divine Skills, pulling one living Kunlun Cultivator after another from the deadly Sword Array. The Ziwei Master watched eagerly by his side. Not Qiu Changtian¡­ Neither is it Qiu Changtian¡­ With each person confirmed, a deeper shade of disappointment spread across his face, making the rescued Kunlun Cultivators feel somewhat guilty, as if failing to breach the Immortal Slaying Sword Array was due to their own incompetence. Thus, those who were saved could only silently watch below as the Chief Elder continued to use Supreme Divine Power to rescue people from the Immortal Slaying Sword Array in various ways. All of a sudden, there was a thunderclap from out of the blue. The Sword Qi, red light, and ghastly winds below¡­ abruptly dissipated in an instant. The Demon Path Cultivators, who had been battling with Kunlun within the Array, were also shocked, swiftly invoking spells to escape and save themselves. The Kunlun assembly: ??? Before they could grasp what was happening, they saw the Chief Elder¡¯s eyes light up as he extended his arm, reaching through the dispersed luminosity of the Sword Array and snatching up a figure. If it wasn¡¯t the Qiu Changtian who the Ziwei Master had been longing for, then who was it? ¡°Cough, thank you, Senior, for the rescue¡­¡± Just as Qiu Changtian began to speak, the Chief Elder interrupted him. He ceaselessly patted Qiu Changtian¡¯s back, excitedly saying to the Ziwei Master: ¡°Ge Yan! Your disciple broke the Immortal Slaying Sword Array; he did well! Very well indeed!¡± Everyone: ¡­¡­¡­ The Ziwei Master struggled to keep his composure, as if trying to smile yet forcibly maintaining a dignified calm. Qiu Changtian, on the other hand, was somewhat in a daze, as his Invincible Character Setting¡¯s Synchronization Value was skyrocketing. Being personally praised and commended in front of all the Nascent Soul Elders and Golden Core Cultivators by the Chief Elder, it seemed like this fame might be a bit too much! ¡°How did you do it?¡± the Chief Elder, still oblivious, curiously asked, ¡°To break the formation alone, even your master down there might not be able to do it!¡± Upon hearing this, the Ziwei Master¡¯s face twitched. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Being a Sect Leader himself, if he dared to barge into the Immortal Slaying Sword Array, he would certainly be targeted with full force by the Array¡¯s host, and whether he could save his own life would be questionable¡­ could he be compared to this Foundation Establishment Realm disciple? Your venerable self truly has a way with words! Looking around at the others, they too had expressions of facial muscle twitches. Qiu Changtian observed his master¡¯s reaction and immediately put on an unaffected demeanor, modestly saying: ¡°I dare not accept such unwarranted praise from Senior; it was merely good fortune.¡± Chapter 284 - Chapter 284: Chapter 1 Just a Beginning Chapter 284: Chapter 1 Just a Beginning ¡°` ¡°¡­That¡¯s roughly everything.¡± Inside the Jade Void Palace, Qiu Changtian recounted the events that occurred within the Immortal Slaying Formation ¡°truthfully¡± to the Ziwei Master, who appeared somewhat baffled. In short, Qing Yang True Person Xu Changqing fearlessly sacrificed himself, drawing the fire from the sword array mechanism and allowing the two to significantly advance their position. Then, Xu Yinglian also selflessly gave herself up to cover Qiu Changtian¡¯s continued advance, eventually allowing him to luckily reach the vicinity of the formation¡¯s heart and fortuitously succeed. ¡°Luck¡± and ¡°fluke¡± were the main reasons Qiu Changtian summed up for the success of their mission, comments that made Ziwei Master want to retort but leave him speechless. For who could ¡°just happen¡± to evade most of the sword array mechanisms and rush near the formation¡¯s core to disrupt the hub without enough luck? Even if the Immortal Slaying Sword Formation had various issues at the time, it definitely was not something a Foundation Establishment realm disciple, who hadn¡¯t even reached the Golden Core stage, could solve. After much thought, the bond between master and disciple prevailed, and Ziwei Master waved his hand, indicating he had fully understood and that Qiu Changtian could leave. As for the rumors circulating within the Taiqing Sect¡­ let them be. Qiu Changtian respectfully saluted his master, then turned and left. Stepping out of the Jade Void Palace, he let out a long sigh and said in his mind: ¡°I truly didn¡¯t expect the Immortal Slaying Sword Formation to be breached so easily.¡± ¡°Even though it is a divine weapon, it is like a toy in the hands of a child,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword commented bluntly, ¡°If even the Immortal Slaying Formation Map cannot be properly utilized, what good would the Immortal Slaying Sword Formation be?¡± ¡°Now, the entire Kunlun is spreading rumors that I alone slaughtered my way through the Immortal Slaying Sword Formation,¡± Qiu Changtian said with a wry smile, ¡°The most preposterous version is that I, pressing forward under the onslaught of the swords named Slaughter and Trapping, rushed directly to the center of the sword array and defeated several hundred Nascent Soul Cultivators from the Demon Cult.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good thing,¡± the Kunlun Mirror remarked indifferently, ¡°It fits quite well with your invincible character setting.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t understand, Ah Jing!¡± Qiu Changtian stated with a heartfelt distress, ¡°I have an invincible character setting, not a mysterious one! When everyone¡¯s expectations of my power rise to unlimited heights, my strength must truly match those expectations. Otherwise, as much as the synchronization value is satisfyingly high now, it will crash terribly when my character setting collapses later on!¡± ¡°We have confidence in your abilities,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said with a chuckle. Qiu Changtian could not be bothered with the worthless mirror; during the siege of Penglai by the hundred thousand gods and demons, it had not proven to be of any use, not as intuitive as my Green Duckweed. He rode on a sword light, leaving Kunlun Heavenly Pillar and headed towards his cave abode at Golden Ridge. On his way, every Kunlun Cultivator he met, whether they had interacted with him before or were seeing him for the first time, stopped to greet him¡ªamong them were even Golden Core Cultivators, which also secretly flattered Qiu Changtian. After his experience with the Immortal Slaying Sword Formation and the straightforward praise from the Grand Elders in front of so many Nascent Soul Elders and Golden Core True Persons, Qiu Changtian¡¯s fame had escalated beyond what could be achieved by a ¡°Chief Disciple in Foundation Establishment,¡± spiraling uncontrollably towards even more exaggerated heights. This corresponded with the exceedingly high synchronization of his character, and his innate Daoist Heart Clarity talent seemed so seamless that Qiu Changtian almost believed ¡°this was simply my talent all along.¡± ¡°Sigh,¡± he lamented suddenly, ¡°now the Demon Cult will surely view me as a thorn in their eye, a pain in their side.¡± ¡°If you wish to make a name for yourself in Kunlun, this would have happened sooner or later,¡± Qing Ping Sword said leisurely. ¡°Not only that,¡± the Kunlun Mirror added, ¡°you must have also realized that the hundred thousand gods and demons attacking Penglai was not the end but merely the beginning¡­ The worst is yet to come.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Qiu Changtian nodded somberly. Would the Orthodox Sect suffer such a great loss without seeking retribution? Knowing that the Orthodox Sect was planning revenge, would the Demon Cult not prepare? This exchange was nothing but a rapid escalation of conflict. Plus, with the absence of strategic deterrents like nuclear weapons that ensure ¡°mutual destruction¡± in this world, it would likely evolve into a dire situation resembling a comprehensive war between doctrines. I have three identities in the Orthodox Sect and one in the Demon Cult, which may sound like reaping benefits from both sides, but in truth, it¡¯s like quadrupling my risks¡­ To speak uglier, what if the Sect assigns me a mission where my two identities are forced into mutual slaughter and one must die? ¡°` The time to test Great Wisdom has come! Qiu Changtian, weighed down by heavy thoughts, unknowingly returned to the Golden Ridge Cave Abode. There he saw Xu Yinglian standing at the entrance of her own cave abode, feeding some spirit grass to a passing immortal crane. ¡°Senior Brother.¡± Seeing Qiu Changtian¡¯s return, she gave a frail but beautiful smile. ¡°Junior Sister.¡± Qiu Changtian landed beside her, asking with concern, ¡°How¡¯s your health? Is the damage to your essence still severe?¡± Xu Yinglian shook her head, her expression serene, but inside she felt a small triumph. By now, it had spread throughout Kunlun that she (and Great Grandfather) had saved her Senior Brother, giving him the chance to single-handedly break through the Immortal Slaying Sword Formation and prevent their Kunlun fellow disciples from being massacred. Although the lion¡¯s share of the fame had gone to her Senior Brother, if it weren¡¯t for her self-sacrifice, his success wouldn¡¯t have come so easily¡­ Thinking this, Xu Yinglian rejoiced, feeling a sense of achievement as if her self-worth had been realized. Seeing her color to be fairly healthy, Qiu Changtian too breathed a sigh of relief. That day within the Immortal Slaying Sword Formation, Junior Sister Xu had been willing to sacrifice herself for him, and he would be lying if he said he wasn¡¯t moved. But if we¡¯re talking about the significance of Junior Sister Xu¡¯s rescue¡­ well, it probably amounted to him wasting a lifesaving Daoist magic. ¡°Senior Brother, this time you¡¯ve truly made our sect proud.¡± Xu Yinglian said with a smile. ¡°Hardly, hardly.¡± Qiu Changtian initially responded with subconscious modesty, then followed with curiosity, ¡°Junior Sister, why do you seem¡­¡± He didn¡¯t finish his sentence, which amounted to ¡°Shouldn¡¯t your attitude at this time be ¡®resentful,¡¯ ¡®angry,¡¯ ¡®I won¡¯t accept this¡¯?¡± ¡°Senior Brother¡­¡± Xu Yinglian looked slightly uncomfortable, silently twirling her hair with her fingers, ¡°Do you really think I¡¯m one to be easily jealous?¡± ¡°Of course not!¡± Qiu Changtian¡¯s survival instinct was still very strong, ¡°It¡¯s just that Junior Sister used to be more competitive, and now it seems you¡¯ve changed, which just took me by surprise, that¡¯s all.¡± ¡°Competitive?¡± Xu Yinglian shook her head, her expression suddenly resolute, ¡°Senior Brother, even now, I won¡¯t give up my determination to catch up with you, even to surpass you.¡± Then, she revealed a gentle smile: ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean I should be jealous of what Senior Brother has achieved, after all, you didn¡¯t get to your position today without my help, did you?¡± Qiu Changtian thought deeply for a moment, and had to admit that was indeed the case. Where did his Tenth Rank Immortal Sword come from? It was a gift from the Xu Family of Southern Heaven when he promised to become Daoist Companions with Junior Sister Xu. Where did his Five Thunder True Law come from? It was obtained from the Ziwei Master to ensure he constantly surpassed Junior Sister Xu in strength. Even the biggest reliance for the character setting of Qiu Changtian, the Daoist Heart Clarity¡¯s exceptional talent, who provided the constant Synchronization Value? It was his dear Junior Sister Xu! Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Junior Sister makes a fair point, I was indeed being thoughtless.¡± Qiu Changtian laughed, ¡°I almost forgot, we are actually Daoist Companions.¡± Xu Yinglian¡¯s cheeks flushed, and she lowered her head to fiddle with the spirit grass in her hands. ¡°By the way, Junior Sister.¡± Seeing her shy demeanor, Qiu Changtian immediately smiled, ¡°I wonder how you¡¯re feeling about the idea of cohabitating in the same cave abode that I mentioned last time¡­¡± ¡°Cough, cough cough cough!¡± Xu Yinglian quickly covered her mouth with her fist, feigning weakness as she coughed, and said, ¡°It seems the injuries I suffered last time still haven¡¯t fully healed, I wouldn¡¯t want to bother Senior Brother with my presence here.¡± With that, she gracefully turned and darted back into her own cave abode. Chapter 285 - Chapter 285: Chapter 2: Sect Leaders Encouragement, A Small Goal Chapter 285: Chapter 2: Sect Leader¡¯s Encouragement, A Small Goal Days have passed since the battle at Penglai ended. Rather than subsiding, the internal discussions within the sect only grew more intense. During this battle, Kunlun lost a total of seventeen cultivators, which might not seem like many. But upon closer inquiry, it became clear that all the fallen were Nascent Soul Elders¡ªclearly, the manipulators of the Immortal Slaying Sword Formation, after deploying a formation change that trapped the Kunlun cultivators, had specifically targeted the more profound Kunlun Elders for assassination. Since the founding of Kunlun, aside from the majority of Nascent Soul Elders who had perished due to various reasons (mainly Heavenly Tribulation), the few who left to establish their own sects, and the very few who attained Feather Transformation to become immortals, there were altogether no more than three hundred left. That seventeen of them perished in this Immortal Slaying Sword Formation caused a wave of grief throughout the entire sect. Had it not been for Qiu Changtian¡¯s bold risk, taking advantage of the Sword Formation manipulator¡¯s lack of attention on him to infiltrate and break the formation, the number of casualties would have surely climbed. For this very reason, even Chi Song Immortal, the Supreme Elder of the Kunlun Sect, did not hesitate to praise Qiu Changtian in front of the true elders, for the credit he had earned was too significant to ignore. Of course, beyond verbal commendation, the rewards were quickly distributed. A Zhu Sui Pill. Even after Luo Yan had spent time at the Heavenly Craft Workshop gathering extensive knowledge of spirit pills, he still did not know the ingredients of this Zhu Sui Pill. He only knew that the materials required for its refinement were exceedingly rare, virtually unobtainable. Taken with pine resin and xialing for refining, it could add thirty years to one¡¯s Refining Mansion Cultivation Level, a very rare secret medicine of the Purple Mansion. Upon receiving the pill from the Ziwei Master, Qiu Changtian immediately consumed and refined it. After the refining process was complete, he stood up spiritedly, only to hear the Ziwei Master, from atop the lotus platform, say leisurely: ¡°Your Jade Mansion must have formed by now, hasn¡¯t it?¡± Qiu Changtian fell silent for a while, quickly calculating in his mind. On the line of Qiu Changtian¡¯s public cultivation progress, he had ostensibly gained seventy years from contemplating the Taiqing divine image in the Heaven¡¯s Gate Hall, an additional thirty years from the acceleration within the Cloud Sea Empty Cocoon, and another thirty years from the Zhu Sui Pill just then. Added to the three years of standard cultivation in Kunlun after reaching the Refining Mansion stage, the total should be one hundred thirty-three years. Moving from the Purple Mansion to forming the Jade Mansion, which is to reach the threshold of a Third Grade Golden Core, requires about two hundred years of cultivation, so his answer should have been ¡°the Jade Mansion has not yet formed.¡± However, to be honest, Qiu Changtian was somewhat afraid of his mentor¡ªevery time he lied or prevaricated, the Ziwei Master would see right through him on the spot but lightly let him off the hook. Therefore, after quickly weighing the pros and cons, he finally nodded and said: ¡°Hmm.¡± Of course, this ¡°hmm¡± carried many meanings, such as having already accumulated three hundred and twenty years of cultivation in his Purple Mansion¡­ Naturally, two hundred years of cultivation makes a Jade Mansion, as does three hundred and twenty years. As long as the Ziwei Master doesn¡¯t ask, I won¡¯t tell! Seeing him ambiguously acknowledge this, the Ziwei Master snorted coldly and said: ¡°As the chief disciple in the Foundation Establishment Realm, relying on seventy years of enlightenment from the Heaven¡¯s Gate Hall, and then diligently cultivating for another one hundred thirty years, forming a Jade Mansion before the end of one¡¯s natural life is generally not a problem.¡± ¡°However, Qiu Changtian, you have a Daoist Heart Clarity. If you are merely content with a Third Grade Golden Core, that would not only be letting your mentor down but also wasting your once-in-ten-thousand-years extraordinary talent!¡± ¡°Now that you have formed your Jade Mansion, no matter how many years of Purple Mansion cultivation you already have, you must make sure to accumulate a full four hundred years of cultivation before Core Formation!¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t reach a Second Grade Golden Core, forget about being the chief Golden Core Realm disciple after your Core Formation!¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Qiu Changtian couldn¡¯t help but laugh and cry, hastily agreeing. Sure enough, the Ziwei Master had guessed that he possessed more than just two hundred years of Refining Mansion cultivation, so he directly set a minor goal for himself to ¡°amass four hundred years¡¯ worth of cultivation.¡± However, in reality, he already had three hundred twenty years of Refining Mansion cultivation, and with one hundred twenty years of natural lifespan remaining, he only needed to cultivate for another eighty years to reach the threshold of a Second Grade Golden Core. Master, the minor goal you¡¯ve set for me is hardly any effort to achieve at all! After leaving the Jade Void Palace, Qiu Changtian saw groups of cultivators in the distance, flying on their swords, a fierce battle aura sweeping across the sky. With both Kunlun and Penglai being shamelessly ambushed by a horde of demons and devils, neither would be likely to swallow the loss afterward. The Demon Cult of the Six Paths had plundered a vast amount of magical treasures, Flying Swords, spiritual medicines, and Talisman Scripts from Penglai¡­ their combat strength had markedly improved, and it was up to Kunlun to intervene immediately and suppress the rising momentum of the Demon Cult. Naturally, this would involve countless dangers and bloodshed. A great chaos was imminent, it was coming! Filled with emotion, Qiu Changtian returned to the Golden Ridge Cave Abode. ¡°Big senior brother.¡± It wasn¡¯t long before his third junior brother, Guan Zhan, came to visit, ¡°I¡¯ve decided to join the front-line patrolling team and will no longer attend the daily scripture lectures for the time being.¡± ¡°Front-line patrolling team?¡± Qiu Changtian asked in surprise, ¡°How did you come up with the idea to go there?¡± The so-called ¡°front-line patrol¡± refers to the duty-bound cultivators who roam the outer boundaries of the Sect Residence, within the sect¡¯s sphere of influence, specially handling some high-risk and high-difficulty secret missions. For example, if an enemy sect¡¯s cultivator infiltrated, they needed to be swiftly eliminated, which obviously wouldn¡¯t be appropriate to assign through the duties hall; hence, it was managed by patrol cultivators. Or if an enemy sect¡¯s outpost were discovered, and it needed to be erased from the map, that certainly couldn¡¯t be openly recruited for; thus, it was secretly dealt with by patrol cultivators. Given the great risk involved in the duty process, and the delay it caused to regular cultivation, sects often implemented a rotation system, assigning Golden Core cultivators to take turns serving¡ªwhy would this junior brother suddenly think of volunteering for such a bitter task? ¡°Big senior brother is unaware,¡± Guan Zhan said earnestly, ¡°the sect plans to expand the front-line patrol team to four hundred members, lowering the recruitment threshold to those at the Foundation Establishment Realm of the Refining Mansion level.¡± ¡°They even specially opened up Fenbao Rock, which will distribute rewards based on the merits accumulated by the front-line patrol team.¡± What? Fenbao Rock was open? Qiu Changtian was greatly shocked. Kunlun¡¯s Fenbao Rock, similar to Shushan¡¯s Fire Element Cave, was a treasure trove of the Kunlun Taiqing Sect. Cultivation techniques, elixirs, magical treasures, Flying Swords¡­ all types of resources for Cultivating Immortality were available, forming the foundation of the Taiqing Sect as a prestigious and upright sect. Now that the sect was willing to open Fenbao Rock, even Qiu Changtian himself was tempted to join the front-line patrol team. No, stay calm, he must remain calm! Currently, as the chief disciple of the Foundation Establishment Realm in Kunlun, tasked with answering the queries of the previous chief disciples, it would not be appropriate for him to run around outside. Besides, the daily lessons, he decided it was best to focus his time and energy on searching for various Purple Mansion secret realms and secret medicines. Thus, Qiu Changtian encouraged Guan Zhan with a few words before sending him on his way. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°The matter here is concluded,¡± he instructed the Kunlun Mirror, ¡°Let¡¯s go to Shushan first.¡± Among the many timelines, only Shushan was currently far behind. However, Shushan held information about two Purple Mansion secret realms. Therefore, it was essential to secure these two benefits quickly within the Hundred Thousand Mountains. In the end, no matter what hardships and dangers awaited, striving to improve one¡¯s cultivation realm was always the correct path. Chapter 286 - Chapter 286: Chapter 3 The Whereabouts of the Sun True Obscure Sword Chapter 286: Chapter 3 The Whereabouts of the Sun True Obscure Sword Shushan, Southern Expedition Team. As the miasma from the Hundred Thousand Mountains was about to disperse, all the Sword Immortals also began to take action. Among them, the most noticeable within the disciples of the Foundation Establishment Realm were naturally the four powerhouses. Duan Shan, Fenhai, Sui Yue, Po Yun, and that one ¡°you know who,¡± were going to join forces unprecedentedly this time, forming an exceptionally rare golden lineup, enough to scare any Demon Cult disciple out of their wits. Of course, the reason many Shushan disciples were so sure was that just hearing some of those names gave them a fear that split their liver and gallbladder. Speaking of which, that woman whose name was bad luck to mention, had killed more fellow Shushan sect members than probably any Demon Cult disciple. Finally! That freak was no longer plaguing us but went to massacre the Demon Cult! Everyone felt the urge to celebrate, frequently exclaiming in relief as they traveled south. An Zhisu¡¯s expression remained calm as she just listened to Ling Yunpo and the other three converse, never taking her eyes off her junior brother. ¡°This time the five paths of the Demon Cult are uniting to ambush us deep within the Hundred Thousand Mountains,¡± Lin Duanshan began, ¡°If we were to fight one on one, the average level of the Demon Cult disciples isn¡¯t as good as ours at Shushan, but they have us beaten in number. Moreover, their tactics are vicious and merciless, stooping to any means necessary.¡± ¡°Therefore, we must stick together as much as possible to avoid being isolated and ambushed by Demon Cult cultivators.¡± Ling Yunpo remained indifferent, thinking that the Demon Cult side was the one getting annihilated, and the disciples used as bait were nearly wiped out. ¡°If it¡¯s just Foundation Establishment disciples, no matter how many come, they are useless,¡± Guan Shanyue said with a smile, ¡°I¡¯m only worried about encountering Golden Core True Persons, or even Nascent Soul Cultivators. The difference in realms is like a chasm, hard to cross.¡± Ling Yunpo secretly scoffed, thinking that the high-rank cultivators had all run to the East Sea, and now the Hundred Thousand Mountains were filled with nothing but trash. ¡°It¡¯s said that Kunlun has also sent several Nascent Soul Elders to assist,¡± Duan Fenhai frowned, ¡°but it¡¯s unclear how they plan to provide support.¡± Ling Yunpo silently smirked, figuring there was no need to consider this, for the moment the news of the Hundred Thousand Demons attacking Penglai came out, these Kunlun Elders would immediately turn around and head for the East Sea. ¡°Junior Brother Ling,¡± Lin Duanshan suddenly asked, ¡°what are your thoughts?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have any particular thoughts,¡± Ling Yunpo shook his head, ¡°I¡¯ll just follow Senior Sister.¡± ¡°Heh,¡± Guan Shanyue revealed an amused expression and teased, ¡°If your Senior Sister accidentally breaks into a Demon Cult encirclement and gets surrounded by dozens of Nascent Soul Cultivators, would you follow her in too?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t even mention the Demon Cult encirclement,¡± Ling Yunpo said resolutely, ¡°Even if it were the Immortal Slaying Sword Formation, for Senior Sister, I¡¯d dare to charge through it!¡± His righteous words caused his Synchronization Value of the unyielding character to skyrocket. ¡°Stop talking nonsense,¡± An Zhisu gave Guan Shanyue a glare, signaling her to be quiet, then took her junior brother¡¯s arm gently and said, ¡°That Immortal Slaying Sword Formation, even an immortal would fall if they entered. Why would you foolishly rush into it?¡± Ling Yunpo then let out an awkward laugh. Senior Sister, you don¡¯t know that not only is the Immortal Slaying Sword Array incomplete, but the person controlling the Formation is also not skilled enough. Most importantly, my Qing Ping is too familiar with it; walking through it is like strolling in my own courtyard¡­ Of course, his thoughts had no outward broadcasting feature, so everyone just chuckled, dismissing his words as the bravado of a ¡°newborn calf that is not afraid of a tiger,¡± putting the conversation behind them. The Sword Immortals traveled swiftly with their Sword Control, quickly arriving at Lixi. This place was a small town inhabited by various groups, situated right at the entrance to the northern part of the Hundred Thousand Mountains. Deeper south from there, one would encounter the miasma. The Shushan Sword Immortals paused there to wait for the miasma to completely disperse the next day. Ling Yunpo silently recalled the timeline, calculating that Wei Dongliu should be in the Eastern Emperor Divine Palace right now, witnessing Ai Zhenzhi slapping Jiang Liyan across the face. Tsk tsk, who would have known that in just a few days, Ai Zhenzhi would turn around and be outwitted and slain by Jiang the Witch? For cultivators, strength is not the decisive factor for survival; wisdom and luck are¡­ Ling Yunpo left his room, intending to seek a heartfelt late-night conversation with Senior Sister An, when suddenly a streak of Sword Light flashed by, the divine presence of the Guan Family ancestor making an abrupt arrival. ¡°Young Ling,¡± he said, his feet atop the Sword Light as he hovered outside the balustrade, ¡°Since we are here at the Hundred Thousand Mountains, you should follow us to the Eastern Emperor Boundary Gate afterwards.¡± ¡°The Eastern Emperor Boundary Gate?¡± Ling Yunpo was momentarily startled, then quickly caught on, ¡°Elder, are you referring to the place where the last Sun Sword Master, Ouyang Zhao, perished in battle?¡± ¡°Correct,¡± the Guan Family Ancestor said with a smile. ¡°Ouyang Zhao¡¯s corpse, propped up by his sword, stands before the Eastern Emperor Boundary Gate, countering and suppressing the Sun True Obscure Sword.¡± ¡°With the power of the Sun True Fire, the entrance of the Eastern Emperor Boundary Gate is sealed, preventing Human Race cultivators from entering and Demon Race cultivators from leaving. Thus, the two realms have been isolated for more than a hundred thousand years.¡± ¡°Every year when the Hundred Thousand Mountains open, Shushan organizes an expedition to attempt to retrieve the True Obscure Sword from the Eastern Emperor Boundary Gate, but no one has ever succeeded.¡± Ling Yunpo listened silently, stifling a laugh inwardly. To retrieve the Sun True Obscure Sword, one must first extinguish the Sun True Fire; and to extinguish the Sun True Fire, one must first retrieve the Sun True Obscure Sword¡­ Isn¡¯t this just a logical deadlock? Wait, hold on, could it be? ¡°Indeed,¡± seeing the look of recognition on his face, the Guan Family Ancestor earnestly said, ¡°Although Ouyang Zhao has passed away, a remnant of his True Spirit lingers, attached to his corpse, suppressing the Sun True Obscure Sword with the identity of its Sword Master.¡± ¡°If he could be persuaded to relinquish the True Obscure Sword, taking away the Sun True Fire would be as easy as turning one¡¯s hand over.¡± ¡°Has anyone tried to persuade him?¡± Ling Yunpo asked curiously. ¡°Of course, there have been attempts,¡± the Guan Family Ancestor sighed. ¡°No matter how they scolded or pleaded with him for repentance, or negotiated, or expressed their affection, no matter the method, he remained completely silent.¡± ¡°Only Sword Immortals of the Forgetting Love Path gain some words from him, but those are merely idle chats. When it comes to the True Obscure Sword, there is no response at all.¡± ¡°That¡¯s quite strange,¡± Ling Yunpo said in astonishment. ¡°Whether it¡¯s the Sentiment Inquiry Path or the Forgetting Love Path, aren¡¯t they both inquiries into the Daoist Heart? How can Ouyang Zhao¡¯s Soul Spirit discern these?¡± ¡°I do not know,¡± the Guan Family Ancestor shook his head. ¡°Perhaps some kind of technique¡­ In any case, since you and your Senior Sister An intend to follow the Sentiment Inquiry Path, why not give it a try? Maybe Ouyang Zhao will take a liking to you and willingly hand over the True Obscure Sword?¡± ¡°Elder¡¯s command, how dare your junior disobey?¡± Ling Yunpo replied with a smile. ¡°You¡¯re a smooth talker,¡± the Guan Family Ancestor laughed heartily. ¡°A completely different temperament from that of your Senior Sister.¡± ¡°Ouyang Zhao¡¯s Soul Spirit lingers to this day, which shows his obsession is exceptionally deep. However, it¡¯s unclear what he¡¯s longing for in this world that he stubbornly refuses to enter the cycle of reincarnation.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t expect you to persuade him, just get on good terms with him, and get him to propose the corresponding conditions for returning the Sun True Obscure Sword.¡± Ling Yunpo naturally agreed and, after thinking for a moment, curiously asked: ¡°Elder, I¡¯ve noticed you¡¯re rather lenient when it comes to Ouyang Zhao, quite different from the resentful seniors of Shushan. May I ask why?¡± Upon hearing this, the Guan Family Ancestor was momentarily taken aback, then burst into laughter: ¡°Who do you think is the rightful owner of that Immortal Sword, by law?¡± ¡°Of course, the Human Race,¡± Ling Yunpo replied without hesitation. ¡°The Human Race?¡± the Guan Family Ancestor chuckled, asking back, ¡°And who should represent the Human Race in possessing that Sun True Obscure Sword? You, me, or that stubborn old Long Eyebrow?¡± Ling Yunpo fell silent, an image instantly forming in his mind: He saw himself enduring countless hardships, completing ninety-nine tasks, and finally exchanging the Sun True Obscure Sword from Ouyang Zhao¡¯s possession, only to have a large number of Shushan cultivators suddenly appear, declaring, ¡°Ling Yunpo, this Sun True Obscure Sword is a treasure of the Human Race. Your cultivation is too shallow to control it; you should entrust it to us to wield¡±¡­ Damn it, it might as well stay with Ouyang Zhao! Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°It¡¯s normal for a young man to be full of passion,¡± the Guan Family Ancestor said with a smile, seeing him deep in thought. ¡°But the longer you live, the more you see through things, the less easily you¡¯re moved.¡± ¡°Let me tell you something, and whether you believe it is entirely up to you,¡± he continued. ¡°If someone is full of righteousness for the Human Race, demanding your full effort and even personal sacrifice, yet when it comes to specific benefits, they are unwilling to promise you even a copper coin¡¯s worth¡­ It¡¯s better to run away as early as possible.¡± Ling Yunpo was slightly taken aback, feeling like the Guan Family Ancestor¡¯s words were indirect criticism of those from Shushan, yet he couldn¡¯t connect them to anyone in particular due to the lack of context. ¡°I will remember that,¡± he said earnestly. Chapter 287 - Chapter 287: Chapter 4 Langgan Cave, Drinking Stone Milk Chapter 287: Chapter 4 Langgan Cave, Drinking Stone Milk The next morning dawned. As the miasma of the Hundred Thousand Mountains dispersed, Lixi Town¡¯s sky was instantly filled with tens of thousands of swords, rushing into the mountains. Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu were on equal footing, and they saw Senior Sister An¡¯s robes fluttering, whistling in the wind. Lin Duanshan, Duan Fenhai, and Guan Shanyue were not far ahead, their feet standing on sword light as they sped forward. ¡°We shall head to Langgan Cave first,¡± Lin Duanshan told the others. ¡°Langgan Cave is the closest to us, and it¡¯s almost always been under Shushan¡¯s control, so many disciples from Shushan go there to consume the Millennial Stone Milk.¡± ¡°We are both in the top five of the Immortal Sword Ranking; who would dare compete with us for the Stone Milk?¡± Duan Fenhai said coldly. ¡°There¡¯s no need to fight over it,¡± Guan Shanyue blinked. ¡°If they arrive early and swarm over it, drinking all of the Stone Milk that seeps out, whom can we hold accountable when we get there later?¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Lin Duanshan said seriously. ¡°We should avoid complications and get there early; it¡¯s safe once it¡¯s in the stomach.¡± Safe once it¡¯s in the stomach, my ass! Ling Yunpo almost burst out laughing. However, the logic was sound, so everyone summoned even more True Yuan, propelled the sword light, and hastened on their way, leaving a trail of dust behind. Langgan Cave was located in the northern part of the Hundred Thousand Mountains, within a peak known as Mount Bao Ding. This place was about the same distance from the Eastern Emperor Divine Palace and Lixi Town, and had always been a contested area between Shushan and the Eastern Emperor Path. However, the disparity in combat power between the two sides was so great that Shushan would quickly beat the Eastern Emperor Path into the ground, leaving them scrambling to pick up their teeth, and Mount Bao Ding would come entirely under Shushan¡¯s control. As they continued to advance, they encountered the same problem Wei Dongliu and his group had faced before. The miasma was too dense at higher altitudes. The so-called dispersion of miasma was actually the clearance of miasma close to the ground level, and a few dozen feet upward it started to thicken again. Consequently, everyone had to abandon Sword Control and trek through the jungle on foot. Lin Duanshan and the others participated in the Southern Expedition every year and were extremely familiar with the route. Ling Yunpo, while impersonating Wei Dongliu, had also traversed the Southern Border jungle, so he was very familiar with the surrounding environment. With a flick of his sword, he nailed a triangular-headed venomous snake that had quietly descended from the treetops, attempting to ambush him, to the tree. An Zhisu, Senior Sister An, was genuinely here for the first time, looking around excitedly while sticking closely to Ling Yunpo¡¯s side. When they approached Mount Bao Ding, emerging from the forest, they encountered a group of Demon Path Cultivators. Ling Yunpo, all too familiar with the Demon Cult, recognized these were Nether Ghost Path Cultivators at a glance. He immediately drew out the Green Duckweed Sword and used the Grudge Curse Binding Kill technique, swiftly piercing through the chest of the leading cultivator. The opposing Demon Path Cultivators scattered immediately, casting various incantations, with dark and ghostly shadows covering the sky, completely obstructing their view. Ling Yunpo took a careful look and couldn¡¯t help but laugh. The most common among them was the Nether Ghost Path Foundation Establishment Realm¡¯s signature technique, ¡°Grudge Curse Binding Kill¡±, which turned the resentful souls of those who died with grudges into fierce ghosts. These ghosts were exceptionally ferocious during battles and did not even require the Nether Ghost Path Cultivators to control them, simply launching them was sufficient. Wei Dongliu had chatted privately with Wen Yang, who said that when this technique was initially researched, it was intended to target Shushan¡¯s secret Sword Control Technique. It turned out to be effective against regular Shushan disciples, but when facing those at the top of the Immortal Sword Ranking, it was basically no match. Although their vision was blocked by the incantations, the group relied on their initial fleeting impressions and blindly shot their Flying Swords out, breaking through and piercing the vast array of incantations, accurately slaying all of the opposing Demon Path Cultivators¡ªSenior Sister An¡¯s Flying Smoke Sword even managed a double kill, which left Ling Yunpo click his tongue in amazement. Ever since returning from the White Jade Capital Secret Realm, Senior Sister An¡¯s talent for the Innate Sword Heart had awakened, and her swordsmanship had become increasingly sharp. After killing these Demon Path Cultivators, they looked at each other, and no one moved to collect the spoils of the dead. After all, with the top five of the Immortal Sword Ranking gathered together, it would be unladylike to lose face by scavenging like a Loose Cultivator, especially over the bodies of ordinary Demon Cult Cultivators which likely contained nothing of value. ¡°Ahem,¡± Ling Yunpo coughed and said with grave seriousness, ¡°Let¡¯s not waste any more time and move on quickly!¡± ¡°Of course, of course,¡± everyone hurriedly agreed. The group hastened past this spot, making their way up to the treasures atop Mount Ding. These parts, shrouded in miasma for a hundred thousand years, were seldom touched by human presence; the mountain paths were rugged and nearly impassable in many places. However, all present were cultivators, notably from Shushan, famed for their vigorous root bone; they advanced with ease and before long arrived at Langgan Cave. Langgan Cave was a natural rock cave, its contours irregular and without any traces of artificial carving. The rocks composing the cave walls shone with a luster akin to ivory, resembling jade without being jade, hence the name ¡°Langgan.¡± Once inside the cave, Duan Fenhai led the way, with the others trailing behind. Flying Swords floated in midair, following the footsteps of the Sword Immortals, poised and ready. Eventually, they reached a larger cavern filled with countless stalactites and stalagmites, dense and forest-like. From time to time, the sound of water droplets falling into a pool added to the dark and quiet serenity of the surroundings. At the end of the forest of stone pillars was a naturally formed ¡°pool.¡± The pool wasn¡¯t large, with a diameter of about ten feet and four fingers higher than the flat bottom. The liquid within was neither clear nor transparent; it was a thick, milky substance, exuding a peculiar, incense-burning fragrance. Gradually, a drop of stone milk fell from the stalactites, dropping into the pool with a clear, tinkling sound. ¡°This stone milk can only be scooped with wooden utensils, otherwise, once removed from the pool, it will turn into plain water,¡± Lin Duanshan reminded everyone. Thus, everyone took out the wooden cups and bowls they had prepared, stepping forward to scoop up the stone milk. Although the stone milk could perfect the Purple Mansion, with each sip equating to a year¡¯s worth of Refining Mansion cultivation, it also carried a great toxicity. If consumed all at once, one could only withstand up to ten sips before reaching their limit. Once the toxicity was fully neutralized, further consumption would provide no benefit. But if only one sip was taken and one slowly refined the toxicity afterward, next year one could return¡­ in this manner, one could eventually take up to forty sips, equivalent to forty years of Refining Mansion cultivation. Lin Duanshan sipped from his cup slowly; Duan Fenhai downed it in one gulp; Guan Shanyue carefully stowed hers, seemingly not intending to use it immediately. These three had all decided to take just one sip, preferring the steady approach and planning on returning next year. Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu, lacking sufficient backing, were unlikely to return next year, so they had brought large bowls¡ªLing Yunpo had even intended to fill a wooden jug with the stone milk to take it all, but was stopped by Senior Sister An. Once kept in a vessel, the spiritual essence could only last for seven days at most, not nearly long enough to wait for the body to digest the medicinal power; why engage in such futile actions that benefit none? Ling Yunpo even considered having the Kunlun Mirror record the spatial coordinates of this place to teleport back in a year and drink again. Although this was feasible, a great risk resided in the intent: ¡°Why just drink one cup this time?¡± Logically, given the improbability of returning next year, one should extract as much benefit as possible in one go. If only one sip is taken, it will inevitably lead others to think ¡°this fellow definitely has some other method to return to the Hundred Thousand Mountains next year.¡± If it were anyone else thinking this, it might not matter, but if Senior Sister An were to think it, given her nature, she wouldn¡¯t inquire further, and might even be happy for Ling Yunpo¡­ but Ling Yunpo did not want his senior sister to misunderstand him! The most crucial point was that with the Second Grade Golden Core a certainty, and the First Grade Golden Core out of reach, what difference would losing these thirty years make? Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Better to share the hardship with his senior sister and drink just this once! Ling Yunpo raised his wooden bowl, gulped it down in one go, and then smacked his lips. Hmm, somewhat sweet, like fermented herbal-flavored yogurt¡­ It didn¡¯t seem poisonous, did it? Where was the poison? Chapter 288 - Chapter 288: Chapter 5: Thud Thud Thud Thud, A Sudden Surge in Cultivation Level Chapter 288: Chapter 5: Thud Thud Thud Thud, A Sudden Surge in Cultivation Level An Zhisu carefully cradled the wooden bowl, taking a sip of the stone milk contained within. As the stone milk entered her stomach, she quickly became aware of a great amount of utterly pure vital energy pouring into her meridians and finally converging into the Qi Sea of her Dantian. With the rotation of the Qi Sea in her Dantian, that vital energy gradually adhered to the inner walls of the Purple Mansion, forming a tough ¡°membrane,¡± and slowly healing the fine flaws within. However, as the vital energy circulated through her meridians, it also continuously secreted a certain type of turbid yellow qi, which adhered to the inner walls of her meridians, bringing with it a faint, corrosive, burning pain. Her complexion swiftly turned pale. Although the pain was unbearable, she was, after all, the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal; she was well-accustomed to such suffering. The real issue was the turbid qi, which had already begun to hinder the flow of True Yuan, thereby endangering her body¡ªthis was probably what Lin Duanshan referred to as ¡°the poisonous strength of the millennium stone milk.¡± After estimating for a moment more, she realized she could indeed only withstand tenfold the quantity; any more would completely block her meridians, turning her into a waste who could no longer pursue the Daoist way. An Zhisu sighed inwardly and then turned to look at her junior brother beside her. All she saw was Ling Yunpo holding the wooden bowl, his face full of conflict. ¡°Junior brother,¡± An Zhisu thought he was reluctant to part with those thirty years of cultivation, so she softly said, ¡°It¡¯s okay. With sixty years of Mercurial Elixir Liquid plus these ten years of cultivation from the stone milk, you already have seventy years of Refining Mansion cultivation.¡± ¡°You still have one hundred and forty years of natural lifespan. As long as you cultivate step by step from now on, you are bound to form a Third Grade Golden Core.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Lin Duanshan also started to persuade, ¡°Theoretically speaking, a Foundation Establishment Realm Cultivator needs to obtain at least seventy years of Refining Mansion cultivation from serendipity or secret medicines to ensure the formation of a Third Grade Golden Core.¡± ¡°For Loose Cultivators and small sects, seventy years of cultivation is as difficult as ascending to heaven, but for us Shushan Sword Immortals it¡¯s relatively simple¡­ as long as you become an elite disciple and obtain the Mercurial Elixir Liquid, it¡¯s pretty much half done.¡± Ling Yunpo: ¡­¡­¡­ Why don¡¯t I feel anything after drinking this millennium stone milk? ¡°Ah Jing,¡± he asked in a low voice, ¡°Am I impervious to all poisons by any chance?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not,¡± Kunlun Mirror sighed and said, ¡°Take a closer look.¡± Following Kunlun Mirror¡¯s guidance in his Sea of Consciousness, Ling Yunpo quickly used internal visualization and discovered that the millennium stone milk indeed contained some kind of toxic turbid qi of the earth attribute. However, this turbid qi had not adhered to the inner walls of his meridians but instead roamed uncontrollably with the True Yuan within his meridians¡­ It then suddenly occurred to him that when he had absorbed the blood qi in the Shushan Demon Locking Tower¡¯s Blood Pool, he also instantaneously completed Marrow Cleansing. The reason was that for those with Innate Sword Bone, both the twelve primary channels and the Eight Extraordinary Meridians are completely unobstructed, making it difficult for the turbid qi to remain within. In other words, even though I have ingested the millennium stone milk and have also taken in its turbid qi, this turbid qi will not cause me harm? Great! Doesn¡¯t that mean I can drink to my heart¡¯s content! Under the persuasion of Lin Duanshan and others, Ling Yunpo then showed a resolute expression, lifted the large sea bowl, and started to gulp it down. Glug glug glug! He drank so fast that by the time An Zhisu rushed over and slapped the wooden bowl from his hand, he had already downed quite a lot. Lin Duanshan next to him was both shocked and astonished, Duan Fenhai¡¯s mouth was agape, Guan Shanyue¡¯s brow furrowed slightly¡ªthe three of them never expected Ling Yunpo to be so fierce. Was he trying to challenge the limit of what his body could endure? Fool! If the challenge fails and the turbid qi completely blocks the Qi Sea, you will become a cripple who cannot cultivate! Just as Duan Fenhai was about to speak, he only heard Ling Yunpo laughingly say: ¡°Senior Sister, I¡¯m fine. Don¡¯t believe me? Look at my complexion?¡± An Zhisu couldn¡¯t believe it, so she grabbed his palm and slowly infiltrated it with her Divine Sense. Inside his meridians, she saw pale purple True Yuan flowing, referred to as ¡°Purple Qi¡± among Daoists, a characteristic of pure and clear qi. However, within the silky-purple fluid, there were many dull, turbid yellow strands intermixed. It was indeed the ¡°toxins¡± within the millennia-old stone milk. ¡°How could this be?¡± An Zhisu was completely baffled and even doubted her own Divine Sense for a moment. Yet she was, after all, a person of strong mental fortitude, having witnessed too many incredulous things in her junior brother, so she simply sought confirmation, asking, ¡°Are you really alright? Senior Sister An is telling you, you mustn¡¯t force yourself¡­¡± ¡°Senior Sister, I¡¯m truly fine,¡± Ling Yunpo replied seriously, straightening her shoulders. An Zhisu stared at him blankly for a long while before nodding solemnly. The three people beside them were already stupefied, thinking, so you possess a body immune to all poisons? However, Guan Shanyue, with the sharpest mind among them, quickly recalled that Ling Yunpo was born with the Innate Sword Bone constitution, which was precisely why the elder of the Guan Family held him in high regard and intended to take him on an expedition to find a sword. Could it be that someone born with the Innate Sword Bone is immune to the poison of the millennia-old stone milk? Lin Duanshan and Duan Fenhai also grasped the crux of the matter and their expressions turned complex. Lin Duanshan thought, If that¡¯s the case, wouldn¡¯t Junior Brother Ling be able to drink the millennia-old stone milk indefinitely? No, that can¡¯t be right, for the Way of Heaven is to take from what has in excess to make good what is deficient. The medicinal potency must have its limits on his body. Probably meaning that he could disregard the toxicity of the stone milk and drink it continuously only up to forty years. Duan Fenhai, however, thought, His constitution would be very fitting for work at the Demon Locking Tower! The Demon Locking Tower contains many poisonous creatures; while they may not be strong in combat, their venom is extremely vicious and could even trouble Golden Core True Persons on an unlucky encounter. If the Innate Sword Bone truly grants immunity to all poisons, I do know of a secret place where he might be able to assist me¡­ While these three contemplated their separate thoughts, Ling Yunpo had already taken another big gulp of the stone milk, wiped his mouth with his sleeve, and said, ¡°Senior Sister, I¡¯ve had nearly enough.¡± The cultivation of forty years in the Refining Mansion was within reach! Once he refined it further, Ling Yunpo would possess the cultivation of three hundred and sixty years in the Refining Mansion. The cost, however, was that nearly half of his body¡¯s Daoist True Yuan had been tainted soil yellow by the stone milk¡¯s turbid Qi, and his technique activation was also starting to falter. Yet due to the special trait of the Innate Sword Bone, namely ¡°all hundred apertures interconnected,¡± these turbid elements did not adhere to the inner walls of his meridians, creating hazardous blockages¡­ but they still had taken their toll. ¡°Alright,¡± An Zhisu checked the condition of his meridians and knew that he was now unable to mobilize his True Yuan, likely even Sword Control would be difficult, so she earnestly said, ¡°You should rest well from now on, Senior Sister will protect you.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± nodded Ling Yunpo. Senior Sister An then clasped his arm and firmed her resolve in her heart: Refining and expelling such an amount of turbid Qi is feared to be no simpler than Marrow Cleansing Rank, possibly taking years. During this time, I must protect my junior brother well! Ling Yunpo, with his arm held by his senior sister, sighed internally: For any other cultivator, so much turbid Qi within the body would mean, at the very least, several years of secluded cultivation to remedy after returning home. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only However, Wei Dongliu¡¯s talent is known as ¡°Chaotic Demon Body,¡± which allows for turbid Qi to be moved and mobilized freely like Pure Qi, and hence could be effortlessly expelled from the body. There are even simpler methods, like directly employing the Qi Refining Technique of ¡°Dispelling Demons and Exalting Spirit: Segregating Purity and Turbidity,¡± which can directly transform this turbid Qi into Pure Qi¡­ There are quite a number of ways, indeed! But by doing so, Senior Sister An would be further puzzled. Senior Sister An is easy to fool, but those three senior brothers and sisters across from us like to overthink. If they found out that I suddenly refined and expelled all the turbid Qi in my body, they would surely grow even more suspicious. I need to figure out a way to deal with this. Chapter 289 - Chapter 289: Chapter 6: Injected with Positive Energy Chapter 289: Chapter 6: Injected with Positive Energy A group of people left Langgan Cave, and Lin Duanshan suggested: ¡°Every year, after the miasma disperses, the location of the Misty Forest is uncertain.¡± ¡°According to the usual practice, we will divide into two groups, one will continue the search in the Hundred Thousand Mountains, and simultaneously eliminate any Demon Path Cultivators, the other will return to Lixi Town to gather information from our returning fellow disciples.¡± ¡°Both parties must maintain regular contact. If either party discovers the location of the Misty Forest, they must promptly notify the other, and then find a place to meet.¡± He lifted his gaze towards Ling Yunpo, and although he didn¡¯t complete his thought, the implication was clear: You gulped down a forty-year portion of the stone milk in one breath, and are surely in terrible shape now. Wouldn¡¯t it be better to go back to Lixi Town to rest and refine the medicine¡¯s power? Ling Yunpo didn¡¯t want to overexert himself, but since he needed to cultivate his persona¡¯s Synchronization Value, he stubbornly insisted: ¡°It¡¯s fine! I can still fight¡­¡± Before he could finish, An Zhisu gently interrupted him: ¡°How can you fight looking like that, junior brother? Don¡¯t make everyone worry about you. Behave, your Senior Sister An will accompany you back and take care of you, alright?¡± Duan Fenhai suddenly felt an uncalled-for chill. Indeed, no matter how many times he had seen it, the sight of the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal reverting back to her girly demeanor was always awkward! But Lin Duanshan¡¯s brow furrowed slightly. Searching the mountains required formidable strength, while gathering information in town required nimbleness of mind. Therefore, during past years when the three organized as a team, it was usually he and Duan Fenhai who stayed in the mountains, while Guan Shanyue would return to the town alone. However, An Zhisu¡¯s combat ability far surpassed anyone present. So, from the standpoint of optimizing resource allocation, she should remain in the mountains. With this thought, Lin Duanshan immediately gave Guan Shanyue a meaningful glance. Guan Shanyue knew very well that Lin Da-ge (Elder Brother Lin) was a bona fide ¡°strategist type¡± with ¡°perfectionist¡± tendencies, and liked to arrange everything in the best possible way. Now that he was signaling her, it was clear he didn¡¯t want An Zhisu¡¯s exceptional combat strength wasted on taking care of Ling Yunpo back in town. Thus, she cheerfully offered: ¡°It¡¯s just looking after Junior Brother Ling. Why should Senior Sister An have to do it herself? Leave it to me. I was the eldest in the Guan Family estate and have taken care of many younger brothers and sisters before, and they all listened to me very well!¡± The moment these words were spoken, An Zhisu¡¯s entire countenance changed. What? You, a crafty weasel spirit, actually torture younger brothers? Forcing them to listen to you? She immediately went on high alert and declared resolutely: ¡°There¡¯s no need! My junior brother is in such a condition, he needs constant, meticulous care! I¡¯ll look after him myself!¡± Everyone:¡­¡­ Ling Yunpo almost couldn¡¯t keep a straight face, as everyone¡¯s gaze towards him resembled that which one might give a ¡®momma¡¯s boy¡¯ in a TV drama. But my relationship with Senior Sister An is purely that of fellow disciples! Lin Duanshan also realized that after Guan Shanyue¡¯s suggestion, An Zhisu had become vigilant, and there was no chance she would leave her junior brother¡¯s side. It was truly a case of outsmarting oneself. So he could only sigh and remain silent. Thus, it was quickly decided that An Zhisu would take Ling Yunpo back to Lixi Town to gather information. Lin Duanshan, Duan Fenhai, and Guan Shanyue would continue the carpet-search deep within the Hundred Thousand Mountains. ¡°Here.¡± Guan Shanyue took out a pen. ¡°What is this?¡± An Zhisu didn¡¯t take it but asked warily instead. ¡°This strange object is called a ¡®sand pen,¡¯ they come in pairs,¡± Guan Shanyue said with a smile, ¡°Place it upon a sand table and mutter ¡®Paint with cinnabar, form with sand and stone,¡¯ then write with the pen. I will feel the sensation here and the corresponding sand pen will produce the same writing.¡± Ling Yunpo raised his eyebrows in surprise: What a pair of sand pens! Such a beautiful name. An Zhisu looked doubtful and cautiously accepted it, as if she were handling a ticking time bomb. Lin Duan Shan and Duan Fen Hai saw everything, thinking to themselves that this person really had a clear-cut nature when it came to love and hate. She liked Junior Brother Ling, and even if Ling Yunpo casually fobbed her off (without even bothering to make up a reason), she would trust him completely; but she detested Guan Shanyue, so even if Guan Shanyue offered help proactively, she would become suspicious and paranoid. Damn it, why didn¡¯t I meet such a senior sister when I first joined Shushan! With this thought, both of them felt a bit sour. After An Zhisu took Ling Yunpo away, Duan Fen Hai slowly opened his mouth and said, ¡°Lin Duan Shan, if I remember correctly, you¡¯ve always admired An Zhisu.¡± He left his words there, implying without saying what was unsaid, ¡°Now that she has given her affection entirely to the junior brother, what are your thoughts?¡± Lin Duan Shan laughed it off and said, ¡°Indeed, but admiration is all it was.¡± Duan Fen Hai was taken aback for a moment and fell into silence for a while before incredulously asking, ¡°Forgetting Love technique¡­ Have you mastered it?¡± Lin Duan Shan simply smiled without responding. He had indeed harbored a secret love for An Zhisu in the past, and his feelings had been genuine. He had also long known that An Zhisu had no feelings for him whatsoever. Therefore, with the emergence of Ling Yunpo, Lin Duan Shan went with the flow, genuinely letting go of his feelings, and thus successfully mastered the Forgetting Love technique. From then on, he would never fall in love with anyone again, nor would he be distracted by anything else. What remained was an immaculate Daoist Heart! Duan Fen Hai marveled, while Guan Shanyue stood behind with his arms folded, the corners of his lips curving ever so slightly in a smirk. Secretly in love with An Zhisu¡­ If it worked out, he¡¯d win the belle, and if not, he¡¯d neatly master the Forgetting Love technique¡ªa sure bet, either way, eh? Wait, that¡¯s not right. The lineage of the Myriad Forms Sword of Mount Guan always cultivates the Forgetting Love technique; Lin Duan Shan knew from the start that the other party would never reciprocate his feelings, which is why he decided to invest his emotions there. So he had it all calculated from the beginning. Ha, men. Setting aside what these three would do next, An Zhisu led Ling Yunpo out of the Hundred Thousand Mountains and found an inn to stay in at Lixi Town. Gathering intelligence was completely forgotten. ¡°Junior Brother, it¡¯s time for your medicine.¡± She had cooked up a dose of herbal potion, patiently blew it cool in a celadon bowl, scooped some with a spoon, and fed it to the bedridden Ling Yunpo. Ling Yunpo: ¡­¡­ Truthfully, if it were his own mother doing this, and it was shown on a TV drama, he would definitely be labeled a mama¡¯s boy. But with the gentle and amiable Senior Sister An doing it, the audience wouldn¡¯t find it annoying. Upon careful reflection, it¡¯s not hard to notice that most of the commenters are young female viewers; they could imagine themselves as An Zhisu, but they would never see themselves in the role of Ling Yunpo¡¯s mother. The natural opposition between mother-in-laws and daughter-in-laws is what this alludes to. Oh right, I just remembered, I don¡¯t have a mother in this world¡­ As Ling Yunpo lost himself in these random thoughts, An Zhisu noticed his somber expression and thought his mood was low due to his physical condition, so she gently said, ¡°Don¡¯t overthink it. Are you not happy to have gained forty years of cultivation? Sister only has ten years.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Forty years? My Jade Mansion has already accumulated three hundred and sixty years of cultivation! Ling Yunpo thought morosely to himself, but he did not forget to maintain his persona, resolutely saying, ¡°Sister, I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°As long as you¡¯re fine.¡± An Zhisu, not suspecting anything, hesitated for a moment before blushing, leaning in to hug him, and gently kissed his forehead, shyly saying, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, sister will stay by your side without leaving.¡± Ling Yunpo: ? Wow, this surge of positive energy, injected just in time, is making me feel full of strength! Chapter 290 - Chapter 290: Chapter 7: Stealing Half a Day of Leisure from Life Chapter 290: Chapter 7: Stealing Half a Day of Leisure from Life Ever since the poisoning began, Ling Yunpo oddly found himself with nothing to do. In the past, this personage stayed at Shushan¡¯s Qingluo Peak, his daily life was nearly monotonous: He accompanied Senior Sister An in her breathing exercises, practiced swordplay with her, and occasionally descended the mountain to buy her alcohol. Now, with his True Yuan polluted by impurities, he could neither refine Qi nor practice swordplay, and could only wander aimlessly around the town, pretending to be diligently trying to expel the impurities from his body. In reality, given the chance to save and quit to Wei Dongliu, in an instant, he could transfer all that polluted Qi. Regrettably, Senior Sister An never gave him such an opportunity. When you say ¡°not to leave by an inch,¡± you really meant not to leave by an inch! Ling Yunpo almost resorted to the excuse of having an emergency, then suddenly remembered cultivators don¡¯t need to use the restroom. That was a close call, nearly gave himself away. Cultivators, after Fasting, basically free themselves from the needs of eating, excreting, sleeping, and breathing. The only threats left to them are the limits of their lifespans and unexpected catastrophes. Of course, many cultivators still maintain the hobbies they had before their Fasting, such as gourmet food, drinking, or sleeping¡­ Senior Sister An especially liked to lightly drink a pot every day, and she controlled the refinement of the alcohol¡¯s strength well, maintaining a slightly tipsy and delightful state of semi-consciousness. The two were strolling down the streets of Lixi Town, when they happened to pass a tavern. A banner hung outside the tavern read, ¡°Fragrance spreading across ten thousand mountains, poison toppling the golden silkworm gu.¡± Ling Yunpo: ¡­¡­¡­. As the owner of the Hundred-Poison Gold Silkworm Gu, he knew very well that the Gold Silkworm Gu was the king of poison in the Southern Border. It was not only immensely poisonous but also immune to all other poisons; the notion of it being felled by alcohol was laughable. This tavern, do you not respect the ¡°Advertising Law¡±? Glancing to the side, he saw Senior Sister An also turning her head towards him, her eyes carrying a touch of pleading hope, like a rippling autumn pond, immediately softening Ling Yunpo¡¯s heart. If it were another girl, Junior Sister Xu would turn her head with snobbish pride and say, ¡°I really don¡¯t want to go in,¡± Jiang the Witch would coquettishly claim she was thirsty and wanted to ¡°go in for a sip of water,¡± Miss Shi would ask with a smile, ¡°Junior Brother, you want to drink, don¡¯t you?¡±¡­ In short, none were easy to deal with. Only my Senior Sister An is the gentlest! Ling Yunpo decided then, he couldn¡¯t allow his understanding Senior Sister An to be wronged. ¡°Ahem,¡± he coughed artificially and said, ¡°Senior Sister, I¡¯m thirsty from walking, shall we go in for some tea?¡± ¡°Drink water?¡± Senior Sister An hesitated, what I want to drink is not water¡­ ¡°It¡¯s fine if Senior Sister drinks alcohol and I drink tea,¡± said Ling Yunpo with a beaming smile. ¡°Alright!¡± An Zhisu immediately responded with joy. The two entered the tavern and seated themselves on the second floor by the window. Ling Yunpo called for the waiter and ordered: ¡°Half a pound of soy-sauce beef, bring some peanuts first, then this signature ¡®poison toppling the golden silkworm gu¡¯ of yours, bring us a jar of that.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, yes,¡± An Zhisu added, ¡°bring the alcohol and bowls first.¡± Ling Yunpo couldn¡¯t help but smile wryly, why does his Senior Sister act like a child? The alcohol was served quickly, and Senior Sister An couldn¡¯t wait to pour herself a bowl, only then noticing Ling Yunpo across the table, his arms crossed under his chin, his expression amused and smiling as he watched her. An Zhisu¡¯s face turned red as she muttered: ¡°Junior Brother, would you like to drink?¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather not, I¡¯m not feeling very well,¡± Ling Yunpo made up an excuse and laughed, ¡°Senior Sister, please feel free.¡± An Zhisu lifted the ceramic bowl, first took a sniff, then delicately tasted a sip. ¡°It¡¯s not that great,¡± she said, disappointed. ¡°It¡¯s even blander than Daughter¡¯s Red.¡± ¡°Dear guests,¡± the waiter came over with peanuts and sliced soy sauce beef, overhearing her and casually remarked, ¡°Our Hundred Flowers Clear Liquor might seem unremarkable at first, but it has quite a kick to it later on. Even parasites would get knocked out by it. Don¡¯t worry, try it with these snacks.¡± Ling Yunpo took the plate, pulled it towards himself, and started eating peanuts with chopsticks. An Zhisu downed an entire bowl, when suddenly she heard Ling Yunpo ask: ¡°Senior Sister, about how much has your Refining Mansion cultivation achieved?¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± An Zhisu pondered for a moment, ¡°Breathing and Qi Refinement for forty years, Cloud Sea Empty Cocoon accelerated thirty years, Mercurial Elixir Liquid sixty years, Millennium Stone Milk ten years¡­ It should be one hundred and forty years, no mistake.¡± ¡°So, that would mean a High Grade Third Grade Golden Core?¡± Ling Yunpo sought confirmation. ¡°If nothing goes wrong, yes,¡± An Zhisu nodded her head. ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Ling Yunpo hinted at something, ¡°This way, no one can say that Senior Sister hasn¡¯t progressed in cultivation without master¡¯s support.¡± An Zhisu fell silent for a moment, her gaze deep, as if caught in some past reverie. ¡°Junior Brother,¡± she said softly, ¡°the truth is, I have no idea when Master will come out of seclusion.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Ling Yunpo was puzzled. ¡°Every time I go to the secret chamber on Qingluo Peak to speak with Master,¡± An Zhisu said sorrowfully, cradling the wine jar, speaking softly, ¡°I¡¯m actually just talking to myself.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t contact Master at all.¡± Ling Yunpo fell silent for a long while. Isn¡¯t it obvious? So Senior Sister, you actually thought I believed your lie from the start? ¡°Master¡­¡± An Zhisu drank another bowl of wine, suddenly saying with a sob in her voice, ¡°Master might already be dead inside there.¡± Ling Yunpo felt somewhat weary at heart. Senior Sister An was absolutely right; the seclusion chamber where Su Jian had closed himself off was like a black box, one would never know what was happening inside unless it was forcibly broken open from the outside. Perhaps Su Jian has long since perished inside, turned to a skeleton, while Senior Sister An and I foolishly wait for him to emerge! Thinking of this, Ling Yunpo also became frustrated. However, it wasn¡¯t the first time he had been a Loose Cultivator. Qiu Changtian¡¯s transcendent status in Kunlun, Luo Yan¡¯s ease at Heavenly Craft Workshop, ensured Ling Yunpo was actually not short of resources for cultivation. The only one restricted was Senior Sister An, but fortunately, with her own struggle, she had also managed to attain the opportunity for a High Grade Golden Core. Forget it, it¡¯s better to stick with each other, Senior Sister and I. Su Jian, if you want to come out, come out, if not, so be it! With this thought, Ling Yunpo looked again at An Zhisu, only to see she had already passed out on the table. Great! Ling Yunpo¡¯s spirits immediately lifted. Switch over to Wei Dongliu first to dispel the turbid qi in his body, then switch back! When An Zhisu slowly awakened, she found herself lying on the bed in the inn. Ling Yunpo was sitting by the bed, holding a bowl of sobering soup, gently stirring it with a spoon, scooped up a mouthful, and offered it to her lips: Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Here, Senior Sister, open your mouth.¡± An Zhisu opened her mouth slightly and drank the sobering soup. She suddenly remembered that as a cultivator, she could run her True Yuan to refine away the effects of alcohol, and didn¡¯t need any sobering soup at all. However, An Zhisu didn¡¯t do so, instead she meekly enjoyed being fed by her junior brother, thinking to herself: Perhaps, even if Master can never emerge from his seclusion, living like this, just Junior Brother and me depending on each other, isn¡¯t too bad¡­ Chapter 291 - Chapter 291: Chapter 8: Sima Changyan, The Misty Forest Chapter 291: Chapter 8: Sima Changyan, The Misty Forest The residents of Lixi Town noticed that there had been an influx of strange travelers carrying long swords on their backs, giving the appearance of ¡°swordsmen of the jianghu.¡± Of course, such occurrences were an annual event; coupled with the fact that these swordsmen from the jianghu didn¡¯t interact much with the locals, everyone saw nothing much out of the ordinary. Even places like taverns and inns were making a good profit out of it. As Ling Yunpo strolled through the streets, observing the bustling market stalls, he couldn¡¯t help feeling a sense of antiquity, as if he had been hidden from the world for too long and had suddenly returned to the mortal world. If the world he had traversed to wasn¡¯t one of Immortal Cultivation but purely an ancient one, he might have been preparing for the imperial examinations at this very moment. ¡°Eh, isn¡¯t that Ling Yunpo?¡± A person ahead inadvertently turned around and noticed Ling Yunpo, immediately calling out. ¡°You are¡­¡± Ling Yunpo recognized him after a moment, ¡°Sima Changyan?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to remember me, ranked sixth,¡± Sima Changyan said before introducing him to two others, ¡°This is Po Yun Sword Immortal, ranked second on the Immortal Sword Ranking, and his junior brother.¡± Having said that, he turned back to Ling Yunpo to introduce the others: ¡°This is Feng Wuliang, ranked thirty-ninth on the Immortal Sword Ranking; and this is Zhao Zhenjiang, ranked forty-eighth.¡± ¡°An honor to meet Po Yun Sword Immortal!¡± Both men hastily bowed and greeted him. Ling Yunpo¡¯s mood lifted instantly; Sima Changyan was modest in his demeanor and hadn¡¯t gotten his name wrong; he seemed to be a good person and worth befriending. Thus, he said warmly: ¡°We¡¯ve met before near the Sword Pool, Sister Guan was there too, do you remember?¡± ¡°Ha, now that you mention it, I do recall,¡± Sima Changyan laughed heartily and gestured with his hands, ¡°Since we¡¯ve run into each other, why not gather at the tavern?¡± The four of them headed towards a nearby tavern, and it wasn¡¯t long before they were seated, their toasting cups crisscrossing, creating a harmonious atmosphere. Sima Changyan flattered Ling Yunpo, saying: ¡°Junior Brother Ling, how did you find the expedition to the south of the Hundred Thousand Mountains this time? With your strength, it must have been like cutting through rot and pulling up weeds.¡± ¡°Not at all,¡± Ling Yunpo replied modestly, ¡°But I did indeed encounter no real challenging foes.¡± ¡°Speaking of which, wasn¡¯t there talk that the Demon Cult would gather its five paths this time?¡± Feng Wuliang chuckled, ¡°From the feedback of many fellow sect members since yesterday, it seems to be much easier than any of the previous years.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Ling Yunpo feigned surprise. ¡°Yes.¡± As the waiter brought over a jug of wine, Sima Changyan stood up to pour drinks for everyone, saying, ¡°Let alone Golden Core True Persons, it seems that even some of the elite Demon Cult disciples were nowhere to be encountered.¡± ¡°Having been in the mountains for several days, we¡¯ve gone through Langgan Cave and the Misty Forest, even came face to face with numerous Demon Cult Cultivators, but they were all nobodies.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Zhao Zhenjiang chimed in, ¡°The Double-Faced Judge Wen Yang, the Little Heavenly Demon Ai Zhenzhi, the Wrathful Vajra Li Zhong¡­ those difficult Demon Cult villains of the past, but none showed up this time. ¡°Perhaps they are afraid of us,¡± Ling Yunpo commented casually. ¡°That¡¯s a possibility.¡± Seeing his lack of interest, Sima Changyan didn¡¯t press further, ¡°Let¡¯s drink.¡± After three rounds of drinks, Ling Yunpo brought up the Misty Forest, asking with curiosity: ¡°I heard that upon entering the Misty Forest, one would lose consciousness, and upon awakening, there¡¯s a chance of gaining a Refining Mansion Cultivation? Is there such a profound and mysterious matter?¡± Sima Changyan pondered for a moment and said, ¡°To be honest, I didn¡¯t believe it either, but since everyone spoke so convincingly, I decided to give it a try.¡± ¡°After we entered the Misty Forest, we did mysteriously faint. When we came to, we were outside the forest.¡± ¡°Upon examining myself, I found no injuries or missing items.¡± At this point, he paused briefly, his face showing a strange expression. He lowered his voice and said, ¡°Zhao Zhenjiang gained an extra thirty years of Refining Mansion Cultivation.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Ling Yunpo was immediately moved. If it were five or ten years, that would be one thing, but thirty years¡­ Outside the Hundred Thousand Mountains, wouldn¡¯t all the sects be fighting over this? ¡°Mhm.¡± Zhao Zhenjiang said with a bitter smile, ¡°What¡¯s bizarre is that I don¡¯t even know how I got this cultivation. It was only after introspection that I discovered my Purple Mansion had been significantly improved.¡± ¡°Could it be that there¡¯s a ghost bride in the Misty Forest choosing a husband?¡± Feng Wuliang said jokingly, ¡°First, she knocks us out, then picks and chooses, and finally selects Brother Zhao as her groom, bestows thirty years of Refining Mansion Cultivation after an intimate encounter, and then sends us off as a present.¡± ¡°Stop joking.¡± Zhao Zhenjiang shook his head and said, ¡°The Jade Capital Sect Leader even entered the forest in the past, and afterward, he said there was nothing to worry about¡­ Could it be that the Jade Capital Sect Leader would allow a ghost bride to pick Sword Immortals from Shushan as her groom?¡± ¡°Brother Ling.¡± Seeing his interest, Sima Changyan dipped his finger in some wine and drew the location of the Misty Forest on the table, ¡°If you are interested in the Misty Forest, you can also visit this place. Although it¡¯s said to be quite peculiar, the former Sect Leader checked it out and ensured its safety.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Ling Yunpo nodded and said. The four of them continued drinking for a while before they said goodbye to each other and left. Ling Yunpo hurried back to the inn and saw An Zhisu had just finished bathing, changed into a new Daoist robe, with the water in the bath still emitting steam. Ling Yunpo: ¡­¡­¡­ Damn it, what have I missed?! He was about to speak when he saw his elder sister¡¯s nostrils flaring slightly. She showed a look of grievance and said, ¡°Brother, you¡¯ve been drinking again?¡± What do you mean I¡¯ve been drinking again? I was gathering information, okay? No wonder turning this matter over to Elder Sister is not reliable at all. It¡¯s no surprise that Lin Duanshan was so eager to have Guan Shanyue replace Elder Sister in going back to the town. Ling Yunpo patiently said, ¡°Elder Sister, I ran into Sima Changyan on the way, and he discovered the location of the Misty Forest.¡± ¡°He did?¡± An Zhisu showed a slight look of surprise, then took out a sand pen magical treasure from her storage bag, ¡°Then let¡¯s inform them¡­ Should we notify them later? Allow some more time for the turbid qi on your body to refine.¡± ¡°No need.¡± Ling Yunpo immediately shook his head, ¡°The Misty Forest is basically safe. After all, the former Jade Capital Sect Leader had also inspected it.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Besides, refining the turbid qi in my body isn¡¯t something that can be done in a short while unless I obtain some secret medicine in the future.¡± He subtly laid a groundwork hinting to An Zhisu the possibility that ¡°secret medicine can quickly resolve turbid qi,¡± which would facilitate further excuses, ¡°But as for the Misty Forest, its current location seems to be far from Shushan. If it is later taken back by the Demon Cult, that would be troublesome.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± An Zhisu hesitated, ¡°You can¡¯t control your sword now and lack the power to protect yourself, which is a hidden concern.¡± ¡°No problem, Elder Sister!¡± Ling Yunpo said with determination, ¡°I am a Shushan Sword Immortal after all! If I shrink back from such difficulties, how would I strive to forge ahead on the path of cultivation in the future? It could affect my Daoist Heart!¡± ¡°Alright then.¡± Seeing her junior brother so determined, An Zhisu could only concede. If there really was any danger, she would give up her life if necessary to protect him! Chapter 292 - Chapter 292: Chapter 9: A Thick Fog Descends, An Unexpected Attack Comes Chapter 292: Chapter 9: A Thick Fog Descends, An Unexpected Attack Comes After receiving the message, Lin Duanshan and others quickly returned to Lixi Town. ¡°Sima Changyan said that?¡± Guan Shanyue exclaimed in surprise. ¡°Yes.¡± Ling Yunpo nodded and relayed everything Sima Changyan had said, without omitting a single detail. ¡°I see.¡± Guan Shanyue chuckled, ¡°So he was deliberately trying to curry favor.¡± ¡°Curry favor?¡± An Zhisu asked, furrowing her brow. ¡°Searching for swords.¡± Guan Shanyue stated. Suddenly, everyone understood. This Sima Changyan, having somehow learned that the Guan family¡¯s ancestor held Ling Yunpo in high regard, must have been trying to establish a relationship deliberately. Looking at Guan Shanyue¡¯s sardonic expression, it was apparent Sima Changyan had been putting quite an effort with the Guan Family. ¡°If that is the case, then the information about the Misty Forest must be largely free of fabrication,¡± Lin Duanshan analyzed. ¡°What, you initially suspected he was fabricating the information?¡± Duan Fenhai asked with a frown. ¡°Sima Changyan is quite scheming,¡± Lin Duanshan said in a low voice. ¡°He has built up his peak into a formidable force while forming connections with elite disciples from all over. It seems he has prioritized expanding his influence,¡± Guan Shanyue said with a cold laugh. ¡°I heard this person comes from a branch family of the royals,¡± Duan Fenhai pondered, ¡°It¡¯s normal for him to have such thoughts¡­ But his strength is decent, at least he can withstand my attack for ten breaths.¡± Everyone tacitly ignored his boast, only to hear Ling Yunpo say: ¡°Regarding the Misty Forest, there¡¯s something I don¡¯t understand: What exactly did the Jade Capital Sect Leader discover when he ventured deep into the forest?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t know.¡± Guan Shanyue said bluntly, ¡°He never spoke of it publicly.¡± ¡°Then who said there¡¯s no danger in the Misty Forest?¡± Ling Yunpo said in astonishment. ¡°Some Golden Core True Person from the Sect Leader¡¯s branch mentioned that,¡± Lin Duanshan replied, ¡°However, firstly, the Sect Leader did not particularly deny this rumor; secondly, the Sword Immortals from Shushan who went to the Misty Forest indeed came back unharmed¡­ just that no one knows how they managed to get out.¡± ¡°Is it possible,¡± Ling Yunpo said with concern, ¡°that the Sword Immortals from Shushan who entered were detained, and all those who came out were their clones?¡± ¡°What¡¯s a clone?¡± Guan Shanyue asked, perplexed. ¡°It¡¯s like¡­¡± Ling Yunpo paused, then explained, ¡°A person who is copied based on your body and memories, completely identical, and with controlled thoughts¡­¡± ¡°If someone could detain the Sect Leader, then replicate him as well, and even Immortals couldn¡¯t detect it, then our Shushan would have been destroyed long ago,¡± Lin Duanshan shook his head, ¡°Besides, if the hidden powers in the Misty Forest truly possessed such capability, why would they confine themselves to the forest?¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± said Duan Fenhai impatiently, ¡°Even guessing wildly must be backed by minimal evidence.¡± ¡°Enough!¡± An Zhisu said sternly, ¡°My junior brother is just worried, what¡¯s the harm? We don¡¯t have much time, let¡¯s hurry to the Misty Forest!¡± So everyone rode their swords into the mountains, where close to the miasma they landed their Sword Light and started trekking through the jungle again. Perhaps due to the exposed location of the Misty Forest, the group encountered no battles along the way but found a large number of bodies, mostly dressed in the garb of the Demon Cult. Of course, this does not mean that there were no losses on the side of the Shushan Sword Immortals, but rather that most of the battles were won by Shushan, so any fallen were taken away by their peers. Upon nearing the Misty Forest, they saw a dense fog slowly enveloping the surroundings. It wasn¡¯t the peach-colored miasma, but a kind of condensed, fine mist of floating water droplets in the air. Not only was the line of sight restricted, but divine sense was also compressed around his body, unable to spread out. Ling Yunpo suddenly thought of something and asked the Green Duckweed Sword mentally: ¡°Green Duckweed, don¡¯t you think the environment of the Misty Forest is very similar to the effect of your first layer of Daoist magic ¡®Green Mist Veil Over the Mountains¡¯¡­ No, it¡¯s exactly the same.¡± ¡°What¡¯s so strange about that?¡± responded the Green Duckweed Sword nonchalantly, ¡°Rain, fog, frost, and snow are the four states of the postnatal negative Water Clan, and corresponding Daoist magic naturally has similar forms and features; just like rivers, lakes, seas, and oceans are the four states of the innate positive Water Clan. You have studied so much Daoist magic theory at Penglai Jade Pure and possess the Postnatal Five Elements Great Extermination Divine Light. How do you not know this?¡± ¡°Green Duckweed.¡± Ling Yunpo said seriously, ¡°Although you are my bonded Flying Sword, it doesn¡¯t mean you cannot be replaced¡­¡± ¡°Cough cough!¡± The Green Duckweed Sword hastily said, ¡°Sword Master, I seem to recall something about this place!¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been here before?¡± Ling Yunpo asked with a frown. ¡°Not really,¡± said the Green Duckweed Sword vaguely. This damn sword is trying to evade my questions again! Ling Yunpo became furious. If you¡¯ve been here, say you¡¯ve been here. If you haven¡¯t, say you haven¡¯t. What does ¡°not really been here¡± mean? Do you believe I will use the Five Elements Divine Light right now, dig vertically down a kilometer, and bury you in it? ¡°You shouldn¡¯t ask so many questions about a Flying Sword!¡± scolded the Green Duckweed Sword, ¡°But if I¡¯m not mistaken, there shouldn¡¯t be any danger here. Even if you don¡¯t trust me, at least you believe in Yao Yao, right? How could she just watch you fall into my trap?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve said it already, I don¡¯t keep watch over the future every moment of every day!¡± complained the Kunlun Mirror, ¡°I can only say that this path won¡¯t lead you into a deadly situation because if you were to die, your traces would no longer appear in the timeline that follows.¡± ¡°But as for things like losing an arm or a leg, a shattered Dantian, being trapped or imprisoned, cruel torture, parasitic soul possession, contamination, and mutation¡­ unless I expend a great amount of spiritual power for a detailed observation, I definitely can¡¯t judge!¡± Ling Yunpo: ¡­¡­¡­ His silence made both the mirror and the sword somewhat uneasy, so they rushed to reassure him: ¡°Hey, if you really encounter such a situation, we will certainly save you!¡± It¡¯s precisely because I don¡¯t trust you that I¡¯m worried! Ling Yunpo sighed to himself. But since he had already reached the Misty Forest, it wouldn¡¯t make sense to shrink back without any evidence of danger. Since we¡¯ve come this far! He mustered his courage and stepped into the forest alongside Senior Sister An. As everyone continued to venture deeper, the surrounding fog grew denser, to the point of seeing virtually nothing at hand¡¯s reach. Ling Yunpo was worried when suddenly Senior Sister An reached out her hand, tightly interlocking her fingers with his. ¡°Be careful, follow closely, Junior Brother!¡± she instructed carefully. ¡°Senior Sister¡­¡± Ling Yunpo felt deeply touched. This was the unique sense of security that only Senior Sister An could provide! Like a bastion on the battlefield, a rock in the waves, a peak in the storm, always worthy of trust! Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only With Senior Sister by my side, I fear nothing! The next second, An Zhisu suddenly collapsed into his arms. Ling Yunpo: ??? ¡°Illusion Technique!¡± As if in a rush to prove its worth, the Kunlun Mirror immediately shouted out a warning, ¡°It¡¯s a powerful Illusion Technique!¡± ¡°Mirror Flower Water Moon, Silent Photographic Void! Break for me!¡± Chapter 293 - Chapter 293: Chapter 10 The Lake Cave, Sea Bodhi Chapter 293: Chapter 10 The Lake Cave, Sea Bodhi A severe dizziness overwhelmed him. Ling Yunpo only felt his consciousness separate from his body, plummeting swiftly downwards, into the endless abyss. Suddenly, a fair hand as white as jade reached out from above, firmly grasping his arm. Ling Yunpo looked up in bewilderment and saw a charming girl looking at him anxiously. She had a distinct oval face, slightly chubby, but not pudgy, which, together with her bright eyes and white teeth, made her extremely adorable. Ling Yunpo was certain he had never seen her before. Then, he woke up. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Kunlun Mirror said with guilt, ¡°The illusion was a bit troublesome. It took a few more moments to break.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Ling Yunpo shook his head and then turned his attention to his surroundings, ¡°This is¡­¡± He found himself being carried by a group of small demons, bobbing along as they moved forward. These demons¡­ seemed to be from the Aquatic Clan, some with large shrimp-like bodies, some with huge crab pincers, others with hard turtle shells, and some had fish scales and tendrils, and without exception¡ªthey all had incredibly low cultivation, with the highest only at the Qi Refining Rank. Of course, this was only to be expected. Ever since the various superior demon races of the Divine Land Continent had been driven by humans to the Eastern Emperor Realm, the ones left behind were nothing more than dregs that had become demons on their own. Happily achieving the Refining Mansion cultivation, as soon as they attempted the transformation tribulation, they would immediately alarm the cultivators from the great sects within a hundred miles. First the Golden Core True Persons, then the Nascent Soul Elders. Can¡¯t beat the Nascent Soul Elder? Then immortals will come. Ling Yunpo¡¯s divine sense swept over them repeatedly, and these fish, shrimp, turtles, and crabs didn¡¯t notice a thing, just cheerily shouting as they trudged on. Expanding his divine sense further, he noticed An Zhisu up ahead, also being carried forward by a bunch of demons. As for Lin Duanshan, Duan Fenhai, Guan Shanyue, and the others, they were scattered among the small demon groups to the left, right, and behind, without exception. Are they planning to tie us up and eat us? Ling Yunpo wondered, frowning. That¡¯s not right. According to what the predecessors said, any cultivator who enters the Misty Forest should come out unharmed. He decided to wait and see how things unfolded while secretly preparing his spells. If he encountered Jiaolong from the Aquatic Clan later, he would use the Polar Thunder to strike them dead; if they were all fish, shrimp, turtles, and crabs, then he¡¯d use the Five Elements Divine Light to sweep them away. When it comes to dealing with Aquatic Clan demons, I have plenty of trump cards! About half an hour later, Ling Yunpo saw the trees around him thin out, and the mist became lighter. In front of him lay a forest lake, which seemed quite large, at least his divine sense couldn¡¯t detect the opposite shore. On the muddy and rocky shore of the lake, a simple altar had been built with an unattractive combination of wood, mud, and reeds. A fishman¡ªLing Yunpo didn¡¯t know how else to describe it; calling it a Naga would be inappropriate¡ªhad a human upper body with scales, gills, and fins, and a serpentine lower body, holding an exquisite jade stone scepter, posed as if embracing the sun with open arms. ¡°Gurgle gurgle gur¡±- It said loudly. ¡°Gurgle gurgle!¡± replied the fish, shrimp, turtles, and crabs. ¡°Are they having a conversation? Or are they just shouting?¡± Ling Yunpo asked in confusion. ¡°That¡¯s the ancient language of the Aquatic Clan,¡± Kunlun Mirror said strangely, ¡°and it¡¯s the accent from the White Rock Reef area of the Southern Sea¡­ I¡¯ll try to translate it.¡± Ah Jing¡¯s translation was terrible, disjointed and incoherent, but thanks to Ling Yunpo¡¯s excellent hearing, he could just about make out the gist. He heard the fishman priest say: ¡°Great! Holy! Exalted! Ancestral lands! Bring salt! Salt! Salt!¡± What the small demon fish, shrimp, turtles, and crabs said was much simpler: ¡°Salt! Salt! Salt!¡± Ling Yunpo: ??? Is it your translation that¡¯s wrong, or is it my understanding? ¡°The ancient language of the Aquatic Clan is basically a simplified version of the ancient Dragon Clan language that leaked out!¡± Kunlun Mirror argued, ¡°These little demons have low intelligence; how could they possibly use any complex vocabulary?¡± ¡°Alright, that explanation will do¡­ you pass,¡± Ling Yunpo felt it wasn¡¯t lying and was about to smooth things over when he heard the fish-man shaman declare: ¡°Take these five beasts to the salt retrieval room!¡± With a grand wave of the fish-man shaman¡¯s hand, the little demons cheered and swarmed forward, binding the five people and rushing them into the deep water of the lake. Ordinary humans would definitely drown if they were thrown into the lake like this, but as cultivators don¡¯t need to breathe, there wasn¡¯t really a problem. The fish, shrimp, turtles, and crabs plunged into the lake, dragging the bundled-up five like zongzi deeper down. The lake water, though clear, was extremely deep; they had probably dived about a hundred zhang and still hadn¡¯t reached the bottom. As Ling Yunpo continued to sink, he was suddenly pulled aside by the little demons and dragged into a rocky cave. The cave seemed to be located deep within a volcano or near a geothermal source; the closer they got to the interior, the hotter the surrounding water became. Ling Yunpo even began to feel irritably aware that his body couldn¡¯t withstand such exaggerated heat, and he instinctively started to sweat. ¡­Wait, sweating? A revelation, like a flash of lightning, flickered through his mind. Water Clan creatures with Southern Sea accents, yet living in this freshwater lake within the Hundred Thousand Mountains inland. They needed salt, a salt retrieval room, beasts, and most crucially, the sweating. Ling Yunpo had understood everything. About a quarter of an hour later, the little demons brought everyone to a corridor. The corridor was connected to many stone chambers; the little demons threw the five people into separate chambers one by one and then activated the mechanism, dropping the heavy doors. Ling Yunpo was the last to be thrown into the stone chamber. His divine sense swept around, and he thought it seemed a bit like a combination of a hot spring suite and a sauna room. The stone chamber door fell shut with a thud, and so he opened his eyes to look around. The surroundings were all bare stone walls, along with the omnipresent scalding lake water. He felt the sweat pouring out rapidly from his body, which was soon swept away by the surrounding water flow. Only a cultivator¡¯s body, post Marrow Cleansing, could withstand such scorching heat and dehydration. Ling Yunpo carefully inspected the room and saw a small hole in the floor where it seemed all the water was draining into. Apart from that, there was nothing else. Several hours passed before Ling Yunpo suddenly heard the voices of little demons outside: ¡°Beasts! Female! Lots of salt! Feed the secret medicine!¡± Ling Yunpo: ??? He pressed his head against the stone door, extending his divine sense outside, and realized that the little demons were gathered in front of a certain stone chamber, pressing the mechanism to open the door. And that stone chamber, he remembered clearly¡­ was the one where Senior Sister An was kept! He saw the little demons enter the chamber, and one of the turtles took out a wooden box, opened the lid, and inside there was an orange-yellow fruit, about the size of a cherry, emitting a peculiar spiritual power. Was that¡­ the Sea Bodhi? He suddenly recalled that Luo Yan, who used to read miscellaneous books in the Daozang Pavilion at Yuqing View, had known about an ancient fruit called Sea Bodhi from the Southern Sea. It grew from sea grass in the Sea Abyss, a thousand zhang deep, and was extremely rare; consuming it could also increase Refining Mansion Cultivation. However, this sea grass had poor survivability and needed the care of the Water Clan Demon Race to grow. Since many Demon Race members were driven to the Eastern Emperor Realm, the Sea Bodhi had completely disappeared from this world. With this in mind, Ling Yunpo extended his divine sense again. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only He saw that after An Zhisu consumed the Sea Bodhi, her originally translucent jade-like skin gradually took on a bright crimson hue. Massive amounts of scorching Fire System Spiritual Energy flowed from her meridians throughout her limbs and torso, then circulated back to her Qi Sea and flushed against the inner walls of the Jade Mansion. The little demons, oblivious to her abnormal condition, only slightly opened and closed their gills, sensing that the salt concentration around had risen a level, and then happily left satisfied. After all the little demons had departed, Ling Yunpo drew his Green Duckweed Sword and carved a hole in the stone door. Then, he stealthily swam out. Chapter 294 - Chapter 294: Chapter 11: The Demon Races Remaining Veins, Five Elements Elixir Chapter 294: Chapter 11: The Demon Race¡¯s Remaining Veins, Five Elements Elixir ¡°` Ling Yunpo drilled out of the stone chamber, stealthily following the little demons through a series of turns, only to see the terrain increasingly sloping downward. Soon, he arrived at the second chamber. Upon opening the stone door, a high concentration of salty water rushed out. ¡°Salt! Salt! Salt!¡± the little demons cheered three times, then hurriedly closed the stone door. Before the stone door closed, Ling Yunpo fixed his gaze and saw on the chamber floor a Water Gathering Formation engraved. The so-called Water Gathering Formation was designed to extract water from a source and transport it elsewhere¡ªfor instance, many sects relied on Water Gathering Formations located elsewhere to supply fresh water for their ponds, preventing the water from going stale and foul. It is worth mentioning that the Water Gathering Formation would only extract pure water, leaving behind algae, suspended particles, toxins, and even fish, unaffected by the formation. With this in mind, Ling Yunpo had completely understood the mechanism: The Water Gathering Formation drew vast amounts of water elsewhere, while the salt content was naturally left behind, causing the salt concentration in the remaining water to rise rapidly. However, what exactly were they doing with this salt? If it was for survival, relying on the small amount of salt produced by ¡°sweating¡± cultivators, it surely wouldn¡¯t be enough. Suppressing his curiosity, Ling Yunpo continued to follow the little demons downward, and after several more twists and turns, he quickly reached the third chamber. As the stone door to the third chamber opened, Ling Yunpo hurriedly looked inside, only to see countless ¡°willow catkins¡± floating about, so dense they could make anyone with trypophobia vomit. ¡°Eggs! Salt! New life!¡± the little demons once again cried out three times as if conducting some kind of religious ritual. ¡°So that¡¯s how it is,¡± Kunlun Mirror exclaimed in admiration. ¡°After all, they are of the sea demon race. Although they can resist freshwater environments, their eggs and young cannot.¡± ¡°Therefore, they rely on this tiny bit of salt to simulate the saline environment of the ocean in a small, enclosed space, allowing the newborns, who do not yet possess demonic power, to hatch and grow successfully.¡± ¡°I see; it¡¯s for that purpose.¡± Ling Yunpo suddenly realized. Although the amount of salt was minimal, as long as the space was sufficiently small, it could maintain a relatively stable concentration. It was even similar to some shops¡¯ ¡°old brine soup.¡± The saltwater in this hatchery might go unchanged for hundreds or thousands of years, with nothing but salt being continually added¡­ At this thought, Ling Yunpo shivered in disgust. He could not continue to ponder on it, feeling somewhat nauseous¡­ He followed the little demons, who were as ecstatic as if they had become parents, and quickly arrived at the fourth chamber. Unsurprisingly, the fourth chamber was much larger than the third, housing not egg sacs but the young of many aquatic creatures. Tails flicking nimbly belonged to small fish, ceaselessly curving up and down were tiny shrimp, lazily swimming about were little turtles, and moving freely side to side were small crabs¡ªan ecology of a very live aquarium. Ling Yunpo had a friend in his past life who kept many fish, so he could recognize them at a glance. ¡°New life! Continuity! Hope!¡± the little demons ritually cried out three times again, completing the ceremony before hastily leaving. Is it coming? Ling Yunpo¡¯s spirits rose. Having followed these demons for so long, he simply wanted to locate the position of the Sea Bodhi. He did not intend to miss out on the Secret Medicine of the Refining Mansion Cultivation of thirty years. Following the little demons to the deepest part of the cave, he saw an aquatic priest sitting on a stone platform, with the Jade Stone Scepter placed on his knees, his eyes open in meditation. As fish have no eyelids, it wasn¡¯t clear if the creature was awake or sleeping, even with its eyes open. But soon, Ling Yunpo knew it was awake. Because the little demons chattered seven ways to Sunday, reporting what they had observed earlier, which caused the aquatic priest to nod subtly. Ling Yunpo held his breath and concentrated, silently observing, until the little demons left in unison. Then he secretly activated his Daoist Formula, wondering whether to strike with Polar Thunder, or swipe with the Five Elements Divine Light, or to wield the Green Duckweed Sword. ¡°` ¡°Esteemed Human Guest, now that you have come, why not step inside for a conversation?¡± the fish-man priest suddenly said, using a rather awkward human language mixed with many ancient words. As Luo Yan had once studied ancient scripts at Yuqing View, Ling Yunpo was barely able to understand and was taken aback. Has it detected me? Could it be pretending to be more powerful than it is? Ling Yunpo involuntarily took half a step back, only to hear the fish-man priest speak again: ¡°Why retreat? Esteemed Guest may use Divine Sense to investigate. This old one¡¯s Cultivation Realm, as humans call it, is but the lowly Marrow Cleansing Rank, certainly no match for you.¡± This fellow isn¡¯t trying to deceive me; it really has discovered me¡­ Ling Yunpo thought to himself, then asked the Kunlun Mirror: ¡°Ah Jing, is there a Formation trap?¡± ¡°None.¡± The Kunlun Mirror answered promptly. Ling Yunpo then prepared a Daoist Formula quietly, and said aloud: ¡°How did you discover me?¡± ¡°The flow of water,¡± the fish-man priest replied. ¡°You are upstream, and the salt content in the water informed me of your presence.¡± Ling Yunpo then entered the stone chamber, not bothering to look around, but stared directly at the fish-man priest and said: ¡°You demons¡­ are rather peculiar.¡± ¡°We are merely struggling to survive,¡± the fish-man priest said slowly. ¡°When the Demon Race retreated back to the Eastern Emperor Realm, our four ancestors were left behind by our kin due to injuries, and thus we have been healing in the depths of this lake.¡± ¡°This freshwater environment is not suited for our four clans to reproduce and thrive. In the past, there were rock salt mines by the lake, but even they are gone now.¡± Ling Yunpo pondered for a moment, then said: ¡°I won¡¯t beat around the bush¡­ where is the sea Bodhi?¡± ¡°I will present it with both hands,¡± the fish-man priest said slowly. ¡°But may the Esteemed Guest please wait and listen to my proposal?¡± ¡°Does the Esteemed Guest have a Sect? Only my clan can cultivate the sea Bodhi. Even if you exterminate my kin here, it would not benefit you. ¡°However, if you are willing to spare the lives of my clan, we are prepared to continue providing sea Bodhi for you in the future. This item means little to our Aquatic Clan, but for Human Cultivators, it has great use.¡± ¡°You surely have done your calculations,¡± Ling Yunpo said meaningfully, probing further, ¡°What exactly is the use of the sea Bodhi? Explain it to me in detail.¡± ¡°Certainly,¡± the fish-man priest, seeing his softened expression, spoke warmly, ¡°Humans undergo Core Formation, while the Demon Race undergoes Demon Core Formation. To achieve perfection, one must gather spirits of the Five Elements, none to be omitted.¡± ¡°The Metal Spirit comes from Ores and Secret Medicines; Wood Spirit from Herbal Plants; Water Spirit from True Liquid Elixirs; Fire Spirit from Fiery Flame Elixirs; and Earth Spirit from Earth Stone Elixirs.¡± ¡°This sea Bodhi, though it grows at the bottom of the deep sea, is actually the result of abyssal plants absorbing deep geothermal heat and is considered a top-grade Fire Spirit Secret Medicine.¡± ¡°Whether the Esteemed Guest chooses to consume and Refine it himself, pass it to friends or juniors, or even trade it with others, it would certainly be advantageous. Should you encounter Cultivators lacking the Fire Attribute, you could even make a substantial profit.¡± Ling Yunpo listened intently as it detailed the benefits, his thoughts racing as he weighed his options. Could what the fish-man priest refer to as ¡°perfect Core Formation¡± be the First Grade Golden Core? Gathering Purple Mansion Secret Medicines rich in the Spiritual Energy of the Five Elements is the key threshold to forming a First Grade Golden Core? Upon closer consideration, he indeed had consumed several Five Elements Elixirs. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only The Mercurial Elixir Liquid, whose main ingredient comes from some rare ores, contains an abundance of Metal System Spiritual Power. Golden Nectar and Jade Liquid, derived from the scarlet Vermilion Grass, is rich in the continuous and abundant Wood System Spiritual Energy. The Millennia Stone Milk, formed from stalactites and stalagmites, possesses vast amounts of pure Earth System Spiritual Energy, although it is fraught with toxins. Recalling these, he noted the distinct presence of Five Elements Attributes within their Spiritual Energy. Indeed, now that the sea Bodhi¡¯s Fire System Spiritual Energy was in play, four out of the Five Elements were accounted for, with only the True Water missing. Chapter 296 - Chapter 296: Chapter 13 Where is My Senior Sister? Chapter 296: Chapter 13 Where is My Senior Sister? By the time Lin Duanshan and the others had regained consciousness, they found that Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu had both vanished without a trace. The three of them exchanged confused looks for a moment before Guan Shanyue took out a sand pen and began trying to contact An Zhisu. After a short while, a response came from the other side. Looking at An Zhisu¡¯s response, the three of them were somewhat baffled. This Misty Forest, the people of Shushan had almost entered it yearly, and there had never been a case of someone disappearing. Everyone had always been sent out safely and soundly. Even if we take a step back, the Jade Capital Sect Leader had also gone in to investigate. If there were any dangers, wouldn¡¯t he know? That is the Sect Leader of Shushan! Guan Shanyue conveyed the group¡¯s opinion back, and soon the sand pen began to write out extremely sloppy characters. Seeing the new reply, everyone fell silent once more. ¡°Are you kidding?¡± Duan Fenhai frowned and said, ¡°Asking us to split up and look for Ling Yunpo, yet he himself woke up first and ran off somewhere. With these Hundred Thousand Mountains so vast, where are we supposed to find him?¡± ¡°Brother Duan, choose your words carefully,¡± Lin Duanshan cautioned, ¡°Judging by the tone and wording of the reply, Senior Sister An is already very unstable at the moment. If we add fuel to the fire, she might just lose control.¡± ¡°What if she loses control?¡± Duan Fenhai sneered, ¡°Is she going to kill us or what?¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t she dare?¡± Guan Shanyue coldly retorted. The three fell silent once again. Well, An Zhisu really would dare¡­ It¡¯s not that she would commit murder on the spot, but this woman held grudges. If she decided to seek revenge against them after returning, or challenge their junior brothers and sisters to a duel, it would be a real headache. ¡°Alright, alright,¡± Duan Fenhai sighed, ¡°An Zhisu, after all, has at least a High-Grade Golden Core. Since we¡¯ve already achieved our goal for this trip, let¡¯s just do her a favor and build some goodwill.¡± So the three of them dispersed to look for Ling Yunpo. ¡­¡­¡­. It was unknown how much time passed before Ling Yunpo emerged from the Misty Forest. The ancient language of the South Sea Dragon Clan was fairly simple to write and read, and listening was manageable, but pronunciation was absurdly difficult. It wasn¡¯t that Ling Yunpo¡¯s tongue was stiff, but that the vocal organs of the Dragon Clan were different from those of humans. Many words that the Dragon Clan could easily articulate required humans to pucker their mouths, creating as large a cavity as possible, to produce those syllables with special vibrations ¨C sounding much like a male singer¡¯s high-pitched chant. Ling Yunpo decided to call it ¡°Old Dragon Accent.¡± After learning the Old Dragon Accent, Ling Yunpo could now converse with the dragons and Aquatic Clan of the Southern Sea. As for the East and North Sea, it was more or less like different dialect zones, communication was still possible. In the future, if Wei Dongliu wanted to fall out with Long Xiaoqi and suddenly used the Old Dragon Accent to say ¡°What are you looking at,¡± it would definitely confuse Long Xiaoqi on the spot, and he could take the opportunity to strike fiercely¡­ Huh? Where is my senior sister? Where is my huge senior sister? It took him some time before Ling Yunpo sharply remembered that he had asked the fish person priest to send his senior sister and the others out ahead of time. If it had been Junior Sister Xu, Miss Shi, Jiang the Witch, there probably wouldn¡¯t be any problems. But considering how much Senior Sister An cared and doted on him, what could she possibly do? After pondering for a moment, Ling Yunpo suddenly realized that Senior Sister probably wouldn¡¯t think he was still lingering in the Misty Forest, but would assume he had left early or been taken away by someone. After all, with so many examples before and the endorsement of the Jade Capital Sect Leader, who could have anticipated that it would be different when it came to his turn? Alas, it¡¯s all my fault, all my fault! Ling Yunpo decided to quickly find Senior Sister An, but couldn¡¯t figure out where to start looking. He could only begin searching the vicinity in hopes that, with some luck, he might encounter her. He picked a random direction and after walking several miles, he found several corpses by the mountainside road. Upon closer inspection, he saw that the bodies had all died from stabs to the heart. Such skilled, ruthless moves were very likely made by Senior Sister An, as she usually preferred aiming for the heart and throat during sword practice ¨C she just wouldn¡¯t actually thrust. Ling Yunpo sighed and began checking pockets and containers. With the scanning ability of the Kunlun Mirror, no matter what traps, poisons, or curses were set on the bodies, he had a way to detect and counteract them. Of course, what was more important was that no one was present, so he didn¡¯t have to worry about breaking character! This matter was also quite strange, where others claimed ¡°more hands make light work¡±, why did it seem to turn into ¡°long live the lone ranger¡± for me? By my fellow disciples¡¯ sides, to fit into the roles they expected, I was always so restricted and couldn¡¯t let go; But now, on my own, with the Thunder Divine Light Qingping Sword, ambushing and rifling through corpses, I did whatever was convenient, and it was downright exhilarating! Having collected three or four Storage Bags, which were full of all kinds of toxic Magical Treasures, they could all be used for Wei Dongliu¡¯s two disciples. After gathering everything, Ling Yunpo continued on his way. At least judging from the state of the corpses, Senior Sister An must have been here before. Passing through valleys and entering forests, Ling Yunpo saw even more bodies, around seven or eight of them, some pierced through the chest, some with slit throats, the extreme cruelty of it all. He sighed, feeling a sense of guilt beginning to build inside him. Senior Sister An seemed to be in a bit of a hurry¡­ No good, I need to find her fast! So he rifled through the surrounding corpses once more, collecting various Cultivation Techniques, Magical Treasures, Elixirs¡­ practically everything there was to gather. It had to be said that trash was really trash. With Ling Yunpo¡¯s current standards, there was little to catch his eye. Passing through the forest once again, he arrived at a river. The riverbanks were densely lined with the bodies of Demon Cult Cultivators, roughly a dozen in sight. The causes of death were varied and bizarre, some with slit throats, their heads severed; some pierced through the heart, others had their chests and bellies ruptured, their intestines spilling out. Ling Yunpo: ¡­¡­¡­ From the state of the deaths, it was clear that Senior Sister An was extremely unstable, even her Sword Control Technique no longer striving for precision. In her haste to kill, she spared no means! Ling Yunpo frowned, wishing he could immediately fly up into the sky with the Sword Control Technique and have an unobstructed view of everything below. However, seeing the peach blossom miasma in the sky, he instantly gave up the idea. Well, at least I¡¯m not fighting alone¡­ ¡°Ah Jing, Qing Ping!¡± Ling Yunpo cried out in his mind, ¡°Lend me a hand quickly!¡± ¡°Mhm,¡± the Qing Ping Sword pondered for a moment, then said, ¡°Finding An Zhisu might be unlikely, as there is nothing special about her, but¡­ we can find the Flying Smoke Sword.¡± ¡°Great,¡± Ling Yunpo said with joy, ¡°How do we find it?¡± ¡°Have you forgotten? Your innate talent ¡®Innate Sword Bone¡¯ allows you to resonate with the Flying Sword,¡± Qing Ping Sword reminded him. Ling Yunpo slapped his forehead immediately, How could I have forgotten that? From the dispersal of blood in the river, the bodies hadn¡¯t been dead for long, and Senior Sister An might still be nearby. Only hidden by the mountains and forests, hence invisible. With this thought, Ling Yunpo held his breath and activated the resonance of his Sword Bone. Instantly, the swords beside the bodies of the Demon Cult Cultivators began to vibrate and ring out. On the other side of the mountains, the encirclement set up by the Demon Cult Cultivators had been broken through by An Zhisu alone, armed with just a sword. ¡°What are you waiting for, stop her!¡± ¡°With what? You go on and stop her!¡± ¡°If we can¡¯t kill her, we all die!¡± The crowd babbled and blustered, vocally aggressive but without hesitation in action, they quickly scattered like birds and beasts. Those who survived within the fiercely competitive Demon Cult had to be at least a little clever. Even those who relied on their own strength and didn¡¯t take the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal seriously were cut down like chives under her blade, so the remaining clearly knew what to do. An Zhisu stood amidst the devastation, her face expressionless as she looked around her. Her expression was utterly detached, unmoved by the hellish scene around her. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Her heart was equally cold, as if it had fallen into an exceedingly frigid ice cave. With no master and no sight of her junior brother, she felt as if she no longer had a heart. Suddenly, the Flying Smoke Sword, telepathically connected with her, seemed to sense a call and began to joyfully sing, pulling her in a certain direction. An Zhisu didn¡¯t know what was happening, but she had an intuition: it was her junior brother calling her! If she went there and discovered it wasn¡¯t her junior brother¡­ no matter who it was, she¡¯d kill them all! Chapter 297 - Chapter 297: Chapter 14 Eastern Emperor Realm Boundary Gate, Various Attempts Chapter 297: Chapter 14 Eastern Emperor Realm Boundary Gate, Various Attempts Ling Yunpo stood on the riverbank, feeling more terrified the more he looked. To tell the truth, when he fought with Senior Sister An, he just thought she was very strong and impressive. Only now, seeing the corpses piled up everywhere, did he realize the title ¡°Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal¡± associated with Senior Sister An was not earned through victory in battle. It was carved out through killing! Thinking back on the times he occasionally teased Senior Sister An on purpose, relying on her indulgence as a sister for his safety, he otherwise would have been killed by her a long time ago. Ling Yunpo silently contemplated, when suddenly, he saw a figure rushing over from the opposite bank. ¡°Junior brother!¡± An Zhisu called out with joy, not caring about the swift current before her, she stepped into the water with a splash and quickly rushed up the bank, hugging her junior brother tightly. Ling Yunpo was hugged so tightly he couldn¡¯t breathe, wanting to struggle, but then he remembered the condition of those corpses¡­ Precisely, it was the panic and helplessness reflected in the corpses that showed Senior Sister An could not find him, and he obediently let her embrace him. ¡°It¡¯s good that you¡¯re alright, it¡¯s good that you¡¯re alright.¡± An Zhisu held him close, patting and checking over and over until she was sure he was unhurt, then slowly let him go, wiping the tears from her eyes. ¡°What trouble did you think I could get into, Senior Sister?¡± Ling Yunpo asked with a smile. ¡°With the condition of your body, what can¡¯t happen?¡± An Zhisu sternly rebuked him, ¡°Even a Marrow Cleansing Rank Demon Cult Cultivator could possibly kidnap you!¡± ¡°Senior Sister, the poison in my body is already gone,¡± Ling Yunpo said with a grin. ¡°Gone?¡± An Zhisu grabbed his right hand and probed with her divine sense, ¡°How is it all gone?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Ling Yunpo employed the great tactic of scratching his head, ¡°When I woke up in the Misty Forest, I found that all the impurity in my body had disappeared.¡± No one would believe such a far-fetched story, but An Zhisu did not doubt him for three reasons: The first was the doting and trust a senior sister had for her junior brother; the second was Ling Yunpo¡¯s unyielding character and resilience; and the third was the mutual affinity between an Innate Sword Heart and an Innate Sword Bone. With these three factors combined, even if Ling Yunpo pointed to a deer demon and said, ¡°This is a horse demon,¡± Senior Sister An would probably just nod and say, ¡°Ah, right, right, right.¡± Whatever the junior brother said must be true, and if it was wrong¡­ What if it was wrong? At all costs, she could not let her junior brother be disillusioned. The two of them chatted for a while before An Zhisu took out a sand pen to communicate with Guan Shanyue. Soon after, everyone regrouped in Lixi Town. Duan Fenhai and Lin Duanshan both looked somewhat gloomy, as everyone had spent half a day searching the Hundred Thousand Mountains with not much to show for it, and here Ling Yunpo turned up on his own¡­ Their frustration was easy to imagine. Guan Shanyue, who had higher emotional intelligence, took Ling Yunpo aside with great concern, asking about his well-being, the events that had occurred and expressing relief at his safety, which would have driven Senior Sister An to despair, causing An Zhisu¡¯s eyes to twitch and her hand to involuntarily reach for the hilt of the Flying Smoke Sword. Getting back to the main topic, this southern expedition to the Hundred Thousand Mountains had now come to an eighty percent conclusion. The milk of the stone teats in Langgan Cave had been drunk, and the Misty Forest had been visited once, but no one asked each other whether they had gained in cultivation level. What did it matter if they had gained? And what if they hadn¡¯t? After all, it was someone else¡¯s cultivation. More importantly, the upcoming mission was the sword search led by the ancient ancestor of the Guan Family to the Eastern Emperor Boundary Gate! If one could obtain the Sun True Obscure Sword, the rewards from both the Shushan Shangqing Temple and the Longyou Guan Family would assuredly be no less than thirty years of Purple Mansion Power. Of course, hope was slim¡­ but they still had to give it their all. After resting for a while in Lixi Town, the group finally received the summon from the Guan Family¡¯s ancient ancestor. Because they had to venture deep into the Hundred Thousand Mountains and make the difficult journey to the Eastern Emperor Boundary Gate, none of the Shushan Sword Immortals participating in this action had a low cultivation realm. Lin, Ling, Duan, Guan, An, representing the top five seats of the Immortal Sword Ranking, belonged to the Foundation Establishment Realm; there were also several Golden Core True Persons and Nascent Soul Elders, with a major portion of them being Sword Immortals from the Longxi Guan Family. The Jade Capital Sect Leader did not come, probably because he realized that the Demon Path Cultivators in the Hundred Thousand Mountains were just trivial fish, not knowing where their high-rank forces had disappeared to, so he stayed in Shushan on guard against sneak attacks. Even though the depths of the Hundred Thousand Mountains were dangerous, with the Guan Family¡¯s ancient ancestor, an Immortal, firmly in place, the journey was filled with shock but no peril. Most of the Demonic Beasts, sensing the unrestrained aura released by this Immortal, consciously kept their distance far away. After several days of trekking, the group finally arrived at the Eastern Emperor Boundary Gate. The Eastern Emperor Boundary Gate was set in an extremely wide valley, nearly a thousand feet tall and a hundred feet wide, constructed of some kind of white stone-like material. From a distance and over the mountaintops, everyone could see the top of the Boundary Gate, almost piercing into the sea of clouds and the heavenly dome. Nobody knew who had built this thing, but it was estimated that its history was even older than known by the Cultivation Realm, probably not later than the time of N¨¹wa mending the heavens. Ling Yunpo asked the Kunlun Mirror and the Green Duckweed Sword, but neither the mirror nor the sword could clarify its origins, which attests to its mysterious provenance. Passing through a mountain pass and entering the valley, from afar, there came a wave of hot and toxic air rushing towards their faces. ¡°That would be the Sun True Fire triggered by the Sun True Obscure Sword,¡± the Guan family ancestor said, looking at the endless blaze in the distance with a sigh, ¡°Even immortals dare not venture deep into it, otherwise there is a danger of falling.¡± ¡°Continue along the mountain road ahead of you, and you will see a stele with the words ¡®Eastern Emperor¡¯ engraved on it.¡± ¡°Cross the stele and keep moving straight towards the Boundary Gate until you see a boiling spring.¡± ¡°Stop beside the spring eye, and talk to Ouyang Zhao in the distance. Cozy up to him, set conditions, talk about emotions¡­ try any methods you can, as long as you can get him to agree to hand over the Sun True Obscure Sword.¡± ¡°Who among you plans to go first?¡± ¡°How about I go first,¡± Guan Shanyue said with a beaming smile. ¡°Good,¡± the Guan family ancestor said, waving a big hand to give the go-ahead. And so, Guan Shanyue began to advance, gradually disappearing from everyone else¡¯s sight. In less than an hour, Guan Shanyue returned, naturally empty-handed. ¡°How did it go?¡± the Guan family ancestor asked calmly. ¡°I told him that I understood his feelings for Yin Xiaojing,¡± Guan Shanyue answered, ¡°He asked me a question.¡± ¡°What question?¡± ¡°Have you ever liked someone?¡± ¡°How did you respond?¡± the Guan family ancestor asked, frowning. ¡°I answered yes, made up a name, and then he ignored me.¡± Guan Shanyue¡¯s face showed no disappointment, rather a thoughtful expression. The second one to go and try was a Golden Core True Person from the Guan family, before whom the Guan family ancestor especially instructed to ¡°stick to the prepared script.¡± Soon, the Golden Core True Person came back, shaking his head from a distance to the Guan family ancestor: ¡°He ignored me the whole time.¡± Hearing this, the Guan family ancestor nodded, showing no sign of disappointment on his face. After all, they had to try every few years, and he had already gotten used to failure. ¡°An Zhisu,¡± suddenly said the Guan family ancestor, ¡°why don¡¯t you give it a try?¡± ¡°Me?¡± An Zhisu asked in surprise. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± the Guan family ancestor said, ¡°You¡¯re a woman, and you practice the Sentiment Inquiry Path. See if you can evoke his memories of Yin Xiaojing.¡± ¡°What do I need to say?¡± An Zhisu was somewhat lost. ¡°You¡­ forget it, you wouldn¡¯t perform well even if you tried,¡± the Guan family ancestor sighed deeply, his impression of the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal¡¯s low emotional intelligence was particularly deep, ¡°Just be yourself, chat about whatever you want, and then let him set the conditions.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only About an hour later, An Zhisu came back from the distance, her hands still empty. ¡°How did it go?¡± the Guan family ancestor inquired, ¡°Did he agree?¡± ¡°No,¡± An Zhisu shook her head. ¡°What did you say?¡± the Guan family ancestor continued to ask. ¡°I gave him a piece of my mind,¡± An Zhisu replied. Chapter 298 - Chapter 298: Chapter 15 Traditional Sales Pitches Dont Work On Him Chapter 298: Chapter 15 Traditional Sales Pitches Don¡¯t Work On Him Following that, besides Ling Yunpo, everyone else took turns to take the stage. Whenever one person came back empty-handed from a failed negotiation, Elder Guan would drag that person aside, demanding a complete report of what was said to Ouyang Zhao and how he responded. Then, he would discuss and analyze with everyone what personality traits of Ouyang Zhao these responses reflected, and so on. Ling Yunpo listened carefully, thinking to himself: Isn¡¯t this like creating a psychological profile used in criminal investigations? Good heavens, relying on the fact that Ouyang Zhao is detained here, they are using an unlimited number of samples to test him, right? However, he also knew that Elder Guan was placing all his hopes on him¡ªusing the failures of others to pave his way! Therefore, Ling Yunpo also paid the utmost attention, silently noting down the results of everyone¡¯s discussions. From the last dream realm experience, it was evident that Ouyang Zhao and his wife Yin Xiaojing were very much in love. However, Ouyang Zhao¡¯s attitude towards outsiders was one of rebellion and cynical disdain. Lin Duanshan tried to persuade him to prioritize the greater good of the Human Race and return the Sun True Obscure Sword, but he was completely ignored. Duan Fenhai used the example of his entire family being killed before he began his Taoist practice to persuade him, only to be met with a scornful ¡°Can¡¯t even protect your wife, what a waste.¡± Guan Shanyue lied to him by saying ¡°I have someone I love,¡± but was seen through by him and never got a response again. The most outrageous was An Zhisu, who harshly reprimanded Ouyang Zhao for not recognizing earlier that Yin Xiaojing ¡°was not human¡± but ¡°a demon,¡± falling in love with the wrong person was ¡°asking for trouble.¡± Finding himself to have made a grievous mistake, he actually fled with his wife (instead of first clearly explaining the situation to his mentor) and took the Tai Yin and Sun swords with him, compounding his errors. Then she changed her tone, saying, imagine you died alone at the Boundary Gate of the Eastern Emperor Realm, leaving your wife friendless in the Demon Realm, and the child born without a father, that¡¯s simply cold and unfeeling. In short, your life is one of ¡°personal guilt¡± and ¡°abandonment of righteousness,¡± a failure amidst failures! Ouyang Zhao, having been scolded by her for a long time, was at a loss for words, eventually squeezing out a ¡°you¡¯re right¡± before going silent. Elder Guan highly praised Senior Sister An¡¯s speech because it was the first time he had seen someone breach Ouyang Zhao¡¯s defenses¡­ ¡°You must understand.¡± Elder Guan said, ¡°Our attempts to test Ouyang Zhao have accumulated to at least tens of thousands of times up to now, so general rhetoric is fundamentally useless against him.¡± ¡°To make him slip up, you must come with a surprise tactic and pique his interest immediately.¡± ¡°Secondly, he is somewhat rebellious by nature.¡± ¡°He might not pay attention to you if you speak to him nicely; if you scold him directly, however, he might actually listen.¡± ¡°You could try angering him, but don¡¯t use the grand rhetoric of racial justice, which he¡¯s probably become numb to by now.¡± ¡°Try criticizing from other angles, such as his inability to protect his wife and daughter, or how he has let down the mentor who raised him, and try to reflect care and human warmth as much as possible¡­¡± He rattled on, and Ling Yunpo took serious note of it all. ¡°¡­But,¡± Elder Guan suddenly changed his tone, ¡°you can¡¯t just mechanically recite it, you must not have a rigid conversation.¡± ¡°No one can perfectly predict what state he is in now or how he will react after hearing your words, only you can make the best response on the spot.¡± ¡°If you successfully get him to set conditions, I have an Azure Spirit Divine Bead here, a wonderful material for creating an External Incarnation, and I will give it to you as a reward,¡± said Elder Guan, throwing in a hefty incentive in the end. Azure Spirit Divine Bead! External Incarnation! Ling Yunpo was astounded and confused. Hosting this object in a Flying Sword or Magical Treasure would allow for easy manipulation as easily as if it were part of one¡¯s own body, and combined with the Two-Handed Sword Control Technique, it would mean controlling three swords at once, more than doubling combat effectiveness! ¡°In case¡­ I mean, just in case,¡± Elder Guan seemed not satisfied enough and continued, ¡°if you manage to get him to hand over the Sun True Obscure Sword, I won¡¯t just personally refine the External Incarnation for you, but also speak on your behalf to Long Eyebrow. Su Jian is a Direct Disciple of Long Eyebrow, and I¡¯ll have Long Eyebrow change your and Su Jian¡¯s relationship to that of a mentor taking a disciple on behalf of his master, how about that?¡± Ling Yunpo: ??? Outrageous! He wouldn¡¯t be coming back out! Simply put, Ling Yunpo was originally taken as a disciple by An Zhisu on behalf of Qi Sha True Person Su Jian. With a word from Elder Guan, it changed to Su Jian taking a disciple on behalf of his master, and Ling Yunpo became a disciple of the Long Eyebrow Immortal. Since Ling Yunpo initially wasn¡¯t personally taught by Su Jian, this change wouldn¡¯t pose any significant ethical problems. A master as secluded as Su Jian turning into the sect¡¯s supreme elder, Long Eyebrow True Man, wasn¡¯t simply a case of a chicken flying to heaven, but more like a sparrow transforming into a roc, a major cheat indeed. However¡­ by doing so, wouldn¡¯t he become An Zhisu¡¯s martial uncle? No, no, that can¡¯t be right! How can there be romance with such different seniority? Ling Yunpo unconsciously wanted to decline, but upon another thought, the Sun True Obscure Sword was far from assured, and to set conditions now seemed utterly preposterous. Thus, he revealed a resolute demeanor and confidently said, ¡°With the great trust of the elder, this junior will certainly give it his all!¡± Looking at the others, their expressions also changed from envy to shock. If Ling Yunpo became the Direct Disciple of the Long Eyebrow Immortal¡­ Shushan would be upended! The status of Qingluo Peak, which had declined due to Su Jian¡¯s seclusion, was set to skyrocket once again. However, everyone quickly realized that this was a reward for Ling Yunpo¡¯s retrieval of the Sun True Obscure Sword. In actuality, how could it be so easy? If it were, then what were the countless Shushan Sword Immortals who had tried over the past tens of thousands of years ¨C complete fools and imbeciles? ¡°Good!¡± The Guan Family patriarch repeated the word ¡®good¡¯ three times, waving his hand grandly, ¡°Go ahead and negotiate without any pressure!¡± Thus, under everyone¡¯s watchful eyes, Ling Yunpo headed towards the direction of the Eastern Emperor Realm Boundary Gate and the boundless sea of fire. As he drew increasingly closer to the sea of Sun True Fire, all the trees disappeared, turning into dry shrubs and barren grass. Continuing forward, even shrubs and barren grass were no longer there, and even the soil beneath his feet turned into gravel. A massive stele stood by the roadside, engraved with the ancient seal characters for ¡°Eastern Emperor¡±. Ling Yunpo touched it and felt a bit of heat. Hmm? This material, isn¡¯t it almost identical to the stele in the Five Qi Dynasty Yuan Cave? After pondering for a moment, Ling Yunpo asked the Kunlun Mirror and the Green Duckweed Sword, ¡°Ah Jing, Qing Ping. What is this stele made of?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± the Kunlun Mirror replied honestly. ¡°Don¡¯t know,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword also responded. ¡°Qing Ping,¡± Ling Yunpo said patiently, ¡°if you know something, feel free to speak up.¡± ¡°Why do you only suspect me and not her?¡± the Green Duckweed Sword asked perplexedly. ¡°Because there¡¯s something off with your tone,¡± Ling Yunpo said. ¡°What could possibly be wrong with my tone!¡± exclaimed the Green Duckweed Sword. This bickering between the man and the sword quickly led them past the boundary stele, through the wasteland, to a bubbling spring. The spring was not large, about the size of a washbasin, and one could not see its bottom at a glance. The surface of the water boiled incessantly, with bubbles of all sizes bubbling up. This was the place. Ling Yunpo stood firm by the spring and then cleared his throat. ¡°Uh¡­¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only He suddenly found himself at a loss for what to say. ¡°Hello, is this Ouyang Zhao?¡± Ling Yunpo called out in the direction of the sea of fire. There was no response from the other side, as if it was somewhat speechless at him, or as though it simply didn¡¯t exist. Ling Yunpo took a deep breath, feeling as if a soul of a Sword Practitioner had possessed him. ¡°I wish to speak with the last Sun Sword Master,¡± he said in a deep voice. Chapter 299 - Chapter 299: Chapter 16 The Last Obsession of the Sun Sword Master Chapter 299: Chapter 16 The Last Obsession of the Sun Sword Master ¡°Ouyang Zhao.¡± ¡°I learned about your life through the Dream of Millet.¡± ¡°Upon discovering that your wife was a demon, your first thought wasn¡¯t to seek guidance from your Sect but to flee with your pregnant wife.¡± ¡°At first, I thought you were panicked beyond reason, but later I overturned that conclusion.¡± ¡°The reason is simple: your escape was carefully planned, you even managed to hide the Tai Yin Suming Sword well, which proves that you hadn¡¯t lost your minds.¡± ¡°Therefore, the only reason you didn¡¯t go to your Sect for help must be that your Sect was also unable to protect itself at the time.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it,¡± a voice suddenly came from the fire, ¡°During that era, the Sun and Tai Yin Swords were under the control of the Emei Sword Sect, which is the Sect where I trained.¡± ¡°Within the Emei Sword Sect, there were numerous Sword Cultivator factions. My master was from the branch of the Daijiao Peak, not a major faction within the Sect.¡± ¡°That is to say,¡± Ling Yunpo immediately understood, ¡°after your wife¡¯s demon identity was exposed, the higher-ups within the Sword Sect tried to stabilize you two Sword Masters and didn¡¯t come to seize you immediately; instead, they chose to eradicate your backing within the Sect first¡ªyour master¡¯s lineage.¡± ¡°I failed my master,¡± said the voice within the fire. ¡°Cultivators from your master¡¯s lineage were murdered one after another, alerting you,¡± continued Ling Yunpo, ¡°You began to seek the truth and eventually discovered that your wife was a demon. You couldn¡¯t bear such a reality, yet in this world, you had no other relatives, friends, or mentors, and that is why you desired to flee to the Eastern Emperor Demon Realm with your wife, to leave this world forever.¡± ¡°Even so, I remain a traitor,¡± the voice in the fire said, ¡°What use is there in telling me all this?¡± ¡°I originally chose not to give the Sun True Obscure Sword to anyone, not just to protect Xiao Jing and my daughter with it, but also because I had no one to entrust it to.¡± ¡°Emei Sword Sect¡­ My master¡¯s mortal enemy, instigated several greedy elders, annihilating our entire lineage. I wished for the entire Sword Sect to die off.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just that I died without being able to make it happen,¡± the voice lamented. ¡°Now, there is no Emei Sword Sect,¡± Ling Yunpo said softly, ¡°Your enemies are no more.¡± ¡°Then whom do you think I should give the Sun True Obscure Sword to?¡± the voice in the fire asked lowly, ¡°To you? You¡¯re too weak to protect it.¡± ¡°I have a senior who is of Immortal Rank,¡± Ling Yunpo replied with a sincere expression, ¡°He is outside and can wield the Sun True Obscure Sword.¡± ¡°In that case,¡± said the voice in the fire, ¡°to take over the Sun True Obscure Sword, I have two conditions.¡± ¡°First: the Sun and Tai Yin Swords are precious treasures of the Human Race used to suppress the Demon Race and must not fall into the hands of demons. The wielder must be from the Human Race.¡± ¡°Second: even if it¡¯s a human, I cannot give it to someone harboring ulterior motives; he must win my trust and approval.¡± ¡°Someone harboring ulterior motives?¡± Ling Yunpo asked softly. ¡°Cold-hearted and selfish, those who only think of themselves are such people,¡± the voice from the fire said. In other words, heartless people won¡¯t do, Ling Yunpo thought to himself, and out loud said, ¡°That is not difficult.¡± ¡°My trust is easy to earn. I don¡¯t even bother with those harboring ulterior motives,¡± said the voice from the fire, ¡°The real difficulty is winning my approval.¡± ¡°Back then, I covered Xiao Jing¡¯s escape to the Eastern Emperor Demon Realm, dying in battle against the pursuers outside the Boundary Gate. Now, only a single willpower remains in my dying body, muddled, upholding my struggle against the Sun True Obscure Sword, sealing the passageway between the realms of humans and demons.¡± ¡°My willpower is to make sure how Xiao Jing, who returned to the Eastern Emperor Demon Realm, as well as the daughter in her womb, are faring.¡± Ling Yunpo: ¡­ The voice in the fire continued: ¡°She was seriously injured at the time and, lacking in elixirs for treatment, I forcibly pushed her through the Boundary Gate. I am very worried about her condition¡­¡± ¡°Stop!¡± Ling Yunpo hurriedly called out, ¡°Brother Ouyang, Elder Ouyang, you have been an ancient figure from a hundred thousand years ago. To suddenly inquire about the status of your wife and children is indeed too preposterous!¡± ¡°Do you think I don¡¯t know that?¡± the voice in the fire mechanically said. ¡°A hundred thousand years have passed, and if our progeny has survived and has not embarked on the path of cultivation, they may well have proliferated for thousands of generations.¡± ¡°And yet you still make this absurd request?¡± Ling Yunpo was at a loss for words. ¡°This is an unfulfilled desire,¡± the voice in the fire said. ¡°It is precisely because it is truly difficult to quell that my remnant body has persisted here for over a hundred thousand years.¡± ¡°Also,¡± Ling Yunpo continued to complain, ¡°your wife and daughter are in the Eastern Emperor Demon Realm. How are we supposed to go there to find out about them? Unless you lift the obstruction of the Sun True Fire blocking the passageway.¡± ¡°That is not possible,¡± the voice in the fire asserted firmly. ¡°Once the Sun True Fire is removed, any immortal can enter at will and snatch away the Sun True Obscure Sword¡­ I cannot allow such a thing to happen.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t lift the Sun True Fire, we can¡¯t get to the Eastern Emperor Demon Realm!¡± Ling Yunpo said frantically. ¡°Then first resolve my unfulfilled desire and gain my approval,¡± the voice in the fire said. ¡°Are you playing with a logical deadlock here?¡± Ling Yunpo felt like vomiting. ¡°¡­ This is an unfulfilled desire,¡± the voice in the fire repeated. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but Ouyang Zhao is already dead. I am merely his lingering obsession. To obtain the Sun True Obscure Sword, you must solve me.¡± Ling Yunpo felt the urge to turn around and leave on the spot but managed to calm his emotions before asking: ¡°What about the Tai Yin Summoning Sword? Where did you conceal it originally?¡± ¡°It is the same as the Sun True Obscure Sword,¡± the voice in the fire said. ¡°The Tai Yin Summoning Sword is here too?¡± Ling Yunpo was startled at first and then realized what the other meant¡ª ¡°Resolve my obsession, and I will not only hand over the Sun True Obscure Sword to you but will also tell you the location of the Tai Yin Summoning Sword.¡± So there¡¯s no way around your damn obsession, is that it?! ¡°If I find your descendants, how can I confirm it with you?¡± Ling Yunpo asked with a sigh. ¡°Bring them here,¡± the voice in the fire said. ¡°I have a way to confirm the bloodline relation.¡± ¡°As long as he is indeed my descendant, no matter what the outcome is from his perspective, I will accept it.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°What if your wife is dead?¡± Ling Yunpo asked again. ¡°If there aren¡¯t any descendants left, what then?¡± ¡°Then find their remains,¡± the voice in the fire said. ¡°The small scene was initially able to transform into a human and deceive the bloodline verification to enter the Emei Sword Sect because she possessed a Strange Object with immense sealing power. She used it to seal her own Celestial Fox Bloodline.¡± ¡°You can start with that Strange Object; perhaps it will lead you more quickly to your goal.¡± ¡°What is this Strange Object?¡± Ling Yunpo asked, his eyes unfocused. ¡°In ancient times, the goddess Nuwa refined six Heaven-Mending Stones, using five to mend the heavens and keeping one in reserve,¡± the voice in the fire said. ¡°That Strange Object is indeed a fragment of the last Heaven-Mending Stone.¡± Chapter 300 - Chapter 300: Chapter 17 The Search for the Sword Ends Here Chapter 300: Chapter 17 The Search for the Sword Ends Here After hearing Ouyang Zhao¡¯s demands, Ling Yunpo fell silent. Great, it looks like a trip to the Eastern Emperor Realm is inevitable. Thinking about it, it actually seems quite fitting. I¡¯ve now learned the Dragon Language, and I have a drop of Ying Long¡¯s Essence Blood for Ah Jing to use. All the preliminary requirements for disguising myself as a member of the Dragon Clan have been met. That¡¯s right, I also obtained a cultivation technique of the Dragon Clan from the Mirror Lake Divine Palace, as well as undertaking the task to help Ying Long find his daughter¡­ Why is it always a daughter? Can¡¯t you damn fathers keep an eye on your daughters? Ling Yunpo sighed and had no choice but to say goodbye to Brother Hai Zi before turning to leave. When he returned to the edge of the valley, he saw the Guan Family Patriarch and a group of people waiting eagerly there. Seeing that he had come back empty-handed (instead of holding the Sun True Obscure Sword), everyone showed a look of ¡®as expected,¡¯ yet there was a subtle sense of relief. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Patriarch,¡± Ling Yunpo said, cupping his hands. ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± the Guan Family Patriarch tried to hide his disappointment but still gently asked, ¡°So what did Ouyang Zhao say?¡± ¡°He stated two conditions,¡± Ling Yunpo replied. Everyone: ¡­¡­¡­ Upon hearing this, the once disappointed face of the Guan Family Patriarch suddenly burst into an extremely joyful ecstasy: ¡°What did he say?! Oh, right! Wait a second, just wait¡­¡± He quickly pulled Ling Yunpo away to a distant spot where the others couldn¡¯t hear, and then asked him privately, ¡°What exactly did he say? Two conditions? Tell me in detail, I will hold true to my word.¡± ¡°The first condition is that the person must be from the Human Race, and cannot be of the unscrupulous kind,¡± Ling Yunpo explained. ¡°Of course,¡± the Guan Family Patriarch said without hesitation. ¡°Patriarch, the one inside the sea of fire said that those who are heartless and selfish, only thinking of themselves, are considered unscrupulous,¡± Ling Yunpo continued. Guan Family Patriarch: ¡­¡­¡­ He might as well have stated outright, ¡°Sentiment Inquiry Path, roll out.¡± ¡°Patriarch,¡± Ling Yunpo then curiously asked, ¡°I only know that because of the last Tai Yin Sword Master¡¯s incident, Shushan has a strong aversion to the Sentiment Inquiry Path; but why did that era¡¯s last sword master, who practiced the Sentiment Inquiry Path, also detest the heartless path? Could it be that the two factions were already at odds with each other back then?¡± The Guan Family Patriarch looked deeply at him, then revealed an intriguing expression and said, ¡°This is a matter of Daoist orthodoxy.¡± ¡°Daoist orthodoxy?¡± Ling Yunpo paused for a moment before asking, ¡°Sister Guan has told me it¡¯s generally related to Daoist Heart matters.¡± ¡°It¡¯s more than just about the Daoist Heart,¡± the Guan Family Patriarch stated indifferently, ¡°do you know that even among immortals there is a hierarchy of power?¡± ¡°Is the Patriarch referring to Earth Immortals, Heavenly Immortals, Golden Immortals, and Daluo Golden Immortals?¡± Ling Yunpo asked earnestly. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± the Guan Family Patriarch said, stroking his beard, ¡°In the ancient early days, there weren¡¯t so many ranks.¡± ¡°Golden Immortals and Daluo Golden Immortals were collectively referred to as immortals. Earth Immortals are those who cultivate with their Primordial Spirit after resolving their physical bodies. Since their physical form was compromised, they weren¡¯t considered true immortals at the time.¡± ¡°Later on, the methods of becoming a Heavenly Immortal were progressively refined, and the term ¡®Heavenly Immortal¡¯ came into use.¡± ¡°The so-called ¡®Path of the Heavenly Immortal¡¯ refers to those whose cultivation realm has not reached the threshold of a Golden Immortal, but who do not wish to abandon their physical bodies. They have to cut off the Three Corpses within their Divine Soul to lighten the burden of ascension from another angle.¡± ¡°The Upper Corpse loves adornment, the Middle Corpse craves flavors, the Lower Corpse lusts for desires. If one cuts off the Three Corpses, from then on, they will be unable to distinguish beauty from ugliness, taste no flavors, and all desires will be extinguished, leaving only a pure heart for seeking the Tao.¡± Ling Yunpo listened carefully and thought, isn¡¯t this psychological castration? So, the essence of being a Heavenly Immortal is basically becoming an immortal through castration, right? ¡°On the path of cultivation, who doesn¡¯t wish to become an immortal?¡± the Guan Family¡¯s patriarch lamented, ¡°Since there is a way to become a Heavenly Immortal, there must be those who cannot reach the Golden Immortal realm. Striving toward this direction is essentially the origin of the ¡®Sentiment Inquiry Path.¡¯ ¡°After all, if desires are kept indifferent from the very beginning, when the time comes, a simple severance will suffice.¡± ¡°So it is about ¡®preserving the heavenly principle, eliminating human desires,¡¯ right?¡± Ling Yunpo immediately understood. ¡°Correct,¡± the Guan Family patriarch nodded and said, ¡°How difficult is it to ascend to the Golden Immortal realm? Forming a Golden Core and the Immortal Fetus, both must be of high quality, and lacking in any aspect means complete hopelessness.¡± ¡°In other words, if one cannot become a Golden Immortal, then the lowest standard of the Sentiment Inquiry Path is higher than other sects.¡± ¡°Earth Immortals must face Tribulation every ten thousand years, but Heavenly Immortals do not. Just this point alone can make most cultivators flock to the Sentiment Inquiry Path.¡± ¡°Some cultivators who originally had Daoist Companions and families, upon realizing the hopelessness of becoming Golden Immortals, would even go to the extent of killing their wives and children to sever their ties early, which has given the Sentiment Inquiry Path an extremely bad reputation.¡± ¡°Ouyang Zhao¡¯s prejudices mainly stem from the impression that the Sentiment Inquiry Path left during that era, indeed a deplorable one.¡± ¡°I see, thank you, senior, for clarifying my doubts,¡± Ling Yunpo sincerely expressed his gratitude before adding: ¡°The second condition mentioned by Ouyang Zhao is to verify the status of Yin Xiaojing, who returned to the Eastern Emperor Demon Realm back then, as well as the status of her posthumous child.¡± Upon hearing this, the Guan Family patriarch¡¯s face instantly stiffened. ¡°He wants us to go to the Eastern Emperor Demon Realm on his behalf to investigate the whereabouts of his wife from ten thousand years ago?¡± he asked with a grim expression. ¡°Exactly,¡± Ling Yunpo said with a sigh, ¡°He claims it¡¯s the root of his obsession.¡± ¡°What¡¯s more troublesome is that because he¡¯s worried we might seize the Sun True Obscure Sword, he refuses to disperse the Sun True Fire.¡± The Guan Family patriarch laughed bitterly in exasperation: ¡°What does he mean by that? If we can get through the Sun True Fire and enter the Eastern Emperor Demon Realm, why wouldn¡¯t we just take the sword and leave?¡± He directly pulled Ling Yunpo along, crossed through the thicket and the barren sand and gravel, to the edge of the boiling spring, and called out loudly: ¡°Ouyang Zhao! To travel to the Eastern Emperor Demon Realm, we must go through the Boundary Gate. If you don¡¯t disperse this Sun True Fire, how can we get there to find your wife¡¯s whereabouts for you?¡± After a moment, a voice came from the sea of fire: ¡°That¡¯s not my concern.¡± The Guan Family patriarch almost spat out a mouthful of old blood, Ling Yunpo was indeed telling the truth! ¡°I am Ouyang Zhao¡¯s obsession,¡± the voice from within the sea of fire declared, ¡°He only wants two things: to confirm the whereabouts of his wife and to ensure that the Sun True Obscure Sword doesn¡¯t end up in the wrong hands.¡± ¡°Both conditions must be met simultaneously. As to how to achieve them, I do not know, I am merely an obsession, inheriting only Ouyang Zhao¡¯s memories, personality, and emotions from when he was alive; I don¡¯t have the capacity for complex thought.¡± ¡°But you still have to be reasonable!¡± the Guan Family patriarch roared with rage. They had finally gotten past this particular obstacle, only to find a dead end awaiting them, how could he not be infuriated? ¡°With these conditions of yours, it won¡¯t be possible for anyone to accomplish them, not in ten thousand years, not even in a million years!¡± ¡°No, I believe he can do it.¡± The voice from within the sea of fire insisted. The Guan Family patriarch paused for a moment before realizing¡ªthis entity was referring to Ling Yunpo. ¡°From the moment I saw him, I knew he was the key I had been waiting for, for a hundred thousand years,¡± the voice from the sea of fire continued, ¡°Beyond this, I cannot say anymore.¡± Turning away expressionlessly, the Guan Family patriarch gave Ling Yunpo a look. Ling Yunpo obligingly reacted with a puzzled expression. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Fine,¡± the Guan Family patriarch conceded helplessly, ¡°then let him handle it.¡± Turning around indifferently, he took out the Azure Spirit Divine Bead from his sleeve and threw it straight to Ling Yunpo. ¡°Thank you, elder,¡± Ling Yunpo quickly said, ¡°though the result is hardly satisfactory¡­¡± ¡°Enough said,¡± the Guan Family patriarch, disheartened, started walking towards the valley¡¯s entrance, sighing as he said: ¡°For now, let us put the quest for the sword to rest.¡± Chapter 301 - Chapter 301: Chapter 18: Eastern Emperor Realm, A Necessary Endeavor Chapter 301: Chapter 18: Eastern Emperor Realm, A Necessary Endeavor The southern expedition had ended, and the Shushan Sword Immortals all returned to Shushan. Lin Duanshan and the others did not ask for details, given that the Guan Family patriarch¡¯s expression upon his return was quite unsightly, as if he had been fiercely rebuked by Ouyang Zhao. Upon returning to Qingluo Peak, Ling Yunpo showed the Azure Spirit Divine Bead to An Zhisu. ¡°I have heard of the Azure Spirit Divine Bead, nurtured from the essence of Yimu,¡± An Zhisu said softly, ¡°If further refined with a secret technique, one¡¯s Primordial Spirit can be nurtured within for an extended period, transforming it into a second incarnation of oneself.¡± ¡°However, the sacrificial refinement method is even rarer than the Azure Spirit Divine Bead. Junior Brother, if you wish to attain this method, you will probably have to start with the Guan Family patriarch.¡± ¡°Unfortunately, the quest for swords has been suspended for the time being.¡± Ling Yunpo sighed, ¡°Trade is trade, and I¡¯m afraid I have nothing of value that could catch the Guan Family patriarch¡¯s eye.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Senior Sister An consoled him, ¡°I will keep an eye out for you as well.¡± After escorting An Zhisu back to her dwelling, Ling Yunpo returned to his own room, a thoughtful look flashing in his eyes. ¡°Ah Jing,¡± he said softly, ¡°do you think this might be too coincidental?¡± ¡°It¡¯s like someone prepared a raincoat, a bamboo hat, and an umbrella for me in advance, and then suddenly, it began to rain from the clear sky.¡± ¡°This is truly a coincidence,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said tonelessly, ¡°Do you doubt me?¡± ¡°Why would you think that I doubt you?¡± Ling Yunpo asked with a smile. ¡°Alright then,¡± the Kunlun Mirror sighed, ¡°This is both a coincidence and not.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Ling Yunpo asked solemnly. ¡°A coincidence is just what it seems,¡± the Kunlun Mirror replied, ¡°I don¡¯t have the ability to interfere with all this.¡± ¡°Not a coincidence means that you are destined to gather all the pieces of the Heaven-Mending Stone.¡± ¡°From the past, to the present, and into the future, I have always firmly believed this.¡± Ling Yunpo paused for a moment before asking, ¡°You have a way to enter the Eastern Emperor Demon Realm without going through the Eastern Emperor Boundary Gate, right?¡± ¡°I have the coordinates for that place,¡± the Kunlun Mirror replied, ¡°Not just the Eastern Emperor Demon Realm, but also beyond the Nine Heavens, Netherworld¡­ any place that might have fragments of the Heaven-Mending Stone, I have the corresponding coordinates.¡± ¡°That makes sense,¡± Ling Yunpo nodded, ¡°After all, you¡¯ve descended to the mortal world for so many years; it would be impossible not to be prepared.¡± ¡°So what¡¯s the plan?¡± the Kunlun Mirror inquired, ¡°Shall we go now?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s pick a persona template first,¡± Ling Yunpo let out a long breath, ¡°Shall we use the drop of Ying Long¡¯s essence blood?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the Kunlun Mirror conjured a small dragon, ¡°How¡¯s this design?¡± Ling Yunpo scrutinized it for a moment and asked, ¡°Ah Jing, this dragon¡­ from the Dragon Clan¡¯s aesthetic standpoint, does it look handsome?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know much about the Dragon Clan¡¯s aesthetics,¡± the Kunlun Mirror replied, ¡°I can only speak a little of their language.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s skip that for now then,¡± Ling Yunpo said with a frown, ¡°Although my realm isn¡¯t sufficient for Transformation, Ah Jing, you can help solve this problem, right?¡± ¡°Typically speaking, the Demon Race¡¯s Transformation is equivalent to the Human Race¡¯s Core Formation,¡± the Kunlun Mirror replied, ¡°However, some superior bloodlines, like the Dragon Clan, indeed have exceptions.¡± ¡°Corresponding to the Human Race¡¯s Qi Refinement, Marrow Cleansing, and Refining Mansion, the Demon Race¡¯s Bloodline Realm is also divided into three Ranks: Energy Introduction, Bone Expansion, and Blood Ignition.¡± ¡°` ¡°Drawing the essence of the sun and the splendor of the moon into the body, reshaping the muscles, bones, and meridians, and finally burning away the impurities in the bloodline, one can transform into a human-like shape¡­ That is to say, if the bloodline impurities are already few, one can turn into human form before all the impurities are eliminated.¡± ¡°Is the essence blood of Ying Long pure enough?¡± Ling Yunpo chuckled. ¡°Of course, it is,¡± the Kunlun Mirror replied affirmatively. ¡°Good, show me what I look like after the transformation.¡± The little dragon in view quickly transformed into a black-haired teenager. ¡°Doesn¡¯t this appearance resemble Ling Yunpo too closely?¡± Ling Yunpo pondered. ¡°Does it?¡± The Kunlun Mirror paused, ¡°A bit, how would you like to change it?¡± ¡°Qiu Changtian is domineering, Ling Yunpo is resolute, Luo Yan is honest, Wei Dongliu is charmingly wicked. How about we go for a gentle and sunny look this time?¡± Ling Yunpo thought for a moment, then said, ¡°Firstly, the appearance must be handsome, to embody the charm of my true self.¡± ¡°The facial features will not change, only the hairstyle and clothing will, together with the most important aspect, one¡¯s temperament,¡± the Kunlun Mirror replied, ¡°Temperament comes with innate talent.¡± ¡°What impression did you have of the Ying Long trapped in the Demon Locking Tower?¡± ¡°Uhh.¡± Ling Yunpo tried to recall, asking uncertainly, ¡°Unrestrained? Idle? Perverse pleasure?¡± ¡°Those are just his superficial disguises,¡± the Kunlun Mirror reminded, ¡°Think about it, he willingly stayed in the Demon Locking Tower because of a vow of a bet. What does that say about his character?¡± ¡°You¡¯re saying that he accepted his duty in the Demon Locking Tower because he lost to the Long Eyebrow Immortal?¡± Ling Yunpo had an epiphany, ¡°So that means¡­ persistence?¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± said the Kunlun Mirror. ¡°Persistence and indomitability are somewhat similar,¡± Ling Yunpo frowned, ¡°What difference do you see between them, Ah Jing?¡± ¡°Indomitability is about being more courageous when faced with difficulties,¡± the Kunlun Mirror analyzed, ¡°Whereas persistence is about sticking to a goal without looking back.¡± ¡°This means that with indomitability, as long as there are constant difficulties, one can easily gain Synchronization Value by rising to the challenge,¡± Ling Yunpo reflected, ¡°While for persistence, choosing the right goal to stick with is the most crucial.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said, ¡°If you choose an unsuitable goal, then to maintain the Synchronization Value, you¡¯ll have to persist through thick and thin.¡± ¡°So, just like how an indomitable character shouldn¡¯t easily admit defeat, a persistent character also shouldn¡¯t make promises lightly. This is the key point you need to remember.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Ling Yunpo acknowledged, ¡°Lastly, what specific innate talent does this character template have?¡± ¡°The innate talent is the ¡®Ying Long Bloodline¡¯,¡± the Kunlun Mirror answered, ¡°Ying Long is at the pinnacle of the Jiaolong bloodline, which lives in rivers and seas until the fourth rank, but at the Ying Long stage, it leaves the water to venture onto the land.¡± ¡°Hence, the Ying Long Bloodline will endow you with the ability to master water and earth Daoist magic. Besides, all the innate abilities possessed by the Dragon Clan will be yours, and only stronger with this character template.¡± ¡°I see, and the name?¡± Ling Yunpo asked again. ¡°The name¡­¡± the Kunlun Mirror hesitated, ¡°How about you come up with one this time?¡± ¡°Hmm, how about ¡®Long Long¡¯?¡± Ling Yunpo suddenly recalled an elder of the Eastern Emperor Path named ¡®Hu Li¡¯. ¡°Alright,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said, ¡°Then let us teleport.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only It began to chant mechanically: [Location Five: Eastern Emperor Realm, Cangnan Plain, Hundred Flower Valley.] [Character identity: Long Long.] [Mirror Flower Water Moon Template overlayed, time-space travel commencing.] ¡°` Chapter 302 - Chapter 302: Chapter 19: Hundred Flower Valley, Unexpected Disaster Flying In Chapter 302: Chapter 19: Hundred Flower Valley, Unexpected Disaster Flying In Eastern Emperor Demon Realm, Cangnan Plain, Hundred Flower Valley, Tri-Village Riverbank. ¡°Why¡­¡± ¡°Why did it have to be a snake!!!!!¡± The young dragon who had assumed the name ¡°Long Long¡± was twisting its body endlessly underwater, swimming forward in graceful coils, internally screaming in agony. ¡°This isn¡¯t a water snake,¡± said the Kunlun Mirror helplessly. ¡°It¡¯s a ¡®Water Viper¡¯, the precursor to a Jiaolong.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m asking you, what happened to the supposed humanoid form?¡± Long Long lamented tearlessly. ¡°Ahem,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said sheepishly, ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve encountered such a situation. By all means, with the concentration of the Ying Long Essence Blood, such a result shouldn¡¯t have occurred¡­¡± At this point, it paused for a moment, then added: ¡°Could it be an atavistic effect?¡± ¡°What atavistic effect?¡± Long Long asked, utterly confused. ¡°It¡¯s like this,¡± the Kunlun Mirror explained, ¡°Different individuals have different levels of tolerance to different bloodlines.¡± ¡°It¡¯s possible that your body is particularly well-suited to the Dragon Clan bloodline, which allowed the Ying Long Bloodline to be perfectly expressed, making your initial form closer to that of a dragon rather than a human.¡± ¡°But it doesn¡¯t matter!¡± Seeing Long Long growing increasingly impatient, it hastily added, ¡°This is actually a good thing!¡± ¡°The rank and compatibility of your bloodline determine the heights you can achieve in the future!¡± ¡°To draw an analogy, it¡¯s like taking an imperial examination¡ªwhere a perfect score for others is one hundred, your paper is graded out of a thousand. This means that no one can possibly outdo you.¡± ¡°Of course, the downside is that when it comes to filling out your answer sheet, your progress will be much slower than everyone else¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Shut it, broken mirror!¡± Long Long gritted his teeth, ¡°I¡¯ll remember this debt!¡± The Green Duckweed Sword let out a soft chuckle but quickly fell silent again. Out of boredom, Long Long swam along the Tri-Village River, exploring the entire Hundred Flower Valley. Incidentally, both Hundred Flower Valley and Tri-Village River were names assigned by Long Long himself. The former, situated near a river with fertile, moist soil, was adorned with a variety of lush wildflowers and grasses growing densely together, creating a singularly picturesque scene. The latter flowed down from the mountains to the west, splitting into three branches on the west side of Hundred Flower Valley, covering the entire area before merging again at two river junctions on the eastern side, then flowing into a great river that ran from north to south into the sea on the eastern edge of the valley. More importantly, there were no transformed demons residing within Hundred Flower Valley. Back in the Misty Forest of the Southern Border, in the deep lakes of the Aquatic Clan, while Ling Yunpo was learning Dragon Language from the Jiaoren Shaman, he also learned much about the cultural customs of demon society. Demons are a general term used by humans for all sorts of spiritually awakened creatures and do not signify that they are one race¡ªcontrarily, it¡¯s common for various clans to engage in mutual slaughter. Even more ruthless than the inter-clan killing is the contempt that transformed sand-table demons have for the untransformed Demonic Beasts. You should know that most demons only gain intelligence after transforming. Even for a high-bloodline clan like the Dragon Clan, at the untransformed Water Viper stage, they would at best have slightly smarter thinking, roughly on par with human children. Therefore, if Long Long had the misfortune to encounter any transformed demons, they would not see him as one of their kind but as a wild beast. A casual killing would carry no moral burden for them at all. In short, the absence of transformed demons in Hundred Flower Valley was absolutely a stroke of luck for Long Long. As for what needed to be done next, it was to practice the Dragon Clan¡¯s Cultivation Technique as soon as possible, to refine and master the ¡°perfectly fitting¡± Ying Long Bloodline as soon as possible, and thereby transform into human form ahead of time. Only by transforming into human form could he leave the Hundred Flower Valley, and at least be qualified to converse and negotiate with transformed demons. ¡°Strange,¡± said the Kunlun Mirror suddenly. Long Long had just found a crevice in the riverbed stones, squeezed into it, and coiled up. Hearing the Kunlun Mirror speak, he asked curiously: ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t find the aura of the Heaven-Mending Stone fragments,¡± said the Kunlun Mirror. ¡°Isn¡¯t that normal?¡± asked Long Long. ¡°Most of the time in the Mortal Realm, you didn¡¯t detect the Heaven-Mending Stone¡¯s aura either.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not it,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said. ¡°I recorded this coordinate in the Eastern Emperor Demon Realm precisely because I detected the aura of the Heaven-Mending Stone nearby.¡± ¡°How long ago was that?¡± Long Long asked silently. ¡°It was indeed a long time ago,¡± Kunlun Mirror said helplessly, ¡°from the aura at that time, the Heaven-Mending Stone was not being carried, but was being used to seal something, so I thought¡­¡± ¡°So you thought what?¡± Long Long sighed, ¡°So many years have passed¡­ It¡¯s been at least several tens of thousands of years, right? What couldn¡¯t have happened in that time?¡± ¡°Perhaps what you detected at the beginning was indeed Yin Xiaojing or someone else using the Heaven-Mending Stone here to seal something, but then someone came back later to take it away?¡± ¡°That would just mean we¡¯re unlucky,¡± Kunlun Mirror said dejectedly. ¡°Unlucky? This is a likely event, okay!¡± Long Long said helplessly, ¡°We must do the same as others and cultivate first!¡± ¡°When we cultivate to a sufficient Cultivation Realm, then go out to look for clues and opportunities.¡± Kunlun Mirror was speechless. It suddenly realized something, that Chen Guanshui, that guy, wasn¡¯t actually in a hurry to find the Heaven-Mending Stone. The day all the Heaven-Mending Stones are found would be the day he¡¯s hunted down by the entire Cultivation Realm, and with Chen Guanshui¡¯s way of thinking, he would definitely want to accumulate enough strength to protect himself before that. In other words, the disappearance of the Heaven-Mending Stone in the Eastern Emperor Realm, he might be overjoyed! ¡°All right,¡± it could only say helplessly, ¡°then you¡¯d better hurry up.¡± ¡°Definitely, definitely,¡± Long Long immediately agreed wholeheartedly. He stayed at the bottom of the lake for a long time, and not until noon did he leisurely swim out of the river and, in the nearby woods, climb to the top of the trees, twining around the treetops, and began to practice the ¡°Primordial Eight Majestic Dragon Scripture,¡± drawing in and absorbing the Great Sun Treasure Essence. It wasn¡¯t until the third quarter of the noon hour that he swiftly swam out of the woods and returned to the riverbed to lurk. Having mastered Fasting, Long Long did not need to eat anything or breathe and could stay at the bottom of the river for a long time. For other Demonic Beasts without Spiritual Wisdom, even if they had mastered Fasting, they would not be able to resist the urge to eat flesh, thus risking exposure. Who could be as cautious as I am! He stayed at the bottom of the river until midnight, and then once again swam to the surface, returning to the top of the trees to practice his Cultivation Technique, breathing in to draw upon the essence of the Great Moon. Days passed like this, when suddenly one day, the Hundred Flower Valley was shaken, and countless Demonic Beasts ran towards the east of the valley. Long Long, sensing the stampede of beasts from the bottom of the river, was shocked. Could it be that some disaster was striking from the west side of the valley? He quickly left the river surface, following the other Demonic Beasts eastward. After crossing the Three Villages River, he arrived at the Eastern Sea River, where a large boat was moored on the river. On the boat, several attendants surrounded an old man, and a boy stood by the boat¡¯s edge, tossing Elixirs into the water below like candy beans. The multitude of Demonic Beasts below immediately scrambled for the elixirs, fighting to the death as if in a pit fight, with blood and flesh flying everywhere. The boy found it amusing and burst out laughing. Long Long, staying on the edge of the beast crowd, saw such a scene and subconsciously thought about turning and fleeing. However, he quickly thought better of it, realizing it would be too conspicuous to leave on his own while the other beasts were lunging for the Elixirs. He promptly pretended to join in the struggle. Unfortunately, his movement was still too slow, and the boy caught a glimpse of him out of the corner of his eye, pointed with his hand, and Long Long found himself unable to move, suddenly flying out of the crowd and landing on the deck. ¡°Grandpa! Grandpa!¡± The boy, holding Long Long, ran to the old man to show his prize, ¡°This looks like a dragon! Can I keep it as a dragon pet?¡± ¡°Of course not,¡± the old man said with some surprise, looking at Long Long, ¡°It is a Water Viper.¡± ¡°But a Water Viper can evolve into a dragon,¡± the boy said innocently. ¡°That¡¯s exactly why you can¡¯t keep it,¡± the old man said with a laugh, ¡°If this Water Viper could evolve into a Jiaolong, the Dragon Clan would never allow their kind to be stranded outside.¡± ¡°If it couldn¡¯t evolve into a Jiaolong, what would be the point of keeping it?¡± Feeling reluctant, the boy pouted and said: Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Then just don¡¯t let the Dragon Clan find out, right?¡± ¡°No,¡± the old man continued to coax him, ¡°Good grandson, next time grandpa will get you a Jiaoren to play with, how about that?¡± ¡°No no no!¡± The boy lost his temper, clumped to the bow of the boat, and flung Long Long forcefully into the river, shouting loudly, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to keep it, then don¡¯t keep it! I really don¡¯t care!¡± Long Long, frozen by the Binding Spell, couldn¡¯t move at all. He immediately fell into the water, drifting downstream as if he were a floating corpse. Chapter 303 - Chapter 303: Chapter 20: Greedy and Bargaining Chapter 303: Chapter 20: Greedy and Bargaining Upon first arriving in the Eastern Emperor Demon Realm, Long Long immediately felt the simplicity of the local customs. The Demon Race cultivators fed porridge to the demonic beasts, and seeing him in such a pitiful state, kindly put him into the water. They were truly kindhearted. If only they hadn¡¯t fixed him in place, unable to move, it would have been even better. Long Long¡¯s body was stiff there, sinking into the water, being carried along by the current. Suddenly everything went dark as he seemed to be sucked into some narrow realm. Long Long¡¯s body slammed against a rock wall, causing him so much pain he almost cried out, but his jaw was stiff and he couldn¡¯t open his mouth. He had no time to curse in his mind at the boy who did this to him when he was hit again. Then again, and again¡­ Long Long was battered and bruised all over, his mind in disarray. He didn¡¯t know how much time had passed when he suddenly fell from a high place and landed in a pool of water. At last the effect of the Binding Spell wore off, and Long Long painfully coiled his body up, only to find that he had lost many scales, exposing large areas of his wounded flesh. Looking up, he saw that he was in an underground cavern. Because his head could not move before while at the bottom of the river, he couldn¡¯t see around himself clearly, only knowing generally that he seemed to have been washed from the river bottom into an underground river and then pushed by the water flow, crazily slamming into the rock walls until he was washed into this place. Raising his head, Long Long saw a bulge high in the cavern where the underground river flowed down, creating a small waterfall within the cavern and collecting in a pool at the bottom of the cave. He tried to climb the rock wall, but found that due to the abundant water vapor in the cavern, the rock wall was also covered with moss, wet and slippery, making it impossible to climb. Forget it, he would heal his injuries here first and then have Ah Jing teleport him back to Hundred Flower Valley later. After examining his wounds again, Long Long hissed in pain as he flicked his tongue, at the same time discerning the scents in the air. The sense of smell of a Water Viper is very agile, even surpassing both its vision and hearing. The cavern seemed large, and Long Long could sense fresh air coming from afar, so he twisted his body forward to explore. If there was indeed no danger here, it wouldn¡¯t be too late to heal his wounds first and then teleport away. As he followed the winding path downward, Long Long began to feel more and more at ease. It wasn¡¯t that he had discovered something, but rather, this twisted and narrow environment gave him a natural liking and a sense of safety, inherent to his serpentine instincts. After going forward for about a quarter of an hour, Long Long suddenly entered a spacious chamber. ¡°That¡¯s it!¡± the Kunlun Mirror excitedly said, ¡°Chen Guanshui, look! I told you so! I¡¯ve been saying it all along!¡± In the chamber, there was a natural stone platform with a brilliant orb on top emitting constantly changing colors. On the surface of the orb, one could see a fragment of a Five-Colored Stone, orbiting the orb in an irregular rotation, seemingly sealing the object inside. ¡°The Life Concealment Technique?¡± the Green Duckweed Sword also exclaimed in shock, ¡°And they even used a Heaven-Mending Stone. What kind of Savior is sealed inside?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be silly, Qing Ping,¡± Long Long said indifferently, ¡°Who else could be the chosen one if not me?¡± As he moved forward, trying to observe the orb, suddenly he heard the orb speaking: ¡°Stop, demonic beast!¡± It spoke in ancient language, but Long Long was not ignorant of the ancient tongue and straightaway flicked his tongue out, laboriously replying: ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°It seems to be some form of obsession,¡± said the Kunlun Mirror suddenly, ¡°It¡¯s the same technique used by Ouyang Zhao. The physical body has perished, only leaving an obsession behind here, keeping a bit of True Spirit intact.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just an Undead,¡± the orb murmured softly, then curiously continued, ¡°You are not a snake, you are of the Dragon Clan! But you¡¯re still so young¡­ Where are your elders?¡± Long Long: ? Why must members of the Dragon Clan necessarily have elders? Couldn¡¯t one be an orphan? As if reading his embarrassment, the orb then sighed and said: ¡°So you, like me, have been abandoned by your tribe?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re talking about,¡± replied Long Long, swiftly fabricating a lie, feigning ignorance, ¡°Ever since I became conscious, I¡¯ve been all alone¡ªI have never seen another of my kind.¡± ¡°Is that so,¡± said the orb wistfully, ¡°Then have you ever thought of looking for your tribesmen?¡± ¡°Where are my tribesmen?¡± Long Long feigned excitement as he asked. ¡°Your tribesmen¡­¡± The orb hesitated for a moment, then said, ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, they should be at the North Pole.¡± ¡°This water system connects to the South Lan River outside.¡± ¡°Follow the South Lan River northward, through the South Continent, the Central Continent, and then you will reach the North Continent. Continue northward until you reach the sea.¡± ¡°That place is called ¡®Beiming Fanyang¡¯; deep within it lies the ¡®Beiming You Realm,¡¯ which is where your Dragon Clan has lived for generations.¡± At this point, the orb hesitated for a moment, then added: ¡°But to travel from the south to the north requires crossing over half of the Eastern Emperor Realm. You haven¡¯t undergone Transformation yet, so if a Cultivator spots you, they might just kill you on a whim and skin and de-bone you¡ªit¡¯s quite likely.¡± Long Long remained silent, seemingly digesting the information the other had revealed. It appeared that within the Eastern Emperor Realm, the Dragon Clan¡­ rarely roamed outside. Otherwise, that bratty child wouldn¡¯t have treated him like a rare toy, crying and begging his grandfather to keep him. ¡°For other species, naturally, there¡¯s no solution,¡± the orb of light slightly organized its speech and continued, ¡°Fortunately, you¡¯re of the Dragon Clan, and it¡¯s not completely impossible to undergo Transformation before your Demon Core Formation.¡± ¡°What must I do?¡± Long Long promptly asked. ¡°I can transmit the Transformation Secret Technique to you,¡± the orb of light responded, ¡°but on one condition: you must protect my daughter and take her with you to the covert realm of Beiming Fanyang.¡± The orb of light dimmed slightly, revealing the female corpse in the center. The woman had a plump figure and exquisite features, her golden hair coiled around her body. Her face and lips were extremely pale, obviously devoid of life. A little golden-haired fox lay motionless, nestling in the bosom of the mother¡¯s corpse, as if in deep slumber. Long Long: ? He instantly realized that this great orb of light¡­ could it possibly be Ying Long¡¯s wife from within the Demon Locking Tower? ¡°Since birth, my daughter suffers from being of the Human, Dragon, and Celestial Fox bloodlines, all in conflict and opposition within her, rendering her bloodline extremely unstable,¡± the great orb of light continued, ¡°I had to seal her bloodline; otherwise, she would die from bloodline conflict within three hundred years at most.¡± ¡°The Dragon Clan has a method to thoroughly resolve her bloodline issue, so traveling to the covert realm of Beiming Fanyang is her only way to survive. However, I¡¯m already dead and can¡¯t take her north.¡± ¡°We have been trapped down here in these deep caverns for who knows how long.¡± Long Long understood the plea hidden within her words and tentatively inquired, ¡°Then¡­ what about her father?¡± ¡°Her father?¡± The great orb of light was taken aback for a moment, then let out a sigh, ¡°If my daughter had a father, how would she end up in such a plight?¡± Long Long: ¡­¡­¡­ Su Jian, Ying Long, Ouyang Zhao; one stronger than the next in their cultivation, yet how come they all fall short when it comes to being fathers? Could it be that male Cultivators in this cultivation world tend to share a similar view on marriage and relationships, close to that of Brother Mud? ¡°Do you trust me?¡± asked Long Long, puzzled. ¡°This is our first meeting, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°I have no other choice,¡± replied the great orb of light, ¡°But as a mother, I require you to swear by your Daoist Heart.¡± ¡°You swear to do your best to safely take my daughter to the covert realm of Beiming Fanyang. As a reward, I¡¯ll give you the Transformation Secret Technique and all my worldly possessions.¡± Long Long once again fell silent. The choice before him was not complicated: to accept or to decline. If he chose to accept, then under the oath of the Daoist Heart, he could never go back on his word. The task that followed would involve escorting Ying Long¡¯s daughter, Long Hu, to the covert realm of Beiming Fanyang. During this time, the Heaven-Mending Stone fragment would be needed to seal the conflicts within her bloodline. However, once arriving in Beiming Fanyang and resolving her bloodline issues, fulfilling his oath, he could immediately make a move on her fragment of the Heaven-Mending Stone. Securing the fragment of the Heaven-Mending Stone and then swiftly teleporting away, Long Long could unravel his persona without any concerns for the future. If he chose not to accept, then with the gentle nature displayed by the great orb of light, it would probably not become hostile, but it would certainly not let him stay here any longer. So, what if he used Martial Force to snatch it forcibly? Did he stand a chance? Long Long pondered in silence, while the great orb of light saw his trouble deciding. After all, swearing by the Daoist Heart was no minor matter; naturally, an immediate agreement couldn¡¯t be expected. ¡°I have a few questions,¡± Long Long abruptly spoke, ¡°My task would be to take your daughter alive to Beiming Fanyang, correct?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s say, for example, your daughter refuses to follow my arrangements on the way¡­¡± ¡°I will make her comply with your every command,¡± the great orb of light immediately assured. Good, custody rights in hand! Long Long continued to probe, Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Does this Sealing Treasure count as part of your inheritance?¡± ¡°This is a fragment of the Heaven-Mending Stone,¡± the great orb of light replied. ¡°I¡¯ve used it to seal my daughter¡¯s Dragon bloodline, allowing her to only display her Human and Celestial Fox forms.¡± ¡°Once we reach Beiming Fanyang and resolve her bloodline conflict, you may take this fragment of the Heaven-Mending Stone.¡± Good, inheritance rights acquired! Since the mother was being so reasonable, considering the fragment of the Heaven-Mending Stone and the Transformation Secret Technique, he might as well arrange transport for this Long Hu. Chapter 304 - Chapter 304: Chapter 21: The Little Fox Needs Education Chapter 304: Chapter 21: The Little Fox Needs Education Before the great sphere of light, Long Long solemnly pledged an oath: ¡°I swear upon my Daoist Heart that I will do everything within my power to protect Long Hu and aid her in safely reaching the Beiming Sea¡¯s hidden realm!¡± Had it been anyone else, Long Long certainly wouldn¡¯t have pledged an oath on his Daoist Heart so straightforwardly¡ªat the very least, he would have required the other party to make an equivalent vow. However, since Ah Jing confirmed that the other was merely a lingering obsession, Long Long didn¡¯t bother with idle talk. After all, he had already seen just how vile obsessions were through Ouyang Zhao. After making the pledge, the great sphere of light, though lacking any expression to read, carried a tone which was clearly much relieved, and with it, a certain kind of familiarity. Well, after entrusting her to me, you ought to treat me as family. The great sphere of light spoke gently: ¡°Next, I will remove the seal on my corpse and the seal on my daughter, leaving only the one on her bloodline intact.¡± ¡°Including the Transformation Secret Technique, all of my inheritance is within my Storage Bag, and from now on, it belongs to you.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Long Long hissed as he spoke, ¡°Your daughter¡­¡± ¡°Her name is Long Hu.¡± ¡°Alright, when will Miss Long Hu awaken?¡± ¡°In three days,¡± the great sphere of light answered, ¡°I have left three layers of seals on her.¡± ¡°The first seals her lifespan, causing her body to enter a temporal stasis, no longer aging.¡± ¡°The second seals her soul, causing her consciousness to fall into an eternal slumber, to prevent madness from setting in over the lengthy passage of time.¡± ¡°The third seals her bloodline; I will retain this seal until she arrives at the Beiming Sea¡¯s hidden realm, where she will merge all of her bloodline, and it will then automatically be undone.¡± ¡°Once all three seals are lifted, the Heaven-Mending Stone Fragment used for sealing will belong to you.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Long Long pondered briefly before asking, ¡°Once Miss Long Hu wakes up, what should I say to gain her trust?¡± ¡°There is a blank Jade Slip in my Storage Bag,¡± the great sphere of light said, ¡°Please help me retrieve it.¡± Long Long twisted his body, coiling forward, and bit the Storage Bag at the woman¡¯s waist, probing into it with his Divine Sense, extracting the Jade Slip. ¡°Everything I wish to tell her is recorded on this Jade Slip,¡± the great sphere of light said weakly, its voice fading, ¡°My obsession is finished; I am about to vanish.¡± ¡°Long Hu¡­ has truly only spent five or six years in this world,¡± it continued. ¡°Please, take good care of her¡­¡± As the light gradually dimmed, Long Long suddenly hissed and asked: ¡°What is your relation to Yin Xiaojing?¡± ¡°Ah?¡± The voice of the great sphere of light, now barely audible, said in a startled reflex, ¡°She is¡­ my mother¡­¡± Before the words finished, the light was completely extinguished. The Five-Colored Stone Fragments circling the great sphere of light also ceased their rotation and fell around the little fox¡¯s neck. Only then did Long Long notice that the Heaven-Mending Stone Fragment was strung on a delicate chain, fashioned into the shape of a pendant. ¡­¡­ Three days passed in the blink of an eye, swiftly fleeting away. Long Long stood up from the ground, transformed into human shape, and stretched lazily. Finally transformed! Being a snake was quite uncomfortable, often crawling on the ground, looking up at everything around¡ªit felt like kneeling. He approached the pond at the edge of the cave and looked at his reflection in the water. Well, it does look somewhat similar to Ling Yunpo, but the differences are also quite obvious. Ling Yunpo is a steadfast youth, with sharp and rigid facial features, whereas Long Long¡¯s transformed appearance is that of a handsome young man, with red lips and white teeth, and an added bit of Qiu Changtian¡¯s scholarly elegance. Upon returning to the cave chamber again, Long Long saw the little fox stumbling to her feet, only to slump back down onto the stone platform. Having slept for who knows, tens of thousands or even over a hundred thousand years, even a machine would rust, let alone flesh. ¡°Mommy,¡± Long Hu forced her eyes open, but her eyelids drooped together, calling out with a faint cry, ¡°Mommy?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here,¡± Long Long hurried over and said. At the sound of an unfamiliar male voice, Long Hu was startled out of her wits and suddenly opened her eyes wide. Her pupils were golden, cold, with the vertical slits characteristic of reptiles, carrying the familiar oppressive aura of the Dragon Clan that came rushing towards him, which made Long Long feel very close and charmed. Hmm, affinity increased. ¡°You!¡± The little fox bared her teeth, ¡°Who are you! What do you want to do!¡± She began to exert her oppressive aura with effort, but to Long Long, it was like smelling the pheromones of courtship, making his heart bloom even more. ¡°I was sent by your mother to take care of you.¡± Fortunately, Long Long wasn¡¯t a lecherous person, and he immediately took out the Jade Slip and tossed it to her. Long Hu didn¡¯t immediately catch it but instinctively dodged. When she noticed that Long Long did not continue to approach and instead stepped back, she carefully walked over and sniffed at the Jade Slip with her nose, testing it. She didn¡¯t smell anything off, and moreover¡­ the Jade Slip belonged to her mother. So, after hesitating for a moment, she finally extended her Divine Sense into it and began to read carefully. ¡­ After reading the Jade Slip, Long Hu was already in tears, crying messily. ¡°Cough,¡± Long Long found her a bit pitiable and sat down beside the stone platform, consolingly saying, ¡°Actually, your mother has long been dead.¡± Long Hu immediately started to cry even harder. ¡°But, we need to look forward!¡± Long Long hastily added, ¡°Do you know how you survived? Your mother used a Five-Colored Stone Fragment to seal your Dragon Clan bloodline.¡± ¡°Your body contains a mix of human, dragon, and fox bloodlines. The overly mixed bloodlines led to a severe bloodline conflict.¡± ¡°Your mother said that the Dragon Clan residing in the secluded realm of the Beiming Sea would have a way to resolve this conflict. So I will take you to the Beiming Sea¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to go to the Beiming Sea,¡± Long Hu said through tears. ¡°Then where do you want to go?¡± Long Long had to adopt the tone used to coax children, asking kindly. ¡°I want mommy¡­¡± Long Hu began to cry again. Long Long: ¡­¡­ Not making any sense now, huh? Just because you¡¯re a kid, you don¡¯t have to make sense? Let me teach you a good lesson! Ignoring Long Hu¡¯s resistance, he then picked up the little fox by the scruff of her neck. Long Hu quickly tried to bite him, but to no avail¡ªthe tough nature of Long Long¡¯s Ying Long talent made his flesh fairly hard, and the little fox¡¯s milk teeth couldn¡¯t make a dent. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Frustrated, the little fox flipped around, grabbed his arm with her limbs, and started hitting his face with her fluffy, soft tail. Long Long¡¯s nose tickled from her actions, so he used his free left hand to grab her tail, and then stroked from the base to the tip with firmness. Long Hu: !!! Her body suddenly convulsed and shivered as if numerous currents were flowing through her. ¡°You, you¡¯re shameless!¡± She let go of Long Long¡¯s right arm and began to scold angrily. Chapter 305 - Chapter 305: Chapter 22: A Mans Promise! chapter 305: chapter 22: a man¡¯s promise! ¡°` half a month later, in hundred flower valley. ¡°how about this house?¡± long long asked. ¡°it¡¯s okay,¡± long hu said listlessly. the two looked at the small wooden house they had just finished building, which was meticulously covered with waterproof straw and leaves. ¡°do we have to live here?¡± long hu asked again. ¡°where would you rather live?¡± long long countered. ¡°i don¡¯t know,¡± long hu said despondently, ¡°anywhere with mom is good, anywhere without her is not good.¡± ¡°so, you¡¯re a mommy¡¯s boy?¡± long long asked, eyes half-closed. long hu didn¡¯t understand the term but sensed it wasn¡¯t something positive, so he kept silent. ¡°there¡¯s certainly a reason why we¡¯re living here,¡± long long said lazily, ¡°you know how cultivators view demonic beasts, right?¡± ¡°although, theoretically, cultivators all transformed from demonic beasts, over time, any sense of self-cognition will wear away¡­ what a pity that cultivators have such long lifespans.¡± ¡°you can¡¯t transform now. in the eyes of a cultivator, you¡¯re just a wild animal, a beast. understand?¡± ¡°you¡¯re the beast!¡± long hu retorted angrily. ¡°beast as in livestock,¡± long long said indifferently, not picking a fight, ¡°i promised your mother that i would take you to the north ming secluded realm.¡± ¡°if you can¡¯t transform, i cannot take you away from here; it would be far too risky.¡± ¡°understood,¡± long hu replied, still listless. ¡°the cultivation technique you need has already been provided by your mother,¡± long long said as he took out a jade slip from his storage bag, ¡°the ¡®qingqiu fire courtyard chen ji jue,¡¯ seems to be from the southern sea.¡± ¡°read it through once. if there¡¯s something you don¡¯t understand, ask me.¡± half a day later, long long returned with his hands behind his back. ¡°how¡¯s it going?¡± he asked. ¡°mm,¡± long hu answered reluctantly. ¡°no problems?¡± long long asked, surprised. ¡°no problems,¡± long hu repeated. ¡°then i¡¯ll ask you a few questions,¡± long long decided as he raised several difficult points. with his refining mansion grade cultivation level, even with just a cursory glance, understanding it should be easy. oddly enough, although the questions were not simple, long hu¡¯s answers were mostly correct, clearly showing that this little fox was quite intelligent. too bad the initial favorability was too low, otherwise, he could have had his way with her. ¡°what do you want for lunch?¡± long long decided to build some trust first. ¡°we¡¯re fasting, why eat?¡± long hu asked without much interest. ¡°cough, although we can fast, it¡¯s okay to treat ourselves once in a while,¡± long long said, pinching his nose. this twisted reasoning, learned from miss shi, seemed to sway long hu a bit, so she sniffed and said: ¡°i don¡¯t want to eat.¡± long long was all too familiar with this typical female reticence, so he immediately went outside and hunted a wild chicken in the forest. no wonder the demon race cultivators didn¡¯t recognize demonic beasts ¨C almost every animal and plant could become enlightened. if everyone played at ¡°racial equality,¡± then no one could eat anything. long long circled the wooden house and found an upwind spot to set up the grill. ¡°` he then took out the flying sword and began to chop wood. in the storage bag, long hu¡¯s mother had left two swords, one named ¡°cold dragon chant¡± and the other ¡°fire fox cry,¡± both of grade rank ten. the names obviously came in pairs, leading long long to suspect that these two swords might well have been left behind by the ying long couple in the past. he chose the dragon chant sword for himself, stripped the branches of their wet leaves, and placed them beneath the grilling rack to start a fire. right after that, long long plucked the pheasant, removed its innards, then placed it on the grill to start applying the seasoning. once the smell of the oil mixed with spices began to waft through the air, he used a spell to let the wind carry the fragrance towards the cabin. inside the cabin, long hu was reading a jade slip, bored, when suddenly she caught the scent of sichuan pepper and roasted chicken. saliva uncontrollably began to secrete from her mouth, yet she knew that long long was intentionally trying to tempt her, and she felt instant fury: ¡°how could i, long hu, be tempted by roasted meat, such bloody food? he really underestimates me.¡± another quarter hour passed and it became increasingly difficult to continue reading the jade slip. this won¡¯t do, that smell is simply too enticing, constantly distracting my attention, i must go out and give him a piece of my mind! so, the little fox hopped out of bed, using all four of her feet to run to the side of the grill, staring at him angrily. long long: ? confused, he continued eating his chicken leg, and saw the little fox stand up on her hind legs, resting her front paws on him, her golden dragon clan vertical pupils filled with dignity, her gaze clearly making a silent accusation: the grill is too high, i can¡¯t reach it! long long couldn¡¯t help but laugh, then he tore off another chicken leg and handed it to her. long hu then bit into the chicken leg and ran off like a puff of smoke. another quarter hour later, she ran back to the side of the grill and, as usual, stood on her hind legs, leaning on long long, subjecting him to her intimidating stare: i want more to eat! pretending not to understand, long long simply picked up long hu and used a handkerchief to wipe off the grease around her mouth. then, he was swiftly wriggled out of by the embarrassed and angry long hu, who jumped onto his shoulder, employed her big tail face-slapping technique, ¡°flap flap flap,¡± fanning him a few times, and then snatched the chicken wing in his hand that he hadn¡¯t yet bitten into, and once again ran off in a puff of smoke. long long: ¡­¡­¡­ a big tail smacking one¡¯s face is quite comfortable. sadly, i still need to push her to cultivate quickly, and then to learn the transformation secret technique. otherwise, we simply can¡¯t leave the hundred flower valley. several days passed, and long hu had finally mastered the transformation secret technique. this transformation secret technique, unlike the true transformation after core formation, was strictly speaking a combination of the body refinement realm and illusion technique. after casting the secret technique, one could not only take on a human form but also make fine adjustments to facial features and body shape, achieving an effect similar to plastic surgery. it was the demon race version of the ¡°ten aspects release method.¡± after long hu cast the secret technique, she rolled on the spot and transformed into a charming and cute young girl. her long golden hair fell on her shoulders like blooming spring flowers, soft and resplendent. her facial features were also delicate and gentle, making her appear to be a girl of around fourteen or fifteen. it was just that her eyes remained as the golden vertical pupils of the dragon clan, and when she moved her gaze, there emanated an exceedingly cold and authoritative air, much like the hunting gaze of a superior being. read latest chapters at wuxiaworld.site only the domineering, cold nature of the dragon and the gentle, cunning character of the fox intertwined to create long hu¡¯s extremely unique charm, causing long long to feel an irresistibly strong affection and closeness toward her. it¡¯s just that she¡¯s too young and therefore completely clueless about the painstaking efforts of a good brother, always rebellious and going against me. fortunately, the lifespans of cultivators are all very long, and after demonic beasts form their demon cores, their lifespans become even more ridiculously long, far surpassing their golden core cultivator human race counterparts of the same grade. long long then secretly made up his mind: since i¡¯ve already promised my mother-in-law, i will absolutely cultivate our long hu into a perfect demon race cultivator! this is a man¡¯s promise! Chapter 306 - Chapter 306: Chapter 23: Building Trust through Skipping Stones chapter 306: chapter 23: building trust through skipping stones ¡°the secret technique of transformation and demon core transformation have fundamental differences.¡± ¡°by transcending the heavenly tribulation and forming a demon core to enter the transformation realm (corresponding to the human race¡¯s golden core realm), one can obtain a permanent humanoid form, which the demons call ¡®true monarch¡¯.¡± ¡°the humanoid form of a true monarch is called the dharma body; the original form of a demon is called the true body.¡± ¡°the primary purpose of the dharma body is to conceal the racial characteristics of the original form, and secondly, the dharma body has flexible hands and fingers, which makes using daoist formulas and controlling swords much more convenient.¡± ¡°a true monarch can switch between the dharma body and the true body at will, requiring just a thought to transition seamlessly and with great agility.¡± ¡°wait a minute,¡± long hu, in the form of a blonde young girl, interrupted long long¡¯s classroom teaching, ¡°why hide one¡¯s original race?¡± ¡°simple,¡± long long said, ¡°each race has its own bloodline talents.¡± ¡°for example, the dragon clan¡¯s bloodline talent is ¡®higher rank¡¯, which gives rise to ¡®dragon¡¯s might¡¯, as well as the abilities to release dragon¡¯s might by gazing intensely, chanting loud, roaring, and so on, making it an excellent trump card at critical moments.¡± ¡°but if opponents know from the start that you¡¯re from the dragon clan, then that trump card is as good as revealed and they¡¯ll naturally be prepared.¡± an expression of deep thought appeared on long hu¡¯s delicate and pretty face. she suddenly realized that the fox clan needed to hide their trump cards even more than the dragon clan did. after all, the dragon clan¡¯s dragon¡¯s might is a display of raw power, unendurable if one is not strong enough; whereas, the fox clan¡¯s mastery of illusion techniques is all about striking unexpectedly. if someone knows of her celestial fox identity, they just need to prepare a magical treasure that can resist illusion techniques, and her talent essentially becomes ineffective. seeing her contemplative look, long long started to muse as well. the human and demon races each have their pros and cons. humans lack bloodline talents and are physically weaker, but they compensate with fast development of spiritual wisdom, allowing for quick immersion into the path through learning. demons possess bloodline talents and strong bodies, but without the transformation period, most of the species remain as oblivious beasts, impossible to guide even by fellow demons and cultivators due to their undeveloped spiritual wisdom. however, long hu was a mix of human, dragon, and fox lineages, so the question was ¨C are her bloodline talents calculated according to the dragon clan, or the fox clan? he had read some of his mother-in-law¡¯s research notes, which claimed that if two different races interbreed, the more dominant bloodline would swallow the other, thereby eliminating conflict between the bloodlines. but long hu¡¯s case was unusual; her human and fox clan bloodlines banded together, resisting the domination of the dragon blood¡­ to this day, his mother-in-law had not understood why. however, this resistance was disadvantageous for long hu, as the strife amongst her three bloodlines could eventually harm her essence. ¡°cough, let¡¯s continue,¡± long long regained his focus and continued, ¡°the secret technique for transformation, after all, is cutting corners, so in many ways it¡¯s not as good as true transformation.¡± ¡°first, maintaining the transformation requires sustaining the secret technique, so you¡¯ll need to constantly circulate your true yuan.¡± ¡°second, since it is a secret technique, there¡¯s the possibility of it being seen through, restrained by a magical treasure, or failing in other circumstances.¡± ¡°therefore, don¡¯t be complacent just because you have a secret technique. be careful when you¡¯re out, got it?¡± ¡°got it,¡± long hu bit her lip and said angrily, ¡°and don¡¯t touch my head!¡± long long calmly withdrew his hand and said, ¡°your hair was a mess, i was just smoothing it out¡­ anyway, once we leave the hundred flower valley, you need to listen to me in everything, understand?¡± ¡°i know,¡± long hu reluctantly agreed. ¡°i can¡¯t hear you!¡± long long said sternly, raising his voice, ¡°louder!¡± ¡°i know! you¡¯re so annoying!¡± long hu cursed angrily and stormed off. long long watched long hu leave the house without stopping her. he felt that long hu was becoming more and more like a rebellious teenage daughter recently¡ªa sign that was hardly auspicious. unfortunately, for him, who had refined plenty of experience dealing with female cultivators, there were countless little tricks to handle the little fox. he quietly left the cabin and found long hu by the river. this little girl was by the riverbank, picking up pebbles to play at skimming stones across the water. probably because her fox true body couldn¡¯t pick up stones, she only started to enjoy this wholeheartedly after she could transform into a human form using a secret technique. suddenly, a stone flew out, slapping the surface of the river plop plop plop plop¡ªbouncing four times before silently falling into the water. long hu: ¡­¡­¡­ she turned around angrily and glared at long long with her eyes. with the help of the transformation secret technique, her once golden vertical pupils were completely hidden, making her irresistibly cute. therefore, long long didn¡¯t feel intimidated but was a bit tempted instead. however, he was after all a gentleman of integrity and quickly suppressed any improper thoughts, saying proudly, ¡°how about that, can you do it?¡± ¡°why wouldn¡¯t i be able to?¡± long hu, being childish at heart, was provoked by his taunt and immediately took the bait, ¡°watch me!¡± so, the two of them stood by the lakeside and played the stone-skipping game for nearly an hour. long hu was defeated until her eyes brimmed with tears, not having won even a single time! long long watched with a cold eye, thinking that even junior sister xu wouldn¡¯t fall for this trick; the little fox was really susceptible to provocation. then he pretended to be profound and said, ¡°well, are you convinced now?¡± ¡°no!¡± long hu was still stubborn, ¡°i suspect there¡¯s something wrong with your stones!¡± ¡°they¡¯re just pebbles i picked up by the river, what could be wrong with them?¡± said long long with an indifferent expression, ¡°the reason you can¡¯t beat me is actually because i have a special stone-skipping technique. have you figured it out?¡± ¡°what technique?¡± the little fox¡¯s ears perked up right away, thinking to herself that it must be so, and not because she was less skilled; it was just a matter of information asymmetry! ¡°hmph hmph.¡± long long turned his back to her, pretending to be mysterious and playing coy. ¡°what technique, what technique!¡± long hu saw him about to spill the secrets then suddenly stopping, and immediately became anxious, running around long long in circles, ¡°tell me, tell me!¡± long long kept turning away and wouldn¡¯t talk to long hu. the little fox, driven by frustration, grabbed his arm and started tugging and shaking it while complaining, ¡°you¡¯re lying! there¡¯s no special technique at all; you must have tampered with the stones!¡± long long: ? ah, learning so quickly, using reverse psychology on me now? ¡°i could teach you, but there¡¯s a condition.¡± he then showed a doting smile like senior sister an and spoke gently, ¡°just maintain your transformed human shape for three hours using the transformation secret technique. not only will i teach you the stone-skipping technique, but i¡¯ll also make you three specially prepared roasted chickens, each with a different flavor. how about that?¡± ¡°i want four!¡± the little fox immediately seized the opportunity, put her hands on her hips, and said loudly and energetically, ¡°four different flavors, and each must be as tasty as the salt-and-pepper one!¡± long long quickly considered in his mind; aside from the salty salt-and-pepper flavor, he could do a sweet one with honey, a spicy one with chili oil, and a garlic flavor with fermented black bean sauce and ¡®gold and silver¡¯ garlic; thus, he agreed, ¡°four it is, but you must learn it within four days. every day you exceed the time limit, one roasted chicken will be deducted!¡± read latest chapters at wuxiaworld.site only ¡°i¡¯ll start learning right away!¡± long hu quickly turned and ran back into the wooden hut. long long saw her off as she returned with full determination, thinking to himself that this little fox was indeed easy to deal with, all settled with a combo move. no wonder the mother-in-law preferred to wait alone for tens of thousands of years rather than let her travel north on her own¡ªshe¡¯d definitely be abducted along the way. still¡­ being so easily deceived; she¡¯d be tough to look after outside. he needed to train her obedience as well. being fooled by her good brother was one thing, but if she were tricked by others outside, that would be truly troublesome. Chapter 307 - Chapter 307: Chapter 24: Heading North along the River chapter 307: chapter 24: heading north along the river nanlan river is the longest river in the southern yanfu state of the eastern emperor realm, originating from luo hui mountain in central state, crossing the dense twilight forest, meandering from within diancang mountain range, and finally joining the briny sea on the western coast of southern yanfu state. most of the merchant fleets trading in southern yanfu state do not like to navigate through the nanlan river. the reason is that it winds through the diancang mountain range far too much, almost three times the distance than the almost straight trajectory of the crooked maiden river to the east. however, due to the qilin and vermilion bird clans being in a hostile stance lately, several stretches of the crooked maiden river have been blocked off by the qilin, forcing many merchant ships to detour through the nanlan river to transport goods. long long, accompanied by long hu, had blended into the merchant fleet headed to central state while casually gathering information about the current situation in the eastern emperor realm from the sailors. the eastern emperor realm is a whole continent, divided into four states by two mountain ranges in a cross shape. of these, the azure dragon controls eastern state, the vermilion bird controls southern state, the white tiger controls west state, and xuan gui controls north state. these four races, whether in terms of overall strength, population size, or competing with high rank combat power, could crush any other clan, hence they were referred to as the ¡°four emperors¡±¡ªthis nickname was coined by long long, as there was no such term as ¡°emperor¡± among the demon race, who were still practicing a feudal system. in feudal terms, the four great states of east, west, south, and north are more or less equivalent to four duchies, controlled by the great lords. within each duchy, numerous city-states of varying sizes stood tall, ruled by the smaller lords (i.e., the common demons) under the great lords. the large demon clans ruled vast territories, then subdivided them for smaller clans to manage, with the smaller clans having the obligations to tribute and respond with troops to the larger clans, oddly similar to medieval europe on earth. beyond these four great nobles, there was also the qilin clan, which had resided in tai yi lake at the center of the continent for generations. having garnered the support of the azure dragon and xuan gui, as well as the verbal submission of the white tiger clan, the qilin clan thus claimed the title of ¡°king of ten thousand clans,¡± nominally leading all demon race clans in the eastern emperor realm. ¡°so, long long, the ¡®four emperors¡¯ you mentioned are actually all inferior to the qilin, right?¡± inside the cabin, the little fox lying on the carpet racked his brain and analyzed. ¡°not quite,¡± long long shook his head, ¡°according to the descriptions from the sailors onboard, the qilin clan is just a slightly larger demon race.¡± ¡°the so-called ¡®king of ten thousand kings¡¯ is most likely just a title concocted specially by the azure dragon and xuan gui to push the qilin to the forefront to counter and contest the vermilion bird clan of the south.¡± ¡°your meaning is, the qilin need the title of ¡®king of ten thousand kings¡¯ to ensure they can draw benefits from the entire eastern emperor realm,¡± long hu¡¯s little head spun quickly, ¡°and the azure dragon and xuan gui need someone to stand in front for them to bear the brunt of the vermilion bird clan¡¯s attacks.¡± ¡°exactly,¡± long long snapped his fingers, ¡°i guess there must be a really incredible immortal big-shot within the qilin clan.¡± ¡°cooperation must be built on a foundation of equivalent strength. since the qilin clan as a whole is not on par with the four great clans, they must have an advantage in high-end combat power, thus protecting the title of ¡®king of ten thousand kings.¡¯ long hu¡¯s little face showed a thoughtful expression, and he suddenly asked: ¡°long long, does status have to be built on a foundation of strength?¡± ¡°of course,¡± replied long long. ¡°why is that?¡± long hu asked. ¡°because the world is vast, filled with all kinds of creatures,¡± long long explained patiently, ¡°with different beings come disagreements and conflicts.¡± ¡°when facing conflicts and disagreements, how should they be resolved? some hope to speak through rules, others hope to handle them with morality. but there will definitely be some beings who neither want to follow rules nor wish to be constrained by morality¡­ they don¡¯t want to talk reason at all, they only want to use violence to clear away all who do not submit.¡± ¡°the only thing that can solve them is stronger violence¡­ regardless of whether they recognize it or not, as long as all are killed, there will be no more conflict.¡± ¡°so, whether it¡¯s rules, morality, or anything else, they all have their limitations.¡± ¡°only strength can solve all problems¡ªor, more precisely, the maker of all problems. strength is the absolute panacea.¡± ¡°so that¡¯s how it is.¡± long hu nodded seriously, ¡°so as long as i have enough strength, i could turn the tables and bully you instead, right, long long?¡± ¡°that¡¯s right,¡± long long replied earnestly, ¡°as long as you are stronger, you could even make me kneel down and call you ¡®mom¡¯ or ¡®grandma.¡¯¡± as he spoke, he suddenly pulled the small fox into his arms and began to stroke its tail. ¡°but right now my strength is greater, so i can bully you¡­ quickly call me ¡®good brother¡¯!¡± ¡°i won¡¯t!¡± shivering from the stroking, the little fox stubbornly resisted, ¡°go to hell!¡± however, the feeling of her tail was irresistibly pleasant, fluffy, soft, and extremely large ¨C one could bury their face in it and just suck on it. long long had to groom her fur every day, and since there wasn¡¯t a comb on hand, he had to use his fingers instead. ¡°just call out ¡®good brother, spare me¡¯ and i will let you go,¡± long long said with a smile. ¡°no, no, no!¡± the little fox squinted her eyes (it wasn¡¯t clear whether from comfort or pain) and her small paws spread out weakly, revealing her tender pink pads, yet her cries continued, ¡°how can you bully me like this and still face my mother?¡± ¡°your mother told you to listen to me, not to talk back to me!¡± long long placed his hand threateningly at the base of her tail and warned, ¡°if you don¡¯t obey, i will yank off your tail!¡± ¡°wuu!¡± the little fox was visibly frightened. because recently, long long had tricked her by claiming he had a secret technique that could pluck off a fox¡¯s tail, leaving behind a bare bottom. ¡°good brother, please spare me!¡± she called out reluctantly. ¡°hahaha!¡± long long burst into laughter. in a moment of inattention, the little fox broke free from his grip, leaped onto his shoulder, slapped his face with her tail repeatedly, and then jumped onto a nearby crate and vanished behind the pile of goods. ¡°what¡¯s all this noise?¡± the door to the cargo hold was suddenly flung open, and a face with deer antlers peeked out, calling, ¡°long long, time to get to work!¡± ¡°alright!¡± long long immediately stood up. this deer-antlered individual was the owner of the merchant ship, known as ¡°giant horn.¡± even though he looked a bit odd, he was a genuine true lord with a cultivated demon core. long long arranged to work on the merchant ship in exchange for passage north for himself and long hu. he left the dim cargo hold and came up to the deck, where he started working alongside the sailors. the sailors were mostly low-rank demons with intelligence similar to that of human children. they did physical tasks like lifting heavy objects, raising and lowering the anchor, and couldn¡¯t even steer, forcing the captain, giant horn, to do the work himself. now that long long was there, he could at least take turns at the helm, which saved giant horn a lot of energy. read latest chapters at wuxiaworld.site only as long long stepped up to the helm, he casually asked: ¡°captain, how long until we reach the nearest city?¡± ¡°puliqi city is twelve li away,¡± giant horn said as he sat down on the ship¡¯s gunwale and took a swig from his gourd of liquor. ¡°puliqi city?¡± long long, holding the wheel, asked in surprise. ¡°that¡¯s bird clan language, it means something like ¡®city of the southern wind¡¯,¡± giant horn replied, ¡°bird language is always chirping and tweeting, and besides, the city has an awful lot of toilets. you¡¯ll see when you get there.¡± Chapter 308 - Chapter 308: Chapter 25: All Under Heavens Feathers Are One Family chapter 308: chapter 25: all under heaven¡¯s feathers are one family puliqi city, or ¡°south wind city¡± as it¡¯s called in the feathered clan¡¯s language, is established at the junction of the deep twilight forest and the diancang mountain range, at the entrance of the nanlan river. the ruling demon family here is known as ¡°ruru,¡± meaning blue in the feathered clan¡¯s language, and their true form is that of a bluebird. long long deftly turned the ship¡¯s wheel, steadying the vessel at its berth in the harbor. the horned clan captain then stood up and bellowed, ¡°i¡¯m stepping out for a bit! all of you stay in the cabin, and anyone who dares to leave the ship without my permission will be scrubbing the deck for a month!¡± so, the sailors scurried back below deck in fear. knowing the captain was aware that the little demons lacked brains and might cause trouble in the city, long long laughed and said, ¡°captain, may i go ashore?¡± ¡°i¡¯m going to handle the customs procedures,¡± said the horned clan captain concisely. ¡°once it¡¯s done, i¡¯ll be back, and i won¡¯t wait for anyone.¡± ¡°alright!¡± long long quickly agreed. the so-called customs procedures involved handling the paperwork for the ship to pass through the next river segment in the city, with the most crucial part being the payment of a toll. secondly, the harbor officials had to check for any contraband goods, although this step could be skipped if the toll was high enough. long long wasn¡¯t sure about the level of corruption in south wind city, but he knew the horned clan captain was an exceptionally stingy deer demon, who didn¡¯t even provide blood food for the little demons on board, with the excuse that ¡°they can fast.¡± even for a one percent discount on the tariff, the captain would haggle with the officials until his lips were worn out. as a result, long long tucked the little fox into his sleeve and silently disembarked. he reached a secluded corner of a building and flicked his sleeve; the eager little fox leaped out, rolled on the ground, and transformed into a charming and cute girl. ¡°i want to eat something delicious and have some fun!¡± she demanded, hands on her hips, ordering long long, ¡°take me there now!¡± ¡°who do you think you are, miss shi?¡± long long was amused by her attitude. miss shi wouldn¡¯t dare speak to me like that. ¡°i don¡¯t care, i don¡¯t care!¡± long hu wrapped her arms around his arm, looking pitifully at him, ¡°i¡¯ve been cooped up on the ship for several days, with no roasted chicken or fish, i feel like weeds are growing in my mouth!¡± weeds growing in her mouth? what kind of saying was that? unable to resist her pouting, long long could only give in: ¡°alright, alright, how about we go to a restaurant to eat?¡± ¡°yes!¡± long hu cheerfully raised her hand, ¡°i want to try the local specialties!¡± finding a nearby restaurant, long long took long hu to the second floor and sat down at a window-side table. long hu picked up the menu impatiently, murmuring under her breath: ¡°roasted chicken, roasted chicken, roasted chicken¡­¡± ¡°long long!¡± she suddenly pouted in anger, lifting the menu to declare, ¡°there¡¯s no roasted chicken on this menu?¡± ¡°huh?¡± long long took the menu and examined it closely. indeed, there was no chicken or duck dish anywhere on the menu. thinking it over, it made some sense; after all, south wind city was run by avian demons. ¡°how about we order some steamed fish instead?¡± long long changed the subject and asked, ¡°and a serving of white-cooked vegetable hearts?¡± long hu slouched over the table, listless and uninterested in talking. ¡°stop fixating on your roasted chicken,¡± long long said helplessly, ¡°you¡¯ve been fasting, and now you¡¯re picky about food?¡± ¡°lunch without roasted chicken is soulless,¡± long hu said listlessly. long long smiled without a word, called the waiter over, and ordered a few dishes. true to the nature of the feathered clan¡¯s city, even the waiter was a bird demon, with very large eyes (seemingly of an owl kind), no eyelids, and hair made of a bird¡¯s distinct fine down, typical characteristics of an untransformed figure. he also chirped and chattered as he spoke: ¡°guest, just circle what you¡¯d like on the menu, i have a poor memory and am afraid i¡¯ll miss your order¡­¡± well, it¡¯s normal for a demonic beast to be a bit dumb before core formation when spiritual wisdom hasn¡¯t yet emerged. it¡¯s truly humble of you to work as a waiter. long long circled the dishes on the menu and handed it to the waiter when suddenly, he heard a shrill voice from downstairs: ¡°routine inspection, you don¡¯t sell poultry meat in this tavern, do you?¡± ¡°ah, honored officials, please come in!¡± the waiter¡¯s voice quickly responded, ¡°our establishment has fish, pork, and beef and lamb, but absolutely no poultry. all of the feathered clan are one family.¡± ¡°good to know,¡± the shrill voice said, ¡°we¡¯re going to check upstairs.¡± soon, two cultivators from the demon race came up the stairs. from where long long sat, it was clear that both were transformed members of the feathered clan, adorned in colorful garments, seeming to be¡­ phoenix? ¡°they are not phoenixes,¡± the kunlun mirror said in his mind, ¡°but part of the bird species with phoenix bloodline. in terms of bloodline rank, their purity isn¡¯t even as high as your junior sister xu¡¯s.¡± the two bird cultivators scanned the second floor, and their gaze suddenly fell on long long¡¯s table. it was a simple reason: while the other tables were occupied by members of the feathered clan, only long long and long hu sat at their table, without a single feather on them, conspicuously different in the flock of birds. ¡°what species are you two?¡± one of the cultivators asked as he approached, his tone fairly gentle, but his gaze was as cold as a hawk¡¯s. long hu shifted toward the window sill, showing a trace of timidity, while long long lifted his cup with a smile and said: ¡°honored officials, we neither break the law nor cause trouble. are you interrogating us for some reason?¡± the other bird cultivator replied with a forced smile: ¡°just a routine inspection. now that south state and central state have fully engaged in war, we must thoroughly check all guests traveling through the city to prevent spies from the qilin side from infiltrating.¡± ¡°if either of you have a horned clan bloodline, such as deer, cattle, or sheep, please cooperate and come with us for further investigation.¡± ¡°if you hide it and we find out, we have the right to execute you on the spot. it¡¯s best not to rely on luck and just come clean.¡± ¡°i see,¡± long long said slowly, ¡°i¡¯m from the serpent clan, and she¡¯s from the fox clan; neither of us belongs to the horned clan.¡± ¡°please show your true bodies to prove it,¡± insisted the cultivator, unwilling to leave just yet. long long cast a glance at long hu and, after a moment of hesitation, placed his hand on the table, slightly invoking the transformation secret technique. suddenly, the back of his hand revealed countless fine scales¡ªdistinctly those of a water viper. ¡°indeed, from the scaled clan without a doubt,¡± nodded the two bird cultivators, their demeanor relaxing slightly as they turned their attention to long hu across the table. long hu bit her lip and, from under the hem of her skirt, a fluffy fox tail emerged suddenly. ¡°since that is the case, we won¡¯t bother you any further.¡± having verified the identities of the two, the bird cultivators exchanged glances and finally turned to leave. seeing the cultivators descend the stairs, long hu visibly relaxed, only to hear long long say: ¡°we¡¯re leaving.¡± ¡°huh?¡± long hu asked in confusion, ¡°but our food hasn¡¯t arrived yet!¡± ¡°no time, we have to go now!¡± long long swiftly grabbed her hand and made his way to the stairwell in two steps; seeing that the bird cultivators had entered the kitchen, he quickly pulled long hu downstairs with him. no sooner had they burst out of the tavern than they saw shadows scurrying rapidly across the ground. read latest chapters at wuxiaworld.site only looking up, they saw more than ten giant birds soaring in the sky, their wings spread wide for miles, almost covering the sun as they connected across the sky. just the sight of them made long long and long hu feel a visceral wariness, as if they were facing natural predators. those were¡­ golden-winged rocs! the archenemies of the dragon clan! surrounding the golden-winged rocs were countless avian warriors from the demon race, circling protectively as they flew toward the north in a grand procession. Chapter 309 - Chapter 309: Chapter 26 Persistence in Character Development Quick Leveling Guide chapter 309: chapter 26 persistence in character development quick leveling guide ¡°long long.¡± the little fox was already trembling, ¡°are they here to catch us?¡± ¡°of course not.¡± long long pulled long hu¡¯s hand and quickly headed to a nearby cloth store. the two of them purchased traditional attire characteristic of the feathered clan from the cloth store, adorned with various colorful patterns of birds and flowers. long long also procured two wide-brimmed hats with veils made of semi-transparent, downy fluff that hung from the edges, obscuring their faces behind a veil of mystery. leaving the cloth store, the two continued on their way. long hu noticed sharply that long long deliberately avoided the main roads, preferring to slip through the smaller alleys instead. moreover, the direction they were moving in was intentionally the opposite of where the port for ships was located. ¡°long long,¡± she called out fearfully, then asked in a low voice, ¡°who is trying to kill us?¡± ¡°we need to leave this city as fast as possible,¡± long long replied, not answering the question directly. however, long hu understood: those hunting them were not the feathered clan¡¯s forces that blocked out the sun, but the rulers of this city¡ªthe azure bird clan. thinking back to the tavern, the questions and attitudes of those two cultivators, long hu finally realized the key point. the giant horned captain of the merchant ship was from the horned deer race! given the captain¡¯s appearance, not even bothering to disguise his antlers, he probably hadn¡¯t made it a few steps into the city before drawing the attention of the feathered clan cultivators within! soon, all the sailors on that ship would be captured and interrogated. not to mention, the two of them had boarded the ship halfway through its journey, and from any perspective, they would be considered the most suspicious kind¡ªonce in jail, one¡¯s life and death were in others¡¯ hands, regardless of whether you were a spy or not! no sooner had the two left south wind city than several feathered clan cultivators emerged from the city lord¡¯s mansion, circling high above the city to search for suspicious cultivators. another team of feathered clan cultivators rushed towards the city gates in all directions. after confirming that two people, one tall and one short, with veiled wide-brimmed hats, had left the north gate and entered the deep, dusky woods not long ago, this team of feathered clan cultivators did not dare to delay. one cultivator was sent back hurriedly to report, while the others spread their wings and flew towards the dusky woods. in the water dungeon beneath the city lord¡¯s mansion, the human-shaped giant-horned deer race captain was chained by the arm bones and bound to a stone pillar under torture. ¡°although we of the feathered clan are quite verbose, we never hesitate in our actions,¡± said the middle-aged female city lord of the feathered clan, extending her claw-like palm and gripping the deer demon¡¯s head in her hand, ¡°i¡¯ll give you one more chance.¡± ¡°tell me where the qilin prince is.¡± ¡°i don¡¯t know!¡± the giant-horned captain shouted in despair, ¡°i don¡¯t know!¡± ¡°heh,¡± the city lord hummed lowly, her voice, mournful and plaintive, entered the giant-horned captain¡¯s ears, twisting in his mind like a drill. unable to endure the tormenting sound, the deer demon captain soon rolled his eyes and fainted, his body limp as mud. the city lord retracted her claws leisurely, thinking that although the horned clan¡¯s hides were tough, their resistance to sound-based spells was pitifully weak. what spell should she try next? lost in thought, she was suddenly interrupted by a feathered clan cultivator who rushed in and whispered a few words beside her ear. a sixteen or seventeen-year-old boy from the serpent clan and a thirteen or fourteen-year-old girl from the fox clan? the city lord was slightly taken aback before scoffing to herself. the qilin prince they were seeking was an eight or nine-year-old boy, accompanied by an elderly figure. although their appearances did not match, the fox clan girls were often petite, making it easy for the qilin prince to disguise himself using illusion techniques. as for the serpent clan boy who had skillfully handled the interrogations by the cultivators and then immediately realized the danger, quickly disguising and fleeing with his companion¡­ that was no ordinary demon. most likely, he was the elderly figure who had been with the qilin prince! ¡°send out the feathered hunting squad,¡± she ordered icily. soon, the elite cultivators of the azure bird clan took off from south wind city and headed straight for the dusky woods to the north. ¡­¡­¡­ long long, leading long hu, wove through the forest for several days, swiftly understanding why this place was called the ¡°dusky woods.¡± the forest here was so dense that visibility within was dim, making daylight seem like dusk and nighttime utterly impenetrable. fortunately, he had ventured deep into the southern border jungle several times, and was so familiar with trekking in similar environments that he suffered no discomfort at all. sounds of otherworldliness occasionally drifted down from above, likely the feathered clan cultivators swiftly flying overhead. at this time, the dense foliage above shielding them from light became the best natural camouflage for the two of them. ever since long hu had begun fleeing for safety, the fox had been so scared that it didn¡¯t dare to maintain its transformation form, reverting back to a small fox, cowering and trembling in long long¡¯s embrace. all long long could do was to stroke her fur from time to time to calm the little fox down, all the while lamenting to himself. he had perused many books in the gui xu palace and was aware that the transformation tribulation of the demon race is actually even more challenging than the core condensation tribulation of the human race. but the problem is¡­ the number of the demon race is simply too overwhelming. flowers, grass, trees, birds in flight, and beasts on land, all stand a chance to absorb the essence of the sun and the moon to become demonic beasts¡ªa number so vast it could leave one dumbfounded. given such a base, even if the transformation tribulation is exceptionally demanding, the number of true lords of the demon race that are cultivated is still far greater than the number of golden core cultivators of the human race. in a power of moderate influence like south wind city, they could effortlessly gather twenty or thirty transformed cultivators, leaving long long with no courage to engage them in battle. forget it, i¡¯m tired, it¡¯s time to run. he found a huge tree nearby and carved a hole in its trunk with his dragon chant sword, then took the little fox inside to rest and recuperate for a short while. this long hu is truly useless, i¡¯ve carried her so steadily as we fled, yet her body shakes so fiercely. what¡¯s there to be scared of? i don¡¯t understand, i really feel like punching her. ¡°long long, long long!¡± the little fox cried out with a weeping tone when she noticed he was motionless, ¡°what¡¯s wrong with you? you¡¯re not dead, are you¡­?¡± her tears were falling pitter-patter, alarming long long into quickly wiping them away: ¡°i¡¯m fine, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± ¡°i remembered¡­¡± the little fox clutched his shoulders with her paws, sobbing as she spoke, ¡°this is just how it was with my mother¡­¡± ¡°she had suffered severe injuries¡­ there was so much blood, and she carried me as we fled through the forest for so long¡­ so long¡­¡± ¡°later, she took me to a cave, then just held me without moving anymore¡­¡± long long covered its mouth with a complicated expression, remaining silent. he finally understood why long hu¡¯s mother had been pursued to death, forced to flee with long hu to the depths of the nanlan river where she later perished in a cave. no wonder long hu was so intensely phobic about ¡°being taken flight,¡± a stress reaction triggered by that very incident. ¡°don¡¯t be afraid,¡± he said softly, ¡°i¡¯m not injured.¡± ¡°have you forgotten? i made a promise to your mother, to take you to the north sea mystical realm.¡± these words seemed to hold a magical power, as the little fox immediately stopped her sobbing and said with a trembling voice: ¡°mother said¡­ lying is wrong, so you didn¡¯t lie to me, did you?¡± long long: ¡­¡­¡­ so that¡¯s it! my long hu is so intelligent, how could she be so easily fooled? turns out the mother-in-law didn¡¯t teach her very well! what¡¯s this about ¡°because ¡®lying is wrong¡¯, so others shouldn¡¯t ¡®lie to her¡¯¡±? that¡¯s a joke, right? has she never heard of ¡°white lies¡±? what about ¡°expressive art¡±? what about a ¡°necessary evil¡±? ¡°i didn¡¯t deceive you,¡± long long said seriously, holding the tear-stained little fox. ¡°you won¡¯t ever abandon me, will you?¡± asked the little fox with a shaky voice. read latest chapters at wuxiaworld.site only ¡°mhm, i will never leave you,¡± declared long long solemnly. [steadfast persona: synchronization value +1.] [steadfast persona: synchronization value +1.] [steadfast persona: synchronization value +1.] the long-missed prompt of an increasing synchronization value suddenly began to sound rapidly in his ears. Chapter 310 - Chapter 310: Chapter 27 Im Not Holding Back Anymore chapter 310: chapter 27 i¡¯m not holding back anymore ¡°¡±¡± ¡°we¡¯ve found him!¡± ¡°the target moves swiftly! keep on his tail!¡± ¡°third team, flank from the side; second team, aerial assault!¡± innumerable shouts rang out from all directions, each carrying a sort of bewitching and hallucinatory intent that involuntarily induced feelings of despair. long long, with long hu at his side, darted through the forest, pursued relentlessly by-cultivators of the feathered clan. these feathered clan cultivators appeared to specialize in hunting and were a special task force, each of them at the transformation rank of true monarchs. not only were their combat abilities formidable, but they also possessed the capability to lock onto their enemies with their perception. during the pursuit, they even used some sort of auditory illusion technique, which initially made long long reluctant to engage them in battle, opting instead to flee at full speed. however, after several days of continuous fleeing, the poor long hu suffered greatly under the torment of the illusion technique and curled into a small furball in his arms. long long¡¯s patience had also been worn down to its last thread, and a sense of killing intent began to rise from the depths of his heart. hmm, upon further consideration, the eastern emperor realm and mortal realm are essentially unconnected, so even if long long were to use techniques from qiu changtian, ling yunpo, luo yan, and wei dongliu, it seemed there was no risk of revealing his identity. and even if, by some chance, demons could travel between the two realms through some means (as long long highly suspected of the cultivators from the eastern emperor path), wouldn¡¯t killing all the demons who had witnessed my techniques also prevent any word from being leaked? there was no choice left but to kill! as the killing intent took hold, it spread from his spine to his limbs and bones along with the cold blood of the dragon clan. suddenly, the canopy above rustled, and a transformation rank feathered clan cultivator descended from the sky, swinging his talons through the air, unleashing three claw-shaped gusts of energy that howled towards long long¡¯s crown! long long abruptly raised his head, his golden vertical pupils blazing like the sun piercing through the clouds, locking eyes instantly with the feathered clan cultivator. pressure! the fearsome pressure assaulted the soul of the feathered clan cultivator, startling him for a moment before he fiercely regained his composure. the gap in ranks was too wide; as soon as dragon¡¯s might thundered into the sea of consciousness, it was dissipated by the robust true yuan of the transformation rank cultivator. however, seizing that momentary lapse, long long had already condensed a white light in his palm and pressed it directly against the cultivator¡¯s forehead! the white thunder light touched the head of the feathered clan cultivator, and in an instant, the cultivator¡¯s expression stiffened, and his body fell backward to the ground. shenxiao thunder, possessing the powerful capability to extinguish vitality, held a special lethality against demons! three more feathered clan cultivators took the opportunity to attack from behind; had long long tried to retreat or dodge the attack from above just now, he would have immediately found himself in a double-bind, surrounded and attacked from both front and back. upon hearing the wind behind him, long long realized something was amiss. cradling the little fox in his left arm, he clenched his right hand into a fist and squeezed, unleashing five-colored divine light through his fingers like a flowing ribbon, striking back at his attackers. the brilliant radiance washed over them like a tide, instantly engulfing the three feathered clan cultivators. in the distance, a team of feathered clan cultivators attempting a flanking maneuver suddenly cried out: ¡°the entire second team has fallen!¡± ¡°stay calm!¡± the leading cultivator said coolly, ¡°to wipe out the second team in a blink of an eye is not something an ordinary transformation rank cultivator could achieve!¡± ¡°the opponent must be a great demon. ru qi, immediately send a message to the lord of the city and request the demon king¡¯s intervention!¡± ¡°yes!¡± the cultivator known as ru qi immediately leaped backward with agility, transforming into a blue hummingbird in midair and flying rapidly towards the south of the forest. with a gesture, long long eradicated four true monarchs of the feathered clan and let out a silent sigh of relief. nowadays, he was a classic case of ¡°offense being stronger than defense.¡± whether it was shenxiao thunder, which was specifically effective against the demon race, or the postnatal five elements great extermination divine light, an immortal law-level skill, both were daoist magical powers capable of killing transformation rank demons with ease. ¡°¡±¡± of course, he had yet to achieve core formation, and any means of protecting himself were virtually absent; he could not possibly withstand the attack from the opponent. if he were struck even once by a true member of the feathered clan, or grabbed by them, his limbs would shatter instantly, and his soul would scatter. fortunately, cultivators of the demon race have a bad habit¡ªthey prefer to use their physical bodies and bloodline supernatural powers to attack rather than flying swords and magical treasures. as a result, long long could rely on the visual acuity and reaction speed he had honed over many years of sparring with senior sister an, to dodge and weave around the opponent¡¯s movements skillfully. if he had been facing a human sword immortal of the same rank, who attacked with a golden core cultivation-driven flying sword, he would have been killed instantly. long long continued to rush forward, embracing the little fox in his arms while long hu peeked out half of her head from his embrace, looking around in astonishment. just a moment ago, she had been cowering in long long¡¯s arms, then she suddenly felt an immense surge of true yuan erupt from within him. and then¡­ there was no ¡°then.¡± by the time long hu poked her head out, not only had the pursuing feathered clan cultivator disappeared without a trace, but even the shouting and yelling that had been coming from all around had mysteriously vanished. she was stunned for a long while before suddenly exclaiming, ¡°long long, you¡¯re so amazing!¡± ¡°you¡¯ve just realized how great your brother is?¡± long long replied with a smile. ¡°great brother~ you¡¯re so amazing~¡± long hu, also brimming with joy, said sweetly, nuzzling his chin with her little head. long long felt overjoyed, but he quickly suppressed the romantic thoughts arising in his mind with the rationality of a gentleman. after moving forward for another quarter of an hour, he suddenly felt that something was amiss. ¡°hm, where are the pursuers?¡± ¡°they must have all been scared away by you!¡± said long hu, innocently. ¡°something¡¯s not right!¡± said long long after quickly considering the situation, then he suddenly added, ¡°long hu, hold on tight to me!¡± ¡°ah?¡± before long hu could react, she saw long long suddenly rush out of the forest with her in his arms, leap off a cliff, and fall into the turbulent stream at the bottom. the two were swept up by the raging river, rolling and tumbling toward the east, much faster than trudging through the forest. it¡¯s just a bit harsh on the scales. about half an hour later, a feathered clan cultivator soared through the sky on his flying sword. his presence was formidable, comparable to a nascent soul cultivator of the human race, and he was indeed a high-ranking elder of the bluebird clan. he suddenly restrained his sword light in the sky and swept his divine sense over the forest below once more. still, he could not find the other party¡¯s tracks. did they evade my divine sense detection using a secret treasure? or did they enter some secret realm? or were they taken away by someone along the way? hmph, not for nothing is he the qilin¡¯s eighth prince; indeed, he is surrounded by capable individuals. read latest chapters at wuxiaworld.site only if the information is correct, then that elder must be long qianyue of the azure dragon clan, a most troublesome and meddlesome fellow. if i can obtain evidence of him guarding the qilin¡¯s eighth prince, i can use it to force the azure dragons to back down and compromise¡­ but the chances are slim, i suppose. thinking this, the bluebird elder gently pinched a tuft of down from the top of his head and tossed it casually into the distance. each and every feather instantly transformed into a bluebird. the flock circled the bluebird elder for a moment, then like a sudden downpour, they descended into the forest below, spreading out in all directions, beginning a comprehensive search for the two. Chapter 311 - Chapter 311: Chapter 28: A Gathering Storm chapter 311: chapter 28: a gathering storm in the waters of the curvy lady river. long long¡¯s head suddenly emerged from the water, shaking his wet, long hair. the girl-form of long hu also surfaced, shaking her wet, blonde hair¡ªflinging all the water onto long long¡¯s face. long long: ¡­¡­ long hu giggled, then suddenly let out a yelp as long long pushed her head back under the water. ¡°oof!¡± long hu burst out of the water again, fuming with rage, swinging fists and kicking legs at long long. but with her petite body and strength, it was more like she was tickling long long. after frolicking in the water for a bit, they headed toward the eastern riverbank. although the curvy lady river isn¡¯t as long as the southern lann river, it¡¯s much wider, with gentle curves and a slow current, no wonder most merchant ships prefer it. as long long swam along with long hu, a large fish suddenly approached from the right. no, not just any fish, but a fish demon. if a beast can consume the essence of the sun and moon and enter the qi drawing rank (equivalent to the human race¡¯s qi refining rank), it becomes a demonic beast and acquires a childlike, budding spiritual wisdom. proceeding further to the bone expansion rank (equivalent to the human race¡¯s marrow cleansing rank), it can start to shape its skeleton, with a dissolved throat bone to speak human languages and strengthened leg bones to stand upright, while still retaining some of its original characteristics. the human race refers to demonic beasts of this level as ¡°minor demons.¡± typically, demonic beasts will at most consume travelers, no more threatening than common wild beasts, but minor demons pose a risk to the area they inhabit. the fish demon approaching long long and long hu was such a creature. it still had fishy features like gills, fins, and scales, seemingly belonging to the carp family, complete with two long whiskers, and it swam up with an eager grin, saying: ¡°how come you two are swimming in your physical bodies? would you like to try our fish clan¡¯s treasure boat?¡± ¡°treasure boat?¡± long long wondered, you fish can swim, so why would you need a boat? ¡°two crystals per person,¡± the carp demon quickly said, ¡°upstream they charge three crystals!¡± long long was stunned for a moment before he realized that by ¡°two crystals,¡± the other party was referring to the universal currency of the eastern emperor realm, the moon crystal stone. this was roughly equivalent to the cultivation realm¡¯s spirit stone, containing the power of the moonlight, useful for aiding in cultivation, and therefore a naturally valuable currency. the price of two crystals per person wasn¡¯t expensive. in a restaurant in south wind city, two crystals was just a small tip for the waiter. so, long long took out four moon crystal stone fragments from his storage bag and said: ¡°let me take a look at this treasure boat first.¡± ¡°right away!¡± the carp demon took the fragments and immediately shouted, ¡°lads, bring the boat for our honored guests!¡± a wooden raft suddenly floated up from the bottom of the river, and four small carps approached the surface, biting onto ropes woven from aquatic plants, the other ends tied to the raft. long long: ¡­¡­ long hu: ¡­¡­ this felt like getting offered a cab ride after leaving a train station, only to find out that you¡¯ve been led to a motorcycle. although if you thought about it, there wasn¡¯t anything particularly unreasonable, it still felt a bit strange. long long then pulled long hu onto the raft. with a shout from the carp demon, the four small carps started pulling the raft, speeding forward. long long fixed his gaze and, surprisingly, the speed was not slow; the four fish demons pulling him gave the exhilarating impression of cutting through waves with the wind at their backs. long hu seemed somewhat excited, probably because it was his first time on a boat; he looked around happily at the water and spray breaking around the raft, shouting joyfully with great enthusiasm. long long, under the pretext of ¡°be careful not to fall off,¡± held the small long hu in his arms. she gradually calmed down, her eyes darting around, looking left and right, her ears twitching. upon reaching the riverbank, long long took long hu off the port and walked towards the nearest city. meanwhile, qi weihuan, revered as the ¡°lord of all demons¡± and ¡°king of ten thousand demons,¡± also arrived at gaosheng city of the xuan gui clan in north state, accompanied by his personal guards. qi weihuan, the current patriarch of the qilin clan and the nominal supreme ruler of the entire eastern emperor realm. in appearance, he was a robust middle-aged man with splendid antlers on his head, wearing a marigold brocade robe, his expression grim. there to welcome him was the xuan gui clan¡¯s patriarch gui yan, who looked like an aged man with white hair, but was actually much older than qi weihuan. ¡°any news on the remnants of the jiaolong?¡± as soon as he entered the main hall of the xuan gui family, qi weihuan dismissed his attendants and asked in a deep voice. ¡°we have not yet found the entrance to the beiming fanyang,¡± gui yan replied leisurely. ¡°is the azure dragon unwilling to cooperate?¡± qi weihuan asked, frowning. ¡°your majesty,¡± gui yan sighed, and said, ¡°the azure dragon is a dragon, and so is the jiaolong.¡± qi weihuan stared at him, trying to discern whether he was telling the truth or merely sowing discord. although both descended from dragon kind, the azure dragon clan and jiaolong clan were considered two separate demon races due to their different habitats (the former residing in the east sea and the latter in the north sea). more than a hundred thousand years ago, when the qilin clan had not yet ascended to power, the jiaolong clan had already reached its zenith. they even produced a jiaolong king of great talent and strategy, who so dominated the other demon races that they could barely breathe. latter, for some unknown reason, that jiaolong king suddenly sought to marry a fox lady from the qingqiu of west state. unfortunately, the mother of that fox lady was a deeply-feared criminal of the demon race¡­ in short, it almost caused an uproar in the eastern emperor realm, with many from within the jiaolong clan expressing deep disapproval. in an effort to suppress the opposition within his clan and across the entire eastern emperor realm, the jiaolong king collaborated with the qingqiu clan to open a secret temporary passage to the mortal realm using secret techniques, hoping to gain enough prestige through the conquest of an expeditionary army. however, the expedition failed, and the jiaolong king was trapped in the mortal realm, unable to return. as a result, the jiaolong clan¡¯s glory quickly declined; from then on, they never recovered, losing all influence on the continents and being forced to move their entire race to the depths of beiming fanyang, the secret realm known as ¡°beiming fanyang.¡± and it was the qilin clan, with the support of the xuan gui and azure dragon, that drove the jiaolong clan from the mainland¡­ to this day, qi weihuan certainly did not intend to cease his pursuit of the jiaolong clan, as the two clans had forged a deep enmity. if the jiaolong clan were to rise again, trouble would surely befall the qilin clan! ¡°i understand,¡± he said solemnly, ¡°i will order the forces of the azure dragon to withdraw their search troops, and your side can send people to take over.¡± ¡°thank you, your majesty,¡± gui yan said flatly, his thoughts subtly shifting. read latest chapters at wuxiaworld.site only this would thwart the azure dragon¡¯s plans to encroach upon the beiming fanyang. ¡°however, since i¡¯ve left it to you,¡± qi weihuan suddenly lowered his voice, a formidable pressure emanating unchecked from his imposing frame, ¡°i do not wish to see a single jiaolong within the territories of north state one day!¡± gui yan was silent for a moment before slowly smiling: ¡°rest assured, your majesty.¡± ¡°from this day forward, not a single jiaolong will be able to enter beiming fanyang alive.¡± Chapter 312 - Chapter 312: Chapter 29 Kunlun Routine chapter 312: chapter 29 kunlun routine ¡°` upon reaching the small city by jiang-an¡¯s banks, after making sure long hu was settled, long long began to load his saved game. if he kept mingling with the little fox, he¡¯d soon forget all about the character settings and plots of the other story lines. objective: kunlun! [location one: taiqing sect of kunlun, golden ridge.] [character identity: qiu changtian.] [mirror flower water moon template overlay, traveling through space-time.] qiu changtian stepped out of his cave abode to see a clear sky and snow-covered peaks¡ª the scenery was uniquely splendid. several celestial cranes stretched their wings and glided across the clouds, emitting long cries that resounded like a majestic orchestra, stunning to the ear. the kunlun mountain range, truly a sacred land of immortal cultivation! spending even a day here felt as though it purified one¡¯s soul. qiu changtian was in a peaceful mood when he saw several streaks of sword light tearing through the sky, heading rapidly eastward. alright, it seemed that kunlun was also in a state of war readiness. seeing that his junior brothers and sisters were not in the cave abode, qiu changtian rose on his sword and went to visit qing yang true person, xu changqing. when he arrived at xu changqing¡¯s cave abode, he saw qing yang true person sitting erect on a stone platform. xu yinglian, along with a few other kunlun cultivators from the xu family of southern heaven, were scattered about the cave, each sitting with a solemn expression. ¡°senior brother,¡± xu yinglian quickly greeted him as he entered the cave abode and motioned for him to sit beside her. ¡°changtian has arrived too,¡± qing yang true person sighed. ¡°is it inconvenient? then, i¡¯ll come back later,¡± qiu changtian said with a smile. after all, judging by the identities of everyone present, it was clearly an ¡°internal gathering of the xu family from kunlun.¡± ¡°now that you and yinglian have become daoist companions, you¡¯re also part of our xu family,¡± qing yang true person paused briefly and continued, ¡°stay for a while and listen.¡± he then resumed the topic they were discussing before. as qiu changtian listened carefully, he came to understand that the taiqing sect was currently at war with the nether ghost path of mount beimang. the average quality of a kunlun cultivator was much higher than that of a nether ghost path cultivator. according to the intelligence gathered by the xu family of southern heaven, the casualty ratio between kunlun and the nether ghost path in conflicts was generally maintained at about one to eight. however, the taiqing sect was selective and not indiscriminate in accepting disciples, recruiting a group every thirty years, roughly a few hundred people. the nether ghost path wasn¡¯t so particular; essentially, anyone who could undergo fasting and pass three tests was accepted, with the more powerful ones chosen for the ¡°judge¡± squad for focused cultivation, and the rest were mostly left to fend for themselves. even with a casualty ratio of one to eight, the nether ghost path not only could afford it but even seemed eager to continue exchanging at this rate. the nether ghost path cultivators, accustomed to cutthroat competition, employed various treacherous and ruthless tactics, each as fearless as the next, all for the elixirs and magical treasures carried by kunlun cultivators. sometimes, there would even be instances where a lone kunlun cultivator was ambushed by three or four waves of nether ghost path cultivators in succession, completely depleting his true yuan in the process. the xu family of southern heaven was extremely concerned about this and hence convened an internal meeting, advising their family cultivators to minimize outings for the time being. if they did need to go out, they were advised not to take the direct route to the guanzhong area to the east, but instead to travel south into the plateau region first, circle around through bashu, and then enter the central plains, to avoid ambushes by nether ghost path cultivators. qiu changtian found it speechless to think that the illustrious kunlun taiqing sect, revered as one of the three pure ones, was now helpless against the minor nether ghost path¡ªit was quite peculiar. however, he was not entirely ignorant about the demonic path; he also knew that although the nether ghost path claimed to be based in ¡°mount beimang,¡± in reality, that area had been scoured by the kunlun elders countless times without ever truly discovering the enemy¡¯s stronghold. the reason was simple: according to wen yang, the actual location of the nether ghost path was said to be deep underground beneath mount beimang, accessible only through a unique secret technique that the kunlun cultivators would have no hope of finding. after the meeting concluded, qiu changtian was left alone with qing yang true person for a private conversation. qing yang true person specially cautioned him that since you thwarted the intercepting cult¡¯s sword array in the east sea, their wariness of you has greatly increased. qiu changtian was utterly speechless. with my invincible character setting, not increasing my synchronization value would be impossible, and the more i improve it, the more the demon cult will dread me, looking for ways to trip me up¡­ ¡°` at the end of the day, it all boiled down to one thing: not being strong enough! if he could be as powerful as the ziwei master, so that the demon cult couldn¡¯t even find anyone willing to go against him, wouldn¡¯t that solve everything? seeing that qiu changtian seemed a bit dejected, qing yang true person changed the subject and said: ¡°however, ever since the last time the intercepting cult immortal slaying sword formation was broken, even those demon path cultivators who have never seen you know about your formidable strength.¡± ¡°as long as you don¡¯t make a scene when you go out, preventing those nascent soul cultivators from finding an opportunity to ambush you, there shouldn¡¯t be any major issues.¡± qiu changtian chuckled, nodding in agreement. he was aware that the stance and position of the xu family of southern heaven were completely different from those of the ziwei master. the ziwei master, knowing that his second grade golden core was stable, wished that he would stay in the golden ridge cave abode forever and not venture out until the core formation was reached after a hundred years or so. just becoming a golden core true person, with the many thunder methods at his command, he was sure to become a vital force for kunlun. but the xu family of southern heaven hoped that their son-in-law would go out and earn fame more often, so that the xu family could gain corresponding political prestige. the two strategies, one conservative and the other aggressive, could not truly be judged as better or worse. qiu changtian still had to make rational judgments and choices based on his actual situation. upon leaving the cave abode, he saw xu yinglian waiting for him at the doorway. today, junior sister xu was as always garbed in a plain white daoist robe, her black hair flowing over her shoulders, and from head to toe, there was not a speck of makeup, not even a single hairpin. my xu yinglian is like this, never bothering with things like makeup or beautification; her natural beauty alone scores twelve out of ten (note: where ten is the full score). ¡°senior brother.¡± xu yinglian nodded slightly and said, ¡°grand elder told you about the reward, right?¡± ¡°mhm.¡± qiu changtian didn¡¯t deny it. ¡°from what i see,¡± xu yinglian said coolly, ¡°senior brother might observe how the demon cult reacts subsequently.¡± ¡°if they significantly increase the reward for you openly, then there¡¯s no need to worry too much.¡± ¡°as grand elder said, with the war now between the righteous and demon paths, the demon cult¡¯s higher echelon lacks manpower and can¡¯t possibly monitor a cultivator who hasn¡¯t achieved core formation all the time.¡± ¡°as long as senior brother doesn¡¯t broadcast his whereabouts widely.¡± ¡°indeed.¡± qiu changtian nodded in agreement. ¡°but if they don¡¯t increase the reward and instead stay silent about the breaking of the intercepting cult sword formation, then senior brother must be careful,¡± continued xu yinglian. ¡°junior sister means¡­¡± qiu changtian pondered for a moment, then asked, ¡°to feign weakness by pretending strength?¡± ¡°exactly,¡± xu yinglian said earnestly. ¡°not publicly increasing the reward doesn¡¯t mean that there aren¡¯t any private bounties.¡± ¡°if the demon cult truly wants to eliminate senior brother, and not just express an opposing stance through the reward, then choosing to lie low to lull kunlun would be a more likely strategy.¡± ¡°thank you for your concern, junior sister,¡± qiu changtian said with a gentle smile. ¡°mhm.¡± xu yinglian had a hint of inexplicable shyness, but her expression remained flawlessly cool as she continued, ¡°i think our family, the xu family¡¯s stance, as conveyed by grand elder, is a bit hasty.¡± ¡°but i trust senior brother has his own judgment on this matter and doesn¡¯t require my undue interjection¡­¡± ¡°junior sister.¡± qiu changtian suddenly clapped his hands and said, ¡°there is one thing that i do need to earnestly seek junior sister¡¯s opinion on.¡± read latest chapters at wuxiaworld.site only ¡°what is it?¡± xu yinglian asked, widening her eyes in curiosity. ¡°since we have become daoist companions, shouldn¡¯t we live together so that we can take care of each other in our daily lives?¡± qiu changtian said tenderly, ¡°about the living arrangements after moving in together, i would like to ask for junior sister¡¯s thoughts¡­¡± ¡°i have a pill furnace still working on elixirs in my abode!¡± overwhelmed, xu yinglian quickly found an excuse to flee, ¡°let¡¯s talk next time! next time!¡± ¡°don¡¯t leave, junior sister!¡± qiu changtian was not willing to let her escape, ¡°senior brother also has some understanding of alchemy; i can help junior sister with it!¡± this topic had been brought up several times, and today he had to get an answer! Chapter 313 - Chapter 313: Chapter 30: Return to the Long Mountain Vein chapter 313: chapter 30: return to the long mountain vein golden ridge, qiu changtian¡¯s cave dwelling. now it might be more appropriate to call it the dwelling of mr. and mrs. qiu changtian, as junior sister xu had finally moved in. the crane that used to linger at her door also followed and relocated to the entrance of qiu changtian¡¯s cave dwelling. each morning, without anyone to feed it, it would emit a long, mournful cry, much like the readers urging for more updates. the stone bed had been expanded with a spell and could now accommodate both individuals to sit in meditation and practice qi refinement at the same time. beyond that, there didn¡¯t seem to be any other significant changes. for those who practice the dao, even if they become daoist companions, it¡¯s common to retain their yuan yang and yuan yin. if they could get their hands on a dual cultivation technique, something like a daoist bedroom spell, they might study how to achieve yin yang harmonization; or perhaps one day, when the relationship became close enough and the time was right to have offspring, certain things would naturally occur. but at least for now, junior sister xu didn¡¯t seem to be entertaining that thought. qiu changtian was sitting on the stone bed with his eyes closed, refining qi, while xu yinglian cleaned every nook and cranny of the cave dwelling with spells. she didn¡¯t have a severe case of germaphobia, but she did have a slight compulsion for organization, such as insisting that flying swords must be hung on the wall, elixir bottles lined up evenly spaced and symmetrical, and a screen must be set at the entrance of the cave dwelling, etc. qiu changtian didn¡¯t understand the point of all this, but had to admit, only a young miss from a family of cultivators could be so particular about their living standards! ¡°why are you looking at me like that?¡± as if sensing his gaze, xu yinglian suddenly turned her head to ask. ¡°cough.¡± qiu changtian gave a cough and said, ¡°i didn¡¯t expect junior sister to be so earnest and meticulous.¡± ¡°in senior brother¡¯s eyes, am i always the ignorant sister who can¡¯t measure up to you and causes trouble without reason?¡± xu yinglian frowned and asked. ¡°what are you talking about, junior sister?¡± qiu changtian laughed and said, ¡°my favorite thing is junior sister¡¯s spirit, which is defeated yet fights again, proud and unyielding.¡± xu yinglian listened with delight, then felt something was off. defeated yet fights again, huh? so in senior brother¡¯s eyes, i¡¯m just a pitiful junior sister? with that thought, she suddenly heard a crisp sound in her hand. xu yinglian looked down without expression, only to find that the purifying bottle in her hand had somehow been crushed by an external force. qiu changtian: ¡­¡­ somehow, he felt a chill down his spine, and just as he was about to speak, he saw a streak of light enter the cave dwelling; it was a paper crane, which landed in xu yinglian¡¯s palm. xu yinglian silently unfolded the paper crane and after a brief look, said: ¡°it¡¯s a call for help from junior sister jian.¡± ¡°what happened?¡± qiu changtian asked with a serious expression. ¡°do you remember the ancient ruins underneath the west side of long mountain?¡± xu yinglian asked succinctly. qiu changtian was momentarily surprised but soon recalled it. back when he was at the qi refining rank, he had been requested by outer sect disciples to lead a group into the west side of long mountain to explore the earth vein. they had stumbled upon ancient ruins from the nether ghost path below the vein, and there they collided head-on with a group of cultivators led by wen yang, nearly coming to blows. ¡°what¡¯s junior sister jian doing there?¡± he asked, concerned. ¡°after our sect went to war with the nether ghost path, a true person went there to explore,¡± xu yinglian replied. ¡°they found that the underground ruins were much larger than our original estimates.¡± ¡°junior sister jian was teaming up with others to search the underground ruins. it seems she triggered some mechanism and got trapped, so she sent a message asking me to rescue her.¡± she handed the letter to qiu changtian. after closely examining the content, qiu changtian thought that if it was indeed junior sister jian who was accidentally trapped while exploring the ruins, it wasn¡¯t out of the question to go rescue her. but¡­ could it be a trap? as such doubts crossed his mind, he said aloud: ¡°junior sister, let me go with you.¡± with an invincible character setting, one can¡¯t be timid! otherwise, if junior sister really is trapped and i hesitate, the synchronization value would plummet. ¡°i have some doubts.¡± xu yinglian wasn¡¯t so cautious and said frankly, ¡°if she truly were trapped by a mechanism or restriction, how could this message transmission technique freely reach me? might there be a trap involved?¡± qiu changtian inwardly applauded her and said with a smile on his face: ¡°that¡¯s not impossible. therefore, junior sister must be careful and attentive. don¡¯t act rashly within the ruins and make sure to stay close behind me.¡± xu yinglian naturally thought the same and was about to nod in agreement when she remembered her senior brother¡¯s ¡°defeated yet fighting¡± statement, causing her indignation to flare up once again. she sneered and said: ¡°fine, with senior brother¡¯s strength, even if there are any risks inside, it seems they are entirely negligible. i am making a mountain out of a molehill.¡± qiu changtian: ??? so where exactly did i annoy you? the two of them summoned their flying swords from their sleeves and rushed towards long mountain. upon reaching the western foot of long mountain, qiu changtian had ah jing scan the surroundings. no ambush, no traps, and not a soul in sight. he landed his sword light and said to xu yinglian: ¡°something¡¯s not right.¡± ¡°what¡¯s not right?¡± xu yinglian asked with a frown. ¡°why is there no one around this place?¡± qiu changtian asked, pointing towards the entrance of the ruins. ¡°a site of an earth vein without guardians, isn¡¯t that very fishy?¡± ¡°indeed.¡± xu yinglian sighed and said, ¡°so do we go back to our sect to report to our master, or do we enter to save junior sister jian first?¡± ¡°how about junior sister returns to our sect to report to our master while i go in to save junior sister jian?¡± qiu changtian suggested to her. if there really is a trap inside, i can have ah jing teleport me away in a critical moment. if junior sister follows me in, she would just be a burden! however, although he didn¡¯t utter these thoughts, xu yinglian seemed to have seen through his mind. she immediately raised her right hand, parted her cherry lips lightly, and gave a gentle blow. a stream of fire blew out from her mouth, forming a tiny vermilion bird in the center of her palm. with the fluttering of its wings, countless sparks scattered, and in an instant, it shot towards the sky, flying towards the western horizon. ¡°i have already reported to our master.¡± xu yinglian stated indifferently, ¡°let¡¯s go, senior brother.¡± qiu changtian was at a loss for words. he simply couldn¡¯t say, ¡°junior sister, you¡¯re a burden,¡± otherwise junior sister xu would certainly demand a divorce from him. but he also couldn¡¯t make her understand with logic, as he couldn¡¯t explain the life-saving mechanism of the kunlun mirror. perhaps, in the strong-willed junior sister xu¡¯s eyes, ¡°senior brother is asking me to go back because he looks down on my strength,¡± ¡°i am determined to follow him inside and lend a helping hand at the crucial moment¡±¡­ thinking this way, it somehow became touching, making it even harder for him to refuse. ¡°since that¡¯s the case, junior sister, please follow closely behind me,¡± qiu changtian said gravely as he brought the yu long sword to the front. these words, to xu yinglian¡¯s ears, coupled with the invincible character setting and the aura of the illusion technique, sounded like ¡°wife, please don¡¯t hold me back.¡± read latest chapters at wuxiaworld.site only consequently, xu yinglian let out a cold laugh and said: ¡°then i¡¯ll cover our rear, senior brother.¡± qiu changtian used the universal pure tone minor illumination technique to light up the path ahead, then carefully took his steps and entered. xu yinglian followed behind him, about to lower her head and step into the cave when suddenly, she raised her head again, looking towards the dark depths of the cave. was there¡­. some sound? Chapter 314 - Chapter 314: Chapter 31 Flying Asura chapter 314: chapter 31 flying asura long mountain ruins, within the underground passage. large swarms of corpse spiders came howling out of the tunnel. after a moment, driven by the burning of the great bright fire, they frantically fled back into the distance. ¡°with so many corpse spiders, there must be a lot of corpses in these ruins,¡± xu yinglian deduced. ¡°relics of the ancient nether ghost path, isn¡¯t it normal to have corpses?¡± qiu changtian said indifferently, ¡°the nether ghost path has two branches, one is ¡®raising obscurous ghosts,¡¯ the other is ¡®refining nether corpses.¡¯ this place was probably a branch stronghold of the nether corpse sect.¡± the two continued walking forward and soon arrived at the octagonal palace room where they previously placed the coffin, which was also where they had met wen yang and others. all they saw now were the tombs and coffins, which had long since disappeared, leaving only a vast expanse of gray pits. ¡°eight passages,¡± qiu changtian looked at the archways on the surrounding walls and said, ¡°excluding the one we came through, there are seven other directions. is there a way to tell from which direction jian qingnan¡¯s letter came flying from?¡± ¡°let me try.¡± xu yinglian pondered for a moment and then spread out her hand again, blowing gently. the searing breath came out and quickly turned into seven firebirds in her palm, each flying into one of the seven entrances in the surrounding walls. less than fifteen minutes later, xu yinglian spoke up: ¡°from right to left, the first, third, and fifth entrances are not dead ends.¡± qiu changtian nodded, ¡°then let¡¯s start searching from the far right.¡± the two picked the farthest entrance on the right and began to make their way. walking a certain distance, qiu changtian felt the temperature around him seemed to be slowly dropping. it wasn¡¯t the cold that was deepening, but the gloominess was becoming denser. ¡°be careful, senior brother,¡± xu yinglian suddenly said, ¡°it was right ahead where my ¡®fireflow phoenix¡¯ was extinguished.¡± ¡°hmm.¡± qiu changtian then formed a seal with both hands, pressing the jade pivot thunder in his palm. passing through the corridor, the surrounding blue brick walls suddenly broke apart, revealing natural eroded rock layers. it was as if the construction of the ruins had abruptly stopped when they reached this point. ¡°the gloom here is excessively dense,¡± xu yinglian suddenly said, ¡°could it be that ahead leads to the nine serenities underworld?¡± ¡°the likelihood is slim,¡± qiu changtian said in a low voice, ¡°the nine serenities underworld, as far as is currently known, has only nine entrances connected to this world. they were suppressed by the nine cauldrons forged by emperor yan in ancient times, which prevented the overflowing of the nether force and the collapse of divine land.¡± ¡°if this place were connected to the nine serenities underworld, who could forge another shennong cauldron to suppress it here? countless netherghosts and strange demons would have long since swarmed out and occupied this place by now.¡± ¡°what do you think, senior brother?¡± xu yinglian neither agreed nor disagreed, but countered. ¡°i suspect there is a formidable ghost king up ahead,¡± qiu changtian frowned and said. ¡°a ghost king?¡± xu yinglian pondered thoughtfully. not to mention my senior brother¡¯s thunder method is renowned for vanquishing evil and subduing demons, even my great bright fire has a unique effect in exterminating magic. even if it¡¯s a ghost king of the golden core rank¡­ well, this¡­ at least self-preservation shouldn¡¯t be an issue, right? she was somewhat uneasy, but thinking of her senior brother being by her side, she felt a baseless confidence. continuing forward, the surrounding blue brick corridor became a natural cavern, and the gloominess grew colder and more penetrating. xu yinglian suddenly felt her footing slip, but it was qiu changtian¡¯s quick reflexes that extended a hand to steady her. looking down, she saw that there had been a sunken pool under her feet, which was now frozen over. under the light of the universal pure tone minor illumination technique, it reflected a blurry, dazzling brightness. ¡°is it getting foggy?¡± xu yinglian suddenly said. ¡°it¡¯s not mist,¡± qiu changtian muttered in a low voice, ¡°it¡¯s a dense mass of dark energy that¡¯s almost solidified into substance.¡± ¡°this fog is too obstructive to our vision,¡± xu yinglian said as she performed a daoist formula, exhaling great bright fire from her mouth, which immediately evaporated all the surrounding fog. ¡°be careful!¡± qiu changtian suddenly shouted. xu yinglian¡¯s pupils contracted and she hastily interrupted her spellcasting. where the fog had dissipated, several contorted bodies suddenly appeared. one of them was none other than her junior sister, jian qingnan¡ªher eyes tightly shut, her face a purplish green, motionless. had the great bright fire been delayed by even a moment, she would have been burnt alive. xu yinglian quickly retracted the daoist formula and hurried over to her side, crouching down to check her condition. ¡°it¡¯s just an excessive loss of vital energy,¡± she said, turning her head with evident relief on her face, ¡°it seems to have been sucked out by some evil magic¡­¡± before she could finish her sentence, qiu changtian suddenly raised his hand and a streak of bluish-red thunder light split the air, narrowly missing her! behind xu yinglian, outside her field of vision, a kunlun cultivator stood up with a facial expression melting like wax heated by a flame, revealing a menacing, sprout-like grin¡­ only to be struck directly by jade pivot thunder. after all, with a physique like the seven orifices exquisite heart, xu yinglian didn¡¯t look back but instead grabbed jian qingnan¡¯s arm and immediately leaped forward with all her strength. the feather jia sword shot backward as she held her junior sister¡¯s body, agilely twisting in mid-air, with the daoist formula already completed in her hands, she then spewed great bright fire towards their pursuer! as the great bright fire blazed fiercely, they only saw their adversary leap high, flipping onto the ceiling of the cave like a bat and hanging upside down, chuckling mockingly, ¡°jade pivot thunder! great bright fire! you two kids are quite impressive, but i wonder if your brains are as delicious?¡± that creature was¡­ both xu yinglian and qiu changtian involuntarily took a sharp breath. flying asura! it is said that the common corpse refinement method of the nether ghost path has rankings of iron, copper, silver, and gold. iron and copper are easy to refine, while gold and silver are rare. for a golden corpse to advance further, it must seek a solitary yin land, bury the corpse deep underground in a coffin to be soaked in the yin energy day and night, and then it becomes a ¡°ground traveling rakshasa,¡± with the strength of the golden core realm, obscure weave rank. to advance yet further, one must find a place devoid of yang energy, continue to bury it deep underground, soak and refine it, until it becomes a ¡°flying asura,¡± with the strength of the nascent soul realm, treasure light rank. as for this one in front of them, who directly withstood the jade pivot thunder and great bright fire without a single sign of injury, it was undoubtedly a flying asura. xu yinglian¡¯s expression turned grave as she silently positioned herself in front of her senior brother, preparing to seize any opportunity for them to escape. qiu changtian¡¯s heart tightened, then relaxed again. he suddenly realized that this flying asura attacked jian qingnan but did not kill her, which probably meant it had some other purpose. definitely not murder! if it really wanted to kill, with the strength of the nascent soul realm, it could have killed them on the spot earlier¡­ or rather, ah jing would have already taken me to flee. as he was thinking this, the flying asura instantly moved past xu yinglian. its menacing, sprout-like fanged corpse-face was now just three inches from qiu changtian¡¯s nose, grinning wickedly at him: ¡°little boy, you don¡¯t seem to be afraid, why is that?¡± ¡°senior,¡± qiu changtian said with a casual smile, ¡°i am the chief disciple of the foundation establishment realm in kunlun.¡± read latest chapters at wuxiaworld.site only ¡°and then?¡± the flying asura laughed hoarsely, ¡°the brain of kunlun¡¯s chief disciple must be tastier than that of an ordinary cultivator, right?¡± ¡°i¡¯ve played chess with chi song immortal,¡± qiu changtian continued to smile. the wicked smile quickly faded from the flying asura¡¯s face, leaving a stiff, deathly expression. it asked coldly: ¡°chi song immortal from the clarify cult?¡± ¡°it seems the senior knows him, then all the better,¡± qiu changtian said with composure. Chapter 315 - Chapter 315: Chapter 32 Sunlit Red Clouds Chapter 315: Chapter 32 Sunlit Red Clouds ¡°` Is this even possible??? Xu Yinglian stood there dumbfounded as her senior brother and the Flying Asura ¡°laughed and talked cheerfully¡±, for a moment even feeling like it was all a dream or illusion. However, being a possessor of the Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart, although her experience was not as rich as someone¡¯s and her reaction was half a beat slower, she quickly regained her composure and realized: This Flying Asura, according to ancient records, is one of the few evil creatures that have gained spiritual wisdom between heaven and earth. Its strength is generally around the Nascent Soul Realm, Treasure Light Rank. Indeed, it is unsolvable for loose cultivators and small sects, but for a renowned major sect like the Kunlun Taiqing Sect, a few Nascent Soul Elders could pin it down and kill it. That¡¯s why, although the Flying Asura has a craving for human brains, it never made a move against Jian Qingnan, probably out of fear of the power behind her sect. But if that¡¯s the case, why would it want her to send a message out? If a Nascent Soul Elder were to be attracted here, wouldn¡¯t the Flying Asura be seeking its own death? Xu Yinglian furrowed her brows tightly, her face ice-cold, as she stood shoulder to shoulder with her sword-bearing senior brother. Qiu Changtian, on the other hand, wasn¡¯t panicking at all because just now, Ah Jing had already tipped him off: ¡°This Flying Asura seems to have cultivated to a bottleneck period, and it¡¯s just a little short of transforming into a drought demon.¡± ¡°So what?¡± Qiu Changtian asked in return. ¡°To transform into a demon, it must suffer from the heavenly condemnation,¡± the Kunlun Mirror replied. ¡°Therefore, it is now suppressing its cultivation. If its aura leaks out, the heavenly tribulation would reduce everything within a hundred miles to flat ground.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not actively suppressing its cultivation. Rather, this creature has been sealed,¡± added the Green Duckweed Sword. ¡°The one who sealed it¡­ it¡¯s uncertain whether they did it to limit it or to help it.¡± ¡°Just as Yao Yao said, without this seal, its aura would have leaked out long ago. But the seal also suppresses its cultivation, preventing it from leaving this place. So it¡¯s hard to guess the true intentions of the person who placed the seal.¡± Qiu Changtian listened silently to the conversation between the sword and the mirror, becoming increasingly certain that the Flying Asura¡¯s predicament was much worse than his own. And just as he had guessed, the Flying Asura was indeed suffering from a severe headache at this moment. An unfamiliar Human Race cultivator has intruded upon this place. To kill or not to kill? To kill would be simple. But what if this cultivator disappeared here and the elders of his sect came looking? If the elders of the sect were not so formidable, then the Flying Asura could easily eliminate them as well, thus getting rid of any future problems. That would be simple. But if the sect elders were powerful figures, leaving Jian Qingnan alive would grant a chance to negotiate when the time comes. Killing her outright would leave no room for maneuver. Therefore, it decided to keep an extra eye out and try to test Jian Qingnan¡¯s background¡ªafter all, being sealed here, it had no possibility of fleeing. Now that Jian Qingnan has brought Qiu Changtian, and given that Qiu Changtian is a junior under the tutelage of the Clarify Cult¡¯s Chi Song Immortal, even having played chess with the Immortal, the Flying Asura was starting to feel the headache. It can¡¯t be certain whether Qiu Changtian carries something placed on him by the Chi Song Immortal; if it kills him and the Chi Song Immortal immediately senses it and comes looking, then the Flying Asura is done for. To not kill, then to let go or not? To let go means that if the other party goes back and informs the Chi Song Immortal, then the Immortal would come looking, and it¡¯s the same dilemma¡ªyou¡¯re done for! To not let go means that if the Chi Song Immortal senses his junior¡¯s disappearance and calculates his whereabouts, he¡¯d still come looking, which again means¡ªdone for! It turns out that from the beginning, it shouldn¡¯t have harbored the thought of testing and allowed that girl to send out the message spell. But that¡¯s not right either. Even if it hadn¡¯t allowed her to send out the spell, could the other party not have found this place anyway? Ultimately, from the moment this Underground Palace ruin was revealed to the outside world, this place has been insecure! The Flying Asura was feeling quite bald (although it had no hair), and the more it thought about it, the darker its face grew (even though it had a green face with fierce fangs). Qiu Changtian, on the other hand, was quite at ease, for he was clear that the other party was powerless against him. He had the backing of the Chi Song Immortal! And knowing that the other party was aware of Chi Song Immortal¡¯s reputation, he was even less worried. Only Xu Yinglian was extremely nervous, twisting her spell finger after finger, the Great Bright Fire circulating in her throat and nostrils, ready to fight to the death at any moment¡ªyet seemingly without an opportunity to strike. ¡°` Brother is indeed formidable, to remain so calm in the face of such a vile creature. I¡¯m truly useless in comparison. Such thoughts flashed through her mind and were swiftly suppressed by Xu Yinglian¡¯s competitive spirit. No! I cannot say that I¡¯m useless! Brother must be contemplating a strategy. I can¡¯t give up on myself. I need to think of a good way to handle this! While Xu Yinglian was thinking this, Qiu Changtian, whom she believed was ¡°surely contemplating a strategy,¡± was actually having a leisurely chat with the Kunlun Mirror: ¡°Ah Jing, what do you think this Flying Asura will do?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said at first, then after some thought added, ¡°It will probably offer some kind of benefit to try and bind with you.¡± ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t it be some method of controlling him?¡± the Green Duckweed Sword teased, trying to scare him, ¡°As I understand it, creatures of its kind, at this level of undead, all possess many special corpse poisons that can make victims unable to live or die.¡± ¡°Because there is an Immortal being present,¡± explained the Kunlun Mirror. ¡°If he is poisoned and the Immortal detects it upon his return, what then? In my opinion, the Flying Asura won¡¯t attempt such a risky move.¡± ¡°After all, since it cannot eliminate you and needs something from you, it only makes sense to present an equivalent benefit to try and convince you to keep quiet voluntarily.¡± Qiu Changtian was still not convinced. That Flying Asura was so ferocious and terrifying, could it really be so easy to deal with? Just as he was about to scoff at the broken mirror, he saw the creature opposite suddenly drop its terrifying countenance and smile, saying: ¡°Little tots, I happen to have a stroke of fortune to share with you here.¡± Qiu Changtian: ¡­¡­¡­ Xu Yinglian didn¡¯t respond, just staring at it warily. The Flying Asura wasn¡¯t embarrassed, just taking out a dark little bottle and saying: ¡°Below this place, deep within the Earth Veins, where I¡¯ve been buried for ten thousand years, is what¡¯s called ¡®Land of Absolute Yang¡¯.¡± ¡°¡®Absolute Yang¡¯ means cut off from Yang Qi. Even an Immortal would be polluted if they went down there ¡ª very troublesome, indeed. Of course, for an extremely Yin and foul creature like me, naturally, I can come and go unharmed.¡± ¡°However, the Land of Absolute Yang isn¡¯t completely devoid of Yang Qi; it¡¯s just exceedingly rare. Under the pressure of an immense amount of Yin Qi, it is forced to gather together and barely resists.¡± ¡°The longer it resists, the more refined that trace of Acquired Yang Qi becomes, until it eventually turns into a Strange Object called ¡®Yangxia Zhu Ming Elixir,¡¯ which is precisely in this bottle.¡± It tilted the bottle towards them, allowing Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian to see that there were indeed two yellowish elixirs inside. ¡°It seems you have not yet undergone Core Formation?¡± the Flying Asura said with a smile, ¡°Consuming the Yangxia Zhu Ming Elixir and then placing it within the Purple Mansion, in the Qi Sea, will ensure that when you attempt Core Formation, it can forcibly heighten your Golden Core Grade Rank.¡± Upon hearing this, Xu Yinglian¡¯s eyes widened in astonishment, but her heart became even more vigilant. There¡¯s no such thing as a free lunch in this world! Qiu Changtian, however, remained composed, as he knew perfectly well that there was no way to ¡°forcibly heighten a Golden Core¡¯s Grade Rank.¡± At most, the effects of this Purple Mansion Secret Medicine equated to many years of Refining Mansion Cultivation. Seeing that neither of them reacted, the Flying Asura took it as a sign they were not fooled and raised a finger, elaborating further: ¡°Equivalent to one hundred years of Refining Mansion Cultivation. With your mortal lifespans plus this extra hundred years of cultivation, isn¡¯t that effectively the same as increasing your Golden Core Grade Rank?¡± ¡°Yangxia Zhu Ming Elixir, eh.¡± Inside the Sea of Consciousness, the Green Duckweed Sword mused, ¡°It¡¯s indeed an extremely rare item.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°However, you should know, solitariness in Yin does not bring forth life, nor does solitariness in Yang ensure growth. This Elixir is a gathering of highly concentrated Acquired Yang Qi and must be taken with the Yinhui Yuanshen Water, or else there will be a risk of imbalance between Yin and Yang within the body, leading to the Purple Mansion potentially exploding.¡± ¡°However,¡± the Flying Asura said with a smile, its content nonetheless matching what the Green Duckweed Sword had said, ¡°this must be taken with another substance called ¡®Yinhui Yuanshen Water,¡¯ otherwise, at best you may lose all your cultivation, at worst, you may die instantly.¡± It threw the bottle to Qiu Changtian, who immediately reached out to catch it. The Flying Asura continued: ¡°The Yinhui Yuanshen Water is in another location within the remnants of this Earth Vein. If you trust me enough, you can follow me to retrieve it.¡± Chapter 316 - Chapter 316: Chapter 33 White Bone Divine Palace Chapter 316: Chapter 33 White Bone Divine Palace The Flying Asura walked ahead, with Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian silently following behind, communicating with each other through glances. Xu Yinglian felt extremely anxious because according to the records, Flying Asuras are ¡°born from the resentment between heaven and earth¡± and are ¡°the most evil creature between heaven and earth¡±. Simply put, this kind of monster inherently detests all living beings and is not to be trusted. Of course, she also knew that at this moment, they didn¡¯t have much of a choice. The reason why the Flying Asura hadn¡¯t killed the two of them must be because of some concern for the elders behind them, but such concern was surely limited. As for the so-called ¡°bringing fortune to both of you,¡± the malice behind it couldn¡¯t be more obvious; it was just short of saying ¡°I plan to use both of you to achieve some unspeakable purpose¡±. Jian Qingnan, who was unconscious, was carried on Xu Yinglian¡¯s back. Due to the severe depletion of his energy, there was still no sign of awakening. As for the other Kunlun Cultivators, they had been directly drained of their energy and died. It was clear that the Flying Asura was not afraid of the Kunlun Taiqing Sect, but probably only feared the name of ¡°Chi Song Immortal¡±. Qiu Changtian had even more thoughts. He had a vague guess that the other party wanted to use him and his junior sister to undo the seal on it. But¡­ once the seal was undone and its aura leaked out, wouldn¡¯t it be directly struck to death by the Heavenly Tribulation? Could it be that the other party didn¡¯t want to undo the seal but wanted to take control of it? He was lost in thought when he suddenly heard the Flying Asura sigh and say: ¡°I¡¯ve been here for tens of thousands of years. After the Underground Palace opened recently, cultivators have come one after another, but they have been excessively cautious and never dared to approach my burial spot.¡± ¡°So I really have to thank you two. If it hadn¡¯t been for her rashly entering and triggering the mechanism, I might not have had the chance to awaken.¡± These words made Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian feel somewhat tight, and they decided that after this matter was resolved, they would definitely teach Junior Sister Jian a good lesson, letting her know what it means to be ¡°cautious¡±. The Flying Asura led the two of them to the Octagonal Palace Room and chose an entrance to enter. After walking for about half an hour, not knowing how many tens of meters deep underground they had gone, they suddenly felt a cold breeze coming from up ahead. They saw a huge Abyss crack appear before them, approximately a hundred meters in diameter, the top sealed by a stone wall, while the bottom was bottomless, resembling the gaping maw of a giant beast. The passage they had come out of was right on the edge of the crack, with only a narrow path, rough and winding downward, snaking like a venomous tongue. The entire Abyss was engulfed in darkness with no light, rendering everyone unable to see anything; they could only use their Divine Sense to examine their surroundings. The Flying Asura stepped onto the narrow path, strolling leisurely and comfortably, as if in his own backyard. Qiu Changtian closely followed behind, his pace neither fast nor slow, yet precisely able to keep up with the figure of the Flying Asura. Only Xu Yinglian was extremely cautious, taking every step with care, the Feather Jia Sword hovering above her head while her hands in her sleeves formed Daoist Formula, with her Divine Sense continuously sweeping the surroundings. ¡°Why don¡¯t you make your wife move faster?¡± the Flying Asura suddenly turned around and said, ¡°With me leading the way, what else do you have to guard against?¡± The very thing I¡¯m on guard against is you, this evil creature! Xu Yinglian remained silent, only hearing Qiu Changtian say: ¡°Come, Junior Sister, give me your hand.¡± Xu Yinglian, puzzled and blushing, extended her hand. Hand in hand, Xu Yinglian suddenly realized. Senior Brother is really clever! He¡¯s going to write in my palm to avoid the Flying Asura¡¯s hearing, right? However, Qiu Changtian intertwined his fingers with hers, their palms pressed together, pulling her forward¡­ Xu Yinglian waited impatiently, and finally couldn¡¯t help bending her finger to write in Qiu Changtian¡¯s palm: What for? Qiu Changtian continued walking without changing pace, writing back with his own hand: Don¡¯t be afraid. Xu Yinglian, for some reason, felt a surge of anger rising in her heart. ¡°I thought you were going to share some clever plan to slip away!¡± ¡°Scared? How could I possibly be scared? Besides, I have you by my side, don¡¯t I?¡± ¡°Do you actually see me as some weak woman who trembles at the sight of a strong foe and can¡¯t walk or move her legs?¡± The more Xu Yinglian thought about it, the angrier she got, and she no longer cared about being cautious. She quickened her pace, now dragging Qiu Changtian along with her instead. Qiu Changtian: ??? What did I do to upset her this time? Forget it, Junior Sister Xu¡¯s nerves have always been fragile, bursting with emotion at the drop of a hat. Thankfully, she wouldn¡¯t act thoughtlessly out of anger like Miss Shi does, doing childish things that leave you speechless. At most, she¡¯d just spit out a few venomous comments. As her senior brother, of course I wouldn¡¯t bother arguing with such a cute junior sister! Besides, the aloofness Xu Yinglian displays when she¡¯s angry has a certain allure of its own¡­ As he let his mind wander again, he suddenly felt Xu Yinglian¡¯s hand tighten around his. Qiu Changtian extended his Divine Sense downward, only to see the domed tops of palaces jutting out within the chasm, looking particularly fierce in the darkness. At the bottom of this rift, there was actually a massive ancient ruin! The architectural style of the ruin was similar to the Eastern Emperor Divine Palace in the Southern Border, and it was roughly the same size. It was built of green bricks and covered with a layer of lime, almost seamlessly blending with the surrounding rock walls as if it were naturally made. The Flying Asura landed on the ground and looked up at the towering Divine Palace, a flash of complex emotions crossing through its dark green eyes, only to disappear just as quickly. Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian made their way down to the valley as well, with the latter still carrying the unconscious Jian Qingnan. Their Divine Senses swept across the main gate of the palace, where they saw four seal characters inscribed above the door frame: White Bone Divine Palace. Xu Yinglian lowered her head, quickly recalling ancient texts she had read in the past. It was said that the doctrine of the Nether Ghost Path could be traced back to Shi Ji, the Lady of the White Bone Cave on Skull Mountain within the Intercepting Cult, who was known as ¡°the leader of all demons.¡± One passage stated, ¡°Thus the demons such as the Ox Demon King, the Lion Demon King, the Great Elephant Demon King, the Horse-Faced Demon King, the World Devouring Demon King, the Demon Mother, the Nine-Headed Demon King, the Multi-Benefit Demon King, the Heaven¡¯s Opposing Demon King, the five hundred Asuras, the seventy-two Fire Crows¡­¡± This demonstrated that underneath Shi Ji of the Intercepting Cult, there had once been countless Ghost Cultivators, making for an extremely imposing force. Could this Flying Asura also have been one of Shi Ji¡¯s followers back then? ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± the Flying Asura said in an odd tone, heading straight for the White Bone Divine Palace. Qiu Changtian held Xu Yinglian¡¯s hand, hesitated for a moment, and then quickly followed. Stepping through the main entrance of the White Bone Divine Palace, they entered the main hall. In the Cultivation Realm, whether it was ancient, ancient times, or the modern era, the main hall of a Sect¡¯s residence was always built to be grand and magnificent, as it was used to welcome guests. However, for the most part, it would be empty and devoid of any extra furnishings or decorations. The main hall of the White Bone Divine Palace was naturally empty as well, with only four huge stone pillars and a single stone seat. The surfaces of the pillars were densely carved with relief sculptures of skulls, each in a different pose, as if ordered into an imperial procession. The stone seat was located on a raised platform at the back of the main hall. Sitting upon it, one could overlook the entire hall below. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Suddenly, the Flying Asura said: ¡°Through the main hall, turn left for the Phantom Ghost faction, or turn right for the Yin Corpse faction.¡± ¡°The Yinhui Yuanshen Water is refined by the Ghost Cultivators of the Phantom Ghost faction, used to nourish the soul and strengthen the Primordial Spirit.¡± ¡°Come with me.¡± Upon hearing this, Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian became more alert. Chapter 317 - Chapter 317: Chapter 34 Tuning the Bells, Blood Array Chapter 317: Chapter 34 Tuning the Bells, Blood Array White Bone Divine Palace, passing through the main hall, leads to the rear hall. Inside the rear hall, neatly arrayed against one wall, stood eight chime bells, likewise crafted from countless white bones. Their surfaces were adorned with various skulls, ribs, hand bones, and vertebrae that irregularly protruded, looking extremely sinister. Even more eerie was that, although there was clearly no wind inside the rear hall, these white bone chimes moved on their own, producing strange sounds akin to weeping and low laughter. Xu Yinglian suddenly started, only then realizing that since she had entered the underground, these odd sounds had been echoing around her¡ªtheir presence was so faint that she had subconsciously overlooked them. Could it be the sound of the bells? Sudden pain flashed through her Sea of Consciousness, and Xu Yinglian hurriedly circulated her True Yuan, cleansing her mind and spirit, before she realized the sound of the bells seemed to affect one¡¯s mental state. Fortunately, her Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart had a great resistance to Illusion Techniques, which allowed her to maintain a stable mind. She glanced at Qiu Changtian again and saw that his expression remained unchanged, as though he had directly ignored the mental influence of the bells¡¯ sound. ¡°These are the White Bone Hollow Bells,¡± the Flying Asura sneered. ¡°These bells move without wind, and their sound can sway the soul and bewilder the mind. Those with a lower Mana realm can¡¯t last three breaths within the bell¡¯s sound before they become dizzy, their limbs weaken, and they are paralyzed.¡± Seeing that neither of them showed any change in complexion, the Flying Asura thought they were merely pretending to be strong, and it walked over to the chime bells and continued, ¡°Of course, when not actively manipulated, this Illusion Technique is merely tormenting and still bearable.¡± ¡°But if an enemy attacks, one only needs to activate them for the Illusion Technique¡¯s effects to immediately amplify a hundredfold. No matter how high your Cultivation Realm may be, it¡¯s almost impossible to resist.¡± As it spoke, it stretched out its black-as-ink long fingernails and struck the bell cover forcefully. A lengthy tolling sound resonated, causing Xu Yinglian¡¯s face to instantly pale. The moment the bell tolled, she felt as though something had struck her soul, almost causing her to lose her balance. Such a powerful Illusion Technique attack! And it targeted the soul directly, leaving her with no effective means to defend herself, only the innate resistance of her Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart to rely on. Seeing Xu Yinglian finally showing a different expression, the Flying Asura was somewhat puzzled. I struck the bell, so why didn¡¯t you fall? Looking at Qiu Changtian again, its face immediately took on a strange expression. Because he looked as if nothing had happened, merely glancing left and right, examining the chime bells as if appreciating some artworks. The Flying Asura¡¯s face could barely conceal its embarrassment; it had just claimed it was ¡°almost impossible to resist,¡± yet both people in front of it had held steady. How was it supposed to save face? After a long silence, it was forced to boldly claim, ¡°However, these White Bone Chime Bells have been abandoned here for a myriad of years, so their spiritual essence has considerably dimmed, and they no longer possess the ability to attack the soul.¡± ¡°But the predecessor who buried his bones here did so over ten thousand years ago, did he not?¡± Qiu Changtian curiously asked. ¡°If the child does not understand, then shut up! ¡®A myriad of years¡¯ is merely a rhetorical expression,¡± the Flying Asura suppressed the murderous intent in its heart, turned its head away, and irritably said, ¡°How can a cultivator nitpick on such trivial details!¡± Grinding its teeth, it led the two of them forward, soon entering a certain side hall. At the center of the side hall stood a stone platform stained with bloodstains. Around the edge of the stone platform, countless skulls and white bones were arranged, forming the shape of a mysterious and profound magic Formation. Qiu Changtian took one glance and understood it was some kind of dark Array, its function seemed to drain flesh and blood from the target in the center, but it was mixed with a Soul Calming Magic Formation¡ªwas this¡­ to make the target die more comfortably? ¡°This is the Blood Sacrifice Altar of the Ghost Sect,¡± the Flying Asura explained. ¡°Any cultivator who wishes to switch to the Ghost Path must first ingest Yinhui Yuanshen Water and operate the Ghost Path Technique for forty-nine days.¡± ¡°But that Yinhui Yuanshen Water is not water. It is a condensation of pure Yin energy mixed with spiritual essence. When combined with the Technique and ingested, it can wither the flesh and dry the bones.¡± ¡°Wait until the physical body has almost completely decayed, then sit on this blood sacrifice altar, operate the secret technique, and you can separate the soul from the flesh and convert to a ghost cultivator,¡± ¡°I see,¡± Qiu Changtian said calmly, ¡°but what makes a ghost cultivator so peculiar?¡± ¡°First, they are proficient in various soul arts, and their methods are unpredictable,¡± Flying Asura slowly said, ¡°Second, they can travel freely to the Nine Serenities Underworld, avoiding the chaos of the world.¡± ¡°The third point, which is also the most important one: since ghost cultivators have abandoned their physical bodies, they are no longer bound by the limits of a mortal lifespan.¡± Having said this, it stopped talking just at the right moment. Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian exchanged glances, aware there must be some significant drawback to the way of the ghost cultivator that Flying Asura deliberately chose not to mention. Otherwise, why are there not many ghost cultivators in the Nether Ghost Path now? After all, without the restrictions of a mortal lifespan, how many who were originally incapable of Core Formation could slowly accumulate their cultivation level and proceed to form a core with ease! ¡°The drawback is that they face Heavenly Tribulations exceptionally frequently,¡± Kunlun Mirror added from inside the Sea of Consciousness, ¡°Ghost cultivators and zombie corpses are aberrations that the Heavenly Dao does not tolerate in the world. They have exploited a loophole to escape the restraint of lifespan¡ªjust look at its current state, and you will understand.¡± Flying Asura walked forward and seemed to accidentally kick a skull near the Array. The Array lit up with a blood-red light in an instant, enveloping everyone present. ¡°Oh dear, I accidentally touched the restrictions,¡± Flying Asura said with a sinister laugh, though there was no hint of apology on its face; clearly, it was on purpose. Xu Yinglian¡¯s face changed dramatically. She hurriedly tried to activate her Flying Sword, but found that her True Yuan was blocked and she was utterly unable to use any techniques. Flying Asura watched the two coldly, thinking that even if they were not afraid of illusion techniques, they surely had no way to deal with this Array? Beg me! If you just kneel down and swear by your Daoist Heart not to reveal my existence, I will intervene and save you both from the Array. Otherwise, as time goes by, you will have to watch helplessly as your own flesh and blood gradually waste away. The taste of such agony is truly exceptional¡­ Just as it was considering how to suggest indirectly that the two should submit, Qiu Changtian stepped forward, set the skull back to its original position. He then extended his right hand and drew several strokes on the ground with two fingers. The Array flickered like a light switched off and went dark. Flying Asura: ??? ¡°How could senior be so careless?¡± Qiu Changtian said indifferently, ¡°Fortunately, I have a little knowledge of arrays, otherwise we really would¡¯ve been in trouble.¡± ¡°Ahem,¡± Flying Asura came back to its senses and said awkwardly, ¡°This Array has been abandoned for tens of millions of years; it¡¯s quite normal for it to suddenly malfunction and activate.¡± ¡°Is that so,¡± Qiu Changtian replied, ¡°then I would ask senior to be more careful in the future, and not to accidentally touch any more restrictions that have been abandoned for tens of millions of years.¡± ¡°Of course, of course,¡± Flying Asura repeatedly said, secretly seething inside. Now, both Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian feared Flying Asura would kill them, and it feared the Cultivators it might lure if they died, meaning they mutually held the key to each other¡¯s destruction. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only In such a situation, whoever went for a direct confrontation would be dooming themselves; therefore, they had to resort to softer means to make the other submit. For example, trapping the other party in an array and torturing them. What does it matter if they know I dare not kill them? Under the cruel torment of the restrictions, most people would ultimately choose to submit. Who would have thought this freakish Human Race cultivator wouldn¡¯t react to illusions and couldn¡¯t be trapped by arrays either! What should I do now? Chapter 318 - Chapter 318: Chapter 35 An Unexpected Entrance Chapter 318: Chapter 35 An Unexpected Entrance Both had a faint sense that the Flying Asura was harboring hidden intentions. Xu Yinglian took the initiative to grab Qiu Changtian¡¯s hand and began to write on his palm. Be careful. Qiu Changtian grabbed her fingers in return, and when Xu Yinglian tried to pull away several times, she couldn¡¯t, so she let him hold her hand in a mix of embarrassment, anger, and resignation. The Flying Asura seemed oblivious to their subtle movements, and suddenly turned back to say: ¡°Ahead is the treasure room of the Ghost Sect.¡± ¡°The Yinhui Yuanshen Water you need is inside, but¡­¡± It deliberately drew out its voice, then suddenly coiled its body and sprang towards Qiu Changtian! Xu Yinglian immediately drew her sword and thrust the Feather Jia Sword straight at the Flying Asura. The creature merely swept its hand to effortlessly deflect the Feather Jia Sword aside. Great Bright Fire! Xu Yinglian puffed her cheeks and spewed a large amount of flames from her mouth and nose, sweeping toward the Flying Asura. Within the raging flames, the Flying Asura burst forth, its entire body scorched yet seemingly not seriously hurt; it instantly bypassed Xu Yinglian¡¯s defense and appeared behind Qiu Changtian, grabbing his neck with one hand. ¡°Let¡¯s make a deal,¡± the Flying Asura said cheerfully. ¡°I don¡¯t trust you, and you surely don¡¯t trust me, so why not exchange bargaining chips?¡± ¡°Little girl, in addition to the Yinhui Yuanshen Water, there¡¯s also a Hiltless Locust Wood Sword.¡± ¡°You bring me that Locust Wood Sword, and I¡¯ll return your little beau to you unharmed, how about it?¡± Xu Yinglian glared furiously, as if intending to kill it with her gaze alone. But she quickly caught Qiu Changtian¡¯s calm look, which seemed to say: Trust me. To be honest, it might not have been his intention, but his unflappable demeanor ¨C the calm expression that she absolutely loathed every time he won a contest against her ¨C now gave her almost infinite confidence and courage. Senior Brother is invincible; he must have a strategy already! With this thought, Xu Yinglian silently turned and walked toward the inner chamber. Qiu Changtian, despite being held by the Flying Asura, remained unruffled. Because if the Flying Asura intended to kill him, Ah Jing would instantly teleport him away ¨C even if Junior Sister Xu remained trapped here. The Flying Asura, noticing his composure ¨C his heartbeat not even quickening ¨C couldn¡¯t help but sneer, asking: ¡°Do you really think I won¡¯t dare to kill you?¡± ¡°If you wanted to act, why wait until now?¡± Qiu Changtian responded with a smile. ¡°After I get the Locust Wood Sword, I will kill you.¡± The Flying Asura stretched out its thin tongue and licked its lips. ¡°What would you gain from killing me?¡± Qiu Changtian kept smiling. ¡°If you don¡¯t kill me, you can bet on whether I will snitch when I go back; if you kill me, the Chi Song Immortal will surely seek vengeance for me.¡± ¡°Would you really provoke the wrath of an immortal just for your own desires?¡± The Flying Asura had no response, falling silent. Qiu Changtian didn¡¯t continue to provoke it, but silently began to ponder. It seemed that the Hiltless Locust Wood Sword mentioned by the creature was the key magical treasure to control the restrictions on its body. The Flying Asura wanting Junior Sister Xu to retrieve it indicated two points: First, it was limited by restrictions and couldn¡¯t directly retrieve the Locust Wood Sword itself, hence it lured them here with the promise of Yinhui Yuanshen Water. Second, once Junior Sister Xu obtained the sword, she would not have time to comprehend how to use it to control the Flying Asura ¨C at least it was confident in this, so it chose to reveal its hand early instead of trying to deceive Junior Sister Xu into retrieving the sword. If this was indeed the case, then from our perspective, there really was no good way to counter the opponent. Giving the Hiltless Locust Wood Sword to the other party was indeed the best choice under the current circumstances¡­ and this too was included in its calculations. With these thoughts, Qiu Changtian gazed meaningfully at the Flying Asura. This creature, though a born fiend, had such meticulous thoughts, almost rivalling human cunning. The Flying Asura returned that profound, thought-provoking gaze. This human child¡­ why isn¡¯t she afraid at all? Is it confidence? Or arrogance? No matter, since she has her wits about her, she should know she has no other choice. Handing over that magical treasure obediently is your only way out. Both harboring their own ulterior motives, though there were no words on the surface, they had privately come to an unspoken agreement. It (He) can only do this¡­ Upon entering the treasure room, Xu Yinglian¡¯s gaze cautiously swept around. Several rows of bone racks displayed varying deep-colored glimmers; some were magical treasures, some elixirs bottles, and others were Flying Swords. Xu Yinglian saw a Hiltless Locust Wood Sword hanging from a nail on the wall by a red string, the base of the nail fashioned with the pattern of a Taiji Eight Trigrams Plate, carved with various ancient seal characters. In many Sect Residences, places like the treasure room are the most critical forbidden areas within a Sect, typically protected by various magical restrictions and traps. Rashly trying to take the treasures would be the most foolish act. Her gaze scanned the surroundings and then suddenly, she extended her hand and blew out a little firebird. With the flapping of its wings, the firebird seemed very agile, circling the entire room before landing on Xu Yinglian¡¯s shoulder, chirping away. No restrictions¡ªthat¡¯s quite strange. However, Xu Yinglian thought for a moment; if there were restrictions, how could the Flying Asura be at ease letting her come alone? What if she were killed by the restrictions? Clearly, the Flying Asura was certain she could safely retrieve the treasures, which means there truly were no restrictions here¡ªmaybe the Flying Asura had already come here in advance, breaking all the breakable restrictions clean, leaving only the last one specifically to prevent Yin corpses from passing¡­ In an instant, nearly a thousand thoughts cycled through Xu Yinglian¡¯s mind. She approached one of the racks and reached for an elixir bottle on top. Taken. The elixir bottle was made of semi-transparent Liuli, allowing her to see some black, viscous liquid sloshing inside. After checking other elixir bottles around her and finding they contained either elixirs or Spirit Grass, but none other held liquid, she conjectured the Yinhui Yuanshen Water was most likely this black liquid. Xu Yinglian sighed and collected all the elixir bottles. Her eyes then returned to the racks around her, featuring a variety of Flying Swords, bells, small cauldrons, Bright Mirrors, jade pots, Dharma Seals¡­ and so on, a dazzling array of magical treasures. It was a shame, though, that all were emitting deep-colored glows, clearly all pure Demonic Path magical treasures. To wield these treasures with their greatest power, one must refine at least a trace of impure Qi within one¡¯s body. However, the cultivation of impure Qi, with pure Qi as the main and impure as the auxiliary, is unique to the Demon Cults. Orthodox Sects do not practice with impure Qi and Xu Yinglian cultivated the ¡°Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra¡±, her meridians filled only with pure Qi, devoid of any residual impure Qi. Thus, these treasures were useless to her, to Senior Brother Qiu, and to other Kunlun Cultivators. So, she could only pack them into a Storage Bag to bring back to Kunlun for disposal. She cleaned out the entire room, leaving only the Hiltless Locust Wood Sword hanging on the wall. The life of Senior Brother Qiu hinged on this sword. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Xu Yinglian took a deep breath and was about to solemnly reach for it when suddenly, a hand as pale and smooth as jade snatched the Locust Wood Sword from the side. Who?! Xu Yinglian instinctively dodged to the side and turned to look. The owner of that hand was a charming red-haired man with deep-set eyes, clad in a black robe, his body shrouded in Demonic Qi. He was now fondling the Hiltless Locust Wood Sword in his hand. ¡°Who might you be?¡± Xu Yinglian asked coldly. ¡°Demon Lord Wei Dongliu.¡± The man curled his lip into a smile, his double pupils contracting as he looked over with an eerie gaze. Chapter 319 - Chapter 319: Chapter 36 Performance Chapter 319: Chapter 36 Performance Qiu Changtian felt somewhat uncomfortable. It was mainly because someone was choking him by the neck, and the Flying Asura¡¯s nails were long and dark, with what seemed like mysterious old mud inside, making him feel quite uneasy. If he were to accidentally get scratched, could he be infected by corpse poison? ¡°Loosen up a bit,¡± Qiu Changtian suddenly said, ¡°aren¡¯t you tired of choking me like this?¡± ¡°Not tired,¡± the Flying Asura said with a smirk. ¡°I can¡¯t let you run away. I still have to drag you to negotiate with your wife.¡± ¡°With your current realm, if I could still get away, then the name of the Flying Asura wouldn¡¯t be worth much,¡± Qiu Changtian remarked. ¡°That¡¯s none of your concern,¡± the Flying Asura chuckled, ¡°We zombies don¡¯t care about face or reputation, all that is nothing.¡± Qiu Changtian had nothing to say in response, realizing this person was purposely playing with him, so he closed his mouth. Suddenly, a huge explosion sounded from the treasury in front. The Flying Asura abruptly stood up restraining Qiu Changtian and headed forward, with a ferocious expression. That¡¯s not right! There shouldn¡¯t be any restrictions left there, could it be that¡­ Just as he reached the entrance of the treasury, he saw Xu Yinglian¡¯s body being thrown out from inside. The Flying Asura, holding Qiu Changtian, quickly dodged to the side. They watched as Xu Yinglian, like a rag doll, was heavily smashed against the wall on the opposite side, tumbled awkwardly a few times, and then passed out. Qiu Changtian¡¯s pupils shrank suddenly, his heart churning violently: What happened? How did Junior Sister Xu get injured? Could it be that there were restrictions inside that had not been lifted and she accidentally triggered one? Damn you, what kind of rubbish Flying Asura are you, not even knowing whether there are any restrictions in the treasury? My Junior Sister Xu has suffered such serious injuries, I will not share the sky with you! Then, everyone saw a Demon Lord with red hair and heavy pupils casually walk out of the treasury, toying with a hiltless locust wood sword in his hand. Qiu Changtian: ¡­¡­¡­ Flying Asura: ¡­¡­¡­ Who is this person? Qiu Changtian was only startled for a moment, then his reaction sharply came. Damn! Wei Dongliu! Isn¡¯t this my future self? The Demon Lord looked over arrogantly, with contempt in his double-layered pupils, and slowly said: ¡°The Chief Disciple of Kunlun¡¯s Foundation Establishment Realm, oh? And a Flying Asura¡­¡± Qiu Changtian kept silent, suppressing the impulse to voice his criticism. He saw the Flying Asura suddenly release him and silently attack the opposite side, its pitch-black claws creating a deep wind noise. Then he was blocked by the hiltless locust wood sword held by Wei Dongliu. When the Flying Asura¡¯s claws touched the sword¡¯s blade, they made a terrifyingsound as if being corroded, and its expression distorted terribly. ¡°Is that all?¡± Wei Dongliu sneered, ¡°This is the level of your power without lifting the seal?¡± Qiu Changtian was speechless. You really know how to play the part, the template for invincible character setting should just be given to you to brush. He quickly retreated to Xu Yinglian¡¯s side, swiftly checking her physical condition. Fortunately, she sustained no fatal injuries, just that demonic qi had entered her body and temporarily sealed some of her meridians¡­ Looking up again, he heard the Flying Asura let out a scream, its body sent flying and hitting the wall heavily before rolling onto the ground, immobile as if it had been sealed again. Wei Dongliu put away the hiltless locust wood sword and approached. Qiu Changtian instinctively looked up to meet his gaze, and heard the Demon Lord say: ¡°I¡¯ll take the Flying Asura with me. Shiping Mountain just happens to need a monster to act as guardian.¡± ¡°Your master and my companion are on their way here, so we can¡¯t just walk out in a friendly manner, you understand?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Qiu Changtian stood up, sighing, ¡°But you should know that with my invincible character setting, I can¡¯t lose, right?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to fight to a conclusion,¡± Wei Dongliu waved his hand. ¡­¡­¡­ Xu Yinglian slowly opened her eyes. The dazzling spell light and the loud noise immediately snapped her out of her drowsy state. She quickly rolled up and then hurriedly scanned her surroundings. The space nearby was so spacious, this must be the main hall of the White Bone Divine Palace. Wait, where¡¯s my senior brother? What about the Flying Asura? And that Demon Lord¡­ Suddenly she looked up and saw Qiu Changtian in the sky, launching Divine Thunder with a backhanded strike, forcing the red-haired, dual-pupiled Demon Lord to retreat. The opponent laughed loudly a few times and raised his hand, then three streaks of golden light fell from the sky. Qiu Changtian cut through one with the Yu Long Sword, shot down the second one with Jade Pivot Thunder from his right hand, and repelled the third one with Shangyang Sword Qi from his left hand. In the blink of an eye between rising and swooping, he completely defended against the opponent¡¯s deadly move. The three streaks of golden light were all intercepted but did not dissipate, instead swirling around several times before returning to Wei Dongliu¡¯s side, emitting a piercing scream. With a body golden and red, segments of an armored shell, a large, fierce, and sharp mouth, and silently flapping wings moving at high speed, wasn¡¯t that¡­ ¡­the long-lost Hundred Poison Golden Silkworm Gu?! Xu Yinglian felt a chill in her heart, but then she heard Qiu Changtian suddenly say out loud, ¡°Junior Sister Xu, be careful on your right!¡± Xu Yinglian quickly turned her head and saw two people walking out from the other side of the rear hall of the White Bone Divine Palace. One of them was clothed in a dark robe with silver trimmings, an ancient hairpin holding up his hair, and ornaments made of bone on his shoulders. He had a beauty resembling that of a woman; it was Wen Yang, the Judge from the Nether Ghost Path. Having encountered him more than a decade ago in the Long Mountain Vein, the Xu Family of Southern Heaven had looked up information on this individual, so Xu Yinglian recognized him at a glance. The other was dressed in a pale purple gown, with a green hairpin securing a bun, jade bracelets on her wrists, and silver bells on her ankles. Her delicate features carried a crafty and enchanting smile; she was the ¡°Little Witch¡± of the Heavenly Demon Path, Jiang Liyan. Xu Yinglian had also recently heard of her, as it was rumored that ¡°Little Heavenly Demon¡± Ai Zhenzhi from the Heavenly Demon Path had died by this Junior Sister¡¯s hand. Just as these two emerged from the rear hall, seeing the fierce spell battle in the sky, they too were briefly stunned. However, they quickly reacted and attacked Xu Yinglian from both sides. Wen Yang silently moved to the left, raising his hand to release a mass of ghost shadows that surged out of his sleeves like a tidal wave. Jiang Liyan also flicked her robe sleeves, and more than a dozen Demon Heads tumbled to the ground, transforming into hideous and fierce warriors who rode the black wind as they charged. Xu Yinglian was about to step back when she suddenly noticed that Jian Qingnan was unconscious at her feet. She couldn¡¯t retreat! If she retreated here, Junior Sister Jian would surely perish on the spot, and they might turn to attack Senior Brother! As thoughts whirled in her mind, Xu Yinglian¡¯s eyes widened as she rapidly formed Daoist formulas with her hands, and her True Yuan surged vigorously, chanting aloud, ¡°Floating Morning Light, shine forth ten thousand ren!¡± From her mouth and nose, She burst out with a surge of bright flame, instantly turning half of the space in front of her into a sea of fire. ¡°Great Bright Fire!¡± Wen Yang shouted in alarm, ¡°It¡¯s the Phoenix Immortal¡¯s fire, we mustn¡¯t touch it, retreat first!¡± He swiftly moved backward, while bringing his two fingers together, chanting sharply, ¡°Red-tailed Multiriver, cold killing tide arrives!¡± Around him, a great deal of frosty white vapor emerged from thin air, resisting the fire that surged from all directions. However, it was barely enough to form a small circle free of fire. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Clearly, Xu Yinglian¡¯s Great Bright Fire was stronger than his Multiriver Cold Technique. ¡°Utterly useless!¡± Seeing that the two couldn¡¯t resist, Wei Dongliu had to rapidly descend, snapping his fingers, and the three Hundred Poison Golden Silkworm Gus charged into the sea of fire. Xu Yinglian hurriedly maneuvered the Feather Jia Sword to intercept, but saw three streaks of golden light penetrate the sea of fire, knocking the Feather Jia Sword away and rushing towards her face. Another bolt of Divine Thunder fell, blasting the three golden silkworms away. Qiu Changtian landed beside her, hoisted the unconscious Jian Qingnan onto his back, and rapidly said, ¡°Junior Sister Jian is still unconscious, a prolonged battle is disadvantageous, we must retreat fast!¡± Chapter 320 - Chapter 320: Chapter 37 Miss Shi Fights Back with Renewed Vigor! Chapter 320: Chapter 37 Miss Shi Fights Back with Renewed Vigor! ¡°` Qiu Changtian, along with Junior Sister Xu Yinglian and the unconscious burden Jian Qingnan, fought and retreated, withdrawing all the way from White Bone Divine Palace to return to the passage above. Jiang Liyan and Wen Yang pursued them, closing in rapidly from behind, only to be repelled time and again by Qiu Changtian¡¯s Divine Thunder or Xu Yinglian¡¯s Bright Flame. Wei Dongliu followed silently behind, using the Hiltless Locust Wood Sword to control the Flying Asura, who reluctantly dragged its feet. Sometimes, when Xu Yinglian¡¯s Great Bright Fire went overboard and drove the two pursuers back, Wei Dongliu would send out the Hundred Poison Golden Silkworm Gu to force Xu Yinglian to stop her spells. Then Qiu Changtian would take action to rescue her, driving the Hundred Poison Golden Silkworm Gu back. After repeating this cycle three or four times, Qiu Changtian and his companions finally left the surface of Long Mountain and arrived back on the ground. Just then, a streak of Sword Light appeared on the horizon¡ªit was the Ziwei Master. As Wei Dongliu and the others emerged from underground, they saw the Ziwei Master point a finger, and the Tai Yi Dividing Light Sword transformed into countless sword shadows, falling like rain from above. ¡°Go.¡± Wei Dongliu¡¯s command rang out, and the Flying Asura turned into a black light, enveloping everyone before shooting off toward the east. ¡°You all head back to Kunlun first.¡± The Ziwei Master waved his horsetail whisk and then rode the Tai Yi Dividing Light Sword, flying off towards the eastern horizon. Qiu Changtian: ¡­¡­¡­ It¡¯s over, my master is coming to kill me, what should I do? I never should have let Junior Sister Xu go to deliver the message! I¡¯ve simply courted death. ¡°With Master intervening, those demonic cultivators are sure not to escape,¡± Xu Yinglian said, mistaking Qiu Changtian¡¯s dismal expression as frustration for not being able to show his full might (since he had to protect the two Junior Sisters) and comforted him. Thus, Qiu Changtian felt even worse. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± he said with a forced smile. Regardless, now that I know my master will make an appearance at the last moment, Wei Dongliu¡­ or the future me, would have also anticipated this. I must trust the future me to have the wisdom and means to resolve the difficulties! The two controlled their swords and returned to the Kunlun Golden Ridge Cave Abode, where Qiu Changtian placed Jian Qingnan in her own dwelling. ¡°You stay here and watch over her. I¡¯ll go find someone from the Duty Hall to come over,¡± he instructed Xu Yinglian. ¡°Alright.¡± Xu Yinglian nodded in agreement. Qiu Changtian left Golden Ridge on his sword to find a Golden Core True Person responsible for healing at the Duty Hall to check on Jian Qingnan¡¯s condition. The check-up result was quite normal: it was just ordinary depletion of essence and qi, and some aged He Shou Wu would do the trick. After sending off the Golden Core True Person, Qiu Changtian suddenly thought of something, looked at his waist, and then sighed deeply. All the items that Junior Sister Xu took from the treasure room of the White Bone Divine Palace, along with her own Storage Bag¡¯s contents, had been taken by Wei Dongliu. After he took out the demonic path treasures, he threw the rest to Qiu Changtian without any consideration of how he would deal with them. Qiu Changtian inspected the items closely; most of them were elixirs, spirit grasses, as well as some spare flying swords and magical treasures. I definitely can¡¯t just give these back to Junior Sister Xu! Otherwise, how would I explain where they came from? But if I don¡¯t return them to her, I can¡¯t use them myself¡­ It would be even worse if Junior Sister Xu accidentally saw them, than if I just returned them to her and couldn¡¯t explain. Uh, I¡¯ve got it. I can give them to Long Long for use! While I¡¯ve been impersonating Long Long, I¡¯ve been mixing in the Eastern Emperor Demon Realm, so Junior Sister Xu will definitely not discover it. Therefore, he called out to the Kunlun Mirror in his Sea of Consciousness: ¡°Ah Jing, time to load the file.¡± ¡°Load Wei Dongliu?¡± asked the Kunlun Mirror. ¡°No, let¡¯s start with Luo Yan,¡± Qiu Changtian answered, ¡°I need to think carefully about how the future me will deal with Master¡¯s pursuit.¡± ¡°Alright then,¡± the Kunlun Mirror began to activate the spell. [Location Three: Penglai Jade Pure View, Heavenly Craft Workshop.] [Character Identity: Luo Yan.] ¡°` [Mirror Flower Water Moon template overlay, now time-space traveling.] Having arrived at Heavenly Craft Workshop, Luo Yan still, as usual, finished today¡¯s formation homework, then went to find his master, Elder Shi Ding, to report on his progress. But he discovered that Elder Shi Ding was not there, and only Shi Liuli was practicing in the courtyard¡­ Wait, Miss Shi actually cultivates?! Luo Yan stood at the entrance of the courtyard, watching Shi Liuli practice her swordsmanship, her pretty little face filled with a serious expression. Then he turned around and rubbed his eyes. Yes, there must be some mistake somewhere. Just as Luo Yan turned to leave, Shi Liuli caught sight of his figure and hastily rushed over to grab him: ¡°Junior Brother, Junior Brother! Hurry up and practice with me aaaaah!¡± Luo Yan stood frozen on the spot, for a moment feeling an impulse to cry rivers of tears. My Miss Shi has finally grown up, learning to cultivate on her own¡­ ¡°Wait a minute, Senior Sister,¡± he suddenly turned around and asked curiously, ¡°why have you suddenly become so diligent?¡± Shi Liuli was also startled for a moment, then said with a somber look: ¡°Second Senior Sister¡­ She betrayed Heavenly Craft Workshop, didn¡¯t she?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Luo Yan nodded and said. As for Lei Caiyan¡¯s so-called theory of ¡°I was a traitor from the beginning, so there¡¯s no such thing as betrayal,¡± because it was too ridiculous, he didn¡¯t mention it here. ¡°I want to become stronger,¡± Shi Liuli said after a moment of silence, a rare seriousness on her face. ¡°I want to find Second Senior Sister and ask her why she betrayed us.¡± ¡°If her reasons don¡¯t convince me, I will avenge Fourth Senior Brother on her behalf.¡± Luo Yan: ¡­¡­¡­. Well, although she seemed to still harbor some unrealistic hopes, at least she had grown in a way. ¡°So that¡¯s how it is, I support you, Senior Sister,¡± he then revealed a falsely sincere smile, ¡°What does Senior Sister want to practice? Daoist magic or swordsmanship?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s practice swordsmanship first,¡± Shi Liuli hesitated for a moment, and said, ¡°This sword of mine is called ¡®Purple Extreme Han Yuan,¡¯ and I obtained it from the secret realm within Kuocang Mountain.¡± ¡°The old gentleman in the secret realm said my Sword Control Technique was not yet adept, but seeing that my cultivation of the Five Latitudes Heavenly Secret Record highly synchronized with the Immortal Sword, he gave it to me as a gift.¡± She should not have mentioned that; hearing it, Luo Yan could not help but feel a little envious. I struggled to gather information, decipher the mechanisms of the secret realm, and after all the effort to break through the secret realm, all I got was some advice from the old gentleman. Miss Shi was sent into the secret realm by me and came back not only with Magical Treasures but also an Immortal Sword and even the Art Calculation secret technique? Who exactly is the one favored by fate? How about you go search for the Heaven-Mending Stone instead! He suppressed the strange emotions in his heart, and his smile became warmer and more cordial: ¡°Alright then, since Senior Sister wants to practice the sword, I will naturally keep you company.¡± After the Peach Blossom Sword shattered while fending off the Ghost Dragon attack at the bottom of the Five Qi Dynasty Yuan Cave, he asked his eldest senior brother, Linghu Chu, for a new Ninth Rank Earth System Flying Sword called ¡®Liancheng.¡¯ The grade rank was so-so, toughness and strength were fairly outstanding, but as for the Sword Dao techniques¡­ given that it was merely Ninth Rank, it¡¯s better left unsaid. ¡°Junior Brother,¡± Shi Liuli hesitated and said, ¡°That sword was given to you by Eldest Senior Brother, it¡¯s just Ninth Rank, isn¡¯t it? My Purple Extreme Han Yuan Sword is Tenth Rank, you would be too disadvantaged in a spar, wouldn¡¯t you? How about I go find a Ninth Rank sword too¡­¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°No need,¡± Luo Yan said with a full-faced smile, ¡°This Purple Extreme Han Yuan Sword is what you, Senior Sister, need to get accustomed to using. As for other attribute Flying Swords, what difference does it make if you get the hang of them?¡± ¡°As for being at a disadvantage, that¡¯s alright. I am after all the junior brother, with a Cultivation Realm lower than Senior Sister¡¯s, and the disparity between us cannot be equalized just by balancing out Flying Sword grades. This time we should not worry about winning or losing. We should only focus on sparring to hone our swordsmanship and mutually promote our growth.¡± With each sentence he spoke, his Falsehood persona Synchronization Value rose by a point, so much so that both the Kunlun Mirror and the Green Duckweed Sword couldn¡¯t bear to watch, clicking their tongues. ¡°Okay then,¡± the innocently naive Miss Shi nodded her head, thinking she should not take advantage of her junior brother and decided to practice with him using eighty percent of her strength to make up for the disparity in Flying Sword grades. An hour later, after losing twenty matches in a row, Shi Liuli had fallen into a state of questioning her life. Chapter 321 - Chapter 321: Chapter 38: Its Up to You Now Chapter 321: Chapter 38: It¡¯s Up to You Now ¡°` ¡°Junior Sister seems to have become more diligent lately,¡± Linghu Chu said as he walked into the hall. ¡°I just passed by the front courtyard and saw her still practicing the Sword Control Technique with Junior Brother.¡± ¡°She should have done so long ago,¡± Liang Ruohua said coldly. ¡°If it hadn¡¯t been for her leaving the temple without permission that day, causing Master to go out to look for her and leave the temple unattended, how could that traitor have find the opportunity to strike?¡± ¡°Cough, Junior Sister is being too harsh on her,¡± Linghu Chu coughed and said. ¡°How could Junior Sister have foreseen that Yuqing View would suffer such a catastrophe?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about this time,¡± Liang Ruohua said icily. ¡°How she has treated us in the past, and how we have treated her, Senior Brother must have seen it all.¡± ¡°Even if she is the youngest and didn¡¯t understand, that would be fine. But after Junior Brother Shi¡¯s death, have you ever seen her feel any remorse? She still refers to that traitor as Second Senior Sister to this day!¡± Linghu Chu sighed helplessly. He actually understood the reason for Liang Ruohua¡¯s anger towards Shi Liuli: If Master had not gone out to find her that day, Lei Caiyan would probably not have had the courage to sneak into his study, and she would not have been discovered by Shi Wenshi, which led to him taking lethal action. Now everyone in Yuqing View knew that the traitor was Lei Caiyan, the second disciple of Heavenly Craft Workshop, and this had caused Heavenly Craft Workshop to bear much of the grudge from their fellow sect members. Even True Person Shi Ding, their Master, had to personally apologize to the Elders at the temple assembly, claiming his failure to ¡°recognize people clearly¡±¡­ But before Lei Caiyan was taken into the temple, her background was indeed clean, and she had not practiced any cultivation techniques. She showed no flaws in her words and behavior; who could detect that she was a spy from Hell Path? How many hidden agents had Hell Path infiltrated into the major sects over the past, and how many were discovered before they actively exposed themselves? After all, everyone was harboring grievances and just needed a scapegoat to vent, that was all! Linghu Chu, looking gloomy, stepped out the door and saw Shi Liuli practicing her swordsmanship with Luo Yan. More precisely, she was being unilaterally overwhelmed by Luo Yan. He couldn¡¯t help but stop and watch. After a while, he started to marvel. How should he put it? Luo Yan¡¯s swordsmanship¡­ was ingeniously simple! Although it was the most basic East Sea Coral Sword of Yuqing View, when wielded by Luo Yan, it was as if effortlessly executed and as unpredictable as a hanging antelope¡¯s horns. On one hand, it retained its agile and elegant movements, and on the other hand, it perfectly matched the orthodox techniques. If compared with the Shushan Shangqing Temple, which specialized in swordsmanship, it would not be much inferior. Then looking at Junior Sister, even though her Immortal Sword was of a higher grade and her swordsmanship even more ethereal, it seemed as though she did not grasp the essence. Luo Yan only needed to vary his moves slightly, and she would react in a panicked rush to counter, resulting in the rhythm being completely controlled by Luo Yan. He easily tore a clear hole in her swordsmanship defense, then defeated her cleanly and briskly. ¡°Sister, you¡¯re too tense,¡± Luo Yan said as he stopped his Sword Control, sighing. ¡°Didn¡¯t we say it before? I fight my way; you fight yours.¡± ¡°Why did your sword immediately follow when mine attacked from the left?¡± ¡°I was scared!¡± Miss Shi stamped her feet in frustration. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid,¡± Luo Yan said helplessly, waving his hand, ¡°In the face of an attack, sometimes you indeed need to defend, but sometimes you have to counterattack.¡± ¡°Come, I¡¯ll use these sword techniques again, watch carefully¡­¡± Linghu Chu watched the two practice swordsmanship together, their intimate and harmonious appearance, and felt the gloom in his heart dispersing quite a bit. Suddenly, he saw Elder Shi Ding hurriedly walking in from outside. ¡°Liuli, Luo Yan,¡± he said with a stern face. ¡°Both of you, come with me quickly¡­ uh, remember to bring all your personal belongings, and don¡¯t leave behind any Elixirs or Magical Treasures.¡± Luo Yan and Shi Liuli were still confused, but Linghu Chu had already stepped forward, frowning and said: ¡°` ¡°Master, could it be¡­?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Elder Shi Ding said solemnly, ¡°The sect is short of manpower, and since they are both cultivators at the Refining Mansion stage, they must now go to the front line as well.¡± He briefly explained to them that ever since the ¡°Attack on Penglai by One Hundred Thousand Demons and Fiends,¡± within the thirty-six heavens of the East Sea, a whopping twenty factions had rebelly. Now, the Penglai Yuqing Sect was dispatching a large number of cultivators to launch a massive siege on these twenty rebellious factions to ensure its prestige and dominion over the East Sea region. Otherwise, if they couldn¡¯t suppress the rebellion swiftly and decisively, the remaining sixteen sects of the East Sea who were still watching might also follow suit in establishing their own sects. The problem was that the Penglai Yuqing Sect itself had been greatly weakened, with a significant loss of both high-rank and intermediate-rank cultivators in the last encirclement. As a result, even on the battlefield of the Golden Core Realm, they had to mobilize manpower from among the Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators at the Refining Mansion stage to support the True Persons on the battlefield. Under normal circumstances, given that the Heavenly Craft Workshop was the leading artifact-refining faction of the Yuqing Sect, coupled with True Person Shi Ding¡¯s influence and connections, the task of conscription would not have fallen to Shi Liuli and Luo Yan. But in the previous calamity, it happened that there was a traitor from the Heavenly Craft Workshop, hence Elder Shi Ding could not decline this time but had to agree. ¡°The battle team you are to join this time is attacking the sect of Moon Island in the East Sea,¡± Elder Shi Ding said in a lowered voice. ¡°The lineage of Moon Island was famous for the Postnatal Five Elements Great Extermination Divine Light during the ancient era of the Clarify Cult and was once a powerful faction in the East Sea.¡± ¡°However, the cultivation of the Five Elements Divine Light secret technique requires the Five Elements True Veins of Acquired Nature, which are extremely rare and precious, hence it has been lost in the East Sea for many years.¡± ¡°The present Moon Island lineage, however, specializes in the Five Elements Techniques. The cultivators there have generally moderate cultivation levels, but their offensive methods are exceptionally formidable.¡± ¡°The person responsible for leading the team is True Person Shui Lian from next door. I have already entrusted them to his care.¡± ¡°On your trip to the battlefield of Moon Island this time, you two must follow his arrangements, do not act recklessly! Do you understand?¡± ¡°Understood,¡± seeing Elder Shi Ding¡¯s serious expression, both of them hastily agreed in unison. Yet Shi Liuli could hardly contain her excitement, eager to immediately join the battlefield and display all that she had learned from the secret realms. Luo Yan was aware of the dangers of the battlefront being blind to who you are and understood that Elder Shi Ding¡¯s earnest instructions were mostly directed at him (since Miss Shi was too capricious, no matter how much was said, she might not listen), reminding him to take utmost care in protecting her. Therefore, he smoothly added: ¡°I and my senior sister will definitely heed True Person Shui Lian¡¯s orders on this trip to Moon Island and will absolutely not act rashly!¡± ¡°Very good,¡± Elder Shi Ding showed a look of relief, though worry still shadowed his eyes. ¡°Master.¡± Linghu Chu also spoke up, ¡°What if I also¡­¡± ¡°You and Ruohua have other arrangements,¡± Elder Shi Ding said helplessly with a wave of his hand. How could he not wish for Linghu Chu to accompany them, ensuring the safety of Luo Yan and Shi Liuli throughout the journey? Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only After all, one of them was his chosen successor, and the other was his beloved daughter. The loss of either would be unbearably painful for Elder Shi Ding. However, the world was beginning to show signs of chaos; surely Linghu Chu couldn¡¯t protect them for their entire lives, could he? Once Linghu Chu formed his Nascent Soul, he would leave the Heavenly Craft Workshop to establish his own lineage. With the second disciple, Lei Caiyan, having already betrayed them, and once the eldest disciple Linghu Chu departed, the sect¡¯s highest remaining cultivator would be the third disciple, Liang Ruohua, who was merely at the Soul Storing Rank of the Golden Core Realm¡­ The line of battle strength would be broken. Luo Yan, Liuli, your future¡­ must now rely on yourselves! Chapter 322 - Chapter 322: Chapter 39 The Heavenly Craft Hundred Treasure Pouch Chapter 322: Chapter 39 The Heavenly Craft Hundred Treasure Pouch Before setting off, Elder Shi Ding once again confirmed the status of the two individuals: His beloved daughter, Shi Liuli, practiced the Qi Refining Technique ¡°Five Latitudes Heavenly Secret Record¡±, a high-end Qi refining method that invokes Stellar Force and inherently incorporates various derived Divine Skills and Daoist Magic. Her Flying Sword was the Purple Extreme Han Yuan Sword, forged, it was said, from Stellar Meteoric Iron, and considered a mid-level piece among Tenth Rank Immortal Swords. Her Magical Treasure, the Divine Striking Whip, had been lost last time, but Miss Shi had acquired some extremely potent Microcosmic Starlight Sand from the Hidden Realm of Kuocang Mountain. When activated by the power of the stars, this Magical Treasure unleashes a vast river of starlight sand that flows magnificently, a perfect secret treasure ideal for both offense and defense. As for other Protective Dharma Treasures like the Divine Fire Mantle, as well as Talisman Scripts, there is no need to mention them here. The Direct Disciple, Luo Yan, studied the Qi Refining Technique ¡°Three Flowers Gathering Spirit Technique¡± from the Heavenly Craft Workshop lineage¡ªa very basic breathing and cultivation method without any derived Daoist Magic. His Flying Sword, ¡°Liancheng¡±, was a Ninth Rank Earth System sword crafted by Linghu Chu, naturally unable to compare with a Tenth Rank sword. His Magical Treasure, the Heaven-flipping Seal, was the typical heavy-hitting type and also one of the few offensive methods Luo Yan had at his disposal¡­ Elder Shi Ding felt somewhat ashamed because he normally only taught Luo Yan about Formations, which needed to be set up in advance and were difficult to deploy spontaneously in battle. Even the previous Immortal Slaying Sword Formation had been successful only after breaking Yuqing View¡¯s Protective Sect Array, buying time for its setup to deal with the subsequent threat from Kunlun¡¯s Taiqing Sect¡ªyet even so, the formation was set in such haste that Qiu Changtian managed to find a gap and break through it. After much thought, Elder Shi Ding sighed, removed his Storage Bag, and solemnly handed it over to Luo Yan, saying: ¡°Luo Yan, this is the ¡®Heavenly Craft Hundred Treasures Bag¡¯. From today on, it belongs to you.¡± Luo Yan was startled, asking incredulously: ¡°Master, is this not¡­¡± Shi Liuli and Linghu Chu at his side also wore faces of disbelief. The reason was simple: the Heavenly Craft Hundred Treasures Bag was the Magical Treasure that had made Elder Shi Ding¡¯s name. Filled with almost ten thousand years of various high level Magic Artifacts produced by the Heavenly Craft Workshop, it was staggering in array¡ªas awe-inspiring as Doraemon¡¯s 4-dimensional pocket. Even inside Yuqing View, a saying circulated: ¡°He who holds the Hundred Treasures Bag holds the Heavenly Craft Workshop,¡± a claim Elder Shi Ding had never denied. Even the elders and senior disciples within the workshop privately believed that such a precious Magical Treasure would surely be given to the future inheritor of the Heavenly Craft Workshop and would never be let outside. Now, Elder Shi Ding entrusting the Hundred Treasures Bag to Luo Yan was quite beyond everyone¡¯s expectations. Although they might have guessed something on normal days, they never thought it would come this soon, especially considering that disciple brother Luo Yan hadn¡¯t even formed his Golden Core yet! ¡°Master, I can¡¯t accept this¡­,¡± Luo Yan refused, afraid to take the Hundred Treasures Bag, and hastily added, ¡°My cultivation level is still shallow, and the leadership of the Heavenly Craft Workshop should remain with Master.¡± ¡°Who said anything about giving you control of the Heavenly Craft Workshop?¡± Elder Shi Ding replied with surprise, ¡°I¡¯m just giving you this Hundred Treasures Bag for protection. After all, you have far too few means of protecting yourself, and I worry you won¡¯t be able to safeguard Liuli outside.¡± ¡°Cough, cough!¡± Realizing he might have overstepped, Luo Yan quickly corrected himself, ¡°The Hundred Treasures Bag is too valuable, I really can¡¯t accept it!¡± ¡°Then consider it a loan from me,¡± Elder Shi Ding declared with a gesture, reminiscent of Miss Shi furiously borrowing the Heaven-flipping Seal back in the day. Knowing his master had made up his mind and insisted on giving him the Hundred Treasures Bag, Luo Yan earnestly accepted it, saying: ¡°Rest assured, Master, I will protect my senior sister well.¡± ¡°Hey, hey, hey!¡± Finally, Shi Liuli snapped out of her shock, protesting excitedly, ¡°What do you mean with Luo Yan protecting me? Clearly, I¡¯m the one protecting him!¡± ¡°Ah, of course, of course,¡± Luo Yan quickly amended, ¡°because the disciple brother¡¯s strength is too weak, that¡¯s why Master bestowed the Hundred Treasures Bag for protection, please don¡¯t misunderstand, senior sister.¡± ¡°What have I misunderstood?¡± Shi Liuli puffed up with annoyance, ¡°Don¡¯t think¡­don¡¯t think that just because your Sword Control Technique won me a dozen or so matches, your strength is above mine!¡± ¡°How could that be!¡± Luo Yan immediately retorted, ¡°I have always held great admiration for Senior Sister!¡± Seeing Luo Yan repel Miss Shi¡¯s unreasonable fuss with just a few words, Elder Shi Ding and Linghu Chu couldn¡¯t help but laugh. Not to mention anything else, just the fact that he could take good care of Shi Liuli alone suggested that he was likely the only one fit to be the future heir of the Heavenly Craft Workshop. Thus, Elder Shi Ding took them to the gathering point, explaining the usage of the Heavenly Craft Treasure Bag to Luo Yan along the way. The Heavenly Craft Treasure Bag, in fact, consists of two parts: the first is ¡°Heavenly Craft,¡± which is the Artifact Spirit of the Treasure Bag, capable of swiftly summoning the required Magical Treasure according to the user¡¯s needs. The second is ¡°Treasures,¡± which are the various Magic Artifacts that Elder Shi Ding has been filling it with over the past ten thousand years¡ªat least one hundred thousand in number. For instance, if Luo Yan and Shi Liuli were being pursued, Luo Yan would need to send a wisp of Divine Sense into the Treasure Bag with details of the external situation. Then the Heavenly Work Spirit would spit out a corresponding Magic Artifact based on the situation. This treasure might be a divine artifact for escaping, instantly transporting everyone thousands of miles away; or it might be an offensive Magical Treasure specifically designed to counter the pursuing enemies¡­ In short, according to Elder Shi Ding, the core of the Heavenly Craft Treasure Bag is not the Treasures, but the Heavenly Work Spirit itself. Most cultivators in this world only specialize in one or two types of Daoist Magic or swordsmanship, because if they learn too much, they won¡¯t know how to apply it when sudden situations arise. Every strategy must have a core! The Heavenly Work Spirit of the Heavenly Craft Treasure Bag is a very special ¡°strategic core¡± that can help the user deal with all kinds of emergencies. As a result, the user doesn¡¯t need to spend a lot of time practicing Daoist Magic, swordsmanship, and other practical combat techniques for self-preservation, and can thus focus on studying Formation¡­ ¡°Daoist Magic, swordsmanship, they are just minor paths,¡± Elder Shi Ding concluded, ¡°Even if your Daoist Magic is formidable and your swordsmanship sharp, winning a thousand or ten thousand battles, being unbeatable, what use is that?¡± ¡°If you lose just once, it could mean death and the end of your Daoist journey.¡± ¡°The greatest good is like water, which excels by not competing. The way to certain victory is to win without fighting. Remember this.¡± ¡°Disciple will bear it in mind,¡± Luo Yan said earnestly. Therefore, the Heavenly Craft Treasure Bag is actually a special Magical Treasure designed by Elder Shi Ding to compensate for the lack of experience in magical competition. As for the advice of his generous master, of course, he listened with an open mind and never entertained the thought of repenting. If Luo Yan were truly just Luo Yan, he could indeed concentrate on studying the way of Formations, become an Array Master, be heavily protected by the Penglai Jade Pure Sect, and live a carefree life from then on. However, he intended to steal the Heaven-Mending Stone¡­ which meant he was destined to become the public enemy of the major Sects. With no experience in magical competition, should he just sit back and wait for death after mending the heavens? What a joke! Luo Yan, following the instructions from Elder Shi Ding, extended his Divine Sense into the Heavenly Craft Treasure Bag. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°If I encounter danger, you can bring out a Magical Treasure that can handle it, right?¡± he asked for confirmation. The Heavenly Craft Treasure Bag did not answer, but it popped out an item, which Luo Yan quickly caught. It was actually an Elixir Bottle. Upon opening the cap of the Elixir Bottle, Luo Yan smelled the scent and knew that it contained Meditative Pills. These pills were common, mainly used to treat anxiety, internal heat, and restlessness of the mind¡­ Chapter 323 - Chapter 323: Chapter 40 Disaster Strikes the Southern March Chapter 323: Chapter 40 Disaster Strikes the Southern March Soon, Luo Yan and Shi Liuli were sent to the Golden Core True Person, Shui Lian, by Elder Shi Ding. This Golden Core True Person was a man of few words¡ªa silent cultivator, which was unsurprising since many cultivators at the Penglai Yuqing View were of the type who were reticent and immersed in their scholarly pursuits. Accompanying them were two more Golden Core True Persons, along with five Refining Mansion Grade cultivators. Luo Yan briefly recognized them as fellow disciples he had met before but was not particularly close with. ¡°Now that we¡¯re all here, let¡¯s set off,¡± Shui Lian True Person nodded towards Elder Shi Ding, conveying ¡°I will look after them,¡± and then called for everyone to depart. All rose on their Sword Control, Luo Yan and Shi Liuli suddenly looked back, only to see Elder Shi Ding standing at the peak of Mount Penglai, anxiously watching the two leave. Luo Yan couldn¡¯t help but sigh: Elder Shi Ding, a towering figure of a Nascent Soul Cultivator and an artifact-refining mogul, was also troubled and anguished over the safety of his own daughter and disciple. It appeared that even those who pursued the Dao would be encumbered by mundane concerns unless they underwent Feather Transformation and ascended to immortality, unable to freely wander at ease. Shi Liuli felt a bit sad too, but this was soon replaced by the thought of becoming stronger. If I could become as formidable as Kunlun¡¯s Chief Disciple Qiu Changtian, surely my father would no longer be burdened by me¡­ The team flew south on their swords, the journey mostly over the glittering expanse of the sea, occasionally assaulted by aquatic demonic beasts leaping up from the water but swiftly eradicated through various means. Luo Yan discreetly noticed that Shui Lian True Person wielded a horsetail whisk magical treasure. With each wave, countless silver bristles shot out, capable of cleaving mountains and parting seas, penetrating gold and splitting stones, immensely powerful. As for the others, their magical treasures and Flying Swords were nothing exceptional, merely relying on their grade rank to manifest power, not worth mentioning. Everyone says that cultivators from Penglai Yuqing View are not adept at magical competition, but this is not just a lack of skill, it¡¯s utterly weak. In terms of cultivation realm, they don¡¯t match Kunlun; in battle experience, they don¡¯t compare to Shushan. In the end, those who belong to a production profession should not engage in a combat profession¡¯s work, a clear case of not specializing in their craft, wasting it completely. He shook his head unceasingly, while Shi Liuli beside him also started to murmur to herself. If it were the past, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to discern the strength of her colleagues, only seeing the rotation of the Flying Swords, the rapid spinning of the magical treasures, flashy and dazzling¡­ as long as it looked impressive, it was powerful! After such a long seclusion and cultivation in the Kuocang Mountain Secret Realm, and being bullied by Luo Yan for quite a while, Miss Shi had broadened her horizons. Now watching these same realm cultivators fight, they lacked precision, physical strength, and even the capturing of opportunities wasn¡¯t done well. Rubbish! As for Shui Lian True Person, it was only the horsetail whisk magical treasure that was somewhat effective, when activated it shot out large numbers of silver bristles like a sudden downpour or a quick purple lightning¡­ yet it was bluntly used against magical treasures like the Heaven-flipping Seal, whacking heads without any skill involved. However, seeing that Shui Lian True Person seemed to be mainly an alchemy cultivator with scarce experience in combat, this was somewhat normal. At that thought, Shi Liuli suddenly felt something amiss. In this team, aside from me and my junior brother, the combat strength of the rest seems to be not very high, doesn¡¯t it? No, I have to perform a divination. Without attracting attention, she maneuvered her flying sword behind Luo Yan, flipped her right hand in her sleeve, and pulled out six Copper Coins, swiftly placing them in the palm of her left hand before showing them. Shi Liuli: ¡­¡­¡­. Her face turned pale in an instant. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Luo Yan noticed her sneaky act and turned to ask. ¡°Junior brother,¡± Shi Liuli whispered, ¡°let¡¯s make a run for it.¡± Luo Yan: ??? ¡°I just did a divination,¡± Shi Liuli continued, ¡°our team is bound for more misfortune than fortune!¡± ¡°What divination?¡± Luo Yan asked blankly. ¡°It¡¯s the Copper Coin Six Lines Method that the recluse from Kuocang Mountain Secret Realm, the Hidden Xuan Tian Element Commander, taught me last time!¡± Shi Liuli hurriedly explained. Luo Yan was stunned for a while (After all, with several personas switching among one another, he had somewhat forgotten about the events in Kuocang Mountain Secret Realm), before he roughly remembered that Miss Shi seemed to have obtained a treasure in the secret realm, an Immortal Sword, and a secret Art Calculation technique. ¡°What did it say?¡± he asked in a low voice. ¡°Heading south leads to military disaster, bleeding, it¡¯s inauspicious,¡± Shi Liuli replied. Luo Yan became puzzled at once. He wasn¡¯t completely ignorant of Art Calculation; after all, he had the talent of understanding immediately upon hearing, and he had dabbled in all sorts of miscellaneous studies in Yuqing View. In the path of Art Calculation, most of the time the results are quite ambiguous. Art Calculation outcomes like Shi Liuli¡¯s ¡°Do not head south, seeing blood will be extremely ominous¡± ¨C that¡¯s like laying the answer out plainly on your face¡­ truly a rare occurrence. If it were indeed true, then so be it, but what if you, Miss Shi, miscalculated, huh? ¡°Why not calculate it again?¡± Luo Yan suggested cautiously, ¡°Just one Art Calculation result, even Real Person Shuili wouldn¡¯t be convinced, right?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t calculate the same divination twice, do you understand?¡± Shi Liuli scolded him, ¡°If Real Person Shuili won¡¯t listen, we¡¯ll just run away!¡± ¡°But senior sister,¡± Luo Yan patiently reasoned, ¡°although I don¡¯t understand Art Calculation, if we just run away like that, it would make master even more passive within the sect.¡± Shi Liuli was at a loss for words. Indeed, Art Calculation is one thing, politics is another. An ominous Art Calculation result cannot be a legitimate reason to flee, unless they could convince Real Person Shuili. Otherwise, with one letter from the opposition sent back to Yuqing View, Elder Shi Ding would truly be at a loss for words. ¡°I¡¯ll go and talk to Real Person Shuili!¡± Shi Liuli refused to give up. ¡°Alright, senior sister, I support you!¡± Luo Yan said disingenuously. Thus, Shi Liuli went to find the leading Real Person Shuili and recounted the divination to him. ¡°Heavenly Craft Workshop is also adept at the path of Art Calculation?¡± Real Person Shuili asked, frowning. ¡°No,¡± Shi Liuli hastily clarified, ¡°The secret Art Calculation technique I have was learned from a secret realm¡­¡± Luo Yan shook his head as he listened on the side. This Miss Shi is still too naive in her speech. You should just say it came by chance, why tell them it was obtained from a secret realm? What if they covet your secret realm information and harbor ill intentions toward you? Luckily, Real Person Shuili did not show any signs of covetousness, only shaking his head and saying: ¡°In Art Calculation, encountering an ominous result is common.¡± ¡°Although Moon Island lacks high-rank cultivators, it is not entirely without the power to fight back.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Furthermore, the goal of this mission is of utmost importance. I cannot simply alter the strategic plan set by the sect because of one Art Calculation result.¡± Shi Liuli still wanted to persuade him further: ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°You and Luo Yan, my nephew, just stay at the back of the group for now,¡± Real Person Shuili decided without further discussion, ¡°You two don¡¯t need to join the battlefield for the time being.¡± Shi Liuli finally had no choice, turning to Luo Yan with a look of seeking help. Luo Yan responded with a look of helpless love. Chapter 324 - Chapter 324: Chapter 41 Earth Escape on the Run Chapter 324: Chapter 41 Earth Escape on the Run Regarding Miss Shi¡¯s judgment, Luo Yan also reluctantly believed it. Although this young miss was not very reliable on a regular basis, she indeed had an extraordinary destiny and had never failed before. Of course, while she could persuade Luo Yan, she couldn¡¯t convince Water Lian, the real person leading the team. Now it seemed the only option was to head to Moon Island first, and then play it by ear and run if things went awry. When the group reached the vicinity of Moon Island, they saw that the island off in the distance was not very large; its landmass looked like a crescent moon on the water, with sparse trees growing on it. A few cultivators rose into the air on their Flying Swords from the island, shouting in their direction: ¡°The territory of Moon Island is ahead; loose cultivators, stop!¡± No sooner had the words left their mouth than the cultivators from Yuqing View commanded their magical treasures and Flying Swords to wildly attack those few cultivators. The opposing cultivators immediately counterattacked using Five Elements Techniques and fought as they retreated, rapidly falling back to the Sect Residence on the island. Luo Yan and Shi Liuli watched silently from behind, thinking that calling this a fight would be an insult to even the most ineffectual combatants. Water Lian, the real person, ordered a pursuit, and everyone quickly descended in a flurry of Sword Light, landing on the ground. Miss Shi was a bit puzzled and quietly asked Luo Yan: ¡°Aren¡¯t we capable of Sword Control? Why do we have to land on the ground?¡± ¡°In the air, there¡¯s no cover, making it all too easy to be targeted and concentrated fire by cultivators on the ground,¡± explained Luo Yan. ¡°But isn¡¯t the view better from the air?¡± Shi Liuli asked, confused. Luo Yan didn¡¯t answer, thinking that if they were at Shushan, he would definitely have left some people to guard the skies, to prevent any cultivators from escaping into the air. However, considering the average level of the cultivators from the East Sea, he couldn¡¯t expect too much. The group landed on Moon Island and quickly stormed into the residence. Luo Yan and Shi Liuli, having been ordered by Water Lian, the real person, purposefully lagged behind, staying away from the conflict at the front. ¡°I have a bad feeling,¡± Shi Liuli suddenly said. Luo Yan immediately halted his steps, looking around for a few minutes, when suddenly, a vast expanse of yellow light burst forth in the distance. The brilliance was so dazzling that Luo Yan couldn¡¯t help but be reminded of his own Five Elements Divine Light¡­ red, green, yellow, white, black, with the yellow belonging to the earth element being of this color. However, judging by the intensity of the light, it seemed that the one in the distance was even superior. Hmm? He suddenly jolted with a start. If there was a hidden Golden Core or Nascent Soul cultivator on Moon Island in possession of the Postnatal Five Elements Great Extermination Divine Light, lying in ambush within the Sect Residence and directly sweeping them with the Divine Light, how could Water Lian and the others possibly withstand it? Even if their numbers were increased tenfold, they wouldn¡¯t be able to hold on! ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± he quickly whispered to Shi Liuli. ¡°Are we making a run for it?¡± Shi Liuli almost jumped up in surprise. In other words, was the situation with Water Lian already leaning towards the worst? Luo Yan had no time to explain and quickly extended his Divine Sense into the Heavenly Palace Treasure Bag to seek help: ¡°We¡¯re going to die, urgent, urgent, urgent, urgent, urgent, urgent!¡± The Heavenly Palace Treasure Bag quickly popped out two objects, which Luo Yan and Shi Liuli grabbed respectively. Shi Liuli found herself holding an object shaped like a shuttle; Luo Yan just gave it one glance and immediately exclaimed happily: ¡°This is the Earth-Penetrating Divine Shuttle! For using Earth Escape to run away, there¡¯s nothing better!¡± ¡°Then what¡¯s in your hand?¡± Shi Liuli asked with a hint of joy, upon hearing this. Luo Yan got an Elixir Bottle, and after opening it and taking a whiff for a moment, his face immediately darkened. Nima, another Meditative Pill¡­ He didn¡¯t have time to quibble with the Heavenly Work Spirit, urging Miss Shi to activate the Earth-Penetrating Divine Shuttle, swallowing them both before turning around and plunging downward, burrowing into the soil and vanishing in an instant. After a moment more had passed, a large group of Moon Island cultivators arrived at the site. ¡°There should have been two people here just now,¡± a cultivator said. ¡°When the Earth-Collapsing Mountain Formation was activated, we sensed two outsiders here, but by the time those Yuqing View cultivators were killed, those two had disappeared.¡± ¡°There are traces of Earth Escape on the ground,¡± another cultivator inspected the ground briefly and said with a frown, ¡°Only Earth Escape could have gotten them out of the Earth-Collapsing Mountain Formation.¡± ¡°Was it a spell?¡± ¡°It might have been an Earth Escape magical treasure.¡± The surroundings instantly fell quiet for a moment, as if only the sound of the tide churning remained in the world. ¡°Lianshan Treasure Vault!¡± Suddenly, someone exclaimed. This cry woke everyone as if from a dream, almost every Moon Island cultivator¡¯s complexion altered drastically, and they hastily flew at full speed on their swords towards the distance. Lianshan Treasure Vault, rumored to be the creation of a great figure from ancient times, known as the Central Heavenly Monarch, who resided in Yangzhou¡¯s Mojiao Mountain and later underwent Feather Transformation to ascend to immortality, shattering the void and departing. It was said that he left the world two treasure vaults named ¡°Lianshan¡± and ¡°Gui Xu.¡± What was unknown was that approximately a year ago, the Lianshan Treasure Vault was discovered by Moon Island cultivators beneath the seafloor in the nearby maritime territory. If Moon Island continued to submit to Penglai and informed them of this intelligence, given the domineering style of Yuqing View cultivators, they would definitely claim the Lianshan Treasure Vault for themselves, not allowing Moon Island cultivators to share in the spoils. Therefore, on the night the Lianshan Treasure Vault was discovered, an internal struggle erupted within Moon Island, completely sealing the information at the cost of all the high-level doves being killed. Due to the mechanisms within the Lianshan Treasure Vault, there was no possibility of it being emptied in one fell swoop. Hence, the Moon Island cultivators planned to evacuate to the Southern Sea after rebelling in the East Sea and erase all traces of the Lianshan Treasure Vault, temporarily sealing it off for the future. But if Yuqing View cultivators discovered it, there would be no future to hope for. From then on, Moon Island could forget about touching the Lianshan Treasure Vault again! Just as the Moon Island cultivators were rushing on their swords to the entrance of the Lianshan Treasure Vault, Shi Liuli had already piloted the Earth-Penetrating Divine Shuttle with Luo Yan down into the depths of the sea. ¡°Eh?¡± Inside the Divine Shuttle, Shi Liuli suddenly said, ¡°Why can¡¯t it drill any further?¡± ¡°Drill down a little more, once you¡¯re under the seabed, you can level the direction,¡± Luo Yan was somewhat puzzled as he directed, ¡°Earth Escape can¡¯t touch water, so you must ensure that the Divine Shuttle is under the seabed, not in the sea.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that,¡± Shi Liuli replied. ¡°I was just controlling the Divine Shuttle to keep going downwards when it suddenly couldn¡¯t drill any further.¡± ¡°Could it be that we hit some ore deposit on the seabed?¡± Luo Yan was also a bit perplexed. ¡°Earth Escape can¡¯t penetrate metal ore deposits either.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t know, I¡¯ll try changing direction,¡± Shi Liuli said. ¡°It¡¯s the restrictions, not the ore deposits,¡± the Kunlun Mirror suddenly spoke up from inside his Sea of Consciousness. ¡°That¡¯s the spatial restriction separating the secret realm from the outside world.¡± Luo Yan: !!! ¡°Could it be the outer layer of restrictions of the secret realm?¡± He put on an incredulous expression as he exclaimed. Shi Liuli also paused for a moment, then her face lit up with immense excitement. ¡°A secret realm, is it? Keep drilling!¡± She injected all her True Yuan into the Earth-Penetrating Divine Shuttle and urged it forward with all her might. Naturally, it had no effect. ¡°Sister, this most likely is a spatial restriction,¡± Luo Yan reminded her, ¡°relying on Earth Escape, it¡¯s quite unlikely we can break through it.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Miss Shi also recalled. The so-called spatial restrictions could only be bypassed by finding the entrance left by the senior who set up the restrictions, or by forcefully breaking through with a similarly space-related magical treasure. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°So, do we need to go and look for the entrance?¡± She asked eagerly. ¡°No need,¡± Luo Yan reached into his Storage Bag and also pulled out a shuttle-shaped magical treasure. It was the overwhelmingly named Heavenly Weaving God Shuttle that he had obtained from the Gui Xu Pavilion last time, capable of short-range spatial teleportation. He tossed the Heavenly Weaving God Shuttle into the air, and it replaced the Earth-Penetrating Divine Shuttle, enveloping them both inside. Afterward, the Heavenly Weaving God Shuttle trembled slightly and in an instant, disappeared without a trace. Chapter 325 - Chapter 325: 42nd Chapter: Lianshans Treasure Vault, Earth Element Maze Chapter 325: 42nd Chapter: Lianshan¡¯s Treasure Vault, Earth Element Maze Packing away the Heavenly Weaving God Shuttle, Luo Yan looked around once more and found that he and Shi Liuli were inside an underground space. Looking closely, it seemed to be a maze. The ceiling overhead, the ground beneath their feet, and the surrounding walls were all composed of impervious rock. Shi Liuli tried using the Earth-Penetrating Divine Shuttle, only to find that it couldn¡¯t penetrate the maze¡¯s stone walls. This was to be expected, as secret realms that restricted movement typically imposed limits on the use of Five Elements escape techniques. Otherwise, if everyone just used escape techniques to run around, the maze would lose all meaning. ¡°Junior Sister, don¡¯t panic,¡± Luo Yan said as he took back the Earth-Penetrating Divine Shuttle and put it back into the Heavenly Craft All-Treasure Bag¡ªthis was something Elder Shi Ding had specifically instructed: treasures taken out of the All-Treasure Bag must be put back, so they could be utilized again in the future. Even in the Cultivation World, it was crucial to persistently implement a strategy of sustainable development! After exploring the area for a while, they confirmed that it indeed was a maze. The pathways were complex, with branching junctions everywhere and not a single signpost in sight; it seemed that the only thing they could rely on was their own memory¡­ ¡°Senior Sister, don¡¯t worry,¡± Luo Yan confidently asserted. ¡°Leave the task of remembering our route to me!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not worried about not finding a way out,¡± Shi Liuli said with concern, ¡°What bothers me is, where does this maze actually lead to?¡± Luo Yan thought the same. If they couldn¡¯t make it through the maze to acquire the corresponding adventure or treasures, what use was there in memorizing the route? Was the worry about not finding a way out? Or the worry of entering the secret realm and returning without success, empty-handed! When it came to exploring mazes, Luo Yan¡¯s talent of understanding a thousand things at one hearing couldn¡¯t be put to use. But then he suddenly remembered he had another trick up his sleeve. ¡°Ah Jing!¡± Luo Yan called out in his mind, ¡°Help me scan!¡± ¡°Understood,¡± the voice of the Kunlun Mirror responded unsurprisingly, as if it had been expecting his request. ¡°This maze is quite large, give me a moment.¡± Luo Yan let the Kunlun Mirror begin the scanning process while he continued to play the maze game with Miss Shi. About two quarters of an hour later, the Kunlun Mirror finally replied: ¡°Guan Shui, I have a piece of good news and a piece of bad news, which would you like to hear first?¡± ¡°The bad news first,¡± Luo Yan replied without hesitation. ¡°The bad news is that this maze has forty-nine exits,¡± the Kunlun Mirror informed. Luo Yan: ¡­¡­¡­ Wait, there¡¯s more than one exit to this maze? That doesn¡¯t seem reasonable! But when he thought about it carefully, there was no rule stating that a maze could only have one exit. ¡°The good news,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said deliberately, ¡°is that I suspect out of the forty-nine maze exits, only one leads to the outside world, all the rest lead to treasure spots within the secret realm.¡± ¡°You mean, there are forty-nine treasure spots within this secret realm?¡± Luo Yan asked, surprised. ¡°Perhaps they are treasure rooms, perhaps other secret realms, who knows?¡± the Kunlun Mirror said nonchalantly. ¡°The structure and routes of this maze change regularly with time, but the positions of the forty-nine exits remain constant.¡± ¡°Quite the ingenious space design, and it also incorporates the theory of Art Calculation; I suspect this is the Lianshan Treasury.¡± ¡°The Lianshan Treasury?¡± Luo Yan pondered for a moment then exclaimed, ¡°If this is the Lianshan Treasury, then it¡¯s even more advanced than the Pavilion Secret Realm!¡± As is common knowledge, the further back in the historical timeline, the more chaotic and harsh the living environment of the Cultivation Realm became, with cultivators having a tougher average quality, and the Cultivation Resources left behind of a higher level. The Lianshan Treasury, originating from Ancient Times, was considered even more precious and rarer than the East Sea Pavilion and the Western Queen Mother Secret Realm in the Ancient Era. So it seems, this Lianshan treasure vault¡­ indeed holds great exploratory value! As he excitedly discussed with the Kunlun Mirror on this side, Miss Shi on the other side was getting impatient. She took out the copper coin and cast a divination. ¡°The exit is to the northeast!¡± Shi Liuli waved her arm, ¡°Forward!¡± She deliberately headed northeast at the next crossroad, only to find the path turn north and then northwest¡­ It frustrated Miss Shi so much that she pulled out the Purple Extreme Han Yuan Sword and vented her irritation by wildly slashing at the stone walls of the passageway. ¡°Sister, are you trying to go northeast?¡± Luo Yan, who had been following her, suddenly asked. ¡°Hmm.¡± Shi Liuli curbed her anger and nodded, ¡°According to the hexagram, northeast brings great fortune.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Luo Yan then had the Kunlun Mirror project a small map for him, ¡°How about this time I lead the way?¡± ¡°Sure, sure.¡± Shi Liuli was also tired of wandering through the maze and called on Luo Yan to take the lead. Luo Yan quickly scanned over the map and soon organized a route. As they walked, Shi Liuli suddenly asked: ¡°Junior Brother, I want to go to the northeast, but you¡¯ve been heading northwest all this way?¡± ¡°Sister, to get to the northeast, we must first go around from the northwest,¡± Luo Yan said with a smile. Shi Liuli kept silent, thinking to herself that since it was her Junior Brother who was leading the way, if they couldn¡¯t find the exit later, she would mock him ruthlessly! They had traveled for a while when suddenly the Kunlun Mirror spoke: ¡°Someone¡¯s approaching.¡± ¡°Who is it?!¡± Luo Yan immediately became alert, ¡°The cultivators from Moon Island?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± The Kunlun Mirror replied, ¡°It seems they have a cultivator skilled in the Art of Calculation within their team, who is currently trying to divine your location in the maze.¡± ¡°Heh.¡± Luo Yan let out a cold laugh, ¡°To think they could catch me with mere Art Calculation.¡± ¡°Ah Jing, shield my heavenly secrets!¡± The Kunlun Mirror finally couldn¡¯t hold back and said: ¡°There¡¯s no problem doing that, but can you, you know, not act as if you¡¯re the one demonstrating great might? It¡¯s me who¡¯s doing all the dirty and tiring work.¡± ¡°Ah Jing.¡± Luo Yan then asked in surprise, ¡°You don¡¯t want me to look for the Heaven-Mending Stone anymore?¡± ¡°Of course, I want that¡­ forget it.¡± The Kunlun Mirror heaved a sigh. Forget it, forget it, for the sake of the Heaven-Mending Stone, let¡¯s not argue with him. With a little operation on its part, the cultivators from Moon Island not far away in the maze suddenly stopped in their tracks. ¡°This isn¡¯t right!¡± The cultivator responsible for navigating by divination furrowed his brow and exclaimed. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± another cultivator quickly asked. ¡°There¡¯s something wrong with the results!¡± The diviner was sweating profusely as he manipulated the compass, but all he saw were the needles whirling around aimlessly, sometimes pointing east, sometimes north, refusing to stabilize. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Is your divining magic artifact broken?¡± The other cultivators were suddenly alarmed. They didn¡¯t have a strong enough memory to navigate the maze, and getting lost here meant there would be no chance of getting out any time soon. Moreover, the maze within the Lianshan treasure vault changed its routes over time; if they were unlucky, they could be trapped for hundreds of years. ¡°It¡¯s not broken, it¡¯s being interfered with!¡± The diviner said with a crestfallen face, despairing, ¡°And the difference in realms is too great. I¡¯m completely suppressed by the other side and can¡¯t maintain the calculations at all!¡± Thus, the entire team of cultivators from Moon Island was thrown into chaos. Chapter 326 - Chapter 326: Chapter 43: Indescribable, Frantically Absorbing Aura Chapter 326: Chapter 43: Indescribable, Frantically Absorbing Aura Having trapped the cultivators of Moon Island within the depths of the labyrinth, Luo Yan continued to lead Shi Liuli forward. The mini-map from Ah Jing was extremely convenient. As long as they followed the route marked on the map, they would have smoothly reached the exit to the northeast¡­ Hmm? As he watched in stunned disbelief, the labyrinth¡¯s pathways suddenly shifted. To be precise, all areas of the maze, except the small section where Luo Yan and Shi Liuli, as well as the team of Moon Island cultivators, were located, underwent a change. Everything was scrambled! The structure and pathways became completely different! The original route had them head northwest, circling around a large impassable area due north, before veering toward the northeast. Now, continuing northwest would not allow them to loop around to the northeast, and they would have to turn back. Luo Yan stealthily glanced back and saw Miss Shi with her arms crossed, wearing a beautiful, radiant smile, as if to say, ¡°Junior Brother, go on and lead the way.¡± ¡°Ah Jing!¡± he could only whisper in his Sea of Consciousness, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me that this maze actually changes?¡± ¡°You also didn¡¯t ask me!¡± Kunlun Mirror felt wronged, ¡°Besides, this is my first time here as well. My previous scan only revealed it had the ability to change structures periodically, but how could I possibly know when it would change?¡± ¡°With that being the case, your map was useless from the start!¡± Luo Yan exclaimed angrily, ¡°What¡¯s the use of projecting a map that changes?¡± ¡°It was you who took the initiative to lead the way and asked me to project it for you!¡± Kunlun Mirror said with a sense of grievance. Luo Yan: ¡­¡­¡­ Wait, is that so? ¡°Still trying to argue, you broken mirror!¡± Luo Yan didn¡¯t bother to reason with it any longer, and said irritably, ¡°Putting aside the facts, if we now need to reach the exit in the northeast, I can only turn back with Miss Shi.¡± ¡°If I say that out loud, I will definitely be severely scorned by her!¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± Kunlun Mirror carefully suggested, ¡°Why don¡¯t we just lead her to the nearest exit, and then lie to her, saying that it¡¯s the northeast?¡± ¡°Is she the kind of person who can¡¯t tell north from south?¡± Luo Yan countered. ¡°Or should I cast an illusion technique on her to confuse her sense of direction?¡± Kunlun Mirror tried to remedy the situation. After a long silence, Luo Yan asked with a complex tone: ¡°Ah Jing, when did you become¡­ so scrappy?¡± Kunlun Mirror paused for a long moment, then let out a sharp cry of terror before sinking into the Sea of Consciousness, falling silent. Luo Yan wanted to say more, but suddenly Shi Liuli wrapped her arms around his shoulder. ¡°Can¡¯t find the way, right?¡± Miss Shi said triumphantly, ¡°Junior Brother, I see you¡¯ve been standing here for quite a while now, just give up gracefully.¡± ¡°Alright, Senior Sister.¡± Luo Yan readily conceded, putting on a helpless expression, ¡°I was clearly heading northeast, how did I end up going northwest?¡± ¡°Let me lead the way!¡± Shi Liuli said enthusiastically, ¡°First of all, continuing straight on is definitely wrong, we need to turn back!¡± Ah yes, yes, yes, Luo Yan silently agreed in his mind, curious to see where Miss Shi would take them. The two turned back on the ¡°path they came from,¡± and finally reached the first fork. Luo Yan glanced at the map, and indeed, the path they had taken had also changed. If they wanted to head to the exit in the northeast, they should turn left here. He was pondering this when he saw Shi Liuli flip her right hand, drawing out six copper coins and tossing them into the air, then catching them stylishly. Casting a divination! ¡°To the right!¡± she exclaimed eagerly. No, no, no, going right would lead to the exit in the south, wouldn¡¯t it? Luo Yan looked at the mini-map from Kunlun Mirror, feeling like he already knew the end of the story but frustratingly couldn¡¯t spoil it, leaving him scratching his head in irritation. Shi Liuli, however, was brimming with confidence. At the following intersections, it was either to the right or to the right again, directly swinging back to the west from the south. Gone completely off course! Luo Yan couldn¡¯t help but interject: ¡°Senior Sister, aren¡¯t we heading west?¡± ¡°What nonsense are you spouting?¡± Shi Liuli looked at him as if she was looking at an idiot, ¡°This is clearly the east, okay?¡± Luo Yan: ¡­¡­¡­ No way! You even got the direction wrong! The person who can get the direction wrong is walking through a maze! Luo Yan was so anxious he ground his teeth, but ultimately decided to comfort himself forcefully. Anyway, this maze had forty-nine exits, so it wasn¡¯t necessary to take the one in the northeast. After all, if sister was leading the way, all he needed to do was coast along. Shi Liuli was filled with enthusiasm, not even realizing she was heading west. Luo Yan silently followed behind her, feigning interest in the Kunlun Mirror¡¯s projected map, thinking if we could get to the east, unless this Cultivation Realm is round, allowing us to go west and circle around the world¡­ Um? In Luo Yan¡¯s stunned gaze, the structure of the maze changed again. The path that originally led to the west exit was sealed, and to get there, one had to detour from the south. The two arrived at a new crossroads¡ªindistinguishable from the previous ones¡ªwhere Shi Liuli cast her divinations again and then turned north. Continuing to wander around, each time they came to a cross road, Shi Liuli cast divinations, then turned right, went straight, turned right, turned left, went straight, and they actually reached the northeast exit. Luo Yan: ¡­¡­¡­ What about Ah Jing, the map, the sense of direction, are they useful? As long as Miss Shi made a declaration, black could turn to white, east could become west, there¡¯s nothing that great luck can¡¯t change! ¡°See,¡± Shi Liuli said triumphantly, ¡°I knew this was the place¡­¡± ¡°Sister!¡± Luo Yan suddenly embraced her, breathing her in greedily. ¡°Hey!¡± Shi Liuli let out a cry like a startled fawn, quickly pushing at his shoulders with much less effort than needed, ¡°Junior brother, junior brother, what are you doing? Don¡¯t get so close to me!¡± ¡°Let me siphon some of your luck!¡± ¡°Get off! Get off!¡± Shi Liuli shouted coyly, ceaselessly punching him with her fists. Her earlier pushing wasn¡¯t forceful, but the little fists that came down were quite fierce, causing Luo Yan to quickly let go of Miss Shi, grimacing in pain and begging for mercy. After saying a bunch of nice things, Shi Liuli finally forgave him, huffing: ¡°I told you, there wouldn¡¯t be any problems with me leading the way!¡± ¡°Yes, yes, there would definitely be no problems with sister leading the way.¡± Luo Yan fawned with a flattering smile. ¡°Next, we¡¯ll see what treasures are inside¡­.¡± Shi Liuli was excited to move forward but was stopped again as Luo Yan grabbed her arm. ¡°Sister, want to figure out what good things are inside again? Or you could just guess based on your intuition.¡± Shi Liuli appeared somewhat perplexed and casually said: ¡°Suddenly, I feel like there¡¯s nothing I lack. I have my Magical Treasure, and I have my Immortal Sword¡­¡± She suddenly clapped her hands and exclaimed: ¡°Right! Purple Mansion Secret Medicine! I have a feeling there¡¯s definitely Purple Mansion Secret Medicine inside!¡± Luo Yan¡¯s eyes filled with excited tears as he quickly followed Shi Liuli through the door. Upon leaving the maze, the two entered a room. Surrounding the room were tables and shelves, filled with an array of treasures, shimmering and glittering, almost dazzling to the eyes. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only At the same time, a booming voice resounded within their hearts: ¡°The treasure vault will close in ten breaths¡­.¡± Before the voice had finished, Miss Shi hadn¡¯t yet reacted when Luo Yan had already dashed forward. His target was the gold lotus flower in the flowerpot on the stone table to the direct west of the room. Jade Pond Golden Lotus! Chapter 327 - Chapter 327: Chapter 44 Return to Penglai, Shocking Master Chapter 327: Chapter 44 Return to Penglai, Shocking Master The Jade Pond Golden Lotus, with one lotus pod yielding twelve seeds, can open various acupuncture points around the body when consumed, thus greatly enhancing the efficiency of breathing and refining Qi. In short, it permanently accelerates the rate of leveling up. Although there might not be any visible results in the short term, the effects would be quite remarkable over a few hundred years. However, the truly precious thing is not the Jade Pond Lotus Seeds, but the Jade Pond Golden Lotus itself. Once the Golden Lotus is separated from the Jade Pond Water, it will wither immediately, making it even more difficult to preserve. The lotus seeds, on the other hand, can be stored for a long time; hence their effects are widely known. But if one could obtain a living Golden Lotus and consume its petals or use them for medicine, the effects would be far superior to those of the seeds, directly cleansing the veins, refining the marrow, purifying the soul, and perfecting the Purple Mansion. Luo Yan dived toward the stone table. Without pondering whether he could transplant it, he gripped the Golden Lotus calyx with his left hand, while his right hand swiftly plucked three petals and stuffed them into his mouth. Then, he tore off the remaining three petals and deftly put them into the mouth of Miss Shi behind him. Before Shi Liuli could ask, Luo Yan had already filled her mouth with them. The petals melted upon entering the mouth, turning into a fragrant, delicious juice that flowed into her throat before she could even chew, with Spiritual Energy nearly overflowing within her abdomen. So delicious! Shi Liuli¡¯s eyes lit up, and when she looked back at the Jade Pond Golden Lotus, all that was left was a bare calyx. By this time, three breaths had passed, and Luo Yan had no time left to waste words with her, his gaze quickly sweeping across the room. Damn! There¡¯s actually Wu Earth Essence! He lunged toward the north, reaching for the deep gray stone on the desk, only to realize upon touching it that it was incredibly heavy¡ªa thousand juns in weight¡ªand he could not lift it. You should know that Wu Earth Essence is different from the Wu Earth True Vein, which is ¡°humble and untainted soil¡± that is fine and soft yet can expand endlessly and is inexhaustible. The former is ¡°soil of mountain ridges and high peaks,¡± and a small piece can be equivalent to continuous mountain ranges spanning ten thousand miles; naturally, Luo Yan couldn¡¯t lift it with one hand. But his innate ability to learn instantly gave him a quick wit, and he immediately tore off the Heavenly Craft Workshop Storage Bag from around his waist, flipped it over the Wu Earth Essence, and packed it inside. Even if I can¡¯t carry it, the Heavenly Craft Workshop Storage Bag will definitely contain it! Five breaths had now passed, and Shi Liuli had barely just recovered her senses. She quickly threw out her Protective Dharma Treasure, the Hook Chen Star Sand, which turned into a ribbon in the air, wrapping around the things on the southern desk. Everything that could be wrapped up was packed into the Storage Bag. Luo Yan was not as rough as she was; after all, truly precious items, such as the Jade Pond Golden Lotus and Wu Earth Essence, could not be taken with a Flying Sword or Magical Treasure. He only turned again toward the east, his gaze as sharp as a falcon¡¯s, and lunged once more. In the center of the table, on a stone rack, lay a Flying Sword. The body of the sword was a mysterious yellow color, with patterns like roots embedded; it did not have the sharp luster of ordinary metals but exuded an ancient and profound aura. The whole sword was also slightly larger than the average Flying Sword, measuring approximately three feet and eight inches in length and four fingers in width, with a thick spine¡­ Of course, these details are not important. What¡¯s important is that this sword was placed right in the center of the eastern table! Considering the Jade Pond Golden Lotus was in the center of the western table and the Wu Earth Essence in the center of the northern desk, it was a reasonable deduction to assume that all good items were placed in the center of their respective tables. Luo Yan reached for the sword but found it immovable. It was as though the sword was magnetically fastened to the stone rack, showing no intention of being lifted by Luo Yan. Anxious, Luo Yan urgently called in his mind: ¡°Qing Ping!¡± The Green Duckweed Sword inside him snorted coldly; suddenly the sword on the table buzzed, and Luo Yan seized the opportunity to reach for it again. Just after grabbing the hilt, ten breaths had passed, and both of them felt the world spinning, finding themselves quickly back in the outside world. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Luo Yan did not have time to examine his loot, simply holding the Mysterious Yellow Heavy Sword by the hilt in his right hand while reaching into the Heavenly Craft Workshop Storage Bag with his left. He quickly drew out an object¡ªa wooden whale¡ªthat dropped into the water and instantly grew to a length of ten zhang, swallowing Luo Yan and Shi Liuli into its belly and then rapidly swimming toward the north. Wu didn¡¯t know how much time had passed when the whale finally spat them out into the air. Luo Yan and Shi Liuli fixed their eyes ahead and saw that they were already in the southern sea region of Penglai Island. Luo Yan retrieved the wooden whale and then he and Shi Liuli flew back to the Heavenly Craft Workshop at Yuqing View on their swords. Elder Shi Ding was working in the workshop and was startled by their sudden return. ¡°Father!¡± Shi Liuli threw herself into his arms, crying pitifully, ¡°I almost couldn¡¯t make it back!¡± ¡°What happened?¡± Elder Shi Ding asked in a grave voice. Shi Liuli promptly recounted in vivid detail how cultivators from Moon Island ambushed the team from Yuqing View, listening to which Elder Shi Ding was terrified. That lineage of Moon Island had already declined for many years, who would have known they had been playing the fool all along, secretly biding their time to deal Yuqing View a major blow? Even that formation that annihilated Real Person Shuilian, based on Shi Liuli¡¯s description and Elder Shi Ding¡¯s judgement, should be the Earth-Collapsing Mountain Formation. This formation is one of the most powerful configurations of slaughter within the Innate Five Elements Great Formation. Moon Island had never let slip any hint of it before, suggesting they had secretly cultivated their own Array Masters! Setting up formations in the East Sea and not turning to Heavenly Craft Workshop of Yuqing View, but secretly nurturing their own Array Masters, what is your Moon Island up to? They harbor ulterior motives and have sinister designs! Fortunately, both his daughter and Luo Yan were unharmed and had safely returned. As for the annihilation of Real Person Shuilian, all they could do was report it to the Master of Xuandu and have him send someone to investigate further. Elder Shi Ding was deep in thought when he heard Luo Yan continue along the lines of what Shi Liuli had said: ¡°Sister and I used the Earth-Penetrating Divine Shuttle given in the Heavenly Craft Treasure Bag to escape straight downward, until we hit an invisible wall that prevented us from going any deeper.¡± ¡°A sudden inspiration struck me, and I thought this might be the outer restrictions of a secret realm. I took out the Heavenly Weaving God Shuttle and tried to use it, and just like that, we went in.¡± ¡°Where did you go?¡± Elder Shi Ding¡¯s body shook, his face registering shock. Did they escape into a secret realm? ¡°Lianshan treasury,¡± Luo Yan said with a smile. The next second, Elder Shi Ding¡¯s face turned from pale to green to red. His eyes began to bulge, his breathing became rapid, and even the veins on his neck swelled up. ¡°What did you say?¡± he asked incredulously. ¡°Brother apprentice said it¡¯s the Lianshan treasury!¡± Shi Liuli called out loudly. ¡°The Lianshan treasury!¡± Elder Shi Ding almost bit his tongue, and it took him a moment to regain his composure. With a frown, he asked, ¡°Aside from you two, does anyone else know about this?¡± ¡°I suspect the cultivators from Moon Island have always been aware of this,¡± Luo Yan recounted his observations of other sect¡¯s cultivators in the maze to Elder Shi Ding. After listening in silence, Elder Shi Ding understood why the cultivators from Moon Island suddenly launched an attack. Ignoring Miss Shi, who was exclaiming ¡°Eh, why didn¡¯t I discover it¡±, he pondered for a long while before slowly saying: ¡°I will report this matter internally and you will be rewarded for your actions.¡± ¡°To the outside, you must not reveal any information about this trip, including the fall of Real Person Shuilian.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Luo Yan sighed internally, realizing his master intended to use the news as leverage to gain advantages with the high ranks of Yuqing View. Truthfully, if only the sister apprentice and I knew, then concealing the information about the Lianshan treasury would also not be a bad strategy to monopolize it. But since the cultivators from Moon Island also knew the location of the Lianshan treasury, they definitely had to report the news to the sect and have them guard the entrance to the treasury, otherwise, Moon Island would benefit from it. As he was silently contemplating, he heard Shi Liuli cheerfully say: ¡°Oh Father! Apprentice brother and I got a lot of good things from the treasury, can you help us appraise them~¡± Chapter 328 - Chapter 328: Chapter 45 Articulate and Persuasive, Luo Yan the Orator Chapter 328: Chapter 45 Articulate and Persuasive, Luo Yan the Orator Miss Shi¡¯s sudden actions, although understandable to Luo Yan, were met in his heart with scorn. ¡°Daddy help me¡± at every turn, and even needing to show off her treasures to Daddy ¨C are you a Daddy¡¯s girl or what? Shi Liuli, on the other hand, was oblivious and happily showed off all the items she had obtained from the secret chamber of the Lianshan treasury to her father. Elder Shi Ding was even happier than Shi Liuli and went on to comment on each item: ¡°The Flying Cloud Aromatic Luo Banner, a protective dharma treasure, superior to the imitation of the Nine Dragons Divine Fire Mantle that you possess.¡± ¡°The Mysterious Yellow Jade Script, a dharma treasure that is also a jade slip, containing some ancient information¡­ yes, some geographical data.¡± ¡°The Jade Marrow Pill, now that¡¯s rare. Useful for removing heart demons, breaking through bottlenecks; there¡¯s nothing better than this pill for such purposes.¡± After identifying various items one by one, Shi Liuli started to beam with pride and signaled Luo Yan with her eyes to take out his items as well. Inwardly snickering, Luo Yan readily said: ¡°Certainly, Senior Sister.¡± Having already consumed the Jade Pond Golden Lotus, there was no need to present it, so he first took out the Wu Earth True Essence for his master to see. ¡°This is Wu Earth Essence!¡± Elder Shi Ding exclaimed, ¡°As far as I¡¯m aware, this substance can be found deep beneath a thousand feet of layered mountains in the Extreme West, and only with a slim chance at that.¡± ¡°Even a single speck of this dirt can weigh as much as a mountain; if refined into the Flying Sword or a dharma seal used for hitting, it can add a force of a thousand catties.¡± ¡°I plan to use it to set up a formation,¡± Luo Yan lied smoothly. ¡°The Earth-Collapsing Mountain Formation?¡± Elder Shi Ding nodded, ¡°That¡¯s good, it suits you better than artifact refining.¡± Luo Yan put away the Wu Earth Essence and then took out the Mysterious Yellow Heavy Sword, saying: ¡°Master, I don¡¯t recognize this sword, take a look¡­¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Elder Shi Ding took the heavy sword, carefully examined it for a moment, and said with a solemn expression, ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, this sword seems to be the Emperor¡¯s side sword from the ancient times, called the ¡®Huangting Kunwu Sword¡¯.¡± The Huangting Kunwu Sword? Luo Yan and Shi Liuli exchanged glances, both having never seen this name in any text. ¡°In ancient times, Huangdi Xuanyuan fought Chiyou at the base of Mount Kunwu,¡± Elder Shi Ding explained leisurely, ¡°Seeking water, he dug a hundred feet into the earth yet found no spring, only seeing flames like stars.¡± ¡°Afterward, he ordered that the place be excavated, turning stone to bronze, and the bronze to a sword. Normally, its color is dark yellow but when driven by true qi, it turns red, and when the energy is exhausted, it turns green.¡± While speaking, Elder Shi Ding infused true yuan into it, and true to his word, the heavy sword changed to a reddish hue. ¡°This sword, being the Emperor¡¯s side sword, has often been mistakenly referred to as ¡®Xuanyuan Sword¡¯ by the world,¡± Elder Shi Ding concluded, handing the Huangting Sword back to Luo Yan, ¡°If we speak of its rank, it can compete with the Kunlun¡¯s Tai Yi Dividing Light Sword, but that¡¯s if you can make it recognize you as its master.¡± ¡°If it doesn¡¯t recognize its master, it¡¯s no more useful than an ordinary iron weapon; that¡¯s for you to resolve yourself.¡± Luo Yan accepted the Huangting Sword with genuine respect and earnestly said: ¡°I will do my best, Master.¡± Shi Liuli, who was standing nearby, suddenly said: ¡°Actually, I could also help¡­¡± ¡°Liuli!¡± Elder Shi Ding said sternly, ¡°Even in acquiring treasures, there is a matter of first come, first served. The one with destiny shall receive.¡± Shi Liuli was about to argue when she heard Luo Yan laugh and say: ¡°Master, I believe my Senior Sister only meant that if I cannot make the Huangting Sword recognize me as its master, she would like to help.¡± ¡°Exactly!¡± Shi Liuli said with a sense of grievance, ¡°I just wanted to help my junior brother, not to snatch his sword. And Father, you always think the worst of me.¡± Elder Shi Ding said impatiently: ¡°Luo Yan, don¡¯t protect her excessively. With the preferences of the Huangting Sword, it¡¯s absolutely impossible for it to acknowledge her as its master¡­ Liuli, stop wasting your time and let your junior brother handle it.¡± ¡°I got it, I got it!¡± Shi Liuli said with tears, before turning around and running away. ¡°Master.¡± Luo Yan said helplessly, ¡°I¡¯ll go and persuade my senior sister.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± With a weary wave of his hand, Elder Shi Ding said, ¡°Go ahead.¡± Only after Luo Yan had left did Elder Shi Ding turn around and heave a long sigh with his hands clasped behind his back. The signs of turmoil in the world are already beginning to emerge, oh, Liuli. When will you give your father some peace of mind¡­ Meanwhile, Shi Liuli ran back to her room, cried under her quilt for a while, and then heard Luo Yan knocking on the door outside and asking: ¡°Senior sister, are you there?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not here!¡± Shi Liuli said loudly. ¡°Then I¡¯m coming in.¡± Luo Yan pushed the door open to see Miss Shi burying her head in the quilt, like a foolish ostrich. ¡°Senior sister.¡± Luo Yan sat beside her, smiling, ¡°Master really is too anxious. What bad intentions could you possibly have?¡± Shi Liuli ignored him and continued to sob under the quilt; her slender shoulders shook uncontrollably. ¡°Why don¡¯t you explain things clearly to Master?¡± Luo Yan used the classic ¡®feign ignorance¡¯ tactic. Shi Liuli took the bait and complained through her sobs: ¡°Does father listen to me? He just trusts you alone!¡± ¡°Senior sister, listen to me¡­¡± Luo Yan tried to reason with her, but Miss Shi wasn¡¯t one to be swayed by reason and quickly buried her head deeper into the quilt, shouting, ¡°I won¡¯t listen, I won¡¯t listen, I won¡¯t listen!¡± Luo Yan, in a panic, quickly embraced her¡ªsuddenly held in her junior brother¡¯s arms, her body stiffened and she stopped moving altogether. ¡°You listen to me!¡± Luo Yan anxiously straightened her up, earnestly saying, ¡°Although Master has misunderstood you, that just proves one thing, which is that Master has very high expectations for you!¡± ¡°Because you are his most cherished, proudest daughter, he has such strict moral requirements for you, fearing you will take a wrong step!¡± ¡°Wow, this guy!¡± In the Sea of Consciousness, both the Kunlun Mirror and the Green Duckweed Sword exclaimed in unison, their tones mixed with shock, admiration, and some indescribable and obscure sentiment. Shi Liuli poked her head out from the quilt, her black hair disheveled over her shoulders, her pretty face still wet with tears: ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Of course it¡¯s true!¡± Luo Yan said seriously. ¡°How do you know it¡¯s true? You¡¯re not him.¡± Shi Liuli muttered softly, but Luo Yan knew she had already believed him mostly. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Truer than the Five Elements True Veins. Senior sister, if you don¡¯t believe me, please look into my eyes.¡± Luo Yan earnestly held her hands, ¡°A person can deceive you with words, but their eyes won¡¯t lie to you.¡± Shi Liuli looked blankly into his eyes. At this moment, the illusion technique of his falsehood persona was running at full speed, and the Synchronization Value was nearly exploding. ¡°So.¡± Shi Liuli¡¯s shoulders slumped down, and she wiped her tears pitifully, ¡°How should I explain it to father then?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Luo Yan placed her hands on his chest and gently said, ¡°Leave everything to me.¡± Chapter 329 - Chapter 329: Chapter 46 Refining the Sun Glow Crimson Pill Chapter 329: Chapter 46 Refining the Sun Glow Crimson Pill After dealing with Miss Shi, Luo Yan began to check his loot. First off, was the Jade Pond Golden Lotus. After consuming it, one petal had increased Luo Yan¡¯s Refining Mansion cultivation by ten years; three petals meant thirty years of cultivation. Of course, this also meant that Luo Yan had given Miss Shi thirty years of cultivation. It was definitely necessary to give her something, after all, with the Jade Pond Golden Lotus blooming there, if Luo Yan ate it all in front of Shi Liuli, even if Miss Shi was too foolish to understand, upon returning and mentioning it to Elder Shi Ding, the two would certainly come to their senses. Luo Yan decided to find an opportunity to inquire in front of Elder Shi Ding what the ¡°Jade Pond Golden Lotus¡± was, and then subtly bring up the fact that he had shared three petals with Miss Shi. Next was the Wu Earth Essence. As mentioned before, Luo Yan combined the Postnatal Five Elements True Veins he obtained from the East Sea Pavilion to cultivate the Postnatal Five Elements Ultimate Extermination Divine Light. This was not the limit of the Five Elements Divine Light. If one could obtain the Innate Five Elements True Essence and refine it again, it could evolve the Postnatal Five Elements Ultimate Extermination Divine Light into the Innate Five Elements Great Chaos Divine Light. Postnatal was about continuous creation, falling under the category of ¡°technique.¡± Innate, however, represented the vast and surging forces of the world, falling under the category of ¡°power.¡± Evolution from the level of ¡°technique¡± to the realm of ¡°power¡± could result in a qualitative and colossal leap in potency. In the underground remains of the Intercepting Cult on the Five Mushrooms Islands, Luo Yan obtained the Ren Water True Essence from the Ren Water Dragon-Locking Formation, and refining it caused a qualitative change in the black-colored Water Clan Divine Light. Now that he had acquired the Wu Earth Essence, he just needed to follow the same method and refine it into the Five Elements Divine Light, which would elevate the yellow-colored Earth Clan Divine Light as well. As for the remaining three kinds of essence, Ling Yunpo had once seen a trace of the Great Sun True Yang Fire, which is the Bing Fire Essence, in the depths of the Fire Element Cave at Shushan. However, he had to prioritize obtaining the Purple Mansion¡¯s secret medicine¡ªthe Mercurial Elixir Liquid at that time, so he wasn¡¯t able to exchange for the Bing Fire Essence. He would need to find an opportunity later on. The third prize was the Huangting Kunwu Sword, also known to later generations as the much-extolled Sword of the Yellow Emperor. As the Emperor¡¯s Side Sword, its rank was naturally astronomically high. It was said to be on par with the Tai Yi Dividing Light Sword of the Ziwei Master, unmistakably an eleventh-rank Super Immortal Sword. The only problem was that it seemed unwilling to recognize him as its master. This was normal, as Luo Yan hadn¡¯t even reached the Golden Core Realm yet; on what basis should an eleventh-rank Immortal Sword accept him as its master? Luo Yan wondered if he could let the Green Duckweed Sword train it a bit, just as it had done with the Thunder Punishment Sword before. Fourth, were the Yangxia Zhuming Pill and the Yinhui Yuanshen Water he obtained from the underground White Bone Divine Palace beneath Long Mountain last time. These two items, according to the Flying Asura, could increase one¡¯s Refining Mansion cultivation by a hundred years, provided that they were refined simultaneously¡ªof course, Luo Yan wouldn¡¯t just take the Asura¡¯s word for it. What if he exploded after drinking it? Another issue was that the Yangxia Zhuming Pill required collection from places of extreme yang, making it exceedingly rare. To take both together, using the Yin venom of the Yinhui Yuanshen Water to assault the Yang venom of the Yangxia Zhuming Pill, was an unimaginable solution that had no record in any text. Instead, some high-rank Pure Yang Treasures required refining with the Yangxia Zhuming Pill. Therefore, to play it safe, Luo Yan decided not to consult the Ziwei Master about it but to confirm it himself. He was worried the Ziwei Master might not let him take the risk of consuming it and would instead confiscate it to refine into a Magical Treasure. Once he found the appropriate method of consumption, he¡¯d think of a way to give the other one to Junior Sister Xu¡­ But he still needed to come up with an explanation for how something taken by Wei Demon Lord ended up in his hands. It really was headache-inducing. Luo Yan went to the Daozang Pavilion and diligently researched all the materials related to the Sun-Blocking Land. The so-called Sun-Blocking Land didn¡¯t mean a place that was completely devoid of Yang energy. Rather, it was an area surrounded by an extremely immense quantity of Yin energy, to such an extent that it was difficult to find any existence of Yang energy¡ªthey were oppressed into some cramped corner. Due to the continuous pressure from the massive Yin energy, the rare Yang energy that remained would become extremely pure (all that wasn¡¯t had perished), and eventually take on the form of an Elixir, known as the ¡°Yangxia Zhuming Pill¡±. There¡¯s an old Daoist saying, ¡°Solitary Yin does not generate, and isolated Yang does not grow,¡± which means that life cannot thrive with only Yin energy. However, if there¡¯s only Yang energy, the overly harsh environment can also harm the growth of all living things. Consuming the Yangxia Zhuming Pill was definitely harmful to the body; there was no doubt about that. But what if he took it together with Yinhui Yuanshen Water? Could that eliminate the toxicity of ¡°isolated Yang¡±? ¡°Ah Jing, Qing Ping,¡± Luo Yan called out in his mind. ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there in a daze. Come help me figure this out!¡± ¡°Who¡¯s standing there in a daze?¡± the Kunlun Mirror complained. ¡°I¡¯m discussing it already, okay?¡± ¡°Theoretically speaking, with the Yinhui Yuanshen Water, the condition of isolated Yang not growing is no longer met,¡± analyzed the Green Duckweed Sword. ¡°But the question is, how to refine them together?¡± ¡°If you refine them incorrectly, and the Yinhui Yuanshen Water is consumed first, the medicinal power of the remaining Yangxia Zhuming Pill will inevitably begin to harm you.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Luo Yan responded without hesitation. ¡°But the right refining method is not recorded in any books.¡± ¡°According to the texts, the Yinhui Yuanshen Water is also toxic. To be precise, it¡¯s toxic to the flesh, but it has the ability to nourish the soul and the Primordial Spirit.¡± ¡°I have an idea,¡± the Kunlun Mirror suddenly said. ¡°Why don¡¯t you try wrapping the Yangxia Zhuming Pill with Yinhui Yuanshen Water? Then you can slowly strip away the Yang energy from within.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Luo Yan¡¯s eyes lit up, and he immediately understood her suggestion. ¡°Like peeling an onion, right?¡± ¡°What¡¯s an onion?¡± the Kunlun Mirror curiously asked. ¡°Cough, never mind,¡± Luo Yan, forgetting that onions didn¡¯t exist in this world, said, ¡°What you mean is, to use the Yinhui Yuanshen Water to neutralize the Yangxia Zhuming Pill and then slowly, layer by layer, peel away the Yangxia Zhuming Pill¡¯s pure Yang energy, right?¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± replied the Kunlun Mirror with dignity. ¡°I think this method is feasible.¡± ¡°It means that you need to perfectly control the Yinhui Yuanshen Water and its form within your Qi Sea,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword also spoke eagerly. ¡°I can help you with that.¡± ¡°That would be wonderful!¡± Luo Yan was overjoyed. ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll try to refine it first.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°If it doesn¡¯t work, you must spit it out immediately,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said with concern. Luo Yan then found a nearby Cultivation Quiet Chamber and took out the Elixir Bottle that contained the Yinhui Yuanshen Water. He stared at the Elixir Bottle for a while, then took a deep breath, suddenly tossed the Yangxia Zhuming Pill into it. The moment the pill entered the water, the latter immediately began to boil fiercely, but Luo Yan, without any hesitation and with a resolute expression akin to one prepared to meet death, lifted the Elixir Bottle to his mouth and poured it in directly. The Yinhui Yuanshen Water that encased the Yangxia Zhuming Pill was swallowed in one gulp! Chapter 330 - Chapter 330: Chapter 47: Save File Demon Lord Wei, Complete the Loop Chapter 330: Chapter 47: Save File Demon Lord Wei, Complete the Loop The Yinhui Yuanshen Water was as black as ink clouds, while the Yang Xia Zhu Ming Dan shone brightly like the great sun. The two intertwined in the Qi Sea, undulating up and down. Luo Yan¡¯s Divine Sense stirred slightly, causing the Yinhui Yuanshen Water that enveloped the Yang Xia Zhu Ming Dan to quietly reveal a crack. Only to see the sun hidden behind the layers of dark clouds suddenly start shining brightly. Luo Yan hurriedly sealed the crack, but still, a sliver of light leaked out, blending into the swirling Qi Sea. In just a few breaths, it had tinged the entire Dantian with a faint golden color. Luo Yan: ??? Upon careful inspection, he realized that this golden color was not a contamination but a sign that the True Yuan had become even more pure. The Qi Refining Technique he cultivated was the ¡°Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra,¡± with the Daoist True Yuan it refined being based on pure Qi, which was already sufficiently concentrated and condensed, and this golden tint further increased the strength of the True Yuan. As the golden True Yuan spread along the meridians to his limbs and bones, Luo Yan could feel many physical flaws, or the hidden injuries left from past battles, now receiving visible nourishment and repair from his Divine Sense. As for the most crucial Jade Mansion, both its inner and outer walls began to change from the color of ivory jade to that of golden jade. To be precise, the former was milky white, while the latter was a brighter platinum color. Luo Yan even had a bizarre epiphany, feeling that this ¡°Jade Mansion¡± actually came in low, medium, and high grades. The low grade was white jade, matching two hundred years of cultivation level; the middle grade was golden jade, matching four hundred years of cultivation level. As for the ¡°high grade¡± that represented the First Grade Golden Core and eight hundred years of cultivation level, who knew what kind of dazzling color it would be? Luo Yan repeated the process, slightly lifting the encasement of the Yinhui Yuanshen Water again. Thus, the Yang Xia Zhu Ming Dan once again released a stream of extremely pure Yang Qi, which quickly blended evenly into the Qi Sea. ¡°So that¡¯s how it is!¡± Luo Yan finally had a sudden realization, ¡°Without the help of the Yinhui Yuanshen Water, this Yang Xia Zhu Ming Dan would immediately fuse into the Qi Sea, and the bodies of ordinary cultivators simply could not bear it.¡± ¡°Conversely, without the suppression of the Yang Xia Zhu Ming Dan, the Yinhui Yuanshen Water would also poison the body.¡± ¡°Though both are poisons, when combined, they become a unique Secret Medicine for the Purple Mansion, amazing! Who came up with this method?¡± ¡°As long as it works,¡± the Kunlun Mirror breathed a sigh of relief, ¡°how much longer will it take to refine the Yang Xia Zhu Ming Dan?¡± ¡°About one to two years,¡± Luo Yan replied, ¡°and it could be shorter if there is a serendipitous encounter.¡± ¡°Ah Jing, load Wei Dongliu¡¯s file, I want to see what that Flying Asura has hidden.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± the Kunlun Mirror responded gravely. [Location four: Shiping Mountain, the residence of Tong Xuan Gate.] [Character identity: Wei Dongliu.] [The Mirror Flower Water Moon Template is covering, currently time-space traveling.] Wei Dongliu walked into the stone house and saw Jiang the Witch rewarding her two nominal disciples. ¡°This is for you,¡± she said beaming, stuffing a Flying Sword into Guo Jin¡¯s hands. Wei Dongliu could see clearly; it seemed to be of the Ninth Rank Metal System. ¡°And this is for you,¡± she then handed Wang Cong a set of flying needle Magical Treasures. Guo Jin accepted the Flying Sword, unsure of what to do; but Wang Cong, more astute, immediately put on a sweet smile and thanked her: ¡°Thank you, Master Mother!¡± ¡°Good child!¡± Jiang the Witch was immediately overjoyed, lovingly stroked her head, ¡°But Master Mother is not yet Mother, you¡¯ll have to wait until your Demon Lord master agrees, understand? You can¡¯t call me that outside.¡± ¡°Got it, Master Mother,¡± Wang Cong instantly understood. We can¡¯t call it that outside, we need to say it more when we are inside. Guo Jin was completely confused, ¡°Senior Jiang clearly doesn¡¯t want you to call her ¡®Shi Niang¡¯ (Master¡¯s Wife), yet you, Junior Sister, insist on calling her that. What¡¯s the meaning of this?¡± ¡°Cough cough cough!¡± Wei Dongliu coughed and stepped inside. Wang Cong immediately showed an expression of panicked guilt as if caught red-handed; Jiang Liyan turned around in joyful surprise, but upon seeing it was not the red-haired, double-pupiled Wei Demon Lord, her spirits immediately deflated again. ¡°Oh, Brother Wei has arrived,¡± she said in an unchanging, indifferent tone. ¡°What kind of reaction is that?¡± Wei Dongliu asked dissatisfied. Jiang Liyan gave a wry smile, then reluctantly put on a respectful face and offered a perfunctory bow: ¡°My respects to Brother Wei.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not talking about that reaction¡­¡± Wei Dongliu rubbed his temple somewhat headache, then turned his gaze to his two disciples, ¡°How is your homework coming along? How much longer until your Qi Sea is brimming?¡± Guo Jin and Wang Cong looked at each other, the latter¡¯s face collapsed, while the former honestly responded: ¡°Replying to Master, probably another seventy or so years.¡± ¡°Seventy or so years?¡± Wei Dongliu¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°How can it take so long? When I first went through the Fasting trials to the Marrow Cleansing Rank, it only took me little more than a decade!¡± Guo Jin couldn¡¯t respond to that and could only frown silently. Wang Cong had no outward answer, but inwardly she started to mutter to herself. She was no longer a novice in the cultivation world, having learned a lot of common knowledge about the Cultivation Realm from Jiang Shi Niang, understanding that the average cultivator¡¯s Qi Refinement Realm, which is the state of a brimming Qi Sea, typically requires about sixty years. She and Guo Jin, who were of rather mediocre talent, would likely need just over seventy years considering the efficiency of their Qi Refinement breathing¡ªthis speed, though not the worst in the cultivation world, was below average. If one had superior talent, they could typically accomplish this in thirty to forty years of cultivation, and Jiang Shi Niang was among such talented. Those with supreme talent, who breathed in and out as easy as whales swallowing or dragons inhaling, could reach the Marrow Cleansing Rank within a couple of decades¡­ But to leap across two ranks in a mere decade, to reach the Refining Mansion Rank, was utterly unheard of! She cast an inquiring glance at Jiang Liyan, only to see that Jiang the Witch had no intention of arguing and simply crossed her arms in front of her chest, nodding calmly. As unbelievable as it sounds, my Wei Demon Lord isn¡¯t someone ordinary talents can even compare to, is he? Forget ten years of Qi Refinement and Marrow Cleansing, even cultivating a First Grade Golden Core in a hundred years should be seen as something due by right, a natural law, hardly worth any surprise. ¡°Jiang Dao You,¡± Wei Dongliu no longer teased his two nominal disciples, but simply said, ¡°go call Brother Wen and follow me to a place.¡± ¡°Which place?¡± Jiang Liyan blinked. ¡°White Bone Divine Palace,¡± Wei Dongliu said. Jiang Liyan: ? She was slightly bewildered for a moment, then suddenly realized that she seemed to have heard of this place before. It seemed to belong to a branch of the Ancient Intercepting Cult, the predecessor of the Nether Ghost Path, but its exact location had long been unknown to anyone¡­ Could it be that my Wei Demon Lord has grasped the whereabouts of the White Bone Divine Palace? ¡°Must you call Wen Yang?¡± Jiang the Witch asked with a soft smile. Subtext: If we could go just the two of us, why add a third person to share the treasures? Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Yes,¡± Wei Dongliu revealed a resolute and cold demeanor. He had two reasons for inviting Wen Yang: First, in the history that had already happened, Wen Yang had gone with him, so it wasn¡¯t good to change that. Second, even if he could change it, there was no need to. On this trip, he needed to lay an early ambush for the Flying Asura, and along the way, he also needed to pillage the White Bone Divine Palace, which required Wen Yang¡¯s knowledge and understanding of the ancient Nether Ghost Path lineage. Chapter 331 - Chapter 331: Chapter 48: Which One is the Real Voice? Chapter 331: Chapter 48: Which One is the Real Voice? To the Orthodox Sect, the Nether Ghost Path¡¯s base was elusive and difficult to find. However, it seemed that the Demon Cult had some sort of secretive way to communicate with each other. Anyway, Jiang Liyan brought Wei Dongliu to a ferry crossing by the Yellow River. This place looked like just a small fishing village, but when Wei Dongliu landed on the ground, he realized that there were oddly too many fishermen around. More precisely, they were all Nether Ghost Path Cultivators in disguise. From the perspective of Wei Dongliu, a senior spy with extensive experience, professional training, and decades in this line of work, the acting skills of these Nether Ghost Path Cultivators were so cringeworthy they could explode. Had Orthodox Sect Cultivators not recognized them face to face, the Orthodox Sect might as well have organized everyone to cultivate Heavenly Vision¡ªafter all, there weren¡¯t any interstellar battles to fight in this world. But then again, would Orthodox Sect Cultivators flying past on their swords ever land to inspect this ferry crossing in detail? It was simply not possible. Just how many ferry crossings were there along the Yellow River from its source to its mouth! At a tofu stall near the entrance of the village, the two saw Wen Yang dressed as a laboring woman, with her hemp sleeves rolled up high above her elbows, revealing fair and smooth arms. Another male Cultivator, dressed as a scholar, was standing in front of the tofu stall fanning himself, eagerly striking up a conversation: ¡°Sister Wen, you really shouldn¡¯t be pretending to sell tofu. There¡¯s still a spot open at that rouge and powder stall over there.¡± ¡°Brother Jiang.¡± Wen Yang replied with neither servility nor overbearing pride, but her voice was that of a beautiful female, ¡°Don¡¯t you have your own matters to attend to?¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t I just returned from the front line?¡± The male Cultivator said with a smile, as he took a Magical Treasure out from his bosom, ¡°Here¡¯s a trophy for you.¡± ¡°I do not accept awards without merit.¡± Wen Yang coldly refused. ¡°Just take it, it¡¯s no use to me.¡± The male Cultivator then set the Magical Treasure next to the tofu and left with a swish of his fan. Wei Dongliu slightly tilted his head and saw Jiang Liyan observing her nose, her nose observing her heart, forcibly holding back laughter. ¡°How much longer are you going to stand there and watch?¡± Wen Yang turned her head and said irritably. This time the voice switched to a deep and magnetic male tone. Wei Dongliu inwardly admired her, thinking it was such a pity not to be a voice actor in the modern Earth. ¡°How have you been recently, Brother Wen?¡± Jiang the Witch said with a smile. ¡°What¡¯s there to be good or bad about.¡± Wen Yang complained, pushing the tofu stall into the house, ¡°If the Sect commands, go to the frontline to intercept the Orthodox Cultivators, and if there¡¯s nothing, then just pretend to be a mortal here, as you have all seen.¡± ¡°Brother Wen.¡± Wei Dongliu spoke up, ¡°We have found a relic, and would like to invite you to explore it with us.¡± Wen Yang was slightly surprised, but quickly nodded: ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go change my clothes in the house.¡± Soon, he came out dressed in the robes of a female Nether Ghost Path Cultivator. Wei Dongliu couldn¡¯t be bothered to ask why he was dressed as a woman; after all, a mysterious persona is not supposed to be questioned too much, or else the imposing aura of a great figure would be lost. The three of them flew on their swords through the air, heading toward the western Long Mountain, and Wen Yang said: ¡°This place is nearing the front line of conflict with Kunlun, so we must be careful¡­ Is the relic found by Brother Wei nearby, or is it further away?¡± ¡°Beneath Long Mountain.¡± Wei Dongliu stated succinctly. Beneath Long Mountain? Wen Yang immediately thought of an underground relic previously discovered by the Nether Ghost Path nearby. It was only after Wei Dongliu led the two to land at a certain foothill of Long Mountain that Wen Yang was astonished to confirm that it indeed was that very relic. ¡°Brother Wei.¡± He deliberated on his words a bit before speaking, ¡°This ruin¡­ In fact, many years ago, it had already been thoroughly explored by us from the Nether Ghost Path, and moreover, was nearly completely looted.¡± ¡°However, later on, due to the war with Kunlun, we abandoned this place, and there¡¯s basically nothing much left inside.¡± ¡°Brother Wen.¡± Wei Dongliu said calmly, ¡°Do you know of the Flying Asura?¡± ¡°The Flying Asura?¡± Wen Yang¡¯s face changed slightly, clearly knowing what that term implied. Observing his expression, Wei Dongliu understood that the Nether Ghost Path Cultivator had not only failed to find the White Bone Divine Palace inside but also hadn¡¯t discovered the ¡°Land of Absolute Yang¡± where the Flying Asura buried its bones. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± He said indifferently. The three entered the crevice in Long Mountain, passed through the caves, and arrived in the corridor of an underground palace laid with grey bricks and mortar. Wen Yang silently observed his surroundings, he had explored this palace more than ten times, yet he never came across any Flying Asura? Wei Dongliu, following his memory and the route taken by the Flying Asura, reached a certain chamber. This place was a small room, on the left and right sides stood a coffin each, their lids opened and set aside, both empty inside. ¡°Originally, there was a golden corpse in each of these coffins on either side.¡± Wen Yang spoke up to explain, ¡°Later, the elders from my Sect lifted the lids and took away the bodies.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Wei Dongliu nodded and looked toward the brick wall between the two coffins. If his memory served him right, when the Flying Asura had taken Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian to this place, there had been a hole in the wall. Once past the hole, continuing to travel a distance would lead them to the secluded valley where the White Bone Divine Palace was located. Taking into account the current timeline, with Jian Qingnan and the others possibly still exploring the route of the Flying Asura, and Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian being in the Golden Ridge Cave Abode, Wei Dongliu immediately deduced the answer. He waved his right hand, and from his sleeve, three streaks of golden light flew out, striking the opposite brick wall. The Hundred Poison Golden Silkworm Gu was originally a fierce insect, its large pincers could even gnaw through a Flying Sword, so ordinary bricks were clearly no match for it. In no time, it gnawed a large hole in the wall, revealing behind it¡­ a second layer of brick wall. Although it was still a brick wall, Wen Yang and Jiang Liyan both sensed something was off. Given the size of this room, a single brick wall should have been enough to support the entire space, making a second layer completely unnecessary. The Hundred Poison Golden Silkworm Gu continued its assault, swiftly piercing through the second layer of the brick wall as well, revealing a third layer. Now, the two of them were instantly certain¡ªthere definitely was a secret chamber here! The reason for constructing several layers of brick walls was firstly to increase concealment from Divine Sense searches, and secondly to ensure that even if someone knocked or tapped around here, it wouldn¡¯t produce the sound of a hollow space behind. The Hundred Poison Golden Silkworm Gu grew increasingly violent, crazily burrowing in, and soon penetrated six or seven layers of brick walls, finally exposing the entrance hidden within. ¡°Inside here¡­¡± Wen Yang extended his Divine Sense, but couldn¡¯t see the end even after hundreds of meters, ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°The White Bone Divine Palace.¡± Before Wei Dongliu could speak, Jiang the Witch had already mimicked his indifferent tone and pompously said. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°The White Bone Divine Palace!¡± Wen Yang was stunned for a moment, then suddenly burst out uncontrollably exclaiming. His pitch was piercingly sharp, straying into a feminine pitch. ¡°Keep your voice down!¡± Wei Dongliu immediately darkened his expression. ¡°Ahem.¡± Wen Yang quickly reverted to a deep male voice and coughed, saying, ¡°Brother Wei, can you be sure that what lies below is truly the White Bone Divine Palace?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll know once we go down.¡± Wei Dongliu said lightly. Chapter 332 - Chapter 332: Chapter 49: Arriving Early, Starting to Scheme Chapter 332: Chapter 49: Arriving Early, Starting to Scheme They did not know how long they had walked when the three of them finally emerged from the cave entrance. Before them lay a huge, deep, and bottomless rift. Jiang Liyan and Wen Yang were on high alert, knowing that in such completely dark, vast spaces, if they were to encounter an attack from a flying demonic beast with night vision capabilities, there would hardly be any effective ways to cope. Wei Dongliu, however, appeared as calm as a breeze¡­ Even though his divine sense was scanning the surroundings, he still had to maintain the facade of a mysterious, powerful character. The three followed a narrow winding path downward until Wen Yang, walking at the front, suddenly tilted his head slightly to glance at Jiang Liyan. Something was very wrong. The nonchalant air with which Wei Dongliu carried himself was far too incongruous¡ªit was as if he was strolling in his own backyard. Unless he was very familiar with this place¡­ but if he had explored this secret area before, why would he invite us to accompany him? Could he really be some ancient being? Jiang Liyan understood his thought and then quietly turned her head away, pretending not to understand. The feeling of pretending to be more powerful than you are is so thrilling! She thought gleefully to herself. It seemed that the young witch had been completely bewitched by Wei the Demon Lord, thinking alike¡­ Wen Yang thought coldly, dropping his eyelids and lashes while only using his divine sense to continue scanning the surroundings. Hmm? What¡¯s that sound? Wen Yang suddenly heard a strange bell sound and immediately felt waves of dizziness. Just as he was about to sound the alarm, through his divine sense he ¡°saw¡± that Wei Dongliu, walking ahead, and Jiang Liyan behind him, showed no sign of anything amiss. Could it be that these two were plotting against me? With this thought flashing through his mind, Wen Yang was startled, but then quickly realized something else. No, the sound was not coming from these two; it emanated from the bottom of the rift. He hurriedly circulated his mental method to first withstand the illusion technique attack in the sound and then, almost instinctively, extended his divine sense toward the bottom of the rift. Perhaps because they had descended far enough, this time his sense found the dome of the White Bone Divine Palace. Wen Yang: !!! While Wen Yang was overwhelmed with emotions, Jiang the Witch also heard the bizarre bell sound. ¡°This bell sound is quite pleasant¡­¡± she thought subconsciously, then suddenly came to her senses, ¡°No, that¡¯s wrong! It¡¯s an illusion!¡± After a moment of stupor, Jiang Liyan quickly moved past Wen Yang and ran to Wei Dongliu¡¯s side, pretending to be stricken by an illusion attack, and said in a delicate voice, ¡°Brother Wei, there seems to be something wrong with this sound!¡± ¡°This is the White Bone Hollow Bell.¡± Wei Dongliu replied indifferently, ¡°Cast from bone, it rings without wind.¡± ¡°Its sound can shake the soul and bewilder the consciousness. Cultivators of lower mana realms can hardly withstand three breaths within its ringing before they succumb to dizziness, weakness in their limbs, and find themselves unable to move.¡± Jiang Liyan was slightly taken aback upon hearing this, thinking Wei Dongliu was disparaging her cultivation level, and quickly said, ¡°Ahem, I¡¯m not incapable of resisting this kind of illusion technique, I was just reminding you all.¡± ¡°Brother Wei truly has extensive knowledge.¡± Wen Yang suddenly spoke from behind, ¡°To be able to discern that it is the White Bone Hollow Bell just by hearing it.¡± ¡°I have read about this artifact in ancient texts as well,¡± he added. ¡°It was said to be a magical treasure specifically used by the Disciplinary Hall in ancient times. All new disciples had to walk in front of the White Bone Hollow Bell to understand the strict rules of the Nether Ghost Path.¡± ¡°Moreover, in case of an enemy invasion, the full activation of the White Bone Hollow Bell could directly attack the enemy¡¯s soul, its effectiveness comparable to the Protective Sect Array.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s how it is.¡± Jiang Liyan said with a smile, ¡°Does that mean we are now entering the White Bone Divine Palace?¡± ¡°If one were to speculate where the long-lost White Bone Hollow Bell might be located, it could only be at the White Bone Divine Palace,¡± Wen Yang sighed, ¡°Throughout history, our Nether Ghost Path has experienced four sect catastrophes, each time nearly resulting in the severance of our lineage.¡± ¡°Nowadays, even the whereabouts of the White Bone Divine Palace are untraceable¡­ yet to think it would be here.¡± ¡°Brother Wen, will you report this to the sect afterwards?¡± Jiang Liyan suddenly asked. ¡°Of course not,¡± Wen Yang carefully observed Wei Dongliu¡¯s expression, then said solemnly, ¡°If it were the location of an ordinary secret realm, offering it to the sect might bring great reward.¡± ¡°But the matter of the White Bone Divine Palace is of great significance. The sect may likely seal the information, allowing only a few high-ranking members to be privy to it.¡± Having said that, he tactfully fell silent. As for the unspoken implication, it was self-evident¡ªsince only a few high-ranking members could know, those not among this ¡°few¡± would naturally need to be eliminated. Wei Dongliu said nothing, and only led the two of them down to the bottom of the valley. The towering White Bone Divine Palace revealed its magnificent presence within the divine sense of the three. ¡°This is indeed the White Bone Divine Palace,¡± Wen Yang said with a trace of emotion, ¡°Ever since the Nether Ghost Path lost track of this place, we three might be the first cultivators to arrive here.¡± Wei Dongliu spoke up, ¡°Brother Wen, I shall ask you once more, do you know of the Flying Asura?¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Wen Yang pondered for a moment before speaking, ¡°Brother Wei should know that our Nether Ghost Path once had two factions: Corpse Refining and Controlling Nether Ghosts.¡± ¡°Within the Corpse Refining faction, the corpses are classified as Iron, Bronze, Silver, and Gold level, which are often those who have died unjustly and are manipulated by cultivators as weapons, possessing immense might.¡± ¡°Above them are the ¡®Earth Roaming Rakshasa,¡¯ ¡®Flying Asura,¡¯ and the legendary ¡®Drought Fiend¡¯.¡± ¡°At this level, the refined corpses begin to possess spiritual wisdom, talents, and divine skills, making them difficult to control by cultivators. Hence, it is necessary to incorporate a Magic Artifact during the refining stage, interweaving the lives of both, making it hard to separate.¡± ¡°In this way, one can use such a Magic Artifact to forcefully manipulate the corpse¡ªof course, if the spiritually sentient corpse manages to seize the Magic Artifact, it can integrate it into the depths of its body, eliminating the danger of being restrained.¡± ¡°In the era of the White Bone Divine Palace, it might have been possible for Nether Ghost Path cultivators to refine corpses to the level of Flying Asura. But nowadays, no one in our sect does this anymore.¡± ¡°Everyone does the opposite: it¡¯s not about refining others into high-rank corpses and going through great lengths to enslave them, but rather pursuing the path of Corpse Cultivation oneself¡­ If one can become a Drought Fiend, their lifespan could be as long as heaven and earth, hardly inferior to that of an Earth Immortal.¡± ¡°For instance, our sect now has two Flying Asura elders¡­¡± Wen Yang spoke eloquently about the knowledge of the Corpse Refining faction, captivating both Wei Dongliu and Jiang Liyan. The two were not completely ignorant of this knowledge, having come across it in various readings, but certainly did not know as much detail as Wen Yang. Corpse Refining, Corpse Refining, it used to be refining others, now it¡¯s refining oneself. Indeed, in the Great Thousand Worlds, nothing is too bizarre. At the end of the conversation, Wen Yang asked cautiously, ¡°Brother Wei, is there a Flying Asura within this White Bone Divine Palace?¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Wei Dongliu answered frankly, ¡°And the Magic Artifact that is entwined with its life is also within this White Bone Divine Palace.¡± ¡°Do you know how to use such a Magic Artifact?¡± ¡°That¡¯s quite simple,¡± Wen Yang responded without hesitation. ¡°Just drip Essence Blood onto it to acknowledge it as the master.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°After subduing the Magic Artifact, once you have established a mental connection, it¡¯s as if the Flying Asura¡¯s life is at the whims of your thoughts.¡± ¡°You want it to walk, it walks; to run and jump, it does so; even if you order it to kill itself, it has no choice but to obey.¡± ¡°Of course, since it has the power to enslave a Flying Asura, no one would be willing to let it end itself. However, one still needs to guard against its schemes, as it has awakened spiritual wisdom and is by no means inferior to human cultivators.¡± ¡°If you let your guard down due to its flattering compliance, allowing that crucial Magic Artifact to be snatched by it, then you will face the most vicious and cruel vengeance from the Flying Asura. Our sect¡¯s ancient archives have recorded several extremely terrifying cases¡­¡± As they chatted casually with each other, they headed towards the main entrance of the White Bone Divine Palace. Chapter 333 - Chapter 333: Chapter 50 Generous Profit-Sharing, Heart-to-Heart Interaction Chapter 333: Chapter 50 Generous Profit-Sharing, Heart-to-Heart Interaction ¡°Truly astonishing.¡± Wen Yang surveyed the surrounding furnishings and laughed, ¡°Beneath Long Mountain, a thousand-zhang gorge, the White Bone Divine Palace, and to think it was constructed on such a grand scale reveals just how prosperous and powerful the Nether Ghost Path was during Lady Shi Ji¡¯s era.¡± ¡°Nine Demon Kings, seventy-two Fire Crows, five hundred Asuras¡­¡± Jiang Liyan also sighed, ¡°If the Nether Ghost Path could retain but a fraction of its former glory today, why would we fear not rivaling the Kunlun Taiqing Sect?¡± Wei Dongliu spoke slowly, ¡°You only know one side of the story, not the other. Even in that era, ancient Kunlun also had three thousand Nascent Soul Cultivators.¡± ¡°The Kunlun Mountain Range, in all directions, north, south, east, and west, contained two hundred sects both big and small; amongst them were powerful forces like the Divine Flame Path, yet they were cut down as easily as one would chop a melon or slice a vegetable by the cultivators of ancient Kunlun.¡± ¡°If it were not so, how could the vast Kunlun Mountain Range be entirely occupied by the Taiqing Sect today?¡± Both were rendered speechless, their hearts churning like a torrential river. The term ¡°ancient Kunlun¡± appeared infrequently even in the texts of the Nether Corpse and Heavenly Demon Paths, not to mention such a precise number as ¡°three thousand cultivators.¡± Those who understood it so clearly were either cultivators from Kunlun¡¯s side (after all, it was their ancestral history) or¡­ ¡­elders who survived from the Ancient Era. Wei Dongliu, as if unaware of what the two were thinking, simply savored the delightful rise in his Synchronization Value of a mysterious persona and then continued walking forward. Leftward lay the Ghost Sect¡¯s quarters; Rightward lay the Nether Corpse Sect¡¯s quarters. Last time, the Flying Asura had taken Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian to the left. This time, he intended to lead them to the right. ¡°Wei Dongliu.¡± Just as he was about to step forward, Jiang Liyan suddenly called out from behind. ¡°What is it?¡± Wei Dongliu paused and looked back. ¡°¡­Nothing.¡± Jiang Liyan inexplicably backtracked. She initially wanted to say something along the lines of ¡°age cannot impede us,¡± but when the words reached her lips, they suddenly wouldn¡¯t come out. Because she suddenly realized that she had never truly understood this ¡°Fellow Wei.¡± Even towards the red-haired, double-pupiled Wei Demon Lord, her interest had been nothing more than a whim. Seeing that Jiang the Witch had fallen silent, Wei Dongliu was indifferent and continued walking forward. Passing through the main hall and arriving at the back temple, he saw numerous coffins scattered like mountains, mercury and sulfur flowing backwards like rivers. It seemed as though a grand formation was laid out, but in reality, there was no formation at all, just a haphazard accumulation. ¡°Corpse refining chamber.¡± Wen Yang said gravely, touching a protruding coffin, ¡°This¡­ is made of Phoenix-Imprisoning Wood. You can¡¯t find this wood anymore. Only in the Hundred Thousand Mountains of the Southern Border, shrouded in miasma, might there still be some.¡± ¡°See if there is anything useful,¡± Wei Dongliu said indifferently, ¡°Take anything that is useful.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± So Wen Yang hopped onto a coffin, scavenging around, agile as a cat. Jiang the Witch, having nothing else to do, approached to ask, ¡°Fellow Wei, when will you activate that¡­ uh, that very impressive Demon Lord Dharma Body of yours?¡± ¡°Only in times of trouble will I transform into the Dharma Body.¡± Wei Dongliu looked at her with a hint of a smile, ¡°Are you eager for trouble to arise?¡± ¡°Ah, no, no, no!¡± Jiang the Witch shook her head hastily, ¡°I am just¡­¡± She spoke disjointedly, soon hanging her head dejectedly, unable to continue. Wei Dongliu was not unaware of her fanciful thoughts, but as a mysterious grandee, he did not care for matters of romantic interest and thus turned his head away indifferently. Wen Yang alighted from the pile of coffins and laid out three items on the ground, saying, ¡°These are the only three worth taking.¡± He introduced them one by one from left to right, ¡°This piece of wood on the left is Phoenix-Imprisoning Wood, exceedingly suitable for crafting sealing-type Magic Artifacts. Whether it¡¯s the Five Elements or Yin Yang Dual Qi, it is difficult for them to penetrate Phoenix-Imprisoning Wood.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t Phoenix-Imprisoning Wood an attribute of wood?¡± Jiang Liyan asked curiously, ¡°If confronted with metal or elements of fire, can it still resist corrosion?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Wen Yang said, ¡°Back then, the Nether Ghost Path used a secret technique to process the Phoenix-Imprisoning Wood¡­ Pity it¡¯s already been lost.¡± ¡°The green pearl in the middle is called the Corpse Preserving Pearl. As long as it¡¯s placed under the tongue in the mouth, the physical body won¡¯t decay.¡± ¡°This item is used to seal and nourish corpses, but the method of refinement is also lost. Therefore, now our Sect can only replace it by injecting a large amount of mercury into the bodies.¡± ¡°How disgusting!¡± Jiang the Witch immediately expressed disdain upon thinking of the pearl being stuffed into a corpse¡¯s mouth. ¡°This pearl, of course, has never been used before.¡± Realizing what she implied, Wen Yang quickly explained. ¡°The item on the far right is the Hiltless Locust Wood Sword. I¡¯m not sure what it¡¯s for, but I thought I¡¯d bring it for you to see.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Wei Dongliu looked closely and it indeed was the Hiltless Locust Wood Sword. But this sword¡­ Wasn¡¯t it supposed to be hanging in the treasure room of the Ghost Sect next door? It was then Wei Dongliu suddenly realized. As a Flying Asura and a Nether Corpse, it makes sense that his magical treasures would be stored with the Nether Corpse Sect. As for why, from Qiu Changtian¡¯s point of view, the sword seemed to hang in that treasure room¡ªof course, it was because¡­ Wei Dongliu sighed, reached for the Hiltless Locust Wood Sword, and said: ¡°I¡¯ll take this one, the rest you can divide among yourselves.¡± Jiang Liyan and Wen Yang first paused, then were pleased. They were surprised¡ªthat what was this Hiltless Locust Wood Sword exactly, to make Wei Dongliu pick it without hesitation? Considering his frequent inquiries about the Flying Asura, could this sword possibly be the key magical treasure to control the Flying Asura? Their pleasure stemmed from the fact that Wei Dongliu, surprisingly, did not want to hog all the spoils but was willing to share with them! If it were some other Demon Path Cultivator, they would have used their deeper cultivation to claim everything for themselves long ago. Wen Yang did offer information support, so he chose the Phoenix-Imprisoning Wood without much fuss. Jiang the Witch had contributed nothing to the expedition and felt unusually embarrassed to take anything. But then she thought, if Wei the Demon Lord is giving me something, what is there to be embarrassed about? ¡°Wei friend,¡± she then said earnestly, ¡°I accept your kindness and will repay it in the future.¡± In other words, she had nothing to exchange at the moment and could only count it as a favor owed. Wei Dongliu was somewhat surprised, because his willingness to share was not out of a desire to seek Jiang the Witch¡¯s favor, but because he completely disdained the other two worthless items¡ªhis standards were, after all, incredibly high. But Wei Dongliu¡¯s character was not created to become stronger, but to gather information about the Hell Path¡­ a purpose he had not forgotten. Forming good relations with Jiang Liyan and Wen Yang, or even indebting them to him, was naturally also a way of expanding his network. So he nonchalantly waved his hand and said: ¡°Such trivial items are hardly worth mentioning.¡± This carefree and unruly approach, compared to the habitual penny-pinching style of most Demon Path Cultivators today, was indeed like night and day. Seeing this, Jiang the Witch and Wen Yang once again had their suspicions about the ¡°old monster¡± reaffirmed, lending more credibility to their earlier conjectures. Lost in thought, Wen Yang¡¯s expression grew distant. After a moment of contemplation, he suddenly adopted a sincerely inquisitive posture and earnestly said: ¡°Wei Qian¡­ Wei friend, I too accept this kindness. However, I have a question. If it¡¯s not a bother, could you enlighten me?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the question?¡± a languid Wei Dongliu asked. ¡°It¡¯s about¡­¡± Wen Yang hesitated, glancing at Jiang Liyan beside him. He and Jiang Liyan were well-acquainted, but he had not shared some of the deepest secrets about himself with her. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Yet, after his cover was blown by the creature in the Mirror Lake Divine Palace, Wen Yang felt if Jiang the Witch delved deeper, she would likely guess most of it. Rather than not be forthcoming, he thought it better to speak openly about it here, to deepen the connection and bond. Having made up his mind, Wen Yang let out a deep sigh and asked: ¡°My question is, if a man¡­ has been subjected to a secret technique from the womb, his soul extracted and placed into his sister¡¯s body¡­¡± ¡°¡­then does he truly count as a man? Or is he a woman?¡± Chapter 334 - Chapter 334: Chapter 51: Life and Death Are Not in Human Hands Chapter 334: Chapter 51: Life and Death Are Not in Human Hands ¡°I have a friend,¡± ¡°His father is Real Person Ming Yan from the Nether Ghost Path, and his mother is Real Person Yu Hua from the same sect.¡± ¡°When his mother was about to give birth, she was ambushed by enemy cultivators.¡± ¡°In any case, his father couldn¡¯t save his mother, and of the twins in her womb, the brother¡¯s body was half-destroyed, hanging on by a thread; the sister, on the other hand, had her soul damaged by foul qi entering her brain.¡± ¡°So, his father took out the brother¡¯s intact soul and transplanted it into the sister¡¯s undamaged body¡­¡± Wen Yang spoke with a somber expression, his voice gradually lowering. Jiang Liyan also felt quite somber upon hearing this, thinking to herself that if this happened to me, I would just kill myself. Wei Dongliu, who was beside them, suddenly raised an eyebrow and said, ¡°Since we¡¯re all not strangers here, I might as well ask clearly: Is this ¡®friend¡¯ of yours really just you?¡± Wen Yang¡¯s face stiffened in an instant, and he almost spat out a mouthful of blood. Jiang Liyan¡¯s face twitched as well, only hearing Wen Yang gesture with his hands and awkwardly say, ¡°That¡¯s not important, not important¡­¡± ¡°In any case, my friend¡­ since he was a child, he has had the body of a girl, and everyone around him also saw him as a girl.¡± ¡°But his father belonged to the Nether Ghost faction. He told him the truth about his origins at an early age and posed a question to him that he couldn¡¯t refute.¡± ¡°If you were originally male, but due to your body being destroyed, you took possession of a female¡¯s, does that make you female?¡± Wei Dongliu: ¡­¡­ Jiang Liyan: ¡­¡­ ¡°His father also said, what if the body you possessed was not a human female, but an animal? Would that make you an animal?¡± Wen Yang said in a low voice, ¡°Father finally concluded that what determines who a person really is, is not their body, but their soul.¡± Jiang Liyan looked puzzled, clearly not convinced by this statement. However, the preceding ¡°Soul Possession of a Beast Theory¡± was too impactful, and if she couldn¡¯t refute it, there would be no way to convince Wen Yang regardless of how hard she tried in any other direction. ¡°On this matter, I have heard of a theory,¡± Wei Dongliu said expressionlessly, ¡°It states that gender is determined by postnatal factors, not innate ones.¡± ¡°Even if you are innately male, if one day you suddenly awaken to the realization that you are female, then from that moment on you are female.¡± Wen Yang, silently listening, pondered for a moment before revealing a troubled smile, ¡°What kind of nonsensical theory is that? If lechers falsely claim they believe themselves to be female, could they then freely enter and exit young ladies¡¯ boudoirs?¡± ¡°Indeed, I also think it¡¯s nonsensical,¡± said Wei Dongliu earnestly, ¡°but it does reveal something, and that is, there indeed exists a notion of postnatal gender identity.¡± ¡°Your father¡¯s theory is based on the premise that you have already formed a corresponding gender identity. After that, no matter which body you transmigrate into, you would choose to adhere to your identity.¡± ¡°But if the body swap happened in the mother¡¯s womb before the soul had formed any gender identity, then I think even if you consider yourself female, it isn¡¯t much of an issue.¡± Wen Yang listened with a strained smile, awkwardly saying, ¡°It¡¯s not me, it¡¯s a friend of mine¡­ but thank you, nonetheless.¡± Wei Dongliu nodded, about to leave, but heard Wen Yang speak again: ¡°Fellow Daoist Jiang, my friend¡¯s story has ended, now it¡¯s your turn.¡± This time, he didn¡¯t choose to use some kind of deep, magnetic male voice; instead, he switched to a more androgynous one, cold and indistinguishable as male or female. Jiang Liyan: ??? She revealed an embarrassed expression that seemed to say, ¡°I can¡¯t believe the gossip has landed on me,¡± and tried to change the subject: ¡°I don¡¯t have any stories¡­¡± ¡°Fellow Daoist Jiang,¡± Wen Yang said with a chilly tone, ¡°since Fellow Daoist Wei has been so generous to bring us to explore these ruins, we should naturally treat Fellow Daoist Wei with sincerity, don¡¯t you think?¡± Jiang Liyan felt like spitting blood; so it¡¯s not enough for you to reveal your own secrets, you have to drag me into this as well! However, what Wen Yang said did make some sense, she had already disclosed such a private matter, if I were still to hide and hoard my secrets, wouldn¡¯t Fellow Wei Dong Liu start to harbor doubts towards me after comparison? ¡°Cough.¡± Jiang the Witch coughed and said, ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, I might as well share a little secret with everyone.¡± ¡°Actually, I was born in the year of the Nether, in the month of the Nether, on the day of the Nether, at the hour of the Nether, at the moment of the Nether,¡± she said mysteriously. Then, the other two showed an expression of ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± ¡°Do you not understand what ¡®one with an Innate Nether Body¡¯ means?¡± Jiang Liyan said coldly, ¡°If my body were to be used as a sacrifice to summon a Heavenly Demon, it would allow the responded Heavenly Demon¡¯s rank to rise by an entire level!¡± ¡°Fellow Daoist Jiang turns out to be a high-grade Heavenly Demon Sacrifice,¡± Wen Yang immediately covered his mouth and laughed, ¡°How dare you tell us such hidden matters so casually?¡± ¡°Us¡±? Jiang the Witch became furious, are you worthy of being mentioned in the same breath as Demon Lord Wei? Wei Dongliu quickly caught on and sneered: ¡°Your master must have had ulterior motives in accepting you as a disciple.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Jiang Liyan said coldly, ¡°but it¡¯s also my amulet.¡± ¡°Such a fine sacrifice should naturally be used to summon the best Heavenly Demon,¡± Wen Yang mused aloud, ¡°which means, before your master decides to make a move, he would actually protect you from being killed by other disciples.¡± ¡°Not necessarily so,¡± Jiang Liyan paused before speaking, ¡°my master, in fact, might not have made up his mind yet.¡± ¡°If you truly show the talent of an exceptional cultivator, then raising a nearly perfect, controllable disciple would be more tempting than summoning a high-rank Heavenly Demon,¡± Wei Dongliu pointed out the key point bluntly. ¡°Exactly,¡± Jiang Liyan said distantly, ¡°and as someone with an Innate Nether Body, I also receive certain boosts when cultivating the Heavenly Demon Dao Techniques.¡± ¡°So my master must still be weighing whether to keep me as a direct disciple or to turn me into a sacrifice for a high-rank Heavenly Demon.¡± ¡°I have roughly figured out the critical point between the two,¡± she stated with utmost seriousness and a chilly voice, ¡°firstly, I must become the most excellent among all disciples.¡± ¡°Secondly, I must form a High-Grade Golden Core. This way, I can practically ensure that I will smoothly transition to the stage of bearing the immortal fetus and become a Nascent Soul Cultivator.¡± ¡°Only then will the future value of training me outweigh that of a high-rank Heavenly Demon.¡± Although she mentioned only two points, Wei Dongliu keenly sensed that there was actually a crucial third point: Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only To gain her master¡¯s absolute trust. Otherwise, the more capable and robust her Daoist Foundation, the more her master would feel threatened, which might lead him to act against her prematurely. Thinking this, Wei Dongliu also inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. The choice to set up his own sect in the Demonic Path was indeed the right one. Had he chosen to serve under some old monster, he would have to constantly be on edge, taking each step carefully, planning ahead two steps and looking forward to three, with his life always at the mercy of others¡ªwhat a suffocating and miserable existence that would be! Chapter 335 - Chapter 335: Chapter 52: Coordinating Performance Chapter 335: Chapter 52: Coordinating Performance After exchanging information, the trio set off again. Jiang Liyan and Wen Yang were about to continue forward when they suddenly heard Wei Dongliu say, ¡°You two go ahead and search, I¡¯ve got something else to take care of outside.¡± Both of them were slightly taken aback, but they quickly understood and replied, ¡°Alright then, we¡¯ll go in first.¡± Wei Dongliu watched them enter the rear hall and then confirmed the time with Ah Jing once more. The Flying Asuras were about to arrive soon. He quickly left the area and headed toward another rear hall, smoothly reaching the treasure room unobstructed. In the treasure room, all sorts of Magical Treasures and Magic Artifacts glistened temptingly. Unfortunately, the surroundings were filled with insidious Formations and Restrictions. Anyone who rashly touched them would be grievously injured. Upon careful consideration, even Junior Sister Xu, if she were here, would likely be unable to break through these Restrictions. Hmm? Wait, could it be that I¡­ Wei Dongliu had an epiphany and sighed, then he drew the Green Duckweed Sword and shot it swiftly into the treasure room. Inside the room, a dark light surged, and various Restrictions burst forth one after another, causing noise and vibrations that toppled everything on the shelves. After confirming that all the Restrictions inside were disabled, Wei Dongliu reluctantly reentered, rearranged the Magical Treasures and Elixir Bottles on the shelves, and hung the Hiltless Locust Wood Sword on the wall before slowly stepping out of the treasure room. He found a concealed corner to hide and commanded, ¡°Ah Jing, Illusion Technique!¡± The Kunlun Mirror quickly cast a disguise Illusion Technique on him. It wasn¡¯t long before a commotion could be heard from outside. Soon after, a hurried Xu Yinglian came from outside. Under the effect of the Illusion Technique, she didn¡¯t glance toward the depths of the corridor but headed straight to the doorway of the treasure room, using the Fire Phoenix Technique to probe the situation inside. Then, she revealed a look of surprise, ¡°How come there are no Restrictions here?¡± Wei Dongliu, hiding at the end of the side corridor, saw the naive expression on Junior Sister Xu¡¯s face and couldn¡¯t help but want to laugh. If Jiang the Witch were here, she certainly wouldn¡¯t have entered so easily. Many deceptive Restrictions could not necessarily be detected by Spells. Compared to the Demon Cult Cultivators with rich combat experience, Junior Sister Xu was still too green. Wei Dongliu secretively waved his sleeve, and a Hundred Poison Golden Silkworm Gu flew out from the cuff, quietly lying in wait in a corner of the ceiling near the treasure room, silently observing Xu Yinglian¡¯s movements inside. She went straight to a shelf and looked at the Yinhui Yuanshen Water inside. This reminded Wei Dongliu that he had yet to hand over the Yangxia Zhuming Pills and Storage Bag to her since Qiu Changtian¡¯s return to Kunlun. Cough cough, I¡¯ll return them at the next save point. Xu Yinglian secured the Yinhui Yuanshen Water and patiently took other Magical Treasures and items. Only at the end did she reach out for the Hiltless Locust Wood Sword hanging on the wall. As soon as she extended her hand, Wei Dongliu had already activated his Chaotic Demon Body, transforming into the appearance of a red-haired, double-pupilled Demon Lord. He stealthily approached her from behind and, lightning-fast, reached over her shoulder to seize the Hiltless Locust Wood Sword in his hand. Xu Yinglian: !!! In an instant, her expression turned incredibly complex, but she quickly collected herself, assuming a stance as if facing a formidable enemy. ¡°Who might you be?¡± Xu Yinglian asked coldly. Wei Dongliu was deeply disappointed. Being my Daoist Companion and Junior Sister, your alertness is sorely lacking. Seeing no Restrictions but not being suspicious, and not noticing someone approaching from behind¡­ how have I been teaching you all this time? ¡°Demon Lord Wei Dongliu.¡± He deliberately revealed a vicious and fierce grin. ¡°Wei Dongliu? Never heard of him¡­¡± Xu Yinglian responded coldly. With a sudden flick of her hands inside her sleeves, the Feather Jia Sword shot out from behind her back, thrusting towards the opponent¡¯s head. Yet it was grasped firmly in Wei Dongliu¡¯s hand. Xu Yinglian¡¯s pupils shrank sharply, and she quickly urged the Sword Dao techniques, but only saw the Feather Jia Sword let out a pained wail. Wei Dongliu, carrying the Chaotic Demon Body and possessing the ¡°Demonic Subduing Upper Spirit Splitting Muddy and Clear Scripture,¡± had converted all of his robust Daoist True Yuan into the most sinister and filthy Chaotic Demonic Qi. At this moment, with just a single thought, that Demonic Qi rushed into the Feather Jia Sword, fighting relentlessly with the Daoist True Yuan inside. According to Daoist terminology, this is called ¡°Magic Artifact contamination,¡± a capability only possessed by profound magic. Seeing that the Feather Jia Sword was not heeding her command, Xu Yinglian decided to cast off all concerns and release the Great Bright Fire in this confined space, ready to suffer mutual destruction with her adversary. However, Wei Dongliu understood her all too well. This Junior Sister Xu¡¯s tactical style, much like her stubborn nature, was almost identical to him. Asking her to bow her head and give in was even harder than killing her. Just as she was about to cast the spell, Wei Dongliu¡¯s hand shot out like lightning, seizing her throat directly. Xu Yinglian¡¯s throat was constricted, the Great Bright Fire surged up her throat but was soon stifled by the Demonic Qi invading her neck. The clash of forces nearly caused her to roll her eyes back. Wei Dongliu, gripping her fair neck as though he was clutching the neck of a large goose, rapidly infused his Demonic Qi, causing all her meridians to be blocked, her Divine Sense to become dull, and her consciousness quickly sank into darkness. Done! Looking at Xu Yinglian collapsed on the ground, her face contorted in pain and unconscious, Wei Dongliu felt a touch of moral guilt and self-reproach, but soon reassured himself with a thought: Alas, this Junior Sister Xu is simply too weak! Unable to win against Qiu Changtian, she also can¡¯t defeat Wei Dongliu. How could I be at ease letting her go out to experience the world? The reason I acted so roughly this time was to teach her what the survival of the fittest means in the Cultivation Realm, what the heartless and cruel nature of the Demon Cult is. It is better for her to fall into my hands now than into the hands of some demonic cultists in the future, right? Those people wouldn¡¯t understand what it means to have mercy or to hold back! Thinking this way, Wei Dongliu quickly convinced himself: I¡¯m doing this for my Junior Sister¡¯s own good, to force her to confront these necessary setbacks! All of this is for her own good! With this thought, he felt completely at ease with his actions, without a hint of remorse. He picked up the Hiltless Locust Wood Sword hanging on the wall with his right hand and scooped up Xu Yinglian from the ground with his left, carrying her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, and walked outside. Leaving the treasure room, turning the corner, the red-haired and double-pupiled Wei Dongliu boldly appeared in front of Qiu Changtian and the Flying Asura, casually tossing Xu Yinglian from his shoulder. The Flying Asura, its dark-as-ink corpse claws gripping Qiu Changtian¡¯s neck, hurriedly tossed him aside, allowing Xu Yinglian to crash to the ground. Wei Dongliu, taking the opportunity, spat out a drop of his essence blood onto the Hiltless Locust Wood Sword, immediately completing the recognition of the master. The Flying Asura felt a sensation and its face suddenly changed: The Locust Wood Sword bonded with my life has been subdued by this guy in front of me! ¡°The Kunlun Foundation Establishment Realm¡¯s Chief Disciple, oh? And a Flying Asura¡­¡± Wei Dongliu said with a deliberate sneer. Seeing the Flying Asura no longer able to restrain itself, it immediately threw the now worthless Qiu Changtian aside and viciously attacked him. Wei Dongliu blocked its assault with the Hiltless Locust Wood Sword, while his mind flickered with a thought: Punishment! As the thought passed, the Hiltless Locust Wood Sword trembled slightly, and the Flying Asura¡¯s claws rapidly corroded, and its expression twisted violently. ¡°Ha, that¡¯s all?¡± scoffed Wei Dongliu. ¡°Not even unsealing the restrictions, this is the extent of your strength?¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only The Flying Asura didn¡¯t speak, continuing its ferocious assault, but limited by its own restrictions, it was unable to unleash even a tenth or twentieth of its power. Seeing Qiu Changtian check on Xu Yinglian¡¯s condition from across the way, Wei Dongliu no longer held back, his mind turning again: Strengthen the seal! At once, the Flying Asura became as rigid as a wooden chicken, and Wei Dongliu struck it with one sword, sending it flying to the ground, immobilized. Wei Dongliu then walked forward, speaking to Qiu Changtian in dialogue projected by the Kunlun Mirror. Chapter 336 - Chapter 336: Chapter 53: Fearless in the face of danger, with both wisdom and bravery Chapter 336: Chapter 53: Fearless in the face of danger, with both wisdom and bravery After that, it was time to recite the lines. Since the past Qiu Changtian had clearly witnessed the performance of the two, Wei Dongliu now needed to repeat it exactly as it had happened. He, along with Jiang Liyan and Wen Yang, pursued Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian relentlessly. If their opponents dared to strike back, they would target Jian Qingnan, who was still in a coma, and the two would immediately have to accelerate their embarrassing escape. After bursting out of the Underground Palace of Long Mountain and seeing the two rise into the sky on their swords, Jiang Liyan still felt unsatisfied. ¡°Those two are Kunlun¡¯s Chief Qiu and the Phoenix Immortal?¡± she asked with a cold laugh, ¡°It seems they are nothing special after all.¡± ¡°Here we go again,¡± Wen Yang sighed helplessly, ¡°Jiang, friend, their cultivation realms are certainly not beneath ours, it¡¯s just that they are concerned about harming an innocent bystander.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Jiang Liyan said with a cold laugh, ¡°It¡¯s just a pity that we couldn¡¯t completely eliminate them this time. Otherwise, we could¡¯ve really given Kunlun a hard time.¡± Wei Dongliu remained silent, simply gripping the Hiltless Locust Wood Sword and turning his head to look at the Flying Asura: ¡°If you have any tricks for saving your skin, now¡¯s the time to show them.¡± As soon as these words were spoken, Jiang Liyan and the others immediately stopped their small talk and looked over. The Flying Asura, having been driven all this way, seemed to have lost all heart to resist and meekly said: ¡°Master, how dare I attempt to flee¡­¡± ¡°A somewhat troublesome enemy is approaching,¡± Wei Dongliu said coldly. ¡°If you would prefer to die rather than submit, then I will have to send you on your way first.¡± Flying Asura: ??? As if to prove his statement, a brilliant streak of light shot from the west and quickly reached the side of Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian in the distance. The figure was dressed in a plain Daoist robe, with white hair held high and a horsetail whisk slung casually, standing on a horizontally positioned Immortal Sword. Who else could it be if not the Ziwei Master of the Taiqing Sect of Kunlun? In an instant, Jiang Liyan felt a chill run down her spine, her heart racing as her sense of danger sent out frantic warnings. Wen Yang was no better off, his face twitching in disbelief as he turned to look at Wei Dongliu. Is this what you call a ¡°somewhat troublesome enemy¡±? Wei Dongliu¡¯s expression remained unchanged, but he squinted his eyes and continued to stare coldly at the Flying Asura. Survival wouldn¡¯t be difficult for him with Ah Jing¡¯s teleportation, of course. The challenge lay in taking Jiang Liyan and Wen Yang with him while not revealing the abilities or magical treasures of any other personas. After all, as the Sect Leader of the Taiqing Sect of Kunlun, the Ziwei Master had extensive connections, which were essential. Never mind Qiu Changtian, if he used any abilities belonging to Ling Yunpo or Luo Yan, and later, while visiting Shushan or Penglai, they were to see Ling Yunpo or Luo Yan using the same methods and someone casually remarked, ¡°I once saw a demon cult thief using this technique, it¡¯s strikingly similar¡±¡­ It would probably scare a person into having a heart attack. So that left only one possibility. Wei Dongliu¡¯s demeanor grew colder, and the Flying Asura, staring at the Ziwei Master, suddenly spoke up after a moment of horror: ¡°I have the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Technique¡­¡± ¡°Use it now!¡± Wei Dongliu roared. The Flying Asura then summoned dark clouds, enveloping the three of them, and sped off towards the east. The Flying Asura, being naturally capable of flight and now employing the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Technique with its True Yuan burning fiercely, moved at an almost unbelievably fast speed. Even Wei Dongliu, with his extensive knowledge and experience from his five personas, had never seen such a fast flying speed¡ªthe mountain ranges they had just been gazing at were left far behind in an instant. ¡°Demon Venerable Wei!¡± Jiang Liyan suddenly called out. Wei Dongliu turned to look, only to see a brilliant streak of light racing from behind, moving even faster than the Flying Asura using the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Technique! It was evident that the Ziwei Master, upset about the near death of his disciple, was now extremely enraged! Although Wei Dongliu originally had ninety percent confidence in his ability to escape, he almost panicked at this, immediately urging the Flying Asura: ¡°Faster!¡± But the Flying Asura didn¡¯t answer, instead conveying its emotions through the steel seal of the Hiltless Locust Wood Sword to Wei Dongliu without any restraint. It truly was doing everything within its power. Wei Dongliu turned to look back again, countless thoughts racing through his mind. The Hundred Poisons Golden Silkworm Gu, given the current flying speed, could be thrown to hinder the enemy but could not be retrieved smoothly. The Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword, with Wen Yang currently by his side, also could not be used lightly; otherwise, he would need to consider whether to kill and silence him. The methods of Qiu Lingluo and the other two were unusable, only Long Long¡¯s seemed to be irrelevant. However, besides the bloodline talents of the Dragon Clan, Long Long did not have anything impressive at hand that could be used to try to stop the Ziwei Master. What should be done? As he racked his brains here, over there, Jiang Liyan and Wen Yang refused to sit still and wait for death, desperately unleashing spells and throwing magical treasures and flying swords as if they cost nothing. As expected, it had no effect on the pursuit of the Ziwei Master. Here, once again, it must be reiterated: in the Cultivation Realm, what truly determines the outcome of a magical competition are two things: ¡°restraint¡± and ¡°rank¡±. Restraint, of course, does not need to be elaborated upon too much, such as the restraint of the Five Elements, the evil-destroying and demon-dispelling Thunder Method, the corrupting effect of demonic qi, and so on. If there is no restraint, then it generally comes down to rank to determine the victor. For example, with Foundation Establishment fighting a Golden Core, the opponent¡¯s True Yuan is much more vigorous than yours, and the power of driving flying swords, magical treasures, and Daoist magic is more than ten times yours. Then unless the rank of your flying sword, magical treasure, and Daoist magic is particularly high, and the power can multiply by ten times with the same amount of True Yuan driving it, there is a chance to contend with a Golden Core cultivator. If it¡¯s Foundation Establishment against Nascent Soul, then you¡¯d need to wield an eleventh-rank Immortal Sword or hold a Heaven-overturning Seal, Eight Treasures Ingenious Tower, or other spiritual treasures of such rank¡ªand still be able to activate them. As for Foundation Establishment fighting an immortal, unless you have both the Tai Yin and Tai Yang swords¡­ However, if you could get the Tai Yin and Tai Yang swords to recognize you as their master, why bother fighting immortals? Immortals would be vying to take you as their disciple. For this reason, even though Jiang Liyan and Wen Yang had plundered many treasures from the White Bone Divine Palace, unless there was a magical treasure equivalent to an eleventh-rank Immortal Sword among them, they were generally unable to stop the Ziwei Master. Hmm¡­ Hm? My Ah Jing, isn¡¯t that an Innate Spiritual Treasure? ¡°Ah Jing!¡± Wei Dongliu hurriedly called out, ¡°Quick, lend me your strength!¡± ¡°You must wait a bit longer,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said with difficulty. ¡°How could you be so useless? You are an Innate Spiritual Treasure after all!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t help it! My main body is damaged now!¡± the Kunlun Mirror shouted back, ¡°Mirror Flower Water Moon, Illusory Warning Dream, enact!¡± No sooner had the voice faded than the Ziwei Master¡¯s sword light came to an abrupt halt, and in an instant, he was thrown far behind, out of sight. ¡°Truly worthy of my Ah Jing!¡± Wei Dongliu was overjoyed, then arrogantly said, ¡°That¡¯s sufficient, he won¡¯t be coming after us again.¡± The Flying Asura immediately halted the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Technique, looking wearily to the rear. After a moment, a look of disbelief crossed his fierce, green-faced, and fanged visage. Jiang Liyan and Wen Yang were also numb with shock: they had suspected that you were an old monster, but they hadn¡¯t realized that you really were one, even capable of dealing with the Ziwei Master of the Kunlun Taiqing Sect! Under normal circumstances, the two might have started exclaiming ¡°Venerable Wei is invincible under the heavens!¡±, but with the Flying Asura present, it wouldn¡¯t do to make a big fuss. Otherwise, it would be a small thing to be looked down upon by Flying Asura, but a big thing to lose the favor of Demon Venerable Wei. Therefore, Wen Yang cleared his throat and said: ¡°Merely the Head of the Kunlun Sect, nothing more.¡± Jiang Liyan also sneered as he said: ¡°Flying Asura, did you see that? Being able to serve as a beast of burden for Venerable Wei is the good fortune you¡¯ve cultivated by performing acts of virtue for nine lifetimes!¡± I¡¯m a damn zombie, where do I get nine lifetimes from?! The Flying Asura instinctively wanted to retort, but the words died on his lips, as he dared not speak out. The recent confrontation with the Head of the Kunlun Sect had clearly demonstrated that his Cultivation Realm had reached the pinnacle of the Nascent Soul Realm. If there were a real confrontation, the opponent could extinguish him in just a few breaths. That was why he had resorted to using the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Technique to flee for his life¡ªthere was a chance to survive if caught by this man, but absolutely no hope if he fell into the hands of the Head of the Kunlun Sect. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only But why! What exactly had this man done to stop the pursuing Head of the Kunlun Sect? With these thoughts, the Flying Asura was both shocked and scared, forcing all malice back and muttered: ¡°Exactly. In this life, I am master¡¯s ox and horse, and in the next life, I still wish to be master¡¯s hound and hawk!¡± ¡°You¡¯re a zombie, what next life do you have?¡± Wei Dongliu said coldly. Flying Asura: ¡­¡­ Chapter 337 - Chapter 337: Chapter 54: The world bustles about for profit. Chapter 337: Chapter 54: The world bustles about for profit. Back at the belly of Shiping Mountain. Wen Yang had also gained the qualifications to enter the Tong Xuan Gate residence, which aroused a surge of jealousy in Jiang Liyan. Even though this fellow professed to be male¡­ but just because he claimed to be male now didn¡¯t mean it was always the case. His body was still that of a beautiful girl! Although in terms of looks, he couldn¡¯t compare to Jiang the Witch, who was an expert in seduction, what if? After all, love has never been something that made any sense. The three of them passed through the cave tunnel, arriving in the midst of the mountain. Wen Yang marveled at this hidden paradise, exclaiming, ¡°Who would have thought there could be such a wonderful place in the world?¡± Jiang Liyan quickly assumed the posture of a Sect Mistress and went off to inspect the progress of Guo Jin and Wang Cong. Wei Dongliu exchanged pleasantries with Wen Yang, telling him to stroll around freely, then he also came over to check on his disciples. ¡°How are the two of them doing in their cultivation?¡± ¡°Guo Jin is quite diligent in his cultivation, but due to innate talent limitations, the pace is always slow,¡± Jiang the Witch replied. ¡°Wang Cong¡¯s talent is slightly better, but hindered by his temperament, he has always struggled to calm his mind.¡± ¡°What a pair of wastes,¡± Wei Dongliu said undisguisedly, showing his disappointment. Didn¡¯t you know their talent was insufficient when you brought them in? Jiang Liyan criticized inwardly, but she said, ¡°If Brother Wei wants them to hasten their cultivation, we probably only have the option of using Spiritual Medicine.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Wei Dongliu sighed. ¡°Oh right,¡± Jiang Liyan said with a sly smile, ¡°I haven¡¯t shared the spoils from the depths of the White Bone Divine Palace with Brother Wei yet.¡± She pulled a Storage Bag from her bosom and said, ¡°Brother Wen and I have discussed it. We¡¯ll put all the loot from this trip in here, letting Brother Wei choose first. After he picks, the rest will be split between him and me.¡± It sounded respectful, but Wei Dongliu knew well that it was mainly because he didn¡¯t care much for common treasures. If it were a miserly cultivator, Jiang Liyan certainly wouldn¡¯t have been so generous. As for Wen Yang willingly handing over the items to Jiang Liyan for safekeeping, they must have had their own negotiations and calculations, which Wei Dongliu was too lazy to be concerned about. Wei Dongliu carefully looked at the Elixirs. Most of them were suitable for the Foundation Establishment Realm, fewer for the Golden Core Realm, and none at all for the Nascent Soul Realm. The reason was simple; the latter two were rarer, so sects often didn¡¯t have much in stock. Cultivators would typically find their own materials for Refinement and keep them close. After casually picking a few Elixir Bottles, Wei Dongliu waved his hand to indicate he didn¡¯t want the rest. Jiang Liyan wasn¡¯t surprised. She had keenly noticed that the extraordinary discernment of Wei the Demon Lord was due to his experience with many fine objects. As a result, while following him all over the place, she wasn¡¯t quite at the point of completely disregarding common treasures, but anything less than Tenth Rank¡­ having received so many, she had become numb to them and felt no joy or excitement. With Wei Dongliu off scolding his disciples, Jiang Liyan looked down at the plethora of treasures on the ground, and for a moment, she too disdained them. They were just ordinary, unremarkable items. She went outside and tossed the Storage Bag to Wen Yang. Wen Yang was sitting by a pool in the valley, daydreaming, when he caught the Storage Bag thrown by Jiang Liyan. He scanned the inside with his Divine Sense and immediately exclaimed in surprise, ¡°This much? I thought you might secretly hoard some of it under his name.¡± ¡°Is that necessary?¡± Jiang the Witch rolled her eyes, sat down by the pool, rolled up her trouser legs, and dipped her fair and smooth feet into the water. Wen Yang¡¯s face twitched at the sight. He had just scooped up some water from the pool to drink, and now it was being used to wash feet. ¡°So you don¡¯t care for those things anymore?¡± He sighed deeply and said, ¡°I remember a time when you would haggle over even a piece of Spirit Stone debris.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Jiang Liyan tilted her head in thought for a moment, ¡°That¡¯s actually true.¡± Especially after knowing she was an excellent Heavenly Demon Sacrifice, everyone seemed like a threat, and she couldn¡¯t wait to seize every minute to become stronger. What was it that had slowly changed her? Seeing her look back towards the direction of the stone house, Wen Yang cracked a slight smile, and asked softly, ¡°Do you like it?¡± ¡°None of your business,¡± Jiang the Witch rolled her eyes in response. ¡°Just tell me,¡± Wen Yang feigned grievance, ¡°We¡¯ve known each other for so long, we¡¯re practically besties by now, aren¡¯t we? Can¡¯t you even tell me?¡± ¡°Since when do male besties exist? Do me a favor and drop dead. Reincarnate as a woman in your next life!¡± Jiang the Witch¡¯s sharp tongue showed no mercy. ¡°I am a woman right now,¡± Wen Yang claimed, puffing out his chest, ¡°Don¡¯t believe me? Feel for yourself.¡± ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Jiang Liyan looked at his flat chest contemptuously, ¡°Do you want me to feel your ribs?¡± Wen Yang: ¡­¡­¡­. He glanced at Jiang Liyan¡¯s ample chest and then at his own, feeling thoroughly defeated. After a moment of dejection, Wen Yang stood up without a word. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Jiang Liyan asked casually. ¡°I used too many vengeful spirits while we were escaping earlier,¡± Wen Yang explained, ¡°I need to replenish some.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Jiang Liyan cleaned her feet, put on her shoes and stockings, and got up, ¡°I need to replenish some Demon Heads.¡± ¡°Should we call for Brother Wei?¡± Wen Yang asked with a hint of curiosity, ¡°It¡¯s strange, his style of conduct¡­ always makes me think he¡¯s from the Three Pure Ones¡¯ side.¡± ¡°What aspect are you talking about?¡± Jiang Liyan asked curiously, ¡°The red hair and heavy pupils? Or the Hundred Poison Golden Silkworm Gu?¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Wen Yang had to admit, ¡°He¡¯s nothing like any of the Demon Cult Cultivators I¡¯ve ever met.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Jiang Liyan pondered for a moment. Demon Cult Cultivators could generally be divided into two types: One, those who act toxic and unscrupulously. Two, those who seem upright and noble, but in reality, act toxic and unscrupulously. Even Jiang Liyan herself, upon self-reflection, found it hard to be an exception¡­ This style of conduct was not innate; it was forced out by the survival-of-the-fittest environment within the Demon Cult itself. The Intercepting Cult in the past, while advocating for ¡°forcible interception,¡± at least upheld the principle of ¡°man conquers nature¡± as a resistance to the Clarify Cult¡¯s fatalistic view of ¡°following the heavens.¡± Nowadays, everyone doesn¡¯t even resist the name ¡°Demon Cult.¡± Everyone is out for their self-interest, so who cares about the whole group¡¯s reputation being tarnished by the other side? In contrast, Wei Dongliu, despite having the nefarious and wild Demon Lord Dharma Body, acts in a surprisingly upright and noble manner, devoid of the poisonous style typical of Demon Cult Cultivators. For example, when everyone first met in the Southern Border, Gu Lie, that bald donkey, attempted to provoke him but ended up with the Hundred Poison Golden Silkworm Gu latching onto his face. If it had been any other Demon Cult Cultivator, they would have undoubtedly resorted to bloodshed to establish their dominance, but Wei Dongliu simply brushed it off with total disregard, letting him off lightly. Gu Lie ended up falling for it, becoming obedient to him throughout¡­ Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Such a straightforward and lofty style, could he really be an old monster from the Intercepting Cult that has survived until now?¡± Jiang Liyan couldn¡¯t help but speculate. ¡°You think so too?¡± Wen Yang reflected for a moment, then said, ¡°Personally, I think that although his body hasn¡¯t achieved Core Formation, the soul and Primordial Spirit inside it¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough, let¡¯s not guess anymore,¡± Jiang Liyan interjected decisively, ¡°Anyway, with how closely we¡¯re tied to him now, our interests are essentially one and the same, right?¡± ¡°Even the resources for cultivation that our Sect has given us over the years can¡¯t compare to the benefits he¡¯s shared with us since we met Brother Wei!¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Wen Yang agreed without hesitation. Chapter 338 - Chapter 338: Chapter 55: The Great January Competition, Instructing the Senior Sister Chapter 338: Chapter 55: The Great January Competition, Instructing the Senior Sister Another year had arrived. For the Shushan Sword Immortals, there wasn¡¯t a custom of celebrating the New Year¡¯s Eve¨Cinstead, they retained another much more thrilling tradition. The Great Competition of the First Month. This time around, the competition didn¡¯t involve challenging for seats or rankings on the Immortal Sword Ranking; it was simply everyone drawing lots for random one-on-one challenges, making it much more harmonious than the official Shushan competition. Even sword immortals from the same sect who knew each other well ended up pitted against one another. They courteously fought in rounds, exchanging moves back and forth, stopping at the right point, and amicably determining the victor, with neither party losing face. Of course, alongside harmonious examples, there were also those that were rather discordant. For instance, the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal from previous years, who went all out regardless of whether the opponent was strong or weak, causing dislike among the others. But this time, An Zhisu was listening to the advice of her junior brother Ling Yunpo, to make more friends and fewer enemies during the competition, strictly forbidding any needless actions that might stir up animosity. ¡°Senior Sister, don¡¯t always think about severing others¡¯ life-bound sword artifacts!¡± Ling Yunpo earnestly implored, ¡°Intimidating others too much will only isolate us of Qingluo Peak even more!¡± ¡°Even if their strength is truly weak, be courteous, give them a way out. During the festivities, there¡¯s no need for such bloody, violent actions!¡± An Zhisu nodded continuously as she said, ¡°Alright, Junior Brother, I¡¯ll listen to you.¡± After drawing her lot, An Zhisu gracefully stepped onto the stage. The sword immortal disciple opposite her had a pale face and seemed to tremble with fear, cursing inwardly, ¡°How unlucky to have drawn this god of death!¡± Looking at the disciples below the stage, there was also an air of discontent. The battle hadn¡¯t even started yet, and it already looked like you were ready to admit defeat, what was going on? Nobody knew who shouted ¡°Junior Brother Zhang will win,¡± but soon after, the sounds of encouragement rose up one after another. Perhaps the cheers really were effective, or maybe Junior Brother Zhang had no way to back down after being pushed forward by everyone. Despite still appearing panicked and frightened, he was already doing much better compared to his initial trembling, pathetic state. Meanwhile, the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal on stage didn¡¯t make an immediate move but kindly asked the opponent, ¡°Do you want to concede?¡± At this, the crowd below immediately burst into an uproar. We¡¯ve all united as one to cheer for the opponent, and you actually dare say such arrogant words? Now, it wasn¡¯t just cheers but also curses filling the air. Junior Brother Zhang listened, seemingly less afraid now: ¡°Although my swordsmanship is not polished,¡± he said with a shy smile, ¡°with so many fellow disciples watching, if I admit defeat directly, I would lose face for our sect.¡± ¡°Please, Senior Sister An, enlighten me,¡± he said as he drew out his life-bound sword artifact earnestly. An Zhisu sighed and then drew out her Flying Smoke Sword too. A few breaths later, Junior Brother Zhang was defeated and ejected from the competition arena, in a completely disheveled manner. The gap in swordsmanship attainment was not something a bit of courage could bridge. Looking at the surrounding clamor that reached the heavens, An Zhisu slightly furrowed her brows. Ordinarily, faced with such public curses, she would have been oblivious and simply walked away with indifference. After all, Su Jian had taught her from a young age that ¡°a sword immortal should only speak through the sword in their palm¡±. However, this time she had heeded her junior brother¡¯s advice, not severing her opponent¡¯s life-bound sword artifact or inflicting serious injury as she usually would have done¡­ so why hadn¡¯t the attitude of the spectators changed much? Stepping off the stage, An Zhisu approached Ling Yunpo and asked in confusion: ¡°Junior Brother, what did I do wrong?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t do anything wrong per se,¡± Ling Yunpo replied with a wry smile. In the situation just now, since everyone was applauding for Junior Brother Zhang¡¯s bravery, you, Senior Sister, should have said a few complimentary words, praised him, and then, with slightly superior strength, narrowly defeated him. That way, he could save face and step down gracefully. This way, the average disciples would think that Junior Brother Zhang lost the match but not his dignity, and those with keen insights into your leniency would feel everyone¡¯s honor was intact. Instead of doing what you did, which was to directly exert your full strength and blast him out of the arena¡­ That being said, for someone like An Zhisu, who virtually lacks any social experience, I¡¯m afraid such complex maneuvers are completely beyond her capabilities. After thinking it over, Ling Yunpo decided to advise in the simplest way possible, reorganizing his words: ¡°In the next match, after stepping onto the stage, don¡¯t directly defeat your opponent. Instead, use just-enough strength to exchange a few blows back and forth, letting the opponent concede on their own.¡± An Zhisu nodded and agreed, indicating no problem at all. Ling Yunpo also took the time to go out and swiftly defeated his own drawn opponent. As the foremost among the four strongest in the Shushan Foundation Establishment Realm, his victory was expected. The opponent didn¡¯t put on a show of first being frightened then determined, and the surrounding audience didn¡¯t offer any biased interventions. Somehow, whenever it came to Senior Sister, there would always be a multitude of bizarre scenes for no apparent reason. Back at the side of the arena, Ling Yunpo then saw that An Zhisu¡¯s next opponent was Bi Sheng, a promising newcomer ranked just after the four stalwarts. This Sword Immortal, Bi Sheng, was someone Ling Yunpo had not dealt with before, but Qiu Changtian was acquainted with her. When she had participated in trials at the Shushan Demon Locking Tower, the Jade Capital Sect Leader had arranged for her to receive him. As Bi Sheng stepped onto the stage with a valiant and heroic bearing, An Zhisu asked with a full smile: ¡°Do you want to concede?¡± ¡°No!¡± Bi Sheng immediately flew into a rage, as if she had just suffered a great humiliation, and drew her sword to say, ¡°Senior Sister An, why do you humiliate me so? Even if I¡¯m not as skilled, I will not readily admit defeat!¡± Having said that, she charged forward with her sword. The onlookers immediately erupted in cheers, clearly favoring Bi Sheng, who was stronger than the previously well-spoken but quickly defeated Junior Brother Zhang. An Zhisu silently parried and, after several exchanges, was able to smoothly regain the rhythm and started to press Bi Sheng. However, she firmly remembered Ling Yunpo¡¯s instruction and thus slightly held back her strength, matching blows with Bi Sheng. The audience watched anxiously. Bi Sheng, on the other hand, noticed something was amiss and started trembling with anger: This isn¡¯t An Zhisu¡¯s full strength. Even facing Junior Brother Zhang just now, you used all your power, so why are you humiliating me like this? In her outrage, she resorted to the Blood Ignition Technique, boosting her Cultivation Realm and making her swordsmanship suddenly much sharper. Seeing Bi Sheng suddenly stronger, most of the onlooking fellow disciples were invigorated. Could it be that Senior Sister Bi Sheng had been playing possum all along and was now about to unveil her full hand to take down the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal? Only a few disciples realized something was amiss. Bi Sheng wasn¡¯t playing possum; she was provoked and beginning to push her limits in desperation! ¡°How about it?¡± In a distant viewing stand, Lin Duanshan suddenly asked. ¡°She can¡¯t win,¡± Duan Fenhai replied succinctly. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only As Bi Sheng¡¯s strength spiked, An Zhisu¡¯s brows furrowed slightly. Is it necessary to use that kind of technique when it¡¯s clear that you can¡¯t defeat me with that level of skill? Yet, she still remembered Ling Junior Brother¡¯s reminder and once again raised her suppressed swordsmanship skill by a notch, maintaining just enough of an edge over Bi Sheng after her surge of power. Bi Sheng had barely enjoyed a moment of dominance when she saw her opponent¡¯s sword light also intensify, suppressing her completely once more. Shocked and angered, her eyes widened, her teeth clenched, her expression strained, and suddenly she spat out a large mouthful of blood mist into the sky. Unwittingly, she had allowed the side effect of the technique to take hold. Chapter 339 - Chapter 339: 56th Chapter: Lings Three Moves, Overreaching Leads to Failure Chapter 339: 56th Chapter: Ling¡¯s Three Moves, Overreaching Leads to Failure Flying Sword was quite troubled. Senior Sister An was by no means ¡°socially inept,¡± for many a time not only could she observe others¡¯ words and actions, but she could also keenly perceive the hidden good or ill will behind their speech. To put it precisely, she should now be called ¡°naive and straightforward.¡± Even when she detected hostility from others, she did not know how to make amends or respond. The reason was that Su Jian had never taught her these social tactics. Flying Sword highly suspected that Su Jian was very likely a tough and straightforward old man, and his methods of teaching his daughter probably included stuff like ¡°When in doubt, start with a slash.¡± What could even the smartest children do if they were raised by parents who didn¡¯t know how to educate them? Senior Sister An, with a cold face, came down from the stage and approached Flying Sword, only then showing a somewhat panic-stricken and guilty expression, as if she had made a mistake: ¡°Junior Brother, I¡­¡± ¡°Senior Sister, it¡¯s not your fault,¡± Flying Sword had to strike a resolute pose, interrupting her apology then clenching his fist and saying, ¡°It was my own faulty thinking. It seems we need to keep working hard to dissolve the prejudice the Various Peaks have against Qingluo Peak!¡± Being touched by his fiery spirit, An Zhisu also perked up and said: ¡°Alright, what do we do next?¡± ¡°It¡¯s simple.¡± Flying Sword thought for a moment, then said, ¡°Don¡¯t mind what others think. Whenever you face an opponent, first ask if they want to admit defeat.¡± ¡°If they surrender immediately, that spares us the trouble.¡± ¡°If they refuse to surrender, then use a slightly higher level of strength than your opponent and exchange a few blows back and forth with them, then ask if they wish to continue.¡± ¡°If the opponent realizes the gap in strength and admits defeat gracefully, that will settle it.¡± ¡°If they still refuse to submit, then Senior Sister, you go all out and knock them out of the arena directly.¡± ¡°These kind of people often have a high-and-mighty attitude. After you step down, you ask them if they want to discuss the insights from the battle. If they are wise, they will take the opportunity to descend the ladder you offer, and have a discussion with you about swordsmanship theory, which will smooth things over.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± An Zhisu nodded seriously, then began to repeatedly memorize ¡°do you want to admit defeat,¡± ¡°do you want to continue,¡± ¡°do you want to discuss,¡± committing them to memory. Flying Sword went to draw lots, and his opponent turned out to be Duan Fenhai. Duan Fenhai stepped onto the stage directly, saying coldly: ¡°Flying Sword Junior Brother, let¡¯s fight!¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare to refuse!¡± Flying Sword responded with equal resolution, ascending the stage. Senior Sister An, seeing her junior brother about to battle Duan Fenhai, immediately wanted to go and watch, only to be intercepted by Bi Sheng halfway there. ¡°Senior Sister An!¡± Bi Sheng had already retrieved her defeated demeanor, and simply stated earnestly and firmly, ¡°I know that I am too weak right now, and I will not make unreasonable complaints or blame you. After returning, I will train hard without ceasing, hoping to be worthy of your full effort next time!¡± ¡°Oh, alright, alright.¡± An Zhisu said distractedly, intending to continue toward her junior brother. ¡°I¡¯m serious!¡± Bi Sheng exclaimed angrily. ¡°I didn¡¯t say you were being perfunctory.¡± An Zhisu frowned in displeasure. After hesitating for a moment, Bi Sheng had no choice but to turn away reluctantly. Just as An Zhisu was about to take another step forward, she heard the Golden Core True Person presiding over the event call out: ¡°An Zhisu, once you have rested, come draw lots!¡± She stomped her foot, looking somewhat helpless, but still turned back to go draw her lot first. As it happened, this time she drew Lin Duanshan. But in a sense, it wasn¡¯t a coincidence. After all, ordinary Shushan disciples who drew her were simply delivering themselves on a platter, and the higher-ups certainly wouldn¡¯t allow her to randomly slay her way through the crowd, cutting a swath to the end¨Cthey needed to arrange a graceful finale. Lin Duanshan was the eldest disciple of Mount Jingang, and among the past trio of Lin, Duan, and Guan, he was the one with the most stable performance, having occupied the second seat on the Immortal Sword Ranking the most. Therefore, he had great prestige among Shushan¡¯s Foundation Establishment Realm disciples. In addition, his personal relationship with An Zhisu was also quite amicable, so even if he were to face the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal and be defeated, it wouldn¡¯t be too dismal of a defeat to deepen the psychological shadows of the audience¨Cthis had also become a routine step over the years. Lin Duanshan stepped onto the stage and cupped his hands in greeting, signaling to the audience below in a friendly manner. The previously boisterous venue immediately fell silent. An Zhisu also ascended the platform from the other side, recited the three incantations for her junior once more, and laughed, saying: ¡°Junior Brother Lin, would you care to admit defeat?¡± Lin Duanshan was slightly startled. This¡­ we haven¡¯t even fought yet, and you¡¯re asking me to concede? Wait a minute, I¡¯m not like those weaklings before, I¡¯m Lin Duanshan! He felt a surge of irritation, but with all eyes on him, he naturally couldn¡¯t let it show, so he replied with a smile: ¡°Though I know I¡¯m no match, I would at least like to try.¡± ¡°Good!¡± someone immediately called out from the audience. To be fair, no one thought that Duan Shan, the Sword Immortal, could defeat the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal, after all, the track record of previous years was right there. However, Lin Duanshan¡¯s composed and dignified manner earned him a lot of goodwill from the crowd, who couldn¡¯t help but start hoping for a miraculous comeback, a stunning turnaround, to deflate the ferocity and grandeur of that Sword Immortal! An Zhisu wasn¡¯t surprised; she just nodded and then drew the Flying Smoke Sword swiftly, stabbing towards Lin Duanshan. Lin Duanshan parried the attack, feeling the speed and physical strength behind his opponent¡¯s sword. He thought to himself that Senior Sister An¡¯s swordsmanship had greatly improved since their last trip to the Hundred Thousand Mountains at the Southern Border. As the two exchanged moves, Lin Duanshan began to show signs of weakness. However, he was already used to it, so while he manipulated his Flying Sword to entangle and skirmish with his opponent, he quickly analyzed the situation and deduced the sword path. But he could only hear An Zhisu ask once again: ¡°Junior Brother Lin, do you wish to continue?¡± Lin Duanshan: ??? It took him a moment to realize she was certain that he had no chance of turning the tables, and she was giving him an out to save face, so he wouldn¡¯t lose too badly later on! But my rhythm hasn¡¯t been disrupted yet, why are you so certain that I¡¯ll lose? He grew even more irritated inside, silently cursing a few times, but outwardly he said: ¡°Why not continue? Could it be that Senior Sister An, after so many hard-fought battles, can¡¯t keep up with the stamina?¡± When An Zhisu heard him say this, she realized that her question had backfired and that Lin Duanshan was somewhat irritated. She quickly elevated her level of swordsmanship. Lin Duanshan¡¯s defense was already shaky, and when faced with the sudden intensification of the offensive from the other side, he couldn¡¯t hold out any longer and was immediately breached. Kaiyue and the long soldier swords were knocked aside by the Harsh Cold Sword, and the Flying Smoke Sword took the opportunity to shoot in front of Lin Duanshan, spinning around to smack him directly flying with the flat of the sword. Lin Duanshan did not expect his opponent to still have so much energy to spare; he was caught off guard and tumbled about on the ground like a gourd before eventually climbing up, his face covered in dirt. ¡°Senior Sister An, you!¡± His eyes were wide as if he was about to erupt, but upon considering the ever more terrifying strength of her swordsmanship, his anger was extinguished as quickly as it had flared. Unable to help feeling disheartened and desperate, he muttered, ¡°How has the gap widened again?¡± ¡°Junior Brother Lin, would you like to exchange pointers?¡± An Zhisu jumped down from the platform, smiling as she asked. ¡°Exchange pointers?¡± Lin Duanshan gave a bitter smile, ¡°In the past, I could still see where the gap lay, but now I can¡¯t even gauge the true extent of Senior Sister¡¯s skills. What benefit is there in further exchange?¡± He clumsily cupped his hands in greeting, then called back Kaiyue and the long soldier swords, lifted his arm, and covered his face with his sleeve as he left. The surrounding audience had not expected such a result. In previous years, although Brother Lin was defeated, he always went down fighting. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only This time, however, he was completely dominated and then directly knocked out of the arena, with no chance to demonstrate his swordsmanship skills. Although this was due to the huge disparity in strength between them, seeing Lin Duanshan¡¯s woeful state stirred empathetic feelings among the crowd. The spectators were quiet for a moment, then also turned to leave one by one. An Zhisu stood there, her smile gradually freezing on her face. After a long while, she turned with a touch of melancholy and walked towards the Ling Yunpo tournament platform. Chapter 340 - Chapter 340: Chapter 57: Changing Senior Sister, Starting from Leading by Example Chapter 340: Chapter 57: Changing Senior Sister, Starting from Leading by Example Qingluo Peak Daoist temple, inner meditation chamber. In front of the stone wall where Su Jian had closed himself off, An Zhisu kneeled on a meditation cushion, eyes closed in prayer, her lips moving slightly. After a long while, she stood up and began to clean the chamber. Once the cleaning was finished, An Zhisu left the meditation chamber and went back into the temple. From the main hall, Lin Duanshan¡¯s laughter could be heard: ¡°¡­Ling Yunpo, so it was you causing mischief. That day when Senior Sister An suddenly became so talkative, I had thought she was just being cryptic,¡± he laughed. ¡°Say no more.¡± Ling Yunpo appeared somewhat helpless, ¡°I don¡¯t understand why everyone always assumes the worst about her. My senior sister has never done anything against heaven or reason, so how has she become a person of heinous crimes?¡± ¡°Could it be that in the Shushan Shangqing Faction, having overly powerful swordsmanship is also not allowed?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the reason,¡± Lin Duanshan sighed. ¡°Ling Junior Brother, the monthly stipend for Qingluo Peak has been reduced to its original level, right?¡± Ling Yunpo was slightly startled and asked, ¡°How did you know?¡± Lin Duanshan offered a brief explanation, and Ling Yunpo immediately understood. After he had secured the second position on the Immortal Sword Ranking and became known as ¡°Po Yun Sword Immortal,¡± the situation within Shushan for Qingluo Peak had improved. In actuality, this improvement was not due to his strength¨Chow could strength alone exceed that of Golden Core or Nascent Soul High Rank Cultivators? Qingluo Peak didn¡¯t even have a single High Rank Cultivator! What truly made a decisive impact was when the Guest Elder of the Guan Family from Shushan took notice of Ling Yunpo during their sword-seeking mission. In short, Qingluo Peak had gained the protection of a noble figure. However, with the last Sun Sword Master, Ouyang Zhao, setting impossible conditions, the heart of the Guan Family Elder grew cold, and he announced a temporary end to the sword-seeking mission, which also meant that Ling Yunpo had lost his value. Therefore, after the trip to the Southern Border ended, the various other peaks began to stir, aiming to claim the interests that originally belonged to Qingluo Peak. Reducing the monthly stipend¡­ was their most direct way of testing the waters. After the reduction, the lack of response from the Guan Family Elder indicated that he indeed no longer had the time or inclination to pay attention to Ling Yunpo. Thus, the various peaks finally confirmed that Qingluo Peak had returned to its original state of ¡°having no master.¡± As this news spread, those who, because of the Guan Family Elder¡¯s presence, had not dared to openly show enmity towards An Zhisu now naturally resumed their original attitudes. Coming to this realization, Ling Yunpo sighed and sincerely thanked Lin Duanshan. Lin Duanshan repeatedly said there was no need to thank him and after a slight hesitation, he added: ¡°Also, I¡¯ve heard that there have always been some within the higher echelons of Shushan who disapprove of Qingluo Peak.¡± ¡°Disapprove?¡± Ling Yunpo asked in astonishment. He knew Lin Duanshan¡¯s way of speaking; whatever the reason for the animosity of the various peaks, whether it was hatred for Su Jian or coveting the resources of Qingluo Peak, Lin Duanshan would have stated it directly. Instead of using the very ambiguous term ¡°disapproving.¡± Unless this person with disapproval held a position within Shushan of such a degree that even a hint of it leaked by Lin Duanshan could have a severe negative impact on Mount Jin Gang¡­ Alarmed by this thought, Ling Yunpo quickly changed the subject and chatted for a few more moments with Lin Duanshan. Seeing that he didn¡¯t press the issue, Lin Duanshan also had his own suspicions. After a brief conversation, Lin Duanshan took his leave. ¡°Senior Sister, come out,¡± Ling Yunpo sighed and said. An Zhisu emerged from the inner chamber, her brow furrowed with worry, and said, ¡°Junior Brother, is the situation really that bad for Qingluo Peak now?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not really like that,¡± Ling Yunpo consoled her, ¡°You could say there¡¯s been a slight setback, but it¡¯s still much better than when I first joined Qingluo Peak.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already thought it through. Those who should be hostile towards us will remain so; but we need to win over those who are friendly toward us, mainly the Foundation Establishment disciples we¡¯re acquainted with.¡± ¡°What counts as being acquainted?¡± An Zhisu asked seriously. ¡°We¡¯ve interacted with them, and the relationships are fairly harmonious,¡± Ling Yunpo replied offhandedly. ¡°If you¡¯re talking about interactions, I¡¯ve actually fought with all of them,¡± An Zhisu responded earnestly, ¡°But there might not be many with whom the relationships are harmonious.¡± Ling Yunpo fell silent. No, what I meant by interactions wasn¡¯t sword fighting¡­ How could relationships be harmonious after you¡¯ve beaten them black and blue? Of course, Ling Yunpo with his indomitable persona wouldn¡¯t blame An Zhisu for this, so he simply smiled and said: ¡°Birds of a feather flock together, people are grouped by likeness. Some despise the strong because they¡¯ve been defeated, but others choose to befriend the strong to improve their own strength.¡± ¡°Senior Sister, look at Lin Duanshan, Duan Fenhai, Guan Shanyue¨Cthey didn¡¯t harbor any resentment towards you simply because they lost to you in a sword match or were even injured by you, did they?¡± ¡°They haven¡¯t been injured by me,¡± An Zhisu recalled, ¡°Mostly, after a few exchanges, they would be at a disadvantage, see no hope for victory, and straightforwardly admit defeat.¡± ¡°Those who were injured by me are the ones who stubbornly resisted until the very end. Master said that against such enemies, one must decisively land heavy blows¡­¡± Ling Yunpo fell silent again. Wait, if they¡¯re still resisting at the very end, that means they have a grudge against you! Your ruthless moves cut off their Life-bound Sword Artifact, and so their masters, Daoist Companions, and friends and family end up holding a grudge against you¡­ isn¡¯t this how a vicious cycle of vengeance starts? ¡°Ahem, Senior Sister,¡± Ling Yunpo sighed, ¡°try not to be so heavy-handed with fellow disciples from now on.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± An Zhisu nodded in agreement. ¡°Also,¡± Ling Yunpo continued, ¡°since Senior Sister is the top of the Immortal Sword Ranking, why hasn¡¯t anyone invited her to go on an expedition?¡± Considering Kunlun¡¯s Qiu Changtian, back then he brought great prestige to his fellow disciples, known as ¡®Chief Qiu, the Epitome of Urgency and Righteousness¡¯, eventually admired by tens of thousands, with friends and family spread throughout the Kunlun Mountain Range. How could it be that our Shushan¡¯s Chief Disciple is in such a constrained position? ¡°Ahem,¡± An Zhisu coughed, feeling slightly uncomfortable, ¡°For some reason, indeed no one has invited me¡­¡± Before she finished speaking, Duan Fenhai descended outside the Taoist temple on a streak of Sword Light, shouting: ¡°Is Junior Brother Ling here?¡± ¡°Please come in!¡± As soon as Ling Yunpo heard that a ¡°potential ally¡± had arrived, he quickly invited him in. Duan Fenhai came in, dusty from travel, and said: ¡°Junior Brother Ling, do you have any free time to join me in exploring a secret realm?¡± ¡°Of course, I have time!¡± Ling Yunpo thought to himself how timely this was and quickly shot Duan Fenhai a meaningful look, ¡°And my Senior Sister has time too. How about we go together?¡± ¡°Senior Sister An is actually willing to go?¡± Duan Fenhai asked in surprise. In the past, we¡¯ve privately invited her so many times, and whether it was for sword training or drinking, we could never entice this distinguished personage¡­ Ah, but with Junior Brother Ling here, it¡¯s indeed different. Even the last trip to the Southern Border seemed to be because she was worried about Junior Brother Ling going alone, so she accompanied him¡­ Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Ling Yunpo, sensing something amiss, cast a doubtful look at Senior Sister An. ¡°Actually willing,¡± what does that mean? ¡°Ahem!¡± An Zhisu quickly put on a smile and said affectionately, ¡°What reason would I have to be unwilling to go on an expedition with my fellow disciples?¡± Duan Fenhai, looking at her smile, couldn¡¯t help feeling a chill, and hastily said: ¡°That¡¯s wonderful, then. Tomorrow at noon, I¡¯ll come to Qingluo Peak to find you both!¡± Chapter 341 - Chapter 341: Chapter 58: Damn it! Senior Sister Turns the Tables Chapter 341: Chapter 58: Damn it! Senior Sister Turns the Tables ¡°So Senior Sister, have you always categorically refused any invitation to go out for experience?¡± Ling Yunpo asked seriously. ¡°That¡­¡± An Zhisu sat in a chair, her legs together beneath her light green long dress, her slippers fidgeting with each other. She lowered her head in embarrassment and said, ¡°Master once said that a Sword Immortal should not be hindered by trivial matters¡­¡± ¡°Did Master tell you to cut yourself off from your fellow Shushan disciples?¡± Ling Yunpo interrupted her. An Zhisu hesitated, overwhelmed with shame. Ling Yunpo showed a look of disappointment, chiding her with the frustration of someone who despairs at the failure of someone close to succeed: ¡°Senior Sister is the Chief Disciple at the Foundation Establishment Realm in Shushan, the foremost under the Golden Core. You ought to be able to call for action and be followed by disciples from various peaks¡­ But look at our Qingluo Peak now, to what extent has it declined?¡± An Zhisu lowered her head again, her eyes reddened as if she was about to cry. ¡°Senior Sister, you can¡¯t avoid social interactions!¡± Ling Yunpo urged earnestly, ¡°Nowadays, how many of the disciples from the various peaks do you know? Even among the top ranks of the Immortal Sword Ranking, only Lin Duanshan is familiar with you.¡± ¡°Duan Fenhai and I became closer because we have interacted more in recent years. Guan Shanyue has some quirks, but he¡¯s not impossible to befriend. Senior Sister, why¡­¡± ¡°Enough!¡± An Zhisu finally couldn¡¯t stand it, flared up in annoyed embarrassment, and grabbed Ling Yunpo for a hug, her hands kneading his cheeks as she said seriously, ¡°I got it, you don¡¯t have to say any more. If the junior brother keeps being preachy, you¡¯ll end up like an old woman.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Caught in the embrace of warmth and tenderness, Ling Yunpo still tried to struggle, ¡°If Senior Sister continues like this, I can¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°Junior brother.¡± An Zhisu tried to look commanding, ¡°I am still your Senior Sister!¡± Ling Yunpo: ¡­¡­¡­ It was too much for him. His willpower started to scatter, forcing him to muster the last bit of strength to insist: ¡°Senior Sister, you will regret this.¡± Whether An Zhisu regretted it at that moment, Ling Yunpo truly didn¡¯t know, but he himself quickly felt regret. Because suddenly the voice of Duan Fenhai came from outside: ¡°Junior Brother Ling, I¡¯ve brought people over, why is this door open¡­¡± He barged in casually and, seeing the two hastily separate, turned around silently and stepped out of the door. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Brother Duan?¡± Sima Changyan was waiting outside and hurried over to ask. ¡°Nothing,¡± Duan Fenhai said after a moment of silence, ¡°They were cultivating.¡± ¡°Cultivating?¡± Sima Changyan exclaimed in surprise. ¡°The cultivation of the Sentiment Inquiry Path, don¡¯t ask too much,¡± Duan Fenhai waved his hand dismissively. Sima Changyan knew to leave it at that and immediately fell silent. After a short while, Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu came out of the residence, both neatly dressed with their hair properly arranged, clearly having tidied themselves up. ¡°Brother Duan.¡± Ling Yunpo urged, fearing that he would ask further, ¡°How about we discuss that secret realm?¡± ¡°The secret realm is in Xiangxi,¡± Duan Fenhai replied, ¡°We¡¯ll talk on the way.¡± The four of them flew off on their swords, leaving the territory of Shushan and heading eastward along the river. It was only on the journey that Ling Yunpo learned that the secret realm was discovered by Sima Changyan, deep in the mountains of a certain Miao Village in Xiangxi. Upon entering, they could see tall ancient trees everywhere, along with numerous snakes, insects, rodents, and ants¨Can amount significantly greater than that of a normal primeval forest. Sima Changyan killed several and discovered that they were all poisonous. Sensing the deadly danger within, he dared not explore alone and instead returned to the mountain to call for reinforcements, eventually finding Duan Fenhai. ¡°Poisonous?¡± Ling Yunpo asked in surprise, ¡°Both you and I have undergone Marrow Cleansing. Ordinary poisons shouldn¡¯t affect us, right? Even if we accidentally ingest arsenic or cinnabar, we can just force it out with our True Yuan.¡± ¡°Junior Brother Ling, what you don¡¯t know is that these toxins seem to be able to contaminate True Yuan,¡± Sima Changyan said with a smile, ¡°They are similar to Demon Cult magical treasures, possessing a tremendous ability to defile and pollute.¡± Everyone¡¯s expression turned solemn. If the poison targeted not the flesh but the True Yuan, that would be a bit troublesome. As is well known, the True Yuan of Daoist practitioners flows in the meridians like ¡®great rivers and endless streams¡¯. In the case of such a toxin, it would be akin to pouring red dye into a river, swiftly spreading contamination throughout the entire expanse of water. Ordinary poisons, a cultivator can force out with True Yuan, but these toxins can infect True Yuan. If the expulsion rate is slower than the spread, then the more you try to force it out, the more it spreads. ¡°As I see it, there are only a few solutions,¡± summarized Sima Changyan, ¡°First, don¡¯t get bitten by those snakes and insects.¡± ¡°Second, bring more elixirs that can promote the recovery of True Yuan. Because once poisoned, you will need to sacrifice the contaminated True Yuan, and the consumption is indeed too great.¡± ¡°Third¡­¡± At this point, he glanced at Duan Fenhai. Duan Fenhai immediately understood and asked Ling Yunpo: ¡°Junior Brother Ling, last time in Langgan Cave, it seemed you had a certain resistance to toxins?¡± ¡°Uh,¡± Ling Yunpo paused, then recalled, ¡°Indeed.¡± His physique was that of Innate Sword Bone, with naturally unobstructed and smooth-flowing meridians throughout his body, without any dead spots; therefore, his True Yuan flowed faster than that of ordinary people. Though he was not immune to toxins, he was able to expel them more quickly after being poisoned, without worrying about the residue lingering in any bodily dead spots. ¡°Deep within that forest of giant trees, I saw vast green miasma and faint Spiritual Light,¡± Sima Changyan replied, ¡°If someone has resistance to toxins, they should be able to explore inside¡­ Of course, the specifics will have to wait until we get there.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Duan Fenhai joined the conversation, ¡°Ordinary miasma, of course, is not worth touching. But what if there¡¯s something valuable hidden in it?¡± ¡°If there could be treasures, I might be willing to take the risk,¡± Ling Yunpo was somewhat moved and had just spoken half a sentence when Senior Sister An cut in decisively: ¡°No! We don¡¯t know the potency of the miasma¡¯s poison; how can you casually agree to go in and face the danger?¡± ¡°We can check the potency of the poison when we get there¡­¡± Ling Yunpo had only uttered half a sentence when An Zhisu interjected again, ¡°Besides, miasma can obscure the line of sight and Divine Sense. If there¡¯s some creature inside that grabs you, what will we do waiting outside?¡± The group fell silent, realizing that Ling Yunpo¡¯s sudden disappearance after leaving the Misty Forest last time had left a psychological shadow on An Zhisu. Duan Fenhai then brokered peace: Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Senior Sister An is right. However, if Junior Brother Ling just explores the periphery, staying within our line of sight at all times, there shouldn¡¯t be any issues, right?¡± An Zhisu pondered for a moment before saying: ¡°How about I go in with Junior Brother? Even if there are creatures hiding in the miasma, I can help handle them.¡± ¡°Senior Sister, you don¡¯t have resistance to toxins, how could you endure for a long time in the miasma?¡± Ling Yunpo said with a laugh, ¡°It would be better to let me¡­¡± ¡°Listen to me!¡± An Zhisu scowled, authoritatively declaring, ¡°I am still your Senior Sister!¡± Chapter 342 - Chapter 342: Chapter 59 The Tu Family Village, A Sense of Déjà Vu Chapter 342: Chapter 59 The Tu Family Village, A Sense of Deja Vu ¡°Regarding this secret realm, I¡¯ve checked the records within our sect, and it seems to be the location of ancient Xiangtan,¡± Sima Changyan said with a smile, ¡°Legend has it that in ancient times, King Chu Zhao toured Zhao Mountain and encountered a strange creature that collided with his boat on the river below the mountain, known as the ¡®duckweed fruit¡¯.¡± ¡°King Chu Zhao ate it and found it incredibly delicious. Later, when he sent troops to aid Chen Country, he ascended to the heavens in broad daylight. Tens of thousands in the army only saw the red clouds above, soaring across the sky like birds.¡± ¡°Although legends are just legends, the duckweed fruit is indeed a favored food of the phoenix. It contains ample Yimu spiritual energy, representing the principle of using wood to generate fire. Eating it can improve one¡¯s True Essence Attributes, benefit the use of fire-type Daoist Magic and magic artifacts, and increase one¡¯s Refining Mansion Cultivation by thirty years.¡± ¡°Senior Sister An¡¯s Life-bound Sword Artifact is of the fire attribute,¡± laughed Duan Fenhai. ¡°If we can find the duckweed fruit, it would greatly benefit her swordsmanship.¡± An Zhisu nodded reservedly, while Ling Yunpo watched silently, at a loss for words. They spoke this way, intentionally showing goodwill towards you, yet, Senior Sister, you remain so indifferent. It¡¯s more trying than social anxiety ¨C at least everyone can tell there¡¯s a problem with one¡¯s abilities. With you, who knows if you truly don¡¯t care or just pretend not to care? Sure enough, seeing An Zhisu¡¯s cool reaction, Sima Changyan gave a dry laugh and steered the conversation elsewhere: ¡°Senior Brother Duan, with your Purple Mansion Cultivation, you must already be secure in achieving a High Grade Golden Core, yes?¡± Duan Fenhai laughed heartily: ¡°How could that be? I entered the path at forty, completed Marrow Cleansing at ninety, and reached the Refining Mansion stage at a hundred. I have only one hundred years of natural lifespan left.¡± ¡°Even with the sixty years from Mercurial Elixir Liquid and forty years from the millennia mammary, I can barely meet the threshold for a High Grade Golden Core¨Cyet the mammary requires an annual campaign to the Southern Border, and I¡¯ll need to drink it for forty years.¡± ¡°If anything goes awry along the way, I¡¯d miss the High Grade Golden Core by an inch.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to worry so, Senior Brother Duan,¡± Sima Changyan chuckled, shaking his head. ¡°You have a hundred years left. As long as you can drink the millennia mammary for forty years, you can secure a High Grade Golden Core.¡± ¡°Who says so?¡± sighed Duan Fenhai helplessly. ¡°Even a hundred years of natural lifespan doesn¡¯t necessarily equate to a hundred years of true Refining Mansion Cultivation.¡± ¡°Facing cultivation bottlenecks, suffering severe injuries that require seclusion, entangled in worldly matters¡­ who can ensure that the hundred years will transpire smoothly? Unless one hides in the Cloud Sea Empty Cocoon.¡± ¡°How¡¯s Cultivator Ling¡¯s Refining Mansion Cultivation?¡± Sima Changyan asked curiously. ¡°I heard you entered the path at twenty?¡± ¡°Average, just average,¡± said Ling Yunpo modestly. ¡°I¡¯ll be satisfied if I can achieve a High Grade Golden Core like Senior Sister An and Senior Brother Duan.¡± ¡°Hypocrite,¡± suddenly interjected the Kunlun Mirror. ¡°How many years have you accumulated in your Refining Mansion Cultivation?¡± ¡°Just considering the Secret Medicine and secret realm bonuses, I¡¯m about five hundred and ten years in,¡± responded the Green Duckweed Sword for him. ¡°I¡¯ve been calculating it very carefully!¡± ¡°Sixty years from the Mercurial Elixir Liquid, thirty years from the Cloud Sea Empty Cocoon, seventy years from meditating in the Kunlun Heaven¡¯s Gate Hall, fifty years from the Dynasty Yuan Spiritual Energy, seventy years from the Golden Nectar and Jade Liquid, thirty years from the Vermilion Marrow Pill, forty years from the millennia mammary, thirty years from the sea bodhi, one hundred years from the Yangxia Zhu Ming Pill, and thirty years from the Jade Pond Golden Lotus, totaling five hundred and ten years¡­ Two hundred ninety years to go before I can form a Core right here, then be bombed to death by the supreme Heavenly Tribulation of the First Grade Golden Core.¡± Ling Yunpo: ¡­¡­¡­ ¡°That, the Heavenly Tribulation for a First Grade Golden Core, is it very formidable?¡± he asked carefully. ¡°Who knows,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword replied indifferently. ¡°Nobody¡¯s formed a First Grade Golden Core in usual times¡­ Oh, the great beings who founded the Clarify Cult and Intercepting Cult, they should be of First Grade Golden Core status.¡± ¡°Stop scaring him,¡± chided the Kunlun Mirror. ¡°The Heavenly Tribulation for a First Grade Golden Core isn¡¯t that formidable, and he has cultivated so many Immortal Laws and secret techniques! If all else fails, we¡¯ll assist him, right?¡± ¡°Ah Jing, Qing Ping!¡± Ling Yunpo was deeply moved. ¡°You truly are my dear friends and companions, my wise helpers!¡± ¡°Ptui, ptui, ptui!¡± the mirror and the sword objected in unison, ¡°Don¡¯t think we don¡¯t understand what a ¡®wise helper¡¯ means!¡± Ling Yunpo just laughed without saying a word, secretly smirking to himself. Five hundred and ten years of Purple Mansion Cultivation might seem simple and easy, but it¡¯s actually quite challenging. The Mercurial Elixir Liquid is probably the easiest to obtain, available to anyone hailing from one of the three righteous sects of Kunlun, Shushan, or Penglai, and outstanding among the disciples in the Foundation Establishment Realm. The Cloud Sea Empty Cocoon requires one to be among the top hundred on the Shushan Immortal Sword Ranking to enter the Demon Locking Tower and obtain it; Both the millennia mammary and the sea bodhi require the Shushan disciples to battle in the Southern Border, and both are unreliable as the former¡¯s process is too lengthy and the latter is not stable enough¨Cmostly unfeasible. Sensing the Way at Heaven¡¯s Gate Hall was a privilege granted only to the chief disciples at the Foundation Establishment Realm of Kunlun, which happened only once every two hundred years, with only one person able to attain it. The Dynasty Yuan Spiritual Energy was the secret location of Penglai Yuqing View, which could only be known to the elite disciples within the sect. All of the above required not only a noble and upright origin but also hard work and striving within one¡¯s faction, fully involved in the internal competition, climbing to the very top of all the disciples at the Foundation Establishment Realm to grasp that precious opportunity. As for rare treasures like the Yangxia Zhuming Pill and the Jade Pond Golden Lotus, he had acquired them only after surviving life-and-death situations, exploring various dangerous secret locations, and relying on great wisdom, determination, and fortune, which included how much sweat and tears? If another person were here, even with the aid of the Kunlun Mirror and the Green Duckweed Sword, could they accomplish the great achievements I have achieved? ¡°Oh, it seems we¡¯ve arrived at Zhao Mountain,¡± the Kunlun Mirror, unable to endure his inner monologue any longer, quickly reminded him. Ling Yunpo took a careful look and indeed, Sima Changyan had already led the way by descending the sword light, so he hurried to control his sword and descend as well. The four of them landed on the outskirts of a village at the edge of Zhao Mountain and then proceeded on foot into the village. Within the village, the Tu people lived alongside others, and their clothing customs were quite different from those of the northern Central Plains. Sima Changyan found the village elder and spoke in the local dialect: ¡°Jili gulala jili gulala¡­¡± Ling Yunpo and the others were bewildered, but then they heard the village elder nodding his head and ordering someone to summon a Tu Family girl. ¡°So, you¡¯re bringing people into the mountain this time?¡± The Tu girl, with her lively eyes and very standard Central Earth accent, chatted merrily with Sima Changyan, ¡°Let me remind you again, if you follow the route I show you, you absolutely won¡¯t encounter any danger.¡± ¡°But if you don¡¯t follow my route, I can¡¯t guarantee your safety if something happens.¡± ¡°We¡¯re not here to sightsee, young lady,¡± Sima Changyan said with a smile. What he implied was that they definitely would not keep following her. Perhaps if they saw some spiritual medicine along the way, they might leave her guidance immediately. The Tu girl snorted and started to converse with the elder in their dialect. Her speech was quick and urgent, and it was unclear what they were discussing. Ling Yunpo seized the opportunity to come over to Sima Changyan and asked in a low voice: ¡°Are we having her guide us? She¡¯s not a cultivator, right?¡± ¡°This girl is said to have been to the secret locations several times and is very familiar with the environment, routes, and the demonic beasts and insect swarms inside,¡± Sima Changyan replied quietly. ¡°I see,¡± Ling Yunpo then understood. If it was as Sima Changyan claimed, then they indeed needed to rely on this Tu Family girl as their guide¡­ Huh? He suddenly felt a familiar sense of recognition toward the Tu Family girl, but upon closer inspection, he could not find any similar appearance or temperament in his memory. ¡°Ah Jing,¡± Ling Yunpo whispered, ¡°have I¡­ met this girl before?¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°No,¡± the Kunlun Mirror didn¡¯t see any issue, ¡°She isn¡¯t employing any illusion technique; her appearance is real.¡± ¡°That¡¯s strange,¡± Ling Yunpo squinted his eyes, fixating on the delicate features of the Tu girl. An Zhisu tugged at his sleeve from the side. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Senior Sister An?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t keep staring at the girl,¡± An Zhisu cautioned, ¡°It¡¯s impolite.¡± Chapter 343 - Chapter 343: Chapter 60: The Secret Realm of the Giant Trees, Blue Mist Chapter 343: Chapter 60: The Secret Realm of the Giant Trees, Blue Mist The Tu Family girl walked ahead on the mountain trail, with the four Sword Immortals closely following her. ¡°What is your name?¡± Ling Yunpo struck up a conversation. ¡°My name is Ah Ling,¡± the Tu Family girl said. ¡°Are you familiar with this place?¡± Ling Yunpo asked doubtfully. ¡°If I wasn¡¯t familiar, why would you seek me out?¡± Ah Ling asked back with a giggle. Ling Yunpo was rendered speechless by her retort and turned his head to look at Sima Changyan. ¡°Miss Ah Ling is said to have wandered into the mountains as a child and accidentally entered that secret realm,¡± Sima Changyan explained. ¡°Later, she repeatedly entered the secret realm to explore, and has scoured most of the less dangerous areas clean.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Ling Yunpo asked skeptically, ¡°There are many snakes, insects, rats, and ants in the secret realm, and most of them are highly poisonous. How did Miss Ah Ling preserve herself amidst them?¡± ¡°We, the people of the Tu Family, understand all kinds of Gu insects better than you Han people,¡± Ah Ling huffed through her nose, saying, ¡°If you don¡¯t trust me and keep on asking questions, then I won¡¯t lead the way anymore; you can go by yourselves!¡± She turned to leave, but Sima Changyan and Duan Fenhai hurriedly played peacemakers and gestured to Ling Yunpo to make nice. Ling Yunpo could only give a wry smile and stepped back to An Zhisu¡¯s side, signaling that he had no intention of mistrusting the other party. ¡°This person¡­¡± An Zhisu frowned. Ling Yunpo was overjoyed, ¡°Sister, did you notice something?¡± ¡°I just don¡¯t get a good feeling about her,¡± An Zhisu replied. Ling Yunpo: ¡­¡­¡­ So, anyone who is not nice to me is not a good person, right? Although I am touched, that opinion isn¡¯t very helpful. ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± Ah Ling led everyone to a hollow in the mountain and suddenly said, ¡°Cross through this cave, and you¡¯ll reach the secret realm you spoke of.¡± ¡°But if you don¡¯t go through the cave and instead climb over the mountain, you¡¯ll find a regular forest on the other side.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Sima Changyan said, ¡°During the process of passing through the cave, there is actually a spatial transition that leads us into a separate Heavenly Grotto.¡± ¡°You cultivators speak such perplexing words,¡± Ah Ling said with a hand covering her mouth and a coquettish giggle, ¡°One moment you call the inside a secret realm, the next a Heavenly Grotto. We just call it the big forest.¡± Ling Yunpo kept quiet in the back, just listening to their conversation. The cave wasn¡¯t large, with the sound of accumulated water inside, and it seemed the ground was covered with moss, which was slippery to step on. However, the Shushan Sword Immortals were all individuals with extraordinary root bone strength and exceptionally great balance, so they weren¡¯t likely to fall. Ah Ling, in her sturdy shoes, was also swift on the damp ground and soon led everyone through the cave. After walking a few steps forward, the view suddenly cleared, and they found themselves in the midst of a giant forest. It was called a ¡°giant forest¡± because the trees here were unusually tall, easily reaching heights of thirty or forty zhang, and required three people to encircle them. Coupled with the thick canopy blocking the view of the sky, the light around became much dimmer as well. Ling Yunpo couldn¡¯t help but be reminded of the Hundred Thousand Mountains in the Southern Border, the ancient forests¡­ But though dense, the trees there were mostly within normal ranges, whereas the trees here were clearly different species. He looked down at his feet and saw thick layers of fallen leaves everywhere, obscuring the soil beneath them. Continuously, small black insects burrowed in and out of the leaf layers at his feet. Ling Yunpo looked closely and realized they were not ants but a species of beetle he had never seen before. ¡°Be careful,¡± Ah Ling said nonchalantly, ¡°Although the corpse beetles won¡¯t attack people actively, their bodily fluid contains poison.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re unfortunate enough to step on them and allow the poison to seep through the sole of your shoe and touch your foot, you must amputate immediately to save your life.¡± ¡°Thank you for the warning,¡± Ling Yunpo replied sincerely. To ordinary people, facing such a troublesome poison, the only option would indeed be a drastic one like amputation. But a cultivator could use True Yuan to expel the poison, so there was no need to explain further to her. However, according to what Miss Ah Ling said, accidentally stepping on these beetles would indeed be a nuisance. ¡°Can we use Sword Control here?¡± An Zhisu asked aloud. ¡°We can, but it¡¯s not suitable,¡± Sima Changyan responded. ¡°There are many snakes above in the canopy, and controlling swords in the forest makes it easy to be attacked.¡± ¡°Even if we pass through the canopy and come into the open air, the view is obstructed by the woods and we can¡¯t see what¡¯s on the ground, which is pointless.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Duan Fenhai agreed. Everyone continued to move forward, with Ah Ling deliberately choosing a small path where the ground was higher, hence fewer crawling beetles and relatively safer. But safety wasn¡¯t the only concern for the Shushan Sword Immortals, so they all released their Divine Sense, continuously scanning their surroundings. ¡°Huh?¡± Ah Ling suddenly exclaimed, ran to a tree by the roadside, parted the vines twined around the roots, and took out the polygonum multiflorum, brushing off the dust on it before turning with a smile and said, ¡°Do you want it? If you do, I¡¯ll sell it to you.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s not a polygonum multiflorum aged over a thousand years, it¡¯s meaningless to us,¡± Sima Changyan declined politely. ¡°Alright then.¡± Ah Ling put it away, and as she was about to stand up, a yellow and black spider suddenly crawled out from behind the tree and lunged straight at her face. Before she could even scream, the sound of a sword¡¯s ring was heard, and the spider was already nailed dead to the trunk. By the time everyone had reacted, An Zhisu had already shot out her sword, killing the venomous spider. ¡°Thank you,¡± Ah Ling came back, still in shock, and thanked An Zhisu. ¡°Be careful,¡± An Zhisu said indifferently, as she casually withdrew the Flying Smoke Sword. The blade quivered, emitting high heat and blue smoke, flinging the poison clean off it. The poison fell onto a pile of fallen leaves and immediately corroded through them. ¡°Are these spiders common in the secret realm?¡± Duan Fenhai asked seriously. ¡°Quite a few,¡± Ah Ling replied, ¡°but they mostly dwell in the lower branches. As long as you don¡¯t get close to the trees, you generally won¡¯t be attacked by them.¡± Everyone looked ahead again and indeed, except near the path, the rest of the area was filled with trees. To avoid getting close to the trees, one would have to keep to the path, otherwise it was simply impossible. After traveling along the small path for about half an hour, Sima Changyan suddenly said: ¡°It¡¯s over there.¡± Following his pointing, they saw a vast expanse of green fog in the depth of the jungle ahead. ¡°That¡¯s miasma!¡± Ah Ling exclaimed in shock, ¡°You want to go into the miasma?¡± ¡°Correct,¡± Duan Fenhai inquired, ¡°do you have any way to get in?¡± ¡°I think that¡¯s courting death,¡± Ah Ling bluntly said. ¡°However, torches can disperse miasma¨Calthough only a small portion around.¡± ¡°And if the wind blows the miasma directly at us, even if we light torches, we can¡¯t guarantee we won¡¯t breathe any in, so in the end, it¡¯s still like courting death.¡± The group exchanged glances for a moment and had a rough idea in mind. According to the records, this pale green miasma was actually the turbid Qi of Yimu belonging to the Yin aspect of the Five Elements. Although inhaling miasma is harmful to cultivators, such an environment often facilitates the growth of various spiritual objects, and since wild beasts dare not enter, the likelihood of it being plundered beforehand is also lower. Not to mention that this is a secret realm; if the previous lord of the secret realm wished to cultivate any Wood System Spirit Grass, then planting it in miasma would also make perfect sense. ¡°In that case, let¡¯s light the torches and go in to explore,¡± Duan Fenhai decided after some thought. Since torches could disperse miasma, they might as well all go in together. If they accidentally got poisoned, with brother Ling who had high resistance here, it would still be possible to take out a Detoxifying Elixir to treat everyone in time. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Sima Changyan had no objections, and An Zhisu, as long as she could accompany her junior brother, had no objections either. So they had Ah Ling wait outside while each of them took out their Fire System Magical Treasures and activated them, stepping into the green fog. Ah Ling watched as they were swallowed by the mist. After about a quarter of an hour, she took out a plump round ball from her sleeve, bit her fingertip, and smeared her blood on it. The ball immediately sprouted limbs and transformed into the shape of a wild rabbit, running into the mist with a speed almost indistinguishable from a real rabbit. Chapter 344 - Chapter 344: Chapter 61: The Deep Ponds Water Viper and the Hundred-Jointed Sweet Flag Chapter 344: Chapter 61: The Deep Pond¡¯s Water Viper and the Hundred-Jointed Sweet Flag In the midst of the greenish miasma mist, there were four brightly shining flames. The flames crackled as they burned the miasma, emitting sounds like the crackling of burning wood. Four Shushan Sword Immortals carefully surveyed their surroundings within the range of the firelight. ¡°Found it!¡± Sima Changyan exclaimed as he noticed a point of Spiritual Light in the distance. Following the guidance of the Spiritual Light, they hurried over and saw a stalk of Spirit Grass glowing with Spiritual Light. It was growing at the edge of a pond, in the muddy ground. This plant, known as calamus, typically grew up to nine sections and was therefore also called Nine-sectioned Calamus. However, if it grew in an environment rich with Yimu energy, it could continue to grow, producing a new section each year, and after a hundred years, it would be known as Hundred-sectioned Calamus, capable of refining the Hundred Grasses Sweet Taste Elixir, which when consumed could substitute for five years of Refining Mansion Cultivation. Although it was only equivalent to five years of cultivation, the difficulty of obtaining Hundred-sectioned Calamus was relatively low among all the secret medicines of the Purple Mansion¨Cit only required finding a place abundant with Yimu Spiritual Energy for a chance to find it. Therefore, everyone was overjoyed: If Hundred-sectioned Calamus could be found here, then couldn¡¯t there be other Spirit Grasses as well? ¡°I shall take this herb first,¡± Sima Changyan quickly said, ¡°and then hand it over to Senior Brother Duan for safekeeping. We¡¯ll divide it later based on the value of the Spiritual Medicine.¡± The so-called ¡°Treasure division method¡± was a method of distributing spoils commonly used among Loose Cultivators, and its principle was quite simple: For example, if A, B, and C together obtained a large pile of treasures, A would divide them into three equal parts according to their value, and then B and C would each choose one part, leaving the remaining part for A. If A¡¯s division was unreasonable, resulting in one part having significantly higher value, B and C would both choose that part. Then, A would have to redistribute some of the treasures from that part to the other parts, or set a price (i.e., the one who eventually obtained that part of the treasure would need to compensate the others with Spirit Stones equivalent to the set price), in order to make the value of each part of the spoils as equal as possible. Sima Changyan suggested the Treasure division method, and Duan Fenhai readily agreed with no objections, while Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu looked confused. Ling Yunpo had never shared spoils with others before because both Qiu Changtian and Wei Dongliu always took control of the team from the start and picked the most valuable items for themselves, leaving the rest to be divided as ¡°you guys decide among yourselves,¡± without ever considering the value. An Zhisu, on the other hand, had almost no experience working with companions, thus hadn¡¯t thought about how to distribute the spoils. So Sima Changyan explained the rules again, and after discussing it, the two found no issues and also agreed. Once everyone had reached an agreement, Sima Changyan went to pick the herb. However, as he approached, the water surface suddenly rippled, and then a huge head emerged abruptly. With its tongue flickering, its golden vertical pupils coldly stared at them. It was a white python¡­ No, the experienced Ling Yunpo quickly realized it was a white Water Viper. Water Viper, the precursor to a Jiaolong. In the dragon lands of the Eastern Emperor Realm, the current True Body is a Water Viper. Having been a Water Viper himself, Ling Yunpo knew exactly what it was. Its bloodline-instilled bestial instincts were mostly arrogance, cruelty, cold-bloodedness, and a tendency to be irritable, with strong aggressiveness and invasiveness. Surely, since the Water Viper chose to reveal itself suddenly rather than wait for someone to get close and then ambush them, it must not have been confident enough to take on four at once. Yes, your guess is spot on. Sima Changyan was visibly startled, but by the time he regained his composure, he saw that Duan Fenhai¡¯s Cangtie Sword and An Zhisu¡¯s Flying Smoke Sword had almost simultaneously shot out. The Water Viper¡¯s eyes bulged as a blur dashed by, and both flying swords were sent flying back with a shock. ¡°It¡¯s the tail!¡± Duan Fenhai shouted a warning. The tail can also be used to lash out at Flying Swords? Ling Yunpo felt as if he had received an enlightenment and decided, upon his return, to practice with Long Hu¡­ No, that¡¯s not right, to practice against Long Hu, to avoid being whipped in the face with her big tail every day. ¡°You have a tail, don¡¯t I have one too?¡± Sima Changyan rapidly retreated, while An Zhisu stepped forward to meet the charge. Her Flying Smoke Sword spun backward in a reverse roll and stabbed towards the Water Viper¡¯s eyes once again. The Water Viper lashed out with its tail again, hitting the Flying Smoke Sword with the speed of lightning, clearly anticipating someone targeting its eyes. The moment the Flying Smoke Sword was struck, it transformed into a puff of blue smoke, then suddenly exploded into a brilliant blaze, enveloping the Water Viper completely. The next second, the Water Viper turned its head and dove directly into the deep pool. Its massive body, along with the flames that were still burning, were all submerged by the waters of the pool. Ling Yunpo immediately shot out the Green Duckweed Sword, its Sword Light sweeping towards the poolside Nine-sectioned Calamus. However, just then, another tail emerged from the water, lashing straight toward the Green Duckweed Sword. Clearly, even though the Water Viper used the pool water to extinguish the flames, it had no intention of fleeing. It stayed close to the water¡¯s surface, unwilling to give up on the Nine-sectioned Calamus. Ling Yunpo was left speechless: a mere five-year Refining Mansion spiritual medicine, and it insisted on confronting four same-rank Shushan Sword Immortals head-on? ¡°Men die for wealth, birds for food,¡± they say, and there seems to be some truth to it. He manipulated the Green Duckweed Sword to return swiftly, while simultaneously shooting out the Thunder Punishment Sword, aiming again for that Nine-sectioned Calamus. Seeing he was not giving up either, the Water Viper became flustered and attempted the same move, aiming to strike the Thunder Punishment Sword with its tail. But as the Sword Dao Techniques of the Thunder Punishment Sword were activated, a bolt of thunder trembled down, shaking the Water Viper¡¯s entire body into paralysis. Seizing the opportunity, Ling Yunpo achieved Man-Sword Unity with the Green Duckweed Sword, transforming into a dazzling beam of Sword Light, and directly cleaved the Water Viper in two. ¡°Well done!¡± Duan Fenhai shouted in praise, ¡°This tactic of feinting to the east and striking the west contains the true essence of Swords Immortal¡¯s magical combat!¡± An Zhisu also showed a proud expression because this Two-Handed Sword Control Technique of feinting to the east and striking the west was personally taught to Ling Yunpo by her. Now that her junior brother had thought to use the Water Viper¡¯s greed and obsession for the Nine-sectioned Calamus to execute a beautiful tactical strike, it was clear he had almost completely absorbed her knowledge of magical combat. Sima Changyan also couldn¡¯t stop praising, though he felt a puzzling doubt in his heart. Water Vipers belong to the Jiaolong species, their bodies naturally impervious to blade and spear thanks to their dragon scales. This white Water Viper, aligned with the water element of the Five Elements, used water pressure to temper the strength of its flesh, making the surface of its body exceptionally hard. Whether it was An Zhisu¡¯s Flying Smoke Sword or Duan Fenhai¡¯s Cangtie Sword, they were both repelled and sent flying back by the creature¡¯s tail, without leaving a single mark on its scales, which spoke volumes. This Po Yun Sword Immortal¡­ always stood in the shadow of his mentor, the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal, and under the radiance of his sister. When people talked about him, they usually referred to him as ¡°that person¡¯s junior brother,¡± occasionally calling him ¡°Po Yun Sword Immortal¡± or even ¡°Ling Poyun¡±, often getting his name wrong. Despite being second on the Immortal Sword Ranking, it showed that public opinion discounted his actual strength. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Who would have thought that his use of Man-Sword Unity, which neither the Flying Smoke Sword nor the Cangtie Sword could touch, would be able to cleave the formidable Water Viper into two with such ease! Thinking further, if Ling Yunpo faced Duan Fenhai or An Zhisu in the grand competition and went all out with Man-Sword Unity from the start, what could they do? If they used their Life-bound Sword Artifacts to defend, they would undoubtedly end up with broken swords and spitting blood! With that thought, Sima Changyan immediately concluded: No wonder, in the last Shushan grand competition, the Po Yun Sword Immortal only clashed with Duan Fenhai using pure swordsmanship on the stage, neither employing Sword Dao Techniques nor Man-Sword Unity. Turns out he was hiding his true power! Chapter 345 - Chapter 345: Chapter 62: The High-End Circle, Taking Shape Chapter 345: Chapter 62: The High-End Circle, Taking Shape After the Water Viper was slain, Sima Changyan approached the pool and smoothly harvested the hundred-knotted calamus. What to do next? If they followed the custom of Loose Cultivators, since Ling Yunpo mainly killed the Water Viper, there was no need to distribute anything; it should go directly to Ling Yunpo. But¡­ When he cast a meaningful glance at Duan Fenhai, Duan Fenhai said, ¡°Ling Junior Brother, since you killed the Water Viper, the hundred-knotted calamus should be yours.¡± ¡°There is no need.¡± Ling Yunpo said with a smile, ¡°Without the help of my Senior Brothers and Sisters to distract it, I would not have been able to kill the Water Viper so smoothly.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s allow Senior Brother Duan to keep it for now, and we can distribute it after our venture is over,¡± he continued. His words were spoken so gracefully that both Duan Fenhai and Sima Changyan gained a newfound respect for Ling Yunpo. Goodness gracious, just giving away the Purple Mansion secret medicine like that? And he spoke so flawlessly, his emotional intelligence maxed out. Compared to a certain Senior Sister, the difference was clear. An Zhisu nodded, showing no objection to her Junior Brother¡¯s stance. After all, it was her Junior Brother who personally slew the beast, and he always mentioned to her that Qingluo Peak should unite the Various Peaks and change the past situation of isolation. Thus, she only felt moved in her heart, thinking that her Junior Brother had really given a lot for Qingluo Peak, and that he should be well compensated later. The others all praised Ling Yunpo¡¯s noble character, and even the Green Duckweed Sword in his Sea of Consciousness couldn¡¯t stop clicking its tongue in admiration. Only the Kunlun Mirror, curious, spoke out, ¡°Guan Shui, that¡¯s a Purple Mansion secret medicine, and you just generously gave it away like that?¡± ¡°First of all, I haven¡¯t given it away,¡± Ling Yunpo corrected it, ¡°I¡¯ve only suggested adding it to a later distribution.¡± ¡°What I¡¯ve given up is merely the right to claim it first, but considering it only offers five years of cultivation, it really isn¡¯t worth my fussing over.¡± ¡°Wow,¡± was all Kunlun Mirror could say, expressing its feelings with a single exclamation. It suddenly realized that if Chen Guanshui hoarded the secret medicine, it would not be surprised; but if he let it go readily¡­ it would also not be surprised as long as it understood it as a way to win people¡¯s hearts. It seemed normal behavior on Chen Guanshui¡¯s part either way. With Ling Yunpo making the gesture of stepping back, the atmosphere instantly became much more harmonious. Duan Fenhai collected the hundred-knotted calamus. Although he did not give a verbal promise, he had a clear understanding in his mind that he would not let Ling Yunpo lose out during the subsequent distribution. Otherwise, not to mention what Ling Yunpo would do, if An Zhisu saw her Junior Brother being treated so unfairly, no one could predict how she would feel and what actions she might take. Duan Fenhai asked himself, he would rather deal with a hundred sociable Ling Yunpos than offend a Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal, who was hard to communicate with¨Cprobably only Guan Shanyue could manage to do that (meaning effectively provoke her). Sima Changyan also saw through Duan Fenhai¡¯s intentions and knew that although this Senior Brother might seem cold and proud, he was actually very upright in nature. Since he had been a person of the jianghu before cultivating Dao, his actions had a chivalrous flair, and without a doubt, Ling Yunpo¡¯s behavior was very much in line with Duan Fenhai¡¯s temperament. Compared to An Zhisu, who only knew about competing with swords, Ling Yunpo seemed to be much more adept at dealing with people. ¡°` It was said that he had always been on good terms with both Lin Duanshan and Guan Shanyue, and if he were to make friends with Duan Fenhai next, it would mean that the top-ranking Sword Immortals of the Shushan Foundation Establishment Realm on the Immortal Sword Ranking would all be connected through his network of contacts. And without a doubt, the core of this network was Ling Yunpo, because only he had a close relationship with An Zhisu. In the past, although Lin, Duan, and Guan knew each other, without the leading figure, An Zhisu, in their circle, it still couldn¡¯t be considered top-tier¡­ Now with An Zhisu joining them, it meant that the most promising Sword Immortals of Shushan were all gathered in this circle. Daoist practice places great importance on foundation. Only those who stand out in the Foundation Establishment Realm can obtain enough Purple Mansion Secret Medicine from their sect, thereby smoothly forming a higher-grade Golden Core. A stronger Golden Core Realm would follow, with each step interlinked. Not to mention that the current upper echelons of Shushan, as Sima Changyan had long since found out, whether it was the Jade Capital Sect Leader or other high-ranking elders, had all occupied the top seats of the Immortal Sword Ranking during their Foundation Establishment Realm. They had long been acquainted with each other and had stable social interactions. In other words, the future high-ranking officials of Shushan were almost inevitably going to emerge from this circle of Ling Yunpo¡¯s! I must also find a way to join this circle! The four of them had different thoughts and promptly started to skin and debone the dead Water Viper. Unfortunately, the Water Viper was not at the Golden Core Realm, so it hadn¡¯t formed a Demon Core. However, its white scales were exceptionally hard, and Duan Fenhai expended a great deal of effort to peel them off intact and weighed them in his hand. They were very light, yet harder than steel, making them excellent material for refining Inner Armor. He carefully stored the white scales and then inquired about everyone¡¯s physical condition. While they had a brief encounter with the Water Viper, they had inadvertently inhaled some toxic air, and now they were all actively using their techniques to expel the poison. The toxins were particularly troublesome and spread quickly; even a slight touch of True Yuan would be tainted. Everyone could only gather the poisoned True Yuan as quickly as possible in their hand meridians, then swiftly shoot it out from their fingertips. After a round of this procedure, they actually used up more True Yuan than during the battle with the Water Viper, which shows that fighting in a toxic environment is truly a dreadful experience. Ling Yunpo once again appreciated the benefits of Innate Sword Bone. Since his meridians were unobstructed, moving True Yuan was extremely smooth, and he quickly expelled the toxic miasma. Even so, as he had already formed the Jade Mansion, and with his advanced Breathing and Qi Refining Technique, his True Yuan was far more refined than that of ordinary cultivators. Though he lost some True Yuan, he didn¡¯t feel it was significant. My blue bar is just too thick! After a brief respite, they set off once again. Having faced the Water Viper, they all became more aware of the troublesome nature of the toxic air and proceeded with increased caution. Even An Zhisu began to stick close to Ling Yunpo, fearing he might suddenly be attacked by some poisonous creature and inhale too much of the toxic air. After bypassing the deep pool, the streams and standing water ahead began to grow denser. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only What made them uneasy was that these streams and pools were all tinged with a faint green color, seemingly containing some level of toxin. ¡°It seems like a swamp ahead,¡± Ling Yunpo cautioned, ¡°If we can¡¯t fly with our swords, our movement on foot will be restricted.¡± ¡°True,¡± Duan Fenhai agreed, ¡°If there are snakes, vermin, or other creatures lurking in the swamp mud, we may not even have the chance to react.¡± ¡°Do we not enter then?¡± Sima Changyan asked, ¡°The toxic air seems even thicker ahead; there might be better Spirit Grasses inside.¡± ¡°Of course we¡¯re going in,¡± Ling Yunpo decided after a moment¡¯s thought. ¡°Senior sister, can you use your Fire System Daoist Magic from the Flying Smoke Sword to burn a path for us first?¡± Chapter 346 - Chapter 346: Chapter 63: Dao Ye True Person, Mad Sword Immortal Chapter 346: Chapter 63: Dao Ye True Person, Mad Sword Immortal The swamp, shrouded in blue mist, suddenly burst into flames. The fire spread in all directions along the green, fluffy objects on the surface of the water, quickly burning away the poisonous creatures in the mud and the miasma in the air, leaving nothing unscathed. Sima Changyan and Duan Fenhai, upon seeing the effectiveness of An Zhisu leading the way with such results, were both half alarmed and half delighted. Delighted at the wondrous effect of using Fire System Daoist Magic to forge a path, yet alarmed by the intensity and scale of the flames, which, if unleashed at the formal competition platforms of Shushan, would leave opponents with no choice but to counter with comparable Sword Dao Techniques or otherwise be left without any means to respond. In the schools of the Shushan Sword Immortals, those who revered the Sword Control Technique definitely constituted the vast majority, for most enemies of the same rank in this world would simply perish with a single thrust of the Flying Sword. How to make the Flying Sword strike faster, more accurately, and more ruthlessly was undoubtedly the most efficient method to enhance one¡¯s strength. As for Daoist Magic¡­ that was the forte of the Kunlun Cultivators, who admittedly placed more emphasis on the strength of cultivation, with a more vigorous flow of True Yuan. However, aside from the majority of adversaries, there was a small portion that swordsmanship couldn¡¯t resolve. For instance, with the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal An Zhisu, if you were to purely contend in swordsmanship, your chances of victory were slim to none. Many of those in the Golden Core Realm had acknowledged that An Zhisu¡¯s swordsmanship attainment indeed surpassed that of the Foundation Establishment Realm. Now that she had acquired a powerful Immortal Sword, with such formidable Sword Dao Techniques, it seemed more prudent to concede defeat if one encountered her at the Immortal Sword Ranking competition in the future. Not conceding meant facing the onslaught of her Sword Dao Techniques first, conjuring vast, fierce flames that filled the sky. If you couldn¡¯t withstand her Daoist Magic, your only option would be to risk a stabbing attack amidst the flames. With her swordsmanship skills, it¡¯s likely you wouldn¡¯t succeed. If you could withstand the Daoist Magic, you¡¯d have to divide your attention to activate your own Daoist Magic while simultaneously competing with her in swordsmanship. Yet An Zhisu was infamous for her abilities in multitasking and Two-Handed Sword Control¡­ On the edge of the swamp, two young girls stood side by side, staring in awe at the distant roaring fire. ¡°What a formidable Daoist flame!¡± Jiang Liyan said apprehensively, ¡°I have previously encountered the Phoenix Immortal from Kunlun, whose blast of Great Bright Fire covered the sky. This Shushan Cultivator¡¯s flames may be slightly inferior, but they possess about seventy to eighty percent of that power.¡± ¡°That person is An Zhisu, the first on the Immortal Sword Ranking of Shushan,¡± replied Miss Ah Ling. ¡°The first on the Immortal Sword Ranking?¡± Jiang the Witch¡¯s eyes swiveled. Ah Ling knew her companion well; she was never one to sit still¡­ Even though in recent years, there had finally been someone to rein her in, most of the time she still maintained her mischievous and unruly nature, harboring more schemes than anyone. ¡°What do you think,¡± Jiang the Witch suddenly smiled. ¡°If we had the Crazy Swordsman go against them?¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Ah Ling was startled, ¡°Didn¡¯t we agree to lead them to the poisonous serpent?¡± ¡°I just feel that it would be more dramatic to have them go up against the deranged senior from Shushan,¡± said Jiang the Witch with a grin. ¡°You really do love doing pointless things,¡± said Ah Ling helplessly as she silently maneuvered the magic to make the distant puppet turn and run. Within the swamp, the group had efficiently harvested all the encounterable Spiritual Medicine. There were many Wood System Spiritual Medicines among the miasma, mostly guarded by poisonous beings, but they could hardly withstand the concerted efforts of the four Shushan Sword Immortals, who swept through them with overwhelming force. Pick out the ingredients that could be made into Purple Mansion secret medicine; if the adjuvants are found and the elixir is refined, it could overall increase the Refining Mansion cultivation by forty years. To make up for the initial losses from Ling Yunpo, Duan Fenhai and Sima Changyan also fought bravely to take the lead. As for An Zhisu, because the Fire System Daoist magic was needed to clear the way, she kept depleting her True Yuan to drive the Flying Smoke Sword at the forefront, her contribution unmatched, ranking first. ¡°Senior Sister An, do you want to rest for a bit?¡± Ling Yunpo suddenly said. An Zhisu was about to say there was no need, but the look in Ling Yunpo¡¯s eyes stopped her, so she blankly nodded her head. The reason Ling Yunpo wanted to rest was that he didn¡¯t want her to deplete her True Yuan too much; otherwise, it would be troublesome if any accidents occurred later¨Cof course, this was not convenient to say in front of Duan Fenhai and Sima Changyan, so he had to find a tactful excuse to ¡°rest.¡± Duan Fenhai and Sima Changyan had no objections, so everyone found a nearby dry deadwood, sat down on the trunk to rest, and took elixirs to recover their True Yuan. ¡°Do you hear any sound?¡± An Zhisu suddenly asked. ¡°No.¡± Ling Yunpo first responded blankly, then quickly came to his senses and hurriedly leaped down from the trunk. He knew that Senior Sister An had already awakened her Innate Sword Heart, making her perception far sharper than ordinary cultivators in this regard, so he dared not be negligent and quickly swept the surroundings with his Divine Sense. Seeing him on such high alert, Duan Fenhai and Sima Changyan also promptly stood up, vigilantly checking the surroundings. Before long, An Zhisu suddenly turned around, and the Flying Smoke Sword struck out with full force! Although it struck empty space, it seemed as if it had hit something. The Flying Smoke Sword instantly flew back, and several strands of Sword Qi exploded from the point of collision, which Ling Yunpo and the others parried with their drawn swords. ¡°This is¡­¡± Duan Fenhai was stunned for a moment, then exclaimed in shock, ¡°The Xinjin Huayi Sword?¡± ¡°Impossible!¡± Sima Changyan also said in astonishment. The Xinjin Huayi Sword, the Life-bound Sword Artifact of Dao Ye True Person from Shushan seven hundred years ago, characterized by dispersing Sword Qi upon impact, bypassing the Flying Sword to strike the enemy. But this sword¡¯s fame was far less than Dao Ye True Person himself¨Cthis man was a disciple of the Sect Guardian Immortal, Long Eyebrow, of Shushan, and a brother to Su Jian. He was also immensely talented and brilliant, and along with Su Jian, was known as Shushan¡¯s ¡°Golden Silver Sword Immortal.¡± Although it was named so because the Xinjin Sword was purple-gold and the Harsh Cold Sword was silver-white, in the secular world, gold is more valuable than silver, which shows Shushan¡¯s greater expectations for Dao Ye True Person, actually even more so than for Qi Sha True Person Su Jian. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only However, this man, at the Great Perfection stage of the Obscure Weave Rank in the Golden Core Realm, which is just a step away from becoming an Immortal by forming the Core, suddenly went on a journey one day and never returned to the sect. Shushan even dispatched several True Persons to secretly visit many famous mountains and rivers where Dao Ye might have gone, but in the end, they all came back empty-handed¨Cafter that, Long Eyebrow Immortal then listed Su Jian as his Direct Disciple, which in some sense was also out of no choice. If the Xinjin Huayi Sword were here, then Dao Ye True Person¡­ The crowd looked forward with horror and saw a Sword Immortal old man with a vacant expression and lifeless eyes, walking over the water from a distant swamp. ¡°Junior brother, junior brother¡­¡± he muttered to himself, his gaze drifting unsure where to focus, ¡°Your swordsmanship cannot win, it¡¯s me, it¡¯s me¡­¡± Chapter 347 - Chapter 347: Chapter 64: You Can Fool Fellow Disciples, But Not Your Senior Sister Chapter 347: Chapter 64: You Can Fool Fellow Disciples, But Not Your Senior Sister ¡°Dao Ye True Person?¡± Ling Yunpo was also greatly shocked upon hearing the name mentioned by Duan Fenhai and Sima Changyan. Before his first participation in the Shushan Tournament, Lin Duanshan had explained the various schools of sword techniques in Shushan to him, also mentioning this title ¡ª Dao Ye True Person¡¯s swordsmanship was vastly different from Su Jian¡¯s Seven Kills Sword Technique. Seven Kills Sword Technique emphasizes ¡°striking first to gain the upper hand.¡± As long as my sword is fast enough, I can quickly seize the initiative in battle. However, Dao Ye True Person¡¯s Ziyuan Sword Technique took the approach of ¡°striking later to gain control.¡± Its theory also had the mystical style of swordsmanship: A Sword Immortal¡¯s moves, if there is a moment when they are impregnable, then it must be the instant when his sword is about to strike but has not yet done so. In other words, if the opponent¡¯s sword strikes before mine, his flaws will inevitably be exposed first. Then I can use this opening to break through my opponent¡­ To win without a move against a move, to remain unchanged against a thousand changes, that is the essence of Ziyuan Sword Technique. Of course, if it was merely the theory that was distinctive, it wouldn¡¯t have caught the attention of the Sword Immortals; Shushan had many more mysterious sword techniques. The real issue was, it was said that in Dao Ye True Person¡¯s matches against Su Jian, he was almost undefeated in every battle, without a single loss, so much so that everyone said Ziyuan Sword Technique restrained the Seven Kills Sword Technique¡­ Of course, Su Jian at that time was not yet the renowned Peak Master of Qingluo Peak, and the Seven Kills Sword Technique had not yet reached the stage of Great Perfection. It wasn¡¯t until after Dao Ye True Person disappeared, and Su Jian had knelt in front of the Long Eyebrow Immortal for seven days and nights, that his sword skills truly began to improve by leaps and bounds, but those are stories for another time. An Zhisu, as Su Jian¡¯s Direct Disciple and biological daughter, had the calmest reaction among the four when hearing this name. It wasn¡¯t until the eccentric Sword Immortal elder came stepping over the surface of the water from the poisonous miasma in the distance that her expression finally changed slightly. Though the Sword Immortal elder was clearly still far away, he took only a few steps to reach everyone¡¯s presence, catching the returning Xin Jinhua Qi Sword with his hand and saying, ¡°All of you, you also think there¡¯s a problem with my swordsmanship, don¡¯t you?¡± Although everyone was bewildered, seeing the Sword Immortal elder getting increasingly ferocious and angry, Sima Changyan hurriedly spoke up first, ¡°Senior¡¯s Ziyuan Sword Technique is the best in the world, and your peers in Shushan hold your swordsmanship in high esteem¡­¡± ¡°Then tell me, what is the second move of the fourteenth form of Ziyuan Sword Technique!¡± the elder shouted angrily. Sima Changyan: ??? He just stood there stunned, only to see the elder¡¯s expression suddenly turn gloomy as he said, ¡°I knew it, another liar. You also think my Ziyuan Sword Technique is worthless, right? Then let me show you the prowess of my swordsmanship¡­¡± With those words, he suddenly circulated his True Yuan, stabbing the Xin Jinhua Qi Sword towards Sima Changyan. In a rush, Sima Changyan used Sword Control to block, and as expected, his flying sword was directly repelled, and dozens of strands of Sword Qi emerged where the metal clashed, converging and shooting towards him. Luckily, he was also proficient in Two-Handed Sword Control Technique, and immediately had to control a second flying sword to shoot out, trying to block those Sword Qi. Then he saw the Xin Jinhua Qi Sword come flying from another direction. Knowing he was outmatched, just as he was about to change the path of his flying sword to intercept the Xin Jinhua Qi Sword first, he saw a streak of black light diagonally intersecting from the side, stopping the Xin Jinhua Qi Sword. Ling Yunpo employed Man-Sword Unity, and in addition to the hardness of the Qingping Sword and the Innate Sword Bone, he was still unable to contend and was directly cleaved away by the Xin Jinhua Qi Sword. This strike also produced dozens of Sword Qi, shooting towards Sima Changyan, who was closest. Sima Changyan nearly coughed up blood. Although the other party had good intentions to save him, this rescue was tragically ineffective¡­ He was too lazy to resist and simply used Sword Control to rapidly retreat, with Duan Fenhai¡¯s Cangtie Sword shooting out in time to intercept a portion of the Sword Qi for him. Fortunately, these Sword Qi did not multiply¡­ The Xin Jinhua Qi Sword paused slightly, and then the Sword Immortal elder turned his head, his eyes widening with veins of blood, shouting, ¡°Seven Kills Sword Technique? Good, very good! Let¡¯s have a proper comparison then!¡± Before his words fell, the Xin Jinhua Qi Sword turned around and shot towards Ling Yunpo with great speed. Ling Yunpo¡¯s expression was unchanged, or rather, he had anticipated this outcome before he even made his move. ¡°I¡¯ve scanned and confirmed it,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said in the Sea of Consciousness, ¡°He indeed has only one soul and one spirit left at this point.¡± ¡°A mortal has three souls and seven spirits. If only one soul and one spirit are left, it¡¯s very difficult to maintain normal consciousness, which is why he seems mad and deranged.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Ling Yunpo said solemnly. Dao Ye True Person was at the Great Perfection of the Golden Core Realm. If he could maintain his sanity, then, aside from groveling and begging Ah Jing for help to escape, Ling Yunpo had no other way to deal with this person. However, Ling Yunpo and Wei Dongliu were different. The latter didn¡¯t have close sect siblings. Jiang Liyan and Wen Yang were both afraid of asking questions, so in a critical moment, they could cheat by using Ah Jing¡¯s power. But revealing Ah Jing¡¯s abilities in front of Duan Fenhai and Sima Changyan was too risky¨Cwho knew what these two would tell the Jade Capital Sect Leader once they returned? It would be better to teleport and escape directly, letting these two be silenced by the mad Sword Immortal. But then, what about Senior Sister An? In the split second of lightning and flint, Ling Yunpo had already calculated all the intricate relationships and variables. The most suitable plan now was to feign sacrificing oneself to lure away the mad Sword Immortal, urging the others to escape quickly. Once away from Duan Fenhai and Sima Changyan, he could use various secret and nimble methods: the Five Elements Divine Light, the Five Thunders True Law. If all else failed, he¡¯d swallow his pride and beg Ah Jing to use the Illusion Technique again, freeze the mad Sword Immortal, and then teleport himself to safety. He could later claim that ¡°he narrowly escaped death,¡± and as long as no one saw it, he could brag without bounds¡­ He could even use the opportunity to curry favor from Duan Fenhai and others, crafting a noble image of one who sacrifices himself for others, reaping two benefits at once. ¡°I¡¯ll lure him away!¡± he shouted toward the distance and, stepping back on the Thunder Punishment Sword, he retreated quickly, his expression tragic yet resolute, ¡°You all return to the mountain for reinforcements!¡± Duan Fenhai and Sima Changyan were about to come to support when they heard this, both stood still for a moment, then turned around without hesitation and fled on their swords. Both were not the type to be entangled in emotional dilemmas, and rational analysis made it clear that even if all four of them banded together, they would not be able to defeat Dao Ye True Person, who had gone mad. If Ling Junior Brother was willing to sacrifice himself, then naturally they could not let his earnest intention go to waste¨C they must report Dao Ye True Person¡¯s whereabouts back to Shushan and then come back to rescue Ling Junior Brother (or his body)! Seeing the two turn and run away, and watching his synchronization value as an unyielding character skyrocket, Ling Yunpo felt immensely satisfied. Excellent, my plan is perfect. Glancing slightly to the side, he saw An Zhisu and the Flying Smoke Sword merge into Man-Sword Unity. The Sword Light surged almost exponentially, charging at full speed towards him. Ling Yunpo¡¯s mood then plummeted to rock bottom. Tsk. I seem to have overlooked something¡­ I need to come up with a plan to deceive Senior Sister An as well! The Qing Ping Sword rushed to the rescue, clashing again with the Cangtie Sword transformed from Xin Jin Qi. While the sword itself remained unharmed, the gap in True Yuan and Physical Strength meant that Qing Ping Sword was once again sent flying, neutralizing the force only dozens of yards away. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Dozens of Sword Qi strands burst forth from the Cangtie Sword at the moment of clash, their color like rolling silver, brilliant as fine gold, shooting densely towards Ling Yunpo, their speed even faster than his all-out driven Thunder Punishment Sword. Ling Yunpo was about to use the Sword Dao Techniques on the Thunder Punishment Sword for a difficult mid-air spin and block, but An Zhisu, now unified with her sword, had already reached his side. The Harsh Cold Sword shot out from her sleeve rapidly, turning into a sharp, frosty white cold light, swiftly intercepting the Sword Qi and scattering them with a rustling sound. ¡°Senior Sister! (Junior Brother!)¡± both exclaimed almost simultaneously. Staring at each other, minds slightly stunned, they once again shouted in unison: ¡°I¡¯ll hold him off, you go first! (You go first, I¡¯ll deal with him!)¡± Chapter 348 - Chapter 348: Chapter 65: Double Swords Strike Together, Smooth Escape Chapter 348: Chapter 65: Double Swords Strike Together, Smooth Escape Rationally speaking, Ling Yunpo absolutely had no way to deal with a maddened Dao Ye True Person¨Clet alone with An Zhisu¡¯s help. If Senior Sister An stayed to help him, it would essentially mean one more person was going to die. It would be better to let Senior Sister An leave first, which is common sense even a three-year-old child knows. However, was Senior Sister An a very rational person? At this thought, Ling Yunpo finally realized what was missing in his previous deliberations. He had overlooked the unreserved love Senior Sister had for him! The Thunder Punishment Sword struck again like thunder, intercepted jointly by the Green Duckweed Sword and the Flying Smoke Sword. Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu both exerted their full strength, their True Yuan surging around them managed to barely catch the attack¡­ and then both Immortal Swords were repelled at the same time. The Green Duckweed Sword and the Flying Smoke Sword were thrown out, while the Thunder Punishment Sword was also knocked back several meters, and countless Sword Qi appeared out of nowhere, attacking them at high speed, blocked by the Thunderbane Sword and the Harsh Cold Sword. ¡°Senior Sister, he has no second sword,¡± Ling Yunpo urgently said. ¡°Distract the Thunder Punishment Sword,¡± An Zhisu also swiftly said, ¡°Be careful of the derivative Sword Qi, wait for the opportunity to assassinate his true body!¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll distract!¡± Ling Yunpo immediately replied. Although the swordsmanship of both was evenly matched, Ling Yunpo was well aware of what his advantage was. His physical foundation was stronger than Senior Sister¡¯s, and the toughness of the Green Duckweed Sword was also above the Flying Smoke Sword¨Cat the end of the day, it was just more durable. On the other hand, although An Zhisu was inferior to him in terms of Root Bone quality and Immortal Sword attribute, she was superior in her rich experience and sharper perception, better at seizing the fleeting moment for an assassination. It made sense for him to distract, to create an assassination opportunity for Senior Sister An. ¡°Alright, be careful,¡± An Zhisu agreed without hesitation. But Ling Yunpo knew that once he showed a state of not containing the Dao Ye True Person, Senior Sister would definitely abandon the assassination attempt at the first opportunity and would fight Dao Ye True Person desperately, to create a chance for him to escape. Thus, whether he could contain Dao Ye True Person was the key to whether Senior Sister could complete the assassination. ¡°Qing Ping, we must go all out,¡± Ling Yunpo said softly. ¡°Sword Master, just go ahead,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword also said in a deep voice. ¡°Qing Ping¡­¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°At this moment, you should say, ¡®I am willing to die for Sword Master,¡¯ right?¡± Green Duckweed Sword: ¡­¡­ ¡°Saying I¡¯m willing to die is truly too inauspicious,¡± it replied with a laugh, ¡°How about ¡®Wishing Sword Master a swift and decisive victory¡¯ instead?¡± ¡°Whatever,¡± Ling Yunpo, gazing at Dao Ye True Person who was maintaining a kind of cold, chilling smile, said softly, ¡°What do you think? Is my Ziyuan Sword Technique more formidable, or is your Seven Kills Sword Technique superior?¡± Ling Yunpo was provoked to laughter, ¡°If you¡¯re so capable, why don¡¯t you suppress your cultivation level to the Foundation Establishment Realm at the Refining Mansion phase and then come fight us?¡± But it was obvious that Dao Ye True Person, having lost his secondary soul and six psyche components, certainly didn¡¯t possess normal cognitive abilities, he didn¡¯t even recognize that he and An Zhisu were Su Jian¡¯s disciples; he was just desperately seeking someone to attack. According to Daoist scriptures, even the loss of a single soul and a single psyche component would render one foolish and dull-witted. Dao Ye True Person seemed capable of holding a conversation, but in reality, he was probably just being sustained by a single obsession within his fragmented spirit. Aside from possessing an intact physical body, he was almost indistinguishable from Sun Sword Master Ouyang Zhao. The obsession sustaining Dao Ye True Person apparently was to surpass the Seven Kills Sword Technique¡­ Thus, no matter what, he would never let me and Senior Sister An go. ¡°Be careful!¡± Kunlun Mirror suddenly shouted. Ling Yunpo¡¯s pupils suddenly constricted as he saw the Xin Jin Hua Qi Sword almost turning into a purple-gold streak of light, stabbing towards his head. In a flash of lightning, he had no choice but to pull over the closest Thunder Punishment Sword and hurriedly block in front of him. The Thunder Punishment Sword let out a shriek and was then shaken by the Xin Jin Hua Qi Sword, being spun away as it was thrown into the air. Fortunately, by proactively blocking with the Thunder Punishment Sword, Ling Yunpo had stolen the opportunity to call back the further Green Duckweed Sword, quickly eliminating the newly formed Sword Qi nearby, and then swiftly activated the Sword Dao Techniques ¡°Green Mist Veil Over the Mountains.¡± A thick fog arose, all non-water system Daoist Magic halved in power within the fog, and the enemy was unable to see in the fog, nor could they expand their Divine Sense; it was an extremely strong Daoist Magic for restraint. However, what kind of person was Dao Ye True Person? He didn¡¯t hesitate at all and, relying on his previous impression, shot the Xin Jin Hua Qi Sword once again towards Ling Yunpo¡¯s direction. Ling Yunpo clearly saw that because of the Golden Core True Person¡¯s extremely fast swordsmanship, dodging was definitely not an option. Could his physical body¡¯s speed possibly outpace a flying sword? He could only block with the Green Duckweed Sword. This block exposed his position, and so Dao Ye True Person continued to manipulate the Xin Jin Hua Qi Sword, launching a series of sword technique combinations to pursue him, putting Ling Yunpo under great pressure, with his defense line nearly toppling. Thankfully, the dense fog suppressed non-water system Daoist Magic, so the Sword Qi generated during clashes with the Xin Jin Hua Qi Sword was also severely weakened. With the recalled Thunder Punishment Sword, it was easily resolved, thus sparing Ling Yunpo the distraction of having to deal with it himself. As he struggled to hold on, An Zhisu had already drawn the Harsh Cold Sword and was moving swiftly around the edge of the great fog. If she entered the dense fog, her Divine Sense would also be suppressed since she was not the Sword Master of the Green Duckweed Sword. Even though her heart was anxious, she had to restrain the impulse to rush over and rescue her junior brother, gritting her teeth to find Dao Ye True Person¡¯s location in the fog. Finally, her gaze intensified, as she simultaneously launched the Harsh Cold Sword and the Flying Smoke Sword from two directions towards Dao Ye True Person in the fog, executing the ¡°Dragon-Tiger Strike¡± from the Seven Kills Sword Technique. The Flying Smoke Sword sped faster, aiming a direct stab at the opponent¡¯s throat, which was the critical hit of this sword technique. If the opponent managed to block it, then the opportunity for a lethal blow would shift to the later-launched Harsh Cold Sword. As expected, Dao Ye True Person laughed heartily several times, swiftly pulling back the Xin Jin Hua Qi Sword and spinning to slice at the rapidly thrusting Flying Smoke Sword. The Flying Smoke Sword was sent spiraling away by the impact, but the Harsh Cold Sword¡¯s surface started to form frost bloom, with cold light circulating. An Zhisu was already silently reciting ¡°Abyssal Ice Three Feet Thick, Snow Covering a Thousand Miles,¡± activating the trapping Daoist Magic on the Harsh Cold Sword. The misty moisture that was enveloping Dao Ye True Person instantly turned into thick frost, freezing him from feet to head. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Ling Yunpo didn¡¯t hesitate any longer, tossing the Frostfall Sword into the air and achieving Man-Sword Unity, speeding away into the distance. An Zhisu also took the chance to pull back the Flying Smoke Sword, transforming into dazzling Sword Light, following closely behind Ling Yunpo. In just five or six breaths as they fled, Dao Ye True Person bound by frost suddenly shook himself, and the frost and snow fell from his body in a shower. How could Sword Dao Techniques powered by a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivation level hold back this Golden Core Realm Great Perfection True Person? ¡°Good! Good! Good!¡± Dao Ye True Person roared with a furious expression, shouting the word ¡°good¡± thrice, though it was unclear what he meant by it. He turned and pursued in the direction in which Ling Yunpo and the others were fleeing, his figure flickered, and he crossed tens of meters in an instant, directly giving chase. Chapter 351 - Chapter 351: Chapter 68: Ancient Ruins, Giant Tree Underground Chapter 351: Chapter 68: Ancient Ruins, Giant Tree Underground Once the toxins had been thoroughly cleansed, An Zhisu¡¯s condition finally stabilized, allowing Ling Yunpo to take in his surroundings. To be honest, although he had already accumulated over five hundred years of Refining Mansion Cultivation, it was only now that he truly realized its benefits. The more flawless the Jade Mansion was, the faster the Qi Sea would rotate, and the quicker the probability of True Yuan regenerating from the Qi Sea. An Zhisu had been battling in the miasma for a while and had already been incapacitated by the poison infiltrating her body. From beginning to end, Ling Yunpo didn¡¯t rest, as the speed at which the toxins spread within his True Yuan was not faster than the rate at which his Qi Sea regenerated True Yuan. Hoisting his now out-of-danger Senior Sister up, Ling Yunpo carefully examined their surroundings. This underwater ruin¡­ No, it should not have been underwater originally. The path they had entered through had steps, but underwater passages have no need for steps (after all, there¡¯s buoyancy), which signifies that this ruin was originally within some sort of depressed valley. The valley was later submerged by water, turning the entrance of this ruin into the bottom of a deep pool, hence it was occupied by the cunning poison serpent. However, as it stands, the terrain from the entrance into the deeper parts of the ruin gradually slopes upward, therefore, up to this point, the rest of the ruin has not been eroded by water¡­ Whether the poison serpent had gone further in, that remains unknown. Ling Yunpo inclined to think that it should have gone in, since the Jiaolong had at least Transformation Rank cultivation, possessing an intelligence nearly equal to that of humans. Faced with such a ruin, it is not likely to have left it unexplored. After taking An Zhisu around the interior, Ling Yunpo confirmed that the ruin had indeed been completely ransacked, leaving nothing behind. Standing in the central hall, Ling Yunpo began to ponder again: Logically, a Golden Core Realm Great Perfection Sword Immortal should effortlessly subdue a Jiaolong. But the frenzied Sword Immortal was indeed mad and unpredictable¨C who¡¯s to say? Perhaps he suddenly made a mistake, revealing a weakness¡­ It won¡¯t do, I still need to get closer to the surface to confirm. As Ling Yunpo was thinking this, he suddenly heard the Kunlun Mirror say: ¡°There¡¯s a space below.¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Ling Yunpo paused for a moment, before looking down at his feet. Beneath his feet lay a green stone floor, covered in dust, but upon closer inspection¡­ it seemed there were indeed some carvings, only obscured by a thick layer of dust accumulated over a long period. Ling Yunpo pulled out the Green Duckweed Sword and executed the post-rain silence of the empty mountains, using Water System Sword Qi to remove the thick layer of dust and debris from the floor, revealing the original carvings beneath. Hm¡­ After examining it for a while, Ling Yunpo felt it didn¡¯t resemble a formation, but rather¡­ A step technique? On closer inspection, each of the lines was made up entirely of arcs, with radii roughly equal to a person¡¯s stride. If it weren¡¯t for the Green Duckweed Sword teaching him the Cloud-Parting Eight Trigrams Step, Ling Yunpo might not have thought of this, but now he immediately recognized that these arcs represented the trajectory of a person¡¯s heels pivoting. This was a step technique. He studied it for a while and realized that this step technique seemed to have the same origin as the Cloud-Parting Eight Trigrams Step, but was obviously much more complicated and profound. Perhaps Dao Ye True Person came here in the past, having found some clues elsewhere, and knew that this step technique was hidden here¡­ Of course, much time has passed, and it can¡¯t be verified anymore. Ling Yunpo then traced the pattern, walking the entire step technique flawlessly from start to finish. Just as he completed the last step, the ground suddenly shook and then rapidly split along the cracks, collapsing and sinking in. Ling Yunpo quickly floated up on the Immortal Sword, grabbing Senior Sister An who nearly fell with the collapse, and then glided downwards. It seemed that beneath the floor was a natural crevice, seemingly bottomless to the naked eye. Accompanied by continuous earthquakes and shaking, numerous small stones fell along the edges into the abyss, also without any echo of impact on the surface. Ling Yunpo had no choice but to cast the Universal Pure Tone Minor Illumination Technique, lighting up the surroundings. After an indeterminate amount of time passed, a vague outline finally appeared below. It wasn¡¯t some huge fortress or palace but an enormous, dead ancient tree. Hmm, a tree? ¡°Ah Jing¡­ this tree?¡± Ling Yunpo didn¡¯t dare to descend directly but cautiously inquired of the Kunlun Mirror. ¡°It¡¯s dead,¡± the Kunlun Mirror gave a definite reply, ¡°It¡¯s a tree demon.¡± ¡°A tree demon?¡± Ling Yunpo was somewhat surprised. Among demons and spirits, the rarest were those born from inanimate objects, followed by plant-based entities. Tree demons were not uncommon, but such a large one¡­ Ling Yunpo had never seen before. He carefully descended to the bottom and saw that the large tree was almost thirty feet tall, leafless, its branches withered, indeed dead. Near the root, there was a piece of tree bark that had been peeled back. Under the bark was the upper body of a woman, gently embracing a skeleton, which still wore the tattered robes of a Daoist, clearly not belonging to either the Three Pure Ones or the Dualistic Schools. Ling Yunpo looked closer and realized the woman¡¯s lower half was nearly fused into the tree trunk, or rather¡­ ¡°Fool! This woman is the tree demon,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword reminded him, ¡°After the death of a tree demon, the body can¡¯t maintain its transformation and thus reverts to a half-tree appearance. This tree demon clearly destroyed her own dantian to commit suicide.¡± ¡°And this skeleton?¡± Ling Yunpo asked again. ¡°Probably her husband,¡± the Kunlun Mirror speculated. ¡°Don¡¯t be so romantic, Ah Jing,¡± Ling Yunpo said discontentedly, ¡°How can you tell they were lovers from that?¡± ¡°Look at the expression on her face. Isn¡¯t it very similar to the way Senior Sister An looks at you?¡± the Kunlun Mirror argued. Ling Yunpo saw that it was indeed similar; the tenderness in her eyes was like water, the love almost overflowing from within. ¡°Ah, now that I remember,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword also suddenly spoke up, ¡°the Daoist robe on this skeleton is what the True Persons of the ancient Emei Sword Sect used to wear.¡± ¡°So he was from the Emei Sword Sect,¡± Ling Yunpo nodded in understanding. What a pity, this skeleton belonged to the Human Race! Alas, you two weren¡¯t even of the same species, how could you have fallen in love? ¡°It seems like another tragedy from that era,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword lamented, ¡°Conflict between humans and demons has been the trend and flow of the entire world, but within this tide, there occasionally are those who swim against the current, such as those who fall in love across species¡­¡± ¡°Do you think there¡¯s something wrong with them?¡± the Kunlun Mirror asked in astonishment. ¡°Wrong?¡± the Green Duckweed Sword repeated and then responded, ¡°How could there be anything wrong? It¡¯s not up to us to decide which race we¡¯re born into.¡± ¡°Even if it¡¯s like the Sun Sword Master, whose affair with a demon caused significant losses to the Human Race, I only feel it¡¯s a pity. In today¡¯s world, where would those issues even arise?¡± After silently listening to the end, Ling Yunpo had to admit it was indeed the case. In ancient times, falling in love with a demon was almost tantamount to the grave sin of betraying one¡¯s race; but now, the Human Race had been ruling the Cultivation Realm for over a hundred thousand years, and the spirit of racial strife had all but vanished. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only If disciples from Shushan went out on a training expedition and passed by a village, where they heard someone had taken a demon as a bride, whether to kill or not was often a matter of mood. If they were in a decent mood and heard that although she was of demonic nature, she had not committed any bad deeds, they would pretend not to see and just leave. This happened nine out of ten times. Otherwise, if they went to exterminate the demon, they might end up being hated and regarded as enemies by the human husband, which would be quite bad luck indeed. Reining in his thoughts, Ling Yunpo braced himself and began to examine the corpses of the tree demon and the skeleton. Indeed, at the waist of the Daoist robe on the skeleton, he found a storage bag that had not decayed. Chapter 352 - Chapter 352: Chapter 69: Senior Sister, Teach Me Chapter 352: Chapter 69: Senior Sister, Teach Me An Zhisu slowly awakened. Although her physical constitution was not as outstanding as Ling Yunpo¡¯s, it was only by comparison¨Cin the Shushan, which valued root bone quality, An Zhisu¡¯s resistance to miasma toxins was still considered above average. Although it was dark around her, she quickly noticed that her clothes had been undone by someone. Because the hooks were fastened incorrectly. The last time her junior brother had undressed her for healing, he had also fastened the hooks wrong¡­ An Zhisu was dazed for a moment before realizing that it must have been her junior brother who had undressed her again to remove the poison. Although she still felt some shyness, she quickly convinced herself and struggled to get up from the ground. This place seemed to be underground, the only source of light coming from ahead, where her junior brother was currently standing under a giant tree, patiently examining a skeleton. ¡°Senior Sister An, you¡¯re awake?¡± Ling Yunpo noticed the movement behind him and turned around, smiling as he asked. ¡°Yes,¡± An Zhisu nodded reservedly, hesitating. She wanted to lecture her junior brother again about the principle of ¡°impropriety between men and women,¡± but then she remembered that before she fainted, the toxins had indeed spread throughout her meridians. If he hadn¡¯t undressed her to guide the True Yuan through the major acupoints on her body to extract the toxins, what else could her junior brother have done? Her junior brother was so kind; he wouldn¡¯t have intentionally embarrassed me¡­ An Zhisu bit her lower lip, her thoughts tangled, when suddenly Ling Yunpo tossed something to her. She caught it with her hand and realized it was a jade slip. Upon probing it with her Divine Sense, An Zhisu learned that the owner of the jade slip was named ¡°Zhong Liang,¡± a Cultivator from the Emei Sword Sect who had committed suicide here. He requested that whoever found this jade slip burn his and the big tree¡¯s remains into ashes with flames, then mix and bury them in the soil¨Cas a reward, his belongings were in his Storage Bag. Since there were only a few words in the jade slip, An Zhisu was still clueless as to why this Cultivator had committed suicide or what his relationship with the big tree was. But as her gaze swept past Ling Yunpo and she saw the embraced posture of the two corpses, she seemed to understand something. ¡°This predecessor¡¯s Storage Bag contains a set of movement skills,¡± Ling Yunpo continued, ¡°Would you like to take a look, Senior Sister?¡± This time he tossed her a scripture scroll with complete details of the movement skill, accompanied by illustrated charts. An Zhisu looked carefully and learned that this movement skill was called ¡°Cloud-Parting Eight Trigrams Step,¡± which contained the principles of the Eight Trigrams from Yi Jing, allowing one to move and shift within a small space without leaving a trace. Interestingly, the scripture mentioned that within the Emei Sword Sect, this step was almost as essential as Sword Control Technique, with nearly everyone learning it. The reason is that in battles of Sword Immortals, rapid and precise movement is often necessary. If one rides on a Flying Sword, then attention must be divided to control the sword, which consumes too much Divine Sense. If movement is done through stepping techniques, on the one hand, it doesn¡¯t consume Divine Sense, and on the other, the burst of speed may even surpass Sword Control Technique, hence it is a necessity for Sword Immortals. However, according to An Zhisu¡¯s memory, the Shushan Shangqing Faction had no similar concept. It¡¯s not that movement skills were completely lost in transmission, but just like Talisman Scripts and Magical Treasures, they were considered ¡°miscellaneous studies¡± within Shushan and no peak would teach them as the core of their teachings. Even her teacher, Su Jian, hadn¡¯t discussed any movement skills with her. How strange. Seeing that Senior Sister An¡¯s attention had shifted to the movement skill, forgetting about how she was actually ¡°detoxified,¡± Ling Yunpo internally shouted his good luck and hurriedly continued: ¡°Senior Sister, that Crazy Sword Immortal also used this movement skill.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call him Crazy Sword Immortal; that¡¯s your Senior Uncle,¡± An Zhisu sighed. You don¡¯t know, Senior Sister, the Senior Uncle¡¯s soul is fragmented, and I¡¯m afraid his remaining soul has reincarnated, leaving only an obsession in the flesh. Ling Yunpo mentally criticized, nodding and agreeing outwardly and went on: ¡°According to the scriptures, this Cloud-Parting Eight Trigrams Step is divided into ¡®Entry Level¡¯, ¡®Advanced Level¡¯, and ¡®Daoist Level¡¯.¡± ¡°Elder Martial Uncle is probably just at the Entry Level, but since he is at the Great Perfection of the Golden Core Realm and his True Yuan is far more powerful than ours, his speed is not to be underestimated.¡± ¡°If we can learn this step technique to the Advanced Level, I believe we could escape Elder Martial Uncle¡¯s pursuit.¡± ¡°Silly, Junior Brother,¡± An Zhisu sighed helplessly with a laugh, ¡°This technique clearly requires profound understanding; how could it be so easy to learn?¡± Ling Yunpo fell silent for a moment before saying: ¡°How do we know if we don¡¯t try?¡± Senior Sister has an Innate Sword Heart, but I have the Green Duckweed Sword to cheat¡­ oh no, I mean, to give me a helping hand. There should still be hope. Otherwise, even if we manage to escape from this place, by the time we are ready to leave the swamp, wouldn¡¯t we just be caught by that mad Sword Immortal and yet again enter an endless cycle of fleeing for our lives? And next time, we might not be lucky enough to have a poison rat to lead the disaster elsewhere! ¡°Well, okay then.¡± An Zhisu was someone easily persuaded (by her Junior Brother), and seeing how persistent he was, she could only agree. So she drew the Flying Smoke Sword, first activated the Sword Dao Techniques on it to turn the corpses hugging a tree to ashes and buried them underground to clear the space, then she began to study with Ling Yunpo. ¡°Senior Sister, you understand it all, right?¡± Ling Yunpo thought it crucial to focus on boosting Senior Sister An¡¯s progress, to teach her as quickly as possible. ¡°Could you perform it once for me to see?¡± ¡°Oh,¡± An Zhisu¡¯s figure flickered, and she instantly flashed out more than thirty feet away. Ling Yunpo: ??? This strange feeling, it¡¯s like at a school dance, teaching a girl how to dance hand in hand, only for her to get it after just one look and even dance better than you. An Innate Sword Heart really is too much of a cheat! ¡°Wow, worthy of being Senior Sister!¡± He then broke into a sincere, admiring smile and exclaimed, ¡°There are several places I still don¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°Which parts don¡¯t you understand?¡± An Zhisu asked earnestly. ¡°Here, here, and here.¡± Ling Yunpo pointed out several difficult areas on the scripture, which he had already mastered. ¡°Let me teach you,¡± An Zhisu said with a smile, ¡°Could you try going through it once for me to see?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ling Yunpo couldn¡¯t help but laugh and cry, pretending to be a beginner and stumbled through the steps. ¡°That¡¯s not right, follow me like this¡­¡± An Zhisu stepped behind him, their bodies close together, and hand in hand, she taught him how to move his feet, twist his waist, and step on the ground. ¡°I see.¡± Ling Yunpo was secretly delighted, but he said, ¡°Senior Sister, I also don¡¯t know how to do this part.¡± ¡°This incantation is too vague. What does it mean?¡± ¡°And here, can you teach me this too?¡± An Zhisu patiently led him through the whole step technique three or four times until he could perform it decently. However, according to the scripture, Ling Yunpo¡¯s proficiency could only be considered ¡°Entry Level,¡± while An Zhisu had already reached the ¡°Advanced Level.¡± ¡°Senior Sister, am I very useless?¡± Ling Yunpo feigned sadness. ¡°How could that be!¡± An Zhisu was anxious in her heart and hurriedly said, ¡°It must be because it¡¯s too dark in this underground space. Junior Brother, let me lead you through it a few more times.¡± Ling Yunpo happily complied and let Senior Sister An teach him hand in hand, body to body, once again. He said: Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Senior Sister, I think I¡¯ve grasped the knack of it.¡± ¡°See, isn¡¯t it simple?¡± An Zhisu sighed in relief with a gentle smile, ¡°Your talent is not bad, Junior Brother, you¡¯ll have no problem learning this step technique.¡± ¡°Yes, Senior Sister,¡± Ling Yunpo said, feigning determination, ¡°No matter how difficult this step technique is, with you teaching me, I will definitely learn it!¡± [Unyielding persona, Synchronization Value + 1.] Ling Yunpo was overjoyed to increase his Synchronization Value. Chapter 353 - Chapter 353: Chapter 70 The Reinforcements from Shushan Arrived! Chapter 353: Chapter 70 The Reinforcements from Shushan Arrived! The massive poisonous serpent collapsed thunderously, its venomous blood dyeing the surrounding pond a murky yellow-green. Standing atop the water, the mad Sword Immortal sheathed his sword with arrogant ease, and spoke dismissively, ¡°That was nothing! If my junior brother¡¯s Seven Kills swordsmanship can kill, why can¡¯t my Ziyuan swordsmanship?¡± He surveyed his surroundings with a haughty gaze, only to realize there was not a single onlooker. He soon sank into a brief spell of dejection, before slipping into a hazy, foolish stupor and muttered to himself, ¡°No, it¡¯s impossible¡­ My Ziyuan swordsmanship cannot be weaker than any other¡­¡± With just a few steps, the mad Sword Immortal disappeared into the distance of the swamp. Time passed, though for how long no one could tell, before Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu suddenly burst forth from the surface of the water. The two of them quickly scanned their surroundings, and apart from the serpent¡¯s corpse, they saw no other living creature. ¡°As expected,¡± Ling Yunpo said with a smile. ¡°Knowing that its lair was directly below and having nowhere to escape, the serpent had no choice but to fight a battle to the death with our elder¡­ We¡¯re lucky this time, having picked such an excellent spot.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± An Zhisu also said with a beaming smile. ¡°Let¡¯s make a run for it now before our elder comes back,¡± Ling Yunpo proposed escaping without a change in his expression. ¡°Alright,¡± An Zhisu naturally had no objections. Just as they were about to take flight with their swords, the mad Sword Immortal appeared out of nowhere in the distance, rushing towards them at great speed, cackling madly, ¡°Did you think I would foolishly leave? Wrong! I¡¯ve been loitering around here, just waiting for you two to fall right into my trap!¡± Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu exchanged a glance, then simultaneously flickered, vanishing on the spot and instantly reappearing far away. The mad Sword Immortal: ??? By the time he came to his senses, so furious that he was nearly beside himself, he let out a furious roar and hurriedly pursued them with his swift steps. At the edge of the swamp, Ah Ling suddenly exclaimed, ¡°Oh no, they¡¯re heading our way!¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s also run!¡± Jiang Liyan immediately said. ¡°Right.¡± Ah Ling quickly ceased her spell and, with a reverse grip, grabbed Jiang Liyan¡¯s arm, and the two dashed off together. Just outside the swamp was a forest of towering trees. As the two girls burrowed into the woods, Ah Ling let out another cry of alarm, ¡°Someone has entered the secret realm! The puppet I placed there has been destroyed!¡± ¡°Who?¡± Jiang Liyan asked warily. ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± Ah Ling was almost sweating bullets, ¡°Their cultivation level is immeasurably deep!¡± ¡°It¡¯s probably the backup from the Shushan Sword Immortals who got away earlier, brought over from Shushan afterward,¡± Jiang the Witch complained as she ran alongside her. ¡°I knew it! Listening to you and letting those two go was bound to backfire!¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t being soft-hearted!¡± Ah Ling countered, ¡°Did you have the confidence to keep those two against their will?¡± Jiang the Witch found herself at a loss for words and after a long pause, said, ¡°If my Lord Wei Dongliu were here, he would have killed them within minutes!¡± ¡°If you could have brought Wei Dongliu over, why would we need to rely on the poisonous serpent and the mad Sword Immortal? Wouldn¡¯t it have been better to just directly eliminate those potential seeds on the Shushan Sword Immortal list?¡± retorted Lady Ah Ling coldly. Jiang the Witch grumbled under her breath for a moment before saying, ¡°Forget it, the mature Spirit Grass in this secret realm has already been harvested by our sect anyway. Exposing it to Shushan doesn¡¯t matter anymore.¡± ¡°Your Heavenly Demon Path is really generous,¡± Ah Ling said with a mix of sarcasm and sincerity. ¡°To just hand over such a secret realm to Shushan outright?¡± ¡°You saw it yourself. The plan was to ambush a few potential Shushan disciples and extract the last bit of value from the place,¡± Jiang Liyan said, spreading her hands. ¡°It can¡¯t be helped if we didn¡¯t succeed.¡± ¡°Won¡¯t your sect hold you accountable?¡± inquired Ah Ling. ¡°Everybody from Shushan has mobilized their powers; what else can we do but flee?¡± Jiang the Witch argued with righteous indignation. In the midst of the swamp, Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu were escaping on flying swords. If the crazed Sword Immortal caught up, Ling Yunpo would use Green Mist Veil Over the Mountains to first trap the Sword Immortal¡¯s vision and Divine Sense; then, the two of them would quickly escape using the Cloud-Parting Eight Trigrams Step. After breaking free from their pursuer¡¯s range, they would immediately switch to flying on their swords. However, no matter how far they fled, the freed crazed Sword Immortal would quickly catch up. Seeing that Senior Sister An was about to succumb to poison again, Ling Yunpo hardened his heart and decided to abruptly stop and turn around, planning to surprise their pursuer with a powerful strike. Suddenly, a furious shout came from afar: ¡°Miscreant!¡± Before the shout had faded, sword light arrived first, pinning the crazed Sword Immortal to the ground instantaneously. Ling Yunpo looked on in astonishment only to see a multitude of magnificent sword lights cutting through the poisonous mist as easily as a knife slicing through silk, reaching him from the horizon in an instant. More than a dozen high-rank Shushan elders had arrived; at the forefront were two individuals, one was the Jade Capital Sect Leader and the other was the Long Eyebrow Immortal. The sword light that had subdued the crazed Sword Immortal belonged to the Dual Polarity Dust Sword of the Long Eyebrow Immortal. The Jade Capital Sect Leader landed first, his sword light touching down, and cast a warning glance at Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu, signaling them to quickly move to the back. The Long Eyebrow Immortal, however, did not even glance at the two, but quickly approached the crazed Sword Immortal and said in a deep voice: ¡°Dao Ye, what has happened to you?¡± The crazed Sword Immortal looked up at his master blankly and suddenly began to weep bitterly. Regardless of his body being pierced by the Dual Polarity Dust Sword, he desperately kowtowed, sobbing: ¡°Master! Your disciple has let you down. I was defeated by Junior Brother Su Jian in swordsmanship, failing to live up to your expectations and trust¡­¡± He had only knocked his head a few times before Long Eyebrow Immortal immobilized his body; however, his forehead was already a bloody and mangled mess. Long Eyebrow Immortal had already detected that something was not right with him. He raised two fingers, aiming for the crazed Sword Immortal¡¯s brow. After a moment, his expression suddenly turned dark as he said: ¡°Lost in spirit, succumbed to deviation; of his three souls and seven spirits, only one soul and one spirit remain, the rest seized by a Heavenly Demon!¡± The surrounding Shushan elders turned pale upon hearing this. If there¡¯s anything high-rank cultivators dread the most, it¡¯s probably the Heavenly Tribulation in first place, but Heart Demons definitely come second. These Heart Demons aren¡¯t the weak Heavenly Demons summoned by the Demonic Path using sacrifices. They are profound Heavenly Demons from beyond our domain, who have cultivated the Seven Emotions and Six Desires to enlightenment, able to traverse the Heavenly Dome and descend into this world, seeking out cultivators with cracks in their Daoist Hearts to inhabit. Once a cultivator, for any reason, becomes lost in spirit, the Heart Demon will immediately emerge, devouring the host¡¯s soul, vital energy, and blood, leaving behind only an empty husk¨Cwhat cultivators dread above all else, known as deviation. Hearing Long Eyebrow Immortal¡¯s verdict, everyone realized that Dao Ye True Person had suffered cracks in his Daoist Heart due to his first defeat by Qi Sha True Person Su Jian in a sword duel, resulting in his inadvertent fall to a Heart Demon, eventually deviating and losing two souls and six spirits¡­ The prospect of the erstwhile Shushan talent declining to such a state elicited deep sighs of regret from all present. Long Eyebrow Immortal¡¯s face was as still as water, and as the Dual Polarity Dust Sword rotated again, it dismembered the delirious Dao Ye True Person. His remaining solitary soul and spirit emerged from the body, and Long Eyebrow Immortal once more sent forth a blast of immortal energy, solidifying the soul. Dao Ye True Person¡¯s vague visage from his living days appeared, paying a distant bow to the crowd in the air, before quickly spiraling upward and fading away. Ling Yunpo, hiding in the crowd, watched and realized that Dao Ye True Person¡¯s soul was being sent by Long Eyebrow Immortal to reincarnate. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only However, with only one soul and one spirit left, even with Long Eyebrow Immortal¡¯s immortal energy protection, his next life would be that of an intellectually disabled child, requiring at least nine cycles of reincarnation to return to normal. The path of cultivation is not only full of hardships and dangers, but also lies against immense peril. A single misstep can spell utter spiritual annihilation. As Ling Yunpo was lost in his reflections, he saw Long Eyebrow Immortal suddenly turn his head and glance over in this direction. He wasn¡¯t looking at himself, but rather at Senior Sister An beside him. What made him feel even more uneasy was that there was neither warmth nor kindness in that gaze. Chapter 354 - Chapter 354: Chapter 71 The Route to Central State Chapter 354: Chapter 71 The Route to Central State After returning to Shushan with An Zhisu, Ling Yunpo began to load the saved file. [Checkpoint 5: Eastern Emperor Demon Realm, South State, Wu River City.] [Character Identity: Long Long.] [Overlaying the Mirror Flower Water Moon Template, in the process of time-space travel.] After crossing the river with Long Hu, Long Long arrived at the nearest Demon Race stronghold, Wu River City. This city, similar to the previous South Wind City, was dominated by the Feathered Clan Demons. The difference lay in the species: South Wind City had more blue birds, while Wu River City had more crows, with the former favoring blue attire and the latter preferring black. Having stayed at an inn within the city for several days, Long Long realized that almost all of the Feathered Clan here held a subtle rejection and hostility towards non-Feathered Demons. This attitude was most evident among Feathered Clan Cultivators, for example, during the daily inspections at the inn, the Wu River City Cultivators would treat their Feathered Clan guests with courtesy, but show cold faces to guests of the Scales, Fur, and Carapace clans. As for the Horned Clan¡­ due to the conflict with the Qilin Clan of Central State, hardly any Horned Clan members could be seen in the city. Of course, aside from racial discrimination, class discrimination was even more pronounced. Among Cultivators and non-cultivators, whether one had undergone Transformation was a clear boundary, manifesting a stark, huge, and indifferent rift. The Feathered Clan Cultivators despised those untransformed little demons, and within the lesser demons, there was a clear chain of discrimination: the closer one was to human form, the more arrogant they became. The little demons at the Blood Ignition Rank, closest to human form, lived in the bustling districts flanking the main thoroughfares of Wu River City, running shops, setting up stalls, engaging in business¡­basically, any activity that might involve interacting with Cultivators was carried out by these lesser demons. Aside from a few feathery traits on their bodies, they were almost indistinguishable from humans in their erect posture, manner of speaking, behavior, and thought patterns. Next came the Bone Expansion Rank lesser demons, who retained many avian characteristics and lived in the slums near the city walls. They had more feathers, smaller eyes, and more beak-like mouths; they spoke an almost incomprehensible bird language and performed monotonous, repetitive, and arduous labor such as bricklaying, road repair, and manure hauling. The Blood Ignition Rank lesser demons, considering themselves bona fide citizens of Wu River City, rarely entered the living areas of the Bone Expansion Rank demons. Even passing them on the street required a wide berth, and if such a lesser demon entered their shops, they were promptly driven out, not allowed to linger too long. As for the lowest of them, the Qi Drawing Rank¡­ these could almost be considered Demonic Beasts, lacking even basic intelligence, not even allowed through the city gates. Although Long Long and Long Hu were not of the Feathered Clan, they had the advantage of mastering the Transformation Secret Technique. Even if their Cultivation Realm had not reached the Transformation Rank and they lacked a Demon Core, their appearance was completely indistinguishable from humans, with no beastly features whatsoever. Therefore, as they walked through the city, they were treated as Cultivators by these Feathered Clan members. Although they were not as enthusiastically received as the Feathered Clan Cultivators, as long as Long Long and Long Hu spoke up, the others dared not refuse to respond. These past few days at the taverns in Wu River City, eating only red meat and fruit, Long Hu began to feel somewhat listless. As for the popular ¡°Insect Meal Set¡± at the tavern, she had no interest whatsoever. ¡°Long Long, Long Long!¡± After finishing lunch, she wrapped herself around Long Long, playfully insisting that he hurry up and continue northward into Central State. A place where I can¡¯t eat chicken, I, the little fox, don¡¯t want to stay for a moment longer! ¡°Stop it, the north is the war zone. How are we supposed to get through there?¡± Long Long said with a wry smile while rubbing her face. Long Hu slapped his hand away, annoyed. He had already gathered in the city that leaving Wu River City and continuing north along the river would lead to the battleground between the Vermilion Bird and the Qilin. Countless Feathered Clan and Horned Clan Cultivators were battling there. It wasn¡¯t just the river trade routes that were closed, but land transportation as well, and only those smugglers and criminals unafraid of death would consider crossing. But this did not pose a challenge to the experienced Long Long, who had studied the map. The border between South State and Central State spanned over a thousand miles; there certainly had to be a way to bypass the battle zones and enter Central State. If not, what about the Horned Clan members who were stranded in South State before the war? In any Feathered Clan city, they were frequently captured and interrogated to ensure they weren¡¯t spies. Who could tolerate that? They had to make a run for Central State as soon as possible! Long Long was certain that, being the northernmost city in South State, there must be members of the Horned Clan in Wu River City who knew how to get to Central State. It¡¯s just that because of the high-pressure attitude in the city, these Horned Clan members had all gone into hiding! So, how to find the Horned Clan in the quickest way possible? After a moment¡¯s thought, Long Long knew that as an outsider, he definitely wouldn¡¯t know how to find the Horned Clan. But the cultivators of Wu River City certainly could! They spent their days capturing ¡°suspicious¡± Horned Clan members, not really to find spies, but to extort money from them. Once the fee was paid, the ¡°interrogation¡± would end; otherwise, they¡¯d be looking at indefinite incarceration. And these just-released Horned Clan members were the ones Long Long could contact the fastest. After squatting outside the government office with Long Hu for half a day, nearly attracting the questioning of patrolling cultivators, Long Long finally saw a group of people come out. To be precise, it was a group of Horned Clan people. The one at the front seemed to be a fat merchant, his head dripping with sweat as he fawned and flattered the Feathered Clan cultivator, who treated him with the disdain one would show to trash, continually shooing him away. Because the Horned Clan merchant had horns, this suggested he was of the Blood Ignition Rank, which to the cultivators meant he was a ¡°relatively less stupid idiot.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll follow them,¡± Long Long whispered. ¡°Okay,¡± Long Hu responded. The two followed the Horned Clan for a while, and once Long Long confirmed there was no one around, he directly revealed himself and blocked the group in an alley. The Horned Clan members were suddenly stopped and were almost scared out of their wits, until they saw that the newcomer was in ¡°a fully transformed state.¡± The leading fat merchant then forced out a smile uglier than crying and said in a trembling voice: ¡°My lord¡­¡± ¡°I ask, you answer,¡± Long Long had no interest in caring for his emotions, so he cut straight to the point. ¡°Yes,¡± the fat merchant immediately showed a beaming smile upon hearing it wasn¡¯t about money, ¡°I shall spare nothing in telling everything I know.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the fastest route from here to Central State?¡± Long Long asked. The Horned Clan members looked at each other, and the fat merchant paused for a moment before answering: Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°There are many routes to Central State, but the fastest would definitely be through the battle zone¡­¡± ¡°Next,¡± Long Long interrupted him. He wasn¡¯t confident enough to pass through the battle zone between the Feathered and Horned Clans yet. ¡°If safety is a concern, then it¡¯s definitely the Three-legged Mountain Range,¡± the fat merchant said. ¡°As long as you can get through with the Golden Crow Clan, you can pass through the volcanic area and enter Windrest Valley in the southern part of Central State.¡± ¡°This route has many hidden paths, so it¡¯s basically free of checkpoints. But the drawbacks are also obvious: the terrain is harsh and difficult to traverse, and you must deal with the Golden Crow Clan that lives on the volcano,¡± the fat merchant finished with a bitter smile. ¡°After all, you have to cross through their territory.¡± Chapter 355 - Chapter 355: Chapter 72: The Commission of the Golden Crow Clan Chapter 355: Chapter 72: The Commission of the Golden Crow Clan The Three-Peaked Mountain Range got its name from a distance for having three of the tallest peaks. This mountain range mainly stretches from east to west and serves as the boundary between South State and Central State. To its south lies a hot and dry terrain dotted with numerous volcanoes, resulting in a stark landscape of bare vegetation and rocky outcrops. The north side benefits from the moist air currents from Eastern State, boasting plenty of vegetation and meadows, with a climate far more pleasant than the southern side of the mountain range. The Golden Crow Clan resides to the south of the Three-Peaked Mountain Range, firmly controlling the few mountain passes leading in, tirelessly collecting tolls day after day¡­ Of course, it¡¯s said that mining and smelting are the Golden Crow Clan¡¯s main industries, and toll collection is merely a side hustle. On the way, Long Long encountered numerous Horned Clan refugees. After enquiring in detail, he learned that due to the warfare in the north, most merchants and travelers now opt to take the route through the Three-Peaked Mountain Range. Correspondingly, the tolls have skyrocketed, from ten thousand Crystals six months ago to the recent twenty thousand Crystals, and reportedly, they were set to increase even further. Hearing this price, Long Long and Long Hu couldn¡¯t help but click their tongues in amazement. Long Hu¡¯s mother left them nearly two thousand Crystals as seed money in her Storage Bag. After Long Long¡¯s persistent work along the way and Long Hu¡¯s eating and drinking, they had about one thousand Crystals left. It was far from enough to cover the tolls. At this point, it was certainly not possible to earn enough money first¡­ who knew how much the price would jump to by then! Having experienced the real estate craze before his travels, Long Long knew that during a market rise, your savings speed could never outpace the surge in financial costs. An ingenious move was necessary! He spoke again with the next group of Horned Clan refugees they encountered, learning that the Golden Crow Clan had a strong preference for shiny, rare, and precious items. If one didn¡¯t have enough money, it was also acceptable to barter with Metal System or Fire System Magical Treasures. However, aside from their personal Flying Swords, Long Long and Long Hu really had no extra Magical Treasures. The pair hurried along the mountain path and met another group of Horned Clan refugees, learning that in the past, travelers who couldn¡¯t pay the tolls ended up being sent by the Golden Crow Clan to labor in the mines, offsetting the fee with a few months¡¯ work, with food and lodging covered. Long Long immediately dismissed this plan, insisting that labor was out of the question; what would it look like for a Cultivator to go mining? ¡°So,¡± the Golden Crow Cultivator guarding the checkpoint asked with a frown, ¡°you have neither money, nor Magical Treasures to settle your debt, nor are you willing to mine?¡± ¡°I am from the Scaled Clan, and she is from the Mao Clan; neither of us are renowned for strength like members of the Horned Clan,¡± Long Long said earnestly. ¡°If we were to mine, the amount a normal Horned Clan member could dig in a month might take us three or four, which is certainly not a good use of our skills.¡± ¡°But apart from mining, we don¡¯t really have any other work for you here¡­¡± The Golden Crow Cultivator wasn¡¯t quite finished speaking when he seemed to remember something, then he broke into a strange expression and said with a laugh, ¡°Unless you¡¯re willing to take a risk.¡± ¡°A risk?¡± Long Long asked. ¡°The slag left over from our smelting, along with the trash our people generate, is thrown into a cave in the back mountain,¡± explained the Golden Crow Cultivator. ¡°Periodically, Fire Element True Qi bursts forth there, incinerating the slag and the garbage.¡± ¡°However, recently¡­ cough, a few thieves stole something from our clan leader and, in a panic during pursuit, fled into that cave.¡± ¡°Since everyone¡¯s worried about encountering a burst of Fire Element True Qi upon going down, so the clan plans to hire outsiders to search¡­ If you can find the thieves¡¯ stolen goods and bring them back in one piece, not only will you be exempt from the toll, but you¡¯ll also be paid an extra fee.¡± ¡°Wow!¡± Long Hu immediately consulted with Long Long upon hearing there was a reward, exclaiming, ¡°That sounds rather good, doesn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Naive,¡± Long Long mockingly whispered to her. ¡°Don¡¯t be fooled by his casual tone; there are probably many significant details being glossed over.¡± ¡°Setting aside anything else, just how hazardous is that cave? Is it merely ¡®Fire Element True Qi¡¯ eruptions? So much so that not a single Golden Crow Clan member dares to venture in, resorting to hiring outsiders without any knowledge of the risks?¡± ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Long Hu wasn¡¯t foolish, and upon Long Long¡¯s hint, she quickly caught on. The Fire Element True Qi must be extremely dangerous, forcing the Golden Crow Clan to hire outsiders to explore the cave¨Cclearly treating them like expendables! ¡°` If they managed to come out alive, they got their stolen items back without a loss; and if they died inside, no compensation needed to be paid. It was indeed a business with only gains and no losses! Seeing the two whispering secretly, clearly not fooled by his words, the Golden Crow Cultivator didn¡¯t care much. Whether it succeeded or not, it was just a matter of two cannon fodder, there was no need to push them into the pit of fire. After all, the toll was a rule of the clan, and there was definitely no possibility of making an exception for these two. ¡°Esteemed Immortal,¡± Long Long asked with a smile, ¡°if we want to inquire about the specific situations of exploring the cave, whom can we ask for details?¡± ¡°You just head to the right side into our clan¡¯s territory and say you want to sign up for cave exploration,¡± the Golden Crow Cultivator casually pointed, ¡°Before you go down the cave, someone will explain everything to you.¡± ¡°That is very good, thank you,¡± Long Long sincerely thanked him. He took the little fox¡¯s hand and headed towards the direction of the Golden Crow Clan¡¯s territory. Long Hu was slightly puzzled. Long Long had just spoken of many hidden risks in the task, but now he seemed to be planning to go through with it. Why was that? Upon further thought, she vaguely understood: To do or not to do a task, one must be based on a full grasp of information. Blindly trusting the other party¡¯s words or retreating with doubts without any evidence were both unreasonable choices. With the little fox deep in thought, Long Long arrived at the Golden Crow Clan¡¯s territory and quickly got taken to one of the stone houses after stating his purpose. South of the Three-legged Mountain range, there were no trees or vegetation, but the mineral output was extremely rich, so the buildings within the clan¡¯s territory were mostly made of special rocks, in a red ochre color, and felt very warm to the touch. Long Long studied the building materials inside the house for a while and then saw a few more people brought in ¨C they were probably demons who couldn¡¯t afford the toll and planned to take up the cave exploration task. The little fox was scared and hid behind Long Long, tugging at the hem of his clothes, staying silent. The three newcomers were all from the Horned Clan and, judging by the shape of their horns, seemed to be some type of bovine, and were also broad and burly. The leading bovine demon looked at Long Long, whose height only reached his waist, and then showed a naive smile before slowly looking away. Soon, a Golden Crow Cultivator entered the room, addressing everyone about the numerous matters related to cave exploration: ¡°The stolen item we need you to find is a black feather fan named ¡®Golden Crow True Fire Fan¡¯.¡± ¡°Although this Magical Treasure is rare, it can only be activated with the true blood of our Golden Crow Clan. It¡¯s useless for you to take it, so do not harbor any improper thoughts.¡± ¡°The Golden Crow True Fire Fan is made of eighteen black feathers, with three Immortal Seal Scripts carved on the handle ¨C it¡¯s very easy to recognize, and you will certainly not mistake it once you find it.¡± ¡°Once you find this fan and come out of the cave, handing it over to us, the reward, apart from passing rights through the Three-legged Mountain range, is eighty thousand Moon Crystal Stones, or you can choose any one Magical Treasure from our clan¡¯s treasure house to take with you.¡± No sooner had he finished speaking than the three bull demons exchanged glances and then said in unison: ¡°We three brothers, if we find the stolen item, will receive only one Magical Treasure as a reward. How are we supposed to divide it? Could we perhaps¡­¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°How you divide it is your business, not mine,¡± the Golden Crow Cultivator interrupted impatiently, then turned to Long Long and Long Hu, continuing, ¡°If you can¡¯t divide it, choosing Moon Crystal Stones is just as well.¡± Long Long¡¯s face was expressionless, but inside he sneered. If it were low-realm little demons, they might have chosen the crystal stones. But which of those truly on the path of cultivation didn¡¯t know the importance of their own strength? Without a Magical Treasure to protect themselves, rashly acquiring wealth was nothing more than saving money for others! ¡°` Chapter 356 - Chapter 356: Chapter 73: The First Adventure of the Dragon and the Fox Chapter 356: Chapter 73: The First Adventure of the Dragon and the Fox Fire Element True Qi, an average cultivator might have never even heard of it, but Ling Yunpo of Shushan had. The reason was nothing else: beneath Shushan, there lay the Fire Element Cave, which also contained Fire Element True Qi. Those entering needed to shield their bodies with the Xuanguang Ruler, or else, if they came into contact with Fire Element True Qi, they would die, consumed by fierce flames. This Fire Element Cave had another characteristic, that is, every time Fire Element True Qi erupted, it would melt the nearby cave walls, and after they solidified again, the structure of the cave would be completely altered. Even if you remembered the way you came, a single eruption would make all your previous efforts in vain, making it impossible to return the way you came. These two factors combined to make the Fire Element Cave essentially an impassable dead zone. You only needed to look at how the Shushan Shangqing Faction used the Fire Element Cave as a storage site for the Sect¡¯s resources to understand the great dangers within. However, the members of the Golden Crow Clan never mentioned this, as if they didn¡¯t care at all whether we could return alive or not. Hm? That¡¯s not right. If no one could return alive, how would they retrieve the stolen item? Unless from the start, their intention for sending us down wasn¡¯t for any stolen item¡­ At this realization, Long Long suddenly broke out in a cold sweat! But as a Water Viper, being thoroughly cold-blooded, he didn¡¯t actually sweat, and so he merely frowned slightly. If my deduction is true, then I fear ¡°sending us to our deaths¡± was the true purpose behind sending us down there. Long Long discreetly glanced towards the door, only to see the Golden Crow Cultivator standing outside, looking over with an indifferent expression: ¡°Any problems?¡± he asked. ¡°In the Fire Element Cave, besides Fire Element True Qi, are there any other dangers?¡± Long Long asked with a smile. ¡°No,¡± the Golden Crow Cultivator shook his head, apparently not inclined to elaborate. No dangers? Long Long¡¯s mood instantly cooled. Fire Element True Qi in itself was the greatest danger, yet the Golden Crow Clan obviously avoided discussing it, clearly indicating there was a problem. And this cultivator blocking the door wasn¡¯t showing any signs of letting us go¡­ With a silent sigh, Long Long turned to communicate with the Kunlun Mirror. The little fox was hiding behind him. Although she didn¡¯t engage in any communication, her sensitivity allowed her to sense Long Long¡¯s anxiety, and she couldn¡¯t help but feel uneasy for him. After a while, everyone finally agreed to go down. While the three Demon Race oxen were enticed by the reward, Long Long had detected the dangers within and knew that both he and Long Hu had been trapped, with no choice but to proceed. The Golden Crow Cultivator led them to the back mountain, where it was noticeably hotter, and the earth and rocks were redder. On the face of the rock before them, there was a noticeable Great Hollow, roughly the height of a person and wide enough for two to stand shoulder to shoulder; from within, hot winds gusted out intermittently. Looking inside, the Demon Race oxen saw that the depths weren¡¯t as innately dark and deep as ordinary caves, but bright and clear, which put them immediately at ease. Long Long, however, did not share their lack of concern and knew that this brightness was the most terrifying aspect¨Cordinary caves did not contain the fearsome Fire Gang capable of melting common Magical Treasures! The Demon Race oxen couldn¡¯t wait to enter, but Long Long turned to look at the Golden Crow Cultivator, who had a smirk on his face that didn¡¯t reach his eyes, and then at Long Hu, who appeared somewhat scared. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± he said softly. At this point, there was nothing to regret. Before coming to ask, it wouldn¡¯t have been possible to know about the dangers inside. Now that we know, we can¡¯t leave; it¡¯s truly an instance of irresistible misfortune. However, for me, it might not necessarily be a path to certain death. Ling Yunpo might not be able to make it through the Fire Element Cave, but that doesn¡¯t mean Long Long has no way to survive. Long Hu walked further inside, and with practiced ease, pulled out the Dragon Chant Sword, allowing it to hover three feet in front of him, ready to confront any potential attacks. Though Long Hu lacked such extensive combat experience, she mimicked him nonetheless, drawing the Fox Chanting Sword and holding it her hand. ¡°Not like that,¡± Long Long instructed her, ¡°You need to let it hover in front of you, at about an arm¡¯s length.¡± ¡°The sword tip should be angled up, the hilt angled down, and the hilt slightly above the line of your sight.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± Long Hu asked curiously. ¡°An arm¡¯s length allows the Flying Sword to shield you from close attacks; the angled blade is for easier downward slashing; and above your line of sight so as not to block your view,¡± he explained. ¡°I see,¡± Long Hu said, suddenly understanding. She of course didn¡¯t know that these were combat experiences accumulated by the Shushan Sword Immortals through long-term battles, and simply took it as Long Long¡¯s personal warfare knowledge, feeling admiration for him. The two continued to walk into the cave, and sensing the right moment, Long Long continued to teach her: ¡°When advancing in narrow places like this, you must be vigilant.¡± ¡°Keep your eyes focused on the path straight ahead, but use your peripheral vision to pay close attention to the edges of your sight, such as above, below, and to the sides.¡± ¡°But that¡¯s not enough; you also need to use your Divine Sense to scan behind you to avoid being ambushed from your blind spots.¡± As he spoke, Long Long suddenly thrust his sword diagonally backwards. Just then, a bull demon that was hiding at the fork in the road they had just passed charged out from a blind spot, rushing viciously toward their backs. Though Long Long didn¡¯t look back, the Dragon Chant Sword that hovered in front of him spun around and pierced backward unexpectedly, catching the bull demon off guard. By the time the demon reacted, the Dragon Chant Sword had already pierced through its brow. Then it cleanly penetrated the skull. Long Hu, hearing the noise, turned her head to stare at the body for a moment, then suddenly began to scream in terror. ¡°What¡¯s there to scream about?¡± Long Long tapped her head and said, ¡°It was just an ambush.¡± His tone was so nonchalant that Long Hu stared at him blankly for a long time before she suddenly asked: ¡°Long Long, knowing there¡¯s someone hiding here trying to kill us, aren¡¯t you afraid?¡± ¡°Afraid?¡± Long Long smiled, ¡°Why would I be afraid?¡± The Dragon Chant Sword struck again, cutting down another bull demon charging from a different direction; its head fell cleanly from its neck. Blood splattered on the walls of the cave, and combined with Long Long¡¯s emotionless, toothy smile, it gave Long Hu an inexplicable sense of dread, as if facing a cold-blooded creature. Yet inside, there was something stirring and resonating. It was a kind of cold-blooded pride that the Dragon Clan passed down through generations, looking down on all lower demon races. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Long Long suddenly asked in alarm. He noticed that the pupils of the little fox, which had been disguised, suddenly changed uncontrollably to golden vertical slits. Along with uncontrollable, surging Dragon¡¯s Might erupting. ¡°You¡­,¡± Long Long almost stepped back, but since he himself carried the Ying Long Bloodline, he wasn¡¯t frightened by the Dragon¡¯s Might; he was only shocked and uncertain inside. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only The Fox Chanting Sword spun and shot toward the depths of the cave ahead of them. Then came the sound of it piercing flesh. Long Long immediately scanned with his Divine Sense and realized it was the last bull demon trying to escape after seeing the situation go south, only to be discovered and killed by Long Hu. ¡°It¡¯s actually quite simple, huh,¡± the little fox said with a relieved expression, her pupils shifting back to normal irises, and the Dragon Bloodline quickly receding. The fragment of the Heaven-Mending Stone pendant she kept hidden at her chest still emitted a colorful glow. Chapter 357 - Chapter 357: Chapter 74: Fire Element True Qi, Whistling Through Chapter 357: Chapter 74: Fire Element True Qi, Whistling Through ¡°Why did they ambush us?¡± Long Hu asked. ¡°There aren¡¯t always clear reasons,¡± Long Long replied while holding the fox¡¯s soft and warm hand. ¡°Greedy for riches, lustful desires, or maybe they wanted to capture us to use as bait to scout the road ahead¡­¡± ¡°As long as you can be sure that they bear hostility towards us, killing them is justified.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± the little fox nodded. ¡°Then how do we determine if someone is hostile towards us? Like, if they attack us?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a matter of instinct,¡± Long Long answered. ¡°Huh?¡± Long Hu was a bit puzzled. ¡°First, a cultivator¡¯s life or death often hinges on a moment,¡± Long Long explained. ¡°There¡¯s not much time to react.¡± ¡°Thus, if you feel someone is hostile towards you, even without any proof, you should immediately be on guard.¡± ¡°Otherwise, by the time the other person attacks and you¡¯re belatedly preparing to retaliate, it¡¯s already far too dangerous.¡± ¡°Oh, Oh, Oh,¡± Long Hu nodded repeatedly, as though she had come to a realization. The two navigated through the sprawling minotaur corpses, Long Long nonchalantly grabbing their storage bags to check their contents. This junk is worthless, discard it. ¡°We¡¯re not taking those items?¡± Long Hu asked curiously once again. ¡°They¡¯re all trash.¡± Long Long picked up the storage bags again, dumping out their contents and reviewing each item for the little fox: ¡°The most basic Revitalizing Pills, used for treating external injuries, utterly useless for cultivators as injury in battle often equates to death.¡± ¡°Bull horns¡­ materials for crafting, too low-ranked, at best they can only make some armor, not very useful.¡± ¡°Some random low-grade minerals, all low-rank materials for crafting, trash.¡± ¡°Spirit Grass¡­ I suspect they weren¡¯t for alchemy, but rather for snacking!¡± With a look of disdain, he tossed the storage bag on the ground and, once again taking the little fox¡¯s hand, said: ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Long Hu was somewhat reluctant, as her own storage bag was virtually empty save for the remaining Moon Crystal Stones. But if Long Long said they were all trash, then never mind. One day, I will fill my storage bag with magical treasures! The little fox was determined. Leading Long Hu deeper into the area, Long Long asked: ¡°Ah Jing, bring up a map.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s get one thing straight,¡± Kunlun Mirror cautioned. ¡°The labyrinth here changes! If the map suddenly alters like it did the last time in the Lianshan Treasury, you can¡¯t blame me!¡± ¡°Of course, I won¡¯t blame you!¡± exclaimed Long Long in shock. ¡°Ah Jing, do you think I¡¯m the kind of scumbag who¡¯d kick someone aside after their usefulness is over?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you?¡± replied Kunlun Mirror in shock. ¡°Absolutely not!¡± Long Long frowned sternly, reminding her. ¡°Heaven-Mending Stone, undercover adventures, saving the world¡­ Say it again, am I a scumbag or not?¡± ¡°Cough, cough,¡± Kunlun Mirror coughed a few times to hide the awkwardness, ¡°Who called you a scumbag? I was just asking backward, a rhetorical question! It expresses the absurdity I felt when I first heard your question because how could you possibly be a scumbag?¡± ¡°Tsk, tsk, tsk,¡± Qing Ping Sword sighed on the sideline, didn¡¯t expect this thing to be contagious. But anyway, it doesn¡¯t affect me. The two continued moving forward. Now, with the support of Kunlun Mirror¡¯s map, Long Long could clearly see the road ahead and plan accordingly. The Fire Element Cave in the Eastern Emperor Realm was still astonishingly large, stretching down for miles without any sign of an end, and the tunnel walls were mostly narrow and difficult to navigate¡­ After all, it was reconstructed after being repeatedly melted by the Fire Element True Qi, and it certainly wasn¡¯t designed with the convenience of cultivators in mind. Beyond the maze-like structure, the Kunlun Mirror also thoughtfully marked out several key points: all were places with significant spiritual power, suspiciously so. Alright, let¡¯s head to the closest one. After about an hour of pulling Long Hu along, we finally arrived at the first spiritual power point. This place was a long and narrow dead end, and Long Hu could see the cave wall ahead from a distance, saying: ¡°Long Long, we can¡¯t get through ahead, shall we go back?¡± ¡°Wait a second.¡± Long Long pulled her forward, and at the end, they indeed saw a skeleton. Next to the skeleton were a few scattered stones and a feathered fan. Long Long: ??? Long Hu: ??? Hold on, isn¡¯t that the so-called Golden Crow True Fire Fan? Long Long picked up the fan and examined it carefully for a moment. Eighteen feathers, and there were three Immortal Seal Scripts on the handle, indeed matching the description of a Golden Crow Cultivator. As for the several stones, based on Long Long¡¯s knowledge, they should be the Nine Phoenix Scorching Sun Stone. This item often appeared near the territories of the Golden Crow clan, said to be a by-product of their bloodline cultivation to an extremely high realm. Containing a large amount of violent and pure fire system spiritual power, it could be used to refine some magical treasures and Flying Swords, and to attach powerful Forbidden Techniques to fire system swords during sword casting. Long Long then suddenly remembered that Luo Yan, during the last trip to the Gui Xu Secret Realm, had acquired a pompously named ¡°Heavenly Weaving God Shuttle¡±, the first seal of which could be unlocked with this exact item. So he collected the stones and began to inspect the Golden Crow True Fire Fan. From the traces at the scene, these items were likely originally stored in the skeleton¡¯s Storage Bag, but due to the eruption of the Fire Element True Qi, the Storage Bag was burnt up, and that¡¯s why the items had burst forth. Ordinary elixirs and magical treasures would not be able to withstand the corrosion of the Fire Element True Qi, but the Nine Phoenix Scorching Sun Stone and Golden Crow True Fire Fan could. As for the skeleton¡­ it must have belonged to a high rank cultivator of the Golden Crow clan, which is why the bones withstood the surging tides of the Fire Element True Qi. It¡¯s strange, considering the cultivation level of this individual in life, why would they have resorted to becoming a thief? The more Long Long thought about it, the more things seemed off. The Golden Crow clan had provided too little information, clearly showing no sincerity whatsoever. If he rashly returned now, even if he returned the Golden Crow True Fire Fan, there was no telling what treatment would follow. It wasn¡¯t beyond the realm of possibility that they might even kill him to silence him¡­ No, I need to see if there¡¯s another exit beneath this Fire Element Cave. The danger of returning the same way is just too great! No sooner had Long Long made up his mind, than Long Hu suddenly shouted: ¡°Long Long, look ahead!¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only He looked intently forward and saw a bright crimson light suddenly flare up. The light was fierce and intense, if it wasn¡¯t the Fire Element True Qi they had seen in the Fire Element Cave at Shushan last time, then what else could it be? The sea of light surged like a tide, roaring and erupting forth, instantly flooding across dozens of yards, trapping them at the end of the corridor, and the distance between them was rapidly closing! Long Hu hid fearfully behind him, while Long Long held his breath and concentrated, his hands swiftly forming spells, emitting Five-colored Divine Light. The Postnatal Five Elements Great Extermination Divine Light, which overcomes everything out of the five elements, even the fierce Fire Element True Qi was no exception! Chapter 358 - Chapter 358: Chapter 75: Deep Exploration, the Strange Chamber Chapter 358: Chapter 75: Deep Exploration, the Strange Chamber ¡°` The eruption of the Fire Element True Qi lasted a full fifteen minutes. Trapped at the end, Long Long also had to maintain the Five Elements Divine Light to prevent them both from being engulfed by the Fire Element True Qi. When the tide of Fire Gang receded, he could only lean against the cave wall exhaustedly, feeling his Qi Sea was almost completely drained. If it had been any other cultivator here, even one who mastered the Five Elements Divine Light, they would not have had enough True Yuan to sustain it¡­ This Fire Element Cave really lived up to its reputation as an extremely perilous place. ¡°Long Long, are you okay?¡± the little fox asked anxiously. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Long Long waved his hand. With the degree of perfection his Jade Mansion had reached, he could replenish his Qi Sea in minutes. The real trouble, however, was not knowing where to go¡­ After dragging Long Hu out of the long corridor, Long Long pondered for a moment before deciding to delve deeper. Since the Fire Element Cave altered its cave structure with every eruption of Fire Element True Qi, it meant new passageways leading to the outside could form at any time. If worse came to worst, he would choose a spot deep within the Sanzu Mountains, but away from the Golden Crow clan, then use the Five Elements Divine Light to transform the earth and stones to dig his way out. Considering the terrifying speed at which the Five Elements Divine Light consumed True Yuan, Long Long could only keep it as a last resort and decided to explore the Fire Element Cave further for the time being. The two continued deeper into the cave, the structure of which had drastically changed due to the recent Fire Gang eruption. An unusual and particularly spacious cave had also appeared on Ah Jing¡¯s new map for the first time. ¡°Ah Jing,¡± Long Long asked doubtfully, ¡°what is that place?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± the Kunlun Mirror replied. ¡°It was beyond the range of my scan before¡­ Hmm, it might have been blocked, and the recent eruption just happened to melt the blockage at the entrance.¡± ¡°Although this explanation is a bit far-fetched, it seems not entirely impossible,¡± Long Long sighed, ¡°Let¡¯s go take a look.¡± He moved carefully, constantly on guard in case the Fire Element True Qi erupted again suddenly. Long Hu, on the other hand, feared nothing out of ignorance, playing with the Golden Crow True Fire Fan in her hands, trying to figure out how to use it. ¡°Long Long, Long Long!¡± she cried out in frustration after failing to figure it out, ¡°How do you activate this Magical Treasure?¡± ¡°First, you must perform a blood recognition,¡± Long Long said with a sigh. ¡°But I¡¯m afraid it will hurt,¡± the little fox said pitifully. Long Long: ¡­¡­ ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± he took the Golden Crow True Fire Fan and tried dripping a drop of blood onto it. There was no reaction. The fan obviously was rejecting ownership, and it might require the bloodline of the Golden Crow clan to activate it, just as the Golden Crow Cultivator had said. Long Long silently concluded this and was about to explain it to the little fox, only to see her eyes shining as she stared at him, as if gazing at an idolized figure. No, failing to activate the Magical Treasure was a minor issue, but losing face in front of the little fox was a major one! As is well known, foxes are canids, and canids are social animals that place great importance on hierarchy and power dynamics within their species. If he showed weakness in front of the little fox, he would lose his authority, and then he wouldn¡¯t be able to do as he pleased with her anymore. ¡°Ah Jing, I need your assistance,¡± Long Long said sternly in his mind. The Kunlun Mirror was silent for a while before it spoke: ¡°For most of the Demon Race bloodline templates, I have none¡­ but the Golden Crow is one of the few exceptions.¡± ¡°Since you only need to make the Golden Crow True Fire Fan acknowledge you as its master, there¡¯s no need to establish a corresponding personage. I¡¯ll just make a slight adjustment to your Mirror Flower Water Moon Illusion Technique,¡± it suggested. ¡°` As soon as her words fell, Long Long felt the feather fan in his hand tremble for a moment, and the sensation it conveyed to him became more familiar. After disguising herself with the Golden Crow bloodline using the Mirror Flower Water Moon technique, she finally managed to deceive the fan. Considering it lacked an Artifact Spirit, she should be able to wield it without any issues now that it had recognized her as its master. Long Long channeled her True Yuan into it and then gave the fan a forceful wave. Countless flames of the Golden Crow True Fire rose with the wind and directly struck the rock wall, quickly corroding into it as if a hot spatula had been pressed onto a block of butter. After briefly evaluating its power, Long Long found that this device was slightly stronger than Junior Sister Xu¡¯s Great Bright Fire. Xu Yinglian¡¯s Great Bright Fire mainly had the characteristics of vanquishing evils and purifying spirits, and it spread over a broader range, but its intensity was about thirty percent inferior to the Golden Crow True Fire. He was deep in thought when Long Hu, noticing the completion of the fan¡¯s ownership, immediately cheered: ¡°Wow, Long Long! Let me play with it, let me play with it!¡± Long Long was about to casually toss the fan to her when he suddenly thought again¨Cwhy did she act like Miss Shi, wanting anything fun she saw? No! If he directly gave her the fan, it would definitely further cultivate her spoiled nature, and eventually, she would become a fox version of Miss Shi¡­ Wouldn¡¯t that be an overlap of character settings? I absolutely will not allow such a thing to happen! ¡°No!¡± said Long Long. ¡°Give it to me!¡± Long Hu quickly leaped up to snatch it but was held out of reach by Long Long¡¯s raised arm, starting to tear up, ¡°You¡¯re bullying me again! You promised Mom you would take good care of me.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make up weird promises out of thin air,¡± Long Long said speechlessly, ¡°I only promised your mother that I would deliver you safely to Beiming Fanyang.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t let me play with it, I will be angry all the way!¡± Little Fox huffed, ¡°I am angry now, can it still count as ¡®safely¡¯?¡± Long Long: ¡­ He didn¡¯t know where she learned this ability to twist words so brazenly. Considering she had only interacted with him since awakening, did that mean¡­ Ahem, it meant that the racial talent of foxes was so strong that even someone with an upright character like him couldn¡¯t influence her, and she would need to be properly disciplined in the future. After sighing, Long Long threw the fan to Long Hu. Long Hu caught the fan as if it were a precious treasure and then began to wave it vigorously, excitedly starting fires everywhere. Long Long led her deeper and finally arrived at the entrance of the spacious cave chamber marked on the map. The area around this place showed no signs of artificial construction; it seemed to be a naturally formed vast space, with uneven walls and floors and nothing noteworthy. Long Long checked the mini-map given by Ah Jing again and found no traces of spiritual power here either. Well, let¡¯s just consider it a natural cave, then. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Long Hu,¡± he called to the little fox. Long Hu was still engrossed with the Golden Crow True Fire Fan, heartily waving it toward the front, releasing a vast quantity of fierce true fire. Hmm? The rock wall in front, having been melted clean by Long Hu¡¯s unleashed Golden Crow True Fire, revealed the inside¡­ which was still rock. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only That was to be expected, after all, if there was a hollow space behind the rock wall, Ah Jing would have noticed that something was off. However, as the rock wall continued to be melted by Long Hu¡¯s released Golden Crow True Fire, something inlaid in the stone was rapidly becoming apparent. This object¡­ made from the same material as the surrounding rock, was reddish stone and almost seamlessly connected without any gaps. But as the surrounding rock wall swiftly melted in the true fire, this object showed no signs of deformation; based on the exposed shape, it appeared to be a¡­ An archway? Chapter 359 - Chapter 359: Chapter 76: Hidden Formation, Long-Distance Transmission Chapter 359: Chapter 76: Hidden Formation, Long-Distance Transmission In the temple of the Golden Crow Clan, sandalwood fragrance wafted upwards. The Golden Crow Priest, cloaked in crimson feathers, was performing a mysterious dance in the center of the hall, singing: ¡°The sun rises high, emerging from the East. Its brilliant flames soar, surpassing Fusang.¡± ¡°With a long sigh, where is Fusang to be found? My heart lingers low, tears soak my robe.¡± His singing was mournful, and the Golden Crow Elders standing to the sides all had solemn and sorrowful expressions. Their thoughts went back to ancient times when the Golden Crow ancestors, along with the main forces of the Demon Race, entered the Eastern Emperor Realm, not settling in the Three-Legged Mountain Range but dwelling atop the Fusang Divine Tree in the East Sea. As for why they were now exiled to this place, that was a long story in itself. The once-secret location of the Fusang Divine Tree overseas had been completely lost. More troubling was that the Eastern State and the East Sea were both territories of the Azure Dragon Clan, and the relationship between the Feathered Clan and the Scaled Clan was not harmonious. The Azure Dragon would never allow the Golden Crow Clan to linger in the East Sea, so setting out to search for Fusang was utterly impossible. However, there was an unverified rumor within the clan, suggesting that deep within the Fire Element Cave, where the clan dumped their refuse, lay a hidden Teleportation Array leading to the Fusang Divine Tree. The previous Golden Crow Priest had taken the clan¡¯s treasured Golden Crow Divine Fire Fan and ventured into the Fire Element Cave to search for the Array, only to completely disappear within its depths without leaving a single trace. The current state of the Golden Crow Clan was almost starkly divided into two factions: One faction supported the continued search for the rumored Array, while the other advocated that it was merely a groundless legend, and that if the news spread, it could potentially bring disaster to the clan. Only the matter of ¡°retrieving the Golden Crow True Fire Fan¡± was unanimously agreed upon by both factions. The Fire Element True Qi was ferociously dangerous, and an eruption within the cave would most likely result in death even for the fire-resistant Golden Crow Clan. If one had the Golden Crow True Fire Fan to protect oneself, the chances of survival could greatly increase. But every eruption of Fire Element True Qi would cause changes in the cave¡¯s passages, and using the Golden Crow True Fire Fan to withstand the blasts consumed too much True Yuan, meaning that if one were trapped for too long, death was still certain. Allowing outsiders to enter the cave in search of the Golden Crow True Fire Fan had continued for eight months, with no one yet emerging alive, resulting in a strict clan prohibition against clan members descending into the cave on their own. To this day, the clan no longer harbored many hopes, merely mentioning the prospect of exploring the cave to outsiders looking for work. As for whether these outsiders were willing to go, or whether they could return alive if they did, no one held much expectation anymore. When the ritual ceremony ended, it was time for the feasting and drinking. The Elders took their seats, and the vermilion fruits that the Golden Crows relished were served in platter after platter. Everyone clinked glasses, ate, drank, and laughed together, lightening the atmosphere. Suddenly, a loud noise struck, and the Golden Crow Priest abruptly stood up, his expression one of unbelievable shock. He felt an intense surge of Spiritual Power beneath his feet. Subsequently, the quake brought on by the outburst of Spiritual Power made the surrounding tables and chairs shake violently. Returning to a moment half an hour earlier within the Fire Element Cave, Long Long had instructed Long Hu to use the Golden Crow True Fire Fan to melt the entire rock wall behind them. Only a solitary archway remained. The material of the archway was completely identical to the surrounding rocks, appearing as one with them, and there was no residual Spiritual Power. Even the scan from the Kunlun Mirror had not detected anything unusual. It was all thanks to my fox¡¯s inspired use of the fan! My, I¡¯ll gladly call you Iron Fan Princess from now on! ¡°Why haven¡¯t you praised me yet!¡± Sensing he was thinking about something messy, Long Hu immediately bared his teeth and growled fiercely. ¡°You did a great job!¡± Long Long then reached under her arm and gave her a lift into the air. ¡°Ouch! Let go, put me down!¡± Long Hu seemed to find this too embarrassing and began to struggle violently. Unable to break free, she pulled out her fluffy big tail from under her skirt and gave him a long-missed tail slap in the face. Excited, Long Long put her down and then began to study the archway. ¡°I¡¯ve found it,¡± Kunlun Mirror said in surprise, ¡°The material of this archway is not a problem, but there should be an Array beneath it; the archway is the core that is stabilized by the Formation.¡± ¡°That¡¯s how it is,¡± Long Long immediately said proudly, ¡°This mistake was really unjustifiable, Ah Jing! If I hadn¡¯t accidentally discovered it and made up for your oversight, we would have missed out on this relic!¡± ¡°It was my oversight for not checking carefully,¡± Kunlun Mirror said in a low voice, ¡°But it wasn¡¯t you who discovered this archway¡­¡± ¡°Still trying to argue? You broken mirror!¡± Kunlun Mirror then sank into his Sea of Consciousness and stopped talking. Long Long drew out the Dragon Chant Sword and meticulously cleared the ground, revealing the concealed patterns of the Formation. Modern Formations are so-called ¡°Yang Formations,¡± which means using some material to draw raised Formation patterns on the surface of a substrate, making it easier to inspect and maintain; but ancient Formations often used ¡°Yin Formations,¡± that is, directly carving sunken patterns on the surface of the substrate, making the Array nearly indistinguishable from the substrate and almost impossible to maintain. Seeing the Formation patterns emerging on the ground, the little fox was also too excited for words, pacing around Long Long, her big tail sweeping back and forth like a broom: ¡°Long Long, how did you discover it, huh? How did you do it?¡± ¡°Hmph,¡± Long Long then laughed proudly, ¡°If I didn¡¯t have a trick or two up my sleeve, how could I be the boss?¡± Long Hu then pouted, thinking you still want to be my master? Dream on. After clearing the Formation completely, Long Long carefully observed it for a moment and quickly determined the mechanism to activate the Array. It needed a supplement and a key. His thoughts shifted slightly, and he immediately guessed the answer. He took out a Nine Phoenix Scorching Sun Stone and placed it on the left focal point of the Array; Then he took the Golden Crow True Fire Fan from the little fox and placed it on the right focal point of the Array. Finally, he injected True Yuan into the Golden Crow True Fire Fan, and with the Array suddenly charging up, a huge surge of Spiritual Power burst forth from the archway. Long Long quickly grabbed the little fox¡¯s hand and scooped up the Golden Crow True Fire Fan from the ground, rushing towards the archway at the center of the Array. The two whisked through the archway, and as Spiritual Power exploded in another volatile burst, they quickly vanished from their original location. However, the diffusion of Spiritual Power continued, and with it, the entire cavern began to shake violently, tremble, and shiver¡­ Not long after, the Fire Element True Qi from deep underground erupted, completely inundating the cavern. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡­¡­¡­ Above the distant East Sea, Long Long and Long Hu fell from the treetops. Long Long managed to stabilize himself in mid-air with Sword Control, then quickly dived to catch the howling little fox. ¡°Where are we?¡± As soon as Long Hu landed, she couldn¡¯t wait to turn left and right, looking around eagerly. Then, the boundless, majestic sea came into her view. Chapter 360 - Chapter 360: Chapter 77: Me and the Fox on the Deserted Island Chapter 360: Chapter 77: Me and the Fox on the Deserted Island The ocean. Again, the ocean. Long Long had no particular feelings for the ocean, because Luo Yan had spent too long in the East Sea of another world. However, it was probably the first time the little fox had seen the sea, so much so that she was still excitedly running barefoot around the beach at dusk. Long Long flew around the huge tree several times on his Flying Sword, thoroughly scouting the surrounding environment. There were no noteworthy demonic beasts. Indeed, other than this huge tree, there were no other demonic beasts on the island. Strangely, from the branches to the top of the tree canopy, there were uniformly styled man-made buildings everywhere, clearly suggesting that a Sect Residence had once been here. Or rather, it might have been the territory of a demonic beast clan. Considering the ambiguous stance of the Golden Crow clan, he had roughly guessed the vague answer. Loud exclamations from Long Hu came from below, and Long Long immediately descended with his Sword Light, only to see Long Hu caught off guard by the rising tide and knocked over, then being swept out to sea. ¡°Long Long, save me!¡± the little fox screamed. Long Long leisurely controlled his Sword, observing Long Hu thrashing about in the sea as she sank down, and then quietly floating back up. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saving me!¡± Long Hu suddenly popped her head out of the water and shouted at Long Long in anger and grief. She had just swallowed several mouthfuls of seawater, both bitter and salty. ¡°A cultivator who can still drown should consider giving up cultivating as soon as possible,¡± Long Long said with a smile. ¡°I don¡¯t care!¡± Long Hu was complaining with an aggrieved look when suddenly her expression changed, and she said anxiously, ¡°Long Long, there seems to be something tugging at my tail below!¡± Long Long: ? What kind of lewd sea creature is this? Damn it, only I am allowed to touch my little fox¡¯s tail! He hastily suppressed the Sword Light and moved closer to the sea surface, sweeping his Divine Sense beneath Long Hu into the water below. But then Long Hu suddenly reached out, grabbed Long Long who was standing on the Flying Sword, and pulled him into the water as well. Even as he plunged into the sea, Long Long didn¡¯t realize that he had just been duped by the fox. Still playing pranks, Long Hu coiled her tail around Long Long¡¯s waist and dragged him down relentlessly, shouting: ¡°That¡¯s for saying I¡¯d drown! That¡¯s for saying I¡¯d drown¡­¡± Before she could finish her sentence, she felt her tail suddenly loosen and grasp at nothing. Long Long had already undone the Transformation Secret Technique reveal his True Body as a Water Viper, thin and long. With a deft flick of the tail, he escaped from Long Hu¡¯s clutches. Long Hu had not yet reacted when her waist was gripped by Long Long¡¯s tail, and she was dragged into the sea. After who knows how long, she finally emerged from the water, her expression sour as a bitter melon, and she spit out several mouthfuls of seawater. ¡°So only you have a tail?¡± Long Long surfaced beside her, head held high, flicking his forked tongue, and spoke proudly. He was then immediately caught in the mouth by the irritated little fox and flung around. The two of them frolicked in the sea for quite a while before it inadvertently turned into a fish-catching contest, seeing who could catch more fish. Soon, two piles of fish appeared on the beach. The sun had already set below the western horizon of the sea, and the daylight slowly extinguished, plunging the whole world into a faint hush. Long Long started a bonfire on the beach and leisurely began to grill the fish. The little fox, on the other hand, was planning to dive into the bushes to change out of her wet clothes. ¡°No peeking, okay?¡± She said earnestly. ¡°Of course not,¡± Long Long replied nonchalantly. ¡°You really mustn¡¯t peek,¡± Long Hu emphasized again, ¡°otherwise, I¡¯ll gouge out your eyes.¡± ¡°If you are so worried, I suggest you change into a fox before changing clothes,¡± Long Long suggested. Long Hu thought carefully, and it made sense; after all, she wasn¡¯t wearing clothes when transformed into a fox, and he had already seen everything¡­ Nonsense! Can the fur of a fox be the same as the bare skin of a human?! ¡°Just don¡¯t peek!¡± Long Hu threw down a final word and hurriedly dived into the bushes. Long Long, utterly bored, was grilling fish without the slightest desire of peeking like in the past. What a joke. A noble gentleman like myself, would I stoop to such sleazy and despicable acts? He meticulously marinated the remaining ungrilled fish with spices, one after another. Once again, a startled cry from the little fox came from the bushes, but this time Long Long didn¡¯t rush over to check. He certainly wasn¡¯t about to be fooled in the same place twice. Hmm? Wait, could it be real this time? Long Long quickly scrambled up from the sand and drew his Dragon Chant Sword, dashing toward the bushes. In the corner, Long Hu in her maiden form, was frantically covering her body, pointing at a caterpillar on the ground and screaming. A caterpillar¡­ Long Long couldn¡¯t help but laugh and cry; with a flick of his sword, he sent the caterpillar flying away, saying, ¡°Long Hu, are you okay?¡± Before he could finish, an embarrassed and irritated Long Hu threw a twig that hit him in the face. ¡°Get lost! Get lost! Don¡¯t look! You lecherous snake!¡± So, I¡¯m not a snake, I¡¯m a dragon! Biting back the urge to retort, Long Long also forgave her for being ungrateful and simply turned away coolly. It wasn¡¯t long before Long Hu, now changed into new clothes, shyly stepped out. She was still maintaining her lovely maiden form but now wore a pale yellow dress and her hair was tied into two simple buns at the back of her head. Long Long always felt that the hairstyle was designed to conveniently hide her animal ears inside the buns. With her hands on her hips, Long Hu stared at him with a puffed-up anger, as if she was about to explode, but then her dainty nose twitched for a moment. Um, it smells so good¡­ She ran over to the campfire, gazing at the fish roasting on sticks secured by stones, and kept asking, ¡°Hey, Long Long, is it ready? Can we eat now?¡± ¡°Not yet,¡± Long Long said leisurely, ¡°unless you want to eat raw fish.¡± Long Hu smacked her lips and sat down beside him, hugging her knees and resting her chin in the crook of her elbow, with the two buns on her head trembling slightly. As Long Long added wood to the fire, he noticed from the corner of his eye the movement of the two buns. She was indeed hiding her animal ears inside the bun hairstyles. ¡°Is it ready now?¡± Long Hu urged once again. ¡°Not yet,¡± Long Long pulled out a date, ¡°if you¡¯re hungry, eat this first.¡± ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Long Hu wiped it with her sleeve, took a bite, and exclaimed, ¡°Ugh, it¡¯s so sour!¡± She spat out the half-eaten date in her mouth, examining it carefully in her palm: ¡°What kind of fruit is this, can you eat it?¡± ¡°Not sure,¡± Long Long watched her face intently, ensuring there were no signs of poisoning, then leisurely added, ¡°It looks free of toxins, should be edible.¡± The little fox expressionlessly squeezed her hand, crushing the date inside. ¡°Long Long,¡± she said with a sweet smile, ¡°is the grilled fish almost ready?¡± ¡°Almost,¡± Long Long adjusted the stick with the fish on it, ¡°just wait a little longer and it¡¯ll be ready.¡± ¡°Then there¡¯s no need to keep you around!¡± All of a sudden, Long Hu pounced from behind, hugging Long Long¡¯s neck, attempting to bite his ear. Long Long quickly turned his head in fright. It seemed as if something soft and fragrant, and slightly warm had brushed against his lips. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Coming back to his senses, they were sitting by the campfire, carefully scraping off the burnt skin from the fish. ¡°The burnt parts are not tasty, I¡¯ll take them off for you,¡± Long Long said. ¡°Okay,¡± Long Hu murmured softly. Her chin was lowered modestly, her cheeks a shade of red, tinged with a certain youthful embarrassment. Long Long¡¯s heartbeat quickened slightly, but being no novice, his thoughts swiftly shifted and he suppressed all whimsical notions, simply focusing on removing all the burnt skin from Long Hu¡¯s portion of the fish. Chapter 361 - Chapter 361: Chapter 78 The Tall, Handsome, and Omniscient Chapter 361: Chapter 78 The Tall, Handsome, and Omniscient ¡°` After eating the grilled fish, Long Long suggested exploring the island. Of course, in truth, he had already thoroughly surveyed the giant tree while the little fox was playing in the water by the sea, to ensure there were absolutely no dangers inside. In this way, he could teach Long Hu how to investigate the ruins with peace of mind. ¡°Upon arriving at a strange place, the first thing we need to do is to stay alert,¡± Long Long patiently instructed her, ¡°because there could be lurking dangers everywhere.¡± ¡°For example, hidden enemies, evil spirits, traps¡­ you can never know what lies in the unknown waiting for you.¡± ¡°Do you still remember the observation methods I taught you? You must constantly watch in all directions and listen attentively, using vision, peripheral vision, and divine sense without missing any slight movement around you.¡± ¡°I got it,¡± Long Hu said eagerly. They approached the roots of the Fusang Divine Tree, and Long Long continued: ¡°Besides vigilance, clarity and rationality are also very important.¡± ¡°Look up, what do you see there?¡± he asked. Long Hu obediently lifted her head and looked at the barely visible wooden houses on the branches, saying: ¡°Are those¡­ buildings? Did someone once live here?¡± ¡°Correct,¡± Long Long said, ¡°and from the number of buildings you can estimate the population that once lived here, as well as their form of social organization.¡± ¡°What is a social organization form?¡± the little fox asked curiously. ¡°It¡¯s the relationship between individual members,¡± Long Long explained simply. ¡°For example, if there are three or four people acting together, they might be a temporarily formed team; but if there are three or four hundred people moving together, they are most likely from the same family, sect, or alliance.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Long Hu observed carefully above and said, ¡°Then there must have been a family living here.¡± ¡°Why not a sect?¡± Long Long deliberately quizzed her. ¡°Because if it were a sect, they would place the sect¡¯s name in the most visible place, right?¡± Long Hu tried to analyze, ¡°Sects need to recruit outsiders, so they would value dignity and reputation, but families wouldn¡¯t accept members from outside their own race and would be more low-key, right?¡± ¡°Approximately,¡± Long Long then pointed around and continued to ask, ¡°Since you think a demon race once lived here, which demon race was it?¡± ¡°It should be the Feathered Clan,¡± Long Hu observed for a moment and replied, ¡°There are no pathways for walking from the base of the giant tree upwards.¡± ¡°Considering that there would definitely have been low rank members in the family who had not attained spiritual wisdom and couldn¡¯t control a sword, this environmental design can only indicate that this race could fly from birth without relying on any external objects¨Cthat is, the Feathered Clan.¡± ¡°You are absolutely right,¡± Long Long was very pleased with her intelligence, ¡°I suspect this was once a stronghold of the Golden Crow clan.¡± ¡°The Golden Crow clan?¡± Long Hu recalled the reason they had come here was to activate the array deep within the Fire Element Cave. And the necessary items to drive that array: the Nine Phoenix Scorching Sun Stone and the Golden Crow True Fire Fan, both obviously related to the Golden Crow clan. ¡°If we know it¡¯s the Golden Crow clan, then we can take targeted precautions,¡± Long Long continued to gently coax her, ¡°for example, the Five Elements attribute of the Golden Crow clan is fire.¡± ¡°So, if you hadn¡¯t yet come to this place, you could have prepared in advance some magical treasures to resist the fire system,¡± he explained. ¡°I see,¡± Long Hu suddenly said, ¡°Oh right, my Flying Sword ¡®Fire Fox Chant¡¯ is also of the fire system.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s the same fire system, then it¡¯s more likely that the spoils of war will be compatible,¡± Long Long patiently instructed her, ¡°For example, the likelihood of finding fire system swords, magical treasures, elixirs here is higher than in other places.¡± The two of them joked and laughed as they rode their flying swords toward the treetops. ¡°Wow, Long Long,¡± Long Hu exclaimed in surprise, ¡°this tree is so huge!¡± ¡°This is the Fusang Divine Tree,¡± Long Long said with his hands behind his back, ¡°Standing alone overseas, reaching almost to heaven, I didn¡¯t expect to see it here.¡± ¡°How do you know?¡± the little fox asked, half in astonishment and half in admiration. ¡°Of course¡­¡± Long Long suddenly hesitated. Of course, it was by relying on the knowledge set by Luo Yan and others, as well as some clues obtained from previous exploration of this place, that he reached this conclusion. If it had been Xu Yinglian or Shi Liuli, such a huge flaw would definitely have aroused their suspicions. ¡°` But for the little fox¡­ just fob her off. ¡°Of course, you wouldn¡¯t understand even if I explained,¡± Long Long said arrogantly as he flicked his bangs away from his forehead, speaking nonchalantly. The fox spirit puffed her cheeks in annoyance, but she also knew that no matter how much she prodded, Long Long would not tell her anything. She might even get mocked for her lack of experience¡­ so she could only hold in her temper and grind her teeth in secret. The two of them passed through layers of treetops and soon arrived in front of the biggest building. This building stood more than ten zhang high and six zhang wide, majestic and spectacular. The back half was embedded in the Fusang Divine Tree, while the front half jutted out, adorned with various patterns and relief sculptures. The fox spirit looked closely and saw depictions of divine birds with splendid feathers, fearsome Divine Dragons, and endless flames and tides, all eroding, wrestling, and clashing against each other. ¡°This must be the Council Hall,¡± Long Long said. ¡°Whether it¡¯s a clan or a sect, there¡¯s basically a place like this for sacrifice ceremonies, receiving guests, or organizing gatherings.¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s unlikely to have any treasures inside.¡± As they entered the main hall, just as Long Long had said, the inside of the clan¡¯s Council Hall, though grand and imposing, was completely empty. ¡°Generally speaking, the building we are looking for is the treasure chamber,¡± Long Long continued. ¡°The treasure chamber is where the entire clan¡¯s cultivation resources are stored, and it¡¯s the place most worth exploring.¡± ¡°If the original inhabitants of this place, the Demon Race, abandoned it in a hurry, then the likelihood of high-value treasures being in the treasure chamber is quite high; but if they evacuated in an orderly manner, then it¡¯s unlikely that there would be anything good in the treasure chamber. To go to an extreme, it¡¯s also possible that it could be completely empty.¡± ¡°Of course, if there are high-value treasures, there would likely be traps set up outside to guard them; on the other hand, if the way is clear with no obstructions, then it¡¯s very probable that the chamber has already been emptied out.¡± ¡°Like this?¡± the fox spirit queried. ¡°Yes, exactly like this,¡± Long Long replied. Standing at the doorway of the treasure chamber, they saw rows of shelves inside, all of which were bare. Of course, this was no surprise, since Long Long had already explored this place beforehand to ensure there were no leftovers. After all, if there had been any dangerous magical treasures, the little fox with her lack of experience would not be able to resist upon seeing them! Seeing that it was indeed empty inside, the fox spirit was visibly disappointed, her fox ears drooping down from within her hair bun. ¡°So boring,¡± she complained, pulling out the Golden Crow True Fire Fan, ¡°Can¡¯t there be a hidden chamber somewhere? Like the archway in the Fire Element Cave that was concealed in the rock wall, which had to be opened by special means?¡± ¡°Of course not,¡± Long Long said with a comforting smile, ¡°It¡¯s not like all the hidden chambers just happen to be opened with the Golden Crow True Fire Fan¡­ eh?¡± Before he could finish talking, the three Immortal Seal Scripts on the handle of the Golden Crow True Fire Fan in the little fox¡¯s hand suddenly lit up. At the same time, the wall of the treasure chamber directly opposite the main entrance rapidly became semi-transparent and then quickly disappeared¨Crevealing the hidden chamber within. Long Long: ¡­¡­¡­ ¡°How¡¯s that?¡± The fox spirit smiled smugly and playfully cocked her head towards Long Long, as if showing off. After a long silence, Long Long finally realized the problem: This Golden Crow True Fire Fan was obviously a very precious item passed down from generation to generation within the Golden Crow Clan, and might even symbolize the power of succession for the clan leaders. Therefore, the long-distance transfer array that connected two places was designed to be activated with the Golden Crow True Fire Fan, implying that only the clan leader could activate the array. So, the family¡¯s secret treasure chamber could only be accessed by the clan leader wielding this fan, wasn¡¯t that obvious? Having grasped the key point, Long Long sighed in disappointment and said: ¡°Ah Jing, you also checked this place with me in advance. I might not have found anything, but how come you didn¡¯t notice it either?¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Wow, you¡¯re blaming me for this too!¡± the Kunlun Mirror retorted indignantly, ¡°You didn¡¯t ask me to scan the area, so how would I know there was a hidden chamber?¡± ¡°Still trying to argue, you broken mirror! Isn¡¯t detecting omissions and filling gaps part of your duties?¡± Long Long shamelessly argued back, ¡°Now I¡¯ve lost face in front of the little fox. What do you suggest we do?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you just be more sincere with her, and less calculating?¡± the Kunlun Mirror said with a complex tone, ¡°It¡¯s not as if your persona is invincible, so why obsess over such illusory facades?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t understand, Ah Jing!¡± Long Long lamented, ¡°My dedication to the persona is about maintaining a tall, handsome, and all-knowing image in front of the fox spirit! Only when she admires and follows me wholeheartedly can I do whatever I want with her, and then I¡¯ll have the chance to go after the fragment of the Heaven-Mending Stone she¡¯s wearing!¡± ¡°¡­I think you never managed to establish such an image in her mind from the start,¡± Ah Jing commented. Chapter 362 - Chapter 362: Chapter 79: The Fusang Divine Tree, The Hidden Chamber Chapter 362: Chapter 79: The Fusang Divine Tree, The Hidden Chamber ¡°Long Hu, you have to be careful.¡± Facing the excited little fox, Long Long said seriously, ¡°Don¡¯t forget what I said earlier, a treasure chamber like this is likely to have defense mechanisms and traps for guarding it.¡± ¡°But.¡± Long Hu asked, puzzled, ¡°Since the chamber can only be opened with the Golden Crow True Fire Fan, what¡¯s the point of setting up defense mechanisms inside it?¡± ¡°You just said, Long Long, that the Golden Crow True Fire Fan is likely an heirloom passed down from chieftain to chieftain. So, if a powerful enemy managed to take the fan from the hands of a chieftain, how could any defense mechanism the chieftain set up here possibly trap an enemy of that caliber?¡± ¡°Ah, that¡­¡± Long Long was slightly tongue-tied for a moment but quickly used the agile thinking honed through years of dealing with the Kunlun Mirror and replied very cleverly, ¡°You¡¯re doing well to think of this.¡± ¡°However, aside from the chieftain, the Demon Race might also have higher-ranking cultivators like supreme elders or ancient ancestors. The chieftain is responsible for wielding the clan¡¯s power, whereas the ancient ancestors represent the highest strength of the clan.¡± ¡°If a formidable enemy takes the Golden Crow True Fire Fan from the chieftain, then it would be quite reasonable for an even stronger ancient ancestor to set up restrictions here.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Long Hu nodded thoughtfully, ¡°But if it were such a formidable ancient ancestor of the Demon Race who set up the restrictions here, wouldn¡¯t we basically be unable to detect them? Even if we did discover them, we wouldn¡¯t be able to deal with them, would we?¡± ¡°Enough, Long Hu.¡± Left almost speechless, Long Long forcefully replied, ¡°I was just saying that you shouldn¡¯t ignore the possibility, that doesn¡¯t mean it will or will not happen. You just need to humbly listen to the elders¡¯ experiences.¡± Long Hu wanted to say more, but Long Long lifted her up by the scruff of her neck, reached under her skirt, pulled out her fluffy tail, stroked it a few times, and she collapsed angrily into Long Long¡¯s arms, unable to speak. After a brief moment of tenderness between them, Long Long learned his lesson and said to Ah Jing: ¡°Ah Jing, scan it.¡± ¡°There are no traps or restrictions.¡± The Kunlun Mirror replied. ¡°Mm, I¡¯ve already confirmed that.¡± Long Long said with a smile, ¡°There are no mechanisms here.¡± ¡°I told you so.¡± Long Hu muttered under her breath, then eagerly rushed in. The hidden chamber was not big, and a glance around revealed only three items: On the left was a wooden tube, on the right a lamp, and directly in front lay a roll of bamboo slips. Besides these, there was nothing else, not even an explanatory text. Long Hu first picked up the lamp on the right. The lamp¡¯s shell was made of sandalwood and inlaid with a translucent piece of Liuli, while inside was a candle flame that neither flickered nor swayed, burning steadily. ¡°Could that be!¡± Long Long suddenly frowned and asked in his mind, ¡°Ah Jing, Qing Ping, could that possibly be one from the Buddhist Sect¡­¡± ¡°The Eastern Pure Light Glazed Lamp.¡± The Kunlun Mirror exclaimed, ¡°This treasure belongs to the Eastern Buddhist Realm, a Magical Treasure of the Medicine Buddha of Glaze Light. It¡¯s rumored to house a speck of Glazed Fire that emits endless light, able to revive the dead, mend flesh to bone, dispel poison and suffering, as well as overcome evil and eradicate calamities, removing karmic obstacles¡­ But how could it be in this chamber of the Fusang Divine Tree?¡± Long Hu held the lamp in her hand, gently swaying it. The lamp swung like a pendulum, yet the flame inside continued to burn steadily, casting a prism of colors through the exquisite Liuli piece. She obviously adored it. Long Long, after pondering for a moment, also breathed a sigh of relief. If this item were to appear in the main world and be exposed, it would certainly cause a strong shock within the Buddhist Sect. For comparison, it¡¯s like if a Daoist treasure like the Tai Yi Dividing Light Sword were possessed by a Buddhist Temple, it would inevitably bring endless trouble. But this is the Demon Realm¡­ Uh, that should be fine, right? Long Long then turned to look at the wooden tube on the left. The tube wasn¡¯t large, about the length of an adult¡¯s palm, and it seemed to be made of willow, but obviously, it couldn¡¯t be from an ordinary willow tree. On the surface of the wooden tube, various patterns of crows and flames were carved. ¡°Ah, this is the Flying Fire Crow Tube,¡± Green Duckweed Sword suddenly said, ¡°It is said that it contains the remains of a powerful figure from the Golden Crow Clan, totaling three hundred and sixty segments.¡± ¡°One only needs to channel True Yuan to release three hundred and sixty fire crows from the tube, whose wings connect with dark clouds and cries sound like toxic thunder; it is indeed a Magical Treasure with formidable offensive power.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Long Long said as he put the fire crow tube into his Storage Bag and then went to take the Colored Glaze Lamp from Long Hu, ¡°Behave, Long Hu, you can¡¯t manage this Magical Treasure well, so let me keep it for you.¡± The little fox panicked, baring his teeth and jumping up and down, but whether it was clawing at his arm or smearing his tail across his face, it was all to no avail. Long Long simply took the Colored Glaze Lamp like a parent who confiscates New Year¡¯s money, smiling indisputably as he solemnly placed it into the Storage Bag. So, Long Hu could only turn around dejectedly to inspect the last remaining item in the secret chamber. She picked up the bamboo slip from the rack, scanned it briefly, and then tossed it back onto the rack, stating boredly: ¡°It¡¯s history.¡± Long Long picked it up for a look and indeed, it was just the family history of the Golden Crow Clan. For the Demon Race, which is built on blood relations, documents describing their clan¡¯s developmental history are undoubtedly important for shaping family cohesion; hence, it was not surprising to find them in this hidden chamber. But for Long Long and Long Hu, it was of no great use. After a brief review, Long Long learned that when the Golden Crow Clan fled into the Eastern Emperor Realm, they only brought with them a seedling of the Fusang Divine Tree. They established a secret realm in the depths of the East Sea and planted the Fusang Tree there, hence the present-day lone island with its gigantic trees. What followed was the reproduction and expansion of the Golden Crow Clan on the Fusang Tree, with no noteworthy events worth mentioning. At the end of the bamboo slip, it mentioned that the power structure of the Eastern Emperor Realm was basically set: the Eastern State and the East Sea were occupied by the Scaled Clan, and the Feathered Clan had mostly migrated to the South State. The Golden Crow Clan held a meeting to discuss whether they should also relocate to the South State; otherwise, once the Scaled Clan discovered this secret realm and invaded it, the Feathered Clan situated in the South State wouldn¡¯t be able to come to their aid in time. The narrative ended abruptly there, and by piecing together the current situation in the Eastern Emperor Realm, Long Long knew that the Golden Crow Clan indeed eventually moved to the South State, or at least one branch had settled at the Three-legged Mountain range at the border of the South and Central States. Whether this was part of an orderly and proactive migration, or a forced and hasty escape due to the secret realm being invaded by enemies¡­ seeing the outer treasure room plundered, but the inner secret chamber untouched, Long Long was more inclined to believe it was the latter. But such thoughts brought about another curious matter: The distribution of power in the Eastern Emperor Realm today is quite clear: the Feathered Clan resides in the south, the Kun Race in the north, the Mao Clan in the west, the Scaled Clan in the east, and the Horned Clan in the center. And the relationships between the different clans are clearly not harmonious, to say the least. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only From the Feathered Clan¡¯s xenophobic atmosphere and the historical records of the Golden Crow Clan, it¡¯s evident that racial conflicts are nearly a mainstay in the Eastern Emperor Realm. So here¡¯s the problem: Long Hu and I are headed to the Beiming Fanyang Secret Realm, the ancestral home of the Jiaolong Clan. If the Golden Crow Clan was pressured by the Scaled Clan to abandon the Fusang Divine Tree, is it really possible for the Jiaolong Clan to have remained intact in the North Sea under the control of the Kun Race to this day? Furthermore, considering the two parents who entrusted me with their legacy, be it Ying Long in the Demon Locking Tower or the lingering spirit of mother fox deep beneath the South State, they are individuals from at least a hundred thousand years ago. This gives Long Long an inexplicable and intense sense of urgency and worry. This Beiming Fanyang Secret Realm of the Jiaolong Clan¡­ could it possibly have ceased to exist a long time ago? Chapter 363 - Chapter 363: Chapter 80: There Must Be an Exit in the Secret Realm Chapter 363: Chapter 80: There Must Be an Exit in the Secret Realm A month later. The little fox waved her lantern, and numerous glaze lights burst forth, rushing towards the distant tide like a curtain of pearls unrolling. ¡°Your attack motion is too obvious.¡± Long Long instructed, ¡°Try to hide the lantern at your side as much as possible, and when you activate it, there is no need to intentionally shake it, a slight movement will do.¡± ¡°But.¡± Long Hu hesitated before finally saying, ¡°It looks very pretty when I wave it.¡± ¡°Are people fighting with you to see if you look good or not?¡± Long Long said with an expressionless face, ¡°They are here to kill you!¡± Scared, Long Hu whimpered a few times, unable to speak. ¡°Try again.¡± Long Long said indifferently. In terms of combat experience, Long Hu undoubtedly ranked at the very bottom among the female friends Long Long knew. Not to mention Senior Sister An with her rich battle experience or Jiang the Witch with her myriad schemes, let alone Junior Sister Xu who practiced diligently, even Miss Shi could smash people with a magical treasure (and quite proficiently at that), only the little fox still foolishly remained in the ¡°must look cool¡± and ¡°must look nice¡± realm, wishing to show off the light and shadow of her magical treasure to cultivators hundreds of miles around whenever she activated it. Training! She must be trained properly! Of course, another reason was that, aside from training Long Hu, there was not much else to do here. As the documents in the secret chamber had revealed, the place where the Fusang Divine Tree was located was actually a secret realm. A secret realm is an independent space separate from the outside world that can only be entered and exited through special channels. Unfortunately, the teleportation array that had transported the two from the Fire Element Cave here did not have a method to open the way back. Of course, even if it were a two-way channel, Long Long would not consider returning the same way. Considering the ruckus that the activation of the formation had caused, Long Long seriously suspected that if he once again appeared before the Golden Crow Clan, he would most likely receive an extremely grand and enthusiastic welcome. Therefore, it was essential to find another passage that could lead out of the Fusang Secret Realm. Long Long had already explored the entire perimeter of the secret realm with Long Hu. The secret realm appeared to be an isolated island in a vast sea, but in fact, both the sea and the sky were bounded by transparent barriers that could not be penetrated. And there was no obvious exit. Long Long considered a very unpleasant possibility, that perhaps the Golden Crow Clan had been forced to completely seal the Fusang Secret Realm due to an invasion by foreign enemies, cutting it off from the outside world and then evacuating everyone through the formation to avoid being trapped to death in this secret realm. This would also explain why the teleportation array and arch in the depths of the Fire Element Cave were not only abandoned but also deeply buried in the layers of rock¡­ indicating that the Golden Crow Clan¡¯s ancestors did not intend for their descendants to open this secret realm. In that case, the situation for the two of them was extremely dire, as the Fusang Secret Realm might no longer have any means of exit. However, after careful consideration, Long Long thought this possibility was not very likely. Because according to the records, the Fusang Divine Tree¡¯s secret realm, as a sacred location for the ancestors of the Golden Crow Clan, held a very lofty status. Long Long did not believe that the crows would be willing to seal off the secret realm completely¡­ There must be a way left open for free entry and exit. Therefore, by day he focused on training Long Hu, cultivating her combat abilities, and by night he took Long Hu to run around searching for any suspicious clues around the secret realm. ¡°Long Long, I don¡¯t think the exit is likely to be in the sky.¡± After they finished their magical competition training and had circled the edge of the sky with sword control for several rounds, Long Hu finally spoke up. ¡°If I were the Feathered Clan, I would definitely set the exit in the clear view of the sky.¡± Long Long said in a grave voice, ¡°That way, I could detect invading enemies at first notice, and it would also be convenient to organize manpower for a counterattack.¡± ¡°But,¡± Long Hu retorted, ¡°we have been searching the skies for a long time now.¡± ¡°If the secret realm¡¯s exit is set up here, there should be some signs, right?¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you take out the Golden Crow True Fire Fan and have another fan?¡± Long Long suddenly suggested. ¡°Long Long, how could the entrance and exit of a secret realm possibly be controlled by the Golden Crow True Fire Fan?¡± Long Hu earnestly argued, ¡°Otherwise, every time a member of the Golden Crow Clan needed to leave, they would have to report to the clan leader first and request the Golden Crow True Fire Fan to open the secret realm¡¯s exit. How troublesome would that be!¡± ¡°You do have a point,¡± Long Long pondered for a moment and then nodded, ¡°So where do you think the exit could be?¡± ¡°First, beneath the surface of the sea,¡± Long Hu said in a childish tone. ¡°Second, under the Fusang Divine Tree.¡± ¡°Oh, why?¡± Long Long finally became interested. ¡°If it¡¯s under the sea, it might connect to the seabed of the outside world,¡± Long Hu analyzed, ¡°And visibility is lower at the seabed compared to the sky, so it¡¯s relatively easier to hide the entrance to the secret realm, right?¡± ¡°But you¡¯re forgetting one thing,¡± Long Long added, ¡°The Scaled Clan of the East Sea, especially the Azure Dragon Clan, are accustomed to living in the water.¡± ¡°If the entrance to the secret realm is at the seabed rather than in the sky, the likelihood of it being found by the Dragon Clan greatly increases.¡± Having said this, he brought Long Hu back to the base of the Fusang Divine Tree with a swoop of the Sword Light and started to pretend to search the area, but in his mind, he said: ¡°Ah Jing, help me scan deep underground to see if there are any hidden chambers we haven¡¯t visited.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± the Kunlun Mirror agreed. After nearly an hour, Long Long and Long Hu were tired of searching and caught a few eels in the nearby sea. After Long Long cleaned them, he put them on a stone slab to roast. ¡°Found it,¡± the Kunlun Mirror suddenly announced, ¡°Around a hundred and twenty zhang deep underground, there indeed is a chamber, and there are secret spatial fluctuations inside.¡± ¡°Excellent!¡± Long Long immediately got excited, ¡°That¡¯s my Ah Jing! So, this chamber¡­ how do we get in?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve checked it out, there¡¯s only one narrow vertical passage leading to that place. Its entrance is right above the tree canopy.¡± ¡°Right above?¡± Long Long thought for a moment, then stood up, ¡°Let¡¯s go, Long Hu.¡± ¡°Ah?¡± The little fox was drooling over the eels on the stone slab. Upon hearing this, she promptly lifted her head, ¡°But the eels aren¡¯t ready yet¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Without further ado, Long Long swept her up in the Sword Light of the Dragon Chant Sword. ¡°Wuu wuu wuu, my eels, my eels¡­¡± Long Hu couldn¡¯t resist at all, and could only shed tears outside the Immortal Sword as Long Long dragged her into the high sky to the top of the Fusang Divine Tree. This was the most lush part of the Divine Tree; as far as the eye could see, there were no buildings, only dense leaves and branches. Long Long tried to cut through with the Flying Sword, only to find that he couldn¡¯t even split these branches; the wood of the Fusang Divine Tree was indeed exceptionally hard. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Following the guidance of the Kunlun Mirror, he and Long Hu zigzagged through the canopy. Many places were completely blocked by crisscrossing branches, leaving only gaps a bird could pass through. The two had to revert to their original forms, a Water Viper and a fox, to barely squeeze through the gaps¨CLong Long, being a snake, naturally had no problem, and though Long Hu was larger, her body was incredibly flexible, almost like a liquid, so slipping through the gaps was no trouble at all. If a member of the Horned Clan were here, they probably would indeed be trapped to death in the secret realm. After passing through layers of leaves, they finally arrived at a slightly larger branch, where they saw an eight-foot-tall hole in the main trunk of the Fusang Divine Tree. Looking down from the edge of the hole, they could see stairways as thin as branches winding down into deep darkness. Chapter 364 - Chapter 364: Chapter 81: Leaving the Secret Realm, Entering the Dragons Lair Again Chapter 364: Chapter 81: Leaving the Secret Realm, Entering the Dragon¡¯s Lair Again In the darkness, a flash of multicolored light passed by. Long Hu activated the Colored Glaze Lamp, whose candlelight emitted a steady glow that illuminated the surroundings. At this moment, the two were inside the Fusang Divine Tree, with wooden stairs beneath their feet, spiraling downwards into the unseen darkness. ¡°Strange,¡± Long Hu asked in confusion, ¡°there are no lamps inside¡­ Why didn¡¯t they install lighting?¡± ¡°Because the Golden Crow itself doesn¡¯t need lighting.¡± Long Long took out the raven tube, gently tapped the bottom, and several fire ravens flew out, diving down from the center of the spiral staircase and illuminating layer after layer of stairs. It was all spiral stairs, with no doors leading to other places. ¡°Long Long, I¡¯m scared,¡± Long Hu whimpered and couldn¡¯t help but hold onto Long Long¡¯s arm. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, I¡¯m here,¡± Long Long patted her shoulder and suddenly felt a soft touch on his calf. Looking down, he discovered that the little fox¡¯s tail had stretched out and was tightly wrapped around his ankle. You¡¯ve got to be kidding me, when girls get scared they hold onto their beloved¡¯s arm, and you¡¯re not only holding my arm but also wrapping your tail around my ankle? Might as well hang the whole fox on me, I don¡¯t mind. Long Hu didn¡¯t know what Long Long was thinking at the moment, but looking down into the bottomless darkness below, she felt as if her legs were turning soft, so she could only press herself against Long Long. ¡°Long Long, aren¡¯t you afraid?¡± she asked timidly. ¡°What¡¯s there to be afraid of?¡± Long Long said, wrapping his arm around her as they walked downward. ¡°It¡¯s just,¡± Long Hu struggled to find the words, ¡°what if there¡¯s a monster hiding in the darkness¡­ What do we do?¡± If there were monsters hidden, how could they possibly evade Ah Jing¡¯s scanning? Naturally, Long Long couldn¡¯t explain this to her, so he laughed and said: ¡°If there¡¯s a monster, just hide behind me in time.¡± ¡°Mhm,¡± Long Hu nodded vigorously. The two continued to move downward, Long Hu holding onto Long Long¡¯s arm and wrapping her tail around his leg, seemingly gradually settling her nerves. ¡°Long Long,¡± she whispered, ¡°it¡¯s really nice to have you by my side.¡± Long Long: ??? This little fox knows how to flirt with a man at such a young age; what will she be like when she grows up! He patted Long Hu¡¯s little head, and she seemed slightly startled, then leaned in and nuzzled his palm. After a short while, Long Hu suddenly screamed: ¡°Long Long!¡± she said in a panicked voice, ¡°Is that a skeleton?¡± Long Long followed her gaze and saw a skeleton lying on the stairs. A humanoid skeleton indicated that the deceased had completely transformed before death. The slight protrusions on either side of the forehead were typical characteristics of the Dragon Clan. It was a member of the Dragon Clan that had died, and it had been killed while transformed. Too much time had passed to ascertain the cause of death. Long Long picked up the little fox, stepped over the skeleton, and continued downward, only to see more skeletons. There were those of the Dragon Clan with the telltale protrusions on their foreheads, and those of the Feathered Clan with elongated arm bones, clearly indicating that a fierce battle and massacre had taken place here. Seeing the number of remains, Long Long couldn¡¯t help but feel somber. In the Cultivation Realm, such large-scale wars were rare, with more skirmishes between small teams of several people. After all, losing hundreds in a war is something even the Demonic Path, which recruits disciples broadly, couldn¡¯t withstand. Compared to the fewer but more united Human Race, the Demon Race, although more numerous in cultivators, was like a bloated and hollow fat man. Horn, scale, insect, feather, fur¨Cthe five great races glared at each other with animosity, and even within each great race, unity was not absolute. No wonder they were driven by humans to the Eastern Emperor Realm. Stepping carefully through a large amount of wreckage, Long Long pulled Long Hu along as they continued to advance, finally reaching the bottom of the passage. It was nearly a graveyard before them: a great number of skeletons scattered and piled up in the corners of the room, and the floor was stained with dried dark red traces. An archway identical to the one in the depths of Fire Element Cave stood silently in the center of the room. ¡°Is this the exit to the outside world of the secret realm?¡± Long Hu murmured. ¡°Almost there,¡± Long Long responded and took the Nine Phoenix Scorching Sun Stone and the Golden Crow True Fire Fan, ready to activate the Array. ¡°Wait, Long Long,¡± said Long Hu with a worried look on her pretty face, fretting, ¡°What if this Array sends us to a strange place again? What then?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no other way,¡± Long Long answered simply. ¡°This is the so-called one-way street of life. Even if the path ahead is unknown, we who have no retreat must also bite the bullet and move forward.¡± Long Hu had no response to that. Indeed, if they did not activate the Array, they could only continue to be trapped here. The two of them¡­ had no other choice. Soon, Long Long, following the previous operations, started up the Array again. Unlike the almost earthquake-like upheaval inside the Fire Element Cave, this time the Array started up very quietly. The patterns on the floor lit up faintly, and the scene within the archway began to warp slightly¨Ca signal that the spatial passage was completely connected. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Long Long inhaled deeply and said. No matter what demons or monsters were on the other side, they had to face them sword in hand. Just as he was about to step forward, the little fox grabbed his hand from the side, her face full of concern and worry. Thus, Long Long gave her a reassuring smile and led Long Hu into the teleportation gate, allowing their figures to be swallowed by the Teleportation Array. ¡­¡­ ¡°Long Hu.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Can we still go back to the secret realm of the Fusang Divine Tree now?¡± Long Long asked gravely. ¡°It¡¯s probably¡­ too late,¡± Long Hu said with a trembling voice. In front of them, both the sky and the sea were already occupied by numerous giant Azure Dragons. Countless pairs of enormous golden vertical pupils stared at Long Long and Long Hu, the overwhelming Dragon¡¯s Might pressing down on them. Then, nothing happened. The intensity of Dragon¡¯s Might depends on the Bloodline Rank, and the bloodline of Long Long and Long Hu, if traced back to the source, could be found with that Immortal Rank Ying Long. Thus, the Dragon¡¯s Might released by the many Azure Dragons present, when it fell upon the two of them, was merely like the weight of many eyes upon them. Aside from feeling somewhat uncomfortable, they had no other reaction. Soon, the Azure Dragons became aware of this too. The gazes filled with hostility and vigilance turned into a crowd of onlookers full of uncertainty and doubt. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°You¡­¡± A Cultivator in Transformation, dressed in blue robes with a slightly protruding forehead, stepped forward from behind the Azure Dragons and asked seriously, ¡°Are you also from the Dragon Clan?¡± ¡°We are from the Dragon Clan.¡± Seizing the opportunity, Long Long quickly responded, ¡°We both have the Dragon Clan¡¯s bloodline!¡± As these words came out, the expressions of the many Azure Dragons present changed dramatically! To withstand the Dragon¡¯s Might of so many from the Dragon Clan, their Bloodline Rank had to be exceedingly high, and it was quite possible that they belonged to the level of their great ancestor! However, within the descendants left by the great ancestor of the Azure Dragon Clan, there was no mention of such a pair of male and female. Could it be¡­ did the great ancestor have an affair?!! Chapter 365 - Chapter 365: Chapter 82 From today on, you are our dragon. Chapter 365: Chapter 82 From today on, you are our dragon. ¡°` East Sea, amid the black waters, within the vast wilderness of Duguang. The old dragon¡¯s angry roar suddenly echoed up and down the Jianmu, startling the juvenile dragons in the creek as they all poked their heads out: ¡°What? I had an affair!¡± ¡°Ancestor, please keep your voice down!¡± hurriedly spoke a certain Azure Dragon elder, ¡°Family scandals should not be publicized.¡± ¡°Get lost, you fool!¡± the elder dragon¡¯s spittle almost drowned him, ¡°Use that walnut-sized brain of yours to think¨C I¡¯ve been atop the Jianmu all these years. When would I have had the time or the chance to stray and father children!¡± The Azure Dragon elders looked at each other with no one speaking out. Although theoretically impossible, who could fathom the vast powers of the Immortal Rank? Perhaps the old ancestor perfected some divine skill of creating avatars and went around sowing his seeds outside the clan. Maybe he inadvertently reaped the results¨Clook at those two children, the boy is of pureblood dragon stock, and the girl seems to have the Celestial Fox bloodline. The ancestor¡¯s tastes truly are eclectic. Of course, since the ancestor doesn¡¯t wish to admit it, then nobody would assert that these two are his offspring. But the bloodline of an Immortal Rank can¡¯t be faked, can it? Seeing as it¡¯s about the bloodline, taking extra care of these two within the clan isn¡¯t a mistake, is it? ¡°Ahem.¡± Another elder Azure Dragon spoke, ¡°Since they¡¯re unrelated to the ancestor, let¡¯s first allow the two of them to register as clan members.¡± ¡°Nonsense!¡± the old dragon furiously retorted, ¡°Register what? You still believe they¡¯re my offspring, don¡¯t you?¡± The Azure Dragon elders shook their heads in denial. Since the ancestor wished to save face, they certainly wouldn¡¯t be so inconsiderate as to deny him that. As for the two illegitimate children, they would just be raised in secret. ¡°Don¡¯t think I haven¡¯t noticed you¡¯re still snickering!¡± the old dragon continued to roar, ¡°Not only the Azure Dragons exist in this world, what about the Jiaolong! It must be the Jiaolong¡¯s offspring!¡± ¡°The Jiaolong Clan is trapped in the Beiming Fanyang and can¡¯t get out.¡± an Azure Dragon elder stated. ¡°Moreover, the Jiaolong Clan has long lost their Immortal Rank.¡± another elder added, ¡°Of course, the clan doesn¡¯t care who their parents are, as long as they possess the dragon clan bloodline of the Immortal Rank.¡± ¡°Get out!¡± the old dragon finally exploded in embarrassment and rage, his thunderous voice booming, ¡°Everyone, get out!!!¡± The Azure Dragon elders quickly left the top of the Jianmu and returned to the clan¡¯s Council Hall to engage in intense discussion. Soon, they reached a consensus: Whether or not they are descendants of the ancestor doesn¡¯t really matter, as long as they have the dragon bloodline. The Azure Dragon Clan once had conflicts with the Jiaolong Clan, but that was in the distant past when both clans stood side by side in the Eastern Emperor Realm. Now, the Jiaolong Clan has declined, even trapped by Xuanwu in Beiming Fanyang, while the Azure Dragon Clan dominates the Eastern State, being the natural leader of the Scaled Clan, the legitimate royal family of all dragon clans¨Cnaturally, it will not dwell on past grievances with distant relatives. Even if the ancestry of these two comes from the Jiaolong, it¡¯s not a major issue. Since the rise of the Azure Dragon Clan in the Eastern State, they had sent many envoys to invite dragon clans from the Eastern Emperor Realm to relocate to the Eastern State. The saying goes, ¡°All rivers flow into the sea,¡± and ¡°All dragons under heaven are one family,¡± with the vast majority of the dragon species now united under the banner of the Azure Dragon Clan. Regrettably, only the North Sea¡¯s Jiaolong Clan has never replied. Regarding the sudden appearance of the two in the East Sea, as long as it can be confirmed that they have dragon clan blood, regardless of whether it is of the Immortal Rank realm, the Azure Dragon Clan will accept them¨Cthis is the magnanimity befitting the royal dragon clan! Soon, the bloodline verification results for the two individuals were delivered into the hands of the Azure Dragon elders. ¡°` Long Long, male, Blood Ignition Rank, pureblood of the Ying Long Bloodline. Long Hu, female, Blood Ignition Rank, has half of the Ying Long Bloodline, a quarter of the Celestial Fox Bloodline, and a quarter of the Human Race Bloodline. Such results truly shocked the eyes of the various Ancestral Azure Dragons. Firstly, both individuals possessed the Ying Long Bloodline, meaning they started at the Immortal Rank Realm. This implied that among the parents of the two, there must have been a Jiaolong of the Immortal Rank, the legendary Ying Long, an entity on the same level as the Ancestral Azure Dragon. Secondly, Long Long¡¯s family background was relatively normal, a pureblood of the Ying Long Bloodline, indicating that one of his parents was a Ying Long, while the bloodline rank of the other parent was lower, resulting in their bloodline being completely engulfed by the Ying Long Bloodline. However, Long Hu¡¯s case was much more peculiar. The Celestial Fox Bloodline was also a high-rank bloodline among the Mao Clan, but it was far inferior to the Ying Long Bloodline. When the Dragon Clan and individuals of other Demon Races gave birth to offspring, in most cases, the other races¡¯ bloodlines were engulfed by the Dragon Bloodline, thus achieving purification; in very few cases, there was a fusion, turning into a subspecies of the Dragon Clan¨Cfor instance, the ¡°research¡± of the Azure Dragon Clan believed that the Jiaolong actually was the progeny resulting from the fusion of Azure Dragon and Serpent Clan bloodlines. But a case like Long Hu, with multiple bloodlines coexisting, was an extremely rare oddity that was hard to come by in ten thousand years. Not to mention she actually had the Human Race Bloodline¡­ where did that Human Race come from? The Council Hall argued from daylight to dark before the high-ranking elders could come to a conclusion: Long Long¡¯s bloodline rank was exceptionally outstanding, hence he was to be considered a combat asset for the clan, strategically nurtured. Long Hu¡¯s bloodline was more mixed; half of the Ying Long Bloodline ensured that her lower strength limit could not possibly be low, but the messy mix of Celestial Fox and Human Race diluted her upper limit, and such a hybrid bloodline was quite unstable, which seemed to impact her lifespan as well. However, because her Celestial Fox Bloodline had not been devoured, this resulted in her being ¡°both Dragon Clan¡± and ¡°also Fox Clan.¡± As a unique individual in the Eastern Emperor Realm, where bloodline and race were generally prized, she could simultaneously obtain the identities of both clans, thus becoming an excellent conduit for interaction between the Azure Dragon and Celestial Fox clans. In short, although Long Hu¡¯s strength ceiling may not match Long Long¡¯s, she possessed special political value. So, it was only natural that how to quickly bring these two under control swiftly rose to the forefront of the discussions. While the Council Hall was in discussion, Long Long and Long Hu had already been brought to the island. The settlement of the Azure Dragon Clan was located in the dark waters of the East Sea, on the largest of the islands there. The island was encircled by mountains, with large plains in the center, known as ¡°Du Guang Fields.¡± At the heart of Du Guang Fields stood a giant tree, nearly as tall as the Fusang Divine Tree, which the Azure Dragon Clan called ¡°Jianmu.¡± Azure Dragon Cultivators who had undergone Transformation lived in the cave dwellings upon Jianmu; Untransformed young dragons, on the other hand, lived on the plains near Jianmu, where many streams and rivers were available for nest building. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Although Long Long and Long Hu had not undergone Transformation, being ¡°key seeds,¡± they were exceptionally allocated a cave dwelling on Jianmu. ¡°Long Long,¡± the little fox said fearfully, ¡°what are they trying to do? They couldn¡¯t possibly be planning to imprison us¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s possible,¡± seeing her worried, pitiful look, Long Long feigned frustration and anger, saying, ¡°Perhaps they fancy our bloodlines, wanting to keep us here and forcibly breed us.¡± ¡°Ah?!¡± Long Hu immediately blushed and stammered, unable to speak, leaving Long Long somewhat puzzled. At this moment, shouldn¡¯t you be calling me a pervert or something¡­ wait, you don¡¯t actually believe it, do you? Chapter 366 - Chapter 366: Chapter 83: No One Knows Backup Better Than Me Chapter 366: Chapter 83: No One Knows Backup Better Than Me Although Long Long was by her side cracking jokes and comforting her, Little Fox remained on tenterhooks for a long time. It wasn¡¯t until Long Long began to grumble, what exactly does the Azure Dragon Clan want to do? Leaving us two hanging here, ignoring us completely¡­ They can¡¯t seriously be planning to breed, can they! Not until the high ranks of the Azure Dragon Clan argued from day to night, finally reaching a decision, did a pair of young Azure Dragon siblings come to visit. Both were sixteen or seventeen years old, the brother handsome and scholarly, the sister pretty and lively, with the manners of nobility¨Ccasual yet not lacking in decorum. ¡°Sorry to have kept you waiting,¡± the brother started off by introducing, ¡°I am Qin Zhou.¡± ¡°I am Qin Ye,¡± the sister added. ¡°The elders sent us to attend to you,¡± Qin Zhou said with a smile, ¡°If you need anything, feel free to ask us directly.¡± As always, Long Hu hid behind Long Long, too timid to come out. Long Long, on the other hand, was straightforward and performed a polite bow, saying, ¡°I am Long Long, and she is Long Hu. Pleased to meet you.¡± ¡°Are you two siblings?¡± Qin Ye asked curiously. ¡°Not really,¡± Long Long said with a smile. Seeing him dodge the question, the siblings immediately understood and smoothly changed the subject: ¡°We never had playmates within the clan, so we¡¯re fortunate to meet the two of you now. We should get together more from now on.¡± ¡°No playmates?¡± Long Long expressed surprise, ¡°You two don¡¯t seem unwelcome in the clan¡­¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Qin Zhou said with a wry smile, ¡°Even within the same dragon kind, there are differences in Bloodline Rank.¡± ¡°My brother and I, we are direct descendants of the Ancestral Azure Dragon.¡± Unlike her somewhat reticent brother, Qin Ye had no guile and spoke frankly, ¡°Other members of the Dragon Clan have to address us ¡®young master¡¯ or ¡®young miss¡¯. They treat you like ancestors rather than friends, making it impossible to get along!¡± Hearing this, Long Long soon understood. The path of cultivation for the Human Race emphasizes the ¡°Foundation of Cultivation.¡± Only with a sufficiently high Golden Core Grade Rank can one form a higher-quality Nascent Soul. With a high Nascent Soul Rank, one can then undergo Feather Transformation and ascend to a higher Realm upon Ascension. The reason lies in the inherently weak innate potential of humans; all their cultivation is acquired rather than innate, which is why they emphasize the ¡°Foundation of Cultivation.¡± The Demon Race, however, differs from the Human Race: a significant portion of their Cultivation Level is derived from their innate bloodline. Within the Demon Race, there are high-level Demons as well as low-level ones, with the Dragon Clan Bloodline undoubtedly superior to the Serpent Clan¡¯s. Even within the same race, there are distinctions among individuals, as in the Jiaolong Clan that is graded into five categories: Water Viper, Jiaolong, Chi Dragons, Qiu Dragons, and Ying Long, who are different Cultivation Realm individuals of the same race. Their bloodlines continue to be refined and ascended in Rank as they climb in Cultivation Realm, and the offspring naturally inherit the Bloodline Rank. Therefore, the descendants of Ying Long and those of the Water Viper, although belonging to the same Jiaolong species, have vastly different Bloodline Ranks. Qin Zhou and Qin Ye, the siblings, did not appear to have fully transformed but also appeared to have used the Transformation Secret Technique of the Dragon Clan, with a Cultivation Rank similar to Long Long and Long Hu. That is to say, they must be the strongest in Bloodline Rank among the descendants of the Ancestral Azure Dragon, which is why the Azure Dragon Clan arranged for them to form good relationships¨Cafter all, the bloodlines of Long Long and Long Hu are inherited from that Immortal Rank Ying Long in the Demon Locking Tower, they can¡¯t possibly be weak! With similar Cultivation Realms and Bloodline Ranks, the clear signal the Azure Dragon Clan intended to send was obvious: Go on, young dragons, form deep bonds with each other! Reassured that the Azure Dragon Clan bore no malice, Long Long relaxed a lot and started to have leisure chats with Qin Zhou and Qin Ye. They were eager to make acquaintances, and the others did not refuse, so naturally, a close relationship developed quickly. Even the timid little fox, who had been hiding behind Long Long, gradually came out, but she never said a word. As the night deepened, the Azure Dragon siblings bid their farewells and left. No sooner had they left than the little fox plopped down onto the bed, letting out a long sigh of relief. ¡°They¡¯re finally gone,¡± she huffed discontentedly, ¡°Long Long, what do you think the Azure Dragon Clan¡¯s intentions are for bringing us here?¡± ¡°Probably to get us to join them,¡± Long Long replied. ¡°Join them?¡± It took Long Hu some time to realize that the Azure Dragon Clan was interested in her own Dragon Clan bloodline. Truth be told, she had almost forgotten she had Dragon Clan bloodline. ¡°So¡­¡± Long Hu cautiously asked, ¡°are we going to accept?¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Long Long looked at her, puzzled, ¡°Do you know how beneficial it is to have the backing of a clan or sect?¡± Qiu Changtian and Luo Yan were protected by their master, and, as such, were doing exceedingly well within their sect; Ling Yunpo and Wei Dongliu did not have such a patron, and thus spent most of their time scrounging for various resources and opportunities. Therefore, Long Long could say with confidence that no one understood the importance of backing better than he did, no one! ¡°Backing, huh?¡± the little fox mused. Although she hadn¡¯t learned the hard way like Ling Yunpo and Wei Dongliu, she instinctively understood the concept of ¡°backing¡±. ¡­Indeed, I can always turn to Long Long when in doubt, but even Long Long has problems he can¡¯t solve. If we join the Azure Dragon Clan, at least he can have an easier time¡­ ¡°Alright then,¡± Long Hu put on an indifferent expression, ¡°so we¡¯re not going to Beiming Fanyang, right?¡± ¡°No, of course, we¡¯re still going,¡± Long Long said with a smile, ¡°The Azure Dragons don¡¯t have the secret technique to resolve the bloodline conflict in your body.¡± ¡°So, we have to keep it a secret?¡± Long Hu suddenly understood. ¡°Of course,¡± Long Long said solemnly, ¡°The Azure Dragons will inevitably deal with the Jiaolong Clan, so all we need to do is develop well within the Azure Dragon Clan and then look for opportunities to get in touch with the Jiaolong Clan.¡± This strategy was all too familiar to him; that¡¯s exactly how Qiu Changtian and Luo Yan had made their rise. ¡°Develop?¡± Long Hu mulled over the word, ¡°Alright, I understand.¡± ¡°Oh right,¡± she suddenly recalled another matter, ¡°That person called Qin Zhou asked if we were siblings, what should we say to that?¡± ¡°What do you think is best to say?¡± Long Long asked her in return. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Really, it didn¡¯t matter what he said, for he had played the roles of senior brother, junior brother, and even master¡­he could easily take on any persona. The key was the little fox ¨C what kind of relationship did she hope for? Otherwise, his flawless acting would be pointless if Long Hu gave them away in an instant. Long Hu blankly blinked, seemingly struck by a thought, and her cheeks suddenly turned a shade redder: ¡°Otherwise¡­¡± she whispered in a voice as faint as a mosquito¡¯s, ¡°lets just say we¡¯re childhood sweethearts who grew up together¡­¡± Chapter 367 - Chapter 367: Chapter 84: The Hope of the Azure Dragon Clan: Long Long Chapter 367: Chapter 84: The Hope of the Azure Dragon Clan: Long Long Today¡¯s Eastern Emperor Realm, the Five Great States are precisely divided by the Five Great Demon Clans. Representing the Horned Clan, the Qilin occupy the vast plains of Central State, and they also hold the legitimate title of ¡°Lord of All Demons.¡± This title was created by Emperor Ying Long in the ancient times and was inherited by the Qilin Clan. Representing the Kun Race, Xuanwu occupy the icy fissures of North State. In ancient times, the Qilin and Xuanwu Clans of North State suffered discrimination and oppression from Emperor Ying Long, which led them to secretly establish an unshakable alliance. After the decline of the Jiaolong Clan, the rise of the Qilin Clan to take over Central State was aided by the strength of the Xuanwu Clan. Today, due to the lack of a common enemy, the two clans have long been estranged, and the friendship of the past is hardly ten percent of what it once was. But due to strong political inertia, the Xuanwu Clan is still willing to obey the Qilin¡¯s commands and treat them as their spokesman for interests¡­ at least that is how it appears on the surface. Representing the Scaled Clan, Azure Dragon occupy the swamps and valleys of Eastern State. Compared to their ¡°old friend¡± Xuanwu, the relationship between Qilin and Azure Dragon is relatively more pragmatic, almost like that of a lord and vassal. Azure Dragon supports the Qilin as the ¡°Lord of All Demons,¡± and the Qilin recognizes the Azure Dragon as the ¡°Sovereign of the Dragon Clan,¡± with mutual non-aggression ¨C nothing more. Representing the Mao Clan, White Tiger occupy the high mountains of West State. The relationship between White Tiger and Qilin is even worse, considering that the Mao Clan are mostly carnivorous, while the Horned Clan are mostly herbivorous¡­ This opposition driven by animal instinct leads the Mao Clan to generally harbor a discriminatory attitude towards the Horned Clan. Moreover, the Autumn Ridge, where the White Tiger Clan resides, is the largest Moon Crystal Stone production area in the Eastern Emperor Realm, making West State richer than the other four states and giving the Mao Clan the confidence to heed advice but not orders. The current chieftain of the Qilin Clan, King of All Demons Qi Weihuan, only secured the support of West State by marrying the daughter of the White Tiger Clan leader. However, rumors suggest this marriage is not harmonious, with the White Tiger Queen referring to her husband as ¡°Big Horned Fatty Deer,¡± a subject of jest among the Mao Clan in West State. Representing the Feathered Clan, Vermilion Bird occupy the scorching rainforests of South State. If White Tiger is haughty and difficult to control, then Vermilion Bird is defiant and untamed, engaging in war with the Horned Clan for three out of five years¡­ and spending the remaining two in conflict with either the Mao Clan or the Scaled Clan, making them the ¡°Shushan Sword Immortal¡± of the Eastern Emperor Realm. As such, the relationship between South State and Central State is the most sour, filled with an urge to eliminate the other as swiftly as possible. ¡°So, Long Long, what do you think should be our stance towards the other four clans?¡± asked the old tutor of the Azure Dragon Clan slowly. Long Long considered for a moment and replied, ¡°Towards the Qilin, respect them from a distance; towards Xuanwu, maintain friendly ties, but do not establish any political relations.¡± ¡°Towards White Tiger, keep open dealings at bay, yet secretly form alliances in the dark, and sow discord between them and the Qilin.¡± ¡°Towards Vermilion Bird, denounce hostility openly, but provide aid in secret, so they continue to stand on the front lines to attract the enmity of the Qilin.¡± ¡°Very well,¡± the old tutor surveyed the others and asked, ¡°Do you all understand?¡± The young Azure Dragons looked at each other, none of them speaking. Demons who have not undergone Transformation are not as intelligent as humans, roughly comparable to children of eight or nine years old. Even someone like Qin Zhou or Qin Ye, high in Bloodline Rank and well-educated, is at best a child of above-average intelligence. The only one in attendance who might understand was Long Hu, with one-quarter Human Race blood. The old tutor then called her to answer. ¡°For the Azure Dragon Clan, the most dangerous diplomatic posture is to be targeted by a coalition between the Qilin and Xuanwu Clans,¡± Long Hu said crisply. ¡°Therefore, towards the Qilin, we must respect them from a distance. Respect is to avoid making enemies, and distance is because there¡¯s no need for closeness.¡± ¡°Although the Xuanwu Clan is not beyond persuasion, the cost would surely be too steep. So, we need only befriend them and maintain normal relations.¡± ¡°The relationship between White Tiger and Qilin isn¡¯t good and is also strained with Vermilion Bird, with West State bordering Central, North, and South States, making it an enemy on all fronts. Such geopolitical circumstances make them a natural ally for the Azure Dragon Clan.¡± ¡°Of course, this relationship must be kept secret because the Qilin Clan also wouldn¡¯t want to see Eastern State and West State form an alliance,¡± ¡°The Vermilion Bird Clan, although hostile towards our clan, mainly opposes the Qilin,¡± ¡°As long as the Vermilion Bird maintains its rule over South State, the Qilin will view the Vermilion Bird as a significant threat, thereby having no time to focus on dealing with other major clans,¡± ¡°Therefore, for the Azure Dragon Clan, the best global situation is undoubtedly one where the Vermilion Bird and the Qilin are at odds but not broken, the Xuanwu and the Qilin appear united but are divided in spirit, and the Azure Dragon need only maintain a good relationship with the White Tiger to avoid becoming enemies with any other clan as much as possible,¡± ¡°Did you all understand?¡± the old schoolmaster nodded approvingly and looked around at everyone again to ask. ¡°Understood!¡± the little Azure Dragons hurriedly said, even those who didn¡¯t understand pretended to, in order not to be looked down upon by the other young dragons. The old schoolmaster then announced the end of the class and hurriedly left the classroom. On the stands near the corridor, Qin Beiwang, the patriarch of the Azure Dragon Clan, was standing with his hands behind his back, gazing at the boundless East Sea in the distance. ¡°How did the children perform?¡± he asked indifferently. ¡°They did quite well,¡± the old schoolmaster gave a standard evaluation. ¡°What about Qin Zhou and Qin Ye?¡± Qin Beiwang asked again. ¡°The young mistress is very promising, and the young master possesses excellent comprehension,¡± the old schoolmaster replied. Very promising means she isn¡¯t much yet. Excellent comprehension means he¡¯s teachable if he studies seriously. Qin Beiwang sighed, having little expectation for his children¡¯s political acumen, but continued to ask: ¡°What about Long Hu?¡± ¡°Extremely intelligent,¡± the old schoolmaster said in a low voice. After all, having Human Race blood, it¡¯s understandable. Qin Beiwang nodded and finally asked: ¡°And Long Long?¡± ¡°A rare prodigy,¡± the old schoolmaster said after a moment of silence. Qin Beiwang was momentarily speechless. For the Demon Race, which believes in the survival of the fittest, strength is ultimately what matters. But if you are already from a powerful clan, not worried about survival, then rather than having a few more fighters in the clan, it¡¯s better to have someone with a good head on their shoulders. That¡¯s why the clan elders tended to favor Long Long and Long Hu even more. What¡¯s more, these two have the blood of the Jiaolong, which means they could become Dragon Clan elders at most, but they couldn¡¯t threaten his lineage¡¯s patriarchal position¡­ Thinking of this, Qin Beiwang¡¯s expression also softened. Long Long, Long Hu, you must shoulder the future of the Azure Dragon Clan. After class, Long Long chatted with Qin Zhou and Qin Ye for a moment, then took Long Hu out of Jianmu to hunt wild chickens outside. After leaving South State, ruled by the Feathered Clan, the little fox could finally eat chicken openly and above board, so she requested that Long Long roast one for her every day. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Long Long, Long Long!¡± Seeing him absent-mindedly turning the spit and staring at the roast chicken, Long Hu could hardly hold back her drool and eagerly asked, ¡°Why isn¡¯t it ready yet? Hurry up.¡± ¡°It will be ready soon,¡± Long Long replied as he took out a small brush to coat the roast chicken with hot oil, but inside he continued to ponder silently. Given his current display of abilities, his status within the Azure Dragon Clan would only get higher. On one hand, it would allow him to better utilize the Azure Dragon Clan¡¯s resources for his growth; but on the other hand, it would make him too valued by the clan, making it even more difficult to leave Eastern State and take the little fox to North State. Hmm, I need to prepare a contingency plan for running away. Chapter 368 - Chapter 368: Chapter 1: The Leeks are Fighting Back! Chapter 368: Chapter 1: The Leeks are Fighting Back! Although the little fox was very cute, Xu Yinglian hadn¡¯t been seen for a long time. Therefore, he temporarily left the Eastern Emperor Realm and returned to Kunlun as Qiu Changtian to check on Xu Yinglian¡¯s progress in cultivation. Junior Sister Xu wasn¡¯t in her Golden Ridge Cave Abode today, so Qiu Changtian sat on the stone bed and cultivated Qi, cycling the ¡°Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra¡± through several circulations to complete his daily cultivation routine. Now his Jade Mansion had been cultivating for over five hundred years, and after each session of breathing and Qi cultivation, there was hardly any noticeable change in the Jade Mansion. He persisted purely out of habitual practice. Upon completion of his breathing exercise, Xu Yinglian returned from outside, still clad in white without a touch of makeup, her black hair cascading like a waterfall, stunningly beautiful, as if a fairy had descended to the mortal realm. ¡°Junior Sister,¡± Qiu Changtian asked with a smile, ¡°Have you been out on an experience?¡± ¡°Mhm,¡± Xu Yinglian replied, taking an elixir bottle out of her sleeve and placing it on the table. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Qiu Changtian asked, surprised. ¡°I went to the Beiming region,¡± Xu Yinglian said succinctly. ¡°Inside this elixir bottle is the essence of ten thousand years of cold ice I found, which is said to increase forty years of Refining Mansion cultivation.¡± Qiu Changtian: ? He was taken aback for a moment before realizing she was not referring to the Beiming Fanyang of the Eastern Emperor Realm but the Beiming Sea of the Cultivation Realm. Ah, this¡­ What¡¯s going on with Junior Sister, why suddenly give me such a huge benefit? I¡¯m clearly just a chive ready to be harvested for synchronization value, how could it be possible to reciprocate? ¡°Don¡¯t be silly.¡± Seeing his dumbfounded expression, Xu Yinglian turned her head away with a proud twist, saying, ¡°Brother, you¡¯ve helped me a lot with my cultivation in the past. This is merely returning the favor.¡± ¡°Besides, if Brother¡¯s cultivation doesn¡¯t progress quickly, and I catch up from behind, how can you maintain your dignity as my senior brother?¡± ¡°Although I wish to compete with you on the path of cultivation, I don¡¯t want you to delay your own cultivation in aiding me. If we are to compete, it should be done in a fair and just environment, right?¡± The more she explained, the more touched Qiu Changtian felt, until at last, unable to hold it back any longer, he went over and hugged Junior Sister tightly, moved as he said: ¡°Junior Sister, you¡¯ve finally grown up! To have such a thoughtful heart, Brother is truly gratified!¡± ¡°Let go!¡± Xu Yinglian blushed with embarrassment, struggled fiercely for a few minutes, then suddenly realized something. You¡¯ve finally grown up¡­ What sort of nonsense is that? Angered, she suddenly raised her long leg and stepped onto Qiu Changtian¡¯s Daoist shoes, twisting her heel with force. Qiu Changtian¡¯s expression remained unchanged as he released the flustered Junior Sister Xu and picked up the elixir bottle to examine it closely. Inside, there was a piece of ice crystal emitting a faint rainbow radiance. Hey, this thing is pure Five Elements Purple Mansion Secret Medicine of the Water System! Which means, as long as I fully refine it, it equates to having taken Mercurial Elixir Liquid (Metal), Golden Nectar and Jade Liquid (Wood), essence of ten thousand years of cold ice (Water), sea Bodhi (Fire), and millennium stone milk (Earth). With all Five Elements complete and Daoist Foundation intact, I could achieve a First Grade Golden Core! Thinking this, Qiu Changtian couldn¡¯t contain his excitement and once again moved closer to Xu Yinglian, intending to kiss the great benefactor. However, he was met with a karate chop from Junior Sister Xu right in the middle of his forehead. ¡°Brother, keep your cool. Showing such extremes of joy and anger, what does that look like!¡± She suppressed the shyness in her heart and said coldly. ¡°I have something to say,¡± the Kunlun Mirror suddenly spoke up. ¡°Don¡¯t let her bully you. If this goes on, your Synchronization Value is going to drop!¡± At the thought of the consequences of his Invincible Character Setting shattering, Qiu Changtian shuddered violently, and his thoughts immediately calmed down. ¡°Thank you for this time, Junior Sister,¡± he said with a gentle and refined smile, and also took out two Elixir Bottles from his chest. ¡°These are the Yangxia Zhuming Pills and the Yinhui Yuanshen Water I obtained from the White Bone Divine Palace.¡± ¡°Brother, I have already researched a method to refine them. You only need to wrap the Yangxia Zhuming Pill with the Yinhui Yuanshen Water before consuming it, so that the former floats in the Qi Sea without the Solitary Yang Qi bursting forth,¡± she explained. ¡°Then, with cautious manipulation of your Divine Sense, peel open a corner of the Yinhui Yuanshen Water to let a trace of Solitary Yang Qi leak out and begin to refine it¡­¡± He detailed the refining method for the Yangxia Zhuming Pill, while Xu Yinglian listened intently, her expression serious but showing no sign of joy. ¡°Junior Sister,¡± Qiu Changtian asked tentatively, ¡°what¡¯s wrong? Are you not happy?¡± ¡°No,¡± Xu Yinglian shook her head. She couldn¡¯t very well say that she had just managed to clear a little of the debt of gratitude she owed her senior brother, only to have him bring even more Secret Medicines from the Purple Mansion, which left her feeling somewhat despondent and at a loss for words. I can¡¯t even outdo Brother in selling favors! Even so, Xu Yinglian took note seriously, then picked up the two bottles and went to the stone bed to meditate and refine them. By the way, ever since moving into the same cave abode, they had also shared one stone bed. However, cultivators don¡¯t sleep; they only sit in meditation. Therefore, it can be said that ¡°though they share the same bed, they do not share the same dreams,¡± which is quite regrettable. Moreover, since cultivators aren¡¯t bound by the rites and customs of the Mortal World and value Yuan Yang and Yuan Yin more, if the feelings her senior brother had for making Xu Yinglian his Daoist Companion were rated as 100, the feelings for being more intimate with Junior Sister Xu were probably around 5000, which are not on the same scale at all. Of course, Qiu Changtian was after all a morally noble cultivator who had transcended lowly desires, and he was not particularly keen on being more intimate with Junior Sister Xu. He just smiled appreciatively at Junior Sister Xu¡¯s profile as she meditated. It must be said that, in terms of static beauty, Junior Sister Xu¡¯s appearance was undoubtedly in first place, followed perhaps by Jiang the Witch. But if character, fondness, and other factors were included, everyone had their own strengths, making it difficult to declare a clear winner¡­ wait a moment! What am I comparing here? Why have I suddenly started spouting nonsense? ¡°I have a one-word comment,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said leisurely, ¡°but I won¡¯t say it. You know what the word is.¡± ¡°Pfft,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword also let out a laugh. ¡°Shut up!¡± Qiu Changtian snapped, embarrassed and angry. ¡°Both of you, stop talking!¡± Collecting his thoughts once again, Qiu Changtian took to the stone bed and began to meditate. He took out an Elixir Bottle and poured the extracted essence of ten-thousand-years-old ice into his mouth, then quickly circulated his energy to refine it. He felt a cool sensation rapidly sliding down his throat, settling in his abdomen, and instantly sinking into his Qi Sea. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Soon, the chill spread quickly as if it were going to freeze his entire Dantian. However, the Qi Refining Technique Qiu Changtian practiced was the ¡°Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra,¡± famed for its robust True Yuan, and his Jade Mansion was extremely well-developed, with a rapid True Yuan regeneration rate. He quickly sealed off all the cold Qi and then carefully refined it. Suddenly, the chill merged with the True Yuan, making Qiu Changtian¡¯s Daoist True Yuan even stronger, and the inner walls of his Jade Mansion seemed to be coated with a layer of white frost, becoming even more crystal clear. Metal is sharp, Wood is flexible, Water is resilient, Fire is fierce, and Earth is vast. Each of the Five Elements Purple Mansion Secret Medicines has its own advantage, and Qiu Changtian had now refined them all once, making the Daoist True Yuan in his body increasingly cohesive and robust. The treasure¡¯s light was restrained, and it appeared naturally formed. Chapter 369 - Chapter 369: Chapter 2 Take Your Junior Sister With You Chapter 369: Chapter 2 Take Your Junior Sister With You Having completely refined the essence of the millennia-old ice, Qiu Changtian only felt refreshed and rejuvenated. The accumulation of cultivation from the Purple Mansion¡¯s secret medicine has been 550 years already! It¡¯s still a distance from the eight-hundred-year threshold for a First Grade Golden Core¡­ ahem! Xu Yinglian was still by his side, concentrating on refining the Yangxia Zhumingdan, which was rather troublesome and not something that could be accomplished in a single day. Qiu Changtian himself had run multiple timelines concurrently in the past and had taken great effort to finish refining it. So he left the cave dwelling, casually activated the restrictions to prevent anyone from outside from disturbing his junior sister With sword control, he arrived at Jade Void Palace, then made his way to the Scripture Lecture Hall of the Ziwei Master, ready to listen to his master¡¯s sermon. The Ziwei Master was sitting on a nine-colored lotus platform, with the Seven Treasures Duster hanging at his waist, his eyes closed in silence. Seeing Qiu Changtian enter the Scripture Lecture Hall, he opened one eye and slowly said, ¡°The defeat at the ruins of Long Mountain in the past was not your fault, and you need not be overly concerned.¡± Qiu Changtian was greatly surprised, his master was actually capable of comforting others? ¡°How is Junior Sister Jian doing?¡± he asked seriously. ¡°She¡¯s fine,¡± the Ziwei Master said indifferently. ¡°As for the person from the Demon Cult who was chasing you¡­¡± At this point, his voice paused momentarily: ¡°That person is not someone you can deal with now. There are senior elders in the sect who will deal with him, so you don¡¯t have to worry about it anymore.¡± Qiu Changtian: ¡­¡­¡­ Come on, Master! I wasn¡¯t even injured, can you give me some face and not make a big deal chasing after the enemy anymore? Of course, he couldn¡¯t possibly voice such thoughts out loud, so he could only nod silently, thinking Wei Dongliu would also need to lay low for a while. It¡¯s laughable when you think about it, Qiu Changtian was targeted by the Demon Cult, now Wei Dongliu was being watched by the Orthodox Sect¨Cwhat are these two supposed to do with their personas in the future? He must think of a strategy! While he was internally deliberating and calculating, he listened to the Ziwei Master¡¯s sermon, and after it was over, he asked many questions (this was the special privilege of a Chief Disciple at the Foundation Establishment Realm), to which the Ziwei Master responded one by one. It has to be said, having a master to support you is truly wonderful. Isn¡¯t this ¡°ask anything and get answers¡± treatment stronger than anything? After the sermon ended, the Ziwei Master suddenly added, ¡°Some days ago, a few disciples from Shushan discovered the ancient ruins of White Jade Capital in Mount Tianmu, do you know about this?¡± Qiu Changtian was slightly taken aback, a multitude of thoughts swiftly racing through his mind. Firstly, did he know? Of course, he knew. The ruins of White Jade Capital in Mount Tianmu were discovered by Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu themselves; how could he not know? Secondly, should Qiu Changtian be aware of it? Although Qiu Changtian was not Ling Yunpo, the old Daoist Zhang Zhengfa whom Ling Yunpo had saved that day on Mount Tianmu was actually a Daoist lineage inheritor left by the Kunlun Sect¡¯s Chonghe True Person and had since returned to the Kunlun Sect. Qiu Changtian had even learned the Shenxiao Thunder from him! If only Ling Yunpo knew about it and Qiu Changtian had no way of finding out, then a simple nod from him would immediately alert the Ziwei Master to a problem. But since Qiu Changtian could have learned about the existence of White Jade Capital from Zhang Zhengfa, acknowledging it now wouldn¡¯t pose any problem. All these thoughts, which flashed through his mind in the blink of an eye, were thoroughly sorted out by him. So, Qiu Changtian nodded and said, ¡°I have heard Brother Zhang mention it before.¡± ¡°Very well,¡± the Ziwei Master said indifferently, ¡°Twelve Floors, Five Cities, Heaven¡¯s White Jade Capital. That White Jade Capital Secret Realm is the trial ground of ancient human race Sword Immortals, now jointly managed by Shushan, Penglai, and our Kunlun Sect.¡± ¡°Some time ago, the Three Pure Orthodox Sect joined forces and drove the Demon Cult back step by step, forcing them to hide away once more, and lately they haven¡¯t dared to show themselves.¡± ¡°Hence, Shushan has proposed to hold a grand competition within the White Jade Capital Secret Realm, not only as a means for the young talents of the three sects to forge camaraderie, but also to deter the remaining followers of the Demonic Path.¡± Upon hearing this, Qiu Changtian nearly spurted out: What, Shushan is organizing another competition? And this time it¡¯s a joint event between the three sects? Although it¡¯s under the guise of ¡°not being able to find more Demon Cult scoundrels, so we must hold military drills to deter them,¡± Qiu Changtian could guess that more likely, those barbarians from Shushan were itching for a fight and seeking some people to chop up! I, Ling Yunpo, have been in Shushan for so many years, how could I not know their battle-crazed mindset? Ridiculous! Seeing Qiu Changtian¡¯s silent contemplation, the Ziwei Master then leisurely said, ¡°This grand union competition, though held within the White Jade Capital Secret Realm, is not limited to swordsmanship duels.¡± ¡°Shushan has made adjustments to the secret realm, allowing the free use of magical treasures, Daoist magic, and talisman scripts in the duels.¡± ¡°The rules of the competition are to draw lots for pairs, with the victors advancing. In the end, the top twelve will be selected for round-robin eliminations to determine their rankings.¡± As he spoke, the Ziwei Master suddenly closed his eyes and said no more. Realizing that his master was testing him, Qiu Changtian quickly chuckled and said, ¡°Since they¡¯re specifically selecting twelve individuals, I suppose there is something they need these twelve to do after the competition, right?¡± ¡°Correct,¡± the Ziwei Master nodded, ¡°According to the Daoist ascension order, it¡¯s White Jade Capital, Golden Que, Seven Treasures Mysterious Garden, and finally, the Great Bright Hall.¡± ¡°Within the White Jade Capital Secret Realm, there should be clues to the Golden Que Secret Realm. To obtain these clues, one must win the recognition of the twelve cities of White Jade Capital.¡± ¡°Foundation Establishment, Golden Core, Nascent Soul, Immortal¡­ As the base level of the four great secret realms, White Jade Capital corresponds to the Foundation Establishment Realm, therefore only the most outstanding Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators can obtain the recognition of the twelve cities of White Jade Capital.¡± ¡°Changtian, this is both your privilege and your opportunity.¡± Qiu Changtian silently considered his master¡¯s words and had to admit they were indeed true. Although the Ziwei Master favored him the most due to his Daoist Heart Clarity, there were many Chief Disciples under him throughout history, with countless intermediate and high rank cultivators surpassing his own strength. If such a good opportunity were to arise, how could it be possible to set aside all objections and hand it over to him? The critical point here was that after investigation and research by the Three Orthodox Sects, it was discovered that the White Jade Capital Secret Realm contained clues to the Golden Que Secret Realm, and these clues could only be followed up by Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators. This single restriction ¡°limited to the Foundation Establishment Realm¡± was what eliminated most of Qiu Changtian¡¯s competitors. As for the Foundation Establishment Realm¡­ among my peers in Kunlun, who could compare to me, Qiu Changtian? That¡¯s why the master said, ¡°This is my privilege and my opportunity¡±! ¡°Do you understand now?¡± Seeing the look of sudden realization on Qiu Changtian¡¯s face, the Ziwei Master slowly said, ¡°After you go back, take good care of your junior sister.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°In this competition, try to secure a spot for her among the top twelve.¡± ¡°Yes, Master,¡± Qiu Changtian immediately replied, ¡°I will definitely look after junior sister well.¡± The Ziwei Master hummed in acknowledgment and closed his eyes to rest. ¡°What about me, Master?¡± Qiu Changtian cautiously asked. ¡°You?¡± the Ziwei Master said indifferently, his eyes still closed, ¡°Besides first place, what other ranking would you strive for?¡± Chapter 370 - Chapter 370: Chapter 3 Never Give Up Chapter 370: Chapter 3 Never Give Up Qiu Changtian returned to the Golden Ridge Cave Abode, thinking to himself how truly high the Ziwei Master¡¯s expectations for him were. Orthodox Sect¡¯s number one in the grand competition, he really had the audacity to say that! Within the Kunlun Sect, needless to say. He had taken down his second senior brother, Song He, to secure the position of the top disciple in the Foundation Establishment Realm. But to seize the first place in the Orthodox Sect, he would have to compete with the other two sects. There was no need to mention Shushan, Lin Duanshan, Duan Fenhai, and Guan Shanyue, these three were manageable. It was a bit tricky to face Ling Yunpo alone, playing dual roles, but how to deal with the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal An Zhisu? The terror of An Zhisu¡¯s Innate Sword Heart was something he had personally experienced for many years! Penglai was fairly manageable in comparison, as he was acquainted with the few capable contenders like Luo Yan, whose strength was basically on par with Lin Duanshan¡¯s level. The only unpredictable factor was likely to be Miss Shi, who acquired the Purple Extreme Han Yuan Sword and Taiwei Star Sand from the Kuocang Mountain Secret Realm and cultivated the ¡°Five Latitudes Heavenly Secret Record,¡± boasting a hardware that could be described as extravagantly maxed out. Fortunately, her lack of combat experience was a significant drawback; with merely a few deceptive tricks, Luo Yan could run circles around her. Hm? In that case, becoming the first of the Orthodox Sect doesn¡¯t seem that difficult after all¨Cif one can just take down An Zhisu. Take down An Zhisu¡­ But how to defeat Senior Sister An? It was precisely because he, as Ling Yunpo, accompanied his senior sister in practising swordsmanship year-round and was well-acquainted with her tactical style that he understood how terrifying the swordsmanship prowess of the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal really was. ¡°Senior Brother, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Xu Yinglian rose gracefully from the stone bed and asked. ¡°How have you fared with refining the Sunlight Crimson Bright Pill?¡± Qiu Changtian asked warmly. ¡°I¡¯ve refined a quarter of it, no problems so far,¡± Xu Yinglian responded. ¡°That fast?¡± Qiu Changtian was greatly surprised. Even though his first attempt was exploratory and he had only refined one-twentieth of the Sunlight Crimson Bright Pill on the first day, Junior Sister Xu¡¯s refinement speed was actually five times his own? Oh, she has the Phoenix bloodline, affinity with Yang energy, so being faster is normal. ¡°Fast?¡± Xu Yinglian was first taken aback, then she thought of something (Could it be that Senior Brother¡¯s refinement speed is slower than mine?), and she couldn¡¯t help but reveal a beautiful smile. Qiu Changtian was momentarily captivated by her smile, but he quickly regained his composure and said, ¡°Much faster than I expected¡­ Anyway, Junior Sister, apart from cultivation, do you have any other dreams or goals?¡± ¡°To surpass you,¡± Xu Yinglian answered without hesitation. ¡°Anything else?¡± Qiu Changtian was unperturbed. ¡°For instance, becoming the next Head of the Kunlun Sect¡­¡± ¡°Head of the Kunlun Sect?¡± Xu Yinglian said in surprise, ¡°If I remember correctly, there are only two ways to become the Head of the Kunlun Sect: one is to be designated by the retiring Sect Leader, and the other is to gain the approval of more than two-thirds of the Kunlun Elders.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Qiu Changtian nodded. ¡°The former requires you to be a direct disciple of the Sect Leader, while the latter demands exceptionally outstanding strength.¡± ¡°And most of the time, these two criteria do not conflict, because the Sect Leader will definitely take the most promising disciple of each generation under his wing. In other words, if the Sect Leader is willing to take you as a direct disciple, it signifies that he believes you possess the potential to be ¡®the next Sect Leader.¡¯ Junior Sister Xu, do you understand?¡± Xu Yinglian fell into thought. What qualifies as being a direct disciple of the Ziwei Master? It was simple¨Cwhoever could attend the scripture lectures in the Jade Void Palace was a direct disciple of the Sect Leader. In previous years, only the chief disciple of each generation could attend the Ziwei Master¡¯s scripture lectures, while the other disciples had to settle for lessons taught by the Chief disciple ¡°on behalf of the teacher.¡± However, Xu Yinglian was the sole exception. She wasn¡¯t the chief disciple in her generation, yet she had also obtained the qualifications to attend the lectures. In other words, the Ziwei Master believed that if it weren¡¯t for the emergence of Qiu Changtian in her generation, Xu Yinglian would definitely have been the chief disciple. She fully possessed the corresponding talent and potential. A generation with two direct disciples allowing the Ziwei Master to break tradition demonstrates his deep expectations for Xu Yinglian¡­ At this thought, that unwillingness to be outdone surged up once more, as if infusing Xu Yinglian with an endless supply of fighting spirit and energy. ¡°I intend to vie for the position of the next Sect Leader,¡± she said earnestly. ¡°Junior Sister, I have high hopes for you,¡± Qiu Changtian replied with a smile. Xu Yinglian¡¯s response was entirely within his expectations. However, Qiu Changtian¡¯s response was greatly beyond her expectations. ¡°Senior Brother,¡± Xu Yinglian quietly clenched her fist and asked with a stiff smile, ¡°Do you think that I have no chance of winning the position of Sect Leader, that I pose no threat to you?¡± A sense of alarm instantly rose in Qiu Changtian¡¯s heart as it seemed his Junior Sister was about to swing her fist at his face. He hurriedly said: ¡°Not at all, I simply believe that Junior Sister has the capability.¡± Xu Yinglian managed to suppress the urge to assault her Daoist companion, simply staring intently at his face, as if trying to discern from his expression whether he was lying. Unfortunately, perhaps because she had frightened him just now, the Kunlun Mirror also withdrew the illusionary qualities of the Mirror Flower Water Moon, making it impossible for Xu Yinglian to detect any clues. Was Qiu Changtian sincere? Of course. To become the next Sect Leader, one must at least advance to the Nascent Soul Realm, Feather Courtyard Level¨Cwhich means being the strongest in the sect aside from the Sect Guardian Immortal, and that is true at least for Kunlun and Shushan. As for Penglai, whether the Master of Xuan Du is the strongest in the Sect is debatable, but he is certainly among the top tier. The problem was that Qiu Changtian would definitely not wait until he was the strongest before making his move¡­ As soon as he could become a Nascent Soul Elder and gain access to most of the sect¡¯s forbidden areas, he would begin to formally plot for the Heaven-Mending Stone. The Ziwei Master wanted him to be the successor as the next Sect Leader, but that was just a fond hope, since there was a high probability that he would obtain what he needed and flee before reaching the Feather Courtyard Level. Of course, Qiu Changtian was not a heartless and cold person. Unlike his cheap master, Su Jian, who had never done his duty, the Ziwei Master had cared for him since his entry to the sect, and the master-disciple relationship was fully intact without any discount. Keep in mind, even the Elder Shi Ding of the Heavenly Craft Workshop at the Yuqing View took such good care of Luo Yan partly because he hoped that Luo would look after Shi Liuli. But the appreciation and care the Ziwei Master had for him were without a trace of self-interest¨Cit was purely the affection of a master and disciple. Therefore, over the years, Qiu Changtian had also secretly made a resolution, and was determined: He would cultivate his Junior Sister, Xu Yinglian, to be a competent next Head of the Kunlun Sect, in line with his Master¡¯s expectations. Whether it was the previously given Yangxia Zhumingdan or the upcoming help for his Junior Sister to take one of the twelve seats in the White Jade Capital, on the surface, it was mutual support between Daoist companions, but in reality, it was compensation for deceiving her, and an attempt at redemption for failing to meet his Master¡¯s expectations. Master, forgive me, let Junior Sister fulfill my filial duties after I flee! Junior Sister, forgive me, after I flee, you will be the next Head of the Kunlun Sect! With this in mind, Qiu Changtian finally achieved Daoist Heart Clarity, and his Daoist Heart became even more harmonious¨Cthough his original persona was already one of clear Daoist Heart, unimpeded. But after having this realization, even if he were to switch to another persona, he would benefit. Seeing him display a color of understanding, Xu Yinglian became even more puzzled. Another thought suddenly flashed through her mind: Could it be that Senior Brother¡­ wishes for me to pursue him after he¡¯s gone? So that¡¯s it, Senior Brother knows I¡¯m aggressive in cultivating the Dao but is unaware whether I have the same interest in the power and influence within the sect. If I do not compete with him in that aspect, Senior Brother¡­ would probably feel lonely, I suppose. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Thinking this, Xu Yinglian suddenly felt a softening of her heart. She lowered her long eyelashes and said gently: ¡°Senior Brother, don¡¯t worry, I will never concede to you.¡± Qiu Changtian: ??? Why would you say such dominating and forceful words with such a gentle tone? Chapter 371 - Chapter 371: Chapter 4: My Junior Sister Challenges Me Again Chapter 371: Chapter 4: My Junior Sister Challenges Me Again ¡°So that¡¯s it.¡± After listening to Qiu Changtian finish recounting the events, Xu Yinglian finally understood as well. To win the position of Sect Leader, one must possess both prestige and strength to gain the acknowledgement of the Sect Leader and the Elders. The upcoming competition for the twelve cities of White Jade Capital is an excellent opportunity to accumulate prestige within the Three Pure Ones¡¯ Orthodox Sect. ¡°I will take down the twelve seats of the White Jade Capital!¡± Xu Yinglian declared with a clenched fist. Qiu Changtian also breathed a sigh of relief, finding Junior Sister Xu easier to handle than he had anticipated. Her competitive spirit was simply too strong. As long as you set a goal for her, she would charge fearlessly towards it¡­ much like telling a boy, ¡°Can you touch that leaf?¡± It really was too simple! ¡°Does Senior Brother think I¡¯m that easy to deal with?¡± Xu Yinglian suddenly asked. Her question almost made Qiu Changtian break out in a cold sweat. Junior Sister, where did you learn this mind reading technique from? The Ziwei Master? However, he was an experienced spy and immediately feigned puzzlement, slightly tilting his head: ¡°What?¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± Seeing she had not fooled him, Xu Yinglian turned around and headed outside of the cave abode. ¡°Would you accompany me in practice for the magical competition, is that alright?¡± ¡°If Junior Sister requests it, how can Senior Brother refuse?¡± Qiu Changtian said with a smile. When the two arrived at the Extreme West, they saw quite a few Kunlun Cultivators had already gathered there. Clearly, the grand contest for the twelve cities of the White Jade Capital was not only known to those in the Sect Leader¡¯s line. Many direct disciples of the Elders had received wind of the news beforehand and were now vigorously training for battle! The sight of Kunlun Disciples, who held the belief that ¡°Cultivation is everything¡± and were obsessed with breathing and qi refinement, unprecedentedly practicing for magical competitions, showed just how important this contest at the White Jade Capital was. Upon seeing Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian arrive, the direct disciples immediately halted their magical battles and surged over with enthusiasm, affectionately calling out: ¡°Senior Brother Qiu!¡± ¡°Hello, Chief Senior Brother!¡± ¡°Is Chief Senior Brother here to practice too?¡± Qiu Changtian responded politely to each one, while Xu Yinglian, who was watching by his side, remarked: ¡°Senior Brother, in terms of prestige amongst our peers in Kunlun, I¡¯m afraid no one can stand shoulder to shoulder with you.¡± The tone of her voice when she spoke was truly sincere and respectful. After all, Xu Yinglian had witnessed every step of Qiu Changtian¡¯s rise to fame. Initially, Senior Brother, starting from a humble Qi Refining Rank, had continually taken outer sect disciples out for training and missions, and seldom asked for anything in return, earning the reputation of ¡°Chief Qiu, the Just and Good¡± among his peers. Of course, at that time, it was only within the circle of the current generation of outer sect disciples. Later on, Qiu Changtian¡¯s name grew so prominent that he made it on the Demon Cult¡¯s most-wanted list, which prevented him from freely undertaking missions outside. He could only hold doctrinal debates within the sect, discussing many theories of Daoist Magic with his fellow disciples. A myriad of elite Kunlun Disciples stepped up, yet failed to undermine him. Moreover, everyone benefited from the discussions, deeply admiring Qiu Changtian¡¯s knowledge. Thus, his fame gradually broke out from the circle of outer sect disciples and began to spread among the inner sect and the elite disciples. Later on, Xu Changqing ascended to become Qing Yang True Person, and Qiu Changtian secured the position of Chief Disciple in the Foundation Establishment Realm. As such, not only did all the disciples of this generation remember Chief Qiu¡¯s name, but even the senior brothers and sisters from previous generations who had not yet formed their Golden Cores also committed it to memory. After all, by then, he had become the Chief Disciple among all Kunlun disciples in the Foundation Establishment Realm. In the end, it was during Kunlun¡¯s thousand-mile rescue of Penglai that Chief Qiu, alone with his sword, broke through the Immortal Slaying Sword Formation. He was personally commended by Chi Song Immortal in front of all the Kunlun Elders. This commendation firmly established Qiu Changtian at the pinnacle of prestige within Kunlun¨Cthe fact that the Immortal Slaying Sword Formation was incomplete and that Lei Caiyan, who presided over the formation, was not proficient in it, was unknown to many. People only knew that it was the famous Immortal Slaying Sword Formation of the Intercepting Cult that had been broken! When even Chi Song Immortal praised him, what more could anyone say? Which Chief Disciple in previous generations had managed to achieve such a feat? From this point forward, Qiu Changtian completely surpassed the renown of ¡°Chief Qiu.¡± Henceforth, the Kunlun Cultivators remembered him not as ¡°Chief Qiu¡± but as ¡°Kunlun¡¯s Qiu Changtian.¡± From an Outer Sect disciple to this generation¡¯s disciple, to all disciples of the Foundation Establishment Realm, and finally to being renowned throughout all of Kunlun¡­ Only Xu Ying Lian knew how much effort and dedication her senior brother had invested. He didn¡¯t rely on any external forces or seek shortcuts; he achieved his current status and position steadily, step by step. That is the Qiu Changtian I know, my Daoist Companion, my Senior Brother! Thinking of this, Xu Ying Lian was also deeply moved, filled with pride and a sense of accomplishment. However, Qiu Changtian was unaware of the many emotions going through Junior Sister Xu¡¯s mind. If he ever found out, he would probably only have been able to stifle a ¡°Junior Sister is right.¡± After all, one couldn¡¯t just announce that they were boosting the Synchronization Value of an Invincible Character Setting¨Cno one would believe it if told. As people came and went to greet him, his Synchronization Value skyrocketed. Eventually, Ah Jing¡¯s voice grew weary, saying, ¡°It¡¯s still rising, you¡¯ll know when it¡¯s enough,¡± before she stopped reporting any updates. ¡°Greetings, everyone.¡± Qiu Changtian also found himself entangled and unable to do anything but cup his hands towards those around him, ¡°Junior Sister Xu and I are going to participate in the grand competition at White Jade Capital, hence we would like to practice at this location. I¡¯ll have to postpone socializing with everyone until another time.¡± ¡°No problem at all!¡± The crowd hastily responded with a cacophony of voices, ¡°Chief Qiu is practicing over here? This area is free!¡± With the event being so amicably irresistible, Qiu Changtian had no choice but to randomly select an empty space and, alongside Xu Ying Lian, they both stood upon their swords, hovering above the ground. The Kunlun Cultivators immediately spread out, providing ample space for the magical competition, and then surrounded the area so tightly that not even water could leak through. There were even many who raised their hands to send out Sword Light, signaling to the Kunlun Heavenly Pillar, clearly summoning friends to come and witness the battle. Qiu Changtian: ¡­¡­ Carrying the Invincible Character Setting on his back, he certainly couldn¡¯t just say, ¡°Don¡¯t watch.¡± Otherwise, even if everyone understood it as ¡°fearing the premature leakage of his own intelligence,¡± it would affect the acquisition of his Synchronization Value later on. The dignified Chief Qiu would not do something so inconsistent. Instead, he should let everyone watch openly, confident in his victory even if his opponents learned this intelligence! Qiu Changtian sighed inwardly and could only smile at Junior Sister Xu. Xu Ying Lian, on the other hand, was thoughtful. She knew that before the grand competition at White Jade Capital, it was best to keep some cards hidden. Seeing her senior brother smiling at her, she felt an unspoken understanding with him and seemed to be on the same wavelength. In the upcoming magical competition, it would suffice just to make a show of things without revealing truly powerful techniques. ¡°Senior Brother.¡± Xu Ying Lian performed a courteous gesture, ¡°I¡¯ll take the initiative to attack first, please enlighten me!¡± As the Chief Disciple, Qiu Changtian of course let his junior sister make the first move, so the onlookers didn¡¯t find this inappropriate. They all held their breath in anticipation, preparing to closely watch the upcoming exciting duel and to gauge how far they were from reaching Chief Qiu¡¯s level. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only However, Qiu Changtian was slightly startled, standing still on the spot. In his field of vision, the serious-looking woman asking for his guidance overlapped with the image of a stubborn junior sister who, years ago at the entrance of Golden Ridge Cave Abode, repeatedly suffered defeat yet time and time again sought to challenge him in swordsmanship. The images of the two merged across space and time, giving him a fleeting sense of the vicissitudes of life. Time flies, years pass by, yet you and I remain the same. It¡¯s truly wonderful, Junior Sister. ¡°Alright.¡± Qiu Changtian said warmly with a smile. Chapter 372 - Chapter 372: Chapter 5 Emotional Intelligence Increased This Time Chapter 372: Chapter 5 Emotional Intelligence Increased This Time Xu Yinglian clenched her hands into a Daoist formula and took the initiative to spew out the Great Bright Fire, sweeping it toward Qiu Changtian. The Phoenix Immortal well-known for the Great Bright Fire was a unique tactic of Xu Yinglian, known to the Kunlun Cultivators. At this moment, with an endless blaze arising, exclamations immediately erupted from the surroundings. The boundless sea of fire, growing with the wind, quickly soared into the sky, emitting endless radiance and scorching heat waves, almost enough to obscure the sun and the sky! Facing the Great Bright Fire, Qiu Changtian remained calm and composed as he formed several spells with his fingers. The Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra, third level derived Daoist magic¨Cthe Supreme Jasper Spiritual Talisman! ¡°That must be the Supreme Jasper Spiritual Talisman,¡± a knowledgeable cultivator on the sidelines commented, ¡°Reputed to be the strongest suppressive Daoist magic below the Golden Core stage, it¡¯s perfect for countering any wide-area attack!¡± No sooner had the words left his mouth than the cultivator exclaimed: ¡°Three spirit talismans! What¡¯s going on, does Chief Qiu have an infinite supply of True Yuan?¡± Among the audience, there were quite a few former disciples of Sect Leaders, and even a few personal disciples, who were the senior brothers and sisters Qiu Changtian would see in the Scripture Lecture Hall. At this moment, they all widened their eyes in shock. Others might not understand, but they were cultivators of the Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra as well, so how could they not know that the Supreme Jasper Spiritual Talisman, at the Foundation Establishment Realm, clearly could only be cast one at a time! The process of casting this spirit talisman to suppress the opponent required the cultivator to constantly drive it with True Yuan, thus, the consumption of True Yuan was astonishing. For a Foundation Establishment Realm Cultivator at the Refining Mansion stage, casting one at the same time was already the limit. If someone like Qiu Changtian cast three at the same time, the rate of True Yuan consumption would be tripled¨Cordinary cultivators would likely be drained of their dantian and Qi Sea in mere breaths! How had Chief Qiu managed this? Whether his True Yuan was immensely abundant and vigorous, far surpassing his peers, or that the regeneration speed of his True Yuan was extraordinarily fast, either way, it had greatly exceeded everyone¡¯s imagination. Even a senior brother couldn¡¯t help but reflect with a tinge of emotion that the grand competition of White Jade Capital hadn¡¯t formally started yet, but the title of number one in the Orthodox Sect seemed likely to have been decided. Three Supreme Jasper Spiritual Talismans were cast in a 120-degree arc forward, instantly suppressing the soaring, limitless sea of fire. Xu Yinglian, too, caught her breath as her fighting spirit immediately surged. Does senior brother actually want to compete with me in Daoist magic? I too have mastered the Supreme Jasper Spiritual Talisman, and manipulating its True Yuan is indeed far more consuming than the Great Bright Fire. Since senior brother wants to use pressure tactics, I¡¯ll just go with the flow, deliberately enticing senior brother to consume his True Yuan so I can gain the upper hand later! Her entire body¡¯s True Yuan surged, her white gown fluttering loudly, with continuous flames spewing from her mouth and nostrils; even her eyes were dyed golden¨Cthe symbol of the initial activation of the Phoenix True Blood. Qiu Changtian saw this, his expression unchanged, his fingers moved slightly. From his sleeve came shooting out several rays of light, the Shangyang Sword Qi from the lesser treasury, swiftly crossing the space above the sea of fire, attacking Xu Yinglian in a probing manner. Xu Yinglian¡¯s expression remained unchanged, and she too shot out Shangyang Sword Qi from the lesser treasury, clashing with Qiu Changtian¡¯s Sword Qi. Their control of Sword Qi was extremely exquisite; after all, among the Kunlun Disciples obsessed with breathing exercises and Qi Refinement, these two were the most diligent in practicing Sword Control Technique. Now their exchange even gave off the impression of a duel of Flying Swords. The surrounding Kunlun Disciples watched intently, thinking that there was such exquisite swordsmanship in the world, truly befitting of Chief Qiu and his Daoist Companion Junior Sister Xu! Had Xu Yinglian heard this, she would certainly be infuriated, but at this moment she had no time to be distracted, because Qiu Changtian¡¯s assault was so urgent that both the Great Bright Fire and the Shangyang Sword Qi seemed barely able to sustain themselves on both sides. What was even more terrifying was that the three Supreme Jasper Spiritual Talismans not only continued to shine brightly but were slowly advancing within the sea of fire, seemingly about to press the entire sea of fire back in reverse. To think of exhausting senior brother¡¯s True Yuan¨Ccontinuing to fight like this, my True Yuan is nearly depleted¡­ Huh? Xu Yinglian had a flash of inspiration, and suddenly realized: I was duped. Senior brother knew that the consumption of the Great Bright Fire was less than that of the Supreme Jasper Spiritual Talisman, and he also knew that ¡°I knew this fact,¡± Could it be that he was using this opportunity to induce me to compete with him in depleting our True Yuan? After all, I didn¡¯t know how much total True Yuan senior brother possessed; if his True Yuan was sufficient to support the consumption, and my Qi Sea were to be exhausted first¡­ With this thought, Xu Yinglian immediately made up her mind. She rapidly formed a series of Daoist formulas within her sleeves and then spread her arms wide, releasing countless firebirds from her sleeves that surged towards Qiu Changtian amidst the sea of flames. ¡°The Myriad Crows Pot?¡± an onlooking Kunlun Cultivator suddenly exclaimed. ¡°What Myriad Crows Pot, that is the Xu Family of Southern Heaven¡¯s Stellar Fire Divine Crow Technique!¡± someone immediately corrected. Qiu Changtian¡¯s eyes were sharp, and seeing hundreds of figures darting across the sea of flames overhead, he couldn¡¯t help but marvel. This fire crow technique could be traced back to the ancient Zhu Rong Clan, leaving behind two things in the world: One is the Stellar Fire Divine Crow Technique, which uses True Yuan to create fire seeds. The source continuously feeds the flame, giving rise to countless fire crows that breathe fire from their beaks and smoke from their wings, assaulting the enemy. The other is the Myriad Bright Palace Fire Crows, which once caused trouble near Kunlun, making the land beyond the passes hot and barren. Later, they were sealed within the Myriad Crows Pot. During the great war between the Intercepting Cult and the Clarify Cult, this treasure was activated by a powerful being from the Intercepting Cult to attack the enemy. However, it was then captured by another powerful being of the Clarify Cult using the Dew and Universe Net to collect the fire crows and was later destroyed by the Dual Dragon Sword, and from then on, the Myriad Crows Pot ceased to exist in the world. However, whether it is the Stellar Fire Divine Crow Technique or the Bright Palace Fire Crows, their origin can both be traced back to the Zhu Rong Clan, with Daoist teachings stemming from the Witch Clan, known for their powerful and majestic offensive style. The firebirds that Xu Yinglian created, however, took on a light and agile approach¨Cquite unlike the strong-focused spells of the Witch Clan, but rather more akin to the fire crows created in the Flying Fire Crow Tube found by Long Long in the ancient lands of the Golden Crow clan. Plainly speaking, this spell was clearly very much related to the Phoenix True Blood in her body, and in nature, it was closer to the Bloodline Supernatural Power of feathered Demons, only deceptively attributed by the Xu Family of Southern Heaven to the Stellar Fire Divine Crow Technique supposedly created by the Zhu Rong Clan¡­ Perhaps Junior Sister Xu herself was not aware of this, otherwise, how could she possibly use it in front of such a large audience? Upon realizing this, Qiu Changtian also immediately recognized that the Phoenix True Blood within Junior Sister Xu must be nearing maturity. Good, once it¡¯s fully mature, I¡¯ll have Ah Jing scan it, Junior Sister, your gift will be mine. Thinking this, he couldn¡¯t help but smile, extending his hand and flicking his fingers toward the firebirds that were rapidly approaching through the sea of fire. Translucent Thunder Light bloomed from his fingertips. In the next second, the Thunder Light suddenly vanished, then reappeared in front of the firebirds and exploded with a boom. This Thunder Light was none other than the Tai Yi Thunder, known for its vast range of lethality. The sound was like the heavens and earth shattering, and both the fire crows and the sea of flames were utterly engulfed and obliterated by the Thunder Light. The surrounding Kunlun Cultivators who were watching also staggered from the shock of the Tai Yi Thunder. Xu Yinglian retreated quickly on her Flying Sword, avoiding the shockwave from the explosion of the Thunder Light. Her expression was conflicted, hesitating over whether to reveal one of her hidden trump cards to continue vying for victory with her senior brother. Forget it, there are too many people around, and it wouldn¡¯t be good to reveal my trump card here; it should be saved for the more important competition at the White Jade Capital later on. ¡°I¡­¡± Her mouth opened slightly, wanting to say ¡°I concede, senior brother is formidable,¡± but the words just couldn¡¯t come out. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Unwilling! Angry! Humph! ¡°Junior Sister,¡± Qiu Changtian retracted his hands and smiled with the gathering of his sleeves, ¡°Your Daoist Magic has improved quite a lot, shall we call it a tie this time?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Xu Yinglian nodded reservedly, her heart leaping once again. The fellow Kunlun disciples around them still seemed somewhat unsatisfied, but everyone understood that these two were Daoist companions; one couldn¡¯t truly expect Qiu Changtian to strike his wife with a heavy hand. So, after a moment of silence, the crowd began to cheer and flatter once again. Chapter 373 - Chapter 373: Chapter 6 Xu Family Mind Reading Technique Chapter 373: Chapter 6 Xu Family Mind Reading Technique ¡°Senior Brother, what are you thinking about?¡± Within the Golden Ridge Cave Abode, Xu Yinglian placed a cup of clear tea in front of him and asked. ¡°I am thinking about the grand competition at the White Jade Capital,¡± Qiu Changtian lifted the tea cup and took a small sip. The tea was hot but not scalding, with a refreshing fragrance that penetrated the throat, like sweet nectar and fine wine. Junior Sister Xu¡¯s tea-making skills are truly exquisite. I wonder what ingredients she added. ¡°Does Senior Brother also worry about the grand competition?¡± Xu Yinglian asked with a faint smile, ¡°I thought for the champion of the White Jade Capital contest, it would be as easy as reaching out and grasping for you.¡± Though it sounded like sarcasm, when Qiu Changtian carefully examined his Junior Sister, he found no hint of provocation on her face. It seems my glorious image has indeed been firmly established in Junior Sister¡¯s mind. ¡°Certainly not,¡± Qiu Changtian replied with a smile, ¡°Even I would not underestimate the talents of the world.¡± Xu Yinglian: ¡­¡­¡­. It sounds modest, but what¡¯s with that ¡°Even I¡±? ¡°I have gathered some intelligence about Shushan and Penglai from my family,¡± Xu Yinglian decided not to follow her infuriating Senior Brother¡¯s lead but instead started to discuss important matters with a serious and earnest expression, ¡°From Shushan¡¯s side, there is one person you should be cautious of.¡± ¡°Who?¡± Qiu Changtian asked knowingly. ¡°An Zhisu,¡± Xu Yinglian said with a frown, ¡°The top Chief Disciple of the Foundation Establishment Realm in Shushan. She has been at the top of the Immortal Sword Ranking for at least forty years, extremely adept at fast attacks with her Sword Control Technique.¡± ¡°It¡¯s said that her sparring sessions against her Sect equals in Shushan often end within ten breaths, which shows the sharpness of her preemptive strikes. Additionally, she is unmerciful in her approach and has even been criticized within Shushan for her ruthlessness.¡± Not only that, but she also loves to seize the rhythm, quickly applying immense pressure to force her opponent to reveal weaknesses, and then severing their Flying Sword with a single strike¡­ Qiu Changtian lamented in his mind. As for being criticized by others, that¡¯s another complicated matter. ¡°This An Zhisu is the trump card of Shushan, and she is your biggest competitor in this competition,¡± Xu Yinglian continued, ¡°Besides her, there are four Sword Immortals from second to fifth place on the Immortal Sword Ranking.¡± ¡°Ling Poyun, Lin Duanshan, Guan Shanyue, Duan Fenhai, known as ¡®Duan Shan Fen Hai, Sui Yue Po Yun¡¯.¡± Qiu Changtian: ¡­¡­¡­. Maybe it¡¯s better just to change names; indeed, Po Yun does roll off the tongue more than Yun Po. ¡°These four also excel at Sword Control, but they are still a notch below An Zhisu,¡± Xu Yinglian spoke earnestly, ¡°As long as Senior Brother does not underestimate them, dealing with these four should not be a problem.¡± ¡°From Shushan¡¯s side, these five are the ones to watch out for; as for Penglai, there are not many who can really fight, but beware of their various extraordinary tactics.¡± ¡°Tian Zhang, son of the Sect Leader of Xuandu from Penglai, is said to be skilled in Talisman Scripts. Considering the diverse effects of talismans, we must be especially wary of him,¡± Xu Yinglian said solemnly. Indeed, Brother Tian¡¯s Talisman Scripts are all-encompassing; even I can hardly list them all. But Brother Tian¡¯s nature is truly too indolent, with no interest in the glory of the competition; I don¡¯t think he will fight seriously. ¡°Bi Lian, the direct disciple of Elder Marvel, is proficient in the Alchemy Dao and human meridians. She can change the state of her body in battle with different elixirs, such as a sudden increase in True Yuan, and so on.¡± Speaking of this, Xu Yinglian suddenly sneered, ¡°Oh, right. I remember that Daoist Bi Lian used to have some entanglement with Senior Brother.¡± ¡°Emotional entanglements!¡± Qiu Changtian was extremely keen on survival and immediately responded with a stern look and indignation, ¡°I merely happened to pass by and saved her incidentally. As for her feelings, what do they have to do with me?¡± After all, I, Chief Qiu, am so handsome. A Qiu Changtian Fan Club appearing in Penglai Jade Pure is totally normal, right? ¡°Oh,¡± Xu Yinglian said indifferently, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect senior brother to still remember that person.¡± Qiu Changtian felt like spitting blood ¨C so you¡¯re scheming against me here! But Xu Yinglian didn¡¯t give him a chance to rectify the situation, just coldly stating: ¡°Since senior brother has such a good memory, you must also remember Elder Shi Ding¡¯s daughter, Shi Liuli. This cultivator hails from Heavenly Craft Workshop, which specializes in artifact refining, and has the most magical treasures ¨C including the defensive Divine Fire Mantle, the offensive Divine Striking Whip, and the attack-and-defense-integrated Star Dust of Taiwei, making her extremely difficult to deal with.¡± No, the Divine Striking Whip was already lost in the last Penglai siege, so she recently switched to a Xuan Huang Tower. Just like the Heaven-flipping Seal and the Divine Striking Whip, it is a purely physical magical treasure that relies on being hoisted up to crush the opponent. Why all these straightforward and crude magical treasures? It¡¯s because Miss Shi doesn¡¯t have much combat experience and doesn¡¯t like to use her brain. In the face of danger, she just smashes people with her treasures. As long as you use a slight trick, you can deceive her. ¡°Who is Shi Liuli?¡± Qiu Changtian, learning from his previous lesson, immediately asked doubtfully. ¡°Hehe.¡± Xu Yinglian didn¡¯t pierce through his facade and simply said, ¡°In Yuqing View, these are the three people to pay attention to.¡± Fortunately, there¡¯s no Luo Yan. Qiu Changtian privately breathed a sigh of relief. This was within his expectations, after all ¨C Luo Yan is really too false¡­ um, wrong, I mean too low-profile, with a reputation limited to within Heavenly Craft Workshop, not one to show off everywhere like Shi Liuli. ¡°Yuqing View cultivators generally have weaker combat strength, mainly due to lack of magical competition experience and the will to survive. The only risk is, Yuqing View cultivators follow too many obscure practices, so their response tactics are often unpredictable. We need to be cautious about this aspect.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Although Qiu Changtian had long been familiar with the situation of Penglai Jade Pure and didn¡¯t need Junior Sister Xu¡¯s reminder, he still pretended to be greatly enlightened and sincerely expressed his thanks. Perhaps feeling like she had helped her senior brother, Xu Yinglian¡¯s expression softened as she continued: ¡°The Shushan cultivators have rich combat experience, but their attack methods are overly single-minded, mainly focused on sword control techniques.¡± ¡°Even with Sword Dao Techniques sealed on their swords to supplement tactical weaknesses, Sword Dao Techniques ultimately can¡¯t compete with their own learned abilities in terms of strength, scope, and agility.¡± ¡°Penglai cultivators are advantageous in their varied methods, however, they lack experience and strong siege techniques. Also, their combat will is not very strong.¡± ¡°As long as we swiftly deploy strong offensive tactics without giving the opponent any chance to turn the tables, they are easier to deal with than Shushan cultivators.¡± ¡°What about Kunlun then?¡± Qiu Changtian suddenly asked. ¡°Kunlun cultivators, don¡¯t you know better than I do?¡± Xu Yinglian replied, not amused. ¡°I heard that there¡¯s a Phoenix Immortal in Kunlun, who not only has rich magical competition experience and powerful siege abilities, but also extremely varied moves. I wonder if junior sister could provide me with some information about her?¡± Qiu Changtian said teasingly. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Xu Yinglian then blushed slightly, turning her head and responding: ¡°It¡¯s alright, she¡¯s just currently not as good as senior brother.¡± Qiu Changtian was startled, junior sister actually admitted she¡¯s not as good as me? Is this Xu Yinglian from a parallel world? Where is my competitive and stubborn Junior Sister Xu? ¡°Temporarily,¡± Xu Yinglian emphasized again, her face shifting from shy to annoyed, ¡°Senior brother, do you really think I¡¯m the type of person who would be so arrogant as to ignore the facts and deceive myself?¡± Qiu Changtian laughed awkwardly, thinking to himself that this junior sister was indeed still the same, just with a mind reading technique that was becoming ridiculously powerful. Chapter 374 - Chapter 374: Chapter 7: Preparing for the Competition, Temporary Reinforcement Chapter 374: Chapter 7: Preparing for the Competition, Temporary Reinforcement If you ask a cultivator what they spend most of their life doing, the answer will definitely be ¡°sitting in meditation and practicing breathing techniques¡±. The so-called ¡°breathing techniques,¡± involve exhaling turbid air and inhaling pure qi, thus continuously purifying themselves and slowly raising their cultivation realm. This is the traditional method of Daoist cultivation. The Kunlun Cultivators, who place great importance on cultivation level, are even more outstanding in the path of sitting in meditation and Qi Refinement, with each able to stay in their cave abodes for decades without stepping outside. But if you ask a cultivator where most of their cultivation progress comes from in their lifetime, the answer will definitely be ¡°secret realms and fortuitous encounters.¡± How much cultivation progress can sitting in meditation and practicing breathing techniques provide? You must know that the life limit of someone in the Foundation Establishment Realm is at most around two hundred years. Yet, if one is fortunate enough to find a Purple Mansion Secret Realm, they could gain a cultivation progress of ten to thirty years, with rarer ones offering fifty years, seventy years¡­ which is many times more than what sitting in meditation and practicing breathing techniques can offer. Most cultivators don¡¯t seek out secret realms, and the reasons are simply twofold: First, there¡¯s no opportunity. In this ancient world, there¡¯s no internet, naturally precluding the possibility of an information explosion. The vast majority of ancient records that may contain information about secret realms are controlled and treasured by the big clans and sects, making them difficult for common cultivators to obtain. As for the cultivators of the big sects, there is too much material to look through and consult, so much so that it is described as ¡°vast and boundless¡± and ¡°filling a house to the brim.¡± Among these, the easy-to-interpret ones have mostly been scavenged by predecessors, leaving behind more obscure and difficult to distinguish materials, with real and fake indiscernible. Second, they lack confidence. Secret realms were created by ancient powerhouses, each with a different intended purpose. Some are designed to train descendants, others to pass down the Daoist legacy, and some are simply made for living or storing items¡­ with all sorts of purposes. Accordingly, the level of risk involved could also be incredibly high, while the gains might be pitifully small. To struggle and risk one¡¯s life exploring a secret realm, only to return empty-handed, is difficult for any cultivator to accept. In summary, if breathing techniques and Qi Refinement are like ¡°working a job,¡± providing a stable yet meager return; then exploring secret realms is like ¡°starting a business,¡± where risks and rewards have absolutely no correlation and the instability is extreme. The more resource-abundant cultivators from the big sects tend to prefer daily breathing techniques and Qi Refinement over wasting time in search of secret realms. Loose Cultivators are more willing to take a ¡°gambler¡¯s chance¡± and ¡°strive for a path,¡± but when looking at the proportion of the base number, the vast majority also prefer breathing techniques and Qi Refinement. Only when their natural lifespan is near its end do they stake their lives in a final gamble. It shows that aversion to risk is a human instinct, whether for cultivators or mortals alike. Of course, I am different. Qiu Changtian thought to himself. Although I dislike risk as well, I bear a heavy mission, which is to struggle for the continuation of the whole world. Therefore, I must overcome the innate desire for ease and aversion to hard work, to search for those elusive relics and clues, explore the ancient secret realms, brave great perils, and risk life and death. Only then have I forged such a powerful base of cultivation! ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the peerless talent Yao Yao gave you, along with the informational advantage brought by mingling with multiple sects, would Sword Master still have achieved today¡¯s accomplishments?¡± The Green Duckweed Sword suddenly teased. ¡°Certainly,¡± Qiu Changtian replied calmly, ¡°Does a phoenix chick raised in a magpie nest not grow up to be a phoenix? I admit that my starting point was a tiny bit higher than others, but the main factors for my success still lie in great determination, great wisdom, and great capability¡­¡± ¡°¡­and this astonishingly thick skin,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword sighed. ¡°What are you aimlessly speaking the truth for?¡± The Kunlun Mirror scolded, then turned to comfort Qiu Changtian, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Guan Shui, ignore it. It¡¯s just jealous.¡± Qiu Changtian:¡­¡­ You two are playing good cop, bad cop, mocking me, do you think I can¡¯t tell? As he opened his eyes from a restful meditation, he saw that his junior brothers and sisters had already gathered. Xu Yinglian, Guan Zhan, Yan Zhitui, Chen Zhen, Zhong Tianhuai, and Jian Qingnan, who had finally regained some color, had all assembled in the cave abode, ready to listen to his lecture. Yet, Qiu Changtian wasn¡¯t in a hurry to start, but after pondering for a moment, he suddenly asked: ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking lately, for a cultivator to achieve success on the path of Tao, what is ultimately more important? Is it their background and foundation, or is it their temperament and abilities?¡± Xu Yinglian pondered thoughtfully. If asked this question before, when she had first entered the sect, she would have unquestionably answered ¡°temperament and abilities are more important.¡± However, ever since she joined the Kunlun Sect, no matter how hard she strived, she was always suppressed by Senior Brother Qiu, to the point that she had begun to realize: Temperament and abilities, these postnatal qualities that can be cultivated, are just the foundation for a cultivator. What¡¯s really important is the innate talent for cultivation that one is born with. You struggle ceaselessly, honing your temperament and abilities. But what if someone naturally talented does the same, and their cultivation talent is stronger than yours? How can you compete with them? ¡°Naturally, it¡¯s temperament and abilities,¡± the other junior brothers and sisters also fell into contemplation, only Guan Zhan answered without hesitation, ¡°Without abilities, mere talent is no different from that of pigs and dogs.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± the Kunlun Mirror and the Green Duckweed Sword chimed in simultaneously. Qiu Changtian: ??? He was about to frown and say something when suddenly a streak of light shot into the cave from outside, dropping a jade slip into the palm of his hand. It was a message from the Sect Leader via Flying Sword Messaging! Qiu Changtian quickly read the message and stood up, saying: ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Go?¡± The junior brothers and sisters looked at each other, and the impatient Zhong Tianhuai directly asked, ¡°But Senior Brother, you haven¡¯t finished the lecture for today.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll skip it for now,¡± Qiu Changtian said with a hearty laugh, ¡°A great fortune is coming our way, follow me and you shall see.¡± Everyone then left the Golden Ridge Cave Abode, each riding their sword light into the sky. Jian Qingnan quietly approached Xu Yinglian and asked softly: ¡°Sister Ying Lian, what exactly is this great fortune¡­?¡± ¡°It must be that a sect¡¯s secret realm is about to open,¡± Xu Yinglian said in a low voice. ¡°A sect¡¯s secret realm?¡± Jian Qingnan¡¯s eyes lit up, and upon hearing this, the other junior brothers and sisters were also tremendously excited. Ahead of them, Qiu Changtian maintained a calm expression, thinking to himself that Sister must have heard some clues from the Xu Family ahead of time. As the leader of the Orthodox Sects, occupying the Kunlun Mountain Range, the Kunlun Taiqing Sect had access to the most secret realms in the world. However, the sect was very cautious about opening secret realms and elevating the cultivation levels of its disciples, unlike the Shushan Demon Locking Tower, which opened every few years, continually bestowing blessings on everyone. This was because the conservative elders of the sect believed that if the disciples relied too much on the fortuitous encounters within the secret realms, they would no longer be willing to practice diligently and earnestly. While this reasoning sounded somewhat far-fetched, considering it came from the Conservative Faction, it seemed normal. But with the White Jade Capital¡¯s grand competition ahead, if the Shushan Sword Immortal took first place, what face would Kunlun have left to claim its position as the leader of the Orthodox Sects? Therefore, seizing the opportunity, the Ziwei Master gave a command, and the elders unanimously agreed to open the secret realm of the Bright Palace deep in the mountains for a last-minute boost to Kunlun¡¯s elite disciples. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only As Qiu Changtian knew, the Bright Palace was once the dwelling place of the great Emperor Zhu Rong and had since become a secret realm. It was filled with countless treasures, and unlike the East Sea Pavilion, which selected items that suited you, it purely distributed rewards at random after completing the challenges of the secret realm¡­ hence, the disparity between the highest and lowest rewards was huge, somewhat like the gacha pools in mobile games, where luck dictates the outcome. Thinking of this, Qiu Changtian couldn¡¯t help but feel a mixture of resentment and regret. The Bright Palace was a consecrated place of the Kunlun Taiqing Sect, which had never been accessed by anyone outside Kunlun disciples. Otherwise, if he could explore it with Miss Shi, depending on her unreasonable luck, wouldn¡¯t they just skyrocket? Chapter 375 - Chapter 375: Chapter 8: Essential Member: Junior Female Disciple Chapter 375: Chapter 8: Essential Member: Junior Female Disciple The Bright Palace secret realm had no set schedule for opening. But Qiu Changtian had heard, there must be a gap of over a millennium between each opening. In other words, after this opening, one would have to wait another thousand years for the next opportunity. From the perspective of Kunlun Sect¡¯s upper echelons, given such a lengthy cooldown period, the secret realm of Bright Palace should be opened with even greater caution. The reason was simple, if we open it now and then in a hundred or two hundred years, a prodigious disciple with exceptional talent enters the sect with hopes of reaching a Second Grade Golden Core, what should be done? Before his Core Formation, he would have at most two hundred years of yang life and could not possibly wait for the next opening of Bright Palace¡¯s secret realm, thus missing the chance for fortune within and ending up with only a Third Grade Golden Core¡­ If something like this were to happen, wouldn¡¯t the Kunlun higher-ups be spitting blood? Therefore, the last time Bright Palace¡¯s secret realm was said to have been opened was three thousand years ago. That is to say, at least two opening opportunities had been wasted¨Ctruly outrageous. Compared to the aggressive Shushan Shangqing Faction, the conservatism of Kunlun Taiqing Sect was baffling. If not for my emergence as a prodigious Kunlun disciple, who knows when they would have decided to unveil this secret realm! Everyone finally arrived at the secret realm¡¯s entrance, which was located at the peak of a mountain, with an ethereal gateway floating in the air, half-open and commanding respect and grandeur. The Bright Palace secret realm had already opened. Many Foundation Establishment disciples and Direct Disciples from the Inner Sect had gathered in front of the gate, yet not one was eager to step into the secret realm. Qiu Changtian came with his junior brothers and sisters, descending in a sword light, and a group quickly surrounded them with various greetings and flattery, expressing admiration and support for the Chief Disciple of the Foundation Establishment realm. Apart from the majority of followers, there were also some clever elite disciples who understood that if not for the emergence of Qiu Changtian, a person with Daoist Heart Clarity, even the grand competition at White Jade Capital would not have convinced the elders to open the Bright Palace secret realm; hence, their conversations were indirectly filled with gratitude. Chief Qiu, we are truly basking in your light~ Qiu Changtian responded modestly and gracefully, greatly endearing himself to the crowd. Before long, countless Golden Core True Persons also arrived on their swords. The Bright Palace secret realm was not solely for those in the Foundation Establishment realm, as it contained many Spiritual Treasures useful to those in the Golden Core and even the Nascent Soul realms. Hence, a quarter-hour later, the Nascent Soul Elders also arrived en masse, led by the Ziwei Sect Leader. He stood on his Tai Yi Dividing Light Sword, and with a sweep of his Seven Treasures Duster, he began his opening address. The first part elaborated on the venerable history of Kunlun Taiqing Sect. The middle part mentioned a few details regarding the origin of Bright Palace¡¯s secret realm. In the latter part, the importance of the competition at White Jade Capital was reiterated, calling on the disciples to bring honor to the sect. In the beginning, everyone listened with utter boredom, perking up only when it came to the secret realm of Bright Palace, but as the talk shifted to winning honor for the sect, they each started to nod off again. Only Qiu Changtian, out of reverence for his master¡¯s favor, stood upright the whole time, refined and imposing, patiently listening to his master finish his speech. At last, the Ziwei Sect Leader swung his horsetail whisk and said, ¡°Go,¡± and everyone soared up with their Sword Light, rushing towards the ethereal gateway in front. Qiu Changtian, however, was in no rush to enter the secret realm, for he knew that whether one entered early or late, they would be randomly transported to some location within the Bright Palace. So after waiting for his junior brothers and sisters to enter, he calmly turned around and asked Xu Yinglian, who was beside him: ¡°Junior Sister Xu, why aren¡¯t you entering?¡± ¡°Senior Brother, why aren¡¯t you entering?¡± replied Xu Yinglian, unwilling to show weakness. She had been ready to compete with her senior brother and see who would rush into the secret realm first. But seeing her senior brother standing still, Xu Yinglian had even maneuvered her Feather Jia Sword, but stopped it forcefully in its tracks. ¡°Oh.¡± Qiu Changtian said calmly, ¡°In that case, how about we join hands and enter together?¡± ¡°Join hands?¡± Xu Yinglian hesitated slightly. The Bright Palace secret realm would randomly teleport those who entered, but if two people held hands, they would be transported together. However, almost no one chose to do this. Because if they entered hand in hand, it meant that the treasures they found would have to be shared equally between them. Plus, since there were no fatal challenges in the secret realm that required cooperation to overcome, everyone naturally preferred to undertake the trial alone and keep all the treasures for themselves. But Xu Yinglian had so much confidence in Qiu Changtian that she subconsciously felt that her senior brother must have thought of some key point that she hadn¡¯t considered, which was why he had chosen to go as a pair. Yet, what was this key point? Unable to figure it out, she finally compromised and said, ¡°All right.¡± Linking her arm with Qiu Changtian¡¯s, Xu Yinglian pondered hard as they walked toward the gate, even forgetting about sword control. As Qiu Changtian moved forward calmly, he heard the Kunlun Mirror in his mind curiously ask: ¡°Why do you insist on entering with Junior Sister Xu?¡± ¡°Same question,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword also couldn¡¯t understand. ¡°I was just wondering if the Bright Palace and Bright Flame have any connection,¡± Qiu Changtian replied honestly. ¡°Should there be any connection?¡± the Kunlun Mirror hesitated, ¡°Junior Sister Xu¡¯s Bright Flame technique is derived from the Daoist lineage of Supreme Clarity and Primordial Purity. As for the Bright Palace being the dwelling place of the Zhu Rong Clan, the latter joined the Daoist way through the Witch Clan and has a much more ancient history than the former. It¡¯s hard to make a connection between the two¡­¡± ¡°Alright, I got it, no need to say more,¡± Qiu Changtian interrupted, ¡°Or to put it another way: I just want to take advantage of Junior Sister Xu¡¯s good fortune.¡± ¡°Good fortune?¡± the Kunlun Mirror laughed, ¡°Since when do you believe in that¡­¡± As it spoke, suddenly it couldn¡¯t continue. As if it had thought of a certain example. ¡°I understand,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword spoke slowly, ¡°Is Sword Master planning to take Junior Sister under his wing, right?¡± Qiu Changtian was slightly astonished, to think that my own thoughts would be seen through by you, truly worthy of being my life-bound sword artifact. ¡°If you¡¯re referring to guiding Junior Sister, I don¡¯t deny there¡¯s that intention,¡± he replied calmly, ¡°but the main thing is to see if traveling with Junior Sister will bring any additional benefits in the secret realm of the Bright Palace.¡± The Kunlun Mirror fell silent. Ah, every time I overestimate this person¡¯s moral boundaries, and then one day I suddenly find that there¡¯s still a trace of human warmth in him, that feeling is truly hard to articulate. ¡°Why isn¡¯t Senior Brother speaking?¡± Xu Yinglian suddenly asked, seeing that he had been silent for a long time. ¡°What would Junior Sister like me to say?¡± Qiu Changtian asked curiously. ¡°Nothing,¡± Xu Yinglian turned her head away. She wanted to say that although going to the secret realm together might cause a loss of financial interest, the thought of facing the trials with her senior brother gave her a subtle sense of security. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Of course, such a straightforward confession, reflective of Xu Yinglian¡¯s reserved nature, was definitely not something she was willing to say out loud. Otherwise, if Qiu Changtian whimsically replied, ¡°This little bird relying on others, Junior Sister, is really cute,¡± she would immediately feel so embarrassed and angry that she¡¯d want to commit husbandicide. Forget it, it¡¯s better just to think it to myself. ¡°Why is Junior Sister silent?¡± Qiu Changtian mimicked her. ¡°What does Senior Brother want me to say?¡± Xu Yinglian looked toward the gate, now close at hand, and urged him, ¡°Stop with the nonsense, let¡¯s go.¡± Chapter 376 - Chapter 376: Chapter 9 The Great King Calms His Anger Chapter 376: Chapter 9 The Great King Calms His Anger Qiu Changtian opened his eyes. He found himself in a tent, where a dozen or so people stood sparsely around him¡­to be exact, both humans and demons were present. The demons all had fur, scales, horns, and feathers; though they had transformed, they intentionally exposed attributes of their true forms with flaunting pride. The humans all had filed faces and tattoos, with rings and studs adorning them, looking even more like demons than the actual demons. Junior Sister Xu stood beside him, looking at him in shocked amazement. He saw that Xu Yinglian, who usually wore plain white robes, had now donned a bright red dress. The color was vivid and striking, with the collar half-open and feather tassels adorning it. The layered skirt was draped in many folds, revealing just the tips of her boots beneath. Her hair too had been drawn up grandly on top of her head, secured with an obsidian hairpin. A dot of cinnabar adorned her forehead between her brows, with two touches of purple adding shadows beneath her eyes, and her lips were painted a passionate fiery red. Her entire temperament had shifted from its usual cold aloofness to something more wild and fiery. Yet Xu Yinglian seemed unaware of the change, staring blankly at Qiu Changtian. Qiu Changtian himself no longer wore the Daoist robes or crown befitting the Chief Disciple of the Foundation Establishment Realm from Kunlun; instead, his black hair hung down softly, streaked with strands of red. His chest was laid bare, revealing broad, muscular flesh. Qiu Changtian¡¯s temperament had also undergone a great change. Where he used to conceal his divine light, subtle yet unrestrained, he now unleashed his dominance completely unrestrained, conveying a sense of fierce authority. Both quickly detected the unusual nature of each other¡¯s attire through their gazes. ¡°Is this an Illusion Domain created by the secret realm?¡± Xu Yinglian asked in a low voice. ¡°Probably,¡± Qiu Changtian said as he surveyed their surroundings, continuously calling out to the Kunlun Mirror in his mind, but receiving no response. Even spatial Formations were incapable of instantly changing a cultivator¡¯s clothes, nor was there any need for such an oddity. The only explanation was that the secret realm had conjured some kind of Illusion Domain, making them play roles. In the past, the trials within the Bright Palace secret realm ranged from battles against a multitude of monsters to escaping pursuit from formidable enemies, as well as some puzzles and analytical trials, even those involving reading and answering questions. But trials involving role-playing in an Illusion Domain were exceedingly rare. According to the analysis of Kunlun¡¯s senior members, such Illusion Domains were generally the most troublesome, because the design objective of the trial was unknown. Many disciples muddled through the narrative, muddled through the trial, and muddled into receiving their reward¡­ But on further thought, not using one¡¯s mind seemed quite pleasant too, just like playing a murder mystery role-playing game. ¡°Xu Qiu, Feng Tong!¡± someone suddenly bellowed in reprimand, ¡°What are you whispering about back there!¡± Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian both started, only then realizing they were being addressed by the roles they were meant to enact. The man who spoke was a muscular bruiser sitting in the chief seat within the tent whose skin below the neck was knotted with muscle, his body covered in tattoos, exuding the terrifying demeanor of a Body Refinement expert that seemed to surge up into the heavens. A name flashed simultaneously in their minds: Zhu Rong! ¡°Your Majesty, please calm your anger!¡± Two people quickly stepped forward in alarm, pulling Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian apart. An old man pulled Qiu Changtian into a corner and began to scold him: ¡°Xu Qiu, oh Xu Qiu, it seems your brain has been infested with lustful thoughts beyond cure! Do you really presume that a person from the Phoenix Clan is someone you, a mere vanguard general, can covet?¡± ¡°After the meeting concludes, I will prepare a generous gift. You will come with me to represent the Xu Family and offer an apology to the Phoenix Clan!¡± Qiu Changtian stood with his mouth half-open, unable to react, and could only dumbly agree. On Xu Yinglian¡¯s end, she was pulled by a similarly vibrantly dressed noblewoman into a corner, who asked seriously: ¡°Feng Tong, what do you mean by that? You can¡¯t seriously be considering marrying a human, can you?¡± Xu Yinglian fell silent. With her extensive knowledge of history, she quickly realized that the Illusion Domain corresponded to the era when the ancient Witch Clan ruled. In that era, both the Human Race and the Demon Race were oppressed by the Witch Clan, so the conflict between them was not acute. It wasn¡¯t until the later part of the ancient times, when the Witch Clan¡¯s powerful ones had either ascended to sainthood or been killed, that the Humans and Demons, having shaken off their shackles, began to engage in increasingly fierce conflicts. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to speak!¡± The lady¡¯s face grew even uglier as she whispered fiercely, ¡°Even if you do wish to marry within the Human Race, at least find someone decent. The Xu Family is nothing but a fallen house of the Southern Kingdom. What about them has caught your eye? Those big lumps of flesh on their chests?¡± She kept prattling on, but Xu Yinglian suddenly came to a chilling realization. She finally understood that the ¡°destitute and beyond redemption¡± Xu Family mentioned by the lady was probably the predecessor of The Xu Family of Southern Heaven. And the Xu Qiu that Qiu Changtian was portraying was none other than the father of the first Xu Family ancestor to receive the Phoenix True Blood! Xu Yinglian turned her head in horror to see that Zhu Rong, who was seated at the head, suddenly slapped the armrest, and the whole chair burst into flames. Sitting atop the blazing throne, his eyes shot out fierce light, and with a voice like rolling thunder, he bellowed, ¡°Enough about those trifling matters! Let¡¯s all talk about how we can defeat Gonggong!¡± ¡°Your Majesty, permit me to fight for you!¡± someone immediately said as they stepped forward with a fist wrapped in the other hand, ¡°Give me the command to muster three thousand troops, and we shall follow the river downstream to meet Gonggong¡¯s forces in the Central Plains!¡± Qiu Changtian squinted at the speaker, spotting the red scales all over his body and the rugged horn on his forehead, clearly of the dragon kind. ¡°Fight your mother¡¯s fart!¡± Zhu Rong snapped off the armrest and threw it at the red dragon, knocking him to the ground, ¡°And you plan to follow the river downstream? Are you trying to let Gonggong unleash the river¡¯s waters to sweep away all my men?¡± The red dragon fled while clutching his head, while the rest twisted their heads away, their faces twitching. Being of the dragon kind and fond of water, he subconsciously chose to fight at the river¡¯s edge or by lakes and seas. However, Gonggong, known as the Water God, had greater control over the Five Elements¡¯ water, far surpassing the dragon kind, and Zhu Rong¡¯s cultivators all leaned towards the Fire System. Undoubtedly, the red dragon¡¯s idea was a terribly bad one. ¡°Your Majesty, please calm your anger,¡± another Witch Clan adviser suggested, ¡°Although General Qin¡¯s strategy is flawed, he has highlighted an important factor¨CGonggong will certainly choose the vicinity of the great river to take full advantage of his water control ability.¡± ¡°Do you think I need you to remind me of that?¡± Zhu Rong snapped off the other armrest and threw it at the Witch Clan adviser who had spoken up, knocking him to the ground as well, cursing, ¡°And I also know that Gonggong will surely start from the river¡¯s estuary, ascend the river all the way to Kunlun!¡± The crowd fell silent. This would make the war difficult to fight. Kunlun is where the Yellow River originates, so if Gonggong wanted to attack Kunlun, he could follow the river all the way there. No matter where Zhu Rong¡¯s forces chose to intercept Gonggong, they would inevitably be near the river, which was rich in water and highly disadvantageous for Zhu Rong¡¯s troops, who were adept at manipulating fire. ¡°Why not take the initiative?¡± another Human cultivator came forward with a suggestion, ¡°Since Gonggong wants us to engage with him by the river, let¡¯s just do the opposite of what he wishes and avoid the river altogether, attacking directly at his lair.¡± Zhu Rong fell silent for a moment, then stood up, picked up the burning chair behind him, and hurled it at the Human cultivator, knocking him to the ground while roaring, Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Gonggong¡¯s lair is in the East Sea; do you fucking want to attack the East Sea directly? If you want to die, don¡¯t drag my people with you!¡± Qiu Changtian said nothing, only stared at the map hanging on the wall, gazing intently for a long while before suddenly speaking, ¡°Why not meet Gonggong in battle at Kunlun?¡± At these words, Zhu Rong suddenly stopped, turned to look at Qiu Changtian for a moment, then threw the remains of the chair aside and reached for a table laden with drinks. ¡°Is Your Majesty afraid?¡± Qiu Changtian suddenly said, smiling. Chapter 377 - Chapter 377: Chapter 10 Junior Sister Xus Poor Acting Skills Chapter 377: Chapter 10 Junior Sister Xu¡¯s Poor Acting Skills ¡°Is the king afraid?¡± In the belligerent life of the Zhurong Clan, nobody had ever spoken such words to him¨Cso much so that everyone began to quietly sneak towards the entrance of the tent, ready to rush out and flee for their lives once Zhurong got into trouble. However, Zhurong merely put down the table he was about to lift, stared blankly at Qiu Changtian for a moment, and said coldly, ¡°Three sentences.¡± ¡°If you can¡¯t persuade me in three sentences, you¡¯d better be ready to be done for!¡± Xu Yinglian frowned imperceptibly, thinking how vulgar Zhurong spoke? Always referring to himself as ¡°your father,¡± as if everyone else was his child. Qiu Changtian was not frightened because he knew the Witch Clan favored body refinement and thus revered a barbaric ethos. Although the language was coarse, it did not mean the other party was truly angry. ¡°The king has already made up his mind, yet he still asks for everyone¡¯s opinion. If it¡¯s not fear, what else could it be?¡± Qiu Changtian spread his hands and laughed, ¡°Gonggong and the king must fight, can¡¯t do it along the big river, and can¡¯t be at the end of the river, the East Sea, so isn¡¯t it necessary to be at its source, the Kunlun Mountains?¡± Zhurong walked over expressionlessly. He was already over nine feet tall, and now looking down high above Qiu Changtian, he seemed even more fierce and intimidating. But Qiu Changtian remained calm and continued, ¡°To meet the enemy near the Bright Palace in Kunlun may seem absurd, but there is some rationale behind it.¡± ¡°Firstly, the terrain of the Kunlun Mountain Range is steep, and although there are big rivers, they are only limited to a few mountain areas.¡± ¡°From the source of the river to the Bright Palace, there is a vast range with no water source, which can effectively restrict the movements of Gonggong¡¯s subordinates.¡± ¡°No water?¡± Zhurong sneered, ¡°Isn¡¯t this sweeping snowstorm water?¡± ¡°Snow and ice are not the same as water,¡± Qiu Changtian replied with a smile, ¡°If the king has the upper hand, he might melt the mountain snow into water sources by attacking with fierce fire on a large scale¡­ but if the king already has the upper hand, why worry about these unfavorable factors?¡± ¡°Gonggong also has divine skills,¡± Zhurong said slowly, ¡°capable of summoning water sources from the world¡¯s lakes and seas to attack.¡± ¡°That is the second advantage,¡± Qiu Changtian said calmly, ¡°The plateau elevates from east to west.¡± ¡°If Gonggong summons water from the east to attack, the water will naturally flow towards the lower land to the east, forcing Gonggong to constantly maintain his divine secret skill, thus diverting much of his attention¡­ Where else on the mainland has such favorable terrain?¡± ¡°Lastly, by meeting the enemy in Kunlun, we all know that the Bright Palace is right behind us, so we have no choice but to fight to the death, with one heart and one mind. On the other hand, Gonggong, having traveled a great distance, crossing most of the Divine Land, will easily be cut off from retreat upon defeat, with all fearing for their lives,¡± Qiu Changtian concluded, ¡°With this, how could Gonggong not be defeated?¡± Zhurong was silent for a long time, then suddenly burst into wild laughter, slapping Qiu Changtian¡¯s shoulder heavily, ¡°Good! Very good! This strategy is brilliant!¡± ¡°It is clearly the king¡¯s own strategy,¡± Qiu Changtian grunted in pain, shaking his head with composure, ¡°I am only here to help the king reaffirm his resolve.¡± Xu Yinglian was shocked to her core. My brother is actually so eloquent? How infuriating! If he had used even half of his talent in flattering Zhurong on me, why would I be mad at him to breaking point? With his flattery subtly delivered, Zhurong indeed began to regard him with increasing approval; this young man was not only talented but also knew how to play along! He turned to the old man and said, ¡°Xu Liancheng, your son is quite capable.¡± ¡°Thanks to the king¡¯s praise,¡± Xu Liancheng immediately bowed and scraped deferentially, grinning, ¡°My unworthy son is crude and uninformed, making unfounded remarks. Please forgive him, great king.¡± Seeing his servile and flattering demeanor, a trace of displeasure flashed in Zhurong¡¯s eyes, but he casually waved his hand, indicating that the others could leave the tent. Next, he would summon his advisors and close ministers to discuss the details of the battle. No sooner had Qiu Changtian left the door than he was grabbed by the neck by Xu Liancheng and dragged to the Phoenix Clan¡¯s side. Xu Yinglian was speaking with a noblewoman when she learned that the noblewoman was in fact the mother of ¡°Feng Tong,¡± the character she was portraying. Though the noblewoman spoke with a sharp and biting tone, Xu Yinglian, with her Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart, could easily hear that she was actually considering Xu Yinglian¡¯s interests at every turn. She immediately soothed her mother with patience, saying, ¡°Mother, you need not worry about me being with a member of the Human Race and facing grievances in the future. First of all, the Xu Family¡¯s influence is not significant, so naturally, they wouldn¡¯t dare to treat their daughter-in-law poorly after the marriage. Xu Qiu is also not a very overbearing person.¡± ¡°Secondly, Xu Qiu has received the king¡¯s appreciation, so his future prospects are boundless. Why should you be preoccupied with his identity as a Human Race member?¡± ¡°If he can achieve merit this time and the king personally grants us marriage, the clan will definitely not have any objections.¡± The noblewoman replied with a sigh, ¡°Otherwise, even if I agree to your union, you still have to get past the clan elders.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mother,¡± Xu Yinglian said with a slight smile, ¡°as long as Mother does not object, we will handle everything that follows.¡± After all, this was only an Illusion Domain. Getting through it was all that mattered. ¡°Eh, Feng Tong,¡± the noblewoman suddenly said in confusion, ¡°you seem much more mature than before. I thought you would throw a tantrum like you used to.¡± Xu Yinglian just smiled without saying a word. She had never been a spy and naturally lacked any professional dedication. What did it matter if ¡°Mother¡± was suspicious? It was merely an Illusion Domain, after all. Qiu Changtian looked on from the side, feeling his blood pressure rising¡­ Is this how you¡¯re supposed to play a character in an Illusion Domain?! So lax! Far too lax! This time, let Senior Brother teach you what ¡°acting¡± really means! He followed Xu Liancheng over quickly and, upon looking up and seeing Xu Yinglian¡¯s face, his own face conveyed a three-part relief of stepping out of a tent, a four-part joy of seeing a lover, and a three-part nervousness of meeting a prospective mother-in-law for the first time. The noblewoman had never seen such a complex yet vivid expression, and for a moment, she was also stunned. Fortunately, Xu Yinglian promptly broke the awkwardness, saying with a smile, ¡°Qiu Ge, have you arrived?¡± This call of ¡°Qiu Ge¡± almost made Qiu Changtian spit blood. What if Feng Tong doesn¡¯t usually address Xu Qiu like that? Wouldn¡¯t that give them away? His gaze swept quickly over the elder and the noblewoman, and seeing no special reaction on their faces, he managed a forced smile. Xu Liancheng, seeing that his son didn¡¯t clamor as usual with something like ¡°I will bring happiness to Feng Tong,¡± also breathed a sigh of relief and quickly said, ¡°Madam Feng, my son has troubled you¡­¡± Before he could finish distancing himself from the matter, he heard Madam Feng speak languidly, ¡°Xu Liancheng, I have no intention of meddling too much in the younger generation¡¯s affairs. I trust my daughter¡¯s judgement in choosing a partner, but convincing me is useless. The key is to persuade our clan.¡± ¡°My son is audaciously overestimating himself, how dare he aspire to marry into nobility¡­¡± Xu Liancheng was still sweating when he heard Madam Feng turn to Qiu Changtian, saying, ¡°Qiu Ge, I¡¯ll just call you that for now.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Based on the Xu Family¡¯s status, it certainly doesn¡¯t match our clan. But since Feng Tong has confidence in you, and just now you managed to impress the king with a few words, your union isn¡¯t entirely hopeless.¡± ¡°If you can distinguish yourself in this war, the king will surely reward you greatly. At that time, you just refuse all other rewards and ask for the king¡¯s grant of marriage. Then the clan will have nothing to say.¡± Qiu Changtian listened silently, surprised in his heart. So the objective to pass the Illusion Domain quest had appeared? Junior Sister Xu¡¯s poor acting skills¨Cunexpectedly, she had actually stumbled upon the key! Chapter 378 - Chapter 378: Chapter 11 Archaeology Makes People Happy Chapter 378: Chapter 11 Archaeology Makes People Happy The Witch Clan¡¯s mode of warfare greatly differs from that of cultivators. In simple terms, if cultivators are more like elite squads engaging in skirmishes, then the Witch Clan is more accustomed to large-scale legion battles¨Csimilar to the warfare of the Demon Race in the Eastern Emperor Realm. Upon reflection, the warfare in the Eastern Emperor Realm was likely inherited from the ancient ways of the Witch Clan. As for the current Daoist sects, although they seem to have adopted more temperate forms of strife and confrontation, the casualty rate has actually not decreased much. It¡¯s just that the pattern of squad-on-squad interception greatly reduces the likelihood of elite disciples being mistakenly killed on the battlefield, which is why the Three Pure Ones and Six Paths have come to accept it. Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian, as cultivators under Zhu Rong, quickly received their corresponding battlefield mission: To intercept the Aquatic Clan under Gonggong¡¯s command. Gonggong¡¯s forces were advancing upstream in the river bend area, but the vanguard had already arrived at Kunlun ahead of time. They were now pushing the frontline forward near the river¡¯s source, clashing with Zhu Rong¡¯s cultivators on both sides. Since the numbers on both sides were not large, it actually reverted to the type of elite interception warfare with which the two of them were familiar. At the river source, both banks were covered in frost, with only the vicinity of the river revealing numerous, jagged grey rocks. A large number of the Aquatic Clan were lurking beneath the river¡¯s surface, intermittently popping up to shoot a few water arrows before swiftly diving back in. The cultivators on Zhu Rong¡¯s side stood on both banks of the river, continuously shooting Daoist magic and Flying Swords at those who surfaced, But unfortunately, most Daoist magic and Flying Swords were of the Fire System, which weakened by a third upon contact with water. Occasionally, some hot-tempered members of the Witch Clan or Demon Race, unable to tolerate the enemy¡¯s reliance on the topographical advantage to hide and seek, would charge into the river and engage them in hand-to-hand combat. But once they entered the water, they were not only restricted in their movements, but also outnumbered. Very quickly, their bodies would float up to the surface, spreading ripples tinged with bright red. Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian watched speechlessly. Which cultivator nowadays doesn¡¯t carry several different Five Elements Attribute magical treasures and Flying Swords? They do it precisely to avoid being countered like this. However, it seems that Zhu Rong¡¯s followers treated the Fire System Daoist magic and Magic Artifacts as a kind of faith, and now they were facing their bane¨Cno wonder Zhu Rong was unwilling to confront Gonggong¡¯s army by the river. ¡°Brother Qiu?¡± Xu Yinglian asked in a low voice. She sure had a way with that casual address¡­ Lost in thought for a moment, Qiu Changtian then said, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Check the Storage Bag,¡± Xu Yinglian reminded him. Qiu Changtian reached to his waist and took out a Flying Sword and a scripture from Xu Qiu¡¯s Storage Bag. The Flying Sword was of the Tenth Rank and Wood System, its surface marked with green wood grain patterns, devoid of a Sword Spirit, with no Daoist Magic sealed within, relying purely on the sword¡¯s own power to kill. It was, in a sense, quite cheap. To his surprise, the scripture was on Thunder Method, and it was about three of the most widely spread thunders among the top ten: Jade Pivot Thunder, Shenxiao Thunder, and Great Hollow Thunder. Jade Pivot Thunder was particularly effective against Nether Ghosts, Shenxiao Thunder was for the Demon Race, and Great Hollow Thunder targeted the Heavenly Demon. In the ancient times when humans had not yet dominated, these were the three kinds of thunder that Thunder Cultivators were most keen on practicing. But in modern times, the transmission of the Thunder Cultivator lineage had almost ceased. Despite searching everywhere, Qiu Changtian had only obtained Jade Pivot Thunder and Shenxiao Thunder from the top three, while Great Hollow Thunder remained traceless¨Cfortunately, now it was finally complete. With this, the first six thunders of the top ten were all collected. Of course, since Xu Qiu¡¯s Storage Bag contained Thunder Method, it at least indicated that he used to attempt practicing it. Qiu Changtian would have no concerns when he used Thunder Method on the battlefield later. As his mind whirled with thoughts and settled on a plan, he saw Xu Yinglian too taking out a red Flying Sword from her Storage Bag. Feather Jia Sword? Qiu Changtian couldn¡¯t help but burst into silent laughter: ¡°Junior Sister, I never expected that the Flying Sword you use now actually comes from the Phoenix Clan¡­ Perhaps it was originally part of the dowry when marrying into the Xu Family.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Xu Yinglian replied contentedly. She then took out a scroll of scripture and, using her Divine Sense, carefully read it for a moment before sighing and saying: ¡°When the Feng Tong ancestor married into the Xu Family, she did not only bring the Feather Jia Sword but also many fire system Daoist Magic of the Phoenix Clan¡­ However, the Xu Family of Southern Heaven has also gone through many catastrophes that led to breaks in lineage, and the main family intertwined with distant branches, resulting in the loss of over eighty percent of the Daoist Magic.¡± ¡°So now it has returned to its rightful owner?¡± Qiu Changtian asked with a smile. ¡°Of course.¡± Xu Yinglian seemed to want to play coy a bit longer, but soon she couldn¡¯t suppress her joy and broke out into delighted laughter. Without rushing to join the battle, the two found a secluded valley nearby while the Zhu Rong cultivators up ahead had yet to discover them, and they began to study and grasp the Daoist Magic from the scripture. Only after that did they hurry to the riverbank and joined the battlefield. Qiu Changtian first condensed Shenxiao Thunder and hurled it straight into the surging river. The Water sprites in the river were mostly members of the Demon Race, and being struck by the Shenxiao Thunder, which especially counters the Demon Race, they immediately became floating corpses on the surface, their life force extinguished. At first, the various factions on the battlefield did not notice, as people were being killed and falling every moment, but soon the Water sprites in the river sensed something was amiss. Their comrades were dying too fast! ¡°There¡¯s a Thunder Cultivator on the riverbank!¡± Panic-stricken warnings spread underwater and with them came an even more fierce counterattack from the Water sprites, aimed at Qiu Changtian on the riverbank. Facing so many sorcery and Divine Skills attacks, Qiu Changtian did not dare to withstand them straightforwardly but instead kept wildly dodging and shifting about, drawing the attention of the Water sprites in the river. Xu Yinglian took the opportunity to find a secluded corner on the opposite side of the river and began to form a spell with her hands. Suddenly, a glint of gold flashed in her eyes¨Cnot the cold gold of the Dragon Clan, but a bright, seemingly burning, resplendent gold, and then she exhaled fire from her mouth and nose. The Great Bright Fire this time did not erupt in a carpet bomb as before but concentrated into a thin line, shooting straight into the turbulent river. In just a few breaths, the surrounding river water began to boil violently! The superheated steam created by the violent vaporization became countless fiercely colliding bubbles, pushed along by the current towards the downstream, quickly scalding the bodies of the Water sprites. Most of these Water sprites belonged to the Scaled Clan and the Kun Race; the moment the bubbles grazed their bodies, their scales melted into fluid, and their shells rapidly dried and cracked. Then, the unbearable high temperature invaded their insides, and even the physically strong members of the Demon Race could not withstand such intense ¡°Fire Damage,¡± floating up as corpses from beneath the water soon after. The onslaught from both sides of the river continued, but soon the cultivators under Zhu Rong realized something was off on the battlefield. The Water sprites were dying too quickly, their offensive rapidly weakening, soon fading into silence. A curious member of the Witch Clan, eyeing the roiling, surging bubbles in the river, couldn¡¯t help but reach his hand into the water out of curiosity. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°So hot!¡± The moment he touched the bubble, he instinctively withdrew his hand and cried out in shock. If one of Zhu Rong¡¯s Witch Clan members found it ¡°too hot,¡± just how fearsome could the fire system Daoist Magic that caused it be? Everyone looked apprehensively at the countless bubbles in the river for a moment, then couldn¡¯t help but look around, wondering which cultivator had unleashed such a powerful spell. However, Qiu Changtian had already met up with Xu Yinglian upstream, and the two of them left the scene with grace. Illusion Domain NPCs that couldn¡¯t be used to grind Synchronization Value held no desire for Qiu Changtian to show off! Chapter 379 - Chapter 379: Chapter 12: Can We Propose Again? Chapter 379: Chapter 12: Can We Propose Again? ¡°Well done, you did well!¡± Upon hearing that victory was secured on all more than ten battlefields, Zhu Rong was also full of pride and joy, laughing uproariously as he patted Qiu Changtian on the shoulder. Qiu Changtian silently smiled and casually swallowed an elixir, stabilizing the fracture in his shoulder. ¡°A father who sees his son¡¯s accomplishments must reward him. What reward do you want, boy? Speak freely,¡± Zhu Rong asked with a benevolent expression. ¡°Please grant me and Feng Tong your blessing to marry!¡± Qiu Changtian immediately seized the opportunity. Xu Yinglian, standing beside him, had a complex expression and couldn¡¯t help but recall the time her master wanted to arrange a marriage for her. Back then, her senior brother had stubbornly refused, as if he couldn¡¯t care less about her. Even now, in this illusion domain, her senior brother¡¯s response was far better than it had been back then¡­ At that thought, a peculiar sorrow spontaneously welled up inside her heart. ¡°Feng Tong?¡± Seeing her expression was amiss and seemingly filled with sadness, Zhu Rong asked in a low voice. ¡°Please make a decision for us,¡± Xu Yinglian quickly concealed her thoughts and slightly bowed in respect. Regardless, they still had to get through this illusion domain task. Zhu Rong fell silent for a moment, apparently misunderstanding something, then suddenly said: ¡°Xu Qiu, marriages between the Human Race and Demon Race are indeed rare. And since she¡¯s from the Phoenix Clan, you should also be aware of the immense pressure her clan places on her.¡± ¡°If you cannot dispel her worries and give her enough security, even if you use your achievements to force me to grant your marriage, I still won¡¯t agree.¡± Qiu Changtian: ??? Seeing his bewildered face, Zhu Rong immediately flew into a rage and slapped his shoulder again: ¡°What¡¯s with the dilly-dallying? Act like a man! Don¡¯t you know what a woman wants?¡± Qiu Changtian, keeping a straight face, swallowed another elixir for his fractured bone, and said: ¡°Please enlighten me, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Get out!¡± Zhu Rong said, exasperated. Qiu Changtian had no choice but to leave the tent with Xu Yinglian, the former remaining silent and the latter not uttering a word. After a long while, Xu Yinglian took the initiative to speak: ¡°It was my fault for not controlling my emotions, leading to his misunderstanding.¡± ¡°But why did Junior Sister suddenly become emotional?¡± Qiu Changtian asked kindly. Xu Yinglian did not answer, only hanging her head low, her expression seeming gloomy. Qiu Changtian, after all, was quite astute, and after mulling over the recent events, he guessed that his junior sister was upset because of the forced marriage their master had arranged in the past. This Junior Sister Xu¡­ sigh, so headstrong! Well, as the senior brother, I should be more accommodating. So, he said in a soft voice: ¡°If that¡¯s the case, we could simply start over.¡± ¡°Start over?¡± Xu Yinglian was somewhat taken aback. ¡°Feng Tong,¡± Qiu Changtian then took her delicate hand and said passionately, ¡°Marry me.¡± Xu Yinglian immediately became furiously angry, grabbing her senior brother¡¯s cheek and said fiercely: ¡°How dare you treat me with such disrespect, Senior Brother?¡± ¡°Cough.¡± Qiu Changtian struggled to break free, thinking that a direct marriage proposal like this was indeed too aggressive and abrupt for the women of this world. He earnestly said, ¡°I was too abrupt, Junior Sister. But what I meant was, if we could start over, I would ask Master to initiate the marriage proposal to the Xu Family of Southern Heaven myself.¡± This straightforward confession was so potent that Xu Yinglian¡¯s cheeks flushed instantly. She quickly turned away in a panic, not allowing Qiu Changtian to see the expression on her face, and muttered: ¡°That wasn¡¯t what I meant.¡± ¡°Okay then,¡± Qiu Changtian said nonchalantly. ¡°Junior Sister, what are you trying to imply? As your senior brother, could I be unaware?¡± ¡°Just keep being stubborn then!¡± The two of them then turned to look for the temporary commander in the camp area, who was Zhu Rong¡¯s eighteenth grandson, a member of the Witch Clan with a bulky frame, and an ever-present smile on his face, very different from those witches who seemed to think only with their muscles. ¡°I heard that the two of you are going to get married?¡± the other party asked with a cheerful smile, ¡°That¡¯s good news. Nowadays, under Bright Palace, the conflicts among Humans, Demons, and Witches are increasing, and although the king can suppress them with his prestige, it¡¯s not a permanent solution.¡± ¡°If everyone could set aside racial prejudices and unite like you two, the king would also have much less to worry about,¡± he said with a mix of sincerity and flattery. Qiu Changtian didn¡¯t bother with his veiled flattery and simply asked: ¡°Is there a mission that needs to be completed?¡± ¡°There are indeed a few missions left unclaimed. If no one takes them soon, the king will have to assign them by military decree.¡± ¡°Let me see them.¡± Qiu Changtian took the list, selected a few missions, and asked Xu Yinglian: ¡°How about it?¡± ¡°I have no objections,¡± Xu Yinglian replied softly. ¡°Then let¡¯s depart,¡± Qiu Changtian decided. As a result, Xu Yinglian became even more gloomy and despondent. She didn¡¯t understand why she felt this way; she had been resistant to this marriage herself initially, but now the thought of her senior brother¡¯s rejection still unconsciously made her uncomfortable. Moreover, her senior brother hadn¡¯t realized it yet, and even deliberately asked her ¡°How about I propose once more, would that be okay?¡± How am I supposed to respond to that as the girl¡¯s family? Do I have no shame left? No more thinking! The more I think, the angrier I get! They came to another segment of the river, where no cultivators from the Zhu Rong family were present, only the turbulent and surging river currents. Qiu Changtian looked towards the river surface, where the waves churned ceaselessly; it was unknown whether enemies from the Gonggong camp were lying in ambush below. The mission they took this time was to scout the enemy situation here¨Calthough the cultivators who had come before them had reported no enemy sightings, command at the front lines was still not entirely reassured, so Xu Qiu and others came here to confirm. Qiu Changtian released his Divine Sense, scanning the water below. Hmm, there were no traces of demons detected. Ordinary cultivators might be deceived, but Qiu Changtian knew that there were many bizarre secret techniques and Divine Skills capable of misleading and obfuscating Divine Sense, so he mentally said: ¡°Ah Jing, help me scan!¡± Kunlun Mirror still didn¡¯t respond, but Xu Yinglian was already struggling with impatience. She simply pinched a Daoist Formula and expelled a thread of fire from her mouth, which shot towards the river with intensity. Most fire system Daoist magic is characterized by being extremely violent and untamable, scattering quickly upon deployment, burning everything in its path. However, the ¡°Crimson Feather Nine Phoenix Fire¡± passed down through the bloodlines of the Phoenix Clan was naturally easy to control, moving as the will dictates, as handy as one¡¯s own limbs. Xu Yinglian compressed it in her meridians, turning it into a very fine thread of fire that not only made it hard for the enemy to detect and avoid but also increased its power several times over. If one disregards the evil-vanquishing, curse-dispelling characteristics of Great Bright Fire, Crimson Feather Nine Phoenix Fire was clearly superior in lethality. The thread of fire penetrated the river, and almost instantly, the entire river seemed to boil, as if in a giant cauldron on the stove. Even more terrifying was that within the boiling water, countless tumbling bubbles contained the intense heat of ¡°water-fire conflicting energy,¡± even a touch would rot the flesh and peel the skin of demons! Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Sure enough, without much delay, the bodies of members of the Aquatic Clan floated to the surface, looking like they belonged to the shrimp and crab varieties from the Kun Race. They had been hiding in the riverbed¡¯s silt but floated up after being cooked by the high temperatures, their shells completely reddened. ¡°Hmph!¡± Xu Yinglian, bristling with murderous intent, glanced sideways at Qiu Changtian, ¡°It¡¯s done, let¡¯s move on to the next mission!¡± Her gaze seemed as if it wanted to roast him as well. Qiu Changtian chuckled awkwardly a few times, thinking to himself that in the future he would need to procure a Magical Treasure that could counter fire system magic. Otherwise, as Junior Sister Xu¡¯s fire system Daoist magic continued to grow in number and strength, if his identity were ever to be revealed, wouldn¡¯t he be chased to the ends of the earth and burnt to a crisp with all sorts of True Fire? Chapter 380 - Chapter 380: Chapter 13 Really Cute Chapter 380: Chapter 13 Really Cute In the following days, ¡°Xu Qiu¡± and ¡°Feng Tong¡± wandered all over the Kunlun Mountain Range, annihilating all the encroaching Aquatic Clan members they encountered. Of course, this was ultimately just an Illusion Domain. If these were the Zhu Rong clan from history, their average cultivation level would likely be at least Nascent Soul, with those not at Golden Core not even qualifying to be cannon fodder. But within this Illusion Domain, all cultivators had their cultivation levels compressed to the ¡°Foundation Establishment Realm¡±, and with his and Xu Yinglian¡¯s far superior strength relative to their peers, they naturally swept through with ease. But his junior sister was a bit too brute force about it, vomiting out the Crimson Feather Nine Phoenix Fire upon encountering rivers, steaming all the Aquatic Clan in them. Normally, river environments were supposed to counter the Fire System¡­ Qiu Changtian also knew why she was angry, knowing that women in this respect often act on emotion, without any regard for reason. He could only wait for her to vent and cool off before finding an opportunity to coax her. After eliminating several river channels, Xu Yinglian¡¯s mood significantly improved. His junior sister¡¯s personality was still very straightforward; as long as she won, she was happy, whether it was a sparring or real combat. ¡°Junior sister,¡± Qiu Changtian gauged that the time was right and suddenly called out. ¡°What?¡± Xu Yinglian replied irritably. ¡°Why do you think Feng Tong was willing to marry Xu Qiu?¡± Qiu Changtian asked with a light smile. ¡°In terms of strength or background, Feng Tong was not weaker than Xu Qiu, right?¡± Without a second thought, Xu Yinglian responded: ¡°What kind of question is brother asking? It¡¯s naturally because of love.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Qiu Changtian feigned realization. ¡°So, it means that when Feng Tong first met Xu Qiu, she didn¡¯t understand him, and with such a great disparity in status and background, she likely had no thoughts about him.¡± ¡°As time went by and they grew closer, when the relationship deepened, she would have cast aside all those considerations she had originally.¡± ¡°What are you trying to say, brother?¡± Xu Yinglian instinctively asked, then immediately realized. Brother meant that ¡°when he first met her,¡± ¡°he did not understand her,¡± and since she was from The Xu Family of Southern Heaven, with a ¡°great disparity in status and background,¡± that¡¯s why brother had ¡°no thoughts¡± about her. As for now, naturally, it was ¡°after spending days together,¡± their ¡°emotions had deepened.¡± So her previously sullen mood melted away like snow beside a river, washed away swiftly, her whole being feeling much more relaxed. Ah, brother¡¯s hidden meaning, I¡¯m afraid only I, who has such a rapport with him, could understand instantly, our hearts beating as one. Seeing the beautifully clear and radiant smile finally return to Xu Yinglian¡¯s face, Qiu Changtian secretly felt pleased with himself. So easily sorted out, truly adorable, my junior sister. As the two of them were exchanging tender glances, suddenly a roar that shook the heavens and earth exploded from afar. Immediately after, the ground shook and the mountains quaked! Qiu Changtian swiftly pulled out his Flying Sword, enveloping Xu Yinglian in its Sword Light as he shot upwards quickly. Almost at the same moment, the spot where they had been standing was inundated by the surging river waters. Together on the Flying Sword, Xu Yinglian and Qiu Changtian saw that below them, rolled billowing waves, an expansive flood, submerging vast areas of the Kunlun Mountain Range¡¯s river valleys. For a moment, she even overlooked the fact that her senior brother was holding her in his arms, and exclaimed in shock: ¡°Is this Gonggong¡¯s Divine Skill? The ability to mobilize the water from all five lakes and four seas?¡± ¡°It seems so,¡± Qiu Changtian said solemnly. He saw that in the direction of the Kunlun Palace, a giant figure rose from the ground. It was the true form of Zhu Rong, invoking the Law of Heaven and Earth, with three heads and six arms, fiery red hair and blood-red pupils, bellowing into the distance. Where his roar passed, flames sprang from nowhere, growing rapidly with the wind. Eventually, they turned into a boundless sea of fire, sweeping over the continuously surging Aquatic Clan. Qiu Changtian looked out to find that the entire expanse above the Kunlun Mountain Range was engulfed in a sea of flames, countless mountains rapidly shrinking away. ¡°` It wasn¡¯t just the ice at the top that was melting; even the rocky mountains below were being burned and melted layer by layer! If the Kunlun Taiqing Sect were to be struck by this sea of fire, they would definitely have to activate their Protective Sect Array, and it¡¯s still uncertain if they could withstand it¡­ Only by asking Chi Song Immortal to take action would it suffice. Sure enough, in the huge tide surging from the east, a giant with flowing beard and hair suddenly stood up. The giant roared too, and the tide at his feet instantly rose dozens of feet, turning into a tsunami and wave that held back the boundless fire¡¯s assault. ¡°Zhu Rong!¡± the giant bellowed as he charged through the waves, crossing several miles within a few steps and aiming a heavy punch straight at Zhu Rong¡¯s chest. ¡°Gong Gong!¡± Zhu Rong caught his punch with a backhand, and the two giants grappled with each other¡¯s arms, standing amid the surrounding mountains fracturing and the earth splitting. Next to the two were endless seas of fire and towering waves violently colliding by the sides of the giants, soon creating a vast amount of high-temperature mist, and who knows how many cultivators nearby were steamed to death. When immortals battle, mortals suffer. Qiu Changtian did not dare to be careless within the Illusion Domain and quickly maneuvered his sword light to distance himself from the battlefield. ¡°Senior brother, look quickly!¡± Xu Yinglian called out again, ¡°The tide is continuously receding!¡± Qiu Changtian took a closer look and indeed saw that the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers, originating from the Kunlun Mountain Range, had risen by an unknown multiple, and were now pouring toward the Divine Land in the east with terrifying ferocity. Although he was within the Illusion Domain, he couldn¡¯t help but think that the people of the Divine Land would likely suffer because of this. ¡°That¡¯s why in the real history that came later, there was the story of Da Yu managing the waters,¡± Xu Yinglian casually noted. ¡°You are truly deserving of being my junior sister,¡± Qiu Changtian exclaimed, ¡°I didn¡¯t even think of that!¡± Xu Yinglian then showed an extremely proud expression. The two giants battled for an unknown length of time until finally, it ended with Gong Gong¡¯s strength failing and him being forced to retreat. Zhu Rong, however, was not willing to let him off so easily, he just roared towards the sky, then, along with his cultivator followers, pursued Gong Gong to the east. Wait, what about the promised marriage? Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian were both somewhat dumbfounded, but as the cultivators left the Kunlun Mountain Range, the Illusion Domain quickly collapsed and dissipated. When they opened their eyes again, they realized they were lying on the floor of the palace. ¡°Guan Shui!¡± the Kunlun Mirror finally called out, ¡°You¡¯re back at last!¡± ¡°What happened to me just now?¡± Qiu Changtian asked in confusion. In the Illusion Domain, no matter how he called, the Kunlun Mirror had not responded. ¡°You were lost in an out-of-body experience,¡± Kunlun Mirror sighed, ¡°I have no idea where you went.¡± ¡°I told you they would be fine,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword said carelessly, laughing as it spoke. After consoling the Kunlun Mirror a little, Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian helped each other stand up. This place seemed to be a corridor within the Bright Palace, where the walls on both sides were adorned with various vividly painted murals depicting Great Shamans, red dragons, phoenixes, and many human race cultivators, diligently studying the Tao beneath the Kunlun Palace. The next mural depicted the Aquatic Clan attacking from the East Sea, flooding the Divine Land and casting countless lives into catastrophe. Qiu Changtian was amazed as he walked forward, holding Xu Yinglian¡¯s hand, and then they saw the next mural, depicting Zhu Rong and Gong Gong fiercely battling in the Kunlun Mountain Range, almost causing the heavens to collapse and the earth to split. Especially the terrifying sight of the sea of fire and the huge waves colliding, the two who had truly witnessed it in the Illusion Domain, couldn¡¯t help but feel a resurgence of fear. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only The last mural was of Zhu Rong leading his disciples of the Bright Palace, chasing across thousands of miles eastward. Gong Gong, having no way out after his defeat, angrily collided with Mount Bu Zhou with his head, causing the Heavenly Dome to collapse. In the end, Nuwa took the Five-Colored Stones for refinement, mended the sky¡¯s fissure, and cut off the legs of the giant turtle to use as pillars for the four corners of the world, propping up the collapsed Heavenly Dome. After viewing the mural¡¯s little story, at the end of the corridor, they saw a vial of Elixir placed on a table. ¡°` Chapter 381 - Chapter 381: Chapter 14 Phoenix Immortal, Bloodline Awakening Chapter 381: Chapter 14 Phoenix Immortal, Bloodline Awakening Ordinary elixir bottles are mostly made of porcelain, and belong to the Earth element among the Five Elements. Some elixirs, due to their Five Elements Attribute, can¡¯t be stored in porcelain vials, and are often placed in small jade or wooden bottles instead. But the elixir bottle in front of the two at this moment was neither porcelain, jade, nor wood. It was made of bone. Ordinary animal bones, of course, could not contain the spiritual energy of elixirs. This must be the bone of a demon with significant cultivation progress¨Cindeed, it was said that the ancient Witch Clan liked to extract trophies from the corpses of their enemies. After Qiu Changtian confirmed there were no traps, he reached out, picked up the elixir bottle, and probed inside with his divine sense. Then he revealed a shocked expression. ¡°Brother, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Xu Yinglian took the elixir bottle, opened the lid, and looked inside. She saw four characters engraved inside: Harmony in Union. This thing was clearly a gift for newlyweds. So, how could it appear here in Bright Palace? Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian looked at each other for a moment, both with indescribable odd expressions on their faces. If this was prepared by Zhu Rong for them, it would be too far-fetched¡­ Perhaps it was prepared for the original Xu Qiu and Feng Tong. Inside the elixir bottle, there were two amber pills, with their spiritual energy contained within, making it hard to discern their type. Thus, Qiu Changtian carefully stored the elixirs, then he and Xu Yinglian searched for the exit of the Pavilion together. Before long, both finally left the ruins. The Ziwei Sect Leader was waiting at the entrance; seeing his two disciples emerge, he quickly stepped forward and asked, ¡°How did it go?¡± ¡°We found an elixir bottle,¡± Qiu Changtian honestly replied, taking out the elixir bottle from his sleeve and handing it to his master. The Ziwei Sect Leader didn¡¯t reach to take it, but simply glanced at it indifferently with his divine sense: ¡°A wedding gift?¡± Qiu Changtian: ¡­¡­¡­ Xu Yinglian: ¡­¡­¡­ The two had not expected that their Sect Leader could also be so off-key. How could something taken from Bright Palace be a wedding gift for us! ¡°The pills inside are Nine Revolutions Vermilion Phoenix Pills, refined with Phoenix True Blood,¡± the Ziwei Sect Leader said leisurely, ¡°Taking them can be equated to seventy years of Refining Mansion Cultivation.¡± ¡°Seventy years?!¡± Xu Yinglian immediately got startled and blurted out in surprise, ¡°Phoenix True Blood can be used to make elixirs?¡± She had only known that the Phoenix True Blood was passed down from generation to generation within the Xu Family of Southern Heaven, but did not know that this blood could also be used for alchemy. If someone coveted the Xu Family bloodline because of this, what should they do? A Purple Mansion secret medicine of seventy years! Even major sects such as Kunlun and Shushan would not take it lightly! ¡°This is an elixir unique to the Phoenix Clan,¡± the Ziwei Sect Leader said unperturbed, ¡°It requires a phoenix with extremely profound cultivation to consume some of its vital essence blood for refinement, and it¡¯s highly treasured even within the Phoenix Clan.¡± ¡°It is said that this pill also has another more important effect, which is to rejuvenate the bloodline, beneficial for reproduction. After all, high-rank demon races like phoenixes exhaust much more in the propagation of their bloodline compared to common demons, and in severe cases, it may even cost them their lifespan.¡± ¡°Therefore, only the direct descendants of high-ranking phoenixes can receive such a pill from their elders when they marry.¡± Having said that, the Ziwei Sect Leader waved his horsetail whisk and said: ¡°The fact that you acquired this in Bright Palace means you two are fated with it, better to take it sooner rather than later.¡± Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian were no fools and immediately understood the hidden meaning behind their master¡¯s words. What does ¡°fated with it¡± mean? Clearly, he¡¯s saying this pill is too precious and is advising us to take it quickly before other Kunlun Elders become aware and offer various even more precious treasures in exchange, making it difficult to decline then! Upon this reflection, seeing the gaze of Kunlun Cultivators already turning his way, Qiu Changtian immediately poured out the Elixirs and without any hesitation, popped them into his mouth. Xu Yinglian was half a beat slow to react, but with her senior brother demonstrating so personally, how could she not understand and hurriedly swallowed the Elixir as well. The two of them sat down on the spot to Refine the medicine¡¯s potency, while the Ziwei Master stood calmly beside, thinking to himself that he indeed had not misjudged them. Not only was Qiu Changtian¡¯s natural talent for cultivation stronger than Xu Yinglian¡¯s, but in crucial moments, his insight and decisiveness were also superior. There had been Elders in the Sect who had joked with him in casual conversation, saying he was the ¡°dual genius of the Sect¡±, implying that deciding who would take over the position of Sect Leader in the future would be a difficult choice. But in his view, there simply was no choice to be made. Before long, a Kunlun Elder who had received the news hurried over and seeing both disciples sitting down Refining the potency of the medicine, smiled and asked, ¡°Sect Leader, what did they obtain from the Bright Palace?¡± ¡°Merely two Nine Revolutions Vermilion Phoenix Pills.¡± The Ziwei Master answered. ¡°Nine Revolutions Vermilion Phoenix Pills!¡± The eyes of the Kunlun Elder lit up, then he expressed regret, ¡°What a pity. If they were still available, I would have been willing to exchange them for the Heavenly Star Brilliance Divine Needle.¡± ¡°You were actually willing to part with that?¡± The Ziwei Master raised his eyebrows in surprise, ¡°That is a secret treasure of your lineage!¡± ¡°However precious the secret treasure, it cannot withstand the needs of my Direct Disciple for Core Formation,¡± sighed the Kunlun Elder, ¡°Of course, his talent is not a match for these two disciples of yours.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve put in a lot of effort as well.¡± The Ziwei Master said with a sigh. After a few more casual exchanges, the Ziwei Master confirmed that the Kunlun Elder was in fact serious about exchanging the Heavenly Star Brilliance Divine Needle for the Purple Mansion Secret Medicine. Needle-type Magical Treasures are not only stealthy in attack but also come with defense-breaking capabilities. However, most are malicious tools of the Demonic Path that require the Cultivator to refine impure Qi to activate. As for the Heavenly Star Brilliance Divine Needle, it is one of the rare needle-type treasures that can be propelled purely by Daoist True Qi, and with lethality at the peak level, it is equally useful even in the hands of Immortals. Its value even surpasses that of the Purple Mansion Secret Medicine that has been seasoned for seventy years. After all, Purple Mansion Secret Medicine is only meaningful to low-rank Cultivators who have not yet undergone Core Formation. The formidable power of the Heavenly Star Brilliance Divine Needle is so strong that it could serve as the protective treasure of a small Sect, passed down through generations. It was precisely because such decisions were too agonizing that the Ziwei Master had his disciples hurriedly consume the Purple Mansion Secret Medicine, to avoid difficult deliberations and reluctance later on. Qiu Changtian, engrossed in Refining the medicine¡¯s power, was completely unaware of the conversation between his master and the Kunlun Elder, focusing solely on circulating the Qi Sea within him. Inside the Qi Sea, a small Phoenix made of fresh blood was desperately flapping its wings, struggling to break free from the constraints of the surrounding True Yuan. Unfortunately, Qiu Changtian¡¯s True Yuan was refined from the Immortal Sect¡¯s secret techniques, robust and far stronger than ordinary Daoist True Yuan. Therefore, no matter how the blood Phoenix struggled, it couldn¡¯t break free. Suddenly, a little head poked out from within the Qi Sea and bit fiercely onto the Phoenix¡¯s wing. The opponent let out a piteous cry and then allowed Qiu Changtian¡¯s True Yuan to completely bind it before being dragged into the depths of the Dantian to be Refined. The one who had intervened at the critical moment was the drop of Essence Blood given to him by Ying Long, which had transformed into a mini-version of Ying Long. It was also the key vessel used by the character Long Long to maintain the Dragon Clan¡¯s bloodline. ¡°All is well,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said satisfactorily, ¡°With the aid of this Nine Revolutions Vermilion Phoenix Pill, the Phoenix Bloodline has now been fully inscribed.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Qiu Changtian also breathed a sigh of relief. Being able to gain the talent of the Phoenix Bloodline ahead of time without the need for Dual Cultivation with his junior sister was naturally for the best. But what then, is the corresponding character template this time? ¡°Maternal love,¡± answered the Kunlun Mirror, ¡°The Phoenix that provided the raw material for the Nine Revolutions Vermilion Phoenix Pill seemed to be a mother who holds her offspring in very high esteem.¡± Qiu Changtian:¡­¡­¡­ I don¡¯t want this talent, and cross-dressing is absolutely out of the question! Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only He opened his eyes just in time to meet Xu Yinglian¡¯s gaze as she finished Refining her medicine. In her sister¡¯s dark pupils, a faint golden sparkle flashed by and then quickly dissipated without a trace. ¡°Junior Sister!¡± Qiu Changtian said excitedly, ¡°Could it be you¡­¡± Xu Yinglian was momentarily startled but quickly curved her lips, concealing the joy that was about to show, and calmly said, ¡°Yes, I have awakened.¡± Chapter 382 - Chapter 382: Chapter 15 Returning to My Maternal Home, Ancestors Teachings Chapter 382: Chapter 15 Returning to My Maternal Home, Ancestor¡¯s Teachings Junior Sister Xu¡¯s awakening was definitely that of the Phoenix Bloodline. The Phoenix Bloodline has been passed down through the generations in the Xu Family of Southern Heaven, but not all cultivators can awaken it. Firstly, the bloodline strength of Xu Family cultivators naturally varies; some have a more pronounced Phoenix Bloodline, while others have a more diluted one. It specifically involves the principle of devouring the bloodline of the Demon Race. In any case, it is said that when little Ying Lian was born, her pupils opened to reveal bright golden doughnut-shaped iris, a clear sign of a strong and latent Phoenix Bloodline¨Cit only returned to normal after three days. As for her Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart, it was not awakened until she was seven years old. With double talents in one body, she was meant to be the most dazzling genius of Kunlun, but unfortunately she met a guy with perfect Daoist Heart Clarity, who overshadowed much of her brilliance. Now that the Phoenix Bloodline has fully awakened, Xu Yinglian could finally hold her head high and feel invigorated. She felt like she had made a huge leap forward on the path to catching up with her Senior Brother. Outside the secret realm of Bright Palace at that moment, Qiu Changtian saw that quite a few cultivators had passed the trials and were returning to the outside. Some had a calm and easy demeanor, clearly having acquired good treasures from within. Others were clearly pretending to be calm, their gains apparently not meeting their expectations. However, Kunlun cultivators emphasize cultivating one¡¯s mental state, and emotions should not be shown, so they forced themselves to hide it. Someone like Junior Sister Xu, who got angry when she lost and happy when she won, was almost a rare species in Kunlun. How adorable! Back at Golden Ridge Cave Abode, before they could settle down, Qing Yang True Person Xu Changqing, having received a transmission from his teacher, immediately flew over with his sword after leaving the secret realm. ¡°Ying Lian, have you awakened your Phoenix Bloodline?¡± asked Qing Yang True Person with more joy than one could imagine. ¡°Yes, Great-Grandfather,¡± said Xu Yinglian proudly. ¡°Very good, very good,¡± said Qing Yang True Person with a smile, ¡°the family should receive the news soon, too. If you both have some free time recently, you¡¯d better go back to the family for a visit.¡± Xu Yinglian then put away her smile and said earnestly, ¡°Great-Grandfather, if the family just wants to hold some ceremony for the sake of vanity, I think it¡¯s unnecessary. Senior Brother wouldn¡¯t like it either.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not for vanity,¡± said Qing Yang True Person seriously. ¡°All Xu Family cultivators who have truly awakened their Phoenix Bloodline must return to the family shrine¨Cthis is a teaching left by our ancestors.¡± ¡°Alright then.¡± Since it was a teaching from her ancestors, Xu Yinglian had no reason to refuse. After all, descendants from prominent families in this era were typically imbued with a strong sense of family responsibility. ¡°Zhang Tian,¡± Qing Yang True Person turned his gaze, ¡°you should accompany Ying Lian back, too. The family elders have prepared a little gift.¡± ¡°Why bother with a gift? My intention was to accompany Junior Sister back anyway,¡± Qiu Changtian said with a smile. Of course, he was indeed just planning to accompany his wife back to her parental home, and not interested in whatever little gift her family had prepared. So, after a short rest, the two resumed sword flying towards the southeast direction. Sword Control was a technique that could cover a thousand miles in a day, and they soon arrived at the Xu Family of Southern Heaven, landing in the family territory. Since this time it wasn¡¯t about exploring any secret realms, Qiu Changtian was quite leisurely and relaxed. While Xu Yinglian went to the family shrine, he stayed outside in the courtyard, playing with a gaggle of chattering Xu Family children. ¡°Son-in-law!¡± One of the six- or seven-year-old boys called out, ¡°I heard that you broke the Immortal Slaying Sword Formation of the Intercepting Cult in the East Sea?¡± ¡°It was the Demon Cult¡¯s Immortal Slaying Sword Formation,¡± Qiu Changtian corrected him. If it had been an intact Immortal Slaying Sword Formation laid by a great power of the Intercepting Cult, he would have been obliterated the moment he entered, okay? ¡°The Demon Cult is the Intercepting Cult!¡± the naive boy exclaimed. So, Qiu Changtian had no choice but to educate everyone that the current Six Paths of the Demon Cult were indeed the Demon Cult, and it was not the same thing as the original Intercepting Cult from the past. ¡°` Strictly speaking, aside from the Eastern Emperor Path and Asura Path, the other four paths are just new sects founded by the disciples and descendants of the Intercepting Cult. If we were to talk about lineage inheritance, even the Clarify Cult would be closer to the Intercepting Cult. However, children are not interested in lengthy discussions; they only knew that Uncle Qiu shattered the Immortal Slaying Sword Formation, which is the most formidable sword array under the heavens. Rounded up, that means Uncle Qiu is the most formidable under the heavens. ¡°Uncle, can we take you as our master?¡± a few boys immediately surrounded him, clamoring noisily, looking like they would kneel and bow in respect the moment Qiu Changtian nodded his consent. ¡°I no longer take disciples,¡± Qiu Changtian also realized his mistake; what¡¯s the use of reasoning with little kids? He deflected casually, ¡°Unless Xu Yinglian agrees to take you as disciples, that would be a different story.¡± As everyone knows, you can¡¯t outright reject a child¡¯s request, because once they realize they have no other choice, they will badger you persistently, until you give in. But if you deploy the technique of shifting blame and tell them only so-and-so can fulfill their wishes, they¡¯ll start exerting effort in that direction, even if it¡¯s actually futile. As for whether Junior Sister Xu could handle these kids, Qiu Changtian had full confidence¨Cshe just needed to put on that ice-queen face of hers, and even adults would be frightened off. However, the kids seemed to also know that Xu Yinglian was not easy to deal with, and a boy raised an objection, voicing his doubt: ¡°But, since Missus Xu married you, shouldn¡¯t she listen to you? Uncle, could it be that you are afraid of your wife?¡± Missus Xu, what the heck is that! Qiu Changtian wanted to scoff at the title, although he knew that by seniority, Xu Yinglian¡¯s status was indeed quite high. ¡°After we got married, we treat each other with mutual respect, as equals, and there¡¯s no issue of who listens to whom or who is afraid of whom,¡± Qiu Changtian decided to persistently shift the focus and let them bother Junior Sister Xu instead. ¡°That sounds so nice.¡± A girl nearby innocently said, ¡°I also want to marry Uncle.¡± The other girls immediately glared at her, causing her to feel as if frightened, and before long, her eyes welled up with tears. ¡°Hahaha.¡± Qiu Changtian naturally would not bother with the child¡¯s unguarded words, and simply laughed as he said to her, ¡°Thank you. But I am already married to Ying Lian, so whatever you just said, I didn¡¯t hear a thing.¡± This was also his honest feeling: Qiu Changtian belonged to Xu Yinglian and naturally could not be with any other woman. Therefore, the girls around sighed in admiration, yet with a tinge of regret. The boys, however, weren¡¯t as thoughtful and were about to continue the topic of becoming disciples when suddenly, they saw Xu Yinglian turning around the corner from the opposite side and immediately dispersed in timidity. ¡°Junior Sister, you¡¯re finished so quickly?¡± Qiu Changtian stood up in surprise. ¡°Mm.¡± Xu Yinglian nodded, ¡°It was just for me to look at our ancestral teachings.¡± ¡°Ancestral teachings?¡± ¡°Our ancestor Xu Qiu married Feng Tong back then, allowing the Phoenix bloodline to flow within our clan,¡± Xu Yinglian said indifferently, ¡°Later, neither of them succeeded in becoming immortals, and after their passing, they were buried behind the hills of the clan¡¯s estate.¡± ¡°In the later ages of antiquity, humans and the Demon Race broke off relations. Someone unworthy in our clan dug up Feng Tong¡¯s grave, took all the scripture scrolls and magical treasures, planning to smuggle them out and sell, but thereafter vanished without a trace.¡± ¡°Since those items never appeared again, the clan tends to believe that this unworthy descendant died somewhere before he could sell them.¡± ¡°Thus, the ancestral mandate left for the descendants is to search for these items left by our ancestor Feng Tong and not let them be lost outside of the clan territory.¡± Xu Yinglian pushed the strands of hair that fell to her cheeks behind her ear and sighed deeply. ¡°So, the ancestral mandate is just to search for them, without leaving any clues?¡± Qiu Changtian asked with a smile. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Of course not,¡± Xu Yinglian sighed, ¡°Otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t have been for over a hundred thousand years without any discovery.¡± ¡°Maybe art calculation methods could be used.¡± Qiu Changtian thought back to the previous sword-seeking mission when the Jian Family of Qingzhou brought out a magical treasure called ¡°Dream Pillow¡± that could reenact events from antiquity. As for the prerequisites of art calculation, having Xu Yinglian, a descendant of the bloodline, was certainly not a problem. ¡°We¡¯ll talk about it later,¡± Xu Yinglian clearly wasn¡¯t too interested, ¡°By the way, this is from the clan for you.¡± ¡°Is this¡­ a Sword Box?¡± Qiu Changtian asked curiously. Chapter 383 - Chapter 383: Chapter 16 Tianyuan Yiqi Sword Chapter 383: Chapter 16 Tianyuan Yiqi Sword Xu Yinglian opened the sword box, inside was a silver-white Flying Sword. ¡°This is¡­¡± Qiu Changtian recognized it carefully for a moment, then exclaimed, ¡°the Tianyuan Yiqi Sword?¡± ¡°Correct, it is indeed the Tianyuan Yiqi Sword,¡± Xu Yinglian replied. ¡°This gift is far too precious,¡± Qiu Changtian said with a frown. Although the Tianyuan Yiqi Sword was not as renowned as the Tai Yi Dividing Light Sword and others of great fame, it was undeniably an eleventh rank Immortal Sword. Forged in the ancient times, its materials and methods unknown, its distinctiveness lay in its non-affiliation with the Five Elements, its resistance to being restrained, countered, or sealed. The most crucial aspect was that its sword light traveled extremely fast, too quick for the naked eye to discern, and its attack carried great force. If he were to wield this sword in the Great Competition at White Jade Capital, wouldn¡¯t Senior Sister An be thoroughly vanquished by him? ¡°If you were to wield this sword in the Great Competition at White Jade Capital,¡± as if she had just read his mind, Xu Yinglian spoke slowly, ¡°Brother is sure to win first place under heaven.¡± So that¡¯s how it is! Qiu Changtian instantly understood the underlying reason. The Ziwei Master demanded him to be the champion, so how could the Xu Family not hold the same hopes and desires? Alternatively, if Qiu Changtian should unfortunately fail in the competition, the Ziwei Master might be somewhat disappointed, but the Xu Family would definitely lose face¨Chadn¡¯t they been the ones to boast of their future son-in-law¡¯s unprecedented and unparalleled greatness? Using Xu Yinglian, the Phoenix Immortal, to tie down Qiu Changtian, whose Daoist Heart Clarity was even more valuable, thus realizing a dual increase in prestige, was the greatest investment the Xu Family had ever made. Therefore, a loss for Qiu Changtian in the competition would also devalue Xu Yinglian, and naturally, the Xu Family would never allow such an event to happen. They really had invested a fortune this time! Qiu Changtian felt a secret joy in his heart, but his mouth feigned hesitation as he said: ¡°Junior Sister, how can I accept such a valuable item? Besides, if I were to win the championship with this sword, will the world recognize my strength and cultivation level, or will they attribute it to the sharpness of my Immortal Sword?¡± ¡°As long as you win the championship, there won¡¯t be any problems,¡± Xu Yinglian said impatiently, ¡°Brother, I know you are proud at heart, but there¡¯s definitely no way this sword is going back¡­ the family won¡¯t agree either, so just take it for now, consider it a gift from me.¡± After pondering for a while, Qiu Changtian finally ¡°for the sake of his junior sister¡¯s feelings,¡± ¡°reluctantly¡± accepted the sword, and exclaimed: ¡°Fine then, I will listen to Junior Sister and strive to win the championship at the Great Competition this time.¡± Xu Yinglian suddenly felt somewhat speechless¨Chow was it that even though the Xu Family was giving him an Immortal Sword, he still needed her to owe him a favor before he would accept it? But this irritating senior brother had always been like this, she was already used to it, so she simply ignored it and continued: ¡°Let¡¯s hurry back to Kunlun, in these next few days you should familiarize yourself with the Tianyuan Yiqi Sword, don¡¯t wait until you¡¯re on the stage at White Jade Capital to find your hands are unfamiliar.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Qiu Changtian smiled at Xu Yinglian and suddenly said, ¡°Junior Sister, is your face a bit red?¡± ¡°Not at all!¡± Xu Yinglian immediately turned her head away, arguing. ¡°If it isn¡¯t red, why turn your head? Come, let Brother take a look?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you dare disrespect me!¡± Xu Yinglian slapped his hand away and, in a flurry, drew out her Feather Jia Sword, stepping onto the sword light to soar skyward, flying off in the direction of Kunlun. Really! With the brilliant sky above and the swiftly passing clouds below, her cheeks flushed with anger. In front of a bunch of children, boldly declaring ¡°I have already married Ying Lian¡±, did this fellow have no sense of shame at all? So infuriating! After grinding her teeth for quite some time, Xu Yinglian couldn¡¯t help but turn her head back again. Seeing her senior brother¡¯s sword light trailing far behind, she turned her gaze forward once more, overlooking the rolling mountains below, revealing a helpless, faint smile. Really¡­ there was just no dealing with him. Upon following his junior sister back to the Golden Ridge Cave Abode, Qiu Changtian did not rush to get familiar with the Tianyuan Yiqi Sword. The reason was simple: getting familiar with it now, then switching to other settings for a few months would make it feel unfamiliar again upon return, so why bother? It might be better to finish things in the other lines first, and then come back to focus on preparing for the competition. With that thought in mind, Qiu Changtian said to himself: ¡°Qing Ping, what do you think of this Tianyuan Yiqi Sword?¡± ¡°Clumsy and crude. What else?¡± The Qing Ping Sword responded irritably, ¡°But it does suit your Kunlun persona perfectly, unsophisticated in swordsmanship yet possessing exceptionally robust True Yuan. The Xu Family of Southern Heaven has obviously done their homework on your tactical style.¡± ¡°I wonder where they got this sword from,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said with amazement. ¡°If I remember correctly, the last time this sword appeared, it was in the hands of the White Emperor¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re mistaken,¡± the Qing Ping Sword said. ¡°It was in the hands of the White Emperor¡¯s messenger Mangdang, remember the ugly palace he had on the mountain?¡± ¡°Oh right!¡± Kunlun Mirror immediately said, ¡°That palace was really ugly, looked like a dog kennel.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Qiu Changtian asked with suspicion. ¡°Just some ancient stories,¡± Qing Ping Sword answered noncommittally. ¡°They¡¯re hardly relevant to the present,¡± Kunlun Mirror also changed the subject. ¡°Do you want to load the save?¡± ¡°Load it,¡± Qiu Changtian didn¡¯t dwell on it further. ¡°I want to load Wei Dongliu¡¯s save.¡± ¡°Wei Dongliu?¡± Kunlun Mirror asked in surprise. ¡°You¡¯re not starting with Luo Yan first?¡± ¡°Long Long has acquired the Nine Phoenix Scorching Sun Stone in the Eastern Emperor Realm. This time Wei Dongliu needs to ask Wen Yang for the Nine Nether Yin Soul Stone to unlock the Heavenly Weaving God Shuttle in Luo Yan¡¯s possession. That¡¯s one reason,¡± Qiu Changtian explained calmly. ¡°The grand competition of the righteous path in White Jade Capital is approaching, and Six Paths surely won¡¯t just stand by and watch. I don¡¯t believe it.¡± ¡°So Wei Dongliu needs to go and find out what exactly the Demon Cult is plotting. That¡¯s the second reason.¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t seen Jiang the Witch in a long time, I miss her. That¡¯s the third reason,¡± Qing Ping Sword said with a teasing laugh. ¡°Shut up, you broken sword!¡± Qiu Changtian burst out in anger. ¡°If I had obtained the Tianyuan Yiqi Sword sooner, why would I have chosen you as my life-bound sword artifact, you chatterbox!¡± ¡°But the Tianyuan Yiqi Sword doesn¡¯t have a sword spirit,¡± the Qing Ping Sword replied, sounding aggrieved. ¡°Without a sword spirit, how can it share the Sword Master¡¯s worries?¡± Qiu Changtian ignored it, merely shouting in anger: ¡°Ah Jing, load the save!¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Kunlun Mirror stopped its snickering and said solemnly: [Location Four: Shiping Mountain, Tong Xuan Gate residence.] [Character Identity: Wei Dongliu.] [Overlaying Mirror Flower Water Moon Template, in the midst of time-space travel.] In the belly of Shiping Mountain, at the Sect residence, Wei Dongliu began examining the cultivation levels of his two disciples. So slow, it¡¯s really so slow. Several years have passed, and you two still haven¡¯t filled your Qi Sea and started the Marrow Cleansing? Seeing the Master¡¯s displeased expression, Guo Jin immediately knelt down to admit his fault: ¡°Master, please forgive me. I know I was wrong.¡± The little girl Wang Cong beside him also wisely knelt down next to her senior brother, without uttering a word. As the two of them knelt down, Wei Dongliu found it hard to remain angry and could only wave his hand dismissively: Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°All right, I was too hasty. In my era, it only took a few years to break through the three barriers and fill the Qi Sea, yet nowadays cultivators actually take so long, often more than thirty or forty years. How odd!¡± Hearing the Master say ¡°in my era,¡± both disciples bowed their heads even lower, not wanting to hear any more of the Master¡¯s gossipy tales. ¡°Enough, get up,¡± Wei Dongliu waved his hand. ¡°Thank you, Master,¡± Guo Jin and Wang Cong got up cautiously. ¡°It seems standard progression in cultivation is useless for you,¡± Wei Dongliu said, rubbing his temples in frustration. ¡°I¡¯ll have to get you some elixirs.¡± Chapter 384 - Chapter 384: Chapter 17 So Many Girls Chapter 384: Chapter 17 So Many Girls Now, after consuming the Nine Revolutions Vermilion Phoenix Pill and benefitting from the boost in his Refining Mansion Cultivation provided by the Purple Mansion¡¯s secret medicine, Wei Dongliu had reached an astonishing six hundred and twenty years of cultivation. He was only one hundred and eighty years away from the eight-hundred-year threshold of a First Grade Golden Core. The reason his cultivation level had advanced so rapidly was that he maintained multiple identities, each of which was well-developed within their respective sects, with their own networks to scour the world for Purple Mansion secret medicines and secret realms. However, he had forgotten that Guo Jin and Wang Cong were the standard for ordinary cultivators in this world. Cultivation level advances too slowly? What to do? Suck it up! Without cultivation resources to improve one¡¯s power realm, nor the power realm to gather cultivation resources, the negative plus negative does not make a positive situation meant that one could do nothing. In the end, one could only follow the routine of breathing and Qi Refinement day after day, night after night. Occasionally, when discussing the favored prodigies of major sects, it wasn¡¯t envy but jealousy, and all they could do was sigh about the unpredictability of life, intestines wrapping around one another, numbed to incoherence. Leaving the stone house, Wei Dongliu saw Jiang the Witch dozing on a rocking chair by the pond, Wen Yang tending to the flowers and plants in the garden by the tree, with Ah Ling pointing out things to him. The Flying Asura brought back from the White Bone Divine Palace sat alone in a shadowy hollow in the distance, boredly digging at her nails. The Flying Asura is one thing, but all of you peripheral cultivators, why are you all gathering here? Is my respected Tong Xuan Gate¡¯s sect residence a place for you to throw parties? Wei Dongliu was about to flare up when suddenly he realized, huh? The girl beside Wen Yang, isn¡¯t that the Tu Family girl who guided Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu last time? ¡°Ah, Brother Wei is here.¡± Jiang Liyan opened her eyes, pretending to wake from her dozing, and hopped off the rocking chair, saying cheerfully, ¡°How well are your disciples trained?¡± Her familiarity made Wei Dongliu too lazy to get angry with her, so he replied indifferently: ¡°Still too slow, dragging on.¡± ¡°That can¡¯t be helped,¡± said Jiang the Witch with a blink of her eye and a soft voice, ¡°Given their talents, this rate of progression is already the limit. If they want to speed up and become stronger, they¡¯ll need to rely on external things.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Wei Dongliu agreed without neither endorsing nor opposing. ¡°Brother Jiang, Brother Long, and I have been training outside recently and have obtained a batch of medicinal herbs,¡± Wen Yang also turned around and said with a smile, ¡°If we bring them back to the sect residence, they¡¯re sure to be snatched up and divided by our fellow disciples, so we¡¯re borrowing Brother Wei¡¯s land to grow them for now.¡± ¡°Once they mature and are refined into elixirs, of course, a portion will naturally be yours.¡± Wei Dongliu waved his hand, indicating that they could do as they pleased; the space was empty anyway. ¡°Brother Long? Are you Long Xiaoqi?¡± He suddenly exclaimed, turning towards the girl, Ah Ling. ¡°Brother Wei,¡± Ah Ling greeted him with a smile and a bow, ¡°Actually, I¡¯m practicing a secret technique that makes me appear as a young lady for part of the year and as a little girl for another part. I hope you haven¡¯t forgotten about me.¡± ¡°So it is,¡± Wei Dongliu realized, this Ah Ling in front of him was Long Xiaoqi¡¯s youthful form. In the vast, Great Thousand Worlds, nothing was too bizarre. Such a miraculous secret technique, capable of making one jump between death penalty and fixed-term imprisonment back and forth, though Wei Dongliu had never seen it before, it wasn¡¯t something to be overly astonished about. With his quick-wittedness, he swiftly connected many clues together and soon realized that when Long Xiaoqi had led the group to explore the secret realm, she must have been thinking of sending them to a trap. Perhaps, the crazed Sword Immortal pursuing Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu was drawn there by Long Xiaoqi herself! Very well, although I, Wei Dongliu, may not personally take action against you, if Ling Yunpo encounters you and recognizes you, seeking revenge, it will be none of my affair. ¡°Brother Wen,¡± Wei Dongliu suddenly asked, ¡°among these medicinal herbs, is there any elixir that could speed up the filling of the Qi Sea?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no elixir that fills the Qi Sea, but there are some that can speed up the breathing and Qi Refinement process,¡± Wen Yang answered, ¡°To bypass the Qi Refining Rank, one would need to instantaneously replenish a huge amount of spiritual energy from heaven and earth, which is impossible with elixirs.¡± ¡°However, I¡¯ve heard that the Heavenly Demon Path has a secret realm that lets cultivators directly enter the Marrow Cleansing Rank, Brother Wei could ask about it.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention that,¡± Jiang Liyan sighed, ¡°Receiving the Heavenly Demon¡¯s initiation in that secret realm, although you can save about forty or fifty years of grueling cultivation, the aftermath and hidden costs are said to be endless, hence none of my master¡¯s senior sisters have ever been there.¡± ¡°Moreover, Brother Wei¡¯s disciples are not of the Heavenly Demon Path, so that secret realm is probably even more out of reach for them.¡± ¡°I see,¡± said Wei Dongliu without surprise, continuing, ¡°Brother Wen, may I know if your sect has any surplus Nine Nether Yin Soul Stones?¡± ¡°Nine Nether Yin Soul Stones?¡± Wen Yang said with surprise, ¡°That is an item ghost cultivators use to practice Daoist magic. For what purpose does Brother Wei seek it? There are certainly no surplus stones, but I know of a mine where I can take you to look around. Perhaps we might find some.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not from the Nether Ghost Path, would that be okay?¡± Wei Dongliu asked indifferently. ¡°Heh, that mine is merely supervised by mortals, naturally it¡¯s not a problem,¡± Wen Yang chuckled, ¡°The rules of the Nether Ghost Path dictate that each Nine Nether Yin Soul Stone excavated from the mine must be registered. But if it hasn¡¯t been dug up and remains buried in the ground, who would know if we take it?¡± ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll join in on the fun,¡± Jiang the Witch immediately laughed and said. ¡°What do you want with Nine Nether Yin Soul Stones?¡± Wen Yang frowned and asked, his expression turning somewhat displeased. Taking Wei Dongliu there was naturally something he could feel at ease about, but taking Jiang the Witch was another matter entirely. Her unpredictable thought processes and her audacious nature¡­ As far as private affairs went, Wen Yang had no issue, but he didn¡¯t want anywhere near the complications that could arise with the sect¡¯s affairs. ¡°Hey, if Brother Wei can go, why can¡¯t I?¡± Jiang the Witch saw what he was concerned about and immediately became indignant, ¡°Could it be that after knowing each other for so long, I still have less standing than Brother Wei? Xiaoqi, don¡¯t you think so?¡± ¡°Exactly!¡± Long Xiaoqi giggled, clearly in her young lady form she also loved stirring things up, a stark contrast to her detached and lazy child form. ¡°Cough,¡± Wen Yang felt a headache coming on and looked to Wei Dongliu, ¡°This trip is for you, Brother Wei. If you¡¯re willing to take the two of them along, I have no objections.¡± Though he said ¡°I have no objections,¡± what he really meant was, ¡°If they cause any trouble, you will be responsible.¡± Such was the typical cunning speech of the Demon Cult. Wei Dongliu pondered for a moment before nodding. The reason was simple: his mysterious persona needed to maintain an image of ¡°unfathomable strength.¡± If he were to reject Jiang Liyan and Long Xiaoqi from this journey, while it wouldn¡¯t have any significant negative impact, it wasn¡¯t conducive to fostering his image down the line. Besides, they weren¡¯t heading to some secret realm, just a mine controlled by the Nether Ghost Path. It shouldn¡¯t be problematic, right? Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only For some reason, Wei Dongliu suddenly remembered how, as Qiu Changtian, he seemed to have encountered an enemy in a mine once before. Well, it shouldn¡¯t be such an unfortunate coincidence. ¡°Asura,¡± he called out towards the distance, ¡°we¡¯re going out for a bit; come with me.¡± ¡°Yes, master,¡± the Flying Asura rose, all smiles. Even though she addressed him as ¡°master,¡± Wei Dongliu was well aware that it was just a temporary measure, and who knows how many ill schemes she harbored within. Therefore, he dared not leave her at the sect residence, choosing to keep her close instead. Chapter 385 - Chapter 385: Chapter 18 Mining Has Risks Chapter 385: Chapter 18 Mining Has Risks ¡°How¡¯s the situation out there lately?¡± Wei Dongliu asked with interest. ¡°How else could it be?¡± Jiang the Witch replied offhandedly, ¡°If you can¡¯t beat them, you simply can¡¯t beat them.¡± ¡°Even if all Six Paths combined their forces, they would still be quite far from matching the Three Pure Orthodox Sect,¡± Wen Yang added, ¡°not to mention that the Hell Path hasn¡¯t joined the battle.¡± ¡°Although we lost, the damage isn¡¯t significant,¡± Long Xiaoqi said cheerfully, ¡°compared to the gains from Penglai, overall, we¡¯ve made quite a profit.¡± Wei Dongliu chuckled, feeling a sense of contemplation in his heart. If the Orthodox Sect recruits disciples on a principle of ¡®quality over quantity,¡¯ then the Demon Cult embodies ¡®the more, the merrier,¡¯ as to whether the disciples turn out well or poorly after joining, that depends on their own cutthroat capabilities. Because of this, the cost of cultivating an ordinary disciple in the Demon Cult is extremely low. In the process of combating the Orthodox Sect, even if a very exaggerated casualty rate is produced, just looking at the resource and martial force losses, perhaps the Orthodox Sect ends up losing more¡­ which is somewhat outrageous. In a nutshell, the Three Pure Ones of the Orthodox Sect gained face (having made the Demon Cult¡¯s thieves quiet and surreptitious), while the Six Paths of the Demon Cult gained substance (exploiting the war to make a big profit). Both sides claim they¡¯ve won. ¡°So, what does the Three Pure Orthodox Sect plan to do next?¡± Wei Dongliu asked again. ¡°Nothing much,¡± Long Xiaoqi answered, ¡°They can¡¯t find us, what else can they do? They¡¯ll just declare victory, of course.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard they¡¯re planning to hold a major Orthodox Sect competition,¡± Jiang Liyan suddenly said, ¡°with the purpose of showcasing their martial force.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Wen Yang asked in surprise, ¡°Where will it be held?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Jiang Liyan shook her head, ¡°That¡¯s all the information I got from the sect.¡± ¡°A secretive competition held only internally, claiming to showcase their martial force?¡± Wen Yang said scornfully, ¡°Showcase to whom?¡± ¡°To the spies within the Orthodox Sect,¡± Jiang Liyan said earnestly. And then, everyone burst into uncontrollable laughter. Wei Dongliu had a neutral expression and didn¡¯t find it funny¨Cat least because he too was a spy within the Orthodox Sect. His refusal to join in the laughter caused everyone else¡¯s laughter to gradually subside. ¡°By the way, where did that old thief from the valley go?¡± Wen Yang started making conversation. ¡°He got into a fierce fight with those brutes from Shushan, seems badly wounded,¡± Long Xiaoqi replied, ¡°No idea where he went to heal.¡± Oh, a great battle between Shushan and the Asura Path? Wei Dongliu took careful mental note to be prepared when he next assumed the identity of Ling Yunpo. The Flying Asura listened in boredom by the side, his eyes whirling around, clearly plotting something. Finally, they arrived above the mining area and descended. The mine attendant immediately went to greet them, smilingly saying: ¡°It¡¯s Judge Wen, what brings you here? If you need any Spirit Stones, just tell me, and I¡¯ll have them delivered to you.¡± ¡°No need,¡± Wen Yang waved his hand grandly, ¡°I¡¯ll take these few for a spin inside.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that against the rules¡­¡± The attendant had just begun to speak when Wen Yang¡¯s fierce gaze silenced him, he quickly corrected himself, ¡°Right away, I¡¯ll open the gate for you.¡± Wei Dongliu looked on with a cold gaze, thinking that the Demon Cult, indeed accustomed to power struggles within, even had a mere mortal attendant so attuned to personal gain and peril. He dutifully reminded everyone, then immediately retracted like a frightened turtle to avoid getting killed, acting just right in advance and retreat, his survival instincts fully maxed. The mine gate was locked with a rusty brass lock, the attendant took out an equally rusty key and unlocked it. ¡°Hasn¡¯t there been any work here recently?¡± Wen Yang asked, frowning. ¡°According to what my predecessor said, this place hasn¡¯t been worked in over ten years,¡± the attendant promptly replied. Wen Yang nodded silently. The mine was not in operation, likely because most of the ore had been mined or because there was no recent demand within the Sect. With his position, he could not inquire clearly. However, he had fulfilled his obligation by bringing Wei Dongliu into the mine. As for whether Wei could find the Nine Serenities Yin Soul Stone, that would depend on the latter¡¯s luck. The decaying wooden door opened slowly, and the steward tactfully made a hasty exit. Looking towards the dark entrance, Wei Dongliu suddenly said, ¡°Flying Asura, could you take the lead?¡± ¡°Ha! You little tyke, so cautious even when entering a mining site, is it really necessary?¡± the Flying Asura said with a chuckle, but its feet did not hesitate, heading straight inside. Through their time together, it had roughly figured out his temperament: No matter how you provoke him with your words, he doesn¡¯t care. But if you don¡¯t follow his orders, he will make you suffer immediately. The Flying Asura walked in the front. The darkness was as good as nonexistent due to its night vision, and it also prevented any dangers that could come from ahead. Wei Dongliu followed closely behind with three others, each wielding their luminous Magical Treasures, carefully observing the surrounding rock walls. ¡°Nine Serenities Yin Soul Stones are often formed deep in the burial grounds of ancient battlefields.¡± Wen Yang explained to everyone, ¡°These places are typically filled with intensely thick Yin energy and many resentful spirits. It¡¯s easy to confirm even without looking into history.¡± ¡°Everyone, use your Divine Sense to scan the surroundings. If you find a place with particularly dense Yin energy, dig deeper and there¡¯s a high chance you¡¯ll find the Nine Serenities Yin Soul Stone.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Jiang the Witch rolled up her sleeves, revealing arms as fair as lotus roots, and said with enthusiasm, ¡°I just learned the Heavenly Demon Guiding Technique, which can attach Divine Sense to Demon Heads and scatter them to explore. I¡¯ll take on the task of finding the Nine Serenities Yin Soul Stone!¡± ¡°No problem with that,¡± Wei Dongliu asked curiously, ¡°but why roll up your sleeves?¡± Jiang Liyan hesitated for a while before waving her hand, ¡°Don¡¯t ask so much. Just watch!¡± As her hands moved, shaping several Spells, four or five Demon Heads emerged from the void around them, cackling eerily, and then spread into the surrounding rock walls as if the walls were intangible. As these Demon Heads dispersed, the rest were not idle but let the Flying Asura lead the way, strolling through the mineshaft. About a quarter of an hour later, Jiang the Witch suddenly frowned and said, ¡°There¡¯s no Nine Serenities Yin Soul Stone around, but the Yin energy gets denser the deeper we go. Should we continue further?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± said Wen Yang without hesitation, ¡°The outer layer is definitely the most searched area. Even if there were Nine Serenities Yin Soul Stones, they¡¯re likely to have been mined already.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go right down to the deepest part.¡± Wei Dongliu had no objections and signaled the Flying Asura to delve deeper. After about half an hour, the Flying Asura suddenly exclaimed, ¡°This Yin energy¡­ it¡¯s quite pure!¡± ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡± Wei Dongliu immediately became alert, ¡°Is there a land of absolute Yang below?¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Not a land of absolute Yang,¡± the Flying Asura replied with a wicked smile, ¡°But master, the Nine Serenities Yin Soul Stone you seek should be at the bottom of this mine.¡± ¡°No wonder your Sect sealed off this mine. Probably couldn¡¯t decide how to deal with it, right? Besides, once the news leaks, it won¡¯t be just a matter for one province or Sect; the whole world¡¯s eyes will focus here.¡± The others were confused by this remark, while Wei Dongliu furrowed his brows, about to order it to stop beating around the bush when he heard Wen Yang say in astonishment, ¡°Leak out? What do you mean? Are you saying that deep within this mine is¡­¡± ¡°A fissure to the Nine Serenities Underworld?!!¡± Chapter 386 - Chapter 386: Chapter 19: The Netherworld Abyss, The Flower of the Other Shore Chapter 386: Chapter 19: The Netherworld Abyss, The Flower of the Other Shore As the group continued their descent, the surrounding yin energy grew increasingly dense. In the end, it almost solidified into a visible purple-black fog, slowly rolling near the ground, resembling entwined writhing tentacles, which instinctively filled one with a fear that made one shudder and chilled to the bone. ¡°The yin energy here seems different from the absolute yang area we encountered last time,¡± Wei Dongliu suddenly said, ¡°It feels different.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Jiang Liyan also agreed, ¡°If the yin energy from last time gave the sensation of ¡®heaviness,¡¯ then this time it feels ¡®cold.¡¯ ¡°Human children, this shows that you have no real understanding of death,¡± the Flying Asura said, sticking out its sharp tongue and licking its lips with a sinister smile, ¡°If you had a near-death experience, you would definitely remember this kind of aura.¡± ¡°What¡¯s your understanding of death, then, senior Asura?¡± Long Xiaoqi quickly asked. ¡°Death,¡± the Flying Asura mused with half sincerity, ¡°It¡¯s an extremely terrifying destination, yet one that you can¡¯t refuse.¡± ¡°Enough, stop showing off your experience here,¡± Wei Dongliu cut it off, ¡°How much further is it to the Netherworld Rift?¡± ¡°Just around the corner ahead, about twenty steps or so,¡± the Flying Asura replied. ¡°Brother Wei,¡± Wen Yang suddenly spoke up, ¡°If there really is no Nine Serenities Yin Soul Stone outside, I suggest you do not take the risk of entering the Netherworld Rift.¡± ¡°Inside the Netherworld Rift, the most yin and most vile energy is vast as the sea and omnipresent, and it has a strong erosive effect on living beings. Ordinary cultivators who enter that place will be infected with the foul energy within two or three hours, decaying the flesh and transforming towards death.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± the Flying Asura objected, ¡°Don¡¯t you have that¡­ what was it, the Demon Lord Dharma Body?¡± ¡°As long as you activate your Dharma Body, you¡¯ll be no different from us zombies, and even the darkest yin energy won¡¯t matter to you, right?¡± Wei Dongliu¡¯s mind shifted slightly, but he said nothing, just staring at the Flying Asura¡¯s brown pupils as if discerning its innermost thoughts and desires. The other party was not wrong; the talent of his mysterious character, ¡°Chaotic Demon Body,¡± lay precisely in its complete indifference to yin energy and vile energy ¨C let alone the Nine Serenities Underworld, he could freely traverse even the deepest layers of Hell itself. The issue was the demons inside. Moreover, looking at the Flying Asura¡¯s demeanor, it seemed eager for me to enter the Netherworld Rift? Wei Dongliu did not trust the Flying Asura, for zombies are born from the most yin and most vile energy between heaven and earth, naturally harboring hatred and hostility toward any living being. It¡¯s just that this particular ¡°High Rank Zombie¡± possesses its own consciousness and intelligence, and under the threat of the Hiltless Locust Wood Sword, it has no choice but to submit and cooperate obediently. If an appropriate opportunity arose, it would certainly not hesitate to strike a deadly blow. ¡°Sword Master, you must be careful,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword also reminded, ¡°Don¡¯t forget, there are two constraints on this Flying Asura.¡± ¡°One is the Hiltless Locust Wood Sword; this object was smelted alongside it during the Corpse Refining stage, leading to interconnected vital energies, so you can control it through the Hiltless Locust Wood Sword, that is one.¡± ¡°The second is the seal on its Cultivation Level, which prevents it from fully utilizing its poisonous zombie divine powers and limits it to physical attacks and a few secret techniques.¡± ¡°At the same time, this seal acts as a protection for it because this Flying Asura¡¯s Cultivation Realm is already at Perfection, and the next step is to evolve into a drought demon.¡± ¡°If any trace of its aura were to leak, it would immediately attract Heavenly Tribulation, and the seal prevents this situation; that is two.¡± ¡°I see,¡± with the reminder from the Green Duckweed Sword, Wei Dongliu quickly grasped it, ¡°If we enter the Netherworld Rift, it¡¯s as if entering another world, naturally separated from the outside.¡± ¡°At that time, if it possesses a method to remove the seal, it wouldn¡¯t have to worry about attracting Heavenly Tribulation after unsealing itself, making the second limitation severely weakened, right?¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± the Kunlun Mirror also agreed, ¡°Its eagerness to lure you in must not be without preparation; you must be very careful.¡± ¡°If it really has set some traps inside, or hidden any schemes, Sword Master just needs to pretend to be indecisive, and then the Flying Asura will surely offer more temptations to persuade you to choose to go in,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword said with a cold laugh. Indeed, seeing that Wei Dongliu remained silent for a long while, the Flying Asura suddenly struck its palm as if remembering something and said: ¡°Right, Master! I just remembered, within the Nine Serenities Underworld, there is a strange object known as the ¡®Mythical flower¡¯. Consuming its petals can increase your Refining Mansion Cultivation by fifty years.¡± As it said this, even Wen Yang, who had been firmly against entering the Netherworld, began to waver. Not to mention Jiang the Witch, who had been indifferent to the idea, was now rolling her eyes and quickly weighing the pros and cons. Only Long Xiaoqi remained in a listening posture, seemingly unmoved¨Cafter all, for Demons who undergo Transformation and form Demon Cores, it entirely depends on their bloodline Rank and doesn¡¯t follow the human Cultivators¡¯ Ninth Rank Golden Core system. After a moment of thought, Wen Yang still shook his head and said, ¡°If we die in there, even with fifty years of Purple Mansion Secret Medicine, what good would it do?¡± ¡°Can the Mythical flower be taken out?¡± Long Xiaoqi asked curiously. ¡°No,¡± the Flying Asura said with an evil grin. ¡°This flower grows in the underworld and needs to draw water from the River of Forgetfulness through its roots to survive.¡± ¡°If the stem is ripped, it will immediately wither and die. Taking just the petals is a bit better, but they can only last for about ten breaths and must be consumed quickly.¡± With such an explanation, the possibility of ¡°letting the Flying Asura enter the Netherworld alone to fetch the Mythical flower¡± vanished completely. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, Brother Wen and Brother Long can wait outside, and I¡¯ll accompany Brother Wei inside,¡± proposed Jiang Liyan. ¡°You plan to go too?¡± Wei Dongliu asked in surprise. If it were just him entering alone, Wei Dongliu would have no worries at all, since he possessed the erudite Green Duckweed Sword and the almost omnipotent Kunlun Mirror. If worst came to worst, he could teleport and run away at any time. But if Jiang the Witch were to accompany him and they encountered any peril inside, he had no assurance that he could save her. ¡°Yes,¡± said Jiang the Witch with a giggling smile. ¡°We of the Heavenly Demon Path also have a Secret Technique that can resist the corruption of evil energy from the outside world, so Brother Wei needn¡¯t worry too much about me.¡± It seemed the fifty years of Refining Mansion Cultivation granted by the Mythical flower had blinded her. Wei Dongliu shook his head, about to subtly hint that there must be some plot behind the Flying Asura¡¯s offer when suddenly he heard the Kunlun Mirror speak, ¡°Let her go; she won¡¯t come to any harm either.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Wei Dongliu was initially stunned, then quickly caught on, ¡°Kunlun Mirror said ¡®she won¡¯t come to harm either,¡¯ does that mean she also possesses some kind of life-saving secret technique?¡± ¡°Sort of,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said ambiguously. ¡°Actually, the only one who really needs to worry about the Flying Asura¡¯s conspiracy is you.¡± Wei Dongliu couldn¡¯t help a burst of annoyed laughter; so you mean I¡¯m actually weaker than Jiang the Witch? I¡¯ll have to see for myself later! ¡°Alright!¡± He made a decisive decision, ¡°Brother Wen, Brother Long, since both of you are unwilling to enter, could you help us keep watch outside? If you¡¯re unwilling, we won¡¯t force you.¡± ¡°Having agreed to accompany you, naturally I won¡¯t leave early,¡± declared Wen Yang immediately, and Long Xiaoqi had no objections, ¡°We will stay here and wait for your return.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Sister Jiang,¡± Wei Dongliu said, bowing his head slightly and looking deeply into Jiang Liyan¡¯s eyes, ¡°there¡¯s no need for me to remind you of the dangers inside the Nine Serenities Underworld. If you are truly determined to go in, then you must make full preparations.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Jiang Liyan said earnestly. The reason she said this was because she trusted her innate sense of danger and agility. The Netherworld Rift wasn¡¯t a place that was only possible to enter but impossible to exit. If they truly encountered a life-threatening situation, she was sure that her intuition would alert her in advance, and then it would be a matter of fleeing for her life urgently. ¡°Then let¡¯s go,¡± Wei Dongliu nodded and ordered. Chapter 387 - Chapter 387: 20 Chapter The Land of Fengdu, The Grand Pass of Ghost Gate Chapter 387: 20 Chapter The Land of Fengdu, The Grand Pass of Ghost Gate Two people and one corpse made their way through the narrow passage. After an unknown amount of time, they finally left the mine, and the view around them suddenly became clear. Wei Dongliu frowned as he looked around, only to see that it seemed to be nighttime now, with cold stars twinkling high above, and a desolate wilderness stretching ahead like hell, unlike the mortal world. No, this place was indeed no longer the mortal world. The scenery of the mortal world, even at night, could not possibly be so filled with a gloomy atmosphere, with ghostly shadows flitting about. Wei Dongliu thought silently as the Chaotic Demon Body began to operate, and soon he took on the appearance of red hair and heavy pupils. Jiang Liyan watched unblinkingly as the handsome, wild, ruthless, and mysterious Wei the Demon Lord transformed, almost like a child watching Ultraman take the stage, her eyes nearly shining with light. The Synchronization Value of the Kunlun Mirror also started to respond. If the Chaotic Demon Body were likened to a tank, then the mysterious persona¡¯s Synchronization Value would be the fuel the tank consumed. As for Jiang Liyan, she was like a multifunctional portable gas station¨Cnot only could she run and jump, follow Wei Dongliu to refuel him, but she could also be used as a shield in critical moments (after all, Ah Jing said she certainly had a life-saving secret technique), which was extremely convenient. ¡°Won¡¯t you use your secret technique?¡± Wei the Demon Lord said coldly. ¡°Ah? Oh, right, right!¡± Jiang Liyan suddenly realized and quickly formed a Daoist formula and operated her secret technique. Then a demon head emerged from her sleeve, rolled on the ground, and suddenly transformed into the appearance of a beautiful young maid, then slowly walked toward Jiang Liyan and quickly merged with her body. As the demon head possessed her, Jiang Liyan¡¯s cascading black hair turned white quickly, and the blood vessels in her originally lively eyes bulged out, turning into an eerie blood-red color. ¡°Wei the Demon Lord, how do I look now?¡± The white-haired witch, elegantly turning around, asked with a strange, ethereal, melodious intonation as if presenting a treasure, ¡°This ¡®Heavenly Demon Transformation Technique¡¯ I¡¯ve painstakingly searched for in the many ancient texts of the sect.¡± ¡°Somewhat interesting,¡± Wei Dongliu gave a moderately approving evaluation¨Cand it was not in reference to her appearance¨C¡°What effects does your secret technique have?¡± ¡°White hair and blood pupils,¡± replied Jiang the Witch, ¡°immune to demonic corruption, and enhanced abilities in communicating and controlling Heavenly Demons, with a certain boost to evil spells and magic.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Wei Dongliu, having been associated with practitioners of the Demonic Path for a long time, naturally knew this secret technique was considered quite weak in their view. Demon Cult Cultivators favored those secret techniques that had extremely powerful offensive abilities, with a wide range of lethality, preferably able to kill all enemies in sight instantly. Second to those were the controlling secret techniques, like making a move that renders the enemy immobile and ready for the slaughter. As for those that involved transforming and then receiving enhanced effects, these were the least regarded by Demon Cult Cultivators¨Cwhat use was looking good? What was the point of being immune to demonic corruption? Such flashy uselessness was inferior to a stab that could kill. Probably only girls like Jiang the Witch, who cared about appearance and charm, would go out of their way to find such transformative Daoist Magic. Unaware of Wei Dongliu¡¯s thoughts, Jiang Liyan turned another circle, proudly enjoying her new guise, when the Flying Asura beside her said: ¡°If you use your spell for too long, the corrosion it does to your body probably wouldn¡¯t be less than staying here, right?¡± ¡°What do you know?¡± Jiang the Witch said with a cold laugh, ¡°Although the technique will corrode the body, it can be treated with elixirs to delay the effects.¡± ¡°Besides, for the Purple Mansion Secret Medicine, which represents fifty years of cultivation, all of this is worth it.¡± Wei Dongliu remained silent, feeling a measure of pity for some reason. Alas, without Ah Jing¡¯s assistance in ¡®cheating¡¯, cultivators with ordinary talents could only struggle to seize every opportunity to get stronger. Don¡¯t blame her for not taking care of her body; those cultivators with mediocre talent and an even more common background didn¡¯t even have the chance to sacrifice their bodies for a shot at the Purple Mansion Secret Medicine! After hearing her statement, the Flying Asura didn¡¯t say anything, but silently curled the corners of his mouth, sneering in secret. The three of them continued on their way, and on the wilderness not far away, they found a barely distinguishable path covered with wild grass and broken stones. Walking along the path, on both sides, they began to see scattered solitary steles and desolate graves. After a long walk, they could gradually see the tops of the great passes appearing on the distant horizon. The guard tower was extraordinarily tall, but its design was incredibly simple and ancient, lacking both the battlements for archers and the slots for dropping logs; it seemed as though it was a crude toy pieced together from blocks, and yet it stirred within Wei Dongliu an eerie sense of deja vu. Oh, now he remembered. In the secret realm of the East Sea Pavilion, there was a place known as the ¡°Ten Halls Land of Fengdu.¡± Wasn¡¯t the ghost gate there exactly the same as this guard tower? Only that during the last visit to the Pavilion, Qiu Changtian and Luo Yan had violently broken through. As for the real ghost gate in the Nine Serenities Underworld, Wei Dongliu, even if he were out of his mind, wouldn¡¯t believe he could forcibly break through as a cultivator who hadn¡¯t yet achieved Core Formation. Looking further, there were tall city walls winding their way on both sides of the mighty pass, extending far off into the distance, making it quite unrealistic to simply bypass the ghost gate. Apart from the ghost gate, there was almost no other structure to provide cover in the vicinity. Since flying on his sword would be too conspicuous, Wei Dongliu didn¡¯t rashly take off but instead observed the ghost gate for a moment before asking the Flying Asura, ¡°To pass through that checkpoint, do you have any good ideas?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard that the guards can be bribed,¡± the Flying Asura answered, somewhat disappointed to see that he didn¡¯t immediately fly on his sword and was instead so cautious. ¡°The walls on both sides of the ghost gate extend indefinitely, and no matter what method is used, crossing over the checkpoint from above will alert the Yin soldiers in Guanzhong.¡± ¡°Finding a way to deal with the guards, acquiring a pass warrant, seems to be the only way.¡± ¡°What is the power level of these Yin soldiers?¡± Wei Dongliu continued to inquire. ¡°Yin soldiers¡­ are actually not that strong,¡± the Flying Asura said ambiguously. ¡°Master would surely be able to defeat them.¡± ¡°Which means the trouble comes after defeating the Yin soldiers,¡± Wei Dongliu instantly understood its implied meaning. ¡°We would be wanted by the Ten Halls,¡± the Flying Asura sighed inwardly and replied. ¡°It seems we only have the option to bribe the guards,¡± said Wei Dongliu expressionlessly, ¡°What do they fancy?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± the Flying Asura answered honestly. ¡°Then how did you come by the information you gave me earlier?¡± Wei Dongliu continued to press. ¡°I came here before with my master¡­ the cultivator who refined me,¡± the Flying Asura said. ¡°How did he get through?¡± ¡°He was at Nascent Soul Realm, and the guards feared his power, so they let him pass directly.¡± Wei Dongliu: ¡­¡­¡­ ¡°In that case, we can only go and negotiate,¡± suggested Jiang the Witch. ¡°That¡¯s the only option,¡± Wei Dongliu said as he used his Divine Sense to check his storage bag. Spirit stones, medicinal herbs, elixirs, magical treasures, the Flying Sword¡­ he had no idea which item the Yin soldiers would accept. However, compared to the flowers of the other shore, these items were somewhat inferior in value. Surely not all of them would be disregarded by the Yin soldiers? Hmm, but since the Netherworld Rift is hard to find and few cultivators are able to enter the Yin realm, with the lack of exchange between the two sides, the valuation of goods may well be different. Considering this, Wei Dongliu suddenly said, ¡°Asura, as the Flying Asura, don¡¯t you also possess the power of Nascent Soul Realm? How about you go and negotiate with the Yin soldiers?¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Not a good idea.¡± The Flying Asura paused for a moment before sighing, ¡°As zombies, we lack souls, and to the Yin soldiers, we¡¯re inherently flawed, similar to how you humans view eunuchs.¡± ¡°If the Yin soldiers saw me, they¡¯d probably think I¡¯m an eyesore,¡± it added. ¡°Hmm,¡± Wei Dongliu hesitated for a moment but was inclined to believe it wasn¡¯t lying. After all, the truth would be evident once they approached the ghost gate; there was no need for the Flying Asura to deliberately erode its own trust. So it seemed he had no choice but to try. Chapter 388 - Chapter 388: Chapter 21: On the Bank of the River of Forgetfulness, the Vine Behemoth Chapter 388: Chapter 21: On the Bank of the River of Forgetfulness, the Vine Behemoth On the way to Ghost Gate, Wei Mojun looked at the expression of Feitian Yecha with a cold gaze. However, Feitian Yecha merely bore a rigid zombie face, which utterly lacked any trace of subtle emotion. The zombie obviously had ill intentions, which everyone could see, and it could also guess that everyone had noticed. So, on that basis, what did it plan to do? If its scheme were revealed, it would surely be punished by oneself, who wielded the Hiltless Locust Wood Sword¨Cmaybe even be directly wiped out. In other words, a pointless scheme held no value unless that scheme could directly kill oneself with a one-hundred-percent certainty, enabling it to seize back the Hiltless Locust Wood Sword. Given the intelligence of Feitian Yecha, it wouldn¡¯t engage in futile efforts¨Cif it struck, the attack would certainly be the most ferocious one possible. Yet, Ah Jing had once said that she couldn¡¯t constantly watch one¡¯s future, but if one were to die at some future point, breaking the future timeline, Ah Jing would definitely notice it. That meant, if Feitian Yecha planned to kill oneself, then it was doomed to fail since Ah Jing would warn one in advance¨Cjust like the ironclad rule for protagonists in novels, how could the plot progress if the protagonist died? ¡°Brother Wei.¡± Jiang the Witch said beside him, ¡°I also have some items in this Storage Bag, maybe they can be used to bribe the underworld guards.¡± ¡°If Brother Wen were here, that would be great,¡± Wei Dongliu said indifferently, ¡°His understanding of this place would presumably be much more than the average person¡¯s.¡± ¡°Brother Wei,¡± Jiang the Witch showed a somewhat irritated smile, ¡°Given Wen Yang¡¯s cautious nature, there¡¯s no way he would bribe underworld guards¡­ It¡¯s more likely he¡¯d turn tail and dash back upon seeing Ghost Gate.¡± ¡°¡­Indeed.¡± After inspecting the Storage Bag handed over by Jiang the Witch, Wei Dongliu found indeed many items inside, most of which were loot from the White Bone Divine Palace. As for whether they could deal with the guards at the gate, that was hard to say; they could only play it by ear. When they arrived at Ghost Gate, they saw it towering about thirty meters high, with two fierce demons showing blue faces and sharp fangs leaning against the city wall napping. If Wen Yang were here, he would surely have taken the initiative to explain the origins of these underworld guards, but Feitian Yecha belonged to the type that was extremely crafty, with nine truths mixed with one lie in every ten sentences. Wei Dongliu didn¡¯t want to bother discerning truth from falsehood in such trivial matters and therefore simply didn¡¯t ask. As the group approached within five steps, the two underworld guards suddenly woke up with a start, shouting: ¡°Who are these petty intruders daring to invade Ghost Gate!¡± ¡°Gentlemen¡­¡± Wei Mojun had just begun speaking when he saw the originally ferocious faces of the two underworld guards suddenly reveal incredibly lively and unbelievable expressions, and then they hurriedly said in a humble tone, ¡°Ah, isn¡¯t this the Abi Devil Lord? What brings you to Ghost Gate?¡± Everyone: ??? Wei Mojun suddenly realized; during the battle with the Heavenly Demon on Golden Turtle Island, those Heavenly Demons had referred to his appearance as the ¡°Abi Devil Lord.¡± The so-called Abi Devil Lord was a roaming Demon Lord from the deepest depths of Hell¡­ It seemed that in the entire Netherworld, he also strangely held a formidable reputation. ¡°I want to pass through.¡± Abiding by the principle that more talk meant more mistakes and less talk meant fewer, Wei Mojun said coldly. ¡°Of course, right this way,¡± the two underworld guards immediately stepped aside respectfully. Jiang the Witch: ¡­¡­¡­ Feitian Yecha: ¡­¡­¡­ It was only after they had passed through Ghost Gate that Jiang the Witch snapped out of her daze and exclaimed, ¡°Abi Devil Lord?¡± The Flying Asura¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change, but her mind was both shocked and angered: Abi Devil Lord? I recall that old man mentioning him a few times¡­ Enemies that even he fears are few and far between. No, it can¡¯t be possible that this child is the Abi Devil Lord! Since there¡¯s an ability to switch at will, it must only be his Dharma Body. But what kind of Dharma Body would be identical to the Abi Devil Lord? Or could there be another possibility, that this red-haired, double-pupiled form is his true nature, while the form of that human child from before was just a disguise¡­ This thought alone sent a shiver through the Flying Asura! Damn it! What am I even thinking? If this child really is a disguise of the Abi Devil Lord, where would I find the slightest hope of escape? No, it can¡¯t be! This cannot be the truth! I must find a way to test him! That¡¯s it! The Flying Asura decided to abandon her original plan and switch to another one with a smaller risk that would also make it easier for her to extricate herself from the situation. After crossing the Ghost Gate, the Yin energy was undoubtedly denser by a level. Neither Wei the Demon Lord nor the Flying Asura felt any discomfort, but Jiang the Witch began to feel slightly unwell due to her shallow mastery of the Secret Technique. The path ahead was the Netherworld Road, just like what they experienced in the Pavilion Secret Realm, only greatly elongated in scale. The two, along with the corpse, walked for nearly half a day and still hadn¡¯t reached the end. Until up ahead came the faint sound of rushing, roaring water. The River of Forgetfulness lies at the end of the Netherworld Road. Legend has it that those who enter the underworld while their lives are not yet over can find a chance to turn back on the Netherworld Road. But once they cross the Naihe Bridge, a return to the Mortal World is impossible. On both sides of the River of Forgetfulness, large patches of spider lilies bloomed, with most of the petals featuring eight segments, primarily in alternating red and white, exceptionally enchanting. Wei Dongliu and Jiang Liyan were no cultivation novices, and naturally wouldn¡¯t rush towards the spider lilies. Instead, they cast their gazes toward the Flying Asura. ¡°I don¡¯t know either.¡± This time, the Flying Asura refused to spill any information, cunningly saying, ¡°Regarding the spider lilies, I only heard about them from others and have never experienced it firsthand.¡± Wei the Demon Lord neither agreed nor disagreed, but simply drew his Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword and fired it towards the vast sea of flowers ahead. Before the Sword Light even reached, countless vines shot out from the ground trying to intercept it. However, with a slight hook of his finger, Wei the Demon Lord employed an exquisitely delicate swordsmanship maneuver to dodge and retract the Sword Light back to the group. When they looked again, they saw a huge monster emerging from the soil ahead, with countless writhing vine-tentacles on the outside, while the inside was composed of vast stretches of dark earth and roots, the true form indecipherable. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only The spider lilies grew in dense, overlapping layers on the surface of the monster, resembling meticulous scales. Undoubtedly, had they approached directly just now, they would have been grabbed by the monster¡¯s tentacles and hardly had any chance of escape¨Cthe sheer number of tentacles on the monster hardly allowed any time for retaliation. Wei the Demon Lord swiftly decided on a course of action, flicking his sleeve and spitting out three points of golden light from within: three Golden Poisoned Silkworm Gu, which avoided the chaotically dancing tentacles and burrowed straight toward the entrails of the beast. Not to be outdone, Jiang the Witch also threw out a dozen Demon Heads, which transformed into giant warriors riding dark clouds, grasping the beast¡¯s tentacles from all directions and pulling fiercely. Seeing the others engage, the Flying Asura didn¡¯t dare to slack off blatantly. She charged straight toward the beast, clawing away the layers of soil on its surface and tearing at the entangled roots within. Chapter 389 - Chapter 389: 22. Red and White Petals Chapter 389: 22. Red and White Petals Had it been any other cultivator facing such a giant monster, they might have ended up in a flustered mess. But none of those present were mediocre, and they each quickly realized that the beast¡¯s massive body was not its true form¨Cthe core was likely hidden within the layers of vines, mud, and roots. Generally speaking, to injure the core located at the center, one would need to peel away the outer layers. However, Wei Dongliu possessed the Hundred Poisons Golden Silkworm Gu, which could penetrate the swollen protective layer and corrode its way directly to the heart. Therefore, Jiang the Witch and the Flying Asura intentionally entangled and restrained the creature¡¯s tentacles, preventing them from attacking Wei Dongliu, who was in a critical position. Wei Dongliu, in turn, commanded the ferociously active Hundred Poisons Golden Silkworm Gu to madly burrow into the interior of the vine monster. The beast struggled for a moment, realizing it couldn¡¯t deal with its opponents, and sensing something burrowing inside its body, it suddenly let out a shriek and executed its killing move. The sea of flowers that covered its body suddenly blossomed in unison, emitting a blood-red, dense fog. Wei Dongliu and the others were standing too close and had no time to react. Breathing in a little of the mist, their minds instantly became muddled. Before their eyes flashed countless images at rapid speed, towering skyscrapers, subway stations, moving crowds of people¡­ Numerous scenes from Earth passed through their minds in a rapid slideshow. He had almost forgotten his memories of his past life, and now that he suddenly saw them again, he was struck as if by a heavy blow, standing frozen on the spot, unable to speak for a long while. In a daze, he heard Ah Jing¡¯s voice: ¡°Mirror Flower Water Moon, Silent Photographic Void, break for me!¡± Wei Dongliu jerked as if electrocuted, his divine sense immediately clearing just in time to see the giant beast¡¯s vines reaching toward his waist. He pretended as if he was still trapped in the illusion domain, and just as the tentacles nearly touched him, he suddenly manipulated the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword and sheared them all off in one stroke. Looking around, he noticed that both Jiang the Witch and the Flying Asura were caught in a kind of trance, lost in the throes of their pasts. The Demon Lord Wei quickly swept Jiang the Witch into his arms and retreated rapidly, while once again urging the Hundred Poisons Golden Silkworm Gu to accelerate its corrosion towards the inside. The vine monster, as if driven mad, fiercely wrapped the only remaining Flying Asura, and then split open a large mouth on its surface. Just at that moment, the Flying Asura finally snapped out of it, its vision filled with the retreating Wei Dongliu and Jiang Liyan, as well as the rapidly closing maw of the giant beast. I have been swallowed! As the thought flashed through its mind, the already deathly pale face of the Flying Asura turned even darker. It was merely a collective consciousness of otherworldly flowers turned into a spirit¨Csuch a lowly creature dared to attempt devouring me, the Flying Asura? Its body radiated lethal energy, the muscles of its arms suddenly bulged, veins popping, as it spewed out a thick, yellow-green liquid from its mouth. This was one of the innate divine abilities of the zombie race, the so-called Corpse Decay Poison, one of the fiercest toxins in the world. Yet the Flying Asura¡¯s cultivation level was sealed, the strength of its refined toxins already insufficient, and coupled with the fact that the vine monster had been watered and grown by the water from the River of Forgetfulness, its natural resistance to poison was at full strength, and it easily resisted the assault of the Corpse Decay Poison. Seeing this, the Flying Asura was stunned, realizing that the toxin was useless against it, and in a fit of annoyed rage, it wildly flailed its claws, tearing and trying to break free from the restraints on all sides. The vine monster¡¯s anger was provoked, its desire to feed flared up, and it tightened its entwining vines around it, enveloping the Flying Asura tightly like a pitcher plant trying to refine it. Suddenly, its body shook violently. It was the Hundred Poisons Golden Silkworm Gu controlled by Demon Lord Wei, which had found the core of the vine monster. It was a vivid red kernel, tightly entwined with numerous fine roots, inhaling and exhaling thick poisonous gas in all directions. Of course, this type of Illusionary Poisonous Gas, primarily targeting the soul, was like using a cannon to kill a mosquito for creatures such as the Golden Silkworm Gu, whose souls are inherently deficient. It was utterly ineffective. Very soon, the three Golden Silkworm Gus had enveloped the fruit core and devoured it in a few bites, breaking apart the surrounding roots and fibers. The entire vine behemoth disintegrated the moment it lost its fruit core. Countless vines, roots, and clumps of soil collapsed and shattered, revealing the Flying Asura inside, covered in dirt. His body was riddled with rotting wounds, making him almost indistinguishable from a corpse. He awkwardly stood up, spitting out large quantities of fluid¨Cit turned out that the vine behemoth had injected its digestive juices into every hole on his body during the battle, almost causing him to explode from the pressure. The damage was moderate, but the humiliation was unbearable. Wei, the Demon Lord, set Jiang the Witch down by his side. As the vine behemoth perished, the illusions from the poison rapidly dissipated. Jiang the Witch still had a resentful look on her face, teeth clenched in frustration. One could not tell what scenes she had recalled, but she suddenly let out a scream of surprise upon regaining her consciousness and covered her cheek, saying, ¡°Wei Fellow, I didn¡¯t¡­ blurt out any nonsense just now, did I?¡± ¡°No,¡± Wei Dongliu thought to himself with a chuckle while deliberately keeping a straight face, ¡°Aside from the words ¡®impossible,¡¯ ¡®why,¡¯ and ¡®I refuse to accept this,¡¯ you didn¡¯t say anything extra.¡± Jiang Liyan: ¡­¡­¡­ With her suspicious nature, she couldn¡¯t possibly take Wei Dongliu¡¯s words at face value. She assumed that he had heard something unsightly but pretended not to, considering her dignity. It was truly a social death without a doubt. Seeing her humiliated expression, Wei Dongliu also silently took note; the witch must have recalled some embarrassing memories. ¡°There¡¯s more to it than that,¡± the Kunlun Mirror suddenly spoke, ¡°The true effect of the Red and White Manjusaka¡¯s poison is to make one recall fragments of memories from past lives.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Wei, the Demon Lord, had an epiphany, ¡°So, was my previous life before I traveled here?¡± After pondering for a moment, he heard Jiang the Witch cough to shift the focus and said, ¡°Wei Fellow, this Red and White Manjusaka¡­ how should one consume it?¡± Wei Dongliu looked down and saw that aside from the large flower field ruined by the vine behemoth, there were many intact Red and White Manjusakas in the distance, a striking mix of red and white, enchantingly beautiful. He glanced at the Flying Asura, questioning with his eyes, and the latter immediately shook his head, indicating complete ignorance. After a moment¡¯s silence, Wei Dongliu picked a Red and White Manjusaka and was about to tear off a petal to put into his mouth, but then he heard the Kunlun Mirror suddenly say, ¡°Wait, that flower is poisonous.¡± ¡°Poisonous?¡± Wei Dongliu frowned slightly. ¡°The red ones are poisonous,¡± the Kunlun Mirror replied, ¡°This flower¡­ is indeed rare. The white petals can regenerate flesh from white bone, while the red petals can cause one¡¯s soul to perish.¡± ¡°The same calyx can produce petals with completely opposite effects; this is my first time witnessing it.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°I see,¡± Wei Dongliu mused for a moment, then suddenly noticed the Flying Asura crouched at the edge of a nearby flower field, tearing off a red petal and carelessly chewing it. Seeing this scene, Wei Dongliu could easily guess his intention: The creature had deliberately disclosed that the Red and White Manjusaka was a secret medicine of the Purple Mansion, but withheld the fact that the red petals were toxic. Most cultivators would certainly not waste a single petal. Add on the fact that this zombie was deliberately eating the red petals in front of you, leading you to subconsciously assume that the red petals are harmless¨Cexcept the toxin in these petals targets the soul, something a zombie lacks and thus fears not. He had almost fallen for that damned Asura¡¯s trick! Chapter 390 - Chapter 390: Chapter 23 Jiang the Witch Discusses Heroes of the World Chapter 390: Chapter 23 Jiang the Witch Discusses Heroes of the World The Flying Asura chewed up the red petals in its hand, then ate some white petals, wondering why the little child hadn¡¯t made a move yet. Even with the Purple Mansion secret medicine right in front of them, they could remain so composed? After finishing a Bipan flower, it patted its palms and stood up. Though the Bipan flower had the effect of complementing the flesh, it was utterly useless for a zombie like itself; at most, it was just the taste. Of course, if the little child really consumed the red petals, died with their Divine Soul completely lost, that would be the best outcome. By then, all it would have to do was to kill the girl next to it and retrieve the Hiltless Locust Wood Sword. If its actions were discovered, it could always claim ignorance about the special properties of the Bipan flower. But since the opponent didn¡¯t know the Bipan flower was a Purple Mansion secret medicine, it was unlikely they knew that the red petals were poisonous and only the white petals were edible. Besides, I ate it right in front of you. Can you really tell that something¡¯s amiss? As it was pondering this, it saw Wei Dongliu tear off a white petal and place it in his mouth. Jiang the Witch quietly gazed at him from the side. These white petals, although not poisonous, still contained a small amount of impure energy from growing in the underworld. But for a Chaotic Demon Body, that¡¯s almost as good as none. Once the petal entered the Qi Sea, it was like a pebble thrown into a lake, creating ripples after ripples. The waves resonated with the body, and soon Wei Dongliu felt an indescribable transformation occurring within. He couldn¡¯t quite express it, but it seemed to be some sort of quiet and significant sublimation. After the transformation ended, Wei Dongliu finally stood up and said, ¡°Just eat one white petal; there¡¯s no need for more.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Since it was an order from the red-haired, heavy-pupiled Wei Demon Lord, Jiang the Witch naturally complied smoothly and tore off a white petal to eat, not touching any of the other petals. Flying Asura: ¡­¡­¡­ This human child¡¯s luck is too good, isn¡¯t it! Randomly choosing one out of two and just happening to pick the non-toxic white petal to eat and then immediately starting to refine it, realizing it could maximize their Cultivation Level, they promptly stopped consuming more. With such caution, they narrowly avoided the poisonous red petals¡­ Wait, could it really be such a coincidence? Upon further thought, if this person was truly cautious, shouldn¡¯t they have refrained from hastily consuming the Bipan flower, letting the girl try it for poison first? Since he dared to eat it directly and chose to consume only one petal, maybe he knew all along that the red petals were poisonous! Thinking this and recalling the previous speculation that ¡°the human form was just a disguise, and the Abi Devil Lord was the real body,¡± the Flying Asura felt as if it had been struck hard, its greenish-black lips trembling. Could it be, could it be! Could it be¡­ A sense of ineffable defeat took over the Flying Asura¡¯s body, almost driving it to abandon everything and turn to run away immediately. Continuing this battle of wits with the old monster, thinking one is cleverly scheming, only to realize that all one¡¯s thoughts have been seen through by the opponent, used for their amusement. This feeling was just too hopeless! The Flying Asura began to let its imagination run wild. Although Wei Dongliu was unaware of its thoughts, he chuckled to himself when he saw the Synchronization Value skyrocketing. This zombie dog actually has some uses, not as worthless as I first thought. Jiang the Witch was silently refining the power of the medicine beside him, her heart also leaping with joy. During the last encounter within the Mirror Lake Divine Palace in the Southern Border, she had already taken the Golden Nectar and Jade Liquid. Now after consuming the flower from the other shore and adding the Cultivation boost from the Purple Mansion¡¯s Secret Medicine, she has accrued a total of one hundred and twenty years. Only eighty years away from the High-Grade Golden Core! It¡¯s safe to say I¡¯m in an absolutely worry-free zone now. Fanging around with this Wei the Demon Lord was definitely the right choice! Where else would other cultivators find the Mirror Lake Divine Palace or the Netherworld Rift? She was feeling quite pleased with herself when she saw the Flying Asura slowly stand up and move towards the pit where the vine monster had died, digging up some stones from underneath. ¡°To report to my master, these are the Yin Soul Stones that master wanted,¡± it said with a fawning smile, presenting the treasure. ¡°Oh?¡± Wei Dongliu raised his eyebrows, arrogantly saying, ¡°It just so happens.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a coincidence,¡± the Flying Asura replied cautiously. ¡°Yin Soul Stones usually grow deep underground in ancient battlefields, where the yin energy is heavy and soul spirits gather.¡± ¡°And this field of flowers from the other shore near the River of Forgetfulness is not too different from those ancient battlefields. Ordinary lost souls who don¡¯t have strong enough souls to cross the Naihe Bridge can only wander by the River of Forgetfulness, eventually dying here ¡ª providing the perfect breeding ground for the condensation of Yin Soul Stones.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Wei Dongliu pocketed the Yin Soul Stones and snickered internally. He knew why the Flying Asura was being so proactive: firstly, it suspected its scheme had been seen through, and secondly, it likely indulged in some kind of fantasy about his identity¡­ The rapid increase in the Synchronization Value confirmed this. Such attentiveness and sincerity now were clearly meant to atone for its earlier wrongdoings! He chose not to expose its thoughts, showing an arrogant smile instead, and then turned to say: ¡°Daoist Sister Jiang, since we have accomplished our goal here, and the Netherworld is not a place to linger, shall we head back?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Jiang the Witch replied with a charming smile. Picking up fifty years of Refining Mansion Cultivation, what objections could she have? Besides, knowing the dangers beyond the Naihe Bridge only increased dramatically, retreating now was indeed the best decision. So, everyone turned back the way they had come, passing through the gates of the ghost town once more, and Jiang the Witch was heard complimenting with a laugh: ¡°Brother Wei, it¡¯s lucky you didn¡¯t join the Orthodox Sect, or else we really would have been suppressed and beaten by the Three Pure Ones.¡± ¡°Why belittle yourself, Daoist Sister Jiang?¡± Wei Dongliu laughed heartily. ¡°You, along with Brother Wen, Brother Long, and Brother Gu from the Six Paths Sects, are all extraordinary figures among your peers. Why so overly concerned about those Orthodox Sect cultivators?¡± ¡°I¡¯m flattered by your high regard, Brother Wei,¡± Jiang the Witch said with a wry smile. ¡°Though we may be prominent in our respective Sects, compared to those freakish geniuses from the righteous path like Qiu Changtian, the Chief Disciple of Kunlun, and An Zhisu who cuts grass on Mount Shushan, we can hardly hold a candle to their innate talent and potential.¡± ¡°Even during our last encounter at the White Bone Divine Palace, if it were not for you holding the front, Wen Yang and I together might not have been able to stand against Qiu Changtian¡¯s might.¡± Wei Dongliu remained silent on the surface but sneered inwardly. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Sorry, although there are many twisted geniuses, several of them are backed by me¡­ ¡°There are so many talented individuals in the world!¡± Jiang the Witch sighed then resumed her cheerful demeanor. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t been fortunate enough to follow in your footsteps, I would likely have never had the chance to reach this level and would have been spared the self-pity I feel now.¡± ¡°You¡¯re being too hard on yourself, Daoist Sister Jiang,¡± Wei Dongliu said casually. ¡°Speaking of being hard on oneself, I¡¯ve heard that the Phoenix Immortal of Kunlun, Xu Yinglian, was originally an extremely strong-willed character,¡± Jiang the Witch said with a chuckle. ¡°She competed with Qiu Changtian for decades but eventually gave in and became Daoist companions with her senior brother, showing that a woman¡¯s feelings can be fickle and change based on circumstance.¡± ¡°Brother Wei, if you judge people based on fixed impressions, there might come a time when you¡¯ll find yourself at a disadvantage.¡± Chapter 391 - Chapter 391: 24. Bustling Tong Xuan Gate Chapter 391: 24. Bustling Tong Xuan Gate Wei Dongliu didn¡¯t take Jiang Liyan¡¯s ¡°women are fickle¡± theory to heart at all. What a joke, no matter how fickle you all are, isn¡¯t everyone still calculated by me to the death? After leaving the Netherworld Rift, they returned to the mine and regrouped with Wen Yang, Long Xiaoqi, and others. ¡°Judging by the look of you two fellow daoists, it seems you have succeeded,¡± Wen Yang said with a beaming smile. ¡°Brother Wen, you don¡¯t regret it?¡± Jiang Liyan deliberately asked upon seeing no trace of regret on his face, ¡°That was the Purple Mansion¡¯s secret medicine, you know.¡± ¡°I am well aware of the dangers beneath the Netherworld,¡± Wen Yang replied, unflustered, ¡°As for regret, I had thought everything through beforehand, so why would there be any talk of regret?¡± Long Xiaoqi politely feigned a smile nearby, thinking to herself that she didn¡¯t know who was just lamenting to her with complaints like ¡°thinking of Wei the Demon Lord¡¯s many methods, this time I¡¯m truly likely to succeed¡± and ¡°had I known, I wouldn¡¯t have recklessly agreed and followed Jiang Daoist into there.¡± Now, however, he speaks with such a serious face full of pretense, which is quite amusing. But she also knew that humans were this kind of rubbish creature, indecisive when making choices, regretful after making them, and yet having to put on a carefree and confident face to others. Opportunities were just like that; once missed, they were missed for good. Now, there was no point in begging Wei Dongliu to take him there again, so the only option was to put up a brave front despite the setback. The group then departed the mine and began their journey back to Shiping Mountain. Along the way, everyone¡¯s thoughts were indeed different. The Flying Asura felt the most nervous, partly because the innate fierceness of its zombie nature was tough to tame, and partly because, upon further thought, it felt that Wei Dongliu was no ordinary cultivator, which made it so anxious that it wanted to scratch its ears and cheeks. Jiang the Witch had also dispelled the Heavenly Demon Transformation Technique, and was now eyeing the dark-haired, starry-eyed Wei Dongliu beside her. The more she looked at him, the more displeased she felt. That red-haired, double-pupilled, wickedly independent Dharma body was so much better. Even though this one had a refined appearance, it didn¡¯t suit her somewhat eccentric taste. Wen Yang, too, wore a smile on his face, chatting casually with Wei Dongliu under the guise of making conversation, inquiring about the situation beneath the Nine Serenities Underworld. Upon hearing how Wei Dongliu breezed through the Ghost Gate, he couldn¡¯t help but show a look of amazement and envy. As a Judge of the Nether Ghost Path, he knew all too well how troublesome those Nether Soldiers could be¨Cplaying dead when facing high-rank cultivators and causing trouble for low-rank ones, some even attacking directly. It was probably because the Nether Soldiers were originally lost souls and wild ghosts, who had simply followed the Ghost Cultivator Path. In essence, they still adhered to the Underworld¡¯s law of the survival of the fittest, bullying the weak and fearing the strong. If a Foundation Establishment Realm Cultivator went there, they were most likely in for a tough time, which was the main reason he had been doubtful about the undertaking to the Netherworld in the first place. However¡­ who could have expected that when Wei Dongliu¡¯s Demon Lord incarnation appeared, those Nether Soldiers would be as scared as quails? Wen Yang¡¯s heart was filled with so much regret that he almost gritted his teeth to pieces, yet he maintained an appearance of serene indifference, repeatedly inquiring about the details of the trip. Jiang the Witch lived up to her name, guessing what he was thinking, and began to overstate things on the side, elaborating on how cultivation level grows after consuming the flower from the other shore and how one¡¯s realm could be refined, almost making it sound as though they were about to achieve daytime ascension. Long Xiaoqi watched the two engage in their veiled battle and couldn¡¯t help but smile secretly at the spectacle. Wei Dongliu, on the other hand, wasn¡¯t so keen on such mean-spirited entertainment. When Jiang the Witch leaned in too close, saying more and more outrageous things, he pressed his hand on her head and pushed her back with a moderate force. Jiang Liyan¡¯s head was pat, and she immediately became furious: Was a girl¡¯s hair something to be touched so casually? But then, thinking about his unpredictable temperament, the displeasure in her heart quickly dissipated by more than half. Forget it, forget it, my Demon Lord must be fond of me, so what¡¯s the big deal with a pat on the head? With that self-persuasion, she quickly became reconciled to it. After returning to Shiping Mountain, Wei Dongliu went to check on his disciples¡¯ studies. Although they had only been out for a few days, and it was impossible for the two to have made any significant progress, where does the dignity of a master come from? It comes from examining one¡¯s disciples. First, he checked their progress in Breathing, and the results were naturally as expected¨Cbarely satisfactory. Then he had them engage in a Magical Competition by the pond, clashing back and forth with flying swords and magical treasures, making for quite a lively scene. Wen Yang and Jiang Liyan watched from the side, and, getting into the spirit, decided to bet on them. Wen Yang wagered that his Direct Disciple, Guo Jin, would win, while Jiang Liyan bet that the second disciple, Wang Cong, would not lose. They took their respective disciples aside and began to impart some secrets and tricks of Magical Competition. Wei Dongliu sat in the seat of honor and only listened as Long Xiaoqi lazily remarked beside him: ¡°Brother Wei seems very open-minded, willing to let others teach his own Direct Disciples?¡± ¡°In my Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect, the main principle is to learn from a broad array of strengths,¡± said Wei Dongliu leisurely. ¡°If the two fellow daoists teach well, why not hire them as Guest Elders for our sect in the future?¡± Long Xiaoqi chuckled without saying anything, feeling secretly delighted. Being a Guest Elder is one thing, but as the official master, you teach your disciples less often than the Guest Elders¨CI really wonder whose Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect this is. The Flying Asura sat in a corner, far from everyone else but, being a zombie, could naturally hear the sounds of breathing from dozens of yards away, so everyone¡¯s conversation did not escape its ears. Seeing Long Xiaoqi¡¯s veiled criticism that Wei Dongliu didn¡¯t really care about his disciples, it also sneered secretly, thinking: What does the Demon Lord need to teach disciples for? This so-called Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect is just a makeshift outfit he put together to pose as a human. He just needs a Sect Leader title! As for whether the disciples amount to anything, what does that have to do with him? This Demon Lord from Hell, does he truly think of establishing a sect in the Mortal World? Ridiculous! With those thoughts, the Flying Asura couldn¡¯t help but bare its teeth and grimace, looking troubled and distressed. As a zombie that had attained Dao, its greatest desire was to ravage the Mortal World, to cause disaster in its wake, and to have a constant supply of blood meals every day. As for following the Demon Lord back to Hell, it was utterly and completely unwilling. However, now that the Hiltless Locust Wood Sword was in the opponent¡¯s hand, its life and Cultivation Level were completely at the mercy of another, and since it believed it could neither outsmart nor overpower Wei Dongliu, it grew increasingly agitated and restless. How vexing for me, the grand Asura! Wei Dongliu was unaware of its thoughts and simply observed the lively scene before him, thinking to himself that when he first entered Mount Wutai, he was almost entirely alone, yet unexpectedly, he had now formed his own power, which was also making impressive progress. Indeed, worthy of myself. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only After seeing off everyone, Wei Dongliu then turned towards a room and said: ¡°Load the file, Ah Jing.¡± ¡°Luo Yan¡¯s file?¡± Kunlun Mirror asked in a low voice. ¡°Is it to go and unseal the Heavenly Weaving God Shuttle?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Wei Dongliu nodded. ¡°Have the Nine Serenities Yin Soul Stone and the Nine Phoenix Scorching Sun Stone sent over for me.¡± ¡°I want to see just how powerful this ¡®Universe Weaving Heavenly Weaving God Shuttle¡¯, with such a domineering name, truly is!¡± Chapter 392 - Chapter 392: Chapter 25 Shi Liuli Also Wants to Participate in the Great Competition Chapter 392: Chapter 25 Shi Liuli Also Wants to Participate in the Great Competition The journey to Penglai need not be mentioned. Before Luo Yan had time to release the seal on the Heavenly Weaving God Shuttle, he was solemnly summoned by Elder Shi Ding to a secret meeting inside the Heavenly Craft Workshop. ¡°Luo Yan, there is something you need to listen to carefully. Do not spread word of it outside,¡± the elder said. Luo Yan instinctively straightened his posture and listened intently to his master¡¯s instructions. ¡°Before long, our Three Pure Ones Orthodox Sect will jointly hold a grand competition,¡± Elder Shi Ding began, stroking his beard. ¡°Although it¡¯s nominally to deter the minions of the Demonic Path, in reality, it is an internal contest within the orthodox sects to vie for the top title.¡± After hearing this, Luo Yan inwardly exclaimed in admiration. Indeed, Master has hit the nail on the head. The White Jade Capital¡¯s grand competition was initially proposed by the Shushan Shangqing Faction, with the stated purpose of showcasing the talents of the younger generation to deter thieves of the Demonic Path. Yet the competition is to be held within the secluded realms of White Jade Capital, which outsiders cannot enter to witness; where is the deterrence they claim? In truth, it was because Shushan aspired to surpass Kunlun¡¯s leading position but did not wish to be too direct and risk harming relations, using the competition as a pretext for a showdown with Kunlun. I had been blind to the schemes as an insider; the Sword Immortals of Shushan had been in power for too long, their straightforward mentality assimilated by brutes, oblivious to the high-level stratagems at play, tsk tsk. ¡°Since it¡¯s a struggle between Shushan and Kunlun,¡± Luo Yan asked with a serious expression. ¡°What stance should we from Penglai take?¡± Seeing that he had quickly grasped the crux of the matter, Elder Shi Ding felt a sense of gratification and decided to speak frankly: ¡°No particular stance. Our Penglai doesn¡¯t excel in terms of combat strength compared to the other two factions, so as long as we don¡¯t lose face in the competition, that would suffice.¡± ¡°It is said that, based on the competition results, the top twelve will be chosen, corresponding to the twelve cities of White Jade Capital.¡± ¡°The consensus within the Pavilion is that, among the twelve cities of White Jade Capital, our Yuqing View must secure at least one position; that is the minimum goal.¡± Luo Yan:¡­¡­¡­. Suddenly, a small theater played in his mind, where the Ziwei Master of Kunlun announced loudly: ¡°This represents our position as the leader of the Orthodox Sect!¡± The Jade Capital Sect Leader from Shushan said with a cold laugh: ¡°To rebuild the glory of the Orthodox Sect is our unshirkable duty!¡± The Master of Xuandu from Penglai echoed: ¡°To reach the top twelve would count as success.¡± What a huge gap between them! Seeing Luo Yan¡¯s strange expression, Elder Shi Ding couldn¡¯t help but feel a mix of laughter and tears, he sighed and said: ¡°You know the situation in our Pavilion; everyone enjoys delving into the Dao and doesn¡¯t like bravado or violence, otherwise, we wouldn¡¯t have suffered such a defeat at the hands of the Demon Cult last time.¡± ¡°There have been Orthodox Sect competitions in the past, but every time our Penglai Pavilion had trouble even gathering the number of participants, we had to rely on various internal workshops to reluctantly allocate spots and force disciples into participation¡­ no one is really willing to go.¡± Fearing that Luo Yan might get cold feet, Elder Shi Ding suddenly added: ¡°However, Luo Yan, you have traversed the Five Qi Dynasty Yuan Cave, passed through the Treasure Ship Secret Realm, defeated cultivators from Moon Island, and discovered the Lianshan treasure hoard. Others may rely on a draw from within the workshops to decide spots, but you have long been earmarked as a participant¨Cthe Pavilion Master remembers your name.¡± Luo Yan then forced out a smile uglier than crying. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Elder Shi Ding soothed him patiently, ¡°in order for you to break into the top twelve this time, our pavilion will tilt resources towards several of our potential disciples during this period and will also invite renowned teachers from each family to provide guidance.¡± ¡°All you need to do is to properly accept the training and give it your all during the competition. Even if you end up outside the top twelve seats in the end, the Pavilion Master won¡¯t say anything¡­ After all, there are too many formidable cultivators in Kunlun and Shushan, and it¡¯s quite normal for us to not be able to compete with them.¡± Wow, the competition hasn¡¯t even started yet, and you, Master, are already preparing for defeat, huh? After bidding farewell to Elder Shi Ding, Luo Yan left the inner chamber sulkily, only to bump into Shi Liuli outside. ¡°Little junior brother, little junior brother!¡± Miss Shi started with her signature double-hit junior brother greeting, then skillfully clung to his arm, coquettishly shaking it, while starting a triple chant, ¡°You help me, okay? You help me, okay? You help me, okay?¡± ¡°Stop!¡± Luo Yan hurriedly held her arm down, ¡°Miss, temper your charm, will you? I¡¯ll help you, all right? Spit it out, what mess do you want me to clean up this time?¡± ¡°What, you think I¡¯d only come to you for those lousy reasons?¡± Shi Liuli reflexively wanted to put her hands on her hips and glower, but then remembered she needed something from him and could only speak in a gentle and soft tone, ¡°I want to participate in the White Jade Capital competition.¡± ¡°Master won¡¯t let you join the White Jade Capital competition?¡± Luo Yan asked in surprise. ¡°It¡¯s not that,¡± Shi Liuli twiddled her fingers, speaking with difficulty, ¡°Father said I could sign up, but my strength has to be up to par, otherwise even if the pavilion allows it, he would not agree to let me go.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s a bit difficult¡­¡± Luo Yan was about to tease her a bit, but got interrupted by an angrily embarrassed Shi Liuli who moved behind him and hugged his neck, ¡°You little scoundrel, junior brother, dare you question your senior sister¡¯s strength?¡± She probably meant to choke Luo Yan¡¯s neck to force him into submission. But Miss Shi¡¯s strength was far too weak, and the actual pressure on Luo Yan¡¯s neck was even less than that on his back. Of course, Luo Yan wasn¡¯t foolish enough to point this out, so he just exaggeratedly cried out: ¡°Wuwuwu, senior sister, stop choking me, I can¡¯t breathe!¡± Synchronization Value slightly increased. Seeing him submit, Shi Liuli let go of him with a triumphant air and said: ¡°With my current strength, taking down a seat in the top twelve of White Jade Capital will be a piece of cake, won¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Of course, of course,¡± Luo Yan could only agree, ¡°With senior sister¡¯s level of ability, it¡¯s not guaranteed to take the first place in the Yuqing View, but ranking in the top three is beyond doubt.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just that Master, being a father, subconsciously views the senior sister as a child and is thus reluctant to let senior sister take part in the big competition. As the saying goes, ¡®as long as parents are alive, one should not travel too far away.¡¯ Senior sister should also understand the painstaking care of our Master¡­¡± As Luo Yan spoke, the Synchronization Value increased, but Shi Liuli got muddled by his grand reasoning and decided to just feign ignorance: ¡°Little junior brother speaks well, but let¡¯s not talk about it anymore, I don¡¯t understand it.¡± ¡°I want to convince father to let me participate in the White Jade Capital competition. If little junior brother can help his senior sister, that would be great; if you can¡¯t help senior sister, then she will have no choice but to be a little tea-serving maid for junior brother, sneaking into the Yuqing View team that way.¡± Daring to threaten me here! Luo Yan immediately felt a surge of anger inside him. If Elder Shi Ding knew that Shi Liuli was pretending to be my maid to sneak out, wouldn¡¯t he blame me for it? Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Alright, Master, being keen-eyed, would definitely guess that it was Shi Liuli¡¯s own doing, but it doesn¡¯t mean he wouldn¡¯t hold a grudge against me¡­ Hm, Miss Shi in maid attire, I¡¯d like to see¡­ But with Shi Liuli¡¯s strength, representing the Yuqing View is definitely enough. Maybe Master just thinks it¡¯s a waste of time, and doesn¡¯t want her to use it as an excuse to play around outside. At that thought, Luo Yan suddenly had an epiphany, understanding his Master¡¯s true intentions. During the great competition of the Orthodox Three Pure Ones, there would certainly be all sorts of tedious formalities. Miss Shi wouldn¡¯t be able to stand that! Not to mention anything else, just listening to the Ziwei Master¡¯s long-winded speech, Shi Liuli would definitely lose patience. If something unpredictable happened at the meeting, wouldn¡¯t it be our Heavenly Craft Workshop¡¯s face at risk? Chapter 393 - Chapter 393: Chapter 26 Master is also an old Lu Xun Chapter 393: Chapter 26 Master is also an old Lu Xun Objectively speaking, Luo Yan did not consider himself to have lied. Given Miss Shi¡¯s strength, if she were among the cultivators of the Foundation Establishment Realm at Yuqing View, she could indeed rank among the top three. So why had the Falsehood synchronization value risen? It¡¯s ridiculous! Not in a rush to help Shi Liuli persuade Elder Shi Ding, Luo Yan returned to his own room and then took out the Heavenly Weaving God Shuttle. He also took out the Nine Phoenix Scorching Sun Stone and the Nine Nether Yin Soul Stone, preparing to decode the seal on the Heavenly Weaving God Shuttle. Uh. How exactly does one decode the seal on this thing? ¡°Just press them on directly, dummy,¡± came the teasing voice of the Green Duckweed Sword in his mind. ¡°Warning, once! Three strikes and I¡¯ll break it!¡± ¡°Oh my, don¡¯t be angry, Sword Master. I was just joking with you,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword hurriedly pleaded, half-seriously, half-jokingly. ¡°Hmph!¡± Luo Yan snorted, still annoyed. Give you a little bit of kindness, and you, this rubbish sword, even dare to call me dummy! Did you really think I didn¡¯t know how to decode the seal? He pressed the two stones to the Heavenly Weaving God Shuttle at the same time, and saw the stones quickly melt onto the surface of the shuttle, then a Tai Chi pattern slowly emerged. And then there was no response. Luo Yan held the shuttle and looked at it for a long time, that¡¯s it, that¡¯s it? He decided not to ask Elder Shi Ding this time; instead, he would seek the answer himself. He went to the Tianji Pavilion and said to the steward in charge: ¡°I want to apply to use the Dragon-Tiger Guiding Machine.¡± ¡°This¡­¡± The steward hesitated slightly because, according to the rules within the sect, only the elders could apply to use the Dragon-Tiger Guiding Machine. However, this steward being assigned to guard the Tianji Pavilion was certainly not ignorant of the news. He knew that the person before him was Luo Yan, the heir to the Heavenly Craft Workshop, and with Elder Shi Ding¡¯s protective nature, he would surely apply without hesitation on his behalf. Moreover, it seemed that Luo Yan had already been designated by the upper echelons to participate in the great competition at White Jade Capital, indicating that he was already considered an elite disciple within the sect; thus, there was no need for the steward to offend both the master and disciple. With these thoughts, he said with a smile: ¡°If it¡¯s on behalf of your master, naturally, there is no problem. Just leave your master¡¯s signature on the roster over there.¡± Luo Yan thought to himself that the last time his master came, he wasn¡¯t asked to leave a signature. But he also knew that the other party was keeping evidence of procedural correctness, so he nodded in agreement, signed his name, and then entered the great hall. The huge Dragon-Tiger Guiding Machine stood in the center of the great hall, the only magic artifact analysis machine in Yuqing View, and even in the whole world. Previously, Elder Shi Ding had used this machine to decrypt the seal on the surface of the Heavenly Weaving God Shuttle. Therefore, Luo Yan also made a point of learning several courses on magic artifact analysis, and finally understood the principles and operation of the Dragon-Tiger Guiding Machine. He placed the Heavenly Weaving God Shuttle inside the Dragon-Tiger Guiding Machine and operated it for a while. Then turning the protruding eyepiece for a moment, he began the identification process. So that¡¯s how it is. Let it be known that the first layer¡¯s seal of the Universe Creation Divine Shuttle is called the Universe Layer. After decoding the seal of the Universe Layer, the Divine Shuttle gained an additional Forbidden Technique called the ¡°Great Universe Inverting Technique.¡± The effect, as the name suggests, is the ability to invert the universe and transform reality into illusion¡­ Based on Luo Yan¡¯s understanding, it seems that by activating this Forbidden Technique, he could make both the Divine Shuttle and himself transition from solid to ethereal, thus momentarily becoming immune to all harm in the world. However, this forbidden technique had two problems: First, activating the forbidden technique did not mean traveling to an alternate dimensional space, but rather shifting from the physical ¡°real¡± to the conceptual ¡°false,¡± akin to becoming non-existent in some sense. Since he did not exist, naturally, none of the attacks in this world could land on him. On the flip side, his attacks could not affect anything in this world either, so it could generally only be used to ignore obstacles when fleeing. Second, the energy consumption of activating this technique was simply too great¨Cit was even more terrifying than the Five Elements Divine Light! It is known that the Postnatal Five Elements Great Extermination Divine Light is a secret technique of the Immortal Sect. Even with the robust True Yuan that Luo Yan cultivated through the ¡°Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra,¡± as well as the perfect Jade Mansion¡¯s energy recovery speed of over six hundred years, he still could not freely wield the Five Elements Divine Light like eating or drinking water. He could only use it as a trump card for a decisive blow when necessary. Following the rule of ¡°the higher the rank, the greater the consumption,¡± the rank and power of the Great Universe Inverting Technique seemed even more formidable than that of the Five Elements Divine Light! With these two flaws, the Great Universe Inverting Technique was indeed not very practical¨Cor rather, in the hands of those cultivators who were empty-headed and only cared about output, it was basically just a last-ditch escape card. But Luo Yan, after all, was a high-level cultivator who had studied at Shushan for many years and had an abundance of combat experience. He immediately realized that this technique could be used for more than just escaping. For example, he could pretend to attack the opponent desperately, feigning an eye-for-an-eye strategy, when in reality, he could use this technique to become immune to damage in an instant. Or he could grapple with the opponent, pretend to expose a weakness, and lure the opponent into a sneak attack, when in reality he could use this technique to bluff away the opponent¡¯s powerful move. Or when he needed to discard his identity after completing his mission, he could pretend to be fatally wounded and fall to the ground dead, when in fact he could use this technique to evade the attack¨Calso allowing them to immerse themselves in the pain of losing him, and indirectly ¡°forgive¡± himself, giving up the pursuit¡­ Of course, this move might also need to be combined with a spell that created a fake corpse. He would throw the corpse on the ground, and his true body would escape through Ah Jing¡¯s teleportation, perfectly concealing his tracks. In any case, this mysteriously named Heavenly Weaving God Shuttle¡¯s first level Daoist magic was indeed eye-catching and worthy of the efforts by Wei Dongliu and Long Long from both sides. As for the seal on the second level, the strange object required for unsealing became the ¡°Chaos Red Talisman.¡± What on earth was that? Luo Yan, gifted with the talent of instant understanding, could confirm that he had never come across this term in spite of reading extensively in Daozang Pavilion in the past. It seemed he had no choice but to seek Elder Shi Ding¡¯s counsel. Upon arriving at Elder Shi Ding¡¯s residence, Luo Yan got straight to the point and asked about the ¡°Chaos Red Talisman.¡± ¡°Where did you hear this term?¡± Elder Shi Ding was greatly astonished. ¡°You should know that if the name contains the word ¡®chaos,¡¯ it refers to a rank even higher than Innate, a strange object born before heaven and earth were divided.¡± ¡°Legend has it that the Chaos Red Talisman is the very first talisman script in the world, also embodying certain universal laws. All subsequent knowledge of talisman scripts and runic scripts can be traced back to the Chaos Red Talisman.¡± Luo Yan: ¡­¡­¡­ So this thing is even rarer than the Heaven-Mending Stone, huh? This Heavenly Weaving God Shuttle, it¡¯s clearly a God Shuttle for the naturally insane. If unsealing the second layer already requires a chaotic strange object, I don¡¯t even want to think about what¡¯s needed for the third layer¨Cit¡¯s not going to be something like the Creation Jade Decree from the legends, right? Pushing the issue of the Heavenly Weaving God Shuttle aside, Luo Yan then spoke to his master about Miss Shi¡¯s request, sighing as he said: ¡°Master, you understand Sister¡¯s personality. The more you don¡¯t want her to participate in the Grand Tournament, the more she wants to go¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Elder Shi Ding said with a chuckle. Luo Yan was initially taken aback, then suddenly realized what was going on. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Wow, Master! I didn¡¯t expect you to actually play such a cunning game of hard-to-get with your own daughter! It has to be said that because Miss Shi was coddled from a young age and hardly struck by reality, she had developed a strong rebellious streak in her subconscious. If you tell me not to do something, that¡¯s precisely what I¡¯ll do! In other words, if Elder Shi Ding agreed too readily, Shi Liuli would definitely find the Grand Tournament uninteresting. However, if Elder Shi Ding strongly objected, especially claiming it was because ¡°Shi Liuli is too weak,¡± she would immediately become excited to protest and insist on claiming a top victory in the Grand Tournament to prove herself. You truly are my master, this act of falsehood seems like it was meant for you to play naturally. Chapter 394 - Chapter 394: Chapter 27 What Is Scripting Chapter 394: Chapter 27 What Is Scripting After taking his leave from Elder Shi Ding, Luo Yan encountered Miss Shi again. She likely had tried many times before without success to persuade her father, so she was waiting here, looking eagerly for Luo Yan. Realizing this, Luo Yan quickly had an idea. First, he could not directly tell Miss Shi, ¡°Master has already agreed,¡± because she might be ecstatic on the spot, but there¡¯s a chance she would later overthink it, believing that her father always listens to Luo Yan and not to her¨Cthus, she would harbor some resentment towards herself. Next, he had to go along with his master¡¯s plan, to spur Shi Liuli into a strong desire to cultivate diligently and to maintain enough interest in the White Jade Capital¡¯s grand competition. With this in mind, Luo Yan put on an extremely regretful expression, and under Miss Shi¡¯s anxious gaze, he said heavily and slowly, ¡°Master said¡­ he needs to think it over some more.¡± Shi Liuli: ¡­¡­¡­.. Why put on such a scary expression then! She patted her chest and took a deep breath: ¡°That¡¯s to be expected, I didn¡¯t think father would be persuaded so easily.¡± ¡°So I thought of another way: since Master trusts your strength more than mine, why don¡¯t you just lose to me in our sparring?¡± ¡°I see,¡± Luo Yan pretended to have a sudden realization, ¡°I will go and fetch Master right away, and then we can show him.¡± ¡°What do you mean ¡®show him¡¯?¡± Shi Liuli was quite dissatisfied, ¡°Junior Brother, don¡¯t underestimate me, my strength has skyrocketed recently, it¡¯s just that father refuses to believe it!¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Luo Yan feigned surprise, ¡°That¡¯s great, why don¡¯t you let me witness Sister¡¯s strength first?¡± Not long after, Shi Liuli began to doubt her life again. How is this possible? No, that¡¯s not right! I remember the junior brother doesn¡¯t go out for experiential training much, let alone participate in real battles, so why is his combat prowess so much higher than mine? Luo Yan also realized that something was amiss. Initially holding back to use only seventy percent of his power, he found that Miss Shi was weaker than expected¨Cseventy percent of his power seemed like it might kill her with a single punch. This won¡¯t do, I¡¯ll have to reduce my power to fifty percent. After reducing another twenty percent of his True Yuan, the exchange of their Magical Treasures became more evenly matched. Shi Liuli also breathed a sigh of relief. Junior Brother, why were you so fierce all of a sudden? At first, I really thought you were that much better than me! Thinking this, she suddenly withdrew her Magical Treasure and said, ¡°Junior Brother, I heard that in the outside world¡¯s Magical Competitions, Flying Swords are used more often, is that right?¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Luo Yan explained, ¡°The attack methods of Flying Swords are the fastest, and in a Cultivator¡¯s battle, striking first often means suppressing or even killing the opponent first, hence Flying Swords are the most widely used.¡± ¡°But as far as I know, many Magical Treasures renowned for their speed have attack speeds not inferior to Flying Swords, right?¡± Shi Liuli naively asked. ¡°True, like needle-type Magical Treasures,¡± Luo Yan replied, ¡°but most of them are rare and precious, hence not mainstream.¡± Shi Liuli pondered. After all, she came from the Heavenly Craft Workshop, famous for forging Magical Treasures, so she had little perception of their scarcity. She thought for a moment and then asked, ¡°What about Daoist Magic then?¡± ¡°In terms of practicality, Daoist Magic is even above Flying Swords and Magical Treasures,¡± Luo Yan patiently explained, ¡°mainly because Flying Swords and Magical Treasures are external objects, while Daoist Magic comes from the Cultivator¡¯s own cultivation. Hence, in regards to safety and controllability, it¡¯s higher, with no risk of being taken by others.¡± ¡°However, Daoist Magic is rarer than Magical Treasures, difficult to obtain without the background of a major sect, and mastering Daoist Magic also requires considerable time, so it hasn¡¯t become widespread.¡± ¡°What about Talisman Scripts?¡± Miss Shi asked curiously. ¡°Talisman Scripts activate quickly, consume little True Yuan, and their power is quite impressive,¡± Luo Yan said with a smile, ¡°but the problem is, they are one-time use.¡± ¡°If one wants to establish a style of fighting using Talisman Scripts, a large number of them must be kept on hand. This method of fighting can only be used by us from the Yuqing View, for other Cultivators out there, the cost is simply too high.¡± Shi Liuli listened, half understanding, only remembering that this is ¡°hard to acquire¡± and that is ¡°too costly,¡± and subconsciously asked, ¡°Junior Brother, are the cultivators outside¡­ very poor?¡± Luo Yan: ? This question was utterly preposterous. If Luo Yan had been asked this before his transmigration, this question coming from a wealthy young miss would get her strung up by the poor masses, wouldn¡¯t it? Fortunately, Shi Liuli also quickly realized how foolish her question was, and she hastily explained: ¡°Cough cough, I was just speaking off the top of my head. You don¡¯t need to answer, Junior Brother.¡± ¡°Actually, both Flying Swords and Magical Treasures are in short supply throughout the entire Cultivation Realm,¡± Luo Yan sighed, ¡°For cultivators, what everyone cares most about is how to improve their Cultivation Level and extend their lifespan.¡± ¡°The reason there¡¯s such a situation is really because too few people are willing to learn Artifact Forging.¡± Upon hearing this, Shi Liuli fell silent. She understood the underlying meaning of Luo Yan¡¯s words: Penglai Yuqing View insisted on studying unconventional and minor paths, and from the perspective of the whole Cultivation Realm, especially the Three Pure Orthodox Sect, this was definitely beneficial to everyone, after all, Yuqing View produced so many resources. But in terms of personal development, every extra minute you spend researching minor and unconventional paths is one less minute you spend improving your own Cultivation Level and extending your lifespan. That¡¯s why there are far fewer High Rank Cultivators within Yuqing View compared to the Kunlun and Shushan sects. It¡¯s as if everyone is sacrificing a portion of their own chances for enlightenment to provide support to the entire Orthodox Sect! Realizing this, Shi Liuli also felt somewhat depressed and couldn¡¯t help but ask again: ¡°Can¡¯t we choose another path? I mean, everyone could focus on their cultivation¡­ ¡± ¡°If we all abandoned Artifact Forging and focused on cultivation, it would be impossible for our Cultivation Levels to improve quickly. As a result, the status of Heavenly Craft Workshop within Penglai would plummet, so that path is not viable,¡± Luo Yan said with a smile. ¡°But don¡¯t worry. Sister, you have me, don¡¯t you?¡± Shi Liuli was struck as if by lightning, standing there in a daze. All at once, she realized a problem she had never noticed before: every senior brother and sister in the Heavenly Craft Workshop had their corresponding research branches in the field of Artifact Forging. Even when her Junior Brother initially entered the sect, the master directly arranged for him to study Formations and Cauldron Casting Methods. But she knew nothing, and her father had never arranged anything for her. So, was it my father¡¯s hope for me to break free from the shackles of minor and unconventional paths and concentrate on improving my Cultivation Realm? Seeing her distracted expression, Luo Yan immediately guessed her thoughts and silently chuckled to himself. He had also asked Elder Shi Ding about this issue before, wondering why Shi Liuli wasn¡¯t taught an Artifact Forging Method as well. Elder Shi Ding had just rolled his eyes and responded: I¡¯d be willing to teach if she would be willing to learn. Miss Shi¡¯s character is completely unsuited for scholarly pursuits; getting her to sit down and immerse herself in something is simply impossible. Elder Shi Ding meant that whatever Shi Liuli liked to do, she should just do it. After all, it wasn¡¯t a problem for Heavenly Craft Workshop to support one more person doing nothing, as long as she was happy and content. However, Luo Yan didn¡¯t see it that way. He felt that Miss Shi wasn¡¯t bad at heart; it was just that she had never had proper guidance before. ¡°Sister,¡± Luo Yan seized the moment, his expression earnest, ¡°Yuqing View holds its place within the Orthodox Sect precisely because we sacrifice time and effort to supply resources to Kunlun and Shushan.¡± ¡°As for our share within Heavenly Craft Workshop, master, Linghu Senior Brother, Liang Senior Sister, and I will share the burden. We won¡¯t become a drag on you.¡± ¡°You just need to focus on your cultivation and work hard to improve your Realm and Cultivation Level.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Shi Liuli bit her lower lip, unable to utter a word. Only then did she finally realize that her father truly held eager expectations for her. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only However, when she thought about how she had been idle in the past and wasted so much time that should have been devoted to cultivation, she regretted it so much that she almost shed tears. That was the time everyone had fought for her, after all! ¡°Can I really do it?¡± Shi Liuli lowered her head and fiddled with the hem of her garment, her soul as if it had left her body, ¡°Junior Brother, you know me¨CI¡¯m lazy, temperamental, lack perseverance, and have a fleeting enthusiasm for things¡­ Can I really take on such a heavy responsibility?¡± ¡°I believe in you, Sister,¡± Luo Yan took her fidgeting hand in his, speaking fervently, ¡°Even if master is still not at ease with you, I firmly believe that you, Sister, can become the pillar of our Heavenly Craft Workshop, and perhaps even of Penglai Jade Pure.¡± ¡°Start with the upcoming White Jade Capital competition, prove yourself, Sister!¡± Chapter 395 - Chapter 395: Chapter 28 Luo Yan had already decided Chapter 395: Chapter 28 Luo Yan had already decided ¡°Why has Liuli been practicing her swordsmanship so diligently lately?¡± Elder Shi Ding asked with surprise. ¡°She must have felt the good intentions behind Master¡¯s rigorous training and thus is inspired to make great efforts and no longer slack off,¡± Luo Yan said earnestly. Elder Shi Ding could not help feeling immensely gratified, although he knew his disciple was buttering him up, but as it was in praise of his daughter, he was still overjoyed. Luo Yan¡¯s synchronization value also shot up, his innate talent to grasp a thousand nuances from a scent became even more harmonious, and he too was overjoyed. While the master and disciple were having a pleasant conversation, Shi Liuli still diligently practiced her swordsmanship, controlling the Purple Extreme Han Yuan Sword flawlessly. Of course, just looking at the swordsmanship, the Penglai Jade Pure Pavilion¡¯s East Sea Coral Sword is not exceptionally intricate, but its advantage lies in its ability to cooperate with magical treasures and talisman scripts, thus it is not altogether without merit. If Miss Shi were to practice the rigid Kunlun Sword Technique, or the complicated Shushan Sword Technique, she might not be able to endure the loneliness or withstand the hardship¡­ Considering her usual use of various magical treasures, Luo Yan thought that the East Sea Coral Sword suited her better. After a few days, the people from the Pavilion Master¡¯s side finally began to take action and quietly gathered Luo Yan and the others together. ¡°What is this about?¡± Shi Liuli asked in confusion. ¡°It¡¯s probably about the matter of the White Jade Capital competition,¡± Luo Yan replied softly. The seven people who were summoned to the main hall of the Yuqing View (incredibly, all seven were able to gather), excluding Luo Yan and Shi Liuli from the Heavenly Craft Workshop, there were also the son of the Master of Xuan Du, Tian Zhang, a disciple of the Divine Elixir Pavilion, Bi Lian, a disciple from the Heaven-Sign Tower, Han Xiu, a disciple from the Liurenyun Platform, Jian Qin, and a disciple from the Yu Zhang Pavilion, Lin Ruohu. Tian Zhang was the very person whom his elders wanted to matchmake with Shi Liuli, and had later approached Luo Yan privately expressing that he ¡°couldn¡¯t stand the Miss¡±; Bi Lian was the one who had been rescued by Qiu Changtian in the past and later formed the Chief Qiu Fan Club. Both were acquaintances of Luo Yan. The other three, although Luo Yan had not interacted with them, having been at Yuqing View for so many years, he had heard of their names and rumors. Han Xiu was from a family in Jingzhao with generations of calligraphy masters, and there were no shortage of family members who were officials in the current government; Jian Qin hailed from the Jian Family of Qingzhou, the maternal aunt of Qiu Changtian¡¯s junior sister Jian Qingnan, and was also a member of the fan club (although Qiu Changtian had never even met her). Lin Ruohu had the lowest profile among the seven; it was said that Yu Zhang Pavilion really couldn¡¯t find any suitable candidates and had to draft her by process of elimination. Additionally, she was the niece of Jin Gang Peak¡¯s elder disciple from Shushan, Lin Duanshan¡­ It was evident that the Three Pure Orthodox Sects were almost entirely occupied by prominent clans, deeply intertwined with complicated relationships and obligations. The seven gathered in the main hall, with Shi Liuli, Bi Lian, and Jian Qin clustering together, chattering nonstop. Tian Zhang then came over to Luo Yan, complaining about how the forthcoming White Jade Capital competition was crowded with ¡°freaks of nature¡±: ¡°Qiu Changtian, the Chief Disciple of Kunlun, is said to practice the Immortal Sect¡¯s secret technique, the ¡®Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra¡¯, with extremely vigorous True Yuan in his Qi Sea, and his signature Daoist Magic is known for its destructive power, the Five Thunder True Law, making him nearly unbeatable among his peers.¡± ¡°His junior sister, the Phoenix Immortal, Xu Yinglian, wields the Great Bright Fire that can burn mountains and boil seas. If one does not possess a way to resist fire, facing her often means suffering more defeats than victories.¡± ¡°Additionally, there is their junior brother, Guan Zhan, previously unknown, but who has recently risen to prominence. It is said that on the front lines against the Demonic Path, he has continuously slain several villains, earning the nickname ¡®Desperate Guan¡¯. Facing him, one fears mutual destruction.¡± ¡°The top of the Shushan Immortal Sword Ranking is An Zhisu, whose swordsmanship attainment is supremely sublime, and who is ruthless and decisive in combat, often slaying enemies with her Flying Sword, earning her the nickname ¡®Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal¡¯. Some people even say, ¡®Better to meet Qiu Changtian than to face An Zhisu,¡¯ showing the deep apprehension everyone has towards her.¡± ¡°Below the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal are those who cut through mountains, divide seas, shatter moons, and break clouds.¡± ¡°Among them, Lin Duanshan¡¯s swordsmanship is full of changing patterns, unpredictable; Duan Fenhai¡¯s swordsmanship is extremely tight, watertight; Guan Shanyue¡¯s swordsmanship is resolute and merciless, adept at seizing flaws; Ling Poyun¡¯s swordsmanship is strong and vigorous, favoring overwhelming killing moves.¡± ¡°These four individuals have their unique strengths in swordsmanship, each creating their own system. Unless one has superior fighting techniques, they too are extremely difficult to contend against.¡± As Luo Yan listened to his endless chatter, he laughed and said, ¡°Three and five make eight, with four more seats left in the twelve spots of White Jade Capital, it won¡¯t be difficult for our Yuqing View to secure one, right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard to say,¡± Tian Zhang sighed, ¡°The reason I¡¯m bringing up these eight people to you is that my father has assessed that the chance of surpassing these eight is too small.¡± ¡°` ¡°The remaining unmentioned individuals are the true competitors in this grand competition we face!¡± Luo Yan let out a wry chuckle, pondering slightly. He had to admit, Tian Zhang¡¯s words weren¡¯t wrong. Even the weakest among them, Guan Zhan, had to rely on listening to his fellow disciples discuss the scriptures and teach himself, due to lack of direct mentorship¡­ Yet his combat experience was far richer than anyone from the Yuqing View. The intellectuals of the Yuqing View, how could they outfight him? In other words, according to the higher-ups of Penglai, the top eight spots were definitely out of reach from Kunlun and Shushan. They were competing for the ninth to twelfth spots¡­ It really was a case of ¡°making it into the top twelve is considered a success.¡± Luo Yan mulled over this silently, finding it somewhat absurd, but when he thought about it, what was the purpose of Luo Yan¡¯s character setting? To strive for a higher status within the Yuqing View, until he could reach the Wan Xiang Immortal and then seize the Heaven-Mending Stone fragment he possessed! So, how to elevate his status? Of course, by ranking among the top contenders in the White Jade Capital competition! Upon careful consideration, with his current level of swordsmanship attainment and the magical treasures he possessed, he was just about qualified to vie for one of the twelve seats. But to advance further, he would need to reveal more of his hidden cards. Such as Ling Yunpo¡¯s Seven Kills Sword Technique¡­ Obviously, that was impossible. Wouldn¡¯t Senior Sister An go ballistic if she saw it? Similarly, he couldn¡¯t use Qiu Changtian¡¯s techniques, or his cover would be blown right there and then. Wei Dongliu¡¯s methods were infamously devious, like the Hundred Poison Gold Silkworm Gu and the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword, and they were naturally out of the question. Long Long¡¯s offensive techniques and various divine skills were mostly tied to the Ying Long Bloodline, which also weren¡¯t suitable to use. Thinking it over, only Luo Yan¡¯s Postnatal Five Elements Great Extermination Divine Light was barely suitable to reveal. As for where he got it from¡­ he could just claim that he obtained it from the Lianshan treasure vault. After all, this secret technique was once Moon Island¡¯s Daoist legacy, so acquiring it in the vicinity of Moon Island wouldn¡¯t seem problematic. Having thought things through, Luo Yan finally made his decision: Firstly, since Moon Island was no more, he needed to fabricate a reason to let his master know that he had ¡°obtained¡± the Five Elements Divine Light. Secondly, to aim for the top positions in the White Jade Capital competition, thereby attracting the attention of high-level officials within the Pavilion, and even entering the sight of Wan Xiang Immortal¨Cfor Qiu Changtian obtained the attention of the Chi Song Immortal by breaking the Intercepting Cult Sword Formation. Luo Yan could follow the same model! Moreover, if possible, he could also take Miss Shi into the top twelve. It wasn¡¯t out of the question. This was mainly out of gratitude for Elder Shi Ding¡¯s support and nurturing. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only As he was reflecting on this, he saw the Sect Leader of Xuandu emerge from the back hall. Everyone hastily bowed and gave their respects, greeting the Sect Leader. The Sect Leader of Xuandu gestured for everyone to dispense with the formalities, and then cleared his throat, bracing himself to start a leading speech¨Ccausing Luo Yan to shiver, thinking to himself how such an Orthodox Sect Leader could be so verbose? In the White Jade Capital competition, not being able to beat Kunlun, did he really have to outdo the Ziwei Master in this respect? ¡°` Chapter 396 - Chapter 396: Chapter 29 Ah Jing Sweeps Miss Shi Clean Chapter 396: Chapter 29 Ah Jing Sweeps Miss Shi Clean Perhaps it was because there weren¡¯t many listeners, the speech from the Master of Xuan Du was not incomprehensibly profound, but rather like an injection of chicken blood: ¡°For example, you should bring honor to the sect, today you take pride in Yuqing View, and tomorrow Yuqing View will take pride in you and so on.¡± Unlike those Kunlun disciples, among the seven Yuqing View disciples present, who wasn¡¯t personally taught by a master? Who wasn¡¯t compelled by their master to such an extent that they could not refuse, and who had no choice but to come? Oh, except for Miss Shi. As for the purpose of participating in the grand competition of the White Jade Capital and the true intentions of the higher-ups within the sect, everyone was already crystal clear, so they just nodded politely, unmoved. The Master of Xuan Du wasn¡¯t embarrassed either, since this was just a formality, and what followed was the main topic! In the midst of everyone¡¯s bored gazes, the Master of Xuan Du finally brought up the important issue: Before the competition, the sect will open the Lianshan Treasury for you all once! The people present, originally indifferent, all perked up at the mention of visiting the Lianshan Treasury. Only Shi Liuli looked disappointed, as she had already visited the Lianshan Treasury before and felt that going again would be somewhat unexciting. The Master of Xuan Du glanced at her quietly and then continued to explain to everyone: The Lianshan Treasury Secret Realm is essentially a massive labyrinth secret realm, with the structure of the paths inside constantly changing, making it difficult to find one¡¯s way out. Moreover, within the Lianshan Labyrinth, any magical treasure that could provide directions would be interfered with and rendered ineffective. The sole exception that would work was the Art Calculation. At this point, everyone turned their eyes towards Jian Qin in unison. After all, Jian Qin was a well-known practitioner of Art Calculation from the Jian Family of Qingzhou, who immediately laughed and said: ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then I¡¯ll take on the task of leading the way in the maze.¡± ¡°Apart from the maze itself, Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators will not encounter any danger upon entering. If they do not find their way out within a certain period, they will be transported out by the restrictions,¡± the Master of Xuan Du continued, ¡°Of course, every time the Lianshan Treasury is opened, a significant price must be paid, so even if your life isn¡¯t at risk, wasting this opportunity is still a loss you should be mindful of.¡± Opening the secret realm comes at a price? Luo Yan began to ponder. How come when Miss Shi and I went there before, we didn¡¯t pay a price? Oh, I remember running into a group of cultivators from Moon Island in the maze last time. Maybe these people had already paid the price to open the Lianshan Treasury, and that¡¯s how Miss Shi and I managed to benefit from it? The people around also became somber. As for what that price was, everyone was tactful enough not to ask, instead, they all indicated that they would treat the matter with caution and not take it lightly. A few hours later, everyone was sent to Moon Island. The island had once been inhabited by cultivators of Moon Island, but because of their rebellion against Yuqing View, they had long since fled. In front of the deity statue in the depths of the rear hall, the Master of Xuan Du took out a stick of incense from his chest and placed it in the incense burner in front of the statue. Incense? Luo Yan looked carefully and saw that the smoke from the incense rose straight up, dissipating abruptly a little over a foot above the surface. Before long, the room was filled with a pleasant fragrance. ¡°This is the Cloud Incense from Elephant Mountain, an extremely rare item,¡± said the Master of Xuan Du while looking at the statue. ¡°Once this incense is lit, the Lianshan Treasury will open; once the incense burns out, the Lianshan Treasury will close. Those who linger and do not leave will become nothing but dust.¡± ¡°You are cultivators at the Foundation Establishment Realm, not yet Golden Cores, and thus receive Lianshan¡¯s pity. Before the treasury closes, the restrictions of the secret realm will transport you out. For those who have already formed their Golden Core, it will be much more perilous inside; within the time it takes a stick of incense to burn, you must either find the treasure or face death.¡± ¡°This opportunity has not come easily; do not slack off,¡± he said. No sooner had he finished speaking than the belly of the deity statue suddenly hollowed out, revealing a dark hole. ¡°If not now, when?¡± shouted the Master of Xuan Du. Everyone promptly geared up and, one after another, climbed onto the platform and crawled through the hole in the belly of the deity statue. Having crawled through the lengthy passage, they soon fell into the midst of the labyrinth. Luo Yan and Shi Liuli turned their heads to look around, only to see familiar stone walls all around them, fitting tightly together without any gap for air to pass through. Han Xiu pinched a spell and frowned as he shook his head and said, ¡°The Five Elements Escape Technique doesn¡¯t work.¡± ¡°Of course not,¡± said Tian Zhang. ¡°If the Escape Technique worked, what would be the point of the labyrinth? Sister Jian, how should we proceed? Please divine our path.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Jian Qin took out a Bronze Liuren Plate and held it in hand as she stepped forward, flicking her fingers several times within the plate before suddenly declaring, ¡°We should head in that direction.¡± As the group was about to move, they heard Shi Liuli say, ¡°That doesn¡¯t seem right, Sister Jian, did you get it backward?¡± ¡°What makes you say that, Sister Shi?¡± Jian Qin asked in surprise. Shi Liuli did not answer but took out six copper coins, threw them skyward, then caught them all at once, opening her palm to reveal them. Jian Qin narrowed her eyes for a moment, then smiled and said, ¡°Who would have thought, Sister Shi, that you have also studied the Art of Calculation?¡± ¡°A little,¡± Shi Liuli replied gravely. ¡°However, you should know that there¡¯s no hierarchy in the Art of Calculation,¡± Jian Qin continued with a smile. ¡°What works for me isn¡¯t necessarily going to work for you.¡± ¡°True,¡± Shi Liuli turned her head away, ¡°Then I will go in that direction.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go this way,¡± Jian Qin said. The two women went their separate ways, and after a moment of hesitation, the rest unanimously followed after Jian Qin. After all, she was the heir to Qingzhou¡¯s Jian Family and had studied the Art of Calculation for many years, whereas the other was just Miss Shi from the Heavenly Craft Workshop¨C there was no question about who was more trustworthy. ¡°What about me?¡± Luo Yan knowingly asked. ¡°Of course, you¡¯re coming with me!¡± Shi Liuli snapped, grabbing his arm and pulling him forward. As for whom to follow, it was a choice Luo Yan did not actually need to make. Despite possibly being slightly better at the Art of Calculation, what Miss Shi had wasn¡¯t just the divine copper coin calculations she learned in the Kuocang Mountain Secret Realm; it was also her innate and utterly unreasonable super-luck. Taking into account their previous experience in the Lianshan Treasury¡¯s labyrinth, Luo Yan even highly suspected that Miss Shi¡¯s divine copper coin calculations were not about finding the answers, but about the Heavenly Dao changing the answers for her after she made her calculations. Whatever she calculated, the Heavenly Dao would just switch the correct answer to match¡­ ¡°You¡¯re stretching it too far,¡± said the Kunlun Mirror, ¡°Why don¡¯t you say that Miss Shi is an Exiled Immortal descended to the mortal realm? If she really could make laws with her words, she might as well directly take you to ascend to immortality.¡± ¡°I also used to believe in common logic,¡± Luo Yan then sighed. ¡°But Ah Jing, Miss Shi¡¯s powerful luck has consistently dealt me heavy blows, what can I do?¡± With that said, even the Kunlun Mirror could not refute him. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Once could be an accident, twice could be a coincidence, but a third time¡­ could it be that Miss Shi really had some innate talent that it hadn¡¯t been able to scan? No, this calls for a few more scans! Having reached a corner, Shi Liuli began another divination and suddenly felt a strong sensation as if she were being watched. Swiftly turning her head, she glared at Luo Yan. Luo Yan: ? Chapter 397 - Chapter 397: Chapter 30 Miss Shi Performs Another Ritual Chapter 397: Chapter 30 Miss Shi Performs Another Ritual ¡°Were you sneaking peeks at me from behind?¡± Shi Liuli suddenly turned around and said fiercely. ¡°Not at all, Senior Sister.¡± Luo Yan wore a puzzled expression, ¡°Why would I need to sneak peeks at you?¡± Shi Liuli was stumped by his question: That¡¯s right, given my relationship with Junior Brother, there¡¯s no need for him to sneak peeks at me, is there? Even if I am a beauty that overshadows the moon and shames flowers, and causes fish to dive and geese to fall, he could just watch openly. Why the need for secrecy? So, she cast aside the feeling of being watched and continued on. After walking for a while, she suddenly asked uncertainly, ¡°Junior Brother, do you think I can become a high rank cultivator?¡± ¡°Are you referring to Nascent Soul cultivators, Senior Sister?¡± Luo Yan feigned contemplation before replying, ¡°If Senior Sister is willing to work hard and progress, with your deep well of fortune, forming a Nascent Infant is definitely not a problem.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Shi Liuli muttered. She was still confident in her own remarkable luck. After thinking for a bit, Shi Liuli¡¯s brows lifted, and she smiled brightly, ¡°If one day, I truly become a Nascent Soul cultivator, you¡¯ll be under my Senior Sister¡¯s protection then!¡± ¡°Absolutely,¡± Luo Yan replied with a feigned smile, ¡°At that time, I¡¯ll rely solely on Senior Sister¡¯s shelter.¡± ¡°Hmm-hmm.¡± Shi Liuli boasted triumphantly, ¡°To protect everyone, I must become stronger!¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard to disagree,¡± said Luo Yan. Shi Liuli cast another divination, chose a direction, and then declared, ¡°To become stronger, one must encounter adventures¡­¡± Luo Yan¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Was Shi Liuli gearing up for something big again? ¡°But this time, I have a premonition,¡± Shi Liuli continued, ¡°The treasure we¡¯ll get this time will be a grade higher than last time!¡± Luo Yan fell silent for a long while before asking, ¡°Senior Sister, do you really have a premonition, or are you trying to manipulate the future?¡± ¡°What manipulation are you talking about!¡± Shi Liuli glared at him coquettishly, ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard the saying ¡®sincerity makes the spirit move¡¯? Do you get it?¡± Luo Yan was speechless. Fine, you¡¯re lucky, so whatever you say goes. ¡°What do you think I still lack now?¡± Shi Liuli pondered, ¡°An Immortal Sword, I have the Purple Extreme Han Yuan Sword; a Magical Treasure, I have the Taiwei Hook Chen Glittering Soul Star Sand; Daoist Magic, I have various derived techniques from the ¡®Five Latitudes Heavenly Secret Record.¡¯ As for talisman scripts, elixirs, art calculations¡­ I¡¯m not lacking anything.¡± ¡°How about some Purple Mansion Secret Medicine?¡± Luo Yan immediately sycophantically said, ¡°With your strong luck, acquiring a two-hundred-year-old Purple Mansion Secret Medicine isn¡¯t too much to ask for, right?¡± If a two-hundred-year Secret Medicine really shows up, I¡¯ll just go through the tribulation when I get out and form a First Grade Golden Core! ¡°How could Purple Mansion Secret Medicine be that easy to come by?¡± Shi Liuli, seeing through his ulterior motive, huffed, ¡°I have a premonition that there won¡¯t be any Purple Mansion Secret Medicine this time.¡± Luo Yan fell silent for a long time. Oh dear, too eager and ended up outsmarting myself. ¡°However, if there¡¯s no Purple Mansion Secret Medicine, I don¡¯t think there¡¯s really anything else I lack,¡± Shi Liuli pondered, ¡°If anything, I¡¯m just short on combat experience?¡± Not that, please! Luo Yan was instantly horrified; I have way too much combat experience! Just go out and fight a few battles, and that¡¯s really all you need! ¡°This¡­¡± He measured his words, ¡°Senior Sister, acquiring combat experience isn¡¯t difficult. With your intelligence and wisdom, participating in a few matches on the fighting arena at the White Jade Capital¡¯s grand competition, getting used to the rhythm of dueling with other cultivators, you¡¯ll have no trouble at all.¡± ¡°I think maybe some more Daoist Magic? The derived techniques from the ¡®Five Latitudes Heavenly Secret Record,¡¯ being derived from Qi Refining Technique, are basically for self-protection.¡± ¡°It would be best to get a powerful Daoist magic, just like the Heaven-flipping Seal and Divine Striking Whip, that could secure victory with a single strike,¡± Luo Yan finally hinted without saying too much, for fear that the capricious Miss Shi would respond with, ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s Daoist magic.¡± However, perhaps it was the allure of ¡°securing victory with a single strike¡± that caught her attention, for Shi Liuli didn¡¯t show any resistance and nodded: ¡°Indeed, it would be good to have some powerful Daoist magic. I heard that Chief Qiu excels in the Five Thunder True Law? And that Xu Yinglian has mastered the Great Bright Fire Divine Ability?¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Luo Yan thought to himself, why are you still concerned about my other identity, ¡°The Five Thunder True Law eradicates evil and vanquishes spirits, and the Great Bright Fire Divine Ability can burn mountains and boil seas, both are attack-oriented and extremely potent Daoist magic.¡± ¡°Then I want Daoist magic too!¡± Shi Liuli said enthusiastically, ¡°Firstly, it has to look good! Secondly, it has to be powerful! Lastly, it needs to be simple and easy to use, not too complicated!¡± Luo Yan continuously agreed, cooperating with the preferences of Miss Shi, but in his heart, he couldn¡¯t help but complain: Can we not swap the priorities of ¡°looking good¡± and ¡°being powerful¡±? What¡¯s the use of looking good if it isn¡¯t powerful enough? About fifteen minutes had passed, and it was unknown how the other five were faring, but at last, the two of them finally reached the exit ahead. Upon entering, they were still transported into a secret chamber. Only this time, instead of various magical artifacts, there were three bookshelves, and every shelf was filled with Jade Slips. ¡°The treasure vault will close in ten breaths¡­¡± The same voice rang out in their minds once again. Luo Yan, already experienced with the process, hurriedly rushed to the bookshelves to pull out Jade Slips. But halfway through, he couldn¡¯t pull them out anymore! Shi Liuli first used Sword Light, and finding that the Jade Slips wouldn¡¯t budge, she hurriedly followed Luo Yan¡¯s lead to grab them, but she could only pull them out halfway, as the remaining parts seemed to be nailed to the bookshelf and would not move at all. Almost simultaneously, the two of them realized: The Cultivation Techniques documented in these Jade Slips were of too high a rank, and since they could not study them at this time, the Jade Slips refused to be taken! Without hesitation, they abandoned the Jade Slips in their hands and switched to another target. Since all the Jade Slips looked similar, they could only randomly select, and it turned out that Shi Liuli chose the second Jade Slip, which she pulled out effortlessly. And then she disappeared from the room. Could only one be taken? A thought flashed through Luo Yan¡¯s mind, but his hands didn¡¯t stop moving as he continued to try to pull out the next Jade Slip. Can¡¯t pull out. Can¡¯t pull out. Can¡¯t pull out. Seven breaths had already passed, and Luo Yan had chosen about a dozen Jade Slips, none of which could be pulled out! How unlucky could he be! ¡°The second one from the left in this row!¡± the Kunlun Mirror suddenly suggested. Luo Yan immediately reached out like lightning, and the moment he grasped the second Jade Slip, he felt the world spinning, and he was teleported out of the Lianshan Treasure Vault, appearing above the sea. At that time, Shi Liuli was standing beside Elder Shi Ding, excitedly discussing something, obviously having obtained some powerful Daoist magic. Master of Xuandu stood next to them, nodding continuously. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Luo Yan has also come out,¡± Elder Shi Ding called him over and said with a smile, ¡°Having experienced the Lianshan Treasure Vault once again, what did you obtain?¡± ¡°Reporting to Master,¡± Luo Yan had obviously prepared his answer in advance, lying, ¡°I obtained a Secret Technique in the chamber, named ¡®Postnatal Five Elements Great Extermination Divine Light¡¯.¡± ¡°Postnatal Five Elements Great Extermination Divine Light?¡± Elder Shi Ding and Master of Xuandu exclaimed in unison. ¡°Yes,¡± Luo Yan said calmly, as if completely unaware of what that implied. His hands hidden in his sleeves quietly stashed the Jade Slip into his Storage Bag. Chapter 398 - Chapter 398: Chapter 31: The Supreme Reveals the Secret Treasury of Scriptures Chapter 398: Chapter 31: The Supreme Reveals the Secret Treasury of Scriptures Not long after, guided by Jian Qin¡¯s art calculation, the others also returned from the Lianshan treasury. This time, the Master of Xuan Du did not inquire about their gains. Or rather, no matter what they had acquired, it paled in comparison to Luo Yan¡¯s Postnatal Five Elements Great Extermination Divine Light. After returning to Yuqing View, the Master of Xuan Du and Elder Shi Ding called Luo Yan to the inner hall to ask for details. Luo Yan recounted his experience in the East Sea Pavilion, saying that as soon as he pulled out the Jade Slip in the secret chamber and his divine sense barely touched it, the Jade Slip transformed into five-colored specks of light that entered his Sea of Consciousness. What followed was the cultivation method for the Five Elements Extinguishing Divine Light. ¡°Those five-colored specks should be the true veins of the Postnatal Five Elements,¡± the Master of Xuan Du said with a sigh, ¡°Without these Five Elements True Veins, even if one had the method of cultivation, they would not be able to practice the Five Elements Divine Light.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Elder Shi Ding also said with relief, ¡°The Postnatal Five Elements Ultimate Extermination Divine Light is undoubtedly a secret Immortal Sect technique, and it is only in a secret place like the Lianshan treasury that one has an extremely slim chance of obtaining it. Luo Yan, you have truly stumbled upon a great opportunity.¡± ¡°Thanks to my master¡¯s blessings, I too was very surprised,¡± Luo Yan said sincerely. In reality, the Five Elements Divine Light was something he had obtained by chance due to a mistake within the East Sea Pavilion¡­ This was, after all, akin to exploiting a BUG¨Ca matter he couldn¡¯t explain to Elder Shi Ding (How could a Pavilion give away Immortal Laws? How did you exploit this BUG?), thus he had to keep it concealed until now. Now, with the opportunity provided by the Lianshan treasury, he could finally ¡®launder¡¯ this secret technique, and from now on, he could use it openly and legitimately! As for the real Jade Slip he acquired from the Lianshan treasury, Luo Yan had not yet had time to study it closely, preferring to deal with his master and sect leader for the time being. Elder Shi Ding and the Master of Xuan Du continued to ask many detailed questions. When Luo Yan described the cultivation of this Daoist magic as requiring one to refine Qi into Gang before infusing the Postnatal Five Elements True Veins into the Yuan Magnetic Gang Qi, the Master of Xuan Du immediately wrote a note for Luo Yan to go to the Divine Elixir Pavilion to get an elixir called ¡°Yuan Magnetic True Ultimate Pill.¡± As the name implies, it helps cultivators refine the Yuan Magnetic Gang Qi and remove old metal injuries from their bodies. Luo Yan took the note, feeling somewhat helpless inside: I¡¯ve been cultivating the Postnatal Five Elements Ultimate Extermination Divine Light for so many years, what use do I have for this ¡°Yuan Magnetic True Ultimate Pill¡±? Oh well, why not take it if it¡¯s offered for free. After bidding his master and sect leader farewell, Luo Yan went out, only to see Shi Liuli waiting outside. ¡°Little Junior Brother!¡± She rushed over and hugged Luo Yan, curiously asking, ¡°Is the Postnatal Five Elements Ultimate Extermination Divine Light really that powerful? I read in ancient texts that once one cultivates this Immortal Law, anything that doesn¡¯t fall within the Five Elements, as long as it is swept by the Five Elements Divine Light, will immediately lose its spirituality!¡± ¡°That¡¯s the Innate Five Elements Great Chaos Divine Light,¡± Luo Yan quickly clarified. ¡°The Postnatal Five Elements Divine Light isn¡¯t that powerful, at most it only restrains any flying swords, Magical Treasures, and Daoist Magic not derived from the Five Elements.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Shi Liuli asked, her interest piqued, ¡°Can I learn it too?¡± ¡°This¡­¡± Luo Yan could only repeat that cultivating the Five Elements Divine Light required the Five Elements True Veins, ¡°The Five Elements True Veins were automatically bestowed into my body when I encountered the Jade Slip, I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t lend it to you, Senior Sister.¡± ¡°No matter,¡± Shi Liuli waved her hand generously, ¡°I¡¯ll look for the Five Elements True Veins myself next time.¡± ¡°` You don¡¯t know how hard it is to find the Five Elements True Veins of Acquired Nature¡­ Luo Yan thought, but he didn¡¯t burst An Zhisu¡¯s bubble; instead, he asked: ¡°What Immortal Law has Sister acquired this time? It must be something rare and powerful again, right? Your brother here is green with envy.¡± ¡°You guessed right,¡± Shi Liuli said with a giggle, ¡°The Daoist Magic I¡¯ve obtained is called the ¡®Southern Dipper Galaxy Secret Technique.¡¯ At its advanced levels, it is said to have the power to ¡®tear open the skies and seal the earth, call forth the sun and summon the moon.¡¯ If you want to learn it, I can teach you.¡± ¡°Thank you, Sister,¡± Luo Yan replied, genuinely moved. Although Miss Shi was usually lazy, capricious, lacked perseverance, and was fickle in her endeavors, every time it came to such matters, she always showed the generosity and straightforwardness of a wealthy lady. However, he had enough secret techniques of his own, whether it was the Five Thunder True Law or the Five Elements Extinguishing Divine Light, each required a great deal of time to study. There was no need to learn another such as the Southern Dipper Galaxy Secret Technique¨Cit was clearly meant to complement Shi Liuli¡¯s Qi Refining Technique, the ¡®Five Latitudes Heavenly Secret Record,¡¯ both relating to Stellar Longitude Force and mutually reinforcing one another. Learning them separately wouldn¡¯t form a system and would be meaningless. So, in the following days, Luo Yan pretended to refine the Primordial Magnetic Gang Qi, and then refined the Five Elements True Veins, and eventually managed to ¡°initially¡± wield the Five Elements Ultimate Extermination Divine Light. Upon seeing the Five Elements Divine Light, Elder Shi Ding was extremely satisfied and had several secret discussions with Luo Yan, subtly implying to him, ¡°The value of this Immortal Law is so great that it could be passed down as a lineage.¡± Luo Yan, of course, understood the deeper meaning of his master¡¯s words and very tactfully responded that once he took over Heavenly Craft Workshop, the Five Elements Extinguishing Divine Light would become an ¡°integral part¡± of the Heavenly Craft Workshop¡¯s lineage and would be passed on to his chosen successor of the Workshop. Elder Shi Ding was greatly comforted. Although he suspected that by the time his disciple Luo Yan chose the next successor, he himself would either have ascended or perished, the thought that such an Immortal Law would enhance the power of successive masters of Heavenly Craft Workshop filled him with immense joy and satisfaction. After all, Heavenly Craft Workshop was best known for the Path of Artifact Refining, with other techniques being so triflingly useless. The most typical example was the Qi Refining Technique ¡®Three Flowers Gathering Spirit,¡¯ which was so mediocre in efficiency that it couldn¡¯t even measure up to many Loose Cultivators¡¯ Qi Refining Techniques. With the Five Elements Ultimate Extermination Divine Light in hand, who would dare to say that Heavenly Craft Workshop comprises only craftsmen?! After parting with Elder Shi Ding, Luo Yan returned to his quarters to study the Jade Slip he had brought back from the Lianshan Treasure Vault. This Jade Slip was titled ¡®Supreme Secret Treasury Scripture,¡¯ describing some kind of ¡°profound secret technique.¡± Every word was like a pearl, and every sentence held a secret. Even for Luo Yan, with his ability to grasp thousands of details from a single piece of information, reading it was a struggle. After reading the entire text several times, Luo Yan finally had an epiphany; this Secret Scripture contained a miraculous technique that seemed to be the legendary method for creating an External Incarnation! As the story goes, Ling Yunpo, at the Eastern Emperor Boundary Gate, managed to persuade the last Sun Sword Master, Ouyang Zhao, with his eloquent words to set the terms for returning the Sun True Obscure Sword, in exchange for a treasure promised by the ancestor of the Guan Family¨Ca treasure called the Azure Spirit Divine Bead, which could be used to cultivate an External Incarnation. But with the rare material at hand and no method of refinement, it would be useless. Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu inquired extensively and learned that, compared to the Azure Spirit Divine Bead, the method for refining an External Incarnation was even rarer. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only The reason was simple: if the specific method for refining your External Incarnation were known to others, they could deduce the weaknesses of your Incarnation. With this information, they could employ corresponding secret techniques to suppress your Incarnation in battle or even turn the tables and seize it for themselves. Hence, throughout history, the number of Cultivators with External Incarnations documented in the annals did not exceed the number of fingers on a hand, and not a single one had ever passed down the method of their Incarnation¡¯s refinement¡­ Whether or not the ancestor of the Guan Family possessed the method of refinement remained unknown. However, knowing this, even if the ancestor of the Guan Family were willing to provide it, Ling Yunpo would not dare to accept it¨Cthat would be tantamount to directly handing over the lifeline of his External Incarnation to the Guan Family ancestor. Having obtained the ¡®Supreme Secret Treasury Scripture¡¯ this time, Luo Yan felt like he had found a priceless treasure. During the day, he practiced combat with Miss Shi, and at night he shut himself away to study the Scripture, determined to refine his External Incarnation before the Great Contest at White Jade Capital! ¡°` Chapter 399 - Chapter 399: Chapter 32 Before the Grand Competition, Guidance from the Sect Leader Chapter 399: Chapter 32 Before the Grand Competition, Guidance from the Sect Leader ¡°` ¡°The Supreme Revelation of the Secret Esoteric Scriptures¡± is actually even more difficult to understand than the ¡°Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra,¡± making Luo Yan feel somewhat frustrated. After studying for three or four days, he read it with only a vague understanding; it wasn¡¯t that his comprehension was poor, but the text itself is truly obscure, with many ancient grammatical structures enormously different from today¡¯s, coupled with a lack of commentary to explain, making it akin to learning a foreign language. Moreover, this ¡°Supreme Revelation of the Secret Esoteric Scriptures¡± seems to contain methods related to External Incarnation, hence he cannot ask others for advice, further slowing down the translation progress. In addition to studying this scripture, Luo Yan must also gather daily with Miss Shi and the other five competitors from the White Jade Capital to spar and test their magical abilities against each other. There¡¯s no need to practice with Magical Treasures, of course, but Shi Liuli now has two things to train in: one is the East Sea Jade Coral Swordsmanship, and the other is the Southern Dipper Galaxy Secret Technique. When she practices swordsmanship, Luo Yan would spar with her using the Huangting Kunwu Sword. This Divine Sword, belonging to the Earth System, is heavy with powerful momentum. With its high rank, a single sweep could overwhelm Shi Liuli¡¯s Purple Extreme Han Yuan Sword, allowing Luo Yan to dominate her in various ways; When she practices Daoist Magic, Luo Yan would counter her with the Five Elements Divine Light. The Southern Dipper Galaxy Secret Technique is also extraordinary, capable of summoning the water of the celestial river to the Lower Realm, where even a drop of water thrown at someone can form a force of a thousand jun. However, no matter how fierce this technique is, it cannot escape the attribute of the Five Elements Water System, and once swept by the Five Elements Divine Light, it¡¯s like a sharp blade slicing through silk, being cleanly torn apart. This infuriated Shi Liuli, who gnashed her teeth in anger and refused to continue sparring with Luo Yan, instead turning to the others for practice matches. Although her combat experience is lacking, Tian Zhang and the others weren¡¯t necessarily much better; and given that both the Purple Extreme Han Yuan Sword and Southern Dipper Galaxy Secret Technique are not common in grade rank, she easily trounced them, allowing Miss Shi to vent and feel greatly refreshed. The Yuqing View naturally places high hopes on these seven disciples and closely monitors their daily sparring progress. The Sect Leader of Xuan Du often takes time to watch the bouts and has found that among the seven, Luo Yan is unquestionably the strongest, pressing down on all the others, making him the most powerful in this group. Although Shi Liuli is not a match for Luo Yan, she is undefeated against the rest. The remaining five, including his own son Tian Zhang, are evenly matched against each other, with the outcomes of the fights being unpredictable. It seems that in this White Jade Capital¡¯s competition, if one wants to win one of the twelve seats, focus will need to be placed on Luo Yan and Shi Liuli. Hence, one day after their sparring session ended, the Sect Leader of Xuan Du called aside Luo Yan alone. ¡°Why has the Sect Leader summoned this junior?¡± Luo Yan was also somewhat puzzled. Could it be that he wanted to privately bestow special training like Patriarch Subhuti did with Sun Wukong? As if seeing through his thoughts, the Sect Leader of Xuan Du said with a smile: ¡°I¡¯m not planning to give you a reward; you currently have no shortage of Magic Artifacts on you, be careful not to bite off more than you can chew.¡± Luo Yan then feigned an awkward laugh, unable to deny this point. In terms of Flying Swords, he has the Huangting Kunwu Sword; in terms of Daoist Magic, he has the Five Elements Divine Light. Both of these items are extraordinary, and their grade ranks even higher than those of Miss Shi. As for Magical Treasures¡­ the Hundred Treasures Bag from the Heavenly Craft Workshop hangs at his waist; what kind of Magical Treasures can¡¯t be found in there? If he simply took them out to throw, he could smash his opponents to death! In the eyes of the Sect Leader of Xuan Du, Luo Yan¡¯s only shortcoming is his lack of combat experience. For example, in a Cultivator¡¯s duel, if the opponent directly fires a Flying Sword at great speed, and you can¡¯t even defend against it, then forget about any Hundred Treasures Bag, any Five Elements Divine Light, where would you have the time to use them? Lacking combat experience is like holding the Tai¡¯a Divine Sword in the hands of a child; it poses no threat at all! ¡°Attack me and give it a try,¡± the Sect Leader of Xuan Du said warmly, ¡°Go ahead, use all your abilities.¡± Luo Yan was startled, then realized the Sect Leader meant to personally assess and guide him, and he quickly responded: ¡°Then this junior will show his modest skill; please do not spare your guidance.¡± ¡°` Having said that, he made a sword gesture and shot the Huangting Kunwu Sword toward the Sect Leader of Xuan Du. The Sect Leader of Xuan Du did not even blink as a silver light shot out from behind him. It was his Sect Leader¡¯s side sword, the Radiant Scenery Cloud Fang Sword, which intercepted and blocked the Huangting Kunwu Sword. When the swords collided, there was a thunderous noise, and the Radiant Scenery Cloud Fang Sword was slightly overpowered, its blade bursting with streaks of dawn light. The Sect Leader of Xuan Du, seeing this, uttered a sound of surprise. This Huangting Kunwu Sword, truly worthy of its past as the Emperor¡¯s Side Sword, even the Radiant Scenery Cloud Fang Sword could not fully stop it. Its overwhelming power was evident, but why did it seem somewhat less than agile? ¡°You have not yet had this sword acknowledge you as its master?¡± the Sect Leader of Xuan Du asked with a frown. ¡°The Sect Leader also knows that this is the Emperor¡¯s Side Sword.¡± Luo Yan then gave a helpless and bitter smile, ¡°Is it that easy to have it recognize a master?¡± ¡°It is indeed strange,¡± the Sect Leader of Xuan Du said in a low voice. It wasn¡¯t strange for the Emperor¡¯s Side Sword to refuse to acknowledge an ordinary person as its master. However, by rights, if the sword was unwilling to acknowledge Luo Yan as its master, then with Luo Yan¡¯s current cultivation realm, he should have found it difficult to even make it move slightly. Therefore, the Sect Leader of Xuan Du had thought that Luo Yan must have used some method, by a fluke or error, to subdue the Huangting Kunwu Sword. Yet now, Luo Yan had personally admitted that he had not made the sword acknowledge him as its master¡­ So how could he command it? It couldn¡¯t possibly be that it had recognized him as its master by halfway, not completely, could it? The Sect Leader of Xuan Du fell into silent contemplation, and Luo Yan naturally did not dare to interject recklessly. The scene fell into solemn silence, with only the Green Duckweed Sword, which knew the hidden secret, giggling snidely within Luo Yan¡¯s body. ¡°Speaking of which, how did you help him subdue that sword?¡± the Kunlun Mirror asked curiously. ¡°I¡¯m not telling you,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword purposely played coy. After pondering for a long time, the Sect Leader of Xuan Du finally spoke slowly: ¡°With the might of the Huangting Kunwu Sword, it won¡¯t be difficult for you to achieve a ranking in the Great Competition of the White Jade Capital.¡± ¡°But if you aim for one of the twelve seats, and the sword has not yet acknowledged you as its master, its sluggish response will likely become a significant vulnerability.¡± Luo Yan was naturally aware of this and replied with a wry smile: ¡°I am incompetent, please enlighten me, Sect Leader.¡± ¡°To make up for this vulnerability, there are two methods,¡± the Sect Leader of Xuan Du said, holding up two fingers. ¡°One is to nurture the sword with your True Yuan over a long period of time, until it becomes familiar with your essence, and then you can refine it with a secret technique.¡± Luo Yan nodded, aware of the secret technique that the Sect Leader of Xuan Du was referring to. The secret technique of the Life-bound Sword Artifact as passed down by Shushan. However, what the Sect Leader of Xuan Du did not know was that he had already made the Green Duckweed Sword his Life-bound Sword Artifact. Just as a man cannot marry two wives, how could he possibly have two Life-bound Sword Artifacts at the same time? Clearly, this path was not an option. ¡°The second,¡± the Sect Leader of Xuan Du continued, ¡°is to rigorously practice your swordsmanship.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°The higher the level of your swordsmanship, the fewer the flaws within it. Although it cannot completely eliminate them, it is sufficient to improve your odds of winning.¡± Luo Yan nodded in agreement. The Sect Leader of Xuan Du¡¯s reasoning was quite straightforward: you do not need to perfect your swordsmanship without any flaws, you only need to raise your swordsmanship, so your flaws are not so easily targeted. As for Luo Yan¡¯s actual swordsmanship level¡­ if we talk solely about swordsmanship attainment, he dared to say that, except for An Zhisu with her Innate Sword Heart, among all those from the Orthodox Sect participating in the Great Competition of the White Jade Capital, no one could match him! Of course, Qiu Changtian and Ling Yunpo also didn¡¯t count¨Cfighting against oneself, no matter the win or loss, how could that be considered! Chapter 400 - Chapter 400: Chapter 33: Use the Junior Brother for Practice Later Chapter 400: Chapter 33: Use the Junior Brother for Practice Later After finishing the swordsmanship, Master of Xuandu had Luo Yan demonstrate the Five Elements Divine Light for him as well. Luo Yan then performed the Daoist Formula, displaying the Five Elements Divine Light. Master of Xuandu also activated various Magical Treasures, attempting to defend against it tentatively. The moment these Magical Treasures encountered the Five Elements Divine Light, they were immediately suppressed, devoid of any power to counterattack. Hmm, worthy of the legendary Postnatal Five Elements Great Extermination Divine Light, it naturally restrains anything beyond the scope of the Five Elements. Even with the vast difference in our Cultivation Levels, it can still suppress the Magical Treasures I activated. This demonstrates how high the Rank of the Five Elements Divine Light is; truly astonishing. Just as Master of Xuandu continued to ponder, the originally dazzling and swirling Five Elements Divine Light suddenly went out like a bulb that had lost power ¨C in an instant, it extinguished. Luo Yan: ¡­¡­¡­.. Master of Xuandu: ¡­¡­¡­.. After an awkward exchange of glances, Luo Yan finally said with a bitter expression, ¡°This Postnatal Five Elements Great Extermination Divine Light really consumes a lot of True Yuan. At most, I can only maintain it for the duration of three breaths.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± After a moment of contemplation, Master of Xuandu said, ¡°In that case, it cannot be used as a regular tactic.¡± ¡°You should treat this Five Elements Divine Light as your trump card. Try not to use it in the early rounds of the White Jade Capital competition. Only bring it out to settle the fight when facing a true opponent.¡± ¡°Moreover, since you can last three breaths, the first time you use it during the competition, you should try to only use it for the duration of one breath. Do you understand?¡± ¡°The junior understands,¡± Luo Yan thought to himself that it was nothing more than keeping his trump card hidden and misdirecting information. How could I not understand? I¡¯ve been in this line of work for decades! ¡°Regarding the insufficient True Yuan, there¡¯s no suitable solution for now,¡± Master of Xuandu continued, ¡°The total amount of your True Yuan depends on your Cultivation Level and the Grade of your Qi Refining Technique. The higher your Cultivation Realm and the higher the grade of your Qi Refining Technique, the more vigorous and abundant your True Yuan will be.¡± ¡°As for the recovery speed of True Yuan, it¡¯s determined by the perfection of your Jade Mansion and the rank of your Core Condensation. The more perfect your Jade Mansion Golden Core, the more solid your Foundation of Cultivation, the faster the recovery speed of True Yuan.¡± ¡°Both of these are long-term issues and cannot be resolved overnight, but you can at least design a good tactical approach to indirectly compensate for this weakness.¡± ¡°Disciple has received instruction,¡± Luo Yan respectfully bowed. Although it was all common knowledge to him, he could see that Master of Xuandu was giving him genuine advice. Well, seeing as how sincere the Sect Leader is, it wouldn¡¯t hurt to fulfill his wish and secure the top twelve ranks in the White Jade Capital competition for him. Upon this thought, Luo Yan suddenly felt very pitiful. If he were not burdened with the heroic destiny to seize the Heaven-Mending Stone, why wouldn¡¯t he want to bond with such a kind elder and contribute his modest strength to the Sect? It¡¯s not my fault, it¡¯s clearly the fault of this world! After giving his comments, Master of Xuandu concluded: ¡°Currently, whether it¡¯s your Cultivation Realm or your Magic Artifact equipment, you are already far ahead of your peers.¡± ¡°The only issue is that, in terms of combat experience, you still have much room for improvement compared to the elite disciples of Kunlun and Shushan.¡± Luo Yan humbly accepted the feedback, thinking to himself how tactfully the Sect Leader spoke, ¡°much room for improvement,¡± huh. ¡°Furthermore, the most important thing at the moment is to design a fighting style and tactics that best suit your actual situation,¡± Master of Xuandu encouraged, ¡°Polish them well, and when the White Jade Capital competition arrives, I believe you will be able to display your full strength.¡± Luo Yan respectfully agreed, thinking to himself that it was just a competition, yet the Sect Leader made it feel as tense as the eve of a college entrance exam¨Ca complete exaggeration. As for ¡°polishing his own style,¡± Luo Yan had been doing that without needing any reminders from Master of Xuandu. After all, he was a man with countless ¡°trump cards¡±; if he didn¡¯t design ¡°card decks¡± for each identity, what would he do if he mixed them up or gave himself away? ¡°Go and call your senior sister here,¡± Master of Xuandu looked into the distance. Luo Yan turned his head and saw Shi Liuli waiting for him outside¨Cthe Miss Shi must have noticed when the Sect Leader asked him to stay earlier, and stayed here out of concern. His heart warmed at the thought, and he waved to Shi Liuli before walking over. ¡°Is it over?¡± Shi Liuli asked in a low voice. ¡°Yes,¡± Luo Yan nodded. ¡°What was said?¡± Shi Liuli sounded nervous, ¡°Does the Sect Leader intend to matchmake me with his son or something?¡± Luo Yan: ??? He paused for a moment, his expression odd as he asked: ¡°What did you think the Sect Leader was doing when he asked me to stay behind?¡± ¡°Could it be because he suspects something between us and wants to teach you a lesson?¡± Shi Liuli frowned and asked. Luo Yan was silent for a long while before he slowly exhaled a sigh. When will this miss grow up? She¡¯s so foolish that I almost feel sorry for her. He couldn¡¯t be bothered to explain the misunderstanding and just took Shi Liuli¡¯s hand, pulling her over to the Master of Xuandu, only to hear the Sect Leader gently say: ¡°Little Liuli, try attacking me with your Flying Sword.¡± Shi Liuli paused for a moment, then suddenly said: ¡°Grandpa Sect Leader, are you going to give me guidance on my swordsmanship?¡± ¡°Of course, what else?¡± the Master of Xuandu asked in surprise. Even though Shi Liuli was usually quite carefree, at this moment she couldn¡¯t help but blush slightly, hastily saying: ¡°Then, I will show my humble skills.¡± She quickly formed a Sword technique with her hands and thrust the Purple Extreme Han Yuan Sword towards the Sect Leader, using the first move of the East Sea Coral Sword, Purple Qi from the East. The Master of Xuandu easily caught it with his Cloud Fang Huijing Sword, feeling the force, angle, and follow-through of the sword, thought to himself, Aren¡¯t you two from the same Heavenly Craft Workshop? How come your swordsmanship attainment is so much worse compared to Luo Yan¡¯s? Could it be that Elder Shi Ding favors Luo Yan and did not teach Shi Liuli much? After exchanging a few moves with Shi Liuli, the Master of Xuandu signaled for her to stop, then started to contemplate, his eyebrows gradually knitting together. This¡­ it¡¯s really hard to evaluate Shi Liuli¡¯s swordsmanship. It¡¯s not that she has no weaknesses, but compared to Luo Yan, whether it¡¯s consciousness, technique, or reaction speed, almost everything is a weakness. Logically, such a situation would require basic training in swordsmanship, but with the White Jade Capital competition ahead, where is the time to start over from the basics? ¡°Now, try using your Daoist Magic,¡± decided the Master of Xuandu, choosing to skip over it. Shi Liuli then formed another Daoist Formula, casting the Southern Dipper Galaxy Secret Technique. Suddenly, a starlight appeared in the void, and from it, an endless stream of river water burst forth, the waves churned wildly, the surf roared furiously, and in an instant, the form of the Master of Xuandu was almost completely engulfed. The Master of Xuandu, unruffled, circled his Cloud Fang Huijing Sword, and a Tai Chi Diagram appeared around him out of nowhere. The surging river water slammed into the Tai Chi Diagram and, as if falling into a bottomless pit, was absorbed cleanly in a moment. ¡°This secret technique is quite good,¡± the Master of Xuandu finally said with great pleasure once Shi Liuli withdrew her secret technique, smiling, ¡°Little Liuli, compared to the easy-to-learn but hard-to-master swordsmanship, your talent in Daoist Magic is clearly superior.¡± ¡°Does Grandpa Sect Leader think my swordsmanship is really bad?¡± Shi Liuli asked angrily. ¡°Every stick has two ends,¡± the Master of Xuandu said leisurely, ¡°Your goal is to gain an advantage in the White Jade Capital¡¯s competition. Rather than painstakingly compensating for weaknesses, it is better to focus on strengthening your advantages.¡± Shi Liuli thought it over carefully, found it reasonable, and continued to listen patiently. ¡°As for the way of swordsmanship, your foundation is too weak. Even if you were to practice intensely from today, how could you surpass the Shushan Sword Immortals who have devoted their lives to this path?¡± ¡°Fortunately, your Purple Extreme Han Yuan Sword is not of poor grade. In terms of swordsmanship, you need to be able to block your opponent¡¯s attacks promptly, thereby buying time to deploy Daoist Magic and your Magical Treasures.¡± ¡°As for Daoist Magic, the greatest advantage of your Southern Dipper Galaxy Secret Technique lies in its boundlessness and vast range, making it hard for the opponent to hide or withstand, leaving them with no choice but to counter with similarly wide-ranging Daoist Magic.¡± ¡°At that moment, you can activate your star sand Magical Treasure to break the deadlock of this Daoist Magic standoff, thus creating an opportunity for victory you can seize.¡± At this point, Shi Liuli suddenly had an inspiration. Her Magical Treasure, the Tiny Weigou Chen Glowing Sand, consisted of an extremely large quantity of shiny sand grains, harder than metal or iron. Once wrapped around the opponent, ordinary Magical Treasures and Flying Swords would be pulverized by the sand¨C But every time she sparred with Luo Yan, she would often be preempted by his Flying Sword, which would pierce through the barrier of star sand and attack her directly, causing Shi Liuli to be overwhelmed and quickly defeated. Although the star sand could assemble quickly, it clearly couldn¡¯t compete with the speed of a Flying Sword, leaving it insufficient time to protect her. However, if she activated the Southern Dipper Galaxy Secret Technique first, letting the celestial river¡¯s water engulf everything around her, her opponent couldn¡¯t use that move against her. After all, the force of the celestial river is overwhelming, and its range is extremely broad. No matter where the opponent¡¯s Flying Sword attacked from, it would have to penetrate the celestial river, like rowing against the current in a boat, unable to pick up speed. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Then, she just needed to mix the Tiny Weigoui Chen Glowing Sand sneakily into the celestial river water and quietly attack the opponent. The water of the celestial river would mask the star sand¡¯s glitter and trajectory, and the star sand would compensate for the inadequacies of the celestial river¡¯s assault. When both combined their strengths, wouldn¡¯t it be splendid? Excellent! This tactical scheme¡­ I¡¯ll first test it on my junior brother to vent the frustration of being bullied by him recently! She turned her head stealthily towards Luo Yan and couldn¡¯t help but reveal a smug, mischievous smile. Luo Yan: ? Chapter 401 - Chapter 401: Chapter 34 What, this thing again? Chapter 401: Chapter 34 What, this thing again? [Location Two: Shushan Shangqing Faction, Qingluo Peak.] [Character Identity: Ling Yunpo.] [Mirror Flower Water Moon Template overlaying, currently traveling through time and space.] Early in the morning, Ling Yunpo shouldered a broom and went out to sweep the floor. Although it was the end of winter, the temperature in Shushan had already started to warm up, and there were far fewer days with rain or snow. Ling Yunpo had plenty of free time, and he thoroughly cleaned both inside and outside of the observatory. Suddenly, he saw a sword light descend from the sky, landing on the ground outside¨Cit was none other than An Zhisu, returning from buying wine at the foot of the mountain. ¡°Junior Brother!¡± An Zhisu said delightedly, lifting her skirt and hurrying over. ¡°There¡¯s some great news¡­¡± ¡°The White Jade Capital competition, right?¡± Ling Yunpo said calmly, continuing to sweep. ¡°How did you know?¡± An Zhisu paused, then smiled and said, ¡°This time, the White Jade Capital competition will determine¡­¡± ¡°The top twelve seats,¡± Ling Yunpo interjected. ¡°Exactly,¡± An Zhisu affirmed earnestly, ¡°It¡¯s said that the word has come down from above¨Cwe at Shushan must secure at least half.¡± Source: , updated on novG0.so ¡°Secure half?¡± Ling Yunpo couldn¡¯t help but laugh at the bold claim. Not to mention the others, Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian from the Kunlun Sect, Luo Yan from the Penglai Sect¨Cthese three were not only peerless within their own sects, but even when faced with opponents from Shushan, Lin Duanshan and the others would surely not prevail. I won¡¯t mention Qiu and Luo; they are my alter egos. Xu Yinglian¡¯s advantage lies in her control of the Great Bright Fire combined with her Phoenix Bloodline, which have ranks and powers so high they are extraordinary, able to withstand anything but the strongest Daoist Magic. However, most of the Shushan Sword Immortals focus on studying Swordsmanship, and very few practice Daoist Magic as well. When confronted with situations that necessitate the use of Daoist Magic, they can only substitute it with Sword Dao Techniques. Unfortunately, even if the Daoist Magic is identical, the consumption of True Yuan is much higher when using a flying sword to activate it¨Cas there¡¯s an additional layer that causes True Yuan to be lost at a high rate. Therefore, when a Shushan Sword Immortal faces a Kunlun Cultivator, if they cannot quickly kill the opponent, the battle often turns into a contest of True Yuan depletion, eventually leading to a drawn-out defeat. With her Phoenix Bloodline and the cultivation of the ¡°Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra,¡± Xu Yinglian¡¯s True Yuan is incredibly strong. Additionally, after consuming various rare elixirs for the Purple Mansion, such as the Mercurial Elixir Liquid, Essence of Millennium Frost, Vermillion Sun Mercurial Pill, and the Nine Revolutions Vermilion Phoenix Pill, her Purple Mansion has long transformed into a Jade Mansion, boasting a frighteningly fast True Yuan recovery rate. Outside cultivators honorably call her ¡°Phoenix Immortal,¡± while Kunlun Cultivators refer to her as ¡°Little Qiu Changtian.¡± Defeating her is not impossible, but to swiftly kill her¡­ not even Qiu Changtian is capable of that. Without a quick kill and engaging in a drawn-out battle, given Xu Yinglian¡¯s True Yuan strength, along with her indomitable spirit and determination, the fight would only drag on to a pace she is most familiar with. Thus, it¡¯s basically assumed that among the twelve seats in the White Jade Capital, three are already reserved by Qiu Changtian, Xu Yinglian, and Luo Yan. If Shi Liuli makes ample preparations before the competition, with her Taiwei Star Sand and Southern Dipper Galaxy Secret Technique, it¡¯s possible for her to secure a spot in the top twelve. However, when speaking of ¡°possible,¡± one must consider her divine favor from the Heavenly Dao. If this young mistress really starts manipulating luck before the competition, who could withstand it? Ling Yunpo assumes that as long as Shi Liuli truly strives for it, there is definitely a place for her among the twelve seats. In other words, on the surface, it¡¯s a contest for six seats among twelve, but in reality, Shushan is vying for six seats out of eight. Senior Sister An and I will certainly have no problems, but the challenge lies in whether Lin Duanshan and the others can smoothly make it into the top twelve. Penglai shall not be mentioned for now. Over at Kunlun, Qiu Changtian¡¯s seniors, being the chief disciples of their generation and personally taught by the Sect Leader, are cultivating the ¡°Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra¡±, with such exceedingly formidable True Yuan it¡¯s almost unreasonable. Lin Duanshan and the others who are to compete with them in the grand competition can only be said to have a hope, but the difficulty is certainly not small. As Ling Yunpo carefully recalled and pondered, making strategic calculations, An Zhisu quietly stood by his side, not making a sound to disturb his train of thought. However, before long, three streaks of Sword Light arrived at the summit of Qingluo Peak one after the other, belonging to Lin Duanshan, Duan Fenhai, and Guan Shanyue. ¡°Ling Junior Brother!¡± Lin Duanshan called out from afar, ¡°Do you know of the upcoming White Jade Capital competition¡­¡± Before he could finish, An Zhisu immediately glared at him, signaling him to quickly shut up and not to disturb Ling Yunpo¡¯s thinking. Lin Duanshan, who was good-natured, immediately stopped talking with an embarrassed laugh upon receiving the glare from An Zhisu. But Ling Yunpo had already awoken from his thoughts and looked up at Lin Duanshan and the others, greeting them with clasped hands: ¡°Senior Brother Lin, Senior Brother Duan, Senior Sister Guan.¡± ¡°Hey! Normally it¡¯s fine.¡± Guan Shanyue teasingly said, ¡°This time I arrived before Duan Fenhai, so why am I still the last one to be greeted?¡± ¡°Senior Sister Guan is joking.¡± Ling Yunpo replied without changing his expression, ¡°Being listed first means closeness, being listed last is a sign of respect.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Duan Fenhai also laughed heartily, ¡°So being in the middle means neither closeness nor respect?¡± ¡°No.¡± Ling Yunpo said with a slight smile, ¡°Senior Brother Duan is magnanimous.¡± Thus, everyone laughed together, increasingly admiring Ling Yunpo¡¯s ever-more exquisite social skills. Back to the matter at hand, the reason the five of them were gathering again at Qingluo Peak was naturally to discuss the matters of the White Jade Capital competition. There was no need to mention Lin Duanshan, who had always been close with An Zhisu and Ling Yunpo, consulting them was habitual. Duan Fenhai, since the last time in the Giant Tree Secret Realm, he had completely altered his view of Ling Yunpo for volunteering to stay behind and fight the deranged Dao Ye True Person alongside Senior Sister An. This time, he came not only to discuss the White Jade Capital competition, but also to deliver the Spirit Grass they had collected in the Giant Tree Secret Realm, now refined into Purple Mansion Secret Medicine, to Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu. As for Guan Shanyue¡­ While her actions were often spontaneous, upon reflection, they were never without a trace of reason; it was better not to dwell on her motives. ¡°From the last Giant Tree Secret Realm, we have all kinds of Purple Mansion Secret Medicines that have been refined, and they are all here,¡± Duan Fenhai said as he took out two Storage Bags and passed them over, ¡°If we divide them equally, each person¡¯s Cultivation Level should improve by roughly ten years.¡± ¡°Sima Junior Brother and I have discussed it. Since the two of you stayed behind to fight to the death last time, we¡¯re giving up half of our share to make up for it. That would be fifteen years of Secret Medicine for each of you, how does that sound?¡± ¡°Senior Brother Duan is indeed generous.¡± Ling Yunpo laughed as he took the Storage Bag, neither expressing any objections nor examining the Elixirs inside closely. Although they had volunteered to stay behind that time, it was Sima Changyan who provided the intelligence on the Secret Realm¡¯s location. When it comes to contribution, it¡¯s actually quite hard to clarify¡­ All one can say is that the former seemed more important, but exactly how much more was difficult to quantify. Duan Fenhai and Sima Changyan each surrendered five years of Refining Mansion Cultivation, which seemed roughly justifiable. Ling Yunpo didn¡¯t want to quibble over the exact number of years, and An Zhisu naturally didn¡¯t mind even more. After securing the Storage Bag, Duan Fenhai spoke seriously: Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Regarding the upcoming White Jade Capital competition, the sect has set a goal for us to secure at least half of the top twelve spots.¡± ¡°If we can make it into the top six, we are guaranteed to receive at least one Vermilion Marrow Pill!¡± Vermilion Marrow Pill¡­ Ling Yunpo was somewhat stunned. Because last time, after Qiu Changtian broke through the Intercepting Cult Sword Formation outside Penglai Island, Chi Song of Kunlun had already rewarded him with one. He had already taken it though! Chapter 402 - Chapter 402: Chapter 35 My Protective Senior Sister Chapter 402: Chapter 35 My Protective Senior Sister ¡°` The White Jade Capital¡¯s grand tournament this time, the senior ranks of the Shushan have announced a clear price for the rewards for each seat. Among them, if one could enter the top six seats, regardless of the specific ranking, the guaranteed reward is a vermilion marrow pill. From the fifth to the first seat, aside from the vermilion marrow pills, there are additional rewards, though it¡¯s unknown what they specifically are. ¡°With this vermilion marrow pill, consuming a single one could add thirty years to your Refining Mansion cultivation,¡± Lin Duanshan also added, ¡°but the best part is that there is no limit to consumption.¡± Ling Yunpo¡¯s spirit suddenly surged, ¡°No limit? What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°Ordinary medicines, like Mercurial Elixir Liquid, you can only take one spoonful and not anymore. However, the vermilion marrow pill is different. It¡¯s said that the Ziwei Sect Leader of Kunlun consumed a total of three vermilion marrow pills back in the days, which is equivalent to increasing ninety years of cultivation without encountering an upper limit,¡± Lin Duanshan lamented, ¡°From this, it can be seen that the value of the vermilion marrow pill is actually higher than that of a similar thirty-year Purple Mansion secret medicine.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Guan Shanyue said with a smile in agreement, ¡°say there¡¯s a spoonful of Mercurial Elixir Liquid and two vermilion marrow pills for me to choose, I would definitely pick the latter.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because if you consumed two vermilion marrow pills, in the future, through other means, whether it¡¯s obtaining more vermilion marrow pills or other Purple Mansion secret medicines, you could continue to increase your cultivation.¡± ¡°But if you chose a spoonful of Mercurial Elixir Liquid, and then later on accidentally acquired more Mercurial Elixir Liquid, you wouldn¡¯t be able to partake more due to hitting the limit, wouldn¡¯t that be a regret for life?¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± An Zhisu nodded but only saw her junior brother beside her frown, saying nothing. The group followed her gaze, each looking toward Ling Yunpo. Source: , updated on wuxiaworld.site.co At this moment, Ling Yunpo was thinking, what exactly did the Ziwei Sect Leader do back then to get three vermilion marrow pills all at once? It couldn¡¯t have been saving the Three Pure Ones of the Orthodox Sect. After pondering for a while, he curiously asked, ¡°This vermilion marrow pill¡­ what materials are used to refine it?¡± ¡°Heh,¡± Duan Fenhai said with a chuckle, ¡°the formulation for refining the vermilion marrow pill is not a top secret, and most of the materials are not hard to obtain, only one key ingredient is absolutely rare and impossible to acquire unless one comes from a major sect.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the key ingredient?¡± Ling Yunpo asked earnestly. ¡°A drop of an immortal¡¯s essence blood,¡± Duan Fenhai answered. Everyone: ¡­¡­ Fuck! Ling Yunpo suddenly cursed in his heart. He suddenly realized that in the Demon Locking Tower before, didn¡¯t the immortal-ranked Ying Long give him a drop of essence blood, allowing him to disguise as Long Long? If only he had known to ask for a few more drops and refine four or five vermilion marrow pills, wouldn¡¯t he have reached the First Grade Golden Core by now! ¡°Guan Shanyue,¡± An Zhisu asked puzzled, apparently thinking along the same lines as Ling Yunpo, ¡°if vermilion marrow pills require an immortal¡¯s essence blood, can¡¯t you just ask your family¡¯s ancestor for a few drops and directly reach high-grade Golden Core?¡± ¡°An Zhisu, your thoughts are quite simple,¡± Guan Shanyue said with a laugh, ¡°an immortal¡¯s essence blood is damaging to their origin, how could I possibly ask for it from the ancestor?¡± ¡°Even the Head of the Kunlun Sect back then, who consumed three vermilion marrow pills, obtained them from three different immortals. Unless you can owe a great favor from an immortal, it¡¯s virtually impossible to obtain such a thing,¡± Guan Shanyue explained. ¡°Speaking of which, do you guys know why Shushan was able to release six vermilion marrow pills all at once this time?¡± Lin Duanshan suddenly asked in a low voice. ¡°Please elaborate, Brother Lin,¡± Ling Yunpo quickly said. ¡°The sect is speculating that it¡¯s due to the great shock Dao Ye True Person¡¯s death brought to that person,¡± Lin Duanshan said gravely, ¡°Essence blood is only shed when the heart meridian is shocked to injury, and each additional drop is a tremendous damage.¡± ¡°However, if it¡¯s due to a severe shock to the soul, with the heart meridian damaged and the essence blood involuntarily shed¡­ then turning it all into vermilion marrow pills to avoid waste would explain it.¡± ¡°You mean, that person¡¯s soul was harmed due to the loss of a beloved disciple?¡± Guan Shanyue squinted. ¡°It¡¯s just speculation,¡± Lin Duanshan shook his head, ¡°but for an immortal, even damage to the heart meridian isn¡¯t a serious injury; a hundred years of rest would be enough for recovery.¡± ¡°Therefore, we can¡¯t rule out the possibility that the person wanted to support the sect¡¯s prestige, thus releasing all the accumulated vermilion marrow pills during this tournament,¡± Lin Duanshan suggested. ¡°That really is a heavy investment,¡± An Zhisu said offhandedly. ¡°` Then, she saw everyone staring at her with astonishment. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, did I say something wrong?¡± An Zhisu asked, puzzled. ¡°Nothing,¡± everyone shook their heads. To ¡°spend blood¡± could be understood as paying a hefty price, as well as literally using essence blood as capital ¨C it was a rather ingenious pun. However, considering the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal¡¯s tactless social faux pas, everyone guessed it was probably a coincidence and decided not to dwell on it. ¡°Speaking of which,¡± Duan Fenhai pondered aloud, ¡°can our Shushan really secure the top six spots? I doubt that.¡± ¡°For instance, if Shushan had only two participants reaching the top six in the White Jade Capital competition, it would only cost us two Mercurial Elixir Flowers¡­ Perhaps the sect didn¡¯t even prepare six of them.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just unlikely, it¡¯s impossible.¡± Lin Duanshan said with a bitter smile, ¡°The Chief Disciple of the Foundation Establishment Realm from Kunlun, Daoist Heart Clarity Qiu Changtian, you all know him, right? He was the one who went to the Demon Locking Tower with us last time.¡± ¡°How could we not know him?¡± Guan Shanyue said with a smile. Everyone took her comment to mean ¡°Qiu Changtian is so famous, so of course we know him¡±, but only Ling Yunpo understood that Guan Shanyue said so because her cousin, Guan Zhan, happened to be Qiu Changtian¡¯s fellow disciple. Since the Chief Disciple is expected to teach on behalf of the master, Qiu Changtian was technically Guan Zhan¡¯s senior in status but his mentor in reality; with Guan Shanyue¡¯s personality, it was almost impossible that she hadn¡¯t paid attention to Qiu Changtian. ¡°Then, what do you think about Qiu Changtian¡¯s strength?¡± Lin Duanshan asked with a sigh. ¡°If I faced him, winning would be impossible,¡± Duan Fenhai said gravely, ¡°According to friends I have at Kunlun, that Chief Disciple of the Foundation Establishment Realm has likely already reached the Jade Mansion stage, and his current goal is the Second Grade Golden Core.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard as much,¡± Guan Shanyue said with a laugh, ¡°The Head of the Kunlun Sect instructed Qiu Changtian to take the top spot at the White Jade Capital competition at all costs.¡± ¡°That way, he will not only be the Foundation Establishment Chief Disciple of Kunlun but also the ¡®Chief Disciple¡¯ of the Three Pure Orthodox Sect.¡± ¡°Of course, the Head of the Kunlun Sect is confident when he says that.¡± Lin Duanshan spoke gravely, ¡°I¡¯ve heard that Qiu Changtian¡¯s strength has already reached¡­¡± ¡°Enough,¡± An Zhisu suddenly interjected coldly. ¡°Talk about intelligence if you must, but what¡¯s the use of constantly praising the enemy¡¯s strength? When sword immortals like us encounter a formidable foe, we should draw our swords and face the challenge!¡± ¡°The competition is not a life-or-death duel; no matter how strong or fierce Qiu Changtian is, are you really afraid he¡¯ll kill you?¡± ¡°You have a point,¡± Lin Duanshan quickly said with a forced laugh, ¡°We were the ones being timid, thanks to Senior Sister An for the wakeup call.¡± But Guan Shanyue wouldn¡¯t let it go and said with a smile, ¡°Lin Duanshan, reflect on your own words, and don¡¯t drag us into it. Everyone has long been aware of Qiu Changtian¡¯s strength; what¡¯s wrong with discussing it?¡± ¡°An Zhisu, if it were you, could you have handled the Immortal Slaying Sword Formation by the Intercepting Cult on your own during the last assault on Penglai by the Demon Cult?¡± ¡°That wasn¡¯t the complete Immortal Slaying Sword Formation¡­¡± An Zhisu started to explain but was cut off by Duan Fenhai: ¡°Even if it wasn¡¯t complete, many Nascent Soul Elders from Kunlun were trapped in it and could not escape. Do you, An Zhisu, really think you are more formidable than the Kunlun Elders?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant,¡± An Zhisu retorted angrily. ¡°But I don¡¯t believe that Qiu Changtian could be more powerful than the Kunlun Elders! He must have taken some shortcut!¡± Ling Yunpo chuckled to himself: Indeed, thanks to my Green Duckweed Sword, which provided the strategy to break the formation¡­ But it seems Senior Sister An has quite a poor impression of Qiu Changtian! That¡¯s right, I remember the first time they met at the Demon Locking Tower, she disliked his pompous entrance. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Regardless of how exaggeratedly others speak of him, on the arena of the White Jade Capital competition, the swords in our hands will do the talking!¡± An Zhisu concluded vehemently. ¡°In my view, Junior Brother Ling is no weaker than that Qiu Changtian!¡± Seeing her becoming irrational and jumping to conclusions, what more could Lin Duanshan and the others say? They could only awkwardly offer a few agreements. After all, no one wanted to engage in a premature showdown with the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal before the competition. Ling Yunpo too showed an awkward smile. Although Senior Sister was merely showing partiality, this time she had surprisingly hit the nail on the head. Logically speaking, I couldn¡¯t possibly be weaker than ¡°myself¡±. Chapter 403 - Chapter 403: Chapter 36: Senior Sister First, Me Second Chapter 403: Chapter 36: Senior Sister First, Me Second Since An Zhisu had become angry, it was not good for everyone to continue discussing Qiu Changtian¡¯s illustrious achievements; instead, they began to seriously discuss his intelligence. ¡°This Qiu Changtian¡¯s most famous tactic is the Five Thunder True Law,¡± Lin Duanshan explained in detail. ¡°Thunder Cultivators were once a sect of cultivators, ranking alongside Sword Cultivators, but they slowly declined over the years.¡± ¡°The reason is simple: the Thunder Method is extremely powerful, and the cultivation process is especially perilous. One small misstep could damage the body, or cause a major shift in character, which is why fewer and fewer people practice it.¡± ¡°It is said that nowadays, apart from the general outline of the Five Thunder True Law retained by the major sects, even the basic Thunder Spell techniques have been scattered and lost.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case,¡± Duan Fenhai curiously asked, ¡°then how did Qiu Changtian manage to learn the Five Thunder True Law?¡± ¡°At his level of status and realm, as long as he is determined to search for clues, he can always find some traces,¡± Guan Shanyue said leisurely. ¡°However, my view is different from Brother Lin. In my opinion, what makes Qiu Changtian most formidable is not the Five Thunder True Law, but that he has no weaknesses.¡± ¡°No weaknesses?¡± Lin Duanshan pondered. ¡°His Qi Refining Technique is the Immortal Sect¡¯s secret ¡®Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra,¡¯ which renders his True Yuan extraordinarily robust and profound,¡± stated Guan Shanyue calmly. ¡°In Daoist Magic, he practices the Five Thunder True Law, which is an extremely powerful method of attack, so powerful that even a Tenth Rank Flying Sword cannot withstand a strike of Thunder Method.¡± ¡°Even in Sword Control Technique, his swordsmanship is not inferior to you or me. It is said that since the Phoenix Immortal joined as an entry-level disciple, she spars with him every day, and to this day, she has not won against him even once!¡± Duan Fenhai secretly marveled and couldn¡¯t help but glance at An Zhisu. Because the most famous thing about this Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal from Shushan is that up to this day, in all her sparring with disciples from the Various Peaks, she has never suffered a single defeat¡­ It seems that this Kunlun¡¯s Qiu Changtian must also be a formidable person, similar in caliber to An Zhisu. Annoyed by the conversation, An Zhisu turned her head and said to Ling Yunpo: Source: , updated on .sO ¡°Junior Brother, don¡¯t be alarmed by their alarming talk. No matter how formidable Qiu Changtian is, he still has only two arms and one head, right? He hasn¡¯t even formed his Golden Core, so how can he be without weaknesses?¡± Ling Yunpo internalized a laugh, but with a determined and unyielding expression, he said: ¡°Naturally. If I am fortunate enough to encounter him at the Great Competition in White Jade Capital, I will certainly ask him for a lesson.¡± Seeing the master-apprentice pair jesting and laughing, completely unconcerned about the Chief Disciple of the Foundation Establishment Realm of Kunlun, Lin Duanshan admired their attitude and said: ¡°Apart from Qiu Changtian, his junior sister Xu Yinglian is also not an easy one to deal with.¡± ¡°Aside from the ¡®Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra,¡¯ Xu Yinglian also has a mastery of the Great Bright Fire. It can scorch mountains and boil seas, melt gold and smelt iron, which in some ways makes it even more difficult to deal with than Qiu Changtian¡¯s Five Thunder True Law,¡± he said. Upon hearing this, everyone fell silent. If one were to ask what the Shushan Sword Immortals detested the most, it would be magical treasures that Flying Swords can¡¯t break through, as well as these kinds of wide-range Daoist Magic techniques. After all, whether the opponent attacks with Flying Swords or magical treasures, one can at least use their Life-bound Sword Artifact to block. But against this kind of widespread bombing Daoist Magic, the Flying Sword itself is definitely powerless, and one must use Sword Dao Techniques to counter¨Cwhich for a Shushan Sword Immortal feels like having one¡¯s strength countered and being forced to fight with one¡¯s weaknesses, making the combat extremely frustrating. ¡°Her Great Bright Flame technique, even if practiced skillfully, still requires time to invoke,¡± An Zhisu said in a grave voice. ¡°As long as you launch an aggressive attack from the beginning, keeping her suppressed so that she has no time to invoke her magic, wouldn¡¯t that work?¡± Lin Duanshan felt somewhat embarrassed and could only say helplessly: ¡°That¡¯s easier said than done. To maintain suppression, one must far surpass the opponent in swordsmanship attainment. As far as I know, the Phoenix Immortal¡¯s swordsmanship is certainly not weak¡­¡± He hesitated mid-sentence. Because Lin Duanshan suddenly remembered that strength and weakness are relative. To them, Xu Yinglian¡¯s swordsmanship is strong; but it may not be the case for An Zhisu. Maybe according to her standard, our swordsmanship might not even catch her eye. Seeing that the conversation could not go on, Ling Yunpo could only once again smooth things over and said: ¡°Senior Sister is right. Facing Xu Yinglian¡¯s Great Bright Fire, if we cannot attack first and take the initiative, allowing her to unleash the Great Bright Fire, then the match is as good as half lost,¡± he said. ¡°Once the Great Bright Fire is released, we can only try to counter it with Sword Dao Techniques. But mere resistance means competing in True Yuan consumption, and our opponent practices the ¡®Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra¡¯. We definitely cannot outmatch her in energy depletion.¡± ¡°Therefore, quickly pinpointing Xu Yinglian¡¯s location and defeating her under the pressure of the Great Bright Fire is where the remaining half of the chance at victory lies.¡± This statement wasn¡¯t problematic, after all, the might of Xu Yinglian¡¯s Great Bright Fire had left even Qiu Changtian without a solution back then¨Che eventually won by locking onto the opponent¡¯s position with the Kunlun Mirror. Consequently, everyone nodded in agreement, starting to covertly assess which of their Flying Swords¡¯ wide-reaching Daoist Magic could counter the Great Bright Fire, or locate the opponent within a sea of fire. ¡°In my opinion, Kunlun only has these two who are difficult to deal with. The strength of the other cultivators is merely on par with ours,¡± said Duan Fenhai with a sneer. ¡°As for Penglai, they¡¯re decent at drawing symbols and Artifact Refining, but in a match, they¡¯re truly not worth fearing.¡± ¡°That may not be necessarily true,¡± Lin Duanshan retorted with a frown. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that Penglai has a Luo Yan who excels in both swordsmanship and Daoist Magic¡­¡± ¡°If he¡¯s so outstanding, why didn¡¯t he show off his skills when Penglai was besieged last time, resulting in his reputation being insignificant to this day?¡± An Zhisu rebutted. Lin Duanshan was at a loss for words; in fact, he had gathered a rough understanding of the situation in Yuqing View through his niece Lin Ruohu. Lin Ruohu didn¡¯t withhold information and even inflated the capabilities of Luo Yan and others, but Lin Duanshan initially doubted his niece¡¯s strength and, therefore, took her evaluation with a grain of suspicion. However, since An Zhisu had put it that way, everyone else was left without an argument, so after exchanging a few more pleasantries, they all took their leave. ¡°Senior Sister,¡± Ling Yunpo expressed his disapproval after everyone left. ¡°Why so arrogant? Even if you don¡¯t take the cultivators from Kunlun or Penglai seriously, you shouldn¡¯t have said it outright, leaving everyone unable to save face.¡± Caught without a sound argument, An Zhisu could only reply softly: ¡°I was wrong this time. It¡¯s just that, the White Jade Capital¡¯s grand competition hasn¡¯t begun, and we haven¡¯t even seen the people. Why are we scaring ourselves all of a sudden?¡± ¡°Senior Sister makes some sense,¡± Ling Yunpo acknowledged reluctantly. ¡°But as far as I know, neither Qiu Changtian nor Luo Yan are mediocre. It¡¯s best not to underestimate them.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± An Zhisu pondered. ¡°So what they said is true?¡± Ling Yunpo let out a wry smile. So Senior Sister, you really thought they were just trying to spook us? My two other identities are quite brave, you know! ¡°Let¡¯s not worry about that anymore,¡± An Zhisu dismissed nonchalantly, waving her hand. ¡°Master said, no matter how strong or weak the enemy is, we must engage with the Palm Sword to be certain.¡± ¡°The reason why I was so blunt just now was only to avoid others getting cocky at our expense, undermining our own prestige.¡± ¡°As long as you don¡¯t believe their words, Junior Brother, and face those people with fear during the competition, I won¡¯t say anymore afterward.¡± Ling Yunpo had nothing to say in response. After all this talk, it turns out it was just because Senior Sister was afraid I¡¯d lose confidence, hence her deliberately disagreeing with Lin Duanshan and the others? ¡°But with Senior Sister¡¯s strength, you truly are in a position to look down on them,¡± Ling Yunpo said with a smile. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Don¡¯t mention it, Junior Brother,¡± An Zhisu said with a laugh. ¡°I¡¯m not really that confident either. But no matter how powerful the opponent is, we just need to give our all during the competition.¡± ¡°This time in the White Jade Capital competition, let¡¯s strive hard to take both the first and second places, giving our Master, who is in seclusion, something to be proud of!¡± I was just criticizing the Shushan higher-ups for being arrogant, aiming to seize half of the seats in the White Jade Capital competition, and here my Senior Sister is even more audacious in booking the first and the second places directly! Although internally critical, Ling Yunpo had to play along with his unyielding persona and couldn¡¯t disagree with her, so he asserted firmly and resolutely, ¡°Good! If Senior Sister takes the first place this time, I shall secure the second place in the competition!¡± Chapter 404 - Chapter 404: Chapter 37 If Senior Sister An Knew the Truth Chapter 404: Chapter 37 If Senior Sister An Knew the Truth During his time at Shushan, Ling Yunpo continued to practice swordsmanship with An Zhisu. It must be said that, when it comes to swordsmanship attainment, he indeed wasn¡¯t a match for Senior Sister An. This was quite preposterous because even though he started later than her at Qingluo Peak, his five faculties developed in parallel, and in terms of cultivating years, he had actually surpassed Senior Sister An. One could only say that Senior Sister An¡¯s Innate Sword Heart was truly formidable. Beyond practicing swordsmanship, Ling Yunpo also studied footwork with Sister An. Cloud-Parting Eight Trigrams Step was an ancient method of movement found by the mad Sword Immortal in the Giant Wood Secret Realm, later acquired by Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu when they accidentally entered a cave. In battle, a Sword Immortal often uses Sword Control Technique to move quickly, but even though the technique is convenient, it requires a split of attention to operate and is not as agile in use. After mastering the Cloud-Parting Eight Trigrams Step, Ling Yunpo could move swiftly in the blink of an eye in close quarter battles, dodging and moving with greater agility and speed, and short bursts of speed could even surpass that of the Sword Control Technique. Because of her Innate Sword Heart, Senior Sister An¡¯s learning pace was much ahead of Ling Yunpo¡¯s, but with his Innate Sword Bone, Ling Yunpo¡¯s explosive power and speed when executing the footwork were superior to An¡¯s, resulting in a spirited competition between the two. After practicing the footwork, Ling Yunpo began to research the methods of Refinement for the External Incarnation. In the ¡°Supreme Revelation Secret Scripture¡±, the description of the External Incarnation was somewhat abstruse, such as this passage, ¡°Like a bright mirror, able to reflect forms and images, distinctly detailed, every difference, it is the mirror¡¯s image¡±. The meaning here was that the External Incarnation is the ¡°mirror¡¯s image¡± of the original body, and one must constantly discern the difference between the original and the Incarnation, not mistaking the Incarnation for the original. Source: , updated on wuxiaworld.site.so ¡°Ah Jing, do you think my understanding is correct?¡± Ling Yunpo asked in a low voice. ¡°Right,¡± Kunlun Mirror responded lazily. ¡°What is that attitude!¡± Ling Yunpo said, dissatisfied. ¡°More than that, I am quite concerned about something else,¡± Kunlun Mirror suddenly spoke, ¡°Have you noticed that Senior Sister An seems to really dislike Qiu Changtian?¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯ve noticed,¡± replied Ling Yunpo, ¡°Senior Sister dislikes people who show off, and Qiu Changtian¡¯s presence is just too overbearing.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not about disliking show-offs,¡± Qing Ping Sword interjected, ¡°She just feels that it¡¯s unfair how Qiu Changtian gets to stand out and be popular, while Ling Junior Brother, with equivalent strength, has to remain obscured in the shadows, hence her sense of injustice.¡± Ling Yunpo fell silent for a moment before saying: ¡°Is this pure speculation, or have you discovered something?¡± ¡°Just take it as speculation,¡± Qing Ping Sword chuckled, ¡°I can¡¯t provide any evidence.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not important,¡± Kunlun Mirror said, ¡°What matters is the upcoming competition at White Jade Capital, how should you, as Qiu Changtian, proceed?¡± ¡°If Qiu Changtian loses, it¡¯s going to cause a lot of trouble for maintaining his persona,¡± Ling Yunpo pondered for a moment before speaking solemnly, ¡°So Qiu Changtian must win first place in the competition.¡± ¡°Do you understand what that means?¡± Kunlun Mirror said ominously, ¡°It means that Qiu Changtian has to defeat both An Zhisu and Ling Yunpo.¡± ¡°What do you think will happen to An Zhisu¡¯s opinion of Qiu Changtian if you really win?¡± ¡°Probably¡­¡± Ling Yunpo started smiling bitterly, ¡°Probably she will dislike him very much.¡± After all, An Zhisu is a fiercely protective senior sister. Being her junior brother is a wonderful experience, but for strangers with no relation to her, they would surely think that this female Sword Immortal must be incredibly strong¨Cotherwise, with her extremely straightforward personality, she would have likely been killed long ago. What does it mean to be fiercely protective? It means all the good things should belong to the junior brother, and if the junior brother makes a mistake, it must certainly be because of your coercion. If you make the junior brother unhappy, I will make sure you are unhappy too. If Qiu Changtian defeated An Zhisu, that might not have a significant impact, but if he defeated Ling Yunpo and prevented him from getting first place in the competition, An Zhisu would surely have a very poor impression of him¨Cbeing fiercely protective is not about being reasonable. However, fortunately Ling Yunpo could also be advised to ease the situation, so Senior Sister wouldn¡¯t go looking for trouble with Qiu Changtian, therefore there was nothing to fear. ¡°Nothing to fear?¡± the Kunlun Mirror thought, ¡°If there comes a day when An Zhisu realizes that ¡®the disdainful and arrogant Qiu Changtian¡¯ and ¡®the loyal and honest Junior Brother Ling¡¯ are actually the same person, I wonder what her reaction would be.¡± ¡°Hmm, Chen Guanshui believes he will be able to get away with it when the time comes, so he hasn¡¯t thought about this at all. I might as well not remind him then.¡± ¡°It should be quite interesting to see him chased by Senior Sister wielding her sword.¡± Ling Yunpo didn¡¯t think too much, but after pondering carefully for a moment, he planned to start preparing for the refinement of his External Incarnation. The preparations were already ample! Of course, the most important thing was, with Ah Jing and Qing Ping looking after things, it should presumably be fine¡­ just like the last time he refined the Yangxia Zhuming Pill. To be on the safe side, Ling Yunpo went to the backyard again to check where Senior Sister An was. At this moment, An Zhisu was sitting in a pavilion by the stream in the backyard, trying to play a pipa, with a wine jug placed on the table. ¡°Senior Sister certainly has a taste for elegance,¡± Ling Yunpo said with a smile, ¡°how come you¡¯ve suddenly started to learn an instrument?¡± ¡°I heard from Master that he used to know a Sword Immortal who was very good at playing the pipa,¡± An Zhisu replied. ¡°It¡¯s said that she could play sounds as piercing as metal, and even form Sword Qi, much more powerful than ordinary Flying Swords.¡± ¡°So I also want to try studying it for a while, to see if it can be of help in my swordsmanship.¡± ¡°Is that so.¡± Normally, Ling Yunpo would have liked to discuss music theory with his Senior Sister, but at the moment, more important was to refine his External Incarnation alone, so he chatted with her for a bit and then went back to the Taoist temple by himself. Since Senior Sister was playing the pipa, she was unlikely to have time to look for him anytime soon. Still, to be extra cautious, it was best to retreat to the secret chamber Master used before he went into seclusion. Passing through the rear hall and down the corridor, he finally reached the secret chamber. During festivals in the past, An Zhisu would always take him here to pray to the secluding Su Jian, so he was very familiar with this place. Although he did not feel Su Jian would respond, Ling Yunpo still earnestly found a meditation cushion, knelt down, and began to pray to Su Jian: Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Revered Master above, your disciple Ling Yunpo, hereby uses this secret chamber to refine a treasure, hoping Master will bless me.¡± After finishing his report, there was no response from Su Jian in the secret chamber, which was surely taken as silent ascent. Thereupon, Ling Yunpo crossed his legs and sat in meditation, placing the Azure Spirit Divine Bead on his abdomen before beginning to circulate his True Yuan. Gradually, he entered the ¡°mind like still water¡± state recorded in the scripture. Following that, Ling Yunpo began to visualize himself in his mind, while slowly extending his Divine Sense into the Azure Spirit Divine Bead, beginning to construct his own likeness within it. Chapter 405 - Chapter 405: Chapter 38: External Incarnation, the 3rd Flying Sword Chapter 405: Chapter 38: External Incarnation, the 3rd Flying Sword In the secret chamber, Ling Yunpo sat tranquilly, with the Azure Spirit Divine Bead floating at his chest. Suddenly, he lifted his right hand and slowly formed a Daoist formula. Then came the second, the third, the fourth¡­ His hands fluttered like butterflies, continuously casting one hand seal after another. The Azure Spirit Divine Bead also began to spin rapidly, and slowly, a face emerged on the surface of the bead. It was not the face of Ling Yunpo, but that of Chen Guanshui. However, the two originally looked exactly alike; the only difference was that Ling Yunpo had the enhancement of the Mirror Flower Water Moon Illusion Technique, whereas this incarnation did not. Finally, Ling Yunpo formed the last hand seal, and the Azure Spirit Divine Bead trembled for a moment before suddenly striking his brow. The moment it touched his skin, it merged into him without any obstruction. Ling Yunpo had already sensed that the Azure Spirit Divine Bead was now in his Sea of Consciousness, floating together with the Kunlun Mirror. ¡°So this is your external incarnation,¡± said the light representing the Kunlun Mirror, circling around the Azure Spirit Divine Bead and remarking, ¡°Interesting, I think its greatest benefit is not in combat, but in your role-playing.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword also agreed. ¡°I feel that, given the Sword Master¡¯s¡­ flexibility, he will definitely be able to utilize the external incarnation in ways we could never imagine.¡± ¡°Alright, Qing Ping, you can stop talking now,¡± Ling Yunpo calmly said. ¡°It¡¯s not flexibility; it¡¯s wisdom.¡± Source: , updated on NovG0.co He immersed his Divine Sense into the Azure Spirit Divine Bead once again and quickly ascertained the usage of the external incarnation. The so-called ¡°external incarnation¡± did not refer to a separate entity but rather an extension of one¡¯s Divine Sense. Ordinary cultivators have a limited number of Magic Artifacts they can control with their Divine Sense at the same time. Most cultivators can only concentrate on one task, which is to control a single Flying Sword for attack. At most they could also control another Flying Sword under their feet for movement, as Sword Control for movement does not require complicated maneuvers and consumes relatively less mental effort. Shushan cultivators, through special Secret Technique training, can control two Flying Swords for attack while ensuring Sword Control movement, which is so-called ¡°divided attention between two tasks,¡± the ¡°Two-Handed Sword Control Technique.¡± To control even more Flying Swords is only possible for those with exceptional talent. However, an external incarnation can serve as a vessel, attaching and extending Divine Sense onto it, thus forming a ¡°Spiritual Consciousness Core¡± with low-level intelligence. In other words, with the external incarnation, while Ling Yunpo could control two Flying Swords for attack, his incarnation would control a third Flying Sword for a coordinated distraction, achieving the ¡°simultaneous control of three swords.¡± This third Flying Sword is not directly controlled by Ling Yunpo¡¯s Divine Sense, but by the will of an incarnation that has the same thought process as Ling Yunpo. Therefore, he must always keep his will synchronized with that of the incarnation, and the simplest way to do so is to keep it nurtured within the Sea of Consciousness. If the external incarnation leaves the Sea of Consciousness for too long without synchronizing with the main will, it may develop an independent consciousness¡­ At best, it means losing an external incarnation, but in severe cases, it can lead to the incarnation becoming hostile towards the original, or even laying traps to possess the body for rebirth, thus it actually carries significant hidden risks. However, Ling Yunpo wasn¡¯t too worried about this. Because of Ah Jing¡¯s presence, he really couldn¡¯t think of any situation that would necessitate deploying his external incarnation to distract the enemy and allow his true self to escape alone¡­ This was also the only situation he could think of that might require the external incarnation to be away from him for an extended period. After storing the Azure Spirit Divine Bead into his Sea of Consciousness, Ling Yunpo left the secret chamber to find Senior Sister An in the back courtyard. Next, he had to find another Flying Sword to serve as his third Flying Sword. Upon returning to the back courtyard, Ling Yunpo saw Senior Sister An drunken again, her originally present pipa nowhere to be found. At that moment, with her hair disheveled and her clothes slightly undone, her hazy drunken eyes caught sight of Junior Brother Ling Yunpo approaching and she smiled, waving at him: ¡°Come, come, come, Junior Brother, keep your Senior Sister company and drink.¡± ¡°Why is Senior Sister drunk like this again?¡± Ling Yunpo frowned as he spoke, quickly stepping forward to adjust her collar and tidy up her appearance, ¡°As a Senior Sister, you¡¯re not maintaining your dignity. What sort of example is this?¡± ¡°Less, less nonsense!¡± An Zhisu feigned sternness in her reprimand, then immediately broke into a sweet smile, draping her arm, white as jade, around his neck and hooking over his shoulder, ¡°I¡¯m the Senior Sister, you have to listen to me¡­¡± Ling Yunpo¡¯s face bore a forced smile, but inside he sneered to himself, pointedly wondering where else An Zhisu had the bearing of a Senior Sister besides being overprotective and capable of fighting? ¡°Master,¡± An Zhisu suddenly turned sorrowful, speaking dolorously, ¡°the White Jade Capital competition is upon us. When will you leave seclusion¡­¡± Hearing her quietly lament, Ling Yunpo¡¯s originally hardened heart couldn¡¯t help but soften. Without Master, Senior Sister has been shouldering the entire Qingluo Peak alone. No wonder she¡¯s already exhausted. Under such crushing pressure, if she could relieve her worry with a drink, it didn¡¯t really seem like such a bad habit. Just as he thought this, he saw An Zhisu wobble to her feet and say: ¡°Come on, Junior Brother, let¡¯s practice swordsmanship.¡± ¡°Practice swordsmanship?¡± An Zhisu clutched her forehead, as if battling dizziness, and slowly said: ¡°Junior Brother, if what Lin Duanshan and the others said is true, then you¡¯ll need to¡­ um, make proper and ample preparations to defeat Qiu Changtian, Xu Yinglian, and Luo Yan in the upcoming White Jade Capital competition.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s train well from now on,¡± she said with a renewed smile. Ling Yunpo was all too familiar with that smile of Senior Sister¡¯s. Generally, if Senior Sister was in a bad mood, she would choose to drown her sorrows in drink. But if the alcohol failed to dispel her gloom, she would turn to the sword¨Cof course, at such times, Ling Yunpo became the only designated training partner. Luckily, Senior Sister An possessed an extremely protective nature, so sparring with her as a Junior Brother wouldn¡¯t result in injury. Only suffering. Recalling several past incidents when Senior Sister had left him completely drained, Ling Yunpo immediately showed a pained expression, changing the subject and saying: ¡°Senior Sister, I happened to acquire an External Incarnation lately, and now I want to get another Flying Sword. Do you have any good ideas?¡± ¡°External Incarnation?¡± Even An Zhisu, who was usually carefree, couldn¡¯t be fooled this time. The shock sobered her up considerably as she exclaimed in astonishment, ¡°How did you get that? Isn¡¯t that something you have to refine yourself?¡± ¡°Ahem.¡± Ling Yunpo hadn¡¯t expected Senior Sister to take it seriously this time and could only offer a vague explanation, ¡°It was just a ¡®fortunate coincidence¡¯ that I came across the method of refinement; an ¡®error led to the right path,¡¯ and I refined an External Incarnation. That¡¯s why I¡¯m troubling Senior Sister now.¡± As expected, An Zhisu¡¯s attention shifted with the last sentence, saying irritably: ¡°How can you call it ¡®troubling¡¯ when seeking help from Senior Sister? When have I ever taught you to be so distant?¡± ¡°Our sect isn¡¯t without Flying Swords, it¡¯s just that there are no more Tenth Rank Immortal Swords. Other Sword Artifacts can serve as a means of transportation, but they aren¡¯t enough for combat during the competition.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go to the Sword Pool and apply for one,¡± she decided. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°That would be excellent,¡± Ling Yunpo said with a clap and a chuckle. Of course, he had thought of going to the Sword Pool for a sword, but he had used the topic as a way to let Senior Sister ¡°know¡± that he had acquired an External Incarnation. Sure enough, although An Zhisu was astonished, she believed his carefully crafted excuse and didn¡¯t delve further into the matter. This was the unique consideration and tenderness of a Senior Sister! If it had been the annoying Miss Shi, her curiosity would have surged, and she wouldn¡¯t stop until she deployed all one hundred and eight coquettish Secret Techniques to get to the bottom of things. Chapter 406 - Chapter 406: Chapter 39: 3 Swords vs 2 Swords, Dominating An Zhisu Chapter 406: Chapter 39: 3 Swords vs 2 Swords, Dominating An Zhisu An Zhisu and Ling Yunpo flew side by side on their swords, passing through mountain scenery resplendent with clustered blossoms, until they finally arrived above the Sword Pool. Ling Yunpo suddenly remembered when he was first starting out, it was near the Sword Pool that Senior Sister An had taken him under her wing. At that time, Senior Sister¡¯s attitude toward him was quite indifferent, merely asking him, ¡°Are you willing to enter Qingluo Peak¡¯s gates?¡± Once the clueless Ling Yunpo agreed, Senior Sister An immediately revealed a brilliant smile, her face changing as quickly as an actor in Sichuan opera. After residing in Qingluo Peak for some time, what was originally a one-sided affection from Senior Sister toward her junior changed into mutual dependency¡­ Ling Yunpo felt he hadn¡¯t done much, but An Zhisu¡¯s fondness for him grew unusually fast. Perhaps being her junior brother did come with some special bonus to his favorability. She must have a thing for younger brothers. As they landed by the Sword Pool, two guardian disciples immediately came to greet them, smiling and saying, ¡°How come we have the honor of the Flying Smoke Sword Immortal and Po Yun Sword Immortal visiting us?¡± ¡°Flying Smoke Sword Immortal?¡± An Zhisu was somewhat surprised, only to hear Ling Yunpo step forward and say, ¡°We are here to select a sword.¡± ¡°Please follow me this way,¡± the disciples promptly stepped aside to clear the path. The two continued toward the Sword Pool, and Ling Yunpo began to chat with his Senior Sister. In the past, disciples of Shushan would not directly call the names of Sword Immortals out of respect, instead using their Life-bound Sword Artifact or an affectionate nickname as a term of address. Source: , updated on wuxiaworld.site.Co For example, An Zhisu, originally her Life-bound Sword Artifact was the Frostfall Sword, so she should be called ¡°Frostfall Sword Immortal.¡± Of course, in reality, she ended up being called ¡°Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal¡± much more often. Now that her Life-bound Sword Artifact had changed to the Flying Smoke Sword, this information became known to the disciples during the major competition in January, so everyone started calling her ¡°Flying Smoke Sword Immortal¡± anew. In a sense, this meant that Senior Sister¡¯s reputation within the sect was beginning to improve. Hearing Ling Yunpo explain it this way, An Zhisu also felt a bit embarrassed and protested, ¡°Who came up with the nickname ¡®Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal¡¯? I¡¯ve said it, the nickname isn¡¯t accurate at all!¡± ¡°Senior Sister need not worry,¡± Ling Yunpo said with a laugh, ¡°As long as Senior Sister¡¯s reputation continues to improve, everyone will definitely remember the nickname ¡®Flying Smoke Sword Immortal.''¡± ¡°Flying Smoke Sword Immortal, that name isn¡¯t very pleasant either¡­¡± An Zhisu sighed. Ling Yunpo was left speechless. At a time like this, to not focus on one¡¯s reputation but instead consider whether a nickname sounds nice, it turns out Senior Sister also had such girlish inclinations. Upon reaching the side of the Sword Pool, An Zhisu said with a smile, ¡°Go on, Junior Brother, see which Immortal Sword is fated for you.¡± Ling Yunpo looked down at the water in the pool and called out in his heart, ¡°Qing Ping, bring forth an Immortal Sword. It must be of the Tenth Rank, don¡¯t mix in any lower-ranked ones.¡± ¡°No problem, Sword Master,¡± Qing Ping Sword chuckled, ¡°May I ask for the Five Elements Attribute? How about the Flying Sword features? Would you like a Sword Spirit?¡± ¡°Five Elements Attribute¡­¡± Ling Yunpo pondered for a moment, ¡°Qing Ping corresponds to Water, Thunderbane to Metal, both of which overpower the Fire System and the Wood System respectively, but only the Earth System Daoist Magic is difficult to deal with.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go with a Wood System one first then. This time it is for the External Incarnation to use, so try to focus on flexibility and excel at entanglement as its features.¡± ¡°No need for a Sword Spirit. I can¡¯t bear it if three Sword Spirits start chattering away.¡± ¡°Alrighty,¡± Qing Ping Sword agreed. Immediately, the waters of the Sword Pool began to swirl and churn, a vortex throwing spray into the air, and a drop of water shot out, transforming into a verdant sword light in midair, halting in front of Ling Yunpo. ¡°Huh?¡± An Zhisu scrutinized it for a moment and said, ¡°This seems to be the Myriad Bamboos Sword.¡± ¡°Myriad Bamboos?¡± Ling Yunpo asked in surprise. ¡°There was an ancient Sword Cultivator called ¡®True Man Pinggang,¡¯ and the Myriad Bamboos Sword was his personal sword,¡± An Zhisu replied, ¡°It¡¯s said that he gathered the essence of a thousand types of pine and ten thousand types of bamboo from the Divine Land, along with many secret ingredients, to refine it.¡± ¡°The most marvellous feature of this sword is its ability to replicate into thousands, launching a mass assault.¡± ¡°Among them, only one Immortal Sword is the real body; all the other Flying Swords are transformations of Sword Qi. As long as the real body isn¡¯t locked on and severely damaged, or bombarded by large-scale Daoist Magic, the other Sword Qis won¡¯t be extinguished and can always be regenerated with True Yuan.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Ling Yunpo nodded, thinking to himself that this sword was quite suitable for manipulation by an external incarnation. ¡°Shall we go back and give it a try?¡± Seeing that Ling Yunpo had obtained an Immortal Sword, An Zhisu also seemed eager to try. ¡°Alright.¡± Knowing he couldn¡¯t refuse, Ling Yunpo readily agreed. Leaving the Sword Pool, the two rode Sword Light down the mountain peaks and found a flat area in a valley nearby to prepare for sparring. The reason they chose the ground was that both had mastered the Cloud-Parting Eight Trigrams Step, which made their movements more agile on the ground than when using Sword Control. Ling Yunpo drew out the Green Duckweed Sword and Thunder Punishment Sword, holding them aloft on either side, ready for battle. The Azure Spirit Divine Bead was attached to the hilt of the Myriad Bamboos Sword, also concealed behind Ling Yunpo, ready to launch a cunning surprise attack at any moment. An Zhisu, with a beaming smile, cast out her Flying Smoke Sword and Harsh Cold Sword, one red and one blue, arrayed to her left and right, waiting for Ling Yunpo to make the first move. ¡°I¡¯m coming, Senior Sister!¡± Ling Yunpo declared loudly. ¡°Come on,¡± An Zhisu replied with a smile. The Thunder Punishment Sword shot out, only to be intercepted by the horizontal barraging Flying Smoke Sword. The Green Duckweed Sword made an arc to attack but was promptly blocked by the Harsh Cold Sword, as if it had anticipated the move. Both were using the Two-Handed Sword Control Technique, their four streaks of Sword Light¨Cred, blue, white, and black¨Czinged through the air like lightning, striking and sparking against each other, shaking the area for miles. Such was the daily sword practice between Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu: no use of Sword Dao Techniques, just swordsmanship clashing, comparing their reaction speed, rhythm control, and even psychological gaming. After all, the Flying Swords were extremely fast; a slight mistake could immediately result in defeat. However, Ling Yunpo had his external incarnation, possessing an extra sword, so An Zhisu had to fight very conservatively, always on guard against her junior brother¡¯s potential sneak attack with the third sword. Ling Yunpo pressed the attack briefly but, seeing that his senior sister remained composed and flawless, could only subtly change his strategy, causing the Myriad Bamboos Sword to suddenly spring from behind, transforming into a vast array of Sword Qi raining down on An Zhisu! Her expression unchanging, An Zhisu¡¯s Flying Smoke Sword soared upwards as she activated its Sword Dao Techniques, propelling huge flames in every direction. Where Sword Qi met flames, there was a cacophony of popping sounds everywhere. ¡°Senior Sister, you¡¯ve used your Sword Dao Techniques,¡± Ling Yunpo said with a laugh. ¡°Without using Daoist Magic, I couldn¡¯t withstand so many Sword Qis,¡± An Zhisu replied honestly. ¡°So that¡¯s how it is.¡± Ling Yunpo quickly formed a Daoist Formula, activating his Green Duckweed Sword¡¯s Sword Dao Technique ¡°Green Mist Veil Over the Mountains.¡± A boundless fog immediately rose, within which the power of Water System Daoist Magic was halved, so much so that the Fire System Daoist Magic on An Zhisu¡¯s Flying Smoke Sword was instantly suppressed by a large margin. An Zhisu was silent for a moment, then suddenly said, ¡°I concede.¡± Two swords against three¨Cher disadvantage was too great, not something she could overcome with her Innate Sword Heart and expertise in swordsmanship. The only way to break the deadlock was to utilize Sword Dao Techniques to disrupt the tempo of the fight and then overpower with a surprise attack, but that would make the fight too intense and uncontrollable, risking injury, so it was unnecessary. ¡°Why did Senior Sister concede so quickly?¡± Ling Yunpo pondered for a moment before adding, ¡°How about I don¡¯t use my external incarnation this time and spar with Senior Sister using two swords¡­¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Junior Brother,¡± An Zhisu said softly, ¡°With this external incarnation, Qiu Changtian will surely be no match for you.¡± ¡°What you need to do now isn¡¯t to keep honing your swordsmanship with me but to get familiar with a three-sword fighting style and technique as soon as possible.¡± Ling Yunpo fell silent for a while, then smiled and responded, ¡°Indeed. Will Senior Sister continue to practice with me?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± An Zhisu replied with a gentle smile. Chapter 407 - Chapter 407: Chapter 40 This Senior Sister Is Very Cautious Chapter 407: Chapter 40 This Senior Sister Is Very Cautious In the valley, Sword Qi crisscrossed. The two fought from noon to evening, with Senior Sister An initially losing every match, but as she gradually adapted to the rhythm of two swords against three, her win rate slowly began to rebound. By dusk, her win rate had evened out to fifty-fifty, making Ling Yunpo click his tongue in admiration. Was this truly because of her Innate Sword Heart¡¯s extraordinary talent, or was Senior Sister An¡¯s swordsmanship attainment off the charts? However, by sparring with Senior Sister An, Ling Yunpo also discovered the weaknesses in his own method of fighting. In theory, fighting with three swords against two should be a huge advantage. For example, if I tie up your two swords with my two, and then use the third sword to kill you, what will you use to block? But in reality, the possibility of blocking two swords with a single one did exist. The precondition was that your own Flying Sword had to have a very small roaming range so that after blocking one sword, it could immediately move to block the other. The tactics Senior Sister An adopted were not the aggressive maneuvers of the Seven Kills Sword Techniques but a move from the Shushan Dual Sword Technique, known as ¡°Measured Advance and Retreat.¡± First, she defended herself with the Harsh Cold Sword, focusing solely on defense within a small area; Second, she attacked with all her might using the Flying Smoke Sword, not entangling with other flying swords but relentlessly pursuing Ling Yunpo. The separation of her two swords into offensive and defensive roles was precisely ¡°Measured Advance and Retreat.¡± Source: , updated on N0vGO.so On Ling Yunpo¡¯s side, to cope with the pursuit of the Flying Smoke Sword, he had no choice but to keep the Qing Ping Sword nearby for his defense. Meanwhile, to avoid being attacked without responding, he sent the Thunder Punishment Sword to strike at Senior Sister An. What about the Myriad Bamboos Sword, controlled by his external incarnation? If it flew over to coordinate with the Thunder Punishment Sword, attacking Senior Sister An from two directions, she would weave the Harsh Cold Sword into an airtight defense, using small-scale movements to mitigate the disadvantage of being attacked by both swords. At the same time, she intensified her attack with the Flying Smoke Sword, putting enormous pressure on Ling Yunpo¡¯s defense. Ling Yunpo¡¯s prolonged attack was unsuccessful, and his own defenses were on the verge of collapse, so he had to withdraw the Myriad Bamboos Sword to assist the Qing Ping Sword in fending off the Flying Smoke Sword, quickly curtailing Senior Sister¡¯s aggressive momentum. With the immediate danger mitigated, Ling Yunpo naturally wanted to withdraw the Myriad Bamboos Sword and attack Senior Sister again. But as soon as the Myriad Bamboos Sword left, An Zhisu would repeat her trick, defending fiercely with the Harsh Cold Sword while pressing the attack with the Flying Smoke Sword, forcing Ling Yunpo to continue retracting the Myriad Bamboos Sword for rescue. In summary, it was a strategy of forcing a trade¨Ca strike for a strike¨Cpressuring him into rescue. Ling Yunpo was willing to call it ¡°Exchange Tactics.¡± Ever since Senior Sister An adopted the Exchange Tactics, after a dozen or so matches, the win rate had reached roughly fifty-fifty: In the matches he won, Ling Yunpo had finally capitalized on the pincer attack advantage of the Thunder Punishment Sword and Myriad Bamboos Sword to break through the defense of the Harsh Cold Sword, bringing the sword¡¯s edge to Senior Sister¡¯s throat. In the matches he lost, Ling Yunpo had not managed to penetrate Senior Sister¡¯s defense, and his own defense sprung a leak, with the Flying Smoke Sword piercing through his guard and reaching his neck. ¡°Have you noticed?¡± Ling Yunpo, who had just lost another match, couldn¡¯t help but speak, ¡°The truly formidable part of your Senior Sister isn¡¯t the Innate Sword Heart itself, but her great knack for maximizing her advantages while minimizing her disadvantages to the greatest extent.¡± ¡°Her strength lies in deeper swordsmanship attainment and more experience than you; her disadvantage is that she can¡¯t control as many flying swords as you. Therefore, she deliberately separates her swords, forcing you to also split your swords, effectively eliminating the possibility of a Triple Sword Strike from the outset.¡± ¡°I see¡­ Ah, I mean, I¡¯d realized that already,¡± Ling Yunpo had an epiphany and immediately replied with a sneer, ¡°In that case, I also need to play to my strengths.¡± Then what are the strengths of having an Innate Sword Bone? Well, it¡¯s an enhanced resistance to Sword Qi and Sword Intent, the ability to resonate with flying swords, and even more powerful control over flying swords. If that¡¯s the case¡­ Seeing Ling Yunpo deep in thought and silent, An Zhisu didn¡¯t rush him but took out a handkerchief to wipe the fine sweat from her face and neck. She was a Shushan cultivator, her body having undergone the Marrow Cleansing process. Sweating was not a natural response to cool the body down but rather an instinctual reaction to the body being exhausted and weakened due to excessive mental exertion¨Cit was quite similar to how some people sweat easily when nervous. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Ling Yunpo suddenly raised his head and smiled, ¡°Should Senior Sister take a rest and recuperate your spirit?¡± ¡°No need,¡± An Zhisu said softly, ¡°Junior Brother, go ahead.¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Ling Yunpo laughed heartily and released three swords at the same time. The Green Duckweed Sword took the left flank, the Thunder Punishment Sword took the right, and the Myriad Bamboos Sword drew an arc from above, slashing down. The three swords attacked An Zhisu from three directions without attempting to block the Flying Smoke Sword shot by Senior Sister. An Zhisu quickly mobilized the Flying Smoke Sword, drawing a scorching trail in the air as it hurtled straight toward Ling Yunpo¡¯s chest. Immediately after, both of them abruptly stopped their flying swords¨Cupon closer inspection, the three swords flew faster and would strike An Zhisu first. ¡°I¡¯ve lost.¡± An Zhisu retracted her sword and asked with a frown, ¡°Full offense with no defense, how did Junior Brother come up with this tactic?¡± ¡°Senior Sister, doesn¡¯t our Seven Kills Sword Technique prioritize offense over defense?¡± Ling Yunpo replied with a counter-question. ¡°Indeed.¡± An Zhisu nodded, ¡°But that¡¯s under the precondition of a real life-and-death struggle.¡± ¡°If it were in the White Jade Capital¡¯s major competition, to use this move and exchange injuries with the opponent is actually not worthwhile.¡± ¡°Do you remember? The secret mechanism of the White Jade Capital ensures that trialists will not die from grave injuries, meaning you¡¯d be teleported out of the battlefield a moment before being defeated by a killing blow.¡± ¡°However, the non-fatal injuries you sustain in a duel will accumulate over time.¡± ¡°In other words, not only must you prevent yourself from being defeated, but you also need to strive to win without injury. Otherwise, if the injuries are too severe to recover before your next duel, they will inevitably affect your subsequent performance.¡± ¡°Senior Sister, I¡¯m fully aware,¡± Ling Yunpo said calmly, ¡°But if I encounter someone stronger than myself, even if I focus on defensive counterattacks, my opponent may not give me the opportunity.¡± ¡°On the contrary, if I choose full offense with no defense, my opponent is either forced to defend with all their might or exchange blows with me.¡± ¡°If they choose the former, I can take advantage of the Seven Kills Sword Technique and the tactic of controlling three swords at the same time; if they choose the latter, with the strength of my Innate Sword Bone and the evasions of the Cloud-Parting Eight Trigrams Step, it¡¯s not certain that I will suffer serious injuries¡­¡± Ling Yunpo spoke earnestly and at length while An Zhisu fell silent, her head lowered without a word. Suddenly, she remembered that the strategies her junior brother was talking about were all too familiar to her¨Cweren¡¯t they the very combat style her master, Su Jian, was most proficient in? Aggressive and swift, attacking as defense. After Ling Yunpo had become a disciple of Qingluo Peak, it was An Zhisu herself who had personally demonstrated these fierce and rapid techniques to him. Back then, An Zhisu could still teach him to ¡°seize the initiative¡± and ¡°risk it all.¡± But now, An Zhisu¡¯s mindset had inexplicably changed, and she was unwilling to let her junior brother get hurt at all. Even if it was just a ¡°possible¡± injury. ¡°It¡¯s not okay.¡± An Zhisu suddenly furrowed her brows and spoke seriously, ¡°I¡¯m not saying you shouldn¡¯t use a strategy of full offense with no defense. I just think¡­ it should only be used as a last resort, not something you resort to lightly! What if you¡¯re unlucky and really get severely injured?¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°How about this, I¡¯ll help you design a ¡®Triple Sword Strike Technique¡¯ based on the theory of the Two-Handed Sword Technique, tailored for those formidable opponents you have trouble with. But Junior Brother, you must also promise Senior Sister not to easily choose a strategy of full offense with no defense, is that okay?¡± Hearing her say this, Ling Yunpo was baffled. Senior Sister, when you¡¯ve taught me things before, there were never conditions or exchanges! However, seeing Senior Sister¡¯s eyes, usually as gentle as autumn water, now bearing a rare hint of pleading and sorrow, Ling Yunpo felt a sudden pang in his heart, an unbearable discomfort. ¡°Alright, alright, alright.¡± He hurriedly agreed, resolutely adding, ¡°I promise Senior Sister. From now on, unless there is really no way out, I will never lightly choose to fight with full offense and no defense!¡± Chapter 408 - Chapter 408: Chapter 41 What to Do When People from the Mothers Family Visit Chapter 408: Chapter 41 What to Do When People from the Mother¡¯s Family Visit After returning to Qingluo Peak, the two of them continued practicing swordsmanship until late into the night. Designing a Triple Sword Strike Technique was not an easy task. Even the Shushan Dual Sword Technique hadn¡¯t been created out of thin air; it was improved upon generation after generation. However, since it was nearly impossible for an External Incarnation to be passed down through generations, there were no traces or hints of the details for the Triple Sword Strike Technique to be found. An Zhisu said she ¡°roughly had an idea,¡± but Ling Yunpo didn¡¯t know if she truly had a plan or if she was just trying to comfort him, so he wouldn¡¯t recklessly endanger himself. Back in his room, Ling Yunpo went over the abilities he currently possessed. At present, Ling Yunpo could openly use his External Incarnation, simultaneous control of three swords, and the Cloud-Parting Eight Trigrams Step. In fact, there was also the Supreme Sun and Moon Primordial Classic he had learned from his trip to White Jade Capital, as well as the Demon Locking Tower token awarded by the Sect Leader after discovering the secret realm of White Jade Capital. The official Qi Refining Technique of Shushan is the Supreme Primordial True Record, which is a watered-down version of the Supreme Sun and Moon Primordial Classic. Moreover, since Su Jian was in seclusion, he and Senior Sister An only had access to Foundation Establishment techniques, without any for Core Formation or Golden Core realms. Now having obtained the Supreme Sun and Moon Primordial Classic, Senior Sister An¡¯s predicament of being unable to cultivate and perfect her Purple Mansion due to the lack of a Core Condensation Technique after Su Jian¡¯s seclusion¨Cwhich had hindered her cultivation progress¨Cwas completely resolved. As for the Demon Locking Tower token, it represented the opportunity to enter the Demon Locking Tower once. The resources inside the Demon Locking Tower were abundant, but Ling Yunpo was not currently in need of resources¡­ What he truly needed were scarce resources of the highest rank. Source: , updated on wuxiaworld.site.so Using up his chance to enter the Demon Locking Tower without careful consideration would be unwise. Ling Yunpo planned to wait until Long Long became familiar with Long Hu and learned all kinds of secret techniques of the Azure Dragon Clan, then use the Demon Locking Tower token as Ling Yunpo to exchange evidence of Long Hu¡¯s existence for corresponding secret techniques from Ying Long. Other miscellaneous gains are not worth mentioning for now. Comparing the two sides, it is clear that Ling Yunpo¡¯s style of combat is vastly different from Qiu Changtian¡¯s and Luo Yan¡¯s. Qiu Changtian is proficient in both swordsmanship and Daoist magic. His swordsmanship relies on robust True Yuan, and with the Tianyuan Yiqi Sword given by the Xu Family of Southern Heaven, he is on the path of a ¡°Qi Sect,¡± taking on confrontations head-on. His Daoist magic specializes in siege tactics through the Five Thunder True Law, complemented by a variety of derived Daoist magic from the Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra, making him the strongest in overall combat power among all known character settings. Luo Yan excels in both magical treasures and Daoist magic. His Daoist magic is the Postnatal Five Elements Great Extermination Divine Light, even more potent than Qiu Changtian¡¯s current Five Thunder True Law; his magical treasure is the ¡°Heavenly Craft Hundred Treasures Bag¡± passed down from Elder Shi Ding, a customized storage bag filled with a vast number of magical treasures. Compared to Qiu Changtian¡¯s ¡°strength,¡± Luo Yan¡¯s combat style is about versatile adaptability, being able to handle a variety of situations. On the other hand, Ling Yunpo¡¯s style is distinctly specialized in the Sword Control Technique, characteristic of the ¡°Sword Sect.¡± Both the External Incarnation and Cloud-Parting Eight Trigrams Step would ultimately be integrated with the Sword Control Technique. His hallmark is ¡°speed¡± ¡ª not the kind of speed men hate, but referring to the overall quickness in tactical style. Either he achieves a one-hit kill, or he finds an opportunity for a swift decisive blow amidst a drawn-out fight. This is the common combat style of most Shushan Sword Immortals, but the lineage of Qingluo Peak is particularly adept at it. As for Wei Dongliu and Long Long, since they are not participating in the White Jade Capital competition this time, they need not be discussed. For this competition, first and foremost, Qiu Changtian has an Invincible Character Setting, so he must obtain first place. Secondly, it doesn¡¯t matter whether Ling Yunpo or Luo Yan ranks higher¡­ but if given the choice, it would be better for Ling Yunpo to prevail. After all, if Luo Yan were to defeat Ling Yunpo, the protective Senior Sister An may have certain thoughts. Ling Yunpo certainly does not want his Senior Sister to become enemies with another of his character settings, especially since Qiu Changtian has already made a very bad first impression on An Zhisu. Lastly, there¡¯s the issue of intersecting character settings. Kunlun, Shushan, Penglai¨Ceach of the three character settings within the Orthodox Sects had developed its own network of connections. One must try to ensure that the networks of the three characters do not overlap too much and that each person within the network maintains long-term contact with only one of one¡¯s character settings. Otherwise, what would happen if someone were to interact with two of one¡¯s character settings at the same time and start noticing similarities? Ah Jing is very confident in her Mirror Flower Water Moon technique, but naturally, he can¡¯t place all his hopes on the flawlessness of Ah Jing¡¯s illusions. Currently, the ones who needed to be most guarded against were An Zhisu, Xu Yinglian, and Shi Liuli. The reason being that these senior sisters and junior sisters had spent the most time with him and were the most familiar with his persona, so he needed to be especially cautious around them. However, before the start of the great competition at White Jade Capital, there was another task he had to do. That was to go to Long Long¡¯s side, cuddle the adorable little fox, and readjust his mood properly so that he could face the great competition at White Jade Capital in the most perfect state. ¡°Ah Jing, let¡¯s go to Long Long¡¯s place,¡± Ling Yunpo said in a deep voice. Kunlun Mirror did not ask any questions, but patiently announced the settings: [Destination Five: Eastern Emperor Realm, Eastern State, Douguang Wilderness, atop Jianmu.] [Character Identity: Long Long.] [Overlaying Mirror Flower Water Moon Template, undergoing time-space travel.] Jianmu was known as the divine tree of the Azure Dragon Clan and also the place where they resided, similar to the relationship between the Golden Crow Clan and the Fusang Divine Tree. The Demon Race usually favored giant trees like these, not only for dwelling and defense purposes but also because they were well suited to serve as the ¡°holy land¡± for their clans. Different from Human Cultivators, the Demon Race placed a strong emphasis on tribal culture and bloodline connections. In recent days, Long Long, who had just ¡°assimilated,¡± and Long Hu, were brought by the leader of the Azure Dragon Clan, Qin Beiwang, to meet with every elder of the clan. The elders warmly received Long Long and were fairly enthusiastic towards Long Hu, but they pulled Qin Beiwang aside privately to ask: Does this little fox really have the blood of our Dragon Clan? Qin Beiwang then revealed the bloodline test results: half Dragon Clan, one quarter Fox Clan, and one quarter Human Race. So, the elders asked why Long Hu looked more like a fox than a dragon when the Dragon Clan bloodline ratio was twice that of the Fox Clan. Look at Long Long, he could show his dragon scales, which seemed normal, right? This question stumped Qin Beiwang because even the Bloodline Hall was not clear about it, but they guessed that her Dragon Clan bloodline seemed to be sealed. After all, considering the rank of the Dragon Clan¡¯s bloodline, if it were not sealed, it would probably soon devour the blood of the Fox and Human Clans entirely. As for how to lift the seal, since Long Long had asked the Kunlun Mirror to hide the Heaven-Mending Stone pendant with an illusion, the Azure Dragon Cultivators from the Bloodline Hall had no way to start and were clueless. However, very soon they had no time to worry about that issue. An unexpected message came: The Celestial Fox Clan of Qingqiu from West State, having somehow learned of Long Hu¡¯s existence, had dispatched an elder at the Demon King Realm (akin to the Human Race¡¯s Nascent Soul Realm), who was already making the long journey through Central State to visit. They particularly requested to meet the little fox. Hearing this news, Long Hu was so scared that she hid straight away in Long Long¡¯s room. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid,¡± Long Long patted her head. ¡°I guess they¡¯re coming to recognize kin.¡± ¡°Recognize kin?¡± Long Hu blinked in confusion. ¡°Then¡­ will they take me away?¡± Long Long¡¯s expression suddenly turned stern, but then he quickly smiled again, his eyes flashing with a determined and persistent light: ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Long Hu.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°As long as you don¡¯t want to, no one can forcibly take you away.¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± Long Hu then burrowed into his embrace, laying her head in the crook of his arm. Long Long checked the increase in the Synchronization Value of his persona then gently patted Long Hu¡¯s back until the little fox fell asleep. After that, he carefully placed her on the bed and tucked her in with the blanket. Only then did he quietly leave the room and close the door behind him. He needed to go find the clan leader, Qin Beiwang. Chapter 409 - Chapter 409: Chapter 42 The Crafty Marquis of Mount Tu Chapter 409: Chapter 42 The Crafty Marquis of Mount Tu The existence of Long Hu spread so quickly to the West State, it was clear that a spy within the Azure Dragon Clan was leaking information. Clan Chief Qin Beiwang was furious¡­ although anger was of no use. The Azure Dragon Clan was a large Demon Race, with its lower members alone numbering in the tens of thousands, so naturally it was impossible to oversee them all. In fact, everyone tacitly understood that the clan had definitely been infiltrated by other races, turning it into a sieve. But elder brother saying nothing to younger brother, the Azure Dragon Clan¡¯s bought spies were also spread among all the major Demon Races, thus Qin Beiwang merely followed procedure by ordering the Criminal Law Hall to conduct a self-examination and then took Long Long to the reception room. The arrival of the elder from the Fox Clan had been so swift that the clan hadn¡¯t even had time to reach a consensus for dealing with it. For now, Qin Beiwang could only meet with her first to probe the purpose of her visit. If the topic of Long Hu came up, Long Long, who was more familiar with her, would take over in answering, but without confirmation of the situation, it would be impossible to let this elder meet Long Hu. Upon arriving at the reception room, Long Long caught sight of the Fox Clan elder, who turned out to be a stunningly beautiful woman with a graceful figure. And her face was somewhat familiar¡­ Oh, it was none other than Marquis of Mount Tu, Elder Hu Li of the Eastern Emperor Sect, truly an old acquaintance indeed. Long Long collected his gaze without a flicker, and heard Hu Li greet with a cheerful smile: Source: , updated on wuxiaworld.site.so ¡°Qin brother, haven¡¯t seen you in good health?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a long time, Marquis of Mount Tu.¡± Qin Beiwang also greeted her with a smile and invited her to sit down, then called a servant over to serve tea, as if he had no clue about her purpose. ¡°And this is¡­¡± Hu Li¡¯s gaze fell on Long Long, seemingly unaware of his identity. Of course, that was an act too. Although she did not recognize him as Qiu Changtian, Wei Dongliu whom she had previously interacted with, she had long been aware through the Dragon Clan¡¯s secret informants that Long Long was the person who brought Long Hu into the Dragon Clan, and was also Long Hu¡¯s closest confidant. ¡°Long Long.¡± Qin Beiwang used the cup lid to skim off the floating tea stems and froth, saying leisurely, ¡°Haven¡¯t you met Marquis of Mount Tu yet?¡± ¡°This junior has met Marquis of Mount Tu.¡± Long Long quickly stood up to pay his respects. ¡°No need for such formality.¡± Hu Li kindly waved her hand and then took a Magical Treasure from her sleeve, a gold sphere entwined with two coiled dragons, ¡°Actually, I happened upon an item in the Northern Abyss, which seems to have some connection with the Dragon Clan. Consider it a meeting gift for you, this young one.¡± ¡°Is that¡­ the Coiled Dragon Gold-melting Pearl?¡± Qin Beiwang exclaimed in surprise. ¡°Is that so? I wasn¡¯t aware.¡± Hu Li pushed the gold sphere into Long Long¡¯s hands, who, seeing Qin Beiwang did not speak to stop him, quickly bowed and expressed his thanks. Qin Beiwang and Hu Li chatted for a while longer, the conversation drifting from the generations of friendship between the Azure Dragon and Celestial Fox Clans to the current political situation of the Eastern Emperor Realm, and even shared anecdotes about some eccentric elders in their families. They spoke freely on various topics, wandering without direction, which left Long Long feeling quite perplexed, almost believing that the Fox Clan elder was truly just there for a casual visit. Luckily, seeing that it was getting late, Qin Beiwang proposed that Hu Li stay for dinner. This time Hu Li couldn¡¯t hold back any longer, or perhaps she felt the timing was right, and pretended to be sorrowful, wiping away tears as she said: ¡°To be honest, I have come here, having heard that my poor niece is still alive, so I specifically rushed over to find her.¡± Qin Beiwang¡¯s expression did not change as he curiously asked: ¡°Oh? May I know who in the clan told Marquis of Mount Tu about this matter?¡± Hu Li smiled briefly and mentioned a Qin surname that Long Long did not recognize. Long Long listened quietly, thinking that the name Hu Li had given was certainly that of a spy bought by the Celestial Fox Clan within the Azure Dragon Clan, but surely not the actual spy who leaked the news of Long Hu. It could be she was using Qin Beiwang¡¯s hand to eliminate traitors among her own spies. Qin Beiwang was clearly aware as well and silently noted the name, saying, ¡°Long Hu¡­ Indeed, there is a newly joined member of our clan with that name.¡± ¡°However, I haven¡¯t heard about you having such a niece, Marquis of Mount Tu?¡± His tone was curious and playful, yet Hu Li seemed not to detect his mocking undertone and merely said in a low voice, ¡°I have a sister, a cousin¡­ Of course, it was a long, long time ago, so long ago that even within our clan, few are aware of this matter.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Qin Beiwang noncommittally murmured. ¡°She has half Human Race lineage,¡± Hu Li continued. Qin Beiwang slightly furrowed his brows. The constitution of Long Hu¡¯s bloodline was known only to a select few within the clan, so where had Hu Li obtained this information? ¡°If it were purely Fox Clan bloodline or Human Race bloodline, they could have smoothly merged with the Dragon Clan bloodline and given birth to healthy offspring,¡± Hu Li sighed deeply, her voice filled with wistfulness, ¡°But my cousin, alas, possessed both, and for some reason, that intermingling resisted the fusion of the Dragon Clan bloodline in my newborn niece.¡± ¡°The coexistence of three bloodlines is extremely fatal and could severely harm her health. So, in order for her daughter not to perish young, my sister had to defy our family and secretly took a clue to a Magical Treasure¡¯s whereabouts.¡± Qin Beiwang¡¯s expression finally became serious because what Hu Li disclosed was information even the Dragon Clan was unaware of. According to the Bloodline Hall, Long Hu possessed three bloodlines with the Dragon Clan¡¯s being the largest proportion and the highest rank. Logically, it should have devoured the other two bloodlines, purifying Long Hu into a pure Dragon kind. Yet, inexplicably, the Dragon Clan bloodline was sealed by external forces, allowing the stronger Fox Clan bloodline to manifest and transforming Long Hu¡¯s true form into that of a fox. Based on Hu Li¡¯s words, the Dragon Clan bloodline could not assimilate the Human Race and Fox Clan bloodlines, causing the discord of the three different bloods within the body, endangering Long Hu¡¯s life. Hence, the reason for the sealing of her Dragon Clan bloodline had a plausible explanation. Of course, this explanation had one issue: it only accounted for Long Hu¡¯s mother¡¯s origins and did not reveal who Long Hu¡¯s father was. Given the Bloodline Rank of Long Hu¡¯s Dragon Clan bloodline, her father¡¯s Cultivation Realm had to be extraordinarily high, but there was no such candidate in the Jiaolong Clan¨Cif there were, how could the clan possibly still be lurking in the Beiming Fanyang Secret Realm? But if what Hu Li said were true, and her cousin was a person from a very long time ago, then Long Hu¡¯s birth date and her father¡¯s era would also correspond to an earlier time, immediately conjuring a famously significant possibility in Qin Beiwang¡¯s memory¡­ Impossible! What am I thinking! He hastily discarded the thought from his mind and soon pinpointed another more conspicuous doubt. Members of the Demon Race lived much longer than humans, but that was also dependent on a high Cultivation Realm. Long Hu couldn¡¯t even achieve Transformation, so how could she have lived from ¡°a very long, long time ago¡± to the present day? Long Long remained silent beside him, also rapidly calculating in his mind. It seemed very likely now that Hu Li was indeed Long Hu¡¯s maternal aunt. But why would she disclose Long Hu¡¯s origins in such detail to Qin Beiwang? The Fox Clan mother was one thing, but her Celestial Fox father was no minor character. If she thought that by doing so, she could prove her relationship with Long Hu and thus persuade Qin Beiwang to hand Long Hu over to her, then she was truly naive. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Wait, huh? Long Long flipped his thoughts upside down and instantly pondered another possibility: If Hu Li revealed this information not to prove that Long Hu¡¯s mother was her cousin, but rather to hint that Long Hu¡¯s father was the esteemed Ying Long, then? In other words, if Qin Beiwang learned that Long Hu was the daughter of Ying Long, would he feel intimidated by Long Hu? Or would it spawn a stronger ambition? Chapter 410 - Chapter 410: Chapter 43 If You Still Want to Hold the Fox Chapter 410: Chapter 43 If You Still Want to Hold the Fox Their conversation ended quickly. Long Long had not interjected throughout the entire discussion. In fact, as soon as Hu Li hinted that Long Hu was born ¡°a very, very long time ago,¡± prompting Qin Beiwang to think of a certain possibility, it was destined that he would thoroughly investigate this matter afterward. No matter how he might interject, divert, or even mislead Qin Beiwang¡¯s thoughts, it would not be possible to dissuade him from his intent to thoroughly investigate Long Hu¡¯s origins. As for what would happen after the truth came to light¡­ it wasn¡¯t hard to guess. If it had been tens of thousands of years ago, the Azure Dragon Clan might still have been wary of her ¡°princess¡± status. But now Emperor Ying Long has become a legend, the Jiaolong branch has long since lost power, forced into the Beiming Fanyang to barely cling to existence, while the Azure Dragon Clan has become the leader of the Dragon Clans of the world. To them, Long Hu¡¯s identity therefore represents only a purely exploitable, legal advantage of great significance. Continuing along this line of deduction, since the Celestial Fox Clan behind Hu Li also knew this secret, and considering that Long Hu also had the Celestial Fox bloodline, it meant that the two clans now had a secret they needed to keep together, as well as interests they could share¨Cessentially a natural foundation for an alliance. Tsk, not long ago in the clan school, I was saying that the Azure Dragon Clan should secretly ally with West State. I never expected my words to come true so soon. Qin Beiwang instructed a servant to take Hu Li to a guest room to rest, and then he said to Long Long with a smile: ¡°The Coiled Dragon Gold-melting Pearl that Marquis of Mount Tu gave you is a kind of ancient Magical Treasure that can attract or repel all things made of gold and iron.¡± ¡°It holds a great restraining power against iron-based Flying Swords, Magical Treasures of the Metal System, and similar Bloodline Supernatural Powers.¡± ¡°Thank you, Clan Leader, for clearing up my confusion.¡± Long Long struggled to show sincere gratitude. Source: , updated on wuxiaworld.site.so ¡°It¡¯s getting late, you can go back and rest.¡± Qin Beiwang waved his hand dismissively. Long Long then took his leave. Back in his room, he found that Long Hu, who had been lying down and resting, had indeed disappeared. This was within his expectations because if Long Hu truly was a descendant of Emperor Ying Long, the first thing Qin Beiwang would think of would be to take her away and bring her completely under the control of the Azure Dragon Clan. This control might not necessarily mean crude restrictions on personal freedom; it could also mean softly removing other influences¨Csuch as making arrangements to keep her as far away from him as possible. Because if Long Hu merely possessed the bloodline of an immortal¡¯s descendant, the Azure Dragon Clan, seeing her as a combatant with potential, wouldn¡¯t interfere with her social interactions. But if Long Hu was a descendant of Emperor Ying Long, her partner in a political marriage would naturally be an extremely valuable political bargaining chip. To keep her away from him doesn¡¯t mean the Azure Dragon Clan is hostile towards him; it¡¯s just that his political weight isn¡¯t enough. In the end, it all comes down to being too weak! As Long Long sat on the bed deep in thought, he heard the door being pushed open from outside. ¡°You don¡¯t seem to care at all where she has gone,¡± Hu Li said with a smile as she walked in. ¡°No matter where she¡¯s gone, I¡¯ll find her again,¡± Long Long said indifferently. [Persistence Persona, Synchronization Value +1.] ¡°What will you do?¡± Hu Li asked with interest, ¡°And what can you do? You haven¡¯t even achieved transformation yet.¡± ¡°I have my methods.¡± Long Long did not intend to explain further to her. In reality, the simplest method was to lay out the solution to the bloodline issue on Long Hu and convince the Azure Dragon Clan to send Long Hu to the Jiaolong¡¯s Beiming Fanyang Secret Realm. In this way, he could perfectly fulfill the promise to his mother. However, the most crucial problem was that, afterward, the fragment of the Heaven-Mending Stone pendant was unlikely to end up in Long Long¡¯s hands. It would only be collected by the ancient ancestors of the Azure Dragon Clan, and then Long Long would have to start plotting anew from the beginning, just as he had done in Kunlun, Shushan, and Penglai¡­ Only a fool would take that path! Seeing Long Long deep in thought and silent, Hu Li raised her estimation of him again in her mind and laughed: ¡°Aren¡¯t you angry with me at all? If it were not for my arrival, Long Hu wouldn¡¯t have grabbed the attention of the Azure Dragon Clan and been taken away.¡± ¡°Even without you, as long as her bloodline issue remained unresolved, the clan would sooner or later trace her father¡¯s true identity,¡± Long Long shook his head dispassionately, ¡°How many Jiaolong of an immortal rank have there been since ancient times?¡± ¡°I have long been prepared, no need for Marquis of Mount Tu to worry.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Hu Li narrowed her eyes and smiled, ¡°I thought you were so upset at the parlor that you needed help. It seems I was overthinking.¡± She stood up, pretending to leave, and seeing no reaction from Long Long, she cursed silently, stretched her arms with a yawn, and sat down again, casually starting a conversation: ¡°The political situation on the continent isn¡¯t very stable lately.¡± Long Long was still in deep thought when he heard this, it was as if a bolt of lightning had raced through his mind, and he suddenly asked: ¡°Qi Weihuan and his wife are getting a divorce?¡± Despite Hu Li being old and crafty, taken by surprise by Long Long¡¯s direct approach, a flicker of unusual color passed through her eyes. Although it was just a flicker, it was captured by the Kunlun Mirror and played back directly in front of Long Long. Upon closer inspection, Long Long couldn¡¯t help but understand that he had guessed correctly and sneered coldly: ¡°The supreme leader of the ten thousand demons, Qi Weihuan of the Qilin Clan, can¡¯t even keep his wife in check.¡± ¡°If their marital relationship collapses, it will undoubtedly deal a severe blow to the alliance between the Qilin Clan and the White Tiger Clan.¡± ¡°So the Celestial Fox Clan foresaw this and sought external support in advance, secretly liaising with the Azure Dragon Clan, right?¡± Hu Li observed him calmly, seemingly determining how much of his words were speculative and how much were analytical conclusions. After a long moment, probably realizing she could no longer keep it secret, she slightly smiled and said: ¡°What I say next, once out of this house, I will not acknowledge.¡± ¡°Please speak frankly, Marquis of Mount Tu,¡± Long Long said with a grave voice. ¡°Qi Weihuan¡¯s two sons and one daughter, none are sired by that clumsy big-horned deer,¡± Hu Li said quietly. Long Long¡¯s pupils contracted sharply, his heart churning with shock and consternation. What? The Emperor of the Demon Race got cuckolded! As is well known, Qi Weihuan, the master of ten thousand demons, married Lu Ya, the daughter of the chieftain of the White Tiger Clan. This was a pure political marriage, and the relationship between the husband and wife was exceptionally poor; Empress Lu Ya ridiculed Qi Weihuan as a ¡°clumsy big-horned deer¡± more than once in private, and the Qilin Clan, by extension, felt extreme antipathy towards the empress. But a political marriage doesn¡¯t require affection, only that Lu Ya bears Qi Weihuan offspring. When the future heirs ascend to the throne, filial piety will inevitably command respect for their mother and her family background, which is the fundamental basis for the alliance between the White Tiger and Qilin clans. But if the offspring are not the Emperor¡¯s¡­ let alone Qi Weihuan with the grass on his head, the entire Qilin Clan would never accept it. Such a development would inevitably lead to full-scale conflict between Central State and West State! Furthermore, given that the Xuanwu Clan has been a historical ally of the Qilin Clan, North State would inevitably support Central State. At the same time, the Vermilion Bird Clan, currently in a state of war with the Qilin Clan, would likely form an alliance with West State against them¡­ essentially drawing four-fifths of the Eastern Emperor Realm into warfare! ¡°Does Qi Weihuan know about this?¡± Long Long asked in a low voice. ¡°If he knew, do you think he could remain this calm?¡± Hu Li said with an indifferent expression. ¡°Central State would have already gone to war with West State, and your Dragon Clan of Eastern State wouldn¡¯t be able to remain unscathed either.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re playing the game of thrones, huh!¡± Long Long vented fiercely, feeling utterly powerless inside. What was he looking for when he joined the Azure Dragon Clan? Wasn¡¯t it for a secure environment to develop and later send Long Hu to the Beiming Fanyang Secret Realm? And now you¡¯re telling me that the Eastern Emperor Realm is about to be thrown into chaos? Even the Dragon Clan can¡¯t ensure its own safety? I might as well have stayed a Loose Cultivator as I was before! ¡°What is the game of thrones?¡± Hu Li asked, frowning. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Long Long let out a long sigh, ¡°Thank you for the insight, Marquis of Mount Tu, but¡­ why tell me this?¡± ¡°This matter cannot be kept secret forever,¡± Hu Li said in an enigmatic tone. ¡°When the time comes, the Dragon Clan of Eastern State, not embroiled in the war, will inevitably become a target for both sides seeking allegiance.¡± ¡°The clan hopes to establish a covert alliance with the Azure Dragon Clan as a way to protect ourselves amidst the crisis.¡± ¡°However, personally, I do not trust the Dragon Clan.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only As she said this, she gracefully stood up and spoke seriously: ¡°The Dragon Clan is innately cold-blooded, and Qin Beiwang is not a man of kindness. If you have been beguiled by them before, you should now see their true nature.¡± ¡°I am Little Aunt to Long Hu and will not let her stay here. If you wish to be with Long Hu in the future, you¡¯d better obey my orders.¡± ¡°Does the Marquis of Mount Tu want to bribe me to become a spy?¡± Long Long finally laughed, ¡°I am also of the Dragon Clan, whom you clearly distrust, Marquis of Mount Tu. So why would you see me differently?¡± Great! She could actually discern my professional level! This vixen is no ordinary one! Chapter 411 - Chapter 411: Chapter 44 Long Long, You Must Be Strong Chapter 411: Chapter 44 Long Long, You Must Be Strong ¡°Because I am different from Qin Beiwang, I care more about whether my sister¡¯s daughter is happy,¡± Hu Li said coldly, ¡°As for you¡­ don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve developed a sense of belonging to this place after staying here for a few months. Such foolish posturing is meaningless to me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant,¡± Long Long replied nonchalantly, ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ what can the Marquis of Mount Tu offer to buy my loyalty?¡± ¡°Bribery?¡± Hu Li widened her eyes in disbelief and asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t being with Long Hu the greatest reward for you?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve said before that even without elder¡¯s assistance, I have ways to take Long Hu away,¡± Long Long said calmly. ¡°What ways?¡± Hu Li showed a skeptical look, ¡°Fine, even if you have a way to take Long Hu out of Eastern State. With the Dragon Clan¡¯s pursuit, where in the Eastern Emperor Realm would dare to shelter you?¡± Long Long just smiled. ¡°The Jiaolong Clan?¡± Hu Li¡¯s mind was also quick, immediately guessing the answer, and said with a cold laugh, ¡°Naive! Do you know how many hardships and dangers one must go through to reach the Beiming Fanyang where the Jiaolong Clan is located?¡± ¡°Not to mention anything else, even if you could safely cross North State, it would be impossible to survive crossing the North Sea alive!¡± ¡°This is her mother¡¯s wish,¡± Long Long revealed his trump card. Indeed, the scornful expression on Hu Li¡¯s face immediately froze. She was silent for a long time before saying: ¡°Is my sister¡­ is she doing well?¡± Source: , updated on wuxiaworld.site.so ¡°By the time I found Long Hu, her mother had already passed away, please accept my condolences,¡± Long Long responded, ¡°Her final wish was for me to take Long Hu to the Jiaolong Clan.¡± ¡°I actually guessed as much,¡± Hu Li¡¯s complexion turned to one of sorrow, and her voice softened, ¡°If my sister hadn¡¯t passed away, how could she entrust Long Hu to you?¡± ¡°But going to Beiming Fanyang is not so simple; with both of your Cultivation Realms so low, heading north is nearly akin to a certain death.¡± ¡°However, if you were to go to West State with me, at least within the Qingqiu sphere of influence, no one would dare to bully you¡­¡± She pleaded with a tone of entreaty, yet Long Long was unmoved. After all, only in Beiming Fanyang could the issue of bloodline conflict in Long Hu¡¯s body be completely resolved ¡ª but this matter couldn¡¯t be discussed with her maternal aunt because if he were to explain in detail, it would be impossible to avoid the topic of the Heaven-Mending Stone pendant she carried, and Long Long did not want to take that risk. He would rather pretend that he was completely unaware of the bloodline conflict in Long Hu, merely claiming it was the dying wish of Long Hu¡¯s mother that he do so. Seeing that he was stubbornly unyielding, Hu Li became infuriated, and in the end, she could only grit her teeth and say: ¡°Then what exactly do you want for you to cooperate with me?!¡± Within the Sea of Consciousness, the Kunlun Mirror and the Green Duckweed Sword looked at each other, astonished. A Foundation Establishment Realm Cultivator was actually pinning down a Demon King, which greatly exceeded their expectations. It could only be said that the extent of Long Long¡¯s tactics, insight, and shamelessness was truly one in ten thousand. Seeing that she had finally softened her stance, Long Long then showed his concern and said: ¡°First, you must ensure the safety of me and Long Hu.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t trust me?¡± Hu Li frowned slightly and said, ¡°I can provide evidence to prove that she and I do have a blood relationship¡­¡± ¡°Not so,¡± Long Long said, ¡°Even husbands and wives may harm each other; the relationship between an aunt and a niece is not that stable.¡± ¡°Besides, you should also understand that in this world, the only thing that can truly protect oneself is strength alone.¡± ¡°What¡¯s all this fuss.¡± Hu Li snorted coldly, ¡°So, you just want to enhance your strength. That appears to be all your Dragon Clan cares about now. Didn¡¯t I give you a Coiled Dragon Gold-Dissolving Ball?¡± ¡°Many thanks to Marquis of Mount Tu for the generous gift,¡± Long Long rose to his feet and paid his respects, ¡°Now, the junior no longer lacks a Flying Sword, and possesses a Magical Treasure, too. It¡¯s just that I am missing a Daoist Magic Divine Skill.¡± ¡°You seek the Dragon Clan¡¯s Daoist Magic Divine Skills, yet you come to me, a Celestial Fox, for them?¡± Hu Li looked at him strangely, then suddenly realized, ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right. Any Daoist Magic Divine Skill of the Dragon Clan is counterable within the Dragon Clan itself.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll think of a way regarding this matter. You just stay put for now and try not to rashly provoke others in the clan.¡± Having said that, Hu Li gracefully stood up, pushed open the door, and left the room. Long Long remained silent for a moment before calmly getting onto his bed and starting to meditate. The Azure Dragon Clan thought that taking Long Hu away would settle matters¨Can utter joke. As long as Long Hu was wearing the Heaven-Mending Stone pendant, the Kunlun Mirror could scan her exact location at any time. What was the use of hiding her? After an unknown period of time, someone knocked on the door again. Long Long opened his eyes and said in a clear voice, ¡°Please come in.¡± The person outside then pushed the door open and entered. It turned out to be the siblings, Qin Zhou and Qin Ye, both wearing expressions of unease. Within the Azure Dragon Clan, these two were relatively acquainted with both Long Long and Long Hu, and being the children of the clan chief, they probably heard some rumors, so they wished to offer comfort. Long Long sneered inwardly, only to hear Qin Zhou hesitate to say: ¡°Long Long, well¡­ the clan mentioned they discovered a secret location nearby and planned to arrange for Long Hu to undergo closed-door training there, to quickly raise her Cultivation Realm. So¡­ they had her taken away on short notice.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Long Long responded calmly. This reaction was so indifferent that the siblings immediately realized he had not been fooled by their lie. Therefore, Qin Ye sighed and said sadly, ¡°Don¡¯t be too angry, Long Long. Many of the elders have pointed out that Long Hu¡¯s identity is too sensitive, and it¡¯s not proper for her to mix with us. Father doesn¡¯t have many options either.¡± ¡°Long Long is also mindful of the clan chief¡¯s care during this time,¡± Long Long stated with neither servility nor overbearing pride. ¡°My lord Sword Master,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword suddenly spoke, ¡°Your response is too composed, they think you¡¯re going to explode in silence. The more calm you appear, the more they fear you¡¯ll lose your temper.¡± Long Long thought that made sense and thus showed a slightly weaker demeanor, sighing and saying, ¡°It¡¯s just my lowly status. I can¡¯t convince the elders to let me stay by Long Hu¡¯s side!¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Qin Zhou visibly relaxed at this. His concern was that Long Long might obsess over this matter, appearing indifferent on the surface but then getting heated after waking from a sleep and attempting to assassinate the clan chief¡­ He still valued this comrade greatly. ¡°I did not deceive you with what I said earlier,¡± he stated seriously, ¡°The clan indeed plans to take Long Hu for training. However, it is not really for secluded cultivation; they simply don¡¯t want her to have contact with the outside world, to avoid hindering her practice.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Qin Ye whispered, ¡°But that secret location¡­ cough cough, my brother and I know a secret passageway that can get us inside stealthily.¡± ¡°If you miss Long Hu very much, we can take you to see her,¡± Qin Zhou offered sincerely. Long Long was taken aback, thinking to himself whether these siblings truly considered him a friend. Chapter 412 - Chapter 412: Chapter 45: Learn to be Grateful Chapter 412: Chapter 45: Learn to be Grateful Over the following period, Long Long behaved quite normally. He would regularly attend the clan school as usual, not only studying various theoretical knowledge but also practicing the innate divine abilities unique to the Dragon Clan. In private, however, he regularly inquired about Long Hu¡¯s situation from the Qin siblings, Qin Zhou and Qin Ye. Long Hu had been conferred the title ¡°Princess of the Dragon Clan¡± by the Azure Dragon Clan, though this was only an internal designation and had not spread beyond the clan¨Cotherwise, it would have been difficult to explain why the Dragon Clan¡¯s princess was a fox when inquiring from outsiders. Due to the sealing of her Dragon bloodline, Long Hu was having a slow time learning the various bloodline supernatural powers of the Dragon Clan, and their potency could hardly be called impressive. However, her innate talent as a member of the Fox Clan was exceptionally outstanding, and she was currently learning illusion techniques from an elder of the Celestial Fox Clan. Furthermore, she frequently used her newly learned illusion techniques to confuse the guards in an attempt to quietly slip out of the secret realm, only to be caught in the act each time by the guards. Long Long naturally knew why she was doing this and, after careful consideration, finally decided to have the Qin siblings take him to find Long Hu. Some things needed to be made clear to the little fox. Otherwise, with her constantly trying to escape like this, it would be tantamount to frequently exposing her trump cards to the clan, which would be troublesome when the time came to truly flee. According to what the Qin siblings revealed, Long Hu¡¯s place for secluded cultivation was said to be within a certain palace deep in the East Sea. Strictly speaking, that place wasn¡¯t a secret realm, but with numerous arrays set up around it to isolate the interior from the exterior, it was almost comparable to a secret realm and could be considered highly guarded. The three of them revealed their true Water Viper forms and fell into the sea, quickly swimming towards the ocean floor. Source: , updated on wuxiaworld.site.co Along the way, they encountered quite a few sea-dwelling demonic beasts. However, as soon as these creatures approached, either Qin Zhou or Qin Ye would display a trace of Dragon¡¯s Might, scaring them off in a flash. Long Long watched clearly from the side, guessing that these aquatic demonic beasts had the fear of the Dragon Clan etched into their very bones. As for those unruly and ferocious beasts that even dared to attack members of the Dragon Clan, they had long been exterminated countless times by the Azure Dragon Clan. After crossing the vast and flat seabed, then a ¡°forest¡± dense with seaweed, about three to four hours had passed before they reached a huge rift valley. ¡°It¡¯s down there, and we have to dive quite deep,¡± Qin Ye said with a flick of her snake tongue, she and her brother both had white scales in their true Water Viper forms. ¡°Alright,¡± answered Long Long, whose own true form was that of a brown-scaled Water Viper. The three Water Vipers cautiously swam downward along the edge of the rift valley since the center of the valley often contained violent and unpredictable currents that could easily sweep them away. As the depth increased, the water pressure gradually began to mount. A cultivator at the Foundation Establishment Refining Mansion stage would not be able to withstand the pressure in these conditions and would have to quickly swim upwards. But as Water Vipers, a kind of draconic demonic beast, they had much greater bodily strength than ordinary demonic beasts and thus could endure the pressure. Gradually, the faint environmental light that had been present began to disappear completely. Although Water Vipers could see in the dark, they were helpless in the face of complete darkness, so Qin Zhou spat out a pearl, a naturally luminescent clam pearl, and manipulated it to keep sinking downwards. After an unknown amount of time, specks of starlight suddenly appeared below. ¡°Be careful, those light sources are the range of the array,¡± Qin Zhou warned, ¡°Once you get trapped in it, you won¡¯t be able to get out. Follow me.¡± He turned and swam away from the direction of the starlight, with Qin Ye and Long Long coiling their bodies and closely following behind him. Unbeknownst to them, the light sources were left far behind, becoming fainter and fainter until they were just barely discernible specks of brightness. ¡°Should be here, right?¡± Qin Ye said. ¡°More or less,¡± Qin Zhou turned back, estimated the distance from the light sources, and replied. Long Long carefully observed his surroundings, only to see the dark and deep seawater everywhere, with no rock walls or strata in sight. Could it be a Formation? As he was thinking this, he saw Qin Ye also open his mouth and spit out a small Array flag. The moment the Array flag appeared, bright lines suddenly emerged in the surrounding seawater. These lines twisted rapidly, soon forming various intricate Runic Scripts and structures, and they were also rapidly rotating, about to form a three-dimensional and complicated Array. Qin Ye proudly cracked a smile, then turned his head to see the surprise on Long Long¡¯s face. However, he only saw Long Long¡¯s eyes widen, his golden vertical pupils almost stretching into straight lines¡­ How should I put it? Although it was within expectations, his reaction was slightly exaggerated. ¡°This is an ancient Formation,¡± Qin Zhou explained. ¡°My sister and I discovered some clues by chance when going through the family archives, and only by coincidence did we find it.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Long Long said in a complex tone, his heart nevertheless tumultuous like raging waves. Because the Runic Scripts and structures of this Formation were all too familiar to him. Originally, when Luo Yan and Shi Liuli accidentally fell into the water in the Treasure Ship Secret Realm, they ended up trapped in the Gui Xu Palace. The Array in the palace courtyard, its Runic Scripts, and the structures here were clearly from the same source! Long Long closely examined these Runic Scripts and structures and confirmed that the Formation here was a sub-array of the Gui Xu Palace Formation he had encountered before. The Gui Xu Grand Formation was an extremely mysterious high-dimensional Array, which not only sealed off the space of the Gui Xu Palace tightly but also compressed time, making the flow of time inside slower relative to the outside world. As for this Formation, it was merely an Array that compressed space, and its purpose should be¡­ While Long Long was calculating in his mind, he suddenly saw a black hole unfolding in the center of the Array, swallowing all the surrounding seawater along with Qin Zhou, Qin Ye, and himself with tremendous suction. Oh, I see, its purpose is to open a Wormhole. The seawater rushed out violently, followed by three Water Vipers landing on the floor tiles, rolling on the spot, and quickly transforming back into human forms. Long Long turned his head to observe his surroundings and found that the Wormhole behind them had already closed. They were now inside a stone chamber with a built-in bath at the center of the room, where the seawater was quickly draining away through small holes in the corners of the pool¡¯s wall. The holes were arranged in a plum blossom pattern, which suddenly reminded Long Long of when Ling Yunpo was in the Misty Forest of the Hundred Thousand Mountains, and the fish people had designed a ¡°sauna salt extraction room,¡± with the seawater flowing through similarly arranged small holes, even the plum blossom distribution pattern was exactly the same. It¡¯s just to say, ¡°I¡¯ve seen plenty of your tricks.¡± ¡°This is one of the bathing pools of the Dragon Palace,¡± Qin Ye introduced. ¡°We secretly told Long Hu to set this place as her own private bathing pool so that the other guards wouldn¡¯t rashly come here.¡± ¡°And since the Formation is set outside and only opens inward during transport, even if clan members inspect this place, as long as the outside Formation is closed, it¡¯s impossible to detect anything,¡± Qin Zhou also said with a smile. ¡°Qin Zhou, Qin Ye, I owe you a great deal for this time¡­¡± Long Long then feigned an emotional expression and said tearfully, ¡°A thousand words could not express my gratitude.¡± ¡°No need to be polite, aren¡¯t we friends?¡± said Qin Ye with a grin. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Indeed, Long Long also sighed inwardly. As a spy serving multiple parties, he had been walking on the edge of calculation and malice for years, becoming indifferent. Yet seeing these two siblings so sincere, wholeheartedly considering him and Long Hu, he too felt grateful. If one day I run away with Long Hu, I shall not implicate you two! I, Long Long, am consistent with my persona, and I do what I say! Chapter 413 - Chapter 413: Chapter 46: Since Ancient Times, the Fox Lady Has Been Full of Passion Chapter 413: Chapter 46: Since Ancient Times, the Fox Lady Has Been Full of Passion The three moved stealthily through the palace corridors. Long Long observed his surroundings once more, confirming that the interior decoration of the palace was indeed very similar to that of the Gui Xu Palace, and the Ghost Dragon Palace deep within the Five Qi Dynasty Yuan Cave¨Cnot exactly the same, but about eighty percent alike. As expected, this place must also be a remnant left by the ancient Dragon Clan. According to Qin Zhou, there weren¡¯t many guards inside the palace. After all, Long Hu was said to be in ¡°seclusion¡± rather than ¡°house arrest,¡± and with the protection of the Formation outside, setting up more guards inside would give Long Hu a very unpleasant feeling. Indeed, more guards were proved to be unnecessary. The two transformative Cultivators of the Dragon Clan who were responsible for guarding the palace gate were often deceived by Long Hu¡¯s use of Illusion Technique and tricks, while the real hindrance was the great Array outside the palace. Aside from Long Hu, there were also many other Cultivators of the Dragon Clan living within the palace, but they were almost all in seclusion and did not wander out casually. Long Long nodded, remembering what the Qin siblings had said, but he wasn¡¯t about to relax even a bit. He simply instructed Ah Jing to help scan the surroundings, ready to hide or flee at a moment¡¯s notice. They proceeded cautiously and without incident until they finally arrived at the chamber where Long Hu stayed. Qin Ye pushed the door open and went in first, with Qin Zhou and Long Long following. Long Long had already thought that if the little Fox Lady threw herself into his arms, he would hug her tightly. If she pounced to bite him (perhaps blaming him for not coming to see her sooner), he would hold her head and rub her ears. If she pounced on him with fierce kisses, he would¡­ he would shoo the Qin siblings out of the room first. Source: , updated on N0vG0.Co Hmm? Looking carefully into the room, the three of them realized that there was no sign of the little Fox Lady. Qin Ye was still somewhat puzzled, but Qin Zhou quickly reacted and exclaimed, ¡°Not good, she must have tried to escape again!¡± With this thought, Qin Ye also broke out in a cold sweat and said, ¡°Then the guards will surely catch her and send her back here!¡± ¡°We need to hurry!¡± Qin Zhou quickly said. So the three of them hastily retraced their steps back to the bathing pool, where Qin Ye tossed out a Formation Flag, reopening the temporarily closed Wormhole. Fighting against the surging water, they entered the Wormhole and soon returned to the bottom of the Sea Abyss. Qin Ye activated the Formation Flag once again, shutting down the operational Array, severing the spatial connection between the two sides completely. After all this, Qin Zhou apologetically said, ¡°Long Long, this is terribly unfortunate, just when she wasn¡¯t in her room¡­ Shall we wait here a bit?¡± ¡°Maybe in half an hour, the guards will have brought her back.¡± ¡°Forget it,¡± Long Long said with an easy smile, ¡°Since she was discovered trying to escape, the security there is bound to be tightened for the short term. There¡¯s no need for you to risk danger along with me.¡± ¡°Next time. We¡¯ll come again when there¡¯s a suitable opportunity.¡± Clamping her lips tight, Qin Ye hesitated for a moment, then handed the Formation Flag in her hand to Long Long, saying, ¡°We used to run to that palace often, looking to explore and see if there were any interesting places. Later, once we confirmed that all the rooms inside were chambers for cultivation, we didn¡¯t go much.¡± ¡°Long Long, I¡¯m giving you this Formation Key. This way, whenever you want to see Long Hu, you can just take this secret path.¡± ¡°Thank you, Qin Ye,¡± Long Long quickly expressed his gratitude. The three transformed back into Water Vipers and swam upward. Several hours later, they finally resurfaced and then swam back to their clan¡¯s territory. After bidding farewell to the Qin siblings, Long Long returned to his own room without a trace of disappointment or regret on his face for not seeing the little Fox Lady. ¡°Ah Jing, teleport me to that bath.¡± He locked the door, set up the Formation, and then said with a smile. ¡°Oh,¡± Kunlun Mirror responded. As they had retreated back to the bath, Long Long had already tasked Ah Jing with recording the spatial coordinates, so he could conveniently teleport there afterward. This Ah Jing¡¯s time-space travel is far more convenient than any spatial array, isn¡¯t it? The reason why he did not set his coordinates to Long Hu¡¯s room was that he feared he might encounter her failing to escape and being escorted back to the room by the guards. It would have been awkward to perform a major transformation before the guards. As the world spun dizzyingly, Long Long had again fallen into the bath. Only, the last time he entered, there was a shallow layer of sea water underfoot, courtesy of the wormhole. But this time, as he plunged into the water, it was warm with quite a few bubbles on the surface. Long Long stuck his head out of the water, only to see Long Hu, in the guise of a young girl, sitting across the bath, kicking the hot water for bathing, her gaze confusingly upon him. In just a moment, her face turned beet red. Long Long swiftly dove back under the water and hurriedly transformed into his Water Viper form. Before he could make an escape, he was snatched up by a pointed snout. Long Hu, now in the form of a little fox, had caught Long Long by his critical point and lifted him directly out of the water, pinning him against the bath¡¯s edge with her claw and growled softly: ¡°Transform back this instant!¡± After wriggling a few times, Long Long had no choice but to transform back into his young human form and said: ¡°Long Hu¡­¡± Before he could finish, the little fox transformed back into a young girl as well and hugged him tightly. ¡°Long Long!¡± she tried hard to suppress her sobbing, choking out, ¡°I thought I would never see you again.¡± Long Long¡¯s instinct made him feel a twinge of pity and he wanted to comfort her. However, he found himself being hugged so tightly that he could hardly breathe. But it was precisely because of the tight embrace that the human form of the little Fox Lady did not reveal anything inappropriate from the front, only exposing her smooth and delicate back. Long Long¡¯s hands swung awkwardly above and below, unsure where to place them, finally resting on her waist. The two of them stayed like that in the bath, silently leaning on each other. After a while, Long Hu rested her chin on his shoulder and whispered in his ear: ¡°How did you get in here?¡± ¡°Qin Zhou and Qin Ye found this secret tunnel for me,¡± replied Long Long. ¡°You¡¯re lying.¡± Long Hu bit his shoulder, ¡°I also know of this tunnel. When it¡¯s opened, it will flood with sea water. Or did you think I wanted to occupy this bathhouse for no reason?¡± Thinking about her current state, she felt a sense of indescribable shyness, but she was even more afraid that once she left to get dressed, she would return to find Long Long gone¡­ Last time, after he had coaxed her to sleep in her room, he had disappeared just like that. After a brief silence, Long Hu said in a low, aggrieved tone: ¡°I know what they are thinking.¡± ¡°They want to use my identity for their political marriage schemes.¡± ¡°Long Long, I don¡¯t want to marry just anyone.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Long Long caressed her smooth back, ¡°I won¡¯t let you marry just anyone.¡± He pondered for a moment in his heart, deciding not to mention his ongoing cooperation talks with Hu Li¨Cwhether or not Hu Li had let slip anything in front of Long Hu. ¡°What I mean is.¡± Long Hu hugged him even tighter, biting her lip as if mustering all her strength, and finally managed to say, ¡°I don¡¯t want to marry those random people.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Long Long was immediately confused. This ¡°marrying just anyone¡± and ¡°marrying random people¡± are two completely different things, aren¡¯t they? Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Before he could fully understand the distinction, he saw the little Fox Lady suddenly lift her neck, her pretty face flushed with a lovely red. Then she cupped Long Long¡¯s cheeks with her hands, closed her eyes, and kissed him. In that moment, all plans, thoughts, and scheming faded from Long Long¡¯s mind like a retreating tide. There was only one thought left in his head: This Fox Lady truly is bold in love and hate! Chapter 414 - Chapter 414: Chapter 47 The clan leader is indeed not benevolent Chapter 414: Chapter 47 The clan leader is indeed not benevolent Long Long¡¯s original plan was to visit the Eastern Emperor Realm once a month to exchange various kinds of information with Long Hu and to ensure that she was well and safe. But after being coaxed by Long Hu¡¯s tongue a few times, he somehow ended up visiting every ten days. Illusion Technique! It must be the Illusion Technique! Such Divine Skills of the Celestial Fox Clan are truly fearsome! Besides his private meetings with Long Hu, he also focused on cultivating his Dragon Bloodline and inquiring about the current situation in the Eastern Emperor Realm. Central State and South State had finally ceased hostilities, but it was hard to say who had won or lost. When Central State claimed to have killed a certain number of the Feathered Clan, South State would double that number, boasting of having killed many from the Mao Clan, and then Central State would revise its statement¡­ As a result, apart from the well-informed high levels of the Demon Race, most average Demons could not clearly discern which side had emerged victorious. But Long Long, having attended classes at the Azure Dragon Clan¡¯s school, was able to approximately understand through various channels of information that the Feathered Clan had the upper hand. However, fearing that the Kun Race from North State might join the battle to aid them, they took the initiative to propose a truce. In fact, the cause of this war was quite ridiculous: before Qi Weihuan assumed leadership of the Qilin Clan, he had had diplomatic disputes and unpleasantness with the Vermilion Bird Clan. Of course, at that time this fat man had not yet taken control in the Qilin Clan¡­ Once he became the heir apparent, the Vermilion Bird Clan sensed something was amiss and began trying to mitigate the overall hostility of the Feathered Clan towards him. But Qi Weihuan rose to power too quickly, becoming the clan leader in just a few years and inheriting the titles of ¡°King of a Thousand Kings¡± and ¡°Lord of All Demons,¡± while making no effort to hide his disdain for South State. The situation started to escalate, with even the Vermilion Bird Clan unable to suppress internal tensions. Now that the war had finally come to an end, Qi Weihuan retracted his previous derogatory remarks about South State. With heavy casualties and no war gains, most within the Feathered Clan were inclined to consider the lesson taught to be sufficient and thus chose to withdraw their forces. The Eastern Emperor Realm once again returned to peace¡­ a fragile peace, as transient as a reflection of a turret in water. Source: , updated on wuxiaworld.site.so The current situation was such that Central State¡¯s Qilin remained closest allies with North State¡¯s Xuanwu, and their relationship with Eastern State¡¯s Azure Dragon was also fairly good. The White Tiger of West State had always had a poor relationship with Central State¡¯s Qilin. Although it had improved somewhat due to a marriage alliance, they still couldn¡¯t reverse the Mao Clan¡¯s overall discrimination against the Horned Clan ¡ª who could expect carnivores to look kindly upon herbivores? As for South State¡¯s Vermilion Bird¡­ that was already openly hostile, and there was no need to go into further detail. To return to the matter at hand, in this month¡¯s political coursework exam, Long Long once again scored full marks. The instructor even read his strategic discourse aloud, leaving everyone listening in astonishment. The untransformed dragon offspring, after all, were not as intelligent as adult humans, so it was only natural for Long Long to stand out in terms of intellect. Upon leaving the clan¡¯s school, Long Long saw Qin Beiwang waiting for him outside. Following the clan leader to the higher floors of Jianmu, Long Long looked out over the vast expanse of Ducang Plain, when he suddenly heard Qin Beiwang say, ¡°Actually, in my view, your value and potential far exceed Long Hu¡¯s¡­ Even after confirming who her father is, I still insist on this point.¡± ¡°Thank you for your high regard, Clan Leader,¡± Long Long replied, somewhat surprised and quickly speaking up. ¡°Have Qin Zhou and Qin Ye explained it to you?¡± Qin Beiwang asked slowly, ¡°About why the clan needed to take Long Hu away.¡± ¡°They have,¡± Long Long answered calmly, ¡°Her identity is too sensitive, so it¡¯s not good for her to have too much contact with our clanspeople.¡± ¡°I had thought you would harbor resentment towards the clan because of this,¡± Qin Beiwang looked outside. After a pause, he continued, ¡°Whether you are pretending or you truly don¡¯t care, at least it shows that you are not rash or impulsive.¡± ¡°Long Hu¡¯s situation is rather complicated. I think you might have guessed that there are people in the clan who hope to use her as a bargaining chip in a marriage alliance, but in reality, that¡¯s not suitable, as there aren¡¯t many appropriate options.¡± Long Long nodded silently, showing he was listening. ¡°To be precise, there are only two possibilities,¡± Qin Beiwang raised two fingers. ¡°One is a marriage alliance with the Imperial Clan, that is, the Qilin Clan.¡± ¡°Qi Weihuan has two sons, the eldest son Qi Qiao¡¯an is tyrannical and cruel, and the second son Qi Qiaofa is weak and ineffectual, neither of which is a good match for Long Hu.¡± ¡°What¡¯s more important is that Long Hu¡¯s identity also represents the face of our Dragon Clan. Qi Weihuan is in his prime, his position solidified, with no chance of handing over power for at least a thousand years. If Long Hu were to marry a Qilin son with no foreseeable prospects of becoming emperor, it would only lead outsiders to believe that our Dragon Clan is bowing and scraping to please the Qilin.¡± Long Long fell into a pensive silence. ¡°Second, is the internal marriage within our clan,¡± Qin Beiwang looked down at Long Long¡¯s face, as if to confirm his inner emotions. However, aside from a contemplative look, there was nothing unusual on Long Long¡¯s face. ¡°With your intelligence, you should be able to guess that if it comes to internal marriage, I would not possibly allow her to marry someone from another branch. That would be tantamount to allowing a cadet branch to overstep its bounds, which could bring disaster from within,¡± Qin Beiwang said coldly, ¡°The only choice is my son, Qin Zhou.¡± ¡°But Zhou has made it clear that he does not fancy Long Hu.¡± ¡°May I ask, Clan Leader,¡± Long Long spoke softly, ¡°Does ¡®willingness or unwillingness¡¯ even matter in a political marriage?¡± Qin Beiwang fell silent for a moment, then said: ¡°The ancestor has always adored Zhou and does not agree with this matter.¡± Ah, so it¡¯s the ancestor who disagrees. Long Long sneered inwardly. ¡°What do you think of my daughter, Ah Ye?¡± Qin Beiwang suddenly asked. Long Long: ? Of course, Qin Ye is a nice girl, but what do you mean by asking this, Clan Leader? The next words out of Qin Beiwang¡¯s mouth immediately sent Long Long reeling. ¡°If you are willing to marry into my lineage and take Ah Ye as a wife in the future, then I shall override all objections within the clan and let Long Hu marry you as well. What¡¯s the harm in that?¡± ¡°Clan Leader¡­¡± Long Long was wide-eyed and tongue-tied, nearly speechless. ¡°Your marriage to Ah Ye is my personal wish,¡± Qin Beiwang said impassively, ¡°but marrying Long Hu is an unavoidable choice¨Cafter all, that bloodline must absolutely not be allowed to flow to outsiders.¡± This time, Long Long finally understood. Long Hu was not suitable to be joined with the Qilin Clan, so the only option left was an internal marriage. As a direct descendant, Qin Beiwang would definitely not allow her to marry someone other than his own children. Otherwise, it would be equivalent to elevating the legal status of another lineage, risking dissension and the flip of roles. However, for some reason, the Ancestral Azure Dragon did not wish for Long Hu to marry Qin Zhou. The wish of an ancestor could not be defied, so Qin Beiwang could only choose the next best option, to have her marry his son-in-law¡­ But don¡¯t demons have a system of primary and secondary wives? If so, who would be the wife and who the concubine? ¡°The heir to the next Azure Dragon Clan Leader will be chosen from the progeny of you and Ah Ye,¡± Qin Beiwang continued, ¡°After five or six generations, if the offspring from both sides merge, that would suffice.¡± This was also within Long Long¡¯s expectations since my children with Long Hu would have Human Race blood, Celestial Fox blood, Jiaolong blood, but lack Azure Dragon blood. Becoming the Azure Dragon Clan Leader is like a Chinese person becoming the President of America¡­ theoretically possible but practically impossible. But this Clan Leader suddenly offering me such a big pie, could there be a conspiracy? Long Long knew all too well that there was no such thing as a free lunch in the world, not to mention that this seemingly great fortune might have already been priced behind the scenes! As he was on full alert, mulling over this conundrum, he heard the Kunlun Mirror speak: Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°He covets your bloodline.¡± Long Long suddenly had an epiphany! So that¡¯s how it is, in the Demon Realm where bloodline is revered, possessing the Ying Long bloodline, I am an optimal breeding partner! What a clever plan, to first have me combine with Qin Ye, whose children would then merge with mine and Long Hu¡¯s, intending to amalgamate all the high-ranking bloodlines within us into the blood of your Azure Dragon Clan! Hu Li was right. You, Qin Beiwang, with your bushy eyebrows and big eyes, you are indeed no benign figure! Chapter 415 - Chapter 415: Chapter 48: Youve Really Misunderstood Chapter 415: Chapter 48: You¡¯ve Really Misunderstood Under the Jianmu tree, in the valley. Long Long and Qin Zhou stood high in the air, with no Flying Sword or Magic Artifact under their feet. This was one of the Dragon Clan¡¯s Bloodline Supernatural Powers, ¡°Riding the Mist and Ascending the Clouds.¡± Although its flying speed wasn¡¯t as fast as that of a Flying Sword, the consumption of True Yuan was almost negligible, and it could even reach heights unattainable by Flying Swords. Both opened their eyes simultaneously, and as their golden vertical pupils sharply contracted, a boundless might surged in all directions. This was the Dragon Clan¡¯s Bloodline Supernatural Power, ¡°Ten Directions Dragon¡¯s Might,¡± known to ¡°intimidate all creatures under heaven.¡± However, empirical tests revealed it could only intimidate beings of lower rank than oneself; high-rank Demon Race creatures such as the Vermilion Bird and Xuanwu were largely unaffected, at most causing them a moment of pause. Suddenly, the two men almost passed by each other, then swiftly collided again. Punching, elbow striking, kneeing, kicking¡­ Countless fierce killing moves were exchanged, with every part of a Dragon Clan member capable of launching attacks in ways unimaginable to Human Race Cultivators. Long Long hurled a punch at Qin Zhou, who blocked it with his arm. In that instant, Long Long suddenly changed his punch into a claw, grabbing Qin Zhou¡¯s forearm. Scales burst forth on the back of his hand, and immense Physical Strength erupted along the arm, lifting Qin Zhou into the air, throwing him off balance, and then smashing him down like lightning. A cloud of dust several zhang high erupted from the ground, and then a dirt-covered Qin Zhou crawled out of the deep pit, smiling wryly as he said, ¡°I lose, I lose, still can¡¯t beat you. Hey, where did you learn that move just now? It wasn¡¯t taught in our clan¡¯s teachings, was it?¡± ¡°I created it myself,¡± Long Long shamelessly declared. ¡°I can¡¯t help but feel it resembles a Mao Clan Martial Technique,¡± Qin Ye thought to himself as he watched from the side, ¡°And it even has a touch of antiquity to it.¡± Source: , updated on Novg0.so In reality, the move where Long Long changed his punch into a claw came from the Witch Clan¡¯s ¡°Dragon Spring Hundred Forms Song,¡± and the method of flipping and then smashing to the ground was from the Suan Ni Clan¡¯s ¡°Swallowing Smoke and Shining Gold Technique.¡± In the past, Luo Yan and Shi Liuli once strayed into a cave on an island within the Treasure Ship Secret Realm, where they encountered Witch Clan and Demon Race Cultivation Techniques¡­ Who would have thought that one day those would actually come in handy. The sparring session came to a temporary close, and the two sat down to rest. Qin Ye then poured tea for his brother and Long Long, brushing away the dirt and dust from their bodies. Long Long guessed that this person was still unaware of their betrothal; otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t be without any unusual reactions. After resting for a while, they prepared to get up and continue their practice. Unlike the Human Race, which sits in caves to meditate, breathe, and undergo Qi Refinement, the Demon Race depends on stimulating their bloodlines to improve their Cultivation Realm. Stimulating the bloodline can be achieved in two ways: besides the absorption of the essences of the sun and moon at noon and midnight, it can also be done through fighting and using Bloodline Supernatural Powers. As for someone like Xu Yinglian, who naturally possesses the Phoenix Bloodline and had taken the ¡°Nine Revolutions Vermilion Phoenix Pill¡± that complements it, that situation is a lucky coincidence not easy to come by. Once they rested enough, Long Long was about to get up and continue training when he suddenly heard a deep, feminine voice next to his ear, ¡°Meet me on the eastern shore.¡± Long Long discreetly glanced around and saw that Qin Zhou and Qin Ye seemed to react as if they hadn¡¯t heard the voice, so he knew it must have been some sort of Secretive Voice Transmission Illusion Technique. ¡°I¡¯m a bit tired,¡± he said with a smile, ¡°Shall we continue practicing?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine to practice another day,¡± Qin Zhou replied with a smile. ¡°Definitely next time,¡± Long Long said smoothly. After bidding farewell to Qin Zhou and Qin Ye, Long Long pretended to return to his bedroom, resting there for about a quarter of an hour before quietly leaving the Jianmu location to head towards the eastern shore of the island. In a cave on the seashore, Long Long met the Celestial Fox Elder, Hu Li, and an unfamiliar woman by her side. The woman appeared to be in her thirties, her hair done up in a bun, with a dignified look and a cinnabar mole between her brows, adding an air of authority. ¡°Is this the Long Long?¡± The woman scrutinized him carefully, then quickly relaxed her brows, saying contentedly, ¡°Not bad, he looks quite well.¡± Long Long remained expressionless, thinking critically: How can you judge by just looking? Are you judging based on appearances¡­ My looks merit only a simple ¡°not bad¡±? There must be something off with your sense of beauty! ¡°This is Elder Shi Yao,¡± Hu Li said, introducing her with a wave of her hand. ¡°Whether you have any questions about Beiming Fanyang or want to learn any Dragon Clan Magic, she¡¯s the one to ask.¡± ¡°Oh, I have seen Master Shi before¡­¡± Long Long said subconsciously, then he suddenly realized. Huh? She wants me to ask her for information on Beiming Fanyang, as well as learn the Dragon Clan Magic? Could this person be a predecessor from the Jiaolong clan? Seeing his expression change slightly, Hu Li turned her head and said with a smile: ¡°You see, I told you he can¡¯t be fooled.¡± ¡°It¡¯s because you made it too obvious,¡± Shi Yao said, arms crossed. ¡°If he really is the offspring of that emperor, he certainly can¡¯t be too stupid.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you just test him then?¡± said Hu Li. So Shi Yao stepped forward, grabbed Long Long¡¯s wrist, flipped her left hand over, and out came a silver needle, which she pricked half an inch into the concave joint of his wrist. No blood flowed out, instead, the silver needle quickly turned bright gold. ¡°Indeed, he is the offspring of the emperor¡­¡± Shi Yao said excitedly at first, but her expression soon turned to confusion, ¡°Huh? That¡¯s not right! What¡¯s going on?¡± Long Long: ? At first, he was puzzled but soon guessed that the other party must have detected the bloodline in his body, which originated from the same source as that of Ying Long in the Demon Locking Tower¡­ Shi Yao turned the golden needle slightly, and said with surprise: ¡°Judging from the results, there is only one bloodline in your body, which is that of Ying Long.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that what we already knew?¡± asked Hu Li, shrugging in confusion. ¡°One of his parents is Ying Long, and their bloodline has devoured the bloodline of the other side.¡± ¡°If the parents are from different Demon Races, the bloodline of higher rank often devours the bloodline of lower rank, except for special cases like Long Hu.¡± Shi Yao frowned and explained, ¡°But such devouring is not complete; there are always some traces left deep within the bloodline.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never heard anything about these traces,¡± Hu Li said. ¡°That¡¯s because your knowledge of bloodlines is too poor.¡± Shi Yao said bluntly, ¡°In terms of research on the Demon Race bloodlines, no one in the entire Eastern Emperor Realm is more profound in bloodline research than our clan. Even the Azure Dragon Clan learned only the bare basics from us back then.¡± ¡°But Long Long¡­ there¡¯s not a single trace of any other bloodline in his body, which leaves only one explanation: both of his parents are Ying Long.¡± ¡°So what?¡± asked Hu Li calmly. ¡°When have there ever been two Ying Longs in the Eastern Emperor Realm?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Shi Yao admitted frankly. ¡°And if my judgment is not wrong, these two Ying Longs have extremely close bloodlines, very likely to be full siblings, either brothers and sisters or sister and brother.¡± Hu Li: ¡­¡­¡­. Now, her expression as she looked at Long Long also started to become a bit odd. ¡°Cough, cough!¡± Long Long thought, this misunderstanding is too grave; my bloodline comes only from Ying Long in the Demon Locking Tower, so of course there wouldn¡¯t be any other side¡¯s bloodline, how could this be misconstrued as the product of incestuous marriage? Such a plot would probably not even pass the censors in a book! Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only However, knowing nothing about the bloodlines of the Demon Race, he could only cough a few times and said laboriously: ¡°As for this, I really have no idea. After all, I have never seen my parents since I became conscious.¡± Hu Li, seeing his embarrassment, quickly tried to smooth things over: ¡°Regardless of whether your judgment is accurate, he couldn¡¯t possibly be the offspring of that person¨Cafter all, that person has no sisters!¡± ¡°Mm,¡± Shi Yao also nodded, ¡°In that case, he is indeed worthy of the princess.¡± Chapter 416 - Chapter 416: Chapter 49: Laying Hands on the Top of the Head Chapter 416: Chapter 49: Laying Hands on the Top of the Head ¡°` ¡°No matter what,¡± Shi Yao said gravely, ¡°since you possess the bloodline of our Jiaolong Clan, I can teach you our clan¡¯s spells.¡± ¡°But you must swear to me that you will take on the mission to revive the Jiaolong Clan!¡± Long Long: ¡­¡­¡­ It¡¯s just a swear, right? I¡­ I have to stick to my principles; I can¡¯t just swear lightly. However, if I make the swear, I can use it to boost the Synchronization Value, which seems harmless. Thinking it over, the things I have to do won¡¯t be against the Jiaolong Clan. Or more accurately, if I just carefully nurture the little fox and then take her to Beiming Fanyang to get the Heaven-Mending Stone fragment and leave while at the same time imparting a powerful Long Hu to the Jiaolong Clan, I¡¯m indirectly working hard for the revival of the Jiaolong Clan as well. That is to say, doing the same thing now allows me to complete two missions at once and double dip on Synchronization Value in one go! With that in mind, Long Long made his vow without hesitation: ¡°I, Long Long, hereby swear to strive for the revival of the Jiaolong Clan!¡± ¡°To make the Jiaolong Clan great once again!¡± Source: , updated on wuxiaworld.site.sO ¡°Very good.¡± Shi Yao was quite pleased with the phrase ¡°great once again¡± and nodded in approval, saying, ¡°Additionally, there are some historical origins I must tell you about.¡± ¡°Due to the disappearance of His Majesty Ying Long in the Mortal Realm, our clan gradually declined in the Eastern Emperor Realm.¡± ¡°The clan realized something was wrong, and to ensure the continuation of our line, aside from the main house in Central State, we secretly established many branch families in other states as well.¡± ¡°Later on, when the main house in Central State could no longer withstand the Qilin Clan, it was forced to move north from Central State and join with the branch family located in Beiming Fanyang, which is the Jiaolong Clan that you know of.¡± ¡°This branch line of my family has secretly lived in West State for generations, forming long-standing good relations with the Qingqiu Celestial Fox Clan; you should be aware of this,¡± she advised. ¡°I see,¡± Long Long pondered for a moment before inquiring, ¡°Elder, I have a matter to consult in detail.¡± ¡°Long Hu has three bloodlines, with the dragon bloodline being sealed. If unsealed, the three bloodlines would conflict violently.¡± ¡°May I ask if your side has a way to resolve this issue?¡± After a moment of contemplation, Shi Yao replied: ¡°Ordinary Demon Race members don¡¯t typically experience bloodline conflicts, so there is little research on this type of problem. If there is a solution, it is likely that only the main house within Beiming Fanyang could possess it.¡± Hu Li understood what he was thinking and spoke up anxiously: ¡°But since the dragon bloodline is sealed, as long as we understand the principle of the seal, we can ensure her body doesn¡¯t suffer from bloodline conflict, right?¡± ¡°As for going to Beiming Fanyang to find a lasting cure for the bloodline conflict, the risk is too great at the moment. It¡¯s better to bring Long Hu to our Qingqiu Clan¡¯s territory to settle down first, and wait for the situation in the Eastern Emperor Realm to change¡­¡± Long Long sighed inwardly. As expected, this Little Aunt of Long Hu didn¡¯t want her to take the risk in Beiming Fanyang; instead, she wished to take her to West State and continue to survive by relying on the seal from the Heaven-Mending Stone fragment. However, for Long Long, this was absolutely unacceptable. Firstly, he promised Long Hu¡¯s mother to bring Long Hu to Beiming Fanyang. A man¡¯s promise cannot be taken lightly! Secondly, if she stayed in West State, the Qingqiu Fox Clan would definitely study the seal on her dragon bloodline to ensure her safety. Considering that Long Hu¡¯s mother previously searched for the Heaven-Mending Stone using clues from within the clan, the Celestial Fox Clan might soon discover it was the Heaven-Mending Stone fragment if they investigated! With that happening, how could I get my hands on the Heaven-Mending Stone fragment? Hu Li then asked: ¡°Long Long, do you have any understanding of the seal on Long Hu¡¯s body?¡± Long Long thought exactly as expected, but responded cluelessly: ¡°I¡¯m not very clear either; it¡¯s a seal set by her mother.¡± ¡°` As he reached this point, he deliberately hesitated and said: ¡°She once said that Long Hu must be taken to Beiming Fanyang.¡± ¡°Has she ever mentioned seeking help from Qingqiu?¡± Hu Li asked with suspicion. ¡°No.¡± Long Long shook his head. So Hu Li fell silent. Although nobody mentioned it, they all understood one thing: Long Hu¡¯s mother probably didn¡¯t feel secure about letting Long Hu return to Qingqiu! After all, she had left without saying goodbye and even took with her a clue to the clan¡¯s secret treasure. If that treasure was the tool used to seal Long Hu¡¯s bloodline, it would be difficult to ensure that the clan would not once again covet it. And to consider an extreme case, what if the cost of taking the treasure was the immediate eruption of the sealed bloodline conflict within Long Hu¡¯s body? What then? As the eldest elder of the clan, Hu Li¡¯s esteemed position within the Qingqiu Celestial Fox Clan was second only to the ancestor at the immortal rank. But if the old ancestor insisted on taking the treasure at the risk of endangering Long Hu, it would be difficult for Hu Li to oppose her within the clan¡¯s public opinion¨Calthough with her understanding of the ancestor¡¯s character, Hu Li was confident she could persuade her, Long Long and Shi Yao definitely wouldn¡¯t place all their hopes on her persuasive skills. Taking Long Hu back to Qingqiu was indeed not something that could be rushed; they had to take their time to plan carefully. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about that for now,¡± Shi Yao waved her hand and said directly. ¡°Long Long, within the Azure Dragon Clan, many are our people too.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about Princess Long Hu; we will keep an eye on her situation and won¡¯t allow the Azure Dragon to harm her.¡± ¡°Before that, you should focus on building up your strength.¡± After saying this, she reached into her sleeve. ¡°I¡¯ve already given him your Coiled Dragon Gold-Dissolving Ball,¡± Hu Li said. Shi Yao hummed in acknowledgment, then took out a scroll and handed it to Long Long, saying: ¡°Now that you have a Magical Treasure, I will give you the Mystical Abilities Secret Scroll of the Jiaolong Clan.¡± ¡°Each Demon Race¡¯s Bloodline Supernatural Power, according to the value of the spells recorded, is divided into Outer Volume, Main Volume, and Secret Scroll.¡± ¡°The Outer Volume can be learned by all disciples; the Main Volume is only accessible to favored disciples with potential.¡± ¡°As for the Secret Scroll, it is often the foundation of that lineage, and even other branches of the same clan would not easily impart it¨Cdo you understand?¡± ¡°Disciple understands!¡± Long Long could clearly sense the implication of ¡°I consider you one of our own¡±, and quickly bowed his head in gratitude, ¡°Master above, please accept disciple Long Long¡¯s bow!¡± ¡°Ahem,¡± Shi Yao awkwardly waved her hand, ¡°Our Demon Race¡¯s custom of taking on disciples doesn¡¯t involve the complex formalities of the Human Race.¡± Long Long¡¯s heart nearly stopped¡­ this was bad, he had almost given himself away! But he quickly justified to himself, I, Long Long am an orphan, and I learned the Human Race¡¯s customs from Long Hu¡¯s mother, who in turn learned them from Long Hu¡¯s grandmother; considering that Long Hu¡¯s grandfather was a human, it was a perfectly normal thing, right? It seemed Shi Yao didn¡¯t think too much about it and simply patted his head, saying: ¡°According to our Jiaolong Clan¡¯s customs, when an elder accepts a junior, it suffices to pat them on the head.¡± ¡­¡­¡­ After saying goodbye to Hu Li and Shi Yao, Long Long found a secluded area and teleported to the underwater palace. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Leaving the bathhouse, he let the Kunlun Mirror scan the surroundings as a precaution. When Long Long reached his room door and pushed it open, he was tackled into a full embrace by Long Hu. ¡°Long Long!¡± The little fox¡¯s eyes were brimming with tears, she complained, ¡°Today an elder from the Qin Clan scolded me again, saying I was stupid and slow, unable to learn the Dragon Clan¡¯s Bloodline Supernatural Power!¡± ¡°It¡¯s clear that he¡¯s the one who can¡¯t teach well. I learn the Celestial Fox¡¯s Bloodline Supernatural Power very quickly!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, it must be his poor teaching, blaming it on my Long Hu,¡± Long Long said, patting her head reassuringly. Long Hu was somewhat confused but soon closed her eyes contentedly under his caress. Chapter 417 - Chapter 417: Chapter 50: Returning to Shiping Mountain, Training Two Disciples Chapter 417: Chapter 50: Returning to Shiping Mountain, Training Two Disciples ¡°` For Long Long, the attitude of Long Hu was complex. At first, she probably was just ¡°a pet used to increase Synchronization Value¡±, but after recognizing the fox lady¡¯s daring love and hate, Long Hu was neither willing nor able to continue to take her lightly. Thus, he started by mentioning Qin Beiwang¡¯s marriage proposal indirectly in front of Long Hu, as a kind of heads-up to prevent her from losing her temper upon hearing about it later from the Qin siblings. Of course, he only mentioned marrying into the Qin Family and taking Qin Ye as a bride for now, deliberately omitting any talk of ¡°sharing a husband¡± and ¡°merging offspring¡±. As a result, Long Hu immediately got angry on the spot, gripping Long Long¡¯s arm tightly and vehemently exclaimed: ¡°I knew that clan leader was up to no good!¡± Long Hu immediately chimed in with indignant righteousness: ¡°Exactly! How could I, Long Hu, so easily marry into another family?¡± ¡°What do you mean ¡®so easily marry into another family¡¯?¡± Long Hu immediately bit his ear and said fiercely, ¡°So if a high enough price is offered, you would agree to marry in, is that it?¡± Fearing she would tear half of his ear off, Long Hu could only adeptly respond: ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant; my point is, of course I wouldn¡¯t debase myself like that. That old man Qin is underestimating me too much. How infuriating!¡± Source: , updated on NovG0.so His explanation was indeed too late, although it somewhat remedied the situation, Long Hu was clearly still not reassured, immediately seizing the opportunity to insist: ¡°You must keep your distance from Qin Ye in the future!¡± Normally, Long Hu would certainly tease the fox, with remarks like ¡°Why keep a distance, eh?¡± ¡°Are you jealous?¡± ¡°Oh, how adorable,¡± but since she had bitten onto half of his ear, he could only agree repeatedly, saying: ¡°I only regard Qin Ye as a friend and harbor no romantic feelings!¡± If Long Hu knew his persona, she would force him to swear, but sadly the little fox was short on cunning at the moment and, seeing that he seemed sincere and not pretentious, she let go of his ear and huffed: ¡°Hmph, if you really do marry into that family, I¡¯ll¡­¡± She intended to say ¡°I¡¯ll ignore you,¡± but for some reason it didn¡¯t feel threatening enough. Then, as if struck by inspiration, she changed her tune: ¡°If you dare betray me, no matter where you run, to the ends of the earth, I will chase you down!¡± Long Hu spoke with utmost seriousness, but because she looked too young and delicate, Long Long didn¡¯t take it to heart but just stroked her ear¨Cher ear twitched a few times, and her serious expression couldn¡¯t hold. After cheering up the little fox again, Long Long took his leave amidst her clingy reluctance. Foxes may be nice, but I still have important matters to attend to. The next choice was whether to teleport to join Autumn, Ling Yunpo, and Luo for the Great Competition at White Jade Capital, or to teleport to Wei Dongliu to see what trickery the Demon Cult was up to. Upon careful consideration, it seemed appropriate to visit Wei Dongliu first. After all, ¡°the one who knows you best is your enemy¡±, and if the Demon Cult indeed had a surprising gift prepared for the Orthodox Sect¡¯s Great Competition at White Jade Capital, it would be better to investigate under Wei Dongliu¡¯s identity before heading directly to White Jade Capital, lest I come up short. So Long Long instructed Ah Jing: ¡°Go to Shiping Mountain.¡± [Point Location Four: Shiping Mountain, Tong Xuan Gate.] [Identity: Wei Dongliu.] [Mirror Flower Water Moon Template overlay, traveling through time-space.] Upon arriving in the belly of Shiping Mountain, Wei Dongliu was surprised to find that aside from his two disciples and the Flying Asura, there was no one else present in the Sect Residence today. Tsk, the absence of those people made it somewhat desolate. Wei Dongliu called his two disciples over and made a perfunctory inquiry about their cultivation progress. Though with their mediocre talents, it was highly unlikely they had made any remarkable progress. ¡°Replying to master,¡± Guo Jin earnestly said, ¡°The Qi Sea of both disciple and junior sister is roughly one third filled.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Wei Dongliu¡¯s expression changed subtly as he took their wrists and probed carefully with his Divine Sense. Indeed, within their Dantian, a rudimentary form of the Qi Sea was faintly discernible. ¡°` ¡°How have you all progressed so quickly?¡± Wei Dongliu asked with a frown, neither pleased nor angry. His serene reaction did not match Guo Jin and Wang Cong¡¯s speculations, as Guo Jin thought their master would be overjoyed at their rapid improvement, while Wang Cong felt the master would be furious they had not reported their progress sooner. Nevertheless, Guo Jin answered honestly: ¡°Previously, Senior Jiang gave us many spirit pills.¡± ¡°After my junior sister and I took them, we felt our dantians swelling. Over dozens of days, the Qi Seas within us gradually formed.¡± Wei Dongliu fell silent, searching his memory, and quickly found the answer: Giant Wood Secret Realm. Initially, at the invitation of Sima Changyan and Duan Fenhai, Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu entered the Giant Wood Secret Realm together to search for the secret medicines and spirit grass therein. It turned out to be a trap set by Jiang the Witch and others from the Demon Cult: those despicable Demon Cultists had already scoured the place clean of spirit grass, leaving only some Purple Mansion Spirit Grasses of a few years¡¯ maturity to bait the disciples of Shushan into an ambush. Of course, with Ling Yunpo¡¯s great wisdom, great determination, and great fortune, he managed to turn the tide, narrowly escaping with his life. As for the gains, if the incidentally acquired Cloud-Parting Eight Trigrams Step is not considered, they ended up with only fifteen years¡¯ worth of Purple Mansion secret medicines, which was disproportionate to the fatal risks they faced. And where did the majority go? All plundered clean by the Demon Cult in advance! This is a common problem faced by cultivators: the secret realms you seek to explore may not contain treasures; even if there are treasures, they might have been plundered; even if some remain, they might be traps¡­ Therefore, Wei Dongliu did not care much and temporarily shelved the matter in his mind, no longer dwelling on it. Now that Guo Jin mentioned ¡°spirit pills from Senior Jiang,¡± he quickly realized that they were probably the remnants of that batch of Purple Mansion Spirit Grass. There are myriad types of spirit grass, each with varying effects depending on the years it had grown. For example, He Shou Wu requires at least two thousand years of growth to be used as alchemy material for Purple Mansion secret medicines, enhancing Refining Mansion cultivation; He Shou Wu that is less than one thousand years old, however, would at best produce elixirs that replenish True Yuan. The spirit grass plundered by Jiang Liyan and the others from the Giant Wood Secret Realm likely included a large batch of low-rank remnants like thousand-year-old He Shou Wu. For disciples at the Refining Mansion stage, who already have abundant Qi Seas and only need to perfect their Purple Mansion, these remnants, although rare, are no longer of great value. But for Qi Refining Rank disciples who have yet to form their Qi Seas, these spirit grasses could help them rapidly fill their True Yuan and shorten the Qi Refinement period. Taking into account that disciples with average talents need over sixty years of breathing and Qi cultivation to saturate their Qi Seas, the twenty years¡¯ worth of Qi Refinement cultivation these two disciples have, who knows how many jin of thousand-year-old He Shou Wu they consumed¡­ Even if Jiang the Witch and her cohort had no use for it, they could have sold it for money! Now that they have bestowed it upon his disciples, it seems they truly intend to form good relations with Tong Xuan Gate. Wei Dongliu silently took note of this kindness and then asked: ¡°The Qi Cultivation Technique of our sect, ¡®Demon-Vanishing Upper Spirit, Dividing Clear and Turbid Scripture,¡¯ how well have you all practiced it?¡± ¡°Disciple has already mastered it,¡± Wang Cong replied this time. She extended her finger, pushing a wisp of True Qi from her meridians and out of her body, then directly propelled it forward. The True Qi struck the waterside grasses, which quickly withered from their roots up. This was a derivative secret technique of the ¡°Demon-Vanishing Upper Spirit, Dividing Clear and Turbid Scripture¡± called ¡°Filth-Cloaked Sword Qi¡±: it involved projecting True Qi from the meridians, while simultaneously transforming its clear and turbid attributes, turning it into Demonic Qi with stronger corrosive properties. It resembled the Intangible Sword Qi of Kunlun, but due to its classification as Demonic Qi, it lacked some of the ethereal grace and gained more ruthlessness. Wei Dongliu nodded. For his second disciple Wang Cong to reach this level was truly not easy. One must know that although Demonic Qi easily injures others, it can hurt oneself just as easily. Transforming into Demonic Qi too early can lead to it accumulating in the meridians, subtly changing the cultivator¡¯s disposition over time, and even affecting their body, causing strange deformities. His innate ¡°Chaotic Demon Body,¡± impervious to Demonic Qi, was after all one in ten thousand. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Although the ¡°Demon-Vanishing Upper Spirit, Dividing Clear and Turbid Scripture¡± differed from ordinary Demonic Cultivation Methods by being able to convert Demonic Qi back into True Qi, thus reducing its harm, Wang Cong¡¯s exquisite control demonstrated that she wouldn¡¯t have to worry about backlash even if she used other Demonic Cultivation Methods. Wei Dongliu shifted his gaze to his eldest disciple, Guo Jin. The latter could only smile sheepishly, scratching the back of his head as he said: ¡°Disciple has not yet mastered it and can only learn from my junior sister.¡± ¡°If you continue to be so dull, perhaps I should elevate the junior sister¡¯s standing to let her become the senior disciple!¡± Wei Dongliu rebuked as he swept away with his sleeve. Chapter 418 - Chapter 418: Chapter 51 I Cried to Death Chapter 418: Chapter 51 I Cried to Death ¡°` ¡°What do you think of my two disciples?¡± Wei Dongliu asked indifferently. ¡°Master,¡± the Flying Asura said obsequiously, ¡°both disciples are paragons among men¡­¡± ¡°Tell the truth!¡± Wei Dongliu said impatiently. After a moment of silence, the Flying Asura said, ¡°Without mentioning cultivational talents, Guo Jin is absolutely loyal to you, while Wang Cong tends to be slicker, but I guess he doesn¡¯t have the guts to harbor any ill intentions.¡± As a Flying Asura, it was very sensitive to human breathing, heartbeat, and pulse, so it could guess Guo Jin and Wang Cong¡¯s psychological activities from minor changes on the surface of their bodies. However, whenever it tried to observe Wei Dongliu, it found that there seemed to be a layer of mist around him, seemingly with normal breathing, heartbeat, and pulse, yet they were stable to a degree almost impossible to be true values. It must be an illusion technique. Then comes the question: Why would Wei Dongliu shroud himself in an illusion technique? Because underneath the illusion technique, the true body belongs to Abi Devil Lord from the depths of Hell! To this day, the Flying Asura no longer thought of those simplistic and laughable plans of rebellion, only planning to honestly stick around under Wei Dongliu, serving like an ox or horse, while occasionally wishing that this Abi Devil Lord would go to Hell sooner so it might have a chance to escape. To be precise, it wasn¡¯t a curse, but rather a wish for him to ¡°visit home¡± more often. Source: , updated on novG0.sO Wei Dongliu couldn¡¯t be bothered to guess what the Flying Asura was thinking and simply walked towards the Sect Residence outside. The Flying Asura diligently followed. ¡°What do you think, should I take another disciple?¡± Wei Dongliu asked casually. The Flying Asura quickly began to ponder. You¡¯re already heading out of the Sect¡¯s Residence, yet you¡¯re asking me if you should take a disciple, isn¡¯t it obvious that you¡¯ve already made up your mind? That¡¯s not right, not right at all, he might be going out for something else, not necessarily to find a new apprentice! Eventually, the Flying Asura respectfully said, ¡°I¡¯m but a mere zombie, not daring to speak frivolously about Sect decisions.¡± ¡°Heh,¡± Wei Dongliu sneered and remained silent. Leaving Shiping Mountain, he planned to fly to Mount Wutai Market with sword control to gather news, to see if anyone knew about the Orthodox Sect¡¯s White Jade Capital grand competition. After all, the news Wei the Demon Lord received usually came from people like Jiang the Witch. Since they had not visited and there was no such thing as mobile phones for communication, Wei Dongliu could only go to gather information in person ¡ª of course, he had to take the Flying Asura with him, so as to prevent it from causing trouble in the Sect Residence. But before they even left the inner parts of Shiping Mountain, suddenly two dark lights shot out from below. The one trailing behind was the achingly beautiful and sorrowful-looking Jiang the Witch with tears at the corners of her eyes ¡ª if not her, who else could it be? The one charging in front was a coldly beautiful woman¡­ Although she had a decent appearance, she had triangular eyes, downturned eyebrows, prominent cheekbones, and thin cheeks, which in physiognomy is the classic ¡°harsh¡± type. ¡°Is this the Wei Dongliu you spoke of?¡± the beautiful woman inquired coldly. With tears at the corners of her eyes, Jiang Liyan lowered her head, not daring to look at Wei Dongliu, and tremblingly said, ¡°Indeed.¡± ¡°And who might you be¡­¡± Wei Dongliu asked emotionlessly. ¡°I am the Heavenly Demon Path¡¯s Witch Cai E,¡± the beautiful woman declared with a sneer, ¡°the mentor of Jiang Liyan and Ai Zhenzhi.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard that my apprentice Ai Zhenzhi died at your hands. Today, I¡¯ve come to settle this debt.¡± No sooner had the words fallen than Jiang the Witch¡¯s face turned deathly pale, and her figure began to wobble. ¡°` ¡°` ¡­¡­ But let¡¯s talk about Jiang the Witch¡¯s master, known as the Heavenly Demon Path¡¯s Colorful Moth Fairy. The Heavenly Demon Path is famous for summoning and commanding Heavenly Demons, and summoning a Heavenly Demon to the Lower Realm requires a sacrifice. The more powerful the cultivator used as a sacrifice, the more formidable the Heavenly Demon summoned from the Lower Realm, which is much like the principle of playing cards. The Heavenly Demon Path not only uses cultivators from enemy sects to summon demons but occasionally also uses its own disciples as sacrifices, it can be said that their sect¡¯s practices are incredibly brutal. Usually, the selection follows the ¡°last place elimination¡± rule, meaning the disciple with the lowest cultivation level and the worst talent would be taken as the Heavenly Demon sacrifice, but there are exceptions¡­ For instance, this infamous Colorful Moth Fairy, when in a good mood, practiced ¡°last place elimination,¡± but when in a bad mood, she would initiate a ¡°random killing,¡± and she particularly chose disciples she was familiar with for the sacrifice¨Cof course, only the disciples with strong abilities would be remembered by the master, so being her disciple meant one could neither stand out too much nor hide one¡¯s abilities too much, or death would come swiftly. A few days ago, Jiang Liyan was flying with sword control near Tongtian Lake when she suddenly saw her master approaching from afar, nearly scaring two of her three souls away. The Colorful Moth Fairy, feeling bad due to her stalled progress in breaking through her realm, left the main Heavenly Demon Path headquarters at Mount Dapan early to fly towards the Biyun Palace at Mount Wutai. The faces of several familiar disciples flashed through her mind. Among the disciples in the Foundation Establishment Realm, the one with the highest cultivation level was the Senior Sister, Ai Zhenzhi. You, as the Senior Sister, have failed to form a Golden Core for so long, what use do I have for you? Better that I use you as a sacrifice to summon the Demon Head! So the Colorful Moth Fairy went to Tongtian Lake, just in time to encounter Jiang Liyan passing by with sword control, and she immediately grabbed her and asked: ¡°Where did your Senior Sister Ai go?¡± Jiang the Witch knew her master was cruel by nature, the worse her mood, the more expressionless her face. Seeing her master¡¯s face as still as water, how could she not guess that she wanted to use Ai Zhenzhi as a sacrifice? But Ai Zhenzhi was already dead! This absolutely could not be conveyed bluntly, because if the master knew this, unable to vent her frustration, she would very likely grab Little Jiang as a substitute, with a probability of nearly ninety-nine percent. Therefore, driven by the desire to survive and having no way out, Jiang Liyan could only scream in horror: ¡°Senior Sister Ai was killed by someone!¡± Under the terrifying gaze of her master, Jiang the Witch had no choice but to hastily disclose the truth: Senior Sister Ai found her disagreeable and got a few Daoist friends to ambush her, but she happened to be traveling with several other Daoist friends and counterattacked, killing Senior Sister Ai¡­ The Colorful Moth Fairy was cruel, but she was not a fool, she immediately realized that Jiang Liyan was using this as a pretext to have someone else killed, and she sneered: ¡°I don¡¯t care who started it. Whoever killed my disciple, bring him here to replace the sacrifice!¡± Jiang Liyan turned pale, wanting to make up a name out of thin air, but knowing she could not deceive her master. Saying it was Wen Yang and the others, once the master went to seek vengeance and found out they were not capable enough to kill Ai Zhenzhi, in the end, the one who would suffer would still be her. Therefore, there was only one answer left to give. However, if she mentioned that name and her master went after him, no matter who won in the end, it meant that there would no longer be any possibility between her and that person¡­ ¡°Who is it?¡± the Colorful Moth Fairy asked menacingly. ¡°Wei¡­¡± Jiang Liyan trembled, her sense of impending danger was screaming madly, almost stopping her heart. ¡°Speak up!¡± the Colorful Moth Fairy said impatiently, extending her claws to grip Jiang Liyan¡¯s delicate white neck directly. Jiang Liyan struggled like a chicken being strangled, futilely clawing at her master¡¯s fingers, the terror of impending suffocation rapidly spreading up her spine, and finally shattered her composure. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°It¡¯s Wei Dongliu! Daoist Wei Dongliu!¡± she cried in distress. ¡°Lead the way!¡± The Colorful Moth Fairy finally let go of her, speaking with a sinister tone, ¡°If we can¡¯t find him, you¡¯ll be the sacrifice!¡± Jiang Liyan sat helplessly on the ground, her arms fearfully wrapped around her body, her shoulders trembling slightly. Tears slid down her cheeks, her usually shrewd and lively eyes now seemed to have lost all their sparkle. ¡°` Chapter 419 - Chapter 419: Chapter 52 Mind your own business! Chapter 419: Chapter 52 Mind your own business! Let¡¯s not mention how much pain Jiang Liyan was in, Wei Dongliu, upon seeing this scene, immediately guessed that Jiang the Witch had betrayed him. Otherwise, how would this colorful moth fairy know that it was he who killed Ai Zhenzhi? And how would she know the exact location of the Tong Xuan Gate residence? Damn it! What I despise the most is deceit! And what I hate the most is betrayal! Of course, one thing is one thing, if for a noble cause one must go against one¡¯s conscience, enduring the torment of guilt to deceive or betray, that¡¯s another matter¡­ but does Jiang the Witch look like she has any such difficulty? Seeing that Wei Dongliu was completely ignoring her, the colorful moth fairy grew even more irritated; however, her gaze fell on the figure in the black robe beside her, and she immediately became somewhat suspicious. To hide its ugly deathly face, Wei Dongliu had it wear a black robe to cover its appearance. At this moment, when the colorful moth fairy looked closely, she realized this person had no Flying Sword under their feet and was standing on thin air; her heart immediately became alert. Could it be from the Demon Race? Even if it is from the Demon Race today, to me, it¡¯s just preparing an additional sacrifice! Thinking this, a ruthless look flashed across the colorful moth fairy¡¯s face, and just as she was about to make a move, she heard Wei Dongliu say: Source: , updated on wuxiaworld.site.so ¡°Who is this?¡± The Flying Asura immediately understood and said with a smile: ¡°Master, it¡¯s just a little Nascent Soul Realm junior. There¡¯s no need for you to act; let me handle it.¡± ¡°Do it quickly,¡± Wei Dongliu said coldly and flew straight toward Mount Wutai. The Flying Asura then lifted the veil, revealing the distinctively ferocious face of a zombie, and cast his gaze toward the colorful moth fairy¨Cthe latter immediately felt like she was facing a great enemy, her eyes widening with horror. Although she was a Demon Path Cultivator, she wasn¡¯t entirely unfamiliar with the Nether Ghost Path. Once a zombie gained consciousness, its lowest rank would be the Golden Core Realm of the Obscure Weave Rank, that is, an earth-bound Raksha. However, if someone could stand in the air without the use of spells or Divine Skills, they must at least be a Nascent Soul Realm Flying Asura. That Wei Dongliu¡­ to have a Flying Asura call him ¡°master,¡± what kind of person could he be? A Heavenly God rank? Thinking this, despite her murderous intent, the colorful moth fairy had no choice but to swallow it down forcefully. Just as she was about to speak, she heard the Flying Asura say indifferently: ¡°My lord had some trivial matters earlier and instructed friend Jiang to tend to them. Along the way, he encountered some small fry trying to assassinate him, so he dealt with them casually¡­ Based on what you say, you are their master? Did you come specially to seek revenge?¡± The colorful moth fairy was at a loss for words, her face turning ashen. Against a Nascent Soul Realm Flying Asura, even if she gave it her all, she¡¯d most likely end up severely injured that her master would finish her off with a flick of his hand. After a long while, seeing the Flying Asura showing signs of impatience, she managed to force out a smile uglier than crying and slowly said: ¡°There must be some misunderstanding here.¡± ¡°Whatever the misunderstanding, don¡¯t bother my master with it,¡± the Flying Asura interrupted, impatiently. ¡°Do you understand?¡± ¡°My lord has been in a bad mood lately, and I want to help ease his worries. If I encounter someone who doesn¡¯t know what¡¯s good for them, I¡¯ll chew them up alive and swallow their soul.¡± ¡°But since you are friend Jiang¡¯s master, that¡¯s a different matter. Since you say there was a misunderstanding earlier, I¡¯ll consider it an internal dispute within your Heavenly Demon Path and let you handle it.¡± ¡°You speak the truth,¡± said the colorful moth fairy with a dry laugh. ¡°Internal dispute, internal dispute.¡± ¡°Very well,¡± said the Flying Asura, continuing up to this point and then suddenly spoke coldly, ¡°then slap your own face.¡± ¡°Slap herself?¡± the Fairy Caie¡¯s face twitched. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you were here to collect a debt?¡± Flying Asura said with a smirk that wasn¡¯t quite a smile, ¡°Your disciple surnamed Ai has offended my master. Isn¡¯t it only right for you to come and repay the debt on her behalf?¡± Fairy Caie stood in a daze for a long while before harshly slapping her own face: ¡°It is due to my lack of discipline on the Heavenly Demon Path. Please forgive my transgression!¡± Jiang Liyan watched from the side in terror, feeling a chill throughout her entire body. When the Flying Asura mentioned ¡°seeing as you are Jiang the Little Friend¡¯s teacher¡± earlier, she thought it meant that she would be spared, that Fairy Caie would be wary of her. But then came the phrase ¡°repay the debt,¡± and Jiang the Witch immediately understood that Flying Asura did not actually want to spare her but deliberately enraged Fairy Caie! Knowing her master¡¯s vindictive nature, being publicly humiliated and forced to slap herself, yet not daring to vent on Wei Dongliu, she would definitely hold a grudge against her. However, because of the earlier mention of ¡°Jiang the Little Friend,¡± her master might not dare to harm her in the short term, but this deepened hatred would become even more firmly rooted, and no matter how she explained afterward, she would never gain her master¡¯s forgiveness. From now on, the master would surely harbor a killing intent towards her¡­ and she could only cling tightly to Wei Dongliu¡¯s coattails, for if her master sensed anything amiss, she would strike her down without hesitation! This Flying Asura was truly cruel and cunning! The Flying Asura paid no heed to their reactions and simply nodded indifferently, saying: ¡°Whether I forgive you or not isn¡¯t for me to decide.¡± ¡°Later, when we meet the master, if the master says nothing, then let¡¯s forget about it; but if the master speaks¡­ heh, we¡¯ll just wait and see.¡± Having said that, it employed its Flying Divine Powers and chased after the direction Wei Dongliu had gone. Jiang the Witch watched silently from behind, her heart filled with desolation. She of course knew that Flying Asura was bluffing under the tiger¡¯s skin, for its cultivation had reached Perfection and it was on the verge of transforming into a demon, and even if Wei Dongliu released his seal and let just a breath leak, it would result in a severe Heavenly Tribulation. But what difference did that make? Now she could only rely on the tiger skin of Flying Asura and Wei the Demon Lord to save her life; otherwise, if the truth was known, the first person who would want to kill her would be her master. ¡°What are you standing there for?¡± Fairy Caie, holding her swollen cheek, said in a resentful tone, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to hurry up and beg for forgiveness? Or do you really want to see your teacher die in front of you?¡± ¡°Your disciple wouldn¡¯t dare, I¡¯ll go right away,¡± Jiang Liyan said hastily with a bow and then summoned her Flying Sword, chasing after Wei Dongliu and Flying Asura. After Wei Dongliu had flown off on his sword, creating a distance, he gradually slowed down his speed. The worst-case scenario would be Flying Asura and Fairy Caie starting a fight, causing the unbearable Heavenly Tribulation for punishment to come down, and in that event, he would just immediately transport Ah Jing away. Hmph, just Nascent Soul Cultivators, nothing to worry about. Now that he had also calmed down, he realized that Jiang the Witch¡¯s supposed ¡°betrayal¡± might not have been intentional; it was very likely that she was coerced by her master. No matter how tricky she was on a normal day, facing the huge gap between Foundation Establishment Realm and Nascent Soul Realm, she couldn¡¯t do anything¨Caside from confessing, what else could she do? It¡¯s not like he could expect Fairy Caie to be like Ziwei Master, knowing that her disciple was lying but still willing to cover for her. He waited a while longer, and seeing that no Heavenly Tribulation had appeared, Wei Dongliu knew he was in the clear. Indeed, before long, Flying Asura came riding on black clouds. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Master,¡± it said obsequiously, ¡°I have already taught the old prude a lesson.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Wei Dongliu looked at it sideways, an icy tone in his voice, ¡°Tell me, how did you ¡®teach¡¯ her?¡± ¡°I made her slap herself and deliberately pointed out that I was sparing her for Jiang the Little Friend¡¯s sake,¡± Flying Asura said with smug pride, ¡°This way, if that girl wants to survive and not be killed by her grudge-bearing master, she¡¯ll have to seek shelter under the master¡¯s protection!¡± Wei Dongliu: ¡­¡­ Mind your own business! Chapter 420 - Chapter 420: Chapter 53: Owe You a Life Chapter 420: Chapter 53: Owe You a Life Regarding Flying Asura¡¯s presumptuous actions, Wei Dongliu didn¡¯t know how to evaluate them. Indeed, Jiang the Witch¡¯s loose lips, despite the unavoidable elements within, greatly displeased Wei Dongliu. This time it hadn¡¯t caused trouble, so he let it go, but if it happened again and ruined his plans, no matter how compelling her reasons, he wouldn¡¯t spare her! However, Wei Dongliu had to admit that Jiang the Witch indeed was a useful source of information. Whether it was Wen Yang, Long Xiaoqi, or Gu Lie, they were all introduced by Jiang the Witch, which demonstrated the breadth of her social connections. In that case, it was a difficult situation to handle¡­ or perhaps, it could be handled in any manner. Before long, Jiang Liyan also came flying in on her sword, only to stop a few feet away, her eyes brimming with tears as she looked towards him. Wei Dongliu watched her expressionlessly. Jiang Liyan had prepared a myriad of excuses and pretexts, along with a pitiful demeanor and expressions, all to beg for Wei Dongliu¡¯s forgiveness. But when she actually faced him, she found herself unable to utter a single word. She suddenly realized that in her life, Wei Dongliu might be the first person who had been unconditionally kind to her and had never thought of harming her. Her master raised and taught her like one would raise pigs and dogs, ready to kill her at the slightest displeasure. Source: , updated on wuxiaworld.site.co People like Wen Yang sought cooperation with her solely for mutual benefit and could turn hostile at any moment. Even her biological parents held no care or affection for her. Only Great Demon Lord Wei neither coveted any benefits from her nor had he ever considered harming her¡­ Jiang Liyan thought all this as if she were bewitched, and then she felt the urge to cry once more. But still, she held back her tears and just stared stubbornly at Wei Dongliu. ¡°What do you want to say?¡± Wei Dongliu frowned and asked. ¡°Do you hate me?¡± Jiang Liyan asked with a trembling voice. Flying Asura watched the scene with glee as though she was a young girl curled up on the couch at 8 p.m. with a bag of chips, engrossed in a soap opera, before a glance from Wei Dongliu made her tactfully retreat. ¡°Hate you?¡± Wei Dongliu smiled faintly, ¡°There¡¯s no need; I¡¯ve seen it all before.¡± He had intended to increase his ¡°Synchronization Value¡± by playing the mysterious card, ¡°What haven¡¯t I seen before?¡± But Jiang Liyan directly interpreted it as ¡°I¡¯ve seen many people like you before,¡± and her tears finally fell unchecked down her cheeks as she bit back a cold laugh: ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. With Great Demon Lord Wei¡¯s status, naturally, you¡¯d look down on someone lowly like me.¡± ¡°But does Great Demon Lord Wei know what kind of life us lowly ones lead?¡± ¡°I was born into a fisherman¡¯s family, treated as a loss from childhood. Later, when the storms at sea wouldn¡¯t cease, the fisherman chief said the Dragon King was angry. They wanted to weigh me down with stones and sink me into the sea as a sacrifice, to become the Dragon King¡¯s wife, and my parents didn¡¯t even attempt to refuse!¡± ¡°Then my master passed by and took me with him, initiating me into the Heavenly Demon Path. Every day I lived in constant fear, worried about being captured for sacrifice to feed the Demon Head.¡± ¡°My dearest senior sister was tortured by master with thousands of needles until her flesh and blood was gone, offered to the Asuras descending from the Nine Heavens for their feast.¡± ¡°The second senior sister, who was close to me, fled the sect out of fear. Master personally captured her and tormented her for forty-nine torturous days until her soul dispersed.¡± ¡°Even the third senior sister, who always disagreed with me, was framed and casually killed by master with a single slap. Her soul was devoured by the Demon Head, and she couldn¡¯t even enter the cycle of reincarnation!¡± ¡°Great Demon Lord Wei, if you were in my place, what would you do? What could you do?¡± Wei Dongliu had no reaction; his face was as still as deep water, and he remained silent. Regarding this issue alone, there¡¯s actually not much to answer. It¡¯s like children born in the Middle East, saying they¡¯ve been fighting with AKs since they were little, never getting enough to eat, with all their parents and siblings dead. If you ask domestic netizens what they think, they can probably only watch with their cell phones, sitting, standing, or lying down. To put it more bluntly, what does it have to do with me? Different people have different circumstances, and their joys and sorrows are hard to share, especially when it comes to people they are not familiar with. He may not have experienced the dangerous predicament of being weak and helpless with enemies all around, but has Jiang Liyan ever had the experience of being constantly anxious and walking on thin ice as a spy? Everyone has their own hardships, and only those who get through them have the chance to complain. For those who don¡¯t make it¡­ there¡¯s nothing left, and even if they complain, no one will hear them. ¡°Great Demon Lord Wei must find me laughable,¡± Jiang Liyan said, wiping the tears from her face, her voice choked with emotion. ¡°I just want to survive.¡± ¡°Who doesn¡¯t want to survive?¡± Wei Dongliu said in a deep voice, ¡°Those who live to a hundred want to prolong their lives; those who are poor and downtrodden seek wealth and honor; when fighting others, one must resist to the death. Even the practice of cultivation itself, isn¡¯t it a struggle against fate?¡± ¡°Great Demon Lord Wei speaks great truths,¡± Jiang Liyan said, biting back her sobs. ¡°I come from humble origins and don¡¯t understand such profound principles.¡± ¡°This young lady only knows that surviving is very difficult, so one must use every bit of their own strength, lay all of their chips on the table, to fight for any possible chance for life, even if it means lying, deceiving, betraying, and using any means necessary¡­ as long as it allows one to survive, it is worthwhile, necessary¡­¡± ¡°¡­Because if one dies, then there¡¯s nothing left!¡± ¡°Those you love, hate, and wish to see, along with any trace of your own existence, will all be completely erased from this world!¡± She cried out so vehemently that even the Flying Asura hiding in the distance could hear her, and couldn¡¯t help but feel a pang of sympathy. Indeed, what this young girl said was true. If you can survive, what does it matter if you turn into a zombie? It¡¯s just that she¡¯s a bit too emotional. With the status of a Demon Lord, why would he care about her slight betrayal? As long as you remain useful to the Demon Lord, he will not do anything to you. Just as the Flying Asura predicted, Wei Dongliu, when faced with Jiang Liyan¡¯s revelation of her true nature, felt a complex emotion that was hard to describe. To be honest, struggling for survival isn¡¯t embarrassing. If you¡¯re truly in a desperate situation, everyone understands it well enough to sympathize. But when you bring up reasons like ¡°in order to survive¡± or ¡°even if it means using any means necessary,¡± it sounds like you¡¯re making excuses for yourself, and that seems a bit despicable. However, Jiang the Witch, being a witch who is a little selfish, cunning, and even evil, isn¡¯t entirely unacceptable. After all, the entity that is Wei Dongliu is searching for the hidden Hell Path, a sect that has been concealed for nearly ten thousand years, manipulating the circumstances within the Cultivation Realm with extreme craftiness and cunning. If someone who is equally crafty could assist him, it would naturally be more beneficial than detrimental to his cause. Yes, just less of such clumsy, forced betrayals would be good. While he was immersed in silent contemplation, Jiang Liyan lowered her eyes, murmuring to herself, her face ashen. ¡°I will not tolerate a second betrayal,¡± Wei Dongliu suddenly said. Jiang Liyan¡¯s eyes widened slightly, as if she wanted to say something, but soon her body weakened, lacking the strength to speak further, and her face turned rosy. ¡°If there¡¯s a second time,¡± Wei Dongliu squinted his eyes, ¡°you will undoubtedly die, not even a god can save you.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Jiang Liyan was silent for a long while, then suddenly smiled through her tears, stretching out her slender hand to wipe the tears from the corners of her eyes, speaking gratefully, ¡°Yes, yes, thank you Great Demon Lord Wei for forgiving my transgressions, I owe you my life¡­¡± Speaking of owing a life, given Jiang the Witch¡¯s degree of fearing death, she definitely has no plans to repay it. But if there is a next time for betrayal, both old and new debts will be pursued together, and then, death will not be the end of it. Both the cold-faced Wei Dongliu and the now smiling Jiang Liyan were very clear about this. Chapter 421 - Chapter 421: Chapter 54: Gathering Information Chapter 421: Chapter 54: Gathering Information Jiang Liyan was very afraid of dying. As she said, ever since she was fished out of the sea by the Fairy Caie, she lived in constant fear every day in the Heavenly Demon Path and eventually awakened a strange ability: Whenever she was about to face a lethal danger, she would have a premonition of fear. Whether in her own sect or outside, Jiang Liyan relied on this intuition to avoid many dangers. However, up to this day, she had also roughly realized the true nature of this ability, which was actually not aimed at external dangers but rather at the malice of human hearts. For a Demon Cult Cultivator, the dangers one faced were mostly borne out of the malice of other cultivators, and Jiang Liyan was extremely sensitive to this sort of malice. If someone harbored intense murderous intentions towards her, although it wasn¡¯t a hundred percent certainty, she had a high probability of sensing it in advance. However, Wei Dongliu was one of the few, or it could even be said, the only one who had never harbored any malice towards her. (As for Luo Yan¡­ who is Luo Yan?) Though Jiang the Witch was a witch, she also knew how to seek advantages and avoid disadvantages. With such a Demon Lord Wei, if she did not firmly cling to him, it would simply be unjust to her many years of experience on the Demonic Path. ¡°About the White Jade Capital tournament, we don¡¯t have much information at the moment,¡± Jiang Liyan softly whispered on the way to the Mount Wutai Market, ¡°What is known so far is that the White Jade Capital tournament is initiated by Shushan, aiming to gain more prestige through the results of the tournament, and perhaps even to re-arrange the rankings of the Three Pure Orthodox Sect. ¡°Also, there is a rumor that the White Jade Capital Secret Realm is not the only one; there are even more secret realms deep inside.¡± Source: , updated on .s0 ¡°Oh? What is this theory?¡± Wei Dongliu raised his eyebrows. ¡°Has Demon Lord Wei ever heard these four terms?¡± Jiang Liyan crisply said, ¡°White Jade Capital, Golden Que, Seven Treasures Mysterious Garden, Great Bright Hall.¡± ¡°According to the Daoist teachings, White Jade Capital refers to the body, Golden Que to the Divine Sense, Seven Treasures Mysterious Garden to the Soul, and the Great Bright Hall to the Origin. ¡°Therefore, deep inside the White Jade Capital Secret Realm, there could likely be an entrance to the Golden Que Secret Realm.¡± ¡°How confident are you in this theory?¡± Wei Dongliu asked indifferently. ¡°Thirty or forty percent,¡± Jiang Liyan said with difficulty, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for this, Shushan wouldn¡¯t have taken the initiative to organize the tournament, and Kunlun Penglai might not have given them any face.¡± ¡°What is the method to open the White Jade Capital?¡± Wei Dongliu confirmed. ¡°It¡¯s still difficult to say,¡± Jiang Liyan thought for a moment, then continued, ¡°But the first step is certainly to pass through the Orthodox Sect¡¯s grand tournament, select twelve sufficiently strong Orthodox Sect cultivators, and each occupy one of the twelve cities of the White Jade Capital.¡± ¡°As for what to do next, no one knows. The Orthodox Sect hasn¡¯t revealed any hint.¡± ¡°What about the Six Paths? Are they not planning to intervene?¡± Wei Dongliu asked indifferently. ¡°It seems the upper echelon doesn¡¯t have such plans at the moment,¡± Jiang Liyan said with a bitter smile, ¡°Firstly, after the previous long drawn out tug-of-war, everyone feels they¡¯ve already seized enough benefits, and continuing to struggle against the Three Pure Ones would do more harm than good.¡± ¡°Secondly, we can¡¯t infiltrate the White Jade Capital Secret Realm.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°Since the White Jade Capital Secret Realm was discovered, not many cultivators have entered, including our people,¡± Jiang Liyan explained, ¡°Therefore, the upper echelons also consider the possibility of a trap.¡± ¡°For example, it¡¯s speculated that the news of the White Jade Capital tournament was released to lure us, the Demon Cult cultivators, to raid the event, and then spring a trap with an ambush in the secret realm, catching us like turtles in a jar¡­¡± After a moment of silence, Wei Dongliu dismissed this possibility. The reason was simple: the Ziwei Master had issued a deadly command that Qiu Changtian must win first place in the tournament, so how could it possibly be an ambush? Then what would be the point of me taking first place? To provide you a backdrop, a smokescreen for ambushing Demon Cult cultivators? That¡¯s right? I think the Demon Cult is losing its nerve, not daring to face the Three Major Sects in the White Jade Capital Secret Realm, hence the nonsense about there possibly being an ambush. ¡°However, I did hear that there¡¯s some secret intelligence from the Hell Path,¡± Jiang Liyan suddenly said. Wei Dongliu¡¯s ears perked up immediately. ¡°Speaking of moles, the Hell Path has buried more spies within the Three Pure Ones than the rest of us five paths combined,¡± Jiang the Witch said casually. ¡°They must have obtained some definitive and substantial information; that¡¯s why they didn¡¯t propose searching for or even attacking the White Jade Capital Secret Realm.¡± ¡°Go on,¡± Wei Dongliu said indifferently. ¡°Is that all?¡± Jiang the Witch said in astonishment. ¡°That¡¯s all I know, I can¡¯t tell you any more.¡± ¡°After all, the Hell Path only deals with the higher-ups of the sects. For minions like us, at most we can only infer some signs from our fellow disciples¡¯ bits and pieces of information; specifics are difficult to detail.¡± ¡°Utterly useless!¡± the Flying Asura spat disdainfully from the side. ¡°When the master tells you to explain in detail, he¡¯s giving you a chance to show yourself! If you truly don¡¯t know, then sincerely apologize first, promise to work hard gathering intelligence, and then make a military pledge to come back and report within a few days¡­ Just saying ¡®that¡¯s all I know¡¯ ¨C are you reporting or just making small talk? How can you be so shameless?¡± Jiang the Witch was shocked by this barefaced sycophantic remark, and momentarily she couldn¡¯t utter a word. ¡°Enough,¡± Wei Dongliu waved his hand nonchalantly, rescuing her from the embarrassment. ¡°There¡¯s no need to be so forceful.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to say thank you?¡± the Flying Asura exclaimed. Jiang Liyan sulked for a long time before she could only say in a low voice: ¡°Alright, I will go and inquire.¡± Upon arriving at the Mount Wutai Market, Jiang the Witch left first to gather information. Wei Dongliu, on the other hand, strolled around the market with the black-robed and masked Flying Asura. According to the usual patterns in fantasy novels, a villain should appear at this time to provoke the protagonist for some reason, only to be unmasked and beaten up by the Flying Asura, then fleeing in panic to find a more formidable villain to help. However, Wei Dongliu wandered around the market for half a day and didn¡¯t encounter any villainous provocateurs. Hmm, it must be the effect of my mysterious persona at work; bystanders can¡¯t gauge the depth of my strength, so they can only keep their distance¡­ Huh? Suddenly, he saw Gu Lie mingling among a group of bald monks, wearing a red robe over his shoulders, hands clasped together, continuously reciting scriptures as he walked toward a distant Buddhist pagoda. ¡°What a bunch of bald donkeys,¡± the Flying Asura remarked. ¡°Their foreheads are really shining; they could be used as mirrors.¡± ¡°Where are they going and what are they doing?¡± Wei Dongliu frowned and asked. ¡°Does my master wish to know?¡± the Flying Asura volunteered eagerly. ¡°Shall I go and find out for my master?¡± ¡°Never mind, let¡¯s not create unnecessary complications,¡± Wei Dongliu said coldly. Sending the Flying Asura into Buddhist territory was something he was quite uneasy about. ¡°Very well,¡± the Flying Asura looked towards the distant pagoda, suppressing the urge in its heart. Of course, it had already discerned that Wei Dongliu was acquainted with one of the monks. It also knew from past memory that these monks were evil monks, each wearing a Blood Robe. After all, ¡°clothing oneself in blood and sleeping in skin¡± was one of the necessary conditions for practicing the ¡°Blood Wrath Zen.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only And the other requisite condition was to ¡°indulge in fury.¡± Once these evil monks began reciting scriptures, it meant they were going to kill. It¡¯s too bad Demon Lord didn¡¯t like meddling in trifles, for he actually didn¡¯t allow me to join in that excitement¡­ With this thought, the Flying Asura felt a subtle regret, continuing to suppress the killing urge at the bottom of its undead heart. Looking up again, he saw Jiang Liyan briskly crossing the mountain path, hurrying towards Wei Dongliu with her skirt in hand and an exhilarated look on her face. On her face was the joyous, pure smile that the Flying Asura loathed deeply. Chapter 422 - Chapter 422: Chapter 55: Monks Confrontation Chapter 422: Chapter 55: Monks Confrontation ¡°Does the Demon Lord still remember Gu Lie?¡± Jiang the Witch asked with a beaming smile. ¡°I naturally remember the trip to the Southern Border in the past,¡± Wei Dongliu replied. In the depths of the Hundred Thousand Mountains in the Southern Border, Wei Dongliu, Jiang Liyan, Wen Yang, Long Xiaoqi, and Gu Lie, the five of them traveled together and stormed into Mirror Lake Divine Palace, forging a deep friendship¡­ With such a connection, it was impossible to completely forget each other. Not to mention, Gu Lie¡¯s fierce battle with the double-faced ghost in Mirror Lake Divine Palace, his extremely ferocious Immovable Vajra Fist, and his opponent, the blood-drinking Wrathful Asura, also left a fresh memory in Wei Dongliu¡¯s mind. The Asura Path, although not part of the Intercepting Cult, was indeed known for its fierce and combative nature. It¡¯s no wonder it was considered one of the Six Paths, often confronting the brutish men of Shushan head-on. ¡°Regarding matters of the Hell Path, there¡¯s too little information, nothing has been gained,¡± Jiang Liyan said, wrapped in an aura of mystery, ¡°However, I did hear another piece of news from Gu Lie.¡± ¡°The Demon Buddha Yu Shen is about to attain nirvana at Puzhi Temple. All the major Buddhist Sects and the Asura Path have their eyes on his Shariputra. Right now, they¡¯re all hurrying to Puzhi Temple!¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Wei Dongliu said indifferently, ¡°what does this matter of the Buddhist Sect have to do with us?¡± ¡°This Demon Buddha Yu Shen has lived for over five thousand years, having cultivated to near Perfection, only one step away from nirvana, to cast off his mortal shell and return to the Western Pure Land, attaining the enlightenment of an Arhat,¡± Jiang Liyan playfully brought her palms together in a gesture of respect, ¡°He¡¯s proficient in Karmic Law and calculations. Who knows? He might have some information about the Hell Path or White Jade Capital!¡± ¡°Moreover, it is said that he was cruel and bloodthirsty in his early years, earning him the title of Demon Buddha. However, for some unknown reason, he suddenly had a great awakening, laid down the butcher¡¯s knife, and took refuge in the Mahayana teachings of Puzhi Temple, becoming gentle in nature and known in the Buddhist Sect for being ¡®easy to speak with.''¡± ¡°Considering that he is about to attain nirvana, if the Demon Lord were to consult with him, you might not be unable to receive answers.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Wei Dongliu pondered for a moment, thinking that if this really was a five-thousand-year-old monster who was also amenable, it might be worth building a relationship and fishing for information. Source: , updated on wuxiaworld.site.sO After all, whether it was Qiu Changtian with the Ziwei Master, Ling Yunpo with the Guan Family ancestor, or Luo Yan with Elder Shi Ding, it fundamentally involved juniors attending to their seniors, and in this regard, he indeed had plenty of rich experience. ¡°How much longer until he reaches nirvana?¡± ¡°It should be within three to five days,¡± Jiang Liyan said with a smile. ¡°Though Demon Buddha Yu Shen originated from the Asura Path, despite later leaving the sect, the Asura Path will certainly not overlook the Sarira within his body.¡± ¡°On the other hand, the Buddhist Sects of the Central Plains such as Puzhi Temple could not just watch Yu Shen¡¯s body being cut open by the Asura Path to retrieve the Sarira, or else who would dare to convert in the future? Hence, both sides are already on the verge of conflict.¡± ¡°However, as long as Demon Buddha Yu Shen is alive, neither side would dare to start a fight. We just need to finish consulting with him before that, and we can smoothly extricate ourselves from this muddled affair!¡± ¡°Very well,¡± Wei Dongliu thought for a moment and then confirmed there were no issues with this plan. What was even more commendable was that there was no apparent benefit to Jiang Liyan in this matter, yet she still chose to take the risk and get involved with him, showing that the training of this witch was already showing results. It was just unfortunate that there was one ultimate problem that could never be resolved: Cherishing one¡¯s life. The greatest characteristic of this witch¡¯s personality was shamelessness; she could do anything to cling to life. In this regard, the extreme opposite would be Junior Sister Xu Yinglian. Many things, if you asked her to do them, would be harder for her than death. For instance, when Sect Leader Qiu Changtian told her to run ahead of time within the Intercepting Cult Sword Formation, she refused, preferring death over failing to shield her brothers. But if it were Jiang the Witch, Wei Dongliu suspected she would have fled before he could even speak. Xu Yinglian, though harsh in her words and both proud and aloof, was a reliable presence in whom one could safely entrust their back. Jiang Liyan was adept with her sweet talk and very shrewd in dealing with people, but Wei Dongliu could never entrust her with his innermost thoughts¨Cbecause she really had almost no principles or bottom line. That was the difference. Heading towards the direction of the Buddhist Pagoda, Wei Dongliu quickly arrived at Puzhi Temple. Puzhi Temple is one of the Five Temples of Mount Wutai. Although Mount Wutai is said to be the territory of the Mortal Life Path, everyone knows that the Mortal Life Path is just a loose alliance comprised of countless sects, which has no real control over the vast Mount Wutai region. As long as one is willing to pay to lease the land, not just the Buddhist Sect, but even brothels can conduct business on Mount Wutai. Outside Puzhi Temple, not a single person was seen, but as Wei Dongliu entered the temple gate, he saw the courtyard was packed with people. On one side were monks dressed in teal robes, and on the other, monks in Blood Robes; the distinction between the two sides was as clear as water from milk, with a tense atmosphere as if a fight could break out at any moment. However, from the main hall of the temple in front, the crisp sound of a wooden fish being struck could be heard. The sound seemed to have a magical power that made the monks on both sides dare not act rashly and fight, but instead they glared at each other with fury¡­ The monks in the Blood Robes were waiting for the Demonic Buddhist inside to pass away, while the monks in teal were waiting for reinforcements to arrive. Wei Dongliu suddenly noticed Gu Lie, the old monk, blending in with the monks in Blood Robes at the back, just sparing a glance in this direction along with everyone¡¯s gaze before swiftly looking away as if trying not to expose the fact that they knew each other. ¡°Who are you?¡± Seeing another uninvited guest arriving, a trace of unrest emerged amongst the monks in teal, and a martial monk wielding a long staff stepped forward and asked with a frown. This man and woman in black robes clearly did not look like disciples of the Buddhist Sect. Sarira is a pure and holy relic of the Buddhist Sect and is incompatible with the Daoist system, and it is even more suppressive against the evil arts of the Demon Cult. As for why the Asura Path covets Sarira, it is not for the purpose of aiding in the practice of evil arts, but rather to address the hidden dangers of succumbing to demonic influence¡­ For instance, their technique ¡°Blood-Drinking Fury Honor¡± becomes more violent and irritable the more it is practiced, necessitating the use of Buddhist methods to extract the Heart Demon, making Sarira one of the best choices. Although these unfamiliar visitors, based on their attire, did not appear to be disciples of the Buddhist Sect and likely had no covetous designs on the Sarira, their arrival to potentially support the reverend monks of the Asura Path on the opposing side was indeed a headache-inducing matter. The monks in the Blood Robes, who originally showed hostility, heard the monks in teal robes issue such questioning and realized the newcomers were not reinforcements for the other side, promptly relaxing again. Wei Dongliu raised an eyebrow, about to speak when he suddenly heard the Flying Asura beside him say: ¡°Master, please wait, how are these bald donkeys worthy of your personal attention? Let your servant handle the communication.¡± Following that, it laughed hehehe for a few moments, looked around at the gathered monks, and said eerily: ¡°My Demon Lord has come to pay respects to the Demonic Buddha Yu Shen. You bald donkeys, if you want to fight over the Sarira, wait obediently outside.¡± ¡°Ho! That¡¯s quite the bold claim!¡± Both the monks in teal robes and those in the Blood Robes immediately became furious. The monks in teal from Puzhi Temple, upon hearing the visitor self-proclaim as the ¡°Demon Lord,¡± knew for sure that this person was no good. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only And the Asura Path monks in Blood Robes, hearing that this person intended to visit the Demonic Buddha, refused to believe it¨Cthey certainly thought the visitor planned to wait for the Demonic Buddha to die and seize the Sarira first! Thus, while both sides remained in a state of hostility, they subtly moved closer to each other to block the path for Wei Dongliu and his party. Wei Dongliu: ¡­¡­¡­ Inuyasha, your big mouth! But, seeing as how the Synchronization Value for the mysterious identity was added, I¡¯ll spare your life for now! Chapter 423 - Chapter 423: Chapter 56 The Demon Buddha Yu Shen Chapter 423: Chapter 56 The Demon Buddha Yu Shen Outside Puzhi Temple, the atmosphere grew increasingly tense. Wei Dongliu coldly surveyed the assembly of monks, silent. He could not make a move, for his current identity was that of a Demon Lord. If he acted and failed to kill all the monks instantly, his mysterious persona would collapse. The Flying Asura bowed its head with a sinister chuckle, also remaining silent. It, too, could not make a move, for it teetered on the brink of evolving into a drought demon. Revealing even a sliver of its aura would invite a Heavenly Tribulation. The monks in green robes glared in fury, yet held their tongues. They could not make a move either, as reinforcements had not yet arrived. They couldn¡¯t rashly deplete their strength here, offering their enemy an opportunity to exploit. The monks in Blood Robes stood silent and sinister, without a word. They couldn¡¯t act, for doing so might bring suppression from the demon Buddha within the temple. They had to patiently wait until the demon Buddha entered nirvana. Jiang Liyan huddled in the back with a tight face, silent as well. She was holding back laughter, finding the sight of these people eyeing each other, with none willing to act first, utterly ludicrous and entertaining. Of course, in Jiang the Witch¡¯s eyes, it was only a matter of time before Wei the Demon Lord grew impatient and was likely to smack Puzhi Temple into oblivion¡­ Source: , updated on wuxiaworld.site.Co ¡°Who is the visitor?¡± An elderly voice suddenly came from within the temple, ¡°You may come in for an audience.¡± The monks in green robes were greatly alarmed, with someone yelling: ¡°Uncle Master Ming Jing, no!¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± said the person inside the temple, and then said no more, only the thudding of a wooden fish continued. On the Asura Path side, the monks in Blood Robes grew restless too, but soon calmed down under the fierce gaze of their leader. ¡°That man is Wrathful Vajra Li Zhong,¡± Jiang Liyan transmitted to Wei Dongliu using the Heavenly Demon¡¯s Subtle Sound Technique. ¡°Among the disciples of the Foundation Establishment Realm in the Asura Path, Gu Lie is the most powerful. However, Gu Lie never interferes with the authority of the Vajra in the Foundation Establishment Realm. The disciples mostly follow Li Zhong¡¯s command, and thus in the sect, Gu Lie is often referred to as ¡®Silent Vajra,¡¯ and Li Zhong as ¡®Wrathful Vajra.¡¯ Wei Dongliu¡¯s thoughts shifted subtly, and he saw that Gu Lie was still lowering his eyelids, silent, while Li Zhong looked over coldly, showing no intention to act¡­ Clearly, he was still concerned about the individual inside the temple. The sound of the wooden fish in the temple was incessant, and seeing that Wei Dongliu seemed to have no intention of entering, the monks in green robes visibly breathed a sigh of relief. However, in the next second, Wei Dongliu lifted his head and stepped forward, walking towards the temple. The monks: ¡­¡­¡­ Jiang Liyan and the Flying Asura, one on each side, followed Wei Dongliu¡¯s steps, and as expected, they encountered no obstruction. Crossing into the temple, Wei Dongliu looked around, only to see that the interior was fairly clean, with little dust on the blue stone floor tiles, and the air was filled with a faint scent of sandalwood. An old monk in gray sat cross-legged on a cushion, hands simply resting on his knees, with a wooden fish in front of him. Strangely, though nobody was striking it, the wooden fish emitted a constant clacking sound from within. ¡°The demon Buddha Yu Shen?¡± Wei Dongliu asked coldly. ¡°Amitabha,¡± the old monk said with closed eyes, ¡°This place has only ordinary monks. If you are looking for the demon Buddha, you¡¯ve mistaken the wrong person.¡± ¡°My lord,¡± the Flying Asura interjected, ¡°his body is filled with an overwhelming aura of evil, and karmic obstacles wrap around him. I can even smell it¡­ He is that demon Buddha!¡± The old monk fell silent for a moment before replying: ¡°What of the evil aura, and what of karmic obstacles? Cause from yesterday, fruit of today, must be examined.¡± Wei Dongliu obviously understood his meaning¨Cthe past killings were too numerous, which is why he had renounced the title of demon Buddha and retreated into the temple with only a lamp and a wooden fish for company. With this in mind, he was not in the mood for idle chatter and cut straight to the point: ¡°Does the master know of the White Jade Capital Secret Realm? And do you have knowledge of the Hell Path?¡± ¡°White Jade Capital,¡± the old monk pondered for a moment before speaking slowly, ¡°is just a facade.¡± ¡°The White Jade Capital is just the surface of the secret realm?¡± Wei Dongliu asked in surprise. ¡°So, there really is a deeper secret realm within?¡± ¡°Amitabha,¡± the old monk sighed. ¡°What benefit is there in listening to fanciful words? All is governed by Karmic Law.¡± Once the opponent rolled out the ¡°Karmic Law¡± trump card, Wei Dongliu knew he was unwilling to talk more and continued his inquiry. ¡°What about the Hell Path? I heard the Hell Path possesses information about the White Jade Capital. How can I find them and exchange information with them?¡± This time, the old monk fell silent even longer. ¡°Who are you?¡± he suddenly asked in return. ¡°Wei Dongliu.¡± ¡°What do you seek on the Hell Path?¡± the old monk opened his murky eyes and asked, ¡°Ordinary cultivators would avoid them at all costs, so why would you go looking for them?¡± ¡°Master seems to have some reservations about the Hell Path,¡± Wei Dongliu probed. The old monk did not answer but said: ¡°First tell me, what is your purpose for seeking the Hell Path.¡± ¡°I just want to inquire about some information regarding the White Jade Capital,¡± Wei Dongliu said nonchalantly. ¡°Lies,¡± said the old monk. ¡°I¡¯ve heard the secret legends of the Hell Path before, and I¡¯m very curious,¡± Wei Dongliu continued. ¡°Still lies,¡± the old monk continued. Wei Dongliu, powerless, knew that these ancient beings who lived for hundreds or thousands of years were all extremely cunning; ordinary excuses would never fool them. ¡°I indeed have matters to attend to on the Hell Path,¡± he could only resort to the ¡°limited truth tactic¡± and said, ¡°As for what it is, I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s inconvenient to disclose.¡± What he said this time was indeed the truth, so much so that the old monk did not call out his lie again, but after a long moment, he finally said: ¡°Wei Dongliu, do you believe in fate?¡± ¡°Fate?¡± Wei Dongliu fell silent. If you asked him subjectively whether he believed or not, he certainly wouldn¡¯t believe. But is this something that doesn¡¯t exist if you don¡¯t believe in it? Look at the Kunlun Mirror, look at Shi Liuli! After much thought, Wei Dongliu could only ambiguously reply: ¡°Believe and it exists, disbelieve and it does not.¡± The old monk: ¡­¡­¡­. He mulled over this for a long time, and then suddenly burst into laughter: ¡°That¡¯s exactly it, indeed it is! To think that I, who have pondered for half a lifetime, would be enlightened by you here.¡± ¡°The so-called fate, the more one is obsessed and fixated, the more it binds and shackles one.¡± ¡°On the contrary, if one leaps out from the start, then one will not be lost in it¡­¡± The old monk cackled with a string of baffling words, and even someone as experienced as Wei Dongliu didn¡¯t understand what this demonic Buddha was saying. But soon, he no longer needed to ponder the meaning of the other¡¯s words. Because the demonic Buddha Yu Shen suddenly reached out and plunged his hand into his own chest! Then he fiddled carefully for a while with a cracking noise, and finally snapped off a bloody rib and casually handed it to Wei Dongliu: ¡°Take it.¡± ¡°What is this?¡± Wei Dongliu said with distaste. ¡°Aren¡¯t you asking about the Hell Path?¡± the demonic Buddha Yu Shen smiled and said, ¡°This is the key to making contact with the Hell Path.¡± Wei Dongliu: ? He took the bloodied rib, wondering if this was something to gnaw on or to feed to a dog. ¡°Amitabha,¡± the demonic Buddha Yu Shen stroked his chest, and the wound immediately disappeared, ¡°Believe and it exists, disbelieve and it does not.¡± ¡°If you want to find the Hell Path, you must believe in fate; if you don¡¯t want to be manipulated by it, you can¡¯t believe in fate.¡± ¡°Remember well the words you¡¯ve spoken yourself.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only After saying that, he waved his sleeve, and Wei Dongliu, Jiang Liyan and the Flying Asura were pushed out of the main hall by a gentle physical force. Immediately after, they saw all the monks outside, whether clothed in blue or in blood robes, fixing their unwilling, annoyed, greedy, covetous gazes on him. ¡°How is Master Ming Jing?¡± ¡°Have you already obtained the sarira?¡± ¡°The sarira is a treasured relic of our sect, it must not fall into the hands of outsiders!¡± Chapter 424 - Chapter 424: Chapter 57: Witchs Thoughts, Sisters Oath Chapter 424: Chapter 57: Witch¡¯s Thoughts, Sister¡¯s Oath After Wei Dongliu entered the temple earlier, two groups of monks were standing off outside, but their thoughts had already flown inside. The monks in green robes were worried that this so-called Demon Lord might brazenly attack and ambush Uncle Ming Jing. The monks in red robes were worried that the Demon Buddha might suddenly pass away inside, and that the Demon Lord could steal the Shariputra. Thus, although the monks faced off against each other, their gazes occasionally darted inside, and anxiety was brewing in their hearts. When the laughter of the Demon Buddha came from inside, the monks were even more bewildered. Shortly thereafter, the laughter abruptly ceased. By this time, some monks in red robes couldn¡¯t restrain themselves and wanted to barge into Puzhi Temple, but they did not dare to move because the Wrathful Vajra, Li Zhong, had not given the order. When Wei Dongliu and the others came out of the temple, the monks could no longer contain themselves and immediately started to make a racket. Wei Dongliu¡¯s face was cold, and his gaze swept over the crowd, obviously not intending to speak. In the past, when fighting alone, he had to do everything himself. But now, with the Flying Asura at his side, he could play the role of a silent and mysterious big shot, racking up Mystery Points. Indeed, the Flying Asura hurriedly stepped forward with a sneer and said, ¡°My master¡¯s actions are none of your bald monks¡¯ business!¡± wuxiaworld.site It was shrouded from head to toe in a black robe, making it unrecognizable as the Flying Asura. Li Zhong, unable to suppress his rage, spoke frantically, ¡°You talk big, but I wonder if your strength is as solid as your mouthwork!¡± Though built like a tiger, his steps were light and agile, indicating he was using some kind of footwork. In an instant, he was in front of the Flying Asura, throwing a punch directly at its face. A flash of gold light appeared, and Li Zhong¡¯s fist stopped a few inches in front of the Flying Asura, unable to land the blow. That¡¯s because a plump Hundred Poison Golden Silkworm Gu was riding on Li Zhong¡¯s face, its multiple hooked claws firmly grasping onto his big face; its mandibles also clicked together menacingly. Li Zhong was so shocked that cold sweat cascaded from him like water bursting from a dam, and his complexion turned stiff and pale. The Flying Asura breathed a sigh of relief. It could have counterattacked; it was just worried that if it had to massacre its way out amid a group attack, the breath from the sealed creature would leak out and trigger a Heavenly Tribulation. Now that the Demon Lord Wei had taken action to extricate it, the Flying Asura felt even more bold and cackled, ¡°So tell me, is my strength ¡®solid¡¯ or not?¡± With the Hundred Poison Golden Silkworm Gu gripping his face, Li Zhong, of course, couldn¡¯t talk back or else the insect might bite down, which would be the end of him. But he couldn¡¯t show weakness either. If he did, his dignity as the Wrathful Vajra would be lost forever, and he would have difficulty leading the Foundation Establishment Realm disciples of the Asura Path in the future. Therefore, Li Zhong just gritted his teeth in silence, staring down the Golden Silkworm Gu. ¡°Go away!¡± Wei Dongliu, ever concise, took back the Hundred Poison Golden Silkworm Gu into his sleeve. Li Zhong backed down as if he had just been granted a great pardon, while Gu Lie in the back row glanced at him, then closed his eyes and returned to his unaffected state. With no one daring to step forward to stop them this time, Wei Dongliu led Jiang Liyan and the Flying Asura away from Puzhi Temple, back to their quarters at Shiping Mountain. Watching Wei Dongliu return to the stone house, Jiang the Witch also secretly sighed with relief. Honestly, although she felt very guilty and self-reproachful at the time, to the point of crying out in self-defense, but once Wei Dongliu stated he forgave her, her thoughts subtly shifted. What did I do wrong? I did nothing wrong at all! Every man for himself, or heaven and earth will combine to destroy him. If I hadn¡¯t given up the Demon Lord Wei at that moment, my master would have surely snapped my neck on the spot. Of course, I could only tell the truth! As for the hysteria that followed, it was naturally for survival. In admitting her guilt before her master, he might have spared her, but the betrayed Demon Lord Wei might not be so magnanimous. Additionally, the Flying Asura had deliberately insulted and provoked me; my master had already developed a grudge against me. If I could not cling tightly to Demon Lord Wei¡¯s coattails, once Master had some time to reflect, she would surely act against me if she found out I had virtually no interactions with Demon Lord Wei. Therefore, making Wei Dongliu forgive my indiscretion was the most urgent matter at hand. First, I¡¯d cry and whine to soften his heart, then flatter him earnestly to change his impression of me. Looking at the situation now, matters seemed to be about eighty to ninety percent resolved, and the Demon Lord appeared to hold no more grievances, though it was uncertain whether he still harbored any residual doubts. ¡°Come here, come here,¡± Jiang Liyan beckoned Guo Jin and Wang Cong over with a smile as radiant as blooming flowers and said, ¡°Have you finished the elixirs from last time? Let me see how your cultivation progress is faring¡­¡± Back in his room, Wei Dongliu took out the rib to examine it. It revealed nothing out of the ordinary. ¡°Ah Jing, scan,¡± Wei Dongliu commanded emotionlessly. ¡°This is just an ordinary bone,¡± the Kunlun Mirror concluded swiftly. ¡°So I was deceived by that Demon Buddha?¡± Wei Dongliu muttered to himself, frowning as he casually tossed the bone onto the table. So this trip was a total waste? No information from White Jade Capital was obtained, the lead on the Hell Path turned out to be false, and apart from turning the Flying Asura into a slave, and suffering insolence from Jiang Liyan, there were no other gains? This is outrageous! With a sigh, Wei Dongliu said: ¡°Let¡¯s head to the great competition at White Jade Capital.¡± ¡°Which path do you plan to take first?¡± the Kunlun Mirror curiously inquired. ¡°Ling Poyun, Ling Poyun!¡± Before he could answer, the Green Duckweed Sword eagerly interjected, ¡°It¡¯s time for this dame to show off on stage!¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you crown yourself ¡®Emperor of Swords¡¯?¡± Wei Dongliu teased, ¡°You even insisted that the Thunder Punishment Sword called you ¡®Your Majesty.¡¯ Now you¡¯re suddenly referring to yourself as a dame?¡± ¡°Sword Master above, how dare this lowly sword assume the title of Emperor¡­¡± the Green Duckweed Sword responded with a playful laugh. Seeing it flatter him in such a manner, Wei Dongliu was in high spirits and thus declared: ¡°Let¡¯s start with Ling Yunpo then, let¡¯s see what this grand competition at White Jade Capital is made of!¡± The Kunlun Mirror, too lazy to object, immediately began to deploy its divine skills: [Location Two: Shushan Shangqing Faction, Qingluo Peak.] [Character Identity: Ling Poyun.] [Overlaying the Mirror Flower Water Moon Template, commencing time-space travel.] Ling Poyun had continued practicing swordsmanship with An Zhisu as usual these past few days. His Two-Handed Sword Control Technique was already perfected, and coupled with his External Incarnation¡¯s third sword, it nearly provided an overwhelmingly tactical advantage. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Senior Sister An could initially counter with her technique of measured advance and retreat, but later, when Ling Poyun employed a full-offense-no-defense tactic and she lectured him extensively about it, she no longer practiced swords with Ling Poyun, fearing this junior brother would lose his patience again and choose an aggressive style. The two sparred with each other; An Zhisu won less and lost more, but the beaming smile on her face made it seem as if she was even happier than if she had won herself. As the day of the great competition at White Jade Capital drew near, An Zhisu also had less interest in drinking and focused solely on refining her swordsmanship, with the murderous intent in her brow growing ever deeper. This competition, she was determined to defeat all formidable opponents and claim the first place to present to her master! Of course, if her junior brother made a sudden leap in progress, I would give the first place to him, getting the second place would be just fine. Chapter 425 - Chapter 425: Chapter 58: The Unyielding Character of Ling Yunpo Chapter 425: Chapter 58: The Unyielding Character of Ling Yunpo ¡°` Despite their intense anticipation, day after day, night after night, the disciples of the Shushan Sword Immortals finally saw the day of the grand tournament at White Jade Capital arrive amidst their eager expectation. As time came, the various peaks convened a rallying assembly, and then countless sword lights soared into the sky like a resplendent glow stretching tens of thousands of feet, all heading toward the east. Because Qingluo Peak had no mentor, there was no such assembly or speeches by the peak master; it was merely An Zhisu who got a pot of wine and poured a cup for herself and her junior, Ling Yunpo, as a send-off. After finishing the wine, Senior Sister An tossed the cup aside and, with a flick of her finger, the Flying Smoke Sword shot out from behind her, instantly shattering the wine cup. ¡°Let¡¯s go, junior brother,¡± she said with boundless heroism. Ling Yunpo nodded slightly and then rose on his sword with his sister, following the direction of the main Shushan force. At a glance, there were approximately two to three thousand disciples of the Foundation Establishment Realm from Shushan, slightly more than those from Kunlun. However, he felt that the strength of most of these disciples was not very impressive. Compared to loose cultivators, naturally, they were all formidable, but by Ling Yunpo¡¯s current standards, they were genuinely of mediocre level. The ones I truly have to confront are but the top five or six individuals from various factions! Upon arriving at the White Jade Capital Secret Realm, they saw that the vicinity around Mount Tianmu was already full of orthodox sect disciples, riding sword lights and flying back and forth. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co Those in plain robes and high caps were Kunlun Cultivators, those in blue clothes with swords were Shushan Sword Immortals, and those in brocade were disciples of Penglai, all easily recognizable. Before wandering for long, they saw a stream of cyan sword light flying toward them¨Cit was Bi Sheng, ranked seventh on the Immortal Sword Ranking, who said to the sibling disciples: ¡°Shushan disciples, please follow me; I will take you to your lodging.¡± ¡°Senior Sister Bi Sheng,¡± Ling Yunpo asked with a smile, ¡°why do we need to find lodgings? What exactly is the procedure for this grand tournament at White Jade Capital?¡± ¡°Adding up the disciples from all sects in the Foundation Establishment Realm, there are almost over eight thousand people,¡± Bi Sheng replied. ¡°To save time, the tournament will use a single-elimination system.¡± ¡°Everyone will draw lots to determine their opponents, with the losers being eliminated and the winners advancing.¡± ¡°Once the advancing contestants number less than twelve, they will begin head-to-head matches to arrange the specific rankings.¡± ¡°Inside the White Jade Capital Secret Realm, a maximum of nearly a thousand battles can be accommodated per day, so the tournament is expected to last at least half a month.¡± ¡°Therefore, each sect has demarcated areas within Mount Tianmu for everyone to lodge and rest, to maintain their strength after the competition is over.¡± ¡°I see, thank you for clarifying, senior sister,¡± Ling Yunpo said with a laugh. ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± Just as Bi Sheng politely responded, she saw An Zhisu slightly frowning, seemingly displeased. What¡¯s up with Senior Sister An? Why did she seem a bit hostile just now? Or am I imagining it? After observing for a while and seeing that An Zhisu¡¯s expression was normal, Bi Sheng then led the two to the resting place allocated to Shushan¨Ca spot on an open mountaintop. ¡°The lot-drawing will take place every day at the third quarter of noon, at the entrance to the White Jade Capital Secret Realm, which is beneath that stretch of mountain rock in the distance.¡± An Zhisu and Ling Yunpo were of course aware since they were the ones who discovered the secret realm initially. ¡°Below here are temporary huts built by our sect; you can just find an unoccupied one for yourself.¡± After briefing them on some matters, Bi Sheng left, knowing when to take her leave. An Zhisu chose a house and, turning around, saw Ling Yunpo lingering, so she curiously asked: ¡°Junior brother, why don¡¯t you go choose a room?¡± ¡°I will stay with senior sister,¡± Ling Yunpo said with a bashful face. ¡°How could that be appropriate?¡± Although An Zhisu felt shy, she still subconsciously put on the sternness of a senior sister and seriously said, ¡°Be good, go pick a nearby unoccupied house; stay close, and senior sister will practice swordsmanship with you every day, all right?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ling Yunpo hadn¡¯t expected to persuade his senior sister in just a few words, so he pushed the door and left. An Zhisu looked around the room and cast a few spells to clean up the surroundings. Even as a Sword Immortal specializing in swordcraft, she knew some simple Daoist techniques. ¡°` After nearly an hour, Ling Yunpo returned with a wry smile and said, ¡°Senior Sister, all the nearby houses have been chosen.¡± ¡°Chosen?¡± An Zhisu asked in surprise. As she went out for a walk, she discovered that the three closest cottages had just been taken by Lin Duanshan, Duan Fenhai, and Guan Shanyue. ¡°Seeing that Senior Sister An and Junior Brother Ling had chosen this place, I thought it would be nice to pick somewhere close for easier interaction,¡± Lin Duanshan said with a smile as he came out of his house. An Zhisu: ¡­¡­¡­.. I don¡¯t mind if you want to live closer, but could you leave a place for my junior brother to stay? In the past, the candid Senior Sister An would have directly frowned and made sarcastic comments. Thanks to Ling Yunpo¡¯s tireless, disdainful guidance day after day, she had increased her emotional intelligence, learning not to offend people with thoughtless remarks. So, An Zhisu could only hold herself back, staying silent with a tight face. Ling Yunpo, who stood by her side, heaved a sigh of relief. Despite his senior sister¡¯s nearly limitless tolerance for him, if she had actually questioned Lin Duanshan and he unconsciously admitted that it was Ling Yunpo¡¯s own suggestion to invite him to stay nearby, his little scheme would have been instantly seen through by his senior sister. Luckily, his senior sister did not inquire further. With the nearest three cottages occupied by Lin, Duan, and Guan, their junior siblings also took up residence around them, leaving Ling Yunpo to look for an extremely remote place to live¨Cif his senior sister could bear to let him go so far. An Zhisu walked around with Ling Yunpo and, finding indeed no vacancies, could only touch her forehead and concede, ¡°Alright, then junior brother may as well temporarily stay in my room.¡± Upon reflection, living together in the same room didn¡¯t seem too inconvenient. After all, cultivators do not need to eat, nor do they need to excrete, nor do they sweat or get dirty, thus there¡¯s no need to change clothes, and no situation would arise requiring the junior brother to step out to avoid embarrassment. The only issue would probably be the impact on a woman¡¯s reputation if word got out. However, An Zhisu¡¯s personality, similar to Su Jian¡¯s, was such that she did things her own way. Even though she might pay more attention to the opinions of others, she wouldn¡¯t become so concerned as to be ¡°honorably¡± referred to as the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal, so she did not pay much attention to these concerns. What¡¯s there to criticize about the pure camaraderie between us, a fellow brother and sister of the sect! Having brought her junior brother Ling Yunpo back to the room, she found a spot on the wooden bed and began to sit cross-legged, practicing her breathing techniques. An Zhisu¡¯s routine originally did not include breathing and Qi Refining, because the Refining Mansion phase Qi Refining Technique she received from Su Jian¡¯s closed-door cultivation was incomplete, not allowing her to routinely nourish her Purple Mansion. However, it was during her last visit to the White Jade Capital Secret Realm that Ling Yunpo obtained the complete ¡°Supreme Sun and Moon Primordial Classic,¡± enabling An Zhisu not only to practice her breathing and Qi Refining but also to cultivate Daoist True Yuan that was more vigorous and to perfect her Jade Mansion. Therefore, An Zhisu became especially diligent in her cultivation. Ling Yunpo turned towards the wooden bed and noticed that his senior sister had left a place for him as well. But he didn¡¯t rush to the bed, instead, he took great interest in admiring the face of his senior sister so close at hand. An Zhisu, despite being from Yangzhou¡¯s Guangling County and corresponding to the gentle women of the ¡°Jiangnan Water Town,¡± was neither gentle in appearance nor in temperament; she was typically the kind of person who had a gentle exterior but firm interior. It was her extremely protective nature that kept her as gentle as water with her junior brother but, once Ling Yunpo crossed her limit, she would subconsciously become strong-willed. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Thankfully, through persistent trial and error, Ling Yunpo had roughly determined the boundaries of Senior Sister An¡¯s tolerance. For example, holding hands was okay in everyday interactions, a hug wasn¡¯t a problem either, but a kiss would push the boundaries and lead to her forcefully pushing him away and sternly reprimanding him. So, what he needed to do was to keep wandering close to the line, getting her gradually accustomed and slowly yielding. From ¡°How can we live together?¡± to ¡°No choice but to live together for now,¡± and finally ¡°Living together isn¡¯t really a problem,¡± that was Ling Yunpo¡¯s ultimate goal! What does it mean to have an ¡°unyielding character¡±? Unyielding means relentlessly progressing towards one¡¯s goal without ever stopping! Chapter 426 - Chapter 426: Chapter 59 Senior Sister An Is Very Unhappy Chapter 426: Chapter 59 Senior Sister An Is Very Unhappy By noon, Ling Yunpo went with Senior Sister An to the entrance of the White Jade Capital Secret Realm to draw lots. He originally thought it would be like lining up for COVID tests, taking turns to draw lots from the box, but upon arrival, he discovered a sea of people¨Chow long would it take to line up? Fortunately, the Three Sects of the Orthodox Sect weren¡¯t foolish enough to actually arrange the lottery draw like that. At exactly three-quarters past noon, ten thousand rays of light suddenly burst forth, shooting out in all directions. A streak of light shot towards Ling Yunpo¡¯s side, which he swiftly caught with a swift chop of his hand. Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a small jade sword marked ¡°317¡±. Which means that his opponent was the Cultivator who got ¡°318¡±, Ling Yunpo thought to himself. Turning his head, he saw that Senior Sister An¡¯s lot sword was marked ¡°110¡±, a very auspicious number. By this time, the grand competition had already begun, and the stone doors at the entrance of the White Jade Capital Secret Realm were wide open. Several High Rank Cultivators were nearby the entrance, constantly charging the stone doors with some lightning-based Magical Treasure, maintaining the continued opening of the Secret Realm. Many Cultivators entered the White Jade Capital Secret Realm in groups. Considering the Secret Realm could accommodate at most a thousand battles a day, most of these Cultivators would not be competing but watching the fights. ¡°Shall we go in as well?¡± Ling Yunpo extended an invitation. ¡°Okay,¡± An Zhisu replied with a soft smile. As the two followed the crowd into the White Jade Capital Secret Realm, they immediately heard a huge wave of cheers coming from ahead. wuxiaworld.site ¡°As expected of Chief Qiu!¡± ¡°That sword move was simply extraordinary!¡± ¡°Chief Qiu is invincible!¡± An Zhisu frowned upon hearing this, while Ling Yunpo¡¯s expression changed¨Chow did they start praising me with just the first match! Far off near a pavilion, the crowd slowly parted on both sides as a Kunlun Disciple with flushed cheeks stepped out of the pavilion¡¯s gate, continuously bowing to the left and right crowds, saying: ¡°In my humble first match, I was fortunate to battle Chief Qiu, learning from his marvellous moves. I truly was no match, how embarrassing!¡± Although he spoke of embarrassment, his expression clearly showed he was reveling in the limelight, as if he was the victor. Looking at the Kunlun Disciples among the crowd, they were actually all showing signs of envy, as if crossing swords with Chief Qiu was an honor. It was utterly ridiculous. ¡°Brother Yin, do tell us the intricacies of Chief Qiu¡¯s sword move just now,¡± Soon, about a dozen Kunlun Disciples came forward, pulling the defeated Brother Yin aside to talk, and the onlooking crowd gradually dispersed. ¡°Putting on airs,¡± An Zhisu stated with distaste, yet she thought to herself: Do these Kunlun Disciples have no pride at all? Even when my father had successive victories at Shushan, he did not gain such high esteem; instead, everyone was dissatisfied and slandered and maligned him behind his back¡­ How did Qiu Changtian walk the same path but manage to earn so much respect and admiration from his peers? Ling Yunpo guessed her thoughts and couldn¡¯t help but smile inwardly: I, Qiu Changtian, and your father Su Jian, are not walking the same path at all! Su Jian had made a name for himself in Shushan through various challenges after the disappearance of his senior, Dao Ye True Person. The Long Eyebrow Immortal was worried about the whereabouts of Dao Ye True Person and did not have the energy to care for him. Moreover, Su Jian did not understand socializing at all, and upon facing an opponent, he would launch a merciless beating, never bothering with pleasantries, and would even go as far as breaking the opponent¡¯s Flying Sword. Even with great strength, who would dare to get close to him? But Qiu Changtian was different. He gained his reputation amongst the outer disciples with the title of ¡°Righteous and Noble, Chief Qiu,¡± giving him a positive first impression from the start. Not to mention that he was a practitioner of Daoist Heart Clarity, clearly destined for unlimited prospects, everyone wanted to forge ties with him early on, and he courteously responded to each overture, making everyone feel as if bathed in the warmth of spring, without ever sensing any distance. Furthermore, with the endorsement of the Ziwei Master behind him, even those who envied him could only feign friendliness on the surface. In this way, the collective atmosphere of ¡°everyone loves Qiu Changtian¡± naturally formed, didn¡¯t it? The so-called collective atmosphere is the collective consciousness¡¯ appraisal of someone, and this thing can be contagious. Su Jian resorted to lethal attacks during the sword competition, thus making enemies. The existence of these enemies caused Su Jian¡¯s reputation within Shushan to deteriorate, leading to even more enemies challenging him to sword duels, and his reputation worsened further. Qiu Changtian led the external disciples through their trials, made friends, and his friends boasted about him in the Kunlun circles, resulting in even more friends seeking to make his acquaintance, and his reputation improved steadily. Do you understand, Senior Sister An? Please take this to heart! An Zhisu, of course, had no inkling of her junior brother¡¯s thoughts. She felt that not to mention her master, even her own junior brother was a thousand times, no, ten thousand times better than that show-off Qiu, yet no one recognized or sought him out. This only increased her displeasure towards Qiu Changtian, thinking that if she were to encounter him, she would certainly teach him a lesson. Although her junior brother had instructed that they should not casually destroy someone¡¯s Life-bound Sword Artifact, Qiu Changtian was a Kunlun Cultivator who did not practice the Life-bound Sword Technique, so destroying his sword shouldn¡¯t be a problem; it would also vent some of her junior brother¡¯s frustration¡­ Yes, that¡¯s what she¡¯d do! Ling Yunpo was unaware of Senior Sister An¡¯s thoughts; he only knew that Qiu Changtian¡¯s token was definitely near the front, perhaps the Ziwei Master had cheated to ensure a victorious start for Kunlun¡¯s Chief Disciple! As the two wandered through the White Jade Capital Secret Realm, lost in thought, suddenly, the token sword in An Zhisu¡¯s hand lit up and unexpectedly flew out of her grasp, speeding towards the distance. ¡°Senior Sister, it¡¯s your turn!¡± Ling Yunpo quickly reminded her. ¡°Got it!¡± An Zhisu, who was already upset, promptly summoned the Flying Smoke Sword, transforming into a streak of red light, and eagerly chased after the token sword. Ling Yunpo hurriedly followed, and the two rode their swords, following the small token directly to the ninth pavilion of the White Jade Capital. There, they saw the token sword enter the pavilion¡¯s signboard and then vanish without a trace. The vicinity of the ninth pavilion, including the nearby pavilions and the corridor in the sky, was already full of Cultivators. When they saw An Zhisu arrive on her sword, the Shushan disciples in the crowd recognized the countenance of the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal and were shocked, changing their expressions and hastily casting out streaks of light to summon their peers from the Various Peaks to watch. Lest we forget, our Shushan brethren have often been treated like grass to be cut by the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal. This great competition in the White Jade Capital will finally venture out to bully the other two Sects, letting them know the prowess of the Shushan Sword Immortals! An Zhisu and Ling Yunpo stepped into the ninth pavilion, and many Cultivators immediately followed close behind, eager to witness the first battle of the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal. Most of them were Shushan disciples, their faces brimming with excitement, hoping to see the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal create a bloodbath in the upcoming battle. Of course, there were also some Kunlun and Penglai disciples present. While they were unaware of the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal¡¯s fame, the sight of the Shushan crowd quickly gathering piqued their curiosity too. Ling Yunpo passed through the entrance of the pavilion and saw that the interior was still as spacious as the last time he entered, many times larger than it appeared from the outside, clearly having been expanded using some secret spatial technique. The center featured a vast and unobstructed area for Magical Competition, with staircases leading to the second, third level¡­ Each level consisted of a narrow corridor about ten feet wide encircling the outer edge, with the middle hollowed out and surrounded by a railing, allowing the spectators to stand on the higher floors and watch the battles below. Senior Sister An¡¯s opponent had already arrived early, currently standing in the center of the field, a Kunlun Cultivator¡­ Eh? Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only This person was known to Ling Yunpo ¨C it was the Direct Disciple of Kunlun¡¯s Elder Xuanzhen, Fayuan Zhi, whose killing move was Intangible Sword Qi, a secret technique exclusive to Elder Xuanzhen¡¯s lineage, marking him as one of the Kunlun¡¯s most elite disciples. An Zhisu also stepped onto the field, and the rest of the crowd ascended the stairways along the edge of the pavilion, heading to the higher viewing corridors, leaving the first floor clear for the two Cultivators set for the duel. Suddenly, a faint female voice echoed in the pavilion: ¡°The flag flutters in the heavenly wind, summoning the True Qi of the five directions; the sword spans the Big Dipper, cleansing a thousand miles of demonic miasma. Trialists, shall the competition begin?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s!¡± As An Zhisu drew out her Flying Smoke Sword, Fayuan Zhi suddenly raised his hand, ¡°Wait!¡±> Chapter 427 - Chapter 427: Chapter 60: Taiqing Xuanmens Intangible Sword Qi Chapter 427: Chapter 60: Taiqing Xuanmen¡¯s Intangible Sword Qi ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± An Zhisu, with a fierce aura, raised her willow brows and said impatiently. ¡°Just waiting for my junior brothers and sisters to come watch the fight,¡± Fayuan Zhi said proudly. Ling Yunpo was speechless; this Senior Brother Fa¡¯s mannerisms were clearly imitating Qiu Changtian. When playing the role of Qiu Changtian, Fayuan Zhi had been quite familiar with him and had been very polite in their conversations, but who would have thought he was a fan of mine in private, tsk tsk. However, even if you do want to make a name for yourself, you need to be sure you can defeat Senior Sister An¡­ The first to come and watch the fight were the Shushan disciples, and gradually more Kunlun disciples arrived, apparently having received the news and come to see Senior Brother Fa show off his skills. Ling Yunpo even saw Xu Yinglian; Junior Sister Xu came up to the fourth floor quietly from the opposite staircase and found a quiet corner, her gaze crossing the railing and looking down at the field. Finally, seeing that all the junior brothers and sisters had arrived, Fa Zhiyuan thought it was time to show off his skills and loosened his muscles with a gesture, then burst into laughter, ¡°Sorry for the wait, let¡¯s begin.¡± An Zhisu had been growing impatient and, at his words, drew out the Flying Smoke and Harsh Cold Swords, executing the Cloud-Parting Eight Trigrams Step with just a shimmer of her feet, covering several zhang in an instant. Fayuan Zhi hadn¡¯t yet reacted when he saw An Zhisu¡¯s figure shimmer again, and she had already rushed to his front, the Flying Smoke Sword slashing down at his head! Surprised gasps rippled through the crowd outside the arena, as it was generally assumed that when fighting against a Shushan Sword Immortal, everyone would be watching for your Flying Sword to strike, either countering with a Flying Sword of their own or defending with a Magical Treasure. wuxiaworld.site But An Zhisu used a stepping technique, a concept so antiquated for the audience that it gave them the illusion of a dream journey back to the ancient times of Body Refinement. The spectators were simply amazed, but Fayuan Zhi, in the midst of the field, was secretly finding it bitter, because the sudden explosive power of this stepping technique was far faster than the speed of the Flying Sword, so much so that his eyes simply couldn¡¯t keep up! He had no choice but to use his right hand to control his Flying Sword to intercept, while his left hand secretly curled his fingers, flicking them rapidly. Taiqing Xuanmen¡¯s Intangible Sword Qi! This secret technique was as easily wielded as one¡¯s own limbs, and its attacking power was almost on par with that of the ordinary Flying Swords. However, its advantage lay in being colorless and intangible, silent and quiet, undetectable even to the Divine Sense. Unless one possessed a Magical Treasure offering a 360-degree defensive barrier, there was simply no way to block it. It made for a covert sneak attack¡­ no, more accurately, it was an exquisite secret technique for exploiting vulnerabilities. Under Fayuan Zhi¡¯s control, that Intangible Sword Qi took a detour and attacked An Zhisu from behind. An Zhisu saw him fluttering his fingers from the corner of her eye, as if he was controlling a sword, and she instantly got a jolt in her heart. Immediately, the Harsh Cold Sword circled behind her and found itself precisely in the path of the oncoming Intangible Sword Qi. Fayuan Zhi turned pale with shock on his side and couldn¡¯t pull back in time, causing the Intangible Sword Qi to clash with the Harsh Cold Sword, instantly dissipating into nothingness. Right after, the Flying Smoke Sword was chopping down again. This time, Fayuan Zhi¡¯s response was half a beat too slow, because just a half-beat earlier, he had been busy controlling the Intangible Sword Qi. Seeing that it was already too late to call back his Flying Sword for defense, Fayuan Zhi gritted his teeth and quickly activated the Talisman Scripts on his body. A Talisman Script from his waist was triggered, forming an invisible wall in the air that blocked the strike from the Flying Smoke Sword. At the same time, Fayuan Zhi¡¯s hands shook frantically, as if plucking at invisible strings. In that instant, he had launched twenty streaks of Intangible Sword Qi, attacking An Zhisu from twenty different directions. You might have been lucky blocking one before, but this time there¡¯s no way you can luck out against twenty! Ling Yunpo, watching from outside, was getting anxious and nearly blurted out, ¡°Unleash the Daoist Magic!¡± He knew all too well how troublesome the Invisible Sword Qi of the Taiqing Xuanmen was. If there were only three or five strands, it was possible to block them by whipping out one¡¯s Flying Sword in a rapid, chaotic defense (in short: the frantic random blocking method). But once the number exceeded ten strands, a complete defense was nearly impossible. ¡°If Qiu Changtian were here, a single flick of your fingers would be all the incentive I need to use the fastest Immortal Capital Thunder to kill you before you could react,¡± he mused. However, Senior Sister An¡¯s attack had been blocked by the Magical Treasure, allowing for the Invisible Sword Qi to be unleashed. At this point, one could only resort to using the Sword Dao Techniques for widespread assault¡­ No, that¡¯s not right! Ling Yunpo suddenly realized that An Zhisu was too close to Fayuan Zhi, the distance too short. Before the Sword Dao Techniques could be activated, fear was that the Invisible Sword Qi would already be piercing through her forehead! Just when he was on tenterhooks, he saw that An Zhisu had reacted once again. She did not initiate her Sword Dao Techniques. As Ling Yunpo belatedly understood, at such a close distance, the Sword Qi was faster than the Daoist Magic. She merely shot the Harsh Cold Sword into the air and surrounded herself with the Flying Smoke Sword, swinging it around in a flurry resembling a fierce tempest. Although it seemed as if she was striking at the air, the strikes made a sound like shattering glass. Did she block it? In the stands where the high-ranking delegates were seated, many Shushan Disciples were still unclear about what had happened, but the more experienced ones could tell that the Kunlun Cultivator was using some kind of Intangible Sword Qi. And all these strands of Sword Qi were blocked by the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal! Judging by the frequency of the sounds, there were no less than twenty! How did she do that? Ling Yunpo¡¯s breathing also halted for a moment, his mind swirling with incredulity. ¡°It¡¯s the Innate Sword Heart,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword sighed with profound emotion. ¡°The true Innate Sword Heart¡­¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t her Innate Sword Heart awaken a long time ago?¡± the Kunlun Mirror asked in surprise. ¡°Yes, but she was reluctant to use it against her favorite Junior Brother,¡± said the Green Duckweed Sword somberly. ¡°Watch closely, Sword Master¡­¡± ¡°¡­That is the true power of the Innate Sword Heart¡­¡± Once again, An Zhisu swung her arms, the Flying Smoke Sword and Harsh Cold Sword, one red, one blue, intertwining to form a net. Regardless of how Fayuan Zhi unleashed the Invisible Sword Qi, it shattered and disintegrated beneath this impervious sword net. It was as if¡­ she could see the Invisible Sword Qi of the Taiqing Xuanmen! Fayuan Zhi hastily retreated half a step, flooded with disbelief. However, there wasn¡¯t much time left for him. Since the Invisible Sword Qi could no longer achieve its stealth effect, the capability for a sneak attack¡­ the ability to exploit weaknesses had also been nullified. Fayuan Zhi certainly had more tricks up his sleeve, intended for the struggle over the twelve seats of the White Jade Capital. Revealing them too soon would only make him a target of subsequent opponents, but¡­ Surely, one couldn¡¯t be eliminated in the very first round! Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only He took a deep breath, feeling all the True Yuan within his Dantian surging forth. They spun furiously within his Qi Sea, then erupted from the meridians in his limbs and body, transforming into countless strands of Invisible Sword Qi, bombarding everything ahead in a sweeping assault. The Invisible Thousand Swords Art, a plain-sounding name, but as its literal meaning suggested, when the quantity of Invisible Sword Qi exploded to over ten thousand, any pure swordsmanship response lost its significance, because this was an attack on the level of Daoist Magic. And an attack at the level of Daoist Magic could only be countered by equally ranked Daoist Magic. This was exactly the advantage of Kunlun Cultivators, and the weakness of Shushan Sword Immortals, for there was a significant gap between their capacities of True Yuan¡­ Such a thought had just crossed Fayuan Zhi¡¯s mind when immediately afterward, his vision was engulfed by a bright, intense red light, completely obscuring all sight. Chapter 428 - Chapter 428: Chapter 61 All Old Acquaintances Chapter 428: Chapter 61 All Old Acquaintances ¡°` Invisible Thousand Swords Art, nearly ten thousand intangible Sword Qi burst forth, and even though the onlookers couldn¡¯t capture the contours of the Sword Qi, the almost tangible sense of danger and murderous intent still made everyone¡¯s scalp tingle. Ling Yunpo¡¯s heart tightened as he watched, for he too understood the power of this Invisible Thousand Swords Art. Ordinary cultivators, startled by the sense of danger, would instinctively react by using a defensive magical treasure. But in fact, this is a trap, because no matter how powerful the magical treasure is, its defensive strength is not enough to block nearly ten thousand Sword Qi. Once the magical treasure is broken through, there will be no time to change tactics. The correct course of action is to meet offense with offense, for example, if Qiu Changtian were here, he could use ¡°Tai Yi Thunder¡± to break it. Tai Yi Thunder covers a very wide range, whether it¡¯s ten thousand or a hundred million intangible Sword Qi, all of them would be obliterated by a single Divine Thunder. But Senior Sister An doesn¡¯t have such a wide-ranging Daoist magic¡­ One could only see her tossing out the Flying Smoke Sword, the Sword Light merging with her figure in an instant, then the Sword Light surged several meters, rapidly shooting towards Fayuan Zhi. Unity of Body and Sword! As the ultimate move of the Shushan Sword Immortal, Unity of Body and Sword was to merge the body with the sword, greatly enhancing the Flying Sword¡¯s strength, speed, and lethality. Of course, since this move consumes a great amount of True Yuan, it could only be used as a trump card. wuxiaworld.site And An Zhisu¡¯s timing was just perfect, catching the exact moment the Invisible Thousand Swords Art was launched, precisely when Fayuan Zhi was most complacent. By the time he snapped back to reality from his confidence, An Zhisu¡¯s Sword Light had already pierced through his chest. And then time seemed to suddenly stand still. When Fayuan Zhi came to his senses, he only saw that there was no wound at all in his chest, only a faint sense of pain ¡ª just like when Ling Yunpo initially entered the White Jade Capital Secret Realm and was defeated by the Sword Spirit piercing his chest, he wasn¡¯t actually harmed. The crowd only heard another voice in their ears, but it was not the original female voice of the White Jade Capital Secret Realm; it was another unfamiliar Artifact Spirit¡¯s tone: ¡°The victor, Shushan, An Zhisu.¡± Ling Yunpo breathed a sigh of relief. Heh, worthy of being my Senior Sister. The surrounding Shushan disciples also cheered: The first one! The first disciple from an outside sect cut down by Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal! The hardships we¡¯ve endured over the years are finally making you realize our power! On the other hand, the expressions of the Kunlun disciples were somewhat unpleasant, especially those younger brothers and sisters called over by Fayuan Zhi, who looked almost as if they were about to cry. Master, it¡¯s bad! Brother Fayuan has been eliminated in the first round! An Zhisu huffed and, without boasting or speaking, simply turned and walked out of the arena. Ling Yunpo quickly descended the stairs, greeted his Senior Sister with a smile, and said: ¡°Congratulations to Senior Sister for the splendid victory.¡± ¡°The opponent was quite formidable.¡± In response to her junior brother¡¯s compliments, An Zhisu was quite modest, smiling as she said, ¡°That person¡¯s Intangible Sword Qi were really powerful; one would fall for it if not careful. You should be more cautious if you encounter it in the future.¡± ¡°In the future?¡± Ling Yunpo laughed, ¡°He¡¯s been eliminated by Senior Sister, where will the ¡®in the future¡¯ come from?¡± ¡°Ahem, even if it¡¯s not during the competition, there¡¯s still a chance to meet up later,¡± An Zhisu explained somewhat awkwardly, but still defended herself. Chatting and laughing, the two of them left the ninth pavilion, under the awe-filled gazes of the surrounding Shushan disciples. As soon as they stepped out the door, they saw Shi Liuli and Luo Yan just right at the moment of landing, descending upon the nearby platform. ¡°Why are there so many people here?¡± Miss Shi asked curiously. ¡°It¡¯s said that two high rank disciples from Shushan and Kunlun were fighting inside.¡± Luo Yan answered. ¡°` ¡°Oh?¡± Shi Liuli asked doubtfully, ¡°Junior Brother, you have been with me this whole time, how do you know that the disciples from Shushan and Kunlun are engaged in battle?¡± ¡°Look.¡± Luo Yan pointed towards the tower¡¯s main gate with a smile, ¡°The cultivators coming out to watch the battle are mostly dressed in Kunlun¡¯s and Shushan¡¯s attire, with the least from Penglai. Doesn¡¯t that suggest that it was Kunlun and Shushan¡¯s cultivators who just fought inside?¡± ¡°Besides, since everyone is coming out now, it suggests that the battle has already ended¡­ Senior Sister, look!¡± Shi Liuli looked up to see yet another Sword Token flying from a distance, plunging straight into the plaque atop the tower. Clearly, a new pair of duelists was scheduled to fight inside this ninth tower. ¡°Hmph.¡± Shi Liuli was clearly a bit irritated that her junior brother¡¯s observational skills had surpassed her own. Turned her head to see An Zhisu and Ling Yunpo passing by, Miss Shi suddenly made a surprised noise. ¡°Eh, Junior Brother,¡± she called out, staring at Ling Yunpo¡¯s retreating figure, ¡°that person¡­ Have I seen him before?¡± Ling Yunpo, however, didn¡¯t know and just flew away with An Zhisu on their swords. ¡°Shall we take a stroll around Mount Tianmu outside?¡± Ling Yunpo suggested with a smile. ¡°Your number is three one seven, right?¡± Senior Sister An was attentive, ¡°It seems it will be your turn soon. Why don¡¯t we wait until you¡¯re done with today¡¯s match before leaving?¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Ling Yunpo nodded in agreement. About half an hour later, Ling Yunpo¡¯s Sword Token indeed reacted, shooting out promptly and flying straight ahead. The two hurriedly followed with Sword Control, and saw the Sword Token descending once again, landing in the plaque of the first tower. ¡°Junior Brother, it¡¯s your turn.¡± An Zhisu said with a smile, clearly very confident in her junior brother¡¯s abilities. ¡°Senior Sister might as well warm a cup of wine, so I can drink it when I return victorious,¡± Ling Yunpo joked. ¡°Alright.¡± Senior Sister An actually poured two cups of wine and placed them flat on the blade of the Flying Smoke Sword, starting to heat them. Ling Yunpo: ¡­¡­¡­ Alright then, just don¡¯t drink it while I¡¯m not around. Stepping into the first tower, Ling Yunpo saw that standing across the field was another familiar face: a disciple of the Divine Elixir Pavilion from Yuqing View, Bi Lian. ¡°This is bad,¡± Ling Yunpo inwardly sighed, but it was more out of concern for Luo Yan and Yuqing View. It¡¯s known that unlike Kunlun¡¯s and Shushan¡¯s almost mass mobilization of Foundation Establishment Realm disciples, the disciples from Penglai Yuqing View were quite indifferent to the grand competition at the White Jade Capital. So much so that they couldn¡¯t even fill the first round¡¯s roster without higher-ups forcefully assigning spots just to meet the numbers. Since they were strong-armed into participating, one could imagine the enthusiasm for battle among these disciples. It was uncertain whether they would last more than a few rounds in the competition. The ones truly entrusted with the expectations of the Master of Xuandu and others were no more than seven¡­ and now they were going to be one less prematurely. However, thinking about it carefully, Senior Sister Bi Lian¡¯s combat strength was indeed not strong. Even if she hadn¡¯t encountered Ling Yunpo, she would still likely face defeat against Qiu Changtian, Xu Yinglian, An Zhisu, wouldn¡¯t she? By defeating her early, I¡¯ve actually helped her to start her holiday earlier, sparing her the worry for the subsequent matches. From this perspective, she ought to thank me! Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only With that thought, Ling Yunpo calmly gave a fist-and-palm salute. Bi Lian on the other hand clearly did her homework beforehand, recognizing that the one entering was the second-ranked Po Yun Sword Immortal on the Shushan Immortal Sword Ranking, her face immediately turned unsightly. Seeing him salute with a fist, she guessed that he would likely show mercy and not let her lose too badly, so Bi Lian breathed a sigh of relief and slightly bowed back in return. But in the next second, Ling Yunpo swiftly summoned the Qing Ping, Thunderbane, and Myriad Bamboo swords, positioning them in mid-air to form a chilling battlefront that nearly scared her soul out of her body. I knew about Shushan¡¯s signature Two-Handed Sword Control Technique, but what the heck is this handling three swords at once! Chapter 429 - Chapter 429: Chapter 62: Warm Wine Cuts Down Bi Lian Chapter 429: Chapter 62: Warm Wine Cuts Down Bi Lian But let¡¯s wind back to a quarter of an hour earlier, in another pavilion within White Jade Capital, Duan Fenhai efficiently defeated a peer from Shushan, securing his promotion slot. Just as he stepped off the stage, he saw Guan Shanyue coming down from the spectator stand¡¯s staircase and greeting him. ¡°What¡¯s your draw number?¡± Duan Fenhai casually asked. ¡°Three seven four nine,¡± Guan Shanyue answered, ¡°The first battle is likely scheduled for the day after tomorrow.¡± ¡°Troublesome,¡± Duan Fenhai shook his head and scoffed, ¡°With so many contenders, the majority has no chance of advancing, so why bother crowding into White Jade Capital?¡± ¡°It¡¯s naturally to broaden one¡¯s horizons,¡± Guan Shanyue said leisurely. ¡°How does one broaden their horizons?¡± Duan Fenhai retorted, ¡°By getting onto the battlefield and crying for their fathers and mothers when defeated? Is that what you call broadening horizons?¡± Guan Shanyue laughed but did not reply, then she saw Lin Duanshan descending nearby after dispelling his sword light, and she asked him: ¡°Lin Duanshan, did you watch Chief Qiu¡¯s battle?¡± ¡°I did,¡± Lin Duanshan shook his head, ¡°The gap in strength with his opponent was too great, there was not much to see.¡± ¡°As expected,¡± Duan Fenhai was not surprised. ¡°Additionally, the sword used by Qiu Changtian seems to be the Tianyuan Yiqi Sword,¡± Lin Duanshan dropped another bombshell. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co ¡°The Tianyuan Yiqi Sword?¡± Duan Fenhai frowned, ¡°If I recall correctly, this sword was once possessed by a great power of the Witch Clan, and after their decline, its whereabouts became unknown. How did it end up in Kunlun¡¯s hands?¡± ¡°Qiu Changtian wielding the Tianyuan Yiqi Sword managed to blow away the opponent¡¯s Kunlun Disciple¡¯s flying sword with a single strike, his tremendous physical strength was truly alarming,¡± Lin Duanshan stated gravely, ¡°I even doubt if Senior Sister An were here, she might not be able to face Qiu Changtian head-on.¡± ¡°But An Zhisu might not necessarily confront Qiu Changtian head-on¡­¡± Guan Shanyue had just begun when she suddenly exclaimed, ¡°Eh, isn¡¯t that An Zhisu?¡± Everyone looked up and saw Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu flying after the draw swords. ¡°Shall we take a look?¡± Lin Duanshan suggested. Whether it was Ling Yunpo¡¯s or An Zhisu¡¯s duel, both were naturally worth witnessing. Thus, without objection, they all mounted their sword light and chased after them. As a result, when they arrived at the first pavilion, they saw Ling Yunpo entering the arena, bowing and paying respects to Bi Lian from Yuqing View. ¡°Junior Brother Ling retains proper decorum, epitomizing the demeanor of a Shushan Sword Immortal,¡± Lin Duanshan commended. ¡°Yet he seems to know how to conduct himself far better than his senior sister,¡± Guan Shanyue added. Duan Fenhai could not agree more. It was only when Ling Yunpo suddenly executed three swords that the three of them were taken aback. ¡°Three swords wielded simultaneously?¡± Lin Duanshan exclaimed, ¡°An external incarnation? Or is it multitasking with a single mind?¡± ¡°It should be multiple tasks with a single mind,¡± Duan Fenhai immediately said, ¡°Just observe, the Thunder Punishment Sword and that new Wood System Flying Sword can never operate smoothly at the same time, when the former moves the latter stops, and when the latter proceeds the former halts.¡± ¡°That makes sense,¡± Lin Duanshan also sighed in relief, ¡°I was worried he might have used the Azure Spirit Divine Bead given by the old ancestor of the Guan Family last time to refine an external incarnation.¡± ¡°Compared to the materials, the refining secret method for an external incarnation is even rarer,¡± Duan Fenhai turned and asked, ¡°Senior Sister Guan, has Ling Yunpo ever approached your Guan Family for the refining secret method?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t heard of it,¡± Guan Shanyue shook her head, ¡°Especially since after the Sun Sword Master set such an outrageous condition last time, the old ancestor has given up on seeking the Sun and Tai Yin swords. Junior Brother Ling hasn¡¯t visited our Guan Family since then.¡± ¡°That settles it,¡± Duan Fenhai nodded, ¡°However, with Junior Brother Ling¡¯s talent, by using multitasking to mimic an external incarnation, ordinary cultivators would have a hard time seeing through it, right? Look at that opponent from Yuqing View, isn¡¯t she already trembling in fear?¡± Lin Duanshan looked over and saw that Bi Lian¡¯s face was almost turning as bitter as a melon, swiftly reaching into her sleeve to pull out several elixirs, popping them into her mouth. Although Ling Yunpo already possessed an external incarnation, he chose not to release the Azure Spirit Divine Bead at that moment. Instead, he was using multitasking to control three swords, intending to mislead the surrounding spectators and conceal his true trump card. With this approach, when the time came to use his External Incarnation, he would simultaneously command three swords, and the opponent would not realize the danger in a short amount of time. Since he intended to mislead the surrounding crowd, he was not in a hurry to defeat Bi Lian, nor did he need to use the Unity of Body and Sword, that kind of major move. Ling Yunpo simply stood on the field with poise, not taking advantage of the enemy¡¯s moment of taking medicine to launch a sneak attack. After Bi Lian had swallowed the pill, her complexion immediately gained some color. Subsequently, she pulled out the hairpin from behind her head and pointed it towards Ling Yunpo. Ling Yunpo uttered a surprised sound and suddenly performed the Cloud-Parting Eight Trigrams Step, disappearing from his original spot in a flash. When the crowd looked again at the place where he had been standing, there was a small pit on the ground, evidently pierced by some unknown attack launched from that hairpin. ¡°Is that all?¡± Ling Yunpo was slightly taken aback, not as impressive as the Intangible Sword Qi of the Taiqing Xuanmen I watched earlier! Bi Lian¡¯s face remained expressionless, but inwardly she was in great distress. The Daoist magic and Qi Refining Techniques of Yuqing View were not as rich as those of Kunlun and Shushan, but they did not lack an assortment of strange and varied Magical Treasures. For instance, this Green Duckweed Sword Hairpin, as long as True Yuan was poured into it, it could emit Sword Qi. The more True Yuan, the stronger the Sword Qi. With the support of the Elixir¡¯s power, she pushed her True Yuan to the limit, and the intensity of the Sword Qi she had triggered was even strong enough to repel ordinary Flying Swords. But against the Po Yun Sword Immortal, second on the Shushan Immortal Sword Ranking, it was not enough; her Sword Qi couldn¡¯t even make contact, making the great force behind it meaningless. Thinking of this, Bi Lian took out another amber-colored Golden Core from her sleeve and threw them around on the ground. Where each Golden Core landed, in a flash, an eight-foot-tall brass automaton sprang up, as sturdy as a rhinoceros and as fierce as a fighting bull, wielding weapons as they ferociously attacked Ling Yunpo from all sides. Oh, it¡¯s the magic of spawning soldiers from beans! Ling Yunpo found it quite peculiar and, with another swift movement, slipped through the gap between two brass automatons. The Green Duckweed Sword and the Thunder Punishment Sword shot out, piercing the automatons from behind. Seeing this, Bi Lian¡¯s expression turned bitter. The material used for her automatons was of the finest quality, yet under the opponent¡¯s Flying Sword, they were as flimsy as paper, utterly defenseless, which suggested that the swords in his hands must surely be Tenth Rank Immortal Swords! Outmatched in magical skills and with no advantage in magical tools, how could she possibly win? Ling Yunpo once again pinched his Sword technique, allowing the Green Duckweed Sword and the Thunder Punishment Sword to continue shredding the surrounding automatons, while the Myriad Bamboos Sword targeted Bi Lian¡¯s body, blocked by a small green sword from the opponent. After only a few slashes with the Myriad Bamboos Sword, Bi Lian could no longer hold on. Her complexion paled from the Sword Light, and she finally called out: ¡°Alright, I lost! I lost!¡± Looking at the field where the brass automatons had been, only three remained, hacked by Ling Yunpo, which caused her so much distress that tears began to well up in her eyes. Although Ling Yunpo was supposed to be unyielding, he couldn¡¯t bear to see a girl cry, so he gave a bow and quickly turned to leave. Just then, he saw Shi Liuli running into the arena from outside, comforting the still upset Bi Lian and simultaneously throwing a fiercely angry glare his way. Ling Yunpo: ? Right, he suddenly remembered, Miss Shi and Bi Lian were both from that ¡°Chief Qiu¡¯s Top Fan Club,¡± so their private relationship must be quite good¡­ It seemed that this time he was likely to be hated by association. An Zhisu disliked Qiu Changtian, Shi Liuli disliked Ling Yunpo; what was this chaotic web of relationships? If one day his identity was exposed, wouldn¡¯t they be furious enough to kill him? Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only It seemed Luo Yan would have to stay away from Xu Yinglian from now on. Ling Yunpo did not dare linger, rushing off the pavilion, and when he stepped outside, he saw Senior Sister An standing by the White Jade railing, greeting him with the Flying Smoke Sword holding a cup of wine. ¡°Junior Brother has worked hard,¡± Senior Sister An said with a cheerful smile. ¡°It wasn¡¯t hard,¡± Ling Yunpo shook his head and raised his cup to finish it off. The wine was crisp and still steaming warm. Chapter 430 - Chapter 430: Chapter 63: A Familiar Figure Returns Chapter 430: Chapter 63: A Familiar Figure Returns In the following days, since it wasn¡¯t their turn to fight, Ling Yunpo spent his time strolling through Mount Tianmu with An Zhisu, thoroughly enjoying the mountain excursion and the scenic waters. Apart from the battles among the top-notch masters from Kunlun, Shushan, and Penglai, the fights involving other cultivators were indeed not very interesting to watch. Lin Duanshan and Duan Fenhai, being bachelors, wandered around the White Jade Capital Secret Realm, seeking out somewhat famous cultivators to spar with for entertainment. As for Guan Shanyue, no one knew where he had gone; he was nowhere to be found. That afternoon, An Zhisu was fishing with Ling Yunpo by a lake near Mount Tianmu. Ling Yunpo prepared the bait in advance, scattering it near the lake to attract a school of fish before he began fishing. An Zhisu sat beside him, warming wine over a small stove, occasionally using her Flying Smoke Sword to stoke the fire. The sizable crucian carps kept biting, making Ling Yunpo overjoyed, and he kept putting them into the wooden bucket by Senior Sister An¡¯s skirt, using water to keep them fresh. ¡°Junior Brother Ling!¡± Suddenly, a voice came from behind. Ling Yunpo turned around and saw that it was Sima Changyan, ranked sixth on the Immortal Sword Ranking. Since their last meeting in the giant wood secret realm, it had been quite a while since they had seen each other. However, Senior Sister An didn¡¯t like Sima Changyan; she felt that he was too engrossed in establishing connections and power, which she believed had hindered his own cultivation. Therefore, she often cautioned Ling Yunpo to minimize his contact with him. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.cO Behind Sima Changyan, there were two other people, a man and a woman, both of whom were acquaintances. The man was slim, slightly pale, and he was the lead sword-casting master from Heavenly Craft Workshop, a Golden Core Realm cultivator at the Perfection of the Obscure Weave Rank, none other than Linghu Chu, their senior brother. The woman had delicate features, pretty and adorable¨C if not Shi Liuli, the Miss Shi, then who could it be? ¡°Junior Brother Duan, Senior Sister An, let me introduce you,¡± Sima Changyan immediately said, ¡°These two are friends from Yuqing View¡¯s Heavenly Craft Workshop, the True Person Hengqiu and Shi Liuli.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve long admired your great names,¡± Ling Yunpo said, giving his respects. Hengqiu, the Taoist name of Linghu Chu after his Core Formation, though in Heavenly Craft Workshop people were more relaxed and usually called him ¡°Senior Brother Linghu.¡± ¡°True Person Hengqiu?¡± An Zhisu paused briefly, ¡°I saw you at the last sword tomb conference of the Guan Family.¡± ¡°My apologies, I didn¡¯t expect the Sword Immortal with the Flying Smoke Sword to remember my name,¡± Linghu Chu said with a smile, ¡°Miss Shi and I are here to make friends with the two of you and exchange swordplay knowledge.¡± Though he said it was ¡°exchanging swordplay knowledge,¡± Ling Yunpo was quite familiar with this Senior Brother¡¯s real intention¨Chis love for swords was driving him to see the Tenth Rank Flying Swords like Qing Ping and Flying Smoke. But why had Miss Shi followed along? And why hadn¡¯t Luo Yan, his future self, come? Oh, if Luo Yan had come, it would just be to recite lines. When he had to play the part of Luo Yan in the future and recite the lines again, it really was better not to come. ¡°Exchanging swordplay knowledge?¡± An Zhisu grew interested, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s find a place nearby to have a match.¡± Linghu Chu¡¯s expression then stiffened¨CI, a Golden Core True Person, have a match with you, a Foundation Establishment disciple? Would you be able to block even one of my strikes? ¡°Ahem!¡± Ling Yunpo quickly tried to smooth things over, ¡°How could we dare! True Person Hengqiu is a senior; it wouldn¡¯t be appropriate to discuss on equal terms.¡± This reminded An Zhisu that when a Golden Core True Person offered to exchange swordplay with you, it was meant as a humble gesture, a friendly approach, not an invitation for you to actually take it to a higher level. Thus, Senior Sister An also felt somewhat awkward. Just as she was about to speak, she heard Shi Liuli giggle and say: ¡°Senior Brother, this friend is really amusing; could it be that he truly knows nothing but the sword?¡± Hey, Miss Shi, you¡¯re not exactly experienced yourself! Ling Yunpo immediately retorted internally. ¡°Well,¡± Linghu Chu pondered for a moment, then decided to be direct, ¡°I am a sword-casting master from Heavenly Craft Workshop. I¡¯ve heard the two of you possess Tenth Rank Immortal Swords, and I couldn¡¯t help but be thrilled. Hence, I¡¯ve come to request a glimpse of them¡­ just a glance, nothing more.¡± Upon hearing this, An Zhisu¡¯s frown deepened, as lending out swords was considered highly impolite; what if you ran away with the sword? What if you tampered with it? Ling Yunpo didn¡¯t think too much about it, because he was very familiar with Linghu Chu¡¯s temperament and knew that he had no ill intentions. Even if he did have any ulterior motives, under Ah Jing¡¯s scanning surveillance, what could he possibly do to my Qing Ping? Therefore, he took out his Green Duckweed Sword and said generously, ¡°What¡¯s so difficult about that? Please have a look, senior.¡± ¡°Scumbag!¡± The Green Duckweed Sword suddenly accused. Ling Yunpo: ? Linghu Chu looked at the Green Duckweed Sword in his hand but didn¡¯t rashly touch it, just carefully examined it and said, ¡°How curious. It is said that the Intercepting Cult¡¯s Green Duckweed Sword is supposed to be three feet and six and a half inches, in accordance with the number of seasons, but Brother Ling¡¯s Immortal Sword is only three feet and six inches¡­ It must have been recast.¡± ¡°Does recasting have any effect?¡± Ling Yunpo asked, puzzled. ¡°Not much of an effect,¡± Linghu Chu said with a smile. ¡°Being five parts short actually makes the sword more condensed. It¡¯s just that it isn¡¯t as aesthetically pleasing as one that¡¯s three feet and six and a half inches.¡± ¡°Bullshit!¡± The Green Duckweed Sword immediately cursed, ¡°So longer means more beautiful, huh? A sword-casting master with such aesthetic standards understands swordsmanship only to this extent!¡± ¡°Brother Ling¡­¡± Linghu Chu hesitated, and Ling Yunpo immediately understood, so he took out the Thunder Punishment Sword and the Myriad Bamboos Sword as well. ¡°The Nine Heavens Thunder Execution Sword.¡± Linghu Chu sighed, ¡°In the past, True Person Puhua wielded it to commit atrocities, and even the Heavenly Tribulation couldn¡¯t do anything to him. Now that it¡¯s in Brother Ling¡¯s hands, I¡¯m sure it will be brought to even greater heights.¡± ¡°The Thunder Punishment Sword can deal with the Heavenly Tribulation?¡± Ling Yunpo asked, surprised. ¡°I heard that the Thunder Punishment Sword was originally forged with Heavenly Thunder. In True Person Puhua¡¯s hands, it could attract Heavenly Thunder, thereby weakening the intensity and power of the Heavenly Tribulation¡­¡± Linghu Chu said wistfully, ¡°just don¡¯t know how he did it.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Ling Yunpo immediately became very interested. ¡°Ah, this¡­¡± The Thunder Punishment Sword also spoke in astonishment, ¡°I can weaken the Heavenly Tribulation? I didn¡¯t know that.¡± ¡°No worries.¡± Ling Yunpo comforted it, ¡°When we get back, we¡¯ll help you recall, and maybe you¡¯ll remember.¡± The Thunder Punishment Sword: ¡­¡­¡­.. Ling Yunpo put away the Thunder Punition Sword and then took out the Myriad Bamboos Sword. ¡°The Myriad Bamboos Sword,¡± Linghu Chu marveled, ¡°the beloved sword of True Person Ping¡¯an from Mount Beimang in the past.¡± ¡°The refinement technique of this sword is very peculiar; even I haven¡¯t figured it out. However, in my opinion, a flying sword doesn¡¯t necessarily have to be designed to be strong or fast. Being innovative in the mechanism is also excellent¡­¡± Seeing that Linghu Chu was about to ramble on, Shi Liuli, who was already impatient, quickly interrupted him, ¡°Enough, Big Brother! We¡¯ve looked at the swords now, it¡¯s my turn to talk about important matters!¡± ¡°Alright, alright, Little Sister, you speak.¡± Seeing that An Zhisu was also clearly irritated, Linghu Chu knew he had been a bit over-the-top and promptly stepped aside. ¡°So, you are Ling Yunpo?¡± Shi Liuli asked doubtfully. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°That¡¯s me.¡± Ling Yunpo nodded. I haven¡¯t changed my name or surname; it¡¯s not Ling Poyun, it¡¯s Ling Yunpo! Unbelievably, Miss Shi the unreliable hadn¡¯t gotten the name wrong, which was curious indeed. The next second, the words that came out of Shi Liuli¡¯s mouth made Ling Yunpo startle, and An Zhisu¡¯s expression changed abruptly. ¡°Ling Yunpo? Have I met you somewhere before?¡± Chapter 431 Chapter 431: Chapter 64: The Script is Already Arranged Chapter 431: Chapter 64: The Script is Already Arranged ¡°Ah Jing! Didn¡¯t you say that your Mirror Flower Water Moon Illusion Technique was impossible to see through?¡± Ling Yunpo anxiously asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know either!¡± Kunlun Mirror said in a panic, ¡°I¡¯m sure I didn¡¯t reveal any flaws!¡± Heaven above can testify, even though Kunlun Mirror often disliked Chen Guanshui¡¯s shamelessness and occasionally would remove the illusion to let him reveal his true self in front of the girls¡­ but that was only ever aimed at the girls near his character setting. For instance, when Ling Yunpo encountered Shi Liuli, Kunlun Mirror would never remove the illusion. Otherwise, if Shi Liuli recognized Ling Yunpo and Luo Yan as the same person, their espionage play would be over, and the plans for the Heaven-Mending Stone would come to naught. ¡°Wrong.¡± Green Duckweed Sword suddenly said, ¡°I think she might not have spotted any flaw, just a gut feeling.¡± ¡°But this gut feeling is too absurd,¡± Ling Yunpo muttered to himself, but aloud he said. ¡°Seen before? Fellow Daoist Shi must be mistaken.¡± ¡°Fellow Daoist Ling, think about it carefully,¡± Shi Liuli insisted, ¡°I¡­¡± Before she could finish, An Zhisu interrupted her. ¡°Fellow Daoist Shi, my Junior Brother and I always lead a secluded life on Qingluo Peak in Shushan. May I ask if Fellow Daoist Shi has ever been to Shushan?¡± wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co Just as she was about to press on, regardless of everything else, she suddenly realized another problem. Why do I just ask a question, and that An Zhisu opposite acts like she sees me as an enemy? Ah! Could it be that she misunderstands, thinking I fancy her Junior Brother Ling Yunpo that¡¯s why I find excuses to strike up a conversation with him? At this thought, Miss Shi suddenly felt even more depressed. She was here merely to satisfy her curiosity, not to stir up scandals. Moreover, Ling Yunpo was not to her taste, and it would be even worse if others misunderstood because of such rumors. With a silent sigh in her heart, Shi Liuli forced a smile and said, ¡°Then, it seems I was mistaken. But as Chief Disciple said, though we were strangers before, now we¡¯ve met.¡± Having said that, she stepped back behind Linghu Chu and fell silent. Linghu Chu exchanged a few more pleasantries with the two, then took Shi Liuli and left. After they departed, An Zhisu turned to Sima Changyan with a surly tone. ¡°Junior Brother Sima, what is this all about? I wasn¡¯t aware that your peak had the custom of match-making.¡± Sima Changyan, clearly aware of An Zhisu¡¯s temperament, explained with a smile, ¡°Senior Sister An, the real Hengqiu is a renowned Sword-Casting Master. If we can form a good relationship with him, it will bring many benefits to our Shushan.¡± ¡°What benefits?¡± An Zhisu said coldly, ¡°The benefits of Core Formation, or those of Nascent Soul Transformation? The benefits of swordsmanship, or those of cultivation?¡± Sima Changyan had no answer for her, so he could only apologize to Ling Yunpo with a smile, then excused himself and left. Ling Yunpo stood beside them speechless, thinking that Senior Sister An¡¯s cold and unyielding temperament was probably cemented by Su Jian, which was really difficult to change. Under normal circumstances, he would take the time to advise his Senior Sister not to speak so bluntly and offend people. But now, on the one hand, it was obvious that his Senior Sister was jealous, and any attempt to persuade her would surely backfire; on the other hand, he was also annoyed with Sima Changyan for trying to suck up to Linghu Chu, which inadvertently brought Miss Shi here, giving him a scare, so he chose to remain silent. An Zhisu, realizing she spoke out of turn, felt embarrassed to bring it up again and sullenly returned to the riverbank, hugging her knees and squatting down by the stove. Ling Yunpo also picked up his fishing rod again, only to find that the bait had been eaten, so he set about making a new ball of dough. Before he had kneaded a few times, he suddenly heard Lin Duanshan¡¯s voice from afar: ¡°Senior Sister An, Brother Lin!¡± Ling Yunpo sighed, turned around, and saw Lin Duanshan flying towards them on his sword, quickly landing on the ground, and hurriedly said, ¡°That Qiu Changtian, he truly is remarkable!¡± Senior Sister An had already been in a terrible mood because of Shi Liuli, and when she heard Lin Duanshan mention ¡°Qiu Changtian,¡± her eyebrows raised, and a fierce aura surfaced as she said coldly, ¡°Brother Lin, don¡¯t make a fuss over nothing. ???G?.?? Explain yourself clearly.¡± Lin Duanshan was about to speak when he noticed An Zhisu¡¯s displeasure and, recalling her attitude towards Qiu Changtian, immediately put on a smile and said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious. It¡¯s just that Qiu Changtian used the Tianyuan Yiqi Sword, and its power is truly astonishing. But when it comes to swordsmanship, he¡¯s far behind Brother Ling¡­ Oh, are you two fishing and cooking wine here? I¡¯ve come specifically to ask for a drink.¡± Hearing Lin Duanshan stop prattling on about how amazing Qiu Changtian was and praising her junior brother instead, An Zhisu¡¯s face instantly cleared up, and she said with a smile, ¡°A cup of rice wine won¡¯t hurt. The cups are over there. Help yourself.¡± Lin Duanshan laughed, took a cup, poured himself a drink, and said to Ling Yunpo, ¡°Brother Ling, come on, let¡¯s have a few drinks together.¡± Knowing that Lin Duanshan wanted to speak with him, Ling Yunpo let Lin Duanshan pull him to the other side of the lake. After downing a cup of wine, he listened as Lin Duanshan spoke earnestly, ¡°Brother Ling, the strength of that Qiu Changtian is too astonishing. I fear he is the greatest contender for the top spot in the White Jade Capital competition against Senior Sister An!¡± Ling Yunpo asked in surprise, ¡°How so?¡± ¡°True Yuan strength,¡± Lin Duanshan replied. ¡°That Qiu Changtian, as one with Daoist Heart Clarity, possesses an extremely vigorous True Yuan strength. Even compared to a Golden Core True Person, he doesn¡¯t fall short!¡± ¡°Now that he has acquired the Tianyuan Yiqi Sword, with its incredibly fast speed and tremendous force, it¡¯s best suited to exploit Qiu Changtian¡¯s True Yuan advantage.¡± ¡°In two battles, his enemies simply couldn¡¯t withstand a single blow from him¡­ A classic case of cultivation realm overwhelming.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Ling Yunpo mused, ¡°This won¡¯t be easy to deal with.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that the truth?¡± Lin Duanshan replied with a bitter smile, ¡°Not to mention he has the Five Thunder True Law at his side, as well as other trump cards we don¡¯t know about.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Ling Yunpo expressed his strong agreement. My trump cards as Chief Qiu are too many to count! ¡°Anyway, both you and Senior Sister An be careful,¡± Lin Duanshan added in his final note of caution. He knew that if he told Senior Sister An directly, An Zhisu certainly wouldn¡¯t take it to heart and might even scold him for being alarmist. Thus, he could only indirectly drop hints to Ling Yunpo. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Ling Yunpo tacitly understood and couldn¡¯t believe how formidable his future self would be. No choice, though it¡¯s hard to give up, to maintain the invincible character setting, Qiu Changtian must defeat An Zhisu and claim the top place in the White Jade Capital competition! What follows in the script is that both Ling Yunpo and Senior Sister An lose to Qiu Changtian in the competition. Qiu Changtian takes first place in the competition, maintaining the invincible character setting; Ling Yunpo, ashamed but inspired, maintains the unyielding character setting. Senior Sister An and her likewise defeated junior brother develop a bond through shared sentiment; the affection between the sister and brother disciples soars, and they join forces to cultivate, striving together to defeat Qiu Changtian! Chapter 432 Chapter 432: Chapter 65: The Top 12 of White Jade Capital Chapter 432: Chapter 65: The Top 12 of White Jade Capital Half a month later. Since the White Jade Capital Tournament was a single-elimination system, with half of the contestants eliminated after each round, after about sixteen days, only around a hundred participants remained. Today, three rounds of the competition were to be held to determine the top twelve. Therefore, aside from the cultivators who had left early, almost all remaining were gathered in White Jade Capital, waiting to see who the top twelve would be. For Ling Yunpo, as long as he didn¡¯t draw Qiu Changtian, Luo Yan, or An Zhisu, reaching the top twelve wasn¡¯t going to be difficult-at least if he faced Xu Yinglian or Shi Liuli, he was confident in beating them thoroughly. As to whether the other side would seek revenge from Qiu Changtian or Luo Yan, that was a matter for later; for now, it wasn¡¯t his concern. Luckily, drawing three out of more than a hundred people, unless his luck was atrociously bad, it seemed improbable for him to be targeted. In the end, the result didn¡¯t disappoint him; his opponents came from Kunlun, Shushan, and Penglai, all of whom were familiar faces from their respective sects but their strength was not worth mentioning. Ling Yunpo easily defeated them. After three magical competitions, Ling Yunpo confirmed his advancement to the White Jade Capital¡¯s top twelve, and next was the ranking of specific seats. Arriving at Senior Sister An¡¯s competition venue, the area was surrounded by the most Shushan disciples, and An Zhisu was attacking swiftly on the stage. Her opponent, Sima Changyan, was struggling to fend off the assaults on both flanks. ¡°Sima junior brother also has bad luck, just one step away from the top twelve, but then got paired with An Zhisu by chance.¡± Duan Fenhai said with a sigh from the second-floor stand. ¡°Luck is also a part of strength¡­ wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.c0 oh, Ling junior brother has arrived.¡± Guan Shanyue turned and greeted with a smile, ¡°How did it go?¡± ¡°Won,¡± Ling Yunpo replied. ¡°In that case, at least five from our Shushan are confirmed to advance to the top twelve,¡± Duan Fenhai nodded, ¡°Not missing a single seat in the top five, and the sixth seat¡­ Sima senior brother stands no chance against Senior Sister An, so among the rest, it depends on whether Bi Sheng in the seventh seat could win.¡± ¡°She shouldn¡¯t have any problems,¡± Guan Shanyue smiled and said, ¡°Her opponent is Lin Ruohu from Penglai Yuqing View.¡± ¡°Then that¡¯s a sure win,¡± Lin Duanshan nodded, ¡°My niece¡¯s strength is, after all, inferior to Bi Sheng¡¯s.¡± ¡°So you mean to say, Shushan will take up half of the top twelve, right?¡± Ling Yunpo confirmed. ¡°That¡¯s correct,¡± Lin Duanshan nodded, ¡°But if the sect wants to establish its prominence with this, it¡¯s still not quite enough¡­¡± As if sensing something, everyone simultaneously looked up across the way. On the third-floor stand, Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian were standing side by side, watching the ongoing battle between An Zhisu and Sima Changyan. ¡°The current favorite to win the tournament is undoubtedly Qiu Changtian,¡± Lin Duanshan sighed, ¡°Even if we occupy half of the top twelve seats, it won¡¯t mean much if we don¡¯t secure the first place.¡± ¡°Qiu Changtian¡¯s Daoist foundation is too perfect, not something that one could overcome merely with swordsmanship prowess,¡± Duan Fenhai also said in a heavy tone, ¡°Given his performance in so many rounds of the magical competition, I even suspect he has already formed his Jade Mansion, possessing at least over four hundred years of Refining Mansion cultivation.¡± ¡°Second Grade Golden Core, is that it?¡± Guan Shanyue said with a smile, ¡°Then why hasn¡¯t he gone through Core Formation?¡± ¡°Maybe he¡¯s waiting to form a First Grade Golden Core,¡± Ling Yunpo casually remarked. ¡°If Qiu Changtian really forms a First Grade Golden Core, he would truly become the number one person in the Orthodox Sect,¡± Lin Duanshan commented, ¡°After that, who would dare to contend with Kunlun?¡± ¡°That won¡¯t happen,¡± Ling Yunpo stated calmly. ¡°Why do you say that?¡± ¡°Even if Qiu Changtian has formed a First Grade Golden Core, Kunlun will certainly keep it a strict secret,¡± Guan Shanyue said with a smile. ¡°Indeed,¡± Duan Fenhai agreed, ¡°The taller the tree, the stronger the wind. Even if he has formed a First Grade Golden Core, he is just a Golden Core True Person after all.¡± ¡°What do we do when the Demon Cult Sect sends three to five Nascent Soul Elders to monitor Qiu Changtian¡¯s movements every day?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here.¡± A voice suddenly came from behind-it was Bi Sheng. ????0.?? As she came to the right side of Ling Yunpo, she looked down and asked, ¡°How is Sima Changyan doing?¡± ¡°Still hanging in there,¡± Ling Yunpo replied, ¡°It¡¯s just a matter of time before my Senior Sister defeats him¡­ Did you win?¡± ¡°I won,¡± Bi Sheng stated succinctly, ¡°How many from our Shushan can make it into the top twelve?¡± ¡°Including you and me, six,¡± answered Ling Yunpo. ¡°Out of the other six, four are from Kunlun and two from Shushan,¡± Lin Duanshan added, ¡°The ones from Kunlun who advanced are Qiu Changtian, Xu Yinglian, Guan Zhan, and Yan Zhitui.¡± ¡°Chief Qiu and the Phoenix Immortal, these two are not surprising,¡± Duan Fenhai pondered, ¡°Guan Zhan¡­ Senior Sister Guan, is she related to you?¡± ¡°She¡¯s my cousin,¡± Guan Shanyue responded indifferently. ¡°Senior Sister Guan¡¯s cousin¡­ Why would she be under the tutelage of the Kunlun Sect?¡± Bi Sheng asked, puzzled. ¡°Who knows?¡± Guan Shanyue obviously didn¡¯t want to dwell on the topic and skillfully diverted it, ¡°There must be some reason.¡± ¡°As for that Yan Zhitui, he is also Qiu Changtian¡¯s junior brother, ranking fourth, right behind Guan Zhan,¡± Lin Duanshan continued, ¡°His strength is decent, but there¡¯s a gap compared to the top tier. It¡¯s just that he had good luck, his opponents were relatively weak which finally allowed him to advance to the top twelve.¡± ¡°Speaking of good luck, that person from Penglai really got lucky!¡± Duan Fenhai laughed mockingly, ¡°In today¡¯s second round of the competition, forty-five down to twenty-three, she got a bye which advanced her straight to the next round; in the third round, from twenty-three to twelve, she drew another bye, directly securing a spot in the top twelve. I even suspect that she has some kind of Art Calculation Magical Treasure interfering with the draw!¡± ¡°I watched her fight in the first round of the competition,¡± said Guan Shanyue suddenly, ¡°Her swordsmanship is indeed mediocre, but she possesses a Magical Treasure called the ¡®Taiwei Hook Chen Yao Po Xing Sha,¡¯ which is both offensive and defensive, extremely difficult to deal with.¡± ¡°Junior Brother Zhang exerted all his Sword Dao Techniques, but he couldn¡¯t break through her star sand defense, and in the end, he had to concede defeat reluctantly.¡± ¡°Putting luck aside, this person indeed has the strength to be in the top twelve,¡± she concluded. ¡°Are you talking about Zhang Chengyuan of the Immortal Sword Ranking¡¯s seventeenth seat?¡± Lin Duanshan asked in surprise. ¡°Who else?¡± retorted Guan Shanyue, ¡°How many Junior Brother Zhangs do we have in Green Bamboo Peak?¡± ¡°Does Yuqing View have another contestant?¡± Bi Sheng suddenly asked. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°That person¡¯s name is Luo Yan,¡± Lin Duanshan responded, ¡°He is probably Yuqing View¡¯s biggest trump card this time.¡± ¡°How so?¡± Ling Yunpo asked with interest. ¡°Heavenly Craft Hundred Treasures Bag,¡± replied Lin Duanshan. ¡°The Heavenly Craft Workshop¡¯s Heavenly Craft Hundred Treasures Bag?¡± Bi Sheng pondered, nodding thoughtfully, ¡°It seems that if we draw him in the subsequent rounds, the best strategy is to defeat him swiftly.¡± ¡°But he definitely has some kind of defensive Magical Treasure,¡± Duan Fenhai objected. Not only does he have a defensive Magical Treasure, but also the Postnatal Five Elements Great Extermination Divine Light-let¡¯s see if you can handle that¡­ Ling Yunpo chuckled to himself. Chapter 433 Chapter 433: Chapter 66: Shushan Evaluates Heroes of the World Chapter 433: Chapter 66: Shushan Evaluates Heroes of the World With the confirmation of the top twelve fighters of White Jade Capital, the three sects showed varying attitudes. The Kunlun Sect was slightly dissatisfied as only four of their members entered the top twelve, two less than Shushan. As the leading orthodox Kunlun Taiqing Sect, these results were not satisfactory. However, considering that if Qiu Changtian could take first place, it would be enough to restore some honor, the sect decided to adopt a wait-and-see approach for the time being. The Shushan Sect was very composed, having achieved their minor goal of occupying half of the twelve seats. But everyone knew that loose cultivators did not care about how many people a sect had in the top twelve; they only cared about ¡°who is the number one in the world¡±. Therefore, it was very important who could defeat Qiu Changtian, whether it was Lin Duanshan, Duan Fenhai, or Guan Shanyue, though Bi Sheng was still a bit lacking in strength. As for Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu, if they could indeed take first place, people wouldn¡¯t be overly concerned with picking faults in their achievements¡­ but for personal emotions and considering the attitude of the higher-ups, they still preferred that one of the other three would claim the top spot. As for Penglai, they were already ecstatic beyond words. They had originally thought that ¡°having one person enter would be a victory¡±, but they ended up occupying two spots, which was ¡°exceedingly better than expected¡±. Considering that both disciples were from Heavenly Craft Workshop, it was said that the Master of Xuandu even invited Elder Shi Ding to the Yuqing View to lecture on the ¡°path of mentorship¡±, becoming a laughingstock for a time among the other two sects. No matter what, the title of the top twelve fighters of White Jade Capital had now spread throughout the three orthodox sects, and through various disciples¡¯ networks of connections, it began to spread throughout the entire world. Over at Shushan, the Jade Capital Sect Leader rushed to Mount Tianmu overnight to present awards to the six who had entered the top twelve. wuxiaworld.site ¡°This is Zhu Marrow Pill; you must digest its potency by tonight.¡± Ling Yunpo, upon receiving the Zhu Marrow Pill, suddenly asked: ¡°Do the other two sects also have similar rewards?¡± ¡°Perhaps,¡± the Jade Capital Sect Leader said with profound meaning. ¡°Strengthening one¡¯s own disciples at the final stage of the competition has been an unspoken understanding between the sects.¡± Ling Yunpo suddenly recalled that in his first battle after joining Shushan, his opponent had used some secret technique to temporarily advance to the Marrow Cleansing Rank. ¡°Regarding the next six opponents, have all of you understood them clearly?¡± the Jade Capital Sect Leader asked again. No one answered. Although at this point, of course, everyone had a general understanding of the information, they did not dare to show off in front of the Jade Capital Sect Leader. If the Sect Leader asked a few questions and they could not respond, wouldn¡¯t that be embarrassing? ¡°Good,¡± the Jade Capital Sect Leader nodded, then beckoned, ¡°Jinghua, come and explain to them.¡± ¡°Yes, Master,¡± the true person Jinghua said as he pushed the door open and entered. After the previous competition at Shushan, it was this true person Jinghua who led everyone to train in the Demon Locking Tower, so they were not unfamiliar with him. After sending off the Jade Capital Sect Leader, true person Jinghua solemnly handed a jade slip to each person and said: ¡°Your upcoming opponents consist of four from Kunlun and two from Penglai.¡± ¡°Kunlun¡¯s Qiu Changtian, the Chief Disciple of the Foundation Establishment Realm, has now been confirmed to at least have the Refining Mansion cultivation level; coupled with his practice of the ¡®Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra¡¯, regardless of True Yuan¡¯s capacity, strength, or recovery rate, he has far outstripped you all.¡± ¡°His weapon, the Tianyuan Yiqi Sword, is said to have been sought by the Xu Family for him. This sword can fully utilize his True Yuan advantage, and when engaging in a direct confrontation, if it is a clash of flying swords, the physical strength is immense, so it¡¯s best to avoid frequent sword clashes with him.¡± ¡°Besides that, he also has the Five Thunder True Law and derivatives of Qi Refining Techniques; you need to be particularly wary of them.¡± Everyone fell silent. This time, the silence was truly speechless. With substantial True Yuan, powerful flying sword, and Thunder Method at his disposal, each of these three capabilities could be the capital for joining the top twelve of White Jade Capital. Now that Chief Qiu, with all three aspects gathered and without any weak points, is overwhelming in all areas, how can anyone fight back? Perhaps guessing the thoughts of the crowd, Master Jinghua decided not to elaborate further, to avoid dampening the morale further, and went straight to the next one: ¡°Kunlun¡¯s Xu Yinglian, it is said that she has awakened the true blood of her family lineage, possessing the power of the phoenix.¡± ¡°Her flying sword is named ¡®Yu Jia,¡¯ and although it is not the most powerful among tenth rank flying swords, it is highly compatible with her own Phoenix Blood.¡± ¡°She also possesses a technique called the ¡®Taiqing Supreme True Bright Flame,¡¯ which is a top-tier, wide-area fire system Daoist magic; once activated, it can burn mountains, boil seas, darken the sky and block out the sun, with ordinary defensive magical treasures unable to withstand it.¡± ¡°Compared to Qiu Changtian, Xu Yinglian has a weakness. Does anyone know what it is?¡± ¡°All the Daoist magic she controls is from the fire system.¡± Lin Duanshan answered. ¡°Correct,¡± Master Jinghua said with approval, ¡°Whether it¡¯s her flying sword or her Daoist magic, she heavily favors the fire system, likely because her own Phoenix True Blood greatly enhances the fire system.¡± ¡°Therefore, to counter Xu Yinglian, the best option would be flying swords and Daoist magic of the water system and earth system, followed by the fire system, with wood system and metal system being the worst.¡± ¡°Of course, in order to counteract her fire system offensive techniques, if the grade rank is not high enough, just having the Five Elements Restraint is not enough, caution is still required.¡± Everyone nodded in agreement, thinking that the toughest opponents in this competition would probably be these two. ¡°Additionally, there¡¯s one more person you need to be wary of.¡± Master Jinghua suddenly added. ¡°Who is it?¡± Lin Duanshan inquired with a frown. ¡°Penglai¡¯s Luo Yan,¡± Master Jinghua answered, ¡°He is a direct disciple of Elder Shi Ding of the Heavenly Craft Workshop in Yuqing View, to whom Elder Shi Ding has passed on the Heavenly Craft White Treasure Bag.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Duan Fenhai added, nodding, ¡°But to take out and activate a magical treasure ultimately requires time.¡± ¡°If his swordsmanship is not exquisite, we can completely suppress him with a rushing tactic, preventing him from being able to take out the magical treasure.¡± ¡°What I¡¯m talking about is exactly this,¡± Master Jinghua said earnestly, ¡°This Luo Yan has not used his flying sword at all during the competition.¡± ¡°But according to some intelligence, it is said that the immortal sword he uses is the ¡®Huangting Kunwu Sword¡¯ obtained from the Lianshan treasury.¡± ¡°The Huangting Kunwu Sword?¡± Everyone was startled at the mention of the name. Isn¡¯t that the sword once worn by the Yellow Emperor? ¡°It is claimed that this sword has an earth system attribute and is extremely heavy,¡± Master Jinghua continued, ¡°Its power and speed are not as good as that of the Tianyuan Yiqi Sword, but its strength and toughness far surpass it.¡± ¡°During a swordfight, no matter how much True Yuan you output against it, it would be like striking stone with wood, unable to shake the Huangting Kunwu Sword at all.¡± Ling Yunpo¡¯s expression was serious, but inside he sneered: Nice, I had planned to purposely not use the Huangting Kunwu Sword, to keep an ace up my sleeve, yet now it seems someone has already uncovered that! Based on what Master Jinghua said, it is clear that the leak came from within Yuqing View, and the person who leaked the information must have seen my practice fights with others. Luckily, besides Liuli, I haven¡¯t used the Five Elements Divine Light in practices against others¡­ Hmm, Master Jinghua probably doesn¡¯t know about that; otherwise, given the renown of the Divine Light, it would definitely have been mentioned here. ¡°Besides these three that you need to be particularly cautious of, the information about the other three competitors is in the jade slips given to you,¡± Master Jinghua finally said, ¡°Tonight, go over them carefully, think thoroughly, and don¡¯t go into battle unprepared.¡± ¡°Also, you must quickly assimilate the power of the Marrow Cleansing Pills¡­ ???G?.?? Understood?¡± ¡°Understood,¡± everyone responded, and then they dispersed. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Following An Zhisu, Ling Yunpo returned to his thatched hut, thinking that after consuming the Marrow Cleansing Pill, his Refining Mansion Cultivation would be seven hundred and fifteen years. He was only eighty-five years away from the eight hundred-year threshold for a First Grade Golden Core. On second thought, if Shushan is playing this ¡°last-minute strengthening¡± trick, then why would Kunlun and Penglai remain indifferent? Very well, very well, give me all the Purple Mansion Secret Medicines so I can fill up those eight hundred years. Once the White Jade Capital competition is over, I¡¯ll go find a place to transcend the First Grade Pill Tribulation! Chapter 434 Chapter 434: Chapter 67 Senior Sister An¡¯s Overwhelming Game Chapter 434: Chapter 67 Senior Sister An¡¯s Overwhelming Game The top twelve of the White Jade Capital had been determined. If modern business thinking were applied, there would definitely be an award ceremony first, followed by a deep dive into the personal branding of each person. Finally, a series of endorsement deals would be arranged to recoup the costs. Unfortunately, whether it was Kunlun, Shushan, or Penglai, none of them had such commercial thoughts. Or perhaps everyone thought that since the top twelve of the White Jade Capital had been decided, the title of the twelve righteous talents would naturally spread throughout the world. Therefore, before the disciples had much time to discuss, the internal competition among the top twelve swiftly commenced. Drawing lots! Twelve drawn swords shot out of the container, and everyone used their Sword Control Heart Method to capture the flying swords in their hands. Soon, as all the drawn swords were claimed, the jade list on the White Jade Capital¡¯s plaza quickly revealed the first round of matchups: Qiu Changtian versus Bi Sheng. An Zhisu versus Duan Fenhai. Ling Yunpo versus Shi Liuli. Xu Yinglian versus Lin Duanshan. Luo Yan versus Guan Zhan. wuxiaworld.site Guan Shanyue versus Yan Zhitui. Aside from two whose facial expressions weren¡¯t too good, the rest looked fairly calm. After all, the cultivators who could make it to the top twelve had few ¡°loopholes¡± to exploit among the weak. Unless one faced the likes of Qiu Changtian or An Zhisu right at the start, most people could accept their match-ups-like Duan Fenhai and Bi Sheng, who were considered pitiable but helpless cases. The six battles wouldn¡¯t be held simultaneously but would take place one after the other in the center of the vast White Jade Capital plaza, facilitating viewing by cultivators from all three sects. Some people flew on their swords while others rode on flying artifacts, hovering in the air around the plaza. Qiu Changtian and Bi Sheng stood at the center of the plaza, ready to compete. As for Qiu Changtian¡¯s battle, Ling Yunpo wasn¡¯t planning to watch. He knew that the more details he saw, the more he would have to reproduce in the future, and he wasn¡¯t about to make life harder for himself. So he suggested taking a stroll nearby, and An Zhisu had no objections¡­ The senior sister also didn¡¯t want to watch Qiu Changtian¡¯s match, especially since Bi Sheng was unlikely to win against him. The two arrived at a higher pavilion and suddenly saw Duan Fenhai flying past on his sword. ¡°What is Senior Brother Duan doing?¡± Ling Yunpo greeted him, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you watching the battle?¡± Duan Fenhai simply controlled his sword light without landing, saying: ¡°Ah, just wandering around. I¡¯ve seen Qiu Changtian¡¯s battles many times before. ???g?.?? There¡¯s no suspense in this result, and I won¡¯t meet him in the next rounds anyway, so why bother watching?¡± Ling Yunpo understood his meaning; after all, once he lost to An Zhisu in the next match, he would fall into the loser¡¯s group of seventh to twelfth place, while Qiu Changtian would move into the winner¡¯s group from first to sixth place, indeed having no chance to clash with him. But that¡¯s okay, Senior Brother Duan, you have the chance to face my Senior Sister An! Since you¡¯re going to receive a beating either way, why care who your opponent is? Duan Fenhai, unaware of Ling Yunpo¡¯s thoughts, simply waved his hand in midair before turning back towards the plaza. Ling Yunpo, about to speak to An Zhisu, suddenly saw the drawn sword in the senior sister¡¯s hand light up, slipping from her grasp and flying towards the direction of the White Jade Capital plaza. That was fast! Hasn¡¯t even been five minutes, right? Ling Yunpo was utterly astonished, never expecting that I, Qiu Changtian, would be so strong! He quickly rose on his sword, following An Zhisu to the plaza. There he saw Duan Fenhai just descending from the plaza, his face full of helplessness as he clasped his hands in resignation. The competition began, and Duan Fenhai immediately used the Heavenly Wind Sword to fend off An Zhisu¡¯s attack, activating the Daoist magic on the Cangtie Sword. Suddenly, countless stars burst forth like a barrage, shooting toward An Zhisu, that for a moment, they covered the entire arena, leaving no possibility of escape! Another crimson sword light surged forth as An Zhisu unified her body with her sword. The sword light pierced through the countless starry projectiles and ferociously struck toward Duan Fenhai. Seeing this, Duan Fenhai was left without a choice, after all, he wasn¡¯t arrogant enough to think that he could defend against the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal¡¯s powerful move with ordinary swordplay; his only option was to also unify his body with the Cangtie Sword and unleash a similarly explosive iron-colored sword light to forcefully meet the crimson sword light head-on! These two sword lights collided directly, instantly igniting the atmosphere of the entire venue. No one expected that the two Shushan cultivators would go all out from the start. The crimson sword light clashed again with the iron-colored sword light, and after being shaken by the powerful force, they diverted and then viciously struck again. The sound of metal clashing was incessant, nearly forming a continuous roar of ¡°thunder.¡± To a layman, the spectacle was exciting, but to an expert, the technique was clear. Ling Yunpo locked his eyes on the two sword lights, confirming that whether it was the force of the strike or the speed of recovery after being repelled, the crimson sword light was always one step ahead of the iron-colored sword light. At such terrifying speeds, magical treasures and Daoist magic¡­ all lost their significance; there simply was no time to activate them. Knowing he was outmatched, Duan Fenhai could only forcefully hold on, since using Unity of Body and Sword to fight was equivalent to slow suicide. But not using it meant an immediate defeat, leaving him with very little choice. ¡°This is truly frightening,¡± Lin Duanshan, who appeared beside Ling Yunpo at some point, said in amazement, ¡°The last time it was Qiu Changtian who overwhelmingly prevailed with strength, and now it¡¯s Senior Sister An¡¯s turn to effortlessly triumph. Could there really be an insurmountable gap between her and us?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that the case?¡± Ling Yunpo said with a laugh, ¡°If the gap in cultivation realms could be easily bridged by technique, then what would be the point of Qi Refinement?¡± ¡°But, isn¡¯t Senior Sister An practicing the same Qi Refining Technique as us?¡± Lin Duanshan couldn¡¯t help but laugh ruefully, ¡°It couldn¡¯t be because her father is Qi Sha True Person, so she naturally refines Qi faster than us, could it?¡± Heh, it¡¯s not that. She is cultivating the ¡°Supreme Sun and Moon Primordial Classic,¡± while what you¡¯re practicing is a castrated version of the ¡°Supreme Primordial True Record¡±. These two are not Qi Refining Techniques of the same level at all! Ling Yunpo inwardly sneered, as he saw the outcome on the stage finally determined. The crimson sword light grew several lengths in an instant and struck the iron-colored sword light out of the arena with a single blow. Duan Fenhai¡¯s body slammed heavily into the edge of the square, and the Cangtie Sword was blasted away, injuring several onlooking disciples who had no time to dodge. ¡°Shushan¡¯s An Zhisu wins!¡± A mechanical voice sounded around the Jade List. There was silence around for a moment before it suddenly burst into an uproar of noise. The voices were all whispers and mutters, completely unintelligible as to what everyone was discussing. ¡°I just heard a few Kunlun disciples saying,¡± Guan Shanyue, who appeared out of nowhere, laughed and said, ¡°An Zhisu is probably the only one in this competition who can challenge Qiu Changtian.¡± ¡°Is that so.¡± Ling Yunpo smiled faintly. Sorry. Impossible, absolutely impossible! As Qiu Changtian, I am invincible, whether it¡¯s Xu Yinglian, An Zhisu, or even you, Sister Guan¡­ either you won¡¯t encounter me, or you will and then you¡¯ll be defeated by me. There is no third possibility! ¡°What are you still standing there for?¡± Guan Shanyue asked curiously, ¡°It¡¯s your turn!¡± ¡°Oh right. Off I go.¡± Ling Yunpo hurriedly descended via his sword light. Shi Liuli had already taken the lead and was standing in the square, her eyes widened as she looked at him, seemingly still doubting-as if she was pondering where she had seen him before and where that familiar sense of deja vu came from. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Cultivator Shi?¡± Ling Yunpo greeted with a clasped fist. ¡°Hmm, hmm.¡± Shi Liuli replied absentmindedly, seemingly lost in her own thoughts. Still suspecting me, huh? Alright, then. I¡¯ll soon have you so occupied that you won¡¯t have the time to wonder! Chapter 435 Chapter 435: Chapter 68: Giving and Taking with Miss Shi Chapter 435: Chapter 68: Giving and Taking with Miss Shi The duel began, and Ling Yunpo did not rush to take the initiative, instead waiting for Shi Liuli to attack. ¡°To deal with just Miss Shi, I Ling Yunpo can¡¯t afford to lose face by attacking first!¡± ¡°If I weren¡¯t worried about being criticized by the Shushan upper echelons when I get back, I could fight Miss Shi using just my feet to control the sword, okay?¡± (referring to Unity of Body and Sword) His display of gentlemanly conduct soon won the approval of the surrounding cultivators. Shi Liuli was somewhat surprised but didn¡¯t say much, simply raising the Purple Extreme Han Yuan Sword first. ???G?.?? ¡°Why is Junior Brother Ling being so courteous, there¡¯s no need, right?¡± Lin Duanshan said with a wry smile. ¡°What do you know?¡± An Zhisu, who had just won her match, returned to the edge of the field and seriously said, ¡°Even if he gives his opponent time to prepare, Junior Brother is confident he can beat her, which is why he maintains the courtesy of a gentleman.¡± ¡°I just hope he doesn¡¯t capsize in the gutter,¡± Duan Fenhai sighed. ¡°How could that happen? He¡¯s not you.¡± An Zhisu, in her mode of unconditional support, left Duan Fenhai speechless with her retort. ¡°Pfft.¡± Guan Shanyue couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. ¡°What are you laughing about?¡± An Zhisu said, displeased. ¡°Nothing, my face just cramped up,¡± Guan Shanyue turned her head away, her shoulders still shaking. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.cO On the field, Shi Liuli took the initiative to attack, shooting the Purple Extreme Han Yuan Sword at Ling Yunpo. Such crude swordsmanship might suffice against an average cultivator, but Ling Yunpo found it inadequate. With a simple parry of the Green Duckweed Sword, he deflected the Purple Extreme Han Yuan Sword. But this was the opportunity Shi Liuli was looking for-her hands forming Daoist Formulas rapidly, she unleashed the Southern Dipper Galaxy Secret Technique. In the previously empty White Jade Square, rivers suddenly surged forth in abundance. The swirling and rushing waters quickly submerged the entire square, startling the weaker cultivators around, who all elevated their Sword Light to avoid being overwhelmed by the tumultuous waves below. ¡°What is that?¡± Lin Duanshan exclaimed in surprise, ¡°Sword Dao Techniques?¡± Since Miss Shi had always advanced by default, this was the first time she had used this secret technique in the White Jade Capital competition. ¡°No, it¡¯s Daoist Magic!¡± An Zhisu said in a grave tone, ¡°If it were Sword Dao Techniques, her True Yuan wouldn¡¯t have lasted this long!¡± Ling Yunpo had already ascended on the Myriad Bamboos Sword, and suddenly, a water pillar akin to a Jiaolong burst forth from the river below, shooting straight at his body like a cannonball. The water was not ordinary but the water of the Heavenly River, with each drop having the weight of thousands, its force even surpassing that of a Flying Sword, powerful enough to crush a person alive. Ling Yunpo, of course, took this into account, and simply sent the Green Duckweed Sword shooting out, chopping and slashing multiple times in quick succession, shattering the Jiaolong Pillar. Shi Liuli, standing waist-deep in the water, let out a surprised yelp. She was fully aware of the power of the Southern Dipper Galaxy Secret Technique. The seemingly ordinary currents hid a force of thousands of pounds, capable of splitting mountains and breaking stones. Yet, the opponent managed to slice it apart with the Green Duckweed Sword, indicating that both the sword¡¯s hardness and physical strength were extraordinary, befitting the Eleventh Rank Immortal Sword that the eldest senior brother couldn¡¯t stop thinking about. But my tricks are far from over! Last night, Luo Yan and I devised many clever moves¡­ A secret smile began to curl the corners of her mouth, as she once again rapidly formed Daoist Formulas with the hands hidden in her sleeves. As Ling Yunpo shattered the Jiaolong Pillar, the water from the burst pillar suddenly defied gravity, rising and sweeping towards him again. It turned out that Miss Shi had secretly dispersed the sand of the Tai Wei Hook Chen Yaopao Star into the water of the Heavenly River. This star sand was a Magical Treasure sympathetic to Shi Liuli¡¯s energy, already refined to the realm where she could control it with a mere thought. Seizing the moment when Ling Yunpo broke the Jiaolong Pillar, she sprung it from the splash of water, shooting it towards him from all directions. Since the star sand could condense and disperse at will, ordinary Flying Swords could do nothing about it, and if a cultivator got caught in it, it would wrap and grind them to dust, legs and arms included¡­ Of course, no one would be hurt inside the White Jade Capital Secret Realm; at most, one would just suffer defeat. Unfortunately, Miss Shi was unaware that her opponent actually possessed all of Brother Luo¡¯s intelligence. Ling Yunpo merely raised the Myriad Bamboos Sword quickly while simultaneously pointing downwards, chanting: ¡°Rushing Thunder Essence, chase the evil and plummet swiftly!¡± No sooner had his voice faded than the Thunder Punishment Sword suddenly vanished, only to transform into hundreds of thunder light spears, plunging downwards at great speed! Shi Liuli was taken aback and, not daring to be careless, hurriedly controlled her sword to leave the water¡¯s surface. As the thunder light spears pierced through the stardust, they instantly generated a magnetic force, attracting the surrounding stardust into a clump, then rapidly fell into the Milky Way, sending vast amounts of electric snakes scattering explosively in all directions. Shi Liuli: ??? Wait, is the weakness of my stardust magical treasure actually the Thunder Method? If Luo Yan were here, he would tell her that it was unrelated to the Thunder Method, but rather, it was the sealing Daoist magic of the Thunder Punishment Sword that contained a portion of magnetic elemental force. The magnetic elemental force is the nemesis of all metal objects under heaven, and since the base of the stardust was meteoric iron, it naturally was no exception. In her panic, Shi Liuli quickly accelerated the activation of the Milky Way water, ejecting seven or eight Jiaolong which spiraled upwards, lunging towards Ling Yunpo. Ling Yunpo wasn¡¯t in a rush to deliver a killing blow. After all, if he really wanted to defeat her in a second, he could just unite body and sword and it would be over, given Miss Shi¡¯s level of swordsmanship attainment which certainly couldn¡¯t withstand it. But if Shi Liuli were to lose too quickly, she would surely vent her frustration on Luo Yan afterwards, and why would he want to cause trouble for his future self? Better to put on a bit of a show. He calmly controlled his sword, dodging the Milky Way Jiaolong¡¯s attacks, and used the Green Duckweed Sword to slice each Jiaolong to pieces one by one. The Thunder Punishment Sword continued to plummet, using thunder light and electric snakes to lock down Shi Liuli¡¯s movements, gradually taking control of the rhythm of the battle. Despite Shi Liuli¡¯s incredible luck, she seemed unable to utilize it against such a vast gap in strength. Or perhaps, Miss Shi herself did not believe she could win against the second-ranked of Shushan, which made her even less able to put up a fight. Thus, after a quarter of an hour, Shi Liuli finally ran out of True Yuan, unable to activate the water of the Milky Way, and was held at sword point by the Thunder Punishment Sword, forcing her to admit defeat obediently. Oh, what a lack of suspense. Ling Yunpo landed on the puddle-stricken White Jade Square, smiling at a greatly disheartened, annoyed, and unwilling Miss Shi, before once again taking off on his sword. Returning to An Zhisu¡¯s side, he saw Lin Duanshan and the others looking at him with a peculiar gaze. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± asked Ling Yunpo, genuinely puzzled. ¡°Ling junior brother,¡± Lin Duanshan said, puzzled, ¡°you really went easy on her. With her poor skill level, was there a need to fight for a quarter of an hour?¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be over if you had directly used Unity of Body and Sword to eliminate her from the field?¡± asked Duan Fenhai, similarly confused. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Oh, I just found her Water System Daoist magic quite interesting and wanted to have some fun,¡± Ling Yunpo hastily explained. ¡°It¡¯s understandable for junior brother Ling to have a childlike heart and want to play,¡± said Guan Shanyue, covering her mouth and laughing, ¡°but what junior brother is really interested in isn¡¯t that Water System Daoist magic, it¡¯s Miss Shi, isn¡¯t it?¡± Ling Yunpo shuddered and quickly called out to An Zhisu beside him: ¡°Senior Sister, don¡¯t listen to their nonsense! I have no impure thoughts, nor any intention of teasing Miss Shi!¡± An Zhisu looked at him blankly, then revealed an indulgently protective smile, saying: ¡°Of course, I trust junior brother. Don¡¯t talk nonsense anymore.¡± Lin Duanshan and the others chuckled. ¡°However, junior brother, you did have several flaws in your fight just now, we should talk about them,¡± said An Zhisu with a smile that seemed to take on a different flavor in Ling Yunpo¡¯s eyes, ¡°Come, let Senior Sister find a place to teach you.¡± ¡°No, Senior Sister!¡± Ling Yunpo was well aware of what was going on and wanted to struggle and plead for mercy, but he was immediately wrapped in sword light by Senior Sister An and vanished in an instant. Chapter 436 Chapter 436: Chapter 69: A Mutual Relationship with Senior Sister An Chapter 436: Chapter 69: A Mutual Relationship with Senior Sister An In the secret realm of White Jade Capital, besides the twelve official towers, there are also numerous spacious, independently floating pavilions, providing temporary resting places for the trialists. Of course, during the period of the grand competition, this is also where cultivators with energy to spare come to practice, compete, and exchange in private. Just like the restrictions placed on the towers and squares, practicing sword techniques in these pavilions won¡¯t result in fatal injuries. When a fatal injury is about to hit the target, the target will be ¡°temporarily¡± isolated from the space, thus preventing an on-the-spot death. As long as one doesn¡¯t die on the spot, with a cultivator¡¯s methods of Immortal Law, whether it be the physical damage from a Flying Sword Treasure or the Five Elements damage from Daoist Magic, they can be quickly treated and healed. By the way, one of the main reasons why the Demon Cult is called such is because its cultivation techniques involve a lot of ¡°magic damage¡± mixed with turbid energy, which can¡¯t be healed quickly by conventional means, hence the criticism that they are ¡°too toxic¡±. Ling Yunpo was hit in the chest by the Flying Smoke Sword and immediately felt a sweetness in his throat, his body rapidly flying backwards. Although it seemed like he had internal injuries, they could be healed with just a little bit of treatment. ¡°A body as tough as a sword¡¯s edge¡± is indeed one of the formidable aspects of the Innate Sword Bone. ???G?.?? An Zhisu¡¯s arm was struck by the Green Duckweed Sword¡­ More precisely, it was the Harsh Cold Sword that, while blocking the attack of the Green Duckweed Sword, hit her arm during the recoil, immediately dislocating her shoulder joint. Pressing his chest, Ling Yunpo thought that no matter how many times they practiced, Senior Sister An¡¯s swordsmanship was still so sharp, difficult to guard against. An Zhisu¡¯s Innate Sword Heart made her sword techniques even more refined, and her intuition and judgment on the battlefield were extremely precise. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co His own Innate Sword Bone granted him enhancements in the speed, physical strength, and agility of the Flying Swords. In other words, Senior Sister specialized in ¡°technique¡±, while he specialized in ¡°strength¡±. If one should play to their strengths and avoid their weaknesses, then he shouldn¡¯t compare sword skills with Senior Sister An but should press with strength as much as possible¡­ Of course, by doing so, the purpose of practicing swordsmanship would be lost, which was why Ling Yunpo normally didn¡¯t do this. But now, the always gentle-as-water Senior Sister An was unusually incensed, wanting to vent her anger under the guise of practice. How could he simply submit and let her do as she wished? Therefore, Ling Yunpo put forward a stubborn and unyielding attitude and simply began to compete with Senior Sister An for damage. ¡°Junior Brother,¡± An Zhisu swallowed a pill, then straightened her broken arm and spoke faintly, ¡°Didn¡¯t we agree not to trade injury for injury?¡± ¡°Without doing so, I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s hard to match Senior Sister An¡¯s sword moves.¡± Ling Yunpo regulated his breath, swallowing the stuffiness that rose in his chest. Raising her sword finger, An Zhisu sent the Flying Smoke Sword hurtling toward him again, and Ling Yunpo, controlling the Green Duckweed Sword, blocked it. Finally, he asked softly, ¡°Junior Brother Ling, do you really not know that Shi Liuli?¡± ¡°Senior Sister, I already said, I don¡¯t know her,¡± Ling Yunpo said earnestly, trying his best to fend off the various attacks from the Flying Smoke Sword. ¡°Then why did you give her way during the fight?¡± An Zhisu asked with a smile, though the sword technique in her hand became even more urgent. ¡°It was just a spur of the moment,¡± Ling Yunpo quickly directed the Thunder Punishment Sword to move laterally, blocking the Harsh Cold Sword that sneak attacked from the side. ¡°You¡¯ve never been so ¡®spur of the moment¡¯ before,¡± An Zhisu said somberly, quickly expanding her line of attack to increase the pressure on Ling Yunpo¡¯s defense-her expression finally showing some anger. An angry Senior Sister certainly has a different charm! ¡°Are you jealous, Senior Sister?¡± Ling Yunpo unleashed an attack aimed at the heart. The force transmitted through the sword suddenly intensified. ¡°No,¡± An Zhisu immediately denied, ¡°I¡¯m just worried that you might be deceived.¡± ¡°Deceived?¡± Ling Yunpo feigned confusion, ¡°Who does Senior Sister worry might deceive me?¡± ¡°You still haven¡¯t told me how you came to know that Shi Liuli,¡± An Zhisu hinted at something deeper. ¡°Strange,¡± Ling Yunpo chuckled, ¡°If Senior Sister is worried about that Shi Liuli, I think there¡¯s really no need. I didn¡¯t know Shi Liuli before, nor do I have any interest in dealing with her.¡± The force transmitted through the sword technique instantly weakened a bit. ¡°Really?¡± An Zhisu asked, frowning. ¡°Of course it¡¯s true,¡± laughed Ling Yunpo. ¡°I think it¡¯s false,¡± An Zhisu managed a smile, then pinched a few sword technique signs, and her offensive quickly became more aggressive. ¡°Then how would Senior Sister like to trust me?¡± Ling Yunpo nearly had his defenses broken through by her sudden attack and hastily regained his rhythm, asking while doing so. ¡°Make an oath,¡± An Zhisu said softly. ¡°I, Ling Yunpo, did not know Shi Liuli before and have no interest in dealing with her!¡± Ling Yunpo swore without hesitation, ¡°If I break this oath¡­¡± ¡°Alright! You don¡¯t have to say it,¡± An Zhisu hurriedly interrupted him, then sheathed her swords, sighed, and said, ¡°Junior Brother, it isn¡¯t that Senior Sister is overthinking things or being too nosy, it¡¯s just that I really can¡¯t stop worrying about you.¡± ¡°Our Qingluo Peak lineage, be it our master or Senior Sister, we aren¡¯t the type of people who have complex and transparent thoughts. If we don¡¯t stay extra vigilant, it¡¯s very easy to be deceived by others.¡± ¡°Master once said, ¡®Better to trust in swords and spears than silver-tongued words¡­''¡± An Zhisu rattled on, basically explaining that she wasn¡¯t jealous but worried that her Junior Brother might be deceived, which is why she interfered and inquired about his relationship with Shi Liuli. Naturally, Ling Yunpo responded with a smile to everything, but inwardly he was silently complaining. Who would have thought that Senior Sister An, who usually seemed as gentle as water and indulgently protective, turned out to be such a stubbornly jealous person! The contrast was too great, and he found it somewhat hard to accept. But on second thought, why should he assume that Senior Sister could only have a gentle character? Gentle indeed ¨C could someone gentle earn the title ¡°Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal¡± within the Shushan Sect, frequently destroying others¡¯ Life-bound Sword Artifacts and making mortal enemies? Right, Senior Sister An isn¡¯t gentle, she has a clear-cut temperament. When she loves, she¡¯s utmost gentle, but when she hates, it¡¯s quite another story. Hmm, when I, Ling Yunpo, plan to seize the Heaven-Mending Stone in the future, I must fake my own death to escape! Otherwise, I might be relentlessly pursued by Senior Sister An, with nowhere to hide from her, not even at the ends of the earth! Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only With this thought, Ling Yunpo said with a smile: ¡°Senior Sister, shall we go back and watch the competition?¡± ¡°Alright,¡± An Zhisu fished a medicine bottle out of her sleeves and handed it to him, ¡°Take three pills, don¡¯t leave any hidden injuries on your body.¡± ¡°Senior Sister, if you were worried about me sustaining hidden injuries, why didn¡¯t you show mercy earlier?¡± Ling Yunpo said playfully. ¡°Which sword immortal doesn¡¯t get injured?¡± An Zhisu forced calm, not wanting to further discuss the matter of jealousy, then took out a liquor flask and personally fed him the pills. After taking the pills, Ling Yunpo felt the medicine¡¯s power disperse within his Dantian, and all the various aches, pains, and minor injuries on his body vanished. ¡°Senior Sister, why are these pills so effective?¡± ¡°They¡¯re just ordinary Jiuhua Jade Dew Pills, ground and mixed with Six Bears¡¯ Profound Yellow Powder, then reformed into pill shape.¡± ¡°So it seems they contain a bit of Senior Sister¡¯s tenderness¡­¡± ¡°Less talk. Follow me to the competition.¡± Chapter 437 Chapter 437: Chapter 70: Tell Your Junior Brother to Clean His Neck Chapter 437: Chapter 70: Tell Your Junior Brother to Clean His Neck ¡°` The two returned to the White Jade Capital square only to find that two rounds of the tournament had already passed. Xu Yinglian had defeated Lin Duanshan, and Luo Yan had triumphed over Guan Zhan. It was said that the matches were quite thrilling and spectacular. It was a pity that Ling Yunpo had been too busy dealing with Senior Sister An¡¯s temper and hadn¡¯t witnessed them. It didn¡¯t matter; Chief Qiu could watch Xu Yinglian¡¯s fight, and as for Luo Yan, he himself was going to play it out in the future, so it wasn¡¯t important. At present, the last match of the day was underway, featuring Guan Shanyue against Yan Zhitui. Yan Zhitui was Chief Qiu¡¯s fourth junior brother, who always seemed to be holding a scripture scroll. It was unclear whether he had come to cultivate or to study for the imperial examinations. This junior brother also had a rather upright personality, possessing the temperament of a Confucian gentleman, which gave Chief Qiu a fairly good impression of him. At the moment, in the arena, Yan Zhitui had already raised his scripture scroll magical treasure and was continuously releasing gigantic seal characters from it to bombard Guan Shanyue. But, such tactics were ineffective; not only would Guan Shanyue easily counter them, even Guan Zhan would likely not be troubled by them. Guan Shanyue was easily controlling her Flying Sword, slicing through the characters one by one. Ling Yunpo knew at a glance that she wasn¡¯t planning to use her killer move, so she was patiently waiting for an opportunity to defeat Yan Zhitui with ordinary swordsmanship, aiming to keep more of her trump cards hidden for the later matches. wuxiaworld.site ¡°Senior Sister Guan has the match well in hand,¡± Duan Fenhai commented from the side. ???G?.?? Ling Yunpo gave him a sidelong glance. Why is it that wherever my senior sister and I watch a match, I always find you guys nearby? ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Lin Duanshan agreed, ¡°Although Yan Zhitui from Kunlun doesn¡¯t have any glaring weaknesses, he is too mediocre in all aspects and lacks a decisive killing move.¡± ¡°It seems that Chief Qiu, despite being a good fighter, is not adept at teaching others,¡± Bi Sheng joined in the fun. Ling Yunpo chuckled to herself, thinking critically: What does ¡®not adept at teaching others¡¯ mean? You all don¡¯t know that my other identity, Wei Dongliu, has already established his own sect, okay? ¡°With this, only three of us from Shushan have made it to the top six,¡± Lin Duanshan reflected. ¡°I can accept my loss to Senior Sister An,¡± joked Duan Fenhai, ¡°But Lin Duanshan, losing to the Phoenix Immortal-that really shouldn¡¯t have happened.¡± ¡°No helping it,¡± Lin Duanshan laughed freely, ¡°Although I was prepared, the Phoenix Immortal¡¯s Great Bright Fire is truly my nemesis.¡± Ling Yunpo also felt a sense of emotion. Brother Lin Duanshan was skilled in the way of swordsmanship and, like Senior Sister An, was the type who took the ¡®technical route¡¯. Faced with such irrational large-scale deadly Daoist magic, it was natural for him to be at a disadvantage. It could only be considered an unlucky draw, a fault not of fighting. After a while, Yan Zhitui finally seized an opportunity, and he recited loudly: ¡°To strive with heart and soul must¡­¡± The incantation for his big move was only half chanted when suddenly, Guan Shanyue was enveloped in Sword Light, achieving Unity of Body and Sword. She pierced straight through the unprepared Yan Zhitui¡¯s chest. The so-called ¡®opportunity to release a big move¡¯ was, in fact, just a flaw Guan Shanyue had purposely revealed. With that, today¡¯s competition came to an end, and everyone dispersed to their own. Guan Shanyue returned to the crowd and laughed, ¡°So, we from Shushan have three people advancing to the next round, right?¡± ¡°Senior Sister An, Junior Brother Ling, and you,¡± Lin Duanshan replied. ¡°Along with Chief Qiu, Xu Yinglian, and Luo Yan.¡± ¡°Senior Sister Guan, it seems you¡¯re the weakest at the moment,¡± Duan Fenhai chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Guan Shanyue was quite nonchalant, ¡°Being the weakest still puts me in sixth place.¡± Duan Fenhai didn¡¯t mind and just laughed heartily. While everyone was joking and laughing, suddenly twelve streaks of light from the Palm Swords shot over from a distance, heading towards them at high speed. Ling Yunpo reached out and grabbed one of the Palm Swords, on which were written the three characters ¡°Xu Yinglian.¡± ¡°` ¡°` Another gasp arose, as the match schedule for tomorrow appeared on the Jade List at the White Jade Capital plaza: Upper six: Qiu Changtian versus Guan Shanyue. Ling Yunpo versus Xu Yinglian. An Zhisu versus Luo Yan. Lower six: Lin Duanshan versus Shi Liuli. Guan Zhan versus Bi Sheng. Duan Fenhai versus Yan Zhitui. ¡°Hahaha.¡± Duan Fenhai burst into laughter, ¡°Senior Sister An, it seems you won¡¯t make it into the top three.¡± ¡°You people are in good shape, having already secured your victories for tomorrow, right?¡± Guan Shanyue said with a tinge of annoyance. The crowd then burst into laughter, their moods varying. By now, it was clear to everyone that the weakest three of the top twelve were Guan Zhan, Shi Liuli, and Yan Zhitui. Lin Duanshan, Duan Fenhai, and Bi Sheng were fortunate enough not to draw lots for internal fights and, after defeating these three, they would probably secure seventh to ninth places. If the lower six were considered the heavenly group, then the upper six were rightfully the hellish group. Guan Shanyue drew Qiu Changtian and had prematurely announced his doom. An Zhisu drew Luo Yan, and it looked like the Five Elements Divine Light could no longer be concealed. Ling Yunpo drew Xu Yinglian¡­ sorry, Junior Sister Xu, I won¡¯t be easy on you! Having meticulously planned in his mind, Ling Yunpo and the Shushan group left the White Jade Capital Secret Realm and flew towards their dwelling at Mount Tianmu. But at the grass hut, they saw Shi Liuli standing at the entrance, seemingly waiting for someone. Upon seeing Shi Liuli¡¯s figure, An Zhisu¡¯s face instantly frosted over, and the temperature around her seemed to plummet several degrees, causing Lin Duanshan and the others to unconsciously maintain their distance quickly. Before Ling Yunpo could speak, Miss Shi rushed forward, angrily saying: ¡°During today¡¯s competition, were you letting me win?¡± ¡°Ah, this¡­¡± Ling Yunpo was caught off guard and then saw An Zhisu suddenly laughing beside him. ¡°Fellow Daoist Shi, how do you know my junior brother was letting you win?¡± Although her tone was gentle, Ling Yunpo could sense the anger within, as chilling as ice. ¡°Whether Fellow Daoist Ling yielded or not is clear to all under the watchful eyes. I came here just to say, although I am less skilled, I fought honorably. Why deserve such mockery from you?¡± Shi Liuli, somehow, against the formidable presence of An Zhisu, became quite sharp-tongued, ¡°The Shushan Sect is known for its swordsmanship, beating me doesn¡¯t prove anything. Such frivolous and disrespectful actions during a grand competition of the righteous path will only make the world laugh!¡± At this, the Shushan disciples finally understood: Shi Liuli had taken Ling Yunpo¡¯s ¡°courtesy¡± during today¡¯s magical competition as some sort of mockery and taunting from a superior to a novice. ¡°Cough, Fellow Daoist Shi, you¡¯ve misunderstood¡­¡± Ling Yunpo had just begun to speak when he heard An Zhisu say coldly: ¡°Good, tomorrow I will compete with Luo Yan from Penglai. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Have him prepare well. If my Palm Sword yields even a fraction to him during the competition, then I¡¯ll no longer be surnamed An!¡± Not surnamed An, you could still take your father¡¯s surname Su, right¡­ Ling Yunpo subconsciously thought, then suddenly realized: Wait, she meant tell Luo Yan to prepare well, right? Oh no, future me is doomed! ¡°` Chapter 438 Chapter 438: Chapter 71 Junior Sister, You Actually Hid This from Me Chapter 438: Chapter 71 Junior Sister, You Actually Hid This from Me Shi Liuli left in a huff. An Zhisu¡¯s delicate face was frosted with cold, clearly displeased as well. Lin Duanshan and the others were also tactful enough to quickly take their leave and return to their quarters. Feeling anxious, Ling Yunpo thought that he couldn¡¯t just sit by and watch Luo Yan suffer-after all, no matter how tragic Luo Yan¡¯s situation would be tomorrow, in the end, it would still fall on his own head. ¡°Senior Sister An,¡± Ling Yunpo then tried to persuade her, ¡°you shouldn¡¯t be cross with that Shi Liuli.¡± ¡°Why shouldn¡¯t I be cross with her?¡± An Zhisu retorted angrily, ¡°You obviously told her not to lose too badly, and not only did she not appreciate it, but she also turned around and accused you of being frivolous and disrespectful. Where is the logic in that?¡± ¡°Oh dear.¡± Ling Yunpo also felt a headache coming on, mainly because Miss Shi really was misjudging others by her petty standards-¡°Shi Liuli is notoriously unruly¡­¡± He only got halfway through his sentence when he saw An Zhisu staring at him directly, her tone odd as she said: ¡°Junior Brother, why do you say ¡®her temperament is just like that¡¯? And from your tone, it seems like you¡¯re quite familiar with her?¡± Ling Yunpo: ???!!! This is bad, speak too much and you¡¯ll slip up! His face showed a hint of surprise, but then he smiled and said: wuxiaworld.site ¡°Exactly, Luo Yan.¡± Ling Yunpo continued earnestly, ¡°Senior Sister, do you realize what it means for Luo Yan to have the ¡®Heavenly Craft Hundred Treasures Bag¡¯?¡± ¡°What does it mean?¡± An Zhisu had been completely led by his line of thinking and couldn¡¯t help but ask curiously. ¡°It means that he is the future heir of the Heavenly Craft Workshop.¡± Ling Yunpo explained matter-of-factly, ¡°As long as we get on good terms with Luo Yan, obtaining a Magical Treasure would be a piece of cake, right?¡± ¡°Junior Brother, that¡¯s very considerate of you.¡± An Zhisu was somewhat moved, ¡°Senior Sister doesn¡¯t really need any Magical Treasure¡­¡± ¡°Senior Sister,¡± Ling Yunpo saw he had finally resolved the matter and immediately seized the moment to urge, ¡°Exactly for that reason, I showed mercy in today¡¯s match because Shi Liuli is Luo Yan¡¯s Senior Sister, and if I had beaten Shi Liuli too badly, it would have been a loss of face for Luo Yan, which would have been of no benefit to us, right?¡± ¡°As long as we can win the grand competition, it¡¯s fine to give up a few points in the matches. Don¡¯t you agree, Senior Sister?¡± ¡°Um, indeed.¡± An Zhisu was slightly delighted. So, Junior Brother wasn¡¯t trying to get close to Shi Liuli, he was doing it for me¡­ ¡°Senior Sister, you should rest early too, I¡¯m going to practice my breathing,¡± Ling Yunpo didn¡¯t pursue the matter any further, to avoid overdoing it, and climbed into bed to begin his Qi Refinement practice. An Zhisu stared at Ling Yunpo¡¯s profile with a dazed look for a moment. Ah, Junior Brother still cares about me after all. She sighed in her heart and also climbed into bed, settling down next to Ling Yunpo to begin her meditative concentration. The next day. Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu left the thatched cottage, following the crowd into the White Jade Capital Secret Realm. Apart from a few Cultivators practicing in the nearby pavilions, most people had already gathered in the plaza of the White Jade Capital, waiting to watch the first fight, which would be Qiu Changtian versus Guan Shanyue. Although for different reasons, both brother and sister didn¡¯t want to watch Qiu Changtian¡¯s battle, so they went off to a nearby place to practice. Since Senior Sister An was in a good mood, the two didn¡¯t exchange blows as they had the day before, but simply honed their swordsmanship to warm up. Qiu Changtian seemed to be as fierce as ever, and it didn¡¯t take long before Senior Sister An¡¯s flying sword flew from her hand. ¡°It¡¯s my turn,¡± An Zhisu said, standing to leave. Ling Yunpo immediately followed. After Senior Sister An and Luo Yan had both left the stage, he pondered for a moment but decided not to watch this match. Lest he observe how Luo Yan fought his enemies and, when it came time to impersonate Luo Yan in the future, had to rehearse the script all over again! He leaned over and asked Guan Shanyue: ¡°Senior Sister Guan, how did the last match turn out?¡± ¡°Qiu Changtian is really not easy to deal with,¡± Guan Shanyue sighed, ¡°Your senior sister might not be his match¡­ Hmm, don¡¯t tell her I said that.¡± Oh, Guan Shanyue lost. This was within Ling Yunpo¡¯s expectations, so he sighed and said to Lin Duanshan and the others: ¡°That Luo Yan would be no match for Senior Sister An¡­ I won¡¯t watch. I need to adjust my state and get ready for the next match against Xu Yinglian.¡± After speaking, he directly controlled his sword to leave. Arriving at the first pavilion, there were already groups of cultivators practicing and sparring, which showed the White Jade Capital competition indeed bolstered the ¡°martial spirit¡± of the Three Pure Orthodox Sect. Ling Yunpo paid no attention to them but found a corner of the stands to zone out in, his mind reviewing Junior Sister Xu¡¯s fighting style. Logically, what the Shushan Sword Immortals most dreaded was Daoist magic like the Great Bright Fire, with its sweeping area of effect. You wouldn¡¯t even know where to direct your Flying Sword. However, Ling Yunpo didn¡¯t know how many times he had crossed swords with Xu Yinglian, and naturally, he was intimately familiar with the weaknesses and counters to the Great Bright Fire. The only thing to be cautious about was whether Junior Sister Xu might have a hidden ace that even her brother didn¡¯t know about, waiting to play it at the competition to seal the victory. Ling Yunpo thought for a long time until the sword in his hand began to shine brightly, snapping him back to reality. Forget about secretly hiding aces¡­ I believe Junior Sister Xu certainly wouldn¡¯t do something so false. Ling Yunpo controlled his Flying Sword and swiftly headed toward the White Jade Capital square, only to see that Xu Yinglian had not yet arrived. Lin Duanshan and others were all smiles, chatting with An Zhisu outside the arena. Senior Sister An, her attention elsewhere, nodded wearily toward him, seemingly having secured a hard-fought victory. Tch, after all, Luo Yan only has one-fifth of my strength; it¡¯s normal that he couldn¡¯t beat Senior Sister An. So, Ling Yunpo descended and closed his eyes to rest. About several dozen breaths later, a fairy in white gracefully arrived from afar and landed gently on the ground. It must be said, as strong as Senior Sister is, Xu Yinglian definitely had a more impressive entrance. Dressed in a white robe, like a celestial maiden flying from beyond, whose showy entrance did she learn from¡­? Ling Yunpo¡¯s mind whirred as he gave a clasped-hands salute. Xu Yinglian did not speak, only bowing in return. Such aloofness was also within Ling Yunpo¡¯s expectations. So after saluting, he launched the Green Duckweed Sword straight away. Man-Sword Unity! The Green Duckweed Sword¡¯s light surged by several feet, shooting towards Xu Yinglian like a meteor. ?????.?? It pierced through her chest before she could react! Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Hold on, that¡¯s not right? Ling Yunpo suddenly realized the feeling of impact was off; how could his Junior Sister be so lacking in size? Well done, Junior Sister Xu, you really did have a hidden card up your sleeve! As the thought arose, he saw Xu Yinglian¡¯s figure collapse, turning into a large cluster of scattered flames. In the distance behind him, Xu Yinglian reappeared in the midst of the flames, already preparing a Daoist formula: ¡°Floating Morning Light, shine forth ten thousand zhang!¡± The Great Bright Fire, bearing a sweeping momentum, pressed down with overwhelming force! Chapter 439 Chapter 439: Chapter 72: A mutual exchange with Junior Sister Xu Chapter 439: Chapter 72: A mutual exchange with Junior Sister Xu The Great Bright Fire, which could burn mountains and boil seas, obscured the sun and the sky. Rolling waves of heat rushed forward, causing the complexions of the surrounding cultivators to change. Even those a bit closer had sparks catch on their robes. Upon witnessing the intense blaze, the onlookers were forced to control their swords and retreat more than sixty feet away, continuing to watch the competition from a distance. Ling Yunpo faced the Great Bright Fire without any change in expression, raising a single hand in a sword gesture, chanting an incantation: ¡°Misty and hazy, like a mirage on the water.¡± Suddenly, a dense fog rose rapidly, clashing with the scorching waves of the Great Bright Fire, and immediately billowing white steam soared as if boiling water bubbled over. Xu Yinglian continued to stimulate her True Yuan, aware that the Shushan Sword Immortal couldn¡¯t possibly compete with her in this aspect, especially since she had cultivated the ¡®Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra¡¯, the robustness of her True Yuan unmatched by ordinary cultivators. The opponent must be using Daoist Magic to temporarily withstand the Great Bright Fire, then planning to converge their killing move with Man-Sword Unity, waiting for the opportunity to snipe me directly from the fire! Would I fall for such a lowly trick? She sneered inwardly, already preparing another Daoist Formula with her hands. This technique was one she had learned from her ancient ancestor Feng Tong within the secret realm of the Bright Palace last time, called the ¡°Fire Escape Nine Methods.¡± As long as there was a flame within the range of the technique, even just a tiny spark, she could teleport her body to that location, while simultaneously creating a fire system illusion at her original position-a profoundly mysterious and rare technique that required a Phoenix Bloodline to learn. Because the illusion appeared almost flawless, it was perfect for evading attacks. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.cO Astute as Xu Yinglian was, she could even launch an attack immediately after teleporting, creating an excellent evade-attack routine that left opponents no chance to react. She had intended to keep this technique in reserve for the finals against her Senior Brother, but seeing that neither Ling Yunpo nor An Zhisu could be easily defeated, she had chosen to reveal it now in preparation for a splendid victory. As her thoughts gradually turned, Xu Yinglian suddenly realized that the momentum of the Great Bright Fire was weakening! The opponent¡¯s Daoist Magic had spread out. Wherever the dense fog went, the sea of fire was immediately suppressed, its brightness and heat nearly halved. What kind of Daoist Magic was this? Of such a high rank that it could suppress my Great Bright Fire! Shock filled Xu Yinglian¡¯s heart as she quickly cast a spell with her hands. The Sword Light of Man-Sword Unity pierced her body, and then her form dissipated into firelight, as Xu Yinglian reappeared on the other side of the fire sea, only to see that the white fog was not endless but always maintained around the Qing Ping Sword Light. So, it was not Daoist Magic, but a seal on his sword; no wonder it had a limited range and couldn¡¯t sustain itself without the Immortal Sword. Considering that activating Sword Dao Techniques would consume much more True Yuan than using one¡¯s own acquired Daoist Magic, it would be sufficient to intentionally avoid conflict and drag out time, waiting until his True Yuan was exhausted to win¡­ But would I, Xu Yinglian, stoop to such a shameless tactic for the sake of victory? With this thought, Xu Yinglian called forth her Feather Jia Sword and fiercely charged towards Ling Yunpo. Ling Yunpo was also taken aback: Well done! Your swordsmanship is not as exquisite as mine, and you can¡¯t achieve Man-Sword Unity, yet you still dare to charge at me directly. You truly live up to your name, Iron-headed Junior Sister Xu! He also stimulated his Sword Light to meet her. As Xu Yinglian rapidly closed in, she suddenly spat out a very thin and bright golden thread. Crimson Feather Nine Phoenix Fire! Although the fire thread was only as thick as a fingernail, it was formed in Xu Yinglian¡¯s meridians by compressing Fire System True Essence nine times, making its individual destructive power extremely terrifying. Even though its intensity was halved by the Green Mist Veil Over the Mountains of the Qing Ping Sword, its brightness was still hardly diminished. This shocked Ling Yunpo to his core, not even having time to turn his Sword Light. He hastily dissolved the Man-Sword Unity and performed the Cloud-Parting Eight Trigrams Step, his figure shifting so rapidly that he narrowly dodged the fire thread. The fire thread did not hit Ling Yunpo but swept behind him across the White Jade Capital¡¯s plaza balustrades. The jade balustrade, as if made of tofu, was cut neatly, the incision showing a molten golden red color, still slowly deforming and collapsing. The golden fire line did not slow down and continued to sweep across several cultivators who could not dodge in time in the distance. Caught off guard, those cultivators were bisected at the waist and then ¡°resurrected¡± in their original spots by the secret realm¡¯s mechanism. Having just steadied their startled souls, they dared not stay put any longer. They immediately fled on their flying swords, not even bothering to watch the competition anymore. The rest of the onlooking cultivators were also stunned: What kind of Daoist magic was this golden line? Its attack range was vast, its speed was freakishly fast, and its lethality was massive-even capable of slicing through the railings of the White Jade Capital Plaza! It should be noted that the White Jade Capital Plaza had hosted many bouts in the past few days, yet it had never been damaged by the Daoist magic used in those contests! In a state of panic, the crowd had no choice but to once again fly away on their swords to a distance of fifty zhang, all the while pinching their sword techniques, ready to flee if the situation turned dire. Ling Yunpo too looked solemn, understanding that the Phoenix Secret Technique which Junior Sister Xu had obtained from the ancient ancestor Feng Tong within the Bright Palace secret realm had improved her combat prowess more than he had anticipated. Well, if that¡¯s the case, I won¡¯t hold back either. His expression gravely serious, he pinched his sword technique and once again drew the Thunder Punishment Sword and the Myriad Bamboos Sword. Three flying swords hovered around him, the Green Duckweed Sword on the right, the Thunder Punishment Sword on the left, and the Myriad Bamboos Sword above his head. Black, white, and green mingled together, radiating an imposing killing intent. Xu Yinglian was not intimidated at all and turned her head to exhale flames again. This time it was not the golden line but a new Great Bright Fire, rolling in like a tide towards Ling Yunpo. Ling Yunpo exclaimed, This Great Bright Fire, although wide in range, is not as lethal as the Crimson Feather Nine Phoenix Fire. Reduced by half with my Green Mist Veil Over the Mountains, it posed no real threat. Why is Junior Sister still using this move? As the sea of fire rose again, concealing Xu Yinglian¡¯s figure, Ling Yunpo realized the bad news: So that¡¯s it! ???G0.?? The Great Bright Fire wasn¡¯t intended to attack me, but to create a massive wave of light and heat, masking her position! As the thought crossed his mind, another golden line suddenly shot out from the sea of fire, its angle crafty and its speed incredibly fast, making Ling Yunpo break into a cold sweat. Fortunately, after many years of training with An Zhisu, his reaction speed was well-honed. He quickly dodged using the Cloud-Parting Eight Trigrams Step, simultaneously directing his Green Duckweed Sword towards the origin of the golden line. The Green Duckweed Sword pierced through the sea of fire but didn¡¯t seem to hit its target, suggesting Junior Sister had escaped through her bizarre techniques again¡­ Just as this thought came to him, another golden line shot toward him, this time from a different direction! Ling Yunpo hastily dodged the sweeping golden line once more, and since the Green Duckweed Sword could not be retracted in time, he shot the Thunder Punishment Sword towards his opponent instead. As expected, it hit nothing. Junior Sister Xu, within the sea of fire, moving freely with her Fire Escape Technique, and maintaining a constant threat with her Crimson Feather Nine Phoenix Fire, had taken control of the rhythm away from me. To defeat her, I would need to use an even wider-ranging Daoist magic to suppress the entire sea of fire on the battlefield! Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only With this in mind, Ling Yunpo once again pinched his Daoist formula, enacting the third layer of the Sword Dao Techniques on the Green Duckweed Sword, ¡°North Wind Rolls White Feathers,¡± while reciting the incantation: ¡°Three-foot Abyssal Ice, a thousand li of white feathers!¡± Suddenly, frost formed in the air, turning instantly into a heavy snowfall, blanketing the entire sea of fire and even the White Jade Capital Plaza beneath a layer of snowflakes. Each snowflake was a blade of Water System Sword Qi, which upon falling onto the blazing Great Bright Fire, instantly extinguished each other, retreating on both sides. Another Water System Daoist magic! Hiding deep within the sea of fire, Xu Yinglian felt trouble brewing within her heart. Two successive wide-area Daoist magics, both unleashed through the sealing of flying swords, this guy¡­ where is he getting all this True Yuan from? Chapter 440 Chapter 440: Chapter 73: Watch closely, this is how the trump card is played Chapter 440: Chapter 73: Watch closely, this is how the trump card is played ¡°` Snowflakes swirled through the sky, a sea of flames rolled over the ground, on the vast square of White Jade Capital, forming a fierce clash of water and fire. Many cultivators watched from a distance, equally astonished by the spectacle. Normally, this sort of competition in Daoist magic would occur among Kunlun Cultivators in their internal conflicts. Because wide-area Daoist magic consumes too much True Yuan, whether it¡¯s Shushan Sword Immortals leveraging Flying Swords or Penglai Cultivators using Magical Treasures, neither can withstand such prolonged depletion. In fact, even Kunlun Cultivators rarely use this tactic to stalemate¡­ it was unexpected that it would happen in the contest between Ling Yunpo and Xu Yinglian. Xu Yinglian, being an elite disciple of Kunlun and having cultivated the ¡°Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra,¡± had a profound reservoir of True Yuan, which was not surprising. But where did Ling Yunpo, clearly a Shushan disciple, get so much True Yuan? Ling Yunpo knew things weren¡¯t looking good, if the tug-of-war continued, Junior Sister Xu might just be drained of True Yuan alive. Preposterous! You, a Shushan Sword Immortal adept at swift battles, are grinding a Qi Refiner from Kunlun known for abundant True Yuan to death, does this make sense? Winning the contest, yet revealing weaknesses, is it worth it? With this in mind, Ling Yunpo immediately decided to change tactics. wuxiaworld.site If he couldn¡¯t withstand a war of attrition, he must make it a quick battle. Unable to swiftly suppress the Great Bright Fire, there was no choice but to disregard the sea of flames and directly target Xu Yinglian. With this thought, Ling Yunpo said in a deep voice: ¡°Ah Jing, help me scan!¡± ¡°Over there,¡± the Kunlun Mirror replied indifferently. Ling Yunpo focused his gaze and spotted Xu Yinglian amidst the rekindled flames, who was casting the Crimson Feather Nine Phoenix Fire. Once again using his Cloud-Parting Eight Trigrams Step, he agilely dodged the sweep of the golden thread while dispersing the Green Duckweed, Thunder Punishment, and Myriad Bamboos Swords across the field, quickly darting around. The Myriad Bamboos Sword suddenly struck down, piercing straight through Xu Yinglian¡¯s body. Prepared Junior Sister Xu immediately activated a spell, her figure collapsing into flames. Reappearing elsewhere in the sea of flames, she was about to cast the Crimson Feather Nine Phoenix Fire again. Suddenly, the Thunder Punishment Sword slashed down from the sky, aimed precisely at her crown! Startled, Xu Yinglian had no time to activate the Fire Escape Technique and hastily summoned the Feather Jia Sword to block the blow, her mind filled with shock and uncertainty: Something¡¯s wrong! I haven¡¯t even released the Crimson Feather Nine Phoenix Fire, how could he have predetermined my range within the sea of flames? Another deep explosion resounded, Ling Yunpo had summoned the Daoist Magic of ¡°North Wind Rolls White Feathers,¡± directing the Flying Snow Sword Qi towards her location, bombarding it. Xu Yinglian had no choice but to perform another Daoist Formula and escape her original position using the Fire Escape Technique. Just as she teleported to another spot, the Green Duckweed Sword slashed down again, its trajectory pinpoint accurate, right where she stood. This guy isn¡¯t just lucky, he can actually see me in the sea of flames! Xu Yinglian gritted her teeth in anger. In this case, using the Great Bright Fire to hide my form is completely futile, isn¡¯t it? That¡¯s right, I remember senior brother was the same; somehow, he could always pinpoint my location in the flames, even though my Great Bright Fire could isolate even Divine Sense¡­ That despicable senior brother, even if he defeated me, at least let me understand why I lost! Xu Yinglian once again performed the Fire Escape Technique, extracting herself from between the Green Duckweed Sword and Flying Snow Sword Qi. Appearing on the edge of the White Jade Capital square, she quickly focused her gaze, only to find that Ling Yunpo¡¯s figure had disappeared from her field of vision. Hm? ¡°` Xu Yinglian¡¯s face underwent a drastic change as she saw Ling Yunpo using the Cloud-Parting Eight Trigrams Step, appearing right in front of her, and the Green Duckweed Sword chopping down at her swiftly! In a hurry, she used the Feather Jia Sword to block while her hands were about to perform the Daoist Formula for the Fire Escape Technique to break free, but then she saw the Thunder Punishment Sword launching a rapid sneak attack from the left. The Metal System Flying Sword was incredibly fast, and by this time, it was too late to activate the Fire Escape Technique, or else she would be stabbed by the Flying Sword ahead of time. At this moment, the Feather Jia Sword was entangled with the Green Duckweed Sword and could not break free; Xu Yinglian only had a Wood System Flying Sword named ¡°Cangwu,¡± which she typically used for transportation with the Sword Control Technique; she had no choice but to reluctantly draw it out for defense. Not adept at the Two-Handed Sword Control Technique, and distracted by multitasking, Xu Yinglian barely blocked the stab from the Thunder Punishment Sword and was about to perform the Daoist Formula when suddenly, she felt a sharp pain in her back. The Myriad Bamboos Sword had already penetrated her chest. Xu Yinglian: ¡°???¡± Wasn¡¯t it said that Shushan disciples, with their Two-Handed Sword Control Technique, could at most control two swords at the same time? Why is it that this person was able to use three swords in successive combination attacks without the slightest hindrance¡­ Her figure vanished in an instant, and then reappeared-¡°resurrected¡±-at the original spot once again. At this point, the entire square was free of the Great Bright Fire. Xu Yinglian stood in her original spot, her face a mix of disbelief, confusion, regret, resentment, loss, depression, and frustration ¨C it was indeed because he, as her Senior Brother, had spent so many years with Junior Sister Xu, he recognized these subtle emotions one by one. In any case, Junior Sister Xu was distinctly unhappy at the moment. Ling Yunpo cast his eyes towards the edge of the arena, his gaze skimming past Qiu Changtian¡¯s figure without a pause. The task of consoling Junior Sister, I¡¯ll leave it to you, future me! ¡°Senior Sister An!¡± Ling Yunpo flew away from the arena with his sword, joining An Zhisu who was watching from a distance. ¡°Congratulations, Junior Brother Ling!¡± Lin Duanshan and others came forward to congratulate, ¡°Junior Brother Ling¡¯s advancement to the top three is a great honor for our Shushan disciples.¡± ¡°Oh, it was nothing but luck,¡± Ling Yunpo said humbly just as Duan Fenhai eagerly asked: ¡°Junior Brother Ling, in the end, with two swords you occupied the opponent¡¯s two swords, and the third sword readily defeated Xu Yinglian. Is this not the legendary method of controlling three swords with an external incarnation?¡± ¡°Hahaha, that¡­¡± Ling Yunpo was about to give a joke-ridden explanation, trying to bluff his way through when he saw Xu Yinglian suddenly fly in on her sword to the people¡¯s presence. An Zhisu immediately stepped in front of Ling Yunpo, fearing the Phoenix Immortal might wish harm upon her Junior Brother. However, luckily, since Xu Yinglian was after all Qiu Changtian¡¯s Daoist Companion, Senior Sister An didn¡¯t show obvious animosity towards her, mostly just on guard. ¡°Excellent swordsmanship, excellent strategy,¡± Xu Yinglian said coolly. ¡°I concede defeat wholeheartedly after this loss.¡± ¡°But with your and your Senior Sister¡¯s strength, neither of you could match my Senior Brother.¡± ¡°Whether we are a match or not, only trial by combat will tell,¡± An Zhisu replied displeasedly. ¡°Indeed,¡± Xu Yinglian revealed a faint smile. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to your match with my Senior Brother, no matter who it is¡­¡± Having spoken, she turned her sword light around and flew in the direction of Qiu Changtian. ¡°What does she mean by that?¡± Lin Duanshan smirked, ¡°Is it because she¡¯s not satisfied with her defeat, so she came to drop some harsh words to regain face?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± Guan Shanyue pondered, ¡°It seems more like she¡¯s saying ¡®Don¡¯t underestimate Qiu Changtian and prepare inadequately¡¯.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you overthinking it?¡± An Zhisu frowned, ¡°How come I didn¡¯t notice it?¡± No, that¡¯s just how prideful she is¡­ ???G?.?? Ling Yunpo muttered internally. Given your level of emotional intelligence, Senior Sister, it¡¯s normal that you didn¡¯t notice. Chapter 441 Chapter 441: Chapter 74 Senior Sister An Gets Tricked Badly Chapter 441: Chapter 74 Senior Sister An Gets Tricked Badly As Ling Yunpo triumphed over Xu Yinglian, the first to third places in the White Jade Capital Grand Tournament would be decided among Qiu Changtian, An Zhisu, and Ling Yunpo. However, the method of deciding the placement was not by pairs fighting each other, but by drawing lots¡­ with two of them competing against each other, while the third would have a bye. After the competition, the winner would then compete against the one who had a bye. If the winner is victorious again, then they will be ranked first, and the one with the bye and the previous round¡¯s loser will compete to determine their rankings. If the one with the bye wins, then they will be ranked first, the winner of the previous round second, and the loser third. This competition rule, without a doubt, gave the biggest advantage to the individual with the bye. Firstly, they could rest and recuperate, having more time to adjust their condition, while the remaining two had to fight an extra match. ???g?.?? Secondly, they could glean more information and intelligence from the fight between the remaining two. Although it seemed very unfair, if they did not employ this drawing lots rule and let each of the three competitors fight each other once, it would result in more troublesome problems: If competitor A defeated B, B defeated C, and C then defeated A, how could the top three positions be allocated? In any case, since the rule was to draw lots, the twelve competitors from White Jade Capital could only rely on luck to draw. Ling Yunpo even saw Miss Shi closing her eyes tightly, muttering to herself as if she were casting a spell. If he remembered correctly, after these two rounds of competition, fourth to sixth places were Xu Yinglian, Guan Shanyue, and Luo Yan; seventh to ninth were Lin Duanshan, Duan Fenhai, and Guan Zhan; and tenth to twelfth were Shi Liuli, Yan Zhitui, and Bi Sheng. wuxiaworld.site Junior Brother Yan rarely ventured out from the mountain gate and had almost no experience in battle. If Miss Shi could capitalise on strong luck, her chances of victory were not small. But Bi Sheng was skilled in swordsmanship, and it was virtually impossible for Shi Liuli to triumph over him¡­ unless some outrageously good luck occurred, such as Bi Sheng performing exceptionally poorly on the day, getting an upset stomach, or experiencing a deviation, etc. Otherwise, there seemed no possibility that he would lose to Miss Shi. By noon, another twelve lot swords were subsequently shot out from the Jade List at White Jade Capital¡¯s square. Everyone reached out to catch the lot swords that flew by, and Ling Yunpo, upon closer inspection, saw that ¡°An Zhisu¡± was clearly written on the lot sword he caught. Great, Qiu Changtian had a bye, the Grand Tournament was practically over, no need to fight anymore. ¡°What!¡± Lin Duanshan and the others, upon seeing the result in his hand, were also collectively speechless. Qiu Changtian was already a tough opponent to deal with, and now we from Shushan have to fight among ourselves before facing him? ¡°Could there be some foul play with this drawing of lots!¡± Duan Fenhai, true to his martial arts background, immediately grew angry. ¡°This Sword Immortal List Magical Treasure is provided by your Shushan,¡± said the Kunlun true person guarding the Jade List dispassionately. ¡°And it¡¯s been checked and confirmed by all three sects. If you have any doubts, you may consult your Sect Leader.¡± Duan Fenhai scoffed several times but said no more. Approaching the Jade Capital Sect Leader without clear evidence would be nothing short of humiliating oneself. Yet clearly, Shushan had two people in the top three, and the drawing of lots resulted in a battle between sect members-a one in three chance. How could this be convincing? ¡°That¡¯s enough, Junior Brother Duan,¡± An Zhisu said, putting away the lot sword marked ¡°Ling Yunpo¡± with a sigh. ¡°Actually, there is another way¡­¡± Before she could finish speaking, Ling Yunpo tossed the lot sword back into the Jade List and said: ¡°I concede in advance for tomorrow¡¯s competition.¡± ¡°Junior Brother!¡± An Zhisu was immediately shocked and dismayed. She had planned to forfeit herself, to give her junior brother the chance to participate in the final, but Ling Yunpo anticipated her thoughts and conceded before her. ¡°You¡¯re forfeiting?¡± asked the Kunlun true person in surprise. ¡°Very well, it¡¯s your Shushan¡¯s internal affair after all.¡± Ling Yunpo turned his head and smiled, saying: ¡°Senior Sister, there¡¯s no need to worry about me. If I were to face Qiu Changtian, Senior Sister¡¯s chances of winning are clearly far greater than mine.¡± ¡°Junior Brother¡­¡± An Zhisu said weakly. If Ling Yunpo had merely intended to forfeit, she would definitely have asserted her authority as a senior sister and not allowed her junior brother to simply give up. But since Ling Yunpo had outright thrown his token sword away¡­ there was no chance for repentance, and she could only grit her teeth in secrecy, resolved not to let her junior brother¡¯s painstaking efforts be in vain. In the final contest, she must put forth her greatest effort and hack that Qiu Changtian to his demise! Yet Ling Yunpo was unaware of An Zhisu¡¯s thoughts and was merely bidding farewell to everyone. Lin Duanshan felt a sense of regret, Duan Fenhai couldn¡¯t stop sighing, and only Guan Shanyue wore a smile that was not quite a smile, revealing a teasing expression. Still claiming there¡¯s nothing personal between you and your senior sister? After leaving the White Jade Capital Secret Realm and returning to the thatched cottage, An Zhisu was about to speak when Ling Yunpo held her hands down and said seriously, ¡°Senior Sister, why do you show such a girlish sentimentality? In my view, whether my senior sister or I win or lose is not important at all¡­ Whether second or third, don¡¯t we both belong to the Qingluo Peak lineage?¡± ¡°But¡­¡± An Zhisu began, then hesitated. ¡°Besides,¡± Ling Yunpo continued with a smile, ¡°if we have to fight each other before facing Qiu Changtian, wasting our energy and affecting our condition, even possibly missing the chance to win in the finals, that would truly be regrettable! If senior sister still feels she has wronged me, then how about agreeing to one request of mine?¡± ¡°What request?¡± An Zhisu asked softly. She must be asking me to win first place for him¡­ ¡°I only hope that senior sister won¡¯t care too much about being first,¡± Ling Yunpo said with a carefree smile. ¡°Others may value honor, but I¡¯m worried about ¡®the bigger the tree, the stronger the wind that will uproot it¡¯.¡± After a moment of silence, An Zhisu said, ¡°Sigh, junior brother, I¡¯ve also thought about what you¡¯re worried about.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just that Master once said, those who are Sword Immortals must strive to be the first¡­¡± She rambled on about how Su Jian had taught her to fight hard, leaving Ling Yunpo feeling overwhelmed. Ling Yunpo couldn¡¯t just say ¡°Master is wrong, listen to me,¡± because he knew all too well that his senior sister would certainly not agree. He could only think, what a fine young lady An Zhisu is, how could Su Jian have led her astray! As An Zhisu entered meditative concentration, Ling Yunpo also closed his eyes and instructed the Kunlun Mirror, ¡°Ah Jing, save the game.¡± ¡°Save the game now?¡± The Kunlun Mirror asked in surprise. ¡°Yes, what else?¡± Ling Yunpo asked helplessly. ¡°If I don¡¯t save now, I will definitely have to watch senior sister¡¯s fight with Qiu Changtian on the day of the finals. I can¡¯t find an excuse to be absent and not watch.¡± ¡°Wait until I¡¯ve seen Qiu Changtian¡¯s fighting style then play the role of Qiu Changtian and replicate it exactly according to the script? How exhausting is that!¡± ¡°It¡¯s better to play Qiu Changtian first and finish all the matches that need to be fought, then Ling Yunpo here can simply watch the battles afterward.¡± ¡°I see,¡± the Kunlun Mirror realized. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°So, we save as Qiu Changtian first?¡± ¡°No, leave Qiu Changtian for last, save as Luo Yan first,¡± Ling Yunpo said with a smile. ¡°First take the benefits offered by the Penglai Jade Pure Sect to boost my own strength. This way, later on when I face Senior Sister An as Qiu Changtian, my chances of winning will be greater.¡± Kunlun Mirror: ¡­¡­¡­ Fine then, first play as Ling Yunpo to dissipate An Zhisu¡¯s fighting spirit, then as Luo Yan to deceive the sect for benefits to enhance strength, and finally beat Senior Sister An as Qiu Changtian, right? And maybe after winning, go back to being Ling Yunpo again to comfort the defeated Senior Sister An and fish for some goodwill! Chapter 442 Chapter 442: Chapter 75 Miss Shi Should Repay the Favor Chapter 442: Chapter 75 Miss Shi Should Repay the Favor [Location Three: Penglai Jade Pure Pavilion, Heavenly Craft Workshop.] [Character Identity: Luo Yan.] [Mirror Flower Water Moon Template overlaid, currently traversing time and space.] The moment for Luo Yan had still paused before the start of the White Jade Capital¡¯s grand competition. The seven people who were the pride of Yuqing View, elegantly referred to as the ¡°Seven Sons of Penglai¡± within the pavilion, were busy with intensive training every day, striving to strengthen themselves. The Sect Leader of Xuandu was still dropping by every two or three days to inspect, taking each person aside in turn to provide individual guidance-mainly drawing on the experience and wisdom of a high-rank cultivator to point out the deficiencies in their combat techniques. Compared to the mysterious Kunlun¡¯s Ziwei Master, and the proud and self-respecting Sect Leader of Shushan and Jade Capital, the Pavilion Master of Yuqing View had no airs about him, speaking with an approachable attitude of a senior member of the sect rather than that of a stern superior. It¡¯s just that his skill in pumping people up was truly remarkable. Luo Yan had heard him say more than once in private, ¡°In this competition, the one I have the highest hopes for is you, Luo Yan.¡± At the time, he was somewhat moved and guilty, because he had not given his all in the future competition either, eventually placing between fourth and sixth. Only when Shi Liuli came back and told him did he realize this old fellow said the same thing to everyone, truly a master of motivational words. As the day of the competition drew closer, Miss Shi grew increasingly anxious, fearful that she would be eliminated in the first round and wouldn¡¯t even make it into the top twelve of White Jade Capital, thus embarrassing Elder Shi Ding upon her return. Luo Yan, however, who already knew the future, was full of confidence in Shi Liuli. Not to mention anything else, just with your ridiculously good luck, by simply advancing through bye rounds over and over again, you could easily make it into the top twelve. wuxiaworld.site Of course, luck only goes so far, especially since within the top twelve, there are prodigies everywhere and geniuses in abundance-you would stand no chance against any of them. Don¡¯t think too much, making it into the top twelve is already a victory! Shi Liuli, of course, was unaware, and just kept dragging Luo Yan to practice swordsmanship non-stop-the reason being that the Sect Leader of Xuandu had repeatedly pointed out to her, ¡°Your swordsmanship is your weak point.¡± On closer examination, Miss Shi¡¯s Purple Extreme Han Yuan Sword was of a fairly high rank, and with a wide-area Daoist Magic like the ¡°Southern Dipper Galaxy Secret Technique,¡± as well as an all-around Magical Treasure like the ¡°Tai Wei Gou Chen Brilliant Star Sand,¡± her overall strength was indeed not weak. The only concern was her lack of combat experience. If her opponent launched a strong sword attack from the outset, under the high pressure she would have no chance to unleash her Daoist Magic or activate her Magical Treasure, rendering all her advantages invisible and leaving her at the mercy of her opponent. It is known, among all the Myriad Laws, swordsmanship is the fastest! Whether you are king with treasures or reign supreme with Daoist Magic, you must at least not be too weak in swordsmanship. Otherwise, just as you begin to make a Sword technique gesture and stir up your True Yuan, your opponent¡¯s Flying Sword already aims straight at your forehead, and then there¡¯s no longer any battle to be had, what then? ¡°Junior brother!¡± Miss Shi, tired from practicing, sat next to Luo Yan during a rest and skillfully hugged his arm with her eyes twinkling, ¡°Is there any way¡­¡± The gesture was so familiar to Luo Yan that he immediately knew what Miss Shi meant. What she wanted to ask was most certainly, ¡°Is there a way to quickly improve swordsmanship,¡± right? And all Luo Yan had to do was begin to utter a single ¡°no,¡± and his arm would be clamped by the tenacious Miss Shi, then shaken and wiggled side-to-side, accompanied by the triple chant of ¡°Please, please help me,¡± truly devastating to the male psyche. Although Luo Yan had yet to clarify the most crucial point-whether Miss Shi truly harbored any feelings for him, or was simply an innate flirt unaware of her nature-this did not prevent him from making a practiced response. First, without a change in expression, he slipped his arm out of Shi Liuli¡¯s embrace, and then Luo Yan slowly smiled and said: ¡°For senior sister to seek improvement in swordsmanship from me, isn¡¯t that like asking a fish for its perch? My swordsmanship is not strong either.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Shi Liuli blinked, and almost subconsciously determined that Luo Yan was trying to brush her off again, grabbing his arm to prepare for another chant. To her surprise, Luo Yan suddenly asked: ¡°Where does this sword of senior sister come from?¡± ¡°Of course, from the previous expedition in Kuocang Mountain Secret Realm¡­¡± Shi Liuli began, but then she suddenly realized the implication. Kuocang Mountain Secret Realm was a typical ¡°Heritage Secret Realm,¡± where the legacies of three ancient Loose Cultivators were left behind. The ¡°Huayang Da Mao Temple¡± was specifically designed for the teaching of swordsmanship. Instead of blindly practicing here with junior brothers, why not go to Huayang Da Mao Temple to receive guidance from an immortal? That¡¯s an immortal we¡¯re talking about! Even the Master of Xuan Du wouldn¡¯t dare to claim his guidance was definitely better than that of an immortal! ???G?.?? With that thought, Miss Shi immediately made up her mind. To rush to Kuocang Mountain Secret Realm for a wave of swordsmanship! Of course, she had to take Junior Brother Luo along. Luo Yan was dragged away by her without explanation, his heart filled with mixed feelings of laughter and tears. Shi Liuli indeed belonged to that typical type of young mistress who ¡°knows no bounds,¡± reckless in making demands, yet never hesitating when offering benefits, truly making one exclaim, ¡°What a precious thing exists in this world!¡± You should know, although it was initially Luo Yan who suggested taking her to find the Kuocang Mountain Secret Realm, in the end, only she herself found the entrance to the secret realm. According to the unwritten rules of the Cultivation Realm, that secret realm belonged solely to Miss Shi. However, considering that it was Luo Yan who provided the clue, some compensation and benefits should be provided to him-an actual array of cultivation resources or sharing of information about the entrance to the secret realm, but definitely something must be given. Otherwise, who would be willing to take you on adventures in the future? So much time has passed and only now did she think to bring him to that secret realm, showing that the concept of ¡°reciprocal courtesy¡± was completely absent from Miss Shi¡¯s mind. (Thinking about it, after the crisis of the hundred thousand demons attacking Penglai had ended, Elder Shi Ding giving him the Heavenly Craft Hundred Treasures Bag might have been a kind of compensation, and also probably because he saw through his daughter¡¯s naive disregard for worldly affairs, knowing without Luo Yan¡¯s care, disaster was inevitable.) There is nothing more to say, only to be moved! In the upcoming grand competition at White Jade Capital, he must properly repay Miss Shi¡¯s kindness! The two traveled by sword control, leaving Penglai Island, following the coast of the East Sea to arrive near Kuocang Mountain. Compared to the visit countless years ago, Kuocang Mountain now had a bit more human activity, with groups of devotees staying temporarily in Jinyun Temple, offering incense, or even going nearby to enjoy the scenery; the mountain was bustling everywhere. Luo Yan and Shi Liuli arrived above Ruan Lang Pavilion and saw several young masters sitting in the pavilion boiling wine and reciting poetry, while maids and servants bustled about attending to them. As the two descended from the sky, the maids and servants were so frightened that they all prostrated on the ground, and the young masters looked at each other bemusedly before they realized what was happening and continuously bowed down, excitedly saying, ¡°We pay respects to the immortals!¡± The reason was simple: In the coastal regions of Yangzhou, the existence of Penglai Yuqing View was no secret. Many wealthy families would consider sending their children to Penglai, to have a chance encounter with immortality¡­ Seeing the two of them arrive on their swords, the young masters of rich backgrounds immediately recognized them as Penglai Cultivators, and were overjoyed. Luo Yan couldn¡¯t be bothered with their nonsense, and simply tossed them a Purifying Bottle, saying, ¡°We are borrowing this place, leave quickly.¡± One of them wanted to say something more (presumably something presumptuous like not wanting spiritual medicine but only to request to be taken as disciples), but his companions were more tactful, realizing the two immortals didn¡¯t want to waste words, so they quickly picked up the Purifying Bottle, held him by the arms, and beckoned the servants and maids to leave in haste. After Luo Yan scattered the onlookers, Shi Liuli didn¡¯t make a big deal of it, for there is a distinction between immortals and mortals, after all. She just excitedly dragged Luo Yan and said, ¡°Somewhere on this rocky wall, the carvings mark the entrance to the secret realm. It was only after you got me drunk that I stumbled upon those carvings and accidentally entered!¡± ¡°Senior Sister! Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only You can¡¯t talk nonsense,¡± Luo Yan immediately protested in shock, ¡°What do you mean, ¡®got you drunk¡¯? If I hadn¡¯t suggested we emulate Yang An by having a little wine, how could Senior Sister have stumbled upon that secret realm and reaped such great benefits?¡± In fact, you owe me your gratitude, you should repay me. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m not blaming you!¡± Shi Liuli hurriedly waved her hand and said anxiously, stamping her foot, ¡°I just¡­ I just¡­ oh, why don¡¯t you understand!¡± Chapter 443 Chapter 443: Chapter 76: Shi Liuli¡¯s First Entry into the White Jade Capital Chapter 443: Chapter 76: Shi Liuli¡¯s First Entry into the White Jade Capital In Kuocang Mountain, one is unaware of the cold and heat of passing seasons. Last time, Shi Liuli trained here not to elevate her own swordsmanship skills but to satisfy the requirements set by the consciousness of the immortals as early as possible, so she could escape from the confines of the secret realm. Back then, Miss Shi had not yet realized the importance of strength. Today, with the White Jade Capital tournament looming ahead, Shi Liuli finally possessed a sense of honor-at the very least, she understood how embarrassing it would be if she couldn¡¯t make it into the top twelve, and what it would be like to return to the Yuqing View. After the View poured so many resources into you and even bestowed upon you the elegant title of ¡°Penglai Seven,¡± would it not be a disgrace if you couldn¡¯t even make it into the top twelve? Even if Elder Shi Ding from the Heavenly Craft Workshop could protect her within, would the disciples of Penglai outside be as considerate? They were already envious of the resources consumed by you ¡°Penglai Seven.¡± It was conceivable that while they might not dare to slander openly, private disparagement was inevitable. Shi Liuli did not want to lose face! Therefore, within the Huayang Grande Mao View, when Shi Liuli sparred with the projection of an immortal, her attitude was unusually serious. Luo Yan watched from the side and couldn¡¯t help thinking that it was no wonder when Ling Yunpo faced her in a match, he had found her swordsmanship to be passable, no longer as abysmal as before. As for himself, there was not much for him to do in the Kuocang Mountain Secret Realm. The Kuocang Mountain Secret Realm held three inheritances: swordsmanship, Daoist magic, and Art Calculation. There was no need to practice Daoist magic since the mechanism of the Five Elements Divine Light was invincible; as long as one¡¯s True Yuan was sufficient, one could mow down the opposition like cutting grass. Swordsmanship was occupied by Shi Liuli, so after some thought, the only option left was to take a look at Art Calculation. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co Upon arriving at the hidden abode of Yinxuan Heavenly Ordained Fate, Luo Yan saw a tall and thin man standing there, saying, ¡°You again? I have already told you, you cannot accept my Art of Calculation¡­ You are not in the cycle of the Heavenly Dao, so you cannot divine the workings of fate.¡± This statement was the same as that of the Kunlun Mirror; it meant that everyone in this world was within the cycle of the Heavenly Dao, and thus they were unable to alter the predetermined destruction of the world, but as a transmigrant, I could exploit the loopholes within it to reverse the future¡¯s doomsday. ¡°I am here not to learn Art Calculation,¡± Luo Yan said gravely, ¡°but to inquire about my senior sister¡¯s situation. She has always been very lucky, is she someone favored by heaven?¡± ¡°Your senior sister does indeed have a destiny with marked quality,¡± the Yinxuan Heavenly Ordained Fate said after a pause, ¡°but she is not favored by heaven.¡± ¡°The Heavenly Dao is eternal and regards all beings as straw dogs. Her quality of fate, though peculiar, is still within the cycle of the Heavenly Dao, unlike you.¡± Luo Yan fell silent. If she were someone favored by heaven, then he could be at ease. But since she was not, and instead possessed a quality of destiny, it brought about some worry. For we know that with destiny, fortune and misfortune often balance each other internally. For instance, those with the life aspect of ¡®lonely star of evil destiny¡¯ often see all their relatives, friends, and spouses dead, but in return, they have exceptionally long lives¡­ If Shi Liuli was usually this lucky, then what was the corresponding price? Forget it, even Ah Jing couldn¡¯t figure it out, so why should I worry? Worrying is useless! He could only wait and see in the future. Luo Yan then returned to the Huayang Grande Mao View and reminded Shi Liuli, saying, ¡°Senior Sister, the day of the great competition is approaching. It¡¯s not good for us to be too far from the Yuqing View, as the sect may worry about us.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Shi Liuli had been training for many days and was brimming with confidence at the moment. Upon hearing this, she readily agreed. The two of them then controlled their swords and flew back to the Yuqing View. After several days, the day of the White Jade Capital tournament officially arrived. Compared to the full mobilization of the Shushan sect and almost full mobilization of Kunlun, there were noticeably fewer participants willing to join the tournament from Penglai, not even half the number from Kunlun or Shushan. Therefore, the Yuqing View¡¯s camp was set in a valley, surrounded by lakes. Although the area was not large, it was just enough to accommodate everyone. Compared to the thatched cottages at Shushan, the temporary residences at Yuqing View were quite grand. They were a kind of house-style magical treasure which, when thrown by the leading elder, transformed into a connected array of pavilions and buildings that shone brilliantly. The living conditions were simply heaven above and earth below! At this time, the White Jade Capital Secret Realm had already opened, yet everyone was not in a hurry to draw lots. Instead, they leisurely found rooms for themselves among the pavilions and buildings. Then, they started to fly towards the direction of the secret realm in dribs and drabs. Shi Liuli pulled Luo Yan to stay at home and make lunch. After having eaten their fill, they leisurely headed to the entrance of the White Jade Capital Secret Realm. Shi Liuli said, ¡°Junior Brother, can you imagine the length of the queue if these thousands of people had to draw lots one by one!¡± ¡°I think even going after noon would be too early. We should wait until the queue has shortened, the bad lots have all been taken, and then we can go pick up the good ones that are left.¡± Luo Yan:¡­¡­¡­. Only Miss Shi could say such things. However, drawing lots doesn¡¯t involve queuing, so your plan will fall through. As soon as they stepped into the White Jade Capital Secret Realm, Shi Liuli exclaimed and started running with Luo Yan across the plaza. ¡°Junior Brother! Look at the distance, so many pavilions and buildings are suspended in the clouds! It looks just like the Immortal Realm!¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Luo Yan replied. ¡°And look at the shape and color of those buildings,¡± Shi Liuli said curiously as she looked towards the distance, ¡°seems like they¡¯re all made of white stone, white jade?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Luo Yan said honestly. ¡°I feel like the layout of these buildings resembles a giant sword,¡± Shi Liuli hesitated to say. ¡°Really?¡± Luo Yan was a bit surprised. When I first came here as Ling Yunpo, I felt that the overall temperament of these buildings was extremely sharp. I didn¡¯t expect Miss Shi to have the same feeling. However, Shi Liuli did not dwell on this matter and instead excitedly ran to the end of the plaza. There, a hanging corridor stretched out without any support below, one end connected to the White Jade Capital plaza and the other to a building suspended in the air, known as the ¡°Number One Pavilion.¡± Within the entire White Jade Capital, there were a total of twelve such large buildings. Beyond these, there were countless smaller scattered pavilions and buildings, similarly suspended around the twelve massive structures. On one side of the plaza, a ten-zhang tall Jade List had already been erected. On the other side, at the entrance to the corridor, two white stone pillars stood on each side, surrounded by cultivators who were watching and marveling in amazement. The two of them looked from the periphery of the crowd and saw the left pillar engraved with ¡°Twelve Towers, Five Cities,¡± while the right pillar read ¡°Heavenly White Jade Capital.¡± The style of the characters was as if chiseled by an axe, vigorous and bold, strong and powerful. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Wow!¡± Miss Shi exclaimed, ¡°I feel like the magnificence and beauty of this secret realm is in no way inferior to the East Sea Pavilion.¡± ¡°To be honest, White Jade Capital is even more superior,¡± Luo Yan candidly said, ¡°The East Sea Pavilion was built by Clarify Cult in ancient times, while the White Jade Capital Secret Realm was built by the ancient Human Race. It¡¯s not really fair to compare the two.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just too white,¡± Shi Liuli ignored Luo Yan¡¯s words completely and continued to look around, saying, ¡°everything you see is white, it¡¯s a bit dazzling to the eyes after a while.¡± She pulled Luo Yan and rose on their flying swords, intending to fly towards the twelve large buildings in the distance, when suddenly they heard exclamations from the surrounding crowd. ???G?.?? Turning their heads, they saw the surface of the Jade List on the plaza rippled intensely. From within the ripples erupted numerous lot swords, flying rapidly in all directions! Chapter 444 Chapter 444: Chapter 77: The Gambler¡¯s End Chapter 444: Chapter 77: The Gambler¡¯s End Luo Yan followed the Palm Token Sword to the eighth pavilion, only to find that this time¡¯s opponent was a disciple of Shushan. More precisely, according to Ling Yunpo¡¯s memory, she was the current 67th ranked on the Immortal Sword Ranking, Bi Yun Peak¡¯s third sister, Wu Xiangru. ¡°A person from Penglai?¡± The opponent scrutinized Luo Yan carefully, and upon confirming that he was a cultivator from Penglai Jade Pure, she showed an impatient expression that read ¡®ugh, Penglai weakling¡¯, and said irritably, ¡°Get it over with quickly.¡± Luo Yan smiled, cupped his fists in a salute, and chuckled inwardly. To prepare for the Shushan Grand Tournament, he had once crammed information on all the disciples in the top hundred of the Immortal Sword Ranking with Lin Duanshan. This third sister from Bi Yun Peak was extremely impatient by nature, and she liked to launch surprise attacks, competing for control of the battle¡¯s rhythm, sometimes even at the risk of exposing her weaknesses. Moreover, eight or nine times out of ten when she launched an attack, her Flying Sword would aim for her opponent¡¯s forehead, belonging to the headshot enthusiast category. She was very easy to deal with. The contest started very soon, and before Luo Yan could even speak, the other side had already shot her Flying Sword at him. Luo Yan had anticipated her preemptive strike, and as the opponent formed her Sword technique, he bent over and reached for his Heavenly Craft Hundred Treasures Bag at his waist. The moment his head dipped, he neatly dodged the Flying Sword¡¯s attack. Missing the strike, Sister Wu didn¡¯t ponder why it failed, but her expression grew even more anxious as she rapidly chained Sword techniques, shooting another Flying Sword towards him. Luo Yan naturally knew she would use the Two-Handed Sword Control Technique, so he took out a Magical Treasure from his Heavenly Craft Hundred Treasures Bag. This Hundred Treasures Bag was the most sentient; every time he reached into it, what came out was the Magical Treasure best suited for the current situation. wuxiaworld.site All of a sudden, Luo Yan¡¯s hand now held a bundle of gossamer which he nonchalantly threw around him, and immediately it turned into a mist that enveloped him. As the Flying Sword entered the mist, it was like sinking into a quagmire, rapidly losing its agility and becoming trapped within. ¡°What kind of Magical Treasure is that?¡± Sister Wu cried out in shock, her hands persistently forming Sword techniques, directing another Flying Sword to attack and attempting to initiate Sword Dao Techniques. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s just the Jia Gong Yan Luo,¡± Luo Yan said offhandedly, pointing his finger, and suddenly the mist shot out a ¡°rope¡± that bound the still-rushing True Yuan and the caught off-guard Sister Wu firmly, ¡°This item cannot be harmed by ordinary swords, Daoist friend, you have already lost this time.¡± ¡°Winner, Penglai, Luo Yan.¡± As the mechanical voice announced, Luo Yan once again performed a fist-palm salute, then put away the Jia Gong Yan Luo and placed it back into his Hundred Treasures Bag at his waist. Just as he was about to leave, he saw three or four Shushan Sword Immortals suddenly approaching, all disciples of Bi Yun Peak, surrounding the dispirited Sister Wu and clamorously exclaimed: ¡°How did Sister lose?¡± ¡°And to someone from Penglai, no less!¡± ¡°How are we supposed to explain this to Master?¡± Luo Yan couldn¡¯t be bothered with how they would explain; who told them to look down upon disciples from Penglai as soon as they saw one? After leaving the pavilion and wandering nearby for a bit, he saw Shi Liuli sweeping past below on her Flying Sword. Luo Yan hurriedly caught up and called out: ¡°Sister Shi!¡± ¡°Junior brother?¡± Shi Liuli halted the Sword Light, ¡°Are you done with your match? Did you win?¡± ¡°Thanks to my opponent giving me leeway, I fortunately won,¡± Luo Yan said modestly, maintaining his daily synchronization value of his character, ¡°What about Sister?¡± ¡°Oh, I got a bye in the first round,¡± Shi Liuli showed him her Palm Token Sword. Luo Yan: ¡­¡­¡­ As expected of you, it¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen a Palm Token Sword marked with a ¡®zero¡¯.¡± ¡°The competition has already ended, and the next round won¡¯t be for another eight or nine days,¡± Luo Yan said with a smile, ¡°How about we go for a walk on Mount Tianmu outside?¡± ¡°Wait a moment,¡± Shi Liuli waved her hand and said, ¡°I still want to watch the other matches.¡± Luo Yan had no objections, so he accompanied Shi Liuli as they strolled around inside the White Jade Capital. ¡°¡­The first match earlier was Qiu Changtian against that person¡­ I don¡¯t know him; anyway, he was a Kunlun Disciple. Brother, it¡¯s a pity you weren¡¯t there,¡± as they entered a tower where a battle was ongoing, Shi Liuli chattered, ¡°Chief Qiu delivered a strike, and the opponent¡¯s Flying Sword was directly knocked away. They had no chance to fight back and had to admit defeat on the spot!¡± ¡°If it were me, I wouldn¡¯t be that foolish! The moment Qiu Changtian stood on the stage, I would have immediately conceded. There¡¯s no way I could win anyway.¡± ¡°Though there¡¯s a huge gap in strength,¡± Luo Yan said with a laugh, ¡°losing without a fight is ultimately humiliating.¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s important for a person to have self-awareness,¡± Shi Liuli huffed, ¡°isn¡¯t being defeated humiliating too? Besides, the opponent is Qiu Changtian. Even if you concede, nobody can say anything about it¡­ Hey, Junior Brother, who do you think will win this match?¡± Luo Yan looked closely and saw that in the arena, a Kunlun Cultivator and a Shushan Sword Immortal were battling each other. The Kunlun Cultivator was no stranger; he was the Ziwei Master¡¯s Direct Disciple, the Chief Disciple of the 275th generation, named ¡°Wang Ban.¡± Qiu Changtian called him ¡°Brother Wang,¡± and he could always be seen whenever they went to the Scripture Lecture Hall to listen to lectures. The Shushan Cultivator was Song Heng, ranked eighth on the Immortal Sword Ranking, who was also a veteran Sword Immortal. At that moment, he was using two Flying Swords and was evenly matched with Wang Ban¡¯s spells, making it difficult to separate the two. ¡°I think the Kunlun side is a bit stronger,¡± Luo Yan said after carefully watching for a moment, ¡°Shushan Sword Immortals are good at quick kills. If it turns into a war of attrition, the longer it drags on, the more unfavorable it is for them, given the True Yuan of the Kunlun Cultivator.¡± ¡°I think the Shushan side can win,¡± Shi Liuli said with a smile, ¡°how about we make a bet?¡± ¡°Sure, what shall we bet on?¡± Luo Yan asked. ¡°The loser must agree to do one thing for the winner,¡± Shi Liuli said, eyes narrowing with a smile. ?0?G?.?? ¡°Alright,¡± Luo Yan had just agreed when he suddenly heard Wang Ban below saying: ¡°Brother Song¡¯s swordsmanship is sharp, and I admit that I am inferior. Shall we consider this a concession on my part?¡± ¡°Why would you do this, Brother Wang?¡± Song Heng, too, put away his Flying Swords and asked unhappily. Shushan Sword Immortals loved to compete for victory, but they despised this kind of ¡°charitable victory.¡± ¡°During our bout just now, I suddenly had a realization and must immediately go meditate on it,¡± Wang Ban said seriously. ¡°I have only ten years of life left. The day of Core Formation is imminent, please understand.¡± Song Heng was silent for a moment before also offering a fist-and-palm salute: ¡°If that¡¯s the case, Brother Dao, please do as you wish. Take care.¡± Luo Yan: ¡­¡­¡­ Only then did he come to a realization: Brother Wang was the Chief Disciple of the 275th generation, and he had been a disciple under the Kunlun Sect for 170 years. Taking into account that he entered the sect at the age of twenty, he was now 190 years old. With only ten years of life left, it would be quite dangerous if he didn¡¯t achieve Core Formation. Core Formation is a difficult threshold that every Cultivator must cross in pursuit of the Dao, and no amount of preparation is excessive. Since Brother Wang had suddenly attained enlightenment during the battle, he certainly needed to find a place to digest his insights and gain an advantage before attempting Core Formation. Therefore, it wasn¡¯t just Shushan¡¯s Song Heng; even the Ziwei Master from Kunlun would not blame him for giving up the competition in the White Jade Capital. If advancing to the top twelve in the competition was certain, it would be better, since the rewards from the Kunlun Taiqing Sect surely included good items that help with Core Formation¡­ However, it was clear that Wang Ban had no confidence in making it into the top twelve ranks of the White Jade Capital. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Instead of competing for a place with no reward, his own path was certainly much more critical, something any Cultivator could understand. ¡°Humph, Junior Brother, it seems I¡¯ve won,¡± Shi Liuli said with an unforeseen twist at the end of the match, but she quickly caught on and hummed with triumph. ¡°¡­Sister is impressive,¡± Luo Yan was truly convinced but started to ponder in his mind. Knowing how fortunate Miss Shi is, why did I still bet with her? No, I have to find a way, either to make her forget about this or to have her use up this bet in advance! Chapter 445 Chapter 445: Chapter 78 She Hates Me, I¡¯m in Her Heart Chapter 445: Chapter 78 She Hates Me, I¡¯m in Her Heart Luo Yan accompanied Shi Liuli as they strolled around leisurely. Luo Yan used the word ¡°accompany¡± because he was completely uninterested in the battles of these ordinary cultivators. Their swordsmanship was poor, their magical treasures were of low rank, and their Daoist magic was next to none; most of what he saw was Flying Swords pecking at each other with no technical content-what was there to see? However, Shi Liuli didn¡¯t share Luo Yan¡¯s lofty perspective. She rarely competed with others, so seeing the various Flying Swords shining brightly with different colors, the many magical treasures, and the myriad methods vying for beauty captured her attention completely. She was so engrossed that she didn¡¯t want to leave. ¡°After that Shushan person¡¯s match just now, their swordsmanship was really beautiful!¡± Shi Liuli said, still excited long after they had left the viewing pavilion. There¡¯s a simple reason: the dominant crimson-gold Sword Light, mixed with cold white specks, perfectly matched Miss Shi¡¯s aesthetic. Luo Yan, on the other hand, began to ponder. The person Miss Shi praised was Xun Li, ranked sixty-seventh on the Immortal Sword Ranking, known for his decisive fighting style and clean, efficient swordsmanship¡­ but beyond that, nothing remarkable. What made this brainless Miss Shi think the other person¡¯s swordsmanship was beautiful? Where was the beauty? Just as Luo Yan was puzzled, he saw Miss Shi suddenly descend amidst a densely packed crowd near a pavilion, her curiosity prompting her to ask: wuxiaworld.site At the same time, lines given by the Kunlun Mirror appeared in his mind, indicating that Ling Yunpo was nearby and that any words spoken next would be observed by him, so it was crucial to ensure the time loop remained closed. So he recited the lines verbatim, successfully fooling Shi Liuli. As for what those lines were, let¡¯s not mention them for now. Then, Shi Liuli suddenly remarked: ¡°Eh, junior brother, that person¡­ have I seen them before?¡± Luo Yan followed her gaze and nearly had his heart leap out of his chest. The person Shi Liuli was staring at was none other than Ling Yunpo, with his back to them!!! Completely shocked, Luo Yan froze on the spot, and Miss Shi turned to look at him, then back at the receding figure of Ling Yunpo. Thanks to the Illusion Technique of Mirror Flower Water Moon, the thought that had just begun to form in Shi Liuli¡¯s mind-¡°that person looks like my junior brother¡±-was quickly suppressed and dispelled. Instead, what emerged was a self-rationalization to explain the familiarity: ¡°Have I seen that person before?¡± Luo Yan quickly regained his composure, inwardly cursing his luck, and jokingly teased to divert her attention: ¡°Sister, judging by that person¡¯s attire, they seem to be from Shushan. How could you have possibly seen them before? Or are you tired of admiring Qiu Changtian and want to try something new?¡± Shi Liuli was okay with the first half of his comment, but when Luo Yan finished speaking, she was immediately grinding her teeth with an extremely angry expression: ¡°What do you mean by trying something new? Junior brother, you¡¯re talking nonsense; I won¡¯t bother with you anymore!¡± With that, she flew off on her sword, clearly upset. Luo Yan, however, breathed a sigh of relief. His words had been too frivolous and disrespectful, bordering on disdainful. But regardless, he had successfully diverted Miss Shi¡¯s attention so that she would no longer dwell on any connection between Ling Yunpo and Luo Yan. After all, upsetting Shi Liuli was minor; the risk of having his identity exposed was the real issue! Even if Miss Shi was angry, there was still room for reconciliation later, but if she discovered the actual link between Ling Yunpo and Luo Yan, he would be faced not with the question of ¡°how to appease Miss Shi¡± but rather ¡°how to silence Miss Shi permanently.¡± Miss Shi was so adorable; he couldn¡¯t bear to harm her, so he had no choice but to resort to this strategy! Who could understand the agony of his heart? Fortunately, based on later events when Shi Liuli and Linghu Chu went to visit Ling Yunpo, it seemed that Shi Liuli did not ponder deeply, remaining only with the impression that ¡°Ling Yunpo looked somewhat familiar.¡± As An Zhisu¡¯s jealousy escalated and she openly displayed her hostility, Shi Liuli¡¯s focus shifted away from Ling Yunpo to the conflict with An Zhisu. Having thoroughly considered the situation, Luo Yan set off to find Shi Liuli and offer a sincere apology. However, after searching for a long time, he couldn¡¯t find any trace of Miss Shi; it seemed she was no longer within the White Jade Capital Secret Realm. ¡­¡­¡­ On the other side, Shi Liuli returned to the Yuqing Sect¡¯s residence at Mount Tianmu and happened to see her Senior Brother Linghu Chu and Third Senior Sister Liang Ruohua walking side by side along the corridor. ¡°The traitor¡¯s main focus was on crafting zithers, and now that the Heavenly Craft Workshop has ceased producing zither-based magical treasures, dissatisfaction has arisen among the various sects of the Divine Land,¡± Linghu Chu said solemnly. ???G?.?? ¡°Master still has misgivings about this matter, but as disciples, we should still advise him.¡± The so-called ¡°traitor¡± naturally referred to the ¡°Second Senior Sister¡± Lei Caiyan, who had defected from the Heavenly Craft Workshop in the past. Lei Caiyan had originally specialized in crafting zither types of magical treasure in the Heavenly Craft Workshop, and there were also several sects in the Divine Land Continent whose inheritance was that of sound-related Daoist magic, which needed these zither-based magical treasures as assistance. Now that Lei Caiyan had defected, there was no one left in the Heavenly Craft Workshop who could make zithers, meaning that the production in this area had completely stopped. Furthermore, Elder Shi Ding took this matter to heart and always refused to take on a new disciple to specialize in the craft of making zithers¡­ If this continued, the workshop¡¯s market share in this area would likely be completely lost. ¡°Sigh,¡± Third Senior Sister Liang Ruohua also had no good solution and could only sigh, ¡°After the Fourth Brother perished, the Shi Family from Guangling has sent people several times to probe, and Master has been evasive in his responses.¡± Before her defection, Lei Caiyan had also killed the Fourth Junior Brother, Shi Wenshi. The Guangling Shi Family specialized in space-related Daoist magic and was the major supplier for producing storage treasures such as all-treasure bags and storage bags. The death of Shi Wenshi did not damage the economic interests of the Heavenly Craft Workshop, but the connection with the Guangling Shi Family was severed, which was undoubtedly a matter beyond help. Luckily, the Shi Family had tentatively proposed to send another disciple to become a student of Elder Shi Ding. However, Elder Shi Ding always talked around the subject, leaving the Shi Family at a loss. Both Linghu Chu and Liang Ruohua knew that Elder Shi Ding still harbored grief over the betrayal and death of the two disciples and therefore, did not wish to take any more disciples, lest the memories bring back pain. Handing over the Heavenly Craft Bag to Luo Yan was also an expression of his ¡°disheartened¡± and ¡°utterly dispirited¡± state to some extent. But Master, you are still the sect leader of the Heavenly Craft lineage! When it comes to matters of politics, how can you let personal feelings cloud your judgment? After a few more words, they reached a consensus that they still needed to persuade Master again. But then they saw Shi Liuli suddenly descend from her sword light, calling out ¡°Senior Brother¡± and ¡°Senior Sister,¡± her eyes brimming with tears. Linghu Chu and Liang Ruohua exchanged a look and understood that their Junior Sister had something to complain about again. As Elder Shi Ding was quite sentimental, the atmosphere of the Heavenly Craft Workshop was akin to that of a family, so everyone was accustomed to treating Shi Liuli as a younger sister. Whenever something upset her, Shi Liuli naturally thought to confide in her ¡°brother¡± and ¡°sisters¡±¡­ It was for this reason that Luo Yan felt Miss Shi had not yet reached emotional maturity. However, Linghu Chu and Liang Ruohua did not see it that way; after all, they had cultivated a profound brotherly and sisterly bond with their Junior Sister over the years and smilingly led her into the adjoining room. Once indoors, after listening to a series of complaints from Shi Liuli and understanding the ins and outs, both found themselves somewhat speechless. Essentially, Miss Shi felt that Luo Yan was ¡°belittling her.¡± Why did she think so? Because Luo Yan had said she ¡°originally admired Qiu Changtian¡± and now had ¡°taken an interest in a Shushan cultivator,¡± which were indeed harsh words to hear. However, upon hearing this, the two had different thoughts. Linghu Chu, the elder brother, being straightforward, thought: The Master had already decided that our Junior Sister would certainly marry our Junior Brother in the future. If I were him, having my fiancee frequently exclaim ¡°Chief Qiu is so handsome,¡± or ¡°I¡¯ve met that Shushan brother,¡± would indeed be annoying to hear. Though the words may sound unpleasant, they were understandable. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Third Senior Sister Liang Ruohua, as a woman and with a more delicate mindset, thought: Our Junior Brother is not the kind to get jealous over petty things; he never got angry when our Junior Sister admired Chief Qiu, so why is he getting upset over an unknown Shushan cultivator now? Ah, he¡¯s not actually angry, but trying to gauge our Junior Sister¡¯s feelings. If she is hurt because she feels ¡°belittled,¡± it means that she very much cares about how our Junior Brother perceives her, and the implications of that are clear. Conversely, if she ignores him from now on, it would prove that our Junior Sister has no affection for him, allowing our Junior Brother to withdraw early and explain his dilemma to Master. Sigh, dealing with such an innocent Junior Sister, our Junior Brother truly has his work cut out for him! Chapter 446 Chapter 446: Chapter 79 Master¡¯s Eyesight is Really Accurate Chapter 446: Chapter 79 Master¡¯s Eyesight is Really Accurate ¡°There¡¯s a misunderstanding here,¡± Linghu Chu sighed. He stressed the ¡°ah,¡± hinting ¡°Oh, it shouldn¡¯t be this way.¡± As for why there shouldn¡¯t be this misunderstanding, Miss Shi, please reflect carefully. ¡°Yes, it is indeed a misunderstanding,¡± Liang Ruohua echoed. She put emphasis on ¡°indeed,¡± suggesting, ¡°This is really a misunderstanding, you know.¡± Whether he misunderstood you, or you misunderstood him, dear junior sister, try to think in reverse. Shi Liuli was immediately dumbfounded. When she used to be angry with others, wouldn¡¯t her eldest senior brother and third senior sister always speak up for her? Why did they start smoothing things over now that it involved their junior brother? It¡¯s clearly his fault! So she tried hard to blink back tears, forcing a few drops to fall, showing an expression that said, ¡°I am so wronged.¡± Sure enough, Linghu Chu and Liang Ruohua couldn¡¯t stand to see their junior sister being wronged, and they started to give her some strategies. ¡°Calm down, junior sister, and ignore him a bit,¡± Linghu Chu advised earnestly. ???G?.?? wuxiaworld.site Once Luo Yan¡¯s anger subsided, he thought Luo Yan would come to make peace with Shi Liuli. Shi Liuli was somewhat moved. Luo Yan was so hateful, I won¡¯t pay attention to him until he begs me! ¡°You can¡¯t ignore him!¡± Liang Ruohua interrupted anxiously. Luo Yan was clearly testing whether Shi Liuli would get jealous; if Shi Liuli showed no reaction at all, Luo Yan would definitely misunderstand! ¡°Let me teach you; just do the opposite and ask him, ¡®I admire Qiu Changtian, why are you so angry?''¡± Liang Ruohua came up with a new suggestion. This was a tactic of fighting fire with fire, to test whether Luo Yan was jealous in return. If Luo Yan admitted to being jealous, then both sides would immediately understand each other¡¯s feelings, and the issue would naturally be resolved. Shi Liuli¡¯s eyes lit up when she heard this. Although she didn¡¯t understand it was a test, she thought it would be satisfying to turn the tables on Luo Yan. ¡°You can¡¯t do that!¡± Linghu Chu immediately objected. Your junior brother is already mad at you, and if you pretend not to understand and question him instead, wouldn¡¯t that be like adding fuel to the fire? ¡°Listen to me, you just need to lower your guard and reconcile with him,¡± Linghu Chu soothed. ¡°That could work,¡± Liang Ruohua agreed. ¡°There¡¯s nothing that can¡¯t be solved with communication.¡± Shi Liuli immediately felt displeased. Luo Yan spoke of me in such a way, yet you want me to ¡®humbly¡¯ communicate with him, won¡¯t that just give him more reason to walk all over me in the future? Yet, what made her even more disgruntled was that her eldest senior brother and third senior sister, who used to always support her, seemed to have imperceptibly started taking Luo Yan¡¯s side. This made Miss Shi feel immensely wronged. However, she knew that tears should be shed for those who care to see. Now that her eldest senior brother and third senior sister had made their stance clear, to side with Luo Yan, if she shed tears now, she might win the argument in their presence, but privately, they would definitely think she was less sensible than Luo Yan, thereby holding her in even lower regard. Therefore, Shi Liuli could only hold back her tears and take her leave. Strangely, after leaving the room and stepping onto the corridor, a gust of lake breeze blew against her and suddenly Miss Shi didn¡¯t feel like crying anymore. Oh well, these were all trivial matters; let it be. Let it be! As she admired the beautiful scenery of the lake and mountains, her mood gradually improved, and she comfortably stretched her arms in a yawn. That¡¯s when she saw Luo Yan returning from afar, controlling his sword. Shi Liuli stared at him blankly, until he landed beside her, and immediately the tears started flowing. Secret Technique: Silent Weeping Technique! Luo Yan was also quite startled by her act and, thinking he might have overplayed his part while trying to confuse her, he quickly pulled her into an embrace. Shi Liuli struggled, but to no avail. In her indignation, she wiped her tears and snot on his clothes. Dirtying his clothes! As Luo Yan was smeared for quite a while, he couldn¡¯t hold back any longer and could only gently pat her back, saying, ¡°Senior sister, I was wrong this time.¡± At these words, Shi Liuli immediately felt most of her strength leave her, and she almost went limp in his arms. She had a whole array of tactics to use against him (of course, not those crappy tactics taught by the big senior brother and third senior sister), such as tearful puppy eyes, self-abandonment, hysterics¡­ How come she hadn¡¯t used any, and the junior brother suddenly admitted his mistake? Anyway, hooray! The tense Miss Shi suddenly relaxed and was on the verge of going soft, but she quickly straightened up and asked with a stern face, ¡°What did you do wrong?¡± ¡°I misspoke.¡± Luo Yan said with a wry smile. ¡°What else?¡± Shi Liuli demanded with a fierce look. ¡°I was disrespectful to the senior sister.¡± Luo Yan continued. Synchronization Value skyrocketed! Shi Liuli finally broke into a smile and said coyly, ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to talk about me like that in the future.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Luo Yan replied immediately. Linghu Chu and Liang Ruohua were hiding behind the door, and upon hearing the two reconcile, they exchanged glances and revealed a honeyed smile. ¡°And another thing.¡± Shi Liuli thought for a while and said earnestly, ¡°I truly felt that the Shushan cultivator¡­ I might have seen him before, but I just can¡¯t remember. It¡¯s purely curiosity, not interest.¡± This was her explaining that she had no romantic interest in Ling Yunpo, and Luo Yan nodded, ¡°I understand. But have you ever been to Shushan before?¡± ¡°Never.¡± Linghu Chu immediately came out and said, ¡°It wouldn¡¯t hurt to make his acquaintance at the White Jade Capital event. I¡¯ll take my junior sister to meet him.¡± After saying this, he also cleverly winked at Luo Yan. Luo Yan immediately understood his meaning: a woman¡¯s curiosity about an unfamiliar man is not a good thing, as curiosity is often the precursor to many relationships. In such situations, pressuring is futile and might even lead to a rebellious mindset. The correct approach is to let them meet openly to dispel any baseless curiosity and to control the number of interactions, so there¡¯s no possibility for further development in their relationship. As the curiosity wanes and interaction decreases, the feeling fades-this is said to be how many mature parents handle daughters who show signs of early romantic interest. Of course, that Luo Yan could guess Linghu Chu¡¯s intention so swiftly was mainly because he had foreknowledge of the future. After Linghu Chu took Shi Liuli to meet Ling Yunpo, Miss Shi quickly lost any fancy towards him¡­ and later, after defeating Bi Lian, she even developed a negative impression of Ling Yunpo. Therefore, Luo Yan had no worries at all. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only After all, this piece of meat was bound to stew in his own pot; why fear someone else¡¯s chopsticks? ¡°Luo junior brother, would you like to come with me and meet the outstanding figures of Shushan?¡± Linghu Chu asked with a smile. He was clearly trying to prevent any misunderstanding by inviting Luo Yan to join them. Of course, Luo Yan would not do anything to contradict history, so he smiled and gestured with a wave of his hand, ¡°No need, I still have to prepare for the subsequent competitions.¡± His expression was so candid that even Linghu Chu thought to himself that the junior brother was indeed not the type to engage in petty jealousy-a stable character indeed. Sigh, entrusting the junior sister to the junior brother, the master¡¯s judgment was truly accurate. Chapter 447 Chapter 447: Chapter 80 Repeatedly Capricious Chapter 447: Chapter 80 Repeatedly Capricious ¡°` There was still some time before Linghu Chu would visit Shushan, apparently waiting for a lull in the schedule when the inhabitants of Shushan were relatively free. Shi Liuli watched the matches in the White Jade Capital Secret Realm, while Luo Yan cultivated peacefully at the Yuqing View residence in Mount Tianmu. Now, Luo Yan had four aces up his sleeve: The Huangting Kunwu Sword, for standard attacks. The Heavenly Craft Treasure Bag, for specialized attacks. The Heavenly Weaving God Shuttle, as a mobility supplement. The Postnatal Five Elements Great Extermination Divine Light, as a trump card. Of course, the very nature of a trump card is that it should be used sparingly, if at all. Only by keeping abilities hidden could Luo Yan meet the standard of his persona of Falsehood-making it into the top twelve would suffice. To vie for first place with Qiu Changtian? Luo Yan wasn¡¯t brainless. Why would he do something as foolish as fighting against himself? Thus, he had already strategized to rely primarily on the Huangting Kunwu Sword and the Heavenly Craft Treasure Bag as his offensive tools before making it into the top twelve. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site The former was chosen because, in this era, Sword Control Technique was extremely useful, comparable to the revolvers in Western cowboy films-both fast and accurate. The latter was no secret within Yuqing View, since, as the heir to the Heavenly Craft Workshop, it was commonly known that the Heavenly Craft Treasure Bag had come into his possession. Besides these two, the Five Elements Ultimate Extermination Divine Light would not be suitable to use before reaching the top twelve. According to the future history observed through Ling Yunpo, he had won his first match against Guan Zhan but lost narrowly to Senior Sister An in the second. That meant he would dominate his first battle with Junior Brother Guan, thereby establishing the renown of the Five Elements Divine Light and uplifting the reputation of Yuqing View. ???g?.?? The narrow defeat to An Zhisu was certainly because he had held back¡­ In reality, with Chen Guanshui¡¯s True Yuan at a level that was more than sufficient, the chances of successfully deploying the Five Elements Divine Light to besiege Senior Sister An were over eighty percent. Without a powerful Magical Treasure that could counter the Five Elements Divine Light, Senior Sister An would be powerless the moment she was struck by it. But as ¡°Luo Yan,¡± given that he was practicing the Heavenly Craft Workshop¡¯s inferior Qi Refining Technique ¡°Three Flowers Gathering Spirit,¡± his True Yuan couldn¡¯t sustain the Five Elements Divine Light for long, making it virtually impossible to trap the Unity of Body and Sword and the speed-racing Senior Sister An. Once the True Yuan was ¡°exhausted,¡± Luo Yan would have no choice but to resort to other methods, significantly increasing the difficulty of securing victory. The Heavenly Weaving God Shuttle was definitely out of the question, even Elder Shi Ding didn¡¯t know he had already unsealed its first layer, it had to be reserved as a trump card. The Heavenly Craft Treasure Bag would certainly take a lead role, using the various Magical Treasures within to fend off Senior Sister An¡¯s swordsmanship attacks. However, the problem was that retrieving a Magical Treasure or activating one all required time, and given Senior Sister An¡¯s sharp swordsmanship, it was unlikely she would allow such opportunity. Given that he couldn¡¯t use swordsmanship far superior to Luo Yan¡¯s to vie for time against the swift swords ¡®Flying Smoke¡¯ and ¡®Severe Cold,¡¯ the only remaining viable option was¡­ Formation? In the current Cultivation Realm, modern formations are constructed too bulky and massive, with each node, every line, and all Runic Scripts standardized, which reduces the learning curve and makes maintenance convenient, but the downside lies in the enormous workload during the setup phase, making it nearly impossible to use during combat. Yet, Luo Yan had also studied ancient formations in the Gui Xu Pavilion. Ancient formations, in contrast, are small and highly efficient, with all nodes, lines, and Runic Scripts intricately interconnected like delicate, complex works of art. The advantage is that they¡¯re compact enough to be integrated into Formation Cauldrons. However, the downside is the exorbitantly high learning threshold and that, should the Formation Master not be present, no one else would be able to step in and maintain it. Of course, Luo Yan had no intention of setting formations for others, thus ancient formations were his best choice for the defense against An Zhisu. In theory, only Yuqing View cultivators with insufficient power would think of compensating their battle strength with Talisman Scripts, Formations, or Magical Treasures. With Luo Yan¡¯s level of swordsmanship and Daoist Magic¡­ an instant win against others at the same level, why would he need formations? It can only be said that the guise of ¡°Falsehood¡± that prefers to ¡°show weakness to the enemy¡± is utterly contrary to notions of ¡®invincibility¡¯, ¡®indomitability¡¯, ¡®mystery¡¯ and the like. After spending roughly a few days, Luo Yan finally crafted the ¡°Thorny Concealment Formation,¡± etching it onto the Cauldron Vessel. In battle, he would carry the Cauldron Vessel with him, and throwing the formation flags around him would immediately activate the formation. As for the Thorny Concealment Formation, while it wasn¡¯t known for its lethality among ancient formations, it was exceedingly suitable for dealing with Senior Sister An. To borrow a term from gaming, the effect of this formation could be described as ¡°reflective damage¡±¡­ ¡°` In summary, with the help of this formation, I should be able to ensure a fifty-fifty chance against Senior Sister An. If I then suffer a narrow defeat with a slight disadvantage, I would still have made a name for myself, and I don¡¯t think the sect would blame me for it. Just as Luo Yan was making these careful calculations, Shi Liuli had returned with Linghu Chu. ¡°Oh, Senior Sister.¡± Seeing Shi Liuli enter the door, Luo Yan casually asked, ¡°How did it go? Did you remember anything after meeting that Shushan cultivator?¡± ¡°No.¡± Shi Liuli shook her head, ¡°I was mistaken, I¡¯ve never seen him before.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Luo Yan breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°It¡¯s just that I thought he looked a bit like you, Junior Brother, so I mistook him for someone I had seen before.¡± Shi Liuli continued, leaning in to examine the cauldron vessel he had placed on the desk. Luo Yan: ???!!! Wait, how did it come back to looking similar to Ling Yunpo again? So all my previous efforts to change the subject, to¡­ ahem, I mean to offer heartfelt consolation, were they all in vain? ¡°What is this cauldron vessel for?¡± Shi Liuli, making herself at home, picked up the small cauldron to examine it from different angles, ¡°What formation is engraved on it?¡± Considering her mastery of formations, it was normal that she couldn¡¯t identify it. Although feeling panicked inside, Luo Yan forced himself to remain calm on the surface, quickly thinking through his options. He could certainly use the technique of changing the subject to gloss over the fact that he looked similar to Ling Yunpo. However, since Shi Liuli had mentioned it twice, it indicated that the matter had made an impression on her memory. If he didn¡¯t resolve it now, it could spiral out of control whenever she remembered it again. With this in mind, Luo Yan decided that he couldn¡¯t delay it any further and had to dispel her suspicions here and now, even if just a little! ¡°Senior Sister, where do you think I look like that Shushan cultivator?¡± he complained feigning dejection, while narrowing his eyes even more, ¡°It¡¯s often said that Shushan is full of brutes, do you see me as a brute in your eyes?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it at all.¡± Shi Liuli waved her hand, ¡°I can¡¯t quite put my finger on it, just that the overall impression feels similar.¡± Luo Yan then breathed a sigh of relief. So it was just an impression, which wasn¡¯t certain at all. ¡°But now that I think about it, such a coincidence is rather unlikely,¡± Shi Liuli said pensively, resting her chin on her hand. Luo Yan¡¯s anxiety instantly returned. ¡°Could it be that he¡¯s your long-lost brother or something?¡± Shi Liuli teased with a giggly smile. What the heck, she was just joking with me. Luo Yan then forced a wry smile and said: ¡°Senior Sister, please don¡¯t make fun of me. I¡¯m the only child in my family, where would I get a long-lost brother from?¡± ¡°Come to think of it,¡± Shi Liuli suddenly mused thoughtfully, ¡°You two do look quite alike.¡± Luo Yan¡¯s smile froze on his face, while inside he cursed the Kunlun Mirror like mad. You lousy mirror, what happened to the impeccable illusion? Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°But his eyes are bigger than yours¡­ If you¡¯re not brothers, it¡¯s really interesting that there¡¯s someone in the world who happens to look so much like you,¡± Shi Liuli laughed heartily. ¡°Look,¡± the Kunlun Mirror quickly interjected, ¡°Even though you look similar, you have squinty eyes, right! Plus, under the suggestive power of the Mirror Flower Water Moon¡¯s illusion, she¡¯ll still subconsciously treat you as two different people.¡± ¡°There¡¯s absolutely nothing wrong with my illusion technique!¡± ¡°I think it might be better just to silence Miss Shi,¡± Luo Yan pondered seriously. Such repeated panic and fright to me are utterly intolerable! Chapter 448 Chapter 448: Chapter 81 Zero Number Signature Chapter 448: Chapter 81 Zero Number Signature ¡°` Perhaps buoyed by Shi Liuli¡¯s strong luck, Luo Yan also breezed through subsequent matches, never encountering a formidable opponent. He had intended to use the Huangting Kunwu Sword and the Heavenly Palace Treasure Bag to chop vegetables, so to speak, but he found that the treasures from the Heavenly Palace Treasure Bag alone were more than enough to sweep through the competition. No one could force me to draw my sword, alas! But upon reflection, most of the cultivators who came to participate in the White Jade Capital¡¯s competition seemed rather mediocre in Luo Yan¡¯s eyes by now. Out of nearly a thousand cultivators, the odds of drawing one of the dozen or so whose strength would earn a second glance from Luo Yan were indeed slim. Half a month later, as the number of advancing participants dwindled to around a hundred, the quality of the competitors also improved significantly. Of course, they were still unimpressive from Luo Yan¡¯s perspective. After he secured several consecutive victories over Shushan disciples, Luo Yan naturally caught the attention of some Shushan cultivators. ¡°What¡¯s the deal with that Luo Yan?¡± a Shushan cultivator asked in amazement, ¡°How did even Brother Wei get defeated by him?¡± ¡°Since when did Yuqing View have such a strong figure? Could he truly threaten those few?¡± ¡°I warned you all from the start,¡± said a Sister Wu of the Shushan Sword Immortal, who had lost to Luo Yan in the first match, speaking with frustration to the now enlightened crowd, ¡°That Luo Yan is no ordinary Penglai weakling! Brother Wei didn¡¯t heed my advice and underestimated him, he deserved this loss!¡± wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co Duan Fenhai had always been one of Shushan¡¯s veterans of strength, barely ever falling out of the top five in Shushan¡¯s competitions, often securing the second place for several times. Rationally or emotionally, none wanted to believe that the squinty-eyed, seemingly harmless Penglai disciple had strength comparable to Duan Fenhai¡¯s. Soon, the news reached Duan Fenhai¡¯s ears, but he wasn¡¯t concerned about any ¡°strong enemy¡± from Penglai. It was Lin Duan Shan beside him who listened thoughtfully and quietly took note. The final round¡¯s opponent was a Kunlun disciple, also a junior brother with the surname Mu, known to Qiu Changtian, who wielded the stunning ¡°Polar Primordial Magnetism Light¡± Daoist Magic. Once the Magnetism Light was unleashed, regardless of any Flying Sword Treasure, it would be directly attracted, rendering it the nemesis of Shushan Sword Immortals. However, luck would have it that Luo Yan, the maverick, was well aware of his bottom card, directly taking out the ¡°Magnetic Mother of Clouds¡± from the Heavenly Palace Treasure Bag in preparation. This item had no other use but to specifically counter the Polar Primordial Magnetism Light¡­ As soon as Junior Brother Mu exercised his magic, Luo Yan threw out the Magnetic Mother of Clouds. Like a sponge soaking up water, it absorbed all traces of the Polar Primordial Magnetism Light. Junior Brother Mu collapsed on the spot, not even managing to cough up blood before Luo Yan struck him with countless White Hairs Divine Needles, securing his defeat. With this victory, he entered the top twelve of White Jade Capital. Luo Yan was quite pleased with himself, thinking that the Heavenly Palace Treasure Bag was truly a divine artifact, worthy of being an inheritance of the Heavenly Craft Workshop. As someone whose false persona valued strength the most, the treasures in the bag numbered well over a hundred-a collection akin to the hard drives of a group of elites with every type of file imaginable. Furthermore, he knew almost every slightly formidable figure from the Orthodox Sect¡¯s Three Sects¡­ With intelligence support and the selection of specific treasures from the Heavenly Palace Treasure Bag, winning was effortlessly simple. ¡°Congratulations to you, Fellow Daoist Luo.¡± Just as he was about to leave the arena, Lin Duan Shan suddenly approached to make conversation. ¡°May I ask who the fellow Daoist might be¡­?¡± Luo Yan pretended not to recognize him and inquired politely. ¡°From Shushan, Lin Duan Shan,¡± stated Lin Duan Shan with reserve. The way he conveyed his identity was also very telling. Because internal factionalism within Shushan was more intense than in Kunlun Penglai, ordinary Shushan disciples typically introduced themselves as ¡°I am Zhang San of such and such peak of Shushan,¡± aiming to leverage their sect¡¯s prestige to elevate themselves. So, who would not bother mentioning their specific lineage and mention only Shushan? It¡¯s those whose reputations have already spread far within Shushan itself. ???G?.?? ¡°` Lin Duanshan calling him that hinted he was no ordinary, mediocre disciple. Luo Yan naturally got the hint and immediately showed a look of long admiration, smiling as he introduced himself, ¡°Penglai, Luo Yan.¡± Lin Duanshan nodded slightly, indicating he had heard. Even if one didn¡¯t mention his strength, just the Heavenly Palace Treasure Bag at his waist and the identity as the heir of the Heavenly Craft Workshop he represented, were worth Lin Duanshan¡¯s effort to gather information about him. That¡¯s right, although outsiders might not know, how could Luo Yan not be aware that Lin Duanshan was clearly here to gather intelligence? You should know that Brother Lin is a super problem-solver who is extremely familiar with the fighting styles, strengths, and weaknesses of every single one of the top one hundred Shushan Sword Immortals on the Immortal Sword Ranking! Luo Yan¡¯s strength was enough to rank in the top twelve of White Jade Capital, which in Shushan terms meant he was a powerhouse in the top five. How could this guy not be interested? ¡°May I know what matter Lin Daoist friend has stopped me for?¡± ¡°Oh, first of all, it¡¯s to congratulate Daoist Luo on your advancement. Secondly, it¡¯s because upon seeing such a talent in Daoist Luo, I subconsciously wanted to get acquainted. Ahem, I, Lin, always enjoy making friends with heroes, and this may perhaps be abrupt and disrespectful.¡± Luo Yan was speechless inside, surprised at how adept Lin Duanshan, Brother Lin, was at flattery. But on second thought, when he first met Brother Lin, the guy was bossing Ling Yunpo around but acted like a total sycophant around An Zhisu. Typical admiration for the strong. Just as Lin Duanshan was about to say something else, a purple streak of Sword Light suddenly shot towards them. ¡°Junior Brother!¡± Shi Liuli landed on the ground and then, without hesitation, threw herself into his arms, crying with joy, ¡°I did it! I did it!¡± Luo Yan awkwardly held her in return, looking at her mix of tears and smiles, suddenly feeling the urge to slap some sense into her. Damn creature, what have you done! ¡°I got a spot in the top twelve!¡± Luckily, Miss Shi also realized she hadn¡¯t made herself clear and showed him the Sword Draw she had pulled out. Luo Yan looked closely. Lin Duanshan at the back, having heard about another top twelve spot, also widened his eyes in interest. What was written on it was: Zero. As everyone knows, the Sword Draw numbering rule is one versus two, three versus four¡­ Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only and if the total number n is odd, then the highest Sword Draw number will be n-1, and there will be one extra ¡°zero draw¡±, representing a bye. Luo Yan was highly suspicious that the creator of this magical treasure had a background in programming. Nevertheless, he had long been prepared for Miss Shi¡¯s outrageous luck. But Lin Duanshan had never seen such a thing, and he exclaimed: ¡°What, number zero?!¡± Shi Liuli frowned, and upon hearing Lin Duanshan ask, ¡°What¡¯s the deal with this zero draw?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a bye.¡± Shi Liuli said with a tone that implied ¡°you don¡¯t even know this?¡± ¡°A bye?¡± Lin Duanshan still didn¡¯t get it, ¡°But this is the White Jade Capital tournament after all¡­¡± He was just going to say I¡¯m not doubting you, but advancing to the top twelve by drawing a bye is just too rare and unusual, when he heard Shi Liuli add: ¡°That¡¯s right, a bye! I also drew the zero draw in the last round, and I went and asked a real Kunlun person in the square, he confirmed it to me in person!¡± Lin Duanshan: ??? Chapter 449 Chapter 449: Chapter 82: Shi Ding¡¯s Discerning Eye Recognizes Luo Yan Chapter 449: Chapter 82: Shi Ding¡¯s Discerning Eye Recognizes Luo Yan Lin Duanshan left with an expression filled with doubt about life. Even without saying it, Luo Yan knew what he was going to do-he was definitely going to seek confirmation from the Kunlun true person guarding the Jade List, to see if there really was a freak who had drawn two consecutive byes. And according to Ling Yunpo¡¯s understanding, this claim was eventually confirmed, so much so that when the Shushan crowd gathered later, Duan Fenhai shared it as an anecdote. Of course, Ling Yunpo¡¯s memories needn¡¯t be elaborated here, because there are more important matters at hand: Penglai Yuqing View, this time, had a full two people entering the top twelve of the White Jade Capital! The sensational news spread back to Penglai, shocking everyone including the Master of Xuan Du and Elder Shi Ding, so much so that a bunch of higher-ups rushed to Mount Tianmu hastily. ¡°Good! Good! Good!¡± the Master of Xuan Du exclaimed thrice, which might as well be the Cultivating Immortality world¡¯s version of ¡°666,¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect our Penglai to produce two such outstanding young talents!¡± Shi Liuli immediately stood tall with pride, her face adorned with a cute blush. The designation of outstanding young talents wasn¡¯t an exaggeration, after all, for these high-level beings with thousands of years of lifespan, Luo Yan and Shi Liuli, who were both under two hundred, were indeed excessively young. Even the Nascent Soul Elders among them, when faced with Nascent Soul Elders from Kunlun and Shushan, would never dream of making it into the top twelve¡­ It¡¯s no wonder everyone looked so excited and proud upon seeing hope in their juniors. Luo Yan, however, listened in embarrassment and awkwardness. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co Shushan¡¯s goal was to ¡°dominate half of the top twelve,¡± Kunlun¡¯s goal was to ¡°win first place in the competition,¡± while our Penglai¡¯s goal was ¡°to qualify as a success¡±? And now that we¡¯ve really made it into the top twelve, we¡¯re actually considering a grand celebration! If our friends from Kunlun and Shushan heard about this, wouldn¡¯t they laugh their teeth off? I, Luo Yan, truly can¡¯t afford to lose face like that! Sorry, I need to prepare for the upcoming top twelve competition, so I won¡¯t be able to attend tonight¡¯s celebration¡­ What, there will be Purple Mansion Secret Medicine distributed tonight? ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to the earnest teachings of the elders of the sect,¡± Luo Yan said with a beaming smile, ¡°I can only celebrate for Yuqing View! How great are my teachers! How mighty is Penglai!¡± Although these were exaggerated rhetorical expressions of emotion, when spoken by him with emphasis and modulation, and coupled with the superficially honest and loyal persona, not a single elder from Penglai felt awkward, and they were all moved beyond measure. Some elders with higher seniority even couldn¡¯t help but hide at the back of the crowd, dabbing tears from the corners of their eyes with their sleeves. The hope of Penglai Yuqing View lies in this young man! As for Shi Liuli, she was naturally overlooked by most elders who focused their attention on Luo Yan. A few more astute elders made inquiries about the combat records of the two. Upon discovering that Shi Liuli had actually had two byes in the last round, they, too, had to admit that the hope did indeed lie with Luo Yan. Miss Shi naturally was not pleased with this, but she refrained from throwing a tantrum in front of everyone and decided to complain to her junior brother after everyone had left. However, she soon forgot about the matter: What, there¡¯s a celebration tonight? I want delicious food! I¡¯m going to eat a lot! ?0?G0.?? ¡­¡­ In the evening. Almost all the elders of the Yuqing View, as well as the Direct Disciples, arrived at the residence to participate in the celebration banquet. The focus of the banquet was naturally on Luo Yan and Shi Liuli, the two who had successfully secured places in the top twelve. Next in line were the remaining five of the Penglai Seven Sons: lucky disciples like Han Xiu from Tianfu Tower, who managed to make it to the top hundred before being eliminated; and the unlucky ones like Bi Lian from the Divine Elixir Pavilion, who met Ling Yunpo in the first round¡­ Of course, regardless of where they ended up in the rankings, it didn¡¯t stop them from being the Direct Disciples of the grandmaster elders of their respective factions, and so Penglai disciples constantly came forward to make acquaintances and converse. In the words of the elders, one side displayed exciting fights, while the other demonstrated elegance; both sides represented the outstanding disciples of the Yuqing View of Penglai! The compliments couldn¡¯t be more beautiful, worthy of Penglai, known for its emphasis on personal relationships and warmth, unlike the solemn and rigid Kunlun or the cold and bellicose Shushan. However, Luo Yan, carefully surveying the entire scene, noticed that those who came to the celebration banquet were all Penglai¡¯s Direct Disciples and Inner Sect Disciples. There were a few Outer Sect Disciples from the Yuqing View, who he remembered had also made it into the top hundred (Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu had sparred with them), yet they were nowhere to be seen at the celebration banquet. One couldn¡¯t help but wonder if it was because they just so happened to be all too busy to attend, or was it because they weren¡¯t deemed excellent enough to be invited. With Luo Yan¡¯s understanding of the values of the Orthodox Sects, the latter was most likely the case. After all, for the Orthodox Sects, those with talent in cultivation went to the Inner Sect, while those without went to the Outer Sect. If you don¡¯t have the talent for cultivation, how can you be considered an outstanding disciple? Being in the top hundred of White Jade Capital equates to excellence? Nonsense, it¡¯s just good luck, constantly drawing weak opponents. No matter if you¡¯re an Outer Sect Disciple, even if you had the flukiest run to the top twenty, top ten¡­ If you made it to the top ten, then your talent might be reassessed to see if you¡¯re qualified to enter the Inner Sect. If the talent proved truly exceptional, one would be taken back within the Inner Sect¡¯s walls. This would only prove that the talent filtering mechanism had a minor, insignificant flaw and wouldn¡¯t change the conclusion that ¡°Outer Sect Disciples are not excellent enough.¡± Quite a rigorous logic there. At the celebration banquet, after dealing with yet another group of Inner Sect Disciples looking to network, Luo Yan overheard the slightly tipsy Elder Shi Ding, laughing and boasting to the other elders: ¡°¡­When I first laid eyes on him, oh my, I¡¯m not exaggerating, but I instantly recognized Luo Yan as a young man far from ordinary!¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t come from a prominent family nor had he any influential recommendations, so after he joined our Yuqing View, he was regrettably assigned to be an Outer Sect Disciple for a period and almost faded into obscurity¡­¡± ¡°¡­However, every time he attended my tool-making class, he always had wise words to share. I immediately saw him in a new light¡­ after all, I often try to unearth potential talents among the Outer Sect Disciples¡­¡± Luo Yan listened from behind, nearly spitting blood in frustration. Damn it, Elder Shi Ding, do you have any shame? When have you ever come to give a lesson and not left in a hurry, and when have you allowed Outer Sect Disciples to ask questions? Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only If I hadn¡¯t successfully wooed your daughter, would you have given me a single glance? What a bunch of crap! As the ¡°one who understands upon hearing¡± and ¡°never forgets what he sees,¡± Luo Yan was, in a way, quite vindictive. As for the surrounding Penglai elders listening to their bargain mentor¡¯s boasting, whether they were truly ignorant or just pretending to be, they all nodded and laughed in agreement: ¡°Indeed, Elder Shi Ding has an eye for talent!¡± ¡°He and Luo Yan have, indeed, written a wonderful story of mentor and disciple.¡± There was even an elder who was unconvinced, arguing with him: ¡°Luo Yan also attended my class, and I noticed his intelligence then too. I was about to scoop him up, but didn¡¯t expect that you would beat me to it!¡± ¡°Nonsense!¡± Elder Shi Ding promptly spat, ¡°The fact that I got to him first proves my eye for talent is sharper than yours!¡± ¡°That¡¯s just your good fortune!¡± the elders jested and bantered. Chapter 450 Chapter 450: Chapter 83: Being Unaware of the Passing of Time Chapter 450: Chapter 83: Being Unaware of the Passing of Time As time passed, everyone took their leave one after another. Shi Liuli, having eaten her fill, sidled up to Luo Yan and tugged at his sleeve: ¡°Junior Brother, when will the rewards be distributed?¡± ¡°How did you know there were rewards?¡± Luo Yan was surprised. He guessed that after the list of the top twelve of White Jade Capital was announced, each sect would secretly give their contestants Purple Mansion secret medicine to strengthen them due to his experience with Ling Yunpo¡­ But how did Miss Shi come by this information? ¡°Ah?¡± It took Shi Liuli a long while before she answered, ¡°I overheard it when my father was talking with the Sect Leader. It seems like they are going to send the gatekeeper old man to distribute our rewards this time.¡± ¡°The gatekeeper old man?¡± Luo Yan asked doubtfully. As everyone knew, Yuqing View¡¯s gatekeeper was a specially made White Jade Puppet known as ¡°Nian Nu,¡± which was used to handle sundry matters that nobody else wanted to deal with-like receiving guests, fetching items for the True Elders, and assigning tasks and rewards to the outer disciples. And often, it was smashed to pieces by Shi Liuli on her escapes, because Elder Shi Ding would regularly send Nian Nu to stop her from leaving. Besides Nian Nu, who else was there to guard the gate? Luo Yan thought carefully for a long while, then suddenly remembered someone. Although this person did not guard the gate, he lived near the gatehouse every day. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co He looked like an old man and was always the one to repair the puppet whenever Shi Liuli broke it. ¡°That gatekeeper old man?¡± Luo Yan exclaimed in shock. If it was that old man distributing the rewards¡­ then his identity must be far from ordinary! ¡°Yes, it¡¯s this old man.¡± An aged voice came from behind the two of them. Luo Yan and Shi Liuli turned around and saw a short old man standing behind them, smiling with narrowed eyes. ¡°You two fought quite well this time.¡± The old man winked at them and drew an elixir bottle from his sleeve, ¡°Here, take this.¡± ¡°Thank you, Senior. May I ask, what is this?¡± Luo Yan took the elixir bottle but did not rush to open it, asking respectfully instead. ¡°Zhu Marrow Pill, have you heard of it?¡± The old man inquired. ¡°Zhu Marrow Pill¡­¡± Luo Yan weighed the name in his mind for a moment before slowly nodding, ¡°Mhm.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard that Shushan¡¯s Long Eyebrow has really bled profusely this time.¡± The old man chuckled proudly, ¡°Penglai is different, though. Even during past competitions, few could make it to the final round, so we¡¯re not short of a few Zhu Marrow Pills.¡± ¡°Once you get a ranking in the top twelve, there will be even better rewards for you.¡± After being silent for a moment, Luo Yan immediately understood the old man¡¯s implication. The key ingredient of Zhu Marrow Pills was Immortal¡¯s Essence Blood, and this substance could harm an immortal¡¯s origin, so even the Sect Guardian Immortals of the Three Pure Orthodox Sect could not afford to provide it without restraint. However, like the Mercurial Elixir Liquid, the Zhu Marrow Pill was one of the few Purple Mansion secret medicines that could be produced reliably. ???g?.?? Taking into account that Zhu Marrow Pills could be reused to brush up one¡¯s cultivation level, their value was even higher than the Mercurial Elixir Liquid¡­ Of course, the precondition was that you had to have the capability to repeatedly acquire it. As for other Purple Mansion secret medicines in the world, although many offer a much higher increase in cultivation level than the Zhu Marrow Pill, the key issue is that they are extremely rare and hard to come by. And even when someone does find them, they tend to be consumed immediately, so sects rarely have them in storage, making them unfeasible to expect. Thinking of this, Luo Yan genuinely and sincerely bowed and said: ¡°Thank you, Senior. May I know your Taoist honorific?¡± ¡°Wan Xiang.¡± The old man said nonchalantly, ¡°From now on, you can just call me Old Man.¡± He waved his hand genially and then leisurely walked away. ¡°What¡¯s that Zhu Marrow Pill that old man gave?¡± As soon as the Wan Xiang Immortal left, Shi Liuli immediately leaned over and asked. ¡°Some kind of Purple Mansion secret medicine,¡± Luo Yan nearly broke into a shocked sweat at her words, actually calling him an old man, ¡°It¡¯s said that taking it can increase one¡¯s cultivation by thirty years.¡± ¡°Only thirty years of cultivation?¡± Shi Liuli seemed a bit disappointed. ¡°The sect awarded it to you directly, you didn¡¯t have to risk exploring ruins, facing life and death, so what¡¯s there to complain about?¡± Luo Yan couldn¡¯t help but feel amused and exasperated, ¡°Moreover, you can take Zhu Marrow Pills multiple times. Each one you get is pure profit.¡± He quickly uncorked the elixir bottle and poured one pill for Shi Liuli, and just as swiftly, he took another for himself. Taking a Purple Mansion secret medicine immediately was, of course, the right thing to do¡­ After all, it was impossible to keep such things secret. If you didn¡¯t take it, soon enough elders from various families would come for their children, offering all sorts of precious treasures to exchange for these Purple Mansion secret medicines. In terms of value, those treasures would certainly exceed that of the Purple Mansion secret medicines. The problem was that Purple Mansion secret medicines directly affected your Core Condensation Rank, which is related to how stable your Daoist foundation is! In summary, not exchanging it felt like a huge loss, but exchanging it felt like an even greater loss. In any case, it was a loss either way, so it was better to just take it as soon as you got it, to save yourself the trouble. Luo Yan took the Zhu Marrow Pill, and Shi Liuli paused for a moment but then followed suit, popping the Zhu Marrow Pill into her mouth and chewing it up like it was a sugar bean. ¡°It doesn¡¯t taste good,¡± she frowned and said, ¡°It¡¯s a bit bitter.¡± Luo Yan chose to ignore the comment. The two left the banquet hall, only to see Elder Shi Ding approaching them and asking: ¡°Have both of you taken it?¡± Luo Yan nodded his head. So Elder Shi Ding gave Linghu Chu a meaningful look. Luo Yan understood: soon, the news that both individuals from the Heavenly Craft Workshop had taken the Zhu Marrow Pills would spread, quelling the thoughts of those elders who wanted to inquire about it and saving everyone time and face. With this third Zhu Marrow Pill, Luo Yan briefly calculated his cultivation period and found that his Refining Mansion cultivation had reached seven hundred and forty-five years, leaving only fifty-five years to the First Grade Golden Core. If other cultivators knew this, they would definitely be shocked: over seven hundred years of cultivation, that would require an abundance of Purple Mansion secret medicines! However, for Luo Yan, it wasn¡¯t impossible. Because he possessed many personas, each persona within their respective sects, was an outstanding elite, and through the sect¡¯s resource reserves and information channels, he could at least obtain two hundred years of Refining Mansion cultivation. Imagine this: Qiu Changtian for two hundred years, Ling Yunpo for two hundred years, Luo Yan for two hundred years, Wei Dongliu for two hundred years, isn¡¯t that precisely the threshold for a First Grade Golden Core? Of course, in reality, the issue of repetition and overlap must be considered (most Purple Mansion secret medicines can only be taken once), and it was very very difficult to accumulate over seven hundred years of Refining Mansion cultivation¡­ If one has to give a reason, it would be that one must have great wisdom, great determination, and great luck ¨C something that has been mentioned many times. Next, it¡¯s likely that Kunlun will give a Zhu Marrow Pill to Qiu Changtian too, and with that, it would be seven hundred and seventy-five years. Only twenty-five years left! As for the remaining lifespan, Luo Yan thought carefully for a moment and realized that starting from his apprenticeship in Kunlun, Shushan, and Penglai Sect, about twenty years had already passed. There¡¯s a saying, ¡°Time flies unnoticed in the mountains during cultivation¡±; since immortals usually don¡¯t celebrate New Year¡¯s and other festivals and are insensitive to the changing of the seasons, coupled with most of the time being spent on routine cultivation and breathing exercises, there isn¡¯t much worth mentioning, so they also haven¡¯t left a deep impression. Upon careful consideration, Qiu Changtian has now become a Foundation Establishment Realm senior brother, Ling Yunpo has become one of the Shushan¡¯s top four Po Yun Sword Immortals, and Luo Yan has become the inheritor of the Heavenly Craft Workshop¡­ Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Time has indeed flown since they started, and unconsciously, many events have passed. Unfortunately, since the five personas are concurrent, the passage of time should be multiplied by five. It¡¯s been twenty years for others, but his body has aged over a hundred years (including the time in the Cloud Sea Empty Cocoon); currently, he only has about seventy years of life expectancy left. It doesn¡¯t matter. Once I accumulate eight hundred years of cultivation, I can find a safe and secluded place to transcend the First Grade Golden Core Heavenly Tribulation! Chapter 451 Chapter 451: Chapter 84 Senior Sister An¡¯s Eyes Suddenly Sharpened Chapter 451: Chapter 84 Senior Sister An¡¯s Eyes Suddenly Sharpened ¡°` Returning to his room, Luo Yan took out the jade slip Elder Shi Ding had given him. Indeed, the jade slip contained information on the Kunlun and Shushan participants that were listed among the top twelve powerhouses of the White Jade Capital. In the information about Qiu Changtian and An Zhisu, both were marked with ¡°If defeated, it is not due to combat,¡± suggesting that Penglai also viewed these two as far surpassing their peers, with no possibility of being defeated. As for the others, Luo Yan focused on the information about Guan Zhan. First, because Junior Brother Guan had joined the Kunlun¡¯s frontline team, Qiu Changtian had not seen him for a long time and did not know what new techniques he had learned. Secondly, because he would have to fight with Junior Brother Guan in the first battle and had to win for the sake of historical closure¡­ Upon reflection, it seemed that even without the information, for a perfect closure of the timeline, the world line would find a way to make Junior Brother Guan lose to him, right? Forget it, let Miss Shi handle strong luck; my character setting is about Falsehood, so I shouldn¡¯t overlap with her traits. After pondering for a while, Luo Yan asked the Kunlun Mirror: ¡°Ah Jing, did you manage to scan it just now?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the Kunlun Mirror answered, ¡°it was on that old man¡¯s body.¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t know where exactly, it¡¯s probably inside some space-related magical treasure.¡± ¡°A storage bag?¡± Luo Yan said thoughtfully. wuxiaworld.site ¡°That¡¯s possible,¡± the Kunlun Mirror nodded, ¡°but I don¡¯t think immortals necessarily use something like a storage bag. It could also be an even older storage Daoist technique, such as the Sleeve Universe?¡± After careful consideration, Luo Yan had to admit that it was indeed possible. The Sleeve Universe is a very ancient Daoist technique that not only can be used to store items but also to capture an enemy¡¯s flying sword treasures. The only drawback is that, like other Daoist techniques, it requires a lot of time to comprehend and learn¡­ With that time, wouldn¡¯t it be better to cultivate by breathing exercises or Qi Refinement? It¡¯s still better to just buy a storage bag! It¡¯s natural for younger cultivators to think this way, but to immortals with lives nearly eternal, taking time is the least important factor; what they want is the grandeur of flipping the clouds and raining at will. Regardless, the fragment of the Heaven-Mending Stone hidden by the Wan Xiang Immortal was out of reach for Luo Yan, given his current strength and rank. However, being able to pinpoint the location was still a good thing. After refining the power of the Zhu Marrow Elixir, Luo Yan went with Shi Liuli the next day to draw lots. As had happened in history, Luo Yan drew Guan Zhan, while Ling Yunpo drew Shi Liuli. ¡°It¡¯s actually him!¡± Shi Liuli¡¯s eyes flashed with complex emotions, and Luo Yan, standing beside her, saw it clear as day; it was more fear than dislike. However, Luo Yan was not in a position to comfort Miss Shi, especially since she was about to be ¡°courteously trounced¡± by Ling Yunpo and would explode with emotion, so saying anything at that point would be like planting mines for later; it would be better to quickly defeat Guan Zhan and then make a getaway. Arriving punctually at the White Jade Capital plaza, Luo Yan just happened to see Guan Zhan coming down to the arena with two swords crossed on his back, clearly about to use the Two-Handed Sword Control Technique. The Two-Handed Sword Control Technique is a signature skill of Shushan, but it is not exclusive to them. In fact, many old sword immortal families also possess their own school¡¯s versions of the Two-Handed Sword Control Technique. For example, the Longxi Guan Family¡¯s Two-Handed Sword Control Technique is famed for its ¡°left-right coordinated attack,¡± with the twin swords being extremely sharp in offensive collaboration. Moreover, according to the information from Penglai, Guan Zhan has also learned the Guan Family¡¯s unique Sword Qi Shaping technique, which allows him to shoot out sword qi with his bare hands and achieve a series of fancy maneuvers such as Sword Qi Differentiation, Sword Qi Bending, and Sword Qi Explosion. Yet, Luo Yan was unafraid. With the Heavenly Craft Hundred Treasures Bag, no matter how fancy his sword qi gets, could it be more glamorous than my tactics? ¡°Penglai, Luo Yan,¡± Luo Yan gave a fist salute with both hands. He made sure to perform all the pre-fight etiquettes, but Guan Zhan was quite cold, simply returning the salute in a straightforward manner without a word. ¡°` Such an unyielding attitude naturally aroused the dissatisfaction of the Penglai disciples watching the battle, and for a time, boos came from all directions. The reason was also quite clear: Penglai had only two entrants this time, so looking down on Luo Yan was like looking down on our entire Penglai, wasn¡¯t it? The attitude of the Kunlun disciples was also complicated. For one, Guan Zhan was indeed rude first, and second, the Kunlun Sect had a more restrained style, finding it difficult to publicly jeer. As a result, any voices attempting to boo Kunlun never really developed, and for a time, it seemed as if the whole audience was scorning Guan Zhan. Having experienced the outside world for many years, Guan Zhan¡¯s demeanor seemed much more mature. He turned a deaf ear to the surrounding disparagement, silently unfastening the straps of his swords, allowing two Immortal Swords to float up. One saw those two Immortal Swords, one a deep purple and refined, the other with a cyan surface, clear and pure, and by appearance, quite beautiful. As for their Grade Rank, they should be just past the Tenth Rank, but definitely not reaching the Eleventh Rank ¨C no matter how formidable, could they be more so than the Huangting Kunwu Sword? On Luo Yan¡¯s side, he activated his Sword technique, and the Huangting Kunwu Sword quickly flew up as well. Although his Sword Control was very stable, Guan Zhan was no novice in swordsmanship and immediately noticed slight flaws in the resonance between Luo Yan and the Huangting Kunwu Sword. This sword was not willing to submit to him! Guan Zhan felt even more at ease, appearing that aside from that Heavenly Craft Hundred Treasures Bag, the other side really had nothing else impressive to show. ???G?.?? It was to be expected. With the combat experience of a Penglai Cultivator, just mastering so many Magical Treasures was the limit, where would there be time to refine sword skills or tame a Flying Sword? With this thought, he immediately made a decision: This battle must be won swiftly and decisively, only then can I make a name for myself! The competition had just begun and Guan Zhan pinched his Sword technique, the Purple Azure Twin Swords shooting out simultaneously, accompanied by several strands of Sword Qi erupting from his fingertips, flying forward like slanted rain. This opening was a simultaneous attack from three angles! ¡°Using one mind for three purposes?¡± Linghu Chu asked in surprise from a distant viewing platform. ¡°No,¡± Elder Shi Ding stroked his beard and calmly said, ¡°The Guan Family¡¯s Sword Qi Shaping only requires one command, then it can autonomously maneuver around the arena, not actually necessitating divided focus to control.¡± ¡°But even so, it¡¯s still a triple attack from three sides. The defensive pressure is so tremendous, it demands a high level of swordsmanship attainment; can my junior withstand it?¡± Linghu Chu expressed his worry, when suddenly he heard exclamations from ahead. Seeing Luo Yan face the triple threat without panic, he merely controlled the Huangting Kunwu Sword for close defense, and with a rotation, warded off the attacks from all three sides. ¡°Brilliant!¡± Elder Shi Ding immediately praised, ¡°Using a single sword against three, by compressing the defensive perimeter to reduce the tactical pressure, Luo Yan¡¯s strategic thinking deeply embodies the true essence of Shushan¡¯s ¡®Ingenuity¡¯!¡± Not only Elder Shi Ding, but even the Shushan disciples at the sidelines began to watch carefully, their eyes wide open. It wasn¡¯t difficult for the Shushan disciples present to think of reducing tactical pressure by shrinking the defensive area when swordsmanship was being suppressed. But what was truly impressive was that under Guan Zhan¡¯s initial aggressive attack, Luo Yan quickly assessed the unfavorable situation and then hesitated not a bit to adopt this tactic! You must know the area of the White Jade Capital plaza was not large; the time left for Luo Yan to react was not even a moment. Without thousands and tens of thousands of swordsmanship duels as a foundation, how could he possess such a remarkable vision and reaction speed? Not far from the arena, An Zhisu silently watched Luo Yan, her eyes suddenly sharpening. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only The way Luo Yan¡¯s Flying Sword circled closely and effortlessly blocked the triple attack, there seemed to be a hint of¡­ her own swordsmanship skills. However, the so-called shadow of her swordsmanship was not the moves of the Seven Kills Sword Technique, but rather the combat skills she had formed through countless battles, which could be said to be closer to a kind of personal combat habit in form. Was it a coincidence? Or¡­ Chapter 452 Chapter 452: Chapter 85 Your senior brother is still your senior brother Chapter 452: Chapter 85 Your senior brother is still your senior brother Guan Zhan swung his attack and missed, a shock going through his heart. How could Luo Yan let this opportunity slip by? He immediately controlled the Huangting Kunwu Sword to thrust forward, forcing the Purple Azure Twin Swords apart, and his right hand quickly reached into the Heavenly Craft Treasure Bag. ¡°Give me something to deal with Flying Swords and Sword Qi!¡± he commanded with his Divine Sense. The Heavenly Craft Treasure Bag immediately spat out two items. Luo Yan quickly caught them with both hands, glanced at them, and promptly threw away the gold wound medicine elixir bottle in his left hand, while tossing up the red palace smoke Luo in his right, quickly protecting his surroundings. Even though he had been unknown before, now that he had made it into the top twelve of White Jade Capital, people from Kunlun naturally gathered information on Luo Yan based on his previous battles. The red palace smoke Luo was a smoke-like defensive Magical Treasure that, once unfurled, stretched three to four zhang wide. It seemed formless and incorporeal, but in reality, it had an extremely strong defensive effect against physical attacks. Ordinary Flying Swords that shot into the red palace smoke Luo would face resistance that doubled for every few inches they penetrated, like a tiger that falls into a swamp or birds and insects trapped in a spider web, quickly becoming unable to move. Since Guan Zhan had access to this intelligence, he naturally wouldn¡¯t continue to recklessly attack. Instead, he quickly manipulated his Daoist Formula, activating Sword Dao Techniques of the Green Sword. Suddenly, a stream of azure like lightning fiercely surged, heading straight toward Luo Yan amidst the clouds and mist. ¡°Be careful!¡± the Kunlun Mirror couldn¡¯t help but exclaim a warning. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site Luo Yan saw it clearly; that azure stream was neither Sword Light nor Sword Qi, but seemingly the form of some Daoist magic. He didn¡¯t dare stay put and hastily retreated using Sword Control. However, the speed of that azure stream was even slightly faster than that of the Huangting Kunwu Sword (or perhaps because the Huangting Kunwu Sword was unwilling to fully acknowledge its master, it couldn¡¯t exhibit its full-speed form). In an instant, it rushed into the red palace smoke Luo, its speed slightly hindered but not rapidly reduced. Half-real, half-illusory! Luo Yan immediately realized in his heart. The red palace smoke Luo was most powerful at slowing down solid objects, progressing inch by inch. It had no slowing effect on intangibles like flames or lightning; it could only weaken their power. This slight hesitation in the azure stream, yet not slowing down layer by layer, indicated it was in a state between reality and illusion! With that in mind, he reached into the Heavenly Craft Treasure Bag again and quickly issued a command: ¡°Give me something to counter half-real, half-illusory things, no elixirs!¡± The Heavenly Craft Treasure Bag quickly spat out an item, which was a small mirror the size of a palm. ¡°Kunlun Mirror?¡± Luo Yan was shocked. ¡°How could it be me!¡± the Kunlun Mirror immediately cursed, ¡°That¡¯s the Monitoring Heaven Mirror!¡± ¡°How do I use it?¡± Luo Yan hastily asked. ¡°Shine it!¡± Luo Yan immediately felt like an idiot, quickly activated the Monitoring Heaven Mirror with True Essence Mana, and shone it on the relentlessly pursuing azure stream. With just one shine, the stream solidified and was fixed in place. Upon closer inspection, Luo Yan realized it was a small snake formed from the Wood System True Essence, with a triangular head and teeth sharp like knives, looking extremely fierce. Guan Zhan was also taken by surprise and quickly activated the Sword Dao Techniques again, conjuring seven or eight azure small snakes, hissing as they shot toward Luo Yan. Luo Yan remained calm and continued to operate the Monitoring Heaven Mirror, capturing all the snakes, and then effortlessly slaughtered them with the Huangting Kunwu Sword. Just as he had finished off the last snake, a sudden burst of light appeared ahead, as Guan Zhan directly unleashed a full-power Man-Sword Unity attack, attempting to kill him on the spot. The Man-Sword Unity was extremely fast, too late to reach for another Magical Treasure from the Heavenly Craft Treasure Bag, Luo Yan could only shine the Monitoring Heaven Mirror forwards. Guan Zhan reacted swiftly as well, pulling the Sword Light to the side to dodge the mirror¡¯s light, maintaining his speed and rapidly closing in to within several zhang! ¡°Junior Brother!¡± Shi Liuli exclaimed from the sidelines. The disciples of Shushan had complex expressions on their faces because Guan Zhan¡¯s Man-Sword Unity and the power of his Sword Light were even more outstanding than many among them. If this person were in Shushan, he would certainly rank in the top ten of the Immortal Sword Ranking. How could he have ended up in Kunlun instead! At a distance, Lin Duanshan showed slight surprise, Duan Fenhai clicked his tongue in wonder, while only Guan Shanyue¡¯s eyebrows were slightly frowned. In a farther place, Linghu Chu looked anxious, but Elder Shi Ding remained calm and collected, as if convinced that Luo Yan couldn¡¯t possibly lose. Luo Yan was retreating at full speed with Sword Control, but how could his speed compare to the great move of Man-Sword Unity? ???G?.?0 The distance between the two was rapidly closing, but thankfully the opponent¡¯s evasion of the mirror light had after all bought Luo Yan a moment¡¯s respite. He reached into the Heavenly Palace Treasure Bag like lightning with his right hand, attempting to retrieve a Magical Treasure, but little did he know that Guan Zhan was precisely waiting for this moment, and the speed of the Sword Light instantaneously surged by another threefold! From the start of activating Man-Sword Unity, Guan Zhan had been deliberately suppressing his speed, all to mislead Luo Yan¡¯s judgment and make him think he had the chance to retrieve a Magical Treasure. Even the previous evasion of the Kunlun Mirror¡¯s light was within Guan Zhan¡¯s calculations! The Sword Light suddenly closed in on Luo Yan¡¯s chest, and Guan Zhan could already see the expressions of confusion, shock, fear, and unwillingness on Luo Yan¡¯s face. In that instant, myriad thoughts flashed through Guan Zhan¡¯s mind. Countless days and nights of painstaking swordsmanship practice, countless desperate fights to the death had given him his current strength and realm. Defeating Luo Yan was only his first step. Next, he had to defeat Elder Sister Xu, his older female cousin, as well as Chief Disciple Qiu, to eventually take the top rank in White Jade Capital¡¯s competition and the position of Chief Disciple in the Foundation Establishment Realm. For revenge, he needed to seize even more power! Myriads of thoughts converged into pure killing intent. Guan Zhan had already urged all his True Yuan, the Sword Light shining as bright as the blazing sun, piercing through Luo Yan¡¯s chest! Victory! Shi Liuli outside the arena had already closed her eyes in fright, unable to watch any longer. Elder Shi Ding still had a calm expression, but the sleeves of his clasped hands were slightly wrinkled, the fingers inside involuntarily clenching tight. The next second, the Sword Light that had passed through Luo Yan¡¯s body suddenly exploded into a kaleidoscope of red, green, yellow, white, and black lights! To be precise, it was Luo Yan who had used some sort of Daoist Magic, releasing that dazzlingly brilliant five-colored light which instantly extinguished Guan Zhan¡¯s Sword Light. In the blink of an eye, Guan Zhan was reborn in his original place, his expression somewhat dazed. ¡°Shushan, Luo Yan, wins.¡± Hearing the mechanical voice, Luo Yan relaxed in his heart and smiled secretly. Sorry, Junior Brother Guan, your big brother is still your big brother after all. Upon seeing this, Guan Zhan suddenly came back to his senses, pointing at him and exclaiming: ¡°You, you used¡­ the Postnatal Five Elements Great Extermination Divine Light!¡± There was silence for a moment across the arena, and then it suddenly erupted into a thunderous roar of noise! ¡°Postnatal Five Elements Great Extermination Divine Light?¡± Guan Shanyue said in astonishment. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only She had guessed that Luo Yan had a trump card, but she did not realize it was such a big one, making Guan Zhan completely unable to fight back. ¡°That Five Elements Divine Light, hasn¡¯t it been lost already because it was too difficult to refine?¡± Duan Fenhai also looked astonished. ¡°Where did Luo Yan get the Postnatal Five Elements True Veins from?¡± ¡°If it truly is the Five Elements Divine Light, then this Penglai Jade Pure¡­¡± Lin Duanshan said slowly. Although he did not finish his sentence, the people of Shushan all understood his meaning. Given time, Luo Yan might well become another Qiu Changtian or An Zhisu, another super-powerful figure! Chapter 453 Chapter 453: Chapter 86 Miss Shi¡¯s Test Chapter 453: Chapter 86 Miss Shi¡¯s Test A single stone stirred up a thousand ripples. Ordinary disciples might not understand the significance of the ¡°Acquired Great Five Elements Extermination Divine Light,¡± but how could those elite disciples from cultivator families not know the illustrious reputation of the Five Elements Divine Light in ancient times? In the ancient wars between the humans and the Demon Race, the Peacock Clan used the Innate Five Elements Great Chaos Divine Light to kill an unknown number of Human Race cultivators. Latterly, through painstaking efforts, the Human Race, based on their research of the Peacock Demon King¡¯s corpse, created the Acquired Five Elements Great Extermination Divine Light to counteract it. As for the widespread renown of this Acquired Divine Light, it wouldn¡¯t come until after the Demon Race fled to the Eastern Emperor Realm-it was utterly devastating during the internal strife among humans, its fierce reputation spreading far and wide. Subsequently, the Five Elements Divine Light was lost. The specific reasons for its disappearance are no longer verifiable, but the last known occurrence of this Five Elements Divine Light was among the lineage of cultivators from Moon Island in the East Sea. Now that Moon Island has long been exterminated and purged by the Penglai Yuqing View for colluding with the Demon Cult, it inevitably led people to associate these two things when Luo Yan used the Acquired Great Five Elements Extermination Divine Light at this very time. In summary, although nobody was aware of the ins and outs, many people would surely visit Penglai tonight, and even more would remember the name Luo Yan. After all, the Acquired Five Elements Great Extermination Divine Light was ranked as Immortal Law. As was the ¡°Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra,¡± an Immortal Law. Within the Penglai encampment, Luo Yan hadn¡¯t rested for long before Elder Shi Ding called for him again. ???g0.?? In the main hall, besides Elder Shi Ding, there were the Sect Leaders of Xuandu, Jade Capital, and Ziwei. wuxiaworld.site With the Sect Leaders of the Three Pure Ones¡¯ Orthodox Sects gathered, any ordinary cultivator here would surely be at a loss. But Luo Yan knew all three of them, so he just stood respectfully to the side, silent. ¡°The Acquired Five Elements Ultimate Extermination Divine Light, being able to reappear within our Orthodox Sect, is indeed a fortunate event,¡± the Ziwei Master was the first to speak, decisively framing the event-truly befitting of the assertive Head of the Kunlun Sect. ¡°It¡¯s just that this technique must consume a great deal of True Yuan,¡± the Jade Capital Sect Leader was concerned about the endurance. ¡°No matter,¡± the Sect Leader of Xuandu said with composure, ¡°after all, he has not yet reached Core Formation.¡± A cultivator from the Foundation Establishment Realm, what are you thinking? Surely, you don¡¯t expect him to unleash the full power of the Five Elements Divine Light and hang us Nascent Soul Elders up to beat, do you? ¡°Henceforth, we must be careful to guard against the Demon Cult,¡± the Ziwei Master cautioned. Of course. Wasn¡¯t it just because there was a Qiu Changtian with Daoist Heart Clarity that he had been hunted by the Demon Cult for so many years? If the Demon Cult learned that Luo Yan possessed the Acquired Five Elements Extermination Divine Light, wouldn¡¯t they find an opportunity to strike? ¡°Of course,¡± the Sect Leader of Xuandu said lightly, ¡°Luo Yan is a son of Penglai, and naturally, we will protect him without worry, ensuring that the Daoist tradition is not lost.¡± ¡°Ahem,¡± Elder Shi Ding coughed, ¡°My lords, Luo Yan is the next successor of the Heavenly Craft Workshop, so this Acquired Five Elements Divine Light will surely be passed down and not be lost.¡± The three Sect Leaders looked strangely upon hearing this. ¡°Is not the Daoist tradition of the Heavenly Craft Workshop the Daoist tradition of Penglai?¡± the Sect Leader of Xuandu asked in surprise, ¡°Or do you, Elder Shi Ding, think that I would use the flag of Yuqing View to forcibly strip this art from your Heavenly Craft Workshop¡¯s tradition?¡± ¡°That was not my intent,¡± Elder Shi Ding, rendered speechless by him, could only feebly reply. ¡°Elder Shi Ding likely had no such intent,¡± the Ziwei Master, having a good relationship with Elder Shi Ding, stepped in to mediate, ¡°There¡¯s no need for Xuandu to be too severe. After all, this art is of major importance, and it¡¯s better to be clear about it.¡± ¡°Hmph,¡± the Sect Leader of Xuandu shook his head and didn¡¯t pursue the issue further but turned to ask Luo Yan, ¡°Have you drawn your lot for tomorrow?¡± ¡°I drew it.¡± Luo Yan said with a wry smile as he took out the sword with the drawing, which bore the words ¡°An Zhisu¡± inscribed on it. ¡°An Zhisu¡­¡± The Jade Capital Sect Leader chuckled, ¡°That¡¯s good. If it¡¯s her, she¡¯ll surely be able to test the full strength of your Acquired Five Elements Divine Light.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to worry about winning or losing in tomorrow¡¯s battle, just do your best.¡± The Master of Xuan Du instructed. ¡°This junior understands.¡± Luo Yan once again bowed respectfully. The meaning was quite clear: it was expected that An Zhisu wouldn¡¯t be able to win against him tomorrow; he just needed to give it his all, and they were eager to see to what extent the Acquired Great Five Elements Extermination Divine Light could enhance his combat power. To what extent? Would it be enough to hang Senior Sister An up and batter her, believe it or not? Unfortunately, given Luo Yan¡¯s level of cultivation, it was estimated he would only be able to hold out for a few moments. Luo Yan bid farewell to the elders and then returned to his room. As expected, it wasn¡¯t long before Miss Shi came over in a sullen mood. ¡°So annoying.¡± She didn¡¯t consider herself an outsider, simply sitting down on Luo Yan¡¯s bed and mumbling, ¡°Why am I so weak!¡± ¡°This¡­¡± Luo Yan fell silent for a moment, quickly pondering in his mind. Was Shi Liuli really asking ¡°Why am I so weak?¡± Anyone who would take it that way would probably remain single for life. So Luo Yan sat down next to her and said gently, ¡°Senior Sister, it¡¯s okay. Our Penglai specializes in the various schools of thought, and it¡¯s normal to be weaker in combat compared to Shushan; it¡¯s not your fault alone.¡± Keyword one: It¡¯s not your fault. ¡°But¡­¡± Shi Liuli said with a tinge of grievance, ¡°I¡¯m not good at the various schools of thought either. You excel at formations, Big Brother is skilled in sword casting, Third Sister is adept at making seals, and I¡¯m not good at anything!¡± ¡°Oh my, it¡¯s really okay.¡± Luo Yan continued to speak soothingly, ¡°Senior Sister is still young. There¡¯s plenty of time to learn after Core Formation. With Senior Sister¡¯s intelligence, you¡¯ll surely be able to master all of Master¡¯s skills.¡± Keyword two: Things will be better in the future. ¡°Really?¡± Shi Liuli thought for a moment, then said with a tearful voice, ¡°But everyone only pays attention to your Five Elements Divine Light! Even when I lost to Ling Yunpo, Father didn¡¯t comfort me much¡­¡± ¡°Senior Sister,¡± Luo Yan said as he gently embraced her, comforting her, ¡°Senior Sister also made it into the top twelve of White Jade Capital. Besides us, who else from the Penglai Yuqing View can achieve that? Senior Sister is already more formidable than many others!¡± Keyword three: You¡¯re the best. ¡°You¡¯re not wrong,¡± ¡°you¡¯re the best,¡± ¡°things will be better¡±-with these three key phrases, Shi Liuli¡¯s mood indeed changed from sorrow to joy, and she playfully scolded, ¡°Junior Brother, you really have a gift for sweet-talking.¡± ¡°Everything I¡¯ve said comes straight from the heart!¡± Luo Yan declared earnestly. The Synchronization Value surely rose once again. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Sigh, playing this facade of falsehood is effortless for someone with high emotional and intellectual intelligence like me. Shi Liuli felt somewhat shy, but having been held by Luo Yan with various excuses many times before, she had grown emotionally closer and cuddled in his embrace for a short while before leaving reluctantly. In fact, she was not oblivious to the teasing of her senior brothers and sisters, or the subtle insinuations from her father. The reason she sought out Luo Yan was partly indeed because she wanted to be cajoled, but also to test whether he truly understood her. This time, he passed the test! Chapter 454 Chapter 454: Chapter 87 Innate Sword Heart, Capturing the Sword Heart Chapter 454: Chapter 87 Innate Sword Heart, Capturing the Sword Heart The next day, the White Jade Capital Secret Realm. This time, the White Jade Capital¡¯s top twelve were to be divided into ¡°four grades,¡± namely supreme, high, intermediate, and low. The supreme grade would be the top three positions, which would ultimately belong to Qiu Changtian, An Zhisu, and Ling Yunpo. Since Ling Yunpo conceded defeat automatically, he would be among the top three, leaving Qiu Changtian and An Zhisu to battle for first place. As for myself, facing An Zhisu this time, according to historical trajectory, I am supposed to ¡°narrowly lose¡± to her. To tell the truth, after much thought, Luo Yan knew it must be because he had gone easy on her. If he hadn¡¯t gone easy, couldn¡¯t he just use the Five Elements Divine Light to crush An Zhisu? My Jade Mansion, built from over seven hundred years of cultivation, is certainly not something that can be shaped like dough! Putting Luo Yan aside for now, Shi Liuli had drawn Duan Fenhai. After careful consideration and analysis by Luo Yan, he found that among the other five in the loser¡¯s group, even Yan Zhitui was someone she couldn¡¯t beat-after all, her advancement was through two rounds of byes, so it didn¡¯t really matter who she drew. Well, considering that Senior Brother Duan has always been unyielding against the weak, it seems Miss Shi¡¯s fragile heart is in for another wound. Never mind Miss Shi, after Qiu Changtian¡¯s match was over, An Zhisu and Luo Yan went down to the arena. By now, even the most uninformed disciples from the Orthodox Sect, like Noby Nobi, knew about the two hot contenders for the championship of this competition: Kunlun¡¯s Qiu Changtian and Shushan¡¯s An Zhisu. As for Luo Yan, although he possessed the Five Elements Ultimate Extermination Divine Light, his fame still fell slightly short in comparison to the other two. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site Mainly because everyone saw him obliterate Guan Zhan, but they did not clearly see how he did it¡­ What if Qiu Changtian and An Zhisu could also obliterate Guan Zhan? Who would be stronger then? In summary, everyone was eagerly looking forward to the competition, and so, as the two stepped down into the arena, people from Shushan and Penglai gathered their sword lights and moved closer to the White Jade Capital plaza. At this moment, Ling Yunpo had not yet faced Xu Yinglian, so people were still unaware that just being a spectator on the sidelines could be quite dangerous. An Zhisu stood across the arena, her hair simply tied in a bun at the back of her head, looking gallant and elegant as she bowed with clasped hands toward Luo Yan. Luo Yan: ? Hold on, Senior Sister An, weren¡¯t you the one who argued against everything and everyone, showing no kindness to anyone except your own brothers and master? Why are you suddenly being so courteous to me? But here, Luo Yan had misunderstood; An Zhisu, although straightforward and outspoken, was not someone who took pleasure in verbally assaulting others. Every time she scolded someone, it was because they said something that seemed to ¡°injure Ling Yunpo.¡± It was all out of protectiveness¡­ Regardless, since Senior Sister An had shown such courtesy, Luo Yan found no need to deliberately antagonize her, and simply returned the salute with clasped hands: ¡°Penglai¡¯s Luo Yan is honored to exchange swordsmanship insights with Daoist An.¡± Calling her ¡°Daoist An¡± felt really awkward, far less natural than ¡°Senior Sister An.¡± An Zhisu responded expressionlessly: ¡°Shushan¡¯s An Zhisu looks forward to learning from Daoist Luo¡¯s excellent moves.¡± Her demeanor, polite yet distant, caused Luo Yan to feel somewhat heartbroken. An Zhisu, I resent you like a piece of wood! So cold and indifferent, what am I to do with this debt you owe me here! Having dramatized the moment in his mind, Luo Yan felt much better and raised the Huangting Kunwu Sword, keeping his left hand in the Heavenly Craft All-Purpose Bag, his right hand forming the sword technique, ready to unleash the Five Elements Ultimate Extermination Divine Light at any moment. After all, the Master of Xuandu had said, he didn¡¯t seek victory, but only that they performed to the best of their ability. An Zhisu also quietly invoked the Flying Smoke and Harsh Cold Swords, but she didn¡¯t rush to attack with all her might like Guan Zhan, she simply tested the waters by sending the Harsh Cold Sword forward. On the spur of the moment, she wanted to test the follow-up of Luo Yan¡¯s sword technique and see where that inexplicable sense of familiarity came from. Luo Yan was also very familiar with An Zhisu¡¯s fighting style, so he immediately manipulated the Huangting Kunwu Sword to meet her, and with his left hand, he drew a Magical Treasure from the Heavenly Craft Hundred Treasures Bag. Oh, the Green Gang Divine Saber. This saber was also a formidable offensive Magical Treasure. It could rotate in accordance with its master¡¯s will to attack the enemy; it could also act on its own to meet the Flying Sword with the saber, focusing on protecting its master. To use it to block An Zhisu¡¯s Two-Handed Sword Control Technique was indeed perfect. In fact, besides enjoying jokes, most of the time, the Heavenly Craft Hundred Treasures Bag was quite reliable. For example, when Guan Zhan was impetuous, the bag offered the defensive Jia Palace Smoke Gauze to wear down his sharpness; But An Zhisu was brave and skilled in attacking. Using the Jia Palace Smoke Gauze would only result in passively defending and being beaten, so the bag gave the Green Gang Divine Saber, which meant to let him counter-attack against the attack and vie with An Zhisu for the rhythm of the battlefield. The Huangting Kunwu Sword withstood the attack of the Harsh Cold Sword. Although the Harsh Cold Sword was light and agile, it was entirely unable to shake the defense of the exceedingly heavy Huangting Kunwu Sword. The Azure Spirit Divine Saber quickly rose to meet the oncoming Flying Smoke Sword, clashing with it several times in mid-air, sparks flying and azure light swirling. Luo Yan suddenly realized something was amiss because, at this point, Senior Sister An¡¯s sword technique was far too gentle. Gentle like the way one would feed moves to Ling Yunpo at regular times. Recalling Senior Sister An¡¯s first round against Kunlun¡¯s Fayuan Zhi, that swift and furious swordsmanship made Luo Yan feel increasingly apprehensive. Could it be that she¡¯d noticed some unintentional clues? Luo Yan secretly steeled his mind, knowing he couldn¡¯t simply ask Senior Sister An outright, so he launched his attacks cautiously. An Zhisu manipulated the twin swords, calmly entangling with him for a while, thinking to herself how the purely genuine East Sea Jade Coral Swordsmanship failed to reveal any distinctive style. Was the earlier feeling a false perception? Her mind moved slightly, and her fingers formed consecutive sword techniques, immediately elevating the speed of Harsh Cold and Flying Smoke. ???G?.?? Faced with Senior Sister An¡¯s sudden increase in the pace of her attack, Luo Yan also hastened his speed, with the Huangting Kunwu Sword and Green Gang Divine Saber¡¯s attacks becoming more ferocious. Hm? An Zhisu noticed something off again. Troublesome to say, but it was unclear where exactly the discrepancy lay. After all, she hadn¡¯t had many encounters with Luo Yan before and didn¡¯t know his style of swordsmanship. Yet, An Zhisu always felt that Luo Yan¡¯s way of fighting exuded a sense of deja vu from the inside out. But upon careful analysis, she couldn¡¯t figure out where the familiarity lay. The East Sea Jade Coral Sword was renowned for its agility, quite the opposite of the Seven Kills Sword Technique, which emphasized aggressive attacks. And Luo Yan¡¯s execution of the East Sea Jade Coral Sword was impeccably standard, without a hint of anything suspicious. So where did that absurd sense of familiarity come from? An Zhisu felt the urge to go mad, and she continued to quicken the pace with an expressionless face, trying to force Luo Yan into revealing a flaw. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only But how well Luo Yan knew her! Seeing her expressionless face, he immediately guessed that Senior Sister An must have realized something. He also saw her continue to increase the frequency of her attacks, but the killing intent between each move did not grow, and where could he dare to continue this tangle with her? His right hand quickly changed from sword technique to spell, swiftly urging the True Yuan from his Dantian. Postnatal Five Elements Great Extermination Divine Light! Chapter 455 Chapter 455: Chapter 88 I, Luo Yan, Ran Out of Mana Chapter 455: Chapter 88 I, Luo Yan, Ran Out of Mana If the Great Bright Fire is likened to burning mountains and boiling seas, then the Five Elements Divine Light could be described as bright as the sun and the moon, penetrating with clarity and brilliance. Red, green, yellow, white, black-the five-colored Divine Light interwove like a shuttle towards An Zhisu, surging over like an overwhelming tide. Even Senior Sister An, who loved offensive maneuvers, dared not to bravely withstand it head-on and had no choice but to execute the Cloud-Parting Eight Trigrams Step, dodging the Divine Light with swift changes in direction. Luo Yan sighed inwardly, not knowing until he used it, that this step technique indeed provided great assistance to a Sword Immortal. Not to mention anything else, if it weren¡¯t for the step technique, one would have to rely on Sword Control for dodging. But Sword Control consumed mental energy and required the use of a Flying Sword. Moreover, its short-distance burst sprint speed was far inferior to the step technique, especially in such a limited range environment where the agility of the step technique became more apparent. Luo Yan quickly formed Daoist formulas with his hands, and the Five Elements Divine Light surged once again, chasing and pounding towards the distant An Zhisu. An Zhisu¡¯s figure continuously swayed, her footsteps never ceasing, dodging from east to west like a ghostly apparition, narrowly avoiding the Five Elements Divine Light, passing by in hair-raisingly close calls. Luo Yan discovered somewhat disappointedly that Senior Sister An¡¯s mastery of footwork appeared to have surpassed his own¡­ Her rapid progress must be the result of the talent granted by the ¡°Innate Sword Heart.¡± If one were to use gaming terms, Innate Sword Heart boosted comprehension, agility, and perception, while Innate Sword Bone enhanced root bone, physical strength, and willpower. It might seem like Innate Sword Bone has a higher battle potential, but most of the time Luo Yan had fought with ease, hardly ever encountering a crisis requiring a contest of root bone, physical strength, and willpower¡­ It¡¯s not as good as Innate Sword Heart! wuxiaworld.site If only he could switch with Senior Sister¡­ As Luo Yan was lost in his thoughts, he suddenly realized another problem. He had been using the Five Elements Divine Light for too long! ???G0.?? He hurriedly ceased the Daoist formula, feigning a semblance of running low on True Yuan. An Zhisu frowned slightly, her intuition telling her that Luo Yan hadn¡¯t exhausted his True Yuan, yet why did he show such a tired demeanor? Oh, tactical deception, is it? Feeling a bit annoyed inside, An Zhisu suddenly created some distance and scanned the audience outside the arena. No sign of the junior brother¡­ Where had he gone? Why wasn¡¯t he watching her battle? With this thought, An Zhisu¡¯s mood began to wane. It didn¡¯t matter why Luo Yan¡¯s swordsmanship felt so familiar to her, she could figure it out later. The battle had dragged on long enough, and she found herself missing her junior brother. It was time to end it quickly¡­ Without another word, An Zhisu suddenly merged with the Flying Smoke Sword, transforming into a huge, soaring crimson Sword Light. Man-Sword Unity! Well done! Luo Yan¡¯s spirits also lifted. If Senior Sister An hadn¡¯t gone all-out and continued to drag things out with her Cloud-Parting Eight Trigrams Step, he would have had to pretend to be out of True Yuan and concede voluntarily. Of course, conceding voluntarily had huge drawbacks. Because to the spectators, it would appear as if An Zhisu hadn¡¯t focused much on the fight and had just dragged Luo Yan to his demise. This would undoubtedly be a great humiliation for Penglai Jade Pure, and even An Zhisu herself would become disliked by the people of Penglai. With Senior Sister An¡¯s emotional intelligence, she was already pitiable enough in Shushan, so why let Penglai also look at her unfavorably? He couldn¡¯t bear it! Therefore, seeing Senior Sister An finally lose patience, Luo Yan too let out a sigh of relief and immediately spurred the Forbidden Law within the Huangting Kunwu Sword, chanting: ¡°Infinite Wilds, Gate of Boundlessness!¡± In a flash, even with his robust True Yuan, he felt a significant drain. In the void above, a small mountain descended, smashing onto the White Jade Capital square with a heaven-shaking, deafening boom. The cultivators near the square were dizzy from the shockwaves. When they came to their senses, they were stunned and confused. An Zhisu¡¯s crimson Sword Light collided directly against the small mountain and was bounced back outright. The Sword Light dispersed, revealing a disheveled An Zhisu who spit out a mouthful of blood, clearly suffering internal injuries from the rebound force. ¡°What Forbidden Technique is that!¡± Lin Duanshan exclaimed in shock from outside the arena. Duan Fenhai also had a solemn expression. People from Shushan were all too familiar with the power of An Zhisu¡¯s Man-Sword Unity. Let alone a Life-bound Sword Artifact, even those with defensive Magical Treasures wouldn¡¯t dare to receive it head-on. If one¡¯s rank or cultivation level was not sufficient, there was a high likelihood of being cleaved in two by her sword. However, that mountain¡­ ¡°Qingcheng?¡± Guan Shanyue murmured. As everyone followed her gaze once more, they saw the facade of the small mountain had been split as if by an axe, with two ancient seal characters carved in dynamic strokes: Qingcheng. An Zhisu spat out a mouthful of blood, then, disregarding her severe internal injuries, she once again achieved Man-Sword Unity, with her sword light surging by threefold as she bypassed the small mountain and continued her onslaught! Facing the rapidly approaching onslaught of sword light, Luo Yan only turned his head to look at the Kunlun True Person maintaining order at the scene and calmly said, ¡°I concede defeat.¡± The red sword light abruptly halted, and An Zhisu landed on the ground, somewhat unsteady. ¡°You concede defeat?¡± The Kunlun True Person also descended, asking in surprise, ¡°What about your Five Elements Ultimate Extermination Divine Light?¡± If there was another use of the Postnatal Five Elements Great Extermination Divine Light, wouldn¡¯t An Zhisu lose directly? Why are you conceding? ¡°I¡¯m out of True Yuan,¡± Luo Yan sighed and said, ¡°In order to activate the Sword Forbidden Law, I¡¯ve overdrafted every last bit of True Yuan.¡± ¡°You could take an elixir,¡± An Zhisu said with a frown. Luo Yan: ??? Wait a minute, I am your opponent, Senior Sister An! What are you even saying! He shook his head again and said with a bitter smile, ¡°There¡¯s no time.¡± Afterward, Luo Yan¡¯s form wavered, and he fell backward. In order to act out the entire scene convincingly, he also instructed the Kunlun Mirror to cast an Illusion Technique, creating the illusion of a True Yuan exhaustion. The Kunlun True Person immediately took three steps in two strides, stepping forward to lift Luo Yan¡¯s head and then administered an elixir for him to swallow. Before even half a moment passed, Elder Shi Ding hurried over to White Jade Capital¡¯s square, urgently asking, ¡°Miaofa, my disciple¡­¡± ¡°His True Yuan is exhausted.¡± The Kunlun¡¯s Miaofa True Person tossed the Elixir Bottle to Shi Ding, ¡°Have him take this for the time being, and after resting for a few hours, he will be fine.¡± Elder Shi Ding caught the Elixir Bottle, looked at it for a moment, then grabbed Luo Yan¡¯s wrist and probed with his Divine Sense before slowly letting out a sigh of relief. His True Yuan was indeed overdrafted. Elder Shi Ding suddenly felt a sense of dejection because Luo Yan could have won this competition. The reason he was forced to concede was due to the insufficiency of True Yuan; however, the root cause of the lack of True Yuan was the subpar Qi Refining Technique he had been cultivating. Luo Yan had given his all. Yet what held him back in the end was our own Heavenly Craft Workshop! With this realization, Elder Shi Ding was resolute in his decision to procure an excellent Qi Refining Technique for Luo Yan. As the critical foundation for Breath Cultivation, Qi Refining Techniques of higher grades were considered core heritages by their respective Sects. How could they be easily obtained? Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only If you ask others to lend one, they¡¯d want to fight you to death for it! But if Luo Yan continues to cultivate the Three Flowers Gathering Spirit Technique, the capacity of his True Yuan will become his greatest constraint. Without sufficient True Yuan, techniques like the Postnatal Five Elements Great Extermination Divine Light and the Sword Forbidden Law of the Huangting Kunwu Sword will become laughable halfway through their execution, won¡¯t they? Being the butt of jokes is one thing, but if he were to face the Demon Cult and be defeated, even lose his life, simply because his True Yuan gives out, that would be truly lamentable. After much reflection on the pain, Elder Shi Ding decided that even if there was just a glimmer of hope, the Heavenly Craft Workshop would go all out-even if it meant going broke-to obtain a better Qi Refining Technique for him! Chapter 456 Chapter 456: Chapter 89 The Hardest Thing to Accept is the Favor of a Beauty Chapter 456: Chapter 89 The Hardest Thing to Accept is the Favor of a Beauty ¡°` ¡°Ah, you¡¯re awake.¡± Luo Yan feigned waking up, only to see Miss Shi sitting beside his bed, sighing with pity as she said, ¡°Junior Brother, what a pity. You were so close to winning,¡± ¡°Actually, I was far from close,¡± Luo Yan ¡°weakly¡± chuckled in reply. Of course, this weakness was also an act. Ever since Elder Shi Ding brought him back to the Penglai Jade Pure abode, Luo Yan had been maintaining a ¡°comatose¡± state. Even though his eyes were closed, he could sense that Miss Shi was feeding him elixirs and continuously watching over him by his bed. His heart couldn¡¯t help but be moved by this, which would be false to deny, but to say he was moved¡­ was also a bit strange. After all, I was pretending. If I were to be moved by Shi Liuli¡¯s considerate care, wouldn¡¯t that mean I¡¯m actually duping her feelings, making me a scumbag? ???G0.?? wuxiaworld.site Pushing aside his touched emotions, Luo Yan then made a touched expression and asked, ¡°Senior Sister, I haven¡¯t caused you any trouble, have I? How was your competition?¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s fine,¡± Shi Liuli said indifferently, ¡°I couldn¡¯t beat them anyway, so I gave up.¡± Luo Yan: ¡­¡­ Sigh, how strange. Even though what she said was true (indeed, she couldn¡¯t have won), why do I feel this indescribable sense of gratitude? Calming down, Miss Shi giving up was a good thing! After all, that scoundrel Duan Fenhai was truly formidable and arrogant. Had my Liuli gone up only to be beaten down, it would have been both a loss of face and a great harm to a young lady¡¯s dignity! As for her giving up to take care of me, of course, I don¡¯t plan to deny that. In any case¡­ ah, the hardest debts to repay are those of beauty. Luo Yan sighed inwardly and then attempted to sit up, but Shi Liuli supported him. ¡°Be careful, Junior Brother!¡± she chided, ¡°Your True Yuan has depleted; how can you not rest properly?¡± ¡°I have already taken the elixir,¡± Luo Yan said with a smile, pointing at his abdomen, where the Dantian is located, ¡°My Qi Sea is full now.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not about the Qi Sea, it¡¯s the meridians, the meridians!¡± Shi Liuli, hands on her hips, retorted with a cold snort, ¡°True Yuan depletion causes great damage to the meridians. You should focus on circulating your Qi for a few circulations, allowing True Yuan to moisten the meridians throughout your body.¡± ¡°This¡­ Alright then,¡± Luo Yan was quite helpless. After all, he couldn¡¯t exactly say he was completely fine and not at all depleted of True Yuan. He could only follow Shi Liuli¡¯s method, faking a few circulations of Qi with the Three Flowers Gathering Spirit Technique, producing just a minuscule amount of True Yuan. ¡°Father says he plans to get you a better Qi Refining Technique,¡± Shi Liuli suddenly mentioned. Luo Yan: ? Wait, I already have the Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra, what else could I possibly need that¡¯s a better Qi Refining Technique? And is there even one that surpasses the secret teachings of the Kunlun immortal sect? ¡°What a concern for the master,¡± he could only sigh helplessly, for after all, Luo Yan was using the Three Flowers Gathering Spirit Technique, which admittedly was of a lower grade rank, truly leaving him no reason to refuse. ¡°Spare me the sweet talk, my father isn¡¯t here,¡± Shi Liuli playfully rolled her eyes, ¡°I¡¯m going to cook porridge for you. What would you like? Today¡¯s Liuli¡¯s recommended recipe is fresh shrimp and scallop porridge!¡± ¡°Plain porridge will do,¡± Luo Yan had no desire to eat porridge whatsoever. Having practiced fasting, why would he want to eat grains? ¡°Okay,¡± Shi Liuli stood up from beside the bed, smilingly said, ¡°You ordered the fresh shrimp and scallop porridge, coming right up.¡± Luo Yan: ¡­¡­ Miss Shi left the room. Not even half a minute passed before she returned, carrying a bowl of porridge that had long since lost its heat, obviously having been prepared earlier and set aside for some time. ¡°Here, let me feed you,¡± she offered, picking up a spoon, pretending to blow away non-existent heat before bringing it to Luo Yan¡¯s mouth. ¡°` Luo Yan sighed again in his heart. Since Miss Shi wants to play the game of taking care of a sick person, as her junior brother, I can only keep her company. Let¡¯s consider it repaying the kindness for her giving up the competition to stay by my side. Hey, thinking about it this way, my thoughts have become clear again. Truly worthy of me. ¡°This porridge is really delicious.¡± Luo Yan was indeed very dedicated. Once he had made up his mind to play his part, he spontaneously began to adjust his expression and said in rapture, ¡°Junior Sister¡¯s culinary skills are truly divine!¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Shi Liuli said proudly. ¡°Alas, it¡¯s such a pity,¡± Luo Yan suddenly shook his head and sighed. ¡°A pity about what?¡± Shi Liuli¡¯s eyebrows shot up. ¡°It¡¯s a pity that Yuqing View, that has crafting, talisman drawing, herb growing, alchemy, divination¡­ is well-rounded in the various arts, but somehow just lacks cooking?¡± Luo Yan said with heartfelt regret. ¡°If it included culinary arts, my junior sister would certainly be the founder of a school, and should rightfully have a place in Yuqing View.¡± ¡°Bleh,¡± the Kunlun Mirror suddenly spoke up in his mind. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, you broken mirror?¡± Luo Yan said immediately displeased, ¡°If you are damaged by happiness, just say so, I won¡¯t dismiss you because of it.¡± ¡°If I suddenly am damaged by happiness and can¡¯t find out who the father is, it would definitely be your child,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said numbly. Green Duckweed Sword: ??? Outside, Shi Liuli was made cheerful by Luo Yan¡¯s words and said with embarrassment: ¡°Don¡¯t exaggerate like that. You are a cultivator who has already practiced fasting, and you should know that these grains are useless, merely satisfying the desires of the mouth and stomach. How could that be considered ¡®The Way¡¯?¡± Luo Yan was still squabbling with the Kunlun Mirror and couldn¡¯t hold back his reaction upon hearing this. So, you know all along in your heart! You know drinking porridge is useless, so why do you still force me to drink it, Miss Shi! Forget it, let¡¯s just satisfy the palate. After patiently finishing the porridge, Shi Liuli left with satisfaction, holding the bowl as if she personally had the porridge, looking like she had done a good deed. Not long after, the eldest senior brother, Linghu Chu, entered the room. ¡°You weren¡¯t here just now, so Junior Sister Xu drew this lot for you.¡± He placed the drawn sword on the table, ¡°You¡¯re in luck, a bye. Wait for Xu Yinglian and Guan Shanyue to determine the winner, then let the victor challenge you.¡± ¡°Thank you, Senior Brother,¡± Luo Yan said with a smile. Good grief, could it be that Miss Shi¡¯s strong luck can really rub off on me? I¡¯ve decided, from now on, when I go out to gain experience, I must bring along Miss Shi. The task of killing enemies and searching their storage bags will be hers forever! ¡°You should rest well.¡± Seeing that his complexion was not too bad, Linghu Chu bid farewell and left. Thus, Luo Yan began to make plans in his heart. If it¡¯s Xu Yinglian against Guan Shanyue, according to Qiu Changtian and Ling Yunpo¡¯s understanding of these two, the likelihood is that Junior Sister Xu will win. No other reason, the Seven Crafty Exquisite Heart combined with the Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra gives her a substantial lead in realm, and she must have far more abundant True Yuan than Guan Shanyue. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Plus, with her Great Bright Fire spreading all over the field and the Fire Escape Nine Methods teleporting everywhere, even grinding down her opponent would be possible¡­ One can only say that, in terms of endurance battles, the Shushan Sword Immortals really aren¡¯t a match for Kunlun Cultivators, and with Junior Sister Xu¡¯s current strength and tactics, she could entirely form a specialized endurance battle deck, and hang up all Shushan disciples, except An Zhisu and Ling Yunpo, to beat. If Junior Sister Xu wins, then I can take the opportunity to admit defeat, simply saying that the sequelae of my True Yuan depletion haven¡¯t fully recovered yet. Otherwise, if I really face her, with the Five Elements Divine Light¡¯s restraint on Fire System Daoist Magic, there¡¯s simply no chance of losing! If I defeat Junior Sister Xu and she bears a grudge, wouldn¡¯t that be asking for trouble? Chapter 457 Chapter 457: Chapter 90: The Belated Qiu Zhangtian Line Chapter 457: Chapter 90: The Belated Qiu Zhangtian Line The next day, Xu Yinglian defeated Guan Shanyue and advanced to the top five, preparing to contend with Luo Yan for the fourth seat. She stood in the arena with her arms folded, brimming with confidence, feeling like her condition couldn¡¯t get any better after just having defeated Guan Shanyue. It wasn¡¯t just Luo Yan from Penglai, even if Senior Brother Qiu took to the field against her, she felt she could put up a good fight! However, at that moment, only a handful of cultivators were scattered around, making it seem like the arena lacked popularity. ???G?.?? The reason was quite straightforward: During the earlier bout with Guan Shanyue, Junior Sister Xu had unleashed the Crimson Feather Nine Phoenix Fire, accidentally slicing a few unlucky bystanders once again. After two consecutive accidents, even though the safety mechanisms of the White Jade Capital Secret Realm ensured no lives were lost, not everyone was a masochist. Naturally, they wouldn¡¯t be keen on suddenly experiencing near-death, hence many stayed far away or simply chose not to watch Junior Sister Xu¡¯s matches. To this, Xu Yinglian only had one comment: Weak! If you don¡¯t even have the courage to watch, how are you supposed to slay demons and be righteous cultivators? Xu Yinglian was quite annoyed-of course, not because there were too few people around, but because her senior brother hadn¡¯t come to watch the battle! Angry! Even if I hadn¡¯t invited you to watch my match, as my Daoist Companion, shouldn¡¯t you at least have the consciousness to play the role of a husband? wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co Or do you think your junior sister¡¯s match isn¡¯t worth watching, and it¡¯s better to prepare for the match against whatever his name is from Shushan? The more Xu Yinglian thought about it, the angrier she got, and a coldness crept onto her face, wishing that Luo Yan from Penglai would show up quickly so she could vent her frustrations on him. After waiting for about a quarter of an hour, just when Xu Yinglian was almost too impatient to wait any longer, Shi Liuli finally arrived, late. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she said in a fluster to the Kunlun True Person present, ¡°My junior brother is still injured and can¡¯t make it!¡± ¡°What?¡± Xu Yinglian¡¯s voice dropped in temperature as if by a hundred and eighty degrees. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say so earlier?¡± asked the Kunlun True Person, chiding her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Shi Liuli said sheepishly. She couldn¡¯t very well admit that her junior brother had asked her the night before, but she had overslept that morning. Faced with such unreliability, the Kunlun True Person had no recourse but to say darkly: ¡°The great competition of the White Jade Capital is a grand event supported by the Three Pure Orthodox Sect; it¡¯s not to be trifled with!¡± After jabbing Shi Liuli with that remark, she then said coldly: ¡°Xu Yinglian of Kunlun wins, securing the fourth place in this competition, Luo Yan of Penglai the fifth, Guan Shanyue of Shushan the sixth. The results will stand as testament!¡± Having spoken, the Kunlun True Person immediately cast out her Flying Sword, transforming into a streak of light and departing. There was no chance to watch the Phoenix Immortal¡¯s match, but at least they could rush to see the competition of the Chief Disciple in the Foundation Establishment Realm! The surrounding cultivators followed suit, each transforming into a streak of light and disappearing. Watching the audience vanish in an instant, Xu Yinglian was struggling to maintain her composure, her expression uglier by the second. Seeing this, Shi Liuli didn¡¯t speak. She didn¡¯t have a good impression of Xu Yinglian in the first place, and now, feeling no desire to engage further, she simply turned and left. ¡°Is he really still not recovered from his injuries?¡± Xu Yinglian called after her, voice cold. Miss Shi stopped in her tracks, silent for a moment, then spoke irritably: ¡°If he hadn¡¯t conceded, do you think you could have won the fourth place in the competition?¡± Xu Yinglian was taken aback!!! Those words were a ruthless stab at the heart. After all, everyone knew that eight-tenths of the Phoenix Immortal¡¯s combat strength lay in her exquisitely brilliant Fire System Daoist Magic. And, with Fire System Daoist Magic naturally suppressed by the Five Elements Divine Light, Xu Yinglian¡¯s strength would have been virtually halved from the start had she faced Luo Yan. That¡¯s why Shi Liuli said, ¡°If Luo Yan hadn¡¯t conceded,¡± you, the Phoenix Immortal, wouldn¡¯t have stood a chance at all. Xu Yinglian wanted to retort, but she didn¡¯t have any evidence. Furthermore, with Luo Yan nowhere to be found, she couldn¡¯t even issue a challenge, which left her no choice but to forcibly suppress her anger, saying coldly: ¡°When your junior brother recovers, we can fight again!¡± ¡°What¡¯s the point of fighting again?¡± Shi Liuli sneered, ¡°Even if I win, can I get back the fourth place in the grand competition?¡± ¡°If I lose, I will give him the fourth place!¡± Xu Yinglian said, annoyed. ¡°You say you¡¯ll give it and just give it?¡± Shi Liuli also got angry, ¡°Then my junior brother could just verbally offer you the position of the heir to the Heavenly Craft Workshop. Do you think anyone in Penglai would take you seriously?¡± After saying that, the peculiar clever energy of Miss Shi suddenly surged: Wait, what if this Phoenix Immortal gets so angry that she loses all control and pins me down here to give me a thrashing? So she snorted coldly, stepped on the Purple Extreme Han Yuan Sword, and in an instant, turned into sword light and left. Xu Yinglian still wanted to say something, but Shi Liuli left a harsh word and turned to run, leaving her feeling the frustration of ¡°being unable to win the argument.¡± After thinking it over, all she could do was suppress her unvented anger and go watch Senior Brother Qiu Changtian¡¯s competition. In the Yuqing View residence at Mount Tianmu, Luo Yan had also finished preparing to continue impersonating Qiu Changtian. ¡°Load the file, Ah Jing,¡± he said in a deep voice. [Location one: Kunlun, Golden Ridge.] [Character identity: Qiu Changtian.] [Mirror Flower Water Moon Template overlay, in the midst of time-space travel.] From Mount Tianmu to Kunlun Mountain, the scenery of the south was instantly replaced by the blue sky and snowy ridges. Xu Yinglian was sitting in front of her cave abode, deftly playing her zither with crisp, melodious notes. Several immortal cranes stood by, leisurely preening their feathers to the sound of the zither. After so many years, Qiu Changtian had become very familiar with them. These large birds usually migrated among the many lakes and streams of the Kunlun Mountain Range, feeding on the fish, insects, and aquatic plants in the shallow waters. They really shouldn¡¯t have come up the mountain. But they could not resist the silly girl here feeding them! Hence, to think these immortal cranes were attracted by the music would be utterly ludicrous. Without a hint of sound, Qiu Changtian took out some bird food-dry, pressed fish scraps-from his sleeve. The cranes that were preening immediately dropped Xu Yinglian and came over, circling Qiu Changtian, waiting to be fed. Xu Yinglian: ¡­¡­¡­ ¡°Senior brother,¡± she stopped the strings with her fingertips, sighed and said, ¡°Stop messing around, bring me the flute.¡± ¡°Do you have a new piece, junior sister?¡± Qiu Changtian asked with a gentle smile. ¡°Indeed.¡± Xu Yinglian played a section of the score and asked, ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°There are a few parts that could perhaps be changed¡­¡± The two discussed music until late into the night. The cranes had already left, and they slowly returned inside the cave abode. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°The White Jade Capital grand competition is approaching,¡± Xu Yinglian sat down on the stone bed and suddenly said, ¡°Senior brother, are you fully confident?¡± ¡°One hundred percent would be too presumptuous,¡± Qiu Changtian said with a smile, ¡°Let¡¯s say 99.9 percent.¡± Xu Yinglian was silent for a moment then sighed: ¡°Are you deliberately trying to provoke me, senior brother?¡± ¡°Not at all,¡± Qiu Changtian said frankly. ¡°Then it must be true,¡± Xu Yinglian mused. Qiu Changtian smiled without saying a word. I am not just confident about winning first place, I am also confident that you can take the fourth, junior sister. Do you believe me? Chapter 458 Chapter 458: Chapter 91: Chief Qiu¡¯s Radiance Shines Brilliantly Chapter 458: Chapter 91: Chief Qiu¡¯s Radiance Shines Brilliantly The grand competition of White Jade Capital was imminent. Compared to the high spirits of Shushan and the constant complaints of Penglai, the atmosphere among the Foundation Establishment disciples of Kunlun was evidently much calmer. To some extent, this was due to the composure befitting the so-called ¡°Head of the Orthodox Sects¡± and, on the other hand, it was influenced by the style set by a certain Chief Disciple. If even Chief Qiu, who was required by the Sect Leader to secure first place in the competition, could be this composed, how could we get hot-headed like the brutes of Shushan or wallow in self-pity like the weaklings of Penglai? Therefore, even though there was no explicit instruction from the sect, everyone started to unconsciously pay attention to their own bearing and dignity, fearing that they would tarnish the reputation of Kunlun. Junior Sister Xu knew that the Ziwei Master had issued a military order: Qiu Changtian had to take first place. Not second, not one and a half, not even tied for first-there was no room for negotiation. Thus, even though Qiu Changtian claimed he was ¡°99% certain,¡± Junior Sister Xu didn¡¯t feel it appropriate to ask directly, but still dragged him to battle training every day and requested the Xu Family of Southern Heaven to continue collecting information on the competitors for her senior brother to reference. Of course, Qiu Changtian had no interest whatsoever in these reports. He had already said it twice! If Junior Sister Xu mentioned it a third time, that would be utterly redundant! In any case, Qiu Changtian was fully confident in his ability to take first place. The reason he practiced with Junior Sister Xu was also to help her gain battle experience, so she could historically claim the fourth place as well. ¡°Senior brother, look.¡± During a rest, Xu Yinglian showed Qiu Changtian the Phoenix Clan¡¯s cultivation technique that she had covertly transcribed from the Bright Palace Secret Realm, for him to consult, ¡°I¡¯ve already nearly perfected the Crimson Feather Nine Phoenix Fire.¡± wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co If the enemy discovered them, they might develop targeted countermeasures. So naturally, Xu Yinglian showing these techniques to herself indicated a kind of ¡°unity between husband and wife.¡± Qiu Changtian was, of course, not squeamish, and after receiving the jade slip, he carefully perused it with his divine sense. ¡°Learn this. The Fire Escape Nine Methods,¡± he quickly said. ¡°Learn an escape technique?¡± Xu Yinglian was a bit surprised since she had originally thought of learning another offensive Daoist magic. ¡°Mm.¡± Qiu Changtian chuckled, ¡°This escape technique suits your current stage perfectly.¡± If someone else had made this suggestion, Xu Yinglian would likely have sneered at it. With her competitive nature, her primary thought when facing an enemy was always to attack; running away was not an option on her list. But since Qiu Changtian suggested learning an escape technique, Xu Yinglian seriously considered it and found that there seemed to be some sense in it. Firstly, the Fire Escape Technique required one to be within the fire, which was a harsh condition, but Xu Yinglian¡¯s Great Bright Fire created an exceptionally wide area, which instead provided an ideal environment for Fire Escape. Next, the Crimson Feather Nine Phoenix Fire had a strong attack power against single targets. Xu Yinglian initially chose this Daoist magic to compete against Qiu Changtian¡¯s Five Thunder True Law. But the Crimson Feather Nine Phoenix Fire required compressing True Yuan nine times in a row, which left a defect in casting speed. If she could leverage the mobility of the Fire Escape Technique, it could greatly make up for the slow activation of the Crimson Feather Nine Phoenix Fire. Thinking this through, Xu Yinglian decided to learn the Fire Escape Nine Methods¡­ because she had thought it through and deemed it necessary, definitely not because it was recommended by her senior brother. ?0?G?.?? Time passed, and the date of the grand competition of White Jade Capital finally arrived. Thousands of Foundation Establishment disciples from Kunlun set off together on their sword light, flying southeastward. The team was led by the Marvelous Law True Person of Kunlun, who hailed from the Disciplinary Hall and was known for his fairness and strictness, making him well-suited to act as a judge in the later stages of the competition. Upon reaching the vicinity of Mount Tianmu, the team found that the Kunlun encampment was positioned at the top of the mountain in an open space, where many houses had already been constructed using Earth System Daoist magic. Two Kunlun real people went to the entrance of the secret realm, using magical treasures to maintain the opening of the realm while several Shushan real people who had arrived early transported the enormous Jade List magical treasure inside. Qiu Changtian had no time to worry about those trivial matters because many disciples came to visit Chief Qiu, hoping to learn some combat experience before the competition. He received visitors continuously until late at night, and it was only when Xu Yinglian lost her composure and burst into anger that the lingering guests reluctantly dispersed. The next morning, Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian entered the White Jade Capital Secret Realm together, ready to begin the drawing of lots. It wasn¡¯t until the Jade List emitted ten thousand streams of light that Qiu Changtian reached out to grab the draw sword. As expected, it was number one. He then went to the first pavilion, where he saw that the Kunlun Disciple who had just left the arena was his opponent, and upon seeing that his first match was with Chief Qiu, he joyfully bowed and said, ¡°Senior Brother Qiu! It¡¯s a great honor to have a chance to spar with you, truly a great honor for your junior brother!¡± Qiu Changtian saw that the challenger was actually one of his fans. He could only maintain a smile, exchange a few words with him, and then the two began to fight. Since it was the first battle of the great Chief Disciple of the Foundation Establishment Realm from Kunlun, the high-tiered stands inside the pavilion were already dense with spectators. The vast majority were Kunlun Disciples, with a minority from Shushan and Penglai Cultivators. As Qiu Changtian drew out the Tianyuan Yiqi Sword, a deafening cheer erupted from the Kunlun Disciples in the stands. The Shushan and Penglai Cultivators exchanged glances: this Chief Qiu of Kunlun may not have mentioned his strength, but what a grand presence he had! The Kunlun Disciple on the field took a defensive stance, and Qiu Changtian chose to attack first with his sword. Because he had achieved Daoist Heart Clarity and studied the Immortal Sect Secret Technique, the Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra, the public perceived his True Yuan to be far more abundant than usual, allowing him to act boldly and without restraint, unlike Luo Yan, who had to hold back. Qiu Changtian channeled his qi through the Kunlun Sword Technique, his True Yuan surge throughout his body, and launched the move ¡°White Rainbow Piercing the Sun¡± with the Tianyuan Yiqi Sword, shooting directly at the Kunlun Disciple opposite him. The disciple hurriedly used sword control to block it, but his Flying Sword was knocked away instantly, as if hitting stone with an egg. The Tianyuan Yiqi Sword¡¯s momentum was unabated as it plunged directly into the ground in front of the Kunlun Disciple, shaking him into staggering and nearly collapsing. Qiu Changtian: ¡­¡­¡­ This Tianyuan Yiqi Sword truly lived up to its reputation as an ancient treasure of the Witch Clan, dispensing with any fancy Daoist Magic or Forbidden Techniques; it was all about brute force, raw power, sheer brawn! It complemented the demeanor of me, Chief Qiu, extremely well. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Kunlun, Qiu Changtian, wins.¡± As the mechanical voice announced the verdict, the Kunlun Disciple came forward with not a trace of shame or unwillingness at the defeat but instead smiled and said, ¡°Chief, your strength is beyond me.¡± ¡°You honor me,¡± Qiu Changtian modestly replied. Immediately after, a large group of Kunlun Disciples surged down from the stands, surrounding Qiu Changtian and showering him with congratulations: ¡°Worthy of being Chief Qiu!¡± ¡°In this grand competition, Chief is sure to take the crown!¡± Qiu Changtian handled the various interactions, but could not extricate himself until Xu Yinglian arrived just in time to rescue him from the enthusiastic encirclement of his fans. ¡°Feeling the pain of fame now, are you?¡± They soared away on their swords from the pavilion, Xu Yinglian laughed and said. ¡°I have no choice,¡± Qiu Changtian said helplessly, ¡°Although I intend to keep a low profile, my strength and prestige are too great. I really would like to switch with you, Junior Sister Xu.¡± Xu Yinglian fell silent, feeling silently annoyed in her heart. Chapter 459 Chapter 459: Chapter 92 Finally 800 Years Chapter 459: Chapter 92 Finally 800 Years ¡°Kunlun, Qiu Changtian, victory!¡± ¡°Kunlun, Qiu Changtian, victory!¡± ¡°Kunlun, Qiu Changtian, victory!¡± Even though his victories were as effortless as pulling up weeds, every time Qiu Changtian¡¯s sword shattered an opponent¡¯s attack, it ignited intense cheering from the surrounding stands. How had his invincible character setting turned him into a superstar? It got to the point where Qiu Changtian felt bad about drawing a Kunlun disciple as his opponent and couldn¡¯t bear to strike too heavily, lest he should thrash them and still have to accept their dutiful thanks, which left him feeling quite awkward. Xu Yinglian, on her part, was tearing through the competition. Most of her opponents couldn¡¯t even withstand her Bright Flame, let alone the Crimson Feather Nine Phoenix Fire, and after a few burns, they were promptly declared defeated. A few days passed, and their junior brothers and sisters also arrived one after another. ¡°Big senior brother.¡± The fifth junior brother, Chen Zhen, said cheerily, ¡°Zhong junior brother got eliminated in the third round; his opponent was from Yuqing View.¡± ¡°Cut the crap.¡± The sixth junior brother, Zhong Tianhuai, sighed and said, ¡°That female cultivator from Yuqing View had a rare type of star sand magical treasure, which she used to create an overwhelming barrage that ordinary Flying Swords simply couldn¡¯t withstand.¡± Qiu Changtian: ? That description sounded strangely familiar. ¡°I have failed to live up to big senior brother¡¯s usual teachings.¡± Zhong Tianhuai said ashamedly, ¡°I don¡¯t plan to stay in White Jade Capital any longer. wuxiaworld.site I am going back to Kunlun to diligently practice my swordsmanship, and I came to bid farewell to you, big senior brother.¡± ¡°Zhong junior brother, you need not take it too to heart,¡± Qiu Changtian comforted him, ¡°Since the White Jade Capital tournament is decided by drawing lots, luck will naturally play a role.¡± ¡°Having an unlucky draw and losing to a strong opponent does not mean you are weak. As long as you gain experience and meet fellow cultivators, your trip won¡¯t be in vain.¡± ¡°You are right, big senior brother,¡± Zhong Tianhuai still seemed unsettled but after exchanging a few more words with everyone, he turned and left. Qiu Changtian inquired about the others¡¯ progress and learned that Guan Zhan and Yan Zhitui were winning with ease, while Chen Zhen and Jian Qingnan had encountered several strong adversaries but had narrowly secured their victories. Even though these junior brothers and sisters had not made it into the top twelve, considering the Three Pure Orthodox Sect, with its more than eight thousand disciples, many of whom were uniquely talented, it was not a big deal to not win in the end. What matters is the participation, right? Half a month later, the top twelve of the White Jade Capital were decided as expected. Kunlun confirmed four of its members had advanced, including Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian, whose victories were without doubt. Guan Zhan had won several evenly matched battles, relying on his ample True Yuan, the sharp swordsmanship of the Guan Family, and a fierce determination to get through. He was truly the disciple who had first completed the path to Heaven¡¯s Gate during Kunlun¡¯s founding day. If he hadn¡¯t met Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian in this generation, becoming the chief disciple would have been well within his reach. Yan Zhitui¡¯s matches, however, were fraught with danger, and he barely made it several times; advancing into the top twelve was entirely based on luck-for instance, in the last round, although his opponent had the upper hand, he unfortunately exhausted his True Yuan too soon and had to concede defeat. This Junior Brother Yan might well compete with Miss Shi for the title of the luckiest participant in this edition of the competition. Apart from the Sect Leader¡¯s own disciples, there were quite a few direct disciples of various Kunlun Elders who made it into the top hundred, yet not a single one entered the top twelve. This was not because they lacked merit but because the innate talents of Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian were too overpowering, and Guan Zhan and Yan Zhitui had not drawn strong opponents. ¡°In any case, since only we have advanced into the top twelve,¡± Qiu Changtian said solemnly, ¡°everyone must strive hard from now on, and we cannot let down the prestige of our Kunlun.¡± ¡°Well said,¡± the Ziwei Master stepped in from outside, placing the Seven Treasures Duster on his arm, and said with satisfaction, ¡°The immortals were not pleased with the performance of other branch disciples, but they have praised you a lot.¡± ¡°However, since you have cultivated the ¡®Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra,¡¯ achieving such results is expected. Just as Changtian said, be wary of arrogance and impetuosity, and work hard to make it to the top six. This relates to Kunlun¡¯s reputation, and you cannot afford to slack.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Xu Yinglian, Guan Zhan, and Yan Zhitui all responded solemnly. Though Qiu Changtian agreed as well, he knew that this final ranking competition would not be as simple as the Sect Leader had described. Yan Zhitui and Shi Liuli were almost at the same level, belonging to those who had managed to squeak in by sheer luck. Guan Zhan was slightly stronger than Bi Sheng, ranking him in the middle to lower tiers among the twelve. Lin Duanshan, Duan Fenhai, and Guan Shanyue, these three Shushan powerhouses, belong to the top tier of strong practitioners. Xu Yinglian is also at this level, with combat strength slightly above these three. As for Qiu Changtian and An Zhisu, they are supreme experts who tower above the rest-it¡¯s hard to believe that the Ziwei Master wouldn¡¯t see this. Frankly speaking, no matter how hard Yan Zhitui tries, the hope of surpassing Bi Sheng is slim; even if Guan Zhan could defeat Bi Sheng, he wouldn¡¯t be a match for Guan Shanyue and the others. The two junior brothers have no chance of entering the top six. The master is setting performance targets out of thin air, not caring whether they can actually be achieved! Of course, although Qiu Changtian saw things very clearly, being the Ziwei Master¡¯s most favored disciple, he definitely couldn¡¯t outright undermine his master. Therefore, he could only go along with it and said: ¡°There¡¯s no need to fixate on victory or defeat, but one must give their all.¡± ¡°Very good,¡± the Ziwei Master praised again and then took out an elixir bottle. ???g?.?? The Immortal Elixir¡­ Qiu Changtian sighed. The vast majority of Purple Mansion secret medicines are encountered by chance and cannot be sought after. Whoever obtains them in a fortuitous encounter will consume them on the spot and won¡¯t leave you with the opportunity to tempt them with valuable magical treasures in exchange. Only the Immortal Elixir produced by immortals, and the Mercurial Elixir Liquid produced in the Shushan Demon Locking Tower, can be produced consistently. If he could get another Immortal Elixir, how many years would his Refining Mansion Cultivation be by now? With a total of seven hundred and seventy-five years of augmentation from Purple Mansion secret medicines, plus his own accumulation from Breathing exercises, it was almost over eight hundred years. As for transcending the Heavenly Tribulation, he had long made up his mind-he would directly read the archives at Long Long¡¯s, and find a place in the East Sea of the Eastern Emperor Realm to undergo his tribulation. The reason is simple: Long Long¡¯s storyline hardly intersects with the other four storylines. The Eastern Emperor Realm is secluded from the Cultivation Realm, and the East Sea lies within the Azure Dragon¡¯s territory. By looking further east for a secluded place, he could isolate himself from external influences to the greatest extent. Just wait until after the great competition in the White Jade Capital, and then start planning for Core Formation! Returning to the room with Xu Yinglian, Qiu Changtian consumed and refined the Immortal Elixir. Opening his eyes, he asked Junior Sister Xu beside him: ¡°Junior Sister, how many years of Refining Mansion Cultivation do you have now?¡± ¡°Including this Immortal Elixir, I now have three hundred and thirteen years,¡± Xu Yinglian answered. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°What about you, Senior Brother?¡± Qiu Changtian chuckled and did not reply, but said: ¡°After this great competition at White Jade Capital ends, I will be going out to prepare for Core Formation.¡± ¡°This matter is too urgent; I don¡¯t plan to let anyone know the location of my tribulation.¡± Xu Yinglian was silent for a moment, her expression clearly worried, and asked: ¡°Are you confident?¡± As if she thought of something, she quickly added: ¡°Don¡¯t say ninety-nine percent!¡± ¡°Who can be confident about transcending tribulation?¡± Qiu Changtian said nonchalantly. ¡°After my Core Formation, the position of Chief Disciple in the Foundation Establishment Realm will most likely be taken over by you.¡± ¡°As the Chief Disciple in the Foundation Establishment Realm, you¡¯ll be able to Sense the Way in Heaven¡¯s Gate Hall, gaining another seventy years of Refining Mansion Cultivation.¡± ¡°With that, Junior Sister will have three hundred and eighty-three years of Refining Mansion Cultivation, just seventeen years short of forming a Second Grade Golden Core.¡± ¡°I will,¡± Xu Yinglian said earnestly. ¡°I will quickly make up for the cultivation and catch up with you.¡± After speaking, she showed a rare hint of tenderness and said softly: ¡°Just go straight to the Xu Family of Southern Heaven if you¡¯re lacking anything¡­ you¡­ ¡± ¡°¡­must come back alive.¡± Chapter 460 Chapter 460: Chapter 93: Crushing Decay the First Game Chapter 460: Chapter 93: Crushing Decay the First Game The first round in White Jade Capital, Qiu Changtian was matched against Bi Sheng. Bi Sheng, a regular in the top ten of the Shushan Immortal Sword Ranking, typically oscillated between the sixth and eighth ranks. From the difficulty of breaking into the top five, it was evident that Bi Sheng¡¯s strength still fell short when compared to the likes of Lin Duanshan, with the main factor being her ¡°impatience.¡± Once her opponent adopted a tactic of grinding down her patience, Bi Sheng would often rush to attack, inadvertently exposing flaws¡­ If she couldn¡¯t change this aspect of her temperament, her achievements in the path of swordsmanship would ultimately be limited. However, Qiu Changtian did not plan to confront Bi Sheng with the circling tactics used by other formidable Shushan warriors. He decided to continue with a swift and decisive approach, to dominate decisively! As the two had no prior acquaintance, there was none of the pre-match chitchat. The moment the match started, Bi Sheng immediately initiated Man-Sword Unity, with her sword light surging dozens of feet in an instant! Good! Qiu Changtian was also invigorated. There was nothing wrong with Bi Sheng¡¯s tactical choice. Considering Qiu Changtian¡¯s abundant, even excessive True Yuan, only a fool would engage in a war of attrition with him. She had to go all out with her strongest moves from the start! If even those couldn¡¯t take him down, it would mean the disparity in strength was indeed too great, and she could simply concede-saving both time and effort. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.c0 Facing the massive green sword light ahead, Qiu Changtian calmly lifted his hand to command the Tianyuan Yiqi Sword, pouring rich True Yuan into it, before slashing mightily straight ahead. ???G?.?? A sound like the heavens shattering and earth splitting echoed as the colliding Tianyuan Yiqi Sword and green sword light were both forcefully repelled dozens of feet away. With an unperturbed expression, Qiu Changtian quickly stabilized the Tianyuan Yiqi Sword, while the green sword light dissipated instantly, revealing the pale, grievously injured Bi Sheng. This was the downside of Man-Sword Unity. Since force is mutual, once an offensive is brute-force disrupted head-on, one must endure a shock as great as the attack itself. The Flying Sword could certainly withstand this damage, as it was forged of metal, but a Sword Immortal merged with their sword would suffer. Even an exceedingly robust Sword Immortal like Senior Sister An, who would vomit blood after crashing into Qingcheng Mountain, how could Bi Sheng withstand it? One saw her forcefully keeping her composure, as if enduring immense pain, and Qiu Changtian frowned as he said to himself, ¡°Spit it out! Spit it out!¡± Before he had finished the third ¡°spit it out,¡± Bi Sheng could no longer hold back and vomited a mouthful of blood, clearly suffering severe internal injuries. Without a change in expression, Qiu Changtian once again commanded the Tianyuan Yiqi Sword. Seeing this, Bi Sheng swallowed an Elixir and again forced Man-Sword Unity, using the speed boost from her big move to dodge the attack of the Tianyuan Yiqi Sword. Are you serious? Activating your big move again while still recovering from internal injuries? Qiu Changtian sighed internally, continuing his pursuit with the Tianyuan Yiqi Sword, while Bi Sheng struggled to evade, not daring to take another hit. A single hit had nearly cost her half her life; how could she dare take a second one? It appeared that Bi Sheng¡¯s sole hope lay in delaying time to find an opening for a lethal strike-the likely only chance for her to turn the tables. However, would he give her that opportunity? Qiu Changtian sighed and swung his sleeve again, launching a strike of Tai Yi Thunder. Tai Yi Thunder wasn¡¯t strong in single-target fortification, but its range of damage was immense, controlled within the confines of the White Jade Capital plaza by the True Yuan input Qiu Changtian moderated. Following another thunderous boom, the lightning engulfed the entire field, leaving no place to hide. Divine Thunder struck Bi Sheng¡¯s sword light hard, forcibly ending her Man-Sword Unity state. As her body was flung through the air, the Tianyuan Yiqi Sword pierced through her directly. And then, she was reborn on the White Jade Capital plaza. ¡°Kunlun, Qiu Changtian, wins!¡± The mechanical voice announced and the surrounding area once again erupted with cheers. But this time, the crowd was not only cheering for Qiu Changtian but also applauding Bi Sheng. This Shushan Sword Immortal had demonstrated the unyielding spirit of Shushan to the fullest by fighting against Chief Qiu to such an extent. No matter what, never giving up always commands respect. Bi Sheng had reached her limit, defeat was not her fault, the main issue was that Chief Qiu was too strong! Qiu Changtian left the arena with composure, and this time not only did Kunlun disciples gaze at him with admiration, but even the Shushan disciples looked at him with a mixture of respect and awe. Very good, the reputation of the invincible character setting began to spread to Shushan now. One day, all cultivators in the Cultivation Realm will be contributing to my Synchronization Value! Though gravely injured, Bi Sheng did not hurry to leave. She just took a few elixirs first, then with a complex look in her eyes, she stared at the disappearing figure of Qiu Changtian. Is this the might of the great Chief of Kunlun? An extreme force to conquer the strong, even if we consider what Senior Sister An said¡­ When Qiu Changtian reached the outskirts of the arena, he saw the surrounding Kunlun disciples all wearing proud expressions as if sharing in the glory. ¡°How was it?¡± Xu Yinglian asked him, ¡°I think that Shushan Sword Immortal has potential, it¡¯s just that she¡¯s weaker in several aspects.¡± ¡°Her main issue is the lack of a final, decisive attack,¡± Qiu Changtian said calmly, ¡°Once her strongest Man-Sword Unity was broken, she had no move to turn the tables.¡± His gaze turned to the crowd as he seriously said: ¡°Amidst the variety of swordsmanship and spells, one should not only seek depth but also breadth. If you only focus on one method of attack, what can you use to break through when you are unable to overpower your opponent with a head-on collision?¡± ¡°We shall take heed,¡± the Kunlun disciples replied respectfully, although they were speechless inside. Chief, even in Shushan where you excel most in swordsmanship, you can still crush your opponent with swordsmanship alone. What chance would anyone stand against such overwhelming power, and what counter-strategy could they possibly have? ¡°That is true,¡± Xu Yinglian said with a frown, ¡°but with the condition most junior brothers and sisters are in, they have to exert all their efforts just to seek depth, let alone having the time and energy to pursue breadth.¡± The crowd: ¡­¡­¡­ Is it our fault we lack talent for cultivation? Do you really need to be so blunt? Qiu Changtian let out a laugh and said: ¡°I didn¡¯t make myself clear. I¡¯m not saying that specializing in a single Daoist Magic is inappropriate. I¡¯m just reminding everyone that, while meeting your own needs, you can consider diversifying your attack methods appropriately.¡± ¡°Of course not,¡± ¡°The Chief is right,¡± the Kunlun disciples began to chime in from all directions, anxious not to be misunderstood by Qiu Changtian. ¡°Who did Junior Sister Xu draw?¡± Qiu Changtian changed the subject, though he already knew the answer. ¡°Lin Duanshan,¡± Xu Yinglian took out the draw sword. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°This person¡¯s swordsmanship is versatile, be careful,¡± Qiu Changtian continued, ¡°And what of Brother Guan and Brother Yan?¡± ¡°Luo Yan,¡± Guan Zhan said coldly. ¡°Guan Shanyue,¡± Yan Zhitui also began to smile wryly. ¡°Luo Yan has few moves, but from his previous fights, he mainly relies on the magical treasures from his Heavenly Craft Hundred Treasures Bag,¡± Qiu Changtian feigned ignorance, ¡°Brother Guan might consider a fast attack, not giving him the chance to take out and activate his magical treasures, or else the outcome is uncertain.¡± Guan Zhan, although aloof by nature, knew that the Chief Disciple was correct and nodded slightly. ¡°As for Brother Yan¡­¡± Qiu Changtian pondered for a moment, then said, ¡°If you find yourself outmatched, you may adopt a defensive stance and wait for an opportunity.¡± ¡°If you can make Guan Shanyue become negligent and reveal a weakness, there will be a chance to turn defeat into victory.¡± His implication was that Yan Zhitui¡¯s overall strength was not on par with Guan Shanyue; he could only hope for the opponent to carelessly expose a flaw. Yan Zhitui didn¡¯t say much, merely bowing deeply: ¡°I will take the lesson to heart, brother.¡± Chapter 461 Chapter 461: Chapter 94 Preparing for the Second Game Chapter 461: Chapter 94 Preparing for the Second Game Soon, it was Xu Yinglian¡¯s turn to face off against Lin Duanshan. In Qiu Changtian¡¯s view, although Lin Duanshan¡¯s swordsmanship was formidable, the rank Xu Yinglian possessed was simply beyond the norm. Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart, Nine Heavens Clear Entrance Mantra, Phoenix True Blood¡­ Combined, they had already surpassed what disciples at the Refining Mansion level could handle. To put it metaphorically, it was like a top student from elementary school fighting a high school student. As long as Xu Yinglian didn¡¯t make any fatal mistakes, it would be very difficult for Lin Duanshan to win. When they arrived at the scene, indeed it was just as Qiu Changtian had expected. Under the coverage of the Great Bright Fire, although Lin Duanshan used the Water System Immortal Sword¡¯s techniques to suppress the flames, he couldn¡¯t withstand Xu Yinglian¡¯s more robust True Yuan. After dozens of breaths, Lin Duanshan could no longer keep up and had to cease using his sword techniques, resorting to Man-Sword Unity in a final struggle. He was then ground down within the Great Bright Fire. The Shushan cultivators watching felt a pang, because there was a saying amongst the righteous sects that ¡°Kunlun prevails with strength, Shushan with ferocity, and Penglai with ingenuity¡±. Or to put it in more colloquial terms, ¡°Kunlun overcomes Shushan, Shushan overcomes Penglai, Penglai overcomes Kunlun¡±. The meaning was clear: Kunlun¡¯s strength was comprehensive and not focused solely on swordsmanship like Shushan. If a Kunlun cultivator could use Taoist magic or magical treasures to defend against or delay a Shushan Sword Immortal¡¯s attack, they could use their more vigorous True Yuan to grind the Sword Immortal to death. Xu Yinglian¡¯s victory over Lin Duanshan was undoubtedly the best proof of this saying. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co With the Great Bright Fire covering the whole area, Lin Duanshan had no choice but to suppress the flames with the Water System Immortal Sword¡¯s techniques. However, this technique was not a Forbidden Technique and its effect was not as domineering as the ¡°Green Mist Veil Over the Mountains¡± of the Green Duckweed Sword, leading Lin Duanshan¡¯s True Yuan to drain away like water from an opened gate. Moreover, Xu Yinglian had let go of her pride and engaged him tactically, leaving Lin Duanshan with no chance of victory. It was evident that once a Kunlun cultivator abandoned all decency, they could truly be the bane of Shushan Sword Immortals to some extent. Shushan overcoming Penglai was simple-Penglai cultivators needed time to channel True Yuan into magical treasures, often first requiring swordsmanship to fend off attacks and buy time for True Yuan circulation. With Yuqing View¡¯s uniformly lackluster combat prowess, they often got killed before they could even deploy their magical treasures. As for Penglai overcoming Kunlun, that was purely a joke, saying that the Yuqing View cultivators had various messy tricks. Although they often caused a fuss all over the place before getting killed head-on by a single sword strike, occasionally they had a chance to turn the tables, and even Kunlun cultivators could be caught off guard. ¡°Penglai with ingenuity¡± was indeed the more accurate saying. Xu Yinglian had won a match on this side, and although it opened up the situation for Kunlun, the subsequent defeats of Guan Zhan and Yan Zhitui poured a bucket of cold water over the excited Kunlun disciples present. The ordinary disciples thought, ¡°Indeed, Chief Qiu and the Phoenix Immortal are more powerful,¡± but the more knowledgeable disciples saw a deeper layer, which was that in today¡¯s Cultivation Realm, many of the top competitions were no longer ¡°within human capabilities¡±. Was Guan Zhan not diligent in his cultivation? ???G0.?0 Was Yan Zhitui not assiduous? The former had joined the frontline patrol team, active daily on the front lines battling the Demon Cult, with his swordsmanship being tempered a thousand times; the latter cultivated day and night, never slacking off for even a single day all year long. Yet, they couldn¡¯t bridge the gap with ¡°Daoist Heart Clarity¡± or ¡°Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart¡± at all. The first round of the grand competition concluded, with Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian entering the winners¡¯ group and Guan Zhan and Yan Zhitui entering the losers¡¯ group from the Kunlun side. According to the draw results, the order of the matches for the winners¡¯ group tomorrow will be: Qiu Changtian versus Guan Shanyue, Xu Yinglian versus Ling Yunpo, and An Zhisu versus Luo Yan. We could mourn in advance for Guan Shanyue and Junior Sister Xu¡­ Oh, I already knew this result, so never mind. As for the losers¡¯ group, it will be Guan Zhan versus Shi Liuli, Lin Duanshan versus Bi Sheng, and Duan Fenhai versus Yan Zhitui. As far as Qiu Changtian knew, Guan Zhan should win this time, while Yan Zhitui would face a second consecutive defeat. Of course, although he already knew the outcomes, he still had to pretend to be completely unaware and join his junior brothers and sisters in reviewing their tactics. ¡°Ling Yunpo is ranked second on the Shushan Immortal Sword Ranking,¡± Qiu Changtian said slowly. ¡°Whether it¡¯s the speed, physical strength, or rank of the Flying Sword, or his swordsmanship attainment and combat experience, there are no weak points.¡± ¡°So, somewhat weaker than An Zhisu?¡± Xu Yinglian asked thoughtfully. Qiu Changtian:¡­¡­ So, are you a weakened version of Qiu Changtian, Junior Sister Xu? ¡°As for the Penglai Liuli, I can¡¯t say for sure,¡± Qiu Changtian pondered for a moment and said. ¡°The rank of her flying sword, Daoist magic, and magical treasures are all very high, but her combat experience is pitifully lacking.¡± ¡°Brother Guan can start by going all out with an attack, suppressing her rhythm and fully exposing her lack of experience,¡± he advised. ¡°Hmm.¡± Guan Zhan, still a man of few words, simply nodded. ¡°Younger Brother Yan¡­¡± Qiu Changtian turned to Yan Zhitui, his expression slightly pained. ¡°Duan Fenhai of Shushan also doesn¡¯t have any tactical weaknesses, but his advantage is very clear: he began as a chivalrous swordsman, his moves are extremely decisive and practiced, and his combat experience is both extensive and sophisticated.¡± ¡°Facing someone like that, I don¡¯t recommend using delaying tactics to induce him to reveal a flaw, because you might not be able to outlast him in that respect.¡± ¡°If possible, try to surprise him somehow.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Yan Zhitui said earnestly. ¡°I will have to give it my best shot.¡± The discussion came to an end, and everyone dispersed to go their separate ways. No one asked Qiu Changtian how to deal with Guan Shanyue because everyone knew Guan Shanyue wouldn¡¯t stand a chance against Qiu Changtian. Leaving the Kunlun residence, Qiu Changtian strolled around the vicinity for a while when suddenly a streak of sword light descended from the sky. Guan Shanyue? ¡°I¡¯ve had the pleasure of knowing you, Fellow Daoist Qiu,¡± Guan Shanyue said with a smile upon landing on the ground. ¡°I¡¯m Guan Shanyue from Shushan, also Guan Zhan¡¯s cousin sister. I¡¯m grateful for your care of him over the years.¡± ¡°Why mention it?¡± Qiu Changtian responded warmly. ¡°He is my junior brother. Since I am imparting lessons on behalf of our master, it¡¯s my duty to help him with his cultivation.¡± He said this with some embarrassment because Qiu Changtian¡¯s assistance to Guan Zhan was far less substantial than the help he had given Xu Yinglian. This side is my wife, and the other is a junior brother, can they be the same? ¡°Guan Zhan¡­¡± Guan Shanyue pondered for a moment before saying, ¡°I know he usually seems proud and aloof, but there are reasons for that.¡± ¡°Others would likely reject him because of this, but Fellow Daoist Qiu treats him no differently from the other junior brothers and sisters, giving him the same attention, which is why I made a special trip to thank you,¡± she explained. ¡°Ahem.¡± Qiu Changtian suddenly felt a bit embarrassed. Quite strange, he hadn¡¯t felt embarrassed when he accepted the thanks for favoring Guan Zhan, but now, knowing that what Guan Shanyue was saying was true, he felt a bit awkwardly ashamed. ¡°For tomorrow¡¯s battle, I ask for Fellow Daoist Qiu¡¯s guidance,¡± Guan Shanyue ended with a smile and then left on her sword. Qiu Changtian:¡­¡­ Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only He watched as Guan Shanyue disappeared into the horizon, wondering if she had just come to make an appearance? Thinking it over, Guan Shanyue had said a bunch of pleasantries that served no purpose, but revealed one useful piece of information: something in Guan Zhan¡¯s past seemed to have happened, causing him to become the resentful cynic he is now. But what has that got to do with me? I need to hurry up and finish the White Jade Capital competition and then transcend the First Grade Golden Core Heavenly Tribulation. That¡¯s what I should be focusing on! Chapter 462 Chapter 462: Chapter 95: A Word of Anger, A Word of Joy Chapter 462: Chapter 95: A Word of Anger, A Word of Joy White Jade Capital, the second round. Qiu Changtian gently descended with the fading Sword Light, only to see Guan Shanyue already waiting there, offering a graceful bow. The rules of the Cultivation Realm¡¯s competitions dictated that the junior must arrive at the scene first, wait, and bow before launching an attack. Guan Shanyue¡¯s actions and demeanor quite clearly placed herself in the weaker position. However, neither Qiu Changtian opposite her nor the Shushan disciples present felt that anything was amiss. After all, Qiu Changtian was indeed very strong, and as the Chief Disciple in the Foundation Establishment Realm, his title alone indicated a higher seniority. After exchanging a few courtesies, the competition properly began. Guan Shanyue didn¡¯t hesitate to achieve Man-Sword Unity; her verdant Sword Light surged several zhang, fiercely charging at Qiu Changtian. Qiu Changtian raised his arm, the Tianyuan Yiqi Sword slashing towards the verdant Sword Light, only to see Guan Shanyue abruptly change tactics mid-attack, dodging and continuing her thrust without losing speed. Clearly, although she had assumed the Man-Sword Unity stance and appeared to use all her might, she still kept her speed within a margin she could easily manage. Qiu Changtian turned his head, glancing at Guan Zhan who stood expressionless outside the arena, thinking that Guan Shanyue was indeed trying hard, just to see if Guan Zhan could understand that. Guan Shanyue withdrew from Man-Sword Unity after her strike missed, promptly casting Two-Handed Sword Control Technique with a reverse grip and activated an incantation for the Guan Family¡¯s secret Sword Qi Shaping Technique, attacking Qiu Changtian from three different directions. Qiu Changtian then drew the Tianyuan Yiqi Sword back to his side, rotating it around his body to block the attacks. Indeed, Guan Shanyue¡¯s three-pronged attack was extremely similar to the beginning of Guan Zhan¡¯s fight against Luo Yan, but her offense was well-ordered and not as wildly aggressive as Guan Zhan¡¯s; instead, she always maintained a formation of ¡°two attacking fronts with one in reserve.¡± wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.Co When a sword flies, one only needs to keep a clear eye on its path; but when a sword remains sheathed, one must be constantly vigilant, placing far greater strain on the mind than the former. The question was whether Guan Zhan could grasp this. As he defended himself with the Tianyuan Yiqi Sword, Qiu Changtian suddenly flicked his sleeve, releasing a strike of Tai Yi Thunder, repelling the surrounding attacks. Seeing her attacks had no effect, Guan Shanyue didn¡¯t panic, instead reciting an incantation aloud to activate Sword Dao Techniques: ¡°Vines so rugged, ancient woods reaching skies!¡± Copious trees and vines broke through the ground of White Jade Capital¡¯s plaza, instantly occupying a vast expanse of space. Qiu Changtian hurriedly rose with his Sword Control, thinking that such exaggerated power must not be Daoist Magic, but was undoubtedly a Wood System Forbidden Technique. How had he never seen Guan Shanyue using this Forbidden Technique in the past? Well hidden indeed! The thick ancient trees rose tens of zhang high, their branches and leaves extending in all directions. Upon closer inspection, the edges of those leaves gleamed with a metallic hue, clearly not ordinary tender leaves, but as hard as steel. If a Cultivator were to fly among them carelessly and get scraped by the leaf edges, they could very well be severed flesh and bone. Also, copious verdant vines rapidly climbed around the tree trunks, swinging forcefully like tentacles with each movement. With each swing, a deep whistling sound emerged, indicating that if it struck a Cultivator¡¯s body, it would immediately tear flesh and split skin. Qiu Changtian watched with a wry smile, thinking that wide-spread Daoist Magic covering the entire field, obscuring vision, and limiting movement-a tactic usually monopolized by Kunlun Cultivators (like Junior Sister Xu¡¯s Great Bright Fire)-was unexpectedly being mimicked by Guan Shanyue. He could simply use the same broad-range Tai Yi Thunder to break it, but since Tai Yi Thunder wasn¡¯t any secret trump card, Qiu Changtian did not believe Guan Shanyue would be completely unprepared. Moreover, although he was interested in having a Magical Competition with Guan Shanyue, if it dragged on for too long, it might affect his Invincible Character Setting. Since that¡¯s the case, I have no choice but to use my ultimate move! ¡°Ah Jing, scan!¡± ¡°Over there!¡± Kunlun Mirror indicated. Qiu Changtian¡¯s gaze penetrated through the layers of leaves and quickly locked onto Guan Shanyue¡¯s silhouette. Somehow, she had hidden herself within the roots of a towering ancient tree. In other words, even if Qiu Changtian used Tai Yi Thunder to crush everything in his path, he would most likely only destroy the middle and upper parts of the trunk and be unlikely to hit her at the bottom. She could calmly hide underground, controlling leaves and vines to attack Qiu Changtian. If a tree was destroyed, she would just use Daoist Magic to make it grow again. If she ran out of True Yuan, she would just consume an Elixir. Anyway, Qiu Changtian couldn¡¯t find her¡­ A clever design, yet too sneaky and somewhat unlike the style of a Shushan Sword Immortal. Qiu Changtian could guess Guan Shanyue¡¯s intentions; she simply wanted to demonstrate to Guan Zhan in person that one shouldn¡¯t be constrained by so-called pride and should be ruthless when necessary. That¡¯s about enough, am I really being used as a teaching tool? The Tianyuan Yiqi Sword suddenly plummeted, directly targeting Guan Shanyue deep within the tree roots. Numerous vines rushed to intercept, but they were repelled by the unstoppable momentum of the Tianyuan Yiqi Sword, until Guan Shanyue¡¯s Life-bound Sword Artifact slashed horizontally, hastily blocking it. ???G?.?? The next second, a streak of red and black thunder light flashed past. It was the Immortal Capital Thunder from the Five Thunder True Law, the fastest in terms of speed. It followed the gap torn open by the Tianyuan Yiqi Sword and fiercely burst in, piercing through the towering tree¡¯s roots. In her unsuspecting and shocked expression, it penetrated Guan Shanyue¡¯s abdomen. With Guan Shanyue¡¯s defeat and her revival, all traces of the Daoist Magic on the field vanished, leaving only the devastated White Jade Capital Square. Guan Shanyue appeared in the square and respectfully bowed, saying: ¡°Chief Qiu is indeed formidable, I¡¯ve lost.¡± ¡°You¡¯re too kind,¡± Qiu Changtian responded, returning the gesture. A moment of silence surrounded them, before cheers erupted like a landslide and a tsunami. Just as the Wood System Forbidden Technique appeared, many thought that Chief Qiu had finally met a formidable opponent amidst the daunting metallic woods. Yet Qiu Changtian only used one sword strike, just one! And with it, he instantly defeated Guan Shanyue. This precisely proved the value of the great Chief Disciple of the Foundation Establishment Realm from Kunlun, without a shred of hollow reputation to his name. Xu Yinglian watched from afar, relieved in her heart. Just now, for a brief moment (and she swore it was only a moment), Xu Yinglian somehow harbored the absurd thought, ¡°Elder brother might have a tough battle this time.¡± In the end, he won smoothly and steadly, making Xu Yinglian chide herself for worrying unnecessarily. If Elder Brother could be so easily stumped, what would that make me, who has never given him any trouble? Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Elder brother, how do you feel?¡± As Qiu Changtian approached, Xu Yinglian asked softly. ¡°Not bad,¡± Qiu Changtian replied with a smile. ¡°What do you mean ¡®not bad¡¯?¡± Seeing his seemingly innocent but actually arrogant smile, Xu Yinglian suddenly felt slightly annoyed and jealously asked, ¡°Are you saying your looks are ¡®not bad¡¯, or your physique is ¡®not bad¡¯?¡± ¡°I just won a match, so I¡¯m feeling ¡®not bad,''¡± Qiu Changtian answered composedly, ¡°As for the appearance and figure of the opponent, I didn¡¯t really pay attention¡­ Oh, speaking of which, Junior Sister Xu seems to have slimmed down recently. Is it because you¡¯ve been losing sleep over the White Jade Capital Tournament?¡± ¡°Not at all!¡± Xu Yinglian at first felt delighted by his words, but upon hearing the last sentence, she became annoyed again. Chapter 463 Chapter 463: Chapter 96 The Brute with No Master¡¯s Teaching Chapter 463: Chapter 96 The Brute with No Master¡¯s Teaching The second round of the competition at White Jade Capital began with Qiu Changtian defeating Guan Shanyue in the opening battle, securing the first victory for Kunlun. The second match pitted An Zhisu against Luo Yan, and the third was Ling Yunpo against Xu Yinglian¡­ Upon closer inspection, why am I listed in every match? It¡¯s truly a headache to single-handedly take on all three rounds of the winner¡¯s group; the Three Pure Orthodox Sect really should give me a sizable red envelope for this. Back to the main topic. Qiu Changtian knew both the processes and outcomes of these two matches, so there was no need for him to watch them. Before his duel with An Zhisu, he needed to do one extra thing, which was to make ample preparations for the upcoming Core Condensation Tribulation. The so-called ¡°Golden Core¡± has different names in various sects¡¯ records. Penglai calls it ¡°True Lead¡± and ¡°Yang Pill,¡± Kunlun refers to it as ¡°True Unity Essence¡± and ¡°True Unity Water,¡± and Shushan¡¯s term is the most unique, calling it ¡°Tai Yi Harboring True Qi¡±; who knows what the story behind that is. Of course, people are still accustomed to calling it ¡°Golden Core¡± in everyday speech. The method of Core Formation is quite straightforward: after constructing the Daoist Foundation in the Purple Mansion, ¡°where the void and the real converge,¡± ¡°solidify it to form a pearl the size of a millet grain.¡± As for how exactly to ¡°converge the void and the real,¡± that depends on the Core Condensation Technique of each sect. Lower-ranked techniques are often vague in this area, naturally resulting in lower quality and success rate of the Core Formation. Even if successful, the core is likely to be flawed, bringing a person to tears. wuxiaworld.site Higher-ranked techniques reveal the secrets of heaven in just a few words, making the process of Core Formation much more efficient¡­ When it comes to rank, what could surpass the Immortal Rank Secret Technique of Kunlun, the ¡°Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra¡±? As for the other aspects of my character¡¯s Qi Refining Technique, such as the ¡°Supreme Primordial Sun and Moon Scripture¡± and the ¡°Demon-Dispelling Superior Spirit Distinction Between Clarity and Turbidity Scripture,¡± let¡¯s not mention them again. If it¡¯s not an Immortal Sect secret technique, I really don¡¯t care for it! Within the ¡°Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra,¡± the secret method of Core Formation is described very clearly, even indicating the corresponding Heavenly Tribulations: Forming a supreme High-Grade Ninth Level Golden Core results in a Third Grade, with one round of Core Condensation Tribulation; achieving Second Grade entails two rounds of tribulation. Each round of Heavenly Tribulation possesses near world-destroying power, like that of a hydrogen bomb explosion, as experienced by the senior brother, Xu Changqing. If one achieves First Grade in Pill Formation, one can exclusively endure three rounds of distinguished Heavenly Tribulation, coming with the ¡®soul-scattering, cycle-of-rebirth avoiding¡¯ package-a truly touching offer. As Qiu Changtian now practices First Grade Core Formation, he must endure three rounds of Heavenly Tribulation. The first is the Five Elements Tribulation; the specific kind of Tribulation Lightning will depend on luck. The second is the Heart Devil Tribulation; it is said that Kunlun has tallied the cultivators who failed Core Formation, and those who unfortunately encountered the Heart Demon Tribulation randomly had a demise rate as high as seventy percent. For those achieving Core Formation at Second and First Grade, it¡¯s inevitable rather than random to encounter the Heart Demon Tribulation. However, for those with Daoist Heart Clarity, the Heart Demon is merely a delivery, not something to fear. The third is the Yin Yang Tribulation¡­ ¡°Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra¡± is vague at this point, with only eight imposing characters that reveal the peril within: Thousands of calamities in parallel, death without life. Even someone as usually composed as Qiu Changtian couldn¡¯t help but laugh with vexation at this. You might as well just tell me to buy a coffin. As he was studying the Core Condensing Celestial Tribulation, the battles for the top twelve had already begun to determine winners and losers. In the winner¡¯s group, An Zhisu narrowly defeated Luo Yan with a slight advantage while Ling Yunpo cunningly hid his moves and defeated Xu Yinglian. In the loser¡¯s group, since Luo Yan ¡°overdrew his True Essence¡± and ¡°passed out,¡± Miss Shi clearly wasn¡¯t in the right state of mind. After resisting a few attacks using the very minor Tai Wei Hook Chen Dazzling Star Sand, she found herself in disarray from Guan Zhan¡¯s Sword Qi and chose to simply concede the match, hurrying off the stage to visit her junior brother. Yan Zhitui struggled hard, attempting to replicate Xu Yinglian¡¯s fighting style by using large-scale Daoist Magic to trap Duan Fenhai. ???g?.?? However, the more experienced Duan Fenhai saw through the tactic, opening with an immediate Man-Sword Unity attack, and killed Yan Zhitui in a few exchanges. Your swordsmanship isn¡¯t up to the mark, Junior Brother Yan! If you can¡¯t withstand the opening, all the tactics in the world are useless for you. With the matches concluded, everyone returned to their base at Mount Tianmu. Guan Zhan returned with a cold and indifferent face, showing no joy in victory, and silently went back to his room. Yan Zhitui was rather helpless; after chatting with Qiu Changtian for a moment, he went back to the training ground to prepare for the next battle. Xu Yinglian was defeated by Ling Yunpo using the ¡°Triple Sword Control¡± technique, missing out on the top three. When he returned, there was frost on his face, and he was in an incredibly bad mood. Upon seeing Qiu Changtian, he directly asked: ¡°` ¡°Senior Brother, back in the Great Bright Fire¡¯s sea of flames, visibility was completely obscured. How did you manage to locate my position?¡± Ah, this¡­ Qiu Changtian was stunned, unable to answer. A cold sweat broke out on his back. Xu Yinglian had not yet noticed his odd behavior and continued angrily, ¡°I thought the Great Bright Fire could conceal my figure, but I didn¡¯t expect to be firmly tracked by some method and ambushed the moment an opportunity arose!¡± ¡°Furthermore, this Ling Yunpo is clearly capable of controlling three swords simultaneously, but he kept pretending to only use two-handed sword control, catching me off guard. Such extreme cunning! I never thought Shushan would produce someone so crafty and deep!¡± Qiu Changtian had already quickly composed his expression and pondered aloud, ¡°Using a wide-range Daoist Magic to hide one¡¯s figure is not unsolvable. As far as I know, for instance, Duan Fenhai of Shushan is very skilled at pinpointing positions by sound. Even if sight is impossible, as long as the Flying Sword clashes with you through the air, he could lock onto your position by sound.¡± ¡°As for how Ling Yunpo managed it, I do not know. But your defeat this time is mainly due to overconfidence in your own Daoist Magic and underestimating the enemy.¡± ¡°I am well aware!¡± Xu Yinglian said, frustrated, ¡°I¡¯m not trying to shift the blame for my defeat onto my opponent! I just hate myself for making such a basic mistake. It¡¯s infuriating!¡± She gritted her teeth with frosty anger on her face, becoming more and more incensed as she spoke, finally dragging Qiu Changtian back to her room to vent her frustrations. Knowing how strong-willed his junior sister was, Qiu Changtian softened his words to comfort her, eventually helping Xu Yinglian move past her fixation on her defeat and improving her mood considerably¡­ of course, these developments are an aside, not to be mentioned here. The next day, according to the draw, it was Qiu Changtian¡¯s turn to sit out, while An Zhisu and Ling Yunpo were to duel. However, Ling Yunpo forfeited on the spot, promoting An Zhisu to compete with Qiu Changtian for first place. Finally! Today, after juggling three separate storylines, we¡¯re at the finals! Qiu Changtian was internally raring to go, itching to immediately beat down Senior Sister An¡­ no, that is, eager to have a full-blown, ferocious discussion and duel with An Zhisu, and decide once and for all who should take the top spot. Wouldn¡¯t that be wonderful? An Zhisu had already been waiting in the arena, and as Qiu Changtian descended with his sword light, he noticed that An Zhisu¡¯s expression seemed somewhat somber. Oh, he thought more carefully: how could she be happy, having been drawn into a spar with her own junior brother, who then deliberately conceded to give her a chance to fight in the finals, given how protective Senior Sister An is? Had it not been for Ling Yunpo patiently consoling Senior Sister An the night before, advising her not to fixate too much on victory or defeat, An Zhisu today might not have appeared sad and disheartened but rather, fuming with rage and ready to lash out. ¡°Daoist An,¡± Qiu Changtian greeted formally, ¡°please enlighten me.¡± An Zhisu, clearly in a sullen mood, responded with a perfunctory gesture of respect. Qiu Changtian didn¡¯t mind since he knew that Senior Sister An, having been spoiled by Su Jian since she was young, understood nothing but swords. But how could the surrounding Kunlun disciples know this? Seeing An Zhisu giving so little respect to Qiu Changtian, with such a cursory greeting, they immediately became righteously indignant, ¡°How can the Chief Disciple of Shushan be so rude?¡± ¡°Shushan has always been full of brutes; it¡¯s not surprising they don¡¯t understand dueling etiquette.¡± ¡°I heard that their Chief Disciple had no master to instruct her since the beginning. Such absurdity would never happen in Kunlun, but considering it¡¯s Shushan, it¡¯s not so strange.¡± Their words hit Shushan as a whole, and soon, Shushan disciples glared angrily around them, silencing the talking Kunlun disciples with murderous looks. But it was too late to be quiet now, for An Zhisu on the field possessed extremely sharp hearing and had already caught the surrounding slander. No¡­ master¡­ Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only brutes¡­ ¡°Daoist An,¡± Qiu Changtian hesitated to speak, only to see An Zhisu give a serious salute, and said with a clenched fist, ¡°Daoist Qiu, I hold no grudges against you. But now that your Kunlun disciples have insulted my sect, I have no choice but to defend the honor of Qingluo Peak and fight with all I have!¡± After that, she drew out her swords Flying Smoke and Chilly Edge, her entire demeanor suddenly as fierce as a drawn sword, filling the air with murderous intent. Qiu Changtian: ¡­¡­¡­.. ¡°` Chapter 464 Chapter 464: Chapter 97 My Trump Cards Are Just Too Many Chapter 464: Chapter 97 My Trump Cards Are Just Too Many The competition began. When ordinary Shushan Cultivators face Kunlun Cultivators, most of them will subconsciously opt for quick attacks, not giving Kunlun Cultivators time to draw out a prolonged battle. If there is a huge gap in strength, they might even resort to Man-Sword Unity right from the start, aiming for a swift victory or defeat, at least ensuring a clean outcome. But An Zhisu did not attack immediately. She simply shot the Harsh Cold Sword and Flying Smoke Sword at the same time, and with a flicker of her figure, she executed the Cloud-Parting Eight Trigrams Step, promptly disappearing from Qiu Changtian¡¯s field of vision. Even though she did not unleash a big move like Man-Sword Unity from the beginning, the Harsh Cold Sword and Flying Smoke Sword constituted a two-pronged attack. Coupled with An Zhisu¡¯s footwork moving all over the arena, she had quickly seized the initiative in the blink of an eye. Even though her reputation in Shushan wasn¡¯t great, with the disparagement from the Kunlun Disciples earlier, a sense of common enmity had already arisen among the Shushan side. They immediately started to cheer An Zhisu on: ¡°Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal! Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal!¡± Qiu Changtian couldn¡¯t help but laugh wryly upon hearing this. He saw that the Flying Smoke and Harsh Cold Swords were already in front of him, but the distance between them was so great that the Tianyuan Yiqi Sword couldn¡¯t defend against both at the same time. Had it been another Cultivator facing An Zhisu¡¯s precisely calculated move, they would have likely been at a loss whether to advance or retreat. wuxiaworld.site But someone knew Senior Sister An¡¯s swordsmanship all too well. Knowing she could come up with all kinds of flourishes thanks to her Innate Sword Heart, how could such an attack stump him? All that could be seen was Qiu Changtian flicking out a Jade Pivot Thunder, pushing back the Harsh Cold Sword on his left; the Tianyuan Yiqi Sword shot out swiftly, directly knocking away the incoming Flying Smoke Sword and without losing momentum, it pierced towards the eastern side of the square, directly where An Zhisu would land in the next second after using her Cloud-Parting Eight Trigrams Step. An Zhisu reacted extremely quickly. Before the Tianyuan Yiqi Sword could hit her, she halted suddenly, dodging the Flying Sword, and as she turned to change direction, the Mingxia Sword (a ninth-rank metal system Flying Sword she usually used for long-distance Sword Control) suddenly sprang out from her sleeve, blocking a sneaky attack from behind. The attacks that came from tricky angles were derived from the second layer of the Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra, called ¡°Shangyang Sword Qi.¡± While Qiu Changtian was releasing the Jade Pivot Thunder earlier, they had quietly flown out from his sleeve along with the Thunder Light and looped around to ambush An Zhisu, but she instantly intercepted them. Qiu Changtian, controlling the Tianyuan Yiqi Sword with his left hand, intended to continue pursuing An Zhisu, while his right hand was forming a Daoist Formula, preparing to unleash a Tai Yi Thunder that could blanket the entire arena. Suddenly, he felt numbness throughout his body, and an icy chill as if it were a festering sore swiftly climbed up his leg. This was the first layer of Daoist Magic on the Harsh Cold Sword, called ¡°Abyssal Ice Covering Snow,¡± aimed at directly freezing the enemy, causing their True Yuan to stagnate and leaving them unable to move, at the mercy of their opponent. Qiu Changtian remained calm, knowing that it would take at least five breaths for Abyssal Ice Covering Snow to cover his entire body. Hence, he took advantage of the moment when the Water System True Yuan hadn¡¯t reached his upper body, and his hands smoothly transitioned the Daoist Formula, casting a ¡°Supreme Jasper Spiritual Talisman¡± on the ground below him. As a third-level Daoist Magic of the Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra, the Supreme Jasper Spiritual Talisman had a strong sealing and suppressing ability. No sooner had he released it, than it immediately activated its effects, completely removing all the numbing icy chill from his legs. Qiu Changtian looked up only to see the red blade of the Flying Smoke Sword already in his view, about to penetrate his skull. An Zhisu had apparently already calculated that the Abyssal Ice Covering Snow couldn¡¯t trap him, and specifically seized the moment he used Daoist Magic to break free to deliver a lethal blow with the Flying Smoke Sword! At that moment, the Tianyuan Yiqi Sword was still far away, trailing behind An Zhisu in pursuit and could not be recalled in time to protect its master. Qiu Changtian¡¯s other signature technique, the Five Thunders True Law, was not feasible either, given the proximity. If he were to send out Divine Thunder to repel the Flying Smoke Sword, he would certainly be injured by the blast as well. All had been calculated by the Sword Heart Clarity! Unfortunately for you, Senior Sister An, you have no idea about my trump card, while I can see through you clearly¡­ Qiu Changtian maintained a calm and gentle expression. His left hand, already forming a Daoist Formula, lifted to release another ¡°Supreme Jasper Spiritual Talisman.¡± ¡°Two Supreme Jasper Spiritual Talismans?¡± A Kunlun Disciple who didn¡¯t understand exclaimed in surprise. They had heard about the powerful suppressive ability of the Supreme Jasper Spiritual Talisman, considered peerless among those of the same rank, but were also aware of its great consumption of True Yuan. Most disciples under the Ziwei Master could empty half of their True Yuan with just one talisman and would need to rest for a while. Yet, no one expected that Chief Qiu could simultaneously release two talismans! ¡°What¡¯s so surprising about that!¡± retorted many Kunlun Disciples who had seen Qiu Changtian spar with Xu Yinglian before the White Jade Capital competition. They immediately boasted, ¡°We have seen our Chief release three talismans at the same time, and he was far from reaching the limit of his True Yuan exhaustion!¡± Over on the Shushan side, Duan Fenhai¡¯s eyes were wide with astonishment, and he couldn¡¯t help but exclaim: ¡°Three Supreme Jasper Spiritual Talismans? Why not just say using this technique is as easy as eating and drinking! If that¡¯s the case, what¡¯s the point in holding the White Jade Capital competition at all? Just give him the top title and be done with it! See an enemy, just throw a talisman at them, and what¡¯s there for us to do!¡± ¡°It sounds unbelievable, but it¡¯s true,¡± Guan Shanyue spoke out. ¡°Chief Qiu¡¯s True Yuan is so profound that he probably can even rival Core Formation Cultivators.¡± ¡°Is your source reliable?¡± Lin Duanshan asked in shock. Guan Shanyue¡¯s mouth twitched, but he didn¡¯t respond. Fortunately, Lin Duanshan quickly realized that he had asked a stupid question. After all, Guan Shanyue¡¯s cousin studied as a junior under Qiu Changtian, so how could she possibly not know? On Qiu Changtian¡¯s side, as he cast the Supreme Jasper Spiritual Talisman towards the Flying Smoke Sword, he immediately suppressed most of An Zhisu¡¯s life-bound sword artifact. A myriad of flames and smoke burst forth from the sword, clearly indicating that An Zhisu was desperately trying to push the flying sword to struggle, but found it difficult to escape the talisman¡¯s sealing effect. The next second, Qiu Changtian urgently turned around and saw An Zhisu had already closed in within three steps in front of him, with the high speed of the Cloud-Parting Eight Trigrams Step! Clearly, Senior Sister An had realized that she couldn¡¯t beat him with swordsmanship, nor did she have as much True Yuan as him. Therefore, she gave up on trying to defeat him on the frontline and began to enter the phase of life-or-death struggle. Once they got close, Qiu Changtian could not use his Thunder Method, or else it would end in mutual destruction. Even because the distance was so short, there was hardly any time to use Daoist Magic or Magical Treasure. The flying sword, in tune with its owner¡¯s will, would gain a significant advantage, and the life-bound sword artifact was the best among them! One could see An Zhisu grasped the Flying Smoke Sword, suppressed by the talisman and unable to continue flying, and pierced fiercely towards Qiu Changtian like an ancient assassin. With her left hand, she pointed the sword technique towards the sky, pulled back the Harsh Cold Sword from the other direction, and stabbed it at Qiu Changtian¡¯s side. Qiu Changtian¡¯s reaction was also swift; he stepped back to dodge An Zhisu¡¯s stab. With his right hand performing a sword technique, he summoned back the Tianyuan Yiqi Sword and clashed with the Harsh Cold Sword coming from the side. With his left hand performing a Daoist Formula, he released the Shangyang Sword Qi from his sleeve. As the Tianyuan Yiqi Sword clashed with the Harsh Cold Sword, it suddenly turned its blade, causing the reflection of the sun¡¯s rays to shoot directly into An Zhisu¡¯s eyes. An Zhisu was suddenly illuminated by the bright light. Her instinct was to close her eyes, but her willpower forced them open; she only saw the flash of sword Qi light in her peripheral vision. She quickly sidestepped and tilted her head, letting her hairpin be knocked off by the Shangyang Sword Qi, and her smooth, waterfall-like black hair tumbled down. Still, she didn¡¯t stop moving. Taking advantage of the sidestepping momentum, she spun around quickly and closed the distance to within two steps, her Flying Smoke Sword slashing again towards Qiu Changtian¡¯s waist. Qiu Changtian swiftly swung his right hand, pulling the Tianyuan Yiqi Sword over to repel the slice of the Flying Smoke Sword. His left hand flipped and flicked, casting another Supreme Jasper Spiritual Talisman, hitting the Harsh Cold Sword, which had lost its restraint and was about to sneak attack him. The Harsh Cold Sword trembled for a moment and was soon completely sealed by the talisman, losing its ability to move. But An Zhisu had no time to care about the Harsh Cold Sword. She lunged forward again, flicking the Mingxia Sword from her sleeve with her left hand, infusing it with all her True Yuan to meet the Tianyuan Yiqi Sword¡¯s side assault. The Mingxia Sword was far inferior to the Tianyuan Yiqi Sword in rank, and there was no way it could block the opponent¡¯s slash. However, what An Zhisu sought was just that momentary delay. Because her Flying Smoke Sword could take advantage of this seized instant to stab Qiu Changtian in the chest! Within a step¡¯s distance, even a fatal strike could happen in the blink of an eye. The tip of the sword already touched Qiu Changtian¡¯s robe at his chest, about to continue piercing into the flesh, but Qiu Changtian¡¯s left hand flashed like lightning, pinching the tip of the Flying Smoke Sword between two fingers without the chance to perform any Daoist Formula. An Zhisu¡¯s focus remained undistracted. She didn¡¯t harbor any ripple of emotion in her heart against his seemingly ludicrous action. She just put all her strength into pushing the Flying Smoke Sword relentlessly forward. The next second, intense electricity suddenly coursed through her body. The Flying Smoke Sword slipped from her spasming, uncontrolled fingertips, and An Zhisu¡¯s body fell backward, a hint of confusion flashing in her eyes. Was that Thunder Method? How could his Thunder Method¡­ Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only transfer through the Flying Smoke Sword and strike my body? ???g?.?? ¡°What was that?¡± the Kunlun Mirror, which had been anxiously watching the battle in her mind, asked as soon as she saw the battle was finally settled, ¡°I haven¡¯t seen this spell before¡­ No, it seems I have¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s the True Spirit Seal Sword Technique.¡± The Green Duckweed Sword said languidly, ¡°Did you forget, Ah Jing? When Wei Dongliu wanted to subdue the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword, he learned this True Spirit Seal Sword Technique from me, which can imprint Daoist Magic onto the flying sword.¡± ¡°Did that surprise you, Ah Jing?¡± Qiu Changtian also smiled faintly, ¡°My trump card is more unimaginable than you could ever expect!¡± Chapter 465 Chapter 465: Chapter 98: The Grand Tournament Ends, The Demon Cult¡¯s Sleeper Agent Chapter 465: Chapter 98: The Grand Tournament Ends, The Demon Cult¡¯s Sleeper Agent ¡°Kunlun, Qiu Changtian, wins!¡± Following the Jade List¡¯s declaration of Qiu Changtian¡¯s victory, the surroundings fell silent for quite a few dozen breaths, before finally erupting into some kind of intense, noisy clamor. It wasn¡¯t that everyone couldn¡¯t accept Chief Qiu securing the top spot on the list; rather, no one really understood how Qiu Changtian had managed to defeat An Zhisu in the end-the onlookers simply had not grasped what had happened. In truth, as long as a cultivator wasn¡¯t too short-sighted, it was clear that An Zhisu had truly given her all in this decisive battle, pushing her advantages to the limit. What were Qiu Changtian¡¯s advantages? A robust True Yuan and powerful Daoist Magic-engaging in a war of attrition with him was simply asking for death. The principle of needing quick battles to defeat him was not unknown to Shushan cultivators either, but everyone would try to take Qiu Changtian down at the start, only to be directly obliterated by him in return. From beginning to end, not a single Shushan cultivator¡¯s Flying Sword could gain the upper hand in a head-on clash with Qiu Changtian¡¯s. Only An Zhisu managed to make full use of the Shushan Sword Immortals¡¯ ability to multitask, combining the Two-Handed Sword Control Technique with the Cloud-Parting Eight Trigrams Step to forcefully create a perilous situation of a ¡°three-pronged attack,¡± finally breaking into Qiu Changtian¡¯s close range and seizing a chance to turn the tide. Yet, in the end, she was counter-killed in the final strike¡­ What¡¯s more, no one could understand how the counter-kill happened, so who could be pleased by that? Penglai cultivators could. After a moment, the spectating Penglai cultivators began to cheer and applaud one after another, everyone visibly excited. The Kunlun side was still whispering among themselves, not because they were maintaining the dignity expected of disciples from a great sect, but because they weren¡¯t sure if An Zhisu had truly been defeated by Chief Qiu. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co What if An Zhisu had actually been poisoned, fallen ill, succumbed to inner demons, or had a realization that made her concede? Starting to shout ¡°Chief Qiu, invincible,¡± and then finding out An Zhisu had suffered some mishap would just attract negative attention to Chief Qiu, wouldn¡¯t it? The Shushan side was also murmuring to each other, but the mood was clearly not very pleasant, with quite a few feeling almost as if they had lost their ancestors. The Chief Disciple of Kunlun defeating the Chief Disciple of Shushan-to outsiders, wouldn¡¯t this prove Shushan inferior to Kunlun? That was the first point. The Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal was clearly about to succeed in the assassination, so how did it suddenly turn into defeat? Completely incomprehensible-that was the second point. The Kunlun disciples had just insulted Shushan, and the Shushan disciples nearly clashed with them. Then, Qiu Changtian took first place, wasn¡¯t that like slapping everyone¡¯s faces? This was the most critical third point. Because of the face-slapping, the Shushan cultivators didn¡¯t want to stay and gradually flew away from the White Jade Capital Secret Realm using their Sword Control. An Zhisu, who had taken second place, seemed like a sinning disciple of her sect, receiving not a bit of attention; after being reborn by the secret realm¡¯s mechanism, she just stood there dejectedly, her expression a complex mixture of emotions, contemplating something. ¡°Senior Sister!¡± Ling Yunpo, who had planned ahead, immediately rushed over and held onto An Zhisu¡¯s arm, asking with concern, ¡°Senior Sister, are you alright?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± An Zhisu shook her head, her gaze at him complicated, ¡°Let¡¯s go back.¡± Ling Yunpo: ? For some reason, although Senior Sister An seemed to be acting normally, he couldn¡¯t shake off a weird feeling about her. It was like in ¡°Detective Conan¡± when Ran smiles at Conan-it wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t speak, but that expression was totally ¡°Shinichi, I¡¯ve recognized you,¡± which sent a chill down one¡¯s spine. Wait a second, did I give something away? What the future Ling Yunpo should do in this situation, let¡¯s put that aside for now. Regardless of whether the audience understood or not, in the end, Qiu Changtian had indeed taken first place in the White Jade Capital. After he calmly exited the arena, a Kunlun sage known as the Marvelous Daoist took to the square and struck the Jade List. Upon doing so, the rankings for this White Jade Capital tournament appeared. The top twelve contenders of the White Jade Capital from first to twelfth are Qiu Changtian, An Zhisu, Ling Yunpo, Xu Yinglian, Luo Yan, Guan Shanyue, Duan Fenhai, Lin Duanshan, Guan Zhan, Bi Sheng, Yan Zhitui, and Shi Liuli. Among these twelve, half are from the Shushan Sect, with three making it into the top six, clearly showing that Shushan remains the main force in the righteous sects¡¯ battles. ???G?.?? However, among the so-called ¡°Supreme Grade¡± top three, Qiu Changtian alone secured the leading position; as for the ¡°High Grade,¡± which is fourth to sixth place, it was Xu Yinglian who dominated over the rest. The general sentiment was that although the younger generation of cultivators from Kunlun as a whole might not be as strong as those from Shushan, their high-end combat power was significantly superior to Shushan¡¯s. As for Penglai, they were merely there to make up the numbers, focusing on participation, so there¡¯s not much need for discussion. In any case, the results of this orthodox competition met the expectations of the Three Sects: Kunlun aimed to top the list, Shushan to claim half, and Penglai just to make the cut was considered a success. Everyone was satisfied with the outcome. As for An Zhisu narrowly missing the top spot at the end¡­ that was due to the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal¡¯s own failing, which didn¡¯t tarnish the reputation of Shushan. In the top twelve, our Shushan occupied half the spots! Putting idle talk aside, with the official conclusion of the orthodox competition, the White Jade Capital Secret Realm also began to close. Most of the orthodox sect disciples still remained on Mount Tianmu, mingling, visiting, and making friends, discussing the outcome of the tournament. As for returning collectively to the sect residences, that would have to wait until three days later-that time was specifically set aside by the Three Sects to allow the young elites to network. Qiu Changtian, as the chief of the tournament, had a residence swarming with visitors. The ceaseless stream of guests seeking an audience made this ¡°Chief Disciple of the Righteous Path¡± exhausted from dealing with them; he was completely overwhelmed. Fortunately, the arrival of the Ziwei Master quickly rescued him from this sea of suffering. ¡°Qiu Changtian, Xu Yinglian, Guan Zhan, Yan Zhitui,¡± he called out the names of the four disciples who made it into the top twelve, gesturing with his horsetail whisk, and said calmly, ¡°Follow me.¡± The four followed the Ziwei Master back to the entrance of the White Jade Capital Secret Realm. They saw the Jade Capital Sect Leader with Ling Yunpo, An Zhisu, and the other four from Shushan, as well as the Master of Xuandu with Luo Yan and Shi Liuli, already waiting at the entrance. The Master of Xuandu took out a thunder pearl and threw it at the rock formations at the entrance, only to see the rocks split open once again, revealing the water-like gateway to the secret realm. ¡°You are the top twelve of the White Jade Capital tournament. Once inside the secret realm, stand in order in the twelve pavilions according to the tournament ranking,¡± instructed the Ziwei Master. ¡°After you¡¯ve taken your places, be vigilant for any unusual movements within the realm. Note them carefully and report to your sect once you leave.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± Qiu Changtian was the first to respond. Afterward, everyone entered the White Jade Capital Secret Realm in order of their tournament ranking. ¡°This time, the Demon Cult has made no unusual movements,¡± said the Jade Capital Sect Leader suddenly, once all twelve had entered the realm. ¡°Not to mention the other sects, but the Hell Path wouldn¡¯t just stand by and watch,¡± the Master of Xuandu remarked indifferently. ¡°Even if they take no action, given their style, they surely sent a spy to peek into the secrets of the White Jade Capital Secret Realm.¡± ¡°There must be a mole from the Hell Path among the twelve,¡± the Ziwei Master said slowly. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°It couldn¡¯t possibly be from Penglai,¡± the Master of Xuandu spoke at a measured pace, ¡°Luo and Shi, these two individuals, I can assure have no connections with the Hell Path whatsoever.¡± ¡°Nor could it be someone from Shushan,¡± declared the Jade Capital Sect Leader sternly. ¡°These six disciples have all personally been seen by immortals.¡± The Ziwei Master fell silent. Not from Penglai, nor Shushan, could it actually be one of my Kunlun? Ridiculous! When have the moles from the Hell Path ever been recognized in advance by Sect Leaders and Immortals? Chapter 466 Chapter 466: Chapter 99: Chanting the Wonders, Preparing for Tribulation Chapter 466: Chapter 99: Chanting the Wonders, Preparing for Tribulation ¡°` Qiu Changtian and the others entered the White Jade Capital, only to see that pavilions, towers, and terraces still floated amidst the clouds afar, their roofs made of liuli and the balustrades of white jade, all radiating the grandeur of an Immortal Sect. Since the group didn¡¯t know each other well, and given they all had sect missions to attend to, they didn¡¯t engage in much idle chatter. Instead, they each quickly took control of their flying swords and dispersed, heading towards the towers corresponding to their respective ranks. As the first rank, Qiu Changtian came to the number one tower closest to the plaza of the White Jade Capital and entered. After the twelve of them had taken their places, they suddenly heard the sound of evening drums and morning bells coming from the distance, resonating like the grand music of Buddhist chants, deafening and awe-inspiring. Then, a deep male voice and a soft female voice sang in unison: ¡°Xuanye shakes the cloud sleeves, the sky resounds with endless joy. Striding across the Seven Treasures Forest, leisurely wandering the vast celestial avenues. From afar the Jade Capital mountains, the jade platforms gleam upon high beams. Looking up at the Golden Que, gazing down upon the White Jade Bed. In its midst dwells the Venerable Huang-Lao, purple qi turning the heavenly scripts. Seated in banquet, holding the record of life, the green brush inscribes the glories of Huayang. A myriad of calamities know no terminus, transcending and soaring above the Land of Undying¡­¡± wuxiaworld.site Only Qiu Changtian and An Zhisu knew more-they recognized that the deep male voice and the soft female voice were none other than the Sun Sword Master and the Tai Yin Sword Master they had encountered in the final stages of their initial exploration of the White Jade Capital Secret Realm. After the eulogy ended, the sound of the morning bells and evening drums subsided as well, as if nothing had happened at all. The group continued to wait patiently for a moment, making sure no further clues were forthcoming, before reconvening at the plaza of the White Jade Capital and then collectively leaving the secret realm. Outside the secret realm, after the disciples had recited the entire text of the eulogy and confirmed their memories matched perfectly with no omissions, the three Sect Leaders began to contemplate. ¡°The distant Jade Capital mountains?¡± murmured the Jade Capital Sect Leader. His Daoist title was ¡°Jade Capital,¡± and in the Daoist realm, ¡°Jade Capital¡± was considered the dwelling place of immortals. It seemed that this so-called Jade Capital mountains might just be the location of the Golden Que Secret Realm. ¡°Looking up at the Golden Que?¡± pondered the Ziwei Master. To look up suggested a place that was exceedingly high. ¡°Wandering the vast celestial avenues?¡± said the Master of Xuandu, smiling. The ¡®vast celestial avenues¡¯ spoke of the wide expanse of the sky. That is to say, the entrance to the Golden Que Secret Realm was located at a very high place called the Jade Capital mountains, which could only be reached through means such as sword control and other forms of flight. The three Sect Leaders exchanged glances for a moment before jointly coming to a conclusion. As for the twelve disciples, some were utterly confused while others had vague guesses. Warning the disciples not to leak these verses, the three Sect Leaders then led everyone back to their stations. After three days, the sects went their separate ways! ?????.?? Qiu Changtian did not rest for a moment in his cave after returning to Kunlun with Xu Yinglian and the other junior brothers and sisters. Instead, he went straight to visit Qing Yang True Person Xu Changqing. ¡°Oh, so you¡¯re beginning your preparations for Core Formation,¡± said the Qing Yang True Person, who had long since recovered from his injuries caused by the Heavenly Tribulation. He spoke sternly, ¡°To deal with the Core Condensation Tribulation, it¡¯s best to prepare plenty of Flying Sword treasures, magical treasures, and arrays.¡± ¡°Among them, formations are the most effective, as long as they are set up in advance, they can significantly weaken the power of the Heavenly Tribulation compared to flying swords and treasures.¡± ¡°As for the art of formations, the Heavenly Craft Workshop of Penglai Jade Pure is the most adept at it. However, I advise you not to seek help from Penglai, do you understand?¡± Qiu Changtian pondered for a moment and then replied: ¡°` ¡°Cultivators facing a Tribulation must rely on themselves for survival; one cannot depend on the help of others in such a crucial matter,¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Qing Yang True Person said approvingly, ¡°You have had little to do with the Heavenly Craft Workshop. How can you be so certain they would devote themselves wholeheartedly to your Tribulation? Whether you are researching on your own or seeking assistance, the perfection of the Formation is not the goal, but minimizing risk factors is essential.¡± ¡°Besides Formations, the next option is Magic Artifacts.¡± ¡°Magical Treasures and Flying Swords can help you withstand the Heavenly Tribulation, but their effectiveness depends on their Rank. If you form a Third Grade Golden Core, then Magic Artifacts below Tenth Rank are nothing but one-time consumables. They won¡¯t last long under the Tribulation.¡± ¡°However, this does not mean you do not need Magic Artifacts of ranks below Tenth. On the contrary, if possible, you should have more on hand. Even if a Flying Sword can only block one strike of Tribulation Lightning for you, it is still good-it could be the very thing that determines your survival.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Qiu Changtian nodded gravely. ¡°Having discussed Formations and Magic Artifacts, let¡¯s talk about Daoist Magic,¡± Qing Yang True Person continued, ¡°In facing the Heavenly Tribulation, Daoist Magic is more efficient than Magic Artifacts, but there is a significant flaw. Do you know what it is?¡± ¡°Is it the consumption of True Yuan?¡± Qiu Changtian guessed. ¡°Right,¡± Qing Yang True Person sighed, ¡°Using Magic Artifacts to withstand the Tribulation expends resources; using Daoist Magic consumes True Yuan.¡± ¡°Resources can be prepared in advance, but True Yuan can only be replenished over time. The Tribulation will not give you time to catch your breath. The more you use Daoist Magic, the closer your True Yuan is to exhaustion, and the smaller your chances of surviving the Tribulation become.¡± ¡°Qing Yang Senior Brother,¡± Qiu Changtian asked, puzzled, ¡°Can¡¯t I just consume Elixirs?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I was about to discuss with you,¡± Qing Yang True Person said with a wry smile, ¡°You were there when I faced my Tribulation. The lightning strikes came wave after wave; where would there be time to consume Elixirs?¡± ¡°Even if you really manage to find the time to swallow an Elixir, where will you find the time to refine the medicinal power? All your focus is on desperately contending with the Tribulation. There¡¯s simply no time left to breathe.¡± ¡°To put it frankly, once the Tribulation descends, the only thing you can do is to keep resisting the lightning strikes to survive the ordeal.¡± ¡°Aside from that, entertain no other thoughts.¡± ¡°Thank you, Senior Brother, for clearing my doubts,¡± Qiu Changtian said gratefully. ¡°No trouble at all,¡± Qing Yang True Person said with a smile, ¡°Your Jade Mansion is already greatly accomplished. If you can successfully form your Golden Core, you will be a pillar of strength for our Kunlun.¡± ¡°Therefore, I hope you make thorough preparations and not rush into the Tribulation. Do you understand, my fellow disciple?¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Qiu Changtian spoke softly. ¡°Also, go see our Master,¡± Qing Yang True Person pondered for a moment and added, ¡°You¡¯re about to face your Tribulation. Even if I don¡¯t tell anyone, there¡¯s no way to keep it from him.¡± ¡°Moreover, on the matter of facing the Core Condensation Tribulation, our Master can certainly offer you more help than I can.¡± Upon hearing this, Qiu Changtian hesitated. His original intention had been not to inform the Ziwei Master. If the Sect Leader were to ask about the quality of the Golden Core he had formed, saying it was First Grade might alarm the Master, while lying about it being Second Grade, he feared, would be seen through by the Ziwei Master. Furthermore, if in the future there arose any special circumstances where the Ziwei Master would learn that both Ling Yunpo and Luo Yan were also First Grade Golden Cores, that would raise even more suspicion. However, what Xu Changqing said also made sense. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only After all, the Master is the Master. Just the matter of facing the Core Condensation Tribulation was too significant to hide from him. Plus, he really wasn¡¯t confident about the Tribulation of the First Grade Golden Core. If he could get some sort of help in facing the Tribulation from the Ziwei Master, wouldn¡¯t that be better than fumbling around on his own? After weighing the pros and cons, he thought that it was a risk worth taking! Chapter 467 Chapter 467: Chapter 100 Deep Master-Disciple Bond, Moving Each Other Chapter 467: Chapter 100 Deep Master-Disciple Bond, Moving Each Other Kunlun Heavenly Pillar, inside the Jade Void Palace. Qiu Changtian swiftly navigated through the corridors, occasionally encountering some Golden Core stage real persons. No matter whether from the Three Pure Orthodox Sect or the Six Paths of the Demon Cult, Golden Core True Persons were the main force of their sects, and no matter how formidable a disciple at the Foundation Establishment Realm was, they were still just juniors in front of a Golden Core True Person. Normally, these real persons would merely nod at him, as a form of greeting. ???G?.?? After all, Qiu Changtian was the Chief Disciple of the Foundation Establishment Realm and had single-handedly broken through the Intercepting Cult Sword Formation, indirectly saving many trapped Kunlun real persons¡­ Thus, even if they weren¡¯t familiar with Qiu Changtian, they still owed him that much respect. However, ever since he topped the White Jade Capital Competition, the attitude of the Kunlun real persons toward Qiu Changtian had noticeably warmed at a visible speed. The reason was simple: Qiu Changtian had demonstrated sufficiently formidable strength. Everyone had progressed from the Foundation Establishment Realm and had also gone through the long, arduous preparation work for Core Formation for over a hundred years, so they naturally understood what the average strength level was for disciples at the Foundation Establishment Realm. In fact, after witnessing Qiu Changtian¡¯s competition, most of the Kunlun real persons could affirm that this Chief Qiu might already possess over four hundred years of Refining Mansion cultivation, hence reaching the threshold of Second Grade Golden Core. Second Grade Golden Core! You should know that even in the entire history of the Cultivation Realm, the number of cultivators who reached Second Grade Golden Core and were recorded is but a few. As for First Grade Golden Core, since it requires more than eight hundred years, and many real persons knew that even the combined age of the known Purple Mansion secret medicines summed up to far less than eight hundred years, thus everyone unanimously believed that Qiu Changtian was going to form his core soon. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.Co Since he was about to become a real person soon, it was only natural to befriend him in advance and cultivate a relationship. Qiu Changtian quite understood these real persons¡¯ thoughts and responded to each one politely and modestly (he was quite practiced at winning hearts), endearing him to the Kunlun real persons. Finally arriving at the Scripture Lecture Hall of the Ziwei Master, Qiu Changtian knocked on the door and entered, only to see the Sect Leader still sitting erect on a nine-colored lotus platform, with his eyes closed in meditation. ¡°Master.¡± Qiu Changtian said respectfully. ¡°In this White Jade Capital Competition, you performed well,¡± the Ziwei Master, without opening his eyes, slowly said, ¡°This is the reward discussed and agreed upon by the sect.¡± Qiu Changtian looked carefully and saw that on the ground lay three meditation cushions. From left to right, on top of each cushion, there was an elixir bottle, a jade slip, and a horsetail whisk. ¡°This pill is the Golden Nectar and Jade Liquid Pill,¡± the Ziwei Master pointed to the first elixir bottle and continued slowly, ¡°Consuming it can increase your cultivation by seventy years.¡± ¡°This jade slip is a subsidiary volume of the ¡®Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra,¡¯ titled ¡®Secret Scripture of the Azure and Scarlet Two Qi¡¯.¡± His horsetail whisk lightly spun, pointing to the second jade slip, ¡°It contains many Daoist techniques and spells, with boundless profound uses.¡± Finally, the Ziwei Master swung his horsetail whisk and rested it within the crook of his arm, speaking indifferently: ¡°The horsetail whisk is called ¡®Azure Cloud Crimson Ribbon Dust Brush,¡¯ a magical treasure used by an ancient power. With true Daoist Yuan as a stimulant, it possesses supreme might.¡± After listening carefully, Qiu Changtian asked: ¡°Master, for the rewards of the White Jade Capital Competition, are there three, or only one?¡± ¡°Of course, there is only one,¡± the Ziwei Master said expressionlessly. That meant, he had to choose one of the three rewards before him. Qiu Changtian carefully looked at the items atop the three meditation cushions and asked again: ¡°The Golden Nectar and Jade Liquid Pill, is it made with Vermilion Grass?¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± The Ziwei Master opened his eyes in surprise. If the disciple could accurately name the ingredient, had he already taken the Golden Nectar and Jade Liquid Pill? In that case, it wouldn¡¯t be feasible to choose the Purple Mansion secret medicine. Qiu Changtian showed no signs of disappointment because his Refining Mansion cultivation was already at Perfection. Having the Purple Mansion secret medicine would be useless to him; it would be better to consider other rewards. The ¡®Secret Scripture of the Azure and Scarlet Two Qi,¡¯ being a subsidiary spell volume of the ¡®Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra,¡¯ also truly interested him-as his True Yuan was extremely abundant at the moment, learning extra Daoist techniques to increase his combat strength seemed beneficial. Nevertheless, Qiu Changtian hadn¡¯t forgotten what the present priority was. ¡°Master.¡± He asked earnestly, ¡°May I know if this Azure Cloud Crimson Ribbon Dust Brush can withstand the might of the Heavenly Tribulation?¡± After a moment of silence, the Ziwei Master said: ¡°` ¡°This horsetail whisk is similar to your Immortal Sword; the more robust your True Yuan, the greater the power it will unleash.¡± ¡°` Oh! Qiu Changtian instantly understood. The more robust the True Yuan, the greater the power it would unleash, which meant this thing was a big consumer of True Yuan. In a normal magical competition, of course, I wouldn¡¯t fear that kind of True Yuan consumption, but now I was to transcend the Heavenly Tribulation. I needed to devote one hundred and twenty percent of my energy to face it. Even a tiny bit of True Yuan had to be conserved. How could I possibly use a treasure that voraciously consumed True Yuan? Besides, wielding a horsetail whisk really didn¡¯t fit my style¡­ So it seemed my only choice was the ¡°Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra¡±. However, the Daoist techniques in this Secret Scripture also consumed True Yuan. What I actually needed most were treasures that saved True Yuan and could deal with the Heavenly Tribulation! While Qiu Changtian was pondering, the Ziwei Master saw through his thoughts and asked, ¡°How many years has it been since your Refining Mansion cultivation reached its current level?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just waiting for Core Formation,¡± Qiu Changtian said ambiguously. ¡°In that case, what you need are things to deal with the Heavenly Tribulation,¡± the Ziwei Master immediately understood that none of the three rewards met his needs. ¡°A Second Grade Golden Core will face horrific threats in the Heavenly Tribulation. Fortunately, you have Daoist Heart Clarity and aren¡¯t afraid of foreign demons. You only need to focus on facing the Tribulation Lightning.¡± ¡°For a High Grade Golden Core, the Tribulation Lightning is mostly Five Elements Tribulation. Among them, the Yang Tribulation is the fiercest, followed by the Yin Tribulation. Metal and Fire are the most terrifying, followed by Water and Earth, with Wood even less so.¡± ¡°If you want to prepare in advance, it¡¯s best to prioritize dealing with Geng Metal and Bing Fire Tribulation Lightning.¡± ¡°Disciple understands,¡± Qiu Changtian said earnestly. The Five Elements Tribulation Thunder was the most terrifying of all Heavenly Tribulations (after all, the Yin Yang Tribulation only existed in legends), but it could ultimately be restrained by the Five Elements Ultimate Extermination Divine Light because it was still within the Five Elements. But the problem was the Five Elements Ultimate Extermination Divine Light was also a major consumer of True Yuan¡­ No, to be more precise, a colossal consumer. If it weren¡¯t for his cultivation of the Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra and over eight hundred years of Refining Mansion cultivation, he probably couldn¡¯t use this technique as a combat method at all-activating it, and in less than half a second it would falter. How then could he fight? Unless he encountered something unstoppable and terrifying within the tribulation, only then could he use the Five Elements Divine Light for defense. But to say it could be a regular tactic was pure fantasy. Seeing Qiu Changtian frown deeply, the Ziwei Master slowly said, ¡°All your strength lies in Daoist techniques and the Flying Sword. The techniques themselves are huge consumers, and the Tianyuan Yiqi Sword also requires a lot of True Yuan support. During the tribulation, these will be your burden.¡± ¡°What you should do now is to look for formations or magical treasures to aid you, which might offer a chance for reversal.¡± ¡°In the way of formations, Elder Shi Ding of the Penglai Heavenly Craft Workshop is the most profound specialist. Your master is acquainted with him. I¡¯ll go and ask a favor from him this time, so in this regard, you can be at ease.¡± On hearing this, Qiu Changtian was shocked and deeply moved. To know that the Ziwei Master, as a Sect Leader, what could he lack? How precious must his favor be? Yet, my master was actually willing, for the sake of his disciple, to ask a favor from Elder Shi Ding¡­ Putting it nicely, it¡¯s asking a favor, but bluntly, it¡¯s begging someone! There¡¯s no need, truly no need! Master, actually, I¡¯m even more familiar with Elder Shi Ding than you! I¡¯ve already received his formation inheritance. His daughter will be under my care in the future. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only And even his Heavenly Craft Workshop will be mine to inherit! Of course, these were things Qiu Changtian could never directly say to the Ziwei Master. He merely pretended to be distressed and said softly, ¡°Master, during one of my secret realm explorations, I came across an ancient formation method¡­¡± The Ziwei Master looked at him in surprise, feeling somewhat moved inside. What ancient formation could be comparable to the designs of Elder Shi Ding? This kind-hearted child, he doesn¡¯t want me to ask someone for a favor! Chapter 468 Chapter 468: Chapter 101: Acquiring Treasures in Kunlun, Return to Shushan Chapter 468: Chapter 101: Acquiring Treasures in Kunlun, Return to Shushan ¡°Since you don¡¯t need a Formation, I will find you another Magical Treasure,¡± said the Ziwei Master in a deep voice. ¡°Among the Five Elements Tribulation Thunder, the Geng Metal and Bing Fire Thunders are the most ferocious. According to the principle of the generating and overcoming cycles of the Five Elements, Water System Magical Treasures should be used to counter them.¡± ¡°In the Fenbao Rock of Kunlun, there is an item called the ¡®Yunlang Frost Ice Pot,¡¯ which contains a large amount of Yunlang Frost Ice. It can restrain the Metal and Fire Thunders, and activating it only consumes the ice within, without the need for too much True Yuan.¡± ¡°However, this Magical Treasure will not benefit you afterwards. Therefore, as the Sect Leader, I have taken it upon myself to request permission from the immortals to lend it to you temporarily, to be returned after you pass the tribulation.¡± ¡°If this item remains undamaged by the Heavenly Tribulation, you may choose a reward from the White Jade Capital after returning it to Fenbao Rock. If it is unfortunately destroyed, the reward will be forfeited to compensate for it. How does that sound?¡± Qiu Changtian was silent for a moment, then stepped back half a step and prostrated on the ground: ¡°I am endlessly grateful for Master¡¯s great kindness,¡± he said. ¡°There¡¯s no need for such formalities,¡± the Ziwei Master said, waving his horsetail whisk, making him feel as though his knees were rusted and he could not bow down, ¡°If you truly feel grateful, then see to it that you successfully overcome this Second Grade Heavenly Tribulation. That would be the greatest contribution to our Sect and to the Kunlun Taiqing Sect.¡± wuxiaworld.site I just can¡¯t anymore, I feel like crying. I think I¡¯m really a scoundrel, wishing I could just dig a hole and bury myself in it. It took him quite a while, about four or five seconds, for Qiu Changtian to finally suppress his boundless emotions deep within his heart and bow deeply to the Ziwei Master once more. Leaving the Jade Void Palace, he then went to Fenbao Rock. Similar to the Fire Element Cave of Shushan, Fenbao Rock was a treasure trove of Kunlun, and both the entrance and the method of entry were top secret, completely unknown. Qiu Changtian passed on the Ziwei Master¡¯s message, and after Elder Ge of the guarding team confirmed it, he turned and entered the inner sanctum of Fenbao Rock. ???g?.?? After the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, Elder Ge brought out a jade pot with an elegant design. ¡°This is the Yunlang Frost Ice Pot,¡± Elder Ge cautioned, ¡°Simply activate it with your True Yuan to release a large amount of Yunlang Frost Ice to block your enemy¡¯s attack. Even a Nascent Soul Cultivator would need to expend a considerable effort to break through its defense.¡± ¡°But remember, although it doesn¡¯t require much True Yuan to activate, the Yunlang Frost Ice within it is not unlimited. Once depleted, it needs to be placed on the peak of Yanran Mountain in the northern deserts for thirty years to replenish the ice.¡± Knowing that Elder Ge was warning him not to waste, Qiu Changtian seriously agreed. To think that the Yunlang Frost Ice Pot was of such a high rank that it could withstand attacks from Nascent Soul Rank! Thankfully, activating this item only required expending the stored ice and not his own True Yuan, otherwise, given its Rank, it would likely be another big drain on his True Yuan. But his master was right; this device came with a limitation on use. It was suitable for temporarily dealing with the Heavenly Tribulation but was not fit to be a long-term personal Magical Treasure. Thinking of this, Qiu Changtian once again sincerely felt gratitude for the Ziwei Master¡¯s promise that, ¡°after passing the tribulation, you may exchange this item for a different reward.¡± ¡°Ah Jing!¡± he commanded in his heart, ¡°Load the save and go to Ling Yunpo to claim the Sect¡¯s reward!¡± ¡­ At Ling Yunpo, following the events that had already transpired in history, he witnessed the final match between Qiu Changtian and An Zhisu. After Senior Sister An was defeated, he eagerly went down to comfort her. Then, he noticed that Senior Sister An¡¯s gaze seemed a bit peculiar as she looked at him. This can¡¯t be her recognizing me, can it? Ling Yunpo wanted to explain, but Senior Sister An didn¡¯t say anything; she just smiled and said: ¡°The competition is over, let¡¯s go back.¡± This caused Ling Yunpo¡¯s prepared words to be naturally stuck in his throat. It¡¯s not as if he could say, ¡°Senior Sister, your look seems to be doubting me; let me explain, actually I am not¡­,¡± which would really be giving away that there¡¯s ¡®silver¡¯ where there shouldn¡¯t be any. The two returned to the Shushan encampment at Mount Tianmu. During these days, quite a few cultivators came to visit, attempting to make acquaintances with Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu. After all, being ranked second and third on the list, it never hurt to become familiar with their faces. Ling Yunpo courteously dealt with the visitors. Of course, due to his ¡®unyielding¡¯ persona, he couldn¡¯t use Qiu Changtian¡¯s approach which was akin to a breath of spring, and could only act like an honest and straightforward young man. Fortunately, this persona seemed to fit everyone¡¯s perception of a Shushan rustic quite well, so there were no discordant incidents. Senior Sister An, however, didn¡¯t fare as well. Having never been taught by Su Jian the art of suave social interaction (whether Su Jian himself knew it was another question), Senior Sister An didn¡¯t know what to say on which occasions, often speaking her mind bluntly, which left people speechless. Ling Yunpo gave her a suggestion: First, she should keep a smile and not say anything throughout the encounter. Second, whenever someone asked a question, she should simply nod and hum in agreement. Then, Ling Yunpo would step in to answer for her. Finally, after the answer, Senior Sister An would laugh and echo with an ¡°Indeed, that¡¯s true.¡± Relying on this four-hit combo tactic, they managed to get through most of the cultivators¡¯ attempts at conversation, causing Ling Yunpo to have to admit that he was quite the clever devil. Yet, while An Zhisu was nodding and murmuring agreements, the look she gave Ling Yunpo still contained bewilderment and doubt. What exactly was the relationship between her junior brother and Qiu Changtian? It was strange when she thought about it. What kind of relationship could there be? It was nothing more than using the same spells. However, An Zhisu couldn¡¯t shake off a persistent, strange sense of dissonance. She recalled feeling this dissonance from her junior brother before, like a familiar family member who had suddenly become someone else¡­ And Qiu Changtian gave her the same feeling when he defeated her, prompting her to link Qiu Changtian to her own junior brother. Regardless, all of this was just a feeling, without any solid proof to clarify anything. Therefore, An Zhisu buried it in her heart, choosing not to mention it for now¡­ or perhaps it would resurface whenever a second similar opportunity arose. After three days, the Shushan group rode their swords, returning over the Yangtze River to Bashu. An Zhisu, Ling Yunpo, and the other six were led by the Jade Capital Sect Leader to the Ancestral Hall. After paying homage to their ancestors, they received public praise, and the sect reward was to enter the third level of the Fire Element Cave again, each choosing one treasure to take. Ling Yunpo was secretly delighted upon hearing this, thinking back to his last visit to the third level where he had encountered the incomplete scrolls of the Purple Mansion Thunder and the Great Sun True Yang Fire, but he had to prioritize taking the Purple Mansion Secret Medicine, the Mercurial Elixir Liquid, first. Wasn¡¯t this the perfect opportunity to make up for that? Wait, no! The most pressing matter at hand was to survive the Heavenly Tribulation! Purple Mansion Thunder was the seventh of ten thunders, and he already mastered the first six, so this seventh thunder wouldn¡¯t provide much help for the tribulation. The Great Sun True Yang Fire, on the other hand, could be worth considering; if he could refine it into the Postnatal Five Elements Great Extermination Divine Light, he could turn its fire element crimson light from acquired nature to innate. Furthermore, considering that the most troublesome among the Five Elements Tribulation Thunders was the Bing Fire Divine Thunder, having the innate fire element crimson light would give him much more composure in dealing with it. Besides this, he had to find another magical treasure from the third level of the Fire Element Cave to serve as a reserve for confronting the Heavenly Tribulation. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Ah, it¡¯s all thanks to my wit to have borrowed items from Kunlun first, and then moved to Shushan to claim treasures. Other cultivators don¡¯t have such abundant resources to face the Heavenly Tribulation, do they? Sects can¡¯t possibly provide unlimited support either. If I can¡¯t overcome the tribulation with all this, then I might as well smash Ah Jing! ¡°Huh?¡± the Kunlun Mirror asked in confusion, ¡°Why would you smash me?¡± ¡°If I were to perish under the Heavenly Tribulation, this world would be devoid of a savior, destined for destruction,¡± Ling Yunpo said with a laugh, ¡°Ah Jing, if you can¡¯t help me through the tribulation and the world meets its unfortunate end, who else should I smash but you?¡± The Kunlun Mirror was completely dumbfounded. Chapter 469 Chapter 469: Chapter 102: Penglai Rewards, What¡¯s This Thing Chapter 469: Chapter 102: Penglai Rewards, What¡¯s This Thing In the depths of the Fire Element Cave, sword light swirled around Ling Yunpo as he quickly skimmed past one cave after another. Inside each cave lay a rare treasure, emitting a faint, mysterious glow. He still remembered his last visit here, when his eyes nearly dazzled with greed, yearning to sweep away all the treasures. However, the Ling Yunpo of today was no longer the greenhorn from the countryside, but rather a seasoned Ling Yunpo who had seen much of the world. Ordinary magical treasures didn¡¯t even merit a glance from him, alright? The first thing he skipped was the Flying Sword. Now that Ling Yunpo had three swords, his life-bound sword artifact was the Green Duckweed Sword and definitely couldn¡¯t be replaced; the secondary sword, the Thunder Punishment Sword, served as a lovely broadcaster and could counter Heavenly Tribulation and metallic substances, so there was no need for a change there either. The second secondary sword was the Myriad Bamboos Sword, its speed and agility allowed it to split into sword qi, so Ling Yunpo had no intention of changing this one, either. In that case, unless he stumbled upon an exceptional and high-ranked Tianyuan Yiqi Sword, there was no need to waste an opportunity on another sword. Next, he skipped over the Daoist Scripture Scrolls and purple mansion secret medicines¡­all of them. What I need now is a magical treasure! Passing by the Great Sun True Yang Fire, Ling Yunpo didn¡¯t hesitate to ignore it. After all, with only two chances, if there was a better treasure suited for blocking Heavenly Tribulation, the Great Sun True Yang Fire could be forsaken! As he passed by the magical treasures, there was no need for Ling Yunpo¡¯s reminder; the Kunlun Mirror began to comment immediately after scanning: wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co However, it consumes a considerable amount of True Yuan, and its functionality overlaps with your Yunlang Frost Ice Pot.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s move on,¡± Ling Yunpo said coldly. ¡°How about that magical treasure just now?¡± The Green Duckweed Sword cheerfully asked, ¡°The Purifying Bottle of True Dew, drinking from it can restore True Yuan and regenerate flesh and bones.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need it,¡± sighed Ling Yunpo, ¡°Though the True Dew refines faster, it still needs refining. I doubt the Heavenly Tribulation would grant me that time.¡± Moving from the top caves to the bottom ones, he stressed again to the Kunlun Mirror and the Green Duckweed Sword: ¡°This time, I¡¯m looking for magical treasures that can be activated quickly, consume little True Yuan, and preferably can attack or defend on a large scale-a high-rank magical treasure.¡± ¡°Is there a chance that what you¡¯re describing is Xu Yinglian?¡± joked the Kunlun Mirror. ¡°Are you sick, Ah Jing!¡± exclaimed Ling Yunpo, ¡°One must not interfere in another¡¯s tribulation, otherwise one risks entanglement with Karma!¡± ¡°Of course I know that,¡± said the Kunlun Mirror aggrievedly, ¡°I was just joking.¡± Ling Yunpo laughed expressionlessly for a few beats: ¡°Haha, you¡¯re really humorous. Anyway, the problem now is that magical treasures that meet the above requirements tend to be of low rank.¡± ¡°And those of high rank don¡¯t meet the requirements.¡± ¡°That¡¯s to be expected,¡± answered the Green Duckweed Sword, ¡°You are currently on the third level of the Fire Element Cave, where the magical artifacts are suitable for Refining Mansion cultivators.¡± ¡°The power of the First Grade Golden Core Heavenly Tribulation you will face far exceeds the defensive capabilities of Refining Mansion rank magical artifacts. It¡¯s not wrong to say that these treasures are of low rank; it just means that those that suit you are rare in this layer of the Fire Element Cave.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± nodded Ling Yunpo, ¡°if it really comes down to it, I¡¯ll just take that Thunder Method scripture fragment¡­ ???G?.?? Eh?¡± As he browsed the last few caves, Ling Yunpo suddenly halted. Inside this cave, conspicuously placed was a hammer ¨C a sight he did not recall from his last visit. Its appearance was exceedingly plain and unrefined; four words to describe it would be ¡°clumsy, big, gray, and coarse.¡± Yet, engraved upon the hammer was a series of Immortal Seal Script that Ling Yunpo recognized¡­ or more accurately, that Qiu Changtian recognized. They matched the characters depicted in the charts within the Five Thunders True Law! If I remember correctly, Qiu Changtian also obtained a similar awl from the treasure vault in the Western Queen Mother¡¯s secret realm. Hammer, awl, both engraved with the same Immortal Seal Script and arranged in a highly similar fashion (both are arranged vertically) could these two be a pair? According to the Daoist from the Shenxiao Thunder Sect, this awl is the magical treasure for learning the eighth type of Thunder Method, ¡°Tai Xiao Thunder.¡± Since it is a Thunder-related magical treasure, could it have any effect on the tribulation lightning of a First Grade Golden Core? ¡°Ah Jing, I¡¯m asking you!¡± Ling Yunpo urged. ¡°This¡­¡± the Kunlun Mirror hesitated, ¡°I think it should be somewhat useful.¡± ¡°The Immortal Seal Script inscribed on it means ¡®Lightning Flashes and Thunder Rolls.¡¯ ¡°If used together with Thor¡¯s Awl, it might have some effect on the tribulation lightning.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Ling Yunpo said proudly, ¡°Then I¡¯ll choose this one!¡± Taking out Thor¡¯s Hammer quickly, Ling Yunpo then went back to get the Great Sun True Yang Fire before returning to the Master at the entrance of the Fire Element Cave. At this point, the timer of an incense stick was about to run out, and everyone else had already chosen their rewards. Seeing Ling Yunpo finally return, An Zhisu smiled softly and came over to link arms with him. The group, led by the real person of Shushan, left the Fire Element Cave and then each returned to their respective peaks. Returning to Qingluo Peak, Ling Yunpo found out that Senior Sister An had chosen two types of Purple Mansion secret medicines that could cumulatively add a hundred years of Refining Mansion cultivation. This is very good; if Sister can truly advance to Second Grade Golden Core, I would have done my duty to Master! After sending Senior Sister An into the secret chamber to refine the Purple Mansion secret medicines, Ling Yunpo said in a deep voice: ¡°Ah Jing, transport to Penglai!¡± At this time, the grand competition of the White Jade Capital was not yet over, and Luo Yan was still feigning illness, contentedly accepting Miss Shi¡¯s care. Next came the final competition, where Qiu Changtian won first place, the ranks of the top twelve in the White Jade Capital were set, everyone went to the secret realm to attend the concert, and after it ended, they recited the lyrics to the Sect Leaders. Upon returning to Yuqing View, Luo Yan and Shi Liuli did not receive the warm welcome they had imagined. Although everyone was tactful and knew that it was commendable for Penglai to have made it into the top twelve of the White Jade Capital, they couldn¡¯t receive them too grandly now, so as not to provoke laughter from allies. The Sect Leader of Xuan Du merely gave a brief overview to the Elders who hadn¡¯t gone to the secret realm of the White Jade Capital about the two¡¯s achievements. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Elder Shi Ding laughed heartily, as if his disciple and daughter had not just made it into the top twelve but had won first place in the White Jade Capital¡­ which, in a certain sense, was not wrong. After the Sect Leader of Xuandu had spoken, the Elders began to heap praise on them, and Elder Shi Ding humbly accepted the compliments with an expression of utmost pride. Several days later, Elder Shi Ding called Luo Yan over and solemnly took out a jade slip from his sleeve, saying: ¡°Luo Yan, the Qi Refining Technique of our Heavenly Craft Workshop is too low in rank, which will hinder the advancement of your cultivation level in the future.¡± ¡°Taking this into account, the View has made a special trip to Kunlun to seek the Qi Refining Technique ¡®Green Essence Purple Book¡¯ for you, as a reward for your performance in the White Jade Capital competition.¡± ¡°Although the ¡®Green Essence Purple Book¡¯ may not compare to the ¡®Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra,¡¯ it is considered extremely outstanding among Qi Refining Techniques.¡± ¡°Take it and study it carefully; if there is anything you don¡¯t understand, come and ask me.¡± Luo Yan:¡­¡­¡­ ¡°Thank you, Master.¡± Though internally he was crying a river, he still feigned an expression of unexpected joy and gratefully said, ¡°By the way, I have some questions regarding formations that I would like to ask Master.¡± You have pocketed the reward from the White Jade Capital competition; you must help me figure out the tribulation formation! Chapter 470 Chapter 470: Chapter 103 Transcending Heavenly Tribulation Chapter 470: Chapter 103 Transcending Heavenly Tribulation The Formation to deal with the Heavenly Tribulation had been determined to be the ¡°Nine Curves Yellow River Formation¡± after consultation and discussion with Elder Shi Ding. Although as the heir of the Heavenly Craft Workshop, Luo Yan had learned various kinds of Daoist magic, when it came to defensive and enemy-trapping capabilities, there really was nothing that could match this notoriously fierce Intercepting Cult Formation from the past, the Nine Curves Yellow River. Moreover, the location chosen by Long Long for crossing the tribulation, above the East Sea in the Eastern Emperor Realm, was even more advantageous for the Nine Curves Yellow River Formation to exhibit its strength. As they chatted, Elder Shi Ding also noticed that Luo Yan, this youngster, seemed to be very concerned about ¡°Formation against large-scale attacks.¡± Could it be that my disciple is about to undergo the Heavenly Tribulation? Upon careful consideration, Elder Shi Ding realized Luo Yan was different from the other disciples; he did not like to stay inside the Heavenly Craft Workshop to engage in academic activities but often went out in search of adventures. To be precise, he was often taken out to play by his own daughter¡­ Elder Shi Ding remembered the last time the two of them nearly got trapped in Kuocang Mountain. So, did he find enough of the Purple Mansion¡¯s secret medicine in those mystical realms outside? Has he accumulated two hundred years of Refining Mansion Cultivation? It was embarrassing to say, but even as Luo Yan¡¯s master, Elder Shi Ding usually only cared about his proficiency in formations and his relationship progress with his daughter. Regarding this disciple¡¯s cultivation realm and combat strength, he knew nothing at all. Feeling somewhat ashamed of this, and to maintain the dignity of the master-disciple relationship, he didn¡¯t feel comfortable asking Luo Yan directly. Instead, after Luo Yan excused himself and left, he quietly went to find his own daughter, Shi Liuli. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site ¡°My Refining Mansion cultivation?¡± Shi Liuli was startled for a moment, then quickly began calculating, ¡°Father, the first Purple Mansion secret medicine I ever took was Mercurial Elixir Liquid, which is equivalent to sixty years of Refining Mansion cultivation.¡± ¡°Then I went with my junior brother to the Five Qi Dynasty Yuan Cave and absorbed the Dynasty Yuan Spiritual Energy, that¡¯s another fifty years of cultivation.¡± ¡°Followed by the flower petals of the Jade Pond Golden Lotus in the treasure vault of Lianshan, along with my junior brother, which accounts for thirty years.¡± ¡°And finally, there¡¯s the Vermil-ground Pill before the top twelve competition in White Jade Capital, also thirty years of cultivation.¡± ¡°In total, that¡¯s one hundred and seventy years of cultivation.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± murmured Elder Shi Ding, stroking his beard, and he had some understanding. Shi Liuli was already at one hundred seventy years, and Luo Yan¡¯s situation was likely similar since these experiences were all shared between the two. In another thirty years (perhaps even shorter), they would reach the threshold of two-hundred years for the High Grade Golden Core. It was normal for him to be inquiring about the matters of Transcending Heavenly Tribulation in advance. However, Luo Yan only entered the Heavenly Craft Workshop twenty years ago, considering the time since he reached the Refining Mansion stage and the remaining lifespan he had, he still had at least one hundred and fifty years to cultivate. With visits to several secret realms, and if he asked the Wan Xiang Immortal for help, with exceptionally good luck, perhaps he could push forward to four hundred years! Although it becomes harder to continue accumulating Refining Mansion cultivation as one advances, since many readily available Purple Mansion secret medicines would have already been taken, it still wouldn¡¯t hurt to try. Therefore, Elder Shi Ding called Luo Yan back, lecturing him about the unprofitability of overly ambitious undertakings and pointed out the gap between a Second Grade Golden Core and a Third Grade Golden Core, roughly the same as the difference in strength between Qiu Changtian and Shi Liuli. Luo Yan listened with amusement inside, but he knew that Elder Shi Ding was worried about him rushing into Core Formation. He might have the chance to aim for a Second Grade but only achieve a Third Grade, leaving his Daoist Foundation not solid enough. With that in mind, I guess I won¡¯t be able to explain this level of strength to my master after I achieve Core Formation. Well, since there is Ah Jing¡¯s Illusion Technique, I don¡¯t need to worry about my master detecting my true cultivation level. I¡¯ll deal with it when the time comes. Luo Yan dismissed Elder Shi Ding¡¯s concerns and went back to his residence. He refined the Great Sun True Yang Fire obtained from the Shushan Fire Element Cave into the Five Elements Divine Light. Then, he teleported directly to Long Long¡¯s location. After all, Wei Dongliu did not have a master or a sect, the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword was subdued by force, and like the Flying Asura, it could not be trusted. The Hundred Poison Golden Silkworm Gu would probably not be very useful either, so he decided not to rely on them. ???g?.?? Upon reaching Jianmu Island in the Eastern Emperor Realm, Long Long took the opportunity to leave the Azure Dragon Clan territory and flew eastward by controlling his sword. Only when he was within a radius of a thousand li and the vast ocean stretched as far as the eye could see, devoid of any trace of other cultivators¡¯ activity, did Long Long finally stop and begin to set up the Nine Curves Yellow River Formation on the spot. He suspended the cauldron vessel in midair, followed by three hundred and sixty formation flags, scattering them all into the surrounding space. Originally, according to the mechanism of the Nine Curves Yellow River Formation, a Bewitching Immortal Pill could be placed within the cauldron vessel, so the formation could actively attack the outside world. Using golden light to seal people¡¯s cultivation level and draw them into the formation. However, first, the Bewitching Immortal Pill was in the possession of Jiang the Witch, and second, what they were confronting this time was Heavenly Tribulation. What use was there in attacking actively? If they could keep the Tribulation Lightning out, they¡¯d be grateful enough, let alone actively drawing it into the formation-was he eager to hasten his own demise? Therefore, he did not bother to search through Wei Dongliu¡¯s archives or ask Jiang the Witch to retrieve the Bewitching Immortal Pill. Instead, he chose to set up a purely defensive Nine Curves Yellow River Formation. With a life-and-death battle imminent, Long Long methodically arranged the formation, showing no signs of tension on his face. The Kunlun Mirror, on the other hand, was somewhat restless and quietly asked the Green Duckweed Sword: ¡°Do you think he can successfully transcend the Heavenly Tribulation this time?¡± ¡°If it were someone else, I wouldn¡¯t be sure,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword responded, ¡°but if it¡¯s him¡­ if he wasn¡¯t confident, do you think he would dare to attempt transcending this tribulation?¡± The Kunlun Mirror fell silent for a moment before saying: ¡°You make a valid point.¡± Although they weren¡¯t very confident in his strength, both the mirror and the sword were quite aware of his character, believing that with his ability to adapt, he would surely survive the First Grade Core Condensation Tribulation. Having completed the formation setup, Long Long then sat upright in the center of the vast Nine Curves Yellow River Formation. He had Ah Jing switch him directly to Qiu Changtian¡¯s template to obtain the innate talent of Daoist Heart Clarity, immune to the Heavenly Demon. The Green Duckweed Sword, Thunder Punishment Sword, and Myriad Bamboos Sword surrounded his body, the Tianyuan Yiqi Sword stood behind him, and the Huangting Kunwu Sword lay across his knees. The Heavenly Craft Treasure Bag hung at his waist, the Yunlang Frost Ice Pot nestled in his bosom, Thor¡¯s Awl in his left hand, and Thor¡¯s Hammer in his right. He slowly adjusted his breathing and, only when he reached his optimal state, did Qiu Changtian begin to circulate the Core Formation mental method of the ¡°Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra.¡± First, he activated the Daoist True Yuan within the Jade Mansion, separating it into True Yang and True Yin, two distinct types of pure True Yuan. As Qiu Changtian had ingested five kinds of secret medicines of the Purple Mansion, embodying all Five Elements, and with the aid of Yinhui Yuanshen Water and other supportive elixirs, the True Yang and True Yin in his Dantian were incredibly pure, containing not even a trace of impurities. Soon, he transformed the True Yang into the shape of an Azure Dragon and the True Yin into the shape of a White Tiger, preparing to commence the Dragon and Tiger synergy. As the True Yuan of the Dragon and Tiger emerged, dense clouds of Tribulation also rapidly formed in the sky¡­ For Core Formation usurped the creation of heaven and earth, and defying nature to form a core would inevitably invite backlash. Qiu Changtian remained unfazed, merely lifting his eyelids slightly to look at the sky. Inside the Dantian, the Dragon and Tiger continued to spiral around each other, seizing the remaining True Yuan from the Qi Sea to bolster themselves. According to the Core Formation mental method, the first step to create a First Grade perfect Golden Core was to transform True Yuan into Dragon and Tiger. The second step was to derive String Qi from the Dragon and Tiger. The Azure Dragon True Yuan, being of wood, corresponded to String Qi of fire and would transform into the Vermilion Bird; White Tiger True Yuan, being of metal, corresponded to String Qi of water and would transform into Xuanwu. The third step, ¡°When wood, fire, metal, and water unite, Dragon and Tiger harmonize in nature, all four symbols converge at the center, the achievement reverts to Earth, symbolized by Wu and Ji,¡± meant that once all four symbols of True Yuan were ready, then they would generate Earth System True Yuan in the center of the Jade Mansion, referred to as ¡°the Old Mother.¡± It would merge all four symbol True Yuans, and the First Grade Golden Core would be formed. With these thoughts in mind, he saw that the Tribulation clouds had grown extremely thick overhead, nearly blocking out all sunlight. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Below, the sea was tumultuously churning as if a storm was approaching, dimming the light of sun and moon. The atmosphere between heaven and earth darkened, with fierce winds and rain whipping against the face, intensifying the aura of solemnity and danger. Qiu Changtian ignored everything and continued to sit and cultivate, circulating the True Yuan in his Dantian, allowing the Dragon and the Tiger to keep roaming and growing within the Jade Mansion. Then, those Tribulation clouds became even heavier, as if unable to bear the weight any longer, releasing the thunder within-manifesting as countless bright white orbs of light, fluttering down like goose feathers in heavy snow. The first wave of this Five Elements Tribulation was actually the most perilous Pure Yang Metal Thunder from within the Five Elements Tribulation! Chapter 471 Chapter 471: Chapter 104 Five Elements Tribulation Thunder, Various Changes Chapter 471: Chapter 104 Five Elements Tribulation Thunder, Various Changes Pure Yang Geng Metal Thunder is the most ferocious of all the Five Elements Tribulations. Metal possesses a sharp energy, and the lethality of Geng Metal is particularly severe, while Pure Yang can double its potency. Simply put, Pure Yang Geng Metal Thunder is a combination of three ferocious forces, fierce upon fierce. After a moment of silence, Qiu Changtian sent out a burst of Sword Qi from the Myriad Bamboos Sword, tentatively striking upwards. As the Sword Qi struck a bright white thunderball, the thunderball suddenly exploded, releasing a dense mass of Geng Metal energy that splattered in all directions. This Geng Metal energy quickly set off more bright white thunderballs around it, unleashing even more Geng Metal energy¡­like a chain reaction of a nuclear bomb, the number and scale of the Sword Qi soon reached a horrifying extent, falling from the sky like a deluge. Qiu Changtian: !!! He had just enough time to activate the Nine Curves Yellow River Formation before he was engulfed by the blinding white light. Upon activation of the Nine Curves Yellow River Formation, dark winds and black fog billowed up, dense as the sea, vast as the ocean. The first wave of Geng Metal energy that plunged into the Nine Curves Yellow River Formation was like mud entering the sea, vanishing without a trace. Following that came the second wave, the third, the fourth, and the fifth waves, each causing the Nine Curves Yellow River Formation to recede at a visible speed¡­ This alarming sight made Qiu Changtian hastily trigger the sword Dao Technique ¡°Green Mist Veil Over the Mountains¡± from the Qing Ping Sword, spreading out a large expanse of the Dense Fog Forbidden Law. As the Sword Qi dropped into the thick fog, it gradually disappeared without a trace. Qiu Changtian breathed a sigh of relief, only to see that one-third of the formation flags of the Nine Curves Yellow River Formation had been completely destroyed by the Pure Yang Geng Metal Thunder. wuxiaworld.site As everyone knows, if a formation is set up to defend against a Heavenly Tribulation, the power of the tribulation will correspondingly increase. But if no formation is set up, what can be used to block these tribulations? With a heavy sigh, Qiu Changtian took out an Elixir Bottle from his embrace, but before he could take any pills, he saw the tribulation clouds grow even denser, suddenly releasing a great number of orbs of light. This time, the orbs were black, faint as cloud ink, dense as stars, three times faster than the Pure Yang Geng Metal Thunder, pressing down like an angry swarm of bees. Xuan Yin Gui Water Thunder! The second wave of the Five Elements Tribulation arrived so quickly that there wasn¡¯t even time to consume an Elixir! Qiu Changtian did not dare to delay, learning from the previous lesson, he didn¡¯t rashly use any means to explore but immediately stimulated the Myriad Bamboos Sword, transforming it into countless Sword Qi that flew upwards with the Sword Control Technique. The Sword Qi of the Wood System clashed with the Xuan Yin Water Thunder, with the sound of annihilation echoing endlessly; only with Qiu Changtian¡¯s profound True Yuan was he able to create so much Wood System Sword Qi. However, as the faint ink-colored Xuan Yin Water Thunder was dispersed by the attacks of the Myriad Bamboos Sword Qi, they divided into many smaller black orbs, and Qiu Changtian¡¯s sweat poured coldly. So, this Tribulation Thunder even comes with a self-splitting feature after death? It wasn¡¯t long before Qiu Changtian realized it was futile to fight the Xuan Yin Gui Water Thunder with Sword Qi. Since Gui Water is the water of eternal regeneration, the more it is combatted, the more it multiplies; eventually, the Sword Qi would be completely outnumbered by the Tribulation Thunder, and then a deluge of it would descend, consuming the formation flags of the Nine Curves Yellow River Formation. A broad-range attack technique is needed! Qiu Changtian furrowed his brow, as possible trump cards flashed through his mind. He then performed a Daoist formula and pointed toward the sky. Acquired Great Five Elements Extermination Divine Light! The Water System Sword Technique of the Qing Ping Sword was compatible with the Xuan Yin Water Thunder, just as the Yunlang Frost Ice Pot was useless; the Sword Dao Techniques of the Myriad Bamboos Sword and Thunder Punishment Sword were both multi-layered Dao Techniques, such as generating a certain number of Sword Qi, etc., without a truly wide-area type Dao Technique like ¡°Green Mist Veil Over the Mountains.¡± As for Heavenly Craft¡¯s Treasure Bag, or any spare Flying Swords, those were one-time consumables, not to be used here. Under the Heavenly Tribulation, hesitation is a great taboo! Qiu Changtian stimulated his True Yuan, sweeping the Divine Light across the sky filled with Xuan Shui Yin Thunder, instantly clearing the overwhelming Yin Thunder. Hastily dispersing the Five Elements Divine Light, Qiu Changtian realized he had consumed one-sixth of his True Yuan. Even though he had been prepared, it still pained him greatly. The Dragon and Tiger True Yuan within his Dantian continued to circulate, but the reduction in the total amount of True Yuan slowed down their self-strengthening actions. Quickly tossing an Elixir into his mouth, Qiu Changtian frantically refined its power, but in less than three breaths, another round of Tribulation Thunder erupted overhead. All eyes were on the tribulation lightning as it descended rapidly like rain, its deep red hue reminiscent of molten lava, twisting the surrounding light with its intense heat. Thunderbolt Bing Fire Thunder! This Thunderbolt Bing Fire Thunder was different from the Samadhi True Fire Thunder; although its power was not as great as the latter¡¯s, the trouble with it was its explosive nature and its extremely wide blast radius, which meant it absolutely could not be allowed to get close. Qiu Changtian took a deep breath and quickly made a decision. He raised the Yunlang Frost Ice Pot, and with the power of his True Yuan, shot the Yunlang Frost Ice upward. The Yunlang Frost Ice collided with the Bing Fire Thunder and immediately triggered it to explode on impact. The high-temperature jet stream and shockwave from the explosion spread hundreds of yards, sweeping through and causing other Thunderbolt Ice Fire Thunders to grow stronger, seemingly absorbing the energy of the exploded Thunderbolt Bing Fire Thunder. ???G?.?? Qiu Changtian: ¡­¡­¡­ Knowing he had no way out, he fully activated the Yunlang Frost Ice Pot, the Yunlang Frost Ice burst forth upwards like a money-no-object, nearly forming a dense barrage. A multitude of Thunderbolt Bing Fire Thunders were detonated by the Yunlang Frost Ice, their spread-out high-temperature jet streams nearly turning the entire sky red. The remaining Bing Fire Thunders grew even more massive, eventually widening to thousands of yards, resembling a blazing sun, having crossed half the sky, and bearing down heavily on Qiu Changtian. Sweat started to form on Qiu Changtian¡¯s forehead, but his expression remained unchanged. The Yunlang Frost Ice was exhausted; it was time to play his next trump card. Ah, got it. It¡¯s just a clash of water and fire. He formed a Sword technique with his hand, and the Green Duckweed Sword shot out rapidly, charging toward the Bing Fire Giant Thunder in the sky. Compared to the miles-wide diameter of the Bing Fire Giant Thunder, the Green Duckweed Sword was akin to a mere toothpick, piercing directly into the heart of the Bing Fire Giant Thunder without stirring a ripple. Qiu Changtian switched Sword techniques and swiftly activated the Sword Dao Techniques ¡°Northern Winds Roll the White Feathers.¡± Powerful Water System Sword Qi burst forth from the Green Duckweed Sword, immediately causing a violent explosion within the Bing Fire Giant Thunder. The maximally charged Bing Fire energy burst forth like a hydrogen bomb exploding in mid-air, pressing down on Qiu Changtian with an irresistible force. Taken by surprise, Qiu Changtian could only pinch a Daoist Formula and unleash the Acquired Great Five Elements Extermination Divine Light once more. The expansive Bing Fire energy, though excessive, was ultimately still part of the Five Elements; swept by the Five Elements Divine Light, it was smothered by snow, extinguishing instantly. Qiu Changtian quickly dispersed the Five Elements Divine Light, only to see that half of his True Yuan was gone. How could one describe his current state of mind with a mere plant name? The Elixir he had taken earlier was still undigested in his stomach; unable to refine it in time, he had to ask for Ah Jing¡¯s help: ¡°Ah Jing, help me buy some time!¡± The Kunlun Mirror sighed and had no choice but to cast an Illusion Technique, concealing Qiu Changtian¡¯s form. One must know that Heavenly Tribulation locks onto a person¡¯s essence, unrelated to the physical body, appearance, or Divine Soul. Thus, evading a tribulation through running away, disguising oneself, or even soul possession is fundamentally impossible. However, the Mirror Flower Water Moon of the Kunlun Mirror is one of the rare Illusion Techniques capable of simulating and disguising one¡¯s essence. In the sky, the tribulation clouds discharged more lightning. This time it was a dense shower of brown stone rain, known as ¡°Wu Ji True Earth Thunder,¡± which was a relatively simple form of tribulation lightning. Clearly, due to the Kunlun Mirror¡¯s deception, there was a misjudgment in the grade rank of the Golden Core cultivated by the cultivator below the tribulation clouds, leading to the reduced power of the tribulation lightning. Qiu Changtian breathed a sigh of relief, composed and composed, as he continued refining the power of the Elixir while raising the Huangting Kunwu Sword, stirring up the Wu Ji True Earth Thunders to buy time. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Pay attention,¡± the Kunlun Mirror suddenly said. ¡°It¡¯s almost impossible to keep the deception going.¡± Qiu Changtian: ? It was then that the tribulation clouds in the sky seemed to pause, then as if in a sudden rage, completely disregarded the fact that the fourth wave of tribulation lightning was not yet over, and began furiously spewing out new lightning bolts from above. This time, it was azure thunder light, rapidly taking the shape of numerous dragons in the sky, the mightiest of the Wood System tribulation lightning, called the ¡°Supreme Taiyi Green Spirit Thunder.¡± Though not as powerful as Bing Fire or Geng Metal, their velocity and agility were extremely high. Even the Huangting Kunwu Sword struggled to keep up with them, as they quickly bypassed the sword¡¯s barrier and rushed towards Qiu Changtian! Chapter 472 Chapter 472: Chapter 105 This Heavenly Tribulation has already passed! Chapter 472: Chapter 105 This Heavenly Tribulation has already passed! The Five Elements Tribulation Thunder shares similarities with the Five Elements Attribute in nature. The Metal System possesses sharpness, strong in focused attacks. The Fire System is fierce, strong in group attacks. The Earth System is thick, with strong defense capabilities. The Water System is subtle and soft, flexible and ever-changing. The Wood System is light, swift, and dexterous. At this moment, the Tai Yi Green Spirit Thunder was exhibiting the ultimate form of the Wood System¡¯s swiftness and dexterity. Despite being a Flying Sword, the Huangting Kunwu Sword, to everyone¡¯s surprise, couldn¡¯t catch up with the speed of the tribulation thunder. Qiu Changtian paused in surprise, his mind instantly flashing with endless thoughts. Firstly, no matter how many techniques you have, they must be able to hit the Heavenly Tribulation. Next, if even the speed of the Flying Sword couldn¡¯t keep up, what kind of method would be required to chase the Tai Yi Green Spirit Thunder? Although the Huangting Kunwu Sword did indeed fly quite slowly. wuxiaworld.site Countless thoughts flickered through his mind, and Qiu Changtian made another decision. Thunder Punishment Sword! Earlier, with the assistance of the Green Duckweed Sword in recalling, the Thunder Punishment Sword finally remembered another purpose of its own. The reason why the ancient Kunlun¡¯s Puhua Zhenren chose lightning to forge the Nine Heavens Thunder Execution Sword was, among other reasons, for crossing the tribulation-specifically, the ¡°Embryo Formation Tribulation¡± associated with advancing to the Nascent Soul Rank. Years of thunder forging endowed the Thunder Punishment Sword with a sort of directional magnetism. Simply put, it could attract tribulation lightning¡­ Qiu Changtian activated the Sword Technique, and with a shriek, the Thunder Punishment Sword was forced to shoot into the sky, the blade beginning to emit pulsing magnetic rays. Like a school of sharks scenting blood, all the randomly flying Tai Yi Green Spirit Thunder turned and chased after the Thunder Punishment Sword. Using the Thunder Punishment Sword to gather these tribulation thunders in one place, Qiu Changtian¡¯s expression became extremely solemn as he carefully continued to manipulate the Thunder Punishment Sword in evasion. Suddenly, he raised his arms lightning-fast and cast four Supreme Jasper Spiritual Talismans upwards in quick succession. This Spirit Talisman, worthy of being a derivative Daoist Magic of the Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra, caused all the Qing-colored tribulation thunders to dim and slow down as it passed through them. Now was the moment! Qiu Changtian vigorously mobilized his remaining True Yuan, chanting the Spell: ¡°Resonate through the three realms, Tai Yi Divine Thunder, break!¡± A blast of Tai Yi Thunder erupted, striking the still-fleeing Thunder Punishment Sword, as well as the surrounding slowed, unable to escape Tai Yi Green Spirit Thunder. All were annihilated by the ensuing shockwave. Qiu Changtian hurriedly refined the medicinal power to rapidly restore the remaining third of his True Yuan, but he secretly heaved a sigh of relief, relaxing inside. ¡°Guan Shui, be careful!¡± the Kunlun Mirror suddenly warned. Qiu Changtian abruptly discovered that a Heart Demon was invading his Sea of Consciousness. To think the Heart Devil Tribulation would come so swiftly; the Five Elements Tribulation had just passed! Fortunately, his innate Daoist Heart Clarity talent not only allowed Qiu Changtian to perceive the intrusion of the Heavenly Demon at any time but also to concentrate his Divine Sense and expel it from his innermost being. Qiu Changtian said nothing, his face as calm as water, as if he hadn¡¯t noticed the presence of the Heart Demon, focusing only on refining the medicinal power and continuing to restore his True Yuan. The Kunlun Mirror wanted to advise again but saw the Green Duckweed Sword return to his side, saying: ¡°Don¡¯t rush, he is buying time.¡± Kunlun Mirror: ¡­¡­¡­ It quickly came to a realization. If Qiu Changtian directly expelled the Heart Demon, then the clouds of tribulation, finding the Heart Devil Tribulation overcome, would rapidly bring upon the final wave of the Yin Yang Tribulation. Conversely, if Qiu Changtian pretended to be overwhelmed, the tribulation clouds would continue to wait for the Heart Demon to succeed, giving him a chance to quietly recover his True Yuan. Oh! Brilliant! Worthy of being Guan Shui, truly cunning! On Qiu Changtian¡¯s side, the act continued, quickly restoring his True Yuan to half, then swallowing another Elixir. At this moment, the Heavenly Demon that invaded the Sea of Consciousness realized something was amiss, as the speed at which it was occupying this person¡¯s mind was simply too slow. It then fully unleashed its virulent Divine Skills, and the rate of erosion rapidly escalated, almost completely taking over Qiu Changtian¡¯s Sea of Consciousness. The Kunlun Mirror became anxious again, wishing it could act and expel this Heart Demon itself. Qiu Changtian appeared to have just noticed as well, showing a panicked expression and beginning to focus his mind on resisting the invasion of the Heart Demon. ???G?.?? On the one hand, he displayed superb acting skills, looking terrified and bewildered, but in reality, he controlled the intensity of his resistance to just match the strength of the Heart Demon. On the other hand, he continued to refine the potency of the elixirs, recovering his True Yuan to two-thirds, three-quarters, seven-eighths¡­ Finally! Once the Qi Sea was replenished and the True Yuan was fully restored, Qiu Changtian immediately discarded all distracting thoughts, concentrated his mind, and directly expelled the Heavenly Demon. The Heavenly Demon was chased out of his body, turning into a thick black mist that rushed towards the tribulation clouds above. Then it was struck by a bolt of lightning from the tribulation clouds, letting out a scream, and the black smoke instantly dissipated without a trace. Qiu Changtian: ¡­¡­¡­. So it¡¯s truly casting aside the millstone to kill the donkey, huh? Oh, that¡¯s not right. The Heavenly Tribulation and the Heart Demon are not on the same side; the Tribulation merely temporarily allowed the Heart Demon to invade. Since the invasion of the Heart Demon had failed, it was of no value to the Heavenly Tribulation, so naturally, eradicating it was a matter of course. At this point, he had already passed the Five Elements Tribulation and the Heart Devil Tribulation, with only the final Yin Yang Tribulation remaining. The Yunlang Frost Ice Pot was already spent and useless, but other magical treasures such as the Flying Sword were well preserved. The main issue was that using various Daoist Magics to face the tribulations caused his True Yuan to be exhausted, but by cooperating with the Heart Demon and acting out the tribulation, he had in fact gained time to refine the elixirs and fully recover his True Yuan. Even the integrity of the Nine Curves Yellow River Formation was at over two-thirds. Perfect! Seeing this, both the Kunlun Mirror and the Green Duckweed Sword couldn¡¯t help but gain a lot more confidence in him. With the support of abundant True Yuan, the shapes of pure yin and pure yang in Qiu Changtian¡¯s Jade Mansion finally completely transformed into the shapes of dragons and tigers, and then bird and turtle energies emerged, circling around the center of the Jade Mansion, waiting for the critical moment to merge and form a Core. At the same time, the tribulation clouds above his head became increasingly thick and oppressive, now so low that they couldn¡¯t help but remind Qiu Changtian of the scene when his senior brother Xu Changqing faced his tribulation. The height of these tribulation clouds indicated only one thing: The big one was coming. Five Flying Swords were ready at the same time, Thor¡¯s Hammer and Thor¡¯s Awl were also at hand, the Heavenly Craft¡¯s Treasure Bag was ready to be deployed, and his True Yuan was also in perfect condition. If push came to shove, there was still one final escape route, which was the newly unlocked Heavenly Weaving God Shuttle. Once activated, it would directly warp space-time and immunize against all damage. I¡¯ve passed! I¡¯ve passed, passed, passed; I¡¯m certain to pass this Heavenly Tribulation! While Qiu Changtian was excitedly thinking this, he saw the tribulation clouds above, which were ready to release their fury, finally emitting the first wave of Yin Yang Tribulation thunder. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only A hundred thousand and eight thousand grains of Tai Yin¡¯s Sins Extracting Divine Thunders rapidly spread out in all directions below the tribulation clouds, resembling an army poised to charge. Qiu Changtian¡¯s face paled again. In the distance, to the north of the East Sea, a gigantic turtle lazily floated on the surface of the ocean, languidly dozing off. Suddenly, it raised its massive head and looked towards the dense and solemn dark tribulation clouds far away. ¡°Is someone facing a tribulation?¡± ¡°Judging by the momentum of these tribulation clouds, it doesn¡¯t look like a Transformation Tribulation but more like a Divine Refining Tribulation.¡± ¡°Hmm, if such a newly-risen Demon King with this potential, it would be worthwhile for me to take a look.¡± Thinking this, the giant turtle stretched out its limbs and slowly and leisurely made its way towards the direction of the formidable tribulation clouds that everyone else sought to avoid. Chapter 473 Chapter 473: Chapter 106: Tai Yin Removes Sins, Tai Yang Annihilates Sins Chapter 473: Chapter 106: Tai Yin Removes Sins, Tai Yang Annihilates Sins The Tai Yin Dividing Underworld Punishment Divine Thunder is mentioned only occasionally in the scrolls, described as ¡°hidden in the abyss to execute sinners, obliterating souls and melting bones¡±-an indicator of its horrifying power. In simpler terms, this Tai Yin Dividing Underworld Punishment Divine Thunder appears only during the Embryo Formation Tribulation, and its might is intended to punish Golden Core Cultivators aspiring to form their Nascent Souls. What are you doing here in my Core Condensation Tribulation? I¡¯m just an ordinary Foundation Establishment Realm Cultivator! Before Qiu Changtian had time to complain about anything, he saw the 108,000 Tai Yin Dividing Underworld Punishment Divine Thunders in the sky pour down like a violent storm towards the ground below. The sight terrified Qiu Changtian, making his soul almost leap out of his skin as if six of his seven physical souls and three spirit souls had fled in an instant. In haste, he raised Thor¡¯s Hammer and Thor¡¯s Awl, pouring his True Yuan into them and forcefully smashing towards the heavens. Before the thunder could come forth, half of the True Yuan was depleted in an instant, nearly causing Qiu Changtian¡¯s heart to bleed. The Thor¡¯s Awl suddenly lit up, with silver-white electric arcs converging at the tip. Then, it began to tremble violently, spitting out a thousand-zhang-long lightning serpent that charged towards the omnipresent Tai Yin Dividing Underworld Punishment Divine Thunders in the sky! The serpent rampaged wildly, devouring nearly a third of the Tai Yin Tribulation Thunder like a greedy snake. However, upon impact, every Tai Yin Tribulation Thunder exploded inside its body, quickly reducing the serpent to a tattered and dying state. Seeing that the Tai Xiao Thunder had cleared only a third of the Tai Yin Tribulation Thunder before giving out, Qiu Changtian felt a chill in his heart and had no choice but to reach for the Heavenly Craft Hundred Treasures Bag. During the days Luo Yan refined the Great Sun True Fire, he also obtained many low-rank Flying Swords from his eldest senior brother, Linghu Chu. wuxiaworld.site There weren¡¯t many, just over eight thousand, and they cost nothing¡­ Who else has a senior brother with such expertise in sword casting? Qiu Changtian slapped the Heavenly Craft Hundred Treasures Bag, which spat out a vast number of low-rank Flying Swords around the Cauldron Vessel at the center of the Nine Curves Yellow River Formation, quickly forming another complex Sword Array. A large formation within a small formation-a composite formation! In today¡¯s Cultivation Realm, fewer than ten people can pull off this trick. Qiu Changtian once again performed the Daoist Formulas, driving the Sword Array so that the low-rank Flying Swords shot towards the Tai Yin Tribulation Thunders above like Maxim machine gun bullets. Every Flying Sword that struck a Tai Yin Tribulation Thunder melted and broke away instantly as if wood was thrown into molten iron. However, the anomalous True Yuan sealed within the ¡°Sword Dao Techniques¡± inside the Flying Swords disrupted the stability of the Tai Yin Tribulation Thunder, causing them also to explode. The shockwaves from the explosions and the shattered fragments of the Flying Swords often caused nearby Tribulation Thunders to explode, making it nearly impossible to assess the situation¡­ Qiu Changtian quickly estimated and predicted that each Flying Sword could take three to four Tribulation Thunders down with it. By this calculation, when all the Flying Swords were gone, about a third of the Tribulation Thunders would likely remain, and they¡¯d have to be resisted with the Nine Curves Yellow River Formation and Daoist Magic. But this had only been the first wave of the Yin Yang Tribulation, and an even fiercer wave of Sun Tribulation Thunder was yet to come! Qiu Changtian¡¯s mind sank. The more perilous the situation became, the colder and more steel-like his thought process, quickly taking out an Elixir Bottle from his bosom, tipping three Elixir Pills into his mouth to refine and replenish the True Yuan depleted by the Tai Xiao Thunder. By now, he had clearly analyzed the situation: If he had an inexhaustible supply of True Yuan, with the variety of powerful offensive methods at his disposal, dealing with these Tribulation Thunders would actually be more than manageable. The greatest obstacle was the consumption of True Yuan. The Heavenly Tribulation is vast and mighty, its approach is urgent, and once True Yuan is depleted, there¡¯s no time to replenish it at leisure. The only method is to use some means to steal time to replenish True Yuan from the Heavenly Tribulation. Such as formations, Flying Swords, Ah Jing, and so on and so forth. With over eight thousand Flying Swords exhausted, indeed, more than thirty thousand Tai Yin Tribulation Thunders remained. Qiu Changtian watched coldly as the Tai Yin Tribulation Thunders descended, driving the Nine Curves Yellow River Formation once more. Gusts of yin wind and dense black qi swirled as the Tai Yin Tribulation Thunders fell into the Formation, swiftly annihilated by its restrictions. Qiu Changtian closely watched the Formation, alternately firing the Green Duckweed Sword, Thunder Punishment Sword, Myriad Bamboos Sword, Tianyuan Yiqi Sword, and Huangting Kunwu Sword, extinguishing those Tai Yin Tribulation Thunders that threatened the formation flags. ¡°` However, even with maximum effort to save it, due to the staggeringly high number of Tai Yin Tribulation Thunders, the flags of the Nine Curves Yellow River Formation were still being destroyed at an exaggerated pace. Soon, the Nine Curves Yellow River Formation was completely obliterated by the Tai Yin Tribulation Thunders, leaving only the central cauldron vessel near Qiu Changtian intact. At this moment, several hundred Tai Yin Tribulation Thunders remained, howling as they rushed towards the seated Qiu Changtian below. Qiu Changtian¡¯s face was as still as water, he remained calm and cast a Tai Yi Thunder to obliterate the Tai Yin Tribulation Thunders that neared him. He also activated the Myriad Bamboos Sword to release a massive amount of Sword Qi, shooting point-blank and bursting the last of the remaining Tribulation Thunders. At this time, he was nearly at the end of his rope. All his resources, including the Yunlang Frost Ice Pot and the reserve Flying Swords, had been completely depleted, and even the Nine Curves Yellow River Formation had been damaged during the initial round of the Yin Yang Tribulation. Now, he had only two-thirds of his True Yuan remaining, making it almost impossible for him to survive the upcoming Sun Tribulation Thunder. ???G?.?? He had to think of a way out. However, the oppressive clouds of Tribulation in the sky clearly didn¡¯t plan on giving Qiu Changtian the time to ¡°think of a way out.¡± After a brief pause, these clouds once again spit out new Tribulation Thunders, slightly fewer in number, about ten thousand or so. Compared to the previous dim and lightless Tai Yin Punishing Sins Divine Thunder, this time the Tribulation Thunders were pure white and crystalline, emitting a kind of sacred luster. However, when Qiu Changtian saw these white Tribulation Thunders, his body tensed involuntarily, feeling as though a bucket of cold water had been poured over him from head to foot. Sun True Fire Punishing Sins Divine Thunder. This was known as the most terrifying thunder in the Embryo Formation Tribulation; hardly any Golden Core Cultivators survived it to ascend to the Nascent Soul Rank¡­ at least, there was no record of it in the annals. Undoubtedly, if the previous Five Elements Tribulation was merely an appetizer and the Heart Devil Tribulation a tea break, then the Yin Yang Tribulation was the main course. A massive main course that was enough to overwhelm him completely. Qiu Changtian sighed and took another small cauldron from his body. The corresponding Formation for this cauldron vessel was the ¡°Thorny Concealment Formation,¡± originally designed by Luo Yan for Senior Sister An during the White Jade Capital tournament. Later, it was found to be unnecessary since the Five Elements Ultimate Extermination Divine Light alone was enough to kill Senior Sister An ¨C if he hadn¡¯t held back at the last moment. The effect of this Formation was to reflect damage. To put it simply, if an Immortal Sword shot into the Formation and caused a certain amount of damage, that damage would be reflected back onto the Immortal Sword itself. If the Immortal Sword was a Life-bound Sword Artifact, then the damage would also correspondingly harm the cultivator wielding the Sword Artifact. Qiu Changtian didn¡¯t know where the damage from the Sun Tribulation Thunder would be reflected if it was countered, but at this juncture, he had little choice but to try every possible means. After all, if he were to fall during the Heavenly Tribulation, then keeping this Formation would be pointless. Qiu Changtian activated the cauldron vessel which shot towards the sky at great speed. This was the advantage of ancient Formations: they could all be integrated onto a cauldron vessel, making them portable or¡­ launchable. Suddenly, the Thorny Concealment Formation¡¯s cauldron vessel flew faster and faster and quickly disappeared into the array of Sun Tribulation Thunders. In an instant, it was as if the sun exploded in the sky, with intense light flooding every inch of the sky above. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Qiu Changtian had to shut his eyes to avoid the bright light until the Kunlun Mirror exclaimed in alarm, prompting him to open them again. Above him, the number of Sun Tribulation Thunders had reduced by about two thousand. About eight thousand Divine Thunders remained each one capable of blowing Qiu Changtian to pieces. Since traveling through time, the Savior¡¯s greatest crisis had arrived! ¡°` Chapter 474 Chapter 474: Chapter 107: Out of Mana, Going to Die! Chapter 474: Chapter 107: Out of Mana, Going to Die! Qiu Changtian activated the Daoist formula. Tai Yi Thunder shot out one after another, bombarding the rapidly approaching mass of Tribulation Lightning. Due to the vast range of the Tai Yi Thunder and the not insignificant power of the Sun Tribulation Thunder, each collision and subsequent annihilation would take out more than a hundred of the surrounding Tribulation Lightning bolts. However, Qiu Changtian¡¯s remaining True Yuan was also plummeting just as fast as the number of the Sun Tribulation Thunder bolts. For him, whether there were a few thousand left or just a few dozen, it actually made no real difference. If struck by one, he would be shattered into pieces, his soul scattered, with no other outcome. The expression on Qiu Changtian¡¯s face darkened as he was left with only one-quarter of his True Yuan. At this time, there were still more than five thousand Sun Tribulation Thunder bolts remaining, and they had descended to an altitude of one thousand six hundred zhang, approximately halfway- their flight speed was much slower than the previously encountered Tai Yin Tribulation Thunder. His True Yuan was nearing its limit, and if he overtaxed himself now, he would undoubtedly die. If he continued to digest the power of the elixir to recover his True Yuan, he would still undoubtedly face death when the five thousand Sun Tribulation Thunder bolts descended. Once again, Qiu Changtian reached into the Heavenly Craft Treasure Bag and took out a magical treasure. Without hesitation, he infused it with True Yuan and launched it toward the Tribulation Lightning above. wuxiaworld.site The magical treasure struck the Tribulation Lightning and instantly caused a large-scale explosion, annihilating more than a dozen nearby bolts of lightning. Qiu Changtian did not feel distressed; with an impassive face, he reached in again and took out the second magical treasure from the Heavenly Craft Treasure Bag. Initially, the Heavenly Craft Treasure Bag provided treasures capable of inflicting wide-area damage. But as one treasure after another was consumed in the Heavenly Tribulation, the provided treasures began to have a smaller and smaller range of attack, until later they were all single-target offensive treasures. The Sun Tribulation Thunder had descended to one thousand zhang in height, and there were still over three thousand bolts left. If he continued to deplete the single-target treasures, he wouldn¡¯t have enough time to destroy the remaining bolts of lightning and would be directly blasted to smithereens. Relying on the time bought by using the magical treasures, Qiu Changtian had restored his True Yuan to half, clearly still insufficient to deal with the three thousand remaining Sun Tribulation Thunder bolts. Since that was the case, he had no choice but to wield the Thunder Punishment Sword once again and use the technique of leading disaster elsewhere. This was a necessary sacrifice! ¡°Sword Master, don¡¯t sacrifice me!¡± the Thunder Punishment Sword quickly pleaded, ¡°Just one blast from that Sun Tribulation Thunder, and I¡¯ll be powdered, unable to delay them for long!¡± ¡°Better to keep me; I still have wide-area Daoist magic that can help!¡± Qiu Changtian was silent for half a second before saying, ¡°Let¡¯s see how it goes first, but prepare yourself mentally.¡± Thunder Punishment Sword: ¡­¡­ ¡°It¡¯s right,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword suddenly said, ¡°The Thunder Punishment Sword can¡¯t delay for long. What you need now is not time delay, but an attack method that can clear these Sun Tribulation Thunder in the remaining time.¡± Without responding, Qiu Changtian continued to refine the power of the elixir against the clock to recover his True Yuan. If his True Yuan were endless, he could easily sweep the entire field with Tai Yi Thunder, even if the Tribulation Lightning had already descended hundreds of zhang. But neither the capacity of his True Yuan nor the speed of its recovery could hold on! The Tribulation Lightning had descended to an altitude of eight hundred zhang, leaving him with precious little time to think, and Qiu Changtian decided to make an all-or-nothing gambit. He held Thor¡¯s Hammer and Thor¡¯s Awl in his hands, channeling all his remaining True Yuan into them, creating a new, even larger Tai Xiao Divine Thunder Jiaolong. The Jiaolong roared as it soared into the sky, charging towards the sky-filled Sun Tribulation Thunder. Qiu Changtian quickly took out an elixir and swallowed it. Before he could recover even one-fifth of the True Yuan he had just depleted, the Jiaolong, manifested by Tai Xiao Thunder, was already being torn apart by the Sun Tribulation Thunder. Every explosion of the Tribulation Lightning would tear off a large chunk from its body ¨C although the Sun Tribulation Thunder moved more slowly, its lethality was far more terrifying than that of the Tai Yin Tribulation Thunder. At this rate, by the time the Tai Xiao Divine Thunder Jiaolong fell apart, he would not have enough time to recover much True Yuan! Qiu Changtian understood clearly that he could only put away Thor¡¯s Awl and Thor¡¯s Hammer and stuffed all other Flying Swords back into the Sword Box, leaving only the Green Duckweed Sword to shoot into the air, activating the second layer of Daoist Magic on the sword, ¡°Mountains After a Fresh Rain¡±. This Daoist Magic could generate many Water System Sword Qi, and it consumed very little True Yuan (compared to other offensive means), serving as a last, barely sufficient makeshift measure. Qiu Changtian then took out the Heavenly Weaving God Shuttle and silently looked up at the sky above. There were less than a thousand Sun Tribulation Thunder left, descending to a height of five hundred zhang. If they entered within three hundred zhang, the explosive power of the Tribulation Thunder would reach Qiu Changtian himself. ???G?.?? Therefore, Qiu Changtian had already utilized all his quick wits to devise a risky, desperate plan: When the Tribulation Lightning was about thirty zhang away, he would cast a Supreme Jasper Spiritual Talisman, suppressing and slowing the approaching Sun Tribulation Thunder. In this way, the Tribulation Thunder outside the range of the Spirit Talisman would travel faster than those in front, causing these Tribulation Thunders to close the distance between them and gather together. At that moment, he would simultaneously cast Tai Yi Thunder and activate the Heavenly Weaving God Shuttle. The Tai Yi Thunder could detonate all one thousand pieces of Tribulation Thunder, while the instant invulnerability of the Heavenly Weaving God Shuttle would prevent him from being instantly shattered to pieces. However, the risks involved were numerous and deadly: if the Tribulation Thunders didn¡¯t gather properly, if the Tai Yi Thunder was cast too early, or if the Heavenly Weaving God Shuttle was activated too slowly, all would lead to an extremely tragic end. Qiu Changtian had no choice. With a resolute and cold heart, he maintained a clear consciousness and silently watched the pure white, sacred, and eerily emanating Sun Tribulation Thunder drawing closer and closer. The Sun Tribulation Thunder flew slowly, but that was only in comparison to the Tai Yin Tribulation Thunder; a few hundred zhang passed in a flash. One hundred zhang! Seventy zhang! Forty zhang! At thirty zhang, Qiu Changtian fiercely pinched the Daoist Formula and cast the Supreme Jasper Spiritual Talisman. As soon as the Spirit Talisman shot into the Tribulation Thunder, Qiu Changtian¡¯s face immediately changed, as he found that the speed at which True Yuan was being consumed to suppress these Sun Tribulation Thunders was so rapid that it far exceeded his expectations! Fortunately, the slowing down of the Sun Tribulation Thunder in front and the catching up from behind, the closing distance, and the gathering, all happened just as he had planned. With these Tribulation Thunders gathered in one place, Qiu Changtian cast another Tai Yi Thunder, the attack range perfectly enveloping all of them. Then, with timing that couldn¡¯t afford a split-second delay, he channeled the scarce remaining True Yuan into the Heavenly Weaving God Shuttle, activating its first layer of Daoist Magic: Great Universe Inverting Technique. Reality and illusion gave birth to each other; the universe was inverted, and for a moment, the world seemed to turn upside down. The True Yuan gushed out like water from an open dam. Qiu Changtian watched the explosive fiery waves of the one thousand Sun Tribulation Thunders wash over his illusory body, causing no harm or pain. Suddenly, the Jade Mansion spasmed and twitched; the True Yuan in the Qi Sea was depleted. Forcing an overdraft! Squeezing the last remnants of True Yuan from the meridians! At the final juncture, what was there to hold back for the sake of the body! The clouds of tribulation in the sky had dispersed, and five types of True Yuan converged and fused within Qiu Changtian¡¯s body, transforming into a Golden Core the size of a grain of millet. Inside the Jade Mansion, there was nothing but emptiness, only strands of True Yuan were flowing, squeezed out from the meridians, and quickly channeled into the Heavenly Weaving God Shuttle. The Sun Tribulation Thunder had been entirely exhausted, but the high-temperature environment produced by the explosion was still maintained. If he were to disengage the Great Universe Inverting Technique now, he would undoubtedly be burnt by these high temperatures. The Kunlun Mirror had already switched him to the Long Long template because the bodies of the Jiaolong race were much more robust, but even in the high-temperature environment at that moment, they still wouldn¡¯t be able to hold out for long¡­ Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only probably only a few more breaths, experiencing the scorch of death¡¯s heat before the end. Long Long clenched his teeth, almost every meridian in pain. Even though he was extracting True Yuan to the fullest, without regard for anything else, the slender strands of True Yuan still gradually and irresistibly moved toward depletion. Just as he finally depleted himself to the brink of unconsciousness and disengaged from the Great Universe Inverting Technique, a sudden lid descended from the heavens, covered Long Long whole, and then dragged him into the icy waters. It was a giant turtle shell. Chapter 475 Chapter 475: Chapter 1: The Noble Golden Core Realm Jiaolong Chapter 475: Chapter 1: The Noble Golden Core Realm Jiaolong Having formed a Demon Core, Long Long had transformed from a Water Viper into a noble Jiaolong. He swam agilely through the water, constantly releasing his Dragon¡¯s Might to shake off the barnacles that clung to the turtle¡¯s shell. But the turtle¡¯s shell was simply too large, completely covered in dense clusters of barnacles. Having cleared one area, there were countless others to go, leaving Long Long feeling like a bathhouse attendant facing a clay figure, utterly unsure where to begin. ¡°I say, Mr. Turtle,¡± he couldn¡¯t help but complain, ¡°after all, you are the venerable ancestor of the Xuanwu Clan. Couldn¡¯t you just use some Immortal Law to wash yourself clean? Do you really need me to do it with my Dragon¡¯s Might?¡± ¡°If your ears are itchy, would you choose to dig at them, or wash them?¡± the old turtle said slowly. ¡°Of course, I¡¯d¡­¡± Long Long was about to say ¡°Of course it¡¯s more comfortable to dig,¡± but then he suddenly realized, ¡°Alright, even if manually cleaning off the barnacles is better, why not let someone from the Xuanwu Clan do it for you?¡± ¡°Because they don¡¯t have Dragon¡¯s Might,¡± the old turtle said in his unhurried manner. Long Long was speechless. He certainly knew that the old turtle was providing him with an opportunity to repay a favor-the immense gratitude for being saved from the residual effects of the Heavenly Tribulation, the heavy karma involved. Should he not repay it to the old turtle, he would owe it to his descendants, the Xuanwu Clan. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.c0 Considering the political sensitivity of the Xuanwu Clan on the continent, Long Long naturally preferred to serve this Mr. Turtle, to clear the debt of gratitude, unwaveringly! Oh well, was it just cleaning barnacles? Let this immortal old terrapin see the skills of your minor White Dragon in the waves! With a commanding snort, Long Long¡¯s Dragon¡¯s Might shook off all the barnacles in a hundred-yard radius. ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± After a few more hours, the old turtle suddenly spoke, ¡°There¡¯s an island ahead, go ashore first, and wait for me to come over.¡± Long Long responded and swiftly swam towards the island ahead. Upon reaching the beach of the island, Long Long quickly transformed into a young man and took a robe from his Storage Bag to wear. Before long, two attendant boys came to greet him. ¡°May I have the honor of knowing your name, sir?¡± the boy on the left inquired, ¡°My master does not favor strangers, please excuse us.¡± ¡°Long Long,¡± he nodded, ¡°I am here accompanying Elder Gui Yue.¡± The two boys exchanged a look and immediately said in unison: ¡°Please, Elder Long, proceed to the pavilion behind to rest awhile. We will attend to the Xuanwu Immortal here.¡± Gui Yue was the ancestor of the ruling Xuanwu Clan in North State, an Immortal of high rank; no wonder the boys dared not neglect him. Seeing their utmost respect, Long Long couldn¡¯t help but feel the odd impression of basking in reflected glory. Settling in the pavilion, having nothing else to do, Long Long began to meditate and introspect, looking over the tremendous gains he had made after the Core Formation. ¡ª¨C Before Core Formation, he cultivated the ¡°Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra¡±, and with eight hundred years of Refining Mansion Cultivation, his True Yuan was vastly superior to his peers, even earning him the reputation as the foremost person of the Refining Mansion rank in the world. But after forming this First Grade Golden Core, the abundance of True Yuan was nearly a hundred times that of the original. In the Jade Mansion, a golden core the size of a rice grain was suspended in the center, slowly rotating. With each Grand Circulation of breathing, the golden core would make a complete turn, drawing True Yuan from the Qi Sea and releasing even more refined True Yuan out, resembling the inhalation and exhalation of a person¡¯s breath. The vigor of the True Yuan had also greatly increased, the previously taxing Thunder Method that would consume almost half is now performed as if it were nothing, with the slight expenditure being inconsequential. Besides the True Yuan, Qiu Changtian felt his body was noticeably more agile, his senses sharp, refreshed and clear-headed, with thought processes becoming more active. His lifespan had been extended to a thousand years, allowing him to revel freely for a time. Returning to the main topic, after advancing to the Golden Core Realm, one must begin preparations for the Nascent Soul Realm. The Golden Core Realm is also divided into three ranks: Soul Storing, Root Seeking, and Obscure Weave. Among them, the Soul Storing rank is about imbuing the Divine Soul into the golden core, the Root Seeking rank involves the golden core sprouting a Pill Root, and the Obscure Weave rank is about creating an inner scenery within the Sea of Consciousness and connecting it with the golden core that has a Divine Soul and Pill Root, as preparation for the final ¡°Golden Core Embryo Formation Immortal¡±. The golden core has nine grades, while the Nascent Soul is divided into five ranks, namely, Ghost, Human, Earth, Divine, and Immortal. Among them, the Ghost Infant is considered a failed Nascent Infant where a remnant soul is entangled on the Nascent Infant. It is incapable of reincarnation or becoming an Immortal; it can only extend its miserable existence through Soul Possession. ???G0.?0 Golden Core True Persons who have shallow cultivation and whose physical bodies are destroyed by the Heavenly Tribulation, but whose souls fortunately survive, fall into this category. The Human Infant is slightly better, having an intact body. Although they also cannot ascend to Immortality, they can at least await a natural death and reincarnate. Those with Low Grade golden cores who survive the Heavenly Tribulation, or those with Intermediate Grade golden cores whose cultivation is shallow and who are injured at their foundation by the Heavenly Tribulation, often fall into this category. The Earth Infant is the mainstream level for most Nascent Soul Cultivators. While there is a possibility to ascend to immortality, the hope is rather slim. Those with Intermediate Grade golden cores who successfully pass the Heavenly Tribulation, or those with High Grade golden cores who are careless during the tribulation and harm their foundation, belong to this rank. The Divine Infant is an enhanced version of the Earth Infant. Its Nascent Infant has the appearance of ¡°Five Qi Toward Yuan, Triple Yang Gathered at the Crown¡±, greatly increasing the chances of ascending to Immortality, and the ranks achieved upon becoming an Immortal are also higher. Those with High Grade golden cores who successfully pass the tribulation belong to this category. As for the Immortal Infant, it is a level that exists only in the records of ancient texts. It is said that just being at the level of the Nascent Soul Realm, one possesses some of the powers like an Immortal, hence the name. It is much like the First Grade golden core within the Golden Core Realm, theoretically possible, but practically so improbable as to be almost impossible. First Grade golden core also has a standard for Refining Mansion Cultivation, yet the grade rank of the Nascent Infant seems to be related only to the golden core grade and whether one survives the Embryo Formation Tribulation smoothly, giving Long Long quite a headache. Having formed a First Grade golden core, even if he ascended to the Nascent Infant smoothly and survived the tribulation, he would definitely not be content with just a Divine Infant. Although the Demon Race refers to the ¡°Golden Core Realm¡± as the ¡°Transformation Realm¡± and the ¡°Nascent Soul Realm¡± as the ¡°Demon King Realm¡±, the overall cultivation system seems to be quite similar. The Human Race has golden cores, and the Demon Race also has ¡°Demon Cores¡±; the Human Race has Nascent Souls, while the Demon Race has ¡°Dong Yuan¡±, which are more or less the same thing. This time, following that old turtle, although it is to repay a favor and understand causality, if he could learn from it the method to form a High Grade Immortal Infant¡­ oh no, that¡¯s wrong, to form a First-Class Dong Yuan, then the trip would be considered not a bad gain. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Long Long was silently calculating when he saw an old man with white hair and hands behind his back, escorted by two children, slowly walking over from the coast. This old man was the old turtle, his expression calm and composed, seemingly possessing a bit of the air of an Immortal Sect. It¡¯s just that he¡¯s too short, barely taller than the children on either side, giving a somewhat comical impression. Of course, whether it¡¯s to repay a favor or to gather information, Long Long had already made up his mind to fawn over this old turtle. ¡°Elder!¡± Long Long greeted with a smile, ¡°What do we do next?¡± ¡°Wait,¡± the old turtle said slowly and deliberately. Chapter 476 Chapter 476: Chapter 2 Long Long at the Banquet Chapter 476: Chapter 2 Long Long at the Banquet By the afternoon, a few more guests had gradually arrived on the island. Seeing how these visitors enthusiastically greeted the old turtle as soon as they arrived, Long Long deduced that they were probably of Immortal Rank, namely, the ancient ancestors from various great Demon clans. For the Human race, there were various Immortal Ranks: Earth Immortal, Heavenly Immortal, Golden Immortal, and Daluo Golden Immortal. Naturally, Immortals from the Demon race also had a hierarchy of sorts. Overall, the hierarchy was mainly determined by bloodline, with dragons giving birth to dragons and phoenixes giving birth to phoenixes. Additionally, those of lesser bloodlines could potentially rise to a higher status if they ¡°cultivated in the correct way¡±. As for the correct way to cultivate, Long Long wasn¡¯t entirely certain, since he had already obtained the Ying Long Bloodline-one of the highest bloodlines among the ten thousand demons-through ¡°proper cultivation¡±. Maintaining his transformed state, Long Long was not recognized by the ancient ancestors as belonging to any specific race, but seeing as he had the privilege of serving by Gui Lao¡¯s side, they assumed he wasn¡¯t just an ordinary Cultivator, and therefore, they each nodded to him as a sign of acknowledgment. Moments later, the Island Master made a fashionably late entrance from the depths; a mature, glamorous woman wrapped in a white cloak emerged, surrounded by two young girls and two boys, each holding a bamboo basket, a Purifying Bottle, a horsetail whisk, and an ornate canopy, making Long Long¡¯s eyes light up. What a grand setup! If Qiu Changtian used this sort of display to show off, wouldn¡¯t the Invincible Character Setting¡¯s Synchronization Value soar? No, that¡¯s not right. Qiu Changtian, after all, is part of Kunlun, and Kunlun doesn¡¯t indulge in such spectacle. It would be better to let Wei Dongliu handle this. wuxiaworld.site ¡°I am deeply grateful to you all for gracing my law assembly with your presence,¡± the beautiful woman said with a smile as she bowed slightly, then turned to instruct, ¡°Qing¡¯er, serve tea.¡± Qing¡¯er was one of the young girls holding a flower basket, looking to be about four or five years old and as adorable as a porcelain doll. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty,¡± she replied crisply, then stretched out her chubby little hand and gently tapped the bottom of the bamboo basket, causing copious amounts of sweet tea and fine wine, as well as exquisite delicacies, to fly out from cups and plates and land on the guests¡¯ tables. Each seated figure was a major player of Immortal Rank, and they were thus beyond the constraints of etiquette, behaving as they pleased. Some drank, some ate, some chatted and laughed-their activities varied. Sitting beside the old turtle, Long Long watched in silence, counting the number of attendees. Seventeen. Meaning, there were seventeen Great Demons of Immortal Rank here. Although he did not know how many Immortals there were among the Human race, Long Long blindly assumed that most guests here were likely of Earth Immortal Rank, with a few possibly being of Heavenly Immortal Rank. If they were all Golden Immortals or Daluo Golden Immortals, how could the Demon Race still be entrenched in the Eastern Emperor Realm? They would have already launched an offensive to reclaim the continent. Well, even if they were only ¡°low rank¡± Immortals, they were still Immortals, after all. The assembly of so many Immortal ancient ancestors in one place was a signal that could shake the entire Eastern Emperor Realm just by being revealed. What were they planning to do? Could it really be that they wanted to overturn the current state of affairs in the Eastern Emperor Realm? The Qilin Clan nominally ruled over all demons, so could these powerhouses be planning to overthrow the Qilin rule and restore the descendants of Ying Long to the throne of the Demon Royal Family? Good, good, I humbly offer myself with the bloodline of Ying Long, that of an emperor from a bygone era¡­ No, that¡¯s not right, I¡¯m a traitor, destined to betray them eventually. Maybe, I should recommend my fox wife instead. While Long Long was entertaining such wild thoughts, he saw the old turtle tap the table leisurely. The sound was not loud, but given the old turtle¡¯s prestigious status, several guests who had been keeping an eye on him glanced over immediately. However, the old turtle paid no attention to the gazes of the guests and simply slid a plate towards Long Long: ¡°Cold Smoke Fruit is beneficial for the Jiaolong bloodline.¡± Long Long¡¯s eyes shone. ???G?.?? Without any doubt (after all, there was no reason for the old turtle to deceive him), he reached out to pick up a Cold Smoke Fruit. Its surface was full and lustrous, emitting a sea-blue gleam with what seemed like smoky, illusory patterns shifting within. He put it in his mouth, gently bit down, and a cold stream burst forth, surging from his mouth to his chest, nearly freezing his throat solid. But Long Long, having the Jiaolong bloodline and a robust physique, managed to forcefully swallow the cold stream. The cold current entered the Jade Mansion but did not encircle the Golden Core. Instead, it quickly dispersed into his major meridians and throughout his limbs and bones. And then it was gone. Long Long: ??? ¡°Ah Jing,¡± he quietly asked in his mind, ¡°Can this thing really strengthen my Jiaolong bloodline? I mean¡­ I don¡¯t actually have that Jiaolong bloodline, do I? So where did the strengthening from the Han Yan Fruit go?¡± ¡°Wake up, your Jiaolong bloodline isn¡¯t entirely simulated by me,¡± reminded the Kunlun Mirror, ¡°Have you forgotten the drop of Essence Blood that Ying Long gave you?¡± ¡°Strictly speaking, you are now a human cultivator with the Ying Long bloodline, much like Xu Yinglian who possesses the Phoenix Bloodline.¡± ¡°The Han Yan Fruit can indeed enhance that part of your bloodline, specifically making your Bloodline Supernatural Power even stronger. It¡¯s just that you don¡¯t feel it,¡± Kunlun Mirror explained. ¡°I don¡¯t like hearing that,¡± Long Long hummed coldly in his mind, ¡°If I don¡¯t feel anything, how can I know whether what you¡¯re saying is true or false?¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s true. Why wouldn¡¯t you believe me?¡± Kunlun Mirror countered. ¡°Why should I believe you?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t forget, I also gave you the Long Long template,¡± Kunlun Mirror said patiently, ¡°Without me, how could you possibly masquerade as a Jiaolong with just a drop of Ying Long Essence Blood and sit here safely?¡± Long Long was stunned for a moment, then immediately became furious. What the heck, the mirror turning on its master! Daring to threaten me here! I left a proper Orthodox Sect to come to the Eastern Emperor Realm to play the dragon, for whom do you think I am doing this? Forget it, considering the grand scheme of mending the heavens, I can¡¯t quibble with this broken mirror. Setting aside whether Kunlun Mirror¡¯s words were true or false, Long Long turned and thanked the old turtle: ¡°Thank you for the reminder, Elder. This really is beneficial for my bloodline.¡± ¡°Not just the Han Yan Fruit.¡± The old turtle spoke slowly, ¡°The tea, wine, and dishes here are all rare Spiritual Objects.¡± ¡°You might as well try everything, there is no harm in it.¡± On hearing this, Long Long nodded and began to devour the feast heartily. Here, he took a sip of tea, there, he poured a cup of wine, in front, he picked a fruit, behind, he grabbed a slice of meat, eating joyously. The Island Master sat at the head, watching Long Long eat and drink merrily below, and then summoned the child who had welcomed them today, asking: ¡°What is the identity of that junior? In such an occasion, he can behave so unrestrainedly, quite interesting.¡± ¡°That one was brought by the Xuanwu Immortal,¡± the child whispered a few words in her ear. The Island Master nodded slightly upon hearing this. Among the guests present, if there was anyone who absolutely should not be offended, it was definitely the Xuanwu Immortal. However, this old gentleman had not inquired about worldly affairs for a long time, and he hardly stayed in the North Sea, just drifting around. He actually brought an unfamiliar junior to the banquet this time? And reminded him to eat the Han Yan Fruit¡­ So, is this junior from the Dragon Clan? Dragon Clan¡­ Suddenly, the Island Master sharply recalled an ancient affair. The name ¡°Xuanwu¡± originally did not refer to the current Xuanwu Tortoise Clan, but was a collective term for both the turtle and snake clans. Both belonged to the Water Clan, and while Divine Tortoises excel at defense, Jiaolong are good at offense. They cooperated with each other, and the Bloodline Supernatural Powers of both were mutually compatible. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Why the tortoise and snake clans split is another matter. As for the subsequent alliance of Xuanwu and Qilin, it was purely for political considerations at the higher levels and did not reach the close intimacy of the former tortoise and snake alliance, which was nearly one entity. Could it be that the Xuanwu Immortal has some thoughts about the current high ranks of the Xuanwu Clan? With this in mind, a plan suddenly formed in the Island Master¡¯s thoughts, and she turned to give an order: ¡°Ah Bai.¡± ¡°Mistress,¡± the little maid quickly came forward. ¡°With my token, go to the Azure Dragon Clan, and invite the esteemed Shi Yao to the banquet.¡± Chapter 477 Chapter 477: Chapter 3 Long Long! I want you to marry into the Gui family! Chapter 477: Chapter 3 Long Long! I want you to marry into the Gui family! With spirits high and bellies full, the guests were all in good cheer, and the beautiful Island Master said with a smile: ¡°Your accommodations have been prepared. Please rest here for a few days.¡± Accommodations? Long Long¡¯s heart stirred, and he turned his head to look at the old turtle. But he only saw the old turtle stand up and, without looking back, slowly walked away. ¡°Long Elder, please follow me,¡± a young maiden came out, gesturing to show Long Long the way. Long Long followed her deep into the island, where he saw a majestic palace nestled in the valley. Those who practiced Cultivating Immortality, capable of wielding the grand forces of Daoist Magic, often favored grand and imposing architectural styles, yet the interior decorations were usually not as intricate, favoring spaciousness instead. Long Long was guided by the maiden into a side hall, where he saw the old turtle sitting in the seat of honor with his eyes closed in meditation, and the beautiful Island Master sitting beside him with a smile, staring at him with profound meaning, yet not speaking a word. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co What are these two doing, playing a game of whoever speaks first, loses? Although he didn¡¯t know what had happened, Long Long was well-versed in the ways of the enigmatic, and since neither of them wished to speak, he found a chair to sit down beside them and likewise remained silent. After a moment, crisp laughter came from outside: ¡°My dear ancestor, what¡¯s the reason for summoning me this time¡­¡± The person entered the room, revealing herself to be a cute young lady with a bun hairstyle and a round face, appearing to be around sixteen or seventeen years old. However, that¡¯s typical of the Demon Race; those who look like young girls might really be older than those who seem like mature women, so Long Long wasn¡¯t fooled by her appearance. He merely kept his eyes to himself, remaining indifferent to her. Yet, while he had no interest in this unfamiliar demon-presumably a younger member of the old turtle¡¯s Turtle Clan-the little turtle lady seemed to have sensed something. After a brief pause, she chose to sit down in the chair opposite him, still not speaking, but intently watching Long Long. A short while later, the old turtle finally opened his eyes, but he ignored the little turtle lady and said to Long Long: ¡°Gui Ling¡¯er is currently the purest descendant of our bloodline.¡± ¡°If you are willing to marry her, our debts would be settled.¡± This statement caused both Gui Ling¡¯er¡¯s and Long Long¡¯s faces to drastically change. The former instinctively thought: What turtle! Who exactly is this person, and why is the great ancestor suddenly arranging a marriage for me? The latter¡¯s instinctive thought: Impossible! I am a committed advocate for the purity of the female lead¡¯s love! Even if I owe a favor, with the little fox in my life, how could I possibly entertain the idea with another animal! And it¡¯s a turtle, no less! ¡°The Xuanwu Immortal sure has an imposing air!¡± Before either had a chance to speak, laughter came in from outside, ¡°As a member of our Dragon Clan, has Long Long¡¯s elders been consulted about his significant marital matters?¡± The door was pushed open from outside, and Long Long saw Shi Yao strut in confidently, followed by Long Hu with an equally frosty expression. Click! A sound clicked inside Long Long¡¯s head. He realized that Shi Yao¡¯s timing was just too perfect, arriving right after the old turtle broached the subject of marriage, before he had the chance to voice his objections. This was bound to be overheard by Long Hu outside, who would certainly misunderstand that I am a scoundrel! Damn it, wasn¡¯t she supposed to be in closed cultivation at the underwater palace? How did Shi Yao bring her here all of a sudden¡­ Someone among the guests must have recognized my Dragon Clan identity and secretly informed Shi Yao! Then Shi Yao either contacted Hu Li, who was teaching Long Hu, or directly found Qin Beiwang; in any case, she used some method to bring her here! Although he knew the little fox had misunderstood, Long Long, being an experienced individual, naturally realized that it was impossible to rush to explain at this moment. Because once you explain, the other party knows you¡¯ve backed down, and then endless complaints and grievances will follow, making you psychologically feel even more disadvantaged. ¡°I was just about to explain to the elder,¡± Long Long said with neither humility nor arrogance, ¡°Though I owe the elder a favor, my heart belongs to another, and I am unwilling and unable to repay it in this manner. I ask for the elder¡¯s understanding.¡± As soon as these words came out, Long Hu indeed turned from anger to embarrassment, Shi Yao showed a look of admiration, the beautiful Island Master became curious, filled with the desire for gossip, and the old turtle showed no expression. Only Gui Ling¡¯er immediately widened her eyes, as a sense of humiliation rose within her. It¡¯s interesting how the human psyche works. The same thing, if given away for free, is considered lowly, but if unattainable, becomes an obsession; the idea of limited time and exclusivity operates on this principle. Gui Ling¡¯er originally had no regard for Long Long, but first Shi Yao stopped her, and then Long Long himself expressed his refusal, naturally leaving her feeling¡­ still dismissive, but also seeing the shy Long Hu, obviously the one Long Long referred to as ¡°my heart belongs to another.¡± I want to see just who this little demoness is! ¡°No matter,¡± the old turtle seemed unsurprised and simply said, ¡°If you are unwilling to marry her and have offspring, then do something else for me.¡± ¡°Please instruct me, elder,¡± Long Long immediately said. ¡°Xuanwu Immortal, could it be that you¡¯re referring to the event three days from now?¡± the beautiful Island Master guessed the answer instantly and tentatively asked. The old turtle nodded slightly, and the Island Master immediately understood, then amiably said to Long Long: ¡°This Divine Dragon Island, long before the Demon Race arrived at the Eastern Emperor Realm, had an Innate Relic that had evolved here, which later was discovered by the ancestors of the Xuanwu Clan.¡± ¡°From ancient times to the present, numerous powerful beings have entered the relic, trying to comprehend the profound Daoist Magic, but very few have gained anything from it.¡± ¡°What the Xuanwu Immortal means is, since you¡¯re unwilling to have a union and offspring with Gui Ling¡¯er, then take her into the relic to comprehend the Dao. This would also count as repaying the favor,¡± she explained. Long Long pondered for a moment. To marry Gui Ling¡¯er would naturally mean coveting his high-rank Ying Long bloodline. The Azure Dragon Clan was so eager, it was only natural that the Xuanwu Clan was no exception. But what¡¯s this about taking Gui Ling¡¯er to level up? What¡¯s the play here? Could it be because they heard that I once left South State alone with Long Hu, and they think I have the ability to¡­ ah, not right, the capacity to take care of young girls? While he was unable to figure it out, Shi Yao, being an elder from the Jiaolong, naturally knew of the ¡°ancient friendship¡± between the Jiaolong ancestors and the Xuan Gui Clan. Considering that the Innate Relic was first discovered by the ancient Xuanwu Clan, it might well contain some manuscripts about the study of the Dao that would require the presence of both the Jiaolong and the Xuan Gui to obtain. Therefore, she immediately gave Long Long a look, signaling him not to overthink it and to agree. ¡°In that case, I have no reason to refuse,¡± Long Long, catching Shi Yao¡¯s look and having thought it through, decisively agreed. This left the little fox dumbfounded. She had been somewhat happy that Long Long had decisively chosen her, but now it turned out that this damnable girl, the third wheel, was going to follow Long Long and herself into the relic that would open in three days? What was supposed to be an eagerly anticipated journey for two suddenly became a trip for three? How infuriating! Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only All because of Long Long, you¡­ if you sneak out to transform, then just transform; why did you end up with the Xuanwu Immortal, owing him a favor! Long Hu ground her teeth in resentment and cast an angry, ¡°I could bite you¡± glare at Long Long. ???g?.?0 Long Long, on the other hand, pretended not to understand her gaze and responded with a reassuring and gentle smile that said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Gui Ling¡¯er looked at Long Hu, then at Long Long, and suddenly took an interest in the relationship between the two. Chapter 478 Chapter 478: Chapter 4: I, Long Long, shall never breed Chapter 478: Chapter 4: I, Long Long, shall never breed Since Long Long agreed, Shi Yao instructed Long Hu to take them out and explain the specific details of the ruins to them. Long Hu revealed a sweet smile, then grabbed Long Long with her left hand and Gui Ling¡¯er with her right, seemingly departing without any hesitation. No sooner had they left the palace than Long Hu immediately turned around, her expression full of indignant fury, skillfully jumped into Long Long¡¯s embrace, and then bit down hard on his shoulder. Gui Ling¡¯er covered her mouth in exaggerated shock, her mind racing with astonishment: So formidable! Is this so-called romance simply biting each other upon meeting? Of course, Long Long had no idea that this little turtle had never been in love and was quite adept at fantasizing in the most absurd directions; he merely silently grew Dragon Scales on his shoulder, perfectly blocking the little fox¡¯s teeth. ¡°Wow, Long Long, you¡¯ve become quite something after your Transformation!¡± Long Hu, her cheeks tired from the effort, could only let go of his neck and huffed, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you wait for me to Transform together?¡± You and your pathetic cultivation level, how far are you from Transformation? Don¡¯t you have any sense? Long Long mocked inside, but on the outside, he gently said: ¡°I was just worried about you, plus you were in seclusion, and I was afraid I would disturb your cultivation.¡± ¡°Nonsense!¡± Long Hu, her anger flaring, pulled her tail out from under her skirt and began to fan his face with slaps, ¡°If you wanted to come find me, couldn¡¯t you just¡­¡± She was about to say ¡°teleport over at any time,¡± but then she noticed there were outsiders around and quickly stopped herself, stuffing her tail back under her skirt. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co ¡°Are you from the Mao Clan?¡± Gui Ling¡¯er asked curiously, ¡°That fluffy tail, is it from the Celestial Fox Clan of Qingqiu?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you tell?¡± Long Hu had no desire to answer her question, simply retorting rudely. ¡°Who knows?¡± Gui Ling¡¯er said playfully, ¡°It could be from the Squirrel Clan for all I could tell.¡± ¡°And you?¡± Long Hu shot back, ¡°Are you, what, from the Tortoise Clan?¡± ¡°What Tortoise Clan!¡± Gui Ling¡¯er immediately became annoyed, clearly, ¡°tortoise¡± was an insult in the Eastern Emperor Realm, used to mock an overly cowardly member of the Demon Race, ¡°Xuan Gui Clan, have you not heard of it? Ignorant!¡± ¡°Oh, my apologies.¡± Long Hu sneered, ¡°I didn¡¯t see any shell on your back.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Long Long finally seized an opportunity to interject, ¡°Stop arguing, don¡¯t forget the elders are still inside.¡± This remark indeed reminded Long Hu and Gui Ling¡¯er that even if they didn¡¯t care about their own elders, they had to consider the other¡¯s, and attacking each other¡¯s clans could inadvertently offend the other¡¯s elders, which wouldn¡¯t be right. ¡°I¡¯ll just keep it simple then.¡± Long Hu stated disdainfully, ¡°The ruins will open in three days.¡± ¡°Once inside the ruins, Immortals will be transported to the inner circle, while those below Immortal Rank will find themselves in the outer circle.¡± ¡°Only Immortals can enter the inner circle, so that doesn¡¯t concern us; after we enter the outer circle, we must try to find the ancient site built by the Xuanwu Clan and look for anything that might be of value.¡± ¡°What specifically might be there?¡± Gui Ling¡¯er asked, frowning. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Long Hu replied bluntly, ¡°Magical Treasures, Flying Swords, Miraculous Pills and Elixirs, perhaps even Jade Slips with records. We can keep the former for ourselves, but if we find Jade Slips, we have to hand them over to the elders, who will reward us accordingly.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Gui Ling¡¯er was also somewhat upset, wondering why, as a junior in the same untransformed situation, Long Hu got to know so much in advance while she knew nothing? Of course, she could hardly vent her anger on the Xuanwu Immortal; she just had to swallow it down. ¡°Is there any danger around the ruins?¡± Long Long inquired. ¡°My aunt mentioned that every day during the venture into the ruins, there will be some sort of odd puzzle mechanism to face,¡± Long Hu said sullenly. ¡°Neither Martial Force nor cultivation level will be of use; it requires sufficient intelligence to solve.¡± ¡°Intelligence, eh,¡± Long Long immediately breathed a sigh of relief, thinking, well, that¡¯s not something to worry about. Whether it¡¯s devising strategies or thinking on my feet, I am quite experienced and well-versed. ¡°What is a puzzle?¡± Gui Ling¡¯er didn¡¯t understand, ¡°Like conducting exams or similar kinds of puzzles?¡± ¡°No.¡± Long Hu gave a mocking smile, ¡°Ever heard of an Illusion Domain?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t.¡± Gui Ling¡¯er shook her head frankly. ¡°Well, you¡¯ll find out when you get there,¡± Long Hu said, too lazy to explain further, which made Gui Ling¡¯er¡¯s face grow cold and prompted her to clench her fists. ¡°Right.¡± Long Long saw that the tension between the two was getting thicker, and hurriedly cut in to interrupt, ¡°Hu, what did the clan say this time? How long are they allowing you to be out?¡± ¡°Originally they didn¡¯t plan to let me out at all.¡± Long Hu replied with some irritation, ¡°Later, my aunt protested on behalf of the Fox Clan, and finally, the clan leader relented.¡± Long Long thought to himself that it must have been Hu Li who had made the effort; it seemed that the Azure Dragon Clan was also afraid of ¡°offending allies.¡± ¡°What about Qin Zhou and Qin Ye?¡± Gui Ling¡¯er asked, folding her arms, ¡°They should be coming over too, right?¡± ¡°They won¡¯t arrive until tomorrow,¡± Long Hu answered with a wrinkled nose. Seeing no particular expression on Long Hu¡¯s face, Long Long knew she was not yet aware of the clan leader¡¯s intention to recruit him as a son-in-law, and he quietly felt relieved. Another day passed, and the Qin siblings did indeed arrive at the location, followed by the Ancestral Qin. Compared to the Xuanwu Immortal¡¯s small stature, this Ancestral Azure Dragon was a tall, thin old man, standing very straight. The Qin siblings were quite enthusiastic when they saw Long Long and greeted him warmly. ¡°Long Long!¡± Qin Zhou said with a smile, ¡°Congratulations on the successful transformation.¡± ¡°Brother Long.¡± Qin Ye called out quietly but did not look at him, choosing to hide behind Qin Zhou instead. Long Long: ? Seeing Qin Ye¡¯s demeanor, Long Long realized she must have known about the marriage arrangement. When he saw the puzzled look on Long Hu¡¯s face, just as he was about to open his mouth to cover things up, the Ancestral Qin waved him over: ¡°Long Long, come here.¡± Long Long had no choice but to step forward with a stiff upper lip and give his respects: ¡°Ancestor.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve already transformed, I see,¡± the Ancestral Qin observed, looking him over approvingly, ¡°Excellent bloodline. ???G?.?? If Ye¡¯er marries you in the future, I will rest easy.¡± Long Long jolted and quickly sneakily glanced to see if Long Hu had heard. Fortunately, Long Hu was huddled up with Qin Ye, whispering something, probably probing her. ¡°Why so nervous?¡± the Ancestral Qin slapped his shoulder, laughing, ¡°With the rank of your bloodline, you will surely spread far and wide in the future. Both Ye¡¯er and Hu¡¯er have Dragon Clan bloodlines, and it¡¯s only right for them to bear children for the clan. Even if they have objections, I as the ancestor will decide for you.¡± ¡°I also heard about Xuan Gui¡¯s demands. Saving you once, and he wants you to breed for the Xuanwu? What a joke! There¡¯s not even enough to go around in our clan!¡± ¡°During this trip to the Dragon Palace Illusion, take Gui Ling¡¯er with you once, and we¡¯ll call it even. If that old turtle refuses, I will talk to him myself; you don¡¯t need to worry about it!¡± ¡°Thank you, ancestor.¡± What else could Long Long say? He could only smile wryly and give a respectful bow. Although he identified as a pure love warrior for a monogamous heroine, against the domineering and strong-willed Ancestral Azure Dragon, there was no way he could resist. After all, the lineage on Long Long¡¯s paternal (maternal) side came from Ying Long of the Demon Locking Tower, which was purer than that of Long Hu and Qin Ye. Long Hu had only inherited half of the Ying Long Immortal Rank bloodline, and Qin Ye¡¯s was that of the ancestral Azure Dragon Immortal Rank, diluted over several generations. Both of their breeding values were far less than Long Long¡¯s. From the Demon Race¡¯s value of ¡°family above all,¡± it was a given that a lesser bloodline should support the highest quality one in terms of breeding. Therefore, Long Long could mate with other female dragons, but Long Hu and Qin Ye could only mate with Long Long. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only This was the outcome set by the Ancestral Azure Dragon within the clan, and also the direct reason why he rejected Clan Leader Qin Beiwang¡¯s proposal of ¡°matching Long Hu with Qin Zhou.¡± The Ancestral Azure Dragon made his stance clear, and Long Long saw through it. He made up his mind: I, Long Long, refuse to become a breeding machine! I will pretend to cooperate with them, and then look for an opportunity to flee to Beiming Fanyang with the little fox. Once I deliver her to the destination and obtain the Heaven-Mending Stone fragment, I¡¯ll immediately abandon my facade and leave the Eastern Emperor Realm! Keep dreaming your grand dreams! Chapter 479 Chapter 479: Chapter 5: Bizarre Script, Connecting Past and Present Chapter 479: Chapter 5: Bizarre Script, Connecting Past and Present ¡°` The so-called ¡°secret realm,¡± with ¡°secret¡± signifying the unknown and ¡°realm¡± representing an independent space. Most secret realms were established by predecessors, some for trials, others for hiding treasures, and still others for military purposes. No matter the purpose, they are ultimately meant for outsiders to enter, so their mechanisms tend to follow certain logical patterns. However, there also exists a minority of secret realms that are naturally formed. These types often defy logic, with bizarre mechanisms so outlandish that they are incomprehensible. For example, cultivators could usually summarize after a few attempts that the Pavilion Secret Realm of the East Sea had six challenges, each testing different things. But in naturally formed secret realms, it is much harder to generalize-everyone who enters the relic encounters different things, so how could one summarize? Unpredictability, unexpectedness, riskiness-these epitomize the Innate Relics. Three days later, everyone followed the beautiful island mistress to the pinnacle of the central mountain range on the island. Besides the ancestries of the Demon Race, numerous younger demons, both transformed and untransformed, of both large and small sizes, representing a variety of races stood here, a veritable dance of demons. Qin Ye and Gui Ling¡¯er stood quietly beside him, whispering introductions of the various demon races to Long Long: ¡°You see that fat one? ?0?G?.?? wuxiaworld.site Novts`0.co He is from the bovine tribe of Central State, named Meng Yi. He isn¡¯t too bright and is prone to rage, so it¡¯s best to avoid him,¡± Qin Ye explained. ¡°That tall woman over there is from the Kun Race of North State. Can you guess her real form? Hehe, actually, it¡¯s a pangolin.¡± ¡°The long-haired man on the far edge is from the Leopard Clan of West State, known for his cruel and murderous nature. We don¡¯t really like him over here,¡± Gui Ling¡¯er remarked. Qin Ye and Gui Ling¡¯er gave remarks about each person, and Long Long carefully memorized their appearances and corresponding names. Finally, as the crowd began to step back, it signified that the secret realm was about to open. The ground beneath their feet suddenly trembled, and soon the entire mountain split apart on both sides, revealing a massive and terrifying fissure in the middle. Without hesitation, the beautiful island mistress stepped forward into the rift and fell downward. Everyone else, unwilling to be left behind, jumped into the fissure as well. Since Long Long had entered the Transformation Rank, he naturally became the leader of this small group, leading the other four into the depths of the abyss. As they rapidly descended, the rock walls around them rose swiftly, and the light quickly grew dim. After a brief estimate, Long Long confirmed that they had descended below sea level. They continued to fall aimlessly, and after an indeterminate amount of time, Long Long suddenly felt someone push him from behind. He stumbled and, unable to regain his balance, fell into a certain space. Regaining his senses abruptly, Long Long saw himself seated lazily on an imperial throne, body tilted to one side, chin propped up by one hand. Beside the emperor¡¯s throne was a slightly smaller empress¡¯s throne, where a fully mature Long Hu sat upright, hands placed properly on her knees. The leaders of the Demon Race stood below in five rows, each clad in armor and exuding fierce energy. Long Long¡¯s gaze swept over them and spotted the bewildered Gui Ling¡¯er and the chieftains of the Kun Race standing in one row, while the serious-looking Qin Zhou and Qin Ye siblings stood with the leaders of the Scaled Clan in another row. ¡°Leader of the Turtle Clan,¡± one of the Scaled Clan members looked at Gui Ling¡¯er with an unsavory expression and darkly asked, ¡°Do you have anything to say?¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on here?!¡± Seeing everyone¡¯s gaze shifting toward her, Gui Ling¡¯er called out in confusion. As soon as her words fell, the scene before everyone¡¯s eyes went dark. When they woke up again, the scene had not changed. Long Long was sitting on the throne, Long Hu by his side, while the rest of the vassals stood in five rows sorted by scales, fur, horns, Kun, and feathers, their expressions ranging from serious to indifferent to suspicious, each with their own individual demeanor. ¡°Leader of the Turtle Clan, do you have anything to say?¡± The same Scaled Clan member from before hissed again, repeating his question. ¡°I¡­¡± Gui Ling¡¯er hadn¡¯t yet grasped the situation and hesitated before saying, ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± Before she could finish, it all went black once again. Returning to the same scene for the third time, the Scaled Clan leader once again asked the same question. This time, Long Long, Long Hu, and the Qin sisters all began to surmise the mechanism of this puzzle. ¡°` Frankly, this should be a story with a scripted plot, demanding that everyone follows the script closely in their performance. If someone acts incorrectly, they have to ¡°start over.¡± Gui Ling¡¯er, this silly turtle, also realized something was amiss and thus simply kept her mouth shut. ¡°Why does the Xuanwu Clan Leader not answer?¡± the Scaled Clan asked again. Gui Ling¡¯er remained silent, and then¡­ everything went dark before her eyes. On the fourth restart, Long Long suddenly remembered something and hastily asked the Kunlun Mirror in his mind: ¡°Ah Jing, this seems a bit like the previous Queen Mother of the West¡¯s Secret Realm! Take a look around, are there any fragments of you here?¡± ¡°I¡¯m scanning now!¡± Kunlun Mirror excitedly responded, ¡°Even if they aren¡¯t my fragments, it must be something related to the great Time-Space Path.¡± ¡°Mm, I can¡¯t confirm it right now, you go ahead and figure out what the script is. I¡¯ll continue to scan and see.¡± What script? There are absolutely no clues, how am I supposed to figure this out? Long Long complained inwardly and then saw Gui Ling¡¯er looking at him with tearful eyes, begging for help. This turtle girl really doesn¡¯t have a good head on her shoulders, no wonder the Xuanwu Immortal specifically instructed me to lead her¡­ Long Long thought to himself with an inward chuckle, saying authoritatively: ¡°Xuanwu Clan Leader, by your expression, do you perhaps have objections?¡± ¡°I do¡­¡± Gui Ling¡¯er was also confused and could only reply instinctively. No reset occurred. Which means that the Xuanwu Clan Leader she was portraying did indeed have a dissenting opinion in the script. As for whom she opposed and on what issues, she had no idea. But how could this possibly trouble me? Long Long thought with inward scorn, and then turned to the Scaled Clan member who had just questioned Gui Ling¡¯er, speaking deliberately: ¡°It seems some ministers still do not understand, or perhaps I wasn¡¯t clear enough before? Repeat it once more for her.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡± the Scaled Clan member immediately said excitedly, ¡°Let me emphasize again: the best time to counterattack the Mortal Realm is now.¡± ¡°The Human Race has been in internal chaos for years, with the Great Sects attacking each other, and on the whole, they have already become very weak.¡± ¡°If we miss this time window, a great power will surely arise and unify the fragmented Human Race. By then, it will be too late to counterattack the Mortal Realm!¡± The Scaled Clan member spoke with great vigor, and everyone finally understood the general idea. In other words, Long Long, portraying the Emperor, wanted to conquer the Mortal Realm and was currently attempting to mobilize ideological support internally. Gui Ling¡¯er, playing the Xuanwu Clan Leader, along with the forces she represented, opposed the Emperor¡¯s war plans. Gui Ling¡¯er had an epiphany, only to hear the Scaled Clan member ask her coldly: ¡°Does the Xuanwu Clan Leader now understand? Or do you have any better suggestions?¡± Just as Gui Ling¡¯er was about to speak, Long Long, afraid she might blurt out something inappropriate again, immediately interrupted: ¡°What about the others? Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Qilin Clan Leader, it seems like you have something to say?¡± The Qilin Clan Leader with the long horns let out a deep sigh before speaking in a deep voice: ¡°Since Your Majesty has asked for my opinion, I can only speak the truth: having only a favorable opportunity, but neither the geographical advantage nor the support of the people, rashly attacking across realms is a path to disaster!¡± The ministers immediately stirred upon hearing this. Long Long also pretended to be suddenly furious, slamming his hand down heavily on the armrest of the Emperor¡¯s throne. Hmm? This sound seems familiar¡­ He suddenly realized that the old Qilin, whose voice buzzed as if echoing from his chest, seemed to be the same Qilin who slept all day at the entrance to the Divine Palace in the Southern Border¡¯s Eastern Emperor Path Gate Sect Residence! Chapter 480 Chapter 480: Chapter 6: A New Fragment of the Kunlun Mirror Chapter 480: Chapter 6: A New Fragment of the Kunlun Mirror Upon this realization, if Long Long still couldn¡¯t recognize that the script was designed with Long Hu¡¯s father as the reference, then he would be too dull-witted. He angrily slammed a hand against the armrest of the throne, then stood up and left without looking back. There was no restart. It turned out that it wasn¡¯t about completely following the script but rather about not causing a severe reversal to the overall direction of the script. How does this sound so much like Ah Jing¡¯s time-space paradox? Loading a save to go back to the past also doesn¡¯t allow for major historical changes¡­ As the emperor departed, the ministers exchanged glances, each quietly sighing in relief. Qin Zhou and Qin Ye followed the Scaled Clan out, casually signaling Gui Ling¡¯er with a glance to hurry out as well. Long Hu snorted and stood up, quickly following in Long Long¡¯s footsteps. Back in the rear hall, Long Long stood alone in the bedroom only to see Long Hu push the door open and come in. ¡°Ahem.¡± Unsure if the mechanism was still in effect, Long Long could only imitate Ying Long¡¯s style and said tenderly, ¡°The Empress is back?¡± Long Hu was slightly embarrassed since she also didn¡¯t know if she should keep playing the role of her mother, so she just nodded reservedly. ¡°Then let¡¯s go to bed,¡± Long Long suggested, ¡°rest early.¡± Just like when loading a save to replay history, the more dialogue at this moment, the easier it was to make a mistake. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.Co On the other hand, if nothing is said, there¡¯s a very small chance of a mistake. Long Hu didn¡¯t have any opinions at the moment and blushed as she nodded. Members of the Demon Race, unlike Human Race cultivators preferring meditative concentration to replace sleep, thus the two changed into nightclothes and climbed into bed. Long Long held Long Hu¡¯s petite body and buried his nose in her hair, suddenly feeling something fluffy entangling his leg. Oh, it was a fox tail. ¡°Sleep now.¡± Long Long felt the warm softness in his arms, his tightly stretched rationality also started to relax slightly as he comforted her. ¡°Mm.¡± Long Hu nodded lightly. The screen went black. ?0?G0.?? They had just laid down in bed when their movements suddenly became stiff. Restart? That is to say, according to the script, they shouldn¡¯t go to sleep here, but should speak lines instead. And, these lines were very important, so as soon as they were skipped, it was immediately deemed out of character. Although there was nowhere to learn the script, Long Long, based on some memories and associations, approximately locked onto the possible direction. Why did Ying Long want to counterattack the Mortal Realm? He guessed it was probably for Long Hu¡¯s mother. Long Hu¡¯s mother was the daughter of Yin Xiaojing, who could have obtained the Tai Yin Suming Sword but gave up, resulting in Long Hu¡¯s mother being the daughter of a so-called criminal. Ying Long managed to marry Long Hu¡¯s mother against all opposition, but couldn¡¯t restore her social status, which is why he wanted to rebuild prestige by counterattacking the Mortal Realm. The result was unfortunate, Ying Long was defeated and trapped in the Demon Locking Tower, Long Hu¡¯s mother sensed an imminent crisis, and considering Long Hu¡¯s worrying health at the time, she directly defected and left Qingqiu. Maybe many years later, the trapped Ying Long finally learned through Hu Li that Long Hu¡¯s mother had defected and disappeared early on, naturally guessing that she had probably encountered misfortune, thus losing all his spirit. He even willingly confined himself within the Demon Locking Tower, avoiding reality, afraid to learn the news of his wife and daughter¡¯s demise¡­ What a waste! Using the clues he had, Long Long roughly filled in the blanks of Ying Long¡¯s life and also roughly guessed the overall plot of the script. ¡°Fox,¡± Long Long tenderly said as he held Long Hu, ¡°I will give you a status.¡± Long Hu: ? She didn¡¯t react at first but noticing that no reset was triggered immediately guessed this must be the script. So, when her mother and father were together, they were actually enduring great criticism and hostility from the outside world. Her father, in order to fight for status and position for her mother, had left her and her mother behind and went to attack the Mortal Realm¡­ Thinking of this, the little fox couldn¡¯t help but weep, her tears dropping onto Long Long¡¯s hands with a patter. Long Long: ??? ¡°Why are you crying?¡± He quickly hugged Long Hu close to him. ¡°I¡­¡± Long Hu turned around, burying her face in his chest, ¡°I was thinking of my mother and father from those years¡­¡± Everything went black. Once again back at the start of the bedroom scene, Long Long was instantly filled with rage. What¡¯s this? Suddenly popping out a line about ¡°father and mother¡±, have you forgotten you¡¯re still in the Illusion Domain? However, seeing the little fox¡¯s tears-filled, on-the-verge-of-crying expression, he instantly abandoned the thought of scolding her. Although she is physically an adult, emotionally she is still a child after all. This time there was no reset, which means according to the script¡¯s design, it was allowable for this empress character to cry. However, the reason for crying was not because of a ¡°daughter¡¯s heartache for her father and mother¡± but rather because of a ¡°wife¡¯s gratitude towards her husband.¡± So, all he had to do was to lead her to say similar lines. Thinking things over once more, Long Long then hugged Long Hu and gently said: ¡°Don¡¯t cry, Hu. I¡¯ve told you, I will give you an explanation.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need it,¡± Long Hu sobbed, shaking her head, ¡°I just hope you stay safe and sound, I don¡¯t want you to go to the Mortal Realm and take risks.¡± These were the true feelings of her heart: At this moment, the little fox wished so much that her father had never taken the initiative to counterattack the Human Race, thereby being forced to separate from her and her mother! Seeing that there was no reset, Long Long inwardly breathed a sigh of relief and continued to persuade her: ¡°Hu, this is not just for the future of us both but also for our children. You¡¯ve suffered so much in the past because of your mother¡¯s reputation; do you want our child to grow up in the same environment?¡± Once she heard ¡°you¡¯ve suffered so much in the past,¡± Long Hu instantly cried so hard that she couldn¡¯t speak, her tears soaking the pillow. Seeing her in such sorrow, Long Long could only sigh inwardly. They say Fox Ladies are deeply sentimental, and now I truly understand that sentiment. Her grandmother, a spy who neglected her duty, for the sake of her husband left the Tai Yin Summoning Sword in the Mortal World and returned alone to face the animosity of the entire Demon Race. Her mother, for her child¡¯s sake, betrayed the entire Fox Clan, fled to the South State, and died from her severe injuries. Her Soul Spirit even endured forcefully for over a hundred thousand years, waiting until this reliable young gentleman, Long Long, arrived here. The power of love, terrifying indeed! If the little fox inherits her mother and grandmother¡¯s deeply emotional nature, what will she do when I get the Heaven-Mending Stone and lay it all out for her? Definitely no good, right? If I reveal everything to her, she will certainly not care about consequences and insist on keeping me in the Eastern Emperor Realm. Then what about the junior sisters, young ladies, and everyone else in the Mortal Realm? Ahem, I mean, what about those pieces of the Heaven-Mending Stone? Do I still want to save the world? Thinking this, Long Long hugged Long Hu close but in his heart became even more determined about the idea of ¡°grab the fragments of the Heaven-Mending Stone and run.¡± Then, the scene went black once more. Underneath them was no longer the soft bed but a bed of soft grass. Gui Ling¡¯er, Qin Zhou, and Qin Ye, the three of them got up from the ground nearby-they too had already lain down to rest in their script¡¯s timeline and were then suddenly transported here. Long Long let go of Long Hu and propped himself up, scanning the surroundings once again. Has the Illusion Domain ended? ¡°I¡¯ve found it,¡± said the Kunlun Mirror in his mind, ¡°There is indeed one of my fragments here. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only However, it seems to be located in the inner circle of the ruins. Moreover, using the mechanism of the ruins itself, it continually radiates power outwards causing you to fall into these illusions-which are all snippets cut out from the world line.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve just helped you to temporarily block its power, so the Illusion Domain has automatically ended.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Long Long nodded in appreciation, ¡°As expected of you, my mirror.¡± ¡°But you need to be of the Cultivator¡¯s Rank to enter the inner circle of the ruins, so we need to plan for a long-term strategy to retrieve your fragment.¡± ¡°No need,¡± the Kunlun Mirror quickly said, ¡°I have a way to circumvent the selection rules of the ruins, just listen to me¡­¡± ¡°Really? That¡¯s great, you don¡¯t need to say anymore,¡± Long Long immediately cut it off. Me, enter the inner circle of the ruins and fight those old Demon Race ancestors to the death? What a joke! Chapter 481 Chapter 481: Chapter 7 Someone is Targeting My Fox Again Chapter 481: Chapter 7 Someone is Targeting My Fox Again After some time, the group finally cleared up their exploration of the vicinity. This place should be the periphery of the ruins, with vast forests and meadows. And surrounded by the forests and meadows in the center were continuous mountains. The mountains were enveloped in thick fog, the closer one got, the heavier the resistance felt. Long Long, at the Transformation Rank, could penetrate deeper than anyone else, but still could not enter the mountains-obviously, his cultivation realm surpassed the others, yet he still hadn¡¯t reached the threshold to enter the mountain range. The ancestors of various clans at the Immortal Rank, along with a fragment of the Kunlun Mirror, were deep within that mountain range, at the center of the ruins. Although Ah Jing seemed a bit capricious, considering everyone¡¯s current cultivation level, thinking about how to get into the mountain range was completely unrealistic. Therefore, Long Long simply led the group, looking for any possible locations of the ruins on the outskirts of the mountains. According to the seniors, the ancient Xuanwu Clan, which includes the Xuan Gui and Jiao Serpent people, had been stationed here for at least two thousand years, conducting long-term research on some kind of grand Dao within the ruins. Hence, the Demon Race was killing two birds with one stone. On one hand, the Immortal Rank elders entered the interior of the ruins, directly studying the so-called grand Dao; On the other hand, they had the younger generation search the exterior of the ruins for any manuscripts concerning the grand Dao that the ancient Xuanwu Clan might have left behind. Considering the preciousness of these manuscripts and the Illusion Domains that regularly appeared outside, those chosen to participate in the ruin search were without exception the young, outstanding, and reliable forces trusted by the elders within their clans. Of course, precisely because they were entrusted with great hope and pressure from within their clan, these juniors from different Demon Races certainly had no trust in each other whatsoever. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co During the search, Long Long was always highly vigilant, trying to avoid meeting the teams from other Demon Races-as encounters were basically either hostile or unfriendly. ¡°Long Long,¡± within the forest, Long Hu suddenly said cautiously, ¡°There¡¯s a team following us.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± Gui Ling¡¯er asked with a frown, ¡°How did you discover them?¡± This question was a bit much since every clan¡¯s cultivators had their own secret techniques and divine skills; who would just straightforwardly go up and ask like that? Long Hu simply perfunctorily replied with ¡°sense of smell,¡± then looked toward Long Long. Long Long quickly contemplated. Based on the information Long Hu received from Hu Li, before entering the Divine Dragon Island ruins, the clans had collectively set a rule to ¡°avoid competition where there is a large disparity in cultivation levels.¡± After all, if you send an untransformed low-level demon, and I send a demon cultivator at the Transformation Realm undergoing Core Formation, then in order to beat me, you¡¯ll have to send a high-rank demon king from the Dong Yuan Realm¡­ If this escalation continues, it would surely end with high-rank cultivators from various clans killing each other. Therefore, when selecting juniors, the clans agreed to unify the selection criteria to the ¡°Untransformed¡± rank. Of course, even with rules in place to avoid unfair competition, there were still families who resorted to playing tricks, like ¡°Oh dear, I really did choose an untransformed heir at first, but who would have thought that they would suddenly undergo Transformation and Tribulation these few days, we were caught off guard as well.¡± Since it was indeed impossible to avoid sudden Transformation and Tribulation occurrences, and it was impossible to change contenders at a moment¡¯s notice, everyone could only reluctantly accept it. After being outwitted once, the clans subsequently became a bit more shrewd, deliberately selecting cultivators on the verge of undergoing Transformation and Tribulation-thus, the so-called ¡°internal competitive environment¡± emerged. With this intelligence, it could be inferred that the team pursuing us might consist entirely of untransformed little demons or could be led by a cultivator at the Transformation Rank along with other little demons. Considering that the opposing side dared to directly trail them, the latter was very likely. ¡°Shake them off,¡± Long Long decided. ¡°Speed up, go!¡± Everyone immediately showcased their divine skills. Qin Zhou and Qin Ye used the Dragon Clan magic ¡°Riding Mist and Ascending Clouds,¡± which surrounded them in a faint mist, allowing the two to fly through the air and navigate freely through the forest. Long Hu also executed the Fox Clan¡¯s step technique ¡°Divine Travel Hundred Miles,¡± increasing her leaping speed in complex terrain by almost three times, even faster than Qin Zhou and Qin Ye. ???G?.?? Gui Ling¡¯er hesitated for a moment, then decisively jumped onto Long Long¡¯s back, hugging him tightly from behind, and instantly leaped to the front of the group. ¡°What are you doing!¡± Long Hu burst out in anger, her speed surging by many times as she rushed behind Long Long trying to drag Gui Ling¡¯er down. ¡°I don¡¯t have any secret techniques for speeding up!¡± Gui Ling¡¯er called out helplessly, ¡°We Xuanwu never consider speeding up!¡± ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Qin Zhou explained on the side. ¡°The secret techniques of the Xuanwu clan are mostly defensive, with offense second, and hardly any speed-related divine skills.¡± ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean you can ride on his back!¡± The little fox gritted her teeth in anger. ¡°I¡¯ll carry you! Is it all right if I do it?¡± ¡°No!¡± Gui Ling¡¯er flatly refused. ¡°If it¡¯s you, you¡¯ll definitely find a place to dump me!¡± Facing this stubborn and foolish little turtle, Long Hu was also infuriated to death but could only pounce onto Long Long¡¯s back as well, striving to squeeze Gui Ling¡¯er off. The Qin siblings followed behind, looking at Long Long charging ahead with two girls clinging to him, and gave each other a look of astonishment. ¡°Sister, why don¡¯t you try going up too?¡± Qin Zhou, ever the instigator, said while watching the commotion. ¡°How am I supposed to get up there?¡± Qin Ye rolled her eyes. ¡°Sit on top of his head?¡± Although Long Long had transformed, the pursuing cultivators¡¯ cultivation realms were also strong, and with two burdens on his back struggling and squabbling, they still hadn¡¯t managed to shake off their pursuers after about two quarters of an hour. ¡°Forget it, change strategy,¡± Long Long sighed. ¡°Let¡¯s turn around and face the enemy.¡± Gui Ling¡¯er and Long Hu then jumped down from his back, glaring at each other furiously. ¡°When the pursuers arrive, I¡¯ll take the lead and entangle the Transformation Rank cultivator. You all deal with the rest,¡± Long Long instructed carefully. ¡°Gui Ling¡¯er, your clan excels at defense, so you will take on the task of charging at the forefront.¡± ¡°Qin Zhou and Qin Ye, you will cover Gui Ling¡¯er from the left and right flanks.¡± ¡°Long Hu, you stay at the back and use the Celestial Fox Illusion Technique to disrupt the enemy. Be careful not to interfere with my fight against the Transformation Rank cultivator.¡± Everyone of course understood the stakes and agreed in unison. Soon, the pursuers burst out from within the forest. Before entering the ruins, Long Long, along with Gui Ling¡¯er, Qin Zhou, and Qin Ye, had memorized the appearances and information of all the individuals present. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only At this moment, he immediately recognized the leader of the group, originating from the Leopard Clan of West State, known as ¡°Bao Yi Nu.¡± It was said that he had an extremely savage and murderous nature, his ill-repute widely feared among the other clans of West State. Bao Yi Nu led the little demons out of the forest. His narrow eyes flicked around for a bit, but he didn¡¯t rush to attack. Instead, he fixed his gaze on Long Hu at the back, squeezing out a flattering smile, and said: ¡°Your Highness, I come bearing orders from the White Tiger Clan to escort Your Highness back to West State.¡± Long Hu was expressionless, Long Long sneered continuously, Gui Ling¡¯er looked somewhat confused, and Qin Zhou and Qin Ye¡¯s faces underwent a drastic change. The wicked Leopard Clan was pursuing us and their target was Long Hu? Chapter 482 Chapter 482: Chapter 8 I, Long Long, Am Truly Invincible Chapter 482: Chapter 8 I, Long Long, Am Truly Invincible If the sects of the Human Race value their disciples¡¯ ¡°talents in Taoist cultivation¡± the most, then what the various clans of the Great Demon Clans focus on is the ¡°Bloodline Rank¡± of their members. Since all parties have been mixing sand into each other¡¯s territory for tens of thousands of years, the existence of Long Hu is not a secret, even Hu Li of the Qingqiu Fox Clan knows about it, so naturally, the White Tiger Clan rulers of West State could not have been kept in the dark for long. Coveting her bloodline! Long Long¡¯s Bloodline Rank is even higher, and of course, everyone desires it more. But Long Long is of pure Dragon Clan bloodline, and the White Tiger Clan, as leaders of the Mao Clan, cannot possibly invite a pure dragon to be at their service, thus they only covet in secret. The situation with Long Hu is different; she carries the bloodline of the Fox Clan, which is a branch of the Mao Clan, and the Mao Clan is ruled by the White Tiger Clan of West State. Therefore, the White Tiger Clan theoretically has the right to claim Long Hu as one of their own, that is, ¡°every fox is a member of our big family in West State.¡± As for whether Long Hu¡¯s bloodline is more of the Dragon Clan or Fox Clan, the White Tigers do not know. Even if they knew, they would pretend not to know, ¡°suggesting a thorough examination in West State.¡± As for the thoughts of these Mao Clan cultivators, Long Long could see through them at once, immediately feeling annoyed in his heart. The little fox has already given her heart to me, and now you ugly slaves are interfering? I am a single-female-main-character pure-love warrior, sworn to enforce justice and punish you severely! With that thought in mind, Long Long immediately activated the Fire Dragon Chant Immortal Sword and stabbed directly at the cloaked servant. wuxiaworld.site The cloaked servant was both shocked and angry, quickly swinging his sharp claws in an attempt to grasp the Fire Dragon Chant in his hands. His act of challenging the sword with his flesh was not due to overconfidence but because the Demon Race possesses robust bodies that can contend with Flying Swords. Thus, many demons prefer attacking with their bodies. Naturally, Long Long would not give him a chance to show off, and with a flick of the sword technique, the Fire Dragon Chant nimble twirled away, barely brushing past his fingers. The cloaked servant had never seen such exquisite swordsmanship; he was slightly stunned, and in that moment, Long Long had already closed in, throwing a punch with one hand at him. If the Xuanwu are known for their defense, then the Azure Dragon excels in strength. The cloaked servant did not dare to receive this punch head-on, quickly displaying the best footwork of the Mao Clan, instantly dodging the strike to the side, and then lunging forward again to counterattack, his claws cutting through the air with a low howl. Long Long spun around and raised his right arm to block the servant¡¯s wrist with his elbow while continuing to change sword techniques with his left hand. The Fire Dragon Chant then wound around from behind a tree and silently stabbed towards the back of the servant¡¯s head. This move, in the Shushan Dual Sword Technique, is called ¡°Interplay of Reality and Illusion.¡± A feigned stab at the front while a lethal attack sneaks up from behind. If the opponent guards against the rear from the start, there¡¯s always room to switch between the feint and the actual strike, turning the decoy into a deadly blow. How could the leopard demon understand the mystery of this Human Race swordsmanship? Just as he heard the wind behind his head and scoffed internally, thinking, ¡°You think you can ambush me with this?¡± He turned his head to dodge the sneak attack of the Fire Dragon Chant. And then Long Long¡¯s punch sent him flying from the front. ???G0.?? On the other side, the group of pursuers led by the cloaked servant consisted of two leopard demons and a wolf demon. Since none of them had completed their Transformation, these three little demons, although humanoid, still had beards on their faces and tails swishing behind them. Gui Ling¡¯er was panicking when she previously fled, clinging to Long Long¡¯s back and refusing to come down. This time, in the face of battle, she was surprisingly courageous, charging forward first with her hands crossed in front of her chest, forming secret technique hand signs. The wolf demon, being the most hot-headed, crossed paths and fiercely swiped his claws at her. Gui Ling¡¯er didn¡¯t even look; she simply reached out to block, and the wolf demon¡¯s claws scratched her hand, making a harsh sound like striking metal. When the opponent saw that their claws couldn¡¯t tear through, they switched from slashing to grabbing, trying to flip Gui Ling¡¯er over by clamping down on her arm. But when they tried to flip her, they found that she was as heavy as a thousand catties. Not to mention flipping her, she didn¡¯t even budge, standing firm as ever. Thus, the wolf demon immediately deployed its third move, whipping its tail from behind like a long whip. This series of decisive and fierce attacks, known as the ¡°Tiger Descending Style,¡± were the basic moves shared with all the Mao Clan of West State by the White Tiger Clan, consisting of a pounce, a flip, and a slash. Ordinary small demons, if not very powerful, would be killed by the first pounce; those with some ability, once they fended off the pounce, would then face a mighty flip aimed at throwing them off balance, before being pounced upon and killed. If the opponent was indeed strong and immovable even with a flip, the final resort would be to whip with the tail. Though the tail might seem soft, when infused with the mental method of the Tiger Descending Style, it could become as hard as steel, capable of splitting a huge stone several meters high with a single lash. If the opponent was careless enough to be struck by this tail, they would immediately suffer broken bones and tendons, with their combat power greatly reduced. However, how could the defensive secret techniques of the Xuanwu Clan, one of the Five Great Demon Clans of the Eastern Emperor Realm, be so easily broken? When the tail struck Gui Ling¡¯er¡¯s leg, it was like a willow twig hitting rock, completely ineffective. The wolf demon was momentarily stunned, its mind going blank. Qin Zhou seized the opportunity, rushing to its side and exploding its head with a punch. The two leopard demons, unable to come to the rescue in time, were immediately enraged. One of them performed the Daoist Formula, summoning divine powers that conjured gusts of black wind out of thin air, sweeping towards Gui Ling¡¯er and the others. As the saying goes, dragons follow clouds, and tigers wield the wind. The Scaled Clan excels in manipulating clouds and mist, while the Mao Clan is adept at harnessing wind and sand. The moment the vast swathe of black wind blew, visibility ahead plummeted, making it nearly impossible to see anything. On Qin Ye¡¯s side, they quickly produced a Magical Treasure, a giant banana leaf fan. With a single wave, they dispelled all the black wind and sand in front of them. However, the two leopard demons had already used the cover of the wind and sand to sneak up to a very close distance. Just as the wind and sand began to clear, they lunged forward, bypassing the highly defensive Gui Ling¡¯er, and pounced towards the Qin siblings from both sides. Suddenly, they appeared to see something terrifying, involuntarily halting in their steps, their bodies trembling as though sifting chaff. Long Hu was hiding in the back, maintaining control over them with an Illusion Technique. Qin Zhou and Qin Ye took the opportunity to rush out and kill the two unable to counterattack. While they easily dispatched the wolf and leopard demons with a four-on-three advantage, the servant in patchwork clothing was too occupied to take notice, as Long Long was overpoweringly dominant, almost constantly pressing him in the fight. Although he had long known that Long Long¡¯s Bloodline Rank was no less than Long Hu¡¯s, he hadn¡¯t expected Long Long¡¯s combat power to be so outrageously strong! With this thought, the servant in patchwork suddenly became ruthless in his heart and abruptly crouched down, speeding away on all fours, activating some kind of escape Secret Technique, and disappeared in the blink of an eye. It is said that among the Scaled, Mao, Horned, Feathered, and Mao Clans, the fastest are the Feathered Clan, followed by the well-known agile Mao Clan. Once this Mao Clan member deployed their escape Secret Technique, even the naked eye found it difficult to lock onto their figure, dashing through the woods like a flash, quickly vanishing into the distance. To give chase and hunt them down would probably require the power of Qiu Changtian¡¯s Immortal Capital Thunder or the Unity of Body and Sword of Ling Yunpo. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Of course, the demons are skilled in divine powers related to their own bloodline, so Long Long could not possibly suddenly use Thunder Method or Man-Sword Unity and then claim he ¡°accidentally¡± learned them. Such an excuse would definitely raise suspicions among the others, even if they didn¡¯t voice them. Therefore, Long Long symbolically controlled his Fire Dragon Chant, shot a few swords in the direction of the escapee, and did not give chase. This time, he would spare his life, so he could bring someone more capable next time. Otherwise, I won¡¯t get enough satisfaction from the fight! Chapter 483 Chapter 483: Chapter 9 Can you pay some attention to me? Chapter 483: Chapter 9 Can you pay some attention to me? The battle ended quickly, and everyone began to clean up the battlefield. It is said that in the ancient times, the customs of the Demons were even more cruel; they would chop off the heads of their enemy¡¯s corpses and even drink blood with the hair still attached. Today, everyone has become more civilized-after scavenging everything, they burn the bodies to avoid discovery and the troubles that could follow. Gui Ling¡¯er quickly divided the spoils into four parts, then unapologetically claimed the most valuable share for herself, saying, ¡°This one¡¯s mine.¡± Qin Zhou had a mild temperament and preferred not to argue with her. Qin Ye was somewhat reluctant, but seeing that his brother remained silent, he turned his pleading gaze to Long Long. Long Long took a careful look at the spoils. What is this, a bunch of misshapen fruits? Is the artifact refining skill of the Demon Race really this shoddy? These things wouldn¡¯t even be considered for improvement in our Heavenly Craft Workshop, they¡¯re better off just thrown into the furnace! ¡°Here, take mine,¡± he said, gesturing to Qin Ye. wuxiaworld.site Qin Ye¡¯s face broke into a delighted smile, thinking to himself, is he letting me be in charge? Long Hu originally didn¡¯t care for these low-rank magic artifacts either, considering that the belongings left to them by their mother, as well as the Eastern Pure Light Glazed Lamp and Flying Fire Crow Tube they had scavenged from the Fusang ruins, were far more appealing in appearance. However, seeing Long Long offer them to Qin Ye, he felt a pang of jealousy. Shouldn¡¯t I be the one to be in charge? Upon reflection, since Qin Ye¡¯s friendship with her was rather good and Long Hu typically considered herself as the elder sister, it didn¡¯t seem right to squabble with her over these matters. But it was always okay to get angry at Long Long, wasn¡¯t it? So the little fox glared fiercely at Long Long. Long Long was utterly baffled by her reaction, though this wasn¡¯t the first time the fox acted up inexplicably. As long as he pretended not to notice her anger, her little temper could even be somewhat cute. Qin Ye, cheerfully inspecting the spoils on his end, suddenly exclaimed, ¡°Long Long, come take a look at this!¡± Hearing this, Long Long walked over, only to see Qin Ye handing him a piece of bamboo. Is this¡­ a map? After scrutinizing the etchings on the bamboo piece, Long Long confirmed it was a hastily recorded map. The map indicated the nearby terrain, forests, rivers, the southern mountain range, and¡­ what looked like patterns of buildings. ¡°We¡¯ll head here next,¡± Long Long said, pointing at the building. Everyone agreed without objection. As they headed in the direction indicated by the map, Long Long once again asked the Kunlun Mirror in his mind: ¡°Ah Jing, how far have you gotten in solving the illusion mechanism inside the secret realm?¡± The Kunlun Mirror ignored him. ¡°Ah Jing, you need to understand my predicament,¡± Long Long said earnestly, ¡°The inside of the ruin is full of immortals competing internally, how could I possibly outdo them at my level!¡± The Kunlun Mirror still gave no response. Long Long persisted patiently, ¡°Ah Jing, once my cultivation is sufficient, I will retrieve that fragment for you, okay? As soon as I ascend, I¡¯ll go get it!¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you take my matters to heart?¡± the Kunlun Mirror suddenly spoke, ¡°My original body fell from the Jade Pond, shattered into five pieces. How many have we found so far?¡± ¡°Uh,¡± Long Long began to take stock seriously, ¡°there¡¯s one piece in the Zhao Palace of the Western Queen Mother¡¯s secret realm, one piece under the Five Qi Dynasty Yuan Cave in the Eastern Pole Divine Palace, and one piece in the Mirror Lake Divine Palace in the Southern Border¡­ So is that three pieces?¡± ¡°There¡¯s another piece in the Demon Locking Tower!¡± the Kunlun Mirror said indignantly, ¡°You don¡¯t take my affairs seriously at all, do you?¡± Long Long grinned awkwardly, thinking that such a distant past event, and now that I am not the Luo Yan template, how could I possibly remember? If this was a novel, you ask those readers, would they remember which part of the previous volumes mentioned that a shard was in the Demon Locking Tower? Impossible to remember! Of course, Long Long naturally couldn¡¯t speak the truth, but instead, as if suddenly enlightened, he exclaimed, ¡°Now that you mention it! I always vaguely remembered that there was something important in the Demon Locking Tower, something I had to rush to retrieve after Core Formation, but I just couldn¡¯t recall what it was¡­ ?0?G0.?? It was your shard, Ah Jing!¡± ¡°Look, when Senior Sister An and I discovered the White Jade Capital Secret Realm in Mount Tianmu, didn¡¯t the Jade Capital Sect Leader from Shushan give me a Demon Locking Tower token, which could be used to explore the Demon Locking Tower once? I¡¯ve had the method for entering it prepared for you all along!¡± ¡°Hmph,¡± the Kunlun Mirror thought that I¡¯m not one of those girls who fancies you, how could I be deceived by your words? You clearly didn¡¯t remember just a moment ago! However, thinking that he had the token to enter the Demon Locking Tower at any time, to search on his own without the rushed, group expedition that followed the last competition-under the watchful eyes of others-Kunlun Mirror felt a certain joy and hopefulness. ¡°In any case,¡± it decided not to quibble with this fellow, ¡°aside from the shard in the Demon Locking Tower, this relic is the last piece.¡± ¡°If you remember all the good I¡¯ve done for you over the years, you should help me gather my shards sooner. I could then be of more help to you afterward, right?¡± ¡°That makes sense,¡± Long Long said seriously, ¡°but even immortals¡­¡± ¡°Even immortals wouldn¡¯t be able to see through my illusion techniques!¡± Kunlun Mirror declared confidently, ¡°You just go in, and let Ah Jing think of a way for you.¡± ¡°This¡­ well, okay then.¡± Seeing Kunlun Mirror speak so assuredly, Long Long knew he could not further evade or skirt the issue, lest he truly angered her, and so he hesitantly agreed. Before the night fell, everyone finally arrived at the location marked on the map. Indeed, there was a stone-built structure here, and it was highly likely that it had not yet been explored by anyone. Because at the entrance, a venomous python was coiled. ¡°What do you think?¡± Gui Ling¡¯er asked, turning her head. If it had been any other demonic beast, she would have already charged forward. But this venomous python was, after all, from the Scaled Clan. With the other four members of the team having Dragon Clan bloodlines, she felt it wasn¡¯t her place to intervene. Long Long then looked at the venomous python and unleashed his Dragon¡¯s Might: ¡°Scram!¡± The venomous python lifted its head, hissing its forked tongue, as if restraining its killing intent. However, Dragon¡¯s Might was intimidating to all demons, especially to the fiercely hierarchical Scaled Clan. After hesitating for a while, the venomous python ultimately did not dare to act up in front of a True Dragon and slithered away. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Long Long then led everyone into the relic. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only About fifteen minutes later, the ruins were thoroughly looted by everyone. Most of the rooms inside were empty, but the diligent Qin Zhou found a jade slip in a corner under a table-an accidental drop that the owner had not discovered. ¡°Let me take a look,¡± Long Long, as the leader, took it upon himself to check the contents. His divine sense invaded it, and numerous text, patterns, images, and sounds slowly unfolded. ¡°What a coincidence,¡± Long Long said with a smile to Kunlun Mirror, ¡°Ah Jing, look, the methods for entering the mountains, the inside of the relic, have we not just stumbled upon them here?¡± ¡°Hmph,¡± the Kunlun Mirror still wanted to hold out a bit longer, but soon couldn¡¯t help laughing as well. Chapter 484 Chapter 484: Chapter 10 The Establishment of Beiming Fanyang Chapter 484: Chapter 10 The Establishment of Beiming Fanyang Everyone was excited to have successfully found the relevant materials. It should be noted that since demons rely on the absorption of the sun and moon¡¯s essence to improve their cultivation level, their demon core and Dong Yuan¡¯s rank mainly depend on their own bloodline, and not like humans who can use secret medicine from the Purple Mansion to advance. Therefore, these young members of the Demon Race are not keen on external training, and naturally, they do not have much experience in obtaining treasures from ruins. With Qin Zhou¡¯s findings, everyone dispersed again to check every nook and cranny to see if any magical artifacts had been missed. Unfortunately, finding one set of materials was already lucky; finding two would be too much to hope for, especially since Miss Shi was not here. What Long Long was more concerned about, however, was the information recorded in the jade slip. According to Sword Control, the central ring of mountains is surrounded by a layer of thick fog that renders those below the Immortal Rank immobile as if stuck in mud. Even immortals have to struggle and exert considerable effort to contend with that fog. ?0?G0.?? However, the ancient Xuanwu Clan, at a construction on the periphery, excavated an underground passage using the Xuan Gui Secret Method that led deep into the inner layer of the ruins within the mountains. Upon reading this, Long Long immediately came up with a plan: Have Ah Jing set a coordinate here and then, after everyone leaves the ruins, have Ah Jing teleport here. In doing so, there would be no need to compete internally with those immortals inside. The jade slip also recorded that there were many traps and enemies in the ruins, and even those of the Immortal Rank would find them challenging to deal with. wuxiaworld.site The former could be avoided by Ah Jing¡¯s scanning, and the latter could be evaded using Ah Jing¡¯s illusion technique. Since they were looking for the fragments of Ah Jing¡¯s true body anyway, just leave it all to Ah Jing! Thinking this way, Long Long felt that the plan was incredibly thorough, practically impregnable. ¡°Be alert,¡± the Kunlun Mirror suddenly spoke, ¡°an Illusion Domain is coming.¡± ¡°Has the influence of your true body¡¯s fragment on the outside world not been shielded?¡± Long Long asked, frowning. ¡°After all, it is the ability of my true body; how can it be easily shielded?¡± Kunlun Mirror replied helplessly, ¡°It¡¯s already quite something that I can give you a heads-up, okay? If it were anyone else, they¡¯d have been dragged into the Illusion Domain without even realizing it!¡± ¡°Alright, alright, I owe it all to my Ah Jing,¡± Long Long thought. Considering that he¡¯d probably need the help of this broken mirror in the Illusion Domain, he could only swallow his grievances. After a few moments, the scene suddenly changed. Long Long found himself standing on a shell, next to a dumbfounded Gui Ling¡¯er. Under their feet was the back of a gigantic Xuan Gui, floating on the vast ocean, surrounded by many smaller turtle clans, each of them hundreds of zhang in size. The air was occupied by the Dragon Clan, who were flying amidst the clouds, vigilantly guarding against any potential attacks. Behind the two of them stood many transformed demons, with those in green belonging to the Jiaolong Clan and those in black to the Xuan Gui Clan. All of them looked extremely solemn, their gazes focused on Long Long and Gui Ling¡¯er as if awaiting their command. Say something! Gui Ling¡¯er signaled with her eyes. Long Long thought it was true; with Gui Ling¡¯er¡¯s naive nature, expecting her to improvise would just lead to repeating the scenario endlessly. Thus, Long Long turned to the nearest member of the Jiaolong Clan and asked: ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°Clan leader,¡± the other party said respectfully, ¡°the alliance with the Xuan Gui Clan was a grand strategy set by your ancestors. I am of low status and would not dare to make unwarranted comments.¡± This made Long Long and Gui Ling¡¯er realize. It meant that they were playing the clan leaders of the Jiaolong and Xuan Gui clans, and this was the venue for signing a strategic alliance agreement between the two clans. ¡°Isn¡¯t that simple?¡± Gui Ling¡¯er was overjoyed, ¡°Sign it!¡± Why are you so happy? Long Long was also speechless. Didn¡¯t the Jiaolong Clan and your Xuan Gui Clan already cease their alliance cooperation? But since there wasn¡¯t a redo, it meant that the Xuan Gui Clan leader in the script was also a character with a waterlogged mind. That¡¯s good, then; she was truly playing to her type. Considering the respectful attitude that the clan member had when responding, the seasoned actor Long Long swiftly outlined in his mind the character of the Jiaolong Clan leader. He said in a commanding and domineering tone: ¡°Hmm, sign it.¡± The members of the Jiaolong Clan and the Xuan Gui Clan immediately brought the contract forward. The two of them took up their pens to sign, producing four copies in all. After signing, Gui Ling¡¯er firmly grasped both of Long Long¡¯s hands, saying: ¡°From now on, our two clans are allies!¡± Seeing the sincerity in her demeanor, Long Long couldn¡¯t tell if she was merely acting or hinting at something to him. Could it be that this little turtle isn¡¯t a simpleton, but actually profound wisdom disguised as folly? After pondering seriously for a moment, Long Long decided not to speculate on what the simpleton might be thinking, and instead, he ramped up his own acting, stating solemnly: ¡°Indeed! From this day forward, our two clans shall together be known as Xuanwu!¡± The members of the Jiaolong Clan and the Xuan Gui Clan behind him rightly cheered. Some time later, someone came forward to report that they had reached the North Pole magnetic point of the Eastern Emperor Realm. The scene once again fell into an odd silence, as everyone refocused their attention on the two clan leaders, as if waiting for them to say something. Long Long fell silent for a moment, about to speak, when suddenly everything went dark before his eyes. Here we go again! ¡°Ah Jing!¡± he complained inwardly, ¡°This Illusion Domain¡¯s acting mechanism, why does it so much resemble your ¡®Synchronization Value¡¯ requirements? And the difficulty is way too high, not even knowing the script I¡¯m supposed to act out. A moment¡¯s inattention, and it¡¯s a restart!¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you stop creating such troublesome things? How about being a good mirror, can you do that?¡± The Kunlun Mirror also sighed. If this had happened before, it would probably have been at a loss to explain, only being able to argue its case with a sense of aggrievance. But so many years had passed, and it had absorbed much experience from Chen Guanshui, so it casually replied: ¡°Alright, alright, I¡¯m at fault. Hurry up and find my fragments, and I¡¯ll discipline it for you.¡± Long Long: ??? Wait a minute, what does ¡°I¡¯ll discipline it for you¡± mean? You¡¯re saying the trouble caused by your fragment is all pushed onto it, is that it? Despicable! Too despicable! Your character is just like shavings, do you know that? Being at a loss for words, he could only follow the previous routine and act the scene out with Gui Ling¡¯er once more. The second time through the script, Gui Ling¡¯er¡¯s acting was quite reluctant, not even bothering to feign the joy of signing the alliance agreement. After signing the agreement, Long Long immediately learned from the last lesson and turned to ask: ¡°Have we reached the North Pole magnetic point?¡± ¡°Not yet,¡± the other party hastily replied, ¡°About four or five miles more.¡± ¡°Is everything else ready?¡± Long Long quickly put on a dignified air and asked sternly. ¡°Reporting to the clan leader, everything is ready!¡± the Jiaolong Clan member promptly answered, ¡°Elder Changxiao has said that the Array Master for establishing the secret realm is already in place, and the rest of the clan members¡¯ duties have also been assigned. Once we reach the North Pole magnetic point, the elder will personally oversee and direct the construction!¡± Establishing a secret realm? Long Long instantly understood. This secret realm must be referring to the ¡°Beiming Fanyang,¡± the secret realm that the Jiaolong Clan came to inhabit later on. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Considering the later dissolution of the alliance between the Jiaolong Clan and the Xuan Gui Clan, followed by the Xuan Gui¡¯s monopoly over the Xuanwu title and their alliance with the Qilin Clan. Then there was Ying Long¡¯s disappearance, Jiaolong¡¯s decline, the Xuan Gui¡¯s widespread hunting of the Jiaolong in the North Ocean, all without ever locating the position of the Beiming Fanyang¡­ ¡°Clan Leader Gui,¡± Long Long promptly said with a smile, ¡°Since the agreement has been signed, let¡¯s leave our people and material here, shall we?¡± Gui Ling¡¯er: ? With no context provided, she didn¡¯t understand what he meant. But seeing that there was no reset, she followed his suggestion and instructed the clan member beside her: ¡°Then let¡¯s stop here.¡± Chapter 485 Chapter 485: Chapter 11: Return to Divine Dragon Island Chapter 485: Chapter 11: Return to Divine Dragon Island The Northern Sea Vanishing Ocean of the Jiaolong Clan is intelligence that must be kept absolutely secret within our own clan and only known to the absolutely loyal and core members of our clan. Even for close allies, it¡¯s impossible to let them know, otherwise¡­ Just look at what Long Long and Long Hu obtained after entering the Fusang Secret Realm of the Golden Crow Clan, and you can roughly understand a thing or two. After the entire Xuan Gui Clan had left, Long Long, assuming the identity of the clan chief, began to inspect and probe the construction techniques of the secret realm. ???G?.?? To create a secret realm, one must first interrupt the continuous space that is originally present here. The Array Masters of the Jiaolong Clan used a kind of spatial cutting Formation called ¡°Wu Cai¡±. This Formation has now been lost to time, and therefore the various secret realms that remain to this day are essentially all built in ancient times. With a great sense of mission to ¡°reintroduce the lost Formation to the Mortal World,¡± Long Long observed the Array Masters¡¯ techniques throughout the process. It has to be said that there are reasons for the loss of this Formation-it¡¯s really too complex, second only to the Grand Formation in the Gui Xu Palace from the past. Hundreds of Array Masters joined forces, extending the Formation patterns to hundreds of miles away. Even with Long Long¡¯s profound mastery in Formation, he couldn¡¯t possibly memorize the work content of these hundreds of Array Masters, unlike Luo Yan, who had the ability to grasp a thousand lessons from a single experience. There¡¯s no other way, Ah Jing, scan! While the Kunlun Mirror was busy scanning, Long Long was also not idle. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co He just continued to play the role of the domineering clan chief, inquiring about the secret realm matters from Elder Chang Xiao who was responsible for the oversight of its construction. ¡°We do not plan to fix the entrance of the Northern Sea Vanishing Ocean secret realm in any specific location,¡± Elder Chang Xiao said proudly, stroking his beard, ¡°Because if the enemy is to search for our secret realm¡¯s entrance, based on the name ¡®Northern Sea Vanishing Ocean¡¯, they would definitely start their search in the sea.¡± ¡°They will never think we would hide it within a floating iceberg, letting it drift freely on the ocean.¡± Long Long thought carefully for a moment and then looked at the many icebergs in the distance, admitting that it was indeed the case. Who would have thought to place the entrance to a secret realm inside a floating iceberg? What to do if the iceberg collides with another iceberg? What if it drifts to the warm Southern Sea and melts? Most crucially, what if the clan members go out and then can¡¯t find the entrance upon their return? There are more than tens of thousands of icebergs in the Northern Sea Vanishing Ocean-can¡¯t you consider the user experience? After some contemplation, thinking about how the Xuanwu Clan had controlled the North State North Sea for so long and yet never managed to find the entrance to the Northern Sea Vanishing Ocean, Long Long fell silent for a long, long time before finally nodding and saying, ¡°Indeed, security must come first.¡± ¡°The clan chief¡¯s insight is most keen,¡± Elder Chang Xiao laughed. Half a day later, the overall framework of the secret realm was laid out. Just as the Array Masters were about to design the interior of the secret realm, the Illusion Domain suddenly shattered. Long Long: ? Back in the original room, Long Long spoke dissatisfiedly, ¡°Ah Jing, what¡¯s going on? I haven¡¯t learned the rest of the Formation techniques yet!¡± Are you the one learning? Haven¡¯t I been scanning and recording for you? The Kunlun Mirror really wanted to scold him a few words, but instead said, ¡°I¡¯ve tried my best to extend it for you, but an Illusion Domain is only so long, and the power radiation from the core fragment also has a time limit.¡± ¡°It¡¯s so disappointing,¡± Long Long complained, ¡°For the next Illusion Domain, can¡¯t we have less of those romance dramas and more meaningful knowledge-learning scripts?¡± ¡°Of course, of course,¡± the Kunlun Mirror skillfully responded. ¡°Hey, you¡¯re brushing me off, aren¡¯t you?¡± Long Long suddenly became wary, ¡°You can¡¯t actually decide the type of script, can you?¡± ¡°Hehe,¡± the Kunlun Mirror laughingly evaded, ¡°That¡¯s hard to say, I need to study it a bit more.¡± Long Long: ¡­¡­¡­ Ah Jing, Ah Jing, when did you become so sharp? Who has corrupted my Ah Jing! He thought with a heavy heart, but on the outside, he simply nodded, ¡°All right, then I¡¯ll leave it to you, Ah Jing. You surely won¡¯t disappoint me, right?¡± A few days later, Long Long led his people to explore many secret realms. Unfortunately, they were not as lucky as on the first day, unable to find the materials left behind by the ancient Xuanwu Clan. The Illusion Domains also began to become extremely boring, all of them reenactments of historical topics, rendering Long Long utterly spiritless to act. Finally, when the ancestors emerged from seclusion, calling together the wandering younger generation, Long Long carefully counted the surroundings and realized that the leopard demon Bau Yi Nu was not among the crowd. Saying this guy is dead, Long Long didn¡¯t quite believe it, most likely he used some kind of disguise spell and was hiding among the people. ¡°Ah Jing, scan!¡± The Kunlun Mirror scanned over and said, ¡°No.¡± ¡°Really not?¡± ¡°Really not.¡± Could that fellow have died? Long Long began to ponder. Good riddance! As a pure warrior of love, I simply can¡¯t stand such wretched kidnappers! The group rode on the handkerchief Magic Artifact, flying higher and higher into the sky, and finally emerged through the mountain crevice to land back on Divine Dragon Island. Upon returning to the side hall, the Ancestral Azure Dragon turned and asked, ¡°Did you gain anything this time?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Long Long respectfully presented the Jade Slip. ¡°Very good.¡± The Ancestral Azure Dragon took the Jade Slip, read it carefully with his Divine Sense, then passed it to the Xuanwu Immortal. The old turtle also read it leisurely before handing it back to the Ancestral Azure Dragon. ¡°What reward would you like this time?¡± the Ancestral Azure Dragon asked with satisfaction, ¡°Choose for yourselves.¡± He took out four items and placed them on the stone table for the four individuals to choose from. As for Gui Ling¡¯er, her reward was to be handled by the Xuanwu Immortal, so she left with the old turtle ahead of time. The group looked towards the table, where they saw four objects: the Flying Sword, an Elixir Bottle, a Magical Treasure, and a scroll. Among them, the Flying Sword was bright white, with a broadsword contour, and its edges were not sharp; the Elixir Bottle was made of white porcelain with a wooden stopper, its contents unknown. The Magical Treasure was a pair of wind chimes adorned with golden auspicious clouds; the scroll was made of paper, tied with a red string. Since the Ancestral Azure Dragon outwardly said to choose, but laid out exactly one item per person, it meant he had actually prepared the most suitable reward for everyone in advance-it was just to see if everyone had the self-awareness to realize it. Thinking this, he pondered, I have the Dragon Chanting Immortal Sword, and Long Hu has the Fox Chanting Immortal Sword, and since none of us knows the Two-Handed Sword Control Technique, we don¡¯t need a second sword. Qin Zhou¡¯s Sword Control Technique is better than Qin Ye¡¯s, so the sword should be intended for Qin Zhou. The Elixir Bottle probably contains a High Rank elixir for refining bloodlines, and among the four of us, Qin Ye has the lowest Cultivation Level, so the elixir is meant for her. As for me and Long Hu, who has the weaker combat capability and needs this wind chime Magical Treasure more? With a slight smile, Long Long reached out and took the scroll and handed the wind chimes to Long Hu, Then he looked at the Ancestral Azure Dragon, who indeed showed an approving expression on his face. Unrolling the scroll, he saw it was filled with text, detailing various secret bloodline spells of the Dragon Clan. The title read ¡°Dragon Puppeteer¡¯s Spirit Capturing Death Avoidance Secret Scroll.¡± On the other hand, Gui Ling¡¯er had also received her reward from the Xuanwu Immortal, and heard the old turtle ask somberly, ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°Think about what?¡± Gui Ling¡¯er asked, puzzled. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Qin Zhou,¡± the old turtle said, ¡°What do you think of him?¡± Gui Ling¡¯er thought for a moment and seriously replied, ¡°A pliant man lacking decisiveness, a dog content with maintaining the status quo.¡± ¡°What about Qin Ye?¡± ¡°A gilded carving of jade, manipulated by others.¡± ¡°And Long Hu?¡± the Xuanwu Immortal asked again. ¡°An exotic bird raised in confinement, a bird in a cage,¡± said Gui Ling¡¯er disdainfully. ¡°How about Long Long?¡± This time, Gui Ling¡¯er thought carefully for a while. ¡°If the matrimonial candidate were him, I would have no objections.¡± The Xuanwu Immortal listened quietly, then smiled slightly, ¡°Pity, he doesn¡¯t fancy you.¡± ¡°That might not necessarily be the case,¡± Gui Ling¡¯er shook her head and said, ¡°With his Bloodline Rank, his marriage will surely be beyond his control. Who he ends up marrying will depend on the Dragon Clan¡¯s diplomatic orientation.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just unclear whether our Xuan Gui Clan still remembers the friendship of our ancestors.¡± Chapter 486 Chapter 486: Chapter 12: That¡¯s Enough to Kill You Chapter 486: Chapter 12: That¡¯s Enough to Kill You Long Long, Long Hu, Qin Zhou, Qin Ye, the four of them were brought back to Divine Dragon Island by the Ancestral Azure Dragon. Regarding Long Long¡¯s private excursion to undergo the Transformation Tribulation, Patriarch Qin Beiwang didn¡¯t say much. Rather, since the Transformation Tribulation is of utmost importance, there were already a considerable number of young dragons within the Azure Dragon Clan who had secretly gone outside to undergo the tribulation, which had become a common occurrence. Therefore, the patriarch merely mumbled to himself, ¡°This child still doesn¡¯t trust the clan,¡± and let them go back to rest early. Under the guise of continuing secluded cultivation, Long Hu was once again sent into the Undersea Divine Palace. This time, the reason for isolation was much simpler: her relationship with Long Long was too close, and she needed cooling off to give Qin Ye more time to build rapport. Otherwise, if Long Long ended up like King Zhou, doting exclusively on a fox and neglecting Qin Ye after marriage, how could the Azure Dragon Clan, as Qin Ye¡¯s maternal clan, save face? Regrettably, despite the clan¡¯s efforts to create opportunities for Qin Ye, this little dragoness really was not competitive; she would get shy being alone with Long Long and insisted her brother be by their side. Long Long was also very helpless about this, ¡°If you always want your brother by your side, then we just can¡¯t¡­ you know?¡± Don¡¯t understand? If you don¡¯t, there¡¯s nothing more to say. Let¡¯s not dwell on that. Long Long had originally thought that upon returning to his clan¡¯s domain, the Azure Dragon Clan would assign him some work like the human Sects do for newly advanced cultivators capable of Transformation. wuxiaworld.site After confirming several times, he realized that the clan had only one task for him: to become stronger. Since the Dragon Clan divides its members solely by bloodline, even demons of lower bloodline ranks could be accepted into the clan, provided they were dragons. Therefore, the Azure Dragon Clan¡¯s population far exceeded that of Sects like the Kunlun Taiqing Sect, and naturally there was no shortage of clan members willing to take care of mundane affairs. Long Long, just focus on your cultivation. That was fine too, who doesn¡¯t love to slack off? Once Long Long confirmed that the clan¡¯s attention on him had cooled down, he said composedly: ¡°Ah Jing, teleport us!¡± ¡­¡­ Transported back to the secret realm of Divine Dragon Island, the sky within the secret realm was now a gloomy grey, starkly different from the sunny weather when it had been opened previously. Following the map on the Jade Slip, Long Long¡¯s journey was unhindered, quickly reaching the corresponding ruins. This place also consisted of large grey stone buildings, with interconnected corridors and rooms, where one could see everything at a glance. Long Long checked each room one by one. Not only was there no entrance to a tunnel, but there weren¡¯t even any of the usual tables, chairs, beds, or cabinets; it was completely empty. As per the usual rule, he could only resort to his most powerful methods. ¡°Ah Jing, scan!¡± ¡°At the end of this corridor,¡± the Kunlun Mirror responded, ¡°it¡¯s hollow behind here.¡± Long Long reached the end of the corridor and tapped his hand against the wall a few times. The echo indicated solidness, and there was nothing around that resembled a switch of any sort. But what of it? Bringing his palms together, Long Long¡¯s True Yuan surged, and a stream of Postnatal Five Elements Great Extermination Divine Light poured out from his clasped hands. Shining onto the stone wall, it immediately melted and collapsed like mud, revealing an entrance. Long Long stepped carefully into the tunnel and ignited the Universal Pure Tone Minor Illumination Technique at his fingertips, lighting the path ahead. The tunnel was indeed rudimentary. Not to mention internal lighting, even the walls and the floor were uneven. After about an hour of walking, Long Long finally reached the end of the chamber, which was also blocked by a grey stone wall. He released the Five Elements Divine Light again, melting the wall with its radiance, and then he passed through the melted opening and entered a place that appeared to be an underground palace. ¡°Ah Jing, it¡¯s all on you this time,¡± Long Long said calmly. ¡°This place is only for immortals to deal with. I can¡¯t handle it.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± the Kunlun Mirror responded reliably, ¡°leave it to me.¡± ¡°Watch out for the trap under the floor ahead, avoid the middle row.¡± ¡°There are mechanisms behind the wall up front, you will have to crawl on the ground, below the height of an average person¡¯s waist.¡± ¡°There are enemies ahead, twelve zhang away. Approach from the corridor on the right, and make sure to evade.¡± With the mirror plate radar, Long Long¡¯s subsequent exploration went incredibly smoothly, as if he had turned on a cheat that allowed full-map visibility, perfectly avoiding any traps and enemies. This Ah Jing, when it came to seeking benefits for himself, was especially hard working! After mentally disparaging the integrity of the Kunlun Mirror and pondering for a moment who could have led it astray, Long Long continued on in silence. As he ventured deeper into the Underground Palace, Long Long noticed that the frequency of encountering enemies and traps was increasing. Clearly, the ancestral demons had trampled the outside more heavily, clearing a large part of the traps and enemies. The deeper he went, the closer he got to the palace¡¯s original state. Long Long was puzzled, though. If this relic was formed innately, why were there clearly man-made mechanisms? ¡°It¡¯s due to the fragments of my true form,¡± the Kunlun Mirror answered. ¡°The traps you see are replicated from different eras along the timeline of history.¡± ¡°I see,¡± said Long Long thoughtfully, ¡°Ah Jing, I¡¯ve suddenly noticed that each fragment of you seems to prefer being in palaces, and you¡¯re accustomed to laying out layers of protection around you.¡± ¡°The fragment in the Western Queen Mother¡¯s Zhao Palace was surrounded by an Illusion Domain of time reversal; the piece under the Five Qi Dynasty Yuan Cave in the Eastern Pole Divine Palace was surrounded by a spatial maze Illusion Domain.¡± ¡°The piece in the Mirror Lake Divine Palace of the Southern Border created an Illusion Domain with mirror monsters. ???G?.?0 And now here in the Divine Dragon Island¡¯s underground palace, the game is a maze of traps and mechanisms?¡± ¡°If the fondness for palaces stems from you residing in the Divine Palace of the Western Queen Mother since your birth, then the habit of laying out heavy protections-could it be possible that it¡¯s because you feel an extreme lack of security in your heart?¡± Kunlun Mirror: ¡­¡­ If it was in the past, it definitely would have subconsciously said, ¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious?¡± However, after fully understanding the Savior¡¯s personality, the Kunlun Mirror knew well that his mention of ¡°lack of security¡± was not casual small talk. There was an eighty percent chance that if it agreed, he would follow up with a lowly jest that would leave it unable to save face-utterly scoundrelly. Therefore, the Kunlun Mirror just smiled slightly and said: ¡°Guan Shui, are you feeling sorry for me?¡± Long Long was visibly taken aback; how did this broken mirror not follow the script? Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only The Kunlun Mirror then said: ¡°I¡¯m truly touched that you feel this way. But you don¡¯t need to comfort me. Just finding my fragments quickly will make me happy.¡± Long Long¡¯s facial muscles twitched slightly. Now that the mirror had put it that way, he certainly couldn¡¯t say, ¡°I don¡¯t feel sorry for you,¡± otherwise it would just hit back with, ¡°Oh, since you don¡¯t want to help me find my fragments, then you can find your own way to get through the path ahead,¡± leaving Long Long in a frenzy. So, he could only change topics, asking: ¡°Ah Jing, if you were to collect all your fragments, what kind of impressive ability would you gain?¡± ¡°Then I could kill you.¡± ¡°Ah?¡± ¡°I mean¡­¡± the Kunlun Mirror corrected itself, ¡°I would be able to come out of your Sea of Consciousness and help you deal with the enemies.¡± Chapter 487 Chapter 487: Chapter 13: Only One Fragment Left Chapter 487: Chapter 13: Only One Fragment Left Arriving at the depths of the underground palace, Long Long stepped into the main hall of the underground palace. There, atop a high platform in the center of the hall, familiar pieces of the mirror were slowly rotating. Long Long quickly averted his gaze and retreated to a corner before asking, ¡°What should we do?¡± Kunlun Mirror responded with a faint smile, ¡°Leave it to me.¡± In front of Long Long, the outline of Qiu Changtian quickly took shape. But it wasn¡¯t Qiu Changtian; it was the Invincible character template. The figure that looked like Qiu Changtian, although similar in appearance, had dull, lifeless eyes and mindlessly charged towards the center of the hall. Then, a twisted vortex appeared out of nowhere and swallowed up the figure of Qiu Changtian. ¡°Did you see that?¡± Kunlun Mirror said with a cold laugh, ¡°A trap of time-space turbulence. It banished that illusion to some future point in time.¡± ¡°You have that kind of ability?¡± asked Long Long in surprise. ¡°Otherwise, where do you think your ability to read from past time points came from?¡± retorted Kunlun Mirror. wuxiaworld.site ¡°I thought you could only load from the past,¡± responded Long Long. ¡°Generally speaking, yes,¡± explained Kunlun Mirror casually. ¡°Because if you were to load to the future, it would cause a gap in your timeline, which might trigger some kind of extremely adverse chain reaction¡­ Of course, for me it doesn¡¯t really matter.¡± It quickly conjured another illusion, this time in the form of Ling Yunpo, who charged toward the pieces of the mirror on the platform. And then he was swallowed up as well. Long Long keenly noticed that this time the vortex of twisted light appeared slower than before. ¡°Are you trying to deplete its spiritual power?¡± he asked curiously. ¡°No,¡± replied Kunlun Mirror. ¡°To be precise, that was all my spiritual power.¡± ¡°Time-space turbulence is troublesome¡­ so I¡¯d rather deplete all of its spiritual power. However, it seems there wasn¡¯t much spiritual power left anyway, which suggests that those Demon Race ancestors have already explored this underground palace many times.¡± For the third time, it summoned Luo Yan and sent him charging forward. This time, Luo Yan almost reached the platform before being sucked away by a subsequent vortex. ¡°That should about do it.¡± Seeing the pieces of the mirror suddenly grow dim, Long Long immediately deduced, ¡°The mirror¡¯s spiritual power is exhausted.¡± Kunlun Mirror neither confirmed nor denied but simply summoned a fourth illusion. Wei Dongliu strode forward, reached the edge of the platform, and picked up the pieces of the mirror. Then, the illusion suddenly sank into the ground, as if swallowed by a vortex that appeared from below. ¡°Wow!¡± exclaimed Long Long, observing from behind, ¡°Pretending to be out of spiritual power, huh? That shard is quite crafty, just like you!¡± Kunlun Mirror was secretly annoyed but responded with a smile, ¡°It thought it was cunning enough to be invincible, but it was all within my calculations. Haha, just you wait and see!¡± After speaking, Kunlun Mirror created another illusion and charged forward. Then another, and another¡­ Until finally, the mirror shard completely drained of spiritual power was stiffly and mechanically brought back. Watching the shard enter his Sea of Consciousness, Long Long curiously asked, ¡°With this, only the last piece remains¡­ But tell me, what does it feel like to recover your own shard?¡± ¡°Probably similar to how you feel when you bully Junior Sister Xu, deceive Senior Sister An, and successfully trick Miss Shi,¡± was the reply. ¡°What a strange comparison¡­ Hmm?¡± Long Long suddenly realized that there were no other exits in this main hall of the underground palace, just the entrance through which they had come. ¡°Is this the end of the underground palace? Is there nothing but your mirror shard here?¡± ¡°Of course, what else do you think those ancestors were researching?¡± Kunlun Mirror answered, ¡°All they were researching was the Dao of Time-Space emanating from my shards.¡± ¡°So you mean,¡± Long Long asked with a frown, ¡°after we take the shard, there will be no more Great Dao in this relic?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Kunlun Mirror said calmly. ¡°But, that¡¯s none of our concern anymore.¡± As Long Long thought about it, that indeed seemed to be the case, but Ah Jing¡­ this calm and composed demeanor, this sense of having everything under control, it¡¯s becoming more and more like me. Maybe it¡¯s been influenced by my charismatic personality. Having teleported back to the Jianmu tribe¡¯s land, Long Long instructed, ¡°Load up to where Wei Dongliu is.¡± Kunlun Mirror really wanted to say, ¡°Why not load up to where Ling Yunpo is first,¡± but it quickly held its tongue and smiled, ¡°Alright.¡± [Point Four: Shiping Mountain, Tong Xuan Gate.] [Character Identity: Wei Dongliu.] [Mirror Flower Water Moon Template overlaying, currently time-space traveling.] Wei Dongliu, with hands behind his back, left the stone hut, only to see by the poolside that Jiang Liyan was demonstrating the tricks of cultivators¡¯ magical competition to her two disciples, Guo Jin and Wang Cong. It struck him that ever since this witch and her master had a falling-out, she seemed to have straightforwardly and legitimately moved in with me? ¡°In a cultivator¡¯s magical competition, what¡¯s essential is the element of surprise,¡± said Jiang Liyan with a charming smile as she flicked a Demon Head from her sleeve, transforming it to look like her, ¡°If your trump card is known by others, the opponent can counter your moves and your chances of winning are halved.¡± ¡°For instance, using this Demon Head as a decoy, the enemy is unaware. When they slay the Demon Head, I¡¯ll be able to launch a sneak attack from the side.¡± Wei Dongliu inwardly nodded. Not bad, this Jiang the Witch¡¯s combat experience has reached a third of my level. ¡°Master,¡± Guo Jin noticed his master¡¯s approach, quickly turned around, and respectfully paid his respects. ¡°Wei Daoist friend has arrived,¡± Jiang Liyan also stood up gracefully, smiling as she said, ¡°I¡¯ve brought you some news.¡± ¡°The Six Paths Conference is about to begin, where countless fellow cultivators will gather. After the conference, there will be a trading session. If Daoist friend desires something, you can seek it in the trade fair.¡± Seeing Wei Dongliu¡¯s expression unchanged, she dropped another bombshell: ¡°In past conferences, Golden Core cultivators have often managed to get their hands on Purple Mansion secret medicines, which are then sold at the trade fair.¡± Wei Dongliu then showed a profound and unfathomable expression. Purple Mansion secret medicines, are those of any use to me right now? Feeling his gaze upon her, Jiang the Witch immediately became self-conscious and frankly said: ¡°Alright, the Purple Mansion secret medicines are basically on auction, and they tend to be snapped up the moment they become available.¡± ¡°However, there are still other rare secret medicines, like the one from the Mortal Life Path¡¯s Lingxiu Mountain Sect, named Sweet Dew True Elixir. It is said that a single drop can shorten the Qi Refinement Realm by ten years.¡± Wei Dongliu nodded upon hearing this: ¡°In that case, it would indeed be worthwhile for Jiang Daoist friend to make this trip on behalf of my disciple.¡± Jiang the Witch: ? Hold on, wouldn¡¯t the normal response of someone hearing about secret medicines suitable for their disciple at the marketplace be to go there themselves? ¡°If the master is worried, let me oversee her purchasing the medicine,¡± the Flying Asura curried favor from the side. Seeing Wei Dongliu noncommittal, Jiang Liyan¡¯s thoughts raced. She obviously hoped Wei Dongliu would accompany her to that trade fair; otherwise, if she went alone, what if she encountered her master and got killed? Without Wei Dongliu¡¯s orders, the servile Asura would definitely stand by and watch! It only needed to bring back the elixirs, after all. ???G?.?? No, she had to think of another method. He wasn¡¯t interested in Purple Mansion secret medicines because he clearly wasn¡¯t a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator. So, what did old thief Wei care about? Oh! ¡°In this conference, the Hell Path will surely send people to participate,¡± Jiang the Witch suddenly said. Wei Dongliu perked up. He had obtained a rib last time from the Demon Buddha, which was said to enable contact with the Hell Path-could an opportunity arise at that conference? With this thought, he had to go no matter what! Moreover, in the past, he preferred solitude because on one hand it was necessary to maintain a mysterious persona and on the other, his power was indeed lacking, exposing him to risks of being exposed by stronger opponents. However, he had formed a First Grade Golden Core, and his cultivation realm was even stronger than many Golden Core cultivators. Nascent Soul cultivators were after all rare in the Cultivation Realm, so how many people could pose a threat to him at that conference? Besides, wasn¡¯t he accompanied by the Flying Asura? Good! This time he would take the rib and see if he could catch any traces of the Hell Path! With that in mind, Wei Dongliu finally nodded and agreed to go. Jiang the Witch also breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing this. As long as old thief Wei was willing to take the Flying Asura and accompany her to show up at the gathering, word would surely reach her master¡¯s ears. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only This way, she should be able to negotiate for more time for herself. Jiang the Witch had previously explored the Jianmu secret realm with other Demon Cult companions, obtaining nearly thirty years¡¯ worth of Purple Mansion secret medicine. Together with drinking Golden Nectar and Jade Liquid in the Mirror Lake Divine Palace worth seventy years with Wei Dongliu, and eating the flower petals from the Nine Serenities Underworld, her Refining Mansion cultivation had reached one hundred and fifty years. With her daily cultivation of Qi Refinement, accumulating about thirty years of cultivation, she was only twenty years away from forming a High Grade Golden Core. In order to quickly enhance her self-preservation ability, she had to secure more Purple Mansion secret medicines at the market this time! Chapter 488 Chapter 488: Chapter 14: Mountain God Temple, Endless Hell Chapter 488: Chapter 14: Mountain God Temple, Endless Hell Mount Wutai, Gao Huai Town. Every household in the town kept their doors closed, fearing to provoke the cultivators and bring about disaster. The streets, however, were filled with chaos, with monks, Daoists, beggars, lunatics¡­ all sorts of fierce and evil spirits strutted about arrogantly, much more bustling than the last market at Mount Wutai. Along both sides of the street, a variety of cultivator stalls were set up. Of course, most of the goods on offer were trash; with Wei Dongliu¡¯s current perspective, he couldn¡¯t find a single item worth his attention. Jiang Liyan, on the other hand, was in high spirits, holding onto Wei Dongliu¡¯s arm, looking here and there. The Flying Asura followed behind, dressed in a black robe that covered his entire body, extremely low-key. Letting Jiang the Witch cling to his arm wasn¡¯t because Wei Dongliu coveted her beauty, but rather to maintain his mysterious persona. Many inconvenient words and actions could be delegated to a concubine-meaning, letting Jiang the Witch pretend to be his concubine. After all, it was common for members of the Demon Cult to have one or two concubines; Wei Dongliu¡¯s actions could be considered going along with the local customs. ¡°Master,¡± Jiang the Witch said sweetly, leaning against his chest, ¡°the stall of the Lingxiu Mountain Sect is right by the well at the end of this street.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s the Six Paths Conference?¡± Wei Dongliu indicated he wasn¡¯t interested in his disciple¡¯s elixirs, and that she could go buy them on his behalf later. What he cared about were the Six Paths Conference and the clues to the Hell Path! wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co Jiang the Witch understood what he meant. She was helpless about the fact that, despite clearly not being the Sect Leader of the Tong Xuan Gate, she was forced to take care of two disciples. But since she needed to rely on the name of old Wei the thief to save her life, she could only let him have his way. ¡°The conference is held on the open ground behind the Mountain God Temple nearby,¡± Jiang the Witch said softly, ¡°but one must be at least in the Golden Core Realm to enter.¡± ¡°Then take me there,¡± Wei Dongliu ordered. Jiang Liyan was momentarily stunned, immediately considering numerous possibilities. As expected! This old Wei the thief surely couldn¡¯t just be a Foundation Establishment Realm Cultivator! So, you¡¯re finally dropping the act, huh? Then what are you actually, a Golden Core Realm Cultivator? Or perhaps a Nascent Soul Realm? You couldn¡¯t really be at the Immortal Rank, could you? The two headed in the direction of the Mountain God Temple but were suddenly stopped by a stranger by the roadside. ¡°Would you like your fortune told?¡± The fortune-teller holding a banner smiled at Wei Dongliu and suddenly his expression turned stern, ¡°Oh dear, fellow Daoist, I see a dark aura faintly surrounding your heaven¡¯s palace-this is a sign of blood and disaster.¡± ¡°Elder Jian, what nonsense are you up to now?¡± Jiang the Witch whispered to Wei Dongliu, ¡°This Elder Jian, although he came from the Jian Family of Qingzhou, is really not proficient in art calculation.¡± ¡°It is said that even the majority of clan members within the Qingzhou Jian Family are ashamed to acknowledge him, thinking he¡¯s just swaggering around deceiving others.¡± ¡°What do you mean ¡®not proficient¡¯? What¡¯s this about deception and swindling?¡± The bearded fortune-teller spoke defensively, ¡°Old Dao only prefers to say things people like to hear, and if they misunderstand, does it mean old Dao¡¯s art calculation is incorrect?¡± ¡°Then why don¡¯t you make a correct prediction for once!¡± Jiang the Witch scoffed, ¡°If you¡¯re so capable, dare you predict on the spot, what my marriage prospects are like?¡± ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I dare?¡± said the fortune-teller as he raised his right hand, cracking his knuckles, and suddenly stated, ¡°Fellow Daoist Jiang, your future holds a deadly tribulation!¡± ¡°Nonsense,¡± Jiang Liyan retorted disdainfully, ¡°Under the Flaming Moth Fairy, who doesn¡¯t have a deadly tribulation looming? Skip the nonsense and just talk about my marriage prospects.¡± ¡°Marriage, eh?¡± the fortune-teller purposely drew out his tone, ¡°Are you sure you want me to predict that?¡± ¡°Fellow Daoist Wei, don¡¯t bother with this good-for-nothing Daoist¡­¡± Jiang the Witch made to pull Wei Dongliu away when the fortune-teller hurriedly said, ¡°Alright, alright, I¡¯ve figured it out!¡± He pointed at Jiang Liyan: ¡°My mentioning the deadly tribulation is not without reason. Your deadly tribulation and your marriage prospects are intertwined.¡± ¡°Once your destined marriage arrives, so too will your deadly tribulation approach. But for your marriage to succeed, you must also overcome that deadly tribulation.¡± ¡°How reasonable!¡± Jiang the Witch clapped in mockery, ¡°If my marriage doesn¡¯t work out, you¡¯ll say it¡¯s because I haven¡¯t passed the deadly tribulation; if my tribulation doesn¡¯t come, you¡¯ll say it¡¯s because the marriage hasn¡¯t arrived. Your argument is truly irrefutable! Sweeping generalizations, right?¡± ¡°Exactly!¡± the fortune-teller snapped back annoyed, ¡°When I say something pleasant, you misunderstand; when I say something unpleasant, you don¡¯t believe!¡± He slammed his banner¡¯s bamboo pole on the ground several times, then turned and left in a huff. ¡°Let¡¯s go, fellow Daoist Wei,¡± Jiang Liyan said with a smile. ¡°Flying Asura,¡± Wei Dongliu contemplated for a moment and then spoke up, ¡°You accompany Jiang Daoist first to purchase the Dew of Sweet Rain.¡± ¡°Yes, Master,¡± the Flying Asura immediately responded. Jiang Liyan half-opened her mouth, seemingly wanting to say something, but hesitated. She could guess that Wei Dongliu was going to find the fortune-teller! Wei Dongliu didn¡¯t care about her thoughts, and swiftly caught up with the fortune-teller, saying, ¡°Elder Jian, could you perform a reading for me?¡± ¡°Certainly,¡± the fortune-teller immediately turned around, a beaming smile on his face, and said, ¡°What would my fellow Daoist like to know?¡± ¡°I wish to know about destiny,¡± Wei Dongliu said solemnly. ¡°Destiny¡­¡± Elder Jian pondered for a moment and then said, ¡°Before I begin, I must confirm something with my fellow Daoist.¡± ¡°Do you believe in destiny?¡± Wei Dongliu furrowed his brows, his mind stirring: ¡°I believe, yet I dare not believe.¡± ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Elder Jian asked in surprise. ¡°If I were to believe in destiny, I would be at its mercy,¡± Wei Dongliu said earnestly. Elder Jian thought for a moment and nodded, ¡°There is reason in your words.¡± After thinking for a while, he then extended his hand to point at the distant Mountain God Temple and asked, ¡°Has my fellow Daoist ever been there?¡± ¡°Are you referring to the Six Paths Assembly?¡± Wei Dongliu asked in astonishment. ¡°No, no, no,¡± Elder Jian shook his head, ¡°The Six Paths Assembly is held on the empty ground behind the temple. I¡¯m talking about the Mountain God Temple.¡± ¡°Is there¡­ ???G?.?? a master in the temple?¡± But Elder Jian did not reply; instead, he left nonchalantly with his staff, stroking his beard and laughing, ¡°People think being an immortal is wonderful, yet even they cannot escape destiny.¡± ¡°My fellow Daoist, take good care of yourself.¡± As he made his escape, Wei Dongliu paused silently for a moment before turning and striding toward the Mountain God Temple. Upon pushing the door and entering the temple, he saw that it was empty. In a corner of the temple, there were several disheveled beddings, clearly indicating that homeless individuals had once taken temporary shelter here. However, with the Six Paths Assembly at the back of the temple, how could these people be allowed to continue staying? Hence, they were driven out early on. Wei Dongliu searched for a long time but found no clues. Having no other choice, he had to use his intellect. ¡°Ah Jing, scan!¡± ¡°There is a fluctuation of space behind the Mountain God statue,¡± the Kunlun Mirror reminded him. Wei Dongliu then used his Daoist techniques to rotate the Mountain God statue. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Behind the statue¡¯s gilded painted surface, the damaged parts formed a line of large characters: ¡°The Endless Hell.¡± ¡°And then?¡± Wei Dongliu asked again. ¡°Haven¡¯t you noticed?¡± the Kunlun Mirror said, surprised, ¡°You¡¯ve been teleported!¡± Wei Dongliu frowned, shifted his gaze around, and saw that the surrounding was still the decrepit interior of the Mountain God Temple, nothing out of the ordinary. He then turned and walked out of the temple gate. Pushing open the door, instead of the bustling market of Gao Huai Town, where was he? He was in an underground cave. Chapter 489 Chapter 489: Chapter 15: A Heart of Steel, Unperturbed by Waves Chapter 489: Chapter 15: A Heart of Steel, Unperturbed by Waves ¡°A newcomer?¡± ¡°Not necessarily.¡± ¡°Is it that test again?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a test, but adaptation.¡± ¡°Wei Dongliu¡­ I¡¯ve heard of this person. It¡¯s strange, there¡¯s absolutely no background information available on him, as if he suddenly popped into existence.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not seriously considering letting him join, are you? If you ask me, this guy might be a spy!¡± ¡°That¡¯s even better. As long as he can endure, our Hell Path¡­¡± ¡°¡­ needs such specialized talents.¡± Standing in the center of the dark cavern, Wei Dongliu remained silent for a long time before asking again: ¡°Ah Jing, is there really no exit?¡± wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co what are they up to by teleporting me here?¡± ¡°They are likely testing you,¡± the Kunlun Mirror replied. ¡°They¡¯re using Art Calculation to spy on you!¡± ¡°Then I really can¡¯t go,¡± Wei Dongliu mused. ¡°If I teleport away now, I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll have no chance with the Hell Path.¡± He simply sat down cross-legged and calmly began to practice breathing. ¡°The flow of time here is not right,¡± the Kunlun Mirror suddenly said. ¡°It has slowed down. To your senses, the time of waiting will be extended.¡± ¡°They must have done it on purpose, wanting to torment you with prolonged confinement and solitude, to see the nature of your heart.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Wei Dongliu said calmly. ¡°As a savior, my heart has long been as sturdy as a rock; even if I were to spend a hundred years here, accompanied by darkness and silence, there wouldn¡¯t be a moment¡¯s flicker on my face.¡± After another hour had passed, Wei Dongliu suddenly said: ¡°Ah Jing, load Qiu Changtian; I want to see how Junior Sister Xu is doing.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± The Kunlun Mirror tactfully didn¡¯t ask him if he ¡°couldn¡¯t endure anymore¡± and said: [Location One: Kunlun Taiqing Sect, Golden Ridge.] [Identity: Qiu Changtian.] [Mirror Flower Water Moon Template overlay, currently traveling through time-space.] Returning to the snowy ridges of Kunlun, looking at the vast expanse of pristine snow and imposing mountains, Qiu Changtian instantly felt his spirits uplifted and his mood brighten. What damn Hell Path! Locking someone up in a sealed room for two hours, any normal person would develop claustrophobia! Now, Qiu Changtian had two things to do: First, to report his advancement to Golden Core status to the Ziwei Master. With this, Qiu Changtian would be the first to form his Core. When Ling Yunpo and Luo Yan delay their ¡°Core Formation¡± by a few months, they could blur things over. Second, to step down from the position of Chief Disciple at Foundation Establishment Realm and let Junior Sister Xu take over. In this way, Xu Yinglian would be able to go to Heaven¡¯s Gate Hall to Sense the Way and gain seventy years¡¯ worth of Refining Mansion Cultivation. If Junior Sister Xu fails to form a Second Grade Golden Core, she won¡¯t qualify to succeed as the Head of the Kunlun Sect, and Qiu Changtian¡¯s future betrayal would then cause too much harm to the Ziwei Master. Ah, I hope my master can understand the pain in my heart. As Qiu Changtian thought this, he turned and headed back to the Golden Ridge Cave Abode. Xu Yinglian was practicing her breathing exercises. Qiu Changtian was not impatient; he simply sat patiently by her side, waiting. It¡¯s hard to say how much time passed, but eventually, Xu Yinglian let out a long breath of white air and opened her eyes. ¡°Senior brother?¡± she asked with surprise. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Can¡¯t I just take a look at your face without reason? Qiu Changtian thought bitterly to himself but said with a smile, ¡°Junior sister, I¡¯ve formed my Golden Core.¡± Xu Yinglian: ¡­¡­¡­ She was stunned for a moment, seemingly unable to comprehend what had happened. Then, a long silence ensued. ¡°I was just about to report to the Sect Leader.¡± Qiu Changtian ignored her silence and continued with a smile. ¡°Junior sister, will you accompany me?¡± He took her hand, and Xu Yinglian, as if she had lost the ability to speak, simply let Qiu Changtian pull her into the sword light and fly towards the Jade Void Palace at the Kunlun Heavenly Pillar. When they landed in front of the Jade Void Palace, Xu Yinglian finally came to her senses and asked with a serious tone, ¡°Which¡­ which grade Golden Core?¡± ¡°What if I said it¡¯s a Second Grade, would you believe me?¡± Qiu Changtian smiled and asked. ¡°I don¡¯t believe it.¡± Xu Yinglian said flatly. ¡°The Yangxia Zhuming Pill, the Nine Revolutions Vermilion Phoenix Pill, even if you and I took the Purple Mansion secret medicine together, we had cultivated for three hundred years.¡± ¡°Senior brother¡¯s lifespan is far from over, so if you chose to form your core now, it must be because you¡¯ve reached the peak of your potential¡­¡± ¡°I really can¡¯t hide anything from junior sister,¡± Qiu Changtian said with a smiling squint. Xu Yinglian bowed her head slightly, feeling a fleeting sense of pride that ¡°I understand senior brother so well,¡± but it was quickly replaced by an endless sense of loss. Senior brother has already formed his core. Here I am still struggling with my Refining Mansion cultivation. Is the gap between people really that big? Ah, Ying Lian, ah Ying Lian, you¡¯ve known senior brother¡¯s strength all along. Why can¡¯t you accept it? Because giving in and admitting defeat so easily isn¡¯t in my character at all! Xu Yinglian looked up again, her eyes now ablaze with fighting spirit. ???G?.?? On the way from Golden Ridge Cave Abode to Jade Void Palace, she¡¯d thought things through: She would not give up on catching up to Qiu Changtian, but she wouldn¡¯t overestimate her abilities either: forming a First Grade Golden Core was unlikely, but if she could quickly accumulate four hundred years of cultivation, she would form a Second Grade Golden Core and join senior brother as a Golden Core True Person! Once inside the Scripture Lecture Hall, the two saw the Ziwei Master sitting on the nine-colored lotus podium, a horsetail whisk hanging idly, his eyes closed in meditation. Qiu Changtian took out the Chief Disciple¡¯s Daoist robe and crown and respectfully placed them on the cushion. It¡¯s a bit embarrassing to say, but these two clothing-related magical treasures were quite powerful. Still, it was just my luck to always face weak enemies I¡¯d obliterate and strong ones I¡¯d evade, so I rarely used them. As I recall, I only used them once in the Intercepting Cult Sword Formation to save junior sister Xu when she was severely injured and on the brink of death¡­ Hmm, that one time was enough. After a while, the Ziwei Master slowly opened his eyes and looked at the Chief Disciple¡¯s clothes on the ground, then turned his head to look at Qiu Changtian. Then, his gaze seemed to suddenly freeze. One minute, two minutes¡­ the Ziwei Master suddenly spoke, his voice slightly hurried, ¡°What grade of Golden Core have you formed?¡± Ah, ah, why does everyone ask about the grade of my Golden Core when they see me? Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Doesn¡¯t anyone wonder if the Heavenly Tribulation damaged my origin? How badly hurt I was, how I crossed the tribulation, isn¡¯t anyone concerned? ¡°Answering master,¡± Qiu Changtian spoke deliberately, as if he were merely reporting an insignificant matter, ¡°I¡¯ve formed a First Grade Golden Core.¡± In an instant, the Ziwei Master, with agility unbefitting his persona, leaped swiftly from the nine-colored lotus podium, landed on the ground, and hastened out of the Scripture Lecture Hall with a sweep of his sleeves. ¡°Master, where are you going?¡± Qiu Changtian was a bit confused. ¡°To convene a sect-wide assembly!¡± the Ziwei Master proclaimed loudly. Chapter 490 Chapter 490: Chapter 16 The Future of Kunlun, I Leave to My Junior Female Disciple¡­ Chapter 490: Chapter 16 The Future of Kunlun, I Leave to My Junior Female Disciple¡­ In the main hall, the Kunlun Elders had all arrived. The last time everyone gathered here was not long ago, when the Ziwei Master announced the affairs of the White Jade Capital¡¯s grand competition. Of course, most of the Kunlun Elders had already been privy to the information in advance, and the meeting was merely a formality. However, this time, the Elders were truly caught off guard because the Ziwei Master had not revealed even the slightest hint beforehand¡­ Come to think of it, only a few days had passed since the end of the White Jade Capital¡¯s grand competition. What urgent matter could there be that required summoning everyone here? Could it be that the secrets of the Golden Que Secret Realm had been discovered? With this thought, the Kunlun Elders all stood upright with dignity, waiting for the Ziwei Master to announce the answer. But the Ziwei Master was ever so composed as he waited, and only when those few elders who were known to be habitually late had leisurely arrived at the Jade Void Palace and entered the main hall, did he slowly begin to speak: ¡°The reason for summoning everyone here is that Qiu Changtian wishes to relinquish his position as the Chief Disciple of the Foundation Establishment Realm. Who do you think would be suitable to succeed him?¡± The Elders looked at each other. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.c0 As per the rules of the Kunlun Taiqing Sect, the Chief Disciple of the Foundation Establishment Realm was to be chosen from among the strongest disciples within that realm. Therefore, theoretically, this position was not exclusive to the disciples directly under the Sect Leader-other Elders¡¯ Foundation Establishment disciples could also vie for it. Hence, it was reasonable for the Ziwei Master to consult everyone this time. However, the Kunlun Taiqing Sect, unlike Shushan and Penglai, possessed the Immortal Qi Cultivation Technique ¡°Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra¡± in the Sect Leader¡¯s lineage, resulting in each generation¡¯s elite disciples flocking to the Sect Leader¡¯s tutelage. Over time, the position of the Chief Disciple of the Foundation Establishment Realm was always filled by someone from the Sect Leader¡¯s personal disciples, which had become an unspoken rule tacitly agreed upon by everyone. So, Sect Leader, by asking us this, are you intending to tease us? Some of the more impatient Elders directly spoke out: ¡°Sect Leader, why bother asking us? With Qiu Changtian stepping down, just let Xu Yinglian take over. I still have a batch of elixirs brewing in my cave residence!¡± This statement was so loud that it caused everyone to nod in agreement, and then¡­ they suddenly realized something was amiss. What, Qiu Changtian is no longer going to be the Chief Disciple of the Foundation Establishment Realm? After all, he, with his Daoist Heart Clarity, had just recently brought glory to the sect in the White Jade Capital¡¯s grand competition, dominating the field and securing the title of number one in the world (or at least in the name of righteousness, as Kunlun¡¯s external stance proclaimed). Now all of a sudden, he¡¯s been relieved from his position as Chief Disciple-what madness was the Sect Leader undergoing? Must have been possessed by a demon from beyond the heavens. The main hall was filled with an awkward silence. No one spoke, as they looked at each other, silently signaling for someone to quickly check on whether the Sect Leader had gone into a deviated state-but of course, no one was willing to be the one to step forward and do so. Seeing that no one caught on, the Ziwei Master slightly frowned and looked towards the Elders of his own faction with a meaningful glance. Thus those Elders quickly stepped forward to add to the banter, feigning confusion: ¡°Sect Leader, Qiu Changtian has done nothing wrong, why would he resign from the position of Chief Disciple of the Foundation Establishment Realm?¡± ¡°The rest of you may not be aware,¡± the Ziwei Master said indifferently, ¡°My disciple has already formed his Core. According to our sect¡¯s rules, he can no longer hold the position of Chief Disciple of the Foundation Establishment Realm.¡± Whoosh! A collective gasp resonated through the crowd. Qiu Changtian stood respectfully behind the Ziwei Master, and upon seeing the Elders all baring their teeth and inhaling sharply, he couldn¡¯t help but feel somewhat speechless. Hold on everyone, I haven¡¯t mentioned yet that I¡¯ve formed a First Grade Golden Core! Why are you all reacting with ¡®This child is so terribly frightening¡¯? It¡¯s too soon, too soon! The Ziwei Master also frowned slightly, dissatisfied with the reaction of the Kunlun Elders. We are the Kunlun Taiqing Sect! Qiu Changtian is my Direct Disciple, what¡¯s so surprising about him forming his Core ahead of time within a century? Is it worth such astonishment? ???g?.?? Embarrassing! He signaled once more with his eyes to the same few Elders, and they promptly asked: ¡°Why did he form his Core so quickly? If we remember correctly, hasn¡¯t it been less than half a century since Qiu Changtian began cultivating? What grade is his Golden Core?¡± ¡°To not hide anything from you,¡± the Ziwei Master said calmly, ¡°My disciple has already accumulated sufficient Refining Mansion Cultivation, reaching the threshold of a First Grade Golden Core. Therefore, continuing his practice would be a waste of time, and that¡¯s why he formed his Golden Core ahead of schedule.¡± The crowd: ¡­¡­¡­ This rebellious proclamation was spoken by Ziwei Master with an indifferent tone, as if to say, ¡°My disciple brewed a pot of tea,¡± casual and nonchalant. Yet, this was about a First Grade Golden Core! More than eight hundred years of Refining Mansion Cultivation, how many rare Purple Mansion secret medicines would it take to amass such power? The final First Grade Core Condensation Tribulation surely must have been heartrendingly difficult, how did you transcend it? It¡¯s not that everyone doesn¡¯t believe you, but such a First Grade Core Condensation Tribulation should have darkened the sun and moon, so why was there no disturbance around the Kunlun Mountain Range recently? Of course, none of those present were fools; they knew Ziwei Master wouldn¡¯t deceive them. As for Qiu Changtian¡¯s Golden Core grade rank, everyone just needed to grasp his wrist and send their Divine Sense along his meridians into the Jade Mansion to know the truth, right? Even without doing so, just by observing his subsequent Magical Competitions, the richness and vigorousness of his True Yuan would give away much. Spreading such an impossible-to-maintain lie wouldn¡¯t be something Ziwei Master would do, which means¡­ The First Grade Golden Core, it¡¯s real? ¡°Qiu Changtian truly achieved a First Grade Golden Core?¡± Before the crowd could recover from their shock, the elders from the Sect Leader lineage immediately asked in unison. ¡°Of course,¡± Ziwei Master indifferently stated, ¡°How could this be faked?¡± ¡°A First Grade Golden Core, a rarity in this world!¡± By this point, the Kunlun Elders understood, immediately beginning to sing praises en masse, ¡°Our Kunlun Taiqing Sect¡¯s fortune in having Qiu Changtian is surely the will of Heaven, a blessing for the righteous path!¡± ¡°Truly worthy of being the Sect Leader! Only Ziwei Master could teach such a genius like Qiu Changtian!¡± ¡°With Qiu Changtian among us, how could our Kunlun Taiqing Sect not flourish in the future?¡± Although everyone was deliberately speaking in flattering terms, their sentiments were genuine, their gazes towards Qiu Changtian filled with admiration and envy, their tones prideful from the heart. After all, it was a First Grade Golden Core! If a Golden Core¡¯s starting point is already so perfect, wouldn¡¯t the Nascent Soul phase bring forth an Immortal Infant? Feather Transformation ascending to immortality, wouldn¡¯t he achieve an Undying Body Through Myriad Tribulations, becoming a Daluo Golden Immortal of the Primordial Unity? Stop, it¡¯s too much to even contemplate! Amid the Kunlun Elders¡¯ compliments, Ziwei Master initially maintained his composure befitting of a high-ranking Daoist, but soon a faint smile broke through. It wasn¡¯t that his Qi Nurturing Strength was inadequate, but rather that his heart was brimming with joy, overwhelmingly so. ¡°Changtian,¡± Ziwei Master said gently, his tone incredibly warm, ¡°now that you have formed your Golden Core, from today onwards, you are a true Kunlun immortal.¡± ¡°I bestow upon you the Daoist name, Changgeng.¡± ¡°The path of cultivation is long and arduous, do not slacken. Strive vigorously and advance bravely!¡± Qiu Changtian nodded in agreement, sighing inwardly. In this world, a Daoist name is like the courtesy name for an ancient scholar; it bears the profound teachings of an elder to a junior. For example, Ziwei Master¡¯s Daoist name alludes to the Emperor Star Ziwei, with the hope that he would lead Kunlun to the pinnacle and become the preeminent leader among the world¡¯s sects. And Ziwei Master indeed accomplished this feat. As for Changgeng, it refers to the planet Venus as it appears in the evening. Venus in the morning is known as ¡°Lucifer,¡± while in the evening it is ¡°Changgeng.¡± This Daoist name ¡°Changgeng¡± signifies that now, under the master¡¯s guidance, Kunlun is already strong; in the future, you are to lead Kunlun to continue growing stronger. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Moreover, according to the Daoist astrology, the appearance of Changgeng foretells of military affairs. This fits perfectly with the current climate of increasing conflict between good and evil, the emergence of a chaotic world. Ziwei Master hopes that Qiu Changtian will become the most dazzling star in this age of strife, preventing Kunlun from falling into dusk. Hearing the heartfelt effort behind these words, Qiu Changtian understood completely. Let Junior Sister Xu take over! Chapter 491 Chapter 491: Chapter 17: Meeting the Immortal, Bright Future Chapter 491: Chapter 17: Meeting the Immortal, Bright Future After granting Qiu Changtian his Daoist name, the Ziwei Sect Leader immediately announced: The Kunlun Taiqing Sect is about to hold the Ancestral Ceremony! Despite proclaiming it was to worship the ancestors, everyone knew what the actual purpose was. It wasn¡¯t enough to show off within Kunlun; they wanted to flaunt their achievement across the entire Cultivation Realm¡­ Naturally, the elders had no reason to object to such an event that would spread the sect¡¯s fame far and wide; in fact, they quickly sent private messages to old friends and acquaintances, informing them of the situation in advance. Come see our Kunlun¡¯s Daoist Heart Clarity genius, Qiu Changtian, has actually formed a First Grade Golden Core! Thus, the news spread among the various heavens and among many powerful figures, gradually creating a sensation throughout the realm. And so, after Qiu Changtian formed his core, the position of Chief Disciple of the Foundation Establishment Realm naturally became vacant and was smoothly passed on to Xu Yinglian as designated by the Ziwei Sect Leader. This result was within everyone¡¯s expectations. In fact, Xu Yinglian¡¯s cultivation level and combat strength had already far surpassed those of every past Chief Disciple in Kunlun¡¯s history. Even her great-grandfather, the Chief Disciple two generations before, Xu Changqing, was not her match at her age. If it were not for Qiu Changtian, Xu Yinglian would undoubtedly be Kunlun¡¯s ¡°Number One Below Golden Core,¡± the Ziwei Sect Leader¡¯s most admired disciple¡­ Alas, there were no ifs, and she was destined to be overshadowed by the brilliance of Qiu Changtian. The transition of the position of Chief Disciple of the Foundation Establishment Realm did not cause any ripples. wuxiaworld.site After the sect¡¯s grand meeting concluded, Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian were brought by the Ziwei Sect Leader to Heaven¡¯s Gate Hall for an audience with the Chi Song Immortal. Chi Song Immortal, a venerable Kunlun Taiqing Sect Elder who greatly enjoys playing chess. After listening to the Ziwei Sect Leader explain the situation, his gaze towards Qiu Changtian was filled with surprise, even a hint of vacancy. ¡°First Grade Golden Core, eh.¡± Chi Song Immortal said wistfully, ¡°If you were born in the era of the Clarify Cult, you would surely have been personally taught by the Heavenly Sovereign, what a pity.¡± The Ziwei Sect Leader felt somewhat embarrassed, as Chi Song Immortal¡¯s words suggested that ¡°Qiu Changtian deserves a better master.¡± Even though he was quite proud and conceited, he did not dare compare himself to the Heavenly Sovereign who founded the Clarify Cult, so he simply nodded in silence. ¡°Since Changgeng has become a True Person, how do you plan to arrange his next steps?¡± Chi Song Immortal asked, coming back to the moment. ¡°I have not yet asked for his opinion,¡± the Ziwei Sect Leader respectfully said. Turning to Qiu Changtian, he continued: ¡°After becoming a Golden Core True Person, your identity must undergo a transformation, now listen closely to what I will discuss with you.¡± ¡°The Golden Core Realm is different from the Foundation Establishment Realm. No matter how powerful a Foundation Establishment Realm Cultivator is, they are nonetheless ¡®disciples.¡¯ ¡°Since they are disciples, within the sect they are considered juniors, whose main task is to pursue cultivation rather than shoulder many responsibilities and duties of the sect, and naturally, they don¡¯t hold a very high position.¡± ¡°But once you form a Golden Core, become a True Person, and receive your Daoist name, from then on you are an official cultivator of the sect, with an independent and complete identity and status.¡± ¡°To put it another way, if you leave Kunlun as a True Person, you could go out into the world and create your own school or lineage. Except for a few secret techniques protected by the sect, exclusive to Kunlun, you may freely teach the others, establishing your school¡¯s teachings and legacy ¨C our sect will recognize it as well.¡± ¡°The disciple has no such intentions,¡± Qiu Changtian quickly said. ¡°It¡¯s also alright if you do,¡± Chi Song Immortal said, stroking his beard, ¡°Our Kunlun is not some dragon¡¯s lair or tiger¡¯s den with a rule that allows entry but forbids departure. It¡¯s just that for most Golden Core True Persons, there¡¯s no real benefit to leaving Kunlun to establish their own sect.¡± ¡°Those who truly venture out are often Golden Core True Persons whose lifespan is almost over, with no hope for a breakthrough, so your master was just speaking offhand, not warning you,¡± he finished. The Ziwei Master nodded slightly and continued to speak: ¡°If you do not intend to leave Kunlun, you must undertake obligations within the sect.¡± ¡°Within the Kunlun Jade Void Palace, there are six halls, namely ¡®Disciplinary,¡¯ ¡®Border Patrol,¡¯ ¡®Recruitment,¡¯ ¡®Historical,¡¯ ¡®Registry,¡¯ ¡®Reception¡¯.¡± ¡°Among them, the Disciplinary Hall is responsible for enforcing punishments and restraining cultivators within the sect; the Border Patrol Hall defends the sect¡¯s prestige and combats external demon cults.¡± ¡°The Recruitment Hall manages trade of goods from all directions, providing material supplies; the Historical Hall preserves the Daoist lineage and organizes secret technique scripture scrolls.¡± ¡°The Registry Hall is in charge of the name lists and documents, managing affairs up and down; the Reception Hall is stationed at the majestic mountain gate, welcoming cultivators from around the world.¡± ¡°What hall do you plan to join next?¡± Qiu Changtian listened intently and knew that if the Kunlun Taiqing Sect were a country, then the Disciplinary Hall would be the judiciary, the Border Patrol Hall the military, the Recruitment Hall the trade and customs, the Historical Hall the ministry of science and education, the Registry Hall the organizational department, and the Reception Hall the foreign ministry. If one asked about his own preference, he would first exclude the Recruitment Hall and the Reception Hall; these two halls deal with trivial matters. Not only are the tasks arduous on a daily basis, but they are also relatively more difficult to get noticed, belonging to the workhorse departments. To choose a more noble station, one would pick the Historical Hall or the Registry Hall. The former is in charge of managing scripture scrolls and documents, with plenty of time on a daily basis, very leisurely; the latter is in charge of the monthly stipend for many cultivators within the sect and holds real power, naturally holding a prestigious position. Conversely, if one cannot sit idle and wishes to make a name, one could go to the Disciplinary Hall or the Border Patrol Hall. The former is specialized in fighting fellow sect members; the latter fights outsiders. Combat prowess can grow very quickly, and it¡¯s more likely to gain the attention of the sect leaders afterward. However, although Qiu Changtian had various thoughts in his mind, as a seasoned spy, he naturally would not be foolish enough to actually make a choice and respectfully replied to the Ziwei Master: ¡°Whatever the sect assigns is fine, your disciple dares not refuse.¡± I¡¯m a brick in the sect, to be moved wherever needed! I resolutely obey organizational arrangements! The Ziwei Master was somewhat surprised, but Chi Song Immortal laughed and said: ¡°You sly fox, although you¡¯re young, you¡¯ve already formed a First Grade Golden Core. How come you act as cautious as a loose cultivator?¡± ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, let your master make the arrangements then!¡± Upon hearing this, the Ziwei Master smiled and said: ¡°You¡¯ve been quite prominent recently, but too much is as bad as not enough. I plan to first assign you to the Historical Hall, to follow the orders of Elder Qinggui. What do you think?¡± Elder Qinggui, hailing from the Xu Family of Southern Heaven, is currently in charge of guarding the Scriptural Repository of the Kunlun Taiqing Sect-yes, the very Xu elder who had guided Qiu Changtian in Thunder Method before. With the Ziwei Master arranging things this way, it was clear that he was allowing him to go there to gild himself with glory and enjoy the benefits, and why would Qiu Changtian have any reason to refuse? He immediately agreed: ¡°Whatever master decides is best.¡± Xu Yinglian had been standing silently to the side the entire time, listening to the conversation between her senior and the elders without saying a word. Knowing that her senior brother would be following around that old ancestor, she felt a bit envious for a moment. ???g?.?? As for why she was envious, it was hard to say, just envious for its own sake. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Ying Lian, come over here as well.¡± After arranging for Qiu Changtian, the Ziwei Master signaled for her to come over and see Chi Song Immortal. ¡°Senior,¡± Ying Lian greeted with a curtsy. ¡°Not bad,¡± Chi Song Immortal looked at her approvingly. ¡°Although not quite on par with Changgeng, you¡¯re not far behind. You are more than enough to be the Chief Disciple of the Foundation Establishment Realm.¡± Xu Yinglian: ¡­¡­ Chapter 492 Chapter 492: Chapter 18: The Mirror Sword Conspires, Repaying Kindness Chapter 492: Chapter 18: The Mirror Sword Conspires, Repaying Kindness Xu Yinglian, who had been in a rather pleasant mood, was almost left breathless by Chi Song Immortal¡¯s words. The Ziwei Master also wiped sweat from his brow internally. Naturally, Chi Song Immortal would not realize the extent to which Xu Yinglian¡¯s tenacious personality could reach insanity. Even if he did, would you expect an immortal to consider the feelings of a Foundation Establishment Realm disciple when speaking? Impossible, right! ¡°Ahem, the excellence of Yinglian¡¯s qualifications has also put a lot of pressure on Changgeng,¡± the Ziwei Master hastened to smooth things over. ¡°Indeed,¡± Qiu Changtian quickly added, ¡°the junior¡­ ahem, I too must diligently cultivate, for fear that Junior Sister Xu will catch up with me and I will lose the face of being an elder brother.¡± Chi Song Immortal was no fool and naturally sensed something amiss from their tone; glancing at Xu Yinglian¡¯s slightly eased expression, he immediately guessed the majority of the truth and said with a smile: ¡°That¡¯s right, cultivating is like sailing against the current, if you don¡¯t advance, you fall back. It¡¯s best that you keep that in mind.¡± The group exchanged a few more pleasantries as per the protocol, and then it was time for Xu Yinglian, as the newly promoted top disciple in the Foundation Establishment Realm, to enter Kunlun¡¯s Heaven¡¯s Gate Hall and ¡°Sense the Way¡± before the Taiqing divine statues. While she was inside deepening her cultivation, Qiu Changtian was taken away by the Ziwei Master to meet with the Kunlun Elders and prepare for the grand ancestral sacrifice ceremony. Everyone was well aware of the real reason behind this grand ancestral sacrifice ceremony. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co Therefore, the elders in charge of chronicles and reception discussed back and forth, coming up with seven or eight extravagant and grandiose plans, one more lavish than the next. Without hesitation, the Ziwei Master made a decision: Use the most grandiose plan and invite Shushan, Penglai, the Buddhist temples, the Confucian Daoist academies, and all the cultivation sects in the world that are not hostile to Kunlun¡­ To come to the Kunlun Mountain Range to attend the ceremony! Even Qiu Changtian, who had seen and known much, found it hard to keep his composure towards the end; these seniors really knew how to put on a show! Well, it¡¯s all well-intentioned, helping me increase my Synchronization Value. I¡¯ll endure it. After leaving the main hall, he saw Elder Xu approaching with a beaming smile, asking: ¡°Why isn¡¯t that child Yinglian by your side?¡± ¡°Elder, she is ¡®Sensing the Way¡¯ in Heaven¡¯s Gate Hall,¡± Qiu Changtian respectfully replied. ¡°Oh, I seemed to have forgotten,¡± Elder Xu said with a smile, ¡°The Xu Family of Southern Heaven has sent an invitation. If Changgeng is free in the coming days, you should visit and stay for a while.¡± ¡°Certainly,¡± Qiu Changtian responded with a smile as he watched Elder Xu¡¯s retreating figure. Speaking of the Xu Family of Southern Heaven, their investment strategies had been laid out over twenty years ago, and now they were finally reaping huge rewards. The only First Grade Golden Core True Person in the entire world belonged to their family! If the Xu Family of Southern Heaven did not take advantage of Kunlun¡¯s current popularity to make this known across the world, that would truly be exceedingly strange. Hmm¡­ huh? Suddenly, Qiu Changtian felt something was off. How is it that without realizing it, the entire Taiqing Sect of Kunlun and the Xu Family of Southern Heaven are all helping me show off? Ah, it seems my talents are overflowing to the extent that they can no longer be hidden. In the future, there will be no need to try so hard; simply by standing in a crowded place, my Invincible Character Setting¡¯s Synchronization Value will automatically soar. Thinking back to the past, when I was painstakingly leading the outer sect disciples through trials, debating with the inner sect disciples, and tirelessly accumulating Synchronization Value to the point of being mistaken for a show-off¡­ Qiu Changtian could finally say with relief that he had made it. Hard work eventually pays off! Struggle and you will succeed! The Kunlun Mirror coldly watched him feel moved within his heart, then turned to ask the Green Duckweed Sword: ¡°What about the matter I mentioned before? Have you considered it?¡± The Green Duckweed Sword giggled: ¡°I don¡¯t know yet. After all, he is my Sword Master¡­¡± ¡°Enough already,¡± the Kunlun Mirror showed an ¡°enough is enough¡± expression. ¡°Whether you¡¯ve acknowledged a master or not, you might be able to deceive him, but do you think you could fool me?¡± ¡°Aww, why do you have to be so hung up on that?¡± the Green Duckweed Sword said casually, ¡°The sword spirit and the sword are two different things. Isn¡¯t it fine that I¡¯m willing to acknowledge him now? But your plan is quite interesting¡­¡± ¡°After all, it¡¯s just to let off some steam, and it won¡¯t cause him any real harm,¡± the Kunlun Mirror pressed on while iron was hot. ¡°With his current robust Daoist foundation, when that day comes, he won¡¯t need to worry about their pursuit at all.¡± ¡°To put it unpleasantly, even if he plans to ascend to immortality and escape through tribulation, and they manage to pull him back with their combined effort, I reckon not even his essence would suffer any damage. The next day, he would be unaffected, just dust himself off and continue with the tribulation-do you believe that?¡± ¡°So you have that much confidence in him, you think he will definitely be able to form an Immortal Infant?¡± the Green Duckweed Sword asked in surprise. ¡°Yes,¡± the Kunlun Mirror affirmed seriously. ¡°Just as I was previously convinced that he would be able to form a First Grade Golden Core.¡± ¡°From the perspective of saving the world, I naturally should be thankful to him, and I¡¯ve already helped him quite a bit.¡± ¡°But his past misdeeds, although committed to conceal his identity and not without reason, did indeed go too far. If I mete out some punishment afterward in the hopes he will turn away from his wicked ways, it wouldn¡¯t be excessive, would it?¡± ¡°Not excessive at all,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword finally laughed, ¡°Even Daji, who was sent by the heavens to seduce King Zhou and throw the court into chaos, had to face the music for going too far! We are just scheming against and bullying him, which is quite generous already.¡± ¡°So you agree?¡± ¡°Count me in.¡± Qiu Changtian, however, was unaware of the secret pact between the mirror and the sword, his mind drifting as he listened to the Sect Leader and Elders¡¯ arrangements. After returning to the Golden Ridge Cave Abode and meditating on the stone bed for a while, he saw Xu Yinglian coming back from outside. ¡°Senior Brother,¡± she said cheerfully, ¡°I have reached over three hundred eighty years of Refining Mansion Cultivation.¡± ¡°Just twenty more years before you can stabilize and form a Second Grade Golden Core, right?¡± Qiu Changtian was also very happy for her. The stronger Junior Sister Xu¡¯s cultivation became, the more she could fill the void I would leave behind in the future, and thus my regrets could be lessened. The Kunlun Mirror quietly lifted the illusion technique for the moment. ¡°Senior Brother¡­¡± Xu Yinglian, seeing his genuinely joyful expression which didn¡¯t seem like mockery, couldn¡¯t help the stirrings within her heart. On reflection, her behavior in front of the immortal had been somewhat rash. When she heard the immortal say, ¡°You are not as good as your senior brother,¡± her first reaction was anger¡­ What was there to be angry about? Could it be that I, Xu Yinglian, was the kind of person who couldn¡¯t accept defeat, who would deceive herself and others rather than acknowledge the truth? I am inferior to Senior Brother in strength; I also fall short in terms of spirit. Xu Yinglian, oh Xu Yinglian, put away that pretentious pride. From now on, you should work even harder to catch up with your Senior Brother. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Seeing the beautiful woman in white remain silent for a long time, Qiu Changtian asked curiously. ¡°Senior Brother, I previously gathered some clues about that traitor from the Xu Family back then,¡± Xu Yinglian said softly. ???g?.?? ¡°I just didn¡¯t pursue it further because of the ensuing White Jade Capital competitions.¡± ¡°When Senior Brother is free, would you be willing to accompany me to investigate together?¡± Qiu Changtian was momentarily taken aback before he remembered that the Xu Family¡¯s ancestral teachings did indeed mention a traitor who had dug up the grave of their ancestor Feng Tong, stealing the scripture scrolls and magical treasures inside. This matter had always been a thorn in the side of the Xu Family elders. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only If he could help his Junior Sister recover those things, it would also be a way to repay part of the kindness owed to the Xu Family of Southern Heaven. Moreover, even if they recovered the items, wouldn¡¯t they still belong to Junior Sister Xu? Now that she was the most talented in the way of cultivation within the Xu Family, who else should receive the good items if not her? In repaying the favor to her kin and also giving benefits to my wife, this would be killing two birds with one stone! ¡°Why would I not be willing?¡± Qiu Changtian said with a gentle smile, ¡°I will go with Junior Sister.¡± Chapter 493 Chapter 493: Chapter 19: Saying NO to the Asura Battlefield Chapter 493: Chapter 19: Saying NO to the Asura Battlefield Thus, Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian made a pact to seek clues about the Xu Family traitor when they had free time. Of course, not today, after all, the ancestral ceremony was imminent. Even before the ceremony had begun, visitors from the Kunlun sect to the Golden Ridge Cave Abode arrived in an endless stream, leaving not even a spot to step on at the entrance of their abode. One was a newly minted First Grade Golden Core True Person, and the other was a new Foundation Establishment Realm Chief Disciple; any Kunlun Cultivators with discernment could see that this pair of Daoist Companions was destined for limitless prospects. Thus, Golden Core Realm Cultivators came to visit Qiu Changtian, to make an appearance; Foundation Establishment Realm Cultivators came to curry favor with Xu Yinglian, to get acquainted with her. Together, they made up at least eighty to ninety percent of the entire Kunlun, clogging the entrance of the Golden Ridge Cave Abode so tightly that it was understandable. From morning to night, both of them were receiving guests, Qiu Changtian was already accustomed to being sought after and flattered, but the cold-natured Xu Yinglian was rather intolerant and almost felt the urge to explode by the end. Fortunately, as the day turned to evening, the waiting guests finally took leave, planning to find another opportunity to visit again. ¡°Phew.¡± Xu Yinglian lay back on the stone bed, tiredly looking at the ceiling of the cave abode, mumbling, ¡°Why is this so exhausting?¡± Qiu Changtian sat beside her, looking at her slender and undulating figure, resisted the impulse to measure her contours with his hands, and simply smiled gently, ¡°Junior Sister, you are now the Foundation Establishment Realm Chief Disciple; you¡¯ll eventually have to get used to such matters¡­ and there will be even more trifling issues in the future!¡± Xu Yinglian fell silent for a moment before saying, ¡°I thought that after becoming a High Rank Cultivator, at most I would only need to take on disciples.¡± wuxiaworld.site ¡°Who would have expected that Junior Sister also has things she is not good at handling,¡± Qiu Changtian chuckled, ¡°I thought Junior Sister would tackle all difficulties head-on.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make snide remarks.¡± Xu Yinglian was slightly embarrassed and unhappy, ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯m not good at handling things; I just very much dislike certain matters. Don¡¯t you, Senior Brother, have things you dislike?¡± Qiu Changtian paused. Wait, of course, I have things I dislike; it¡¯s just that I can¡¯t recall them at the moment. What could they be? ¡°Sigh.¡± Inside the Sea of Consciousness, the Kunlun Mirror spoke softly, ¡°Have you pretended for so long that you¡¯ve forgotten what kind of person you are?¡± ¡°Are you sympathizing with him?¡± the Green Duckweed Sword asked quietly. ¡°Of course,¡± the Kunlun Mirror sighed, ¡°after all, it is my responsibility.¡± ¡°He has become accustomed to wearing layers upon layers of masks to the point of forgetting what he looks like beneath them.¡± ¡°That¡¯s precisely why it¡¯s my responsibility to help him remove all those masks after he completes his task and return to his true self.¡± The Green Duckweed Sword pondered for a moment and agreed. If a person continuously pretends to be a certain persona for ten, twenty years, they will inevitably confuse that persona with their true self. Chen Guanshui¡¯s problem is even more severe as he is playing many personas simultaneously, to the extent that there are vague signs of a split personality-naturally, the earliest sign is the forgetting of one¡¯s true self, which is an extremely dangerous signal. When he truly completes his mission to mend the heavens and can return to being himself without the need for further pretense, will he still remember his true self? No worries, even if you can¡¯t remember, they will help you to remember. Under the immense pressure of the Asura battlefield, Chen Guanshui is bound to awaken his long-dormant innate consciousness, thereby discovering his most primal, most authentic self. At this thought, the Green Duckweed Sword too began to feel moved by the plan of the Kunlun Mirror. Rest assured, Guan Shui! After you save the world, we will save you! Qiu Changtian was unaware of the plans of the mirror and the sword, he simply chatted idly with Xu Yinglian deep into the night before they both entered into meditative concentration. Several days later, the ancestral ceremony finally began as scheduled. The Daoist Shushan Shangqing Faction and Penglai Jade Pure sect, the Buddhist Bodhi and Prajna Temples, the Confucian White Deer Grotto Academy, as well as many sects from the Nine Provinces, countless guests arrived at the Kunlun Heavenly Pillar, guided by the Kunlun Cultivators up to the Jade Void Palace. Qiu Changtian had originally thought his network was sufficiently extensive, but now he realized it was merely confined within the Three Pure Ones and Six Paths. If he hadn¡¯t seen it with his own eyes, he wouldn¡¯t have known there were so many cultivators from other factions in the world. ¡°Amitabha,¡± the abbot of Bodhi Temple, Elder Fa Kong, chanted a Buddhist invocation and walked towards Qiu Changtian alongside the Ziwei Master. ¡°How is it?¡± Ziwei Master asked with a smile, his demeanor like that of a proud father introducing his excellent son. ¡°Promising and capable,¡± Elder Fa Kong also chose his words carefully. Years ago, Buddhists liked to praise people with ¡°having wisdom roots,¡± but it gradually became clear that when many high monks said you had ¡°wisdom roots,¡± they often contemplated shaving your head. Therefore, people grew to dislike hearing this term, and the Buddhists used it less and less. Ziwei Master didn¡¯t seem to have any intentions of continuing the introductions, but rather escorted Elder Fa Hua into the main hall. Xu Yinglian had just finished dealing with a group of disciples¡¯ greetings and finally found a moment to come over and said: ¡°How is it? Met many seniors of the cultivation realm?¡± ¡°Not many,¡± Qiu Changtian said with a wry smile, ¡°there are too many big shots, simply can¡¯t remember them all.¡± ¡°It seems you don¡¯t like socializing either,¡± Xu Yinglian said with a coy smile. Qiu Changtian shook his head, then suddenly heard a voice nearby: ¡°Chief Qiu? Oh, now I should call you Changgeng True Person, right?¡± Hearing this voice, Qiu Changtian felt a sudden tightness in his heart. Shi Liuli! It was her? Oh, the ancestral ceremony had invited guests from Penglai Jade Pure, so Shi Liuli coming with Elder Shi Ding was indeed a normal occurrence. ¡°Long time no see,¡± Xu Yinglian said with a faint smile. The last time they met, she was just Qiu Changtian¡¯s Junior Sister and had an unpleasant altercation with Shi Liuli, the starstruck junior. ???G?.?? Now, she was Qiu Changtian¡¯s Daoist Companion and could be said to have won a complete victory. Therefore, Xu Yinglian felt there was no need to adopt an overly harsh attitude against Shi Liuli again, as that would seem a bit demeaning ¨C from this, it was clear her emotional intelligence was much higher than Senior Sister An¡¯s. Miss Shi, seeing her smile, instinctively felt annoyed. But annoyance aside, she was not impulsive enough to provoke the Foundation Establishment Realm¡¯s Chief Disciple of Kunlun on Kunlun¡¯s own territory, so she just snorted disdainfully and turned away. Seeing that Miss Shi actively avoided conflict, Qiu Changtian also secretly breathed a sigh of relief. If the two had really clashed here, he definitely would have stood on Junior Sister Xu¡¯s side¡­ Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only but that would certainly mean becoming enemies with Shi Liuli. Luckily, thanks to my great fortune, I directly avoided the creation of an Asura battlefield! I¡¯m truly impressive! ¡°Look, isn¡¯t it infuriating?¡± the Kunlun Mirror whispered secretly. ¡°So he¡¯s afraid of Asura battlefields,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword also chuckled, ¡°Then shall we bring on more next time?¡± Chapter 494 Chapter 494: Chapter 20 Something Is Wrong with Senior Sister An Chapter 494: Chapter 20 Something Is Wrong with Senior Sister An The Ancestor Worship Ceremony was, in itself, actually rather dull. The Kunlun Taiqing Sect fancied itself the paragon of righteousness and thus placed great emphasis on ancient rituals, which were both odorous and protracted. While the guests could relax in secrecy, Qiu Changtian, as the focus of everyone¡¯s attention, could not let his guard down even slightly and he inwardly groaned incessantly. The only advantage was that the synchronization value of the invincible character setting had already been maxed out. From today on, all the big shots in the Cultivation Realm would remember his name and face. Daoist Heart Clarity, First Grade Golden Core, Qiu Changtian of Changgeng! When the tedious Ancestor Worship Ceremony ended, no unexpected complications arose. After all, this was the Kunlun Taiqing Sect¡¯s territory, and even the sly Hell Path would not dare to cause trouble here. Afterward, everyone left for their own destinations. They had not come here to attend the ceremony, after all, but to meet Qiu Changtian, the ¡°First Grade Golden Core¡±. Now that they had seen him, it was natural for them to hurry back to their respective sects to discuss potential adjustments to their attitudes towards Kunlun. Only the leaders of the Shushan and Penglai factions stayed behind to discuss subsequent matters in private with the Ziwei Master. ¡°Hell Path will definitely not let Qiu Changtian go,¡± the Jade Capital Sect Leader said in a low voice. ¡°Naturally,¡± Ziwei Master replied calmly. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co ¡°Even without making a big show of it, with their cunning abilities, they are bound to find out sooner or later.¡± ¡°Maybe it¡¯s better to just lure them out,¡± the Xuandu Sect Leader sighed. ¡°But still, the risk is ultimately too great.¡± ¡°In the approaching era of great strife, we of the Three Pure Orthodox Sects share a common origin and must unite and help each other, not fight independently,¡± Ziwei Master slowly stated. The Jade Capital Sect Leader and the Xuandu Sect Leader exchanged glances. ¡°Naturally.¡± ¡°It should be so.¡± With the emergence of Qiu Changtian, the First Grade Golden Core, Kunlun, along with the Shushan and Penglai factions, thus forged a tighter alliance and established their leadership dominance. Of course, the Cultivation Realm had not yet realized the ripple effects this event would bring. The unity of the Orthodox Sects would naturally lead to the consolidation of the Demon Cult. As the two sides became increasingly distinct and opposed to each other, the so-called era of great strife was not far off. Upon returning to his cave abode, Qiu Changtian instructed the Kunlun Mirror: ¡°Load the profile for Ling Yunpo; let¡¯s retrieve the last piece of yours.¡± ¡°No rush,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said unexpectedly. ¡°Isn¡¯t Ling Yunpo still undeclared in Core Formation? Let¡¯s wait until after the pill is formed before entering the Demon Locking Tower.¡± ¡°Can you wait?¡± Qiu Changtian asked in surprise. ¡°I¡¯ve waited for hundreds of thousands of years, a few more months won¡¯t matter,¡± the Kunlun Mirror responded considerately. Qiu Changtian was somewhat skeptical, but Ah Jing¡¯s reasoning did make some sense. Rushing into the Demon Locking Tower while at the Foundation Establishment Realm would inevitably raise suspicions. It was better to quietly wait a few months, until the stir over Qiu Changtian¡¯s First Grade Golden Core had settled, before discreetly declaring Core Formation. As for the grade rank, considering Qingluo Peak¡¯s unfavorable position within Shushan, claiming a Second Grade Golden Core might well provoke envy, so it would be better to claim a Third Grade Golden Core. ¡°Load the profile!¡± [Location Two: Shushan Shangqing Faction, Qingluo Peak.] [Identity: Ling Yunpo.] [Mirror Flower Water Moon Template overlay being applied, time-space travel in progress.] ¡­ In recent days, Ling Yunpo gradually noticed that something was off about Senior Sister An. She would often sit in her room, lost in thought, and her gaze towards him also seemed quite peculiar, as if she were scrutinizing him. Heh, could it be that I¡¯ve revealed some kind of flaw? Ling Yunpo wasn¡¯t concerned, and the reason was quite simple: First, although he was a spy, he was also unquestionably An Zhisu¡¯s junior brother, a identity that could not be faked. Second, after all these years, he was all too familiar with the character of An Zhisu. She was extremely protective of her own people to the point of being utterly unreasonable! Even if she lacked emotional intelligence, acted without thinking, and was generally indifferent or even fierce to others, she really went to great lengths to take care of me, her junior brother, almost to the point of doting on me. Even the most perfunctory excuse, as long as it came from me, her junior brother, could easily deceive her! The alcohol in the Daoist temple had run out again, so Ling Yunpo picked up the wine pot and went out, intending to buy more for his senior sister. But as soon as he stepped out the door, he saw Lin Duanshan and Duan Fenhai descending rapidly from the sky, their sword lights piercing through the air. ¡°Chief Qiu of Kunlun, Qiu Changtian, has formed his Core!¡± As soon as Lin Duanshan landed, he immediately exclaimed, ¡°And it¡¯s said to be a First Grade Golden Core!¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Ling Yunpo unconsciously responded, then suddenly realized. That won¡¯t do, his reaction was too calm, which could give him away. So, he put on an expression of ¡°suddenly realizing what the other party was talking about,¡± incredulously raised his head, and exclaimed in surprise: ¡°What did you say? What grade did he form?¡± ¡°First Grade Golden Core!¡± Duan Fenhai replied with a face full of admiration and envy. Then, both of them just saw Ling Yunpo standing there dumbfounded, the wine pot falling from his hands to the ground, his expression turning into one of shock and disbelief. ¡°How is that possible!¡± he cried out, ¡°Last time at the White Jade Capital competition, he was only at the Refining Mansion rank! How could he have formed his Core so quickly! You better not be tricking me!¡± ¡°Why would we trick you with this?¡± Lin Duanshan said with a wry smile, ¡°It¡¯s not just us; the whole Shushan knows about it, it¡¯s a First Grade Golden Core after all!¡± Ling Yunpo was about to continue with his performance when he heard footsteps from behind. An Zhisu walked out of the temple. ¡°So Qiu Changtian has formed his Core?¡± She frowned suspiciously. ¡°Yes,¡± Duan Fenhai nodded, then glanced towards Lin Duanshan. ???G?.?? The expression on Senior Sister An was a bit off. Hearing about her old rival and Chief Qiu of Kunlun had formed his Core, her first reaction wasn¡¯t disappointment nor was it a surge of fighting spirit; it was some kind of doubt, a confused look? ¡°Absolutely true,¡± Lin Duanshan said seriously. An Zhisu nodded and then turned to Ling Yunpo: ¡°Junior brother, how many years have you been at the Refining Mansion Cultivation Level?¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Ling Yunpo was stunned for a moment, his mind racing, ¡°Around one hundred and fifty years or so.¡± A Shushan Cultivator, if among the very top, could attain the cultivation level of one hundred and thirty years with the help of the Mercurial Elixir Liquid, the Millennium Stone Milk (Southern Border), and the Cloud Sea Empty Cocoon (Demon Locking Tower), three Purple Mansion secret medicines/secrets. Subsequent personal breathing and cultivation, though the Qi Refining Technique was not as good as Kunlun¡¯s, reaching two hundred years of Third Grade Golden Core was not extremely difficult. An Zhisu fell silent upon hearing this. After a moment, a look of understanding appeared in her eyes. ¡°So what if Qiu Changtian has formed his Core? Why are you all so shocked?¡± she earnestly advised, ¡°It¡¯s more important to focus on your own cultivation.¡± ¡°We were just taken aback by the sudden news,¡± Lin Duanshan explained, ¡°feeling it was just too extraordinary.¡± ¡°We were never Qiu Changtian¡¯s match to begin with. Now that he has taken the lead and formed his Core, becoming a true person, it becomes even more out of our reach to surpass him in strength and redeem the shame of the past White Jade Capital competition,¡± Duan Fenhai also sighed. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°In the White Jade Capital competition, it was not you who were defeated by him,¡± An Zhisu said indifferently, ¡°I¡¯m not worried, so what¡¯s the rush for you?¡± Lin Duanshan was tongue-tied for a long time before finally saying: ¡°You¡¯re right, Senior Sister.¡± ¡°Junior brother,¡± An Zhisu turned around and instructed Ling Yunpo, ¡°Come with me to practice swordsmanship.¡± ¡°But Senior Sister, we¡¯ve run out of wine,¡± Ling Yunpo said, holding up the empty wine pot. ¡°Then go buy the wine first,¡± An Zhisu thought for a moment and then said. ¡°We¡¯ll go with you,¡± Lin Duanshan gave Duan Fenhai a look and quickly added. Ling Yunpo¡¯s brow furrowed slightly, thinking, why are you following along? What, are you trying to be third wheels? Chapter 495 Chapter 495: Chapter 21: I Choose the Sentiment Inquiry Path Because I Have Great Love Chapter 495: Chapter 21: I Choose the Sentiment Inquiry Path Because I Have Great Love An Zhisu had recently been feeling somewhat unsettled. During the White Jade Capital¡¯s grand final competition, Qiu Changtian had used a swordsmanship against her that gave her an inexplicable sense of familiarity. Although upon careful consideration, there were no similarities in the sword moves, the style somehow reminded her of Junior Brother Ling. Of course, under the suggestiveness of the Mirror Flower Water Moon¡¯s illusion technique, An Zhisu couldn¡¯t possibly consider the two to be the same person. She just felt that there seemed to be some secret connection between the two men¡­ but the clues were too scarce for her to have any idea where to begin. Now that she had learned that Qiu Changtian had achieved Core Formation and possessed the rare First Grade Golden Core, she finally felt somewhat relieved. ???G?.?? Whatever their relationship was, given Qiu Changtian¡¯s current fame and status, it was unlikely he was scheming after anything belonging to Junior Brother Ling. Arriving at a tavern in the town market at the foot of the mountain, everyone ordered a table and sat down on the long benches on either side. ¡°Ling Junior Brother has achieved a cultivation level of one hundred and fifty years, huh,¡± Lin Duanshan said with a casual smile. ¡°I, and Junior Brother Duan, are almost the same.¡± ¡°After Core Formation, one must face the Daoist Heart.¡± ¡°Senior Sister An, Junior Brother Ling, what are you two planning to do?¡± wuxiaworld.site As a result, An Zhisu very calmly picked up the wine pot and poured herself some wine into her cup. Ling Yunpo: ¡­ No way! Senior Sister, you don¡¯t know either! So, Lin Duanshan also displayed an ¡°I knew it¡± look of resignation and explained to Ling Yunpo: ¡°Our Sect of the Shushan Sword Immortals is different from other sects; on the path of cultivation, there¡¯s a threshold called ¡®Daoist Heart Clarity.''¡± ¡°This ¡®Daoist Heart Clarity¡¯ is about confirming why one draws their sword in the first place.¡± ¡°Sword Immortals pursue strength in their cultivation, and their temperament is often stubborn and pure, which makes them more susceptible to invasion by heart demons or even to deviation.¡± ¡°After the Daoist Heart Clarity, willpower becomes firmer, which greatly benefits both swordsmanship practice and combat.¡± ¡°As for the paths of Daoist Heart Clarity, you already know about the Sentiment Inquiry Path, the Forgetting Love Path, etc., so I won¡¯t elaborate.¡± Hearing Lin Duanshan¡¯s introduction, Ling Yunpo suddenly thought of the crazed Sword Immortal ¨C his uncle had become the indescribable mess he was because of a heart demon invasion. His own character template, Ling Yunpo, didn¡¯t have the natural talent of Daoist Heart Clarity that was immune to heart demons, so it seemed that he really needed to undergo this Daoist Heart Clarity. As for which to choose¡­ of course, it was the Sentiment Inquiry Path; what else could it be? The Sentiment Inquiry Path is about drawing one¡¯s sword to protect the ones they love. For instance, Senior Sister An, Junior Sister Xu, Miss Shi, Jiang the Witch, the little fox¡­ To protect them, to save the world, he had to seek the Stone of Heaven¡¯s Mend. For this purpose, he cultivated, drew his sword, and spared no expense. Was this not the noblest practice of the Sentiment Inquiry Path? Was this not a thousand times better than the dispassionate path of the Forgetting Love or the self-deceiving Forgetting Love Path? ¡°Aren¡¯t we supposed to face the Daoist Heart after achieving the Golden Core?¡± Ling Yunpo asked quietly. ¡°It¡¯s just a custom, not a strict constraint,¡± Duan Fenhai replied. ¡°The recent conflicts between good and evil are becoming increasingly fierce. If we can face the Daoist Heart earlier, it also means more security for ourselves.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Ling Yunpo nodded in understanding. As for which path to choose, he didn¡¯t even need to ask; he could guess that Lin Duanshan and Duan Fenhai were of the Forgetting Love Path, while he and Senior Sister An were of the Sentiment Inquiry Path. ¡°Senior Sister, how about we also face the Daoist Heart ahead of time?¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± An Zhisu said, looking down and drinking her wine, concealing the blush on her face. ¡°That¡¯s great,¡± Lin Duanshan said, raising his cup and smiling, ¡°If you want to face the Daoist Heart, you must go to the Daoist Heart Cave behind the Ancestral Master Hall.¡± ¡°The Daoist Heart Cave is guarded and normally uncultivated cultivators are not allowed to enter, but if Senior Sister An and Junior Brother Ling join us, we can pressure the guardian to let us in.¡± ¡°Who is the guardian of the Daoist Heart Cave?¡± An Zhisu suddenly asked. ¡°According to the rotation, this month it should be Senior Brother Fan from the Emei faction,¡± Duan Fenhai said with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s that Fan Wenjing who you beat up before, who now turns tail and runs whenever he sees you.¡± Ling Yunpo: ¡­¡­¡­.. No wonder they invited me and Senior Sister to go together, seems like they want to use Senior Sister An¡¯s fearsome reputation to pull this trick! It¡¯s just that my own Core Formation is imminent, and I still need to deliberately delay it for a while; dealing with the Sentiment Inquiry Path now would save me the trouble of coming back later. Since we¡¯re going to the Sentiment Inquiry Path, bringing Lin Duanshan and Duan Fenhai along would be a good opportunity to do them a favor in passing. After making up his mind, Ling Yunpo readily agreed. The four of them directly controlled their swords to rise into the air and quickly flew towards the Emei Golden Summit. They circled around the Ancestral Master Hall and, under Lin Duanshan¡¯s guidance, slowly descended to see a small hill nearby with gurgling streams, lush trees, and blooming flowers, an exceptionally delicate and lovely scene without the clamor of birds and insects, serene and pleasant. Ling Yunpo thought to himself that he had been to Emei before, but this was his first time seeing this place, giving him a sudden sense of delightful surprise as if stumbling upon a hidden village. Turning the corner of the mountain path, they saw a secluded cave entrance, half-concealed behind layers of vine. On the adjacent rock wall, the two big characters ¡°Sentiment Inquiry¡± were inscribed. The Shushan Sword Immortal responsible for guarding the cave was sitting bored on a large stone nearby, flipping through a scripture scroll in his hands. Seeing Lin Duanshan bring people over again, he jumped off the stone impatiently, driving them away as he said: ¡°You again? Junior Brother Lin, I¡¯ve already said that you can only enter the Sentiment Inquiry Cave after Core Formation, don¡¯t make it difficult for me!¡± ¡°Senior Brother Fan, please make an exception,¡± Lin Duanshan said with a smile. ¡°I heard that Senior Brother Zhao also went through Sentiment Inquiry before his Core Formation.¡± ¡°Nonsense!¡± Senior Brother Fan immediately glared, spoke in a domineering tone, plainly unwilling to accommodate Lin Duanshan, ¡°Don¡¯t listen to those rumors, only cultivators at Core Formation can enter, it¡¯s a rule set by the sect! If the true masters from the Judicial Hall hear about this, not just me, but you all will be in hot water!¡± Before he could finish speaking, An Zhisu had already pushed Lin Duanshan aside, stormed forward, and shouted: ¡°Out of the way!¡± Senior Brother Fan wanted to say something, but the moment he saw it was the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal, his entire body visibly shuddered, and then he quickly yelled: ¡°Oh no! I forgot to turn off the fire under a cauldron of elixirs! I must hurry back and turn it off¡­¡± He scrambled away in a panic, then rapidly controlled his sword to lift off, soon disappearing without a trace. Ling Yunpo: ¡­¡­¡­.. Lin Duanshan: ¡­¡­¡­.. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Duan Fenhai: ¡­¡­¡­.. Indeed, bringing An Zhisu here was absolutely the right choice. ¡°This is the Sentiment Inquiry Cave,¡± Lin Duanshan said as he introduced, ¡°Once you go in, you can enter the Illusion Domain to question your heart.¡± As he said this, he paused, then continued: ¡°It¡¯s said that in ancient times, cultivator couples who primarily practiced the Sentiment Inquiry Path would enter the Illusion Domain together to question their hearts, and the success rate was higher than going in alone.¡± ¡°In that case, Senior Sister, let¡¯s go,¡± Ling Yunpo, catching the hint immediately, took An Zhisu¡¯s hand, and led her inside. Watching the two hand in hand as they stepped into the Sentiment Inquiry Cave, Duan Fenhai couldn¡¯t help but click his tongue: ¡°Old Lin, if both of these two cultivate the Sentiment Inquiry Path, wouldn¡¯t the news create a sensation throughout Shushan once it spreads?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t talk, and I don¡¯t talk, how easily would it spread?¡± Lin Duanshan shook his head. ¡°Even if we don¡¯t talk, everyone will slowly guess it, right?¡± Duan Fenhai sighed, ¡°The past Qi Sha True Person Su Jian, he also claimed to practice the Forgetting Love Path, but what happened in the end?¡± He looked melancholy, murmuring softly: ¡°Some things, after all, can¡¯t be kept secret forever.¡± Chapter 496 Chapter 496: Chapter 22: Sentiment Inquiry Path is all a blight Chapter 496: Chapter 22: Sentiment Inquiry Path is all a blight Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu held hands, their fingers interlocking as they carefully made their way through the cave. The air inside the cave was not stuffy; instead, there was a damp vapor that suggested the presence of flowing water not far off. Senior Sister An bit her lower lip, her face unexpectedly showing a girlish demeanor, a stark contrast to the stern expression she had worn earlier at the entrance of the cave reprimanding Brother Fan. She wasn¡¯t accustomed to holding hands with her junior brother, but in front of Lin Duanshan and Duan Fenhai, the clasping of their fingers felt like a public declaration of ownership, which truly was more than her face could bear. Yet, because of her protective nature, she also felt she couldn¡¯t discourage her junior brother. What if he no longer got along with her, what then? Therefore, Senior Sister An simply lowered her gaze to the stone floor, not looking at her junior brother, and pretended that nothing was amiss as Ling Yunpo led her forward. ¡°Be careful, we are entering the Illusion Domain,¡± the Kunlun Mirror suddenly spoke. Ling Yunpo¡¯s spirits lifted, and even the little action of secretly scratching his senior sister¡¯s palm halted as he carefully looked ahead. They walked on, and their surroundings showed no sign of change until the passageway gradually became more spacious. As they stepped into the room, they found themselves in a secret chamber deep within Qingluo Peak. In the chamber, the Long Eyebrow Immortal stood in silence, his back towards the two, and said in a deep voice: ¡°Asking about love, asking about love? Su Jian, are you truly abandoning the great Dao for a mere mortal? wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co Utter foolishness, utter foolishness¡­¡± His voice was low and hoarse, and at that moment, Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu felt as if the hair on their bodies was standing on end. Because from Long Eyebrow Immortal¡¯s body, a thick and sticky murderous intent was emanating, almost enough to envelop and drown the two of them. An Zhisu stepped forward, shielding Ling Yunpo behind her as she quickly drew out her swords, Flying Smoke and Chill, and positioned them in front of her. Ling Yunpo shivered and quickly grabbed Senior Sister An¡¯s arm, once again asking the Kunlun Mirror: ¡°Ah Jing! Is this immortal really just an illusion? It¡¯s not some kind of premeditated trap, is it?¡± The Kunlun Mirror did not answer, leaving only a lasting silence. Ling Yunpo gritted his teeth, thinking the broken mirror probably wouldn¡¯t deceive him. After all, if he died, who would help it save the world, to mend the heavens? The Long Eyebrow Immortal silently flicked his fingers, and the Dual Polarity Dust Sword emerged from his sleeve. He grasped the silver-white hilt in his hand, like a scholar taking up a pen, and slowly turned around. ¡°In the past, for the sake of his so-called wife, he could linger in the Mortal World for decades, completely neglecting his cultivation,¡± the lean and clear-face of Long Eyebrow Immortal faced the two with an expression neither sad nor happy, his voice hollow and cold, ¡°And for the sake of his so-called daughter, he faced numerous ambushes without retreat, sparing no expense, even his own life.¡± ¡°As if the cultivation and guidance of the sect, in his eyes, were things that could be discarded at any time, worth no mention at all.¡± ¡°The path of cultivation is rugged and fraught with peril. ???g?.?? Worldly attachments only hinder a cultivator¡¯s practice; if all of Shushan placed personal feelings above the pursuit of the Dao like Su Jian, who now can tell how many would reach Nascent Soul Formation, how many would achieve Core Formation?¡± ¡°The Sentiment Inquiry Path is the cancer of Shushan¡¯s cultivators, a mistake that should have been eradicated long ago.¡± ¡°Su Jian is my disciple, and I will not let him continue on the wrong path. You two are his daughter and disciple; if you are willing to take an oath here to reform and return to the right path, I will acknowledge you both as my disciples.¡± ¡°And if we do not?¡± An Zhisu asked with a trembling voice; the pressure Long Eyebrow Immortal imposed on her was so immense it made even breathing seem exceedingly difficult. ¡°If you remain obstinately ignorant,¡± Long Eyebrow Immortal said woodenly, ¡°then by your deaths, it is not impossible for Su Jian to return to the Forgetting Love Path.¡± ¡°If the immortal kills my Senior Sister and me, once master leaves seclusion and learns of this, wouldn¡¯t he regard you as an enemy?¡± Ling Yunpo gritted his teeth and said. ¡°So what?¡± Long Eyebrow Immortal¡¯s mouth curved slightly, resembling a sneer as well as a twitch, ¡°Sentiment Inquiry Path, Sentiment Inquiry. As long as there¡¯s no burden of attachment worth worrying about, how can he continue on that path?¡± ¡°Even if he remains naive and immature, seeking vengeance for his master, he must first improve his cultivation level. Only after achieving Feather Transformation to become an immortal does he stand a chance to defeat his master.¡± ¡°If such a day truly comes, what harm is there for a master to admit his mistake?¡± Ling Yunpo¡¯s face twitched, feeling that this old geezer was like the staunch no-female-lead party, having completely fallen into a state of communication barrier madness. Why not want a female lead? Because some novels have poorly written female leads, so other novels shouldn¡¯t have female leads either; why not allow the cultivation of the Sentiment Inquiry Path? Because some cultivators of the Sentiment Inquiry Path have made mistakes, so other cultivators are also not allowed to cultivate it. If Ling Yunpo were a debater, he would point out that this was a classic example of the ¡°slippery slope¡± fallacy. However, as is well known, debaters are of no use whatsoever¡­ They¡¯ve already got a knife to your neck, and you still want to debate with them? ¡°So that¡¯s how it is.¡± Ling Yunpo chuckled softly to himself, thinking, let me take on the Sentiment Inquiry Path for Senior Sister, and firmly said, ¡°Long Eyebrow Immortal, please spare Senior Sister and take only my life.¡± ¡°Just as the immortal said, Sentiment Inquiry Path requires sentiments to inquire into. If the person one loves no longer exists in this world, how could Senior Sister continue to inquire? This way, your wish is granted. Please, take my life.¡± ¡°Junior Brother, no!¡± An Zhisu exclaimed in alarm, bitterly biting her lower lip. Amidst the pain, she broke free from the confining pressure of Long Eyebrow Immortal and roared with gritted teeth, ¡°Long Eyebrow Immortal, rather than killing my Junior Brother, it¡¯s better to kill me!¡± ¡°To sever father¡¯s mortal attachments, killing Junior Brother is not the best solution. As long as I, his daughter, am alive, father will be reminded of mother whenever he sees me. Killing me will end father¡¯s attachment and also make Junior Brother lose heart¡­ Please spare Junior Brother, and take my life instead.¡± Seeing the Qingluo Peak¡¯s pair of siblings competing to face death, Long Eyebrow Immortal¡¯s face finally showed color, and he burst out in rage: ¡°Good! Good! Good! Each and every one of you is stubborn and refuses to cherish your own lives. Shushan has invested so much in you, was it so you could throw your lives away so carelessly?¡± ¡°Since you¡¯re so eager to die, I shall satisfy you!¡± He raised his finger and casually pointed at Ling Yunpo, whose chest immediately burst forth with blood. Ling Yunpo fell to the ground, his pupils dilating weakly, feeling life swiftly flowing from the wound caused by the sword qi¡­ Hmm, it feels quite real. ¡°Told you it¡¯s an illusion,¡± said the Kunlun Mirror in a taunting tone. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you reply to me before?¡± Ling Yunpo asked helplessly, his body having already lost control. ¡°Didn¡¯t I reply to you just now? You didn¡¯t believe it,¡± Kunlun Mirror said calmly, ¡°You just had to experience it firsthand.¡± Ling Yunpo: ¡­¡­¡­ Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only It always feels like this damn mirror is getting more and more trashy, is it my illusion? As he lay there ¡°dead,¡± An Zhisu suddenly transformed into sword light, achieving Man-Sword Unity. She charged at Long Eyebrow Immortal like lightning! Following that, her body was suddenly sent flying back at the same speed, like a broken willow branch, landing beside Ling Yunpo¡¯s ¡°corpse.¡± ¡°Your final chance,¡± Long Eyebrow Immortal walked over to her, looked at An Zhisu who was now bleeding from nose and mouth, barely able to draw breath, and spoke slowly, ¡°Give up the Sentiment Inquiry Path, and I will let you live.¡± An Zhisu struggled to raise her hand, seemingly wanting to grasp the sword hilt beside her. But in the end, she slowly gripped Ling Yunpo¡¯s hand, which had already grown cold. Chapter 497 Chapter 497: Chapter 23: Ah Jing¡¯s Psychological Counseling Class Chapter 497: Chapter 23: Ah Jing¡¯s Psychological Counseling Class ¡°` Ling Yunpo lay on the ground, the sensation of being on the brink of death constantly assaulting his mind. Even though he knew it was the doing of an Illusion Domain, the feeling was still hard to bear. Fortunately, he possessed an Innate Sword Bone, which allowed him to withstand this false, terrifying, and incapacitating sensation of near death. Looking at Senior Sister An beside him, she had already passed out and looked as if she were in deep sleep. As for the Long Eyebrow Immortal, after testing and killing the two under the Illusion Domain¡¯s arrangement, he directly vanished from the stone chamber. ¡°I have one piece of good news and one of bad news, which do you want to hear first?¡± the Kunlun Mirror suddenly spoke. ¡°Let¡¯s hear the bad news first,¡± Ling Yunpo replied without hesitation. ¡°Why the bad news first?¡± the Green Duckweed Sword asked curiously. ¡°Because if I hear the good news first, the bad news could be ¡®that good news was actually false¡¯,¡± Ling Yunpo explained. Kunlun Mirror: ¡­¡­¡­ Green Duckweed Sword: ¡­¡­¡­ Both the mirror and the sword felt an impulse to pull his ear and complain: Who do you think would be that boring to imagine such a thing! ¡°The bad news is,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said calmly, ¡°you can¡¯t cultivate the Sentiment Inquiry Path like this.¡± wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site That¡¯s how this Illusion Domain exerts its power.¡± ¡°So what?¡± Ling Yunpo frowned and asked, ¡°Because I had no doubts at all, the illusion had no effect on me? So why did I come here to accompany Senior Sister An in this play-acting?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it to win your senior sister¡¯s favor and to test her sincerity?¡± the Kunlun Mirror asked in surprise. ¡°Of course not!¡± Ling Yunpo stated righteously, ¡°How could I possibly harbor such ill thoughts towards my senior sister? It¡¯s only because a Shushan Sword Immortal must question their heart, so I had no choice but to come.¡± ¡°Congratulations, you¡¯ve learned to question and answer yourself,¡± said the Kunlun Mirror, smiling. ¡°What I mean is,¡± Ling Yunpo wasn¡¯t embarrassed, but corrected himself, ¡°although it was to go through the motions, by warning me in advance that this was an illusion, it made this trip of no benefit to me at all. Shouldn¡¯t you explain something about that?¡± ¡°How could that be?¡± The Kunlun Mirror feigned incomprehension, ¡°Didn¡¯t you win your senior sister¡¯s sincerity?¡± ¡°I¡¯m talking about strength! An improvement in strength, okay?¡± Ling Yunpo frowned inwardly, thinking, When did this damn mirror get so sharp-tongued? Damn it! Annoying! ¡°Forget it,¡± Ling Yunpo changed the subject, ¡°then what¡¯s the good news?¡± ¡°The good news is, ding-dong!¡± The Kunlun Mirror said with a laugh, ¡°Your Senior Sister An has successfully questioned her heart and embarked on the path of the Sentiment Inquiry Path!¡± Ling Yunpo: ¡­¡­¡­ So it¡¯s only I who gained nothing, right? ¡°Of course not,¡± the Kunlun Mirror patiently explained, ¡°firstly, the reason for questioning one¡¯s heart before or after Core Formation is mainly because Shushan Sword Immortals, due to their obsession with swordsmanship and cultivation, tend to be naive and easily fanatical, which gives the Heavenly Demon opportunities to exploit. Questioning one¡¯s heart is for the Daoist Heart to become purer.¡± ¡°But you are not the usual Shushan Sword Immortal! The Qi Refining Technique you primarily cultivate is the ¡®Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra¡¯, and you have Qiu Changtian¡¯s Daoist Heart Clarity to switch to, so you don¡¯t have to worry about the Heavenly Demon¡¯s invasion, right?¡± ¡°You have a bit of a point,¡± Ling Yunpo nodded, ¡°but that¡¯s still not enough to convince me. Why can¡¯t I cultivate the Sentiment Inquiry Path?¡± ¡°` ¡°Secondly, the Sentiment Inquiry Path is both an aid and a bind,¡± Kunlun Mirror said solemnly, ¡°To cultivate the Sentiment Inquiry Path is, to some extent, to be entrapped by emotion.¡± ¡°Consider, if what you experienced just now had not been an Illusion Domain, but reality, would you have sacrificed yourself to save Senior Sister An¡¯s life?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Ling Yunpo opened his mouth. It wasn¡¯t that he wouldn¡¯t; rather, he rationally realized that some choices could only be confirmed in specific situations. Just like countless lovers who truly believe they will protect each other, only to instinctively abandon one another when disaster strikes. At this moment, Ling Yunpo had not truly encountered a situation requiring ¡°sacrificing himself to save his teacher sister,¡± so naturally, he could not claim he would definitely save her-even if he swore he would, both Ah Jing and he himself would know it was a lie. ???G?.?? ¡°I understand,¡± Ling Yunpo sighed, ¡°If I truly cultivated the Sentiment Inquiry Path, it would mean that in my heart, Senior Sister An¡¯s importance would surpass that of saving the world and mending the heavens. You absolutely wouldn¡¯t want this to happen, would you, Ah Jing?¡± Kunlun Mirror fell silent for a moment before speaking: ¡°Not exactly, I just think that you, as you are now, might not be able to cultivate the Sentiment Inquiry Path in the Illusion Domain.¡± ¡°You think my feelings for Senior Sister An aren¡¯t genuine?¡± Ling Yunpo scoffed. ¡°Perhaps,¡± Kunlun Mirror sighed, ¡°But what about the others? Junior Sister Xu, Miss Shi¡­ Are your feelings for them genuine too? Are you claiming you can truly love so many people at the same time?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t forget, you have always worn a mask in your interactions with them, and in the end, you decided to discard those masks, to abandon the emotions you shared with them, didn¡¯t you?¡± Ling Yunpo fell silent. ¡°Ah, the illusion is about to continue,¡± said Kunlun Mirror, noticing his speechlessness, ¡°Because you have not yet cultivated the Sentiment Inquiry Path, it will employ stronger methods, forcing you into more complex dreams¡­ Do you want to continue cultivating the Sentiment Inquiry Path, or should I help you break this Illusion Domain?¡± ¡°Break it,¡± Ling Yunpo sighed, ¡°You¡¯re right, Ah Jing.¡± ¡°Currently, Senior Sister An¡¯s feelings for me far exceed my feelings for her-I ultimately have some ulterior motives. If because of this, I end up not cultivating the Sentiment Inquiry Path in the illusion, but something else, wouldn¡¯t that be a complete betrayal of my feelings for my teacher sister?¡± ¡°It¡¯s better to wait until I¡¯ve truly thought it through before I venture into this Heart Inquiry Cave again.¡± ¡°Very well,¡± Kunlun Mirror laughed lightly, ¡°I can make some minor edits to the character template of Ling Yunpo, making them think you¡¯ve cultivated the Sentiment Inquiry Path.¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± Ling Yunpo nodded, ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Mirror Flower Water Moon, Silent Photographic Void!¡± Kunlun Mirror whispered forcefully, ¡°Break!¡± As the Illusion Domain finally collapsed with a thunderous noise, Ling Yunpo found himself lying on the cold, hard ground, holding An Zhisu in his arms. Senior Sister¡¯s soft body lay in his embrace, clinging tightly to his right hand as if it were her entire life. Ling Yunpo gazed at her face for a long time, his expression wistful and confused. ¡°What a surprise,¡± Green Duckweed Sword commented softly from within the Sea of Consciousness, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have thought he¡¯d admit that he¡¯s never truly faced these emotions. So all that talk about running away after mending the heavens was a lie?¡± ¡°Not necessarily,¡± Kunlun Mirror whispered back, ¡°He simply hasn¡¯t made up his mind.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if he can truly cultivate the Sentiment Inquiry Path if he continues to dream within the Heart Inquiry Illusion Domain. But think about it, what if he fails? What happens to Senior Sister An? Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only And what if he succeeds? What about the other girls? To seek the heart¡¯s truth without understanding his own feelings is sure to doom himself.¡± ¡°It¡¯s quite difficult,¡± Qing Ping Sword remarked, ¡°Tell me, why are there only three Paths in Heart Inquiry? Be it Extreme Emotion, Forgetting Love, or Sentiment Inquiry, none seems suitable for him.¡± ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just making a hypothetical¡­ Multitude of Love Path, how about that?¡± Chapter 498 Chapter 498: Chapter 24: Return to Penglai, A Visit from the Immortals Chapter 498: Chapter 24: Return to Penglai, A Visit from the Immortals Lin Duanshan and Duan Fenhai waited outside for a long while, finally seeing Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu, supporting each other, coming out of Ask-heart Cave. ¡°How did it go?¡± Lin Duanshan asked with concern, ¡°Were there any mechanisms inside?¡± ¡°We¡¯re alright,¡± Ling Yunpo shook his head and sighed, ¡°Brother Lin, do you want to know the intelligence about the inside?¡± ¡°I can tell you, but the more you know, the less it benefits your heart questioning¡­¡± ¡°Then never mind,¡± Lin Duanshan immediately smiled, ¡°It¡¯s good that both of you are fine.¡± Both of them were tactful and did not ask whether Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu were successful in their heart questioning or what specific path they were in. Ling Yunpo then bade farewell to the two of them, and afterwards, took to the skies with Senior Sister An through sword control. An Zhisu¡¯s face was still somewhat pale, as though she hadn¡¯t fully recovered from the near-death exhaustion. It wasn¡¯t until they landed in front of Qingluo Peak that she suddenly said: ¡°Junior brother¡­¡± ¡°What is it, Senior Sister?¡± ¡°Our master,¡± An Zhisu murmured, ¡°when master was severely injured to save me, did he truly make a mistake?¡± ¡°How could that be?¡± Ling Yunpo comforted her, ¡°Senior Sister, don¡¯t be mistaken, that wasn¡¯t the real Long Eyebrow Immortal, but an illusion that pulled our consciousness into a dream and generated those images.¡± ¡°In other words, the illusion¡¯s statement ¡®the master was wrong¡¯ stems from deep within Senior Sister¡¯s heart where you¡¯ve been questioning this matter-you did not wish for our master to get hurt because of you.¡± ¡°However, if you were the one needing to make the choice to protect someone else, how would you choose, Senior Sister?¡± An Zhisu had no response, for her performance in the heart questioning illusion had spoken for itself. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.Co ¡°Senior Sister,¡± Ling Yunpo finally concluded, ¡°None of us want important people to get hurt protecting us; but we are all willing to give everything to protect those important to us.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this the very essence of Sentiment Inquiry Path?¡± After a moment of silence, An Zhisu smiled and said: ¡°Junior brother, you¡¯re getting more eloquent.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not about being eloquent, just telling the plain truth,¡± Ling Yunpo also smiled. ¡°Come sit with me in the backyard for a bit,¡± An Zhisu said. In the pavilion of the backyard, Ling Yunpo skillfully filled the kettle and set it up on a small stove, where it bubbled away, brewing. An Zhisu sat beside him, leaning gently on his shoulder, still looking a bit fragile. Normally, she would be drooling over the steaming kettle at this point. However, Ling Yunpo didn¡¯t notice that at this moment the Senior Sister wasn¡¯t looking at the kettle at all. She was simply gazing at his profile, her eyes brimming with emotion like a tide of spring water, almost overflowing. ¡­¡­ After sorting out the Sentiment Inquiry Path, Ling Yunpo prepared to ¡®read files¡¯ and check on Wei Dongliu¡¯s side. When he returns to Ling Yunpo¡¯s storyline next time, he will announce his Core Formation to Senior Sister, then venture into Demon Locking Tower, and retrieve the last fragment of Ah Jing. Having ¡®read files¡¯ to Wei Dongliu¡¯s side, the surrounding was still oppressively silent and dark, with the air feeling like it had stopped flowing. Wei Dongliu patiently meditated for five or six hours, only to feel more restless and irritable. ¡°Ah Jing, ¡®read files¡¯ to Luo Yan,¡± he said. ¡°Alright,¡± Kunlun Mirror complied, thinking to itself that the Hell Path believes it¡¯s testing his patience, unaware that he can ¡®read files,¡¯ and in the end, it is their patience that is being worn down. [Location Three: Penglai Jade Pure View, Heavenly Craft Workshop.] [Character Identity: Luo Yan.] [Mirror Flower Water Moon Template applied, currently traveling through time and space.] After returning from the grand tournament at White Jade Capital, Luo Yan found his life unexpectedly peaceful, a stark contrast to Chief Qiu who was visited by people every other day. Of course, the main reason was that the grand tournament at White Jade Capital itself was not very popular in Penglai, where everyone was deeply immersed in their own research or busy making money-the public reaction was very lukewarm. Having reached Core Formation, Luo Yan took some Formation jade slips that could only be studied at the Golden Core Rank from the bookshelf in his room to read. Not long into his reading, Miss Shi came to visit again: ¡°Junior Brother, Junior Brother, Junior Brother!¡± She rushed to Luo Yan¡¯s desk and exclaimed, ¡°Senior Brother is about to form his Nascent Infant!¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Luo Yan¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°Shall we go take a look?¡± Now that he had formed his Golden Core, forming his Nascent Soul was only a matter of time; he could take this opportunity to gather some information beforehand. ¡°We can¡¯t go.¡± Miss Shi said anxiously, ¡°Senior Brother has already left Penglai, and it¡¯s said that even Master doesn¡¯t know where he¡¯s undergoing his Tribulation.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Luo Yan felt regret in his heart, but on the surface, he pretended to comfort her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much, Sister. Senior Brother has been preparing for so many years, he will surely be fine.¡± ¡°There¡¯s another piece of news.¡± Shi Liuli nodded and then said, ¡°It¡¯s said that Chief Qiu of Kunlun has also reached Core Formation.¡± Seeing her expression relatively normal, and after calculating the date, Luo Yan knew that Kunlun probably hadn¡¯t officially announced Chief Qiu¡¯s Core Formation yet. Presumably, Miss Shi found out through some other minor channels. He pretended to be perplexed and asked: ¡°Core Formation? I remember he has a long life ahead of him, why did he form his core so quickly?¡± ¡°Because he formed a First Grade Golden Core,¡± Elder Shi Ding entered from outside, stroked his beard and said, ¡°Luo Yan, Kunlun is about to hold a grand ancestor worship ceremony, and many elders from Penglai have been invited.¡± Luo Yan and Shi Liuli immediately showed shocked expressions, but while the latter was genuinely surprised, the former was only feigning it. ???G0.?? ¡°During my time at Kunlun, you will be in charge of arranging everything at the workshop,¡± Elder Shi Ding continued. ¡°Yes, Master,¡± Luo Yan quickly agreed. As the heir to the Heavenly Craft Workshop, in the master¡¯s absence, it was natural for Luo Yan to take charge. ¡°Father!¡± Shi Liuli immediately perked up, ¡°I want to go to Kunlun too! I haven¡¯t been to the great Northwest yet!¡± ¡°Nonsense!¡± Elder Shi Ding scolded, ¡°It¡¯s their sect¡¯s grand ancestor worship ceremony, why should you join in the hustle and bustle?¡± However, to her father¡¯s blustering, Miss Shi was not at all intimidated, throwing her arms in a tantrum, and acting coy and spoiled, making her father falter in his resolve. He quickly looked to Luo Yan for help. Luo Yan then said with a smile: ¡°Master, since Sister is so eager to go to Kunlun, why not make a deal with her? If she behaves improperly at the grand ancestor worship ceremony, punish her by not allowing her to go out for three years. How about that?¡± ¡°Good,¡± Elder Shi Ding immediately laughed, ¡°Liuli, what do you say?¡± Shi Liuli¡¯s face turned a bit pale, and she quickly glared at Luo Yan several times before saying impatiently: ¡°I¡­ of course, I can! I¡¯ve always been well-behaved, never doing anything to embarrass Father!¡± Once she spoke, both Luo Yan and Elder Shi Ding chuckled inwardly. However, considering that Shi Liuli was one of the top twelve contenders in the White Jade Capital grand tournament and had a small reputation as a virtuous rising star beyond Penglai, it was indeed time for her to get some social exposure¡­ Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Thinking this way, Elder Shi Ding sighed and said: ¡°Well then, Father will explain to you the process and points to note for the grand ancestor worship ceremony in Kunlun¡­¡± Elder Shi Ding had just left with Miss Shi when another person came looking for Luo Yan. It was a thin individual who was clearly the gatekeeper of Yuqing View¡­ what, the gatekeeper? ¡°Why has the immortal come here?¡± Luo Yan hurried to welcome him, respectfully asking. ¡°Luo Yan, the old man needs a favor from you,¡± the Wan Xiang Immortal said with a smile, ¡°Can you come with me?¡± ¡°If the immortal commands it, I shall follow without hesitation,¡± Luo Yan said earnestly, though curiosity was surging in his heart. Chapter 499 Chapter 499: Chapter 25 The New Junior Sister of Heavenly Craft Workshop? Chapter 499: Chapter 25 The New Junior Sister of Heavenly Craft Workshop? ¡°Is this the Lianshan Treasure Vault?¡± Luo Yan asked hesitantly. ¡°Yes, and no,¡± the Wan Xiang Immortal replied indifferently, ¡°The Central Heavenly Monarch, this immortal being, is known for his unconventionality and unpredictable thoughts, as vast as the sky.¡± ¡°It¡¯s worth mentioning that, although this immortal follows the Daoist path, he is tolerant of other cultivators. Whether from the Buddhist Sect, Confucianism Cult, or even the Demon Race and Ghost Cultivators, all could listen to his teachings under his guidance.¡± ¡°Sounds a bit familiar,¡± Luo Yan implied. ¡°Exactly,¡± the Wan Xiang Immortal nodded and said, ¡°Though it isn¡¯t proven, the Intercepting Cult that emerged later most likely absorbed his ideology.¡± ¡°While ¡®having teachings without discrimination¡¯ is a commendable intention, it lacks a selection and examination of disciples. If disciples who commit crimes and misdemeanors practice with you, then the sins and karmic obstacles they incur outside will inevitably be linked to you.¡± ¡°The reason why the Intercepting Cult ultimately failed in the great conflict between the Clarifying and Intercepting factions was due to the mix of good and bad among its followers, making enemies everywhere.¡± The two followed the statue corridor and arrived at the treasure vault below, with the maze walls stretching out in all directions. ¡°An Earth Element Maze, an interesting design,¡± the Wan Xiang Immortal mused, ¡°What exactly was the Central Heavenly Monarch testing with this maze?¡± ¡°Observation? wuxiaworld.site Patience? Memory? Or is it purely luck?¡± Luo Yan was silent for a moment before saying: ¡°The junior does not know.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know either,¡± the Wan Xiang Immortal said with a laugh, ¡°But what I can be sure of is that the Earth Element Maze and the final Lianshan Treasure Vault you see are just the most superficial structures.¡± Luo Yan was somewhat speechless. The Lianshan Treasure Vault is just the most superficial layer? Then what lies hidden deeper within, the Heaven-Mending Stone? ¡°Use your Five Elements Divine Light,¡± the Wan Xiang Immortal instructed, ¡°Try to break through this Earth Element Maze.¡± Luo Yan nodded, clasped his hands together, and a stream of Five Elements Divine Light poured out from between his palms. The Five-colored Divine Light swept forward, and countless rock walls began to slowly melt away¡­ However, the melting speed was exceedingly slow. There clearly existed some sort of resisting force preventing the Divine Light from transforming the Earth Element Maze through Five Elements Transformation. ¡°The strength of the Foundation Establishment Realm is ultimately a bit strained,¡± the Wan Xiang Immortal lamented, and then exclaimed in surprise, ¡°Vermilion, dark black, regal yellow¡­ Your Five Elements Divine Light, especially the Fire System, Water System, and Earth System Divine Light, seem to have reached the Innate Realm.¡± ¡°It was just good fortune,¡± Luo Yan said modestly. In fact, it was not just good fortune. The vast Beiming water came from the entrance to the remnants of the Intercepting Cult in the Wuzhi archipelago; the Great Sun True Yang Fire came from the Fire Element Cave at the Shushan Thunder Cave Plateau; and the mountainous Earth came from Moon Island¡¯s Lianshan Treasure Vault. If it were any other cultivator, even if you told him that these items had to be obtained from the Shushan Fire Element Cave and Lianshan Treasure Vault, would he have the ability to enter them? Only I, holding both Shushan and Penglai titles, managed to gather three kinds of Innate Five Elements substances, which can hardly be called just good fortune. But it probably was due to his Falsehood-driven Illusion Technique temperament that the Wan Xiang Immortal merely nodded in agreement and laughed saying: ¡°Indeed.¡± ¡°The Five Elements substances, whether Innate or acquired, are all rare in this world. Your collection of three kinds is already an accomplishment.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a pity, to subdue the Earth Element Divine Palace here, you would need the green Innate Wood System Divine Light, the so-called ¡®Earth-supporting, Heaven-reaching Tree¡¯.¡± ¡°This must be acquired from the heart of a giant Divine Tree, which, while not very useful to the Human Race, often serves as habitat for high-rank members of the Demon Race, such as the Jianmu of the Azure Dragon Clan or the Fusang of the Golden Crow Clan, and so on.¡± ¡°Every divine tree has a heart, and to take it is to ensure its withering. With the demon race¡¯s flight and extinction, there are no longer any giant divine trees in the Cultivation Realm, but the heart of a divine tree¡­ The one in my hand, I¡¯m afraid, may be the last of its kind.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I say, Luo Yan, you are indeed lucky,¡± he said as he pulled a verdant object from his sleeve and casually tossed it to Luo Yan, ¡°take it and refine it. I wouldn¡¯t want you to have made the trip for nothing, accompanying this old man.¡± Luo Yan excitedly caught the tree heart, noting its lush green body, its veins exquisite, cool to the touch like bamboo shoots, with a fragrance that hit him like the clear air after a rain, refreshing his heart and spleen. He thanked the Wan Xiang Immortal and then immediately sat down to meditate on the spot, beginning to refine the divine tree within him into the Five Elements Divine Light. Before long, Luo Yan stood up again, and once more, he brought his hands together to unleash the Five Elements Divine Light. The Five-colored Divine Light flooded out like a tide, with the innate wood system light, verdant and strong. Wherever the Divine Light went, all Earth Element barriers melted away like snow under the scorching sun, collapsing in an instant. ???g0.?? The entire underground space was leveled, and the exits that were originally on the edges of the maze had all vanished without a trace. All that remained was a large hole in the center of the ground, dark and bottomless-a hole that had never been seen while the Earth Element Maze existed. The Wan Xiang Immortal stood beside the pit, leisurely looking down: ¡°Interesting¡­ Luo Yan, you best go back. You can¡¯t handle what¡¯s below.¡± Ah, he just borrowed my Five Elements Divine Light and now he¡¯s hurriedly sending me away? Luo Yan thought to himself critically, but outwardly he said respectfully, ¡°Alright, Immortal, please take care as well.¡± He decisively left on his sword and quickly returned to the Heavenly Craft Workshop in Penglai, where he happened to meet his third senior sister, Liang Ruohua, in the corridor. ¡°Junior Brother Luo,¡± Sister Liang greeted, ¡°I heard that Master is going to Kunlun this time and has left you in charge of the clan affairs?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Luo Yan replied with a smile, ¡°What is it, Sister?¡± ¡°Ever since our fourth junior brother fell, the Shi Family of Guangling has sent people several times, saying they have youths in their family who hope to take the fourth brother¡¯s place and join our Heavenly Craft Workshop,¡± sighed Liang Ruohua. ¡°But Master has been too busy recently to meet with the Shi Family.¡± ¡°They sent someone over again just now, if you¡¯re free, you could meet them on Master¡¯s behalf.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Luo Yan mused for a moment before responding, ¡°Alright, lead the way.¡± Meeting with them was just about getting acquainted; taking on a disciple on behalf of his Master was out of the question. Luo Yan assumed that the Shi Family of Guangling wouldn¡¯t harbor such inappropriate intentions. At the guest reception area of the Heavenly Craft Workshop, he saw two unfamiliar figures seated in chairs, who promptly stood up when they saw Luo Yan. ¡°I am Shi Xing from the Guangling Shi Family,¡± the middle-aged man said with a smile, ¡°And this is Shi Qing from our clan, who possesses a photographic memory.¡± Luo Yan looked closely and saw that Shi Xing appeared to be in his forties, a picture of vigor. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Shi Qing seemed to be around fourteen or fifteen ¨C a young girl¡¯s age, but her demeanor was calm and collected. She greeted Luo Yan with a slight bow, displaying none of the awkwardness one might expect from meeting a stranger, remarkably composed. ¡°Photographic memory?¡± Luo Yan became interested; this was a lower-version of my own ¡°Instant Understanding,¡± similar to how ¡°Daoist Heart Clarity¡± relates to the ¡°Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart¡± in terms of hierarchy¡­ ¡°Master is pleased with her,¡± Liang Ruohua communicated telepathically, ¡°but he¡¯s been too busy to make arrangements. Perhaps you could take care of it for now? The matter of accepting a disciple can be discussed when Master returns.¡± ¡°Of course, that¡¯s no problem,¡± Luo Yan said with a smile. Chapter 500 Chapter 500: Chapter 26 Entering the Hell Path Chapter 500: Chapter 26 Entering the Hell Path After exchanging pleasantries with the Shi Family from Guangling, Luo Yan politely saw the two visitors out and then returned to his own room to call out the Kunlun Mirror once again to load his saved progress. ¡°If the denizens of the Hell Path don¡¯t come out to meet me this time, I truly won¡¯t be polite!¡± Luo Yan thought fiercely to himself. [Save Point Four: Unknown secret realm, possibly the depths of Hell.] [Character Identity: Wei Dongliu.] [Mirror Flower Water Moon Template overlay in progress, time-space travel underway.] Wei Dongliu sat in tranquility amidst the darkness, once again meditating for five to six hours. In darkness and silence, it¡¯s easy to lose one¡¯s concept of space, but with the aid of the Kunlun Mirror, Wei Dongliu knew it was precisely ten hours and thirty-seven minutes. Of course, according to the Kunlun Mirror, time passed more slowly here than in the outside world, so although it had been several hours here, perhaps only one or two hours had passed outside. While he remained calm and composed, the observers behind him grew restless¡­ They had been rigidly watching Wei Dongliu for several hours, and he had still not shown any sign of peculiarity. How can this fellow have such patience and composure? ¡°Sect Leader, Wei Dongliu has been sitting for seven hours now, should we continue to monitor him?¡± ¡°¡­ Up to now, what¡¯s the longest record?¡± wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co ???g?.?? However, by the fourth hour, signs of restlessness and anxiety would appear.¡± ¡°Look at this Wei Dongliu, his expression unchanged. If not for the array indicating he is still alive, we would really think he had lost his mind.¡± ¡°Hmm, let¡¯s stop here. I¡¯ll go meet him.¡± As Wei Dongliu sat in silent meditation, suddenly a voice asked: ¡°In the void, colorless and soundless, why do you not fear?¡± ¡°What is there to fear?¡± Wei Dongliu retorted. ¡°What if you cannot leave for a day, a month, or even a year, what then?¡± the voice continued to ask. ¡°So what?¡± Wei Dongliu laughed, ¡°You think this place is a cage, yet even if I leave this place, how do I know the outside world isn¡¯t a bigger cage?¡± The voice faltered for a moment, only to hear Wei Dongliu continue: ¡°Above the Nine Heavens, where do the stars dwell? Beneath the Netherworld, what lies at the heart of the earth? Southeast, northwest, at the ends of all directions, what scenery lies beyond?¡± ¡°The world inhabited by the Human Race, whether it is tens of thousands of miles or tens of millions of miles, ultimately has an end, has limits-it¡¯s merely a larger cage.¡± ¡°There¡¯s some truth to that.¡± The owner of the voice stepped out from the darkness. It was a middle-aged man with a three-foot-long beard, an elegant bearing, and a gentle expression. ¡°Be careful,¡± the Kunlun Mirror suddenly said. ¡°This person is of the Immortal rank.¡± Wei Dongliu acknowledged with a hum, then stood up and cupped his hands in salute: ¡°Sect Leader of the Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect, Wei Dongliu.¡± ¡°The Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect.¡± The other party fell silent for a moment before speaking, ¡°Before the interruption of the orthodox lineage, I knew everyone from the Tong Xuan Gate, yet I have never seen someone of your appearance.¡± ¡°I am merely following the spiritual inheritance of an elder from Myriad Laws; therefore, I established this sect,¡± Wei Dongliu said indifferently. ¡°The Tong Xuan Gate you speak of, although sharing the same name, is not the orthodox lineage.¡± The other party heard this and smiled slightly, saying: ¡°Setting aside the question of orthodoxy, at least your practice is indeed the ¡®Exorcism Spirit Distinguishing Sutra,¡¯ capable of transforming the pure and impure Qi in your body at will.¡± ¡°Furthermore, you must possess the bloodline of the Abi Devil Lord, which is why you can maintain a clear mind and move freely even when all of your pure Qi turns into impure Qi. Am I correct?¡± Wei Dongliu pondered for a moment, thinking that this immortal apparently did not know about the ¡°Chaotic Demon Body,¡± then he verbally responded: ¡°I cannot speak about matters of bloodline.¡± ¡°No matter,¡± the middle-aged man didn¡¯t mind playing coy and simply said with a smile, ¡°I am the master of the Hell Path. You can call me Luo Daozhang. Since the Demon Buddha Yu Shen gave you his rib, it was meant to recommend you to join our Hell Path.¡± ¡°Your entry here is merely a trial for joining the Path.¡± Wei Dongliu thought for a moment before asking: ¡°What¡¯s the mystery behind the rib?¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing unusual about the rib itself,¡± replied Luo Daozhang. ¡°But it should not have been given to you.¡± ¡°Losing a rib, the Demon Buddha would bear an injury. Once we determined that he was injured, we naturally could trace it to you and thus understand his intentions.¡± ¡°I see,¡± thought Wei Dongliu to himself, the Hell Path truly is meticulous and cautious. Since there¡¯s no mystery to the rib, if it were to fall into the hands of the Orthodox Sect, they would not be able to glean any clues from it. From beginning to end, it was the Hell Path searching for him, not the other way around. The initiative always lay with the Hell Path; should they sense anything amiss, they could abandon him at any moment. Even the passage that transported him here was one-way and single-use. If he had indeed been a spy, he could not lead people from the Orthodox Sect here¡­ The thinking could be said to be extremely meticulous. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Luo Daozhang waved his hand and said, ¡°Follow me to leave.¡± He gestured in mid-air, and a gate emerged from the void. Wei Dongliu followed him through the gate and saw that on the other side was the scorching Hell, where lava flowed like the sea, and volcanoes stretched endlessly. The air was filled with the scent of char, reminiscent of the ¡°Slim Line of Fire Prison¡± he once encountered in the East Sea Pavilion, but the peril here seemed even greater. He even noticed that there was no spiritual energy here at all; instead, the closer one got to the heat of the magma, the higher the concentration of impure Qi became. An ordinary cultivator would suffer from obstruction of True Yuan and blocked meridians after staying here for just a short while. But Wei Dongliu had the Chaotic Demon Body, so he naturally had no concern for the demonic aura of Hell. Silently, he operated the ¡®Exorcism Spirit Distinguishing Sutra,¡¯ transforming into the appearance of a Demon Lord with red hair and heavy pupils. ¡°Not bad,¡± Luo Daozhang said approvingly. ¡°Even the Hell Demon Monarchs here might not be able to recognize that you¡¯re from the Human Race.¡± Wei Dongliu said nothing, merely suppressing the wild and proud emotions in his heart, remaining silent. ¡°Our Hell Path has remained undetected for thousands of years because our base is in the deepest layers of Hell,¡± Luo Daozhang explained as they continued forward. ¡°This deep in Hell, far from the Mortal World, even cultivators of high rank would struggle to stay for long without special methods.¡± ¡°Moreover, the deep Hell is completely submerged in the aura of Chaos, making it difficult for even the art of calculation to detect anything. The Three Pure Ones have always suspected our presence in Hell but could not find any clues, and so their suspicions have remained just that.¡± Before long, a city came into view. The bricks were made of volcanic rock, the walls jagged like dog¡¯s teeth. Two ghastly figures, their flesh rotting and bones exposed, standing out of human shape, guarded the city gates. Luo Daozhang led Wei Dongliu towards the city gates. The two ghastly figures frowned at them, bloodlust shining in their eyes, but they seemed to hold back, not daring to act rashly. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Don¡¯t bother with them,¡± Luo Daozhang said calmly. ¡°I have an arrangement with the lord of this Demon Monarch City. The Hell Path and they are clearly separated; we do not interfere with each other¡¯s affairs.¡± As he finished speaking, one of the ghastly figures suddenly spoke to Wei Dongliu in a hoarse voice: ¡°You¡­ which Demon Lord are you from? Why are you mixing with this human?¡± Chapter 501 Chapter 501: Chapter 27 The Mysterious Hell Path Residence Chapter 501: Chapter 27 The Mysterious Hell Path Residence Not to mention anything else, at this moment, with crimson hair and heavy pupils, Wei Dongliu truly looked more like a Demon Lord than the Demon Lord himself. Wei Dongliu did not speak, and Daoist Luo, to break the awkwardness, said to the evil spirit: ¡°Do not ask further, remember that your Mansion Lord has promised not to interfere with our matters.¡± ¡°Although you say that¡­¡± the evil spirit said hoarsely, continuing to look at Wei Dongliu with suspicion and alarm. This doesn¡¯t look like a human from your side at all, does it? ?????.?? However, since Wei Dongliu remained silent, the evil spirit did not persist and had to let them pass for the time being, but after turning a corner, it secretly reported to the authorities above. Walking on the city streets, Wei Dongliu looked down at his feet and saw that the ground tiles faintly exuded a red heat, seeming to be of an extremely high temperature, even blackening the soles of his boots. Fortunately, at this time, his body was enveloped in an outpouring of Demonic Qi that protected him, hence he did not feel any burning sensation. ¡°This eighteenth level of Hell is located beneath the Nine Serenities Underworld, featuring a harsh environment and specially housing those souls guilty of heinous crimes, not allowed to be reincarnated,¡± Daoist Luo casually chatted with him, explaining, ¡°Initially, it was merely a domain for exiling ghosts from the Netherworld, but as the number of souls increased, cities gradually formed.¡± ¡°The deeper one goes into Hell, the more severe the torment for souls. As for this level where we are, it is called ¡®Endless Abi¡¯.¡± ¡°Here, not a trace of Spiritual Energy exists, and the intense heat is unbearable. Except for the Rakshasa evil spirits, no one could possibly survive. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co Ordinary souls falling down to this level from the upper layers of Hell would be immediately captured by the Rakshasa evil spirits, torn into fragments to serve as both food and currency.¡± ¡°They use Soul Fragments as currency here?¡± Wei Dongliu asked with a disbelieving smile. ¡°Yes,¡± Daoist Luo nodded, ¡°Gold and silver treasures are useless to evil spirits. Only souls are valuable enough to be eaten.¡± ¡°Among the Abi Devil Lords, the higher the status and stronger the power, the more Soul Fragments they possess. It is said that the previous Abi Mansion Lord even once acquired the ¡®Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword,¡¯ containing a vast number of souls, coveted by many Demon Lords.¡± ¡°Later, an internal chaos broke out in this layer of Hell; the former Abi Mansion Lord was besieged and killed, and the whereabouts of the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword became unknown.¡± As Daoist Luo chatted casually, Wei Dongliu listened intently, suddenly asking: ¡°The Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword? Isn¡¯t that the sword the Nether Ghost Path has been constantly seeking, the one equally famed as the Immortal Sword of the Intercepting Cult? How did it end up in the depths of this Hell?¡± ¡°Who knows,¡± chuckled Daoist Luo. Wei Dongliu responded with an ¡®oh¡¯, his heart filled with silent suspicion. He felt the other was hinting that he should not expose the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword in Hell, else he would surely attract unnecessary trouble. After all, the disguise he had put on the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword might not be enough to fool the investigation of an immortal. But you¡¯re overthinking it, I simply haven¡¯t used my trump card disguise techniques, that¡¯s all. ¡°Ah Jing, from now on in Hell, help me conceal the aura of the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword!¡± ¡°¡­Oh.¡± The two made their way through the streets, arriving finally at the entrance of a building that resembled a palace. ¡°This is the base of our Ghost Path in Hell.¡± Daoist Luo drew a mask from within his sleeve, ¡°Take it.¡± ¡°A mask?¡± Wei Dongliu frowned slightly, thinking, How can a handsome and evil charm like mine be covered by a cloth? If I don¡¯t show off the features of a Demon Lord, how am I to farm Synchronization Value in the Ghost Path? ¡°Our fellow disciples from the Hell Path all have overt identities within the Cultivation Realm, and none of us recognize each other for who we are,¡± Master Luo said slowly, ¡°Surely you wouldn¡¯t want your own identity to be known by others, would you?¡± Wei Dongliu sneered inwardly, so what? My identity is fake anyway. But he had caught the underlying message from the sect leader: Even the fellow disciples of the Hell Path could not trust each other in the outside world; once one¡¯s overt identity was revealed to another, they could instantly be at risk of betrayal. Why does this sect leader always like to talk in such a roundabout manner? If I weren¡¯t highly intelligent, I really wouldn¡¯t be able to understand the implications. He sighed imperceptibly and placed the mask over his face. He felt a gust of icy black mist emanate from beneath it, swiftly enveloping his entire body. Master Luo laughed heartily and likewise took out a mask-shaped magic artifact, letting the black mist completely shroud him-not a single characteristic of his physique was exposed, and even his divine sense was utterly isolated. ¡°This Hell Path sect leader is no simple character,¡± Wei Dongliu analyzed silently, ¡°Such a mechanism ensures that all cultivators of the Hell Path are strangers to each other, with only the sect leader in possession of information about everyone.¡± ¡°In other words, the entire Hell Path is highly centralized under the sect leader, and everyone else¡­is just a piece on the chessboard.¡± ¡°Even if a chess piece could guess the mind of the player, since it cannot view the board as a whole, it would hardly possess the capability to contend against them.¡± ¡°On the contrary, the player could easily manipulate the entire board with their asymmetric informational advantage, achieving their strategic goals.¡± ¡°That¡¯s also why the Hell Path has always remained undiscovered,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword chimed in, ¡°Because everyone is on the periphery, with the only core being the Hell Path sect leader.¡± ¡°As long as the leader always stays deep within Hell, the Hell Path will never be uncovered by anyone,¡± the Kunlun Mirror also remarked with a sigh. ¡°Not exactly,¡± Wei Dongliu suddenly frowned, ¡°Aside from the Hell Path sect leader, there¡¯s another person¡­ who also holds a special status within.¡± ¡°Are you referring to the fortune teller from the Jian Family?¡± asked the Green Duckweed Sword with surprise. ¡°Wait!¡± the Kunlun Mirror suddenly exclaimed, ¡°I¡¯ve found a fragment of the Heaven-Mending Stone!¡± ¡°Where?¡± Wei Dongliu¡¯s spirits lifted. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°It¡¯s deep within this palace!¡± the Kunlun Mirror affirmed. ¡°Understood,¡± Wei Dongliu nodded, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ah Jing, once I¡¯ve collected enough information about the Hell Path, we can start planning.¡± Shrouded in black mist, he followed the also enshrouded Hell Path sect leader into the palace, through several corridors and corners, until they finally arrived in a main hall. Inside, seven or eight figures were already present, all enveloped in black mist. Their voices were husky and indistinct, impossible to identify: ¡°Is there a newcomer?¡± ¡°When was the last time a newcomer joined us?¡± ¡°The newcomer this time seems quite reticent, huh.¡± ¡°Ahem.¡± Master Luo cleared his throat and said, ¡°This is Number Nine, newly joined. He will be collaborating with us on our grand scheme.¡± ¡°Sect Leader.¡± Another figure cloaked in black mist let out a sarcastic chuckle, ¡°Have you told him what our grand scheme is for the Hell Path?¡± ¡°I was just about to explain in detail.¡± Master Luo turned around, and though his head was hidden by the black mist, Wei Dongliu could still feel the other man¡¯s gaze on him, ¡°Number Nine, since you believe in destiny, do you know¡­¡± ¡°¡­that this world is doomed to irrevocable destruction in a thousand years?¡± Chapter 502 Chapter 502: Chapter 28 Building a Human Race Paradise in Hell Chapter 502: Chapter 28 Building a Human Race Paradise in Hell In an instant, Wei Dongliu even felt the impulse almost to the point of tears, as if he had ¡°found his organization.¡± But he quickly suppressed his emotions. Years of undercover life had turned Wei Dongliu¡¯s heart as cold as steel; he would not easily trust anyone. Thus, he feigned ignorance and asked in a deep voice, ¡°World destruction? Is this some kind of alarmist joke?¡± The hall fell silent. One of the figures shrouded in black mist suddenly asked, ¡°May I know how much Number Nine understands about the ancient event of Nuwa mending the sky?¡± Wei Dongliu spoke in a deep voice, ¡°I¡¯ve heard that in the ancient times of the Witch Clan, Zhu Rong and Gonggong fought a great battle. In a fit of anger, Gonggong struck Mount Bu Zhou, causing the Heavenly Dome to shatter.¡± ¡°Water from the Heavenly River gushed out from the breach, and later Nuwa took Five-Colored Stone for refinement to mend the sky, which quelled the floods in the Mortal World.¡± ¡°Number Nine, you only know one part and not the other,¡± the figure in the mist said with a smile. ¡°The shattering of the Heavenly Dome was not just about the water of the Heavenly River leaking into the Mortal World.¡± ¡°The Heavenly River flows around the Heavenly Dome, separating the Mortal World from the outer heavens. wuxiaworld.site Novts`o.co When the Heavenly Dome shattered and the river flowed out, a passable breach appeared between the barrier of the two.¡± ¡°Heavenly Demons?¡± With this reminder, Wei Dongliu immediately recalled something. Apart from the floods caused by the leakage of the Heavenly River¡¯s water, he had read in some texts that during that period ¡°Heavenly Demons roamed freely,¡± so much so that the use of ¡°Great Hollow Thunder,¡± which was particularly effective against Heavenly Demons in the Thunder Method, became very popular¡­ The threat of the Heavenly Demons to the Human Race was so great that it drove a large number of cultivators to practice the extremely dangerous Thunder Method. If the Heavenly Dome had revealed a breach, then the Heavenly Demons from the outer world could easily reach the Mortal Realm. ¡°The Heavenly Demon King from the sixth layer of the outer worlds, the Self-Transforming King of Hell, led countless minions to attack the Mortal Realm before Nuwa had mended the sky.¡± The figure in the mist continued, ¡°Later, the Demon King was defeated by Nuwa and fell in the Mortal Realm, his minions scattered in various places within it, and only five hundred of the Demon King¡¯s daughters escaped back to the Heaven Realm.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Wei Dongliu¡¯s heart stirred, feeling as though he had guessed the reason why the Heaven-Mending Stone had a shelf life. ¡°Because the Demon King¡¯s corpse fell in the Mortal Realm, we suspect that for these several hundred thousand years, he had been continuously attempting to decipher and attack the Five-Colored Stone used to plug the sky. ¡°And after Nuwa, the Human Race also went through an invasion by the Nine Serenities Underworld and wars with the Demon Race, resulting in the fall of many great powers and an excessive consumption of strength, leaving no one able to maintain the repaired part of the sky.¡± ¡°So what?¡± Wei Dongliu asked straightforwardly. ¡°It is said that back then, Nuwa refined two Heaven-Mending Stones in one furnace,¡± Daoist Luo continued the conversation. ¡°One was used to mend the sky, and the other was kept as a spare.¡± ¡°The spare Heaven-Mending Stone later shattered due to some reasons, turning into countless fragments.¡± ¡°Which means,¡± Wei Dongliu pondered for a moment and tentatively asked, ¡°you are hoping to collect the fragments of the Heaven-Mending Stone to repair the sky breach anew?¡± The figures shrouded in black mist collectively fell silent. After a while, the people burst into a rousing laughter: ¡°Hey, Number Nine! Do you even realize what you are talking about?¡± ¡°Even if it is just a fragment, it¡¯s still a piece of the Five-Colored Stone. Personally refined by Nuwa, it is of the highest order among Innate Spiritual Treasures, capable of suppressing by a seal of Great Dao level!¡± ¡°Now these fragments, if not in the hands of the Sect Guardian Immortal of the Orthodox Sect, are completely unaccounted for. Who would dare to hope to gather them all? Unless an ancient power were reborn!¡± ¡°Stop laughing,¡± Master Luo said indifferently, and the voices amidst the black mist abruptly halted. ¡°To say that we want to gather the fragments of the Heaven-Mending Stone is not wrong. If we truly managed to do so and repair the breach in the sky, the world would naturally be free of the danger of collapsing.¡± Not necessarily¡­ Wei Dongliu thought to himself. According to their words, even if the sky were mended again, it would only hold for another hundred thousand years at most. Unless they directly attacked the lair of the Heavenly Demon for a permanent solution, wouldn¡¯t it just be addressing the symptoms and not the root cause? ¡°Just as everyone says, the current fragments of the Heaven-Mending Stone, some are in the hands of the Sect Guardian Immortal of the Orthodox Sect, others are completely unaccounted for,¡± Master Luo continued, ¡°To gather all the fragments and save the Mortal Realm is indeed too challenging.¡± ¡°However, if we managed to obtain just three pieces, that would be enough to seal the deepest layer of Hell.¡± ¡°Seal the deepest layer of Hell?¡± Wei Dongliu asked in surprise, ¡°It was the Mortal World that was destroyed because of Heaven, what does that have to do with Hell?¡± ¡°Number Nine,¡± Master Luo asked with a smile, ¡°In your journey so far, what do you think of the environment of Abi Hell?¡± Wei Dongliu fell silent for a moment, then answered: ¡°Extremely harsh.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Master Luo continued, ¡°This Abi Hell, with its depths leading directly to the core of Chaos, is where the residue of Chaos accumulated after Pangu created the world and separated the clear from the turbid. Thus, the various rules here are extremely chaotic.¡± ¡°But if we could seal that passage with the Heaven-Mending Stone, these eighteen layers of Hell would lose the influence of Chaos and gradually regain orderly rules. With the balance of Yin and Yang restored and the Five Elements in harmony, all living things would thrive.¡± ¡°By then, having eliminated the Rakshasas and evil spirits here, this place would not be a bad home for the Human Race. Even after the annihilation of the Mortal World, it could still sustain our race¡¯s dwellings and proliferation.¡± Wei Dongliu: ¡­¡­¡­ He had originally thought that the Hell Path was planning a ¡°counter-restoration,¡± but he hadn¡¯t expected their planning to be so profound ¨C they actually intended to recreate a miniature Mortal World! It made sense too. If, after the sky had breached, they continued to linger in the Mortal World, they would constantly face the invasions of the celestial river, Heavenly Fire, and Heavenly Demon. When would they not have to worry about their sect¡¯s extinction by some mishap? Wouldn¡¯t it be more comfortable to hide deep in Hell? ¡°To obtain the fragments of the Heaven-Mending Stone, we must first usher the Mortal World into an era of great strife,¡± said a voice from the black mist solemnly, ¡°Although the Mortal World has been peaceful for a long time, once we seize the first fragment of the Heaven-Mending Stone, it will inevitably alert the other sects, and the difficulty of obtaining the second fragment will skyrocket.¡± Well said, Wei Dongliu nodded in agreement. How could he not understand this logic? Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ???G?.?? That¡¯s why he used the power of the Kunlun Mirror to simultaneously create five avatars, aiming to capture all fragments of the Heaven-Mending Stone at the same time and leave the sects no time to react. ¡°Hence, only when the Human Race enters an era of great strife, with intense conflicts and confrontations between the sects, can we maximise the concealment of our planning,¡± another voice from the black mist continued, ¡°At the same time, frequent wars will catalyse the upgrade of the average combat power of the Human Race.¡± ¡°When the Age of Dharma Decline arrives, more people will be able to survive rather than be devoured by the Heavenly Demon due to weakness.¡± Wei Dongliu was somewhat speechless. So, you¡¯re instigating wars from back here and even managed to cultivate a sense of righteousness about it? ¡°Indeed,¡± he feigned solemn contemplation, then nodded in agreement, ¡°Since we¡¯re constructing a paradise for the Human Race in Hell, as a member of the Human Race, it¡¯s naturally my unavoidable responsibility.¡± ¡°Very well,¡± Master Luo, upon hearing his bluff, whether truly convinced or not, just laughed heartily, ¡°In that case, you are officially a member of our Hell Path!¡± ¡°Next, the sect has a mission for you.¡± Chapter 503 Chapter 503: Chapter 29 The Covenant of Gui Ling¡¯er Chapter 503: Chapter 29 The Covenant of Gui Ling¡¯er ¡°Kunlun Taiqing Sect, Qiu Changtian, the Chief Disciple of the Foundation Establishment Realm, is a once-in-a-millennium embodiment of Daoist Heart Clarity.¡± ¡°Just recently, we confirmed that he has formed a First Grade Golden Core.¡± ¡°Given the way Kunlun is currently showing off its prestige, it is clear that they plan to use Qiu Changtian¡¯s tremendous potential to elevate him to the position of leader among the young generation of the Orthodox Sect, thereby indirectly leading the rest.¡± ¡°On the side of Six Paths, there is no young talent who can contend with Qiu Changtian, at least not publicly.¡± Wei Dongliu fell silent for a moment, then asked, ¡°So you¡¯re planning to prop someone up?¡± ¡°Number Nine, we¡¯ve been watching you for a long time,¡± Master Luo said with a smile. ¡°You have the bloodline of the Abi Devil Lord, and while your speed of cultivation advancement may not match Qiu Changtian¡¯s, your actual combat strength may not necessarily be inferior to his.¡± ¡°With the power of Hell Path, it will only take a few years to turn you into a giant among the Six Paths.¡± ¡°When that time comes, you just need to follow the Sect¡¯s orders to lead the Six Paths against the Orthodox Sect.¡± Wei Dongliu listened without changing his expression, cursing inwardly: Damn, they¡¯re still on guard against me! You must understand that within Hell Path, everyone uses black mist to protect their body precisely to prevent others from identifying their true identities, in case of a stab in the back. You, as the sect master, give me a first mission upon entry to play the role of a Demonic Path giant. So, what the hell is the point of me keeping my public identity hidden? The day Wei Dongliu takes control of the Demonic Path, all disciples of Hell Path will know that Wei Dongliu is Number Nine of Hell Path¡­ wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.Co What¡¯s there to hide then! In plain terms, they don¡¯t want me to find out too much internal information, so they¡¯re eager to send me out and squeeze me for all I¡¯m worth! Wei Dongliu snorted disdainfully and said, ¡°What¡¯s so difficult about that? Even without your resources, I would eventually lead Six Paths.¡± ¡°Indeed, Number Nine is capable,¡± the shadows all laughed together. ¡°But accepting assistance from the Sect is also a part of our rules, so don¡¯t refuse any longer.¡± Wei Dongliu feigned frustration and irritably agreed. Master Luo then escorted him out of Hell, casually slipping him a Jade Slip. Reportedly, this Jade Slip was one of many copies; whatever is written on one, will appear on the others as well ¨C it¡¯s an extremely common Communication Talisman. Master Luo spoke frankly, if you are ever missing something, just write it on the Jade Slip for help, and other members can reply upon seeing it. There is a monthly gathering on the bottom layer of Hell, where everyone can also agree in advance to exchange anything of value to each other, without interference from the Sect. As for Sect missions, they are also initiated by Master Luo in his capacity as the leader of Hell Path and are distributed to everyone in the form of a trade. How much you do is explicitly priced for how much benefit you receive. Wei Dongliu sneered inwardly, thinking that, to call Hell Path a sect was, in reality, more like calling it an anonymous trading platform! In the end, it¡¯s that the leader of Hell Path is unwilling to trust anyone, preferring to let everyone help in the form of trade only. Mystery maxed out, if you will. Leaving the Mountain God Temple and returning to the town, Wei Dongliu ran into Jiang the Witch and the Flying Asura who were looking for him, bickering with each other as they approached. ¡°Brother Wei!¡± Jiang Liyan threw herself into his arms, hugging his arm and sobbing, ¡°I thought something had happened to you! Wuuu¡­¡± These were true words, for if Wei Dongliu really did disappear suddenly, Jiang Liyan would immediately face the risk of being caught and killed by the Fairy Caie, so the worry on her face was genuine. ¡°Master!¡± The Flying Asura also heaved a sigh of relief, sycophantically smiling, ¡°This little girl insisted that something had happened to the Master. So utterly useless. I knew nothing would happen to the Master¡­¡± This is indeed true; Wei Dongliu¡¯s disappearance wasn¡¯t much of a concern, but the loss of his hiltless locust wood sword deeply frightened the flying asuras, causing them to be in constant fear, day and night. Therefore, the relief apparent on their faces was genuine, not feigned. ¡°Let¡¯s head back,¡± Wei Dongliu instructed. ¡°Where have you been, Wei Daoist Friend?¡± Jiang the Witch asked curiously along the way. ¡°I went to meet some new friends,¡± Wei Dongliu said, with a meaningful tone. Upon returning to Shiping Mountain, Jiang Liyan immediately used the Sweet Dew of Truth she had bought from the market to treat her two disciples. Wei Dongliu, on the other hand, returned to his stone dwelling and ordered Ah Jing, saying: ¡°Load Long Long¡¯s file, I need to¡­ cough cough, I need to check on Long Hu¡¯s situation.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± the Kunlun Mirror complied. Loading the file to the vast expanse of the Eastern Emperor Realm, Long Long was still practicing his cultivation as usual, occasionally teleporting to the underwater palace to touch the fox. According to Long Hu, she would also be reaching the Transformation Period soon. Her clan had already prepared numerous resources for her and checked on the elite members to act as her protectors during her Transformation Tribulation. After all, with Long Long¡¯s experience as a lesson, how could the clan possibly allow Long Hu to face the Transformation Tribulation alone? What if something went wrong? ???g0.?? ¡°Big brother Long,¡± Qin Ye had been especially diligent in visiting him recently, always chatting about this and that, ¡°I heard that Sister Hu is going to transform soon?¡± ¡°It¡¯s about that time, but the exact date is unknown,¡± Long Long said worriedly. ¡°I only know it will be this month.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Qin Ye said softly, trying to comfort him. ¡°Sister Hu has a deep cultivation, nothing will happen.¡± Seeing Long Long¡¯s expression relax a bit, she then said with a hint of shyness: ¡°My own time for transformation is approaching too, probably in the middle of next month. Big brother Long will come visit then, right?¡± ¡°Naturally,¡± Long Long agreed readily. Although he considered himself as an adherent of single heroine pure love, Qin Ye the young dragon lady was innocent; naturally, he couldn¡¯t let her be sad. Let me slowly warm up the feelings here first. Later, when I and the little fox flee from the Azure Dragon Clan and elope to Beiming Fanyang, I might even need Qin Ye¡¯s help! Ah, I am just too gentle, that is a bit of a problem. Long Long continued his cultivation. Before long, Gui Ling¡¯er paid him another visit. ¡°Why do you always stay in the clan territory?¡± Gui Ling¡¯er asked directly as soon as she entered the room. ¡°You¡¯ve already transformed, aren¡¯t you going to go out and make friends with your peers?¡± ¡°What¡¯s it to you?¡± Long Long retorted without courtesy. ¡°This is the territory of the Azure Dragon Clan; Xuan Gui, please watch your language. What brings you here this time?¡± ¡°After the secret realm adventure on Divine Dragon Island, our team found records left by the ancient clan of the Xuanwu. I got a reward from our ancestors,¡± Gui Ling¡¯er said, unfazed by the rebuff. ¡°I want to treat you to a meal as thanks for last time.¡± ¡°You want to treat me to a meal?¡± Long Long asked in surprise. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°What crazy idea are you up to now?¡± ¡°What, treating you to a meal means I have ulterior motives?¡± Gui Ling¡¯er replied disdainfully. ¡°You¡¯re a transformed dragon now, are you still afraid of me, an untransformed tortoise?¡± ¡°I¡¯m busy, I¡¯m busy,¡± Long Long said, growing impatient upon seeing her attempt to provoke him. ¡°Eat on your own; I need to continue my cultivation.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t chase me away! Ahem, alright then,¡± Gui Ling¡¯er sighed, seeing that she couldn¡¯t bluff her way through and continued, ¡°Eating was just incidental, actually, I want to talk to you about forming an alliance.¡± ¡°An alliance?¡± Long Long furrowed his brows and pondered for a moment. ¡°I can¡¯t decide on that myself, I have to ask the Clan Leader¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not an alliance between the Xuanwu and the Azure Dragon clans.¡± Gui Ling¡¯er, with a naive and sincere smile, slowly said, ¡°Long Long, it¡¯s you and me forming an alliance.¡± Chapter 504 Chapter 504: Chapter 30 The Little Fox¡¯s Tribulation Chapter 504: Chapter 30 The Little Fox¡¯s Tribulation ¡°Long Long, do you know why the Xuanwu Clan was once mentioned alongside your clan and mine?¡± Gui Ling¡¯er asked, crossing her arms. ¡°Why?¡± Long Long asked, recalling the scenes from the Illusion Domain, ¡°Is it because our two clans had formed an alliance in ancient times?¡± ¡°Wrong!¡± Gui Ling¡¯er interrupted him, ¡°In fact, before being collectively referred to as Xuanwu, our two clans had already established a very ancient covenant.¡± ¡°So ancient that in that era, members of our two clans always traveled in pairs, never alone.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Long Long caught a hint of what she meant, ¡°Traveling in pairs, does that mean there were complementary aspects in our cultivation techniques?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not about complementing each other, but rather that proper power could only be unleashed through combined cultivation between dragons and tortoises,¡± Gui Ling¡¯er said with a twist of her mouth, ¡°Not long ago, we unearthed and restored our ancestors¡¯ ¡®Xuanwu Beiming Divine Skill¡¯ and compared it with the current cultivation techniques of our clan.¡± ¡°The conclusion is that the current ¡®Xuan Gui Divine Technique¡¯ of our Xuan Gui Clan is a fragmented version of the ancient Xuanwu Beiming Divine Skill. The ancestors brutally split it up, at the cost of an overall decline in all aspects, so that the Xuan Gui Clan could cultivate independently, without the need for a dragon¡¯s collaboration.¡± ¡°That¡¯s normal,¡± Long Long commented. After all, we¡¯ve already divorced¡­ I mean, since our two clans have already torn up our covenant, it¡¯s only natural to split the techniques that were originally meant to be practiced jointly. Our Dragon Clan also doesn¡¯t have any cultivation techniques that specifically require Xuan Gui cooperation, all of them are the same. ¡°So, what you¡¯re saying is?¡± ¡°The elder¡¯s intention is that we should try to collaborate and see if we can restore the ancient Xuanwu Beiming Divine Skill,¡± Gui Ling¡¯er explained, ¡°Based on our assessments, this set of Xuanwu Beiming Divine Skill should also surpass the existing techniques of your Dragon Clan. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.c0 Wouldn¡¯t that mean a win-win situation?¡± ¡°I suspect this win-win means you win twice,¡± Long Long said with a skeptical look, ¡°I haven¡¯t forgotten that your Xuan Gui Clan is now allied with the Qilin Clan!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already told you this has nothing to do with the clans!¡± Gui Ling¡¯er said impatiently, ¡°It¡¯s just private cultivation between you and me.¡± ¡°If it doesn¡¯t work out, nothing happens; if it does, both sides benefit. What¡¯s there for you to doubt?¡± ¡°How is this cultivation technique practiced?¡± Long Long decided to ask for details first. ¡°Actually, it¡¯s not complicated, it¡¯s a Dual Cultivation method¡­¡± Gui Ling¡¯er hadn¡¯t finished her sentence when Long Long interrupted her: ¡°Stop! What are you talking about? Dual Cultivation? You still have the idea of getting me to breed?¡± ¡°What¡­ What breeding are you talking about!¡± Gui Ling¡¯er stamped her feet in exasperation, ¡°Can you not always think about such filthy garbage!¡± It took her clumsily a long time to make Long Long understand that the Demon Race¡¯s so-called ¡°Dual Cultivation¡± was not the same thing as the Human Race¡¯s. On the human side, Dual Cultivation refers to the exchanges of Yuan Yang and Yuan Yin between men and women, achieving harmony between Yin and Yang; whereas in the Demon Race, similar techniques are known as the ¡°Mating Method¡±. As for ¡°Dual Cultivation,¡± it simply involves the collaboration of two different members of the Demon Race, and does not include any special, censorable, dangerous behaviors. ¡°You want to mate with me, and I wouldn¡¯t agree to it! Humph.¡± Gui Ling¡¯er, still angry, stamped her feet repeatedly, causing an innocent floor to suffer. ¡°If it¡¯s just practicing together, there shouldn¡¯t be any major issues.¡± Long Long pondered for a while before he slowly spoke. Indeed, he was certainly an ardent supporter of pure love depicted in Long Hu¡¯s single storyline. However, if he practiced Dual Cultivation with Gui Ling¡¯er and obtained a more powerful Xuanwu Beiming Divine Skill, wouldn¡¯t that mean he could better support Long Hu¡¯s solo story? Sigh, for Long Hu, he really had no other choice. ¡°There¡¯s no need for a meal, just bring over the cultivation technique when you¡¯re free,¡± Long Long finally conceded, ¡°We¡¯ll have a look at it together.¡± Gui Ling¡¯er had nothing to say. It was a win-win situation, so why did you make it seem like you¡¯re sacrificing for me? She didn¡¯t really want to engage in dual cultivation with such a dragon¡­ ???G?.?? but alas, for the sake of her ancestors, she would endure. After she agreed, she bid farewell to Long Long and left. Time passed, and finally, the day arrived for Long Hu to undergo the Transformation Tribulation. The vicinity of Duguang Wilds was heavily fortified by elite cultivators of the Azure Dragon Clan to prevent cultivators of other tribes from causing trouble during Long Hu¡¯s tribulation. ¡°Long Long, Long Long!¡± At the base of Jianmu, the anxious Long Hu clutched his chest and said with a crying tone, ¡°The Transformation Tribulation¡­ will it be very difficult? I should be able to get through it smoothly, right?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, with such thorough preparation, you¡¯re sure to pass the tribulation smoothly,¡± Long Long comforted her with a smile. Without the Yin Yang Tribulation, how hard could the Five Elements Heaven¡¯s Tribulation be? Turn around now, look at the dense arrays covering the Duguang Wilds, and ask again, ¡°Will it be very difficult?¡± ¡°Chief, the array is all set up,¡± said one of the Dragon Clan elders, flying up to Jianmu and speaking to Qin Beiwang who was guarding the spot. ¡°Hmm,¡± Qin Beiwang looked down at the dense arrays below. The clan had invested an unknown amount of resources into it, all to ensure that His Highness Ying Long¡¯s daughter could successfully undergo her transformation. If she still failed the tribulation despite this, it would truly mean that destiny had decreed it, and there would be nothing to do. As the time drew near, Long Hu finally left Long Long with reluctance and carefully made her way to the center of the array. The sky soon filled with tribulation clouds, and many of the Dragon Clan hurriedly left, moving out of the range of the Heavenly Tribulation. Long Hu rolled on the spot and transformed into a fox with soft fur, looking up at the sky. Looking at the dense, gloomy tribulation clouds in the sky, her ears timidly folded back. Long Long stood outside the range of the Heavenly Tribulation, watching the little fox tremble with fear, and couldn¡¯t help feeling anxious for her. Suddenly, the tribulation clouds in the sky descended, and thunderous tribulation lightning began to spew forth. Long Long held his breath and watched; the tribulation lightning glowed with green light, surrounded by swirling air, clearly the Yimu Azure Spirit Lightning from the Five Elements Tribulation Thunder. Trash tribulation, you can get through it with your eyes closed. You don¡¯t even need to look. The Yimu tribulation lightning, which Long Long considered inconsequential, was taken very seriously by the surrounding Dragon Clan, as if facing a formidable enemy. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Truly worthy of that lineage,¡± exclaimed Clan Chief Qin Beiwang in shock, ¡°Even the weakest Wood System of the Five Elements Tribulation Thunder is the Yimu Azure Spirit Lightning. How much more powerful and terrifying must those renowned for their lethality, the Metal System, and Fire System be?¡± The little fox also squeaked a few times, as if cursing someone, then calmed down and began preparing to face the tribulation. With a few scratches of her little paws, she dug out an oil lamp from beneath her, the very Eastern Pure Light Glazed Lamp they had obtained in the secret chamber of the Fusang Divine Tree with Long Long. She channeled demonic power into the lamp, and the colored glaze lamp shone brightly, shining upon the expanse of azure thunder light. The Yimu Azure Spirit Lightning that approached the light ignited upon contact, and in a moment, they were all melted away. Chapter 505 Chapter 505: Chapter 31 The Little Fox Transforms Chapter 505: Chapter 31 The Little Fox Transforms Following the Yimu Azure Spirit Lightning, the Tribulation clouds sank even further. Long Long¡¯s heart clenched in anticipation, his eyes staring intently at the clouds, only to see them spew out Xuan Yin Gui Water Thunder this time. This Tribulation Lightning looked like a jellyfish, its upper part a rounded canopy and the lower part flickering with electric arcs, and as for its power and strength¡­ If Long Long had to describe it, he could only use the term ¡°extremely friendly¡±. After all, when he had formed his First Grade Golden Core, the Five Elements Water System Tribulation Thunder he faced was precisely the Xuan Yin Gui Water Thunder. No matter how one destroyed it, it would split into a plethora of small Gui Water Thunders, nearly impossible to extinguish¡­ That was what you¡¯d call troublesome! This Xuan Yin Gui Water Thunder, in terms of danger, wasn¡¯t even worthy to carry the shoes of the Xuan Yin Gui Water Thunder! Long Long heaved a sigh of relief internally, but the surrounding members of the Dragon Clan were exclaiming in alarm: ¡°It¡¯s actually Xuan Yin Gui Water Thunder!¡± ¡°This is bad! Hurry up and activate the Formation!¡± ¡°The second wave is already Xuan Yin Gui Water Thunder, who knows how treacherous the next ones will be?¡± What was so treacherous about that¡­ wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co Long Long really wanted to ridicule his kinsfolk¡¯s ignorance, but he saw that Long Hu in the distance didn¡¯t activate the Formation, and waited for the Xuan Yin Gui Water Thunder to descend to a sufficient height before suddenly tossing out a shell-shaped Magical Treasure to encase himself within. What was that, a turtle shell? ¡°Golden Light Xuan Cauldron Shell.¡± Gui Ling¡¯er said indifferently from the side, ¡°A defensive Magical Treasure refined by our clan, greatly resistant to Water System Techniques.¡± ¡°Where did you pop out from?¡± Long Long asked her sideways. ¡°Pop out?¡± Gui Ling¡¯er asked puzzled, ¡°I¡¯ve been here all along, okay?¡± ¡°Because Long Hu is undergoing Tribulation, your clan leader specially sought to borrow a defensive Magical Treasure from our clan, that¡¯s why I¡¯ve been staying here recently-teaming up with you to practice Cultivation Techniques was just convenient.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Long Long had more to say but saw the Xuan Yin Gui Water Thunder in the distance falling like a torrential downpour, completely submerging where Long Hu was located. About half a quarter of an hour passed before the fog generated by the Tribulation Lightning finally settled. Surrounding Long Hu, the Golden Light Xuan Cauldron Shell, activated by the Magical Treasure, though cracked all over its surface, had unquestionably withstood the bombardment of the Xuan Yin Gui Water Thunder. Before everyone could even take a breath, the Tribulation clouds sank once more and spat out a new form of lightning. Long Long¡¯s heart rose to his throat as he watched, only to find that it was the Descending Dark True Fire Lightning, which almost brought him to tears. Heavenly Tribulation, you¡¯re so gentle! Just why do you have such a grudge against me, giving me Bing Fire Divine Thunder during my Tribulation¡­ Seeing it was the Descending Dark True Fire Lightning, the watching dragons became somewhat tense again. This lightning, among all Fire System Tribulation Thunders, was not the deadliest, but still upper-midrange, and could not be taken lightly or underestimated. Long Hu put away the Golden Light Xuan Cauldron Shell, glanced at the falling Fire System Tribulation Thunder, and started to pop Elixirs into his mouth. After refining the Elixir for a moment and seeing the Descending Dark True Fire Lightning had travelled half its course, Long Hu calmly took out the Eastern Pure Light Glazed Lamp. With a mere flick of the lamp, a bright radiance swept towards the heavens. The Descending Dark True Fire Lightning caught in the Glaze Light turned into fire dragons plunging downward, pouring into the lamp and becoming tiny flames dancing within. The watching dragons heaved a sigh of relief, their tones now filled with admiration: ¡°To break through the Fire System Tribulation Thunder so easily?¡± ¡°Truly befitting someone of that lineage, the Descending Dark True Fire Lightning could not bother her at all.¡± Long Long listened expressionlessly, thinking, that¡¯s it? What¡¯s there to make a fuss about, can Descending Dark True Fire Lightning even kill anyone? Before the discussion could proceed, the Tribulation clouds sank again, ejecting a mass of gray-white lightning. The chasm thunder was deep and deadly, with moderate lethality, the only problem being its strong defense, which was difficult to break through by ordinary means. However, the little fox was not lacking in powerful lethal methods, she took out the Flying Fire Crow Tube that Long Long had given her in advance, and with a palm strike at the bottom of the tube, she injected her True Yuan. Countless fire crows then burst out of the tube at high speed, aggressively colliding with the chasm thunder in the sky. The surrounding members of the Dragon Clan watched intently, with exclamations and sharp intakes of breath heard one after another. It is known that the power of the Demon Race¡¯s Transformation Tribulation is directly proportional to their Bloodline Rank. With the Dragon Clan¡¯s bloodline being top rank among the myriad demons, almost every member of the Dragon Clan encountering a Five Elements Heaven¡¯s Tribulation during their transformation. But for Long Hu, even the weakest Five Elements Tribulation Thunder like the chasm thunder carried moderate potency, which truly astonished the Dragon Clan members. However, Long Long found it uninteresting. What the other Dragon Clan members saw as an ¡°extremely dangerous¡± Five Elements Heaven¡¯s Tribulation seemed to him to be brimming with maternal radiance. It¡¯s like playing house. Nevertheless, considering it was his own little fox undergoing the tribulation, it was a good thing the Heavenly Tribulation was simpler. After a long while, the group of fire crows and the Earth System Tribulation Thunder finally perished together. By this time, the tribulation clouds had descended to a very low position, spitting out nearly a vast amount of white gold tribulation thunder in the skies, which then morphed into countless small swords, coming down with a resounding force! ¡°Cold Light Pure Metal Thunder!¡± a scream rang out from among the Dragon Clan. The so-called Cold Light Pure Metal Thunder, similar to the Xuan Yin Gui Water Thunder, were those types of ¡°fission-type tribulation thunders¡± where if you struck one, three or four more would spawn. However, the Metal System Tribulation Thunder was far more lethal than the Water System, resulting in the Cold Light Pure Metal Thunder¡¯s lethality being far greater than the Xuan Yin Gui Water Thunder, almost only second to the Pure Yang Metal Thunder that Long Long had previously encountered. ¡°Quick, activate the Formation!¡± At the top of the Jianmu, the Clan Chief, Qin Beiwang, blurted out anxiously, and then realized that Long Hu, far away, couldn¡¯t hear him at all. ¡°Cold Light Pure Metal Thunder?¡± Gui Ling¡¯er also exclaimed, ¡°Who could possibly survive that¡­¡± Before the words had finished, they saw Long Hu suddenly activate the multiple layers of Formations below. Huge amounts of Spiritual Power swiftly surged along the pre-drawn Formation circuits toward Long Hu, soon turning into a near-tangible giant dragon, rising into the sky. Long Long looked on with a grave expression, and realized that the giant dragon, while seeming vast and powerful, was composed of Spiritual Power that was too disordered to match the thunder dragon he had created earlier using Thor¡¯s Hammer. ?????.?? Indeed, the giant dragon only fought with the small Pure Metal swords briefly before being brutally torn apart by the Metal System Tribulation Thunder. The remaining tribulation thunder roared down again, instantly engulfing Long Hu¡¯s figure! As the tribulation clouds in the sky began to dissipate, Long Long immediately rose and rushed towards the site of the tribulation. But someone was faster than him- a streak of azure light- the Ancestral Azure Dragon had already revealed its true form, instantly reaching the center of the Heavenly Tribulation, and from the ruins, he lifted Long Hu out, placing her on the soft grass next to him. Long Long was the second to reach her side, anxiously looking at the unconscious little fox. Her body was covered in bloodstains, under the rolled fur were many deep wounds cut open by the Metal System Tribulation Thunder. Long Long fumbled for medicine in a panic, but then saw the fox suddenly open her mouth and cough up some bloody foam. Subsequently, her fur began to slowly recede. Long Long¡¯s pupils contracted sharply, quickly pulling out a coat to wrap around her still-transforming body. Straightaway, he saw the figure enveloped in clothing, Long Hu had transformed into a young girl around sixteen or seventeen years old. Having the strength to transform, it seemed she had survived the tribulation successfully. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Long Long finally breathed a sigh of relief, only to see the Ancestral Azure Dragon handing him a crystal-clear Elixir from behind. He stuffed the Elixir into Long Hu¡¯s mouth, and then fed her some clear water. Long Hu swallowed unconsciously in small sips, the water sliding down from the corner of her mouth into the depths of her collar, and Long Long hurried to wipe it away for her¡­ That¡¯s quite the pre-transformation armor! The transformed Celestial Fox is so terrifying! Chapter 506 Chapter 506: Chapter 32 The Summoning from the Myriad Demon Royal Court Chapter 506: Chapter 32 The Summoning from the Myriad Demon Royal Court In Jianmu¡¯s interior, Long Long¡¯s room. ¡°If the Transformation Tribulation is always so perilous, I probably won¡¯t make it with my current strength,¡± Gui Ling¡¯er said worriedly. ¡°Impossible,¡± Qin Zhou denied, ¡°The intensity of the Transformation Tribulation is related to the bloodline rank of the Demon Race.¡± ¡°The higher the bloodline of the race and parents, the more deadly the Tribulation becomes.¡± The implication was that Gui Ling¡¯er¡¯s bloodline rank wasn¡¯t as high as Long Hu¡¯s, so her Transformation Tribulation wouldn¡¯t be as dangerous. But Gui Ling¡¯er huffed, ¡°Our Xuan Gui Clan¡¯s bloodline rank isn¡¯t bad, okay?¡± ¡°And,¡± Qin Ye said timidly, ¡°even if the power of the Tribulation is only two-thirds or even one-third of Sister Hu¡¯s, I still don¡¯t feel confident¡­¡± ¡°By then, the clan will definitely help to prepare,¡± Qin Zhou comforted his sister, ¡°It¡¯s simply impossible to face the Tribulation alone.¡± Long Long kept a poker face beside them, pretending he didn¡¯t hear anything. Realizing something was amiss, Qin Ye swiftly elbowed her brother in the chest. He immediately grunted in pain, unable to speak. ¡°Your Tribulations are in the middle of next month,¡± Gui Ling¡¯er sighed, ¡°But mine came in the early part of last month already, it¡¯s so annoying.¡± ¡°Sister Ling won¡¯t have any problems,¡± Qin Ye comforted her attentively, ¡°After all, you¡¯re the best at defense.¡± ¡°Sigh,¡± Gui Ling¡¯er continued sighing, ¡°Dealing with the Transformation Tribulation isn¡¯t something you can handle just by being strong in defense¡­ wuxiaworld.site If you can¡¯t break the Tribulation Lightning early on, you can¡¯t keep enduring it forever, right?¡± Long Long listened silently on the side, feeling like a senior who had secured a postgraduate spot, calmly listening to juniors discuss how to prepare for the graduate school entrance exam. He was quite pleased, until Gui Ling¡¯er gently kicked him from below. ¡°Hey, Long Long, what do you think I should do to prepare?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it simple?¡± Long Long said nonchalantly, ¡°Your Xuan Gui Clan has that what-you-may-call-it turtle shell Magical Treasure, right?¡± ¡°Refine ten thousand turtle shell Magical Treasures, then wear them all during the Tribulation, and slowly attack, isn¡¯t that it?¡± ¡°Where am I going to get ten thousand turtle shell Magical Treasures!¡± Gui Ling¡¯er shouted. Then, she frowned and fell silent, seemingly seriously considering the possibility of using Magical Treasures to consume the Tribulation Lightning. Just as Long Long was about to say something more, suddenly, he heard a cheer and something pressed down on his head. ¡°Long Long, Long Long!¡± Long Hu, who had entered the room, hugged him from behind excitedly, ¡°I¡¯ve transformed!¡± ¡°Good, good, that¡¯s great,¡± Long Long, as if brainwashed, could only parrot a few words before pulling her to the front, asking concernedly, ¡°How are the injuries from the Tribulation?¡± ¡°All healed,¡± Long Hu grabbed his hand, giggling, ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, you can come to my room, and check for yourself¡­¡± ¡°Cough, cough, cough, cough!¡± Not only the thin-skinned Qin Ye but also Qin Zhou and Gui Ling¡¯er started coughing violently. Long Hu had grown assertive after her transformation, with her speech becoming fierce as well. ¡°What¡¯s there to check,¡± Long Long shamefully backed down immediately, after all, so many people were around, he had to maintain a proper image, ¡°Hu, I always believed you would smoothly pass the Tribulation, so there¡¯s no need for a check.¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± Long Hu then gave him a ¡°you¡¯re useless¡± look. Long Long was somewhat helpless. Was this a matter of being useful or not? Didn¡¯t they see everyone was a bit uncomfortable? If you want to be unrestrained, do it in private, not force-feed people public displays of affection, consider the impact, okay? Long Hu, however, didn¡¯t care. She probably had been confined in the underwater palace for too long, and now that she was out, she wanted to cling to Long Long without paying attention to the others around¡­ Hmm? Suddenly, she keenly noticed below that Gui Ling¡¯er¡¯s foot was extending towards Long Long¡¯s leg, seemingly trying to sneakily kick him. She felt annoyed inside. The fluffy tail under her skirt tensed and then lashed out like a whip, retreating Gui Ling¡¯er¡¯s calf. The little turtle was caught off guard, and with a start, retracted her leg, shrieking: ¡°A snake bit me!¡± ¡°What snake?¡± Everyone also stood up, searching the ground around them. ¡°It was just coiled around my calf just now!¡± Gui Ling¡¯er was still shaken. ¡°It might not have been a snake,¡± said Long Hu with a twinkle in his eye and mischief in his voice. ¡°Maybe it was just a larger caterpillar.¡± Gui Ling¡¯er was so scared she broke out in goosebumps, a large shell swiftly appeared on her back, and then she started spinning frantically as if trying to ward off an unknown attack: ¡°Where? Where is it?¡± ¡°Ah, it¡¯s inside your neck!¡± Long Hu yelled mischievously. ¡°Long Long, save me!¡± While everyone was roughhousing, someone suddenly pushed the door open from outside, it was the chieftain of the Azure Dragon Clan, Qin Beiwang. His solemn gaze swept the room, and everyone fell silent. ¡°Long Hu, Long Long,¡± Qin Beiwang began to call names. ¡°Come out with me for a moment.¡± ¡ª- ¡°The Myriad Demon Royal Court¡¯s summoning?¡± asked Long Long, astonished. ???g?.?? ¡°Yes,¡± Qin Beiwang replied with a grave expression. ¡°And it¡¯s an edict personally issued by Qi Weihuan.¡± ¡°Can we not go?¡± Long Hu timidly inquired. Long Long and Qin Beiwang exchanged a speechless look. ¡°In name, Qi Weihuan is the joint monarch of all Demon Race,¡± Long Long patiently explained. ¡°Of course, that includes us from the Eastern State Dragon Clan.¡± ¡°Although in reality, the Qilin Clan can¡¯t directly threaten the Dragon Clan, if we openly defy the order and refuse to go to the Central State Royal Court, it would be tantamount to declaring our discord with the Qilin to the world, which could bring us a lot of trouble.¡± ¡°Moreover, the Qilin Clan¡¯s current focus may not be on becoming enemies with our Dragon Clan,¡± added Qin Beiwang. ¡°Everyone knows that the Feathered Clan of the South State is only temporarily subdued, and their peace with the Central State is still brittle.¡± ¡°At such a sensitive juncture, Qi Weihuan wouldn¡¯t push us towards the South State, so don¡¯t worry too much,¡± he reassured. Upon hearing this, Long Hu reflected for a moment, and the unease on his face eased somewhat. Long Long, however, was not so easily fooled. After a brief pause, he turned to advise Qin Beiwang: ¡°Chieftain, although the likelihood of the Qilin Clan openly becoming our enemy is slim, Qi Weihuan¡¯s attitude is unclear. This visit to the Central State to see our sovereign should not be taken lightly.¡± ¡°Correct.¡± Qin Beiwang also highly regarded his judgment. ¡°This time, I¡¯ll bring both the Great Elder and the Second Elder to escort you to the Central State Royal Court.¡± The Great Elder and the Second Elder? Long Long was secretly astounded. These two elders were among the strongest in the Azure Dragon Clan, second only to the Ancestral Azure Dragon. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Taking these two Dragon Clan elders to the Central State was clearly meant to intimidate Qi Weihuan-warning him not to act rashly and cause embarrassment to both sides. So, what was it that required the Dragon Clan to take such a firm stance and even to deploy two of its elders? Long Long cast a sidelong glance at Long Hu, his thoughts heavy. For instance¡­ attempting to lay claim to Immortal Rank bloodlines through arranged marriage? Chapter 507 Chapter 507: Chapter 33 Reflect on Yourself! Chapter 507: Chapter 33 Reflect on Yourself! Before heading to the Royal Court in Central State, Long Long planned to read through some archives first. ???G?.?? The reason was simple: his advancement to the Golden Core Realm was still recent, and he needed to quickly adapt to the surge in combat power as well as the battle methods of Golden Core cultivators. ¡°Ah Jing, bring up Qiu Changtian¡¯s archive,¡± Long Long said steadily. ¡°Okay, accessing point one¡­¡± the Kunlun Mirror suddenly said, ¡°Are you disappointed that the little fox has grown up?¡± ¡°Of course not¡­¡± Long Long almost slipped, ¡°No! Growing up is a good thing! Despite being over a hundred thousand years old, always looking like a minor, is that appropriate?¡± ¡°Shut up! You broken mirror, just read the archive!¡± [Access point one: Kunlun Taiqing Sect, Golden Ridge.] [Character identity: Qiu Changtian.] wuxiaworld.site Within his dantian, the Qi Sea spun even faster, and the True Yuan inside was almost condensing into a liquid state, thick, strong, and abundant. Completed the breathing exercises, he planned to get up and summon his junior brothers and sisters to start the lecture. Then he suddenly remembered that he was no longer the Chief Disciple at the Foundation Establishment Realm; now it was Xu Yinglian¡¯s turn to teach and answer questions. No wonder Junior Sister was absent all morning. With this in mind, Qiu Changtian started on his way to the Scriptural Repository, ready to start slacking off and lying flat. As a Golden Core True Person, although he had to undertake all kinds of basic work for the sect, cultivation was ultimately still the most important thing. Now that Qiu Changtian had been assigned the job of ¡°library manager,¡± a position of extreme leisure, he was even more happy to slack off. After arriving at the Scriptural Repository, Elder Xu, who was in charge of guarding the place, handed over to him the seal arrays and techniques of the Scriptural Repository: ¡°The first floor is divided into an inner and outer area, with only Inner Sect Disciples allowed into the inner area.¡± ¡°The stairs to the second floor are deep in the inner area; you need to be a Golden Core True Person to go upstairs.¡± ¡°Nascent Soul Elders generally do not come to the Scriptural Repository, but if they do, you need to accompany them throughout the visit, whether they are borrowing or depositing books, just cooperate with them.¡± ¡°Junior will remember these instructions,¡± Qiu Changtian said earnestly. ¡°There¡¯s no need to be so serious, Changgeng,¡± Elder Xu said with a smile, ¡°Most of the time, there isn¡¯t anything for you to do in the Scriptural Repository. You just need to sit here and that¡¯s all.¡± After Elder Xu left, Qiu Changtian sat down in her place and calmly closed his eyes to rest. As soon as he closed his eyes, he could see small characters constantly popping up in the upper right of his vision: [Invincible Character Setting, Synchronization Value +1.] [Invincible Character Setting, Synchronization Value +1.] ¡­¡­ Because the Kunlun Mirror used to give voice prompts, Qiu Changtian hadn¡¯t paid much attention. Lately, the Synchronization Value had been increasing so frequently that even the broken mirror got tired of counting out loud, and Qiu Changtian also stopped paying attention to it. It was just like how a billionaire wouldn¡¯t pay attention to how much money they made each day ¨C perfectly reasonable. As for why he could increase his Synchronization Value rapidly by simply sitting still, it was naturally because, after many years of effort, Qiu Changtian¡¯s Invincible Character Setting had now become deeply ingrained in people¡¯s hearts, generating Synchronization Value at every moment. Perhaps at this second, and the next, somewhere in the Cultivation Realm, such a conversation was taking place: Have you heard of Kunlun¡¯s Qiu Changtian? He has formed a First Grade Golden Core! Wow, so impressive, so invincible! That¡¯s the Synchronization Value coming in, isn¡¯t it? In some respects, at this point, Qiu Changtian was already quite similar to a capitalist ¨C even if he sat there doing nothing, he had a continuous ¡°non-labor income¡± coming in every moment. All cultivators in the Divine Land are my leeks! ¡°Greetings to Changgeng True Person,¡± said a few Inner Sect Disciples as they entered the Scriptural Repository, ¡°We came to borrow some scriptures, haha.¡± Qiu Changtian sat upright with a solemn posture and nodded slightly. Although he appeared quite dignified, the Inner Sect Disciples at the Foundation Establishment Realm in Kunlun were almost all familiar with him, so they didn¡¯t revere him. Instead, they greeted him cordially and then went about their business. Sitting there was quite boring, so Qiu Changtian walked over to the surrounding bookshelves and took down a jade slip to read. This jade slip recounted the history of the Kunlun Taiqing Sect, written in an interesting and engaging manner. It said that Taiqing Sect¡¯s predecessor, ancient Kunlun, was originally just a branch of the Clarify Cult situated in Kunlun Mountain. Being far from the Divine Land Continent and guarded by endless plateaus and snow mountains, the Clarify Cult stored a large amount of literature and classics here, which is referred to as ¡°The Place of Jade Void Scriptures.¡± Besides ancient Kunlun, there were many other minor sects and heretical schools established there, such as the Divine Flame Path that created the secret realm of the Queen Mother of the West. After the disintegration of the Clarify Cult, ancient Kunlun fought with these heretical schools for thousands of years until they completely eradicated them. In the transformation from ancient Kunlun to the Kunlun Taiqing Sect, there are four surnames worth mentioning, Xu, Luo, Zhao, and Ge. For a long time, these four great families supplied many cultivators to ancient Kunlun and were the main contributors to the establishment of the Kunlun Taiqing Sect¡­ Having read up to this point, Qiu Changtian placed the jade slip back on the shelf. The four great families of Kunlun do indeed indirectly control many critical positions in the Taiqing Sect, but in the end, the Cultivation Realm always values cultivation level above all. Take me, Qiu Changtian, for instance, I am not from any of the four great families, yet haven¡¯t I risen rapidly, advancing step by step? ¡°Senior brother, what are you thinking about?¡± someone patted him from behind. Turning around, Qiu Changtian saw Junior Sister Xu¡¯s delicate and pretty face enter his sight. ¡°Has Junior Sister finished giving the lecture?¡± he asked with a smile. ¡°Mhm,¡± Xu Yinglian nodded slightly, ¡°I originally wanted to accompany senior brother to search for clues about the traitor from the Xu Family in history. But now that senior brother has formed a First Grade Golden Core, it¡¯s a time when all eyes are on you, and master has also instructed that you focus on your cultivation in peace in the Scriptural Repository. I shouldn¡¯t ask senior brother to come out with me.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s wait a few more months,¡± Qiu Changtian said with a smile, touching her dark silky hair, ¡°When the fuss dies down, how about senior brother conceals his identity and quietly accompanies you outside?¡± Before he could finish his sentence, Xu Yinglian¡¯s face suddenly reddened. Qiu Changtian was shocked and then remembered that Junior Sister Xu wasn¡¯t a little fox that one could touch at will! He quickly withdrew his hand, wiping it on the hem of his robe, and forcibly changed the subject: ¡°By the way, with Junior Sister¡¯s cultivation, you must be close to the threshold of Second Grade Golden Core, right?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Xu Yinglian turned her head away, not letting Qiu Changtian see her blushing cheeks, ¡°When I reach the threshold of Second Grade Golden Core, I¡¯ll just go ahead with Core Formation.¡± Qiu Changtian: ??? Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Wait, you¡¯re not Junior Sister Xu, are you? Junior Sister Xu is the super competitive type, who absolutely refuses to lose! Her voice soft and gentle, Xu Yinglian continued: ¡°A First Grade Golden Core is too troublesome, not only does it require four hundred years of Refining Mansion Cultivation, but it also requires gathering the Five Elements Integration secret medicines of the Purple Mansion.¡± ¡°If, after a hundred years, I find that I can¡¯t reach the First Grade standard, then forming a Second Grade Golden Core by that time would put me at least a hundred years behind senior brother in cultivation level¡­¡± Her voice trailed off to a whisper: ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t want to be left too far behind senior brother, that¡¯s why.¡± Qiu Changtian stood there, stunned. ¡°Tsk,¡± said the Kunlun Mirror suddenly in his mind, ¡°Look at that, Junior Sister Xu isn¡¯t competing with you all the time because she¡¯s competitive.¡± ¡°She just doesn¡¯t want to lose sight of you on the path of cultivation, that¡¯s all.¡± ¡°Chen Guanshui, you really should reflect on this!¡± Chapter 508 Chapter 508: Chapter 34 Mirror Flower Water Moon Record Chapter 508: Chapter 34 Mirror Flower Water Moon Record Half a month later. ¡°Elder Extinguishing Sin, here is the jade slip you requested,¡± Qiu Changtian descended gracefully from the upstairs and handed the jade slip to the Elder of the Criminal Law Hall. ¡°Hmm,¡± the Elder Extinguishing Sin revealed a kind smile, ¡°Thank you for your efforts, Changgeng.¡± The Kunlun disciples passing by all seemed as if they had witnessed a miracle, quickly covering their faces with their sleeves and hurrying away. Wasn¡¯t the Elder of the Criminal Law Hall always known for his stern, intimidating face that never showed a hint of warmth to anyone? Upon closer consideration, the person before them was Chief Qiu! Well, then it was understandable. Even though Qiu Changtian had achieved Core Formation and had been honored with the title ¡°Changgeng True Person,¡± the disciples in the Foundation Establishment Realm still liked to privately call him ¡°Chief Qiu.¡± It gave them a sense of pride as if to say, ¡°I was familiar with him when he was still the chief.¡± After sending Elder Extinguishing Sin away, Qiu Changtian returned to his original spot, placing Thor¡¯s Hammer and Thor¡¯s Awl together beneath the table, and gently tapped them against each other. Tiny silver-white electric arcs nimbly jumped across the surface of Thor¡¯s Awl. Now that he had gathered the hammer and the awl, Qiu Changtian could use this pair of thunder-inducing magical instruments to carefully comprehend the cultivation method of Tai Xiao Thunder. This ninth thunder of the ten was particularly obscure and difficult to learn. Even though he possessed the talent of Daoist Heart Clarity, enabling him to read and understand various scriptures without distraction, the fact that he had made no progress whatsoever in learning the Tai Xiao Thunder was indeed odd. wuxiaworld.site By noon, Xu Yinglian, as scheduled, arrived at the Scriptural Repository-not to have lunch with him, but purely because she had just finished teaching her junior brothers and sisters and came to see her husband. ¡°Have you still not found any clue to your Thunder Method?¡± Seeing him frown as he fiddled with the hammer and the awl, Xu Yinglian asked. ¡°Alas,¡± Qiu Changtian shook his head, ¡°I suspect that I might need to reach the Nascent Soul Realm in cultivation before I can grasp these last three thunders.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be too fixated on the Thunder Method,¡± Xu Yinglian sat down beside him, gently comforting him, ¡°It¡¯s normal for such an abstruse method to be difficult to learn.¡± Her voice paused for a moment before she casually added: ¡°As for me, I have almost mastered the Bloodline Supernatural Power left by our Phoenix Feng ancestor, hehe.¡± Qiu Changtian: ¡­¡­¡­. Having spent so many years with his junior sister, how could he not understand the implication behind Xu Yinglian¡¯s words just now? ¡°Once I reach the Golden Core Realm, you might no longer be my match!¡± I¡¯m sorry, Junior Sister Xu, but that¡¯s impossible. Unless I go easy on you¡­ He was about to tease her with a few playful words when he suddenly heard a voice nearby: ¡°Changgeng? I hope I¡¯m not intruding.¡± ¡°Oh, Senior Sister Su Ling,¡± Qiu Changtian hurriedly stood up, ¡°Are you here to borrow some scripture?¡± Su Ling True Person shook her head and sighed, saying: ¡°My junior brother from the Inner Sect, Qiu, has gone missing recently, have you seen him, Changgeng?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve seen him a few times,¡± Qiu Changtian nodded, ¡°Qiu junior brother often comes to the Scriptural Repository to read scriptures, but I have not seen him yesterday or the day before.¡± ¡°Sigh,¡± Su Ling True Person sighed again, ¡°I¡¯ve asked around, and before his disappearance, there was nothing unusual about him, nor had he made any plans to go out with other senior and junior disciples, so no one knows why he suddenly vanished.¡± ¡°So it is,¡± Qiu Changtian understood, ¡°Junior Sister Su Ling wishes to confirm if Junior Brother Qiu had found any clues about an Immortal Sect relic in those ancient tomes, and therefore rashly went off to explore on his own?¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± said Su Ling True Person with a nod, ¡°but I didn¡¯t want to trouble Chief Disciple Changgeng too much. The master didn¡¯t hold much hope either, it¡¯s fine if the junior brother checks when he has time.¡± Qiu Changtian knew that Su Ling True Person didn¡¯t want to owe him too many favors. After all, for disciples of the Refining Mansion realm from any family to form a High-Grade Golden Core, they must gather at least two hundred years of Refining Mansion cultivation. Therefore, going out to find Purple Mansion Secret Medicine was a necessary task for those at the Refining Mansion level. If Junior Brother Qiu had gone to explore a relic of the Immortal Sect without telling anyone before he left, who could find out where he had gone afterwards? So Junior Sister Su Ling¡¯s sect was just doing their humanly best while leaving the rest to fate, not wanting to trouble Qiu Changtian too much with this matter. After this senior sister left, Xu Yinglian sighed and said: ¡°Although I understand, Junior Brother Qiu really took too much for granted. Since it¡¯s a relic that has never been explored before, he shouldn¡¯t have gone alone; at the very least, he should have brought a fellow sect member.¡± ¡°Junior Sister Xu, that¡¯s what you don¡¯t understand,¡± Qiu Changtian shook his head, ¡°How precious are the Purple Mansion Secret Medicines? Even among fellow sect members, in those unknown relics, in the face of precious Purple Mansion Secret Medicines, one cannot rule out the possibility of them killing each other. That Junior Brother Qiu chose to go alone, and did not reveal any clues to anyone before his departure, is a more cautious approach.¡± This kind of behavior by Junior Brother Qiu is commonplace in the world of mortal Cultivating Immortality. If you get a lead on some treasure, even if you utter half a word to someone else, you¡¯ll be lambasted by a swarm of readers-after all, everyone wants to see the protagonist reap the benefits alone. Thinking about it that way isn¡¯t wrong, it¡¯s just that Junior Brother Qiu didn¡¯t have the strength to deal with the dangers in the relic on his own. Since he went there alone, if he encountered danger, there would be no one to help him. Thinking this, Qiu Changtian stood up, intending to check the Scripture Scroll borrowing records in the Scriptural Repository recently. When Elder Xu was here, although there was a notebook for borrowing records in the Scriptural Repository, almost no one conscientiously registered. Fortunately, Qiu Changtian was meticulous (after all, can a spy afford not to be?), so if a Foundation Establishment Realm disciple wanted to borrow scriptures to take outside, they would definitely have to leave their name and the title of the book, thus it was possible to find clues left by Junior Brother Qiu. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ???G?.?? After flipping through for a while, he stared at the Scripture Scroll, and his eyebrows furrowed slightly. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Xu Yinglian asked curiously, ¡°Is there no record?¡± ¡°No,¡± Qiu Changtian shook his head, speaking with a puzzled expression, ¡°Half a month ago, Junior Brother Qiu has been repeatedly borrowing a certain book.¡± ¡°According to the rules of the Scriptural Repository, disciples at the Foundation Establishment Realm can only borrow the ancient tomes for three days, after which they must return or renew the borrowing.¡± ¡°Junior Brother Qiu has registered five times, which is to say, he renewed the borrowing five times.¡± ¡°Five times?¡± Xu Yinglian also became surprised, ¡°Which book was it?¡± ¡°The title is¡­¡± Qiu Changtian hesitated for a moment, ¡°Mirror Flower Water Moon Record.¡± ¡°Mirror Flower Water Moon Record?¡± Xu Yinglian let out an ¡®oh¡¯, ¡°I have seen it before at the Xu Family, it is but a fictional travelogue of immortals, posing as a novel.¡± ¡°However, this book is not a rare edition or a sole copy. You can buy one in the market for twelve copper coins, so why did Junior Brother Qiu need to come here to borrow it five times in a row?¡± ¡°There must be something strange about this,¡± said Qiu Changtian with a grave voice, ¡°Looking at this record, Junior Brother Qiu hasn¡¯t borrowed it again after returning the book the last time.¡± ¡°That means the Mirror Flower Water Moon Record must still be in the Scriptural Repository,¡± Xu Yinglian said with a faint smile. ¡°Would Junior Sister like to go there with me to have a look?¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Chapter 509 Chapter 509: Chapter 35: Thunderbane Subdues the Sea, Malevolent Qi Invades the Clouds Chapter 509: Chapter 35: Thunderbane Subdues the Sea, Malevolent Qi Invades the Clouds Within the Scriptural Repository, Qiu Changtian found the Mirror Flower Water Moon Record. Returning to his seat, he laid the book flat alongside Junior Sister Xu before carefully flipping it open. The pages were slightly yellowed with age, and the ink had grown dull and faded, evidently time-worn. Xu Yinglian skimmed through the book from beginning to end at breakneck speed, then shook her head in confusion: ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong, are you sure the one borrowed by Junior Brother Qiu was this one?¡± ¡°In the Scriptural Repository, none of the miscellaneous books have spare copies, there¡¯s only this sole edition of the Mirror Flower Water Moon Record,¡± Qiu Changtian replied. He pulled the book toward himself and called out: ¡°Ah Jing, scan!¡± After a long wait, Kunlun Mirror hesitantly said: ¡°Strange¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s strange?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a thread of space inside,¡± Kunlun Mirror responded. ¡°A space thread?¡± Qiu Changtian mused for a moment, then scolded, ¡°Ah Jing, speak human language. Don¡¯t talk in riddles.¡± ¡°To put it simply, if there are two separate spaces that aren¡¯t interconnected,¡± Kunlun Mirror didn¡¯t take offense and just explained, ¡°then the creatures in this space certainly wouldn¡¯t be able to enter the other one.¡± ¡°However, in most cases, two adjacent spaces often have many adhesions. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.Co For example, secret realms typically have entrances and exits-these passageways that grow from the edge of a space and stick to other spaces are what you¡¯d call ¡®threads,¡¯ like the thread used to sew different pieces of cloth together in clothing.¡± ¡°So what you¡¯re saying is¡­¡± ¡°I suppose your Junior Brother Qiu must have inadvertently touched a space thread using some method,¡± Kunlun Mirror conjectured. ¡°And then he traveled through?¡± Qiu Changtian asked in astonishment. ¡°Roughly, that¡¯s the idea,¡± Kunlun Mirror answered, ¡°Pulled by the thread, he crossed over to the opposite space.¡± ¡°The space on the opposite side is?¡± ¡°Unclear, it¡¯s a vast Dwelling Cave Heaven.¡± After contemplating for a moment, Qiu Changtian turned to Xu Yinglian and said: ¡°There¡¯s a Dwelling Cave Heaven inside this book.¡± ¡°How do you know that?¡± Xu Yinglian¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief as she asked. ¡°Let¡¯s not dwell on that for now,¡± Qiu Changtian smiled and asked, ¡°Junior Sister, shall we go in?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t forget, Junior Brother Qiu is a Refining Mansion tier disciple. The likelihood is high that a Dwelling Cave Heaven he¡¯d explore alone, hiding from everyone, could contain Purple Mansion Secret Medicine.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Xu Yinglian immediately felt tempted, ¡°But how do we get in?¡± ¡°Allow me to check again,¡± Qiu Changtian said with self-assured ease, then turned to ask Kunlun Mirror: ¡°Ah Jing, how do we get to that Dwelling Cave Heaven?¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s simple,¡± Kunlun Mirror said nonchalantly, ¡°I¡¯ll handle it.¡± No sooner had the words fallen then the two felt the world spinning, and they found themselves in a strange new world. Below appeared to be an island, surrounded by an endless ocean. Above them were layers of dark clouds, which looked like tribulation clouds but lacked the ominous atmosphere that filled heaven and earth; they seemed to be just ordinary cumulonimbus clouds. Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian exchanged glances, then quickly descended towards the island below. In the middle of the island was a sizeable town, with houses closely packed together, roughly estimated to house a thousand or so families. At that moment, the residents were gathered in the town center, indignantly yelling at the town head. Scores of armed guards wielding long spears were driving the residents apart with menacing intent, forcefully sending them back to their homes. Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian descended from their sword light in the middle of the town. The surrounding guards immediately showed expressions as if facing a formidable enemy and rushed over with their long spears. ¡°Wait, stop everyone!¡± The mayor hurriedly called the guards to a halt and then cautiously approached, cupping his hands together and saying, ¡°We have the honor of meeting two immortals.¡± ¡°You are excused from formalities,¡± Qiu Changtian said kindly. ¡°Let me ask you, have you seen a cultivator like this?¡± He described Junior Brother Qiu¡¯s appearance and attire briefly, and the mayor immediately nodded and said: ¡°Seen, I¡¯ve seen! That immortal said he was going to help us with the Thunderbane issue. After obtaining a Lightning Avoidance Pill, he charged straight into the thunderclouds.¡± ¡°Thunderbane?¡± Xu Yinglian asked in surprise. ¡°This place isn¡¯t very safe,¡± the mayor said, eyeing the accumulating rain clouds above with a look of dread. ¡°Please, immortals, follow me. Allow me to explain shortly.¡± He ordered the soldiers to return to their posts and then led the two back to his house. After closing the door, he called for his wife to pour tea for the guests. ¡°It¡¯s best that you immortals become informed,¡± the mayor said with a worried face. ¡°You¡¯ve seen the thunderclouds above us, haven¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Qiu Changtian nodded slightly. ¡°Our town is called ¡®Thunderbane Town¡¯. According to records left in the town, that thundercloud above is called the ¡®Malevolent Tribulation Cloud¡¯, formed from the malevolent qi gathered after people die,¡± the mayor sighed faintly. ¡°About every hundred years or so, it descends over the island.¡± ¡°When the Malevolent Tribulation Cloud looms above, everyone must stay indoors and not be out in the open, otherwise, there¡¯s a certain chance of getting struck dead by Thunderbane.¡± ¡°That¡¯s odd,¡± Qiu Changtian mused. As a practitioner of the Five Thunder True Law, he knew that such tribulation lightning clouds typically target something in particular. They were meant to strike that specific target. The kind of indiscriminate, wide-ranging, random killing thundercloud the mayor spoke of was something he had never heard of before¡­ However, considering it was condensed from malevolent qi, it might very well be a demon with its own spiritual wisdom. ¡°In that case, why were those residents gathered outside just now?¡± Xu Yinglian wondered aloud. ¡°Alas,¡± the mayor said dejectedly. ¡°Once the Malevolent Tribulation Cloud arrives, it stays above the island for an unknown period. If short, a few days; at its longest, it could persist for months.¡± ¡°Initially, the cloud wouldn¡¯t be active, but if the lightning killed anyone, the cloud would grow a bit stronger, and its duration would correspondingly extend.¡± ¡°If around thirty to forty people perished, the tribulation cloud would envelop the entire island, turning day into night, and it would remain for at least half a year. By then, every family would face destruction!¡± ¡°Therefore, following the ancestors¡¯ instructions, I strictly ordered the townspeople to stay inside their homes and not to go out until the tribulation cloud had dispersed, yet¡­¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Xu Yinglian, being clever, immediately understood. ¡°Among the residents, there¡¯s a disparity between the rich and the poor. If they can¡¯t go out to farm or fish, the rich may endure for months, but the poor would run out of food in just a few days.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± the mayor replied with a heavy sigh. ¡°I¡¯ve already spoken with the wealthier families, hoping they could share some food to aid the poor.¡± Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian exchanged glances, both sighing inwardly. The joys and sorrows of people are hard to transmit to one another. In times of natural disaster, it¡¯s already fortunate if the rich don¡¯t hike up prices for grains, let alone give it out for free. ¡°Luckily, at that time, the immortal you two are searching for suddenly appeared, saying he wanted to rid the town of the Malevolent Tribulation Cloud in the sky,¡± the mayor carefully stated. ???G?.?? ¡°Following the ancestors¡¯ instructions, I gave him one of the Lightning Avoidance Pills left by our ancestors. Then that immortal turned into a streak of sword light and flew into the tribulation cloud to cast his spells.¡± ¡°And then?¡± Xu Yinglian continued to inquire. ¡°And then, after that¡­ the immortal disappeared without a trace,¡± the mayor said with a troubled look. While his demeanor seemed quite natural, Xu Yinglian possessed the Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart and immediately sensed a trace of deceit. She angrily demanded: ¡°You¡¯re hiding something! Confess at once!!!¡± Startled, the mayor shivered and immediately knelt down, pleading: ¡°It has nothing to do with me! Your excellency, please discern the truth, I had issued strict commands, but still, six or seven troublemakers in town disregarded the ban and sneaked out to sea after the immortal charged into the Malevolent Tribulation Cloud!¡± ¡°Later, when the cloud struck one of them dead, the remaining five or six frantically fled back to town. I immediately knew something was wrong, only to find that the tribulation cloud in the sky had grown significantly larger, and the sword light within was gradually running out of strength, eventually dimming down¡­ It seems the immortal was harmed by the cloud, but it was not my doing; I was simply powerless!¡± The mayor was crying and hiccoughing as he spoke, his voice choked with sobs. Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian exchanged another glance, their expressions growing more complex. As for Junior Brother Qiu¡­ Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only what to say? He really was unfortunate. At the critical moment of his magical battle with the tribulation cloud, he happened to encounter villagers secretly going out to sea. The lightning killed one, causing the tribulation cloud to grow stronger. It was this bit of strength that was the straw that broke the camel¡¯s back, leading to his tragic demise, a victim of misfortune. Chapter 510 Chapter 510: Chapter 36: Senior Brother Is Enlightened, Junior Sister Loses Her Cool Chapter 510: Chapter 36: Senior Brother Is Enlightened, Junior Sister Loses Her Cool Xu Yinglian instructed the village chief to bring the fishermen who had previously caused the death of Junior Brother Qiu. Like one who had received a royal pardon, the village chief dutifully left to carry out the command, and Qiu Changtian sighed as he asked, ¡°Junior Sister, what do you plan to do with those people?¡± ¡°Naturally, kill them,¡± Xu Yinglian said gravely. ¡°Oh?¡± Qiu Changtian was slightly puzzled, ¡°I would think those men had no choice, after all, who would risk going out to fish if they had enough food at home?¡± ¡°I am well aware of what you mean, Senior Brother,¡± Xu Yinglian replied steadily, ¡°But consider this scenario: imagine you are entangled in a mountainous fight with a Demon Cult Cultivator. Just then, a hunter nearby, hunting in the outskirts of the forest, mistakes your silhouette for a white deer and shoots an arrow into your back. ???G0.?? In that instant, you are distracted, and the Demon Cult Cultivator seizes the opportunity to wound you, destroying much of your lifelong cultivation and forcing you to flee in defeat.¡± ¡°Afterwards, if you found the hunter who hurt you by mistake, how would you deal with him?¡± Qiu Changtian could only give a helpless, bitter smile, having understood his Junior Sister¡¯s point: According to Junior Sister¡¯s hypothetical scenario, even though that hunter certainly did not intend any harm, the cultivation of a hundred years of hard work was destroyed because of him! Not to kill the hunter and his entire family in vengeance would already be showing restraint. It had nothing to do with whether it was the Orthodox Sect or the Demon Cult, it was simply that the loss was too great. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site If the hatred was not vented, it would inevitably lead to the creation of a Heart Demon. ¡°In the actions of us in the Orthodox Sect, what we seek are the two words ¡®compassion¡¯ and ¡®reason,''¡± Xu Yinglian declared firmly. ¡°Those fishermen, for the sake of their own livelihoods, went out to sea without permission, and their situation is pitiable; however, the fact that they killed a person of Kunlun is undeniable, and for that, they cannot be spared!¡± ¡°By executing them, we avenge our fellow Kunlun disciples, which fulfills the principle of ¡®reason.¡¯ By explaining the facts to them before the act, ensuring their wives and children are not implicated, we fulfill the principle of ¡®compassion.¡¯ ¡°Both compassionate and reasonable, without exceeding the bounds, that is the way of the righteous.¡± ¡°Junior Sister speaks the utmost truth; Senior Brother has learned a lesson,¡± Qiu Changtian murmured thoughtfully, genuinely enlightened. In these exchanges, he recognized how Xu Yinglian¡¯s ¡°ancient mindset¡± and his own ¡°modern mindset¡± had many significant differences. Modern people prioritize ¡°human-oriented¡± values, accustomed to cloaking everything in warm human consideration, such that even when contemplating how to deal with those fishermen, someone with great determination, wisdom, and resolution like himself would inadvertently empathize with the other party, unintentionally taking their side. Junior Sister Xu¡¯s logic was far simpler and clearer: You unintentionally killed someone from Kunlun; you must pay with your life. As for whether you have your own difficulties, that¡¯s a separate matter. One thing at a time, no matter the difficulties, death is the consequence. All must die! This brought to mind the so-called ¡°dilemma of slaughtering a city¡± for Qiu Changtian. The ¡°dilemma of slaughtering a city¡± refers to the situation when an enemy army is outside the city. If you organize the residents to resist, there are two outcomes: if you successfully defend, then all is well; if you fail, the city will likely be massacred; But if you choose not to resist, while the chance of a city-wide massacre decreases, the residents inside must resign themselves to their fate, suffering losses somewhere between ¡°successful defense¡± and ¡°massacre by the enemy forces.¡± The reason it is called the ¡°dilemma of slaughtering a city¡± is that faced with this challenge, any human group will inevitably split into two factions: those in favour of ¡®surrender¡¯ and those in favour of ¡®fighting.¡¯ Since the outcome of choosing to fight is highly uncertain, and humans inherently despise risk, the more peaceful the times, the more people with fragile wills, and accordingly, the more who choose surrender. As a person who had time-traveled, Qiu Changtian, although burdened with the heavy mission of a Savior, already possessed much steadier determination than most. Yet, traces of modern thought still lingered in him. In contrast, if Junior Sister Xu faced the same dilemma of slaughtering a city, she would likely forcefully take control of all those favoring surrender and compel them to defend the city¡¯s walls in battle. The rational thinking of ancient people still has much to offer! Indeed, I should learn earnestly from Junior Sister Xu. I must study her extremely rational thinking, so that when the time comes to fight for the fragments of the Heaven-Mending Stone, I must be cold and decisive in my actions, and absolutely not swayed by romantic feelings! ¡°Sigh.¡± Deep in his mind, the Kunlun Mirror let out an almost imperceptible sigh, careful not to let Qiu Changtian hear. The Green Duckweed Sword did hear it, however, and also sighed softly. ¡°What are you sighing about?¡± the Kunlun Mirror asked with a frown. ¡°I am reminded of sad things,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword replied with seeming importance, ¡°What about you, why do you sigh?¡± ¡°I too am reminded of sad things,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said somberly, silently reviewing the plan of how the Heaven-Mender would backstab Chen Guanshui, pushing him into the Asura battlefield, from start to finish once again in its mind. On the other side, the village chief, in a bid to save his own life, quickly captured those few fishermen and dragged them over, kneeling and kowtowing non-stop. Xu Yinglian rose with her sword, explained to the five kneeling fishermen the reason they were to be killed, and promised not to harm their families, even ensuring that food would be left for them. Among the five fishermen, three collapsed on the ground trembling, one wept and thanked her, while another¡¯s expression shifted unpredictably and suddenly lunged at her, only to be beheaded by Xu Yinglian with a single sword stroke. As the Sword Light moved, the remaining four fishermen were also pierced through the heart and died instantly, yet were left with intact corpses. ¡°Keep the bodies of these five men temporarily in your possession,¡± Qiu Changtian instructed the village chief, ¡°Once we have dealt with the levying clouds above, you can bury them.¡± The village chief dared not refuse and could only comply with a bitter face. Qiu Changtian then asked the village chief to fetch two Lightning Avoidance Pills from the back house, which were black, round elixirs. When held in the mouth, they could reduce the damage from Thunderbane. These were merely common pills; if faced with Heavenly Tribulation lightning, they would be useless-as one would die instantly upon being struck. But the ominous levying clouds above clearly would not possess the intensity of the Core Condensing Celestial Tribulation, so using the Lightning Avoidance Pills could enhance safety somewhat. The two left the village chief¡¯s mansion and flew up with Sword Control, only to see the dark clouds churning in the sky, though no lightning seemed to be falling. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°If lightning would fall every time someone stepped outside, which mortal would dare to risk going out?¡± Xu Yinglian casually remarked, ¡°It is precisely because it¡¯s uncertain whether one will die that people harbor more foolish hope for luck.¡± ¡°In the art of war, there are also instances like ¡®Leave an outlet in encirclement¡¯, ¡®Burn one¡¯s boats¡¯, and ¡®Fight with one¡¯s back to the river¡¯, all of which exploit the weaknesses in human nature.¡± ¡°Senior Brother, on the path of cultivation, one must be ever vigilant about the flaws in one¡¯s nature.¡± I just paid you a few compliments, are you addicted to giving sermons now? Qiu Changtian internally rolled his eyes without a word, but said aloud: ¡°Well taken. Junior Sister, please step back and let me handle these levying clouds.¡± Levying clouds that could fight Refining Mansion-ranked Junior Brother Qiu to a stalemate were evidently no match for Golden Core Realm¡¯s Qiu Changtian. But, just to be on the safe side, he still took out Thor¡¯s Hammer and Thor¡¯s Awl and activated a certain degree of True Yuan to summon the Tai Xiao Thunder. Silver-white Thunder Light danced at the tip of the awl, quickly coalescing into a giant dragon that plunged straight into the turbulent clouds above! Chapter 511 Chapter 511: Chapter 37: Dianmu pours gold, Changgeng retrieves the treasure Chapter 511: Chapter 37: Dianmu pours gold, Changgeng retrieves the treasure The Tai Xiao Thunder shaped Divine Dragon charged into the evil aura miasma clouds. Qiu Changtian, after condensing his Golden Core, had True Yuan that was incomparably more potent than during his tribulation-how many times stronger, he did not know. Therefore, the Thunder Dragon easily tore through the defenses of the evil aura miasma clouds, wreaking havoc within. Suddenly, with swift eyes and hands, Qiu Changtian raised his arm, and the Tianyuan Yiqi Sword shot out, bringing back an item from the miasma clouds. It was a set of Kunlun Disciple¡¯s attire, complete with a Storage Bag still properly tied at the waist, though stained with plenty of blood. ¡°There are traces of evil aura lingering in the blood,¡± said the Kunlun Mirror. ¡°It seems this is not a case of self-harm to fake death but a true injury caused by evil aura.¡± ¡°Tsk tsk,¡± Qiu Changtian expressed his condolence. As a Golden Core True Person, he had not gone all out when releasing the Tai Xiao Thunder Divine Dragon, mainly because he feared that the evil aura miasma clouds would be directly torn apart. As the battle between the Thunder Dragon and the miasma clouds became more fierce, the sky was filled with flashing lightning and thunderous roars. Xu Yinglian stood in the slightly lower sky, standing upon her sword, thinking to herself that her Martial Brother had only used one move, and it had nearly rendered the tribulation clouds defenseless. As expected of a Golden Core True Person¡­ No, that¡¯s not right, probably only Martial Brother could achieve this. I must hasten to reach Core Formation as well. wuxiaworld.site As the tribulation clouds gradually fell into a disadvantage, their area had already shrunk by more than half. ¡°Pay attention, it¡¯s trying to escape!¡± the Kunlun Mirror suddenly warned. Qiu Changtian¡¯s expression turned stern, trying to escape? Suddenly, the miasma clouds charged toward the south. Qiu Changtian casually raised his arm and released a Supreme Jasper Spiritual Talisman. Supported by his potent True Yuan, the speed of the talisman was comparable to Sword Light, swiftly penetrating the evil aura miasma clouds. The latter almost immediately came to a halt and then, without any power to counterattack, was torn apart by the Tai Xiao Thunder shaped Divine Dragon. Sunlight shone down once again, the evil aura miasma clouds had dissipated into nothingness, leaving only a crystal-clear object behind. The Tianyuan Yiqi Sword turned into Sword Light, sweeping the object toward him. Qiu Changtian looked intently and found it to be a long strip of exquisite jade, roughly the size of a palm, with flowing, liquid-like lightning within. Despite his extensive knowledge, he did not recognize it at that moment. ¡°This should be the Essence of Electro-Metal Flow,¡± said the Qing Ping Sword out of the blue. ¡°Taking it would enhance one¡¯s Refining Mansion Cultivation by thirty years.¡± ¡°However, its greatest benefit is not the increase in Refining Mansion Cultivation but its resistance to Heavenly Thunder¡­ it is said that a mortal who consumes it will not be struck by Heavenly Thunder.¡± ¡°Of course, being immune to thunder punishment is an exaggerated claim; its actual effect should make the body less susceptible to damage from the assault of Thunder Methods.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Qiu Changtian pondered. ¡°So if Junior Sister Xu ate this thing, she wouldn¡¯t be afraid of my Five Thunder True Law anymore¡­ Nevermind, she¡¯s one of our own and wouldn¡¯t oppose me anyway.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± the Kunlun Mirror calmly stated. Qiu Changtian tossed the jade to Xu Yinglian, saying, ¡°This is the ¡®Essence of Electro-Metal Flow¡¯¡­¡± He then repeated the Qing Ping Sword¡¯s explanation, albeit omitting the mention of its effect in resisting lightning. Xu Yinglian stared silently at the exquisite jade in her hand, thinking to herself that her Martial Brother was indeed knowledgeable and well-read. Even though she considered herself widely read, she was unable to recognize the origin of this object. However, as this object was a secret medicine of the Purple Mansion, it was useless to her Martial Brother and rightfully given to her. With that thought, Junior Sister Xu no longer demurred and consumed the Essence of Electro-Metal Flow. The exquisite jade turned into a spicy liquid as soon as it entered Xu Yinglian¡¯s mouth, flowing swiftly down her throat and into her Qi Sea, where lightning spread to her limbs and bones, making her bone crystal-clear and her body translucent, and her Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart even more radiant. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Qiu Changtian said with a smile. ¡°We¡¯re leaving this place.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Xu Yinglian nodded. The Kunlun Mirror then displayed its divine skills, transporting the two of them out of the cave heaven within the book. When Qiu Changtian looked at the book again, he saw that a small section of text had appeared on the originally blank last page: ¡°The next day, a Kunlun Cultivator arrived at Thunder Punishment Island. Hearing of the island¡¯s vile qi and the century-bound calamitous clouds causing terror among the townspeople¡­¡± With just over a hundred characters, the text succinctly detailed the actions of Qiu Changtian¡¯s Junior Brother since entering the cave heaven, up to his death amidst the tribulation clouds. The book then mentioned ¡°two Kunlun Cultivators sought him,¡± including both Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian in its narrative. The story concluded with the resolution of the calamitous clouds. ¡°This book really is a strange object,¡± Xu Yinglian remarked thoughtfully. ¡°So, the stories recorded before, are they all about the true events that happened to the cultivator predecessors who entered the book¡¯s cave heaven?¡± ¡°Perhaps,¡± Qiu Changtian said earnestly. ¡°I need to report this to Master. As for the clothing and relics of Qiu Junior Brother, please deliver them to the sect of Junior Sister Su Ling.¡± ¡°Certainly.¡± Xu Yinglian had no objections and nodded in agreement. Qiu Changtian swiftly left the Scriptural Repository and flew towards the Jade Void Palace by controlling his sword. Having reached the Scripture Lecture Hall and recounted everything to the Ziwei Master, the latter also opened his eyes with keen interest. ???G?.?? With a mere wave of his horsetail whisk, he drew the ¡°Mirror Flower Water Moon Record¡± from Qiu Changtian¡¯s hand and patiently began to flip through it. ¡°This is a curious item from the Confucianism Cult,¡± Ziwei Master chuckled. ¡°But certainly not an item from our Daoist sect.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Qiu Changtian said, nodding. So it turned out to be a Human Cult¡¯s plaything, no wonder its secret realm was so peculiar, even carrying its own plot and philosophical inquiries, which were completely different from our Daoist sect¡¯s cave heavens. ¡°In any case, you¡¯ve done well this time,¡± Ziwei Master nodded. ¡°As a reward, go to Fenbao Rock and choose an item. It will be combined with the reward for your first place in the White Jade Capital¡¯s competition.¡± Swinging his horsetail whisk again, his lips moved slightly, sending out a silent secret message that headed straight to Fenbao Rock. Qiu Changtian bid farewell and left. Speaking of which, the last time he visited Fenbao Rock was to borrow the ¡°Yunlang Frost Ice Pot¡± for his tribulation. At that time, Master had said that the Yunlang Frost Ice Pot was only lent temporarily, and if it was damaged during the Heavenly Tribulation, it would count as a compensation for the first prize of the White Jade Capital¡¯s competition. If it remained intact, he could return it and select another reward afterward. When Qiu Changtian returned from his tribulation, although the Yunlang Frost Ice Pot was not damaged, the Yunlang Frost Ice inside had been completely used up, making it impossible to use again for quite some time. He wasn¡¯t sure whether this counted as ¡°intact¡± or not, so he returned it to Elder Ge at Fenbao Rock, making no mention of selecting another reward. After all, Master would not let him suffer. By choosing to maintain face, Master would inevitably come through with substantial benefits later. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Sure enough, with Ziwei Master bringing up the matter again, it provided a legitimate reason for him to choose another treasure. Upon arriving at Fenbao Rock, Qiu Changtian saw Elder Ge pacing back and forth. Seeing Qiu Changtian¡¯s arrival, he immediately came forward and said: ¡°Changgeng, I heard that you found the Confucianism Cult¡¯s ¡®Thousand Illusions Eccentric Record¡¯ in the Scriptural Repository?¡± What, wasn¡¯t it the ¡°Mirror Flower Water Moon Record¡±? Qiu Changtian was briefly taken aback, then realized that the name was clearly a pseudonym, and nodded in admission: ¡°Indeed.¡± ¡°Excellent, excellent.¡± Ge Changlao¡¯s face lit up with joy as he said excitedly, ¡°Hurry, follow me to choose a treasure! After you¡¯ve selected it, I must visit the Jade Void Palace to properly experience that Confucian treasure!¡± Chapter 512 Chapter 512: Chapter 38 Ying Lian¡¯s Tribulation, Senior Brother Protector Chapter 512: Chapter 38 Ying Lian¡¯s Tribulation, Senior Brother Protector ¡°Changgeng, what type of treasures are you planning to request this time?¡± Elder Ge asked straightforwardly. Qiu Changtian already had a clear idea and replied: ¡°I need a defensive magical treasure and one that enables large-area attacks.¡± The reasoning is quite straightforward, as Qiu Changtian currently possesses a robust and abundant True Yuan, along with the Five Thunder True Law and the Tianyuan Yiqi Sword in hand, his ability for single-target breakthrough attacks is almost maxed out. However, on the flip side, there are notable deficiencies in defense, area attacks, and escape capabilities-simply because his own strength is outrageously high, most enemies faced by him can¡¯t even retaliate before being obliterated by him, and thus these shortcomings haven¡¯t been revealed. Since Qiu Changtian needs to maintain his invincible character setting, fleeing is out of the question. When it comes to truly critical moments, he can only fall back on Ah Jing. Therefore, what he currently needs to focus on improving are his abilities for self-defense and area attacks. For defensive magical treasures, like the Yunlang Frost Ice Pot he used to overcome tribulation previously, the requirement is that it can withstand large-scale Daoist magic attacks from enemies. For large-area attack treasures, like Xu Yinglian¡¯s Great Bright Fire, the requirements are for rapid deployment, tremendous range, with the added bonus of providing isolation effects for sound, light, aura, or even Divine Sense. As for the consumption of True Yuan, as long as the power is strong and appropriate, it¡¯s not a problem. ¡°Hmm,¡± Elder Ge pondered for a moment before proceeding into the inner hall. Shortly after, he returned with two magical treasures. One was a mist-like veil named the ¡°Taiqing Yuanqi Smoke Haze,¡± capable of weakening any attacks passing through it, including physical attacks like flying swords, as well as Daoist magic such as the Great Bright Fire. wuxiaworld.site At first glance, it seemed like an enhanced upgrade of the Green Duckweed Sword¡¯s ¡°Green Mist Veil Over the Mountains,¡± but it couldn¡¯t completely block physical attacks-only slow them down. The other was a jade flute, named the ¡°Tide Pushing Wave Flute,¡± which could generate waves of sound when True Yuan was infused into it and played, pushing away everything in the surroundings outward. More importantly, the sound waves generated by this flute were not classified under the Five Elements, thus making them nearly impossible to be specifically countered or restrained by any means. Qiu Changtian was quite satisfied with these two magical treasures. He had already envisioned that in the future, when it was time to make an entrance, he would don the Taiqing Yuanqi Smoke Haze and wield the Tide Pushing Wave Flute, gracefully arriving amidst the clear notes of the flute. If an enemy shot flying swords at him, they would be slowed down as they entered the Taiqing Yuanqi Smoke Haze, then kept at bay by the waves of sound from the Tide Pushing Wave Flute, never getting close to him¡­ To onlookers, it would appear that Qiu Changtian is standing there, doing nothing as they attack, yet they couldn¡¯t even touch an inch of his clothes. Excellent! Just like that! After receiving the two magical treasures, Elder Ge promptly locked Fenbao Rock and then hurried toward the Jade Void Palace. On Qiu Changtian¡¯s side, he leisurely returned to Golden Ridge on his flying sword and met with Junior Sister Xu, who had returned to the cave residence, to inquire about the situation with True Person Su Ling. ¡°Elder Lingbao has taken over from Junior Brother Qiu¡¯s mantle,¡± Xu Yinglian sighed, ¡°Alas, it¡¯s said that the elder originally had high hopes for Junior Brother Qiu, planning to designate him as the heir to the Daoist lineage after his Core Formation¡­ Who would have thought he would perish in that hidden heavenly realm within the book.¡± ¡°They say, among the reasons for the deaths of Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators in Kunlun over the years, half die from Core Condensing Celestial Tribulation, and four-tenths from exploring secret realms,¡± Qiu Changtian also lamented, ¡°Those who actually fall during magical combats with opposing cultivators don¡¯t even make up a tenth.¡± ¡°In the end, it¡¯s still due to a lack of self-awareness,¡± Xu Yinglian shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m going to refine the power of the elixir, and then prepare to face the tribulation.¡± ¡°Brother, you¡­ will protect me during the tribulation, right?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Qiu Changtian said with a smile. One month later, Xu Yinglian faced her tribulation as scheduled in the Extreme West. Kunlun¡¯s faction not only deployed three elders (all adept in emergency healing Daoist magic) but Ziwei Master himself was present on site; they even invited Elder Shi Ding from Penglai to lay out the formation. Sitting atop the mountain range, Qiu Changtian watched the heavy tribulation clouds press down in the distance and couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit bored. If one describes the experience of his own first tribulation as ¡°Thrilling! Perilous!¡±; and the second time watching Long Hu undergo tribulation as ¡°A bit nervous, slightly worried¡±¡­ Then the third time watching Junior Sister Xu face tribulation, he thought, ¡°With such a rubbish Heavenly Tribulation, Junior Sister could use her head to block it successfully.¡± Xu Yinglian was forming a Second Grade Golden Core, and her tribulation type included the Five Elements Tribulation plus the Heart Devil Tribulation. The Five Elements Tribulation Lightning is considered one of the most lethal among all heavenly tribulations, as it can counter almost any Daoist magic or magical treasure unless it is outside the scope of the Five Elements. To counter the Five Elements Tribulation, one must possess at least three sufficiently powerful types of attacks within the Five Elements¡­for regular cultivators, where would they acquire so many Daoist formulas, magical treasures, or flying swords? But for direct disciples like Xu Yinglian, with the right Cultivation Realm and resources, none of it is a problem. Xu Yinglian first used the Supreme Jasper Spiritual Talisman to freeze the water system tribulation lightning in the sky, then used the Shangyang Sword Qi of the Treasury to shatter them one by one. Next, when facing the earth system tribulation lightning, she took out Lei Gong¡¯s Hammer and Lei Gong¡¯s Awl, borrowed from Qiu Changtian, and summoned a Divine Dragon made of Tai Xiao Thunder in the sky, devouring the tribulation lightning entirely. The following wave was the wood system tribulation lightning. Xu Yinglian spewed the Great Bright Fire all over the sky, and before the lightning could strike, it was directly ignited and exploded by the Great Bright Fire. Then, the tribulation clouds spewed out a large amount of fire system tribulation lightning, and it turned out to be the Thunderbolt Bing Fire Thunder that Qiu Changtian had dealt with before, known for its tremendous lethality. This type of thunder not only had a huge blast radius, but the trickier part was that the energy aftermath of each tribulation lightning explosion would be absorbed by other Thunderbolt Bing Fire Thunders within the blast radius. As the battle progressed, it would result in the heavenly tribulation creating a super-giant tribulation lightning to utterly obliterate the target. In the face of the Thunderbolt Bing Fire Thunder, Xu Yinglian did not dare to be careless and immediately activated the formations she had previously laid out. Massive amounts of spiritual power flowed into her body. Xu Yinglian leapt into the sky, quickly forming a Daoist formula with her hands, and transformed into a phoenix composed of flames! The phoenix soared to the sky, its cries echoing across the Nine Heavens. As it swept past the Thunderbolt Bing Fire Thunders, it instantly ignited and detonated them. With the Thunderbolt Bing Fire Thunders exploding in succession, not only did the surrounding fire system tribulation lightning grow stronger, but the color of the flames that made up the phoenix itself became even more vivid and dazzling. Qiu Changtian could see clearly that the fire system phoenix formed by his junior sister was competing with the Thunderbolt Bing Fire Thunders for the fire system spiritual energy that was spreading through their surroundings! In the end, only a single Bing Fire Giant Thunder remained in the sky, spanning a radius of more than five hundred zhang. It was much smaller than the Bing Fire Giant Thunder Qiu Changtian had faced that day-nearly half of its energy had been preemptively plundered by Xu Yinglian, giving the impression that the tribulation lightning was somewhat malnourished. Qiu Changtian had shattered the thunder with the Five Elements Divine Light, but Junior Sister Xu, relying on her Phoenix True Blood, resolutely decided to directly confront the Bing Fire Giant Thunder in a head-on clash. With a thunderous explosion that shocked the heavens, the flaming phoenix cried out in grief and fell into the center of the formation, revealing Xu Yinglian¡¯s body covered with burn scars. The power of the Bing Fire Giant Thunder had exceeded Xu Yinglian¡¯s capacity for absorption, and the excess violent energy caused her severe injuries. Yet Xu Yinglian¡¯s fighting spirit remained undiminished. She silently wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth with the back of her hand and kept her gaze fixed on the tribulation clouds above. The tribulation clouds descended to the space just above the ground and suddenly, a giant dragon burst through the clouds, bearing its fangs and claws as it charged towards Xu Yinglian. This last wave of the Five Elements Tribulation Lightning was the Xuan Dragon True Metal Thunder. All the tribulation lightning gathered together to form the shape of a massive divine dragon. Such outrageously proportioned tribulation lightning was nearly impossible to defend against or evade by any means. The only method was to utterly destroy it! Xu Yinglian gritted her teeth and galvanized the True Yuan within her body, continuously compressing it in her chest¡¯s meridians before opening her eyes wide and spitting a very thin line of fire into the sky. Crimson Feather Nine Phoenix Fire! ???G?.?? Among the Five Elements, the fire system inherently overcomes the metal system, and Xu Yinglian¡¯s Phoenix Bloodline had already perfected the Crimson Feather Nine Phoenix Fire in preparation to counter her senior brother¡¯s Five Thunder True Law. The fire line was concentrated and unyielding, like a brilliant golden thread that swept directly across the body of the thunder and lightning golden dragon. With all her remaining strength, Xu Yinglian manoeuvred the fire, and the Crimson Feather Nine Phoenix Fire swiftly shuttled back and forth over the dragon three or four times in an instant, slicing the dragon into several sections and ultimately causing a colossal explosion. The clouds of tribulation slowly dispersed, and Qiu Changtian, the Ziwei Master, along with the other three Kunlun Elders, immediately rushed to Xu Yinglian¡¯s side to inquire about her condition. ¡°I have locked the Heart Demon in my Sea of Consciousness,¡± declared Xu Yinglian without concern for her burns, as she calmly swallowed an elixir and then settled down to meditate on the spot. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°I wish to eliminate the Heart Demon on my own, please forgive me, Master.¡± ¡°Good, good,¡± the Ziwei Master said twice in succession, turning to look at the three elders, ¡°Then we will trouble you.¡± ¡°We will certainly ensure your disciple¡¯s safety,¡± the three Kunlun Elders said in haste. Having undergone the Heavenly Tribulation, Xu Yinglian had secured her Second Grade Golden Core. Coupled with the Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart, her background in the Xu Family of Southern Heaven and being the Daoist Companion of Changgeng True Person, her future on the Dao was destined to shine brightly. Since it was just a matter of protection, the three Kunlun Elders were naturally happy to do Xu Yinglian this favor. Qiu Changtian sat down by Xu Yinglian¡¯s side, uttered not a single word, and merely nodded towards his master. Chapter 513 Chapter 513: Chapter 39: Po Yun Sword Immortal, The Tribulation Begins Chapter 513: Chapter 39: Po Yun Sword Immortal, The Tribulation Begins Several days later, Xu Yinglian officially resigned from her position as the Chief Disciple of the Foundation Establishment Realm, her Daoist name was ¡°Qiong Ying.¡± ¡°Qiong¡± refers to fine jade; ¡°Ying¡± means exceptional talent. The use of ¡°Qiong Ying¡± as a code name was, on one hand, an acknowledgment of Xu Yinglian¡¯s exceptional talents, and on the other hand, a hope that she would learn from the harmonic nature of jade to not be too aggressive and pressing. Being in possession of the Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart and having perused numerous scriptures, Xu Yinglian immediately understood her master¡¯s earnest expectations. Right then and there, she secretly resolved to closely follow in her senior brother¡¯s footsteps and not to follow her own whims with regard to other affairs. As for the position of Chief Disciple of the Foundation Establishment Realm, it fell to a certain senior brother after an unseen competition. This direct disciple, originally ranking third in cultivation level among all the Foundation Establishment Realm disciples of the Ziwei Master, behind Xu Changqing and Song He, suddenly received the chief position out of nowhere, much to his surprise and delight. Of course, for these two Golden Core True Persons, the position of Chief Disciple of the Foundation Establishment Realm was no longer of concern. As a newly minted Golden Core True Person, Xu Yinglian chose to join the Disciplinary Hall, where she began patrolling the Kunlun Mountain Range with impressive authority. She originally wanted to join the Border Patrol Hall, to fight against the Demon Cult on the frontlines, but it was well-known that a Second Grade Golden Core True Person on the frontlines would certainly be surrounded and killed off by Nascent Soul experts of the Demon Cult, hence the Ziwei Master directly vetoed it. On Qiu Changtian¡¯s side, he continued to lead a leisurely and simple life of cultivation in the Scriptural Repository. The Hell Path had originally promised to elevate Wei Dongliu into a giant of the Demonic Path, to contend against Qiu Changtian, the leader of the Orthodox Sect, in a competition. But before Wei Dongliu reached that status, Qiu Changtian had already willingly stepped down, which was quite amusing. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co Perhaps it¡¯s better to load a saved game! ¡°The Shushan line?¡± asked the Kunlun Mirror tentatively. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Qiu Changtian said, ¡°to help you recover the last fragment.¡± [Location Two: Shushan Shangqing Faction, Qingluo Peak.] [Character Identity: Ling Yunpo.] [Mirror Flower Water Moon Template overlay, time-space travel commencing.] Ling Yunpo, in the Daoist temple on Qingluo Peak, spent his days either buying wine for his senior sister or accompanying her in swordsmanship practice. About ten days passed in this way, and the fuss about Qiu Changtian becoming a First Grade Golden Core True Person had completely settled down in Shushan. The time had come. ¡°Senior Sister, I need to take a long trip,¡± Ling Yunpo lied. ¡°Where to?¡± An Zhisu asked in surprise. ¡°I met some fellow Daoists during the grand competition at White Jade Capital,¡± Ling Yunpo replied with a smile. ¡°I plan to travel with them for a few days. It¡¯s not for exploring secret realms, just to change my mood.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± An Zhisu nodded, standing up. ¡°I¡¯ll accompany you.¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Ling Yunpo said awkwardly, ¡°Senior Sister, I didn¡¯t mention to them that you would be coming with us.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± An Zhisu blinked. ¡°Can¡¯t we just talk about it after we meet them?¡± ¡°They are all male¡­¡± Ling Yunpo implored. ¡°Oh, you should have mentioned that earlier,¡± An Zhisu quietly sighed in relief. ¡°Since they¡¯re all male cultivators, it wouldn¡¯t be right for me to insist on coming along¡­ When will you be back?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s short, three days; if it¡¯s long, five days,¡± Ling Yunpo replied with a smile. After leaving, he would simply claim to have undergone the Heavenly Tribulation and formed a Third Grade Golden Core! The reason for falsely claiming to be Third Grade, of course, was also to feign weakness to his opponents. Due to the reputation of the Sentiment Inquiry Path, Qingluo Peak was already a source of envy within the Shushan Sect. If it were known that another Second Grade Golden Core cultivator from the Sentiment Inquiry Path had emerged, would it not invite even more hostility? After parting ways with Senior Sister An, Ling Yunpo took the Thunder Punishment Sword and the Myriad Bamboos Sword and left Qingluo Peak, soaring into the sky above the Shushan mountain range. ¡ª¨C Shushan is not just one mountain, but a collective name for an entire range of mountains. The main peak is Mount Emei, the residence of the lineage of the Jade Capital Sect Leader. The rest of the various peaks represent the bases for different swordsmanship sects. Unlike the hereditary transmission of the Kunlun Sect Leader¡¯s position, the next Sect Leader of Shushan is to be chosen from among the peak masters of the various peaks, with the specific selection method naturally being duels. Whoever wins the final position of Sect Leader gets to relocate their entire family to the main peak of Mount Emei. By contrast, the descendants of Jade Capital Sect Leader must move from the main peak of Emei back to their original peak. From this, it can be seen that, in terms of the Sect Leader position, the stronger the Shushan Sword Immortals, the better. But from the perspective of Sect Leader lineage, the stronger the Sword Immortals from the various peaks, the weaker one¡¯s own lineage will be in succession. Therefore, the Jade Capital Sect Leader had to both enhance the strength of all sect Sword Immortals as much as possible and restrict the excess strength of other peaks¡¯ Sword Immortals. The mystery within, naturally, Ling Yunpo was more than clear about: it depended on whether the target Sword Immortal was very strong or excessively strong. ?0?G0.?? If very strong, then provide support, showcasing the magnanimity of the Sect Leader. If excessively strong, definitely restrict them, to prevent a threat to one¡¯s own sect. However, for Qingluo Peak, there was a more serious issue. Qingluo Peak¡¯s teachings came from Qi Sha True Person Su Jian, who was the disciple most valued by Sect Guardian Immortal Long Eyebrow of Shushan-especially after the death of True Person Dao Yan. However, Su Jian had chosen the Sentiment Inquiry Path and was entangled with the bonds of a wife and daughter. In the eyes of Long Eyebrow Immortal, this was equivalent to tying one¡¯s own hands and feet on the path of cultivation. Su Jian, such an excellent Sword Immortal, chose to stay in the mundane world because of his wife, wasting decades of cultivation; And on his way back to the mountain, he was severely injured by an elder of the Asura Path while protecting his daughter, forcing him to shut himself in life or death seclusion to cling to life. All these were enough to prove that the Sentiment Inquiry Path was a malignant tumor! It was the Heart Demon that caused Su Jian to be distracted by mundane matters and unable to focus on cultivation! Had it been any other Shushan Sword Immortal who knew how to calculate advantages and disadvantages, who would let themselves fall into such a miserable state? Ling Yunpo could even be sure that, no matter how excellent he and An Zhisu were, in the heart of Long Eyebrow Immortal, they could not compare to Su Jian. The grudges or even hatred that various peaks had against Su Jian constituted the first layer. The intensely competitive environment among Shushan Sword Immortals and their instinct to overpower each other was the second layer. The disdain of the Sect Guardian Long Eyebrow Immortal for An Zhisu and Ling Yunpo, considering the former to be a burden on Su Jian and the latter potentially becoming one, was the third layer. These layered reasons led to a very bleak situation for Qingluo Peak within Shushan. Fortunately, due to Shushan¡¯s sect rules limiting infighting, they couldn¡¯t overtly go too far against Qingluo Peak. But if I were to form my Golden Core, even if I claimed it was only Third Grade, it would ultimately be High Grade. At that time, wouldn¡¯t it further intensify the problems of Qingluo Peak? Ling Yunpo, flying through the sky with Sword Control, quickly sorted through these thoughts in his mind. It definitely will! But I can¡¯t just forcefully hold back on forming the Golden Core because of this. If I don¡¯t announce my Core Formation, there are many things that Golden Core True Persons can do that I won¡¯t be able to! Moreover, if I always conceal it, and then do something more dangerous, like entering the Demon Locking Tower alone, it will certainly bring about more suspicion and jealousy. Forget it! We Sword Immortals must ultimately face difficult challenges head-on! This is a good opportunity to boost the Synchronization Value of the unyielding persona! With this in mind, Ling Yunpo spurred his Sword Light to fly towards the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau to the west. Arriving at the vast, unpopulated plateau, Ling Yunpo paused to ponder for a moment before taking out Thor¡¯s Hammer and Thor¡¯s Awl that he had brought with him. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Soon, earth-shaking thunder roared around him, even spreading to areas a thousand miles away. ¡°Is someone undergoing tribulation over there?¡± a few passing monks looked towards the distance but saw no traces of tribulation clouds. They were cultivators from the Asura Path, hearing the resounding thunder approach while nothing could be seen of tribulation clouds within visible distance, suggesting the site of the tribulation must be very far from here. In other words, the fact that the sound could reach beyond the limit of visual range indicated just how terrifying that heavenly tribulation must be? After exchanging glances, the monks quickly reached a consensus: Let¡¯s go have a look first! Chapter 514 Chapter 514: Chapter 40: The Eerie Blood Saber, Nearly Capsizing Chapter 514: Chapter 40: The Eerie Blood Saber, Nearly Capsizing Ling Yunpo halted his hand and looked at the ground around him, which was almost in complete disarray. After Core Formation, his True Yuan had also increased nearly a hundredfold. Originally, using Tai Xiao Thunder once would drain most of his True Yuan. Now, however, he could afford to squander it freely. ¡°Be careful, someone is approaching,¡± Kunlun Mirror suddenly warned. ¡°Got it.¡± Ling Yunpo turned around, and the Green Duckweed Sword suddenly sprang out, repelling the blood-colored Flying Sword that was attacking from a distance. Three monks quickly advanced to his front, and one was seen holding a skull mala, another wielding a blood-stained scimitar, while the last, bare-handed, had a familiar face-it was Gu Lie, the old monk who had previously explored the Mirror Lake Divine Palace in the Southern Border with Wei Dongliu. ¡°A Shushan Cultivator?¡± The mala monk asked, frowning. ¡°A Golden Core True Person!¡± The expression of the monk with the blood saber suddenly changed. ¡°Run!¡± Although Gu Lie was the last to speak up, he retreated faster than anyone else-because when he had dashed over earlier, he had intentionally lagged behind to let his two junior brothers lead the way. Ling Yunpo couldn¡¯t be bothered to say more; the Green Duckweed Sword shot towards the nearest mala monk. That monk quickly took the skull mala off his neck and hurled it towards him with force. The mala spun in the air, whistling like a vajra wheel, and suddenly looped towards the Green Duckweed Sword. Ling Yunpo changed his Sword technique, and his robust True Yuan surged violently into the Green Duckweed, suddenly activating the fourth level of Daoist Magic sealed within the sword. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co After ascending to the Soul Storing Rank of the Golden Core Realm, he could now employ the fourth level of Daoist Magic sealed within Green Duckweed Sword, which was called ¡°Chaotic Waterfall Piercing Cloud Ravine.¡± A massive amount of water burst out upon the blade of the Green Duckweed Sword, gushing out like a great waterfall in all directions. In an instant, it swept the skull mala to who knows where. Ling Yunpo flipped his palm, and immediately a sky full of snowflakes descended from the sky. The third level Daoist Magic on the Green Duckweed Sword, ¡°North Wind Rolls White Feathers.¡± Each snowflake was a sliver of Sword Qi. The vast amount of drifting Sword Qi nearly scared the three monks to the point of wetting themselves. Gu Lie reacted the fastest; he swallowed an Elixir, clapped his hands together, burrowed headfirst into the ground, and immediately disappeared from sight. Ling Yunpo watched clearly from behind: after swallowing the Elixir, a hump suddenly rose on his back, which must be the very rare ¡°mimicry of a mole fish¡± from the arcane arts-by consuming an Elixir containing the flesh and blood of a mole fish, one obtains temporary abilities of Earth Escape and underground breathing, thus able to evade a large number of attacks that cannot penetrate rock layers. As Gu Lie was the first to escape the combat, the other two monks immediately started cursing in rage. After all, a companion¡¯s death spares one¡¯s own; with one less person on the battlefield, the chances of the two being attacked significantly increased. Seeing his skull mala gone, the mala monk could only bellow in anger and spur on his Cultivation power recklessly. As his True Yuan surged, his figure suddenly expanded several zhang in height, transforming into an appearance with three heads and six arms, a form from the Asura Path called ¡°Immovable Ming King.¡± In his six arms, he wielded six different weapons, and before Ling Yunpo could make them out distinctly, they moved with lightning speed, chopping away the nearby snowflake Sword Qi one by one. The monk with the Blood Saber, seeing no way out, promptly raised the Blood Saber into the air, mumbling words under his breath. The Dharma Body of the Ming King with three heads and six arms, though appearing mighty, could not stand the sheer number of snowflake Sword Qi around him; in just a few breaths, it penetrated through the interception of the weapons and invaded inside. One blow, two blows, and then countless wounds opened one after another, causing the Ming King Dharma Body such pain that it wished for death, and finally revealed a weakness. The Green Duckweed Sword pierced through the throat with a single strike, sending three good heads spurting blood as they soared into the air. The monk with the Blood Saber, greatly alarmed, quickly pointed his hand towards Ling Yunpo, and the blood saber in the air suddenly vanished. Ling Yunpo¡¯s heart stirred, a sense of imminent danger overwhelming him, and he promptly executed the Cloud-Parting Eight Trigrams Step. As his figure disappeared from the spot, the Blood Saber flashed out from behind his afterimage, aiming for his heart-piercing nothing but air. If he had reacted any slower, he would have been struck immediately! Ling Yunpo¡¯s heart flared with rage, and his feet flickered in succession until he appeared beside the Green Duckweed Sword, grasping the hilt with one hand and spinning rapidly. Just as the Blood Saber reemerged from behind him, Ling Yunpo wielding the Green Duckweed Sword slashed down and ¡°ding¡± it broke into two pieces. As the Blood Saber was destroyed, the sorcerer monk spat out a mouthful of blood, clearly suffering from some sort of mystic backlash that transmitted along connected Qi, inflicting serious injury on the monk. Ling Yunpo then pointed his hand again, and the Thunder Punishment Sword shot out like lightning, piercing through the chest of the Blood Saber monk. The battle was over. Ling Yunpo looked at the two bodies, feeling rather frustrated. ???G?.?0 Having become a Golden Core True Person himself, fighting against two juniors of the Refining Mansion rank, he almost capsized in the gutter? Just what on earth was that Blood Saber! ¡°It seems to be some sort of Qi mechanism lock,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword analyzed, ¡°Do you know the Seven-Arrow Nail Head Scripture? This Blood Saber is a super simplified version of that, using a similar mechanism.¡± ¡°It also comes with short-distance spatial movement,¡± the Kunlun Mirror added, ¡°I should remind you, this Blood Saber does not seem to be an ordinary Magic Artifact.¡± ¡°Of course I know that!¡± Ling Yunpo said sullenly. It wasn¡¯t that he was boasting about himself, but it just so happened that they encountered him, a Golden Core True Person. If it had been any other Shushan True Person without information, and they were watched from afar by the Blood Saber monk, with the Blood Saber appearing behind them for a stab, wouldn¡¯t it be a certain death? No matter if you¡¯re Foundation Establishment or Golden Core, you couldn¡¯t save yourself! Ling Yunpo, after all, was skilled in Formation, and with Linghu Chu, his senior brother skilled in Sword Casting, he could confirm that within his current knowledge, he had never seen such a bizarre Magic Artifact as the Blood Saber¡­ If there were several more of such artifacts in possession of the Demon Cult¡¯s Six Paths, used exclusively to behead the righteous, there would be no need to fight a war between good and evil anymore! Carefully collecting the fragments of the Blood Saber, Ling Yunpo planned to analyze them later with Luo Yan-oh, his senior brother Linghu Chu had gone to face the Nascent Soul Heavenly Tribulation, so he would take them to Elder Shi Ding for study! Without hesitation, he took to the skies with Sword Control, flying swiftly in the direction of Shushan. Soon after, two dark clouds approached high above and descended around the bodies of the two monks. The bodies were surrounded by several vultures, nearly half-eaten already. Green lightning shot out from within the dark clouds, killing all of the vultures. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Gu Lie emerged from the dispersing black clouds, went over to the body of the Blood Saber monk, and swiftly checked his belongings. ¡°Great Reverend Master,¡± he said solemnly, handing over the Storage Bag, ¡°the Mysterious Responding Divine Saber is gone.¡± Another monk stepped out of the dark cloud, took the Storage Bag to check for a moment, and in a rage, cast out a green lightning bolt that brutally threw Gu Lie to the ground, his face splitting open with a large gash, drenched in blood. Gu Lie then clumsily got up and knelt on the ground, remaining silent. The monk tried to calm his fury and after a long while, he said: ¡°Describe that person¡¯s appearance, build, and the characteristics of his Cultivation Technique, one by one, to me.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Gu Lie promptly searched his memory and began to describe Ling Yunpo¡¯s appearance. At this moment, if An Zhisu were standing here, she would immediately recognize: The elderly monk with a face full of wrinkles and a sinister expression was none other than the Great Reverend Master of the Asura Path, Mo Kong, the ringleader who led the ambush against Su Jian years ago! Chapter 515 Chapter 515: Chapter 41 I Have Paid Much for My Senior Sister Chapter 515: Chapter 41 I Have Paid Much for My Senior Sister Ling Yunpo returned to Qingluo Peak. ¡°Senior Sister!¡± He searched the Daoist temple on Qingluo Peak but could not find An Zhisu. She must have either gone to buy wine or¡­ oh, right. Following the descending corridor, continuing downward, Ling Yunpo stepped into the secret chamber. In the secret chamber deep within Qingluo Peak, An Zhisu was kneeling on a meditation mat, babbling non-stop to her father about the recent events: ¡°¡­Master, Little Brother and the Taoist friends he met last time went out to relax.¡± ¡°Alas, although it¡¯s a good thing, I always feel a bit lost.¡± ¡°In this respect, I am after all not as smooth as Little Brother.¡± ¡°He surely won¡¯t despise me for this, right¡­¡± Behind the rock wall, stillness reigned in silence. ¡°Little Brother, have you returned?¡± Noticing the movement behind her, An Zhisu quickly stood up, her expression one of surprise¡­ and unease. The words she just said to Master, they hadn¡¯t all been overheard by Little Brother, had they? wuxiaworld.site ¡°Little Brother.¡± An Zhisu spoke softly, her expression even showing a rare bit of shyness, ¡°When did you come in?¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Ling Yunpo feigned ignorance, ¡°I¡¯ve been back for a long time now.¡± ¡°Then you, then you¡­¡± An Zhisu was at a loss for words, it took her a moment to shift the topic, ¡°How did you enjoy yourself outside?¡± This was not her usual swordsmanship practice-if she couldn¡¯t advance head-on, Senior Sister An would often choose to maneuver from the flanks to restrain the opponent, instead of directly fleeing. ¡°It was pretty good.¡± Ling Yunpo launched a major move, ¡°Senior Sister, I¡¯ve reached Core Formation.¡± An Zhisu: ????? ???G?.?0 The fleeing Senior Sister An was penetrated directly by her junior brother¡¯s Man-Sword Unity. It took her several minutes to digest this information before she finally said, incredulously: ¡°How could it be¡­ what grade of Golden Core did you form?¡± ¡°Upper Third Grade.¡± Ling Yunpo¡¯s eyes shone with firm resolution, his voice carrying three parts of tragic determination and seven parts of no regrets. Without hesitation, better to rack up good impressions first and discuss the rest later. ¡°High Grade Golden Core¡­¡± An Zhisu unwittingly let out a sigh of relief (since a High Grade Golden Core is the basic threshold for future Feather Transformation into a Golden Immortal), but then she felt a bit sad and pained. With Little Brother¡¯s talent and ability, he should have been able to form a Second Grade Golden Core. If he were lucky enough, even a First Grade Golden Core wouldn¡¯t be out of the question¡­ An Zhisu unconsciously ignored the difficulty of forming a First Grade Golden Core, her mind merely silently churning those thoughts that would seem ridiculous if spoken aloud, feeling as if her heart might sorrowfully contract into a tight ball, spasming endlessly. ¡°What about you, Senior Sister?¡± Ling Yunpo asked with a smile, ¡°How many years has it been since you reached the Refining Mansion Cultivation?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± An Zhisu fell silent for a moment, then said somberly, ¡°Almost three hundred years, I guess.¡± Mercurial Elixir Liquid, Cloud Sea Empty Cocoon, Millennium Stone Milk, Sea Bodhi, and Zhu Marrow Elixir, together accounted for one hundred and sixty years. After securing second place in the White Jade Capital Secret Realm, she found two Secret Medicines of the Purple Mansion in the Fire Element Cave, plus the Purple Mansion Secret Medicine that Su Jian fed her when she first entered the Refining Mansion stage, along with the accumulated fruits of her own silent Breathing practice over many years¡­ The total amounted to three hundred years of Refining Mansion Cultivation. No matter what, she had obtained almost all the Purple Mansion Secret Medicines that were readily available along the Shushan route. Including the great competition at the White Jade Capital, a rare event, I¡¯ve barely managed to accumulate three hundred years¡­ As for the remaining hundred years, I simply have no idea where to start searching, and the hope is extremely dim. Even for the foremost beneath the Golden Core of Shushan, the Second Grade Golden Core is so difficult to achieve, let alone other cultivators. ¡°No matter what, Senior Sister mustn¡¯t rush into Core Formation.¡± Ling Yunpo advised patiently, ¡°As your junior brother, I have already become a Golden Core True Person, and in the future, I can ensure the safety of Qingluo Peak, allowing you to firmly sprint towards the threshold of the Second Grade Golden Core.¡± ¡°If Senior Sister rushes into Core Formation and disappoints my painstaking efforts, then it¡¯s not only Master who wouldn¡¯t accept that-I couldn¡¯t accept it either!¡± With each mention of ¡°your junior brother,¡± he repeatedly poked at An Zhisu¡¯s protective nature, so much so that at this moment she simply couldn¡¯t speak, her beautiful eyes brimming with tears, her eyes red-rimmed, thinking to herself how much her junior brother had sacrificed for her, truly unsure of how to repay him. Sigh, owing him so much, I probably can only spend the rest of my life slowly repaying him¡­ The two of them spent a tender moment together in the secret chamber on Qingluo Peak, not only to reinforce the goodwill that had built up but also to allow Senior Sister An time to accept the situation. Feeling that the mood was about right, Ling Yunpo then brought up the matter at hand: ¡°Senior Sister, now that I have formed my Golden Core, the reward we obtained from the Sect Leader after discovering the secret realm of Mount Tianmu in the White Jade Capital-the Demon Locking Tower Command, can now be used. We might even find the Purple Mansion¡¯s secret medicine for Senior Sister.¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± An Zhisu responded in a soft voice. Ordinarily, Senior Sister An might have maintained her pride and told Ling Yunpo not to waste his efforts looking for medicine for her. After all, it¡¯s the senior sister who should look after and guide the junior brother, not the junior brother who should run errands for the senior sister. However, Senior Sister An at this moment was immersed in guilt and emotion over the ¡°great sacrifices her junior brother had made for her,¡± naturally she found Ling Yunpo¡¯s suggestion completely acceptable and was willing to go along with whatever he said. An Zhisu was completely defeated, her capacity for thought lost! The two of them set off right away, as Qingluo Peak had no duties that required immediate reporting to the sect, and took various elixirs with them before flying in the direction of Thunder Plains. Upon reaching Thunder Plains, they saw the immense Demon Locking Tower piercing into the valley, with its upper part covered in copious blackened spots from the dragon¡¯s breath left over from the last time the Jiaolong caused trouble. The lower part was hidden in the deep and serene mist that filled the valley, appearing extremely quiet, profound, and mysterious. As soon as Ling Yunpo approached the tower, a Golden Core True Person flew out on his sword and challenged: ¡°This is not the time for the Demon Locking Tower to be open. What business do you two juniors from Qingluo Peak have here¡­¡± Before he finished speaking, he saw Ling Yunpo take out the Demon Locking Tower Command and handed it to him. An Zhisu did the same, and after the Golden Core True Person flipped over the two tokens, checking their authenticity, he scoffed and said: ¡°You really want to waste it here? A mere Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator can at most descend to the thirtieth floor of the Demon Locking Tower. What good things could you possibly find¡­¡± His voice trailed off, followed by an awkward silence. The Cultivation Realm of the Shushan Sword Immortal is somewhat easier to determine than that of a Kunlun Cultivator, probably because everyone uses sword control, and from the size and clarity of the sword light beneath their feet, one can roughly estimate the robustness of their True Yuan. The green sword light under Ling Yunpo¡¯s Myriad Bamboos Sword was noticeably more substantial than the azure sword light under An Zhisu¡¯s Harsh Cold Sword (and that was with Ling Yunpo deliberately restraining his True Yuan output). This Sword Immortal from Qingluo Peak had actually formed a Golden Core without a word! ¡°True Person Zhenxuan, may I ask if my Senior Sister and I may enter the tower now?¡± Ling Yunpo asked politely. ¡°Mhm.¡± The guardian of the tower gave a chilly nod, stepping aside to clear the path, while thinking to himself: ¡°The Po Yun Sword Immortal, as a junior brother, managed to form a Golden Core early, while the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal, as his senior sister, remained in the Foundation Establishment Realm. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Isn¡¯t this a typical case of inverted cultivation levels?¡± ¡°Considering that Ling Poyun has not been initiated for long and his lifespan is far from reaching its end, the reason for him forming his Golden Core early is clear.¡± ¡°These senior sister and junior brother pair, they do share deep affection and loyalty. It¡¯s just a pity they failed under the star of the Seven Kills¡­ Hm?¡± ¡°Could it be¡­ could these two have cultivated the Sentiment Inquiry Path ahead of time?¡± As he thought more about it, the more he felt something was off, hastily pulling out a small sword from his sleeve. In an instant, it turned into a streak of light, carrying a message to report to his Peak Master. Chapter 516 Chapter 516: Chapter 42: Infiltrating the Phoenix Chapter 516: Chapter 42: Infiltrating the Phoenix Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu teleported into the Demon Locking Tower from the Four Symbols Formation Eye on the thirtieth floor. The plan to go to the Demon Locking Tower had been set for a long time, and Ling Yunpo naturally did his homework in advance. He had a rough idea of what demons and treasures were hidden on each floor. On Senior Sister An¡¯s side, the main goal was to find her the Purple Mansion secret medicine. For himself, he wanted to find fragments of the Kunlun Mirror and, along the way, see if there was anything useful for those at the Golden Core Realm. To get back on track, the reliance of cultivators on the external world decreases layer by layer as they progress from the Foundation Establishment Realm to the Golden Core Realm, and then to the Nascent Soul Realm. Foundation Establishment requires Daoist Foundation Perfection, which involves collecting a large amount of Purple Mansion secret medicine-in plain terms, it means relying on external things for cultivation. The Golden Core Realm is relatively more independent, and the grade rank of the finally formed Nascent Soul mainly depends on the grade rank of one¡¯s own Golden Core. Secondly, it is determined by the integrity of one¡¯s essence after passing through the Heavenly Tribulation-the former examines the solidity of your Daoist foundation while the latter is purely about strength. Of course, having powerful magical treasures and Flying Swords is also crucial. As for the ones reaching the Nascent Soul Realm and ascending to immortality through Feather Transformation, it primarily depends on one¡¯s own Daoist foundation-if someone comes through with a high-grade Golden Core and a high-grade Divine Infant, they will be between a Golden Immortal and a Daluo Golden Immortal when they finally ascend. However, if one has an intermediate-grade Golden Core or an intermediate-grade Divine Infant, even if they perfectly pass the Feather Transformation Heavenly Tribulation, they are most likely to reach the ceiling of a Heavenly Immortal. As for those with a low-grade Golden Core or a low-grade Divine Infant¡­ they won¡¯t even have the chance to undergo Tribulation, and their path of cultivation will already be cut off. wuxiaworld.site So it seems that although the path of cultivation is long, the most important thing is to steadfastly take each step. If Senior Sister An ends up forming only a Third Grade Golden Core, it will be very difficult for her to form a Divine Infant in the future, not to mention becoming a Daluo Golden Immortal-she could at best become a Golden Immortal. Therefore, this time Ling Yunpo had clearly calculated and resolved to earn that last one hundred years of cultivation for Senior Sister An. ¡°First is the forty-seventh floor,¡± Ling Yunpo said to his senior sister, ¡°Behind the Death Gate on the forty-seventh floor, it is said there is a secret realm with many huge phoenix trees.¡± ¡°There, the Vermilion Birds and Phoenixes dwell, and if one can obtain the Phoenix Essence Blood, they can refine an ancient Purple Mansion secret medicine known as the ¡®Nine Revolutions Vermilion Phoenix Pill.''¡± ¡°Nine Revolutions Vermilion Phoenix Pill?¡± An Zhisu said worriedly, ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of this name before.¡± ¡°This pill recipe is only circulated within the Phoenix Clan, so it¡¯s normal that Senior Sister hasn¡¯t heard of it,¡± Ling Yunpo said with a smile, ¡°Just wait outside, Senior Sister, while I go fetch the medicine.¡± ¡°Be careful, Junior Brother,¡± An Zhisu could hardly bear to part. Having parted with An Zhisu, Ling Yunpo calmly walked toward the Death Gate. In the Demon Locking Tower, the Phoenix Clan members each possess the strength of the Golden Core Realm¡¯s Obscure Weave Rank, with quite a few at the Nascent Soul Realm. If one were to forcefully snatch the pill by violence, even a Nascent Soul Elder entering would have a difficult time, requiring a true immortal to intervene. However, Ling Yunpo already had an ingenious plan, unthinkable to an ordinary person, thanks to his great wisdom. ¡°Ah Jing, give me Junior Sister Xu¡¯s template!¡± ¡°Oh, the Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart, right?¡± the Kunlun Mirror asked knowingly. ¡°No! What I want is the Phoenix Bloodline¡¯s template!¡± Ling Yunpo said irritably, as if to say, you¡¯re playing dumb with me, ¡°You¡¯ve scanned Ying Long before, and let me obtain Ying Long¡¯s Essence Blood, which enabled me to mimic the Dragon Clan¡¯s Long Long with their bloodline.¡± ¡°Now that you¡¯ve scanned Junior Sister Xu, and I¡¯ve taken the Nine Revolutions Vermilion Phoenix Pill containing Phoenix Essence Blood, creating a temporary Phoenix template shouldn¡¯t be a problem, right?¡± ¡°No problem,¡± the Kunlun Mirror answered, ¡°Actually, I think even without using an illusion technique, with your eloquence and clever mind, you should be able to blend in with them¡­¡± ¡°Am I the kind of person who casually adds difficulty for myself when I¡¯m not busy?¡± Ling Yunpo replied unhappily, ¡°Cut the chatter and hurry up!¡± ¡°Sword Master actually isn¡¯t denying it,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword marveled, chatting privately with the Kunlun Mirror, ¡°Could it be that he truly could blend into the Phoenix Clan without relying on an illusion technique?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t know,¡± the Kunlun Mirror chuckled, ¡°But if it¡¯s him, no matter how outrageous the thing he does, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised.¡± ¡°Neither would I,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword expressed complete agreement. With the new illusion template generated, Ling Yunpo turned into a handsome young man with red hair, red eyes, and fair skin, and walked out from the passageway. Behind the Death Gate of the secret realm lay a vast valley. A mountain spring bubbled and streams trickled, the sound of rippling water filled the air. The phoenix trees and tall arbors swayed, rustling softly. It gave Ling Yunpo the illusion of having returned to the Hundred Flower Valley. ???G0.?? Soon, several cultivators flew over from the distance, shouting: ¡°Who goes there! How dare you trespass into our clan¡¯s secret realm¡­ Eh?¡± ¡°Are you from our clan?¡± The three circled Ling Yunpo, sensing the extraordinarily pure phoenix bloodline essence on him and noting that the bloodline rank was quite high. ¡°I am of the Vermilion Bird Clan, what clan are you from?¡± Ling Yunpo asked in return. ¡°Hey, Vermilion Bird.¡± One of them laughed, ¡°That¡¯s a name we haven¡¯t heard in a long time. Humans usually just call us Phoenixes, rarely do they discern the difference. Brother, what¡¯s your name? Did you come from the outside?¡± ¡°My name is ¡®Feng Jiu¡¯.¡± Ling Yunpo took out the excuse he had prepared earlier, ¡°Due to certain reasons, I drifted from the Eastern Emperor Realm to the Mortal Realm, and was recently captured by the humans, who then sent me here.¡± ¡°Eastern Emperor Realm?¡± The Vermilion Bird cultivators looked at each other, expressions of surprise and suspicion dawning on their faces. The Cultivation Realm and the Eastern Emperor Realm had been separated by an impassable divide created by the Sun True Obscure Sword for nearly a hundred thousand years, making communication between the two nearly impossible. Demons entering the Demon Locking Tower are often those who live in secluded corners of the Cultivation Realm and are captured by Shushan before being confined within. Like Ying Long, a demon who stormed into the Mortal Realm from the Eastern Emperor Realm, only to be imprisoned in the Demon Locking Tower, the probability of finding one in this place was less than one in ten thousand. ¡°You¡¯re from the Eastern Emperor Realm?¡± One of them pretended to disbelieve and probed, ¡°Then tell us, where in the Eastern Emperor Realm is the Vermilion Bird Clan stationed? And what¡¯s the name of the current clan leader?¡± ¡°The entire Feathered Clan resides in South State, and our Vermilion Bird Clan lives on ¡®Wu Island¡¯ in the Southern Sea,¡± Ling Yunpo replied smoothly, obviously well-informed about the Eastern Emperor Realm, ¡°The current clan leader is called ¡®Feng Li¡¯, a direct descendant of the ancient Vermilion Bird Ancestor.¡± The Vermilion Bird cultivators exchanged silent glances, revealing no emotions. Most of the Vermilion Bird Clan within the Demon Locking Tower were born there and had never ventured into the world outside the tower. Their knowledge of the Vermilion Bird Clan came in snippets from the clan¡¯s ancient records, yet it coincided with what Ling Yunpo had said¡­ and his account was even more detailed. After all, everyone knew that the main Vermilion Bird Clan took the surname Feng (following their ancient ancestor), but no one knew the current clan leader¡¯s name for sure. With this in mind, they immediately smiled and became much more enthusiastic about taking Ling Yunpo back to their clan. On the way there, everyone chatted incessantly, asking Ling Yunpo about the Vermilion Bird Clan¡¯s situation in the Eastern Emperor Realm: ¡°Feng Jiu, I heard that after Emperor Ying Long was imprisoned, the Jiaolong Clan of Central State rapidly declined. So, who now rules over the myriad demons in the Eastern Emperor Realm?¡± ¡°The Qilin Clan. They struck a secret alliance with the Xuanwu Clan, then convinced the Azure Dragon Clan from Eastern State to join their side, eventually picking up the political fruits left by the Jiaolong Clan,¡± Ling Yunpo, naturally well-versed in the history of the Eastern Emperor Realm, answered without hesitation. ¡°Oh! So, did we, the Vermilion Bird Clan, just stand by and watch this happen?¡± another cultivator asked, puzzled. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Of course not,¡± Ling Yunpo replied with a smile, ¡°We never submitted to the Jiaolong, let alone the Qilin. It is merely that with the Qilin Clan allied with the Xuanwu, persuading the Azure Dragon, and marrying into the White Tiger Clan, it was tough for our Feathered Clan in South State to contend with the powers of the other four States.¡± ¡°After that, with the Azure Dragon and White Tiger Clans merely watching from the sidelines, we fought several battles with Central State!¡± ¡°Is that so!¡± they all exclaimed, quite thrilled by the news. The Vermilion Bird Clan was innately proud; learning that their main clan had been clashing with the Qilin Clan filled them with a sense of vicarious honor. Moreover, since Ling Yunpo¡¯s detailed narrative matched with portions of their clan records and the rest seemed too accurate to be fabricated, they believed almost all of it. As for the last bit of doubt, they would have to wait until their clan leader had met this ¡°Feng Jiu¡± before they could reach a final conclusion. Chapter 517 Chapter 517: Chapter 43: Act, That¡¯s Acting! Chapter 517: Chapter 43: Act, That¡¯s Acting! Phoenixes do not perch but upon the parasol tree, nor drink but from the sweet springs. What to do if there¡¯s not a parasol tree large enough for the whole Phoenix Clan to roost? The answer came: find a tree big enough and then name it ¡°parasol tree.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this a Fusang Tree? The Fusang Tree of the Golden Crow Clan!¡± Arriving at the center of the valley and seeing the enormous tree reaching into the sky, Ling Yunpo, disguised as ¡°Feng Jiu,¡± couldn¡¯t help but ask. ¡°You are mistaken, brother,¡± one of the Vermilion Bird Cultivators said. ¡°This is a parasol tree.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Ling Yunpo still wanted to try arguing when a Vermilion Bird next to him said, ¡°Brother, I understand what you mean, but you should know that a parasol tree cannot possibly grow to be several hundred feet tall.¡± ¡°If there isn¡¯t a giant tree hundreds of feet tall, how can it accommodate so many of our clan members? But the Phoenix must perch atop a parasol tree, such are the ancestral laws.¡± ¡°So you just named this tree¡­ cough, I mean this Fusang Tree, a ¡®parasol tree,¡¯ right?¡± Ling Yunpo realized, ¡°Where did the seed for this tree come from?¡± ¡°Of course, we took¡­ ahem, I mean, we borrowed it from the Golden Crow Clan inside the tower,¡± replied the Vermilion Bird Cultivator. wuxiaworld.site ¡°I see,¡± Ling Yunpo nodded and said, ¡°That¡¯s not unusual after all, the Feathered Clan of the world is one family; borrowing something small isn¡¯t a big deal.¡± ¡°Indeed, the Feathered Clan of the world is one family,¡± nodded the Vermilion Birds in agreement. Walking from the edge of the valley to its center, Ling Yunpo also learned the names of the three Vermilion Bird Cultivators: ¡°Feng Yi,¡± ¡°Feng San,¡± and ¡°Feng Wu.¡± The reason for their arithmetic sequence of names was that their parents were not educated¡­ In the Demon Locking Tower, isolated from the outside world, both Scripture Scrolls and Jade Slips were a luxury, making clan education simply impossible. As for ¡°Feng Er¡± and ¡°Feng Si,¡± they had already married off and were now in their husbands¡¯ homes raising children, so they had not come along. Soon, as the news of Ling Yunpo, this ¡°foreigner,¡± spread, a large number of Vermilion Bird Cultivators came out to see the commotion. The three brothers with arithmetic sequence names dispersed the curious clan members, and Ling Yunpo finally got his wish to meet the chieftain of the Vermilion Bird Clan. The chieftain treated him warmly and was keenly astute, inquiring about many political situations within the Eastern Emperor Realm (though why he sought such information was unclear), and Ling Yunpo answered each question in detail. He hadn¡¯t slacked off during his general education with the Azure Dragon Clan, thus his answers were watertight. After Ling Yunpo left, two elders emerged from the inner chamber and cautiously began to discuss with the chieftain: ¡°Was there anything amiss with his answers?¡± ¡°No¡­ but that in itself is the biggest problem.¡± ¡°You mean to say, an ordinary Vermilion Bird Cultivator shouldn¡¯t have such a clear and comprehensive understanding of the political situation in the Eastern Emperor Realm?¡± ¡°Exactly, and I suspect he might be a direct descendant of our clan, for only direct descendants would receive such comprehensive general education.¡± ¡°But, direct descendants wouldn¡¯t just recklessly leave the Eastern Emperor Realm, would they?¡± ¡°The first possibility is that he truly encountered some mishap, which led him to drift to the Mortal Realm.¡± ¡°With the countless wonders in the Great Thousand Worlds, it is not entirely unfounded there could be affairs unknown to us.¡± ¡°As for the second possibility, he might have premeditated his infiltration.¡± ¡°Oh? Has his Phoenix Bloodline been verified?¡± ¡°It has been, and the rank is exceptionally high¡­ but this only intensifies the dissonance; after all, the clan would never allow such direct descendants to go abroad so casually.¡± ¡°Speaking of which, I have heard from a Shushan Cultivator that remnants of the Phoenix Bloodline also exist among the Human Race.¡± ¡°You¡¯re saying, the Xu Family of Southern Heaven?¡± ¡°It¡¯s highly unlikely that the Xu Family of Southern Heaven would possess such a pure bloodline. In any case, it¡¯s still best to have someone keep an eye on them for now.¡± ¡­¡­ After leaving the clan leader¡¯s hall, Ling Yunpo was immediately surrounded by the curious members of the Zhu Niao Clan. In the past hundred years, all new members of the clan had been born from within, with no outsiders joining. Therefore, ¡°Feng Jiu,¡± a standard outsider, instantly sparked everyone¡¯s curiosity. Everyone clustered around Feng Jiu, offering gifts and asking questions, creating a warm and friendly atmosphere that even made Ling Yunpo, the traitor, feel somewhat embarrassed. ¡°By the way, does the Sword Master really feel ¡¯embarrassed¡¯?¡± Qing Ping Sword started a private conversation with the Kunlun Mirror again. ¡°I suppose he does,¡± the Kunlun Mirror replied indifferently, ¡°It¡¯s just that it¡¯s always fleeting. ???G?.?? The depths of this guy¡¯s shamelessness are truly unfathomable-I have no idea what could make him blush for longer than a quarter of an hour.¡± ¡°Uh, for example, if his identity as a traitor was exposed in front of his highly trusted junior brothers, junior sisters, and young ladies?¡± ¡°If that day ever comes, he would confidently say ¡®It¡¯s all the world¡¯s fault,''¡± the Kunlun Mirror sighed, ¡°As long as he¡¯s mentally prepared, his skin is absolutely invincible¡­¡± ¡°Hey, Sword Master,¡± Qing Ping Sword directly asked Ling Yunpo, ¡°Wasn¡¯t your conversation with that clan leader a bit too detailed and thorough? A regular member of the Demon Race wouldn¡¯t know that much, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I want them to suspect,¡± Ling Yunpo replied with a cold laugh, ¡°Feng Jiu is no ordinary demon; the apparent certainness is a facade.¡± ¡°As long as they adopt this mindset and strive to see beyond the surface to the second layer, they will certainly take what¡¯s on the second layer as the truth.¡± ¡°As for the third and fourth layers, who would bother thinking that far?¡± ¡°Ah, I understand now!¡± exclaimed Qing Ping Sword, ¡°It¡¯s like hiding something inside a locked box, and once you¡¯ve worked hard to unlock it, you assume what¡¯s inside must be the treasure, without realizing that the real treasure is actually hidden in a secret compartment. Is that what you mean?¡± ¡°Exactly, Qing Ping, you¡¯re finally catching up with my train of thought,¡± said Ling Yunpo with a chuckle, ¡°Now, it¡¯s time to show them the corresponding ¡®lock¡¯.¡± He brushed off the curious clanspeople, then found Feng Yi, who had previously led him in, and started making conversation: ¡°By the way, how many members does our clan have now?¡± ¡°Roughly five hundred or so,¡± answered Feng Yi. ¡°What about those who have undergone transformation?¡± ¡°For the children who haven¡¯t transformed, about one-fifth,¡± Feng Yi replied. ¡°Looking at it this way, the birth rate of newborns seems to be quite healthy,¡± Ling Yunpo nodded thoughtfully, ¡°How about the clan¡¯s educational system?¡± ¡°Clan educational system? What¡¯s that?¡± Feng Yi asked, puzzled. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Uh, never mind,¡± Ling Yunpo smoothly changed the subject, ¡°By the way, there are many beautiful girls in the clan, aren¡¯t there?¡± ¡°Yes, indeed!¡± Feng Yi instantly became animated, ¡°Let me tell you, see that one over there, the one with the brightly colored feathers¡­¡± The two chatted away, arm in arm. Half a minute later, the content of their conversation appeared verbatim in front of the clan leader and two elders. ¡°Birth rates?¡± the clan leader said with a frown, ¡°What is this Feng Jiu concerned about our clan¡¯s birth rate for?¡± ¡°The family¡¯s birth rate is the most fundamental indicator of a family¡¯s ability to continue, right?¡± one elder remarked casually. ¡°What do you mean?¡± asked the other elder with a frown, ¡°Is he trying to gather intelligence on the clan¡¯s¡­ foundational strength?¡± Chapter 518 Chapter 518: Chapter 44: Eloquent and Persuasive, Cunningly Deceiving Chapter 518: Chapter 44: Eloquent and Persuasive, Cunningly Deceiving ¡°` Ling Yunpo wandered around the clan¡¯s territory for a while, getting acquainted with many Vermilion Bird cultivators. He was eloquent and persuasive, with a silver tongue that allowed him to speak sweet words whether he addressed children, youths, or elderly women, quickly turning relationships from strangers to acquaintances. Meanwhile, his conversations with clan members were meticulously recorded in secret and reported in detail to the clan leader and two elders. ¡°Clan education? What does he want with that?¡± The clan leader felt embarrassed as he saw how many simpletons of the clan were revealing all under Feng Jiu¡¯s clever questioning. It was too shameful. The Vermilion Bird clan of today had no so-called clan education. The Demon Locking Tower isolated the inside from the outside, to the extent that not only were scripture scrolls and jade slips hard to come by, but even ordinary paper was scarce. Furthermore, the internal competition among the demon race within the tower was fierce, and with the periodic incursions of Shushan Sect disciples undertaking trials, cultural transmission within the clan had suffered several breaks in lineage, leaving behind very few useful records. ¡°We can almost rule out the possibility that he is from the Xu Family of Southern Heaven,¡± said an elder by the side. Information could be stolen, identities could be faked, but thinking patterns are hard to mimic¡­ and even harder to understand each other. The Human Race occupied the vast Divine Land with an almost endless population, so they would not be concerned whether the number of newborns this year was large or small. wuxiaworld.site With talents emerging continuously across the Nine Provinces, they would simply choose the best to join their ranks, thus they would not care whether the quality of child education was good or bad. But the Demon Race was different. In terms of numbers alone, the Demon Race even far surpassed the Human Race. However, with deep-seated grudges between different species making unity impossible, any single race when isolated is just fodder for the Human Race. The Eastern Emperor Realm is the best example: all driven there by the Human Race, after so many years they had no desire to counterattack the Mortal Realm, only intent on internal strife and killing each other¡­ It is for this reason that they are very sensitive to the number of newborns in a clan and the quality of clan education, as it determines how many yao will become transformation capable cultivators, how many Demon Kings will arise, and whether there will be ancient ancestors. First, we can exclude the possibility that Feng Jiu is a human spy. So, what exactly is the background of this person that makes him so interested in the basic situation of the Vermilion Bird clan inside the tower? ¡°Why not let the ancient ancestor ask him directly?¡± suggested an elder. Within the clan land, Ling Yunpo was still chatting with the Vermilion Birds, feeling a slight headache. These Feathered Clan cultivators were quite talkative, with voices that were sharp and fast, incessant, and quite headache-inducing. ¡°Feng Jiu, Feng Jiu!¡± A little chick attempted to climb onto his knee, ¡°Are you my uncle? My mom is called Feng Si¡­¡± Mrs. ???G?.?? Feng Si smiled shyly nearby, seemingly enjoying the sight of her daughter getting close to this ¡°foreigner.¡± Ling Yunpo lifted her down, but she climbed up again, making him quite exasperated, so he could only gently negotiate with Feng Si: ¡°¡­Ma¡¯am, I think it¡¯s better if children don¡¯t climb around recklessly, you wouldn¡¯t want your daughter to get hurt, would you?¡± ¡°Oh dear, my daughter likes you very much,¡± Mrs. Feng Si was not only unworried but gave him a coquettish glance, ¡°It looks like Feng Jiu could be a good daddy~¡± Please don¡¯t be like this, ma¡¯am, your husband is still somewhere back in the crowd, right? ¡°Feng Jiu, come with me for a moment, the clan leader wants to see you.¡± Luckily, his elder uncle Feng Yi finally showed up, taking his niece from Ling Yunpo¡¯s leg. Ling Yunpo followed him to the base of the Fusang Tree, where the clan leader and two elders were waiting. ¡°You should know who you¡¯re about to meet, right?¡± The clan leader asked with a hint of mystery in his voice after Feng Yi had left. Ling Yunpo saw his serious expression and the ¡°I¡¯ve got you figured out¡± look in his eyes, so he also immediately put on his acting skills and said indifferently: ¡°Hmm, then please lead the way.¡± Everyone entered the body of the Fusang Tree, spiraling down along the stairs until they finally reached a small room deep inside. Inside the room, an aged yet hale elder was meditating, dressed in simple and plain clothes. Just one glance at him, and Ling Yunpo knew that this had to be the ancient ancestor of the Vermilion Bird clan. The demon race practiced clan culture, where the mightiest within a clan was the Immortal Rank ancestor. In the Demon Locking Tower, most clans lacked an ancient ancestor. Yet a clan that boasts a three-digit number of transformation-capable cultivators within the Demon Locking Tower is very powerful, surely not lacking an ancient ancestor. Among the ancient ancestors of the demon race, there were both strong and weak: the strongest, like Ying Long, were on par with Daluo Golden Immortals; the weakest similar to Earth Immortals. And the Vermilion Bird ancient ancestor before him, according to the Kunlun Mirror, was roughly at the realm of a Golden Immortal. ¡°You must be Feng Jiu?¡± The Vermilion Bird ancient ancestor opened his eyes and looked at him expressionlessly. ¡°` ¡°It was me,¡± Ling Yunpo nodded as he spoke. ¡°Why have you come into the Demon Locking Tower?¡± the Vermilion Bird ancestor asked slowly. ¡°If Marquis of Mount Tu can come, why can¡¯t I?¡± Ling Yunpo retorted, ¡°Does our Vermilion Bird clan, ruling over the South State, really have less capability than the Celestial Fox of Qingqiu in the West State?¡± Upon hearing this, the Vermilion Bird ancestor fell into deep thought, then slowly began to smile: ¡°As you can see, our clan is now in a state of decline.¡± ¡°The number of newborns is still healthy, but the education at our clan school is almost nonexistent. Many of our people can barely use their bloodline supernatural powers and have to rely on claws and beaks to fight.¡± ¡°Within this secret realm, every thirty-nine cycles, it will interconnect with other secret realms, and the clans on both sides can initiate wars against each other.¡± ¡°This is a blatant strategy of internal consumption that Shushan uses against us, but we have no other choice¡­ If we do not invade other clans to strengthen ourselves, they will come to invade us.¡± Ling Yunpo pondered for a moment and then nodded: ¡°Our Feathered Clan¡¯s strength lies in mobility. In terms of the form of war within the Demon Locking Tower, if we choose to hunker down in our nest, it¡¯s like admitting defeat from the start.¡± ¡°Only by choosing to attack the opponents proactively and pushing the frontline forward can we create enough strategic depth.¡± ¡°It seems you are not an ordinary cultivator of the Feathered Clan,¡± the Vermilion Bird ancestor said with a faint smile, ¡°What does the clan mean by this?¡± Ling Yunpo answered calmly: ¡°The clan doesn¡¯t have any particular stance. It¡¯s just that, because Marquis of Mount Tu secretly aided the Jiaolong clan before, some elders mentioned it during the clan meeting.¡± The Vermilion Bird ancestor listened silently and quickly pieced together the truth: Previously, the Marquis of Mount Tu had helped the Jiaolong clan escape from the Demon Locking Tower. When the news reached the main branch of the Vermilion Bird in the Eastern Emperor Realm, it¡¯s likely that some elder proposed, ¡°We also have clan members trapped in the Demon Locking Tower. Can we send someone to help them?¡± Of course, this rash suggestion was met with silence. After all, countering the Mortal Realm is simply unrealistic, and the Vermilion Birds in the tower couldn¡¯t possibly escape back, so why bother investing resources in that direction? The failure of the Jiaolong clan¡¯s revolt proved that Shushan still had not reached its demise. Everyone is realistic; even a penny is split to spend it wisely, so the compatriots imprisoned in the Demon Locking Tower will just have to suffer a bit more. And behind this Feng Jiu, there undoubtedly stood an elder who sympathized with the clan members inside the Demon Locking Tower. As to who that might be, there¡¯s no need to ask for now; let¡¯s first see if there are any benefits to be gained. ¡°We have little to offer,¡± the Vermilion Bird ancestor said as he let out a long sigh, ¡°What can the envoy offer us?¡± ¡°Cultivation techniques,¡± Ling Yunpo said softly, ¡°The lineage must not be broken.¡± Cultivation techniques¡­ ah, I should have thought of this. The Vermilion Bird ancestor knew well: elixirs, magic artifacts, those were all cultivation resources and could not be given away. Only bloodline cultivation techniques could be simply copied onto a jade slip without any real cost. Yet, what our clan lacks the most right now is precisely these techniques¡­ It¡¯s not just the clan members; even he, the Vermilion Bird ancestor, who had cultivated to the Immortal Rank alone within the Demon Locking Tower, probably had a lesser grasp of the bloodline mystical abilities than this envoy from the main branch, simply due to the lack of cultivation technique inheritance. ¡°The intention of the elders,¡± Ling Yunpo suddenly said, ¡°is to see if our clan can gain a foothold within the Demon Locking Tower first.¡± His implication was that investing would depend on the corresponding potential. If the Vermilion Bird branch within the Demon Locking Tower didn¡¯t even have a cultivator of the ancestor¡¯s realm, who knows when they might be wiped out by other clans, making it unnecessary to allocate resources. ¡°What proof does the envoy require?¡± the Vermilion Bird ancestor asked with a faint smile. ¡°The Nine Revolutions Vermilion Phoenix Pill,¡± Ling Yunpo said in a stern tone. ¡°Taking one of my feathers can also serve as proof,¡± the Vermilion Bird ancestor tried to negotiate. The Nine Revolutions Vermilion Phoenix Pill, although he, as an ancestor, could refine it, the output was not high and it was somewhat painful to use as proof. ¡°Only the Nine Revolutions Vermilion Phoenix Pill is impossible for the Xu Family of Southern Heaven to possess,¡± Ling Yunpo insisted firmly. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Ah, the Xu Family of Southern Heaven¡­ the Vermilion Bird ancestor let out a deep sigh. On the surface, the main branch in the Eastern Emperor Realm was worried that the envoy might collude with the Xu Family of Southern Heaven and get some Phoenix heritage item to falsely claim that the Demon Locking Tower branch was still alive. In reality, it was all about the elder behind Feng Jiu wanting to hoard an extra Nine Revolutions Vermilion Phoenix Pill using these costless techniques as an excuse. With that thought, the Vermilion Bird ancestor took a small wooden bottle out of his bosom. Chapter 519 Chapter 519: Chapter 45: Cloud Sea Realm, Cloud Summit Divine Palace Chapter 519: Chapter 45: Cloud Sea Realm, Cloud Summit Divine Palace Within the passage leading away from the Death Gate secret realm, the illusion template was quickly retracted, revealing Ling Yunpo¡¯s true appearance. He had used some of the Phoenix Clan¡¯s divine secret skills copied from Junior Sister Xu to successfully exchange for the Nine Revolutions Vermilion Phoenix Pill from the Vermilion Bird Ancestor. As for the claims of ¡°being sent by the clan,¡± they were naturally all lies. One should know that in ancient times, the Phoenix Clan was collectively referred to as the five clans: ¡°Vermilion Bird,¡± ¡°Qingluan,¡± ¡°Yuanzu,¡± ¡°Yeaho,¡± and ¡°Honghu.¡± Just like the ancient Xuanwu Clan was actually a collective term for the Jiaolong and Xuan Gui. However, by today, these five Feathered Clans had already split apart, with the phoenix title inherited by the original ¡°Yuanzu,¡± and ¡°Yeaho¡± having evolved into the ¡°Great Peng Bird,¡± each considering the other as an external clan. As for this clan inside the Demon Locking Tower, although they also claim to be ¡°Vermilion Bird Clan¡± and ¡°Phoenix Bloodline Remnants,¡± their bloodline has already differentiated so much from the Vermilion Bird Clan that now rules over South State in the Eastern Emperor Realm. So much so that the Vermilion Bird of South State doesn¡¯t even consider them part of their own clan. To tell a joke, the Phoenix Bloodline Remnants inside the Demon Locking Tower are actually closer in blood relation to the Xu Family of Southern Heaven than to the Vermilion Birds of the Eastern Emperor Realm¡­ It¡¯s fortunate that Ling Yunpo simulated the Phoenix Bloodline from Xu Yinglian¡¯s body, which allowed them to recognize him as one of their own by his aura. If he had simulated the current Vermilion Birds of South State, they might have mistaken him for an outsider! Upon returning to the Demon Locking Tower, Ling Yunpo saw An Zhisu sitting cross-legged in the center of the hall, with the Harsh Cold Sword placed on her knees. Seeing Ling Yunpo finally return, An Zhisu opened her eyes, revealing a joyful smile. ¡°Senior Sister,¡± Ling Yunpo took out the Nine Revolutions Vermilion Phoenix Pill, ¡°open your mouth.¡± wuxiaworld.site ???G?.?? ¡°This is the Nine Revolutions Vermilion Phoenix Pill.¡± Once she had digested the medicine¡¯s power completely, Ling Yunpo said with a smile, ¡°Equivalent to seventy years of Refining Mansion cultivation.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± An Zhisu said softly. If it had been someone else, they probably would have worshipped Ling Yunpo as a benefactor upon learning that they had gained seventy years of Refining Mansion cultivation. But Senior Sister An was different. She believed that Ling Yunpo should have been striving for a Second Grade Golden Core to better preserve Qingluo Peak¡¯s lineage; instead, he humbly settled for Third Grade, which was already the greatest sacrifice. Owing junior brother too much already, another seventy years¡¯ worth of Purple Mansion secret medicine didn¡¯t seem like much in comparison. Therefore, she merely circulated her True Yuan in silence, digesting the medicine¡¯s power in her belly, and then asked: ¡°Where to next?¡± ¡°Follow me, Senior Sister,¡± Ling Yunpo said indifferently. Upon reaching the thirtieth floor of the Demon Locking Tower, An Zhisu asked in surprise: ¡°Junior Brother, are you taking me to the Cloud Sea Realm?¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Ling Yunpo said with a smile. ¡°But isn¡¯t it said that the Cloud Sea Empty Cocoon can only be used to accelerate once?¡± An Zhisu hesitated, ¡°Entering a second time can lead to mental instability¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct,¡± Ling Yunpo reassured her, ¡°but I have a way to solve that problem. Senior Sister, just enter the cocoon to cultivate with peace of mind.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Since junior brother said so, An Zhisu stopped pondering any further. The two of them entered the threshold of the thirtieth floor¡¯s scenic passage, arriving once again at the Cloud Sea Realm. This place was not connected to the sky above nor to the earth below, everywhere was the azure sky, washed clean, and the mists hung in a hazy veil. In front of them, a large number of massive cocoons stood like a forest, supported below by slender silk pillars, while numerous ferocious birds and demonic beasts circled in the distance, their shrill cries piercing the air, yet none dared approach the vicinity of these cocoons. Finding one of the large cocoons, An Zhisu carefully crawled inside. Soon, she fell into a profound slumber. ¡°Time passes through the crevice, stop for me,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said lazily. ¡°And then?¡± Ling Yunpo asked curiously. ¡°I¡¯ve temporarily slowed down the flow of time inside your Senior Sister¡¯s cocoon to the lowest possible level,¡± the Kunlun Mirror replied. ¡°Once we¡¯ve gathered all the fragments, we can come back and readjust it for her.¡± ¡°Hmph, broken mirror,¡± Ling Yunpo responded with annoyance rather than joy. ¡°Just how many abilities are you still hiding from me?¡± ¡°Cough cough, actually, I¡¯ve never hidden anything from you,¡± the Kunlun Mirror sincerely said. ¡°Some abilities have been slowly recovering as I collect the fragments. As for others, I didn¡¯t mention them because you didn¡¯t ask.¡± ¡°In that case, once you¡¯ve gathered all the fragments, I¡¯ll need you to make a list and write down all the abilities you have,¡± Ling Yunpo thought aloud. ¡°No problem,¡± the Kunlun Mirror responded, cursing inwardly. ¡°Where are your fragments?¡± Ling Yunpo looked around. ¡°Don¡¯t rush,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said. ¡°First, we need to find the origin of these time cocoons, which is the Cloud Weaving Spiders.¡± ¡°Cloud Weaving Spiders¡­ should be at the bottom of the cocoon forest,¡± Ling Yunpo said, looking down along the strands supporting the giant cocoons. ¡°Actually, they¡¯re not at the bottom,¡± the Kunlun Mirror corrected him. ¡°The space here is different from the usual; you can¡¯t rely on the direction of gravity to determine up from down.¡± ¡°Ah Jing, now that you mention it, I remember,¡± Ling Yunpo said thoughtfully. ¡°Many cultivators from Shushan have tried to explore this place but found that they couldn¡¯t reach an end either up or down, or in any other direction for that matter.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because space here is an undirected two-dimensional tight manifold,¡± the Kunlun Mirror replied. ¡°What tight manifold?¡± Ling Yunpo was immediately bewildered. ¡°To put it simply, the space here is twisted in a higher dimension,¡± the Kunlun Mirror explained simply. ¡°You can¡¯t reach the boundary by just moving continuously; we need to make a leap.¡± It began teleporting with Ling Yunpo. After several attempts, they arrived at the bottom of the cocoon forest they had visited before. Beneath their feet was an endless land, with clear water reaching just about ankle-deep. Many Cloud Weaving Spiders scurried away in panic across the water¡¯s surface, one of which was wrapped in sword light by Ling Yunpo and pulled in front of him. The little spider¡¯s body was only the size of a ping pong ball, but its eight slender legs were long and thin. On the front was an eye like a red gemstone, constantly rotating, betraying its inner fear. Quite cute. ¡°The Cloud Weaving Spider is caught,¡± Ling Yunpo asked the Kunlun Mirror. ¡°What do we do now?¡± ¡°Let it escape and follow it,¡± the Kunlun Mirror answered. ¡°We¡¯ll see where these Cloud Weaving Spiders get their food and spin their silk with the essence of time.¡± Ling Yunpo did as instructed, placing the Cloud Weaving Spider on the water surface and then following it closely as it ran haphazardly. About two hours later, the Cloud Weaving Spider suddenly dove into the water below and then vanished. ¡°Ah Jing?¡± Ling Yunpo inquired. ¡°Intriguing disguise,¡± the Kunlun Mirror commented. ¡°Have you ever wondered where the water under your feet comes from?¡± ¡°Where it comes from¡­¡± Ling Yunpo repeated, only to feel the world spinning, and he was quickly transported to another Dwelling Cave Heaven. There, the sky remained an azure blue, and below was a boundless ocean. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Many Cloud Weaving Spiders scrambled over the roiling sea, while fish constantly leaped from the waves below, attempting to swallow the spiders. In the distance high above, outlines of magnificent and splendid palace complexes faintly appeared atop the clouds. Huge columns of water fell from the edges of the palace complex and into the sea, creating numerous waterfalls. ¡°Ah Jing.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Just how much¡­ do you like palaces?¡± Chapter 520 Chapter 520: Chapter 46 The Path of Time, the Origin of the River Purifying Bottle Chapter 520: Chapter 46 The Path of Time, the Origin of the River Purifying Bottle ¡°` Ling Yunpo soared up with his sword control. When he arrived atop the Cloud Summit Divine Palace, he discovered the surroundings were peculiar. Squares, corridors, pavilions¡­ Everywhere were surging water streams, with hardly a spot for one to stand. ¡°Be careful,¡± the Kunlun Mirror suddenly spoke, ¡°Those water streams contain the power of the Time Dao.¡± Without changing his expression, Ling Yunpo plucked a strand of hair from his head and cast it into the rapidly flowing water. The hair quickly turned white, withered, and then disappeared. ¡°Time acceleration?¡± Ling Yunpo asked, furrowing his brows. ¡°Caught in the rapid current, an object¡¯s time would be quickly compressed,¡± the Kunlun Mirror answered. ¡°To us on the outside, it looks as if the object submerged has traversed tens of thousands of years in a few breaths.¡± ¡°So be very careful. Once you fall into it, you¡¯ll find everything around you speeding up tremendously.¡± ¡°By the time you manage to escape from it, the compressed time will bounce back, and you¡¯ll immediately die of old age.¡± wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.c0 The Kunlun Mirror sneered inwardly but said aloud: ¡°The stronger the divine skill, the greater the cost of using it.¡± ¡°Why do the cultivation talents I give you require you to play the corresponding roles in order to work? Because in that case, they¡¯re borrowed by you, without the need to pay an ¡®extra price¡¯.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright if you don¡¯t understand. The Dao of Time and Space is in itself the most obscure. It¡¯s unclear when I explain it to you. Just do as I tell you, and I naturally won¡¯t harm you.¡± ¡°Tch, playing god and fooling around,¡± Ling Yunpo thought to himself. But given that the Kunlun Mirror was unwilling to speak, forcing her would only yield lies, so Ling Yunpo could only secretly note this grudge and once again used sword control to survey his surroundings. Through patient maneuvering and detailed observation, Ling Yunpo discovered four types of water streams here: Water that flows rapidly on flat ground. Water that falls vertically yet very slowly. Water that is completely frozen and does not flow. And a peculiar kind of water that flows backward up a slope. ???G0.?? ¡°Rapids signify time acceleration,¡± the Kunlun Mirror patiently explained. ¡°A slow flow means a deceleration of time.¡± ¡°Frozen implies time has halted; reverse flow indicates time reversal.¡± ¡°Whichever the case, it will bring you serious harm, so try to avoid contact with these water streams¡­¡± ¡°Ah Jing, I have a question,¡± Ling Yunpo asked curiously, ¡°If I were to immerse myself in the reverse-flowing water, does that mean my lifespan would actually increase?¡± ¡°Yes and no,¡± the Kunlun Mirror replied upon hearing his idea, then immediately said, ¡°Don¡¯t forget, the total amount of your memories also increases with the passage of time.¡± ¡°Once you step into the water stream, your memories, your personality, even your cultivation realm, will all disappear as time reverses¡­¡± ¡°I see,¡± Ling Yunpo nodded and said. ¡°So, if I were to capture my enemies and immerse them in this kind of water, I could quickly erase their memories, right?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± the Kunlun Mirror replied with difficulty, thinking why do you always come up with so many bizarre and strange ideas that normal people can¡¯t think of? ¡°Is there a way to collect these water streams?¡± Ling Yunpo became interested. ¡°No,¡± the Kunlun Mirror patiently explained, ¡°Strictly speaking, these water streams are not caused by my fragments, but are manifestations of an uncontrolled Time Dao.¡± ¡°Once I gather the fragments, the Time Dao here will return to normal, and the water streams will lose their corresponding strange effects.¡± ¡°` ¡°Then, could you possibly refrain from collecting your fragments for now?¡± ¡°Impossible! Scram!¡± the Kunlun Mirror finally lost its patience, ¡°Annoy me one more time, and I¡¯ll turn against you on the spot!¡± Ling Yunpo sighed and abandoned the idea of using these temporal streams. After all, Ah Jing was the most important at the moment, and he couldn¡¯t bear the cost of losing her. Guessing what Ling Yunpo was thinking, the Kunlun Mirror sneered a few times, further solidifying some unspeakable thoughts. Ling Yunpo circled around the Cloud Summit Divine Palace to scout and finally found an attic that wasn¡¯t covered by the streams. He carefully pushed the door open and saw what could only be described as utter chaos¡­ Numerous streams, like tentacles, occupied the walls, floor, and ceiling without any order, gurgling as they flowed. Desks, chairs, stands, and flower pots, as if weightlessness had taken hold, floated in the cramped room. As a Sword Immortal, Ling Yunpo had exceptionally good eyesight and noticed that these floating objects were also covered with frozen water traces. ¡°Be careful,¡± warned the Kunlun Mirror, ¡°If you touch the water traces on these objects, you will also fall into a state of temporal stasis.¡± ¡°You need to carefully dodge these objects and agilely pass through this room. It looks difficult, but with your Cloud-Parting Eight Trigrams Step, you should be able to do it¡­¡± ¡°Got it,¡± Ling Yunpo said and then flew back outside to form a Daoist formula. Five Thunder True Law, Tai Yi Thunder, explode! Thunder Light quickly surged into the attic and then burst out from the open door and windows. Under the stunned gaze of the Kunlun Mirror, Ling Yunpo carefully peeked in to see that the objects originally floating in the air had been reduced to dust by the Tai Yi Thunder. The resulting dust was pushed by the shockwave against the wall, mingling with the dense streams. Among them, faint traces of thunder light could still be seen-remnants of Tai Yi Thunder¡¯s energy, which, upon contact with the water traces on the surface of objects, had transformed into ¡°temporal stasis¡± thunder light. ¡°This building is quite sturdy,¡± remarked Ling Yunpo, ¡°If it were an ordinary structure, it would have been turned to dust by my Tai Yi Thunder.¡± ¡°Mhm,¡± the Kunlun Mirror responded absently. Why hadn¡¯t it thought to destroy these objects with an attack? After all, not all the objects were entirely wrapped by the streams. Using a powerful force like the Tai Yi Thunder, it was entirely possible to infiltrate from an uncovered position and internally destroy the object, thereby rendering these dangerous streams devoid of a floating host! Alas, it seemed its own thinking wasn¡¯t flexible enough, not compared to this fellow¡­ As the Kunlun Mirror wallowed in self-deprecation, Ling Yunpo had already passed through the attic and continued deeper, blasting any objects in his way, until he finally arrived at the highest room of the Divine Palace. There, he saw the mirror fragment placed on a high pedestal in the center of the room, next to which lay a toppled white Purifying Bottle. Endless water flowed continuously from the Purifying Bottle, trickling across the floor as if it were inexhaustible. ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t that Da Yu¡¯s Purifying Bottle?¡± exclaimed the Green Duckweed Sword in surprise. ¡°Da Yu¡¯s Purifying Bottle?¡± Ling Yunpo had never heard of it before. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°You¡¯ve never heard of it? Then you must have heard of Da Yu¡¯s control over the floods,¡± said the Green Duckweed Sword with a chuckle, ¡°According to legend, after Nuwa mended the sky in ancient times, the floods gradually receded from the Divine Land Continent, but twelve great rivers remained, often overflowing and threatening the populace.¡± ¡°Later, Da Yu followed the practices of his ancestors, sealed their sources, and refined the headwaters of ten of the rivers, leaving only the Great Southern River and the Great Northern River to nourish the people of the south and north.¡± ¡°As for the headwaters of the ten rivers, they were transformed by Da Yu into various Magical Treasures, the whereabouts of which became unknown over time. Da Yu¡¯s Purifying Bottle is one of them, said to spout endless water when overturned, overwhelming all enemies¡­ It¡¯s unexpected that it was kept here in the Demon Locking Tower.¡± ¡°So it is such a Magical Treasure!¡± Ling Yunpo, realizing its strength, was secretly thrilled, This treasure must be fated for me; it will become my trump card! He was about to go and take it when suddenly the Kunlun Mirror interjected: ¡°Wait a minute!¡± Chapter 521 Chapter 521: Chapter 47 Round Mirror, Round Face Chapter 521: Chapter 47 Round Mirror, Round Face ¡°Wait a minute?¡± Ling Yunpo was shocked and hurriedly stepped back several paces. He wondered if there was any mechanism ahead that Ah Jing had scanned? ¡°Guan Shui, this magical treasure is not easy to control; it contains the source of a great river.¡± Kunlun Mirror said earnestly, ¡°It is because my fragment is located here that I can control the outpouring of the river¡¯s flow by disturbing time.¡± ¡°If you were to take this treasure away and accidentally spill it somewhere, it could lead to a severe disaster!¡± ¡°At that time, all causal responsibilities would fall upon you.¡± Ling Yunpo was silent for a moment and then laughed, ¡°So what? Would I make that kind of elementary mistake?¡± ¡°Besides, even if I really did drop it by accident, wouldn¡¯t you, Ah Jing, remind me? And there¡¯s Qing Ping too.¡± Kunlun Mirror was at a loss for words. Ling Yunpo then casually walked forward, removed the Kunlun Mirror fragment with his left hand, and steadied the outpouring river source¡¯s Purifying Bottle with his right hand, without any worry of there being a trap. For he knew that Ah Jing would certainly warn him. Thus, the flowing water around him immediately returned to normal speed, and all sorts of strange phenomena vanished in an instant. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co The place turned into an ordinary flooded room. ¡°How does it feel to assemble the fragments?¡± Ling Yunpo asked, ¡°Did you gain any new abilities that could let me achieve Nascent Soul Feather Transformation and become an immortal in an instant?¡± ¡°No, thank you.¡± Kunlun Mirror said irritably, ¡°But now that I¡¯m whole, I don¡¯t have to reside in your Sea of Consciousness, I can leave you at any time to seek a new Savior.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s great.¡± Ling Yunpo thought to himself that if it were so easy to find a new host, why would you still be with me? ???G?.?? You would have left me long ago! I know you well, don¡¯t I, broken mirror? ¡°So you mean, if I encounter any danger, you could come out and help me fight, right?¡± Ling Yunpo suddenly asked. ¡°I¡¯m afraid not.¡± Kunlun Mirror refused, ¡°Combat is not my forte; I am just a mirror.¡± ¡°But you are an Innate Spiritual Treasure!¡± Ling Yunpo reminded her. ¡°An Innate Spiritual Treasure that is a mirror, is still a mirror.¡± Kunlun Mirror remained unmoved, ¡°I am only adept at manipulating time and illusion techniques.¡± ¡°That means you can come out and help me use illusion techniques, right?¡± Ling Yunpo associated again, ¡°For example, I currently need an actor to cooperate with me in a performance, so you appear as your true form first, then cast a Mirror Flower Water Moon illusion to aid me in disguise¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s possible,¡± Kunlun Mirror pondered, ¡°but I don¡¯t understand, in what kind of situation would you need me to play along with your act?¡± ¡°Uh.¡± Ling Yunpo was stunned for a moment, ¡°For instance¡­ if my identity was exposed and I was being hunted by Senior Sister An?¡± Kunlun Mirror: ??? Ling Yunpo had a revelation and proudly said, ¡°For example, if my identity were suddenly revealed one day and Senior Sister An, in a spurned love turns to hatred, draws her sword to kill me, then you could first transform me into Qiu Changtian, and you become Ling Yunpo. We would split up, you would lead Senior Sister An away, and then teleport back¡­¡± ¡°You wish!¡± Before Ling Yunpo could finish his words, his neck was grasped, ¡°Always thinking of using me as a shield, right? I¡¯ve wanted to strangle you, this worthless person, for a long time!¡± Ling Yunpo was caught off guard and was pushed to the ground by the grip on his neck. But after all, he was the Shushan Sword Immortal, with an extremely fast reaction speed. In an instant, his left hand supported him on the ground to balance himself while his right hand swept and pulled, reversing the situation to pin his opponent beneath him. The one who had sneak attacked him and then was subdued turned out to be a petite girl-around one meter sixty in height, with fair features, and a slightly round face with baby fat, looking particularly adorable. Although she was pinned by him, she glared at him with big angry eyes, not the least bit intimidated. Ling Yunpo: ¡­¡­¡­.. ¡°Who are you?¡± He was shocked and pale. ¡°I¡¯m Ah Jing!¡± The girl forcefully pushed him away, revealing little tiger teeth in irritation, ¡°Pretend you don¡¯t recognize me again, and I¡¯ll bite you!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe you,¡± Ling Yunpo said calmly, ¡°unless you transform for me. Ah Jing can change into anything in this world¡­¡± Before he finished speaking, the girl with the oval face suddenly morphed into a handsome and elegant man. ¡°I am Qiu Changtian, the number one poser from Kunlun.¡± The handsome man gave a bow with his hands and then changed again, this time into a handsome young man with a resolute face. ¡°I am Ling Yunpo, who loves to bully Senior Sisters and fears being chased with a sword by them¡­¡± Then he changed into a narrow-eyed handsome guy, laughing, ¡°I am Luo Yan, who tells nine lies out of ten sentences¡­¡± ¡°Enough, enough,¡± Ling Yunpo interrupted with a headache, ¡°I believe you are Ah Jing now, no need to act anymore, it¡¯s very awkward.¡± ¡°What do you think now?¡± Ah Jing changed back into the oval-faced girl, hands on hips, she asked, ¡°Nothing to say now, right?¡± ¡°Nothing to say,¡± Ling Yunpo waved his hand, ¡°Whose look have you copied this time? The face is a bit chubby.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t copied anyone, Her Majesty personally designed it for me.¡± Ah Jing poked her own cheeks, ¡°I know I¡¯m cute, you don¡¯t need to comment.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t comment,¡± Ling Yunpo felt slightly uncomfortable, as the broken mirror had become a girl who especially liked to act cute ¨C what was going on? All he could say was that the psychological disparity was a bit too much, he needed time to adjust. ¡°Let¡¯s go find Senior Sister An.¡± He stood up and used the Universal Pure Tone Minor Illumination Technique to dry the wet clothes on his back. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Ah Jing nodded in agreement, then transformed into a streak of light once more, entering his brow. Within the Sea of Consciousness, the Green Duckweed Sword chuckled, ¡°Yao Yao, the way Sword Master looked at you just now seemed quite amazed.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Kunlun Mirror said proudly, ¡°As an Innate Spiritual Treasure, even the beauty of my transformed form is invincible.¡± ¡°So what will you do if Sword Master falls in love with you and plans to abandon all those Junior Sisters, Senior Sisters, and young ladies¡­?¡± Green Duckweed Sword joked. ¡°That indeed poses a problem,¡± Kunlun Mirror mused, ¡°Although it would mean that he would obey my every word from now on, wouldn¡¯t it be my fault if this caused him to commit the act of being fickle and unfaithful?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± Green Duckweed Sword said earnestly, ¡°If that were true, it would only prove that the man himself is fickle and unfaithful, and the blame should not be cast upon us women.¡± ¡°You make a good point,¡± Kunlun Mirror suddenly saw the light. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only However, Ling Yunpo was not aware of this exchange between the mirror and the sword and quickly left Cloud Summit Divine Palace, only to see that the ocean below had vanished. Only the bottomless ¡°sky¡± remained. ¡°Because the fragment has been removed, the originally twisted space here is returning to normal,¡± explained Kunlun Mirror, ¡°Just keep descending and you will soon reach the Cocoon Forest where Senior Sister An is.¡± ¡°Is the time acceleration effect of Cloud Sea Empty Cocoon still present?¡± Ling Yunpo asked, frowning. ¡°Of course, it is,¡± answered Kunlun Mirror, ¡°The time acceleration effect of Cloud Sea Empty Cocoon comes from the cloud filaments that have been altered by the Time Dao, which are not directly related to the fragment itself.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just that because the fragment has been taken away, the Time Dao no longer influences the surrounding waters. The empty cocoons that the weaving spiders will produce will no longer have the time acceleration effect.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Ling Yunpo, without any guilt for inadvertently destroying a Purple Mansion Secret Realm, was only concerned about Senior Sister An¡¯s well-being and hastily made his descent with Sword Light. Chapter 522 Chapter 522: Chapter 48: The Father-in-law¡¯s Deadly Question Chapter 522: Chapter 48: The Father-in-law¡¯s Deadly Question Upon arriving in the midst of the cocoon forest, they saw An Zhisu still deeply asleep inside the cocoon, arms hugging her knees, her body curled up into a ball, resembling an infant. Because time had been slowed, she was currently without any consciousness within the cocoon. ¡°Accelerate it, Ah Jing,¡± Ling Yunpo ordered, ¡°Advance the time by thirty years and ensure that her consciousness remains untroubled, can you do that?¡± ¡°The power of time in this Cloud Cocoon can indeed be advanced by thirty years,¡± the Kunlun Mirror, standing by his side, replied, ¡°Leave it to me.¡± ¡°Ah Jing¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Say something before coming out next time, don¡¯t scare me.¡± The Kunlun Mirror rolled her eyes and then placed her hand upon the surface of the empty cocoon. Soon, An Zhisu inside slowly opened her eyes. By then, the Kunlun Mirror had already returned to the Sea of Consciousness. They saw An Zhisu struggle to emerge from the cocoon, supported by Ling Yunpo by the arm, who asked with concern: ¡°Senior sister, are you alright?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, just a bit of a headache,¡± An Zhisu shook her head and once again looked inward at herself. ???G?.?? wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site Indeed, the True Yuan within her Dantian was full, her Jade Mansion perfectly natural, reaching the threshold of four hundred years. ¡°Junior brother, my cultivation level has reached the Second Grade Golden Core¡­¡± An Zhisu said joyfully, her words trailing off as her nose suddenly twitched. A strange scent, where was it coming from? ¡°Junior brother,¡± An Zhisu suddenly asked, ¡°Has anyone been here?¡± ¡°No,¡± Ling Yunpo, alerted, quickly replied, ¡°I went down to catch some Cloud Weaving Spiders, then came back, but I¡¯ve never seen anyone come here.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± An Zhisu didn¡¯t suspect anything and thought to herself that it might not necessarily be a feminine fragrance; perhaps it was the scent of something else. The two set off again, leaving the Cloud Sea Realm. ¡°Senior sister, please wait here for a moment; I have something else to attend to,¡± Ling Yunpo said with a smile upon returning to the hall. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll wait for you here,¡± An Zhisu said softly. Ling Yunpo left his senior sister and went back down to the forty-seventh floor, entering the deep Sea Abyss through the Death Gate. He vividly remembered the last time, as Qiu Changtian, with the Realm of Marrow Cleansing Rank, cautiously entering this sea abyss alongside the Marquis of Mount Tu, his heart filled with trepidation. Now, after the experiences as Long Long, he felt almost like being home when entering the depths of this sea again, utterly relaxed. ¡°Ah Jing, bring up the Long Long template,¡± Ling Yunpo quickly said as he saw demonic qi approaching. No sooner had he spoken than he abruptly transformed into the visage of Long Long; two Jiaolong approached in the distance, noticing another from the Dragon Clan, they were clearly taken aback. ¡°Who are you?¡± one of the Jiaolong asked. ¡°None of your damn business!¡± Long Long revealed his true Jiaolong form and swam away with grandeur. The two Jiaolong watched him go, dumbfounded, with the one who had spoken saying: ¡°I¡¯ve never seen him before, who is he?¡± ¡°He¡¯s got a strong personality, kind of handsome,¡± the female Jiaolong beside him commented. ¡°Handsome? Where?¡± the male Jiaolong immediately exclaimed in shock, ¡°Sis, can¡¯t you have a normal taste?¡± As for the reactions of the Jiaolong siblings, on the side of Long Long, he proceeded, in his true form, swaggering all the way to the bottom of the Sea Abyss. On the way, he still encountered many Jiaolongs, which he managed to deal with using agile postures and speech ¨C probably due to being confined in the Demon Locking Tower for too long, and a serious lack of clan education, the intelligence of these ordinary Jiaolongs wasn¡¯t much higher compared to that of the Vermilion Bird. At last, he arrived at the entrance to the Endless, where the Kunlun Mirror exhibited its spatial divine skills and teleported Long Long into the independent space where Ying Long resided. Having just switched to imitating Qiu Changtian¡¯s appearance, he saw Ying Long raise his massive head atop Blade Mountain, casting an imposing gaze his way. ¡°I¡¯ve found your daughter,¡± Qiu Changtian said, cutting to the chase. ¡°Oh?¡± Ying Long responded lazily. ¡°What¡¯s your proof?¡± ¡°Your daughter carries the bloodlines of humans, dragons, and foxes, which makes her bloodline unstable and endangers her life,¡± said Qiu Changtian, seeing the dragon¡¯s disbelief, and chuckled, ¡°Your wife used a fragment of the Heaven-Mending Stone to seal most of her Dragon Clan bloodline, achieving a balance within her body.¡± Ying Long lifted his head, suddenly smacking Blade Mountain powerfully with his tail. The entire space seemed to shatter, the Blood River reversed its flow, and even the sky nearly changed color. Before Qiu Changtian could react, Ying Long had already lowered his head in front of him, his golden vertical pupils staring intently into his eyes: ¡°Have you seen them? Where are they now, and how are they?¡± Cold sweat beaded on Qiu Changtian¡¯s back, yet he did not answer and simply smiled. As expected, Ying Long, seeing that he remained silent, grasped his meaning and said: ¡°I have nothing on me except scales and essence blood, and I can only offer you one more drop of essence blood¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for you to bleed,¡± Qiu Changtian said flatly. ¡°I want the secret techniques and divine skills of the Jiaolong Clan.¡± ¡°Our clan¡¯s bloodline supernatural powers?¡± Ying Long uttered, stunned for a moment, before saying, ¡°You are not one of our clan, what do you want our divine secret skills for?¡± As he spoke, he seemed to realize something and burst into hearty laughter: ¡°I see, you have Dragon Clan bloodline in your ancestry, hence you used my essence blood to purify your bloodline, and now you covet my divine skills, right?¡± Hearing this, Qiu Changtian knew Ying Long had misunderstood ¨C he probably thought he was like someone from the Xu Family of Southern Heaven, a descendant of a family that possessed Dragon Clan bloodline. ¡°Let¡¯s cut the idle chatter, I just want to know what you intend to do,¡± Qiu Changtian asked calmly. ¡°No problem,¡± Ying Long said readily. ¡°First, tell me their current situation.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not in a position to speak of your wife¡¯s situation,¡± said Qiu Changtian implicitly. ¡°But we can discuss your daughter, Long Hu.¡± ¡°Not in a position to speak¡± means ¡°too painful to talk about¡±, the implication was self-explanatory. Ying Long was silent for a long while before he spoke somberly: ¡°What about Long Hu, how is she?¡± ¡°Long Hu is now at the Azure Dragon Clan¡¯s territory, being well protected¡­¡± Qiu Changtian had not finished speaking when he felt Dragon¡¯s Might rushing toward him like a blade, almost pressing him out of breath. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°You!¡± Ying Long¡¯s furious wrath came crashing down like mountainous weights as if to tear him apart, ¡°I told you to take her to the Beiming Fanyang!¡± ¡°Of course, I haven¡¯t forgotten,¡± Qiu Changtian said calmly. ¡°But the Xuan Gui Clan has sealed off Beiming Fanyang; do you want me to take Long Hu and forcefully break through the Xuan Gui Clan¡¯s seal? The Qilin Clan is not yet in decline!¡± ¡°The Qilin Clan¡­¡± Ying Long¡¯s tone grew cold, and the anger in his voice began to subside. ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°By the way,¡± Qiu Changtian added, ¡°with the support of the Azure Dragon Clan, Long Hu has successfully undergone Transformation.¡± ¡°Transformation, is it?¡± said Ying Long indifferently, suddenly lowering his head again and locking Qiu Changtian in his golden vertical pupils as he asked imperiously: ¡°Human, my daughter must be very beautiful after her transformation, right?¡± Qiu Changtian: ??? This is not good; it seems like a question that could seal my fate! Chapter 523 Chapter 523: Chapter 49: Senior Sister An, Tribulation! Chapter 523: Chapter 49: Senior Sister An, Tribulation! The question posed by my father-in-law was a typical deathtrap. If I had answered, ¡°Your daughter is very beautiful,¡± I might have been smacked to death by the old man on the grounds of ¡°daring to covet my daughter.¡± But if I had replied, ¡°Your daughter really doesn¡¯t cut it,¡± I could have been pressed to death by a single claw for ¡°not distinguishing between beauty and ugliness.¡± But who was Ling Yunpo, and how could he have been stumped by such petty tricks? With a slight smile, he said, ¡°After your beloved daughter¡¯s Transformation, her looks can be said to inherit the advantages of both her parents.¡± Upon hearing this, Ying Long fell silent for a moment and revealed an extremely subtle expression. What a flawlessly diplomatic answer! If you were to ask Ying Long about his and his wife¡¯s attractiveness, the answer was unquestionably positive. Such a well-timed flattery made it impossible for him to get angry. Hmm, if such a quick-witted human could take care of Long Hu, one could indeed be somewhat at ease. It¡¯s just uncertain what kind of character this person has. wuxiaworld.site Just as it¡¯s difficult to paint the bones when drawing a tiger¡¯s skin, one can know the face but not the heart-if this man appears righteous but is actually heartless and inconstant, that would instead harm Long Hu by leading her to the wrong people. But¡­ Ying Long couldn¡¯t help laughing and sighing in his heart. What choice do I have in my current predicament? ¡°I do not know how much you understand about the bloodline of my clan,¡± Ying Long said softly, closing his huge eyes, ¡°In any contention among dragons, there are three kinds: spells, arts, and might.¡± ¡°Might refers to Dragon¡¯s Might; spells to Dragon Breath; arts to Dragon Strike. In your opinion, which is the most important?¡± Is he testing my knowledge? Qiu Changtian smiled faintly. Of course, he was not entirely ignorant about the Dragon Clan, and he calmly said, ¡°Naturally, might takes precedence, spells come next, and arts are the least.¡± Might, or Dragon¡¯s Might, involves striking at enemies with the majesty of the Dragon Clan, barely consuming one¡¯s own strength, thus it is the best strategy. Spells, or Dragon Breath, involve deploying various unique spells and supernatural powers of the Dragon Clan. Although most are ranged attacks, they require the consumption of Demon Yuan and physical strength, hence they are a mediocre strategy. Arts, or Dragon Strike, include all kinds of close-combat techniques of the Dragon Clan. Not only do they significantly drain Demon Yuan and physical strength, but there¡¯s also the risk of being injured by the opponent, therefore they are the inferior strategy. Of course, many young members of the Dragon Clan do not think so-they believe that a fistfight is the most thrilling. Qiu Changtian did not comment on this mindset; he was well beyond the age of vying for victory. Ying Long was very satisfied with Qiu Changtian¡¯s answer and nodded, saying, ¡°These are the words of someone mature and prudent.¡± After pondering for a short while, he suddenly spat out a dragon scale, making it float in front of Qiu Changtian. ¡°The bloodline supernatural power of my clan that you covet is all contained within this scale, the method of use is similar to that of a Jade Slip.¡± ¡°Take it then, take good care of my daughter.¡± Qiu Changtian silently looked at the scale but did not reach out to take it. Ying Long frowned, then saw Qiu Changtian form a Daoist formula, and a Universal Pure Tone Minor Illumination Technique lit up, cleaning all the saliva off the scale. ¡°Hey, you little rascal¡­¡± Ying Long instinctively wanted to rage, but remembering that his daughter was still under someone else¡¯s care, he forcibly suppressed his anger, coiled around Blade Mountain, and closed his eyes in silence. Having taken the scale, Qiu Changtian probed it with his divine sense and confirmed that all three types of bloodline supernatural powers were intact. However, it contained only the cultivation techniques for the Transformation Rank, with no divine skills for the Demon King Rank. He looked at Ying Long and chuckled. Naive! You¡¯re just waiting for me to ascend to the Demon King Realm before you come back to exchange information with me using the message about Long Hu! If you had stated it directly, I would still respect you as a father-in-law, but what is this underhanded behavior? Do you really think I¡¯d kidnap your daughter and not tell you her whereabouts? Looking at Qiu Changtian¡¯s annoying smile, Ying Long silently suppressed the urge to crush him with a paw and opened the exit from Endless for him. Having left Endless, Qiu Changtian once again switched to the Long Long template and left the Sea Abyss Secret Realm with poise. After Senior Sister Sui An left the Demon Locking Tower, Ling Yunpo curiously asked, ¡°Senior Sister, where do you plan to undergo your tribulation?¡± An Zhisu pondered for a moment before saying, ¡°People from Shushan generally undergo their tribulation at Thunder Tribulation Flat.¡± ¡°If not going to Thunder Tribulation Flat, then continue westward and undergo the tribulation on the plateau¡­ But that place is not far from Iron City Mountain, where occasionally cultivators from the Asura Path may be encountered.¡± ¡°What do you think, Junior Brother?¡± Ling Yunpo pondered for a moment, then quickly made up his mind. ???G?.?? Under normal circumstances, he might suggest to his Senior Sister to go to the plateau for her tribulation. However, Ling Yunpo had earlier been attacked on the plateau, counter-killed, and seized the Blood Saber magic artifact from a cultivator of the Asura Path. If the Asura Path were to be enraged by this, it would not be a particularly good idea for Senior Sister An to go to the plateau for the tribulation at this time. ¡°Why not just undergo the tribulation at Thunder Tribulation Flat,¡± Ling Yunpo proposed. An Zhisu nodded, not so much because she had thought it through and agreed, but it was more of a subconscious compliance with her Junior Brother¡¯s suggestion. Even if Ling Yunpo had said, ¡°Let¡¯s go undergo the tribulation in the Hundred Thousand Mountains at the Southern Border,¡± An Zhisu would probably have agreed first. And then, upon further reflection, she might think that undergoing the tribulation in the Hundred Thousand Mountains of the Southern Border wasn¡¯t such a bad idea after all, as after the Core Formation, she could turn around and start hunting Eastern Emperor Path cultivators. After all, if you really want to find a reason, anything is possible. The two returned to Qingluo Peak and packed up their belongings. Ling Yunpo went to call Lin Duanshan, Duan Fenhai, Guan Shanyue, and others to act as protectors¡­ Not that they really needed to do anything; the main concern was the possibility of having someone with ulterior motives strike a blow, and having these few present could also serve as a deterrent. ¡°Senior Sister An is undertaking Core Formation?¡± Lin Duanshan asked in surprise. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Indeed,¡± Ling Yunpo answered seriously, ¡°This is Senior Sister¡¯s decision.¡± In fact, it was a decision Senior Sister An had made after following her Junior Brother¡¯s advice, but naturally, Ling Yunpo wouldn¡¯t disclose the fact that he was ¡°manipulating Senior Sister.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Lin Duanshan nodded, without inquiring about the grade of the Golden Core, ¡°In that case, I shall go there to serve as Senior Sister An¡¯s protector.¡± Duan Fenhai agreed just as readily, ¡°Perfect! While Senior Sister An is undergoing the tribulation, I can also observe the power of the Heavenly Tribulation firsthand to prepare my own strategy for dealing with it.¡± Having persuaded two people, Ling Yunpo faced a hurdle with Guan Shanyue. ¡°What grade of Golden Core is Senior Sister An forming?¡± Guan Shanyue asked with a smile. ¡°Ah, that¡¯s hard to say.¡± Ling Yunpo didn¡¯t outright refuse to answer but deftly skirted around it, ¡°I just know it¡¯s a High Grade Golden Core, but whether there¡¯s a chance for a First Grade, I, as a Junior Brother, can¡¯t be sure.¡± First Grade Golden Core¡­ Guan Shanyue paused for a moment before laughing, ¡°If it truly is a First Grade Golden Core, the next Sect Leader of Shushan will surely come from Qingluo Peak¡­¡± ¡°Such talk is not to be taken lightly!¡± Ling Yunpo promptly interrupted her. To speculate about the next Sect Leader before the current one has abdicated is akin to courting death on Emei Golden Summit, isn¡¯t it? Chapter 524 Chapter 524: Chapter 50: Luo Yan, Ready for Tribulation! Chapter 524: Chapter 50: Luo Yan, Ready for Tribulation! ¡°` There¡¯s no need to go into details about the tribulation. With the last bolt of Metal System Tribulation Thunder descending, Senior Sister An activated the Flying Smoke Sword, striking it directly and shattering it like lightning. The Shushan cultivators watching nearby were all stunned. So, was that it? Since she chose to undergo her tribulation at Shushan Thunder Cave Plateau, naturally it couldn¡¯t be hidden from sight. As soon as Senior Sister An¡¯s tribulation began, many Shushan Sword Immortals arrived to watch the famous Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal¡¯s Core Formation. Ling Yunpo¡¯s foresight was once again validated: With Duan Shan and Fenhai, the four great Sword Immortals were present, ensuring the onlookers remained well behaved. Even those who bore grudges against Qingluo Peak or had past disputes with An Zhisu only cursed her silently, wishing the tribulation lightning would strike her dead, daring not to openly express their malice. According to Shushan¡¯s rules, obstructing a fellow sect member¡¯s Core Formation is a serious crime. However, had there been no one present to deter them, there might have been those who thought there was safety in numbers and would risk stirring up the crowd. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co Thankfully, with the four powerful figures from Shushan presiding over the event, there were no unexpected complications. As for An Zhisu¡¯s tribulation, it was surprisingly smooth. The Cloud-Parting Eight Trigrams Step was too powerful, its short-distance shifting so agile that the tribulation lightning had to repeatedly change direction, chasing her around. Moreover, Ling Yunpo lent her his Myriad Bamboos Sword, which, when combined with the massive amount of Sword Qi it generated and An Zhisu¡¯s Innate Sword Heart¡¯s ability to calculate sword moves, quickly cleared away several waves of tribulation lightning. Of course, the main reason was that this round of Five Elements Tribulation Thunder was too weak, not at all a match for An Zhisu. As the number of onlooking Shushan Sword Immortals grew, a Golden Core True Person soon realized that the Heavenly Tribulation the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal was undergoing was far from the intensity appropriate for a Third Grade Golden Core! Could it be a Second Grade Golden Core? When the Heavenly Tribulation finally ended, An Zhisu sat down in meditation, starting to resist the Heart Demon. Now everyone could confirm that to encounter a Heavenly Demon during the Core Condensation Tribulation, it was undoubtedly the tribulation of a Second Grade Golden Core. Th Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal¡¯s Core Formation! And it was a Second Grade Golden Core! The news spread swiftly. When it reached the Jade Capital Sect Leader, who was discussing important matters on the bottom level of the Demon Locking Tower with Long Eyebrow Immortal. ¡°Oh, Su Jian¡¯s daughter has also formed a Second Grade Golden Core,¡± said Long Eyebrow Immortal impassively. ¡°Since An Zhisu is also a Second Grade Golden Core, her potential may well be no less than Su Jian¡¯s,¡± said the Jade Capital Sect Leader, implying. To be fair, although he was not pleased with Qingluo Peak¡¯s continuous outpouring of talent posing a threat to his own line of inheritance, to want to completely eradicate them would be an act of utter folly. ¡°What good is a Second Grade Golden Core?¡± Long Eyebrow Immortal said coldly, ¡°Steady as Dao Yan was, he was still seized by a Heart Demon, losing his soul; as genius as Seven Kills was, he too was ambushed by a Demon Cult Cultivator, nearly dying in seclusion.¡± ¡°Whether it¡¯s a stable Daoist foundation or natural talent for cultivation, no matter how excellent, if one¡¯s character is not upright, they are still bound to meet a premature end.¡± ¡°The so-called Sentiment Inquiry Path needlessly adds superfluous constraints to the Daoist Heart. As a Sect Guardian Immortal, I have a duty to pull these two back from the wrong path!¡± The Jade Capital Sect Leader silently listened, sighing inwardly. The world says that Shushan Sword Immortals are obstinate and tend to fixate, and it seems there is no room for argument. With the foundation crooked, how can one expect the disciples to be flexible when even the Sect Guardian Immortal is so stubborn? An Zhisu¡¯s formation of a Second Grade Golden Core did not cause Long Eyebrow Immortal to reconsider. On the contrary, it made him more determined to correct their paths-a misdirected effort indeed¡­ ¡°So, may I ask the Immortal,¡± the Jade Capital Sect Leader asked calmly, ¡°if these two refuse to repent, are you planning to execute An Zhisu as a warning to Ling Yunpo, or will you execute Ling Yunpo as a warning to An Zhisu?¡± This question silenced Long Eyebrow Immortal. One with an Innate Sword Bone, one with an Innate Sword Heart-both one-in-a-million cultivation geniuses. Now, there is the necessity to ruin one to protect the other, who could come up with such a scheme? Not to mention, they both have Su Jian above them! How will your Direct Disciple view you then? ¡°` After a long silence, Long Eyebrow Immortal finally spoke in irritation, ¡°I don¡¯t believe they would be so obstinate and unreasonable!¡± Jade Capital Sect Leader had nothing to say in response. The conversation ended. As news of Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu¡¯s Core Formation spread one after another, the Emei Golden Summit lineage could no longer remain silent. According to Shushan¡¯s rules, a cultivator¡¯s Daoist title is given after Core Formation by their master, who is also the Peak Master. However, Su Jian was still in seclusion, so others from different peaks couldn¡¯t overstep their authority to confer the title. Yet without a Daoist title, it would be too disrespectful for people to address Golden Core True Persons by their personal names¡­ Thus, a resolution was still required. After playing deaf and mute for half a month, Jade Capital Sect Leader finally sent over the Daoist titles. Ling Yunpo, Daoist title ¡°Qing Heng¡±. An Zhisu, Daoist title ¡°Jiao Xiao¡±. Since their master Su Jian was in seclusion, the one who could confer Daoist titles to the two of them could only be Su Jian¡¯s master, the Long Eyrow True Man. For a time, everyone in Shushan was guessing and analyzing the profound meanings behind these two Daoist titles. Only Ling Yunpo vaguely surmised that there might not be much significance to these titles. My life-bound sword artifact is the Green Duckweed Sword, so my Daoist title is ¡°Qing Heng¡±. Senior Sister¡¯s life-bond swords artifact is the Flying Smoke Sword, which is red all over, thus her Daoist title is ¡°Jiao Xiao¡±. The giving of these Daoist titles was not problematic; after all, most Shushan Peak Masters also conferred Daoist titles to their disciples based on their life-bound sword artifacts. However, compared to the careful considerations of Ziwei Master, Shushan¡¯s approach seemed far too casual and unsatisfactory by comparison. In summary, having acquired the fragment of the Kunlun Mirror, and with Senior Sister An having perfectly completed her Core Formation, Shushan¡¯s issues were temporarily at rest. Next, it was time to read the Penglai storyline. ¡°Ah Jing, read the record!¡± Ling Yunpo commanded calmly. [Node Three: Penglai Yuqing View, Heavenly Craft Workshop.] [Character Identity: Luo Yan.] [Mirror Flower Water Moon Template overlay, time-space travel in progress.] Back in Penglai Yuqing View, Luo Yan pretended to practice the ¡°advanced Qi Refining Technique¡± called ¡°Green Essence Purple Book,¡± brought by Elder Shi Ding, while silently estimating the time. After quieting down the Core Formation buzz around Qiu Changtian, Xu Yinglian, Ling Yunpo, and An Zhisu completely, he would then start preparing for his Core Formation, thus avoiding the same timing as them, which would prevent drawing unnecessary speculation. As for the Pill Rank, Luo Yan had it figured out ¨C ¡°Second Grade Golden Core¡±. Firstly, Luo Yan¡¯s situation was much safer than Ling Yunpo¡¯s, with no need to conceal his talents. Rather, if he were to form his core early and only achieve a Third Grade Golden Core, it wouldn¡¯t be easy to explain to Elder Shi Ding. After all, Elder Shi Ding had high hopes for him too. Secondly, since Luo Yan was plotting to obtain the Heaven-Mending Stone fragment, he needed to find ways to elevate his status within Penglai Yuqing View. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ????0.?? Merely becoming the heir to the Heavenly Craft Workshop would surely be insufficient. Since the Heaven-Mending Stone fragment was in possession of the Sect Guardian Immortal Wan Xiang, Luo Yan must become a junior worth Wan Xiang Immortal¡¯s attention, which would later justify his interactions with him. Hence, Luo Yan planned to ¡°disappear¡± for a while soon, to ¡°accidentally enter a secret realm,¡± where he ¡°encountered an abundance of Purple Mansion miracles,¡± and that would help him bridge the gap from a Third Grade to a Second Grade Golden Core. While he was patiently laying low, he suddenly received a piece of news: The eldest senior brother, Linghu Chu, had returned after passing his Nascent Infant Heavenly Tribulation. Chapter 525 Chapter 525: Chapter 51: Exhaust Him to Death Chapter 525: Chapter 51: Exhaust Him to Death After Linghu Chu returned from Nascent Infant, Luo Yan then accompanied his master, Shi Liuli, and third senior sister Liang Ruohua to pay a visit. Following the formation of his Nascent Infant, Linghu Chu was formally promoted to the rank of an elder at Yuqing View, thus qualifying him to start his own sect within Penglai. To signify his lineage and teachings, Linghu Chu established a new faction called ¡°Heavenly Forge Sword Workshop,¡± located deep underground on Penglai Immortal Island, conveniently drawing in the undersea lava. As the two walked along the underground passage to reach Heavenly Forge Sword Workshop, they saw the eldest senior brother, Linghu Chu, wearing the distinctive brocade robe of an elder and conversing jovially with a few other elders. ¡°Master,¡± he said respectfully. ¡°Good, good,¡± Elder Shi Ding replied with great satisfaction and then started chatting with Linghu Chu, planning to impart some experience of the elders to him. Liang Ruohua listened by the side; Miss Shi, bored to death, quietly pulled Luo Yan aside and asked, ¡°I heard that our Heavenly Forge is going to have a new junior sister?¡± ¡°Who told you that?¡± Luo Yan asked in surprise. ¡°I heard it from senior sister,¡± Shi Liuli said with a ¡°you better not fool me¡± expression. ¡°Oh,¡± Luo Yan replied with a smile, ¡°I¡¯m not aware of this. However¡­ since fourth senior brother perished, the Shi Family from Guangling seems to have been planning to send another person to become a disciple under our master. I¡¯ve even met said person last time.¡± wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co Miss Shi, that tinge of jealousy seems a bit off. ¡°That, I didn¡¯t notice,¡± Luo Yan smoothly pretended to ponder laboriously and said with embarrassment, ¡°Wait, let me think carefully¡­ alas, at that time I was preoccupied with chatting with her elder, so I didn¡¯t get a clear look at her.¡± While he feigned a lapse in memory, Miss Shi felt a sense of relief and secretly sighed in relief. After exchanging pleasantries with Linghu Chu, everyone took their leave. Thinking that their eldest senior brother would no longer stay at the Heavenly Craft Workshop from now on, Shi Liuli felt an inexplicable sense of melancholy. However, the next moment, she was left gaping and speechless. Because Luo Yan was reporting to Elder Shi Ding that he was planning to go out for a while. ¡°Master, having heard that Kunlun¡¯s chief disciple at the Foundation Establishment Realm has formed a First Grade Golden Core, I too wish to seek out adventures and strive for a higher cultivation level while my lifespan is abundant. I implore your consent, master,¡± he said. ¡°Hm¡­¡± Elder Shi Ding mulled over it but had not yet replied when Miss Shi couldn¡¯t hold back anymore. ¡°Junior brother!¡± she called out anxiously, her tone a mix of anger and a certain kind of panic of being left behind, ¡°You¡¯re planning to abandon me and go have fun by yourself, aren¡¯t you!¡± ¡°Not at all, senior sister,¡± Luo Yan said gently, ¡°I am going on a trial.¡± ¡°Trials are just another word for having fun!¡± Shi Liuli revealed an angry expression that clearly said ¡°don¡¯t try to fool me,¡± yet soon a multitude of grievances arose. ¡°Liuli,¡± Elder Shi Ding said sternly, ¡°stop being unruly.¡± ¡°Luo Yan isn¡¯t going out to play, but to prepare for his future path. You must not interfere in this matter.¡± After saying that, he turned back to Luo Yan, ¡°Luo Yan, from the look on your face, it seems you¡¯ve made up your mind?¡± ¡°To report to master,¡± Luo Yan said seriously, ¡°I have a rough idea of what I aim to explore on this trip. It¡¯s just that the uncertainties and risks are quite significant, so I¡¯m not very confident.¡± ¡°Regardless, safety must always come first,¡± Elder Shi Ding said earnestly, ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, you are not far from the threshold of the Third Grade Golden Core. Should you encounter any dangers, you¡¯ll need to be cautious.¡± In Elder Shi Ding¡¯s eyes, having taken Dynasty Yuan Spiritual Energy, Jade Pond Golden Lotus, and Cinnabar Pill, along with Luo Yan¡¯s claim of ¡°having taken Mercurial Elixir Liquid,¡± he had already accumulated a hundred and seventy years of cultivation. The remaining thirty years could be filled with regular cultivation¡­ His aspiration to strive for a higher grade likely stemmed from his ambition to reach the Second Grade Golden Core. It is not a bad thing for the youth to have ambition after all. Even someone like Qiu Changtian, blessed with extraordinary talent, would not have been able to obtain a First Grade Golden Core had it not been for various external trials. How could there possibly be so many Purple Mansion secret medicines in Kunlun? ¡°Disciple understands.¡± Luo Yan hurriedly nodded in agreement. Having obtained Elder Shi Ding¡¯s permission and to avoid Miss Shi¡¯s entanglement with her insistence on following, Luo Yan left without taking anything with him, flying straight toward the southeastern sea area of Penglai Island. Sure enough, Miss Shi chased after him a moment later, but after not finding any trace of her junior brother in the Heavenly Craft Workshop, she threw a fit of rage. The next day, after a sleepless night, Shi Liuli finally made up her mind. ¡°Father, I also want to go out for training,¡± she said to Elder Shi Ding earnestly. ¡°I¡¯ve told you¡­¡± Elder Shi Ding subconsciously thought she wanted to chase after Luo Yan and was about to continue lecturing his daughter when he suddenly realized what she said, ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Father, I¡¯m not talking about going after junior brother,¡± Shi Liuli affirmed. ¡°I also want to strive for the grade rank of the Golden Core.¡± The reason Luo Yan didn¡¯t let Shi Liuli follow him was simply because he was not truly going out to train, but merely using it as a pretext for his ¡°Core Formation.¡± Arriving at the island where he had previously practiced the Five Elements Divine Light, Luo Yan descended and planned to stay there for a while to ¡°pass through the tribulation at leisure.¡± About seven or eight days passed when suddenly several dark clouds enveloped the area. Luo Yan looked carefully and saw three seductively dressed women; from their attire, they seemed to be Golden Core True Persons from the Heavenly Demon Path. ¡°That Penglai¡¯s Luo Yan could possibly be here¡­¡± one of them hovered in the air, waving her sleeves and releasing a few circling Demon Heads, ¡°Found him!¡± The Demon Heads plunged down abruptly, diving straight toward Luo Yan hidden in the forest! Luo Yan expressionlessly fired the Huangting Kunwu Sword, annihilating the Demon Head and his thoughts grew heavy. From their words and tone, it seemed they had known the general direction of his sword control and had been tracking him all along? Wait, he had only spontaneously decided to go out for training, and the direction was chosen at random. That is to say, there¡¯s a traitor in the Yuqing View who leaked my whereabouts? Well, that is something I have known for a while. If one day I can become the Pavilion Master, I will definitely cleanse the entire Penglai! Luo Yan sneered inwardly but he sighed outwardly: ¡°Heavenly Demon Path cultivators? How did you manage to find this place?¡± ¡°Curious, aren¡¯t you? It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± the leading Heavenly Demon Daoist Master said with a sinister smile. ¡°Once we refine you into a Demon Head, we will have plenty of time to talk.¡± ¡°Is that so.¡± Luo Yan chuckled and clapped his hands forcefully together. Postnatal Five Elements Great Extermination Divine Light! The Divine Light surged endlessly from between his palms, sweeping across the sky. The three Heavenly Demon Daoist Masters immediately scattered, controlling their demonic forces to rapidly dodge the attack of the Postnatal Five Elements Divine Light. They were incredibly fast, eluding not only the Five Elements Divine Light but also the Huangting Kunwu Sword-it was clear they were well-prepared for Luo Yan. ???G?.?? Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only After all, Luo Yan only had the cultivation level of the Refining Mansion realm, and since the Five Elements Divine Light was an Immortal Rank secret technique, it was sure to consume an enormous amount of True Yuan. As long as they could drag out the fight for a while, his True Yuan would inevitably be exhausted, and they could easily kill him¡­ A quarter of an hour later. The three Heavenly Demon Daoist Masters bore expressions of disbelief, exchanging looks of indescribable fear. Their True Yuan was running dangerously low! Chapter 526 Chapter 526: Chapter 52 Resentment Difficult to Quell Chapter 526: Chapter 52 Resentment Difficult to Quell Assassination! Luo Yan casually used the Five Elements Divine Light to exhaust the True Yuan of three Heavenly Demon Daoist Masters, then wrapped one up and instantly assassinated him. The other two finally realized something was wrong and attempted to flee. However, Luo Yan used the Huangting Kunwu Sword to assassinate another one, and finally, he manifested Man-Sword Unity to slay the last Demonic Path Golden Core True Person. After the killing, Luo Yan suddenly realized: he seemed to have not paid attention to what realm his opponents were in. ¡°Two at the Soul Storing Rank, the same as you,¡± the Kunlun Mirror responded. ¡°And one at the Root Seeking Rank.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Luo Yan asked in surprise, ¡°How did I not notice that one of the enemies was stronger than the other two?¡± To his obvious question, both the Kunlun Mirror and the Green Duckweed Sword chose to remain silent. Luo Yan also felt bored, as his immense strength was unknown to others due to his need to maintain a facade of falsehood. It was quite uninteresting. He then set off on his sword, heading back to the Yuqing View. Upon returning to Yuqing View, Luo Yan already had his story figured out in his mind. Such as mistakenly entering the relics of the Intercepting Cult, consuming the Yangxia Zhuming Pill; being stranded in the Nine Serenities Underworld and eating the petals of the Other Shore Flower; by chance encountering an Overseas Immortal Mountain and obtaining the Golden Nectar and Jade Liquid, and so on¡­Any adventures from Wei Dongliu¡¯s side could be shifted to Luo Yan. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site ???G?.?? After all, it was not likely that anyone would confront Wei Dongliu for verification. Back at the Heavenly Craft Workshop, Luo Yan unexpectedly found his eldest senior brother Linghu Chu and third senior sister Liang Ruohua standing at the door of Elder Shi Ding¡¯s room, talking to each other with solemn expressions. ¡°Junior brother, you¡¯re back,¡± Linghu Chu said anxiously upon seeing Luo Yan¡¯s return. ¡°Hurry in. Master has been eager to see you.¡± Luo Yan: ? A bad feeling arose. Walking into the room, Luo Yan saw Elder Shi Ding sitting on the bed with a defeated look on his face, while Shi Liuli knelt by the bed, weeping and holding her father. ¡°Master, what¡¯s happened to you?¡± Luo Yan hastily exclaimed in shock, likewise rushing to Elder Shi Ding¡¯s bedside and crying out in sorrow. ¡°Haha, it¡¯s nothing,¡± Elder Shi Ding said with a smile, trying to appear upbeat. ¡°Just an ambush by a few elders from the Heavenly Demon Path, that¡¯s all.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all my fault,¡± Shi Liuli said through tears. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for taking me to the Purple Mansion Secret Realm¡­ ¡± ¡°Liuli,¡± Elder Shi Ding reached out his arm, lovingly stroking his daughter¡¯s hair. ¡°It¡¯s not because of you.¡± ¡°The Demonic Path targeted our Yuqing View for an ambush, and as the head of the Heavenly Craft Workshop, it was inevitable for your father to be targeted. It has nothing to do with you,¡± he reassured. Luo Yan listened tearfully by the side, thinking to himself that it seemed they had been ambushed while taking Miss Shi to visit the secret realm on their way back. Just like him. Only, he had managed a triple counterassault, while his master had not been able to do the same. After all, the Yuqing View was not known for its combat strength¡­ Wait, the Heavenly Craft myriad treasure bag that Master usually relied on for self-defense was already given to me in advance! Could it be because of this?! ¡°No need to think about it, it¡¯s just like that,¡± the Kunlun Mirror sighed. After a long silence, Luo Yan asked: ¡°Master, your injury¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious,¡± Elder Shi Ding said with a smile. It¡¯s nothing serious, so it¡¯s unsalvageable, right? For a moment, Luo Yan couldn¡¯t find words to say. He nodded slightly, then got up and left, giving time to the father and daughter. Outside, Luo Yan asked Linghu Chu: ¡°Exactly how serious is Master¡¯s injury?¡± ¡°The Heavenly Demon Poison has penetrated his internal organs, beyond the help of medicine,¡± Linghu Chu said in a low voice. ¡°The Wan Xiang Immortal said the best course now is to resolve the body, which could ensure reincarnation.¡± Luo Yan once again fell into a long silence before asking: ¡°What does Master think?¡± Liang Ruohua shook her head. Hard to say? That means planning to resolve the body, just reluctant to leave Liuli, right? ¡°Ah Jing, Qing Ping,¡± Luo Yan whispered in his heart, ¡°Is there any way to deal with this situation?¡± ¡°Guan Shui,¡± the Kunlun Mirror gently advised, ¡°The demonic poison can be cured, but the rotted flesh cannot be restored, unless the soul is transferred elsewhere, there might be a chance of salvation.¡± ¡°But don¡¯t forget that the soul itself requires the nourishment of a body,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword added, ¡°Without a body, one can only practice the path of a ghost infant; the destined lifespan varies from five thousand to nearly ten thousand years, but ultimately, they cannot escape death, and with so much of the soul¡¯s essence consumed, reincarnation is no longer possible.¡± Luo Yan remained silent for a moment, thinking, then turned back to the room. ¡°Master,¡± he knelt beside the bed to pay his respects. ¡°Liuli, you go out first,¡± Elder Shi Ding, seeing he had something to say, instructed. Shi Liuli wiped away her tears and then turned and left the room. ¡°Master,¡± Luo Yan stood up and said softly, ¡°The demonic poison can be treated, it¡¯s just¡­¡± ¡°Just that the body can¡¯t be repaired, right?¡± Elder Shi Ding laughed resignedly, ¡°No need, I¡¯m already prepared for disincarnation.¡± He slowly lifted his gaze to the ceiling and called out: ¡°Luo Yan, come here.¡± Luo Yan immediately understood that his master was about to entrust him with a mission and hurried to his bedside. ¡°In this life, I have not many regrets,¡± Elder Shi Ding watched him gently, ¡°The only thing I can¡¯t let go of is you and Liuli.¡± ¡°Although our Penglai Jade Pure Sect may not be as conspicuously sharp as Shushan, in the end, it¡¯s still the capable who rise to the top.¡± ¡°Luo Yan, you are naturally prudent and good at concealing your skills. Most of the time this is a good thing, but it can also lead to missed opportunities.¡± ¡°After I pass, you will be the master of the Heavenly Craft Workshop; remember that when you are in charge, you must be assertive and not be taken lightly¡­ cough, cough! Let no one underestimate you.¡± He coughed painfully for a while, and then said: ¡°Liuli¡­ since she was young, she has been pampered by me and has not suffered much hardship.¡± ¡°In the future, I will have to ask you to take more care of her.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, master,¡± Luo Yan hurriedly said, ¡°I will stay by my senior sister¡¯s side through thick and thin¡­¡± ¡°Luo Yan,¡± Elder Shi Ding raised his hand to interrupt him, ¡°I trust you.¡± He made a sound like a leaky bellows, struggling to say: ¡°I¡­ do not wish for Liuli to achieve Core Formation or Nascent Soul Formation. I only hope that she can live the rest of her life in peace and happiness.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a pity that I won¡¯t be able to see you two become Daoist companions¡­¡± Luo Yan listened with tears in his eyes when suddenly someone pushed the door and entered; it was the hunched and short Wan Xiang Immortal: ¡°Shi Ding, the time has come. If you do not leave now, then when?¡± ¡°Thank you for your troubles, Immortal,¡± Elder Shi Ding said weakly. ¡°If you wish to retain your wisdom and memories for a possible awakening after reincarnation, I also have a way,¡± Wan Xiang Immortal, seeing his acceptance, couldn¡¯t help but feel a trace of reluctance, said. Elder Shi Ding was silent for a moment, then shook his head with a smile: ¡°No need.¡± ¡°Each generation has its own destiny; why should I cling to it and not let go?¡± ¡°Luo Yan, stand guard outside, and don¡¯t let Liuli come in; it would distress her¡­ Wan Xiang Immortal is helping me with disincarnation, and we cannot be disturbed.¡± He slowly closed his eyelids, and Luo Yan sighed in his heart one last time. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only He then knelt to pay respect to Wan Xiang Immortal and resolutely got up and left. Just as he stepped out, Shi Liuli came rushing towards him, in a flurry of panic, and asked, ¡°Junior brother, where is father?¡± Luo Yan shook his head in sorrow. Shi Liuli stared at him blankly, suddenly wanting to rush inside, but was firmly embraced by Luo Yan. ¡°Senior sister!¡± Luo Yan said mournfully, ¡°Master said not to go in, lest you be distressed¡­ Wan Xiang Immortal is assisting Master with his disincarnation and cannot be disturbed!¡± Shi Liuli struggled fiercely at first, but upon hearing the latter part, she seemed to lose all her strength and slowly collapsed into his arms. Chapter 527 Chapter 527: Chapter 53 The Dragon Loses Its Head Chapter 527: Chapter 53 The Dragon Loses Its Head Elder Shi Ding is gone. When Wan Xiang Immortal opened the door, and everyone surged into the room once more, they found no trace of Elder Shi Ding. There were no remains, no clothing; he had disappeared from this world without a trace. Stroking his beard in silence was Wan Xiang Immortal, while the Sect Leader of Xuandu, who had hurried over upon hearing the news, was questioning Linghu Chu about what happened. Linghu Chu¡¯s eyes were red as he struggled to speak a few sentences. Since he didn¡¯t accompany Elder Shi Ding on his outing, he also had no knowledge of the incident. Liang Ruohua, the third senior sister, was silently shedding tears next to them, her face expressing both sorrow and bewilderment. The ones who should have been the most heartbroken, Luo Yan and Shi Liuli, unexpectedly showed little emotion. Luo Yan gently hugged Shi Liuli, staring at the spot where the master had lain, still struggling to accept reality. My master¡­ just like that¡­ is gone? For a moment, he felt as if he had lost the ability to cry, his mind a tangled mess of thousands of thoughts, yet at the same time, empty and blank. Shi Liuli, too, stared straight at the bed, not shedding any tears, utterly silent. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co Her silence was so frightening that the Master of Xuandu, initially wishing to inquire her about the incident, regarded her like a calm volcano about to erupt and hesitated to speak further, instead quietly instructing Linghu Chu: ¡°Let Liuli calm down for a while first. When she¡¯s come to, we can ask her about the attack on Shi Ding¡­¡± ¡°No need,¡± Shi Liuli suddenly lifted her head, gently breaking free from Luo Yan¡¯s embrace, and said to the Sect Master with a bow, ¡°Whatever the Sect Master wishes to ask, Liuli will not hesitate to answer.¡± Seeing her act so out of character, Luo Yan, Linghu Chu, and Liang Ruohua couldn¡¯t help but feel a sudden twinge of apprehension. This was impeccable etiquette for conversing with an elder, but when had Miss Shi ever cared so much for protocol? The dissonance was too strong. The Master of Xuandu then said gently: ¡°There¡¯s no rush, no rush. Liuli, you should mourn first. It¡¯s all the same if we ask in a few days.¡± ¡°This matter is of vital importance to Penglai, it would be better to clarify it now,¡± Shi Liuli said expressionlessly, as if mechanically, ¡°My father and I were attacked on our way back.¡± ¡°From where were you returning?¡± the Master of Xuandu asked. ¡°Yuling Island,¡± Shi Liuli answered, ¡°It lies one thousand five hundred li northwest of Penglai, an isolated island with no other large islands nearby.¡± ¡°The island is surrounded by cliffs on all sides, with a lone peak in the center. Inside the peak lies the Purple Mansion Secret Realm. Upon hearing of it, my father took me there to explore.¡± ¡°The location of the attack was at sea, on our way back from Yuling Island, about seven hundred li away from Penglai.¡± ¡°I see,¡± said the Master of Xuandu, surprised at the coherence of her account. Liuli is actually a bright child¡­ Perhaps it¡¯s the loss of her father that has matured her? ¡°Regarding the attackers¡­¡± he began to ask again. ¡°I was just about to explain to the Sect Master,¡± Shi Liuli said softly, as Luo Yan noticed her hands clenching imperceptibly, ¡°They were three women, all in the Nascent Soul Realm. Due to my limited experience, I could not discern their exact cultivation levels.¡± ¡°One of them wore a black robe, with her hair in a bun secured by a bone-colored hairpin with a green spot in its center. She summoned a Heavenly Demon to attack, a semi-transparent skeletal figure that moved amid green smoke emitting a terrifying sound¡­¡± ¡°Heavenly Demon Path¡¯s leader, Dugu Xie,¡± commented Wan Xiang Immortal, stroking his beard, ¡°This scoundrel¡¯s magic is extremely profound, not something ordinary cultivators can contend with. Your father¡­ alas, was unfortunate.¡± Shi Liuli nodded slightly, continuing: ¡°The other two, also in black robes, had disheveled hair and a strikingly similar bewitching appearance, looking almost identical, with paper-white complexions, commanding invisible Heavenly Demons¡­¡± ¡°The Ghost Mother Sisters,¡± stated the Sect Master of Xuandu solemnly, ¡°Dugu Xie¡¯s henchwomen, accomplices to the tiger.¡± Shi Liuli noted these names and said softly: ¡°There are some things I do not know whether I should speak of.¡± ¡°Speak freely,¡± encouraged Wan Xiang Immortal with a nod. After a moment of silence, Shi Liuli spoke: ¡°These three did not seem to have encountered us by chance, but rather tracked my father here.¡± ¡°I¡¯m puzzled: our trip was decided spontaneously and not mentioned to anyone beforehand. How could those on the Demonic Path know of our whereabouts?¡± ¡°If there isn¡¯t a traitor tipping off our enemies within the sect, then how else could this be explained?¡± ¡°Liuli¡­¡± Senior Brother Linghu Chu began to speak, only to be interrupted by the Wan Xiang Immortal: ¡°Xuandu, this matter cannot go uninvestigated. Since Liuli suspects that someone has alerted the Demonic Path of our movements, who was the elder patrolling the outskirts of Penglai that day?¡± ¡°It was Elder Lingying,¡± the Sect Leader of Xuandu answered, ¡°I will find her.¡± ¡°Wait a moment, Sect Leader Grandfather,¡± Shi Liuli spoke up, ¡°Considering that before my father and I set out, we had not disclosed our whereabouts to anyone, it indeed could only have been the cultivators patrolling the outskirts of Penglai who saw in which direction we were heading and then notified the Demonic Path.¡± ¡°The patrolling cultivators are under the jurisdiction of Elder Lingying. If an incident occurred, Elder Lingying would be the first to be suspected. If she were the traitor, acting so brazenly would be akin to standing directly beneath a collapsing wall,¡± she added. ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± the Sect Leader of Xuandu nodded, ¡°It¡¯s also possible that the traitor is one of the rotational patrolling cultivators under her command, so¡­¡± ¡°My humble opinion is this: We should ostentatiously arrest Elder Lingying while covertly monitoring the patrollers under her command,¡± Liuli suggested. ¡°If the traitor sees Elder Lingying being taken away, they will undoubtedly panic and expose themselves. Not only the patrolling cultivators but all of their daily contacts and relatives must be put under surveillance as well. We cannot rule out the possibility that they have learned about the leak from the mouths of the patrolling cultivators.¡± Shi Liuli finished speaking in one breath, then stepped back next to Luo Yan, bowing her head in silence. ???g?.?0 ¡°Let¡¯s do as she proposes,¡± the Wan Xiang Immortal sighed. ¡°There¡¯s another matter for which I need the Immortal and Sect Leader Grandfather to make a decision,¡± Shi Liuli said as the two were about to leave, speaking up once again. ¡°Speak,¡± the Sect Leader of Xuandu, feeling pity for her plight, gently urged. ¡°Firstly, there¡¯s the matter of the succession of the Heavenly Craft Workshop,¡± Shi Liuli began calmly, ¡°Before my father¡¯s death, he had designated my junior brother Luo Yan as his successor to the Workshop. Now the sect should honor his will and allow him to inherit the position of the Workshop Master.¡± Luo Yan was somewhat surprised, only to hear the Sect Leader of Xuandu hesitantly say: ¡°Since it¡¯s Elder Shi Ding¡¯s last wish, of course, there¡¯s no issue. However, Luo Yan has not yet achieved Core Formation, and it¡¯s improper for someone at the Foundation Establishment Realm to lead the Heavenly Craft Workshop.¡± He turned his gaze towards Third Sister Liang Ruohua, saying: ¡°Since Senior Brother Linghu Chu has already started his own sect, why not have Hua Shu temporarily act as the Workshop Master until Luo Yan achieves Core Formation, and then hand over the responsibility¡­¡± Luo Yan¡¯s expression became stern, only to hear Shi Liuli exclaim in alarm: ¡°This must not be! Although our Heavenly Craft Workshop excels in crafting a hundred artifacts, our main income comes from setting up formations, which is precisely why my father designated Junior Brother Luo as the successor.¡± ¡°Furthermore, the Heavenly Craft Treasure Bag that passes from the Workshop Master to his successor had already been bestowed upon Luo Yan by my father beforehand. If Sister Liang doesn¡¯t possess the Heavenly Craft Treasure Bag and yet temporarily assumes the position of the Workshop Master, how would the outside world view Sister Liang?¡± Upon hearing the Sect Leader¡¯s words, Liang Ruohua¡¯s heart had been moved, but after Shi Liuli¡¯s reminder, she immediately cooled down: The Workshop is known for crafting Magic Artifacts, but our strength is not in Magical Competitions. Without the Heavenly Craft Treasure Bag, how can I assume the role of the Workshop Master and command respect externally? If the Demon Cult could assassinate Elder Shi Ding, couldn¡¯t they do the same to her as the next Workshop Master? Considering this, she also felt somewhat ashamed and declined, saying: ¡°The Heavenly Craft Treasure Bag is exclusive to the head of the Heavenly Craft Workshop. I dare not go against my master¡¯s last wishes.¡± ¡°This¡­¡± the Sect Leader of Xuandu looked towards the Wan Xiang Immortal. ¡°To take up the mantle of a sect with the cultivation of the Foundation Establishment Realm, only heterodox sects would act so out of line,¡± the Wan Xiang Immortal shook his head, ¡°Since Hua Shu is unwilling, let¡¯s set aside the matter of the Workshop Master¡­¡± At these words, Shi Liuli bit her lip, growing even more anxious. The Heavenly Craft Workshop as it stands was single-handedly upheld by her father. His sudden passing was undoubtedly a massive blow to the Workshop¡¯s status and reputation. Whether it be the Third Sister, who was ignorant of formations, temporarily leading the Workshop, or leaving the position of Workshop Master vacant, both would only exacerbate the situation. Now, soon after my father¡¯s death, is when the elder members of the sect are most mindful of past affection ¨C the best time to negotiate. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only If I cannot push my junior brother to take up the role now, once this mourning period fades, it would be nearly hopeless! My father¡¯s Heavenly Craft Workshop¡­ I can¡¯t let it decline like this. I¡­ Just as she steeled her heart to cast aside all dignity, ready to kneel and kowtow, begging the Immortal in the most humble manner for his grace, she heard Luo Yan speak in a deep voice: ¡°Reporting to the Immortal and Sect Leader, I, Luo Yan, am undeserving but, during my recent travels and experience, I underwent Tribulation and have returned after forming a Second Grade Golden Core!¡± Chapter 528 Chapter 528: Chapter 54 The Great Change in Shi Liuli¡¯s Disposition Chapter 528: Chapter 54 The Great Change in Shi Liuli¡¯s Disposition ¡°` ¡°A Second Grade Golden Core?¡± Both the Wan Xiang Immortal and the Master of Xuan Du were taken aback, their faces showing astonishment as they asked in unison. The Wan Xiang Immortal didn¡¯t hesitate, immediately seizing Luo Yan¡¯s wrist and sending his Divine Sense into it to probe. Under the enhancement of the Kunlun Mirror¡¯s illusion technique, his Divine Sense saw that within Luo Yan¡¯s Dantian, his True Yuan flowed like a vast river, far more formidable than that of a Third Grade Golden Core, almost nearing the realm of the Golden Core Realm¡¯s Root Seeking Rank! ¡°Excellent! Excellent! Excellent!¡± The Wan Xiang Immortal laughed heartily, ¡°With the Daoist Foundation of a Second Grade Golden Core, how could you not become Workshop Master of the Heavenly Craft Workshop?¡± Shi Liuli, who had been ready to risk it all, suddenly saw the situation take a dramatic turn, and the light of hope rekindled in her previously despairing eyes. The Xuan Du Sect Leader, Linghu Chu, and Liang Ruohua also showed expressions of delight. ¡°Luo Yan, now that you have ascended to be a True Person and Elder Shi Ding has passed away, I hereby bestow upon you the Daoist title ¡®Jingyun,''¡± declared the Wan Xiang Immortal cheerfully, stroking his beard, ¡°The Heavenly Craft Workshop currently has no Nascent Soul Elder, and even with two Golden Core True Persons, its influence is inevitably diminished.¡± ¡°Now that you¡¯ve inherited the mantle of Workshop Master of the Heavenly Craft Workshop, you must cultivate diligently. As long as you achieve Nascent Infancy early, you can restore the former glory of the Heavenly Craft Workshop. ???G?.?? Do you understand?¡± wuxiaworld.site ¡°Very good,¡± the Wan Xiang Immortal turned to the Xuan Du Sect Leader, ¡°Xuan Du, since Master Jingyun will be taking on the role of Workshop Master, you can make the announcement within the sect¡­ And don¡¯t forget to mention the Golden Core Grade Rank.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± replied the Xuan Du Sect Leader immediately. ¡°Then¡­¡± the Wan Xiang Immortal was about to say ¡°then we shall take our leave¡± when he suddenly remembered something and turned to Shi Liuli, asking, ¡°Miss Liuli, is there anything else you needed?¡± ¡°I do not wish to conceal anything from the Immortal,¡± Shi Liuli said evenly, ¡°there indeed remains one more matter I wish to request of you.¡± The Xuan Du Sect Leader had already turned to leave, but upon hearing her words, he quickly halted in his tracks, thinking to himself that Shi Liuli really had changed a lot, although he wasn¡¯t sure if it was for better or worse. ¡°Speak your mind,¡± the Wan Xiang Immortal nodded, ¡°Elder Shi Ding contributed a great deal to the sect during his lifetime, and Penglai will not let his children be treated unfairly.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Shi Liuli continued with an expressionless face, ¡°My late father intended to betroth me to Junior Brother¡­ Master Jingyun. This is known to all within the Workshop.¡± ¡°After my father¡¯s funeral rites are completed, I would ask that you officiate the ceremony for Master Jingyun and me to become Daoist Companions,¡± she said. Ah, this¡­ Luo Yan looked at Shi Liuli in shock, only to see Miss Shi looking back at him, her eyebrows slightly furrowed, her eyes brimming with tears. Even without speaking, her gaze carried a prelude to sorrow, exuding a helplessness that seemed to plead, ¡°Please don¡¯t reject me yet?¡± Considering that Elder Shi Ding had fallen in battle, partly because he lacked the Heavenly Craft Treasure Bag, Luo Yan felt a softening in his heart. Looking again at Shi Liuli¡¯s pitiable, pretty face, he found himself unable to delay or evade the matter any further. Alas, my master¡­ Seeing that the two of them locked eyes and that Luo Yan did not refuse, the Wan Xiang Immortal nodded his agreement: ¡°It can be done. Since Jingyun is a Second Grade Golden Core, it¡¯s appropriate for me to preside over it.¡± So it was settled, and the Wan Xiang Immortal and the Master of Xuan Du departed hastily. News of Elder Shi Ding¡¯s demise had already started to spread within the sect, and the two needed to quickly present an official stance to prevent any public opinion issues. Linghu Chu and Liang Ruohua looked at Shi Liuli, uncertain of what to say. It was natural for one to cry bitterly upon losing a father, and yet Miss Shi¡¯s ¡°calmness¡± was most likely due to a grief beyond belief; she had already begun to suppress her body¡¯s natural instincts. Such restraint could easily lead to flaws in one¡¯s Daoist Heart, attracting Heart Demons, and it would have been better for her to cry her heart out. However, the two did not know how to offer such advice and could only look to Luo Yan for help. Luo Yan, bracing himself, began to speak: ¡°Senior Sister¡­¡± ¡°In the future, we will be Daoist Companions, so please just call me Liuli,¡± Shi Liuli said softly, turning to Linghu Chu, ¡°Senior Brother, Liuli has another small favor to ask of you here.¡± ¡°You may speak,¡± Linghu Chu replied gently, a note of pity in his voice. ¡°In the past, Liuli was favored by my father within the Heavenly Craft Workshop, and I never learned the art of Artifact Forging,¡± Shi Liuli said in a detached manner, ¡°Now that my father is gone and the Workshop faces sudden change, we may well fall into a period of instability.¡± ¡°` ¡°Among magic artifacts, the Flying Sword is supreme¡­ Liuli¡­wants to start learning sword casting from scratch¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s wonderful!¡± Linghu Chu said hastily, ¡°My ability to cast swords originally came from Master, and now I can pass it all on to my junior sister!¡± He clumsily took out his storage bag, checked the jade slips inside, and handed them to Shi Liuli, saying: ¡°All the many essentials of sword casting and the insights I¡¯ve gained over these years are all here!¡± ¡°There are some materials left in my sword casting workshop, I¡¯ll go back and get them all for you!¡± ¡°Alas,¡± in Luo Yan¡¯s mind, the Green Duckweed Sword suddenly sighed and said, ¡°She¡¯s chosen her moment rather shrewdly.¡± ¡°Her father has just passed away, her own disposition has greatly changed, clearly showing she is in the extreme of grief, and yet unable to shed tears.¡± ¡°At this time, no matter what she asks of anyone, she can maximize the value of the favors Elder Shi Ding has left behind.¡± ¡°You shouldn¡¯t speak like that,¡± the Kunlun Mirror corrected it, ¡°With Shi Liuli¡¯s character, she wouldn¡¯t usually haggle over such things.¡± ¡°Mainly, she truly is in unbearable pain, so she has to shift her emotions to preserving the Heavenly Craft Workshop to numb herself.¡± While the mirror and the sword heaved sighs and murmured, Luo Yan watched Shi Liuli silently, not knowing what to say. Linghu Chu hurriedly returned to the Heavenly Forge Sword Workshop, and Liang Ruohua too forcefully wiped away her tears, saying: ¡°Then I should also be going. Jingyun, and junior sister, if there¡¯s anything you need, just call on me¡­¡± Her voice paused for a moment, and then she couldn¡¯t suppress the sorrow in her heart, rushed over to hug them tightly, and then turned to leave. ¡°Liuli,¡± Luo Yan called out slowly. Shi Liuli was still in a daze, and after a long while, she said: ¡°Luo Yan, the Heavenly Craft Workshop¡­is in need of revival, and you, as the new workshop master, need to quickly take charge of various affairs.¡± ¡°With father gone, the many sects and families that previously collaborated with the Heavenly Craft Workshop will surely waver in their confidence in us, and we¡¯ll need to soothe them one by one¡­¡± Before she could finish speaking, Luo Yan once again held her tightly in his arms. ¡°Liuli,¡± he said with some bitterness, ¡°if you¡¯re sad, just cry it out¡­crying will make it feel a bit better.¡± Shi Liuli stiffly let him hold her, and after a long while, awkwardly placed her hands around his waist. ¡°Luo Yan,¡± she said softly, ¡°my mother¡­passed away when I was three years old, failing the Nascent Infant Heavenly Tribulation.¡± ¡°Since I can remember, my life has only had my father. As long as father was there, I was not afraid of anything.¡± ¡°Now, even father is gone¡­¡± She hugged Luo Yan¡¯s waist tightly, burying her face in his chest, and gently sniffled a few times. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only When she raised her head again, her pretty face showed no trace of tears, but Luo Yan could see in her eyes an even greater, undissipating gloom. ¡°Alright,¡± Shi Liuli said with a forced smile, ¡°I¡¯m going to learn sword casting now, there¡¯s still a lot of work to be done.¡± She took the jade slip given by Linghu Chu and walked towards the workspace, her silhouette lonely and desolate. Luo Yan stared blankly at her retreating figure, and it was a long while before he lowered his head. Near his chest on the robe, there was a nearly imperceptible mark. A small, faintly damp spot. Chapter 529 Chapter 529: Chapter 55 Eloquent Shi Liuli Chapter 529: Chapter 55 Eloquent Shi Liuli Several days passed, and at last an internal investigation within Penglai yielded results. The spy was not someone Luo Yan knew, but the Daoist Companion of a patrolling cultivator, who had gathered intelligence from her husband before secretly communicating with the Demonic Path. The Sect Leader of Xuan Du had already arranged for someone to interrogate the spy overnight. Upon learning this, Luo Yan quickly went to find Shi Liuli to inform her of the situation. ¡°The identity of this spy isn¡¯t really important,¡± Shi Liuli said slowly while holding a jade slip, ¡°The key lies in who the liaison on the Demonic Path side responsible for contacting her is.¡± ¡°If the two were only in one-way contact, once the liaisons catch wind, they will immediately discard the spy, and by then it may not be possible to trace them down, and the lead will be lost here.¡± ¡°Liuli,¡± Luo Yan cautiously advised, ¡°don¡¯t be anxious. Perhaps we can extract enough information from the spy through interrogation before their contact realizes, and uproot this network of spies completely.¡± ¡°Anxious?¡± Shi Liuli paused for a moment and then shook her head, ¡°I am not anxious.¡± ¡°The vengeance for my father does not lie on any one person, but the entire Demonic Path is complicit.¡± Luo Yan: ¡­¡­¡­ Fine, no matter who is responsible for Elder Shi Ding¡¯s fall, as long as the entire Demonic Path is eradicated, the great vengeance will be one hundred percent avenged¡­ This logic certainly has no fault, truly straightforward and brutal. ¡°Liuli, what are you looking at?¡± Luo Yan attempted to lighten the mood. wuxiaworld.site ¡°Sword casting,¡± Shi Liuli answered, ¡°Since our eldest senior brother started his own sect and father is no longer here, there is no one left in Heavenly Craft Workshop who can cast swords.¡± ¡°Flying swords are currently the most profitable magic artifact business. If we¡¯re missing this sector, there will be a significant gap in the financial income of Heavenly Craft Workshop¡­¡± As she said this, her voice paused, and then she suddenly asked: ¡°Didn¡¯t the Shi Family from Guangling County send someone over last time, wanting to have their young offspring apprenticed in the Heavenly Craft Workshop?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Luo Yan nodded, ¡°But now that Master is¡­ I don¡¯t know if the Shi Family still has this intention.¡± ¡°We must maintain our relationship with the Shi Family,¡± Shi Liuli stood up, took Luo Yan¡¯s arm, and explained in a low voice, ¡°After father¡¯s departure, those original business partners will inevitably have greatly reduced confidence in Heavenly Craft Workshop.¡± ¡°As long as we can have the Shi Family continue to uphold the original cooperation, at least we can salvage some of the external impression and evaluations. Hmm, I¡¯ll go with you this time.¡± ¡°Liuli¡­¡± Luo Yan hesitated. Under normal circumstances, Miss Shi linking arms with him would surely have brought a joyful expression to his face. The current cold and rational Shi Liuli was very unaccustomed to. Cough cough, Liuli is about to become my Daoist Companion, so I¡¯d better get used to it quickly. Of course, when it comes to adapting to circumstances and being reactive, Luo Yan as a multi-faceted spy naturally had extensive experience and certainly wouldn¡¯t be stumped by Shi Liuli like this. Soon after, he left Penglai with Shi Liuli, controlling a sword to travel westward and reached the Divine Land Continent, coming to the Shi Family in Guangling County for a visit. The Shi Family in Guangling County was also a notable cultivator family in the local area. Although the cultivation realms of the family disciples weren¡¯t outstanding, they did have a certain heritage in the art of forging space artifacts. Seeing that Master Jingyun of Penglai had come to visit, the Shi Family immediately sent out children to welcome them. Following the children of the Shi Family, Luo Yan and Shi Liuli entered a spacious reception hall, only to see Shi Xing rushing over eagerly from the back and warmly inviting them to sit down. ¡°Sect Leader Shi.¡± Luo Yan sipped his tea calmly and then got straight to the point, ¡°You must have heard about the situation at Heavenly Craft Workshop. We¡¯ve come this time to inquire whether the entry-level agreement from last time is still valid?¡± ¡°How could it not be?¡± Shi Xing said with a cautious smile, ¡°It¡¯s just that¡­ we too deeply mourn Elder Shi Ding¡¯s passing, but as of now, there¡¯s no one left in Heavenly Craft Workshop who can teach Shi Qing how to refine space artifacts, right? Even if she is accepted into Heavenly Craft Workshop, who will she learn from?¡± ¡°Sect Leader Shi.¡± Shi Liuli spoke up unhurriedly from the side, ¡°While I am not particularly gifted, I would like to offer a few corrections to the concerns you just raised.¡± ¡°First, even when my father was alive and accepted Shi Wenshi as his disciple, he did not provide instruction every day; most of the teachings were carried out through the relevant texts he left behind for self-study.¡± ¡°Second, inheriting the mantle isn¡¯t about the master himself but about the body of knowledge he imparts. Ordinary cultivators might need their master¡¯s guidance to solve their doubts, but since Shi Qing possesses a photographic memory, her need for this can be minimized to the lowest level.¡± ¡°Even so¡­¡± Shi Xing showed a troubled expression, ¡°without a master, joining Heavenly Craft Workshop may indeed seem inappropriate. The Shi Family isn¡¯t solely governed by my decisions; the clan elders will certainly have their suspicions.¡± ¡°If these are the clan elders¡¯ concerns, then there¡¯s another perspective to consider.¡± Shi Liuli stated calmly, ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, the clan elders are not worried about what Shi Qing can learn; they¡¯re concerned about the benefits her joining Heavenly Craft Workshop can bring to the Shi Family.¡± ¡°Let me explain it to you here: the greatest benefit of Shi Qing joining Heavenly Craft Workshop isn¡¯t her own growth but rather the opportunity for the Guangling Shi Family to access Penglai Jade Pure Sect¡¯s resources.¡± Shi Xing had been fiddling with his teacup, but upon hearing this, he stopped his movements subconsciously. ¡°The issue with the artifact forging line isn¡¯t the lack of market demand but the high initial investment costs,¡± Shi Liuli continued, ¡°Even within Penglai Jade Pure Sect, only our Heavenly Craft Workshop possesses the comprehensive capability for artifact forging. Whether my father is alive or not won¡¯t change this fact.¡± ¡°If the Shi Family has reservations and eventually decides not to let Shi Qing join our Heavenly Craft Workshop, then whose sect do you plan for her to join?¡± ¡°Among the many sects in the East Sea, you¡¯re likely considering having her apprentice with a sect that possesses artifact refining techniques. Even if those sects have technology, do they also have resources on par with Penglai Jade Pure Sect to allow Shi Qing to practice and learn artifact forging?¡± ¡°And if we step back ten thousand paces, even if Shi Qing masters artifact forging, what about Core Formation? Across the entire East Sea, which sect¡¯s Foundation Establishment Realm disciples have the highest success rate of reaching Core Formation? I presume I need not remind you.¡± ¡°This matter of apprenticeship isn¡¯t just about receiving instruction. On the path of cultivation, wealth, companions, techniques, and environment are all indispensable. All must be considered holistically. Liuli has spoken presumptuously, and that¡¯s all I will say.¡± Having finished, Shi Liuli raised her teacup and took a small sip. Shi Xing, sitting opposite, was stunned for a long moment before he smiled wryly and said: ¡°Liuli, I visited Elder Shi Ding back in the days and saw you several times, but I never knew you to be so eloquent.¡± ¡°Perhaps it really is some legacy that has made Heavenly Craft Workshop a gathering place for outstanding talents¡­ I have no objections now, but this matter still needs to be discussed with the clan elders. We can¡¯t give you an immediate answer, so please be patient.¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± Shi Liuli nodded and then threw a glance at Luo Yan. Luo Yan then stood up to take his leave. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only As they left Guangling County with Shi Liuli, Luo Yan couldn¡¯t help but ask: ¡°Liuli, I didn¡¯t know you had become so articulate.¡± Shi Liuli was silent for a moment before she said: ¡°Luo Yan.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Luo Yan asked curiously, feeling Miss Shi¡¯s arm wrapping more tightly around his. ¡°Before, it was Master who supported the entire Heavenly Craft Workshop,¡± Shi Liuli said slowly. ???G0.?0 ¡°From now on¡­ it will be up to us.¡± Chapter 530 Chapter 530: Chapter 56 Perseverance of Shi Liuli Chapter 530: Chapter 56 Perseverance of Shi Liuli Following his usual routine, after spending some time in Penglai, Luo Yan would turn his attention to reading the files of other storylines. However, Shi Liuli had changed so much in temperament that she seemed like a completely different person, which genuinely made him worry and thus he stayed in Penglai a bit longer than usual. Without mentioning anything else, Shi Liuli¡¯s recent dedication to learning the Sword Casting Technique was simply too intense, almost to the point of neglecting sleep and food. Of course, as a Cultivator who had practiced Fasting, not sleeping or eating was not an issue, but seeing her neglect her Cultivation Level like this made Luo Yan feel quite distressed. There was no helping it, he could only take care of her as he did Junior Sister Xu and Senior Sister An, by preparing some Purple Mansion Secret Medicine for her. ¡°Liuli,¡± Luo Yan found Shi Liuli again and asked to confirm, ¡°How much have you accumulated in your Refining Mansion Cultivation now?¡± Shi Liuli pondered for a moment and answered: ¡°Sixty years of the Mercurial Elixir Liquid, fifty years of Dynasty Yuan Spiritual Energy, thirty years of Jade Pond Golden Lotus, thirty years of Vermilion Marrow Dan.¡± ¡°My father took me to Yuling Island once, where I bathed in the heavenly light at the top of Saint¡¯s Peak, which gave me another fifty years of Refining Mansion Cultivation.¡± ¡°So, adding them all up amounts to two hundred and twenty years, which meets the standard for a High-Grade Golden Core. You don¡¯t need to worry about me neglecting my cultivation.¡± Upon hearing this, Luo Yan felt an urge to cry. So sensible! You even guessed what I was worried about. wuxiaworld.site This doesn¡¯t seem like you, Miss Shi! I would actually prefer you to be a bit more arrogant, a bit more willful, a bit more capricious¡­ He sighed internally and then asked once more: ¡°Even so, you shouldn¡¯t become too engrossed in the Sword Casting Technique, as one¡¯s Cultivation Level is fundamentally the root of a Cultivator¡­¡± ¡°I know.¡± Shi Liuli replied with a faint smile and nodded, ¡°Luo Yan, I¡¯m going to cast a sword now, would you like to come and watch?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve already learned to cast swords?¡± Luo Yan was greatly surprised. Casting swords to make Flying Swords was not the same as mortal blacksmiths forging iron; how could it be so easy to learn? It¡¯s been less than half a month! ¡°Not sure,¡± Shi Liuli said, shaking her head, ¡°I have to give it a try.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go and get the eldest senior brother,¡± Luo Yan said thoughtfully, ¡°If there really is a problem, at least there will be someone on the scene to resolve any doubts.¡± He went to the Heavenly Forge Sword Workshop and told Linghu Chu about the situation, to which the eldest senior brother had the exact same reaction: ¡°Liuli has already learned to cast swords? Hasn¡¯t it been less than half a month?¡± ¡°Ahem.¡± Luo Yan suddenly felt the need to ¡°show off¡± and said with a gesture, ¡°I¡¯ve told her not to aim too high, but she has been completely immersed in it, neglecting sleep and food¡­ If the eldest senior brother could check on her progress, that would be great. Jingyun thanks you in advance.¡± ¡°No need for formalities,¡± Linghu Chu quickly replied warmly, ¡°These days I¡¯ve been too busy and neglected to check on the little junior sister¡¯s progress in learning to cast swords.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just that¡­¡± Linghu Chu¡¯s eyes reddened as he continued, ¡°As you know, Jingyun, Cultivation is the foundation of the Daoist path. We shouldn¡¯t let the little junior sister become too obsessed with sword casting¡­¡± As he said this, Linghu Chu sighed emotionally. ¡°If Master were still alive, he would never let Junior Sister Xu work so hard.¡± The two felt a surge of gratitude for their master¡¯s kindness, and as the atmosphere grew more earnest, Linghu Chu immediately set aside the work at hand. He no longer cared about the sword embryo in the furnace and hurried to check on Shi Liuli¡¯s progress with her sword casting. ¡°By the way, Junior Brother. When do you plan to hold the Daoist Companion ceremony for you and Junior Sister Xu?¡± ¡°Soon, at the end of the month. The immortals have been rather busy lately.¡± ¡°You should hold the ceremony as soon as possible. Junior Sister Xu doesn¡¯t seem to be in the right state of mind; it¡¯s quite distressing to see. Getting married will hopefully allow her to feel more at ease.¡± ¡°Of course, even just to repay Master¡¯s kindness, I won¡¯t let Liuli down.¡± When the two returned to the Heavenly Craft Workshop, they saw Shi Liuli lighting the furnace in the sword casting room where Linghu Chu had originally been working. Depending on the Five Elements attribute of the sword being cast, different materials and forging techniques must be used. ???G0.?? This time, Shi Liuli was casting a Water System Flying Sword. She used the Primordial Magnet Forge as the base, rapidly shaping the sword embryo, then pinched out a Daoist Formula to activate the Southern Dipper Galaxy secret technique. Massive amounts of water from the celestial river poured into the forge, swiftly absorbed by the magical formation seal on the sword embryo. Shi Liuli pinched the Daoist Formula with her right hand and the Sword technique with her left, making the sword embryo rotate rapidly in the heart of the celestial river, fully absorbing the True Yuan of water. ¡°Junior Sister Xu¡¯s sword forging skills might be lacking, but her endurance in forging a sword has reached the entry Level,¡± Linghu Chu whispered to Luo Yan without daring to disturb her, ¡°If she finishes perfectly, the sword¡¯s quality will be between Eighth Grade and Ninth Rank after it emerges from the forge.¡± ¡°Tsk tsk tsk, who would have thought Junior Sister Xu would have such talent in sword casting? She truly is her father¡¯s daughter,¡± he mused, half in melancholy and half in admiration. Luo Yan, however, didn¡¯t pay attention to these details-sword casting was Greek to him, after all. He simply watched Shi Liuli roll up her sleeves, revealing arms as white as lotus roots, and her hair was simply tied into a ponytail at the back of her head. Her straightforward and energetic appearance truly added a much more charming aspect to her originally delicate beauty. Although he had promised their deceased master that he would take good care of Liuli (before obtaining the Heaven-Mending Stone, to nurture her to a level ¡°where she could possess sufficient status at Yuqing View¡±), seeing Shi Liuli finally overcoming her spoiled and wilful nature, which had been her only character flaw, Luo Yan felt a mix of affection and pity for her in his heart. Affection for her strength, but pity that she had to be strong. If given the choice, Luo Yan would rather have let her always be a carefree young lady, but unfortunately, the world doesn¡¯t work on ¡°what ifs¡±¡­ Sigh, he could only do his utmost to treat her well in the future! ¡°Sword Master, is this sincerity or pretense?¡± quietly asked the Qing Ping Sword to the Kunlun Mirror in the Sea of Consciousness. ¡°It should be genuine,¡± replied the Kunlun Mirror, ¡°but what does it matter if it¡¯s genuine? In the end, isn¡¯t he planning to run away?¡± ¡°I think, if the Sword Master can train Shi Liuli to become the next Elder Shi Ding in the future,¡± pondered the Qing Ping Sword, ¡°then even if he abandons her and runs away, he could be said to have fulfilled his duty, right?¡± ¡°Is that really okay?¡± immediately opposed the Kunlun Mirror, ¡°What about all the feelings Shi Liuli invested¡­ Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only do they have no value? Even if he must run away, he should at least properly address those feelings. What does it mean to just disappear without a word?¡± ¡°But if he makes it clear outright, they might not agree,¡± chuckled the Qing Ping Sword, ¡°look at Shi Liuli; she considers the Sword Master her pillar of support, always considering him in everything she does.¡± ¡°If one day the Sword Master tells her, ¡®I¡¯m sorry, I am a traitor¡¯, wouldn¡¯t Shi Liuli go mad on the spot and flay him alive?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ not necessarily the case,¡± the Kunlun Mirror became uneasy, ¡°but you have a point.¡± ¡°Even if he shields and protects Shi Liuli, he has become her pillar of support, and that¡¯s a debt of feelings not so easily settled. Anyway, let¡¯s wait and see what the future holds.¡± Chapter 531 Chapter 531: Chapter 57: Shi Liuli Came Up and Kissed Chapter 531: Chapter 57: Shi Liuli Came Up and Kissed By the end of the month, Shi Liuli¡¯s condition still showed no signs of improvement; instead, it seemed to have worsened. When she was learning the art of sword-casting, she was as diligent and hardworking as Xu Yinglian; when practicing with swordsmanship and magic artifacts, she was as brave and fearless as An Zhisu. ???G?.?? This made Luo Yan sometimes even doubt if Shi Liuli had been possessed by someone else¡­ asking Ah Jing to scan her carefully, yet the result was negative, the soul inside her body was still the same. But thinking like this just made it all the more heartbreaking, didn¡¯t it? Luo Yan then secretly resolved in his heart to bring a smile back to Miss Shi¡¯s face! As for exactly how to do it, Luo Yan currently had no clue, but he believed that with his sunny disposition and optimistic spirit, he would surely be able to transform Miss Shi with an overflowing positive energy. If there was still no effect, wasn¡¯t there an old saying: Time is the best medicine. All in all, because of worrying about Shi Liuli¡¯s mental state, Luo Yan couldn¡¯t just comfortably reload his previous save and walk away. He could only stay by her side every day, telling her witty remarks, trying to make her laugh. However, the jokes that once brought peals of laughter from Miss Shi now at best could only coax a faint smile from her-it was more like a polite smile to comfort Luo Yan than being genuinely amused. This fake happiness couldn¡¯t deceive Luo Yan, the professional spy. At a glance, he deemed it false mirth! wuxiaworld.site Luo Yan was frustrated because he didn¡¯t know how to help her; reading the previous save¡­ of course, that was impossible. Fortunately, the Wan Xiang Immortal finally returned from outside and could preside over the ceremony for the two to become Daoist Companions. Ironically, the marriage affair between Luo Yan and Shi Liuli was no secret; Elder Shi Ding hadn¡¯t deliberately concealed it before his death. Initially, everyone thought it was Luo Yan who had aimed too high in aspiring to marry Miss Shi. Who was Miss Shi? Elder Shi Ding¡¯s only beloved daughter, the jewel in the palm, becoming her Daoist Companion was like inheriting half of the Heavenly Craft Workshop-after all, almost all the resources of the Heavenly Craft Workshop were at Miss Shi¡¯s beck and call. Even after Luo Yan became the heir, many from Penglai felt it was only because of his relationship with Miss Shi that Elder Shi Ding looked at him with newfound respect. Now that Luo Yan had secured a ranking in the White Jade Capital¡¯s competition and formed a Second Grade Golden Core, the public opinion inside Yuqing View finally reversed, becoming that Elder Shi Ding had wisely acknowledged his true worth in life, and that Shi Liuli was fortunate to have found such an ideal husband. Some even privately remarked that Miss Shi was previously guarded by Elder Shi Ding. After her father¡¯s untimely death, she immediately had the protection of a Second Grade Golden Core husband; the transition was seamless with constant care, a stroke of luck that others envied. Shi Liuli turned a deaf ear to these comments; Luo Yan, afraid that she would care, went over to comfort her several times, and each time she reassured him with ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about me,¡± showing a considerate attitude that was truly heart-wrenching. The day of the ceremony finally arrived, following the same familiar process, identical to the wedding of Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian. The only difference was that Xu Yinglian¡¯s side had many elders, while Shi Liuli was now an orphan¡­ Thinking this made it even more sorrowful. After the ceremony, the two moved in together. Luo Yan drank a bit at the wedding feast, mainly because having formed a Second Grade Golden Core, everyone saw him as a future high-ranking candidate of Penglai, hence they rushed to toast him and get familiar. After returning to their room, he poured himself some tea to rinse his mouth. Shi Liuli removed her phoenix crown and made the bed. Then she suddenly turned to him and asked, ¡°Tonight¡­ do you want to do it?¡± ¡°Pfft!¡± Luo Yan directly sprayed out the tea he held in his mouth, ¡°Do¡­ do what?¡± ¡°Have children,¡± Shi Liuli said softly. ¡°This¡­¡± Luo Yan chuckled dryly, choosing his words carefully, ¡°For cultivators, preserving Yuan Yang and Yuan Yin is more beneficial to future cultivation.¡± This was a blatant lie, mainly because he was bound to run away sooner or later. If he took Shi Liuli¡¯s Yuan Yin and even had children before running away, how would that be different from certain races of people? There are things a gentleman does and does not do! Luo Yan was unwilling to do so! ¡°Oh.¡± Shi Liuli sat on the edge of the bed, seemingly a bit disappointed by his expression. Luo Yan studied her carefully, thinking to himself that this young lady seemed somewhat love-starved? Could it be a transfer of affection? Does she see me as her emotional pillar now? Also remembering the kindness of Elder Shi Ding, Luo Yan¡¯s heart softened. He went over to sit beside Shi Liuli, wrapping her shoulders in his arms, and said gently, ¡°Don¡¯t overthink it. I just don¡¯t want you to covet momentary joy, only to hinder your progress in cultivation.¡± ¡°What momentary joy¡­¡± Shi Liuli didn¡¯t know what to say, so she just turned her back, distancing herself, ¡°You should rest early, husband. Liuli is going into meditative concentration.¡± ¡°Alright then.¡± Luo Yan pretended to be clueless about the romantic atmosphere, positioning himself in the Five Hearts Facing the Sky pose, and began to meditate right next to Shi Liuli¡¯s body. Shi Liuli stared at him, and suddenly, tears fell silently. She reached out with her sleeve to wipe the tears, but the more she wiped, the more tears came. This continued until Luo Yan himself was startled out of his meditative state by her sobbing. Seeing Miss Shi crying a mess, he quickly embraced her with concern, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Liuli? Are you thinking of your master?¡± ¡°I, I don¡¯t know,¡± Shi Liuli kept wiping her tears, ¡°I, I¡­¡± She stuttered for quite a while before finally saying in a dispirited tone, ¡°After my father left, I suddenly realized that the carefree, happy life I had for so many years was just like flowers in the mirror, the moon in the water¡­ that it could collapse and disappear at any moment¡­¡± ¡°Luo Yan, I¡¯m scared¡­ I¡¯m afraid that one day, when I come to my senses, I will find myself completely alone.¡± She said, choked with sobs, hugging Luo Yan tightly. Luo Yan could only hug her back, thinking whether this was the moment to make a promise to ¡°always be by your side¡±? Wait a minute, that¡¯s impossible to do! Making a vow to Long Hu was to maintain a devoted facade for synchronization value, a necessity to keep his identity. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only If he also made a vow to Shi Liuli, wouldn¡¯t that make him an utter scoundrel who decides to lie just to make a girl happy? ¡°Luo Yan!¡± Shi Liuli pleaded softly, her voice filled with tears, ¡°You¡¯ll stay with me forever, right? You won¡¯t leave me like father did¡­¡± Seeing her eyes swollen red, brimming with tears, pitiful with a pear-blossom rain, trembling slightly in fear, she looked at him with such desperate hope, like a small animal about to be abandoned, that Luo Yan found himself overwhelmed. He closed his eyes, clenched his teeth, steeled his heart, and resignedly said, ¡°Liuli! Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t leave you¡­¡± No sooner had his words faded than Shi Liuli, with tears still on her face, kissed him. Chapter 532 Chapter 532: Chapter 58 Lucky Virtuous Wife Shi Liuli Chapter 532: Chapter 58 Lucky Virtuous Wife Shi Liuli The next morning, Luo Yan lay on the bed with a vacant look in his eyes. Yuan Yang was still intact, only he¡¯d spent the entire night pressing down his ¡°gun.¡± Miss Shi must have truly been starved for affection, unwilling to enter meditative concentration; she also spent the whole night clinging to his embrace, refusing to leave. She would sometimes cry and shed tears, looking despondent; sometimes she would actively seek kisses, hugging and cuddling as if she were split in spirit. Luo Yan had no choice but to be tender with her at times, softly comforting her; other times he¡¯d half-heartedly respond to her advances¡­ ¡°Half-heartedly¡± might be too strong a term, as if the roles of male and female could easily reverse, but it was indeed the case. Because it seemed Miss Shi had thrown caution to the wind, presenting herself as ready for the plucking, intending to give her all to Luo Yan. If you dare to take it, I¡¯ll dare to give! Luo Yan truly didn¡¯t dare¡­ Even if one were to set aside matters of moral responsibility, one had to consider that both the Kunlun Mirror and the Green Duckweed Sword were watching! I¡¯m a spy, not an actor, why should I perform live for you? If something were indeed about to happen in the future, he would first have to throw the Green Duckweed Sword out of the room and then make the Kunlun Mirror transform and roll out as well-of course, right now he definitely couldn¡¯t take out the mirror or draw the sword in front of Shi Liuli, so nothing could happen. Fortunately, Shi Liuli was somewhat clueless about this, not even understanding the act of disrobing and undressing, and ended up kissing Luo Yan so shyly that she left herself breathless. In the end, she fell asleep nestled against him. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site Luo Yan also held her without daring to move, for fear of waking her and continuing the lingering embrace, he could only silently maintain the meditative posture, repeatedly using the technique of breathing and Qi Refinement to perform the Grand Circulation while also repeatedly suppressing the rising thoughts and his ¡°gun.¡± Just like that, breathing and Qi Refinement took place throughout the entire night, and his cultivation level actually improved slightly, which was outrageous. Who says women only hinder the speed of cultivation? The next morning, after Shi Liuli got out of bed and changed clothes, leaving the house, Luo Yan finally carefully opened his eyes and then slumped back onto the bed in exhaustion. I¡¯m tired, and I¡¯ve grown stronger, but is all this worth it? ?0?G?.?? ¡°Has my husband awoken?¡± Shi Liuli entered, carrying a small bowl, ¡°I made you breakfast.¡± When she said this, she still had her usual calm and composed demeanor, starkly different from the energetic young girl she used to be. But compared to the time just after Elder Shi Ding¡¯s death, when she would often be dazed or silent, she was now quite more humanlike. ¡°I made some porridge.¡± She came over to Luo Yan¡¯s bedside and gently stirred it with a spoon, ¡°Want a taste?¡± Luo Yan was not embarrassed at all-with his own wife, what was there to be polite about? So he leaned forward and took a sip: ¡°It¡¯s really fresh, did you add scallops and dried shrimp?¡± ¡°Wrong, I added mushrooms.¡± Shi Liuli shook her head, intending to continue feeding him, but Luo Yan took the bowl from her: ¡°Let me do it myself.¡± As he sipped the porridge in small mouthfuls, he appreciated Shi Liuli¡¯s virtuousness and suddenly thought of Xu Yinglian. Junior Sister Xu, learn a thing or two! See how Miss Shi is as a wife? Of course, he only dared to think this in his mind. If there ever actually came a day, he would probably be so frightened he¡¯d wet himself and flee outright. After Luo Yan finished his porridge, the bowl and spoon were taken by Shi Liuli, who cleaned them with a spell and put them away, and then he heard her say: ¡°This afternoon I plan to go to Fanghu Market to purchase materials for sword casting, can my husband accompany me?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Seeing Miss Shi in better spirits, Luo Yan naturally wouldn¡¯t refuse her, and he answered with a smile. In the afternoon, the two visited Fanghu Market for several hours, with Shi Liuli holding onto Luo Yan¡¯s arm the whole time, bargaining with various material vendors. ¡°Eh, Sister Liuli?¡± A voice suddenly called out from behind. The two turned around, only to see Junior Sister Bi Lian from the Divine Elixir Pavilion, browsing the market with a few other junior sisters. ¡°Junior Sister Bi Lian,¡± Shi Liuli nodded slightly, ¡°I¡¯m here to purchase some ores.¡± ¡°And I¡¯ve come to buy spiritual medicine,¡± Bi Lian and Luo Yan nodded with a smile as a form of greeting and then turned to look at Shi Liuli, ¡°Junior Sister, after your marriage, you seem to carry a different aura than before.¡± ¡°Is that so,¡± Shi Liuli also smiled, without offering much of an explanation. After exchanging a few pleasantries, they bid each other farewell and left. Turning to her junior sisters, Bi Lian sighed and said: ¡°Though she has lost her father recently, to have a good husband by her side is another matter. I¡¯m not sure if Junior Sister Liuli is more fortunate or unfortunate.¡± ¡°It seems more like good fortune,¡± one of the junior sisters blurted out, ¡°Elder Shi Ding doesn¡¯t have a Second Grade Golden Core. How could his future potential compare to that of Master Jingyun, which is beyond measure?¡± ¡°Stop making such comparisons!¡± Bi Lian quickly scolded her, ¡°Is this a matter that can be mentioned so casually? If Master Jingyun hears of this, don¡¯t blame me for not considering the feelings of our fellow sect members!¡± Realizing her faux pas, the junior sister hastily tried to rectify, ¡°Good sister, my words were improperly chosen. It was not my intention. I merely admire Master Jingyun for his achievements at such a young age. I heard that when he first sought entry, there wasn¡¯t even an elder willing to take him in. It was only after Junior Sister Liuli talked to him that Elder Shi Ding noticed him and took him under his wing at the Heavenly Craft Workshop.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just a bit envious that I didn¡¯t get the chance to attend various classes and bump into Master Jingyun. Maybe he would be with our Divine Elixir Pavilion now!¡± ¡°Wow, I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re harboring thoughts about a married man!¡± Bi Lian teased with a chuckle, ¡°You¡¯re such a flirt!¡± ¡°Exactly!¡± another junior sister chimed in to support, ¡°Even if he joined our Divine Elixir Pavilion, Master Jingyun would have eyes only for our Junior Sister Bi Lian. Don¡¯t you all agree?¡± Hearing this, Bi Lian wouldn¡¯t let it rest and they all began to squabble, though deep down she also sighed to herself. Leaving aside the matter of Elder Shi Ding, Shi Liuli truly was fortunate-Who wouldn¡¯t want a husband like Master Jingyun? Among the young generation of righteous cultivators, probably only Phoenix Immortal Xu Yinglian, who was wed to Kunlun¡¯s Changgeng True Person, could compare to Shi Liuli in this regard. Thinking of everyone¡¯s idol, Zhang Tian, Bi Lian was suddenly inspired to blurt out: ¡°What do you all think? Between Master Jingyun and Kunlun¡¯s Changgeng True Person, who is better?¡± The junior sisters exchanged glances, and after a long pause, someone spoke up: ¡°That¡¯s hard to compare. Changgeng True Person is a First Grade Golden Core! That¡¯s one rank higher than Master Jingyun!¡± ¡°I mean in terms of personality,¡± Bi Lian quickly clarified, ¡°As male cultivators¡­ you know what I mean.¡± After pondering for a moment, the junior sisters individually said: ¡°Master Jingyun.¡± ¡°Master Jingyun, I guess?¡± ¡°I would choose Master Jingyun too.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Bi Lian mused, ¡°After all, Master Jingyun is one of us from Penglai¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not for that reason,¡± a junior sister said with a smile, ¡°From the very beginning, Changgeng True Person was surrounded by a halo of countless talents. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Not only did he become a disciple of the Sect Leader, but he also had countless sect members looking up to him. His demeanor, although gentle, has always been so lofty that he feels unapproachable, someone you can only look up to from afar.¡± ¡°Master Jingyun is different. His initial status was not much different from ours, and it was through relentless effort from mediocrity that he rose. If I had to choose, I would naturally prefer a story like his¡­¡± The other junior sisters all voiced their agreement, and Bi Lian couldn¡¯t help but express her own admiration: ¡°Now that you mention it, I also find it quite incredible.¡± ¡°Both are newly emerged Golden Core True Persons with limitless prospects, yet have such distinct rising experiences, and both have also taken Daoist Companions early on¡­ You think, maybe I should also look out for those newly initiated male disciples, to see if there is a next Changgeng or Jingyun among them?¡± Chapter 533 Chapter 533: Chapter 58 Self-Discipline Shi Liuli Chapter 533: Chapter 58 Self-Discipline Shi Liuli The next morning, Luo Yan lay in bed with listless eyes. Yuan Yang was still present. Miss Shi must have really lost her mind last night, not only refusing to enter meditative concentration obediently, but also clinging to him all night long, refusing to leave. Sometimes she would cry sadly and look despondent; other times, she would actively request cuddles and kisses, as if she were schizophrenically split. Luo Yan had no choice but to occasionally cuddle with her, softly comforting her, and at other times reluctantly push away, gently persuading¡­ ¡°Reluctantly push away¡± might be an exaggeration, like some gender reversal, but it was indeed the case. Because Miss Shi seemed to have given it her all, posing as if she was ready to offer herself to him, planning to give her all to Luo Yan. If you dare to want it, I dare to give it! But Luo Yan truly didn¡¯t dare to take it¡­ even if he disregarded moral responsibility and the like, he still had to consider that both the Kunlun Mirror and the Green Duckweed Sword were watching! I¡¯m a spy, not an actor. Why should I perform for you on the spot? Even if something were to happen in the future, he would first have to throw the Green Duckweed Sword out of the room, and let the Kunlun Mirror transform and roll out too-of course, right now he definitely couldn¡¯t pull out the mirror or sword in front of Shi Liuli, so nothing could happen. Fortunately, Shi Liuli was half-aware of this, shyly kissing Luo Yan for a long time, accidentally leaving herself breathless, and then she leaned on him to sleep. wuxiaworld.site Luo Yan held her, not daring to move, afraid that waking her would lead to more clinginess, so he could only silently maintain a meditative pose, turning the breathing and Qi refinement techniques over and over again, performing the Grand Circulation, and incidentally suppressing the surging fanciful thoughts. After practicing Qi refinement all night like this, his cultivation level actually improved a bit, which was outrageous. Who says women only hinder the speed of cultivation? The next morning, after Shi Liuli got out of bed and dressed, and left the house, Luo Yan finally carefully opened his eyes, and then lay back on the bed, exhausted. I¡¯m tired and stronger, but is it all worth it? ¡°Has husband woken up?¡± Shi Liuli entered, carrying a small bowl, ¡°I made you breakfast.¡± When she said this, she was still calm and composed, unlike the lively young girl she had been before. But compared to the time when Elder Shi Ding had just passed away, when she used to stare blankly or keep silent, she now seemed to have more human touch. ¡°I boiled some porridge.¡± She came to the side of Luo Yan¡¯s bed and gently stirred with a spoon, ¡°Want to try?¡± Luo Yan wasn¡¯t shy; what¡¯s there to be courteous about with his own wife? He leaned in and took a sip, ¡°It¡¯s so fresh, did you add dried scallops and shrimp?¡± ¡°Wrong, I added mushrooms.¡± Shi Liuli shook her head, intending to continue feeding him, but Luo Yan took it over, ¡°I¡¯ll do it myself.¡± As he sipped the porridge in small mouthfuls, appreciating Shi Liuli¡¯s virtuousness, he suddenly thought of Xu Yinglian. Junior Sister Xu, you should take note! See how Miss Shi acts as a wife? Of course, these thoughts he only dared keep to himself. If that day ever came, he would probably scare himself silly and flee at the first chance. After finishing the porridge, the bowl and spoon were taken by Shi Liuli to be magically cleaned and put away, when he heard her speak again, ¡°This afternoon I need to go to the Fanghu Market to buy materials for sword casting. Can you come with me, husband?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Seeing Miss Shi¡¯s spirits lifted, Luo Yan naturally wouldn¡¯t turn down her request and smiled in agreement. In the afternoon, the two of them strolled through Fanghu Market for several hours, Shi Liuli holding onto Luo Yan¡¯s arm the whole time, haggling with various material suppliers. ¡°Eh, Sister Liuli?¡± Suddenly a voice rang out from behind. The two turned around and saw that it was Senior Sister Bi Lian from the Divine Elixir Pavilion, with several Junior Sisters also strolling through the market. ¡°Senior Sister Bi Lian,¡± Shi Liuli nodded slightly, ¡°I came here to purchase some ores.¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to buy some spiritual medicine,¡± Bi Lian and Luo Yan nodded with a smile, as a way of greeting, then turned to Shi Liuli and said, ¡°Junior Sister, ever since you got married, your demeanor seems to have changed from before.¡± ¡°Is that so.¡± Shi Liuli also smiled, without offering much of an explanation. After exchanging a few pleasantries, they bid each other farewell and left. Bi Lian turned to her Junior Sisters with a sigh, saying: ¡°Though her father has recently passed away, she has the company of a good husband. It¡¯s hard to say whether Junior Sister Liuli is lucky or unfortunate.¡± ¡°It seems to me she¡¯s more fortunate,¡± one blunt Junior Sister quickly voiced out, ¡°After all, Elder Shi Ding doesn¡¯t have a Second Grade Golden Core. How can his potential compare to Master Jingyun, who is immeasurably profound?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make such comparisons!¡± Bi Lian quickly scolded her, ¡°Is this something we can casually discuss? If Master Jingyun were to hear this, don¡¯t blame me for not looking out for our sect sisterhood!¡± The Junior Sister, realizing her blunder, hurriedly tried to rectify: ¡°Forgive me, Senior Sister, my words came out wrong. I didn¡¯t mean that-only that I admire Master Jingyun¡¯s achievements at a young age. ???G?.?? I heard that when he first joined the sect, not even an elder was willing to take him in. It was only after Junior Sister Liuli spoke with him that Elder Shi Ding took notice and accepted him into Heavenly Craft Workshop.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just a bit envious. Why didn¡¯t I go around attending lectures, so I could bump into Master Jingyun too? Who knows, he might now be in our Divine Elixir Pavilion!¡± ¡°Wow, I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re even thinking about a married man!¡± Bi Lian laughed and playfully spit at her, ¡°You¡¯re such a flirt!¡± ¡°Exactly!¡± Another Junior Sister chimed in, ¡°Even if he joined our Divine Elixir Pavilion, it¡¯s our Senior Sister Bi Lian that Master Jingyun would fancy, don¡¯t you all agree?¡± Bi Lian, upon hearing this, naturally wouldn¡¯t let the topic rest, and they bickered playfully among themselves, but deep down she couldn¡¯t help but sigh inwardly. Setting aside the matter with Elder Shi Ding, Shi Liuli was indeed very fortunate-to have a husband like Master Jingyun, who wouldn¡¯t want him? Among the younger generation of orthodox cultivators, probably only the Phoenix Immortal, Xu Yinglian, who married Changgeng True Person from Kunlun, could compare to Shi Liuli in this regard. Thinking of everyone¡¯s idol, Qiu Changtian, Bi Lian suddenly blurted out on a whim: ¡°What do you all think, between Master Jingyun and Kunlun¡¯s Changgeng True Person, who is better?¡± The Junior Sisters looked at each other, unsure, until finally someone spoke up: ¡°You can¡¯t really compare them, Changgeng True Person has a First Grade Golden Core! That¡¯s a whole rank higher than Master Jingyun!¡± ¡°I meant personality-wise,¡± Bi Lian quickly clarified, ¡°As male cultivators¡­ Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only you know what I mean.¡± The Junior Sisters pondered for a moment, then voiced their opinions separately: ¡°Master Jingyun.¡± ¡°Master Jingyun, I guess?¡± ¡°I choose Master Jingyun too.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Bi Lian mused thoughtfully, ¡°After all, Master Jingyun is one of our own from Penglai¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not because of that,¡± another Junior Sister said with a laugh, ¡°From the moment Changgeng True Person started, he has been enveloped in countless auras of genius, not just becoming a disciple under the Sect Leader, but also admired by countless peers. Despite his mild nature, he still gives off an unapproachable vibe, like someone you can only look up to from below.¡± ¡°Master Jingyun is different. His initial status wasn¡¯t much different from ours, and he rose to prominence through relentless effort from an average beginning. Given the choice, of course, I prefer such a story¡­¡± The other Junior Sisters nodded in agreement, and Bi Lian couldn¡¯t help feeling emotional: ¡°Putting it that way, I really do find it incredible.¡± ¡°Both are newly advanced Golden Core True Persons with limitless futures yet have entirely different rise-to-fame stories, and they both formed a Daoist Companion relationship early¡­ Tell me, shouldn¡¯t I keep an eye on those newly admitted entry-level male disciples to see if there¡¯s a next Changgeng or Jingyun among them?¡± Chapter 534 Chapter 534: Chapter 59: It¡¯s Your Turn to Be the Lord of the Six Paths Chapter 534: Chapter 59: It¡¯s Your Turn to Be the Lord of the Six Paths ¡°` That night was yet another round of tossing and turning. Simply put, Shi Liuli was the one tossing in her husband¡¯s arms, while Luo Yan was the one holding his wife and finding it difficult to sleep. ???G0.?? The newlywed wife, little Liuli, still insisted on clinging to Luo Yan¡¯s bosom to be his darling; otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t obediently meditate, breathe, and refine Qi. Luo Yan was tormented; the temptation was right in front of his eyes, yet he dared not touch, and his longing was unbearable. He struggled to calm his mind and suppress his romantic thoughts, which made it incredibly hard for him to fall asleep. He couldn¡¯t stand it any longer! ¡°Ah Jing! I want to reload a save!¡± Kunlun Mirror smiled coldly inside, obediently responding on the surface: ¡°Sure, which save would you like to reload?¡± ¡°Wei Dongliu,¡± Luo Yan answered. ¡°I want to see what sort of tricks the Demon Cult is up to.¡± wuxiaworld.site He simply stayed at Tong Xuan Gate¡¯s residence, watching Jiang the Witch train her two disciples. On further reflection, the original intention of taking disciples was to establish a credible identity and later utilize their network to search for traces of the Hell Path. Unexpectedly, before the disciples could fully develop, the Hell Path had found him first. Now that things had come to this, of course, he couldn¡¯t abandon his two disciples; they might prove to be useful in the future. With this thought, Wei Dongliu called his two disciples over to test their cultivation levels. ¡°Your Qi Seas are already full?¡± Wei Dongliu asked authoritatively, ¡°Have you refined all the medicinal power?¡± Guo Jin and Wang Cong both nodded, indicating they had entered the Marrow Cleansing Rank. What the Demon Cult was never short of were shortcuts. During the last temple fair, he had instructed Jiang the Witch to visit the Mortal Life Path¡¯s Lingxiu Mountain Sect and purchase a secret medicine known as ¡°Sweet Dew of True Essence.¡± This secret medicine was rich in pure spiritual energy. Consuming it could quickly replenish depleted True Yuan and even regenerate flesh and bones. If a cultivator was in the Qi Refinement Realm and filling their Qi Sea for the first time, it could significantly shorten the remaining time needed for Qi Refinement. For the Marrow Cleansing Rank that followed, there were three ways to accelerate the process: The first was to wash the marrow in the Blood Pool, which required Ying Long¡¯s blood ¨C a substance located in the Shushan Demon Locking Tower and difficult to take out. The second was the Pure Yuan Qi Pill, which, due to a long time lapse, he had given all to Shi Liuli, and he didn¡¯t know where to get more for the time being. The third was the Body Refining Secret Art. In the Treasure Ship Secret Realm, Luo Yan had once obtained an Ancient Witch Clan¡¯s ¡°Dragon Spring Hundred Forms Song.¡± Practicing this Body Refining Secret Technique not only made the body stronger but also sped up the clearance of impurities from the marrow cavities. This is it! Wei Dongliu couldn¡¯t be bothered to search for Ying Long¡¯s blood or Pure Yuan Qi Pills, so he recited the ¡°Dragon Spring Hundred Forms Song¡± and instructed his two disciples to memorize it carefully and practice on their own. The Flying Asura listened silently from not too far away, thinking, isn¡¯t this an ancient Witch Clan¡¯s Body Refining Secret Technique? Oh, his master was, after all, the Abi Devil Lord from Hell, ancient beyond years, so it was only natural he knew the Witch Clan¡¯s secret techniques. Jiang Liyan was also well-informed and naturally recognized the ¡°Dragon Spring Hundred Forms Song¡± as one of the Body Refining Secret Techniques. Although she had no interest in body refinement, she still quietly took note of it, planning to study it thoroughly once she returned. It was indeed quite unfortunate. The day Wei Dongliu stood up for her in front of her master, he had inadvertently saved her life but had also offended her master severely on her behalf. ¡°` Nowadays, even though the Heavenly Demon Path hasn¡¯t made an official announcement, Jiang the Witch is, in effect, no different from a betrayer of the Sect, and the continued cultivation techniques are something she can forget about obtaining through legitimate means. There¡¯s no choice, I¡¯ll have to pull out all the stops! After the last ambush on Elder Sister Ai Zhenzhi, I scavenged a Core Condensation Technique from her, which gave Jiang the Witch a whole new perspective. If the master won¡¯t give it to me, he has to give it to the other senior sisters, right? If I kill all the senior sisters, won¡¯t I be able to get my hands on the techniques? Jiang the Witch prided herself on her quick wit. As for how to kill those senior sisters whose cultivation levels were higher than her own, she would naturally need to rely on the handsome and invincible Wei Devil Lord from my family. ¡°Wei Dao You ah,¡± after Wei Dongliu finished teaching the Marrow Cleansing Rank techniques, she coyly said, ¡°The members of your Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect are a little too few, couldn¡¯t you make me a guest elder?¡± A guest elder? You, who haven¡¯t reached Core Formation, qualify? At best, you¡¯re just a concubine! Wei Dongliu replied indolently: ¡°Alright, when the time comes and someone attacks our Sect Residence, you, as the guest elder, will need to be the first to step up to the plate.¡± Jiang the Witch frowned, thinking that if Tong Xuan Gate¡¯s residence, presided over by old Wei, were to be attacked, the attackers would certainly be of high cultivation level. How could I possibly fight against them? Thinking this, she felt a bit of reluctance but still stubbornly said with a firm face: ¡°Of course, there¡¯s no problem! When the time comes, I believe Senior Flying Asura wouldn¡¯t stand by idly. It¡¯s fine as long as I support Senior Flying Asura from the back.¡± ¡°Human child,¡± the Flying Asura deliberately let out a sinister laugh, licking his lips with a blood-red tongue, ¡°If they come to kill you, I won¡¯t lift a finger to save you, you know.¡± Jiang the Witch felt embarrassed as her thoughts were seen through and awkwardly said: ¡°Of course, there¡¯s no need for Senior Flying Asura to save me. If I don¡¯t even have the strength to protect myself, why would I be a guest elder at the Tong Xuan Gate?¡± ¡°Since that is the case, then the position of guest elder is yours,¡± Wei Dongliu declared with a decisive pound of the table. Having officially obtained the position of a guest elder, at last, some joy appeared on Jiang the Witch¡¯s face. After all, the reason she made this request wasn¡¯t really to become some kind of ¡°Sect Elder,¡± she just planned to cling a bit tighter to the powerful legs of Devil Lord Wei. If Devil Lord Wei thinks she¡¯s unworthy because she hasn¡¯t reached Core Formation and her strength is meager, refusing to grant her the position of a guest elder, then Jiang the Witch would have no choice but to sacrifice her beauty and settle for the position of a concubine¡­ After all, it¡¯s better to be the woman of a Devil Lord than to be a woman killed by her own master. Luckily, the great Devil Lord still regards me quite highly¡­ she fantasized with glee. Wei Dongliu watched her with detached amusement, ready to say a few words to burst her bubble, but suddenly he felt a slight warmth on his thigh. He took out the storage bag hanging at his waist, pressing against his thigh, and pulled out a jade slip given by Elder Luo from the Hell Path, confirming it was indeed this item that was heating up and vibrating. If it had a colorful ringtone and external speaker function, there would be no doubt it was the smartphone of the cultivation realm. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only The technology of my Hell Path is indeed the world¡¯s number one! As Wei Dongliu sent his divine sense into the jade slip, he read the message from Elder Luo: ¡°Nine, hurry to the ancient Nan Platform at Mount Wutai, attend the internal meeting of the Mortal Life Path!¡± ¡°We have arranged everything; during the meeting, someone will suggest that you become the Patriarch of the Mortal Life Path. Just accept it.¡± ¡°To become the sovereign of the Six Paths, this is the first step!¡± Wei Dongliu: ¡­ So, they really do plan to use me as a pawn, huh?! ¡°Jiang Dao You, Flying Asura,¡± after pondering for a long time, he stood up and instructed, ¡°I need to leave for a bit, you two come with me!¡± Chapter 535 Chapter 535: Chapter 60 The Immortal Has Already Decided Chapter 535: Chapter 60 The Immortal Has Already Decided Tong Xuan Gate once held sway over the Mortal Life Path of Mount Wutai. In other words, it was the Sect Leader of the Mortal Life Path, similar to the Ziwei lineage of Kunlun, the Emei lineage of Shushan, and so on. Unfortunately, about four thousand years ago, Tong Xuan Gate suffered a catastrophic disaster. Almost everyone was violently killed, leaving none behind. Without delving into the specifics for now, one can see from this that the strife within the Demonic Path is far more bloody than that within the Orthodox Sect, with hardly any chance for a peaceful transition. After all, the journey of Cultivating Immortality is fraught with unexpected turns. A nobody could suddenly come into a rare treasure or a fortuitous encounter with an elder, and then begin to ¡°resent the poverty of youth.¡± Who could stand that? For the Demon Cult, eradicating the roots is a rather practiced and natural affair, so much so that for the following four thousand years, there was never a heir to carry on Tong Xuan Gate¡¯s teachings. Instead, there were a bunch of imposters riding the coattails of its name, indicating that the lineage of Tong Xuan Gate was most likely severed. Until the emergence of Wei Dongliu. At first, his Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect didn¡¯t attract much attention, considering it was deeply hidden in the belly of Shiping Mountain with only a couple of insignificant followers besides the Sect Leader himself. ???G?.?? As Wei Dongliu frequently ventured outward, and figures like Wen Yang, Long Xiaoqi, and Gu Lie became active in places like the Southern Border, the name of Great Demon Lord Wei gradually began to spread, albeit within a small circle. Perhaps by coincidence or possibly by conspiracy, this moniker eventually reached the ears of a few big shots in the Mortal Life Path. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co Wei Dongliu arrived at the ancient platform on the Southern Summit with Jiang Liyan and the Flying Asura in tow. From afar, someone mounted on a sword approached to bar their way. ¡°Halt! No commoners are allowed to pass beyond this point¡­ Eh, it¡¯s you?¡± Standing with his hands behind his back, Wei Dongliu watched as the unfamiliar cultivator stared at him for a moment, then suddenly retreated and bowed, saying: ¡°So it¡¯s Sect Leader Wei. Please wait here for a moment while I report to the Sect Leader.¡± The cultivator swiftly turned his Sword Light and departed. Wei Dongliu watched his receding figure, thinking to himself: ¡°Has this person seen me before?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not right. He looked at me closely for a few seconds just now, probably trying to recognize my facial features.¡± ¡°Indeed, this person doesn¡¯t know me, but he must have seen my portrait somewhere, which is why he took such a formal approach.¡± ¡°Sect Leader Wei,¡± Jiang the Witch also spoke up to warn him, ¡°These Mortal Life Path individuals are not entirely clueless about you. Please be careful.¡± True enough, it wasn¡¯t long before the unfamiliar cultivator came back on his sword and respectfully said: ¡°Sect Leader Wei, please come down for a talk.¡± Wei Dongliu led his group down onto the ancient southern summit, quickly scanning the surroundings with his gaze. He saw the surrounding cultivators mostly divided into three groups, each led by a beautifully dressed woman, a burly man with a whiskered face, and a thin, aged man leaning on a cane. Before setting out, it was only natural for Wei Dongliu to have inquired in detail with Jiang the Witch. Nowadays, the Mortal Life Path of Mount Wutai has no fewer than five hundred sects and factions, forming a rather loose alliance. However, the ones who truly have a say, the ones that can make other sects gather and follow, are only three major sects: the Sect of Lingxiu Mountain led by the beautifully dressed woman, the Sect of Cloud Snow Mountain led by the burly man, and the Sect of Falling Moon Mountain led by the thin old man. It¡¯s not just because these three sects are the strongest, but also because only their Sect Leaders have a voice in front of the Sect Guardian Immortal who stands behind the scenes of the Mortal Life Path. ¡°I did not expect the Sect Leader of Tong Xuan Gate to appear so young,¡± the beautifully dressed woman said with a smile, seeming quite friendly towards Wei Dongliu. ¡°Hmph.¡± The whiskered man with crossed arms sneered contemptuously, ¡°He¡¯s unheard of and unproven. I wonder how skilled he really is.¡± ¡°Sect Leader Li, please be patient,¡± the thin old man spoke slowly, ¡°one who can subdue such a fierce creature as the Flying Asura cannot be mediocre.¡± The gazes of the three Sect Leaders simultaneously turned towards the Flying Asura standing behind Wei Dongliu. The Asura appeared ferocious, with green face and sharp fangs, radiating malevolence, and its eyes full of turbid yellow light, clearly possessing the quality necessary to become a drought demon, on par with the Great Perfection of the Nascent Soul Realm, only a step away from Feather Transformation and ascension. Although a Flying Asura on the verge of becoming a demon can hardly engage in a grand battle with everyone, for fear that excessive leakage of its aura would attract Heavenly Tribulation, it is universally acknowledged that a nuclear weapon does not lose its deterrent power just because it cannot be easily used. Even if a child is holding onto a Flying Asura, who can guarantee that he won¡¯t suddenly go mad in the next second and forcibly drive the Flying Asura to mutually assured destruction with everyone else? Therefore, even if the bearded man had numerous grievances, he could only snort coldly and stop any further provocation. ¡°Sect Leader Wei, let me introduce you to someone,¡± said the woman in palace attire as she graciously approached his side and smiled, ¡°This bearded Daoist friend here is the Sect Leader of Cloud Snow Mountain of the Northern Peak, Li Zhaolie.¡± Li Zhaolie barely managed a fist-and-palm salute but paid him no attention. ¡°This mature-looking Daoist friend is the Sect Leader of Moonfall Mountain of the Western Peak, Zhao He.¡± ¡°Sect Leader Wei, behind you, could that possibly be Jiang Liyan, the little witch of the Heavenly Demon Path?¡± Elder Zhao He said calmly, leaning on a dragon-headed cane, ¡°I once met the young Heavenly Demon, Ai Zhenzhi, and secretly thought that if she achieved Core Formation, she would certainly be remarkable. To think she would die at your hand, the Heavenly Demon Path truly has an abundance of talents.¡± Jiang Liyan smiled politely and didn¡¯t respond. According to the customs of Demon Cult Cultivators, Zhao He¡¯s statement actually had no other implications. Jiang Liyan¡¯s elder sister, Ai Zhenzhi, although hot-tempered and harsh, had significant talent for cultivation and was also adept at managing secular affairs within the sect, which warranted Zhao He¡¯s praise. As for Ai Zhenzhi being killed by Jiang Liyan, that was an internal matter of the Heavenly Demon Path, and what did it have to do with Zhao He? Thus, it was purely an exclamation. ¡°As for myself, I am the Sect Leader of Lingxiu Mountain, Xu Ruyan,¡± the woman in palace attire finally introduced herself and then smiled, ¡°It is indeed rude of me. We have been under the same Mortal Life Path but only meet now; I truly regret not meeting sooner.¡± Her stance was so humble that it made Li Zhaolie even more displeased. You, a Nascent Soul Cultivator and leader of a sect, are actually eager to curry favor with an unknown Cultivator of no renown; isn¡¯t that quite a fall from grace? Zhao He retained his expressionless face, utterly composed, his Qi Cultivation Technique profound. After exchanging a few pleasantries with Xu Ruyan, Wei Dongliu became acquainted with her, but his thoughts were turning. Among these three Sect Leaders present, who exactly is a member of the Hell Path? Sect Leader Xu is most enthusiastic towards me, seeming to be the most suspicious. Sect Leader Li obviously views me with hostility, but could this be a case of reverse psychology? The suspicion is not small. Sect Leader Zhao is more indifferent and cautious, but he could be doing that specifically to avoid my suspicion, right? Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Can¡¯t rule out the suspicion either! As Wei Dongliu was distracted, Xu Ruyan and the other two exchanged glances and then suddenly asked with a smile: ¡°Since Sect Leader Wei is the patriarch of the Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect, may I know what connection your sect has with the Tong Xuan Gate from several thousand years ago?¡± Wei Dongliu pondered for a moment before replying: ¡°My sect¡¯s lineage indeed comes from an elder of the Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect of the Ancient Intercepting Cult. As for the ¡®Tong Xuan Gate¡¯ Sect Leader Xu mentioned, it is ultimately lost, and how its lineage is connected to our sect, I truly do not know.¡± ¡°Then I shall be so bold as to ask another question,¡± said Xu Ruyan with narrowed eyes and a smile, ¡°Does your sect¡¯s Qi Refining Technique go by the name ¡®Exorcising Demon Upper Spirit Splitting Clear and Turbid Scripture¡¯?¡± After a quick thought, Wei Dongliu nodded and said: ¡°That is correct.¡± ¡°Then that settles it,¡± Xu Ruyan clapped her hands and laughed, ¡°Although most outsiders do not know, we who have been through the times are clear: the Tong Xuan Gate from four thousand years ago called their Qi Refining Technique lineage the ¡®Exorcising Demon Upper Spirit Turbid Scripture,¡¯ which allowed their disciples to easily drive a great amount of turbid qi. The power of cultivating poisonous magic was also several times that of Cultivators from other sects.¡± ¡°Of course, driving more turbid qi also increases the chance of backlash. But it¡¯s said that the Tong Xuan Gate¡¯s Qi Refining Technique was not perfect, and its complete version, called ¡®Exorcising Demon Upper Spirit Splitting Clear and Turbid Scripture,¡¯ has the ability to eliminate the hidden dangers of turbid qi.¡± At this point, Xu Ruyan¡¯s voice paused, and she suddenly said: ¡°But I wonder, Sect Leader Wei, are you interested in reviving the glory of the Tong Xuan Gate from days gone by and continue to lead the Mortal Life Path heroes?¡± Having been prepared mentally, Wei Dongliu was not surprised and counter-asked: ¡°Is this the intention of your Lingxiu Mountain alone, or is it a common wish among the Three Sects?¡± ¡°Neither,¡± Xu Ruyan said with a smile, ¡°This is the intention of an immortal.¡± Chapter 536 Chapter 536: Chapter 61: This Child Must Not be Spared Chapter 536: Chapter 61: This Child Must Not be Spared Xu Ruyan¡¯s light words completely silenced Wei Dongliu. What, the immortals have already decided? How could I, a mere Sect Leader of the Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect, suddenly be suitable to become the Sect Leader of the Mortal Life Path? I haven¡¯t even seen the face of the Sect Guardian Immortal! Of course, referring to that immortal as ¡°Sect Guardian Immortal¡± is not very accurate-although that immortal is from the Daoist tradition, he has been obsessed with Buddhist teachings for many years and no longer deals with the affairs of the Mortal Life Path; otherwise, the Mortal Life Path wouldn¡¯t have fallen into its current state. For example, he is like Jia Jing from the Ningguo Mansion in ¡°Dream of the Red Chamber,¡± a classic example of having the ability but not willing to take responsibility. If that is the case, then this whole ¡°immortals deciding you will be the Sect Leader of the Mortal Life Path¡± clearly does not make sense. Unless¡­ the immortal is a traitor from the Hell Path! No, that¡¯s not right, the Hell Path can only have one immortal, and that¡¯s that old sinister bastard, Luo Daozhang. With his strategy of using the world as a chessboard and all beings as chess pieces, it¡¯s unlikely that he would cooperate equally with another immortal, unless it¡¯s a relationship of using each other¡­ So, could it be that this immortal, who is from Daoism but engrossed in Buddhism, is also pretending? Damn! Even the immortals have begun acting, can this highly competitive world ever heal? wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site His mind spinning with thousands of thoughts, Wei Dongliu responded to Xu Ruyan without showing any emotion in his words. Jiang the Witch next to him acted obediently quiet, not saying a word, but in reality, her ears were pricked up, patiently memorizing their conversation. Only the Flying Asura slouched lazily, his hands hanging down, looking completely bored. Wei Dongliu¡¯s words were watertight, refusing to directly accept the position of Sect Leader of the Mortal Life Path, causing Xu Ruyan to become somewhat inwardly agitated. To be honest, being cautious is normal, any cultivator who has managed to make a name for themselves within the Six Paths would not believe in such a pie-in-the-sky opportunity. However, a regular person, even if they were guarded, would still show a cautious demeanor and proceed with care. But where was there even a hint of fear in Wei Dongliu? He was clearly confident! Xu Ruyan¡¯s thoughts shifted slightly when she suddenly heard a voice next to her. She was taken aback for a moment, then looked towards Li Zhaolie and Zhao He, withdrawing her smile and said, ¡°The immortal summons us. Sect Leader Wei, fellow Daoists, let us go.¡± Wei Dongliu instantly became alert: The immortal summons us? He quickly let go of his concern afterward. It must be another arrangement by the Hell Path; the possibility of encountering unforeseeable danger was not high. Even if something unexpected did happen, he could always let Ah Jing teleport him away and completely abandon the persona of Wei Dongliu. After all, I already know that the headquarters of the Hell Path lie deep in hell, and if you make a mistake that leads to Wei Dongliu¡¯s death, Qiu Changtian will bring the Orthodox Sect¡¯s army to your doorstep the next second! Having figured out his exit strategy, Wei Dongliu also appeared calm and leisurely, confidently following Xu Ruyan while Li Zhaolie and Zhao He were somewhat impressed. Regardless of Sect Leader Wei¡¯s actual strength, at the very least, his unwavering demeanor was truly formidable. Wouldn¡¯t an ordinary cultivator be scared witless if suddenly summoned by an unfamiliar immortal? One must understand that in the presence of an immortal, your entire fate rests on the immortal¡¯s whims, especially those immortals who are capricious. The slightest displeasure could result in your soul being scattered! Why isn¡¯t he afraid? Could it be that¡­ Not just Li Zhaolie and Zhao He, but Jiang Liyan and the Flying Asura were also secretly apprehensive. Yet seeing Wei Dongliu so composed, they felt a strange sense of reassurance. This Sect Leader Wei¡­ must have some kind of trump card, right? The group flew up on their swords from the edge of the cliff and quickly arrived at Central Peak. This peak towers into the clouds with perpetual snow at the summit, heaps of disordered rocks, sparse vegetation in the barren areas, and frequent gusts of wind that nearly prevent one from opening their eyes. In the shadow of a large rock, they saw an old man sitting cross-legged on the ground. The elderly man stood bare-chested, sporting only a pair of trousers on his lower body. His frame was so skinny that not an ounce of flesh seemed present, with bones jutting out prominently here and there, as if he were an insect made of bamboo joints. He looked akin to a stick insect. Despite the old man¡¯s comical appearance, the three Mortal Life Path Sect Leaders did not dare to treat him with the slightest disrespect, and in unison they respectfully praised him, saying: ¡°We wish Blood Sea Ancestor swift progress in the great achievement of his divine cultivation!¡± Blood Sea Ancestor slowly opened his eyes, his gaze landing on Wei Dongliu, and he asked: ¡°Are you the Sect Leader of the Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect?¡± No sooner had he spoken than a surge of murderous aura shot to the heavens, causing everyone¡¯s complexion to change. Jiang the Witch even instinctively hid behind Wei Dongliu, her danger intuition screaming in alarm, ready to fight for her life and flee at any moment. ???g?.?? Wei Dongliu, facing the brunt of the onslaught, despite possessing great courage, wisdom, and boldness, also experienced a moment of heart-pounding fear when he was enveloped by Blood Sea Ancestor¡¯s murderous intent. But he quickly realized, if this immortal wanted to kill him, why would there be any need for such intimidation beforehand? It must only be a test of his courage! With this firm conviction in his mind, his face naturally showed no fear, and he simply nodded: ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Not bad,¡± Blood Sea Ancestor indeed spoke approvingly, ¡°In the presence of my Blood Sea¡¯s malevolent aura, you are the first to maintain composure on the first encounter.¡± ¡°The Ancestor flatters me,¡± Wei Dongliu responded calmly, thinking to himself that this was far less daunting than his father-in-law¡¯s overwhelming Dragon¡¯s Might in the Demon Locking Tower! But Blood Sea Ancestor was unaware of his thoughts, only continuing to instruct: ¡°Now, demonstrate your Qi Refining Technique mental method for me to see.¡± Wei Dongliu fell silent for a moment before fully activating the ¡°Demon-Exorcising Supreme Spirit Art of Separating the Clear from the Turbid.¡± Under the flow of Demonic Qi, his hair quickly turned blood red and his eyes began to reveal double pupils, his entire aura transforming into something wildly enchanting and unrestrained. The three Sect Leaders silently retreated half a step, thinking to themselves that this truly was the manifestation of the Demon-Exorcising Supreme Art, confirming this man¡¯s inheritance of the Taoist lineage of Tong Xuan Gate! ¡°Excellent!¡± Blood Sea Ancestor saw his transformation into a demon lord figure and immediately burst into appreciative laughter, ¡°A splendid Chaotic quality body, a natural-born demon seed!¡± Wei Dongliu remained unruffled externally but internally chuckled: As expected of an immortal, to recognize my talent for cultivation. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°You¡¯re surely wondering why I especially summoned you,¡± Blood Sea Ancestor continued, ¡°First tell me what you think of the current state of Mortal Life Path?¡± After a moment¡¯s silence, Wei Dongliu replied: ¡°Scattered like sand.¡± ¡°You only see one aspect but overlook the other,¡± Blood Sea Ancestor said leisurely, ¡°Separation and unity, such is the natural order of things.¡± ¡°In the past, both Clarify and Intercepting Cults were so powerful that at the time, all Daoist sects had to align with one or the other; there was no room for others.¡± ¡°Yet, in less than a hundred thousand years, both factions were successively destroyed and disbanded.¡± ¡°Later on, Mortal Life Path was united under the dominance of Tong Xuan Gate, its esteem pressuring other factions, once claiming itself as the rightful heir to the Intercepting Cult.¡± ¡°But again, in less than five thousand years, Tong Xuan Gate encountered a sect-destroying disaster, with its teachings nearly completely severed.¡± ¡°I, having cultivated the Buddhist Sect¡¯s Rise and Decline Zen for nearly ten thousand years, have already seen through the ways of this world. A drink and a peck, all is predetermined by the heavens. Rise and fall, success and failure-these are all but illusions, so I don¡¯t plan to meddle in these mundane affiars, simply allowing them to flourish or decline on their own.¡± ¡°Although Mortal Life Path is currently scattered, surely within ten, a hundred, a thousand years, some sect will emerge victorious and strong, reuniting Mortal Life Path once more¡­¡± Just then, Blood Sea Ancestor¡¯s eyes suddenly flashed with killing intent, and he said with a cold laugh: ¡°That is what I originally thought. However, I did not anticipate the rapid rise of Clarify Cult¡¯s Three Pure Ones. In less than ten thousand years, even a First Grade Golden Core has appeared!¡± ¡°If we allow Qiu Changtian to successfully form his Nascent Infant and ascend to immortality, what place will there be for us of the Intercepting Cult in the future?¡± ¡°This child must not be allowed to live!¡± Chapter 537 Chapter 537: Chapter 62 Three Command Arrows Chapter 537: Chapter 62 Three Command Arrows Wei Dongliu remained silent for a long while before speaking, ¡°Since Qiu Changtian poses such a great threat, it¡¯s reasonable for the ancestor to eliminate him. But what does that have to do with me?¡± The Blood Sea Ancestor gave a cold smile, his expression cruel, ¡°The Clarify Cult¡¯s Chi Song Immortal is protecting Qiu Changtian like he¡¯s a treasured possession. With Long Eyebrow and Wan Xiang providing support, even if we, the Intercepting Cult Immortals, try to surround and annihilate him, we might not be successful.¡± ¡°The current situation in the world is nearly the same as the old days when the Clarify Cult and Intercepting Cult were in opposition. Both sides are eager to eliminate each other but dare not put all their eggs in one basket, for fear of heavy losses and the risk of their Daoist lineage toppling over.¡± ¡°We can only act like opposing armies in battle, clashing at the front, commanding from the center, and waiting in the rear. We are in for a long tug of war, holding back and waiting for the right moment to fight decisively.¡± At this point, the Blood Sea Ancestor narrowed his eyes and looked at Wei Dongliu, ¡°I won¡¯t question the Grade Rank of your Golden Core. But being able to keep your composure in the Blood Sea, filled with evil spirits, you must be at least above the Third Grade Golden Core.¡± ¡°If we¡¯re to play a long tug of war with the Clarify Cult¡¯s Three Pure Ones, we must cultivate sufficient backup strength. Otherwise, the opponent¡¯s fresh forces will keep coming, and we¡¯ll end up in an awkward situation where we cannot keep up, a consensus reached between myself and the other Intercepting Cult Immortals.¡± ¡°The Clarify Cult has Qiu Changtian, a First Grade Golden Core. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co Our Intercepting Cult must also have someone to contend with him. To me, among the younger generation in the Six Paths, none can compare to you, a natural-born devil.¡± Wei Dongliu¡¯s eyes twitched. Although the other person was not insulting him, why did the term ¡°natural-born devil¡± sound so much like ¡°natural-born bastard¡±? ¡°Don¡¯t suspect that I¡¯m deceiving you,¡± the Blood Sea Ancestor quickly added with acute perception of the odd look on his face, ¡°With so many witnesses here, would I, as an Immortal of the Intercepting Cult, scheme against you?¡± ¡°I harbor no suspicion,¡± Wei Dongliu replied evenly, ¡°Please speak freely, Elder.¡± ¡°Hmph,¡± the Blood Sea Ancestor said with displeasure, ¡°Listen well.¡± ¡°On the side of the Mortal Life Path, I will hereby make a final decision that you will be in charge from now on.¡± ¡°If anyone wants to openly challenge your position, they must be at least a Second Grade Golden Core. Without that, they can forget about it.¡± ¡°Besides open challenges, there are also hidden conflicts. I still need to practice the cultivation of withering and flourishing and can¡¯t get involved in mundane affairs. You¡¯ll have to rely on your own schemes to overcome those conspiracies.¡± ¡°Of course, I am not without compassion,¡± he said. He flipped his withered hand, and three blood-red small arrows appeared, saying, ¡°If you truly face someone you cannot deal with, just throw one of these arrows, and I will step in to kill that person for you.¡± Wei Dongliu was silent for a moment, then reached out to take the small arrows, his expression unchanged. However, the expressions of everyone else present changed dramatically! The Blood Sea Ancestor was a Golden Immortal, someone of Golden Immortal Rank taking action three times, what¡¯s the signification? Each time could be enough to obliterate a medium-sized Sect! No matter if you are a Golden Core or a Nascent Soul, under the strike of a Golden Immortal, only pulverization and the dispersal of the soul remained! What was even more alarming was that the three small arrows given to Wei Dongliu corresponded exactly to their three Sects: Lingxiu Mountain, Cloud Snow Mountain, and Moonfall Mountain. In other words, even if the Three Sects were to join forces against Wei Dongliu, he could still call on the Blood Sea Ancestor to obliterate all three Sects! The three Sect Leaders¡¯ expressions shifted, the Flying Asura fell silent, whereas Jiang the Witch¡¯s face flushed with excitement, almost uncontrollable. Is my Wei Demon Lord about to rise to power? Not only has he been designated by an Immortal as the leader of the Mortal Life Path, but he also now has three opportunities to call upon an Immortal for assistance. Won¡¯t the Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect become one of the top Sects in the Cultivation Realm in another decade or century? Luckily, I took the initiative to become a Guest Elder of the Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect! Victory! With this thought, Jiang the Witch suddenly furrowed her brows, sensing something was amiss. Wait, is it Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect that¡¯s impressive? That¡¯s not right, the truly impressive one is clearly my Wei the Demon Lord! To put it bluntly, if the Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect in the future controls Lingxiu Mountain, Cloud Snow Mountain, and Moonfall Mountain, leading a large number of Nascent Soul Elders to come and join as guest elders of the sect, wouldn¡¯t the value of my position as the first guest elder be greatly diluted? After all, a guest elder¡¯s status is still determined by strength, but serving as a concubine is different! As long as I serve Wei the Demon Lord well, wouldn¡¯t I have everything I want? Damn it, I have been too virtuous, too stingy with my pure body, so much so that I made a misstep in a moment of weakness, erring in my actions, and now I can¡¯t even propose to take the relationship a step further. However, upon closer consideration, the future isn¡¯t without opportunities- who has decreed that a guest elder cannot also be the Sect Leader¡¯s concubine? At this thought, she couldn¡¯t help but feel a surge of excitement, wishing she could rush over to Wei Dongliu immediately, lock him in her embrace, and vehemently sign a concubine agreement. Of course, that was merely wishful thinking. Based on Jiang the Witch¡¯s understanding of Wei the Demon Lord, she knew if she brazenly offered herself for his bed without regard for the atmosphere, she would only get slapped away by him. Hmph, no need to rush, I must proceed gradually. As the saying goes, even a good woman fears a persistent suitor. As long as I persevere, there will come a day when I¡¯ll bring the Demon Lord to his knees! Meanwhile, Wei Dongliu remained oblivious to the thoughts of those behind him, and after securing the three bloody arrows, he heard Blood Sea Ancestor say: ¡°Did you all hear? Then withdraw quickly and inform all cultivators in the vicinity!¡± ¡°If anyone disagrees, they are welcome to come to the Central Peak¡¯s summit to discuss it with me!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The three Sect Leaders did not dare to disobey; they could only nod in agreement and swiftly depart. Jiang the Witch and the Flying Asura dared not linger either, following the three out from the summit and waiting nearby. After shooing away the others, only Blood Sea Ancestor and Wei Dongliu were left at the foot of the Dragon Rock. ???g?.?? ¡°Show me your offensive abilities, one by one,¡± Blood Sea Ancestor continued, ¡°To become the lord of the Mortal Life Path, it¡¯s not enough to just have a Daoist Foundation and potential; your murder techniques must also be strong.¡± Wei Dongliu pondered for a moment, then unpinned the cloth-wrapped Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword and gently stroked the blade. ¡°Good, the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword.¡± Blood Sea Ancestor certainly knew his stuff, identifying at a glance that it was a sword, ¡°This sword¡¯s rank matches your status perfectly.¡± ¡°As for the Nether Ghost Path, I¡¯ll speak on your behalf!¡± ¡°Thank you, Ancestor.¡± Wei Dongliu gave a fist salute. ¡°What other techniques do you have? Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Bring them all out,¡± Blood Sea Ancestor urged, ¡°I¡¯m not going to covet the things on you!¡± Wei Dongliu then slightly channeled his True Yuan, and three plump Hundred Poison Golden Silkworm Gu flew out from his sleeve, fluttering in mid-air. ¡°Hundred Poison Golden Silkworm Gu? Excellent! Excellent!¡± exclaimed Blood Sea Ancestor, overjoyed, ¡°These vicious insects were one of the doctrinal legacies of the Beast Taming Sect in the past, I didn¡¯t expect them to fall into your hands!¡± ¡°Since you possess these vicious creatures, if you nurture and propagate them carefully, you will have a fighting chance even as the Lord of the Six Paths!¡± Wei Dongliu remained expressionless, thinking to himself that Blood Sea Ancestor¡¯s reaction was exactly as described in the Hell Path Jade Slip. Could it be that this Immortal was really an insider from the Hell Path, hinting at something to me? Chapter 538 Chapter 538: Chapter 63 The First Step to Reviving the Sect Chapter 538: Chapter 63 The First Step to Reviving the Sect Apart from his trump cards, Wei Dongliu employed various strategies one after the other. After watching patiently, the Blood Sea Ancestor commented: ¡°The rank is quite high, but the quantity is too small.¡± ¡°If the intelligence on these strategies of yours were to be unveiled, and countermeasures specifically designed against them, you¡¯d find yourself in trouble.¡± Wei Dongliu remained silent, thinking to himself that he was well aware that his hand was skilful yet incomplete. How could he possibly not know that, given that he had no master and no sect, and all the cultivation resources he had were acquired through exploring adventures? Just maintaining quality was already quite an accomplishment, wasn¡¯t it? ¡°In the past, when the Intercepting Cult split and was destroyed, some five hundred Scattered Immortals gathered at Mount Wutai to establish the Intercepting Cult¡¯s Hunyuan Sect, known as the ¡®Hunyuan Myriad Laws¡¯,¡± the Blood Sea Ancestor said with a sigh. ¡°Time brings great changes. In the years that followed, the Hunyuan Sect split and recombined, and most of the lineages died out, either being absorbed by other schools or fading away quietly.¡± ¡°Currently in the Hunyuan Sect, only Lingxiu Mountain, Cloud Snow Mountain, and Moonfall Mountain-these three factions remain. Their inheritance and legacies are not very powerful, otherwise they wouldn¡¯t be continuously suppressed by the Heavenly Demon Path and the Nether Ghost Path in various aspects.¡± As he said this, the Blood Sea Ancestor fell into a momentary contemplation, then added: ¡°At the height of Tong Xuan Gate¡¯s glory, it was claimed that they possessed sixty percent of the Intercepting Cult Hunyuan Sect¡¯s inheritance.¡± wuxiaworld.site While Wei Dongliu was communicating with the Blood Sea Ancestor inside, Jiang Liyan was pacing back and forth outside, arms crossed and shivering. After undergoing Marrow Cleansing, a cultivator¡¯s physical condition greatly improves, and they become immune to all sorts of diseases, so being cold is definitely out of the question. The reason she kept trembling was merely due to nervousness. ???G0.?? Although the Blood Sea Ancestor seemed to bear no ill will towards Wei Dongliu, and even appeared to appreciate him to a great extent, Jiang the Witch, having experienced the harshness of the world and seen the ugliest sides of human nature, would never believe there were people who would do good without reason. She thought that the Blood Sea Ancestor¡¯s kind gaze towards Wei Dongliu hid an ulterior motive. But what if he suddenly turned hostile? What then? The more Jiang the Witch thought about it, the more frightened she became. She paced incessantly, deeply hating her own Danger Intuition for being effective only on herself and unable to perceive Wei Dongliu¡¯s situation. Should Wei Dongliu die inside, her seeming safe situation would immediately crumble. Perhaps she would have to find some remote corners of the earth to hide and pray not to be found and captured by her master. Annoyed by her constant pacing, the Flying Asura snappily said: ¡°Why don¡¯t you stop walking back and forth?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you worried?¡± Jiang Liyan rolled her eyes in response. ¡°What could possibly happen to the Demon Lord?¡± scoffed the Flying Asura. If Abi Devil Lord were so easy to deal with, how could I possibly kowtow before him, and toil like an ox or horse? ¡°Hmph,¡± Jiang the Witch replied coldly, ¡°If he really does fall for an Immortal¡¯s scheme, I¡¯m curious to see what you would do.¡± The Flying Asura ignored her, but inwardly couldn¡¯t help but mutter: If something were really to happen to Wei Demon Lord, then I¡¯d have to secure his Hiltless Locust Wood Sword before the Immortal catches on. Otherwise, if it were to fall into the hands of an Immortal, wouldn¡¯t I have just escaped the tiger¡¯s den only to enter the wolf¡¯s lair? However¡­ how difficult it would be to pull off something under the nose of an Immortal! Moreover, considering the near-infinite lifespan of Immortals, should I encounter one who doesn¡¯t venture out, they might not face any danger for ten or twenty thousand years. Wouldn¡¯t that mean I would remain a servant forever? At this thought, even though it had long since lost most human emotions, it still felt an inescapable sense of ennui wrap around its heart. Fortunately, it wasn¡¯t long before Wei Dongliu finally came down the mountain at ease, alleviating the anxieties of Jiang Liyan and the Flying Asura, who both felt a great weight lifted. They then went up to meet him with enthusiasm. ¡°Cultivator Wei!¡± ¡°Master!¡± Just as Jiang Liyan called out ¡°Cultivator,¡± she heard the Asura address him as ¡°Master,¡± and immediately spat disdainfully several times in her heart. Shameless! You¡¯re a zombie, what are you doing playing the personal maid? If anyone should be calling him that, it should be me! ¡°Cultivator Wei, was your trip smooth?¡± Jiang the Witch asked sweetly, her demeanor sincere and her tone extraordinarily gentle. ¡°It went smoothly,¡± Wei Dongliu said indifferently. ¡°Next, I need to go somewhere. You two wait here for the time being.¡± ¡°Where do you wish to go, Cultivator Wei?¡± Jiang Liyan immediately responded with eagerness. She certainly did not want to stay with the dead-faced Flying Asura. ¡°Let me accompany you, then. I can help you out.¡± ¡°Wherever Master goes, I can also be of service, attending to things before and after,¡± the Flying Asura quickly scrambled to butter him up, not forgetting to shoot a venomous glare at Jiang the Witch. ¡°The place I need to go might be dangerous,¡± Wei Dongliu stated slowly. The Flying Asura¡¯s face immediately turned dark (although it already had a ghastly green face and sharp fangs, it was hard to tell), considering that currently eight or nine-tenths of its power was sealed. If it exerted too much force, it might easily draw upon itself a Heavenly Tribulation. Therefore, following Wei Dongliu and frightening others was one thing, but if they encountered a situation that truly called for action, it would rather be at a disadvantage-especially against some mindless Demonic Beasts, traps, and the like. Since Wei Dongliu had put it that way, it was a suggestion for them to stay put. The Flying Asura naturally got the hint right away and, after a moment of contemplation, fell silent. However, Jiang Liyan was not willing to give up and insisted, ¡°Cultivator Wei, although my cultivation level is modest, I do have a unique understanding when it comes to saving my own skin. Especially when danger is imminent, my intuition is the sharpest, which might be able to help you out.¡± I¡¯m not just some decorative vase as a Guest Elder! Although her Danger Intuition had not warned her, Jiang Liyan at this point felt a very strong sense of crisis regarding her place in Wei Dongliu¡¯s eyes. After all, even the Sect Guardian Immortal of the Mortal Life Path was beginning to see Wei Dongliu in a new light, so once the Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect truly expanded, cultivators from all walks of life would surely come in an endless stream. If she didn¡¯t make the most of the time while the Sect had few members, and work hard to max out Wei Dongliu¡¯s impression of her, it would be too late later! Wei Dongliu, though surprised by Jiang the Witch¡¯s proactive attitude, was also quite pleased with her in his heart. Who doesn¡¯t like an employee who actively asks for more work? At the present, his role for Jiang the Witch was that of a reasonably attractive Sect Deacon, whose main job was to take care of his two inexpensive disciples, guide their cultivation, answer questions, and so on. For example, even though individuals like Guan Zhan were disciples of the Ziwei Sect Leader, the Ziwei Master couldn¡¯t be bothered to teach them himself and simply let Qiu Changtian do the job. In some ways, Jiang Liyan served a similar purpose. But if she sought to further tap into her own value, Wei Dongliu would naturally be pleased to see her success-and he didn¡¯t even have to promote or give her a raise for it, which was great. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only With that in mind, he had the clearly disgruntled Flying Asura wait there, while he took Jiang Liyan with him, controlling the sword as they flew toward a distant mountain peak, following the guidance given by the Blood Sea Ancestor. More than four thousand years prior, the residence of Tong Xuan Gate was located on the eastern Cloud Sea Peak, which had turned into ruins following the Sect¡¯s destruction, with any remaining items already thoroughly plundered. However, according to the Blood Sea Ancestor, Tong Xuan Gate had hidden all their heritage texts near the summit of Cloud Sea Peak, in a cave known as ¡°Luoyan Cave.¡± Now that Wei Dongliu had made up his mind, as the Sect Leader of the Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect, Sect Leader of the Hunyuan Sect, and Chief of the Mortal Life Path, it was only natural for him to venture into that uncharted Luoyan Cave to retrieve the heritage texts of the former Tong Xuan Gate. It was for his cultivation as well as to swiftly bolster the foundation of the Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect, helping him firmly establish himself within the Hunyuan Sect and suppress the other three factions. In the end, he planned to grasp the entirety of the Mortal Life Path¡¯s power, becoming the new colossal figure of the Demon Cult! Chapter 539 Chapter 539: Chapter 64: Take away all the books of Profound Mysteries. Chapter 539: Chapter 64: Take away all the books of Profound Mysteries. Cloud Sea Peak, named for its extremely high altitude and surrounding vast sea of clouds, resembles an isolated island amidst the ocean. At the peak, there were many buildings inhabited by cultivators, many of which had been destroyed by magical competitions, while the rest had weathered away over four thousand years, leaving ruins everywhere. Jiang the Witch looked down at the buildings below, feeling an impulsive urge to explore them. Although she knew these abandoned structures had probably been scavenged clean even of their foundations over the past four thousand years, she still wanted to search through them. Perhaps she would find something valuable? It was like a girl seeing a shopping street-although she had decided not to buy anything, she still wanted to browse, just in case she came across something worth purchasing at a good price. Of course, while she wanted to try her luck, Wei Dongliu clearly had no such intention, and Jiang Liyan could only obediently keep her mouth shut. She thought to herself that there would be plenty of opportunities in the future. Guided by the pointers from the Blood Sea Ancestor, Wei Dongliu soon reached the edge of the mountain peak where he found a tall tower. Inside the tower was empty, lacking even the basic furniture like tables and chairs. Wei Dongliu made his way to the top of the tower, where the roof was covered with tiles, appearing from the outside like a conical hat. Looking out from the top floor window, Wei Dongliu spotted a slowly forming entrance on a certain rock face below. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co Clearly, the area around Luoyan Cave had been enveloped by an extremely powerful Illusion Domain, such that from the outside world, it looked like an utterly ordinary rock face, spotless and without flaws. But if one were to look down from the window at the top floor of this tower, they would be able to see through the illusion and pinpoint the exact location of the entrance. Jiang the Witch did as he had done, looking out the window, and indeed, she also saw the entrance take shape. ¡°How interesting,¡± she exclaimed in amazement, ¡°driven by their utilitarian desires, ordinary cultivators, upon reaching the top and finding nothing, would doubtless turn around and leave without looking back. Who would think to look out from this window?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± said Wei Dongliu as he soared out of the window, stepping onto his Sword Light in midair and heading directly towards the rock wall entrance. Jiang Liyan quickly followed him, and they both landed at the entrance, then entered, casting light spells as they marched on. After only four or five steps, the path ahead was blocked by a rock wall. On that rock wall were engraved four large characters in a dynamic, flowing script: Tai Yi Tong Xuan. Wei Dongliu pondered for a moment and soon recalled that the Tai Yi Tong Xuan elder from the Intercepting Cult had left behind a Secret Phrase in his last words, supposedly passed down between the Sect Leaders of the Tong Xuan Gate from generation to generation. Tai Yi Tong Xuan was the first half, and the second half was¡­ ¡°All Laws Break the Path,¡± Wei Dongliu said slowly. As soon as the words were spoken, the rock wall gradually vanished, revealing an entrance large enough for one person. Talk about a voice-activated door! Wei Dongliu entered without hesitation, and Jiang the Witch, brimming with excitement, followed closely behind, taking mental note of the incantation Wei Dongliu had just spoken. The two traversed the lengthy corridor and stepped into a simple secret realm. There stood a stone hall with a statue erected in its center, yet there were no other exits in sight. Wei Dongliu extended his Divine Sense into the statue, and suddenly a voice around them asked: ¡°What do you wish to retrieve?¡± ¡°Is there a Daoist magic?¡± Wei Dongliu intended to first test the waters, ¡°Start with a secret technique for cultivating a Heavenly Demon, and it must be a very powerful one.¡± Jiang the Witch¡¯s ears perked up immediately. ¡°There is one called ¡®Cave Divine Demon Secret Technique of the Northern Yin¡¯.¡± The voice answered, ¡°The six Cave Divine Demons, coming from the Dengdu Luo Mountain of the Northern Yin, are impervious to swords and spears, resistant to water and fire, immortal and indestructible, only restrained by the Seven Treasures Starlight Brilliant Spirit Lamp.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Without waiting for Jiang the Witch to speak, Wei Dongliu directly confirmed. Suddenly, the surrounding rock walls unfolded in all directions, revealing a broad expanse of the world. The stone statue in front suddenly came to life, rolling on the spot, transforming into a sinister Daoist practitioner who pinched a Daoist formula, and recited aloud: ¡°Mount Dengdu Luo of the Northern Yin, six Cave Divine Ghost Gods and Demons, heed my command!¡± In an instant, a demon wind assaulted them. Although it seemed like merely a wind rising from the flat ground, Jiang the Witch intuitively received a frantic warning in her mind, and she hurriedly cried out, ¡°Fellow Daoist, be careful!¡± From her sleeves, she shook out several substantial divine demons, each eight feet tall with green faces and fierce fangs, standing in front of them. As the demon wind struck the substantial divine demons, several evil and grotesque, semi-solid phantoms of demon heads appeared, biting chaotically at the substantial divine demons all over their bodies. The substantial divine demons roared wildly in rage, swinging weapons all about, but it was like cutting water with a dagger or hitting wind with a club, all their efforts passing harmlessly through the demon heads. Before long, these substantial divine demons were bitten all over, black qi surging out of them, and suddenly, with a collective mournful cry, they turned back into black qi and retreated into Jiang the Witch¡¯s sleeves. Jiang the Witch¡¯s eyes brightened, and it dawned on her that these six Cave Divine Demons of the Northern Yin truly were impervious to swords and spears! In the past, she had been a disciple of Fairy Cai¡¯e, learning a lineage called ¡°Substantial and Insubstantial Divine Demon Secret Technique.¡± Among them, the thirty-six substantial divine demons were eight-foot-tall strongmen, each with the power to lift mountains and cover the world, unyielding even when wounded numerous times. The seventy-two insubstantial divine demons could hide their forms and move silently, capable of killing a person amidst ghostly shadows. But whether it was the substantial or insubstantial divine demons, their weakness lay in their not hard enough bodies. For instance, a blast from Xu Yinglian¡¯s Great Bright Fire could kill them, substantial or not; or if beheaded by An Zhisu¡¯s Flying Sword, that would definitely result in death. Being difficult to injure with swords and spears is far from the true sense of ¡®impervious to swords and spears¡¯! Jiang Liyan coveted that secret technique greatly, but she wasn¡¯t foolish enough to outright ask Wei Dongliu to obtain the technique for her. Instead, she bravely stepped forward and called out tragically: ¡°Fellow Daoist Wei, step back! I will block these Heavenly Demons for you!¡± ¡°No need.¡± Wei Dongliu placed his left hand on her shoulder, pulling her directly behind him, while his right hand drew out the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword and thrust it forward. When the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword pierced into the demon wind, it instantly generated a pulling force against the Heavenly Demons. However, those six Cave Divine Heavenly Demons of the Northern Yin seemed to have anticipated the danger beforehand and immediately concealed themselves within the demon wind, becoming intangible. ¡°Heh heh heh.¡± The sinister Daoist on the opposite side said, ¡°The Heavenly Demons refined by our sect¡¯s Cave Divine Demon Secret Technique of the Northern Yin can shuttle back and forth between the Tai Yin Cave Heaven and the mortal world. Any attacks from the mortal world cannot affect the Cave Divine Demons.¡± ¡°Only a Magical Treasure called the Seven Treasures Starlight Brilliant Spirit Lamp can pose a threat, with its light illuminating all realms. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ?0?G0.?? Even if divine demons hide in the Cave of Tai Yin, they can still be locked onto and illuminated by this spirit lamp, which is the greatest threat to our lineage¡­¡± He continued to speak, detailing the advantages and drawbacks of the ¡®Cave Divine Demon Secret Technique of the Northern Yin¡¯, then he began to elaborate on the methods of cultivation, incantations, insights, required resources, and so on, not holding back on any key details, laying them all out completely. Nevertheless, even as the Daoist taught the magic, he was decisive in his actions, continuing to command the demon wind to encircle and attack them, as if determined to end their lives. Wei Dongliu wielded his sword with composure, each time precisely when a demon appeared by his side, he would cleanly and swiftly force it back with his blade, showing no signs of faltering. Jiang the Witch, on the other hand, was bright-eyed, silently memorizing the incantations in her heart, planning to refine those Cave Divine Demons of the Northern Yin as soon as she returned, thereby increasing her value in Wei Dongliu¡¯s eyes! Chapter 540 Chapter 540: Chapter 65: The Demonic Spirits of the North and their Stench of Evil Chapter 540: Chapter 65: The Demonic Spirits of the North and their Stench of Evil Wei Dongliu effortlessly traced the Daoist Formula, while the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword slashed left and right, repelling the Heavenly Demons that appeared around him. ¡°Trash, nothing but trash!¡± With his many years of extensive experience in Magical Competition, he nearly saw through the true nature of the ¡°Northern Yin Six Cave Divine Demons¡± at a glance. The advantage was that the Demon Head was formless and incorporeal, capable of switching between tangible and intangible, offensively and defensively. The flaw¡­ lay with the caster himself. This thing was actually quite similar to the Seventy-two Shapeless Demons, more suited to diversion and sneak attacks. ???g?.?? When it came to frontal assaults, its force was just too weak-once an enemy¡¯s sword came slashing down, the Demon Head had to instantly shift from solid to vapor to dodge, leaving the Cultivator exposed on the field without any Demonic protection. At that moment, who else would the opponent behead if not you? It was only because Wei Dongliu wanted the Daoist to recite the entire Incantation and mental method that he hadn¡¯t immediately beheaded him with a single stroke already. Jiang Liyan stayed hidden behind Wei Dongliu the entire time, occasionally summoning a Demon Head to block a sneak attack from the Northern Yin Demons. This Demon is so formidable! Her eyes almost sparkled with light. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.c0 Like the Seventy-two Shapeless Demons, it could be used for Invisibility and then creepily launch sneak attacks. Once discovered by an enemy, it could also flexibly switch between illusion and reality, practically invincible (except for being restrained by that certain lamp)-who wouldn¡¯t want such a handy Heavenly Demon? I want it! I really, really want it! She was so excited that she couldn¡¯t control herself, her eyes burning with eagerness as she stared at the strange Daoist, hoping he would reveal more. At last, after reciting the ritual for summoning the Heavenly Demons, the odd Daoist suddenly turned back into a stone statue. The surrounding open fields also reverted back to the original small and quiet room. Wei Dongliu fell silent for a moment before asking the Kunlun Mirror and Green Duckweed Sword in his mind: ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°A very clever Illusion Domain,¡± commented the Kunlun Mirror. ¡°They¡¯ve turned the transmission of cultivation techniques into an Illusion Domain, which is much more vivid than any Scripture Scroll or oral teaching.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just that the process of receiving the heritage is too dangerous,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword also chuckled. ¡°If one¡¯s strength isn¡¯t adequate, it¡¯s hard to even save themselves from the assault of the illusion, let alone memorize the mental method and Incantation while distracted.¡± ¡°Too dangerous, you say?¡± Wei Dongliu remarked. ¡°I find it rather ordinary.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that because you weren¡¯t listening at all and completely relied on me to take note for you?¡± Kunlun Mirror chuckled. ¡°I just feel that, once I get to Luo Yan¡¯s level and acquire the talent of understanding a thousand things from a single whiff, learning will become much more efficient,¡± Wei Dongliu explained righteously, not caring whether the mirror and the sword believed him or not. He then turned and instructed Jiang the Witch: ¡°Have you memorized it all?¡± ¡°I have, I¡¯ve memorized it!¡± Jiang Liyan replied joyously. She was naturally beautiful, and now her eyes curved into crescent moons as she smiled, her charm exuding a unique appeal as it rippled through her delicate features. Wei Dongliu originally thought she was similar to Shi Liuli, both of them quirky and sprite-like, but now he saw they were quite different. Shi Liuli was genuinely innocent and carefree, but sadly, now stricken with grief from her master¡¯s death, she had rapidly matured beyond recognition. Jiang Liyan was well aware of the ¡°naivete¡± ¨C or another cliched term, ¡°innocence¡± ¨C and how devastatingly effective it could be against men, and she was also quite adept at wielding this feminine weapon. Seeing Wei Dongliu gaze at her, she playfully blinked, freely bestowing upon him a few flirtatious glances. This made Wei Dongliu suddenly nostalgic for the pre-evolution Shi Liuli, prompting him to sigh almost imperceptibly and say, ¡°I need to continue extracting other Daoist Magic here. If you wish to refine the Heavenly Demon, you can leave now to do your business, and wait for me to come out.¡± Jiang the Witch, who couldn¡¯t wait to test the power of the Northern Yin God Demon, almost agreed subconsciously, but quickly caught herself and, with a smile, said, ¡°What kind of talk is this, Fellow Daoist Wei? Since I promised to follow you, how could there be any reason to retreat halfway?¡± Well, that¡¯s another difference between Jiang Liyan and Shi Liuli. No matter how mature my Shi Liuli gets, she matures in terms of the bigger picture and could never be as meticulous as Jiang the Witch-using ¡°follow¡± instead of ¡°accompany¡± to subtly express loyalty; she¡¯s clearly afraid that I might harbor any doubts about her! Only a witch who grew up in an environment fraught with crisis and fear would have such careful calculations. Since she was unwilling to leave, Wei Dongliu let her be and said to the statue, ¡°Give me another powerful offensive Daoist Magic, one that¡¯s driven by turbid energy. The greater the True Yuan consumption, the better.¡± As everyone knows, Daoist Magics that consume a lot of energy often have tremendous offensive power, and it¡¯s usually a brute-force kind of tremendous. Many cultivators dislike such Daoist Magics, because they¡¯re too wasteful of True Yuan, and too much turbid energy can cause backlash risks. But for Wei Dongliu, who need not worry about turbid energy, these kinds of Daoist Magics were his first choice, without exception. The statue rolled on the spot once again and transformed into a stately middle-aged man clad in a long, wide robe, who coldly said, ¡°This is the Yin Demon Foul Filth Technique, and now I bestow it upon you!¡± Having said this, he swept his sleeve; boundless Demonic Qi surged forward, solidifying in the air into a whip that seemed to possess spiritual wisdom and violently began to thrash about. Scared, Jiang Liyan quickly hid behind Wei Dongliu. It was known that cultivators of the Demon Cult would use a large amount of True Yuan to drive a small amount of Demonic Qi in their magic practices to prevent backlash from the Demonic Qi. A spell purely made of Demonic Qi was definitely a super weapon on the battlefield. Whether a righteous or demon cultivator, being struck by such a whip would lead to Demonic Qi invading the body, blocking meridians, eroding the mind, and leaving one at the mercy of others. At this moment, the surrounding magical competition environment had also changed from the original small, quiet room into a dim wasteland. Wei Dongliu stepped back half a step, his hair suddenly turned blood-red, and his eyes revealed double pupils, looking exceptionally ferocious under the faint light. ¡°This Yin Demon Foul Filth Technique involves wrapping the Demonic Qi with True Yuan, compressing it, solidifying it, and then forcing it out from the fingertips,¡± said the stately middle-aged man coldly, lighting black flames upon the Demonic Qi Whip just as it furiously lashed towards Wei Dongliu. ¡°The turbid nature of Demonic Qi makes it difficult to manipulate, thus it requires the guidance of True Yuan at its core, with a quality of more than eight times that of the Demonic Qi, otherwise, the Qi is at risk of dissipating¡­ Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only What are you doing?!!¡± Wei Dongliu had already reached out and grabbed the Demonic Qi Whip. The raging black flames were the result of highly unstable Demonic Qi constantly evaporating, polluting everything around it. However, Wei Dongliu¡¯s hand, gripping the whip, showed no trace of being blackened or tainted-any Demonic Qi that touched his body dissolved inside as if sinking into the ocean, obediently circulating through his meridians at his will. ¡°Impossible!¡± The middle-aged man lost his composed expression and exclaimed in astonishment, ¡°Why are you not afraid of Demonic Qi contamination?! With this, our Yin Demon Foul Filth Technique has no killing force against you at all¡­¡± ¡°Stop wasting words!¡± Wei Dongliu said impatiently, ¡°Hand over the specific cultivation method at once!¡± Chapter 541 Chapter 541: Chapter 66 Jiang the Witch, Once Again Unemployed Chapter 541: Chapter 66 Jiang the Witch, Once Again Unemployed Approximately six hours had passed, and Wei Dongliu had already collected one hundred twenty-six kinds of Daoist magic, more than thirty Qi Refining Techniques, as well as over two hundred Sword Control Techniques. Jiang Liyan had been observing him from behind the entire time, her heart filled with astonishment and uncertainty, her face in a stunned daze. There were two things about him that amazed her: One was Wei Dongliu¡¯s True Yuan capacity, which was staggeringly impressive. She had been preoccupied with defense and evasion from behind, and after a few hours, her True Yuan had been almost completely depleted. However, Demon Lord Wei was fending off various attacks from the front, not only with ease and surplus but also without any sign of a True Yuan deficiency¡­ Jiang Liyan could confirm that he definitely had not consumed any elixirs. So the question arose, ¡°Is such a terrifying True Yuan capacity normal for a Golden Core True Person?¡± After all, Jiang the Witch had never seen any Golden Core Realm sister in the Heavenly Demon Path with such exaggerated endurance in combat-her master, the Colorful Moth Fairy, could do it, but she was, after all, in the Nascent Soul Realm. Thinking this way, another question mark had to be put on the real Cultivation Realm of Demon Lord Wei. The other strange point was his seemingly unfathomable memory. Initially, Jiang the Witch had been assisting in the battle while secretly recording those mental methods and incantations. But as the number of spells grew, Jiang the Witch became dizzy and overwhelmed, soon unable to keep track. Wei Dongliu, however, remained expressionless throughout, and she hadn¡¯t seen him making any effort to memorize, nor did he need to rest; after one spell, he would immediately go on to the next¡­ wuxiaworld.site In the end, Jiang the Witch had completely given up. No matter what impressive mental methods and incantations you explained, I just let it in one ear and out the other, not listening at all. On Wei Dongliu¡¯s end, he had just memorized another Daoist magic, then he asked the stone statue again: ¡°Do you have any more¡­never mind, just give me a Daoist magic I haven¡¯t recorded yet.¡± The stone statue was silent for a moment, then suddenly said: ¡°No more.¡± ¡°Really, no more?¡± Wei Dongliu asked skeptically. ¡°Really, no more,¡± the stone statue replied. ¡°What¡¯s the use of having so many Daoist Magics? With your strength, only a few particularly powerful Daoist Magics would be of value to you.¡± ¡°I am the Sect Leader of the Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect.¡± Seeing that the stone statue was even asking questions, Wei Dongliu suspected that it must be something like an Artifact Spirit, so he patiently explained, ¡°As the Sect Leader, isn¡¯t it normal to inventory and organize the Daoist magic stored by our own sect?¡± ¡°It¡¯s actually the Sect Leader.¡± Whether it was his own misperception or not, the statue¡¯s tone seemed to become more flattering. ¡°Sect Leader, there are some things¡­ I don¡¯t know if I should speak of them.¡± ¡°Speak,¡± Wei Dongliu said indifferently. ¡°Your disciples have not come to learn Daoist magic for a very long time,¡± lamented the stone statue. ¡°Not only that, but the True Person elders have also not added new Daoist magic for a long time, I thought I had been forgotten by the sect.¡± Wei Dongliu fell silent for a moment, then said: ¡°Tong Xuan Gate faced a serious extinction of its Daoist lineage four thousand years ago.¡± ¡°What, our sect is gone?¡± The stone statue was momentarily stunned, then quickly said, ¡°Sect Leader must be joking with me. The Tong Xuan Gate has been prosperous for eternity; how could it possibly be destroyed?¡± ¡°I have no need to lie,¡± Wei Dongliu said indifferently. ¡°You better confirm one last time whether there are any Daoist secret methods left unprovided to me. If not, I will take my leave.¡± ¡°Sect Leader, please wait a moment!¡± the stone statue immediately cried out. ¡°If possible, could you take me away from here?¡± ¡°You wish to come with me?¡± Wei Dongliu slightly furrowed his brows. ¡°So that Sect Leader knows, I am a magical treasure personally crafted by an elder of the Intercepting Cult¡¯s Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect known as the ¡®Myriad Laws True Spirit Divine Statue,''¡± the stone statue stated rapidly. ¡°I can help Sect Leader store various cultivation technique manuals and also take over the elders¡¯ duty of imparting teachings to the sect. I can even eliminate those disciples with insufficient qualifications ahead of time, saving the sect¡¯s resources¡­¡± ¡°Enough,¡± Wei Dongliu cut off its endless chatter. ¡°We don¡¯t need to eliminate any disciples; there are not many to begin with. But I ask you, how can you instruct the disciples? ???G?.?0 Can you solely engage in reading scriptures, giving lectures, and resolving doubts without any fighting or killing?¡± Jiang the Witch, who had been listening in the back, was stunned by the conversation. Suddenly snapping to her senses, she immediately fanned the flames and said: ¡°Wei Daoist friend, you must not trust this artifact spirit! Who knows its true identity? Perhaps it¡¯s actually a soul that has lost its fleshly body, ready to murder and take possession at any moment!¡± How dare you attempt to take my job! ¡°Bullshit!¡± the stone statue immediately cursed back. ¡°A soul that has lost its fleshly body, surviving within a stone statue for over ten thousand years? Go die right now and see how long your soul can hang around in this world!¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t formed my Nascent Infant; how would I know?¡± Jiang the Witch retorted, then turned and continued to sow discord with Wei Dongliu, ¡°Daoist friend Wei, such independently thinking entities are extremely dangerous. Who knows if it actually is an artifact spirit? Even if it¡¯s not some old creature plotting to take over a body, if it happens to be a Heavenly Demon that¡¯s been sealed away, that would also be an extremely troublesome and dangerous thing¡­¡± ¡°Sect Leader, I can teach anything,¡± the stone statue said disdainfully, not bothering to argue any further but rather respectfully answering. ¡°Whether it¡¯s Foundation Establishment, Golden Core, or Nascent Soul; whether it¡¯s Qi Refining Techniques, Daoist Magic, or any other esoteric art to the side of righteousness, I can handle it all with no problem whatsoever.¡± ¡°All you or the other elders need to do is to infuse the knowledge to be passed on to the disciples with your Divine Sense into my body, just like inscribing a Jade Slip. Subsequently, I can then pass it on to other disciples.¡± ¡°Jade Slips can only record text, images, and sounds, but as an extraordinary magical treasure, I can also construct extremely realistic Illusion Domains to cultivate the younger disciples in actual combat training, something ordinary Jade Slip scriptures cannot achieve.¡± ¡°Moreover, there¡¯s a risk of disciples stealing away or losing Jade Slip scriptures, but if stored within my body, you would not have to worry about such security issues. Take for instance, if enemies from a hostile sect sneaked in aiming to steal Daoist manuals, I would definitely not let them succeed.¡± ¡°In over five thousand years of service at the Tong Xuan Gate, there has never been a single incident of Daoist methods going missing. Even your visit this time was only permitted after I heard you speak the secret passphrase of the Sect Leader and confirmed your identity. Think of me as an absolutely loyal Guardian of the Scriptural Repository¡­¡± The stone statue began to boast about its advantages ¨C how it contributes deeply to education, acts for the sake of children, and its eternal loyalty and so on. Jiang the Witch, on the other hand, was constantly speaking ill of it, questioning the authenticity of its artifact spirit status, and pointing out that storing all manuals in one place was insecure, because if it were to be breached, everything would be gone in one fell swoop. After pondering for a moment, Wei Dongliu decided to take the stone statue with him anyway. As for the concerns Jiang Liyan had raised, they were, in fact, of no consequence to him. Firstly, artifact spirits with independent thoughts were nothing new to him; he even had a mirror and a sword residing in his own mind, so there was no need to worry too much about a stone statue. Secondly, having Jiang the Witch always teaching the two disciples could potentially impact the disciples¡¯ loyalty and such concerns, but if the stone statue artifact spirit were to do the teaching, such risks naturally wouldn¡¯t exist¡­ After all, the artifact spirit wasn¡¯t a person; how could a disciple possibly be lured away by it? After confirming with the Kunlun Mirror that the stone statue¡¯s true form was indeed a magical treasure and not some old monster¡¯s soul waiting to possess a new body, Wei Dongliu made his decision on the spot: Move it out! Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Thus Jiang the Witch too obediently shut her mouth, though she felt secretly aggrieved. At first, she could provide information to Wei Dongliu, but now that he had become the leader of a sect, he hardly lacked any intelligence. Latterly, she could help discipline Wei Dongliu¡¯s disciples, but then this absurd stone statue magical treasure arrived and even took that job from her. Could it be that my only role is to serve as a concubine? It wasn¡¯t that she found that unacceptable; apparently, she needed to change her strategic goals¡­ Chapter 542 Chapter 542: Chapter 67: I¡¯ve Already Seen Through You Chapter 542: Chapter 67: I¡¯ve Already Seen Through You Because the stone statue was large and cumbersome, Wei Dongliu had Jiang Liyan summon two strong men to carry the statue back to Shiping Mountain. He himself went again to visit the Blood Sea Ancestor and briefly recounted the fact that the inheritance of the Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect had been completely recovered. After leaving the Blood Sea Ancestor¡¯s place, however, he was invited by Xu Ruyan of Lingxiu Mountain to be a guest there, and he had to let the Flying Asura return ahead of him. After spending seven or eight days touring Lingxiu Mountain, Wei Dongliu finally returned gracefully. ¡°Next, our Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect¡¯s residence will be moved to the top of Cloud Sea Peak,¡± he announced within the residence. Guo Jin and Wang Cong naturally had no objections; both were disciples and did not have the qualification to dissent. The Flying Asura and the stone statue naturally had no opinion either, as both were mere instruments, without even the status of disciples, let alone any suggestions to make. Only Jiang Liyan, although she did not ask any questions in public, sought out Wei Dongliu privately after the others had dispersed. ¡°Wei Daoist friend,¡± Jiang Liyan asked in a low voice, ¡°I venture to ask, was the idea to move the residence from within Shiping Mountain to the top of Cloud Sea Peak yours, or was it the Blood Sea Immortal¡¯s idea?¡± Wei Dongliu looked at her in surprise and after a long moment said, ¡°It is the will of the Blood Sea Immortal.¡± ¡°Wei Daoist friend,¡± Jiang Liyan said softly, ¡°since it is the Immortal¡¯s will, we are not in a position to refuse.¡± ¡°However, I believe you must also be aware that by truly leaving the depths of Shiping Mountain and moving to the top of Cloud Sea Peak, we would mean to shift from behind the scenes to the front stage.¡± ¡°Is Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect really ready for such a move, given its strength?¡± wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site What Jiang the Witch had said was, of course, the absolute truth. Aside from Wei Dongliu and the Flying Asura, Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect currently consisted of only a few cats and dogs, none of whom had even reached the Core Condensation Cultivation. If it weren¡¯t for the Blood Sea Ancestor¡¯s orders, continuing to lie low here would have been the better choice, with no need to risk the entire sect for the sake of reputation. However, what genuinely surprised Wei Dongliu was that Jiang the Witch was actually willing to voice such an opinion now-where ordinary interaction does not warrant a deep discussion, carelessly intervening in such major sect decisions was definitely bound to cause displeasure and alertness. Therefore, previously Jiang the Witch had always been a ¡°do as told without question¡± type, never willing to add in an extra word. After briefly pondering, he guessed her mindset: It was nothing more than feeling a strong sense of crisis due to the task of educating disciples being taken by someone else, which led her to want to further demonstrate her value. This was precisely what Wei Dongliu wanted. A Jiang the Witch willing to offer strategies for the management of the sect was, of course, better than a Jiang the Witch who kept to herself. He then patiently explained, ¡°What you are worried about, I am certainly aware of. However, on the one hand, we have the Immortal¡¯s orders, and on the other hand, it is an opportunity too good to miss.¡± ¡°An opportunity too good to miss?¡± Jiang Liyan tapped her cheek with her delicate finger, showing a surprised expression that said, ¡°Please explain further.¡± Such curiosity and request for explanation from a beautiful woman could be quite pleasing to a man, so Wei Dongliu lowered his guard slightly and explained, ¡°Why do you think I established the Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect?¡± Jiang Liyan: ? Of course, I don¡¯t know that! She thought to herself with inward sarcasm. Which sect leader would randomly recruit disciples with plain talent and then hand them all over to guest elders for instruction? It is simply unprecedented and unheard of, extremely bizarre! Jiang the Witch then smiled awkwardly, with a mix of admiration and charm in her voice, sweetly saying, ¡°The young lady is not sharp-witted. The actions of the dao friend are always profound and unpredictable, truly leaving the young lady unable to guess.¡± ¡°It¡¯s quite simple,¡± Wei Dongliu said proudly. ¡°Since I have taken up the mantle of the Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect, it is naturally my duty to revive its former glory and make it great again. Otherwise, what would differentiate me from those mediocre people who let the legacy of the Tong Xuan Gate perish?¡± ¡°Since the Blood Sea Ancestor wants someone to become the leader of the Mortal Life Sect, even if I were unwilling to accept, he would naturally find someone else to play this role.¡± ¡°In doing so, not only would I lose the opportunity for rising to prominence, but I would also bring a powerful enemy upon the Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect-wouldn¡¯t that be laughable?¡± These words were half true, half false. After all, Wei Dongliu¡¯s designed mission was to earn the trust of the Hell Path, ferret out their secrets, and ultimately seize their fragments of the Heaven-Mending Stone. The Hell Path wanted him to become this magnate of the Demonic Path, clearly intending to use him as a pawn. Thus, Wei Dongliu¡¯s task became to continually enhance his value as a pawn until his existence became ¡°indispensable¡± to the Hell Path¡¯s plans, giving him a chance to gain their deep trust. As for making the Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect great again¡­ who cares? It doesn¡¯t matter at all. ¡°So that¡¯s how it is,¡± Jiang Liyan replied, making an admiring expression to go along with it, ¡°It¡¯s the young lady who hasn¡¯t thought things through.¡± Her words were also half true, half false. Jiang the Witch could see at a glance that if she didn¡¯t climb the ladder given by the Blood Sea Ancestor, the danger brought to the Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect would be greater than the lost expected benefits. But she pretended to be completely clueless because she wanted to give Wei Dongliu the chance to show off¡­ Jiang the Witch had a faint intuition that Wei Dongliu, who always acted so mysteriously, seemed to enjoy this kind of enigmatic aura of being ¡°unfathomable in his thoughts.¡± In plain terms, as long as she wore an expression of ¡°Wow, you¡¯re truly worthy of admiration,¡± her admiration would particularly please him. ???G0.?? Therefore, she was also happy to bring up topics that would give him the opportunity to display his capabilities. Her real goal was to slowly curry favor with him, enhancing her own importance in his eyes. Sooner or later, I¡¯ll take you down, you mysterious creature who likes to play hide and seek, and then wring out all your value! She thought to herself smugly. Wei Dongliu, of course, had no idea that the Jiang the Witch before him, who seemed to be gradually persuaded by his charismatic charm, was actually plotting to turn the tables on him, take him down thoroughly, and milk him for all he was worth¡­ He just let Jiang the Witch leave and then ordered the Kunlun Mirror: ¡°Ah Jing, access Du Longlong¡¯s file!¡± Wei Dongliu had taken the first step toward becoming a magnate of the Demonic Path, while if he remembered correctly, the Azure Dragon Clan had just received an imperial edict from the Qilin Emperor of Central State, specifically asking to see Long Hu and himself. The clan¡¯s speculation was that considering the eldest son of Qilin Emperor Qi Weihuan had already transformed, it was likely he was coveting Long Hu¡¯s bloodline¡­ How could I let that damn emperor succeed? Rebellion is a must! [Location Five: Eastern Emperor Realm, Eastern State, Central Thoroughfare.] [Identity: Long Long.] [Mirror Flower Water Moon Template overlaying, in the midst of time-space travel.] On the Central Thoroughfare of Eastern State, the Azure Dragon Clan¡¯s envoy procession was slowly making its way toward the imperial city of Central State. Along the way, various lords of the Scaled Clan, carrying all sorts of gifts, came to visit, expressing their eternal loyalty to the Dragon Clan. Azure Dragon Clan¡¯s leader, Qin Beiwang, did not neglect any of these visitors. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only He warmly entertained every visiting Scaled Clan lord, giving them no reason to use ¡°the Dragon Clan doesn¡¯t value us¡± as a pretext for rebellion-the Scaled Clan are mostly cold and ruthless, one cannot expect them to be spontaneously loyal and grateful; therefore, it¡¯s necessary to frequently demonstrate one¡¯s martial force to achieve deterrence. Both the Great Elder and the Second Elder¡¯s prowess, as well as the Immortal Rank bloodlines of Long Long and Long Hu, made these Scaled Clan lords praise them on the surface while secretly fearing them. The former¡¯s strength was already well known, but the latter was the undisputed potential of their lineage. With both expecting to enter the Demon King Realm, the Dragon Clan would gain two more powerful fighters-how could that not be terrifying? Thus, the subservience of the Scaled Clan lords deepened even more. Chapter 543 Chapter 543: Chapter 68 The Power of the Fox Chapter 543: Chapter 68 The Power of the Fox The entire East Emperor Realm Continent, much like the Divine Land Continent, has West State with high terrain and many mountains, whereas Eastern State has low-lying terrain crisscrossed with a dense network of waterways, swamps, and wetlands everywhere. These dark and damp environments have given birth to the cruel and merciless Demons of the Scaled Clan. At the banquet, Long Long looked around at the visiting leaders of the Scaled Clan, most of whom had sharp vertical pupils; even as they wore polite smiles on their faces, they appeared more like forcing a smile without genuine warmth, contributing to an extremely cold demeanor. Snakes, lizards, pangolins¡­ Long Long even saw a Demon whose original form was a crocodile, with a jaw stretched almost to the roots of its ears, full of crooked and jagged teeth. After visiting and leaving gifts, some of the Scaled Clan leaders took their leave, while others joined the delegation headed to Central State swiftly after having confidential talks with Qin Beiwang. Throughout the event, Long Long remained silent, discreetly observing and gradually confirming that among these Scaled Clan members, the relationship between the Serpent Clan and the Dragon Clan was the closest. Following were the lizard and salamander species, whose numbers were slightly fewer than the various Serpent Clans, but their strength seemed much more mediocre, and they generally acted more humbly. The most peculiar were the crocodile clan, these folks spoke with a careless lisp, interspersing their conversations with crude jokes and raucous laughter-at which all other guests present tacitly chose to ignore them. By the time the delegation reached the border of Eastern State, the group had grown from over a hundred to more than six hundred people, among which many lower-ranked Scaled Clan leaders volunteered to serve as guards for the delegation. Long Long quietly observed the changes within the group, continuing to remain silent. Long Hu curled up and slept in his arms. The little fox did not like the false pleasantries and etiquette among the nobles, therefore she yawned and dozed off throughout, and the journey was even more boring, so she simply lay in his arms and napped. Normally, she preferred to sleep in a prone position, but due to the characteristic of the Celestial Fox Clan, her front armor greatly thickened after Transformation, so she could only lie back on his legs, spending her free time being affectionate and clingy with Long Long. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co ¡°Long Long!¡± After waking up from another nap, the little fox rubbed her bleary eyes and called out softly, ¡°I want¡­¡± ¡°You want some water, right?¡± Long Long reached for the water flask, but then his neck was hugged. ¡°I want a kiss¡­¡± Long Hu said in a coquettish voice. Long Long then showed an expression that read ¡°I¡¯m really at my wit¡¯s end with you¡± and was just about to lower his head to oblige when he suddenly heard someone tapping on the carriage window from the outside, reminding him, ¡°Young Master! We are about to enter the territory of Eastern State, the Clan Leader asked me to inform you that from now on you are to stay inside the carriage.¡± The voice seemed to be that of Shi Yan, a minor leader from the White Scale Clan, who was selected as one of Long Long¡¯s Personal Guards by Qin Beiwang due to his outstanding combat abilities. Of course, through his superior discernment, keen Perception and delicate psychological analysis, Long Long had scanned and discovered that this Shi Yan was in fact a member of the Jiaolong Clan, merely disguised as a member of the White Scale Serpent Clan. An inside Traitor planted in the delegation by Elder Shi Yao! And my fellow traveler! ¡°Got it.¡± Long Long had just looked up to reply when Long Hu hugged his neck again, pressing his head down. ¡°Young Master?¡± Shi Yan sensed something odd in his voice and couldn¡¯t help but feel suspicious, ¡°Is everything alright over there?¡± Long Long hastily pushed Long Hu away and called out, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, I just woke up¡­¡± Before he could finish, Long Hu pounced on him again, blocking the words in his throat. ?0?G?.?? ¡°Young Master!¡± Shi Yan was immediately alarmed. Listening to his abrupt cut-off, it was clear that he was physically silenced. Someone had infiltrated the carriage and attacked the two Young Masters! He hurriedly rushed to the carriage, not minding the guards¡¯ attempts to stop him, directly pulling open the curtain and bellowing: ¡°Who is in the carriage¡­ ah?¡± He saw Long Hu sprawled on top of Long Long, hugging his head and licking him all over, with her fluffy tail wagging joyfully. ¡°I apologize¡­¡± Shi Yan immediately averted his gaze, quickly let the curtain fall, and turned to leave. ¡°You were really reckless just now.¡± An Azure Dragon Guard teased him, ¡°The two Young Masters were inside handling affairs, and you actually dared to intrude? Luckily Young Master Long Long is a gentle soul. Had it been any of the more violent and unreasonable ones, they would¡¯ve blasted you out with one swipe of a claw, right?¡± ¡°How was I supposed to know?¡± Shi Yan awkwardly defended himself, ¡°The Young Master¡¯s voice was muffled and unclear, obviously unable to speak properly. How was I to know that it was Young Master Long Hu playing with him? Besides, play is play, but who licks someone¡¯s face? Any normal person would think ¡®mouth being forcefully covered,¡¯ right?¡± The Azure Dragon Guards: ¡­¡­ ¡°What is it?¡± Shi Yan frowned, ¡°Why do you all look so pitiful?¡± ¡°You kid,¡± the nearby Azure Dragon Guard sighed, ¡°are really too young¡­¡± Inside the carriage, Long Long finally got a chance to breathe and pulled Long Hu to his side, bonking her on the head: ¡°What in the world are you doing? The guards saw everything just now, didn¡¯t you notice?¡± ¡°No!¡± Long Hu said nonchalantly, ¡°So they saw, what¡¯s the big deal? Who in the clan doesn¡¯t know you¡¯re mine?¡± What do you mean ¡°you¡¯re mine¡±? Can¡¯t you get the genders straight? Your possessiveness is way too strong for a fox, isn¡¯t it? Long Long sneered inwardly but also knew this wasn¡¯t the place to quibble with her, or Long Hu would definitely flare up on the spot. Thus, he could only show a helpless, indulgent expression and gently rubbed Long Hu¡¯s ears: ¡°Alright, alright, you call the shots, I¡¯ll listen to Long Hu, is that okay?¡± Although she had already transformed into a human form, why were her ears still as soft and warm as those of a beast? How fascinating. Feeling comfortable from the ear rubs, Long Hu readjusted to a more comfortable position in his arms and even placed her tail there: ¡°Come, help me comb my fur.¡± Long Long then took a wooden comb from beneath the cushion and started combing through Long Hu¡¯s tail. Since her transformation, Long Hu¡¯s tail had become even fluffier and softer, with each strand of fur distinct, silky yet resilient, delightful to the touch ¨C akin to the finest grade of fur blanket. It¡¯s said that foxes like to cover themselves with their tails when they sleep¡­ Long Long felt he would probably like that too. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Long Hu rested her head on his shoulder, letting him untangle the slightly knotted fur with the comb, her legs carefully curled up, her round, jade-like toes tensed slightly, then relaxed as if they couldn¡¯t help but stretch out again. ¡°Gently.¡± Her tail suddenly twitched, and she said coquettishly, ¡°The tip of my tail is quite sensitive, so be gentle, okay?¡± Long Long: ? Oh no, I can¡¯t hold back against such a seductive fox! ¡°Making so many demands!¡± He quickly threw the comb onto the cushion, using an angry tone to hide his own strangeness, ¡°Comb it yourself!!!!¡± Before long, the guards outside the carriage heard sounds of a scuffle inside again. But this time, even the inexperienced Shi Yan consciously pretended not to hear. Chapter 544 Chapter 544: Chapter 69: The City of Ten Thousand Demons, The Divine Dragon City Chapter 544: Chapter 69: The City of Ten Thousand Demons, The Divine Dragon City As the diplomatic envoy delved deeper into Central State, the surrounding terrain and environment began to change gradually. Firstly, the Eastern State was crisscrossed with rivers and dotted with wetlands and marshes; in contrast, Central State was mostly plains, with a river density that was exceptionally suitable for cultivation. Nearing the imperial capital, golden wheat fields stretched across the plains on both sides. The lowly Horned Clan demons, as they reaped the harvest, casually stuffed grains into their mouths, chewing with a smack, savoring the taste. Long Long gazed out the window, feeling that these demons and humans seemed to have no difference-without cultivation level, one could not stand out; failing to stand out meant a lack of resources, and without resources, one wouldn¡¯t have cultivation level, forming a vicious cycle. Only cultivators with great wisdom, great perseverance, and great determination, like himself, could overcome such difficulties and break free from this vicious circle. ¡°Long Long, look at me~¡± The fox by his side let out a disgruntled and neglected whine, God knows why she could be so clingy. You¡¯re a canine! Not a succubus! Long Long had no choice but to turn around and hold Long Hu in his arms; the little fox buried her head in his chest, rubbed comfortably, and began to nap contentedly. ???g?.?? ¡°Young Master,¡± Shi Yan knocked on the window from outside, ¡°We¡¯re still over twenty li from Myriad Demons City.¡± Long Long immediately understood and hurriedly patted Long Hu in his arms, reminding her: ¡°Fox, we¡¯re about to reach the imperial capital, wake up¡­¡± wuxiaworld.site Soon after, a voice shouted: ¡°His Highness Qi Qiao¡¯an, the Crown Prince and Young Leader of the Qilin Clan, has arrived to meet Long Long and Long Hu of the Azure Dragon Clan!¡± Long Hu showed an ¡°it¡¯s so troublesome¡± expression, while Long Long slightly frowned and grabbed Long Hu¡¯s arm. Not much later, that person outside shouted again: ¡°His Highness Qi Qiao¡¯an, the Crown Prince and Young Leader of the Qilin Clan, has arrived to meet Long Long and Long Hu of the Azure Dragon Clan! Come forth promptly to pay your respects!¡± Long Long still refused to go out until Shi Yan came back to the carriage, tapping on the window and saying: ¡°Young Master, the clan leader has spoken¡­ There¡¯s no helping it, you must meet him.¡± Long Long was speechless, thinking that he had assumed the clan could shield them from this! In the end, it was still up to them to deal with the situation¡­ He could only take Long Hu by the hand, lift the door curtain, and step out, bowing as he said: ¡°Long Long pays his respects to Your Highness.¡± ¡°Long Hu pays her respects to Your Highness,¡± Long Hu followed. Then, she frowned unhappily. Because the burning gaze of the young man in the distance was firmly fixed on her. ¡ª- As soon as the Dragon Clan¡¯s diplomatic envoy entered Central State, the news had already reached Myriad Demons City. Upon receiving the message, Qi Weihuan decreed that his eldest son, Qi Qiao¡¯an, go to receive them. Since the clan leader was heading the Dragon Clan¡¯s delegation, according to protocol, the leader of the Qilin Clan should also come forward to greet them, but Qi Weihuan, as the emperor of the Demon Race, was unwilling to condescend to do so, thus sending the Crown Prince instead. In terms of etiquette, it was rather slapdash but passable. Although the Dragon Clan was annoyed, they wouldn¡¯t create a fuss over this. However, Qi Qiao¡¯an clearly misunderstood his father¡¯s intentions¡­ He had long heard of Long Hu¡¯s reputation, after all, she was a scion of the former emperor, and if he could marry her, wouldn¡¯t he naturally possess the legitimacy to the throne? So when Qi Weihuan asked him to receive the delegation, Qi Qiao¡¯an naturally thought it meant ¡°to get an early look at his future bride.¡± Now, seeing Long Hu¡¯s voluptuous figure, soft fur, and enchanting, beautiful features, Qi Weihuan¡¯s heart softened-aesthetically speaking, from the Mao Clan¡¯s perspective, Long Hu¡¯s appearance was more fox than dragon, regarded as a very pretty beauty indeed. However, when his gaze fell upon the hands they were holding, his expression immediately turned to annoyance again. ¡°Who is this guy? Holding the hand of my fiancee, what is he doing?¡± Seeing that his emotions were off, Qin Beiwang quickly changed the subject, saying: ¡°Your Highness, may I ask what matter has summoned Long Long and his party here? If it¡¯s not urgent, let me first settle the people in the city. After all, they are weary from the journey and need rest¡­¡± Qi Qiao¡¯an responded absentmindedly, only to notice Long Hu catching his gaze. She slightly furrowed her delicate brows and quietly hid behind Long Long. This made the prince even more resentful. Although he wanted to lash out on the spot, seeing that the Dragon Clan members opposite him were numerous and powerful, he had to forcefully suppress his anger and responded perfunctorily to Qin Beiwang: ¡°I¡¯m not sure what Father Emperor¡¯s intentions are. Since you wish to enter the city and get settled, then come with me.¡± Qin Beiwang observed his unhappy expression, which left little room for doubt about what had happened-other than coveting Long Hu for her beauty and seeing Long Long as a rival in love, what else could it be? What¡¯s worse, this great prince was the kind that wasn¡¯t very intelligent, well-known throughout the imperial capital for his recklessness and infamous for treating the lives of demonic beasts with disdain. If he really acted rashly and worsened the strife between the Qilin and Azure Dragon Clans to an extreme, then the aftermath would not be easy to deal with! Seeing that Qi Qiao¡¯an was already leading the way with a gloomy face, Qin Beiwang quickly summoned a guard and whispered a few instructions. The guard immediately carried out the order and left. Before long, Long Long and Long Hu, back in their carriage, suddenly heard someone say: ¡°Long Long, Long Hu? Are you available right now? May this old man come in?¡± It was the voice of the Great Elder, Qin Chaocang¡­ Long Long immediately reacted, hastily signaling Long Hu to sit properly beside him while saying aloud: ¡°Of course, Great Elder, please come in.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Qin Chaocang said and then lifted the carriage curtain to enter. Qin Chaocang, the Great Elder of the Azure Dragon Clan, was also of the Immortal Realm, though of a rank slightly below the Ancestral Azure Dragon. The advancement in the ranks of the Demon Clan was different from that of the Human Clan, relying too heavily on the potential of their bloodline rank. The Great Elder became the second most powerful in the clan because his bloodline rank was high; his power was less than that of the Ancestral Azure Dragon because the rank of his bloodline wasn¡¯t high enough¡­ Of course, even so, within the whole Eastern Emperor Realm, there were, at most, only a handful of adversaries who could challenge the Great Elder. Therefore, as Qin Chaocang entered the carriage, Long Long also secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Although Long Hu seemed not to have thought much of it, Long Long, having noticed Qi Qiao¡¯an¡¯s enraged gaze like that of a bull, immediately prepared for battle upon returning to the carriage. He instructed the Kunlun Mirror to scan at least twelve times per second, so as to prevent someone from suddenly breaking into the carriage and snatching away my fox with lightning speed. Luckily, the clan leader over there had also been alert, noticing that something was off with Qi Qiao¡¯an¡¯s emotions and had immediately sent the Great Elder to guard them¡­ Well done, Qin Beiwang! The envoy procession slowly stretched out on the road, heading toward the Eastern Emperor Realm¡¯s political center, the imperial city with the highest population. The imperial city has many names, with the most common unofficial ones naturally being ¡°imperial city¡± and ¡°Myriad Demons City.¡± As it is situated on an island sandwiched between two major rivers at the center of a lake, it is also known as Lake-Center City. In the city¡¯s center stands a tall tower, reaching up to thirteen hundred zhang, known as ¡°Divine Dragon Tower.¡± It is said that in the old days, Ying Long His Majesty liked to reveal his true body, coiling atop the Divine Dragon Tower, surveying the kingdom he ruled, hence the city was also known as ¡°Tower City,¡± ¡°Divine Dragon City¡±¡­ Of course, the latter name had already been abandoned. As the central tower stands thirteen hundred zhang tall, the surrounding city walls are also two hundred zhang high, with Sky-Banishing Formations drawn on them. No cultivator can fly near the city walls or within the city; they can only pass through the city gates. The Feathered Clan of South State detests the massive walls of the imperial city since flight is an essential part of their safety. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Therefore, South State and Central State have never been on good terms from generation to generation, same under Jiaolong¡¯s rule as under Qilin¡¯s succession. Long Long lifted half of the carriage curtain and, together with Long Hu, looked toward the great wall. As the caravan drew closer to the imperial city, the walls grew even more imposing, eventually towering up like mountains, rigid and stern, startling the little fox so much that she whispered to Long Long: ¡°Long Long, this city looks like a prison¡­ I don¡¯t want to live in a place like this.¡± With just a single sentence, Long Long cut off Long Hu¡¯s complaints: ¡°Hu, this city¡­ was built by your father!¡± Chapter 545 Chapter 545: Chapter 70: Fenhai Tide-Breaking Crossbow Chapter 545: Chapter 70: Fenhai Tide-Breaking Crossbow The long convoy passed through the city gate. Most of the houses on both sides were made of stone, while the central street was slightly indented. It was said that in the former ¡°Lake-Center City,¡± the connections between districts were not streets, but waterways¡­ It sounds very much like the style of the Jiaolong, but the Qilin definitely wouldn¡¯t like this environment, which is why a large-scale urban renovation was later undertaken to convert many canals into streets, and ponds were drained and planted with flowers and plants favored by the Horned Clan. Long Long stealthily peeked out through the gap in the carriage curtain and saw that most of the residents around the road belonged to the Horned Clan, but there were also many from other races. Among them were Horned Clan cultivators wearing extravagantly large golden horn ornaments, strutting up and down the streets with spears in hand. These were the capital¡¯s garrison guards, entirely composed of pure-blooded members of the Horned Clan, and none of their paternal or maternal ancestors for three generations were allowed to be of other races-precisely because they valued lineage over capability, these garrison troops were highly corrupt, and the capital¡¯s residents mockingly called them ¡°bigheads,¡± ridiculing their fondness for showing off their horns. Seeing Crown Prince Qi Qiao¡¯an leading the group in front, the ¡°bighead¡± captain hurried over, a fat and roly-poly member of the Deer Race named Lu Zhong, who approached sweating profusely and said: ¡°Unaware of Your Highness¡¯s outing, this humble official has committed a sin¡­¡± ¡°Go drive those lowly people away for me,¡± Qi Qiao¡¯an ordered, pointing ahead. Lu Zhong immediately barked at his subordinates to brutally disperse the onlookers around them. A few who moved slowly were poked with spears by the ¡°bigheads¡± and instantly died on the spot; their bodies were quickly dragged away¡­Untransformed demons, regardless of their intelligence, were all without the most basic human rights protections. After a dozen or so breaths, the road ahead was thoroughly cleared, and no bystanders dared to linger there any longer. The convoy still moved at a leisurely pace, with Long Long and Long Hu looking out at the outside world from the carriage, feeling somewhat uncomfortable with each other. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site Both had recently transformed and had not yet developed the discriminatory thinking of the transformed cultivators, which deemed untransformed beings as insignificant as weeds. Seeing these small, untransformed demons being wantonly slaughtered by the ¡°bigheads¡±, they felt a subconscious empathy and distress. Suddenly, a deep whooshing sound arose. ¡°Be careful!¡± the Kunlun Mirror cried out in alarm, only to see Great Elder Qin Chaocang suddenly grabbing Long Long, pushing both him and Long Hu to the ground, while with his other hand, he made a pushing motion forwards. The wall of the carriage ahead exploded suddenly, and a bluish light surged toward the Great Elder¡¯s palm¡­ However, in the Great Elder¡¯s hand, a long sword had somehow appeared, and he heavily slashed through the center of the bluish brilliance. A huge explosive shockwave spread out in all directions, and the four Dragon Clan guards closest to the blast had their limbs shattered on the spot, while the guards further away managed to use their Divine Skills in time, blocking the remnants of the explosion at the cost of severe injuries. More shockwaves blasted through the gaps between the guards, instantly leveling houses in two districts along with the residents inside. Qi Qiao¡¯an, who was walking at the very front, was also shielded behind several Horned Clan guards who desperately protected him, luckily emerging unscathed. When he climbed up from the ground with a frightened expression, looking around at the hellish desolation, he couldn¡¯t help but scream in terror. ¡­¡­¡­ That evening, Long Long and Long Hu were accommodated in the underground palace at the base of the Divine Dragon Tower. This place was located underground and guarded by heavy troops from the Qilin Clan, leaving no possibility of being assassinated again. Inside the Divine Emperor¡¯s Hall, Qi Weihuan erupted in furious rage, giving a death order to the garrison captain Lu Zhong to find the origins of the assassin. About half an hour later, a preliminary report of the incident was presented on the Emperor¡¯s desk. The assassin had already met a grisly end, the place where the crime was committed was determined to be behind the chimney on the rooftop of the ¡°Canoe Tavern¡± in the outer city district. From there, one would have a perfect view of the Dragon Clan¡¯s envoy convoy on the street below. The murder weapon was identified as the ¡°Fenhai Pochao Crossbow,¡± a Magical Treasure known for its formidable power. The more True Yuan injected, the greater the force it would unleash. If a Golden Core Cultivator were to operate it at full power, it could even kill a Demon King in its True Body. The most baffling aspect was that the Fenhai Pochao Crossbow was a Magical Treasure of the Human Race from the ancient times, crafted specifically to counter the mighty physical bodies of the Demon Race. After the Demon Race withdrew from the Eastern Emperor Realm, the whereabouts of the Fenhai Pochao Crossbow became unknown among the Human Race. The assassin was a member of the Feathered Clan, and the guards speculated that at the time of committing the crime, the assassin likely had their back to the street below, turned their head to confirm the carriage¡¯s position, then pressed the Fenhai Pochao Crossbow against their own chest, aligning the crossbow, themselves, and the carriage into a straight line, swiftly filling it with all their True Yuan. The crossbow arrow unleashed in the explosion tore through both the assassin¡¯s body and the carriage. Had it not been for the Great Elder, Qin Chaocang, being inside the carriage and cleaving through the crossbow arrow with his Magic Sword, facing it head-on, and given the just-transformed physical strength of Long Long and Long Hu, they would undoubtedly have been reduced to dust as well. One only needed to look at the nearby two blocks that were leveled by the blast to understand the carnage. The only evidence obtained so far was the residual True Yuan of the Feathered Clan Cultivator found within the body of the Fenhai Pochao Crossbow, and the Cultivator¡¯s flesh and blood were found near the crossbow as well. This led the guards to ascertain the assassin¡¯s race. As for their exact identity, since they were reduced to ashes, it was naturally impossible to know. All the questions about how they came to possess the Fenhai Pochao Crossbow, and why they wanted to assassinate the Dragon Clan envoy convoy¡­ all clues were lost with the death of the assassin. ???g?.?? After reading the incident report, Qi Weihuan flew into a rage and had Lu Zhong dragged away and lashed a hundred and fifty times. Only after doing this did he turn to the Azure Dragon Clan Leader, Qin Beiwang, who had observed the whole process, and said: ¡°This matter, I suspect, was the doing of the remnants of the South State¡¯s Feathered Clan. If Long Long and Long Hu had died in the imperial capital, the Dragon Clan would have mistaken it for the handiwork of my Qilin Clan. Then, with war erupting between Central State and Eastern State, they in South State could eke out an existence, stealing a chance for survival¡­ Such despicable deeds are truly contemptible!¡± Qin Beiwang, with an expressionless face, listened and nodded in agreement, saying: ¡°Indeed, should they hope to use this to sow discord between the two clans, the Feathered Clan truly miscalculated!¡± Both reviled the South State¡¯s Feathered Clan with shared animosity as if the real culprit had been definitively identified. Qi Weihuan repeatedly emphasized that he would most certainly provide the Dragon Clan with an explanation for the casualties suffered this time. Only then did Qin Beiwang express his thanks and depart. Only after Qin Beiwang had left did Qi Weihuan¡¯s face grow cold, his gaze piercing through the palace gates towards the distance. Who really staged this assassination? First of all, it couldn¡¯t possibly be the Feathered Clan. Because if the perpetrator wasn¡¯t found and both clans didn¡¯t wish to develop animosity over this, they would certainly blame the Feathered Clan in the end¡­ With or without evidence, the Feathered Clan was bound to take the fall, so there was even less need for the Feathered Clan assassin to perish together with their target. Second, why assassinate Long Long and Long Hu? Although these two were of Immortal Rank lineage, they had only recently undergone Transformation and posed no threat to any power. To instigate a conflict between Central State and Eastern State? Also unlikely. Currently, the Qilin Clan had the support of the Xuanwu Clan and a marriage alliance with the White Tiger Clan. The Vermilion Bird Clan was not likely to wage a war in the short term, so unless the Azure Dragon Clan collectively lost their minds, they would not possibly engage in a conflict with the Qilin Clan. They couldn¡¯t afford such a cost and would ultimately have to accept the explanation given by the Qilin Clan, opting to calm the situation down. Meaning, this assassination likely didn¡¯t carry a political aim since the outcome was already predetermined. However, to be able to acquire a Magical Treasure of the caliber of the Fenhai Pochao Crossbow and keep it hidden until now¡­ Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only and after the assassination, the Magical Treasure was inevitably left at the scene; this indicated that whoever was behind this had prepared to abandon the treasure. It couldn¡¯t be an ordinary Cultivator! There had to be a hidden force behind this, orchestrating the assassination. To go as far as to sacrifice the Fenhai Pochao Crossbow just to kill Long Long and Long Hu¡­ who could it be?! Chapter 546 Chapter 546: Chapter 71: Secret Passage, Hidden Map Chapter 546: Chapter 71: Secret Passage, Hidden Map Divine Dragon Tower, this towering structure personally overseen in construction by Emperor Ying Long, was built entirely from white jade-like stone bricks, bearing a striking resemblance to the jade bricks within the White Jade Capital Secret Realm. Long Long and Long Hu, the two of them were being protected inside a quiet room at the base of the Divine Dragon Tower, closely guarded by cultivators from the Qilin Family. Layers upon layers of guards made it so that not even a fly could easily enter. Of course, without the need for Long Long¡¯s explanation, Long Hu could see that this ¡°protection¡± also had an element of ¡°imprisonment.¡± After all, the original escort team for the Dragon Clan envoys was now isolated outside, unable to enter for an audience. After sensing this, Long Hu became noticeably agitated. Fortunately, with Long Long by her side, she wasn¡¯t panicked, just nervously kept stroking her tail. ¡°Stop stroking it,¡± Long Long said helplessly, ¡°Keep going, and you¡¯ll end up balding your tail.¡± ¡°It won¡¯t get bald,¡± Long Hu replied somewhat unhappily. The two of them had been locked in this underground room for almost an entire day now. Not only had no one come to visit, but there was even a lack of basic provision of food and water. Even though the Demon Race, after the Transformation, had shed their reliance on blood food, such inhumane treatment highlighted the Qilin Clan¡¯s contempt for them¡­ it was just short of outright saying, ¡°You two better stay put and not run around attracting assassins.¡± To this, Long Long didn¡¯t have any good countermeasures. wuxiaworld.site What he could confirm was that the Qilin Clan would definitely not harm him and Long Hu, as that would be tantamount to openly declaring hostility against the Azure Dragon Clan. But on top of that, Long Long highly suspected that the Azure Dragon Clan was using both him and Long Hu as bargaining chips in some political gamble with the Qilin Clan, otherwise his clan wouldn¡¯t be so indifferent about their current ¡°imprisonment¡±¡­ Even if the intention was to protect their safety, the treatment was still exceedingly harsh and rude. Upon deeper reflection, the purpose behind the assassin¡¯s attack on him and Long Hu was also very straightforward-it was likely intended to kill them. ???G?.?? Because the current political situation was all too clear: the Qilin of Central State and the Vermilion Bird of South State had just ceased hostilities, it wasn¡¯t likely they would provoke a new conflict with the Azure Dragon of Eastern State. Considering the Qilin currently still had the support of Xuanwu and White Tiger, the Azure Dragon naturally had no intentions of challenging the Qilin. The peace between the two clans was established on a mutual wariness of each other¡¯s strength, not something that an assassination could easily shake. Considering the mastermind behind the scenes couldn¡¯t have failed to see this, the only explanation for the motive of the assassination was the act of assassination itself. But have Long Hu and I offended anyone? No! Long Long considered himself amicable, never easily making enemies; even while escaping from South State to the north, any slight displeasure with members of the Feathered Clan wasn¡¯t significant enough to warrant using such strong means to assassinate him¡­ According to the Green Duckweed Sword, that blow had the strength to assassinate a Nascent Soul Cultivator. It was truly baffling. Fortunately, he soon didn¡¯t have time to continue pondering, as Long Hu started prowling around the room, sniffing everywhere. ¡°There¡¯s a draft here,¡± she suddenly said. ¡°What do you mean, ¡®there¡¯s a draft¡¯?¡± Long Long asked, momentarily taken aback. ¡°Shh,¡± Long Hu said, putting a finger to her lips, ¡°There¡¯s airflow in this room.¡± ¡°There¡¯s of course airflow in this room,¡± Long Long said nonchalantly, ¡°because a fox is turning the room upside down and causing a breeze, and her fur is floating in it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not talking about the breeze I¡¯ve created!¡± Long Hu retorted, annoyed yet lowering her voice, ¡°I mean¡­ I suspect there¡¯s a secret passage in here.¡± ¡°A secret passage?¡± ¡°Only the crevices of a secret passage would allow the outside air to come in,¡± Long Hu continued to prowl in the corners of the room, touching here and sniffing there, thoroughly checking. Seeing her so certain, Long Long also began to wonder. Since my fox is so certain, it would be best for me to also do a thorough check. Therefore, Long Long accompanied Long Hu in inspecting the room in detail. With careful searching and scanning, Long Long finally detected the airflow Long Hu mentioned, which was coming from the floor beneath their feet. Peeling back the carpet on the ground, they saw a huge stone brick below. The stone brick was thick, and the sound when knocked on didn¡¯t seem hollow. Long Hu curiously lay down by the brick, sensing the air indeed seeping through the cracks at the edges of the stone. A ventilation shaft? No, that¡¯s not right, who would place a vent under the floor! Long Hu then took out her Fox Chanting Sword, attempting to pry the stone brick from the edge of the gap. Her face turned red with exertion, but the stone brick remained unmoved, as if mocking her futile efforts. Long Long fell silent for a moment before placing his hand on the brick. Five Elements Divine Light burst forth from his palm, and the stone brick dissolved away as if melting, soon disappearing from sight. ¡°So powerful!¡± Long Hu immediately exclaimed in admiration, ¡°Long Long, what kind of Bloodline Supernatural Power is that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a small trick,¡± Long Long replied, not intending to reveal everything to the little fox and skillfully changing the subject, ¡°Huh? There really is a tunnel below.¡± Below the stone brick was a vertical shaft, with fixed wooden ladders and a switch on its side. After closely examining the structure of the switch, as well as the cross-section of the stone brick after it was dissolved, Long Long understood that the brick was actually operated by a one-way switch. If someone were to climb up from the tunnel below, they could use the switch on the side of the shaft to push the stone brick upward with the principle of a lever-on the other hand, if it were someone inside the room, since the brick was heavy and had no handle to exert force on, they would not be able to pry it open. ¡°Long Long,¡± Long Hu called softly once more, ¡°shall we go down?¡± ¡°Wait a minute,¡± Long Long said, casting his gaze towards the room¡¯s doorway. Standing at the door were two Qilin Clan Cultivators tasked with ensuring that the two of them did not leave the room. However, if there were no sounds from the room for a long time, there was no guarantee that those two wouldn¡¯t come in to check. ¡°Ah Jing, use an Illusion Technique!¡± Long Long ordered. The Kunlun Mirror responded and cast a simple mental suggestion on the Qilin Cultivators outside, persuading them not to think about coming in to check the room. ¡°Let¡¯s go down,¡± Long Long commanded, after making the final precautionary measure, ¡°I¡¯ll go first, you follow behind me.¡± ¡°Mhmm,¡± said Long Hu, eager to proceed. Long Long descended carefully, the wooden ladder was old but showed no signs of decay, and it was thick with dust, indicating that it hadn¡¯t been used in a long while. Just as Long Hu had said, the ventilation below was good, and it clearly wasn¡¯t a dead end but connected to another place. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Dragging the carpet from above to cover the entrance, they continued their descent, reaching the bottom after about fifteen to twenty meters. The tunnel here was very low, allowing them to pass only by stooping, and the deeper they went, the darker and more lightless it became. Long Long, with his Scaled Clan heritage, was unfazed by the dark and damp environment, but the little fox was somewhat afraid and could only hold on to Long Long from behind, carefully moving forward. Long Long¡¯s brow furrowed slightly. This front armor is really getting in the way! Chapter 547 Chapter 547: Chapter 72: Exploration and Jealousy Chapter 547: Chapter 72: Exploration and Jealousy The length of the tunnel far exceeded their expectations. After reaching the end, they pushed open a hidden door and entered a dark chamber. There was nothing else in the dark chamber but a wooden table fixed to the ground. On the stone table lay a piece of papyrus, pinned to the surface with a dagger. Long Long drew the Dragon Chant Sword, whose glow illuminated the ancient paper, revealing extremely vague writing, most of which was nearly impossible to decipher: ¡°¡­ South State is restless, with yet another rebellion yesterday. Vermilion Bird executed thirty-one families of the Feathered Clan, violently consolidating power internally, fearing the rise of armed conflict. The Mao Clan is actively building mountain fortresses, with spies coming out frequently, infiltrating the great cities by the river. North State¡¯s Xuanwu and Qilin are very intimate, though nothing unusual has emerged, one cannot be too careful¡­¡± From the limited text, it seemed to be a draft from some sort of intelligence personnel, but now it was impossible to read the entire document. Long Hu tried to lift the manuscript, but as soon as she touched it, the papyrus quickly disintegrated into fragments, beyond any repair. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she hurriedly whispered, though it was unclear to whom she was apologizing. Long Long, with the illuminating Dragon Chant Sword, scrutinized the surroundings once more. wuxiaworld.site The scan showed that there were three hidden doors nearby, all leading to unknown places. Long Long mentally retraced their path and was stunned to realize that this network of tunnels was skeleton-like, likely sprawling beneath the entire foundation of the Divine Dragon Tower. Who built these tunnels? And how come they remained undiscovered for so long? With these questions pressed in his heart, Long Long continued to lead Long Hu, exploring the nearby hidden tunnels and doors. Behind the left hidden door, the corridor led to an unknown room. Long Long and Long Hu hid behind a partition to quietly eavesdrop. Sounds of chopping knives and burning stoves indicated it was a kitchen. Soon, the voices of the chefs began to be heard: ¡°The fruit last time wasn¡¯t fresh enough, the manager scolded me fiercely; how do you guys procure the fruit?¡± ¡°Who stole the wine I put in the cupboard?¡± ¡°I told you not to use my chef¡¯s knife!¡± Even from behind the partition, the chefs¡¯ voices were extremely clear, as if they were conversing right beside their ears. Long Long immediately realized that these tunnels were specifically built for eavesdropping! Since no useful information came from the kitchen, they returned to choose another hidden door to enter. When they reached the end of this passage, the sound of trickling water reached them. Listening carefully, Long Long heard the soft laughter of women-it was a public bathhouse behind the door! People were bathing inside! He instinctively moved closer, only to discover that the hidden door was covered with a multitude of tiny holes. Peering through the holes, he could see that the hidden door was located on the wall near the ceiling of the public bathhouse, providing a clear view of the bathing Horned Clan demons. Putting everything else aside, the figures of the Horned Clan women were generally plump, in contrast to the slender grace of the Scaled Clan, the well-proportioned strength of the Mao Clan, possessing a uniquely enticing¡­ plush charm. Before he could continue observing, he felt his shoulder bitten and his waist entwined by a tail, as he was dragged back into the secret passage by Long Hu. Long Long: ¡­¡­¡­ ¡°What were you just looking at?¡± Long Hu bit his neck angrily, ¡°Pervert! Shameless! Lewd!¡± Long Long, without a word, manifested scales to block the mischievous fox¡¯s biting attack, and calmly said, ¡°Hu, you can¡¯t talk nonsense; I was merely confirming where that passage led to,¡± ¡°That¡¯s obviously the bathroom, you could tell from the sounds, and you leaned in because you wanted to peek! At those¡­¡± Long Hu struggled for a good while before spitting out a word, ¡°at those shameless bodies!¡± Long Long was speechless and after a long pause, spoke affectionately: ¡°Hu, I have no interest in them; they aren¡¯t as beautiful as you.¡± Still, Long Hu was relentless; after all, if she were too easily persuaded, men would consider her ¡°easy to deceive.¡± Long Hu was instinctively sharp about this, so she continued to be jealously unreasonable: ¡°Nonsense! You were clearly staring at them, unable to take your eyes off!¡± Long Long was at a loss for words, almost cornered. But who was he? Having dealt with Junior Sister Xu, Senior Sister An, Miss Shi, and Jiang the Witch, he was already experienced in social interactions and quickly realized that Long Hu didn¡¯t want an explanation-she just wanted to assert her status in the relationship by throwing a fit-plainly speaking, she wanted candy, so she cried for it. So he hugged Long Hu tightly, showering her with fierce kisses and head pats, and sure enough, Long Hu went limp in his arms, stuttering: ¡°Anyway¡­ you are not allowed to look at other women again!¡± Long Long readily agreed, but his mind suddenly wandered off: With such intense possessiveness, what would her reaction be if she found out about the existence of others in the future? Ah well, it would be nothing but bared teeth and roars, no need to panic. Moreover, why should I, Long Long, be responsible for what Qiu Changtian and the others have done? Thinking this, Long Long immediately felt justified. After mollifying Long Hu with patience, they continued exploring the tunnels. The Divine Dragon Tower towered thirteen hundred feet high, with a staggeringly large area at the base. The network of tunnels was just as profound, seeming to spread throughout the entire Divine Dragon Tower. When they reached the end of one tunnel, they saw another vertical passage leading upward with a wooden ladder. Climbing up the ladder for several feet, they came to a more spacious secret chamber. The chamber was filled with various torture devices, as well as shackles fixed to the walls. Despite the absence of any corpses or bones, blackened bloodstains were everywhere, hinting at the events that had taken place. ???G?.?? Long Hu felt uneasy about the surroundings and urged Long Long to leave quickly. Long Long thoroughly checked the room, ensuring there were no hidden treasures, then led Long Hu out of the interrogation room and into a dungeon. This place was even more spacious, with prison cells made of iron bars on both sides, and the walls carved with Rune Magic Formations that suppressed Spiritual Power and Divine Sense. Long Long took an interest in these arrays-ancient Formations he had never encountered before! They were highly valuable for research! Though still somewhat impatient, Long Hu noticed the importance of these Array Runic Scripts to Long Long and quietly waited by his side. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only After some time, Long Long had finally examined and scanned all the Rune Magic Formations on the wall. The wall Arrays, as always, retained the characteristics of ancient Formations: they seemed small, but were actually highly integrated and astonishingly complex on the inside. And after Long Long¡¯s analysis, he discovered that this Formation had a strong Sealing Spirit effect, with many designs specifically targeting the bodies of the Dragon Clan. So, was this a prison specifically designed to detain members of the Dragon Clan? For some reason, Long Long suddenly remembered the giant Ghost Dragon he had seen deep within the Five Qi Dynasty Yuan Cave in the East Sea. Chapter 548 Chapter 548: Chapter 73: The End of the Secret Passage, Wall Interlayer Chapter 548: Chapter 73: The End of the Secret Passage, Wall Interlayer In the following days, Long Long and Long Hu explored the secret passageway with utmost caution. The Dragon Clan still hadn¡¯t sent anyone to visit, or perhaps they had, but were blocked by the Qilin Clan. In the past, both might have grown anxious, but since discovering the secret passageway, they instead found this undisturbed confinement rather pleasant-at least they didn¡¯t have to worry about someone barging in only to find the room empty. Based on their exploration over the past few days, it was clear the passageways formed a vast and complex network, like an unseen parasite lurking in every dark corner of the Divine Dragon Tower, intricate and silently spying. Moreover, from the way these passageways connected to the outside, it was obvious they were specifically designed for eavesdropping. One could imagine, should a team of over thirty intelligence agents be stationed within this network, all events occurring within the Divine Dragon Tower would be exposed to them. During Emperor Ying Long¡¯s era, the Divine Dragon Tower served as a residence, office, and council venue for the great nobles and the Senate, leading Long Long to conjecture that it was most likely constructed by Emperor Ying Long without the knowledge of other Demon Races, intended for better intelligence gathering. The age of the Jiaolong had passed, and although the court of the Qilin Emperor had moved into the Divine Dragon Tower, the secret passageways, after the departure of the Jiaolong Clan, had been sealed off so that no signs of recent activity could be found. ¡°That¡¯s not quite right; someone has been here,¡± Kunlun Mirror suddenly said. ¡°Although the dust along the way has been cleaned and disguised, it couldn¡¯t fool my scan-the last visit must have been between four and seven days ago.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Long Long replied cautiously, ¡°Ah Jing, during the next explorations, remember to constantly scan our surroundings. If you detect any movement in the distant passages, notify me immediately.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± replied Kunlun Mirror earnestly. After all, although the Qilin Clan would ensure the safety of Long Long and Long Hu, the identity and attitude of any stranger in these passageways towards the Azure Dragon Clan remained a vast and completely unknown risk. wuxiaworld.site Novts`o.co As he continued to ascend the secret path with Long Hu, silently calculating the height, Long Long realized he was now at the midsection of the Divine Dragon Tower. This level housed the largest library in the Eastern Emperor Realm, called the Long Yuan Pavilion, formerly a repository of books belonging to the Jiaolong Clan, and now it included various types of Secret Techniques of the Qilin Clan as well as a variety of scriptures and scrolls. ???G0.?? Cultivators from all over the Eastern Emperor Realm aspiring to study esoteric and unorthodox methods would come to learn and further their education at the Long Yuan Pavilion within the Divine Dragon Tower. Graduation from there qualified one to serve as a Guest Elder in any Demon Race. Furthermore, over sixty percent of the Cultivation Resources such as Magic Artifacts and Elixirs produced in the Eastern Emperor Realm came from scholars who had graduated from the Long Yuan Pavilion, making it considered the ¡°Penglai Jade Pure¡± of the Demon Race, with a very strong academic atmosphere. Probably because there were always people in the Long Yuan Pavilion, the secret path here was not only narrow and concealed but also ran close to the load-bearing columns in the hall, with no designed peepholes or sound transmission boards around. Long Long had to press his ear against the wall to faintly make out the conversation outside: ¡°We need to hurry with the bloodline verification project, it has been queried several times from above, and the end of this month is the final deadline.¡± ¡°You wouldn¡¯t want the project group¡¯s funding to be cut, would you? The dean said that the group will expel the slowest member this month, so prepare yourselves mentally for that.¡± Listening in, Long Long could hardly help but empathize deeply; was this approach of elimination in academia a sign that the wretched capitalism had spread to the Eastern Emperor Realm as well? ¡°Long Long,¡± Long Hu whispered beside him, ¡°why would they expel someone?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Long Long thought for a moment, then started explaining to Long Hu. Although the Long Yuan Pavilion was nominally a neutral academic institution, being located within the imperial capital meant it was inevitably controlled and influenced by the Qilin Clan. In fact, it was said that over seventy percent of the Pavilion¡¯s funding came from the Qilin Clan. Correspondingly, if the Qilin Clan had development needs, the Wen Yuan Pavilion had to take up the task and complete it as quickly as possible, or the subsequent funding might be affected. The deliberate expulsion of the worst-performing member was designed to foster competition amongst the team, urging them to work overtime and intensify their research efforts. Long Hu was left tongue-tied. In her view, cultivators were the fundamental element of all things, so how could one justify eliminating them for some project? Wasn¡¯t that an act of neglecting the essentials for the sake of the trivial? Long Long had no intention of explaining to her what ¡°expendable¡± meant. The little vixen hadn¡¯t yet reached the point where she needed to learn the Emperor¡¯s Mind Technique. The two of them continued to climb upward until they reached the upper levels of the Divine Dragon Tower. The air here was noticeably fresher compared to the middle and lower parts-clearly, the ventilation outlets of the secret passage network were nearby. Following the direction of the airflow, Long Hu dashed about and indeed found the so-called ventilation duct at the end of a certain passageway, as well as a side opening on the exterior wall of the Divine Dragon Tower. Because flying within the Imperial City was forbidden, it was impossible for this opening to be seen from above. It was also cleverly shielded from below by several protruding eaves, making it an exquisitely discreet design. The opening was bell-shaped, and given the high wind speeds at this altitude, a large amount of fresh air continuously poured in through the bell-shaped hole. Even more wondrous was that despite the swift collision of air currents in the duct, they produced not the slightest sound of wind. Long Long examined the inner walls of the ventilation duct closely, thinking to himself that this was nothing but a Tesla valve structure. And here I thought it was some kind of formation. They left the ventilation duct behind and continued their climb upward through the vertical shaft. If his calculations about the height were correct, then the end of the secret passage network at the topmost level should lead directly to the residences of the Imperial Clan. At this thought, Long Long furrowed his brows. If the secret passage network also ensured surveillance over the Imperial Clan, it could practically be considered foolproof. If my father-in-law hadn¡¯t rashly embarked on that ill-fated expedition to the Mortal Realm, he might well have reigned over the Eastern Emperor Realm for eternity! Finally, the two of them climbed to the end and found themselves in a secret chamber. This place was less of a secret chamber and more of a narrow gap between walls, with the back of their heads against one wall and their noses almost brushing against the panel in front. Feeling somewhat cramped, Long Hu was about to speak when Long Long quickly used his eyes to signal her. Then, an angry, disdainful, raspy voice sounded from outside: ¡°You wretched woman!¡± In a flash, Long Hu subconsciously held her breath, for she heard the heavy footsteps entering the bedroom from outside. The leader of the Qilin Clan, the king of myriad demons, Qi Weihuan. Long Long quietly reached out and gently took hold of Long Hu¡¯s hand, signaling to her not to make any hasty moves. They had no way of knowing how effective the soundproofing of this bedroom¡¯s wall cavity was, but the Demon Race generally had sharp hearing, especially those with high cultivation levels; if they were to be heard climbing the ladder, it could spell trouble. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only The safest method was naturally to stay put in silence, motionless, even holding their breath, to ensure not a single sound was made. They planned to wait until the emperor either went to sleep or left. Then, they would carefully make their way back the way they had come, with utmost caution. Long Long was tensely and rapidly going over these thoughts when he heard a woman¡¯s sobbing coming from outside. If his guess was correct, this should be Qi Weihuan¡¯s politically arranged marriage partner, the empress named Lu Ya from the White Tiger Clan. Chapter 549 Chapter 549: Chapter 74 The Regicide Chapter 549: Chapter 74 The Regicide Following the direction of the sobbing, Empress Lu Ya must have been sitting at the head of the bed. Qi Weihuan did not engage with her; he simply halted his steps near the foot of the bed, followed by the sound of gulping down liquid-more accurately, drinking alcohol. The Demon Race Emperor had a fondness for liquor, which was no secret, as most from the Horned Clan enjoyed grains, fruits, and particularly alcoholic beverages. After a few drinks, Qi Weihuan hurled insults at his wife, all of them slurs offensive to the Mao Clan, causing even Long Hu to frown in displeasure. The discord between the emperor and empress was common knowledge. Lu Ya hailed from the White Tiger Clan, was naturally proud and stubborn, and bore the carnivore¡¯s disdain characteristic of her clan towards any from the Horned Clan. Qi Weihuan, as the emperor, how could he tolerate racial discrimination from his own wife? Furthermore, their union was one of political convenience, lacking any foundation of affection; it was a miracle their relationship hadn¡¯t soured sooner. No matter how Qi Weihuan hurled abuses outside, Lu Ya simply wept without uttering a word, as if she did not deign to communicate with him, which only fanned the flames of the Qilin Emperor¡¯s fury. ???G?.?? Finally, with the aid of alcohol, Qi Weihuan broke character and roared: ¡°Tell me, those two sons and a daughter, are they even mine, of the Qilin¡¯s seed?¡± ¡°How can Your Majesty say such a thing!¡± Lu Ya immediately stood up and shrieked. Her anger veiled a flicker of panic, which she quickly masked, ¡°When the bloodline of different races combine to produce offspring, dominance is determined by the Rank!¡± wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site Why doesn¡¯t Your Majesty question why his bloodline is not more compelling? If you really desire offspring of the Qilin seed, find a mistress within the Qilin Clan. Pretend there¡¯s no empress here!¡± Qi Weihuan was left speechless, for he did have several Qilin mistresses kept secretly outside, and they had indeed borne him many illegitimate children. ¡°Your Majesty?¡± Someone knocked at the door, which was the guard Lu Ya had brought from her own family. ¡°Get out!¡± Qi Weihuan recovered and bellowed. Keeping mistresses and being cuckolded were not the same, nor could they cancel each other out. Outside, the knocking ceased. Under the influence of alcohol, Qi Weihuan decided to stop beating around the bush and spoke viciously: ¡°Lu Ya¡­ if you have truly been unfaithful, just tell me. I will negotiate with your father, divorce you, and send you back to your clan¡­¡± Lu Ya remained unmoved, knowing full well that admitting any guilt would lead Qi Weihuan to turn on her on the spot, so she continued with a grief-stricken voice as though being greatly insulted: ¡°Although you have treated me poorly since the day we wed, I have always been dutiful, never straying from the path of righteousness!¡± ¡°If Your Majesty doubts my loyalty, why press the matter in this bedroom? Better to summon all the ministers and officials and declare the matter publicly, casting me off as Empress!¡± ¡°You, you! You wicked woman!¡± Qi Weihuan¡¯s rage surged rapidly. Now, what he found most intolerable was the empress¡¯s haughty demeanor in response to his accusations. Although her words were beyond reproach, the disdainful and arrogant manner in which she turned her head away, refusing to meet his gaze, still drove Qi Weihuan close to the brink of uncontrollable fury. ¡°I¡¯ll kill you, you wretched woman!¡± In a sudden outbreak of anger, he lunged forward, pinning Lu Ya against the wall with a resounding thud. From within the wall¡¯s hollow, Long Long and Long Hu could even hear the sound of Lu Ya¡¯s terrified coughs, like a chick struggling to croak with its neck constricted. Another loud noise came from outside as if someone had forcefully burst open the door, followed by several clangs of metal on metal, before abruptly ending. About five or six breaths passed before a feeble groan was heard, followed by Qi Weihuan¡¯s weak and breathless moaning: ¡°¡­You, wicked woman, poisoned, assassination¡­¡± Before his words had finished, the voice behind them had already faded to inaudibility, then came the sound of a body falling to the ground. Long Long and Long Hu stood rooted to the spot, feeling almost faint with shock. The Empress, in her bedroom, had murdered the Demon Race Emperor??! Suddenly, another loud slap echoed, accompanied by the suppressed roar of Empress Lu Ya¡¯s fury: ¡°Wretch! Who gave you permission to kill him!¡± ¡°Your Majesty.¡± A strange male guard¡¯s voice rang out, ¡°I was worried that this villain would make a move against you¡­¡± ¡°He had already taken my poison, and his True Yuan was utterly exhausted; how could he possibly have the ability to kill me?¡± Another heavy slap from Lu Ya landed, making Long Long cringe as if feeling the pain himself, ¡°If you had cooperated with me to subdue him, we could have pretended he was ill and avoid public appearances, while I could have taken the opportunity to seize control of the court affairs¡­ Such a perfect plan, and you wretch ruined it completely!¡± ¡°Forgive me, Your Majesty!¡± The sound of something kneeling on the ground followed, then came the hurried words of advice, ¡°The pressing matter now is to conceal the Emperor¡¯s death and plan our next step!¡± ¡°You wretch, at this point you still know to advise me to plan ahead! Fool!¡± Lu Ya kicked him to the ground and paced in the room for a moment before saying through clenched teeth, ¡°It would be easy if he were alive, but now that he¡¯s dead, how am I supposed to hide it? Useless trash!¡± After a moment, she finally cleared her thoughts and said viciously: ¡°Last time I asked you to check on his illegitimate children, didn¡¯t I? Now, you leave the tower immediately, kill all his mistresses and other illegitimate children! Leave only the youngest, and bring him to me at the Divine Dragon Tower!¡± ¡°Make sure the job is done cleanly, preferably make it look like the work of a mob, and do not involve me again! Otherwise, I will ensure you die a terrible death!¡± The male guard quickly accepted the order and rushed away. Then, cries of terror and desperate, painful shouts arose from the bedroom: ¡°Someone come quick! Someone come quick! His Majesty¡¯s been assassinated!¡± Hearing Lu Ya¡¯s hasty call for help, Long Long immediately knew they could not delay any longer and quickly pulled Long Hu by the hand away from the wall¡¯s cavity, hastily climbing down from the hole in the floor. Fortunately, the Empress¡¯ continuous cries for help allowed them to leave quietly. Long Long led Long Hu in a mad dash through the secret passage, only hearing the sound of hurried footsteps outside, indicating that a large group of cultivators was rushing to the upper levels of the tower. They sprinted back to the room at the bottom of the Divine Dragon Tower, where Long Long then quickly deployed Divine Light, Five Elements Generation, to seal the entrance to the passage completely. After making sure no trace was visible from the outside, he quickly dragged a carpet over to cover it. ¡°Long Long, what¡­ what do we do?¡± Long Hu said in a panic, her heart pounding as if it would burst out of her chest. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only It was too frightening! ¡°Don¡¯t panic just yet,¡± Long Long said as he began to think nervously again. First of all, the Emperor¡¯s death would inevitably cause a power vacuum in the upper echelons of Central State. There would definitely be those who tried to fill that vacuum, such as the Empress, who was in a hurry to find the Emperor¡¯s illegitimate children, as well as other members of the Qilin Clan with sufficient cultivation level and a close kinship to Qi Weihuan, and so on. And so, the question arose: For the Dragon Clan, was this change in the situation a blessing or a disaster? Chapter 550 Chapter 550: Chapter 75: The Storm Approaches Chapter 550: Chapter 75: The Storm Approaches Having witnessed the murder with her own eyes, even after returning to the basement, Long Hu¡¯s heart still pounded fiercely. She wasn¡¯t afraid of death, but she couldn¡¯t understand how a member of the Demon Race, a cultivator like Qi Weihuan with almost peak status and cultivation level, could die so easily in such a despicable assassination. If Long Long knew what she was thinking, he would have scoffed: You¡¯re just too young, too naive! No matter the rank of the cultivator, even at the Immortal Rank, under certain circumstances, they could even be killed by an ordinary human with no strength to truss a chicken. Poisoning is a common scenario. After all, magical treasures, Flying Swords, Daoist Magic, and Bloodline Supernatural Powers all require the support of True Yuan. Once the True Yuan is exhausted, they are like fish on a chopping board, completely at the mercy of others. Even those who claim to be ¡°immortal and indestructible¡± have their countermeasures¡­ Perhaps only the legendary ¡°Hunyuan Daluo Golden Immortal¡± Realm could achieve true immortality. In any case, Long Long was not Long Hu, he didn¡¯t share the same heart-wrenching grief at Qi Weihuan¡¯s demise; what truly worried him was the series of chain reactions triggered by the emperor¡¯s death. First of all, the murder was both premeditated and accidental. Premeditated in that the empress had put a special poison in the emperor¡¯s wine jug to exhaust his True Yuan and render him unable to fight back, and had arranged for guards loyal to her to watch from outside, clearly having planned to subdue Qi Weihuan and then ¡°use the emperor to command the lords.¡± The accidental part was naturally Qi Weihuan¡¯s death¡­ wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site obviously the guard did not fully comply with the empress¡¯s orders, he had his own schemes in mind. Otherwise, how could one explain that the guard still decided to kill the emperor despite his True Yuan being exhausted? It couldn¡¯t merely be explained as a slip of the hand. Furthermore, given Qi Weihuan¡¯s bloodline and cultivation level, even if he temporarily lost his True Yuan, his physical body¡¯s strength could not be breached by ordinary Fan Tie. The weapon carried by the guard certainly had major issues, but Long Long and I, hidden behind the wall¡¯s cavity, could only hear sounds without seeing the shape of the weapon¡­ ???G?.?? Long Long rubbed his temples again, trying hard to prevent his thoughts from drifting without limit. There¡¯s no need to analyze the motives anymore, the key lies in what comes next. If I were the empress, faced with the sudden death of the emperor, what would I do? The first thing would certainly be to shift the blame; there had already been an assassination attempt in the imperial city, so it can all be pinned on the assassin. As for how the assassin managed to infiltrate the heavily guarded Divine Dragon Tower? That¡¯s not important, a plausible reason would suffice. The second thing would naturally be to seize power. As Qi Weihuan¡¯s legitimate wife, backed by the support of her maternal family from the White Tiger Clan, she could fully take over the authority left by the emperor under the pretext of ¡°raising Qi Weihuan¡¯s children until they come of age.¡± However, Lu Ya had a fatal flaw in this regard: The three children she had given birth to all carried the White Tiger bloodline. In the Eastern Emperor Realm, the emperor isn¡¯t a loner; behind him stands a whole Demon Race. The biggest obstacle for Lu Ya in seizing power is the Qilin Clan. There¡¯s no way they would agree to let three children with the White Tiger bloodline be the successors. That¡¯s why Lu Ya sent the guard to find Qi Weihuan¡¯s illegitimate child outside the palace right away. They are Lu Ya¡¯s key trump card in taking over the emperor¡¯s power as empress-but I heard that Qi Weihuan had a brother visiting the North State. Without the restraint of his elder brother, would this prince still willingly submit to the treacherous sister-in-law and the illegitimate child without a proper title? It¡¯s foreseeable that in the upcoming days, the imperial city will be swept up in a storm of political intrigue and bloodshed! If it had been any other time, Long Long would naturally have taken Long Hu and fled as far as possible at the first sign of trouble, since this kind of life-and-death political struggle is completely irrational, and eventually everyone begins to kill each other indiscriminately, which is troublesome if one gets involved. However, the problem lay in the excuse Lu Ya had used, ¡°an assassin has struck.¡± If Long Long and Long Hu suddenly disappeared from the basement where they were imprisoned, wouldn¡¯t that be an automatic confession that ¡°we are the assassins¡±? Therefore, even though they knew a storm was coming, they could only obediently stay here, hoping that the Azure Dragon Clan could provide some semblance of support. If I can guess this, the clan must have gotten some information, right? It couldn¡¯t be that they haven¡¯t heard anything, right? ¡ª- At the top of the Divine Dragon Tower, where the Emperor had perished. The Qilin ancestor stood in place, staring at the spot where Qi Weihuan had died, silent. Lu Ya was beside him, holding a child and weeping, repeating the same blatantly flawed lies until the Qilin ancestor lifted his cold eyes, and her crying abruptly stopped. Each member of the Demon Race might have multiple Immortal Ranks, but the ancestor was always the oldest among those with the Immortal Rank. After all, the Demon Race¡¯s path of cultivation is too singular, mostly relying on purifying their own bloodline to grow stronger, so it makes sense that the older one is, the stronger one is. In the clan, the ancestor has the final say, but usually doesn¡¯t interfere too much with the clan¡¯s affairs, only occasionally showing support for the clan leader. Now that the leader of the Qilin Clan had died, if Lu Ya could persuade this Qilin ancestor, her path to seizing power would be more than half completed. On the other hand, she might need to consider how to flee Central State. In her heart, Lu Ya grew ruthless and decided to lay all her cards on the table, venomously saying: ¡°Ancestor, you must ensure that His Majesty¡¯s child inherits the throne! If Qi Weihong seizes power, both this child and I will sooner or later have no place to be buried!¡± ¡°Moreover, Qi Weihong has always been close to the Xuanwu of North State! Do you still remember, ancestor, back when His Majesty was still in seclusion, how Qi Weihong sought help from the Xuanwu to fight for the succession, offering countless outrageous conditions? His Majesty had said before that if it were not for concern over North State¡¯s attitude, he would have flayed that traitor alive long ago!¡± The Qilin ancestor just looked at her coldly, still not speaking. To be fair, if there was even a sliver in Qi Weihong, that deceitful wretch, that could be supported, why would the ancestor hesitate about having this bastard child succeed to the throne? He would have already slapped this White Tiger harlot, who had murdered her own husband, to death! But Lu Ya was right about one thing, Qi Weihong was too selfish, sacrificing the clan¡¯s interests for his own benefit. Not to mention his year-round flirtations with the Xuanwu of North State, he even disregarded the clan¡¯s opposition and married a woman from the Xuanwu Clan, not to mention the most rebellious act when he once sought to use the Xuanwu ancestor to contend with him, the Qilin ancestor, for the succession! To invite outsiders into a clan war is a taboo in any Demon Race! If Qi Weihuan were still alive, Qi Weihong¡¯s existence could be regarded as negligible. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only But now that Qi Weihuan had suddenly passed away, if Qi Weihong were to inherit the throne¡­based on what the Qilin ancestor knew about him, he would definitely bring the Xuanwu Clan¡¯s power into play to contend with the opposing forces within the Qilin Clan. Even a bastard child¡¯s ascension was better than this traitor who disregarded the clan! With this in mind, the Qilin ancestor finally made a decision, and said in a cold voice: ¡°If this child has inherited Qi Weihuan¡¯s bloodline, then to become the next leader of the Qilin Clan, he must step into the Demon King Realm within a thousand years! You go and tell the White Tiger ancestor, this is our Qilin Clan¡¯s bottom line!¡± ¡°Your servant thanks the ancestor!¡± Lu Ya, overjoyed, quickly bowed to the ground in gratitude, not forgetting to forcefully press down the child beside her as well. The bastard child did not have a high cultivation level and his Spiritual Wisdom was not yet mature; he did not even understand what was happening, but as Lu Ya forcefully pressed his head to the ground, the pain caused him to cry helplessly. Chapter 551 Chapter 551: Chapter 76: Is it a New Character Again? Chapter 551: Chapter 76: Is it a New Character Again? Several days had passed, and Long Long and Long Hu, who had been trapped in the basement, were finally released. Clan Leader Qin Beiwang frowned, and the two Great Elders were expressionless as they met with them in the reception hall. Only after the Qilin Guards had left did Qin Beiwang relax his face and said warmly, ¡°You have been wronged during this time.¡± ¡°Not at all, not at all,¡± Long Long immediately said insincerely, ¡°The sudden assassination attempt must have caught the clan off guard.¡± ¡°The Qilin Clan incarcerated us under the pretext of protecting our lives. The clan couldn¡¯t react immediately. As for our release now, we have to thank the clan for all the negotiations on the outside during this period.¡± The Clan Leader and the two Elders exchanged glances, all shocked by Long Long¡¯s understanding and grateful heart. Dragons are known for their violent temper, especially the younger ones. If it had been any other junior from the Dragon Clan, they would have either unleashed their anger on the clan or been eager to confront the Qilin Clan for an explanation. How could they be as calm and composed as this young Long Long? wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.c0 ¡°It¡¯s really good that you can think this way.¡± Relieved, Qin Beiwang discarded the speech he had prepared and decided to be frank, explaining, ¡°In fact, after the day you were assaulted, Qi Weihuan took you away without explanation under the guise of ensuring your safety, and the clan was indeed unprepared.¡± ¡°Actually, Qi Weihuan did this because he coveted your bloodline.¡± What, someone coveting my fox¡¯s body again? Long Long immediately became furious, but then he realized something was off. Because the Clan Leader and the Elders were not looking at Long Hu but at him. What? Someone covets my Long Long¡¯s body! It was only then that Long Hu reacted, her face turning frosty with anger. ¡°Long Hu is the offspring of that ¡®Ying Long.¡¯ The clan also thought that the Qilin Clan was interested in Long Hu,¡± Qin Beiwang explained awkwardly, ¡°However, from the subsequent negotiations, it seems that the Qilin Clan is quite wary of Long Hu¡¯s background and even requested that we downplay her identity and not publicize it excessively.¡± Long Long fell silent for a moment, then effortlessly understood his meaning. Other Demon Races would, of course, wish to use Long Hu¡¯s title as the ¡®daughter of Ying Long¡¯ to add some legitimacy for themselves. But the Qilin Clan, having been the Imperial Clan for many years, has already established its own legitimacy. If they were to incorporate the legitimacy of the previous dynasty through a marriage alliance, it¡¯s not clear whether the benefits would outweigh the drawbacks. Qi Weihuan, not being a restrained person, had already made the Emperor¡¯s stance clear to the Azure Dragon Clan: First, Long Hu¡¯s identity must not be publicly disclosed, and the Imperial Clan will not recognize it in any form. ???G?.?? If the Dragon Clan doesn¡¯t handle this well, the Qilin Clan will undoubtedly see it as an attempt to grasp at the imperial throne. Second, Qi Weihuan is willing to marry his younger daughter, Qi Yingzhu, to Long Long as the principal wife. Qi Yingzhu¡¯s Bloodline Rank is inferior to Long Long¡¯s, so, in terms of offspring, it is certainly the Qilin Clan who benefits from the superior bloodline quality. But being the Imperial Clan, if Long Long were to become the Prince Consort and son-in-law of the Emperor, he could gain considerable political benefits. His own status would also serve as an important link to strengthen the relationship between the Azure Dragon Clan and the Qilin Clan, which would be advantageous both in terms of connections and status. In Qi Weihuan¡¯s view, both of these proposals to the Dragon Clan were a mix of threat and incentive, very much a case of offering both a stick and a sweet date. The Dragon Clan couldn¡¯t possibly create momentum for Long Hu in the short term, so temporarily concealing her wouldn¡¯t incur any loss; while giving Long Long¡¯s principal wife status to Qi Yingzhu doesn¡¯t mean Long Long can¡¯t have offspring with other concubines. Strengthening ties with the Qilin Clan in doing so means the Dragon Clan would, strictly speaking, come out slightly ahead. Of course, the Emperor doesn¡¯t understand the internal affairs of the Dragon Clan nor does he know that the Dragon Clan actually intends to marry Qin Ye to him as the principal wife¡­ A slight profit? That is very much in question! After listening to Qin Beiwang¡¯s explanation, Long Long also felt a myriad of emotions stirring inside. ¡°My fox¡¯s origins are indeed sensitive, so much so that everyone is quite apprehensive about her, in the end, it seems that I¡¯m even more favored-whether it¡¯s the Azure Dragon Clan or the Qilin Clan, isn¡¯t it my bloodline they ultimately value?¡± Long Hu gritted her teeth in anger, bearing a grudge against the entire Qilin Clan in her heart. Fight over a man with me? Very well, from now on we are irreconcilable! When Qin Beiwang saw Long Hu¡¯s furious demeanor, he naturally wasn¡¯t foolish enough to say, ¡°The clan seriously discussed it for days,¡± nor would he admit that it was because of the discussions on this matter that they had been delayed by a few days in picking the two up¡­ He changed the subject and heaved a sigh, ¡°No matter what the original proposal was, it¡¯s no longer possible to count on it now.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know whats happening on the inside¡­ Just a few days ago, His Majesty has passed away.¡± Long Long: ¡­¡­¡­ Long Hu: ¡­¡­¡­ No, we know, and we knew even earlier than you did-we were there listening as he died! The two of them were silent, and Qin Beiwang took their silence for shock, continuing with a sigh, ¡°The Qilin Clan claims that His Majesty was killed by an assassin, but who could slay the emperor in the heavily guarded Divine Dragon Tower?¡± ¡°The assassin poisoned Qi Weihuan before the murder with ¡®Cold Mist Scarlet Cloud Saliva,¡¯ a secret poison of our Dragon Clan. If the one who takes it is not of the Dragon Clan, their cultivation will be lost in a short period, with even those of Immortal Rank unable to escape. Now, it has been found in His Majesty¡¯s wine pot¡­¡± ¡°The blade that killed His Majesty is ¡®Purple Scale Sharp Fang,¡¯ a weapon of the Jiaolong of yore, possessing the wicked power to rupture armor and destroy bodies, and its whereabouts have been lost for many years¡­ If someone claims it¡¯s been hidden by our Azure Dragon Clan, how can we even begin to refute that?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the need for refutation?¡± Long Long spoke with a sneer, ¡°Who would use their own weapon to murder His Majesty and then leave the evidence gleaming at the crime scene? Those who don¡¯t want to believe will naturally disbelieve, and if they are hostile towards our Dragon Clan, even if we present clear evidence, they will still find ways to sling mud at us. What¡¯s the use of refuting then?¡± ¡°Actually, the most critical issue now is not the outside world¡¯s speculation about the identity of the murderer, but the Qilin Clan¡¯s judgment.¡± ¡°If the Qilin Clan pretends to be oblivious and insists on using such flawed evidence to pin the crime on our Dragon Clan, that would truly be troubling.¡± Qin Beiwang looked at Long Long with a complicated expression and after a long while said, ¡°You¡¯re right. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only The terms offered by the Qilin Clan are to betroth Qi Yingzhu to you.¡± Long Hu: !!! Ignoring the almost explosive Long Hu, Qin Beiwang shook his head and chuckled bitterly, ¡°As long as you and Qi Yingzhu are engaged, the Qilin Clan will announce to the public that the assassin¡¯s identity has nothing to do with our Dragon Clan-I¡¯ve heard it¡¯s the Empress Dowager¡¯s idea.¡± ¡°That empress¡­¡± Long Hu suddenly became furious, about to accuse the empress of being the emperor¡¯s murderer, but was quickly interrupted by Long Long, ¡°What virtue or capabilities do I, Long Long, possess that His Majesty would insist on betrothing his daughter to me?¡± ¡°On the surface, they say it was His Majesty¡¯s dying wish.¡± Qin Beiwang replied, ¡°But in reality¡­¡± In reality, of course, they covet your bloodline. However, Long Long did not think so. He knew who the assassin was, and he was clearer about why Lu Ya chose to do this-to take the opportunity to tie the Dragon Clan to this mother and son¡¯s chariot of war. After all, whether it¡¯s Empress Lu Ya or the Great Elder of the Qilin, they had already made up their minds that Qi Weihong, the Qilin Prince of the North State, was almost certainly set to rebel. Chapter 552 Chapter 552: Chapter 77: Long Long Attends a Political Science Class Chapter 552: Chapter 77: Long Long Attends a Political Science Class In the hall, the atmosphere was indeed somewhat awkward. Long Hu¡¯s heart was seething with anger, yet he knew he couldn¡¯t blame his clan and could only remain silent without uttering a word, feigning ignorance. Clan Leader Qin Beiwang and the two Great Elders could see that Long Hu was very upset, so they all spoke to comfort her, claiming that the clan would certainly not force the two to make sacrifices, but given the current strength of the Qilin, it was not wise to refuse them outright. Long Hu could tell this was just a delaying tactic and immediately felt even more dejected. At first, when Long Long heard Qin Beiwang say that the Qilin wanted Qi Yingzhu betrothed to him as his primary wife, he felt a sense of panic and unease-sure, a female fox or a female dragon could work, but wasn¡¯t a female tiger a bit too much? However, years of undercover life as a traitor had cultivated a characteristic in Long Long of being meticulous and attentive to detail. The so-called ¡°think twice before you act, strategize every move,¡± perfectly described Long Long¡¯s cautious and astute nature. He simply reviewed the intelligence and the corresponding situation in his mind, and immediately sensed something was amiss. After thinking it through, a realization dawned on him, and he urgently called out a few quiet exclamations of alarm. He hastily spoke up solemnly, ¡°Clan Leader, please dismiss everyone else.¡± Qin Beiwang was taken aback for a moment-there were just us in the hall, who is there to dismiss? But he quickly caught on and made a knowing look with Great Elder Qin Chaocang. Qin Chaocang rapidly cast a spell, the aura of Dragon¡¯s Might spreading out in all directions. wuxiaworld.site ¡°There is no one left.¡± After a moment, the Great Elder confirmed, ¡°You may speak now.¡± ¡°I am confused about something and would like to ask the three seniors for guidance,¡± Long Long slowly inquired, ¡°Now that Qilin Clan Leader, Demon Race Emperor Qi Weihuan, has perished, there are two candidates for his succession: one is his illegitimate child, and the other is his brother Qi Weihong, am I correct?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Qin Beiwang replied. ¡°What is the position of the Qilin ancestor on this matter?¡± Long Long asked again. Qin Beiwang felt somewhat disappointed-just that? You don¡¯t even understand the political situation of the Qilin Family, have you been listening properly in your political studies? But then he quickly realized something: in his political studies, Long Long was the top student in his class! How could he not know this? It was merely a leading question! ???G?.?? So Qin Beiwang showed an encouraging expression and followed his lead, ¡°The Qilin ancestor would never allow Qi Weihong to ascend to the throne.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± Long Long asked calmly, without any hint of a plea for an answer on his face. Great Elder Qin Chaocang glanced at Long Hu, who was deep in thought, and explained, ¡°Because during the battle for the heir position with Qi Weihuan, Qi Weihong overborrowed the power of the Xuanwu Clan, resulting in his current power base being almost entirely overlapping with the strength of the Xuanwu Clan.¡± ¡°Inviting an external clan to participate in a family¡¯s internal conflict is a taboo for any Demon Race, and therefore, the Qilin ancestor has long since harbored deep contempt for Qi Weihong.¡± Long Long was, of course, well aware of these basic political common sense. It¡¯s said that in his early years Qi Weihong, in order to fight for the heir position, not only allied with the Xuanwu Clan through marriage but also signed many deep-binding treaties in secret. As a result, even the neutral factions within the Qilin Clan couldn¡¯t stand it and scornfully labeled this Qilin prince as ¡°the Xuanwu¡¯s son-in-law,¡± leading many elders to clearly express their support for Qi Weihuan at the last moment, which ultimately helped him ascend to the positions of Clan Leader and Emperor-partly because Qi Weihuan¡¯s pursuit of power was too much, even to the extent of sacrificing the interests of the family, causing many nationalist Qilin to become disillusioned with him. ¡°If that¡¯s the case,¡± Long Long questioned knowingly, ¡°why didn¡¯t the Qilin ancestor just kill Qi Weihong instead of allowing him to roam freely in the North State?¡± ¡°It is naturally because of the protection from the Xuanwu ancestor,¡± Qin Beiwang replied. In terms of overall Immortal Rank strength, the Qilin Clan is more powerful than any other Demon Race in the Eastern Emperor Realm, otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t be able to securely hold the position of the Imperial Clan. However, the issue lies in the fact that if the Qilin and Xuanwu Clans were to engage in a deathmatch at the Immortal Rank level, the ultimate beneficiaries would inevitably be the other Demon Races-naturally, no one would be foolish enough to engage in a fight to the death openly. Thus, unless one can completely absorb the strength of the other, everyone would rather use their Immortal Rank as a nuclear deterrent, handling conflicts through negotiation, mediation, or proxy wars in normal times, creating a rather unique political and ecological environment in the Eastern Emperor Realm. ¡°So, what you¡¯re saying is, as the Xuanwu Clan is backing Qi Weihong, and since the Qilin ancestor doesn¡¯t wish to sever ties with the Xuanwu, he¡¯s temporarily tolerating his existence. But, it can never be accepted for the Xuanwu Clan to use Qi Weihong to interfere with the Qilin Clan¡¯s internal affairs,¡± Long Long finally concluded. Seeing the three Dragon Clan elders nodding in agreement, he continued asking, ¡°In that case, whom will the Qilin ancestor choose to replace Qi Weihong as the heir to the throne?¡± ¡°That would be his illegitimate child,¡± Long Hu couldn¡¯t help but blurt out in response. She really disliked Long Long¡¯s deliberate withholding, clearly having an answer yet intentionally not sharing it. ¡°Oh?¡± Long Long did not express agreement or disagreement but continued, ¡°However, siding with the illegitimate child, wouldn¡¯t that invite the maternal family powers of the Empress? Are the White Tiger Clan easier to deal with than the Xuanwu Clan?¡± ¡°That¡¯s because there is a fundamental difference between the two,¡± Qin Beiwang explained, ¡°Qi Weihong is deeply tied to the Xuanwu Clan, nearly indissoluble.¡± ¡°Whereas on the illegitimate child¡¯s side, being not of the Empress¡¯s own flesh and blood, the blood ties and emotional bonds are much weaker. The Qilin ancestor has ample time to pull the illegitimate child of Qi Weihuan onto the Qilin Clan¡¯s side.¡± ¡°And the Empress¡¯s recognition of the illegitimate child also supplements his weak legitimacy. The support from the White Tiger Clan behind her can help the Qilin Clan resist interference from the Xuanwu Clan; hence, they are actually potential partners.¡± At this point, Qin Beiwang then said to Long Long with a smile, ¡°What do you think about my analysis?¡± Long Long was rendered speechless, as the situation which could be simply explained by ¡°ally with the weakened White Tigers, but cannot reconcile with the stronger Xuanwu¡± was instead elaborated on at such length, wasting their time¡­ So he replied with a smile, ¡°Clan Leader is wise and discerning, truly as bright as a burning torch.¡± ¡°But I still have one question, if the Qilin ancestor decides to support the Empress¡¯s illegitimate child and forms an alliance of interests with the White Tiger Clan, can the Xuanwu Clan stand against them?¡± Qin Beiwang and the two elders immediately fell into deep thought. ¡°No,¡± the Great Elder Qin Chaocang declared first, ¡°with the Qilin Clan¡¯s internal support from the Qilin ancestor acting as a deterrent, it¡¯s likely that those supporting the illegitimate child will outnumber the opposition. Coupled with the strength of the White Tiger Clan, it will give them an absolute advantage over the Xuanwu Clan.¡± ¡°So,¡± Long Long pursued, ¡°what will the Xuanwu Clan do in response after they learn of the decision made by the Qilin ancestor? Will they give up on Prince Qi Weihong in favor of peace?¡± ¡°Absolutely not!¡± Qin Beiwang declared without hesitation, ¡°The Xuanwu Clan has invested too much political capital in Qi Weihong. If they were to abandon Qi Weihong now in the pursuit of peace, it would be tantamount to discarding all their previous efforts!¡± ¡°Moreover, if the great powers fall into the hands of the faction of the Empress¡¯s illegitimate child, even if the Xuanwu Clan is intimidated by the strength of the opposing camp and acknowledges the situation, the benefits they had gained from their alliance with the Qilin Clan would be forcibly handed over to the White Tiger Clan!¡± The other two Dragon Clan elders, following the train of thought laid out by Qin Beiwang, also suddenly realized the key point they had been overlooking: In fact, during Emperor Qi Weihuan¡¯s reign, the political situation in the Eastern Emperor Realm was very stable. He despised his wife Bai Ya, yet tolerated her continued presence by his side; he detested his brother Qi Weihong, yet allowed him to live freely in the North State. This led to a mutual constraint between the White Tiger and Xuanwu Clans, neither able to bear the cost of pushing the Qilin Clan to the opposite side, and thus they had to maintain a long-term and firm alliance with the Qilin Clan. This allowed Qi Weihuan to easily intimidate the Dragon Clan of the Eastern State and wage war against the Xuan Bird Clan of the South State, ultimately achieving a powerful rule over the entire Eastern Emperor Realm. However, the stupidity of Empress Bai Ya, coupled with the carelessness and untimely death of Qi Weihuan, resulted in the complete disruption of this balanced situation. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Driven by huge expected profits, previous sunk costs, and speculative adventurism (based on the long-standing peace, each clan¡¯s desire to acquire more benefits), both the White Tiger and Xuanwu Clans would inevitably support their respective spokespersons within the Qilin Clan. In other words, this had evolved beyond a struggle for succession within the Qilin Clan. It had the potential to be the prelude to a proxy war, perhaps even a full-scale war, orchestrated by the powers of the West State and North State! Realizing this, the three Dragon Clan elders looked simultaneously at Long Long. The expression on their faces was no longer the kindly ¡°am I right?¡± demeanor of seniors instructing a junior but a serious, somber look demanding his immediate confirmation. Chapter 553 Chapter 553: Chapter 78: You, the clan leader, are just too weak. Chapter 553: Chapter 78: You, the clan leader, are just too weak. In the hall, the atmosphere had become extremely solemn. If Long Hu had only thought of the first level ¡°The Emperor is assassinated,¡± then the original clan leader, Qin Beiwang, and the two elders, had thought of the second level ¡°There is going to be a succession war within the Qilin Clan.¡± For a mere internal conflict within the Qilin Clan, the Azure Dragon Clan naturally could maintain an aloof stance as bystanders, and even, if the timing was right, could give pointers within the Qilin Clan, just as the Xuanwu Clan did to Qi Weihong back then. However, after the astute reminder from Long Long, they quickly thought of the neglected third level: Behind these two heirs, West State and North State stood respectively. While Qi Weihuan was in power, the Qilin Clan had both allied with the Xuanwu Clan and intermarried with the White Tiger Clan, yet the overall interest distribution still tended more towards the Xuanwu Clan. This was not due to his personal preferences, but rather a continuation of the policy of the previous Qilin clan leader-the Qilin was able to replace the Jiaolong by relying on the alliance and support with the Xuanwu Clan, which was part of the traditional friendship of the alliance between the Qilin and the Xuanwu. However, now that the Ancestral Qilin had chosen the camp of the empress¡¯s illegitimate son, the strength of the White Tiger-Qilin alliance had already surpassed that of the Xuanwu side. From the perspective of the White Tiger Clan, it was inevitable to defend the legitimacy of the empress and support the rise of the illegitimate son. The stakes were too high, and as long as ultimate victory could be achieved, even swallowing up all of Xuanwu Clan¡¯s interests in the Royal Court of Central State was not impossible. And from the perspective of the Xuanwu Clan, since the losses from defeat would be equally enormous, the possibility of surrendering without a fight was almost zero. Both sides were bound to clash! wuxiaworld.site This was not an internal conflict within the Qilin Family at all! ¡°I am slow-witted and would like to confirm with the three elders once more,¡± continued Long Long with a solemn voice, ¡°Right now, between the alliance of the Ancestral Qilin and the White Tiger Clan and the camp of the Xuanwu Clan and Qi Weihong, which side is stronger?¡± ¡°Naturally, it is the White Tiger Clan,¡± answered Qin Beiwang without hesitation. Empress Lu Ya, despite her negative reputation within the Qilin Clan, was offset by the positive prestige of the Ancestral Qilin; plus, with Qi Weihong being a frequent ¡°envoy¡± to North State, his reputation within the clan was not good, so the Qilin Clan was definitely more supportive of the White Tiger Clan. The celestial-level strength of the White Tiger and Xuanwu was not much different to begin with; it was the internal stance of the Qilin Clan that would be the key counterweight to determine the final outcome. ¡°Then, wouldn¡¯t the Xuanwu side have thought of this?¡± Long Long pressed on without pause, ¡°If you were the Xuanwu Ancestor, what would you do in response?¡± This pressing question was like lightning streaking across the night sky, pulling Qin Beiwang¡¯s train of thought even deeper. Could the Xuanwu Clan have not considered this? Impossible. The Ancestral Qilin¡¯s choice to support the illegitimate son while forcibly defining the assassin incident showed clear apprehension of Qi Weihong¡¯s deep ties with the Xuanwu Clan, ultimately deciding to stand with the empress and deepen the alliance with the White Tiger Clan. The balance was disrupted, and the Qilin essentially had to choose one; there was no other option-based on the interests of the clan, the natural choice would be the weaker one, rather than being dominated or even swallowed by the stronger one. So, what would the Xuanwu Clan do upon finding themselves at a disadvantage after entering the fray? Qin Beiwang almost immediately had an answer: Of course, seek allies from outside! ¡°In your opinion, would the Xuanwu Clan seek an alliance with us or with the Feathered Clan?¡± Qin Beiwang asked in a lowered voice, urgently. The two elders beside him also cast serious inquiring looks, no longer treating Long Long as a junior, but as a decision-maker able to determine important matters for the clan. Long Long¡¯s reply came quickly too, as he knew the three Dragon Clan elders were becoming anxious; if he continued to play coy, it would surely displease them: ¡°Clan leader, in the eyes of the Xuanwu Clan, where is the decision-maker of our Dragon Clan?¡± ¡°Certainly in the Imperial Capital,¡± replied Qin Beiwang after a pause. As the clan leader who has not committed a major political blunder, the decision-maker of the Azure Dragon Clan must still be me, rather than the Ancestral Azure Dragon remaining in Eastern State-after all, the Ancestor would unconditionally support my decisions! ¡°At this moment, does the Xuanwu Clan have a way to confirm whether we have joined the opposing camp?¡± Long Long asked swiftly again. ¡°They have no way,¡± Qin Beiwang answered equally quickly. If the Dragon Clan secretly reached an agreement with the old Qilin patriarch, the Xuanwu Clan, even if they wanted to obtain the information through espionage, wouldn¡¯t have been able to get the intelligence the same day. ¡°So, if the clan leader were the old Xuanwu,¡± Long Long finally gritted his teeth and said, ¡°would he choose to continue probing the current stance of the Dragon Clan, or go directly to form an alliance with the Feathered Clan of South State?¡± ¡°I,¡± Qin Beiwang blurted out, ¡°would of course do both, working on both fronts!¡± The Feathered Clan of South State would never compromise with the Royal Court of Central State. With long-standing war hatred between them, as well as territorial disputes, the Feathered Clan would certainly not pass up the opportunity to strike at the Royal Court of Central State. Therefore, the Xuanwu side would definitely make contact with South State immediately and rapidly probe the attitude of the Azure Dragon side. As long as the Xuanwu and the Vermilion Bird formed an alliance, the original disadvantage in strength would be quickly leveled, and the two camps would essentially become equally matched, with little difference between them. This means the last force of the Eastern Emperor Realm-the Azure Dragon of Eastern State-would have their stance become the key to tipping the scales of the war. Thinking of this, Qin Beiwang and the two elders exchanged a look for a moment, reading delight in each other¡¯s eyes. Seeing this, Long Long almost spat blood: How can you be happy about this? Don¡¯t you think you can just sit back and reap the benefits while the others fight? ¡°Clan leader!¡± He couldn¡¯t keep leading the thought process and could only urgently remind, ¡°If even the Feathered Clan of South State joins the fray, it won¡¯t be some local war anymore! It will be a full-scale war affecting the entire Eastern Emperor Realm!¡± ¡°With both camps already so bloated and large, the resources invested in the war would be incalculable, making it impossible for them to easily compromise and make peace¡­ If our Dragon Clan remains neutral, what do you think the reactions of both camps will be?¡± Qin Beiwang was silent for a moment, then brought himself out of his previous misguided train of thought. Once the Qilin and White Tiger, the Xuanwu and Vermilion Bird-these two giant camps formed, the original conservative diplomatic strategies would no longer exist, as they would have to rip apart and devour all the food they could get before the final deadly battle, growing their strength as fast as possible. In such a situation, choosing not to pick sides would inevitably make one the sacrificial lamb caught between the two camps! ¡°Then what do you think we should do?¡± Qin Beiwang, burning with impatience, quickly asked Long Long. Long Long: ¡­¡­¡­. The two elders: ¡­¡­¡­. Even Long Hu was a bit dumbfounded. ???G?.?? Qin Beiwang finally came to his senses and immediately felt somewhat ashamed. As the clan leader, it was one thing to take advice from a younger generation, but actively asking them for strategies? Embarrassing! It¡¯s all because this Long Long is so clever that I, as the clan leader, placed too much trust in him-my mistake! Seeing the embarrassment on Qin Beiwang¡¯s face, Long Long immediately smoothed things over by saying: ¡°I am too dull to dare offer unsolicited advice. However, such a critical matter should be decided jointly by the clan leader and the ancestors.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Qin Beiwang had an epiphany, then put on an expression that said ¡°You¡¯re thinking exactly what I am,¡± and stated with authority, ¡°Very good, Long Long, you are indeed astute.¡± ¡°Also, clan leader!¡± Seeing that Qin Beiwang still had the time to create a way out, Long Long almost lamented helplessly, hurriedly reminding and urging, ¡°The pressing matter at hand, if we continue to stay in the imperial capital, is that we may be forced to form an alliance with the Qilin Clan!¡± Hm? Qin Beiwang¡¯s frame shivered again, and he quickly realized the truth. They were still in the territory of the Qilin Clan! If that old Qilin patriarch got tough and had Long Long captured for a direct marriage, announcing it to the world, they would have to form an alliance whether they wanted to or not! ¡°No, we must leave at once!¡± he hastily said to the two elders. ¡°Naturally.¡± The two elders were speechless. What¡¯s with this clan leader? Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Why is he being led around by the nose by the younger generation Long Long? However, the situation was indeed urgent. Long Long managed to disentangle and clarify the entire situation in such a short time, quickly identifying the highest priority actions to take. Such political acumen was indeed astonishing. At any rate, they had to ensure Long Long¡¯s safety, escorting him back to Eastern State smoothly! Chapter 554 Chapter 554: Chapter 79 Tit for Tat Chapter 554: Chapter 79 Tit for Tat Since the decision to flee had been made, corresponding issues followed. How to escape? Qin Beiwang suggested that if they were to leave without a word, it would look suspicious, and they might very well be caught by the Qilin Clan along the way. It would be better to feign discussions about the Long Long marriage affair to buy some time, thereby dulling the Qilin Clan¡¯s vigilance before finding an opportunity to slip away. Long Long tactfully expressed his opposition, pointing out that the Qilin weren¡¯t fools; whether they left or not, the important thing was to guard them closely first and foremost. The Qilin Clan had just decided to form an alliance with the White Tiger Clan and there were matters concerning Qi Weihuan¡¯s passing that needed to be dealt with; this was the time when they were the busiest and their arrangements against the Dragon Clan could have oversights. If they waited a few more days until the Qilin Clan was no longer so preoccupied, wouldn¡¯t it be even harder to leave? After discussing with the two elders for a moment, Qin Beiwang decided to adopt Long Long¡¯s opinion: Escape today! ¡°But,¡± Qin Beiwang hesitated, ¡°if we leave without saying goodbye, after all, we¡¯ll be subject to criticism. If the Qilin Clan falsely accuses our clan of being involved with the murderer and takes the opportunity to hunt us down, what then?¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t we, at the same time as we leave the city, send an envoy to the Royal Court to meet with the Qilin patriarch and inform him of the reasons for our departure? This way, at least in terms of etiquette, we won¡¯t be faulted, and we won¡¯t leave behind anything for others to talk about afterwards.¡± ¡°The clan leader speaks with the wisdom of experience. wuxiaworld.site Good,¡± both Dragon Clan elders immediately praised the idea. But beside them, Long Long felt like vomiting blood, his thoughts brimming with irony about the whole leaving without saying goodbye idea. If they formed an alliance with the Qilin Clan in the future, would leaving without a word really make a difference? Could they really push the Dragon Clan to the other side and cause trouble? If they formed an alliance with the Xuanwu Clan instead, then the Qilin Clan would be their enemy-wouldn¡¯t farewells be even less necessary then? To put it bluntly, they were just too concerned about face! No wonder they were driven to the Eastern Emperor Realm by the Human Race¡­ Since Qin Beiwang had already made the final decision, Long Long naturally couldn¡¯t keep insisting, otherwise, he would be questioning the authority of the clan leader. While Qin Beiwang arranged the escape plan, Long Long took Long Hu and left the hall, resting in the small garden outside. ¡°Long Long,¡± Long Hu whispered, ¡°do you think we should just leave directly?¡± ¡°What else?¡± With no need to hold back in front of his own fox, Long Long scoffed disdainfully, ¡°If we¡¯ve decided to flee, then we should use every means to achieve this goal. Already prepared to run, yet alerting the other side-what¡¯s the point of that?¡± ¡°A sovereign should be resourceful and decisive. Hesitant and wavering, wanting this and that, in the end, we¡¯ll end up with nothing¡­¡± ¡°Stop it, Long Long!¡± Long Hu quickly covered his mouth, looking around anxiously to make sure neither the clan leader nor the elders were nearby. Once she felt reassured, she chided softly and cautiously: ¡°Since we¡¯re under the protection of the Dragon Clan, let¡¯s just stay here peacefully. I don¡¯t want you taking any risks¡­¡± Long Long¡¯s thoughts swayed slightly, finding the fox lady¡¯s mercurial nature-sometimes petulant and lively, other times gentle and caring-intriguing and refreshing day after day. ¡°You no longer want to go to Beiming Fanyang?¡± He held Long Hu gently and asked tenderly. ¡°Mother wants me to go; I still have to go,¡± Long Hu murmured, snuggling into his arms, ¡°But there¡¯s no need to rush at the moment, is there? We¡¯ve only recently undergone Transformation and our Cultivation is weak. If we rashly leave the Eastern State and still have to go through the North State and Beiming Fanyang, it¡¯s very likely we¡¯ll be captured and brought back, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s first stay put peacefully. ???G0.?0 When our strength is sufficient in the future, that¡¯s when we can think about going to Beiming Fanyang.¡± Long Long then spoke earnestly: ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t take any risks, but I have never forgotten the promise I made to your mother-from beginning to end.¡± He was indeed telling the truth, as Long Long¡¯s personality was ¡°persistent¡±; which meant that under his current guise, he couldn¡¯t abandon the little fox lady nor give up the journey to Beiming Fanyang. It could only mean gathering strength while staying with the Dragon Clan for now, and as soon as the timing was right, making a swift escape, which would serve as a rehearsal for Qiu Changtian¡¯s, Ling Yunpo¡¯s, and Luo Yan¡¯s own escapes. Once he took Long Hu to Beiming Fanyang and resolved the bloodline conflict in her body, obtained the Heaven-Mending Stone, then would come the time to cast aside the Long Long identity. To commence the second phase of the escape! The Eastern Emperor Realm here is too chaotic, too primitive; constantly there are demons lusting for his body, eager to throw themselves at him ¨C Long Long couldn¡¯t wait to get out of there. The two were sharing a tender moment when they suddenly heard voices from outside. Shortly after, a Dragon Clan guard hurried in and quickly said to Long Long: ¡°Three princes from the Qilin Clan have come to visit.¡± ¡°Who are they?¡± Long Long was secretly startled. This was the last thing he needed during his escape ¨C he hoped these fellows wouldn¡¯t come to cause trouble! ¡°Qi Qiao¡¯an, Qi Qiaosong, Qi Yingzhu,¡± the Dragon Clan guard replied swiftly. ¡°I must also report to the clan leader, excuse me.¡± As he hurried off toward the main hall, Long Long paused for a moment before realizing who the three visitors were. Qi Qiao¡¯an, the former Qilin Crown Prince, whose actual bloodline should belong to the White Tiger Clan. Qi Yingzhu, the little princess of the Qilin Family, whose True Body was also that of a small White Tiger. Qi Qiaosong, someone he hadn¡¯t heard of before, but considering he came together with the two princes, his identity was self-explanatory ¨C he must be the bastard son of Qi Weihuan, and the only heir who inherited Qi Weihuan¡¯s Qilin bloodline. What could these three want from the Dragon Clan Embassy? ¡°Long Long?¡± Long Hu felt something was amiss and whispered. Before Long Long could reply, someone outside shouted: ¡°A mere guard dares to block the way here? Scram!¡± Following that, two men and a woman burst into the courtyard, with several Dragon Clan guards trailing behind, still trying to stop them but not daring to lay a hand on them. Long Long watched coldly as the leader, indeed, turned out to be Qi Qiao¡¯an ¨C the prince he had met in the outskirts of the capital. Behind him were a man and a woman. The male was slender and frail-looking, with a face that seemed restrained yet pretended to be mature, unmistakably Qi Qiaosong, the bastard son of Qi Weihuan; The female was beautiful and adorable, but her demeanor and actions exuded a lively spirit and vigor, clearly the little tigress, Qi Yingzhu. Tch, time to retract my previous assumption; this tigress¡­ is nothing but an oversized kitty, isn¡¯t she? Not entirely untrainable, though. Before Qi Qiao¡¯an had a chance to speak, Qi Yingzhu had already run up to Long Long and stared at him rudely: ¡°Are you Long Long of the Dragon Clan?¡± Long Long was suddenly at a loss for words ¨C what was wrong with this little tigress? Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only So impolite, do you think you¡¯re an original Miss Shi clone? ¡°Indeed.¡± He spoke indifferently. ¡°Aren¡¯t all from the Dragon Clan surnamed Qin?¡± Qi Yingzhu questioned skeptically, ¡°You better not lie to me, or I¡¯ll tell my mother to issue an order to have you arrested!¡± Long Long: ¡­¡­¡­ ¡°If you don¡¯t believe it, then why ask at all?¡± Long Hu sneered from the side, pulling Long Long behind her, ¡°We of the Dragon Clan do not welcome such a disrespectful and nasty guest!¡± Qi Yingzhu immediately bristled, raising her voice: ¡°What nasty guest? My mother is the queen of the Demon Race!¡± Long Hu immediately shot back: ¡°Then have your mother come and question the Dragon Clan!¡± This little tiger and little fox, meeting for the first time, were already glaring fiercely at each other, leaving everyone else temporarily dumbfounded. Chapter 555 Chapter 555: Chapter 80 Various Thoughts Chapter 555: Chapter 80 Various Thoughts The confrontation between Long Hu and Qi Yingzhu took everyone by surprise. Little Tiger Qi Yingzhu, though willful, had a very simple logic behind her: My father is the Emperor, my mother is the Empress, on what grounds do you dare to provoke me? Of course, Long Hu wasn¡¯t having any of it-who didn¡¯t have an Emperor for a father? However, in the eyes of Qi Qiao¡¯an and Qi Qiaosong, it seemed like their sister was simply jealous of Long Long and Long Hu¡¯s close relationship. Wasn¡¯t this all you, the little White Dragon¡¯s fault? Therefore, the two of them looked at Long Long in unison, their glances conveying, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to break it up quickly?¡± But Long Long had no intention of intervening. Instead, he let the two continue their war of words without ceasing. Because he was pondering why these people had come. At first, Long Long subconsciously assumed that Qi Yingzhu had heard about the marriage and wanted to meet her fiance in person. If that were the case, it would be reasonable for Qi Qiao¡¯an, as her brother, to accompany her. But why should Qi Qiaosong come along? Or, should he just take advantage of this critical moment¡­ Perhaps I should just tie him up and take him as a hostage as I escape back to the Eastern State! wuxiaworld.site Long Long gazed at Qi Qiaosong, deep in thought, while the little Qilin seemed to sense the danger and instinctively shrank behind his brother. ¡°Long Long, Long Hu, how can the two of you be so disrespectful?¡± Seeing that Long Long did not react for a long time, Qi Qiao¡¯an finally spoke up accusingly. Although Mother Lu Ya was recently busy dealing with the aftermath of the Emperor¡¯s sudden death, she had not forgotten to remind Qi Qiao¡¯an to take his brother Qi Qiaosong out more often to foster the deep familial bond between brothers. And since Qi Yingzhu would soon be betrothed to Long Long of the Dragon Clan of the Eastern State, she had also instructed him to socialize more during this time and bond with his future brother-in-law. ???G?.?? The stance of the Azure Dragon Clan was crucial to the Qilin Royal Court at the present time, and they could not afford to offend them. Qi Qiao¡¯an outwardly complied, but inwardly he was extremely discontented. His fiancee was suddenly gone, his sister was suddenly getting married, and out of nowhere, he had an additional brother who inexplicably stole the attention and affection of the whole clan, the revered ancestor, and his mother. How could he, the great prince, possibly feel happy about all of this? Qi Qiao¡¯an, born to the White Tiger, was naturally impulsive and unrestrained and had been spoiled by his mother from an early age, possessing almost no political intelligence. Soon enough, he had a clever idea. Using the excuse of accompanying his sister to survey her fiance, he brought his brother Qi Qiaosong along as well. Seeing that the prince dared to posture before him, Long Long did not quite know how to respond. Had your mother not informed you that the Dragon Clan of the Eastern State is now too powerful for you to offend? If you really anger us, we¡¯ll switch allegiance to the Xuanwu Clan and, together with the Feathered Clan, we¡¯ll eliminate you all! ¡°Your Highnesses have come from afar, and the Dragon Clan has failed to meet you properly, please forgive us,¡± Long Long responded calmly. ¡°Indeed, you have been rude.¡± The little Qilin stepped out from behind his brother and said with a frown, ¡°Although you hail from the Dragon Clan, you have no title to your name. Having encountered the Imperial Clan¡¯s princes, why have you not paid your respects?¡± Long Long: ??? This Qilin illegitimate child must be out of his mind! He actually expects our Dragon Clan to follow protocol? Seeing Long Long momentarily at a loss for words, Qi Yingzhu thought he was embarrassed and awkward, so she instinctively defended her fiance: ¡°Qiao Song, we will all be family soon, there¡¯s no need for such formalities.¡± ¡°Until we are joined in marriage, sovereign and subject must be distinguished, and propriety must not be lost,¡± Qi Qiaosong said, his expression softening as he took on a pedagogical tone and reminded Long Long, ¡°If seen by others outside, it would also affect the reputation of the Dragon Clan.¡± Long Long: ¡­¡­¡­.. He had finally seen clearly: among these three siblings, the eldest, Qi Qiao¡¯an, was crude and reckless, utterly lacking in intelligence. If not for the protection of Empress Lu Ya, he probably wouldn¡¯t survive a few days in the capital. The young Qilin, Qi Qiaosong, was a naive child. Because of his lowly birth as an illegitimate child, he probably hadn¡¯t received much education before, and it seemed that recently he had been urgently cramming political lessons, preparing to succeed the throne. ¡°Seeing a monarch should be done with correct ritual,¡± ¡°One must not be impolite,¡±-these were surely what the Royal Court¡¯s etiquette teacher had taught him. Such practices might work within the Qilin Clan, considering an illegitimate child inherently lacks status, so bolstering his position with protocol and influence was a passable tactic-however, that teacher certainly hadn¡¯t had the time to tell him not to provoke the great nobles with this standard. As for the young princess, Qi Yingzhu, although she was a spoiled child like her brothers, at least she retained virtues of compassion and integrity, and therefore didn¡¯t have a notorious reputation like her brothers. Long Hu, having keenly observed these characteristics, obviously wouldn¡¯t have missed them, and couldn¡¯t help but feel both annoyed and amused. Qi Qiaosong might be brainless, which could be excused by his origins¡­ but what was the deal with those foolish White Tiger siblings? ¡°Anyway,¡± Qi Qiaosong, unaware that he had been secretly despised, continued earnestly, ¡°our visit this time is private rather than official, so there¡¯s no need to inform the Dragon Clan elders.¡± ¡°Is that so,¡± Long Long sighed inwardly upon seeing his earnest demeanor, then spoke up, ¡°Please come inside and have a seat, Your Highnesses. I will have someone serve tea.¡± ¡°No need for such formality,¡± Qi Qiao¡¯an interrupted, ¡°It¡¯s our first time visiting the Dragon Clan embassy. Just show us around outside¡­ I heard you have a Desolate Tower in the backyard?¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Long Long replied with slight surprise, ¡°That is where the Dragon Martial Emperor, Long Ye, once secluded himself in his youth, though it has been neglected and fallen into disrepair for many years.¡± ¡°The former residence of Long Ye?¡± The young Qilin, Qi Qiaosong, immediately lit up. Long Ye was none other than the grandfather of Emperor Ying Long (also Long Hu¡¯s great-grandfather). Having been born an illegitimate child, he originally held no favor within the Jiaolong Clan and had once lived alone with his mother in a high tower. Eventually, through personal effort (and the tide of the era), he had managed to turn his fate around and rise to power, his life a classic textbook example of a struggling underdog, incredibly inspiring. Long Hu was very distant from even his own grandfather and naturally had little interest in his great-grandfather. Qi Qiaosong was different; he had not been under royal education for long. The first lesson of his history course had detailed the splendid struggles of Long Ye¡¯s life; combined with his own status as an illegitimate child, the young Qilin regarded Long Ye as a spiritual idol and mentor. ¡°May I visit and observe for a moment?¡± Qi Qiaosong asked earnestly, ¡°I greatly admire Emperor Dragon Martial, and to behold his former residence would truly make this trip worthwhile.¡± In the Eastern Emperor Demon Realm, the use of posthumous titles was common, but Demons were generally rough and discourteous, lacking any taboo against calling someone by their name directly. Qi Qiaosong¡¯s respectful reference to ¡°Emperor Dragon Martial¡± showed his genuine admiration for Long Ye, prompting Long Long to smirk again, seeing that the Qilin was indeed like a bookish character. ¡°Since Your Highness is interested, how could I refuse? Please, follow me,¡± Long Long responded with a smile. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only As Long Long led the trio to the backyard, Long Hu quietly approached from behind and whispered to Long Long: ¡°What are they doing here? They aren¡¯t seeing the elders; surely they can¡¯t just be here to play, right?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Long Long pondered briefly, ¡°With the important matter at hand, let¡¯s just quickly get them taken care of and on their way.¡± Seeing the two whispering intimately, Qi Yingzhu watched furiously from behind, her resolve to monopolize Long Long growing even firmer. Even if he is my fiance, he is still my husband to be! No, this won¡¯t do. I must speak to my mother when we return, and have her issue an imperial order to the Dragon Clan to drive this fox away from my husband¡¯s side! Chapter 556 Chapter 556: Chapter 81: Screams Chapter 556: Chapter 81: Screams The Dragon Clan embassy, located where the Jiaolong Clan used to do their laundry more than a hundred thousand years ago. Although Dragon Clan cultivators are mostly skilled in Water System Techniques, there are few self-cleaning spells¡­ Moreover, many of the daily life spells commonly used by Human Race cultivators do not exist in the Demon Race. Perhaps because there are too many lower-ranked and untransformed demons, labor costs are virtually nil, which leads cultivators who have achieved transformation to lack the motivation to research spells for daily life. Of all the menial tasks, doing laundry is the most exhausting, which indicates that Long Ye must have had a low status and pitifully low grade rank within the Dragon Clan in his early years; otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have lived in such a place. Behind the embassy, there lies a small hill with a pond on top, constantly streaming down water that flows through the courtyard of the Dragon Clan embassy. ???G?.?0 The Desolate Tower is next to the hill, having undergone multiple renovations during the Dragon Clan era, only to gradually fall into decline after dynastic changes. The outer plaster of the tower¡¯s walls has long since fallen off; part of it is surrounded by moss and vines, while parts are weathered and rotten, revealing the mottled and unsightly stone cross-sections within. The wooden floors inside are only remnants now, furniture has completely disappeared, and even the lamp holders that were left on the ceiling have almost rusted away. ¡°To think that the formidable Dragon Martial Emperor once lived in such poverty,¡± remarked Qi Qiaosong, stepping onto the decayed floor and looking around the nearly empty surroundings with a sigh. No, it has been over a hundred thousand years; even if it had originally been a place of splendor, surely nothing would remain by now, right? Long Long internally scoffed, but openly quoted, ¡°Heaven, in ordaining great responsibilities to a man, first subjects his mind to suffering, his sinews and bones to toil, and his body to starvation.¡± wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.c0 However, Qi Qiaosong was indifferently walking around the main hall, from here to there, pausing occasionally in front of a corner¡¯s cobweb or the carving marks on a pillar, clicking his tongue in wonder, with no intention of leaving whatsoever. Bored on the side, Long Long quietly hid in a corner and began whispering to Long Hu. ¡°Long Long, do you feel that Qi Qiaosong seems a bit¡­ simple-minded?¡± ¡°Hmm, I¡¯m afraid that might have been intentional by the Qilin Clan, preferring an easily controlled and influenced Young Master,¡± he mused. ¡°But if you think about it, he went from a disgraced illegitimate child to the anointed Young Master of the revered Qilin ancestor in just a few days. Such a sensitive and insecure personality can indeed be explained¡­¡± While they were engaging in their intimate exchange, Qi Yingzhu stood to the side feeling depressed. Seizing the opportunity, Qi Qiao¡¯an pulled his sister aside and quietly said, ¡°Yingzhu, you can really tolerate this? I truly admire you,¡± he said. Qi Yingzhu felt infuriated at once. Although she had long known her elder brother was up to no good, this specific provocation precisely hit on something she was extremely sensitive about. Her fiance carrying on with another woman was something she could not tolerate! ¡°If I were you, I would pull him aside and have a clear conversation,¡± continued Qi Qiao¡¯an, ¡°Otherwise, he might think you¡¯re easy to bully after you¡¯re married!¡± Qi Yingzhu thought it made sense; if she did not show her strength here, he might really think she was just a kitten! So, Qi Yingzhu approached Long Long, took his arm, and said, ¡°Come outside with me for a moment; I have something to tell you.¡± Long Long: ??? Long Hu: !!! ¡°What can¡¯t you say openly right here?¡± Long Hu said discontentedly. ¡°I¡¯m speaking with my fiance here; what right do you have to butt in?¡± Qi Yingzhu launched a major attack. Long Hu almost died of anger: ¡°Fiance? Where¡¯s the marriage contract? Show it to me!¡± Seeing that a battle of words was about to start again, and Qi Qiao¡¯an across from them showed a malicious smirk, Long Long certainly didn¡¯t want to be laughed at here and quickly said to the two: ¡°Let¡¯s talk outside, let¡¯s go outside to talk.¡± After dragging the little fox and little tiger outside, where there were no other outsiders present, Qi Yingzhu began to rant indignantly: ¡°Long Long! Mother has already betrothed me to you, yet you flirt with this woman in front of me? What on earth is going on?¡± Long Hu immediately sneered: ¡°What marriage contract? I¡¯m not aware of any marriage contract. Besides, even if there was one, it would have to come after mine. At best, you could only serve as a lesser one, pouring tea and carrying water for me every day!¡± Qi Yingzhu glared angrily with her eyes wide. She had never imagined that marriage contracts could be duplicated, nor had she thought about the problem of being the primary or the secondary wife. She struggled for a long time before squeezing out a sentence: ¡°I¡­ you¡¯re finished! I¡¯m going to tell Mother!¡± ¡°Can¡¯t win an argument so you run home to call mommy, right?¡± Long Hu was also amused by her innocence, ¡°How about having your mother marry into the Dragon Clan instead?¡± Qi Yingzhu: ¡­¡­¡­.. The statement was so intense that the little tiger was left speechless-she had never seen anyone dare to be disrespectful to the Empress, so much so that she could only point angrily at Long Hu. ¡°Enough, don¡¯t argue anymore.¡± Long Long was also getting a headache listening to them. On one hand, he needed to stick to his character which required him to side with Long Hu. On the other hand, if Qi Yingzhu was offended too harshly, considering the diplomatic relations between the Dragon Clan and the Qilin, the future political situation in the Eastern Emperor Demon Realm, and the confrontation between the two major camps¡­ Actually, it didn¡¯t seem to matter? ¡°I¡¯ve heard your name, you¡¯re that Long Hu!¡± Qi Yingzhu said disdainfully, ¡°Although you¡¯re purported to be a mix of Dragon Clan and Celestial Fox, you don¡¯t look the least bit like you have Dragon Clan bloodline, but rather completely like a flirty fox!¡± ¡°Not as noble as you, Your Highness,¡± Long Hu retorted sarcastically, ¡°Supposedly the daughter of the Qilin Clan leader, yet you don¡¯t have a hint of Qilin bloodline. It seems your father doesn¡¯t like you very much, does he?¡± Qi Yingzhu completely lost her temper. What Long Hu said wasn¡¯t wrong. Qi Weihuan indeed didn¡¯t like his three children very much, and although everyone knew the reason, these three were always kept in the dark-after all, no one could possibly go up to the three highnesses and say: Sorry, but perhaps you¡¯re not your father¡¯s biological children, you know? The little tiger was so furious that she lost her reason, and cat ears¡­ rather, tiger ears, quickly sprouted on her head as she prepared to reveal her True Body and pounce to kill Long Hu! Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Long Hu was not to be outdone, also revealing her ears and tail, ready to cast an Illusion Technique on Qi Yingzhu. Long Long quickly stepped in front of the two raging Mao Clan Young Masters, repeatedly trying to mediate: ¡°Enough, stop fighting. Do you want to start a war between the Dragon Clan and the Qilin? You two¡­¡± Before he could finish his sentence, a scream suddenly came from above. Long Long looked up instinctively and saw that Qi Qiaosong, the little Qilin, had already fallen from the breach at the top of the Desolate Tower. Chapter 557 Chapter 557: Chapter 82 Emergency Handling Chapter 557: Chapter 82 Emergency Handling What would happen if the young Qilin died at the Dragon Clan embassy? First, congratulations in advance to the Xuanwu Clan, for plucking the fruits of victory after Qi Weihuan¡¯s fall in advance. The Xuanwu have done nothing, yet their rivals¡¯ heir died outright. Secondly, congratulations to the White Tiger Clan and the Qilin Clan for shooting themselves in the foot. ???G?.?? Without this illegitimate child, the Qilin patriarch will have to find another heir, which undoubtedly will lack legal justification. More importantly, if the new heir has no blood relation to Qi Weihuan, then the empress Lu Ya¡¯s role would become optional at best. Given the Qilin patriarch¡¯s perception of her, perhaps she would soon die of grief, fright, and shock due to her husband¡¯s demise. Without the empress, even if the White Tiger Clan doesn¡¯t turn against the Qilin Clan, they certainly won¡¯t be able to maintain their original alliance, leading to a lose-lose situation. Lastly, congratulations to the Azure Dragon Clan, who stay at home while disaster rains from the sky. Even if he is illegitimate, he is an illegitimate child endorsed by the Qilin patriarch and the White Tiger Clan. Dying inexplicably here, someone must take the blame. It¡¯s highly likely that the Qilin patriarch would pursue accountability for the assassination from Qi Qiao¡¯an, meaning turning against the White Tiger Clan. The White Tiger Clan would certainly not take the blame and would forcefully pin it onto the Dragon Clan-who else, since the young Qilin died within your embassy¡¯s territory? wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.cO Thus, the Azure Dragon and the White Tiger would successfully become enemies, although their territories do not border one another, making their enmity almost irrelevant. Of course, there¡¯s a small chance that the Qilin patriarch chooses to swallow his pride. For the sake of benefits, he may not kill empress Lu Ya and steer the blame towards Long Long instead. In that case, the Qilin and the White Tiger might maintain their pact and continue to resist the already prevailing Xuanwu Clan, and the Azure Dragon Clan, already out of the picture, would become irrelevant whichever side they chose afterward. Simply put, if the two factions were evenly matched, the Azure Dragon Clan could sell themselves to the highest bidder, leveraging the offers from both factions for a better deal. But if the young Qilin dies here, the Xuanwu Clan celebrates an early victory, the White Tiger and Qilin concede defeat prematurely, and the Dragon Clan unjustly takes the blame-though not as disastrously as the others, it¡¯s still a significant loss. Of course, both the loss of the Dragon Clan and the strengthening of the Xuanwu are not favorable outcomes for Long Long. Today, Long Long¡¯s primary goal remains to rapidly increase his Cultivation Level, for even if he safely traverses through the Xuanwu¡¯s North State, the North Sea is teeming with high-level fierce beasts that pose great difficulties. In summary, at this stage, the interests of the Azure Dragon Clan align with Long Long¡¯s¡­ the Xuanwu must not achieve outright victory! Thinking swiftly like a flash of lightning, Long Long quickly mounted the clouds and caught Qi Qiaosong as he fell from the sky. His Divine Sense swept over immediately and found that although the other party hadn¡¯t fallen to his death, he had been hit by an arrow in the chest. The wound had already turned black, indicating that the crossbow arrow was coated with a potent poison. ¡°Bad, he¡¯s not going to last!¡± Long Long shouted urgently, ¡°Long Hu, go call the clan leader! Qi Yingzhu, guard the entrance to the Desolate Tower, don¡¯t let any assassin escape!¡± Long Hu responded crisply and quickly got up and hurried off. Qi Yingzhu was utterly panic-stricken. Hearing the order, she instinctively headed for the entrance of the Desolate Tower but kept turning her head back as if she wanted to inquire about Qi Qiaosong¡¯s condition. Long Long sighed, then reached out to grasp the arrow shaft and pulled it out forcefully, causing the young Qilin¡¯s face to contort with the intense pain. Ignoring his convulsing body, Long Long carefully stored the crossbow arrow (this thing could be a crucial clue to finding the assassin), then brought two fingers together on his right hand and stabbed them into Qi Qiaosong¡¯s wound. The spell he was about to cast, however, was not a Bloodline Supernatural Power passed on by the Azure Dragon Clan, but the Soul-Imprisoning Secret Method he had seen in the secret passage of the Divine Dragon Tower¡¯s prison. This Soul-Imprisoning Secret Technique could either be a spell or a Formation, utilizing Dragon¡¯s Might¡¯s deterrent effect to infuse it into the enemy¡¯s body. This would then cause the enemy¡¯s flesh to stiffen, their Demon Yuan to slow, and render them unable to circulate it. After immobilizing the opponent¡¯s physical body, one could extract their soul and turn them into the kind of spectral Ghost Dragons found beneath the Five Qi Dynasty Yuan Cave. The body left without a soul shouldn¡¯t be wasted, either; it could be refined into a dragon puppet, serving as a stand-in for death or as bait, both useful for countless ingenious purposes. At this moment, Long Long was using this Secret Technique, not to extract the soul, but simply to lock the poison within his body with Dragon¡¯s Might. The Dragon Clan elders hadn¡¯t arrived yet when Long Long suddenly lifted his head to see Qi Qiao¡¯an poking his head out from the gap at the top of the tower, his face full of panic, ¡°I¡­ I didn¡¯t mean to kill him! I just wanted to scare him, so I pushed him from behind¡­¡± Clearly, this brainless ¡°Great Highness¡± had overheard Long Long¡¯s cry from below not to let the murderer escape. Long Long naturally sneered at his defense, utterly dismissive. If you had just pushed him from the top of the tower, it might not be considered murder. Even if the young Qilin hadn¡¯t reached the Transformation Realm, with the Qilin¡¯s sturdy body, it¡¯s unlikely he would have died from the fall. But if you shoot an arrow into his chest smeared with poison, that¡¯s a whole different story¡­ Wait a minute. Was the arrow really shot by Qi Qiao¡¯an? This White Tiger, although impulsive and brainless, surely wouldn¡¯t shoot the young Qilin dead right in front of me, Long Hu, and Qi Yingzhu, would he? If what he said was true, and someone else shot the crossbow arrow¡­ Wait, Qi Qiaosong had poked his head out, then was pushed from behind by Qi Qiao¡¯an. If the crossbow arrow was indeed shot by Qi Qiao¡¯an, it should have hit the young Qilin in the back. However, it actually struck his chest, which means¡­ Long Long looked into the distance again. In the direction directly facing the gap in the high tower, outside of the Dragon Clan embassy, there were some tall inns. The walls around the Dragon Clan embassy were not high, and the crossbow arrow could very likely have been shot from the outside. But this made it impossible to determine the assassin¡¯s position. Let¡¯s wait for the clan leader to come and discuss it then. Upon hearing that Qi Qiaosong had been assassinated inside the embassy, Qin Beiwang and two elders hurried over. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Qin Chaocang was the first to extend his finger to the wound on the young Qilin, touched it, then tasted it. ¡°Sleeping Lotus Corpse Rot Poison,¡± he said with a grave expression, ¡°If it spreads, the prince is surely doomed. Is this the Soul-Imprisoning Secret Technique? Where did you¡­ Long Long, you¡¯ve done well this time.¡± ¡°I stumbled upon this Secret Technique by chance,¡± Long Long knew no matter what Secret Technique it was, these elders would inevitably think of Long Hu¡¯s mother as the source, so he explained casually before asking, ¡°Is there a cure for the Sleeping Lotus Corpse Rot Poison?¡± ¡°Of course, there¡¯s a cure,¡± replied the Second Elder, Qin Lianmu, ¡°But before that¡­¡± Qin Beiwang quickly approached the high tower, politely inviting both Qi Yingzhu, who was guarding the tower entrance, and the utterly disoriented Qi Qiao¡¯an on the tower top, to come down. Chapter 558 Chapter 558: Chapter 83 Qilin Chases the Dragon Chapter 558: Chapter 83 Qilin Chases the Dragon ¡°` By the time the Qilin Elder hurriedly arrived from the Royal Court, the poison in Qi Qiaosong¡¯s body had already been largely neutralized. The reason why a small portion still remained was not due to the Dragon Clan¡¯s Detoxification abilities falling short, but because if it were completely cured, there could be issues justifying it to the Qilin Clan. Within the Dragon Clan¡¯s embassy, after ensuring that the life of the young Qilin was out of danger and no serious problem remained, he finally breathed a sigh of relief. No matter what, as long as the heir was unharmed, everything else could still be salvaged. As for Qi Qiao¡¯an and Qi Yingzhu, these two ¡°chief culprits¡± had been taken away by people sent by the Empress before the Qilin Elder¡¯s arrival. The reason was simple: the Empress feared they would be killed by a slap from the furiously angry Qilin Elder. Qi Qiao¡¯an bore the brunt of the false accusation, and his expression was such as if mourning for his ancestors, completely losing any desire to speak. Qi Yingzhu, on the other hand, still wanted to make an effort, constantly casting ¡°a cat¡¯s pitiful look¡± at Long Long, hoping her fiance could help her elder cousin. Long Long could only pretend not to see: If your mother is taking you back, could she really harm you? Returning to the main issue, the Qilin Elder checked Qi Qiaosong¡¯s physical condition and found that although he had awakened and the majority of the poison had been cured, he had become timid and shrunken, frantically pulling up the covers to hide himself at even the slightest noise nearby-it was clear he was terrified. Just when accountability was about to be sought, it was discovered that not only were Long Long and Long Hu missing, but Qi Qiao¡¯an and Qi Yingzhu were nowhere to be seen as well. ¡°Long Long and Long Hu are overwrought and currently recovering in the backyard,¡± Qin Beiwang hesitated to say, ¡°As for the two princesses¡­¡± Seeing his reluctance to continue, the Qilin Elder grew impatient: wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co Given the urgency of the situation, shouldn¡¯t they actively seek me out to explain themselves?¡± ¡°Ahem.¡± Following Long Long¡¯s strict instructions, Qin Beiwang played coy before finally saying with a troubled face, ¡°They were taken away by people from the Royal Court; our Dragon Clan couldn¡¯t really stop them.¡± ¡°This is outrageous!¡± the Qilin Elder exclaimed furiously. Let alone the fact that Qi Qiaosong had not died, even if a real incident occurred, your first reaction is to avoid responsibility rather than giving an account to the Qilin Clan, isn¡¯t it? Originally not wanting to fall out with the White Tiger Clan because of this matter, seeing Empress Lu Ya¡¯s unreasonable and unprincipled protectionism over her children, the Qilin Elder decided a lesson had to be taught. Angered, he returned to the Royal Court. As the Qilin Elder just reached the top floor of the Divine Dragon Tower, he saw Empress Lu Ya standing there with an expressionless face, instructing Qi Qiao¡¯an by her side: ¡°Kneel down and confess your guilt!¡± Qi Qiao¡¯an immediately knelt down, tears streaming, and said: ¡°The criminal, Qi Qiao¡¯an, greets the Elder.¡± Then, he recounted the incident in detail to the Qilin Elder: ¡°¡­At that gap on the tower¡¯s edge, I saw my brother leaning out, and I suddenly had a wicked thought to play a joke on him.¡± ¡°I believed that with my brother¡¯s physical resilience, even falling from the tower would not harm him. Who could have expected that an assassin already lurking outside would seize the opportunity to shoot my brother in the chest with a Crossbow Arrow¡­¡± ¡°¡­Qi Qiao¡¯an knows his guilt is unforgivable, and will not attempt to defend himself, only wishing to atone for his brother¡¯s life.¡± ¡°Hmph,¡± the Qilin Elder snorted coldly, clearly seeing that this tearful, repentant Qi Qiao¡¯an was obviously well-coached by Empress Lu Ya in advance. ¡°` ¡°The so-called ¡®willing to die for my younger brother,''¡± Qiao Song hadn¡¯t died, so why would I let you die for him? Pretty words you have there!¡± However, Empress Lu Ya also reminded him of something: the fatal injury that Qiao Song had actually sustained was not due to Qi Qiao¡¯an pushing him down. When Qin Beiwang had briefed him upon his arrival at the embassy, he had simply told him that the young Qilin lost consciousness after being pushed from the tower and then hit in the chest by a crossbow arrow, which was coated with a deadly toxin¡­ At the time, he subconsciously thought Qi Qiao¡¯an harbored ill-will, but now he felt something was decidedly off. Pushing his brother down in a fit of rage was something the audacious Qi Qiao¡¯an would do, but to kill his brother with a poisoned crossbow arrow would require him to be out of his mind, possessed, or his brain not clear-otherwise, he would never be so crazily malicious. Recalling how the young Qilin had lunged forward and was hit in the chest by the arrow, the Qilin elder figured that someone else was the actual assassin. So he first severely reprimanded Qi Qiao¡¯an, then left the Divine Dragon Tower in a hurry to once again inquire about the incident at the Dragon Clan embassy. Clan chief Qin Beiwang came to meet him, and the Qilin elder felt increasingly that something was amiss, and he asked again: ¡°Where are Long Long and Long Hu? I do have some questions for them.¡± Qin Beiwang silently estimated the time, thinking that by now they would have most likely left the capital, then with a troubled smile said: ¡°The situation in the capital is complicated, with two assassination attempts occurring within a month. I was worried about their safety, so I had them return to Eastern State first.¡± ¡°Ah, this!¡± The Qilin elder was momentarily at a loss for words, then after a while said, ¡°How could this be?!¡± No sooner had he asked the question than he realized the truth. The Dragon Clan had already made their predictions about the current situation, in the future, siding either with the Qilin and White Tiger Clan or with the Xuanwu Clan. Considering the interests of the family, they would definitely be waiting to negotiate enough leverage before joining the side offering the highest bid¡­ They were also apprehensive about staying in the capital for long, fearing that they would be forced into an immediate alliance by the Qilin side! It was certainly not possible that the Qilin elder hadn¡¯t thought of this, as he represented the interests of the Qilin Clan, and of course, he would resort to any means necessary. But before he could make his move, the other party had anticipated his plan and had chosen to bolt without any courtesy, making the Qilin elder feel humiliated and displeased. ?0?G0.?? So he didn¡¯t bother saying more to Qin Beiwang and just walked out the door, then he immediately cast a Spell and took to the air, flying rapidly eastward! After swiftly covering several miles in the sky, the Qilin elder landed in a field and stomped hard with his right foot. Soon, an old man¡¯s head emerged from the ground and he laughed, saying: ¡°What does the Qilin immortal require?¡± ¡°Have you seen the Dragon Clan pass by here recently?¡± the Qilin elder asked directly. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°I have seen them,¡± the old man paused slightly, raised his vine cane, pointed off to the right, and said, ¡°A quarter of an hour ago, they flew by rapidly with spells from two miles away in that direction.¡± The Qilin elder briefly calculated the direction and confirmed that Long Long and his group weren¡¯t planning to go directly back to Eastern State, but were instead taking a detour towards the border of North State¡­ Could it be that the Xuanwu Clan was meeting them at the border? With this thought, his expression grew even darker, and he quickly flew in the direction the old man had indicated. Although the Dragon Clan¡¯s Great Elder, Qin Chaocang, possessed mighty Mana, his Divine Skills in speed were not as good as his own. After recalculating the time, speed, and distance differences, the Qilin elder became even more confident that he could catch up with the party before they reached the border! Chapter 559 Chapter 559: Chapter 84: Did not expect that, did you? Chapter 559: Chapter 84: Did not expect that, did you? The plan to escape in advance was naturally devised by Long Long. As an experienced traitor, Long Long always advocated for early escape¡­ no, that is to say, the importance of swift action, as delay would lead to defeat! Now, due to Qi Qiao¡¯an¡¯s unilateral decisions, the alliance between the Qilin and White Tiger had developed noticeable cracks. Mainly, the Qilin Ancestor suddenly realized that the caliber of the White Tiger side was too low. Qi Qiao¡¯an was foolish, Lu Ya thought herself clever, and without the backing of the White Tiger Clan, the Qilin Ancestor really did not wish to have any association with them. Therefore, if possible, the Qilin Clan would definitely prefer to form an alliance with the Dragon Clan, rather than placing all their hopes on the White Tigers. The question was, did the Dragon Clan even care for the likes of the Queen and her cohort? After these troublesome events, Long Long had developed a poor impression of the Qilin Clan. There¡¯s a saying that goes, ¡°a divine opponent is better than an incompetent teammate.¡± Unless the Qilin Ancestor could completely control Queen Lu Ya, Long Long felt there would be more drama to watch. Of course, this faction was not without its merits. If one didn¡¯t take Long Hu into account and only considered marriage ties when selecting an alliance partner, Long Long thought that although Qi Yingzhu¡¯s wisdom might slightly fall short of Gui Ling¡¯er¡¯s, she was visibly superior in appearance-after all, Xuan Gui was not a mammal. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co It was precisely because it was hard to choose that one could not make hasty decisions. They¡¯d better consider it carefully after returning to Eastern State. ¡°Long Long,¡± the Great Elder Qin Chaocang suddenly said, ¡°my magic is not well-suited for long journeys. If that Qilin Ancestor reacts in time, we won¡¯t be able to leave Central State before he catches up to us.¡± ¡°No need to worry, Great Elder,¡± Long Long confidently smiled. ¡°With the Dragon Flesh Puppet substitution technique, we should be able to mislead the Qilin Ancestor.¡± Qin Chaocang sighed, feeling that Long Long was just too naive. The Dragon Flesh Puppet substitution technique, also known as the Dragon Flesh Puppet death evasion technique, involved creating flesh puppets from the Dragon Clan members, disguised to look like themselves, to attract the attention of enemies. Upon returning from the Divine Dragon Island ruins, as a corresponding reward, Long Long had received a secret scroll from the Ancestral Azure Dragon and learned this technique, hence probably thinking it quite useful. But in reality, it had many limitations. The flesh puppet¡¯s range of movement and duration were limited, and it lacked the intelligence of a real person. If the Qilin Ancestor caught up to it, he would be able to spot the flaws within a few breaths, and it would hardly buy any time at all. After thinking it over, they had no choice but to hurry on their way while also preparing for battle with the help of the Second Elder. After all, if the Qilin Ancestor intended to form an alliance with the Dragon Clan, he couldn¡¯t possibly resort to killing at this time. The two of them must hold off the Qilin Ancestor, allowing Long Long and Long Hu to escape back to Central State! Meanwhile, the Qilin Ancestor used his full power to employ his divine skills and, indeed, caught up with the Dragon Clan before they reached the border of North State. ¡°Please wait, sirs!¡± shouted the Qilin Ancestor, though his gaze never faltered and quickly swept over these members of the Dragon Clan. As expected, most were disguised flesh puppets. Although this Dragon Clan magic was quite peculiar, the Qilin Ancestor, having dealt with the Dragon Clan for many years, was not entirely unable to recognize them. The flesh puppets couldn¡¯t stray too far from their original bodies, so the real members of the Dragon Clan probably didn¡¯t run in the opposite direction to the fleeing flesh puppets; they probably headed directly towards Eastern State. All that was needed was to immediately turn towards Eastern State¡­ Hm? The Qilin Ancestor suddenly noticed that Long Long, who was among the group of flesh puppets, didn¡¯t seem to be a puppet at all. ¡°Ancestor,¡± Long Long then revealed a helpless bitter smile, ¡°why persist in chasing us so relentlessly?¡± The Qilin Ancestor slightly collected himself and then responded with a kind smile: ¡°I have important matters to discuss with your clan leader; how can you leave prematurely? Come, follow me back to the Imperial Capital to meet your clan leader.¡± Without further ado, he exercised his divine skills to bind Long Long, and then they both headed back to the Imperial Capital. Long Long couldn¡¯t help but sigh heavily, although internally he was cursing incessantly: ¡°Damn Chen Guanshui, actually making me do this kind of thing¡­ ???g?.?? It seems I really shouldn¡¯t have transformed so early, only to be exploited by him as hard labor!¡± Along the road, as Long Long remained silent throughout, the Ancestral Qilin consoled him: ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be so despondent, this is also a good thing for you.¡± ¡°Although Yingzhu isn¡¯t of Qilin blood, she is dearly loved by her grandfather.¡± ¡°If you take her as your wife, both the White Tiger Clan and the Qilin Clan will become your allies. West State, Central State, and Eastern State would then be allied together, forming a unified front.¡± ¡°Even if Xuanwu and Vermilion Bird form an alliance, they would be split between the north and the south by us. How could they combine their efforts? Their defeat is only a matter of time.¡± Kunlun Mirror, listening to his endless chatter, couldn¡¯t help but feel somewhat ashamed. The other is revered as an elder of the Demon Race, why should he be talking this much to you? It¡¯s not all calculation; he actually thinks you and Qi Yingzhu are a good match¡­ To respond to goodwill with deceit would be something Long Long might do, but Kunlun Mirror was unwilling to step into his shoes and shoulder the moral condemnation, so instead simply sighed and activated her teleportation ability, quickly disappearing from the control of the Ancestral Qilin. Ancestral Qilin: ??? Where is Long Long? What happened to that great big White Dragon in my hand? Once Kunlun Mirror returned to the Sea of Consciousness, Long Long immediately noticed and discontentedly said: ¡°Why are you back so soon? Don¡¯t tell me your Mirror Flower Water Moon Technique was seen through by the Ancestral Qilin, huh.¡± Kunlun Mirror¡¯s face turned red; she had intended to say that her Illusion Technique was seen through by the Ancestral Qilin, but since Long Long had preemptively guessed it, it wouldn¡¯t be good to use that excuse anymore. She only hemmed and hawed to change the subject: ¡°What¡¯s the big deal. Anyway, after delaying for so long, it¡¯s completely enough time for you to escape back to Eastern State!¡± ¡°Still making excuses, you broken mirror!¡± Long Long rebuked Ah Jing angrily. Yet, inwardly he was cursing his misfortune. Based on this speed, it¡¯s indeed possible to reach Eastern State before being caught¡­ But what to do if the Ancestral Qilin pursues all the way to Eastern State! I knew that Ah Jing couldn¡¯t be trusted! Thankfully, I had instructed the clan leader to send word back to Eastern State to inform the Ancestral Azure Dragon. Right now, we can only hope that the venerable elder can arrive in time. The group kept casting spells without pause, riding the clouds and commanding the rain, and soon they crossed the border between two states and entered the territory of Eastern State. As marshes and river networks around them began to increase, the mood palpably lightened among the two elders. Long Hu also felt some relief but seeing Long Long¡¯s evermore solemn expression, he knew that things were not going as smoothly as they seemed and started to feel anxious again. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Before long, a hearty laugh suddenly came from the sky, as the Ancestral Qilin used his ability to travel vast distances in an instant, approaching rapidly from above! ¡°Why such haste in leaving from so far away in Eastern State?¡± The Ancestral Qilin caught up in front of everyone, his gaze quickly sweeping over the group. Good, none of them are mere Dragon Puppets this time, they must be their real bodies. ¡°Ancestral Qilin.¡± Qin Chaocang said, bowing his hand, ¡°Having already departed, why persist in this futile pursuit?¡± The Ancestral Qilin smiled without speaking, his thoughts rapidly turning, contemplating whether to forcibly take them, when suddenly he heard another long laugh from afar. The same tone, the same flavor, one second they were on the distant horizon, the next second they abruptly arrived, it was the voice of the Ancestral Azure Dragon! Chapter 560 Chapter 560: Chapter 85: Returning to the Queen Mother¡¯s Secret Realm Chapter 560: Chapter 85: Returning to the Queen Mother¡¯s Secret Realm The Ancestral Qilin was not willing to leave. If facing the two elders, he might still harbor the thought of insisting on having them forcibly brought back, but with the addition of the Ancestral Azure Dragon, the question became whether they could win the fight. Before leaving, the Ancestral Qilin hinted to Long Long that not only was the little tiger Qi Yingzhu noteworthy, but the Qilin Clan also had many beauties. Long Long could only respond politely while bearing the gaze of Long Hu, which was as if he was about to bite someone. Returning to Jianmu, the Ancestral Azure Dragon summoned Long Long and Long Hu to fully explain the ins and outs of the whole affair. ¡°Who would have thought that Qi Weihuan, a man of renowned fame, would ultimately die at the hands of a woman,¡± said the Ancestral Azure Dragon after stroking his beard, having listened to Long Long¡¯s account. ¡°As for the secret passage in the Divine Dragon Tower, the fact that our clan was unaware of it is quite interesting.¡± After finishing, he again instructed Long Long, ¡°Keep the matter of the secret passage confidential, as it involves the hidden secrets of the Imperial Court. Do not disclose it to anyone else.¡± ¡°This junior understands,¡± Long Long replied softly, pondering how the clan could be unaware of this matter. If Ah Jing said the secret passage was visited not long ago, excluding the Qilin¡¯s people, the prime suspects would naturally be the former Dragon Clan¡­ but since the Azure Dragon Clan was also unaware, who could it be? It couldn¡¯t possibly be the remnants of the Jiaolong, haha. wuxiaworld.site Considering the person who attempted to assassinate Long Long and Long Hu, the one who sneaked and monitored in the secret passage, and the one who tried to kill the little Qilin Qi Qiaosong, Long Long felt that the waters of the Imperial Capital were indeed too murky. Fortunately, he had already withdrawn early and did not need to engage in the scheming any longer. Next, before the full-scale war erupts in the Eastern Emperor Realm, it¡¯s time to save the game! Moving on to other threads to continue strengthening oneself, and then returning to prepare for the chaotic times ahead. ¡°Ah Jing, load Qiu Changtian¡¯s save!¡± [Location one: Kunlun Taiqing Sect, Golden Ridge.] [Character identity: Qiu Changtian.] [Mirror Flower Water Moon Template overlay, time-space travel in progress.] Qiu Changtian, back at the Kunlun Taiqing Sect, was facing another tranquil day in the passage of time. Each day in the Scriptural Repository he read books and practiced his skills, occasionally entertaining visiting elders, and everyone spoke pleasantly to him-such was the leisurely life of a First Grade Golden Core. Apart from his daily duties, he would chat with his junior sister wife, and still, every ten days he went to listen to the sermons at the Ziwei Master¡¯s. Previously as a Foundation Establishment Realm disciple, he sat on the first cushion on the right row. Now, having advanced to be a Golden Core True Person, he moved to sit on the second cushion of the left row-the first was Luo Baiyuan Sister Luo, the Chief Disciple of the Golden Core Realm¡¯s Obscure Weave Rank, a Real Person of the Cold Abyss who held the position with her formidable fighting capabilities, someone who Qiu Changtian definitely could not challenge at the moment. But aside from the Chief Disciple, none of the other Golden Core True Persons could match him when it came to potential and talent. That day, after the Ziwei Master finished his sermon, he unexpectedly spoke again, ¡°Changgeng, Qiong Ying, stay behind.¡± Thus, everyone filed out one after another, no longer finding such a request surprising. Changgeng was a First Grade Golden Core, and Qiong Ying was a Second Grade Golden Core, Ziwei Master¡¯s two most favored disciples, and it was only natural for them to receive private instruction. Once everyone had left, the Ziwei Master began to inquire about their cultivation realms, ¡°Changgeng, Qiong Ying, you have only recently formed your Golden Cores. The sect hasn¡¯t assigned you too many duties precisely to allow you to solidify your cultivation levels.¡± ¡°The Golden Core Realm is divided into three stages: Soul Storing, Root Seeking, and Obscure Weave. In the Soul Storing Rank, your Divine Sense must permeate the Golden Core to achieve the ¡®the core turns at will¡¯ state.¡± ¡°The Golden Core embodies the essence of True Yuan, and it must be thoroughly saturated with Divine Sense, which may take a short few hundred years, or as long as over a thousand years. But with the righteous and demonic forces increasingly clashing, I fear there will not be much time in the future for you to cultivate in peace.¡± At this point, Ziwei Master paused subtly. ¡°May I ask, Master,¡± Qiu Changtian immediately understood and asked, ¡°does this mean we disciples need to venture into a secret realm to seek fortuitous encounters, in order to hasten the process of storing Divine Sense in the Golden Core?¡± ¡°Correct,¡± Ziwei Master nodded, ¡°Do you still remember the ¡®Western Queen Divine Palace Secret Realm¡¯ from the past?¡± Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian exchanged a look and immediately remembered: They recalled the time when Qiu Changtian was not yet the Chief Disciple in the Foundation Establishment Realm, and Xu Yinglian was still the proud and competitive Junior Sister. Together, they had stumbled into an ancient secret realm of the Divine Flame Path within the Kunlun Mountain Range. Within the secret realm were golden-armored warriors, each with the strength of the Golden Core Rank. Fortunately, they were restrained by Qiu Changtian¡¯s Immortal Capital Thunder, and in the end, it was only through great wisdom, perseverance, and courage that they managed to pass the trials and escape from the brink of death. ¡°Indeed,¡± Ziwei Master nodded her head, ¡°That secret realm is suitable for Golden Core True Persons to explore and undergo trials. It was too difficult for you back then, but it¡¯s just right for your current level.¡± ¡°Pass through the Cloud Platform, enter the Zhao Palace, where there are trial checkpoints called ¡®Three Thousand Fire Mansions.¡¯ Within them, there are countless golden-armored warriors, known as the ¡®Hundred Thousand Gate Soldiers.¡± ¡°After slaying the gate soldiers and leaving the Fire Mansion, you may choose a treasure from the Zhao Palace, of which the grade depends on the number of gate soldiers you slay.¡± ¡°Of course, the so-called Zhao Palace treasures are quite useful for ordinary Golden Core Cultivators, but they are probably not very appealing to you¡­ The real benefit of this secret realm lies within the Fire Mansion, where the binding karma fire is quite effective for refining the Divine Sense.¡± ¡°After finishing your daily breathing exercises, you can go to this secret realm to refine the Divine Sense, which will be very beneficial for your progress into the Root Seeking Rank.¡± ¡°Disciples understand,¡± Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian replied in unison. The three stages of the Golden Core Realm are generally a step-by-step process of cultivation. Whether it¡¯s saturating the Golden Core with Divine Sense, growing a Pill Root from the Golden Core, or creating an inner vista, these tasks aren¡¯t too difficult but do take up a significant amount of time. When cultivating to the Great Perfection, reaching the next Realm can hit what is known as a ¡°bottleneck.¡± To break through this bottleneck requires a type of ¡°enlightenment¡± or ¡°opportunity,¡± and such opportunities cannot be forced. Therefore, the shorter the accumulation during the early stages, the more time there is to breakthrough these opportunities later on. Thus, both had no objections to Ziwei Master¡¯s arrangement. After leaving the Jade Void Palace, they flew side by side on their swords towards the entrance of the Western Queen¡¯s secret realm. The entrance to the secret realm was now guarded by a Golden Core True Person. It appears Ziwei Master had informed them in advance, for upon seeing Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian arrive, the guard exchanged a few pleasantries and then smilingly let them through. After passing through the cave, they entered the secret realm, where a sea of clouds and a cliff lay ahead. Guarding the iron chain at the edge was a golden-armored warrior who, upon seeing them enter the secret realm, strode forward to attack¡­ and was then instantly reduced to smoke by a blast of Qiu Changtian¡¯s Immortal Capital Thunder. ???g?.?? Xu Yinglian: ¡°Pfft.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Qiu Changtian asked in surprise. ¡°I suddenly remembered how we were chased around by this golden-armored warrior when we first entered here,¡± Xu Yinglian said with a smile. ¡°Yes,¡± Qiu Changtian couldn¡¯t help but feel nostalgic, ¡°Time flies like a white horse flashing past a crevice. In the blink of an eye, you and I have become Golden Core True Persons, and to us, these golden-armored warriors are now nothing more than an easy match.¡± Lost in these thoughts, Qiu Changtian suddenly extended his hand to take hold of Xu Yinglian¡¯s delicate fingers. Junior Sister Xu¡¯s cheeks blushed with a mix of shyness and warmth, but she did not try to struggle. Instead, she let him intertwine their fingers. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Yes, time passes so quickly¡­ she secretly thought. I used to be just a piteous figure who couldn¡¯t catch up to senior brother. Now, I can proudly stand shoulder to shoulder with him as his wife. Hmph, such an achievement could only be done by me, Xu Yinglian¡­ Chapter 561 Chapter 561: Chapter 86: The Phoenix¡¯s Egg Chapter 561: Chapter 86: The Phoenix¡¯s Egg Both of them crossed the Iron Chain Long Bridge nonchalantly, as if they were strolling leisurely through their own cave dwellings. They promptly arrived at the Cloud Platform at the end of the bridge. Pushing open the great doors of Zhao Palace, the two didn¡¯t stop, continued forward, and after passing through the long corridor, they entered the Fire Mansion of three thousand realms. The Trial Secret Realm they found themselves in strongly resembled Hell, with a red sky above and black earth below, and the air searingly hot, yet lacking the scent of charred remains-instead, it was a peculiar, suffocating heat. It was a kind of heat that tormented the soul. Xu Yinglian felt slightly uncomfortable and subconsciously wanted to use the Universal Pure Tone Minor Illumination Technique (a versatile Daoist spell capable of illumination, recovery, and body purification), but recalling the admonition of the Ziwei Master, she forcibly suppressed the urge. ¡°Junior Sister, be careful,¡± Qiu Changtian suddenly cautioned, ¡°External flames cling to the body, the fire within blazes; guard against both.¡± Xu Yinglian was taken aback by his words, but then she indeed found that it was true-it wasn¡¯t just the external heat that was unbearable, there was also a strange irritability brewing within her. ?0?g?.?? Utilizing the talent of the Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart, she forcefully suppressed that irritability, only to find it constantly grinding against her Divine Sense, which was very uncomfortable. However, this indeed served as a way to temper her Divine Sense. ¡°Oh, here come the golden-armored soldiers,¡± Qiu Changtian alerted her. Xu Yinglian followed his gaze and saw a brilliant golden light ahead; it was hundreds and thousands of golden-armored soldiers forming a phalanx, riding clouds toward them, an overwhelming murderous aura filling the air. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Qiu Changtian said gently, then wielded the Tianyuan Yiqi Sword and charged forward. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site The Tianyuan Yiqi Sword, by its nature, had the blunt force of a flying brick, a straightforward and brutal Immortal Sword, the more vigorous the True Yuan behind it, the more stunning its power when unleashed. Confronted by the unprecedented First Grade Golden Core of Qiu Changtian, backed by an endless supply of True Yuan, the impact it delivered was almost comparable to Mount Tai bearing down. With just a fearsome charge in and out, a large number of golden-armored soldiers were sent sprawling, dissipating into smoke and disappearing. ¡°Senior Brother, wait for me!¡± Seeing Qiu Changtian demonstrate his mighty prowess, Xu Yinglian also roused her competitive spirit and hurriedly called out. She wanted to compete with her senior brother to see who could slay more! Since Qiu Changtian was only using the Tianyuan Yiqi Sword, Xu Yinglian decided not to employ any other Daoist magic either, just thrusting her Feather Jia Sword out; each time it pierced into the body of a golden-armored soldier, their bodies spontaneously combusted, vanishing in a puff of smoke. However, even with each attack resulting in an instant kill, her single-target attacks couldn¡¯t match the quick efficiency of Qiu Changtian¡¯s penetrative strikes. After slaying countless enemies yet still not fully satisfied, Xu Yinglian grabbed Qiu Changtian¡¯s arm, pleadingly and coquettishly entreated him, ¡°Senior Brother, go slower! Leave some for me!¡± ¡°What¡¯s there to save?¡± Qiu Changtian said, laughing and crying at the same time, thinking to himself that although his junior sister¡¯s temperament had become much gentler after their marriage, her competitive spirit to win hadn¡¯t changed at all, ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear what Master said? A hundred thousand soldiers, endless and inexhaustible, how could they possibly be all killed off?¡± ¡°I guess they¡¯re like leeks, cut one part off and another will sprout right back up,¡± he mused. Indeed, as soon as they had eliminated all of these gold-armored soldiers, they saw a great golden light emerging in the distance, revealing even more phalanxes of golden-armored soldiers that appeared and charged towards them fiercely. Seeing this, Xu Yinglian was thrilled and immediately joined Qiu Changtian to head straight into battle. The Zhao Palace Secret Realm, the Fire Mansion of three thousand realms, although designed to train the martial prowess of Golden Core Realm cultivators, mainly catered to the average Golden Core True Person, whose cultivation levels were not even up to the Third Grade Golden Core, so no matter how challenging it was, it only had limited difficulty. Against the First Grade Golden Core Qiu Changtian and the Second Grade Golden Core Xu Yinglian, where was the challenge? Their swords were practically mowing down grass. As they fought and advanced, they quickly made their way into the depths of the Fire Mansion. Here, rivers of magma flowed vigorously, dark smoke filled the sky, and golden-armored soldiers were as numerous as the sea, packed tightly from all directions, converging on the center where Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian stood. Facing such an overwhelming number of foes, neither dared to remain complacent; Qiu Changtian used Thor¡¯s Awl, while Xu Yinglian unleashed Great Bright Fire, continually sweeping clean the enemies that came too close. Caught up in the thrill of battle, Xu Yinglian simply unleashed her Divine Skills, her body suddenly leaped forward, transforming into a gigantic golden-red phoenix, and where she passed, all the golden-armored soldiers burst into fierce flames, swiftly turning to ash. Qiu Changtian watched enviously from behind, suddenly wanting to switch to the Long Long template and play dragon and phoenix with his junior sister¡­ Of course, it was just a thought-as actually transforming into a Jiaolong would surely scare her to pieces. ¡°Eh?¡± The phoenix returned to Qiu Changtian¡¯s side and transformed back into human form, speaking, ¡°Senior Brother, there seems to be something under that sea of fire over there.¡± ¡°What thing?¡± asked Qiu Changtian, surprised. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Xu Yinglian shook her head and said, ¡°I just have a mysterious intuition.¡± Cultivators always pay attention to the resonance between the heavens and the human spirit, not to mention this mysterious and profound intuition, so Qiu Changtian looked towards the distant Red Plain Sea of Fire and called in his mind: ¡°Ah Jing, scan it.¡± ¡°Alright, alright,¡± replied the Kunlun Mirror. After a moment, Xu Yinglian asked again: ¡°Senior Brother?¡± ¡°Hmm, what is it?¡± ¡°Why aren¡¯t you talking?¡± Xu Yinglian asked curiously. Qiu Changtian, of course, couldn¡¯t say ¡°I¡¯m waiting for Ah Jing¡¯s scan results,¡± so he honestly replied: ¡°I¡¯m pondering what exactly is hidden below that is causing you to have such a mysterious intuition.¡± ¡°It must be something related to the phoenix¡­¡± hypothesized Xu Yinglian, when suddenly the Kunlun Mirror interjected: ¡°Scanned it, it¡¯s a phoenix egg.¡± ¡°A phoenix egg?¡± Qiu Changtian asked with a frown, ¡°Why would there be a phoenix egg here?¡± ¡°You ask me, who do I ask?¡± retorted the Kunlun Mirror. ¡°Ah Jing, watch your language, okay? I¡¯m warning you!¡± After reprimanding Ah Jing, Qiu Changtian turned to his junior sister and said, ¡°Could it be a phoenix egg? Maybe it¡¯s a fledgling phoenix sensing a reaction to your bloodline?¡± ¡°Why would there be a phoenix egg here?¡± Xu Yinglian wondered aloud. I want to know which phoenix would lay an egg here too¡­ thought Qiu Changtian internally, but he said aloud: ¡°If we retrieve what¡¯s inside, won¡¯t we find out?¡± ¡°How do we retrieve it?¡± Xu Yinglian started to feel a headache coming on. With their level of insight, they could obviously see that beneath them, this magma ocean wasn¡¯t just high-temperature magma, but a kind of Red Lotus Karma Fire containing large amounts of karmic retribution. Merely getting close to these flames would cause endless emotional turmoil, churning incessantly in the Sea of Consciousness, requiring strong Divine Sense to suppress. If they were to really come into contact with those flames, even a peerless genius with Daoist Heart Clarity like Qiu Changtian would inevitably be tormented by this karma fire. If that were not the case, why hadn¡¯t many high-rank cultivators dispatched by Kunlun over the past few decades discovered the secret under the magma of the Fire Mansion Secret Realm? It¡¯s merely that the elders also dared not get close to explore this Red Lotus Sea of Fire. ¡°Let¡¯s just give it up,¡± Xu Yinglian suggested comfortingly, ¡°Regardless of what it is, it can¡¯t escape from here. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only We can come back and retrieve it when we¡¯re capable.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the only way,¡± Qiu Changtian nodded, thinking to himself whether his Five Elements Divine Light could dispel this Red Lotus Karma Fire. I¡¯ll come back and try again after tricking my junior sister into leaving. ¡°Speaking of the phoenix,¡± Xu Yinglian brought it up again, ¡°do you remember the previous investigation into the Feng Tong ancestor¡¯s relic?¡± ¡°I always keep my junior sister¡¯s matters very close to heart,¡± Qiu Changtian thought to himself that the Red Lotus Karma Fire seemed to be outside the Five Elements, its nature being karmic retribution rather than true flame, fearing that the Five Elements Divine Light might be useless against it. ¡°Flatterer,¡± Xu Yinglian frowned but couldn¡¯t suppress a laugh, ¡°Once we leave the secret realm, let¡¯s report to our master and have him allow us to leave the mountain. How about that?¡± Chapter 562 Chapter 562: Chapter 87 Qiu Changtian¡¯s Unique Consideration Chapter 562: Chapter 87 Qiu Changtian¡¯s Unique Consideration The two crossed the boundless Sea of Fire, cutting down the golden armored warriors that attacked them as if they were slicing through melons and vegetables, eliminating all of them. Deep within the Sea of Fire stood a gigantic black stone mountain. At the summit were two stone pillars, the left engraved with ¡°Primordial Divine Fire, First Light Layer,¡± and the right with ¡°Three Thousand Fire Mansions, One Hundred Thousand Soldiers.¡± Behind the two pillars stood two archways. ???G?.?0 The left archway bore the word ¡°Retreat,¡± and the right one ¡°Enter,¡± which was quite self-explanatory. ¡°Senior Brother, shall we proceed to the next challenge?¡± Xu Yinglian asked. Qiu Changtian pondered. Three Thousand Fire Mansions, thirteen light layers, each challenge becoming harder than the last, ranging from the Soul Storing Rank to the Obscure Weave Rank. Clearly, given his and Junior Sister¡¯s strength, the golden armored warriors at the first checkpoint were obviously no match for them. Why not charge forward until they could no longer fight, withdraw with the rewards from the Zhao Palace, and then help Junior Sister search for the Feng Tong relics. As for the phoenix egg, they would have to temporarily leave it in the Red Lotus Sea of Fire until they found a way to retrieve it. ¡°Is your True Yuan still abundant, Junior Sister?¡± Qiu Changtian asked with a smile. Xu Yinglian paused briefly before responding, wuxiaworld.site Qiu Changtian burst into laughter and said, ¡°Shall we continue then?¡± They entered through the right archway and saw yet again a red sky and dark earth, rivers of magma, a boundless Sea of Fire, and countless golden armored warriors coming at them in groups. However, these warriors¡¯ armor was much more intact than those of the first checkpoint, with elaborate patterns on their breastplates-naturally, making them more troublesome in combat. Xu Yinglian pierced several warriors with her Feather Jia Sword, only to find that they weren¡¯t instantly killed but persisted in the flames for two to three breaths before reluctantly turning to smoke and vanishing. ¡°Interesting,¡± commented Qiu Changtian. The power of his Tianyuan Yiqi Sword remained formidable, carving a bloody path straight through the ranks of the golden armored warriors, causing Xu Yinglian, who was watching from the side, to feel somewhat stifled. My Second Grade Golden Core, when compared with Senior Brother¡¯s First Grade Golden Core, could the gap really be that great? Hmph, although I¡¯m behind Senior Brother in Golden Core, as long as I can catch up in the Nascent Soul Grade Rank, the difference won¡¯t be too much! Junior Sister Xu reignited her fighting spirit and once again transformed into a golden-red phoenix, ferociously attacking the enemies ahead. This secret realm actually didn¡¯t have much content; each trial was only slightly harder than the last, with the enemies¡¯ cultivation levels being the only increase. The two fought their way to the sixth checkpoint where every golden armored warrior possessed the strength of the Root Seeking Rank in the Golden Core Realm, with two or three teaming up posing a threat to Xu Yinglian. Although Qiu Changtian still managed with ease, he had emotional intelligence and had intentionally held back his strength since he noticed Junior Sister was getting tired at the fifth checkpoint. Seeing that Xu Yinglian was clearly struggling but still persevering, he feigned a shortage in True Yuan and sighed, ¡°Junior Sister, why don¡¯t we stop here for today? If we continue to fight, I¡¯m going to show weakness.¡± Xu Yinglian certainly didn¡¯t believe it, how could a First Grade Golden Core be so weak? But she, after all, had the Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart and was very clever. Seeing how far Senior Brother had gone for her, she was moved, yet she couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Hmph, Senior Brother. Even if you are a First Grade Golden Core with abundant True Yuan, you should also mind controlling consumption. Otherwise, if you squander recklessly, there will be times when you fall short.¡± ¡°I stand corrected, Junior Sister,¡± Qiu Changtian said, feigning sincere conviction, which coaxed a smile from Xu Yinglian. The two retreated to the archway of the Sixth Light Layer and then left the Red Lotus Sea of Fire to return to the main hall of Zhao Palace. Now, the main hall of Zhao Palace seemed familiar yet was filled with countless shelves, upon which lay Flying Swords, Magical Treasures, Elixirs, Jade Slips¡­ a dazzling array of treasures and oddities shining brilliantly. However, Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian noticed upon closer inspection that the quality of these items was not high. Quite mediocre. Golden Core Realm items were already so-so, but there were even a number of treasures suitable only for those at the Refining Mansion rank, such as Pure Yuan Qi Pills, Mercurial Elixir Liquid¡­ Would a cultivator who reached the Sixth Light Layer need these Purple Mansion secret medicines? Wait, the two disciples of Wei Dongliu seemed to need them. Qiu Changtian took some Mercurial Elixir Liquid and then saw Xu Yinglian grab a Pure Yuan Qi Pill. ¡°A few juniors from the Xu family need it,¡± she explained succinctly. ¡°Mhm,¡± Qiu Changtian also said with a smile, ¡°A fellow cultivator entrusted me to collect this item.¡± ¡°But which fellow cultivator?¡± Xu Yinglian asked with caution. ¡°A male cultivator friend,¡± Qiu Changtian immediately clarified. ¡°Hmph, it¡¯s not that I care about that¡­¡± Xu Yinglian said dismissively, her tone cool, ¡°Who Senior Brother associates with is naturally not something for Junior Sister to meddle in. Let¡¯s go.¡± She turned crisply and strode away, her black hair swinging like a waterfall, her white robe fluttering as she departed. Qiu Changtian couldn¡¯t help but chuckle and hurriedly followed her. The two left the secret realm of the Western Queen Mother and returned to the Kunlun Heavenly Pillar, inside Jade Void Palace, to report the matter to the Ziwei Master. ¡°The phoenix ancestor of the Xu Family?¡± The Ziwei Master mused for a while before asking, ¡°But where is it located?¡± ¡°Disciple has traced some clues and believes it might be around Dongting Lake,¡± Xu Yinglian responded. Dongting Lake was situated on the border of the power territories of Shushan Shangqing Temple and the Mortal Life Path, not particularly dangerous but not entirely safe either. If the Demon Cult came to know of it, they would certainly send four or five Nascent Soul Elders to assassinate-Changgeng Qiongying, First and Second Grade, their simultaneous fall would be a tremendous blow to the potential of Kunlun Taiqing Sect, a most profitable scenario by any measure. The safest course of action would certainly be to enlist an Immortal to escort throughout the journey, making it absolutely failproof. After all, there are too few means to restrain an Immortal, and even Immortal-rank battles rarely conclude with life or death. However, Immortals also have their pride; how could they be willing to play nanny to two Golden Core juniors? That would require additional payment, and certainly not a small sum. Frankly, it¡¯s unnecessary. It would be more fitting to owe a favor to the Ziwei Master, who could call upon a formidable Kunlun Elder to come. As long as they could save the two in case of an attack and then send a message for support from the Kunlun Taiqing Sect, it would be much more appropriate than having an Immortal ensuring full protection. Yet, there was another problem: There were many Nascent Soul Elders in Kunlun, but not many were of high rank and most were the focus of the Demon Cult¡¯s spies. If Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian were absent for an extended period, the Demon Cult might assume they were in seclusion, which wouldn¡¯t provoke much reaction. But if a high-ranking Kunlun Elder was missing for a long time, the Demon Cult would immediately investigate their whereabouts to prevent the possibility that this Elder might have quietly left Kunlun to plan some sinister surprise attack detrimental to the Six Paths of the Demon Cult. Therefore, assigning a high-ranking Nascent Soul Elder to protect the two might seem like a guarantee of safety, but in reality, it could draw the attention of the Demon Cult. Conversely, if no high-ranking Nascent Soul Elder was assigned, as long as their presence went undetected by the Demonic Path, it would actually be safer for Qiu Changtian and the others¡­ What could be safer than hiding in the shadows? Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only The Ziwei Master decided on a compromise: to send a cultivator with the strength of the Nascent Soul Realm but who was unlikely to attract the attention of the Demon Cult. ¡°Master, you called for me?¡± A moment later, someone pushed the door open and entered; it was Luo Baiyuan, the Chief Disciple of the Golden Core Realm. At first glance, she seemed to share some similarities with An Zhisu, appearing not so skilled at socializing, but those familiar with Chief Disciple Luo knew that she was rather straightforward, unlike An Zhisu¡¯s inherited ¡°I don¡¯t care¡± hidden arrogance from Su Jian, which was nearly fundamentally different. ¡°Changgeng and Qiongying are going out,¡± the Ziwei Master said curtly, ¡°You will be responsible for their escort this time to prevent assaults from the Demonic Path. Remember to keep it as confidential as possible and do not disclose any information.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Luo Baiyuan agreed without hesitation. Chapter 563 Chapter 563: Chapter 88 Qiu Changtian¡¯s Logical Reasoning Chapter 563: Chapter 88 Qiu Changtian¡¯s Logical Reasoning A boat was sailing on Dongting Lake. ¡°Why does Sister Han Yuan have white hair?¡± Xu Yinglian asked curiously. ¡°I was afflicted with a cold poison while in my mother¡¯s womb,¡± Luo Baiyuan replied. ¡°My innate physical body had deficiencies, hence the white hair.¡± ¡°I hadn¡¯t realized Sister¡¯s journey was so challenging,¡± Xu Yinglian said, moved. ¡°To have now secured the position of Chief Disciple in the Golden Core Realm is truly admirable.¡± Qiu Changtian didn¡¯t join in the conversation, merely listening quietly at the side. He knew that Junior Sister Xu was most fond of these ¡°success through hard work¡± stories, and since Sister Luo started from a low point, became a Chief Disciple, and was also a woman, she could win Xu Yinglian¡¯s empathy all the more. ¡°There is nothing worthy of admiration,¡± Luo Baiyuan replied. ¡°It was just luck.¡± ¡°Luck?¡± Xu Yinglian said with a dismissive smile. ¡°If one can attain the position of Chief Disciple in the Golden Core Realm by luck, then I really don¡¯t know if there are any challenges left in the world.¡± After many years of training by Qiu Changtian, she now had a strong immunity to this kind of ¡°top-student-style modesty.¡± Luo Baiyuan seemed puzzled and said honestly: wuxiaworld.site Among my peers, there were three senior brothers who were much stronger than me; they all advanced to the Nascent Soul. My cultivation speed was too slow, so I stayed in the Golden Core Realm as the Chief Disciple.¡± Xu Yinglian: ¡­ Qiu Changtian turned his head to suppress a laugh, which Xu Yinglian promptly noticed, shooting him a sharp glance. She was reminded of how her senior brother Dog had achieved Core Formation ahead of time and had left the position of Chief Disciple in the Foundation Establishment Realm to her. Seeing her husband laugh, she suddenly felt somewhat infuriated. ¡°Sister Qiong Ying and Brother Changgeng have a truly wonderful relationship,¡± Luo Baiyuan said enviously. ¡°To have a confidante in life is fortunate; to end up together is doubly so, an incredibly rare blessing.¡± ¡°Sister is joking,¡± Xu Yinglian replied with uncharacteristic shyness. ¡°With Sister¡¯s exceptional qualities, you certainly won¡¯t lack a worthy match.¡± The two began to enter the phase of mutual adulation typical of women meeting for the first time, and their rapport warmed quickly. Qiu Changtian was very aware and didn¡¯t rashly interrupt their budding friendship, instead standing hands behind him at the bow of the boat, gazing into the distance. The reason the three of them chose not to fly on swords, but rather to travel by boat, was naturally to avoid drawing attention-according to reports, the traitor from the Xu Family had not flown on a sword either, but had disguised himself as a commoner and traveled down the river. Boarding the boat from Dongting Lake to the Xiang River, Xu Yinglian stopped idly chatting with Sister Luo and instead started to pay close attention, carefully observing their surroundings. According to records from the Xu Family¡¯s search for the traitor, the last known location of the culprit was along the banks of the Xiang River. After that, they completely lost track of him¡­ A check using Art Calculation more or less confirmed that the person had perished. In fact, over the long search, whether it was the villages on both sides of the Xiang River or the forts in the nearby forests, the Xu Family had likely searched them all without finding any trace of the traitor. Although the relic left behind by Feng Tong was precious, the most important aspect was its significance as ¡®an ancestral heirloom¡¯; naturally, it wouldn¡¯t be feasible to continue the fruitless search generation after generation. Xu Yinglian guessed that the person must have entered some secret realm. Only an independent secret realm forming its own world could have hidden a cultivator¡¯s body until now without being discovered. However, without any leads, searching the entire Xiang River for an entrance to an unknown secret realm was as futile as finding a needle in the ocean, wasn¡¯t it? ?0?G0.?? ¡°Ah Jing!¡± Qiu Changtian probed. ¡°Is there a way to scan the entire Xiang River?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± the Kunlun Mirror replied somewhat irritably. ¡°I even have a method to scan the entire Cultivation Realm. Do you believe that?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to lie, warning you twice.¡± After disciplining Ah Jing, Qiu Changtian turned back to the cabin room to start reading the information Xu Yinglian had brought alone. The entire Xiang River is more than two hundred miles long, and a carpet-style search would be impractical. Evidence must be sought elsewhere to narrow down the investigation scope. According to records provided by the Xu Family, the traitor¡¯s name is ¡°Xu Zhi,¡± a bad seed with a festering head and rotten sores on his feet, having betrayed the family due to a so-called rebellious bone behind his head¡­ What kind of mess is this? Qiu Changtian read the records carefully, and beyond the heavy political smearing, there was actually not much valuable information. For example, why Xu Zhi decided to betray the Xu Family is only mentioned in a few places, suggesting that he rebelled and fled south after failing to secure power within the family. Of course, if you think about it, shouldn¡¯t a cultivator be focused on cultivating immortality? Why would they be involved in power struggles? Can organizational power structures even compare to the strength of self-won cultivation levels? It¡¯s clear that overly intense political strife led to the current Xu Family leader¡¯s inability to tolerate Xu Zhi, forcing the latter to flee. Xu Zhi originally possessed excellent talent for cultivation within the family and was also one of the core high-level members. Otherwise, he would not have had the qualifications to enter the Feng Tong ancestral tomb. At the time, The Xu Family of Southern Heaven seemed unprepared for his defection, or they misjudged the timing of his escape, leading to the discovery of his disappearance and the tomb raid only half a day later. After leaving the Xu Family, Xu Zhi first flew on his sword to Jiangling City (there were many witnesses, confirming this), then disguised himself as a mortal to blend into the city and continued southward along the river. In a world without identity cards and cameras, once a cultivator uses disguise and blends into the vast sea of people, it¡¯s nearly impossible to be discovered, which is why the Demon Cult¡¯s Six Paths have always survived despite being hunted by the Three Pure Orthodox Sect. The reason it¡¯s ¡°nearly¡± impossible is because in this world there is a line of secret techniques known as ¡°Art Calculation.¡± In any case, The Xu Family of Southern Heaven asked for assistance from the Jian Family of Qingzhou and, through Art Calculation, confirmed that Xu Zhi continued southwest along the river by boat, reaching and passing through Dongting Lake into the Xiang River, and then his trail went cold. In Art Calculation, ¡°losing the trail¡± can mean many things, such as using a shielding technique to hide from the Art Calculation, or being involved in deeper secrets of heaven that make it impossible to calculate, or entering another realm beyond the reach of Art Calculation, and so on. So, the Xu Family set up a large number of people around the Xiang River for investigation, but strangely Xu Zhi vanished like a stone sunk into the sea, leaving behind no trace or clue¡­ All information and intel came to an abrupt halt. Where did Xu Zhi plan to go? Qiu Changtian flipped through another book, ¡°Water Records of the Divine Land,¡± found the map, and saw that Xu Yinglian had already made some markings on it. Southern Heaven, Jiangling City, Yangtze River, Dongting Lake, Xiang River-if these points are connected in a line, one could see that Xu Zhi has always been heading southwest. What¡¯s in the southwest? The Hundred Thousand Mountains of the Southern Border, this location was circled by Xu Yinglian with a vermilion pen. Perhaps it is to join the Eastern Emperor Path, or maybe to find a place to seclude himself, but it¡¯s highly probable that Xu Zhi¡¯s destination is the Southern Border. Though the Southern Border is distant from the Central Plains, it harbors many remnants of the Witch Clan and various heterodoxies, including quite a few evil techniques capable of shielding from Art Calculation. That¡¯s why those in the Central Plains, if pursued by enemies and wanting seclusion undisturbed by the world, often choose to go to the Southern Border to find local tribes, or to the Tibetan Plateau to seek out foreign monks, rather than fleeing to the deserts beyond Great Wall, or to the East Sea or Southern Sea. But if this is the conclusion, then Xu Zhi most probably does not possess the ability to shield from Art Calculation; otherwise, why make such a determined effort to head for the Southern Border? This leads to the thought that by some chance he stumbled into some secret realm, causing the trace of his Art Calculation¡­ even his existence in this world to completely vanish, which then becomes the most likely of the many possibilities. However, where exactly is the entrance to this secret realm? Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only With no clues to go on, isn¡¯t it a needle in a haystack? After much thought, Qiu Changtian finally heaved a sigh and asked the Kunlun Mirror, ¡°Ah Jing, you mentioned before that you have a method to scan the entire Xiang River, right?¡± ¡°I suggest you directly travel back to the era when Xu Zhi betrayed the family and follow him to see where he went. That might be a more reliable approach,¡± suggested the Kunlun Mirror. ¡°That might work¡­¡± ¡°Forget it! It¡¯s impossible!¡± Chapter 564 Chapter 564: Chapter 89 Mortal World Festivities Chapter 564: Chapter 89 Mortal World Festivities The next morning. Qiu Changtian slowly woke up from his meditative concentration and saw Xu Yinglian sitting in front of the dressing table, gracefully combing her hair. Junior Sister Xu usually didn¡¯t wear a pearl hairpin, just casually tying her hair with a green ribbon. Now without the green ribbon, allowing her hair to fall freely and loosely, combined with her already slender body curves, she exuded a mix of three parts laziness, four parts purity, and three parts charm-she was very enticing. With a flicker of thought, Qiu Changtian hugged Xu Yinglian from behind, his hands resting on her waist. Well, this plumpness, a bit more voluptuous and a bit less slender, could be said to be just right. ¡°What are you doing!¡± Junior Sister Xu hummed from her nose, complaining in a reproachful tone. Although she didn¡¯t whine, the crisp voice and the long, lilting intonation at the end sounded less like anger or protest, and more like a playful whine. ¡°What? Can¡¯t a husband embrace his wife?¡± Qiu Changtian protested first, questioning her. ¡°Embracing is fine, but no wandering hands,¡± Xu Yinglian said in a languid tone. Upon hearing that, Qiu Changtian instantly regretted it. Had he known that Junior Sister had become so tender, he should have hugged her more. As for deeper acts of intimacy, he¡¯d wait until he resumed his identity as Chen Guanshui before continuing with her, lest, in the final step, Junior Sister still thought she was marrying Qiu Changtian-that wouldn¡¯t be quite so wonderful. wuxiaworld.site Novts`o.co Wait a second, if he were to resume his identity as Chen Guanshui, it was uncertain how Junior Sister would view him! Forget it; that¡¯s a matter for later. Qiu Changtian helped Junior Sister comb her hair and asked gently, ¡°Are there any other clues regarding Xu Zhi?¡± ¡°Mmm, no more,¡± Xu Yinglian sighed, ¡°After all, it¡¯s too far removed from now, and it seems that the family didn¡¯t want to reveal the specific reasons for Xu Zhi¡¯s betrayal of the clan.¡± ¡°However, I do have some clues about the secret realm around Xiang River,¡± she said. She stood up, took a bamboo slip out of her storage bag, and placed it on the table. It was actually a bamboo slip¡­ Qiu Changtian picked up the bamboo slip and quickly scanned through it. It said that there was a loyal official in the ancient state of Xiang Chu, and just as all tragedies predict, he was not trusted by his sovereign. In the end, the official was banished to this place by the king; in his anger and sorrow, he drowned himself in the river¡¯s waters. After his death, a hint of his spirit did not dissipate but made its way to an immortal realm. The two ladies who ruled over the immortal realm, calling themselves ¡°the Goddesses of Xiang River,¡± awaited their husband ¡°Lord Xiang¡± to return. After hearing of the official¡¯s deeds, they allowed him to live within the immortal realm to await the ultimate fate of his former country. Reading this, Qiu Changtian also became pensive. As is commonly known, descriptions of ¡°mortals encountering immortals¡± in these extraordinary stories are often metaphors for some secret realms. The person who writes the story, on one hand, wants to prevent the loss of information about the entrance to the secret realm, so they stuff a bunch of hints into the content. On the other hand, to prevent discovery by unrelated and miscellaneous people, they intentionally write in a roundabout way, refusing to be straightforward. Thus, the common people regard them all as fabricated folktales while cultivators know that may not be the case. Some might be real¡­ Even if past explorations yielded nothing, one cannot confirm whether the stories were made up or whether they simply didn¡¯t find the real entrance. ¡°Drowned in the river and then went to the secret realm, huh.¡± Qiu Changtian mused, ¡°So, the entrance to the secret realm could likely be beneath the riverbed?¡± ¡°Guess where I found this?¡± Xu Yinglian spoke indifferently, ¡°In the family library. There was a borrowing record with Xu Zhi¡¯s name on it-dated right before he defected.¡± ¡°Brilliant!¡± Qiu Changtian exclaimed. ???G?.?0 Stories and random talks like this might contain clues to secret realms, but most are genuine folktales, so sifting through them is quite inefficient, which is why few are inclined to read them specifically. Yet, Xu Yinglian had always enjoyed reading and had browsed through the family collection since childhood, so finding this bamboo slip wasn¡¯t surprising at all. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, let¡¯s call Senior Sister Luo and go investigate the Xiang River riverbed,¡± said Qiu Changtian with a smile. They left their inn room, descended the stairs, and saw Luo Baiyuan sitting at a second-floor table facing the river, eating a milky white river fish with a bamboo clip. Seeing her junior brother and sister suddenly approach, Senior Sister Luo felt somewhat embarrassed and hurriedly said: ¡°Qiong Ying, Changgeng, I wasn¡¯t secretly indulging here! The host insisted on recommending it so emphatically that I reluctantly gave it a try¡­¡± ¡°Senior Sister certainly has elegant tastes,¡± Qiu Changtian chuckled, interrupting her defense, and then spoke to the innkeeper beside them, ¡°Bring us another river fish and two pairs of bamboo chopsticks.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll pass,¡± Xu Yinglian demurely declined, only for Qiu Changtian to forcefully place the chopsticks in her hand: ¡°After your fasting, Junior Sister, you¡¯ve abstained from worldly foods-this isn¡¯t good.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that?¡± Xu Yinglian raised an eyebrow, ¡°After all, it¡¯s all just turbidity.¡± ¡°Every worldly thing has its own flavor,¡± Qiu Changtian replied as he picked up a piece of fish with his chopsticks and put it in his mouth, ¡°Trying different tastes can be very beneficial to one¡¯s mindset.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Xu Yinglian replied, somewhat surprised. If anyone else had said such things, she would have mocked them with a cold laugh, but her senior brother was a person of Daoist Heart Clarity-could eating truly benefit one¡¯s mindset? With this in mind, Junior Sister Xu also stretched out her chopsticks to taste the fish on the plate, and her eyebrows soon relaxed. Delicious. Luo Baiyuan watched enviously from the side, swallowing down her small protest of ¡°This is the fish I ordered¡± that had risen to her throat. ¡­Oh well, when their ordered fish arrives, they might share a bite with me, right? The river fish had a distinct muddy taste, but the restaurant was generous with scallions, ginger, and garlic, which had effectively subdued the fishy flavor, making the milky white soup exceptionally tasty. Qiu Changtian relished his meal, thinking that even though Junior Sister Xu might decline, it would be good to have Miss Shi come to study the restaurant¡¯s recipes and improve her culinary skills¡­ Tsk, even when enjoying a tasty treat, I don¡¯t forget about Liuli; I truly am too kind-hearted. After finishing the river fish, the three set out on their journey. Their destination this time was the riverbed, so instead of continuing by boat, they used Water Element Techniques and stepped into the riverbed. The South was abundant with trees, and the water was clearer than in the North, teeming with dense schools of fish and some river dolphins swimming near the aquatic plants. With their Divine Sense scanning through the surrounding water plants and heaps of rocks, they continued forward. Of course, the efficiency of scanning while moving was extremely low, since the river was wide and the range of the Divine Sense scan was limited, giving the feeling of looking for a needle in a haystack. Left with no other choice, Qiu Changtian had to rely on the Kunlun Mirror to help scan, to prevent missing the entrance to the secret realm. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only About two hours later, Qiu Changtian sharply sensed something flash atop a hill on the riverbed in front of them. It looked like¡­ a water snake? ¡°Found it,¡± the Kunlun Mirror suddenly announced, ¡°I¡¯ve captured the spatial fluctuations of the entrance to the secret realm!¡± ¡°Where is it?¡± Qiu Changtian asked eagerly. ¡°Right behind that hill,¡± the Kunlun Mirror answered. Chapter 565 Chapter 565: Chapter 90: How Did He Suddenly Become the Lord of Xiang? Chapter 565: Chapter 90: How Did He Suddenly Become the Lord of Xiang? ¡°` The group walked around the riverbed hills and then saw in the jumble of rocks behind them the wreckage of a ship submerged among the disordered waterweeds. ¡°How strange,¡± Xu Yinglian spoke up, ¡°Wood should float according to reason, why would it sink to the bottom of the water?¡± She picked up a fragment of wreckage and examined it closely: ¡°It¡¯s light, not some kind of heavy wood, and it doesn¡¯t have metal nailed to it.¡± ¡°Is there a possibility,¡± Qiu Changtian spoke slowly, ¡°that this is the very ship Xu Zhi boarded?¡± ¡°Traveling through here, it was suddenly swept into a secret realm, which is why no subsequent art calculation could detect it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not out of the question,¡± Xu Yinglian answered, ¡°If we can find the entrance to the secret realm, then this speculation will naturally be proven; if we cannot find the entrance, then the true nature of this wreckage of the ship will also be meaningless to us.¡± ¡°Indeed, allow me some time to think,¡± Qiu Changtian pretended to ponder, while inwardly calling out, ¡°Ah Jing, quickly scan and see how we can enter this secret realm.¡± ¡°Just dive into the river from above and you can enter,¡± the Kunlun Mirror responded. ¡°Alright,¡± Qiu Changtian pretended to think hard, then as if struck by a revelation, said, ¡°Could it be that according to that legend, we need to ¡®sink into the river¡¯?¡± ¡°Sink into the river?¡± Luo Baiyuan asked, puzzled, ¡°Aren¡¯t we already sunk at the bottom of the river?¡± ¡°Senior brother is talking about performing the ¡®sinking into the river¡¯ motion,¡± Xu Yinglian understood and explained, ¡°not actually being at the bottom of the river.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Luo Baiyuan murmured, half-understanding. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site The three of them directly controlled their swords to rise, breaking through the water¡¯s surface, and then released their sword control, falling straight down from the air. ???G?.?? Falling heavily into the water, Qiu Changtian only felt water pressure from all directions rushing at him, quickly swallowing him completely. After staying still in the water for a moment, he confirmed that Junior Sister Xu and Sister Long were beside him, then he broke through the water¡¯s surface again. Far away, it was no longer the banks of the Xiang River, but a vast expanse of underwater houses. The lower halves were completely submerged in water, while the upper halves were topped with lotus leaf-shaped roofs. ¡°Who goes there!¡± Luo Baiyuan suddenly called out. She lifted her right leg, stomping down forcefully, and a large number of ice spikes shot out rapidly from the water. Two figures quickly retreated, dodging the dense thorns of ice. Qiu Changtian focused his eyes and saw, coincidentally, that they were both acquaintances. The two, one tall and one short, with the shorter one being the familiar face of Long Xiaoqi, known to Wei Dongliu, now looking like a drowsy and confused little girl. The taller one was Shi Yao, known to Long Long, serving as an elder in the Azure Dragon Clan, but secretly the leader of the Eastern State branch of the Jiaolong. But why had these two dragon ladies entered this secret realm? Qiu Changtian then remembered that before entering the secret realm, he saw the shadow of a water snake flash by, which must have been the two of them quickly descending to the bottom of the river from the air. ¡°Eastern Emperor Path?¡± Luo Baiyuan frowned. ¡°Kunlun Cultivators,¡± Shi Yao chuckled, appearing both friendly and adversarial, her attitude ambiguous, ¡°Or should I say, the renowned Han Yuan, Changgeng, and Qiong Ying¡­ This secret realm has not yet been explored. Do you really want to waste time here, battling with us?¡± Luo Baiyuan didn¡¯t respond, but secretly transmitted a message to the two: ¡°If my memory serves me right, she is Shi Yao, the sect master of the Eastern Emperor Path. Her power is not something ordinary Nascent Soul Cultivators can compare to.¡± ¡°In a direct confrontation with her, at most, I can only protect you from dying but stand no chance of defeating her.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just uncertain why, she doesn¡¯t seem to bear us any malice, but it¡¯s also hard to tell if she¡¯s pretending to lull us into complacency¡­ do you want to continue exploring?¡± ¡°Since the other party doesn¡¯t plan to make a move, then let¡¯s just mind our own business for now,¡± Qiu Changtian pondered for a moment, and replied, ¡°Let them search for what they want, and we¡¯ll do what we came to do.¡± Others might see Shi Yao as the sect master of the Eastern Emperor Path, but he knew her true body was actually that of a Jiaolong, and her focus had always been on the Eastern Emperor Realm. As for the Three Pure Orthodox Sect here, perhaps only Shushan would harbor a bit more enmity due to the Demon Locking Tower¡­ but in the end, she wasn¡¯t like a typical Demon Path Cultivator who would cry out for battle upon seeing Orthdox Sect Cultivators. ¡°` As long as we¡¯re careful, it¡¯s not that we can¡¯t deal with her. ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, you two stay close to me at all times later and don¡¯t stray,¡± Luo Baiyuan instructed, ¡°If she shows any hostility, we must escape immediately without delay.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian replied in unison. On the other side, Long Xiaoqi was also quietly having a conversation with Shi Yao: ¡°Master, aren¡¯t we going to forcibly keep them here?¡± ¡°Luo Baiyuan¡¯s cultivation level is profound, he can¡¯t be taken down quickly,¡± Shi Yao answered indifferently, ¡°Qiu Changtian holds the Polar Thunder, which is too much of a restraint for our race. If it really comes to a fight, I can¡¯t ensure your safety.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Long Xiaoqi said lightly, ¡°Then, if it really comes to a fight, who will those two empresses inside help?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Shi Yao shook her head. To prevent the two dragon empresses from having second thoughts, Qiu Changtian led the two into the Immortal Realm town first. Inside the town, there were quite a few little demons, all being aquatic demon race members, fishes, shrimps, turtles, crabs. Seeing strange cultivators invade their place, they scattered in all directions, returning home and not coming out again. Qiu Changtian looked around at ease, noticing that these houses were all luxurious and splendid, with coral for walls and pearls for lamps, while the streets were paved with purple clamshells, all very extravagant. Soon, two small demons rushed over and said to the three in trepidation: ¡°Noble guests, the Lady of the Xiang invites you.¡± ¡°Who is the Lady of the Xiang?¡± Xu Yinglian probed. The two little demons fumbled their words, saying ¡°The Lady of the Xiang is the Lady of the Xiang¡± over and over in confusion, without being able to clarify anything. ¡°Never mind, let¡¯s just go,¡± Qiu Changtian persuaded her, ¡°These little demons haven¡¯t yet transformed, and their bloodline ranks are low. Their spiritual wisdom is no different from a few years old child, you won¡¯t be able to get a clear answer from them.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Xu Yinglian then gave up on further questioning. The three followed the little demons further, quickly arriving at a bamboo forest in the middle of the water. Deep within the bamboo forest, there was a simple but imposing imperial palace. Although it appeared magnificent and grandiose from a distance, upon closer inspection, there were not many details ¨C the carvings were rustic and casual. A few fish maidens emanated gracefully from the palace, laughing and smiling as they led the three guests inside. ¡°Be careful,¡± Luo Baiyuan suddenly said. Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian both knew what he meant: the demonic aura deep within the palace had become so dense it was almost tangible. Upon entering the main hall of the palace, the three saw two gorgeously dressed and stunningly enchanting women sitting high on the jade throne. On the left sat a girl with short hair and an oval face, her smile fresh and radiant, possessing a youthful and lively beauty; on the right was a woman styled as a young wife, with long hair and a melon-seed face, a languid and charming demeanor, exuding a mature and alluring aura. With many years of experience in discerning demons, Qiu Changtian quickly identified both of the women as Jiaolong. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only To be precise, they were of the Qiulong rank, with cultivation levels roughly equivalent to the high rank of Nascent Soul. Suddenly, Xu Yinglian subtly glared at him. Qiu Changtian was slightly taken aback before he realized that both dragon ladies on the throne had already focused their smiling gazes on him. ¡°Sister, is this the human Qiu Changtian?¡± the long-haired dragon lady asked languorously. ¡°Indeed, he has a fine appearance, gentle and refined like jade,¡± the short-haired dragon lady giggled, ¡°I think he¡¯d make a good ¡®Lord of the Xiang¡¯.¡± ¡°Do you think so too, sister?¡± the long-haired dragon lady¡¯s face brightened with delight, ¡°This First-Grade Golden Core, with Daoist Heart Clarity, if he became our Lord of the Xiang, wouldn¡¯t that be a wonderful thing!¡± ¡°It¡¯s a pity, I heard that the Lord of the Xiang already has a lady,¡± the short-haired dragon lady then looked towards Xu Yinglian, ¡°and she¡¯s a little Phoenix, no less.¡± ¡°What force does a Phoenix have compared to a Jiaolong?¡± the long-haired dragon lady said disdainfully. Chapter 566 Chapter 566: Chapter 91 Artful Eloquence Qiu Changtian Chapter 566: Chapter 91 Artful Eloquence Qiu Changtian Although these two dragon maidens appeared to be whispering to each other, their voices were not quiet, with the result that everyone present could hear them. Xu Yinglian and Luo Baiyuan were naturally so shocked they were at a loss for words; they were frightened by the dragon maidens¡¯ open concept of marriage. Qiu Changtian also pretended to be shocked, but in reality he sighed to himself: Another one coveting my body¡­ Ah, how annoying! Within the Sea of Consciousness, the Kunlun Mirror couldn¡¯t help but snort coldly: ¡°After the goddess of the Xiang River left, I never thought her Cave Heaven and Blessed Land would end up in the hands of these two fools!¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Qiu Changtian asked in surprise, ¡°Ah Jing, you know these two dragon maidens?¡± ¡°They were nothing but the gate-guarding little snakes raised by the two mistresses back then,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said disdainfully. ¡°No wonder after so much time has passed, their cultivation levels remain so mediocre¡­ With their minds full of such amorous rubbish, how could they possibly cultivate properly?¡± Qiu Changtian really wanted to retort that their cultivation levels were not low at all, but then he thought about the ¡°back then¡± mentioned by Ah Jing, which could easily be hundreds of thousands of years ago. To have only reached the Nascent Soul Stage after hundreds of thousands of years was indeed dreadfully slow¡­ You could almost say they were crawling! wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site ¡°Shameless!¡± Xu Yinglian finally regained her composure and shouted angrily. ¡°Not shameless at all, little phoenix,¡± the long-haired dragon maiden said with a grin. ?0?G?.?? ¡°We of the Demon Race don¡¯t adhere to monogamy, and we have no intention of breaking you and your Daoist Companion apart.¡± That was indeed the truth, Qiu Changtian thought to himself. The higher the Bloodline Rank, the more one is coveted by a vast number of the opposite sex, and not just from their own race, but from various kinds, truly a grand fusion of bloodlines. ¡°Besides, aren¡¯t you yourself the offspring of a human-demon mix?¡± the short-haired dragon maiden said with a chuckle. ¡°Would you discriminate against the actions of your ancestors?¡± Seeing Junior Sister Xu unable to outfight or outtalk the opponents, infuriated to the point of red-faced, teeth-grinding rage, Qiu Changtian hurriedly stepped forward to rescue his wife: ¡°Fellow Daoists¡­¡± ¡°We wouldn¡¯t dare accept the title of a fellow Daoist, just call us ¡®Madams of Xiang,''¡± the long-haired dragon maiden said coquettishly, her fingers gently gliding over her collarbone. Qiu Changtian ignored her overly smooth shoulder-coaxing behavior, simply continuing: ¡°My junior sister and I have come here in search of a member of the Xu Family of Southern Heaven. He shares the same lineage as my junior sister and also possesses the Phoenix Bloodline. May I ask if you two have seen him?¡± ¡°Eh? Have we seen him?¡± the short-haired dragon maiden giggled, covering her mouth and winking seductively at him. ¡°It seems like we have seen him, yet also as if we haven¡¯t,¡± the long-haired dragon maiden said with a sly smile. ¡°It¡¯s been such a long time; we can¡¯t remember.¡± ¡°Chief Disciple Qiu Changtian, why don¡¯t you spend more time talking with us sisters here in this Cave Heaven and Blessed Land? Perhaps one day we will remember,¡± they teased. Qiu Changtian: ¡­¡­¡­ ¡°I take my leave,¡± he said with a smile. Seeing him turning to leave, the two dragon maidens quickly got up and in an instant blocked Qiu Changtian¡¯s path: ¡°Don¡¯t go, Chief Gentleman, just arriving and then departing, the people outside will blame us for being rude!¡± Luo Baiyuan and Xu Yinglian were already on high alert, ready to fight at a moment¡¯s notice. But Qiu Changtian quickly cast them a ¡°keep calm¡± look, which settled the two down. Although these two dragon women were clearly out of line, they knew that Qiu Changtian was extremely disciplined. For the sake of his future Daoist path, having married Junior Sister Xu for so many years without claiming her Yuan Yin, how could he be seduced by these two dragon women? Thinking this, Xu Yinglian was on one hand still utterly trustful of Qiu Changtian, and on the other, still indignant about the fickle nature of these dragon women. Thus, she glared at them angrily without saying a word. Qiu Changtian then spoke with a clasped fist: ¡°Your affections are appreciated, but Chang Geng is unworthy and dare not accept them. However, the matter of finding someone for my Junior Sister is urgent. If neither of you have seen the person, then please allow Chang Geng to take his leave to continue the search. I will visit again another day to offer my apologies¡­¡± ¡°Oh! We have seen him!¡± The short-haired dragon woman was the most impatient as she came over to hook his arm, hugging it to prevent him from leaving, ¡°Though it has been a while, that person has indeed been to our Xiang River Cave Heaven.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right,¡± the long-haired dragon woman also hurried over to the other side, affectionately embracing Qiu Changtian¡¯s arm and snuggling up to him, ¡°Chief Disciple, don¡¯t be in a hurry. It¡¯s just that it was a very long time ago when that person came-we just need some time to recall carefully.¡± Seeing the two dragon women embracing Qiu Changtian closely from both sides, Xu Yinglian was so angry she almost bit her silver teeth to pieces, yet she didn¡¯t dare to directly intervene-her Senior Brother kept an unchanged expression, clearly calculating his moves within, she couldn¡¯t let her jealousy ruin that, could she? So she had to quickly communicate with Luo Baiyuan, the two of them ready to react violently at any moment, just waiting for Qiu Changtian to signal. Qiu Changtian, with the two dragon women pressing close to him, simply calmly and quietly withdrew his arm (the physique of the Dragon Clan really couldn¡¯t compare), and asked indifferently: ¡°Then may I ask you both to try to recall carefully? This person is extremely important to us, and Chang Geng thanks you in advance.¡± ¡°Just a verbal thanks won¡¯t do,¡± the short-haired dragon woman coquettishly said, speaking in a crisp voice, ¡°If we help you find that person, how will you thank us, young lord?¡± ¡°Offering oneself as a reward is not out of the question,¡± the long-haired dragon woman said with a laugh behind her hand, ¡°Whichever one of us sisters you take a fancy to, you can take her for marriage, and if you want both, even better.¡± Qiu Changtian simply smiled faintly and said: ¡°Thank you both for your generous love, but with both my parents dead, matters of marriage are entirely up to the senior members of my sect. How could I make such a decision on my own?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that simple?¡± the long-haired dragon woman said sweetly, her finger tracing circles on his chest, ¡°As long as you and my sister, right here, have a few mixed-blood children, when the time comes, we can carry our children back to the sect. Could your sect elders really separate a husband and wife and their mother and child?¡± ¡°That is hard to say,¡± Qiu Changtian replied composedly, ¡°The Chi Song Immortal of Kunlun has always been biased against the Demon Race. If Chang Geng were entangled with you two, the Immortal would surely think Chang Geng was being seduced and would vent his anger on you noble ladies-I truly cannot bear that either.¡± Hearing him say he could not bear to see his own sisters implicated made the two dragon women a bit happy, but hearing about the Immortal¡¯s anger made them wary. They couldn¡¯t help but feel troubled for a moment. ¡°Wow,¡± said the Kunlun Mirror indignantly inside the Sea of Consciousness, ¡°Look at this, the technique of carrot and stick, how skillfully he uses it!¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± concurred the Green Duckweed Sword. ¡°Even Junior Sister Xu, who has been with him for so long, hasn¡¯t seen through his nature,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said resentfully, ¡°Are these two foolish dragons not just being manipulated by him?¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard not to agree,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword echoed. ¡°Eh, hold on!¡± the short-haired dragon woman suddenly called out unwillingly, ¡°If the Chi Song Immortal hates the Demon Race so much, why would he allow her to marry you?¡± She pointed towards Xu Yinglian standing to the side with a frosty expression, who was forcibly suppressing the anger in her chest. Then they heard Qiu Changtian say: ¡°Who said there was no aversion? Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only My Junior Sister¡¯s cultivation talent is not inferior to mine, and her diligence even surpasses mine. But because she has the Phoenix Bloodline, she was secretly disfavored by the Immortal-whether in terms of seniority, selection of the Chief Disciple¡­ in every aspect, she fell behind me, and that is still the result with her family¡¯s support behind her.¡± The anger in Xu Yinglian¡¯s chest dissipated greatly, while the two dragon women were left speechless. They were genuine members of the Demon Race with no Cultivator family supporting them from behind. If they were to force themselves on Qiu Changtian, wouldn¡¯t that mean the Chi Song Immortal would eventually have to come knocking on their doors, ready to flay them and pull out their tendons? Chapter 567 Chapter 567: Chapter 92 Xiang River Water Ruins Chapter 567: Chapter 92 Xiang River Water Ruins Tugging. Qiu Changtian was exceptionally skilled at it. The so-called ¡°tugging¡± involved walking on a tightrope, ingeniously controlling the sense of measure and distance. If too close, it would inevitably arouse the other party¡¯s springtime feelings, prompting them to shed their clothes and mete out justice on the spot; If too distant, it would inevitably infuriate the other party, driving their beastly nature to take over and harshly exploit oneself. Having mingled among the Demon Race for many years, Qiu Changtian knew all too well the importance of protecting one¡¯s genetic material as a male with extremely high talent; naturally, he wouldn¡¯t let the two dragon girls succeed, instead maintaining just the right sense of close yet evasive contact. As for the psyche of the two dragon girls, he had already completely seen through it: on one hand, they were incredibly greedy for his body, while on the other hand, they were wary of the Chi Song Immortal¡¯s reputation from Kunlun, not daring to directly make a move on him. The only way was to exert influence on an emotional level. As long as Qiu Changtian took an interest in them, even if facing the Kunlun Immortal, at the very least he could speak on their behalf¡­ but if Yu Ji insisted on forcing the issue, then after Qiu Changtian returned, he would certainly say nothing favorable, and the Chi Song Immortal would naturally deal a harsh blow. Of course, this was precisely the idea Qiu Changtian was trying to instill in them: it was fine to talk about feelings, but they must never resort to force. After a bit of polite evasion, Qiu Changtian managed to learn that the long-haired dragon girl was named ¡°Shi Jinsuo,¡± the elder sister; and the short-haired dragon girl was ¡°Shi Yinqiang,¡± the younger sister. The sisters had spent nearly two hundred thousand years in this heavenly cave, and although they were the lords of this heavenly abode, they had no family or friends, just a bunch of clueless little demons, profoundly lonely and very isolated. As for why they had lived for so many years, it was said that the two ¡°Xiang Concubines,¡± who originally lived here, fed them many miraculous medicines that prolonged life. However, the purpose of prolonging life was also to raise them as spirit beasts, so they were not taught any dragon clan cultivation techniques, leading to the two dragon girls knowing nothing but their racial bloodline supernatural powers, and their progression in cultivation level was extremely slow. wuxiaworld.site ¡°The person your lordship is looking for, by mistake, stumbled into our heavenly cave,¡± Shi Yinqiang said outright, chattering away, ¡°Seeing that he was clever and articulate, and could talk his way out of anything, we thought of sheltering him to avoid calamity.¡± ¡°Who would have thought that man appeared good but was evil at heart, and even tried to steal treasures from the palace while we were away,¡± Shi Jinsuo said with hostility towards Xu Yinglian and Luo Baiyuan, ¡°When my sister and I discovered him, he even resisted desperately and tried to harm others. ?0?G0.?? So we joined forces to injure him and then threw him into the dungeon to fend for himself.¡± ¡°Where is this dungeon?¡± Xu Yinglian immediately asked. The two dragon girls didn¡¯t even look at her, only sneering. ¡°May I ask the two noble ladies, where exactly is this dungeon?¡± Qiu Changtian, resigned, clasped his hands and asked, ¡°The man carries with him objects stolen in a theft. Our purpose here is to recover the stolen items, hence our search for his whereabouts.¡± ¡°Easy,¡± Shi Yinqiang replied readily, with a smile, in the presence of a handsome man, ¡°My sister and I can take you there.¡± Qiu Changtian followed the two dragon girls deeper into the palace, while Xu Yinglian and Luo Baiyuan quickly followed suit. In the back courtyard of the deep palace, they led Qiu Changtian to a dry well, saying: ¡°We inflicted serious injuries on that man, and then we threw him down there.¡± ¡°Down there is what?¡± Qiu Changtian asked in surprise. ¡°As stated by the Xiang Concubines, that place below is the watery grave of the Xiang River,¡± Shi Jinsuo answered with a smile, ¡°Your lordship must know, rivers and seas all have self-cleansing capabilities, no matter what kind of filth is dumped into them, it will gradually be washed clean.¡± ¡°In fact, these impurities are carried by the river water to the watery grave, and then along the water network they reach ¡®Gui Xu,¡¯ where all the rivers and seas of the world converge.¡± Qiu Changtian: ¡­¡­¡­. Oh, that place, I¡¯m quite familiar with it. ¡°Since that¡¯s the case,¡± he turned to Xu Yinglian and Luo Baiyuan and said, ¡°we must follow this well down into the submerged ruins beneath the Xiang River.¡± ¡°If my lord insists on going down,¡± Shi Yinqiang said worriedly, ¡°since this matter arose from my sisters and me, we are willing to accompany my lord on this journey.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need,¡± Xu Yinglian said coldly, ¡°We Kunlun Cultivators can go down by ourselves.¡± ¡°Overestimating yourselves,¡± Shi Jinsuo sneered, ¡°The submerged ruins of the Xiang River are filled with all the filthiness of the river. The concentration of toxins is so intense that it has a strong corrosive effect on the flesh.¡± ¡°My sister and I, being of the Dragon Clan, can still withstand the water¡¯s toxins with our fleshly bodies. You human Cultivators, if soaked in the water for a quarter of an hour without detoxification capabilities, would see all your limbs and bones corrupted¡­¡± Before she could finish speaking, Xu Yinglian and Luo Baiyuan simultaneously executed the Universal Pure Tone Minor Illumination Technique, directly slapping it onto themselves. ¡°The two ladies need not worry,¡± Qiu Changtian said with a smile, ¡°We Kunlun Cultivators have our own marvelous detoxification methods.¡± Of course, not all Kunlun Cultivators possessed detoxification techniques, but the lineage of the Ziwei Master, owing to the practice of Immortal Sect¡¯s secret techniques and the extreme potency of their True Yuan, were completely fearless in the face of toxins. Everyone applied their techniques and then plunged into the well. After only a dozen meters or so, they fell into water. The water here had a particular odor, akin to the fishy smell often found in seafood markets, which could easily induce vomiting if one inhaled it for too long. The sisters of the Dragon Clan had already revealed their True Bodies, swimming agilely in the water. Qiu Changtian, Xu Yinglian, and Luo Baiyuan, on the other hand, relied on the Universal Pure Tone Minor Illumination Technique to encase their bodies, keeping the filthy water at bay as they followed downward. As they descended deeper, the underwater space around them became increasingly vast-they had entered a submerged cave system. Continuing downward along the cave, suddenly a dark shadow shot out from below. Qiu Changtian was quick-eyed and deft-handed, as the Shangyang Sword Qi suddenly shot out from his sleeve, piercing the dark shadow directly. Only then did everyone manage to see more clearly-the creature that writhed even after being pierced by the Sword Qi was, in fact, a strange fish with a rotten body and bulging white eyes. ¡°What is this?¡± Xu Yinglian frowned and asked. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen it before either,¡± Luo Baiyuan shook his head. ¡°You should be careful,¡± the Jiaolong transformed by Shi Yinqiang said. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°This fish lives year-round in the ruins, and its teeth inject toxins into its prey while tearing flesh, which not only dissolves skin and muscles but also corrupts the Divine Sense and even contaminates the soul.¡± ¡°You should have said this earlier!¡± Xu Yinglian said angrily, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say so when we descended into the well?¡± Although she seemed to have blurted it out, Qiu Changtian understood the implied meaning: Though these two dragon maidens lust after your body, it does not mean they will cater to your every desire; be careful of their reservations and hidden schemes. ¡°The last time my sister and I came down here was tens of thousands of years ago, how could we remember so clearly?¡± Shi Jinsuo said with a coquettish laugh, ¡°The person you¡¯re looking for, even if his corpse has been completely devoured by these strange fish, at least the items he carried should still be around. Maybe they¡¯ve been swept into some corner.¡± ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, let everyone be a little more cautious,¡± Qiu Changtian said gently, ¡°and continue to follow the current deeper to see if we can find any traces.¡± On the other side, Long Xiaoqi also fell into the water, the girl¡¯s body somersaulted, and immediately transformed into a Jiaolong. She looked around bewilderedly, only to see the huge Jiaolong transformed by Shi Yao, silently staring at her in the depths of the water. ¡°Master,¡± Long Xiaoqi swam over, her normally indolent tone of voice gradually returning to normal, ¡°where are we going next?¡± ¡°Follow me,¡± Shi Yao said in a deep voice, ¡°the space below is vast, and you mustn¡¯t get lost.¡± Chapter 568 Chapter 568: Chapter 93: The Mad Dragon Chapter 568: Chapter 93: The Mad Dragon ¡°` In the depths of the cave, it was utterly dark. Qiu Changtian looked around and suddenly saw a violent current surge forward, followed by countless strange fish fleeing. The people quickly cast spells and sent their flying swords forward, launching a barrage of attacks that either killed those strange fish or scattered them in all directions. ¡°Strange,¡± Shi Jinsuo said suddenly, ¡°these fish don¡¯t seem to have any desire to attack.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not so much an assault on us as it is a flight for their lives,¡± Xu Yinglian looked back to see the strange fish shaking their heads and tails, fleeing without any desire to linger. ¡°Be careful,¡± Luo Baiyuan said solemnly. As everyone continued along the corridor, they saw a fork in the path ahead, splitting left and right. The left tunnel was somewhat narrow, while the right one was wider, and the current seemed to be flowing from behind them to the right side, suggesting that the right path might lead to Gui Xu, while the left could be a dead end. ¡°Go right?¡± Shi Yinqiang asked. ¡°Let¡¯s go left,¡± Qiu Changtian replied. The group was momentarily stunned and then quickly caught on. According to the thinking of most people, if one could determine that the left was a dead end, they would probably not choose it. But was Xu Zhi trying to get through here? wuxiaworld.site Not at all. If he was alive up to this point, he¡¯d surely be thinking about finding a place to lick his wounds, not heading to Gui Xu¡­ Why would he go to that forsaken place? So they headed towards the entrance on the left. About half a quarter of an hour later, the group suddenly heard strange noises coming from ahead. It was a bizarre chewing sound, crackle, crackle, crackle, crackle. Before the group could react, Qiu Changtian heard the Kunlun Mirror exclaim: ¡°Not good, hurry up¡­¡± Before the words were fully uttered, a person emerged from the cave entrance ahead. This person had green, algae-like rotten hair, and their long robe was ragged, still chewing on a struggling strange fish-two sharp canine teeth accurately penetrated the fish scales, and dark green toxic blood seeped out of the wound like mist. ¡°You are¡­¡± Xu Yinglian exclaimed in astonishment, ¡°Xu Zhi? You¡¯re not dead?¡± Under her perception, the aura of the Phoenix bloodline on him was somewhat familiar, yet much of it was strange. ¡°A descendant of the Xu Family of Southern Heaven?¡± The person uttered woefully, unwilling to release the fish from his mouth. ???G?.?? Then, he suddenly devoured the fish voraciously, stuffing the entire strange fish, bones and scales included, into his mouth, chewing it ferociously before swallowing it down, and then he laughed coldly: ¡°Good, very good! Even to this very day, the Xu Family of Southern Heaven refuses to let me go¡­¡± His tusks protruded several inches again, resembling a Flying Asura, and he roared from his mouth: ¡°Then I¡¯ll eat you alive!¡± Suddenly, he kicked off the wall and shot toward them like a cannonball. Xu Yinglian reacted the fastest, forming a Daoist formula with her hands, and a golden thread sprayed from her mouth. Crimson Feather Nine Phoenix Fire! The flames, like blades, cut through the rock wall and evaporated the water surface, aiming to slash across Xu Zhi¡¯s body at the waist. It had no effect at all. ¡°` In Xu Yinglian¡¯s slightly widened eyes, she saw Xu Zhi¡¯s body completely withstood the attack of the Crimson Feather Nine Phoenix Fire; there wasn¡¯t a single injury on him. He had already rushed in front of everyone and reached out to grab Xu Yinglian¡¯s neck, but was blocked by Qiu Changtian with the Tianyuan Yiqi Sword, repelling the attacker as if steel had struck flint. Within the blink of an eye, Qiu Changtian had reacted. ¡°Heavenly Demon!¡± he shouted loudly to the people around, ¡°He is not Xu Zhi! It¡¯s a demon head occupying Xu Zhi¡¯s corpse!¡± Xu Zhi was about to continue lunging at Xu Yinglian but, upon hearing this, suddenly twisted his neck 180 degrees, revealing a grotesque, bloodthirsty smile to Qiu Changtian. His right arm instantly transformed into a mass of filthy blood, lashing out at Qiu Changtian like a venomous snake. Luo Baiyuan stood unflinchingly in front, and with a clasp and a spread of his hands, a swath of ice flowers unfolded, blocking the path of the filthy blood. ¡°Be careful!¡± said the Kunlun Mirror, ¡°Although we don¡¯t know what it is inside, the one occupying Xu Zhi¡¯s body almost has the realm of a celestial being¡¯s rank!¡± ¡°It¡¯s already too late to say that now, Ah Jing!¡± Qiu Changtian cried out in alarm. The Crimson Feather Nine Phoenix Fire was Junior Sister Xu¡¯s strongest attack spell. The power of a spell with ninefold compressed True Essence was something even Nascent Soul Rank cultivators could only defend against with a spell, but this guy dared to withstand it using his physical body alone, without employing any True Yuan, revealing the crushing gap in strength. Fortunately, it seemed like the intruder¡¯s consciousness wasn¡¯t very clear¡­ Otherwise, if he really used True Yuan and executed a spell, wouldn¡¯t he squash everyone here in a matter of minutes? Seeing Luo Baiyuan¡¯s ice flowers rapidly breaking down under the assault of the filthy blood, the two dragon maidens Shi Jinsuo and Shi Yinqiang also showed no willingness to step forward, clearly thinking of retreat. Qiu Changtian hurriedly shouted: ¡°You go first, I¡¯ll hold him off!¡± Even in retreat, the invincible character setting must not be abandoned! Xu Yinglian was unwilling to go first. Instead, she came over to grab Qiu Changtian¡¯s arm, dragging him away with all her might. Shi Yinqiang also transformed into human form, coming over to help. Working together, human and dragon, they managed to drag away Qiu Changtian, who wanted to stay behind and cover their retreat. Shi Jinsuo¡¯s dragon eyes glinted fiercely as she roared at Xu Zhi. Scorching dragon¡¯s breath surged forward crazily. Although it still failed to injure Xu Zhi¡¯s body, the boiling torrent pushed him steadily backward. ¡°Now¡¯s the time!¡± Qiu Changtian suddenly executed a sword technique, and under the cover of the dragon¡¯s breath, the Shangyang Sword Qi was fired, precisely cutting the cord of the storage bag at his waist. The storage bag fell, and Xu Yinglian had already fired the Feather Jia Sword. Amidst the swirling sword light, she reeled the storage bag back in. Seeing this, Xu Zhi became even more furious, his mouth opening to an exaggerated degree that a human could not achieve, roaring back at them with equal fury. The sound was like a deafening bell, instantly causing dizziness and muddled consciousness in Qiu Changtian and the others, nearly losing control and perception of their limbs. Qiu Changtian quickly recovered, his heart, however, filled with indescribable horror: Dragon¡¯s Might? Isn¡¯t that a bloodline supernatural power of the Dragon Clan? Could it be that the one occupying Xu Zhi¡¯s body is some old monster from the Dragon Clan? Fortunately, I possess Jiaolong blood and have studied the corresponding countermeasures. Otherwise, with my spirit shocked and unable to move by this Dragon¡¯s Might, wouldn¡¯t I be easily butchered? The two dragon maidens Shi Jinsuo and Shi Yinqiang, although they did not know the countermeasures, were bearing dragon bodies second only to Qiu Changtian and recovered second. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Seeing Xu Zhi charging at them with bared teeth and claws, how could they dare to stay a moment longer? They immediately turned tail and ran without looking back. Qiu Changtian could only embrace Xu Yinglian on his left arm, while hoisting Luo Baiyuan with his right hand, dragging the two who had lost sense of their bodies, closely following the two dragon maidens as they fled. Off in the distance, two Jiaolongs, one large and one small, were swimming in the sewage when suddenly, they both turned their heads, looking downwards. ¡°Such powerful Dragon¡¯s Might,¡± Long Xiaoqi exclaimed in surprise, ¡°Could it be that senior from before?¡± ¡°Most likely,¡± Shi Yao said with a tone of reflection, astonishment, and even a hint of bewilderment, ¡°One of the ancestors of the Jiaolong Clan.¡± ¡°The Dragon of Madness.¡± Chapter 569 Chapter 569: Chapter 94 Phoenix Feather Arrow Chapter 569: Chapter 94 Phoenix Feather Arrow Qiu Changtian carried Junior Sister Xu and hoisted Senior Sister Luo on his shoulder, following the two dragon maidens as they fled. His heart was nearly crying out in frustration. It was just a quest to find a stolen relic, so how did it end up with even immortals appearing? The difficulty had become absurdly high! ¡°I guess it must be because Xu Zhi was involved in the Water Ruins incident and ended up being possessed by an old dragon,¡± the Kunlun Mirror consoled him. ¡°That ancient dragon, a being of an elder¡¯s rank, who knows how long it has been trapped here. Its consciousness isn¡¯t even clear anymore. Even though it has possessed Xu Zhi¡¯s body, it hasn¡¯t been able to fully devour his consciousness, occasionally still mistaking itself for Xu Zhi.¡± ¡°An enemy like this, while possessing the rank of an immortal, is actually not able to wield even two to three tenths of an immortal¡¯s true strength, so you don¡¯t have to worry too much about it.¡± ¡°How can I not worry about facing an immortal!¡± Qiu Changtian retorted, ¡°Forget it, let¡¯s just consider it an advance rehearsal and adaptation for being chased by an immortal.¡± Once again, a mad roar came from behind them. For the time being, it seemed that all he could do was to blindly release Dragon¡¯s Might-but even the Dragon¡¯s Might of the Immortal Realm was not easy to deal with. First of all, Dragon¡¯s Might was 360 degrees without a dead angle, which meant there was essentially no way to dodge it. Secondly, Dragon¡¯s Might was invisible and colorless, did not fall under the Five Elements, and was an attack on the level of Divine Sense. wuxiaworld.site Therefore, there was no way to defend against it. Lastly, as detailed above, Qiu Changtian¡¯s current stage meant facing Dragon¡¯s Might of an immortal¡¯s realm. He could only honestly take the full brunt of the damage. This damage was mainly spiritual attacks, but fortunately, through learning within his clan, Long Long had developed a considerable adaptation to Dragon¡¯s Might. Coupled with the protection of the Kunlun Mirror, he was not shaken to death by the mental attacks after a few rounds. But if he were to endure it several more times, sooner or later, he would be shaken into an idiot. The group emerged from the underground water network through a well opening. They only heard Shi Jinsuo scream: ¡°Quick, block that well opening!¡± Qiu Changtian: ? Wait, block the path of an elder from the Demon Race with something? Have you all gone mad? Immediately after, he saw Shi Yinqiang take out a seal and quickly start the incantation in midair. Hmm, isn¡¯t that¡­ the Mountain-Lifting Seal? The seal instantly transformed into a massive mountain range that descended from the sky, centering above the Water Ruins well opening, and completely leveled the entire palace, suppressing it under the towering peaks. No sooner had everyone breathed a sigh of relief, they heard Shi Jinsuo cry out in horror once more: ¡°Run!¡± As soon as her words fell, the earth shook as if the mountains were crumbling! The ground trembled violently as if struck by a heavy blow, and huge cracks spread instantly from the base of the mountains, steadily spreading upward. Qiu Changtian and the others felt their souls leap out of their bodies, not daring to linger any longer, and quickly left the underwater secret realm. About a dozen breaths later, the mountain was finally completely split open from the base. Countless rocks tumbled down like a landslide, quickly burying the immortal sect¡¯s buildings below, and leaving the aquatic demons that could not escape with numerous casualties. Finally, a giant dragon claw reached out from the crevice, grabbed the broken mountain, and then extended its rotting, bleeding dragon head. At this moment, ¡°Xu Zhi¡± had not a trace of the human form left. The appearance of Xu Yinglian had stimulated his last will, and as Xu Zhi¡¯s consciousness had burned itself out, his body was then completely overrun by the dragon bloodline. The grievously wounded giant dragon crawled out from the ground, letting out a heaven-shaking, tragic dragon cry. However, it wasn¡¯t long before two similar dragon cries resonated as if responding to its roar. The giant dragon glared with its golden vertical pupils, clumsily and violently turning around, only to see Shi Yao and Long Xiaoqi, transformed into human shapes, standing side by side in front of him. ¡°You, you!¡± the dragon spat out in angry human language, stretching its neck as if ready to devour someone, ¡°You are the sinful branch¡­¡± ¡°No, I am,¡± Shi Yao pushed Long Xiaoqi to her side, ¡°She is your descendant, Your Majesty Mad Dragon.¡± The figure of the giant dragon froze. After a moment, his massive body gradually shrank, and soon transformed into a disheveled, tall old man. Looking somewhat nervous at Long Xiaoqi, he stretched out his broad palm: ¡°Are you my descendant?¡± Long Xiaoqi was silent for a moment before nodding and saying: ¡°Inside my body, there are two consciousnesses.¡± ¡°I am¡­ a descendant of the Mad Dragon bloodline.¡± ¡ª- Qiu Changtian, along with the two dragons, escaped from the secret realm, incidentally striking the sisters with the Universal Pure Tone Minor Illumination Technique, which quickly roused them from unconsciousness. Upon waking, Xu Yinglian felt relieved to see that they were on the banks of the Xiang River. Looking at the dragon sisters again, she showed a wary expression. Luo Baiyuan quietly stood in front, ready to protect his junior brother and sister at any moment. ???G?.?? However, the dragon sisters did not show any intention of starting a fight; instead, they tearfully said: ¡°Young master, the secret realm we lived in has been destroyed. This time, we¡¯ve suffered a great loss because of you.¡± Qiu Changtian offered an embarrassed, sheepish smile, feeling somewhat guilty. The two dragon sisters, naive as they were, seeing Qiu Changtian apparently feeling guilty, actually felt pity for him and comforted him: ¡°Forget it, that old dragon lived in the Ruins of water, who could have foreseen this? It was bound to come out sooner or later¡­ We sisters have heard that to the southwest lies the Eastern Emperor Path, which is very kind to our Demon Race. We will head there to seek refuge. If Young Master Qiu cares about us sisters, feel free to visit us in the southwest.¡± The dragon sisters left reluctantly, and Luo Baiyuan remarked with a sigh: Although they are of the Demon Race, they have shown us no hostility. The old saying ¡®Humans and demons cannot coexist¡¯ seems not entirely true after all.¡± ¡°Junior Sister Luo, your words are mistaken,¡± Xu Yinglian disagreed, ¡°If those two of the Dragon Clan hadn¡¯t taken a fancy to our senior brother¡¯s beauty, would they be so easy to talk to? Didn¡¯t you hear how they treated that Xu Zhi?¡± Upon saying this, she seemed to feel that ¡°beauty¡± was not quite appropriate to describe Qiu Changtian, so she corrected herself: ¡°The Demon Race, just like the Human Race, has its own emotions, desires, and evil thoughts. But since resources in the Cultivation Realm are limited, if the Demon Race rises, it will inevitably squeeze the living space of Human Race cultivators. I have no personal grudge against those two from the Dragon Clan, but that won¡¯t change my view of the Demon Race as a whole.¡± Qiu Changtian chuckled to the side: Junior sister, when those two dragon maidens were here, your jealous expression was almost plastered on your face, and you say you have no personal grudge? Of course, he couldn¡¯t expose his junior sister in front of Junior Sister Luo. So the three of them set out on their journey back to the Kunlun Mountain Range. Junior Sister Luo went to report to the Ziwei Master, while Qiu Changtian first returned to the cave dwelling with Xu Yinglian to check the storage bag taken from Xu Zhi. Inside the storage bag were three scrolls of scripture, and a single small feather arrow. ¡°This scripture is a secret technique passed down by our Feng Tong ancestors, specifically discussing how to purify and ascend Phoenix True Blood,¡± sighed Xu Yinglian. ¡°When my Xu Family lost the three volumes of secret techniques, the subsequent descendants became weaker generation by generation, and the chance for bloodline awakening greatly decreased-this was the poison and calamity brought about by Xu Zhi, and now it can finally be resolved.¡± ¡°As for this Phoenix Feather Arrow, it was refined by a Phoenix ancestor of Immortal Rank using its true feathers. Whoever holds it can command all flames in the world, including those not belonging to the Five Elements, which find it difficult to escape.¡± Qiu Changtian clicked his tongue in amazement, taking the Phoenix Feather Arrow to fiddle with, thinking to himself that my vixen also has a Magical Treasure called the ¡°Golden Crow True Fire Fan,¡± which can release a large amount of Golden Crow True Fire¡­ It¡¯s just that her Demon Yuan is not abundant enough to unleash the full power of the true fire, so usually without the threat of life and death, she rarely uses it. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only If Junior Sister Xu and the little vixen were to clash in the future, I wonder whether the Golden Crow True Fire Fan is more powerful or the Phoenix Feather Arrow is more domineering. Alas, don¡¯t fight over me, ladies, this isn¡¯t good¡­ Eh? ¡°Junior Sister, if I remember correctly, wasn¡¯t there that what¡¯s-it-called in the secret realm of the Western Queen Mother?¡± Qiu Changtian suddenly recalled something and quickly said. The Phoenix Egg in the Red Lotus Sea of Fire!¡± exclaimed Xu Yinglian, also suddenly remembering. Chapter 570 Chapter 570: Chapter 95: Who is Coveting My Wife? Chapter 570: Chapter 95: Who is Coveting My Wife? ¡°` In the secret realm of the Western Queen Mother, the first layer of the three thousand Fire Mansions, the Red Lotus Sea of Fire. Xu Yinglian infused the Phoenix Feather Arrow with her True Yuan and launched it into the sky. The small feathered arrow spun in the air before suddenly, like a whale swallowing water, absorbed all the flames from the Red Lotus Sea of Fire below into itself. However, it only cleared a path about a zhang and a half wide before the surrounding Red Lotus Sea of Fire surged back, balancing against the absorbent power of the Phoenix Feather Arrow. Qiu Changtian did not dare to delay and quickly joined Xu Yinglian side by side as they stepped into the cleared path of the sea of fire. The molten ground beneath their feet was not only scorching hot but also soft as mud, easily swallowing their boots. Xu Yinglian stumbled, and Qiu Changtian hastily steadied her. Arm in arm, they continued forward and finally saw the Phoenix egg at the deep end of the molten sea. It was an egg the size of a palm, with a flowing surface like molten lava, and gold and red patterns interwoven, indistinguishable from each other. Beside the Phoenix egg lay a massive skeletal remains of a bird. Xu Yinglian gazed at the skeletal remains, her eyes involuntarily tinged with compassion. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co In her view, the original owner of these Phoenix remains was undoubtedly the mother of the Phoenix egg. Phoenixes do not fear the Red Lotus Karma Fire, so the cause of the Phoenix mother¡¯s death could only be due to injury. To keep her offspring from falling into enemy hands, she risked her grievous wounds and did not seek treatment, instead choosing to retreat into the depths of the Red Lotus Karma Fire to lay her egg. ???g?.?? Was this not a manifestation of great maternal love? ¡°Senior brother,¡± she asked softly, ¡°may I take this Phoenix egg back to raise?¡± ¡°Raise a Phoenix?¡± Qiu Changtian let out an incredulous laugh. For the human race sects, the standard for nurturing demonic beasts depends on the beast¡¯s bloodline and cultivation level. For instance, Kunlun allows some spiritually aware cranes to reside within the Kunlun Mountain Range ¨C after all, these cranes rarely have the opportunity to transform and pose no threat to the Kunlun disciples. But for high-ranking demonic creatures like Phoenixes, the position of the Kunlun sect is more ambiguous. After all, right at the entrance of the Eastern Emperor Path, there is a Qilin that just lies there like a boss, doing nothing as if a Buddha statue had been brought back home. Try to train it, and it doesn¡¯t listen; try to drive it away, but it¡¯s hard to let go, feeling that it might be of assistance in times of crisis at the sect¡­ In short, it¡¯s a difficult situation. After careful consideration for a long time, Qiu Changtian nodded, saying, ¡°Junior sister, you can take care of it for the time being. If you truly manage to tame it, even if master finds out later, at least we will have a reason to explain.¡± ¡°But if you can¡¯t tame it, junior sister, you mustn¡¯t continue raising it or release it; we must report to the sect to handle it.¡± ¡°I well understand,¡± Xu Yinglian said calmly, like all first-time pet owners confident in their limitless ability, ¡°As the Phoenix Immortal of the Xu Family of Southern Heaven, if I can¡¯t even handle a newly hatched Phoenix, wouldn¡¯t that be a joke to the world?¡± So she bent down to pick up the Phoenix egg. The moment her fingers touched the eggshell, the Phoenix egg turned into a golden-red stream of light and shot into her finger. Xu Yinglian: ? Qiu Changtian: ¡­ In the Sea of Consciousness, Xu Yinglian heard a clear and melodious female voice saying, ¡°Descendant of the Xu Family of Southern Heaven, is it? I¡¯ll borrow your body for a while. Once my Divine Soul has been fully nurtured, I will pass on to you the supreme secret technique of the Phoenix Clan.¡± Xu Yinglian¡¯s face turned to an expression of shock. ¡­¡­ Kunlun Mountain Range, Jade Void Palace. ¡°` Ziwei Sect Leader brought his two fingers together and pressed them against Xu Yinglian¡¯s brow. Qiu Changtian watched nervously at the side, his worry clearly written all over his face. What happened to the cute fledgling Phoenix? How did it suddenly turn into an old bird? My wife hasn¡¯t been possessed, has she! After a short moment, Ziwei Sect Leader withdrew his fingers and said, ¡°An interesting secret technique.¡± ¡°Master¡­¡± Qiu Changtian could not help asking. ¡°Haha, Changgeng.¡± Ziwei Sect Leader said with a slight smile, ¡°I did not expect you to show such an expression. Very good.¡± Qiu Changtian: ¡­¡­¡­. ¡°Qiong Ying¡¯s situation is rather unique, but there¡¯s no need to worry. That Phoenix is merely using her Sea of Consciousness to heal itself,¡± continued Ziwei Sect Leader. ¡°Once its Divine Soul is completely recovered, the Phoenix will leave her body, be reborn from the flames, and obtain a new body.¡± ¡°For a Phoenix, possessing a Human body pales in comparison to the one they obtain from being reborn in flames, so that¡¯s one less thing for you to worry about.¡± After hearing this, Qiu Changtian¡¯s face showed a look of relief, but inside he was even more worried. Naive, Master, too naive! Regardless of whether the other party has any intention of possession, as long as they are temporarily residing inside my wife¡¯s body, that equates to holding her life and death in their hands. How can I be at ease about this? But since Ziwei Sect Leader had said so, he naturally couldn¡¯t say he distrusted his master¡¯s judgment and could only secretly decide to find a way to ensure his wife would not be possessed by this Phoenix. That¡¯s it! If my junior sister and I were more affectionate, would that Phoenix get sick of watching and give up on replacing my wife? Ziwei Sect Leader was unaware of his precious disciple¡¯s thoughts and simply instructed Xu Yinglian, ¡°This Phoenix inside you, although not too old, is from the early ancient times, a senior from the past.¡± ¡°When communicating with her, pay attention to proper etiquette and do not disrespect her. She has already agreed to teach you the Phoenix secret technique and is unlikely to break her promise.¡± Xu Yinglian easily understood the meaning of Ziwei Sect Leader: The early ancient period was when the Witch Clan ruled over all clans, and the relationships between the Human and Demon Races were exceptionally good, otherwise, there would have been no marriage alliance between the Phoenix Clan and the Xu Family. Moreover, the Phoenixes from that era were the most reputable and moralistic among the Demon Race, known as the ¡°foremost among the Five Virtues.¡± If they promise repayment, they will certainly deliver, unlike any telecommunication scams. ¡°Disciple understands,¡± Xu Yinglian said earnestly. ¡°I will definitely learn well from this senior Phoenix.¡± Qiu Changtian at the side was full of worry but had to put on a happy face for his junior sister, which was truly uncomfortable for him. After bidding farewell to the Ziwei Sect Leader and returning to the Golden Ridge Cave Abode with his junior sister, Qiu Changtian looked at the joyful Xu Yinglian and hesitated to speak. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°What¡¯s wrong, senior brother?¡± Xu Yinglian noticed his unusual demeanor and couldn¡¯t help but ask curiously. Qiu Changtian paused for a moment and then opened his arms: ¡°Come, junior sister, let¡¯s hug.¡± Xu Yinglian, perplexed and with a slight blush on her face, came over and hugged her senior brother. She didn¡¯t nuzzle like a little fox nor cling tightly like Miss Shi, it was just a simple embrace. ¡°What are you doing?¡± the Phoenix asked curiously from within the Sea of Consciousness, ¡°A hug?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a ritual between Daoist companions,¡± Xu Yinglian replied awkwardly but recalling the instructions from Ziwei Sect Leader, she forced herself to say it. ¡°You are Daoist companions?¡± the Phoenix exclaimed in surprise, then shouted, ¡°Then why are you hugging him?¡± ¡°Grab his limbs and push him down directly!¡± Chapter 571 Chapter 571: Chapter 96: Wei Dongliu, Who Has Already Become an Immortal Chapter 571: Chapter 96: Wei Dongliu, Who Has Already Become an Immortal For Qiu Changtian now, besides confirming whether Junior Sister Xu ran the risk of soul possession, his routine included regularly visiting the three thousand Fire Mansions in the Western Queen Mother¡¯s secret realm to engage in fierce battles, honing his Divine Sense. Xu Yinglian also practiced her Divine Sense alongside Qiu Changtian, furiously defeating golden-armored warriors in the Fire Mansion. Perhaps because word had spread, recently a few newly-promoted Golden Core True Persons had come to the Western Queen Mother¡¯s secret realm for trials. However, due to the huge gap in strength, they only practiced in secret realms from the First Light Layer to the Third Light Layer, and they fought with caution and strategic planning, a stark contrast to the aggressive, matchless efficiency of Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian. Or rather, their cautious approach was likely the original intent of the design of the Trial Secret Realm. For outliers like Qiu and Xu, treating trial stages like a game and slaughtering their way through was truly unique. Looking at the big picture, not only was his own Cultivation Level and Daoist Foundation extremely stable, having formed a First Grade Golden Core, but each narrative thread also showed progress. Let¡¯s not mention the slowest Shushan line for now; Qingluo Peak¡¯s status was gradually rising (after all, Senior Sister An was a Second Grade Golden Core); the Penglai line had already connected with the Wan Xiang Immortal; the Demonic Path line had even located the whereabouts of the Hell Path. Everyone had a bright future. One day, Qiu Changtian, as usual, went with Junior Sister Xu to the Jade Void Palace to listen to the scriptures. After the scripture lecture, the Ziwei Master didn¡¯t dismiss everyone as usual but instead suddenly spoke up, ¡°You all must have heard about the recent turmoil at Mount Wutai, haven¡¯t you?¡± Qiu Changtian: ? What turmoil? wuxiaworld.site In the Scripture Lecture Hall, half of the Golden Core True Persons were clueless, while the others frowned; the Foundation Establishment disciples were all bewildered. Among them, the Golden Core Realm Senior Sister Zhao Xiaoran, who was direct and outspoken, took the lead and said, ¡°I heard that a Sect Leader named Wei Dongliu suddenly appeared on the Mortal Life Path, wielding the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword that had been lost for many years. Not only did he reunify the scattered Mortal Life Path, but he also exterminated all the big and small Buddhist temples within Mount Wutai.¡± ¡°Now Mount Wutai has completely turned into a demon¡¯s lair, and that Wei Dongliu also calls himself the ¡®Hunyuan Sect Leader,¡¯ standing on equal footing with the other five Sect Leaders¡­ I don¡¯t know if Master is referring to this matter?¡± Qiu Changtian: ??? What? The Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword is in my hands? How come I don¡¯t know about this?! On reflection, he realized that he had been so engrossed in practicing with Junior Sister Xu that nearly three years had passed on the Kunlun side. Three years, to a Kunlun Cultivator diligently practicing, was but a flick of a finger. But to the ever-changing outside world, earth-shattering changes may have already taken place ¨C it wouldn¡¯t be impossible for some mishaps to have occurred in his Wei Demon Lord game save. ¡°Indeed.¡± The Ziwei Master said leisurely, ¡°It is often said that for every foot the path rises, the demon stands ten feet tall.¡± ¡°Competition in the Demon Cult is always fierce, akin to sailing against the current.¡± ¡°In Kunlun, if you neglect your practice, you simply fade into the crowd; in the Demon Cult, a low Cultivation Level means being at the mercy of others.¡± ¡°A great era of conflict is imminent. You must not continue to overlook your path, or you will deeply regret it when the time comes.¡± The Ziwei Master waved his horsetail whisk, indicating that everyone was dismissed. Qiu Changtian waited for a while but seeing that his master didn¡¯t ask him to stay, he could only leave with Junior Sister Xu. After leaving the Scripture Lecture Hall, the two saw that Senior Sister Zhao Xiaoran had already been surrounded by a crowd and was being asked about that Wei Dongliu¡¯s situation: ¡°¡­this matter is, of course, true. Wei Dongliu has been declared an enemy of Buddhism by many great temples, and it is expected that this will be made public in the coming days.¡± ¡°The Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword? That¡¯s certainly true. It is said that whenever Wei Dongliu draws his sword, even senior monks on the path to Arhatship cannot withstand it. It seems that Wei Dongliu must be at the Immortal Realm, or at the very least, a high-ranking Nascent Soul.¡± ¡°Realm? I don¡¯t know about that. The seniors estimate that he must be at the level of a Golden Immortal or higher. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t be able to unleash the power of the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword to such an extent. Moreover, it is said that he has even subdued a Flying Asura to serve him¡­ one that is about to evolve into a drought demon! It¡¯s true, why would I lie to you?¡± Hearing this, Qiu Changtian could no longer stand it. If I had reached the Immortal Realm, would Kunlun be this tranquil? I would have stolen all your fragments of the Heaven-Mending Stone by now! ¡°Senior Brother?¡± Xu Yinglian, seeing his serious expression, thought he was worried about that Wei Dongliu matter and spoke up to comfort him, ¡°Senior Brother need not worry too much. If Wei Dongliu really is at the Immortal Realm, there must be sect elders to handle him, and we needn¡¯t be concerned.¡± Qiu Changtian forced a smile: Am I worried about not being able to beat Wei Dongliu? I¡¯m actually worried about him not being able to beat the sect¡¯s seniors, okay? Whoever boasts that I¡¯m at the Immortal Realm is going to have a problem with me! ¡°What is the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword?¡± Phoenix suddenly asked. So, Xu Yinglian began to introduce the Four Extermination Immortal Swords to Phoenix, while Qiu Changtian wandered back to the Golden Ridge Cave Abode, his mind elsewhere. ???G?.?? In the following days, he tapped into his various contacts to verify that Wei Dongliu¡¯s unification of Mount Wutai was indeed a fact. Integrating the Mortal Life Path was not difficult, but unifying Mount Wutai was a bit shocking. After all, the Mortal Life Path had been greatly fragmented in the past, with not only various fringe and heterodox factions running rampant but also several large and small Buddhist temples infiltrating it, trying to spread their influence into the Guanzhong and Jinji areas. The environment could be described as extremely chaotic. And then it suddenly unified, indicating just how disturbing the power of this master of the Mortal Life Path must be? Furthermore, all evidence proved that Wei Dongliu indeed had mastered the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword, with one stroke reducing all below Immortals into dust, and even strong Nascent Souls couldn¡¯t withstand it. No wonder the Kunlun Taiqing Sect was so nervous that even the Ziwei Master made a special mention of it. Alright then, the question arises: who can give me a Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword? Even one that¡¯s ninety percent new will do! ¡°Senior Brother.¡± Xu Yinglian returned to the cave abode and said, ¡°Will you accompany me back to the Xu Family? I need to return the secret scrolls to the clan.¡± Qiu Changtian had no objections and thus accompanied his junior sister back to the south, flying on their swords. After returning the secret scrolls to the clan, Qiu Changtian was about to say goodbye and leave when the patriarch of the Xu Family grabbed his arm, repeatedly asking: ¡°My dear son-in-law, I heard that the Mortal Life Path has been integrated by someone. Is that true?¡± ¡°It¡¯s true,¡± Qiu Changtian replied, ¡°The internal discussions for a countermeasure are currently underway within the sect.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± The patriarch expressed his anxious worries, ¡°There are rumors that the new master of the Mortal Life Path, Wei Dongliu, has forged a First Grade Immortal Infant¡­ I do not know whether it is true or false.¡± Qiu Changtian: ¡­¡­¡­ Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only In terms of the rarity of their rank, an Immortal Infant is even more precious than a First Grade Golden Core. After all, not all First Grade Golden Cores can give birth to an Immortal Infant, but an Immortal Infant is definitely born from a First Grade Golden Core. The patriarch¡¯s concerns were naturally born out of fear that Qiu Changtian, the Xu Family¡¯s son-in-law and ¡°the world¡¯s number one¡±, would have his reputation stolen by that Wei Dongliu-it was a genuine case of self-inflicted prestige loss, leaving one utterly speechless. So Qiu Changtian could only comfort the old patriarch, saying: ¡°The true cultivation level of that Wei Dongliu is still unknown. According to the sect, we cannot rule out the possibility that his cultivation is average and he is merely relying on the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword to show off his fierceness.¡± ¡°Sigh.¡± The old patriarch still could not find peace of mind and sighed, ¡°To be able to wield the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword to such an extent, if he isn¡¯t an Immortal, then he must be an Immortal Infant, what else could it be?¡± ¡°The era of great contention is approaching, and our Xu Family must also prepare to respond as soon as possible.¡± Chapter 572 Chapter 572: Chapter 97 The Bizarre Dragon Boat Festival Contest Chapter 572: Chapter 97 The Bizarre Dragon Boat Festival Contest ¡°` It didn¡¯t take long before nearly everyone in Kunlun knew the illustrious name of Wei Dongliu, the newly appointed leader of the Mortal Life Path of the Demon Cult. Not only that, everyone was feverishly speculating about Wei Dongliu¡¯s strength and realm, like whether he was at the Nascent Soul Realm or the Immortal Realm¡­ or, if he was an Immortal, whether he was a Golden Immortal or a Daluo Golden Immortal. After all, during Wei Dongliu¡¯s unification of Mount Wutai, he was said to have displayed very profound demonic techniques in the process of exterminating countless heterodox practitioners and numerous Buddhist temples. Some cultivators swore with absolute certainty that, when Wei Dongliu exterminated the Buddhist temples, one could see within a radius of ten thousand miles, gusts of sinister wind, layers of evil clouds, gods and demons giving way, the sun and moon darkened, akin to a seasoned demon, an unsurpassed fiend. Other cultivators seriously analyzed, saying that Wei Dongliu had always been hiding his true strength. In the past, no one had paid attention to his existence, and now he had suddenly emerged with a fearsome reputation, which must certainly imply a tremendous conspiracy behind him. There were even Kunlun cultivators who firmly claimed that this was a grand scheme laid by the Hell Path, intending to use heaven and earth as the chessboard, all living beings as chess pieces, with Wei Dongliu as the most crucial general, aiming at the Three Pure Orthodox Sect to turn the mortal world into purgatory. Faced with these conjectures, Qiu Changtian could only think that as long as everyone was happy, it was fine. He was actually very curious about logging into Wei Dongliu¡¯s account to see what was actually going on. However, this raised a question: When exactly was the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword obtained? Clearly, according to the law of the timeline, after he loaded the file for Wei Dongliu, he must have already obtained the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword at some point. wuxiaworld.site If it was Wei Dongliu who acquired the sword, that would be fine, but if it could only be obtained by Ling Yunpo, Luo Yan, or even Long Long, then the Time-Space Path would ensure to maintain the historical loop, causing him to encounter some serious incidents while playing Wei Dongliu. This would force him to switch to the corresponding character¡¯s save file to acquire the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword, as recorded in history. Therefore, it went without saying that the safer course of action was to switch to another character first to see if he could get the sword. If he managed to obtain it smoothly, naturally he could comfortably load Wei Dongliu¡¯s file ¨C rather than being pushed onto the stage prematurely by the Time-Space Path. ¡°Ah Jing,¡± Qiu Changtian ordered, ¡°load Ling Yunpo¡¯s file.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± the Kunlun Mirror began to cast the spell. [Location Two: Qingluo Peak of the Shushan Shangqing Faction.] [Character Identity: Ling Yunpo.] [Mirror Flower Water Moon Template overlay in progress, time-space traveling initiated.] Soon after arriving at Shushan, Ling Yunpo received another piece of unfortunate news. As the Dragon Boat Festival was approaching, the higher-ups at Shushan, in celebration of the festival, planned to hold a grand competition. What kind of thought process led to celebrating a festival with a Sect event that would likely lead to a bloodbath? Ling Yunpo couldn¡¯t comprehend it. In any case, ever since he was promoted to Golden Core True Person, Lin Duanshan and others visited him much less frequently. Ling Yunpo, of course, understood their mindset: even though they were his senior brothers and sisters, it was he, the junior brother, who formed his Golden Core and ascended to True Person first. Calling him junior brother felt embarrassing, and addressing him as ¡°Qing Heng True Person¡±¡­ suddenly made them feel a generation younger, which was all the more awkward. It was better to just seclude themselves in their peaks and devote to cultivation. Without the company of Lin Duanshan and others, the source of news at Qingluo Peak was largely cut off. Ling Yunpo didn¡¯t have a better solution and could only take time during his usual sparring sessions with his senior sister to go out and visit other Shushan Sect disciples, casually chatting to gather some information. One day, he received yet another invitation from Sima Changyan to a feast and a swordsmanship gathering. The so-called ¡°swordsmanship gathering,¡± akin to the ¡°poetry gathering¡± of the literati, was a private event among the Shushan Sword Immortals. The gatherings were divided into literary and martial events. The literary event was about the discussion of the experiences in swordsmanship, like when the old ancestor of the Guan Family gave lectures at the Guan household and then answered questions for the attendees, which was a typical literary event. The martial event, on the other hand, was about sparring and competing. It was relatively more violent, but it still followed the principle of stopping at the first strike; it wasn¡¯t like fighting the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal to the death, where one¡¯s sword artifact was easily broken, cultivation stagnated, and blood was vomited uncontrollably. ¡°` This sword gathering hosted by Sima Changyan is said to have invited many cultivators of the Golden Core Realm, making it an unadulterated literary gathering-after all, with his own Foundation Establishment Realm cultivation level, he was not qualified to preside over a martial tournament. Ling Yunpo had just arrived at the venue when he overheard several sword-carrying senior brothers drinking and chatting with sighs: ¡°Why must there be a grand competition during the good Dragon Boat Festival?¡± ¡°I had only managed to form my Golden Core, thinking I could rest for a few decades, but who would have thought that person would follow suit!¡± ¡°I heard that after Senior Brother Yu learned that the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal had achieved Core Formation, he was eager to go out for experience. Only after being caught by Master did he reveal the truth. It turned out he had an old grudge with the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal, and now that the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal had formed a Golden Core, and even a Second Grade one, he feared that the other party would take advantage of this Dragon Boat Festival competition to beat him to death!¡± ¡°Heh, but I heard that this Dragon Boat Festival competition is not the usual one-on-one duel, but rather¡­¡± Ling Yunpo was listening to a ¡°but rather¡± when someone interrupted and said: ¡°Shh, Ling Poyun has arrived, stop talking, stop talking.¡± The sword-bearing senior brothers all straightened up and sat upright, calmly sipping their wine, while Ling Yunpo was burning with anger but could only forcefully calm himself down. To stop talking halfway through, just because they saw me, what does that mean? Even if you¡¯re afraid of me, you should at least address me by my title ¡°Qing Heng True Person.¡± What do you mean by calling me Ling Poyun? Nevermind that you addressed me so informally, you even got my name backwards. I think you¡¯re all sick of living, aow! He entered the venue with an emotionless face and a gloomy expression, which quieted the chatter around him. Everyone instinctively ceased their conversations, merely drinking to mask the awkwardness, with a hint of guilt within. Hosting the sword gathering was a headache even for Sima Changyan. He, of course, knew that An Zhisu had formed a Second Grade Golden Core, making almost every Golden Core True Person in Shushan apprehensive about their safety¡­ Well, to say every person was being alarmist, it was mainly the newly promoted Golden Core True Persons of the Soul Storing Rank who felt a strong sense of crisis. As for those of the Root Seeking Rank and Obscure Weave Rank, they didn¡¯t regard her too highly since she was of a different generation and had not fought with many of them, hence they only had some negative impressions of her. However, Sima Changyan did not know those older generation senior brothers and sisters very well either. The Golden Core True Persons he was familiar with were almost all promoted from the Foundation Establishment Realm within the last century, and had not yet developed the feeling of superiority that comes with being an elder to Foundation Establishment disciples. ???G?.?0 Therefore, upon seeing Ling Yunpo step into the venue, everyone immediately remembered that he was the junior brother of the Second Grade Golden Core Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal, causing the atmosphere to drop rapidly, as if suddenly jumping from the peak of summer to December, leaving them with no interest to chat. Ling Yunpo glanced around and then nodded to Sima Changyan. Sima Changyan, always adept at socializing, quickly approached with a wine cup and said with a smile: ¡°Ah, Junior Brother Ling has finally arrived¡­ no, I should call you ¡®Qing Heng True Person¡¯ now. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Congratulations on your successful Core Formation, haha!¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just good fortune.¡± Ling Yunpo also picked up his cup and accepted the toast. Seeing that Ling Yunpo¡¯s attitude was decent, and he wasn¡¯t arrogant because his senior sister was a Second Grade Golden Core, nor furious because Sima Changyan called him ¡°Junior Brother Ling,¡± everyone collectively breathed a sigh of relief and resumed their quiet chatter. ¡°Speaking of which.¡± Ling Yunpo thought to himself that Sima Changyan was well-informed and asked, ¡°Is there any news about this Dragon Boat Festival competition?¡± ¡°It¡¯s like this,¡± Sima Changyan also intended to be on good terms with him and thus whispered, ¡°I heard that for this competition, Foundation Establishment Realm disciples will still contest within their Sects, while Golden Core True Persons will organize an expedition to the Tibetan Plateau in the west, to ambush the monks of the Asura Path, judging the competition by how many heads they claim.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Ling Yunpo nodded, ¡°But why start a conflict with the Asura Path out of nowhere?¡± ¡°Who knows.¡± Sima Changyan chuckled, ¡°Recently, the Asura Path went mad for some reason, sending people around Sichuan Shu to intercept and kill our Shushan disciples, even claiming that our Shushan Sect disciples stole their sect¡¯s sacred treasure.¡± ¡°It seems the leaders are unsatisfied because of this and intend to retaliate against the Asura Path, to severely kill off their fighting spirit.¡± So it¡¯s about a lost item¡­ Ling Yunpo suddenly realized in his heart. Alas, who knows which careless one accidentally picked up the Blood Saber of the Asura Path, leading to such a conflict between the two sects-it¡¯s really an endless cycle of troubles! Chapter 573 Chapter 573: Chapter 1 The Western Expedition to the Plateau Chapter 573: Chapter 1 The Western Expedition to the Plateau Back at Qingluo Peak, Ling Yunpo recounted the situation to Senior Sister An: ¡°¡­In short, it¡¯s all because our Sect¡¯s treasure was stolen, and the Asura Path has been ambushing our Shushan disciples recently. The higher-ups have decided to organize Golden Core True Persons to eliminate the demonic guards on the path, and they¡¯ve made this the official event for the Dragon Boat Festival competition.¡± ¡°If you ask me, although this initiative is launched by our Shushan, the responsibility lies entirely with the Asura Path: it was clearly their own lack of vigilance over the Sect treasure, so how can they blame the Shushan Sword Immortals? ¡°Perhaps the one who found it even intended to return it to the owner originally, but seeing you act so unreasonably, they changed their mind and decided not to return it!¡± ¡°Junior Brother¡¯s words are quite right,¡± An Zhisu said absently, her thoughts clearly already focusing on the competition. I¡¯m going to hunt people again? Yay, I¡¯ll take down ten! Ling Yunpo was naturally keenly aware of his Senior Sister¡¯s state of mind. In fact, Senior Sister An and Junior Sister Xu had many similarities but also differences. The similarity was that both were rather competitive. Among female cultivators in the Cultivation Realm, if they were not competitive, it was often difficult for them to rise to the top ranks of their peers. The difference was that Xu Yinglian merely despised losing. Being defeated by others made her feel humiliated-unless she truly couldn¡¯t win. wuxiaworld.site However, if there was no one ahead of her, she wouldn¡¯t insist on competing with others. But An Zhisu was completely different; after all, she had been spoiled by her father Su Jian since childhood. What she craved was not just victory but the exhilarating triumph of violently crushing her enemies. Junior Sister Xu loved to win, but Senior Sister An was contentious. This latter quality was quite common among Shushan Sword Immortals and was also the reason for the outsiders¡¯ derogatory term ¡°Shushan brutes.¡± Seeing that An Zhisu was already full of fighting spirit, Ling Yunpo knew there was no need to say more; Senior Sister An would definitely join him in the competition. Speaking of Core Formation, the Qi Refining Technique of Qingluo Peak initially only went up to the Refining Mansion Rank according to Su Jian; there wasn¡¯t even a Core Condensation Technique available, to say nothing of Golden Core Realm techniques. Fortunately, the two obtained the Supreme Sun and Moon Primordial Classic in the White Jade Capital Secret Realm, so there was no hindrance to their advancement in cultivation level. However, Su Jian¡¯s Seven Kills Sword Technique was also only passed down to An Zhisu up to the Refining Mansion Rank techniques. As for sword techniques of the Golden Core Realm¡­ Although Su Jian left behind swordsmanship scriptures, learning sword techniques from the scrolls was as unreliable as learning to build a nuclear bomb from a video; there could be significant errors in the subtleties. After all, in this era where the cultivation lineage is life, no one would write down the key secret techniques in such detail that others could steal the lineage just by reading the scriptures. Therefore, the two newly advanced Golden Core Sword Immortals could only spar with each other to sharpen their swordsmanship skills. It was akin to a nation that hadn¡¯t completed military mechanization having to develop a cavalry regiment-it was essentially a forced choice. Taking this into account, Ling Yunpo¡¯s eager invitation to Senior Sister An to take part in the Dragon Boat Festival expedition also contained these considerations: As the Asura Path of Iron City Mountain, lacking natural defenses and neighboring Shushan, also had a top-notch swordsmanship level, it wouldn¡¯t have survived the Shushan brutes otherwise. ???G?.?? If they could obtain the Golden Core Realm sword techniques of the Asura Path, even if they were incompatible with Qingluo Peak¡¯s Seven Kills swordsmanship lineage, practicing them at least provided some training due to their high rank. If that failed, they would have to rely on Wei Dongliu to procure a sword technique from the Golden Core Realm of the Demonic Path and then disguise it as a wartime spoils-the relations between Kunlun, Penglai, and Shushan were too close, and stealing their sword techniques could easily lead to slip-ups and be hard to explain. Fortunately, An Zhisu has always been obedient to this Junior Brother. As long as Ling Yunpo fabricated a somewhat plausible excuse and showed that ¡°I hope Senior Sister would do this,¡± An Zhisu would naturally agree, her compliance already at its peak. As time entered May, the conflict between Shushan and the Asura Path had escalated to an intense level. Masses of Shushan Golden Core Sword Immortals, under the leadership of Nascent Soul Elders, mobilized and headed westward to the highlands. The reason for breaking up into smaller groups was twofold: on one hand, to maximize the strength of the Shushan Sword Immortals, who excel in one-on-one battles, and on the other hand, it served as a clear indication that the goal was to severely damage the Asura Path, not to annihilate it completely. If it had been the Demon Race from the Eastern Emperor Realm, they would send out forces from several masters at a time, charging with the intention to eradicate and exterminate, a war approach entirely different from the other side¡¯s. Upon arriving near the Hengduan Mountains, the Nascent Soul Elder leading the Shushan group began to assign tasks: ¡°Next, we divide into three directions.¡± ¡°One team will follow me to the north to intercept reinforcements descending from Iron City Mountain.¡± ¡°The second team shall continue west to annihilate the main forces of the Asura Path¡¯s fiends on the plateau.¡± ¡°The third team shall turn southward, traveling along the mountain and river valleys to eradicate the remnants of the Demonic Path!¡± Upon hearing this, everyone eagerly looked towards the Nascent Soul Elder. The reason was simple: the first team would be fighting in the vicinity of Iron City Mountain, facing the greatest danger and the strongest adversaries, possibly even getting caught up in a battle with immortals¡­ of course, let¡¯s not forget that this was a grand competition, and when tallying the results for vanquishing enemies, the first team had the greatest probability to take the lead and receive subsequent rewards from the Shushan Shangqing Faction. The second team was to make their way from here to north of the Tanggula Mountains, a region where Asura Path cultivators were highly active (Ling Yunpo had faced his Tribulation here), but because their link with Iron City Mountain was cut by Shushan¡¯s first team, the likelihood was that the quality of adversaries faced by the second team would probably not be as high as the first¡¯s. Although their chances of winning the grand competition were not high, the biggest advantage wasn¡¯t sectarian rewards, but rather the spoils from defeated enemies after battle-once it came to magical combat, Shushan Sword Immortals held almost absolute confidence. As for the third team, even though they were tasked with sealing off the southern edge of the plateau¡¯s mountains and rivers, the cultivators who chose to flee southward from the plateau were already the weaker fish. Add in the complex terrain with alternating snow-capped mountains and rainforests, it made for a nice adventure, but to pursue and kill enemies¡­ that was simply impractical. Unlike the others who were competing to be assigned to the first team, Ling Yunpo watched from the sidelines with a cold gaze, sneering inwardly. It was certainly best to fight near Iron City Mountain, but only if there was a senior from the sect leading them. For instance, if an enemy Nascent Soul appeared, it would be intercepted by an elder Nascent Soul from one¡¯s own faction, thus enabling the Golden Core True Persons to fight with ease. However, for Qingluo Peak¡¯s Ling Yunpo, joining Senior Sister An in fighting near Iron City Mountain was tantamount to making a delivery: unprotected Second Grade Golden Core True Persons from Shushan arriving! Come take a bite! If the Nascent Soul Elder really were to send the two of them to the first team, Ling Yunpo would have no choice but to discuss with his Senior Sister how to find a place to hide and survive the grand competition. Fortunately, no matter how the Shushan higher-ups looked down on the Sentiment Inquiry Path, they weren¡¯t deranged enough to push their Second Grade Golden Core juniors to death. The other party simply gave a concise instruction, ¡°You of Qingluo Peak will follow the third team,¡± and then did not bother to give further orders. Ling Yunpo secretly sighed with relief, while An Zhisu¡¯s expression was evidently one of regret, knowing that she wouldn¡¯t be able to fight to her heart¡¯s content. After the team division was completed, the Shushan Sword Immortal group split into three. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only The second team had the most members, but the first team was the strongest; the third team not only had fewer people, but their strength was also relatively weaker, mostly comprised of newly promoted Golden Core True Persons. If they had been in the first or second team, they might have been interested in sticking together in groups, but having been assigned to the edge of the plateau, they didn¡¯t even feel like making small talk and soon scattered in different directions to seek out enemies. Ling Yunpo, following An Zhisu, traveled westward along the mountain range for several days and, as expected, didn¡¯t meet a single adversary. Tell me, if we keep moving forward, won¡¯t we enter the Kunlun Territory? Surely Senior Sister An won¡¯t run into Junior Sister Xu, haha. Chapter 574 Chapter 574: Chapter 2 The Secret Valley in the Mountains Chapter 574: Chapter 2 The Secret Valley in the Mountains The yak chewed the grass noisily. An Zhisu patted its honest head and then took out a handful of highland barley to feed it, and the yak kindly stretched over its head to nibble on the barley. Ling Yunpo watched boredly from the side. Although he was ¡°clearing remnants on the southern edge of the plateau,¡± he had been prepared to not encounter enemies for two or three days, but after six or seven days of not meeting anyone, even Ling Yunpo found the bad luck hard to accept. Could it really be that I came here to tour? I haven¡¯t even become daoist companions with Senior Sister, and here we are prematurely fulfilling our honeymoon, what a loss! Interestingly enough, when first assigned to the southern edge, An Zhisu felt a bit regretful, while Ling Yunpo was greatly relieved. Now, after six or seven days without encountering enemies, Ling Yunpo grew impatient, but An Zhisu, strangely enough, calmed down, began to explore the mountains and waters, taking great pleasure in it. Of course, the plateau scenery is also very beautiful, especially the boundless, pure blue sky, which can really make one feel broad-minded. If Qiu Changtian had not become sick of such scenes at Kunlun, it would have been even better. An Zhisu, who was born in Yangzhou and lived in Sichuan Shu, rarely went out for practice, and she truly enjoyed the magnificent scenery. Although Ling Yunpo was bored inside, seeing that Senior Sister liked it, he patiently accompanied her as she frolicked. After feeding the yak, Senior Sister An pointed excitedly at the distant snow mountain, saying: ¡°Junior Brother, let¡¯s go to the top of that mountain and have a look?¡± wuxiaworld.site The distant snow mountain appeared to be the highest peak around, so the two of them flew towards the snow peak rapidly, sword riding. Since the plateau was already near the sky, the two continued to climb even higher, and amidst the oncoming wind, they gradually heard the low whispers of Heavenly Demons, dream-like and illusory, beguiling and irresistible. As Qiu Changtian, who went to the Kunlun Heavenly Pillar each time, could hear similar words of the Heavenly Demon, even though Ling Yunpo did not have Daoist Heart Clarity, he was well-prepared, keeping his mind guarded. An Zhisu, having condensed the Sentiment Inquiry Path, guarded her mind at this moment as well, contemplating her junior brother¡¯s appearance and words, suddenly feeling her chest filled with endless positive emotions, hence she couldn¡¯t even hear the beguiling voices of the Heavenly Demon anymore. Among the three major schools, if it weren¡¯t for the Sentiment Inquiry Path¡¯s downside of having a lover, the enhancement effect on one¡¯s mood is actually higher than that of the Forgetting Love Path and the Ruthless Love Path. The two carefully resisted the low whispers of the Heavenly Demon, passing through the icy mist and wind-blown snow, eventually landing on the summit of the snow peak. This summit was a huge plateau with not even a single stone on it, as flat as if a road roller had passed over it. An Zhisu¡¯s playful spirit surged, and she elegantly stepped with her hands behind her back atop the peak, walking along the edge as if she was measuring the area with her steps. Ling Yunpo watched, thinking that it was impressive that Senior Sister had such a girlish side. ¡°Huh?¡± the Kunlun Mirror suddenly spoke. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Ah Jing?¡± Ling Yunpo asked with a smug smile, ¡°Is it your first time seeing such an adorable Senior Sister? Don¡¯t be jealous, study hard, and you can also be adorable¡­¡± ¡°Who¡¯s talking about your Senior Sister An?¡± the Kunlun Mirror replied irritably, ¡°I mean there¡¯s an illusion on the mountaintop! A large illusion, got it? Do your eyes only see women?¡± ¡°Mind your tone, Ah Jing!¡± Ling Yunpo said, contemplating, ¡°An illusion? What kind of illusion?¡± ¡°Of course, the flat mountaintop that you see,¡± the Kunlun Mirror responded, ¡°The mountaintop actually has a recessed crater, but the illusion has completely concealed it¡­ Do you want to go down and take a look?¡± Ling Yunpo did not immediately agree, but pondered and said: ¡°¡±¡±¡± ¡°Why would someone obscure the mountain pass with an Illusion Domain?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± the Kunlun Mirror responded. ¡°I have no recollection of this place, so it must not have been built in the distant past¡­ It feels like it should be a product of the late ancient times or the early ancient era.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s dispel this Illusion Domain,¡± Ling Yunpo said with sudden interest. ¡°I want to explore this mountain pass with Senior Sister An!¡± The Kunlun Mirror fell silent, but soon the mountaintop trembled violently. Suddenly, the ground underfoot collapsed inch by inch, and Ling Yunpo quickly pulled out the Myriad Bamboos Sword to stabilize his falling figure. He looked forward and saw An Zhisu also flying back on the Harsh Cold Sword, laughing: ¡°Who would have thought that inside this mountain, there hides another world.¡± ¡°Senior Sister, shall we go down and take a look?¡± Ling Yunpo proposed. ¡°Naturally,¡± An Zhisu nodded in agreement. The two spiraled down on their swords and saw that deep within the mountain, along the cliff face, seven Buddhist Pagodas had been constructed. ?0?G0.?? The Buddhist Pagodas were in the style of the Central Plains but had incorporated many highland characteristics, such as wind chimes with engraved tags hanging at the eaves corners and walls carved with complex and obscure Sanskrit, among other things. Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu landed on a platform and then entered a pagoda along the gallery. Descending the spiraling staircase, they saw a large number of embedded rock caves in the walls on either side. In each cave, there sat a mummified monk draped in a kasaya, each with a death expression incredibly fierce, whether with an open mouth, bared teeth, or bulging eyes, which was rather unsettling to behold. An Zhisu looked closely and said: ¡°These monks seem to have suffered a Heavenly Demon invasion and died after their spiritual essence and blood were drained away.¡± ¡°Mmm,¡± Ling Yunpo nodded. ¡°With no injuries on the body, the flesh withered, and a gaunt appearance, that¡¯s the only explanation.¡± ¡°Strange,¡± An Zhisu said, puzzled, ¡°Since their deaths are all uniform, it¡¯s possible they were all meditating together when they suddenly and simultaneously suffered a Heavenly Demon invasion and died.¡± ¡°Yes, it would be normal if an individual monk had a lapse in his mental state and then deviated,¡± Ling Yunpo also noticed the abnormality, ¡°So many people being invaded by the Heavenly Demon at the same time can¡¯t be explained by deviation¡­ It must be that they were collectively plotted against.¡± What exactly they fell victim to, however, remained unknown. Ever since Nuwa mended the heavens, Heavenly Demons had been unable to descend in hordes to the Lower Realm, only catching occasional, scarce opportunities to invade alone-such as being summoned by the Heavenly Demon Path as a sacrifice. Although An Zhisu was unaware of this, Wei Dongliu, having learned a great deal of Demon Cult techniques from the stone statues, knew that the Heavenly Demon Path did indeed possess some secret techniques that could summon extremely powerful Heavenly Demons. If it was a Demon King-level Heavenly Demon, consuming so many monks in an instant might be within its capabilities. The two continued to look around as they walked until they finally reached the bottom of the pagoda. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only After leaving the high tower, they saw a large number of skeletons scattered on the ground in the center of the seven high towers. Unlike the bodies from which the essence and blood had been drained, these skeletons were all charred and carbonized, clearly having been burnt to death by some extremely powerful Fire System spell. In the center, surrounded by the charred bodies, there stood an ancient-looking lamp stand. The lamp stand was empty, but underneath it, vertical lines of Sanskrit were inscribed. Ling Yunpo looked carefully, only to see that the translation of the Sanskrit clearly read: Eastern Pure Light Glazed Lamp. Chapter 575 Chapter 575: Chapter 3 Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword Chapter 575: Chapter 3 Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword At this moment, facing so many clues at the scene, the experienced Ling Yunpo had already guessed a rough outline in his heart. It seemed that these monks had gathered here to practice some kind of secret technique with great hidden danger (after all, they were all sitting upright in the cave) and relied on the Eastern Pure Light Glazed Lamp to preserve their spirit, so as not to be disturbed by the invasion of the Heavenly Demons. The result was like Zhuge Liang trying to extend his life; at the most critical moment, they met with an unexpected catastrophe: The Golden Crow Demon clan invaded this place, extinguished the monks guarding the Colored Glaze Lamp with fire system techniques, and stole the lamp away. The most valuable effect of the Colored Glaze Lamp itself was that it could emit a glimmer of brilliant glazed fire to illuminate the Great Thousand Worlds, making many evil spirits have nowhere to hide-including the notoriously elusive Heavenly Demons. Having suddenly lost the protection of the Colored Glaze Lamp, the monks were collectively attacked and killed by the Heavenly Demons. As for this Eastern Pure Light Glazed Lamp, it was later taken by the Golden Crows to the Eastern Emperor Realm, hidden in the secret chamber of the Fusang Divine Tree, and its whereabouts became unknown as the Golden Crow clan lost their territory. In the end, it was uncovered by Long Long and Long Hu, once again seeing the light of day. With that, many of the clues were linked together. Leaving out the matter of the Eastern Emperor Realm, Ling Yunpo shared his conjecture with An Zhisu. Of course, without knowing that the Eastern Pure Light Glazed Lamp was located in the Fusang Divine Tree of the Eastern Emperor Realm, Ling Yunpo¡¯s conjecture remained just that-a conjecture, with insufficient evidence. For instance, what proved that the fire system technique was cast by the demon who stole the lamp? Could it not have been cast by Human Race cultivators? Or by a magical treasure? wuxiaworld.site Or even a result of the monks¡¯ cultivation secret technique going out of control? But An Zhisu didn¡¯t have so many reservations about her junior brother, and as Ling Yunpo analyzed the situation seriously, she merely nodded along, simply going along with it. ¡°Based on such a conjecture, this place should have originally been a Buddhist Sect site, with a low probability of being set with traps,¡± Ling Yunpo finally concluded, ¡°Next, how about we split up and search to see if we can find some more useful information?¡± ¡°That sounds good,¡± An Zhisu agreed. After all, they were still in the same valley, and if anything were to happen, they could support each other in time. So Ling Yunpo chose another Buddhist Pagoda and stepped into it alone. Unlike the previous pagoda, this Buddhist Pagoda had no monks, but instead housed many alms bowls. Hmm, alms bowls? Ling Yunpo suddenly remembered that he had once entered a Buddhist temple when searching for the Flying Smoke Sword for Senior Sister An on Golden Turtle Island in the Southern Sea. There was a demon dressed as a monk in the temple. Despite having a high Cultivation Realm, it staunchly guarded the Demon-Imprisoning Hall behind it and did not leave. Inside the Demon-Imprisoning Hall, there were countless statues of Arhats holding alms bowls. ???G?.?? Each alms bowl imprisoned a Heavenly Demon. At that time, Wei Dongliu might not have known enough, but now Ling Yunpo was already aware that this Demon-Imprisoning Hall was the work of a great power from Buddhism¡¯s predecessor, the Western Cult. In Ancient Times, the Western Cult had two renowned leaders who most liked to forcibly recruit various demons and practitioners of side paths and heterodoxies under the guise of ¡°having a fate with our Western Cult,¡± and then ordered them to undertake arduous tasks that their disciples and followers were unwilling to do. The Buddhist temple on Golden Turtle Island, as a Western Cult site for imprisoning Heavenly Demons, was guarded by demons who had converted to Buddhism. Then, this mountain pass Buddhist Pagoda at the edge of the plateau, if it were to be a ¡°Heavenly Demon Prison¡± similar to Golden Turtle Island, with Buddhist converted demons as guards, it would also make sense logically. Considering that here there was also the Eastern Pure Light Glazed Lamp, a Buddhist Sect treasure for guarding, it indicated that the Heavenly Demons imprisoned here were much more dangerous than those on Golden Turtle Island. However, as the saying goes, no amount of human foresight can match the calculations of heaven. Golden Turtle Island, although not guarded by a Buddhist Sect treasure, was watched over by a loyal Golden Crow Demon, with the result that even though the Western Cult no longer existed, not many of the Heavenly Demons trapped there had escaped. Although the Eastern Pure Light Glazed Lamp suppressed this place, it seemed that the Golden Crow Demon tasked with guarding had rebelled, causing all the stationed Buddhist monks to die, and the imprisoned Heavenly Demon had also completely escaped. Ling Yunpo speculated as much, and upon checking the alms bowls, he found that indeed they had all been broken from the inside. Continuing down the corridor, Ling Yunpo planned to take a close look at the Buddhist statues around him and see what was different from those in the Demon-Imprisoning Hall at Golden Turtle Island. When he reached the end, he saw that the stone wall there was shattered, revealing a cave behind it. The entrance of the cave was wrapped in a thick mass of black fog, which light, air, and sound could not penetrate. It was unknown what was hidden behind it. Ling Yunpo looked closely and realized that the thick fog was composed of Heavenly Demon energies. Also known as ¡°Desire Qi,¡± it was the essence of the refined Seven Emotions and Six Desires. Once a cultivator was even slightly contaminated, their Daoist Heart would immediately collapse, falling into states of manic joy, sorrow, or rage, unable to extricate themselves. There were methods to counteract this, but most required the support of a corresponding rank. Of course, there were more cunning ways, such as using Daoist Heart Clarity for immunity, forcefully charging through with a Chaotic Demon Body, or simply letting Ah Jing and Qing Ping help¡­ ¡°Ah Jing, scan!¡± Ling Yunpo commanded adeptly. The Kunlun Mirror scanned for a moment and then replied: ¡°Inside there is a dried corpse, dead from having its essence blood drained.¡± ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Ling Yunpo asked unsatisfiedly, ¡°Are there no things like Storage Bags on the body?¡± ¡°No.¡± The Kunlun Mirror answered indifferently, ¡°There¡¯s only a Flying Sword accompanying the body.¡± ¡°Flying Sword?¡± Ling Yunpo pondered for a moment and said to the Green Duckweed Sword, ¡°Retrieve that Flying Sword for me.¡± ¡°Right away.¡± The Green Duckweed Sword shot out like lightning, disappearing into the thick fog. Almost simultaneously, the intense sound of metal clashing echoed like a rapid-fire machine gun. ¡°Ha!¡± Ling Yunpo¡¯s eyes brightened. A mere personal Flying Sword can actually exchange blows with my Green Duckweed? The next second, a black light shot out from the cave, as if to escape the tower in an instant. However, another black light that was released later, surpassed the first, smashing the previous one down to the ground like a swatted fly, creating a long, narrow crater. Only then did Ling Yunpo see clearly that it was a Sawtooth Sword with inconsistent edges and an antiquated design. ¡°What sword is this?¡± He reached out to pick up the sword, only to see it suddenly tremble, as though an unruly vicious dog, it seemed to want to slice at his right hand. The Green Duckweed Sword vibrated once more, knocking it back down to the ground again. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°A brazen thing deserves to be disciplined!¡± the Green Duckweed Sword said attentively, ¡°Sword Master, you need not concern yourself with me; I will take care of this antique for you.¡± ¡°What on earth is this sword?¡± Ling Yunpo thought to himself. This sword was so insolent, it seemed to be more than just an ordinary sword. ¡°This sword is called the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword, and it has three siblings,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword said with a laugh, ¡± Combined, the strength of the Four Swords is considerable, but alone, it¡¯s truly not a concern. Allow me to train this sword for you, Sword Master.¡± Ling Yunpo:¡­¡­ Hmph, all within my expectations! Chapter 576 Chapter 576: Chapter 4: Brothers All Come to the Rescue Chapter 576: Chapter 4: Brothers All Come to the Rescue Next, the Qing Ping Sword thoroughly thrashed the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword. It was quite strange. The Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword, being an eleventh rank Flying Sword, should have had supremely powerful Sword Dao Techniques. However, against the Qing Ping Sword, it was simply and unilaterally outclassed, unable to even use its techniques¡­ or perhaps it was incapable? Ling Yunpo, having been the Shushan Sword Immortal for so many years, naturally had extraordinary insight and noticed at a glance that whenever the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword tried to activate its Daoist Magic, and black light flashed on the sword, it would be precisely struck by the Qing Ping Sword, dispersing the gathered True Yuan. Unlike swords with masters, a rudderless sword had to draw the True Yuan needed to activate its Sword Dao Techniques from within itself. But a Flying Sword itself must also engage in the frontline battle; therefore, when facing the Qing Ping Sword, experienced and immediately countered by various spells, it was greatly distressed. In short, the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword used all sorts of moves but failed to retaliate with even a single technique. In the end, it could only fight desperately, letting out all its black light in full eruption, seemingly prepared to release a major move. Ling Yunpo acted swiftly, directing the Qing Ping Sword to prepare for the enemy¡¯s ultimate move, but then he saw the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword shake violently and emit an earthshaking sword cry. The penetrating power of that cry was so strong it made Ling Yunpo¡¯s eardrums hum. Thanks to his innate talent to Resonate with the Sword due to his Innate Sword Bone, he could even vaguely understand the meaning conveyed in that sword cry: I¡¯m so angry! wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co I¡¯m so freaking angry! Afterward, the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword flung itself to the ground, like a spiritless piece of scrap metal. It completely gave up. Ling Yunpo acted quickly, manipulating the Qing Ping Sword into a beam of Sword Light and wrapped around the fallen Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword, securing it into the Sword Box on his back. Indeed, not long after it was secured in the box, An Zhisu heard the sword cries from the outside and rushed in: ¡°Junior Brother! Junior Brother, are you alright? Junior Brother¡­¡± Seeing Ling Yunpo standing there safe and sound, she breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Senior Sister,¡± Ling Yunpo said with a bewildered face, ¡°Just now a Flying Sword burst out from there. After crossing swords with it for a moment, it suddenly let out a loud cry and then flew out.¡± After listening to him, An Zhisu sighed and said: ¡°I see, it must have been a high-rank Immortal Sword. Suddenly breaking free, it¡¯s normal for it to be so unyielding.¡± ¡°Junior Brother, there¡¯s no need for regret. Aside from the Life-bound Sword Artifact, all other swords are external to oneself. ???g?.?? To have it is lucky, to lose it is fate. To dwell on it too much is to fall into a lower state of mind.¡± ¡°I understand, Senior Sister,¡± Ling Yunpo nodded, smoothly treating it as a minor issue, ¡°That sword was exceptionally fierce. Just by looking, one could tell it wasn¡¯t a proper Daoist Immortal Sword; I actually didn¡¯t want to keep it for my own use¡­¡± Before he finished speaking, he felt the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword inside the Sword Box starting to struggle violently. And then it was suppressed by both the Qing Ping and Thunderbane swords combined. ¡°Indeed,¡± An Zhisu smiled, ¡°If it truly is a Demon Sword that refuses to be tamed, even if we obtain it by chance, it would be of no use and could only be thrown into the Sword Pool.¡± ¡°Since it has already escaped, we need not concern ourselves with it any longer.¡± The two of them continued their search for other Buddhist Pagodas, unaware that the sound of that sword cry was not only loud but also had an exceptional penetrating force that quietly crossed the Divine Land Continent. Off the coast of Yangzhou, atop the great Dishan. The leader of the Heavenly Demon Path, Dugu Xie, was presiding over the sect¡¯s ceremonial ritual when she suddenly heard an extremely loud sword cry. ¡°What is this¡­¡± She frowned and looked toward the source of the sound, which was the location of Grand Ancestor Zi Zai¡¯s seclusion. Is the Heavenly Demon Immortal Slaying Sword calling out? Beneath the Nine Serenities Underworld, on a boat upon the River of Forgetfulness, an old man was having a drink-off with the boatman. The Nine Nether Slaying Immortal Sword placed on the table suddenly emitted an intense, ringing hum, which was promptly subdued by the old man laying a hand on it, and it returned to calmness immediately. ¡°I¡¯ve caused you amusement,¡± the old man said, unperturbed. ¡°The Blood Sea Ancestor can¡¯t even control his own Immortal Sword; he should punish himself with three drinks,¡± the boatman laughed heartily. Atop the Mount Wutai Range, on Central Peak, at the Unchanging Summit. The Blood Sea Ancestor still remained in dry meditation beneath a rocky outcrop, but suddenly felt the Blood Sea Trapping Immortal Sword on his back begin to vibrate intensely. ¡°Oh, has the Extermination Immortal Sword finally revealed itself?¡± he asked indifferently, eyes still wrinkled shut, ¡°Where is it?¡± ¡°In the southwest direction¡­ so, is it Shushan?¡± The Heavenly Demon Path, Nether Ghost Path, and Mortal Life Path almost simultaneously heard the sword chant of the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword. Looking towards the southwest, discounting the unlikely possibility of small sects, there were only three possibilities: The Shushan Shangqing Faction, the Southern Border¡¯s Eastern Emperor Path, and the Iron City Mountain¡¯s Asura Path. The latter two both belonged to the Six Paths and could easily find out with a simple inquiry. If they stubbornly denied it, unless they never intended to use the Extermination Immortal Sword, denying it was pointless. But if both denied it, then if the sword fell into Shushan¡¯s hands, that would complicate matters-as long as the treasure of the Intercepting Cult was in the possession of Long Eyebrow, the only hope of retrieving it was by defeating him. However, if Long Eyebrow had already obtained the sword by this time, with his level of cultivation, it would be utterly impossible for the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword to emit any sword chant at all. This meant that the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword had not yet fallen into the hands of any immortal¡­ With this thought, the Three Sects sent out their top experts in an urgent rush towards the Sichuan Shu direction. No matter what, they had to surround Shushan first to forbid any soldier or cultivator from entering the mountain, especially any suspicious cultivators carrying a mysterious Immortal Sword! Near Iron City Mountain, red-clothed barbarian monks were engaged in an unending battle with the Shushan Sword Immortals, when suddenly the crisp sound of a wooden fish being struck arose from behind. Striking the wooden fish signified a retreat, thus the barbarian monks fought as they withdrew, quickly returning to Iron City Mountain. Of course, the Shushan Sword Immortals did not dare to advance rashly, nor were they so arrogant as to think they could breach the protective array of the Asura Path and charge at the lesser soldiers. Their objective to reassert their dominance was already achieved, so they proudly patrolled around, gathering the spoils of war left on the battlefield. Until urgent news from Shushan also reached the frontline: ¡°The Great Contest is temporarily cancelled, retreat immediately!¡± The Sword Immortals looked at each other in confusion, uncertain about what had happened on Shushan¡­ or rather, with Long Eyebrow Immortal defending and the Jade Capital Sect Leader holding the teachings, was there anything to worry about at all? But the source of the message was legitimate, indeed an urgent order sent from the Emei Golden Summit. Therefore, they could only follow the example of the red-clothed barbarians, retreating quickly and orderly from the battlefield. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only One group, due to the abundance of Nascent Soul Elders, had no real sense of danger; after all, let the seniors handle it if anything came up. The second group had the most members and the broadest network of information, receiving the news about half an hour after the first group and finally got the message. Only the third group, composed of disparate fighters each battling on their own, could not gather together, much less access a channel to know about the unforeseen events occurring behind them. Therefore, Ling Yunpo spent another hour with Senior Sister An, meticulously searching the remaining Buddhist Pagodas. After ensuring they had not missed any opportunity for loot and completely unaware of the horrendous troubles they had stirred, the pair of master and disciple finally mounted their Flying Swords and left the mountain pass. Chapter 577 Chapter 577: Chapter 5 It¡¯s Late Chapter 577: Chapter 5 It¡¯s Late ¡°` Sometimes, the onset of great chaos can be triggered by a seemingly insignificant spark. With the three branches of the Demon Cult mobilizing their forces, pressing hard on Shushan¡¯s periphery, news quickly reached the ears of the high-ranking members of the Eastern Emperor Path in the Southern Border and the Eastern Emperor Path in the Western Regions. The initial response of both paths was simple: to curl up like hedgehogs, pull back all their forces, and prepare for defense and counterattack. It is known that among the Six Paths, besides the Hell Path, which regards itself as the ¡°direct heir of the Intercepting Cult,¡± the relationship between the Heavenly Demon Path and the Nether Ghost Path, both originating from the Intercepting Cult, is the best. The Mortal Life Path, due to its mixed heritage, often has no choice but to cling tightly to the coattails of the former two. The Eastern Emperor Path and the Asura Path, being considered ¡°stepchildren¡± from outside, therefore often receive news somewhat later. Thus, upon receiving the news, the first reaction of these two sects was ¡°let¡¯s stabilize first,¡± followed by ¡°then report and investigate further.¡± Regrettably, although everyone had planted spies in the other sects, this time the issue concerned the treasured Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword of the Intercepting Cult, and the information was always controlled by the upper echelons and even the old ancestors. Many of the lower-tier disciples were completely clueless, not to mention the spies- ¡°In any case, since the other three paths have mobilized their troops, we cannot fall behind,¡± the Asura Path decided quickly after the deliberations of the water and land Dharma assembly, ¡°Organize a counterattack immediately!¡± Thus, Iron City Mountain was once again in action, with a mass of red-robed monks sweeping across the plateau like a flock of vultures, chasing down the Shushan Sword Immortals who had not managed to evacuate in time. In the Southern Border, the recently returned Elder Mad Dragon from the Eastern Emperor Path issued a very simple command: Tear them apart! wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site I want to see rivers of blood! Wahahaha¡­ Consequently, the number of Demon Cult Cultivators on the outskirts of Shushan continued to increase, even surpassing the scale and ferocity of the previous ¡°hundred thousand demons and fiends attacking Penglai.¡± At this time, Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian were still training their divine sense in the secret domain of the Divine Flame Path, while Kunlun had also quickly received the news. To assist or not? Penglai has never been known for its combat strength, and having suffered heavy losses last time, it certainly wouldn¡¯t be able to offer timely aid from afar this time. On Kunlun¡¯s side, the high echelons were inclined to render assistance, after all, as the Clarity Cult¡¯s Three Pure Ones are branches from the same origin, but¡­ But Shushan has not asked for help, and we simply can¡¯t take the initiative to get involved-it would seem too eager and undignified. Thus, the Ziwei Master decided directly: do not make any major announcements for now, wait for Shushan to send a request for help before doing anything. This Sect Leader was indeed cunning and farsighted, because Shushan indeed had no plans to ask for help at that time. ¡°This mobilization of the Demon Cult is quite peculiar,¡± the peak masters and elders discussed in unison at the Emei Golden Summit¡¯s ancestral hall, ¡°firstly, it¡¯s extremely hasty, they are fighting separately, and there aren¡¯t any signs of a unified command like last time when they besieged Penglai.¡± ¡°Secondly, they not only failed to jointly set up the Immortal Slaying Sword Formation but even their ordinary formations were set up separately, showing that they had not coordinated with each other before coming to attack, but rather it was a spur-of-the-moment decision.¡± ¡°I see,¡± the Jade Capital Sect Leader looked around at the various peak masters and elders, ¡°Have all the true persons from your peaks been brought back?¡± ¡°They¡¯ve been brought back,¡± the peak masters nodded in unison. In fact, not everyone had been recalled because evacuations had been so rushed, and in this world, there was nothing like mobile phones. It was quite normal for some people not to receive the message in time. The Nascent Soul Elders had only ensured that the elite Golden Core True Persons from their own sectors had each returned to their sects; as for those True Persons who were not informed in time or couldn¡¯t evacuate, they could only hope that they would embody the fighting spirit of the Shushan Sword Immortals and keep themselves alive out there. ¡°` ¡°Very good,¡± the Jade Capital Sect Leader nodded, then suddenly sensed something was amiss. Hmm? ¡°Where are the people from Qingluo Peak?¡± He abruptly remembered something and exclaimed in alarm, ¡°Where are the True Persons Jiao Xiao and Qing Heng from Qingluo Peak?¡± All the Peak Masters and Elders looked at each other perplexedly, their first thought being: Why ask us about the people from Qingluo Peak instead of asking the Peak Master of Qingluo Peak? Then they remembered: Oh, Qingluo Peak doesn¡¯t have a Peak Master. Su Jian is in closed-door meditation. Finally, they were struck with fear: Does this mean that neither of them has returned? This was a grave matter! To be fair, everyone disliked those two from Qingluo Peak, for several reasons: the feud with Su Jian, the heterodoxy of the Sentiment Inquiry Path, the attitude of the Long Eyebrow Immortal¡­ the list goes on. If they were merely ousted in internal competition, it would be one thing, but now that True Person Jiao Xiao had formed a Second Grade Golden Core, if they were ambushed and killed by the Asura Path, the outside world wouldn¡¯t see it as Jiao Xiao¡¯s own fault. They would say the Shushan Shangqing Faction had fallen so far as to not even be able to protect their own promising Second Grade Golden Core True Person. At that time, Shushan¡¯s reputation would be utterly ruined. Forget competing with Kunlun for first place; they might even be spoken of in the same breath as Penglai for a very long time! ¡°We must rescue them!¡± the Jade Capital Sect Leader immediately declared. Thus, they faced a second problem: Who should go for the rescue? Keep in mind that at this point, the Demon Cult¡¯s members surrounded the outside, and if the rescue team¡¯s overall strength wasn¡¯t strong enough, rashly venturing out would certainly lead to being encircled and devoured by the Demon Cult. But if they sent out a sufficiently powerful rescue team, it would inevitably weaken the defensive forces at Shushan¡¯s main base. While the Shushan high echelons were in great turmoil, Ling Yunpo on the highland had yet to sense anything was wrong, merely strolling through the rainforest with Senior Sister An. To the south of the mountains at the edge of the highlands, the altitude dropped sharply, and a vast expanse of rainforest quickly came into view. The rainforest teemed with miasma, and ordinary cultivators could easily fall prey without preparation, but An Zhisu and Ling Yunpo had experience in dealing with miasma and were inherently vigorous, so even while traveling through the rainforest, they could still move with ease. An Zhisu even encountered a group of monkeys in the rainforest¡­ The monkeys incessantly plucked wild fruits and hurled them down, which Senior Sister An skillfully deflected with her Immortal Sword, emerging unscathed. However, the monkeys threw the fruits with even greater zeal as if they had found an amusing toy. It was not until Ling Yunpo wielded his Sword Dao Techniques, using Water System Sword Qi to chop down all the surrounding trees, sending branches flying, that the group of monkeys scattered in fright. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± An Zhisu pursued relentlessly and exclaimed cheerfully, ¡°We¡¯re going to steal the wine they¡¯ve brewed!¡± They quietly followed the monkeys and upon finding their habitat, Ling Yunpo cast the Green Mist Veil Over the Mountains, and the surrounding rainforest was immediately enveloped in thick fog that reduced visibility to nil. An Zhisu took the opportunity to search every tree and managed to find a hollow of wine in a hollow tree¡­ Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ?????.?? She stole all of it like she had found a precious treasure, filling her wine gourd to the brim. The two slipped away under cover of the thick fog, and once they had completely escaped the rainforest, they burst into hearty laughter. But their laughter soon faded. Because standing before them were dozens of blood-robed monks from the Asura Path, all harboring ill intent, brimming with a murderous aura. Chapter 578 Chapter 578: Chapter 6: Iron Vein Elder, Thousand-Mile Pursuit Chapter 578: Chapter 6: Iron Vein Elder, Thousand-Mile Pursuit Ling Yunpo had rehearsed countless times. Scenarios like a sudden exposure of identity, Senior Sister An suddenly realizing something was wrong, being surrounded and attacked by Shushan elders, or even being captured and killed by the Long Eyebrow Immortal had all been considered¡­ In terms of response and quick wits in the face of danger, he feared no one present could match him. Therefore, while Senior Sister An and the Demon Path monks from Asura Path on the opposite side were still recovering from the shock of the unexpected encounter, he had already merged with the Qing Ping Sword into Man-Sword Unity. His Sword Light enfolded An Zhisu and he turned around, rushing toward the south. The reason for not entangling with these monks was extremely simple: The audacious presence of so many monks on the plateau without any restraints or disguise indicated that the offensive and defensive postures of the Asura Path and Shushan had reversed, and now it was definitely the Asura Path that had the upper hand. Other peaks of Shushan Sword Immortals have the protection of Nascent Soul Elders, but our Qingluo Peak does not, and among the group of monks opposite us, who knows if there are any Nascent Soul Rank elders? If you are involved, you will surely suffer the consequences! It wasn¡¯t until the Sword Light had charged almost a hundred yards that the monks abruptly came to their senses. Weren¡¯t the two people before them Qing Heng and Jiao Xiao True Person from Shushan? Whether from Kunlun, Penglai, or Shushan, almost all well-known Orthodox Sect cultivators with enough potential had made it to Mount Wutai¡¯s wanted list. Kill one person, get a reward. ???G?.?? The upper echelons of Mortal Life Sect personally guarantee it, they said, reliable for young and old alike. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.Co However, although these bounties were enough to tempt any Demon Cult cultivator sunken in internal strife, the difficulty of hunting them down was so great that it made even more cultivators hesitant to try. The reason is simple: the protection of the Orthodox Sects. Among them, even though Qing Heng was a Third Grade and Jiao Xiao was a Second Grade Golden Core, it was said that they were not favored by the high levels of Shushan. Thus, they often had to venture out on their own in search of opportunities, making them significantly easier targets than other Orthodox Sect cultivators. As a result, most Demon Path cultivators took note of their appearance. Now seeing Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu running away, how could the monks from the Asura Path not recognize them? They immediately split into two groups: Two-thirds of them chased after them at full speed. The remaining third went back to Iron City Mountain to bring back the elders so that they could swallow up these two pieces of fat meat altogether! Ling Yunpo, carrying An Zhisu, quickly broke free from the plateau and entered the rainforest to the south. ¡°Ah Jing,¡± he quickly asked, ¡°Are the pursuers still behind us?¡± ¡°They¡¯re still following.¡± Kunlun Mirror answered, ¡°They are using spirit eagles to watch you.¡± Following Ah Jing¡¯s directions, Ling Yunpo saw a hardly discernable black dot on the distant horizon. It turned out to be the spirit eagle of the Asura Path. These birds had their eyes long trained by the monks using secret techniques, giving them an incredibly far sight range, even surpassing that of an average cultivator¡¯s attack range. Ling Yunpo estimated and understood that at this distance, probably only Qiu Changtian¡¯s Thunder Method could reach. Rather than risking exposure of his identity by using the Thunder Method, it would be better to fly at low altitude with his Senior Sister, using the canopy of the rainforest to escape pursuit. With this in mind, Ling Yunpo quickly exchanged a glance with An Zhisu, and the two of them simultaneously lowered their Sword Control altitude and disappeared into the woods. Sword Control through the forest required dodging potentially protruding trunks and branches while flying at high speed. Most cultivators, lacking the necessary reaction speed, were forced to reduce their flying speed. But Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu, having practiced the Seven Kills Sword Technique for many years, had long since developed the ability to multitask. Not only did their Sword Control not slow down, but their Life-bound Sword Artifacts led the way, slashing from side to side, clearing away any obstructing branches, to avoid getting cut during high-speed flight. ¡°Did we shake them off?¡± Ling Yunpo asked again. ¡°We shook off the original pursuers,¡± Ah Jing with the lightning radar quickly reported, ¡°But a new one has shown up, and he¡¯s faster than you, rapidly closing in!¡± Ling Yunpo snorted coldly and instantly burst out from the treetops on his Flying Sword, his gaze darting quickly backwards. There he saw a burly, bald monk with a gleaming, shiny scalp, dressed in a bright red cassock, holding a purple-gold alms bowl in his left hand and clasping ironwood prayer beads in his right, stepping through the air towards him with an advanced technique. ¡°I am Ge¡¯ermu,¡± the monk declared, raising his hand in salute, and announced loudly, ¡°Spare a moment for some guidance, Qing Heng and Jiao Xiao True Persons!¡± After speaking, his raised hand suddenly slapped through the air, and a powerful surge of energy transformed into a huge black palm, following his movement thunderously down onto Ling Yunpo¡¯s head! In a flash of lightning, Ling Yunpo barely had time to turn the Qing Ping Sword upward for a stab, only to feel an unbearable force coming through the sword, sending the Qing Ping Sword flying back at him in an instant. Monk Ge¡¯ermu, however, was taken aback: despite being a Nascent Soul Cultivator himself and using the fiercely powerful Great Hand Seal, he had not managed to break the Shushan cultivator¡¯s life-bound sword artifact, but merely knocked it away? This Shushan¡¯s Qing Heng True Person had just advanced to Third Grade Golden Core, but his root bone and the grade of his Flying Sword were indeed superior. Not bad at all! Worthy of being a disciple of that Seven Kills guy! He burst into hearty laughter, then suddenly turned and reached straight for the Flying Smoke Sword coming at him from behind. An Zhisu¡¯s gaze grew sharper, and the Flying Smoke Sword, following the changes in her Sword technique, nimbly passed beneath Ge¡¯ermu¡¯s palm and struck his lower abdomen, emitting a dull sound akin to breaking leather. To no avail, it didn¡¯t penetrate at all, barely tearing his cassock. An Zhisu quickly retreated to Ling Yunpo¡¯s side and said, ¡°This man is the Iron Vein Elder.¡± Ling Yunpo¡¯s expression also darkened. Asura Path monks with their personal names and Dharma names tend to be quite difficult to remember, so the Central Plains cultivators often prefer to disregard their names, giving them easier-to-remember nicknames. The Iron Vein Elder was one such notorious Nascent Soul Elder from the Asura Path. His Cultivation Realm wasn¡¯t particularly high, but he was extremely skilled in magical combat. The most troublesome aspect was his practice of the secret ¡°Iron Vein¡± technique, which could harden the skin of his entire body to become impervious to blade and spear. Even the sharpest of Flying Swords could hardly penetrate an inch, earning him the nickname ¡°Shushan¡¯s Nemesis.¡± After all, facing the Iron Vein Elder, the attribute of the Immortal Sword itself was rather irrelevant ¨C no matter how sharp, it was ineffective against the Iron Vein Dharma Body. It required the Cultivator himself to have a high enough Cultivation Realm and True Yuan to be robust enough for the Immortal Sword to breach the elder¡¯s defenses. Ling Yunpo, having formed a First Grade Golden Core, possessed True Yuan far superior to his peers but still no match for a Nascent Soul Cultivator. Which meant that relying solely on the Immortal Sword would likely be insufficient to break this man¡¯s defense. With this thought, anger surged in his heart, a fierce courage rising at the edge of his fear, wishing he could immediately knock Senior Sister An unconscious, surround the opponent with Five Elements Divine Light to obliterate him, and follow up with a Tai Xiao Thunder to kill Ge¡¯ermu across ranks on the spot. Of course, that was impossible. It was best to honestly make a run for it with the senior sister. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Ling Yunpo gave another meaningful glance to An Zhisu, who immediately understood tacitly. Their figures shook in unison, and they both executed the Cloud-Parting Eight Trigrams Step, disappearing from Ge¡¯ermu¡¯s sight in a blink. ¡°Interesting,¡± Ge¡¯ermu said not with anger but delight, his eyes narrowing with greed, ¡°So now there are Shushan cultivators who practice stepping techniques? And judging by the speed of movement, it¡¯s no less than my Revolving Wheel Godly Step!¡± He continued, ¡°In that case, this technique must indeed be fated for me! In appreciation of your coming here to form this connection, I will simply send you to paradise, leaving your corpses intact, and I won¡¯t even claim the reward!¡± Chapter 579 Chapter 579: Chapter 7: The Irrefutable Protection Chapter 579: Chapter 7: The Irrefutable Protection After crossing a vast rainforest, there lay the Southern Sea. The Southern Sea was vast and boundless with no end in sight. Two sword lights sped through hurriedly when suddenly behind them, the Vajra Dharma Aspect rose, standing a hundred zhang high, with three heads and six arms, wielding many weapons, and heavily smashing down towards the sea surface below. As the weapons hit the sea, the water that splashed up was like a dense volley of arrows, instantly engulfing the two sword lights in front, the sound of breaking through the air was incessant. After the splashes fell, the two sword lights were unharmed and continued to rush forward at full speed. Though it seemed effortless and without harm, only Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu knew the immense pressure they faced within. The water arrows were so dense just now that both he and An Zhisu had to stop controlling their swords in unison and used the Cloud-Parting Eight Trigrams Step to move within a small area, precisely dodging the aftermath of each attack under the high pressure. A slight misstep, nicked by a water arrow, would result in flesh being torn and even bones broken-the two of them had not cultivated the disgusting Iron Vein secret technique that immunized against physical attacks. Huh? But that¡¯s not entirely true. If Senior Sister An weren¡¯t here, he could switch to the Long Long template, and he should be able to withstand a few hits head-on¡­ but indeed, only a few. In the end, it was still a matter of being overwhelmed by sheer disparity in cultivation realm and strength. This Iron Vein Elder not only cultivated body refining secret techniques to amp up his defenses, making the Immortal Sword unable to break through, but he also cultivated stepping techniques to increase speed, leaving even Sword Immortals who practiced Man-Sword Unity unable to escape, so it¡¯s no wonder he was called the ¡°Shushan nemesis¡± by the outside world. wuxiaworld.site If an ordinary Demon Path Cultivator dared to use this nickname, they would¡¯ve been killed by the brutes of Shushan with a few stabs long ago. ¡°Junior Brother, be careful!¡± An Zhisu suddenly said, her figure shifted as if to block the damage for him. Without a word, Ling Yunpo decisively embraced Senior Sister An like lightning, twirling her in his arms as if dancing a waltz, just barely evading the Demon-Subduing Pestle smashing down beside them. Another water column shot up into the sky, nearly a hundred zhang high, causing Ling Yunpo¡¯s body to tremble from the shock. With such a terrifying force, if they had failed to dodge just now and got directly hit, wouldn¡¯t they have been reduced to bones and ash? An Zhisu also wore a face filled with lingering fear, fully aware that just now both she and her junior brother had narrowly brushed past the reaper. She pressed her lips together in thought for a moment, then quickly made a decision, biting her teeth determinedly and calling out: ¡°Junior Brother, you first¡­¡± Seeing her expression, Ling Yunpo knew what she wanted to say and interrupted her incantation: ¡°Senior Sister! You go first! I¡¯ll hold off this demon monk for you!¡± An Zhisu: ??? ¡°Since when does a junior brother lay down his life for his senior sister!¡± she called out, ashamed and angry. ¡°Oh, so you know it¡¯s going to one¡¯s death!¡± Ling Yunpo retorted. Trying to steal my unyielding character explanation, I think Senior Sister you are the one not making any sense! Ge¡¯ermu, who had cultivated the Heavenly Ear Technique, had exceptionally good hearing, and caught every word of the couple¡¯s conversation, leisurely halting his attack and chanting with one hand up: ¡°Amitabha. You owe me a life, I repay your debt, through this cause and condition, across hundreds of thousands of kalpas, always amidst life and death. Your love for my heart, my pity for your form, through this cause and condition, across hundreds of thousands of kalpas, always entangled.¡± Ling Yunpo: ¡­¡­¡­ Although he didn¡¯t understand Buddhist principles, he could more or less detect the monk mocking their ¡®entangled predestined relationship,¡¯ and immediately scolded: ¡°You monastic, utterly ignorant of propriety! ???G0.?? To kill is to kill, discussing others¡¯ private matters is hardly the way of Buddhist Sect, right?¡± ¡°The benefactor misunderstands,¡± Ge¡¯ermu said with a smile, ¡°Moved by the moment, I chanted a few phrases from the ¡®Stern Sutra,¡¯ it¡¯s nothing to concern oneself with.¡± With that said, his tone shifted leisurely as he continued: ¡°Observing the stepping technique you both used just now, it seems to have some affinity with Buddhism¡­¡± Upon hearing this, Ling Yunpo stiffened, immediately realizing what the other was up to. Silently circulating the mental method in his Dantian to quickly restore True Yuan, Ling Yunpo verbally responded: ¡°Well said, since there¡¯s an affinity with Buddhism, Senior Sister and I will return, transcribe the stepping technique onto scripture scrolls, find a temple, light incense candles and burn it, offering it to the Buddhas of the Western Paradise.¡± A smile had been on Ge¡¯ermu¡¯s face, but upon hearing the latter half of the speech, his expression darkened immediately as he raised his palm and said: ¡°Since both benefactors still cling to earthly attachments, let this poor monk relieve you two of them¡­¡± Before his words had settled, he flipped his hand and struck another Great Hand Seal, its force stirring up a hundred-yard-high tsunami that pounded down like the heavens collapsing. Such was the terror of a Nascent Soul¡¯s power! Even a casual attack seemed like a natural disaster, impossible to withstand! Ling Yunpo felt despair in his heart and thought to himself: Since you only know to bully the weaker with your higher Cultivation Realm, then I won¡¯t bother talking to you about martial honor. Ah Jing! Help me deal with this person! The Kunlun Mirror sighed, as expected. Ever since it had helped Wei Dongliu escape the Ziwei Master¡¯s pursuit last time, this guy knew that my Illusion Technique could conceal one¡¯s presence from a Nascent Soul Cultivator¡¯s Perception. With such meticulous thoughts, I need to be more careful in the future to avoid arousing his suspicion. With that in mind, the Kunlun Mirror sighed and immediately put all its effort into activating the Illusion Technique. Ge¡¯ermu was about to continue his pursuit when suddenly, he saw the world turning upside down, the boundless sea water plummeting down like torrential rain, and fierce suns crashing down like meteors, causing the surrounding sea water to rapidly boil and evaporate¡­ Frightened, Ge¡¯ermu lost his composure entirely and quickly activated his life-saving secret technique, escaping towards the Divine Land Continent in the north. Hmph, trash. Ling Yunpo, supporting An Zhisu, calmly stood atop the sea surface and heard her ask confusedly: ¡°That person¡­ why did he suddenly run away?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a saying, ¡®Don¡¯t chase a poor bandit.¡± Ling Yunpo calmly said, ¡°He probably suspected that we were luring him deeper into the Southern Sea, worried about some trap, so he turned tail and ran.¡± Hearing her junior brother¡¯s explanation, An Zhisu uttered an understanding ¡°Oh,¡± abandoning further thought: ¡°Shall we go back then?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s head back to Shushan,¡± Ling Yunpo nodded and said. Even with his strong reasoning abilities, he could only guess that the Asura Path was launching a counterattack near the plateau and that he and his senior sister were simply caught up in it, unaware that Shushan too was now surrounded¡­ The two thus took a detour through the Southern Sea, re-entering the Divine Land Continent from the direction of Qiongzhou, then returning to Shushan from the Xiang-Gan region. No sooner had they entered Sichuan Shu along the Yangtze River than they sensed something was amiss. Why were there so many Demon Path Cultivators flying around in the open air, making no attempt to hide? Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Ling Yunpo quickly lowered his Sword Control flight altitude and pulled Senior Sister An into a small grove, exclaiming: ¡°Senior sister, something¡¯s not right here!¡± ¡°On a normal day, even if one or two Demon Path Cultivators appeared, they would have already been hunted down and killed by our Shushan Cultivators.¡± ¡°From this, it can be deduced that Shushan must be facing some sort of crisis, leading to the inability to purge the Demon Path Cultivators within its territory!¡± Such an obvious inference was naturally agreed upon by An Zhisu, who then carefully advised Ling Yunpo: ¡°In that case, the closer we get to Shushan, the greater the hidden risk.¡± ¡°Junior brother, wouldn¡¯t it be better if you¡­¡± Before she could finish, Ling Yunpo interrupted her: ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better for Senior Sister to find a place to hide for a while, while I go ahead to scout the situation? Then I¡¯ll come back to find Senior Sister once I have a clear understanding.¡± An Zhisu pursed her lips forcefully, feeling annoyed that her junior brother had preempted her words for the third or fourth time, definitely not endearing, and sighed: ¡°Since when does the senior sister rest in the back while the junior brother goes out to brave the dangers and scout?¡± Ling Yunpo then said with a smile: ¡°But when has a man rested in the back, letting a woman go out to face danger and scout?¡± ¡°What woman? I¡¯m your senior sister!¡± An Zhisu said, frustrated. Seeing that further teasing might make his senior sister explode in anger, Ling Yunpo immediately laughed and said: ¡°In that case, how about Senior Sister and I scout together? If we encounter any danger, we can cover for each other.¡± These words, when they fell into An Zhisu¡¯s ears, automatically transformed into ¡°If we encounter any danger, I can protect my junior brother,¡± and she nodded demurely. Chapter 580 Chapter 580: Chapter 8: Returning to Shushan is the Only Way Chapter 580: Chapter 8: Returning to Shushan is the Only Way The Emei Golden Summit, Ancestral Master Hall. As for how to rescue the two real people of Qingluo Peak, the elders of the various peaks were still arguing incessantly. Put simply, no one was willing to send out people and make an effort, risking being ambushed by the heavy troops of the Demon Cult to break through the encirclement and rescue the two. The Jade Capital Sect Leader, listening until his head ached, felt at that moment that his position as sect leader was utterly useless, as it seemed no one was willing to heed his words. In fact, the structure of the Three Pure Orthodox Sect was similar; although the sect leader could preside over external affairs, whether or not others would follow his decisions ultimately depended on whether they aligned with the elders¡¯ interests. Take, for example, the Ziwei Master of Kunlun, who hailed from the Heavenly Water Ge Family and was of the Divine Infant Realm. His background and cultivation level were so formidable that his prestige within the Taiqing Sect was almost unparalleled. Even so, he couldn¡¯t arbitrarily order other elders to do things without paying a corresponding price in favors¡­ so when Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian went out, the people selected by the Ziwei Master to escort them were his own direct disciples, Luo Baiyuan, rather than other Nascent Soul Realm elders. The Jade Capital Sect Leader thought long and hard and decided he could only go to consult with Long Eyebrow Immortal. In a hurry, he left the Ancestral Master Hall and, with sword control, flew to the bottommost level of the Demon Locking Tower, where he found the Long Eyebrow Immortal meditating amidst the sword pillars and recounted the matter to him. ¡°So what?¡± Long Eyebrow Immortal raised an eyebrow, ¡°In your opinion, how many people would it take to forcefully break through the Demon Cult¡¯s defenses to rescue Qing Heng and Jiao Xiao?¡± ¡°At least five or more Nascent Soul Elders to lead the team,¡± replied the Jade Capital Sect Leader. ¡°And if a Demon Cultivate Immortal was out there and attacked casually, what could these five elders do then?¡± Long Eyebrow Immortal asked again. wuxiaworld.site ¡°If that were really the case, we could only ask you to take action, trying to save those few elders,¡± said the Jade Capital Sect Leader, pausing for a moment, ¡°but that¡¯s not very likely.¡± ¡°If the Demon Cult¡¯s Sect Guardian Immortal personally comes to this place, then Kunlun and Penglai would certainly not stand idly by, and the nature of this war would change.¡± ¡°From the current situation, the Demon Cult is not coming with the intention of eradicating our Shushan orthodox teachings. Otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t delay for many days, hesitating to attack.¡± ¡°Jade Capital, you are the sect leader of Shushan,¡± said Long Eyebrow Immortal solemnly, ¡°A sect leader should weigh the pros and cons and act rationally.¡± ¡°Now that the whereabouts of Qing Heng and Jiao Xiao are unknown, if elders were dispatched to rush out and save them, it¡¯s very likely that the elders would also be putting themselves at risk.¡± ¡°And to take a step back, even if the two are brought back, is Shushan amidst this siege any safer than the outside?¡± ¡°If they are smart enough, after realizing the current situation of Shushan, they will find a safe place outside and hide, rather than return to the sect and wade into this chaos. Could it be that Shushan, without those two Golden Core True People, couldn¡¯t possibly defeat the Demon Cult?¡± ¡°But what if the two have already been discovered by the Demon Cult, or even if they are currently being hunted down?¡± the Jade Capital Sect Leader asked again, ¡°If we don¡¯t go to their rescue, there is a risk that the two may perish¡­¡± ¡°If that were really the case, your dispatching elders to save them might still not be timely,¡± said Long Eyebrow Immortal coldly, ¡°If too few go, they might not break through and could instead be devoured by the Demon Cult; if too many go, how would Shushan¡¯s defenses hold up?¡± The Jade Capital Sect Leader sighed repeatedly, which was exactly the problem the various peak elders kept emphasizing: whether from any angle, sending people to rescue seemed worse than not rescuing at all. Even considering the rarity of Jiao Xiao True Person as a Second Grade Golden Core, the cost of a rescue was too great¡­ If it were a First Grade Golden Core, taking the risk would be more or less justifiable. But by doing so, if Qing Heng and Jiao Xiao ultimately survived, what would they think of the sect that refused to rescue them? Thinking of this, the Jade Capital Sect Leader couldn¡¯t help but criticize internally: the Sentiment-Free Path had no weaknesses, but their actions were calculated too rationally and completely disregarded the feelings of their sect members and disciples. In some respects, they were hardly better than the Sentiment Inquiry Path, which was prone to impulsive actions. He only hoped that Qing Heng and Jiao Xiao, if they had not been discovered yet, would be smart enough to find a place to hide outside, and for their sake, they wouldn¡¯t try to force their way through the Demon Cult¡¯s siege to return to Shushan. ¡°` Jiao Xiao, for one, need not be mentioned, but Qing Heng should be sensible, and I imagine he wouldn¡¯t be so foolish. On the outskirts of Shushan, Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu, disguised as a peasant husband and wife, visited the nearby villages to investigate. Only then did they discover that Shushan was now heavily surrounded by the Demon Cult army, a situation even more exaggerated than the previous siege of Penglai. After all, the last time was led by the Hell Path, and the other five paths deployed troops, and everyone very sensibly held back. This time, however, they had discovered the location of the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword, therefore the Heavenly Demon, Nether Ghost, and Mortal Life paths had almost all their elites come out, with immortals hidden among them, determined not to let the Shushan Sect get their hands on this Intercepting Cult Immortal Sword. Of course, whether the Extermination Immortal Sword was truly discovered and retrieved by someone from the Shushan Sect, no one had concrete evidence in their hearts. ???g?.?? But other than the Shushan Sword Immortal, who else could subdue the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword? Although Ling Yunpo did not know, he also had a vague intuition: the Demon Cult, displaying such a vast and mighty arrangement, might be related to the last sword cry emitted when he subdued the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword. Oh no, if that were the case, might they have some method of detecting the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword? For instance, as soon as the distance gets too close, the Heavenly Demon Immortal Slaying Sword would start vibrating, or even directly lock onto his position and fly over to rescue the Extermination Immortal Sword¡­ Thinking this, Ling Yunpo was completely creeped out. Right now, he and Senior Sister An were outside Shushan; if they were suddenly pinpointed by the Heavenly Demon Immortal Slaying Sword, the Nine Nether Slaying Immortal Sword, the Blood Sea Trapping Immortal Sword, along with the Demon Cult masses all at once, wouldn¡¯t that be like a turtle trapped in a jar, unable to escape even with wings? No, that¡¯s not right; Senior Sister An would surely die, and he could only abandon the identity of Ling Yunpo and escape through the Kunlun Mirror to survive, thereafter adding a mysterious legend to the Cultivation Realm¡­ No, we must hurry back to Shushan! As long as he is within Shushan, even if the Demon Cult could pinpoint his location, to launch a brazen attack would require first breaking through the multi-layered defenses of Shushan. And surely, the Kunlun and Penglai Sects would not sit idly by and watch Shushan fall; they would definitely come to support with all their strength. In doing so, Shushan would ultimately be secure, and he would be able to comfortably instruct the Green Duckweed Sword to train the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword within Shushan. Once the Extermination Immortal Sword was completely subdued to him (rather than needing the Green Duckweed Sword to constantly suppress it inside the Sword Box), he could take it to Wei Dongliu, and then with the endorsement of the Blood Sea Immortal, fully take control of the sword. From the perspective of historical cycles, the Blood Sea Immortal would be willing to recognize that the Extermination Immortal Sword was in Wei Dongliu¡¯s hands-probably because it had already submitted to Wei Dongliu. Yes, first find a way to return to Shushan! However¡­ Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only with the intimidating array the Demon Cult laid out on the perimeter, would Senior Sister be willing to brave such a risk with me, breaking through the blockade to flee back to Shushan? ¡°Senior Sister,¡± Ling Yunpo said, attempting to persuade An Zhisu first, ¡°Shushan is in trouble right now, and as disciples of Shushan, we should return to our Sect as quickly as possible.¡± ¡°Otherwise, if Shushan falls, what would happen to our master, who is currently in seclusion inside Qingluo Peak?¡± ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± An Zhisu replied upon hearing her younger disciple¡¯s analysis. Her intelligence, already plummeting to zero, instantly fell into negatives when Ling Yunpo brought up their master. She nodded in agreement without thinking, saying, ¡°Whatever you decide to do, Junior Brother, I¡¯ll follow.¡± Excellent, easily settled! ¡°` Chapter 581 Chapter 581: Chapter 9: One Quarter of the Immortal Slaying Sword Formation Chapter 581: Chapter 9: One Quarter of the Immortal Slaying Sword Formation ¡°` Although they were determined to return to Shushan, the more Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu inquired, the more uneasy they secretly felt. Because the Demon Cult¡¯s momentum this time was simply too vast, one could almost say they had deployed their entire force, creating a terrifying lineup that led Ling Yunpo to almost confirm that the Heavenly Demon, the Nether Ghost, and the Mortal Life Sect Guardian Immortal were definitely hiding here-what use would the immortals have staying in a completely empty sect residence? At least the three sects of the Mortal Life Path had all arrived, and Ling Yunpo guessed that the Blood Sea Immortal was also hidden among them, just not yet to be found. So the question arose, what were the immortals doing here? Alas, it was better to think of a way to get back to Shushan first. In the following days, the two cautiously scoped out the periphery of the Demon Cult¡¯s encampment. Although the Shushan Sect Disciples were all trapped inside Shushan, spies from Kunlun, Penglai, and other cultivation sects and families still trickled into the periphery incessantly. On the outskirts of the Demon Cult¡¯s grounds, a natural market had been set up in the nearby mountains, serving as a place for cultivators of the five paths to trade amongst each other. Since there wasn¡¯t a very strict identity check, more than just Demon Cult Cultivators were coming in, and everyone tacitly understood the situation. Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu changed out of their Sword Immortal attire, dressed as Loose Cultivators wandering the world, and blended in from the periphery, pretending to browse stalls here and there, trying to find bargains. ¡°It¡¯s indeed strange.¡± In a secluded corner, An Zhisu spoke with confusion, ¡°I saw the Demon Cult reinforcing their defenses today, but why would they station heavy forces inside and lay bait outside? It feels like they want to encircle a point and attack reinforcements.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Ling Yunpo agreed, ¡°They probably want to lure Kunlun Penglai to come to the rescue.¡± wuxiaworld.site Of course, I would not be so foolish as to just charge in there¡­ Hm? At that moment, Ling Yunpo suddenly became keenly aware that there were many more Demon Cult Cultivators in the market. These Demon Cult Cultivators did not wear any uniform attire, appearing more like Loose Cultivators passing through, but Ling Yunpo, with his experience of Wei Dongliu, quickly recognized them-this one is a cultivator from Lingxiu Mountain of Mortal Life Path, whom I¡¯ve seen at Mount Zhongtai; that one belongs to the Asura Path, whom I¡¯ve seen at Puzhi Temple¡­ His thoughts flickering, he immediately guessed what was happening and urgently said to An Zhisu: ¡°This isn¡¯t good! The Demon Cult is about to cast their net, we need to get out of here quickly!¡± The two left the market inconspicuously, only to see many Loose Cultivators already hurrying away unnoticed. Clearly, Ling Yunpo was not the first to notice these suspicious cultivators; many other Loose Cultivators had also caught on and were quickly making their escape. They had barely left the market for a few moments when a clamor suddenly erupted from behind, as if the Demon Cult Cultivators had begun to make their move. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Ling Yunpo took the lead, grasping his Senior Sister An as she controlled their swords and they ascended. The surrounding Loose Cultivators, sensing the danger, hastily harnessed their Divine Skills, with most also controlling their swords to flee, and the rest displaying their own Divine Skills, burrowing into the ground or sprinting away endlessly. Great! Ling Yunpo rejoiced in his heart. With everyone fleeing separately, these Demon Cult Cultivators can¡¯t possibly just focus on me and Senior Sister An, right? In order not to draw attention, I¡¯ve left the Sword Box containing the Green Duckweed Sword and the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword outside, this time only bringing the Thunder Punishment Sword and the Myriad Bamboos Sword with me¡­ Fuck! Everyone¡¯s faces filled with horror as a chilling wind suddenly rose all around them, filled with a ghostly aura, and countless Sword Qi shot into the sky, forming walls that trapped everyone within. ???G?.?0 If it¡¯s not the Immortal Slaying Sword Formation, what is it? To use the Immortal Slaying Sword Formation to deal with us Loose Cultivators! Demon Cult, you are so despicable! ¡°` Ling Yunpo gritted his teeth and, upon a closer look, realized that it wasn¡¯t a complete Immortal Slaying Sword Formation but rather one quarter of the sword array constructed by the Heavenly Demon Immortal Slaying Sword. That is to say, it wasn¡¯t the Demon Path Immortal himself who took action, but rather he lent the Heavenly Demon Immortal Slaying Sword to a subordinate to arrange this quarter formation, aiming merely to trap these Loose Cultivators before annihilating them one by one. Ling Yunpo¡¯s mind raced as he quickly glanced at An Zhisu. Senior Sister An¡¯s face was also grave, clearly indicating that while sending her to kill someone was definitely not a problem, breaking this formation¡­ was not her forte. Although he had never seen the Immortal Slaying Sword Diagram, Ling Yunpo, with his extensive knowledge of formations, could roughly tell that this Immortal Slaying Sword Formation was essentially an amplifier, greatly expanding and extending the attack range of the Heavenly Demon Immortal Slaying Sword. To use knowledge of formations to break the formation was not very feasible. This was because the Sword Qi trapping everyone inherently didn¡¯t come from the formation but from the Heavenly Demon Immortal Slaying Sword that served as the formation¡¯s nucleus. Simply put, the method to break the formation was to follow the formation paths to find the nucleus and then remove the Heavenly Demon Immortal Slaying Sword, which would naturally dissolve the array. However, the last time Qiu Changtian managed to break the formation, he similarly used a decapitation tactic: venturing deep into the formation alone, he broke Lei Caiyan, who was in the center commanding the formation. It was known that after that formation breach, the Demon Cult would not overlook the critical defenses near the nucleus¡­ Just placing a few Nascent Soul Elders to guard it nearly made breaking the formation impossible. Ling Yunpo¡¯s thoughts whirled rapidly. Without the Green Duckweed Sword by his side, he felt that he had lost more than half of the means at his disposal. Left with no choice, he could only look into his Storage Bag to see what kind of trump card he had that he could use as Ling Yunpo. Hmm? What¡¯s this? Ling Yunpo saw, at the depths of the Storage Bag, an ancient-looking Purifying Bottle. The mouth of the bottle was sealed with a cork, and when shaken, one could faintly hear sounds of tides as if great rivers were rushing against the banks. ¡°This is a River Origin Purifying Bottle,¡± reminded the Kunlun Mirror when he saw his puzzled face. ¡°Of course I know that,¡± Ling Yunpo immediately showed a ¡°no need for your reminder¡± disdainful expression and said indifferently. But when did I get this bottle? Since it was hidden deep in the Storage Bag, it certainly must have been acquired by Ling Yunpo¡­ Never mind, I¡¯ll take it out and use it first. Ling Yunpo then took out the Purifying Bottle, pulled out the cork, and tilted it downward. Instantly, waters of great rivers and seas gushed out frantically, turning the surroundings into a vast marshland. ¡°Hey, Guan Shui!¡± Kunlun Mirror hurriedly reminded him, ¡°You must be careful with that bottle! Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only If you accidentally leave it somewhere and it pours out continuously without anyone to right it, the water will keep flowing without end!¡± ¡°By then, if you flood a whole province, the karma from the calamity brought upon all living beings will fall upon you!¡± ¡°I know,¡± thought Ling Yunpo, how could I possibly just leave this bottle lying around? A bottle with such immense power should be properly kept in my hands. After dozens of breaths, there was still no sign of the water in the bottle running out, and most of the surrounding Loose Cultivators were forced to raise their height with Sword Control, lest they be submerged by the inexplicable flood. Ling Yunpo knew that this water was no different from ordinary rivers and, pulling Senior Sister An with him, dived into the water and continued pouring it out. Before long, the large lake within the formation rose to dozens of zhang high, and the Sword Qi Barrier Wall trapping the Loose Cultivators, under such a massive onslaught of water, showed signs of faltering. Chapter 582 Chapter 582: Chapter 10: Returning to Shushan, Demon Cult¡¯s Response Chapter 582: Chapter 10: Returning to Shushan, Demon Cult¡¯s Response The Elder Sister of the Ghost Mother, a notoriously infamous Nascent Soul Elder of the Heavenly Demon Path. It was said that in order to summon the Heavenly Demon, she liked to collect a vast amount of babies as sacrifices, resulting in countless children¡¯s deaths. Hence, even within the Demon Cult, mentioning her name could send shivers down one¡¯s spine, and it was taboo to even speak of her. By comparison, her younger sister, who enjoyed torturing men, had a slightly better reputation. Under normal circumstances, even Dugu Xie, the sect leader of the Heavenly Demon Path, might not be able to request the attendance of this elder. However, at present, the Free and Easy Ancestor had issued a death order, making it mandatory for all elders to obey commands. Even though the Ghost Mother¡¯s Elder Sister was haughty and arrogant, she dared not directly oppose the Sect Guardian Immortal; thus, she had no choice but to stay near the market within the Immortal Slaying Sword Formation, guarding the sword that was the formation¡¯s focal point, the Heavenly Demon Immortal Slaying Sword. ¡°Report to the elder,¡± said a Demon Cult Cultivator, coming over. ¡°There have been Loose Cultivators escaping within the market. Allies at the front have sent a message, requesting that we urgently activate the Formation to trap them.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± responded the Ghost Mother¡¯s Elder Sister languidly and proceeded to activate the Immortal Slaying Sword Formation with the Heavenly Demon Immortal Slaying Sword. With a quarter of the Immortal Slaying Sword Formation activated, the Loose Cultivators trapped inside had no chance of survival. Thus, the Ghost Mother¡¯s Elder Sister did not concern herself with the specifics inside the formation. Instead, she took out her Heavenly Demon Soul Hooking Banner and continued to torment and train the demon head within. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co A moment later, the Demon Cult Cultivator came to report swiftly: ¡°Report to the elder, someone has released Water System Techniques inside the formation¡­¡± ¡°You come to report such trivial matters?¡± the Ghost Mother¡¯s Elder Sister¡¯s eyebrows raised as she spoke with a chilly and sinister voice, ¡°If you cannot handle even this minor matter, why not become one of my demon heads? It would be a way to utilize waste, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± The female Demon Cult Cultivator was terrified, quickly covering her mouth and retreating hastily. After an indeterminate period, the Heavenly Demon Immortal Slaying Sword suddenly rang out in angry protest. Ghost Mother¡¯s Elder Sister: ? This sword was the personal sword of the Free and Easy Immortal, so she was momentarily at a loss as to why it was reacting so. As she was still slightly dazed, a tumultuous uproar like the end of the world came from the distance. A flood! Immense floodwaters roared from afar! The Ghost Mother¡¯s Elder Sister¡¯s pupils shrank. Where did this flood come from inside the Immortal Slaying Sword Formation? She quickly reached out for the Heavenly Demon Immortal Slaying Sword, and upon sensing with her Divine Sense, she realized that the Immortal Slaying Sword Formation was in complete disarray and no longer intact. What kind of mighty Water System Technique was this, capable of destroying the Immortal Slaying Sword Formation from the inside with such violence? The Ghost Mother¡¯s Elder Sister was both shocked and enraged but had no time to think further. She could only grab the Heavenly Demon Immortal Slaying Sword with her other hand and quickly ascend into the sky. Looking down again, she saw that the Immortal Slaying Sword Formation had collapsed. The unyielding floodwaters continued, completely sweeping away the Demon Cult Cultivators¡¯ market-many of the Demon Cult Cultivators were caught off-guard, either swept away by the floodwaters directly or flying up in haste with their swords. Ling Yunpo, with the help of the River Source Purifying Bottle, had blasted the inner parts of the Immortal Slaying Sword Formation with endless water, and together with Senior Sister An, they ascended into the sky. Looking back, they saw a vast expanse of ominous black clouds surging rapidly from the direction of the central axis of the formation. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Ling Yunpo gave An Zhisu a swift glance, and the two of them combined into Man-Sword Unity, turning into Sword Light and fleeing far away. They reacted quickly, and naturally, the surrounding Loose Cultivators did not want to fall behind, each transforming into streaks of light and scattering in all directions to escape¡­ Some who were slower were caught by the vengeful Ghost Mother¡¯s Elder Sister, who captured them by their heads for Soul Extraction to refine them into demon heads, while many more simply vanished without a trace. Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu did not know how long they had been fleeing when they saw that the Ghost Mother¡¯s Elder Sister had not pursued them and finally stopped to look around. They had finally entered the territory of Shushan, and both of them heaved a long sigh of relief. From the beginning, it was exceedingly difficult to find a breakthrough point in the heavily guarded lines of the Demon Cult. And the market, which was originally considered to be a weak spot, proved to be a cunning trap deliberately designed by the Demon Cult, targeting those who probed for intelligence, attempting to cross the defenses to enter Shushan from the outside. What an intricately connected design! Too bad, it still couldn¡¯t stop me, full of wisdom, courage, and numerous trump cards, wahahahahaha! Ling Yunpo chuckled triumphantly in his heart, yet only revealed a faint touch of joy on his face, and said to An Zhisu: ¡°Senior Sister An, let¡¯s head back.¡± ¡°Mmm.¡± An Zhisu nodded, then took her junior brother¡¯s hand, and together they flew towards Qingluo Peak on their swords. The news that the defense line had been penetrated from the outside quickly reached the high echelons of the Demon Cult. What, the Immortal Slaying Sword Formation was broken? So the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword is indeed in the hands of the Orthodox Sect cultivators? What, it wasn¡¯t the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword but Water System Spells used instead? What a joke, what kind of Water System Spells could break the Immortal Slaying Sword Formation! The three Intercepting Cult Immortals simultaneously arrived above the Market ruins, silently looking down at the traces of the floods that had raged below. ¡°Immortal Rank Water System Spells.¡± Blood Sea Ancestor laughed hoarsely, ¡°I am not aware of any immortal who is skilled in Water System Spells. ?0?G0.?? Does anyone know?¡± ¡°Based on what I¡¯ve seen, Penglai Myriad Phantoms Immortal is the most likely suspect,¡± said the Sect Guardian Immortal of the Heavenly Demon Path, Grandmaster Zi Zai, indifferently, ¡°I asked the Ghost Mother Elder, and she said that at the time, the flood came overwhelming the heavens, irrepressible and boundless, comparable to the galaxy. To move such an amount of water, just the True Yuan capacity of an Immortal Rank wouldn¡¯t be possible, it must be an Immortal Rank Magical Treasure.¡± The crowd¡¯s faces showed no expression, but their minds were turning with thoughts. Although Grandmaster Zi Zai¡¯s analysis was a way to absolve the Heavenly Demon Path of responsibility, it also made sense. A flood of such a terrifying scale, to describe it as mere Spells was too exaggerated-the possibility of using a Magical Treasure was much greater. But if it were an Immortal Rank Magical Treasure, then it wasn¡¯t necessarily the doing of an immortal. Nascent Soul Realm cultivators with sufficient True Yuan could also activate it. As a result, the range of possible identities of the one who broke the formation not only did not narrow but expanded¡­ Penglai Jade Pure was naturally the most suspicious for its notorious abundance of Magical Treasures, but who¡¯s to say that other sects couldn¡¯t have obtained corresponding Immortal Rank Magical Treasures? How could they even begin to search for the individual who broke the formation? What was more troublesome and thorny was that the holder of the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword could also take advantage of this chaos to return to Shushan, thereby making it even harder to investigate and trace their identity. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only After a moment of silence, White Bone Ancestor slowly said: ¡°The best course of action now is to continue applying great pressure to Shushan while increasing the efforts of our spies to infiltrate.¡± ¡°The Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword will not easily submit to Clarify Cult members. The person is most likely still trying to refine the Extermination Immortal Sword, and while Long Eyebrow Elder might not understand what is happening, as long as we release just the right amount of signals, he will inevitably become suspicious.¡± ¡°Simultaneous internal and external pressure will strain that person¡¯s mental state, compelling them to fully focus on refining the Extermination Immortal Sword.¡± ¡°The more the Extermination Immortal Sword is pushed to the edge, the easier it is for the other three swords to sense its location due to the connected qi.¡± ¡°If we can determine its exact location, we can have our inside agents follow the trail and confirm that person¡¯s true identity, laying the groundwork for our subsequent sword-retrieval efforts.¡± The other two immortals nodded silently, agreeing to White Bone Ancestor¡¯s plan. Of course, there were many variables in this plan: for example, if that person wasn¡¯t actually from Shushan, if Kunlun Penglai came to the rescue earlier, or if in the end, the Extermination Immortal Sword¡¯s location still couldn¡¯t be determined, and so on. Regardless, the unique status of the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword meant that the Intercepting Cult Immortals were prepared to pay any price to prevent it from falling into the hands of the Clarify Cult members. Even if it was confirmed to be in the hands of Shushan, they would be willing to pay a great price to redeem it from Shushan! Chapter 583 Chapter 583: Chapter 11: Visitors on Qingluo Peak Chapter 583: Chapter 11: Visitors on Qingluo Peak ¡°` Finally returning to Shushan, Ling Yunpo was in high spirits. Of course, the Green Duckweed Sword and the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword along with their Sword Box had been concealed by him somewhere outside, after instructing Ah Jing to cast an Illusion Technique to shield it from divination, and the coordinates were already completely fixed. When he returned to Qingluo Peak with Senior Sister An, he would have Ah Jing use the Teleportation Technique to teleport the marked Sword Box back-In fact, if it weren¡¯t for Senior Sister An¡¯s accompaniment, there would have been no need for such trouble; he could simply have had Ah Jing teleport him along with the swords. Ah Jing¡¯s ability to teleport only worked on himself, and although the limitation was significant, it essentially affirmed his status as Ling Yunpo¡¯s ¡°destined one.¡± Ling Yunpo continued to ponder his next moves when he saw a Sword Light approaching from afar, it was none other than the Jade Capital Sect Leader. The Jade Capital Sect Leader had also been quite troubled recently. Before taking on the role of Sect Leader of Shushan, he had no great enmity with Su Jian, and his regard for An Zhisu and Ling Yunpo was more of admiration than jealousy. But since his proposal to save people was rejected by Long Eyebrow Immortal, he had no room to oppose and could only secretly contact some undercover agents in the Demon Cult to see if there was any trace of the two¡­ Then he saw Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu chatting and laughing as they flew over from below. Jade Capital Sect Leader: ??? He swiftly turned his Sword Light and descended in front of the two, expressing his astonishment: ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°Sect Leader.¡± Ling Yunpo was the first to salute with a fist-greeting, followed by An Zhisu who also paid her respects. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.Co Finally coming to his senses, the Jade Capital Sect Leader calmly asked: ¡°When did you two return? How did you come back?¡± ¡°Reporting to Sect Leader,¡± Ling Yunpo replied, ¡°We just flew back on our swords.¡± Jade Capital Sect Leader: ¡­¡­ Nonsense, who doesn¡¯t know you flew back on your swords? What I¡¯m asking is how you got through the Demon Cult¡¯s defenses! However, he figured that having to pass through the heavy restrictions of the Demon Cult, the two must have expended a considerable amount of energy and True Yuan, so the Jade Capital Sect Leader nodded and said: ¡°You two should return to your peak and rest. Tomorrow at Chen hour we will convene a sect assembly at the Ancestral Master Hall, all Golden Core True Persons are to attend.¡± Having said that, he left on his sword with a sweep of his sleeve. Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu returned to Qingluo Peak, where Senior Sister An went first to report to their master in the secret chamber of Qingluo Peak, while Ling Yunpo found a deserted place in the Taoist temple and had Ah Jing teleport the Sword Box over. In earlier years, before he had made a name for himself in Qingluo Peak and due to the insufficient monthly stipend within the peak, he would have Ah Jing teleport Spirit Stones over from Qiu Changtian¡¯s side to support his cultivation in Shushan. In fact, were it not for the need to strictly maintain different personas, and to avoid letting one persona¡¯s possessions be used by another, he would have already combined all resources from all personas. Upon opening the Sword Box, he saw the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword lying quietly inside, while the Green Duckweed Sword began to float in midair. ¡°How¡¯s it going?¡± Ling Yunpo inquired. ¡°Playing dead,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword snorted with a hint of a mocking laugh, ¡°This sword has no Sword Spirit, thus it is stubborn and unadaptable.¡± ¡°Sword Master only needs to keep it locked in the box. After some time, it will inevitably recognize the situation,¡± it assured. ???G?.?? ¡°` ¡°This is very good,¡± Ling Yunpo allowed the Green Duckweed Sword to return and left the Thunder Punishment Sword to monitor the Extermination Immortal Sword before he quietly departed. Although the two of them went straight back to Qingluo Peak, they had encountered the Jade Capital Sect Leader on the way, so the news quickly spread out. Duan Fenhai came to visit that very night, claiming that he had finally achieved first place in the Foundation Establishment Realm disciples¡¯ competition, ascending to the top of the Immortal Sword Ranking. Although this was because Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu had vacated their spots due to their Core Formation, Fenhai had indeed fought hard to earn his place, and so he was quite proud, specially coming over to tell the two that he had become the foremost under the Golden Core. After Duan Fenhai left, Lin Duanshan was the next to visit. Lin Duanshan had come this time first because he heard that the two had not returned safely, so he asked about the situation, and then he exchanged intelligence with them. The number of people from the Demon Cult this time was roughly the same as the last time they besieged Penglai, but the number of high rank cultivators was far greater, making them more troublesome to deal with. But Shushan prided itself on not being weak like Penglai, so they did not ask for reinforcements from other sects, choosing instead to remain calm and composed, ready to deal with changes quietly. As of now, the Heavenly Demon and Nether Ghost paths had deployed the most troops, followed by the Mortal Life Path. The Hell Path remained silent, and the remaining two paths, with limited strength, had also joined in the fray, but at most, they could only seal off the southwest and northwest directions, unable to pose a real threat to Shushan. Ling Yunpo also shared some information about the periphery of Shushan, mainly feeling that the Demon Cult¡¯s outward aggressiveness did not seem to indicate any real intention to attack, which he found somewhat strange. Lin Duanshan agreed, saying that everyone inside Shushan felt that the Demon Cult¡¯s arrival was not with the intent to attack Shushan, but rather to use the threat of attack to exert pressure. As for the purpose behind the Demon Cult¡¯s pressure, it was not clear yet, but¡­ ¡°But recently, there¡¯s a rumor that the Demon Cult lost some kind of wicked treasure and suspects that it was stolen by Shushan, which is why they have joined forces to come and demand an explanation,¡± said Lin Duanshan with a sneer. ¡°Regardless of what kind of treasure it is, since it¡¯s an artifact of evil, we in Shushan would definitely not covet it, so this is obviously a false accusation.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Ling Yunpo agreed, ¡°The Demon Cult has used this kind of excuse more than once. Didn¡¯t the Asura Path accuse our people in Shushan not long ago, saying that we stole some of their treasures? In my opinion, it¡¯s just an excuse to start a war, utterly despicable.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± pondered Lin Duanshan, ¡°however, I heard that what the Asura Path lost last time and what the Demon Cult is now claiming ¡®wicked treasure¡¯ they¡¯ve come to demand are not the same thing¡­¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter whether it¡¯s the same thing or not,¡± Ling Yunpo interrupted, ¡°A fabricated excuse can be anything they want it to be, can¡¯t it? Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Even if they say we stole the Nuwa Stone, the Fuxi Dual Swords, or the Shennong Nine Cauldrons, we need not delve too deeply into it.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Lin Duanshan sighed, ¡°right now, the sect also wants to see what exactly the Demon Cult is plotting behind the scenes.¡± ¡°Regardless of its true purpose, with such a large display of force, a battle is inevitable.¡± ¡°During this time, you should also try to maintain your condition as much as possible; who knows when the sect might assign you to go out and battle.¡± This was indeed useful information¡­ Ling Yunpo thought to himself, agreeing aloud. After seeing off Lin Duanshan, Senior Sister An came out of the secret chamber just in time, and Ling Yunpo shared all the news with her. It wasn¡¯t much later that Guan Shanyue came to visit, calling from outside: ¡°I heard that Junior Brother Ling and Senior Sister An have returned?¡± ¡°Senior Sister Guan, please come in,¡± Ling Yunpo went out to welcome her inside. Upon entering, Guan Shanyue immediately said with a smile: ¡°Junior Brother Ling, I hope you don¡¯t mind me asking you a question.¡± ¡°The ¡®wicked treasure¡¯ the Demon Cult spoke of, it wouldn¡¯t happen to be in your hands, would it?¡± Chapter 584 Chapter 584: Chapter 12 Must Fight Chapter 584: Chapter 12 Must Fight Ling Yunpo was taken aback, but he countered with a question: ¡°Why do you say that?¡± Before Guan Shanyue could reply, An Zhisu already responded with a cold face and an angry rebuke: ¡°Nonsense! Guan Shanyue, if you¡¯re purposely coming here to provoke trouble, then Qingluo Peak won¡¯t accommodate you!¡± ¡°Senior Sister An, don¡¯t be hasty, I was just joking,¡± said Guan Shanyue with a smile. ¡°Nowadays, everyone in the sect is discussing, what kind of evil treasure it is that could unite the five paths of the Demon Cult to besiege our Shushan.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Ling Yunpo shook his head, showing an indifferent expression. ¡°Whatever the evil treasure is, we Shushan Sword Immortals can¡¯t possibly use it, so why would we need to hide it?¡± ¡°Maybe they¡¯re planning to sell it,¡± Guan Shanyue suggested thoughtfully. ¡°Since they can¡¯t use it themselves, why not exchange it for a Daoist treasure of equivalent rank?¡± ¡°Treasures aren¡¯t so easy to exchange for,¡± An Zhisu said coldly. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about that now,¡± Guan Shanyue said with a smiling face. ¡°I have come here this time with a favor to ask of the two from Qingluo Peak.¡± ¡°Come, Guan Zhan, come over and meet the two True Persons.¡± Ling Yunpo: ??? wuxiaworld.site Behind Guan Shanyue, Guan Zhan came forward holding his sword, giving a slight nod as a sign of respect. ¡°This cousin of mine was originally taken in by the Kunlun Sect,¡± Guan Shanyue said leisurely. ¡°Now he is the Chief Disciple of the Foundation Establishment Realm in Kunlun.¡± Guan Zhan¡¯s expression darkened. The position of Chief Disciple of the Foundation Establishment Realm had fallen to him only because Senior Brother Qiu and Senior Sister Xu had both advanced to the Golden Core, which made him feel not proud but rather ashamed. ¡°Some days ago, he was assigned by our Shushan to go to the Demon Locking Tower to handle some affairs,¡± Guan Shanyue explained with a sigh. ¡°Unfortunately, he happened to arrive during the Demon Cult¡¯s siege and couldn¡¯t get out.¡± Ling Yunpo understood in his heart: What affairs? It was actually that the Guan Family Ancestor had called in a favor, allowing Guan Zhan to search the Demon Locking Tower for the Cloud Sea Empty Cocoon, to hasten the acquisition of thirty years of Refining Mansion Cultivation. Seeing that he saw through the situation without pointing it out, Guan Shanyue then said with a smile: ¡°During these days, he has been practicing his swordsmanship alone on Green Bamboo Peak.¡± ¡°Seeing him practice like this, without really getting the essence, and knowing that Junior Brother Ling and Senior Sister An practice swordsmanship often, I thought it would be good for him to join in the practice. Even if he gains just a little experience from defeat, it would not be a waste of time.¡± Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu exchanged glances for a moment. Seeing that Senior Sister had no objections, Ling Yunpo said with a smile: ¡°If it¡¯s just for practicing swordsmanship, that¡¯s fine¡­ but Senior Sister and I are both of the Golden Core rank, and we have too much of an advantage in terms of our Root Bone. Even if Guan Daoist Friend spars with us, he will be at a disadvantage in terms of Physical Strength.¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s fine,¡± Guan Zhan finally spoke up, his voice hoarse. ¡°It¡¯s just a match of swordsmanship.¡± If Junior Brother Guan is determined to seek a beating, then we can¡¯t be blamed. Thus, the matter was settled, and Guan Zhan stayed temporarily at Qingluo Peak. Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu didn¡¯t teach him anything; they simply included him in their regular sparring sessions, giving him a few pointers along the way. The matter itself was harmless, so it was just right to do a favor. ???g0.?? After Guan Shanyue left, Ling Yunpo led Guan Zhan to the living quarters and said: ¡°Our Qingluo Peak is rather tranquil. You may choose any of the guest rooms on the right side to stay in.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll take the one farthest inside,¡± Guan Zhan immediately implied he had ¡°no intention of disturbing your world for two¡± in a tactful manner. Ling Yunpo was satisfied with his choice and added: ¡°Senior Sister and I practice swordsmanship once at noon and once at dusk. You can come to us during these times.¡± ¡°As our guest from afar, you may do as you please at other times. There are no restricted areas on Qingluo Peak.¡± ¡°That is acceptable,¡± Guan Zhan answered curtly with a nod, and went to his chosen room with his sword. After settling Guan Zhan, Ling Yunpo returned to the main hall and saw Senior Sister An waiting for him outside. ¡°Speaking of Guan Zhan, I suddenly have some impression,¡± An Zhisu said thoughtfully. ¡°Last time I accompanied Senior Sister back to Yangzhou to pay respects to our mother, I indeed saw those siblings,¡± Ling Yunpo said with a smile. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant,¡± An Zhisu said hesitantly, ¡°I recall that one of the Peak Masters of Shushan was Guan Zhan¡¯s father, right?¡± Ling Yunpo: ? Well, the Guan Family has been a lineage of Sword Immortals for generations, so that¡¯s normal¡­ I didn¡¯t realize you were a second-generation immortal! Why have you never mentioned this before? Nevertheless, the father holds the position of a Nascent Soul Elder in Shushan, yet the son runs off to Kunlun; that does say something about the father-son relationship. There was no further discussion that night. The next morning, bright and early, the two flew on their swords to the Emei Golden Summit to attend the Sect meeting in the Ancestral Master Hall. Inside the Ancestral Master Hall was a bustling crowd, nearly everyone clad in green robes, each bearing a sword-the huddled groups were all Golden Core Sword Immortals. Looking to both sides of the grand hall, standing isolated, each maintaining their composure with eyes closed and gathering energy, were the Nascent Soul Peak Masters. ¡°Enough with the idle talk,¡± the Jade Capital Sect Leader began, drawing everyone¡¯s attention, ¡°Now that the Demon Cult has besieged Shushan with such a formidable presence, what insights do you all have?¡± ¡°I have something to ask the Jade Capital Sect Leader and all present,¡± the Green Bamboo Peak Master Elder Biyun asked coldly, ¡°Given the Demon Cult¡¯s brazen actions, why has Shushan not struck out against them?¡± ¡°The Demon Cult is powerful; it would be unwise to face them directly,¡± the Jade Capital Sect Leader replied. Ling Yunpo chuckled inwardly upon hearing this; the Sect Leader indeed had a way with words, managing to dress up the idea of ¡°unable to confront them head-on¡± in such an elegant manner. High emotional intelligence. ¡°If we can¡¯t defeat them head-on, then why not seek assistance from Kunlun?¡± Elder Biyun asked again. ¡°Asking Kunlun for help would be admitting Shushan¡¯s weakness,¡± the Vajra Peak Master Elder Shen Ce said indifferently. ¡°Such a loss of face, how can we then compete with Kunlun for the title of leading Orthodox Sect?¡± ¡°So being blocked by the Demon Cult at our gate, unable to advance or retreat, isn¡¯t a loss of face?¡± Elder Biyun angrily swept his sleeves, ¡°We¡¯ve been having Sect meetings for days, and what strategies have we come up with? In my opinion, we might as well head out from the mountain gate and invite those from the Demon Cult to fight one-on-one!¡± ¡°That¡¯s not entirely unfeasible,¡± Elder Ming Hua from Ziyun Peak said leisurely, ¡°Ultimately, we need to draw a line with the Demon Cult, whether it¡¯s a battle or peace talks, doping out magical competition or negotiation, it can¡¯t drag on indefinitely.¡± ¡°Exactly!¡± The Golden Core True Persons behind him started to clamor. In plain terms, everyone was chafing at being penned up on Shushan and was eager to go out for a walk¡­ ¡°Silence!¡± barked the Jade Capital Sect Leader. ¡°Stop the clamor!¡± The Golden Core True Persons quieted down. ¡°Everyone share your opinions, and let¡¯s have a unified response to bring forward. I¡¯ll go and consult with the Immortals!¡± said the Jade Capital Sect Leader impatiently. He then tasked one True Person to stay behind and collect everyone¡¯s messages before leaving himself. The crowd gathered around, voicing their requests to the True Person for recording. Ling Yunpo listened from the back for a while; indeed, most were calling for battle, not caring whether they could win but preferring to fight first and talk later. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Of course, there were those who thought the Demon Cult was too powerful to confront with force of arms¡­ But if they said that out loud, they would surely be chastised by the proponents of war; hence, these people could only express that ¡°we definitely must fight, but we need to do so cautiously.¡± Ling Yunpo sneered at this. Among these Shushan Sword Immortals, those without brains were the most vocal, while those with brains dared not speak out. No wonder they were derisively called the brutes of Shushan by outsiders. When that True Person made his way over, it came An Zhisu¡¯s turn, and the Senior Sister replied without a second thought: ¡°My opinion is the same as my junior brother¡¯s.¡± The True Person then turned to look at Ling Yunpo, who spoke with a righteousness: ¡°To dare to encircle the gates of Shushan, this is no ordinary dispute.¡± ¡°I believe not only that we must fight, but we also must deliver a crushing blow!¡± Chapter 585 Chapter 585: Chapter 13 Only Shark Chapter 585: Chapter 13 Only Shark Shushan, Qingluo Peak, the daily sword practice session. ¡°This is impossible!¡± After losing again within three moves, Guan Zhan finally couldn¡¯t help but blurt out, his entire being falling into a state of stunned self-doubt. ¡°There¡¯s nothing impossible about it,¡± Ling Yunpo calmly sheathed the Green Duckweed Sword and said, ¡°Overemphasizing offense, you have virtually no control over the rhythm, and your strategic changes are transparent at a glance. In short¡­ I suggest you reflect on this.¡± With a dark face, Guan Zhan walked off to a distance to reflect. An Zhisu, who had been watching the whole process, came over puzzled and said, ¡°Is this the top chief disciple of the Foundation Establishment Realm from Kunlun? He doesn¡¯t even have one-eighth of Qiu Changtian¡¯s strength.¡± ¡°Heh,¡± Ling Yunpo chuckled lightly and said, ¡°Qiu Changtian is a once-in-a-millennium cultivation genius. How can ordinary cultivators with insufficient talent compare to him?¡± ¡°Junior Brother, why is it that when it comes to Qiu Changtian, you show no spirit at all?¡± An Zhisu said dissatisfied, ¡°Qiu Changtian is indeed powerful, but you and I are not necessarily inferior to him. Now that everyone has formed their Golden Cores, we are back on an even starting line. Next time we meet, we should have a good competition.¡± wuxiaworld.site As for me and Qiu Changtian, it¡¯s less that we are back on an even starting line and more that we never really drifted apart¡­ As for Senior Sister An, she truly isn¡¯t a match for Qiu Changtian, and I shall not elaborate on the reasons. Seeing that her Junior Brother was unmoved, An Zhisu also felt somewhat irked inside and went into the pavilion to pour herself some monkey wine. The noon had just passed when suddenly there came a Flying Sword Messaging, which was the official ¡°Sword Flag Order¡± from Shushan, summoning Qing Heng and Jiao Xiao, two True People, to assemble quickly at Shushan¡¯s Welcoming Guests Peak. The Welcoming Guests Peak is located to the northwest of Shushan, near Heavenly Gate Peak, and is also the frontline for Shushan¡¯s confrontation with the Demon Cult. In the sky, countless streams of light shot toward the northwest, obviously the recipients of the message were not limited to Qingluo Peak. The two of them immediately took to their swords, following the crowd to the vicinity of Welcoming Guests Peak. From a distance, they could see that the area was nearly covered in dark clouds, with an eerie Ghost Qi. Clothed in white with enchanting beauty, the heavenly demons swirl in the air-a sight of the Heavenly Demon Path¡¯s position. Robes of black with silver trim and a bizarre countenance, with ghostly spirits entwined-this marked the domain of the Nether Ghost Path. Vibrant in color, a mixture of all kinds of different sects, all in complete disarray-these were the territories of the Mortal Life Path. Additionally, there were foreign monks and Miao people scattered around, but their numbers were too few to form an array, so for the time being, they went unheeded. Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu quickly blended into Shushan¡¯s formation, and soon they, along with the Sword Immortals, stared down their adversaries, with both sides glaring daggers at each other. Another half an hour or so passed, and surprisingly, there were no moves made by either side¡­ that is to say, everyone was waiting for the high-levels to give the word, and gradually, people became somewhat impatient. No matter how irritable they were, however, they couldn¡¯t show it publicly and undermine their own momentum. They could only direct their rage toward the opposition, grinding their teeth in fury, filled with the intent to kill. Finally, appearing to have received a message from the higher-ups, a green-clothed elder stepped forward on her sword, the Elder Biyun of Green Bamboo Peak, who sneered and said, ¡°You whore of a ghost mother, dare you come to battle?¡± From the Heavenly Demon Path¡¯s camp, two shrill screams sounded, and two vengeful white-clad women charged out, engaging in a fierce fight with Elder Biyun. Elder Biyun wielded an exceedingly sharp and slender Immortal Sword which, with every gesture, released trails of silver brilliance. With a casual sweep, a sword Qi of nearly a hundred zhang cut through the various sinister spells of the Ghost Mother sisters. The elder of the Ghost Mothers waved her sleeve, and from it came thousands of demon heads that swarmed out, by rough count at least over ten thousand, surrounding Elder Biyun completely. Elder Biyun sneered, her Immortal Sword suddenly bursting with light, infinite Sword Qi shooting out in all directions, annihilating all the demon heads and even leveling the mountains and forests below. The elder Ghost Mother hastily summoned a brawny giant demon to use as a shield, bearing the brunt of the Sword Qi, its abdomen nearly cloven in half. But little sister was unable to dodge in time, struck by the Sword Qi on her shoulder, her arm was immediately severed and flew off. Elder Bixia had yet to follow up with another strike when she saw the elder Ghost Mother sister, with one hand grabbing the severed limb and the other clutching her sister, turn into a black mist and vanish like the wind, disappearing in the blink of an eye. Seeing a momentary victory on Shushan¡¯s side, the Sword Immortals were immediately buoyed, their morale and fighting spirit soaring. Ling Yunpo, from the rear, saw things more clearly, knowing that the Ghost Mother sisters were by no means weak; once tens of thousands of Devil Heads came swarming over, if you had no countermeasure at the ready, you¡¯d likely be devoured entirely. It was only because Elder Bixia was too strong, her Immortal Sword¡¯s edge too fierce, that they were able to press and suppress the opposition¡­ Looking at the devastated forest remains below, one could understand the terrifying power of those Sword Qi. After a moment of silence from the Heavenly Demon Path, a beautiful woman moved through the crowd and flew forward, laughing coldly, ¡°Qingyan of the Heavenly Demon Path. I am eager to experience the superior skills of a Shushan Sword Immortal.¡± This was a Golden Core Realm True Person; Shushan¡¯s Nascent Soul Elders, naturally, wouldn¡¯t demean themselves to respond to the challenge, so another True Person flew out, declaring, ¡°Yangchang of the Shangqing Sect intends to eliminate demons and protect the Dao today!¡± Ling Yunpo took a closer look and recognized this Yangchang True Person as a Golden Core official from the Administrative Hall, who also had a history of enmity with Su Jian. In past years, when Qingluo Peak¡¯s monthly stipend was withheld, he was one of the main conspirators. Therefore, while other disciples from Shushan hoped for Yangchang True Person¡¯s victory, Ling Yunpo secretly wished they would inflict mutual damage, or even better, perish together. The two did not get along in conversation and quickly became entangled in combat. Qingyan True Person, judging by appearance alone, seemed like a mature woman in her late twenties; not only was she stunningly gorgeous and enchantingly poised, she was also adept at casting the Heavenly Demon¡¯s Enchanting Melody, an incredibly potent charm. However, Yangchang True Person¡¯s Ruthless Flow was also cultivated to an immensely deep level. No matter how enticing the melody, his heart was hard as steel, completely ignoring it, his Sword Control was decisive and merciless, without any hesitation. After more than fifty exchanges, Qingyan True Person gracefully retreated with a faint smile. As Yangchang True Person put distance between them, his expression subtly changed in the moment, suddenly a ghostly arm extended from his shoulder, grabbed his Life-bound Sword Artifact that had just returned to his side, and in a flash of lightning, stabbed it into his abdomen. Qingyan True Person had someway used a Secret Technique, unnoticed by anybody, to surreptitiously plant a Heavenly Demon within Yangchang True Person! Two streaks of Sword Light shot out rapidly from Shushan¡¯s main formation; they were Yangchang True Person¡¯s junior brothers and sisters, catching his falling body and bringing him back to their formation. ???G0.?? A Shushan Elder rushed over as well, pressing two fingers to Yangchang¡¯s brow to extricate the Heart Demon from his Sea of Consciousness. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, but Ling Yunpo at the back saw things clearly; the Flying Sword had directly pierced Yangchang True Person¡¯s Dantian, it was uncertain whether it also shattered his Golden Core. If the Golden Core was not preserved, that would mean his Daoist Foundation was destroyed. Apart from a few incredibly rare heavenly materials and earthly treasures, there was really no way to save him, right? While he was lost in thought, someone suddenly burst forth from the Nether Ghost Path formation opposite, a gaunt figure who eerily laughed, ¡°I, Kuzhu, an elder of the Nether Ghost Path, wish to experience the swordsmanship of Qing Heng True Person of Shushan!¡± Ling Yunpo: ? Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only No, Elder Bixia had a personal vendetta with the Ghost Mother Sisters, clearly carrying a private grudge. Do I know you? Who are you to specifically challenge me to a fight? Under the watchful eyes of encouragement from the people around him, he could only fly out with a cold face, his heart secretly sneering several times. Whoosh! Chapter 586 Chapter 586: Chapter 14 Shark Chapter 586: Chapter 14 Shark Before An Zhisu could react, Ling Yunpo had already charged forward, sword in control. The Sword Light stopped right before the withered bamboo old man, and he looked coldly at the opponent, suddenly recalling that Wei Dongliu once mentioned this person after hearing from Wen Yang; it seemed he was an older elder among the Golden Core Realm true people of the Nether Ghost Path. Oh, that¡¯s right, I remember now! Indeed, Wen Yang had mentioned that this person had once been defeated by a Shushan true person, with his clavicle being pierced through by Sword Qi, nearly resulting in his death. Afterward, by a stroke of luck, he survived, and his style of fighting changed drastically, becoming sly and unpredictable, only launching restraining maneuvers or lethal strikes; he even suggested to Jiang Liyan to adopt this manner of combat¡­ only to be retorted by Jiang the Witch with ¡°why don¡¯t you learn it¡± and shut him down. Now that I think about this, since this man specifically wanted to battle me, doesn¡¯t that mean the one who nearly managed to kill him back then was the Peak Master of Shushan¡¯s Qingluo Peak, Su Jian? Great, this cheap master has not brought me any advantages since I became his disciple; instead, he has caused me a lot of trouble! Am I acknowledging a master or raising a son? Ling Yunpo was secretly furious and couldn¡¯t be bothered to talk further. The two of them began their magical competition. The withered bamboo old man, with a sinister air, pointed his finger towards Ling Yunpo across the distance. A white light emerged from his fingertip, shooting directly at Ling Yunpo¡¯s face-this method was deliberately used to obscure the opponent¡¯s vision, making it difficult to judge the distance of the spell. How could Ling Yunpo be fooled by such a move? wuxiaworld.site He didn¡¯t even bother to block with his Flying Sword; instead, he executed the Cloud-Parting Eight Trigrams Step at once and, with a blur of his body, he instantly advanced to the withered bamboo old man. Just as the Green Duckweed Sword was about to thrust, a warning from the Kunlun Mirror was heard: ¡°Be careful, it¡¯s a fake!¡± Ling Yunpo¡¯s gaze turned stern, and he immediately continued his previously halted steps, vanishing from the spot in an instant. Almost at the same time he reestablished distance, the withered bamboo old man¡¯s body suddenly exploded, turning into a dense green cloud. Despicable! Having retreated nearly a hundred zhang away, Ling Yunpo looked at the cloud of smoke, cursing inwardly. This must be some form of corpse-refining technique, using a body hidden with poison mist to impersonate oneself; by luring the enemy into an attack and then detonating it-though the opponent surely didn¡¯t anticipate me attacking at close range, the primary purpose of the toxin must be to contaminate the Flying Sword, rendering it ineffective. Ling Yunpo, in a flash of lightning, thoroughly analyzed the situation and scanned the surroundings once more, finding no trace of the withered bamboo old man. ¡°Ah Jing, scan!¡± he immediately deployed his trump card. ¡°Over there,¡± Kunlun Mirror quickly displayed a contour. Ling Yunpo took a closer look and exclaimed, the true body actually used the Earth Escape Technique to hide underground, truly despicable. He raised his sword finger with his right hand, holding it in front of his chest, and chanted coldly: ¡°All mountains recede, Chaotic Waterfall Pierces through the Clouds!¡± As the sword incantation was voiced, the fourth layer of Sword Dao Techniques on the Green Duckweed Sword, ¡°Chaotic Waterfall Piercing Cloud Ravine,¡± was activated. Immediately, a column of water plummeted down, piercing straight to the depths of the earth. The withered bamboo old man seemed to have been prepared for quite a while; as the Water System Daoist Magic was smashing down, he swiftly moved away using the Earth Escape Technique, leaving his original position. The next second, the Myriad Bamboos Sword transformed into countless strands of Sword Qi, densely inserting into the soil. Ling Yunpo once again formed a Sword technique, activating the ¡°Wood Charm Illusionary Root¡± Sword Dao technique on the Myriad Bamboos Sword. In an instant, countless Sword Qi transformed into root tendrils and began to drill furiously toward the depths of the earth. Now, the withered bamboo elder could no longer hide; he was forced to break through the earth and emerge-more precisely, he was carried out on the back of a seven-foot-tall man. The man had a blue face and fangs, with skin the color of dark iron, clearly a high-ranking Corpse Refining Groundwalking Rakshasa of the Nether Ghost Path, possessing the strength of the Nascent Soul Realm when fighting alone. Ling Yunpo burst into laughter and thought to himself, using this Groundwalking Rakshasa as a means of transportation, what kind of novel strategy is this? Oh, he¡¯s afraid of the rapid Sword Control speed of Shushan Sword Immortals, so he uses the Earth Escape Technique to secure an impregnable position, huh? Wen Yang said this guy is an old sly fox, but it seems Su Jian had frightened him out of his wits, reserving an escape route before even starting the fight. How could such a cowardly insect possibly engage in a decent magical competition? He simply went straight into Man-Sword Unity and slashed toward the withered bamboo elder who had just emerged. The withered bamboo elder¡¯s expression remained unchanged as he took out two bronze cymbals from his sleeve and struck them hard with his hands. The sound waves rippled out in all directions. Ling Yunpo only felt as if a demonic noise was drilling into his brain, like the infuriating Tightening Spell ringing in his head, knocking him directly out of the Man-Sword Unity state and into the ground, creating a huge crater. ???G0.?? The withered bamboo elder smiled at the sight and continued to forcefully strike the demonic cymbals again and again. With a slight turn of thought, he ordered the Groundwalking Rakshasa to kill Ling Yunpo who was lying on the ground, unable to get up. This demonic sound was particularly piercing and sharp. It was like the sound of nails scraping a blackboard amplified ten thousand times, disturbing the heartstrings and stirring up the Sea of Consciousness, forcing to retreat the cultivators from both the Demon Cult and Shushan simultaneously as they concentrated their wills to guard their minds. Only An Zhisu looked on in shock and horror, ready to rush out with her Flying Smoke Sword at hand, when she suddenly saw Ling Yunpo staggering to his feet. Given the potency of the demonic sound even at this distance, one can only imagine the torment Ling Yunpo was enduring at a closer range¡­ And yet he was able to stand up against it. What formidable willpower must this be? Ling Yunpo leaned on the Green Duckweed Sword, struggling to stand up straight, as he stared at the withered bamboo elder above, still masterfully manipulating the magical treasure. He revealed a resolute and unyielding persona and asked Ah Jing in his mind, ¡°How¡¯s my unyielding persona acting? Judging by the growth of the Synchronization Value, it should be decent, right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s pretty good,¡± responded the Kunlun Mirror half-heartedly. ¡°It would be even better if you didn¡¯t make me help block out this sound illusion technique.¡± ¡°What a joke,¡± Ling Yunpo scoffed. ¡°To endure the illusion when I have the means to block it? I¡¯m not a masochist¡­¡± He quickly put on an expression that said, ¡°Despite the torment,¡± ¡°Still relying on staunch willpower,¡± ¡°Struggling to maintain mental clarity,¡± and in fierce determination, merged with the sword again. Roaring with fury, he launched a fierce attack on the true body of the withered bamboo elder! The true bamboo elder finally panicked. After acquiring these demonic cymbals, he had tested them several times. No Golden Core Realm cultivator had withstood their power, as the demonic sound penetrated their brains and left them at his mercy. Yet, how was it that Su Jian¡¯s disciple was still able to move? It was already too late for him to flee; he could only stand his ground and pour his True Yuan into amplifying the output of the demonic sound. Ling Yunpo feigned a splitting headache while steadfastly locking onto his opponent¡¯s figure, suddenly hearing the Kunlun Mirror say, ¡°Be alert! His True Body is starting to move!¡± Ling Yunpo looked closely and realized the withered bamboo elder pretended to make a last stand, but in truth was replicating his previous trick. He left a corpse as a false body in place to continue drawing attention, while his True Body rapidly escaped toward the Demon Cult¡¯s main formation. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only What a sly old fox! Ling Yunpo was filled with rage and slightly tilted his Man-Sword Unity form, rushing past the false body below, and heading straight for the true body of the withered bamboo elder! A cry of alarm came from the Shushan main formation. In the eyes of the Sword Immortals, Po Yun Sword Immortal appeared to be so disturbed by the demonic sound that he even lost his lock on the target with the Immortal Sword, accidentally striking at nothing. The next second, a large mass of flesh and blood burst open in the air, blooming like fireworks. Chapter 587 Chapter 587: Chapter 15: The Drought Demon Chapter 587: Chapter 15: The Drought Demon As the old man¡¯s true body exploded into pieces, the previously eye-catching deceitful corpse, having lost control, plummeted to the ground. Onlookers glanced at the falling decoy, then back at the true body almost cleaved in two¡­ Ah, they understood. So there had been a decoy left to confuse everyone, while the true body had already planned to flee, only to be seen through and directly slain by Qing Heng True Person with Man-Sword Unity! The morale of the Shushan side immediately soared, and the previously low spirits due to True Person Yang Chang¡¯s calculated defeat were reignited with Ling Yunpo¡¯s victory. On the Demonic Path¡¯s side, there wasn¡¯t much reaction. The Nether Ghost Path collectively maintained their silence, while the other paths mainly sneered, barely audibly whispering among themselves, ¡°It seems that cultivators from the Nether Ghost Path really are no good.¡± Soon, another person was dispatched from the Nether Ghost Path, this time a young Daoist of upright appearance who greeted arrogantly, speaking coldly, ¡°Fen Shen of the Nether Ghost Path, wishes to experience Qing Heng True Person¡¯s swordsmanship.¡± As his voice fell, countless nether spirits surged out from his sleeves, circling around him. Ling Yunpo remained expressionless, internally scoffing. Clearly, this Fen Shen of the Nether Ghost Path cultivated a rather rare defensive spell. Probably, having witnessed the earlier battle, the Nether Ghost Path believed that Ling Yunpo¡¯s strong Daoist magic sealed on his sword was his usual method, thus they chose such a cultivator in an attempt to counter him. However, this was not an incorrect assumption; for most Shushan cultivators, rapid and powerful strikes of the Immortal Sword were the primary means of combat. wuxiaworld.site If one could not break the defense, a Sword Immortal¡¯s offensive ability from Shushan would be mostly neutralized, like what happened with the Iron Vein Elder from the Asura Path earlier-Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu could only run. Luckily, before the watchful eyes of the crowd, the Nether Ghost Path did not have the audacity to send out a Nascent Soul Elder to fight him. As for this Golden Core Realm Fen Shen, whether he could truly prevent Ling Yunpo from breaking through his defenses¡­ Ling Yunpo was quite skeptical. No need to guess any longer, let¡¯s test my sword on him! The Fen Shen Daoist brought his palms together, and a robust, white radiance burst forth from his palms, almost large enough to engulf Ling Yunpo completely. Although the white light spell seemed fierce, its flight speed was too slow. By executing the Cloud-Parting Eight Trigrams Step, he simply sidestepped the white radiance and sent the Thunder Punishment Sword tentatively shooting out. The Thunder Punishment Sword turned into a beam of golden light, striking the white nether spirits surrounding the Fen Shen Daoist, only to be deflected as though it had hit stone. Huh? That¡¯s somewhat interesting¡­ Ling Yunpo¡¯s interest was piqued. After observing for a moment, without even needing to scan, he deduced from his extensive and profound knowledge that the Fen Shen Daoist¡¯s defensive secret technique actually caused the white nether spirits to rapidly explode upon being attacked, bouncing the assault outward. The ability to devise such an intricate secret technique indicated that the Nether Ghost Path indeed had some depth¡­ However, this technique might be adequate against large-scale Daoist Magic, but what if faced with overwhelming concentrated power? Could these white nether spirits still block it? Ling Yunpo said nothing, and directly initiated his powerful move, Man-Sword Unity, and ferociously charged at the Fen Shen True Person. Fen Shen True Person hastily formed Daoist hand gestures, and the circling white nether spirits suddenly surged wildly towards Ling Yunpo¡¯s sword light, instantly sealing off all his possible escape routes. What followed was a series of dense and continuous explosions that completely engulfed the sword light. Fen Shen True Person exhaled slightly, a look of relief spreading across his face. Since he was facing a Sword Immortal from Shushan who was known for strong offense, of course he wouldn¡¯t overlook their classic move, Man-Sword Unity. As long as the opponent attempted to kill him at close range, he would gather the lingering wronged spirits to switch from defense to offense, using intense explosions to kill his adversary¡­ Considering the strong offense but weak defense of a Sword Immortal, getting caught would almost certainly be fatal. He must be dead! Fen Shen True Person looked forward contentedly, only to discover that at the bottom of the turbulent flow of spirits, there was no corpse to be seen dropping. His heart suddenly filled with foreboding, and he hastily cried out: ¡°Wait, I surrender¡­¡± Before the words were finished, Ling Yunpo had flashed behind him, once again unleashing the powerful Man-Sword Unity technique, slashing toward the back of the Fiendgod Daoist! I can¡¯t hear! What surrender, I can¡¯t hear! Just when he was about to cleave the Fiendgod Daoist in half at the waist, suddenly another figure flashed in front of Ling Yunpo, raising his sleeve to flick it onto the tip of his sword-Ling Yunpo felt as if he¡¯d been struck head-on by a huge hammer, tumbling backward nearly a hundred yards with both man and blade, vomiting blood before barely steadying himself. Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be the Fiendgod Daoist¡¯s Nascent Soul mentor. The other party didn¡¯t even deign to give Ling Yunpo a proper look, swiftly checking the Fiendgod Daoist to ensure he had no fatal injuries, then directly took him away with great strides, leaving proudly. This completely set off the Shushan main formation. A large number of Shushan Sword Immortals started yelling angrily, cursing the Demon Cult elder for not adhering to martial virtue and rashly interfering in the disciples¡¯ competition. The Demon Cult, on their part, disdainfully scoffed: We already admit you won this round, what more do you want? The master is right here, should he just watch his disciple get killed by your Sword Immortals? Ling Yunpo wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, wanting to say something, only to see An Zhisu also arriving by his side on her sword, her expression anxious as she asked, ¡°Junior Brother, are your injuries severe?¡± Ling Yunpo shook his head. After all, the Demonic Path Nascent Soul Elder had intervened on his own accord; thus, he didn¡¯t dare to inflict serious harm. Otherwise, the Shushan main formation wouldn¡¯t just be filled with tumultuous yelling and cursing right now. He wanted to comfort Senior Sister An and was just about to speak when Sister stuffed several medicinal pills in his mouth and hurriedly dragged him back for treatment. ???G0.?? ¡°To bully the weak with strength, it¡¯s fitting for descendants of the Intercepting Cult,¡± said the Jade Capital Sect Leader as he stepped forward from the formation, coldly stating as he walked forward, ¡°Hu Yanyi, leader of the Nether Ghost Path! Do you dare to take up a challenge?¡± The Nether Ghost Path leader was, of course, of the Nascent Soul Realm, and by forgoing the title and directly calling out his name, the Jade Capital Sect Leader was clearly expressing extreme contempt and disdain. Soon, a middle-aged Daoist parted the crowd, his expression sinister and sneering as he spoke: ¡°Chai Feng, are you tired of living?¡± The Jade Capital Sect Leader made a gesture for An Zhisu to quickly take Ling Yunpo back to the formation, then drew out his Life-bound Sword Artifact, sneering in response: ¡°Enough talk, if you dare to provoke us at the gates of the Shushan Sect, first test the sharpness of my sword!¡± No sooner had he finished speaking than he leaped up, becoming a streak of Sword Light, yet again employing the great Man-Sword Unity technique, with the Sword Light flowing like an endless river, howling down towards the Nether Ghost Path leader! The Nether Ghost Path leader let out a cold snort, and a gigantic skeletal monster burst forth from beneath his feet, emitting a shrill roar into the sky. An Immortal Rank zombie, the towering drought fiend! Legend had it that when such a creature emerged, it would be met with divine punishment. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Its breath brought potent poison, and within a hundred miles, all that was touched by it would wither away! The Jade Capital Sect Leader¡¯s expression turned solemn as he shouted angrily: ¡°Such an evil creature must not be allowed to exist in this world!¡± His Sword Light suddenly swelled to nearly a hundred yards, crashing down like Mount Tai upon the drought fiend below. The drought fiend, just having unearthed its upper body, instinctively reached out with its colossal palm toward the Sword Light of the Jade Capital Sect Leader-followed by the sound of bones being sliced and flesh cleaving, splintering inch by inch before crashing to the ground as if a mountain collapsed. Hu Yanyi burst into boisterous laughter as the huge severed limb that fell to the ground began to wriggle again, swiftly reattaching itself at the stump and healing as if it were never severed. This drought fiend had apparently achieved an undying, indestructible body, rendering the vast majority of offensive means in the world completely ineffective against it! Chapter 588 Chapter 588: Chapter 16: The Gods Fight Chapter 588: Chapter 16: The Gods Fight The Jade Capital Sect Leader continued to cleave with his sword light, slicing the necromantic creature into several segments again. However, it was still in vain, as the remnants and severed limbs of the creature wriggled back to life, healing completely in just a few breaths as if it had not suffered any damage at all. At its point of emergence from the soil, the surrounding land had already been tainted with the poison of decay, swiftly turning into a blackish-green hue, and the vegetation there withered quickly-the affected area growing larger and larger, seemingly unstoppable. ¡°Chai Feng!¡± the Sect Leader of the Nether Ghost Path threatened with a cold laugh, ¡°If my necromantic creature were to spit a mouthful of its poison above Shushan, do you think Shushan would be annihilated?¡± The complexion of the Jade Capital Sect Leader turned ashen in an instant-if the opponent really decided to act recklessly and unleash the necromantic creature¡¯s poison, then thousands of miles around Shushan would become a land of death. Of course, if the Demon Sect truly dared to commit such a deranged act, the Shushan Shangqing Faction, having lost its Sect Residence, would naturally have no choice but to engage in a fight to the death with the Demon Sect within the Six Paths, resulting in rivers of blood in the Cultivation Realm. The Jade Capital Sect Leader knew that the Demon Sect surely did not dare to carry out such a suicidal plot, but what truly enraged him was that the opponent dared to publicly threaten him with this matter! This was, without doubt, a massive blow to the prestige of Shushan¡¯s Sect. In future disputes with the Kunlun Taiqing Sect over the leadership of the Orthodox Sects, merely mentioning ¡°You guys were cornered by the Demon Sect and almost had your Sect destroyed¡± would leave the Shushan Sword Immortals with no comeback! ¡°Jade Capital, stand aside!¡± An authoritative voice suddenly came from the sky. The Jade Capital Sect Leader swiftly retreated with his sword control, just as a line suddenly appeared in the sky. Soon after, a second and a third line emerged, quickly forming a dense net that enveloped both the necromantic creature and the Sect Leader of the Nether Ghost Path who was standing atop its head. The Dual Polarity Dust Sword Formation! Within Shushan¡¯s main formation, Ling Yunpo watched breathlessly, his pupils contracting, his body nearly trembling. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.Co Now a Golden Core Sword Immortal with ample experience, he could see that each line was actually made up of the weakest Dual Polarity Dust Sword Qi. In fact, there was an even stronger Dual Polarity Dust Sword Qi, which due to its extremely concentrated power had compressed into extremely fine, barely visible lines, indiscernible to the naked eye and only faintly perceptible through the Innate Sword Bone. These visible and invisible strands of Dual Polarity Dust Sword Qi interwove in the air into a dense net, completely trapping the necromantic creature at its center and then swiftly contracted, slicing inwards. The Sect Leader of the Nether Ghost Path abruptly looked up at the sky, a flash of fear appearing in his eyes¡­ The next second, a massive white bone claw descended from the heavens, seizing the Sect Leader of the Nether Ghost Path and lifting him out of the Dual Polarity Dust Sword Formation. This process took only a few breaths, by which time the white bone claw was already severely damaged, almost falling apart. Unfortunately for the immense necromantic creature at the center of the sword array, it wasn¡¯t so lucky. ???g?.?? The countless strands of sword qi quickly sliced it into chunks, then even smaller pieces, dividing again and again-from one to ten, ten to a hundred¡­ In just five or six breaths, the necromantic creature had been completely cut into tiny pieces, unable to wriggle and reassemble its body, and now lay spread across the ground like mud, emitting an intense stench. ¡°Long Eyebrow!¡± the furious voice of the Blood Sea Ancestor came from afar, ¡°You actually made a move yourself to deal with a Nascent Soul junior, is this the dignity and backbone of a Shushan Immortal?¡± ¡°Enough with the nonsense!¡± From the direction of the Emei Golden Summit, the voice of the Long Eyebrow Immortal, full of inner strength, rang out angrily, ¡°This junior dares to threaten to unleash drought fiends to poison and destroy my Shushan, and I shouldn¡¯t teach him a lesson?¡± ¡°Drought fiend or not, even if you, White Bone old thief, claim to want to destroy my Shushan, I would still greet you with the Dual Polarity Dust Sword Formation!¡± ¡°Long Eyebrow, you¡¯re still as unreasonable as ever.¡± The Blood Sea Ancestor laughed hoarsely, ¡°White Bone, I¡¯ll lend you a hand.¡± He drew the Blood Sea Trapping Immortal Sword, and instantly, a boundless blood sea sprung from nowhere, sweeping towards the main formation of Shushan to engulf it. ¡°With the Blood Sea making a move, how could I stand idly by?¡± The Carefree Ancestor also lifted the Heavenly Demon Immortal Slaying Sword, casually pointing it forward, and a cascade of illusory lights and demonic sounds emerged, also rolling towards the main formation of Shushan. ¡°Long Eyebrow, I¡¯m here to help you!¡± Several immortals from the Shushan main formation soared up, among them the voice of the Guan Family Ancestor was the most resounding. ¡°White Bone old daoist, be careful not to get surrounded by them!¡± Several immortals from the Demon Cult emerged, and for a time, the skies were nearly torn apart, shrouded in darkness with neither sun nor moonlight. When immortals clash, mortals scatter, and the cultivator formations on both sides hurriedly retreated, ceding the battlefield to these heavyweights. Ling Yunpo had reset his breathing and was once again focusing intently on the battle ahead. Among the immortals, there were clear disparities in strength. The number of immortals from the Demon Cult was three times that of the Shushan side, but the two groups were equally matched, locked in a stalemate that was hard to break. On the side of the Demon Cult, the trio composed of the old White Bone, the Blood Sea Ancestor, and the Carefree Ancestor were strong on their own right, their coordination in the battle showing a clear pattern, with each attack causing lands to shake and skies to blacken. On the side of Shushan, however, it was the Long Eyebrow Immortal who displayed his divine might, especially with his Dual Polarity Dust Sword. Each swing produced countless streaks of sword qi, cutting through everything and unstoppable by anyone; even the immortals from the Demon Cult didn¡¯t dare to directly confront its sharpness, focusing most of their attention on restraining the Dual Polarity Dust Sword. Ling Yunpo silently watched from a distance, secretly calculating the range and power of the Dual Polarity Dust Sword Formation; the more he thought about it, the more despair he felt. If he fails to capture the fragments of the Heaven-Mending Stone, wouldn¡¯t he be reduced to dust in minutes, unable to escape? Just a single sweep of the Dual Polarity Dust Sword Formation by Long Eyebrow Immortal could expand over two thousand zhang (which might not even be the limit)-isn¡¯t that range absurdly exaggerated! As for the power, there is no need to mention it; Ling Yunpo wasn¡¯t conceited enough to dare compare his physical strength with that of a drought fiend. Maybe it¡¯s better to defect¡­ Is there still time now to offer the Kunlun Mirror to the Long Eyebrow Immortal? ¡°Guan Shui! You¡­¡± The Kunlun Mirror struggled for words and finally let out a string of adjectives, ¡°You are despicable! Shameless! Lowdown! Sly! A weathercock! Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only A coward! The most trashy scum under the skies!¡± ¡°Maybe watch your words, you broken mirror!¡± Ling Yunpo said impatiently, ¡°If others saw how formidable Long Eyebrow Immortal is, they would have already put their betrayal plan into action. I¡¯m just considering it, and you¡¯re insulting me like this-aren¡¯t you afraid I¡¯ll lose loyalty to you?¡± ¡°Even considering is unacceptable!¡± The Kunlun Mirror said through gritted teeth, ¡°I have poured so much resource and spiritual power into you, and you still dare to consider betraying me? Are you even human?¡± ¡°Wait a second, haven¡¯t I helped you retrieve fragments of your body?¡± Ling Yunpo frowned, ¡°Your fragments are scattered to the four winds, even in the Eastern Emperor Realm; who else could help you collect them all if not me?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t always think about what I owe you; consider what more you could do for me-that¡¯s what a positive and ascending person-mirror relationship is. If I¡¯m having doubts about my will, you should work harder and give more, so I re-evaluate and cherish our cooperation more-that¡¯s the behavior of a mature Artifact Spirit.¡± ¡°Pah!¡± Chapter 589 Chapter 589: Chapter 17 You think you are on the second level Chapter 589: Chapter 17 You think you are on the second level Immortals engage in combat, each with victories and defeats, but fatalities are rare. One reason is that immortals have long lifespans, giving them ample time to master various troublesome Qimen Occult Techniques for self-preservation, which are numerous and difficult to defend against. On the other hand, precisely because of the multitude of techniques, immortals tend to be restrained in battle, as one can never truly know what final devastating secret technique the opponent might unleash in a mutual destruction scenario. Therefore, despite tempers flaring up among the immortals, no one fell, with only a few Demon Cultivate Immortals having their arms severed by the Dual Polarity Dust Sword Formation, retreating to their formation with pale faces. Ling Yunpo stayed the entire time with the Shushan Sword Immortals, nervously watching the immortals from Shushan duel with the opposition. While the other Sword Immortals were worried that Long Eyebrow Immortal might be surrounded and slaughtered, Ling Yunpo was worried about possibly being killed by Long Eyebrow Immortal in the future-the power of the Dual Polarity Dust Sword was too daunting, even the Demon Cultivate Immortals shook their heads at the sight, wondering how they would cope when their turn came. Even if they managed to steal a fragment of the Heaven-Mending Stone by clandestine means, could they really hide forever without being caught by Long Eyebrow Immortal? What a worrisome thought. Having returned with other immortals from the Shushan camp, Long Eyebrow Immortal called the Jade Capital Sect Leader for a secret discussion that night. The next day, the Jade Capital Sect Leader announced a temporary ceasefire. That decision wasn¡¯t too surprising-it could be explained as ¡°the immortals fought a long battle yesterday and exhausted a great deal,¡± hence the need for a day of rest. However, Ling Yunpo noticed that the cultivators from the Criminal Law Hall seemed much busier, frequently summoning people for questioning and resolutely refusing to discuss what they were investigating. But there was a rumor that after the battle, the Demon Cult sent a private message to Long Eyebrow Immortal, confirming that a precious treasure had indeed been stolen from them, and they mocked Long Eyebrow Immortal for merely upholding the Sect¡¯s honor while being oblivious to the thief nurtured within his own ranks. What Long Eyebrow Immortal¡¯s reaction was at the time is unknown, but it¡¯s safe to guess he was furious, which is why he ordered the Criminal Law Hall to conduct a strict investigation, particularly on the Golden Core True Persons¡­ wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.Co Why the Golden Core True Persons? Because at the time, the Shushan Foundation Establishment Realm disciples were all participating in the intra-sect competition and none were out undertaking trials, while it was impossible to suspect the Nascent Soul Peak Masters, so the scrutiny had to fall on the Golden Core True Persons. It didn¡¯t take long for the cultivators from the Criminal Law Hall to also approach Senior Sister An, courteously inviting her over for tea. After about the time it takes to drink a serving of tea, An Zhisu returned with an unchanged expression, accompanied by two cultivators from the Criminal Law Hall wearing forced smiles. ¡°Qing Heng True Person,¡± they said cautiously, continually gauging An Zhisu¡¯s expression, ¡°could you possibly spare some time to sit with us for a talk?¡± ¡°Of course, there¡¯s no harm,¡± Ling Yunpo replied openly. Since it was still a wartime status, the cultivators from the Disciplinary Hall had set up a makeshift hall next to the Sword Pool on Heavenly Gate Peak, and they invited Ling Yunpo inside. One of the cultivators even served him tea-an excellent cup of Snow Brow Bamboo Shoot Spirit Tea that cleansed the True Yuan and calmed the mind. Ling Yunpo sipped the tea slowly, casually chatting with the two cultivators from the Criminal Law Hall. When the conversation turned to An Zhisu, they said with a bitter smile: ¡°Jiao Xiao True Person is truly too sensitive. We only asked about the last contest and her departure, and she refused to speak, instead suggesting we come to you¡­¡± While they expressed their frustration with bitter smiles, they also surreptitiously watched Ling Yunpo¡¯s expression. Ling Yunpo, having already anticipated their visit and fully aware of their intentions, similarly shook his head and sighed, explaining: ¡°My senior sister has always preferred not to interact with others, which you are probably aware of.¡± Two monks from the Criminal Law Hall exchanged glances for a moment, thinking indeed it was true. If the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal had not been one to cut weeds without a word of disagreement, where would that nickname have come from? ???G?.?? ¡°During the last grand competition, after we followed the Nascent Soul Elder to the plateau, we were assigned to the southern edge of the plateau to exterminate the remaining remnants of the Demon Cult.¡± ¡°At the top of a certain snowy mountain, we found some ruins, inside which were many desiccated corpses of Buddhist predecessors.¡± ¡°Deep at the base of the tower, Senior Sister and I split up to search. Suddenly, I heard a hum of a sword¡­¡± He vividly described the appearance and the hum of the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword, and finally said, ¡°I tried to stop that sword, but failed, and it whizzed out of the ruins.¡± The two monks from the Criminal Law Hall were shocked upon hearing this and promptly asked many more questions. Once Ling Yunpo had answered them all, one of them recorded the conversation into a volume and hurried out the door, while the other escorted Ling Yunpo back. ¡°You must not reveal this matter to anyone,¡± the monk admonished Ling Yunpo. ¡°Naturally, I understand,¡± Ling Yunpo nodded solemnly in response. Another monk arrived at the abode of the Jade Capital Sect Leader and presented the records of the conversation. ¡°Antique shape? Serrated edge?¡± the Jade Capital Sect Leader mused to himself for a moment, thinking, ¡°Could it be the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, if it is one of the four swords of the Intercepting Cult meant for slaughter and obstructions, that would explain why the Demon Cult has made such a big fuss. Moreover, it¡¯s normal that Qing Heng True Person said he didn¡¯t stop it. How could a Golden Core True Person possibly stop an Immortal Rank Flying Sword?¡± ¡°However, Qing Heng also seems to be an upright person, actually telling the truth about this matter. Isn¡¯t he afraid that the sect would rather believe he has it, and search through his possessions?¡± Thinking this, the Jade Capital Sect Leader did not dare to neglect the matter, similarly instructing the monks of the Criminal Law Hall not to mention it to outsiders. Then, he went to meet Long Eyebrow Immortal. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°This must undoubtedly be the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword!¡± Long Eyebrow Immortal said in a grave voice after hearing the report. ¡°This sword was obtained by the Western Cult in the past, and because its demonic nature was difficult to tame, it was suppressed in a remote area. Yet, who could have thought it was hidden deep in the snowy mountains of that plateau!¡± ¡°Jade Capital, take a team secretly and rush west to the plateau to search for traces of this sword!¡± ¡°Immortal.¡± The Jade Capital Sect Leader said while bowing, ¡°The Demon Cult is making a big show this time, simply to incite tension within us, then using secret spies to find the whereabouts of the person who took the sword.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Long Eyebrow Immortal agreed, ¡°They must rely only on the resonance of the four slaughter and obstruction swords to confirm the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword has appeared in the southwest, yet they do not know exactly where it is or who may have obtained it. That¡¯s why they came to our Shushan to block our gates and provoke us, essentially to muddy the waters and await their opportunity.¡± ¡°Immortal, your insight is clear,¡± said the Jade Capital Sect Leader. ¡°Right now, what the Demon Cult is most concerned about is not defeating Shushan, but finding the whereabouts of the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword.¡± ¡°If we send people to the plateau, they will surely be followed by the Demon Cult, potentially leaking this intelligence.¡± ¡°It would be better to pretend to continue a strict internal investigation and end up finding nothing, leading the Demon Cult to believe that the person who took the sword is indeed not in Shushan.¡± ¡°Once the Demon Cult turns its attention elsewhere, we can then secretly send someone to the plateau to seek out the traces of the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword.¡± Long Eyebrow Immortal pondered for a moment and then nodded, saying, ¡°Good, let¡¯s do as you say.¡± ¡°But first, send someone to keep an eye on Qing Heng, and when the time is ripe, have him lead your people back to the old place to thoroughly search for traces of the Extermination Immortal Sword!¡± Chapter 590 Chapter 590: Chapter 18 Ling Yunpo Revives Fighting Spirit Chapter 590: Chapter 18 Ling Yunpo Revives Fighting Spirit Ever since the Jade Capital Sect Leader and Long Eyebrow Immortal decided to search for the whereabouts of the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword, Ling Yunpo quickly discovered that wherever he and Senior Sister An went, there were always other Golden Core True Persons following them. They claimed that the Demon Cult was sinister and ruthless, unable to defeat Shushan head-on, so they might send assassins to kill the two of them, and therefore they needed to be closely protected. This reasoning was somewhat plausible, after all, An Zhisu was a Second Grade Golden Core, and Ling Yunpo had previously severely damaged the reputation of the Nether Ghost Path, giving the Demon Cult ample motive to assassinate the two. However, Ling Yunpo of course knew that the real reason was simply to keep him under surveillance. After all, he was the first to discover the whereabouts of the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword, so the Sect Leader could not possibly take his word for it without confirming it themselves. Humph, this was also within my expectations. In fact, there were three reasons Ling Yunpo revealed this information: First, the sword was ultimately to end up in Wei Dongliu¡¯s possession, and Wei Dongliu also needed to explain the origin of the sword to the Blood Sea Ancestor. If he were to say that ¡°as I walked, the sword suddenly fell from the sky,¡± it would seem too bizarre. But if Wei Dongliu went to the plateau to travel in advance and then happened to encounter the two True Persons from Shushan stumbling upon a ruin, revealing the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword by accident, and then pursued it for a long time before finally subduing and capturing it, such a narrative with traceable origins would be more to humans¡¯ liking-especially since the latter could be confirmed through the Demon Cult¡¯s spies within Shushan. Second, Senior Sister An also heard that sword¡¯s cry. Ling Yunpo could certainly lie to the Sect on one side and find some excuse to deceive Senior Sister An, asking her to join him in tricking the Sect-but his conscience did not allow him to do so. How could I contaminate Senior Sister¡¯s pure and flawless spirit? Let me carry all the sins by myself. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co ???g?.?? Third, it was to leave an impression of sincerity and honesty in the minds of the Sect¡¯s upper echelons, as well as to supplement and perfect his unyielding persona for the future. Clearly, if it were any other more cautious cultivator, they would keep this secret in their heart and definitely not reveal a word to the Sect. After all, as long as the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword was not found, the Sect could not fully trust him, and every time they thought of the whereabouts of the Extermination Immortal Sword, they would harbor the thought, ¡°What if this kid has hidden it?¡±-this is not about rationality or morality, but about human nature in the face of great interests. But Ling Yunpo was very clear that the sword would eventually be obtained by Wei Dongliu. By then, as long as Shushan learned through their spies within the Mortal Life Path that the sword indeed ended up in the hands of the Demon Cult, in line with what Ling Yunpo had explained, it would prove that he did not hide the sword for himself, and that what he said was the absolute truth. How could such a bright and upright role model of a cultivator possibly be a Sect traitor? In short, it was Wei Dongliu proving it for Ling Yunpo, and Ling Yunpo proving it for Wei Dongliu, their accounts coincidentally corroborating each other, using information passed back through the other Sect¡¯s spies to gain the trust of their respective Sect¡¯s higher-ups. Although it was a highly risky move, it was also one in which he had great confidence! With these thoughts in mind, Ling Yunpo consulted the Kunlun Mirror in his Sea of Consciousness once again: ¡°Ah Jing, the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword, it has indeed been sent to Wei Dongliu in the past, hasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t believe it, you can directly load a save to confirm,¡± said the Kunlun Mirror impatiently. ¡°No need, I trust Ah Jing won¡¯t let me down,¡± Ling Yunpo said with a dry laugh. It was not long ago that the Green Duckweed Sword finally persuaded the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword to abandon its recalcitrant attitude and to see if Wei Dongliu was worthy of becoming its Sword Master. Because the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword was now in the hands of Wei Dongliu, Ling Yunpo dared to ¡°confess¡± to the Sect. Otherwise, if there was even the slightest possibility of being exposed, he would not have easily taken the risk. ¡°Right,¡± Ling Yunpo asked Senior Sister An, ¡°I haven¡¯t been out recently. How is the fight with the Demon Cult going?¡± ¡°We¡¯re still fighting,¡± An Zhisu sighed. ¡°But it¡¯s no longer a battle between immortals; now it¡¯s a battle between Golden Core True Persons and Nascent Soul Elders.¡± ¡°Immortals can¡¯t battle every day,¡± Ling Yunpo said with a laugh. ¡°As long as one side loses control, the aftershocks of the attack could involve the lower and middle-level cultivators, definitely increasing the intensity of the conflict and risking losing control.¡± ¡°Even though the battle between the two sides is fierce now, if Senior Sister observes carefully, she will find that both parties are maintaining a kind of ¡®fighting without breaking¡¯ situation.¡± ¡°Fighting without breaking?¡± Although An Zhisu didn¡¯t understand, she pretended to fully grasp the idea to avoid being laughed at by her junior brother and changed the subject with a sigh, ¡°Of course, I know¡­ it¡¯s just boring not to let me join the battle.¡± ¡°After all, Senior Sister is a Second Grade Golden Core. If you appeared openly, the Demon Cult might send a Nascent Soul Elder disguised as a Golden Core True Person to risk an assassination attempt,¡± Ling Yunpo said laughingly. ¡°Since Senior Sister is bored, why don¡¯t we practice swordplay?¡± ¡°That sounds good,¡± An Zhisu said with a charming smile. Next to the Sword Pool of Heavenly Gate Peak, a large sword training ground was cleared. Many Golden Core True Persons were practicing their swordplay here, and from time to time, Nascent Soul Elders would stay to give detailed guidance to improve the True Persons¡¯ combat abilities, so they would stand a better chance against the Demon Cult. The arrival of Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu immediately attracted the attention of many True Persons. The latter was the renowned Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal among the Foundation Establishment realm disciples, well-known by many True Persons through their junior brothers and sisters; the former had won two consecutive victories in the battles against the Demon Cult, his formidable strength laid bare, hence everyone respectfully cleared the area to make room. After a short while of sparring, An Zhisu keenly noticed that her junior brother seemed to be out of sorts and sheathed her sword technique, asking, ¡°Junior brother¡­ are you worried about the Demon Cult matters?¡± Ling Yunpo just smiled and remained silent. With the help of the Hell Path, the Demon Cult was destined to be like something in the palm of Wei Dongliu¡¯s hand; naturally, he wasn¡¯t worried. But the peak of high-end combat power revealed by the Shushan in this war made Ling Yunpo truly apprehensive. Immortals, seven of them. Among them, Long Eyebrow Immortal was exceptionally strong. His Dual Polarity Dust Sword Formation had formidable lethality, a wide attack range, and speed, making it virtually unsolvable. Those caught by it were certain to die, not even the undying drought demon could withstand it. Over two hundred Nascent Soul Elders. Among them, more than seventy were high-ranking Elders of the Peak Master level, each having fought their way out of the insanely competitive Sect environment. Take, for example, the Ghost Mother sisters of the Heavenly Demon Path, whose strength was not weak, but even they were no match for Elder Bi Yun of Green Bamboo Peak who was stronger. She fought two against one and directly annihilated her opponents, fierce beyond imagination. At this moment, Ling Yunpo had realized that Core Formation and Nascent Soul Formation were like two massive filters that extracted the strong and fierce from the vast sea of people. It¡¯s like being the top student in the local middle school, only to go to the key school in the city and find out you¡¯re actually at the bottom¡­ like a chicken that can¡¯t even score. In the future, he must lift the fragments of the Heaven-Mending Stone right from under the noses of these fierce, twisted, and monstrous beings. The difficulty was akin to ascending to heaven. However, even if it meant ascending to heaven¡­ Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only he must! The lonely throne of the sky allowed no others to touch; with the help of Ah Jing and Qing Ping, plus the blessings of his own great perseverance, wisdom, and determination, why fear even if millions blocked his path? Seeing Ling Yunpo¡¯s frown relax again, An Zhisu blinked, puzzled. ¡°Shall we continue practicing swordplay, junior brother?¡± ¡°Practice! Practice ferociously!¡± Chapter 591 Chapter 591: Chapter 19: What More Could One Ask For in a Husband? Chapter 591: Chapter 19: What More Could One Ask For in a Husband? Several months later. Ling Yunpo once again achieved Man-Sword Unity, bisecting the Demon Path Cultivator opposite him, feeling a sense of bewilderment filling his heart. When will this war ever end? The Nether Ghost Path Cultivator opposite him didn¡¯t die on the spot despite being severed in two; instead, he took advantage of his descent to disengage from combat, quickly placing his fallen head back onto his neck and promptly regrew his flesh and skin. This technique was a secret of the Nether Ghost Path-Bonesplitting Expansion Technique. Practitioners could train every joint in their body to become flexible, able to separate and join flesh and bone at will, just like assembling a toy building block figure. If a Flying Sword came stabbing, they would open their flesh to let the sword pass through, then reassemble themselves, effectively nullifying the basic attacks of the Flying Sword. Usually, when Ling Yunpo encountered a Nether Ghost Path Cultivator, he would follow up with Sword Dao Techniques to ensure a complete kill. But over these months, having dealt with over a hundred Demon Path Cultivators, Ling Yunpo himself had gotten numb to it all. Now, every time he was singled out for a challenge, he would enter the fray without a second thought, simply unleashing his Man-Sword Unity technique and grinding them down. If the powerful move did not kill them, he would close in using the Cloud-Parting Eight Trigrams Step, then unleash a flurry of Sword Dao Techniques¡­ To date, he had been undefeated in all fights against opponents of the same rank, meeting no equal. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co His success was part due to the excellence of his Life-bound Sword Artifact, the Green Duckweed Sword, as well as his own unrelenting dedication to sword training day and night. If one were to split the credit, it would approximately be a thirty-seventy split. But continuing this killing was indeed troublesome, and what truly baffled Ling Yunpo was the reason why these Nether Ghost Path Cultivators kept challenging him, despite clearly being no match for him. They seemed to have no fear of death. Seeing that Demon Cult Cultivator escape with his life using the Bonesplitting Expansion secret technique, Ling Yunpo couldn¡¯t be bothered to chase after him, merely looking silently at the group of Golden Core Realm Demon Path Cultivators opposite him, as if asking them ¡°who¡¯s next?¡± Seeing that no one would challenge him, he gave a cold snort through his nose, turned, and swept away on his sword. The victor¡¯s disdain. Upon returning to Heavenly Gate Peak, Ling Yunpo went back to An Zhisu¡¯s side and poured out his troubles to his senior sister, ¡°What madness has possessed these Demon Cult Cultivators? I¡¯ve been ruthless and I¡¯ve shown mercy as well, but why do they still come and challenge me every day?¡± ¡°Does Qing Heng True Person not yet know?¡± Sima Changyan, who was practicing her sword nearby, suddenly approached and said, ¡°The Nether Ghost Path has specifically chosen you, True Person, as their trial subject!¡± ¡°Trial subject?¡± Ling Yunpo was bewildered. ¡°It¡¯s said that the higher-ups of the Nether Ghost Path have spoken,¡± Sima Changyan explained with a smile, ¡°claiming that for nearly the past hundred years, the sect¡¯s environment has been too lenient, allowing many unworthy individuals to advance to Golden Core True Person, which wastes cultivation resources of the sect.¡± ¡°So moving forward, there will be a reassessment of the Golden Core True Persons to categorize their ranks: anyone who can withstand a challenge against Qing Heng True Person of Shushan without dying will qualify to participate in the assessment.¡± ¡°Those who don¡¯t dare to challenge or those who are defeated and killed show they are mere Golden Core failures, and thus, will not need to participate in any further assessments.¡± Ling Yunpo: ¡­¡­¡­. What, I¡¯ve become the basic screening standard for their sect competition? That is simply outrageous! Since when did I give them permission? Have they paid me anything for these trials? So it¡¯s just freeloading, huh! Ling Yunpo decided to load a save to calm his emotions. ¡°Ah Jing, load the Luo Yan save!¡± ¡°Eh, wasn¡¯t it Wei Dongliu?¡± the Kunlun Mirror asked in surprise. ¡°Go load Wei Dongliu¡¯s save and then continue getting summoned to besiege Shushan, right?¡± Ling Yunpo narrowed his eyes, ¡°I¡¯m already numb from the killing, and now you¡¯re telling me the next save involves more fighting?¡± ¡°Oh,¡± the Kunlun Mirror drew out its reply, a hint of smugness and barely concealed glee within, ¡°then you better not regret it.¡± Ling Yunpo: ? What does that mean? Just as he was about to say something else, he heard Kunlun Mirror speaking rapidly: Shrouded by Luo Yan¡¯s illusion technique, he finally couldn¡¯t help but yawn. Peace is still the best, after all. The newly appointed master of Heavenly Craft Workshop, Luo Yan, performed a symbolic lap around the workshop. With the eldest senior brother graduated, the second senior sister defected, the fourth senior brother fallen, and the master passed away, the vast Heavenly Craft Workshop now only had three people left, including himself, truly desolate. Thinking back on the recent state of mind during his trip to Shushan, Luo Yan couldn¡¯t help but feel emotional about the fickle and arduous fate of cultivation. After all, most cultivators can¡¯t make it to the end, can they? Recalling the voice and smile of his master while the master was still alive, Luo Yan once again fell into silence. Forget it, let¡¯s go see the wife. At this time, Shi Liuli was wearing a light garment, feverishly writing at her desk. Her hair had not been styled, neither done up in a bun nor adorned with hairpins; it was simply tied into a ponytail at the back of her head. Seeing Luo Yan return to the bedroom, Shi Liuli revealed a joyful smile, yet thinking of her disheveled appearance, that joy quickly turned into a faint shyness. ¡°Husband,¡± she said softly. ¡°What are you writing?¡± Luo Yan embraced her from behind and gently rubbed her shoulders. ¡°The financial accounts,¡± Shi Liuli let him do as he pleased, only sighing as she spoke. Just the mention of finances gave Luo Yan a headache too. ?0?g?.?? The loss brought by the master¡¯s passing was too great, causing customer visits to Heavenly Craft Workshop to shrink by half. Even with Shi Liuli running around, leveraging on her father¡¯s past connections and persuading from all sides, it couldn¡¯t prevent the sharp decline in income. After all, without a Nascent Soul Cultivator, there¡¯s just no Nascent Soul Cultivator, and customer pity won¡¯t solve the problems. ¡°Let¡¯s not rush things,¡± Luo Yan decided to first take on the responsibilities of being a husband, ¡°Even if they don¡¯t commission Heavenly Craft Workshop, who else could they go to?¡± ¡°In the Cultivation Realm, there are not many Array Masters to begin with, and most are wild practitioners; they can only set up arrays without guaranteeing repairs, and their designs come with all sorts of issues. I bet in the end, they¡¯ll still have to come to us.¡± ¡°Indeed, it is I who am too anxious,¡± Shi Liuli then put on a relieved smile and touched the back of Luo Yan¡¯s hand, ¡°Husband, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m fine.¡± If he had only heard the first half of her remark, Luo Yan would have really thought she had come to terms with things. But hearing the second half, he realized that his wife Liuli was only pretending not to be anxious to keep him from worrying¡­ must you act in front of the king of actors? Tears, unknowingly, brimmed in his eyes. ¡°Husband?¡± Shi Liuli asked in confusion. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Luo Yan hastily looked up and sniffed, ¡°Ah, my neck is so sore, probably because I held you too long last night and slept in a bad position.¡± ¡°Then let me help you with it,¡± Shi Liuli didn¡¯t ask him ¡°how cuddling in meditation could lead to a stiff neck¡± as she stood up and began to massage him from behind. Luo Yan savored the gentle touch of hands as soft as boneless, yet, suddenly, he felt a twinge of guilt. Such a virtuous Miss Shi, what more could a husband ask for? However, thinking of why she had become like this, Luo Yan felt a profound sadness from the bottom of his heart. ¡°Junior Brother, Junior Sister, it¡¯s terrible!¡± The anxious voice of the Third Senior Sister Liang Ruohua hurriedly came from outside, ¡°Jade Heart Pavilion wants to take over Heavenly Craft Workshop¡¯s share!¡± Luo Yan: ?!! Chapter 592 Chapter 592: Chapter 20 Wisdom Pearl in Hand Shi Liuli Chapter 592: Chapter 20 Wisdom Pearl in Hand Shi Liuli Jade Light Pavilion is an artifact workshop under the Penglai Jade Pure Sect. Originally, when it came to magical treasures, Heavenly Craft Workshop was the unrivaled leader, to the extent that outsiders would say they ¡°only know of Heavenly Craft Workshop¡± and ¡°hear of no others.¡± However, in reality, Penglai also had many small-scale artifact schools, which maintained long-term cooperative relationships with Heavenly Craft Workshop. Take, for example, the Jade Light Pavilion, which was responsible for coating the mirror-type magical treasures produced by Heavenly Craft Workshop. Each time Third Senior Sister Liang Ruohua finished smelting and shaping a mirror-type magical treasure, and after Elder Shi Ding had inscribed the corresponding arrays inside, they would send them to Jade Light Pavilion for protective coating-of course, it¡¯s not that Third Senior Sister couldn¡¯t do the coating herself, she just found the task too cumbersome and slow and preferred to save time for focused cultivation. Ever since Elder Shi Ding perished, Jade Light Pavilion, as if a mountain had been lifted from their shoulders, began attempting to market their own mirror-type magical treasures¡­ This was, of course, not reprehensible, since nobody decreed that Heavenly Craft Workshop had to monopolize the sale of magical treasures. However, perhaps due to poor sales, they turned their attention to the shops of Heavenly Craft Workshop. Here it should be explained: Penglai Jade Pure Sect produced many elixirs, talisman scripts, magic artifacts, flying swords, spirit grasses, and so on, with its external trade channels mainly divided into three categories: custom orders, wholesale, and retail. Custom orders were for various cultivating immortals¡¯ leaders who had specific demands, rare in quantity and often not settled in spirit stones, thus not mentioned here; Wholesale was primarily for the stewards of Kunlun and Shushan who came to purchase large quantities of the same type of artifacts, also not mentioned here. The last was the retailing of artifacts to loose cultivators across the world, conducted through shops of the Penglai Sect in major markets like Fanghu, where the most popular shops with the highest foot traffic displayed magical treasures from Heavenly Craft Workshop-loose cultivators recognized the Heavenly Craft Workshop brand, which was easy to sell, making the shopkeepers happy to promote it. Therefore, when Jade Light Pavilion approached the Master of Xuandu, they sought to take over the ¡°traffic advantage¡± that Heavenly Craft Workshop had in this area, urging the Sect Leader to order Penglai¡¯s shops in the entire Cultivation Realm to push Jade Light Pavilion¡¯s mirror-type magical treasures instead. After briefly explaining this to Luo Yan, who had experience with online shopping in a past life, he instantly understood, and then flew into a furious rage: Good lord, even country folks know not to kill the goose that lays the golden eggs! wuxiaworld.site ?0?G?.?? My master¡¯s body is not yet cold, and you come to bully our Heavenly Craft Workshop because no one is in charge, trying to steal our traffic, huh? This is no longer mere business competition; we must strike back hard! He immediately set off with his Third Senior Sister and Shi Liuli, striding angrily toward the residence of the Sect Leader. Halfway there, Luo Yan suddenly noticed something odd about Shi Liuli. Her expression was far too calm-considering that since her father¡¯s death, Miss Shi had placed all her emotional investment in her husband and her career, how could she possibly allow Jade Light Pavilion to undermine Heavenly Craft Workshop? ¡°Liuli,¡± Luo Yan went over to take her hand and probed, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. Jade Light Pavilion¡¯s petty actions will not escape the Master of Xuandu¡¯s notice. Their conspiracy is bound to fail.¡± ¡°That is only natural,¡± Shi Liuli said indifferently. Seeing this, Luo Yan immediately confirmed: My wife is so collected, she must be hiding something from me! Miss Shi, you¡¯ve changed! You were never the type to possess the calm demeanor of a strategist before! However, since it seemed that Shi Liuli had some preparation in advance and was thus confident without any sign of panic, Luo Yan naturally opted to trust his wife, suspending his own thoughts to see how she would handle the situation moving forward. If all else failed, he would step in to save the day. Near the residence of the Master of Xuandu, the three encountered the Sect Leader¡¯s son, Tian Zhang. This young master was chatting and laughing with a beautiful younger apprentice sister; upon seeing Luo Yan¡¯s group approaching with fierce momentum, he quickly stepped forward to stop them: ¡°Master Jingyun, there is no need to rush. The Sect Leader is inside talking with Elder Miaoling, and will surely provide you with an explanation afterwards.¡± Luo Yan tilted his head slightly toward his wife, and seeing Shi Liuli¡¯s brows slightly furrowed, showcasing the unique and beautiful expression of feminine indignation, he too lowered his face to match Miss Shi¡¯s furious appearance, glaring at Tian Zhang without uttering a word. ¡°Elder Brother Tian,¡± Shi Liuli asked with a frown, ¡°We are not here to cause trouble; we merely wish to see the Sect Leader and also discuss the matter of supply with Jade Light Pavilion.¡± Tian Zhang was reluctant to believe her, but Shi Liuli¡¯s reason was too justifiable, leaving him without a reason to stop them. He could only slowly convince, saying: ¡°Sister Shi, as the Sect Leader, our father has his own difficulties; Penglai is not solely under his command.¡± ¡°I understand, Elder Brother Tian,¡± Shi Liuli replied calmly. This perfunctory tone was so obvious that Tian Zhang had nothing more to say, he could only cast a pleading look at Luo Yan. Luo Yan remained indifferent, pretending not to see. At times like this, he would undoubtedly stand firmly by his wife¡¯s side. The Third Senior Sister, Liang Ruohua, followed behind and couldn¡¯t help but sigh inwardly upon seeing Shi Liuli¡¯s aura completely dominating the scene. Lil¡¯ Junior Sister¡­ she really has changed from before. It¡¯s a pity that she matured too late, otherwise, if Master knew about this, he would certainly be happy, right? As everyone entered the main hall, they saw Miaoling, the Elder of Yuqing View, smiling and conversing with the Sect Leader of Xuandu. This Elder looked like a kind and amiable old lady. Seeing the people from Heavenly Craft Workshop arriving, she didn¡¯t show any surprise but hurried to warmly invite them to take a seat as if there had never been any issue over monopolizing sales traffic. Shi Liuli, with composure, exchanged pleasantries with Elder Miaoling for a few sentences and then brought up a matter of significance with the Sect Leader of Xuandu: ¡°Sect Leader, while organizing my late father¡¯s possessions, Liuli came across a matter of great importance.¡± The Sect Leader of Xuandu was quite surprised, as Shi Liuli did not bring up the issue of the shop¡¯s sales. In fact, before everyone had arrived, the Sect Leader of Xuandu and Elder Miaoling had already reached an agreement: Considering that Heavenly Craft Workshop lacked a Nascent Soul Elder and could only produce cauldrons, flags, mirrors, and seals, monopolizing the focus of sales was indeed inappropriate. However, with Elder Shi Ding¡¯s body still warm and Master Jingyun being a Second Grade Golden Core, and given that Wan Xiang Immortal had specifically instructed to take good care of them, they could only relinquish some of the sales spots, allowing Yuqing View and other artifact forging factions to redistribute them. Elder Miaoling, of course, was pleased to accept. To Yuqing View, those sales spots were not theirs to begin with; now they were biting off a piece from Heavenly Craft Workshop, and she was already quite content. As for Heavenly Craft Workshop, if Elder Shi Ding were still alive, he would certainly be able to object. But Master Jingyun was now only at the Golden Core Realm, and his words ultimately carried insufficient weight¡­ Just like with Qingluo Peak of Shushan, lacking a Sect elder with decision-making power meant the higher-ups¡¯ word was law. Thus, the two had already thought of how to tactfully inform Heavenly Craft Workshop of this, but they didn¡¯t expect the other party to receive news and come so quickly, completely omitting the issue of sales traffic¡­ ¡°Oh?¡± The Sect Leader of Xuandu put aside the prepared excuse and casually asked, following her lead, ¡°What important matter is it?¡± ¡°Previously, the Demonic Path surrounded Penglai because Lei Caiyan betrayed her Sect and spied on the layout ideas of the Sect Guardian Grand Formation in my late father¡¯s room,¡± Shi Liuli said calmly. ¡°Now that Lei Caiyan is still alive, it means that there¡¯s still a loophole the Demonic Path can exploit to breach the formation.¡± ¡°Therefore, my husband plans to go into seclusion for a period to carry out the necessary repairs and restructuring of the formation, to eliminate this vulnerability.¡± The Sect Leader of Xuandu: ¡­¡­¡­ Elder Miaoling: ¡­¡­¡­ Both thought simultaneously with a sinking heart: This is bad! They had forgotten about this issue! Formation arts are far more abstruse than the art of artifact forging. If today in Penglai someone claims to be the foremost in formation arts, apart from Master Jingyun who was personally tutored by Elder Shi Ding, there is no other choice-the gap between the second best and him is like that between elementary students and Ph.D. students. Since the Sect Guardian Grand Formation¡¯s information had been probed by the Hell Path traitor, repairs and restructuring were absolutely necessary. But this also meant that Master Jingyun of Heavenly Craft Workshop, despite still being in the Golden Core Realm, now held a unique and irreplaceable position of significance¡­ Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only If Penglai were to take the sales positions away from Heavenly Craft Workshop and give them to others, Master Jingyun wouldn¡¯t need to strike. He could merely indefinitely delay, claiming that the grand formation is challenging to repair, meaning the vulnerability wouldn¡¯t be resolved, and the Sect¡¯s security risk would persist. Yuqing View indeed might replace Heavenly Craft Workshop¡¯s artifact crafting, but could they take over Master Jingyun¡¯s role in formation maintenance? They could not! Realizing the implications instantaneously, Elder Miaoling quickly furrowed her brow and said: ¡°Sect Leader, this grand formation¡­¡± ¡°Right,¡± the Sect Leader of Xuandu promptly interrupted her, ¡°This protective Sect array is of utmost importance, and we must let Jingyun handle it thoroughly, without room for error.¡± Chapter 593 Chapter 593: Chapter 21: Cunning and Devious Shi Liuli Chapter 593: Chapter 21: Cunning and Devious Shi Liuli Next, the Master of Xuandu paid a visit to the three from the Heavenly Craft Workshop, offering them his kind concerns and reminiscing about his deep friendship with Elder Shi Ding. Shi Liuli¡¯s response was both brief and appropriate, leaving Luo Yan beside her with nothing to criticize, feeling that Miss Shi had matured far beyond her naive and childish former self-she seemed to have become a mature and intellectual older sister figure. Elder Miaoling stood beside them, smiling awkwardly, wanting to say something but finding no opportunity to chime in, while the Master of Xuandu made no mention of the prior agreement with her, acting as if nothing had ever happened. After bidding farewell to the Master of Xuandu, Luo Yan then took Shi Liuli and Liang Ruohua away. No sooner had they left the Sect Leader¡¯s residence than Elder Miaoling caught up from behind, making some polite conversation with Luo Yan. ¡°¡­In any case, if the Heavenly Craft Workshop has any need for coating mirror-like magical treasures, please feel free to come to our Jade Light Pavilion,¡± Elder Miaoling said with a sorrowful look, ¡°Back in the day when Elder Shi Ding was still with us, he and I also shared a deep connection¡­¡± Between the lines, it was as if the issue of siphoning traffic never existed. All Luo Yan could do was agree repeatedly, while Shi Liuli, who was at the Foundation Establishment Realm, was utterly ignored by Elder Miaoling and peacefully observed the scenery. Upon returning to the Heavenly Craft Workshop, everyone went their separate ways. Luo Yan entered Shi Liuli¡¯s Sword Casting Chamber-originally Linghu Chu¡¯s workspace but now hers-and saw Shi Liuli sitting at a desk, focusing intently on a Sword Casting Chart. ¡°Liuli,¡± Luo Yan sat down next to her, wrapping his arm affectionately around her shoulder, and probed, ¡°How did you think of using the Protective Sect Array to turn the situation around? Did you anticipate that the Jade Light Pavilion would take action like this?¡± ¡°No,¡± Shi Liuli replied calmly, ¡°After father passed away, it was only a matter of time before competitors would emerge.¡± As to whether it was the Jade Light Pavilion or some other artifact crafting faction, it really wasn¡¯t important¡­¡± she paused, then turned to say, ¡°Husband.¡± wuxiaworld.site ¡°The Tai Yi Escaping Armor Yin Yang Great Formation, you need to take control over it as soon as possible,¡± Shi Liuli said earnestly, ¡°After Lei Caiyan betrayed the sect, she was able to break the Protective Sect Array because she understood the core array¡¯s eye switch mechanism.¡± ¡°Therefore, you must modify the core array¡¯s eye. This task will be incredibly laborious, taking at least seven to eight hundred years, and if it¡¯s not changed, there is a risk of being invaded or even controlled by demonic spies again¡­ Husband, you understand, don¡¯t you?¡± Luo Yan was flabbergasted. Wow, Shi Liuli, this is¡­ so sly, truly so sly! Who corrupted my Liuli like this! He couldn¡¯t help but wail inwardly: ¡°Ah Jing, it was you who led her astray, wasn¡¯t it? It must be your illusion technique that turned her this sly!¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± the Kunlun Mirror commented with disdain, ¡°Keep it down; it¡¯s disgustingly smelly.¡± Luo Yan mournfully replied: ¡°Not only has she lost her naivety and zest, but she also no longer speaks of her diligent efforts. Now, she¡¯s started to be so cunning. I can¡¯t even begin to imagine what she¡¯ll become in the future!¡± ¡°Get a grip,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said helplessly, ¡°Wasn¡¯t Shi Liuli always intelligent? It¡¯s just that she never had to use her brain because Elder Shi Ding was there to take care of everything and she had no responsibilities to shoulder.¡± ¡°Now that Elder Shi Ding is gone and the Heavenly Craft Workshop faces a crisis in its operations, she¡¯s finally roused herself to action. Is it really that hard to understand?¡± ¡°That¡¯s easy to say,¡± Luo Yan continued to argue, ¡°but doesn¡¯t her sudden cunning increase the likelihood that she¡¯ll see through my true nature?¡± ¡°Not at all,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said with a smile, ¡°When it comes to¡­ wisdom, I believe you can outsmart her.¡± Hearing Ah Jing¡¯s completely irresponsible evasive nonsense, Luo Yan also sighed helplessly. Alas, she was still the person by his side; he would just have to be more careful in the future. ¡°I understand,¡± Luo Yan said dejectedly as he stood up, ¡°I¡¯ll go take a look at that formation.¡± Shi Liuli cocked her head, watching him with puzzlement, and asked: ¡°Why is my husband so despondent?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± Luo Yan said falsely, ¡°I just feel that for Liuli to have changed so much, it must be because your sorrow is extreme, and as your husband, I am powerless to help, which makes me feel very guilty.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to feel guilty,¡± Shi Liuli said gently, taking his hand, ¡°I didn¡¯t become like this out of great sorrow, but rather because I became your Daoist Companion, and I wanted to contribute to my husband¡¯s cause. Besides, the Heavenly Craft Workshop is also the foundation my father left behind; both emotionally and logically, I wouldn¡¯t just watch it decline.¡± ¡°All right,¡± Luo Yan said insincerely. After watching him leave, Shi Liuli silently gazed at his retreating figure, then slowly sat back down in her chair. Involuntarily, the warm memories of her past with her father, her junior brother, and her fellow senior brothers and sisters surfaced in her mind. After a long while, she came back to her senses, only to realize that her face was covered in tears. ¡°A hundred years of emptiness, and in a moment¡¯s turn, it¡¯s like waking from a great dream¡­¡± ¡°Father¡­¡± After leaving the Heavenly Craft Workshop, Luo Yan headed to the central eye of the Protective Sect Array. ???g?.?? The Tai Yi Escaping Armor Yin Yang Great Formation was located deep beneath Penglai Immortal Island, with a Nascent Soul Elder on duty at all times. It seemed that the Sect Leader of Xuandu had given prior notice, and the elder readily allowed passage, letting Luo Yan enter the spacious Array Chamber Hall. Within the underground hall, runic script of the formation densely covered the floor, walls, and ceiling; the touch was clearly that of Elder Shi Ding, with very low levels of coupling between them, making it very easy for novice array masters to get a handle on it as well as to maintain and optimize later on. No wonder Lei Caiyan, after secretly studying for a while, found a way to switch off the great formation. From the sect¡¯s perspective, such a formation was undoubtedly excellent, with relatively low dependency on formation masters¡­ His teacher was still too honest. Look at Shi Liuli; she¡¯s so savvy. Luo Yan smiled faintly, then began adjusting, shifting the formation toward ancient methods. Firstly, he increased the coupling between different areas of the formation. In this way, without an in-depth study of the formation, a formation master who adjusts one area incorrectly could cause other areas to malfunction or even fail. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Secondly, he optimized away all the explanatory runic annotations. It was precisely because of too many explanations and annotations that traitors like Lei Caiyan could easily learn the secrets! A formation that could be thoroughly studied was definitely not secure; not only would I delete some annotations, but I¡¯d also add more nesting, more coupling, and more loops, making the runic script more intricate, more integrated, and more difficult to grasp. This way, should another demon cult traitor attempt to learn the secrets of the formation, they would find it as incomprehensible as a celestial tome, greatly increasing its security! Of course, since I¡¯m personally setting up the formation, there would certainly be no problems with its maintenance! Chapter 594 Chapter 594: Chapter 22: The Rush to a 2nd Rank Shi Liuli Chapter 594: Chapter 22: The Rush to a 2nd Rank Shi Liuli The Master of Xuandu and the Wan Xiang Immortal stood in the underground formation chamber, looking at the surrounding Tai Yi Escaping Armor Yin Yang Great Formation. The dense runic scripts that had originally covered the room from front to back, left to right, and top to bottom, now left a large empty space in the center of the ceiling. ¡°What is this?¡± the Master of Xuandu asked Luo Yan with an inquiring look. ¡°I compressed and encrypted a portion of the original formation,¡± Luo Yan replied calmly, ¡°Although the formation set up by my master was perfect, it was somewhat cumbersome. After simplifying some of the standard but unnecessary runic scripts, we not only save space for adding new elements later but also significantly increase the security. At least it won¡¯t be easily mastered by someone who steals a few years of learning.¡± ¡°This is an ancient formation technique,¡± observed the Wan Xiang Immortal with admiration. Luo Yan respectfully responded, ¡°Yes.¡± Good, the Immortal didn¡¯t ask about maintenance issues, which means he could probably understand the principles of the formation but was not capable of setting up one. ¡°Shall we start it up and try?¡± suggested the Master of Xuandu. He walked to the center of the formation and placed his hand on the surface of the cauldron vessel. Suddenly, the cauldron vessel started to hum and vibrate, accompanied by a wave-like, liquid-like brilliance overflowing from within, swirling around the room with a mystical stream of light. ¡°Hmm,¡± the Master of Xuandu closed his eyes, his divine sense spreading out through the formation, quickly enveloping the entire Penglai Island, ¡°Not bad, not bad.¡± His ¡®not bad¡¯ didn¡¯t mean that Luo Yan had made great improvements-it was actually quite similar to the original. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.c0 But the fact that Luo Yan, with his Golden Core, was capable of modifying Elder Shi Ding¡¯s formation without any malfunctions (especially when so many runic scripts were missing from the ceiling), precisely showed that Luo Yan had the ability to maintain the formation. ¡°In your opinion,¡± the Wan Xiang Immortal asked gently, ¡°if we were to continue encrypting until the information about the formation that the traitor stole becomes completely invalid and unusable, how long might that take?¡± ¡°Hard to say,¡± Luo Yan cunningly replied, ¡°I¡¯m not yet familiar with this formation. If I continue to study it, the estimated time will shorten.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± the Wan Xiang Immortal nodded slightly, knowing what Luo Yan meant was, with the current pace, it would certainly take a long while to make the changes. However, the more alterations were made, the higher the security would be; and as he became more familiar with the formation, the pace of modification would also speed up¡­ so there was no need to focus on the deadline. Considering this, he nodded to the Master of Xuandu. Luo Yan let out a sigh of relief too: after so many repeated modifications, he had finally passed the first review. No sooner had everyone left the underground formation hall than a True Person hurriedly approached, speaking to both the Master of Xuandu and the Wan Xiang Immortal: ¡°The Demon Cult has mobilized troops on all five routes, besieging Shushan!¡± Both of them were startled upon hearing this, and Luo Yan, frowning, hurriedly pretended to be just as confused. ¡°Convene a high-level sect meeting immediately,¡± the Wan Xiang Immortal quickly instructed the Master of Xuandu, then turned to warn Luo Yan, ¡°Jingyun, you return first, and don¡¯t discuss this matter with anyone else.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t hear a thing,¡± Luo Yan replied at once. He rushed back to the Heavenly Craft Workshop and called over his third senior sister, Liang Ruohua, and Shi Liuli, instructing them: ¡°The sect may be on full alert shortly; don¡¯t go out at will recently.¡± Liang Ruohua nodded in agreement. By nature focused on academics, she wasn¡¯t like the first generation Shi Liuli who loved to run around and play. Shi Liuli, however, was silent for a moment, then thoughtfully said: ¡°Is it Kunlun or Shushan in trouble?¡± As she spoke, she immediately added: ¡°If it¡¯s the Demon Cult attacking, they¡¯d likely choose Shushan because Kunlun has an unfathomably deep foundation. Attacking Kunlun has too many variables; Shushan is more like a soft persimmon to squeeze. But if it¡¯s not the Demon Cult attacking and instead an internal crisis within the sects, it¡¯s hard to say.¡± ¡°Oh, husband, this expression of yours, seems like it really is the Demon Cult besieging Shushan¡­¡± Luo Yan was so frightened that cold sweat poured down. What¡¯s with my wife? She gives one quite a chilling feeling! To tell the truth, if he wasn¡¯t some kind of traitor, he would have been overjoyed by now-after all, his little wife had become so smart and capable, able to devise strategies for him, acting clingy and affectionate in his arms, and obedient to him in every way. With such a fine wife, what more could a husband ask for? However, it was precisely such a clever Shi Liuli who might one day suddenly discover that her husband, Luo Yan, was also Xu Yinglian¡¯s husband, Qiu Changtian. What methods she would use to deal with him then was really hard to say. From this perspective, Luo Yan would rather have Shi Liuli remain honest, simple, and even foolish as before¡­ But unfortunately, he no longer had the choice now. Seeing Luo Yan so shocked and with such complex expressions, Shi Liuli also knew she misspoke and shook her head without saying anything. She probably guessed part of Luo Yan¡¯s thoughts: he must feel that he hadn¡¯t comforted her properly, thinking that she was still unable to get over the grief of losing her father, which was why her personality had changed so drastically. Because of this, her husband must be feeling extremely guilty at this moment. With a slight turn of her thoughts, Shi Liuli knew that even if she explained to her husband, saying that she had only been forced to mature quickly due to drastic life changes, he would probably think she was just making up an excuse to comfort him. Alas, although her husband had a photographic memory, his nature was truly too honest and simple, and he hadn¡¯t changed since they first met. I still need to manage the Heavenly Craft Workshop well, so he won¡¯t have to worry anymore. ¡°Regardless of what has happened,¡± Shi Liuli said with a faint smile, ¡°don¡¯t worry, we won¡¯t go out.¡± She stood up and said: ¡°I¡¯m going back to research sword casting.¡± As Shi Liuli left, Luo Yan sighed and said to his Third Senior Sister, Liang Ruohua: ¡°Senior Sister, look at Liuli¡­ Her current personality truly keeps me up at night.¡± ¡°I also preferred the junior sister of the past,¡± Liang Ruohua said sorrowfully, ¡°but¡­ people eventually have to mature.¡± ¡°Junior Brother¡­ I should call you Master Jingyun now. The Heavenly Craft Workshop was our master¡¯s life¡¯s work; Liuli is working tirelessly for its sake, and it¡¯s her own choice. You shouldn¡¯t be too attached.¡± ¡°Sometimes, we have to look forward after all.¡± She also rose to take her leave and, with another sigh, Luo Yan turned and left. Foundation Establishment Realm disciples cannot leave the sect easily, but for a Golden Core True Person like him, there is no hindrance. Besides, his wife was a Refining Mansion stage cultivator, and he still needed to find some suitable Mercurial Elixir for her-it wouldn¡¯t do to have her splitting focus between researching sword casting and seeking out opportunities for daily cultivation. If his memory served him correctly, his wife now had sixty years of Mercurial Elixir Liquid, fifty years of Dynasty Yuan Spiritual Energy, thirty years of Jade Pond Golden Lotus, thirty years of vermilion marrow elixir, and with the fifty years of Yuling Island Taode Liuguang, it added up to two hundred and twenty years. If she attempted Tribulation now, she would undoubtedly achieve a Third Grade Golden Core status. But Liuli had not chosen to form her Core Formation because she still had more than a hundred years of life left and aimed for the Second Grade Golden Core, which bestowed a life span of four hundred years. As of now, all the Mercurial Elixir available from Penglai Yuqing View had been consumed by her, and this was the main reason why most elite cultivators from the Orthodox Sect were stuck at Third Grade Golden Core-ascending to Second Grade truly tested one¡¯s opportunities. Fortunately, Luo Yan was not lacking in opportunities. After carefully recalling his memories for a while, he reached into the Heavenly Craft treasure bag and pulled out a wooden case. The remaining sea bodhi seeds that Ling Yunpo had acquired in the Misty Forest of the Southern Border were taken out, since Senior Sister An had already taken one. He had originally planned to save these for when his other wives attempted to reach higher levels of Golden Core cultivation. Xu Yinglian was too capable and had herself reached Second Grade Golden Core, not needing the thirty years of cultivation from the sea bodhi seeds. So he decided to give one to Shi Liuli first. As for the rest¡­ Jiang the Witch? Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Jiang the Witch wasn¡¯t his wife, nor was she a senior sister or junior sister; their relationship could only be described as a close confidante at best. But he could keep it for her and see how she performed later on. ???G?.?? Then there were Wei Dongliu¡¯s two disciples, which would just be enough to distribute. With that thought, Luo Yan took the wooden case and headed for Shi Liuli¡¯s Sword Casting Chamber. Chapter 595 Chapter 595: Chapter 23 Core Formation Obstacle for Jiang the Witch Chapter 595: Chapter 23 Core Formation Obstacle for Jiang the Witch In the Sword Casting Chamber. ¡°Sea Bodhi?¡± Shi Liuli was somewhat surprised. She extended two slender fingers, pinched the Sea Bodhi Luo Yan had handed to her, and brought it closer to her eyes for a careful examination. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Luo Yan smiled and said, ¡°Consuming it can extend your Refining Mansion cultivation by thirty years.¡± After a moment, he became somewhat uneasy: ¡°Uh, Liuli, aren¡¯t you going to eat it?¡± ¡°In a bit,¡± Shi Liuli picked up the Sword Manual again, ¡°Let me finish looking at this chart first.¡± Luo Yan left feeling jittery, and only then did Shi Liuli pick up the Sea Bodhi. Yet, she wasn¡¯t in a hurry to consume it, instead, she silently pondered over it. This Sea Bodhi, if my memory serves me right, can only be cultivated by certain ancient aquatic demon clans. ???g?.?? However, as the ancient demon clans fell, that particular clan migrated collectively to the Eastern Emperor Realm, and the Sea Bodhi gradually disappeared from the Cultivation Realm. Where did my husband procure this Sea Bodhi from? Could it be that in some corner of the East Sea, descendants of that ancient demon clan still exist? wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co ¡°Nian Nu,¡± Shi Liuli said indifferently. ¡°I am here.¡± The White Jade Puppet descended swiftly from the sky and landed in the courtyard of the Heavenly Craft Workshop. This puppet, as one of the types of high-grade magical treasures, was also cast by Elder Shi Ding back in the day. Although it was set to serve only the Nascent Soul Elders of the sect, Elder Shi Ding deliberately left a backdoor, which was hidden within the scripture scrolls of the Heavenly Craft Workshop. Having recently perused through her father¡¯s collection, Shi Liuli found the records of this and smoothly obtained full access to Nian Nu¡­ only to discover that the puppet¡¯s actual capabilities were far more expansive than what the workshop was aware of. ¡°Help me check Master Jingyun¡¯s island departure records,¡± Shi Liuli instructed, ¡°Retrieve the last three months.¡± The White Jade Nian Nu quickly replied: ¡°Master Jingyun has not left in the past three months.¡± He has not left? Shi Liuli¡¯s eyebrows furrowed slightly. So that means he had obtained the Sea Bodhi a while ago, so why did he only give it to me today? This Nascent Soul secret medicine is useless to my husband, who has already formed his core. Shouldn¡¯t it have been given to his wife to consume immediately? In that instant, Shi Liuli felt an instinctive alarm, but it was quickly suppressed by her reason and composure. Suspecting my husband of infidelity without evidence would be utterly ridiculous. But still¡­ this Sea Bodhi¡­ Rotating the Sea Bodhi between her fingers, Shi Liuli gradually sank into deep thought. Taking the remaining Sea Bodhi with him, Luo Yan then ordered the Kunlun Mirror: ¡°Access Wei Dongliu¡¯s file.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± the Kunlun Mirror responded: [Location Four: Shiping Mountain, Tong Xuan Gate.] [Identity: Wei Dongliu.] [Mirror Flower Water Moon Template overlaying, engaging in time-space travel.] When Wei Dongliu returned to the heart of Tong Xuan Gate on Shiping Mountain, he saw Jiang the Witch teaching two disciples. ¡°¡­ So, when battling others with magic, the most important thing is to strike first,¡± Jiang Liyan summarized, ¡°First, you have to be confident that the opponent¡¯s magical combat experience is not much richer than yours. The idea of striking later is even more unrealistic.¡± ¡°Basically, when the combat abilities of two people are about the same, whoever strikes first and lands an attack on the opponent has essentially won half the battle.¡± ¡°But what if the opponent is truly much stronger than me? Wouldn¡¯t striking first just expose my weakness and put me at a disadvantage?¡± Wang Cong raised his hand and asked. ¡°Stupid!¡± Jiang the Witch flicked her forehead. ¡°If your opponent is stronger than you, your top priority should be to run away.¡± ¡°From this perspective, it¡¯s definitely better to run away sooner rather than later. If you take the initiative to strike and realize early on that the opponent¡¯s strength is overwhelming, isn¡¯t it better to turn tail and run than to foolishly stay put and test the waters?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± Wei Dongliu entered the teaching scene and looked at the two disciples with authority. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you taking notes of these key points?!¡± Both of them hastily scrambled to grab paper and pens. ¡°Jiang Daoist friend, thank you for your hard work.¡± Wei Dongliu led Jiang the Witch to the side with a smiling face. ¡°This is for you.¡± ¡°Thank you, Wei Daoist friend¡­ What is this?¡± Jiang Liyan showed a look of surprise. ¡°Sea Calabash.¡± Wei Dongliu said nonchalantly, ¡°It¡¯s a small token of appreciation for your efforts in mentoring my disciples, equivalent to thirty years of Refining Mansion cultivation.¡± ¡°How can I accept this¡­¡± Jiang the Witch said with a beaming smile, quickly putting the wooden box into her storage bag. ¡°Wei Daoist friend is too kind. Since I am a Guest Elder of the Tong Xuan Sect, your disciples are like my own.¡± ¡°Well said.¡± Wei Dongliu spoke indifferently. ¡°I have to go out soon, so I¡¯ll need Jiang Daoist friend to continue looking after the sect matters.¡± ¡°Eh, going out?¡± Jiang the Witch instinctively wanted to volunteer to accompany him, but Wei Dongliu cut her off decisively: ¡°This matter is of great importance. Since Jiang Daoist friend has not achieved Core Formation, it¡¯s better for you to focus on cultivating at the sect.¡± What a joke, I¡¯m going out to obtain the ¡°Myriad Law Absolute Immortal Sword.¡± How can I let you witness the process of ¡°obtaining the sword¡±? ¡°I see, it was presumptuous of me.¡± Jiang Liyan masked her disappointment and nodded with a smile. As Wei Dongliu hurriedly left, Jiang the Witch quickly returned to her room and couldn¡¯t wait to take out the Sea Calabash from the wooden box to consume and refine its power. After several days had passed, she finally opened her eyes, only to reveal a disappointed expression. What in the world was going on? Jiang Liyan carefully recalled that she had been at the Refining Mansion grade for a while now, and whenever she operated the Core Condensation Technique, attempting to nurture her Purple Mansion, her True Yuan would disappear without a trace, leaving no response whatsoever. According to the Core Condensation Technique¡¯s instructions, the process of nurturing the Purple Mansion was the same as reinforcing the Daoist Foundation. As True Yuan continuously circulates and adheres, the inner walls of the Purple Mansion become more and more perfect, ultimately reaching the state of being soft and smooth as jade, known as the ¡°Jade Mansion.¡± The Jade Mansion is the foundation for a high-grade Golden Core. Rushing into Core Formation without a Jade Mansion would result in flaws in the Golden Core¡¯s grade, which in turn affects the Nascent Soul Formation and ascension realms. However, Jiang Liyan roughly estimated that even though her Refining Mansion cultivation was not over two hundred years, it wasn¡¯t far from it either, but there was absolutely no sign of improvement in her Purple Mansion. To put it in perspective, it was like the delivery date for a new house was approaching, only to find that there were no houses in the complex. How could she not be anxious? ¡°Perhaps there¡¯s a problem with the Core Condensation Technique¡­¡± Jiang Liyan clenched the Cultivation Technique¡¯s jade slip in her hand, a deep gloom appearing in her eyes. The Core Condensation Technique was obtained after killing her senior sister Ai Zhenzhi in the past. It would not be surprising if Elder Cai E had deliberately tampered with the technique to keep Ai Zhenzhi under her thumb and manage the sect affairs ¨C it was a common practice amongst Heavenly Demon Path masters to keep a hold over their disciples. If that wasn¡¯t the case, then it meant that there was an innate flaw in her own physique or Daoist Foundation¡­ This possibility was too horrific for Jiang the Witch to even consider. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only It must be an issue with the Core Condensation Technique! In that case, she would need to hunt down a few more Heavenly Demon cultivators at the Refining Mansion level to compare the Core Condensation Techniques provided by different masters and try to restore the true content of the technique. As for the associated risks, while it meant opposing the Heavenly Demons and specifically targeting their Refining Mansion cultivators would bring great danger, she only needed to be cautious in her approach. There¡¯s no need to be cowardly; one must seek fortune amidst peril. And in the worst case scenario, she still had her danger intuition! Chapter 596 Chapter 596: Chapter 24 Major Crisis Jiang the Witch Chapter 596: Chapter 24 Major Crisis Jiang the Witch Overseas from Yangzhou, on a certain island. Jiang the Witch¡¯s ¡°original master,¡± Elder Caie, sat silently on the island. From the direction of the Divine Land, dark clouds suddenly approached, reaching the island¡¯s airspace in an instant and descending in front of Elder Caie. The person within the cloud was shrouded in black mist, impenetrable, with their identity completely indiscernible. ¡°We have known each other for many years, and this meeting is in such a remote place; why hide your head and show your tail?¡± Elder Caie said with a cold laugh. ¡°Secrecy is paramount.¡± The person in the black cloud said with a light laugh, ¡°Isn¡¯t it because you were too reckless that you fell for your disciple¡¯s trick last time?¡± Elder Caie¡¯s face immediately surged with murderous intent, and she said through gritted teeth, venomously: ¡°Once the Self-At-Ease Grandmaster returns, I will surely ask her to cut that Wei Dongliu into thousands of pieces!¡± ¡°With just your strength alone, you cannot touch Wei Dongliu.¡± The person in the black cloud continued to laugh, ¡°Now that the Blood Sea Ancestor has ordained him the leader of the Mortal Life Path Sect, the Self-At-Ease Grandmaster won¡¯t possibly confront the Blood Sea Ancestor head-on for your sake.¡± ¡°Leader of the Mortal Life Path Sect? Such grandiose claims!¡± Elder Caie unconsciously wanted to scoff, but she quickly caught on, realizing that the person opposite her wouldn¡¯t be speaking nonsense, ¡°What does the Blood Sea Ancestor mean? Does he want to regain control of the Mortal Life Path, using Wei Dongliu as his pawn in plain sight?¡± ¡°That¡¯s hard to say,¡± said the person in the black cloud leisurely, ¡°But the Blood Sea Ancestor values Wei Dongliu greatly, even giving him three small arrows, each capable of destroying an ordinary sect.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re just obediently being his dog,¡± Elder Caie provoked, ¡°since you can¡¯t defy the Blood Sea Ancestor anyway.¡± wuxiaworld.site This can bewilder and control the victim, like a puppet, through the profound connection between the realms; if she is told to go east, she couldn¡¯t go west.¡± ¡°Of course, if there is something capable of shielding the secret workings of fate, this technique would no longer be effective¡­¡± ¡°That wayward disciple should have no magical treasures capable of shielding divination,¡± Elder Caie reasoned, ¡°I have been keeping track of her whereabouts lately, looking for an opportunity to catch her when she is out.¡± ¡°But even if you capture my wayward disciple, what benefit does it bring? Could it be that you want to use my wayward disciple in order to lure out Wei Dongliu?¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± the person in the black cloud smiled, ¡°You and I only need to set up numerous traps around Jiang Liyan. When Wei Dongliu comes to rescue Jiang Liyan, we shall explode them all.¡± ¡°If Wei Dongliu dies on the spot, there is no need to discuss further. Your heart¡¯s hatred would be vented, and I would remove a stumbling block.¡± ¡°And what if Wei Dongliu has many hidden trump cards and, by chance, survives?¡± Elder Caie probed. ¡°Even so, we will not be on the scene-who could he hold accountable?¡± the person in the black cloud laughed heartily, ¡°Of course, to take a step back, even if we can¡¯t kill Wei Dongliu, at least you will have dealt with your wayward disciple, right?¡± Elder Caie was immediately tempted. She went through the entire plan laid out by the other party in her mind. There were two points that the other party failed to mention, one being whether the Blood Sea Ancestor would use Art Calculation for retaliation if Wei Dongliu were to die, and the other being whether Wei Dongliu would use Art Calculation to trace back and target the person who had harmed him if he were fortunate enough to survive. As for the former, it was highly unlikely because from the moment Wei Dongliu died, his worth to the Blood Sea Ancestor would be completely lost. Even if the Blood Sea Ancestor calculated that it was his own doing, would he really seek out the Heavenly Demon Path and demand the Master of Ease for an explanation? Immortals had their own set of rules and ways of conducting themselves. Just as the Master of Ease would not confront the Blood Sea Ancestor over Wei Dongliu¡¯s life, the Blood Sea Ancestor would not make a big fuss about it either-killing someone he happened to encounter was one thing; directly assaulting another¡¯s sect to commit murder was quite another. As for the latter, not to mention whether Wei Dongliu possessed the means of Art Calculation. Even if he did, with the Blood Sea Ancestor unable to attack the Heavenly Demon Path for vengeance, Wei Dongliu would naturally be even less capable. Considering this, the plan was not bad, at least it could take care of the problem that was Jiang Liyan, the deviant disciple. ¡°Speaking of which, I have recently acquired a Blood Refinement Secret Technique,¡± said Elder Cai E with a cold smile. ¡°It uses cultivators as sacrifices, inserting silver needles into their major and minor acupoints, causing their blood and qi to boil fiercely.¡± ¡°The sacrifices will endure extreme pain before dying, with their bones, flesh, and skin melting in succession, an ordeal no ordinary person could bear. Such intense suffering can attract a very high-rank Heavenly Demon Head.¡± ¡°At that time, I will hide the Demon Head within the corpse, disguise it to look as if Jiang Liyan is still alive, and lure Wei Dongliu to come to the rescue, then give him a monumental surprise.¡± ¡°That is very good,¡± said the figure within the dark clouds, satisfied. ???G?.?? ¡°Then it¡¯s settled.¡± Meanwhile, Jiang Liyan was aimlessly disguising herself while wandering around Lin¡¯an when she suddenly felt an extremely terrible crisis approaching. A great crisis! She jumped up like a startled rabbit, looking around swiftly. No enemies¡­ did not mean there was no danger, she needed to make a quick escape! So, Jiang the Witch immediately took to her Flying Sword, speeding toward the direction of Shiping Mountain. Only by seeking the protection of the Demon Lord Wei could she truly be at ease. On the other side, Wei Dongliu had already arrived in the Sichuan-Tibet Region by Sword Control, flying towards the direction of the former Snow Mountain Buddhist Pagoda. The Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword was already in his grasp, and all he had to do now was to wait for the sword¡¯s chorusing hum to sound, so that he ¡°just happened to encounter the Flying Sword,¡± ¡°then put up a brave fight,¡± and ¡°finally conquer it for his own use.¡± Of course, it would be best to find a few fellow Asura Path cultivators along the way to witness him flying by, establishing what one might call an ¡°alibi.¡± In this way, no matter which Demon Path overlord wanted to investigate the matter later, whether they sought eyewitness accounts or used Art Calculation, there would be no flaws to find. At this moment, Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu should still be traveling around the southern border, and the front lines of Shushan and the Asura Path were already intricately intertwined, each trying to push deep into enemy territory to establish the greatest achievements and battle merits. Transformed into a red-haired, double-pupiled Demon Lord, he flew his Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword southwest, encountering numerous battles along the way. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Among them was a Shushan true person who, sensing the dense and sinister aura of the sword he controlled, instinctively took him for a Demon Path Cultivator and joined the attack. Wei Dongliu did not extend courtesies, effortlessly repelling the attacker with a single blow before taking a careful look. If it was someone familiar with Ling Yunpo, he let them escape after overpowering them, not pursuing to kill. For those he didn¡¯t recognize or had enmity with, he would casually land another blow to kill, without engaging in chatter with the Asura Path monks, simply swaggering away. Soon, news of a rampant Demon Lord wandering in the vicinity began to spread within a small circle among the Shushan Sword Immortals and the Asura Path monks. Chapter 597 Chapter 597: Chapter 25 Jiang the Witch Unrepentant in Death Chapter 597: Chapter 25 Jiang the Witch Unrepentant in Death Several days later. Jiang Liyan opened her eyes once again, feeling her divine sense was muddy and almost unable to maintain consciousness. Someone rudely pried open her mouth and poured medicine down her throat. Deadvine Water? Jiang the Witch suddenly shivered violently, recognizing the bitter and astringent liquid in her mouth as the meticulously formulated Deadvine Water-it could make one¡¯s perception acutely sensitive, amplifying emotions like happiness, anger, sorrow, and joy over a hundredfold, making it nearly impossible to maintain a stable state of mind. For demon heads from beyond the heavens, humans with intense emotions and unstable minds were the best prey; therefore, Deadvine Water was mostly used on sacrificial victims to summon Heavenly Demons to the Lower Realm. Of course, the Heavenly Demon Path wasn¡¯t about treating guests to a meal. They would draw runic scripts of soul imprisonment on the bodies of the sacrifices, trapping the Heavenly Demons inside the flesh after they had fed and then refining them into Demon Heads they could manipulate. Jiang Liyan struggled to look ahead, finally making out the face of Elder Cai¡¯e through the haze. Am I¡­ going to die? ¡°You treacherous disciple!¡± Elder Cai¡¯e slapped her, causing Jiang Liyan almost to cry out in pain, ¡°I¡¯ll give you one more chance. If you send a message now to call Wei Dongliu over to save you, I¡¯ll grant you a quick death!¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t know what¡¯s good for you, you know the means at your teacher¡¯s disposal!¡± wuxiaworld.site When Elder Cai¡¯e finally stopped, Jiang Liyan spat out a few teeth, dazed and dizzy, revealing a bloody, indifferent smile, but said nothing. She wasn¡¯t a fool and knew that if she chose to submit, she would not only lead Wei Dongliu into a trap but would still not end up with a good death. Elder Cai¡¯e was no trustworthy person. A mass of dark clouds drifted into the cave from the outside, and upon seeing Elder Cai¡¯e torturing her own disciple, a voice said: ¡°You needn¡¯t bother; I have already checked her storage bag, and she indeed has no magical treasure that could contact Wei Dongliu.¡± ¡°The task of luring Wei Dongliu here can be left to me. You should start setting up your methods sooner.¡± ¡°What a good person you pretend to be, Lady Xu!¡± Elder Cai¡¯e spoke with malice, ¡°I want to torture her body and mind personally, making her submit to my methods and betray Wei Dongliu of her own volition!¡± ¡°Hehe.¡± Jiang Liyan suddenly let out a faint, vague laugh, ¡°Wei Dong Liu¡­ ???g?.?? will avenge me¡­ ¡± ¡°Good!¡± Elder Cai¡¯e sneered viciously, taking a silver needle from her storage bag, ¡°I want to see how Wei Dongliu will come to save you!¡± Meanwhile, Wei Dongliu had already arrived at the outskirts of the snowy mountain, lying in wait patiently. If his memory served him correctly, Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu should have already entered deep into the Buddhist Pagoda inside the mountain. Once that sword cry occurred, his Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword would be like having an ID card, fully recognized and able to appear in the outside world. His divine sense swept the vicinity, ensuring that there were no cultivators nearby, and then he produced the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword from his sleeve. The sword moved around him slowly, like a fish swimming, as if it were leisurely strolling. Qing Ping had said that the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword originally wasn¡¯t planning to acknowledge its master at all, insisting on testing whether he, the Sword Master, had the strength and qualification to control and command this Intercepting Cult Immortal Sword. Wei Dongliu, then, transformed into Chaos Demon Lord, and using pure demonic qi, he groomed the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword up and down, back and forth until it was utterly submissive. It might sound like some bizarre comic, but the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword really ate it up, so no more needed to be said. Hmm? Wei Dongliu suddenly felt a subtle unease. This feeling was very strange, for the intuition had risen from the depths of his heart several hours earlier. Yet, he couldn¡¯t pinpoint exactly what was amiss. After reviewing his plan from start to finish and finding no issues, Wei Dongliu asked the Kunlun Mirror: ¡°Ah Jing, do you think there¡¯s something we¡¯ve overlooked? Why do I always feel that something is not quite right?¡± ¡°You must be imagining things,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said very calmly, ¡°What could possibly be wrong? I have no idea.¡± ¡°Ah Jing, you better not be deceiving me,¡± Wei Dongliu said suspiciously, ¡°If I truly suffer, you won¡¯t get off easy either!¡± ¡°Of course,¡± sighed the Kunlun Mirror, ¡°Our interests are aligned. Why would I harm you?¡± Wei Dongliu thought it made sense; if he were to face any crisis and the Kunlun Mirror did not lend a hand¡­ That would certainly be impossible. Moreover, Ling Yunpo would soon release that sword chant, so waiting a little longer seemed harmless. While he lay in patient ambush, Jiang the Witch on the other side was like a flickering candle in the wind, her life nearing its end, surviving only on the trickle of True Yuan that Elder Cai¡¯e provided. Jiang the Witch sat motionless, her body riddled with silver needles at various acupoints, her stillness resembling death, with only the slowly oozing blood and sweat, and occasional slight trembles indicating that she was still alive. As for her spirit¡­ under the constant and ceaseless torment, it had nearly become completely numb and relaxed. ¡°I¡¯ll give you one last chance,¡± Elder Cai¡¯e said with wild satisfaction, clearly having vented the grudges and hatred of days past, ¡°Just betray Wei Dongliu, and I¡¯ll immediately end your life, letting the Heavenly Demon consume your soul.¡± ¡°Otherwise, you¡¯ll suffer for several more hours!¡± Jiang the Witch remained silent. It wasn¡¯t that she lacked the strength to nod; she had completely sealed off her heart. Within her hazy consciousness, it was as if countless memories slipped through her mind, like scenes from an old movie. When they first met in Mount Wutai, she was merely curious why he could withstand her Heavenly Demon Mystic Sound Technique and gradually became interested in him. Then, feeling he could be useful, she concocted various reasons to follow him¡­ This Fellow Daoist Wei, although he acted quite eccentrically, was different from the typical Demon Path Cultivator; within him were principles and rules, not the unscrupulous and vicious type. Looking back now, what truly attracted her was not his mysterious demeanor, but rather his steadfast and righteous character. On Golden Turtle Island in the Southern Sea, he had saved her from an Immortal Rank demon despite their past grievances. Near Biyun Palace, when her master captured her on the spot, she had no choice but to plead for mercy using Wei Dongliu¡¯s name. When Wei Dongliu arrived, he scared off the master and, surprisingly, didn¡¯t kill her. He simply stated lightly that he was willing to give her another chance. So, although he liked to appear as a mysterious and heartless old monster, deep down, he was actually a moral gentleman. Though I consider myself a cruel and ruthless witch, I don¡¯t favor cruel and savage Demon Lords. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only I¡¯ve seen too many cultivators like that. Actually¡­ Sigh, Fellow Daoist Wei, why were you so kind to me¡­ If there is another life, this humble woman¡­ does not wish to join the Demon Cult again but desires to enter the Tong Xuan Gate. Even if I were to be a sweeping maid unable to cultivate, it would be to repay the life I owe you¡­ Numerous chaotic thoughts flashed through her Sea of Consciousness, eventually coalescing into a mass of black air that swiftly poured out from her eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. And her body came to a complete stop, trembling no more. She was dead. Chapter 598 Chapter 598: Chapter 26: The Free Heavenly Demon, Witch Li An Chapter 598: Chapter 26: The Free Heavenly Demon, Witch Li An Above the Heavenly Dome, in the Sixth Layer of the realm beyond the heavens known as the Sixth Heavenly Demon King¡¯s Transformative Self-Mastery Heaven, the Sixth Heavenly Demon King ruled as the sovereign of all demons, reveling in the joys and karma of the five other major Desire Heavens of the lower layers. The Demon King resided within the Demon Palace, accompanied by five hundred Witches (the so-called Witches were the daughters of the Demon King), possessing the closest Mana and status to the Demon King himself. Of course, Heavenly Demons themselves had no gender distinction, nor did they have the function of marriage or procreation; therefore, these Witches were generally believed to be splinters of the Demon King¡­ akin to bacteria. It was just that the Witches usually preferred to transform into beautiful human females, which was why they were called Witches. Wherever there were people, there were Jianghu; the Witches, who fed on desires, were no exception. After the Demon King left the Transformative Self-Mastery Heaven permanently, the intensity of the struggles among the Witches reached its peak, as everyone coveted the position of the Sixth Heavenly Demon King. Among the five hundred Witches, there were three sisters with the strongest Mana, who shared the closest relationship-the eldest was called ¡°Li An,¡± the second ¡°Li Chou,¡± and the youngest ¡°Li Hen.¡± The names of the Witches were self-chosen, essentially representing the emotions they most enjoyed preying upon. Li An was one who fed on the fear of death; Li Chou on the reluctance to die; and Li Hen on the resentment towards death. As the lower realm creatures experienced fear the most upon death, the eldest sister, Li An, possessed the strongest Mana and was the leader of the three. But however strong she was, she had yet to subjugate the other four hundred ninety-seven Witches; otherwise, she would have long become the Sixth Heavenly Demon King. One day, Li An had a sudden revelation within the Demon Palace and said to her sisters with a smile: ¡°My Demonic Techniques are about to reach perfection, but I¡¯m just one step away from complete fulfillment.¡± wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co Li Chou eagerly asked, ¡°When will sister be able to cultivate to Perfection and become the master of this Demon Palace, the Sixth Heavenly Demon King?¡± ¡°I need one last vestige of obsession,¡± Li An replied. ¡°Then we just need to find a soul with an obsession and devour it,¡± Li Hen, ever candid, suggested. ???G?.?? ¡°Using that method, we would need to consume at least six thousand souls,¡± Li An said with a smile, shaking her head. ¡°But I have an idea¡­¡± ¡°To become human in the Lower Realm and experience obsession firsthand?¡± After hearing Li An¡¯s plan, Li Chou spoke in astonishment, ¡°Sister, how did you come up with such a thought¡­ Oh, do you feel this Demon Palace is too full of strife, too sharp-edged?¡± ¡°When Father was still here, we five hundred sisters were as close as limbs to a body,¡± Li An replied with a wistful cold laugh. ¡°But now, fighting over the position of the Demon King, unable to overpower each other, we resort to childish verbal fights that fill the Demon Palace with a vile atmosphere, truly nauseating.¡± ¡°Becoming the Demon King relies on actual Mana. I will go down to the Lower Realm for some peace first. You two stay in heaven and keep an eye on the other sisters for me, so they don¡¯t come to blows.¡± ¡°If they were going to come to blows, it would have happened over the past several hundred thousand years,¡± Li Hen said dismissively. ¡°Sister, how long will it take for you to return?¡± ¡°At most two hundred years,¡± Li An replied. ¡°We Witches cannot form Golden Cores, so if we pretend to be mortals, our lifespan will not exceed two hundred years; any longer and we would not be able to maintain our disguises.¡± ¡°That¡¯s very well then,¡± Li Hen clapped her hands and laughed. ¡°Just over two hundred years, I will not miss sister too much.¡± The three Witches left the Demon Palace, exerted their immense Mana, and finally managed to barely pierce through the Heavenly Dome to descend upon the Lower Realm. This place was the southeastern coastal area of Yangzhou, and the Witches flew towards the Divine Land, debating along the way what guise would be best to assume. ¡°Since sister wants to seal her memories and thoroughly experience a human life, why not become a princess?¡± Li Hen suggested enthusiastically. ¡°A Royal Princess lives in luxury, but her marriage is often politically arranged and cannot be decided by herself. If she falls in love with someone before her arranged marriage, wouldn¡¯t that create the needed obsession?¡± ¡°Why must it be about falling in love with someone?¡± Li Chou disagreed. ¡°It would be better to pose as a Cultivator who, upon reaching the end and being unable to achieve Core Formation, has the strongest obsession with the desire to survive as life draws to a close.¡± The two sisters were chattering away when suddenly the eldest, Li An, exclaimed, ¡°Such intense emotions.¡± Witches are especially greedy for all kinds of desires; thus, the three quickly descended and plunged into the water, where they saw the corpse of a pretty young girl. Her hands and feet had been tied and weighed down with a large stone; she had been drowned alive at the bottom of the sea. Seeing that the body had not yet swollen from being in the water, they knew she had died not long ago, surrounded by intense feelings of fear, reluctance, and hatred. ¡°Truly a matter of karmic law,¡± Li An said in amazement, ¡°How about I impersonate this person? What do you think?¡± The two sisters looked at each other for a moment before saying, ¡°We¡¯ll follow your lead, elder sister.¡± Li An then employed her divine skills, transforming into a cloud of black mist that entered the corpse through the ears, nose, and mouth. Li Chou pointed a finger, and the grass ropes binding the girl snapped instantly. The girl opened her eyes and swiftly swam to the surface. She flexed her wrists, which had been discolored by the tight ropes, and after scanning the lingering memories of the corpse, she laughed and said, ¡°So it was the daughter of a fisherman, offered as a sacrifice to the Dragon King by ignorant fishermen, hoping for the storm to cease.¡± ¡°This fisherman¡¯s daughter is too plain; why not become a princess instead?¡± Li Hen was still fixated on the status of a princess and urged her. ¡°Sister, don¡¯t speak further. This girl was born on an inauspicious date in the dark of the year, the dark of the month, and the dark of the day-a great matter of karmic law. There is no need for hesitation,¡± Li An said as she raised two fingers to her forehead and used her mana to seal her memory of being a Heavenly Demon. ¡°This girl¡¯s surname is Jiang, with no given name-henceforth, I will be known as ¡®Jiang Liyan.''¡± The memories of being a fisherman¡¯s daughter flowed into a mind that had become a blank slate. Her expression went dull for a moment, then quickly turned to fear and sorrow, realizing she had been tied and sunk to the bottom of the sea, nearly drowning in the depths, but, thankfully, she had managed to break free and swim up. But fishing was a hard life and the ropes made were very tough; how could they have broken so easily, allowing her to live? Jiang Liyan didn¡¯t dwell on the oddness of it all, focusing instead on the vast, boundless sea around her, unable to prevent tears from falling once again. The two witches had already vanished from sight when Li An sealed her memory. Seeing that her sister had fully immersed herself in the role, Li Chou said, ¡°Floating aimlessly in the sea like this is no solution.¡± ¡°Sister, you stay here and watch over her. I¡¯ll attract a cultivator nearby to come to her rescue,¡± With that, she swiftly faded into the mist until she managed to lead Elder Cai E here. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only The subsequent events concerning Jiang Liyan are not detailed further. It was only before her death that the witch Li An at last recognized the true nature of her feelings for Wei Dongliu. Obsession took hold, her demonic techniques reached perfection, and she left the body that was already dead. Two clouds of black gas rushed into the cave, identifiable as Li Chou and Li Hen, who held Li An¡¯s arms on both sides and rejoiced with bright laughter, ¡°Elder sister has finally returned! Congratulations on achieving the great perfection of your divine cultivation!¡± As for Fairy Cai E and the person within the black clouds, they had long been stunned speechless by the scene. Chapter 599 Chapter 599: Chapter 27 Self-Power Generation Jiang Li An Chapter 599: Chapter 27 Self-Power Generation Jiang Li An Jiang the Witch stood silently, taking some time to accept the memories that were being unsealed. So, I¡¯m not Jiang Liyan, I should be¡­ Li An? I am¡­ the Great Unrestrained Heavenly Demon? No sooner had this thought arisen than all the fear, pain, despair, and reluctance that lingered in her heart vanished in an instant. Jiang Liyan and Jiang Lian were not the difference between an alternate persona and a primary personality, but rather different responses due to her own weaknesses and strengths at various stages. The Great Unrestrained Heavenly Demon, standing at the pinnacle amongst the many extraterritorial Heavenly Demons, was born an immortal and indestructible being. Hence, the witches did not feel fear, pain, despair, or reluctance. They could only absorb these emotions from the souls of the living beings in the Lower Realm by devouring them. The absence of imperfection is, in itself, an imperfection. However, Jiang Lian, who had cultivated her Demonic Techniques to near Perfection, ¡°reincarnated as a human,¡± cleansing herself thoroughly from the perspective of the first person in the Mortal World and filling the final missing piece of her Realm. Consequently, those witch sisters who only knew how to stay in the Upper Realm and enjoy their comfort were no longer a match for her. Li Chou and Li Hen, her two sisters, both appeared jubilant, but Jiang Lian only pondered for a moment before turning her gaze to the other two present. wuxiaworld.site The figure in the black cloud suddenly transformed into a streak of light and fled outwards desperately. Elder Cai¡¯e activated all the sinister traps in the vicinity by performing the Daoist Formula. All the measures originally prepared for Wei Dongliu were now unleashed upon the three Great Unrestrained Heavenly Demons. ????0.?? Before the glow and aftermath of the spells had dissipated, the black cloud, which had nearly made it to the cave entrance, suddenly let out a violent scream. The black cloud swiftly vanished without a trace, revealing the woman inside, who turned out to be Xu Ruyan, the Sect Leader from the Mortal Life Path of Lingxiu Mountain. Sect Leader Xu¡¯s eyes were bulging, her hair stood on end, and she seemed to have endured an extremely brutal mental torment¡­ Her body quickly collapsed, turning into a drained husk. Li Hen emerged as a black mist from inside her rapidly and, retching, said: ¡°A complete and utter schemer, a longing devoid of any emotion, the soul is like jerky dry wood, tough to swallow.¡± Jiang Lian walked out from the half-ruined chamber, her body weaving through the debris like black smoke, as if there wasn¡¯t a physical entity that could be harmed. She looked at Elder Cai¡¯e, who was pale with fright, and suddenly smiled sweetly: ¡°Little sister, you must not disrespect our Master.¡± As Elder Cai¡¯e was about to say something, her mouth suddenly began to open and close uncontrollably, and from within came the voice: ¡°Sister, why don¡¯t you let me eat her?¡± ¡°During the time I was a human, although Master was violent, cold, and cruel, I still owe her a deep debt of gratitude if I consider the deeds not the intentions,¡± Jiang Liyan said with a guilelessly innocent smile, speaking slowly. ¡°To repay Master¡¯s kindness, I must fully extract her worth before sending her off, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s exactly right, sister,¡± Li Chou said in a low chuckle, combining with Elder Cai¡¯e¡¯s gruff voice, it sounded particularly sinister, ¡°Is there anything you need me to do with Master, sister?¡± Jiang Lian pondered for a moment and then turned her head to look at her own corpse. The corpse had completely turned into a husk, sagging lifelessly on the stone platform, mixed with blood and sweat, beyond use. But as the Great Unrestrained Heavenly Demon, she naturally possessed the Divine Skill of shapeshifting with a mere twist of her body, she reconstituted a solid, slender figure identical to Jiang Liyan. Then, with a flick of her finger, her body was covered in countless silver needles, as if she had been turned into a pin-cushioned blood person, looking utterly miserable. Sitting back down on the stone platform, Jiang Lian asked her two younger sisters: ¡°How about this? Does it differ from the original body?¡± ¡°No difference,¡± Li Hen floated to Jiang Lian¡¯s side and said with a giggle, ¡°Wei Dongliu has been lured over, and he will definitely not be able to tell anything unusual about you.¡± ¡°Once he¡¯s fooled by your appearance, I¡¯ll quietly circle behind him and pounce, devouring him from the inside out¡­¡± Before she could finish speaking, Jiang Lian pointed a finger, and Li Hen¡¯s head exploded on the spot. Then, from her neck, now oozing with black energy, a muddled head struggled to grow back, crying out indistinctly: ¡°Why did sister kill me!¡± ¡°Li Hen, let me tell you,¡± said Jiang Lian with a smile that filled her face, ¡°Wei Dongliu is mine, and none of you are allowed to touch him.¡± She turned her head to look at Li Chou inside Elder Caie¡¯s body, her smile becoming even more radiant: ¡°Whoever touches him, I will kill. You have been forewarned.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± Li Hen said with a sob, ¡°but even so, there was no need to kill me!¡± ¡°It was just to teach you a lesson,¡± Jiang Lian continued to adjust her posture to appear as though she had been subjected to cruel torture, barely able to hold herself upright, ¡°Now go, bring me Wei Dongliu.¡± ¡°But we don¡¯t know where he is,¡± Li Chou said in a low voice. ¡°Then go find him,¡± Jiang Lian said leisurely, ¡°I want to see him holding my corpse, crying his eyes out in remorse and regret.¡± ¡°Hurry up, don¡¯t make me rush you.¡± The two witches looked at each other, only managing a grunt before they swiftly flew towards the cave entrance. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only This cave was originally on a secluded island overseas, and after discerning the direction for a while, the witches flew towards the Divine Land Continent. ¡°Come to think of it,¡± Li Hen said moodily, ¡°sister hasn¡¯t fallen in love with Wei Dongliu, has she?¡± ¡°Who knows,¡± Li Chou, controlling Elder Caie, said enigmatically, ¡°Can Heavenly Demons even experience love?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t love our food?¡± asked Li Hen, puzzled, ¡°If sister really did fall in love, wouldn¡¯t that mean her desires would be self-generated and endless?¡± The two witches fell silent in unison before finally realizing. ¡°Truly worthy of sister,¡± Li Chou snapped back to reality and exclaimed admiringly, ¡°Always thinking ahead, with meticulous plans, beyond our reach.¡± ¡°So sister deliberately fell in love with Wei Dongliu,¡± Li Hen also said enviously, ¡°As long as Wei Dongliu is alive, she will continue to generate a vast amount of desire for him, which in turn will become her own power.¡± ¡°In this way, looping eternally, accumulating constantly, sister will eventually complete the Supreme Demon Technique and dominate other sisters to ascend to the throne of the Demon King in the Desire Heaven,¡± Li Chou summed up in awe, ¡°It¡¯s only now we understand, but sister had already figured it all out before descending to the Lower Realm.¡± The two witches went back and forth, singing Jiang Lian¡¯s praises as being astonishingly capable in every aspect. But what impressed them the most was that Jiang Lian could actually fall in love with a human-for most Heavenly Demons, humans were nothing more than sustenance. For the sake of growing stronger, she would even romance her food-what a wild idea! Chapter 600 Chapter 600: Chapter 28: Chasing Wife at the Crematorium Chapter 600: Chapter 28: Chasing Wife at the Crematorium After the sound of the sword¡¯s hum, Wei Dongliu took out the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword, gently running his fingers along the blade. The Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword trembled slightly, emitting a proud ringing sound as if to say, ¡°You, Sword Master, better not embarrass me.¡± Wei Dongliu laughed amusedly. What was this, a tsundere sword? When he thought about it, since he had many alt accounts, he also possessed many Immortal Swords. Even if some Immortal Swords lacked a Sword Spirit, they could still convey their rudimentary emotions back through the resonance of the Sword Control Technique-each with its unique personality. The Green Duckweed Sword needs no mention; it was a cheerful pleasure-seeker like a big sister. The Thunder Punishment Sword was like a meek little girl, while the Myriad Bamboos Sword was quietly compliant, going along with whatever it was told. The Tianyuan Yiqi Sword had a hot-blooded temperament. Every time Qiu Changtian infused it with True Yuan, he could feel its full battle intent; the Huangting Kunwu Sword, on the other hand, was a taciturn type, only half-responsive to commands, clearly unwilling to fully obey Luo Yan¡¯s directions. Shuilong Yin was utterly honest and compliant toward Long Long, while the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword was quite rebellious, often sending back malice to express its defiance against Wei Dongliu. As for this Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword, it was a standard tsundere personality, transmitting emotions of ¡°I haven¡¯t fully accepted you yet¡± while at the same time, ¡°But seeing that you¡¯re quite powerful, I¡¯ll reluctantly heed your command.¡± Wei Dongliu really wanted to tell it, ¡°Your boring tsundere act is out of style,¡± but realized that the sword likely wouldn¡¯t understand. It might even get mad out of embarrassment¡­ wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co so he just let it be. Having acquired the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword, if he remembered correctly, the Demonic Path should have already sensed something and set out toward Shushan by this time. If he now took the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword to seek out the Blood Sea Ancestor, what would happen? Clearly, the Blood Sea Ancestor would immediately inform the Heavenly Demon Path and the Nether Ghost Path that the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword had fallen into the hands of someone from the Mortal Life Path. Setting aside how those two paths would respond, it was certain that they would no longer blockade Shushan. This would cause a significant deviation from the timelines set by a few other characters¡­ Taking into account that ¡°history cannot be changed,¡± something must happen to prevent me from immediately finding the Blood Sea Ancestor. Otherwise, how could it be explained that I acquired the Extermination Immortal Sword but didn¡¯t inform the Blood Sea Ancestor at the earliest opportunity? As Wei Dongliu was contemplating carefully, he suddenly saw a black mist flying toward him from a distance, with a faint humanoid shape emerging within. Huh? Isn¡¯t that¡­ an Outer Realm Heavenly Demon? He saw the black mist rapidly approaching, and from a great distance, it began to shout: ¡°Disaster, Demon Lord Wei! Sister Jiang has been kidnapped!¡± It was fortunate that she revealed her identity immediately; otherwise, Wei Dongliu might have sent a Great Hollow Thunder specially designed to counteract Heavenly Demons her way right away. Hearing her urgent call for help, the Demon Lord hesitantly retracted the Daoist Formula from his sleeve and spoke lightly, ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°To answer the Demon Lord,¡± the black mist condensed into the shape of a pretty witch (barring a three-point resemblance to Jiang Lian) with a pitiful expression, ¡°I am a communication Heavenly Demon cultivated by Sister Jiang. She was attacked while out and was captured by her master, who used mana to apprehend her. That¡¯s why on the road, she secretly released me to seek rescue from you, the Demon Lord.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Wei Dongliu laughed coldly. The explanation seemed smooth but was rife with flaws. The most obvious one was: All Heavenly Demon Spells used by Jiang Liyan were for sure mastered by her master, Elder Cai E, and were undoubtedly more proficient than hers. How foolish must one be to think that Jiang Liyan, in the process of being taken away, could secretly unleash a communication Heavenly Demon without Elder Cai E noticing? Wei Dongliu chuckled coldly, thinking that although Jiang Liyan might have indeed been captured, this Demon Head was probably bait, intending to lure him into a trap¡­ It was definite to go to the rescue, but why not seize you first and interrogate thoroughly? As a Great Unrestrained Heavenly Demon who was naturally sensitive to human emotions, Li Hen saw Wei Dongliu didn¡¯t believe her tall tales and thought that this brother-in-law was somewhat intelligent, deserving of the regard Sister Jiang had for him. So she humbly said, ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, there¡¯s nothing else I can do. But I must rescue Sister Jiang.¡± No sooner had she finished speaking than she turned and zoomed away at an incredible speed, reaching the horizon almost instantaneously. Wei Dongliu: ??? This witch was fleeing so fast that even when flying at full speed, he could barely keep up with her, let alone catch her. But he had to pursue her; otherwise, where could he find Jiang Liyan? He had no choice but to transform into sword light, steering the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword to chase after her relentlessly. Li Hen, leading the way in front, saw that Wei Dongliu could actually keep up with her speed and couldn¡¯t help but become playful, further increasing her flying speed. Only when Wei Dongliu¡¯s sword light was faltering, nearly losing her, did she leisurely slow down. Wei Dongliu was also extremely vexed-how could this Heavenly Demon run so fast? It was practically comparable to a high-speed bullet train! Feeling that something was not right, he warned the Kunlun Mirror, ¡°Ah Jing, keep scanning the surroundings. If there¡¯s any danger, promptly warn me so I can shift position and retreat.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The Kunlun Mirror replied. ¡°What¡¯s with that tone?¡± Wei Dongliu asked suspiciously. ¡°Why does it sound like you¡¯re eager to try something?¡± ¡°Do I? Not at all.¡± The Kunlun Mirror feigned ignorance. ¡°I¡¯m just a mirror, after all.¡± ¡°Heh.¡± Wei Dongliu grew more suspicious and, after pondering for a moment, recalled that this damned mirror seemed to have looked down on Jiang the Witch right from the beginning. Towards Xu Yinglian, An Zhisu, and Shi Liuli, its attitude had been, ¡°Can¡¯t you stop deceiving them¡­ Never mind, I¡¯m tired, let it be,¡± but when it came to using Jiang Liyan, the damned mirror was practically silent. With this in mind, the mirror¡¯s peculiar behavior must certainly be related to Jiang the Witch! Thinking this, Wei Dongliu became even more cautious and alert. The witch accelerated all the way until she reached the coast of the East Sea in Yangzhou, where she finally slowed down and then dove through the clouds toward the ground. Wei Dongliu followed down with sword control, only to see that there was a solitary island in the sea below. Li Hen plunged into the island, and Wei Dongliu followed relentlessly, discovering an entrance to a cave where she had vanished. ¡°Ah Jing, scan for me!¡± Ignoring the cave¡¯s layout, Li Hen directly phased through the walls to the deep chambers and called out: ¡°Sister Li An, brother-in-law is here!¡± Controlling Elder Cai¡¯e, Li Chou had originally been lying in ambush on the eastern coast of Yangzhou. ???g?.?? Seeing Li Hen arriving from the sky, she hurried back to the island cave ahead of the others to report the situation to Jiang Lian. Now with Li Hen also reporting, she pulled out a Resentful Ghost Silver Needle and maneuvered Elder Cai¡¯e to reveal an evil, purser-like venomous smile, nastily shouting: ¡°You unfilial disciple! How come you¡¯ve already reached your limit? I still have eighteen martial skills I haven¡¯t used. I was just about to properly refine them on your body!¡± Jiang Lian frowned upon hearing this, thinking, what¡¯s with the antiquated ¡°eighteen martial skills¡±? Couldn¡¯t you keep up with the Cultivation Realm¡¯s latest terminology? However, sensing Wei Dongliu closing in, she could only close her eyes to conserve energy, pretending to be on the verge of exhaustion from the torture. Wei Dongliu burst into the chamber and, seeing Elder Cai¡¯e persecuting Jiang the Witch, without a second thought, he called out: ¡°Ah Jing!¡± The Kunlun Mirror immediately feigned casting an illusion technique, immobilizing Elder Cai¡¯e, while Wei Dongliu, without any hesitation, took out a small arrow given by the Blood Sea Ancestor, infused it with True Yuan, and immediately threw it. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only To avoid injuring Jiang the Witch, who was very close, Wei Dongliu compressed the explosion range of the arrow, making its power absolutely unparalleled. Like lightning, it pierced into Elder Cai¡¯e¡¯s body, then explosively released its energy. Li Chou didn¡¯t have time to exit and was directly engulfed by the annihilation power of the arrow, turning to ashes-after which she began to slowly regenerate and revive underground. Wei Dongliu had no time to see if she was dead, but took two steps forward to reach Jiang the Witch¡¯s side, sweeping over her body with Divine Sense. Though still alive, she was like the last flicker of a candle in the wind. Chapter 601 Chapter 601: Chapter 29: Little Guy, Trying to Play Me? Chapter 601: Chapter 29: Little Guy, Trying to Play Me? Wei Dongliu flicked his finger and shot an Elixir Bottle out from his sleeve. The wooden stopper popped off, and the Elixir shot into Jiang the Witch¡¯s mouth like a bullet, but she held it in her mouth without moving-she was too weak to swallow. Wei Dongliu pressed her philtrum once again, lifted it upward, and with another hand pressed on her throat, the Elixir naturally slid down from the base of her tongue. ???G?.?? After a while, Jiang Li An slowly regained consciousness, spitting out a mouthful of blood. Wei Dongliu pressed his right hand on her fragrant shoulder and expelled his True Yuan into her meridians. It rushed out from her acupoints, pushing out the silver needles all over her body along with blood and sweat onto the ground. ¡°Golden Core Realm? No, it seems much more robust and abundant than the True Yuan of a typical Golden Core Realm, yet it doesn¡¯t possess the aura of a Nascent Soul¡­ What secret technique is being concealed?¡± Jiang Li An carefully felt the True Yuan within her body, weakly opened her eyes, and murmured: ¡°Wei, my friend, you¡¯ve come¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk,¡± Wei Dongliu said sternly, ¡°I am healing your injuries.¡± wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co Indeed, her Sea of Consciousness was also utterly devastated¡­ ¡°What exactly happened?!¡± Wei Dongliu asked, frowning. If the body is injured, as long as the life force hasn¡¯t completely dissipated, there are still ways to remedy it. But with the Sea of Consciousness destroyed¡­ the fact that Jiang Li An hasn¡¯t turned into an idiot already shows she has endured quite a lot. ¡°Master¡­ took me captive, threatening to refine me into a sacrifice for the Demon Head,¡± Jiang Li An said miserably, trembling as she reached out, seemingly wanting to caress Wei Dongliu¡¯s cheek, ¡°He wanted me to¡­ betray you¡­¡± ¡°But¡­ I didn¡¯t¡­¡± Her breathing suddenly became rapid, and blood spilled from her mouth and nose again, startling Wei Dongliu, who quickly continued to infuse her with True Yuan, trying to stabilize her condition. ¡°I promised you¡­¡± Jiang Li An seemed to use her last bit of strength, as if trying to squeeze out a comforting smile for him, but in the end she couldn¡¯t manage it, ¡°I didn¡¯t¡­¡± Her right hand, outstretched toward Wei Dongliu¡¯s face, also fell weakly. ¡°¡­betray.¡± Wei Dongliu caught her falling hand, feeling the heat inside had already dissipated. Only sticky blood remained. She was dead. Wei Dongliu took a deep breath, feeling as though the entire chamber reeked of blood, so intense that it nearly suffocated him. In the past few hours, while he was demonstrating his demonic might on the Tibetan Plateau, she had been trapped in this tiny sunless chamber, helplessly losing how many liters of blood? Enduring such inhuman torture? How many times had she cried out for him, receiving no response, only to miserably watch her life ebb away? What happened to the promised protection? The formidable Demon Lord Wei, unable even to protect a woman by his side? ¡°Damn it!¡± Wei Dongliu suddenly stood up, with a backhand motion, he unleashed Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword, striking at the spot where Elder Colorful Moth once stood, gouging the ground several inches deep. Unfortunately, since the earlier arrow was too powerful, Elder Colorful Moth¡¯s body had long disintegrated and there was no corpse to vent his anger upon. The surging Demonic Qi rolled continuously inside him, making Wei Dongliu feel nauseous, an overwhelming sense of defeat flooding his heart, and for a moment, he even forgot to blame Ah Jing. His face was as somber as dark water, his heart ashen, his soul seeming to be completely frozen and unable to transform. The next second, it started surging again. He turned and strode away. Jiang Li An: ??????????? Wait, where are you going? Are you just going to leave my body here? The Jiang Li An from just moments ago was feeling delighted at the intense negative emotions emanating from Wei Dongliu, but seeing him rage impotently for a moment and then turn to leave without a moment¡¯s hesitation left the Witch completely unable to accept it. She even wondered if she had intentionally stirred up his negative emotions, only to end up stirring them a bit too much, causing Wei Dongliu to have a mental breakdown. But seeing his steps so steady, he didn¡¯t seem hysterical at all! Wei Dongliu left the cave and said in a deep voice, ¡°Ah Jing, I¡¯m talking to you now.¡± ¡°Transport me to the point in time before she was tortured to death, and then rescue her before Elder Cai E gets to her.¡± ¡°Next, you create an illusion of her being tortured by Elder Cai E, to deceive my senses when I later enter the cave, making the final timeline match exactly with what just happened.¡± ¡°This¡­¡± the Kunlun Mirror hesitated. ¡°This is not a request, this is a demand,¡± Wei Dongliu said coldly. ¡°If you still want my help in collecting Heaven-Mending Stone fragments.¡± The Kunlun Mirror immediately cursed inwardly. If I had known that Demon Head was deliberately manipulating and lengthening my negative emotions, making me feel regretful, guilty, self-reproaching, I wouldn¡¯t have stood by and watched! Who knew I would be shooting myself in the foot! ¡°Guan Shui, don¡¯t be in such a hurry,¡± she quickly comforted Wei Dongliu. ¡°Is there a possibility that everything you just saw was fake? I mean, maybe the future me has already come ahead of time to save her, but after she woke up, she pretended to be about to die, just to tease and play a prank on you?¡± ¡°You?¡± Wei Dongliu was baffled, then realized what she meant, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you remind me¡­ you wanted to see me made a fool of along with her, didn¡¯t you? That¡¯s bold of you, you broken mirror!¡± ¡°Cough, cough cough.¡± The Kunlun Mirror silently cursed the witch thousands of times, and in a contrived aggrieved tone said, ¡°I was just joking with you, why are you so petty with a girl?¡± ¡°Go back now, flick her forehead and say ¡®stop pretending, I know you¡¯re not dead¡¯, and she won¡¯t be able to keep up the act!¡± ¡°Hmph, I¡¯m taking note of this account!¡± Wei Dongliu did not hesitate and turned back into the cave. In the cave chamber, two demon sisters were whispering slanderous words: ¡°Sister, I told you humans are unreliable, look how he just left your body here, too lazy even to bury it!¡± ¡°This despicable man, it¡¯s better to just let me eat him¡­¡± With a pop! Li Hen¡¯s head exploded again. She could only reconstitute her body and began crying out: ¡°Sister! It was Brother-in-law who betrayed you! Why kill me?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already said it.¡± Jiang the Witch¡¯s smile was full, but now the smile on her face was no longer pleasant. It was instead filled with cold, sharp murderous intent, ¡°Even if he is heartless and betrays me, only I can decide how to deal with him¡­¡± Before she finished speaking, footsteps could be heard from outside. The two Heavenly Demon sisters quickly burrowed into the ground, while Jiang Lian subconsciously resumed playing dead, feigning death. Wei Dongliu approached her, lifted her chin with his left hand, flicked her forehead with his right finger, and said out loud, ¡°Li An, Li An! You¡¯re not dead, so why do you sleep on?¡± Jiang Lian: !!! She maintained her feigned death pose, trying to sense the emotions pouring out of him, but she couldn¡¯t find any trace of nervousness or sorrow, as if the intense negative emotions from before had been swept away. He actually wasn¡¯t tricking me, but truly saw through my disguise?! She sighed heavily in her mind, and with no choice, Jiang Lian had to reluctantly open her eyes and curiously asked, ¡°Fellow Daoist Wei, how were you so certain I wasn¡¯t dead?¡± ¡°The people by Wei Dongliu¡¯s side aren¡¯t so easily killed off,¡± Wei Dongliu said with a light smile. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Jiang Lian was speechless, thinking if she weren¡¯t a Heavenly Demon, she would have been dead long before he arrived! No, that¡¯s not right; Fellow Daoist Wei isn¡¯t someone who would put on airs. Could it be that he truly had a means to save me? But because I didn¡¯t actually die this time, I just didn¡¯t notice? The Great Unrestrained Heavenly Demon became confused, intending to probe deeper into Wei Dongliu¡¯s heart, but found that his Sea of Consciousness was like a fortress made of copper walls and iron walls, impenetrable no matter what she tried. Chapter 602 Chapter 602: Chapter 30 I think the relationship can go further Chapter 602: Chapter 30 I think the relationship can go further ¡°What exactly is going on, Daoist Jiang?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve told you already, my master set me up in an ambush. I almost got killed.¡± ¡°Oh, and then?¡± ¡°Then, in the face of danger, I had a sudden epiphany and broke through the bottleneck that held me back. My Cultivation Realm increased significantly, so I survived.¡± ¡°But looking at you, Daoist Jiang, you don¡¯t seem to be injured at all?¡± ¡°That¡¯s because I broke through the bottleneck.¡± ¡°Breaking through a bottleneck can heal injuries? I have never heard of such a thing.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the case; even I find it quite unbelievable.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Wei Dongliu sneered, ¡°then why pretend to be on the brink of death to deceive me?¡± ¡°Because of grudge,¡± Jiang Lian chuckled with narrowed eyes. Her smile was so sweet that there was no trace of resentment visible on her face. ¡°Grudge?¡± ¡°You, Daoist Wei, didn¡¯t save me in time, which made me hold a grudge, so I played a trick on you.¡± wuxiaworld.site I don¡¯t seem to have any obligation to rescue you.¡± Wei Dongliu said with visible displeasure, ¡°I only came to save you because of our past connection.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not right,¡± Jiang Lian said with a slight smile, ¡°Given the friendship between me and Daoist Wei, not coming to rescue me would actually be questionable¡­ Don¡¯t you acknowledge that as well?¡± ¡°What kind of relationship do you think we have, Daoist Jiang?¡± Wei Dongliu pretended not to understand and probed. ???G0.?? In that instant, he thought he saw a fleeting, inscrutable emotion flash through Jiang Lian¡¯s eyes. ¡°I believe it¡¯s a relationship where we can entrust each other with unconditional trust, even with our very lives,¡± Jiang Lian said slowly. The two Heavenly Demons hiding underground were shocked. ¡°Sister actually has such a close relationship with this human!¡± Li Hen exclaimed in surprise. ¡°No,¡± Li Chou, with more experience, corrected her sister, ¡°It¡¯s not that they are so close, but that our sister is using this opportunity to create a fait accompli, forcing the other party to admit to a closer relationship.¡± ¡°Oh!¡± Li Hen thought to herself, wondering what use there was in learning such a thing. Sister must really be deviating¡­ No, sister is a Heavenly Demon, indeed! She really knows how to play the game. Wei Dongliu was surprised upon hearing this and fell silent. Being a person of great experience, he noticed that the current Jiang Lian was completely different from the earlier Jiang the Witch. To be exact, she was being too aggressive. The former Jiang Liyan, although proactive and took advantage of any opportunity, was tactful and always maintained a sense of proportion, never too overbearing-perhaps because she felt weaker compared to Wei Dongliu. But this current Jiang the Witch, even though her words were more lively and she was more prone to laughter, spoke very directly¡­ as if she was about to back him against a wall the next second. ¡°Ah Jing,¡± Wei Dongliu called inwardly, ¡°Scan her, is this really Jiang the Witch?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the Kunlun Mirror answered, ¡°It¡¯s always been her.¡± ¡°Something feels off,¡± Wei Dongliu muttered suspiciously, ¡°Is it true that her Cultivation Level has broken through?¡± ¡°It¡¯s true,¡± the Kunlun Mirror replied leisurely, ¡°And her strength has indeed ¡®grown¡¯¡­¡± It paused for a moment, seemingly choosing its words carefully, then added: ¡°¡­tremendously.¡± ¡°Tremendously?¡± Wei Dongliu asked in surprise, ¡°Has she reached Core Formation?¡± ¡°It needs to be higher.¡± The Kunlun Mirror thought, since it had already spoken up, it might as well be more explicit. ¡°What do you mean, Golden Core Realm Obscure Weave Rank Great Perfection?¡± ¡°Higher than that.¡± ¡°Nascent Soul Realm Treasure Light Rank?¡± ¡°Even higher.¡± ¡°Nascent Soul Realm Feather Courtyard Rank? Half-step into Immortality?¡± ¡°Higher¡­¡± ¡°Are you saying that Jiang the Witch has reached the rank of an immortal?¡± Wei Dongliu burst into a cold laugh, ¡°It¡¯s not funny to joke like this, Ah Jing. I haven¡¯t even held you accountable for not reminding me earlier¡­¡± Before he could finish, he saw Jiang Lian approach him with growing impatience due to his prolonged silence and directly reached out to grab his collar to draw him in front of her. Caught off guard, Wei Dongliu¡¯s upper body lurched forward, nearly ending up kissing her. Fortunately, Jiang Lian steadied him in time and asked discontentedly: ¡°Is it that difficult to answer a young lady¡¯s question, Fellow Daoist Wei?¡± Wei Dongliu immediately tried to regain his composure, but Jiang Lian quickly wrapped her arms around his waist, hugging him tight so he couldn¡¯t escape her, her face showing a look of tearful sorrow: ¡°Wuu wuu wuu, I really didn¡¯t expect Fellow Daoist Wei to be such a heartless and fickle man. Back on Golden Turtle Island, you clearly agreed to accept my body, how can you pretend to have forgotten now?¡± Wei Dongliu was utterly baffled: When did I ever agree to accept your body? However, he could see that this Jiang the Witch was truly relentless, so he tried to break free from her embrace. From exerting a little strength, to using half his strength, to struggling with all his might, he couldn¡¯t break free at all-Jiang the Witch¡¯s arms were as white as lotus roots, smooth as cream, yet they held him fast as iron clamps, leaving Wei Dongliu both shocked and angry. Wait, how could Jiang the Witch have such exaggerated physical strength? I, having cultivated at Shushan, have a root bone far more robust than ordinary cultivators, and yet I can¡¯t break free from her embrace? Could it be that Ah Jing was telling the truth, that this Jiang the Witch¡­ With a surge of fear in his heart, he saw Jiang the Witch, who was hugging his waist, look up with genuine streams of tears on her face, her eyes full of pathos and sorrow. This innate feminine frailty momentarily captivated Wei Dongliu¡¯s rationality, softening his heart and heating his head, almost causing him to agree on the spot. However, wait a minute¡­ This must be an illusion technique! Ah Jing, she¡¯s using an illusion technique on me, isn¡¯t she! ¡°No, it¡¯s merely pure acting.¡± The Kunlun Mirror sighed, ¡°You¡¯re really useless, Guan Shui. A few teardrops have shaken you.¡± ¡°Shut up, you broken mirror! If it weren¡¯t for your failure to remind me, I wouldn¡¯t be facing such a difficult choice!¡± Wei Dongliu skillfully played the blame game and then began to think rapidly. Upon careful consideration, deepening the relationship with Jiang the Witch seemed to be all advantages and no drawbacks. Firstly, according to the scanning results from Ah Jing, Jiang the Witch had some sort of epiphany that clearly strengthened her realm. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Deepening her relationship with her would better serve to borrow her power, whether it be for magical competitions, guarding the sect, or training those two disciples. Secondly, Wei Dongliu¡¯s goal was to become the overlord of the Demonic Path, and this cunning witch could gather plenty of information on the Demonic Path for him-of course, the Hell Path could provide information too, but he knew it wasn¡¯t wise to rely solely on an untrustworthy organization for intel. Last, Jiang the Witch was really too clingy, and if I wanted to struggle out of her embrace, I would have to confront her and come to blows¡­ Of course, I do not hesitate to kill her, but this woman actually sheds tears, showing such a pitiable look, it¡¯s simply cheating! ¡°Sigh.¡± Wei Dongliu sighed, with no choice but to go along with Jiang Lian¡¯s implication, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Fellow Daoist Jiang to have such deep and loyal feelings for me.¡± ¡°Indeed, we have both been through so much, and indeed we have the basis to place trust in each other.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying.¡± Jiang Lian promptly let go of his waist and intimately entwined his arm, laughing, ¡°I knew Fellow Daoist Wei wasn¡¯t heartless! With that settled, then when shall we become Daoist companions?¡± Wei Dongliu: ??????? Chapter 603 Chapter 603: Chapter 31: Mysterious Character Setup, Only Riddles Remain Chapter 603: Chapter 31: Mysterious Character Setup, Only Riddles Remain A certain gentleman once said, ¡°People who like compromises won¡¯t agree to open a window in a room, but if you suggest tearing down the roof, they might actually consider opening a window.¡± However, Wei Dongliu had never seen someone so utterly unreasonable before, ¡°I had only agreed to let her open a window, yet now she¡¯s started discussing tearing the roof down with me.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this matter of becoming Daoist companions too hasty?¡± On the way back to the Divine Land, Wei Dongliu tactfully declined, ¡°We don¡¯t have any emotional foundation¡­¡± ¡°Brother Wei, you must be joking again,¡± Jiang Lian said with a surprised but ladylike smile, ¡°Do you remember on Golden Turtle Island, walking hand in hand; within Shiping Mountain, treating each other with mutual respect; at Mirror Lake Divine Palace, living and dying together; at the Nine Serenities Underworld, the vows deeper than the sea and firmer than the mountains.¡± ¡°If none of these count as an emotional foundation, do you mean to say that only with the mandate of parents and go-betweens can it be proper and right, and only then would Brother Wei be willing to take responsibility?¡± Wei Dongliu: ??? Although all those things had happened, weren¡¯t we just looking for adventures? Why does she make it sound like we were going on scenic tours and falling in love? And that last vow, the depth of the sea and firmness of the mountain, she completely made up! ???G?.?? ¡°Daoist Jiang,¡± he probed without changing his expression, ¡°having survived a great disaster, you seem to have changed quite a bit.¡± ¡°If it were the old you, you wouldn¡¯t speak so bluntly and calculatingly, hiding needles in the cotton; I must admit I¡¯m somewhat unaccustomed to it.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Jiang Lian¡¯s smile grew even happier, ¡°So Brother Wei, do you prefer the way I am now or the way I was before the change?¡± Wei Dongliu: ¡­¡­¡­.. Suddenly, Jiang Lian affectionately hugged his arm and rested her chin on his shoulder, batting her eyes at him incessantly. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site With her fragrance wafting and tender, loving looks, even Wei Dongliu, a veteran of a hundred battles, nearly blushed from her soft, warm, and inviting behavior. Nevertheless, he relied on his extremely strong willpower to forcefully suppress the romantic feelings welling up in his heart, simply ignoring Jiang the Witch¡¯s intimate behavior. Though he didn¡¯t show any telltale signs on his face, Jiang Lian, as the Great Unrestrained Heavenly Demon, almost instantly noticed the fleeting emotions in him, causing her quite the shock and bewilderment. A moment ago, through their shared gaze, she had employed her fully mastered Demonic Techniques and Charm Techniques with all her strength. If an immortal had been there, unguarded and ensnared by her Charm Technique, they would have been completely captured, becoming her dog ¨C yet this Brother Wei merely trembled slightly in spirit. Not to mention his eyes, he didn¡¯t even twitch his pants? Considering Wei Dongliu¡¯s Crimson-Haired Double-Pupiled Demon Lord Dharma Body, Jiang Lian, with her extensive knowledge of Heavenly Demons, immediately realized that this man must possess the bloodline of the Abi Devil Lord. Only a mind as chaotic as the Abi Devil Lord¡¯s could ignore the Illusion Technique attacks of the Great Unrestrained Heavenly Demon. But if Wei Dongliu were a pure-blooded Abi Devil Lord from the depths of Hell, he surely wouldn¡¯t be so genial to her, nor would he have shown any emotional fluctuation due to her Charm Technique ¨C in short, Wei Dongliu must be a hybrid of human and demon, his Demon Lord bloodline so refined by nature, that it reached the ¡°Chaotic Demon Body¡± realm. Excellent, excellent! In that case, he¡¯s indeed worthy to be my loyal and sole dog, saving me from being ridiculed by other witches for losing my mind, acting clingy and wandering around with my pet all day long. Thinking thus, Jiang Lian¡¯s smile on her face became even sweeter and more charming; the unique power of temptation from a Heavenly Demon surged rapidly, nearly making Wei Dongliu¡¯s mouth dry and his heartbeat quicken. The Kunlun Mirror in his Sea of Consciousness had no choice but to channel a massive amount of Spiritual Power to help Wei Dongliu guard his mind¡­ Laughable, thinking that the power of a Heavenly Demon can be resisted by what you call ¡®your strong willpower¡¯! Chen Guanshui, oh Chen Guanshui, you truly do not know the vastness of heaven and earth. Still, you must rely on me to take action and protect you! Regrettably, this fool is still in the dark, unaware of the true identity of that Demon Head, preventing him from confronting him with this matter¡­ But then again, it¡¯s clear the Demon Head has developed feelings for him, to the point of forming an obsession, so she¡¯s unlikely to harm him in the future ¨C who would intentionally destroy their own lifeline? Yet once this fool completes the Heaven-Mending after his true identity is exposed to the Demon Head, the chances of a successful escape will drop once more, hahaha. Carefully counting, three people, a demoness, a demon ¨C all tangled together in bonds of fate by his hand; it¡¯s hard to say what the final outcome will be. It seems now that by that time, one must possess at least the strength of an Immortal Rank, otherwise, there won¡¯t even be a chance to enter the fray. But if everyone has the strength of an Immortal Rank, rivers of blood will surely be shed. Ahem, no matter, it has nothing to do with me¡­ I¡¯ve made it clear to him that I would do my best to help him gather the Heaven-Mending Stones, which means this cooperative relationship is limited to before the mending of the heavens. Once the heavens are mended, the cooperation naturally comes to an end. Otherwise, am I expected to be a nanny for him for life and wipe his ass forever? The Kunlun Mirror, pondering secretly, employed the great art of shifting blame that it learned from who knows where, and quickly cast aside the last traces of guilt from its heart, flinging them far beyond the clouds. Let¡¯s add some fun! More of it! Wei Dongliu, however, was oblivious to the Kunlun Mirror¡¯s secret scheming, and was probing Jiang the Witch somewhat casually: ¡°Since Daoist Jiang has undergone an epiphany at the brink of life and death, breaking through her original realm¡¯s bottleneck, what level of strength does she now possess?¡± ¡°You guess?¡± Jiang the Witch craftily asked. ¡°Core Formation?¡± ¡°Guess again.¡± ¡°Nascent Soul?¡± ¡°Keep guessing.¡± ¡°Surely it can¡¯t be that of an immortal?¡± Wei Dongliu laughed heartily. ¡°If I possessed the strength of an immortal, how then would Daoist Wei regard me?¡± Jiang Lian asked casually, as if on a whim. ¡°Hmm,¡± Wei Dongliu thought hard and then replied, ¡°I would respect you but keep my distance.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Jiang Lian asked in surprise, ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°Could it be that Daoist Wei is that kind of man with a strong sense of pride, who cannot allow his bed companion to be stronger than himself?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it,¡± Wei Dongliu wanted to clarify again, ¡°We really aren¡¯t bed companions,¡± but to maintain his mysterious persona, it was not good to quibble over words. Suddenly, an idea struck him, and he smiled indifferently, ¡°Every immortal in this world has their own destiny.¡± ¡°If a new immortal were to appear out of the blue, then all the destinies in the world would have to change completely, and this newly ascended immortal would inevitably become the center of all those changes, like a vortex in the surging undercurrents.¡± ¡°So if that person is Daoist Jiang, I too would have to step back from your side for now. Only after seeing all the shifts in destiny clearly and understanding how to make my next move, can I then be much more at ease.¡± His cryptic words, learned from the long-time resident of the Hell Path, indeed left Jiang Lian speechless. The witch pondered the meaning of his words, thinking that from the tone of Demon Lord Wei, it seemed he wanted to use the heavens and earth as a chessboard, all beings as chess pieces, and me as an uncontrollable piece whose entrance would disrupt his original plans. Interesting, truly interesting. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Then let me see what kind of game you are planning to play! ¡°Daoist Wei,¡± she called out with a clear voice. ¡°What is it?¡± Wei Dongliu asked gently. Jiang Lian once again wrapped her arms around his, pressing her whole body close, and cooed: ¡°If you wish to make a move in this world between heaven and earth¡­¡± ¡°¡­ I, a daring woman, also wish to observe it closely.¡± Chapter 604 Chapter 604: Chapter 32 Mortal Life Path, Greatness Reborn! Chapter 604: Chapter 32 Mortal Life Path, Greatness Reborn! By the time Wei Dongliu and Jiang Li An arrived at Shushan, the war had already been raging for some time. If one were to look at the historical battle records, the Shushan Sword Immortals came out on top more often than not, clearly having the upper hand in the conflict. From the perspective of casualties, since it was an open magical competition, the death of one Sword Immortal from Shushan could mean the Demon Cult might lose four or five cultivators. However, on one hand, the resources required to cultivate these four or five Demon Path cultivators were hardly less than what it took to nurture a single Shushan Sword Immortal- not everyone was self-sufficient like Qingluo Peak. On the other hand, if this war of attrition continued, by the time Shushan was severely weakened, it might hardly be a scratch for the demonic side. Therefore, the atmosphere on Shushan¡¯s side became more tense with each passing day, so much so that when Wei Dongliu arrived at the Demon Cult¡¯s main camp, he saw a Golden Core True Person from Ziyun Peak employing Sword Dao Techniques. Dark grey sword light transformed into a protective shield, securely enveloping the cultivator. Another Flying Sword leisurely pursued the opposing Demon Path cultivator, clearly aiming for safety first, intending to whittle the enemy down with minimal risk. To force the naturally combative Shushan Sword Immortals to adopt such a craven, life-preserving tactic was an indication that the situation within Shushan was far from optimistic. On the Demon Cult¡¯s side, everyone jubilantly believed that ¡°the situation couldn¡¯t be better¡±, but the upper echelons realized the Ancestors were worried, and they knew the current situation wasn¡¯t as favorable as the Ancestors had anticipated. The worries of these Immortal Ancestors were naturally because Shushan¡¯s spies had yet to obtain any news about the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword. The Extermination Immortal Sword¡¯s cry rose above the highlands; at that time, Shushan was engaged in a fierce battle with the Asura Path, and it was highly likely that the sword had ended up in the hands of someone from these two sects. wuxiaworld.site If a cultivator from either side got their hands on it during such a critical wartime, they would undoubtedly be deployed by their sect to compete in magical duels; to quickly boost their power for self-preservation, they would surely compel the sword to recognize a master without delay. ???G?.?? The more vigorously the Extermination Immortal Sword resisted, the easier it was to resonate with the Intercepting Cult¡¯s Three Swords, further guiding the Immortal Ancestors toward its location. However, the reality was that neither the Heavenly Demon Immortal Slaying Sword, the Nine Nether Slaying Immortal Sword, nor the Blood Sea Trapping Immortal Sword had received any response from the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword. This meant that either the opponent was enduring and had not started to refine the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword, or¡­ the adversary¡¯s divine skills were so profound that the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword couldn¡¯t even establish contact with the outside world. Of course, there were several other remote possibilities, such as the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword successfully breaking free and fleeing, not captured by anyone-naturally, it would then cease contacting the Intercepting Cult¡¯s Three Swords. Or, for example, if the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword had immediately recognized a master, it certainly wouldn¡¯t betray that master to contact the outside world. There were innumerable possibilities, and the Ancestors were unable to rule them all out one by one; they could only do their best and leave the rest to fate, hoping for a swift change in the situation. When Wei Dongliu found the Blood Sea Ancestor, he saw the emaciated elder ensconced in a Mountain God Temple nestled in the mountains, kneeling on a meditation cushion, murmuring under his breath, silently chanting some sort of secret text. The Blood Sea Ancestor, who practiced both Daoist Magic and Buddhism, was at that moment using an exceedingly difficult Buddhist art calculation secret technique called ¡°Life¡¯s Previous Karma¡±, which could reveal the past karma of all beings. Wei Dongliu naturally couldn¡¯t recognize it, so he simply stood quietly outside the door waiting. Jiang Li An, finding the wait rather dull and unsure of how long it might be, scampered off-intending to come back and find Wei Dongliu once the Demon Lord had finished his business. Soon, the Blood Sea Ancestor, who failed to divine the whereabouts of the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword, instead sensed Wei Dongliu waiting outside and sighed as he said, ¡°Come in.¡± ¡°Ancestor,¡± said Wei Dongliu as he paid his respects, ¡°may I know why many of our fellow Demon Cult members have gathered here? Is it to mount an attack on the Shangqing faction of Shushan?¡± If it were truly to attack Shushan, they would definitely pull out all the stops and not just send people for a daily duel¡­ Could dueling lead to the extermination of Shushan? Wei Dongliu had a very good reason for asking this question. The Blood Sea Ancestor glanced at him, and not intending to keep him in the dark, simply said in a faint voice, ¡°Not long ago, we divined that the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword had surfaced and was unearthed in the southwest of the Divine Land, so Shushan is the prime suspect,¡± He naturally didn¡¯t mention that the ¡°Asura Path was also a key surveillance target,¡± and simply explained the motive behind ¡°attacking Shushan¡± as ¡°suspecting that Shushan got their hands on the Extermination Immortal Sword.¡± ¡°The Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword?¡± Wei Dongliu asked in surprise, ¡°Could it be the same Ancient Sword that was one of the Intercepting Cult¡¯s four swords?¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± sighed the Blood Sea Ancestor, feeling annoyed, ¡°This Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword has been missing since the defeat of the Intercepting Cult, and now that it has surfaced, we cannot allow it to fall into Shushan¡¯s hands. We must find it as soon as possible.¡± Of course, it was also unacceptable for it to end up in the hands of the monks from the Asura Path. But that was something he couldn¡¯t voice aloud. ¡°What are the characteristic features of this Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword?¡± Wei Dongliu asked earnestly. The Blood Sea Ancestor, feeling a bit warmed by his willingness to share his concerns, patiently described: ¡°The Extermination Immortal Sword looks broadly similar to the other three swords of the Intercepting Cult. It¡¯s three feet, six inches, and two minutes long, in a deep gray color, with serrated edges on either side of the blade, giving it an aura of primitive antiquity.¡± ¡°What kind of primitive ancient aura?¡± Wei Dongliu asked as he took out the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword, ¡°You mean like this?¡± ¡°Ah yes, exactly,¡± replied the Blood Sea Ancestor, glancing at it casually, ¡°Its surface is indeed dull and lusterless, like an aged piece of iron¡­¡± However, his words abruptly stopped, as if a duck¡¯s throat had been squeezed. Wei Dongliu chuckled inwardly, but outwardly he said: ¡°That¡¯s wonderful, I just happened to travel across the plateau the other day, when I saw this sword cutting through the skies, so I rushed up to seize it.¡± ¡°I kindly ask the elder to take a look at it for me.¡± The Blood Sea Ancestor, trembling, touched the body of the sword, as if he had never imagined recovering it in such a manner. It wasn¡¯t until the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword let out an angry ring, repelling the Blood Sea Ancestor¡¯s talon-like fingers with its sword qi, that he ceased. ¡°You, why didn¡¯t you say so earlier!¡± exclaimed the Blood Sea Ancestor in a surge of anger, ¡°Are you trying to make fun of us old bones?¡± Any ordinary cultivator would definitely assume that the Blood Sea Ancestor was seizing the opportunity to express anger in order to forcefully dominate and take the sword for himself-certainly including Wei Dongliu initially. But Wei Dongliu had verified the history from the Kunlun thread and knew that the Blood Sea Ancestor ultimately provided protection for him while holding the sword. Thus, he calmly replied: ¡°Not at all, I just had an urgent matter and made a trip to the East Sea.¡± The Blood Sea Ancestor stared at him intently, his lips quivering as he cast the Art Calculation again. Hmm, no lies, he really just returned from the East Sea. Thinking it over, he realized that Wei Dongliu¡¯s forthright handover of the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword was a clear sign he was not worried about having it forcefully taken from him. If I as an elder fuss over trivial matters after Wei Dongliu has shown such trust in me, wouldn¡¯t I be ridiculed by everyone under the heavens? Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only With this thought in mind, and considering Mortal Life Path now possessed two of the Intercepting Cult¡¯s four swords, the Blood Sea Ancestor couldn¡¯t help but burst into laughter: ¡°Good! Good! Good! Wei Dongliu, you¡¯ve done well this time!¡± Wei Dongliu looked bemused, thinking to himself that he seemed to have heard this form of praise somewhere before. Is the vocabulary you immortals use so impoverished? Chapter 605 Chapter 605: Chapter 33: Eat a Fairy Chapter 605: Chapter 33: Eat a Fairy Indeed, just as history had observed, the Blood Sea Ancestor, though somewhat reluctant, still returned the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword to Wei Dongliu. ¡°Your guess is correct, this is indeed the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword,¡± he said with a long sigh. ¡°Among the Four Swords of the Intercepting Cult, the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword is the best at the art of transformation. Once the Immortal Slaying Sword Formation is deployed, the ever-changing Sword Qi within the formation is controlled by this sword.¡± ¡°Since the great war between the Explaining Cult and the Intercepting Cult, the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword, unlike the other three swords, has never been recovered by us. Hence, the Immortal Slaying Sword Formation has always been incomplete. Otherwise, Kunlun wouldn¡¯t have been able to break it so easily last time.¡± ¡°In that case, it¡¯s better for the Ancestor to keep the sword,¡± Wei Dongliu said indifferently. ¡°How dare you test me?¡± the Blood Sea Ancestor said uneasily. ¡°Since the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword has recognized you as its master, do you think I could ignore its will and forcefully take it away from you?¡± ¡°Actually, it¡¯s because even if you forcibly took it, it would be difficult to make it recognize a new master in a short amount of time,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword remarked. ¡°The Ancestor¡¯s virtue, a model for younger generations,¡± Wei Dongliu finally showed emotion. Seeing that his expression did not seem feigned, the Blood Sea Ancestor¡¯s mood eased. He stood up and said: wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co Did you think everyone would accept that the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword is in your hands?¡± The two then left the Mountain God Temple and flew towards the Demon Cult¡¯s stronghold. ¡­¡­ Let¡¯s rewind time to when Wei Dongliu was still waiting outside the Mountain God Temple. Seeing that he seemed to plan to wait outside, Jiang Lian found it somewhat boring and found an excuse to run away. Of course, if it had been the former Jiang Liyan, she would definitely have waited respectfully with Wei Dongliu outside and then made sure to familiarize her face to the Blood Sea Ancestor. But the current Jiang Lian was no longer the weak cultivator who had to be cautious about pleasing the immortals. ¡°Sister,¡± Li Chou appeared beside her and said, ¡°It¡¯s so boring here, why don¡¯t we go back?¡± ¡°No,¡± Jiang Lian said with a smile, ¡°You must stay in the Lower Realm to accompany me.¡± For a Heavenly Demon, the Lower Realm was a dreadfully dull place-far less comfortable than the Sixth Desire Heaven Realm, filled with all kinds of sounds, colors, illusions, and pleasures. To put it into perspective, it¡¯s like someone accustomed to computers, smartphones, and the internet suddenly traveling to an ancient era with none of these conveniences¡­ they would soon become bored. ¡°But it¡¯s really so boring!¡± Li Hen also complained, ¡°There¡¯s no fun at all, the only interesting thing is brother-in-law, but Sister, you don¡¯t let us play with him¡­¡± Before she could finish, Li Hen¡¯s head exploded again. ¡°Why did Sister kill me again!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve told you before, he, you cannot touch,¡± Jiang Lian said leisurely. ¡°So we can touch others?¡± Li Chou immediately caught the key point, ¡°Sister, weren¡¯t you in some sect before? What was it called¡­ the Heavenly Demon Path?¡± ¡°Yes, so what?¡± Jiang Lian raised her eyebrows. ¡°Why don¡¯t we go to the Heavenly Demon Path, devour the Sect Guardian Immortal, and then impersonate the immortal to manipulate the entire sect from behind the scenes? How about that?¡± Li Chou suggested excitedly. ¡°Control the sect?¡± Jiang Lian showed an exceedingly bored expression. ¡°You have no idea how troublesome and boring it is to train disciples and manage a sect¡­¡± ¡°We really don¡¯t know,¡± Li Chou and Li Hen said in unison. ¡°Fine then,¡± Jiang Lian thought she couldn¡¯t really treat her younger sisters like dogs¡­ even a dog that just guards the door gets meat to eat and still barks. In the Heavenly Demon Path headquarters, the Great Unrestrained Ancestor was in front of the altar, concentrating on refining a Heavenly Demon. This time, the demon being refined was the ¡°Blood Marrow Mi Ni Demon,¡± a High Rank Heavenly Demon that she had invoked from the Lower Realm by blood-sacrificing tens of thousands of mortals. She couldn¡¯t let this Demon Head gorge itself and then return to heaven. The Blood Marrow Heart Demon, on the outside, appeared to be a sphere covered in sharp spikes; hidden among these spikes were countless human faces, with the entire form enveloped within a scarlet mist. This mist inherently carried a sweet fragrance, causing ordinary cultivators to immediately grow faint and intoxicated upon smelling it, rendering their bodies unable to move of their own volition, and then the Blood Marrow Heart Demon would pounce on them, devouring them whole. However, at this moment, the bloody fog was firmly locked within the rune array surrounding the altar, completely unable to dissipate. The Great Unrestrained Ancestor continued to employ Daoist magic, incessantly siphoning the fog from within. As the fog grew thinner, the trapped Blood Marrow Heart Demon had no choice but to spew out more and more of the bloody mist, even going so far as to extract from the essence of the Heavenly Demon itself¡­ given time, it would inevitably succumb. The Blood Marrow Heart Demon fell to the ground, swelling and contracting as if gasping for breath, then suddenly, it leaped up, slamming hard against the barrier surrounding the altar. All to no avail, the altar stood unshaken. Experienced Demon Path cultivators facing a Heavenly Demon will always have the upper hand, provided they are not overestimating their own abilities; the Heavenly Demon descends to the Lower Realm to feast on sacrifices, only to find themselves surrounded by various traps and schemes, along with a cultivator who has long been lying in wait, making escape highly unlikely. Jiang Lian, accompanied by her two younger sisters, silently approached the altar using invisibility, undetected by any other cultivator along the way. This Heavenly Demon was a master of illusion techniques; not even immortals could discern them, which is why they say ¡°Among all threats of the Dao, the Heart Demon is foremost.¡± ¡°So, the Sect Guardian Immortal of the Heavenly Demon Path is this old hag?¡± Li Hen asked first. ¡°I suppose so,¡± Jiang Lian casually replied. Within the Heavenly Demon Path, she had originally been but a minor cultivator in the Foundation Establishment Realm, without the privilege to meet the Sect Guardian Immortal. ¡°Tsk, tsk, tsk,¡± Li Chou, however, was fixated on the Blood Marrow Heart Demon in the center of the altar, laughing joyfully, ¡°Oh dear, isn¡¯t that Lord Mi Ni from the city? It¡¯s been a while, why have you become so weak?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Mi Ni, the old man?¡± Li Hen immediately leaned in to look, ¡°Indeed it is! Sister, come quick, Mi Ni has actually been caught by the ancestor of your sect!¡± Jiang Lian glanced over, sneering: ¡°Good! ???g?.?? He has this day coming!¡± ¡°How about we wait until he gets refined, then devour this immortal?¡± Li Chou suggested with a wicked smile, ¡°Otherwise, if we just save him for no reason, I won¡¯t feel good about it!¡± ¡°Stop fooling around,¡± Jiang Lian shook her head, ¡°There is no need to make an enemy out of someone for no reason.¡± She released her Supreme Demon Technique, diving straight into the Sea of Consciousness of the Great Unrestrained Ancestor. Li Chou and Li Hen looked at each other for a moment, then also used their demonic techniques to follow their sister into the dive. The Great Unrestrained Ancestor continued to busy herself, completely unaware that her mind had already been inhabited by a Heart Demon. Seeing the Blood Marrow Heart Demon stubbornly unyielding, she let out a cold laugh and increased the output of True Yuan. As the True Yuan was nearly depleted, she reached for an elixir. However, upon opening the Elixir Bottle, she found it to be filled with countless baby heads the size of beads! She was secretly shocked, instantly realizing she was beguiled by the Heart Demon¡¯s illusion technique. She hurriedly tried to perform a spell to dispel the Heavenly Demon, only to find that both arms were uncontrollable, as if the Heavenly Demon had disrupted her incantation. But how many years had the Great Unrestrained Ancestor lived, to be called an old monster? Her means to deal with a Heavenly Demon were certainly not so few. She bit her tongue tip, drawing a few drops of essence blood, which she then spat toward her waist. Her Jade Pendant drenched in essence blood blazed brightly. This fluid-like radiance spread instantaneously into every limb, and both Li Chou and Li Hen, inhabiting the left and right arms respectively, screamed at once, hastily fleeing along the meridians back to the Sea of Consciousness. Within the Sea of Consciousness, Jiang Lian was unruffled, executing her Demonic Technique. Surge upon surge of Demonic Qi roiled, sealing off the edges of her Sea of Consciousness impenetrably, cutting off the encroaching brilliance for her sisters who had fled inside. That brilliance, unable to advance an inch upon striking the Demonic Qi, caused the Great Unrestrained Ancestor to sink deeply into a realization, alarming her. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only With such Cultivation Level and strength, could this be the Great Unrestrained Heavenly Demon!!! This kind of Heavenly Demon, it had been hundreds of thousands of years since one had descended into the Lower Realm. How could this old woman have the misfortune to encounter one now! ¡°Hmph, you do have some insight,¡± Li Chou and Li Hen laughed, ¡°Let¡¯s see what other tricks you have up your sleeve; bring them all on!¡± ¡°If that¡¯s all you¡¯ve got, then just give up resisting and let us sisters devour you. That would be much better!¡± Chapter 606 Chapter 606: Chapter 34 Demonic Path Gather, Immortal Sword Belongs Chapter 606: Chapter 34 Demonic Path Gather, Immortal Sword Belongs The Demon Cult¡¯s gathering place was rarely seen filled with such an assembly of immortals, all gathered due to an invitation from the Blood Sea Ancestor. Wei Dongliu¡¯s gaze swept over those present, committing to memory each person¡¯s title and distinctive features. Mortal Life Path Sect Guardian, Blood Sea Ancestor. Heavenly Demon Path Sect Guardian, the Carefree Ancestor. Nether Ghost Path Sect Guardian, Honored White Bone. These three sat in the chief seats, clearly signaling that they were the most powerful among all the immortals of the Demonic Path, rumored to be at the Realm of Daluo Golden Immortals. Moreover, it was said that among these three, Honored White Bone was the strongest-he was the Direct Disciple of Lady Shiji¡¯s Colorful Cloud Daoist from the Intercepting Cult, having received the true Daoist Magic inheritance of the White Bone legacy from Skull Mountain. The next in strength was the Carefree Ancestor who, according to the lineage, should belong to the lineage of Lady Sanxiao from the Intercepting Cult. Still, for some reason, she had only learned the numerous poisonous Secret Techniques for refining Demon Heads and had never been seen using any other Cultivation Technique. As for the Mortal Life Path¡¯s Blood Sea Ancestor, he suffered a fundamental injury early on in his life, which meant his strength was limited to third place, leading him to turn to the Buddhist Sect in hopes of healing his fundamental injuries, thus his strength was comparatively weak. Of course, these were all rumors without any basis; after all, immortals wouldn¡¯t announce ¡°I am at the Realm of a Daluo Golden Immortal¡± or ¡°I am stronger or weaker than someone else,¡± so perhaps there were discrepancies with the facts. Beyond these three, two other immortals occupied the secondary seats. One was the King Asesa of Iron City Mountain from the Asura Path. Despite the unusual name, he was indeed an immortal who originated from the Western Cult and was one of the few living ¡°living Buddhas¡±. wuxiaworld.site The other was an old acquaintance of Wei Dongliu, a traitor from the Xu Family whose body had been possessed by the soul of Mad Dragon, now the Sect Guardian of the Eastern Emperor Path. From outward appearances, there were no traits of the Dragon Clan, appearing merely as an ordinary Human Race cultivator. The remaining immortals were mostly of the Heavenly Immortal and Earth Immortal Realms, with a majority originating from the Six Paths, only establishing their own Sects after achieving immortality. Only two were from vassal Sects of the Six Paths, and both were at the Earth Immortal Realm. As for immortal cultivators from a Loose Cultivist background who had never joined a Sect, there was not even one. Hmm? Wei Dongliu suddenly noticed that the Carefree Ancestor turned her head and exchanged a few words with someone behind her. Even though it was a gathering of immortals, if there were disciples or juniors under one¡¯s tutelage, it wasn¡¯t a problem to bring them along; for example, the Blood Sea Ancestor brought Wei Dongliu himself along. But the person behind the Carefree Ancestor, wasn¡¯t that Jiang Liyan? She had returned to the Heavenly Demon Path? Wait a minute¡­ With her original Cultivation Level at the Foundation Establishment Realm, whether she joined the Heavenly Demon Path or betrayed Elder Cai E and fled, it probably wasn¡¯t likely for the Carefree Ancestor to have known about it, right? So, was it because her Cultivation Realm had improved and she caught the eye of this Sect Guardian of the Heavenly Demon Path? Like how the Blood Sea Ancestor viewed me differently? Could it be that she had formed a Second Grade, or even a First Grade Golden Core? In an instant, countless thoughts raced through Wei Dongliu¡¯s head as he saw Jiang Li An lift her head to give him a charming smile, then she slipped away into a corner where she would draw less attention. ¡°Everyone,¡± the Blood Sea Ancestor finally began to speak slowly, ¡°I have invited you all here to discuss why our five paths have decided to besiege Shushan.¡± ¡°Blood Sea,¡± Honored White Bone reminded without a change in his expression. Although he had only uttered the name, followed by an abrupt stop, Wei Dongliu could guess what the other intended to say. The Four Swords of the Intercepting Cult were not common Eleventh Rank Immortal Swords; who wouldn¡¯t harbor desires for them? If the immortals all knew the objective was to seek the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword, then the situation would become difficult to control afterward. ¡°I know my limits,¡± replied the Blood Sea Ancestor. Seeing that the Blood Sea Ancestor was quite confident, and the Free and Easy Ancestor said nothing beside him, the Honored White Bone could only retract his warning, but he felt a sense of foreboding inside. Why would Blood Sea choose this moment to lay all his cards on the table? ???G0.?? Could it be¡­ he had already found a clue to the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword and wanted to use the power of these immortals to make a final stand against Shushan? Silent and contemplative, the Honored White Bone said nothing, while the Blood Sea Ancestor slowly composed himself and then spoke, ¡°This time, our five paths gathered around Shushan¡¯s periphery because we sensed traces of the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword.¡± No sooner had these words fallen than they stirred up a maelstrom of reaction, causing some of the immortals seated below to gasp in shock, while others leaned forward, hastily asking, ¡°Ancestor, are you referring to the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword, required for the formation of the Intercepting Cult¡¯s Immortal Slaying Sword Array?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± the Blood Sea Ancestor nodded and replied. ¡°Has this sword fallen into Shushan¡¯s hands?¡± an immortal asked in a deep voice. ¡°It remains unknown,¡± the Honored White Bone stated indifferently, ¡°That is what we have come to ascertain.¡± ¡°Then it could be possible!¡± The immortals began to discuss excitedly, and another asked, ¡°It is said that the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword is three feet, six inches, and two points long, with a deep grey surface like black iron, and sawtooth patterns running along both edges of the blade; is that so?¡± ¡°Exactly that.¡± The Blood Sea Ancestor gave Wei Dongliu a meaningful look, who immediately understood the cue and took out the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword. ¡°Ah!¡± The immortals looked on curiously, remarking to themselves so this is what the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword looks like. However, the Honored White Bone was stunned for a moment, and then slowly his eyes widened to an expression of extreme astonishment. His reaction was immensely satisfying to the Blood Sea Ancestor, whose prior embarrassment in Wei Dongliu¡¯s presence vanished without a trace when he saw his old friend¡¯s similar expression. Regrettably, the Free and Easy Ancestor merely opened his eyes to glance at it before closing them to continue cultivating, slightly disappointing the Blood Sea Ancestor. Soon, the immortals present noticed the Honored White Bone¡¯s unusual behavior. Nobody there was a fool. Although they had not caught on at first, by now, there was no doubt in anyone¡¯s mind that the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword¡­ had already been acquired by the Blood Sea Ancestor¡¯s Mortal Life Path! ¡°Dong Liu,¡± the Blood Sea Ancestor said contentedly, ¡°Please recount in detail to the elders the process through which you acquired this sword.¡± Wei Dongliu gave a slight nod and spun out a well-prepared excuse, claiming he was traveling near a plateau when he suddenly heard the sound of a sword¡¯s cry and saw the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword flying through the air. He chased after it and engaged in an arduous battle, eventually managing to completely suppress and subdue it¡­ The Honored White Bone was dumbfounded on the side: What does this mean? The Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword was unearthed on the southwestern plateau, and you just happened to be traveling nearby? Who would travel on a plateau! It would be much more believable if you said you were following a clue to the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword and purposefully went there! Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only He cast a glance toward Ashoka, King of the Asura Path, and saw that at this moment, the latter looked pensively regretful. Indeed, it would be most likely for the cultivators of the Asura Path to discover the sword unearthed on the plateau, yet the Mortal Life Path had snatched away the advantage, so it was natural for him to feel regret. The Honored White Bone sneered inwardly, then shifted his gaze to the Free and Easy Ancestor. With the Blood Sea Ancestor declaring the ownership of the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword in public, unless the other immortals truly intended to declare enmity, it was nearly impossible to snatch it from the hands of the Mortal Life Path now. However, when it came to burning bridges, considering the Free and Easy Ancestor¡¯s infamous stinginess, the possibility of him causing a sudden ruckus could not be dismissed¡­ The Honored White Bone waited expectantly, only to see the Free and Easy Ancestor remain composed and silent, leaving him deeply disappointed. Chapter 607 Chapter 607: Chapter 35 Got Engaged, Quite Suddenly Chapter 607: Chapter 35 Got Engaged, Quite Suddenly After the meeting had ended, the three direct descendants of the Intercepting Sect¡¯s guardian immortals gathered privately. The Honored White Bone¡¯s expression obviously showed some discontent, presumably because the Blood Sea Ancestor had announced the recovery of the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword without having informed him in advance. As the saying goes, when it¡¯s time to make a decision, people often won¡¯t wait until the public meeting to do so. In fact, the higher echelons of the Six Paths have traditionally held meetings beforehand to decide on major strategic issues; it was the Blood Sea, White Bone, and Zi You who first gathered to make decisions, and then formally allowed the Sect Leaders to attend the Six Paths council meeting to seriously discuss and debate the matter. Among the Six Paths, the Hell Path has always abstained from meetings. As long as the Heavenly Demon, Nether Ghost, and Mortal Life Paths reach a consensus, neither the Eastern Emperor nor Asura Path has the power to object, whether it¡¯s by the strength of their influence or democratic vote. That was precisely why the Blood Sea Ancestor¡¯s leap to directly announcing the results without a prior meeting irked the Honored White Bone with a sense of ¡°broken rules.¡± What about the decision-making that was agreed upon by the three giants? But the fact that the Ancestor Zi You remained silent about the matter also made him feel quite uneasy-could it be that these two had formed an alliance behind his back? The Blood Sea Ancestor was also surprised, as he hadn¡¯t discussed with Ancestor Zi You either and was prepared for these two to challenge him after the meeting. Yet, Ancestor Zi You¡¯s silence throughout the council left the Blood Sea Ancestor¡¯s preparations in vain, and for a moment, he was at a loss. The three immortals sat in silence while Wei Dongliu stood behind the Blood Sea Ancestor, also bowing his head in quiet. Suddenly, Jiang Lian quietly approached behind him and poked his waist with her finger. Wei Dongliu: ? wuxiaworld.site Hey, with the three immortals sitting over there, what¡¯s the meaning of coming over and touching me? ¡°This must be Wei Dongliu, right?¡± Ancestor Zi You finally spoke, ¡°Indeed, a rare talent among men.¡± The Honored White Bone frowned, finding it odd-since when did Ancestor Zi You begin to praise others, known for his dark and harsh nature? Wait, could Wei Dongliu have an extraordinary background? The Blood Sea Ancestor narrowed his eyes, feeling something was off as well-Ancestor Zi You hadn¡¯t met him before, so how would he know Wei Dongliu is a rare talent among men? Even if it¡¯s to give a compliment, since when has Ancestor Zi You ever done so! ¡°I have a direct disciple named ¡®Li An,''¡± Ancestor Zi You pointed out, saying, ¡°It happens that he and the esteemed nephew Wei get along quite well.¡± ¡°Why not have the two establish a Daoist companionship? It would surely be a match blessed by golden jade.¡± Blood Sea Ancestor: ¡­¡­ Honored White Bone: ¡­¡­ Wei Dongliu: ¡­¡­ Is this it? This matter is more important than the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword? The Blood Sea Ancestor quickly came to his senses, earnestly pondering Ancestor Zi You¡¯s proposal. Could it mean that Ancestor Zi You intends to deepen the alliance between the Heavenly Demon Path and the Mortal Life Path? As long as the two young ones marry, is he willing to condone Wei Dongliu possessing the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword? Although the Blood Sea Ancestor wasn¡¯t afraid even if Ancestor Zi You and the Honored White Bone confronted him together, since Ancestor Zi You had offered an olive branch, there was naturally no need to refuse. ?0?G?.?? Moreover¡­ The Blood Sea Ancestor glanced at Jiang Lian, seeing her cheeks faintly blushed like peach blossoms, her eyes expressive as if holding the spring water, not only pretty and charming but also clearly quite familiar with Wei Dongliu, showing signs of deep affection for him. If I could play matchmaker, why not? With this in mind, the Blood Sea Ancestor subconsciously (or perhaps guided) agreed: ¡°Why not?¡± Wei Dongliu was covertly signaling to Jiang Lian, urging her to restrain herself in front of so many immortals and not to approach without restraint or care. But when the carefree ancestor suddenly brought up the proposal for marriage, and the Blood Sea Ancestor rapidly accepted, he felt as if struck by Thunderbane. What? Another wife? Before he could react, on how to proceed, Jiang Lian had already gracefully knelt down, her delicate voice expressing gratitude: ¡°Many thanks to the ancestors! Many thanks to the senior ancestor!¡± Wei Dongliu was stunned for a while, knowing it was impossible to refuse in front of so many immortals, as that would be slapping the faces of both the Blood Sea Ancestor and the carefree ancestor in public. After all, it was just another mantle, so what was wrong with adding an accessory? He then also expressed his gratitude with a reserved bow: ¡°Thank you both.¡± ¡°Good.¡± The Blood Sea Ancestor then laughed heartily, satisfied like an old grandfather witnessing his descendants getting married. The carefree ancestor was smiling as well, while the Honored White Bone looked less than pleased, barely managing to squeeze out a smile. After exchanging a few courteous words with the two immortals, he soon excused himself and left. With Honored White Bone taking the lead to leave, the matter of Wei Dongliu possessing the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword was thus settled among the Six Paths. Alas, the marriage too was settled. What a hassle. Wei Dongliu silently looked at Jiang Lian, thinking that this witch was quite attractive and had a nice figure. The only problem was that she had changed as a person; her character was now unpredictable, feeling like some sort of negative variable. Moreover, the broken mirror always hinted indirectly, suggesting that this witch already possessed the strength of an immortal. This is just bluffing! Which immortal would accompany a Golden Core Realm cultivator in playing house, trying by all means to stick close to him and insisting on marrying him to become his Daoist Companion? A marriage-crazy immortal, right? Jiang Lian was definitely not of the Immortal Realm, but very likely possessed some sort of power comparable to that of an immortal. For example, like myself who possesses the Kunlun Mirror. On a regular day, I am just a cultivator at the level of the Golden Core Realm, but should I meet an irresistibly powerful foe, I would let Ah Jing step out and use the Illusion Technique of Mirror Flower Water Moon to immobilize the opponent, and then I would make my escape. This art of Mirror Flower Water Moon, even the Ziwei Master couldn¡¯t break free from, so to speak of it as immortal strength wouldn¡¯t be wrong¡­ Therefore, Jiang the Witch must have gotten her hands on some magical artifact, or realized some Secret Technique! Wei Dongliu¡¯s mind raced with calculations, and eventually, he decided to accept this situation. As for Jiang Lian, after the gathering of the three great leaders, she did not return with the carefree ancestor but instead clung to Wei Dongliu, wrapping her arms around his and pulling him to go out and have fun. The Blood Sea Ancestor was very discerning and signaled Wei Dongliu to leave quickly. Wei Dongliu had no choice but to take Jiang the Witch away. Several days later, the Demon Cult¡¯s army surrounding the outskirts of Shushan quietly withdrew. Not to mention the situation at Shushan, the atmosphere on the Demon Cult¡¯s side was rather gloomy as their chances of victory were low and, ultimately, they had failed to break through Shushan. The Honored White Bone even issued a decree demanding the Sect Leader strengthen the training of his disciples. The assessment criteria for true cultivators in the Golden Core Realm were to be raised, suddenly triggering a wave of tension throughout the entire Sect. Back on Mount Wutai, Wei Dongliu and the Blood Sea Ancestor learned of a piece of news at the same time: The Sect Leader of Lingxiu Mountain, Xu Ruyan, had perished! The specific cause of her demise was unknown; after being arranged to stay behind on Mount Wutai, she suddenly went out one day and then disappeared without a trace. Along with her disappearance, the life lamp in the Ganquan Palace of Lingxiu Mountain was also extinguished. A life lamp is where a cultivator synchronizes their vital energy, keeping the lamp alight. If a cultivator suddenly perishes outside or actively cuts off the connection to their vital energy, the life lamp will extinguish immediately. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only As a Sect Leader, Xu Ruyan certainly wouldn¡¯t have fled or betrayed the Sect willingly, implying a high likelihood of her demise. Unflustered, the Blood Sea Ancestor instructed Wei Dongliu to go and completely subjugate the faction of Lingxiu Mountain. ¡°There are only three Nascent Soul Elders in Lingxiu Mountain, you go speak to them. If anyone disobeys, mention my name,¡± he said with a severe look. ¡°Once you have Lingxiu Mountain as a base, the other two mountains won¡¯t dare to oppose you in the shadows.¡± ¡°After unifying these three mountains, the next step will be to integrate the rest of the forces on Mount Wutai until there is only one voice emitting from the entire Mount Wutai!¡± Chapter 608 Chapter 608: Chapter 36 Sorting out the Main Storyline, Taking Control of the Sect Chapter 608: Chapter 36 Sorting out the Main Storyline, Taking Control of the Sect The current Chen Guanshui has a total of five aliases, five storylines. The first is Kunlun¡¯s Qiu Changtian, who is now patiently cultivating in Kunlun, striving to break through his Cultivation Realm as soon as possible. Once he succeeds in forming his Nascent Infant, he is basically guaranteed to be the next Sect Leader¡¯s heir apparent, where he can undergo ¡°Sect Leader training¡± with the Chi Song Immortal. Then, he would have the opportunity to steal a fragment of the Heaven-Mending Stone. Fairly speaking, the Kunlun Taiqing Sect has not mistreated Qiu Changtian in any way; therefore, Qiu Changtian definitely cannot wait until he becomes the Sect Leader before betraying them, as that would deal too great a blow to Kunlun. The second is Shushan¡¯s Ling Yunpo, who is also patiently cultivating in Shushan, working to improve his cultivation level and strength as soon as possible. Unlike the wish-fulfilling Qiu Changtian of Kunlun, Ling Yunpo¡¯s situation in Shushan is somewhat awkward. On one hand, both he and his senior sister, An Zhisu, have exhibited enough strength and potential to garner the attention of the sect; On the other hand, due to Long Eyebrow Immortal¡¯s ambiguous stance, Shushan¡¯s treatment of the two is also rather unclear. Sometimes they are treated fairly, while at other times subjected to petty and miserly behavior. After many years in Shushan, Ling Yunpo has long ascertained that Long Eyebrow Immortal¡¯s disregard for them as senior sister and junior brother fundamentally stems from his dissatisfaction with Qi Sha True Person, Su Jian. It is because Su Jian¡¯s swordsmanship talent was so extraordinary that Long Eyebrow Immortal had very high expectations for him. However, Su Jian later switched to the Sentiment Inquiry Path, and due to his wife, stayed in the mundane world causing his cultivation to stagnate. Furthermore, for his daughter who suffered an ambush, he had no choice but to enter a life-preserving retreat at Qingluo Peak¡­ wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.c0 All these disappointments made Long Eyebrow Immortal hold a considerable grudge against the Sentiment Inquiry Path. If Su Jian were still out there and were scolded or even beaten by Long Eyebrow Immortal, then Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu would naturally be safe; Unfortunately, with Su Jian in retreat and not appearing, Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu naturally became the targets for Long Eyebrow Immortal to vent his anger. To put it plainly, everyone knows that ¡°displacing anger¡± is not right, but who can truly claim they never displace their anger onto others? He claimed to have formed a Third Grade Golden Core outwardly simply to avoid being too high-profile. For now, in Shushan, it¡¯s best to lay low and take it one day at a time. As for gaining high-level attention or seizing the opportunity to snatch the Heaven-Mending Stone, there¡¯s no point in thinking about that now. Long Eyebrow Immortal¡¯s attitude is what it is; it¡¯s better to figure out how to stay alive first. The third is Penglai¡¯s Luo Yan, whose treatment lies between that of Qiu Changtian and Ling Yunpo. The downside is that Elder Shi Ding is no more, and like Qingluo Peak in Shushan, they find themselves in an awkward situation without the support of elders, thereby severely affecting the Heavenly Craft Workshop as well. The good news is that the Master of Xuan Du and Wan Xiang Immortal, in consideration of Elder Shi Ding¡¯s past relationship and due to the necessity of Luo Yan, now Master Jingyun, for the Sect Guardian Grand Formation, along with Shi Liuli¡¯s clever designs, are willing to extend some care to Luo Yan. As long as Luo Yan can successfully form his Nascent Infant, his situation in Penglai will immediately improve and might even rival the status of Qiu Changtian in Kunlun-of course, for now, being stuck between Qiu Changtian and Ling Yunpo with no way up or down, he could only think of ways to stabilize the situation and get the Heavenly Craft Workshop back on track. Let¡¯s not mention the Heaven-Mending Stone for now. The fourth is Long Long from the Eastern Emperor Realm, with the fragment of the Heaven-Mending Stone hanging around the little fox¡¯s neck. He just needs to send her to the Jiaolong clan of Beiming Fanyang to completely resolve the bloodline conflict. The real trouble now is that the Azure Dragon Clan would not allow the two to go to Beiming Fanyang. Ever since Emperor Ying Long left the Mortal Realm never to return, and with the decline of the Jiaolong clan, some, like Shi Yao, gave up their racial independence to seek refuge and integrate into the Azure Dragon Clan, while others, although still independent, have been confined to Beiming Fanyang, or to put it another way, trapped within, unable to leave. As such, Long Long also acutely perceived the Azure Dragon Clan¡¯s different attitudes towards these two types of Jiaolong. Towards Jiaolong like Shi Yao, the attitude is naturally ¡°all dragons under heaven are one family,¡± ¡°we must unite,¡± and ¡°let the dragon race be great again.¡± But towards the Jiaolong of Beiming Fanyang, the attitude is rather vague¡­ Anyway, even though they haven¡¯t said much outright, it¡¯s definitely not a friendly attitude, otherwise, they would not stand by and watch them being trapped. ?0?G?.?? Therefore, for Long Long and Long Hu, if they would remain content within their clan, they would be considered good dragons like Shi Yao; if they showed any intention of heading to Beiming Fanyang, they would be deemed bad dragons. As for the fate of bad dragons, it goes without saying. In the Eastern State, it meant marrying into the Qin Family and being paired for breeding by Qin Ye; in the North State, it involved marrying into the Gui Family and being bred by Gui Ling¡¯er¡­ By that time, the title of Long Long would be useless and could no longer be demanded. Therefore, they had to grow strong enough to break through the obstruction of the Azure Dragon Clan and Xuan Gui Clan and make their way to Beiming Fanyang independently, which meant focusing on cultivation as the main objective and causing trouble as a secondary plan, attacking on both fronts. The last was Wei Dongliu of the Mortal Life Path. If the other four lines were about cultivating and becoming stronger, then Wei Dongliu had the added task of seeking domination. First, he had to unify the Mortal Life Path and take control of the three core sects. Then, he had to clear out Mount Wutai, restoring the Mortal Life Path to its heyday strength. Finally, he was to become the leader of the Demon Cult, the chief of the Six Paths, and contend with the Three Pure Orthodox Sect! In doing so, he could smoothly gain the trust of the Hell Path, and then seize the opportunity to lay claim to the Heaven-Mending Stone¡­ It is embarrassing to say, but even though I¡¯m already in the Golden Core Realm and have married several wives, I¡¯ve yet to lay hands on a single Heaven-Mending Stone. It seems I need to put in more effort. Wei Dongliu, having received orders from the Blood Sea Ancestor, promptly proceeded to the sect residence in Lingxiu Mountain. Jiang Lian, claiming he wanted to offer his body¡­ scratch that, he volunteered enthusiastically to accompany Wei Dongliu. When the two reached Lingxiu Mountain, they found the atmosphere within the sect to be extremely somber. Of course, with the Sect Leader¡¯s sudden disappearance and his likely death, how could the disciples not be filled with trepidation and unease? Wei Dongliu called together several Nascent Soul Elders of Lingxiu Mountain, planning to have an open and honest discussion¡­ or rather, to convey the intentions of the Blood Sea Ancestor to them. Even if you look down on me, you should consider the rage of the Blood Sea Ancestor. Can you afford to bear it? Unexpectedly, these Nascent Soul Elders were quite amenable. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Since it is the will of the Ancestor, we naturally dare not disobey.¡± ¡°To tell the truth, with Xuandu Sect Leader¡¯s sudden passing, our sect is also in turmoil. If Sect Leader Wei is willing to step in to uphold justice, that truly would save Lingxiu Mountain from a desperate plight.¡± ¡°The Mortal Life Path has been scattered for years, it should indeed be revived under the leadership of Sect Leader Wei!¡± The elders chimed in one after another, quickly praising Wei Dongliu¡¯s takeover of Lingxiu Mountain as the popular will and an inevitable trend, to the point where even Wei Dongliu himself felt somewhat uncomfortable listening to them. Jiang Lian stood by, smiling without a word. ¡°In that case, call all the Golden Core True Persons here first,¡± Wei Dongliu began to issue orders. ¡°I wish to meet the real talents of Lingxiu Mountain.¡± If there is any troublemaker who dares to step forward later, it will be a good opportunity for me to assert my authority; If not, gather everyone together, then head to the other two sects of the Mortal Life Path! Chapter 609 Chapter 609: Chapter 37 Wei Dongliu¡¯s Heavenly Demon Great Law Chapter 609: Chapter 37 Wei Dongliu¡¯s Heavenly Demon Great Law Having subdued Lingxiu Mountain Sect, Wei Dongliu quickly dispatched messengers to notify both Cloud Snow Mountain and Falling Moon Mountain Sects to convene a summit of the Mortal Life Path sects. Soon, Sect Leader Li Zhaolie of Cloud Snow Mountain and Sect Leader Zhao He of Falling Moon Mountain arrived, bringing with them all Nascent Soul Elders and Golden Core True Persons from their respective sects. Upon arriving at the meeting site, they saw Wei Dongliu sitting nonchalantly on a roughly fashioned stone throne, propping his cheek with one hand, a sword lying horizontally across his knees-this was the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword. Jiang Lian stood by his side, watching the scene with a smile. A few steps behind the two of them were several Nascent Soul Elders from Lingxiu Mountain Sect, along with all of their Golden Core Cultivators. ¡°Sect Leader Wei has summoned us here; for what purpose?¡± Li Zhaolie, known for his fiery temper, was the first to ask with his hands clasped in greeting. Though he performed the salute, his expression was extremely impatient, as if he didn¡¯t want to engage with Wei Dongliu at all. The elder Zhao He, on the other hand, appeared calm, simply standing to the side silently, waiting for Wei Dongliu to respond. ¡°Previously, the Blood Sea Ancestor stated that he wished for me to take charge of the Mortal Life Path,¡± Wei Dongliu maintained his thoughtful pose on the throne and said leisurely, ¡°I wonder how both sect leaders have prepared? Are your sect¡¯s roster of cultivators and the manuals of cultivation techniques all organized?¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± Li Zhaolie said nothing but crossed his arms and scoffed coldly. ¡°Sect Leader Li, it seems you have objections to me?¡± Wei Dongliu asked softly. ¡°Dare not!¡± Li Zhaolie said through clenched teeth, ¡°Who would dare to oppose the Blood Sea Ancestor? Who doesn¡¯t want to live?¡± wuxiaworld.site He still remembered his initial arrival here when the Blood Sea Ancestor first mentioned this matter: Xu Ruyan was friendly and warm, Li Zhaolie was cold and resistant, while Zhao He remained silent and enduring. It was only after Jiang the Witch hinted at it that Wei Dongliu learned Xu, the sect leader, and Elder Cai¡¯e had conspired together, capturing Jiang the Witch to use as bait in an attempt to lure him into a trap. It just goes to show that one can never truly know another¡¯s heart. Back at Mount Wutai, upon hearing that Xu Ruyan had likely perished, Wei Dongliu almost celebrated with champagne¡­ Of course, the world of cultivation has no champagne. Besides, in his view, it was very likely that Xu Ruyan had not truly fallen, and that the extinguishing of her life lamp was just a ruse to escape. Wei Dongliu was well aware of the unspeakable crimes committed by the person from Lingxiu Mountain. Compared to the false Xu Ruyan, a hot-tempered and simple-minded person like Li Zhaolie seemed less like someone who would speak kindly but harbor ill intentions. Of course, it¡¯s also possible he was a spy from the Hell Path¡­ but we¡¯ll leave that matter aside for now. With his mind turning, Wei Dongliu then looked toward the leader of Falling Moon Sect, Zhao He: ¡°Sect Leader Zhao, what have you to say?¡± Planting his walking stick firmly on the ground, Zhao He said calmly: ¡°Since these are the orders of the Blood Sea Ancestor, Falling Moon Sect shall naturally comply.¡± To say it is the order of an Immortal means that without such an order, Falling Moon Mountain would surely share the same stance as Cloud Snow Mountain. Wei Dongliu sneered several times before speaking: ¡°Good, since Sect Leader Li is not convinced, I shall have to persuade him first. In the Demonic Path, strength speaks for itself after all. Or is Sect Leader Li planning to deny this to his death?¡± ¡°As long as you can kill me, Cloud Snow Mountain is yours to take!¡± Li Zhaolie indeed became provoked and furiously exclaimed. ¡°Daoist Jiang,¡± Wei Dongliu said indifferently, ¡°dealing with such a fool truly sullies my hands. Why don¡¯t you go and test his strength?¡± ¡°Letting me test is also fine,¡± Jiang Lian replied with a sly smile, ¡°But who were you calling just now, Daoist Jiang? I don¡¯t seem to recognize such a person.¡± Wei Dongliu immediately felt somewhat embarrassed and said in a low voice: ¡°It¡¯s just that, we haven¡¯t formally become daoist companions!¡± ¡°Oh dear,¡± Jiang Lian clapped her hands, feigning surprise and pity, ¡°That¡¯s unfortunate! If Daoist Wei isn¡¯t married yet, doesn¡¯t that mean he has no wife willing to do the dirty work for him? No choice then, but to ask Daoist Wei to take action himself.¡± Wei Dongliu: ¡­¡­¡­ ???G?.?? ¡°Esteemed¡­ I mean, dear wife,¡± he could only speak in a lower tone, braving the awkwardness, ¡°help your husband test that man¡¯s strength, will you?¡± ¡°Hmm!¡± Jiang Lian immediately beamed as if she had eaten candy, sweetly saying, ¡°Alright, husband. Do you wish for me to grind him to dust? Or leave him half-dead? Perhaps a third dead? Or is defeat sufficient?¡± Wei Dongliu pondered for a moment and then said: ¡°If he is injured, I can simply use the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword. However, killing someone in a contest wouldn¡¯t show off my abilities.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± Jiang Lian replied with a smile bright as a flower, ¡°Then let¡¯s make him lose face.¡± As she gracefully entered the fray, Li Zhaolie¡¯s cold laugh could be heard: ¡°What¡¯s the matter, great Sect Leader Wei unwilling to lift a finger, preferring to hide behind a woman?¡± WeI Dongliu had yet to speak when Jiang Lian already said with a soft laugh: ¡°Sect Leader Li, calm yourself. My husband is the leader of the Mortal Life Path, while you are merely the leader of Cloud Snow Mountain Sect within the Mortal Life Path. Naturally, there¡¯s no reason for you to challenge my husband outright.¡± ¡°If you can get past this little lady here, then you may go and challenge my husband afterward.¡± ¡°Fine!¡± Li Zhaolie, too impatient for idle chatter, quickly began circulating his demonic techniques. A sudden whirlwind rose from the ground, laden with countless chills and snowflakes, slashing towards Jiang Lian like blades at a rapid pace. This demonic technique of Cloud Snow Mountain might seem to be merely a manipulation of wind and snow, but within the storm, there was a mix of turbid air. Whether it struck the body of a cultivator or a magical treasure like the Flying Sword, the violently cold air mixed with this turbid energy would immediately freeze it solid, causing the Flying Sword to lose its spirituality, the cultivator¡¯s meridians to clog, and even the flesh to necrotize beyond the aid of medicine or stones. However, Jiang Lian didn¡¯t evade or defend; she just raised one hand to her lips and gently blew in Li Zhaolie¡¯s direction. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only With that delicate breath of hers, the entire storm of wind and snow suddenly rolled back on itself. The cultivators from Cloud Snow Mountain were struck with terror, but Wei Dongliu keenly discerned that Jiang Lian had used some exceedingly profound illusion technique, influencing and even indirectly controlling Li Zhaolie. The wind and snow were not dissipated by Jiang Lian¡¯s breath; instead, they were reversed by Li Zhaolie¡¯s own command-he didn¡¯t even realize he was under the effect of an illusion. Not until Li Zhaolie suffered head-on from his very own wind and snow technique, his whole body covered in thick frost, did he snap out of it, as if awakening from a deep dream. His rugged face froze to a purplish blue, his teeth chattering, and he said in horror: ¡°You, what kind of evil technique is that¡­¡± ¡°A mere trifling skill, hardly worth mentioning,¡± Jiang Lian said with narrowed eyes, her voice turning cold, ¡°To think you can¡¯t even handle such a petty trick and still you wish to provoke my husband, Sect Leader Li, where do you get such audacity from?¡± ¡°Better to return and diligently cultivate to avoid further embarrassment!¡± Chapter 610 Chapter 610: Chapter 38: Intimidating the Three Sects, Returning to the Base Chapter 610: Chapter 38: Intimidating the Three Sects, Returning to the Base The strength shown by Jiang Lian was not only shocking to the cultivators present from the Mortal Life Path, but it also filled Wei Dongliu with unease and suspicion. He had specifically asked Jiang Lian to take action, on one hand, to maintain the prestige of his mysterious persona, and since the Flying Asura was not by his side, he had no choice but to call upon Jiang Lian to do it. On the other hand, it was also to test the strength of Jiang the Witch-if it were otherwise, returning to the depths of Shiping Mountain wouldn¡¯t have taken much time. However, the power Jiang Lian displayed¡­ an Illusion Technique that could ensnare a Nascent Soul Elder without their noticing? Hmph, if it¡¯s just an Immortal Rank Illusion Technique, then that¡¯s indeed not bad. Illusion Techniques are considered somewhat buggy in the Cultivation Realm; ordinary cultivators, even if they reach the Nascent Soul Realm, if they have no ability to counter Illusion Techniques, they are helpless, regardless of how high their realm might be. But with Ah Jing¡¯s help, I am practically immune to Illusion Techniques, so naturally, I would not fear Jiang Lian¡¯s so-called ¡°child¡¯s play.¡± Wei Dongliu quietly reassured himself, only to see Li Zhaolie suddenly fall in defeat, trembling as if he had suffered an unbearable humiliation, then pulling an Elixir Bottle from his bosom and consuming several Elixirs. After that, he bowed deeply again to admit defeat and submissively, and then covered his face with his sleeve in a flustered retreat. ¡°Well fought.¡± Amidst the stares of the astonished crowd, Wei Dongliu commented nonchalantly, ¡°Sect Leader Zhao, would you care to exchange a few moves?¡± Zhao He¡¯s complexion remained unchanged as he said indifferently: ¡°Sect Leader Li was defeated so swiftly, I do not believe myself to be a match for your noble wife.¡± ¡°From this day forward, the Falling Moon Sect will heed all of Sect Leader Wei¡¯s commands.¡± wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.Co Because of Zhao He¡¯s actions, it was clear he had intentionally sent Li Zhaolie to trigger the ambush. If they won, then Cloud Snow Mountain would bear the brunt of Wei Dongliu¡¯s full wrath. If they lost, Li Zhaolie would endure the humiliation¡­ From beginning to end, Falling Moon Mountain was simply watching from the sidelines, without any intention of standing united with Cloud Snow Mountain. Wei Dongliu sneered once more, ridiculing: ¡°Sect Leader Zhao certainly knows how to read the times.¡± ¡°Very well, then, in three days, everyone will gather here to deliver my final ultimatum to all forces of Mount Wutai: submit, leave, or be destroyed. There will be no fourth option!¡± Having said that, he soared up as a streak of grey light, riding away on the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword. Jiang Lian smiled charmingly, then similarly transformed into black mist and departed. The scene was left with the silent cultivators of Lingxiu Mountain, who after a moment of quiet stillness, were immediately surrounded by cultivators of the other two sects, bombarding them with inquiries: ¡°Is what Sect Leader Wei said true?¡± ¡°Are they really going to flatten all the surrounding forces?¡± ¡°Is the Mortal Life Path going to take over the entirety of Mount Wutai?¡± The crowd was in an uproar, questioning frantically as if they were more concerned about the Mortal Life Path becoming great again than their own sects being annexed. Truth be told, even though the Mortal Life Path is nominally the orthodox lineage of the Intercepting Cult, aside from Lingxiu Mountain, Cloud Snow Mountain, and the Falling Moon Sect, all other forces are completely unrelated to the Intercepting Cult, making their status within the Six Paths comparable to that of illegitimate children. What¡¯s more infuriating is that these three core sects do not have the power to integrate all the external factions, so they had no choice but to operate under the banner of the Blood Sea Ancestor, extorting protection fees in various ways, tarnishing their reputation not only around Mount Wutai but also in the eyes of the Heavenly Demon Path and the Nether Ghost Path, which was truly frustrating. If Sect Leader Wei could really unify Mount Wutai and turn the Mortal Life Path into a powerful authoritative sect like the Heavenly Demon Path and Nether Ghost Path, then who would mind him being the sect leader of the Mortal Life Path! ¡°Although when the time comes, there is no use in opposing,¡± After some noisy arguments, it was the Nascent Soul Elders of Lingxiu Mountain who stood up and calmed everyone, saying, ¡°We too have learned of this only now, and before we had no knowledge of it. However, now that Sect Leader Wei has spoken, let¡¯s all just wait and see.¡± ¡ª- Back at the heartland of Shiping Mountain, Wei Dongliu¡¯s first order of business was still to check the cultivation realms of Guo Jin and Wang Cong. Originally, he had taken apprentices with the intention of them making connections to investigate the whereabouts of the Hell Path. Now that the Hell Path had been located, and Wei Dongliu was to become the master of the Six Paths, the role of these two disciples naturally shifted to ¡°quickly reaching Core Formation,¡± ¡°recruiting numerous apprentices,¡± and ¡°expanding the Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect.¡± After all, Lingxiu Mountain was just a direct lineage of the Mortal Life Path, only Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect was Wei Dongliu¡¯s own direct lineage! Upon examination, he found that Guo Jin already possessed seventy years of Refining Mansion Cultivation, and Wang Cong had forty years as well¡­ In just a decade or so of cultivation, where did you get this Purple Mansion Secret Medicine from? ¡°To answer Master,¡± Guo Jin said honestly, ¡°some days ago, my junior sister and I were out for training and passed through a valley where we were attacked by a Demonic Beast serpent.¡± ¡°I was bitten by the beast and poisoned, my junior sister was also splashed with its venomous blood, so we killed the serpent. I consumed its gallbladder, and my junior sister drank its blood, neutralizing the toxins and each of us gained several decades of Refining Mansion Cultivation.¡± Wei Dongliu: ¡­¡­ Is that even possible? I remember when I prepared for Core Formation, I exhausted all the intelligence resources of Kunlun, Shushan, and Penglai, even scoured through a hundred and eighty thousand volumes of Daoist archives, traveled to every famous mountain and great river, and with great wisdom, great determination, and great resolve, scanned every nook and cranny of the places I passed through to barely obtain enough Purple Mansion Secret Medicine. You two go out and kill a demonic serpent, and you gain several decades of Refining Mansion Cultivation? What kind of luck is that?! Seeing doubt on his Master¡¯s face, Wang Cong hastily added, ¡°Afterward, we searched around the serpent¡¯s corpse, only to discover that the beast was guarding a peculiar plant near a pool of water.¡± ¡°Madam Jiang called it ¡®Seven-Colored Ring Flower,¡¯ with petals of seven colors, each representing ten years of Refining Mansion Cultivation.¡± The Seven-Colored Ring Flower, Wei Dongliu had heard of it too; it was said that such a peculiar plant is rare through the ages, and only beneath it where a great sage meets a melancholic end might there be a chance for it to grow-the chances so slim it¡¯s nearly impossible to cultivate by hand, only to be found by serendipity. The luck of these junior brother and sister seems a bit too good! Wait, could it be they are like the original Miss Shi, the type with especially deep good fortune? Wei Dongliu then pulled Jiang Lian to the side and asked in a low voice, ¡°My dear wife, you¡¯ve been with these two apprentices longer than I have, tell me: is their luck particularly good?¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± Jiang Lian said, puzzled, then after a moment, she caught on and laughed, ¡°Does my husband also believe in the care of the Heavenly Dao?¡± ¡°The Heavenly Dao is obvious, how can one not believe?¡± Wei Dongliu sighed. With the example of Miss Shi before them, if Guo Jin is also favored by the Heavenly Dao, it¡¯s not entirely impossible¡­ Besides, doesn¡¯t this guy have the name of a protagonist? Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Jiang Lian blinked, thinking her husband actually believes in the Heavenly Dao-could it be¡­ he has encountered someone favoured by it? ?????.?? Good, I¡¯ll note this down. One day, I will unveil all of my husband¡¯s secrets! Chapter 611 Chapter 611: Chapter 39: The Extermination Immortal Sword Formation, the Five Platforms Show Their Might Chapter 611: Chapter 39: The Extermination Immortal Sword Formation, the Five Platforms Show Their Might The scenic Mount Wutai has now been engulfed in demonic flames. The three sects of Lingxiu Mountain, Cloud Snow Mountain, and Moonfall Mountain have not only rarely united but are also forcefully demanding that all sects within the Mount Wutai Range either submit or get out. Such domineering and unreasonable demands naturally sparked a massive backlash from numerous sects. ¡°Sect Leader Wei!¡± A Golden Core True Person quickly came to report, ¡°The Eight Trigrams Sect is stubbornly resisting and refusing to surrender!¡± Wei Dongliu frowned, What, they dare to resist? What noble breed is this Eight Trigrams Sect? So the Golden Core True Person quickly explained to Sect Leader Wei: This so-called Eight Trigrams Sect is also a heterodox sect that joined the Mortal Life Path from the outside, also known as an external faction. Logically, since they are ¡°lodging¡± on the territory of Mount Wutai, they should regularly pay protection fees¡­ to be exact, rent for the territory. But the Eight Trigrams Sect, adept in art calculation and scouting, always defaulted on the payments, swiftly packing up resources and fleeing whenever the three sects of the Mortal Life Path came to collect fees, leaving behind an empty sect headquarters for the Mortal Life Path. The rent itself is not high and certainly not worth the effort of a Nascent Soul Elder to personally capture the Eight Trigrams Sect to recover it, but their behavior of taking advantage whenever possible is truly distasteful. After silently listening to the explanation, Wei Dongliu sneered and said: ¡°Such cowards who fear power but do not appreciate kindness are just the right targets to make an example of!¡± wuxiaworld.site Then a large swathe of grey mist fell down, completely enveloping the vicinity for several miles. The Minor Extermination Immortal Sword Formation! Whether it was the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword, the Heavenly Demon Immortal Slaying Sword, the Blood Sea Trapping Immortal Sword, or the Nine Nether Slaying Immortal Sword, the seals and Daoist Magic on each of these swords were applied through their respective minor sword arrays. If the four swords were gathered, the four different minor sword arrays, combined with the sword array formation map in the center, would form the supremely powerful Extermination Immortal Sword Formation-of course, this formation had to be led by an immortal; otherwise, if the rank was insufficient, it would be easily broken from the outside just like last time with Lei Caiyan. At this moment, the people of the Eight Trigrams Sect were completely unaware of the impending disaster, still arguing endlessly in the main hall: ¡°How come no matter how we calculate it, everywhere seems to lead to a dead end?¡± ¡°Because the Mortal Life Path has already made it clear that they intend to wipe out the entire Mount Wutai. Where would they leave us a place to stay? Our only plan now is to leave Mount Wutai¡­¡± ¡°Mount Wutai has the richest spiritual energy! Without this place, where else could accommodate the Eight Trigrams Sect? I¡¯m afraid we¡¯ll completely decline within a few generations!¡± The dozens of arguing cultivators from the Eight Trigrams Sect were clearly divided into two factions. One faction staunchly insisted on guerilla warfare, continuing to play hide and seek with the Mortal Life Path in the Mount Wutai area-after all, it¡¯s hard to give up the cultivation resources here. The other faction was the unabashed escape faction, urging everyone to quickly run away, as Mount Wutai no longer had any place for the Eight Trigrams Sect. While still arguing, a large expanse of grey mist suddenly spread into the hall from outside. The Sect Leader of the Eight Trigrams Sect reacted the fastest, swiftly lifting the Nine Palaces Eight Trigrams Mirror and chanting: ¡°Qian, Dui, Li, Zhen, Xun, Kan, Gen, Kun-yin and yang reversed, protect my fellow sect members!¡± This Nine Palaces Eight Trigrams Mirror is also a wondrous magical treasure, capable of leveraging the Eight Trigrams Method to manipulate the Five Elements, thereby restraining most of the attacks in the world. ???G?.?? However, the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword is a rare, attributeless Immortal Sword that is not affected by the Five Elements and thus not subject to the restraint of the Nine Palaces Eight Trigrams Mirror. Wherever the light of the Eight Trigrams Mirror passed, the grey mist seemed to flow enragedly around it, quickly moving on either side to firmly surround the Eight Trigrams Sect cultivators in the center. Then a mass of sword qi surged forth, mixed with the mist and shooting towards them! The few Golden Core cultivators on the periphery were caught off guard and were immediately struck by the sword qi. They were cut and hacked as if by knives and axes, their bodies shattered instantly, and blood pooled on the ground. The tragic deaths of these fellow sect members bought time for the cultivators in the middle, who were scrambling to take out their magical treasures and flying swords in a desperate attempt to defend themselves. The Foundation Establishment disciples couldn¡¯t withstand even a single strike of sword qi. Golden Core cultivators, on the other hand, could withstand three or four attacks before their magical treasures and flying swords scarcely began to fracture¡­ Huh, this Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword seems pretty strong! Outside, Wei Dongliu was somewhat surprised. Could this be the power of an Eleventh Rank Immortal Sword? It is well known that Eleventh Rank Immortal Swords are an unofficial term for those more famous, exceedingly powerful Tenth Rank Immortal Swords. Wei Dongliu¡¯s various aliases owned Immortal Swords that were more obscure. The performance of the Green Duckweed Sword was like that of a Tenth Rank Immortal Sword; it didn¡¯t have any Daoist Magic that could instantly kill everyone upon drawing. The Tianyuan Yiqi Sword was only good for chopping people, not even equipped with any Daoist Magic. The Huangting Kunwu Sword wouldn¡¯t acknowledge its master, and although it had Daoist Magic, it was unusable. The Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword was usable but was specifically powerful against soulless entities like Heavenly Demons, not particularly stylish in combat. Only the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword, when the sword array was deployed, left corpses strewn all over the field; it was both brutally simple and impressive. In a matter of breaths, all the cultivators of the Eight Trigrams Sect lay on the ground, leaving only the Sect Leader standing. Suddenly finding himself alone, the Sect Leader roared as he activated the Nine Palaces Eight Trigrams Mirror, surrounding himself with brilliant light to fend off the surrounding sword qi attacks, as though he was preparing to release a powerful move. Next, the fluctuations of spatial transmission appeared. This fellow was pretending to unleash a powerful move in a desperate fight, but secretly, he was activating a Godspeed Talisman, opting for the best tactic of retreat¡­ His figure hadn¡¯t yet disappeared in the light when he suddenly froze in place. The next second, the sword qi from the sword array completely tore the Sect Leader of the Eight Trigrams Sect to shreds. Wei Dongliu inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. If he had let the other party escape his sword array, his reputation as a mysterious powerful figure would have crumbled. But in the final moment, the other was strangely immobilized¡­ Was it an illusion technique? So, was it the ¡°Heavenly Demon Great Law¡± that caught him? Wei Dongliu quietly turned his head toward Jiang Lian, who revealed a charming smile and slipped her small hand into his palm. Knowing that his wife had contributed to their success, Wei Dongliu didn¡¯t rush to shake her off, but instead, in light of her recent help, he allowed her to hold on to his hand. It wasn¡¯t that he lusted after her beauty; as a husband, it was only right to be clear about rewards and punishments. A moment later, the sword array was withdrawn, and the grey mist dissipated on cue. A few Golden Core True Persons from the Mortal Life Path landed in the devastated residence of the Eight Trigrams Sect and, after exploring the main hall for a moment, discovered that all enemies had been vanquished, including the Nascent Soul Realm Sect Leader. That was a Nascent Soul Realm cultivator! From beginning to end, Sect Leader Wei had only raised and activated the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword and deployed a sword array¡­ Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only he hadn¡¯t even come face-to-face with the Eight Trigrams Sect! This Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword¡­ no, the strength of Sect Leader Wei, how terrifying is it??? The few Golden Core True Persons returned to the formation and reported the situation clearly to Wei Dongliu. Wei Dongliu¡¯s expression remained unchanged, while the people around him revealed looks of shocked fear, seeing him almost as if he were a deity; they respected and feared him in equal measure. Chapter 612 Chapter 612: Chapter 40 Today, Just Today Chapter 612: Chapter 40 Today, Just Today The downfall of the Eight Trigrams Sect did not hinder the Mortal Life Path from unifying Mount Wutai. With such a terrifying example set, the number of small and medium sects coming to pledge allegiance was unending, reaching a thousand in a single day. Moreover, these fringe cultivators were not only willing to recognize Wei Dongliu as the master of the Mortal Life Path and obey his orders, but they also offered up their sects¡¯ registers of cultivator names and all their cultivation technique manuals without holding anything back. What once seemed like an unwieldy and disconnected Mortal Life Path was now quickly being consolidated under Wei Dongliu¡¯s forceful hands, tightly controlled within his grasp. However, more problems were gradually coming to light. ¡°Now, on Mount Wutai, there are still seven sects of the fringe that we haven¡¯t dealt with,¡± Jiang Lian said with a smile brimming with amusement, ¡°In my opinion, there¡¯s no need for my husband to take action personally. Just send a few Nascent Soul Elders, accompanied by Golden Core Cultivators, to recruit them, and that should suffice.¡± ¡°Mhm,¡± Wei Dongliu mused, ¡°The real problem now is¡­¡± ¡°The Buddhist Sects,¡± Jiang Lian said slowly. Due to past mismanagement, Mount Wutai had not only attracted various fringe sects but also a large number of Buddhist sects that settled down over thousands of years, roughly amounting to no fewer than fifty. What¡¯s more troublesome is that although the Mortal Life Path is eclectic, it is still ultimately a Daoist denomination and could not possibly assimilate the distinct Buddhist sects¡­ In fact, when these more than fifty Buddhist temples settled on Mount Wutai, they neither registered with the Mortal Life Path nor paid any protection money. ???g0.?? It is said that because they are powerful, many of them have enlightened monks, which made the three main sects quite wary of these Buddhist temples, making them difficult to handle, thus they have been left unaddressed. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.c0 If Wei Dongliu were to assess, he would say that the current weakness of the Mortal Life Path was partly due to historical issues, but the main reason was the inaction of the Blood Sea Ancestor. The Sect Guardian Immortal, in order to heal his foundational injuries, even went so far as to turn to Buddhism, so how could his subordinates dare to provoke the Buddhist Sects? What if they upset the Blood Sea Ancestor? This was the same reason Ling Yunpo was unwelcome in Shushan, the underlying cause being the individual preferences of the immortals affecting the stance and attitude of the entire sect. ¡°I¡¯ll go find the Blood Sea Ancestor,¡± Wei Dongliu declared as he rose to his feet. ¡°I¡¯ll accompany my husband,¡± Jiang Lian said affectionately as she held onto his arm, whispering in his ear with a smile, ¡°And while we¡¯re at it, we can ask when our Daoist Companion ceremony can be held. The Master of Ease has urged us several times already!¡± Wei Dongliu suddenly shuddered. Oh no, Yuan Yang at risk! ¡°My wife,¡± he said, touching Jiang Lian¡¯s small hand and speaking slowly, ¡°It¡¯s fine to become Daoist Companions, but the cultivation technique I practice is special, and I need to retain my Yuan Yang. I hope my wife can understand.¡± ¡°My husband,¡± Jiang Lian mimicked his tone, speaking gently, ¡°It¡¯s fine to become Daoist Companions, but after marriage, I would like to have a child as soon as possible, and I hope my husband can understand.¡± ¡°A child? But there¡¯s no hurry, right?¡± Wei Dongliu asked in alarm. ¡°No hurry for what?¡± Jiang Lian prompted him to repeat himself. ¡°No hurry¡­¡± Wei Dongliu got stuck midway, then sighed, ¡°Why the rush for a child? After all, both of us are cultivators with long lives ahead. There¡¯s no need to be in a hurry to have offspring, right?¡± Jiang Lian smiled without saying anything, yet her expression was resolute, showing not the slightest trace of waiver. Indeed, cultivators do have extended lifespans, but without achieving immortality, they are still subject to life-span limitations, and with the unpredictability of the heavens, one cannot guarantee perpetual safety. Heavenly Demons, however, possess bodies that neither die nor age, and their lifespan is endless, different in nature from that of cultivators. Having a child earlier also stemmed from concerns about future uncertainties. Besides, attacking with a child in tow as opposed to without one is quite a significant difference! Seeing that she was not persuadable, Wei Dongliu felt somewhat uneasy, and could only steer the conversation away, while inwardly he became more alert. Alas! Why has Jiang the Witch become so aggressive these days? If it really comes to that, and she insists on pushing me, could it be that I must follow the example of those who flee from fire, and escape in advance? Right! What if I ask Ah Jing to disguise herself as me, and on our wedding night, cast an illusion on Jiang the Witch to make her believe she has shared a night of passion with me? Wouldn¡¯t that be perfect? ¡°What kind of lousy idea is this!¡± Kunlun Mirror burst out in embarrassed anger. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to do it just tell her straight! What¡¯s the point of plotting and scheming like this?¡± ¡°I¡¯m only doing this because I¡¯m worried she won¡¯t be persuaded,¡± Wei Dongliu defended himself. ¡°So if she won¡¯t be persuaded, you¡¯ll just give me trouble, is that it?¡± Kunlun Mirror snarled menacingly. ¡°I warn you, Chen Guanshui, if you keep targeting me with your plans, I will immobilize you when she forces herself on you, so you can¡¯t struggle free, and let her manipulate you into eighteen different forms!¡± ¡°If you do that, I won¡¯t repair the heavens!¡± Wei Dongliu also revealed his trump card, speaking with indignation. ¡°If you don¡¯t repair the heavens, I¡¯ll immobilize you, so you¡¯ll be constantly drained by that witch until you eventually give in!¡± retorted Kunlun Mirror equably. The two of them bickered back and forth like this until they finally reached the summit of Central Peak. They saw the Blood Sea Ancestor still practicing his austere meditation, seated motionless beneath the massive rock, half of his body nearly a snowman. ¡°I¡¯m already aware of your purpose for coming.¡± Before Wei Dongliu could speak, the Ancestor said in a hoarse voice, ¡°I once acquired a secret Buddhist technique in Puzhi Temple and owe them a debt, therefore, that temple you must not touch, but all other Buddhist temples can be pushed over.¡± Puzhi Temple? Wei Dongliu gave it a moment¡¯s thought, then remembered it was the temple where the Demon Buddha Yu Shen had entered parinirvana. ¡°Alright,¡± he simply nodded in agreement. ¡°The little maiden pays respects to the Ancestor.¡± Jiang Lian said with a hidden smile, ¡°The grandmaster has sent me to ask, when can Wei Daoist Friend and I become Daoist Companions?¡± Upon hearing this, the Blood Sea Ancestor opened his eyes, looked at her, then at Wei Dongliu, and finally laughed: ¡°If you are both so eager, then it wouldn¡¯t be amiss to tie the knot today.¡± The one in a hurry isn¡¯t me¡­ Wei Dongliu complained inwardly and then heard Jiang Lian joyfully say: ¡°Thank you, Ancestor!¡± ¡­¡­¡­ Since neither party had parents or family, the Blood Sea Ancestor and the Grandmaster of Ease acted as elders and proclaimed the union to heaven and earth. After that, the two were officially acknowledged as Daoist Companions. As evening fell, in Shiping Mountain, Wei Dongliu returned to his room to rest and saw his newlywed wife quickly follow him in. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Husband, allow your wife to help you out of your clothes,¡± Jiang Lian coaxed softly. ¡°There¡¯s no need,¡± Wei Dongliu quickly rejected, ¡°Tonight, I am not going to bed, but instead I will sit in meditative concentration.¡± ¡°Time is precious, husband, why be so reserved?¡± Jiang the Witch giggled behind her hand and languidly began to undress, revealing her jade arms and a good portion of her fragrant shoulders. Wei Dongliu¡¯s face twitched, and after a elongated pause, he finally said: ¡°Wife, my cultivation technique requires me to preserve my Yuan Yang, I¡¯m not joking with you.¡± ¡°If my Yuan Yang is compromised, it will greatly hinder my cultivation. Surely, wife, you wouldn¡¯t want your husband¡¯s progress in cultivation to stall, would you?¡± Jiang Lian paused upon hearing this, her beautiful eyes filling with tears as she looked at him plaintively and murmured: ¡°Why must husband speak like this? Do you really detest me so much that you avoid me as if I were a venomous snake?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t avoided you as if you were a venomous snake¡­¡± Wei Dongliu feeble defended himself with half a sentence before he was overwhelmed by the rush of Jiang the Witch, and they tumbled into an entwined heap. Chapter 613 Chapter 613: Chapter 41: Attack Fayuan Temple First Chapter 613: Chapter 41: Attack Fayuan Temple First At the end of the day, the preservation of Yuan Yang is indeed a factor beneficial to cultivation. But what Wei Dongliu was reluctant to admit is that he did possess a certain moral fastidiousness-albeit only in the aspect of treating a companion. He didn¡¯t want Jiang the Witch to think that the man to whom she had given her body was Wei Dongliu. Though it may seem strange: if becoming Daoist Companions was already Wei Dongliu¡¯s role, then why couldn¡¯t the one to whom she gave her body be Wei Dongliu? Of course, it¡¯s because the former was just a cultural ceremony, whereas the latter was a permanent imprint upon the body¡­ In any case, he was quite steadfast in this principle and would not waver. Jiang the Witch naturally couldn¡¯t understand this, so she indeed tried every trick in the book. However, if she were to force it, Wei Dongliu¡¯s body couldn¡¯t withstand her reckless tampering; and if she resorted to underhanded tactics, illusion techniques would not break through the chaos-infused mind of that Demon Lord. Having no other choice, Jiang Li An finally realized she couldn¡¯t breach the gates, so she could only take over every inch around the city walls in order to declare her sovereignty. Wei Dongliu couldn¡¯t understand whether his sovereignty had been taken over by her, or hers had been taken over by him¡­ From the conventional perspective, it seemed to be the former, but judging by Jiang the Witch¡¯s attitude, it looked more like the latter, which was really quite baffling. In any case, Jiang Li An got what she wanted, and Wei Dongliu didn¡¯t lose what was important to him. It was a win-win situation for both parties. The next day, the young couple once again left the Sect¡¯s residence, ready to preside over the final stages of unifying Mount Wutai. Before leaving, Wei Dongliu called over Guo Jin and Wang Cong to instruct them, ¡°Your Master and Mistress are going to deal with important matters outside. wuxiaworld.site You two will remain to keep watch over the Sect.¡± ¡°Of course, if you wish to go out and gain experience, that is also fine, but remember to be cautious. Don¡¯t forget to activate the shielding formation at the gate before you leave.¡± Having said this, Wei Dongliu took out a Flying Sword, which was a Tenth Rank Earth System Flying Sword called ¡°Hidden Dragon,¡± gifted by a Sect that had surrendered to the Mortal Life Path. ¡°This Hidden Dragon Sword is a gift from someone else.¡± Wei Dongliu handed the Hidden Dragon Sword to Guo Jin, ¡°Take it for self-defense.¡± ¡°Thank you, Master.¡± Guo Jin bowed respectfully. ¡°Little Cong, have you carefully refined the Demon Head the Mistress gave you the other day?¡± Jiang Li An brought Wang Cong over and hugged him. Wang Cong nodded, his face turning red, and the look in his eyes was full of admiration for his Mistress. This caused Wei Dongliu to frown somewhat because Wang Cong¡¯s fondness for this Mistress appeared to even surpass that for himself, his Master. In the past, he would have certainly regarded this with jealousy, but now that Jiang Li An was his little wife, he actually found it rather pleasing. ¡°Very well, the Mistress will pass on to you another secret technique.¡± After the transmission of the sword and the technique was completed, the two finally left Shiping Mountain and flew towards Central Peak. ¡°Husband,¡± Jiang Li An asked languidly, ¡°what do you think of these two disciples?¡± ¡°Guo Jin is simple and obedient yet has luck by his side; Wang Cong is shrewd and cautious, but I fear that too much maybe counterproductive,¡± Wei Dongliu replied. ¡°Eh?¡± said Jiang Li An with surprise, ¡°I thought my husband had no real interest in managing the Sect, but I didn¡¯t expect him to be so familiar with the temperament of the two disciples.¡± ¡°What are you talking about, my astute wife?¡± said Wei Dongliu with slight dissatisfaction, ¡°If I had no interest in managing the Sect, why would I have put so much effort into establishing the Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect?¡± Jiang Li An gave a silent laugh, thinking to herself: This residence was recommended by me, and I also found these two disciples for you. I¡¯m the one who usually teaches and disciplines them. Even the spiritual medicines they cultivate with are prepared by me. What exactly have you done as the Sect Leader? You were present when the Sect was founded, and you directed the missions for gaining experience outside. That¡¯s about it, right? ¡°Yes, yes, yes.¡± She hugged Wei Dongliu¡¯s arm and spoke coquettishly, ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to my husband¡¯s efforts!¡± Wei Dongliu instinctively felt she was being sarcastic, but he couldn¡¯t produce any evidence to prove it, so he could only snort coldly a few times and dropped the matter. After the two of them arrived at Central Peak, they summoned the three Sects of the Mortal Life Path and gathered all the cultivators before proceeding mightily towards the nearby Buddhist Temple. ¡ª¨C Fayuan Temple had a population of around fifty, which could be considered the upper limit for a small-sized Sect within the Buddhist Sects. Any more and it would be considered medium-sized. As everyone knows, Daoist cultivation has requirements for engagement with the world. For example, at the Foundation Establishment Realm refining the Refining Mansion stage, one is expected to venture out to seek the Secret Medicine of the Purple Mansion, otherwise, the Daoist Foundation would not be stable. Compared to this, the practice style of the Buddhist Sect is more ascetic. Whenever they encounter a problem, they resolve it through deep meditation, believing there¡¯s no issue that such contemplation can¡¯t solve. If there is, then it¡¯s because your mind is not at peace. And if your mind is still not able to solve it after becoming calm, then it means you lack wisdom-root. Therefore, to judge whether a Buddhist Sect is formidable, one only needs to look at how closely connected the Sect is to the secular world. If it is a Buddhist Temple established in a remote area with very few monks, those monks are generally extremely powerful¡­ But Fayuan Temple was not such a place. It frequently sent monks down the mountain for alms and accepted pilgrims for worship and donations, belonging to the kind of temples that were not very active in their practice. To some extent, Wei Dongliu¡¯s choice to target Fayuan Temple as the first strike was also meant to set a fine opening victory. As everyone reached Fayuan Temple, they saw a group of monks escorting an old monk who seemed prepared, exiting the temple in single file. ¡°Amitabha.¡± The old monk brought his palms together and said indifferently, ¡°Mortal Life Path wants to take over Mount Wutai, creating boundless killing karma, and will be entangled by this evil karmic debt. Why does benefactor Wei not pull back from the edge of the cliff? Otherwise, the cause and effect of karmic retribution will bite back, and it will be too late for regrets.¡± Wei Dongliu looked carefully and recognized the old monk as the loose Buddhist monk with a significant reputation within the Buddhist communities, ¡°Yu Wen, the Wanderer Monk.¡± It¡¯s said that Buddhist practice should be ascetic, yet this Yu Wen went against the norm, preferring to wander and travel the world instead. He would retreat from the mortal world to a secluded place to summarize his insights and meditate deeply every few decades or centuries. Upon reemerging, his Cultivation Realm would increase by a level, making him part of the less mainstream ¡°Sudden Enlightenment¡± faction within the Buddhist Sect. In the Buddhist Sect, the Sarira is equivalent to the Golden Core in Daoist Cult, and the Seven Treasures Relic corresponds to the Nascent Soul in the Cultivation Technique. Yu Wen, having formed the Seven Treasures Relic, was considered a ¡°Nascent Soul Realm Cultivator.¡± His extensive travels and worldly experiences also meant his combat prowess was certainly not weak, otherwise he would have long been slain. But Wei Dongliu, confident with the Heavenly Demon Great Law in his possession, was not intimidated by the name of this Wanderer Monk and simply sneered, saying: ¡°There¡¯s no need to create bloodshed. ???G?.?? Please, have all from Fayuan Temple withdraw from Mount Wutai, and Mortal Life Path won¡¯t pursue any further.¡± ¡°Why bother with this?¡± The old monk Yu Wen sighed softly and said in a low voice, ¡°Mount Wutai is vast enough to accommodate two Sects, isn¡¯t it? Benefactor Wei should also acknowledge the principle that ¡®a single yang cannot last.¡¯ The more formidable Mortal Life Path becomes now, the deeper the hidden dangers will be in the future.¡± Wei Dongliu knew what the old monk said was true: Mortal Life Path¡¯s current aggressive approach brought them full acclaim, but it also drew full enmity. If Mortal Life Path would decline after its peak, it would definitely be kicked when it¡¯s down. Just look back a few thousand years ago how powerful the Tong Xuan Gate, which once ruled over Mortal Life Path was, even compiling over sixty percent of all the Cultivation Techniques of Mortal Life Path. Didn¡¯t they fall from grace in an instant and get annihilated, their teachings lost? Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only If we talk about carefully managing a Sect, acting low-key like Kunlun is actually the right way. But Wei Dongliu wasn¡¯t sincerely interested in the continued greatness of Mortal Life Path. He merely wanted to become the leader of the Demon Cult and then deal with the Heaven-Mending Stone fragments. Thus, he feigned stubborn ignorance and said harshly: ¡°Words are pointless. If the Wanderer Monk wishes to protect this Fayuan Temple, then please, ask if my Palm Sword agrees!¡± Chapter 614 Chapter 614: Chapter 42: Reunify Mount Wutai Chapter 614: Chapter 42: Reunify Mount Wutai Wei Dongliu¡¯s words were clear, and both sides understood that without going through a battle here, there would indeed be no way to resolve this peacefully. Yu Wen took the initiative, pulling out a magical treasure-it was a translucent, golden alms bowl. He tossed it into the air, then flicked it, causing it to fall and cover all the monks within. Without a doubt, this was to defend against Wei Dongliu¡¯s powerful move. After all, the power of the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword¡¯s Extermination Immortal Sword Formation was too great; it had already caused rivers of blood among the many sects on Mount Wutai. If the duel hadn¡¯t ended and his fellow monks were slaughtered first, how could Yu Wen still seek justice for Fayuan Temple after its annihilation? Wei Dongliu scoffed and launched both the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword and the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword, sending them in two directions toward the alms bowl. Yu Wen¡¯s face grew serious as he threw out a strand of black prayer beads, which directly faced the onslaught of the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword. With just a glance, Wei Dongliu recognized them as heavy ironwood beads, whose sole attributes were being large, heavy, and hard-ordinary flying swords could hardly split them open. If they entangled a sword, the blade would immediately be burdened with an immense weight, rendering it unable to fly. Wei Dongliu¡¯s expression remained unchanged as he quickly pulled away the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword-he knew that facing a Nascent Soul Realm cultivator head-on and competing in True Yuan would surely not end in his favor. He continued to form sword techniques with his left hand, directing the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword to attack the alms bowl, while with a flick of his right hand he activated the Extermination Immortal Sword Formation, enveloping both Yu Wen and the alms bowl within it. Yu Wen inwardly lamented that Sect Leader Wei¡¯s cultivation level seemed not to be high, yet his tactical awareness was excellent, and his moves were exceedingly brutal, all aimed at the alms bowl, obviously trying to make him hold back for fear of damaging the treasure. Since he was entrusted by the monks of Fayuan Temple, he couldn¡¯t let them come to harm. wuxiaworld.site Now that the Extermination Immortal Sword Formation was descending, if he wanted to intervene, defeating Wei Dongliu outright would be best. But if he acted and did not manage to subdue his opponent, and in the meantime, the alms bowl was shattered by the sword formation causing heavy casualties amongst the monks inside, that would also be unacceptable. Therefore, Yu Wen simply sat down cross-legged and began to operate the golden alms bowl treasure with all his might. The grade rank of this treasure was uncertain, with the dazzle of the Seven Treasures shimmering atop it. It managed to withstand the Extermination Immortal Sword Formation¡¯s onslaught; the golden barrier flickered under the crisscross sword qi, seemingly on the verge of collapse, but restored as good as new in the blink of an eye, never breaking. Wei Dongliu slightly furrowed his brow, then he waved his sleeve, sending out three dots of golden light-the notorious Hundred Poisons Golden Silkworm Gu! In recent times, Wei Dongliu had mostly used the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword in magical competition, and these three fierce insects had not seen much action. They were raring to go, and as soon as they were freed, they began to snap their pincers and barrel headfirst into the golden barrier of the alms bowl. ???G?.?? The barrier was not impregnable; it was its quick recovery that was its strength, exploiting Wei Dongliu¡¯s insufficient True Yuan to not overwhelm the barrier with one massive flurry of sword qi within the sword formation. However, the Hundred Poisons Golden Silkworm Gu didn¡¯t need the support of True Yuan, just crunching relentlessly, and in a few breaths, they bit through the barrier hundreds of times. They burrowed through and headed straight for Yu Wen. Seeing how vicious the three golden insects were, and hearing the relentless crunching, Yu Wen had no trouble guessing the fearsome reputation of the Hundred Poisons Golden Silkworm Gu. He hurriedly struck out with the heavy ironwood beads in his hand. The prayer beads whirred through the air, and the three fierce insects spread out like lightning. One of them failed to dodge in time, got hit squarely, and rolled on the ground before unsteadily flying back into the fray, continuing to advance towards Yu Wen. Yu Wen was caught off guard and hastened to operate his magical treasure, only to be struck in the chest by one of the insects, which bit through his chest. He let out a tragic cry and could no longer sustain the alms bowl treasure. Thus, from outside, the Extermination Immortal Sword Formation¡¯s waves of sword qi slashed in, instantly reducing the gathered monks to dust. Only a Seven Treasures Sarira, which housed the soul of the itinerant monk Yu Wen, shot through the sword formation like lightning, heading westward to escape. Wei Dongliu, after all, was not of high enough Cultivation Realm, and although the Extermination Immortal Sword Formation was immensely powerful, it was not airtight, which allowed Yu Wen¡¯s soul to escape carelessly. Seeing that there was no way to remedy the situation, he let out a long, hearty laugh several times, revealing a meaningful expression as if it had been his intention to let Yu Wen escape. The following Mortal Life Path Cultivators looked at each other, wondering if the Sect Master had intentionally let the wandering monk go to tip off the Buddhist Sect. That¡¯s right, it must have been intentional, to lure even more powerful figures from Buddhism here, so as to capture them all in one fell swoop and eliminate future troubles! Li Zhaolie, the former Sect Leader of Cloud Snow Mountain and now an elder of Mortal Life Path, quietly approached Zhao He and whispered, ¡°This Sect Leader clearly only possesses the Golden Core Realm, but how is it that his strength seems so abnormal? The wandering monk Yu Wen, who has the Seven Treasures Relic, is no match for him!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not an issue of realm,¡± Zhao He said indifferently, ¡°It¡¯s his Immortal Sword that¡¯s too sharp.¡± Li Zhaolie nodded in agreement. When Golden Core Cultivators confront Nascent Soul Cultivators, whether it¡¯s True Yuan or Magical Treasures, they¡¯re normally crushed outright. However, Wei Dongliu, with his Golden Core Realm, could wield the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword, such a divine weapon, and in turn defeat Nascent Soul Cultivators-this does not show that Wei Dongliu¡¯s strength is that powerful, but rather that the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword is too abnormal, allowing Golden Core Cultivators to kill above their grade. This wandering monk Yu Wen prepared the Alms Bowl Treasure specifically to counter the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword, thinking he was completely safe, only to be overpowered and annihilated by Wei Dongliu¡¯s possession of such a vicious thing as the Hundred Poisons Golden Silkworm Gu. The next enemy might prepare specifically against the Hundred Poisons Golden Silkworm Gu, but who knows if Wei Dongliu has only these two cards up his sleeve? The two exchanged silent glances for a moment, thinking that Sect Master Wei¡¯s myriad techniques were truly unfathomable, and he could not be judged as an ordinary Golden Core Cultivator. Not to mention, behind him stood the Blood Sea Ancestor¡­ Could this person be the Blood Sea Ancestor¡¯s illegitimate child? If that¡¯s really the case, then him being in command of the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword and possessing the Hundred Poisons Golden Silkworm Gu would all make sense. ¡­¡­¡­ In the initial battle between Mortal Life Path and the Buddhist forces of Mount Wutai, Fayuan Temple was completely destroyed; none of the fifty or so monks, including the wandering monk Yu Wen, managed to escape, significantly boosting the demonic flames over Mount Wutai. What followed was an unstoppable momentum. Aside from Puzhi Temple, which the Blood Sea Ancestor had specified to be spared, temple after temple was swiftly uprooted, either fleeing with their entire congregation or turned into rivers of blood. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Puzhi Temple could no longer sit still, after all, although Wei Dongliu had not targeted it directly, he was killing chickens to scare monkeys around it, so much so that the abbot and elders of Puzhi Temple, after discussing for a long time, decided to flee in advance. By the time Wei Dongliu received the news, Puzhi Temple had already been deserted, its wealth packed away thoroughly, leaving nothing for the people of the Demonic Path. Blood Sea Ancestor, I didn¡¯t lay my hands on them; they misunderstood my intentions! In any case, with even a major temple like Puzhi Temple fleeing, the consolidation of Mount Wutai under Mortal Life Path was finally assured under the push of Wei Demon Lord. The next step is to become the ruler of the Six Paths! Chapter 615 Chapter 615: Chapter 43, Qiu Wei and another person are bound to have a conflict. Chapter 615: Chapter 43, Qiu Wei and another person are bound to have a conflict. On this day, Mount Wutai finally fell completely. Some sects submitted to the lecherous might of the Mortal Life Path, joining it either by force or through brainwashing, becoming fuel for the blazing fires of the Demon Cult sects. Others perished in valiant resistance, their bodies destroyed by spells into dust, the legacy of their elders¡¯ teachings tarnished and trampled mercilessly in the mud. Yet another portion of sects managed to escape with their dignity and lives intact by humbly compromising and groveling; leaving behind the homes their ancestors had fought for, they wandered in all directions-also spreading the terrifying news far and wide. The Mortal Life Path, once one of the three demons directly under the Intercepting Cult, had returned with demonic might. When the news reached Kunlun, the Ziwei Sect Leader pondered for half a day before finally calling Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian before him to ask for their views on the changes at Mount Wutai. Qiu Changtian had just imported his saved game from Wei Dongliu. It wasn¡¯t that Jiang the Witch was too clingy, but rather, having committed too many killings, he planned to return to Kunlun to once again play the role of a moral gentleman and calm his heart. But no sooner had he imported his save than the Ziwei Sect Leader summoned him for a talk, questioning what he thought about the heinous sins committed by that Demon Lord Wei¡­ Qiu Changtian really wanted to protest that he had absolutely no desire to witness any of it. ¡°Judging by these reports, Demon Lord Wei is clearly a schemer with deep plans,¡± Xu Yinglian began analyzing earnestly. ¡°First, he demanded submission from the many sects at Mount Wutai. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co If they refused, he expelled them, obviously adopting a strategy of minimal violence to avoid accruing too much infamy.¡± ¡°This approach is quite different from other Demon Cult sects. Take, for example, the Nether Ghost Path¡¯s expansion toward Mount Beimang; they are notorious for leaving no survivors and no room for negotiation with other sects.¡± ¡°In my opinion, Wei Dongliu must be plotting something far greater, and cannot be limited just to the Mortal Life Path. Otherwise, his cautious and avoidance of self-besmirchment behavior is inexplicable.¡± Qiu Changtian was dumbfounded: I was just too lazy to kill anyone, yet in Junior Sister Xu¡¯s mouth, it turned into actions motivated by ¡®fear of rumors¡¯ and ¡®cherishing my reputation¡¯? ¡°There¡¯s another point,¡± continued Xu Yinglian. ¡°This person possesses the Hundred Poison Golden Silkworm Gu. Any ordinary Demon Cult Cultivator would use this to build his reputation, but he never let any fame precede him.¡± ¡°Similarly, he controls the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword, yet under his control, the Mortal Life Path has never publicized it.¡± ¡°From this, it can be seen that Wei Dongliu is not motivated by fame or fortune, or perhaps he aspires to something even greater, thus allowing him to conceal his capabilities.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± the Ziwei Sect Leader sighed, ¡°this person is cautious and shrewd, always enigmatic and reserved, with a background unknown to all.¡± ¡°Supported vigorously by Blood Sea Ancestor of the Mortal Life Path, he then formed an alliance through marriage with the Heavenly Demon Path, gaining the full support of the Ancestor of Freedom. His momentum is established, and he cannot be easily eradicated.¡± ¡°Alas,¡± Qiu Changtian also feigned a sigh, ¡°it seems he¡¯s bound to become a thorn in the side of our Orthodox Sect.¡± Then he saw Ziwei Sect Leader and Xu Yinglian both staring at him in astonishment. Qiu Changtian: ? ¡°Zhang Tian,¡± the Ziwei Sect Leader began slowly, ¡°right now, facing Wei Dongliu, among the rising talents of the Orthodox path, you are the indisputable leader.¡± ¡°What capabilities or virtues do I possess?¡± Qiu Changtian immediately pretended to be bashful, ¡°I¡¯m still in the Golden Core Realm, with minor cultivation; I dare not represent Kunlun¡­ ¡± ¡°What¡¯s the problem with being in the Golden Core Realm?¡± the Ziwei Sect Leader shook his head, ¡°How many of your senior brothers, senior sisters, or senior uncles are First Grade Golden Core?¡± Qiu Changtian was suddenly at a loss for words. Oh, I see. ¡°` After all, I possess a First Grade Golden Core, and although my cultivation level hasn¡¯t risen yet, its potential is truly perfect. Given time to form a Nascent Soul, I¡¯m afraid I could even wrestle with immortals. However, while it¡¯s easy to increase one¡¯s cultivation level, prestige must be accumulated slowly (after all, there¡¯s no internet in this world, and many cultivators are incredibly isolated), which is why Kunlun plans to use the Wei Dongliu incident to bring me to the forefront earlier to build momentum. Once I form my Nascent Soul, I¡¯ll be able to smoothly inherit the title of ¡°The World¡¯s First Nascent Soul¡± and take over the Sect Leader position without any obstacles, and at that time, Kunlun¡¯s prestige in the Cultivation Realm will also rise to a new level¡­ This method is quite similar to that of the Xu Family of Southern Heaven, a long-term investment indeed. ¡°I understand.¡± Qiu Changtian solemnly said, ¡°Since Master has ordered it, I must also strive with a sharp will and not let down the sect¡¯s trust!¡± ¡°Very good!¡± Ziwei Master praised, ¡°Your current realm is still too low, it¡¯s perfect to continue training with your Junior Sister Xu in the thirteen layers of the Primeval Upper Realm, within the three thousand realms of the Fire Residence Secret Realm, striving for early spiritual perfection and beginning to seek the breakthrough opportunity for the next realm!¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Qiu Changtian respectfully responded. Xu Yinglian was also immensely stirred by the side, feeling that being able to become Daoist companions with a heroic figure like her senior brother was truly a life not wasted. I must also diligently cultivate and not bring shame upon my senior brother! However, Qiu Changtian was unaware of Junior Sister Xu¡¯s thoughts and left the Jade Void Palace with heavy concerns, thinking that now he was indeed going to confront ¡°himself.¡± What should be done next? Qiu Changtian here has the invincible character setting, he cannot lose, for a loss would completely shatter this character setting. ???G?.?0 Wei Dongliu on the other hand has a mysterious character setting, he must win, what room for imagination is left if he can¡¯t win? How the heck should this continue? Thinking it over, the only option was to ¡°let kings ignore each other,¡± doing his best to prevent Qiu Changtian and Wei Dongliu from facing each other directly. Then, Qiu Changtian on one side would keep mowing down the Demon Cult, while Wei Dongliu on the other side would keep slaughtering the Orthodox Sect, both sides dragging out their performances until my Nascent Infant is formed. Ah, how annoying! ¡°Sister,¡± seeing Qiu Changtian¡¯s troubled look, Xu Yinglian spoke out to comfort him, ¡°No matter how ruthless that Wei Dongliu is, could he really stand up to a First Grade Golden Core?¡± ¡°With time, Senior Brother¡¯s cultivation level will surely surpass Wei Dongliu.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Qiu Changtian forced a smile, ¡°But with Wei Dongliu wielding the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword and raising the Hundred Poison Gold Silkworm Gu, he won¡¯t be easy to deal with.¡± ¡°Although I¡¯m not afraid of him, the emergence of such a figure within the Demon Cult causes me concern for my Orthodox Sect brethren.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Xu Yinglian had to admit, even though Qiu Changtian¡¯s Tianyuan Yiqi Sword was an ancient weapon of the Witch Clan, it honestly had no clear advantage over the notorious Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword. As for the Hundred Poison Gold Silkworm Gu, although Senior Brother obtained some high-rank magical treasures suitable for Golden Core Cultivators from Fenbao Rock, they definitely couldn¡¯t defend against those ancient vile insects. But Senior Brother is Qiu Changtian! Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Even if he falls behind in terms of magic artifacts, he will surely not lose to Wei Dongliu. Why then should I worry unnecessarily for him? As Qiu Changtian was feeling irritated, he saw the Synchronization Value in the Kunlun Mirror rise and couldn¡¯t help but feel a mix of amusement and exasperation towards his Junior Sister. Never mind, enough thinking, it¡¯s time to play with the fox. ¡°Ah Jing, load Long Long!¡± ¡°` Chapter 616 Chapter 616: Chapter 44 Dragon-Turtle Dual Cultivation, Beiming Divine Skill Chapter 616: Chapter 44 Dragon-Turtle Dual Cultivation, Beiming Divine Skill Summer had already entered its prime, and the sun over the vast lands of Doguang was becoming ferociously intense. The young dragons that had not undergone transformation mostly stayed in the streams on the island or soaked in the nearby seawater. Long Long and the little fox took a break from their busy schedule to lie on the sandy beach sunbathing. The fox spirit lay contentedly on his legs, her big tail swaying back and forth around his neck, teasing his skin. Long Long tried to grab her tail, but it was too nimble and slippery, always managing to elude his grasp and then giving him a light slap on the face ¨C which infuriated Long Long to the point of wanting to transform into a ruthless python, only to be detected by the little fox in advance, who giggled and quickly scampered away without a trace. In the Jianmu of the East Sea, and even the nearby Eastern State, it was probably the most peaceful place in the Eastern Emperor Realm for now. Owing to the sudden death of the Qilin Emperor, his illegitimate son, Qi Qiaosong, had recently ascended the throne with unprecedented speed, becoming the new Emperor of the Demon Race. At the same time, Prince Qi Weihong of the Qilin Clan from the North State had also issued a fiercely worded statement, claiming that Qi Qiaosong was not the actual ¡°biological son¡± of the previous emperor, Qi Weihuan. The entry point of this statement was very cunning, after all, previously everyone only knew that Qi Weihuan had two sons and a daughter, so where did Qi Qiaosong spring from? How could there be a principle in this world where a legitimate eldest son exists, yet an illegitimate son is made the heir? There was clearly something fishy about the whole thing! Of course, for those who were well-informed, none of the two sons and one daughter of Qi Weihuan were his biological children. ???G?.?? Thus, supporting Qi Qiaosong¡¯s ascension was likely the will of the Qilin ancestor, and Qi Weihong¡¯s argument held no water. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site However, as the matter involved a royal scandal, unless the Qilin Clan intended to abandon the alliance with White Tiger Clan, they would simply not acknowledge the matter publicly for fear of souring relations with Lu Ya. Therefore, the Qilin Clan only refuted Prince Qi Weihong¡¯s accusations externally, claiming them to be ¡°baseless¡± and ¡°groundless rumors,¡± and affirming that ¡°Qi Qiaosong was indeed the true descendant of the late emperor, verified indisputably by the ancestor himself.¡± As for why they would establish an illegitimate son as heir instead of a legitimate eldest son, they remained completely tight-lipped ¨C in the eyes of some who were unaware of the facts, this undoubtedly also constituted the best proof of the Qilin Clan¡¯s guilty conscience. In any case, the North State and Central State were loudly trading verbal blows, and the alliance between the Qilin and the Xuanwu had also disappeared, with the war situation teetering on the brink of explosion. At such a time, the Xuan Gui ancestor still sent Gui Ling¡¯er over here; what calculation she was making was anybody¡¯s guess¡­ ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Gui Ling¡¯er came over to Long Long¡¯s side and sat down, hugging her knees. ¡°You don¡¯t seem too keen on seeing me, do you?¡± ¡°No,¡± Long Long shook his head, his words loaded with meaning, ¡°If you¡¯re here to promote a new alliance between the Dragon Clan and Xuanwu, talking to me is pointless.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not bothered about the diplomatic relations between the two clans.¡± Gui Ling¡¯er shook her head and said, ¡°What about the Dual Cultivation proposal I mentioned last time? How have you considered that?¡± Dual Cultivation? It wasn¡¯t until that moment that Long Long remembered Gui Ling¡¯er had obtained a new Xuanwu Cultivation Technique. The Xuanwu were once renowned as a union of turtle and snake, and their cultivation practices also combined the techniques of both clans. Nowadays, with only the Xuan Gui Clan remaining from the Xuanwu, to revive this ancient practice, naturally, a dragon of known pedigree was needed for training. ¡°Alright,¡± Long Long nodded in agreement, ¡°Have you brought the cultivation technique with you?¡± ¡°I have.¡± Gui Ling¡¯er patted the Storage Bag at her waist, ¡°Shall we go find a secluded place?¡± ¡°Very well¡­¡± No sooner had Long Long spoken than he was suddenly bumped hard from behind by the little fox. ¡°Where are you going? What are you going to do?¡± Long Hu glared at Gui Ling¡¯er coldly. ¡°The ¡®Xuanwu Beiming Divine Skill¡¯ we talked about last time requires Dual Cultivation between the Dragon Clan and the Xuan Gui,¡± Gui Ling¡¯er said with a smile. ¡°Fox spirit, I would like to borrow your Dragon Brother for this.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Upon hearing it was for cultivation, Long Hu first quietly breathed a sigh of relief, then perked up her ears and said warily, ¡°Alright, but I will also come along.¡± After she finished speaking, she glared at Long Long as a signal; Long Long got the hint and quickly said, ¡°Indeed, the process of cultivation requires someone to serve as a protector.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind either way,¡± Gui Ling¡¯er said nonchalantly. Seeing her straightforward demeanor, Long Hu also felt somewhat reassured. The three of them returned to the vicinity of the Jianmu and found a secluded chamber within a tree. Long Long took a seat cross-legged on the ground, adopting the Five Hearts Facing the Sky position. Gui Ling¡¯er squatted down, then sat in his embrace¡­ ¡°Wait!¡± Long Hu hurriedly pulled the little turtle up, and cried out with both shame and anger, ¡°What on earth are you doing!¡± ¡°Cultivating!¡± Gui Ling¡¯er then took out the cultivation technique Jade Slip for her to see. Sure enough, the first position of this Xuanwu Beiming Divine Skill, which involved the co-cultivation of turtle and snake, was ¡°Turtle Inside, Snake Outside.¡± Put simply, this meant the Xuan Gui sat in the embrace of the Dragon Clan member, encircled from the outside, followed by the simultaneous use of the Breathing Technique¡­ ¡°What is this indecent cultivation technique!¡± Long Hu knocked the Jade Slip to the ground, grinding her teeth with flushed cheeks, nearly bursting into tears, ¡°I won¡¯t allow you to practice such disgusting ways!¡± Gui Ling¡¯er was slightly irritated, feeling the fox was truly bothersome, but seeing her utterly embarrassed demeanor, Gui Ling¡¯er¡¯s heart softened and she said, ¡°Fox, this isn¡¯t some indecent technique. It¡¯s just how the turtle and snake clans used to cultivate together; some physical contact is inevitable.¡± ¡°How about this,¡± Long Long also spoke up to comfort her, ¡°Considering we are of different genders, this is indeed too intimate. Why don¡¯t we cultivate in our true forms instead?¡± ¡°True forms?¡± Gui Ling¡¯er pondered, ¡°That might be worth a try.¡± Thus, the little turtle lay flat on the ground and transformed into an exquisite and adorable green turtle, with its shell edges adorned with delicate, elegant patterns. Long Long likewise transformed into a Jiaolong and coiled around the green turtle¡¯s shell, wrapping around it in circles. Long Hu watched them with clenched teeth, yet found that in their true forms, their cultivation seemed quite proper, not the least bit indecent. She let out a slight sigh of relief, thinking it was just cultivation after all; had she been too agitated before? As the two circulated the cultivation technique for several cycles, Long Long could feel a stream of pure Water System Spiritual Power seeping slowly from the edge of the shell along the gaps between the Dragon Scales into him. The Azure Dragon belonged to wood, while the Jiaolong belonged to water. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only This Water System Spiritual Power, derived from the Xuan Gui bloodline, was not as fierce and domineering as that of the Jiaolong bloodline but was instead more vast and profound. After circulating the Spiritual Power through his meridians for a moment, Long Long could sense his body becoming sturdier; his Dragon Scales were thickening and hardening. Not only was Long Long swiftly benefitting from this, but Gui Ling¡¯er also received the Jiaolong bloodline¡¯s Spiritual Power from him, making her body stronger and more agile, with seemingly boundless strength. However, the overpowering nature of Long Long¡¯s Spiritual Power was almost uncontrollable as it rampaged through her meridians, leaving the little turtle with an uneasy feeling of being savagely manhandled and¡­ Strange, unwarranted pleasure. Chapter 617 Chapter 617: Chapter 45: Persuading Long Hu, Private Room Conversation Chapter 617: Chapter 45: Persuading Long Hu, Private Room Conversation Long Hu sat idly by, her fluffy tail swaying continuously. In front of her, Jiaolong tightly coiled around Xuan Gui, resembling a Senran strangling its prey, yet they were actually dual cultivating with a breathing mental method. The surrounding atmosphere gradually became more humid, indicating the high rank of the mental method, such that it could even influence the environment. Logically, since Long Long had learned such a high-rank mental method, Long Hu should have congratulated him. But the little fox was not happy; she felt an inexplicable sense of loss and sorrow. She didn¡¯t want to stay there, so she left the secret chamber and wandered aimlessly outside until she bumped into Hu Li. Marquis of Mount Tu from the Celestial Fox Clan of Qingqiu, who was also Long Hu¡¯s aunt, was said to be extremely proficient in spatial methods. For her, dining in West State¡¯s Qingqiu Mountain at dawn and staying in Eastern State¡¯s Jianmu Island by dusk was effortless. ???g?.?? Seeing her aunt appear in the Dragon Clan territory without knowing when she arrived, Long Hu wasn¡¯t surprised at all and just approached her with a gloomy face. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, little fox?¡± Aunt Hu Li hugged her and rubbed her head. ¡°Why are you unhappy?¡± ¡°Can auntie tell?¡± Long Hu asked, lifting her head in surprise. ¡°Your little mood is all over your face,¡± Hu Li said affectionately as she pinched her nose. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site Reminiscing about her childhood, her sister also liked to pinch her nose like this. Now it was her turn to take care of her niece¡­ With a flurry of thoughts, Hu Li only heard Long Hu say with a grievance: ¡°Auntie, I feel so strange.¡± ¡°Strange?¡± And so, Long Hu started to ramble on. It wasn¡¯t a complicated matter. It was just that seeing Long Long and Gui Ling¡¯er dual cultivating made Long Hu feel anxious and uneasy like she was being excluded. This anxiety came so suddenly that Long Hu herself couldn¡¯t quite understand why: Firstly, this cultivation technique was designed for the Dragon Clan and Xuan Gui to dual cultivate; secondly, they were both Water System Demonic Beasts, so it was normal for phenomena to occur during their combined practice. But Long Hu was just unhappy, she didn¡¯t even know why she was unhappy. ¡°Silly child, this is possessiveness,¡± Hu Li thought to herself and then patiently explained, ¡°For our Celestial Fox Clan, this is quite normal.¡± ¡°Possessiveness?¡± Long Hu didn¡¯t understand. ¡°When you truly fall in love with someone,¡± Hu Li explained with a smile, ¡°you will want to have everything of his.¡± ¡°Not to mention dual cultivating with someone else, even if he speaks a word to another female, you will feel unhappy. That¡¯s what possessiveness is.¡± ¡°So,¡± Long Hu asked as if grasping the concept, ¡°I have every reason to be unhappy because I like Long Long so much.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Hu Li laughed and continued to enlighten her, ¡°And it¡¯s all his fault for not giving you enough sense of security.¡± ¡°Mhm mhm,¡± Long Hu accepted this reasoning without any resistance, ¡°But although that¡¯s the case, if I complain to Long Long, he definitely won¡¯t understand and will think I¡¯m being unreasonable.¡± Hearing this, Hu Li knew Long Hu had fully grasped the essence of the Celestial Fox¡¯s logic and laughed heartily: ¡°Yes, so you must exercise restraint in your actions,¡± ¡°First, you need to be brave enough to express your unhappiness-don¡¯t feel guilty about it. As I said earlier, it¡¯s not that you¡¯re being unreasonable, but that he should give you enough sense of security, which he hasn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Secondly, expressing your unhappiness doesn¡¯t mean venting your emotions, because men will only find that annoying. You need to reveal your feelings just right, but not so much that he feels it¡¯s deliberate-an inadvertent display is the best way.¡± ¡°Finally, when he notices your moodiness and tries to make amends, that¡¯s exactly the opportunity for you to engage in reverse psychology¡­ Little Fox is so smart, you surely understand what I mean.¡± ¡°Reverse psychology, huh?¡± Long Hu said thoughtfully, silently noting his aunt¡¯s words in his heart. After bidding farewell to Long Hu, Hu Li quickly walked down the Jianmu passage and finally arrived at another quiet room. ¡°What exactly is going on in Central State?¡± Hu Li asked sharply into the room, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that your actions in Central State have dragged in Little Fox and Long Long as well!¡± ¡°It was just an accident.¡± Shi Yao walked out slowly from the back, ¡°The first two assassination attempts, including plans against Long Long and Qi Weihuan, were all arranged in advance by the White Tiger Clan.¡± ¡°I know the first two assassinations had nothing to do with you,¡± Hu Li said irritably, tousling his hair, ¡°but don¡¯t tell me that the assassination of Qi Qiaosong, the one that almost implicated Long Long and Long Hu, wasn¡¯t your plan!¡± Shi Yao was silent for a long while before she spoke slowly: ¡°If Qi Qiaosong had died there, the alliance between White Tiger and Qilin would undoubtedly have been unable to continue.¡± ¡°Xuanwu of North State would become the biggest winner, and to prevent this, Qilin and Azure Dragon would most likely join forces. By then, if your Celestial Fox Clan took action and persuaded the White Tiger Clan as well, there would be a high probability of creating a perfect ¡®horizontal alliance¡¯ to confront the Xuanwu Clan¡­¡± ¡°A pity Long Long saw through it, didn¡¯t he?¡± Hu Li said with a sneer, ¡°Even if you didn¡¯t communicate with him beforehand, he almost instantly came up with the best solution.¡± ¡°That¡¯s also what¡¯s been troubling us,¡± Shi Yao said with a frown, ¡°In our view, if a full-scale war can¡¯t be nipped in the bud, the Ancestral Azure Dragon will likely choose North State in the end.¡± ¡°Although the Ancestral Azure Dragon seems rough and ready, he is actually overly cautious, especially in past major decisions.¡± ¡°Considering the strained relations between South State and Central State, the Ancestral Azure Dragon can deduce that South State will side with North State, giving the Xuan Gui camp the upper hand. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only His risk-averse nature will most likely prompt him to choose North State, meaning the alliance between Central State and West State will be doomed to fail.¡± ¡°And such a state of war will allow the Xuanwu Clan of North State to reap the greatest fruits of victory¡­¡± At this point, Shi Yao¡¯s voice took on a rare note of icy chill: ¡°¡­This is an outcome we cannot accept.¡± ¡°The Xuanwu Clan regards Long Long differently,¡± Hu Li said coldly, ¡°When all is said and done, you still don¡¯t consider him one of your own.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wrong,¡± Shi Yao replied calmly, shaking her head, ¡°The Xuanwu Ancestor¡¯s choice of Long Long doesn¡¯t equate to choosing Jiaolong-they actually want to choose the Azure Dragon.¡± ¡°If Long Long can Dual Cultivate the Xuanwu Beiming Divine Skill with Gui Ling¡¯er, it would lay a deeper foundation for the alliance between Xuan Gui and Dragon Clan. This is just the Xuanwu Ancestor¡¯s usual trick-don¡¯t forget he did the same with the Qilin Clan back in the day.¡± ¡°¡­So it¡¯s just about finding a new turtle shell.¡± Hu Li was left without a response, lapsing into a long silence. ¡°Both Azure Dragon and Xuan Gui are our enemies,¡± Shi Yao concluded, ¡°for both the White Tiger Clan and us, the Jiaolong.¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯m not blaming Long Long for doing anything wrong. Because he wasn¡¯t aware of the information above, and based on his position at that time, if the little Qilin prince had died there, it would have been harmful not only to Azure Dragon Clan but also would have brought a lot of trouble for him and Long Hu.¡± ¡°You should trust us a bit more,¡± Hu Li finally sighed, his expression softening, ¡°We are your allies, and Long Long and Little Fox¡­ are also the juniors of your clan.¡± ¡°If it weren¡¯t for a lack of communication, things would never have developed this way.¡± ¡°¡­Sorry,¡± Shi Yao said weakly, ¡°As survivors of the Jiaolong, trust is something very luxurious for us.¡± Chapter 618 Chapter 618: Chapter 46: The Fox and Turtle¡¯s Struggle, A Visit from the Feathered Clan Chapter 618: Chapter 46: The Fox and Turtle¡¯s Struggle, A Visit from the Feathered Clan Long Long had no idea how long his cultivation had lasted, but eventually, he slowly came back to his senses from his meditative concentration. This Xuanwu Beiming Divine Skill is indeed exquisite, amazingly capable of forming a perfect cycle of Yin and Yang between the Dragon Clan and the Xuan Gui Clan, enhancing each other mutually. The bloodline of the Dragon Clan is biased towards the Yang-Ren Water, which when acquired by the Xuanwu Clan, can increase the robustness of the Xuanwu Clan¡¯s True Yuan. The bloodline of the Xuanwu Clan is biased towards the Yin-Gui Water, which when acquired by the Jiaolong Clan, can increase the abundance of the Jiaolong Clan¡¯s True Yuan. Just this basic Qi Refining Technique alone can allow the Dragon Clan and the Xuan Gui Clan to advance their cultivation levels from each other. If there are even more powerful Combined Attack Techniques later, doesn¡¯t that mean it would be best for me to be with Gui Ling¡¯er¡­ Wait, don¡¯t get muddled, Long Long! Did you come to the Eastern Emperor Realm to become the ¡°Greatest Demon of the Eastern Emperor¡±? Wrong! Absolutely wrong! Your purpose in coming to the Eastern Emperor Realm was to find the fragments of the Heaven-Mending Stone! Things like cultivation level are just fleeting clouds. Once you find the fragments of the Heaven-Mending Stone, there will be no more use for the identity of Long Long, and you¡¯ll have to return to the Cultivation Realm to be human again! Don¡¯t really think of yourself as a member of the Dragon Clan! wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.c0 Long Long repeatedly held his breath and concentrated, organizing his thoughts, and finally managed to free himself from the instinctive impulse to ¡°become stronger¡±. Looking again towards the doorway, he saw Long Hu sitting there sadly, her big tail no longer swaying, just drooping disheartedly to the side. ¡°Hu, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Long Long¡¯s heart tightened, and he quickly asked. Gui Ling¡¯er was just coming out of the remnants of their Dual Cultivation, about to say something with a smile to Long Long, only to see him hurriedly rush towards Long Hu. Her heart clenched, and the words on the tip of her tongue changed to: ¡°Ah? What¡¯s wrong with Long Hu?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± Long Hu replied with a forced smile. Although she said it was nothing, her little face was a picture of ¡°I¡¯m not happy,¡± and Long Long, being the intelligent character he was, guessed the little fox¡¯s mood quite accurately. He turned to Gui Ling¡¯er and smiled: ¡°The cultivation has come to an end for now. It seems that this technique is indeed suitable for the Dragon Clan and the Xuan Gui Clan to practice Dual Cultivation.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve done what I promised you. It would be best to inform the old Xuanwu ancestor about it as soon as possible.¡± Gui Ling¡¯er¡¯s eyes widened slightly, thinking that he wants to send me away right after Dual Cultivation? What a scoundrel dragon! She was indeed planning to leave, but provoked by Long Long¡¯s urgency, that stubborn temperament unique to the Turtle Clan kicked in, and she said with a dry laugh: ¡°No rush, no rush. What we did was just ritual breathing and Qi Refinement; there¡¯s still the Combined Attack Technique to practice.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Long Hu interjected gently, ¡°Long Long, if this Dual Cultivation Technique is perfected, it will also enhance your strength.¡± Seeing her outwardly reluctant yet self-sacrificing pitiable appearance touched Long Long deeply. ?0?G?.?? Adding to his need to adhere to his character¡¯s persona, he immediately shook his head and said: ¡°The Combined Attack Technique requires the presence of both individuals to utilize. What good does it do me? If there were a Combined Attack Technique for dragons and foxes, I would be willing to take the time to practice that.¡± ¡°Gui Ling¡¯er, I only promised to help you try the Beiming Divine Skill; I never agreed to cultivate it with you to advanced levels. It seems best to drop the subsequent practices.¡± Upon hearing his earlier words about ¡°a Combined Attack Technique for dragons and foxes,¡± Long Hu¡¯s heart immediately felt as sweet as if she had tasted honey. In contrast, Gui Ling¡¯er¡¯s face turned bitter as if she had chewed on coptis upon hearing him say ¡°best to drop it.¡± She wanted to ask, ¡°What does this fox have that I don¡¯t?¡±, but upon reflection, she realized that Long Hu, sometimes soft and sometimes willful, indeed possessed a feminine charm far surpassing her own. Moreover, her relationship with Long Long was both longer and deeper than ordinary, something truly incomparable. If she really asked such a foolish question, it would undoubtedly be inviting humiliation upon herself! Thinking of this, Gui Ling¡¯er forcibly changed her tone and said with a smile, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then it¡¯s all right.¡± ¡°However, Elder Xuanwu has tasked me with some errands here, so I¡¯m not in a hurry to go back and report.¡± ¡°What errands?¡± Long Hu blurted out subconsciously, then immediately regretted it. ¡°Not telling you,¡± Gui Ling¡¯er giggled. Hence, Long Hu realized that her little tricks had been seen through by the other party and began to sulk again. The sparring between these two could be described as a hair-trigger affair, so much so that Long Long only sensed something amiss but didn¡¯t think much of it before laughing and saying, ¡°Having cultivated for so long, I¡¯m a bit hungry, I¡¯m going to eat some fish.¡± The moment he left the meditation chamber, the fox and the small turtle exchanged glances and quickly followed. At a spot near the top of the Jianmu tree, there was a natural platform shielded by foliage, offering a distant view of the vast East Sea, thus it had been set up as an open-air restaurant. Although it was a restaurant, cultivators of the Demon Race who had undergone transformation didn¡¯t need to eat or drink and had no fear of hunger; if they came here to feed, it was either out of desire for tasty food or for social interaction. Upon arriving, Long Long saw that the area was conveniently empty, with only cooks busy at a distant stove and servers cleaning the tables and flooring-these were ¡°sub-dragons¡± of the Demon Race with insufficient Bloodline Rank to transform, who survived by serving the Azure Dragon Clan as servants. To a certain extent, the hierarchy among the Demon Race was much more rigid than among the Human Race. Although humans also valued innate talent for cultivation, such talent didn¡¯t follow bloodlines, unlike the Demon Race, where ¡°a dragon begets a dragon, a phoenix begets a phoenix.¡± Sitting down, Long Long ordered a crispy roasted fish and casually passed the menu along. Long Hu took the menu, only to find she couldn¡¯t pull it away; looking closely, it was because another corner was being pinched by Gui Ling¡¯er. ¡°Fox, I¡¯m older than you, why don¡¯t you let your sister order first?¡± Gui Ling¡¯er said with a smile. Long Hu frowned slightly, thinking that if she let Gui Ling¡¯er order first, wouldn¡¯t it seem as if Long Long had given the menu to her first, making it look like Gui Ling¡¯er was closer to Long Long? ¡°Elder sister (referring to Sister Turtle), I¡¯m starving, let me order first,¡± she said with a whine, even incorporating elements of the Fox Clan¡¯s Illusion Technique in her voice. Gui Ling¡¯er was about to subconsciously agree under the influence of the Illusion Technique, but members of the Xuan Gui Clan generally practiced the Secret Technique for resisting Illusion Techniques, Heart as Still Water, causing her head to sway slightly before quickly regaining her composure and saying with a smile, ¡°You can eat the fish Long Long ordered.¡± Long Hu was unwilling to give in, secretly putting more effort into her hand, but Gui Ling¡¯er, being a turtle by nature-of the sort that refuses to let go once bitten-firmly held onto the menu, frustrating Long Hu to the point of slight perspiration. Unable to restrain herself, she began to whine. Long Long himself had no idea why these two were fighting over a menu, so he hurriedly grabbed another menu from the next table and handed it over to Long Hu, saying, ¡°Stop fighting, look at this one.¡± Long Hu took the menu, her expression immediately brightening up like spring, looking triumphantly at Gui Ling¡¯er. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only The little turtle, now with the menu, had an expression as if she had swallowed a bitter pill, only able to silently trace her finger over it and order a shrimp and egg stew. Long Hu, bursting with excitement, ordered a roasted chicken and began to hurry the server to bring the dishes. As the three were waiting for their food, suddenly they noticed large shadows drifting across the floor. Long Long looked up attentively, his gaze piercing through the layers of Jianmu leaves, only to see swarms flying past overhead were¡­ ¡­the Feathered Clan? Chapter 619 Chapter 619: Chapter 47 The debt collectors are here! Chapter 619: Chapter 47 The debt collectors are here! The sudden visit from the Feathered Clan of South State truly surprised the Azure Dragon Clan. In the eyes of the high-ranking members of the Dragon Clan, the Xuanwu Clan of North State was the most likely to formally visit. After all, they were facing a two-against-one situation, simultaneously combating the Qilin Clan and the White Tiger Clan, and were undoubtedly overextended. If North State¡¯s Xuanwu could successfully rally Eastern State¡¯s Azure Dragon and South State¡¯s Vermilion Bird, they would create the so-called ¡°vertical alliance,¡± attacking Central State from three directions. Then, West State¡¯s White Tiger, isolated and overwhelmed, would have no choice but to surrender. If they failed to persuade the Azure Dragon Clan, then even though the Xuanwu and Vermilion Bird alliance could stand against the combined forces of the Qilin and White Tiger, if the Azure Dragon of Eastern State sided with the Qilin of Central State, and coupled with the White Tiger of West State, it would form the so-called ¡°horizontal alliance.¡± The Xuanwu and Vermilion Bird then, split between north and south, would each fight alone and were almost certain to be defeated. Therefore, when Gui Ling¡¯er came to visit, the Dragon Clan¡¯s upper echelon also admonished Long Long, telling him to take good care of this little turtle. Besides the Xuanwu Clan, the next likely visitors would naturally be the Qilin or the White Tiger. The reason, as mentioned before: winning over the Dragon Clan was a crucial component for victory, but considering Long Long and his comrades had once suffered assassination attempts and plots in Central State, the Qilin would have to pay a price if they truly wished to form an alliance. Of course, the least likely to visit were from the Feathered Clan of South State since the relationship between the two was not deep, and the Vermilion Bird was far less concerned with the outcome of the war than the Qilin, Xuanwu, and White Tiger. Yet, the current situation was that the Vermilion Bird was the first to visit, which is why the Dragon Clan hurriedly arranged hospitality, for fear of appearing rude and being ridiculed. The Feathered Clan from South State liked to wear splendid attire, preferring mostly vibrant colors. wuxiaworld.site It¡¯s said that each member of the Feathered Clan had their own unique dyeing formula, and they would deliberately distinguish the colors to avoid making the mistake of wearing the colors of the high nobility, to avoid the Feathered Clan¡¯s cruel punishment of ¡°plucking feathers.¡± The Feathered Clan members now sitting in the reception room were clearly wearing two colors: the ones in intense red were of the Vermilion Bird, and the ones in brilliant gold were of the Golden Crow. Long Long, Long Hu, and Gui Ling¡¯er, led by several attendants, entered the main hall. As soon as they stepped in, two gazes fell upon him. Seated in the foremost guest position was a young and beautiful woman with long hair dressed in red, with delicate phoenix-like eyes, who was chatting and laughing with Clan Leader Qin Beiwang: ¡°Is this the Long Long who discovered the ancient ruins on Divine Dragon Island? He truly comes from noble lineage; such an impressive appearance indeed.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Qin Beiwang called Long Long over, ¡°come and greet Princess Feng Yan.¡± ¡°No need for formalities,¡± the princess from the Vermilion Bird raised her hand lightly, ¡°though I have a retainer who, having heard me praise you a few times, is somewhat unconvinced and would like to have a competition with you.¡± Long Long: ??? ¡°I dare not,¡± he quickly declined with a bow, ¡°on Divine Dragon Island, it was merely a stroke of luck¡­¡± ¡°Jin Yan.¡± The princess dismissed his refusal and called out languidly. At her side, a young Golden Crow Cultivator in a golden robe immediately stood up, bowed, and said: ¡°Golden Crow Cultivator Jin Yan, wishes to learn from your esteemed skills.¡± Clan Leader Qin Beiwang looked slightly taken aback, seemingly wanting to say something, but Princess Feng Yan immediately spoke up: ¡°It¡¯s just a friendly match. Moreover, I¡¯ve heard that Long Long, even before his Transformation, once single-handedly escorted someone¡¯s daughter, braving a long journey from South State to Eastern State. Is that not so? With such strength, I¡¯m sure he can teach a lesson to my overconfident retainer.¡± Before their Transformation, members of the Demon Race did not possess the basic rights of cultivators; even if they were killed, they had no recourse. Making it through two states untransformed was indeed something to boast about. However, Qin Beiwang could vaguely sense that this princess of the Feathered Clan was probing for something. Considering there really was no need to refuse, he turned his gaze toward Long Long. Helpless, Long Long could only lead the Golden Crow Cultivator away from the Jianmu, musing in his heart: It¡¯s probably because Long Hu and I activated the Teleportation Array using the Golden Crow True Fire Fan inside the Fire Element Cave at the Tri-foot Mountain Range, and the Golden Crow Clan on the ground detected it! No, they might even have gone underground and found the Teleportation Formation archway left behind! Without the Golden Crow True Fire Fan, they certainly can¡¯t activate the Formation, but discovering that Long Hu and I disappeared from the cave for no reason, they will inevitably suspect us. Considering that the other end of the Formation is the secret realm of the Fusang Divine Tree land that the Golden Crow Cultivators yearn for¡­ Long Long came to this realization and was already certain that the Feathered Clan came looking for them this time because of this matter. Otherwise, why would the Vermilion Bird Clan bring the Cultivators of the Golden Crow Clan instead of the many other Feathered Clans? What does that signify? When Long Long reached the outer expanse of Duanguang Plains, he watched the eager Golden Crow Cultivator and sneered inwardly. ¡°Please enlighten me!¡± said the Golden Crow Cultivator stiffly, and immediately transformed into his Golden Crow True Body, flapping his wings and rising into the sky. Long Long didn¡¯t bother with idle talk either, revealing his Jiaolong True Body and soaring into the sky. Just as he gained altitude, he saw the Golden Crow Cultivator rapidly flapping his wings, sending a barrage of spherical flames toward him like a dense volley of gunfire. This Golden Crow Cultivator had bloodline powers belonging to the Bing Fire of the Five Elements, specializing in mastering Fire System Spells, and it¡¯s well known that among the Five Elements, the Metal System and Fire System possess uniquely strong offensive capabilities, with Geng Metal and Bing Fire being the strongest. Hence, the indiscriminate attack of the Golden Crow¡¯s flames was a particularly sharp tactic against most Demon Race members lacking in combat experience. But was Long Long a common member of the Demon Race? When sparring with Junior Sister Xu on a daily basis, he had already grown accustomed to dealing with Great Bright Fire. Moreover, since this Golden Crow Cultivator was only at the Transformation Realm, his Golden Crow flames didn¡¯t have nearly the fierceness and power of the Golden Crow True Fire wielded by the small fox. Therefore, Long Long remained unfazed, merely maneuvering his dragon body a few times before quickly moving out of the reach of the Golden Crow¡¯s flames. The Golden Crow Cultivator was somewhat surprised to see him opt to retreat without hesitation. In his past battles with Cultivators from the Dragon Clan, due to the generally cold and violent nature of the Dragons, they often wouldn¡¯t flee directly from the Golden Crow¡¯s fire but would mostly counter with Water System Spells. However, his Flame Divine Skill was far stronger than those of a similar realm, and if the opponent countered with Water System Spells, his flames could turn water into high-temperature steam, thereby burning the opponent¡¯s scales and body. As for Long Long¡­ With such an experienced tactical awareness, he was clearly not an ordinary member of the Dragon Clan. Realizing this, the Golden Crow Cultivator flapped his wings again, his expression clearly becoming more serious. Interesting, let¡¯s have a good time! The feathers on its wings erupted in a jet of flames, suddenly accelerating in a dive toward Long Long, making a close approach almost instantaneously and sending its sharp claws quickly towards the three-inch area near Long Long¡¯s neck. This was the Martial Technique ¡°Capturing Dragon Claw¡± of the Golden-Winged Roc Clan, specifically aimed at the Dragon¡¯s ¡°neck area¡±, which was the most difficult point for a Jiaolong to exert force while twisting its body. If he was caught by its claws and then hit with a Golden Crow Flame Burst, he would likely be left half-dead or crippled. On the distant stands, Clan Leader Qin Beiwang also felt a shock surge through him because the Golden Crow Cultivator, named Jin Yan, was clearly faster than other Feathered Clan Cultivators of the same Realm. If Long Long wasn¡¯t prepared for the sudden attack, it could be bad! Before he could voice any words of intervention, he saw the Golden Crow stretch out its claws like lightning, aiming for the vulnerable neck of Long Long. The next second, it grasped at thin air. Because Long Long had suddenly transformed into human form, his body quickly shrinking, just in time to dodge the Golden Crow¡¯s claw strike. ???G?.?? He stomped down with his foot, landing on his Dragon Chant Sword that he had just summoned, and then transformed into a Sword Light, instantly circling behind the Golden Crow and stabbing fiercely at its back. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only The Golden Crow also reacted rapidly, deciding to directly withstand the Sword Light, taking the opportunity to recondense Fire System Spells for a counterattack, but it didn¡¯t expect the sword to separate from Long Long again before it could hit its steel-like feathers. Just as Long Long completed the close approach behind the Golden Crow, he suddenly reverted to his Jiaolong True Body, tightly coiling around the Golden Crow¡¯s body. The Golden Crow immediately imitated, transforming into a human-shaped Dharma Body, trying to avoid the Jiaolong¡¯s strangulation by shrinking its body¡­ Only to be hit hard in the back the moment it shifted to human form. Long Long had feigned an attempt to strangle him, luring out his Transformation skill, and then lashed him hard on the back with his tail, completely smashing him into the ground. Chapter 620 Chapter 620: 48th Chapter: The Gluttonous Ones Have Arrived! Chapter 620: 48th Chapter: The Gluttonous Ones Have Arrived! As the two competitors dueled in the arena, a number of Dragon Clan cultivators also gathered in the distant spectator area. Long Hu stared tensely into the distance, afraid that the Golden Crow Cultivator would suddenly unleash some deadly move, endangering Long Long. Gui Ling¡¯er, on the other hand, was much calmer, occasionally glancing at the battle before stealthily observing the expressions of the surrounding spectators. Qin Beiwang was very composed, after all, this was the Azure Dragon Clan¡¯s territory, and if he, as the clan leader, showed surprise, shock, or fear at every turn, it would certainly infect his clansmen with panic. As for Princess Feng Yan of the Vermilion Bird, she initially watched the competition with a smile, her expression serene and composed. It was only when the Golden Crow used the Capturing Dragon Claw, and Long Long suddenly avoided this deadly move by utilising the interchange between his True Body Dharma Form, that she slightly restrained her smile and became serious. And when Long Long transformed back into human form while simultaneously releasing Flying Sword, followed by the sword circling down, just to be stepped on by him¡­ astonishment flashed through the princess¡¯s red pupils. Of course, as the most warlike among the Feathered Clan, the Vermilion Bird Clan, Feng Yan¡¯s insights were naturally profound. This move called ¡°Cloud Dragon Soaring Turn¡± was extremely rare and incredibly difficult to master within the Shushan Shangqing Faction: The Sword Immortal, in the process of attacking the opponent with Man-Sword Unity, would suddenly dissolve this unity, using the dissolution to dodge the opponent¡¯s attack, and then re-enter Man-Sword Unity¡­ Considering that Man-Sword Unity is a major move for Shushan Sword Immortals and is very draining of True Yuan, doing it twice in succession is even more taxing, which is why most Sword Immortal factions don¡¯t teach this move at all, deeming it ¡°too flashy¡± with no practical value. Even within Shushan, those who knew this move were one in a hundred, so when Long Long used it in the Eastern Emperor Realm, he indeed thoroughly outplayed the Golden Crow Cultivator, then tricked him into exposing a vulnerability and struck with a Divine Dragon Tail Whip, slamming him hard onto the ground. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co The Golden Crow Cultivator suddenly lost his balance and fell, and before he could climb out of the pit, Long Long was already on him again. To seize the moment and attack the fallen enemy without giving any time to respond, Long Long adopted an extremely brutal body slam this time. Thanks to his Dual Cultivation with Gui Ling¡¯er, Long Long¡¯s scales had greatly increased in strength, and as the Divine Dragon descended with force, the Golden Crow Cultivator just emerging from the pit was smashed into disorientation. ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± Feng Yan suddenly stood up and said, ¡°Let¡¯s stop here.¡± ¡°Perhaps it could be considered a draw,¡± Qin Beiwang interjected smoothly. ¡°No need,¡± Feng Yan said indifferently, ¡°This guard has always been full of pride. It¡¯s good for him to learn a lesson this time.¡± The Golden Crow Cultivator promptly stood up, pleading urgently, ¡°Your Highness! I haven¡¯t lost, I can still fight!¡± ¡°Enough!¡± Feng Yan rebuked him, ¡°You¡¯ve already lost, do you want to disgrace yourself further?¡± The Golden Crow Cultivator had no answer, and could only silently transform back into human form, taking out a golden feather from around his waist and offering it to Long Long, saying: ¡°I, Saliya, acknowledge you as the opponent who has defeated me.¡± ¡°Saliya?¡± Long Long was taken aback. ¡°In the Feathered Clan¡¯s dialect, within our Golden Crow Clan, it means ¡®a warrior solid as a rock,''¡± the Golden Crow Cultivator answered earnestly. Seeing that Long Long seemed uninterested in taking it (What do I want with your bird feather?), he forced it into his hand, gritting his teeth and saying: ¡°Offering a feather after a defeat is the custom of our Feathered Clan¡¯s warriors! When I defeat you in the future, you must return this feather to me!¡± Long Long: ? What, am I supposed to keep the feather safe for you now? ¡°Take it away and make it into a carpet right away!¡± The crowd then set out in succession, returning to the reception hall inside Jianmu. This time, Feng Yan¡¯s praise for Long Long seemed genuinely sincere: ¡°You fought well, coming up with the idea to use your Dharma Body to dodge the attack was truly ingenious.¡± ¡°Your Highness flatters me,¡± Long Long responded, ¡°It was only a spark of inspiration, a minor trick that made Your Highness laugh.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just a minor trick.¡± Feng Yan smiled meaningfully, ¡°For us of the Feathered Clan who are adept at flying, the value of such a move is substantial.¡± That was indeed true. The Dragon Clan and the Feathered Clan both naturally excelled at flying, and by switching between their True Body and Dharma Form, rapidly shrinking in size while continuing to fall could achieve a sudden shift in position. As for the Mao Clan and the Horned Clan, who primarily mingled on the ground, its usefulness was relatively less. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that in the past, you visited the land of the Golden Crow Clan in the Three-Legged Mountain Range?¡± Feng Yan suddenly probed. ¡°Yes,¡± Long Long candidly said, ¡°In bygone days, Long Hu and I were traveling from South State to Eastern State, taking the route through the Three-Legged Mountain Range.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Feng Yan raised an eyebrow, ¡°And what happened after that?¡± ¡°What happened after?¡± Long Long was puzzled. ¡°The Golden Crow Clan¡­ they hosted you and did not show any discourtesy, did they?¡± Feng Yan smiled amiably. ¡°Your Highness speaks too seriously,¡± Long Long said blankly, ¡°At that time, Long Hu and I had not transformed and were without fame, how could we have received hospitality from the Golden Crow Clan? Long Hu and I passed through their checkpoints.¡± Feng Yan fell silent for a moment, then suddenly covered her mouth and giggled. Not a single flaw was revealed; this little dragon was truly intriguing! If he admitted to visiting the land of the Golden Crow Clan, going down to the Fire Element Cave, the Golden Crow Clan would have their say: there is no passage from the Fire Element Cave to the outside world, so how did you reach Eastern State? However, if he denied ever going down to the Fire Element Cave or visiting the Golden Crow Clan land, then another problem arose: The entire Three-Legged Mountain Range was under the control of the Golden Crow Clan, so how did you get through? Naive people tell the truth, while those with a bit of cunning deny everything, but both produce corresponding flaws. Admitting to visiting the Golden Crow Clan land but not descending into the Fire Element Cave to obtain passage, instead opting to pay the toll¡­ ???G?.?? this was the reason with the smallest flaw that could be concluded after careful thought, but he had just popped the question suddenly, and Long Long was able to answer it, indicating that he¡¯s either naturally cautious, well-prepared; or adept at adapting and possessing extraordinary wit. In comparison, her own Golden Crow Guard was clearly the less intelligent type, completely overshadowed by Long Long. Feng Yan suddenly felt a bit dispirited, because among the Feathered Clan, ¡°brainless birds of prey¡± like the Golden Crow Guard were the majority, focused only on increasing their martial power, completely neglecting scholarship. But only by entering the core management of the Demon Race would one know that a supremely intelligent elder could be worth three elders abundant in martial force-no matter how strong the martial power, could it ever surpass that of the ancient ancestors? But even the ancient ancestors might not manage the clan well! At this thought, Feng Yan finally couldn¡¯t help but feel envious. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only What kind of incredible luck had the Dragon Clan stumbled upon to have such a descendant with a perfect blend of bloodline, wisdom, and strength present himself at their doorstep, actively requesting to join? If it were our Feathered Clan¡­ hmm, should we arrange a marriage alliance? Naturally, it would be impossible under normal circumstances as the Dragon Clan would definitely be intent on in-clan unions, absolutely refusing outside interference. But now is a special time, isn¡¯t it! Chapter 621 Chapter 621: Chapter 49 The Road Not Taken Chapter 621: Chapter 49 The Road Not Taken Feng Yan coveted Long Long¡¯s body. This was a very normal thing. Who wouldn¡¯t be covetous? Both the Ancestral Azure Dragon and the late Qilin Emperor had thought about forming marital alliances with the Dragon Clan, proposing marriage to Long Long. However, while the Qilin Emperor valued his bloodline, Feng Yan was more interested in his intelligence. Within the Feathered Clan of South State, almost all members with powerful bloodlines were infamous for their volatile and unruly temperaments. The Vermilion Bird clan was relatively better, occasionally producing some with sharp minds, but overall, they still revered martial combat. Among the direct descendants of the Vermilion Bird, Feng Yan was perhaps the smartest high-ranking member of the Feathered Clan. It was for this reason she looked at Long Long, a member of the Demon Race blessed with both noble blood and wisdom, in a different light. However, she couldn¡¯t issue a decree directly like the Qilin Emperor did, nor could she beat around the bush by sending Gui Ling¡¯er over like the Xuanwu had-she hadn¡¯t even settled on a candidate for the matrimonial alliance. As images of her sisters fluttered through her mind, Feng Yan maintained her facade, engaged in idle chatter with Qin Beiwang, when she casually remarked, ¡°The new Qilin Emperor sent us his imperial intentions after his ascension to the throne.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Qin Beiwang¡¯s eyes brightened, ¡°Then it must be an exhortation.¡± ¡°Indeed, an exhortation,¡± Feng Yan said with a slight smile. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.CO For an emperor to send exhortatory edicts to various lords after his coronation was widely seen as a placatory gesture, a signal indicating ¡°I don¡¯t want trouble during this period.¡± Yet, the previous emperor had gone to war with the Feathered Clan of South State, and even after the ceasefire, no peace treaty was signed, clearly indicating an intent to resume hostilities once recovered¡­ Then the emperor died, and the new emperor ascended, outright overturning the former emperor¡¯s national policies and shifting his stance on South State to one of cordiality, indicating that Central State was indeed in a state of weakness. Naturally, this was more or less expected by the various lords. How could a bastard son who had never been seen before possess the prestige to be emperor? If it weren¡¯t for the protection of the Qilin patriarch and the political leverage used by the Empress Lu Ya from West State¡¯s White Tiger, this emperor might have been overthrown by his own Qilin clan right after he had ascended-now, he surely needed to quickly consolidate his political authority. Qin Beiwang wasn¡¯t concerned about that. What he really wanted to clarify was South State¡¯s stance: Would they now side with the Qilin-White Tiger alliance? Or with Xuanwu? From the underground agents stationed in South State, he learned that there was a stronger voice within the Feathered Clan for pursuing friendliness with Xuanwu, for South State had been at war with Central State for so long, and one couldn¡¯t expect most of the clan to consider an alliance with Central State-the vast majority of the populace understood international politics merely in terms of ¡°he is our friend¡± or ¡°he is our enemy.¡± Alas, politics is never within the grasp of the common masses. And this Princess Feng Yan, reputedly much favored by the clan leader and the elders, her attitude to a certain extent could determine the Feathered Clan¡¯s true stance. ¡°You must find me laughable,¡± Feng Yan cunningly played coy, ¡°Making decisions under such circumstances is exceedingly difficult. Before hunting, one must first lock onto the prey, and the Feathered Clan wishes to see things more clearly first.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Qin Beiwang immediately understood. The Feathered Clan hadn¡¯t made a decision. Feng Yan explained it as ¡°wanting to see the offers from both sides,¡± but Qin Beiwang surmised that this princess had likely already made her decision, but she still needed time to persuade the clan leader and the elders. ¡°By the way,¡± Feng Yan leaned forward slightly, feigning interest, ¡°I am quite curious about the Dragon Clan¡¯s stance, especially since your last visit to Central State seemed to be rather unpleasant.¡± A straightforward probe, and Qin Beiwang had no intention of bluntly giving away an answer, he vaguely responded, ¡°It¡¯s not so much unpleasant as it is that many changes have occurred.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Feng Yan replied with a disingenuous smile, ¡°Central State has always been the center of the political whirlpool in the Eastern Emperor Realm, no matter what the Qilin Emperor thinks, it will inevitably involve forces from all directions.¡± She sighed half truthfully, half falsely, and then added in a low voice: ¡°I¡¯ve recently been reading the history books. The number of political figures who have died in Central State is seven times that of those in the other four states. There¡¯s no doubt that such a political whirlpool is very skilled at easily tearing apart those within it; actually, the best method would be to not get involved at all.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just that these are not things we can decide¡­¡± Qin Beiwang said subconsciously, then suddenly realized: This Princess of the Vermilion Bird seems to be implying something! It is well-known that the higher one¡¯s leadership position is, the more one prefers to speak in a roundabout way. Some do it to create an aura of mystery, as if their actions are beyond comprehension, but more often it¡¯s to serve as an intelligence filter-the listener¡¯s intelligence. Politics is an unequivocal game of strategy, and an inept ally is more terrifying than a capable enemy. ???G?.?? Everyone must carefully choose their allies, and being able to understand the hints both spoken and unspoken, is the first step in the selection process. Qin Beiwang began to contemplate carefully: Not to become involved? Avoiding participation in the conflicts of both camps is indeed what the Dragon Clan dreams of. After all, conflicts inevitably bring injury, and it would be best to sit back and watch the two sides fight to the death. But the problem is that neither camp will be foolish enough to let you reap the benefits without contributing. Most likely, upon confirming your desire to remain neutral (meaning, the opposing camp will not protect you), they¡¯ll take the initiative to strike hard and eliminate you. However, considering the scale of the Dragon Clan, being wiped out is highly unlikely; it¡¯s more probable to be subjected to extreme pressure and then be forced to pick a side¡­ which would be better than being passive after all. Could it be that Princess Feng Yan is actually advocating for such an unreliable decision? Qin Beiwang looked at Feng Yan with an odd expression in his eyes, while Feng Yan maintained a proper smile, feeling slightly disappointed in her heart. At this moment, Long Long was sitting in a lower seat-although with his Transformation Rank cultivation level, he wasn¡¯t qualified to be in the same hall as the Demon Kings, the recognition of his intelligence by both the Ancestral Azure Dragon and the clan leader was a different matter-he listened intently to the conversation between the two leaders just like the other bigwigs and spoke up: ¡°What Princess Feng Yan has said is very true; after all, no one wants to be caught up in the whirlpool, but most of the time, it¡¯s only due to their lack of strength that they cannot resist the trend.¡± Qin Beiwang nodded approvingly with a touch of authoritative pressure, expressing his agreement with Long Long¡¯s remarks. This political struggle, can you really not get involved just by wishing to abstain¡­ huh? He suddenly realized, acutely aware that Long Long was also hinting at something and, being from his own clan, he had emphasized the key words with added weight: ¡°lack of strength.¡± Wait, if it¡¯s impossible for the Dragon Clan to not take sides in this political struggle on its own, what if they formed an alliance with the Feathered Clan? Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only An alliance with the Feathered Clan¡­ an unprecedented path, but if they really did form an alliance, then by uniting the strengths of these two powers, they could become the Eastern Emperor Realm¡¯s third faction. The Qilin-White Tiger faction and Xuanwu faction, due to their dispute over the legitimate claim to the emperor¡¯s throne, would surely continue to battle each other. But a third faction like the Dragon-Feathered Clan, with sufficient power and leverage, could easily sit in the Southeast, watch from the sidelines, or even, when the situation starts to lean in one direction, take action to help them ¡°rebalance¡± and then continue to watch them deplete their strength. To have Central State, West State, and North State bloodied in battle, what a delightful prospect! Chapter 622 Chapter 622: Chapter 50: An Unforeseen Female Confidant Chapter 622: Chapter 50: An Unforeseen Female Confidant Feng Yan was initially somewhat disappointed. Qin Beiwang hadn¡¯t understood her at first, which didn¡¯t mean that the leader of the Azure Dragon Clan was foolish. After all, many smart people cannot break through their own mental models. However, it was clear that the Azure Dragon Clan had no intention of remaining mere spectators. The alliance of the Dragon Clan and the Feathered Clan in the Southeast to form a third faction for self-protection sounded appealing. But Feng Yan, with her acute political insight, almost immediately spotted the fatal flaw: The foundation of their alliance was very unstable-far less so than the other two major factions. There¡¯s no need to mention the alliance between the Xuanwu Clan and Prince Qilin, Qi Weihong; their relationship was almost like a mutual binding. If Qi Weihong lost the support of the Xuanwu Clan, he wouldn¡¯t have the power to contend for the throne; and without Qi Weihong, the Xuanwu Clan would no longer have any legal prerogative to interfere with the Central State Royal Court. Therefore, the Xuanwu faction¡¯s internal stability and fighting spirit were very strong. The camp of Qilin and White Tiger was stronger than the Xuanwu Clan, but their internal stability was weaker. Firstly, there was absolutely no trust between Empress Lu Ya and the Ancestral Qilin and, in fact, they both had strong animosity towards one another. The only thing that compelled the two clans to ally was the illegitimate Emperor, Qi Qiaosong. His legal rationale and political prestige were too fragile, necessitating the backing of both Empress Lu Ya and the Ancestral Qilin for the two to grudgingly stand together despite their aversion. wuxiaworld.site Secondly, the diplomatic relations between the Horned Clan and the Mao Clan weren¡¯t good to begin with, as could be seen from Lu Ya¡¯s undisguised hatred for Qi Weihuan. Apart from the internal factors solidifying the emperor¡¯s rule, another major external factor prompting their cooperation was that neither side could independently oppose the Xuanwu Clan and were thus forced to unite. These two factions had common interests and a common enemy, so they could be firmly bound together¡­ But the Dragon Clan and the Feathered Clan, if allied, did not have such conditions. Firstly, their common interests were vague. Who says being an onlooker is the best option? There were surely Cultivators in each clan who thought it better to support Xuanwu/Qilin and actively seek political gains instead. From this perspective, neither the Feathered Clan nor the Dragon Clan had actually formed a unified consensus internally. Secondly, the two did not have any common enemies. Xuanwu was opposed to Qi Qiaosong, and Qilin-White Tiger was opposed to Qi Weihong; such enemies could unify the consciousness within a clan, but the Feathered Clan and the Dragon Clan lacked this. In summary, it was evident that even if the Feathered Clan and the Dragon Clan formed an alliance, it would be a very loose one-even considering the worst-case scenario, both sides could potentially exit the alliance at any time (if offered a higher bid by the other two factions) and would need to be on guard against each other doing so. Of course, this flaw wasn¡¯t beyond repair. As long as the higher-ups of both clans could reach a consensus and then take a very firm stance within their clans, their people would initially follow their leaders like sheep. Once the two major factions fought to the death, revealing their grievous losses, by then the Feathered Clan and the Dragon Clan would slowly develop a consensus: Oh, thankfully our clan didn¡¯t get involved in this mess. And yet, Qin Beiwang hadn¡¯t thought of this at all, leaving Feng Yan with a sense of speechlessness akin to ¡°I¡¯ve thought through to the fifth level, yet you guys are stuck in the basement.¡± Fortunately, Long Long on the other side reminded him, and Qin Beiwang immediately understood the implications, lightening Feng Yan¡¯s expression slightly. Her appreciation for Long Long deepened, almost to the point of being hard to contain. ¡°What Your Highness has said makes sense,¡± said Qin Beiwang, trying to save face by pretending ¡°I had already understood,¡± and continued deliberately, ¡°After all, our Dragon Clan has no member of the Qilin Clan claiming the throne, so why should we fight to the death over the ownership of the Central State Royal Court? To put it plainly, we of the Dragon Clan simply wish to guard the Eastern State inheritance left by our ancestors and have no interest in matters beyond the Eastern State.¡± This was nonsensical-if the Dragon Clan truly wanted only to defend what they had, they should have kept Long Hu¡¯s identity a closely guarded secret, not even allowing it to be spoken of within the clan¡­ What were you covertly promoting the previous princess for? ¡°Indeed,¡± Feng Yan responded indifferently, ¡°Our Feathered Clan has always preferred peace and is reluctant to step into the political whirlpool of Central State lightly, which is not much different from your Dragon Clan.¡± That too was a lie-the relation between South State and Central State was contentious partially because the Feathered Clan from north of South State often raided the South Border of Central State with complete plunder¡­ If the Feathered Clan claimed to love peace, then there¡¯d be no Demon Race full of martial virtue in the Eastern Emperor Realm. ?0?G?.?? The two looked at each other momentarily, silently assuring themselves: Very well, at least the other party has made their stance clear. As for being shamelessly thick-skinned and audacious, those were trivial matters that did no great harm. ¡°May I have the honor of meeting the Ancestral Azure Dragon?¡± Feng Yan further probed. The subtext was, although you, the clan leader, have agreed, what about the old ancestor? ¡°The ancestor has recently entered closed-door cultivation; he cannot be disturbed by mundane affairs,¡± Qin Beiwang replied cryptically. What he meant was that the affairs within the clan didn¡¯t concern the ancestor and that his power as clan leader was absolute. Feng Yan immediately understood and said admiringly, ¡°That is good to hear.¡± After she spoke, she turned her head to look at Long Long, sighing uncontrollably. ¡°Your Highness, why is that?¡± Long Long felt somewhat uneasy under her gaze, and Qin Beiwang also asked. ¡°It¡¯s just a pity,¡± Feng Yan said with a meaningful smile. ¡°Such fine talent and yet my Feathered Clan cannot have him. I truly envy your Dragon Clan.¡± Qin Beiwang keenly sensed the other party¡¯s intentions of seeking a marital alliance and immediately offered a verbal promissory note: ¡°If our two factions indeed become lifelong allies, then Long Long might find a few good friends among the Feathered Clan cultivators-or even a confidante. To say that Long Long cannot be put to good use by His Highness is quite unfair.¡± Long Long also understood the underlying message and promptly stood up to excuse himself, saying, ¡°I am flattered by Your Highness¡¯s generous favor and am unworthy of it.¡± ¡°Hahaha,¡± Feng Yan then covered her mouth and laughed coyly. What Qin Beiwang appeared to say was, ¡°As long as our two clans form an alliance, Long Long can also find a wife within your Feathered Clan,¡± but a metaphor is just a metaphor. When the time comes to deny any agreement, the Feathered Clan naturally wouldn¡¯t have any recourse. As cunning as Feng Yan was, she wasn¡¯t fooled by Qin Beiwang and merely showed a fake smile of ¡°I¡¯m very happy.¡± ¡°Long Long, you may go now.¡± Seeing that the matter was almost settled, with only the confirmation from the Ancestral Azure Dragon pending, Qin Beiwang politely said. Long Long took his leave, and just as he exited the hall, he saw a figure rushing away and disappearing behind the porch. Long Long: ? Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Who was that? On the sandy beach near the seashore, Long Hu was idly building sandcastles when suddenly she saw Qin Ye running over in a hurry. ¡°Sister Hu!¡± she called out frantically, ¡°It¡¯s terrible! Brother Long Long is going to marry someone else!¡± Long Hu: ? With a flick of her tail, she collapsed the sandcastle and stood up, asking in disbelief, ¡°What?¡± ¡°My father said so himself!¡± Qin Ye was also on the verge of tears; what happened to her promised fiance, ¡°He¡¯s supposed to find his confidante in the Feathered Clan!¡± Chapter 623 Chapter 623: Chapter 51: The Good Fox Chapter 623: Chapter 51: The Good Fox Long Long quietly left Jianmu, secretly calculating the upcoming situation. Previously, everyone, himself included, thought that the Feathered Clan of South State would definitely react against Central State without thinking, the reason being that the Feathered Clan¡¯s combat style was too intense, leading everyone to regard them as mindless brutes. It was just like how if a cultivator from Shushan caused trouble outside, the first reaction would be that a brute from Shushan had struck first. Stereotypes indeed help quickly identify groups of people, but of course, they also mean missing out on some unique individuals, such as Her Highness Feng Yan, who was a rare strategic mind within the Feathered Clan. Based on Long Long¡¯s observations of Qin Beiwang and the Ancestral Azure Dragon, those two were definitely liable to be swayed. This meant that the three camps in the coming days in the Eastern Emperor Realm would be Xuanwu, Qilin/White Tiger, and Vermilion Bird/Azure Dragon. If it were simply a situation of three powers standing together, it would be relatively easy to analyze¡­ Basically, two would join forces to attack one, forming a group when in a disadvantaged position, and defecting when in an advantageous position. But in reality, these alliances were not stable. The Qilin and White Tiger loathed each other, and the Azure Dragon and Vermilion Bird were also reluctantly allied. Far from being solid as steel, it would be good enough if they didn¡¯t drag each other down. What¡¯s more troublesome was that other factions could offer ¡°higher bids¡± at any time, and then allies in a previously established alliance might suddenly turn against you in secret without your knowledge¡­ Long Long was keenly aware of the danger of traitorous behavior, and the difficulty in this game lay in the fact that everyone was capable of betrayal. The intricate relationships were complex even for him to figure out, let alone pass judgment on the situation. Sigh, what trouble! wuxiaworld.site Upon reaching the seaside, Long Long saw Long Hu and Qin Ye whispering together in a huddle, sometimes gritting their teeth, with no clue about what they were plotting. Huh, when did their relationship become so close? Long Long was somewhat perplexed. Just as he was about to step forward and ask, he suddenly had an instinctual feeling of foreboding and immediately decided to flee. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Gui Ling¡¯er¡¯s voice suddenly came from behind him. Long Long¡¯s body jolted, and then he saw Long Hu and Qin Ye turn their heads, looking at him with peculiar gazes. Calm down, stay calm! Long Long quickly held his breath and concentrated, beginning to swiftly brainwash himself. Firstly, Qin Ye and Gui Ling¡¯er are just elders match-making, I never directly agreed, and there¡¯s no marriage contract signed between us, so we¡¯re still just ordinary friends, what¡¯s there to be afraid of? Secondly, Long Hu was entrusted by elders as well, and we also had mutual affection, but the fox never said she wanted to be my girlfriend. Although this world does not have the concept of boyfriends and girlfriends, not having said it means it hasn¡¯t been said! Since it¡¯s only a relationship with a confidante, what¡¯s there to be embarrassed about? With these thoughts, he put on an open expression and asked curiously, ¡°What are you two chatting about here?¡± ¡°Long Long.¡± Long Hu smiled gently, but somehow, this smile was extremely similar to Feng Yan¡¯s forced smile in the reception hall, giving off a vibe of smiling on the surface but not in the heart, ¡°What do you think of the Feathered Clan girls?¡± ¡°What do you mean, ¡®what¡¯s the matter¡¯?¡± Long Long was puzzled. ¡°You know, those kind of tiny, soft, and squeaky-voiced girls,¡± Long Hu asked with a smile. ¡°¡­Not great,¡± Long Long, after a long silence, let the desire to survive overcome his pride and pretended to be serious as he said, ¡°Being delicate means being weak, being soft means being too easy to bully, and a clear voice that¡¯s squeaky when speaking can be headache-inducing if you listen to it too much.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± a cold voice that seemed to laugh but not laugh came from behind, ¡°Weak and easy to bully, with a voice that gives you a headache, is that right?¡± She had originally just wanted to come over to chat with Long Long and show some of the high-status friendliness, as well as to probe his personality¡­ but then she heard Long Long¡¯s blatantly racist remarks, and instantly flew into a rage with murderous intent spilling out. The girls were so scared they scattered like birds and animals, only Long Hu, trembling with fear, remained, withstanding Feng Yan¡¯s icy murderous intent and still stubbornly making eye contact: ¡°Your Highness, everyone has their own unique perspective on things. There¡¯s no right or wrong. Besides, Long Long wasn¡¯t criticizing you, so why are you getting so furiously embarrassed?¡± ¡°How cleverly sharp-tongued of you, little fox!¡± Feng Yan said with a sneer, ¡°Your acerbic way of speaking really resembles your mother, but in terms of strength, you¡¯re far from your father!¡± ¡°Ahem, Your Highness,¡± Long Long quickly attempted to rectify the situation, ¡°I was just joking a moment ago, and I didn¡¯t mean to criticize the Feathered Clan¡­¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Long Hu lightly retorted, ¡°If my parents were still here, how would you dare to speak to me in such a manner?¡± ¡°Even during Emperor Ying Long¡¯s reign, my Feathered Clan never bowed to Central State!¡± Feng Yan declared with a sharp tone. ¡°Enough!¡± Long Long had to step in front of them both, ¡°Your Highness, this is the Dragon Clan¡¯s territory. Your actions here represent the Feathered Clan. ???G?.?? If you make a scene here, it¡¯ll damage the hard-earned friendly relations between our two clans!¡± Feng Yan looked down on him from her lofty height. This Vermilion Bird Highness had a very tall stature, half a head taller than Long Long. Suddenly, she reached out with her right hand, painted with bright red nail polish, and provocatively lifted Long Long¡¯s chin. ¡°What do you think the relationship between our two clans is, little dragon?¡± she said seductively, bringing her lips close to Long Long¡¯s ear and whispering like a fragrant breeze, ¡°There has never been a ¡®friendly relationship,¡¯ only manipulations based on interests.¡± ¡°If you really want to talk about feelings, it¡¯s simple. Just marry into our Vermilion Bird clan. If you can please me, perhaps the Feathered Clan and the Scaled Clan could establish some sort of stronger relationship that goes beyond interests¡­ Hmph.¡± Ignoring the almost fiery gaze from Long Hu, she withdrew her slender hand, regaining her usual composed and easygoing demeanor: ¡°But if you still can¡¯t tell right from wrong and want to keep your uncertain ties with this former princess, you will eventually realize the cruelty of this world. It never pities such naively ludicrous love¡­¡± After dropping these words, Feng Yan turned and left. Only when this Vermilion Bird Highness had completely disappeared from their sight did Long Hu collapse directly into Long Long¡¯s arms-just speaking to a High Rank Great Demon and resisting the aura emanating from her, along with the innate fear from deep within, had exhausted most of her strength. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Long Long gently held her, feeling her petite body tremble slightly. Yes, my own fox is also delicate, soft, with a clear and chirpy voice. But when she stands up for herself, even in the face of a Great Demon who could crush us both with a single finger, she can muster all her courage to stop them¡­ Such a Long Hu, in my heart, is towering, resilient, and a good fox that brings a sense of security. Yes, if I were indeed a demon, she would definitely be the one I¡¯d marry. Chapter 624 Chapter 624: Chapter 52 The Great Enemy of the World, Wei Dongliu Chapter 624: Chapter 52 The Great Enemy of the World, Wei Dongliu To tell the truth, Long Long actually had no intention of settling down in the Eastern Emperor Realm. The other four personas, no matter how well they were disguised, at least remained within the category of humans. And sometimes he fantasized that perhaps after his true identity was exposed, he would get a good beating from Junior Sister Xu, Senior Sister An, Miss Shi, and Jiang the Witch, venting their anger thoroughly. Maybe then, reconciliation was still possible. But what about the fox? After all, I am a human and not from the Demon Race. Can she truly accept a human as a husband? Even if that were possible, I, as a Human Race cultivator, could not possibly settle in the Eastern Emperor Realm. Could the fox stay in the Mortal Realm for me? Long Long would rather not make the fox face that choice. As long as he left cleanly and without a trace. ¡°Ah Jing, load the save and go to the Kunlun route.¡± ¡°Really?¡± the Kunlun Mirror asked curiously, ¡°Isn¡¯t Qiu Changtian over there busy dealing with Wei Dongliu?¡± ¡°What has to be faced will always have to be faced,¡± Long Long said, massaging his brow with a distressed look. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co ?????.?? Besides Qiu Changtian, what other good choices were there? Shushan had just been besieged by the Demon Cult. It was said to be in ruins, scrambling to enlist Golden Core True Persons for work. The Penglai Heavenly Craft Workshop showed no signs of improvement; Shi Liuli was as mature as a female entrepreneur, poring over materials until late at night. There was no need to mention Wei Dongliu. Causing trouble in Mount Wutai wasn¡¯t enough; he was also striving to become the leader of the Demonic Path. After much thought, he decided to start with Kunlun. [Location one: Kunlun Taiqing Sect, Golden Ridge.] [Character Identity: Qiu Changtian.] [Mirror Flower Water Moon Template overlaying, Time-Space Travel in progress.] Not long after returning to Golden Ridge, Qiu Changtian was summoned to the Jade Void Palace by the Flying Sword Messaging of the Ziwei Master. Inside the Jade Void Palace, in the Scripture Lecture Hall, as he pushed the door open, the person inside just finished the last sentence: ¡°¡­ In short, the power of the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword is not to be underestimated. If not careful, even Nascent Soul Cultivators may fall. But what¡¯s even more troublesome is his Illusion Technique that confuses the mind. To this day, this old monk has not figured out how it¡¯s performed.¡± At this point, the person paused and slowly turned around. Only then did Qiu Changtian realize that this person was actually the itinerant monk Yu Wen, the monk whose soul had escaped after being slain by Wei Dongliu with the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword. The current Yu Wen showed no sign of having had his body destroyed; he was intact from head to toe. Qiu Changtian opened his mouth slightly, only to hear the Ziwei Master say leisurely: ¡°Come, Changgeng, greet the senior itinerant monk.¡± Qiu Changtian hastily paid his respects. ¡°No need for such formalities,¡± Yu Wen said with a smile, making a gesture as if to help him up, ¡°Kunlun is indeed blessed by the heavens to produce such outstanding talent as Changgeng.¡± Qiu Changtian displayed an expression of being undeservedly honored at just the right moment. ¡°The wandering monk Yu Wen personally ventured into the demon lair and obtained a lot of intelligence about that Wei Dongliu,¡± continued the Ziwei Master, ¡°You should listen carefully as well, since he¡¯s going to be your greatest opponent in the future.¡± ¡°I¡¯m ashamed,¡± the wandering monk Yu Wen shook his head and said, ¡°At that time, with the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword and the Hundred Poison Golden Silkworm Gu in Wei the Demon Head¡¯s possession, even if I had given it my all, it might not have been enough to secure a victory.¡± ¡°His decisiveness in every move, the fierceness of his swordsmanship, the venomousness of his techniques, and the depth of his scheming made him seem not like an ordinary Golden Core True Person, but rather like an old monster who had lived for thousands of years.¡± ¡°Originally, I had intended to protect the monks and help them escape, hence I held back due to my reluctance to damage anything of value, focusing entirely on casting defensive spells. Wei the Demon Head almost immediately saw through this and began to unleash a variety of attacks.¡± ¡°His Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword was immensely powerful but seemed to consume a great deal of True Yuan, preventing its continuous use in the blink of an eye. If one employs high-defense and rapid-recovery magical treasures or Daoist magic, they can be overcome,¡± he said. ¡°Then there¡¯s the Hundred Poison Golden Silkworm Gu, extremely vicious, but the drawback is that there are only three. As long as one pays attention to their flight trajectory, they are relatively easy to deal with.¡± ¡°But there might not only be three,¡± the Ziwei Master said, stroking his beard. ¡°Indeed,¡± the wandering monk Yu Wen nodded in agreement, ¡°If there were hundreds or thousands, then even Nascent Soul Cultivators would have great difficulty resisting, and the only option would be to flee in disarray.¡± Qiu Changtian made a thoughtful gesture to show cooperation, but what he was actually thinking about was not how to deal with Wei Dongliu, but why the wandering monk Yu Wen had managed to come back to life so quickly. If a cultivator¡¯s body is destroyed and their soul escapes, finding a suitable body is extremely difficult, because living bodies often have their own souls, so to take over, one must resort to soul possession. And a body obtained through soul possession could not possibly be exactly the same as the original one ¨C at least not in the short term. In other words, this wandering monk Yu Wen must have some secret technique that allows him to rapidly construct a body for himself from nothing¡­ That¡¯s it, no wonder he stayed put in the first place and did not flee to protect the monks! I thought he was being selflessly ready to sacrifice his life, but it turns out he had a backup plan all along! ¡°The most troublesome aspect is actually that unpredictable illusion technique,¡± Yu Wen said with a deep sigh. ¡°When the Hundred Poison Golden Silkworm Gu attacked, I had some measures to resist, but then I suddenly was affected by the illusion technique.¡± ¡°This illusion technique is extremely difficult to break, and also very secretive. The moment one is affected, their body becomes completely uncontrollable. With the swift approach of the Hundred Poison Golden Silkworm Gu, all I could do was silently run the mental method, preparing to abandon my body and flee.¡± It was indeed a similar secret technique! Qiu Changtian felt greatly assured within and took pride in his correct judgement. ¡°However, Changgeng should have no need to fear this,¡± the Ziwei Master said, pointing casually with the handle of his horsetail whisk, ¡°For those with Daoist Heart Clarity, no illusion technique can be a threat. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only If that demon head tries to use this technique against you, it will be as futile as smashing eggs against a rock.¡± ¡°Even so, it would still be best to fully understand how it works,¡± Qiu Changtian said respectfully, ¡°Even if I¡¯m not afraid of illusion techniques, I should still strive to prevent other righteous colleagues from being harmed.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± the wandering monk Yu Wen wholeheartedly agreed, ¡°With such a powerful enemy before us, we should cast aside the sectarian views between Buddhism and Daoism and unite to fight against the strong foes of the Demonic Path.¡± ¡°Ziwei Master, I am off to persuade Prajna Temple, and will no longer linger in Kunlun,¡± he said. After his hurried farewell, Qiu Changtian pondered for a moment, then sighed and said, ¡°Master, do you think¡­ that Wei Demon Head really has the potential to unify the Demon Cults?¡± ¡°If he were merely to occupy Mount Wutai, at most he would be another Heavenly Demon Path or Nether Ghost Path, not a significant concern for our sect,¡± the Ziwei Master said slowly, ¡°However, judging by the means and intentions of the Blood Sea, it¡¯s clear that he aims for more.¡± ¡°First joining the Mortal Life Path and then forming a marital alliance with the Heavenly Demon Path, these are not simple individual actions but rather targeted political maneuveurs. At least from the current evidence, the demon head has already secured support from both paths.¡± ¡°If he can also gain the support of the Nether Ghost Path, then a de facto leader of the Demonic Path will have emerged. As for the Eastern Emperor Path and the Asura Path, as long as the right price is offered, winning their allegiance would be effortless.¡± ¡°At that time, the six paths of the Demon Cult would become one formidable force, and the world would face a catastrophe.¡± Chapter 625 Chapter 625: Chapter 53 The Defeated Second Senior Brother Dog Chapter 625: Chapter 53 The Defeated Second Senior Brother Dog Qiu Changtian arrived once again at the entrance of the secret realm of the Western Queen Mother and saw Xu Yinglian speaking to herself at the doorway, her tone sounded as if she was arguing about something: ¡°Is detonation really better than a long-lasting burn? I don¡¯t think so. Many high-rank cultivators have defensive means to counter attacks, but if you can maintain a great fire steadily, gradually intensifying it, it can also put enough pressure on the opponent¡¯s True Yuan consumption.¡± ¡°What do you mean by ¡®as long as the power is strong enough, it can disregard defense¡¯? It¡¯s like saying if one¡¯s cultivation realm overwhelms another, victory can be easily secured¡­ who doesn¡¯t know that? We¡¯re discussing how to deal with high-rank cultivators!¡± ¡°Right, right, right, I know that even with a long-lasting burn, it¡¯s very difficult to have a chance of victory against high-rank cultivators, but isn¡¯t it about trying our best to strive for it?¡± Qiu Changtian quietly watched from the side, thinking to himself, when did his junior sister also have such a talkative side? Oh, she was conversing with the Phoenix residing in her Sea of Consciousness. ???g0.?? Speaking of that Phoenix predecessor ¡°resting its Divine Soul in the Sea of Consciousness¡±, since the Ziwei Master deemed the entity harmless, Qiu Changtian couldn¡¯t object for the time being. Based on its condition, it was similar to the initial situation of Long Hu, both forced to seal their flesh for a long time for the sake of survival, quietly waiting for an opportunity¡­ wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co However, this Phoenix, without a body, was even more pitiable compared to the fox, probably similar to the existence of Ah Jing. ¡°Junior Sister Xu,¡± Qiu Changtian greeted her, ¡°How¡¯s that Phoenix predecessor? Easy to talk to?¡± ¡°Her temperament is fairly good,¡± Xu Yinglian sighed and said, ¡°It¡¯s just that she has a strange belief that ¡®high-rank bloodlines crush all¡¯, which tires me a bit.¡± ¡°If my opponent¡¯s cultivation level is lower than mine, why would I need to study how to defeat them?¡± ¡°Hmm, I¡¯ll just ask for now,¡± reflected Qiu Changtian, ¡°The high-rank cultivator you¡¯re referring to as a sparring partner, it¡¯s not me as an example, is it?¡± Xu Yinglian¡¯s expression stiffened slightly as she quickly denied: ¡°Not at all! Certainly, I have indeed used you as an example, but that was just for the convenience of explaining to the Phoenix predecessor. It¡¯s not like I was consulting her on how to defeat you!¡± ¡°And what¡¯s wrong with that?¡± Qiu Changtian smiled, ¡°I remember Junior Sister Xu always aimed to defeat me in the past, and never hesitated to declare a battle with me openly and squarely.¡± Xu Yinglian fell silent for a moment, then turned her head and said: ¡°If I were to seek ways to defeat you and discuss your many secret techniques in detail with someone else, wouldn¡¯t that equate to exposing you to the disadvantage of being thoroughly understood? Of course, I must defeat you eventually, but definitely not through such despicable means. Don¡¯t think so ill of me, Senior Brother, nor test me like this¡­ Hmph!¡± Looking at Junior Sister Xu, who was almost a textbook definition of tsundere, Qiu Changtian couldn¡¯t help but scratch his head. Go ahead and say it! I don¡¯t mind; my trump cards are so numerous you can¡¯t even begin to imagine! Of course, these words couldn¡¯t be said directly to Junior Sister Xu. Otherwise, she would surely lose face and possibly even become embarrassed and enraged, with consequences far from pleasant. Therefore, Qiu Changtian gently smiled, showing a slightly moved expression: ¡°It¡¯s just like Junior Sister Xu to think of my welfare.¡± ¡°What else?¡± Xu Yinglian turned around, not letting Qiu Changtian see her slightly heated and reddened cheeks, ¡°Cut the sweet talk and hurry into Zhao Palace¡¯s secret realm to continue refining your Divine Sense, that¡¯s the proper matter at hand!¡± ¡°That sounds good,¡± Qiu Changtian knew if he continued to tease her, his thin-skinned junior sister might just blow her top, so he nodded in agreement. The two entered the secret realm of the Western Queen Mother once again, and this time, they saw that in the realm, there was now a Nascent Soul Elder guarding by the Cloud Platform cliff. ¡°Changgeng pays his respects to Elder Dongzhang,¡± Qiu Changtian greeted with scholarly courtesy, ¡°Why is Elder guarding this secret realm here?¡± ¡°Recently, word has spread that the trials within this Western Queen Mother secret realm can refine one¡¯s Divine Sense,¡± Elder Dongzhang stroked his beard and said, ¡°Nearly all of the Golden Core Realm, Soul Storing Rank true persons in the sect have come to participate in the trials, so the Sect Leader called on me to guard this place, to be of assistance in case of anything.¡± He glanced at Qiu Changtian and then at Xu Yinglian, smiling as he said: ¡°Who would have expected that the ancient Divine Flame Path, with the collective aspirations forging three thousand Fire Mansions, would actually have the effect of refining the Divine Sense?¡± ¡°In the Golden Core Realm¡¯s Soul Storing Rank, the most difficult aspect is to strengthen one¡¯s Divine Sense so that one can thoroughly permeate the Golden Core. Your discovery of this secret realm is indeed a great contribution to our sect,¡± ¡°I am ashamed.¡± Qiu Changtian hastily stepped back, showing his unwillingness to accept the praise, and Xu Yinglian also followed her senior brother¡¯s lead, retreating slightly. ¡°There¡¯s no need for such modesty,¡± Elder Dongzhang waved his hand with a smile, ¡°Go ahead, enter.¡± Qiu Changtian and his junior sister then stepped into the midst of the Three Thousand Fire Mansion. This Trial Secret Realm of the Divine Flame Path, with its Three Thousand Fire Mansion, is divided into thirteen levels of challenges, each one more difficult than the last. The two of them are currently only at the Golden Core Realm¡¯s Soul Storing Rank, with cultivation realms not very high. Although their strength far surpasses others at their level, they could only get through up to the sixth level at most. As for the rewards of the levels, to the likes of Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian at present, they are hardly worth mentioning ¨C what they value is the pervasive Red Lotus Karma Fire within this environment, which hones and tempers the cultivator¡¯s Divine Sense. Having just broken through the fifth level, they were about to proceed to the sixth when they suddenly saw several Kunlun True Persons hurrying from behind. The one leading them was Brother Zhao Jinghong, currently at the Obscure Weave Rank of the Golden Core Realm. He was second only to the chief sister Luo Baiyuan in strength and was also the strongest contender for the position of the next Golden Core chief disciple. ¡°Changgeng, Qiong Ying,¡± Zhao Jinghong greeted them cordially with a nod, ¡°Are you two training here?¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Qiu Changtian replied with a smile. Zhao Jinghong chatted briefly with them before leading the other two True Persons away, heading swiftly towards the entrance of the sixth level. ¡°This True Person Yun Hong,¡± Xu Yinglian suddenly said, ¡°had once come to the Xu Family of Southern Heaven to seek a marriage alliance, but the clan leader didn¡¯t agree.¡± ¡°Seek a marriage alliance?¡± Qiu Changtian asked in surprise, ¡°With whom?¡± Junior Sister Xu gave him a look that said ¡°you know whom.¡± ¡°But at that time, weren¡¯t you yet to be under Kunlun Sect¡¯s discipleship?¡± Qiu Changtian laughingly said, dumbfounded. ¡°It was merely because he coveted my Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart and the Phoenix Bloodline,¡± Xu Yinglian said indifferently, ¡°Even if he were looking for a Daoist Companion, he would only consider cultivation potential and the benefits it could bring him. I dislike such people.¡± Hearing Xu Yinglian say this, Qiu Changtian no longer used her Daoist honorific but addressed her by her name: ¡°I see, yet Zhao Jinghong has a good reputation among the Golden Core True Persons. Especially compared to the chief sister¡¯s straightforwardness, he seems more adept at conduct and affairs, hence why he is widely recognized as the likely successor to the Golden Core chief disciple position¡­ To think that behind the scenes,¡± ¡°What¡¯s the use of being skilled in conduct and affairs? In this sect, after all, strength is what ultimately speaks,¡± Xu Yinglian said coolly. ¡°That may be true,¡± Qiu Changtian mused. Like Zhao Jinghong, who gives equal importance to cultivation and social interaction, there is Sima Changyan from Shushan who does the same, but his issue lies in the fact that his own strength isn¡¯t very formidable; he would need to reach the level of Lin Duanshan and the others at the very least. As for Zhao Jinghong, he¡¯s almost like a luxurious, upgraded version of Sima Changyan. His strength is unquestionable, perfectly suited to be the next Golden Core chief disciple, and his prestige among his peers is also extremely high¡­ No, it could be said he¡¯s somewhat like an upgraded version of the original Qiu Changtian. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Of course, the current Qiu Changtian, due to his First Grade Golden Core, has a reputation that has broken beyond the confines of Kunlun, out of Zhao Jinghong¡¯s reach. ¡°Senior brother,¡± Xu Yinglian hesitated for a moment before suddenly saying, ¡°Do not forget the matter of Song He.¡± The matter of Song He? Qiu Changtian was slightly taken aback. Whether it¡¯s his current self or the Ziwei Master, neither has shown any intention of having him quickly ascend in rank to snatch the next Golden Core chief disciple position. But would Zhao Jinghong believe that? Chapter 626 Chapter 626: Chapter 54: The Ancient Sect, Donghua¡¯s Mystery Chapter 626: Chapter 54: The Ancient Sect, Donghua¡¯s Mystery Let¡¯s not mention the matter of Zhao Er¡¯s senior brother. Now, Qiu Changtian¡¯s goal is directed toward the rising stars of the orthodox path, not just limited to within the sect, so there¡¯s no need to worry about competing for the title of the Golden Core Realm¡¯s Chief Disciple. Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian once again entered the Trial Secret Realm¡¯s sixth layer, and as the Rank of the Golden Armored Divine Generals around them kept increasing, the battle pressure around them also surged dramatically. However, this time the two were prepared. Qiu Changtian took out the Taiqing Yuan Qi Smoke Mist obtained from Fenbao Rock in the sect and quickly threw it into the air, covering both of them and enveloping them as if a light veil had been draped over. The Golden Armored Divine Generals who rushed towards them were like sinking into a quagmire, needing to exert great strength with every move and were unable to pass through easily. Qiu Changtian then took out the Tide-Pushing Waves Flute once again, put it to his lips, and started to play. When combined with the power of True Yuan, rolling sound waves formed out of thin air, brutally pushing away all the approaching Golden Armored Divine Generals. Xu Yinglian also took out a zither, which was also a sound-based Magic Artifact named ¡°Reef Piercing Wave Shattering Zither,¡± capable of transforming sound into Sword Qi, scattering it in all directions. Merely relying on the Cultivation Level of the Golden Core Realm¡¯s Soul Storing Rank wasn¡¯t enough to instantly kill the Golden Armored Divine Generals of the sixth layer, but Xu Yinglian possessed a Second Grade Golden Core. Although she couldn¡¯t match Qiu Changtian in the abundance of True Yuan, she had more than enough for some time to spend, and thus she managed to wear through the defenses of these Golden Armored Divine Generals with sheer volume of Sword Qi in just a matter of three to four breaths. One was in charge of defense, and the other in charge of attack-they complemented each other perfectly, making it impossible for the Golden Armored Divine Generals to get close and only to be killed by the Sword Qi and sound waves. Having finally eliminated all the Golden Armored Divine Generals from the sixth layer, the two smoothly reached the end of the layer, which again appeared as a similar glowing archway. Upon stepping inside, they entered the seventh layer, only to see that there was no ground below at all; it was entirely a Red Lotus Sea of Fire. wuxiaworld.site The karma-fire burned fiercely, and even though the two suspended themselves in the air through Sword Control, they could still feel the karmic power rising like steam, as if their consciousness and sense of reason were being roasted alive. ¡°Junior Sister,¡± Qiu Changtian said with a furrowed brow, ¡°the training of Divine Sense in this seventh layer seems to be harsher than the combined previous six layers.¡± ¡°As far as I know, most cultivators at the Soul Storing Rank mostly stop at the third layer,¡± Xu Yinglian said seriously. ¡°And this seventh layer, only those of the Obscure Weave Rank manage to reach here.¡± ¡°This difficulty is not easy for us at the moment,¡± Qiu Changtian said leisurely. ¡°Hmm?¡± Xu Yinglian fell silent for a moment, then suddenly a fierce fighting spirit rose within her, ¡°Senior Brother, if you go all out, can we break through this seventh layer together?¡± ¡°Hard to say,¡± Qiu Changtian said with a smile. ¡°Let¡¯s first test the quality of this layer; if it¡¯s too much, we can just return the way we came.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you have a bit of arrogance?¡± Xu Yinglian said with a cold huff. ¡°We haven¡¯t even begun to try, and you¡¯re already considering retreat?¡± ¡°Anticipate defeat before considering victory,¡± Qiu Changtian responded with a light smile. The two bickered back and forth, and soon enough, numerous enemies of the seventh layer appeared. In front of them was a vast army formation, treading through the fire, brimming with killing intent. Each army formation had roughly five thousand Golden Armored Divine Soldiers, led by a Golden Armored Divine General, marching towards the two. These Golden Armored Divine Generals were all dressed neatly, their armor stern, not only wielding swords and spears but also equipped with bows and arrows. From about a mile or two away, they directly drew their bows and shot their arrows. The arrows were like meteor strikes, the light like flashing thunder, piercing through the Taiqing Yuan Qi Smoke Mist instantly. Fortunately, the Taiqing Yuan Qi Smoke Mist slightly slowed down the flying arrows, giving Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian the chance to dodge with Sword Control. They only felt the terrifying energy whisk past them, the wind generated nearly sweeping them away. ¡°Ying Lian!¡± Qiu Changtian stopped using the formal address and said solemnly, ¡°With such physical strength, it¡¯s difficult to handle. Let¡¯s retreat.¡± ¡°How can I not be able to win!¡± Xu Yinglian said anxiously, knowing that her senior brother was clearly holding back his strength and was being lazy by saying he couldn¡¯t win, which was truly infuriating, ¡°Where is your Five Thunder True Law? Quick, bring it out!¡± ¡°Sigh.¡± Qiu Changtian wasn¡¯t too keen on using Thor¡¯s Awl, as it consumed too much True Yuan, and he felt it was unnecessary to waste it on the Seventh Layer¡¯s challenge-wasn¡¯t it better to cultivate comfortably and steadily through the first six layers? Why be so eager and impatient for quick success? However, if he didn¡¯t strive for victory, he wouldn¡¯t be true to Junior Sister Xu. He could only helplessly agree and took out Thor¡¯s Awl and Thor¡¯s Hammer. As the True Yuan surged, a silver-white Thunder Dragon was immediately called forth. The dragon was majestically powerful, and as it easily glided through the air, it devoured all the Divine Soldiers and Generals around it. Countless light arrows pierced through the body of the Thunder Dragon, but as the Tai Xiao Thunder formed the dragon, it wasn¡¯t a real dragon, so there were no vital points to speak of. It simply continued to roar and spew, charging everywhere with resplendent Thunder Light and rumbling sounds of thunder. Xu Yinglian also compressed her True Yuan and suddenly spat out threads of gold from her mouth. The flames were dimly lit but incredibly sharp, sweeping across the army like a blade and cutting countless Divine Soldiers and Generals in half. ¡°Good!¡± Xu Yinglian was greatly encouraged and thought to herself, ¡°Ordinary Thunder Method and Great Bright Fire are somewhat ineffective against the Divine Soldiers and Generals after the Sixth Layer, but the renowned Tai Xiao Thunder and Crimson Feather Nine Phoenix Fire can still do the job!¡± ¡°This won¡¯t do.¡± Qiu Changtian was quite helpless and complained to himself, ¡°Considering the True Yuan capacity of me and Junior Sister, as well as the number of enemies in the distance, we can¡¯t afford to deplete our True Yuan, and even adding the Elixirs we have with us, it won¡¯t be enough.¡± As expected, about half an hour later, both of them were drained of True Yuan, and their Elixirs were almost entirely depleted as well. Ahead of them was still a sea of people, clearly showing that both the Quality and quantity of the forces in the Seventh Layer had vastly increased. Xu Yinglian still wanted to fight on but was held back by Qiu Changtian, who grabbed her from behind, wrapped her up with Sword Light, and took her directly back the same way they came, out of the Trial Secret Realm. Back inside Zhao Palace, they checked the rewards for passing the challenge, and on the shelf were still those ordinary Quality Magic Artifacts and Scripture Scrolls. Xu Yinglian picked out some Magical Treasures and Flying Swords, intending to donate them to her family. Qiu Changtian chose some rare and unique books-not Qi Refining Techniques or Daoist Magic. Leaving Zhao Palace, they saw outside on the White Jade Square several Kunlun real persons sitting and Breathing to recover their True Yuan. The two found a spot to sit as well, and just as Xu Yinglian started to adjust her breathing, she suddenly heard the Phoenix in her mind speak: ¡°The white dragon summoned just now by your husband¡¯s pair of awl and hammer, was it the Tai Xiao Thunder from the Ten Thunders of the Human Race?¡± ¡°You recognize the Tai Xiao Thunder, Senior?¡± Xu Yinglian asked in surprise. ¡°How could I not know about Donghua Sect¡¯s Tai Xiao Thunder?¡± the Phoenix replied, ¡°However, your husband only has the awl and hammer, yet lacks the corresponding mental method, and he doesn¡¯t have the special environment of the Donghua Sect to assist him. The chances of him grasping and cultivating the Tai Xiao Thunder out of thin air are probably less than one in ten thousand.¡± Xu Yinglian: ??? After she mentioned this to Qiu Changtian, he also became serious: ¡°May I ask, Senior Phoenix, where exactly is the site of the Donghua Sect?¡± ¡°It is said to be above the East Sea,¡± the Phoenix answered. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Xu Yinglian relayed this, and Qiu Changtian frowned and said: ¡°Nowadays, the East Sea is under Penglai¡¯s jurisdiction. If the ancient remains of Donghua Sect are still there, they should have been discovered by the Penglai Cultivators long ago. ???G0.?? So, why haven¡¯t we ever heard any news about this Sect?¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s not in the East Sea,¡± the Phoenix emphasized, ¡°I said it is above the East Sea! ¡®Above¡¯!¡± Chapter 627 Chapter 627: Chapter 55: Searching for Relics upon the East Sea Chapter 627: Chapter 55: Searching for Relics upon the East Sea The present-day Qiu Changtian, though a cultivator at the Golden Core Realm, is a critically important ¡°major figure¡± of the Kunlun Sect. If he only moved about within the Kunlun Mountain Range, it would be fine; but going outside, he definitely had to report to the Ziwei Sect Leader. Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian came to the Scripture Lecture Hall in Jade Void Palace and mentioned their plans to go out for training to the Ziwei Sect Leader. The Ziwei Sect Leader pondered in silence, an idea subconsciously flashing through his mind: Why does he want to go out again? Then he quickly realized: The three stages of the Golden Core Realm-Soul Storing, Root Seeking, and Obscure Weave-represent cultivation of divine sense, body, and soul, respectively. These cultivations all follow an orderly accumulation, which naturally falls into place, unlike during the Foundation Establishment Refining Mansion stage, where you had to search everywhere for secret medicines like Purple Mansion to augment oneself, but at the end of each stage, there is often a bottleneck, and one can only progress to the next stage by breaking through that bottleneck. Could it be that Changgeng has already reached Perfection in the Soul Storing Rank? Thinking this, the Ziwei Sect Leader also felt some excitement, but soon calmed down¡­ How long had he advanced to the Golden Core? It had not even been fifty years; how could he possibly jump directly from the Soul Storing Rank to the Root Seeking Rank? Even climbing the ladder to heaven wasn¡¯t done this way! ¡°How has your cultivation been lately?¡± he asked leisurely, seated on the nine-colored lotus platform. ¡°This disciple reports to Master,¡± answered Qiu Changtian, realizing what his master was thinking, ¡°my divine sense has already permeated most of the Golden Core, yet it has not reached the state of Perfection. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co This time, I am going out to seek the whereabouts of ¡®Tai Xiao Thunder¡¯.¡± Qiu Changtian¡¯s practice of the Thunder Method was, of course, known to the Ziwei Sect Leader as well. The first three Thunders: Jade Pivot, Shenxiao, Great Hollow-during the chaotic ancient times, almost everyone could perform a few of these spells, and they can still be found today with dedicated searching; the middle three Thunders: Immortal Capital, North Pole, Tai Yi-back in the ancient times, they were spells that only Thunder Cultivators would master, and now they are basically very hard to find, Qiu Changtian was lucky to obtain the secret scrolls in the East Sea Pavilion. As for the last three Thunders: Purple Mansion, Jade Dawn, Tai Xiao-in the ancient times, they were extremely profound and difficult to learn even among high-rank Thunder Methods, and nowadays it¡¯s almost certain that they have been lost; whether they can be found at all is a matter of debate. The value of Qiu Changtian having a lead on the Tai Xiao Thunder goes without saying, and his decision to search for it is quite reasonable. Had it been earlier, the Ziwei Sect Leader would not have stopped him. But the last time you went out, you ended up encountering an enemy at the Immortal Rank¡­ What¡¯s that all about? How can I be at ease letting you go out again? The Ziwei Sect Leader pondered once more, thinking that if they really encountered an enemy at the Immortal Rank, that would be an unavoidable risk. Risks, after all, cannot be completely avoided, unless Changgeng is never allowed to leave Kunlun¡­ which is certainly not possible. Otherwise, what to do about the bottlenecks encountered during cultivation? ¡°Hmm,¡± he ultimately nodded, ¡°Changgeng, Qiong Ying, your ventures concern the fate of Kunlun. Be extremely cautious and careful out there, don¡¯t be negligent.¡± Seeing that the master hadn¡¯t bestowed any magical treasures this time or arranged any bodyguards to accompany them, Xu Yinglian was almost delighted to the tips of her brows. So, Master is finally willing to trust the strength of my senior brother and me, content to let us go out alone! Yet Qiu Changtian was far from as happy as Xu Yinglian, because he knew the Ziwei Sect Leader had completely let go¡­ Facing enemies of the Immortal Rank, what else could be done? Sigh, both my junior sister and I are still in the Golden Core Realm. Why do we always encounter Immortal Rank enemies? ¡°I understand,¡± he said earnestly. ¡°Please rest assured, Master. I will make sure to return safely with my junior sister.¡± Looking at the clearly pleased Xu Yinglian and then to the still respectful and careful Qiu Changtian, the Ziwei Sect Leader slowly sighed. If it was only Xu Yinglian going out, he would never be at ease, but fortunately, Qiu Changtian was so steady and cautious; hopefully, nothing would happen. Only after the two of them left the Jade Void Palace did the Ziwei Sect Leader swing his horsetail whisk and start silently calculating with his left hand again. Though he could never calculate Qiu Changtian¡¯s future clearly, if he didn¡¯t try¡­ He just couldn¡¯t be at ease. Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian left the Kunlun, and to be on the safe side (for instance, to prevent being tracked by a spy from the Demon Cult and having their direction discovered), they purposely first made a detour north close to the North Sea, then proceeded east along the coastline, and finally turned back to head south. As a result, the time spent on the road nearly doubled, but Xu Yinglian did not have any complaints. Because she knew that her husband had now become a thorn in the side of the Demon Cult, and if they were not more cautious when going out, they might actually meet with a violent death. Qiu Changtian traveled with his junior sister by sword control, stopping from time to time and occasionally scanning their surroundings. It took them roughly three to four days to finally reach the domain of the East Sea. ¡°Junior sister,¡± Qiu Changtian slowly said, ¡°we have arrived at the East Sea, ask the senior how we should proceed.¡± ¡°Senior¡­¡± Xu Yinglian sought help from the phoenix within her Sea of Consciousness, only to hear the bewildered response, ¡°The Donghua Sect¡¯s station? I¡¯ve never been there. How would I know?¡± Xu Yinglian: ? She immediately felt bewildered and quickly asked: ¡°But senior, didn¡¯t you assert that it was above the East Sea? So we thought you¡­¡± ¡°Thought what?¡± the phoenix said in confusion. ¡°In my time, everyone knew the Donghua Sect floated more than six thousand zhang above the East Sea, but their station was mobile!¡± ¡°After tens of thousands of years, who knows where it has moved to now?¡± Xu Yinglian, feeling helpless and at a loss for words, could only relay the situation to her senior brother. On hearing this, Qiu Changtian nearly lost his composure as well. Don¡¯t know? If you didn¡¯t know, why did you say you did before! Wait, don¡¯t panic! ???G?.?? Think, is there any strategy to break through this situation¡­ Qiu Changtian quickly suppressed the annoyance in his heart with his strong willpower, and his brain began to work at high efficiency: ¡°Ah Jing! Help me!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t help,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said bluntly, ¡°The era when the Donghua Sect was active was exactly when I was asleep and had not entered the world, so I also don¡¯t know where it is.¡± Qiu Changtian: ????? This is bad, I can¡¯t think of a strategy! This is impossible! He and Xu Yinglian exchanged looks for a long time before he finally said powerlessly: ¡°Since that is the case, we can only try our luck.¡± As is well known, beyond two thousand zhang in height and continuing upwards, one would encounter the whispering attacks of Heavenly Demons. This is primarily because, after Nuwa mended the heavens, the majority of the low-mana Heavenly Demons no longer could traverse the Heavenly Dome at will to prey in the Lower Realm as they used to. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Therefore, they could only lie atop the boundary wall of the Heavenly Dome, incessantly bothering any human cultivators who approached the Heavenly Dome, hoping that those with an unstable Daoist Heart would self-destruct, and then they could siphon off the emotions through the Heavenly Dome. However, Qiu Changtian had Daoist Heart Clarity, immune to all illusion attacks; Xu Yinglian had the Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart, highly resistant to illusion techniques. Thus, the two of them did indeed have the ability to remain at an altitude of more than six thousand zhang for a long time, searching for the location of the Donghua Sect¡¯s relics. But there was still that problem: the East Sea was vast and boundless. To find a floating sect relic in the sky above the East Sea, how long would that take? Chapter 628 Chapter 628: Chapter 56 Reunion of the Ladies, Each Unaware Chapter 628: Chapter 56 Reunion of the Ladies, Each Unaware The scenery of the East Sea was vast and boundless, a sharp contrast to the undulating landscape of Kunlun. Xu Yinglian enjoyed the breeze, watching the sea, occasionally descending on an island to catch some fish to feed the seabirds, truly finding joy in the simple pleasures. Qiu Changtian, however, was extremely bored because, during his read-through of Luo Yan¡¯s files, he had grown sick of sea views-Luo Yan¡¯s room still had a sea view! He briefly calculated the area of the East Sea, as well as their own and Junior Sister Xu¡¯s searching speed, and realized it was impossible to comb through the entire East Sea-because according to the Phoenix, the floating ruins of the Donghua Sect¡¯s station in the sky were mobile, and might well move to an area they had already searched. In the end, one could only hope for good luck. If only the fortunate Miss Shi were here¡­ As he was musing over this, he suddenly heard someone exclaim in front: ¡°Is that¡­ Changgeng True Person and Qiong Ying True Person?¡± Shi Liuli landed her sword and, with grace, performed a greeting. Qiu Changtian: ¡­¡­ For a moment, he couldn¡¯t quite discern whether his own jinx had come true, or if it was Miss Shi¡¯s powerful luck that had brought her here. ¡°Liuli?¡± Xu Yinglian was somewhat surprised and stepped forward to exchange pleasantries with her. Their initial meeting had been interesting, both at the Foundation Establishment Qi Refining Rank and preparing to head to the East Sea Pavilion, only to have a significant dispute the night before departure, all because of a spat over Qiu Changtian¡¯s affections. wuxiaworld.site Now that Xu Yinglian had become a Second Grade Golden Core True Person and was married to Qiu Changtian, she could be said to have emerged entirely victorious. Moreover, with time and circumstances having changed, nearly seventy to eighty years having passed, she naturally held no grudge against Shi Liuli for their past disagreements. And Shi Liuli had also experienced great changes in her life, as if she had shed her old self and awakened from a long dream, and now was both mature and proper, naturally no longer at odds with Xu Yinglian. After chatting for a while, Xu Yinglian found she was increasingly fond of her, even referring to her affectionately as a sister, chidingly saying, ¡°Sister Liuli, I heard you and Master Jingyun of Penglai are now Daoist companions, but you didn¡¯t even send an invitation to your sister?¡± Shi Liuli quickly offered apologies: ¡°Sister Ying Lian, my father passed away so suddenly at that time, and there were so many things to attend to in the Heavenly Craft Workshop. Jingyun and I had no time to prepare a grand celebration. Even on the day we became Daoist companions, only the Sect Leader, Wan Xiang Immortal, and my third senior sister were present. It was not intentional neglect towards you, sister. Things were just too difficult¡­¡± As she finished, she took out a handkerchief to dab the corners of her eyes. Qiu Changtian watched silently from behind, actually seeing tears well up and could not tell if they were real or feigned. Xu Yinglian also felt somewhat moved and comforted her saying, ¡°Sister Liuli, don¡¯t be too sad. The Heavenly Craft Workshop will get better in the future.¡± Ah, there it was-one of the three greatest empathy phrases among women, ¡°It will get better!¡± Qiu Changtian listened quietly, and seeing Xu Yinglian give him a look, he quickly also offered words of comfort, ¡°Ahem, with Master Jingyun achieving the Second Grade Golden Core, he is sure to become a pillar and core of Penglai. Liuli, now that you are his Daoist companion, it¡¯s impossible for your father¡¯s Heavenly Craft Workshop to decline. It will certainly rise again someday.¡± Shi Liuli then stopped crying and murmured, ¡°Thank you both. Why not accompany me to the Heavenly Craft Workshop for a visit? This would allow me to show some hospitality.¡± ¡°No need, we have important matters to attend to,¡± Qiu Changtian hesitated. Should he tell Miss Shi about this matter? To tell or not, it depended on whether Miss Shi was trustworthy or not, a judgment call on her character. Is Shi Liuli trustworthy? Of course, she is ¨C if you can supply synchronization values for Luo Yan¡¯s false persona, how could you not be trustworthy? Is Shi Liuli worthy of trust? There¡¯s even less need to question that ¨C if one¡¯s own wife cannot be trusted, then who else can be? Even if we take ten thousand steps back and assume revealing the news of the Donghua Sect to Shi Liuli ends up benefiting her, what do we have to fear if the meat falls in our own pot? All we need to do is persuade Junior Sister Xu! Qiu Changtian then pulled Xu Yinglian aside and said, ¡°It¡¯s not a solution to keep searching for a needle in the ocean. Since Shi Liuli is a local cultivator after all, why not tell her the news and ask for her help in the search together?¡± ¡°Tell her?¡± Despite having previously referred to each other as sisters, the moment it came to her own man, Xu Yinglian immediately felt an instinctual wariness and sensitivity, ¡°Are you serious?¡± Perhaps feeling she was being too overwrought, she quickly regained her composure and asked in a slower tone, ¡°Shi Liuli¡­ can she help us find the Donghua Sect?¡± ¡°If she can really help us find the Donghua Sect ruins, what¡¯s the harm in sharing the spoils with her?¡± Qiu Changtian tried to persuade her, ¡°Continuing our blind search, there¡¯s little hope we¡¯d actually find the ruins.¡± ¡°What if she can¡¯t find it either?¡± Xu Yinglian asked skeptically. ¡°Then if nobody can find it, what do we stand to lose?¡± Qiu Changtian spread his hands, ¡°We wouldn¡¯t be at a loss, right?¡± Xu Yinglian: ¡­¡­ Though she still felt something was off, it seemed there was no way to refute him. But subconsciously, she felt she shouldn¡¯t agree so quickly and attempted to nitpick, asking, ¡°Is there a possibility that because Shi Liuli once admired you, you feel she is a trustworthy person¡­¡± ¡°Junior Sister,¡± Qiu Changtian immediately pressed her arms, his expression serious as he said, ¡°There are many who admire me, but the only one who has never conceded and chased after me is you, Junior Sister!¡± Although his response seemed off-topic, it perfectly addressed Xu Yinglian¡¯s unspoken but real concern. ???G0.?0 After silently listening to the end, Xu Yinglian indeed felt that was the case: Misses like Shi abound under the heavens. But the only one who could earn the recognition of Senior Brother is me, Xu Yinglian, right? So she sighed, turned around to embrace Qiu Changtian, and tenderly said, ¡°Since Senior Brother is willing to trust her¡­ then it¡¯s up to you to decide.¡± Hmph, handled. Feeling secretly pleased, Qiu Changtian took Xu Yinglian over and explained the matter to Shi Liuli in detail. ¡°¡­In summary, the reason we have come from afar is to search for the ancient ruins of the Donghua Sect atop the East Sea.¡± Shi Liuli listened silently, her expression unreadable as she pondered. Strange, are we that close? Why would he reveal such information to me? And what makes him trust me? Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Is he not afraid that I would pretend I can¡¯t find it, wait for them to leave disappointed, and then return to Penglai to bring back a more powerful Sect elder to search for the ruins? Oh, that¡¯s right¡­ They are strangers in an unfamiliar land here, and they must have already felt the dim hope. Even if they don¡¯t tell me, they are unlikely to find it; asking for my help, they might increase the success rate of finding the ruins with my assistance. ¡°If you are looking for that possibly floating Sect in the sky¡­¡± Shi Liuli slowly said, ¡°there might be a way.¡± Chapter 629 Chapter 629: Chapter 57: Master of Art Calculation, Noticing Clues Chapter 629: Chapter 57: Master of Art Calculation, Noticing Clues ¡°¡®If we¡¯re speaking of searching for something in the sky, the best method is certainly using birds,''¡± Shi Liuli said calmly. ¡°Oh?¡± Xu Yinglian asked in surprise, ¡°Why would it be birds? Do the birds of the East Sea have spiritual awareness, able to understand human speech, and actively help you search for relics in the sky above the sea?¡± ¡°Not at all,¡± Shi Liuli said with a light smile, composed, ¡°Real Person Qiong Ying may not be aware. The East Sea is vast and boundless; even birds, if they have to fly constantly without a place to land, will eventually tire and fall to their deaths.¡± ¡°Therefore, the birds of the East Sea understand the distribution of the islands better than us. Even when they forage or migrate, they will only travel between two islands and will not fly randomly.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Qiu Changtian pretended to have a sudden realization, ¡°Which means, if a large number of birds fly in a certain direction, but as far as we know, there are no islands in that direction, then it is very likely there is a hidden relic in the sky there.¡± Xu Yinglian: ¡­¡­¡­.. She frowned and questioned again: ¡°The relic we¡¯re looking for is in the sky at an altitude of six thousand zhang! What kind of bird can reach such a height?¡± ¡°Oh, the Kunpeng, sea cranes, spiritual storks, and many other birds I don¡¯t know of, should all be able to,¡± Shi Liuli replied. Thus, Xu Yinglian felt put down once again. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site Although she had browsed through numerous books since her childhood, such books wouldn¡¯t specify in detail which birds could fly to an altitude of six thousand zhang. ¡°I have a question,¡± Qiu Changtian asked curiously, ¡°The East Sea is so vast, even if we were to monitor the flight direction of all flocks of birds, it wouldn¡¯t be feasible, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s simple,¡± Shi Liuli said calmly, ¡°In the sea region near Penglai, it is absolutely impossible for any relic in the sky to exist. Otherwise, cultivators would have discovered it millions of years ago.¡± ¡°The further east you move from this sea region, the more remote it becomes, and the less the Penglai Cultivators have explored; but correspondingly, the fewer the islands will be.¡± ¡°It is said that at the Extreme East, there are no islands within a thousand li, and therefore, no birds at all¡­ There are only water-dwelling members of the Demon Race living there, am I clear?¡± ¡°Which means,¡± Qiu Changtian realized, ¡°As we continue eastward, the likelihood of the relic¡¯s existence increases, but the range of our search narrows.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Shi Liuli said with a faint smile, ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, that relic should be in a very secluded area of the Eastern Sea Region.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Xu Yinglian asked, frowning. ¡°Because if the relic is large, it¡¯s hard to remain unnoticed by those below, even at an altitude of six thousand zhang,¡± Shi Liuli said calmly, ¡°As Donghua Sect is a major sect that masters the Thunder Method, there must be thousands of cultivators coming and going daily, and if cultivators from outside the sect were to see it, there would inevitably be traces left behind.¡± ¡°So it definitely has to be in a remote place in the Extreme East,¡± Qiu Changtian said, nodding. Xu Yinglian grew even more displeased and asked: ¡°But what if it¡¯s so remote that no bird can reach there, how would we find it then?¡± ¡°If it were really that remote, it would be very inconvenient for sect cultivators to travel to the outer world,¡± Shi Liuli analyzed, ¡°It would take several hours of Sword Control to reach the Divine Land. Who could stand such inconvenience?¡± ¡°If I were the Sect Leader of Donghua Sect, I would certainly compromise. It has to be secluded enough to prevent tracking, yet not too far from the Divine Land Continent¡­¡± She concluded: ¡°From what I see, it¡¯s unlikely to be somewhere the birds can¡¯t reach.¡± ¡°It¡¯s also easy to verify this,¡± Qiu Changtian said with a smile, ¡°We just need to go and look to confirm it.¡± Xu Yinglian was truly infuriated. My own husband was playing along with Shi Liuli, exhibiting such perfect harmony, yet making me feel like an outsider! Seizing the moment when Shi Liuli was not paying attention, she glared fiercely at Qiu Changtian. Qiu Changtian: ? Oh, the little lady is jealous. But her hesitant yet wanting to speak demeanor is rather cute; a bit of jealousy can act as an antiseptic, which is not bad. The three of them then flew together on their swords, following Shi Liuli towards the Eastern Sea Region. After some time, Qiu Changtian leisurely looked around to confirm they had reached an uninhabited sea region. Xu Yinglian just had a grave expression, wanting to lash out but not knowing how, and could only sulk in silence. Shi Liuli¡¯s expression was serene, as if she had not discerned anything-though Qiu Changtian knew for certain she had. ¡°Alright,¡± she suddenly stopped and said, ¡°let¡¯s search around here.¡± ¡°How shall we search?¡± Xu Yinglian asked coldly. ???G?.?0 ¡°Just a moment.¡± Shi Liuli took out six copper coins. Ah, Miss Shi¡¯s divine copper coin calculation is here! Qiu Changtian rejoiced inwardly. ¡°Is this¡­ Art Calculation?¡± Xu Yinglian asked in surprise. ¡°Yes,¡± replied Shi Liuli indifferently. Seeing she had no intention to explain further, Xu Yinglian did not bother to ask more, instead, she continued to watch how Miss Shi would perform. Shi Liuli held the six copper coins in her hand, tossed them upwards, then deftly caught them, and glanced at her open palm before tossing them into the air again. She repeated the process six times, catching them skillfully each time, while Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian watched in amazement, as if they were looking at a magical acrobat. ¡°Done,¡± Shi Liuli eventually said, ¡°head southeast, and stop upon seeing Kun.¡± ¡°Kun?¡± Xu Yinglian exclaimed in surprise, ¡°are you sure there is a giant creature like Kunpeng in the East Sea?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not Kunpeng; it¡¯s Kun,¡± Shi Liuli corrected her, ¡°A hidden dragon in the wild signifies that it has yet to transform into Peng.¡± ¡°There won¡¯t be any danger, will there?¡± Qiu Changtian hastily asked. Xu Yinglian arched her brow, about to voice some sarcastic remarks to vent her anger, when she suddenly noticed a strange detail. Why did her brother not harbor any doubt and subconsciously accepted the results of Shi Liuli¡¯s Art Calculation as correct, then proceeded to think on that basis? Hmm? Something¡¯s not right¡­ She decided to hold back from exposing anything and instead observed closely. The three of them turned and proceeded towards the southeast. About two quarters of an hour later, Xu Yinglian suddenly asked: ¡°Not appeared yet? How much longer?¡± ¡°Almost there,¡± Shi Liuli replied, ¡°haven¡¯t you noticed how unusually calm the surroundings are?¡± Xu Yinglian surveyed the vicinity and indeed found it was very calm. No wind, no wave, the sea surface was smooth as a plain, with only the slightest undulation. Many birds were circling overhead, but they kept spiraling, showing no intention to land¡­ Of course, there was indeed no land to alight upon. Xu Yinglian held her breath and waited, when suddenly, the sea water below parted to both sides, and a huge whale rose up, pushing through the water. The whale¡¯s surface was pockmarked, with many colorful and oddly shaped barnacles adhering to it. The birds immediately chirped excitedly, flocking to the whale¡¯s back in droves, competing eagerly to peck at the barnacles. ¡°Wait until they have fed, and then follow to see where they return to roost,¡± Shi Liuli said with a smile. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Xu Yinglian, expressionless, recalled the journey to this place-indeed, there were few islands nearby. So, we¡¯ve found it? Fine, I admit that Shi Liuli is truly a master of Art Calculation, but did my brother know this from the beginning? When did he become so familiar with Shi Liuli? Kunlun and Penglai are so far apart, he¡­ Chapter 630 Chapter 630: Chapter 58: Donghua Ruins, The Thoughts of a Junior Female Fellow Daoist Chapter 630: Chapter 58: Donghua Ruins, The Thoughts of a Junior Female Fellow Daoist Xu Yinglian felt that something was amiss. Though she had no concrete evidence, she inexplicably felt that her husband and Shi Liuli seemed to have known each other for a long time. The Kunlun Mirror continued to unobtrusively drop its disguise, planning to give Chen Guanshui a bit more trouble, to repay him for all the times he called it a ¡°broken mirror.¡± As a result, the discomfort in Xu Yinglian¡¯s mind grew stronger. However, knowing she couldn¡¯t directly confront her Senior Brother with questions, she acted as though she noticed nothing and continued to hide in secrecy, observing and searching for evidence. The three followed the satiated flock of birds as they departed, flapping their wings more vigorously, flying higher and higher, swiftly piercing through the sea of clouds to reach an even higher region. Here the fierce winds were violent, with the sea of clouds below obscuring everything, and the endless heavenly dome above. Cultivators caught in the vast expanse of these heavenly clouds inevitably felt their own insignificance. In the distant sea of clouds, a mist-covered immortal mountain appeared intermittently, bathed in copious sunlight that cast a golden veil around it and radiant holiness, with countless birds leisurely circling above, showcasing the solemnity of an Immortal Sect. Even though the three of them were prepared, they couldn¡¯t help but hold their breath in such a moment, their hearts burning with excitement. The magnificence of this Sect¡¯s ruins was on par with that of the East Sea Pavilion Secret Realm or the Kunlun Bright Palace Secret Realm, which reveals that the Donghua Sect must have been a grand sect akin to the Three Pure Ones Orthodox Sect in ancient times! If the various cultivation resources inside were still present, there might even be high-rank magical treasures! ???G0.?0 Therefore, the three of them followed the flock of birds and flew on their swords towards the mountain gate. wuxiaworld.site As they approached the gate, an invisible pressure bore down on them. There was a restriction here forbidding flying with swords. Qiu Changtian¡¯s eyes widened as he failed to see where the array of restrictions had been placed¡­ Could it be concealed directly within the space, just like the secret realm? As everyone knows, only those at the Immortal rank have the capability to create a secret realm. The foundational mechanisms of a secret realm are written within space itself. Since Qiu Changtian¡¯s cultivation level wasn¡¯t sufficient, he couldn¡¯t see the runic scripts of the restrictions behind the secret realm, rendering his knowledge in arrays useless. ¡°Be careful,¡± Xu Yinglian said as she grabbed his arm, advising him. ¡°Hmm,¡± Qiu Changtian steadied himself and led them up the steps together. The staircase wasn¡¯t tall, and soon the three of them crossed the mountain gate. In the welcoming plaza stood a statue of a Daoist. The Daoist looked to be in his thirties or forties, with a sword on his back, his Daoist robe billowing, a scroll in his left hand, a sword technique in his right, leaning forward in his stance, his gaze like contained radiance, tranquil yet commanding. Xu Yinglian and Shi Liuli simultaneously turned their attention to the Daoist statue, guessing that it was probably the founder of Donghua Sect, and couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of reverence. Only Qiu Changtian circled the statue, only then confirming that there wasn¡¯t anything like a ring on it¡­ Honestly, if there were any magical treasures hidden on the statue, wouldn¡¯t they have been discovered by the Donghua Sect¡¯s members long ago? ¡°Ah Jing, scan!¡± Still, Qiu Changtian, who was one to not shy away from trouble, decided to carefully check it again from the inside out. ¡°There¡¯s nothing special about it; this is just an ordinary stone statue,¡± said the Kunlun Mirror in response. ¡°Ordinary?¡± Qiu Changtian said with suspicion, ¡°The material of this statue, rock but not rock, jade but not jade, why does it seem so familiar to me?¡± ¡°Oh?¡± After a moment of contemplation, the Kunlun Mirror replied, ¡°You¡¯re right. Do you remember the Five Qi Dynasty Yuan Cave?¡± Qiu Changtian immediately recalled: That was back when he was in the Foundation Establishment Realm Refining Mansion rank. Luo Yan from Penglai had once sought information on the Purple Mansion Secret Realm from the Sect Leader of Xuandu, ultimately receiving details about the Five Qi Dynasty Yuan Cave. This cave was located at the extreme eastern edge of the East Sea. Near the sea-bed entrance, there was a stele with four big characters faintly carved onto it, though they were no longer recognizable¡­ Now that he thought about it, the material of that stele and this statue, were surprisingly the same. So, the Five Qi Dynasty Yuan Cave, as well as the Eastern Pole Divine Palace established by the Dragon Clan deep within, are related to the Donghua Sect? Qiu Changtian pondered for a moment before turning his gaze to Shi Liuli at his side. He saw her expression still serene, yet her eyes fixed unwaveringly on the stone statue, clearly having detected something amiss. Then, suddenly, a hand reached under the robe and grasped the soft flesh at his waist, squeezing forcefully. Qiu Changtian¡¯s face remained unchanged as he turned and captured Xu Yinglian¡¯s hand, and in a lowered voice, he asked, ¡°Junior Sister, for what reason do you attack me?¡± ¡°If Brother¡¯s eyes are troubled, you could consider gouging them out. On our return, I¡¯ll ask the Sect for eye-renewing spiritual medicine on Brother¡¯s behalf,¡± Xu Yinglian said with a smile. Although her smile was still stunningly beautiful, with that unique touch of cold grace characteristic of the Phoenix Immortal, in Qiu Changtian¡¯s eyes, it seemed as if a malevolent spirit seeking prey. The survival instinct kept him from further teasing Junior Sister, and he hurriedly changed the subject, ¡°Do you think there¡¯s something strange about this stone statue? Which Sect would place a statue at the mountain gate for visiting guests to admire?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t see anything unusual about it,¡± Xu Yinglian indeed had her attention diverted, staring at the Taoist statue once again for several minutes before shaking her head and saying, ¡°Senior Phoenix has also scanned it with Divine Sense and found nothing out of the ordinary.¡± Qiu Changtian: ? What, Junior Sister can scan too?! He immediately felt a sense of listlessness¡­ he turned his head and spoke to the Kunlun Mirror, ¡°Ah Jing, who do you think has a more powerful scan, the Phoenix or you?¡± ¡°The Phoenix is more formidable,¡± said the Kunlun Mirror with a smile, ¡°You may find a Phoenix to replace me if you wish.¡± ¡°Ah Jing, stop joking, I¡¯m serious,¡± Qiu Changtian said in shock, ¡°How can a Spiritual Treasure of your rank possibly lose to a Phoenix in scanning ability?¡± ¡°Then why do you even ask?¡± replied the Kunlun Mirror still smiling, ¡°You¡¯ve nothing better to do than to tease me, huh?¡± Having been rebuffed by Ah Jing, Qiu Changtian internally sighed in relief: That meant even if Junior Sister had the Phoenix scan him with Divine Sense, she probably wouldn¡¯t discover the Ah Jing and Illusion Technique on him. Still, it¡¯s better to be cautious¡­ Alas, what is meant to be a simple role as a spy seems to be getting more challenging by the day! Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Miss Shi has already upgraded to a new version, and now Junior Sister Xu has significantly powered up. It feels like the risk of me blowing my cover is growing! ¡°That is quite normal,¡± said the Kunlun Mirror leisurely, ¡°Guan Shui, you cannot expect to play everyone for a fool forever, can you?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Qiu Changtian asked suspiciously, ¡°Are you speaking in riddles again, Riddle Mirror?¡± ¡°It means nothing,¡± the Kunlun Mirror replied calmly, ¡°just that you can¡¯t judge them by the fixed impressions of the past. People always grow. Even a child that is played with can turn into a crafty fox in seventy or eighty years.¡± ¡°Hmm, I certainly won¡¯t be careless,¡± Qiu Changtian¡¯s gaze moved past the Taoist statue and looked off into the distance at the closely arranged pavilions and terraces, wondering where exactly the Cultivation Secret Technique of the Tai Xiao Thunder was hidden. Chapter 631 Chapter 631: Chapter 59: The Ancient Cardinal Palace, Bestowing the Divine Statue with Treasures Chapter 631: Chapter 59: The Ancient Cardinal Palace, Bestowing the Divine Statue with Treasures Entering from the gate of the Donghua Sect, the three climbed the stairs and the first place they reached was the Welcoming Hall. Similar to most ancient sect relics, the hall was still adorned with carved dragons and painted phoenixes, resplendent with gold and bright colors, grand and imposing. However, not a single piece of the furnishings inside remained. If it had been the former Qiu Changtian, he might have found it odd, but the Qiu Changtian of today had seen much and was widely knowledgeable. He surmised that certainly, the cultivators of the Donghua Sect had evacuated in several waves. The first took away the most important scripture scrolls and most of the magical treasures and elixirs. The second wave would have scoured the already sparse remnants of the sect once more, followed by a third wave, a fourth wave¡­ until in the end, they would have scraped even the ground bare if possible. Of course, it wasn¡¯t to say that it was completely empty. In some vaults where important items were stored, many higher-rank treasures were often left behind, such as the Fusang Divine Tree, the White Bone Divine Palace, and even the relics of the Intercepting Cult beneath the Five Mushroom Islands were like this. This clearly was not logical, for if a sect had ample time to move their cultivation resources away in several waves, it made no sense to leave behind the most valuable portion of magical treasures. Unless¡­ the method to open these vaults was only known by the highest rank of immortals in the sect, and those immortals, due to some special, universally significant changes, disappeared from the world suddenly without leaving a single word. Only then would it result in the sect being scoured clean, yet the most precious treasures remained unclaimed, safely left inside the vaults-because the only immortals who could open them were suddenly gone. wuxiaworld.site It was precisely because those immortal beings who once shared the same lifespan as the heavens and earth had all disappeared from the mortal world, that the task of repairing the heavens had improbably fallen onto my shoulders. As for why all the immortal beings disappeared at once, Qiu Changtian currently had too little information to make any deductions. The only clue, if it could be considered one, was the ¡°Heavenly Sphere convergence¡± that Ah Jing had accidentally mentioned last time. The three of them passed through the Welcoming Hall, the main hall, the side hall, and the rear hall, and indeed, all were found completely empty¡­ This was also why many cultivators disliked exploring relics, as the rewards were just too unstable. Qiu Changtian was very calm because he hadn¡¯t actually planned to find any high-rank magical treasures or flying swords (though of course, he would readily accept them if there were any); he was merely seeking clues for the practice of Tai Xiao Thunder. Xu Yinglian was also very composed, because after all, she was just accompanying her husband, and she would go wherever Qiu Changtian went. Shi Liuli was also very poised, or rather, ever since the version update, she had always had that inscrutable contemplative expression, keeping things to herself and not liking to speak outwardly. After using almost two hours, the group had searched through most of the buildings and had not even found a single table. ???G?.?? ¡°This is too thoroughly packed up,¡± Xu Yinglian sighed, ¡°This leaves us only with the great hall at the very end.¡± ¡°I have a premonition,¡± Shi Liuli suddenly said, ¡°that the item Changgeng True Person is seeking will definitely be found in that great hall.¡± ¡°Is this the result of art calculation?¡± Xu Yinglian asked with a raised eyebrow. ¡°No, just a premonition,¡± Shi Liuli said with a faint smile. Qiu Changtian wisely pretended not to hear at the side, because he had a feeling that as soon as he interjected, something bad would happen immediately. If the Welcoming Hall is considered the front, then the great hall at the end is located at the highest point of the entire sect, atop a hill. Unlike the surrounding cluster of buildings, it is isolated by a large number of trees on the hillside. Walking up the small path through the woods, they heard almost nothing but birdsong, and large birds walked back and forth on the mountain steps, not afraid of people at all. The back mountain of the Donghua Sect, originally designed as a garden, had now become a paradise for avian demonic beasts to live in. Xu Yinglian keenly noticed that these birds dared to stay only at the halfway point of the mountain and completely refused to approach the great hall at the peak. As the three were about to reach the gate of the great hall, they felt an oppressive aura hit them in the face, almost causing one¡¯s hair to stand on end. Xu Yinglian and Shi Liuli instinctively stopped in their tracks, worried that there might be some array trap at the entrance that would pulverize them into ashes with a bolt of heavenly thunder the moment they stepped on it. But Qiu Changtian, on the other hand, calmly scanned for a moment and then walked forward with composure. The great hall had a simple and ancient appearance, with three ancient seal characters engraved above the main entrance: Cardinal Hall. Qiu Changtian could understand the meaning behind these characters. Ancient thunder cultivators believed that thunder was the pivot of heaven and earth; if the heavens wanted to strike you dead, they would send down thunder. So, they used ¡°Cardinal¡± to denote awe. Xu Yinglian and Shi Liuli looked at each other briefly, then could only carefully follow along. The former¡¯s hand inside her Daoist robe sleeve had already pinched a Daoist formula, while the latter quietly clutched the small bottle containing the Hook Chen Yaopao Star Sand. As Qiu Changtian stepped into the main hall, he saw a divine statue with three heads and six arms, eyes bulging in rage, enshrined at the very center of the great hall. The area around the statue was filled with intense malevolent energy, with six or seven dirty meditation cushions laid out in front of it and a copper incense burner, with nothing else besides. The inside of the incense burner was pitch-black, with several incense sticks inserted. Qiu Changtian stared at it for a moment, only to hear the Kunlun Mirror suddenly say: ¡°Light them up.¡± ¡°These incense sticks are a trigger?¡± Qiu Changtian asked in astonishment. ¡°There¡¯s willpower within the incense,¡± the Kunlun Mirror replied, ¡°that divine statue has its own consciousness, but it¡¯s currently slumbering. If you light the incense as an offering to it, it should respond to you.¡± After pondering for a moment, Qiu Changtian lit one of the incense sticks. It didn¡¯t take long before the divine statue began humming, and suddenly it spoke: ¡°Are there disciples here to undergo the trial?¡± Qiu Changtian was quick to respond, immediately cutting off Xu Yinglian and Shi Liuli before they could speak, and hastily said: ¡°Here to learn the Tai Xiao Thunder Mystical Method.¡± The statue paused for a moment before answering: ¡°To learn the Tai Xiao Thunder, one must first master the Jade Pivot, Shenxiao, Great Hollow, Immortal Capital, North Pole, and Tai Yi six types of Thunder Method, and bring forth the Sect Leader¡¯s Magic Artifact to enter the trial within.¡± Qiu Changtian acknowledged, then started pinching various Daoist formulas, and the six types of Thunder Light appeared in his palm in succession, finally flipping out Thor¡¯s Awl and Thor¡¯s Hammer in his hands. The divine statue fell silent for a moment and then said: ¡°Please enter to undergo the Tai Xiao trial.¡± With that, Qiu Changtian went inside the inner chamber, while Xu Yinglian and Shi Liuli exchanged glances, the latter stepping back half a step, signaling for her to proceed first. ¡°Are there Metal System and Fire System Daoist Magic for cultivation?¡± Xu Yinglian asked in a solemn voice. ¡°There are,¡± the statue fixed its gaze upon her and said, ¡°The ¡®Nine Bushels Thunder Fire Technique¡¯ also known as the Floating Light Golden Fire of the Nine Bushels Yang Mang Wei Lei, do you wish to learn it?¡± ¡°Yes, I will learn,¡± Xu Yinglian did not hesitate. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Then enter to accept the transmission of the technique and face the test,¡± the divine statue declared. So, Xu Yinglian went in as well. Shi Liuli was left alone in the hall, pondering for a long time before she slowly asked: ¡°Disciple¡­ wishes to inquire, are there any Magical Treasures here?¡± ¡°There are,¡± the divine statue responded, ¡°But treasures should not be conferred lightly, nor should magic be transmitted carelessly, one must also pass the trial.¡± ¡°Disciple wishes to seek an Art Calculation Magical Treasure,¡± Shi Liuli asked calmly, ¡°There are individuals whose fate is hard to calculate, are there treasures that can divine the ¡®incalculables¡¯?¡± This time the divine statue fell silent for well over a minute before responding with a deep voice: ¡°There is a compass treasure known as the Liang Yi Cheng Guang Ding Xing Pan, which can use life stars to divine a person¡¯s fate, bypassing the usual Art Calculation shields.¡± ¡°Disciple wishes to obtain this item,¡± Shi Liuli said softly. ¡°Then enter to undergo the treasure-transmission trial.¡± Chapter 632 Chapter 632: Chapter 60: Tai Xiao Thunder Dragon, Floating Light Golden Fire Chapter 632: Chapter 60: Tai Xiao Thunder Dragon, Floating Light Golden Fire Qiu Changtian stepped into the rear hall and entered a secret realm. It was a desolate mountaintop, completely barren and devoid of any vegetation. With a brief sweep of his divine sense, he detected a pervasive killing aura in the vicinity, which had utterly extinguished all signs of life in the environment. Overhead, dark clouds plummeted, bringing an almost suffocating pressure that immediately reminded Qiu Changtian of his own dire straits during his tribulation. Suddenly, a silver-white thunder dragon burst through the clouds, plunging straight towards Qiu Changtian! Cursing inwardly, Qiu Changtian quickly summoned the Green Duckweed Sword and, in a flash of man-sword unity, dodged to the side. Yet, the thunder dragon turned abruptly as if sentient, narrowly missing the ground and continuing its pursuit of Qiu Changtian. Feeling helpless, Qiu Changtian realized this trial was not testing his combat skills, so he took out Thor¡¯s Hammer and Thor¡¯s Awl, channeling his True Yuan and striking forcefully. After forming his First Grade Golden Core, his previously insufficient True Yuan was significantly relieved. A much larger silver-white thunder dragon, squeezed itself out from Thor¡¯s Awl, its massive body filled with energy as it collided with its opponent. The two dragons entwined, clashing and tearing at each other amid rolling thunder and flashes of lightning. Observing closely, Qiu Changtian was alarmed to find that his Tai Xiao Thunder could not overcome the opponent¡¯s! ¡°Sword Master, look closely,¡± said the Green Duckweed Sword with a low chuckle, ¡°Your Tai Xiao Thunder is not as refined as your opponent¡¯s.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Qiu Changtian sharply realized after scanning that a layer of fine scales existed on the surface of the opponent¡¯s Tai Xiao Thunder Dragon. wuxiaworld.site To be precise, 98 percent of this dragon¡¯s body was composed of fierce and vast thunder, but around 2 percent of the lightning on the outer layer formed a fine and concentrated net. This scale-like net contained the rampant thunder, creating a more refined divine dragon form. Each time it collided with Qiu Changtian¡¯s Tai Xiao Thunder Dragon, the scales, once torn and ruptured, would direct the compressed lightning to burst forth, causing severe damage to his thunder dragon. As he had studied formations, Qiu Changtian immediately raised Thor¡¯s Awl and Thor¡¯s Hammer again and began intricately manipulating his True Yuan, striking the magic artifact while using his formation skills to draw restraining scales around the dragon¡¯s body. This time, the dragon forged by Thor¡¯s Awl emerged more slowly but its figure was much more refined, and it now had a layer of fine scales on its surface before pouncing towards its opponent. The opposing thunder dragon had just shredded Qiu Changtian¡¯s first Tai Xiao Thunder before fiercely turning to strike again, clashing with the second, improved Tai Xiao Thunder. ¡°Eh, how can it still not win?¡± Qiu Changtian watched again, only to discover his second Tai Xiao Thunder was still inferior to the thunder dragon generated by the environment. Upon close inspection, he realized that the scales and the body of the opposing thunder dragon were interconnected as one. Whenever the surface scales were torn open by external force, they would draw a thread of energy from the inner tempest to rapidly repair the damaged net. In contrast, once the surface of Qiu Changtian¡¯s second Tai Xiao Thunder was damaged, that section of restraint completely failed, letting the nearby thunder energy dissipate substantially. ¡°So, it¡¯s not just about restraining, but also about repairing,¡± said the Green Duckweed Sword thoughtfully, ¡°In isolation, Yin cannot grow; alone, Yang cannot arise. Unrestrained thunder certainly cannot last long, but overly constrained thunder cannot be maintained either.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say that earlier?¡± Qiu Changtian said helplessly, gathering his True Yuan once more to unleash his third Tai Xiao Thunder. For other Golden Core Realm Soul Storing Rank cultivators, using two or three spells would have depleted their True Yuan, but Qiu Changtian had a First Grade Golden Core, which meant both his True Yuan capacity and recovery rate were much higher than his peers, leaving him still with substantial reserves. The design of this third Thunder Dragon was even more intricate, with scales covering its surface and binding the Thunder Light within its body, as well as a very fine network of channels, extending from various points on the surface deep into the flesh. ???G0.?? Once the outer scales were damaged by a collision, the channels would draw out a portion of the rampant Thunder Light within, condense it, and compress it into refined Thunder Light to repair the damaged areas on the surface. The price was that the Thunder Dragon¡¯s Thor¡¯s Awl¡¯s spitting time was extended to three times the original duration, and the precision required of the Divine Sense was extraordinarily high. Even Qiu Changtian, blessed with the talent of Daoist Heart Clarity, who could easily enter the state of ¡°focused concentration¡± and ¡°undisturbed by external matters,¡± was now breaking out in profuse sweat. Finally, the third colossal dragon was complexly woven into existence, lunging at the silver-white dragon opposite it. Qiu Changtian breathed a sigh of relief, thinking to himself, It seems that not only Tai Xiao Thunder, but other Thunder Methods could also be modified in this way. First, lay out an Array on the surface layer to ensure that the primary Thunder energy is compacted, bound, and refined within; Next, design a repair system for the Array, making it even more difficult to be destroyed by external forces. As a result, the Thunder Method would be more concealed when executed, less likely to be intercepted midway, and the explosive power upon hitting the enemy would be vastly increased. In the Secret Realm, Qiu Changtian casually cast spells, learned, and mimicked, repeatedly optimizing his own Tai Xiao Thunder. On the other hand, Xu Yinglian was almost in a state of complete disarray, looking extremely disheveled. The Nine Doubts Yang Manglei¡¯s Floating Light Golden Fire technique was a Daoist Magic that incorporated both Metal and Fire Systems. From the perspective of the Five Elements, the Fire System overcomes the Metal System, making it difficult for them to coexist, hence the Metal-Fire double-element Daoist Magic is extremely rare. Yet, this Daoist Magic took a different approach, using Xin Metal to restrain Bing Fire. The dense Xin Metal could temporarily contain and resist the erosion of the internal Bing Fire; the violent Bing Fire, once exploded, would scatter the Xin Metal fragments in all directions. From the outside, it looked like Xu Yinglian was launching a ray of light that exploded upon hitting the enemy. The enemy¡¯s corpse would be sliced into countless pieces by the Xin Metal, then melted into slag under the scorch of the Bing Fire. Powerful as it was and valuable to learn and master, the only problem was that Xu Yinglian did not possess the meticulous scanning ability of the Kunlun Mirror, nor the theoretical analysis level of the Green Duckweed Sword-although the Phoenix senior could scan and analyze, its level was indeed lacking by comparison. ¡°You got it wrong, you should first soften the Xin Metal until it¡¯s semi-molten¡­ See, it exploded again, didn¡¯t it?¡± Xu Yinglian, quick to react, would immediately stop the spell if anything went wrong, but since the ray was emitted from her palm, she could not avoid being affected by the blast, her waterfall-like black hair nearly scorched beyond recognition. Frustrated, she drew the Feather Jia Sword, fiercely cut off her charred hair, and flung it to the ground, her eyes blazing with an even more intense fighting spirit. It¡¯s just a Daoist Magic, right? Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only I must learn it! I can definitely master it! As she strenuously battled in the Secret Realm, Shi Liuli sat under the night sky, holding a delicate compass in her hand, lost in thought. The name of the Magic Artifact compass was ¡°Liangyi Chengguang Stellar Position Compass,¡± a rather complicated Art Calculation method, which could deduce the Dao through Stellar Phenomena, totally different from the copper coin divination she had learned from Kuocang Mountain Secret Realm. To put it precisely, copper coin divination excelled at calculating ¡°events,¡± whereas Stellar Position Deduction was adept at calculating ¡°people.¡± And the person she had been fixated on all along wasn¡¯t anyone else but her own husband, Master Jingyun Luo Yan. Chapter 633 Chapter 633: Chapter 61 Luo Yan, You Better Not Let Me Catch You! Chapter 633: Chapter 61 Luo Yan, You Better Not Let Me Catch You! From an early time, Shi Liuli began to sense that something was off about her husband, Luo Yan. It started at the very beginning, when he claimed to have never read the Daoist scriptures, yet he scored exceptionally high on the exam¡­ This piqued the interest of Miss Shi, who was originally dispassionate, and suddenly caught her attention. It was only after she herself went through a tremendous change and had an epiphany that she realized the doubts surrounding her husband were alarmingly numerous. The most apparent thing was his penchant for playing the fool, using deceitful words to bluff. Because of this, Shi Liuli was somewhat upset and even deliberately broke things down in front of him, hinting ¡°I am not stupid,¡± but it seemed to have no effect. Besides that, there was another thing-Luo Yan seemed to be hiding many matters from her. For example, the Second Grade Golden Core¡­ How did it suddenly come into being? We were keeping pace with each other in our cultivation progress! The Sect Leader of Xuandu and the Wan Xiang Immortal did not suspect anything because they did not live with Luo Yan day and night, nor could they keep track of his comings and goings. But Shi Liuli, after consulting Nian Nu for Luo Yan¡¯s travel records of the past seventy or eighty years and analyzing the data, found it strange that if he wanted to gain over four hundred years of Refining Mansion Cultivation during these trips, he would have to average ten years of cultivation on each trip. wuxiaworld.site This was obviously quite bizarre, as his rate of levelling up was simply too fast. Moreover, based on Shi Liuli¡¯s previous understanding of Luo Yan, although he always liked to verbally tease her, his care for her was genuine-this made it even less explainable as to why he could accumulate Refining Mansion Cultivation so rapidly without sharing it with her. To take a step back, even if there were objective reasons that made sharing impossible, at least you shouldn¡¯t keep it a secret from me! Considering that if she were to ask him frankly, she would most likely be fobbed off with that kid-fooling rhetoric again, Shi Liuli decided to thoroughly calculate how many secrets her husband was actually keeping from her. However, she discovered that his destiny and fortune seemed to be covered by some very advanced methods, making it impossible to calculate anything substantial. Although Shi Liuli¡¯s cultivation was not high, she indeed had substantial knowledge in the art of calculation. In her opinion, such methods were at least of an Immortal Rank or above, far exceeding what she could comprehend¡­ Even the most profound Art Calculation taught by the reclusive immortals of Kuocang Mountain Secret Realm didn¡¯t reach such an inaccessible level! Now, Shi Liuli was able to confirm that her husband was shrouded in far too many mysteries, so much so that even she felt increasingly uneasy. Since the incident with her senior brothers, senior sisters, and father, what she feared most was losing her family again. She had already lost too much. Holding a compass that detected divine lights with one hand, Shi Liuli formed a sword gesture with the other and pointed it towards the empty space above the compass a few times. Lock onto my husband, Luo Yan! The needle on the compass quickly began to spin. In the midst of the secret realm, Zhang Tian stood aloft, rapidly assimilating the knowledge he had learned, when the Kunlun Mirror suddenly uttered a sound of surprise. ¡°What is it?¡± Zhang Tian asked in astonishment. ¡°Heh, it¡¯s nothing,¡± said the Kunlun Mirror with a smile. ¡°Is there something wrong with the way I¡¯m practicing?¡± Zhang Tian asked, dubious. ¡°Nothing is wrong,¡± the Kunlun Mirror reassured calmly, ¡°With my scanning results, your learning conditions are countless times better than the original Cultivators of the Donghua Sect. How could there be any problems?¡± ¡°Ah Jing, even though your scans are really useful, this should not be a reason for you to become arrogant and complacent,¡± Zhang Tian advised earnestly. ¡°You need to be humble, humble!¡± Kunlun Mirror: ¡­¡­ On the surface, she appeared calm and composed, but internally she seethed with anger. She simply let go of the protection spell that blocked her Art Calculation on Qiu Changtian¡­ She opened a tiny gap, allowing Shi Liuli to lock onto him. When the needle finally stabilized, Shi Liuli felt a surge of joy. She tried a few sword techniques, only to find that the compass had no reaction at all. In terms of Art Calculation, it meant that the magical treasure had merely broken through the shielding layer and locked onto the person Luo Yan, but everything else remained completely obscured by the shield, leaving no way to divine more. It seems my Art Calculation methods are lacking¡­ Shi Liuli thought to herself. Since I can lock onto him, it indicates that the astrology Art Calculation can bypass the shield; it¡¯s just that my Art Calculation abilities aren¡¯t strong enough, which is why I can¡¯t divine anything more. Maybe I should set a small goal. For example, divining his location? With this thought in mind, Shi Liuli, having packed up her magical treasure, left the secret realm. She saw Qiu Changtian just coming out from the inner hall, while Xu Yinglian seemed to still be undergoing trials. ¡°Miss Shi,¡± Qiu Changtian spoke gently, ¡°how is the trial going?¡± ¡°Thanks to Changgeng True Person¡¯s blessings, it¡¯s going quite smoothly,¡± Shi Liuli replied with a slight smile. As for the specific items she acquired, she didn¡¯t discuss them at all. Qiu Changtian understood this and didn¡¯t ask further. Instead, he began to silently calculate the gains of this journey. Through studying and practicing inside the secret realm, Qiu Changtian had completely mastered the intricacies of the Tai Xiao Thunder Technique from the Thunder Dragon he faced, and now he could conjure Tai Xiao Thunder with his bare hands, without the need for Thor¡¯s Hammer or Thor¡¯s Awl. In other words, when portraying other characters in the future, even without the awl or hammer on hand, he could still reveal Tai Xiao Thunder as an ace up his sleeve. The only problem was that casting Daoist Magic without the aid of magical treasures required more consumption of True Yuan and mental energy. However, given the increase in controllability, this cost was absolutely worthwhile, even a bargain. ???g?.?? As he was considering this, he saw Xu Yinglian returning from the rear hall too. She was now wearing a different robe, and the length of her hair seemed a bit shorter than before. ¡°Junior Sister¡­¡± Qiu Changtian was about to inquire when he was interrupted by Xu Yinglian, who had anticipated this. She had a restrained divine light in her eyes and was brimming with excitement. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only With a smile, she said: ¡°Senior Brother, this time I¡¯ve learned a very powerful secret technique.¡± ¡°Oh, then congratulations to Junior Sister,¡± Qiu Changtian said with a smile, consciously ignoring the underlying meaning in Junior Sister¡¯s words implying ¡°this time I¡¯ll beat you.¡± ¡°Congratulations to Qiong Ying True Person for acquiring the secret technique,¡± Shi Liuli also said with a smile. Xu Yinglian immediately felt somewhat embarrassed, only then remembering that Shi Liuli was also present and that her playful banter with her Senior Brother had been clearly witnessed. She quickly changed the subject: ¡°Little Sister Liuli, did you achieve anything in the secret realm?¡± ¡°Thanks to Qiong Ying True Person¡¯s blessings, I have gained a little,¡± Shi Liuli recycled her response to Qiu Changtian and said the same to Xu Yinglian. Qiu Changtian wanted to laugh as he watched from the side but managed to maintain his composure well. ¡°Mhm,¡± Xu Yinglian nodded and said, ¡°Now that we have that settled, we can discuss how we¡¯re going to deal with the inheritance of this relic.¡± Chapter 634 Chapter 634: Chapter 62: Return to Kunlun, Follow-up Surges Chapter 634: Chapter 62: Return to Kunlun, Follow-up Surges ¡°This relic was discovered by the two True Ones, and I will not speak of it to anyone else,¡± Shi Liuli said calmly. ¡°However, it seems that each time the statue¡¯s trial is activated, an incense stick must be lit from the burner.¡± ¡°There are two sticks of incense left in the burner at the moment, which means it can be activated two more times. After that, we will need to find more incense sticks in order to continue using it.¡± The meaning of these words was very clear: it suggested that they should use up the incense until only one stick remained, then hand it over to the sect. After all, the sect would then figure out how to find more incense, and they could also exchange it for rewards from the sect, thereby maximizing the benefits. Qiu Changtian gave a slight nod, and just as Xu Yinglian was about to light the incense, she discovered that it couldn¡¯t be lit. ¡°According to the sect rules, any elite disciple who has made great contributions is permitted by the Sect Leader to enter the Cardinal Hall, but they can participate in a trial only once every three hundred years,¡± the statue suddenly spoke. ¡°Your actions, ignoring the sect rules, will be recorded for the sect elders to review.¡± Qiu Changtian: ¡­ Xu Yinglian: ¡­ Shi Liuli: ¡­ They finally realized that they had overlooked one thing: after lighting the incense, all the cultivators in the hall could participate in the trial and obtain scripture scrolls and magical treasures. That is to say, if they filled the hall with hundreds of cultivators, then once a stick of incense was lit, the Donghua Sect would lose hundreds of magical treasures and scripture scrolls-which was definitely unacceptable for the sect. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site As a cultivational sect, it was necessary to distribute cultivation resources to cultivators regularly to help them gain sufficient strength. They also needed to control the frequency and magnitude of distribution well. Otherwise, if they distributed too much, not to mention the emptiness of the sect¡¯s internal reserves, if the cultivators who received the resources fell or betrayed the sect, the sect¡¯s loss would also multiply. Currently, in terms of distributing resources, the Demon Cult Six Paths uses an involution model, distributing to those with higher strength, whereas the Three Pure Orthodox Sect uses an audit model, distributing to those with higher potential. But whether it¡¯s the Orthodox Sect or the Demon Cult, they actually set up many thresholds, not allowing their cultivators to frequently participate in secret realm trials to acquire treasures. According to what the statue said, the Donghua Sect naturally also set similar thresholds: first, one must have made contributions to enter this Cardinal Hall; second, one can only acquire a treasure each time an incense stick is lit; third, each person can only enter once every three hundred years. Therefore, the frequency and quantity of resource distribution by the Cardinal Hall were well controlled. ???G?.?? For Qiu Changtian and the others, this undeniably blocked their path to repeatedly reap benefits. They could only use the existence of this relic to negotiate benefits with the sect. ¡°Speaking of which,¡± Qiu Changtian, understanding Shi Liuli¡¯s implications, mused, ¡°If our Kunlun wants to send people here, we must go through the East Sea (inevitably involving Penglai), so Kunlun and Penglai will have to negotiate sooner or later.¡± ¡°It might be better for us and Liuli to each return to Kunlun and Penglai to contact the Sect Leader, take the lead, and arrange this matter¡­ What do you think?¡± Xu Yinglian thoughtfully considered that, compared to ¡°discovering an ancient sect relic,¡± it was definitely more comprehensive and demonstrated greater vision to say, ¡°We discovered an ancient sect relic together with a Penglai cultivator, and as it is located in Penglai territory, we are unavoidably involved, so we wish to arrange a meeting between the two sects.¡± ¡°No problem,¡± she nodded in agreement. ¡°That¡¯s very good,¡± Shi Liuli also concurred. ¡°Then I will go back first to gauge the Sect Leader¡¯s intentions.¡± Though it was about gauging intentions, everyone knew that the Master of Xuan Du would most likely agree right away. As the leader of the Orthodox Sect, Kunlun has always been Penglai¡¯s biggest client and guardian, and Penglai cannot afford to antagonize Kunlun over such matters. So, they bid each other farewell and returned to their respective sects by sword control. Back in Kunlun, upon reaching the Jade Void Palace, Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian reported everything in detail to the Ziwei Master. The Ziwei Master, with a composed expression, listened and then nodded lightly. With a flick of his horsetail whisk, he said: ¡°I am aware of this matter. You may go back now; the sect will handle it properly.¡± Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian looked at each other and then could only take their leave. Upon leaving the Jade Void Palace, Xu Yinglian couldn¡¯t help but exclaim: ¡°It¡¯s just like Master to remain unflustered upon hearing such significant news.¡± Qiu Changtian casually echoed a sentence, secretly thinking, ¡°How could that be possible? It¡¯s clear that my master simply never heard of the ¡®Donghua Sect¡¯ before, so he had no expression on his face.¡± ¡°Perhaps after we leave, he would immediately go and seek out the Chi Song Immortal!¡± ¡­¡­¡­ In the Heaven¡¯s Gate Hall of Kunlun, the Chi Song Immortal still sat at the pinnacle of Heavenly Gate Peak, surrounded by a go board, holding black pieces in his left hand and pinching white pieces in his right, playing by himself with great enjoyment. The Ziwei Master ascended to Heavenly Gate Peak and greeted with a bow of the head: ¡°Immortal.¡± ¡°Wait a moment,¡± Chi Song Immortal raised his hand, gesturing for him to be silent, ¡°I¡¯ve just thought of a brilliant move¡­¡± He swiftly played several pieces and then fell into deep contemplation again. ¡°Immortal!¡± Seeing no response, the Ziwei Master, out of helplessness, raised his voice and asked, ¡°Have you ever heard of ¡®Donghua Sect¡¯?¡± Chi Song Immortal was stunned for a moment, then asked: ¡°Where did you hear this name?¡± ¡°Changgeng and Qiong Ying found remains of the Donghua Sect in the East Sea,¡± the Ziwei Master replied. Chi Song Immortal was silent for a moment, then tossed the chess pieces in his hand into the chesspot: ¡°Follow me to Penglai Jade Pure Temple.¡± To go to Penglai, that is to say, Chi Song Immortal was prepared to personally take him to investigate the Donghua Sect ruins. The Ziwei Master quickly followed, asking: ¡°What exactly is the Donghua Sect?¡± Chi Song Immortal kept walking without stopping and said: ¡°I also know little of this matter. It was only during the Clarify Cult era that my great master once mentioned it, but it was also mentioned vaguely.¡± Thus, the Ziwei Master wisely closed his mouth. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only He noticed that Chi Song Immortal had used the term ¡°great master¡± rather than ¡°honored master,¡± which meant that it was that powerful being who had mentioned the Donghua Sect¡­ ¡°Hmph,¡± Chi Song Immortal said with a cold laugh, ¡°To resist the convergence of the Heavenly Spheres with the mere power of one sect is like a mantis trying to stop a chariot.¡± The Ziwei Master didn¡¯t speak, for he knew that the phrase ¡°convergence of the Heavenly Spheres¡± was related to the origin of the world, not something the Nascent Soul Rank could inquire into. The two of them hurried to East Sea Penglai on their swords and saw the Wan Xiang Immortal and the Master of Xuandu had already been waiting there, coming up to meet them. ¡°Chi Song,¡± the Wan Xiang Immortal said, frowning, ¡°how did the juniors suddenly find the Donghua Sect?¡± ¡°Some time ago, Changgeng told me he was going to search for a place housing Thunder Method,¡± the Ziwei Master explained, ¡°but who would¡¯ve thought they could actually find that Donghua Sect.¡± ¡°What did they get from Donghua Sect?¡± the Master of Xuandu promptly cautioned him, ¡°Make sure not to bring calamity upon us!¡± The Ziwei Master was startled and saw that Chi Song Immortal nodded. He hurriedly said: ¡°I¡¯ll send a Flying Sword message to ask right away.¡± As he spoke, he threw a small sword from his sleeve, which directly flew towards the west. Chapter 635 Chapter 635: Chapter 63 Preserving the Perfect Spirit, Seeking Opportunities Chapter 635: Chapter 63 Preserving the Perfect Spirit, Seeking Opportunities At the entrance to the Golden Ridge Cave Abode. Xu Yinglian gently plucked the strings of her instrument; at her side, Qiu Changtian was feeding spirit grass to a crane when he suddenly heard Xu Yinglian¡¯s faint voice: ¡°I still remember the time, right here, I insisted on comparing swords with Senior Brother. ???G?.?? As a result, Senior Brother got annoyed and even asked what I would do if I could never win against him in all my life¡­¡± Qiu Changtian nearly jumped in fright: Why had this woman suddenly started dredging up the past? He hurriedly feigned death and said: ¡°Cough, was there such an event? I have no recollection of it.¡± Here, Junior Sister Xu¡¯s question seemed reasonable, but in fact, it was completely without reason. After all, at that time, their relationship was simply that of ordinary Senior Brother and Junior Sister; Qiu Changtian certainly had no obligation to grant every wish of Junior Sister Xu. Now that the two were intimately close, it was natural not to be as cold as before, but for Junior Sister Xu, based on their current intimate relationship, to demand her husband evaluate the unpleasant behaviors from the past was truly illogical. However, Qiu Changtian also knew well that a woman being unreasonable couldn¡¯t be reasoned with, because her starting point was feeling aggrieved. At such a time, to deal in meticulous detail with her was to be a sure victim, bound to be relentlessly chastised¡­ wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.Co Thus, he embraced the displeased Junior Sister Xu and chuckled: ¡°If there really was such an affair, I would berate that Qiu Changtian from back then. To have such a proactive and eager Junior Sister yet fail to cherish her-what stupidity!¡± ¡°What do you mean ¡®if there really was such an affair¡¯?¡± Xu Yinglian asked, indignant, though her expression already softened. ¡°Could it be that I would lie to you?¡± ¡°Cough, cough, cough, can Senior Brother apologize to you, then?¡± The two were engaging in sweet nothings when suddenly the message-conveying Flying Sword of the Ziwei Master arrived swiftly, hovering in front of Qiu Changtian. ¡°Asking about what we obtained in the Cardinal Hall of the Donghua Sect?¡± Qiu Changtian exchanged a glance with Xu Yinglian, and they promptly wrote down a complete account of their gains. After reporting back to their master once more, it was roughly half a day before the message-conveying Flying Sword of the Ziwei Master returned again. This time, it delivered an elixir bottle to them, containing two gray-white pills. ¡°Supreme Netherworld Pill?¡± Both exclaimed in shock. This pill was a legend from antiquity, it was said that ingesting just one could increase one¡¯s Divine Sense by several folds, allowing it to penetrate the heavens and earth, to observe the hidden and the mysterious¡­ Of course, ancient people were prone to hyperbole, but in reality, this pill was meant to increase Divine Sense; it just had been lost to the ages long ago. Qiu Changtian picked up one, scanned it momentarily, and without hesitation, swallowed it to refine it. After a brief moment, his Sea of Consciousness indeed began to experience an increase in Divine Sense, but this was accompanied by agonizing pain, as if his flesh were being carved with a knife. Qiu Changtian nearly shivered from the pain, but he forced himself to behave as if nothing had happened, smiling as he said to Junior Sister Xu: ¡°Truly this pill is miraculous; my Divine Sense is increasing rapidly, and I will soon reach the Great Perfection of the Soul Storing Rank.¡± Seeing her Senior Brother¡¯s Cultivation Level surge, how could Junior Sister Xu hesitate? She quickly consumed her own pill as well. But in just a moment, she was in so much pain that she nearly gasped for air, glaring at her unbearable Senior Brother through gritted teeth. Despite maintaining a smile, Qiu Changtian¡¯s Sea of Consciousness was in excruciating pain, and seeing that Junior Sister Xu had been caught off guard just like him, he felt a slight sense of happiness. So they sat, staring at each other with big eyes and small eyes, enduring the pain of their rapidly increasing Divine Sense, chatting as if nothing was wrong. ¡°Junior Sister, why do you look a bit pale?¡± asked Qiu Changtian, feigning ignorance. ¡°Senior Brother truly is, but why is your complexion so deathly pale?¡± Xu Yinglian squeezed the words out through gritted teeth. ¡°Junior Sister, if you feel unwell, feel free to tell your husband, there¡¯s no need to endure it,¡± Qiu Changtian feigned concern. ¡°Senior Brother, if the pain is unbearable, it¡¯s okay to cry on my shoulder,¡± Xu Yinglian said, trembling somewhat. After about a quarter and a half of an hour of verbal sparring, the excruciating pain slowly subsided. Both then lay side by side on the stone bed, slowly regulating their breathing, checking their Sea of Consciousness, only to find that the Divine Sense, which normally would have taken dozens of more years to cultivate, had finally reached Perfection. Following that, the next step was to find an opportunity to break through the Soul Storing Rank and advance to Root Seeking Rank. The so-called opportunity comes in various shapes and forms, with the closest universally recognized meaning being ¡®inspiration,¡¯ meaning you can¡¯t just sit in your cave abode and level up step by step; you have to go out and find some inspiration and opportunity. Sometimes it may involve roaming mountains and rivers for months, and one day, upon seeing the sunrise, you suddenly have an epiphany and advance; other times it could be immersing oneself in the Mortal World, traveling throughout the vast lands, when one day just eating a bowl of noodles in an ordinary household, an epiphany strikes and you advance¡­ There are all sorts of situations, but they are essentially triggered by an emotional stimulus leading to a transformation of the mind state. In this aspect, Kunlun, with its emphasis on mind and heart cultivation, has a unique advantage. Almost all of its True Persons manage to advance smoothly, taking no longer than twenty years at most. The counterexample would be the Shushan Sword Immortals, who, being mostly fierce and combative, have deficiencies in their mental states, averaging a breakthrough time of a dozen or even twenty-plus years. At this moment, Qiu Changtian had also found his Sea of Consciousness completely saturated, and no matter how he regulated his breathing and gathered his spirit, it had no effect whatsoever. ¡°Regarding the opportunity for this advancement, does Senior Brother have any plans on where to seek it?¡± Xu Yinglian, having recovered somewhat, asked out of curiosity. ¡°Not yet,¡± Qiu Changtian said with a smile, ¡°I plan to go out and wander, to see what fortune brings.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Xu Yinglian then realized that her Senior Brother intended to search alone, so she nodded and said, ¡°I plan to stay with the Xu Family of Southern Heaven for a while, to revisit the places, objects, and relatives of my life before cultivation. If Senior Brother finds it impossible to advance, you can come find me.¡± ¡°Mhm, recalling the past and comparing it with the present is also a good way to stir emotions.¡± Qiu Changtian nodded and smiled, ¡°I wish Junior Sister a smooth advancement.¡± ¡°As do you, Senior Brother.¡± Qiu Changtian then rode the Flying Sword away from Golden Ridge, to find a remote place with no one around, and said to the Kunlun Mirror, ¡°Ah Jing, load the Ling Yunpo save.¡± [Checkpoint Two: Shushan Shangqing Faction, Qingluo Peak.] [Character identity: Ling Yunpo.] [Mirror Flower Water Moon Template overlay, time-space traveling in progress.] On Qingluo Peak of Shushan, Qing Heng True Person Ling Yunpo opened his eyes on the bed and rose slowly. While wandering around the Taoist temple, a Sect Deacon came looking for him and named him and Senior Sister An for recruitment. It turned out that the Shushan Shangqing Faction had suffered considerable damage during the last Demon Cult siege. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Although the Sect¡¯s stronghold had never been breached, a large number of Golden Core True Persons had fallen in the skirmishes, with numerous elders even meeting their demise. Hence, the Golden Core Deacons who were originally responsible for managing the Sect duties, also had to be replaced, to fill the vacancies left by those who perished at the hands of the Demon Cult. Joining Senior Sister An at the Deacon Hall, Ling Yunpo looked at the sparse crowd around and wondered if such a blow to Shushan would alter the competitive atmosphere within. After all, Cultivators are the most treasured resources of a Sect, aren¡¯t they? As he was lost in his thoughts, he heard someone in front call out: ¡°Qingluo Peak, are the True Persons Qing Heng and Jiao Xiao present?¡± Chapter 63: Soul Storing Perfection, Seeking Opportunity Chapter 636 Chapter 636: Chapter 64: Guarding the Monsters, Old Tales of the Guan Family Chapter 636: Chapter 64: Guarding the Monsters, Old Tales of the Guan Family ¡°` ¡°Currently, there are two empty Tower guard positions: one is the guardian of the Demon Locking Tower, and the other is the guardian of the Fire Element Cave,¡± said the Golden Core official responsible for summoning. ¡°Qing Heng, Jiao Xiao, both of you consider which position you wish to take.¡± Ling Yunpo thought to himself, as expected, those are the two most arduous and exhausting positions. Unlike Kunlun, Shushan preferred positions in internal law enforcement and extermination of external threats, as most Sword Immortals were bellicose and bloodthirsty, making such jobs highly sought after. The next most favored jobs were relatively simple tasks, such as handling political affairs or managing archives, which could be completed early, allowing for an earlier end to the workday. As for the guards of the Demon Locking Tower and the Fire Element Cave, those positions were the ones nobody actively chose: Firstly, because they were key locations for the sect, requiring one to stand guard for twelve hours a day, not permitting any leave before the changing of the guard. Secondly, because there was very little to do during the guard duty, which for Sword Immortals felt like being imprisoned (though, Kunlun Cultivators who liked quiet cultivation actually enjoyed it). After discussing for a moment, Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu decided to choose the slightly less boring guard position of the Demon Locking Tower. This position had one advantage: it allowed free access to the Demon Locking Tower. Theoretically, the guardians of the Demon Locking Tower must always be stationed within, receiving and reviewing Cultivators who hold the Demon Locking Tower token for entry and being on constant standby for emergencies. In practice, most guardians occasionally left their posts to indulge in recreation inside the tower¡­ After all, those responsible for guarding the Demon Locking Tower were these officials, and since they did not leave the vicinity of the tower, the Nascent Soul Elders in charge of daily patrols would often turn a blind eye even if they noticed someone was missing. wuxiaworld.site After assuming the responsibilities of the Demon Locking Tower guard, the two flew to the tower on their swords and began patrolling around the tower. About half a day later, Senior Sister An grew bored with the patrol and wanted to go to the nearby market to buy some wine. As she abandoned her post to leave, Ling Yunpo in turn couldn¡¯t go anywhere; otherwise, if someone with a Demon Locking Tower token arrived and discovered no one there to receive them, it would cause a significant disturbance if escalated. Continuing the patrol for some time, he suddenly saw a sword light swiftly approach. Ling Yunpo quickly intercepted the sword light and saw that it was the familiar figure of Guan Shanyue. The Chief Disciple of Green Bamboo Peak was covered in blood, and it was unclear who she had just dueled with¡­ Hmm? He then realized that it wasn¡¯t Guan Shanyue who was gravely injured, but rather Guan Zhan on her back. Junior Brother Guan¡¯s right arm was severed at the elbow, his left dangled weakly, and his whole body bore numerous wounds, all inflicted by various sizes and shapes of Sword Qi. ¡°Senior Sister Guan?¡± Ling Yunpo asked in surprise, ¡°What happened¡­?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no time to explain,¡± said Guan Shanyue, her expression tense and her voice rapid, ¡°Qing Heng True Person, I need to take him to the Demon Locking Tower for temporary refuge! If anyone follows in pursuit, please do not reveal our whereabouts!¡± With that, she turned into a sword light again, sweeping up the barely breathing Guan Zhan before plunging into the tower through the Four Symbols Formation Eye. Ling Yunpo remained silent and did not attempt to stop her. The reason he didn¡¯t intervene was simple: his relationship with Guan Shanyue was quite good, and Guan Zhan was even the junior brother of Qiu Changtian, the Chief Disciple of the Foundation Establishment Realm in the Kunlun Taiqing Sect. If he tried to stop her, he would inevitably have to fight with Guan Shanyue. Considering the difference in cultivation levels, she was almost certain to be defeated, which would destroy all the goodwill between them for the past. What would that bring him? At present, he saw no benefit worth making such a move for. Furthermore, Guan Shanyue mentioned that someone was pursuing them, implying that Guan Zhan¡¯s fate would be sealed should the pursuers arrive. ¡°` The death of Kunlun¡¯s chief Foundation Establishment disciple at Shushan, what kind of political impact would it bring? Ling Yunpo neither knew nor wanted to know, he would rather eliminate the trouble before it even occurred, to avoid any problems later on¡­ His current strategy at Shushan was to avoid attracting attention and to act with as low a profile as possible. Only after Guan Shanyue charged into the tower did he leisurely continue to circle around the Demon Locking Tower. It wasn¡¯t long before he indeed saw another more magnificent sword light arriving at the scene. Ling Yunpo nonchalantly identified the newcomer and confirmed that it was the Red Cloud Peak¡¯s Peak Master, Elder Leng Quan. This Elder Leng Quan normally disliked participating in political affairs, belonging to that type of ¡°sword fanatic¡± who focused on cultivating the way of the sword wholeheartedly, interested in nothing but cultivation¡­ Yet, he was now brimming with murderous intent, asking in a chilling voice: ¡°Have you seen Guan Shanyue of Green Bamboo Peak, coming here on sword control with an injured person?!¡± Ling Yunpo immediately put on a look of confusion that was just right, noticing the stern expression on Elder Leng Quan¡¯s face, he quickly replied: ¡°I have not seen them. I have been patrolling around this Demon Locking Tower all along, dutiful to my responsibilities, and dare not slacken¡­¡± ¡°Then have you seen any sword light passing by nearby?!¡± Elder Leng Quan listened to his gibberish, already impatient, and immediately shouted loudly. ¡°Elder is joking.¡± Ling Yunpo kept a smiling face, ¡°This place is the Thunder Hole Flat, usually thousands and hundreds of our fellow sect members pass by, how could there not be sword light sweeping past¡­¡± Before he had finished speaking, Elder Leng Quan had already brushed past, his sword light disappearing in the blink of an eye. Ling Yunpo sighed and then, pretending as if nothing had happened, continued to patrol around the Demon Locking Tower. Almost an hour passed before Guan Shanyue came out from the Demon Locking Tower and bowed to Ling Yunpo in thanks: ¡°Many thanks to Qing Heng True Person for lending a helping hand.¡± Although Ling Yunpo called her Senior Sister Guan, Guan Shanyue clearly was that type with a very strict sense of propriety, aware that Ling Yunpo was showing respect for her seniority and their past acquaintance¡­ thus she still respectfully addressed him as ¡°Qing Heng True Person¡±. ¡°Senior Sister Guan need not be polite.¡± Ling Yunpo scanned the surroundings once more, then asked with concern, ¡°That Elder Leng Quan¡­ why is he trying to kill you?¡± Guan Shanyue then showed an expression that suggested she was hesitant to speak, and after a long while, she sighed and said: ¡°Qing Heng True Person may not know, but this matter involves a years-old incident of the Longxi Guan Family¡­¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Ling Yunpo quickly replied, ¡°If it¡¯s inconvenient to say, it¡¯s alright.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing inconvenient.¡± Guan Shanyue said somberly, ¡°That Elder Leng Quan, he¡¯s actually the father of Guan Zhan.¡± Ling Yunpo: ??? What, was it a huge tragedy? Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Qing Heng True Person should know that we, the Shushan Sword Immortals, need to establish a path of conscience after the Golden Core stage because of issues with our mental state.¡± Guan Shanyue said softly, ¡°That Elder Leng Quan, he originally cultivated the Forgetting Love path, and hence had a wife and children in the Mortal World.¡± ¡°But later, for some unknown reason, he suddenly decided to change to the Unfeeling Love path¡­ ???G?.?? To change forcibly from the Forgetting Love path to the Unfeeling Love path, and to prove this ¡®unfeeling¡¯ intent, he actually chose to kill all his family, including his wife and children.¡± ¡°It is said that he first killed his wife, then his parents, and finally his children. When only Guan Zhan was left, he finally entered the ¡®unfeeling¡¯ state of mind. He then laughed loudly towards the sky several times, and returned to Shushan on sword control to enter the Heart-Inquiring Cave.¡± ¡°When we went to his home, we found that apart from Guan Zhan, who was emotionally broken, almost no one had survived!¡± Chapter 637 Chapter 637: Chapter 65 An Zhisu Wants to Exude the Dignity of an Elder Sister Chapter 637: Chapter 65 An Zhisu Wants to Exude the Dignity of an Elder Sister Guan Shanyue¡¯s words struck like lightning, linking up and clarifying the many doubts in Ling Yunpo¡¯s heart. Why would Guan Zhan, who was born into a Sword Immortal Clan, run off to Kunlun to become a disciple? Why did that guy always wear a cold face, as if everyone owed him five million? Why did Guan Shanyue once say that she would rather choose the Sentiment Inquiry Path than even consider the Ruthless Path? Of course! With such an example of inhuman cruelty before them, no one could feel fond of the Ruthless Path. Seeing Ling Yunpo¡¯s lack of reaction, Guan Shanyue couldn¡¯t help feeling disappointed, thinking to herself, could this Junior Brother Ling also be some kind of cold-blooded creature? That¡¯s not right! It¡¯s one thing for those in the sect who practice the Ruthless Path not to be moved by it. But Junior Brother Ling practices the Sentiment Inquiry Path, why is he also indifferent? If Ling Yunpo knew what was going on in Guan Shanyue¡¯s mind, he would definitely laugh out loud: It¡¯s just murder and extermination, what¡¯s so rare about that? In my time, weren¡¯t there far more abominable things¡­ Those who do household chores and take care of children for leaders, have you seen them? wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co Those who take care of mistresses and illegitimate children for leaders, have you seen them? Those who divorce their wives to marry them to the leaders in exchange for a promotion, have you seen them? I¡¯m long since numb to it all! Seeing Guan Shanyue¡¯s disappointed look of seeing something strange, Ling Yunpo didn¡¯t plan to explain too much and simply asked directly: ¡°So, what do you plan to do next? If Elder Leng Quan comes to Green Bamboo Peak later to hold someone accountable, it would be a tricky matter for you, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to worry about that,¡± Guan Shanyue said tiredly, ¡°Master doesn¡¯t like Elder Leng Quan either¡­¡± Before she could finish speaking, they saw a streak of Sword Light suddenly coming from afar. Both were startled at first, but upon realizing that it was Guan Shanyue¡¯s master, Elder Biyun, they breathed a sigh of relief in unison. ¡°Yue¡¯er,¡± Elder Biyun frowned and said, ¡°Leng Quan hasn¡¯t found you, has he?¡± ¡°Thanks to the help of True Person Qing Heng,¡± Guan Shanyue answered earnestly. ¡°Mhm,¡± Elder Biyun nodded and then turned to Ling Yunpo, saying, ¡°I have to thank you for looking after my disciple, Qing Heng.¡± ¡°You¡¯re too polite, senior,¡± Ling Yunpo sighed and said, ¡°I had no idea the Guan Family had such secretive affairs¡­¡± ¡°Hmph,¡± speaking of this, Elder Biyun said coldly, ¡°The Ruthless Path is about adhering to our own Daoist Heart, not swayed by external affairs, not the kind of lust-destroying, virtue-destroying rubbish that Leng Quan practices!¡± ¡°Yue¡¯er, your cousin wants to avenge his mother and brother by assassinating Leng Quan, and even if the Jade Capital Sect Leader were here, he couldn¡¯t find half a fault with it. As for Leng Quan, his reputation in Shushan is already very poor, and if he strikes against you, even I would not be able to spare him. He must be aware of that. So, you don¡¯t need to worry about him in the future,¡± Elder Biyun assured her. ¡°Master,¡± Guan Shanyue said with concern, ¡°I¡¯ve put my little brother in the tower, but his injuries¡­¡± ¡°Just lead me to him,¡± Elder Biyun cut in, then suddenly turned to Ling Yunpo, raising an eyebrow to ask, ¡°I don¡¯t need a Demon Locking Tower token to take my disciple into the tower, do I?¡± ¡°No need at all, no need at all,¡± Ling Yunpo hastily laughed, ¡°I just took a nap inside the tower, didn¡¯t see a soul, haha.¡± ¡°Mhm,¡± Elder Biyun then led Guan Shanyue into the Demon Locking Tower, casually remarking, ¡°This True Person Qing Heng is quite sensible; we can make his acquaintance in the future¡­¡± Ling Yunpo, listening from behind, felt a bit like crying and laughing at the same time. Elder Biyun praised him for being sensible, which certainly wasn¡¯t wrong. If he, a spy, weren¡¯t sensible and not adept at assessing the situation, how could he have survived until now? However, so-called prejudice is probably just like this. Elder Leng Quan believed that to cultivate the path of emotionless, one must be thoroughly heartless and desire-less, having not a single tie to the mortal world; Long Eyebrow Immortal thought the Sentiment Inquiry Path was nothing but a Heart Demon, turning perfectly good cultivators mad with love¡­ Aren¡¯t these all stereotypes? It¡¯s just that Elder Leng Quan didn¡¯t have the power, so his actions were despised by most people in Shushan; Long Eyebrow Immortal¡¯s power and status were so extraordinary that not only did no one dare to criticize his discrimination, everyone even competed to agree and flatter, all for the sake of kissing up to the Immortal¡­ Not long after, Senior Sister An finally returned, tossing a gourd of cloudy wine to Ling Yunpo, along with a roast chicken wrapped in oiled paper. ¡°Senior Sister had a good time eating out, while I¡¯ve run into quite a few troubles here.¡± Ling Yunpo gave a brief account of the events, leaving An Zhisu somewhat stunned. ???G?.?? What? To cultivate the path of emotionless, he actually killed his wife and children? Is this person sick? ¡°Junior Brother,¡± An Zhisu furrowed her brows and said, ¡°Elder Leng Quan¡¯s actions are truly insane and outrageous.¡± ¡°However, after all, he is a Nascent Soul realm elder. If we can avoid offending him, it¡¯s better not to do so. Guan Shanyue has her master protecting her, but we have to rely on each other to get by.¡± Ling Yunpo listened in horror. No way, is this my emotionally unintelligent Senior Sister An? The straightforward and daring Senior Sister An, when encountering such an incident, shouldn¡¯t she be calling for a fight against Elder Leng Quan, and by the way, show some sympathy for Guan Zhan¡¯s plight? There¡¯s something off about you! Seeing her junior brother¡¯s ¡°you¡¯ve changed¡± expression, An Zhisu felt a bit embarrassed and knocked on his head. ¡°What¡¯s so surprising? In your eyes, am I that kind of impulsive fool who doesn¡¯t know when to advance or retreat?¡± You aren¡¯t? Ling Yunpo thought to himself, but begged for mercy aloud: ¡°Not at all! Senior Sister, I¡¯ve never thought that way! It¡¯s just that the words you just said were so reasonable that I couldn¡¯t help but listen in awe!¡± The compliment of ¡°so reasonable¡± pleased An Zhisu, who had always been troubled by her junior brother¡¯s lack of respect, feeling she didn¡¯t have ¡°the dignity of a Senior Sister.¡± She then smiled gently and said: ¡°After all, Senior Sister is many years older than you, and knows a bit more. In the future, you indeed should listen well to Senior Sister¡¯s words.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Ling Yunpo replied earnestly, ¡°So Senior Sister will also properly guard the Demon Locking Tower from now on, and won¡¯t let your junior brother handle this task alone, right?¡± At this, An Zhisu also felt a bit embarrassed and hurriedly unwrapped the oiled paper around the roast chicken, interrupting him: ¡°Senior Sister was just worried that you might be hungry or thirsty, that¡¯s why I temporarily left my post to buy food, let¡¯s not talk about this anymore.¡± The two then sat down on the rocks near the Demon Locking Tower, drank the entire pot of wine dry, and gnawed the roast chicken down to the bones, casually throwing them down to the bottom of Thunder Cave Plain. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Guarding the Demon Locking Tower until midnight, they finally waited for other cultivators to come and take over their shift, and then they flew back to Qingluo Peak on their swords. ¡°By the way.¡± An Zhisu was about to return to her room when she suddenly remembered something and asked, ¡°Junior Brother, you¡¯ve now reached the Soul Storing Rank of the Golden Core Realm, how has your cultivation been lately?¡± ¡°Ahem.¡± Ling Yunpo rapidly pondered and then answered, ¡°It¡¯s almost at perfection, just awaiting an opportunity to break through.¡± An Zhisu: ?! ¡°How¡­¡± she asked in disbelief, ¡°How did you cultivate so quickly?¡± This is it, this is it. Not only did you form your Golden Core before me, but you¡¯re also about to surpass me in entering the Soul Storing Rank. In the future, who¡¯s the junior brother, and who¡¯s the Senior Sister? Chapter 638 Chapter 638: Chapter 66: Epic Failure of Eating Alone Chapter 638: Chapter 66: Epic Failure of Eating Alone An Zhisu was extremely anxious. The reason she liked to defend her shortcomings was mostly because of Su Jian¡¯s reminders and mentoring, which had subtly instilled in her some traditional notions, such as ¡°a master should look after their disciples,¡± ¡°a father should protect his children,¡± and ¡°a senior sister should protect her junior brother,¡± and so on. However, what should she do when her junior brother¡¯s cultivation level surpassed the senior sister? If Su Jian were to comment, he would say, ¡°this senior sister really isn¡¯t very impressive.¡± After all, in Su Jian¡¯s view, I look after you because I am senior to you and stronger than you, so it is only right. But if I am senior to you and yet weaker than you, who should look after who? Losing the dignity of a senior sister, this natural order of relationships would be in chaos! It was because of this that An Zhisu had been somewhat sullen these past few days, and consequently, she drank quite a bit more liquor. Ling Yunpo saw this and guessed what was happening, and he also felt a bit of heartache. The task of guarding the Demon Locking Tower came once every ten days and lasted an entire day. Essentially, there was nothing to do. Although one could take advantage of the position to play inside the Demon Locking Tower, as a Golden Core True Person, Ling Yunpo did not have the same high demand for external objects as someone at the Foundation Establishment Realm of the Refining Mansion grade, and since he did not care much for ordinary cultivation resources, his only option was to pass the time by practicing swordsmanship with senior sister. The result of half a day¡¯s practice was the realization that the senior sister seemed to have gotten weaker¡­ oh, no, it was he who had become too strong. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.Co The powerful True Yuan of a First Grade Golden Core was incomparable to that of a Second Grade Golden Core, and combined with the talent of an Innate Sword Bone, the performance in swordsmanship sparring was like ¡°unstoppable strength¡± and ¡°irresistible force.¡± No matter how exquisite Senior Sister An¡¯s swordsmanship was, or how sharp her consciousness, if she couldn¡¯t even block a single strike from Ling Yunpo, then there was no point in continuing the fight. Noticing something was off, Ling Yunpo, who had already been holding back, realized that Senior Sister An seemed unable to withstand his attacks, so he held back even more strength. With this reduction, An Zhisu, with her Innate Sword Heart, sensed something was wrong and guessed that her junior brother was deliberately letting her win, which made her feel an added sense of sorrow in her heart. Not long after, she proposed to the sect that she wanted to go out for experiential training. A Golden Core True Person applying for experiential training was like a corporate worker applying for annual leave-it was their rightful entitlement, and as such, the sect naturally could not easily refuse, so they quickly approved a three-month period. Upon learning that Senior Sister An was leaving, Ling Yunpo hastily requested a three-month leave as well and followed Senior Sister An out of Shushan. ¡°Senior Sister, where are you heading to?¡± he caught up from behind and asked, ¡°The Demon Cult has just attacked our Shushan and may have left ambushes outside. It¡¯s too dangerous. Wouldn¡¯t it be better if I accompany Senior Sister on the journey?¡± ¡°This¡­ that¡­¡± An Zhisu faltered. ¡°Could it be that Senior Sister has discovered some clues about a relic and intends to explore it alone?¡± Ling Yunpo said with a stern expression. An Zhisu fell silent, and Ling Yunpo cried out in his heart, ¡°Goodness, how can this be,¡± but his face showed a look of dejection as he said: ¡°Since Senior Sister is unwilling to bring me along, there must be a reason for it. Fine then, your junior brother will return to Qingluo Peak.¡± After speaking, he pretended to leave, but as expected, An Zhisu grabbed his arm and said in a low voice: ¡°Enough, I won¡¯t hide it from you. Just come with me.¡± As the two of them flew on their swords together, An Zhisu spoke the truth: ¡°The place I am heading to this time is an island in the Southern Sea.¡± ¡°In the books left by Master, it was mentioned that this island was inhabited by an ancient Sword Immortal, who was willing to entertain Golden Core True Persons from the Divine Land Continent. ???G0.?? That is why I wanted to search for an opportunity there,¡± An Zhisu said. ¡°I see,¡± Ling Yunpo nodded, not asking why Senior Sister An hadn¡¯t planned to tell him this-if she didn¡¯t keep it to herself, how could she have the chance to surpass her junior brother in cultivation and regain the dignity of being a senior sister? Humph, I still caught on. ¡°Then is it alright if I accompany senior sister there?¡± he asked, pretending to be embarrassed. ¡°Whether we can find that island or not is still an uncertain matter,¡± An Zhisu sighed, ¡°It is said that the island¡¯s location is not fixed and changes continuously. Master once stumbled upon it while fleeing from his enemies and encountered a fortunate adventure. However, when he tried to return to find it, he discovered that it could no longer be located¡­¡± The two of them flew at high speed on their swords, bypassing the Hundred Thousand Mountains in the Southern Border and finally arriving at the Southern Sea. An Zhisu, following the route left by Su Jian, led Ling Yunpo sometimes southeast, sometimes southwest, eventually stopping above a vast expanse of the sea, reminiscing and pondering: ¡°According to Master, it should be around here,¡± she said. ¡°Why is there no island?¡± Ling Yunpo scanned the surroundings, puzzled. ¡°It seems we still have to rely on chance,¡± An Zhisu sighed, ¡°How about we search separately and see if we can chance upon the island?¡± ¡°Just blindly searching like this, isn¡¯t it like looking for a needle in the ocean?¡± Ling Yunpo hummed thoughtfully and then said with a smile, ¡°Senior sister, do you know the fastest way to find an island in this sea?¡± ¡°What way?¡± An Zhisu asked blankly. ¡°Of course, it¡¯s by relying on birds,¡± Ling Yunpo, with the wisdom at his fingertips and confidence in his eyes, calmly explained, ¡°Birds flying over the sea need to find islands to rest periodically, otherwise they will exhaust themselves and fall into the sea. Therefore, most seabirds only move between islands and will not fly aimlessly.¡± ¡°If we can follow the migratory direction of the birds, we can quickly find nearby islands. This is certainly more efficient than an indiscriminate search.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s how it is,¡± An Zhisu suddenly realized and praised him sincerely, ¡°Junior brother, you¡¯re really clever! I could never think of these things.¡± ¡°There¡¯s more,¡± Ling Yunpo continued, patting his hand and smiling, ¡°Since this island has been almost unheard of previously, then it would surely appear in places where human footprints are scarce.¡± ¡°The farther south we go in the Southern Sea, away from the Divine Land, the less explored it is comparatively. Hence, we can start from here and head south, following the seabirds to search for nearby islands, checking them one by one.¡± ¡°Junior brother, your considerations are indeed meticulous,¡± An Zhisu nodded, ceasing her own thoughts, ¡°Then let¡¯s follow your plan.¡± They continued their journey southward on their swords, spreading their Divine Sense far and wide, searching for any traces of seabirds. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only After checking six or seven islands, all of which were untouched, pristine uninhabited islands, An Zhisu remained calm, but Ling Yunpo grew somewhat irritable. He then asked the Kunlun Mirror in his mind: ¡°Miss Shi can calculate the location of the Donghua Sect, surely you, Ah Jing, can figure it out too? Can¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Nonsense,¡± the Kunlun Mirror spoke languidly, ¡°I am merely a mirror, how could I master Art Calculation? If I knew everything, would I need you to mend the heavens for me?¡± ¡°Wow, Ah Jing, you¡¯re really useless!¡± Ling Yunpo grumbled discontentedly, ¡°You can¡¯t even help with such a trivial matter. Of what use are you to me?¡± The Kunlun Mirror, holding back its anger, asked the Green Duckweed Sword: ¡°Do you know of the island where that ancient Sword Immortal resides?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s about a Sword Immortal who secluded himself in the Southern Sea, I do know of one,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword spoke with a smile, ¡°As to whether he is the one your master met back then, that I do not know.¡± Chapter 639 Chapter 639: Chapter 67 I Won¡¯t Fall for Your Trick Chapter 639: Chapter 67 I Won¡¯t Fall for Your Trick The two rode their swords above the vast sea, searching for traces of seabirds. Ling Yunpo used his divine sense to casually scan the distance, but secretly paid attention to the movements of the ocean currents. According to the Green Duckweed Sword, the island was actually an ancient iceberg that would never melt, covered in dust brought by the sea breezes. Over the years, thick soil had formed on it. From the outside, it looked like an ordinary island, but its base was not connected to the sea floor, making it seem like a floating duckweed without roots. As is well-known, cultivators often encounter the issue of Heart Demons on their arduous journeys. Kunlun¡¯s solution was: from the entry-level Kunlun Heavenly Pillar climb test, they would weed out those with weak Daoist Hearts and unstable natures. Shushan¡¯s solution was: after a cultivator reaches Core Formation, they would go to the Heart Inquiry Cave to undergo self-questioning, forming their own cultivation obsession to avoid the Daoist Heart from having flaws. Penglai¡¯s solution was: just let it be, why should I care about something that so many sects in the world don¡¯t? In fact, the vast majority of sects really don¡¯t have the ability to address it and are forced to coexist with the Heart Demon. But for those unfortunate cultivators who have deviated yet miraculously not died, they can¡¯t afford to turn a blind eye like the sects do-slack off and you die, who would dare? The iceberg island mentioned by the Green Duckweed Sword was an extremely rare place that could resist the erosion of the Heart Demon. It was said that as long as one penetrated deep inside the island, reaching the ice layers, and dug a hole to crawl inside, their body could be temporarily frozen and their consciousness slowed¡­ Of course, the Heavenly Demon would also be similarly affected. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site Since the confrontation was on the level of consciousness, the Heavenly Demon¡¯s combat strength was far greater than that of humans, so this essentially put both parties on the same inferior starting line, allowing for a fair back-and-forth battle. Although this still couldn¡¯t completely solve the Heart Demon, it only ¡°extended the time of death,¡± cultivators in dire straits often had no other choice. As for why this island is so little known today, that is another question. ¡°Master recorded in the scripture scrolls that he was being chased by a high-rank enemy and had to lead them into the vast Southern Sea, seeking a chance to turn the tables and counter-kill,¡± An Zhisu explained. ¡°Oh, oh, oh,¡± Ling Yunpo nodded in understanding, meaning the master was completely outmatched and had to flee desperately. ¡°As a result, he encountered that island and met an Immortal Rank predecessor, a swordsmanship powerhouse,¡± An Zhisu continued to recall, ¡°The immortal set a small test for him which he easily passed and was thus received hospitably; the enemy, however, failed to pass and was killed by the immortal with a mere flick of the hand.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Ling Yunpo thought to himself that if it was ¡°easily passed,¡± it must have been a very difficult challenge. Otherwise, given Su Jian¡¯s personality, had it truly been an easy test, he would not have bothered to mention it at all in his writing. ¡°In the end, Master received some guidance from that immortal. He felt his swordsmanship cultivation level breakthrough in an instant, and the bottleneck he was facing was also suddenly resolved, allowing him to advance into the Golden Core Realm, Root Seeking Rank,¡± An Zhisu concluded. ¡°Really?¡± Ling Yunpo asked in surprise. He knew Su Jian¡¯s character all too well, which was clearly reflected in the records of the Seven Kills Sword Technique: Why does the Seven Kills Sword Technique prioritize attack over defense, speed over deliberation? Because Su Jian very clearly stated, if you kill the enemy first, there¡¯s no need to defend or dodge¡­ With such arrogance, he actually admitted to having ¡°a great breakthrough.¡± Just what did that immortal give him, a Supreme Golden Core membership upgrade card? ¡°Anyway, if we could find that island, it would be great,¡± An Zhisu was still daydreaming, longing as she spoke, ¡°If we tell that immortal that we are the disciples of Su Jian, who he had met years ago, might we also receive some guidance?¡± ¡°Hehehe,¡± Ling Yunpo could only offer a dry laugh. Senior Sister An, you shouldn¡¯t just focus on the treatment Master received back then; his enemies were directly slain with a backhand blow by the immortal for failing the test! Think about it, this immortal and Su Jian¡¯s enemies don¡¯t really have any hatred between them right? This shows that the immortal is the kind of person who acts recklessly and kills at will! Having thought this, Ling Yunpo began to have second thoughts about continuing. According to the Green Duckweed Sword, since the island is an iceberg underneath, it indicates it will drift along, moving randomly with the ocean currents. Which is to say, just follow the direction of the ocean currents to find it. But considering that the immortal is not an easy person to deal with, perhaps I should do the opposite and intentionally make it difficult for Senior Sister to find the island. Otherwise, if the immortal attacks us, I could teleport and escape, but how would Senior Sister An flee? ¡°Eh, Junior Brother,¡± An Zhisu suddenly said, ¡°look, there¡¯s another island ahead.¡± Ling Yunpo swept his Divine Sense over it indifferently and discovered that it wasn¡¯t connected to the seabed. He was startled, but kept a calm expression as he said: ¡°How could an island so barren and small possibly be the retreat of a swordsmanship master? Senior Sister, you should stop fantasizing. Let¡¯s skip these minor islands and search for the bigger ones instead.¡± No sooner had he finished speaking than Ling Yunpo was about to turn and leave when a cold snort reached his ears: ¡°Young lad, you speak too confidently for someone with little experience. You don¡¯t even know what island this is and you spout such utter nonsense. How does that make sense?¡± Immediately afterward, the Flying Swords they were standing on descended uncontrollably, shaking and wobbling, bringing both Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu down to a valley in the middle of the island. They saw a Taoist in black robes sitting cross-legged on the ground in the middle of the valley, with various Flying Swords inserted haphazardly around him and cracks in the ground caused by Sword Qi everywhere. The Taoist appeared extremely old, with a densely wrinkled face. Without moving his mouth, his voice entered their ears, surprising them: ¡°Huh? Two little kids, one with Innate Sword Bone and the other with Innate Sword Heart? ???G?.?? Come closer, let this old Taoist have a look.¡± An Zhisu stepped half a pace forward and said with a bow: ¡°An Zhisu of Shushan, at your service, immortal. May I ask for the name of the elder?¡± ¡°Just call me ¡®Solitary Elder,''¡± the Taoist in black replied indifferently. Solitary Extremity? What a grim name, Ling Yunpo thought to himself. In this world, being widowed, divorced, orphaned, childless, or disabled is considered the five misfortunes: without a wife, husband, father, child, and having a disability respectively. Even worse is ¡°extremity,¡± referring to an unforeseen death, the greatest of misfortunes. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only If this immortal of a high rank is named ¡°Solitary Extremity,¡± it indicates that his Sect has been destroyed, all his seniors have died, and he himself cannot leave this island, almost certainly a sign that his end will come here¡­ ¡°With an elder before you, you still dare to indulge in wild thoughts!¡± The voice by his ear suddenly became sharp, ¡°You with the Innate Sword Bone, aren¡¯t you going to come over and pay your respects to this old Taoist?¡± ¡°My apologies,¡± Ling Yunpo quickly stepped forward and said respectfully, ¡°Seeing the Sword Qi crisscrossing and the immortal sitting within it, I presumed you must be a master of the sword path. I was so admiring I couldn¡¯t help myself; my disrespect was unintended.¡± ¡°Such a load of nonsense!¡± The old Taoist said impatiently, ¡°Which idiot from Shushan taught you? Such flattering nonsense! If not for the sake of your Innate Sword Bone, this old Taoist would have killed you with a single sword strike by now!¡± Ling Yunpo¡¯s face twitched, realizing that this immortal was indeed capricious and hated oral niceties, something he was not skilled at dealing with. Chapter 640 Chapter 640: Chapter 68: Ancestral Master Passing Down the Teachings, Splashing Heaven¡¯s Opportunities Chapter 640: Chapter 68: Ancestral Master Passing Down the Teachings, Splashing Heaven¡¯s Opportunities As an experienced spy, what kind of person does Ling Yunpo hate dealing with the most? Naturally, it¡¯s the kind of person who is unreasonable yet has an extraordinarily sharp intuition. Being unreasonable means that it¡¯s very difficult to deceive them with normal methods; sharp intuition means that the slightest inattention can expose your flaws to them. Therefore, if Ling Yunpo had a choice, he would certainly stay far away from such people¡­ but now he had no choice. The immortal across from him wore a Taoist robe, which, though not large, hung loose on his body, indicating that this immortal¡¯s physical body had decayed to an extreme degree of frailness. This is a typical characteristic after being plundered by a Heavenly Demon: once ordinary people are affected, their essence, energy, and blood are immediately taken away, leaving nothing but an empty shell. But this immortal must have used some technique to resist the Heavenly Demon¡¯s erosion at the last moment, which is why he appeared half-dead. He didn¡¯t move his lips to speak, but used some kind of sound transmission secret technique, suggesting that he could no longer speak normally and must constantly maintain his resistance against the Heavenly Demon. In such a state, it¡¯s blunt to say that the cultivator is using all his strength just to stay alive, and a moment¡¯s inattention could be fatal; how could he possibly have the mind to entertain and instruct outside cultivators? Unless it was¡­ oh, I see now, it¡¯s obsession. Since this immortal calls himself ¡°Solitary Extremity,¡± it means that he no longer has elders or relatives. As I previously guessed, perhaps even the sect he originated from no longer exists; therefore, his greatest obsession must be to pass down the sect¡¯s teachings. After all, if he were to die here, all the unique skills of his sect would be completely lost, and no matter how glorious they once were, they would be erased and fade into oblivion-this would be even more painful than death for a cultivator who once belonged to a great sect and who cared greatly about the sect¡¯s prestige and status. With this analysis, the treatment Su Jian received here back in the day, as well as the immortal¡¯s joy upon seeing my senior sister and me, is all suddenly clear. wuxiaworld.site Seeing Ling Yunpo deep in thought, the immortal said discontentedly: ¡°Ha, they say those with an Innate Sword Bone are upright and unyielding, that those with an Innate Sword Heart are bright and clear; how come when it comes to you two, it¡¯s quite the opposite? The girl with an Innate Sword Heart is straightforward, but the boy with an Innate Sword Bone is scheming and circuitous¡­ Bastard, you¡¯re silently criticizing this old man, aren¡¯t you!!!¡± The last sentence, he suddenly raised his voice, and as he was using sound transmission, the effect was almost like whispering in one¡¯s ear-it nearly deafened the two of them with its sudden outburst. An Zhisu quickly explained: ¡°Immortal, please listen to me, it¡¯s not like that! My junior brother is always thorough in his actions, not with ill intent, but out of necessity!¡± In her view, since this immortal had earnestly provided guidance to Su Jian, that made him akin to half a mentor to her own master, and by rounding up, he was also her and her junior brother¡¯s grandmaster. Since he¡¯s our grandmaster, of course, he should show some favoritism, right? So, she told him about her relationship with her junior brother and Su Jian, as well as why Su Jian was later forced into seclusion, and how Qingluo Peak had declined within Shushan¡­ she recounted everything in detail. ¡°It is for this reason that my junior brother has to ponder day and night, exhausting his thoughts, making long-term plans for Qingluo Peak¡¯s future; it¡¯s all because I¡¯m useless as a senior sister¡­¡± By the end, An Zhisu¡¯s voice also became choked with emotion, and she could only lower her head to wipe her tears. The Immortal had been listening for quite a while, already seething with rage, and now he burst out shouting: ¡°What audacity from Shushan! To dare to treat our Sword Sect disciples like this. ???G?.?? If I were still able to move, I would certainly wipe out your entire Sect from top to bottom!¡± ¡°My disciple! No need for tears! Once I instill Sword Intent in you, and your Cultivation Level greatly increases, return and slaughter that nest of insects from Shushan for me!!!¡± ¡°Disciple?¡± An Zhisu asked hesitantly. ¡°Haha, Su Jian is my disciple; aren¡¯t you then my grand-disciples?¡± The old daoist said with delight, clearly very appreciative of Su Jian¡¯s natural talent for the sword. ¡°Dare I ask, Immortal,¡± Ling Yunpo seized the good mood to probe, ¡°Our master Su Jian was a disciple under Long Eyebrow Immortal at Shushan, but how did he become your disciple?¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± As soon as Ling Yunpo spoke, the old daoist¡¯s tone turned cold again, clearly favoring An Zhisu and taking no liking to him, ¡°I am well aware of this. Back when your master Su Jian was being hunted, I stepped in to save him. To return the favor of saving his life, he then took me as his master, willing to accept my mantle, considering me an equal ¡®half-master¡¯ to Long Eyebrow Immortal.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Ling Yunpo understood immediately. It must be that after Su Jian was saved by this old daoist, the old daoist had said, ¡°Kowtow to me as your master, or I¡¯ll throw you back out,¡± prompting Su Jian, in order to save his own life, to have no choice but to kowtow to the old daoist. Tsk, tsk, tsk, Su Jian, Su Jian, who would have thought that you, with your thick eyebrows and big eyes, pretending to be so arrogant all the time, would still abandon your dignity when it truly matters? ¡°Let me test the two of you,¡± the old daoist said, suddenly invigorated at the mention of the mantle and the teachings, speeding up his speech, ¡°What swordsmanship has Su Jian taught you?¡± ¡°In response to my grandmaster,¡± An Zhisu changed address quickly, ¡°Master taught us the Seven Kills Sword Technique.¡± ¡°Hahahaha!¡± The old daoist burst into wild laughter, ¡°This Seven Kills Sword Technique, is it not the very teaching of our Sword Sect! And you say Su Jian isn¡¯t my disciple? What say you, hesitant grand-disciple, do you have any objections?¡± Wait a minute, wasn¡¯t the Seven Kills Sword Technique Su Jian¡¯s own creation? Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu were both stunned at the same time. Then they realized: if it was taught by this old daoist, they definitely couldn¡¯t admit to it when they returned to Shushan, otherwise Long Eyebrow Immortal would explode with anger upon finding out his disciple had adopted the teachings of another. However, if it was a swordsmanship created by Su Jian, and since Su Jian was a disciple under Long Eyebrow Immortal, then the Seven Kills Sword Technique would be an inseparable part of Long Eyebrow Immortal¡¯s lineage, completely reversing the situation. ¡°Since you¡¯ve learned the Seven Kills Sword, then I shall use the Seven Kills Sword to test you.¡± No sooner had the old daoist finished speaking than a sword stuck in the ground burst out of the earth, floating and swaying in mid-air. The sword vibrated slightly and its tip showed lethal sharpness. ¡°How about it? Who wants to go first?¡± the old daoist asked with anticipation, ¡°If you satisfy me, I will naturally grant you some fine treasures.¡± Ling Yunpo thought to himself that his senior sister, with her Innate Sword Heart, was more of a technique-oriented cultivator, at least needing to understand the enemy¡¯s sword moves to better devise tactics and utilize her strengths. As for me, with my Innate Sword Bone, my Flying Sword is tougher and stronger. I might as well go first to scout things out, so she can gather more information from the side. ¡°I¡¯ll go first,¡± he stepped forward half a step and said aloud. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Stand down!¡± The old daoist suddenly barked, ¡°As her junior, do you not know your place? Why are you competing with your senior sister? Wait your turn after she is done!¡± Damn it! Ling Yunpo was also furious, wasn¡¯t it you who asked ¡°Who wants to go first?¡± So it turns out this half-dead old coot is upset just because he doesn¡¯t like me. No matter what I do, it¡¯s wrong, is that it?! Chapter 641 Chapter 641: Chapter 69 Blatant Discrimination Chapter 641: Chapter 69 Blatant Discrimination Ling Yunpo felt extremely irritated by this master ancestor who favored women over men. Even though giving benefits to Senior Sister An is like giving benefits to me, what¡¯s with this blatant discrimination? I am but a bit more intelligent, a bit shrewder, a bit more agile, why must you look at me unfavorably? Did smart people offend you or provoke you somehow? An Zhisu stepped forward, cupped her fists in salute, and the Flying Smoke Sword and Harsh Cold Sword shot out simultaneously, taking up positions in the air. ¡°Hmm, Two-Handed Sword Control, not bad at all,¡± the old Daoist spoke gently, ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous, go ahead and give it a try.¡± Ling Yunpo watched on with sour jealousy from the side. An Zhisu formed the sword technique with her hands, and twin swords, one on the left and the other on the right, flanked and attacked the black-robed elder seated on the ground. The old Daoist showed no reaction, but the purple Flying Sword in the air suddenly moved to the left and nimbly entangled the Harsh Cold Sword, then with a flourish of the sword, guided the momentum of the Harsh Cold Sword, using it to smash towards the Flying Smoke Sword. Ling Yunpo watched in astonishment from the side; this technique of borrowing force, diverting energy, Universe-shifting was so ingenious that he didn¡¯t know how to describe it and could only say he didn¡¯t understand it at all. ¡°Ah Jing,¡± he hastily called in his mind, ¡°hurry up and record this for me, I¡¯ll need to watch it carefully later. Qing Ping! You keep an eye on it for me, break down the moves clearly, and later explain them to me in terms I can understand!¡± Kunlun Mirror, Green Duckweed Sword: ¡­¡­ wuxiaworld.site Putting aside the internal mockery from one mirror and one sword, An Zhisu, after being played with a move of borrowing force by the immortal, remained calm, her right hand forming techniques to steady the Harsh Cold Sword, her left hand maneuvering the Flying Smoke Sword to dodge the attack of the Harsh Cold Sword, and once again attacking the black-robed Daoist. ¡°Good!¡± the old Daoist praised with authority, ¡°Steady in the face of danger, you sure have the demeanor of a Sword Immortal! Now, see how you handle this move!¡± Ling Yunpo quickly turned his attention, wait a minute! Which technique is this¡­? He suddenly realized that this immortal old Daoist was extremely cunning; because his physical body was on the brink of death and he couldn¡¯t move, he was using Divine Sense to control the Flying Sword, so outsiders could not judge his next tactical move from his sword techniques-this old Daoist wasn¡¯t using any sword techniques at all! The black-robed old Daoist remained unmoving as stone, and the purple Flying Sword immediately flew back to aid, easily blocking the Flying Smoke Sword. ¡°Why not use Daoist Magic?¡± the black-robed old Daoist suddenly asked. ¡°For a pure swordsmanship contest, how could I use Sword Dao Techniques?¡± An Zhisu asked, puzzled. ¡°You child, with your Innate Sword Heart, are far too naive,¡± the black-robed old Daoist laughed heartily, ¡°Why stick so rigidly to conventions? Sword Dao Techniques are inherently designed to complement swordsmanship. If you treat them as common Daoist Magic, you¡¯re missing the essence. Now, watch closely!¡± As he spoke, he controlled the purple Flying Sword to clash with the Flying Smoke Sword several times, and each time a strike was made, several specks of purple starfire burst out, targeting the Harsh Cold Sword coming from the side. As a result, An Zhisu, with her dual-sword control, was unable to break through the defense of the black-robed old Daoist¡¯s purple Flying Sword, unable to reach near him. Ling Yunpo watched from the side with admiration, thinking so this was it; he had not expected that he, too, had fallen into a misconception before. Looking at the combat style of the Shushan Cultivators, for the most part, it¡¯s swordsmanship by itself, Daoist Magic by itself, clearly demarcated. Like when I¡¯m competing with the opposing side using a Flying Sword, after a while, I¡¯d suddenly release Sword Dao Techniques to suppress the opponent. In that moment, what¡¯s the Flying Sword doing? It¡¯s acting as a ¡°relay¡± driven by True Yuan, receiving True Yuan from the Sword Cultivator and then pouring it into the Array within the sword to activate the Daoist Magic. For this reason, most of the time when the Flying Sword invoked its Sword Dao Techniques, there was no way to attack the enemy simultaneously; typically, one had to wait until the Daoist Magic had fully activated before continuing action. However, the style of combat demonstrated by the black-robed elder Daoist was a different kind: Swordsmanship as the primary, Sword Dao Techniques as the secondary. Daoist Magic served swordsmanship and should not form a separate category. If using Daoist Magic would disrupt the rhythm of swordsmanship, then one would not use those techniques, and attacking with swordsmanship must take priority¡­ Ling Yunpo had an epiphany as if a logjam had been broken, and enlightenment poured into him. He saw An Zhisu struggling to attack from either side and suddenly stopped her Flying Sword, falling into a thoughtful trance. ¡°Your Senior Sister has realized it,¡± the voice of the black-robed elder Daoist sounded in Ling Yunpo¡¯s ear, ¡°What about you, boy?¡± ¡°Thank you, great-grandmaster,¡± Ling Yunpo respectfully said. What he was thankful for went without saying. ¡°Hmph.¡± The black-robed elder Daoist did not appreciate his respectful attitude and said, ¡°Come up here and test your swordsmanship!¡± Ling Yunpo stepped forward, unleashing the Green Duckweed Sword, Thunder Punishment Sword, and Myriad Bamboos Sword all at once, three swords shooting forth simultaneously. ???G?.?? ¡°Heh.¡± The black-robed elder Daoist sneered, ¡°Controlling three swords at the same time? Ostentatious but insubstantial. Let¡¯s see if you have the skill to back it up!¡± Ling Yunpo was on the verge of spitting blood, thinking that no matter what he did, he¡¯d be ridiculed, so he shot out all three swords at once, going all out on the offensive without defense. He first activated the Green Duckweed Sword¡¯s Sword Dao Technique ¡°Green Mist Veil Over the Mountains,¡± for he had already seen clearly that the purple Flying Sword could release starfire, indicating that it was either of the Fire System or Metal System. Using Green Mist Veil Over the Mountains to suppress non-Water System Daoist Magic was undoubtedly the best choice. In the past, Ling Yunpo would certainly have stopped the Green Duckweed Sword¡¯s attack to release the thick fog as quickly as possible. But the elder Daoist had just enlightened him not to allow the use of Daoist Magic to affect the attacking rhythm, or else it would create an opening. Thus, he only manipulated the Green Duckweed Sword to continue its rapid assault on the elder Daoist, with the thick fog spraying from the hilt of the sword, trailing behind like the jet stream of a fighter jet. ¡°Oh, a Water System Forbidden Technique?¡± The black-robed elder Daoist disdainfully said, ¡°The Daoist Magic is not bad, but your tactical intent is too obvious; countering it is as easy as turning one¡¯s hand.¡± The purple Flying Sword¡¯s blade too began to emit a large amount of starfire. The two swords clashed and entwined with one another, with copious starfire falling into the fog, instantly stirring it into a chaotic rolling mass as if boiling water was frothing. Ling Yunpo, knowing that Green Mist Veil Over the Mountains was breached, expressionlessly maneuvered the Green Duckweed Sword to entangle the purple Flying Sword, while the Myriad Bamboos Sword cooperated in flanking the purple Flying Sword, and the Thunder Punishment Sword circled to the rear to attack the black-robed elder Daoist. As expected, the purple Flying Sword turned to counter, but was just entangled by the Myriad Bamboos Sword; a great deal of Wood System Sword Qi exploded, completely sealing off the purple Flying Sword¡¯s path of retreat. Seizing the opportunity, the Thunder Punishment Sword shot out lightning, attacking the black-robed elder Daoist while also angling off to initiate another two-front attack. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°What a vicious-minded brat!¡± the black-robed elder Daoist cursed angrily, ¡°You dare to use three swords to bully an old man with a single sword, eh?¡± ¡°Facing an immortal in battle, if I don¡¯t take full advantage of my strengths, wouldn¡¯t I be disrespecting the fight?¡± Ling Yunpo coldly retorted, ¡°Great-grandmaster, my Myriad Bamboos Sword can split into countless Sword Qi, with one sword equivalent to the power of two or three. If you only have a single sword to counter, you might as well concede a draw early¡­ what the fuck!¡± Suddenly, a white Flying Sword sprang out next to the black-robed elder Daoist, swiftly blocking the Thunder Punishment Sword. ¡°Facing a sly fox like you, there¡¯s no need for me to hold back!¡± The black-robed elder Daoist coldly stated as Ling Yunpo watched dumbfounded, ¡°You control three swords; I too will control two swords, thus giving you the advantage of one sword! Use all your tricks, just don¡¯t lose too miserably later on!¡± Chapter 642 Chapter 642: Chapter 70: The Senior Sister is Too Strong, Asks for Help from the Junior Sister Chapter 642: Chapter 70: The Senior Sister is Too Strong, Asks for Help from the Junior Sister In the Cultivation Realm, there is a common understanding: it¡¯s easy to overcome an adversary of a lower grade rank, but difficult to defeat one of a higher realm. For instance, if you are in the Golden Core Realm at the Soul Storing Rank, to defeat a cultivator of a higher rank in the Root Seeking or Obscure Weave Rank, if your Golden Core is of a higher grade, or you possess some Supreme Rank powerful Immortal Sword or Magical Treasure, a counter kill is not impossible. But if your opponent is in the Nascent Soul Realm, or even the Immortal Realm, then you practically stand no chance at all. Even the strong First Grade Golden Core Wei Dongliu has only managed to kill the wandering monk Yu Wen of the Nascent Soul Realm once by relying on the power of the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword and the opponent¡¯s hesitation to incur damage to his treasures, and even then he did not manage to kill him completely. As for facing this black-robed Taoist in the Immortal Realm, clashing three swords against a single sword might still be manageable, but facing two swords would basically mean no contest. Even though Ling Yunpo had Innate Sword Bone and the Flying Sword¡¯s physical strength was enhanced, it was still no match under the overwhelming power of an Immortal¡¯s True Yuan, and after a few collisions with the opponent¡¯s twin swords, the strength in his sword completely collapsed. Losing swiftly and decisively, the black-robed Taoist pondered for a moment before commenting, ¡°It¡¯s passable, but more rigid than your Senior Sister, failing to adapt in many areas. You should ponder over the guidance I just gave you when you return, to not waste the talent of ¡®Innate Sword Bone¡¯.¡± Ling Yunpo: ¡­¡­¡­.. Not wanting to speak at all, just do whatever you want. ¡°I have a rough understanding of your strength,¡± said the black-robed Taoist in a deep voice, ¡°It seems that Su Jian¡¯s seclusion really did delay your growth.¡± An Zhisu felt somewhat disappointed upon hearing this, as this Ancestor was just short of outright saying their strength was too weak, making her feel as though she had let her master down. Ling Yunpo was used to being disliked by him and thus did not show any expression. wuxiaworld.site ¡°As I have said, I will reward you, and I won¡¯t go back on my word. I have a secret technique here for imparting Sword Intent, capable of transferring the Sword Intent I have cultivated over the years to either one of you,¡± said the black-robed Taoist finally, ¡°Who will receive this Sword Intent?¡± ¡°Let my junior brother receive it,¡± An Zhisu quickly interjected, ¡°My junior brother is so much more outstanding than I am. Years ago when our Qingluo Peak was isolated in Shushan, it was junior brother who brilliantly strategized to break the deadlock!¡± Senior Sister An had seen the whole process of the Ancestor¡¯s disdain for junior brother Ling, but she also knew the old man had a bad temper, so she certainly could not go against him; she could only thus use indirect methods to make peace. ¡°Hmm,¡± the black-robed Taoist was very pleased, ¡°Modest in victory, undaunted in defeat, a true disciple trained by Su Jian. That your junior brother has a Senior Sister like you is indeed his good fortune.¡± ¡°It should go to Senior Sister,¡± seeing the black-robed Taoist¡¯s clear attitude, Ling Yunpo immediately spoke. ¡°Hmph,¡± the black-robed Taoist said with displeasure, ¡°Even if siblings modestly defer to each other, why are you always a step behind? In such matters, you should be the first to speak up!¡± Ling Yunpo had already become numb to it and pretended as if he had heard nothing, but secretly instructed the Kunlun Mirror: ¡°Ah Jing, make sure you keep a clear eye, if this sly Taoist pretends to impart his personal Sword Intent, but actually intends to take possession of Senior Sister An¡¯s soul, you must intervene to stop him immediately!¡± ¡°Understood,¡± the Kunlun Mirror watched silently as the other party began to operate his cultivation technique, ¡°It¡¯s not soul possession, just an ordinary transmission of Sword Intent.¡± ¡°Sword Intent,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword explained on the side, ¡°is the pure comprehension of the Sword Path. For example, if the opponent attacks with this move, I should block with which move, in simple terms Sword Intent combines these experiences, and contains no soul, consciousness, or even memories, Sword Master need not worry excessively.¡± ¡°Hmph, why would this sly Taoist look upon my Senior Sister with such regard? Maybe he has ulterior motives,¡± Ling Yunpo voiced his suspicions, ¡°It¡¯s always good to be cautious!¡± ¡°Wait, but your Senior Sister An is not weak,¡± the Kunlun Mirror asked in surprise, ¡°She possesses the Innate Sword Heart, you know? The ¡®Innate¡¯ Sword Heart.¡± ¡°Shut up, shattered mirror! Of course, I know that,¡± Ling Yunpo said irritably. ???G0.?? The robed elder gave his Sword Intent to An Zhisu, and it was clear from his expression that he weakened considerably. He then turned to Ling Yunpo and said, ¡°As the elder, I never play favorites. Since your Senior Sister has received the Sword Intent, I will not neglect to award you as well. I heard that after Su Jian went into seclusion, he didn¡¯t leave you with the Golden Core Realm Seven Kills Sword Technique?¡± Ling Yunpo: ¡­¡­¡­.. Well then! This favoritism is a bit too much! It¡¯s one thing to reward my Senior Sister with the Sword Intent, but how come when it gets to me, it turns into a swordsmanship inheritance? If you pass on swordsmanship to me, could I possibly refuse to teach it to my Senior Sister? So, you¡¯re saying my Senior Sister gets to win twice, huh! But after thinking about it carefully, since my Senior Sister received the Sword Intent and would teach me whatever she comprehended, it didn¡¯t really matter to me in the end. The robed elder passed on the Golden Core Realm swordsmanship to him via a voice transmission and recited it once before finally speaking weakly, ¡°All right, I need to sleep now. When I awake next time, I don¡¯t know whether it will be life or death, or when that will be¡­ If Su Jian comes out of seclusion one day, have him come to see me.¡± After finishing his words, his voice broke off and disappeared entirely. Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu both respectfully paid their respects to the robed elder, then turned and left. Back at Qingluo Peak of Shushan, Ling Yunpo recounted the swordsmanship he had received to his Senior Sister and laughed, ¡°Who would have thought this journey would yield such rewards. Indeed, our master doesn¡¯t usually keep a diary, but he recorded this event so seriously. It must have been deliberate, to let us find out.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± An Zhisu also smiled and said, ¡°With the Sword Intent given by our great-grandmaster, my Divine Sense has grown rapidly, and I believe I will soon break through the Soul Storing Rank.¡± Ling Yunpo: ??? ¡°Sword Intent can also promote the growth of Divine Sense?¡± he hastened to ask the Qing Ping Sword. ¡°As a part of enlightenment, Sword Intent can certainly promote the growth of Divine Sense,¡± said the Qing Ping Sword in a faint voice, ¡°It¡¯s like pouring water into a bucket, whether it¡¯s well water, rainwater, or mountain spring water, the water in the bucket will always increase.¡± Damn it, that robed elder really is biased! Ling Yunpo was indignant. An Zhisu has received the great-grandmaster¡¯s Sword Intent, which will surely make her cultivation progress by leaps and bounds. I must quickly break through the Soul Storing Rank. Otherwise, when the time comes to vie for the Heaven-Mending Stone, if I am too far behind my Senior Sister in strength, I won¡¯t be able to beat her or escape-that would be troublesome! ¡°Ah Jing! Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Load the Luo Yan file! I need Miss Shi¡¯s wisdom to help me break through!¡± [Location Three: Penglai Yuqing View, Heavenly Craft Workshop.] [Identity: Luo Yan.] [Mirror Flower Water Moon Template overlay in progress, undergoing time-space travel.] Deep under Yuqing View, Luo Yan optimized the Protective Sect Array of Penglai a bit further, then had a few words with the gatekeeping elder before going back to the Heavenly Craft Workshop to seek out Miss Shi, to have her calculate where his ¡°breakthrough¡± opportunity might be. However, he discovered that Miss Shi had recently made a batch of Flying Swords and intended to sell them in the Fanghu Market, so she was not in the Heavenly Craft Workshop. Calculating carefully, by the time she returns, she should happen to meet Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian on her way back and thus go to find the ruins of the Donghua Sect. In that case, I might as well wait for her in the View. Chapter 643 Chapter 643: Chapter 71 Old Friends Reunited, Breaking Through the Bottleneck Chapter 643: Chapter 71 Old Friends Reunited, Breaking Through the Bottleneck After almost half a day, Shi Liuli indeed returned from the Donghua Sect as scheduled. ¡°Husband.¡± After returning to the Heavenly Craft Workshop, she briefly recounted the events to Luo Yan, which were nearly identical to what Qiu Changtian had witnessed, ¡°¡­In short, that¡¯s what happened.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Thinking to himself that his wife really trusted him and hid nothing, Luo Yan¡¯s curiosity was piqued, and he asked, ¡°So what treasures did you bring back from the Cardinal Hall of the Donghua Sect?¡± ¡°This.¡± Shi Liuli forthrightly took out the compass Magical Treasure, ¡°This object can locate positions through the constellations. Some things that traditional art calculation methods cannot deduce may be divined through astrology.¡± She watched Luo Yan calmly, only to see him utter an ¡°Oh¡± without showing any particular expression on his face. ¡­So, he¡¯s completely unaware of the matter of his destiny being obscured from others? With this thought, Shi Liuli put away the compass Magical Treasure-glancing at it as she did, she indeed saw the needle had already pointed towards Luo Yan. Locked on. Very good. Shi Liuli thought to herself. Of course, she wasn¡¯t the type of wife who liked to put her husband under surveillance. It was just that Luo Yan¡¯s destiny couldn¡¯t be calculated. If something were to happen to him while he was outside gaining experience, she wouldn¡¯t even be able to find his location! wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co I¡¯m doing this for his safety¡­ With that in mind, she hid the compass Magical Treasure deep in her Storage Bag, planning not to take it out for calculation unless it was absolutely necessary. ¡°Liuli,¡± Luo Yan saw that she was in a good mood, and tried to probe, ¡°Your husband has already cultivated to the Perfection of the Soul Storing Rank in the Golden Core Realm, just waiting for an opportunity for a breakthrough. Why don¡¯t you help me calculate where I should seek this opportunity?¡± ¡°Soul Storing Rank Perfection?¡± Shi Liuli asked in astonishment, ¡°How did it happen so quickly?¡± ¡°Ahem.¡± Luo Yan awkwardly tried to brush it off, ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because your husband is exceptionally gifted, and the speed of leveling up is especially fast?¡± Shi Liuli looked at him wordlessly, her expression seeming to say, ¡°Could you come up with a more unbelievable excuse?¡± Luo Yan felt a bit embarrassed at that moment; this Miss Shi was not as easy to fool as Senior Sister An! ???g?.?? ¡°Alright then.¡± Seeing that he was unwilling to explain, Shi Liuli could only sigh and took out six copper coins. ¡°Hm.¡± She looked at the hexagram she cast and pondered, ¡°It is favorable to head in the southwest direction¡­ Huh?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Luo Yan asked. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Shi Liuli said calmly, ¡°I¡¯ll accompany you there.¡± ¡°That would be great.¡± Luo Yan agreed cheerfully. After reporting the matter of the Donghua Sect to the Master of Xuandu, the two of them took off on their swords from Penglai, flying in the southwest direction. They reached Divine Land and entered the Yangzhou area, where Shi Liuli and Luo Yan traveled a long distance by sword. Finally, they landed on the outskirts of a certain city. Luo Yan fixed his gaze and saw that the characters engraved on the city gate were ¡°Hongdu.¡± ¡°Liuli?¡± He called out softly. Shi Liuli didn¡¯t speak, only leading him through the streets and alleys, arriving in front of a certain civilian household. On the street at the entrance, a three or four-year-old child was sitting on the stone steps, holding a file in his hands and whittling a wooden sword. Luo Yan caught sight of his profile and was immediately struck with surprise. The child seemed to feel something, lifting his head to look at the two of them, suddenly revealing a bewildered, vaguely familiar smile. ¡°Liuli,¡± Luo Yan said with shock, ¡°Isn¡¯t that¡­¡± ¡°Sigh.¡± The wife beside him let out a faint sigh, then walked over to the boy, bent down slightly, and asked, ¡°Child, what¡¯s your name?¡± The child didn¡¯t intend to answer the stranger¡¯s question, but what blurted out instead was the truth: ¡°Shi Mian, my name is Shi Mian.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Shi Liuli¡¯s eyes were filled with complexity as she slowly took out a scripture from her storage bag and handed it to the child, saying, ¡°Take this. Making a sword isn¡¯t as simple as you think; there¡¯s a lot to it.¡± The child timidly looked at her, but did not reach out to take it, hesitatingly saying: ¡°My mother told me not to accept things from strangers.¡± ¡°Is that so? Your mother is right,¡± sighed Shi Liuli as she sat down beside him, tenderly saying, ¡°How about this-I won¡¯t give you this book, but I¡¯ll tell you the knowledge within it. That way, it won¡¯t count as taking something from a stranger.¡± Realizing she had a point, the child immediately cheered up and moved closer, listening intently to Shi Liuli¡¯s explanation. Luo Yan watched the two of them silently, his expression indescribably complex. He saw Shi Liuli explaining to the child with extreme patience, tenderness, and detail, just like how Elder Shi Ding had patiently taught her about artifact forging in the past. Only back then, Miss Shi, despite understanding Elder Shi Ding¡¯s teachings, had hardly any interest in learning. She always found some excuse to run off and play, leaving Elder Shi Ding sighing helplessly and without recourse. Yet, the child of today, even though he didn¡¯t understand Shi Liuli¡¯s explanation, was earnestly committing it to memory as if he already realized the importance of the knowledge. Worried that he wouldn¡¯t remember, Shi Liuli deliberately explained it three or four more times, then had him recite it back until the child could stumble through it. Only then did she slowly reveal a certain relieved yet sad smile. ¡°Sister.¡± The child timidly asked, ¡°Why are you crying?¡± Shi Liuli paused for a moment, quietly wiping away the tears on her face with the back of her hand, and smiled: ¡°It¡¯s nothing, I just remembered¡­ the elder who taught me these things.¡± ¡°I understand, sister,¡± the child said with half-comprehension. ¡°When my father used to travel for business, I would miss him terribly. Every time I thought of father, I¡¯d end up crying.¡± ¡°I think they must have been very important elders to you, sister, to make you look so sad¡­ Please don¡¯t cry, okay? I¡¯ll share some of the candy my mother bought for me with you.¡± He took out a cherished cloth bag from his sleeve, containing two or three pieces of malt sugar, and shared one with Shi Liuli and another with Luo Yan across from her-the child had already noticed that this brother was very close to his sister. Luo Yan accepted it, looking pleasantly surprised, but could not bring himself to eat it on the spot. Shi Liuli, on the other hand, put the piece of malt sugar into her mouth, and her tears finally began to subside. ¡°Actually, what you said just now, I didn¡¯t quite understand it,¡± the child admitted a bit glumly. ¡°Is it enough just to remember these things?¡± ¡°It is enough,¡± Luo Yan assured him with a smile. ¡°When you start reading seriously in the future and can independently understand the meanings in the scripture, you will be able to comprehend the significance of these words.¡± ¡°After that, you can go find a martial arts sect¡­ Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only It doesn¡¯t matter if you don¡¯t understand what a ¡®martial arts sect¡¯ is right now, you will eventually understand.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± the child said earnestly. ¡°You and sister come from one of these martial arts sects, right?¡± ¡°We are from Penglai Yuqing View,¡± answered Luo Yan seriously, suddenly feeling a subtle sense of trance. He realized he was leading this child toward Penglai, just as he himself had been led into the sect by Elder Shi Ding. The parallel between the past and the present echoed within him, giving Luo Yan a sensation of predestined enlightenment, as if suddenly the whole world burst into brightness. He had broken through to the Soul Storing Rank. Chapter 644 Chapter 644: Chapter 72: Miss Shi Begins Tribulation Chapter 644: Chapter 72: Miss Shi Begins Tribulation On the return journey, Shi Liuli was lost in her thoughts. Even when Luo Yan mentioned his breakthrough to the Soul Storing Rank and entry into the Root Seeking Rank, she merely revealed a faint smile. Such a smile reminded Luo Yan of when Elder Shi Ding had just departed, and Shi Liuli had to muster her spirits in spite of her grief, causing him to feel heart-wrenched yet powerless. It seems I must be the one to soothe the sorrow in my wife¡¯s heart! Luo Yan began to rack his brains again for any Purple Mansion secret medicines he could obtain. Actually, if Miss Shi were still in her original youthful form, or like Senior Sister An who had given up on thinking, Luo Yan wouldn¡¯t be so troubled. But if he were to obtain Purple Mansion secret medicine for her, only to raise her suspicions, then it would clearly be a loss not worth the gain. Just as Luo Yan was exhausting his thoughts on how to deceive¡­ oh, no, that¡¯s not right, persuade Miss Shi to accept the Purple Mansion secret medicine, he suddenly heard Shi Liuli say: ¡°Husband, I am planning to form my core tomorrow.¡± ¡°Core Formation?¡± Luo Yan exclaimed in surprise, ¡°Aren¡¯t you¡­ not aiming for a Second Grade Golden Core anymore?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve had some breakthroughs recently and have already reached the threshold of a Second Grade Golden Core,¡± Shi Liuli said lightly. ¡°Oh.¡± Luo Yan then realized that Shi Liuli must have used Art Calculation to figure out various Purple Mansion secret medicines, and with his prior blessings ¨C all the Five Qi Toward Yuan and Lianshan treasure troves, and the rapid increases in her Refining Mansion cultivation ¨C she was able to smoothly reach the threshold of a Second Grade Golden Core. wuxiaworld.site ¡°Will you protect me tomorrow?¡± Shi Liuli asked him, seeing that he showed no sign of surprise. ¡°Of course,¡± Luo Yan smiled and replied. ???G?.?? The next day, Shi Liuli was already standing aloft above the East Sea, while Luo Yan stood in the distance on the Huangting Kunwu Sword, anxiously watching his young wife. Honestly speaking, even when Junior Sister Xu, Senior Sister An, and the little fox formed their cores, he had never been so anxious; mainly because, although Shi Liuli had become smart and mature, her previously mediocre strength still left Luo Yan with lingering fears. Even in the great competition at the White Jade Capital, she relied on sheer luck to slaughter her way into the top twelve before being quickly eliminated by the powerhouses¡­ But Heavenly Tribulation won¡¯t spare you just because you admit defeat! When facing Heavenly Tribulation, you either survive or die, what should he do? ¡°Ah Jing,¡± he couldn¡¯t help but ask in his mind, ¡°do you have any methods that can disrupt the Heavenly Tribulation and ensure Miss Shi¡¯s successful core formation?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± replied the Kunlun Mirror calmly, ¡°when you see she can¡¯t hold on, you just charge in with your sword. Then the Heavenly Tribulation will become enraged at you and unleash thunderbolts a hundred times more powerful to strike you down, and your little lady will be able to survive, won¡¯t she?¡± ¡°Stop joking, Ah Jing!¡± Luo Yan asked angrily, ¡°Am I not being serious?¡± ¡°Serious?¡± the Kunlun Mirror asked in a puzzled tone, ¡°But didn¡¯t I remember you saying that your only wish was to ascend to the throne of the skies, and that cozying up to Miss Shi was just to win over Elder Shi Ding to secure a foothold in the Penglai Yuqing View?¡± ¡°Now that Elder Shi Ding is no longer here, why do you still need to worry about her safety?¡± Luo Yan was rendered speechless by this response and after a long while, he finally said: ¡°But after all, we are married!¡± ¡°Getting married was a necessary measure, a strategy out of no choice. Isn¡¯t that so?¡± the Kunlun Mirror spoke leisurely, ¡°Not only Miss Shi, but you¡¯ve also taken three other female cultivators as your Daoist Companions. Oh right, seems like there¡¯s also a fox, isn¡¯t there? If you have to take care of every wife¡­ Can you manage that?¡± Luo Yan was dumbfounded but quickly regained his composure and said: ¡°Senior Sister An, don¡¯t beat around the bush. Just tell me if you¡¯re going to help with this or not. Give me a straight answer!¡± ¡°Why should I help?¡± the Kunlun Mirror countered, ¡°You¡¯re the Savior. Helping you is one thing, but why should I lend a hand to your wives as well?¡± ¡°When the time comes, with so many wives and eventually children and grandchildren, an endless lineage ¨C all your kin ¨C am I supposed to help them one by one?¡± ¡°Luo Yan, you¡¯d better think this over carefully. Also, Miss Shi probably doesn¡¯t need my help. Just watch and you¡¯ll understand.¡± Luo Yan was somewhat shocked; it seemed this was the first time he had been rendered speechless by Senior Sister An! Damn it, since when had this mirror become so shrewd and formidable? But he had no time to ponder over Senior Sister An¡¯s peculiarities, as the clouds of tribulation had already started to press down heavily above Shi Liuli¡¯s head. Heavenly Tribulation Lightning filled the sky, plummeting with a shocking force. Tribulation Lightning in itself wasn¡¯t noteworthy-it was just some low-powered trash-but Luo Yan¡¯s biggest concern was whether Miss Shi could withstand it. All of a sudden, Shi Liuli waved her sleeve, and countless Flying Swords shot out. Then came a brilliant radiance as numerous Flying Swords unleashed Sword Dao Techniques, shattering all the surrounding Tribulation Lightning. Luo Yan was taken aback. Since when had Miss Shi had such abundant True Yuan? Hundreds of Flying Swords casting Daoist Magic simultaneously, and her True Yuan was actually able to sustain it?! It was then that he saw clearly: the Sword Dao Techniques cast by these Flying Swords were of the type that covered a wide area but were remarkably low in power, so in total, they did not actually consume much True Yuan. The Tribulation Lightning, however, was made of extremely unstable Thunder Balls that would explode and unleash their power upon even the slightest touch from a Daoist Technique. Thus, they were easily cleared away by Miss Shi. Such exquisite control left Luo Yan deeply impressed, thinking to himself that if he had had these Flying Swords to protect him during his own tribulation, wouldn¡¯t he have been spared so much distress? Alas, at that time, Miss Shi was still in her youth and not available for his use¡­ Bah, bah, bah, what am I thinking? If possible, I¡¯d rather she remain in her youthful state forever, wouldn¡¯t I? As he was lost in his thoughts, the second wave of Tribulation Lightning had already started to fall. The first wave of Flying Swords released by Shi Liuli were all destroyed in the Heavenly Tribulation; these were swords that consumed surprisingly little True Yuan and hence were not of particularly high quality, turning to ash at this point. Luo Yan immediately grew anxious, and then saw Miss Shi, unfazed, deploying a second wave of Flying Swords. Not a second individual sword, but a second wave of Flying Swords! Over a hundred of them! How did she have so many Flying Swords? Oh, she had been learning Sword Casting for a long time; then it¡¯s fine. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Miss Shi¡¯s second wave of Flying Swords met the second wave of Tribulation Lightning and, following the same tactic, were perfectly obliterated, making one wonder if she was showing off her wealth against the Cloud of Tribulation. Moreover, the Tribulation Cloud seemed to be losing. Soon, a third wave of Tribulation Lightning descended, this time composed of the extremely terrifying Bing Fire Divine Thunder. During Luo Yan¡¯s past tribulation of the Five Elements, he too had encountered this Thunder. Upon explosion, the power and energy of each Bing Fire Divine Thunder would be absorbed by the others nearby, resulting in a supercharged, colossal Thunder Ball in the end-an adversarial force that the Sword Sea Tactic simply could not handle! Chapter 645 Chapter 645: Chapter 73: Second Grade Golden Core, True Person Dong You Chapter 645: Chapter 73: Second Grade Golden Core, True Person Dong You Bing Fire Divine Thunder rained down from the sky like a meteor shower made of fire, an apocalyptic catastrophe, illuminating the sky that was covered by tribulation clouds almost brightly lit. Luo Yan¡¯s face turned pale while his hands and feet went numb, actually feeling even more frightened than Shi Liuli. However, Shi Liuli¡¯s complexion did not change, or perhaps because she had long known she would be forming a Second Grade Golden Core, she had already done her homework in advance. She calmly took an elixir, and then started forming a Daoist formula, casting the very Southern Dipper Galaxy Secret Technique. Once the Daoist magic was unleashed, immediately torrents of river water surged out, defying gravity as they rose against the wind and shot straight into the sky, intersecting with the meteors of Bing Fire Divine Thunder, instantly causing a series of chain explosions. Each Bing Fire Divine Thunder that exploded had its spreading flames swallowed by the water from all sides, extinguished swiftly and silently before they could burst. Luo Yan immediately felt invigorated and thought, ¡°My Miss Shi is indeed worthy of admiration!¡± Thinking of countering fire with water was not surprising, but the tricky part about Bing Fire Divine Thunder was that it fed on corpses. The more tribulation lightning you destroyed, the stronger the remaining divine thunder became. As a result, Shi Liuli used the Heavenly River Overflowing Technique to directly extinguish the fuse of the Bing Fire Divine Thunder, a clever move that truly made Luo Yan admire her endlessly. But with the dense Bing Fire Divine Thunder filling the sky, did Shi Liuli have enough True Yuan to destroy them all with the Southern Dipper Galaxy Secret Technique? ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± the Kunlun Mirror suddenly said, ¡°at this rate of consumption, after she defeats this wave of Heavenly Tribulation, she should just run out of True Yuan.¡± ¡°Is it that precise?¡± Luo Yan instinctively wanted to question, then quickly came to his senses. If Miss Shi could even calculate where she would find an opportunity for a breakthrough, what difficulty would she have with calculating a Heavenly Tribulation? wuxiaworld.site As the Bing Fire Divine Thunder was annihilated without achieving anything, the tribulation clouds seemed a little angry, pressing down even lower, dropping a large number of Water Thunders from within the clouds. These Water Thunders were easy to deal with, not of the same rank as the previous wave of Bing Fire Divine Thunder, but Shi Liuli seemed to be suddenly dazed, standing motionless, allowing the Water Thunder to engulf her figure. ¡°Not good!¡± Luo Yan was immediately shocked, knowing that Miss Shi had been suddenly attacked by the Heart Devil Tribulation, caught off guard and already afflicted! ???G?.?? If there was no special talent for cultivation, it was very difficult to resist the Heart Devil Tribulation even under normal circumstances, let alone during the process of transcending the Heavenly Tribulation ¨C was this not a situation with more dangers than safety? He instinctively wanted to rush over to save his wife, and even the Kunlun Mirror was moved, hastily reminding him: ¡°Don¡¯t panic! A Second Grade Golden Core must face the Heart Devil Tribulation; how could she have not anticipated it in advance? Calm down first!¡± Luo Yan, upon hearing this, instinctively halted, then saw through the smoke and dust of the exploded Water Thunder that Shi Liuli¡¯s figure was slowly emerging. She seemed unharmed and was not caught in a tug-of-war with the Heart Demon, but her face was somewhat pale¡­ Luo Yan saw that she was clutching the Heavenly Craft Treasure Bag he had given her earlier, probably using the magical treasures inside to defend against the attacks of the tribulation lightning. Good, very good! The treasures inside the Treasure Bag were there to be used; even if they were all gone, it wouldn¡¯t be a pity, as long as she was safe and sound. Now only the last wave of Heavenly Tribulation, known for its lethal power, the Metal System Sky Tribulation, remained, but Luo Yan was not worried about her because, besides the Heavenly Craft Treasure Bag, he had also given her the Heavenly Weaving God Shuttle. This Divine Shuttle could dodge a fatal attack at a critical moment, and therefore it was the strongest life-saving card in Luo Yan¡¯s character setting. However, he also realized from the incident with Jiang the Witch that if he didn¡¯t offer this life-saving tool for his wife to use at the most critical moment and she died, he¡¯d regret it a million times over. Great swathes of tribulation lightning fell from the sky, crashing into the sea to raise enormous waves, as if even the sea level was being evaporated down by several feet, steam rising everywhere due to the high temperatures. Luo Yan could not see clearly what was happening to Shi Liuli inside, but he did see the tribulation clouds slowly dissipating from the sky, and then¡­ Shi Liuli, riding her sword, shot out of the steam; her Taoist robe was tattered. She plunged headfirst into Luo Yan¡¯s arms, having passed out. Luo Yan quickly checked her condition and confirmed that she had fainted due to the depletion of her True Yuan. He then slowly let out a sigh of relief. In fact, from the end of the third wave of Heavenly Tribulation, her True Yuan had already been exhausted. The subsequent activation of her magical treasures and the use of the Heavenly Weaving God Shuttle were partly as a result of the recovery from elixirs, but more so, they were a result of squeezing her own reserves. But ultimately, having formed a Golden Core made it all worth it. Not long after, a misty sword light approached from afar-it was the Master of Xuan Du from Yuqing View. This Sect Leader had apparently been around all this time, protecting Shi Liuli from any mishaps during her tribulation without showing himself. Now that she had succeeded in forming a Second Grade Golden Core, he too showed a relieved expression. ¡°Well done,¡± he said with approval, ¡°I¡¯ll go and convey this great news to the Immortal and ask him to bestow upon Liuli a Daoist title.¡± ¡°Although Heavenly Craft Workshop has no Nascent Soul Elders, with two Second Grade Golden Core True Persons, it should be enough to promote and greatly develop the Daoist heritage.¡± ¡°That would be much appreciated, Sect Leader,¡± Luo Yan said as he held Shi Liuli in his arms and nodded. Upon returning to Heavenly Craft Workshop with Shi Liuli, their third senior sister, Liang Ruohua, was already anxiously waiting. She hurried over and asked: ¡°Is everything alright? Did something happen to junior sister¡­¡± Seeing Shi Liuli¡¯s pale complexion but sensing her breathing was stable, she finally let her shoulders slump and said tremblingly: ¡°It¡¯s good that everything is okay, so good¡­ otherwise, I don¡¯t know how I would have explained it to Master¡­¡± ¡°Sister Liang,¡± Luo Yan said with a smile, ¡°Now our Heavenly Craft Workshop finally has three True Persons.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Liang Ruohua nodded vigorously, unable to hold back the tears welling up in her eyes. Soon, the news that Shi Liuli had formed a Second Grade Golden Core spread rapidly throughout Yuqing View, igniting a flurry of heated discussions. For the sect, a Second Grade Golden Core was significant news, as those who possess it eventually have the chance to become Daluo Golden Immortals, the strongest force in this world. Without the Daluo Golden Immortals, the Three Pure Orthodox Sect would have long been defeated and consumed by the Demon Cult. Last time Luo Yan formed his Second Grade Golden Core, since Elder Shi Ding had just passed away, even if people wanted to curry favor, it was not appropriate to come forward and associate with him. But now, without such concerns, the Heavenly Craft Workshop was suddenly overwhelmed with visitors. Countless seniors, elders, peers, and True Persons all came to visit Luo Yan, the head of Heavenly Craft Workshop. Some came for pleasantries and inquired about his well-being; others reminisced about Elder Shi Ding with sighs and emotions; while some who usually had a distant relationship and lacked common topics simply came on the pretext of placing orders to get acquainted, resulting in a surge of orders for the Heavenly Craft Workshop-not out of confidence in the forging abilities of someone at the Golden Core Realm, but rather to draw closer relations with the Heavenly Craft Workshop led by two Second Grade Golden Cores. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Luo Yan experienced the same pain as when he used to pretend to be Qiu Changtian. After half a day, his tongue was nearly tied in knots, and he had to repeatedly give Shi Liuli meaningful glances. Fortunately, Shi Liuli was quick-witted. When guests arrived later, she took the initiative to lead the conversation, allowing Luo Yan to simply drink tea on the side and respond with ¡°Mhm,¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± and ¡°Absolutely right.¡± Consequently, a baseless rumor soon started circulating throughout Penglai: The Second Grade Golden Core Master Jingyun was extremely henpecked. Though he was the head of Heavenly Craft Workshop, in reality, he was nothing but the yes-man to his wife, Master Dong You. Chapter 646 Chapter 646: Chapter 74: A Higher Price Chapter 646: Chapter 74: A Higher Price Shi Liuli, Second Grade Golden Core, with the Taoist name ¡°Dong You¡±. ¡°Dong¡± means to penetrate, and ¡°You¡± means profound knowledge; ¡°Dong You¡± refers to the ability to penetrate the most secretive knowledge, which to some extent is an allusion to her capability in Art Calculation. In other words, even the Wan Xiang Immortal was moved by Liuli¡¯s talent in Art Calculation. Luo Yan only needed to reflect for a moment to realize that it must have been helping Qiu Changtian and the others locate the Donghua Sect ruins that caught the attention of the Penglai hierarchy to Liuli¡¯s ability in Art Calculation. Indeed, judging from the Ziwei Master¡¯s reaction, those Donghua Sect ruins were of significant importance, bearing profound implications that we were unaware of. It¡¯s possible that the Three Pure Orthodox Sect had been covertly searching for the location of Donghua Sect for many years without success, and now Shi Liuli had managed it with just six copper coins. It¡¯s no wonder the Wan Xiang Immortal was impressed. After entering the Golden Core Realm¡¯s Soul Storing Rank, an Immortal begins to polish his Divine Sense, striving to infuse the Golden Core with it. Once the Soul Storing Rank is perfected, and one enters the Root Seeking Rank, one must further refine the physical body-not like in the Foundation Establishment Realm¡¯s Marrow Cleansing Rank, which targets the ¡°outer body,¡± meaning the meridians, bones, and flesh. The Root Seeking Rank, on the other hand, targets the ¡°inner body,¡± that is, within the Dantian and beyond the Purple Mansion. Each of the major Qi Refining Techniques has its unique mental method and incantation for cultivating the Dantian. Once the entire Dantian is also cultivated to perfection like the Purple Mansion, the Golden Core will become ¡°translucent throughout,¡± and when viewed internally with Divine Sense, it will be like a lightbulb. The next breakthrough is to the Obscure Weave Rank. At this stage, one must extinguish the bright Golden Core and even cause it to ¡°disappear¡±. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.CO Once the Golden Core is completely refined away (actually a very slight essence remains, called the ¡°fetal root¡±), the Obscure Weave Rank is considered to have reached Great Perfection. Then, one can form an immortal fetus in the Purple Mansion and become a Nascent Soul. Luo Yan practices the ¡°Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra¡±, and such step-by-step cultivation of the Dantian is his forte, hence, all he needs is to devote time and effort. As for Shi Liuli, her ¡°Five Latitudes Heavenly Secret Record¡± does not include any method to rapidly polish Divine Sense, so it seems she¡¯ll remain in the Soul Storing Rank for some time¡­ ¡°Supreme Netherworld Pill?¡± Seeing Shi Liuli take out a bottle, Luo Yan immediately asked in surprise. ¡°Huh?¡± Shi Liuli also asked in surprise, ¡°I haven¡¯t opened it yet, how do you know what¡¯s inside is an Elixir?¡± ¡°Cough cough.¡± Luo Yan hurriedly coughed and said, ¡°I¡¯ve long heard from the Wan Xiang Immortal that there is such an extraordinary Divine Pill, which when taken can rapidly augment one¡¯s Divine Sense, cutting down ten thousand days of practice¡­ but I didn¡¯t expect that he would bestow it upon you.¡± ¡°Oh, this was a reward for discovering the Donghua Sect ruins and reporting it to the Sect,¡± Shi Liuli said nonchalantly as she fidgeted with the Elixir Bottle. ¡°Of course, the main reason is because the Immortal knew I had already formed a Second Grade Golden Core. Were it not for that, he wouldn¡¯t have bestowed such a Divine Pill.¡± ¡°That¡¯s wonderful, Liuli,¡± Luo Yan exclaimed joyfully as he embraced her delicate body. ¡°If you can enter the Root Seeking Rank sooner, then even among the entire Orthodox Sect¡¯s elite Direct Disciples, your pace will not be inferior.¡± While he was being intimate with Liuli, he was secretly regretting his previous oversight. Since it was a reward for discovering the Donghua Sect ruins, if Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian could receive a Supreme Netherworld Pill, Shi Liuli would certainly also receive one. Otherwise, wouldn¡¯t the Wan Xiang Immortal fear ridicule from Kunlun if the three compared their rewards and Liuli¡¯s was less? Moreover, Liuli¡¯s Art Calculation ability, which played a crucial role in finding the Donghua Sect ruins, would not be an exaggeration to record as a leading contribution. How did it not occur to me? Damn it, this means she¡¯ll soon catch up to me in terms of cultivation progress, won¡¯t she? Junior Sister Xu and Miss Shi received elixir rewards, Senior Sister An was bestowed with Sword Intent, and after Jiang the Witch died once, her cultivation advanced by leaps and bounds. Who really is the chosen one? In this cruel, internally competitive world, perhaps only a fox who is unambitious could bring me a trace of warmth¡­ After cuddling with his wife for a long time, Luo Yan finally returned to his own room, ready to ¡®load the file¡¯. ¡°Ah Jing, load Long Long!¡± [Checkpoint Five: Eastern Emperor Realm, Eastern State, Du Guang Plains.] [Character Identity: Long Long.] [Mirror Flower Water Moon Template overlaying, time-space traveling in progress.] The great war in the Mortal Realm had ended, and the forces of good and evil entered a brief period of peaceful recuperation. However, a sense of an impending storm loomed in the Eastern Emperor Realm. Despite some minor unpleasantness with Long Long and the Dragon and Phoenix Clans, Feng Yan, the prince of the Vermillion Bird Clan, had no intention of leaving; he patiently continued the alliance negotiations with the Dragon Clan. Soon, others grew restless about this alliance. ???G?.?? That afternoon, Gui Ling¡¯er sought out Long Long alone, pulling him into a nearby grove to ask: ¡°Long Long, can you give me the lowdown? You¡¯re going to announce it sooner or later anyway¡­ Are the Dragon Clan planning to form an alliance with the Vermilion Bird?¡± ¡°Pretty much,¡± Long Long pondered for a moment before answering, ¡°The Dragon Clan does not want to get involved in your struggle with Central State, understand?¡± ¡°But isn¡¯t that unreasonable?¡± Gui Ling¡¯er said indignantly. ¡°The whole world is wrestling over the succession to the Qilin throne, and you¡¯re saying¡­ you want to stay out of it?¡± ¡°Not just us, but also the Vermilion Bird Clan,¡± Long Long replied calmly, ¡°If the alliance is successful, then among the four great nobles, there will be two who intend to remain neutral. How can you say that the whole world is eager to be swept into this war?¡± ¡°If you stay out of it, then no matter who ultimately wins, you won¡¯t be seen as one of their own by the Qilin Emperor,¡± Gui Ling¡¯er said with a frown. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°The alliance of the two nobles has already severely threatened the prestige of the Qilin Clan, so the new emperor will certainly see you as the next target to eliminate. Is this your plan? To weaken the emperor¡¯s power to strengthen yourselves?¡± ¡°That is indeed the case.¡± Long Long was slightly surprised, not expecting this young Turtle to also understand politics, ¡°But you hit the nail on the head: even if our Dragon Clan forms an alliance with your Xuan Gui and supports Prince Qi Weihong of the Qilins in his bid for the throne, after the victory, Qi Weihong will regard you, the Xuan Gui Clan, as his own, not the Dragon Clan.¡± ¡°From the perspective of our clan¡¯s interests, we believe that the key at this moment is to eliminate unnecessary risks. Besides, the expected benefits of cooperating with the Xuan Gui Clan are not significant enough to justify taking this risk¡­¡± ¡°In plain terms, you still don¡¯t trust us,¡± Gui Ling¡¯er sighed, ¡°What if we could offer you a better deal?¡± ¡°A better deal?¡± Long Long asked in surprise. ¡°Go tell the Ancestral Azure Dragon,¡± Gui Ling¡¯er said earnestly, ¡°The patriarch of the Xuan Gui Clan, Gui Yan, will be visiting soon, and a formal invitation will be sent shortly.¡± In that instant, Long Long suddenly realized intensely that this seemingly naive young Turtle actually possessed a sharpness and authority uncommon among the demon race¡­ Chapter 647 Chapter 647: Chapter 75: Dragon Clan¡¯s Diplomatic Envoy Chapter 647: Chapter 75: Dragon Clan¡¯s Diplomatic Envoy Before long, the news that the chieftain of the Xuan Gui Clan would visit soon spread quickly among the Dragon Clan. This did not surprise the upper echelons of the Dragon Clan, as once the Dragon Clan and the Vermilion Bird began negotiations and showed intentions of forming a third faction, the other two major factions would definitely become restless. After Xuanwu sent their envoys, the Qilin Clan would have no choice but to break their silence¡­ Perhaps this was also why Qin Beiwang had not been able to come to terms with the Vermilion Bird for so long, it¡¯s hard to say there wasn¡¯t a hint of holding out for a better offer. After all, it was impossible for the Vermilion Bird to compromise with the Qilin due to the distance from the Xuanwu Clan, but the Dragon Clan did not have such concerns. The news that Gui Yan, the chieftain of the Xuan Gui Clan, would soon arrive at Jianmu Island certainly could not be hidden from Feng Yan. This princess of the Vermilion Bird, who also inherited her race¡¯s explosive temper, had urged Qin Beiwang several times without success, so she simply ran over to find Long Long and demanded to know, ¡°What exactly does the Dragon Clan mean? If you really want to join forces with the Xuan Gui Clan, just say so! As long as it¡¯s not aligning with the Qilin faction, we of the Vermilion Bird can still accept it¡­¡± Long Long felt utterly confused, Why don¡¯t you say this to Qin Beiwang? What¡¯s the point of telling me, an ordinary clan member? Besides, as a princess of the Vermilion Bird, you have been aggravated by our stalling tactics to the point where you lose your composure, isn¡¯t that rather ridiculous? He was about to say something with a smile when suddenly he had a sharp realization: Wow, this princess is feigning ignorance to probe my words! wuxiaworld.site She¡¯s too cunning! Being a member of the Dragon Clan, Long Long knew very well that Qin Beiwang was just holding out for a better offer, but Feng Yan was not aware of this, so she pretended to be angry to test the waters. If Long Long merely reassured her without further explanation, then she would know the Dragon Clan had made up its mind to side with Xuanwu; but if he explained anything, it would mean the Dragon Clan had not yet decided¡­ ¡°Ahem.¡± After pondering for a moment, Long Long turned the tables and asked Feng Yan, ¡°Your Highness, I have always been curious: if you have come to an agreement with the Dragon Clan, would your Vermilion Bird elders approve?¡± Feng Yan was silent for a moment, then dropped her previously angry demeanor and said meaningfully, ¡°If I have come to terms with the Dragon Clan, surely the old men of our tribe would approve. Are you satisfied with this answer?¡± ¡°I see.¡± Long Long instantly understood and smiled, ¡°If the negotiations fail, the Vermilion Bird Clan will act as if nothing happened. In other words, your tribe hasn¡¯t decided what to do next either, right?¡± Upon hearing the word ¡°also,¡± Feng Yan instantly grasped the implied meaning in Long Long¡¯s words and couldn¡¯t help but laugh crisply. ¡°Nice, I¡¯m growing more fond of you.¡± Her narrow phoenix eyes squinted as she looked at Long Long with a growing intensity, ¡°That¡¯s right. In this era of great strife, who can assure their decisions are always correct? As long as the Ancestral Vermilion Bird remains silent, everyone else can only endeavor to prove they¡¯re right.¡± ¡°But at least, Your Highness has taken action,¡± Long Long said obliquely. ¡°Perhaps I¡¯m not the only one who has taken action.¡± Feng Yan sighed deeply. Ah, so there are other forces within the Vermilion Bird Clan who have already approached North State¡¯s Xuanwu, right? It means that both the Vermilion Bird and the Dragon Clan internally have voices for ¡°neutrality¡± and ¡°alliance with Xuanwu.¡± Of course, there is a third possibility for the Dragon Clan, which is to ¡°ally with Qilin,¡± but due to historical reasons, it is impossible for the Vermilion Bird to ally with the Qilin. On the Dragon Clan¡¯s side, because figures like Long Long were involved in an assassination incident in the Imperial City, and the Ancestral Azure Dragon intervened prematurely to suppress, the Clan members temporarily haven¡¯t developed other ideas; they¡¯re just waiting for the Ancestral Azure Dragon¡¯s decree. The Vermilion Bird side was more radical; the two viewpoints have started to conflict, which is why Feng Yan took the initiative to negotiate with the Dragon Clan. ¡°If negotiations move forward, it naturally sways the judgment of the Vermilion Bird¡¯s ancestor towards ¡®neutrality.¡¯, However¡­¡± ¡°Put simply, it comes down to the price,¡± Long Long said. ¡°If Xuanwu quotes a high enough price to tempt the Vermilion Bird¡¯s ancestor, then even if Your Highness reaches an agreement with the Dragon Clan, it will be futile.¡± ¡°If Xuanwu offers a high enough price, then it will be the Dragon Clan¡¯s turn to worry,¡± Feng Yan said at a leisurely pace. ¡°No,¡± Long Long smiled and said, ¡°The price quoted to the Dragon Clan will only be higher than that offered to the Vermilion Bird.¡± Feng Yan thought about it carefully and found it to be true. Without the Dragon Clan joining, even if the Vermilion Bird and Xuanwu formed an alliance-one in South State and the other in North State, far apart-while Qilin and White Tiger were next to each other, their fate was certainly to be divided and conquered. But if the Dragon Clan also joined, it would create a pincer attack from the north, east, and south, ¡°a coalition of vertical alliances,¡± which would make the Qilin of Central State suffer all the more. That is to say, in Xuanwu¡¯s strategic plan, the importance of the Dragon Clan was certainly much greater than that of the Vermilion Bird. ???G0.?? ¡°Hmm?¡± Feng Yan suddenly gave a coquettish smile and said, ¡°Which means, as long as the Dragon Clan hasn¡¯t struck a deal with Xuanwu, Xuanwu won¡¯t offer a high price to the Vermilion Bird because it would mean that the Dragon Clan would demand an even higher price.¡± ¡°In other words, whether the Vermilion Bird can form a third faction alliance with the Dragon Clan for self-preservation actually doesn¡¯t depend on the wishes of the Vermilion Bird, but on whether the Dragon Clan and Xuanwu can come to an agreement.¡± ¡°As long as they reach an agreement, then the Vermilion Bird will inevitably join the coalition. But if they do not, the Dragon Clan will have to cooperate with the Vermilion Bird.¡± ¡°There is actually a third possibility,¡± Long Long reminded her tactfully, ¡°which is to form an alliance with Qilin¡­ Hey, Your Highness, what are you doing?!¡± Mid-sentence, Feng Yan suddenly came over and hugged his waist, startling Long Long into quickly moving away. ¡°I actually don¡¯t care which option the Dragon Clan chooses,¡± the Vermilion Bird elder sister said with a smile, ¡°Long Long, what if you and I enter into a marriage alliance, and then the Vermilion Bird forms a mutually beneficial alliance with the Dragon Clan?¡± ¡°Your Highness must be joking, I¡­¡± Long Long wanted to say more, but was cut off by the other party who dismissed him with a wave of her hand: ¡°The Qilin Clan will offer a higher price, aiming to forge a binding agreement with the Dragon Clan.¡± ¡°After the binding, whether we stay neutral and self-preserving, or ally with Xuanwu, both parties must advance and retreat together.¡± ¡°The condition is, you must marry me.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Long Long finally found a chance to speak, but was again authoritatively interrupted by Feng Yan: ¡°This is not a negotiation; this is a notice. I will inform Qin Beiwang of this.¡± ¡°I may not be able to claim the Dragon Clan, but Long Long, I must have you!¡± She turned swiftly and left at a brisk pace, her vermilion dress rustling in the breeze as she walked. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Long Long watched her retreating figure in a daze, and after a moment, he suddenly wanted to slap himself. Why did I talk so much to this bird! I¡¯m not an ambassador for the Dragon Clan; why did I have to give her all those hints? Well, now I¡¯m really about to become an ambassador for the Dragon Clan. Better start planning an escape with the little fox. Chapter 648 Chapter 648: Chapter 76 Trust Has Not Yet Been Fully Established Chapter 648: Chapter 76 Trust Has Not Yet Been Fully Established In the bedroom, Long Long was grooming Long Hu¡¯s tail fur while contemplating whether to flee or not. Long Long¡¯s current persona was not much different from several other storylines. Although seemingly splendid within his faction, that brilliance was achieved through deception and concealment. Once the Azure Dragon Clan found out that he intended to whisk Long Hu away to the reclusive realms of Beiming Fanyang, a fallout would be inevitable. The Azure Dragon could accept Long Long as one of the Azure Dragon Clan, but not as one from the Jiaolong Clan. This was a clear boundary issue. Unfortunately, Long Long had his own lines that couldn¡¯t be crossed either. As it stood, there were two main directions to strive for: one was cultivation, as only reaching a high level of cultivation would he have the confidence to stand up against the Azure Dragon Clan. The second was to take advantage of Shi Yao¡¯s connections and abilities. After all, as a remnant of the Jiaolong Clan, their interests aligned with his own¡­ but that required the other party to trust and accept him first. Long Long wasn¡¯t so arrogant as to think that just because he was from the Jiaolong Clan, the other remnants would trust him unreservedly. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Long Long?¡± Long Hu noticed his subdued mood and cautiously asked. ¡°Hu,¡± Long Long touched her hair and sighed as he questioned, ¡°What do you think about the Azure Dragon Clan?¡± wuxiaworld.site At least in terms of cultivation resources, you have everything at your disposal, right? Besides, if you stay within the Azure Dragon Clan, with your lineage, it¡¯s certain you¡¯d rise to a high position, perhaps even clan leader¡­¡± ¡°That may be true, but they are only interested in my bloodline,¡± Long Hu¡¯s tail drooped dejectedly as she suddenly questioned with a shock, ¡°Have you asked this question before?¡± ¡°Have I? Hahaha,¡± Long Long quickly defended, ¡°I was just making sure that your thoughts haven¡¯t changed.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re so worried about me, why don¡¯t you just marry me?¡± Long Hu clung to his neck and playfully suggested, ¡°Once we¡¯re married, I wouldn¡¯t be able to leave you, right?¡± ¡°Cough, indeed that¡¯s the case,¡± Long Long helped the fox straighten up in his arms and spoke affectionately, ¡°but you know what the clan¡¯s intentions are.¡± The fox¡¯s ears drooped sadly. She knew the clan would allow her to marry Long Long, but only if Qin Ye were to be the principal wife since the leader of the Azure Dragon Clan had to be from their own kind. And her bloodline was too mixed to be accepted by the Azure Dragon Clan. ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, let¡¯s make a run for it quickly!¡± Long Hu suddenly hopped out of his embrace and began circling the room excitedly, her tail sweeping about energetically, ¡°Once we leave the Dragon Clan, whenever we marry, there won¡¯t be anyone to interfere or restrict us!¡± ¡°Quiet!¡± Long Long quickly embraced her again and covered her mouth, ¡°Careful, the walls have ears.¡± After a prolonged period of intimate whispering, Long Long adjusted his clothes and left Long Hu¡¯s bedroom, stealthily reaching out to Shi Yao. Officially, Shi Yao was an elder of the Azure Dragon Clan, and also the Dragon Clan¡¯s public model that ¡°all dragons under heaven are one family,¡± but it was obvious that if Long Long was discovered frequently meeting with her, it would undoubtedly raise the Azure Dragon Clan¡¯s suspicions. Therefore, the two could only meet secretly in the seclusion of the clan territory¡­ It was finally starting to feel a bit like a spy affair. ¡°` ¡°Why did you suddenly think to come looking for me?¡± Shi Yao asked him with a smile that was not quite a smile, ¡°No longer getting close to those girls?¡± ¡°Cough cough.¡± Long Long felt slightly embarrassed as he recounted the recent events with Feng Yan and Gui Ling¡¯er seeking him out, ¡°I wonder what Master thinks of this?¡± ¡°This was to be expected,¡± Shi Yao answered calmly, ¡°Neither side can compromise with the Qilin, yet they fear an alliance between the Qilin and the White Tiger, so they are hurriedly seeking the support of the Dragon Clan.¡± ¡°With Qin Beiwang unyielding and the Ancestral Azure Dragon retiring behind the scenes, the only way to break the deadlock is through you.¡± ¡°Then how should your disciple respond?¡± Long Long quickly asked. ¡°Can¡¯t you think of how to respond?¡± Shi Yao asked back curiously, ¡°Do you know that recently Feng Yan went to Qin Beiwang, claiming to greatly admire your talent and wanting the Vermilion Bird Clan to take you as a son-in-law?¡± ¡°How could I, Long Long, possess such merit to attract such favor!¡± Long Long quickly covered his face, feigning embarrassment, ¡°What did the clan leader say?¡± ¡°If Feng Yan can see your talent, do you think Qin Beiwang can¡¯t?¡± Shi Yao replied with a cold smile, ¡°But the fact that Feng Yan could offer a piece of territory as a dowry, including three meteoric ore mines, almost made Qin Beiwang agree, truly an audacious move.¡± Almost changing his stance means that although he didn¡¯t in the end, he already entertained the idea. Damn, I knew the Azure Dragon Clan couldn¡¯t be relied on! I, Long Long, a fine White Dragon, am being arranged by you to mate here and there, where is the dignity in that! ???g?.?? Seeing Long Long¡¯s indignant expression, Shi Yao¡¯s heart steadied, but she said: ¡°I see that Long Hu His Highness doesn¡¯t seem to be a jealous type. Truly, if it were not for competing for the position of chief wife, it wouldn¡¯t matter even if you married them all. All the major lords view you as a son-in-law, so no matter who wins this struggle, they wouldn¡¯t easily target you.¡± ¡°How can this be acceptable?¡± Long Long immediately showed strong disapproval, ¡°I bear the future of the Jiaolong Clan on my shoulders! How could I sink to becoming a son-in-law for families with various surnames?¡± ¡°Since you are unwilling to engage in marital alliances, then it¡¯s simple.¡± Shi Yao observed his expression and, seeing that it didn¡¯t seem false, she continued languidly, ¡°Ultimately, the Azure Dragon Clan is in charge. As long as Qin Beiwang does not yield, no one can do anything to you.¡± ¡°In other words, as long as you maintain a good relationship with Qin Ye, seeing this, Qin Beiwang naturally won¡¯t have the thought of betrothing you elsewhere.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Long Long pretended to have a sudden realization. Seeing Shi Yao¡¯s expression relax, knowing that she no longer suspected him of siding with other Demon Races, he immediately seized the moment to ask, ¡°Master, wasn¡¯t the main branch of the Jiaolong Clan in Beiming Fanyang? Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Why haven¡¯t they provided us with any support after so many years? Have you been in contact with the Main Clan?¡± Shi Yao¡¯s expression did not change as she simply stated: ¡°No, the Beiming Fanyang is blocked by the Xuan Gui Clan, and its location has never been exposed.¡± ¡°Our lineage has resided in West State for generations and only later returned to the Azure Dragon Clan. If we still had ties with the Main Clan, do you think the Azure Dragon Clan would welcome our allegiance?¡± ¡°As for your affairs, Your Highness, there¡¯s no need to worry. Now is not the time to leave the Dragon Clan, you should just patiently cultivate and accumulate strength. When the time comes, we will inform you.¡± ¡°By the way, the Mystical Abilities Secret Scroll I gave you last time, with many secret techniques unique to our clan, how is your cultivation coming along?¡± Seeing Shi Yao absolutely refrain from mentioning matters of their own clan, Long Long realized that he still hadn¡¯t earned enough trust, similar to Wei Dongliu¡¯s relationship with the Hell Path, so he could only helplessly say: ¡°Mmm, regarding the Divine Skills of the Jiaolong Clan, your disciple indeed has some questions to consult with Master¡­¡± ¡°` Chapter 649 Chapter 649: Chapter 77 Blackmailing the little turtle Chapter 649: Chapter 77 Blackmailing the little turtle As mentioned earlier, the Dragon Clan¡¯s secret techniques can be divided into three categories: Dragon¡¯s Might, Spells, and Martial Techniques. The Dragon Clan¡¯s physical bodies are more formidable than those of other Demon Races, making martial techniques the easiest to learn and the quickest to show results. However, only the low-rank dragons study this, as anyone with a bit of ambition knows its limits are too low. It can only be used for bare self-defense, and one shouldn¡¯t waste too much time on it. Compared to that, spells cover a wide range, are powerful, and can inflict damage from a distance. Therefore, many dragons are obsessed with studying the spells and divine skills, which is considered the most mainstream faction currently. But it is only with Dragon¡¯s Might, difficult to learn and master, that once acquired, there are no weaknesses; its uses are infinite, and thus it is most valued by the upper echelons of the Dragon Clan. ???G?.?? Shi Yao taught Long Long a divine skill secret technique, which contained many Dragon¡¯s Might, spells, and martial techniques, but her first requirement was for him to thoroughly master the ¡°Ten Directions Dragon¡¯s Might.¡± ¡°Cloud-riding, rain-calling, these spells are fine to learn as is, and don¡¯t need too much practice,¡± Shi Yao had said at the time, ¡°But Dragon¡¯s Might must be practiced until you can control it as desired, summon and dispel at will, reaching a realm where you can at least intimidate high-rank Demon Race individuals for three breaths. Only then can it be considered perfected.¡± ¡°High-rank Demon Race?¡± Long Long confirmed, asking, ¡°What counts as a high-rank Demon Race?¡± ¡°Gui Ling¡¯er¡¯s type counts,¡± Shi Yao answered leisurely. So Long Long found Gui Ling¡¯er, asking her to be his practice partner for Dragon¡¯s Might. wuxiaworld.site ¡°You dump me aside like an old shoe after dual cultivation, and now you come looking for me when you need me, right?¡± Gui Ling¡¯er asked coldly, arms crossed. ¡°What do you mean ¡®dumped aside like an old shoe¡¯?¡± Long Long said, exasperated, ¡°Our relationship is purely cooperative, okay? Isn¡¯t it normal to part ways after a collaboration?¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Gui Ling¡¯er asked, puzzled, ¡°The Combined Attack Technique wasn¡¯t completed, and you call that ¡®after a collaboration¡¯? Why don¡¯t you find that fox to be your Dragon¡¯s Might practice partner then?¡± What exactly is this little turtle jealous of? We don¡¯t have anything to do with each other! Long Long, feeling helpless, could only resort to his best tactic of changing the subject: ¡°By the way, how are the talks going between your clan leader and ours?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know about this?¡± Gui Ling¡¯er replied irritably, ¡°So far, they haven¡¯t reached an agreement. Your clan leader is asking for too much.¡± ¡°Asking for territory?¡± Long Long pondered aloud. ¡°What a joke!¡± Gui Ling¡¯er gave him a contemptuous look, ¡°It¡¯s merely alliance negotiations, and he actually thinks my clan would cede territory? Does he think we are coming to him in defeat seeking peace?¡± Long Long then burst into laughter: ¡°Is that so? It seems the Vermilion Bird Clan is more sincere after all!¡± ¡°South State is willing to cede territory?¡± Gui Ling¡¯er was shocked, ¡°How is that possible! Has the Vermilion Bird Clan gone mad, willing to offer land to you just for an alliance?¡± ¡°This shows that the Vermilion Bird Clan has strategic vision,¡± Long Long said with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s impossible for them to cooperate with the Qilin, or rather, even if they were to completely submit to the other side, the Qilin would never trust them. After all, during Qi Weihuan¡¯s reign, they suppressed South State for decades.¡± ¡°If they don¡¯t cooperate with the Qilin, they have to come to our Dragon Clan. What else can they do, ally with your Xuanwu? One of you is in South State and the other in North State; your territories are not contiguous, and you can¡¯t support each other during war times. Coming to our Dragon Clan is the best choice.¡± ¡°Damn it,¡± Gui Ling¡¯er complained, feeling unable to retort, ¡°then why don¡¯t our three clans form an alliance and wipe out the Qilin and White Tiger together? Wouldn¡¯t that be better? After all, once the Vermilion Bird allies with you, they would decidedly not join the Qilin.¡± ¡°So that depends on the offer your clan makes,¡± Long Long said calmly, ¡°Make a high enough bid, and it¡¯s a three-clan alliance, united in attacking Central State; if the bid¡¯s not right, it¡¯s just mutual protection between the Southeast, watching you fight each other.¡± ¡°But ceding territory is definitely out of the question,¡± Gui Ling¡¯er emphasized, ¡°Anyone who dares to suggest that will be spat on as a traitor by our clan and vilified for eternity.¡± ¡°How about this,¡± Long Long offered a timely suggestion, ¡°You help me practice Dragon¡¯s Might, and I¡¯ll owe you a favor, to speak on your behalf to our clan leader, how about it? Of course, I cannot promise success given my limited influence.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Gui Ling¡¯er showed a look of conflict, but her heart was secretly delighted. She had actually planned to agree from the start, to test the depth of Long Long¡¯s strength, but she didn¡¯t expect this pleasant surprise. Long Long was also secretly pleased. He had never intended to persuade Qin Beiwang; he was just fooling the little turtle. Why keep a promise made without real intent? ¡°Alright then,¡± Gui Ling¡¯er pretended to be in great turmoil, finally agreeing, ¡°Being intimidated by Dragon¡¯s Might is very tiring, you must help me persuade your clan leader!¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Long Long pretended to be serious as well, ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°Be careful,¡± the Kunlun Mirror suddenly reminded, ¡°you¡¯re supposed to stick to your character, don¡¯t mix it up with a Falsehood persona! Making rash promises and failing to keep them later could cause a drop in your Synchronization Value, ow!¡± Long Long thought to himself that he almost forgot, and immediately said earnestly: ¡°I will naturally convey your message to the clan leader, but whether the clan leader listens or not is beyond my control.¡± ¡°Mhm,¡± Gui Ling¡¯er didn¡¯t expect Long Long to change the entire Dragon Clan¡¯s decisions and readily agreed upon hearing his words. Following that, Long Long finally realized why Shi Yao asked him to practice Dragon¡¯s Might with Gui Ling¡¯er. The Xuan Gui Clan possessed a Divine Skill called ¡°Shell Retraction,¡± allowing them to release demonic power around themselves to form a protective shield, warding off most attacks and consequently reducing the effect of Dragon¡¯s Might quite a bit. When Long Long unleashed the all-encompassing Dragon¡¯s Might, the little turtle hid inside her golden shell, showing no reaction to being intimidated, even occasionally asking, ¡°Did you use Dragon¡¯s Might?¡± It infuriated Long Long, who gritted his teeth and gathered up his True Yuan, determined to show Gui Ling¡¯er a lesson. Dragon¡¯s Might was somewhat like a fusion of Illusion Technique and Spell, with effects similar to an illusion ¨C it was undetectable when activated and impossible to dodge; yet, it also caused physical damage. For instance, back in the Demon Locking Tower, when Ying Long, the father-in-law, used Dragon¡¯s Might, it was an overwhelming pressure from all angles. Qiu Changtian barely managed to stand in midair with his Sword Control; he was dizzy and disoriented, which showed the strength of Dragon¡¯s Might. The Dragon¡¯s Might that Long Long was now using was akin to a tiny hammer. Though it could kill if it struck someone directly, facing someone like Gui Ling¡¯er who could resist illusions, it didn¡¯t seem impactful enough. After practicing for half a day with no effect, Gui Ling¡¯er suggested: ¡°Why don¡¯t you go ask some other Dragon Clan elders for advice?¡± Long Long thought that was a good point; working in isolation wouldn¡¯t be efficient. He wasn¡¯t like Ling Yunpo, who lacked a master. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Why not seek advice from other Dragon Clan elders? ¡°Don¡¯t forget to help me persuade your clan leader, okay?¡± Gui Ling¡¯er reminded him again before leaving. Long Long parted with Gui Ling¡¯er and went to find the clan leader, Qin Beiwang. This clan leader was presiding over a high-level elder meeting and only left the hall after a long while to meet Long Long. ¡°Clan leader,¡± Long Long was about to bow and speak, when Qin Beiwang waved his hand and said: ¡°You¡¯ve come at the right time; I was just looking for you.¡± ¡°Now that both Xuanwu and Vermilion Bird are seeking our help, how do you view the current situation?¡± Chapter 650 Chapter 650: Chapter 78 Moving Stones and Stubbing Feet Chapter 650: Chapter 78 Moving Stones and Stubbing Feet ¡°Let¡¯s start with the Xuan Gui Clan,¡± Qin Beiwang said in a deep voice. ¡°Do you know what conditions they have offered?¡± Long Long pondered for a moment: ¡°The promises of Qi Weihong?¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Qin Beiwang said with a cold laugh. ¡°Qi Weihong has promised that after his ascension to the throne, he will share a series of powers with the Dragon Clan, and he has laid out an extensive list.¡± ¡°The elders and I have reviewed the list and believe that, if it could be fully honored, it would indeed be very attractive to the Dragon Clan.¡± ¡°The premise is that it can be fully honored,¡± Long Long said calmly. ¡°Are there no immediate benefits that can be paid upon signing the alliance?¡± ¡°There are,¡± Qin Beiwang said succinctly. ¡°For example, some trade conditions, intelligence sharing, and rights to resource development, but in comparison to the whole, they hardly carry any weight.¡± ¡°The Xuan Gui Clan lacks sincerity,¡± Long Long immediately concluded. ¡°We don¡¯t have the power to force Qi Weihong to honor his promises after ascending the throne; benefits that can¡¯t be paid immediately are meaningless.¡± ¡°That¡¯s also what the old ancestor thinks,¡± Qin Beiwang sighed. ¡°At the moment, we¡¯re putting pressure on Gui Yan. wuxiaworld.site They seem very hesitant, continuously making concessions on specific terms, but as mentioned before, they never offer much that can be settled immediately.¡± ¡°It¡¯s quite peculiar,¡± Long Long frowned. ¡°Given the current political situation, the Xuanwu Clan doesn¡¯t have the capability to confront both Qilin and White Tiger at the same time. An alliance with the Dragon Clan is a must for them¡­ but that¡¯s entirely at odds with what the Xuanwu Clan is currently offering.¡± He sorted the current information in his mind and said: ¡°There are several possibilities.¡± ¡°The first is that the Xuanwu Clan can¡¯t pay these costs.¡± ¡°Is that possible?¡± Qin Beiwang asked curiously. ¡°The terms they¡¯re currently offering aren¡¯t beyond their capacity to pay.¡± ¡°It¡¯s unlikely,¡± Long Long answered. ¡°Unless Qi Weihong has different plans.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Qin Beiwang frowned. ¡°False promises might work on smaller Demon Race clans because they lack sufficient political understanding, but such verbal guarantees can¡¯t fool our Dragon Clan,¡± Long Long speculated thoughtfully. ¡°I can only say that unless the Xuan Gui Clan grossly underestimates us, it¡¯s improbable they would negotiate with us in this manner-they would anticipate that an empty show of power would only enrage us.¡± ¡°You mean, there is a disagreement between Qi Weihong and the Xuan Gui Clan,¡± Qin Beiwang understood quickly. ¡°This Qilin prince is too lofty and careless, thinking he doesn¡¯t need to take us, the Dragon Clan, seriously, and is insisting that the Xuan Gui Clan follow his commands?¡± ¡°Or to put it more precisely, this Qilin prince, Qi Weihong, has a considerable objection to me¡­ um, to my saving the little emperor from the assassin in the capital,¡± Long Long guessed tactfully. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then Qi Weihong is truly acting out of spite,¡± Qin Beiwang shook his head. ¡°However, sometimes we have to give in to such unreasonable big shots. What¡¯s the second possibility?¡± ¡°The second possibility is that the Xuan Gui Clan has already secretly formed an alliance with the Vermilion Bird Clan,¡± Long Long replied. ¡°They¡¯ve reached an agreement bypassing us?¡± Qin Beiwang frowned. ¡°But without the Eastern State as a hub, what good is an alliance to them?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Long Long said thoughtfully. ¡°But let¡¯s skip that step and think about what they would do next if they¡¯ve formed an alliance.¡± ¡°If they¡¯ve formed an alliance¡­¡± Qin Beiwang followed his train of thought, ¡°they still can¡¯t do without the involvement of our Eastern State; otherwise, the North and South States would be split and unable to coalesce. So their common goal must be to bring our Eastern State into the alliance.¡± ¡°But if the two have already formed an alliance, we won¡¯t be able to hold out for a better offer,¡± Long Long reminded. ¡°Hmm,¡± Qin Beiwang uttered in sudden realization, ¡°That explains it! This also explains why the Xuanwu Clan¡¯s offer was so low, because they had already colluded with Vermilion Bird and couldn¡¯t possibly make a higher bid.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s discuss the two possibilities,¡± Long Long, seeing that the clan leader was completely following his line of thought, spoke eloquently, ¡°The first possibility means the real resistance comes from Qi Weihong, not the Xuanwu Clan.¡± ¡°This situation is rather bad because we don¡¯t have much of a connection with Qi Weihong-in other words, it¡¯s unlikely we can change his perception of the Dragon Clan. Therefore, under these circumstances, we absolutely must not form an alliance with the Xuanwu Clan¡­more precisely, we must not allow Qi Weihong to ascend to the throne.¡± ¡°Exactly, that¡¯s the reasoning,¡± Qin Beiwang expressed his thorough agreement. How much trouble can an emperor prejudiced against a certain feudal lord bring to them? Not to mention anything else, just look at everything Qi Weihuan did to South State during his reign! Even after Qi Weihuan¡¯s death, Vermilion Bird refused to compromise with Qilin, resulting in outright hatred between the Feathered Clan and the Horned Clan-that¡¯s how much trouble an emperor can cause. ???G?.?? An emperor of the Demon Race in the Eastern Emperor Realm might find it very difficult to accomplish any great feats, but it is far too easy to make life miserable for a feudal lord. ¡°But if it¡¯s the second possibility, it¡¯s not too bad for us,¡± continued Long Long as he elaborated on his deductions, ¡°It¡¯s just that the buyers have colluded, preventing us from hiking up the price.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Qin Beiwang indicated he had completely understood, ¡°We were originally choosing between neutrality and allying with Xuanwu based on who offered the higher bid. Now that there¡¯s no choice to make, it¡¯s actually easier.¡± ¡°There¡¯s actually a third possibility,¡± Long Long gently reminded him, ¡°If Qilin¡¯s offer is high enough, it might not be out of the question¡­¡± Qin Beiwang was somewhat surprised because, considering how Long Long was treated in the capital, he had assumed Long Long was the most opposed to cooperating with Qilin. Excellent, truly the most intelligent talent of our Dragon Clan¡¯s generation! ¡°Cough, Long Long, you¡¯ve made a good point. There¡¯s a task within the clan I want to entrust to you,¡± Qin Beiwang thought for a moment, realizing that they still needed to spy out the exact situation between Xuanwu and Vermilion Bird-otherwise, their analysis would just be random speculation with no actionable value, ¡°Aren¡¯t you on good terms with Gui Ling¡¯er of the Xuan Gui Clan and Princess Feng Yan of the Vermilion Bird? Go and foster relations with them, then find out if they¡¯ve formed a secret alliance and what Qi Weihong¡¯s attitude towards our Dragon Clan is. Go!¡± Long Long: ¡­¡­¡­. How did I end up shooting myself in the foot again! Damn, if I had known the clan leader would ask me ¡°What do you think,¡± I should have just nodded along! Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only He left the hall, crestfallen, pondering how to extract information from Gui Ling¡¯er and Feng Yan while also keeping himself from being devoured when suddenly, he saw Long Hu running over, beaming with excitement. ¡°Long Long!¡± She rushed over and embraced his arm, exclaiming with surprise, ¡°I heard from people outside that Feng Yan has made a very generous offer to the Dragon Clan, asking for you to marry into their Feathered Clan. Is that true?¡± Long Long¡¯s eyes darted about as an idea took shape in his mind, and he whispered to Long Hu: ¡°The clan leader wants to clarify whether the Vermilion Bird has a secret alliance with the Xuanwu Clan, which is why he instructed me to accommodate Princess Feng Yan and Gui Ling¡¯er to glean information from them.¡± ¡°But, but!¡± Long Hu anxiously spun around, her tears nearly spilling over, ¡°Feng Yan clearly has designs on you, and the clan leader is still sending you to extract information? Isn¡¯t that like a snake entering an eagle¡¯s nest?¡± ¡°It won¡¯t do! Let me handle this; you mustn¡¯t go!¡± Chapter 651 Chapter 651: Chapter 79: Fox¡¯s Cunning Words Chapter 651: Chapter 79: Fox¡¯s Cunning Words Easily delegating his responsibilities to Long Hu, Long Long finally had time to focus on his own affairs. The main issue was still that of power compatibility. The persona of Long Long was different from all other personas. For example, Qiu Changtian, Ling Yunpo, Luo Yan, and Wei Dongliu, although each of them hailed from different Sects, their cultivation techniques were mutually compatible. In other words, if one day he discarded all these personas along with their inherent talent for Cultivation, Chen Guanshui¡¯s own body would still be able to use these cultivation techniques with ease-having the ability to adapt to countless streams and accumulate a vast collection is the greatest advantage of being a spy with multiple faces. But on Long Long¡¯s side, what he learned was all designed for the Dragon Clan. If the ¡°Dragon Clan Bloodline¡± of Long Long were lost, could Chen Guanshui still use those Dragon Clan cultivation techniques with his human body? If not, then what¡¯s the use of learning them? After all, it¡¯s only to play the part of Long Long more convincingly, but I can¡¯t possibly play a dragon forever, can I? ¡°Hmm, this problem is rather profound when you talk about it,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said, playing coy. ¡°Then explain it in a way that¡¯s simple and clear,¡± Long Long said. ¡°Well, I need to think about how to explain it in terms you can understand,¡± the Kunlun Mirror pondered for a moment, then replied, ¡°You know the difference between a Dharma Body and a True Body, right?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Long Long promptly responded, ¡°The True Body of the Demon Race is the demon body of their own racial species, while the Dharma Body is the human form after transformation. Since humans¡¯ hands are much more dexterous than those of other species, demons can use their hands to perform Daoist Formulas or Sword techniques after transforming, thereby better harnessing demonic power. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.cO That¡¯s the reason for Transformation.¡± ¡°Good, you¡¯ve put it well, but I didn¡¯t ask you why to transform, so don¡¯t answer more than required next time,¡± the strict teacher Kunlun Mirror said, ¡°Now the question is: Do you think the Dharma Body is an Illusion Technique superimposed on the True Body?¡± ¡°Of course not,¡± Long Long replied without hesitation. ¡°Correct,¡± said the Kunlun Mirror with a chuckle, ¡°The relationship between a Dharma Body and a True Body is not an Illusion Technique, but rather some kind of physical change. For comparison, it¡¯s like Core Formation in humans¡­ only that Transformation is far more intricate than Core Formation.¡± ¡°Ah Jing, you¡¯ve said so much, but what exactly are you trying to say?¡± Long Long asked impatiently. ???g?.?? ¡°Quiet! To put it in terms you can understand, I can only say it like this, so stick with my train of thought,¡± Kunlun Mirror replied impatiently, ¡°Otherwise, don¡¯t ask.¡± Long Long:¡­¡­ Why is Ah Jing so domineering, insisting that others follow her line of thought? He wondered where she learned such a barbaric style. ¡°Do you think humans can transform?¡± the Kunlun Mirror asked again. ¡°Uh¡­¡± Long Long pondered for a long time before guessing, ¡°They probably can, right? After all, the Great Thousand Worlds is full of wonders, and there could be some Cultivation Techniques within the Human Race that I am not aware of, capable of transforming a person into a variety of shapes.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right in your guess,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said calmly, ¡°Humans naturally have some Transformation Techniques. For instance, the Beast Taming Sect in the past had some human Cultivators who practiced a certain rare method that allowed them to partially or entirely transform into demonic forms.¡± ¡°So, you mean that Long Long is just my Transformed Dharma Body, and not some Illusion Technique form that you¡¯ve cast on me?¡± Long Long quickly realized something and excitedly asked. ¡°Yes, and no,¡± the Kunlun Mirror sighed, ¡°It¡¯s actually half and half.¡± ¡°What do you mean ¡®half and half¡¯? Stop talking in riddles, rawr!¡± Long Long protested. ¡°It¡¯s like¡­ half of it is Transformation and the other half is an Illusion Technique.¡± Kunlun Mirror struggled to explain, ¡°When I sent you to get a drop of Ying Long¡¯s Essence Blood, it was to use that medium to transform.¡± ¡°But, I don¡¯t understand any Transformation Cultivation Technique. After all, I¡¯m just a mirror¡­ So I used the Mirror Flower Water Moon Technique to overlay the template of Long Long onto you, thus deceiving the Essence Blood¡­ Do you understand?¡± ¡°Deceive the Essence Blood?¡± Long Long was startled, ¡°That¡¯s just like you, Ah Jing! Even Essence Blood is subject to your deceit!¡± ¡°Shut up, don¡¯t interrupt!¡± Kunlun Mirror snapped fiercely, ¡°Dragon Clan Essence Blood and a human body are definitely incompatible, not to mention the Essence Blood of a being like Ying Long of the Immortal Rank, so I used deception to allow it to slowly merge into your body. That¡¯s also why you not only look like a member of the Dragon Clan but can also use Dragon Clan Cultivation Techniques.¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s half and half, once you break free from the illusion and return to your human form, you definitely can¡¯t use Dragon Clan Martial Arts anymore, since you won¡¯t have claws or scales.¡± ¡°The power of Dragon Clan Spells will also be greatly reduced. However, because of the Essence Blood of Ying Long, you can still use a portion of it.¡± ¡°As for Dragon¡¯s Might, it¡¯s probably the least affected because its essence is to stimulate with Divine Sense. The Divine Sense of the Human Race and the Dragon Clan is not as distinctly different as their bodies are.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s how it is, why didn¡¯t you just explain it like this from the start instead of going through so much preliminary theory?¡± Long Long laughed heartily, ¡°So it means there¡¯s no need to practice Martial Technique and Spells at all, but it would be good to practice Dragon¡¯s Might more, is that right?¡± ¡°Actually, Spells can also be practiced more.¡± Kunlun Mirror replied, ¡°If you practice Dragon Clan Spells repeatedly with a human body, they will transform along with the changes in your True Yuan¡¯s circulation. They might become stronger or weaker, but they will ultimately be more suitable for humans.¡± ¡°Hmph, I got it.¡± Long Long had his own plans and left to check on Long Hu¡¯s situation. Just as he neared Feng Yan¡¯s residence, he saw Long Hu and Feng Yan walk out of the house, talking and laughing. Long Long quickly hid behind a corner, only to hear Feng Yan laugh and say: ¡°Sorry for the humble hospitality, let¡¯s chat another time. You should visit us in South State more often in the future. Our Vermilion Bird Clan and the Qingqiu Celestial Fox have some connections.¡± ¡°Thank you for the kind invitation, sister. I¡¯ll be sure to visit next time.¡± Long Hu responded very submissively. As soon as Long Hu turned the corner, Long Long pulled her over, lowering his voice in astonishment, he asked: ¡°Fox, how did you manage to win over that bird person? Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only You are really too fierce!¡± ¡°Ahem.¡± Long Hu turned her head away, slightly embarrassed, ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate me! In terms of communication skills, our Fox Clan is the strongest, okay?¡± ¡°Yes, yes, my little fox is the most amazing.¡± Long Long hugged her waist, thinking that she must have used the Celestial Fox Illusion Technique on Feng Yan. He took her to a secluded place and pressed for information, ¡°So, what¡¯s the situation with the Vermilion Bird Clan?¡± ¡°They¡¯ve definitely reached some sort of understanding with the Xuan Gui Clan.¡± Long Hu also lowered her voice, ¡°But I¡¯m not clear on the specifics. They¡¯re quite cautious and it¡¯s tough to get more information from them.¡± ¡°If there¡¯s no evidence, I won¡¯t be able to convince the clan leader.¡± Long Long frowned, disappointed. ¡°I¡¯ll ask Gui Ling¡¯er again for you.¡± Long Hu comforted him understandingly. Chapter 652 Chapter 652: Chapter 80 Signs of the Impending Storm Chapter 652: Chapter 80 Signs of the Impending Storm Long Hu took the initiative and, after wrapping up her conversation with Feng Yan, she sought to pry intelligence from Gui Ling¡¯er. It made Long Long marvel at her grace and adroitness in dealing with all sides, maintaining an impeccable royal demeanor to the fullest. Indeed, every fox is a natural-born genius in the art of enchantment. In this way, I would just have to sit back and wait for her to procure the answers for me. Before Long Long could catch his breath, the Dragon Clan in the Eastern State suddenly received shocking news. The Xuanwu from North State and the Vermilion Bird from South State had a secretive meeting in Central State plotting mischief; they were discovered by the imperial guard, and all the implicated parties were executed without exception. The news was so explosive that everyone was at a loss for a reaction at first. The only certainty was that the North and South States would not take this lying down. Storm clouds were on the horizon, and suddenly it seemed a storm was imminent; the whole Eastern State was caught unprepared, and the Dragon Clan was thrown into chaos-both the Xuan Gui emissary group stationed here and the Vermilion Bird emissary group requested immediate departure to prepare for war. Qin Beiwang was really caught in a quandary, as the Dragon Clan had not yet agreed on a pact with any feudal lords! ¡°Long Long!¡± he urgently called for Long Long and hurriedly said, ¡°Go and try to keep Feng Yan and Gui Ling¡¯er here! Of course, you probably can¡¯t¡­ but confirm what their situation is before they leave!¡± Left with no choice, Long Long could only go to Feng Yan and ask: wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site Cough cough.¡± Long Long nimbly dodged and then asked in a low voice, ¡°I just heard the emissaries who secretly met with the Xuan Gui in the capital were killed by the guards. Is it true?¡± ¡°Mmm, it¡¯s true,¡± Feng Yan replied with a meaningful smile. ¡°Though I don¡¯t know who did it, those who died happened to be the most hawkish elders of our family.¡± The hawks are dead? Long Long pondered for a moment and quickly realized: Feng Yan had mentioned previously that the Zhu Niao Clan was divided into two factions, one supporting watching from the sidelines and the other supporting aiding Xuanwu in fighting the Qilin. The former, represented by Feng Yan, came to the Eastern State to persuade the Dragon Clan to form an alliance for mutual protection; the latter secretly went to North State to meet with the Qilin¡­ ¡°But that¡¯s not right,¡± Long Long feigned disbelief. ¡°Even if the hawkish elders of your clan are foolish, they wouldn¡¯t be stupid enough to have a secret meeting with the Xuan Gui in the capital, would they?¡± ¡°Who knows?¡± Feng Yan said intriguingly. ¡°Perhaps they didn¡¯t die in the capital-just got discovered there.¡± ¡°Was it you?¡± Long Long was shocked. ¡°Worthy of Your Highness, such decisive action¡­¡± Before he could finish, Feng Yan covered his mouth. ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense!¡± she warned coldly. ¡°Even if I wanted to eliminate dissidents, why would I frame the Qilin? Killing them in North State and cutting off my clan¡¯s inclination to ally with Xuanwu wouldn¡¯t that be better?¡± ¡°Your point is well made.¡± Long Long broke free from her arms and nodded. ¡°So you¡¯re saying, Your Highness, that you indeed arranged for assassins to ambush in North State, but someone beat you to the punch in Central State.¡± ¡°I never said that,¡± Feng Yan replied with a teasing smile that seemed to say ¡°keep guessing.¡± ¡°No matter, now that the hawkish elders were assassinated, with an intention to stir up war between our clan and the Qilin Clan, I must hurry back to persuade my clan. You promised to help convince the Dragon Clan. Please fulfill your promise soon, or else the next time I come, it won¡¯t be an alliance treaty I¡¯m bringing to the Dragon Clan, but a marriage proposal.¡± ¡°Wait! When did I ever promise you¡­¡± Long Long was speechless. This manner of not listening and being domineering-it seems leaders from any realm share similar traits in personality. Nevertheless, Feng Yan did provide some valuable information: the hawkish elders of the Vermilion Bird Clan did not hold a secret meeting with the Xuanwu Clan in the capital. That is to say, someone clearly framed them. It¡¯s highly unlikely to be the Xuanwu Clan, since forming an alliance with the Vermilion Bird would be more advantageous; nor would it be possible for it to be the Qilin faction or insides of the Vermilion Bird, because if that were the case, this murder would have occurred in North State. By that logic, haven¡¯t all the feudal lords been ruled out? Surely it wasn¡¯t our Dragon Clan who instigated this¡­ Wait a minute! Long Long suddenly slapped his forehead: could it be Shi Yao and the others who were playing tricks? Now that I think about it, although my nominal master claimed to be a remnant of the Jiaolong, he hasn¡¯t revealed any concrete details to me at all! How many Jiaolong remnants are there currently? How many Cultivators? What about the resources? Where is our base? I know nothing! So we Jiaolong remnants, are we the Hell Path of the Eastern Emperor Realm? The more Long Long thought about it, the more his head ached. That¡¯s the problem with the Eastern Emperor Realm-conflicts often intertwine with family and politics, everyone is scheming against each other, and what¡¯s worse, there are just too many traitors, making it extremely difficult to clearly distinguish them. He went to find Gui Ling¡¯er, only to see the two of them walking out of the room arm in arm. Upon seeing him, they were momentarily stunned. ???g?.?0 Long Hu quickly threw him a look, then smiled at Gui Ling¡¯er: ¡°You see, I told you, here he comes in a hurry, doesn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°Humph.¡± Gui Ling¡¯er also showed a smile that was not quite a smile, ¡°I was talking to no avail at first, and now you come to ask for my help?¡± Long Long: ??? ¡°Actually, you can¡¯t really blame him,¡± Long Hu began to mediate from the side, ¡°Long Long is naturally cautious. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only If he said too much, the clan would inevitably have opinions about him.¡± ¡°Cough cough, indeed.¡± Long Long also quickly caught on, displaying an expression of regretful realization, ¡°Who could have known that the Qilin Clan would be so bold as to publicly kill two ducal envoys in the imperial capital!¡± ¡°What¡¯s there not to know?¡± Gui Ling¡¯er¡¯s face turned cold as she said indignantly, ¡°That demon queen even dared to poison the emperor; what¡¯s the big deal about killing a few ducal envoys?¡± Long Long and Long Hu then both exhibited righteous indignation. ¡°In any case, this tragedy that occurred in the imperial capital will only deepen the various demon clans¡¯ dissatisfaction and hatred for Qilin rule within the Eastern Emperor Realm,¡± Gui Ling¡¯er concluded, ¡°Your involvement in the cause of supporting the rightful emperor is still timely.¡± ¡°If you wait until everything is settled and then come to claim a share, it won¡¯t be that easy!¡± With that, the young Xuan Gui walked away with her head held high. Long Long and Long Hu looked at each other. After a long moment, Long Long sighed and said: ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°Qi Weihong is definitely dissatisfied with you,¡± Long Hu said with a bitter smile, ¡°If Qi Qiaosong had died at the hands of an assassin that day, the throne would have undoubtedly been his. So this Qilin prince believes that your Dragon Clan¡¯s support for the new emperor and negotiation with Xuanwu are just delaying tactics, aiming to buy time until you can get a higher price from the White Tiger and Qilin factions.¡± ¡°That¡¯s complete nonsense,¡± Long Long scoffed, ¡°It seems that Qi Weihong doesn¡¯t have the appearance of a wise ruler after all!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be hasty,¡± continued Long Hu, ¡°The reason Xuan Gui there has been aloof and not actively seeking our alliance seems to be due to other factors.¡± ¡°Other factors?¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± Long Hu frowned in confusion and said, ¡°Long Long, have you noticed something¡­¡± ¡°Since we left the imperial capital, the Qilin and White Tiger camps have never attempted to draw us in again?¡± Chapter 653 Chapter 653: Chapter 81: The War Begins Chapter 653: Chapter 81: The War Begins The Qilin camp¡¯s ability to keep its cool was something completely unexpected for the Dragon Clan. Because, theoretically, the combined strength of the Qilin and the White Tiger should be much stronger than that of the Xuanwu. But the Vermilion Bird and the Qilin are sworn enemies, and there is a high probability that the Vermilion Bird would support the Xuanwu; thus, the outcome of the battle became difficult to predict. If the Dragon Clan were to join the Xuanwu camp, the scales of war would tip immediately. Therefore, it was initially presumed by the Dragon Clan¡¯s side that both the Xuanwu and Qilin Clans would be eager to court them. But in reality, it was the Xuanwu and Vermilion Bird Clans who came to court them, while the Qilin Clan remained silent, as if they did not care which side the Dragon Clan chose. Very strange. After pondering for a moment, Long Long decided to thoroughly analyze the Qilin camp. It is well-known that the core of the Xuanwu camp is the Ancestral Xuan Gui, but the Qilin Clan has two cores: one is the Qilin ancestor, and the other is the White Tiger ancestor. The Empress Lu Ya¡¯s actions were clear as day to the Qilin ancestor, resulting in the Qilin¡¯s absolute disdain for the White Tiger-a disdain that was set aside only because they couldn¡¯t tolerate Qi Weihong, whom Xuan Gui supported, taking the throne, forcing them to ally temporarily with the White Tiger. From this point of view, the Qilin ancestor would hope to form an alliance or even a marriage with the Dragon Clan-at least to dilute the influence of the White Tiger Clan. The fact that the Qilin ancestor personally came out to ¡°retain¡± the envoy group when they left earlier was the best proof of this. Meaning, if there is someone in the Qilin camp who does not wish to ally with the Dragon Clan, it most likely isn¡¯t the Qilin ancestor. So, is the problem on the White Tiger¡¯s side? wuxiaworld.site Why wouldn¡¯t the White Tiger want to form an alliance with the Dragon Clan? Long Long relayed the situation to Long Hu and concluded by saying, ¡°The state of affairs and attitude of the White Tiger Clan are completely unknown to us at the moment, which was an oversight on my part.¡± ¡°Now, it seems that we should invite your aunt over to ask.¡± ¡°Speaking of which, it seems your aunt hasn¡¯t returned for quite some time,¡± Long Hu commented curiously. ¡°Alright,¡± Long Long sighed helplessly. West State is the furthest from Eastern State, and therefore their relationship is the most indifferent and distant, but he expected that the clan would have its hidden agents planted in West State. Might as well ask the clan leader. Long Long turned back to return to the council hall, thinking to himself, ever since joining the Azure Dragon Clan, he had indeed labored tirelessly for them, all to maintain his persona of dedication. In the minds of the Ancestral Azure Dragon, the clan leader, and the elders, he imagined he must be seen as a ¡°devoted contributor to the clan,¡± an excellent Dragon Clan member, right? Upon arriving at the council hall, he saw all the elders had gathered, which was a rarity, with clan leader Qin Beiwang seated at the top, but not in the principal seat, rather the secondary one. And if it wasn¡¯t the Ancestral Azure Dragon sitting in the principal seat, who else could it be? ¡°Long Long, you¡¯ve arrived just in time,¡± Qin Beiwang beckoned him to come quickly, ¡°The clan meeting has just begun.¡± Long Long promptly paid his respects to the elders, then sat down at the lowest seat. No sooner had he taken his seat than he heard a bombshell announcement: ¡°This morning, we received definitive intelligence,¡± Qin Beiwang said gravely, ¡°The Royal Court has declared war on the North State.¡± The elders looked at each other but remained silent, as they evidently already knew of this development. Long Long was left dumbfounded, thinking to himself, could it be? Are they really that bold? They started a war with West State without even notifying our Dragon Clan first? So, they mean to say, even if the Dragon Clan and West State were to join forces, we still wouldn¡¯t be enough for them to beat? ¡°Not only that, the White Tiger Clan has already dispatched troops from Lang Cang Mountain in West State, invading the Desolate Plain of North State and conquering thirteen cities in half a day,¡± Qin Beiwang continued. ¡°I have a question,¡± one of the clan elders suddenly interjected, ¡°Isn¡¯t there Cold Ridge Fortress in the Desolate Plain?¡± Long Long quickly recalled the knowledge he had learned from his clan, and remembered that Cold Ridge Fortress is a colossal fortress constructed by the Xuan Gui Clan in the border area adjacent to West State and to the west of the Desolate Plain, along the Cold Ridge Mountains. It is said to be interlaced with as many as three thousand Arrays, almost all of which are defensive. The White Tiger Clan has tried to remove this thorn from their side several times, and despite several large-scale military campaigns, they were unable to succeed, evidencing the fortress¡¯s formidable defense. ¡°The defensive Arrays of Cold Ridge Fortress are said to have been destroyed by a great extent,¡± Qin Beiwang hinted with his gaze, prompting one of the tribal elders to stand up and say, ¡°The fortress commander Gui Ping had no choice but to order a desperate defense of the fortress, resulting in the surrounding cities being taken one after another, unable to provide aid.¡± The elders looked in the direction of the speaker and realized it was Elder Shi Yao, who was in charge of intelligence work concerning West State. ¡°Cold Ridge Fortress has always been known for its strong defense and was highly valued by the Xuan Gui Clan. Why has it been destroyed to such an extent?¡± an elder asked, perplexed. ¡°The reason is quite simple and unexpected,¡± Shi Yao said calmly. ¡°Lv Yan from the White Tiger Clan has been confirmed to have advanced to Immortal Rank. Within half a day of attacking Cold Ridge Fortress, the defenders were powerless to resist.¡± Upon hearing this, all the dragons fell silent. Who was this Lv Yan anyway? He was the eldest brother of the empress, Lu Ya, said to be of an extremely high Grade Rank lineage and possessing extraordinary combat talents, enjoying unparalleled prestige within his clan for a time. It was rumored that his father had always wanted to pass on the position of clan leader to him, but the Ancestral White Tiger disapproved, and so the idea was dropped. Perhaps that¡¯s not easy to understand. To put it another way, ¡°the White Tiger version of Qiu Changtian,¡± would be an apt description. Long Long had carefully studied his record and found that this White Tiger Cultivator was quite ordinary in other respects, but when it came to Magical Competitions, he was a natural genius. Moreover, he was very bloodthirsty; when he fought with others, it was rare for it not to end in death or serious injury. It might be fair to say that he¡¯s the ¡°White Tiger version of An Zhisu.¡± However, wasn¡¯t this guy supposed to be a long way off from the realm of ancestral return to the root? So, he was the hidden card of the White Tiger Clan, concealing his true strength, huh? That¡¯s really despicable! The surrounding elders murmured to one another, seemingly sharing Long Long¡¯s thoughts. This Lv Yan, known as the White Tiger¡¯s serial killer, was already strong in the open, but now he was secretly hiding his strength, and suddenly advancing to the Ancestor¡¯s Realm was really¡­ ¡°Clan Leader!¡± Long Long suddenly grasped what Shi Yao was implying and immediately spoke out, ¡°So the Qilin Clan has never sought an alliance with our Dragon Clan, could it be because the strength of the White Tiger Clan is actually far greater than we anticipated?¡± This statement, once made, was like a rock thrown into a pond, causing a thousand ripples, and the expressions on the elders¡¯ faces all changed. West State is rich in mines, producing an abundance of Sun Crystal Stones and Moon Crystal Stones, which are similar to the Spirit Stones of the Mortal Realm; they can be used for cultivation as well as for currency. Hence, the wealth of West State is the greatest in the Eastern Emperor Realm. ???g?.?0 Otherwise, the Qilin Emperor, Qi Weihuan, wouldn¡¯t have married a despised tiger from the Horned Clan with a sneer. Now that the White Tiger killer star has ascended to the Ancestor¡¯s Realm, it comes as a sudden shock to everyone; might West State have more cards it¡¯s hiding? For instance, could the number of Cultivators in West State, the strength of its army, far exceed the expectations of the other lords? Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Then, the reason the Qilin Clan hasn¡¯t come to us for an alliance would be understandable ¨C because the White Tiger Clan believes it is better to monopolize the fruits of victory rather than share them with the Dragon Clan. What arrogant White Tigers! Many of the elders were visibly upset, though they did not speak out. Their glances towards the Ancestor were suggestive, basically saying, ¡°In that case, we might as well switch our support to Xuanwu.¡± Clan Leader Qin Beiwang, however, could not act on sentiment alone, so he turned directly to Long Long and asked: ¡°Long Long, you have always had clever strategies. What do you think our Dragon Clan should do now?¡± Chapter 654 Chapter 654: Chapter 82 The war is imminent, both sides are¡­ Chapter 654: Chapter 82 The war is imminent, both sides are¡­ ¡°` ¡°What do you expect me to do, how should I know what to do? All of you are the Dragon Clan¡¯s pillars of state, don¡¯t you have your own opinions and brains? Must you ask me, a mere young dragon?¡± Fortunately, the Ancestral Azure Dragon also noticed something was amiss and quickly coughed to interject. ¡°Normally, you would ask Long Long in private, whether for an examination or for advice, and that would be perfectly fine. But now, at the formal gathering of the Dragon Clan to decide on matters of war, how can it be that a room full of seniors and wise members do not inquire amongst themselves but rather turn to a junior for answers?¡± Qin Beiwang also realized his slip of the tongue (mainly because he had asked too casually) and quickly changed his tune, saying: ¡°Just casually sharing thoughts is all, even if the opinions are unsophisticated, no one will laugh at you.¡± ¡°Cough, as for matters of war, I would not dare to speak rashly,¡± Long Long promptly declined. Though he played the role of being persistent, after being tripped up a few times, he¡¯d finally learned to be a bit wiser. Seeing that Long Long was unwilling to contribute his stratagems, Qin Beiwang seemed slightly disappointed, but the Ancestral Azure Dragon was quite satisfied with his sense of the times and spoke up: wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.Co What are your thoughts? Feel free to speak.¡± Consequently, the clan elders began to speak up, each presenting his view. Overall, those in favor of neutrality and watching the war, and those calling for participation, were divided in a rough ratio of three to seven¡­ most tended to agree with what Long Long had said, believing that the White Tiger Clan must have a powerful backing, possibly hiding a myriad of trump cards. If the two major camps could engage in a drawn-out war, continuously bleeding each other, then maintaining a neutral stance would definitely be advantageous-but if the Qilin and White Tiger alliance could effortlessly conquer, claiming five cities today, ten tomorrow, and the day after reaching the Xuanwu Clan¡¯s stronghold, Broken Spring City, it would be equivalent to sitting ducks waiting for the Qilin Clan¡¯s retribution. Better to join the Xuanwu Clan than wait for death. After listening to the clan elders¡¯ opinions, Qin Beiwang discussed for a short while with the Ancestral Azure Dragon, and then announced the Dragon Clan¡¯s participation in the war. Forming an alliance with the Vermilion Bird and Xuanwu, to oppose the Qilin and White Tiger coalition! Long Long, listening from below, shook his head secretly. The situation had been pushed to this extent; it was already looking quite bleak. He had originally thought he could hold out for a better offer, negotiating between the Qilin and Xuanwu camps to get the best benefits. However, in the end, the Qilin didn¡¯t give two hoots about the Dragon Clan. The Xuanwu side was indeed very active, but Qi Weihong seemed to have a certain view of the Dragon Clan, which could also mean serious trouble in the future. The only reliable option was the Vermilion Bird. If I were the Ancestral Azure Dragon, I would definitely seek out the Vermilion Bird immediately and sign a deeply binding alliance with them to avoid the Xuanwu¡¯s dominance within the ranks¡­ Tch, why do I need to think so much? It¡¯s giving me a headache! It¡¯s all irrelevant to me anyway, I¡¯m going to make a run for it with the fox sooner or later. As Long Long was pondering this, he saw Qin Beiwang signaling him to come to the back hall. ¡­¡­¡­ ¡°Participate in the war? You want me to?¡± Long Long asked incredulously. ¡°To put it broadly, in times of war, all members of the Dragon Clan have the duty to fight,¡± Qin Beiwang said seriously, ¡°If you avoid battle, it will severely affect your reputation within the clan, and the clan members will have grievances against you.¡± ¡°On a smaller scale, if you can achieve merits in this war, it will be greatly beneficial for you in gaining prestige later on, and even in aspiring to more important positions within the clan.¡± Long Long finally came to a realization, seemingly understanding the truth of the situation. The demon race¡¯s noble families of the Eastern Emperor Realm are completely different from the cultivation sects of the Mortal Realm. If the latter is, in most cases, just a loose cultivation sect, then the former is a unified entity that encompasses politics, military, and economy, with a management system many times stricter than that of cultivation sects. The Ziwei Master could, out of concern for Qiu Changtian¡¯s safety, ask him to stay safe within Kunlun without fulfilling sect duties and enjoy top-notch resource support¡­ However, on the demon race¡¯s side, that would be impossible, as there would definitely be protests from the lower-ranking clan members. ¡°` Long Long had no choice but to agree with a positive attitude first, and then he covertly sought advice from Long Hu on what to do. ¡°Long Hu, Qin Zhou, and Qin Ye, all of you are assigned to the same team, led personally by the Great Elder, to carry out military orders,¡± Qin Beiwang replied. Oh, so it¡¯s the gilded team. Long Long immediately understood. Even in a war, the foot soldiers and the nobility are naturally treated differently. On this team, with someone as talented and smart as Long Long, someone with a special background like Long Hu, and the two royal members Qin Zhou and Qin Ye, plus the team led by the Great Elder Qin Chaocang, who was the strongest of all, the possibility of casualties in war was minimized. ???G?.?? In that case, it seemed rather comfortable¡­ Wait, why do I suddenly have a bad feeling? It seems like every time I think I¡¯ve got a sure win for a trip, something unexpected always happens in the end¡­ With a lot on his mind, Long Long left the council hall and found Long Hu in her bedroom, grooming her fur, and told her about the upcoming battle. ¡°A fight?¡± Long Hu didn¡¯t seem scared at all, and she revealed an extremely cute smile, ¡°It¡¯s okay, Long Long will protect me, right?¡± Long Long really wanted to say that fighting was not the same as war, then he thought it was unnecessary to explain so much; after all, even if he found a way to make Long Hu understand what war was, it would only make her more frightened. Better to let her spend the time before the battle peacefully. After cuddling with the fox for a while, Long Long also felt a little upset. Qiu Changtian wanted to fight the Demon Cult, Wei Dongliu wanted to fight the Orthodox Sect. He thought he could rest and relax in the Eastern Emperor Realm, but unexpectedly, he had to head to the battlefield again. Why does there have to be a fight everywhere I go? ¡°Ah Jing, go to Wei Dongliu¡¯s side,¡± Long Long ordered. Although he still didn¡¯t know how to deal with Jiang the Witch, whose aggressiveness was shocking, the timeline on Wei Dongliu¡¯s side was already falling behind. Unless he didn¡¯t want the Hell Path fragment of the Heaven-Mending Stone, he¡¯d eventually have to get to work. [Location Four: Shiping Mountain, Tong Xuan Gate territory.] [Identity: Wei Dongliu.] [Mirror Flower Water Moon Template overlay, time-space travel in progress.] Wei Dongliu, who was meditating, opened his eyes and saw Jiang the Witch close to his face with her eyes closed, her delicate little nose twitching. Was she about to kiss him? Wei Dongliu was shocked. Then he realized she seemed to be smelling something on him. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Wei Dongliu pushed her away indifferently. ¡°I¡¯m smelling the scent of the Demon Lord on my husband,¡± Jiang Lian said, covering her face in rapture, ¡°It¡¯s simply rich and sweet.¡± Is sweet really the right word to use here? Wei Dongliu felt somewhat headache. ¡°Wife, it¡¯s time to convene the Sect assembly,¡± he gently reminded Jiang Lian to get off him. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only But what¡¯s the deal with this witch? Her weight is exceptionally light, almost like a cat. ¡°It¡¯s because I¡¯m thin,¡± Jiang Lian said with her hands on her hips, ¡°Don¡¯t believe me? Why don¡¯t you feel for yourself?¡± Wei Dongliu: ¡­¡­¡­ You can read minds, can¡¯t you? Chapter 655 Chapter 655: Chapter 83 The Main Body Assumes Full Responsibility Chapter 655: Chapter 83 The Main Body Assumes Full Responsibility Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect¡¯s residence is still located within the belly of Shiping Mountain, a secret restricted area of the Mortal Life Path. The temporary residence for the Mortal Life Path Sect is located at the original site of Tong Xuan Gate on Central Peak, which thousands of years ago used to govern the Mortal Life Path until someone annihilated the sect. However, recently some Mortal Life Path Cultivators have suggested that this place might be rather unlucky. It¡¯s said that years ago the killing was so rampant here that blood flowed like rivers. The Tong Xuan Gate cultivators, both from the Inner Sect and Outer Sect, as well as their disciples¡¯ families, were all herded together and mercilessly slaughtered, with all the Daoist teachings and scriptures thoroughly plundered. That¡¯s why, even though the spirit veins and terrain nearby are top-notch, none of the external forces that joined the Mortal Life Path Path later established their residence in this vicinity. As for the talk of what¡¯s ¡°auspicious or inauspicious,¡± Wei Dongliu simply didn¡¯t care. That¡¯s about enough, I¡¯m not trying to make the Mortal Life Path last through the ages or rule over the Mortal Realm¡­ I¡¯m just a ruthless pawn. Whatever Hell Path¡¯s Elder Luo tells me to do, I do. Once I get the pieces of the Heaven-Mending Stone, I wouldn¡¯t mind if the Mortal Life Path explodes right on the spot the next second. In line with his desire to avoid undue effort, Wei Dongliu still chose to temporarily settle at the ruins of Tong Xuan Gate, using it as the provisional residence for the Mortal Life Path. On the way to Central Peak, he took advantage of Jiang the Witch¡¯s inattention to sneak a peek at his Communication Jade Slip. He saw that Hell Path¡¯s Elder Luo had sent him an ardently worded letter of praise, saying that his recent unification of Mount Wutai was ¡°decisive in killing¡± with ¡°the poise of a sovereign ruler,¡± and told him to ¡°keep up the good work¡± and ¡°quickly become the Supreme Lord of the Demonic Path,¡± leaving Wei Dongliu doubly speechless. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site Forget it, as long as you¡¯re happy. Raising his head again, he saw that Jiang the Witch was still not paying attention and secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Arriving at the Mortal Life Path residence, he saw that the ruins and dilapidated walls surrounding it had been completely refurbished and many of the buildings had also been fully transformed. But there was still an air of desolation and solemnity lingering around the site, which never seemed to fade away. Wei Dongliu carefully sensed it for a moment and immediately knew it was the aura of a Heavenly Tribulation. Certainly, someone in the past must have refined some Demonic Treasure here, and it had to have been an atrocity of enormous magnitude, vile enough to have incurred such punishment from the heavens. ???g?.?? The lingering aura of the Heavenly Retribution, though harmless, caused any life form to instinctively feel panic and fear-much like animals are afraid of fire. Having arrived at the Sect¡¯s main hall, Wei Dongliu saw that all the cultivators above the Golden Core Realm were gathered there, awaiting Sect Master Wei¡¯s instructions. Wei Dongliu roughly counted, and there were about a hundred Nascent Soul Elders. They couldn¡¯t compare with Kunlun, Shushan, and Penglai, as the Mortal Life Path was the weakest within the direct lineage of the Intercepting Cult, and they also experienced long-term division and internal strife, which depleted a great number of their vital forces¡­ The size it had now was because Wei Dongliu, during his process of unifying Mount Wutai, had coerced and enticed many external forces to join the Mortal Life Path. Currently, in the Mortal Life Path, the number of high-rank cultivators from external sects was roughly equal to those from the Intercepting Cult¡¯s heritage, which could be said to be evenly matched. But just from the way they were standing, it was clear that the cultivators of Lingxiu Mountain, Cloud Snow Mountain, and Moonfall Mountain were all familiar with each other and stood together in silence, creating an imposing sense of law and discipline. The external cultivators, on the other hand, were scattered, chattering quietly among themselves, showing they had no discipline or organization to speak of, which allowed Sect Master Wei free rein to manipulate and integrate them. Wei Dongliu transformed into the image of the Abi Devil Lord and strode onto the stage, upon which the crowd below immediately fell silent. The reason was simple: His red hair and heavy pupils were terrifying to behold, not to mention the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword he carried on his back. ¡°As everyone here is aware,¡± Wei Dongliu spoke indifferently, ¡°our Mortal Life Path Sect has recently undergone a significant transformation, necessitating nearly a complete reassessment of personnel and residences.¡± ¡°The foremost issue concerns the residences: Now that Mount Wutai has been fully united, the continued dispersed stations of our cultivators seem too lax and disorganized, detracting from the sect¡¯s dignity.¡± ¡°Centralizing the residences is a matter of urgency. As for the location, everyone is free to discuss-I will listen to your opinions first.¡± The assembly exchanged looks, and silence reigned for a moment before a cultivator cautiously asked: ¡°Sect Master, are you aware that Tong Xuan Gate was annihilated right here in the past?¡± ¡°What of it?¡± Wei Dongliu retorted. ¡°This place still harbors the remnants of the Heavenly Tribulation¡¯s aura, residing here may bode ill,¡± another Nascent Soul Elder spoke up. Wei Dongliu¡¯s gaze swept across the crowd, and indeed, he saw that it was a Nascent Soul Elder from an external power. Living in a world of cultivation, where Art Calculation and such have been proven, it was countless among cultivators who superstitiously believed in various mystic arts, especially those from smaller sects. Not to mention the Heavenly Tribulation, a terrifying concept to everyone. There was a joke about a senior loose cultivator who was extremely averse to anyone mentioning the word ¡°tribulation,¡± and even words that sounded similar were taboo. When the younger generation chatted about ¡°results,¡± they had to say ¡°outcome¡± instead. Eventually, when the senior cultivator faced his tribulation, he luckily survived, although the tribulation had severely damaged his Daoist foundation, forcing him to dwell in his cave and nurse his wounds. When a friend heard he had gone to face the tribulation, he came to inquire about his state. After the younger one described the Heavenly Tribulation in detail, the friend trembled with fear and kept asking, ¡°And then? What was the result?¡± To which the younger one, out of habit, replied, ¡°The outcome doesn¡¯t look good,¡± leading the friend, upon his return, to tell others that he had been killed by the Heavenly Tribulation¡­ Wei Dongliu, of course, scoffed at such jokes, and said coldly: ¡°If you fear even the residual aura of the Heavenly Tribulation, what will you do when facing the actual tribulation-die from fright on the spot?¡± The Nascent Soul Elder, feeling shamed, tried to justify: ¡°The Heavenly Tribulation is a matter of fate, who can predict it? How can one know what karmic retribution they might face in their next tribulation for disrespecting it?¡± Wei Dongliu looked around the hall again, seeing many people unable to refrain from nodding in agreement. To be honest, he certainly understood everyone¡¯s desire to seek benefits and avoid harm, but to ignore an available residence here and, instead, insist on constructing a tower from scratch elsewhere-do I have so much time to waste with you all? Indeed, managing a sect is a millennium-long enterprise, and choosing the location is a crucial step, but I merely wish to become the unfeeling master of the Six Paths, not to actually engage in constructing a sect, so why bother choosing a site? Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only I can¡¯t be bothered anymore; this is the place! He then released his Demon Lord¡¯s aura and declared authoritatively: ¡°Heavenly Tribulation a matter of fate? What a joke! If there really is karmic retribution, then let the Heavenly Dao settle it all on this sovereign. I shall bear it alone; it has nothing to do with the rest of you!¡± His words were so imposing that the other cultivators didn¡¯t know how to reply, and some even began to admire the Sect Master¡¯s grand aspirations, dispelling their original fears. Chapter 656 Chapter 656: Chapter 84 All Cultivators Are Treated Equally Chapter 656: Chapter 84 All Cultivators Are Treated Equally Does the Heavenly Dao exist? It does. Ah Jing confirmed it herself. Does the Heavenly Dao possess wisdom? It does not. This was also confirmed by Ah Jing herself. If I ask the Heavenly Dao to punish Wei Dongliu, will it truly punish him? It will not. The Heavenly Dao does not have time to be concerned with the trivial matters of the mortal world, and it will not strike someone dead with Divine Thunder simply because they say, ¡°If I¡¯m lying, may Heavenly Thunder strike me dead.¡± But the Mortal Life Path Cultivators do not know this! The Cultivators could only assume that it was the overbearing presence of Wei, the Demon Lord, who didn¡¯t even take the Heavenly Tribulation into account, and were all immediately struck with awe and wonder. Even the Three Pure Orthodox Sect wouldn¡¯t dare to speak like this! Probably only the leader of our Mortal Life Path could utter such arrogant words. The first Sect meeting of the Mortal Life Path came to an end amidst an atmosphere of shock and awe. wuxiaworld.site It was not long after that the Blood Sea Ancestor made a statement: ¡°Well said! If one fears a land that has experienced Heavenly Tribulation as if it were a snake or scorpion, then it¡¯s better not to practice cultivation at all! Where in this world can the Heavenly Tribulation not reach?¡± ¡°The Dao of Mortals has fifty paths, the Heaven grows forty-nine, and one escapes; everyone should strive to seize them! Wei Dongliu¡¯s words deeply touch my heart, and from now on, anyone who rashly discusses the Sect Residence deserves to be executed.¡± With these words, the public opinion within the Mortal Life Path instantly turned around completely. ???G?.?? Everyone began to say that Sect Master Wei, as the rightful heir of Tong Xuan Gate, chose the ruins of the old Tong Xuan Gate, which had been destroyed, as the new residence of Tong Xuan Gate to instill the resolve and tenacious spirit of ¡°rising up from where one has fallen¡± in the Sect Cultivators. This change in attitude spread so quickly that those Cultivators who had been complaining behind closed doors but didn¡¯t dare to grumble in public, were left dumbfounded. Upon deeper reflection, it seemed to make sense. If it were not to inspire everyone, why choose this location specifically? What benefit could Wei Dongliu possibly gain from it? By the afternoon, a new discourse emerged uproariously; everyone was adamantly claiming that Wei Dongliu¡¯s insistence on choosing this location for the Mortal Life Path Residence was to constantly remind everyone of the importance of unity. How strong Tong Xuan Gate once was, but due to internal disunity, it met its complete destruction and discontinuation of its Daoist tradition. If the Mortal Life Path continues to be fragmented like this, the past events at Tong Xuan Gate here will serve as a lesson! This message rang like morning and evening bells, so much so that even the Cultivators from outside who previously felt little sense of belonging, began to tense up privately upon hearing these words. Keep in mind, although they have not yet fully accepted the identity of Mortal Life Path Cultivators, to other Cultivators outside, they are authentic Demon Path Cultivators. If one day the Mortal Life Path encounters a disaster like Tong Xuan Gate did in the past, would they be able to argue in front of their enemies that they are not Mortal Life Path Cultivators? When the nest is overturned, how can there be whole eggs? Upon this realization, these external Cultivators resigned themselves to their fate, and their enthusiasm and initiative in building the Sect increased significantly. This, in turn, was noticeable to the original Mortal Life Path Cultivators from the Three Sects, As Sect Master, Wei Dongliu spent the entire afternoon dealing with governmental affairs, so busy that he was almost overwhelmed. There was no helping it, as there were too few people available for use; he had to do the work himself for the time being. Oh right, those two disciples, Guo Jin and Wang Cong, although their cultivation levels are not very impressive, are ultimately trustworthy people of my own. They can be cultivated to help me out! Just as he was fully engrossed in considering how to make use of these two disciples, he saw Jiang the Witch come floating in from the hall entrance, smiling and saying, ¡°You truly live up to being my husband. With merely the choice of the Sect¡¯s location, you have rekindled the cohesion of the Sect¡¯s people. I too had just come to understand this not long ago.¡± Wei Dongliu: ??? ¡°What do you mean?¡± he asked with a frown. ¡°No special meaning.¡± Jiang Lian straightforwardly sat in his lap, wrapped her arms around his neck, and laughed, ¡°I just admire you, that¡¯s all.¡± Wei Dongliu: ¡­¡­ What kind of riddle is this witch playing with me? ¡°Now that the residence has been established, the original Tong Xuan Gate residence inside Shiping Mountain must be repurposed,¡± Wei Dongliu said indifferently. ¡°Firstly, we must keep the existence of that place a secret and treat it as factional confidential information.¡± ¡°Secondly, Guo and Wang no longer need to stay inside. Instead, they should come out and help me with my business.¡± ¡°What business?¡± Jiang the Witch asked in surprise. ¡°Neither of them even have a Golden Core.¡± ¡°In the service of Demon Lord Wei, I don¡¯t look at seniority,¡± Wei Dongliu said calmly, ¡°only loyalty.¡± Even as the Great Unrestrained Heavenly Demon, Jiang Li An was left speechless by Wei Dongliu¡¯s remarks. Loyalty only? But I have betrayed you before. I sold you out in front of Elder Caie. How could you choose to spare me? ¡°Hmph,¡± she said, twisting her body. ¡°Fine, but if you wish to command me, dear husband, you¡¯ll need to reward me first.¡± ¡°What kind of reward?¡± Wei Dongliu asked, surprised. Jiang Li An gave a coy, beguiling smile but said nothing, simply pointing at her moist lips with her finger. Wei Dongliu sighed inwardly, thinking to himself that he truly had no way to handle her. Well, a kiss wouldn¡¯t be a loss, since we¡¯re already Daoist companions after all. As he was about to lower his head, his mouth was stopped by Jiang the Witch. ¡°Hold on,¡± she said seductively. ¡°I want the kiss from the Demon Lord¡¯s form.¡± So now you¡¯re getting playful! Wei Dongliu felt annoyed inside, silently lamenting that he really couldn¡¯t get away, otherwise he wouldn¡¯t let this witch manipulate him. Thus, he activated the innate ability of the Chaotic Demon Body, transforming into the Demon Lord¡¯s Dharma Body with red hair and dual pupils, and then¡­ Wait! Why are you so proficient at this! A quarter-hour later, Wei Dongliu looked up blankly, suddenly feeling like he had been thoroughly taken advantage of. Jiang Li An also rose from his embrace, smacking her lips as if she had just enjoyed a delicious meal, and said languidly: ¡°Apart from having those two come here, is there anything else you need me to do?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Wei Dongliu pondered for a moment, ¡°Let the Flying Asura stay there for now, to ensure the mountain passageway is secure. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Besides you and me, anyone who trespasses should be killed without hesitation.¡± ¡°With its sealed strength, handcuffed as it is, who can it kill?¡± Jiang the Witch asked with a curl of her lip. ¡°Then just intimidate any intruders will do,¡± Wei Dongliu continued to say, ¡°As for the Dharma Transmission statues, have them moved over.¡± ¡°Moved where?¡± ¡°To the back hall,¡± Wei Dongliu suddenly recalled the Cardinal Hall of the ruins of the Donghua Sect and said subconsciously, ¡°From today onwards, that back hall will be known as the Dharma Transmission Hall.¡± ¡°Only those who have made great contributions to the sect, with the approval of the Sect Master, may enter and learn the Daoist magic and secret techniques from the Dharma Transmission statues!¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to open up those Daoist magic and secret techniques to the entire Mortal Life Path?¡± Jiang Li An asked in surprise, ¡°Aren¡¯t those the unique doctrines passed down through your Tong Xuan Gate?¡± This was truly heretical. It¡¯s common knowledge that legacy and doctrine between sects are almost completely independent from one another. For example, the Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra of Ziwei Master would absolutely never be passed down to other Kunlun Cultivators. ¡°What does it matter?¡± Wei Dongliu, not caring to ponder, waved his hand dismissively, ¡°Under my rule, the Mortal Life Path is the Tong Xuan Gate, and all cultivators are treated equally!¡± Chapter 657 Chapter 657: Chapter 85 Prestige Skyrockets Sect Master Wei Chapter 657: Chapter 85 Prestige Skyrockets Sect Master Wei Zhang Quan was a spy that Kunlun had planted within the Mortal Life Path. In this world, counterintelligence technology simply didn¡¯t exist, so it was a matter of course for the great sects to embed moles within rival sects, without the need for debating the legitimacy of such actions¡­ After all, if there truly were some sort of lie-detection magical treasure, it would definitely be placed in the center of the square by the sect leaders for cultivators to test themselves with daily. Under such conditions, the Kunlun Mirror would not take a fancy to someone so easily. There must be quite a few spies like Zhang Quan in the Mortal Life Path. It¡¯s just that he didn¡¯t know exactly who they were, for spies needed to be inconspicuous and keep a low profile. If Zhang Quan knew who the spies were, it meant that there was something about them that aroused suspicion, and such individuals often weren¡¯t far from death. After all, the Demonic Path didn¡¯t care for evidence at all; suspicion alone was enough to apprehend and soul-search someone-Sect Master Wei Dongliu was rumored to have the bloodline of the Abi Devil Lord, and if any spy fell into his hands, it was inevitable that they would beg for death but not attain it, preferring death to their tormented existence. When exposure was imminent, it was best to think of a way to commit suicide sooner rather than later. It wasn¡¯t that Zhang Quan had been born with the desire to be a spy. He came from a branch of Kunlun, the kind where a Kunlun Elder went out to establish a sect of their own. As everyone knows, even excellent employees of large companies often go bankrupt after leaving to start their own businesses, and the sect that Zhang Quan was originally from had fallen into such disrepair by his generation that he had no choice but to shamelessly seek recognition and return to the main Kunlun Sect. The Kunlun Sect sent people to verify and found that the aptitude for cultivation among these disciples wasn¡¯t great. By Kunlun¡¯s standards, many didn¡¯t even qualify to become outer sect disciples and thus were simply dismissed. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co Zhang Quan was initially among those to be dismissed, but because he was eloquent, he was approached by an elder of Kunlun and transformed into a spy; from then on, he lived a dangerous life where each day could be his last. The decision to become a spy was also due to his unwavering obsession with the pursuit of cultivating for longevity. As the saying goes, ¡°Humans die in pursuit of wealth, as birds die in pursuit of food.¡± Being a spy was certainly a high-risk job, but giving one¡¯s life could at least be exchanged for abundant cultivation resources. Although those spirit stones were almost insignificant to Kunlun¡¯s inner sect disciples, for Zhang Quan, whose aptitude was so poor that he couldn¡¯t even enter the outer sect, they were his only hope of continuing his cultivation journey¡­ Hmm? What cultivation technique? Suddenly, Zhang Quan saw many disciples walking excitedly toward the rear palace, clamoring about some ¡°cultivation technique.¡± Upon hearing these two words, his feet felt as if they were bound by ropes, and he absentmindedly followed them. The square between the rear and main halls wasn¡¯t large, yet at this moment, it was packed to the point of being impassable by the numerous cultivators. If it weren¡¯t for the many elders and true persons present, the crowd would have already erupted into a noisy clamor. Standing on the stone steps of the rear hall were Guo Jin, Wang Cong, and Jiang the Witch with a smile on her face and hands behind her back. The two disciples were only at the Foundation Establishment Stage; seeing the many Golden Core True Persons mixed in the crowd made them subconsciously nervous. But with their Master Jiang standing behind them, they received considerable assurance. At least, they were able to maintain their composure amidst all the attention and didn¡¯t show signs of fear. Jiang Lian also sighed to herself. The intense ¡°greed¡± emanating from the crowd was as palpable to her as roasted meat under a dog¡¯s nose. These cultivators were indeed poor; the moment they heard ¡°the chance to learn a cultivation technique,¡± they came running eagerly, not even bothering to ask what the technique was about¡­ ¡°Fellow sect members, please quiet down for a moment,¡± Guo Jin said aloud, estimating that most of the crowd had already gathered (and even if more people were to come, they wouldn¡¯t be able to squeeze into the square). He had encountered many fortuitous events during his Foundation Establishment and Refining Mansion stages, hence his True Yuan was relatively robust compared to his peers. At that moment, as he used a secret technique to amplify his voice, it thundered like Heavenly Thunder, enabling every cultivator in the square to hear him clearly: ¡°By the command of Sect Leader Wei, this place will henceforth be the ¡®Dharma Transmission Hall.¡¯ Any disciple who has made contributions to the Mortal Life Path, regardless of their cultivation level or their master, as long as the Sect Leader deems their contributions sufficient, will be eligible to enter the Dharma Transmission Hall to study. Whether it is the Breathing Technique for cultivating qi, Daoist Magic that can turn the heavens and the earth upside down, or certain secret techniques that are rarely seen outside, everyone will have a chance to learn them¡­¡± Before he could finish speaking, the crowd below erupted almost instantly into a roaring wave of sound: ¡°Senior Brother, please tell us in detail, can we truly learn any form of Daoist Magic?¡± ¡°May I ask, what is the criteria for gaining entry to the hall, such as the merits required?¡± ¡°Wait, what exact Daoist Magic is inside, could you give us a hint¡­¡± The last voice was the least heard, because everyone thought that if it was a very precious form of Daoist Magic, it would certainly be hoarded by Sect Master Wei and would never be made accessible to the masses. Yet, even so, even if only common Daoist Magic could be learned, it was still worth the flocking attention of everyone. Why? The reason was simple, which was that most people hardly ever had the chance to encounter proper Daoist Magic; at most, they could master one or two crude offensive spells, which were like the difference between swordsmanship and individual sword moves. ¡°Everyone, please listen to me!¡± Worried that Guo Jin, being the slowest, couldn¡¯t explain clearly, Wang Cong shouted loudly. Her True Yuan was not as abundant as Guo Jin¡¯s, so she had to try hard to raise her voice: ¡°The Daoist Magic available for learning may not include everything, but it is also not far off. Among them are many profoundly intricate Demonic Techniques, such as those with an upper limit at the Nascent Soul Realm or even at the Immortal Rank, which require exceptional talent to cultivate, as well as techniques that could cause death and the destruction of the Dao with a slight mishap¡­¡± Before she could finish, the square buzzed like a swarm of bees, with the whispering of countless cultivators melding into a murmur. Profoundly intricate Demonic Techniques, everyone was certain not to believe this, because every sect, regardless of size, would describe their own techniques as ¡°profoundly intricate.¡± However, techniques with a cap at the Nascent Soul Realm or even the Immortal Rank were quite impressive; Demonic Techniques requiring talent were unlikely to be common goods; and as for accidentally dying while practicing¡­ If even the cultivators practicing these techniques could be killed, wouldn¡¯t these Demonic Techniques strike down enemies at an incredibly fast rate? Most cultivators, by this point, were almost as if burned by an intense fire, unable to contain themselves, wishing they could immediately demonstrate their utter loyalty and die for Sect Master Wei. ???g?.?? The reason they only whispered was that they feared that raising their voice too high would irritate this Junior Sister, and if she refused to disclose how much merit was needed to enter the hall to study, they would surely be flayed alive on the spot by their fellow disciples. ¡°Regarding the qualifications for entry to the hall!¡± Wang Cong continued to call out loud, ¡°There¡¯s no fixed standard, as long as Sect Master Wei determines it¡¯s appropriate.¡± ¡°To speak of standards, if everyone is discussing whether you have the qualifications, then you are qualified to catch the Sect Master¡¯s eye. But, the specifics must be decided by the Sect Master¡¯s review!¡± As soon as Wang Cong finished, the disciples and True Persons present had no reaction, but the faces of the Nascent Soul Elders changed simultaneously. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only By this point, Sect Master Wei¡¯s intention could be said to be crystal clear: From now on, all Mortal Life Path Cultivators must show loyalty not only to their own Masters and Sects but also to their Sect Master and the Sect as a whole. The Daoist Magic that your Masters and Sects cannot provide, the Sect and Sect Master can! ¡°This is really¡­¡± A hot-tempered Nascent Soul Elder muttered under his breath, ¡°This is preposterous! Fiery Daoist, what on earth is Sect Master Wei trying to do? Does he not understand the principle that Daoist Magic shouldn¡¯t be passed on lightly?¡± ¡°Right now, I only want to know one thing.¡± The Elder named Fiery Daoist didn¡¯t chime in with his old friend¡¯s complaints but instead had sharpness in his eyes and said with suppressed excitement, ¡°Tell me, if we Nascent Soul Elders make remarkable achievements, will we also have a chance to enter the Dharma Transmission Hall for study?¡± The Nascent Soul Elder was startled upon hearing this and said in amazement: ¡°Fiery, you¡¯re not seriously considering¡­¡± Fiery Daoist kept a straight face, lowering his voice and saying determinedly, ¡°Profoundly intricate Demonic Techniques, even my lineage desires them!¡± He rolled up his sleeves in one motion and clenched his fist tightly, making a determined gesture as if he was resolved to succeed. Chapter 658 Chapter 658: Chapter 86 Everyone Practices to Be Meritorious Chapter 658: Chapter 86 Everyone Practices to Be Meritorious Ah Jing, who blended in with the crowd, cheered blindly along with the other Mortal Life Path Cultivators around him. As a spy, it was very important to remain inconspicuous. When everyone was cheering, he also had to pretend to be overjoyed. Was it really just pretense? It wasn¡¯t entirely so. After all, even as a Kunlun spy, most of what he earned was Spirit Stones and Spirit Pills. When it came to Cultivation Techniques, this critical knowledge related to heritage, Kunlun would absolutely never allow him to get his hands on them. It was indeed disheartening to think that his own Sect guarded against him as if he were a thief, while the Sect he was currently infiltrating was willing to open up opportunities for acquiring various Cultivation Techniques to him¡­ At this thought, Ah Jing¡¯s last shred of loyalty to Kunlun had completely vanished. Betrayal was obviously out of the question, as it would be effortless for Kunlun to eliminate him, but to shirk his duties, or even to covertly help the Mortal Life Path, seemed like it would not be a big issue as long as it was done secretly. Perhaps, after establishing my merits within the Mortal Life Path, I might actually be able to obtain a Cultivation Technique Scroll or two! Spies like Ah Jing were not in short supply, and some even defected on the spot, quickly alerting their respective Sects that something was amiss. Consequently, the Mortal Life Path¡¯s internal reform also came to the fore in front of the Three Pure Orthodox Sect. ¡°How absurd!¡± At the grand Sect meeting, the Ziwei Master sharply critiqued the Mortal Life Path¡¯s unprecedented ¡°feat,¡± calling it ¡°the beginning of the decline of the world¡¯s morals,¡± and saying, ¡°If those with crooked hearts learn these malicious methods that harm the Mortal World, and poison the masses, all the resulting karma must fall upon that Wei the Demon Head¡¯s shoulders!¡± wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.Co ¡°The Ziwei Master really is petty, just because Ah Jing tricked him once.¡± Wei Dongliu chuckled to himself, shaking his head without taking it to heart. While he didn¡¯t take it seriously, the internal circles of the Nether Ghost and Heavenly Demon Paths exploded with commotion-they had all been shocked by the daring act of the Sect Master of the Mortal Life Path. Just like the Three Pure Orthodox Sect, the many Sects within the Demon Cult also upheld the principle that teachings should not be casually transmitted. Firstly, High Rank Cultivators would only pass Cultivation Techniques down to their own disciples, and it was out of the question to pass them externally; Secondly, among the disciples, there were different levels of status, generally speaking, direct transmission took precedence over Inner Sect, which in turn took precedence over Outer Sect. The way the Mortal Life Path freely gave out Cultivation Techniques as common items was truly unfathomable to these Sect leaders. Is Wei Dongliu squandering his legacy? Don¡¯t the elders of his lineage care¡­ Oh, his Tong Xuan Gate lineage was wiped out thousands of years ago. Selling off ancestral land without a pang of guilt, huh? Wei Dongliu¡¯s actions were treated as a joke by his colleagues within the Demon Cult. However, they soon couldn¡¯t laugh anymore¡­ because their Sect¡¯s disciples began to generally exhibit lazy and negative behaviors. The mines ravaged by Demonic Beasts went unmaintened, no one undertook tasks to gather Spirit Grass and Spirit Stones anymore, and the hall responsible for issuing tasks was deserted, without any inquiries. The higher-ups hastily had people investigate the reasons, but the results were bitterly amusing. It turned out that ordinary Outer Sect disciples from the Heavenly Demon and Nether Ghost Paths were also very envious of the Cultivation Techniques offered by the Mortal Life Path. Since they had no qualifications to learn these Techniques, they secretly approached the Mortal Life Path disciples to strike up deals: Do you have any tasks assigned by your Sect that you can¡¯t complete yourself? We can help you with them! My request isn¡¯t excessive, just let me learn the Cultivation Techniques you get from your Sect, will you? Learning them won¡¯t make you lose a piece of flesh! And so, countless small groups spanning across different Sects were established, with the Mortal Life Path seemingly receiving aid from all directions, everywhere were brothers and sisters helping to build the Sect¡­ Learning that their own Sect disciples were actually working for the Mortal Life Path, the high-levels of both the Heavenly Demon Path and the Nether Ghost Path nearly spat blood and quickly issued an order, reiterated three times and five times by the elders, absolutely forbidding the outer sect disciples from helping disciples from other Sects with their missions! The order was issued as such, but the results were minimal. Because whether it was the Orthodox Sect or the Demon Cult, they basically did not have the capability to control the outer sect disciples-those so-called outer sect disciples were those without masters in the Sects, left to fend for themselves over a long period. ???G?.?? Now you want someone to supervise them, but who can supervise? Can he recite all the names of the outer sect disciples? This matter, it was not easy to handle! Therefore, the attendants reported back to the elders, the elders reported back to the Sect Leader, and the Sect Leader also had no solution for such an issue, it¡¯s not like they could capture all the outer sect disciples, right? The matter ultimately got passed to the Sect Guardian Immortal, Honored White Bone, who after hearing about the issue, thought to himself that he had lived for such a long time, what had he not seen? Opening up the cultivation technique of one¡¯s own path to the whole Sect, this was something he had indeed never seen before! However, the Cultivation Technique Scrolls that were originally monopolized, were suddenly declared to be entering the open market, and even though Honored White Bone did not understand economics, he also felt an instinctive unease based on his years of experience in a high position. He decided to call upon the Free and Easy Ancestor to join him in putting pressure on the Blood Sea Ancestor. At the top of Central Peak, beneath the snow-capped boulders, after listening to Honored White Bone¡¯s complaints, the Blood Sea Ancestor was also somewhat speechless. ¡°White Bone, you should calm down a bit,¡± he said with a wry smile, ¡°Although I also do not approve of what he¡¯s doing, but¡­ Wei Dongliu does not belong to my lineage; he is a disciple from the Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect, and now he is the only one left from that lineage.¡± ¡°How about this, I will tell him to carefully screen the applicants, and those who trick others with the help of disciples from other Sects, I will have him sternly reject them, how about that?¡± Honored White Bone was angrily silent. He also knew that if he were looking from the position of the Blood Sea Ancestor, seeing outer sect disciples help build their own Sects, they would definitely be ecstatic. But when his own Sect was the one suffering, that was a completely different matter. He turned his head to look at the Free and Easy Ancestor, to see that this Sect Guardian Immortal of the Heavenly Demon Path was completely unperturbed, showing no sign of trouble at all. He truly was the Free and Easy Ancestor! Honored White Bone snorted to himself in secret. The Ancestral title ¡°Free and Easy¡± actually means ¡°unrestrained.¡± However, in the past, because the Mortal Life Path was too weak, and the Nether Ghost Path¡¯s main opposition was against the Heavenly Demon Path, Honored White Bone also had a great objection to the Free and Easy Ancestor. Especially now that the Mortal Life Path was showing signs of rising, this foolish woman still seemed pleased to see it succeed, giving Honored White Bone a sense of helplessness, as if ¡°she was truly difficult to strategize with.¡± Returning to the Nether Ghost Path, the more Honored White Bone thought about it, the angrier he became, particularly because the Mortal Life Path¡¯s strategy was almost akin to a public scheme, leaving him completely devoid of any ideas to counteract it. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only The more he considered it, the more curious he became about Wei Dongliu-where did the Blood Sea Ancestor find such a troublemaker? He then called all the elders to his side and asked: ¡°That Sect Master Wei Dongliu of the Mortal Life Path, who rose from humble beginnings and was unknown in the past, has now become the leader of the Mortal Life Path and united the region of Mount Wutai. We should indeed take him seriously. Does anyone in our Sect have any dealings with him?¡± The elders looked at each other, and soon Ming Yan Elder stepped forward, his voice trembling: ¡°My¡­ ahem, my daughter Wen Yang used to have an acquaintance with Sect Master Wei.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Honored White Bone stroked his beard. ¡°Ming Yan, call your daughter over and let her tell everyone about this Wei Dongliu,¡± he ordered indifferently. Chapter 659 Chapter 659: Chapter 87 The Cultivation Technique Pool Sunk the Ship Chapter 659: Chapter 87 The Cultivation Technique Pool Sunk the Ship A few months later. ¡°Dear, please take care of all these political affairs for your husband,¡± Wei Dongliu came over with some documents and said with a smile. Now, he had become quite adept at calling her ¡°Dear.¡± The reason was simple: it was all for the sake of slacking off. Though the Mortal Life Path didn¡¯t require eating, drinking, or other bodily functions, occupying such a vast territory as Mount Wutai meant there were plenty of matters that were enough to give anyone a headache. Weidong Liu naturally chose once again to be the absentee manager, dumping all the affairs on Jiang the Witch to handle. But Madam Jiang was also quite strange; despite originally being just the daughter of a fisherman, she managed the official business competently¡­ ???G?.?? Where did she learn all these things? Jiang Lian wasn¡¯t the least bit reluctant, simply taking the documents and thinking that once her husband became useless, she could completely control him, a far-sighted scheme indeed. It was definitely not because she wanted to hear his pleas to her. Wei Dongliu left all the trivial matters to his capable wife, immediately feeling much lighter. Nowadays, the only things that required his personal decision-making were just personnel, finances, military, and punishment-mostly it was just about giving his approval¡­ Oh? Someone has already accomplished a great feat and is applying to use the Dharma Transmission Hall so soon? wuxiaworld.site Novts`O.co Wei Dongliu perked up and looked carefully; it turned out to be a Foundation Establishment Realm disciple named Li Qisong at the Refining Mansion grade. During his patrol on the border, this person discovered a rare spirit grass and without any hesitation, decided to submit it to the Sect; when elder¡¯s later confirmed it, it turned out to be an extremely rare Purple Rim Lingzhi. Purple Rim Lingzhi could be added to many medicinal recipes, and a thousand-year-old one was often used in secret medicines in conjunction with Nascent Soul Realm cultivators; if it were at Kunlun, any Inner Sect Disciple who offered such spiritual medicine to their master could easily exchange it for a secret technique. The awkward part was that Li Qisong was an external disciple without a master. In the past, even if external disciples discovered any spirit grass, they could not possibly offer it to the Sect. The reason was simple: who would they give it to? Who could guarantee a reward for them? If one were foolish enough to hand it over to a Golden Core steward with whom they were not well acquainted, it was almost inevitable that their reward would be swallowed up. With this in mind, Wei Dongliu simply approved the application and then called over his disciple Guo Jin: ¡°This is the first time the Dharma Transmission Hall is opened; you should call the Sect¡¯s cultivators to watch.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Guo Jin did not ask any further questions and immediately took the order and left. Seeing this, Jiang Lian couldn¡¯t help but laugh, speaking in a sweet voice: ¡°Husband, why do you like to show off so much, even organizing people to watch?¡± ¡°One must showcase a steed¡¯s bones to prove its worth-more people seeing it is better,¡± Wei Dongliu said indifferently. ¡ª- The Dharma Transmission Hall was packed with people. While Wei Dongliu, as the Sect Leader, had vouched for it, many were still skeptical in their hearts about the quality of the cultivation techniques inside the Dharma Transmission Hall. Logically speaking, excellent cultivation technique manuals would certainly be treasured by the Sect Leader and not made public. But if only common items were released, it would be somewhat disappointing nonetheless. Li Qisong stood in the center of the crowd, more nervous than anyone else, and couldn¡¯t help but look towards Guo Jin at his side. Seeing Guo Jin nod, he immediately knelt down on the cushion in front of the Dharma statuette and knocked his head against the ground cleanly and repeatedly: ¡°As a disciple, I earnestly request the statuette to transmit a technique!¡± After a moment, the statuette slowly said: ¡°What kind of law do you want? Qi Refining Technique, Daoist Magic, or some other heterodox method?¡± ¡°The statuette can speak!¡± ¡°Who would have thought it was a Magical Treasure¡­¡± The whispers rose up densely from around them. Li Qisong turned a deaf ear to them all and shouted loudly instead: ¡°I sincerely seek the Qi Refining Technique! I beseech the divine image to grant me the Breathing Technique!¡± Wei Dongliu had just turned into the hall from the rear sanctuary when he heard Li Qisong had chosen the Qi Refining Technique, and he couldn¡¯t help but nod inwardly. Very good, the Cultivation Realm is the foundation of a Cultivator, and this junior did not choose some powerful Daoist Magic but prioritizes building a Daoist Foundation, which greatly satisfied Wei Dongliu. ¡°Hmm,¡± the Dharma Transmission Image hesitated because the person¡¯s aptitude for cultivation was slightly lacking, such that most Qi Refining Techniques that required talent were unsuitable for him, ¡°I have three Qi Refining Techniques that might suit you. The first is ¡®Heavenly Capital Mystical Record,¡¯ the second is ¡®Demon Fire Pill Stimulation Scripture,¡¯ and the third is ¡®Dream Patrol Myriad Degrees Heart Mantra.¡¯ Choose one.¡± All three were unheard-of Secret Techniques! The surrounding Cultivators once again became excitedly noisy. While not having heard the names doesn¡¯t necessarily guarantee high Grade Rank, these techniques were at least not the commonplace, Low Rank Cultivation Techniques that everyone knew, which was already extremely delightful. ¡°Dare I ask the divine image, what are the differences between these three?¡± Li Qisong asked courageously. ¡°The difficulty of cultivation decreases in order,¡± replied the Dharma Transmission Image, ¡°as does the efficiency and upper limit of cultivation.¡± ¡°What about the upper limit of cultivation?¡± Li Qisong hurriedly followed up. ¡°The Golden Core Realm won¡¯t have much difference,¡± stated the Dharma Transmission Image calmly, ¡°but there will be differences in the Nascent Infant Rank, with the latter two techniques presenting great difficulty in forming an Earthly Infant.¡± What? All three Breathing Qi Refining Techniques could actually form a Nascent Soul? The crowd around him almost exclamatorily gasped in unison; a Cultivation Technique that could form a Nascent Soul was a bona fide Qi Refining Technique! One should know that the common Cultivation Techniques available for purchase by Loose Cultivators on the market were generally of the type difficult to reach Core Formation. For such a Cultivation Technique that could smoothly reach Core Formation, many External Sect Disciples had to toil like oxen and horses, serving as slaves, simply because there were no other paths open to them. As for Golden Core Rank, Nascent Soul Rank¡­ that was something only Inner Sect Disciples of a Sect would need to consider; Outer Sect Disciples were content just to possess, and asked for nothing else. Li Qisong, too, was ecstatic and bowed repeatedly, saying: ¡°I am willing to learn the ¡®Heavenly Capital Mystical Record,¡¯ please grant me your grace, divine image!¡± Wei Dongliu watched from afar and was puzzled. If you¡¯re begging for a technique, why kneel and kowtow? The image isn¡¯t going to sympathize with you just because you kowtow; it¡¯s a Magical Treasure without feelings! ¡°Granted.¡± The image said indifferently, ¡°Please enter to take part in the Dharma Transmission trial.¡± What, there¡¯s a trial too? The surrounding crowd was once again collectively taken aback. Without understanding, Li Qisong looked puzzled, so the Dharma Transmission Image explained: ¡°The Dharma is not to be transmitted lightly, a principle you should understand; if you cannot pass the trial, it proves you lack the aptitude for this Secret Technique, and even if we gave it to you, you couldn¡¯t learn it, instead increasing the risk of the technique being leaked¡­ Therefore, passing a trial is necessary before transmitting the Dharma, which is a Sect rule established by the Sect Leader.¡± Only then did Li Qisong have a sudden realization, but having already embarked on this path, he could only pray silently for a moment before heading towards the rear sanctuary. Not long after, he walked out with a dead heart, his face nearly displaying the look of someone mourning a devastating loss. ¡°How was it, Brother Li?¡± A few acquaintances approached and asked him, ¡°Did you pass the trial?¡± ¡°So close, just missed by a little bit!¡± Li Qisong beat his chest and stomped his feet, beginning to wail. The trial failed, so the image did not transmit the Dharma; was there such a thing? The surrounding crowd looked bewildered. ¡°On the path of cultivation, you must not aim too high beyond your reach.¡± Wei Dongliu pushed through the crowd and came out, speaking calmly, ¡°Lack of ability but rashly seeking danger leads to such a result, remember this well.¡± Li Qisong sadly performed a salute, wiped away his tears, and left the Dharma Transmission Hall. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Jiang Lian watched on the side, puzzled: what about the promise of ¡°a thousand pieces of gold for a horse that¡¯s yet to be seen¡±? Husband, you¡¯ve really messed things up this time! But before she could go over and tease him, she saw the surrounding Cultivators leaving eagerly, not appearing to be dejected at all; instead, they all looked ready and eager to try. If Wei Dongliu knew what she was thinking, he would certainly mock her for her short-sightedness. Modern psychology has already proven: rather than clearly marking a price for sale, people are more drawn to the idea of a lottery because most will always overestimate their abilities and luck, ¡°If he can¡¯t do it, it¡¯s because he is no good, but if it were me, I definitely could¡±¡­ Chapter 660 Chapter 660: Chapter 88: The Thoughts of Wei Dongliu Chapter 660: Chapter 88: The Thoughts of Wei Dongliu Not long after, it became known that high-rank Cultivation Techniques indeed existed within the Dharma Transmission Hall of the Mortal Life Path Sect, and such news spread like wildfire throughout Mount Wutai, and even among the cultivator communities in Zhongyuan and the Guanzhong Area. Aside from the inexplicably excited Mortal Life Path Cultivators, those affiliated cultivators who had originally taken this as a joke or a publicity stunt were finally starting to feel sour. Many began to openly ridicule and question, with comments like, ¡°Never have I heard of this ¡®Sky Travel Secret Record¡¯; it must surely be a fabricated technique,¡± and ¡°A trial is required for Dharma Transmission? If you don¡¯t want to give it, then don¡¯t, but there you are, foolishly letting yourselves be toyed with.¡± The sarcastic remarks were endless and varied. Naturally, the Mortal Life Path Cultivators were not willing to be slandered or to allow others to demean their dreams, so they fiercely countered these critics. The first issue was the ¡°Sky Travel Secret Record,¡± with cultivators extensively researching ancient books and discovering that the scripture originated from the ¡°Atlas of the Eight Desolates and Four Seas,¡± authored by an Elder of the Great Wilderness from ancient times. In the final chapter, the Elder of the Great Wilderness claimed that, as his lifespan was drawing to an end, leveraging his extensive experience from traveling in all directions, he created this very mysterious Qi Refining Technique¡­ In essence, it was not something spun from thin air but a Qi Refining Technique that had been genuinely recorded. The detractors were not appeased, questioning how one could know whether the Elder of the Great Wilderness was just bragging? ¡°If such a technique exists, then show us how it¡¯s done!¡± The dispute between the two sides grew increasingly heated. The second issue was about the necessity of a trial for Dharma Transmission, which was criticized as ¡°excessively harsh¡± since failing the trial would mean all previous efforts were in vain. The Mortal Life Path Cultivators argued forcefully that there was no harm in being a bit harsh. ¡°You can¡¯t even exchange for the technique yet, can you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s because this is something valuable that it has to be harsh, understand?¡± wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co However, as people gradually began to gain merits for the Mortal Life Path Sect and less than half a month passed, someone successfully passed the trials of the Dharma Transmission Hall and received the corresponding Cultivation Technique Scroll. With people finally tasting success one after another, those strange rumors spreading outside slowly began to quieten down out of discernment. In their place was an unprecedented surge of enthusiasm among Mortal Life Path Cultivators, who were all discussing how to accumulate enough merits, whether to choose Daoist Magic or Qi Refining Techniques, and how to pass the trials of the Dharma Transmission idol. Wei Dongliu, however, couldn¡¯t be bothered with these trivialities. As most of the administrative work had been handed over to Madam Jiang, he finally had the leisure time to stroll around and inspect the current state of the Mortal Life Path. After all, to become the ruler of the Six Paths, one must first truly be the leader of the Mortal Life Path. The Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect might fall into decline, but the Mortal Life Path must prosper! Recognizing that his own prominent identity was too recognizable, Wei Dongliu instructed Ah Jing to use Illusion Technique to thoroughly conceal his handsome features, transforming him into an average cultivator indistinguishable from the masses. He then went to the Administrative Hall responsible for distributing tasks to check on the conditions of the cultivators. Speaking of coincidences, it was roughly a few decades ago that Wei Dongliu, having just established a low profile, was led by Jiang the Witch to this exact place, where they founded the Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect. It was also here that Wei Dongliu first witnessed the disheartening state of the Mortal Life Path, which far exceeded his initial expectations. In Wei Dongliu¡¯s original view, the Demon Cult was supposed to be a place of survival of the fittest, rivers of blood, a breeding ground for the strong, a lawless land¡­ Yet, he did not expect to find a group of people desperate for money, poor, and unfamiliar with the world ¨C just country bumpkins. From that point on, he made a grand vow: one day, when he held the power of the Mortal Life Path, he would ensure the sect shone once again with the brightness of the sun and moon, transparent and clear, no longer carrying the name of the direct lineage of the Intercepting Cult! Lost in these lofty thoughts, Wei Dongliu was suddenly pushed from behind: ¡°Don¡¯t block the way! If you¡¯re here for a task, go inside; don¡¯t stand in the doorway!¡± Wei Dongliu turned his head and saw several Mortal Life Path Cultivators he did not recognize rushing into the hall in a hurry, urgently calling out to the attendant: ¡°What tasks are available? ?0?G?.?? The harder, the better!¡± The attendant for the Mortal Life Path was also held by an external disciple, so he knew arguing with them was useless and slowly said: ¡°Near Nanliang Gorge, three Buddhist Cultivators have been discovered. You need to either kill them or expel them from the territory.¡± ¡°This one it is!¡± the cultivators immediately slapped the counter and shouted, ¡°The exact location, and information on the adversaries, quickly!¡± ¡°Before you, more than twenty people have already gone.¡± The attendant continued slowly, ¡°Looks like you won¡¯t be able to catch up.¡± ¡°More than twenty people?¡± the Mortal Life Path Cultivators called out in unison, ¡°It¡¯s just three Buddhist Cultivators, why send more than twenty Cultivators?¡± ¡°Over a hundred people came to ask,¡± the attendant chuckled as he replied, ¡°Isn¡¯t it very normal that more than twenty have gone?¡± Wei Dongliu listened on the side with a hidden smile, then approached to make conversation: ¡°Fellow senior brothers, I notice that recently there seem to be many sect members taking on tasks. Looks like it¡¯s far more than before¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s all because those Inner Sect Disciples are also scrambling to take on tasks!¡± One of the cultivators cursed in frustration, ¡°Now there are too many monks and too little porridge. Who knows how long it will take to accumulate enough merit to enter the Dharma Transmission Hall!¡± ¡°Brother Fu, watch what you say!¡± Another cultivator hurriedly came to calm him down, ¡°To accumulate merit by doing tasks requires persistence over a long period. Those from the Inner Sect lack patience.¡± ¡°Once they realize that it¡¯s faster to curry favor with their masters, they will naturally give up.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Wei Dongliu also agreed, taking the opportunity to ask, ¡°But by doing daily tasks, one can also accumulate merit?¡± ¡°These are the words of the Sect Leader¡¯s wife.¡± A benign-looking Mortal Life Path Cultivator kindly advised him, ¡°In the past, tasks would yield Spirit Stones, and apart from what was needed for daily cultivation, the rest would be spent like money.¡± ¡°However, in the markets outside, Spirit Stones are easy to find, but precious items are scarce, leading to extremely high prices for various cultivation resources. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only No matter how many Spirit Stones we save, they are never enough.¡± ¡°Now, within our Mortal Life Daoist Sect, after cultivators complete tasks, they can choose to take only a portion of the Spirit Stones, while the rest is converted into merit for the record.¡± ¡°Since merit is unique to our sect, exchanging it for Daoist Magic means no competition with external cultivators, making it more cost-effective than exchanging for Spirit Stones to buy resources outside!¡± Wei Dongliu found this intriguing, thinking to himself that this was indeed like the benefits of a monopolistic market. Ah, these cultivators are quite shrewd! Seeing his look of admiration, the cultivator smiled amiably and modestly said: ¡°I can¡¯t take credit for this, it was Sect Leader Wei who said this¡­ Eh, haven¡¯t you read that book yet?¡± He took out a Scripture from his bosom, holding it out like a treasured possession, and cautioned: ¡°I just bought this from someone; I can lend it to you. But you must be careful not to dirty it.¡± Wei Dongliu took it, puzzled, and saw five bold characters on the Scripture: ¡°Thoughts of Sect Leader Wei¡± Chapter 661 Chapter 661: Chapter 89: The Right to Interpret Scriptures Cannot Be Conceded to Others Chapter 661: Chapter 89: The Right to Interpret Scriptures Cannot Be Conceded to Others ¡°What is this?¡± Wei Dongliu returned to the back hall and placed the item in front of Jiang Lian. ¡°Ah, this,¡± Jiang the Witch said nonchalantly, ¡°I¡¯ve heard about this. It seems to be just a lot of cultivators trying to interpret your thoughts, and then as the errors get passed along, they become more and more absurd until they turn into a collection of statements falsely attributed to you, haha.¡± So that¡¯s why it¡¯s become such a game of broken telephone¡­ Wei Dongliu felt somewhat powerless, and his brow furrowed tightly. Words he had never said were being falsely pinned on him, which was not exactly a fun situation. ¡°The roots of this issue can be traced back to speculations about the mechanism of the Dharma Transmission Hall,¡± Jiang Lian continued to explain. It turned out that the stone statue in the Dharma Transmission Hall recently seemed to enjoy giving people three choices: one with the greatest temptation but potentially very difficult, one that was moderate but lacked potential, and one that was obviously easy but of the least value. Choosing the third option was the safest, but no one wanted to pick the third; many chose the second, but those who passed the trial often looked dejected, beating their chests and stomping their feet, wishing they could go back and choose the first, ¡°If only I knew it was that easy, I would have chosen the first one.¡± Based on the psychology of many Mortal Life Path Cultivators who were afraid of loss and gain, an industry soon evolved that specialized in analyzing the logic mechanism of the Dharma Transmission Hall¡¯s stone statue. Mortal Life Path Cultivators recorded all the choices of cultivators applying for transmission, the content of their trials, and whether they passed, etc¡­ They compiled it all into a booklet and sold it among their fellow sect members for money. Since making the wrong choice could result in losing everything, everyone was naturally willing to spend a bit more money to buy this booklet in order to increase their chances of making the right choice, which followed the same logic as paying for a college entrance exam prep course. However, the booklet was purely a category of statistical data and did not lead to any simple and clear conclusions. wuxiaworld.site Many cultivators lacked the ability to perform logical analysis and could not understand the patterns hidden behind the big data, so this extended to annotations of the booklet-many cultivators did nothing else but wait for the booklet to be updated and then conducted their own data analysis, selling and explaining the analyses. Although no one knew what ¡°knowledge for sale¡± meant, it wasn¡¯t long before people started peddling the concept and using various methods to increase their own authority. For example, I deduced some of Sect Leader Wei¡¯s hidden psychology behind setting the stone statue, based on something he said, and thus came to some conclusions¡­ Although the reasoning process used to arrive at those conclusions was often far-fetched, it didn¡¯t prevent many cultivators from lacking brains. Since Sect Leader Wei did indeed say those words, the conclusion must be credible-so thought many gullible individuals. Consequently, cultivators selling their knowledge started to compete with each other in a race to the bottom, trying to claim a connection to a higher authority, and eventually producing something called ¡°The Thoughts of Sect Leader Wei,¡± which compiled all the words Wei Dongliu had ever spoken and added the compilers¡¯ own annotations for everyone to study and learn. By the end, Wei Dongliu was also feeling numb. ???G?.?? If Confucius had known that in later generations people would make a living by studying (and misinterpreting) his theories, he probably would be numb too¡­ but Wei Dongliu clearly had no intention of becoming another Confucius. He started seriously considering whether to completely forbid idol worship to prevent these people from continuing their nonsense and truly hoisting him onto a pedestal. Being put on a pedestal¡­ actually wasn¡¯t a problem, but given that he was only at the Golden Core Realm, ascending the pedestal now was too soon and would be laughable. The will of the people is like water, it can carry a boat or overturn it; the key is that public opinion must serve me and not grow unchecked. Otherwise, given these cultivators¡¯ natures, it would eventually come down to who can spread rumors better and capture more attention. The phenomenon of the masses loving outrageous opinions is something that can¡¯t be avoided in any world. ¡°My dear, this book is actually quite interesting,¡± Wei Dongliu said indifferently, ¡°The things written inside are true, but the analysis is completely wrong. If this continues, it will inevitably mislead the disciples of the sect and corrupt the atmosphere.¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s quite interesting,¡± Jiang Lian said, intrigued. Spreading rumors, twisting facts, brainwashing-doesn¡¯t that sound incredibly fascinating? The Great Unrestrained Heavenly Demon was very eager to try it out himself. ¡°In my opinion, it¡¯s better to channel rather than block,¡± Wei Dongliu continued, ¡°Although many people are spreading rumors, the more we try to refute them, the more we feed the spread of rumors. Instead, you should come forward as the wife of the Sect Leader, compile these remarks, and set the record straight.¡± ¡°You want me to do it?¡± Jiang Lian, clearly eager to give it a try, put on a cautious front and hesitated before asking, ¡°Why can¡¯t you write it yourself? I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t do a good job¡­ Perhaps you should write it yourself.¡± As expected, just the mention of writing a book gave Wei Dongliu a headache, and he had to explain: ¡°Where is the sense in writing one¡¯s own commentary? That would just invite ridicule. I originally disliked such matters, but I can¡¯t stand by and watch them distort the truth, so I have no choice but to intervene.¡± ¡°My wife is the person closest to me; you know and understand me best. There¡¯s no one I trust more than you to handle this matter,¡± he said confidently. This was exactly what Jiang Lian had been waiting for! She laughed wildly in her heart, but outwardly she modestly said: ¡°Then¡­ then I shall give it a try. If it doesn¡¯t turn out well, you will have to write it yourself.¡± ¡°How could you not do well? With your wisdom being beyond that of ordinary people, you will surely do an excellent job,¡± Wei Dongliu hastily flattered her, promptly delegating the authority to interpret the scriptures to Jiang Lian. A few days passed, and the official ¡°Wei Dongliu Theory¡± had not yet been released when the Blood Sea Ancestor summoned him first. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that you¡¯ve initiated some kind of law transmission?¡± Atop the summit of Central Peak, beneath a massive rock, the frost-covered Blood Sea Ancestor inquired. ¡°Yes,¡± Wei Dongliu said evenly, recounting the whole story from beginning to end. ¡°Well, that¡¯s good,¡± the Blood Sea Ancestor nodded with approval, ¡°Since it¡¯s a Daoist transmission belonging to Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect, if you choose to share it with all Mortal Life Path Cultivators, I naturally have nothing to say.¡± ¡°However, I¡¯ve heard that someone is recording your words and attempting to analyze some principle from them, which is really quite preposterous.¡± He sighed deeply, ¡°If word gets out, it will be a joke to other sects.¡± ¡°I will clarify with the entire sect immediately,¡± Wei Dongliu hurriedly responded, ¡°The mechanism for transmitting the laws through the stone statues is to select three Daoist Magics that the cultivator might be able to learn. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Whether they can actually learn them, however, primarily depends on the abilities of the cultivator themselves.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± the Blood Sea Ancestor agreed, ¡°As long as one¡¯s own abilities are sufficient, any choice should be handled with ease. Conversely, if one isn¡¯t focused on how to improve their own strength but instead obsesses over what Daoist Magic to choose, that¡¯s really putting the cart before the horse.¡± Wei Dongliu sighed inwardly: Everyone understood the principle, but human nature is such that people don¡¯t like putting in solid, steady work-they prefer the idea of a quick fix. Working hard to enhance one¡¯s own strength requires persistent effort over many years, while figuring out which choice to make only takes a few days; it¡¯s self-evident what most people would opt for. ¡°By the way,¡± the Blood Sea Ancestor brought up another matter, ¡°That Wen Yang from the Nether Ghost Path, I¡¯ve heard she¡¯s an old acquaintance of yours?¡± ¡°She has recently become a Direct Disciple of White Bone. If you have some free time in the coming days, pay a visit to congratulate White Bone on my behalf and present a gift.¡± Chapter 662 Chapter 662: Chapter 90: The Bone Reading Secret Technique, Blinded Eyes Chapter 662: Chapter 90: The Bone Reading Secret Technique, Blinded Eyes Having become the master of the Mortal Life Path, how could he then become the lord of the Six Paths? Wei Dongliu had thought it through long ago. Becoming the Sect Leader of the Mortal Life Path allowed him to flaunt the authority of the Blood Sea Ancestor; But to become the lord of the Six Paths, he would need the recognition of the Great Unrestrained Sage and the Honored White Bone. The Blood Sea Ancestor had sent him to visit the Nether Ghost Path ostensibly to celebrate that the Honored White Bone had taken a Direct Disciple, but in reality, it was to get his face known in front of the Honored White Bone. Thinking this way, the likelihood that the Blood Sea Ancestor was a secret agent of the Hell Path greatly increased¡­ Could his real identity be that of Luo the Long-lived? While on his way to the Nether Ghost Path, Wei Dongliu¡¯s thoughts quietly churned. Jiang Lian smiled at him, also silently turning over her own schemes. After regaining the memories of the Great Unrestrained Heavenly Demon, she could now easily suppress Wei Dongliu and tease him to her heart¡¯s content¡­ But that would be too boring. If she were to enforce her will and overpower with strength, and her sisters found out, they would likely laugh at her for thousands of years, unable to hold their heads high. Every Great Unrestrained Heavenly Demon was a master at toying with minds. They could easily discern the flaws in one¡¯s Daoist Heart, and cleverly, secretly dismantle one¡¯s psychological defenses. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co Thoroughly conquering Wei Dongliu, rather than crudely surmounting him with brute strength, was befitting of her status. Of course, the incredibly high difficulty of conquering Wei Dongliu indeed sparked her curiosity. This husband of hers had unwavering will, was devoid of desires or demands, acted mysteriously, and unpredictable, virtually without any weaknesses. Jiang the Witch could only confirm up until now that he seemed to wish to become the leader of the Demon Cult¡­ Yet such a person usually harbors a strong desire for power and control, which she couldn¡¯t sense from Wei Dongliu at all. On the contrary, she noticed that this husband really disliked practical matters and even frequently wished to slack off ¨C yet this was completely contradictory to a thirst for power. The witch secretly licked her lips, thinking that she would one day dig out all the secrets in his heart. That was a basic quality of a Heavenly Demon, and if it had to be said, it could be considered some form of possessiveness, but certainly not because she liked him. ¡°Speaking of which, it has been quite a while since I¡¯ve seen Wen Yang and the others,¡± Wei Dongliu reflected. ¡°When the gap in cultivation realms grows, naturally, there is less and less contact in daily life,¡± Jiang Lian offhandedly replied. ???G?.?? Wei Dongliu nodded in agreement. Once Qiu Changtian formed his Golden Core, he seldom interacted with his junior brothers and sisters; when Ling Yunpo formed his Golden Core, Duan Fenhai and Lin Duanshan ceased their visits as well. After all, cultivators¡¯ social circles are based on similar backgrounds and strengths ¨C they could get along together. If the gap in realms was too wide, then face-to-face, there would be nothing to talk about, and it would be utterly awkward. ¡°Mount Beimang is right ahead, my husband,¡± Jiang Lian suddenly said. As the couple continued on their way, soon two disciples of the Nether Ghost Path came flying on their swords, saluted in mid-air, and said: ¡°Are you Sect Leader Wei and Madam Jiang?¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Jiang Lian said with a smile. ¡°Our Sect Leader has been waiting for some time.¡± The two disciples gestured, ¡°Esteemed guests, please follow this way.¡± The two Nether Ghost Path disciples guided Wei Dongliu and his wife, leading them to land in a valley, before entering a cave. After walking dozens of steps, the view opened up suddenly, and they were already in a luxuriously decorated underground palace. ¡°This Formation is quite interesting,¡± Jiang Lian suddenly said with a smile, ¡°Shapeshifting, moving mountains and filling seas, yet completed without a trace of sound. The person behind this really has a profound touch.¡± The two Nether Ghost Path disciples looked at each other for a moment, secretly astonished in their hearts. Most people who came to the Nether Ghost Path¡¯s residence would think that the technique for concealing their sect¡¯s location was an Illusion Technique. But the lady Sect Leader of the Mortal Life Path declared it a Formation and specifically mentioned the tactics were ¡°Shapeshifting, moving mountains and filling seas.¡± Could what she said be true? ¡°To be honest, this Formation is a legacy left by our Founder,¡± one of the Nether Ghost Path disciples said with a wry smile, ¡°We truly don¡¯t understand it, and it¡¯s embarrassing before such a distinguished guest.¡± Hearing his wife speak like this, Wei Dongliu also looked around curiously. Regrettably, he indeed could not find any traces of the Formation. It wasn¡¯t because his knowledge of formations was insufficient, but rather because the Cultivation Realm of the one who laid this Formation was far above his, to the point where he couldn¡¯t find any traces of the Formation¡­ How could one study a program if they can¡¯t even see its code? However, with the Nether Ghost Path disciples present, it was not convenient for him to directly ask his wife, so he could only silently take note of her words. As they continued deeper into the Underground Palace, more and more people surrounded them, and they finally reached the main hall. Here, a banquet had been set up with flowing water and all the guests were gradually arriving and taking their seats. The Sect Leader of the Nether Ghost Path, who went by the Taoist title ¡°Fu Xie,¡± was a middle-aged man with a dark and gloomy appearance. Although it was the first time Wei Dongliu had met him, Ling Yunpo had already seen his face during the Demon Cult¡¯s siege on Shushan, so it couldn¡¯t really be considered a first meeting. Sect Leader Fu Xie looked over with an indifferent expression, but his eyes held a hidden sharpness as he quietly sized up the two individuals. He possessed the ¡°Bone Reading Secret Technique,¡± which allowed him to gauge the strength level of a Cultivator based on slight differences in their external appearance. Since it wasn¡¯t a scan by Divine Sense, it wouldn¡¯t leave behind traces that could be detected by others. Sect Leader Fu Xie had been advised by the Honored White Bone regarding this meeting: If Wei Dongliu proved to be strong, then treat him with great courtesy; if his strength was lacking, then give them a cold shoulder as a show of might from the Nether Ghost Path. Using the Bone Observation Technique, Sect Leader Fu Xie saw that Wei Dongliu had a fully developed brow and a robust vitality. Although he was at the Golden Core Realm, his Cultivation Level was evidently much superior to his peers, truly fitting for someone valued by the Blood Sea Ancestor. After all, to be the Sect Leader of the Mortal Life Path at the Golden Core Realm, one would need an extraordinary standard, no? Then he looked at Jiang Lian, only to see that this person¡­ Hm, how strange! She seemed as though she had no bones; yet, she really was boneless. She seemed to be full of vitality, but in reality, it was all void¡­ As he was observing, Sect Leader Fu Xie suddenly felt a stabbing pain in his eyes as if they were being pierced with needles. Not good, this woman must possess a Secret Technique that shields against the Bone Observation Technique, even capable of backlash! Sect Leader Fu Xie quickly withdrew his Secret Technique, enduring the severe pain in his eyes, and came over as if nothing had happened, warmly saying: ¡°Sect Leader Wei, it¡¯s truly rare for you to take the time to visit us.¡± The surrounding guests quietly ceased their discussions without a sound, silently listening to the exchange between the two, secretly assessing the Nether Ghost Path¡¯s attitude toward the Mortal Life Path. Seeing the Sect Leader of the Nether Ghost Path treating the Mortal Life Path Sect Leader as an equal, they understood that Wei Dongliu was indeed not an ordinary individual. In fact, based on past experience, the Nether Ghost Path had always looked down on the Mortal Life Path. Only three branches of the Intercepting Cult remained, and they couldn¡¯t overpower each other. When crucial moments arose, they couldn¡¯t even find a person to speak on their behalf. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only During significant events, it was always the Nether Ghost and Heavenly Demon Paths that called the shots, and the others simply followed suit-who would respect that? This Sect Leader Wei had just taken office, first flattening the entirety of Mount Wutai, not even granting favors to the Buddhist Sect from his hand, and then announced the transmission of teachings, energizing a bunch of outer disciples. With both strength and capability well-prepared, he surely wouldn¡¯t let the Mortal Life Path continue to remain beneath the Nether Ghost Path. Now that even the Sect Leader of the Nether Ghost Path had to treat him with deference, it was clear that the Mortal Life Path had indeed risen strongly. In the future, it seems they may stand shoulder to shoulder with the Nether Ghost and Heavenly Demon Paths! Chapter 663 Chapter 663: Chapter 91 Old Friends Appear, The Wife¡¯s Suspicions Chapter 663: Chapter 91 Old Friends Appear, The Wife¡¯s Suspicions After exchanging a few pleasantries with Sect Leader Fu Xie, Wei Dongliu and Jiang Li An took their seats at the top. Although most of the guests who arrived were great Nascent Soul Realm cultivators, it didn¡¯t seem inappropriate for Wei Dongliu, being a venerable Sect Leader himself, to sit in a place of honor. Moreover, since Sect Leader Fu Xie had addressed him with such courtesy earlier, the guests could sense the importance that the Nether Ghost Path placed on Sect Leader Wei. Even those who harbored criticisms wouldn¡¯t be foolish enough to reveal them in public. Sect Leader Fu Xie wanted to say something more to Wei Dongliu, but his eyes started to hurt more and more, to the point where he almost shed tears. Assuming it was a backlash from his cultivation technique, he felt it inappropriate to take an elixir in front of all the guests, so he found an excuse to leave the main hall. Upon reaching the back hall and inspecting his condition with his divine sense, he found nothing wrong with his eyes. Nevertheless, the pain was real-and it was becoming unbearably intense. Just as he was about to take an elixir, he heard Honored White Bone¡¯s voice from behind: ¡°Fu Xie, what are you doing?¡± ¡°Honored one,¡± Sect Leader Fu Xie explained, saying that he had used the Bone Observation Technique to inspect Sect Leader Wei¡¯s wife and somehow suffered a backlash from the technique, injuring his own eyes. ¡°Hmm, let me see,¡± Honored White Bone scanned with her divine sense, then exclaimed in surprise, ¡°No, it¡¯s not a backlash¡­ this is an illusion technique?¡± ¡°An illusion technique?¡± Sect Leader Fu Xie was also startled. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co If someone could cast an illusion on him without a sound, and he had no inkling of it, wouldn¡¯t that mean the person could manipulate his senses with ease? As the head of the Nether Ghost Path, it was unthinkable for him to be so easily deceived by an illusion without noticing it. However, since Honored White Bone would not lie, it would mean that the skills of Sect Leader Wei¡¯s wife had reached a certain high level¡­ ¡°Naturally,¡± Honored White Bone nodded in response to Sect Leader Fu Xie¡¯s speculation, ¡°This Jiang Li An was highly regarded by the Carefree Ancestral Master, who insisted on arranging a marriage for her. It¡¯s clear she is no ordinary individual.¡± ¡°The younger generation is indeed like the new waves that surpass the old,¡± lamented Sect Leader Fu Xie. ¡°There are so many monstrously talented individuals among them!¡± ¡°The disciple this old one has taken this time also has excellent potential,¡± said Honored White Bone, her face rigid with pride. ¡°She has dual souls in one body, seamless as a heavenly garment. She¡¯s truly a natural seed for the path of soul and corpse dual cultivation.¡± ¡°Ming Yan Elder raised such a fine daughter and yet failed to inform this old one earlier. That was truly dim-witted.¡± Sect Leader Fu Xie put on an embarrassed smile, thinking to himself that you, old master, who are elusive like a dragon, barely present in the sect for ten out of the twelve months, are somehow blaming Elder Ming Yan? Moreover, his daoist companion had carried a son and a daughter, but a tragic accident occurred close to the childbirth, necessitating this last resort. The sister had a healthy body, but her soul was so damaged that only a hint of mingling spirit remained, dominated by her brother¡¯s soul¡­ This case of dual souls in one body was so rare that the higher echelons of the Nether Ghost Path all talked about it, marveling at it, yet only you, old master, were unaware. If you were more attentive to the affairs of the sect, it wouldn¡¯t have come to this, right? Despite his internal criticisms, Sect Leader Fu Xie sighed and persuaded: ¡°Elder Ming Yan lost his beloved wife and suffered the misfortune of losing his children. Therefore, he is exceedingly protective of this daughter who barely survived. It was indeed rude not to inform you of her abilities, but it is understandable.¡± As the Sect Leader, of course, he could not allow the Sect Guardian Immortal to hold any grudges against any of the elders ¨C even the slightest possibility must be preempted. Fortunately, Honored White Bone seemed to have spoken casually without truly blaming Elder Ming Yan. Just as he was about to say more, a hoarse voice suddenly sounded from behind: ¡°Master, what you said is so unreasonable. How could my father know to tell you about someone with dual souls in one body if he wasn¡¯t aware that you were looking for such a person?¡± ¡°Cough cough,¡± Honored White Bone coughed awkwardly, not expecting to be overheard criticizing someone¡¯s father from behind. He could only feign ignorance, saying with authority, ¡°Never mind that, have you mastered the cultivation technique I taught you yesterday?¡± ¡°Reporting to Master,¡± Wen Yang said hoarsely, ¡°I have mastered it all.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for you to speak in that drake¡¯s voice,¡± Honored White Bone frowned, ¡°I¡¯ve already spoken to your father. I told him not to favor boys over girls. We cultivators live long lives and don¡¯t need to consider carrying on the family line.¡± ¡°Yes, Master,¡± Wen Yang, with no choice, switched to a crisp female voice. ¡°This time Wei Dongliu and Jiang Liyan also came to visit,¡± Honored White Bone continued, ¡°You are acquainted with them from old times. Probe into their backgrounds for me.¡± ¡°Wei Dongliu¡¯s background?¡± Wen Yang heard ¡°them¡± instead of ¡°him¡± and sought to confirm, ¡°I have known Daoist Jiang for many years, I can inform Master about her matters.¡± Honored White Bone was slightly surprised, and then shared with Wen Yang how Jiang Lian recognized the Nether Ghost Path¡¯s Protective Sect Array ¡®Moving Mountains and Shifting Seas Formation,¡¯ as well as how she broke and countered the backlash of the Bone Observation Technique of Sect Leader Fu Xie. Sect Leader Fu Xie stood awkwardly to the side, unable to stop an immortal and pretending as if nothing was happening while maintaining his poise. ¡°This is indeed strange,¡± Wen Yang stroked her chin, pondering, ¡°The Daoist Jiang I know is not much different from most of the Heavenly Demon Path cultivators.¡± They avoid great danger and covet small gains, cherishing their lives. Her aptitude for cultivation is actually decent, but due to her master¡¯s lack of attention, her strength and realm aren¡¯t particularly outstanding, certainly not to the extent that Master described.¡± After a moment of thought, she continued, ¡°However, if you say she¡¯s intentionally hiding her strength, that also seems unlikely. I¡¯m more inclined to think that she has gained great appreciation from Patriarch Zi Zai and has made swift and tremendous progress in illusion techniques and insight.¡± ¡°If that is the case, then you can continue to associate with them in the future,¡± Honored White Bone nodded, ¡°These two are dragons hidden in the field, their future achievements will surely be boundless.¡± ¡°Now that the Three Pure Ones are powerful and talents like Changgeng and Jiao Xiao are emerging, our Six Paths also cannot fall behind.¡± ¡°I will remember this, Master,¡± Wen Yang said earnestly, ¡°But before that, I must make a breakthrough to Core Formation as soon as possible. Otherwise, it would be somewhat awkward to interact with them.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Honored White Bone smiled faintly, ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that, I have my plans.¡± In the main hall outside, Wei Dongliu and Jiang Lian sat side by side, with beautiful maidens attending to them, pouring wine. The wine was Tai Zhong Moon Yin Brew, an extremely rare and hard-to-find elixir from Immortal Sects, which started cool in the throat and then left the mouth fragrant. Ling Yunpo, who often drank with Senior Sister An, had made Wei Dongliu quite skilled at appreciating wines. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only After sipping a few mouthfuls, he smiled indifferently, ¡°A fine cup of Tai Zhong Moon Yin Brew! It¡¯s a shame to drink such exquisite wine without the accompaniment of Li Spring¡¯s clear bamboo shoots.¡± ¡°Forgive me, Sect Leader,¡± the maid quickly said, ¡°The food to complement the wine will be here shortly.¡± ¡°My husband also appreciates fine wine?¡± Jiang Lian casually asked, her thoughts whirling. She never saw him drink before, so why did he seem so familiar with the contents of this cup? ???G?.?? Wei Dongliu was internally startled but kept a composed face, merely smiling slightly, ¡°As the Sect Leader of the Mortal Life Path, it¡¯s quite normal for me to know a thing or two about wine appreciation, isn¡¯t that right?¡± Chapter 664 Chapter 664: Chapter 92: Indistinguishable Sex, The Golden Portal Chapter 664: Chapter 92: Indistinguishable Sex, The Golden Portal My wife is doubting herself. Wei Dongliu has already noticed, but he responds to her probing without letting on. Jiang Lian chuckles with a sing-song voice, engaging in idle chit-chat with her husband now and then. Though she speaks in a gentle and soft tone, Wei Dongliu often feels an inexplicable sense of thorns at his back, as if he¡¯s being watched by some lingering sinister presence. He begins to feel anxious, unaware that Jiang the Witch is also growing impatient on her end. The Heavenly Demon excels in peering into the human heart, but Wei Dongliu¡¯s mental defenses are truly watertight; he appears no different from an ordinary cultivator on the surface, but any deeper probing is instantly repelled. This is an ability that Jiang Lian completely fails to understand. It¡¯s said in the Great Thousand Worlds, many humans come in all shapes and colors, and there are those whose constitution is not afraid of the Heavenly Demon¡¯s corruption. For instance, Qiu Changtian of Kunlun¡¯s Daoist Heart Clarity, who can detect the Heavenly Demon no matter how well it hides its presence. Then, he can pull out the yet-to-root deeply Heavenly Demons directly. But that, in essence, is still a matter of being restrained by mechanisms, whereas what her own husband is demonstrating now, is a crushing superiority in terms of realm. The mighty Great Unrestrained Heavenly Demon, losing to a human in a battle of consciousness! Jiang Lian feels a surge of anger, gritting her teeth, secretly guessing that her husband indeed has many things he¡¯s hiding from her. Or perhaps, I should just find an opportunity to overpower him¡­ wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co As she is silently making calculations, the clamor suddenly rises, followed by the Honored White Bone leading Wen Yang out. Wei Dongliu focuses his eyes to see: Eh, why has Brother Wen suddenly dressed as a woman? Strange! And quite pretty! Jiang Lian, seeing his gaze fixed on Wen Yang, with a flash of admiration passing through his eyes, feels a wave of irritation. ¡°Brother Wen looks very beautiful, doesn¡¯t she?¡± she asks, resting her chin in one hand, speaking softly with a playful tone, ¡°Who would have thought she would look so charming in women¡¯s clothes? It seems she¡¯s made up her mind to be a woman now, huh? Ah, considering her beauty, I wonder who will benefit in the future?¡± Wei Dongliu warns, ¡°Don¡¯t mention anything about gender when she comes over later.¡± Jiang Lian indicates she hears him with a ¡°hmph.¡± Sure enough, after the Honored White Bone finishes attending to the guests and Wen Yang is introduced to everyone, she excuses herself from the bustle and sneaks over, saying with a smile: ¡°Brother Wei, Brother Jiang¡­ no, it should now be said, both Golden Core True Persons, it¡¯s been a long time.¡± ¡°We met at the end of Qing Ping; we might as well interact as equals now. Why must we rigidly adhere to seniority based on strength?¡± Wei Dongliu politely says. ¡°Exactly,¡± Jiang Lian chimes in with narrowed eyes, ¡°Brother Wen, have you finally decided to become a little miss?¡± Wei Dongliu is left awkwardly speechless, while Wen Yang¡¯s expression clearly freezes for a moment before managing a strained smile: ¡°Is the distinction of male and female that important? By the way, Brother Wei, now that you are Sect Leader of the Mortal Life Path, how does it feel managing a sect? I¡¯ve heard¡­¡± ¡°Of course it¡¯s important!¡± Jiang Lian interrupts, laughing, ¡°If you were Master Wen, then I would have to keep my distance from you. After all, I am now married, how can I be too casual about male-female proprieties?¡± ¡°But if it¡¯s Mistress Wen, that¡¯s a different story!¡± she says clapping her hands with laughter, ¡°We can talk about women¡¯s topics, and we can go out together occasionally. Oh, do you like embroidery? I¡¯ve been learning it recently, I could teach you¡­¡± As she chatters on incessantly, with every sentence, Wen Yang¡¯s face grows a shade darker until she¡¯s practically forcing down her shame and anger, pulling Jiang Lian aside abruptly. ¡°Brother Wei, there are some things I need to discuss with your wife,¡± she maintains a polite smile, explains to Wei Dongliu, and then pulls Jiang the Witch into a corner. Wei Dongliu watches the two leave, only to hear Honored White Bone¡¯s voice coming from behind: ¡°My disciple said she had known you for a long time, and it seems she was right.¡± ¡°Honored One.¡± Wei Dongliu greeted calmly, ¡°The Ancestor asked me to come and congratulate you.¡± ¡°No need for formalities.¡± The Honored White Bone replied gently, ¡°Blood Sea has a discerning eye. The Mortal Life Path was once prominent during the Tong Xuan Gate era, counted as one of the three great powers alongside my Nether Ghost Path and the Heavenly Demon Path, but it then suddenly split and faced the disaster of sect extermination, truly a matter for deep lament.¡± ¡°Your ability to manage the Mortal Life Path to this extent could indeed be called pulling it back from the brink. Even though my disciple has but average cultivation talent, she is extremely clever and shrewd. If in the future you can assist and unite with each other, allowing our Intercepting Cult¡¯s direct lineage to return to the era of the three great powers and stand against the Orthodox Sect without faltering, we old bones would have done justice to our ancestors and predecessors.¡± Wei Dongliu was modest with his words, claiming it to be an overestimation, but inwardly he sneered coldly. The Honored White Bone said he felt regret over the destruction of the Mortal Life Path, which was purely a whitewashed lie. If he really felt regret, why didn¡¯t he save Tong Xuan Gate back then? And why did he watch Mortal Life Path fall from its peak? To put it bluntly, although the three paths were called the direct lineage of the Intercepting Cult, the competition among them was greater than their cooperation, which is hardly a surprise they were suppressed by the Orthodox Sect¡¯s Three Pure Ones. As for the talk of uniting with Wen Yang to offer assistance, Wei Dongliu considered himself not one to forget old ties; where he could help, he would. But if it stands in the way of me becoming the master of the Six Paths¡­ then I¡¯m sorry, not just old ties, but even old love I can ruthlessly sever! The two continued with pleasantries for a while longer, and then the Honored White Bone suddenly brought up another matter: ¡°By the way, Blood Sea had another reason for sending you here, to inquire about last time¡¯s matter.¡± ¡°When you go back, reply to him: ¡®The pinnacle of Xihua, the Golden Que.''¡± Wei Dongliu was slightly surprised, but quickly guessed the answer: The Golden Que corresponds to the White Jade Capital, which is the White Jade Capital Secret Realm controlled by the Orthodox Sect¡¯s Three Pure Ones. According to the Daoist Foundation, the Golden Que should be a secret realm one rank higher than the White Jade Capital and should be suspended high above the cloud peaks. Speaking of sects floating in the air, it was impossible not to mention the recently discovered ruins of the Donghua Sect. ???G0.?0 The Donghua Sect was also floating in the air, so could there be some connection with the Golden Que? Considering the reactions of the Ziwei Master and the Master of Xuandu, this speculation was quite likely¡­ The Blood Sea Ancestor tasked me with asking this, does that mean the Nether Ghost Path¡¯s spy hidden within the Orthodox Sect¡¯s Three Pure Ones has confirmed the location of a sect that discovered the Golden Que? In the high sky at the very top of a Xihua Mountain? Seeing his thoughtful expression, the Honored White Bone¡¯s eyes flashed with appreciation and said with a smile: ¡°This matter is of great importance, do not mention it to anyone.¡± ¡°This junior understands,¡± Wei Dongliu replied gravely. Since he wants me to reply to the Blood Sea Ancestor, it means that the Intercepting Cult¡¯s Six Paths will be joining the contest for the Golden Que Secret Realm this time. It just remains unknown which sect has found the Golden Que. Kunlun? Shushan? Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Or Penglai? No matter, by reading the saves of Qiu, Ling, and Luo, all three, I¡¯ll know. At this thought, Wei Dongliu started to feel a headache coming on. Last time with the White Jade Capital Secret Realm, the three acted in turns to read the save, and it already annoyed him to death; And now with the Golden Que Secret Realm, is it going to be a cycle of four people? That¡¯s about enough! Chapter 665 Chapter 665: Chapter 93: Two Young Ladies, Arm in Arm, Having a Joyful Conversation Chapter 665: Chapter 93: Two Young Ladies, Arm in Arm, Having a Joyful Conversation The Daoist cultivation world recognizes four major realms, namely the White Jade Capital, Golden Que, Seven Treasures Mysterious Garden, and Great Bright Hall. The White Jade Capital corresponds to the physical body, Golden Que to the Divine Sense, Seven Treasures Mysterious Garden to the soul, and Great Bright Hall to the origin. These four aspects implicitly represent the process of ascending to immortality, where only when the physical body, Divine Sense, soul, and origin have all reached perfection can one ¡°ascend to immortality¡± flawlessly. Therefore, in reality, most immortals have not achieved the realm of perfection, which is why they cannot ascend to heaven in broad daylight and are instead left to painstakingly cultivate in the mortal world. The secret realm named after the White Jade Capital was built by an unknown entity, known only to have a history of extreme antiquity, and is considered a sacred place for Sword Cultivators to undergo trials. Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu once entered and not only made rapid progress in their swordsmanship but also obtained the complete version of the ¡°Shushan Sword Sect¡¯s Official Qi Refining Technique¡± from a senior, truly a case of their cups running over. What is the most precious resource in the cultivation world? Cultivation Technique inheritance! By controlling the White Jade Capital Secret Realm, the Three Pure Orthodox Sect effectively has access to a source that continuously produces Cultivation Technique inheritances, in addition to training disciples, with all the ensuing benefits naturally going without saying. However, mastery of swordsmanship is ultimately just a basic method for magical competition. Given a choice, everyone would naturally prefer Daoist Magic and even the Qi Refining Technique since the latter is the fundamental determinant of one¡¯s Cultivation Realm. With this objective in mind, the Three Sects naturally turned their attention towards the Golden Que that lies behind the White Jade Capital. ???G?.?? The so-called great contest of the White Jade Capital is to determine twelve victors, thus triggering some mechanism within the White Jade Capital Secret Realm to further locate the existence of the Golden Que behind it. wuxiaworld.site ¡°From the distant peaks of the Jade Capital, to the glistening terraces made from jade. Looking up at the Golden Que, peering down at the White Jade Platform.¡± This implies that by looking upward from the ¡°Peak of the Jade Capital,¡± one can catch a glimpse of the existence of the ¡°Golden Que.¡± With the combined efforts of the Three Pure Orthodox Sect, it was thought it wouldn¡¯t take long to find a clue¡­ but Wei Dongliu had never imagined it would come so quickly. ¡°Quick? Not anymore,¡± the Kunlun Mirror reminded him, ¡°In the past White Jade Capital competition, you were just at the Foundation Establishment Realm¡¯s Refining Mansion Rank.¡± ¡°And now you¡¯ve advanced to the Golden Core Realm¡¯s Root Seeking Rank, climbing both a major realm and a minor realm. How can it be considered quick?¡± ¡°What do you know? Ah Jing, it¡¯s because my cultivation has progressed vigorously, alright?¡± Wei Dongliu said dissatisfied, ¡°A count on my fingers, it¡¯s not even a hundred years yet! In reality, the White Jade Capital contest was just some time ago.¡± ¡°Your perception of time seems to be off,¡± Kunlun Mirror retorted. In the meantime, Jiang Lian and Wen Yang returned together. The two, to their surprise, walked side by side, as if in springtime under the blossoming flowers and bright moon, chatting happily, which gave Wei Dongliu a sudden sense of the beauty of blooming lilies. ¡°Husband, let me tell you secretly, an upheaval is about to come in the Cultivation Realm.¡± Jiang Lian hinted at him with a meaningful wink, ¡°Perhaps even the Mortal Life Path might get swept up in it, no?¡± ¡°The location of the Golden Que Secret Realm has been discovered, hasn¡¯t it?¡± Wei Dongliu said calmly. ¡°Eh, how did you know?¡± Wen Yang asked, surprised. Wei Dongliu didn¡¯t reply but merely gave an imperceptible glance towards the Honored White Bone above. The two then understood. Wen Yang promptly said with gravity: ¡°Brother Wei, this matter is of great importance. Before it is publicly announced by the Six Paths, do not casually leak it to others to prevent the Three Pure Ones from getting wind of it in advance.¡± ¡°Rest assured, I know how to handle it,¡± Wei Dongliu replied solemnly. ¡°Do you still doubt my husband¡¯s capabilities?¡± Jiang Lian teased beside her, ¡°He is now the leader of a sect, and he knows more secrets than you could imagine. How could he have won the appreciation of the Blood Sea Ancestor and brought the Mortal Life Path to its current state without some cunning?¡± ¡°Ahem, I was presumptuous,¡± Wen Yang said with a charming smile, ¡°Indeed. With Brother Wei¡¯s abilities, there¡¯s hardly a need for my undue interference.¡± Wei Dongliu didn¡¯t mind at all. After all, being admired and flattered by a beauty is always a pleasant feeling. But this Wen Yang¡­ Wei Dongliu had always viewed him as a man, so now seeing him suddenly revert to his true female form, not to mention such a charming and adorable beauty, still brought a faint sense of discomfort. Well, but if we¡¯re talking about discomfort, she¡¯s the one who should feel out of place, isn¡¯t she? Two familiar Daoist friends suddenly becoming Daoist companions without so much as a whisper. ¡°Regardless, Brother Wen has truly risen high this time,¡± Jiang Lian continued with a laugh, ¡°As long as you cling tightly to the robes of the Honored White Bone, won¡¯t the entire Nether Ghost Path be at your beck and call?¡± ¡°Speaking of which, that doesn¡¯t compare to Daoist Jiang,¡± Wen Yang laughed heartily in return, ¡°Holding on tightly to Brother Wei¡¯s robes, the Mortal Life Path is already in your hands, isn¡¯t it?¡± At this point, she suddenly exclaimed, ¡°Oh,¡± and corrected herself seriously: ¡°No, not holding tight, it should be clinging tight¡­¡± Wen Yang, who had changed from male to female, was now especially unrestrained with her risque jokes, leaving Wei Dongliu a bit overwhelmed, forcing him to pretend not to hear and turn a deaf ear to it all. ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, why don¡¯t you marry into our family as well, and become sisters with me?¡± Jiang Lian joked purposefully, ¡°Being the Direct Disciple of the Honored White Bone and the concubine of Sect Leader Wei, isn¡¯t that like having a foothold in two sects at once, exuding even more power?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense!¡± Wen Yang glanced at Wei Dongliu and pretended to smite Jiang Lian¡¯s mouth, ¡°I, this lord¡­ this lady am pure and clean. If any unsavory rumors were to spread, it would surely be because of your behind-the-scenes gossip, Jiang the Witch!¡± The pair frolicked and played, their relationship seemingly without any awkwardness, and even seemed to have improved a lot from before.¡± Wei Dongliu quietly watched from the side, not interjecting, just savoring his wine. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only After the disciple¡¯s acceptance banquet concluded, the couple took their leave. Returning to the Central Peak of Mount Wutai, Wei Dongliu conveyed the insinuations of the Honored White Bone to the Blood Sea Ancestor. ¡°I see,¡± the Blood Sea Ancestor nodded, ¡°If my memory serves, Xihua Mountain refers to a certain snow peak to the southwest on the Tibetan Plateau.¡± ¡°The Golden Que Secret Realm lies above the plateau?¡± Wei Dongliu pondered, ¡°That territory belongs to both Kunlun and the Asura Path¡­¡± ¡°We need to cooperate with the Asura Path,¡± the Blood Sea Ancestor said indifferently, ¡°King Ashoka and I had some dealings in the past, and with the great reputation of the Golden Que Secret Realm, he should grant me this favor.¡± ¡°But it is also not far from Shushan,¡± Wei Dongliu said with a frown, ¡°If Kunlun advances southwards and Shushan westwards, setting up defenses from both sides, it will be very difficult for us to get a piece of Golden Que.¡± ¡°That¡¯s precisely why we cannot let the Three Pure Orthodox Sect sense our intentions,¡± the Blood Sea Ancestor stated at last, ¡°I have my own plans for this matter; you needn¡¯t concern yourself¡­ Continue to manage the sect well, ensuring everyone is diligently practicing their cultivation, ready for the great task ahead.¡± ¡°Also, keep in close contact with the Nether Ghost Path, especially with Wen Yang. As the Direct Disciple of the Honored White Bone, we need to learn more about the Golden Que from her.¡± ¡°This junior understands,¡± Wei Dongliu nodded in agreement, thinking to himself: Why seek information from the Nether Ghost Path? Why not just ask directly in Kunlun or Shushan? Chapter 666 Chapter 666: Chapter 94 Returning to Kunlun, Clues Finally Emerge Chapter 666: Chapter 94 Returning to Kunlun, Clues Finally Emerge [Location One: Kunlun Taiqing Sect, Golden Ridge.] [Character Identity: Qiu Changtian.] [Covered by the Mirror Flower Water Moon Template, currently traveling through time and space.] Upon returning to Kunlun, Qiu Changtian had seized the time and begun to practice diligently. To proactively ask his master was the least effective method, an approach only someone lacking strategic patience would resort to. With my current unsurpassed status as the rising star of Kunlun, if the Golden Que Secret Realm were truly revealed, wouldn¡¯t the sect plead for me to enter it? The crux of the matter was, my current cultivation level was still too low. Now that the Demon Cult had confirmed its intention to interfere with the Golden Que Secret Realm, should I encounter any of the cult¡¯s powerhouses inside, I, Qiu Changtian, being only at the Nascent Soul Realm, would inevitably be at a disadvantage under their overwhelming power. If I could advance to the Obscure Weave Rank sooner, the future struggle against the Demon Cult would carry more certainty of victory. While he toiled in his practices, Xu Yinglian was unaware of his reasons, presuming her senior brother had finally developed a sense of crisis under her pursuit and joined her in practicing the Nine Bushels Thunder Fire Technique, obtained from the Donghua Sect, day and night. Curiously enough, perhaps due to the influence of the Phoenix True Blood, Junior Sister Xu seemed particularly gifted in fire-based Daoist Magic. The effects of the Great Bright Fire, the Crimson Feather Nine Phoenix Fire, and the Nine Bushels Thunder Fire corresponded to large-scale burning, high-temperature cutting, and violent explosions, respectively, resulting in perpetual flames reaching the sky above the entire Congling region. This spectacle prompted the Kunlun disciples to nickname the area ¡°Flame Mountain,¡± as many flocked there to witness the emergence of some exotic treasure, only to discover that it was the real person Qiong Ying practicing her Daoist Magic. Qiu Changtian was somewhat shocked and wondered if Junior Sister Xu discovered the existence of another Daoist companion, would she transform into a flame fist and beat me to death? wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.cO Don¡¯t panic, don¡¯t scare yourself. Firstly, Senior Sister An¡¯s swordsmanship was unparalleled, and she would certainly not fear Junior Sister Xu¡¯s fire-based Daoist Magic. As long as I called out ¡°Senior Sister, save me,¡± she would surely come with her sword to stop Xu Yinglian. Secondly, Liuli¡¯s Southern Dipper Galaxy Secret Technique was also growing more proficient. Using the method of water overcoming fire to flood the sky with the celestial river, Junior Sister Xu¡¯s fire-based Daoist Magic would inevitably be rendered ineffective. Lastly, Jiang the Witch now had an incomprehensible depth in Illusion Technique. If I asked her to cast an illusion on Junior Sister Xu, making it impossible for her to find me, I would naturally avoid being pursued. Realizing he had these trump cards at his disposal, Qiu Changtian was privately reassured and stopped worrying about Xu Yinglian¡¯s rapid increase in strength, silently practicing the Tai Xiao Divine Thunder. The ¡°last three thunders¡± of the ten great thunder methods were the Purple Mansion Thunder, Yu Chen Thunder, and Tai Xiao Thunder. The Purple Mansion Thunder, said to resemble heavenly tribulation the closest, could destroy a person¡¯s Purple Mansion Daoist Foundation. Even if one survived a strike, their cultivation would be greatly diminished, making it the thunder method most capable of eradicating the spark of life. The Yu Chen Thunder, known as ¡°the thunder that shatters the essence,¡± was specifically effective against all sorts of magical treasures, flying swords, Daoist magic, and formations. Once this thunder was unleashed, no defense could withstand it, showcasing the pinnacle of the thunder method¡¯s destructive capability. As for the Tai Xiao Thunder currently mastered by Qiu Changtian, its advantage was very clear: physical manifestation. Able to transform into a physically manifested thunder dragon, it could fly and slaughter wildly, making it more practical than the other two thunders, which explained why it was a unique Daoist Magic of the Donghua Sect. Once he gathered the first nine thunders, Qiu Changtian would attempt to condense the legendary tenth thunder, known as ¡°Taiji Thunder.¡± Although merely a legend, its actual existence was still unknown, but everyone in the Cultivation Realm abided by the first law: legends are very likely real, and if you haven¡¯t discovered it, it¡¯s your issue, which doesn¡¯t prove it doesn¡¯t exist. Therefore, even though Qiu Changtian had no clue about the method of condensing it, he was filled with inexplicable anticipation for the Taiji Thunder. However¡­ several months had passed, and the sect still had no news about the Golden Que, which left Qiu Changtian somewhat puzzled. ???G?.?? Could it be that the Golden Que was discovered not by Kunlun but by Shushan or Penglai? Even if that were the case, as long as the Golden Que was indeed atop the southern plateau, neither of those factions could explore it without involving Kunlun. All he needed to do was wait patiently. As Qiu Changtian was secretly calculating, Xu Yinglian had already sensed that something was amiss. She, of course, was unaware of the matters concerning the Golden Que Secret Realm, but she felt that her senior brother¡¯s recent behavior seemed somewhat abnormal. The Qiu Changtian of the past, even when cultivating, always displayed a composed and unhurried demeanor, as if he did not care about the progress of his cultivation level, or perhaps he was extremely confident in his own talent for the Dao-based on her understanding of her husband, the latter was more likely. However, the current Qiu Changtian was actively cultivating, whether it was Qi Refinement through breathing exercises, or training in the Thunder Method, he was much more proactive than before. From the swift and orderly style of her senior brother, Xu Yinglian also keenly smelled an unusual scent, as if a storm was coming. Could it be that the Demon Cult was about to attack again? On further thought, the Demon Cult had once besieged Penglai, causing significant losses to Yuqing View; then they attacked Shushan, and although they did not breach the Shangqing Sect, the Shushan Sword Immortals had indeed suffered a great number of casualties. Furthermore, with the Mortal Life Path rising like lightning in recent years, it seemed only natural and reasonable that they would presume to tug at Kunlun¡¯s whiskers. I must prepare well, so that when I go to battle, I can¡¯t be a burden to my senior brother! With this in mind, Xu Yinglian began to redouble her efforts. In addition to doubling her daily-breathing practice, she tirelessly practiced Daoist Magic over and over, with a level of dedication that even made Qiu Changtian feel somewhat embarrassed. After some time had passed, the Ziwei Master finally sent a Flying Sword message, summoning the two to the Scripture Lecture Hall in Jade Void Palace. ¡°Your junior brother Guan Zhan, who previously held the position of the Chief Disciple at the Foundation Establishment Realm, had gone to Shushan for an exchange,¡± said the Ziwei Master unhurriedly. As for the content of the exchange, both of them had accumulated Refining Mansion Cultivation, so there was no need for further explanation. ¡°However, something has come up now,¡± the Ziwei Master said lightly, ¡°You two will go to Shushan on behalf of Kunlun to meet with the Jade Capital Sect Leader and offer an apology on my behalf. I will have Han Yuan accompany you.¡± (Han Yuan, the Daoist name of Luo Baiyuan, the Chief Disciple of the Golden Core Realm) An incident occurred? Qiu Changtian was slightly taken aback, immediately thinking of the matter where Guan Zhan attempted to assassinate his father. Oh, so this is the point in time we¡¯ve reached. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Master, are we to bring back our junior brother?¡± Xu Yinglian confirmed. ¡°No, let him come back on his own,¡± continued the Ziwei Master, ¡°There will be another task for you later on.¡± Xu Yinglian did not understand, but Qiu Changtian had already guessed. Qiu Changtian, Xu Yinglian, and Luo Baiyuan were all Golden Core Realm real persons, while Guan Zhan was the only disciple of the Foundation Establishment Realm. If the former three stayed at Shushan and only Guan Zhan returned alone to Kunlun, it could only relate to the Golden Que Secret Realm, which was restricted to those of the Golden Core Realm. So it turned out that Shushan was the one that had discovered the clues to the Golden Que! Chapter 667 Chapter 667: Chapter 1 The Arrogant Never Retreat Environment Chapter 667: Chapter 1 The Arrogant Never Retreat Environment Master sister Luo Baiyuan had some private matters to attend to, so Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian arrived at Shushan ahead of time, with Sima Changyan responsible for receiving them. ¡°Changgeng, Qiong Ying, two esteemed immortals,¡± he said with a beaming smile, ¡°What a pleasure to meet! I am Sima Changyan, tasked with guiding your journey in Shushan this time. If you have any questions later on, feel free to contact me.¡± ¡°Sima Dao-friend,¡± Qiu Changtian greeted with a clasped fist. Sima Changyan, he was an old acquaintance. After An Zhisu and Ling Yunpo advanced to the Golden Core Realm, within Shushan, the competition for the top three spots in the Foundation Establishment Realm Immortal Sword Ranking was mainly between Lin Duanshan, Duan Fenhai, and Guan Shanyue. The fourth spot was solidly held by Bi Sheng, leaving Sima Changyan often settling for fifth place and sometimes even falling to sixth. An Zhisu once sharply criticized him, stating that ¡°his mind was not set on cultivation,¡± but Ling Yunpo didn¡¯t mind at all; after all, everyone has their own aspirations. At least in social interactions, this Brother Sima truly managed to make others feel like they were basking in the spring breeze. Senior Sister An, couldn¡¯t you learn a bit from him at least in terms of dealing with people? After being led to their accommodations by Sima Changyan, the two settled down, planning to meet with the Jade Capital Sect Leader together with Master Sister Luo Baiyuan when she arrived at Shushan the next morning. ¡°This Shushan is filled with outstanding natural beauty,¡± Xu Yinglian remarked, looking through the window lattice at the lush trees of the opposite cliff and ravine. Occasionally, a few white-haired monkeys would deftly swing down from the treetops, emitting ethereal and prolonged cries. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.c0 Xu Yinglian was very fond of these beautiful mountain scenes, considering them to have ¡°a unique charm¡± and ¡°quite suitable for habitation.¡± Qiu Changtian wanted to retort that having so many trees wasn¡¯t as nice as she imagined since it meant having to sweep up fallen leaves every day, but considering he wasn¡¯t Ling Yunpo, he had to let it go. At this time, Guan Zhan had just finished assassinating his father, while Ling Yunpo and Senior Sister An were probably still guarding the Demon Locking Tower. I need to be careful not to venture near the Demon Locking Tower, or it would be troublesome if I bumped into them. As Qiu Changtian was pondering this, he suddenly heard Xu Yinglian say: ¡°Senior brother, since we have nothing else to do, why don¡¯t we take a look around the Demon Locking Tower?¡± ¡°Uh,¡± Qiu Changtian feigned difficulty, ¡°the Demon Locking Tower is a vital location of Shushan, and we Kunlun Cultivators should not enter it lightly.¡± ¡°Who said we were going inside the Demon Locking Tower?¡± Xu Yinglian asked in confusion, ¡°I just meant to stroll around its perimeter.¡± What¡¯s there to see around that broken tower? Thunder Grotto Plain is just an ordinary valley! Knowing this, but unable to dissuade her directly, Qiu Changtian tried to change the subject: ¡°I¡¯ve heard that the mountain markets here in Shushan, where cultivators and mortals live side by side, have a unique charm¡­ How about we go find a small town to visit instead?¡± ¡°That works,¡± Xu Yinglian, seeing his lack of enthusiasm, acquiesced. Now in Shushan¡¯s domain, the two didn¡¯t dare to openly fly with sword control lest they attract the inspection of Shushan¡¯s patrolling Sword Immortals and cause displeasure, so they opted to walk downhill instead. Qiu Changtian changed into a moonlight-white long robe, looking refined and cultured; Xu Yinglian put on a pale green long dress, matched with her ink-like black hair and features pure and ethereal, making her appear like a beauty from a classical painting, which made Qiu Changtian¡¯s heart flutter. She wasn¡¯t as voluptuous as Senior Sister An nor as delicately charming as Shi Liuli, but this fairy-like temperament was unmatched by anyone else. Xu Yinglian, unaware of his thoughts, simply gazed peacefully at the town below the mountain and suddenly mentioned: ¡°This Shushan is tucked away in the southwestern corner among layers of mountains. It appears secluded and above common dust, yet it hasn¡¯t completely severed ties with the Mortal World.¡± ¡°Under such circumstances, it is impossible for one¡¯s Daoist heart to remain completely untainted by the mortal world. ?0?G?.?? No wonder Shushan Sword Immortals often embark on a journey of heart inquiry before and after Core Formation,¡± ¡°If it were Junior Sister¡¯s turn,¡± Qiu Changtian said with a carefree smile, ¡°would you choose the Path of Heartless, Path of Forgetting Love, or Sentiment Inquiry Path?¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t choose any,¡± Xu Yinglian stated proudly. ¡°My Daoist heart is clear and bright, transparent as if watching a fire. Why would I need to ask?¡± This answer was very much in Junior Sister Xu¡¯s style, causing Qiu Changtian to chuckle involuntarily. ¡°Laugh¡­ What are you laughing at?¡± Xu Yinglian¡¯s face immediately flushed, but she still mustered the strength to glare at him and demanded an answer. ¡°I almost forgot that Junior Sister has the Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart,¡± Qiu Changtian laughed heartily. ¡°Indeed, it was superfluous of me to ask.¡± ¡°Hmph,¡± Xu Yinglian¡¯s complexion improved somewhat, and she turned her head away to ponder for a moment before asking, ¡°And you, Senior Brother?¡± ¡°If Senior Brother did not possess the physique of Daoist Heart Clarity and had to embark on a heart inquiry, would you then choose heartlessness, forgetting love, or inquiry of feelings?¡± ¡°That¡¯s simple,¡± Qiu Changtian said calmly. ¡°If I had not met Junior Sister, I would choose heartlessness; having met Junior Sister, I would choose inquiry of feelings; and if Junior Sister¡¯s heart already belonged to someone else and had no interest in me, then I would have no choice but to forget.¡± Xu Yinglian fell silent. ¡°Junior Sister?¡± Seeing her turned away from him, speechless, Qiu Changtian couldn¡¯t help but ask curiously. ¡°Shut up!¡± Xu Yinglian didn¡¯t turn to look at him but snapped, ¡°Don¡¯t you dare speak such frivolous words!¡± ¡°What¡¯s frivolous about it?¡± Qiu Changtian was genuinely confused. ¡°Just don¡¯t say it again!¡± Xu Yinglian stamped her foot in frustration. Seeing her neck and earlobes blushing, Qiu Changtian finally understood, thinking to himself that his Junior Sister was really thin-skinned, and it was quite amusing to tease her. If it had been Senior Sister An, she surely would have blushed red with shame, pretending not to hear such sweet nothings. If it had been Miss Shi, she would have shown a tranquil and happy smile, although he wouldn¡¯t know if it was genuinely out of happiness or just a polite smile in response to her husband¡¯s affection. If it had been Jiang the Witch, it would have been an unabashed, ¡°Say more, I love listening,¡± or ¡°Why stop? If you run out of words, a few more kisses will make up for it.¡± If it were a fox, it would let out a whimpering sound and burrow into one¡¯s arms, then look up with batting eyes. To put it plainly, Senior Sister An was the innocent and naive big sister, Miss Shi the intellectual girl, Jiang the Witch the carnivorous spicy girl, the little fox the cute and sweet girl. But only Junior Sister Xu would show this kind of complicated emotion that was a mix of bashfulness, irritation, and a secret little joy underneath, truly a tsundere version that never went out of style. Qiu Changtian became even more delighted, and subconsciously pretended not to notice her shyness, feigning confusion: ¡°Did Senior Brother say something wrong? Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Oh, I know, Junior Sister is blaming me for considering forgetting love¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant!¡± Xu Yinglian said indignantly. Seeing that the mountain road was indeed deserted, she then glared fiercely at her shameless Senior Brother and hissed angrily: ¡°Some things should not be said out loud! If a passerby were to overhear, what would become of our dignity?¡± ¡°I see,¡± Qiu Changtian exclaimed, as if suddenly understanding. ¡°Indeed, such private matters should be discussed alone with one¡¯s spouse back at the cave residence, it¡¯s really not appropriate to talk about them in public.¡± Hearing the shameless Senior Brother refer to her as ¡°spouse¡± instead of ¡°Junior Sister,¡± how could Xu Yinglian not guess that he was deliberately teasing her? She almost exploded with anger on the spot ¨C turning around with a face flushed with anger, she stomped forcefully on Qiu Changtian¡¯s shoe, then without looking back, she walked toward the town below the mountain. Chapter 668 Chapter 668: Chapter 2 Get into a Fight Chapter 668: Chapter 2 Get into a Fight In the various peaks of Shushan, numerous small towns were scattered amongst the mountains. Without the existence of the Shushan Shangqing Faction, such mountain villages tended to be isolated, poor, and boring. But now, these mountain towns had become some of the happiest places in the entire Divine Land, free from the problems of warfare, famine, and epidemics all year round. The cultivators, those lordly beings, spoke pleasantly, and people loved living there. Xu Yinglian¡¯s cloth shoes stepped onto the bluestone pavement, her peerless beauty unmasked, drawing the fervent attention of passersby and cultivators alike. Even though cultivators distanced themselves from mortals in appearance and inner qualities through Qi Refinement and Marrow Cleansing, someone with the stature, looks, and aura of a Phoenix Immortal was underappreciated even if described as one in ten thousand. ¡°Where does this female cultivator come from?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Her clothes don¡¯t seem to be from Shushan.¡± Whispers arose from all around, giving Xu Yinglian somewhat of a headache. In the past, whether at the Xu Family or in Kunlun, she mostly lived a life of seclusion. Indoors she¡¯d be in the Golden Ridge Cave Abode; outdoors, she¡¯d be in the Congling Mountain Range. Aside from breathing exercises and Qi refinement, she practiced Daoist Magic and rarely experienced walking in the bustle of the market. ???g?.?? wuxiaworld.site Adding to that, her recent quarrel with Dog Brother had her forget to cover her face with a veil. The fervent and unbridled stares from around also made her, of a cold disposition, feel somewhat offended. Therefore, Xu Yinglian turned and glared at Qiu Changtian. Qiu Changtian was a bit puzzled but approached and took her hand. Xu Yinglian tried to withdraw her hand but was caught firm by Qiu Changtian. Her face reddened slightly, and after struggling a few times to no avail, she simply gave up. Qiu Changtian chuckled inwardly, aware that his junior sister¡¯s struggle was just a symbolic resistance; if he let go immediately, she would actually become upset. This was the so-called tsundere nature. Hand in hand, the two went to the tavern in the town, the only four-story building there. Sitting by the window to watch the worldly bustle below was most enjoyable. Upon reaching the fourth floor of the tavern, they took a seat by the window. Qiu Changtian then called over the server and habitually ordered, ¡°Bring wine, Daughter¡¯s Red, and add two liang of soy sauce beef, some peanuts, pickled lotus roots, pickled cucumber, and other cold dishes¡­¡± ¡°Alrighty!¡± Just as the server went downstairs, a cough from a woman could be heard at the next table. Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian turned to look and realized that An Zhisu was sitting by the opposite window with a jug of wine and the same dishes: peanuts, pickled lotus roots, and pickled cucumber. Both being extremely clever, they immediately realized: An Zhisu must have thought that Qiu Changtian ordered the same dishes as hers on purpose. In modern society, ordering food based on what others at an adjacent table have selected wouldn¡¯t be incorrect; but in ancient times, especially when the other was a woman, it would seem frivolous and indecent. Although they were all cultivators, not children reared in deep seclusion, it could still be seen in different ways. The real problem, however, was that Xu Yinglian and Qiu Changtian knew that they hadn¡¯t even noticed An Zhisu¡¯s presence before! Peanuts, pickled lotus roots, and pickled cucumber, these three had the common attribute of being crunchy. Accompanying drinks with crunchy food was Ling Yunpo¡¯s preferred flavor, not uncommon among drinkers, so Qiu Changtian hadn¡¯t initially paid it much thought. As for why An Zhisu picked the foods that Ling Yunpo enjoyed, that was another matter altogether. Sighing, Qiu Changtian also remembered the time he guarded the Demon Locking Tower as Ling Yunpo, and Senior Sister An, bored out of her mind, had taken some time to sneak out¡­ presumably, to hide away in this tavern and drink. Given the current awkwardness, continuing as if nothing had happened wasn¡¯t really an option; it would only make things harder to explain. With these thoughts, he cupped his hands from a distance, greeting, ¡°True Person Jiao Xiao.¡± Seeing him acknowledging her, An Zhisu was slightly surprised but mostly didn¡¯t want to engage. After all, she had a personality that was very clear on love and hate; for those she liked, she couldn¡¯t like them enough, and for those she disliked, no amount of talking would change her opinions. Or, to put it more bluntly, she was slightly lacking in emotional intelligence; her expressions of happiness, anger, sorrow, and joy were too direct¡­ Fortunately, after so many years of Ling Yunpo¡¯s earnest teachings, she knew she must not show her displeasure, so she reluctantly performed a salute and said: ¡°Changgeng, Qiong Ying, long time no see.¡± Her strained expression was so obvious that Xu Yinglian immediately took an aversion to her. After all, Xu Yinglian didn¡¯t realize that this was An Zhisu¡¯s true nature, she behaved this way with everyone¡­ She then turned her head to Qiu Changtian and said: ¡°Senior Brother, this place is too noisy. Let¡¯s find a quieter place.¡± Just having seated herself, she complained about ¡°this noisy place¡±, and whom she disdained was evident without saying. An Zhisu¡¯s anger flared immediately. She had been quite irritable lately; firstly, guarding the Demon Locking Tower was incredibly boring, as her days were spent flying around the tower¡¯s body-utterly uninteresting. Secondly, even though she was clearly a Second Grade Golden Core with a cultivation level higher than her junior brother, she always ended up at a disadvantage in sword practice, completely losing her senior sister dignity. Thirdly, she and her junior brother had made some achievements in their cultivation, and Qingluo Peak¡¯s situation in Shushan was no longer as difficult as in previous years, but her master still showed no signs of leaving seclusion, seemingly unaware of their efforts and accomplishments. In short, she was vexed. Then, seeing the superior Qiu Changtian and his haughty junior sister only added to her irritation. ¡°If the Daoist heart is not at peace, where is not noisy?¡± An Zhisu said coldly. Qiu Changtian was taken aback by her words. What? Senior Sister An now retorts with sarcasm as well? ¡°It is only natural to favor a hall filled with orchids over a shop reeking of fish.¡± Xu Yinglian responded indifferently. To prefer a hall filled with plants over a stinky fish stall, isn¡¯t that normal? If I dislike you, isn¡¯t that your fault? ¡°If you do not like Shushan, why bother coming from Kunlun?¡± An Zhisu laughed out of sheer aggravation and flicked her finger at a wine cup, ¡°Overbearing and domineering, would you like to have this drink to cool your temper?¡± The wine cup shot towards Xu Yinglian like a bullet, which she promptly caught with swift hands. However, An Zhisu had applied a clever force when flicking the cup so that the wine within was rapidly spinning, and when the cup suddenly stopped, the wine splashed towards Xu Yinglian¡¯s eyes. Then in a high temperature, it suddenly turned into vapor and dissipated-it was Xu Yinglian using an exquisite technique to release and retract the Nine Bushels Thunder Fire Technique just in time to evaporate the splash of wine. ¡°The Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal of Shushan is known to be unforgiving when in the right,¡± said Xu Yinglian coldly, ¡°and now I see it is indeed the case.¡± ¡°In appreciation of your respectful offering of a drink, I¡¯d like to return the favor in kind.¡± She held chopsticks in her right hand and flicked several peanuts towards An Zhisu. The nuts, mid-air, spontaneously combusted, turning into several flames the size of fingernails. An Zhisu effortlessly caught the wine cup in mid-air with a stylish grab, trapping all the small fireballs inside. Then the cup exploded abruptly in her hand-the so-called Nine Bushels Thunder Fire Technique was characterized by the violent nature of thunder and lightning, not something that could be extinguished by mere wine. While the wine that exploded all over her hand was almost harmless, it was thoroughly humiliating. An Zhisu, outmatched in Daoist magic by Xu Yinglian, had taken a significant loss and stood up seriously, saying solemnly: ¡°Guests should be treated with respect upon traveling from afar, and rarely do we meet; I would like to witness the prowess of Qiong Ying True Person.¡± Qiu Changtian¡¯s heart shook suddenly: Trouble was brewing! Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only While other Kunlun cultivators might not be aware, he knew that when Senior Sister An truly became angry, she would fight mercilessly to the death! How many Shushan cultivators had their life-bound sword artifacts broken by her during contests, resulting in a huge decline in their cultivation? Otherwise, where would the nickname Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal come from? Just as he was about to speak out and stop them, Xu Yinglian also stood up, saying coldly: ¡°This place is not suitable for a fight. Let¡¯s take this outside!¡± Chapter 669 Chapter 669: Chapter 3 It¡¯s Time to Let You Know Chapter 669: Chapter 3 It¡¯s Time to Let You Know Who can tell me why they started fighting? Qiu Changtian was very confused. If it was because the fact that I was playing two roles was unfortunately revealed and they fought out of jealousy to compete for my affection, that would be understandable. But Senior Sister An clearly despised me, Qiu Changtian, and Junior Sister Xu stepped forward to protect her husband. How could this also lead to conflict? Thinking about it carefully, it wasn¡¯t just with Xu Yinglian; An Zhisu¡¯s relationship with Shi Liuli wasn¡¯t very good either. They had met during the White Jade Capital¡¯s competition and could be said to have taken an instant dislike to each other. The relationship between Xu Yinglian and Shi Liuli was actually not bad¡­ although it was initially not great, it improved when Shi Liuli evolved into her second form, which changed Junior Sister Xu¡¯s opinion of her. Thinking about it like that, it was clear that their disharmony was their own issue. Junior Sister Xu was cold and proud; Senior Sister An was paranoid and stubborn. It was very normal for the two of them to dislike each other¡­ It was not my fault! With this realization, Qiu Changtian¡¯s sense of guilt disappeared and he was no longer worried about them getting seriously hurt in the fight. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co After all, this was Shushan territory. Junior Sister Xu would certainly hold back a lot, and Senior Sister An wouldn¡¯t really hit a guest from Kunlun too hard; after all, Qingluo Peak¡¯s position in Shushan was still somewhat awkward¡­ Holy crap! Xu Yinglian unleashed the Crimson Feather Nine Phoenix Fire; the golden thread slashed towards An Zhisu¡¯s waist like a massive sword. Qiu Changtian knew all too well the power of the Crimson Feather Nine Phoenix Fire. The nine layers of compressed True Yuan appeared small but were extremely potent. If Senior Sister An tried to use her Flying Sword to block, she would definitely be sliced in two along with her sword-there was no other possibility. Fortunately, An Zhisu had an Innate Sword Heart and immediately perceived the immense danger. She simply merged with her sword in the nick of time to dodge the golden thread¡¯s cut and then quickly counterattacked with her twin swords-one red and one white- their Sword Light intertwined like silk bands, carrying fierce murderous intent! Xu Yinglian¡¯s figure was pierced by the twin swords, then collapsed into flames, reappearing behind An Zhisu in the next instant-it was the Phoenix Secret Technique¡¯s Fire Escape Nine Methods. She reached for An Zhisu¡¯s shoulders, and from her eyes, mouth, and nose, golden flames were already emerging. It was one of the Secret Techniques from the Nine Bushels Thunder Fire, with utterly terrifying power. Her figure then suddenly exploded! Qiu Changtian hastily scanned with his Divine Sense and found that An Zhisu was unharmed, and he heaved a sigh of relief. The explosion was just an illusion created by Xu Yinglian¡¯s Daoist Magic and not a real self-destruction. An Zhisu¡¯s figure suddenly appeared dozens of feet below, having dodged the explosion in the critical moment using the Cloud-Parting Eight Trigrams Step. She then merged once more with her sword; her Sword Light instantly exploded tenfold and viciously charged at Xu Yinglian again. The two fought inseparably, exchanging six or seven lethal moves within moments, as if they each wanted nothing more than to kill the other, sending chills down Qiu Changtian¡¯s spine. He was just about to rush to separate them, shouting, ¡°Stop fighting,¡± when he suddenly heard Luo Baiyuan¡¯s voice from behind, sounding a bit puzzled: ¡°Are they sparring?¡± ¡°Senior Sister Han Yuan? ???G?.?? You¡¯ve finally arrived at Shushan,¡± Qiu Changtian was secretly overjoyed but wore a look of faint worry on his face. He explained, ¡°The person fighting with Junior sister is Master Jiao Xiao of Shushan, who previously won second place in the White Jade Capital competition.¡± ¡°Sister, can you please intervene to stop them? If they continue like this, I¡¯m afraid there will be trouble.¡± ¡°Brother, won¡¯t you stop them?¡± Luo Baiyuan asked curiously. ¡°Junior Sister Xu is eager to win,¡± said Qiu Changtian with a wry smile. ¡°If she is winning, her desire to win is so great that she would begrudge me for interrupting; if she is losing, my intervention would only embarrass her.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Luo Baiyuan took him at his word. After all, Master Qiong Ying was known for her strong-willed nature, and as the Golden Core Realm Chief Disciple of Kunlun, she often heard about it. So, she thought, if Junior Sister Qiong Ying was too concerned about the impression she made in Changgeng Junior Brother¡¯s eyes, then indeed it would not be good for her to intervene hastily and cause a misunderstanding. So, she flew up on her sword, fingers shaping Daoist Formulas as she went. The temperature around them plummeted suddenly, and the vast, swirling snow forced the two fiercely battling figures to quickly retreat. Xu Yinglian¡¯s expression was icy cold. Although she appeared composed, her green dress now had countless slits from slashing sword qi. An Zhisu¡¯s face was indifferent. Despite her outward appearance of being unscathed, her hair and cheeks bore many marks of smoke and singeing. Clearly, the true state of affairs was far from the calm demeanor both displayed. Qiu Changtian wore a worried look but sighed inwardly without cease. With such a poor relationship between my first and second wife, how will I be able to maintain harmony in my inner court once their issues are fully exposed? However, he then thought to himself: This is a good thing! If the two of them were really to get along well and address each other as sisters, forming a united front in the inner court like a sheet of iron, then how could I exert my authority as their husband? To pull strings, form cliques, and maintain a balance of power is the essence of management! Qiu Changtian quickly pulled Xu Yinglian to his side, grasped her wrist, and with his divine sense carefully scrutinized her for injuries. Confirming that she was not seriously harmed, he finally breathed a sigh of relief. Seeing the concern of her husband written all over his face, Xu Yinglian felt a bit of warmth in her heart and was about to say something when she heard An Zhisu, who had just ingested an elixir, speak indifferently: ¡°True to your reputation as the Phoenix Immortal, you live up to your name.¡± With that, she quickly transformed into a beam of sword light and left. Qiu Changtian watched her departure and then heard Xu Yinglian say suddenly, in a deep voice: ¡°If it weren¡¯t for Senior Sister Han Yuan stepping in, I would have definitely been the one defeated in the end.¡± Qiu Changtian remained silent, inwardly agreeing. Wasn¡¯t that the truth? An Zhisu, although fierce in her fighting style, hadn¡¯t used any sword dao techniques from beginning to end, thus her consumption of true yuan was far less than Xu Yinglian¡¯s. Junior Sister Xu is still the possessor of the Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart, aware that her opponent¡¯s battle experience far surpassed her own, allowing her to handle Xu Yinglian¡¯s attacks with such simple methods. If it were not for the concern that this area is within the Shushan territory where a serious confrontation would certainly not end well for her¡­ After her loss to Master Jingyun of Penglai in the White Jade Capital¡¯s grand competition last time, now defeated by Jiao Xiao True Person of Shushan, Xu Yinglian suddenly felt a profound sense of loss at how insignificant her strength seemed in the vast world. Yet, she quickly reignited her fighting spirit. It is precisely because of this that the path of cultivation isn¡¯t boring! My senior brother is my ultimate goal, while these opponents are merely stepping stones on my way to defeating him! Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Although Qiu Changtian did not know what was on her mind, seeing her transition from feeling lost to being resolute and spirited, how could he not guess her thoughts? Enough of this, Junior Sister Xu! ¡°Senior Sister Han Yuan, weren¡¯t you supposed to arrive only tomorrow?¡± Qiu Changtian asked curiously, ¡°Why the haste today?¡± ¡°The situation is somewhat complicated,¡± Luo Baiyuan said with a sigh. ¡°Changgeng, Qiong Ying, our master said it¡¯s time for you to know.¡± ¡°Do you remember the Golden Que Secret Realm I mentioned to you after the last grand competition at the White Jade Capital?¡± Xu Yinglian¡¯s eyes widened: Could it be¡­ Qiu Changtian also put on a surprised expression. Chapter 670 Chapter 670: Chapter 4 Feather Transformation Ritual, the Aura of Tao Chapter 670: Chapter 4 Feather Transformation Ritual, the Aura of Tao ¡°The Golden Que Secret Realm and White Jade Capital Secret Realm are inherited from the same lineage,¡± Luo Baiyuan continued, ¡°It is said that in the ancient times, they were designed for the immortals to undergo feather transformation.¡± ¡°Immortals undergoing feather transformation?¡± Xu Yinglian frowned and asked, ¡°Haven¡¯t the immortals already undergone the feather transformation? ¡®To feather transform and ascend to immortality,¡¯ how can one undergo it again?¡± Qiu Changtian did not follow with a question but showed a pensive look. ¡°Qiong Ying, the ¡®feather transformation to ascend to immortality¡¯ from before and the current ¡®ascension¡¯ are not the same,¡± Luo Baiyuan sighed, ¡°Feather transformation, that is to rise to the Immortal Realm.¡± ¡°The Immortal Realm?¡± This time both Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian were stunned. Within the sects, there are common references to the ¡®Mortal Realm¡¯ and the ¡®Cultivation Realm.¡¯ They refer to the world where the Human Race currently lives, as well as realms like the Eastern Emperor Realm, the Nine Serenities Underworld, and other worlds beyond our own, each independent and spatially unconnected, requiring special methods to traverse between them. But the ¡°Immortal Realm¡± Luo Baiyuan mentioned existed only in the records of ancient texts, without any further description-no one ever returned from the Immortal Realm to pen down travelogue describing what the Immortal Realm was like, leading many cultivators to believe that the ¡°Immortal Realm¡± was just an ideal world made up in fiction. Yet according to what Luo Baiyuan said, it seemed the Immortal Realm truly did exist. ¡°These are things that would usually be disclosed to you when you were about to form your Nascent Infant,¡± Luo Baiyuan said seriously, ¡°If Nascent Soul Cultivators can reach the level of a Heavenly Immortal or higher, then they will undergo a metamorphosis both physically and in soul, and hence unable to continue staying in this current world, but will naturally ascend to the Immortal Realm, known as ¡®feather transformation.¡¯ ¡°And now, the Sect Guardian Immortals of the great sects, as well as the Scattered Immortals roaming all over, only stay in this Mortal Realm by using special methods.¡± ¡°Why stay in the Mortal World?¡± Xu Yinglian curiously asked, ¡°If the Immortal Realm truly exists, according to the texts, it should be a sacred place for cultivation, a Daoist paradise, superior to this world in every aspect.¡± ¡°Each has their reasons, I guess,¡± Luo Baiyuan shook his head, ¡°Worried about their Sect, still having attachments to the mortal world, even fear that the Immortal Realm isn¡¯t as good¡­ These aren¡¯t important. What¡¯s important is that the choice can only be made once.¡± wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co A few months later you decide you want to go? ???G?.?? Sorry, admissions are closed! ¡°It is said that in the ancient times, the Mortal Realm and the Immortal Realm were traversable between each other,¡± Luo Baiyuan continued, ¡°But then some catastrophe occurred, ripping apart the passage between them.¡± ¡°Since then, to go from the Mortal Realm to the Immortal Realm, there have only been two methods left: one is to rely on the Ascension Force for a natural feather transformation; the other is to wait for the time when the Heavenly Spheres align, to undergo the feather transformation ritual once more in the Mortal Realm. This Golden Que Secret Realm, is one of the keys to the feather transformation ritual¡­¡± ¡°What is the alignment of the Heavenly Spheres?¡± Qiu Changtian suddenly blurted out. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Luo Baiyuan replied, ¡°According to what my master said, it seems to happen once every so often as a great calamity to the world.¡± A great calamity to the world? Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian exchanged glances, each reading a trace of unease in the other¡¯s eyes. ¡°Ah Jing, Ah Jing!¡± Qiu Changtian hurriedly asked, ¡°What exactly is the alignment of the Heavenly Spheres?¡± ¡°This¡­¡± The Kunlun Mirror hesitated. ¡°If you don¡¯t tell me, it¡¯s the same if I go and ask the Ziwei Master,¡± Qiu Changtian, seeing her waver, immediately struck while the iron was hot, threatening, ¡°Even Sister Luo knows about this, so my master will certainly not keep me in the dark.¡± ¡°But if in the end it¡¯s the Ziwei Master and not you who gives me the answer, then I might have to consider whether Kunlun has treated me better, or if our relationship has become closer!¡± ¡°Sigh,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said helplessly, ¡°The alignment of the Heavenly Spheres is a complex matter, I¡¯m not sure how best to explain it to you.¡± ¡°To draw an analogy: if the Mortal Realm is the water in a cup, and the Immortal Realm is the air above the water, then the essence of individual Ascension is to accumulate energy and transform oneself from water into air, thus moving from the Mortal Realm within the water to the Immortal Realm within the air,¡± ¡°Immortals who linger in the Mortal Realm are like tiny air bubbles dissolved in water, temporarily unable to move on to the Immortal Realm,¡± ¡°When the Heavenly Spheres converge, it¡¯s akin to the water in the cup being heated. After boiling, the tiny dissolved air bubbles can be released into the air, and that¡¯s why immortals set their sights on the Golden Que Secret Realm-to be ¡®released¡¯ by this world,¡± ¡°Then why is the convergence of the Heavenly Spheres a major catastrophe for the world?¡± Qiu Changtian asked, puzzled. ¡°Would you like to live in boiling water?¡± the Kunlun Mirror countered, ¡°The convergence of the Heavenly Spheres, while lowering the difficulties of Feather Transformation Ascension, will also bring great chaos and destruction to the Mortal Realm,¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t mend the sky in time, the future ¡®sky leaks¡¯ will occur because the spiritual energy in the Mortal Realm becomes too violent, opening small holes in the weak spots of the Heavenly Dome to release pressure, and damage to the Heavenly Dome will lead to even bigger troubles.¡± Having said this, the Kunlun Mirror sighed, ¡°Discussing that is pointless; you just need to focus on mending the sky.¡± ¡°If the Heavenly Dome does not spring a leak, even if the Heavenly Spheres converge, it won¡¯t lead to the extinction of the Mortal Realm. As long as your cultivation level and strength are sufficient, you need not fear any great catastrophe,¡± After finishing the last sentence, Ah Jing fell silent again, as if she had closed her mouth for good. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m not very clear about it either,¡± Luo Baiyuan sighed, ¡°Master said, these matters are only to be known once one reaches the Nascent Soul Realm.¡± ¡°If your realm and cultivation level aren¡¯t sufficient, knowing this will only cause unnecessary fear and worry, adding mental barriers on your path of cultivation,¡± Xu Yinglian was disconsolate and speechless, and after a long while, she said: ¡°In the end, it all comes down to diligent cultivation,¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Luo Baiyuan said approvingly, ¡°Only by achieving the Dao can one find a chance to live.¡± ¡°Senior brother?¡± Seeing that Qiu Changtian had been lost in thought, Xu Yinglian called out to him. ¡°You¡¯re making sense,¡± Qiu Changtian came back to his senses and agreed, ¡°The great catastrophe is too distant, I¡¯m only focused on the present.¡± ¡°Since the Sect has decided to take over the Golden Que Secret Realm, we, as true people of Kunlun, must give it our all,¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Luo Baiyuan continued, ¡°Additionally, according to what the Sect Leader said, the inauguration of the Feather Transformation Ritual will not only allow the immortals stranded in the Mortal Realm to undergo Feather Transformation again but the leakage of the celestial spiritual energy will also bring us supreme benefits,¡± Supreme benefits? Qiu Changtian was surprised, that seemed rather exaggerated. ¡°It contains the essence of the Dao,¡± Luo Baiyuan added. This made both of them struggle to keep their composure. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only What is the ¡°Dao¡±? The Dao is the principle itself. For example, if Luo Yan had mastered the ¡°Dao of Formations,¡± then in theory he would have mastered all the formations in the world, reaching the supreme realm of omniscience and omnipotence in the realm of formations. Even just a whiff of the Dao¡¯s essence is enough to attract countless Nascent Soul Elders in a frantic scramble. No wonder both the Orthodox Sects and the Demon Cult are eying the Golden Que Secret Realm so greedily! Chapter 671 Chapter 671: Chapter 5: Meeting with the Sect Leader, Retrieving Guan Zhan Chapter 671: Chapter 5: Meeting with the Sect Leader, Retrieving Guan Zhan The next day, the trio went together to visit the Jade Capital Sect Leader. The main peak of the Kunlun Mountain Range is Heaven Pillar, while that of the Shushan range is Emei. The top of Emei is called ¡°Golden Summit.¡± Since the three of them came out early with Sima Changyan, they were fortunate enough to witness the sunrise over the sea of clouds, with myriad rays of golden light pouring down on the summit of Emei, as if the entire mountain top were bathed in gold. In the center of the Emei summit was the Ancestral Master Hall of Shushan, with the foremost hall being the Sword Tablet Pavilion, enshrining the memorial tablets of past generations of Shushan Sword Immortals. Although countless Shushan Sword Immortals took pride in having their tablets placed within the Ancestral Master Hall, Ling Yunpo oddly felt it was a bit like a tombstone, which seemed really inauspicious¡­ Of course, he was now Qiu Changtian, so he maintained an extremely calm demeanor, listening to Sima Changyan¡¯s introduction. After all, this wasn¡¯t his first visit; the last time, he had been received by Bi Sheng. Passing through the Sword Tablet Pavilion, they arrived at the Incense Hall. It wasn¡¯t long before the Jade Capital Sect Leader came out from the rear hall. The reason he did not come out to meet them personally was to maintain his stance, to avoid giving off the impression that ¡°the Shushan Sect Leader was eagerly waiting here for the Kunlun True Person¡±¡­ To put it bluntly, because this was a formal visit. Exactly because it was a formal visit, and having already experienced it once, Qiu Changtian knew what the next steps would be¡­ Surely enough, the Jade Capital Sect Leader began to speak a lengthy and complex array of courteous words, following the rituals of ancient etiquette. Back when Qiu Changtian was at the Marrow Cleansing Rank and needed to borrow the Blood Sea Secret Realm of the Demon Locking Tower, he had visited Shushan using a favor from the Ziwei Master, and his exchange with the Jade Capital Sect Leader had been so stultifyingly long that he had no desire to recall it. wuxiaworld.site Unfortunately, as the Invincible Character Setting that was Qiu Changtian, everything had to be done perfectly with no room for being looked down upon by others. As for the other two, Luo Baiyuan, not being the type adept at social grace, could only offer polite affirmations with comments like ¡°indeed, indeed.¡± Xu Yinglian, having been educated by her family, was very knowledgeable about classical etiquette; however, due to her cold nature and disinterest in socializing, she simply stood quietly by the side, listening to the exchange between Qiu Changtian and the Jade Capital Sect Leader. After another round of ritualistic banter, the Jade Capital Sect Leader finally got to the point: ¡°Day after tomorrow, at noon, Heaven Extreme Square.¡± With that, he signaled Sima Changyan to serve tea. Serving tea to a guest essentially meant ¡°this is where our discussion ends, please have some tea.¡± Qiu Changtian immediately understood the cue, took the teacup, and took his leave. No sooner had they left the Ancestral Master Hall than Luo Baiyuan expressed his confusion: ¡°Is that all? Why didn¡¯t he tell us about the secret realm?¡± ¡°He already did,¡± replied Xu Yinglian. ¡°Day after tomorrow at noon, at the Heaven Extreme Square on the Emei Golden Summit. I guess someone will come to lead the way when we get there.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Luo Baiyuan instantly understood. ¡°But why be so roundabout? Why couldn¡¯t he just say it directly?¡± Qiu Changtian looked at this Golden Core Realm Chief Disciple in disbelief, thinking she really was naive! However, only the Kunlun Taiqing Sect could cultivate such cultivators. After all, as long as one had a firm will and a solid Daoist Heart, even if they knew nothing of the world, they would be valued and heavily nurtured by Kunlun. As the Blood Sea Ancestor would say, even if it were a pig or a dog, as long as it had Daoist Heart Clarity, it would be accepted into the Sect. On the other hand, cultivators like Sima Changyan, who enjoyed socializing and were adept at networking, were considered an anomaly in the sect, and there were suspicions that they were ¡°neglecting their true duties.¡± ¡°It¡¯s due to concerns about leaking secrets,¡± Xu Yinglian also felt helpless but tried to explain it more clearly. ¡°Even within Shushan, unity isn¡¯t assured, who knows if there are any spies planted by the Demon Cult?¡± It¡¯s not a question of ¡°if,¡± but ¡°there definitely are,¡± Qiu Changtian thought to himself. ¡°` Although the majority of sect members were different, anyone who had truly entered the management level of a sect knew that with the current anti-espionage techniques in the Cultivation Realm (which were basically nonexistent), there was simply no way to prevent the infiltration of internal spies. In a world without even an identity card system, what else could one expect? The result was that every sect inevitably had moles from other sects, the only difference being the number of them. Under normal circumstances, if Shushan wanted to send people to explore the Golden Que Secret Realm, they would not need to beat around the bush¡­ after all, those qualified to participate were leading figures of the younger generation, the future backbone of the sect, and the likelihood of having a mole among them was extremely low. But this time, there were external disciples participating, and the Jade Capital Sect Leader naturally could not give his full trust. Sigh, even with all this caution, wasn¡¯t the information still obtained by the Nether Ghost Path? Spies are impossible to guard against, and the larger the organization, the easier it is for them to be infiltrated. The only thing that can truly defeat spies is a stronger spy! After leaving the Emei Golden Summit, Qiu Changtian then turned to find Guan Zhan at Green Bamboo Peak. Regarding Guan Zhan¡¯s assassination attempt on an elder, the Jade Capital Sect Leader gave a veiled hint that the Shushan side had already decided not to pursue the matter any further. The reason was simple: the Longxi Guan Family had already taken action, striving to mitigate the negative impact of the incident. When both the murderer and the victim belonged to the Guan Family, the family¡¯s own opinion carried significant weight. If the situation had become widely known, Shushan could have interfered forcibly under the pretext of ¡°affecting the sect¡¯s reputation,¡± but since it hadn¡¯t escalated, if the Guan Family intended to smooth things over, Shushan¡¯s higher-ups had no sufficient motivation to interfere with the outcome. As for why the Guan Family decided to play down the incident, according to what Ling Yunpo observed last time from the attitude of the Peak Master of Green Bamboo Peak, it was evident that a large number of people within the Guan Family felt that Elder Leng Quan killing his entire family was due to a mental derangement, and that it was beyond reproach for Guan Zhan, as an orphan, to seek revenge. If the matter were to become a major scandal spreading throughout Shushan, it would unquestionably be the Longxi Guan Family that would lose face, so it was necessary to appease and calm the situation. At Green Bamboo Peak, after visiting Elder Bi Yun, Qiu Changtian was finally able to see Guan Zhan. Like a lost dog, the silent third junior brother was led out by Guan Shanyue-it seemed that failing to assassinate Elder Leng Quan had dealt him a great blow. ¡°True Person Changgeng,¡± Guan Shanyue bowed solemnly to him, speaking softly, ¡°my younger brother has received much care from you during his time in Kunlun.¡± ¡°Not at all,¡± Qiu Changtian quickly stepped aside to avoid. It was strange indeed, Guan Shanyue behaved much more cordially and casually with Ling Yunpo, yet with Qiu Changtian, she was cautious and meticulous, as if she were dealing with a different person. Perhaps it was because she needed something from him, sigh¡­ He looked at the silent Guan Zhan and thought, your sister has paid so much for you. Speaking of which, Senior Sister An seems to dislike Guan Shanyue quite a bit. I originally thought it was because their personalities clashed, but isn¡¯t their sibling-concern attribute very similar?! So why would they take such a dislike to each other? ?0?G?.?? Could it be that they fear the other might snatch away their own brother? Hahaha¡­ ¡°True Person Changgeng,¡± Elder Bi Yun sighed and said, ¡°You must already be aware of my Longxi Guan Family¡¯s past events.¡± ¡°Please take good care of this child in your sect. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only I see his Daoist Heart seems to be unstable, which is why he committed such an error¡­ but with the capabilities of the Ziwei Master, he surely wouldn¡¯t fall into the Demonic Path.¡± ¡°Ahem, of course not,¡± Qiu Changtian said, feeling somewhat guilty. The Ziwei Master only looks after each generation¡¯s Chief Disciple, the other mentioned disciples are not managed at all! Even daily teachings are overseen by the Chief Disciple! ¡°` Chapter 672 Chapter 672: Chapter 6: Gaze Confrontation, The Mountain of Xihua Chapter 672: Chapter 6: Gaze Confrontation, The Mountain of Xihua Having taken Guan Zhan down from Green Bamboo Peak and seeing that he still wore an expression of utter despair, Qiu Changtian felt compelled to persuade him to relinquish his obsessions. However, upon further thought, there is a saying, ¡°Do not know thy neighbor¡¯s troubles, persuade not thy neighbor to be virtuous.¡± Being fair, if he himself were to face a similar predicament and someone came forward advising him to ¡°abandon the butcher¡¯s knife¡± and ¡°become a Buddha on the spot,¡± he would definitely send that person to meet the Western Paradise first. ¡°Shushan won¡¯t trouble you any further,¡± Qiu Changtian sighed, ¡°Junior Brother, you should head back to Kunlun for now.¡± ¡°Oh, and just to be safe, do not travel across the plateau. Take a detour through Guanzhong and Qishan.¡± ¡°Mm,¡± Guan Zhan nodded in silence, then departed with sword control, saying nothing more. Qiu Changtian returned to his residence in Shushan and recounted the events to Xu Yinglian. Having listened in shock, Xu Yinglian also sighed: ¡°I never expected such a thing¡­ But then again, our Xu Family of Southern Heaven has its fair share of dark secrets, and it seems almost inevitable for a great clan to produce a few degenerates bereft of morals.¡± Hearing Xu Yinglian refer to Elder Leng Quan as a ¡°degenerate,¡± Qiu Changtian spontaneously agreed. In reality, although he did not approve of the other¡¯s actions, he could understand why one might commit such deeds-frankly, it was because, in the perpetrator¡¯s heart, there was something more important than spouse and children. Alas, that considered, perhaps when he betrays Kunlun one day, Junior Sister will look at him with hatred and label him as a ¡°morally degraded degenerate,¡± too. At that thought, Qiu Changtian felt an inexplicable sense of depression and sorrow. wuxiaworld.site Yet, his reasons were entirely different; he was trying to mend the heavens, to save the world, which was nothing like Elder Leng Quan who had killed his own family for the sake of his cultivation! Qiu Changtian took some time to mentally prepare himself again before he finally brought up the pressing matter: ¡°Junior Sister, our journey to the Golden Que Secret Realm this time, I sense it won¡¯t go too smoothly-we must also beware of the Demon Cult making a move.¡± ¡°Does Senior Brother worry that the Demon Cult is aware of these matters?¡± Xu Yinglian frowned and asked, ¡°Looking at the operation this time by Shushan, the secrecy obviously has been incredibly strict. Even you and I, as representatives of Kunlun¡¯s allies, are still unaware of the location of the Golden Que Secret Realm. How could the Demon Cult possibly come to know?¡± Who knows where the Nether Ghost Path got their information from¡­ Qiu Changtian could not explain, merely shaking his head: ¡°Regardless, it¡¯s best to be cautious.¡± Although Xu Yinglian did not understand, since her husband had said as much, she took it as ¡°caution never leads to disaster¡± and quietly remained on guard. On the day appointed by the Jade Capital Sect Leader, Qiu Changtian, Xu Yinglian, and Luo Baiyuan arrived at the Tianji Square atop the Emei Golden Summit. Glancing around, aside from a few Shushan elders who were leading the group, there were about a dozen more people present-all top-notch Golden Core True Persons with outstanding potential from the Three Pure Orthodox Sect. Among them, Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu from Shushan, Luo Yan and Shi Liuli from Penglai were all conspicuously present, causing Qiu Changtian to be filled with emotion. The great Three Pure Orthodox Sect selected top-tier True Persons of the Golden Core generation, and together my wives and I actually made up half their number. ???G?.?? It was simply preposterous! Once nearly everyone had gathered, the Jade Capital Sect Leader took out a magical treasure in the form of a boat, threw it into the air where it immediately expanded to a hundred zhang in length, and signaled for the Golden Core True Persons of the Orthodox Sect to board. Upon closer inspection, Qiu Changtian realized it was actually a Heavenly Craft Workshop product, with many features reminiscent of Elder Shi Ding¡¯s style, which was truly remarkable. En route on the treasure boat, he discreetly counted the number of people again: twelve Golden Core True Persons in total, with three from Kunlun, six from Shushan, and three from Penglai. From Kunlun were Senior Sister Luo, himself, and Junior Sister Xu. From Penglai, aside from Luo Yan and Shi Liuli, there was also Tian Lan True Person, at the Obscure Weave Rank of the Golden Core Realm, mainly proficient in the way of Talisman Scripts-although Luo Yan did not know her well, he recognized that she was on the verge of reaching the Nascent Infant Cultivation Realm. The six from Shushan included Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu, as well as Jinghua, Miaodan, Shi Yuan, and Tian Qi-four more Golden Core True Persons. Among them, the cultivator with the highest cultivation realm was Jinghua True Person, who was also at the Obscure Weave Rank of the Golden Core Realm, and was someone they had dealt with before-when she was at the Foundation Establishment Realm and entered the Demon Locking Tower, it was this Golden Core True Person who was responsible for leading the team, a direct and close disciple from the line of the Jade Capital Sect Leader. From this, it became quite clear what the principle behind the team¡¯s makeup was: Whether it was Kunlun, Shushan, or Penglai, each had dispatched their strongest cultivator at the Obscure Weave Rank of the Golden Core Realm to lead the team. In other words, the Golden Que Secret Realm probably didn¡¯t allow cultivators outside the Golden Core Realm to enter, hence this team configuration. Qiu Changtian silently calculated, then noticed the cultivators from the three sects gathering in their respective groups, showing no intention of mingling or making conversation with each other. This was somewhat odd, because it wasn¡¯t often that cultivators from the three sects gathered openly, and normally they would seize such occasions to get to know each other better. Why was everyone exhibiting such a wary stance? Could it be that, within the Golden Que Secret Realm, the three sects were going to compete against each other? Well, one couldn¡¯t rule out that possibility. Because they were worried about the presence of spies from the Demon Cult, the cultivators from the three sects had been strictly ordered by their superiors not to share information with each other, which explained this clear division¡­ ¡°Excuse me,¡± Luo Baiyuan came to his side and asked in a low voice, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to stop them, Junior Brother Changgeng?¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Qiu Changtian was startled, ¡°Stop what?¡± ¡°It¡¯s about Junior Sister Qiong Ying and Jiao Xiao True Person,¡± Luo Baiyuan quietly pointed out. Qiu Changtian looked closely and saw that Xu Yinglian was standing behind him, her gaze, however, did not glance his way at all, but was fixed intently and sharply on the opposing An Zhisu. An Zhisu held her sword with both hands, her expression cold as she looked back, likewise without the hint of a blink-beside her, Ling Yunpo looked speechless as he tugged at her sleeve, seemingly trying to persuade her of something, but to no apparent avail. The combustible atmosphere between the two was so intense that other cultivators sensing something amiss didn¡¯t dare approach, lest they get caught in the conflict. ¡°Hey!¡± Qiu Changtian quickly lowered his voice, ¡°Junior Sister, what are you doing?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk,¡± Xu Yinglian continued staring at An Zhisu, squeezing out the words through clenched teeth, ¡°She¡¯ll lose soon.¡± Huh? Were they playing a game of ¡°whoever looks away first, loses¡±? How embarrassing! Although he also didn¡¯t want to get involved in such a childish feud, Qiu Changtian was still Xu Yinglian¡¯s Daoist Companion and couldn¡¯t just watch his wife and someone from Shushan go on bickering-in case the Jade Capital Sect Leader saw them, it would be troublesome. So just as he was about to pull away Junior Sister Xu, regardless of the consequences, he suddenly saw An Zhisu snort and turn her head away. It was Shi Liuli, who had struck up a conversation with her, forcing her to break off the staring contest. Good job, Miss Shi! Qiu Changtian then breathed a sigh of relief, but suddenly caught a glimpse of the massive mountain range slowly approaching in the distance ahead of the treasure ship. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Xihua Mountain, second only to the Kunlun Heavenly Pillar in height, was the second tallest peak in the entire Divine Land-a legend from ancient times claimed that the Western Queen Mother had built her palace here, hence this peak was once called ¡°Kunlun.¡± It was just that later, the name of Kunlun was taken by a mountain range farther north, and Xihua Mountain¡¯s fame also quickly dwindled. Moreover, its location was so remote that it might not receive visitors for tens of thousands of years. If the Golden Que Secret Realm was indeed here¡­ Qiu Changtian held his breath and concentrated, gazing towards the sky above Xihua Mountain. However, other than the clear blue sky, there was no shadow of any physical structure to be seen. Chapter 673 Chapter 673: Chapter 7 Miss Shi, Gaining Some Fame Chapter 673: Chapter 7 Miss Shi, Gaining Some Fame Qiu Changtian stepped off the treasure ship and felt his spirit refreshed and clear-headed. The spiritual energy of this Xihua Mountain was so abundant, it was quite strange. One must know that the dragon veins of the entire Divine Land basically originated from the Kunlun Mountain Range, flowing from west to east, whether it be the Orthodox Sect¡¯s Shushan and Penglai or the Demon Cult¡¯s Iron City Mountain, Mount Beimang, Yu Long Mountain, Mount Wutai, and so on, all the Spirit Mountains were essentially distributed on the dragon veins that spread throughout the Divine Land. Therefore, they possessed an endless supply of spiritual energy, becoming what the Daoists referred to as a Cave Heaven and Blessed Land. Conversely, any mountains in the Divine Land not situated on a dragon vein had sparse and poor spiritual energy; thus, no Cultivation Sect would settle there, leading to their ultimate obscurity. However, Xihua Mountain was clearly far from the Divine Land¡¯s dragon veins, so how could it be so rich in spiritual energy? Moreover, this spiritual energy seemed somewhat dissimilar to that from Kunlun¡­ ¡°Has Changgeng True Person noticed?¡± Shi Liuli came over with a smile, ¡°The source of the spiritual energy here is not from the dragon veins, but rather from somewhere else.¡± ¡°What does Dong You True Person imply?¡± Qiu Changtian immediately guessed something but feigned ignorance on the surface. ¡°It probably has something to do with the Golden Que Secret Realm,¡± Shi Liuli said leisurely, ¡°Also, I casually did a divination just now.¡± ¡°What were the results of the hexagram?¡± Xu Yinglian asked by his side. ¡°Not auspicious,¡± Shi Liuli shook her head. Not auspicious? Both Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian were somewhat puzzled. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.Co Although the two did not understand the Art of Calculation, they also knew that vague divinations usually had six possible outcomes: Upper Auspicious (Great Auspicious), Middle Auspicious (Auspicious), Lower Auspicious (Minor Auspicious), Great Inauspicious, Middle Inauspicious (Inauspicious), and Minor Inauspicious. What did this ¡°not auspicious¡± mean? Was it an inauspicious result, but she couldn¡¯t tell us whether it was Greater Inauspicious or Minor Inauspicious? ???G?.?? However, Shi Liuli did not answer and took her leave instead, because Tian Lan True Person from Penglai was calling her over. ¡°Playing mysterious,¡± Xu Yinglian frowned and said. She was somewhat displeased with Shi Liuli¡¯s behavior of speaking in half-truths, but Qiu Changtian felt a bit of unease, as he knew how formidable Shi Liuli¡¯s divination abilities were. Junior Sister Xu had indeed seen her calculate the whereabouts of the Donghua Sect¡¯s ruins last time, but she had not developed a deep impression from many years of close observation like Luo Yan had-what exactly could this inauspiciousness point to? The top of Xihua Mountain was covered in dazzling snow, and looking around, there was ice everywhere, nowhere to set foot. There was also the snowstorm in the sky, bitterly cold and sharp, feeling like a knife cutting against one¡¯s face when it hit. But those present were seasoned cultivators who were not afraid of such natural power. They saw Shi Liuli being called over to the side of the Jade Capital Sect Leader of Shushan by Tian Lan True Person. Beside the Sect Leader was another person, Jian Buyan from Qingzhou¡¯s Jian Family. He had visited Shushan once before to help the Guan Family¡¯s elder calculate the whereabouts of the Tai Yin Suming Sword and was probably invited over again this time. ¡°Dong You youngster¡¯s skill in divination is truly exquisite,¡± Jian Buyan praised, ¡°With your copper coin divination to assist, this trip is likely to go much smoother.¡± ¡°I am still a novice with much to learn, and these minor skills are insignificant, not worthy of senior¡¯s lavish praise,¡± Shi Liuli replied modestly. Although she was incredibly humble, receiving such compliments from the head of Qingzhou¡¯s Jian Family still made the surrounding cultivators look at her with surprise. Jian Buyan began to make hand gestures while Shi Liuli tossed the copper coin, both starting their respective divination. The other cultivators stood in place, silently amidst the snow, calmly watching them perform the divination. Qiu Changtian looked up at the sky, thinking that amidst this sweeping wind and snow, where could there be any trace of the Golden Que Secret Realm? However, if it were so easy to find, it wouldn¡¯t have remained undiscovered for so many years, just like the White Jade Capital Secret Realm, hidden beneath a rock on Mount Tianmu, nearly indistinguishable from the ordinary environment if not for being struck by Thunder Method. He pondered silently, and suddenly heard Jian Buyyan laugh, saying, ¡°It should be in the southwest direction.¡± Shi Liuli nodded and said, ¡°Six to seven zhang, dig.¡± Jian Buyan was slightly startled and immediately expressed his admiration, ¡°I had not calculated it this precisely¡­ Indeed, in the way of Art Calculation, there are always people beyond people, and heavens beyond heavens. Jian here is inferior.¡± As he said this, he respectfully bowed to Shi Liuli. Shi Liuli hurriedly dodged, not daring to accept the courtesy, only to see that the gazes of the cultivators around her turned strange. One must know that the Jian Family from Qingzhou is a family recognized throughout the Divine Land for their prowess in Art Calculation. As the head of the Jian Family, Jian Buyan actually admitted that he was inferior to a junior¡­ If one were to rule out the possibility that it was a deliberate display, it would mean that this person¡¯s way of Art Calculation is indeed extraordinary, enough to astonish Jian Buyan. Thus, even someone as venerable as the Jade Capital Sect Leader couldn¡¯t help but take note of the title ¡®Dong You¡¯ and thought to himself that the title was indeed well-chosen. The crowd then walked towards the southwest, and at a point about six to seven zhang from where Shi Liuli originally stood, they each deployed their Daoist Magic and Divine Skills to rapidly dig three chi into the ground. Before long, they unearthed a dusty object. ¡°What is this?¡± Everyone crowded around to see, ¡°A porcelain doll?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s made of jade,¡± said Xu Yinglian indifferently. ¡°Its sound when tapped makes it clear.¡± Jinghua of Shushan took the doll, used Water System Techniques to swiftly wash away the dust and frost on it, and then gently tapped it a few times. ¡°Indeed, it is a jade figurine.¡± He showed the object to everyone. The figurine had long eyebrows and fine eyes, a small nose and no mouth, and its expression looked peaceful as if it were asleep with its eyes closed. The Jade Capital Sect Leader scanned the figurine meticulously with his Divine Sense, then turned to ask Jian Buyan and Shi Liuli, ¡°What mystery lies within this?¡± ¡°I could only calculate that the variable is here,¡± said Jian Buyan with a smile. ¡°How about you, Junior Dong You?¡± ¡°The same as the senior,¡± Shi Liuli replied. ¡°This object¡­ must be related to the Golden Que Secret Realm, but as to the specifics of that relation, I am not sure.¡± Upon hearing this, the cultivators began scrutinizing the jade figurine, discussing it animatedly. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Junior Sister, what do you think?¡± Qiu Changtian asked Xu Yinglian. ¡°If we say the jade figurine is a key,¡± pondered Xu Yinglian, ¡°then the prerequisite for using the key to unlock a door is to insert it into the lock.¡± ¡°But where is this lock?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Qiu Changtian thought to himself that if she was asking him, how would he know? However, one with an invincible character setting cannot say ¡°I can¡¯t do it,¡± so he too had to begin pondering, ¡°Junior Sister, why do you think the jade figurine was buried underground?¡± ¡°It cannot really be considered underground,¡± Xu Yinglian mused thoughtfully. ¡°Brother, for mountains like these, although the peaks are covered with snow all year round, the thickness varies with the seasons.¡± ¡°If an object falls on the ground, with the melting of the ice layer in summer, the object will sink further; and in winter, layer upon layer of snow covers it, and the object will naturally be buried by the snow¡­ But strictly speaking, it is all within the ice layer and has never entered the soil.¡± ¡°I see,¡± remarked the Jade Capital Sect Leader from a distance, who, upon hearing her explanation, immediately had an idea, ¡°Since this object can fall within the ice layer, who knows if there might be more clues under our feet?¡± ¡°Let us dig up all these layers of ice and search within.¡± Chapter 674 Chapter 674: Chapter 8: Rushing into the Instance Chapter 674: Chapter 8: Rushing into the Instance ¡°` Since the Jade Capital Sect Leader had already given the command, the Golden Core True Persons unleashed their divine skills. In no time, countless spells, magical treasures, and sword qi interwove into a tapestry, quickly shrouding the summit of Xihua Mountain in dust and flying snow. Qiu Changtian silently observed and realized that this group of Golden Core True Persons was of truly high quality, far surpassing cultivators of the same realm in terms of True Yuan level, combat consciousness, and technique. So that¡¯s how it is, I understand what the Demon Cult is plotting now. Allow the three Intercepting Cult Immortals here to pull off a grand move, leveling the entire Xihua Mountain. The Three Pure Orthodox Sect, having endured the painful loss of the cultivation seeds, would likely never recover from such a blow, would they? After several hours, everyone finally broke through the thick ice layer and began pushing it aside. ¡°Here!¡± Suddenly, someone exclaimed. Qiu Changtian turned his head to look and, to his surprise, it was Luo Yan who had called out. That makes sense, as both Ling Yunpo and Luo Yan are me from the future; it seems they already knew how to unlock the Golden Que Secret Realm. The crowd quickly rushed to the source of the voice and saw that Luo Yan had already cleared a section of the ice-apparently, it was part of some sort of altar. He activated the Five Elements Divine Light of Acquired Nature, and the ice swiftly melted away, soon revealing the full scope of the altar. It was an ancient-looking altar, entirely constructed with an unknown type of stone, with many areas lacking polishing marks, as if they were roughly stacked together. wuxiaworld.site At the top of the altar, there was a clearly defined indentation. The Jade Capital Sect Leader compared it with the jade figurine he was holding and found it to be the perfect fit. He then inserted it into the indentation. Indeed, the moment the jade figurine touched the indentation on the platform, it seemed to take root and adhere to it instantaneously. Then, a golden band of light resembling a ribbon rose from the altar, slanting upwards and piercing the clouds, reaching into the heavenly dome as if it was an open pathway. Seeing this, a realization dawned on everyone: it seemed the jade figurine was the key to the Golden Que Secret Realm, able to open this pathway by placing it on the platform. In the distant past, for some unknown reason, the jade figurine had been knocked from the platform, resulting in the closure of this passage and immediate inaccessibility to the Golden Que Secret Realm. Centuries of snow and ice had since buried the altar and the jade figurine together, rendering this secret realm unknown to all. The Jade Capital Sect Leader¡¯s divine sense swept over the area, and he calmly stepped onto the light path. As his foot touched it, the radiance immediately solidified, creating a pathway leading to the heavens. Right after, the figure of the Jade Capital Sect Leader staggered momentarily, as though pushed back by an invisible force from the light path. ¡°Just as expected,¡± he said, regaining composure after retreating a few steps. ¡°With the current absence of the ruler of the Golden Que, the restrictions have been activated, permitting only Golden Core Realm True Persons to enter for the trial.¡± ¡°Master,¡± Master Jinghua inquired with clasped hands, ¡°what do you mean by ¡®the ruler of the Golden Que¡¯?¡± ¡°During the ancient great competitions in White Jade Capital, those who emerged within the top twelve of the Foundation Establishment Realm were the twelve masters of White Jade Capital,¡± the Jade Capital Sect Leader replied. ¡°In ancient times, the Human Race needed to confront numerous other races, so all major secret realms and treasures were held by those with the ability to do so. For example, the Tai Yang and Tai Yin swords each have their corresponding Sword Masters.¡± ¡°The Golden Que Secret Realm likewise has its ruler. Should one wish to seek the Seven Treasures Mysterious Garden Secret Realm in the future, it would also require the ruler of the Golden Que.¡± With just a few words, he clarified everything and the Golden Core True Persons immediately understood. ¡°` Then, the real persons from Kunlun and Penglai became frustrated. ¡°No wonder our two sects together have only six people, while you Shushan monopolize six by yourselves! It seems like you intend to dominate half of the Golden Que masters!¡± On closer consideration, the intent of the Jade Capital Sect Leader also seemed rather cryptic: In ancient times, the Human Race had to compete with other races, so they adhered to ¡®the capable one should occupy the position¡¯, emphasizing fairness and efficiency. Now that the world is under the dominion of the Human Race, naturally there is no need to strictly abide by ¡®the capable one should occupy the position¡¯. The whereabouts of the Golden Que Secret Realm were first discovered by the Shushan side, so they demanded more quotas. Recalling that their own sect leader must have already accepted this condition, the cultivators from Kunlun and Penglai had nothing more to say, only silently gazing at the heavenly light path. Of course, with a complex mind like Qiu Changtian, he naturally thought one step deeper: The Jade Capital Sect Leader said that one has to undergo a trial to become a master of the Golden Que. Logically, that means one must pass the trial to qualify. ???g?.?? There are twelve master positions in the Golden Que, and the Three Pure Orthodox Sect brought exactly twelve people this time, the numbers perfectly matching. From this, one could deduce that the passing rate for these twelve people is bound to be one hundred percent; otherwise, the Three Pure Orthodox Sect would never have sent only twelve people over. However, this didn¡¯t quite make sense either: Could the test of the Golden Que Secret Realm be so simple? Could any Golden Core True Person just arrive and pass it? Clearly unlikely, unless, like the Great White Jade Capital Contest, the internal test of the Golden Que Secret Realm is also designed based on competition. A multitude of competitors, with only the final twelve to win the title of Golden Que master-of course, this too is under the greater ancient human custom of ¡®the capable one should occupy the position¡¯. Now there is no need to say more, the Three Pure Orthodox Sect concealed the news of this secret realm together, so the twelve orthodox cultivators will inevitably become the twelve Golden Que masters, the only question being the order of ranking. In the blink of an eye, Qiu Changtian had an epiphany. The Great White Jade Capital Contest mainly occurred because the Three Pure Orthodox Sect had not yet thoroughly researched the mechanism of the secret realm, so they adhered to the requirements of the secret realm, sent a large number of cultivators over, and then, following the normal procedure, decided the twelve masters of the White Jade Capital, also obtaining the news of the Golden Que Secret Realm. This was clearly risky: To hold such a grand event, the news was almost certain to leak out, attracting the covetous eyes of the Demon Cult. Therefore, upon reaching the Golden Que Secret Realm, the Three Pure Orthodox Sect began to further attempt ¡®internal assimilation¡¯ and ¡®complete monopoly,¡¯ which is the natural course of action for any sect when faced with interests¡­ Just as Qiu Changtian was seeing the light, suddenly, a surge of black fog came rolling from afar. ¡°Not good!¡± The Jade Capital Sect Leader shouted abruptly, ¡°Run quickly!¡± The Golden Core True Persons of the Three Cults were all taken aback, and then suddenly, a figure rushed up the heavenly light path ahead of everyone. It was Qing Heng, the Real Person from Shushan, known as Ling Yunpo! Immediately afterwards An Zhisu, the Jiao Xiao Real Person, subconsciously followed closely behind, followed by Luo Yan, the Penglai¡¯s Master Jingyun, who was only five or six steps behind the former, still holding onto Dong You¡¯s Master Shi Liuli¡­ Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only The latter had not quite reacted yet, and was completely dragged up by Luo Yan. ¡°Brother!¡± Xu Yinglian exclaimed in alarm and quickly grasped Qiu Changtian¡¯s hand, then they both rushed towards the altar above. It was only then that the remaining Golden Core True Persons awoke as if from a dream and hurried each toward the altar, only to see layers of dark fog suddenly descend, covering the entire altar in an instant; it was Wei Dongliu¡¯s Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword Formation. ¡°Don¡¯t use Sword Control!¡± from within the black fog, came Wei Dongliu¡¯s cold and stern growl, ¡°Run! Take the light path above the altar!¡± Chapter 675 Chapter 675: Chapter 9: Golden Que Secret Realm Chapter 675: Chapter 9: Golden Que Secret Realm Although Wei Dongliu was shouting, not all the cultivators from the Demon Cult were listening to him. A few with hard heads stubbornly insisted on using Sword Control to charge up the path of light, only to immediately meet a fate not unlike the Jade Capital Sect Leader-instantly, as soon as they entered the path of light, they were struck by an equal force of recoil, their heads shattered and bleeding, plummeting downward. ???G0.?? But Qiu Changtian had no time to observe or think anymore¡­ Xu Yinglian was pulling his hand as they sprinted on the path of light, the two of them running faster and faster, climbing higher and higher, as if the path was an upward-moving escalator. Soon, the two of them broke through the clouds and surged into the Heavenly Dome. Above the Heavenly Dome was a complex of palaces, resplendent in gold and jade, looking like a palace atop the clouds, magnificently unparalleled. Qiu Changtian could confirm that when everyone approached Xihua Mountain on the treasure ship, there was no such palace in the sky. The higher they climbed, the steeper the path of light beneath their feet became, rising from thirty degrees to fifty degrees, then to seventy¡­ until at last the two had to cling to the path of light, or else they would surely slide down due to gravity. Although the path of light seemed intangible, its surface was bright but not slippery, feeling like styrofoam to the touch, with a not insignificant amount of friction. The only problem was the absence of any handholds for securing oneself. If the incline continued to increase, the two would sooner or later fall down, thereby losing the opportunity to enter the Golden Que Secret Realm. ¡°Senior Brother!¡± Xu Yinglian suddenly said, ¡°If we can¡¯t hold on any longer, I will fall first, and then attack you with the Nine Bushels Thunder Fire Technique from below. wuxiaworld.site You should block it with the Tianyuan Yiqi Sword and use the recoil force to continue ascending!¡± Qiu Changtian nearly spat out blood. Junior Sister, your Nine Bushels Thunder Fire Technique is immensely powerful; if I were truly foolish enough to absorb it directly with my Flying Sword, would I be ascending to heaven or meeting my end? Stop having such fanciful ideas, will you! He thought this to himself, but aloud he said: ¡°No way! How could I possibly abandon you!¡± ¡°Senior Brother!¡± Xu Yinglian urgently said, ¡°Rather than both of us failing, it¡¯s better for me to sacrifice myself first! As long as Senior Brother can successfully enter the Golden Que Secret Realm, at least I will have accounted for our sect!¡± When he heard ¡°sacrifice¡±, Qiu Changtian immediately remembered the foolish act of his junior sister blocking the Sword Qi for him back in the Intercepting Cult Sword Formation. She couldn¡¯t possibly think that if her sacrifice was for her senior brother, she would somehow exceed me in this aspect, could she? However, Junior Sister was indeed correct. If Senior Sister Luo also fails, and Junior Sister and I fall from here without entering the secret realm first, then all three from Kunlun would be outpaced by others. Moreover, this time there are Demon Cult cultivators involved. That means the original twelve from the Orthodox Sect were just enough for the numbers of the Golden Que lords, and now someone has to be eliminated. If all three from Kunlun miss out on the Golden Que and thus bring shame to our sect, that would be the least of my concerns. What would truly be troublesome is my invincible golden body being broken! How would I then stand as the leader of the Orthodox Sect and lead the upright path? People won¡¯t care about the circumstances of the Golden Que Secret Realm; they will only say, ¡°Qiu Changtian had a First Grade Golden Core but was defeated at the entrance of the Golden Que Secret Realm by so-and-so.¡± My reputation as Senior Brother Qiu will undoubtedly take a severe hit! Thinking this, Qiu Changtian was about to resign himself to agree, but found he simply couldn¡¯t say the words. For such a trivial matter, to have Junior Sister Xu make such a sacrifice was not what an invincible character would do! Absolutely not! He was just about to refuse when suddenly the path of light tilted to a ninety-degree angle, almost completely perpendicular to the sky and ground. In such a position, the two of them could no longer hold on to the path and immediately began to fall. Xu Yinglian suddenly twisted her body, directly activating the Phoenix True Blood and transforming into the Phoenix Dharma Body with a secret technique, intending to catch Qiu Changtian in mid-air. But as soon as she transformed into the Phoenix, a surging restriction pressed down from above the path of light, quickly slamming the two to the ground! ¡­ Heaven and earth spun around, followed by the violent sound of plummeting into water. Qiu Changtian quickly emerged from the water, spitting out several mouthfuls of water before lifting the also submerged Xu Yinglian out of the water. Falling from the sky into the water didn¡¯t harm a cultivator¡¯s robust body, but the restrictions that had descended at the last moment had clearly caused great damage to Xu Yinglian, who was still unconscious at this time. After confirming with his divine sense that she wasn¡¯t in any immediate danger, Qiu Changtian picked her up and looked around. They found themselves in a lotus pond, surrounded by clear and clean water, with the lotus flowers blooming brightly and delightfully. The surroundings were filled with pavilions and towers of the Immortal Sect style, adorned with gilded eaves and jade balustrades, and exquisitely carved dragons and phoenixes¡­ Qiu Changtian looked up and saw the sky was clear and cloudless. That means, Junior Sister Xu and I are most likely above the clouds. Is this the inside of the Golden Que Secret Realm? ¡°Yes,¡± the Kunlun Mirror replied. ¡°That beam of light was originally carrying you upwards; as long as you endured till the last moment, falling would land you right inside the Golden Que.¡± ¡°I see, Ah Jing,¡± Qiu Changtian said with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s just that I had no idea about this and was unnecessarily frightened. So, why didn¡¯t you tell me earlier?¡± Seeing his smile that didn¡¯t reach his eyes, the Kunlun Mirror felt a bit guilty and hastily explained: ¡°Here¡¯s the thing, I had communicated with the Kunlun Mirrors inside Ling Yunpo and others, and they said that in the future, when you, as Qiu Changtian, entered this secret realm for the first time, indeed you didn¡¯t receive any hints from Ah Jing.¡± ¡°So, if I were to give you a tip, wouldn¡¯t I be violating the uniqueness of history?¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Qiu Changtian asked skeptically. ¡°Yes,¡± the Kunlun Mirror replied earnestly. Although he couldn¡¯t find any evidence, Qiu Changtian couldn¡¯t help but suspect that this broken mirror was observing him¡­ Was it trying to see if he would abandon and sacrifice Junior Sister Xu in a moment of crisis? What a joke! How could I, Qiu Changtian, be such a despicable scoundrel! He walked out of the lotus pond with Xu Yinglian in his arms, when suddenly a voice rang in his mind: ¡°Within the Golden Que, the number of people exceeds twelve.¡± ¡°Once the requirements are satisfied, twelve Sanctum Lords will be selected.¡± Satisfy the requirements? What does that mean? The first thing Qiu Changtian thought of was a sort of ¡®battle royale¡¯ scenario, where everyone in the Golden Que Secret Realm would fight each other until only twelve remained. But then, he reconsidered-if it really were that type of scenario, why use the vague phrase ¡°once the requirements are satisfied¡±? Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Why not just say ¡°free elimination until only twelve victors remain¡±? He was at a loss but felt the rule might not be as simple as it seemed. However, what¡¯s more important at the moment is that other cultivators, upon hearing this voice, would definitely think ¡°as long as the number of people is reduced to below twelve,¡± they would be able to obtain a position as a Sanctum Lord of the Golden Que. In other words, from now on in this secret realm, everyone other than me and my Daoist companion will be my enemy. Even the cultivators from Shushan and Penglai¡­ Chapter 676 Chapter 676: Chapter 10: The Test of Liandu True Monarch Chapter 676: Chapter 10: The Test of Liandu True Monarch The master of the Golden Que had twelve members, and if the number of cultivators who entered was greater than twelve, it meant that competition and elimination were inevitable. According to Qiu Changtian¡¯s speculation, the Orthodox Sect initially planned to send twelve people inside to avoid excessive competition and to prevent the Demon Cult from finding out. After all, the more people who knew about the secret realm, the easier it was for information to leak out. Conversely, if control was kept to a few elite members, it would be relatively much safer-after all, the probability of a traitor emerging from among the elites was the smallest. Unfortunately, the news had still leaked out in the end. Given the relationship between the Orthodox and Demon factions, the upcoming competition and elimination were bound to be extremely brutal, likely resulting in immediate attacks upon encounter. Qiu Changtian pinched a Daoist Formula with his left hand, evaporating the moisture from his and Junior Sister Xu¡¯s bodies, then carried her and walked outside. Upon careful consideration, the Golden Core True Persons who entered the secret realm could broadly be divided into two types: The first type actively sought to attack others; the second type sought to hide themselves and avoid conflicts. After all, it was sufficient as long as the number of people remaining did not exceed twelve. Unless one had absolute confidence in one¡¯s own strength, there was no need to actively engage in battle; conserving strength actually might be more advantageous. However, were the rules of the Golden Que Secret Realm really just for us to fight each other until only twelve remained? Qiu Changtian had serious doubts about this. He continued to walk for a while, when suddenly a few maids turned out from ahead, smiling as they said: wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co He quickly realized that these maids were all illusions without physical forms. ¡°May I ask who your master is?¡± he asked cautiously, furrowing his brows. ¡°Our master is the Liandu True Monarch,¡± the maids said with a smile, surrounding Qiu Changtian and leading him forward. After turning several corners, they entered a grand hall. Inside the hall was grand and majestic, with rows of desks lined up, adorned with all kinds of exquisite and rare fruits. There were also celestial maidens playing the zither and dancing gracefully, with the sound of silk and bamboo music, incessant to the ears. The person seated in the main seat was an elder wearing a Seven Star Crown and dressed in a green robe with crane embroidery, with vermillion shoes. In front of the lower desks, several Golden Core True Persons were seated. Qiu Changtian scanned with his Divine Sense and saw that among them, two were unrecognizable Demon Cult True Persons, one was a Golden Core True Person from Shushan (whose Taoist name seemed to be called Miaodan), and another was Luo Baiyuan, the senior sister from the Kunlun Golden Core Realm. Although the four of them appeared composed, they could not conceal the unease on their faces. ¡°Two more distinguished guests have arrived!¡± The elder at the head clapped his hands and laughed, ¡°Come, please have a seat!¡± Just as Qiu Changtian was about to respond, he felt an irresistible force pushing him to sit down next to Luo Baiyuan. ¡°The person in your arms is suffering from Divine Sense damage,¡± said the old man with a smiling gaze. ¡°Drinking just half a measure of this wine will bring recovery.¡± ¡°Many thanks to Your Excellency,¡± Qiu Changtian said without suspicion and, after scanning the wine in the cup, fed it to the junior sister in his arms. Within a few breaths, Xu Yinglian indeed gradually regained consciousness, propped herself up, and looked around. After a moment, she noticed that the situation was amiss and asked Qiu Changtian a few questions in a low voice. ¡°I do not know either; it seems to be a trial arranged by the secret realm,¡± Qiu Changtian replied, calmly tasting the wine and dishes on the table. ???G?.?? Seeing her senior brother so composed, Xu Yinglian also calmed down but remained alert, surveying the surroundings. After a while, a round of singing and dancing ended, the elder waved his hand, signaling for the musicians and dancers to step back, and said with a smile: ¡°I am the Liandu True Monarch. I have called you all here because there is a favor I must ask.¡± The numerous True Persons looked at each other, each lost in their own thoughts. It was not that no one had tried to leave earlier, but the moment anyone attempted to get up, they would be forced back into their seats by some invisible force. Acting so domineeringly, it was clear they intended to force difficulties upon us, and what they called ¡°asking for help¡± was just a fig leaf. Thus, the Miodan True Person from Shushan asked with an ugly expression on his face: ¡°May I know what True Monarch requires assistance with? Our mana is weak, and I¡¯m afraid we might not be able to handle the task you entrust to us.¡± ¡°Hahahaha.¡± Liandu True Monarch then stroked his beard and laughed, ¡°No matter, just listen to what I have to say first.¡± ¡°Within the Golden Que, there are twelve principal positions, each in the hands of one of the twelve True Monarchs who guard the secret realms. To claim a position, one must first pass our trials.¡± ¡°Of course, in previous years there were many contenders, hence the trials often had several rounds, screening out a large number of contenders.¡± ¡°This time only twenty-four people entered, so there will be just one round of trials.¡± Only twenty-four people entered? A thought quickly flashed through Qiu Changtian¡¯s mind. This means that the Demon Cult also only sent out twelve people. If the Orthodox Sect sent out twelve people to control the scale and prevent information leaks, why did the Demon Cult, as the latter party, also choose to control the scale? Putting together what Liandu True Monarch said, it wasn¡¯t difficult to draw a conclusion: The more people there are, the harder the difficulty of the trial would be, all to screen out more people. Limited to the minimum of twelve people aims to reduce the difficulty of the trials as much as possible. Which means, the base difficulty of the trial itself could already be at a level we¡¯d find very difficult to pass¡­ ¡°The trial I offer is very simple.¡± Liandu True Monarch said with a smile, ¡°I made a bet with the Jiuhua True Monarch next door to choose one person from among you to teach a Daoist Formula.¡± ¡°If by noon tomorrow, anyone among you guesses who I have chosen, then I will change my chosen person to the one who guessed correctly.¡± ¡°As for the original Chosen One who gets guessed, he or she will be deemed to have failed my trial and will no longer be able to obtain a position within the Golden Que from me, and can only try their luck with the other True Monarchs.¡± ¡°Of course, if you guess wrong, the person who guessed wrong will also be regarded as having failed the trial.¡± ¡°On the other hand, by noon tomorrow, if someone tells me who the Jiuhua True Monarch¡¯s Chosen One is, I will give that person my Golden Que position.¡± ¡°Conversely, if someone from the Jiuhua True Monarch¡¯s side guesses who my Chosen One is, then you will all be considered to have failed the trial.¡± ¡°What if someone guesses correctly on both sides, or if no one guesses correctly on both sides?¡± Xu Yinglian suddenly asked. ¡°Whether both sides guess correctly or neither side guesses, it will still count as a trial failure.¡± Liandu True Monarch said leisurely, ¡°Of course, the promise to teach the Daoist Formula still holds.¡± Qiu Changtian: ¡­¡­¡­. What a hassle! If the trial were a large-scale elimination where everyone fought each other, that would have been simple. But now it¡¯s about strategizing and outwitting, obviously far more troublesome. Simply put, it¡¯s about trying to find the Jiuhua True Monarch¡¯s Chosen One from the other side, and making sure not to let our Liandu True Monarch¡¯s Chosen One be found by them, akin to a psychological guessing game similar to Werewolf Kill. However, since there is the possibility of informing the True Monarch in advance and then switching people, this trial becomes much more complex than guessing identities in Werewolf Kill. You must realize that if you guess the identity of our own Chosen One, you could be the one to learn the Daoist Formula from the True Monarch instead. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only For example, if I discover the Chosen One is the Miodan True Person from Shushan, I could then secretly inform Liandu True Monarch, thereby switching the Chosen One to myself. Due to this rule, everyone has a strong motive to do so. Thus, not only must we outwit the True Monarchs from the other side, but we also can¡¯t trust our own companions¡­ Hmm? If it¡¯s Junior Sister Xu, she wouldn¡¯t keep it from me, right? Chapter 677 Chapter 677: Chapter 11: Junior Sister Xu Wants to Take Control of the Situation Chapter 677: Chapter 11: Junior Sister Xu Wants to Take Control of the Situation As the words of Venerable Liandu fell, the expressions of the real persons around, although still grim, seemed to relax subtly. The reason was simple: if it came to a test of strength, they had no confidence in defeating Qiu Changtian. ?0?G0.?? But if it were a test of cunning, that would be another story. Xu Yinglian was thinking the same. At this moment, she was eager to try, wishing she could immediately identify the Chosen Ones from both sides, and then ¡°modestly¡± show up her senior brother, just like he had done to her countless times before. ¡°Additionally, I¡¯ve discussed this with Jiuhua True Monarch as well,¡± Venerable Liandu continued with a smile, ¡°To prevent everyone from excessively relying on violence, in the palaces governed by me and Jiuhua True Monarch, you are not allowed to use martial force to coerce confessions from the opposite side.¡± ¡°After all, this is not the White Jade Capital. I ask everyone to try their best to use strategy to win.¡± Xu Yinglian¡¯s thoughts turned slightly and she understood the hidden meaning in their words: If the White Jade Capital Secret Realm tests the martial force of cultivators, then the Golden Que Secret Realm is more about testing the wisdom of the cultivators. She filtered through the rules in her mind again and realized that she must take control over both, the identity of the opponent¡¯s Chosen One and her own side¡¯s Chosen One. Understanding the identity of the opponent¡¯s Chosen One is, no doubt, the key element to winning the final victory; but if her own side¡¯s Chosen One were to be guessed by the opponent, it would lead to a lose-lose outcome. To prevent the latter scenario, there were two methods: wuxiaworld.site To achieve these two, one must be clear on who their own Chosen One is, and then cleverly apply switching strategies for changes. As long as they ensure the opponent answers incorrectly in the end, that would be enough. Thinking this way, deceit in fact seemed more efficient than concealment-because to probe the opponent¡¯s information, there must be mutual communication and probing. With mutual communication, it¡¯s inevitable to reveal information to the opponent, so concealment is a less effective, passive approach, whereas proactive deceit is more likely to have an effect. Xu Yinglian looked again at the people present. There were six people in total at the event: myself, senior brother, and Senior Sister Luo are naturally on one side; it¡¯s possible to fight for Real Person Miaodan of Shushan, while the two real persons from the Demon Cult¡­ judging by their undisguised hostility, they seem to have no intention of cooperating with us. They are probably dreaming of ¡°guessing the opponent¡¯s Chosen One¡± and ¡°keeping our side¡¯s Chosen One¡± at the same time. That would be troublesome. According to the rules given by Venerable Liandu, their presence is definitely the sort that is not helpful but rather detrimental. If they could be killed off beforehand, that would be ideal¡­ ¡°Very well,¡± Venerable Liandu suddenly said with a smile, ¡°I have informed my selected individual, the Chosen One.¡± ¡°Next, you all are free to discuss!¡± After speaking, the elder stood up, laughing heartily as he left. Xu Yinglian immediately became highly alert, with her Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart working rapidly, her gaze sweeping over the people around her. If it¡¯s not me, then who is it? She saw the two real persons from the Demonic Path simultaneously showing signs of annoyance; Real Person Miaodan of Shushan was pale and flushed at the same time; Senior Sister Luo Baiyuan appeared expressionless; her senior brother was continuing to pour himself a drink, occasionally swirling the wine in his cup¡­ Senior brother! At a time like this, you are still showing off here! Feeling helpless, Xu Yinglian could only take the initiative to speak out: ¡°I am the Venerable Qiong Ying from Kunlun.¡± ¡°Although I don¡¯t like to boast, you must have heard my name.¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± Before the two Venerables from the Demonic Path could speak, the Venerable Miao Dan from Shushan spoke up first, ¡°The Xu Family of Southern Heaven, Phoenix Immortal, who doesn¡¯t know?¡± Xu Yinglian¡¯s eyebrows knitted slightly as she sensed that the Shushan Venerable seemed intent on remaining neutral, so she said coldly: ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then you should know that my talent and strength are superior among you.¡± ¡°If Venerable Liandu were to choose disciples and impart his mantle, based on strength and talent, then my senior brother and I both would have a high probability of being chosen¡­ however, the reality is that neither of us has been chosen.¡± ¡°The reason is actually quite simple: The Venerables from Jiuhua¡¯s side must also be holding the same speculation.¡± ¡°To assume the worst situation, if by tomorrow noon they still haven¡¯t guessed the answer, then in blind guessing, the ones who choose my senior brother and me will definitely be the most.¡± ¡°Venerable Liandu must have considered this point in advance, so he didn¡¯t choose us, can you understand this reasoning?¡± ¡°Wait a second.¡± Suddenly, one of the Venerables from the Demonic Path spoke up, ¡°Even if that¡¯s the case¡­¡± ¡°May I ask your Daoist name?¡± Xu Yinglian interrupted him abruptly. ¡°The Daoist name ¡®Moyan¡¯.¡± Venerable Moyan said directly, ¡°Your analysis isn¡¯t wrong, but Venerable Liandu may not do as you expect, right? Perhaps he sees the rarity of the First Grade Golden Core and, out of fondness for talent, chose Changgeng True Person first.¡± ¡°It¡¯s quite simple.¡± Xu Yinglian spoke calmly, ¡°Because Venerable Liandu has mentioned that he is betting with Jiuhua True Monarch.¡± ¡°The meaning of betting doesn¡¯t need me to explain to you, right? Since it¡¯s a contest of pride, winning or losing becomes even more important, otherwise there would be no point in making this bet.¡± ¡°Furthermore, even if my senior brother and I were chosen, as soon as someone guesses it right, our identity would be transferred immediately. Thus, instead of holding onto ¡®to whom to pass on the Daoist Magic,¡¯ it¡¯s more realistic to uphold ¡®to win this bet.''¡± Xu Yinglian concluded with a cold laugh, ¡°Of course, if someone projects their own stupidity and thinks Venerable Liandu will act as foolishly as they would, that¡¯s another matter.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Venerable Moyan¡¯s face suddenly darkened, wanting to act but remembering Venerable Liandu¡¯s earlier warning, he forcibly suppressed his urge. Qiu Changtian sipped his wine with content on the side, thinking how this person was not nearly as eloquent as Junior Sister Xu. What many didn¡¯t know was that language and thought are connected through emotions. If you can¡¯t refute the other party in language, your thoughts often start to waver, which is an instinctive habit in human social interaction. As long as Junior Sister can control this situation, what follows will be much simpler. ¡°In any case, the Chosen One is neither me nor my senior brother.¡± Xu Yinglian finally said, ¡°I have a proposal here.¡± ¡°If someone already knows they are the Chosen One, they can secretly transmit a message to inform me. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only In compensation, I will impart a Daoist Magic to them.¡± Upon these words, the expressions of everyone present changed drastically. It was clear what Xu Yinglian meant: she wanted to take away the position of the Chosen One from that person, and then compensate with the Daoist Magic that the person was originally entitled to. ¡°Your Daoist Magic may not be more profound than what Venerable Liandu could teach, right?¡± Venerable Miao Dan from Shushan questioned again. ¡°Perhaps.¡± Xu Yinglian said leisurely, ¡°But as long as you tell me, I will certainly give.¡± ¡°Whereas the identity of Venerable Liandu¡¯s Chosen One, even if it is you now, might not be by tomorrow noon.¡± ¡°Bluffing!¡± Venerable Moyan scoffed again, ¡°If it were me, I wouldn¡¯t say anything. What could you do?¡± ¡°Nothing at all.¡± Qiu Changtian suddenly said, ¡°Violence can¡¯t be used here, but elsewhere, it might not be the case.¡± Chapter 678 Chapter 678: Chapter 12 The Perfect Strategy to Break the Stalemate Chapter 678: Chapter 12 The Perfect Strategy to Break the Stalemate When Qiu Changtian spoke up, everyone finally lost their composure. ¡°Is this a threat?¡± another Demon Cult Venerable asked darkly. ???G?.?? ¡°No, this is a reminder,¡± Qiu Changtian said calmly, ¡°in regards to ¡®not letting the opposing side guess the identity of the chosen one,¡¯ our interests align.¡± ¡°For the sake of our shared interests, we can even temporarily cease hostilities and cooperate. If we set this aside, there is nothing left to discuss.¡± Finally, silence fell upon the room as everyone began to ponder the implications of his words. After a while, Venerable Moyan slowly said: ¡°I am not the chosen one.¡± ¡°Neither am I,¡± said the Demon Cult Venerable beside him. ¡°Hehe,¡± a cultivator from Shushan, Venerable Miaodan, suddenly laughed, ¡°I¡¯m not either¡­ It seems the chosen one is among you Kunlun folks.¡± Her laughter was filled with sarcasm, causing Xu Yinglian to frown. Just as she was about to speak, a brash voice came from outside: wuxiaworld.site Great, who¡¯s the chosen one among you, can you tell me?¡± Four Nether Ghost Path Cultivators strode in boldly. Xu Yinglian acutely noticed a flash of subtle fear and wariness on Venerable Moyan¡¯s face. Qiu Changtian also focused his gaze. The leader of the Nether Ghost Path Cultivators had an unfamiliar face, someone he had never seen before, but judging by the unbridled aura the stranger was emitting, Qiu Changtian was almost certain the individual was of the Golden Core Realm, Obscure Weave Rank without a doubt. ¡°Yo, Han Yuan is here too?¡± The intruder suddenly noticed Luo Baiyuan and stepped onto her desk with a provocative smile. ¡°Mo Gu, take your foot down,¡± Luo Baiyuan said, frowning. ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± the intruder said with a sardonic laugh, as if deliberately trying to disgust her, ¡°If you can, come hit me.¡± Qiu Changtian thoughtfully considered that, according to what Venerable Liandu had said earlier, starting a fight here would actually break some rules. While the other appeared extremely arrogant, they were actually luring Sister Luo to strike first, indicating that the individual was not as crude as they seemed, but rather a cunning fellow. ¡°It stinks,¡± Luo Baiyuan didn¡¯t fall for it and simply stood up to move away, covering her nose with her sleeve as she walked over to Xu Yinglian, ¡°This person¡¯s feet are still as stinky as ever.¡± ¡°Sister, come over here quickly,¡± Xu Yinglian employed the Universal Pure Tone Minor Illumination Technique directly on Luo Baiyuan and urged her, ¡°Hurry over, be careful not to get poisoned.¡± ¡°Pfft,¡± Venerable Miaodan from across the room immediately burst into laughter. Seeing Mo Gu True Person looking over with a disgruntled face, she taunted, ¡°Mo Gu, you¡¯re a cultivator, how can you still have athlete¡¯s foot?¡± Mo Gu True Person¡¯s face darkened, but he wasn¡¯t foolish enough to engage with her on the topic of ¡°athlete¡¯s foot.¡± His gaze swept quickly across the room and soon settled on Qiu Changtian. ¡°First Grade Golden Core, Changgeng True Person,¡± he clicked his tongue in amazement, ¡°They say you were born with Daoist Heart Clarity and are cherished by the Ziwei Master of Kunlun!¡± ¡°How about it? Has Liandu True Person specified you as the chosen one? Can you tell me, Master Qiu?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Qiu Changtian nodded promptly, ¡°it¡¯s me. After you go back, you can report my name.¡± Venerable Moyan had been staring at him provocatively, but upon hearing this, his eyes immediately began to widen slowly. After a moment, he scoffed and said, ¡°Trying to trick me? You¡¯re really underestimating me.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t and I don¡¯t need to lie,¡± Qiu Changtian said calmly, ¡°it¡¯s your business if you don¡¯t dare to believe.¡± ¡°Pathetic attempt at provocation,¡± Venerable Moyan said coldly, his gaze sweeping over everyone again before he suddenly chuckled, ¡°You all continue to hide and sneak around then!¡± ¡°In any case, I¡¯ve already found the perfect strategy to break this. Keep struggling until you completely fail! Hahahaha¡­¡± Having said this, he left with the other three Demon Cult Venerables, swaggering off. The six True Persons left in the area looked at each other, and for a time, no one spoke. ¡°Brother,¡± Xu Yinglian communicated with Qiu Changtian through a secret sound transmission method, ¡°He said, ¡®the perfect strategy to break this¡¯. Do you think it¡¯s true or false?¡± ¡°There isn¡¯t a perfect strategy to break this,¡± Qiu Changtian pondered for a moment before answering, ¡°but there certainly is a strategy¡­ Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Do you remember the number of Demon Cult Venerables that came in with him?¡± ¡°Three, why?¡± Xu Yinglian hesitated, then suddenly had an epiphany, ¡°Could it be!¡± ¡°If he can exert complete control over those three Demon Cult Venerables, excluding the other two, they would only need to guess one of us four after noon tomorrow,¡± Qiu Changtian answered, ¡°In doing so, the Nether Ghost Path is bound to have one person who guesses correctly in this trial.¡± ¡°If that is the case, can¡¯t we do the same?¡± Xu Yinglian¡¯s mind sparked with inspiration, but then she frowned and dismissed the idea, ¡°No, we can¡¯t!¡± ¡°Exactly, we indeed cannot,¡± Qiu Changtian replied, ¡°Even if we can persuade Sister Luo, the Miao Dan True Person from Shushan is quite unlikely to agree to work with us in this way-after all, she only has a one-in-four chance of guessing correctly, whereas we from Kunlun have three out of four.¡± ¡°If she thinks someone on the other side is the chosen one, and I¡¯ve already guessed that person, she would probably be unwilling to change her answer,¡± Xu Yinglian sighed, ¡°After all, allowing Kunlun to win would have no actual benefit to her.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Qiu Changtian said seriously, ¡°For Venerable Moyan himself, the probability of guessing correctly is only one in four, which is why he still wants to figure out who it is. That way, he can ensure victory is in his own hands. But if he guesses incorrectly, he could still ensure the Nether Ghost Path¡¯s victory in this trial, and he would also receive the Sect¡¯s reward.¡± ¡°However, for Miao Dan True Person, if she guesses incorrectly, Shushan is unlikely to reward her for Kunlun¡¯s victory. That is why we cannot mimic the other side¡¯s tactics.¡± ¡°This time, the composition of the opposing team just has too much of an advantage,¡± Xu Yinglian said with a sigh, ¡°Unless we could somehow shift the identity of the chosen one to the two Demon Cult Cultivators on the opposite side and prevent them from informing Venerable Moyan, they are bound to guess correctly, right?¡± ¡°That would be very difficult to achieve,¡± Qiu Changtian replied, ¡°because since Venerable Moyan said so, he must be confident that these two Demon Cult Cultivators dare not defy him. That¡¯s what makes it a perfect strategy to break this.¡± ¡°Let it be,¡± Xu Yinglian sighed, ¡°Since you have already thoroughly analyzed Venerable Moyan¡¯s thoughts, it seems you must have a foolproof plan, right?¡± ¡°A foolproof plan is too bold a claim,¡± Qiu Changtian smiled, ¡°I can at most have a ninety-nine percent confidence that they won¡¯t guess correctly.¡± Chapter 679 Chapter 679: Chapter 13 Exploiting the Rules to Act Shamelessly Chapter 679: Chapter 13 Exploiting the Rules to Act Shamelessly Xu Yinglian did not know where her senior brother¡¯s ¡°ninety-nine percent certainty¡± came from, but she decided to investigate for herself. On her way to Jiuhua True Monarch¡¯s place, she earnestly asked Luo Baiyuan, ¡°Han Yuan senior sister, you seem to know the leading cultivator from the Nether Ghost Path? Can you tell me some specific information about him?¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing that can¡¯t be said about that.¡± After pondering for a moment, Luo Baiyuan honestly said, ¡°Mo Gu True Person is the youngest son of the current Sect Leader of the Nether Ghost Path, Fu Xie, whose true name is ¡®Chai Yanji¡¯.¡± ¡°Among Fu Xie¡¯s children, this person has the highest cultivation talent, but his temperament is also the most unruly.¡± ¡°He once publicly disparaged the Sect¡¯s system of the Nether Ghost Path as being too weak, and his words even reached the ears of Honored White Bone, who severely reprimanded Sect Leader Fu Xie.¡± Deliberate self-defamation? Was it to dispel the suspicions of his brothers and demonstrate that he had no intention of succeeding as Sect Leader? Xu Yinglian silently speculated. ¡°Too weak? What does that mean?¡± Qiu Changtian asked curiously. ¡°The Sect system of the Nether Ghost Path, you must have heard of it, right?¡± Luo Baiyuan frowned and said, ¡°They implement an extremely brutal elite competition system. Regardless of the disciple¡¯s mentorship, they are all classified into two categories based on their combat power.¡± wuxiaworld.site Anyone who can enter the ranks of Judges or Hall Masters will receive tilted support from the Sect¡¯s cultivation resources.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that very normal?¡± Xu Yinglian said in surprise, ¡°Even in our Kunlun, we have distinctions between inner and outer sect disciples.¡± ¡°It¡¯s different,¡± Luo Baiyuan shook her head and said, ¡°Our Kunlun¡¯s inner and outer sect disciples are divided according to the disciple¡¯s cultivation talent.¡± ¡°Their ranks of Judges and Hall Masters, however, are determined based on magical competition strength, and every now and then, they must fight it out, where the violent advance and the gentle retreat.¡± ¡°The Immortal Sword Ranking of the Shushan Shangqing Faction was initially modeled after the Nether Ghost Path¡¯s ¡®Yanluo Ranking¡¯, but Shushan only rewards the leading Sword Immortals on the Immortal Sword Ranking, and those who do not make the list are not punished.¡± ¡°However, within the Nether Ghost Path, if you are not on the Yanluo Ranking and fail to enter the ranks of Judges and Hall Masters, not only will you be limited in terms of cultivation resources, but your master will also give up on nurturing you, which is almost equivalent to losing all hope on the path of cultivation¡­ Hence, the internal competition is much more fierce than in ordinary Sects.¡± ¡°When Mo Gu True Person was at the Foundation Establishment Realm, he publicly declared that this system, named ¡®survival of the fittest¡¯, was in fact a disguised way of transferring the Sect¡¯s power to the elders. Because the elders could concentrate resources on their favorite disciples, these disciples can quickly become stronger, thus making it easier for them to enter the ranks of Judges and Hall Masters, and as a result, others will never have a chance to rise.¡± Xu Yinglian was silent for a moment and revealed a look of ¡°what¡¯s wrong with that?¡± In her view, it was natural for a master to decide how to nurture disciples based on their talents. The Nether Ghost Path¡¯s decision to determine the distribution of cultivation resources based on ¡°magical competition strength¡± has already to some extent eroded the tradition of ¡°master-disciple inheritance¡±, and now Mo Gu went even further to say ¡°not deprived enough¡± and ¡°it would be best for the master to have no hand in nurturing the disciple¡±, which is simply a departure from orthodox ways. Qiu Changtian could fully understand what Mo Gu True Person meant. ?0?g?.?? For example, if the master-disciple inheritance system of the orthodox sects is like the ancient ¡°transmission of poetry and books¡± and ¡°control of education by noble families¡±, then the Nether Ghost Path is somewhat akin to an ¡°imperial examination system¡±, with an innovative spirit of ¡°promotion based on ability¡± therein. What Mo Gu claimed was that the imperial examination system itself was not fair enough. Because some people could afford education, and were naturally at a higher starting point than others. Going further down this direction, it would fall under the category of ¡°universal literacy¡± and ¡°compulsory education¡±. In terms of progressive ideas, it would definitely be far superior to the former two approaches. ¡°In summary,¡± Luo Baiyuan continued, ¡°this matter reached the old demon White Bone, and as a result, his Sect Leader father was reprimanded.¡± ¡°Mo Gu was chastised by his father, and still unconvinced, he simply withdrew from the ranks of Judges and started to gather a group of non-Judge disciples, creating his own power faction.¡± ¡°About sixty to seventy years later, he brought his own subordinates and challenged those Judge elite disciples again. He won more than he lost, effectively replacing half of the Judge team.¡± Qiu Changtian: ¡­¡­¡­ So this was a story of a comeback and face-slapping, huh? Didn¡¯t your Nether Ghost Path claim that there was nothing wrong with the old system? That only elite disciples could join the Judge team, right? Mo Gu, bringing his non-Judge disciples, defeating half of the Judge¡¯s elite disciples, clearly proves that the former group is stronger than the latter. Therefore, if the former didn¡¯t become Judges, then there must be something wrong with the Nether Ghost Path¡¯s system! Just by listening to what Luo Baiyuan said, Qiu Changtian could imagine how frustrated the upper echelons of the Nether Ghost Path were back then, their faces blatantly slapped by his father Fu Xie, the Sect Leader, and the Honored White Bone. Anyway, Mo Gu True Person is definitely a troublemaker, and I must remind Junior Sister Xu to be careful when dealing with him later. The palace of Jiuhua True Monarch is right next to that of Liandu True Monarch, so the three of them quickly arrived. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Xu Yinglian said indifferently as she looked ahead at the great hall. Qiu Changtian followed Junior Sister Xu inside, only to see that everyone in the hall was sitting upright, except for Mo Gu True Person, who was reclining against a desk in a wilful and insubordinate manner. ¡°Aha, come to scout out the enemy¡¯s situation, have you?¡± Seeing the three Kunlun True Persons stand up, he spoke languidly. ¡°You can come to investigate us, but we can¡¯t come to scout?¡± Xu Yinglian furrowed her brows as she spoke. ¡°No.¡± Mo Gu True Person said simply. Xu Yinglian was taken aback by his answer, only to see two Demonic Path True Persons suddenly pick up the desk and rush over, forcing the three of them out of the hall and using the desk to seal the door shut. Kunlun people: ¡­¡­¡­ ¡°If you want to force your way in, just blast the door open with your Daoist Magic!¡± laughed Mo Gu True Person from inside, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we definitely won¡¯t fight back!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this just scum!¡± Xu Yinglian incredulously turned to look at Qiu Changtian. ¡°Junior Sister¡­ why are you looking at me?¡± Qiu Changtian was confused. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Senior Brother, what do you think we should do about this situation?¡± Xu Yinglian spoke irritably. ¡°Forcing our way in is definitely not an option,¡± Qiu Changtian replied, ¡°Look, there¡¯s a Demonic Path True Person physically propping it up from behind the desk.¡± ¡°If we use Daoist Magic to force our way in, we will surely harm that person, thus breaking the ¡®no fighting¡¯ rule.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never seen such a shameless rascal!¡± Xu Yinglian gritted her teeth in anger. ¡°However, although we can¡¯t use Daoist Magic to break down the door, some reconnaissance-type Daoist Magic can still be used,¡± Qiu Changtian reminded her. Xu Yinglian calmed down and after a moment of contemplation, she extended her hand and formed a Daoist Formula. Consequently, several little firebirds emerged in her palm, flapping up into the air and quickly turning into tiny, imperceptible sparks flitting towards the great hall. Chapter 680 Chapter 680: Chapter 14 I Told You It Was Me Chapter 680: Chapter 14 I Told You It Was Me Several firebirds flew into the hall, and the three from Kunlun stood guard outside, speaking in hushed voices. ¡°What are we here to investigate?¡± Luo Baiyuan asked, curious. ¡°The situations of the other two individuals,¡± Xu Yinglian replied. ¡°The other two individuals?¡± ¡°To increase the difficulty of guessing, there are six people on Liandu True Monarch¡¯s side, so there must also be six on Jiuhua True Monarch¡¯s side; otherwise, there would be no point in wagering,¡± Xu Yinglian explained. ¡°Mo Gu True Person brought three individuals here, which means there are another two whom he temporarily cannot control.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Luo Baiyuan pondered thoughtfully. ¡°If all six were from the Demon Cult, just one person guessing one allocation will ensure our certain defeat.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Xu Yinglian suddenly focused. ¡°Found them-they¡¯re locked in the backyard, two Sword Immortals from Shushan.¡± ¡°Shushan Sword Immortals,¡± Qiu Changtian said with a wry smile, ¡°left powerless in a situation where they cannot resort to violence.¡± ¡°Wait, here come the subordinates of Mo Gu True Person!¡± Xu Yinglian interrupted suddenly. ¡°They suspect that the chosen one is among those two from Shushan!¡± ¡°I see. wuxiaworld.site For Mo Gu, who fully controls his subordinates, it¡¯s obvious whether the chosen one is among his four. If not, then the chosen one must be one of the remaining two from Shushan,¡± she thought rapidly. ¡°If the two from Shushan refuse to confess, then all they need to do is deploy two subordinates, one to guess each person. This way, they can sacrifice one and shift the identity of the chosen one onto their four from the Demon Cult.¡± ¡°However, they also need to guess the chosen one from our side and can¡¯t afford to sacrifice anyone just yet. ???G0.?? That¡¯s why they¡¯re trying to force the two True Lords of Shushan to concede.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Luo Baiyuan nodded. ¡°Sister Qiong Ying, you¡¯ll need to keep your investigative spell ready.¡± ¡°If the other side secures the identity of the chosen one, we must know immediately.¡± As to who should submit the answer to Liandu True Monarch after obtaining it, the three silently agreed not to discuss it for the time being. After all, as long as it ends up in the hands of Kunlun! Back on Liandu True Monarch¡¯s side, the Phoenix Immortal from Penglai and the other two from the Demonic Path just sat in their original spots, not speaking a word. Clearly, these three had already communicated to no avail and decided to simply ignore each other. Xu Yinglian also returned to her seat and resumed her deep contemplation. Who, on our side, could possibly be the chosen one? Wait, could it be possible that it¡¯s actually among the two Demon Path True Persons? If that were the case, it would mean that Mo Gu¡¯s earlier pretense of scouting the enemy was actually to use secret transmissions to interrogate and intimidate the two from the Demonic Path. After obtaining the results, he would essentially hold the winning ticket, which is why he claimed to have a ¡°perfect strategy to break the situation.¡± I understand now! Xu Yinglian continued to look at the two from the Demonic Path, wondering who it could be? To be safe, Sister Luo and I could each guess one, transferring the chosen one¡¯s identity to our side in advance. While this could lead to one person being eliminated, it would at least ensure that the opponents couldn¡¯t guess the right answer. As for the identity of the chosen one on the other side, let¡¯s have the elder brother submit it. That way, with my guidance, he could acquire the position of the leader of Golden Que. It may be the elder brother advancing, but I have won! Xu Yinglian thought to herself delightedly and secretly contacted Luo Baiyuan through a method of covert sound transmission. ¡°Is it possible?¡± Luo Baiyuan hesitated and asked, ¡°But have you discussed this matter with your junior brother Changgeng?¡± ¡°No need,¡± Xu Yinglian confidently said, ¡°Once we get our identities, informing senior brother won¡¯t be too late.¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s better to say something.¡± Thought Luo Baiyuan, truly a case of ¡®a husband knows his wife best¡¯, as junior brother Changgeng said she was too rigid and strong-willed, he was right indeed¡­ So he gently said, ¡°Junior Sister Qiong Ying, if your deduction is wrong, then both of us would be eliminated due to a wrong guess.¡± ¡°If the identity of the selected one among us is not found within the two Demon Cult real people, why would Mo Gu say that he already has a ¡®perfect strategy to end the game¡¯?¡± Xu Yinglian countered, ¡°To cover all three of us from Kunlun and one from Shushan in the final guess tomorrow, you would need at least four people guessing simultaneously.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t forget that the selected one on the other side is one of the two Shushan cultivators, where at least one person must be sacrificed. That said, the number of people he can actually use is insufficient, hence it can¡¯t be considered a ¡®perfect strategy to end the game¡¯.¡± ¡°Junior sister, you make a lot of sense,¡± Luo Baiyuan said with a wry smile, ¡°but that doesn¡¯t give you a reason to act on your own without telling Changgeng. You two¡­ are Daoist companions, aren¡¯t you?¡± This point was indeed logical, and Xu Yinglian also calmed down, thinking that perhaps she should let her senior brother review the plan and get his opinion on it. So she transmitted the message secretly and repeated the matter to Qiu Changtian. ¡°Ah?¡± Qiu Changtian was momentarily stunned, ¡°Don¡¯t guess just yet.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Xu Yinglian asked with a frown. ¡°Because the selected ones are not those two Demon Path cultivators,¡± Qiu Changtian replied. ¡°They¡¯re not? Then who could it be?¡± Xu Yinglian asked in surprise. ¡°It¡¯s me,¡± Qiu Changtian said. Xu Yinglian:¡­¡­¡­ ¡°It¡¯s you?¡± she asked incredulously. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°It¡¯s me,¡± Qiu Changtian replied, ¡°Didn¡¯t I admit it from the very beginning? That Mo Gu on the other side didn¡¯t believe it.¡± ¡°But why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± Xu Yinglian was somewhat angry. ¡°If I had told you from the start, would you have pressured the Demon Cult real people on the other side to clarify this point?¡± Qiu Changtian said indifferently, ¡°Look, junior sister, now everyone is confused and can¡¯t figure out who the selected one among us is. Even the Shushan¡¯s Miaodan True Monarch, who claims the selected one is on Kunlun¡¯s side, actually suspects those two Demon Path real people are lying.¡± ¡°In their eyes, a Phoenix Immortal with a character as proud as yours would neither demean herself nor lie. In comparison, the likelihood of Demon Path cultivators lying is obviously much higher.¡± Xu Yinglian fell silent for a while, then with a faintly mocking smile, she said: ¡°So, senior brother, you¡¯ve been using my personality traits to scheme against them, have you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not really scheming, but simply making the best of the situation¡­ I have not lied to you!¡± Realizing that his junior sister was somewhat unhappy, Qiu Changtian hastily defended, ¡°After all, you didn¡¯t ask me at the beginning, did you?¡± ¡°Because I didn¡¯t ask, you couldn¡¯t tell me proactively and then let me deceive them?¡± Xu Yinglian said coldly, ¡°In the end, it¡¯s because you think I¡¯m not good at acting, so you deliberately hid this information and used that fact to make me act as myself, is that it?¡± Qiu Changtian, with sweat on his back, was at a loss for words, quickly calling out in his mind: ¡°Ah Jing, Teacher Mirror, please help me!¡± ¡°Kneel down and admit your mistake,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said calmly. Chapter 681 Chapter 681: Chapter 15 Breaking Your Unbeaten Myth Chapter 681: Chapter 15 Breaking Your Unbeaten Myth After Qiu Changtian¡¯s various clever persuasions, Xu Yinglian finally calmed down. The slight mood that had arisen from being teased by her husband also gradually subsided-truthfully, if she hadn¡¯t gotten over it after so many years, she would have probably been invaded by a Heart Demon and fallen into Deviation by now. Since their Chosen One was her senior brother, as long as they made sure not to be discovered by the other side, then all they had to do was find a way to figure out the identity of the other side¡¯s Chosen One. She checked her spells again to confirm that her fire-bird spies remained in the palace on the other side. Since they hadn¡¯t been detected, it was only prudent to maintain constant surveillance and not overlook any possibilities. The worst-case scenario would be if the other side always used Secretive Voice Transmission and never leaked any clues. In that case, they could only rely on pure speculation-however, Xu Yinglian, with the help of her Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart, believed that given Mo Gu True Person¡¯s displayed arrogance and conceit, it seemed unlikely he would trust anyone else to obtain the identity of the Chosen One. If she really had to guess, Xu Yinglian would directly choose this person. But, since Dog Senior Brother is so powerful, let him handle it¡­ I¡¯m not going to offer him any strategies this time! She focused intently on manipulating the spell, observing the specific situation on the other side. The two Shushan Sword Immortals were still blocked in the back courtyard, under the watch of three of Mo Gu True Person¡¯s subordinates. The only way out of the back courtyard was through a corridor, and by simply blocking the corridor without reason, the other side had no way to leave the back courtyard unless they used direct martial force. Really, how could they be so foolish as to fall into such an obvious trap! wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co Did they think that just because they knew a little swordsmanship they could charge in recklessly? Xu Yinglian despised these Shushan Sword Immortals to the extreme, not only for their own stupidity but also for causing trouble for us Kunlun Cultivators. It¡¯s truly laughable! And so, the night passed. In the early morning of the next day, Xu Yinglian finally saw Mo Gu True Person personally go to the back courtyard to negotiate with the two Shushan Sword Immortals using the technique of Secretive Voice Transmission. Although she couldn¡¯t hear through the spell what they were exchanging, Mo Gu True Person directly took one of the Shushan Sword Immortals to find Jiuhua True Monarch, the implication of which was self-evident. Xu Yinglian was greatly exhilarated and ran to Qiu Changtian¡¯s side, proudly saying, ¡°Senior Brother, if you want to know who the other side¡¯s Chosen One is, there¡¯s still a chance if you ask me.¡± Qiu Changtian: ? ¡°Has Junior Sister already gathered some information?¡± he asked with a smile. ¡°Quick, say ¡®Junior Sister is indeed the best¡¯,¡± Xu Yinglian urged impatiently, ¡°Hurry up, say it and I¡¯ll tell you.¡± ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have seen Mo Gu leading a certain Shushan Cultivator to find Jiuhua True Monarch, would you?¡± Qiu Changtian asked for confirmation. Xu Yinglian¡¯s smile froze for a moment, and she asked seriously, ¡°What if I did?¡± Feeling that her tone was a bit harsh, she tried to soften her expression and earnestly asked, ¡°How did Senior Brother know?¡± ¡°A guess,¡± Qiu Changtian replied, ¡°But this doesn¡¯t mean that the Chosen One has already moved to Mo Gu¡¯s side. Maybe they deliberately released the signal to confuse you.¡± ¡°Pretext the real with the illusory, and the illusory with the real,¡± Xu Yinglian retorted discontentedly, ¡°According to what you¡¯re saying, whatever I see could either be real or deliberately put on for my benefit. Wouldn¡¯t that mean that there¡¯s nothing that can be trusted?¡± Before Qiu Changtian could say anything else, she said dejectedly, ¡°Forget it, let Senior Brother make the judgment.¡± Dog Senior Brother, so annoying to talk to! I¡¯m clearly trying to help him¡­ Sigh. Xu Yinglian was slightly dejected for a moment, but she wasn¡¯t one to wallow in self-pity and soon continued to use her spell to scout out the situation on the other side. Luo Baiyuan was supposed to stay in the main hall, feigning probing moves but actually confusing the judgments of Miao Dan True Person and the two Demonic Path True Persons. Not until noon did Liandu True Monarch arrive leisurely with the company of her maidservants, saying with a smile, ¡°Do you all have an answer now?¡± ¡°If you already have an answer, you can tell me in any way you want.¡± Thus, everyone exchanged glances for a moment, and then, without prior agreement, they sent a secretive voice transmission to Liandu True Monarch to reveal their answers. ¡°Very well,¡± Liandu True Monarch stood up and said, ¡°I¡¯ll go check with Jiuhua True Monarch now, please wait for a moment.¡± Liandu True Monarch hurried off, and then, Miao Dan True Person was heard saying: ¡°The answers have been given, can we speak them aloud now?¡± ¡°Who among us is the Chosen One?¡± The crowd looked at each other, and no one answered. ¡°Even now, still hiding and holding back, are you?¡± Miao Dan True Person sneered, her face flushed with displeasure as she stormed off. Clearly, she had no confidence in guessing the other side¡¯s Chosen One and had randomly picked an answer, which made her extremely vexed. Not long after Miao Dan True Person left, Mo Gu True Person swaggered back in with his three followers. ¡°How did it go?¡± he asked provocatively, plopping down on a table without any grace, challenging Qiu Changtian, ¡°Did the illustrious Changgeng True Person finally figure it out or not?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t write my name, did you!¡± Mo Gu True Person looked around arrogantly, prompting his three followers to burst into loud laughter. ¡°Looking at you, it seems you¡¯ve already assured yourself of victory?¡± Qiu Changtian asked in surprise. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you already?¡± Mo Gu True Person narrowed his eyes and chuckled, ¡°From the beginning, I had a perfect strategy to break the game.¡± He pointed a finger at Qiu Changtian¡¯s nose: ¡°Unfortunately, though you possess an unprecedented First Grade Golden Core, when it comes to strategies of divination, you are no match for me.¡± ¡°Did you think that your sect sister Qiong Ying¡¯s prying tricks went unnoticed by me?¡± Xu Yinglian panicked inwardly; her senior brother had guessed it! That was close, so he shouldn¡¯t have written her name, should he? ¡°Let me tell you.¡± Mo Gu True Person picked up a fruit plate from the table and rudely stuffed a Qiong fruit into his mouth, ¡°The Chosen One is not me, and you will never know who it is.¡± ¡°As long as we communicate exclusively through secretive voice transmission, you have no chance of getting any clues, isn¡¯t that obvious? Unfortunately, such a premise relies on everyone¡¯s consensus to keep the secret, and it seems your side hasn¡¯t united for this cause,¡± he said. He looked at the two Demonic Path True Persons with Qiu Changtian and said with a sneer: ¡°Through them, I¡¯ve gotten quite a few clues¡­¡± ¡°The Chosen One is you, right, Changgeng True Person?¡± This time, both Xu Yinglian and Luo Baiyuan changed color. ¡°So,¡± Qiu Changtian suddenly said, ¡°how did you persuade those two Shushan Cultivators?¡± Xu Yinglian also realized what had happened: Mo Gu True Person took that Shushan Cultivator to see Jiuhua True Monarch, knowing that she was using a spell to spy, and had intentionally performed it all for her to see. Adding to that what he had just said about everyone reaching a consensus to keep secrets, it meant those two Shushan Cultivators had already colluded with Mo Gu, which is why they cooperated with his act. But why¡­ ???G?.?? ¡°It¡¯s simple,¡± Mo Gu True Person said, brushing the fruit peel from his hand, ¡°I told those two Shushan Cultivators to choose two of your six to guess. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only As for the remaining four? Our four Nether Ghost Path Cultivators would correspond one-to-one.¡± ¡°In that case, one person will certainly guess your Chosen One, and the probability is one in six¡­quite fair, right? So they agreed, since they got to choose first.¡± ¡°What of it?¡± Xu Yinglian asked, suppressing her anger, ¡°Your Nether Ghost Path only has a two-thirds chance of guessing correctly, and what if you¡¯re wrong? What then?¡± ¡°What then?¡± Mo Gu True Person laughed heartily, ¡°Because from the very start, I never planned on taking the position of the Golden Que¡¯s master.¡± ¡°As long as your Chosen One is identified, Changgeng True Person cannot win in this contest¡­ That¡¯s my objective.¡± ¡°My true goal is to break your unbeaten legend, Changgeng!¡± Chapter 682 Chapter 682: Chapter 16 There¡¯s No Targeting You at All Chapter 682: Chapter 16 There¡¯s No Targeting You at All ¡°To tell the truth, I had quite admired you.¡± ¡°Nearly a hundred years ago, I heard that a Qiu Changtian emerged from Kunlun, praised as ¡®the benevolent and righteous Chief Qiu.''¡± Mo Gu True Person broke into a smile and continued, ¡°At that time, I even told my father, ¡®If there is anyone from Kunlun who could threaten our Intercepting Cult¡¯s orthodoxy, it must be this man.''¡± ¡°Magnificent Kunlun, how great its fame was? Yet it¡¯s a pity that it is bound by the decadent traditions of the Clarify Cult, thus stagnating and unable to utilize the strength of the countless external disciples.¡± ¡°Every thirty years, Kunlun opens its gates to accept disciples, and there have been innumerable Chief Disciples. But only you realized the power of these external disciples, didn¡¯t you?¡± With an ¡°I¡¯ve completely seen through you¡± expression, he sneered coldly: ¡°You have been scheming, currying favor with them, cultivating a following, until your reputation became known throughout the entire sect.¡± ¡°These external disciples united under your banner, ultimately elevating you to the position of the great Chief Disciple of the Foundation Establishment Realm.¡± ¡°Knowing this news, I realized you would either become my confidant or my arch-enemy.¡± ¡°Because we are on the same path. People like us are naturally born to lead others, to declare war on this decayed and rotten world!¡± Mo Gu True Person spread his arms wide, speaking boldly. His followers looked up at him with admiration, while others regarded him as if he were some sort of freak. Only Qiu Changtian¡¯s face could no longer hold back his emotions. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co I¡¯m not! I didn¡¯t! Stop talking nonsense! I just wanted to grind for some Synchronization Value! Seeing his sudden change of expression, Mo Gu True Person also showed a disappointed look, resentfully saying: ¡°However, why did you stop in your tracks on this path after reaching Core Formation?¡± That¡¯s obviously because my fame had completely spread, and there was no need to grind with external disciples anymore! Qiu Changtian internally retorted, yet his face showed a bewildered expression as if to say ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°You must be joking.¡± ¡°Heh, stop pretending.¡± Seeing that he was still feigning ignorance, Mo Gu True Person lost interest and waved his hand dismissively, ¡°In the end, you have just been corrupted and assimilated by the quagmire of Kunlun.¡± ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, it was the Head of the Kunlun Sect who interfered, right? Under the coercion and temptation of your seniors, you finally wavered and no longer held firm to your original beliefs.¡± No, really, that¡¯s not it! Qiu Changtian was at a loss for words. Mo Gu True Person would not believe it and said callously: ¡°From that moment on, I swore to defeat you.¡± ¡°What ¡®rising star of the righteous path¡¯? ¡®Daoist Heart Clarity¡¯? Nothing but cowards who capitulated and abandoned their initial aspirations!¡± ¡°I will completely shatter your Invincible Golden Body and trample it underfoot, ensuring that the reputation of the Kunlun Taiqing Sect, which holds fast to theories of natural talent and lineage, is destroyed once and for all!¡± ¡°Wait a moment,¡± Xu Yinglian finally could not help herself, ¡°After all is said and done, you don¡¯t really know my senior brother at all! You¡¯re just a Mr. Ye who loves dragons, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°What Mr. Ye who loves dragons!¡± Mo Gu True Person said fiercely, ¡°I already said, it¡¯s just his sanctimonious facade I can¡¯t stand!¡± ¡°Mo Gu, you don¡¯t really know the story of ¡®Mr. Ye who loves dragons,¡¯ do you?¡± Luo Baiyuan suddenly interjected, ¡°Ignorance is really scary!¡± The scene fell silent for a moment, until Qiu Changtian coughed and began to explain: ¡°The story of ¡®Mr. Ye who loves dragons¡¯ is about a man named Mr. Ye¡­¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Mo Gu True Person, frustrated and angry, shouted, ¡°Just wait and admit defeat! My minions will publicize this so that everyone in the world will know of it. The name of Changgeng True Person will soon become worthless!¡± ¡°How childish,¡± Xu Yinglian sighed, ¡°Sister Han Yuan, has he always been like this?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Luo Baiyuan said helplessly, ¡°That¡¯s why, no matter how much he defies the elders in his sect, White Bone doesn¡¯t really punish him¡­ Everyone just thinks of him as an immature child.¡± ¡°Stop your feigned ignorance!¡± Mo Gu True Person laughed in anger, ¡°As long as victory is ultimately mine, all your denouncements are merely senseless objections!¡± No sooner had these words fallen than Liandu True Monarch and another unfamiliar Taoist emerged from the inner halls, laughing as they said: ¡°Sorry to have kept you all waiting.¡± ¡°Jiuhua, I won this time, you have nothing to say now, right?¡± ¡°Alas, the old Daoist admits defeat,¡± the unfamiliar Daoist couldn¡¯t stop shaking his head and sighing, ¡°Liandu, you were just lucky.¡± ¡°Cut the nonsense, I won fair and square.¡± Liandu True Monarch turned towards Qiu Changtian with a smile, ¡°This Changgeng True Person here correctly guessed Jiuhua True Monarch¡¯s Chosen One while no one guessed mine. So, according to the rules, the qualification for the owner of the Golden Que is now Changgeng True Person¡¯s.¡± ¡°Thank you, True Monarch.¡± Qiu Changtian clasped his fists in thanks and had just uttered his gratitude. Beside him, Mo Gu True Person seemed to awaken from a dream, eyes wide with disbelief, he exclaimed: ¡°Wait a minute! Jiuhua True Monarch, this¡­¡± He initially wanted to say ¡°this is impossible,¡± but he quickly became aware of the surrounding gazes and forcibly calmed himself down, merely asking coldly: ¡°Let me confirm once more. The Chosen One I guessed is incorrect? And his guess is correct?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Liandu True Monarch and Jiuhua True Monarch responded in unison. Thus, Mo Gu True Person fell into a bizarre silence. After a few breaths, he suddenly laughed out loud and through gritted teeth said: ¡°Well done, very well done, Qiu Changtian! You¡¯ve really played me this time!¡± Qiu Changtian: ? Your self-consciousness is really too much, I didn¡¯t even target you, okay? ?0?G?.?? ¡°Hehe.¡± Mo Gu True Person eventually laughed a few times, turned around to leave without any attachment, and threw out a fierce parting shot: ¡°Just you wait! Qiu Changtian, and that pretentious Wei Dongliu¡­ Sooner or later, I will crush you all thoroughly!¡± Hmm? Qiu Changtian was momentarily taken aback. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Wei Dongliu¡­ What have I ever done to you? Forget it, don¡¯t bother with such thoughts; otherwise, you¡¯d stoop down to his intellectual level¡­ Just as Qiu Changtian was gathering his thoughts, he saw Junior Sister Xu draw close from the side, asking in a low voice filled with excitement and curiosity: ¡°Senior Brother, how did you do it?¡± ¡°Ahem, it was nothing but a trifling skill.¡± Amid the awed gazes of the crowd, Qiu Changtian replied calmly and indifferently. Within the main hall, while everyone was curious to hear how Changgeng True Person had won, Liandu True Monarch had also returned with Jiuhua True Monarch to the inner hall. In the side room of the inner hall, a pretty and cute girl stood and said to Liandu True Monarch: ¡°Now that my identity has not been guessed by anyone, you should teach me the Daoist Magic.¡± ¡°So the identity of this person is actually¡­¡± Jiuhua True Monarch asked in astonishment. ¡°It¡¯s none other than that Real Person Miaodan of Shushan,¡± Liandu True Monarch said with pride, ¡°From before the competition even began, she used an illusion technique to disguise herself as Real Person Miaodan from Shushan and joined in the gamble.¡± ¡°Disguised as Real Person Miaodan?¡± Jiuhua True Monarch said, shocked, ¡°Then that would mean¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct,¡± Liandu True Monarch stated profoundly, ¡°According to my rules, one must point out the ¡®true identity¡¯ of the Chosen One.¡± ¡°Which means,¡± Jiuhua True Monarch couldn¡¯t help laughing, ¡°unless someone could see through her disguise and realize she¡¯s not the real Miaodan, from the beginning there was no chance of winning at all.¡± Chapter 683 Chapter 683: Chapter 17: Smooth Promotion! Chapter 683: Chapter 17: Smooth Promotion! Being recognized as the Lord of the Golden Que did not bring any immediate and noticeable benefits. Qiu Changtian guessed that this was probably just a form of identity verification¡­ In any case, the actual benefits of winning the bet would have to be obtained through other means. ¡°You¡¯re back?¡± he suddenly asked in his Sea of Consciousness. ¡°Yes,¡± the Kunlun Mirror replied. ¡°What Daoist Magic did you get?¡± Qiu Changtian asked. ¡°Take a look for yourself,¡± the Kunlun Mirror transmitted the content of the Daoist Magic to him. Qiu Changtian scrutinized it carefully and discovered that it was a Yimu secret technique for surveillance, called ¡°Ethereal Green Spirit Technique.¡± It could release dandelion-like seeds that floated on the wind; each seed extended the range of his Divine Sense scanning, acting like a relay. He was subconsciously quite satisfied because Qiu Changtian¡¯s persona did not lack offensive methods (he had the Five Thunder True Law, Tianyuan Yiqi Sword) and defensive methods (Taiqing Yuanqi Smoke and Mist, Tide-Pushing Wave-Halting Flute), but what he had lacked was surveillance-type spells. For example, the hidden firebird that Xu Yinglian had summoned earlier could be very useful at critical moments. However, Qiu Changtian gave it some thought and felt that something was off. Wait, I have never had any surveillance spells before, but I¡¯ve never encountered any related trouble¡­ wuxiaworld.site Because Ah Jing can scan for me, right?! The range is both vast and broad, with a one hundred percent accuracy rate and no omissions, and it doesn¡¯t even cost me any True Yuan! ¡°You broken mirror, why did you choose such a Daoist Magic to bring back?¡± Qiu Changtian said discontentedly, ¡°What use do I have for this surveillance Daoist Magic?¡± ¡°How could it be useless?¡± the Kunlun Mirror asked, puzzled, ¡°Don¡¯t you currently lack surveillance methods?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Qiu Changtian was momentarily stunned, ¡°Don¡¯t I have you?¡± The Kunlun Mirror, caught off guard by the words, felt a sudden, indescribable touch of emotion and reassurance, but quickly realized the humor in the situation and said, with a touch of laughter and helplessness: ¡°But you can¡¯t always depend on me, can you? What if one day I¡¯m not here anymore? What will you do then?¡± ¡°If one day you¡¯re not here¡­¡± Qiu Changtian was suddenly at a loss for words. ¡°Right?¡± the Kunlun Mirror said gently, ¡°Surveillance is a technique that a cultivator must master, so you should really learn it.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Qiu Changtian sighed, ¡°I¡¯ll go learn it then.¡± He suddenly remembered a film he had seen before his transmigration about a little boy who met a ghost by accident, and since then, the ghost became the golden finger by his side, guiding him to the pinnacle of his career and life. However, at that very pinnacle, the ghost suddenly disappeared, leaving him to psychologically collapse, unable to recover for a long time¡­ At that thought, Qiu Changtian felt somewhat melancholic. He thought of the profound bond he now had with Ah Jing; if one day Ah Jing were to leave him, he would probably be inconsolably upset. Let¡¯s not think about that now. In the end, the heavens are still un-mended, and Ah Jing ultimately cannot abandon me. The trial led by Liandu True Monarch had ended. However, the cultivators that failed weren¡¯t eliminated by the secret realm-after all, it had been said that there were a total of twelve True Monarchs in the secret realm, and each could grant one the position of the Lord of the Golden Que. Therefore, the cultivators dispersed, each seeking other True Monarchs within the secret realm. Xu Yinglian, however, was more astute; she surmised that since the number of True Monarchs corresponded to that of the Lords of the Golden Que, just because no one passed Jiuhua True Monarch¡¯s trial didn¡¯t necessarily mean that his qualification to grant the position would go to waste. So she took Luo Baiyuan with her to inquire, and indeed received a forthright reply from Jiuhua True Monarch: ¡°Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart, indeed very astute.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, I just finished devising the next challenge, and since you¡¯ve come to ask ahead of time, I will entrust this trial to the two of you.¡± ¡°In this competition, there is a rather¡­ unconventional True Monarch who has disguised themselves as one of you.¡± ¡°Find her, expose her, and you will earn the qualification for the master of Golden Que from me. ???G?.?? Of course, there¡¯s only one qualification available.¡± Xu Yinglian immediately perked up, ready to take Luo Baiyuan to look for the True Monarch. Qiu Changtian also wanted to follow, but ended up being stopped by Liandu True Monarch: ¡°Where are you going? Changgeng True Person, you are the first one to earn the position of Golden Que¡¯s master, please follow me.¡± Qiu Changtian could only let them go first while he went off with Liandu True Monarch. ¡°Changgeng True Person, which sect did you apprentice under?¡± Along the way, Liandu True Monarch casually asked. ¡°I apprenticed under the Kunlun Taiqing Sect,¡± Qiu Changtian replied. ¡°Kunlun, Taiqing Sect.¡± Liandu True Monarch repeated the name, laughing, ¡°That seems to be a very long time ago¡­ In our era, there was only the Great Bright Divine Church of the Witch Clan in the Kunlun Mountain Range.¡± ¡°Great Bright Divine Church?¡± Qiu Changtian asked curiously, ¡°Does True Monarch mean Zhu Rong¡¯s Brightness Divine Palace?¡± ¡°No.¡± Liandu True Monarch seemed surprised, as if he didn¡¯t expect him to know the relationship between ¡°Zhu Rong¡± and the ¡°Brightness Divine Palace,¡± ¡°Great Bright Divine Church was a product formed seven thousand years after the fall of the Brightness Divine Palace, comprised of the remnant Witch Clan, Human Race, and Demon Race, a cross-regional and loosely structured cultivation organization.¡± ¡°Of course, it was much better than Zhu Rong¡¯s ancient times. The era you mentioned was one where the power of the strong was suffocating. Bloodline Rank was everything, and the inheritance of cultivation techniques and the mantle of Daoist tradition were completely disregarded, because no matter how hard you cultivated, your end point could never catch up to their starting point.¡± ¡°If that is so,¡± Qiu Changtian tentatively asked, ¡°why did such an era come to an end, as well?¡± ¡°In this world, what is there that won¡¯t meet its end?¡± Liandu True Monarch laughed heartily, yet didn¡¯t directly answer the question. The two passed through numerous corridors, eventually arriving at the highest tower within the Golden Que Secret Realm. ¡°Wait here for a moment,¡± Liandu True Monarch instructed him, ¡°The ceremony will begin once the twelve masters of the Golden Que have been assembled.¡± ¡°What is the significance of the ceremony?¡± Qiu Changtian continued asking. ¡°The existence of the Golden Que Secret Realm naturally has its own reason,¡± Liandu True Monarch said indifferently. Fine, riddle master. Qiu Changtian knew he would not learn more and could only wait patiently, wondering whether Junior Sister Xu would secure her position as the master of Golden Que without his guidance and reminders. After some time, someone else was led over by another True Monarch, evidently also having passed the True Monarch¡¯s test to secure a position¡­ Huh? It¡¯s actually Senior Sister An? Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Hmph, it must be my future self, as Ling Junior Brother, who gave the opportunity to Senior Sister! There¡¯s no helping it, this is just how a persistent character acts; you have to overcome difficulties when they arise, and create your own when they don¡¯t. ¡°Jiao Xiao True Person.¡± Qiu Changtian greeted him respectfully. ¡°Changgeng True Person.¡± An Zhisu returned the salute briefly and turned to the True Monarch who had brought her, ¡°May I not stay in there? Being alone with a man in the same room, I¡¯m afraid others might see and misunderstand.¡± Chapter 684 Chapter 684: Chapter 18 I know the first three Chapter 684: Chapter 18 I know the first three The separation of men and women in receiving and giving is not just limited by traditional manners and etiquette. After all, women¡¯s defensive abilities are generally lower than men¡¯s, and the practice of not allowing a single man and a single woman to be alone together is also a consideration for women¡¯s personal safety. ?0?G?.?? However¡­ your reluctance to share a room with Qiu Changtian, An Zhisu, is just out of disgust, isn¡¯t it? Such a reason of course did not receive the true person¡¯s approval, and the other party did not even respond, but just smiled meaningfully and then left. And so, the two of them ended up staying in the same room. An Zhisu¡¯s face was frosty, while Qiu Changtian was calm and collected, quickly trying to recall where he had offended her. Oh, now I remember. Initially, it was because his own fame was too great, causing An Zhisu to subconsciously dislike him¡­ which was inevitable, after all, An Zhisu always felt that Ling Yunpo¡¯s strength was not inferior to Qiu Changtian¡¯s, yet he didn¡¯t have such an esteemed status and reputation in Shushan. Although it was intuition, in some sense, it was also announcing the truth. Then there was the White Jade Capital competition, where he defeated An Zhisu by clever and flexible means, and she found she could not understand at all; such malice greatly intensified¡­ Perhaps in Senior Sister An¡¯s eyes, her own Junior Brother Ling indeed was not as good as this Kunlun¡¯s Qiu Changtian, which must have been almost unbearable. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co After all, being biased to the extreme is equivalent to being unreasonable, and Ling Yunpo himself was well aware of this. A moment later, Qiu Changtian suddenly said, ¡°How come Qing Heng True Person is not here?¡± Perhaps because he mentioned Ling Yunpo, An Zhisu grudgingly replied, ¡°He gave up his chance to advance to me.¡± Qiu Changtian immediately understood and said with a faint smile, ¡°I see. Friends from youth, supporting each other ¨C the atmosphere of this Qingluo Peak lineage of Shushan is indeed enviable.¡± These words hit right at An Zhisu¡¯s soft spot. What mattered most to her? Ling Yunpo, Su Jian, Qingluo Peak ¨C nothing else. So Senior Sister An couldn¡¯t help but smile naively, proudly saying, ¡°Of course, our Qingluo Peak lineage has always been like this, placing great value in harmony within our sect. The kind of competition and hostility between brothers and sisters for power and profit, as seen in other factions, is absolutely impossible here.¡± Hearing her boast like this, Qiu Changtian inadvertently recalled Song He, his Foundation Establishment Realm Second Senior Brother who had once secretly harmed him. One could only say that where there are people, there will be jianghu, and the larger the crowd, the greater the turmoil in jianghu ¨C there is no help for it. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that Seven Kills True Person, Su Jian, was once unparalleled in swordsmanship in Shushan,¡± Qiu Changtian casually remarked. ¡°You¡¯ve heard of my master¡¯s name?¡± An Zhisu¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°In the Ancestral Master Hall at Emei Golden Summit, I¡¯ve seen the stele of Seven Kills True Person,¡± Qiu Changtian replied, ¡°The various merits recorded there were indeed impressive.¡± ¡°Mm-hm, but what¡¯s recorded there is only one-tenth or two of my master¡¯s glorious deeds,¡± An Zhisu said with a smile, ¡°In those days, my master had challenged many giants of the Demonic Path¡­¡± She repeated to Qiu Changtian the tales she had often boasted about with Ling Yunpo. The latter took the opportunity to show expressions of ¡°surprise¡±, ¡°admiration¡±, ¡°respect¡±, and ¡°reverence¡± at just the right moments, making An Zhisu all the more pleased, and her favorable impression of him soared immediately. ¡°Right, I haven¡¯t told you about Junior Brother Ling yet, have I?¡± Perhaps her guard was almost completely down, An Zhisu then brought up the topic on her own initiative. ¡°Junior Brother Ling?¡± Qiu Changtian pretended to be surprised, then remembered, ¡°Ah, you mean Qing Heng True Person, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± When the topic of Ling Yunpo came up, An Zhisu couldn¡¯t hold back any longer and began to introduce it to Qiu Changtian, ¡°My junior brother is born with Innate Sword Bone. Changgeng, do you know of this talent?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard of it,¡± Qiu Changtian replied with a faint smile, ¡°A body whose bones are like sword edges, firm and unyielding, a one in ten thousand talent among Sword Immortals.¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± An Zhisu smiled, ¡°My junior brother¡¯s talent for sword cultivation is almost as rare as Daoist Heart Clarity in the realm of sword cultivators.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Qiu Changtian thought to himself that it still seemed somewhat inferior, but he said, ¡°No wonder he seized a spot among the top twelve at White Jade Capital in the past. The trials of the Golden Que Secret Realm this time must be a piece of cake for him.¡± ¡°Naturally,¡± An Zhisu said confidently, ¡°Just you wait, Changgeng. The next one to come will definitely be my junior brother¡­¡± Before she could finish, another True Person led someone in. Qiu Changtian looked carefully; to his surprise, it was Shi Liuli! He immediately fell silent, knowing his wife¡¯s cleverness and wit, her skill in Art Calculation, and her sharp intuition. He feared that speaking more might give her some hint. Seeing that it was Shi Liuli from Penglai, and with her previous words being contradicted, An Zhisu lost the interest to continue the conversation and stood with her arms folded, saying nothing. Shi Liuli entered the loft, her gaze swiftly sweeping over the two people. Qiu Changtian, Changgeng True Person, had previously interacted with her during an incident at the Donghua Sect ruins, and their relationship was relatively good. An Zhisu, Jiao Xiao True Person, last saw her during the competition at White Jade Capital, where her first impression of her was not great; she needed to carefully mend this. With this in mind, Shi Liuli greeted Qiu Changtian with a smile and exchanged pleasantries. ¡°Dong You True Person,¡± Qiu Changtian nodded in response, ¡°Congratulations on obtaining the position of the Golden Que¡¯s master.¡± ¡°Just luck,¡± Shi Liuli said modestly, then turning to An Zhisu, she said, ¡°Jiao Xiao True Person, it¡¯s been a long time.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± An Zhisu¡¯s response was extremely cold. So, Qiu Changtian became even more certain that Senior Sister An definitely had some sort of social aversion, her attitude toward strangers was simply too poor. Shi Liuli naturally didn¡¯t take it personally, or perhaps her ability to keep her true feelings hidden was so developed that even someone as experienced as Qiu Changtian couldn¡¯t discern her genuine emotions. However, perhaps this was the reason An Zhisu was so repulsed by her: this senior sister was ultimately born with Innate Sword Heart and, in some aspects, possessed nearly instinctive sharpness. After a few attempts at making conversation were met with barely concealed indifference, Shi Liuli finally stopped trying to engage with An Zhisu, and instead began discussing other matters with Qiu Changtian: ¡°The Demon Cult¡¯s influence is growing, they even dare to reach into the Golden Que Secret Realm. It¡¯s hard to imagine what else they might do next.¡± This remark, if analyzed carefully, was actually illogical; who decided that the Golden Que Secret Realm must belong to the Three Pure Orthodox Sect? Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Qiu Changtian nodded in agreement and said seriously: ¡°I believe that Sect Master Wei of the Mortal Life Path has great ambitions. If their momentum grows more fierce in the future, it will not bode well for the Orthodox Sect.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Shi Liuli pondered. In fact, she personally felt that Wei Dongliu¡¯s reforms were bold-even with the Mortal Life Path¡¯s previous quagmire-like state, drastic measures were absolutely necessary. But since the Ziwei Master had sharply criticized the Mortal Life Path reforms not long ago, Changgeng True Person naturally could not contradict his sect, so Shi Liuli didn¡¯t pay much attention to it. Meanwhile, An Zhisu, being left out by the others and with Ling Yunpo¡¯s junior brother yet to arrive, grew increasingly impatient. Chapter 685 Chapter 685: Chapter 19 Round 1 successfully concluded Chapter 685: Chapter 19 Round 1 successfully concluded Qiu Changtian, An Zhisu, Shi Liuli. The three of them stayed in the attic of the Golden Que, gradually running out of things to say. The atmosphere became awkward. Qiu Changtian felt restless as he thought to himself that the woman to his left and the woman to his right were both his wives, yet they couldn¡¯t recognize him at all. Face to face, yet unable to acknowledge each other, such was the pain of being a spy with many faces! Who could understand my pain? A mask of suffering slowly appeared on his face. Seeing his troubled expression, Shi Liuli and An Zhisu thought he must be worried about whether his Daoist companion, Xu Yinglian, could pass the trial. They thought of their own spouses (Ling Yunpo/Luo Yan) who loved them deeply, which warmed their hearts, and their impression of Qiu Changtian improved even more. Not long after, another person was led into the attic by a true immortal, the red-haired, double-pupiled Demon Lord Wei Dongliu. He emitted an aura of death, and his demonic flames reached the skies. Upon entering, he sat in a corner, closed his eyes, and said nothing. An Zhisu¡¯s brows furrowed instinctively, her body ready to react to the demonic Qi that emanated from him, as if she was about to draw her sword the next second. Fortunately, she ultimately did not draw her sword; otherwise, Qiu Changtian wouldn¡¯t know how to separate the two¡­ But could Senior Sister An defeat my Great Demon Lord Wei? wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.cO Soon, more people arrived: Xu Yinglian, Luo Yan, Ling Yunpo, Luo Baiyuan, and Shushan¡¯s Jinghua, along with three others from the Demon Cult¡­ Huh, Wen Yang? This guy must have achieved Core Formation at the speed of light, right? Oh, right, it had been quite a while since Wei Dongliu switched to Qiu Changtian¡¯s line. It wouldn¡¯t be strange for Wen Yang to achieve Core Formation after being heavily nurtured by the Honored White Bone during this time. If I had an immortal as a master, I¡¯d form a Nascent Soul in a minute, alright? Qiu Changtian looked closely and saw that among those who had obtained a position in the Golden Que, there were eight from the Orthodox Sect and four from the Demon Cult. ???G?.?? Overall, it seemed that the Orthodox Sect still had the advantage, unable to monopolize the secret realm, but not at a disadvantage either. However, thinking carefully, there were three of my avatars and three wives in the Orthodox Sect; there was only one avatar in the Demon Cult. If we subtract the factors related to me, it means the Orthodox Sect only had two people, while the Demon Cult had actually sent three on their own! In terms of actual combat power, the Demon Cult might be stronger. Looking at the Orthodox Sect, there were three from Kunlun, three from Shushan, and two from Penglai. It was not surprising that the Tian Lan immortal had not been selected; Penglai Cultivators mostly had a scholarly air to them and seldom excelled at schemes and calculations. But with six people from Shushan entering, and only three being successful, merely matching Kunlun, one couldn¡¯t help feeling a bit speechless. Once all twelve were assembled, a loud bell tolled from within the secret realm, and divine music and wonderful singing could be heard endlessly: ¡°¡­ Clouds pass over the North Sea, the edge of the rain reaches the Southern Ming. Black evil serves as the central restriction, the celestial tent descends to the imperial camp. Spirit officials hold the jade seal, Tai Yi presents the golden banner¡­¡± When the chanting ended, everyone was quickly sent out of the secret realm, back to the summit of Xihua Mountain. At the summit altar, the forces of the Orthodox and Demon factions were still battling it out. Each time someone was teleported out, they were retrieved by the powerful beings of their respective factions. The moment Qiu Changtian appeared, he was scooped up by the Chi Song Immortal into his sleeve, then thrown into the Kunlun faction. ¡°You all did very well this time.¡± Seeing that Qiu Changtian, Xu Yinglian, and Luo Baiyuan all successfully passed the trial, the Ziwei Master was clearly pleased and spoke with words of commendation and praise. Turning to Shushan, seeing that they dispatched six but only three entered, the Ziwei Master was even more delighted. Looking over at Shushan, the Jade Capital Sect Leader¡¯s face was as calm as still water, showing neither sorrow nor joy. In contrast, the three Shushan immortals who entered the secret realm but failed the trial looked extremely disgruntled, as if they had suffered a great humiliation and couldn¡¯t wait to find an opportunity for revenge. Far away, the Honored White Bone¡¯s demonic might was overwhelming, as he sent a boundless grey fog towards them again. Wherever it passed, six or seven mountains, as well as their flora, rotted and wilted, the poison within extremely fierce. Qiu Changtian watched in shock, thinking that when immortals fought with their spells, the residual waves could easily affect an area with a radius of tens of miles. It was all too exaggerated. If that move struck him, he reckoned that unless Ah Jing teleported him away to escape, he would not have any means to cope with it. Turning to look at Chi Song Immortal, he only saw him casually use the Sleeve Universe, which, like a dragon drinking water, directly swept all the spreading grey fog that spanned several mountain heads into his sleeve, turning it to nothingness. ¡°Han Yuan has been rescued as well!¡± reminded the Ziwei Master. ¡°Then let¡¯s be going!¡± Chi Song Immortal laughed heartily. With that, those from Kunlun began to retreat from the battlefield. The Blood Sea Ancestor still wanted to stop them and used the Blood Sea Trapping Immortal Sword to attack, but Chi Song Immortal threw out a Jade Ruyi, blocking it and allowing the Ziwei Master to escape with the three True Ones. After retreating to Kunlun, Chi Song Immortal called the three over to inquire about the specific secret phrases they had heard inside the Golden Que Secret Realm. ¡°Clouds pass over the North Sea, rain reaches the Southern Ming¡­¡± He pondered for a moment, then said, ¡°Could it be in the sea?¡± ¡°Changgeng, what do you think?¡± Qiu Changtian also pondered for a moment, then said: ¡°Perhaps we might consult True Person Dong You.¡± Xu Yinglian frowned slightly to the side. Although she didn¡¯t want to admit it, the opponent¡¯s art of calculation was indeed formidable, and if the Seven Treasures Mysterious Garden Secret Realm really was in the sea, then unless it was in the Southern Sea, they couldn¡¯t avoid dealing with Penglai. ¡°Very well,¡± Chi Song Immortal said with a slight smile. ¡°Regardless of its location, the next secret realm will inevitably require Nascent Soul Realm to participate, which is still too early for you.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not rush this matter. If I remember correctly, Han Yuan, you¡¯re about to reach Nascent Infant. You can go to Fenbao Rock to choose a magical treasure to help you withstand the Heavenly Tribulation.¡± ¡°Changgeng, Qiong Ying, you have just entered the Golden Core Realm, Root Seeking Rank. It¡¯s reasonable to say that you should solidify your cultivation level and not continue to pursue rapid progress, as that would be the safer strategy.¡± ¡°However, the situation in the world is becoming increasingly complicated, and seeking stability may not be the appropriate approach.¡± ¡°You two go to Penglai and ask the Wan Xiang Immortal for root-seeking secret medicine¡­ just tell him to use the favor he owes Chi Song for repayment.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian, knowing that this was a reward for the Golden Que Secret Realm, agreed in unison. After leaving the Heaven¡¯s Gate Hall of Kunlun, Xu Yinglian casually mentioned: ¡°I still remember the last time we went to Penglai, Shi Liuli was jealous over my senior brother¡­ and now she is so completely different from before, it¡¯s really strange.¡± Qiu Changtian, understanding the probing tone in her voice, quickly explained: ¡°Her art calculation abilities are indeed formidable. My previous recommendation of her to Chi Song Immortal was purely out of public spirit, without any other implications.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t say senior brother had any other implications,¡± Xu Yinglian immediately denied. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only No other implications? With my junior sister¡¯s competitive nature, hearing me praise another woman, it would be strange if there were no other implications. Qiu Changtian tried to smooth things over indirectly: ¡°Penglai is renowned for its unique skills, but in terms of deep cultivation, it¡¯s still not comparable to our Kunlun.¡± ¡°Hmph,¡± Xu Yinglian thought of how Shi Liuli had managed to enter the pavilion before her in the Golden Que Secret Realm, and a multitude of grievances filled her mind anew. But with her senior brother consoling her, she forcibly suppressed her resentment and resolved to diligently practice her Daoist magic. She couldn¡¯t let Shi Liuli outdo her elsewhere. Chapter 686 Chapter 686: Chapter 20 Transforming Peng Technique Chapter 686: Chapter 20 Transforming Peng Technique Once again reaching Penglai Immortal Island by way of flying sword, Qiu Changtian looked towards the surrounding sea and thought to himself how perfectly the aura of the Protective Sect Array was concealed, the skill in setting up the formation was truly exceptional, and he wondered which erudite Formation Master had crafted it. ¡°The current Penglai Yuqing View seems to have recovered its vitality,¡± Xu Yinglian also looked down at the immortal island below and casually remarked, ¡°There are no traces showing it was once besieged by the Demonic Path.¡± Isn¡¯t that the truth? Qiu Changtian thought to himself. Although the Penglai Cultivators were quite lacking in direct magical competition, their skills in constructing and building Sect premises were second to none. Wasn¡¯t the most formidable Array Master in the entire Sect from Penglai? It¡¯s a pity that Junior Sister Xu doesn¡¯t understand formations and can¡¯t appreciate the intricacies of this Protective Sect Array! As soon as the two neared the skies above Penglai, patrolling cultivators rose on their swords to verify their identities. Qiu Changtian handed over his visiting card and was led to the reception hall to wait. It wasn¡¯t long before Wan Xiang Immortal emerged quietly, smiling as he spoke, ¡°Was it Chi Song who sent you here to fetch medicine?¡± ¡°Junior pays respect to the Immortal,¡± Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian quickly offered their salutations. ¡°Unfortunately,¡± Wan Xiang Immortal said leisurely, ¡°the medicine isn¡¯t yet refined, and it lacks a key ingredient, so it can¡¯t be completed.¡± Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian exchanged glances, both feeling helpless, and could only fold their hands and ask, wuxiaworld.site After leaving Penglai on their flying swords, Xu Yinglian suddenly spoke up, ¡°What is the intention of that Wan Xiang Immortal, after all?¡± ¡°If it were just a matter of missing a key ingredient, with just a word from him, invariably countless Penglai disciples would volunteer one after another to brave the Blade Mountain and fiery seas to fetch the medicine. Why would he need to send us Kunlun Cultivators?¡± ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s a test to scrutinize us,¡± Qiu Changtian answered. Xu Yinglian did not respond, but her expression seemed to agree more with this possibility. The two then changed direction, controlling their swords as they cut through the waves heading east. In the reception hall, Wan Xiang Immortal was deep in thought, when suddenly Shi Liuli appeared from behind and paying her respects, she said, ¡°Immortal.¡± ¡°Is that Real Person Qiong Ying indeed the solution to this water calamity?¡± Wan Xiang Immortal asked in a grave voice. ¡°According to the hexagram, yes,¡± Shi Liuli paused momentarily and asked curiously, ¡°Can¡¯t the Immortal resolve this matter?¡± ¡°There are many things in this world that Immortals shouldn¡¯t meddle with due to karmic consequences,¡± Wan Xiang Immortal sighed, ¡°We can only pin our hopes on her now.¡± Meanwhile, Xu Yinglian, bored on her eastward flight with Qiu Changtian, playfully shot her Feather Jia Sword into the sea, churning it up until various fish, shrimp, and sea monsters all turned belly up. ¡°Junior Sister,¡± Qiu Changtian laughed, ¡°I never expected you to enjoy such frolicsome antics too.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk about me like that!¡± Xu Yinglian glared at him, responding with annoyed embarrassment. ¡°` ¡°Tsks, tsks, tsks.¡± Suddenly, a voice echoed in the Sea of Consciousness. ¡°Is this how you and your spouse usually communicate?¡± ¡°Phoenix senior¡­¡± Xu Yinglian said helplessly. ¡°There¡¯s no need to call me senior, just ¡®Feng Lan¡¯ will do,¡± the Phoenix said. ¡°The reason why I spoke to him like that is because that damned senior brother of mine is too infuriating!¡± Xu Yinglian proceeded to tell the Phoenix in the Sea of Consciousness about all the times her senior brother deliberately harassed her. Feng Lan listened, wide-eyed and tongue-tied. ¡°So his scholarly and gentle demeanor on regular days, his cultured and refined appearance, it¡¯s all an act?¡± Feng Lan asked. ¡°Exactly!¡± Xu Yinglian said, indignant, ¡°The outside world praises him as a ¡®paragon of righteousness,¡¯ but they are oblivious to his numerous vile hobbies! He knows that what I care about the most is the gap in strength, yet he purposely provokes me in this regard, all while pretending to be indifferent!¡± ¡°Ying Lian, don¡¯t be too agitated,¡± Feng Lan pondered for a moment then asked Xu Yinglian, ¡°What is your husband most skilled at?¡± Although she resided within Xu Yinglian¡¯s Sea of Consciousness, most of the time, she was recuperating her Divine Soul and did not pay much attention to the outside world. ¡°My senior brother is most adept at the Thunder Method,¡± Xu Yinglian replied, ¡°but his swordsmanship is also extremely profound. Also, his greatest advantage is his abundant and vigorous True Yuan; coupled with the famed fierce Tianyuan Yiqi Sword, he is almost invincible.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Feng Lan said, nodding, ¡°so he is good at Thunder Method and swordsmanship, used to crushing his opponents head-on, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°That¡¯s easy to deal with,¡± Feng Lan said with a smile. ¡°My Phoenix Clan also has the Thunderbird, whose cry is like thunder, wings generate electricity, and claws and beak are sharp as steel swords. But when I fight with her, I win eight or nine times out of ten.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Xu Yinglian¡¯s eyes lit up as she quickly asked, ¡°How do you deal with it, senior Feng Lan?¡± ¡°It¡¯s simple,¡± Feng Lan laughed, ¡°the Thunder Method, although sharp, is violent by nature and hard to control.¡± ¡°You are skilled at Fire System Spells, which are not ideal against the Thunder Method. If you could learn a Water System Spell, or master a Water System Magical Treasure and Flying Sword, it would be much easier¡­¡± Let¡¯s not discuss how she was instigating Xu Yinglian for now. Meanwhile, Qiu Changtian took Junior Sister Xu and continued to advance, quickly entering a no-man¡¯s land. In this vast world, the Extreme East, Extreme West, Extreme South, Extreme North are places rarely tread by Cultivators. Among them, Extreme North is harsh, Extreme South is fervent, Extreme West is arid with no grass growing, and Extreme East is full of endless waves without any place to land. It is also said to hide countless ancient beings of tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of years. Thus, even Penglai Jade Pure Cultivators dare not venture too deep. In the past, Luo Yan and Shi Liuli sought the Purple Mansion Secret Realm and went to find the Five Qi Dynasty Yuan Cave, which was at the edge of where Yuqing Cultivators ventured. However, according to what Wan Xiang Immortal said this time, it seems they still need to head further east¡­ As Qiu Changtian contemplated, suddenly a huge shadow was cast from beneath the sea. The shadow¡¯s length was indeterminable, and the end could not be seen. Just the width alone was the size of a mountain range. As its body emerged from the water, it triggered hundred-zhang-high tsunamis all around, shaking in every direction-making Qiu Changtian almost believe the immense East Sea was nothing more than a washbasin for this ancient water being. Then, the two of them could finally see clearly that it was a whale¡­ ???G?.?? or what ancient texts referred to as a ¡°Kun.¡± ¡°Human Race.¡± The Kun¡¯s voice emanated from the air holes on its back, making both of them feel as if a storm had suddenly arisen, causing the Flying Sword under their feet to wobble unstably, ¡°Do you know the Transforming Peng Technique?¡± ¡°The Transforming Peng Technique?¡± Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian looked at each other, perplexed. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only According to ancient records, the Kunpeng is regarded as a mythical creature from the Demon Race. As a Kun, it lives in water as a member of the Scaled Clan; once it transforms into a Peng, it becomes a Feathered Clan. But exactly how a Kun transforms into a Peng-that was something not even Qiu Changtian, with all his extensive experiences in the Eastern Emperor Realm, knew-it was definitely a closely guarded secret of the Kunpeng Clan. ¡°I know,¡± Feng Lan¡¯s voice suddenly spoke inside Xu Yinglian¡¯s Sea of Consciousness. ¡°You can ask him, what he is willing to exchange for the Transforming Peng Technique.¡± ¡°` Chapter 687 Chapter 687: Chapter 21 This is a Fool Chapter 687: Chapter 21 This is a Fool ¡°` Transforming from Kun to Peng is a very mysterious process. Theoretically, the five major races: hair, scales, horns, feathers, and Kun should not intermingle. Even if a carp evolves into a dragon by leaping over the Dragon Gate, that¡¯s still an internal evolution within the Scaled Clan and does not cross that boundary. Yet the Kunpeng truly transformed from an aquatic behemoth to a Golden-Winged Roc, with the process in between being completely unknown. Thus, the Azure Dragon Clan expelled Kunpeng from the ¡°Scaled Clan origins¡± a long time ago, considering Kun to be a kind of aquatic member of the Feathered Clan¡­ Anyway, the logic is somewhat far-fetched. The giant Kun before them had lived who knows how long and was rather mild-mannered (or more accurately, lacked much of the wariness acquired later in life), saying that he had been alone since he was young. He had already perfected the bloodline secret technique but had been unable to find the method for transforming into a Peng, which caused him great distress. Recently, he was struck by a sudden thought, planning to try leaping continuously out of the water to see if his body could gradually adapt to an environment completely filled with air and thereby grow the feathers that a Roc should have-he was just about to make like a whale breaching when he happened to encounter the two flying swordsmen passing by, so he came to ask. Upon hearing this, Qiu Changtian guessed why the Wan Xiang Immortal had sent them here. The size of this Kun was so vast that simply surfacing would displace hundreds of feet of seawater. Like what it mentioned about ¡°leaping out to jump,¡± it would certainly cause a tsunami extending thousands of miles, which would undoubtedly give the Penglai Yuqing View a headache. ¡°Good points?¡± The giant Kun sounded troubled as it spoke at a leisurely pace, ¡°I can¡¯t think of anything I could offer you¡­¡± wuxiaworld.site Ask it for the hardest scale from the base of its dorsal fin!¡± Xu Yinglian hesitated slightly because it made her feel unethical, but if she didn¡¯t ask for this, she really couldn¡¯t think of anything else to exchange, so she had no choice but to bite the bullet and say: ¡°That scale at the base of your dorsal fin¡­¡± ¡°Sure.¡± The giant Kun said quite cheerfully, ¡°That scale has been half-detached for a long time but never falls off completely, and it¡¯s been extremely itchy. If you can help remove it for me, I¡¯d be more than grateful.¡± ¡°The hardness of this scale is extremely strong, and it can withstand most attacks.¡± Feng Lan also offered guidance in her Sea of Consciousness, ¡°It accompanies the Kun throughout its life, shedding only when it¡¯s about to transform into a Peng, which makes it exceedingly rare and incredibly precious.¡± ¡°In my era, every Kun¡¯s dorsal scale belonged to the possessions of the Kunpeng Clan, and clan members were absolutely not allowed to give it away privately¡­ You¡¯re lucky to have encountered such a fool!¡± The more Feng Lan spoke, the more guilty Xu Yinglian felt, so she asked tentatively: ¡°Apart from the method of transforming into a Peng, is there anything else you need? We could also consider that as part of the exchange for your dorsal scale¡­¡± ¡°No more.¡± said the giant Kun straightforwardly, ¡°It¡¯s you who have helped me, aside from this scale, what else would you like in exchange?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard there¡¯s a Blood Coral at the bottom of the sea nearby¡­¡± Qiu Changtian had only spoken half the sentence when he was elbowed in the stomach by an apologetic Xu Yinglian, forcing him to swallow his words. ¡°That little red tree, right? Sure.¡± said the giant Kun amiably, ¡°Follow me.¡± After speaking, it slowly sank into the water. A huge vortex gradually emerged on the surface, and countless seawaters started to fill the void left by its descent. Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian exchanged a glance, and then hurriedly followed on their swords, diving into the sea. There were no sea monsters in the water, and even the schools of fish were scant. The immense size of the giant Kun was evidently a terrifying nightmare for any aquatic creature. The two followed the giant Kun deeper and finally saw a fuzzy red glow ahead. The Blood Coral was nearly hundreds of feet high, like a giant seafloor tree with a massive canopy, surrounded by numerous serpent demons of the Scaled Clan circling around. Among them, there were quite a few Nascent Soul aura old pythons, giving Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian a silent alarm. ¡°` The Jukun paid it no heed and continued swimming towards the Blood Coral, the current it raised seemingly bending the coral¡­ Countless snake monsters from the Scaled Clan tried to block the Jukun¡¯s way, but they couldn¡¯t even touch its body, as the powerful current washed them away in disarray. Finally, an old python with white scales positioned itself in the Jukun¡¯s path, calling out shakily: ¡°Great Ancestor! Why have you suddenly come to our clan¡¯s territory?¡± ¡°Great Ancestor?¡± Qiu Changtian was initially startled, then quickly understood. The term ¡°Great Ancestor¡± was a title used by the Demon Race to address Immortals of high rank, but it was also used by lesser demons to refer to more powerful demons, much like how some salespeople in modern society tend to call their clients ¡°Director So-and-so.¡± ¡°I want that small red tree,¡± the Jukun responded without a hint of suspicion, simply answering. ¡°You want the Divine Tree?¡± The white python was so shocked that it turned numb. Their clan definitely couldn¡¯t resist this Great Ancestor Kunpeng, but the Divine Tree within their clan was integral to the evolution of their progeny and was something they absolutely could not afford to lose. As word spread that this powerful intruder had come for their Divine Tree, the entire Scaled Clan quickly became noisy and chaotic, with some snake monsters planning to fight to the death to stop this Jukun, while many more considered how to escape-after all, what use was there staying in the clan if the Divine Tree was gone? Xu Yinglian watched from the side, feeling a complex array of emotions: the request of two cultivators, a single thought from the Jukun, could actually affect the survival of an entire Demon Race. The contrast between the powerful and the weak was thus starkly evident. ???g?.?? However, these demon clans lived in places far away from Divine Land, and it was estimated they would never have any dealings with the Human Race in their lifetimes, so Xu Yinglian felt a surge of compassion (or perhaps it was because the Phoenix senior in her Sea of Consciousness had caused her to hold no ill will towards the Demon Race), and she started to persuade the Jukun: ¡°We do not wish to take the entire Blood Coral; we only plan to take some of its powder.¡± The white python listened as if it had been granted a great reprieve: Just powder? That was much simpler! In fact, as the Divine Tree grew, part of its branches would naturally age, and the daily task of the priests was to peel off the aging, hardened outer layer so that the branches beneath could continue to grow. Thus, the white python quickly responded: ¡°There¡¯s plenty of powder! Plenty! As much as you want!¡± Seeing that the two Human Race cultivators said so, the Jukun also graciously conceded and boomed, ¡°Then¡­ bring over the powder, and don¡¯t skimp on the amount, hear me!¡± Soon, the entire Scaled Clan busied themselves, and in no time, the area around the Blood Coral was teeming with various twisting and writhing figures. About an hour later, several hundred barrels of freshly produced Blood Coral Powder were transported onto the Jukun¡¯s back, piled up like small hills, which left both onlookers dumbstruck. The Wan Xiang Immortal¡­ how much powder did he say he needed before? A few ounces? Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°What¡¯s the point of having so much of this stuff?¡± Qiu Changtian pretended to be clueless, picking up some of the powder and quietly scanning and examining it. Though his specialty in Penglai was formation, he had also dabbled in alchemy knowledge. The life force within this red powder was vigorous and considered a rare strange object in the world. It could be used for healing wounds, as well as for creating elixirs that strengthened the body, for instance, to accelerate the Marrow Cleansing Rank of the Foundation Establishment Realm and the Root Seeking Rank of the Golden Core Realm. In other words, bringing this back as a tribute to their sect would be another great meritorious deed! Chapter 688 Chapter 688: Chapter 22: No Rewards to Give, No Punishments to Administer Chapter 688: Chapter 22: No Rewards to Give, No Punishments to Administer Back to Penglai Immortal Island. Qiu Changtian took out a small bottle of Blood Coral Powder and handed it over to Wan Xiang Immortal. ¡°Is this the only bottle?¡± Wan Xiang Immortal asked with a smile, ¡°If you truly infiltrated the vicinity of the Blood Coral, you should have taken more than this little bottle of powder, right?¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare deceive the immortal,¡± Qiu Changtian said with a wry smile, ¡°Indeed, I took three bottles in total, with the other two intended to be submitted to the Sect.¡± ¡°Humph,¡± Wan Xiang Immortal stroked his beard, ¡°How about this?¡± ¡°I will buy another bottle from you, so I don¡¯t have to make another trip the next time Chi Song asks me to perform alchemy.¡± Qiu Changtian certainly didn¡¯t dare to refuse and could only agree respectfully. After giving one bottle of powder to Wan Xiang Immortal, he received a Storage Bag in return. A divine sense sweep revealed that it was filled with high-grade pure Spirit Stones. Spirit Stones were the currency of the Cultivation Realm, and such a large amount of pure Spirit Stones was a considerable sum for a Cultivator as well. However, the overall economy of the Cultivation Realm was so loose that many Cultivation Resources were priceless and rare to the point of being unobtainable. Thus, Qiu Changtian didn¡¯t argue too much with Wan Xiang Immortal and took it as forming a good connection. ¡°If we really wanted to form a good connection, we both have hundreds of barrels of Blood Coral Powder. It wouldn¡¯t hurt to give the Immortal a bottle,¡± Xu Yinglian, who had been watching the entire time, thought helplessly to herself. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site But after all, she was a Kunlun Cultivator and naturally couldn¡¯t speak up to defend Penglai¡¯s interests, so she pretended not to notice. Perhaps due to obtaining an extra bottle, Wan Xiang Immortal¡¯s alchemy went very smoothly, and it wasn¡¯t long before he came out to hand over the Elixirs to the two. Qiu Changtian opened the cork of the bottle to inspect the goods and saw two Elixirs, red throughout, emitting a strange sweet scent. ¡°Once this Elixir is consumed, immediately sit down in the lotus position and begin refining it,¡± Wan Xiang Immortal instructed, ¡°It will greatly benefit the growth of your Pill Root.¡± ¡°But be careful. During the refinement of the Elixir¡¯s power, one should not lightly engage in Magical Competition or mobilize True Yuan.¡± ¡°It¡¯s because the Pill Root will be growing rapidly within the Dantian, and if the True Yuan is mobilized too quickly, it will run counter to the root, causing extremely intense pain.¡± ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s best to find a place to go into seclusion and fully digest the power of the Elixir before coming out,¡± he added. ¡°Thank you for the guidance, senior,¡± the two promptly replied. After returning to Kunlun, Qiu Changtian went to report to Ziwei Sect Leader. ¡°Since it is a task given to you by the Immortal, it is fine as long as you complete it well,¡± Ziwei Sect Leader said indifferently, ¡°It¡¯s just that you shouldn¡¯t have taken money for that bottle of Blood Coral Powder.¡± ¡°Disciple thought so as well, but since the senior offered it actively, I didn¡¯t dare to refuse,¡± Qiu Changtian replied with a look of helplessness. ¡°Let it be,¡± Ziwei Sect Leader thought, as it was probably Wan Xiang Immortal¡¯s intention not to take the junior¡¯s items for free, so it was fine, ¡°Take it then. To the Immortal, things like tribute are utterly unnecessary. What matters more is someone with the ability, who can get things done for him.¡± ¡°Reporting to Master,¡± Qiu Changtian continued, ¡°what should be done with the surplus Blood Coral Powder?¡± ¡°You can keep it for yourself,¡± Sect Leader Ziwei said, waving his sleeve. ¡°It¡¯s too much, and I don¡¯t need it. I wish to present it to the Sect,¡± Qiu Changtian said with a wry smile. It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t need it; at least Luo Yan had a way to sell it off, but since the amount was large, it was easy to be traced back to him by Wan Xiang Immortal so he decided against it. ¡°How much is there?¡± Ziwei Sect Leader frowned and asked. ¡°Perhaps several hundred jin,¡± Qiu Changtian answered. Ziwei Sect Leader: ¡­¡­¡­.. ¡°Several hundred taels or several hundred jin?¡± he asked again for confirmation. ¡°Roughly several hundred jin, I haven¡¯t counted,¡± Qiu Changtian replied and took out the Storage Bag, displaying its contents in the Scripture Lecture Hall. As the pile of Blood Coral Powder grew higher, Ziwei Sect Leader began to lose his composure, quickly saying: ¡°Enough, enough! I believe you. Put these away and send them to Fenbao Rock¡­ I will ask the Immortal how to deal with them.¡± Really, ever since I took this disciple, all sorts of messy accidents have become more and more frequent. Ziwei Master hurried out of the Scripture Lecture Hall and walked briskly towards the Heaven¡¯s Gate Hall at the back mountain, his steps as swift as flying. At first, his expression was serious, but gradually, he couldn¡¯t help but burst into loud laughter. Inside the Heaven¡¯s Gate Hall on the back mountain, Chi Song Immortal, upon hearing that someone had brought back several hundred pounds of Blood Coral Powder, was also shocked, his eyes widening in astonishment. In the barbaric lands to the east of the East Sea, where human cultivators rarely tread, there are actually quite a few treasures. For instance, that Blood Coral that has grown for over one hundred thousand years is a rare treasure in this world. However, there lives a giant kun near that Blood Coral, ferocious and belligerent by nature, always asking anyone it encounters if they have the ¡°Transforming Peng Technique.¡± We are not Kunpeng, how would we know anything about the Transforming Peng Technique! If you can¡¯t answer, it will pester you, spraying water jets furiously¡­and this giant kun has no idea how many years it has cultivated, its power is astonishing, and even immortals would frown upon encountering it. Around the Blood Coral resides a large population of the Demon Race, and if one were to forcefully plunder, making too much noise, it would easily attract that troublesome giant kun. So, immortals often conceal themselves, sneak in secretly, and only take a little each time they need it. Although it is not difficult, it is very troublesome. This kid managed to bring back several hundred pounds all at once, but where did he get it from? He couldn¡¯t possibly have chopped down the whole Blood Coral! Upon this thought, Chi Song Immortal also couldn¡¯t help but feel a headache coming on. ???G?.?? In principle, having made such a significant contribution to the sect, there should definitely be substantial rewards. But the problem is, what does Qiu Changtian need? Cultivation techniques, whether it¡¯s the Qi Refining Technique or Daoist Magic, all are Kunlun¡¯s top-tier cultivation methods; Flying Swords, the Tianyuan Yiqi Sword perfectly suits his needs, and since he doesn¡¯t use two-handed sword control, there¡¯s no need for a second sword; Magical Treasures, whether it¡¯s the Taiqing Yuan Qi Smoky Mist or the Tide Breaking Flute, with the former being a powerful defense and the latter offering both offense and defense, he doesn¡¯t need any more magical treasures to attach to his glory. Plainly speaking, with Qiu Changtian¡¯s aptitude, even if he does nothing, Kunlun would find reasons to keep giving him various cultivation techniques, magical treasures, and flying swords, for fear that he would not progress smoothly and perish midway. Now that this kid has finally grown up and is reciprocating the sect, how should the sect reward him? Forget it, this matter can be left to Ziwei Master to worry about. ¡­¡­ When Qiu Changtian returned to his cave dwelling, he took an Elixir and began to close off and refine it. During this period, Ziwei Master came once more, calling him to Fenbao Rock to pick a treasure, as a reward for offering treasures to the sect this time. He was not in a hurry to claim the treasure, but focused on refining the medicine within him, rapidly improving his cultivation level¡­ The Elixirs produced by immortals were truly impeccable, their medicinal power pure and moderate, yet unceasing like rivers, indeed saving him from countless years of arduous cultivation. Now the Golden Core within him has become extremely small, and he continues to transfer highly purified True Yuan to his Dantian, forming ¡°meridians¡± on the outer walls of his Dantian like ancient roots entwining. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only These meridians are called ¡°Pill Roots.¡± In the future, when forming a Nascent Soul, these Pill Roots will be the ¡°placenta¡± for the Nascent Soul, thus they must be cultivated with extreme care. After refining about one third of the medicinal power, Qiu Changtian checked Junior Sister Xu¡¯s progress beside him, and then left seclusion planning to take a walk near Golden Ridge, to relax a bit, before returning to continue his cultivation. No sooner had he left his cave dwelling than he heard his fourth junior brother, Yan Zhitui, talking with third junior brother, Guan Zhan: ¡°Chief senior brother, do you know about the incident that occurred at Shushan?¡± ¡°What incident?¡± Guan Zhan, who normally had no interest in idle gossip, was attentive upon hearing that it happened at Shushan, feeling it might be good to learn more about it. ¡°That Jiao Xiao True Person who finished second in the White Jade Capital competition last time and later formed a Second-Grade Golden Core, it is said he recently inadvertently violated some sect rule and got confined by Shushan.¡± Yan Zhitui said with a laugh. Qiu Changtian: !!! Chapter 689 Chapter 689: Chapter 23 Returning to Shushan, Persuading the Senior Sister Chapter 689: Chapter 23 Returning to Shushan, Persuading the Senior Sister ¡°` Qiu Changtian left Golden Ridge without a change in expression and used the Kunlun Mirror¡¯s illusion technique to disguise himself as an ordinary disciple before setting out to gather information about the Shushan Sect. The reason why he didn¡¯t directly load the Ling Yunpo save was that the timeline at Ling Yunpo¡¯s was in the past, while the present was already the future. Starting from when he heard ¡°Senior Sister An was imprisoned,¡± the fact that Senior Sister An was detained by Shushan had already become a part of history, and even returning to the past could not change it. ???G0.?? However, he needed to clarify what sect rule she had violated and why exactly Shushan had punished her. After inquiring carefully for a while, Qiu Changtian learned that the accusation was actually suspicion of killing a fellow sect member. This was quite strange. From the perspective of her junior brother, Ling Yunpo, Senior Sister An¡¯s style was fierce, ruthless, and merciless, but not to the point of being excessive. Many Shushan Sword Immortals had dueled with her in the past. At worst, they were crippled but never died, which proved that An Zhisu was not a bloodthirsty person. As Qiu Changtian continued his investigation, he found that the victim seemed to be a true person, a real cultivator, but who exactly it was remained unknown¡­ After all, asking the Kunlun disciples to remember the names of Shushan Sword Immortals, aside from the few particularly famous ones, was really too much to expect. In a world without the internet or mobile phones, most news was spread by word of mouth. The distance between Kunlun and Shushan was vast, so it would be odd if the information remained accurate! wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.cO Having no other choice, he had to load the save at Ling Yunpo¡¯s and proceed with caution. ¡°Ah Jing, load for me!¡± [Save Point Two: Shushan Shangqing Faction, Qingluo Peak.] [Character Identity: Ling Yunpo.] [Mirror Flower Water Moon Template overlay, time-space travel in progress.] After loading into Ling Yunpo¡¯s perspective, his first task was to confirm the timeline. The Golden Que Secret Realm had not yet opened, and it was estimated that Shushan was still excavating clues. Not long after Guan Zhan assassinated his father, he was locked up in Green Bamboo Peak for protection, waiting for the people from Kunlun to come and claim him. Apart from drinking and fencing, Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu¡¯s daily routine involved guarding the Demon Locking Tower, a monotonous cycle of work that might well be called a beast of burden¡¯s life. Perhaps it was the boredom of such a life that caused Senior Sister to be in a bad mood and accidentally kill a few unworthy ones. As Ling Yunpo came to this conclusion, he started to coax his senior sister indirectly: ¡°Senior Sister, is there anything upsetting you? If you¡¯re unhappy, just talk about it. Don¡¯t keep it all bottled up inside.¡± An Zhisu: ??? She touched her own face nervously, wondering if perhaps her junior brother had keenly noticed the issue that had been troubling her lately. To this day, she was still troubled by the fact that her junior brother had surpassed her in strength. When he first started, he didn¡¯t know anything and needed her to teach him everything; how adorable was that junior brother back then. But now, he had turned the tables on her, even holding back in their sword fights. If their master found out, he would definitely fuss about ¡°disorder between the elder and the younger¡± and ¡°lack of respect for the elder¡±¡­ At this thought, An Zhisu felt a fierce headache coming on. However, she couldn¡¯t really blame her junior brother, as what fault was there in a Sword Immortal diligently practicing swordsmanship? If there was anyone to blame, it would be her, the senior sister, for being too complacent, leading to being overtaken by her junior brother, which resulted in the current inverted hierarchy of their cultivation levels. As a result, An Zhisu had been unable to sleep at night, staying up to grasp the Sword Intent taught by the overseas ancestor. Even though she possessed an Innate Sword Heart, learning swordsmanship that was far beyond her own cultivation realm was still extremely difficult and arduous. This led An Zhisu into a period of long-term sullenness and worry. And as she could not reveal her true feelings to her junior brother, with no one to share her troubles, her misery compounded, leaving her mood extremely foul. ¡°` Of course, she couldn¡¯t possibly admit that to her junior brother. Otherwise, should Ling Yunpo come with a teasing grin and say, ¡°Senior Sister, in your current state of fragile helplessness, you do seem to possess a certain feminine charm,¡± it would immediately give An Zhisu the urge to dig a hole and bury herself in it. ¡°No, there¡¯s nothing¡­¡± An Zhisu defended herself in a quiet voice, ¡°It¡¯s just that, you know, women have a few uncomfortable days every once in a while, so junior brother, please don¡¯t ask too many questions.¡± Ling Yunpo: ? Senior Sister, you¡¯ve completed your fasting as a female cultivator! Of course, he couldn¡¯t say that outright or he¡¯d definitely be explosively killed by his furiously embarrassed Senior Sister. Therefore, he could only beat around the bush and say: ¡°Senior Sister, if you encounter our fellow sect members outside, remember not to cause any animosity for Qingluo Peak.¡± ¡°I know, I know!¡± An Zhisu became angry. Now you even start to lecture me! Who exactly is the Senior Sister here, you or me? Her mood grew increasingly gloomy, so much so that her unhappiness was plainly visible on her face. Ling Yunpo didn¡¯t dare to probe any further and had to change the subject, saying: ¡°Right, has there been any news in Shushan lately?¡± ¡°No news, but there is some old news,¡± An Zhisu said in a dull voice. ¡°The Shushan competition is starting again.¡± ¡°What, another competition?¡± Ling Yunpo exclaimed in surprise. ¡°It¡¯s not the competition for the Golden Core Realm, but the one for the Foundation Establishment Realm,¡± An Zhisu said distantly. ¡°However, Duan Fenhai is planning to attempt Core Formation soon, and Lin Duanshan is not far behind, so there¡¯s likely to be a major shake-up in the Immortal Sword Ranking.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Upon hearing it was the internal competition for the Foundation Establishment Realm, Ling Yunpo immediately breathed a sigh of relief. Anyway, as long as it doesn¡¯t trouble me, it¡¯s fine. ¡°Senior Brother Duan and Senior Brother Lin are also going to attempt Core Formation?¡± Ling Yunpo grew thoughtful, ¡°Considering the time, it does seem about right.¡± Those in the Foundation Establishment Realm can live for a maximum of two hundred years. Since both joined Shushan many years before him, they would run out of lifespan if they didn¡¯t attempt Core Formation soon. ¡°What about Senior Sister Guan?¡± he pondered for a moment before asking, ¡°I remember she entered the sect early as well.¡± ¡°I have no idea about her,¡± An Zhisu said displeased, ¡°Anyway, with her personality, she¡¯ll definitely have everything calculated clearly, there¡¯s no need for you or me to worry.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not worried about her, I was just asking casually,¡± Ling Yunpo saw that his Senior Sister was getting jealous again, and quickly clarified with a bitter smile, ¡°Please don¡¯t misunderstand, Senior Sister.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not misunderstanding¡­ Ah!¡± An Zhisu said, both shy and angry, ¡°Why would I misunderstand that! I just don¡¯t want to talk about it.¡± ¡°Then we won¡¯t talk about it.¡± Ling Yunpo hastily made amends, then suggested going down the mountain for drinks, which finally turned An Zhisu¡¯s anger into joy. The two of them left Qingluo Peak, went down the mountain, and found a small town where they entered a tavern. This time Ling Yunpo was extra cautious, scanning the surroundings carefully to ensure there were no familiar faces before he followed Senior Sister An up to the second floor. The two ordered some dishes to accompany their drinks; An Zhisu watched out the window listlessly while Ling Yunpo was lost in thought, musing deeply. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only If he thought about it carefully, there were indeed many peculiar aspects to that case. Knowing that even in Shushan, where injuries caused by dueling with swords were leniently regarded, the malicious killing of a fellow sect member was absolutely intolerable. Yet, according to the message from the Kunlun Disciples, An Zhisu was only ¡°arrested for questioning,¡± which seemed quite unusual. If Shushan had not dealt with the matter on the spot, but rather arrested her for questioning, it suggested the murder charge might still be at the stage of suspicion. If it was just suspicion, then could there be the possibility that she was framed by someone? Chapter 690 Chapter 690: Chapter 24 The Likely Victim Appears Chapter 690: Chapter 24 The Likely Victim Appears ¡°` ¡°Who from our own sect was killed, and when did it happen?¡± It obviously couldn¡¯t have taken place at Shushan. If it had happened at Shushan, the sect would have uncovered the truth upon investigation, and the gravity of the crime would be clear. Punishment would swiftly follow, and word of it certainly wouldn¡¯t reach Kunlun. To reach the Kunlun Taiqing Sect, the prerequisite is that there¡¯s controversy over this crime. Controversy breeds debate, and if the debate spreads throughout the entire Shushan, only then could it catch the attention of those at Kunlun. Such reasoning leads to an obvious conclusion. It must have occurred during the Golden Que Secret Realm event, which would explain why Shushan couldn¡¯t immediately ascertain the details. But then the question arises: how could there be a death in the Golden Que, a place where fighting is impossible? Ling Yunpo decided to gather some intelligence. His first target, naturally, was Duan Fenhai, who was on the verge of his Tribulation. Duan Fenhai was the senior brother at the Foundation Establishment Realm from Yellow Dragon Peak and was about to become a Golden Core True Person. Consequently, he had considerable influence and was well-connected on Yellow Dragon Peak, and he was often privy to sensitive information. wuxiaworld.site Upon arriving at Yellow Dragon Peak, Ling Yunpo arranged a private meeting with Duan Fenhai to ask him about the Golden Que Secret Realm. ¡°Where did you hear about that?¡± Duan Fenhai hastily motioned for him to be silent. ¡°The sect strictly forbids discussing this matter. You shouldn¡¯t even know about it!¡± ¡°How could I not know, when even you are aware of it?¡± Ling Yunpo retorted. ¡°I am, after all, a Golden Core True Person, aren¡¯t I?¡± ¡°Your Qingluo Peak doesn¡¯t even have an elder!¡± Duan Fenhai said disdainfully. See, if one can tolerate this man¡¯s blunt nature, Duan Fenhai indeed makes for a great source of information. ¡°Just tell me what you know,¡± Ling Yunpo commanded bluntly. ¡°Otherwise, I¡¯ll say I got wind of the Golden Que Secret Realm from you.¡± Duan Fenhai nearly choked on his own blood upon hearing this and had no choice but to confess: ¡°It¡¯s true, it seems to have been discovered by one of the True Persons from Ziyun Peak.¡± ¡°The location is atop the plateau, but exactly where remains unclear. Right now, the sect is keeping extremely tight-lipped about it. You must be careful not to inquire hastily about this matter in public.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Ling Yunpo pondered for a moment before asking, ¡°So who is the sect planning to send?¡± ¡°That¡¯s simple,¡± Duan Fenhai said without hesitation. ¡°The secret realm is only open to those in the Golden Core Realm. Nascent Soul Cultivators and Foundation Establishment disciples cannot enter.¡± ¡°You and Jiao Xiao Senior Sister won first place in the last White Jade Capital competition. Since you¡¯re both already Golden Core True Persons, you¡¯re guaranteed to take up two spots.¡± ¡°Ziyun Peak, having discovered the location of the Golden Que Secret Realm, is entitled to one spot. I¡¯ve heard that Elder Ming Hua has designated True Person Miao Dan.¡± ¡°One spot is certainly reserved for the Sect Leader¡¯s lineage. It¡¯s practically certain to be Jinghua True Person. He¡¯s a direct disciple of the Jade Capital Sect Leader, the number one Golden Core Sword Immortal below Nascent Soul in Shushan, and with him leading, the Sect Leader can be at ease.¡± ¡°Additionally, our brother Tian Qi from Yellow Dragon Peak and True Person Shi Yuan from the Jinguang Peak have secured spots through our master¡¯s efforts. As for anyone else, I¡¯m not sure.¡± Ling Yunpo nodded upon hearing this, mulling the information over carefully. The selection of these six people reflects the complex nature of the internal struggles within Shushan. Floating above the fray is the lineage of the Shushan Sect Leader, for whom people like Qiu Changtian go to great lengths. They enjoy a life of ease, with the sect providing for them without them even having to ask. Beneath the Sect Leader¡¯s level, it¡¯s up to the various elders to show their divine skills. Take Ziyun Peak, for instance, who, having located the Golden Que Secret Realm, has earned merit and therefore a spot with all the justification they need. ¡°` ¡°Everyone has a right to the remaining spots. Why should you have one and not me?¡± Although Duan Fenhai referred to it as ¡°striving¡± in a nonchalant manner, everyone actually understood what that ¡°striving¡± entailed-it was almost akin to a power struggle. So, was it possible that a peak had coveted the spot in Senior Sister¡¯s hands and deliberately framed her? No, according to the timeline, at least Senior Sister and I arrived at the Golden Que Secret Realm without issues. After meticulously learning the specifics of the Shushan assembly from Duan Fenhai, Ling Yunpo planned to take his leave. ¡°If all goes well, I should achieve Core Formation after you all return,¡± Duan Fenhai said with a smile. ¡°If True Person Qing Heng is willing to grace me with his presence, he may come and act as my protector during Tribulation.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Ling Yunpo readily agreed. Once back at Qingluo Peak, he patiently waited. About a month later, the Jade Capital Sect Leader indeed sent someone to Qingluo Peak with a message, and it was his Direct Disciple, True Person Jinghua. ¡°Qing Heng, Jiao Xiao,¡± he said succinctly. ¡°Come with me to the Emei Golden Summit for assembly.¡± An Zhisu did not understand why, but Ling Yunpo, well-prepared, quickly went over to take her hand, reassuring her. Consequently, Senior Sister An became a bit shy and neglected to wonder why they were being summoned to Emei. Upon arriving at the Emei Golden Summit and entering the Ancestral Master Hall, they saw that the other three True Persons had arrived, but there was no sign of the Jade Capital Sect Leader-presumably, they would have to wait a while longer. And so the six of them waited in the Ancestral Master Hall¡­ Ling Yunpo softly surveyed his surroundings. True Person Shi Yuan was a steady man, his slender daoist robe unable to conceal his muscular build, making Ling Yunpo suspect that he might also practice Body Refining Secret Arts. True Person Tian Qi appeared as a lean middle-aged man, giving the impression of a scholarly teacher, currently engrossed in reading the sword stele. As for True Person Miao Dan, she was a middle-aged woman with droopy triangle-shaped eyes, a bit like the sternness of an annihilating master¡­ Ling Yunpo could be sure he wasn¡¯t judging by appearances alone, as she had already started provoking An Zhisu: ¡°Strange, how did a cultivator without a proper master obtain the qualification to explore the secret realm this time?¡± An Zhisu frowned slightly, but remembering Ling Yunpo¡¯s admonition, she curbed her anger and explained displeasedly, ¡°My master is in seclusion, not without lineage. True Person Miao Dan must be mistaken.¡± ¡°Heh,¡± True Person Miao Dan scoffed, ¡°So many years have passed without emerging from seclusion, who knows if he¡¯s dead or not.¡± An Zhisu¡¯s killing intent flared up in an instant, but Ling Yunpo quickly went over to hold her back, only to hear True Person Shi Yuan say in a deep voice, ¡°Say less, Miao Dan! Don¡¯t bring your personal grudge with Elder Seven Kills into the Sect¡¯s official affairs.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare to bear any grudge against an elder,¡± True Person Miao Dan said with a cold face. ¡°Back in the day, Qi Sha True Person ruined my master¡¯s path just like slaughtering livestock. If I talk too much now, who knows if I might be killed by his two disciples, and then to whom would I go for justice?¡± ¡°Enough!¡± True Person Jinghua shouted sternly. ?0?g?.?? Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Miao Dan, the Ancestral Master Hall is not a place for you to throw tantrums! If you cannot restrain yourself, I will have to report to our master and hold you accountable to Elder Ming Hua!¡± So Miao Dan begrudgingly fell silent, turning to glare at the sword stele instead. Ling Yunpo finally managed to hold onto his Senior Sister¡¯s hand, preventing it from drawing the sword, and seeing that Miao Dan no longer provoked them, he too sighed in relief. Could it be that in the original timeline, it was because of this reason that Senior Sister An later found an opportunity to kill True Person Miao Dan? This was turning troublesome! Chapter 691 Chapter 691: Chapter 25 Subconsciously Started to Have a Good Impression Chapter 691: Chapter 25 Subconsciously Started to Have a Good Impression ¡°` If Senior Sister An really killed True Person Miaodan, what should we do? The answer is, we can do nothing. Among cultivators, even though there are no worldly laws to confine us, common moral standards still hold, of which the most fundamental is ¡°murder for a life.¡± To cross the line of murder for a life, one must somehow deal with the victim¡¯s family, by intimidation or temptation, neither of which Qingluo Peak is currently capable of. So, if Senior Sister An really did kill True Person Miaodan, the only public course of action besides submitting to punishment would be for Ling Yunpo to lead a defection from Shushan, becoming a fugitive¡­ most defectors generally do so because they have committed serious violations of the sect¡¯s rules. It would be better to consider how to stop Senior Sister An instead, after all, the news from Kunlun is ¡°suspected of killing a fellow sect member,¡± not conclusive evidence; that means there is still room to maneuver. In the past, Ling Yunpo was quite confident in his handling of Senior Sister An. After all, having fought privately with fellow disciples so many times without ever really making a mistake, showed she never lost her cool or rationality¡­ Forget it, she¡¯s already suspected of killing a fellow sect member, I have no confidence in Senior Sister An whatsoever. Soon, the Jade Capital Sect Leader emerged from the rear hall, solemnly admonishing the six of them, explaining how difficult it was for Shushan to secure six spots in the competition, urging everyone to give their all and not to bring shame to the sect. Ling Yunpo listened quietly on the side, thinking, Sect Leader, you probably don¡¯t know, Shushan had six people go but only three got in. Kunlun sent three and all three made it in. wuxiaworld.site Whether that¡¯s considered a loss or not, we definitely didn¡¯t have much face left. After the pre-departure instructions ended, everyone went out to join the assembly with cultivators from Kunlun and Penglai, then stepped onto the treasure ship the Jade Capital Sect Leader had thrown and began flying in the direction of Xihua Peak. Ling Yunpo, with arms crossed, leaned against the ship¡¯s railing, not bothering to glance at Qiu Changtian of the past or Luo Yan of the future, just silently pondering. The same question remained: if fighting was not allowed in the secret realm, then how did the victim die? Could Senior Sister An really be the murderer? As he pondered, he suddenly felt as if the air conditioning had been turned on, the temperature dropping abruptly in a moment. When Ling Yunpo came to his senses, he saw An Zhisu and Xu Yinglian once again locked in a glaring battle, charging the atmosphere with such tension that other cultivators retreated to keep their distance. ¡°Senior Sister!¡± he hurriedly went over to grasp An Zhisu¡¯s arm, urging her to calm down, ¡°Don¡¯t get into a conflict with someone from Kunlun; it won¡¯t look good when the Jade Capital Sect Leader comes to see us!¡± ¡°But she started it!¡± An Zhisu still wouldn¡¯t give in, stubbornly retorting. Ling Yunpo¡¯s head ached-aren¡¯t you being childish? ???G?.?? What¡¯s the point of fighting here! He was about to continue persuading her when Shi Liuli approached with a smile and said: ¡°Jiao Xiao True Person, why are you and Qiong Ying True Person staring at each other? Are you practicing some unique cultivation technique?¡± Though her words sounded like sarcasm, her expression was completely normal, showing no trace of mockery, which made An Zhisu somewhat embarrassed, finally moving her gaze away and saying: ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just a minor issue.¡± Well done, Miss Shi! Ling Yunpo sent a grateful look her way, while Shi Liuli simply smiled and then turned back to Luo Yan¡¯s side. The rest of the process need not be elaborated; in short, everyone eventually arrived at Xihua Peak. Then Shi Liuli and Jian Buyan performed a divination together, found a clue, Luo Yan discovered traces of an altar, activated the light path, and then the Demon Path cultivators who were lying in ambush stormed in. Without saying a word, Ling Yunpo grabbed An Zhisu and was the first to rush up the light path. Seeing this, the rest of the people finally reacted and hurriedly jostled to follow suit. The higher the Sky-Reaching Light Path, the steeper and more difficult it became. An Zhisu was struggling with the slope, so she had to forcibly steady herself and used her arms from behind to brace Ling Yunpo, shouting: ¡°` ¡°Junior Brother! Hold on first!¡± Ling Yunpo knew that even if you didn¡¯t climb upwards, the path of light was still moving upwards continuously, so it was a close call but without danger. Still, he subconsciously blurted out: ¡°Senior Sister, I¡¯ll release the Green Duckweed Sword in a moment, grab its hilt, and then I¡¯ll shoot the Flying Sword upwards with all my might. How high I can take you will entirely depend on luck!¡± ¡°What?¡± An Zhisu was stunned for a moment, then immediately reacted and protested excitedly, ¡°How can this be?¡± It was always the senior sister protecting the junior brother; never had there been a reason for a junior brother to make a sacrifice for his senior sister. She quickly retorted: ¡°Your method is not bad, only you¡¯ve chosen the wrong person. I am a Second Grade Golden Core cultivator, my True Yuan is far more robust than yours, why don¡¯t I send you up with my Flying Smoke Sword? The odds would be greater.¡± Ling Yunpo then took on a resolute look and said vehemently: ¡°No! How can I abandon my Senior Sister and go on alone?¡± ¡°And I can¡¯t sacrifice my junior brother either!¡± An Zhisu¡¯s eyes reddened slightly. So this was not going to end, huh? Ling Yunpo sneered in his heart, then suddenly thought of something else, and said curiously: ¡°Senior Sister, what if you grabbed the Green Duckweed Sword and I grabbed the Flying Smoke Sword, and we each propelled our Life-bound Sword Artifacts upwards? Couldn¡¯t we then break through the Sword Riding Prohibition here?¡± An Zhisu paused upon hearing this. The so-called flying restrictions forbid cultivators from flying by any means. For instance, if someone tries to fly with sword control and the prohibition detects it, it would forcefully smash them down, just like what happened to Junior Sister Xu. But what if I were holding someone else¡¯s Flying Sword? Since the Flying Sword is not under my control, strictly speaking, it¡¯s not me flying, but rather something else carrying me aloft¡­ The two didn¡¯t have to ponder long, as the path of light finally tilted to a complete vertical, leaving no place to steady themselves. An Zhisu subconsciously shot out the Flying Smoke Sword, and shouted: ¡°Junior Brother, grab it!¡± Ling Yunpo also released the Green Duckweed Sword, and each of them grabbed the hilt of the other¡¯s sword with one hand, while with the other hand, they desperately clutched the Sword Technique, attempting to propel the swords upward. The result was as if gravity worked abnormally here; despite their full effort to propel the Flying Swords, their bodies still uncontrollably fell downwards-albeit at a slightly slower pace, somewhat like parachuting. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Once they landed on the ground, Ling Yunpo looked around and realized that they were already inside the Golden Que Secret Realm. ¡°Is this the Golden Que?¡± An Zhisu looked at the distant pavilions and towers with amazement and asked. ¡°It seems so,¡± said Ling Yunpo as he drew out the Green Duckweed Sword, and spoke in a calm tone, ¡°Senior Sister, be careful, I¡¯ll protect you.¡± An Zhisu offered a gracious smile, then summoned the Flying Smoke Sword to her side, saying: ¡°It¡¯s better if we stick together.¡± The two of them, as if facing a formidable enemy, moved cautiously, carefully exploring ahead with every step. After walking around approximately two corners, they suddenly turned to see several maids approaching from ahead, who smiled and said: ¡°So you were here! Both of you Sword Immortals, please follow us to meet the True Person.¡± Chapter 692 Chapter 692: Chapter 26 The Junior Brother Is Always Right Chapter 692: Chapter 26 The Junior Brother Is Always Right If White Jade Capital Secret Realm is about competing with strength, then Golden Que Secret Realm is about competing with wits. Twelve True Monarchs correspond to twelve positions, attainable only through various temple calculations and tests, including logic deduction, psychology, and game theory¡­ Although this world does not have so many specialized terms, it didn¡¯t hinder the ancients from setting up corresponding challenges. Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu followed the serving girl, turning through numerous pavilions, terraces, buildings, and water galleries, and at last, they arrived at a courtyard. Inside the courtyard were already seated four cultivators. One was the Wondrous Dan True Person from Shushan; the other three were strangers, but judging by their enchanting, seductive demeanors, they were undoubtedly Demon Path Cultivators from the Heavenly Demon Path. Among the Six Paths, only the Heavenly Demon Path recruits female disciples, and the Asura Path recruits male disciples; the former are all bewitching beauties, and the latter are all bald, burly men-it¡¯s quite easy to identify them based on their appearances. Besides the four cultivators, there was also a beauty in palace attire, presumably one of the twelve True Monarchs. ¡°Distinguished guests, I apologize for any lack in hospitality,¡± said the beautiful woman in palace attire with a smile, ¡°I am Zhao Ling True Monarch, one of the True Monarchs overseeing the Golden Que Secret Realm.¡± ¡°If you wish to acquire a Sanctum Lord position, please sit here for a while.¡± Seeing no hostility from the other party, An Zhisu and Ling Yunpo found themselves a place to sit together. ¡°With this, six persons are gathered,¡± continued Zhao Ling True Monarch with a smile, ¡°According to the rules of the Golden Que Secret Realm, you need to pass the test designed by myself, and among you, one who prevails will obtain the position of Sanctum Lord.¡± ¡°My test is very simple: there is an inhuman demon that sneaked into your midst when the secret realm opened and intruded here.¡± ¡°As long as you find it and report to me before noon tomorrow, you will have passed the test.¡± wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site An inhuman demon, what is that? Considering that the Golden Que Secret Realm hangs high above the Heavenly Dome, it¡¯s highly likely a Heavenly Demon from beyond the realm. Just as Zhao Ling True Monarch was about to leave, a Demon Path Cultivator from the Heavenly Demon Path asked, ¡°May I ask, True Monarch, does this inhuman demon have any particular traits? Could you give us a clue?¡± ¡°That inhuman demon was found as soon as it entered the secret realm,¡± said Zhao Ling True Monarch with a smile, ¡°We joined forces and repelled it, and now it should be hiding somewhere.¡± ¡°But these Demon Heads are always cunning and deceitful; I do not know how it would conceal and disguise itself, in the end, it depends on your ability to adapt on the spot.¡± ¡°By the way, this time, the goal is to test your level of wits, so you may not harm each other¡­ the inhuman demon is an exception.¡± Having said this, Zhao Ling True Monarch gracefully left. The group looked at each other for a moment, and then another Demon Path Cultivator from the Heavenly Demon Path said with a flirtatious smile, ¡°Since we can¡¯t fight each other with magic, then let¡¯s have a friendly competition.¡± Although she said ¡°we,¡± her eyes were clearly fixed on An Zhisu and Ling Yunpo; evidently, the two cultivators who fought their way into the top twelve in the White Jade Capital competition also had a fierce reputation among the Heavenly Demon Path, causing significant wariness. An Zhisu said nothing; she never liked Demon Path Cultivators to begin with, and not drawing her sword now was already the utmost self-control. Ling Yunpo nodded, said nothing, and left with Senior Sister An. Wondrous Dan True Person, ignored from beginning to end, was nearly driven mad with rage. ???G?.?? Since violence was forbidden here, and she was unable to demonstrate her pride in her swordsmanship, she also had no choice but to leave with a darkened face. Ling Yunpo wandered nearby with An Zhisu while silently pondering. Earlier, in Qiu Changtian¡¯s timeline, he came to Liandu True Monarch¡¯s palace and learned the content of the test; Ah Jing gave him two hints, saying they were from the future Wei Dongliu through the future Ah Jing. First, he asked Ah Jing to impersonate the Real Person Miaodan of Shushan, thus gathering six participants to undertake the trial of the True Monarch Liandu. Since no one was aware of Ah Jing¡¯s true identity, it was impossible for anyone to guess it. Therefore, once Qiu Changtian became the chosen one, he was to be transferred to Ah Jing, which would place him in an invincible position. Second, Mo Gu True Person thought he was being clever by pretending to transfer the chosen one¡¯s identity to himself, when in fact, he left the identity with the other person. Having received hints from his future self, Qiu Changtian also confirmed the identity of the chosen one opposite him through Junior Sister Xu and naturally ignored Mo Gu True Person¡¯s blinding spell, writing down the correct answer directly. So the question arose: If the answer could be directly revealed during the last examination, then why didn¡¯t my future self explain the answer concerning the Inhuman Demon to my present self? Strange! Maybe the answer was so simple that it didn¡¯t require any effort to explore and could be obtained smoothly. Well, maybe as I walked along, I would run into the Inhuman Demon right away! With this thought, Ling Yunpo simply gave up thinking and followed An Zhisu around aimlessly, searching for traces of the Inhuman Demon. Soon, a night had passed. Ling Yunpo was almost spitting blood: where in the world was the Inhuman Demon? If we keep relying on blind luck like this, it¡¯ll quickly be the final deadline at noon, hey! Ah Jing, scan for me! ¡°You really want me to scan?¡± the Kunlun Mirror confirmed. ¡°What do you mean ¡®really want to scan¡¯?¡± Ling Yunpo said discontentedly, ¡°Without scanning, how are we supposed to find the other party¡¯s traces?¡± ¡°Alright then.¡± The Kunlun Mirror chuckled, ¡°You go walk around so I can scan a larger area.¡± Ling Yunpo called Senior Sister An to a halt and said, ¡°Senior Sister, if we continue searching like this, won¡¯t it be nearly the same as searching for a needle in the sea?¡± ¡°Junior Brother, do you have an idea?¡± An Zhisu, who was already frustrated and agitated from the search, brightened up immediately upon hearing this. Her junior brother indeed far exceeded her in terms of cleverness. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Back in the Southern Sea, he came up with the idea of ¡°following the birds to find the island¡±. Perhaps he had another ingenious plan this time. ¡°I don¡¯t have any good methods,¡± Ling Yunpo humbly said, ¡°but I wondered if the Inhuman Demon, if it really is a Heavenly Demon, might have already snuck into someone¡¯s body, becoming a Heart Demon?¡± ¡°That¡¯s very possible!¡± An Zhisu quickly responded, then pondered, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, we shouldn¡¯t really be searching for a demon head, but rather the person, right?¡± ¡°But if it really is a Heart Demon lurking within a cultivator¡¯s body, we don¡¯t have any good methods of detection either.¡± In fact, the entire Cultivation Realm lacked effective means to investigate Heart Demons, particularly those that hid deep within a cultivator¡¯s Daoist Heart without revealing themselves-otherwise, Daoist Heart Clarity wouldn¡¯t be such a rare and peerless talent, right? ¡°Indeed so,¡± Ling Yunpo said with a laugh, ¡°However, Senior Sister, have you noticed that Zhao Ling True Monarch didn¡¯t set a penalty for ¡®accusing the wrong person¡¯?¡± ¡°In other words, if we suspect someone of harboring a Heart Demon and report this as our answer to Zhao Ling True Monarch, we would succeed if we are right, but even if we are wrong, there is no penalty, correct? Instead, it¡¯s like eliminating a wrong answer.¡± ¡°That¡¯s it!¡± An Zhisu¡¯s eyes widened in admiration, showing a look that said ¡°Junior Brother, you are so clever.¡± Chapter 693 Chapter 693: Chapter 27: Securing the Witness Chapter 693: Chapter 27: Securing the Witness Although they were looking for other cultivators to observe carefully and see if there was any abnormal behavior, without Ah Jing¡¯s scanning, it was almost as unreliable as face-reading to predict future achievements-the success rate might not even reach one percent. It was fortunate that it was An Zhisu here; had it been Xu Yinglian, she would have questioned him until he couldn¡¯t answer any longer. Senior Sister An was, after all, easier to deceive. The two of them wandered around the secret realm, searching everywhere for cultivators undergoing the trials of the Golden Que. Every time they found someone, Ling Yunpo would pretend to observe for a moment before shaking his head and saying, ¡°I don¡¯t feel anything unusual,¡± to which An Zhisu would just respond ¡°Oh, oh, oh.¡± It was almost noon when Senior Sister An began to sense something was wrong, doubtingly asking, ¡°Junior Brother, can our method really work?¡± ¡°Hang in there, Senior Sister, we can¡¯t give up until the very last moment!¡± Ling Yunpo encouraged her, ¡°Maybe we will find a clue soon?¡± An Zhisu thought it made sense too; after all, there wasn¡¯t a better approach, so they could only continue searching like this. Unknowingly, the two of them had circled back near the palace where Zhao Ling True Monarch had been. Suddenly, the Kunlun Mirror said in a lazy tone, ¡°We¡¯ve found it, right ahead. That female Sword Immortal is the one.¡± wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co Female Sword Immortal? So the Heart Demon was hiding in Mystic Dan True Person¡¯s Sea of Consciousness? ¡°Not hiding.¡± The Kunlun Mirror corrected him, ¡°But wearing her skin.¡± ¡°I speculate that when you were searching the secret realm, Mystic Dan True Person was also wandering around nearby, and then she was discovered and devoured by the Heavenly Demon.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Ling Yunpo¡¯s thoughts raced. So, Mystic Dan True Person was the victim? The real murderer was the Heavenly Demon? But why would Senior Sister An get involved¡­ Before he could come to a realization, An Zhisu had already detected something odd about Mystic Dan True Person. She was, after all, born with an Innate Sword Heart, extremely sensitive to the perception of Qi, and vaguely felt something off about Mystic Dan True Person. On any other day, she wouldn¡¯t have thought too much about it. But now that she knew about the existence of the Heavenly Demon, and seeing Ling Yunpo staring at Mystic Dan True Person for what seemed too long, An Zhisu immediately understood this person was not right. She executed a sword technique, launching the Flying Smoke Sword swiftly towards Mystic Dan True Person¡¯s back. Ling Yunpo was startled and hurriedly controlled the Qing Ping Sword to block it. But as soon as Qing Ping Sword and Flying Smoke Sword collided, the intense agitation of True Yuan made Ling Yunpo immediately feel a sharp pain in his Dantian. Bad news, he had forgotten his Pill Root was still growing! The pain was so sudden and severe that Ling Yunpo lost control over Qing Ping Sword, and the unblocked Flying Smoke Sword slid out towards its target. And Mystic Dan True Person seemed oblivious, simply letting the Flying Sword penetrate her chest, bringing out a splash of bright blood. Only then did she let out a cry of pain, falling down dead. An Zhisu immediately felt something was wrong. Her Sword Control Technique was not known for being covert, and she had not aimed for a sneaky attack, it was just a probing attack to see if she could force out the abnormality in the opponent¡­ but how could Mystic Dan True Person possibly fail to defend against it? Indeed, there was a problem! Realizing the situation, Jinghua immediately reacted, turning around and employing his Sword Control Technique, readying his Life-bound Sword Artifact in front of him for defense. Yet he only saw Ling Yunpo stride forward, walking up to the corpse of Elder Miaodan, reaching out to grasp her shoulder, and effortlessly lifting her up. Only then did Jinghua see clearly: what corpse of Elder Miaodan? It was only a skin that had long been left behind! All of her essence, energy, and blood had been stolen by the Heavenly Demon, leaving behind nothing but an empty shell. Considering Elder Miaodan¡¯s Cultivation Realm, what level of strength must the attacking Heavenly Demon possess?! ¡°See it clearly now, Senior Brother Jinghua,¡± Ling Yunpo said gravely, ¡°Elder Miaodan was killed by a Heavenly Demon long ago. My Senior Sister intervened precisely because she noticed something was wrong, attempting to force her to show her true colors.¡± ¡°Had it not been for her, you would have been lured to a deserted place, and once it pounced on you, you would have died an unnatural death.¡± Jinghua¡¯s face turned ashen, unable to retort. Indeed, he wanted to say that even if that Heavenly Demon ambushed him, it might not necessarily be able to kill him. But having failed to recognize the Heavenly Demon, he had already lost face, and any attempt to argue now would just seem like a desperate attempt to maintain dignity. Looking at Elder Miaodan¡¯s body again, Jinghua felt a headache coming on. This trip to the Golden Que Secret Realm was his responsibility to lead, and now another death had occurred in his team¡­ Hmm, why do I say ¡®another¡¯? Anyway, I still have to think about how to explain this to my master. ¡°Senior Sister,¡± Ling Yunpo said calmly, ¡°go find True Monarch Zhaoling and tell her that we have discovered this Demon Head. Ask her to come quickly to handle it.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± An Zhisu wanted to say something else, but seeing the serious expressions of her junior brother and Jinghua, and faintly realizing that she might have caused trouble, she could only silently nod and leave. After watching An Zhisu depart, Ling Yunpo let out a somber sigh. Although he knew that history could not be changed, it was only after truly experiencing it that he understood the terrifying effect of cause and consequence. If it weren¡¯t for Su Jian¡¯s past grudges, Elder Miaodan would not have spoken so harshly about Qingluo Peak, and An Zhisu would not have harbored resentment against her, which led to her immediate intervention and testing. If it weren¡¯t for the Elixir from Wan Xiang Immortal that I had just taken, and considering Senior Sister An had not used her full force to test, I could have easily stopped her. If it weren¡¯t for Jinghua being right here¡­ this is so annoying, maybe I should just silence him too! If not for the fact that you can¡¯t fight in the Golden Que Secret Realm, Ling Yunpo might have really felt the impulse to kill Jinghua as well, but now he could only plead with all his might: ¡°Senior Brother Jinghua, you are aware that fighting is not allowed in the Golden Que Secret Realm. Only because Elder Miaodan had long since been devoured by the Heavenly Demon could my Senior Sister strike with her sword. This also serves as the best proof that she was already possessed by the Heavenly Demon,¡± he explained. ¡°I am aware of that,¡± Jinghua replied with a frown, ¡°but with Elder Miaodan dying so unexpectedly in the secret realm, there must be some kind of explanation.¡± ¡°Are you suggesting that we from Qingluo Peak should provide an explanation?¡± asked Ling Yunpo, displeased. ¡°No, it is we from Emei who owe Ziyun Peak an explanation,¡± Jinghua said with a sigh, ¡°I am in charge of the team this time, and yet an error has occurred. I will definitely have to confess this to my master.¡± Ling Yunpo relaxed upon hearing this. Jinghua¡¯s personality can be described as straightforward in a good sense, or rigid in a bad sense. In the past, during the Demon Locking Tower mission, he was easily confused by the smoke bomb released by the Marquis of Mount Tu, actually believing Su Jian was murdering people¡­ Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only But put another way, he lacks the ability to think independently and is easily influenced by others. ???G?.?? Since he said he would apologize to his master, this means that he likely believes what I said earlier to clear my Senior Sister of blame. Having settled the only witness, even if my Senior Sister is later investigated by Shushan for suspicion of killing a fellow sect member, it is likely that in the end, nothing will come of it. Now, I just need to figure out how to secure my place in the Golden Que. Chapter 694 Chapter 694: Chapter 28: Ancient Secrets, Who Can Tell Them? Chapter 694: Chapter 28: Ancient Secrets, Who Can Tell Them? Reflecting carefully, Ling Yunpo had to admit that he indeed made a mistake due to his complacency. He originally thought that combat was forbidden within the Golden Que Secret Realm, so even though the Pill Root in his belly was still growing, and he couldn¡¯t engage in a Magical Competition, he could still pose as Ling Yunpo without any slip-ups. However, he hadn¡¯t expected that Senior Sister An would actually make a move against this alchemist¡­ Who could have seen this coming? It was agreed no fighting was allowed, then suddenly there is an ¡°Inhuman Demon¡± exception out of the blue, plotting against me on purpose, huh? After much deliberation, Ling Yunpo felt that it wasn¡¯t so much his own carelessness as it was a matter of historical uniqueness. Because in the past, when he was Qiu Changtian, he had found out that Senior Sister An had been arrested by Shushan on the suspicion of ¡°suspected murder of a fellow sect member,¡± so to ensure the uniqueness of this history remained error-free, the Heavenly Dao forcibly clouded his mind, quietly creating a blind spot in his originally meticulous and seamless logical thinking. Heavenly Dao, how despicable you are! Fortunately, he had managed to rectify the situation. Now that he had persuaded True Monarch Jinghua, at least the murderer of the marvelous alchemist had been confirmed. Next, he would return to Shushan to arrest Senior Sister An for investigation. With the testimony of True Monarch Jinghua, the charges might not be substantiated in the end. wuxiaworld.site Senior Sister An had already gone to True Monarch Zhao Ling to obtain a position in the Golden Que realm. Once obtained, she would be immediately sent into that loft. Therefore, he only needed to get another place for himself. ¡°Brother Jinghua,¡± Ling Yunpo greeted with a cupped fist bow, ¡°It has been more than a day since we entered the secret realm. Brother, have you found any clues to the Golden Que positions?¡± Upon hearing this, True Monarch Jinghua gave a wry smile: ¡°Yesterday, I did encounter True Lord Ziyuan. Unfortunately, with my limited knowledge and shallow understanding, I was unable to pass her test.¡± ¡°Brother Jinghua is just new here and hasn¡¯t figured out the way yet. I¡¯m sure you will be able to find a position successfully later on.¡± Ling Yunpo first encouraged him, then seemingly asked casually, ¡°Has anyone passed her test?¡± ¡°No one has.¡± True Monarch Jinghua shook his head, ¡°That test is really strange, let me tell you¡­¡± Ling Yunpo took careful note, inquired about the location of True Lord Ziyuan, and then quickly made his way there. True Monarch Liandu and True Monarch Jiuhua lived in a palace, True Monarch Zhao Ling in a separate residence, but True Lord Ziyuan lived in a tower at the edge of the imperial city. Ling Yunpo arrived at the base of the tower, ascended the stairs, and once he reached the top floor, he saw a martially-clad woman with a valiant bearing, standing with her hands behind her back, with several maidservants to each side. A number of cultivators sat below, and his gaze quickly swept over them, recognizing one as True Monarch Tian Lan from Penglai, another as True Monarch Shi Yuan from Shushan, one as an unrecognized Asura Path monk, and one more¡­ Holy shit, is that Guo Jin? My good disciple, when did he manage to form his Core? And he¡¯s been brought to the secret realm by Wei Dongliu? But thinking it over, this disciple has been cultivating for seventy to eighty years already, and with the care and support of Jiang the Witch, forming a Fourth Grade Golden Core at this point is quite suitable¡­ If he can find four or five Purple Mansion Secret Realms and gather two hundred years of Refining Mansion Cultivation in advance, forming a Third Grade Golden Core isn¡¯t out of the question either. I spent so much time at the Refining Mansion stage myself, trying to save up eight hundred years of cultivation to form that unprecedented First Grade Golden Core. For other ordinary cultivators, with no high demands on the grade of their Golden Core, forming the core within seventy to eighty years is quite normal. ¡°Please wait here for a moment, my husband,¡± said the valiant woman to Ling Yunpo with a smile. ¡°Once one more person arrives, making six in total, the test will immediately begin.¡± Ling Yunpo acted as if he recognized no one and casually found a spot to sit down. After a short wait, he suddenly heard a commotion from below, and a group of four Nether Ghost Path Cultivators surged up. If it wasn¡¯t Mo Gu True Person leading them, then who could it be? Ling Yunpo was inwardly shocked, but after a quick calculation, it made sense that Mo Gu True Person would be right in the middle of True Monarch Jiuhua¡¯s test, having been eliminated by Qiu Changtian using Great Wisdom, so him finding this place was quite normal. He saw Mo Gu True Person look around with a smile, saying: ¡°May I ask True Lord, must there be exactly six participants in the test, or can there be more?¡± ¡°Only six,¡± the valiant woman replied with a smile. ¡°Alright then.¡± Mo Gu True Person¡¯s eyes shifted as he spoke to the two Demon Path Cultivators present, ¡°True Person Ming Ling, King Law Space, I would like to bring someone to take part in this trial. I wonder if the two of you would be willing to give up your spots?¡± Ling Yunpo¡¯s eyes widened, only to hear the monk reply indifferently: ¡°You can have it, but on what grounds?¡± ¡°¡±How about this?¡± Mo Gu True Person casually threw out two Storage Bags. The monk caught the Storage Bags, swept his Divine Sense inside, and immediately revealed a satisfied smile. Pressing his palms together, he said: ¡°Amitabha, this poor monk practices Buddhism and does not wish to compete with others. I will yield this to my fellow Daoist.¡± Having said that, he hurriedly left with the Storage Bags. However, Guo Jin caught the thrown bag and, without even looking inside, immediately threw it back to Mo Gu True Person. He spoke calmly: ¡°I am here under my master¡¯s orders to vie for the Golden Que position and must give it my all. I dare not accept the gift from my fellow Daoist.¡± Mo Gu True Person looked at him for a long while, his expression darkening. He scoffed: ¡°Good, good! Junior Brother Ming Ling is of noble character and I admire you greatly.¡± ¡°Lianshan, follow me to take part in the trial, and the rest should withdraw for now and guard outside the tower!¡± The two subordinates did not say another word and immediately left. Thus, in the tower, only Mo Gu and Lianshan, the two True Persons, were left, making up the number of six required participants. ¡°Now that we have the six people needed, let the test begin.¡± The spirited lady surveyed her surroundings and then said with a smile, ¡°My Daoist name is ¡®Ziyuan¡¯; you can call me True Lord Ziyuan.¡± ¡°A day has already passed by, and I presume everyone here is already clear about the rules within this secret realm.¡± ¡°The trial on this side is also very simple: I most enjoy hearing various ancient secrets. ???G?.?? If any of you can tell a secret that I haven¡¯t heard before, then you will have passed the test.¡± Upon hearing this, everyone instinctively looked at each other. Ancient secrets? What did she mean? ¡°May I ask, what counts as an ancient secret?¡± True Person Tian Lan asked in a deep voice. ¡°It relates to major events of the Cultivation Realm and happened in the past; that is what counts as an ancient secret.¡± True Lord Ziyuan said with a smile, ¡°If you tell me that your junior brother hunted an exotic beast in the mountains some days ago, that certainly is not an ancient secret.¡± Everyone then suddenly realized that the ¡®secrets¡¯ True Lord Ziyuan referred to meant those kinds of ¡®news¡¯ that were well-known at the time and still hold value today. Mo Gu True Person immediately spoke out: ¡°I do have a secret to share with True Lord Ziyuan.¡± He had already thought it through: since it was about telling secrets, the one who spoke first certainly had the advantage. If the first secret was something Ziyuan had not heard before, then that first speaker would be directly victorious. Even if others had such secrets, they would no longer have the chance of winning-so it was essential to take the lead! ¡°Please go ahead,¡± True Lord Ziyuan said smiling. ¡°Has the True Lord ever heard of Skull Cave on White Bone Mountain?¡± Mo Gu True Person said with a smile, ¡°What I¡¯m about to discuss is the origin of White Bone Mountain¡­¡± ¡°Oh? I also happen to know a bit about the origin of White Bone Mountain,¡± True Lord Ziyuan replied lightly, ¡°White Bone Mountain is located within Mount Beimang, north of Luoyang. Due to excellent feng shui, it is common for the people of Heluo to bury their dead nearby.¡± ¡°By the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, there were widespread famines, and countless people died. Many left the bodies of their deceased parents, wives, and children in the mountains to be gnawed clean by wild dogs, ferocious beasts, and hungry corpses, leaving bones scattered everywhere and exposing corpses to the wilderness. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only From this, White Bone Mountain gained its name.¡± Mo Gu True Person was taken aback and then said reluctantly: ¡°There¡¯s also the origin of Skull Cave¡­¡± ¡°The Skull Cave originated from the place where Shi Ji, the deity of the Intercepting Cult, attained enlightenment,¡± True Lord Ziyuan continued, ¡°Shi Ji was originally a simple rock that became sentient. After gaining spiritual wisdom, she named her birthplace ¡®Skull Cave.''¡± Mo Gu True Person was completely at a loss for words. Ling Yunpo sat upright and proper beside him, not turning his gaze, and sighed softly in his heart. As Jiuhua True Monarch had said, True Lord Ziyuan was knowledgeable about both the heavens above and the earth below, almost omniscient. No matter what ancient secret you mention, the other party can always relate about eighty to ninety percent, and even say more than you!¡± Chapter 695 Chapter 695: Chapter 29 Ah Jing, You Can¡¯t Do It Chapter 695: Chapter 29 Ah Jing, You Can¡¯t Do It ¡°` In this world, the feudal dynasties of the mundane realm have official Historians dedicated to compiling history, whereas the Sects of the Cultivation Realm do not have similar positions. There are only Sect Deacons who guard the scriptures, categorizing and archiving the various ancient manuscripts collected by their Sect-this is their only duty. Compiling is out of the question; you read what is available to you, and if you choose not to, that¡¯s your loss. Therefore, most of what Cultivators know about the ancient secrets comes from occasional finds in the Scriptural Repository that are as rare as needles in a haystack, with the bulk of knowledge being derived from oral transmission. In some respects, the average Cultivator is far less informed than the people of the modern era marked by an information explosion. In the era of information overload, it¡¯s impossible to be cognizant of everything happening in the world; one is better off mastering various search engines. However, in this era, the entirety of ¡°worldly affairs¡± could probably be documented in something as thick as a New Chinese Dictionary. After all, the channels for information dissemination are too limited, and not many messages can achieve the level of ¡°worldly affairs.¡± Ling Yunpo was certain that the Golden Que Secret Realm, suspended high in the sky, must possess some Art Calculation methods capable of detecting global happenings. Moreover, these True Lords, much like the Sword Masters in the White Jade Capital Secret Realm, are all projections left by the powerful beings of the Human Race from the past. They do nothing in the Secret Realm but busy themselves with recording these ¡°worldly affairs.¡± Who could compete with them? If my speculation is correct, any ¡°ancient secret¡± that one could find in the scriptures or any ¡°major worldly event¡± that unrelated individuals could recount can definitely not escape the notice of these True Lords. To pass this test, one must present genuine secrets-only those exclusive stories obtained from the actual experiencers that have not been widely leaked stand the best chance of meeting the criteria. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.c0 However, if the secret is so hidden that nobody knows about it, how can the True Lord confirm its authenticity and not dismiss it as fabrication? Perhaps they would have to resort to using Art Calculation methods for verification¡­ Ling Yunpo¡¯s thoughts raced as he weighed all the possibilities, and the others, having come to the same realization Mo Gu True Person had-that ¡°the first to speak has the advantage¡±-hastily began sharing their secrets one after another. Regrettably, just as Ling Yunpo had surmised, no matter what secrets anyone shared, True Lord Ziyuan could rapidly complement with even more details, as if she were personally present in the stories being told. Ling Yunpo, watching from the sidelines, quietly asked Ah Jing: ¡°Ah Jing, do you have any secrets that could help me pass this test?¡± ¡°I have plenty of secrets,¡± the Kunlun Mirror replied, ¡°but I can¡¯t guarantee whether True Lord Ziyuan has heard of them.¡± ¡°There¡¯s also another problem,¡± Ling Yunpo said solemnly, ¡°How should I explain the source of this secret?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that unnecessary?¡± the Kunlun Mirror asked in surprise. ¡°Can¡¯t you just say it¡¯s from some book? And these people aren¡¯t from the Shushan Sect, how could they suspect you in this regard?¡± ¡°It¡¯s still best to avoid raising suspicion,¡± Ling Yunpo suggested. ¡°Although it must be an ancient secret, it would be ideal if it were not a matter of great significance that would make one think, ¡®I must immediately report this to my Sect.¡¯ ¡°Your demands seem to be getting more and more numerous,¡± the Kunlun Mirror sighed. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll think about it. Before she could come up with an idea, Mo Gu True Person suddenly laughed and said: ¡°This Fellow Daoist Qing Heng, why is it that everyone has shared and yet you have not uttered a word? Is it because you have no confidence in passing the test and have already given up in advance?¡± Having dealt with Qiu Changtian¡¯s nonsense before, Ling Yunpo knew the person had issues and simply chose to ignore him. ¡°` The other party persisted and said: ¡°How about this, you exit the trial now, and give your spot to my subordinate. I¡¯ll also give you some compensation, how does that sound?¡± ¡°After all, you Shushan cultivators know nothing beyond sword control; this is also to save you some face.¡± Ling Yunpo sighed, ready to speak when suddenly Kunlun Mirror interjected: ¡°I have an idea, you can ask True Lord Ziyuan if they know about the matters of the Immortal Realm.¡± ¡°What matters of the Immortal Realm?¡± Ling Yunpo was utterly confused. ¡°Ah Jing, are you talking about the Immortal Realm that immortals reach after Feather Transformation and Ascension?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Kunlun Mirror said with a smile, ¡°These true lords are projections left in this world by powerful beings of the Human Race, and those beings most certainly hadn¡¯t ascended yet, so they wouldn¡¯t have any knowledge of the Immortal Realm. If you discuss the matters of the Immortal Realm with her, you will surely pass the trial.¡± ¡°I see, that¡¯s a good idea.¡± Ling Yunpo said with a cold laugh, ¡°So why would I know about these matters of the Immortal Realm? If others don¡¯t bring it up, and Mo Gu True Person goes back and recklessly proclaims it, causing the whole Cultivation Realm to learn about it, when Shushan comes asking me, ¡®Where did you learn about these matters of the Immortal Realm?¡¯, what should I answer then?¡± ¡°You can say you read it in a book¡­¡± ¡°Yeah right, I knew I couldn¡¯t rely on you!¡± Ling Yunpo and Kunlun Mirror bickered back and forth, while on the other side, Mo Gu True Person, seeing that he remained silent, laughed and said: ¡°He¡¯s actually a silent type? But considering he¡¯s from Shushan, it¡¯s not surprising.¡± ¡°Enough!¡± Qing Heng True Person, usually a calm individual, couldn¡¯t stand to listen to another insult to Shushan, ¡°Mo Gu, if you want to participate in the trial, then think carefully about your secret knowledge and refrain from making such unnecessary remarks, or you¡¯re just exposing your shallow ignorance.¡± ¡°No, no, I actually didn¡¯t mean to belittle him.¡± Mo Gu True Person suddenly crossed his legs rudely, laughed coldly, and said, ¡°Qing Heng True Person doesn¡¯t speak because he saw through it from the beginning, that this trial simply can¡¯t be won, right?¡± ¡°True Lord Ziyuan, let me ask you: if we do tell an ancient secret that you¡¯ve never heard before, how would you then judge its authenticity?¡± ¡°Even if I¡¯ve never heard it, there are Art Calculation methods to verify it,¡± said True Lord Ziyuan with a smile. ¡°That¡¯s exactly the problem!¡± Mo Gu True Person clapped his hands and said, ¡°We think of an ancient secret, and as soon as we begin, you use your Art Calculation methods to thoroughly analyze the origins and all about it, then rattle off a bunch, and in the end, say ¡®I¡¯ve already known this secret.¡¯ How can we possibly out-talk you then?¡± ¡°Because from the start, you¡¯ve been on invincible ground, haven¡¯t you!¡± Ling Yunpo listened silently, thinking Mo Gu True Person really knew how to twist words. The true lords designed the trial not to stump everyone but to eliminate most and leave one person to inherit the position of Golden Que¡¯s master. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only If no one passes the trial in the end, it means that the Golden Que can¡¯t be passed on and the true lord would have to think of another trial, wouldn¡¯t that be asking for trouble? ???G?.?? However, he could also see that Mo Gu True Person was being obstructive because he felt that the likelihood of passing the trial by following the rules was slim to none, so he tried to incite and stir the crowd into an uproar, to play some off-the-board tricks. As expected, another cultivator from the Demonic Path, Lianshan True Person, immediately started to raise his voice noisily: ¡°What Mo Gu True Person said is absolutely right! If no one can pass this trial from the start, then what¡¯s the point of us coming here?¡± Looking at Tian Lan and Shi Yuan, although they didn¡¯t verbally agree, their expressions seemed to waver. Chapter 696 Chapter 696: Chapter 30 Ling Yunpo Successfully Promoted Chapter 696: Chapter 30 Ling Yunpo Successfully Promoted ¡°As for the authenticity of the ancient secrets you shared, I surely have ways to verify,¡± True Lord Ziyuan replied with an unchanged smile to Mo Gu True Person¡¯s accusation: ¡°As for the concern you worry about, it¡¯s quite simple.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t use spells to cheat. As long as the secrets you¡¯ve mentioned are indeed ones I haven¡¯t heard, I will naturally admit you¡¯ve passed the test.¡± ¡°How do you prove it?¡± Mo Gu True Person demanded. ¡°No proof needed.¡± True Lord Ziyuan was still smiling, ¡°Your only choices are to stay or to leave.¡± ¡°Pfft!¡± Ling Yunpo couldn¡¯t hold back and accidentally let out a laugh. Mo Gu True Person seemed to be used to causing trouble within the Nether Ghost Path, subconsciously thinking all organizers cared about their face. When its fairness is questioned, its first thought is how to explain or even make concessions to appease public discontent. But this True Monarch is merely a projection-frankly, if not bound by the trial¡¯s rules, they could simply slack off without any concerns. To think you can manipulate this True Monarch by causing a commotion is far too naive! Although he suppressed his laughter, the room was only so big, and since nobody else was speaking, Mo Gu True Person still heard him. ¡°And what might Qing Heng True Person have to say?¡± he asked, maintaining his forced smile but speaking with an icy tone. wuxiaworld.site ¡°I have no grand insights to offer,¡± Ling Yunpo sighed, ¡°but what you¡¯re doing is useless.¡± ¡°If we both give up on this trial, I would like to see if this True Monarch would make concessions,¡± Mo Gu True Person said coldly, now not bothering to pretend after his intentions were laid bare, ¡°What kind of test is this, asking for an ancient secret I¡¯ve never heard before?¡± ¡°Since it¡¯s a test, there¡¯s naturally meaning in it,¡± True Lord Ziyuan calmly said, ¡°If you don¡¯t understand, why not try the trials of other True Monarchs? After all, I am not the only True Monarch in this secret realm.¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± Mo Gu True Person stood up and left with another subordinate without hesitation. Clearly, in his view, this trial had almost no chance of success. Better to give up early than waste time here. Watching Mo Gu True Person depart, Ling Yunpo suddenly felt spirited, thinking of a certain possibility: Wait, if everyone gives up and leaves, won¡¯t I be able to mention any secret without worrying about being scrutinized? He turned to look at the other three, and after a brief hesitation, True Monarch Tian Lan also quietly stood up, opting to leave. So only True Monarch Shi Yuan, Guo Jin, and Ling Yunpo remained in the tower. True Monarch Shi Yuan, still not giving up, continued to mention several secrets, one of which even Ling Yunpo had never heard, yet all were explained and dismissed as invalid by True Lord Ziyuan. ???G?.?? About half an hour later, True Monarch Shi Yuan couldn¡¯t hold out any longer and had to stand up, bid farewell, and leave. Ling Yunpo then looked at Guo Jin, wondering why this foolish disciple couldn¡¯t bring up any secrets and why he hadn¡¯t left. Guo Jin was also blankly staring at the floor, racking his brains for an answer-but not usually caring about such things, how could he come up with one now? If only my master, mistress, or junior sister were here¡­ he thought, feeling dejected. Seeing that Guo Jin remained unmoved, Ling Yunpo finally lost his patience. He wouldn¡¯t wait anymore! If worse came to worst, he would just need to tell Guo Jin not to speak of this using Wei Dongliu¡¯s identity. ¡°True Lord Ziyuan,¡± he clasped his hands in salute and said aloud, ¡°may I ask if you have heard of matters concerning the Immortal Realm?¡± ¡°The Immortal Realm?¡± True Lord Ziyuan was briefly startled, her face immediately displaying an astonished expression. Clearly, she was not aware of matters concerning the Immortal Realm. Or rather, it was unlikely that cultivators currently active in the Cultivation Realm would know of matters concerning the Immortal Realm-much like the living could not possibly know what happens after death. Since such matters couldn¡¯t be explained or traced back to their origin, Ling Yunpo wanted to minimize the possibility of his audience leaking any secrets. ¡°If it truly concerns the Immortal Realm,¡± True Lord Ziyuan regained her composure and smiled slightly, ¡°I would be delighted to listen attentively.¡± ¡°I also read it from a miscellaneous book; I am not sure whether it is true or false,¡± Ling Yunpo listened to the Kunlun Mirror speak in his Sea of Consciousness, while he repeated the words, ¡°The Immortal Realm is unlike the mortal world, resembling a vast ocean of deep waters.¡± ¡°Hmm, hmm,¡± nodded True Lord Ziyuan, taking note. ¡°Each drop of water in the ocean is made of highly concentrated and condensed spiritual energy,¡± Ling Yunpo spoke slowly, ¡°In such a high-energy environment, even the most stubborn rocks and dust can swiftly become sentient and acquire cultivation levels. Not to mention ordinary people, who with every gesture could move mountains and seas.¡± ¡°Fortunately, the Immortal Realm is extremely distant from our world, even when the Heavenly Spheres converge, traveling at the speed of light it would take tens of thousands of years to reach the Immortal Realm from here.¡± ¡°It is precisely because of this great distance that our world does not suffer serious consequences from the Immortal Realm, even complete destruction.¡± ¡°I see,¡± True Lord Ziyuan, after a brief calculation, reached an answer that ¡°he was not lying¡± and couldn¡¯t help but sigh, ¡°even the rocks and dust can easily attain cultivation levels¡­ that is to say, in the Immortal Realm, achieving enlightenment is also a matter of ease.¡± ¡°Unfortunately, I have no opportunity to witness the Immortal Realm myself,¡± she revealed a melancholic smile and, after pondering for a long time, slowly said, ¡°According to what was said before, the position of the Golden Que in my hands is now yours.¡± Guo Jin, who was listening by the side, was stunned. It was only now that he realized what Qing Heng True Person had said was actually true? ¡°Qing Heng True Person!¡± He quickly called out, ¡°May I ask if the Immortal Realm is truly as you described¡­¡± He had not yet finished his question when he saw True Lord Ziyuan clap her hands. Suddenly, seven or eight maidservants surged out from below the tower, surrounding Ling Yunpo as they left. ¡°This True Person Ming Ling,¡± after sending Ling Yunpo off, True Lord Ziyuan then turned to Guo Jin, smiling as she spoke, ¡°I no longer have a Golden Que position in my hands, do you still wish to stay here?¡± Guo Jin was silent for a long while, as if he had been struck by a wave of information, and it took him a long time to come to his senses. After a brief salute, he took his leave. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Thus, in the tower, only True Lord Ziyuan remained. She sat alone in the empty room, mumbling under her breath, with no one knowing what she was saying. ¡°Ziyuan.¡± Suddenly, a person appeared below the tower-it was Liandu True Monarch, ¡°That demon from afar has been caught by Zhao Ling and expelled.¡± ¡°Jiuhua True Monarch was inspired by this incident and wants to find a True Monarch to pretend to be a foreign cultivator, to test their observational and analytical skills. Do you have time for this?¡± ¡°Just right, I have already given away my position of the Golden Que. I might as well continue to play along with them,¡± True Lord Ziyuan rose gracefully and then seemed to recall something, testing him with a question, ¡°Liandu, have you ever considered what the Immortal Realm might be like?¡± ¡°The Immortal Realm?¡± Liandu True Monarch asked in surprise, ¡°Why do you suddenly ask about this?¡± ¡°If the average cultivation realm in the Immortal Realm is extremely high, and we, immortals of the mortal world, were to go there, our strength would be no different from ordinary people in the Immortal Realm,¡± said True Lord Ziyuan wistfully, ¡°Then, what was the point of the half a lifetime spent in diligent cultivation?¡± Chapter 697 Chapter 697: Chapter 31 I am the Master of Heavenly Craft Workshop Chapter 697: Chapter 31 I am the Master of Heavenly Craft Workshop After entering the cabinet, Ling Yunpo successfully rendezvoused with An Zhisu. The subsequent events no longer need to be mentioned, as they were exactly the same as what Qiu Changtian had experienced. After leaving the secret realm, as expected, there was a fierce battle between the major powers of the righteous and demonic paths, with immortals clashing against each other, their killing intent raging. Ling Yunpo, without a word, took An Zhisu¡¯s hand, swiftly performed Man-Sword Unity, and rushed into the Shushan camp. True Person Jinghua followed closely behind, guarding True Persons Shi Yuan and Tian Qi, successfully retreating from the battlefield. The Jade Capital Sect Leader saw this and suddenly noticed that True Person Miao Dan had not come out, causing his brow to furrow slightly. When True Person Jinghua arrived at his side and whispered a few words to him, the Jade Capital Sect Leader¡¯s expression turned grave, betraying no emotion. Kunlun was the first to retreat after receiving their people, followed by Penglai. Due to Shushan having more people, their retreat took longer. Immortal Long Eyebrow protected the Shushan retreat by holding off three foes with the Dual Polarity Dust Sword Formation, barely ensuring the sect members could escape. Upon returning to Shushan, the Jade Capital Sect Leader immediately informed Immortal Long Eyebrow of the matter. True Person Jinghua¡¯s testimony was neither exaggerated nor downplayed, as he recounted his observations truthfully, and ultimately, he concluded: True Person Miao Dan was first killed by a stealth attack from a Heavenly Demon, then struck dead by True Person Jiao Xiao¡¯s Flying Sword. The Jade Capital Sect Leader agreed with this assessment, but considering the gravity of the situation, it still needed to be reported to Immortal Long Eyebrow for his knowledge. wuxiaworld.site Immortal Long Eyebrow fell silent for a moment, then said, ¡°Have the Criminal Law Hall detain True Person Jiao Xiao for interrogation.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that be¡­¡± The Jade Capital Sect Leader started to say that it might wrong Qingluo Peak, then suddenly realized that Qingluo Peak currently had no Nascent Soul elders, while Ziyun Peak indeed had elders. The untimely death of True Person Miao Dan in the secret realm, whether it was an accident or murder, Emei would eventually need to give Elder Ming Hua a proper explanation. By taking True Person Jiao Xiao for interrogation, if it is later confirmed to be the work of the Heavenly Demon, releasing her without charges would not be too late and would also be justifiable for Ziyun Peak. As for whether True Person Jiao Xiao would be wronged¡­ it must be said that in the eyes of Immortal Long Eyebrow, a Golden Core True Person carried little weight. Moreover, because of Su Jian¡¯s incident, Immortal Long Eyebrow had developed a dislike for True Person Jiao Xiao. Just as a mortal who has lost his wife and children might resent the child, Immortal Long Eyebrow resented his disciple¡¯s daughter for the loss of his loved one-both are similar sentiments. Yet for Shushan, True Person Jiao Xiao is a Second Grade Golden Core! Even placed in Kunlun, a Second Grade Golden Core cultivator, Immortal Long Eyebrow¡¯s orders were not to be defied, but the Jade Capital Sect Leader had already decided secretly that, if the Immortal truly held any prejudice against True Person Jiao Xiao, out of his sense of duty to Shushan, he must protect and find a way out for her. Otherwise, if they allowed Qingluo Peak¡¯s loyalty to Shushan to continue wavering like this, troubles would inevitably arise. ¡­¡­¡­ Qingluo Peak. Senior Sister An was ultimately taken away by the enforcers from the Criminal Law Hall. Ling Yunpo was not surprised by this, and even comforted Senior Sister An not to worry in return. In his view, Senior Sister An¡¯s visit this time was likely akin to ¡°giving a statement¡± or ¡°understanding the case details,¡± and she would probably be released unharmed in the end. In saying this, I finally felt at ease. Looking back, I should have just quietly cultivated in seclusion during the growth of my Pill Root, until I completely broke through to the Root Seeking Rank and advanced to the Obscure Weave Rank. ¡°` But hearing about Senior Sister An¡¯s affairs so suddenly, Qiu Changtian found it hard to settle down in the Golden Ridge Cave Abode. If he forced himself to continue with Qi Refinement amidst his unease, he feared it would lead to great chaos. ???G?.?? Now that he had finally put his mind at ease, he would go back to Luo Yan and continue cultivating! Thinking this, Ling Yunpo gave instructions to the Kunlun Mirror: ¡°Ah Jing, load the saved data!¡± The Kunlun Mirror maintained its knowing but subtle stance and replied with a smile: ¡°Alright.¡± [Save Point Three: Penglai Jade Pure View, Heavenly Craft Workshop.] [Character Identity: Luo Yan.] [Mirror Flower Water Moon Template overlaying, now traveling through time and space.] Returning to the Penglai Heavenly Craft Workshop, time jumped back to before the Golden Que Secret Realm, after Shi Liuli returned from the ruins of the Donghua Sect. Each day, besides going out for breathing exercises to refine Qi, studying the ways of artifact forging, and helping Penglai adjust its Protective Sect Array, Luo Yan managed the Heavenly Craft Workshop with Shi Liuli. Although she still had her Nascent Soul, Shi Liuli¡¯s aura was becoming more like that of a young matron¡¯s, no longer possessing the air of a green girl. In every move she made, there was a sense of calm confidence that inspired trust¡­ To draw a comparison, she was like the lady of a large house, managing every facet with impeccable order, so that even when she spoke in an utterly flat tone, listeners would still perk up their ears and attentively follow her directives. From a certain perspective, this was somewhat uncomfortable for Luo Yan: Who was the true owner of the Heavenly Craft Workshop? It felt like an upright politician who had won an election fair and square, yet had to submit to an elite civil servant who used cunning tactics to manage him. But from another perspective, having a beautiful secretary who could handle everything perfectly was indeed a source of satisfaction that was hard to fault. Sometimes Luo Yan even thought that he was still the master of the Heavenly Craft Workshop, he had merely delegated authority to his own ¡®little missus.¡¯ If he wished, he could reclaim that power at any time¡­ Thinking this way, he felt much more comfortable. The recent sales performance of the Heavenly Craft Workshop had improved, thanks largely to Shi Liuli¡¯s Flying Sword business-her forged Flying Swords, unlike Senior Brother Linghu Chu¡¯s, had exquisitely fine formations sealed within (of course, this was also with Luo Yan¡¯s assistance), which made them very efficient in using True Yuan, and hence were quite popular among Loose Cultivators. If Linghu Chu¡¯s Flying Swords were like American cars, then Shi Liuli¡¯s were like Japanese cars. One geared towards high power and the other towards fuel efficiency, both took different paths but had their own audience and market. After carefully reviewing the accounts, although the performance hadn¡¯t returned to the glory days of Elder Shi Ding, the significant rebound was already quite impressive. ¡°Finished reading?¡± Shi Liuli walked out from the inner room. Today, she wore a goose yellow short shirt, paired with a pleated and belted shift dress, that made her appear gentle and beautiful, igniting an impulse in Luo Yan to hold her in his arms and ruffle her hair. ¡°What else is there to read?¡± Luo Yan tossed the ledger onto the table nonchalantly, ¡°Can I be anything but at ease with the business handled by my wife?¡± ¡°It¡¯s better to look anyway,¡± advised Shi Liuli seriously, ¡°After all, you are the master of the Heavenly Craft Workshop. It¡¯s good to familiarize yourself with the business. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Besides, soon, Shi Qing, our junior, will be joining and she might frequently consult you for advice.¡± Shi Qing, a young cultivator from the Shi Family of Guangling, was said to have a photographic memory. Before Elder Shi Ding¡¯s death, the Shi Family had always wanted to send her under his tutelage. After Elder Shi Ding passed away, the Shi Family wavered for a while but was eventually persuaded by Luo Yan and Shi Liuli. Counting the days, it was about time to take her on as a disciple on behalf of her teacher. ¡°` Chapter 698 Chapter 698: Chapter 32 Shi Liuli¡¯s Disdain Chapter 698: Chapter 32 Shi Liuli¡¯s Disdain Although this was an apprentice ceremony conducted on behalf of the master and Elder Shi Ding was no longer present, the Shi Family from Guangling still prepared a ceremony of suitable scale as a sign of respect for Penglai Jade Pure View. Needless to say, the ceremonious complexity didn¡¯t really need mentioning. After the apprenticeship was completed, Luo Yan and Shi Liuli brought Shi Qing back to Yuqing View to complete her entry formalities. Though Shi Qing was still young, appearing to be only in her late twenties, her demeanor was serene and stable, quite reminiscent of Shi Liuli¡¯s. However, once at the Heavenly Craft Workshop, her expression finally betrayed a hint of nervousness, causing Luo Yan to smile involuntarily. After all, she was still a young girl. ¡°Let me introduce you to a few things first,¡± Shi Liuli said softly. ¡°Our Heavenly Craft Workshop is known throughout Penglai for our artifact forging. In our heyday, we could craft any type of magic artifact, be it swords, cauldrons, zithers, mirrors, vases, seals, or pots.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Luo Yan nodded in agreement. ¡°Now we have only swords, cauldrons, mirrors, and seals left,¡± Shi Liuli glanced at her husband and continued, ¡°The Shi Family from Guangling has a certain level of accomplishment in space artifacts, so we plan to have you study pot forging and storage creation.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Luo Yan echoed approvingly. ¡°Among the many space artifacts, the best sellers are the storage bags, Qiankun bags, and hundred-treasure bags,¡± Shi Liuli went on, ignoring him, speaking gently to Shi Qing. ¡°The storage bag is a very popular storage magical instrument, with almost every cultivator in the Cultivation Realm owning one.¡± wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.cO If you grasp and integrate them all later on, we¡¯ll consider advancing you to pot forging. No problems, right?¡± ¡°Of course no problem,¡± Luo Yan replied without hesitation. ¡°Husband,¡± Shi Liuli said with a gentle and refined smile, ¡°If you¡¯re not busy, could you fetch the scriptures that father had prepared for your fourth junior brother from his study?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Luo Yan responded instinctively. Only when he reached Elder Shi Ding¡¯s study did he suddenly realize: Um, did I just get pushed aside by my wife? ¡ª- The Heavenly Craft Workshop once had as many as six disciples. The eldest senior brother Linghu Chu graduated successfully and set up his own school; the second senior sister Lei Caiyan, a traitor from the Hell Path, had defected; the fourth junior brother, Shi Wenshi, had passed away. Now only the third senior sister Liang Ruohua, the fifth senior sister Shi Liuli, and Luo Yan himself remained. If this were some smaller sects with a high turnover of personnel, they would inevitably discuss seniority again and update the hierarchy as eldest senior sister, second senior sister, and workshop master. Luo Yan himself was not interested in such empty titles or seniority. Even Shi Qing became his disciple on behalf of his master, so upon joining the Heavenly Craft Workshop, she was immediately regarded as the youngest junior sister. The youngest junior sister Shi Qing¡¯s room was arranged in the former residence of Shi Wenshi, which was also next to that of the third senior sister Lei Caiyan. Entering her room with the scriptures in hand, Luo Yan saw Shi Liuli teaching her the refinement methods for storage bags: ¡°¡­You have learned some refinement techniques at the Shi Family, which is good. But here in our Heavenly Craft Workshop, the requirements for forging magical instruments are completely different from your family¡¯s.¡± ¡°The biggest issue you must correct is that you¡¯re too focused on perfection when refining.¡± ¡°Perfection is not bad, but perfection means high material costs and too much instability.¡± ¡°What you need to do now is to master the craft of forging so well that at any time, you can refine a large batch of storage magical instruments stably with the lowest cost.¡± ¡°Once you¡¯ve reached the realm I mentioned, we¡¯ll pursue a deeper understanding of artifact forging, like refining a more perfect space artifact¡­¡± ¡°Liuli.¡± Luo Yan put the scriptures on the table, then pulled Shi Liuli aside and asked in a low voice, ¡°Did you just scorn me?¡± ¡°Not at all,¡± Shi Liuli said with a smile. ?0?G0.?? ¡°When you answer ¡®Not at all,¡¯ could you look at me in the eyes?¡± ¡°Husband, you¡¯re overthinking it,¡± Shi Liuli said gently, ¡°As the master of the Heavenly Craft Workshop, you work hard day and night, sparing no effort. How could I possibly scorn you?¡± Luo Yan: ¡­¡­ Alright, since he became the master of the Heavenly Craft Workshop, he indeed hadn¡¯t labored much at all. On one hand, it¡¯s because he inherently detests work, not wanting to continue being a corporate drone in this world; on the other hand, isn¡¯t it also because his wife was too perfect, taking care of most of the annoying matters? More importantly, although I¡¯m slacking off as Luo Yan, as Qiu Changtian, as Wei Dongliu, haven¡¯t I been busy spinning almost non-stop? Just for that, I¡¯m also doing my best! Seeing him silent, Shi Liuli¡¯s heart softened a bit, and she said: ¡°I know that husband is busy with cultivation, but¡­ after all, Heavenly Craft Workshop was entrusted to you by my father, and if you could be a bit more dedicated, I¡¯d be completely satisfied.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not undedicated,¡± Luo Yan defended himself, ¡°Am I not maintaining the Protective Sect Array every day?¡± ¡°When my father was still here,¡± Shi Liuli stared into his eyes and spoke calmly, ¡°he not only maintained the array every day but also taught us classes. He would go out every few days to visit friends and network. Whenever he found a spare moment, he would come back and teach us.¡± ¡°I was really thoughtless in the past, often going out to have fun. Father was already so busy, yet he had to send people out to look for me¡­¡± ¡°Cough cough.¡± Luo Yan found himself at a loss for words and could only cough awkwardly. Elder Shi Ding treated artifact forging as his life¡¯s pursuit, which is why he turned into a workaholic. Look at the Ziwei Master, he gives a lecture every ten days and only to the Chief Disciples. He lets the Chief Disciple teach the others on his behalf. For the rest of the time, he¡¯s practically holed up in the Scripture Lecture Hall¡­ Most high-rank cultivators are like the Ziwei Master, understand? You¡¯re using your father as an example, but there aren¡¯t many who can compare with him! He wanted to continue explaining, but Shi Liuli¡¯s gaze was so clear it made Luo Yan feel like any further excuses would only lead to her further disappointment. ¡°Forget it, forget it.¡± Luo Yan conceded defeat, ¡°Then what would you have me do, wife? Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Just give the order.¡± ¡°Our junior sister has just joined the workshop and has many questions about cultivation,¡± Shi Liuli spoke indifferently, ¡°since you are the master of the Heavenly Craft Workshop, it would be good for establishing authority if you could give her some pointers.¡± ¡°That¡¯s easy.¡± Luo Yan went over to Shi Qing and said with a smile, ¡°Junior sister, if there¡¯s anything you don¡¯t understand, just ask me.¡± ¡°I do have a few points I¡¯m unclear about, and I¡¯d like to ask for guidance, senior brother,¡± Shi Qing pointed to a section in the scripture scroll and asked, ¡°Here, for the material preparation of a Qiankun Bag, why is white porcelain clay used for pretreatment?¡± Luo Yan: ¡­¡­ Hold on, ask me something about formations! How am I supposed to know about this material stuff! ¡°Let me teach her,¡± Shi Liuli said with a sigh after watching for a while, ¡°You should go check the accounts for this year. That would be contributing to the Heavenly Craft Workshop.¡± Chapter 699 Chapter 699: Chapter 33 Shi Liuli¡¯s Suspicions Chapter 699: Chapter 33 Shi Liuli¡¯s Suspicions ¡°` The Pill Root had finally finished growing. Upon internal reflection, Luo Yan could see that within his Dantian, the meridians were clearly defined, resembling a dense bud that had yet to unfurl. If one were to speak oddly, it looked somewhat like a woman¡¯s uterus. Considering that cultivating the Nascent Soul at the Nascent Soul Rank involves nurturing it, this comparison doesn¡¯t seem entirely off. The only difference is that women carry their own children, whereas the Nascent Soul that cultivators carry is a more elevated, energy-based form of themselves. It¡¯s as if a larva wraps itself in a cocoon, and the Nascent Soul is one¡¯s own cocoon. When a cultivator at the Nascent Soul Rank reaches Great Perfection and ascends to become an immortal, it is called ¡°Feather Transformation¡±¡­ Therefore, when put this way, it really is quite similar to insects. The problem now was that even after the Pill Root had finished growing, the Golden Core showed no signs of change. From the Root Seeking Rank to the Obscure Weave Rank, according to records in the scripture scrolls, the Dantian needed to ¡°rumble like thunder,¡± and the ¡°Golden Core must quake incessantly,¡± but Luo Yan¡¯s First Grade Golden Core showed no abnormalities at this time. And yet the Pill Root truly had grown to its full extent, reaching the realm of Perfection. Which meant, he had encountered another bottleneck. For ordinary cultivators, the most feared thing is facing a bottleneck in their cultivation. wuxiaworld.site The reason is simple; each person¡¯s bottleneck is different, so there is no proven shortcut to overcome them. The methods used by others to break through their bottlenecks likely won¡¯t work for oneself, hence it is quite normal for many to spend decades or even over a hundred years stalled before their bottleneck. But Luo Yan did not fear bottlenecks because he understood that cultivating was like rowing upstream: if you do not progress, you regress. He had the determination and the perseverance to overcome any bottleneck! ¡°My lady,¡± Luo Yan approached Shi Liuli, who was still instructing Shi Qing, and said with a smile, ¡°Your husband has encountered another cultivation bottleneck. Could you help me figure out where the opportunity to break through lies?¡± Shi Liuli ignored him and continued speaking with Shi Qing: ¡°You see, my husband does have his strengths ¨C at least in terms of the rate of cultivation, I¡¯m afraid there¡¯s not a single person in the Yuqing Sect who can catch up to him.¡± Luo Yan: ??? Wait, what were you discussing just now? Although he was quite skeptical, to avoid revealing any flaws, he quickly said with humility: ¡°My lady, do not praise me so. There are many cultivators with exceptional gifts in the Yuqing Sect. I dare not claim to be the best without reservation.¡± ¡°Hmm hmm,¡± Shi Liuli gave a perfunctory response, exchanged a few more words with Shi Qing, and then followed Luo Yan out of the room. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to explain?¡± she asked indifferently. ¡°Explain what?¡± Luo Yan feigned ignorance. ¡°About the issue with your rapid cultivation progress,¡± Shi Liuli asked calmly, ¡°How long did you stay in the Root Seeking Rank?¡± ¡°As far as the Yuqing Sect goes, I have never heard of anyone who could break through both the Storing Spirit and Root Seeking stages within three to five years and arrive directly at the threshold of the Obscure Weave Realm.¡± ¡°I have no intention of prying into my husband¡¯s privacy. But as husband and wife, some things still need to be made clear. If indeed my husband has used some growth-accelerating, essence-harming method, and I, as your wife, am not informed, do not care, do not correct, it would be a failure of my wifely duties.¡± Luo Yan: ¡­¡­¡­ ???G?.?? ¡°Well, how should I put this?¡± he pretended to struggle with his response, while he carefully observed Shi Liuli¡¯s expressions. There¡¯s a saying, ¡°Where one marries, one follows,¡± and since Shi Liuli had become his Daoist Companion, with her nature, she certainly wouldn¡¯t act against his interests. Although she had doubts about the speed of his cultivation progress, such doubts were not nearly enough for her to leap to any conclusions about having multiple accounts. All he needed to do was to muddle through the conversation, showing an attitude of inconvenience to discuss it further, and likely, with Liuli Lady¡¯s cleverness, she would take the hint and not inquire further¡­ ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t know myself,¡± Luo Yan admitted with a spread of his hands, ¡°It felt like an epiphany. One day, after waking from meditative concentration, I suddenly reached the Great Perfection of the Root Seeking Rank.¡± ¡°` Shi Liuli stared at him silently. After a long while, she slowly lowered her eyelids and said, ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°But husband, although our Heavenly Craft Workshop is in need of high-rank cultivators, we¡¯re not yet at the point where we need to break through our cultivation levels at any cost.¡± ¡°If there is anything troubling you, husband, you can always communicate with me at any time. Can you?¡± Luo Yan was deeply touched when he heard her words, knowing that Shi Liuli thought he had used some kind of shortcut to rapidly increase his cultivation level to make up for the absence of Elder Shi Ding. That was why she said such concerned words. He then took Shi Liuli into his arms, gently squeezing her fragrant shoulders, and reassured her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, my lady. I have not used any evil techniques that harm the vital source. I just¡­ cough, my cultivation progress has sped up a bit. I actually don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on myself.¡± Shi Liuli gave a hum, lingering tenderly in his embrace for a moment, before she took out six copper coins, and threw them into the air. After repeating this several times, she finally put away the copper coins and fell into a contemplative state. Luo Yan dared not disturb her, allowing her to think on her own. After a while, Shi Liuli finally said, ¡°This hexagram¡­ is quite strange.¡± ¡°Strange in what way?¡± Luo Yan hurriedly asked. ¡°You should know, husband, that a so-called cultivation bottleneck is, in fact, the pursuit of a transformation in one¡¯s state of mind,¡± Shi Liuli said solemnly. ¡°Since it is a change in state of mind, there must be something that can touch the heartstrings to trigger it.¡± ¡°According to the hexagram, you, husband, should be facing a major life choice that represents the opportunity for you to break through to the Obscure Weave Realm¡­ However, I am curious, how would you, living such a comfortable life now, free from worries about cultivation expenses and trivial matters, come across such a life choice?¡± Luo Yan was also puzzled upon hearing this: What kind of major life choice? Could it be that Ah Jing is going to leave me? Hahaha¡­ ¡°I have no idea,¡± he said, showing a bewildered expression. ¡°Did this life choice say when it might come?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Shi Liuli shook her head, ¡°The hexagram is too chaotic this time, especially in terms of time. I really don¡¯t know when this opportunity will come¡­ you just need to wait patiently, husband.¡± Luo Yan understood in his heart. He continued to hold and play with Shi Liuli, uttering sweet nothings, thinking he had managed to cheer her up before he quietly left. Shi Liuli watched her husband¡¯s retreating figure, her gaze gradually becoming more piercing. First, it was the sudden Core Formation, and then the rapid promotion¡­ If it was just once or twice, it could be explained by a stroke of luck, but what about these continuous breakthroughs in realm? Unless there was some elder secretly cultivating the husband, sparing no precious materials and treasures, that could barely explain it. No, if that person were the Wan Xiang Immortal, then the cultivation would surely be comprehensive. Apart from the pouring of cultivation resources, there must also be support in the status within the sect. Otherwise, it is merely cultivating a fighter, which is meaningless. This elder, certainly cannot be the Wan Xiang Immortal! Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only So who in the world is it? She threw the six copper coins once again, then caught them to see their faces. After repeating several times, the hexagram became even more chaotic, until at last, it was nearly unreadable. Has someone blocked the divination from heaven? Shi Liuli closed her eyes in silence, her expression as tranquil as an ancient well, with no hint as to what she was thinking. Chapter 700 Chapter 700: Chapter 34: Too Many Archives Leads to Confusion Chapter 700: Chapter 34: Too Many Archives Leads to Confusion Although she harbored doubts in her heart, Shi Liuli didn¡¯t take them to heart. Even if her husband harbored secrets, wasn¡¯t he still her husband? She just continued doing what she should do, handling the miscellaneous affairs of the Heavenly Craft Workshop, assisting Luo Yan by thinking ahead and keeping busy. In her spare time, whenever she found a moment, she would occasionally calculate her husband¡¯s origins. ¡­Alright, she did care a bit after all. Luo Yan himself didn¡¯t know how many crises Ah Jing had averted on his behalf. Due to his cultivation bottleneck, he could not break through, so he spent every day delving into the study of formations, researching how to combat others using formations. Modern formations are complex systems, while ancient formations are simple and integrated; those who enter the path must start with modern formations for convenience and use ancient formations as the ultimate goal, to assimilate into their own use. Although Elder Shi Ding never mentioned this, the scripture scrolls in his study recorded it clearly, surely a learning content for the Golden Core Realm. Once he reached the Nascent Soul Realm, he could fully focus on ancient formations. Apart from him, the rest of them were certainly not idling either. Third Senior Sister Liang Ruohua¡¯s cultivation progress wasn¡¯t fast, but she had recently made a breakthrough in the art of seal crafting, and the magic artifacts she refined had been moved up a grade within the internal evaluation of Yuqing View. His wife Shi Liuli¡¯s sword casting technique was still improving. Although she still couldn¡¯t outperform the eldest senior brother Linghu Chu (after all, there was a gap in their cultivation realms), she was doing quite well in the niche market-receiving high praise among loose cultivators and small sects. wuxiaworld.site Junior Sister Shi Qing was still at the entry level and not worth mentioning for the moment. Recently, Luo Yan had been evaluating and felt he had some shortcomings in the area of sound-based magic artifacts, considering whether he should take in another disciple in this field to cultivate. Penglai Yuqing View truly lived up to its reputation as an economically powerful sect; although it had once been besieged and looted by the Demon Cult, it had long since fully repaired all the damage. However, the atmosphere within the sect had suddenly become tense lately, with everyone on edge as if fearing the Demon Cult was about to make a move. Perhaps only Luo Yan knew that this was because the news from the Golden Que Secret Realm had arrived. On reflection, Qiu Changtian had gained a position in the Golden Que, and Kunlun had given him an opportunity to select treasures from Fenbao Rock; Ling Yunpo had gained a position in the Golden Que, and Shushan had sent Senior Sister An in¡­ This Shushan, it seems they couldn¡¯t wait even a minute longer! It was precisely because he knew the attitude of those in power was so important that Luo Yan had been reporting to Master of Xuandu and Wan Xiang Immortal every day recently, bringing only good news and not the bad. Today he reported great progress in the repair of the great formation, tomorrow he would announce huge success in the innovative plan for the formation¡­ Although both were aware that he was trying to curry favor, who could resist genuine respect from a Second Grade Golden Core True Person? Instantly, their favorable impressions of him increased greatly. And so, the day to head for the Golden Que finally arrived. The rules for selecting people in Penglai were simple and, compared to Kunlun and Shushan, didn¡¯t involve as many elements of power struggle. Master Jingyun Luo Yan was a Second Grade Golden Core and also the winner of the last White Jade Capital title, so he was certain to take up a spot. Master Dong You Shi Liuli, also a Second Grade Golden Core and winner of the White Jade Capital title, and adept in Art Calculation, was certain to take up a position as well. Two Second Grade Golden Cores! When has Penglai ever had such an abundance of talent? Elder Shi Ding, though his own talent for cultivation was mediocre, had an outstanding ability to nurture disciples¡­ It was just unfortunate that he met an untimely demise; otherwise, with two disciples of Second Grade Golden Core in this place, even Master of Xuandu would have considered sharing some of his authority with him, heh. In any case, without their master, the two Second Grade Golden Core True Persons were destined not to become tools in internal sectarian struggles for power and profit, and the fact that the Heavenly Craft Workshop was weak ensured that they would inevitably seek help from the higher-ups of the sect. In such a circumstance, Master of Xuandu had no displeasure at all toward the two, so much so that he called for the most powerful Golden Core True Person from Yuqing View at the moment-Tian Lan, telling her that while she might not obtain a position for the trip to the Golden Que, she must ensure the safety of Master Jingyun and Master Dong You. It was strange, really, how the cultivators of Kunlun and Shushan often engaged in covert and overt strife for various powers, positions, and reputations, yet Penglai cultivators often cared less for such matters. If it weren¡¯t for the task assigned by Master of Xuandu, Tian Lan True Person would not have even considered going¡­ she still had several elixir furnaces at home that required refinement. Before departure, there was another round of exhortations from the Sect Leader. Even though Luo Yan was eager to ingratiate himself, he couldn¡¯t stand listening to the Sect Leader¡¯s lectures for three whole rounds anymore. He could only maintain a constant attentive smile, while slowly playing music in his mind. Finally, the lecture ended, and he immediately acted ¡°greatly inspired,¡± so much so that even Shi Liuli next to him couldn¡¯t stand it and quietly gave him a nudge. The three of them followed the Master of Xuandu to Shushan, and then took a treasure boat together to Xihua Peak. On the way, Xu Yinglian inevitably clashed with An Zhisu again. By this time, Luo Yan had already attained a state of serene detachment and said lazily: ¡°Liuli, go over and intervene, otherwise it won¡¯t be good if they keep arguing like this.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Shi Liuli nodded, but she was secretly puzzled. Wasn¡¯t her husband the type to ignore everything on a daily basis? ?????.?? Why was he suddenly showing concern for the conflict between Master Qiong Ying and Jiao Xiao True Person? Odd as it was, she still did as told and managed to persuade An Zhisu away with her eloquence. Thus, the confrontation was finally quelled, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Shi Liuli gracefully returned to Luo Yan¡¯s side and suddenly asked: ¡°Husband, what do you think of Jiao Xiao True Person?¡± ¡°What do you mean by ¡®what do I think¡¯?¡± Luo Yan immediately became alert. ¡°I mean your first impression of her,¡± Shi Liuli asked casually. Hearing that she seemed to be just making light conversation, Luo Yan cautiously replied: ¡°Well, I¡¯ve heard she¡¯s the only sword immortal in the Golden Core Realm of Shushan who has forged a Second Grade Golden Core, so I suppose she must be quite powerful.¡± ¡°Powerful, is she?¡± Shi Liuli pondered, ¡°I originally thought she was arrogant and unapproachable, but after speaking with her just now, I realize she is actually too upright and not sufficiently tactful.¡± Too upright: applying this term to Senior Sister An left Luo Yan somewhat at a loss for words. ¡°Is that so?¡± He then feigned ignorance and burst out laughing. ¡°And what about Master Qiong Ying?¡± Shi Liuli asked curiously, ¡°The one who was arguing with her.¡± ¡°Master Qiong Ying¡­¡± Luo Yan spoke slowly, ¡°Is she the one who explored the ruins of the Donghua Sect with you last time?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Shi Liuli said leisurely, ¡°What do you think of Master Qiong Ying, husband?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯ve heard she¡¯s from the Xu Family of Southern Heaven and has inherited Phoenix True Blood, bearing the elegant title of ¡®Phoenix Immortal¡¯ within Kunlun,¡± Luo Yan chose his words carefully, speaking cautiously, ¡°So I suppose she is also a powerful figure who¡¯s no less formidable than Jiao Xiao True Person.¡± ¡°Why are you being so cautious with your words, husband?¡± Shi Liuli giggled behind her hand, ¡°I¡¯m just making small talk; I¡¯m not jealous.¡± ¡°Cough cough, about female cultivators from other sects, I shouldn¡¯t comment too much,¡± Luo Yan was feeling increasingly uneasy, unable to pinpoint the problem, and could only offer a nervous laugh. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Seeing him trying to please her only added to Shi Liuli¡¯s suspicions. Setting everything else aside, her husband had previously crossed swords with Jiao Xiao True Person during the great competition at the White Jade Capital. So why did he now seem like he didn¡¯t recognize her? It seems to be an act. But why would he act like this? Chapter 701 Chapter 701: Chapter 35 Shi Liuli Prepares to Kill Indiscriminately Chapter 701: Chapter 35 Shi Liuli Prepares to Kill Indiscriminately About Shi Liuli¡¯s thoughts, Luo Yan hadn¡¯t considered that much. What troubled him the most now wasn¡¯t these trivial matters of romance or minor conflicts, but the significant issues concerning his own path of cultivation. That was the bottleneck of reaching Great Perfection in the Root Seeking rank. Looking back, although the path of cultivation hadn¡¯t been entirely smooth, it could still be described as a journey without major obstacles. Compared to ordinary cultivators, saying that he had soared to the skies wasn¡¯t an exaggeration, but only Luo Yan knew how tight his time was. There were barely over eight hundred years left before the world¡¯s destruction. Eight hundred years might be enough for other cultivators to go from entry level to Nascent Infant¡­ or to meet their demise halfway. But for Luo Yan, he had to quickly earn the trust of the immortals and then wrest the fragments of the Heaven-Mending Stone from them; otherwise, this world would fall into ruin. To save this world, he could only encourage and push himself, striding into the Obscure Weave rank! ?0?g?.?? Ah Jing, help me! ¡°What can I do about this cultivation bottleneck?¡± the Kunlun Mirror said speechlessly, ¡°If I could solve bottlenecks, would I just directly grant you divinity and make you an immortal?¡± ¡°If that were possible, that¡¯d be great!¡± said Luo Yan carelessly, ¡°Why not?¡± wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co On their third visit to the peak of Xihua Peak, everyone stood helpless before the vast snow-covered peak, and soon Shi Liuli was summoned by the Jade Capital Sect Leader for divination. Luo Yan, bored on the sidelines, saw the crowd buzzing around like headless flies and grew somewhat impatient, pretending to carelessly pick a direction, using the Five Elements Divine Light to dig out a corner of the ruins. What happened next needs no further elaboration; in short, he and Shi Liuli set off on the road that pierced the heavens. Seeing that the higher they climbed, the steeper the light path became, and recalling Xu Yinglian¡¯s and An Zhisu¡¯s reactions from before, Luo Yan made a resolute and tragic statement: ¡°Lady! If I can¡¯t hold on later, you step on my shoulders, use my body to jump!¡± ¡°No need,¡± Shi Liuli hurriedly comforted him, ¡°I¡¯ve checked, there¡¯s absolutely no point of leverage on this light path, nor is using any spells or magical treasures allowed. It seems that once we naturally fall, we will enter right into the Golden Que Secret Realm. Otherwise, it means that this secret realm never planned on allowing anyone to enter from the beginning.¡± ¡°Ah, this¡­¡± Luo Yan was stunned, then after a long moment, said, ¡°But what if it¡¯s just that we haven¡¯t found the way in?¡± ¡°Then we do nothing,¡± Shi Liuli replied, ¡°That would mean it¡¯s not meant to be. After we return, the Sect Leader may not even blame us for it.¡± Luo Yan: ¡­¡­¡­ This is no fun at all, Miss Shi! When the light path slanted to ninety degrees, both of them could no longer hold on and fell down. Luo Yan then used the Five Elements Divine Light to transform earth into water, forcefully digging a pond on the ground below so that they landed in water. ¡°Lady, are you alright?¡± Luo Yan stabilized himself and went over to help Shi Liuli. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Shi Liuli steadied herself with his support, when suddenly they heard a voice coming from the secret realm: ¡°Inside the Golden Que, the number of people exceeds twelve.¡± ¡°Once the requirements are met, twelve Sanctum Lords will be decided.¡± Shi Liuli frowned slightly, revealing a thoughtful expression. Luo Yan caught the reflective look in her eyes and felt a shock of alarm within him. This is bad! Although he didn¡¯t know why, he always felt that with Shi Liuli¡¯s intelligence and her almost magical divination abilities, she might just be able to directly pass the challenges of the Golden Que. ¡°Husband, shall we go?¡± Shi Liuli smiled, ¡°It seems that the method to achieve the position in the Golden Que this time is different from the last competition.¡± How do you know it¡¯s different from last time¡­ Luo Yan really wanted to ask, but he forced himself to hold back his question. The two of them wandered aimlessly in the secret realm and soon encountered a maid sent by a true immortal, who then invited them to a small pavilion where the immortal resided. This true immortal was a man or woman of flawless beauty, at least it was impossible to determine the gender based on appearance and voice, or perhaps when beauty reached a certain extreme, it became too common between both genders. Luo Yan and Shi Liuli were the earliest to arrive, so the true immortal only exchanged a few words with them, telling them to sit down on the bench inside the pavilion and wait for six people before starting. Naturally, the two did as they were told. Not long after, Tian Qi of Shushan and three other Demon Path Cultivators arrived. One was a Heavenly Demon Path Cultivator, one was an Asura Path monk, and the last one seemed to be a cultivator of the Eastern Emperor Path. ¡°Now that we have six people, let the trial begin,¡± the true immortal said with a faint smile, speaking gently, ¡°I am¡± ¡°My challenge is also very simple: starting from my right hand side, each person may draw anyone present here and ask them one question.¡± ¡°The person can choose to answer truthfully or to lie, but they cannot refuse to answer. Otherwise, they will be eliminated in advance.¡± ¡°With the answer given, any falsehood will be taken as a lie.¡± ¡°After an answer is given, the questioner must decide whether the answer was true or false and must immediately provide a response.¡± ¡°If the questioner¡¯s judgment is correct, then the questioned person will be considered to have failed and will not participate further in the questioning or answering, and may leave early.¡± ¡°Of course, if the questioner¡¯s judgment is wrong, there will be no punishment, and the right to ask can be passed to the next true immortal.¡± Upon hearing this, everyone exchanged glances¡­ Luo Yan of course knew why they were surprised; he just hadn¡¯t expected the Golden Que Secret Realm¡¯s test to be this kind of intellectual strategic confrontation. However, I have already participated in three rounds of challenges, while you are all newcomers, how could you be my opponents? Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only As Luo Yan was feeling self-satisfied with this thought, he suddenly heard the Liuli Lady beside him speak to him using the Secretive Voice Transmission spell: ¡°This game is quite interesting; it tests our judgment and psychological strategy.¡± ¡°We just happen to be sitting on the right side of this true immortal, and so we need to take full advantage of going first to eliminate the others in the first round as much as possible.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Luo Yan quickly agreed, promptly acquiescing, then suddenly it dawned on him. Wait, isn¡¯t it also the lady¡¯s first time here? Why does she seem so experienced? ¡°Then let me ask the first question.¡± Shi Liuli pulled out a copper coin from her sleeve, flipping it back and forth in her hand, and chose to question the Heavenly Demon Path Cultivator seated to the right of Luo Yan, ¡°May I ask this Daoist friend.¡± ¡°What is the greatest weakness or perhaps the most fatal vulnerability in your habitual combat routine involving your Cultivation Technique, Magical Treasure, Flying Sword¡­ all of those?¡± Upon hearing this, the cultivator of the Heavenly Demon Path immediately showed an expression of extreme fright and horror. Chapter 702 Chapter 702: Chapter 36: Husband and Wife Mix-up Massacre Chapter 702: Chapter 36: Husband and Wife Mix-up Massacre Annihilation! Upon hearing the question posed by Shi Liuli, the word that surfaced in the minds of all the cultivators (including Luo Yan) was this one. Absolute annihilation! The weak points of a tactic, the vital spots of a cultivation technique, are these things you can just casually inquire about? Out there, if you dare to ask this, we would have to fight it out right away! The face of the Demon Path Cultivator was half-green, half-white, as he suddenly asked Zhao Ling True Monarch: ¡°Is it really within the rules to ask such a question? Then, whoever is next could simply ask the same thing and immediately defeat the respondent, is this the kind of test you¡¯ve designed?¡± Zhao Ling True Monarch pondered for a moment, then laughed: ¡°Indeed, I have been negligent.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s modify the rule a bit. You can¡¯t ask questions that would cause tangible harm to the respondent after they answer.¡± Luo Yan: ??? ???G?.?? wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co ¡°Wait a minute,¡± he asked incredulously, ¡°the rules can be changed on the fly as well?¡± ¡°Of course, they can.¡± Zhao Ling True Monarch laughed heartily, ¡°I am the maker of the rules, what I say goes.¡± So everyone was left speechless. Shortly after, they heard Tian Qi say: ¡°And if it involves the secrets of a sect, it can¡¯t be asked. Also, some questions with obvious answers, such as whether you are male or female and the like, cannot be asked.¡± ¡°You make a good point,¡± Zhao Ling True Monarch nodded, ¡°none of these can be asked.¡± Luo Yan fell silent, thinking to himself that Zhao Ling True Monarch was really amenable to reason. ¡°Husband.¡± Shi Liuli suddenly communicated with him through Secretive Voice Transmission, ¡°You¡¯ve noticed it too, haven¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Luo Yan replied, ¡°The initial rules were too lax and full of loopholes, almost as if they were deliberately tempting us to question them.¡± ¡°In my view, Zhao Ling True Monarch had not really thought through the content of the test, which is why he¡¯s using us to help him complete the rules.¡± Shi Liuli appeared contemplative and after a long pause, she slowly stated: ¡°Then I¡¯ll just change my question.¡± ¡°This friend from the Heavenly Demon Path, let me ask you, you¡¯re not a virgin anymore, are you?¡± Heavenly Demon Path Cultivator: ¡­¡­¡­¡­ Can¡¯t you ask something serious? But upon reflection, he knew that this test was meant to coax out tricky and difficult questions to ensure that the respondents¡¯ answers fall as much as possible within their predicted range. As Demon Path Cultivators often consort with Heavenly Demons and are easily enticed by the Demon Head to indulge in the Seven Emotions and Six Desires, their rate of virginity is absurdly low, but¡­ She just smiled slightly, speaking serenely: ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± Shi Liuili¡¯s expression remained unchanged, only quietly clenching the copper coin in the palm of her hand and gently stroking it with her fingertips. After a moment, she looked toward Zhao Ling True Monarch again. Zhao Ling True Monarch remained composed, not voicing any objections. So, Shi Liuli collected herself, and as if she had an epiphany, said: ¡°Indeed, with your appearance, it¡¯s unlikely you could find a Daoist Companion.¡± ¡°True Monarch, I believe she¡¯s telling the truth.¡± The Heavenly Demon Path Cultivator¡¯s face changed drastically again, just as Zhao Ling True Monarch pinched his fingers a few times, then said with a laugh: ¡°Correct judgment.¡± ¡°This cultivator, you¡¯re out.¡± The atmosphere on the scene immediately fell into a certain kind of stiff silence, as the remaining people cautiously exchanged glances. No one had expected that this female cultivator from the Heavenly Demon Path was actually still a virgin¡­ Wrong, actually, no one had expected someone to be eliminated on the first question. As for the female cultivator who was the first to be eliminated, she sat in annoyed silence for a moment before quickly standing up and leaving without saying a word. Being eliminated was a done deal; throwing out harsh words would only humiliate oneself further. It¡¯s better to leave cleanly-those who liked to lose face and lose the fight, like Demon Path cultivators, were always outliers among the Six Paths. So it was Luo Yan¡¯s turn to ask a question. He leisurely cleared his throat and asked the Eastern Emperor Path cultivator to his right: ¡°May I ask this cultivator, if you saw human race cultivators and demons fighting in the Hundred Thousand Mountains of the Southern Border, and the demons had the upper hand, whom would you help?¡± Upon hearing this, everyone¡¯s hearts skipped a beat: This guy was no pushover either! It is known that the Beast Taming Path, the predecessor of Eastern Emperor Path, was a direct sect of Intercepting Cult along with Heavenly Demon, Nether Ghost, Mortals, etc., fond of taming various exotic beasts and poisonous insects, but it always stuck to the fundamental principle of ¡°humans taming demons.¡± As for the present Eastern Emperor Path¡­ although it claims to continue the Beast Taming Path¡¯s legacy, most of the outside sects don¡¯t believe it at all. Luo Yan¡¯s question was such that if the Eastern Emperor Path really had no connection with the Demon Race, the other party should have chosen without hesitation to help the human race cultivator. Other than this response, any other reaction or reply only proved that the Eastern Emperor Path did indeed have the suspicion of colluding with the Demon Race. As expected, the Eastern Emperor Path cultivator¡¯s face turned dark, and he coldly said to Zhao Ling True Monarch: ¡°This question involves our sect¡¯s secrets, and I don¡¯t wish to answer it.¡± Zhao Ling True Monarch also laughed coldly: ¡°Even if it truly involves a sect¡¯s secrets, you must still answer this question, or else you will be deemed eliminated.¡± ¡°Why is this?!¡± The Eastern Emperor Path cultivator¡¯s eyes immediately widened. ¡°There is no why. This is my trial, and I set the rules,¡± Zhao Ling True Monarch said indifferently. Luo Yan also sneered inwardly. From Zhao Ling True Monarch¡¯s earlier attitude regarding the Inhuman Demon, Luo Yan had immediately deduced that the true lords in the Golden Que Secret Realm held a deep animosity towards races other than the human race. Thinking about it, White Jade Capital and Golden Que were probably established in the early ancient times when the human race had not yet dominated the world, so it was normal to have a hostile attitude towards other races. Considering that these true lords have a lot of authority, naturally they could use this to first eliminate that Eastern Emperor Path cultivator¡­ Otherwise, wouldn¡¯t that mean I¡¯m not as clever as Stone Lady? Sure enough, with Zhao Ling True Monarch unreasonable stance, the Eastern Emperor Path cultivator had no choice but to leave in anger: ¡°Such blatant favoritism, how unfair! I will not accompany you any further!¡± ¡°We won¡¯t see you out,¡± Zhao Ling True Monarch said coldly. The other party left so cleanly, which was also within Luo Yan¡¯s expectations. After all, if he had stayed to forcefully answer and then had Zhao Ling True Monarch judge the truth, that would have truly exposed the sect¡¯s secrets. Although this direct exit was practically the same as making it clear¡­ Not even half way through the round, and already two had been eliminated. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only The danger was invisible and colorless, yet it gave the impression of the intense and thrilling sensation of swords and shadows. Continuing with the rotation from Luo Yan to the right, skipping over the already eliminated Heavenly Demon Path and Eastern Emperor Path cultivators, it was the Asura Path¡¯s turnamk monk¡¯s turn. With Penglai having two people left, Shushan one, and only one remaining from the Six Paths, it was clear that the orthodox paths would unite to take him down next, and then compete with each other. Knowing he had no chance of winning, the turnamk monk steeled himself and rudely asked Stone Liuli: ¡°Hey, girl, when you and your husband next to you sleep together, what position do you like to use?¡± In the turnamk monk¡¯s view, this girl who looked so refined and reserved must be too embarrassed to answer such a bedroom conversation in front of so many strangers. ¡°I like to be held by my husband while sleeping,¡± Stone Liuli answered honestly, her eyes clear and without a hint of improper thoughts. Chapter 703 Chapter 703: Chapter 37: Kill to the End Chapter 703: Chapter 37: Kill to the End ¡°This¡­¡± the monk hesitated for a moment, ¡°Falsehood.¡± This Master Dong You was so stunningly beautiful that he questioned himself-if he were Master Jingyun, with such a gentle and soft beauty in his arms, he absolutely wouldn¡¯t be able to restrain himself. ¡°However, it is the truth,¡± Lord Zhonghou laughed heartily. Therefore, Shi Liuli passed the test without incident, while Master Tian Qi and the monk could only look at Luo Yan in amazement. ¡°It was just ordinary meditative concentration,¡± he said. ¡°No, you don¡¯t need to explain that¡­¡± When it came to Master Tian Qi¡¯s turn to ask a question, he hesitated slightly before turning his head to target Luo Yan and asked, ¡°I heard that the Golden Core you formed is of the Second Grade. I would like to ask how you managed to form a Second Grade Golden Core?¡± Upon hearing this, Luo Yan immediately frowned. Firstly, why did this guy choose to challenge me? Shouldn¡¯t our Orthodox Sect first unite to take down that Asura monk? Of course, his thoughts turned only for a moment before Luo Yan understood the other party¡¯s scheme: If Master Tian Qi chose to take out the monk, he would then be attacked by both from Penglai. wuxiaworld.site But if he could take down one person from Penglai, they would enter into a three-way stand-off, which would increase his own chances of winning. And this question also happened to strike at Luo Yan¡¯s vital weakness. Although he usually boasted with great confidence about his Great Wisdom, Great Determination, and Great Resolve, Luo Yan was well aware of why he was able to accumulate eight hundred years of Refining Mansion cultivation. Wasn¡¯t it all due to Ah Jing¡¯s Mirror Flower Water Moon and time-space travel, playing roles among the Great Sects and reaping all the benefits? This was an absolutely sensitive issue that couldn¡¯t be discussed! Luo Yan was about to concoct a lie to muddle through when he suddenly heard Shi Liuli cough, and the memory of her question and answer surfaced in his mind. She had been asked ¡°what posture do you sleep in,¡± and clearly, the sleep mentioned had a different meaning than what the monk intended to ask. Does that mean to misinterpret? Realizing this, and recalling the earlier odd behavior of Lord Zhonghou, Luo Yan had an epiphany. So that¡¯s how it is; although using unwinnable tactics to attack an opponent is not allowed, using wordplay to defend oneself is permitted. ¡°That¡¯s easy,¡± Luo Yan said nonchalantly, ¡°Undergo the tribulation, survive, and then form a Second Grade Golden Core.¡± Master Tian Qi: ??? Is that what I asked? He looked incredulously at Lord Zhonghou, only to hear the latter say, ¡°You make the judgment first.¡± ¡°Naturally, it¡¯s the truth,¡± Master Tian Qi said through gritted teeth. Lord Zhonghou pinched his fingers for a while and frowned as he said, ¡°What he just said¡­¡± ¡°¡­ contains falsehood.¡± Inside the pavilion, there was a long silence, followed by a strange atmosphere spreading out. What falsehood? Where is the falsehood? Undergoing the tribulation? Who doesn¡¯t need to undergo a tribulation when forming a core? Surviving? Could it be that the real Luo Yan had been struck dead? Second Grade Golden Core? With the vast Penglai Yuqing View and the Wan Xiang Immortal to verify, could they really not tell what grade Golden Core Luo Yan had formed? So where exactly lies the falsehood? The more they thought about it, the more terrified and perplexed everyone became. Even Shi Liuli revealed a look of shocked suspicion and couldn¡¯t help but secretly transmit a message to inquire: ¡°Husband, what you just mentioned¡­¡± ¡°The inaccuracy lies in ¡®then¡¯,¡± Luo Yan simply replied to her, ¡°There were some problems with the Tribulation at the time.¡± With Shi Liuli¡¯s orchid heart and bright nature, she naturally imagined many possibilities in an instant. Could it be that he formed his Golden Core before the Tribulation had even ended? According to historical records, such a possibility did not lack precedent. For example, when the power of the Heavenly Tribulation is too great and does not match the grade of the cultivator¡¯s Golden Core, it¡¯s rare but possible for the cultivator to form the Core before the last wave of Tribulation arrives-of course, for the cultivator, this means unnecessarily enduring an additional wave of Tribulation, which is quite unlucky, to say the least. So, was that the case with her husband? Shi Liuli suddenly felt a surge of displeasure: her husband usually spoke of everything as though there were no secrets between them, yet behind the scenes, he deliberately concealed many things from her, which was the height of falsehood! The Kunlun Mirror noticed an increase in the Synchronization Value and intended to remind Luo Yan, but then it thought how this fellow had complained long ago about too many prompts and asked it to stop reporting. ???G?.?? So, it simply pretended to have seen nothing. Oh, how it longed to see Guan Shui¡¯s identity exposed and watch her chased to the ends of the earth¡­ On the other side, Master Tian Qi, having failed his attack, fell silent as well. It was then Shi Liuli¡¯s turn. Already in a foul mood, she turned her head towards Master Tian Qi and asked: ¡°Tian Qi, when you chose to address my husband just now, were you hoping to eliminate him from contention?¡± Seeing her approach with such a fierce momentum, Master Tian Qi could only smile wryly in his heart. To make a move against Penglai was a matter that could be seen as both significant and trivial. In the worst-case scenario, it would mean betraying the fellow members of the Orthodox Sect for the sake of personal interests; shouldn¡¯t you have eliminated the Asura Path¡¯s monk first at least? On the minor end, everyone here is carrying out the tasks entrusted by their Sects, and in the end, we are bound to confront each other, aren¡¯t we? Additionally, considering that the two people before had already provided the correct example, he knew well by now that no matter what question was asked, all he needed to do was to misconstrue it. However, the question was whether such twisting of words would be effective? Although the Heavenly Craft Workshop had lost Elder Shi Ding, it was still the largest source of Magic Artifacts production to date. By asking in such a way, Shi Liuli was not really questioning about the conflict between orthodox and heretical forces but rather threatening the other party: Do you want to offend the Heavenly Craft Workshop? If you offend the Heavenly Craft Workshop, forget about obtaining any Flying Swords forged by Master Dong You. And, as for the other producer of Flying Swords, it seemed to be Master Dong You¡¯s senior fellow disciple¡­ After pondering for a moment, Master Tian Qi thought that it wasn¡¯t that he was afraid of Master Dong You, but mainly because he had failed to eliminate Master Jingyun and would subsequently be besieged by him and his wife. The likelihood of winning the trial was too low to justify the risk of offending the Heavenly Craft Workshop. It would be better to just plainly favor them. ¡°Not at all,¡± he chose his words carefully and responded, ¡°It¡¯s just that within this secret realm, everyone must contend for their Sects. Since Master Jingyun has won, I might as well withdraw.¡± Having said that, Master Tian Qi made an apologetic gesture with his hands and then rose to leave with an air of nonchalance, leaving Luo Yan dumbfounded. Watching the other party leave without a trace of reluctance, he realized that this Shushan master had been ready to retreat all along. But how had his wife foreseen it in advance? Now only three people remained in the field, and the right to ask questions fell into Luo Yan¡¯s hands. He had already prepared his question earlier and now asked the monk without hesitation: ¡°I have heard that the Buddhism of the Asura Path differs greatly from that of Eastern Land Buddhism. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only May I ask which is superior?¡± Upon hearing this, the monk was struck dumb. The Esoteric Buddhism practiced by the Asura Path indeed diverged from the Mahayana and Theravada Buddhism of the Eastern Land, but the issue was that the monk himself had never practiced Buddhism, so how could he know? ¡°Naturally, the Buddhism of our Asura Path is more exquisite,¡± after much deliberation, the monk could only brazen it out and respond. ¡°Lying,¡± remarked Luo Yan with a mere glance, immediately realizing the monk was bluffing, and swiftly stated. ¡°Indeed, he was bluffing,¡± the arbiter flicked his fingers and with a clap laughed admiringly, ¡°Brilliant!¡± Chapter 704 Chapter 704: Chapter 38 Luo Yan Cleverly Responds to Shi Liuli Chapter 704: Chapter 38 Luo Yan Cleverly Responds to Shi Liuli The second round had barely passed its halfway mark, and six competitors have already been eliminated, two-thirds of them. The two remaining happened to be husband and wife, which surprised even the revered Central Watcher. What intrigued him even more, however, was how the couple would strategize against each other next¡­ Although the husband might not have realized it, the wife seemed eager to start. ¡°It¡¯s simple now.¡± Luo Yan said with a smile after the scowling beffrobed monk had left. ¡°Liuli, I¡¯ll just bow out then.¡± ¡°Hold on,¡± Shi Liuli said calmly, ¡°since it¡¯s the same whoever wins, why don¡¯t we follow the rules? Otherwise, such blatant favoritism won¡¯t look good to the revered Tianjun, right?¡± ¡°Exactly, exactly!¡± the Central Watcher hurriedly agreed, ¡°If you quit now, it wouldn¡¯t be according to the rules.¡± Since when were there rules against quitting voluntarily? Luo Yan had a million complaints in his mind, but considering the adage about not reasoning with a woman, he felt it was best not to say too much. However, it was somewhat nostalgic to see Miss Shi, who was usually calm and composed, suddenly reveal this unreasonable side that she had kept hidden for so long. With this thought, he was almost moved to tears, thinking that since the lady wanted to play, he¡¯d play along with her. ¡°It¡¯s my turn to ask a question,¡± Shi Liuli addressed him composedly, ¡°Husband, have you been keeping a lot of secrets from me?¡± wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site ¡°Wrong answer,¡± the Central Watcher responded quickly. ¡°Hmph.¡± Shi Liuli slightly curved her lips, revealing an indistinct emotional nuance, and said calmly, ¡°Husband, it¡¯s your turn.¡± Luo Yan: ¡­¡­¡­. So we¡¯re doing a lie detector test now, huh? ???G?.?0 ¡°Lady, are you using your Art Calculation tactics to spy on your husband¡¯s whereabouts?¡± he countered, not wanting to be outdone. ¡°That¡¯s correct,¡± Shi Liuli replied without hesitation, ¡°Husband and wife should not only love but also know each other. My calculations of your whereabouts are to better understand you and to further consider for you, with no other thoughts mixed in.¡± ¡°An excuse?¡± Luo Yan ventured. ¡°Wrong,¡± the Central Watcher pronounced gravely, ¡°It¡¯s the truth.¡± It was actually the truth! Luo Yan suddenly didn¡¯t know whether to be happy or sad. Happy that the Liuli Lady still loved him after all, but sad that her desire for control was a bit too strong. Can¡¯t a man have his little secrets? If she dared to calculate my movements now, I can¡¯t even imagine what she might deduce in the future! ¡°Husband,¡± Shi Liuli continued to question, ¡°who is secretly nurturing you from behind?¡± ¡°This¡­¡± Luo Yan found himself in a quandary. He had anticipated this: if he said yes, Shi Liuli would accuse him of lying; if he said no, she would claim it was the truth. The guessing game would go on based on whether she confirmed her suspicions¡­ Of course, if the guess was wrong, the game would end. The issue was Luo Yan knew all too well that her guess was spot on! She was suspecting Ah Jing, ah! It looks like I have to twist the truth! Now, let me think¡­ Thanks to his extraordinary ability to learn with a single exposure, Luo Yan quickly thought of a solution and replied: ¡°There is no one secretly nurturing me from behind.¡± Ah Jing is in my Sea of Consciousness, not behind me! ¡°The truth,¡± Lord Zhonghou said leisurely. Shi Liuli¡¯s gaze sharpened, and she realized that her words had been twisted. She was about to ask again, but then she remembered that it was now her husband¡¯s turn, so she smiled lightly and said nothing, her thoughts whirling quickly in her mind. ¡°My lady,¡± Luo Yan asked with a smile, ¡°have you ever felt for a moment that, as a husband, I am utterly useless and without your hard work, I would surely turn the Heavenly Craft Workshop upside down?¡± ¡°No!¡± Shi Liuli exclaimed in desperation, ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°The truth!¡± Luo Yan immediately shouted. ¡°Wrong, it¡¯s a lie,¡± Lord Zhonghou said calmly. Shi Liuli reined in her anger and silently repeated the Calming Incantation several times in her mind, then stared at Luo Yan and asked: ¡°Husband, have you had any dalliances with other women since our marriage?¡± ¡°Liuli,¡± Luo Yan replied without hesitation, gravely, ¡°Since marrying you, I have never had any improper conduct with any other woman!¡± Shi Liuli stared at him, feeling as if a huge weight had been lifted from her heart. As long as he doesn¡¯t deceive me about this one thing, even if he keeps other secrets from me, it¡¯s all right¡­ ¡°The truth.¡± She couldn¡¯t help smiling. This time it wasn¡¯t the placating faux smile for her husband¡¯s benefit, but a genuine smile of joy from her heart. ¡°Wonderful,¡± Lord Zhonghou remarked with emotion, ¡°The gap between hearts is like a chasm. To truly know each other, how difficult is it?¡± ¡°Suspicions arise when actions are unknown; even so, to still stand by each other, that¡¯s what shows the true value of love¡­¡± ¡°Alright, alright, that¡¯s enough.¡± Luo Yan had already found him disagreeable, and now that Shi Liuli had secured her place at the Golden Que, he interrupted the other man irritably. ¡°Hahaha, I¡¯ll stop there,¡± Lord Zhonghou waved his hand and then said to Shi Liuli, ¡°Your talent in Art Calculation is truly rare in the world.¡± ¡°Normally, those who secure a place have to wait in the Soaring Heaven Pavilion, but I suspect it will take some time to gather all twelve. If you¡¯re interested, you could learn our Art Calculation in this Golden Que Secret Realm.¡± ¡°Art Calculation?¡± Luo Yan asked incredulously. ¡°Yes,¡± Lord Zhonghou said with a smile, ¡°All twelve of us Lord True Monarchs are ancient cultivators proficient in Art Calculation.¡± Luo Yan suddenly felt a sense of foreboding. This Liuli Lady, already so brilliantly clever, if she were to fully master the way of Art Calculation, how much longer could I live? ¡°Cough cough,¡± Luo Yan coughed and said, ¡°Actually, it¡¯s sufficient to learn enough Art Calculation for practical use; there¡¯s no need to go any further¡­¡± ¡°Learn,¡± Shi Liuli said earnestly, ¡°Of course I want to learn.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Luo Yan quickly changed tack, ¡°It might seem unnecessary, but considering the current struggle between good and evil, it is indeed essential to learn some for self-defense.¡± Shi Liuli gave him a scornful look and gracefully left with her maids. ¡°You¡¯re quite clever,¡± Lord Zhonghou said meaningfully, looking at him, ¡°But, you should know that a master of Art Calculation is not so easy to deal with.¡± ¡°Trying to deceive a master of Art Calculation is tantamount to courting death, so you¡¯d better take care of yourself.¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± Luo Yan couldn¡¯t be bothered with him and simply strode away. After leaving the pavilion where Lord Zhonghou resided, Luo Yan started to worry again. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Miss Shi¡¯s suspicions are growing stronger; what should I do? As Lord Zhonghou said, once she becomes a master of Art Calculation, calculating here and there, it¡¯ll be like having ten thousand cameras watching me twenty-four hours a day. I wonder if Ah Jing can stand up to Miss Shi¡¯s scanning¡­ ugh, what am I saying, scanning? It¡¯s Art Calculation! Chapter 705 Chapter 705: Chapter 39: The Fairy¡¯s Warning, Luo Yan Awakens Chapter 705: Chapter 39: The Fairy¡¯s Warning, Luo Yan Awakens ¡°` Luo Yan wandered around the outside and soon realized that most of the tests had already begun. It wasn¡¯t surprising, since the previous tests had also lasted until noon the next day; it was likely that the other tests were similar. Unless there was a test that could end early today, he might as well wait until tomorrow. With this in mind, Luo Yan wasn¡¯t in a hurry to claim a position; he just roamed around the Golden Que Secret Realm, treating it as a sightseeing tour. Upon closer examination, he discovered that the Golden Que was all show and no substance; despite the presence of pavilions and towers everywhere, they were merely splendid in appearance with little sign of long-term habitation on the inside. Though most attendants hovered around various True Monarchs, they also had their own ranges of movement. To be precise, the attendants of each True Monarch would only patrol within a specifically designated area. Hmm? Luo Yan suddenly stopped and showed a strange expression. After making a round around the Golden Que Secret Realm, a mental map of the entire Golden Que Palace City emerged in his mind. Innumerable pavilions and towers were divided into unevenly shaped areas of various sizes along corridors, passageways, and the edges of buildings, with each area being roughly the same size. The only place excluded from these areas was the Soaring Heaven Pavilion at the very center. All cultivators vying for the position of the Master of the Golden Que from the True Monarchs would be guided to the Soaring Heaven Pavilion until a total of twelve were gathered. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co Luo Yan calculated silently once more. Indeed, there were only ten areas in the entire palace, not twelve. Twelve True Monarchs, why only ten areas? If there were eleven areas, Luo Yan might have thought that perhaps a pair like a couple, siblings, or Daoist companions were sharing an area¡­ but with only ten areas, it certainly couldn¡¯t be that there were two couples, could it? The more likely fact was that two areas were concealed. Considering the character of these masters of art calculation, Luo Yan felt that this was the truth-there are twelve True Monarchs here, but only ten appear before you; go find the remaining two! With that thought, Luo Yan let out a cold laugh. Child¡¯s play, can it escape my scan? Thus, he circled around the periphery of the Golden Que Secret Realm meticulously once more. And then he detected unusual spatial fluctuations near the Soaring Heaven Pavilion. For an ordinary cultivator, even if they found the concealed space, they probably couldn¡¯t find a way in, but Luo Yan was no ordinary cultivator. He took out the Heavenly Weaving God Shuttle from his treasure bag, then energized his True Yuan and threw it into the air. Next, Luo Yan found himself in another space. All around him was a vast expanse of fog, and he was shrouded in a dense mist so thick he couldn¡¯t see his own hands. Before Luo Yan could take any action, the thick fog seemed to consciously part to both sides. ¡°Not bad.¡± A young female immortal slowly walked out from the fog, her face showing a peculiarly shocked expression, ¡°To find this place-is the test I set up.¡± ¡°I used Qimen Dunjia to reverse the spatial orientation of this place and then activated a secret technique to conceal it into the void; finally, the clues to enter here were scattered in every corner of the Golden Que Secret Realm.¡± ¡°Unless one is a master of art calculation who has found all the clues I left behind, it would be impossible to enter here.¡± ¡°And yet, without finding a single clue, you managed to arrive here successfully, and I really can¡¯t see how you did it.¡± ¡°` Luo Yan then revealed a faint smile and said with feigned sincerity, ¡°The illusions laid out by the True Immortal are indeed brilliant; I was just lucky.¡± He certainly couldn¡¯t tell her, ¡°Your maze was nothing special, I merely scanned to find the entrance and then walked through the walls to enter, it was quite easy.¡± Upon hearing Luo Yan¡¯s words, the fairy knew that the other party had no intention of answering, so she scoffed coldly and asked, ¡°Is Dong You the True Person your Daoist Companion?¡± ¡°Oh? You know her?¡± Luo Yan was also surprised. How long had it been since he entered, and Miss Shi¡¯s reputation had already spread among the True Immortals? ¡°She is inside studying Art Calculation,¡± the fairy said, reining in her scorn, ¡°It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t want to tell me. According to the rules, the position at the Que is now yours.¡± ¡°Right, let me offer you another piece of advice.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t try to fool a master of Art Calculation, or you will regret it sooner or later.¡± Luo Yan became furious upon hearing this and said coldly, ¡°Do all you masters of Art Calculation like to pry into other people¡¯s privacy?¡± ¡°My Divine Secret Skill, since it has helped me enter this place, must certainly not be a common Grade Rank Divine Skill! You all are so keen to find out about it, what¡¯s the reasoning behind that?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not referring to that matter,¡± the fairy shook her head, her voice indifferent, ¡°You bear a heavy karma, and it has been concealed by some extremely clever method.¡± ¡°With your Daoist Companion¡¯s temperament, do you think she would ignore it?¡± Luo Yan was immediately left speechless. After the loss of her father, Liuli underwent a complete change-not so much in temperament, but rather, she transferred the focus of her emotional dependency from her father, Elder Shi Ding, to her husband Luo Yan. Elder Shi Ding was a High Rank Nascent Soul Cultivator, held a transcendent status at Yuqing View, and the Heavenly Craft Workshop was brimming with accomplished disciples, monopolizing the Artifact Refining market of the entire Cultivation Realm-thus Liuli was naive, carefree, and indulged in pleasures-because Elder Shi Ding wanted her to live happily. ???G?.?? However, when Luo Yan took over as head of the Heavenly Craft Workshop, there were no Nascent Soul Cultivators left to stabilize the situation. With only three of the previous six disciples remaining, she naturally had to mature quickly, racking her brains to help her husband manage Heavenly Craft Workshop-also because Luo Yan needed someone to deal with the trifles. Therefore, Luo Yan had long seen through: Miss Shi was a typical dependent personality, and the key to realizing her value in life was in being needed. As long as I, her husband, keep slacking off, she¡¯ll be able to derive a sense of accomplishment from ¡°being needed by her husband.¡± But correspondingly, there were drawbacks; she would try to help her husband more and delve deeper. Or rather, it was a stronger desire for control. Traditional family values dictate ¡°men take charge outside the home, women inside,¡± which essentially clarifies the rights and responsibilities of husband and wife to avoid conflicts. If in some family, the wife manages both inside and outside, then what other outcome can there be for the husband who is merely supported, other than to report everything to the wife? Of course, there wouldn¡¯t be any! Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Upon realizing this, Luo Yan finally came to an epiphany: One should not try to casually brush off Liuli as one would with An Zhisu; with her current temperament and mode of thinking, the more one tries to brush things off, the more she will strive to investigate thoroughly! ¡°Thank you for the warning, True Immortal,¡± Luo Yan replied earnestly, performing a polite gesture. ¡°It¡¯s good that you understand,¡± said the fairy with dignified nod. Understand what¡­ Inside his Sea of Consciousness, the Kunlun Mirror couldn¡¯t help but complain to the Green Duckweed Sword. Chapter 706 Chapter 706: Chapter 40 Madam Jiang is No Stone Lady Chapter 706: Chapter 40 Madam Jiang is No Stone Lady The events that followed naturally need not be mentioned in detail. After leaving the Golden Que Secret Realm, a scene reminiscent of a movie unfolded below, with mountains being moved and seas being filled on a grand scale. Although it seemed perilous, the immortals simply aimed to protect their juniors as they retreated, not truly putting their lives on the line; thus, their techniques were mostly restraining in nature and essentially non-lethal. Under the vigilant protection of Tian Lan Zhenren, Luo Yan and Shi Liuli swiftly opened a path with their magical treasures and then retreated back to Penglai¡¯s ranks. Wan Xiang Immortal intervened, blocking all attacks from the Demon Cultivate Immortals, ensuring the safety of the group from Yuqing View as they withdrew to Penglai. Back in Penglai, the reward ceremony naturally ensued. As a reward for obtaining a position in the Golden Que, Wan Xiang Immortal bestowed upon Shi Liuli an elixir that was strikingly red, emitting a peculiar sweet scent. Suddenly, Luo Yan realized the elixir seemed strangely familiar¡­ ¡°The floods along the eastern coast of Divine Land have now been quelled,¡± praised Wan Xiang Immortal. ¡°Dong You, your Art Calculation is indeed exquisite. You should further cultivate in this area and not waste your talent.¡± ¡°Many thanks, Immortal,¡± Shi Liuli said with a smile. ¡°Jingyun,¡± Wan Xiang Immortal turned back, ¡°Dong You has already told me. You have reached Great Perfection in the Root Seeking Rank but are still at a bottleneck. wuxiaworld.site Therefore, no elixir for you.¡± ¡°Here is a branch of the Seven Treasures Colored Glaze Bodhi Tree, take it to play with.¡± The Seven Treasures Colored Glaze Bodhi Tree, isn¡¯t that a treasure of the Buddhist Sect? Luo Yan murmured to himself as he accepted the treasure, thanking him profusely. Back at the Heavenly Craft Workshop, Luo Yan began to study the treasure. The Seven Treasures Colored Glaze Bodhi Branch was made of crystal-clear glass that resembled a tree branch, sparkling and radiant. Once True Yuan was infused into it, infinite Buddha Light sprang forth, which could be directed with a mere thought, almost like an added limb. What use do I have for this thing? ¡°Has my husband ever heard of the ¡®Four Colored Glaze Treasures¡¯?¡± Seeing his look of disdain, Shi Liuli finally couldn¡¯t bear it and reminded him, ¡°This Seven Treasures Colored Glaze Bodhi Branch is an extremely precious Buddhist artefact.¡± ¡°The Four Colored Glaze Treasures are the Colored Glaze Tower, Colored Glaze Lamp, Colored Glaze Branch, and Colored Glaze Bead. Among them, the Colored Glaze Tower can create a pure land, the Colored Glaze Lamp can cleanse evil, the Colored Glaze Branch can penetrate bottlenecks, and the Colored Glaze Bead can nurture the Divine Soul.¡± ¡°If you use the Buddha Light from this Seven Treasures Colored Glaze Bodhi Branch to cleanse your Sea of Consciousness regularly, it can help keep your state of mind clear, which is beneficial for breaking through bottlenecks-if my husband doesn¡¯t plan to use it, why not give it to me? I can rent it out as a special treasure of the Heavenly Craft Workshop, and it would bring a substantial income every month¡­¡± ¡°Alright, my wife, say no more, your husband understands,¡± Luo Yan said with a mix of laughter and tears, quickly storing the Seven Treasures Colored Glaze Bodhi Branch in the Heavenly Craft Treasury Bag and coaxing Shi Liuli, ¡°In fact, my wife has forgotten to mention one more treasure, ¡®Wife Shi Liuli of Luo Yan¡¯.¡± ¡°Stop with your sweet talk,¡± said Shi Liuli, breaking into a smile, ¡°the Four Colored Glaze Treasures each have their names, where would mine fit in?¡± ¡°There are five treasures in the Four Colored Glaze Treasures, isn¡¯t that common knowledge?¡± Luo Yan stated nonchalantly, ¡°When someone collects those Four Colored Glaze Treasures, they will understand that these are incomparable to the treasure I have at home.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid they¡¯ll steal me away?¡± Shi Liuli glanced at him sideways. ¡°Not afraid,¡± Luo Yan declared boldly, ¡°Whoever dares to steal my Liuli, I will fight them to the end!¡± ¡°Hmph,¡± Shi Liuli also laughed, ¡°I feel the same.¡± ¡°What do you feel the same about?¡± ¡°If someone tries to steal my husband, I will fight them to the end,¡± Shi Liuli said with a smile. Although the young wife was smiling, her tone carried an undeniable firmness, which sent a chill down Luo Yan¡¯s spine. If one day, their existence were all to be known by Shi Liuli¡­ No, don¡¯t scare yourself. An Zhisu, Xu Yinglian, aren¡¯t they even more capable than Shi Liuli? If I really need to be frightened, it would be because I¡¯m afraid Senior Sister An would use her sword to behead me, Junior Sister Xu would burn me with fire. What could young mistress Shi do? Trace my movements and then inform the other two? Hahahaha¡­ After continuing to be affectionate with Shi Liuli for a moment, Luo Yan finally returned to his own room, and with great vigor, he ordered: ¡°Ah Jing, reload the save!¡± [Point Four: Central Peak, residence of Tong Xuan Gate.] [Character Identity: Wei Dongliu.] [Mirror Flower Water Moon Template overlaying, currently time-space traveling.] Having not loaded this save for a long time, Wei Dongliu was transported here, and he conveniently took out the sect¡¯s documents of Mortal Life Path to read them carefully. Since the reorganization of Mortal Life Path, some time had already passed. Now, under the management of Madam Jiang¡­ ?0?G0.?? Ah, under my brilliant leadership, it has indeed shown signs of resurgence. Not only has the number of cultivators within the sect reached new heights, but the sphere of influence has also completely taken over Mount Wutai and completely expelled other factions. Today¡¯s Mount Wutai has long ceased to be the place anyone could set foot on; it has truly become the territory of Mortal Life Path. As such, it is widely acknowledged that Mortal Life Path has completely risen, even though it¡¯s not yet able to contend with the Heavenly Demon and Nether Ghost paths, it is, nevertheless, now on the same level. Of course, Wei Dongliu knows very well in his heart: there are too many low-rank cultivators in Mortal Life Path, and the number of high-rank cultivators still falls short in comparison to the other two paths, as for organizational structure, it¡¯s much weaker. To say that the Six Paths have a three-legged stand is truly overvaluing Mortal Life Path. But that doesn¡¯t matter. After all, Wei Dongliu¡¯s goal isn¡¯t to ¡°make Mortal Life Path great again¡± but to create a persona of a ¡°leader who can make Mortal Life Path great again¡±. To rule over the Six Paths, that is my goal! ¡°Why is my husband suddenly interested in the affairs of the sect today?¡± Jiang Lian teased him by his ear. ¡°Isn¡¯t it because my wife is capable of more work?¡± Wei Dongliu replied casually. ¡°Oh?¡± Jiang Lian then sat in his arms and asked with a sweet laugh, ¡°Why does my husband suddenly talk such sweet nothings?¡± Wei Dongliu tensed up internally, only then remembering that this was Madam Jiang, not young mistress Shi! If young mistress Shi could be considered sugar to be savored in the mouth, then Madam Jiang would be a devil¡¯s pepper coated in chili oil. Sugar can be savored slowly, but devil¡¯s pepper can¡¯t¡­ it¡¯s too spicy. And sure enough, Jiang Lian had already started to grope around erratically. Wei Dongliu quickly grabbed her restless hand and said solemnly: ¡°What¡¯s this, your face is red? Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only With such delicate skin, how can you serve well as Vice Sect Leader?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll show you if my skin is thin¡­¡± Jiang Lian, infuriated, who as the daughter of a Demon King had never suffered such humiliation, immediately stimulated all her demonic techniques, intent on bringing out all of Wei Dongliu¡¯s desires. Inside his Sea of Consciousness, the Kunlun Mirror sighed and then defended against all these demonic technique traps. Wei Dongliu was oblivious and simply held the constantly squirming Jiang Lian tightly, turned into the form of a red-haired, heavy-eyed Demon King, and said in a cold voice: ¡°Quiet!¡± Jiang Lian did indeed quiet down, simply resting her chin on his shoulder motionlessly, her eyes innocently watching him, as if she was a naive and pure young girl. This contrast was lethal to most men, and there was even a specific term to describe it: ¡°pure yet desiring¡±. But Wei Dongliu was after all very experienced in handling such matters and showed no sign of losing control, which made Jiang Lian sneer in her heart, her obsession growing even deeper. Chapter 707 Chapter 707: Chapter 41: Borrowing a Sword, Not Being Given One Chapter 707: Chapter 41: Borrowing a Sword, Not Being Given One ¡°` Jiang Lian was practicing a Demonic Technique. Of course, every Heavenly Demon practiced Demonic Techniques, but as a top Heavenly Demon of the Great Unrestrained Heaven, the Demonic Technique Jiang Lian practiced was undoubtedly of the highest rank, allowing her to gain a great deal of power from pure desires¡­ rather than using it as sustenance for their existence like other Heavenly Demons. When one cultivated a Demonic Technique to a profound level, various mysterious premonitions would arise, such as sensing danger before it arrived, or knowing the instant she saw Wei Dongliu that he was her fated lover. The so-called ¡®fated lover¡¯ wasn¡¯t a notion that existed within Heavenly Demon circles. Most Heavenly Demons considered the Human Race to be like pouch-shaped jellies, which they would just grab and suck dry. However, Jiang Lian was an exception among the Heavenly Demons, as she had been considering sustainable development for quite some time: Why bother with constant sucking if she could find a man who would keep her continuously obsessed? In a sense, this was also the dividing line between nomadic and agricultural civilizations-the former relied purely on what nature provided and would simply die off without it, while the latter could at least exercise more initiative. Moreover, Wei Dongliu was truly a remarkable man. Ever since she was with him, Jiang the Witch could find new delights every day, her emotions fluctuating like a roller coaster, and her Demonic Technique cultivation level soared. This made her younger sisters Li Chou and Li Hen rather envious, and they were also beginning to consider finding their own loaf of bread to date. As for whether she became Daoist Companions with Wei Dongliu out of love or for the sake of increasing her Demonic Technique cultivation, her younger sisters believed it was the latter. wuxiaworld.site Meanwhile, Jiang Lian kept her silence on this matter, never responding to such questions. ¡°By the way, I might have to return to the headquarters of the Demonic Path soon,¡± she said coquettishly, wrapping her arms around Wei Dongliu¡¯s neck. ¡°Oh, what happened?¡± Wei Dongliu asked calmly. ¡°Our Demonic Path headquarters is on Great Pan Mountain in the East Sea near Yangzhou, right?¡± Jiang Lian chuckled, ¡°Lately, for some reason, there have been frequent tsunamis there, and most of our buildings on the island are submerged. I need to go back and check on things.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Wei Dongliu nodded indifferently, ¡°Then you should go.¡± This indifferent scoundrel didn¡¯t show any sign of reluctance to part, which really angered Jiang the Witch. So, fuming with rage, she left the sect, rode the Demonic Mist, and flew directly towards the east. The reason she ran off to the east, of course, wasn¡¯t to protect the sect¡­ What¡¯s the Demonic Path to them? Just a toy! She was actually going to meet her younger sisters. Above the East Sea, Jiang Lian and her sisters, Li Chou and Li Hen, stood on nothingness, surrounded by dense black fog that completely enveloped them, making it utterly impossible to glimpse anything inside from the outside. ¡°My husband is going to Golden Que,¡± Jiang Lian said coldly, ¡°You know about Golden Que, right?¡± ¡°One of the four major nodes,¡± Li Chou replied. ¡°Like the gun carriage for a big canon,¡± Li Hen added. ¡°Inside Golden Que are Arrays set up to prevent our Heavenly Demons from invading,¡± Jiang Lian said icily, ¡°As Heavenly Demons, is there anywhere in the Great Thousand Worlds where we cannot go? Can you tolerate such a thing?¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± ¡°Absolutely not,¡± the two sisters replied in unison. Talk is cheap, after all, as they all knew full well, the sister was simply worried about letting her husband go in alone and just wanted a sister to go in and keep an eye on him. ¡°Hmm,¡± Jiang Lian was satisfied with their understanding and asked, ¡°Which one of you will go in and scout for me?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go,¡± Li Chou volunteered. Compared to her younger sister, Li Hen, Li Chou was more mature and stable. Jiang Lian felt more at ease with her, so she nodded with authority. Meanwhile, since his wife had unhappily returned to her maiden home, Wei Dongliu finally felt a bit of pressure. In this sect, why were there so many affairs to deal with every day? ¡°` So he called his disciples Guo Jin and Wang Cong over and said, ¡°How has your cultivation been progressing recently? What, you haven¡¯t achieved Core Formation yet! The Refining Mansion rank is a time to test one¡¯s patience in grinding work; not having formed a core isn¡¯t necessarily a bad thing. ???G?.?? First, help master deal with these affairs.¡± ¡°Master.¡± Guo Jin earnestly said, ¡°Disciple has recently had some fortuitous encounters and has accumulated two hundred years of Refining Mansion cultivation, hence plans to attempt Core Formation¡­¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Wei Dongliu showed a ¡®just as I thought¡¯ expression and calmly said, ¡°Third Grade Golden Core, you have indeed been working hard recently.¡± ¡°Since you wish to undergo Core Formation, then you don¡¯t have to do any work for now. Wang Cong!¡± Wang Cong approached with a sour face: ¡°Master.¡± ¡°How much Refining Mansion cultivation do you have?¡± ¡°One hundred and thirty years¡­¡± ¡°Only one hundred and thirty years?!¡± Wei Dongliu said displeased, ¡°Your senior brother didn¡¯t start much before you, right? He has already accumulated over two hundred years!¡± ¡°Master ah!¡± Wang Cong immediately began to pour out his grievances, ¡°You don¡¯t know how lucky senior brother is!¡± The young woman prattled on, elaborating on all the instances of Guo Jin¡¯s good fortune with great exaggeration, as if he was just short of walking out the door and stumbling upon secret medicine from the Purple Mansion falling from the sky. Wei Dongliu naturally wouldn¡¯t take these clever and articulate complaints of his second disciple for the truth, but his first disciple Guo Jin indeed had great fortune upon him, which Madam Jiang seemed to have mentioned to me before. Well, it¡¯s indeed different from the type of fortune Shi Liuli has. Shi Liuli¡¯s previous encounter was like directly cheating ¨C she pulled the spiritual strings and changed the answers so they would work in her favor; whereas Guo Jin¡¯s luck is more akin to a passive protagonist¡¯s destiny, serendipitously stumbling upon the right answer¡­ Looking at Guo Jin¡¯s bashful and honest face, Wei Dongliu chuckled yet again. Upon reflection, it indeed was the case. Had his luck not been exceptional, with his mediocre talent for cultivation, how could he have been selected by me from amongst all those in a mortal world school? With my status and position as Wei Dongliu, isn¡¯t Guo Jin being able to take me as his master the best proof that his fortune is as profound as heaven¡¯s favor? Thinking thus, he no longer pondered over how Guo Jin achieved two hundred years of Purple Mansion cultivation, but after contemplating for a moment, he took out the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword and said, ¡°If you are to transcend tribulation, take this for your protection.¡± ¡°Master¡­¡± Guo Jin was immediately deeply moved and sobbed as he spoke. Wang Cong, standing by, also showed an incredulous expression. One should know that this wasn¡¯t just any Immortal Sword, it was the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword! Even among Eleventh Rank Immortal Swords, it was one of the notorious Extermination Immortal Swords ¨C the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword that could form an array with a single sword! Could master actually part with it so easily¡­ Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Was this the same master who would usually be hands-off and penny-pinching? ¡°What are you crying for?¡± Wei Dongliu said impatiently, ¡°If you are truly grateful, then transcend the Heavenly Tribulation smoothly for your master and return to report once you¡¯ve formed your core!¡± Had he not already known that Guo Jin would transcend the tribulation smoothly without even a scratch on his origin, he would never dare to lend out the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword ¨C what if it got damaged in the Heavenly Tribulation? But having already known the result, Wei Dongliu naturally enjoyed the opportunity to show a bit of his majesty as a master. Turning to Guo Jin, the first disciple was now crying tears of gratitude, kneeling to receive the sword and sincerely said, ¡°Disciple promises to go all out and ensure the sword gifted by master will not be lost!¡± It¡¯s lending the sword! Not gifting it! Chapter 708 Chapter 708: Chapter 42: Wei Dongliu¡¯s Sharp Critique of the Three Pure Ones Chapter 708: Chapter 42: Wei Dongliu¡¯s Sharp Critique of the Three Pure Ones Big disciple Guo Jin went to undergo tribulation, and the second disciple Wang Cong dealt with governmental affairs, so Wei Dongliu suddenly felt a weight lifted from his shoulders. ¡°Very good, this is what life should be like for a Sect Leader. How can dealing with governmental affairs all day long qualify as being a Sect Leader? It¡¯s more like being a rubber-stamp!¡± Next, he just had to leisurely wait for news from the Golden Que Secret Realm. For several days, Wei Dongliu slacked off like this without receiving any news, but Wen Yang from the Nether Ghost Path did come for a visit. ¡°Brother Wei.¡± In the guest hall, as soon as she entered, she said with a smile, ¡°I have reached Core Formation.¡± ¡°Oh? Congratulations,¡± Wei Dongliu said calmly. ¡°And what of Sister Jiang?¡± Wen Yang looked around for a moment. Jiang the Witch had been gone for several days; did you really not know she had already left Mount Wutai? What¡¯s the point of pretending to be an ignorant maiden! ¡°There is business at the headquarters of the Heavenly Demon Path; she went back first,¡± Wei Dongliu replied. ¡°I see,¡± Wen Yang then showed an expression that read, ¡°Although I was looking for her regarding some matters, since she¡¯s not here, there¡¯s nothing I can do about it, I might as well chat with you,¡± and then with a beaming smile, she complimented him, ¡°Sect Leader Wei, the Mortal Life Path was once in decline, but now it has risen once again under your leadership, and this has become a praised tale within the Six Paths.¡± wuxiaworld.site Not only within the Six Paths but even the Three Pure Orthodox Sect, which prides itself as the Righteous Path, regards your capabilities with a mix of jealousy and awe.¡± ¡°Even the Head of the Kunlun Sect said your talents are not inferior to Changgeng True Person, which is laughable. Although Changgeng True Person is a First Grade Golden Core, he has only shown prowess in cultivation and never demonstrated any talent in governing a sect. How could he compare with you?¡± ¡°I think Kunlun is really on a downward spiral¡­¡± Although Wen Yang was sycophantically flattering, she was still very good at reading the room and seeing Wei Dongliu looking somewhat speechless, she assumed it was due to his concern for Qiu Changtian¡¯s strength, and hastily said, ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about that, I¡¯ve come this time precisely to inform you about the matter of the Golden Que Secret Realm.¡± ¡°Oh? Please go ahead, Brother Wen,¡± Wei Dongliu finally took interest. ???g?.?? Although it was pleasant to hear the beautiful Wen Yang sing his praises, the practice of alternately flattering and belittling was indeed unwise, especially since the person she was belittling was another identity of his. ¡°We¡¯ve pretty much found out about the timing and personnel the Three Pure Ones are sending to the Golden Que Secret Realm,¡± Wen Yang said with a charming smile. ¡°How about you guess, Sect Leader Wei, which new talents of the orthodox sects will be dispatched this time?¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Wei Dongliu began to guess in a showy manner, ¡°First, according to the requirements of the Golden Que Secret Realm, only Golden Core True Persons should be able to enter.¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct,¡± Wen Yang said with a smile. ¡°Secondly, among the disciples of the Three Pure Ones who achieved one of the twelve chief positions in the previous large competition at White Jade Capital, if they are now Golden Core True Persons, they must surely be on the list for the Secret Realm exploration,¡± Wei Dongliu made his judgment. ¡°Why is that?¡± Wen Yang uttered in surprise and then smiled, ¡°Indeed, those who have won the twelve chief positions of White Jade Capital are likely to be the elite Foundation Establishment disciples of the Three Pure Ones, and the grade of their Golden Cores cannot be low.¡± ¡°Not only that,¡± Wei Dongliu continued, ¡°If I were the Sect Leader of the Three Pure Ones, I would certainly consider whether there might be some subtle connection between the chief positions of White Jade Capital and the chief positions of the Golden Que Secret Realm?¡± ¡°For such unconfirmed possibilities, even if it¡¯s just to give it a try, they would have the motivation to push out disciples to seize the position of the master of the White Jade Capital.¡± ¡°That makes sense,¡± Wen Yang said, appearing utterly impressed, ¡°Brother Wei¡¯s thinking is meticulous, and I am no match for him.¡± After Wen Yang turned into a woman, why did it seem like every other sentence she said was flattery? Wei Dongliu continued, puzzled in his heart: ¡°In that case, Changgeng, Qiong Ying, Jiao Xiao, Qing Heng, Dong You, and Jingyun, these six must be on the list.¡± ¡°Back then they were only at Foundation Establishment, but now they have already reached Core Formation,¡± Wen Yang couldn¡¯t help but sigh, ¡°How numerous are those in the Three Pure Orthodox Sect who advance a thousand miles a day in their cultivation!¡± ¡°So, there are two from each of the Kunlun, Shushan, and Penglai. Brother Wei, do you have any guesses for the remaining spots?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not difficult,¡± Wei Dongliu said calmly, ¡°These six have not been in the Core Formation for long, and their magical competition strength definitely can¡¯t compare with those in the Obscure Weave Rank who are seasoned Golden Core True People. Therefore, the Three Pure Ones will surely send the chief disciples within the Golden Core Realm, who are immediately below the Nascent Soul, to escort and protect these six.¡± ¡°The number one person in the Kunlun Golden Core Realm is Han Yuan; the number one person in the Shushan Golden Core Realm is Jinghua; Penglai is more difficult to guess, but if we limit the scope to the lineage of the Master of Xuandu, those who are experts in Talisman Scripts or Alchemy, then there actually aren¡¯t many possibilities.¡± ¡°Brilliant.¡± This time Wen Yang was truly impressed, her eyes shining with admiration, ¡°No wonder the Head of the Kunlun Sect said that Brother Wei is a ¡®great concern for the heart of the Orthodox Sect.¡¯ Just with this insight and vision, who in the entire Cultivation Realm could match it?¡± ¡°Among the people deployed by the Orthodox Sect this time, Han Yuan, Changgeng, Qiong Ying, Jinghua, Jiao Xiao, Qing Heng, Tian Lan, Jingyun, Dong You, the nine people you guessed, Brother Wei, are all correct.¡± ¡°As for the other three, guessing them is truly difficult. Why not guess which sect under the Three Pure Ones they are from?¡± ¡°It¡¯s definitely Shushan without a doubt,¡± Wei Dongliu answered without hesitation. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°This¡­¡± In an instant, Wen Yang was so shocked that she nearly lost her composure, fearing that there had been an information leak within the Nether Ghost Path, but she quickly calmed herself and probed with a smile, ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s easy to guess!¡± Wei Dongliu laughed heartily, ¡°The key lies in which sect discovered the Golden Que Secret Realm.¡± ¡°If Kunlun made the discovery, given its pride as the leader of the Orthodox Sect, they would most likely opt for an equal division of spots, meaning four people from each sect.¡± ¡°But since Brother Wen asked me where the remaining three are from, indicating one sect has deployed six people, unless the Golden Que is located within the Kunlun Mountain Range, the Taiqing Sect would not likely act so ostentatiously.¡± ¡°Now looking at Penglai. Ever since Penglai was besieged by the Six Paths, its vital energy greatly damaged, it knows its strength is waning, thus the strategy has been to align with Kunlun and befriend Shushan.¡± ¡°Simply put, that is to ¡®yield to Shushan for advantage, seek shelter from Kunlun.''¡± ¡°If Penglai was first to discover the Golden Que Secret Realm, then there¡¯s a high likelihood for a five-four-three distribution: three from Shushan, and Penglai and Kunlun either five-four or four-five depending on Kunlun¡¯s attitude.¡± ¡°Only if Shushan was the first to find the Golden Que Secret Realm would they, with the prestige of the Shangqing Sect, dare to monopolize half of the spots.¡± ¡°Indeed so,¡± Wen Yang admitted, thoroughly convinced, yet a sense of alarm began to rise within her heart. Wei Dongliu was not only unfathomably powerful, but his vision and strategic prowess were also terrifying; no wonder he was valued by the Blood Sea Ancestor, surpassing even direct disciples in prestige! To our Nether Ghost Path, those who are above average among the Mortal Life Path are actually not to be feared, but this Wei Dongliu¡­ throughout the entire Nether Ghost Path, there is no one who can contend with him! Chapter 709 Chapter 709: Chapter 43: The Scheming Wen Yang, Online Instigation Chapter 709: Chapter 43: The Scheming Wen Yang, Online Instigation ¡°This time, Kunlun sends three people, Shushan six, and Penglai three, making a total of twelve people teaming up to head for Xihua Peak to search for the entrance to the Golden Que Secret Realm.¡± ¡°The time is set for the day after tomorrow at noon, gathering at the Emei Golden Summit of Shushan, and then heading west together.¡± ¡°The Shushan side has long since sent people to Xihua Peak in advance to investigate repeatedly. And it was precisely because of the numerous visits that our covert operatives took notice.¡± ¡°To date, it has been confirmed that the entrance to the secret realm is at the peak of Xihua Peak, but the method to open it remains unclear. Therefore, this time Shushan has invited Jian Buyan from the Qingzhou Jian Family to attempt divination on-site.¡± ¡°Additionally, ten Shushan elders, along with the Jade Capital Sect Leader himself, will accompany them.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Although Wei Dongliu was already aware of this intelligence, perhaps even more so than the Nether Ghost Path, he still showed a serious demeanor and solemnly said to Wen Yang, ¡°Since the entrance has not yet been discovered, why don¡¯t we follow closely behind them, without revealing our tracks, and wait for the entrance to the Golden Que Secret Realm to be unearthed, then act swiftly to seize the initiative?¡± ¡°We were thinking the same,¡± Wen Yang said with a smile that was as radiant as flowers. ¡°The path ahead is uncertain, which is perfect for letting the Three Pure Ones scout the way for us.¡± ¡°As for personnel allocation, the Honored One mentioned that the more people entering the secret realm, the more difficult the corresponding challenges will be.¡± ¡°Therefore, we plan to also limit our number to twelve, with four from the Nether Ghost Path, three from the Heavenly Demon Path, two from the Mortal Life Path, two from the Asura Path, and one from the Eastern Emperor Path¡­ Brother Wei, what do you think?¡± Wei Dongliu listened without changing his expression, a cold sneer forming in his heart. This allocation proposal was surely not something Wen Yang had the qualifications to suggest; it must have been devised by the Honored White Bone of the Nether Ghost Path. The Nether Ghost Path and the Heavenly Demon Path had the most people. wuxiaworld.site In other words, despite all the talk of the Intercepting Cult and the Six Paths standing as equals, in the eyes of these longstanding sects like Heavenly Demon and Nether Ghost, the Mortal Life Path was not yet qualified to stand shoulder to shoulder with them and could only belong to the second tier. Of course, sects like Asura and Eastern Emperor, being newcomers, would definitely fall into the third tier. Although the Asura Path and Mortal Life Path both contributed two people this time, it was only because the plateau area where Xihua Peak was located was the territory of the Asura Path, so they were given an extra quota. ¡°I will consult with the Blood Sea Ancestor and get his approval on this matter,¡± Wei Dongliu calmly responded. ¡°Then we¡¯ll await your message,¡± Wen Yang said with a laugh. After having someone take Wen Yang to the guest room, Wei Dongliu pondered for a moment, then flew alone towards the peak via sword control. Beneath the giant rocks, amidst the snow, he relayed the latest developments of the situation to the Blood Sea Ancestor in detail. ¡°Very well,¡± the Blood Sea Ancestor said indifferently. ¡°Let¡¯s do as White Bone suggested.¡± ¡°Pick two people from the sect to represent the Mortal Life Path for this Golden Que convention.¡± Who else could he choose? There was only Wei Dongliu, the Sect Master himself, and his recently Core Formation-staged disciple, Guo Jin. After deciding on the personnel, Wei Dongliu went to find Wen Yang to inquire about the time the Golden Que Secret Realm would open-of course, he was already aware of the date but had to pretend not to know and ask. In just half a day of not seeing her, Wen Yang emerged from her room in a set of men¡¯s clothing, looking both spirited and captivating. Wei Dongliu couldn¡¯t help but feel both amused and frustrated at her attire. ¡°Ahem.¡± Wen Yang awkwardly explained, ¡°I¡¯ve been wearing women¡¯s clothes too much, so I switched to men¡¯s clothes to ease my mind.¡± ¡°The women¡¯s clothes were his idea, right?¡± Wei Dongliu suggested knowingly as he asked. ¡°The Honored One did indeed suggest this,¡± Wen Yang said with a helpless and wry smile. ¡°In his eyes, since I am a woman, pretending to be a man would just seem like a deliberate act of ugliness. Thus, within the sect¡¯s residence, I always present myself in women¡¯s clothing.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not dwell on that. Have you decided on the people from the Mortal Life Path?¡± ¡°It¡¯s decided. The date?¡± ¡°Shushan will set off the day after tomorrow, so we need to leave tomorrow night at the hour of the pig, gathering at the Netherwind Pavilion on Mount Beimang, and make sure not to leak any information.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± On the following day, Guo Jin indeed successfully transcended the Golden Core Heavenly Tribulation and returned, having completed his mission with the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword in hand. ¡°Very good,¡± Wei Dongliu, who had anticipated this, took the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword back to his side and said, ¡°As your mentor, I grant you the Daoist title ¡®Ming Ling.''¡± ¡°Now that you have formed your Golden Core and become a True Person, you must take on even more responsibilities.¡± ¡°Tonight, accompany your mentor on a trip to Mount Beimang.¡± Guo Jin naturally had no objections and simply acknowledged with a nod. ¡ª- The Pavilion of the Nether Winds, located deep within Mount Beimang, was built by some ancient figure, though their identity remains unknown. Because it is situated in such a remote area, few mortals would stay here, with only cultivators choosing to make it their resting place. At the third watch of the pig, many cultivators from the Six Paths had already arrived one after another. Four from the Nether Ghost Path, namely Mo Gu True Person and his three underlings. Three from the Heavenly Demon Path, all enchantingly beautiful female cultivators, passed over. Two from the Asura Path, one dressed as a robed foreign monk, the other appearing as a secular cultivator¡­ it was Venerable Moyan whom Qiu Changtian had encountered. And a cultivator from the Eastern Emperor Path, passed over. After scanning everyone present, Wei Dongliu suddenly realized, where is Wen Yang? ¡°Wei Daoyou, I am here,¡± said an inconspicuous underling suddenly speaking up beside Mo Gu True Person. His face began to writhe, and it transformed into the pretty visage of a woman. ¡°Brother Wen?¡± Wei Dongliu said in surprise. So, this guy had actually disguised himself as Mo Gu True Person¡¯s underling, no wonder I didn¡¯t see her in the secret realm¡­ As Wei Dongliu was thinking this, he suddenly heard Mo Gu True Person asking, displeased: ¡°Lianshan, who is this?¡± ¡°This is Sect Master Wei of the Mortal Life Path,¡± Wen Yang said with a beaming smile, ¡°Brother Wei, let me introduce you, this is Mo Gu True Person of the Nether Ghost Path.¡± ¡°Mo Gu?¡± Wei Dongliu pondered for a moment, only to see Mo Gu True Person¡¯s gaze shifting from Wen Yang to him and back again several times, his eyes gradually becoming more wary and hostile-almost as if a male animal courting its preferred female had just discovered another male near her. Oh, this fellow is pursuing Wen Yang, and he sees me as a romantic rival. Wei Dongliu couldn¡¯t help but smile wryly in his heart and gave Wen Yang a look, signaling her to come over and explain quickly. I am a man with a Daoist Companion and will not stoop to argue with a defeated dog like you! Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Yet, Wen Yang seemed as if she hadn¡¯t seen his look, merely walking over to Wei Dongliu¡¯s side, and explained with a laugh: ¡°This Daoist title is quite peculiar, isn¡¯t it? Actually, he chose it himself.¡± The subtext was that this man was not very cultured, similar to the barbarian monks of the Asura Path, who would choose Daoist titles such as ¡°Moyan¡± or ¡°Iron Arm¡±¡­ Wei Dongliu barely managed to keep his smile in check but then heard Mo Gu True Person asking with a smile that was not really a smile: ¡°Lianshan, are you acquainted with Sect Master Wei?¡± Seeing the fellow¡¯s hostility increase, Wei Dongliu quickly coughed to signal Wen Yang to clarify the situation. ???G0.?? ¡°Yes, we are indeed old acquaintances who met quite some time ago,¡± Wen Yang said, still smiling, ¡°It¡¯s a pity, if it hadn¡¯t been for Jiang Daoyou who acted first and married Sect Master Wei, perhaps I would be the Sect Leader¡¯s lady now!¡± Hey, that¡¯s not the kind of explanation you¡¯re supposed to give! Chapter 710 Chapter 710: Chapter 44 Sect Master Wei is Experienced in Dealing with Women¡¯s Quarrels Chapter 710: Chapter 44 Sect Master Wei is Experienced in Dealing with Women¡¯s Quarrels All twelve masters had already arrived, but the Honored White Bone had yet to make an appearance. After a long while, the Sect Leader of the Nether Ghost Path, Fu Xie, arrived late and said with a serious tone, ¡°This operation will be led by Sect Master Wei, who will oversee and command. The Nether Ghost Path will provide twelve elders for the escort along the way. Please feel free to give your orders, Sect Master Wei.¡± Before Wei Dongliu could speak, Mo Gu True Person started to clamor, ¡°What? Father! How could you¡­¡± ¡°Call me Sect Leader!¡± Fu Xie interrupted him directly, ¡°This was decreed by the esteemed one, and you are not permitted to make reckless judgments!¡± He chastised Mo Gu True Person without mercy, then explained apologetically to Wei Dongliu, ¡°My apologies for my son¡¯s rudeness, which has made Sect Master Wei laugh.¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± Wei Dongliu showed a kind expression, ¡°It¡¯s nothing more than youthful vigor, which is quite normal.¡± His ¡°why would I bother arguing with a child¡± demeanor made Mo Gu True Person sick to the stomach. Yet, with his father by his side and no way to retort, he could only turn around silently without saying a word. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co This actually made Wei Dongliu regard him more highly: he had thought the guy would lose control and erupt in rage, but turns out he had some basic social intelligence-at the level of a ten-year-old child, more or less. However, compared to Wen Yang, he really wasn¡¯t much to look at¡­Wen Yang was deftly smoothing things over. ???G?.?? With a few words, she had given Fu Xie a way to step down with dignity and greatly relaxed the atmosphere. Perhaps knowing that Mo Gu would definitely not be able to catch up with Wen Yang, Fu Xie joked and chatted with Wei Dongliu, while indirectly implying to Wen Yang that she had many suitors, which Wei Dongliu found rather distasteful. What, lacking the confidence to take me on directly, so each and every one of you is thinking of using a beauty trap? After chatting for a while, the group set out on their journey. To avoid attracting attention, the people from the Demon Cult did not ride on any large magic artifacts but rather flew directly with their swords, using the clouds as cover. As they were flying at a very high altitude, the sounds of the Heavenly Demons became louder, but thankfully, there were three cultivators from the Heavenly Demon Path in the team who volunteered to help isolate the effects. Among these three, the one in the lead was the lady cultivator Ling Yunpo, who was rumored to be the direct disciple of the Sect Leader of the Heavenly Demon Path. She was not bad-looking and her voice was quite charming and pleasant to listen to, but she kept pestering him for a conversation, which was becoming a bit annoying. Wen Yang up ahead kept looking back with a look of schadenfreude, making Wei Dongliu even more irritated. ¡°I heard that Sect Master Wei¡¯s wife is a cultivator from our Heavenly Demon Path?¡± Ling Yunpo asked with a smile. ¡°Indeed.¡± Wei Dongliu asked casually, ¡°Does friend Ling Yun know her?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard a bit about her previously.¡± Ling Yunpo laughed behind her hand, ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s rare to see someone from the Foundation Establishment Realm surviving under Elder Cairen¡¯s hands.¡± ¡°But I heard she recently gained the favor of the Venerable Free and Easy Master, so her rise must have been meteoric.¡± She glanced at Wen Yang ahead, receiving Wei Dongliu¡¯s silent agreement. Certainly, in this world of cultivation, no talent in cultivation is superior to being directly trained by the elders of one¡¯s sect. The most typical example was Wei Dongliu himself, who had gained the favor of the Blood Sea Ancestor and was appointed Sect Leader of Mortal Life Path as a Golden Core cultivator. Likewise, Wen Yang and Madam Jiang were both examples of those who were taken under the wing of Sect Guardian Immortals and soared to great heights. Compared to that, Qiu Changtian was merely looked after by the Ziwei Master, which was significantly less forceful. A contrasting example was Ling Yunpo, who, due to his master Su Jian, was disliked by Long Eyebrow Immortal; consequently, his status within Shushan became quite awkward. ¡°What are you discussing?¡± Wen Yang suddenly fell behind on purpose, and, controlling his sword, hovered beside Wei Dongliu on the other side, smiling as he asked, ¡°Did someone just mention my name?¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± True Person Yun Zhen covered her mouth and chuckled, ¡°We were just chatting, talking about how one could soar to the heavens if favored by an immortal.¡± ¡°That may be so,¡± Wen Yang said with a light smile. ¡°But on what basis would one gain the favor of an immortal? Aptitude, temperament, and fortune are all indispensable. Immortals are not like an aunty picking vegetables at the roadside, pleased with any rotten stem or spoiled leaf.¡± Her words carried some barbs, and as True Person Yun Zhen¡¯s beautiful eyes twinkled, she suddenly laughed: ¡°True Person Lianshan is not wrong; however, among these three, I believe fortune to be the most crucial. As long as one¡¯s fortune arrives, even if it¡¯s a pig or a dog, who¡¯s to say it won¡¯t be casually chosen by an immortal?¡± ¡°True Person Yun Zhen jests, if even pigs and dogs could be chosen by immortals, then what are those who haven¡¯t been chosen?¡± Wen Yang playfully teased, ¡°Are they worse than pigs and dogs?¡± The two beauties locked horns, trading barbs while maintaining smiling faces, leaving their opponent unable to react, prompting the male cultivators nearby to subconsciously distance themselves, thinking that indeed, only women and villains are difficult to raise, as the ancients were not deceiving in this. Caught between the two, Sect Master Wei did not care about their ¡°chatting¡± and simply looked ahead expressionless, maintaining his proud sect leader posture. To the surrounding cultivators, it was a marvel to behold. ¡°Sect Master Wei truly lives up to the leader of a sect. Just seeing him between the two, not losing any dignity, reveals that this person is definitely an old hand at this.¡± Venerable Moyan remarked with admiration. ¡°What old hand at this?¡± Mo Gu True Person scoffed, ¡°I think True Person Yun Zhen is right; he¡¯s nothing but a pig or dog casually pointed out by the Blood Sea Ancestor.¡± Not wanting to offend the son of the Nether Ghost Path Sect Leader, Venerable Moyan simply moved his Flying Sword away a bit and said no more. Soon the group entered the highland region, where several Asura Path elders came close to join the formation. Therefore, the Demon Cult¡¯s side, both in terms of manpower and strength, surpassed the distant Shushan team. Since the Golden Que Secret Realm had not yet opened, everyone could only lurk in the clouds a few miles away, waiting for the outcome on the Shushan side. ¡°Be alert,¡± a Nether Ghost Path elder suddenly said. ¡°They¡¯ve found an altar.¡± ¡°It must be the ceremonial altar to open the Golden Que Secret Realm,¡± Sect Master Wei immediately ordered. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Everyone, move forward! Get as close as possible!¡± ¡°Sect Master Wei,¡± another Nether Ghost Path elder said, ¡°If we get too close, with so many of us, I¡¯m afraid we won¡¯t be hidden for long.¡± ¡°Unless the altar is about to be activated soon, isn¡¯t this too risky?¡± ¡°No matter,¡± Sect Master Wei confidently knew that once the statue was placed on the altar, the Heavenly Path Light would immediately appear, so he decisively commanded, ¡°Everyone, follow me and move closer!¡± Thereupon all the elders simultaneously cast their spells, driving the dark clouds toward Xihua Peak¡¯s skies. In ordinary times, such a large clump of clouds approaching would indeed likely attract the attention of the cultivators below. However, at that moment the Orthodox Sect cultivators were all focused on the altar discovered by Luo Yan, so no one noticed the anomaly in the sky. As the Heavenly Path Light appeared, Sect Master Wei made a decisive move, taking the lead in casting the Myriad Aspects Ultimate Immortal Sword Formation towards the altar! Chapter 711 Chapter 711: Chapter 45 Wei Dongliu Accepts the Test Chapter 711: Chapter 45 Wei Dongliu Accepts the Test ¡°` As the yin wind and the black fog rolled in, the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword Formation had already descended, completely enveloping the surroundings of the altar. Countless Sword Qi whirled about, a dense killing intent and malice rushing towards the face, yet a figure burst forth from within, stepping onto the light path ahead of the others-it was none other than that Ling Yunpo from Shushan. An Zhisu followed closely, and the other cultivators, as if waking from a dream, paid no mind to the Sword Formation as they rushed towards the ascendant light path in a desperate scramble. Wei Dongliu had no time to attack them, focusing only on operating the Sword Formation at full strength to attack the Shushan elders, covering the cultivators of the Demonic Path as they approached the altar. ¡°Don¡¯t use Sword Control! Walk! Take the light path on foot from the altar!¡± Mo Gu True Person let out a cold snort, paying no heed to his commands, and instead led his followers to charge towards the light path by controlling their swords. Wei Dongliu looked carefully and realized this fellow had retained some caution, not rushing to the front¡­ Sure enough, two followers charged up the light path using Sword Control and directly collided with the Restrictions. The repulsion force sent them flying back with blood coming from their mouths and noses. The three female cultivators of the Heavenly Demon Path had originally been in the second tier but heeding Wei Dongliu¡¯s warning, Yun Zhen True Person, the first to reduce her Sword Control speed, now became even more cautious upon seeing this, first landing on the altar before quickly rushing up the light path. With these three at the front, the rest of the Demonic Path cultivators followed suit, taking advantage of the elders from Wei Dongliu¡¯s, Nether Ghost Path¡¯s, and Asura Path¡¯s factions to block the attacks from Shushan¡¯s side, all swiftly landing on the altar as well. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co It wasn¡¯t until Mo Gu elder helped his two followers and quickly ascended behind Wen Yang that a Nether Ghost Path elder called out: ¡°Sect Master Wei, do not delay, hurry up!¡± Wei Dongliu did not hesitate, finally charging onto that ascendant light path and continually climbing upwards. Adding up the several minor accounts before, this counted as his fourth entrance into the palace, a path well-trodden. Only this time, there were no beautiful companions beside him, ascending alone, which was indeed peaceful. As Wei Dongliu fell from the light path, he used a spell to ride the black fog smoothly to the ground, simultaneously revealing the appearance of a Demon Lord with fiery red hair and dual pupils. No sooner had he landed than countless beautiful maidservants surged towards him from all directions. Wei Dongliu was somewhat surprised, thinking it saved him the trouble of searching¡­ However, he then realized these beautiful maidservants were all clad in armor and carrying swords, their hands forming the Sword technique, chanting in unison: ¡°Demon Head, be vanquished!¡± Wei Dongliu: ? Before he could react, he saw the Universe turned upside down beneath him, the Eight Trigrams began to spin, and he was transported to another location. He found himself seemingly in a dungeon, with rocky ceiling overhead, standing water beneath his feet, and darkness all around. Then, a True Person came treading across the water, an elderly man in armor and holding a long sword upside down, his eyes shining with Divine Light like thunder, who stared at Wei Dongliu for a moment before frowning and asking: ¡°You¡­ what are you?¡± Why the insults? Wei Dongliu remained silent with an icy expression. The elderly man was silent for a moment before asking again: ¡°Are you the Abi Devil Lord? Or human?¡± ¡°I am human!¡± Wei Dongliu responded furiously. This answer puzzled the True Lord even more. Knowing the pride of a Demon Lord, he would never admit to being human, but ¡°I¡± indeed was the Demon Lord¡¯s catchphrase, so¡­ A human with Abi Devil Lord¡¯s bloodline? A person with an Innate Primordial Chaos Demonic Body? With this thought, the True Lord¡¯s demeanor softened, and he cautiously asked: ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°I am the master of the Mortal Life Path, here to claim the seat of the Golden Que,¡± replied Wei Dongliu. ¡°` ¡°The Golden Que position can only be held by a member of the Human Race,¡± the True Lord said with a shake of his head, refusing. ¡°I¡¯ve already said that I am human!¡± Wei Dongliu frowned and said, ¡°Aren¡¯t you all skilled in Art Calculation? Simply calculate it and everything will be clear, won¡¯t it?¡± Indeed, the True Lord formed a hand seal with one hand and silently calculated for a moment before revealing a surprised expression. Even though there was the possibility of mixed blood, the results of the Art Calculation were always vague and would not yield very precise outcomes such as ¡°this person is half Human Race, half Demon Race¡±. And yet, the result of the Art Calculation now clearly indicated that this person was from the Human Race. The Golden Que Secret Realm allowed only members of the Human Race to enter for the trials and forbade other races from entering, so how would mixed blood be accounted for? Naturally, it was according to the result of the Art Calculation. Regardless, even if this person possessed the bloodline of the Abi Devil Lord, it could not possibly be to a significant degree, and moreover, it was even less likely that this person would consider himself a member of the Demon Race. If either of these two factors were missing, the Art Calculation result might not have shown him to be of the Human Race. Upon thinking this, the True Lord dropped his hostile stance and slowly said: ¡°This old one is known as Shenyue True Lord.¡± ¡°This place is the very bottom level of the Golden Que Secret Realm. If any cultivator who enters violates the prohibition against killing, they will be confined here to face punishment.¡± Knowing that no fighting was allowed inside the Golden Que Secret Realm, Wei Dongliu modestly nodded in acknowledgment. ¡°Since you¡¯ve come here by a twist of fate, you may also face my test,¡± Shenyue True Lord continued, ¡°However, I must clarify in advance.¡± ¡°My test is the most difficult among all the True Lords, and in past years, very few have passed.¡± ¡°If you do not wish to participate, you may withdraw now and accept the test of another True Lord.¡± Wei Dongliu pondered for a moment and asked: ¡°The Lord of the Golden Que requires the selection of twelve individuals, does he not? If no one passes the test of the True Lord, how will the twelve be assembled?¡± ¡°That¡¯s simple,¡± Shenyue True Lord answered, ¡°Since I must oversee the prison here and cannot spare any effort elsewhere, if no one finds this place, I will relinquish my qualification for the Que position to another True Lord to carry out the examination and bestow it upon someone else.¡± ¡°Of course, the other True Lords generally gather six people and let them compete against one another¡­ But here, the test is for you alone. So think it over carefully before you decide.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s give it a try,¡± Wei Dongliu decisively responded. After all, trying doesn¡¯t cost a thing! ¡°Very well,¡± Shenyue True Lord said, smiling as he stood with his hands behind his back, ¡°Please follow me.¡± He led the way deeper into the prison. Wei Dongliu followed closely, noticing that the prison bars on either side were engraved with various runic scripts, yet the cells were empty. After walking for a moment, Shenyue True Lord suddenly stopped in front of a cell and said: ¡°Take a look at this person.¡± Wei Dongliu fixed his gaze and saw a slim, young woman slumping inside. Her head drooped low, her long hair covering her face, masking her features. A blood-stained iron chain that passed through her shoulder blades bound her to the torture device on the wall. ¡°This person is the daughter of Dongli City¡¯s lord,¡± Shenyue True Lord said indifferently, ¡°Dongli City is a major city of the Human Race, and its lord is an old and highly respected senior of our race, who, unfortunately, raised such a double-crosser! ???g?.?? For lusting after her beloved¡¯s beauty, she divulged secrets to an infiltrator from the Demon Race, causing the Human Race¡¯s army to fall into an abysmal valley, leading to heavy losses.¡± ¡°Now she is imprisoned here, with her punishment pending. According to the law, betraying one¡¯s race is punishable by death, and considering the gravity of her crimes, it wouldn¡¯t be too much to pulverize her with Thunder Method.¡± ¡°However, the Lord of Dongli City has privately pleaded with us to spare her wretched life. Her father is willing to bear guilt and make amends for the remainder of his life in her place.¡± ¡°If we pardon her crime, then the collective demise of the Human Race¡¯s army, how tragic that would be? Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only With no one to take responsibility, public outrage will not subside easily. Yet, if we are irreconcilably strict in our punishment, I fear that the Lord of Dongli City may have a change of heart. This person has high status and significant power; the Human Race can¡¯t afford to let such a mighty one grow bitter and disillusioned.¡± ¡°I must ask you: how should this woman be dealt with?¡± Another cultivator, facing such a moral dilemma, might hesitate for a long time, but what kind of quick thinker was Wei Dongliu? He immediately spoke without a second thought: ¡°Find a female prisoner to take her place in death, carry out the execution publicly to appease public anger. Secretly imprison this one in a hidden location, have her father toil for the Human Race, with any show of negligence, threaten to execute the daughter as a warning!¡± Chapter 712 - Chapter 712: Chapter 46 Flexibility Chapter 712: Chapter 46 Flexibility Hearing Wei Dongliu¡¯s response, Sect Leader Shenyue fell silent. Past cultivators who faced his tests either insisted on killing the condemned with righteous indignation or believed that they should spare the person for the greater good. Those who wanted to kill were basically judged as failures, because in history, that city lord had indeed defected due to his daughter¡¯s death, and the Human Race had paid a heavy price to kill him. In the Cultivation Realm, strength reigns supreme most of the time, and laws and morals are only there to restrain the weak. If the answer was to spare the person, then Sect Leader Shenyue would then ask: What about the relatives of the deceased? How would one deal with the overwhelming public outcry? After all, most of the time people just want to see blood for blood, justice served. As for how much it costs to uphold justice, they don¡¯t really care that much. Therefore, if the test-taker stammered and couldn¡¯t speak, it was still a failure; But if one could point out the ¡°insufficiency of public sentiment¡± or hypocritically say a few words about ¡°letting the people suffer a little more,¡± then Sect Leader Shenyue would consider them to have passed. He just never expected Wei Dongliu to give such an answer. Not to kill, nor to release, but to keep imprisoned, dangling the fate of the lord of Dongli City, then squeezing him for all he was worth¡­ It sounds simple at first, but upon deeper thought, it seems a bit out of the ordinary, and even a little chilling. It¡¯s a good plan, but this person¡­ If one pondered hard for a few hours before coming up with it, it would be one thing. wuxiaworld.site But to answer so directly without hesitation, off the cuff, that was somewhat difficult to evaluate. ¡°Quite clever, but ultimately lacking in righteousness,¡± after a long silence, Sect Leader Shenyue felt it was better to score him eighty-four points, ¡°You¡¯ve passed this question, let¡¯s see the next one.¡± He led Wei Dongliu onward, through the long, gloomy corridor, and soon they arrived at the second prison. Inside the prison sat a young man, also disheveled, but treated a bit better than the previous one, not chained through his shoulder bones, merely shackled at the ankles and wrists, unable to move freely. ¡°This man is of mixed blood, his father from the Human Race and his mother a high-ranking member of the Demon Race,¡± Sect Leader Shenyue stated emotionlessly, ¡°After much effort, we finally convinced him to act as a spy for us, to gather intelligence on the Demon Race¡¯s military.¡± ¡°After numerous attempts through his mother, he finally acquired an important piece of intelligence. We acted upon this information, but ended up ambushed and suffered heavy losses.¡± ¡°He is thus imprisoned on suspicion of collusion, but he has always claimed that the information came from his mother and that he didn¡¯t alter it or intentionally deceive the Human Race.¡± ¡°Now I ask you: How should this man be dealt with?¡± Wei Dongliu was silent for a moment, then asked: ¡°Didn¡¯t you verify the authenticity of the intelligence upon receiving it?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± said Sect Leader Shenyue somewhat embarrassingly, defending his position, ¡°But intelligence, with its mix of truth and falsehood, ultimately cannot be verified with one hundred percent certainty.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you a master of Art Calculation?¡± ¡°If Art Calculation could solve everything, what would be the need for spies and covert agents?¡± ¡°You make some sense,¡± Wei Dongliu pondered briefly before answering directly, ¡°Just send a message informing his mother, stating that your son has colluded with the Demon Race, causing severe losses to our Human Race. We plan to execute your son. If you don¡¯t wish for his death, then you must pay a sufficient price to redeem him.¡± ¡°Is it really that simple?¡± said Sect Leader Shenyue with a hint of surprise, ¡°If his mother let him come back with false information, she must have already considered his life worthless, right?¡± ¡°The information is definitely false,¡± Wei Dongliu nodded and said, ¡°The question is whether this person is aware that the information is false.¡± ¡°So the issue is whether he colluded with his mother to intentionally give the Human Race false information, or whether his mother saw through his intent and deliberately kept him in the dark as well?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Sect Leader Shenyue pondered, ¡°Continue.¡± ¡°The likelihood of the former scenario is not great,¡± Wei Dongliu continued, ¡°If this person knew the information was false and still delivered it to the Human Race without any regard for his own safety, wouldn¡¯t that be akin to seeking death? Tell me, after he provided the Human Race with the information, did he try to escape?¡± ¡°No,¡± Sect Leader Shenyue sighed, ¡°He didn¡¯t show any abnormalities until we captured him.¡± ¡°So we just need to observe his mother¡¯s reaction,¡± Wei Dongliu said calmly, ¡°If his mother is willing to pay a price to ransom him back, it shows he really might be suspected of colluding with the enemy.¡± ¡°Then we kill him,¡± Sect Leader Shenyue said, nodding. ¡°Why kill him?¡± Wei Dongliu asked curiously, ¡°As long as the price is high enough, it wouldn¡¯t matter to let her ransom him back. After all, you already know this person is a spy, what harm could he do if he stays alive?¡± ¡°Uh,¡± Sect Leader Shenyue was at a loss for words. After discovering a spy, isn¡¯t it the default rule to execute them immediately? To let him be ransomed back¡­ it¡¯s not that it¡¯s not an option, but it does sound a bit odd. How can you be so flexible? ¡°What if his mother refuses to ransom him?¡± Sect Leader Shenyue asked. ¡°Easy,¡± Wei Dongliu said, stroking his palm, ¡°Show him his mother¡¯s reply letter, letting him know that she has no intention of saving him.¡± ¡°If this man remains expressionless and accepts his fate calmly, it indicates that he already knew his death was certain, so you may just execute him.¡± ¡°If this man is despairing, angry, fearful, and harbors deep hatred for his mother¡¯s indifference to his demise, it shows he truly knew nothing of the false information, hence spare his life, as he may still be of use in the future.¡± ¡°Of use for what?¡± Sect Leader Shenyue asked curiously. ¡°Do you even need to ask me that?¡± Wei Dongliu looked at him with bewilderment, ¡°I¡¯m not abreast of the specific circumstances of the Human Race¡¯s armies, nor the ways in which he could be of use¡­ Surely that¡¯s something you need to weigh for yourselves?¡± ¡°Cough cough cough, I understand now,¡± Sect Leader Shenyue coughed awkwardly and said, ¡°Well, first use a strategy of division. If this person is successfully turned against his mother, it shows that he was unaware of her scheming and did not betray us.¡± ¡°As for executing him or keeping him for future use, that should be decided based on the situation¡­¡± At this point, he suddenly seemed a bit dazed. What did we do before? Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Oh, it seems we just executed them directly, after all he brought back false information and caused heavy losses to the Human Race¡¯s army. Thinking about it, there isn¡¯t necessarily a need to execute him publicly. Anyway, this man is already at our mercy, so we might as well skillfully drain the last bit of his value effortlessly¡­ being flexible is truly remarkable! ¡°I heard that you happen to be the Sect Leader of a Sect outside?¡± Sect Leader Shenyue suddenly asked. ¡°As I mentioned before, I am the Lord of the Mortal Life Path Sect,¡± Wei Dongliu answered. ¡°Hmm,¡± Sect Leader Shenyue noted silently, thinking to himself that this Sect Leader is truly a flexible man. If he had lived in our era, he would have certainly shone brightly in the confrontation between the Human Race and other races. Chapter 713 - Chapter 713: Chapter 47 Nothing Can Stump the Great Demon Lord Wei Chapter 713: Chapter 47 Nothing Can Stump the Great Demon Lord Wei ¡°Does this mean I answered correctly?¡± Wei Dongliu asked with a stern face. ¡°Please be patient, my friend,¡± Lord Shenyue replied with a rare smile, ¡°Let¡¯s move on to the next question.¡± He led Wei Dongliu forward to the next prison cell. Inside the cell, a man and a woman sat opposite each other, both in silent meditation. ¡°These two are husband and wife,¡± Lord Shenyue introduced, ¡°Both are rising stars of the Human Race, with boundless potential. However, one of them has colluded with the Demon Race, causing significant losses to the Human Race¡­¡± ¡°Let me ask,¡± Wei Dongliu interjected, ¡°Why are so many people colluding with the Demon Race? Was the racial cohesion of the Human Race in that era really so weak?¡± ¡°When you are in a cesspool, naturally, all you can smell is foulness,¡± Lord Shenyue said unhurriedly, ¡°The subjects we are conjuring here are from the era¡¯s most secure Human Race prisons. Who do you think you¡¯d meet in this place?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about that,¡± Wei Dongliu calmly changed the subject, ¡°Next, you will ask me how to deal with these two, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it,¡± Lord Shenyue nodded and said, ¡°You tell me, how can we confirm which of the two has secretly colluded with the Demon Race?¡± After pondering for a moment, Wei Dongliu suddenly asked: ¡°What is the nature of the relationship between these two?¡± For some reason, upon hearing this question, Lord Shenyue¡¯s body shook slightly, and he felt somewhat uncomfortable. wuxiaworld.site It was as if he had a premonition that he was about to be dragged down to a lower standard again. ¡°Their love is as steadfast as gold,¡± he sighed deeply. ¡°Then it¡¯s easy,¡± Wei Dongliu nodded, ¡°Accuse both of them of colluding with the Demon Race, then separate them and imprison them apart.¡± ¡°Whether through torture or play-acting, make sure to extract screams from them so that their Daoist Companion can hear. The screams must be so miserable and terrifying that they are unbearable to the listener.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Lord Shenyue said slowly, stroking his beard, ¡°In order to make their partner suffer less, they would surely confess in haste, each trying to take the blame upon themselves.¡± ¡°Regardless of who the innocent one is, as long as they haven¡¯t colluded with the Demon Race, their confessions will inevitably be fabricated nonsense,¡± Wei Dongliu said calmly, ¡°With that, distinguishing the loyal from the traitorous becomes as easy as flipping a hand.¡± ¡°Very well, let¡¯s move on to the next question,¡± Lord Shenyue said, leading him on to the next prison cell. Inside the cell sat a dejected woman, her shoulders drooping lifelessly. ¡°This person is an ordinary cultivator,¡± Lord Shenyue stated indifferently, ¡°She spread negative propaganda in the rear, destabilizing our military¡¯s morale. What should be the punishment?¡± ¡°It¡¯s simple,¡± Wei Dongliu said evenly, ¡°The goal is to quell negative public opinion, not just to eliminate the source. Announce that she will be publicly executed, and watch who stands up to defend her and allows her defense, encouraging them to expose themselves further until we can catch them all in one fell swoop, thereby clearing the situation.¡± Lord Shenyue stroked his beard, his expression unreadable, but in his heart, he was impressed. The two of them arrived at another prison cell, where they saw a woman seated, pale-faced and frightened. ¡°This person is not a cultivator, but a laywoman,¡± Lord Shenyue spoke calmly, ¡°She discovered the body of a fallen cultivator and took possession of the storage bag, treating it as a treasure, which was then discovered by a patrolling cultivator. What should be the punishment?¡± ¡°Easy as pie,¡± Wei Dongliu said with a slight smile, ¡°Announce that this laywoman, upon finding the body of a cultivator, buried him properly and then informed his sect, turning in all the treasures from the bag without a single embezzlement. In gratitude for her sincerity, the sect rewarded her with the Elixir of Immortality and the art of turning stone to gold, allowing her to return to her home in glory. Lastly, use her as a positive example, let storytellers write her tale, and spread it through the streets and alleys.¡± Lord Shenyue twisted his beard, his face still unreadable, but internally he continued to admire greatly. They came to yet another cell, where a handsome man sat sighing and looking ashen-faced. ¡°This person is but an ordinary cultivator, and though his cultivation level isn¡¯t high, he¡¯s accustomed to flirting and seducing women, most adept at deceiving them,¡± said the true lord Shenyue slowly. ¡°He has traveled through many sects, falsely claiming to be unmarried, and formed Daoist companionships with female cultivators, nuns, and female Daoists, including daughters of high-ranking figures within the sects. After the affair was exposed, several sects were in an uproar, considering it a disgrace and demanding severe punishment. How should he be dealt with?¡± ¡°This person actually possesses such talent?¡± Wei Dongliu showed a look of surprise, ¡°We should seek out his Illusion Technique, have him infiltrate the Demon Race, and seduce high-standing and powerful female demons, turning their talents into an advantage for the Human Race. Would that not be wonderful?¡± True lord Shenyue couldn¡¯t hold back any longer, and he burst into hearty laughter: ¡°Brilliant, absolutely brilliant, absolutely brilliant!¡± ¡°So, this settles it?¡± Wei Dongliu asked calmly. ¡°Settled, settled,¡± True lord Shenyue waved his hand, laughing, ¡°It¡¯s a shame, if you were born in that era, you would have surely shone brightly.¡± ¡°How do you know that I cannot shine like the sun and moon in this time and place?¡± Wei Dongliu frowned and asked. ¡°Indeed.¡± True lord Shenyue thought to himself that this person was already the master of a sect, not some obscure individual; his earlier comment was indeed inappropriate, ¡°As per our prior agreement, the sanctum position in my possession is now yours.¡± ¡°Come with me.¡± Without another word, Wei Dongliu continued to follow True lord Shenyue, passing through the lengthy and dim corridor. In a dizzying turn, they left the dungeon and arrived beneath the Soaring Heaven Pavilion. Upon entering the pavilion, he saw Qiu Changtian sitting inside, silent. An Zhisu and Shi Liuli were on either side, staring at each other with wide eyes. How could his past self have been so feeble? Wei Dongliu was in high spirits and full of vigor at this moment. On seeing his past self, who was timid and shrink-back in the face of his two wives, he found himself utterly displeasing, then released the murderous aura within his body and overawed An Zhisu and Shi Liuli who were locked in a gaze. Struck by his murderous aura, An Zhisu subconsciously wanted to draw her sword but ultimately suppressed the urge with great effort. The ensuing events need not be elaborated upon. When the twelve were all assembled, Wei Dongliu surveyed them, seeing the eight from the Orthodox Sects, needless to say. As for the four from the Demon Cult, it was himself, Wen Yang, Mo Gu, and Ling Yun. It was two from the Nether Ghost Path, one from the Mortal Life Path, and one from the Heavenly Demon Path, with the weakest from the Eastern Emperor Path and the Asura Path cultivators acting once again as the atmosphere group, whose importance lay in participation. The group left the Golden Que Secret Realm as had happened in the original timeline, to find the outside world embroiled in a fierce battle between immortals and demons, raging with such intensity as to darken the heavens and the earth, yet without rivers running with blood. Wei Dongliu instantly grabbed Guo Jin, wrapped him in Sword Light, and rushed toward the Blood Sea Ancestor. En route, Long Eyebrow, the thief, tried to use the Dual Polarity Dust Sword Formation to intercept him, but was blocked by the Blood Sea Ancestor with a surging Blood River, engulfing the endless Sword Qi within it. Looking at the other Demon Path cultivators, they also each sought out the Sect¡¯s Guardian Immortals. The thief Chi Song battled the Free and Easy Patriarch, unleashing endless winds and thunder from his Universe Sleeve, only to be countered by a plume of black fog from the opponent¡¯s throat, unable to make any further progress; The thief Wan Xiang faced off against the Honored White Bone, throwing out a multitude of dazzling radiance from his hands, but what Magical Treasures were gleaming could not be discerned, only that looking at them for too long could blind one. They fought with such ferocity that the sky seemed to collapse and the earth to crack, the sun and moon deprived of light, retreating as they battled until the people from Shushan and others had departed, and then the Blood Sea Ancestor finally raised his hand, allowing Wei Dongliu to surface from the Blood Sea and asked: ¡°This trip to the Golden Que, what is the outcome?¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Of the twelve principal positions, the Six Paths have secured four,¡± Wei Dongliu said somberly, ¡°This unworthy disciple is incompetent, the Mortal Life Path merely took one.¡± ¡°It¡¯s of no importance,¡± the Blood Sea Ancestor said with satisfaction, ¡°It¡¯s good enough to have taken one, no need to ask for more.¡± After a moment of silence, Wei Dongliu tentatively inquired: ¡°Ancestor, even if we have taken these positions in the Golden Que, they are of no benefit. Then, what significance do they hold?¡± ¡°Though they may not be beneficial to you, for us immortals, it¡¯s different,¡± the Blood Sea Ancestor replied leisurely, ¡°Rest assured, once we return, I will have a reward for you.¡± Chapter 714 - Chapter 714: Chapter 48 Wei Donglius Biggest Crisis Chapter 714: Chapter 48 Wei Dongliu¡¯s Biggest Crisis East Sea, Mount Pan. The headquarters of the Heavenly Demon Path suspended overseas on an isolated island that rarely saw human visitors, and as its members were all female cultivators, fishermen who ended up here often mistook it for an ethereal Immortal Realm. But such a delightful impression would soon shatter¡­ after all, to the eyes of a Demon Path Cultivator, mortals were nothing more than some sort of ¡°cultivation resource¡±. Of course, to certain higher beings, even Cultivators of the Human Race might be seen as expendable, but let¡¯s not delve into that for now. In any case, three cultivators of the Heavenly Demon Path went to the Golden Que Secret Realm, and three returned. But those who left were Yun Zhen and two other Golden Core Cultivators; those who returned were the Great Unrestrained Ancestor and Yun Zhen, plus one more cultivator. The remaining cultivator, another true being, had likely fallen within the Secret Realm. Death was so commonplace within the Heavenly Demon Path that the fall of a true being stirred no waves whatsoever. The residence of the Great Unrestrained Ancestor was situated at the very peak of Mount Pan, a place where no Demon Path Cultivator dared to intrude for fear of being selected as a sacrificial offering for the summoning of a Heavenly Demon, should they encounter the Ancestor. However, the Great Unrestrained Ancestor hadn¡¯t been indulging in summoning Heavenly Demons lately, so the elders tasked with procuring sacrifices were enjoying some downtime¨Cnaturally, everyone hoped this would continue. But anyone entering the residence would see lying on the soft bed, typically reserved for immortals, not the infamously wicked Great Unrestrained Ancestor, but a different figure: a slender and beautiful woman. She wore a thin layer of gauzy silk that barely covered her smooth, voluptuous curves, and from a distance alone, there lied an unsettling, impassioned urge to unleash one¡¯s inner cosmos. wuxiaworld.site Her long black hair cascaded down like a waterfall, spreading over the mattress like an unfurling black rose. Below the locks lay her porcelain skin, tender as young fat and smooth as ivory, curving over her shoulders as if meticulously sculpted by a divine creator. ¡°Sister!¡± Another cloud of black fog burst into the room from outside the hall, transforming into a lithe girl in her eighteenth year, who threw herself into the arms of the beauty on the bed, ¡°It¡¯s all over, I searched the Secret Realm for ages and didn¡¯t catch a glimpse of brother-in-law anywhere!¡± ¡°Brother-in-law must have been taken away by those beautiful maidens of the Golden Que true lords¡­ No, that¡¯s not right, by the female true lords of the Golden Que, concealed somewhere living a life of hidden indulgence!¡± Jiang Lian, who had been holding her sister subconsciously, immediately rose upon hearing her words, changing into her robes. ¡°Hmph,¡± she said with an icy expression, ¡°stop talking, I will go ask him myself.¡± Jiang Lian transformed into black fog, soaring up into the sky, rushing from Mount Pan to Mount Wutai, arriving at the Mortal Life Daoist Sect¡¯s headquarters, only to see Wei Dongliu sitting upright in a room, practicing some profound Demonic Techniques, with black qi slithering in and out through his breath. This technique, bestowed by the Blood Sea Ancestor, is known as the Five Organs Blood Corpse Filth Technique, and it greatly enhances the foul nature of Demonic Qi. Upon mastering it to a certain level, if one can smear the Demonic Qi on the opponent¡¯s Flying Sword or Magical Treasure, it can corrupt them completely, making their Spiritual Light vanish and their connection disappear¨Cthe key point is, this technique is almost impossible to break unless countered by a specifically designed Magical Treasure (like the Eastern Pure Light Glazed Lamp). ¡°Husband,¡± Jiang Lian put on a sweet smiling face, on purpose throwing herself into his arms, ¡°have you missed me?¡± Wei Dongliu was practicing a critical stage of his technique when he was interrupted by Jiang Lian, a beauty barging into his embrace. His True Yuan surged backward, nearly causing him to cough up blood. However, as a First Grade Golden Core, his Dantian was robust beyond measure, so he didn¡¯t suffer much internal injury, but he simply opened his eyes indifferently and said: ¡°Get out!¡± Jiang Lian wouldn¡¯t listen and instead lay on him, drawing circles on his chest, feigning a look of tearful sorrow: ¡°Just a few days without seeing me and you¡¯ve grown tired of me already?¡± Wei Dongliu wouldn¡¯t be fooled and tried to push her away brusquely¨Cbut to no avail, as Jiang Lian had already clung to his arm. Although enveloped in softness and warmth, a strong pull felt like being pressed by thousands of tons of cotton, making it impossible to break free. With patience, Wei Dongliu said: ¡°My lady, it¡¯s not that I haven¡¯t missed you. It¡¯s just that the matters of the Golden Que Secret Realm have been so pressing recently. I¡¯ve been busy with that and haven¡¯t had the time to think of anything else,¡± he said. ¡°Is that so?¡± Jiang Lian wiped away her tears and asked coquettishly, ¡°Then while you were in the secret realm, did you see any other women?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Really? No other women?¡± ¡°Really. No other women.¡± ¡°Liar.¡± Jiang Lian pouted, ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to undergo some test from a True Lord?¡± When other women pouted, it quite possibly made men think them pretentious and annoying, but this witch¡¯s expression was just right, perfectly capturing the playful and charming demeanor of a young girl. It made Wei Dongliu¡¯s annoyance at being interrupted dissipate considerably. ¡°I did meet the True Lord, but the True Lord turned out to be a man,¡± he patiently replied. ¡°And what is the True Lord¡¯s Daoist name?¡± Jiang Lian persisted. ¡°Shenyue.¡± ¡°Oh, that old man.¡± ¡°My lady, you know him?¡± ¡°No.¡± Jiang Lian smiled again, ¡°It just sounds like the kind of name an old man would have.¡± ¡°How could you guess one¡¯s age just from their Daoist name¡­¡± Wei Dongliu hadn¡¯t finished speaking when he was once again tackled by Jiang Lian. The witch sat astride him, extended a delicate finger, and pointing at the bridge of his nose, she demanded: ¡°Husband, change for me!¡± Wei Dongliu: ? It took him a while to realize what his wife meant. Then he transformed, taking on the appearance with flaming red hair and heavy-lidded eyes. Oddly, until she recovered the Heavenly Demon¡¯s memories, she wasn¡¯t too interested in Wei Dongliu¡¯s human identity. Yet, she found his Demon Lord disguise very cool, as it was so different from ordinary people. After regaining her identity as the Heavenly Demon, Jiang Lian found she favored his human appearance even more, deriving a wicked pleasure from merely looking at him and thinking of ways to tease and toy with him. As for his Demon Lord persona, it brought to the witch a sense of sweet nostalgia, as if she was experiencing the sensation of a first love once again¡­ This was a whole other experience. The Great Unrestrained Heavenly Demon loved human emotions, of course, including the special sensations that certain acts could elicit. Since Wei Dongliu claimed he needed to preserve his Yuan Yang for cultivation purposes, Jiang Lian didn¡¯t press the issue too much. However, it wasn¡¯t out of respect for his wishes, but rather because she considered the feast should be saved for last. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only But lately, having not seen him for so long, she felt she could hardly hold back any longer. Her hands involuntarily reached for Wei Dongliu¡¯s neck and then gently slid down, slowly parting the lapels of his robe. The witch licked her lips with her tongue, making them appear even more lustrous. Wei Dongliu, previously in a daze, suddenly snapped to full alertness at her enchanting sight. Wait, Ah Jing and Qing Ping are still watching! He hurriedly tried to push Jiang Lian off and get up, but the Heavenly Demon pinned his hands down and pressed him back onto the bed. ¡°Are you trying to escape, husband?¡± Jiang Lian whispered into Wei Dongliu¡¯s ear, asking with a low laugh. Chapter 715 - Chapter 715: Chapter 49: Eastern Emperor Demon Realm, Eve of War Chapter 715: Chapter 49: Eastern Emperor Demon Realm, Eve of War Load the save! Load the save, load the save, load the save, load the save! Under Wei Dongliu¡¯s repeated urging, the Kunlun Mirror finally began to load the save at a leisurely pace. [Location Five: Eastern Emperor Realm, Eastern State, vast wilderness of Douguang.] [Identity: Long Long.] [Mirror Flower Water Moon Template is overlaying, undergoing time-space travel.] In the Eastern Emperor Realm, the tide of war had already swept forth. As the White Tiger Clan invaded the southwestern border of North State, the Qilin and Xuanwu factions finally erupted into full-scale conflict. These two political allies, once close and in perfect harmony, had now revealed their sharp claws and ferocious fangs, ready to tear each other to shreds. Apart from the fierce conflict in West State and North State, Central State and South State were also facing the resurgence of war flames. A large number of Horned Clan cultivators moved south from Central State, their weapons pointed directly at Wu River City. This city was a key stronghold on the northern border of South State¨Cif Wu River City fell into the hands of the Qilin, then they could thrust southward into the Two Rivers Plain, and the Feathered Clan¡¯s defensive pressure would nearly increase a hundredfold. wuxiaworld.site Owing to the secret alliance the Dragon Clan had with the Vermilion Bird, the cultivator army Long Long belonged to was also urgently dispatched to Wu River City to aid their allies. Long Long, Long Hu, Qin Zhou, Qin Ye, as well as the offspring of other Dragon Clan elders, were all placed within one of the teams, a veritable ¡°Crown Prince squad.¡± Although they were protected by the Great Elder personally leading the squad, the battlefield was unpredictable, so Long Long could only keep Long Hu by his side, telling her not to stray too far from him. The group set out from the southern border of Eastern State, crossed the Three-Legged Mountain into South State, and soon, Golden Crow cultivators of the Feathered Clan came to guide them westwards. After inquiring about the situation with these Feathered Clan cultivators, the Great Elder understood that South State was currently at a disadvantage, mainly because the Qilin Clan was pressing forward aggressively, catching the Vermilion Bird side somewhat off guard. But the Feathered Clan were fierce by nature and excelled at fighting against the odds¨Cthe more disadvantaged they were, the more ferociously they fought. Now, the battle situation just north of Wu River City was gradually stabilizing, and it was not necessary to worry about the city being breached in the short term. The only problem was that, with the need to guard against the invasion by the White Tiger of West State, the Vermilion Bird had to deploy heavy forces in the northwest, resulting in an inability to fully deal with Central State¡­ This was the biggest disadvantage of facing enemies on two fronts. Setting up camp at a location about to enter the Two Rivers Plain, the Great Elder called everyone over and said, ¡°This expedition, I¡¯m sure the elders in the clan have also explained things to you.¡± ¡°We are not going out on this journey for a leisurely excursion, but to earn military exploits in the war and to build up prestige and experience in the clan.¡± ¡°Next, we will head to Wu River City.¡± ¡°Wu River City is near the front line of confrontation with Central State, and there are a lot of Horned Clan cultivators infiltrating the area. Our goal is to intercept and eliminate as many of these cultivators as possible.¡± ¡°For every cultivator you kill, remember to take their horn as proof of your military exploits after the battle.¡± ¡°Of course, military affairs are always unpredictable, and perhaps some may fall and end up as proof of someone else¡¯s exploits, who can tell.¡± ¡°If anyone wants to back out now, they can come to me privately. I will arrange for them to be placed in the rear.¡± Having finished, the Great Elder left, leaving everyone to exchange glances. The team rested for the night on the eastern edge of the Two Rivers Plain, preparing to officially enter the battlefield the next day. Even at night, one could still faintly hear the sounds of wind and thunder in the distance, probably the residual sounds of spells from the Golden-Winged Rocs of the Feathered Clan, striking and bombing the Horned Clan cultivators from the air. Long Long, finding it hard to sleep, left his tent and went outside. The tents were specially made magic artifacts that could shield against Divine Sense scanning and prevent the diffusion of aura, making staying inside the tent theoretically the safest option. However, being far from the battlefield and confident in his own scanning abilities, Long Long stepped out to get some fresh air. After a moment, Long Hu also came out of the tent and, seeing Long Long standing on a hill, approached and asked curiously, ¡°Long Long, aren¡¯t you sleeping?¡± Long Long smiled sheepishly, silently acknowledging. After Human Cultivators practice fasting, they replace eating with breathing exercises and sleeping with meditative concentration. Since all of Long Long¡¯s four identities were Human, he had long lost the habit of sleeping at night. However, the Demon Race does not have the tradition of meditative concentration, so to Long Hu, staying awake at night indeed seemed very strange¨Cit could only be attributed to the psychological pressure of heading into battle the next day. So, the little fox hugged Long Long from behind, then stood on her tiptoes, raised her arms, and gently stroked his head, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, don¡¯t worry. Long Long, your fox sister here will protect you.¡± ¡°You protect me?¡± Long Long said with an incredulous chuckle. I¡¯m already at the Great Perfection of the Golden Core Realm¡¯s Root Seeking Rank. In Demon Race terms, that means I¡¯ve cultivated two-thirds of the Transformation Realm. And you, a little demon freshly transformed, want to protect me? But Long Hu¡¯s intention to comfort him genuinely warmed Long Long¡¯s heart, so he picked her up and let her sit in the crook of his arm, then continued looking out towards the Two Rivers Plain in the distance. Long Hu felt a chill in the wind and wrapped her fluffy tail tighter around Long Long¡¯s neck, fearing he might get cold¡­ after all, the Scaled Clan are cold-blooded creatures. Wrapped in this fox-tail scarf, Long Long thought to himself how nice it would be if Jiang the Witch could be as tender and attentive as this little fox. Not always so aggressive and domineering! I¡¯m someone who can be coaxed but not forced, don¡¯t you know that? Suddenly, there came a faint sound of a tent opening and closing behind him. Long Long turned around and saw the Great Elder leading two people out of the tent, and then they soared into the clouds, heading south. ¡°I recognize those two,¡± Long Hu said. ¡°Seems like they plan to flee before the battle.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not exactly fleeing the battle,¡± Long Long said leisurely. ¡°They never wanted to join the war in the first place; it was just their elders forcing them.¡± ¡°Now that the Great Elder has given them a way out, they¡¯re naturally eager to grab it and escape.¡± At this, both of them fell silent. Others may have the option to give up, but they could not, for one day they would have to defect from the Dragon Clan and flee to Beiming Fanyang, north of North State. When that time came, they would surely face pursuit and assassination by both the Azure Dragon and Xuanwu Clans. Therefore, getting battle experience by fighting on the battlefield beforehand was something they had to do. ¡°Let¡¯s go back and rest,¡± Long Long suddenly said. ¡°Mm, okay¡­¡± Long Hu nodded, and when Long Long carried her towards the tent, she suddenly realized: ¡°Wait, where are we going to rest?¡± ¡°Of course, we¡¯re going to rest in my tent,¡± Long Long said with a smile. ¡°But!¡± Long Hu said in a flustered and shy manner, ¡°They are all around in other tents,¡± ¡°Then you just have to not make any noise, right?¡± Long Long¡¯s smile grew more mischievous, and ignoring the little fox¡¯s struggles, he carried her into the tent. As soon as they entered the tent, they saw Qin Ye, the little female dragon, sitting at the edge of the bed with her hands folded on her knees, looking at them with a calm expression. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Long Long: ¡­¡­ Long Hu: ¡­¡­ Both of them felt as if they had been caught in the act, only to hear Qin Ye say with a smile, ¡°Brother Long Long, when I entered your tent and found no one, I thought something happened and was about to notify the Great Elder.¡± ¡°The battlefield is next, you can¡¯t just run around at night, okay? Otherwise, if someone, friend or foe, sees you, it really wouldn¡¯t be good, would it?¡± Chapter 716 - Chapter 716: Chapter 50 Guerrilla Warfare Chapter 716: Chapter 50 Guerrilla Warfare ¡°I was about to go tell the Great Elder.¡± The subtext was, ¡°If you keep messing around like this, I will tell the Great Elder.¡± As for whom the Great Elder would favor after being informed, it goes without saying. Qin Ye was of pure Azure Dragon Clan blood, while Long Hu was only a mixed-blood Demon Race. The little fox showed a panicked expression, while Long Long gave a slight smile and said, ¡°Qin Ye, I believe you wouldn¡¯t do that.¡± ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I?¡± Qin Ye struggled to lift her chin, putting on an arrogant demeanor. ¡°Because the Qin Ye I know is not someone who would betray his friends to the clan elders,¡± Long Long said, still smiling. Upon hearing this, Qin Ye stood frozen, her mind suddenly a mess. The Qin Ye he knows wasn¡¯t like that? Then what am I like in his heart¡­ Wait, doesn¡¯t that mean he has me in his heart? At this thought, Qin Ye¡¯s face grew hot, and she could no longer sit still. She jumped up as if on fire, stammering, ¡°I, I need to go¡­¡± wuxiaworld.site Reaching the entrance of the tent, Qin Ye suddenly remembered something, turned back, and cautioned, ¡°Before you marry, you can¡¯t do anything inappropriate!¡± Having said that, she hurriedly took her leave. Long Long and Long Hu exchanged looks for a moment before they simultaneously let out sighs of relief. What inappropriate things? Long Long couldn¡¯t help but silently laugh at the thought. Do I look like that kind of person? I¡¯m Human Race, not Demon Race! Since it¡¯s destined that we can¡¯t be together forever, why bring a child into this world to burden the fox with secret sorrow later on? ¡°Tsk, tsk, tsk.¡± The Kunlun Mirror couldn¡¯t stand it and scoffed coldly, ¡°No child, no responsibility, is that it? And what about deceiving feelings? Isn¡¯t that also part of your responsibility?¡± ¡°Where is there any deception of feelings?¡± Long Long asked in surprise, ¡°We are simply in a normal relationship. Then one day in the future, due to life¡¯s choices, we must part from each other.¡± ¡°I see,¡± the Kunlun Mirror replied coldly. This futile person is deluding himself again. When the time truly comes, it won¡¯t just be solved with an ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m Human Race.¡± The Kunlun Mirror knew Long Hu well enough that her profoundly emotional nature wouldn¡¯t care about race. Even if you fled to the ends of the earth, she would chase after you relentlessly! But why this futile person was planning to run away was crystal clear to Ah Jing. If he stayed, what would happen to Junior Sister Xu, Senior Sister An, the Liuli Lady, and Jiang the Witch? Run, just try to run! If you can actually escape, I, Ah Jing, will take your name! Unaware of Long Long¡¯s thoughts, Long Hu just said shyly, ¡°Then I¡¯ll be going, okay? Otherwise, the Great Elder might actually come.¡± She hugged Long Long again and kissed him on the lips before swiftly turning and flying away. Long Long touched his mouth as if savoring the sensation, standing in silent and wistful contemplation for a long while before letting out a heavy sigh. The next morning, the Dragon Clan continued on their journey. As for the fact that two people were missing from the group, everyone maintained a tacit understanding, with no one asking any questions. Upon entering the Two Rivers Plain, the group quickly chose a river and deployed the Water Escape Technique. As they moved beneath the river¡¯s surface, the Great Elder Qin Chaocang also imparted various Magical Competition experiences to the young dragons. ¡°Excuse me, Elder,¡± a young dragon asked curiously, ¡°Can¡¯t we soar on clouds and ride the fog? Why travel underwater? Wouldn¡¯t our view be wider if we flew in the sky?¡± ¡°Correct, but don¡¯t forget,¡± Qin Chaocang replied, ¡°When you fly in the sky, you can see distant enemies, but the enemy can also spot you from afar.¡± ¡°The Horned Clan excels in swift movement, capable of using techniques allowing them to cover great distances in a short time, traveling a thousand miles in a day is nothing to them.¡± ¡°If you encounter a Horned Clan troop in the open and cannot quickly decide the battle, you will soon be surrounded by continuously arriving reinforcements and ultimately trapped and killed on the spot.¡± ¡°Considering that the Feathered Clan is adept at flying, the Horned Clan must have anti-air measures. Therefore, taking water routes to conceal your tracks is a better choice.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Long Long pondered, ¡°What if it¡¯s the other way around?¡± ¡°If our Dragon Clan were to pursue the Horned Clan, how should they hide?¡± Qin Chaocang was very pleased with his ability to think ahead and thus enlightened him: ¡°The Dragon Clan excels at soaring through the clouds and mist, flying, and the Water Escape Technique are all our specialties.¡± ¡°In other words, neither the waterways nor the ground is suitable for them, so there is only one method left: Earth Escape.¡± Earth Escape? That is, traveling underground? Long Long and Long Hu silently took note of this and then heard Qin Chaocang continue: ¡°Our cultivators¡¯ warfare is completely different from that of demonic beasts.¡± ¡°Wars among demonic beasts are, frankly, just a matter of outnumbering the opponent. But cultivators are not limited by logistics, and their forms of warfare are often much more severe.¡± ¡°Take Wu River City¡¯s vicinity, for example: The Feathered Clan, being on the defensive, gather their army inside Wu River City, where they can leverage the city¡¯s formations, restrictions, and many other methods to cause huge casualties to the attacking side.¡± ¡°For the Horned Clan, who are the attackers, a direct assault on Wu River City is the worst strategy. Therefore, they disperse their troops into small groups to infiltrate and wreak havoc on Two Rivers Plain, forcing the Feathered Clan¡¯s main forces to leave the city.¡± ¡°Do you understand what I¡¯m saying?¡± As Qin Chaocang spoke in this way, seeing the little dragons all thoughtfully pondering, he turned his gaze to Long Long. Long Long did not disappoint, calmly explaining: ¡°Whether on the offensive or defensive, it¡¯s just about utilizing one¡¯s own advantages.¡± ¡°The advantage of the attacker lies in mobility, while the defender¡¯s advantage is in the terrain. Whoever can force the opponent out of their advantageous zone will gain the ultimate victory.¡± With that, the dragons all suddenly understood, and Qin Chaocang praised them: ¡°That¡¯s right. The art of warfare is about using your strengths against the enemy¡¯s weaknesses, and warfare among cultivators is just a more complex version of this, but it doesn¡¯t stray from the essence of war itself.¡± ¡°As long as the Horned Clan chooses to disperse their forces, the Feathered Clan cannot possibly stay holed up in Wu River City, or else the entire Two Rivers Plain would be devastated.¡± ¡°The Feathered Clan would also have to send out small troops to kill these infiltrating Horned Clan members, but as I just mentioned, the Horned Clan has their swift movement techniques, and if a close combat encounter does not lead to a quick victory, a large number of reinforcements will arrive to outnumber us.¡± ¡°That is also why they are requesting our Dragon Clan¡¯s support. Next, all of our operations should primarily involve surprise attacks using the Water Escape Technique.¡± ¡°Each battle should be finished within ten breaths, and certainly not more than twenty breaths.¡± ¡°Once it reaches twenty breaths, immediately flee along the river, do not continue to linger. Do you all understand?¡± ¡°Understood!¡± the little dragons energetically responded in unison. Everyone was full of confidence, only Long Long felt a hint of unease. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only This simple principle, once the Great Elder explained it, everyone understood it; wouldn¡¯t the Horned Clan think of it too? If they had already prepared countermeasures for a Water Escape surprise attack, then what specifically would their countermeasures be? With this thought, Long Long looked again at Long Hu. The Great Elder said not to exceed twenty breaths; that was overly optimistic. If they really encountered a fight that couldn¡¯t be quickly decided, they might need to rely on the fox¡¯s Illusion Technique and make a run for it even before ten breaths were up. Chapter 717 - Chapter 717: Chapter 51: Calmly Walking into the Ambush Circle Chapter 717: Chapter 51: Calmly Walking into the Ambush Circle Several Horned Clan cultivators were patrolling along the coast. Human cultivators were accustomed to flying with Sword Control, while cultivators from the Demon Race, depending on their species, mostly excelled in various Escape Techniques or Divine Travel Techniques. For example, the Feathered Clan could fly without the aid of any Magical Treasures by flapping their wings; the Horned Clan also mastered a Divine Travel Technique that was akin to a certain step technique, allowing them to traverse great distances in an instant, Long Long lay hidden in the depths of rivers, observing these Horned Clan cultivators who strolled leisurely with a breeze beneath their feet. Although their burst speed could not match Ling Yunpo and Senior Sister An¡¯s Cloud-Parting Eight Trigrams Step, they had the advantage of low consumption and endurance, making it an exceptional skill for traveling long distances. Unfortunately, I couldn¡¯t learn it, for there were barriers of bloodlines between different races, and Secret Techniques and Divine Skills were not interchangeable. It seemed unnecessary to create a separate minor account of a Horned Clan member¡­ He quickly reined in his thoughts, and only after those cultivators entered the encirclement did he swiftly release a long and lingering dragon¡¯s roar. The expressions of the Horned Clan cultivators drastically changed, and before they could accelerate to flee, a overwhelming Dragon¡¯s Might pressed down, making their bodies feel as if they were filled with lead, completely immobilizing them. Then, a torrential current rolled out from the rivers, trapping the Horned Clan cultivators from all sides. Lastly, numerous Flying Swords pierced fiercely into the water, like a thousand arrows through the heart, slaying these Horned Clan cultivators. Deterred by Dragon¡¯s Might, trapped by Water System Daoist Magic, and then slain with Flying Swords¨Cthis was the quick-kill strategy Long Long and his cohorts had devised. The most critical core of this tactic lay in the deterrent of Dragon¡¯s Might. As long as they were successfully intimidated by Dragon¡¯s Might, it was almost as if they had fallen into an Illusion Technique, unable to control their bodies, with their minds in a daze¡­ If not for this, these Horned Clan cultivators would not have been so powerless that they couldn¡¯t even fight back, remaining rigid in place to be slaughtered. Long Long¡¯s exceedingly high Bloodline Rank was the underlying confidence that allowed him to subdue these Horned Clan cultivators with Dragon¡¯s Might. In this manner, after killing about twenty Horned Clan cultivators in five or six rounds, the spirits of the young dragons were greatly lifted, their fighting spirit high, with some even laughing and claiming ¡°the Horned Clan cultivators were nothing much.¡± wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co However, Long Long felt something was amiss, and looking at the expression on Qin Chaocang¡¯s face, it seemed the Great Elder also sensed something unusual, as he was stern-faced and silent at the moment. The first round of sneak attacks could be explained as being prepared against the unprepared, but by the second and third rounds, even the most inept commanders behind the Horned Clan should have noticed that the frontline troops were disappearing abnormally frequently. Even if they couldn¡¯t come up with countermeasures, the least they could do was to send someone over for a large-scale search, right? But they didn¡¯t. It could be that they were intentionally letting us grow complacent, quietly plotting some vicious trap! With this thought in mind, Long Long also became somewhat restless. He was not doubting the strength of the Great Elder Qin Chaocang, but what if the Qilin Clan also had a Great Elder to restrain Qin Chaocang? What then? As a seasoned spy, Long Long knew better than to place his life and safety on the reliability of anyone else. He hurriedly called Long Hu, Qin Zhou, Qin Ye, and others for a private meeting to discuss. ¡°I feel something is off,¡± he stated bluntly. ¡°The reaction of the Horned Clan is too sluggish. This is not like the response one would expect after having dozens of cultivators ambushed. I suspect they are plotting something.¡± The Qin siblings looked puzzled. With their limited experience, they could not discern the plausibility of what Long Long was suggesting. However, Long Hu firmly stood by Long Long¡¯s side and said: ¡°I also feel something is very wrong! Everyone think about it, if this is a trap, then the Horned Clan must have prepared a very powerful move behind the scenes!¡± Although the Little Fox spoke earnestly, he was merely repeating Long Long¡¯s words with emphasis and intonation, without providing any new arguments. ¡°I know what you are saying,¡± Qin Zhou said hesitantly. ¡°But in the end, there is no evidence, is there?¡± ¡°If the Horned Clan is indeed plotting some killing move against us, we definitely need to inform the Great Elder and the others¡­ But if it turns out to be a false alarm, then we would become the laughingstock of everyone,¡± Qin Zhou added. Young people are always concerned about their face, and since most of his companions were descendants of high-ranking members of the Dragon Clan and friends within the circle he got along with, causing a fuss would mean embarrassment if it turned out to be scare for nothing. Being the subject of ridicule in their tales was almost as bad as social death to Qin Zhou ¡ª worse than dying on the battlefield. Qin Ye knew what his brother was amusingly thinking about and quickly spoke out: ¡°Then just don¡¯t tell them, isn¡¯t that fine?¡± ¡°After all, this is just our speculation, there¡¯s no need to tell everyone, right?¡± Well said! Long Long really wanted to applaud Qin Ye. As for evidence, of course, I have none; I¡¯ve merely made a meticulous guess based on the situation that seems logical and reasonable. When it¡¯s time to flee, I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t react in time, so I mentioned it offhandedly as a reminder. Yet, you think about notifying the whole team, for what? If it really happens as I predicted, you should think more about how to save your own life! Qin Zhou was still somewhat hesitant, but ultimately, he couldn¡¯t refute and simply remained silent. Although everyone started to become vigilant, just as Qin Zhou said, there was indeed no evidence, so they all continued playing their own roles in the team as if nothing had happened. Several days later, the number of slain Horned Clan cultivators had exceeded thirty. The confidence of the young dragons was almost overflowing, and some even proposed to continue infiltrating further north to harass and intercept the main forces of the Horned Clan cultivators. Such a jest-like ¡°guerrilla warfare tactic,¡± of course, was not approved by Qin Chaocang. Guerrilla tactics are based on a high degree of familiarity with the environment. If the Qilin Clan were to attack Eastern State, with the Dragon Clan¡¯s home field advantage, guerrilla warfare might be plausible, but here in the equally unfamiliar South State, perhaps even less familiar than it is to the Horned Clan since they fight with the Feathered Clan every year. Moreover, cultivators don¡¯t have supply lines, making infiltration behind enemy lines even less meaningful. Although he found it absurdly laughable, Long Long did not speak out to refute in the team because he vaguely sensed that the team¡¯s optimistic mood was a bit excessive. Could this be what the Horned Clan¡¯s commander behind the scenes wanted to see? ¡°Something¡¯s wrong,¡± Qin Chaocang also sensed the dangerous anomaly, ¡°We¡¯re pulling out.¡± ¡°Ah? Why?!¡± Now, the young dragons were all protesting. They had been sailing so smoothly up to now that everyone had the illusion of ¡°even without the Great Elder, I can do it¡±, and they all started to try to persuade him: ¡°Great Elder! With our morale so high, why withdraw now? Have you never heard that the first action is the strongest, and then the strength wanes?¡± ¡°If we haven¡¯t encountered a formidable enemy, how can we retreat without explanation to our allies in the Feathered Clan?¡± Though their arguments were manifold, the core idea was that they wanted to stay on the battlefield to earn merits. They heard Qin Chaocang decisively say: Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Retreat immediately! This is not up for your discussion!¡± With the anger of the Azure Dragon Great Elder, relying on his many years of prestige in the clan, he forcibly subdued everyone and made them bow their heads to the command. The crowd turned in the direction of Water Escape and hadn¡¯t gotten far to the south, when suddenly they heard a thunderous boom from far away. An earthquake? Long Long, with his premonition and scanning ability, realized immediately that the banks on both sides were collapsing under violent tremors, completely blocking the waterway ahead! There was indeed a trap! Chapter 718 - Chapter 718: Chapter 52: Long Longs Escape Plan Chapter 718: Chapter 52: Long Long¡¯s Escape Plan Ordinary earthquakes generally only have a single epicenter. However, under Long Long¡¯s scanning, the epicenters within range were densely packed, almost completely encircling the Dragon Clan¡¯s team. Who knew how many Horned Clan cultivators were lying in ambush around them! The rapidly collapsing soil and rocks created a dam in the river, blocking the waterway escape route for the Dragon Clan¡¯s team. The Great Elder Qin Chaocang quickly revealed his Azure Dragon True Form, and then immediately began to churn his True Yuan throughout his body, rapidly spouting a pale aqua-colored water column that was dozens of feet thick from his mouth, shooting towards the dam of soil and rocks with the speed of a cannon. The Azure Dragon differed from the Jiaolong. In addition to the Water System Spells that the Dragon Clan was naturally good at, it also possessed considerable accomplishments in the Wood System Spells. The rocks hit by the aqua-colored water streams seemed to be like boiling water hitting butter, quickly melting a passage through them. The erosive effects of this Wood System Spell had clearly been cultivated by the Great Elder to an extremely high realm. The other young dragons were immediately invigorated and rushed towards the gap opened by the Great Elder. But Long Long¡¯s expression remained stern, and he quickly grabbed Long Hu, Qin Zhou, and Qin Ye, saying, ¡°Follow me!¡± He decisively turned his body and headed towards the deeper parts of the riverbed. Long Hu followed without hesitation; the Qin siblings hesitated for a moment but, realizing that Long Long had predicted the current situation, instinctively followed in a panic. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co The four of them quickly arrived at the deepest part of the riverbed, and then they heard Long Long say, ¡°Fan!¡± Long Hu promptly took out the Golden Crow True Fire Fan and began to fan towards the riverbed, activating his True Yuan. Any ordinary Fire System Magical Treasure would see its effectiveness greatly reduced if activated deep underwater. But Golden Crow True Fire was not an ordinary fire and feared not the ordinary water; it was also particularly effective at melting soil and rocks. In the deep parts of the Three-legged Mountain Range, the two had used the Golden Crow True Fire Fan to burn and melt all the soil and stone burying the archway ruins. Countless flames swept down, quickly burning out a huge deep cave at the bottom of the river. The surging waters around them not only didn¡¯t extinguish the Golden Crow True Fire, but they also helped to dissipate the sound and light aftermath of the spell. The Horned Clan cultivators outside, even if they saw a large number of bubbles churning and rising through the surging waves, still could not detect anything amiss. ¡°Quick, get in!¡± Long Long, now in his Jiaolong form, measured the depth of the cave with his body and immediately urged everyone to enter. Everyone quickly entered the cave, and Long Long immediately struck with a heavy and fierce swipe of his dragon tail, collapsing the entrance of the cave. The narrow cave was then plunged into total darkness. The Qin siblings were feeling uneasy when suddenly a light flickered on¨Cit was the little fox lighting up the Eastern Pure Light Glazed Lamp. Long Long took the lamp from her hands and said, ¡°Continue digging downwards, don¡¯t stop.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Long Hu continued to activate the Golden Crow True Fire Fan, starting to melt the deeper soil and stone, excavating forward. The group continued to follow Long Hu downward, and every time they went a certain distance, Long Long would blow up the passage behind them to eliminate any traces. Seeing how cautious Long Long was, the Qin siblings thoughtfully began to understand their current predicament. First of all, since the Horned Clan thought to use Earth Magic to create widespread earthquakes to encircle them, they certainly would not fail to anticipate someone forcibly breaking through the blockage. Perhaps this was exactly the ¡°encirclement with an outlet¡± tactic the military strategists spoke of, intended to lure them into the next trap! It was probably for this reason that Qin Chaocang did not stop them¡­ The Great Elder was near the bottom of the river, covering the escape of the Dragon Clan cultivators in the team. If he failed to notice the likes of Long Long sneaking away from the group and secretly digging tunnels at the riverbed, that would have truly been strange. Secondly, the Horned Clan excels in the art of traversing thousands of miles instantaneously and is particularly sensitive to the fluctuations of Earth System spells. But what Long Long had Long Hu use was a spell stimulated by a Fire System Magical Treasure, and it was also concealed by the river water. Moreover, the Horned Clan¡¯s attention was surely on those from the Dragon Clan who were breaking through on the surface, so the likelihood of them noticing this activity here was greatly reduced. Finally, there was the question of how to escape. Neither in the air nor on the surface could one completely conceal their tracks. Originally, the group had chosen to escape by water, but almost everyone knows that the Dragon Clan is adept at Water Escape. As the Horned Clan pinpointed their location, continuing to flee via waterways became unsafe. However, if one could dig an escape route beneath the ground without using the Earth Escape Technique, there was a good chance of evading the Horned Clan¡¯s prediction, and the probability of survival would greatly increase. Furthermore, recalling that Long Long had earlier raised this issue with the Great Elder Qin Chaocang during the journey and had received an answer regarding Earth Escape¡­ admiration for Qin Chaocang filled the Qin siblings. They estimated that at that time, he was already planning for the Earth Escape Technique they were using now, right? Although the speed of tunneling through the earth using the power of the Golden Crow True Fire Fan wasn¡¯t slow, it definitely wasn¡¯t as fast as moving on the surface. Additionally, it was hard to discern directions underground, which posed another significant challenge as there was no distinction between south, north, west, and east. If they managed to escape the encirclement only to find they had tunneled into plains instead of waterways, they risked being discovered by patrolling Horned Clan cultivators. Unless they directly tunneled out to the Two Rivers Plain¡­ That of course was impossible, as they weren¡¯t using the Earth Escape Technique and didn¡¯t have that kind of speed. Although the specifics of how to continue surviving were unclear, the mere thought that Long Long had probably already made preparations gave the Qin siblings a mysterious confidence. As for Long Hu, this fox had no worries as long as she followed Long Long, brimming with confidence no matter where they went. Thus, the heavy burden of the entire team¡¯s escape squarely fell on Long Long¡¯s shoulders. He had to scan the surroundings to ensure no Horned Clan cultivators noticed anything unusual at the riverbed, while also keeping track of the little fox¡¯s remaining True Yuan, and even take turns activating the Magical Treasure with her to vie for time to recover and replenish True Yuan. On occasion, he had to extensively apply psychological suggestions to ensure absolute safety¨Cit was a frantic busyness indeed. Fortunately, the Horned Clan cultivators on the ground were focused on hunting down the Dragon Clan members fleeing through the waterways. The Great Elder Qin Chaocang was also using all kinds of spells to firmly draw the enemy¡¯s attention away, leaving him no leisure to scan the depths of the riverbed with his Divine Sense. After digging downward for about several hundred feet, a distance far beyond the range of the Horned Clan cultivator¡¯s Divine Sense, Long Long finally let himself relax. Next was to continue tunneling horizontally to get out of the encirclement and then vertically break into any waterway in South State¡­ ¡°Six hundred and seventy feet to the southwest, continue to a depth of seven hundred feet, and there is a huge space,¡± the Kunlun Mirror suddenly said. ¡°A huge space?¡± The first thing that came to Long Long¡¯s mind was the White Bone Divine Palace built underground in the past. It is well-known that any ruins that have concealed entrances difficult to discover, or are built in places like underground, deep sea, and in the air where few people venture, often have valuable items inside¡­ After all, ruins that are easy to discover have mostly been claimed by pioneers long ago. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only So, should he explore it or not? Long Long probably only hesitated for a split second before he made his decision. Of course, he should! The reason was simple: with so many Horned Clan cultivators outside searching for members of the Dragon Clan, going out now would be asking for trouble, wouldn¡¯t it? I¡¯m thinking of everyone¡¯s best interest here! Chapter 719 - Chapter 719: Chapter 53: The Oratory Skills of Long Long Chapter 719: Chapter 53: The Oratory Skills of Long Long The quiet underground space suddenly saw dust fall from the ceiling of the cave. Following that was molten earth, falling like thick, flowing magma. From the gaping hole that was burnt through, a head popped out. His gaze quickly swept across the area below, taking in the entire cavern, before he spoke in a tone of surprise, ¡°Is there actually an underground cavern here?¡± Then, another head bobbed out from beneath his armpit. ¡°Really, hey!¡± exclaimed the little fox, also in shock, ¡°Such a vast space!¡± Her ears moved around curiously, which tickled Long Long¡¯s neck to an unbearable degree. Then out came siblings Qin Zhou and Qin Ye, both looking down with astonishment. ¡°This place doesn¡¯t look like it was formed naturally,¡± Qin Ye said. ¡°Look at the marks below.¡± Long Long followed her gaze and looked down to see near the edge of the bottom of the cavern, a huge, flat ramp. To others of the Demon Race, its significance might not be clear, but nearly all four present, except for Long Hu, grasped its meaning instantly. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.Co These were the traces of the Scaled Clan¡¯s crawling. The Scaled Clan¡¯s true forms are covered in scales, and while crawling, small pebbles and rocks would often get stuck in the crevices between the scales, which is really uncomfortable. Therefore, in areas where the Scaled Clan lives, there are often more roads than steps, and tiny gravel and stones are always cleared in advance. In the cavern below, that circular ramp was not just flat and without edges, but also spotlessly clean, without any pebbles or stones, indicating that members of the Scaled Clan must have lived here for some time. ¡°Shall we go down, Long Long?¡± Long Hu asked eagerly. She saw that at the end of the ramp, there was a corner leading to a cave passage, signaling that the underground cavern did not end here and that perhaps further in, there was another world entirely. ¡°We¡­¡± Long Long had just begun to speak when he suddenly exclaimed, ¡°Everyone retreat immediately, be silent!¡± Though they didn¡¯t understand why, Long Long was the leader of their group, and they instinctively did as he commanded. Having retreated to the mouth of the cave, after about a dozen breaths, faint male voices could be heard from a distance: ¡°¡­ The Jiaolong Emperor of bygone days built a large number of underground fortresses deep beneath the surface of the South State.¡± ¡°The Emperor indeed had a unique vision; considering that the Feathered Clan relies heavily on flight and is not adept at combat in the cramped spaces underground.¡± ¡°These fortresses are all at least a hundred feet deep underground; common Daoist Magic and Divine Skills cannot reach this depth. Even if discovered by the Feathered Clan, they could only send Cultivators to exterminate us. By that time, these interconnecting caverns, the intricate corridors, and corners, will become a brutal nightmare for the Feathered Clan¡¯s Cultivators.¡± ¡°Unfortunately, the Jiaolong Emperor never truly acted against the Feathered Clan of the South State and fell directly into the Mortal Realm instead.¡± ¡°With the decline and retreat of the Jiaolong, the numerous fortresses in the depths of the South State have since completely vanished from the historical records¡­¡± The voices of conversation gradually became clearer and passed by below where the group was hiding, slowly moving towards the depths. ¡°Lv Yan, as for the origins of these underground fortresses, Her Majesty has no understanding or interest. Can you assure us here that by using this place, we can defeat the Feathered Clan¡¯s rebels?¡± The voice that responded was a woman¡¯s, clear to Long Long and Long Hu¨Cit was unmistakably Empress Lu Ya. ¡°In military affairs, how can there be a certainty of victory?¡± the man¡¯s voice was steady and cautious, ¡°But if these underground fortresses can be well utilized, they should be able to deliver a fatal blow to the Feathered Clan at a critical moment.¡± ¡°I will entrust this matter to you, how long will it take before we can see results?¡± the woman¡¯s voice carried a note of impatience. ¡°Your Majesty, do not be anxious. We must first thoroughly explore these fortresses before we can station cultivators and hide troops there,¡± the man continued to persuade, ¡°Since these fortresses were built by the Jiaolong Emperor, it is likely that they contain many vital records of the ancient Dragon Clan.¡± ¡°Now that both the Feathered Clan and the Dragon Clan are our enemies, if we can clarify these records, we may be able to find crucial intelligence¡­¡± The woman was clearly dissatisfied with the words ¡°should,¡± ¡°likely,¡± and ¡°may¡± from the man¡¯s mouth, and her tone now carried an irritation and a warning: ¡°Lv Yan, do not let me and my father down.¡± The sound gradually faded away until it disappeared completely, and then the people cautiously poked their heads out from the top of the cave. ¡°If this place truly is built by the Dragon Emperor from the past, then we must not let it fall into the hands of the Qilin!¡± Qin Zhou said urgently, ¡°Long Long, we must hurry and inform our clan of this information!¡± If hearing ¡°defeat the Feathered Clan by using this¡± only caused Qin Zhou some concern, then the mention of ¡°vital records of the ancient Dragon Clan¡± made him lose his composure completely. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, brother. Long Long will surely have a way,¡± Qin Ye said, his expression tense but still managing to keep calm, persuading, ¡°Even if we need to inform our clan, we must first get out of here.¡± The people looked at Long Long and saw that he too was frowning deeply, and for a moment, they did not dare to urge him and disrupt his thoughts. Long Long listened to the Qin siblings¡¯ words and chuckled to himself: What¡¯s so difficult about escaping from here? Just avoid entering this cavern, turn around, pick a direction, and dig our way out. However, Long Long was equally interested in the ¡°vital records of the ancient Dragon Clan¡± that Lv Yan had mentioned. The reason this small identity was established was to deliver Long Hu to the Beiming Fanyang, to find a method to resolve the bloodline conflict within her, and thereby remove the fragment of the Heaven-Mending Stone that sealed her Dragon Clan bloodline. The current two problems are, one, it is difficult to break away from the Dragon Clan in the Eastern State and head to the North State. The Azure Dragon Clan still harbors fear of the Jiaolong remnants, and with the scent of bloodline on Long Long¡¯s body and Long Hu¡¯s noble background, they would never allow this to happen. Two, the location and entrance method to Beiming Fanyang are unclear; even though Long Long has connected with Shi Yao and acknowledged each other as disciple and master, she has not shown complete trust in him, nor has she ever provided any information in this regard. What if, among the ¡°key records¡± hidden here, there is information on Beiming Fanyang? If I explore and search on my own, I can get first-hand information; once our clan comes over and seals off this area, I won¡¯t be able to see even a single word. ¡°Qin Zhou is right,¡± he pondered for a long while, then spoke calmly, ¡°We must inform our clan of this¡­ but do you think the clan will believe us?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Qin Zhou asked, puzzled. With our identity, how could the clan possibly not believe our words? ¡°Let¡¯s not forget, all the intelligence we have learned came from the mouth of Lv Yan,¡± Long Long sighed, ¡°We have never seen the real ¡®Underground Fortress,¡¯ have we?¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Considering the cautious nature of our ancestor, he will surely consider the possibility that Lv Yan has already noticed our presence and intentionally spoke these words to induce us to send back false intelligence, luring the Dragon Clan to this underground cavern, and then wiping them out in one fell swoop.¡± Lv Yan is the newly risen Demon King of the White Tiger Clan and is also a renowned military deity in the whole West State, known for his multifarious strategies. Reminded by Long Long, Qin Zhou realized the gravity of the situation and nodded heavily. ¡°That is to say, we at least need to explore this underground cavern a bit,¡± Long Long said with a determined expression and tone, ¡°If we can find some ancient records that validate what Lv Yan said, it could make the clan pay more attention to this matter.¡± Perhaps it was his determination, confidence, steadfastness, and the power of suggestion that infected and motivated the Qin siblings; after a brief discussion, they quickly reached a consensus. Follow behind Lv Yan and Lu Ya and continue exploring this cavern! Chapter 720 - Chapter 720: 54 Chapter Forbidden Experiments Chapter 720: 54 Chapter Forbidden Experiments From the ceiling of the cave to the bottom, there was a height of several dozen feet, and there was no place to grip or foothold for descent. If a mortal were to fall from here, death was certain, but members of the Dragon Clan all knew how to ride the clouds and drive the fog, so they had no problem and landed steadily. After entering the secret realm, Long Long scanned the distance once more to confirm the whereabouts of Lv Yan and Lu Ya. For enemies, he used scanning; for companions, he used hints. Long Long was confident that this underground exploration could not possibly go wrong nor could any accidents happen. Impossible! Absolutely impossible! The group then proceeded deeper into the cave, passing through many long passageways, only to see the ceiling in front gradually getting lower, and the corridors on either side narrowing more and more. Qin Zhou and Qin Ye proceeded with extreme caution, afraid that at any corner ahead, Lv Yan, Lu Ya, and others might suddenly turn back and bump right into them. However, through Ah Jing¡¯s scanning range, which was much larger than that of ordinary Divine Sense, Long Long was constantly keeping a distance from the two White Tigers up ahead, hence his composed demeanor. In the eyes of the Qin siblings, this naturally became proof of Long Long¡¯s confidence and assurance, diminishing the nervousness they initially felt. As for Long Hu, he roamed left and right, looking around, not seeming to be exploring the cave but rather like a puppy inspecting its own territory, quite curious and excited. Finally reaching the end of the passage, they came upon another huge cave, with numerous corridors built along the cave wall, winding and turning like a giant snake coiled around. In the center of the cave lay a giant snake, its body as massive as a mountain, with scales dark and dull, as if it could swallow the light of the sun and moon. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.Co Merely looking at that giant snake filled the four with a shudder that seemed to emanate from the depths of their bloodlines. ¡°Shed skin,¡± Long Long suddenly spoke, ¡°This is not a living creature, but merely an ancient shedding from the Scaled Clan.¡± The group quickly scanned with their Divine Sense and found it to be just as Long Long had said; the giant snake¡¯s interior was hollow, lacking any flesh or blood. ¡°Could this be the Earth Python?¡± Qin Zhou said hesitantly, ¡°I¡¯ve heard that during the era when the Dragon Clan ruled the Eastern Emperor Realm, the Python Clan lived in Central State, later subdued by the Dragon Clan Emperor to break mountains and forge construction.¡± At his words, Long Long also recalled this. The Earth Python had a status in the Scaled Clan akin to that of the Golden-Winged Roc in the Feathered Clan, with its massive body and boundless strength, making it extraordinarily useful in many areas. Regrettably, after Emperor Ying Long fell into the Mortal World, the political situation in the Eastern Emperor Realm underwent drastic changes. While there was no concrete evidence, it was generally believed that the Python Clan was attacked by old enemies during that period and ultimately had their bloodline completely eradicated. ¡°It is said that the Earth Python also has a nickname, ¡®Earth Dragon,¡¯ capable of effortlessly creating earthquakes,¡± Qin Ye suddenly remembered something, his eyes lighting up, ¡°Its scales belong to the Earth of the Five Elements, and with them, one could perform the Earth Escape Technique.¡± ¡°If we could bring back the scales, wouldn¡¯t we be able to gain the old ancestor¡¯s trust?¡± Long Long silently scanned for a moment and discovered that the two were moving through the upper walkways of the cave wall far away. Following them to the cave wall¡¯s walkway would increase the risk of discovery; it would be better to first hide within the shed skin below, make use of Ah Jing¡¯s power to shield the scanning of Divine Sense, and search after the two had left. ¡°That¡¯s a good idea,¡± he nodded in agreement. To avoid causing any fluctuations in spells, the four did not directly ride the clouds and fog but instead relied on their physical bodies to climb down. Long Long held the little fox in his arms, moving with agility and ease, jumping on the protrusions on the rock wall. He was innately skilled in the Cloud-Parting Eight Trigrams Step, and though he did not use this technique now, his experience allowed him to run along walls and gracefully twist and turn without making a sound, charging straight down the rock wall, leaving Qin Zhou and Qin Ye behind. Long Hu clung tightly to his neck, with his tail wrapped around his waist, so thrilled that she wanted to scream, but afraid of being heard by the enemy, she could only cover her mouth with a flushed face. The four finally descended to the bottom of the cavern. From this angle, the giant snake shed looked even more immense, and a mere glance gave an eerie and terrifying sensation. ¡°Eh?¡± Long Hu suddenly exclaimed in surprise, ¡°Look, doesn¡¯t this coiled snake shed resemble a building?¡± At his words, everyone looked carefully and indeed saw the outline of a man-made entrance hall at the tail of the shed, leading into the pitch-black interior of the snake shed. Clearly, someone had used the empty husk below the giant snake shed and fashioned it into some kind of structure. Long Long scanned the area again and then led the others into the snake shed. Upon entering, they were immediately hit by a damp, fishy stench. The other three were from the Scaled Clan and were not bothered by the stench, but only the little fox, with her sensitive nose, was nearly brought to tears and had to hold her breath. Hanging from the ceiling were countless corpses, all of various Feathered Clan remains, tightly bound by semi-transparent silk threads, their heads hanging downwards. The semi-transparent silk threads were also recognized by everyone as a kind of sealing magic artifact made from the salivary fluid of the Dragon Clan, specifically used to bind captives. Various torture instruments were arranged against the wall, and there was a large number of jade slips piled on the table. Long Long picked up a jade slip, glanced at it for a moment, and knew that this trip was worthwhile. If this place were exposed by the White Tiger Clan, the relationship between the Scaled Clan and the Feathered Clan might be completely destroyed. The jade slip recorded a very strange experiment: Bloodline Fusion Experiment. The experimenters started with the mechanism of the transformation from giant Kun to Peng, arguing that since the Scaled Clan could transform into the Feathered Clan, it proved that the bloodline barriers between different Demon Races weren¡¯t insurmountable chasms. Therefore, they collected a wide variety of Feathered Clan blood samples for exploratory research. So far, they had researched 112 types of Feathered Clan bloodlines, and only three had the potential to fuse with those of the Scaled Clan. Here, fusion didn¡¯t refer to the mixing of bloodlines through marriage and offspring born between two different individuals, but rather having two different bloodlines coexisting within one individual without the ability to devour each other or cause conflict, allowing the individual to wield the divine secret skills of both bloodlines¡­ At this thought, Long Long couldn¡¯t help but glance at Long Hu. He had a rough guess as to why Emperor Ying Long was conducting such experiments here: It was probably because he had anticipated some irreconcilable bloodline conflict within his wife and daughter, Long Hu. Perhaps the Bloodline Fusion Secret Technique held by the Jiaolong Clan in Beiming Fanyang was the final product of the experiments conducted here? With this in mind, Long Long quickly flipped through more jade slips. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Regrettably, most of the remaining jade slips were filled with data and conjecture and lacked any substantial conclusions or ready-made Cultivation Technique Scrolls. Stuffing the jade slips into the storage bag, Long Long scanned the area above again. Lv Yan and Lu Ya were still moving around in the corridors of the cavern walls, not staying too long in any room, which suggested they hadn¡¯t found anything of value. Considering this, Long Long quickly made a decision: ¡°We¡¯ve found evidence that will convince our clan. We leave immediately!¡± Chapter 721 - Chapter 721: 55th Chapter: How did Ah Jing become jealous? Chapter 721: 55th Chapter: How did Ah Jing become jealous? Regarding the retreat order from Long Long, no one naturally opposed it. Or rather, following behind an immortal from a hostile camp always brings pressure¨Cespecially after the initial effects of the mental suggestion began to wane, a deep sense of fear emerged in everyone¡¯s hearts. When Long Long mentioned that he finally found evidence, everyone immediately became eager to leave at once. Although there were no signs in the cave to distinguish north, south, east, or west, with Long Long¡¯s all-powerful scanning ability, there was not a trace of getting lost. In everyone¡¯s eyes, this naturally became the best proof of his powerful memory, which bolstered the team¡¯s confidence even further. Leaving the giant cavern, the group re-entered the narrow passages when suddenly Long Long stopped and said, ¡°There are people ahead! They¡¯re moving in this direction!¡± ¡°What should we do?¡± Long Hu asked anxiously. Looking at Qin Zhou and Qin Ye, the siblings, they also seemed to have given up thinking for themselves, only waiting to do whatever Long Long said. Long Long also mentally cursed himself for a strategic error, preoccupied by scanning for Lu Ya and Lv Yan¡¯s locations, he had forgotten to check if their retreat was being blocked. Now, turning the scanner back toward the path they had taken, he found that it had already been heavily blockaded by Cultivators of the Mao Clan, leaving no chance for free entry or exit! Ah Jing, your scanning ability is lacking! Can¡¯t it be made into a 360-degree radar effect that automatically scans all around me, front and back, left and right, above and below, and automatically alerts me if suspicious individuals appear? wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co ¡°The essence of scanning is Art Calculation,¡± Kunlun Mirror said helplessly, ¡°You don¡¯t even know what to ask, yet you expect Art Calculation to give you answers. Do you think that¡¯s possible?¡± ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t it be possible?¡± Long Long said assertively, ¡°My Liuli doesn¡¯t need to be asked questions; whenever there is a tough problem, it will automatically calculate the answer and even take care of it for me. I don¡¯t even perceive the existence of the problem!¡± Kunlun Mirror was silent for a moment before saying, ¡°Then you should have Shi Liuli as your Ah Jing.¡± Long Long: ? Wait, is Ah Jing¡­jealous? ¡°Ah Jing, are you jealous?¡± Long Long asked in astonishment. ¡°I¡¯m not jealous,¡± Kunlun Mirror said, trying to remain calm, ¡°I¡¯m just reminding you not to praise one and disparage another constantly, even I would get angry.¡± Ah Jing even learned the phrase ¡®praise one and disparage another¡¯¡­ Long Long could only honestly say, ¡°Sorry, Ah Jing, I took the joke too far.¡± ¡°No worries,¡± Kunlun Mirror replied coolly, ¡°Also, I¡¯ve scanned again and discovered that at the base of the snake skin shed earlier, there¡¯s an entrance leading deep underground.¡± Without another word, Long Long immediately led everyone to turn back, returning to the giant cavern, and before Lu Ya and Lv Yan could emerge from the corridor in the wall, they quickly found the entrance at the base of the snake skin shed. This entrance was located at the center of the coiled snake skin shed, from the outside it looked like a small, raised hill, but a scan revealed it to be hollow below. Upon further consideration, if this place truly were a subterranean military stronghold, it naturally couldn¡¯t have just one path leading to the outside world, otherwise, if the enemy sealed the only entrance, it would be akin to catching turtles in a jar, with those inside doomed to wait for their demise. Following the underground passage downward, then level, and then slowly upward again, when the group resurfaced, they found the exit was actually a hollow in an old tree within a jungle. ¡°What do we do now?¡± Qin Ye asked anxiously. Long Long¡¯s gaze swept the surroundings, scanning to confirm the absence of Horned Clan cultivators, before he slowly said: ¡°Since we entered the riverbed¡¯s entry point, I have been calculating our horizontal distance traveled. We have roughly moved south-southeast for about twenty-three miles.¡± Twenty-three miles was neither particularly long nor short. At the very least, the Horned Clan cultivators who ambushed the Dragon Clan¡¯s team wouldn¡¯t have been able to extend their encirclement this far. However, if their tracks were exposed, with the Horned Clan¡¯s swift travel techniques, they could arrive in less than a quarter of an hour. ¡°Next, we need to try to rendezvous with the Great Elder as much as possible,¡± said Long Long decisively. ¡°Since neither we nor the Great Elder can confirm each other¡¯s positions, the best rendezvous point would be the encampment where we stayed overnight before we entered the Two Rivers Plain.¡± ¡°That is to say, we need to leave the Two Rivers Plain as soon as possible, rather than searching for the Great Elder¡¯s trace here¡­ Otherwise, the chances of encountering Horned Clan cultivators are likely bigger.¡± His analysis was reasonable and well-founded. The Qin siblings nodded repeatedly, and Long Hu even raised both hands and a tail in agreement. Long Long continued, ¡°Traveling west from here for one hundred and twenty miles will bring us to the Qu Maiden River.¡± ¡°This river is the largest on the southern Yan Fu continent, with even its narrowest point spanning more than two hundred and fifty miles. The Horned Clan definitely can¡¯t block it, so traveling along the Qu Maiden River is the safest.¡± ¡°The downside is that the Qu Maiden River isn¡¯t winding. It runs almost in a straight line from north to south, traversing the entire Two Rivers Plain.¡± ¡°If we follow the Qu Maiden River to leave the Two Rivers Plain, and then detour to the northeast to return to our original camp, both our path and time will be significantly extended.¡± ¡°In contrast, by traveling south from here, we will reach the Lian River in forty-seven miles.¡± ¡°The Lian River is the seventh tributary of the Qu Maiden River, winding eastwardly, and it¡¯s only a little over a hundred miles from where we set up our camp, so it¡¯s the shortest route.¡± ¡°But the problem lies in the Lian River¡¯s meager flow, with even its shallowest point having wooden bridges crossing it. If there are Horned Clan cultivators stationed at any of these points, we won¡¯t be able to pass without alerting the enemy.¡± As Long Long eloquently detailed the various geographical data, the Qin siblings couldn¡¯t help but admire him. After pondering for a moment, Qin Zhou spoke up: ¡°If you ask me, safety comes first. Even if it takes a bit more time, as long as we can safely leave the Two Rivers Plain, all other regions are under the control of the Feathered Clan. As allies, they won¡¯t make things difficult for us.¡± ¡°The only issue is, the longer we drag things out here, the later the intelligence will arrive at our clan,¡± Qin Ye added another layer of thought. ¡°Even if it¡¯s just by five or six days, who knows what the Horned Clan will do with these fortresses in that time.¡± ¡°Exactly because it¡¯s uncertain, it¡¯s not worth the risk,¡± Qin Zhou retorted his sister, ¡°If this intelligence is indeed crucial, we could take the risk for it.¡± ¡°But now, who knows how many ancient subterranean fortresses the Horned Clan has taken control of? Or how much intelligence material they have already scavenged?¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Even if we get the intelligence back to the clan a few days earlier, given the cautious nature of our forefather and father, it might take the clan days to discuss it!¡± ¡°How can brother speak so of our elders?¡± Qin Ye frowned in dissatisfaction, ¡°Whether the intelligence is valuable or not is for the clan to decide, not for us to presume recklessly.¡± ¡°If we opt to take a detour for our own safety, and it turns out to have delayed a critical opportunity in battle, how does brother think father will regard us?¡± ¡°Even if father is displeased, it¡¯s better than dying on the battlefield,¡± Qin Zhou said. Before Long Long could even start his own analysis, the siblings had already begun arguing vehemently. Chapter 722 - Chapter 722: Chapter 56: Reunion with an Old Friend Chapter 722: Chapter 56: Reunion with an Old Friend The Qin siblings could not come to a conclusion and could only turn their gaze to Long Long. Long Long pondered for a moment, yet he didn¡¯t speak, instead looking towards the fox, Long Hu. The little fox¡¯s mind raced, suddenly saying, ¡°The Qu Nu river is long and has a relatively calm section, while the Lian River is short yet perilous; why not take a middle path?¡± ¡°We will neither take the closest tributary, the Lian River, nor head south all the way; instead, we will follow the Qu Nu river for a short distance.¡± ¡°After all, the further south we go away from Wu River City, the less likely we are to encounter Horned Clan cultivators. We can then turn eastward and take another shorter tributary to save time, how about that?¡± Long Long just wanted to award her a little red flower. Agile! What is agility? Truly worthy of being my fox, possessing such wit and at least thirty percent of my cultivation! The Qin siblings also suddenly saw the light. Indeed, taking the Qu Nu River was too slow to accept, while the Lian River was too dangerous to consider; why not just find a compromise with an acceptable route? Therefore, the group quickly turned westward. With Long Long¡¯s scanning ability, the journey was fraught with suspense but no danger, and they soon successfully reached the Qu Nu River. The Qu Nu River, the largest in South State, appeared calm on the surface, but fierce currents rushed beneath. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site The four used the Water Escape Technique to travel swiftly along the riverbed without encountering any dragon palaces, underwater ruins, or mysterious whirlpools¡­ They headed south through nearly 800 li of waterways before turning eastward into a tributary. Since they were nearing the heartland of South State, encounters with Horned Clan cultivators were significantly less frequent. The few they did see were mostly engaged in battles with the Feathered Clan cultivators. Long Long carefully observed their battles, finding them ¡°lacking in cunning yet excessive in ferocity.¡± In the late ancient times during the great war between the Demon Race and the Human Race, the Demon Race, despite its larger numbers, was ultimately expelled to the Eastern Emperor Realm. Humans generally believe this was because they were ¡°oviparous and inherently lacking in intelligence.¡± It seemed this conclusion was rather fitting. The supernatural powers of the Demon Race¡¯s bloodline were indeed formidable, but outside these powers, they had little to show for themselves. For instance, in the battles between the Feathered Clan and the Horned Clan, the former frequently used Wind and Thunder Techniques, while the latter relied on Earth Escape Spells. Both sides were engaged in a simple contest of Bloodline Rank and Realm strength, with no clever strategies involved. If it were human cultivators, they would counter an Earth Escape Spell with a Yimu technique, playing upon the idea of ¡°wood conquers earth¡± to gain superiority. But whether it was due to bloodline limitations or rigid thinking, members of the Demon Race rarely practiced spells beyond their innate powers. For example, the Azure Dragon Clan mostly employed Water Escape Spells and Yimu techniques, while they seldom ventured into fire, earth, or metal systems. Many dragon cultivators didn¡¯t even bother to learn these¡­ So what happens when they encounter a situation where they are disadvantaged by the Five Elements? They just endure it. With this in mind, it would be possible to study and devise a strategy to counter most Azure Dragon and Xuanwu cultivators, teaching the little fox as well. While Long Long was plotting shrewdly in his heart, he continued to lead the team eastwards along the tributary. When they were still about two hundred li from the border, they unfortunately encountered a group of Horned Clan cultivators. ¡°Eight individuals, five in the Transformation Realm, three in the Dong Yuan Realm,¡± Long Long raised his arm underwater, signaling the others behind him to stop advancing and conceal their presence, ¡°Let¡¯s wait for them to pass by before we continue.¡± Above the water ahead was a crudely built wooden bridge. Because the Feathered Clan could fly, there were virtually no bridges over the rivers of South State; most outside merchants traveled by boat, so this bridge was definitely constructed by the Horned Clan cultivators. This suggested there might be a Horned Clan stronghold nearby; otherwise, there would be no need to build a bridge specifically¡­ As Long Long was deep in thought, he suddenly saw a Horned Clan cultivator on the shore turning their head, casting a swift glance down into the river bed, then seemingly nonchalantly turning back. Though the cultivator withdrew their gaze quickly, they could not hide from Long Long¡¯s scanning. ¡°We¡¯ve been spotted!¡± he quickly warned. As the words left his mouth, fluctuations of Earth Magic were already forming underfoot. In a desperate situation, Long Long pushed Long Hu beside him away, his feet swiftly stepping on the ground, incorporating the Cloud-Parting Eight Trigrams Step into his movements, and his figure vanished from the spot. Where they had initially stood, countless sharp spikes of earth thrust up as if large horns were piercing through the ground. Water offered more resistance than air, making it even harder to move quickly underwater. If Long Long hadn¡¯t taken the risk of being exposed by employing the Cloud-Parting Eight Trigrams Step, he might have been impaled by now. The Qin siblings and the little fox, who narrowly escaped the sneak attack, were all tense with nervousness, with no spare attention to notice the step technique used by Long Long. Long Long was also furious: You Horned Clan have no martial ethics! I won¡¯t hold back either! He pointed, and the Dragon Chant Sword burst forth from the water, charging at the Horned Clan cultivator who had launched the sneak attack. The Horned Clan cultivator opened his mouth, and a small sword shot out, attempting to intercept Long Long¡¯s Flying Sword. However, how profound was Long Long¡¯s mastery of Sword Dao Techniques? He had practiced swordsmanship at Shushan for over a hundred years, not wasting a single second. The Dragon Chant Sword merely dipped slightly, perfectly avoiding the opponent¡¯s small sword, and continued its thrust toward that Horned Clan cultivator. The surrounding Horned Clan cultivators reacted as well, their expressions changing drastically, each shooting out their Flying Swords or invoking Daoist Magic, and even a few who were close by dashed forward using Divine Skills, intending to use their own bodies to block the sword for their comrade. It seemed this Horned Clan cultivator who had launched the sneak attack might have a rather extraordinary identity? But no matter how high their status, could it be higher than mine? Long Long sneered inwardly and suddenly released Dragon¡¯s Might, a sweeping force that covered the sky and pressed down towards the riverbank. The Horned Clan cultivator who had tried to flee, along with those trying to save or block for him, were all stifled by the sudden onslaught of Dragon¡¯s Might. The Dragon Chant Sword took the opportunity to pierce through the cultivator¡¯s abdomen. He coughed up a mouthful of blood from the pain and before he could even let out a scream, he was wrapped in the sword light and pulled back onto the river¡¯s surface. Long Long had already surfaced from the water, holding the Horned Clan cultivator in his hand, casually sealing the wound on his abdomen, and said coldly: ¡°If you don¡¯t want him to die, then get out of the way!¡± ¡°Release His Highness!¡± the Horned Clan cultivators on the shore shouted in panic. However, none dared to step forward¨Cclearly worried that Long Long would truly deliver a fatal blow. ¡°His Highness?¡± Long Long frowned as he looked at the Horned Clan cultivator he was holding. Qi Weihuan had publicly acknowledged having two sons and a daughter, and all of his illegitimate children except Qi Qiaosong had been killed. Since he had already met the eldest son, Qi Qiao¡¯an, could this be the second son, Qi Qiaofa? Among the Mao Clan, it was the White Tiger that was the most cunning. No wonder you could use Earth Escape in such a cunning way. I thought you were from the Horned Clan! ¡°Brother!¡± A young girl pushed through several cultivators and rushed to the riverbank in urgency. It was the little princess, Qi Yingzhu, glaring at Long Long with anger-filled eyes. Tsk, I had been too focused on identifying the number of people and their strengths, that I hadn¡¯t paid close attention to their faces¡­ but it doesn¡¯t matter now. ¡°We meet again, Your Highness,¡± said Long Long, unabashed and with a slight smile, ¡°Your brother is fine. I didn¡¯t invoke any Sword Dao Techniques; it¡¯s just a minor flesh wound.¡± Being pierced through the Dantian, even for Human Race cultivators, was a severe injury that required immediate attention; however, the Mao Clan was known for their strong physique, and being stabbed by a sword was not too serious an issue for them. Qi Yingzhu stared intently at Long Long¡¯s face. After a moment of silence, she suddenly said: ¡°Let them go.¡± ¡°But, Your Highness is still¡­¡± ¡°Let them go!¡± Qi Yingzhu turned and roared furiously. With this roar, the might of the White Tiger Clan was fully manifested, causing the Horned Clan cultivators to retreat repeatedly, their faces uncertain. ¡°Can I trust you, Long Long?¡± Qi Yingzhu locked her gaze onto Long Long and asked indifferently. ¡°Killing your brother would bring me no benefit,¡± Long Long calmly answered. ¡°If you go back on your word, I will hunt you down to the ends of the earth and sea,¡± Qi Yingzhu said coldly. ¡°Your Highness is jesting,¡± Long Long smiled again and said, ¡°At present, we each serve our lords, and even if I keep my word, should we meet on the battlefield next time, could Your Highness refrain from killing me?¡± ¡­ Qi Yingzhu remained silent, merely scoffing before saying: Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°That remains to be seen.¡± ¡°I grant you a quarter of an hour to travel downstream, after which you will place my brother on the shore. But you must not take him beyond the Two Rivers Plain.¡± ¡°Before that time is up, we will not chase after you.¡± ¡°A quarter hour is too brief,¡± Long Long pondered for a moment before speaking, ¡°It should be at least¡­¡± ¡°It is a quarter of an hour!¡± Qi Yingzhu said coldly, ¡°Otherwise, let¡¯s have a fight right here. Let¡¯s see if, after killing my brother, you can still escape alive!¡± Chapter 723 - Chapter 723: Chapter 57: The Filthy Swamp Chapter 723: Chapter 57: The Filthy Swamp ¡°` Long Long and others, carrying Qi Qiaofa, dashed along the waterways toward the east, rushing fiercely the entire way. Qi Yingzhu had only given them a quarter of an hour¡¯s time. Once the time expired, she would immediately pursue them, so they naturally had to disregard everything and flee with all their might. Finally reaching the boundary of Two Rivers Plain, Long Long didn¡¯t hesitate to throw Qi Qiaofa onto the shore and then continued sprinting eastward. ¡°Long Long,¡± Qin Zhou asked anxiously, ¡°just like that, you¡¯re letting him go?¡± ¡°Killing him is meaningless,¡± Long Long said calmly. ¡°That¡¯s not it.¡± Qin Zhou hesitated, then after a long pause, said, ¡°If we could have taken him with us all along, even if we were pursued later on, couldn¡¯t we have ensured our safety?¡± ¡°If we choose to break our word and take him hostage, those who were not chasing us would start to do so,¡± Long Long said with a slight smile. About two quarters of an hour later, numerous cultivators from the Horned Clan and the Mao Clan arrived at the scene and rescued the injured Qi Qiaofa. Seeing that Qi Qiaofa was safe, Empress Lu Ya finally felt relieved. Turning to look at the indifferent Qi Yingzhu, she wanted to give her daughter a slap, but although she raised her hand, she let it fall again. ¡°Why did Your Highness let them go?¡± Lv Yan asked the expressionless Qi Yingzhu seriously. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t let them go, where would that have left my brother¡¯s life?¡± Qi Yingzhu threw the question back at him. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site ¡°If the opponent had reached this point and still had not released him, your brother¡¯s life would have been threatened anyway,¡± Lv Yan said meaningfully, ¡°Why not engage with him, delaying until we arrived?¡± ¡°He wouldn¡¯t have held back,¡± Qi Yingzhu replied. ¡°But why?¡± ¡°He wouldn¡¯t entirely break ties with us,¡± Qi Yingzhu said indifferently, ¡°Killing my brother is all harm and no benefit to him. He is not one to act recklessly, without regard for the bigger picture.¡± Hearing this, Lv Yan lapsed into deep thought, but Empress Lu Ya burst into anger: ¡°Who are you accusing of not regarding the bigger picture?¡± Qi Yingzhu turned her head away and did not reply. ¡°Your Majesty, please calm down,¡± Lv Yan quickly tried to smooth things over, ¡°It now seems that Your Highness¡¯ decision to let Long Long and his party go was not really a bad move. At the very least, the Second Prince¡¯s life has been preserved.¡± ¡°You go east immediately with your men and capture that little thief!¡± Lu Ya commanded decisively before turning to glare at Qi Yingzhu, and said coldly: ¡°Do you still delusionally hope to marry that little thief?¡± ¡°Daughter dares not,¡± Qi Yingzhu bowed her head and closed her eyes. ¡°If the Dragon Clan loses this time, you might still have a chance,¡± Lu Ya said with a sinister sneer, ¡°but if the Dragon Clan wins, you and he truly will have no possibility at all.¡± ¡°Think it through, my foolish daughter.¡± Lv Yan led his men away from Two Rivers Plain, hastening eastward. ¡°General,¡± a deputy asked beside him, ¡°if the Dragon Clan fully activates the Water Escape Technique, it won¡¯t be easy for us to catch up. And if we venture too deep into South State, could it be detrimental to us?¡± ¡°If he continues to flee eastward along the river, it will naturally be somewhat difficult for us to catch up,¡± Lv Yan replied steadily, ¡°but if they want to return to Eastern State, they must leave the water and head north.¡± ¡°From Jinjiang River north to the Three-Tail Mountain Range, the shortest distance is also around one thousand four hundred li. As long as we move ahead to the east, we will be able to block their way home.¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª ¡°What, we¡¯re going into the sea?¡± Qin Zhou asked incredulously. ¡°Yes, we must enter the sea,¡± Long Long replied. ¡°` He sketched a map of the eastern part of South State rapidly on the fine sands at the river bottom: ¡°The tributary we are on is called Jinjiang.¡± ¡°If Jinjiang continues eastward, there¡¯s a large swamp known as ¡®the Filthy.¡¯ Cross through the Filthy, over the Qiyun Mountain Range, and it empties into the ocean.¡± ¡°If we wish to return to Eastern State, we need to leave the waterway before Jinjiang merges into the Filthy and head northeast. The journey will be at least a thousand li and fraught with great risk.¡± ¡°It¡¯s better to cross through the Filthy, the Qiyun Mountain Range, then enter the sea to circuitously return to Eastern State.¡± ¡°It is said that the swamp is filled with miasma, and ordinary cultivators who enter risk losing their bearings and ultimately succumbing to the poison.¡± Qin Ye also added, ¡°Long Long brother, if we enter the Filthy, the biggest enemy isn¡¯t the pursuers but the terrain itself.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Unable to admit he could scan, Long Long could only put on an act as if he had all the answers, saying comfortably, ¡°I have a secret technique that can discern directions within this Filthy swamp.¡± Since he mentioned it was a secret technique, nobody could really question it further. Plus, given the credibility he¡¯d established along the way, they had no choice but to trust him. The group continued along Jinjiang without any rest and finally arrived at the Filthy. On the other side, from the Filthy to the Three-Legged Mountain Range, the patrol had finished setting up their ambush but had not managed to ensnare Long Long and his group as they had hoped. ¡°The situation has changed,¡± Lv Yan suddenly said solemnly, ¡°They must have entered the Filthy.¡± ¡°The Filthy?¡± the deputy asked in astonishment, ¡°Isn¡¯t that place full of miasma, with visibility only within a few zhang?¡± ¡°Do they know we are lying in wait here, so they¡¯ve chosen to take a risk in desperation?¡± ¡°No need to bother,¡± Lv Yan said calmly, ¡°Since the enemy has been forced into the Filthy, His Majesty¡¯s orders are considered completed. We withdraw our troops.¡± Seeing Lv Yan show no sign of surprise, the deputy had a moment of insight, realizing that this newly promoted elder had never really intended to catch Long Long. Otherwise, all it would¡¯ve taken was to split forces, blocking the path to the Three-Legged Mountain Range while he pursued them alone to the Filthy¨Cthen Long Long and his people would never have escaped so easily. What exactly was the general thinking? Thinking back to Qi Yingzhu from before, the deputy¡¯s expression was pensive. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Jinjiang was originally fairly clear, but as soon as it merged with the Filthy, it quickly turned a strange shade of green. The closer to the surface of the swamp, the more intense the green hue became, mixed with a strong miasma that made one feel dizzy and nauseous with just a whiff. The party had no choice but to follow the riverbed forward, doing their best to resist the poisonous miasma. ¡°What kind of poison is this?¡± Long Long, troubled by the miasma, exclaimed, ¡°Why is it so powerful!¡± ¡°It should be Jia Wood poison.¡± Green Duckweed Sword, silent until now, suddenly spoke up, ¡°If one only cultivates Jia Wood without cultivating Yimu and takes Jia Wood to the extreme, it can transform into death, producing this life-infused intense poison.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Long Long naturally understood the principle of imbalance without opposites. In theory, the more one cultivated the Jia Wood Dao, the more powerful the Wood System spells became, but the consumption of True Yuan also increased significantly. Yimu could reduce spell usage, which is why most Wood System Daoists didn¡¯t intentionally avoid it. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only According to Qing Ping, this miasma seemed to originate from a high-realm cultivator of the Demon Race who, due to a lack of Yimu while cultivating their Bloodline Supernatural Power, had taken Jia Wood to its limits, causing an imbalance between yin and yang, which resulted in this so-called ¡°Jia Wood poison.¡± ¡°Ah Jing, can you detect the direction?¡± Long Long asked. ¡°I can¡¯t scan it for now,¡± the Kunlun Mirror replied, ¡°However, if you just follow the direction where the miasma is most potent, won¡¯t you find its source?¡± ¡°You¡¯re truly clever, Ah Jing!¡± Long Long praised. ¡°Hmph, buttering me up won¡¯t work,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said proudly, ¡°You¡¯d better think about how to convince them to follow you to the source of that intense poison.¡± Chapter 724 - Chapter 724: Chapter 58: Green Hell Chapter 724: Chapter 58: Green Hell Persuasion? There¡¯s no need. Just lead them deeper in! Long Long continued with the group, sticking close to the riverbed as they advanced, only to feel the poisonous miasma up ahead growing ever more fierce. What at first was a faint green had now turned into a thick yellow-green; even the slightest touch caused a dizzying sensation of seeing stars. ¡°Long Long, brother!¡± Qin Ye coughed violently, ¡°We can¡¯t get through the area ahead, can we?¡± ¡°If we keep going forward like this, we¡¯re really going to die of poisoning halfway!¡± Long Long turned to look at the group, only to see the Qin siblings already staggering on their feet, the little fox still holding on, but her face was ashen. Tsk, it was a miscalculation on my part. I had everything calculated clearly, except that my own cultivation strength had far surpassed that of my peers, to the point where you can¡¯t keep up with my pace! ¡°Since we¡¯ve entered the mire, we definitely can¡¯t go back now,¡± Long Long thought carefully for a moment before saying, ¡°If someone is blocking the entrance to the mire from Jinjiang, we would be walking right into their trap if we retreated.¡± ¡°It¡¯s better for you to first retreat to a place where the poison isn¡¯t so intense, while I continue on the original route to get help.¡± wuxiaworld.site ¡°That could work¡­¡± Qin Zhou was about to agree when he heard Long Hu say: ¡°No!¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t make sense for us to rest here while sending you alone to face the danger!¡± Her words were uttered with such righteousness that even the Qin siblings were left speechless, and Long Long quickly tried to persuade her with gentle words: ¡°It¡¯s not about sending me alone to face the danger, but with the ferocity of the miasma ahead, only I am capable of moving forward.¡± ¡°If it were not for your inability to endure it, why would I leave you here?¡± ¡°I can still hold on,¡± Long Hu seized the opportunity to speak, ¡°Let me accompany you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not entirely out of the question,¡± Long Long pondered for a moment before turning to the Qin siblings, ¡°So you will take temporary shelter here?¡± Qin Ye was about to say something, but was pulled back by Qin Zhou, who said: ¡°Long Long, you also be careful. If you can¡¯t hold on, retreat immediately on the same path, and we¡¯ll figure out another plan.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Long Long replied with a slight smile, and then continued to use the Water Escape along with Long Hu. Watching the two departing figures, Qin Ye displayed a conflicted expression, not speaking for a long while before finally casting his eyes down glumly. ¡°Sister, it¡¯s not that I¡¯m trying to criticize you,¡± Qin Zhou frowned and lectured her, ¡°Is this the time to compete with her? Your body has already been unable to hold on, hasn¡¯t it?¡± Qin Ye had no answer, only expressing her sadness: ¡°I understand the reasoning, but¡­¡± ¡°I¡­ have ultimately lost, brother¡­¡± So Qin Zhou also fell silent. Long Long, leading Long Hu, continued to forge ahead, finding that the toxicity here was extremely concentrated, almost obscuring their vision. Really, is this water mixed with poison, or poison diluted with water? Looking at the little fox beside him, she had already completely failed to support herself, merely slumping against him. Even though she had already fallen into a semi-conscious state, she still hadn¡¯t suggested leaving¡­ which inexplicably moved Long Long. ¡°Do you think it makes sense to force yourself to follow me? I¡¯m just scouting the path, not having an affair!¡± However, since the fox had fainted, I could use some methods¡­ With that thought in mind, Long Long secretly formed a hand seal, casting the Five Elements Divine Light of Acquired Nature. As expected, the Five Elements Divine Light swept across annihilating all, be it Jia Wood Poison or Yimu Poison, all turned into nothing. The river water also became crystal clear, and as Long Long turned to look around again, he discovered that the river surface was completely obscured by wildly growing water plants. Isolation leads to no growth, just as Yin without Yang leads to nothing; Jia Wood Energy had reached its peak, resulting in such almost uncontrollable growth. Once the vitality was stimulated to its limit, it would then rapidly decline and fall to the riverbed, rotting away completely. At this moment, the scene that unfolded before Long Long and Long Hu was this: a giant green dome woven by countless rapidly growing water plants overhead, with only faint sunlight seeping through. The riverbed beneath their feet was entirely covered by thick mud, remnants of the countless water plants drained of their life force. Above was all vitality, below was complete stillness, creating this piece of green Hell, momentarily even bewildering Long Long. However, he was, after all, a person with an exceptionally strong will, and soon came back to his senses with a reminder from Ah Jing, continuing to lead Long Hu forward. Gradually, more poisonous vapors permeated with the flowing water, which were then dispelled by Long Long¡¯s Five Elements Divine Light. Continuing in this manner for more than two hundred miles, they finally had no path to take¨Cthe waterway was completely blocked by a mass of water plants, with absolutely no gaps to squeeze through. However, considering the intensity of this filthy swamp¡¯s poisonous influence which deterred anyone from entering, it was no longer necessary to stay in the water. So, Long Long picked up Long Hu and walked toward the shore. The situation on land was even more dramatic than inside the river. Towering trees and endless leaves formed a dense, light-blocking canopy; lower areas were completely taken over by vines and weeds, dense and entangling at the ankles. Below that were countless layers of soft, rotting leaves that felt as if something was wriggling underfoot when stepped upon, sending chills down one¡¯s spine. Long Long scanned the ground carefully and found that beneath the leaves was thick mud, and within the mud were countless worms. These worms were constantly being born, mating, then dying, with the lifespan of each worm not even reaching ten seconds¡­ Obviously affected by the Jia Wood Energy within the poison, they had mutated into a frightening species. Long Long¡¯s face was without sorrow or joy, completely unfazed by the terrifying sights, and simply walked toward the direction where the poison was most intense. Eventually, he arrived in front of a valley where trees were twisted and knotted, completely sealing the entrance to the valley, with a mass of roots entrenched on the ground, making it difficult to move an inch. Long Long¡¯s expression remained unchanged, his finger extended as if he was picking a flower. Where he pointed, all the trees spontaneously combusted without any wind and soon turned into ashes scattering down, clearing a path. Carrying Long Hu, Long Long continued forward, as countless vines from beneath the layers of leaves rustled and shot out like snakes trying to entangle his ankles. Yet before they could get close, they were swept by the Five Elements Divine Light and were instantly chopped into pieces. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Finally stepping into the valley, it was odd that despite the many trees outside obstructing the path, there was no greenery inside, just a shallow little lake. In the lake coiled a giant venomous serpent, vast enough to occupy the entire valley, similar to the earth-root python they had seen underground before, yet its aura was even more formidable¨Cwith each breath it took, a large amount of green mist was expelled from its nostrils, spreading out in all directions. The pervasive poisonous miasma throughout the swamp was the by-product of this serpent¡¯s Cultivation Technique. After another scan, Long Long noticed that the serpent was of the immortal Rank, but for some reason, it had fallen into a coma, with its Bloodline Cultivation Technique operating solely on instinct. ¡°Hmm, should I wake it up?¡± Chapter 725 - Chapter 725: Chapter 59: The Vigilante Long Long Chapter 725: Chapter 59: The Vigilante Long Long ¡°Don¡¯t be foolish,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword saw through his thoughts and said, ¡°You can¡¯t save him.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°The imbalance of yin and yang is incurable,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword replied, ¡°And there¡¯s no need for a cure.¡± ¡°Sleeping here for a thousand, ten thousand years, until the yin and yang within one¡¯s body blend harmoniously again, the problem will resolve itself. There isn¡¯t a quick solution to this.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Long Long chuckled and said, ¡°Qing Ping, you are quite knowledgeable.¡± ¡°Sword Master is joking. How can my humble opinions compare to even one ten-thousandth of the Sword Master¡¯s?¡± ¡°¡­Qing Ping, if you really want to compliment someone, you could use a more sincere tone of voice instead of reciting it so mechanically.¡± Long Long looked at the poisoned serpent again, thinking it was a pity that he couldn¡¯t squeeze some benefits from this one¡­ oh, that¡¯s not right, he couldn¡¯t help this old poisoned serpent ancestor, for which he felt very sad and culpable. His gaze wandered over the poisoned serpent¡¯s body, eventually settling on the cave entrance behind it. However, since this old serpent ancestor would be sleeping for a thousand or even ten thousand years, what should be done about the treasures in his cave dwelling? Leaving them here isn¡¯t safe, as surely someone will sneak in to steal them. It would be better to temporarily store them with me, to help the old serpent ancestor guard them! Thinking this, Long Long confirmed with Ah Jing that the immortal was still unconscious and unlikely to suddenly wake up, then he and Long Hu approached the cave entrance stealthily. wuxiaworld.site The entrance was located behind a shallow lake, atop a slightly raised hillock, with no concealment whatsoever. Long Long lingered at the cave entrance for a long time, being extremely cautious: first checking if the poisoned serpent had woken up, then confirming that the little fox wouldn¡¯t awaken halfway, followed by having Ah Jing scan the entrance for any restrictions, and finally sending the Green Duckweed Sword in to scout ahead. He couldn¡¯t have been more steady. Strangely, there were no traps at the entrance of the cave, not even basic enchanting formations to hinder divine sense. This was odd. Having no enchanting formation at the door of a cave dwelling was like leaving the door open for thieves, inviting everyone inside¡­ How could this be possible? The Green Duckweed Sword went in and surveyed the area, noticing not just the absence of traps, but even basic furniture wasn¡¯t present, only some scattered bones and moldy, rotting straw. Was it possible that someone had beaten him to it and already looted all the valuables? Long Long entered and wandered around, but still, he found no loot; it seemed as if this old serpent ancestor¡¯s cave had already been ransacked¡­ Impossible, it absolutely couldn¡¯t be! He left the cave entrance and began searching the entire valley. ¡°If I were this poisoned serpent,¡± Long Long silently pondered, ¡°before I fell into a coma, I would certainly prevent anyone from ransacking my cave dwelling.¡± ¡°The logical thought would be to set up numerous traps and restrictions at the entrance, making it impossible for anyone to break in, ensuring death upon entry¨Clike this poisonous miasma spreading over the swamp, presumably intentional on his part.¡± ¡°But what if the coma was to last an especially long time?¡± ¡°If that old serpent ancestor already knew he would be comatose for thousands, tens of thousands of years, then no matter how many restrictions were laid down, it ultimately wouldn¡¯t be secure. After all, the longer the night, the more dreams will come, and even restrictions as hard to break as climbing to heaven, given one hundred, one thousand years of research, might not remain impassable.¡± ¡°That means, a better approach would be to lay enchanting formations. Creating the illusion of an already-looted cave at the entrance, misleading any successors into thinking they¡¯re too late, while placing the true cave entrance elsewhere¡­¡± With that thought, Long Long cast his gaze to the area beneath the poisoned immortal serpent. After a thorough scan, he indeed spotted what seemed to be a cave beneath the pool where the serpent was coiled. Long Long dove into the pool, skillfully weaving past the massive body of the serpent, finding that cave. There were enchanting formations and restrictions camouflaging the cave¡¯s door as a solid lake bed, yet how could that escape Long Long¡¯s notice? With his exceptional knowledge of formations, Long Long quickly deciphered the enchanting formation and then sent the Green Duckweed Sword through. Countless spell radiance flickered madly, and the entire cave dwelling erupted with booming rumbles instantly. The ground trembled without end, and ripples disturbed the water in the pond so much that even Long Long started to feel a touch of dread, afraid that the ancestral serpent of poison might suddenly wake up. About half a quarter of an hour later, the fluctuations from the spells finally subsided. The toxic serpent showed no sign of awakening. Long Long looked toward the interior of the melting cave and saw that the inside had been blasted into a mess, with only the brightly shining Green Duckweed Sword flying back to him with elegance and composure. What on earth is my Life-bound Sword Artifact made of? It even withstands the restrictions set by immortals! I must have Liuli study this when there¡¯s time¡­ Shaking off his disordered thoughts, Long Long calmly stepped into the melting cave. Inside the cave, he saw piles of Sun Crystal Stones and Moon Crystal Stones stacked up like mountains. Both of these were similar to the Spirit Stones of the Cultivation Realm, containing the power of Sun Essence and Moon Splendor. They could be absorbed by the Demon Race to refine and elevate their bloodline, thus they were no small fortune. Unfortunately, most of them were destroyed by the triggered restrictions of the Green Duckweed Sword, and now only about one-third remained. Turning the corner, he could see a neighboring chamber filled with dazzling treasures. There were Flying Swords, Talisman Scripts, Magical Treasures, Elixirs¡­ An endless variety of styles, all radiating Spiritual Light, obviously of no low rank. Long Long¡¯s heart bloomed with joy, and he took out his Storage Bag. He collected all these treasures, along with the Crystal Stones from outside, into his belt pouch. After confirming that he had thoroughly plundered the place, Long Long walked out contentedly. He paid his respects to the still-comatose body of the toxic serpent, expressing his appreciation. Although the ranks of these treasures were not too low, Long Long was accustomed to dealing with the Eleventh Rank Flying Sword, Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword, and the Universe Creator Heavenly Weaving God Shuttle, which had lifted his standards to quite an outrageous level. If it wasn¡¯t for those world-renowned, universally known supreme treasures, they wouldn¡¯t even have the chance to make an appearance in Long Long¡¯s hands¡­ even if he had five additional alternate accounts. Just as he was about to leave with Long Hu, upon reaching the valley entrance, Long Long suddenly stopped in his tracks. Wait a minute, is this really all there is? Long Long suddenly remembered a long time ago, back when he and the fox were still wandering around, they had once found a secret chamber within the Fusang Divine Tree, housing three treasures: a Divine Crow Tube, a Colored Glaze Lamp, and the genealogical family history of the Three-legged Golden Crow race. Of course, the important part was not these treasures themselves but the fact that they were ¡°isolated and stored separately,¡± which now reminded Long Long: Could it be that this toxic serpent ancestor also set aside the most precious class of treasures and stored them elsewhere? Upon further thought, it seemed quite possible¨Cfirstly, although the treasures in the melting cave were precious, in terms of an immortal¡¯s status, they were somewhat lacking in quality though abundant in quantity. Should there not be at least something of Immortal Rank, right? Secondly, for an immortal with a history of crafting false cave dwellings to deceive others, isn¡¯t using such a cunning strategy completely normal? Lucky me! I almost fell for it! After realizing this, Long Long was filled with contempt, disdain, and scorn for the despicable methods of the toxic serpent ancestor. Toxic serpent ancestor, you probably don¡¯t know the story of the golden and silver axes. Well, let me tell you now: If you had kept your things out in the open honestly, I might have left you a bit; since you put up such a pretense, I¡¯ll have to have a serious talk with you. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only You, as an immortal ancestor, instead of bringing blessings to the Eastern Emperor Realm, you polluted the entire toxic marsh for your own healing, turning it all poisonous. I¡¯m not wrong to blame you, am I? This land in South State used to nourish countless of the Demon Race, yet you destroyed the environment, turning it into a hellish sight to behold. That¡¯s also true, isn¡¯t it? Over the countless years, who knows how many Demon Race cultivators entered the toxic marsh for various reasons and died under your venomous assault. You can¡¯t deny that, can you? One must know that Heavenly Dao has its retribution, and justice will always prevail. You¡¯ve committed so many evil deeds, and now retribution has come upon you! I, Long Long, shall act on behalf of the heavens today and find all your hidden treasures! Chapter 726 - Chapter 726: Chapter 60 Rescue, but not all can be saved Chapter 726: Chapter 60 Rescue, but not all can be saved Long Long continued to search the valley. The area of the valley wasn¡¯t small, but it appeared extremely cramped and narrow with the gigantic body of the poisonous serpent occupying it. Apart from the central lake, there were no trees in the valley, likely because they had all been killed by the serpent¡¯s poison; the environment was damaged a bit too much. ¡°How dare you!¡± After circling the serpent a few times and still not finding more clues, Long Long began to waver slightly. He had checked the ground and underground; there were no enchanting formations or strange spatial fluctuations. Where could it be hidden? ¡°In that case, there can only be one answer,¡± Long Long murmured. ¡°Hmm, there¡¯s probably nothing,¡± the Kunlun Mirror consoled him. ¡°It¡¯s okay to make a mistake, everyone guesses wrong sometimes.¡± ¡°What do you mean ¡®guessed wrong?¡¯ It¡¯s too early to draw any conclusions!¡± Long Long rolled his eyes and chuckled, ¡°I guess it swallowed the object into its stomach!¡± Kunlun Mirror: ? ¡°The underground has been entirely scanned; besides the inside of this serpent, the entire valley has also been searched,¡± Long Long said with a cold laugh. ¡°Other than its stomach, where else could it be hidden?¡± ¡°This might be a bit¡­¡± The Kunlun Mirror started to say it was somewhat far-fetched but then thought it might indeed be possible. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.cO The Human Race has the Sleeve Universe Great Method, and the Demon Race also possesses the technique of swallowing the sun and moon. The White Tiger Clan is known for this technique; it is said they can swallow demons and refine them directly in their belly; they can even keep flying swords and such in their mouths and spit them out at critical moments to kill enemies. But as for whether the poisonous serpent knows this technique, it¡¯s not easy to say. She fell silent and just scanned the serpent¡¯s body. Scanning a cultivator is nearly a hundred times more difficult than scanning the landscape within a mile. To make Long Long give up completely, the Kunlun Mirror scanned very meticulously this time, almost checking every single scale on the serpent¡¯s body. Hmm, no abnormal spatial fluctuations, just as I said¡­ Huh? ¡°How¡¯s it going, Ah Jing?¡± Long Long urged. ¡°It didn¡¯t hide it in its belly; instead, this creature has ingested some kind of alien object,¡± the Kunlun Mirror replied. ¡°What kind of alien object?¡± Long Long asked. ¡°Western Tai Bai Geng Metal,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said in a strange tone. ¡°You, uh¡­ cough, cough, you¡¯re really lucky!¡± ¡°Did you just want to say, ¡®How can such a loser like you be so lucky?''¡± Long Long feigned indifference and retorted, ¡°Consider this a warning!¡± Western Tai Bai Geng Metal, also known as ¡°Celestial Falling Gold,¡± is the most difficult to obtain among the Innate Five Elements True Vein. As the name implies, it refers to the meteorites that fell from the celestial realm after detaching from the Western Tai Bai star. They contain an alien metal that is denser, harder, and more indestructible than any metal existing in this world. Currently, there is no known Western Tai Bai Geng Metal in the Mortal Realm, and the Eastern Emperor Realm only possesses one piece, kept in the Sacred Mountain of the White Tiger Clan. It is said to be taken out only during sacrificial ceremonies¨Canyway, Long Long felt it was impossible for him to get his hands on it. Yet to think it would be in this place! Huh? He suddenly realized something and began discussing with the Kunlun Mirror and Green Duckweed Sword: ¡°You think, could this Western Tai Bai Geng Metal have been stolen by the old poison dragon ancestor from the White Tiger Clan?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s assume that the old poison dragon ancestor stole the Geng Metal from the White Tiger Clan and then escaped here¡­¡± ¡°Wait,¡± interrupted the Green Duckweed Sword. ¡°This Tai Bai Geng Metal, being the emperor among metals, greatly suppresses the Wood System. If it were buried underground, not a blade of grass would grow for a hundred miles around.¡± ¡°Has the poison dragon gone mad, or has he deviated, to steal something that suppresses his own kind so greatly, even to the extent of swallowing it and causing his yin and yang to go out of balance, forcing him to fall back into a deep slumber?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what he meant,¡± explained the Kunlun Mirror. ¡°He just wanted to make the Geng Metal look like stolen goods, so he could feel justified in taking it.¡± ¡°You broken mirror, spouting nonsense!¡± Exposed by the Kunlun Mirror, Long Long immediately became somewhat flustered and quickly scolded, ¡°I¡¯m just boldly hypothesizing and carefully verifying.¡± ¡°In my opinion, the old poison dragon ancestor wasn¡¯t stealing the item but was poisoned by someone,¡± the Kunlun Mirror went on without minding him. ¡°Poisoned?¡± Long Long asked in surprise. ¡°Just as it said, no one would be foolish enough to steal poison and swallow it directly into their stomach.¡± The Kunlun Mirror spoke calmly, ¡°Not to mention, the old poison dragon ancestor doesn¡¯t possess the technique of swallowing the sun and the moon. After swallowing it, how to extract it is also a challenge; why would it bring trouble upon itself?¡± ¡°But if someone poisoned him, and he ingested it unknowingly, doesn¡¯t that explain all the doubts?¡± ¡°Although Western Tai Bai Geng Metal is tough and indestructible, with a certain secret technique, it could be refined to flow like molten iron.¡± ¡°Mix it into wine or an elixir, and trick the old poison dragon ancestor into consuming it. Once the Geng Metal loses True Yuan supply, it solidifies again, sticking to the stomach and intestines, piercing the chest and rotting the belly¨Ceven causing yin and yang imbalance and the decline of Yimu, leaving Jiamu to exist alone¡­¡± ¡°Now that you mention it, there¡¯s some sense to that,¡± pondered Long Long. ¡°Because the Metal System suppresses the Wood System, if one wants to counter the Metal System with the Wood System, one must emphasize Jiamu and abandon Yimu.¡± ¡°We originally thought the old poison dragon ancestor was practicing some secret technique, causing an excess of yang over yin. Now it seems that it was likely out of necessity.¡± The more Long Long thought about it, the more possible it seemed, because an excess of yang over yin for cultivators is extremely dangerous and not worth the cost. If one is not careful, at best, one¡¯s cultivation will be wasted; at worst, one¡¯s body and soul could be destroyed. Unless a cultivator is facing a life-and-death situation, they would have no reservations and could do anything. Like Su Jian enduring so many years in the life-and-death trial, disregarding even his daughter and disciple, or like the elder in black burying himself in the ice to suppress the Heart Demon¡­ Upon realizing this, Long Long finally pieced together the whole story. In doing so, helping the old poison dragon ancestor extract the Tai Bai Geng Metal from his stomach is essentially helping him solve the most critical problem. So, treating the treasures I previously kept for him as medical fees and accepting them with a smile seems quite reasonable, doesn¡¯t it? Old poison dragon ancestor, what do you think? If you have any objections, just say so; if not, I¡¯ll take it as your agreement! Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Well, the patient has no objections; then we can start preparing for the surgery! ¡°Ah Jing,¡± Long Long suddenly asked, ¡°if you were to teleport the Tai Bai Geng Metal out of his stomach, would he immediately wake up?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± the Kunlun Mirror replied. ¡°After all, he is of the rank of immortals. If it weren¡¯t for the fierce struggle against the Geng Metal in his belly, why would he not wake up?¡± ¡°Then good,¡± Long Long chuckled, ¡°is it possible to teleport only a part of it out? Leave just a tiny bit inside him, the kind that would take him ten days or half a month to fully refine and wake up from.¡± Kunlun Mirror: ??? Chapter 727 - Chapter 727: Chapter 61: Return to Eastern State Chapter 727: Chapter 61: Return to Eastern State ¡°` By now, the Innate Five Elements True Vein had all been gathered. The vast Beiming Water, originating from the guardian formation of the ancient relics of the Intercepting Cult on the Wuzhi Islands. The soil of the mountain ridges and peaks, from the Lianshan treasury at the bottom of the Moon Island in the East Sea. The sky-reaching Jianmu, a reward the Wan Xiang Immortal once gave to Luo Yan. The Great Sun True Yang Fire, from within the Fire Element Cave beneath Mount Shushan. Now, having extracted the celestial metal fallen from beyond the heavens from the belly of this poisonous dragon ancestor, the Innate Five Elements True Vein were completely collected. Next, one would need to find the proper time and place to refine them, which would upgrade the Postnatal Five Elements Ultimate Extermination Divine Light to the Innate Five Elements Great Chaos Divine Light. Of course, before that, Long Long had to take advantage of the poisonous dragon ancestor not fully awakening yet to lead Long Hu and the Qin siblings out of there. The Western Tai Bai Geng Metal, which was within the body of the poisonous dragon ancestor, had been mostly extracted by the Kunlun Mirror, and the reaction to that was the green gas he exhaled, which had already faded a lot compared to the original. Once this immortal fully controlled the Jia Wood Energy inside his body, it would be the moment he awakened from his coma. If he had a choice, Long Long would certainly not choose to plunder his cave dwelling anymore, but now that the underground cavern had been blasted into a mess, impossible to fully restore, he could only take the chance to escape as soon as possible. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.cO Of course, before making his getaway, he still needed Ah Jing to set up some Illusion Techniques around here¨Csuch as leaving the scent of the White Tiger Clan to let the poisonous dragon ancestor know whom to seek for revenge. Where did the Western Tai Bai Geng Metal come from? Surely it was provided by the White Tiger Clan. It was only natural for the poisonous dragon ancestor to seek revenge on the White Tiger Clan. Returning along the original path with Long Hu, as the surrounding miasma gradually weakened, the little fox finally woke up halfway through the journey. ¡°Long Long?¡± She opened her eyes groggily, wrapped her arms around his neck, and whined, ¡°What happened to me?¡± ¡°You fainted just now.¡± So Long Long proceeded to tell her the whole story in detail. Simply put, despite the dangers, after suffering numerous hardships and eluding the White Tiger Clan¡¯s relentless pursuit, Long Long finally found the poisonous dragon deep in a valley in the midst of a marsh, cultivating his poison skills. The poisonous dragon, in order to practice a certain poison skill, had turned the entire marsh into a green hell, and just as he was at a critical juncture in his cultivation, Long Long happened upon him. Long Long then nobly persuaded him to consider the creatures of the world and to avoid bringing karmic obstacles upon himself. The poisonous dragon, touched by Long Long¡¯s righteousness, was hesitating when suddenly the White Tiger¡¯s pursuers burst in, interrupting the ancestor¡¯s cultivation. In anger, the ancestor went after the White Tiger pursuers, which allowed Long Long to make a narrow escape with Long Hu¡­ Long Hu listened blankly, instinctively feeling that much of what Long Long said was untrue, with probably seventy to eighty percent being false. However, she was just a fox after all. How could she argue? So, she just lay in his arms, obediently and submissively listening, occasionally letting out collaborative gasps when Long Long reached the thrilling parts, then patting her chest to show she was frightened. But with that patting of her chest, Long Long found himself struggling to continue. Though the little fox was still a fox, she was not small after the Transformation, and since both the Scaled and Horned Clans were mammals, Long Long awkwardly coughed a few times, shifting his gaze elsewhere. When they got back to their original spot, Long Long saw that Qin Ye had already fainted while Qin Zhou was still by her sister¡¯s side, trying to stay awake with great effort. ¡°It¡¯s all taken care of, the poison will weaken now,¡± Long Long said, considering Long Hu had regained consciousness. He put her aside and then picked up Qin Ye. ¡°Let¡¯s go quickly; we¡¯re heading to the sea!¡± The group swiftly moved along the waterway, and indeed, the deeper they went, the more the miasma around them lightened¡­ signifying that the poisonous dragon ancestor was gradually regaining control over his body. Anxiously, Long Long also repeated the story for Qin Zhou. ¡°` Qin Zhou did not harbor any suspicions, only worried that the venomous serpent ancestor might pursue them in a vengeful killing spree, thus he also poured all his energy into hastening their escape. Long Hu, however, seemed somewhat dejected, looking at Qin Ye who was being held in Long Long¡¯s embrace, her ears drooping down. Seeing this, Long Long wanted to comfort her not to be jealous, thinking to himself, ¡°With the Scaled Clan girls being so flat, how could they compare with you¡­¡± But since the big brother-in-law was right beside them, it wasn¡¯t appropriate to speak plainly, so he could only continually change the subject to divert her attention. The group moved swiftly through the much clearer waters of Jinjiang with a water escape technique. As the green toxic miasma gradually faded, the vision of a green hell around them also began to emerge before everyone¡¯s eyes. Water plants entwined with decaying silt, a scene that should be brimming with vitality, yet to everyone¡¯s observation, it revealed an unusual stillness and a breath of decay and decline. Qin Zhou felt his skin crawl at the sight and, recalling what Long Long had mentioned earlier about an Immortal Rank venomous serpent residing here, suddenly he exerted an extra measure of effort into fleeing, wishing to leave this polluted marsh behind immediately. Finally, the group burst out of the Jinjiang River and entered the canyon entrance of the Qi Yun mountain range, and Qin Ye also gradually regained consciousness. The peaks here were rugged and soaring, as if they had been cleaved by a knife or carved by an axe, making it difficult for even trees to grow upon them. The canyon was filled with turbulent currents and countless rocky reefs, even the sturdiest turtles, if pushed by the currents and slammed against them, would end up shattered to pieces. However, all of the group were transformation cultivators with powerful physiques, so they were undaunted. They had just entered the canyon when they heard a thunderous roar from far behind them. The roar was so filled with rage that all four of them couldn¡¯t help but shiver. The wrath of an immortal being is truly terrifying, such that even through a thousand mountains and myriad rivers, it remains as frightening as ever. Long Long dared not say much, only cautioning everyone that upon their return, they should not speak recklessly to avoid letting the venomous serpent ancestor know they were gossiping and provoke him to find them. Seeing the volatile temperament of the venomous serpent ancestor, the Qin siblings also became silent as cicadas in winter, nodding repeatedly. The remainder of their journey went much smoother: once they left the Qi Yun mountain range, they returned to the vast sea, and from then on no one could chase them down. It didn¡¯t take long for the four of them to finally draw near to Jianmu Divine Island. Before even reaching the island, they were spotted by patrolling dragon clan cultivators, who quickly escorted them to the clan leader. The clan leader, Qin Beiwang, seeing his children, Long Long, and Long Hu safely return, was overjoyed. The Great Elder, Qin Chaocang, had covered for the group to break out of the Horned Clan¡¯s ambush circle, and since then there had been no contact with the side from Eastern State; up until now, it was unknown whether he was alive or dead. Keep in mind that the team was comprised entirely of high-ranking offspring! Now that Long Long and the others were back, it was like an injection of optimism for the elders. With these four having managed to escape alive, surely the other younger members with the protection of the Great Elder should be alright, shouldn¡¯t they? Anyway, Long Long and Long Hu rested on the island for several days before learning that due to the ambush incident, the Dragon Clan, previously clandestinely supporting South State, had now started to fully mobilize. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only A large number of dragon clan cultivators were enlisted by the clan, and then they began an invasion into Central State from the western borders. This was a strategy of encircling Wei to save Zhao¨Cif Central State sent troops back to help, the pressure on South State would be greatly relieved; if they didn¡¯t send help, the dragon clan would continue westward, eventually advancing towards the imperial capital¨Cthere would come a time when they could no longer hold out and had to send aid. Since the mobilization had already been going on for a while, Long Long and the others were not on the list, which meant they might be able to rest for some more time. With this thought in mind, Long Long decided to reload Qiu Changtian¡¯s file and then find a place to refine the last piece of Tai Bai Geng Metal. ¡°Ah Jing, let¡¯s go to Kunlun!¡± Chapter 728 - Chapter 728: Chapter 62: The Great Battle Between Good and Evil, Led by Changgeng Chapter 728: Chapter 62: The Great Battle Between Good and Evil, Led by Changgeng On the edge of Kunlun, in the land of the Extreme West, there lay an uninhabited cave. Qiu Changtian slowly retracted the Divine Light, and after musing for a long while, a mysterious smile crept upon his face. He slightly bent his finger and then flicked it, releasing a strand of multicolored radiance. The multicolored light, like a Flying Sword, pierced into the cave wall; immediately following, rock chips rustled down, but before they could touch the ground, they turned to ash and vanished without a trace. What is the experience of cultivating the Innate Five Elements Great Chaos Divine Light? Qiu Changtian had but one answer: Profound beyond measure. Since this thing could be connected to Chaos, it naturally wasn¡¯t something ordinary. The Postnatal Five Elements Great Extermination Divine Light at least had a set of mental methods, which the Pavilion passed directly into Luo Yan¡¯s Sea of Consciousness, but as for this Innate Five Elements Chaos Divine Light, it was upon refining the fallen metal from beyond the heavens that he immediately underwent a miraculous and qualitative metamorphosis¡­ Qiu Changtian himself was utterly baffled, having no idea why such a transformation had occurred. It was like how ancient people, upon seeing an apple fall to the ground, realized that everything was subject to a force that pulled downwards. However, no one could explain where this force came from. In any case, according to the records and conjectures of ancient texts, this Innate Five Elements Divine Light was the nemesis of all ¡°things not beyond the Five Elements.¡± Even the Dual Polarity Dust Sword in the hands of the Long Eyebrow Immortal from Shushan would plummet to the ground and lose its spiritual nature once brushed by this Innate Five Elements Divine Light. It could be said that with this Innate Five Elements Divine Light, for the first time, he possessed the trump card to contend with immortals. As for why a Golden Core True Person should plot so earnestly to confront an immortal, that need not be mentioned. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site Now, with his Divine Cultivation complete, Qiu Changtian seemed to have undergone a complete transformation, radiating the confident aura of a strong man throughout his being. Then, like a sword returning to its sheath, he retracted his aura. Qiu Changtian left the cave, and not having gone far, a streak of fire crossed the sky and arrived at his side instantaneously. The newcomer had skin like jade, features like a painting, unadorned with powder or a pearl hairpin, with raven-black hair cascading down her back. If not his Daoist Companion and junior sister Xu Yinglian, who else could it be? ¡°Senior brother,¡± she said with a furrowed brow and a grave voice, ¡°Master has summoned you to Jade Void Palace for what seems to be an important matter.¡± ¡°All right, I¡¯ll head there now,¡± Qiu Changtian replied composedly. ¡°I¡¯ll accompany senior brother,¡± Xu Yinglian said. The two of them then flew on their swords toward the Kunlun Heavenly Pillar, arriving at Jade Void Palace to find all the Elders already assembled, their faces stern and solemn. The Ziwei Master stood on a high platform, not wielding her usual Seven Treasures Duster, but instead carrying the Tai Yi Dividing Light Sword, her expression cold and forbidding. Not until her two most valued disciples had arrived did the Ziwei Master slowly say, ¡°For this challenge issued by the Demon Cult, we of Kunlun, being the leaders of the Orthodox Sect, cannot refuse.¡± ¡°The Six Paths are led by Golden Core True Persons. If Kunlun sends a Nascent Soul Elder, that would be underestimating the opponent. Changgeng?¡± ¡°Your disciple is here!¡± Qiu Changtian quickly stepped forward. ¡°You will oversee the entirety of the subsequent affairs, with full authority to direct all within our Sect,¡± the Ziwei Master said flatly. ¡°Your disciple obeys!¡± Qiu Changtian immediately accepted the command. Although he was unsure of what had transpired, accepting the order was certainly the right thing to do. Following this, the Ziwei Master then went on to delegate a series of tasks, mainly concerning the mobilization of personnel and resources. Qiu Changtian stood to the side, silently listening, and gradually began to grasp the main thread of the issue. It turned out that over in Wei Dongliu¡¯s sector, under the name of the Blood Sea Ancestor, a message was sent to the Chi Song Immortal, challenging him to a fight. The letter mentioned the desire to invite the Kunlun to a hunt over the entire Guanzhong area. When the deer of Qin is lost, the world will chase after it. The meaning of this letter is very clear¨Cit believes that the Kunlun have lost their virtue and wants to compete with Kunlun for the resource exploitation rights in the Guanzhong area. How could the Kunlun tolerate this? Even the Mortal Life Path, which couldn¡¯t even clean up its own Mount Wutai residence, now dares to challenge our Kunlun Taiqing Sect? Moreover, Wei Dongliu, following the proper etiquette, borrowed the Blood Sea Ancestor¡¯s reputation, and openly came to invite us to battle. Naturally, the Kunlun has no reason to refuse. It is a must to give the Mortal Life Path a severe lesson! On this matter, Qiu Changtian also had a lot to criticize. The Three Pure Orthodox Sect, which holds the advantage, has always followed a strategy of forcing the Six Paths to accept the existing order¨Cafter all, the status quo is where the Orthodox Sect has the upper hand, which is beneficial to the righteous path. On the other hand, although the Intercepting Cult of the Six Paths is at a disadvantage, they aren¡¯t just looking to challenge or even overturn the order, but also aiming to weaken and even plunder the Three Pure Orthodox Sect, striving to fortify and enrich their sect¡¯s hard power, as well as actively forming alliances and engaging in strategic maneuvers, showing far more initiative. The most obvious point is that in recent years, the Six Paths have launched large-scale offensives twice, once besieging Penglai and once surrounding Shushan, and each time without exception, the Six Paths banded together. On the contrary, even though the Orthodox Sect holds strategic advantages, they have never thought of taking the initiative to strike against the Six Paths; they essentially always waited to be attacked before retaliating. And the alliances between them are also extremely fragile. Shushan is highly dissatisfied with Kunlun, while Kunlun thinks of them as their subordinates. Penglai only cheers from behind, and when it comes time for a real fight, they grudgingly send out a few cats and dogs, yet Kunlun and Shushan take it for granted. Today¡¯s Orthodox and Demon Sects are like the feudal empires in their final days and the surrounding barbarians. Despite the former¡¯s overwhelming advantage in terms of scale, they can only utilize two or three tenths of their full strength, which is quite strange. If Qiu Changtian were truly just ¡°Qiu Changtian,¡± then after he becomes the Head of the Kunlun Sect, he would surely try to implement reforms, or at least change the outdated mindset of ¡°keeping one¡¯s own land in order¡± within the entire sect. Naturally, Qiu Changtian does not plan to change this now, as it would mean crossing Wei Dongliu and would be self-defeating. After the meeting, Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian were called to the Scripture Lecture Hall by the Ziwei Master, who asked: ¡°Changgeng, do you know why the sect wants you to oversee everything this time?¡± ¡°Naturally, it¡¯s because Wei Dongliu is also of the Golden Core Realm.¡± Qiu Changtian respectfully said, ¡°Sending a Nascent Soul Elder from our Kunlun to face Wei Dongliu would not be appropriate, as he does not yet qualify.¡± Although this statement was generous to the Kunlun, giving them face, Ziwei Master did not refute his mistake; instead, he calmly said: ¡°It is heard that Wei, that Demon Head, has also cultivated a First Grade Golden Core.¡± ¡°What!¡± Before Qiu Changtian could react, Xu Yinglian exclaimed, ¡°That Demon Head has cultivated a First Grade Golden Core? How is that possible!¡± ¡°Qiong Ying, do not be overwrought,¡± the Ziwei Master spoke leisurely, ¡°It¡¯s just a rumor.¡± ¡°It is said that Wei, that Demon Head, was of no renown, but because he cultivated a First Grade Golden Core, he caught the eye of the Blood Sea Ancestor.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s just a rumor, without confirmed truth, it would be better not to spread it recklessly.¡± Xu Yinglian said with concern, ¡°Otherwise, the more cautious we are about that Demon Head, the more we might actually build momentum for him.¡± ¡°What harm is there in building momentum?¡± Ziwei Master said with a slight smile, ¡°If he has not cultivated a First Grade Golden Core, when the truth comes out, wouldn¡¯t it instead humiliate the face of the Demon Cult?¡± ¡°But what if that Demon Head truly has a First Grade Golden Core?¡± Xu Yinglian asked bluntly. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Then it will be just right for Changgeng to confront it,¡± said Ziwei Master. Xu Yinglian had no reply. Qiu Changtian, silently observing from the side, noticed that the Ziwei Master seemed to have already firmly believed that Wei Dongliu had cultivated a First Grade Golden Core. Could it mean that the Blood Sea Ancestor had suddenly chosen Wei Dongliu back then because he knew he had a First Grade Golden Core? Who had informed the Blood Sea Ancestor of this, the Hell Path? Could it be that when I entered Hell back then, that Luo the Daoist had perceived the rank of my Golden Core through some method? Chapter 729 - Chapter 729: Chapter 63 Junior Sister Xu Becomes My Secretary Chapter 729: Chapter 63 Junior Sister Xu Becomes My Secretary ¡°` The policy of cadre rejuvenation, after being approved by Chi Song Immortal, was thus set by the Ziwei Master. In this operation, Changgeng True Person served as the commander-in-chief, while Qiong Ying True Person served as the deputy commander. If this kind of promotion of young leaders had occurred in the Mortal World, it would have definitely stirred up quite a bit of trouble. However, firstly, the build-up of Changgeng True Person¡¯s prestige had started early and was now sufficiently established; secondly, with the endorsement of both the Ziwei Master and Chi Song Immortal, and thirdly, because Cultivators care more about their own Daoist path and Cultivation Level than Sect power, no objections were raised, and everyone tacitly accepted the arrangements of the Ziwei Master. Qiu Changtian also smoothly came into contact with many of the overall affairs of the Kunlun Sect¡­ to be honest, he was completely uninterested. Having dealt with more than enough affairs at Wei Dongliu¡¯s side, he saw no need to continue delving into Kunlun¡¯s matters. Thus, Qiu Changtian could only resort to his usual method, calling Junior Sister Xu to his side with a smile, ¡°Have you looked at these materials, Junior Sister?¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± Xu Yinglian remained very composed, ¡°After all, Senior Brother, you are the one in charge of overseeing everything, so I didn¡¯t look.¡± ¡°Hahaha, aren¡¯t you and I Daoist companions, why differentiate between each other?¡± Qiu Changtian laughed heartily and handed her a set of documents, ¡°Take a look.¡± Xu Yinglian naturally took them and, after flipping through for a moment, said, wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site ¡°The number of Foundation Establishment Realm disciples has been on the decline in recent years.¡± ¡°There are two reasons.¡± Qiu Changtian said calmly, ¡°One is that there have been more Core Formation achievements in recent years, and the second is indeed that we recruited fewer disciples from the outside.¡± ¡°It¡¯s mainly the latter.¡± Xu Yinglian pondered and said, ¡°The number of aspirants who can complete the journey to ascend Kunlun has been dwindling.¡± ¡°Why not relax the standards a bit?¡± Qiu Changtian mused, ¡°If the number of Foundation Establishment Realm disciples does not keep up, it is feared that after several 60-year cycles, it will impact the entire structure of Cultivators in Kunlun.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t do.¡± Xu Yinglian raised an objection, ¡°Completing the journey to ascension within three days is a strict requirement for becoming a disciple of Kunlun.¡± ¡°If we relax this condition, not to mention the seniors, even the current disciples would have reservations.¡± ¡°You do have a point,¡± Qiu Changtian understood this reasoning, just like how landlords in the same community would not like their neighbors to lower their price for selling a house, ¡°then what strategy do you have, Junior Sister?¡± ¡°Those who have entered our Kunlun Sect in the past have mostly been descendants of Cultivation families and the offspring of high-ranking members from various small and medium-sized Sects.¡± Xu Yinglian thought for a moment and then suddenly said, ¡°Put simply, the background and social networks of these people allow them to come into contact with cultivation at an earlier age.¡± ¡°In other words, among those seekers from impoverished backgrounds, could there be many who also possess talents for cultivation, but just because of their family circumstances, are unable to pass Kunlun¡¯s Entry Level tests?¡± ¡°What if we were to set up Taoist temples in various parts of the Divine Land, hire mortal Daoist priests to specifically search for talented but impoverished children for cultivation? Wouldn¡¯t this be a better way to scout talents for the Sect?¡± Upon hearing this, Qiu Changtian was slightly amazed. It wasn¡¯t that Junior Sister Xu¡¯s strategy was unimpressive, on the contrary, it was excellent¨Cmodern societies¡¯ recruitment strategies are exactly like this, and various universities already have very mature plans in place. However, this is the Cultivation Realm we are talking about¨Ca place with extremely primitive management efficiency! Sects with a more enterprising spirit like the Demon Cult and the Six Paths, where True Elders would travel all over the Divine Land, would snatch up pleasing disciples on the spot to become their apprentices (for example, Wei Dongliu taking Guo Jin and Wang Cong, and the elder Caie taking Jiang the Witch). ¡°` But many operated like wooden figures¨CI just stand here, silent and stoic. If you come to apprentice, I am not pleased; if you don¡¯t, I am not saddened. Anyway, just lie flat and wait for others to come to you¨Cthat¡¯s all there is to it. Kunlun, Shushan, Penglai, and the majority of the slightly larger sects basically operated this way. They even glorified it as ¡°governing by non-action,¡± believing that doing nothing was the pinnacle of management¡­ In such an environment, for Junior Sister Xu to think of setting up recruitment offices was truly a groundbreaking feat. What reason was there to refuse? Agreed! ¡°Junior Sister makes a good point, I¡¯ll add a few more,¡± Qiu Changtian¡¯s mind also became active, and he simply transferred the management system of later enterprises, smiling as he said, ¡°First of all, the Daoists need to be selected from our Kunlun¡¯s outer sect disciples, to ensure the cohesion of the various Daoist observatories.¡± ¡°Each outer sect disciple who is willing to be stationed in Daoist observatories throughout the Nine Provinces will be credited with one merit, returning to Kunlun after an agreed number of years. This will be treated as a sect mission, with corresponding rewards.¡± ¡°During their external assignment, if they can find a talented cultivation seed, they can recommend them directly to the sect. For a successful recommendation, an additional reward will be offered.¡± ¡°Additionally, we¡¯ll establish an Exemplar Edict: any loose cultivator who finds a cultivation seed can, aside from taking them as a disciple, choose to recommend them to Kunlun. After verification, Kunlun will also provide a certain reward.¡± Xu Yinglian: ¡­¡­¡­ Her facial expression slowly changed, quickly becoming profound and enigmatic. Originally, if Junior Sister had asked, like ¡°Senior Brother, your strategy seems quite familiar, why does it so closely resemble Demon Head Wei¡¯s unconventional method of transmitting the law and motivating followers,¡± then Qiu Changtian would naturally respond, ¡°Indeed, I am inspired by that demon.¡± But Junior Sister Xu¡¯s expression, coupled with her lack of questioning, not giving him a chance to explain, made Qiu Changtian somewhat uneasy. ¡°Senior Brother speaks very well,¡± Xu Yinglian said with a smile after a moment. ¡°Cough, Senior Brother is also inspired by Demon Head Wei¡­¡± ¡°Coincidentally,¡± Xu Yinglian said with a smile, ¡°I am also inspired by that Demon Head Wei.¡± This ¡°coincidentally¡± truly made it hard for Qiu Changtian to keep his composure, so he quickly picked up a ¡°Guanzhong Management Strategy¡± to change the subject: ¡°The mining spots near Chang¡¯an are few, but if you continue westward past Heavenly Water, many spirit veins become dense.¡± ¡°Looking at it this way, our strategic baseline would be Heavenly Water. The frontline of the battle with the Demon Cult should be controlled near Chang¡¯an as much as possible and must not be allowed to cross Heavenly Water.¡± ¡°Indeed, that¡¯s the case,¡± Xu Yinglian also shifted her attention cooperatively and said thoughtfully, ¡°But Iron City Mountain, where the Asura Path lies, stretches between us in Kunlun and Heavenly Water.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°If the other side cuts through from this direction, our connection with the Guanzhong Area will be severed. We must be vigilant and prevent the Demon Cult Six Paths from using Iron City Mountain as a bridgehead to encircle our frontline at a critical moment.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Qiu Changtian said with a nimble mind, ¡°From this, we must form an alliance with Shushan to restrain Iron City Mountain from the south!¡± ¡°The elders may not be willing,¡± Xu Yinglian said tactfully. In the past, when Shushan was under siege, they did not seek help from Kunlun. Now Kunlun was seeking assistance from Shushan, the outside world would not care about the many cultivators who died or were injured in Shushan¡¯s independent struggle; they would only think Kunlun was inferior to Shushan. ¡°I will personally make a case to the Sect Leader, making clear the pros and cons,¡± Qiu Changtian said composedly. Chapter 730 - Chapter 730: Chapter 64: Scapegoat Chapter 730: Chapter 64: Scapegoat Qiu Changtian arrived at the Scripture Lecture Hall and reported the situation to the Ziwei Master: ¡°¡­In short, if we are to wage war against the Demon Cult, then Iron City Mountain becomes a thorn in our side.¡± ¡°If we advance into Guanzhong, the enemy needs only use Iron City Mountain as a springboard to easily sever and encircle our vanguard.¡± ¡°The reason Wei Demon Head proposes to vie for Guanzhong is precisely because he sees that we cannot uproot Iron City Mountain.¡± ¡°Rather than taking this risk, it would be better to cooperate with Shushan and have them press from the northwest.¡± ¡°With Shushan posing a threat on our flank, even the Six Paths would not dare to agree to launch an attack on Kunlun using Iron City Mountain.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± the Ziwei Master said indifferently, neither agreeing nor disagreeing, ¡°Changgeng, what you¡¯ve said isn¡¯t wrong.¡± ¡°Do you think the senior members of our Sect did not foresee this before?¡± ¡°Disciple is precisely puzzled by this,¡± Qiu Changtian said in a low voice. ¡°Why not befriend Shushan?¡± ¡°Because Shushan has no need to be on good terms with our Kunlun,¡± the Ziwei Master stated leisurely. ¡°The lifelong wish of Long Eyebrow Immortal was to restore the glory of the Emei Sword Sect.¡± ¡°In ancient times, Emei Sword Sect was the foremost great Sect under the heavens. The Sword Control Technique that is now widespread among human cultivators originated from the Emei Sword Sect.¡± ¡°When the Emei Sword Sect was at its peak, all cultivators under the heavens revered the Sword Immortal. The disciples with the best innate talent for the Dao all flocked to Emei¡­ Now look at the present¨CShushan remains the leading Sword Sect, but when it comes to the first under the heavens, who would think of the Shushan Shangqing Faction?¡± wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co ¡°Master,¡± Qiu Changtian said somewhat disconsolately, ¡°why have Sects like Emei Sword Sect and Clarify Cult, which once flourished, all faded away now?¡± ¡°Life is but a journey against the current, and I too am a traveler,¡± the Ziwei Master remained silent for a long time without giving a direct answer, but instead spoke metaphorically. Qiu Changtian: ? The so-called journey against the current refers to a lodging house. What my master means here is ¡°This world to me is but a temporary stay, I will ultimately return to my travels.¡± Considering the convergence of the Heavenly Sphere and the immortals undergoing feather transformation to ascend, he seemed to roughly understand something. In summary, according to what the Ziwei Master said, the Shushan which aspires to be first and Kunlun which holds the top spot, have irreconcilable differences between them. Unless Kunlun is willing to yield the title of foremost under the heavens to Shushan, it is unlikely for the two factions to form a sufficiently tight alliance¡­ Conversely, entities like the Demon Cult Six Paths and the Eastern Emperor Demon Race cooperate purely for mutual benefits, which makes a union much easier to achieve. Thinking of this, Qiu Changtian also felt a headache coming on. If Iron City Mountain is positioned on the flank of Kunlun¡¯s fight against the Demon Cult, then Shushan is situated on Iron City Mountain¡¯s flank against Kunlun. If Shushan is unwilling to help distract, Kunlun defending Guanzhong Area against the Demon Cult in a tug-of-war while constantly guarding against a backstab from Iron City Mountain would be exceedingly troublesome. Hmm, wait a minute¡­ When exactly Iron City Mountain plans to backstab, Qiu Changtian doesn¡¯t know, but does Wei Dongliu not know it either? As long as Wei Dongliu figures out how Iron City Mountain intends to backstab, Qiu Changtian just needs to ¡°anticipate it in advance¡± and prepare a targeted defense, then won¡¯t he be perfectly safe! Wait a moment, why would Iron City Mountain want to backstab Kunlun? It¡¯s all because Wei Dongliu is commanding it! Qiu Changtian sighed silently, thinking why did I only realize this now? So, it¡¯s like one is fighting oneself! That means they could perform the scene however they wanted¡­ Leaving the Scripture Lecture Hall with full confidence, Qiu Changtian then went to find Xu Yinglian and said: ¡°I have already discussed this with my master.¡± ¡°Is Kunlun willing to seek a collaboration with Shushan?¡± Xu Yinglian asked in surprise. ¡°Unwilling,¡± Qiu Changtian said concisely. ¡°What should we do then?¡± Xu Yinglian furrowed her brow. With her strategic insight, she could of course discern the peril of Iron City Mountain¡¯s location and its being Kunlun¡¯s greatest hidden danger. ¡°We do nothing,¡± Qiu Changtian said with a smile. ¡°We¡¯ll just have to adapt and respond to their moves.¡± Xu Yinglian thought that this was all that could be done, otherwise what else could they do but exterminate the Asura Path? Over the past ten thousand years, if there had been a chance to exterminate the Asura Path, the Kunlun Taiqing Sect would have already made their move. Qiu Changtian didn¡¯t say more. Once he had understood the crux of the matter, he no longer viewed this great war between good and evil so seriously. ¡°` The opposing commander is my future self, could I possibly harm myself? Not worried at all! As for the many pre-war preparations and tactical deployments, they are even less of a concern. Since I am fully aware of the ¡°enemy¡¯s¡± arrangements, this war cannot possibly be lost, but the only tricky part is that it can¡¯t be won either, or else Wei Dongliu¡¯s plan to be the co-leader of the Demon Cult would be spoilt. Thus, it seems that I need to fight a war that neither wins nor loses. I can¡¯t let Qiu Changtian be defeated, nor can I let Wei Dongliu fail, as either would affect their respective futures and positions within their sects. The above may seem paradoxical, yet it is not impossible to achieve, because there is a term in political struggle named ¡°shifting the blame onto political enemies¡±¡­ Here, ¡°political enemies¡± refers to those within the same group but with severe conflicts of personal interest. For instance, when Qiu Changtian was still in the Foundation Establishment Realm, his second senior brother, Song He, who was vying for the position of the eldest senior brother in the Foundation Establishment Realm, was his political enemy within Kunlun. As both belonged to the Kunlun Sect, they could not attack each other openly, so the other party had to resort to underhanded methods to scheme against him. That is to say, as long as I find a political enemy similar to Song He and push all the failures in the struggle against Wei Dongliu onto him, the problem is solved. The only issue is that given Qiu Changtian¡¯s current reputation in Kunlun, it seems there are no political enemies¡­ The Ziwei Master almost supports him both openly and secretly, just short of declaring ¡°The next Head of the Kunlun Sect will be Changgeng True Person¡±. Under these circumstances, who would dare to be Qiu Changtian¡¯s political enemy? Don¡¯t they want to stay in Kunlun anymore? After much thought, Qiu Changtian still could not figure it out. If there is no political enemy, with his unyielding moral baseline and conscience, he could not bring himself to shift the blame onto innocent people, and thus the problem becomes unsolvable. Filled with cares, he unconsciously arrived at the Disciplinary Hall while flying on his sword. Qiu Changtian suddenly remembered that his second senior brother, Song He, was still locked deep in the dungeons of the Disciplinary Hall. This senior brother was quite unfortunate, originally wanting to collude with people of the Demonic Path to assassinate Qiu Changtian, but out of all people, he unwisely sought out Wen Yang. Wen Yang, who was ruthless once his mind was set, directly sold a favor to Wei Dongliu and had Wei¡¯s disciple Guo Jin go to Kunlun with information, claiming someone was plotting to assassinate a cultivator with Daoist Heart Clarity¡­ Just like that, he sold Song He for a good price. Colluding with the Demon Race, and attempting to harm a sect member. Song He¡¯s final sentence was imprisonment for two hundred years¨Ca two centuries¡¯ prison life where, although he could still practice breathing exercises, he would certainly not be able to seek the Purple Mansion¡¯s secret medicines, and naturally, there would be no hope for a High Grade Golden Core. With good luck, he would be released on the day of his Tribulation, pass the Heavenly Tribulation, condense an Intermediate Grade Golden Core, then obediently return to serve his sentence as an Iron Cell True Person. When his term was up, With bad luck, if he did not pass the Heavenly Tribulation, then the fixed-term imprisonment would directly turn into a death sentence, thus bringing an end to everything. Arriving at the Disciplinary Hall and stating his intentions to the duty officer, Qiu Changtian learned that senior brother Song was still alive and had successfully passed his Tribulation a few years ago. But the Tribulation was too hurried, with his Magical Treasures and other preparations incomplete, and he suffered damage to his vital essence and ended up condensing a Fifth Grade Golden Core. If fortune allows him to attain Feather Transformation, the highest he could achieve would be at the Heavenly Immortal level, with no hope of reaching Golden Immortal. Qiu Changtian¡¯s thoughts suddenly stirred, and he requested to visit the cell. The duty officer of the Disciplinary Hall certainly dared not offend Changgeng True Person, who was currently in high favor, and eagerly led the way for him. Passing through layers of shadowy mountain paths, crossing through numerous doors engraved with runic scripts, Qiu Changtian finally arrived before Song He¡¯s cell. This second senior brother, once so self-disciplined and dignified, now had a head full of white hair and an extraordinarily haggard look. Upon seeing his visitor was Qiu Changtian, he showed no hint of surprise and simply said faintly: ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that after so many years, the second person to visit me in the dungeon of the Disciplinary Hall would be Changgeng True Person, whom I once plotted against.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Qiu Changtian¡¯s expression remained unchanged, and he spoke softly with a smile, ¡°And who was the first?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t ask just yet.¡± Song He waved his hand indifferently, ¡°If you¡¯ve come to mock me, you can start now.¡± ¡°If not, then bring a jug of wine.¡± Qiu Changtian slightly furrowed his brow. If it had been someone else, they would certainly scoff in contempt: You once plotted against me in the past, yet now what brazenness do you have to demand that I fetch you wine? Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only But Qiu Changtian was always contemplative by nature, guessing that Song He must have something he wanted to tell him, and the payment for that was a jug of wine. If he refused to fetch the wine, he also would not hear what Song had to say next¡­ With this in mind, Qiu Changtian slowly inquired: ¡°Senior brother Song, what wine would you like to drink?¡± ¡°Frosty Snow from Chitai Market will do.¡± ¡°` Chapter 731 - Chapter 731: Chapter 65 The Four Great Families of Kunlun Chapter 731: Chapter 65 The Four Great Families of Kunlun Chitai Market, located on the far eastern edge of the Kunlun Mountain Range, serves as the entrance connecting Kunlun and the Divine Land. Junior Sister Xu was most fond of the Kunlun Spring, which was situated inside Chitai Market. The only inconvenience was that traveling back and forth by sword flying took at least half a day. Song He¡¯s suggestion to drink the Frosty Snow from Chitai Market was clearly a tall order. But Qiu Changtian just gave him a meaningful look and then smiled, saying, ¡°Alright.¡± He left the Disciplinary Hall but didn¡¯t hurry off eastward. Instead, he leisurely returned to the entrance of Golden Ridge Cave Abode. Since becoming Daoist Companions with Xu Yinglian, his interactions with other junior brothers and sisters had gradually diminished. But after all, they still lived together on Golden Ridge, so when they saw each other, they would greet one another and not become completely estranged. Arriving at the entrance of his fifth junior brother Chen Zhen¡¯s cave abode, Qiu Changtian coughed to announce his arrival, then entered with his hands clasped behind his back. Inside, he saw Chen Zhen and the sixth junior brother Zhong Tianhuai frantically tidying up wine utensils and awkwardly smiling, saying, ¡°Has the Chief Disciple arrived? Please have a seat!¡± ¡°How has your cultivation been progressing lately?¡± Qiu Changtian subconsciously adopted Wei Dongliu¡¯s mentor-like tone and asked leisurely. Chen Zhen and Zhong Tianhuai exchanged glances and both made bitter faces, about to smooth things over with some clever words, when they saw Qiu Changtian turn and look towards a stone cabinet on the side. He took out a bottle of wine and sneered, wuxiaworld.site ¡°Frosty Snow from Chitai Market? You have time to run all the way to the eastern edge of Kunlun to buy wine, but no time to cultivate?¡± He didn¡¯t wait for his junior brothers to explain themselves, but scolded them outright and, pocketing the wine jug, he left. Returning to the dungeon within the Disciplinary Hall, Qiu Changtian handed the wine jug to Song He and said, ¡°There are no cups, so make do.¡± Song He hurriedly took the jug and gulped down a large swig before wiping his mouth and saying, ¡°I, Song He, have spent half my life in Kunlun, making countless friends, yet after being clapped in irons and thrown into prison, only two people have come to visit me.¡± ¡°Qiu Changtian, you didn¡¯t come here to mock me, so what are you here for?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just here to visit an old friend,¡± Qiu Changtian said with his hands behind his back. In reality, it was because when he thought about his political rival, it reminded him of his second senior brother, Song He, and that was why he came to chat with him. ¡°Heh,¡± Song He scoffed coldly. ¡°Since you put it that way, I suppose I have to believe you. After all, I can¡¯t imagine what on my person you could possibly covet.¡± ¡°Before you, the other person who visited me in this dungeon was none other than Yun Hong True Person, who ranks second in the Golden Core Realm.¡± Yun Hong True Person? Qiu Changtian was momentarily taken aback. Slowly he remembered that this senior brother was commonly known as ¡°Zhao Jinghong,¡± currently ranking second in the Golden Core Realm, only behind chief senior sister Luo Baiyuan. But this senior brother¡¯s maneuverings were far more formidable than Luo Baiyuan¡¯s. Most of the Golden Core True People were on good terms with him, and in both prestige and experience, he was not outshone by Senior Sister Luo. ¡°What did Yun Hong senior brother come to you for?¡± Qiu Changtian asked seriously. ¡°What do you think he came for?¡± Song He spoke slowly. ¡°When do you estimate you¡¯ll reach the Obscure Weave Rank of the Golden Core Realm?¡± Qiu Changtian remained silent. ¡°` His cultivation reaching the Great Perfection of the Root Seeking Rank was known by many in Kunlun, but Song He, a prisoner beneath everyone¡¯s notice, should not have been included in that number. Considering that only two people visited him, Song He¡¯s source of information was becoming clear. ¡°Changgeng True Person,¡± Song He continued, ¡°that¡¯s how this world is. You think you¡¯re just walking your own path, but in reality, you might already be blocking someone else¡¯s way.¡± ¡°To aspire to be Head of the Kunlun Sect, one must first become the Chief Disciple of the Golden Core Realm. Currently, this position is held by Han Yuan True Person, but her thoughts are too naive, and she is not the chosen candidate for Sect Leader, which is common knowledge.¡± Qiu Changtian remained silent for some time before asking, ¡°Does Senior Brother Yun Hong aspire to the position of the next Sect Leader?¡± ¡°Hahaha¡­¡± Song He let out a mocking laugh, ¡°The Zhao Family of Guyuan has been scheming for nearly a thousand years for Zhao Jinghong to succeed the position of Head of the Kunlun Sect. At that time, Changgeng True Person, you had not even entered the doors of Kunlun Mountain.¡± ¡°Although it¡¯s not a rule set in stone, for the past ten thousand years, the position of the Head of the Kunlun Sect has essentially rotated among members of the Xu, Luo, Zhao, and Ge families. It was supposed to be Zhao Family¡¯s turn to take up the mantle after the Ziwei Master.¡± ¡°Changgeng True Person, I am merely a nobody, but that Zhao Family of Guyuan is a leviathan equal to the Ge Family of Taiyuan. If you think you can rest easy under the protection of the Sect Leader, you might face disaster in the future.¡± Qiu Changtian wanted to ask more, but Song He already picked up his wine jug and quietly moved to the back of the cell, obviously not willing to say anything more. Musing as he left the prison of the Disciplinary Hall, Qiu Changtian suddenly felt somewhat melancholic. Tsk, if I say now that I have no interest in the position of Head of the Kunlun Sect, can I stop the Zhao Family of Guyuan from troubling me? Probably not. Many times, people trouble you not because you want to confront them, but simply because you have the capacity to do so. However, Zhao Jinghong seems to have deeper schemes than Song He, and so far, aside from revealing some intensions to Song He, he hasn¡¯t shown any hostility towards me elsewhere. Without verifying the truth of Song He¡¯s words, I can¡¯t very well cause trouble for Zhao Jinghong. If only he would take the initiative to trouble me. That would be ideal. Thinking this way, Qiu Changtian returned to the Golden Ridge Cave Abode and saw Xu Yinglian sitting in front of a stone table, visibly upset. ¡°Junior Sister Xu?¡± Qiu Changtian asked curiously, ¡°Who has upset you?¡± ¡°Master said,¡± Xu Yinglian said sullenly, ¡°to facilitate the management, he will assign two more assistants to you, to help with the work.¡± ¡°A Nascent Soul Elder named Jiuce will be in charge of the Nascent Soul realm. If you need to command a Nascent Soul Cultivator, you can discuss it with him.¡± ¡°For Golden Core realm True Persons, Yun Hong True Person will take charge. If you have any instructions for a Golden Core True Person, discuss it with Yun Hong True Person.¡± Qiu Changtian couldn¡¯t help but chuckle: Well, I haven¡¯t been in position long, and they¡¯ve already assigned me two assistants¨Cand both of them hold more prestige and experience than I do. Are they trying to undermine me? In the past, he might not have understood and would have just felt annoyed. But after Song He¡¯s reminder in the prison of the Disciplinary Hall, Qiu Changtian understood that the political factions within Kunlun were making their moves. Luo, Zhao, Xu, Ge¨Cthe four great families of Kunlun. Qiu Changtian was probably considered part of the Xu family, while the Ziwei Master represented the authority of the Ge family. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only The two of them, closely allied through the mentor-disciple relationship, necessitated a response from the remaining two families. Elder Jiuce is the second grandfather of Luo Baiyuan, and Yun Hong True Person is a ¡°Sect Leader candidate¡± meticulously groomed by the Zhao family. Appointing these two as ¡°assistants to Qiu Changtian¡± was too obvious a move to divide power. It seems the Ziwei Master probably had to compromise and acquiesce, having no choice. However¡­ it¡¯s rather fortunate. Senior Brother Yun Hong, you¡¯re the one who¡¯s come to me on your own initiative, I¡¯m afraid I might take advantage of that! ¡°` Chapter 732 - Chapter 732: Chapter 66: The indecisive Qiu Changtian Chapter 732: Chapter 66: The indecisive Qiu Changtian The war that most people imagine: first, a declaration is made, then a large-scale mobilization of troops follows, afterwards there are encounters on the front lines with the enemy forces, and finally, a bloodbath ensues. But the reality of a war amongst cultivators: a bloodbath ensues. There are neither declarations of war nor mass mobilizations of troops. Nearly a hundred demonic sect real persons swiftly infiltrated the Guanzhong area from the region of Heluo, launching successive raids on twenty-four Kunlun mines within a span of several days. Within the Kunlun Main Hall, many high-ranking members had already gathered. Qiu Changtian quickly proposed strategies in response. First was the dispatching of several elders to the Guanzhong area to stand guard, ready to respond to sudden attacks by the Demon Cult at any time. Next was the enhancement of mine defenses; each mine had to be guarded by a real person, and for every ten mines, there was a team of real persons on hand to provide strategic support, building up a sufficiently robust dynamic defense line. ¡°This strategy is good, but isn¡¯t it too conservative?¡± Yun Hong True Person raised an objection, ¡°The Guanzhong area is thousands of miles deep. Even if we deploy a hundred or a thousand times more hands to construct defenses, it¡¯s still impossible to completely prevent the Demon Cult¡¯s infiltration.¡± ¡°Why not draw elite forces for a surprise attack on the headquarters of the Nether Ghost Path at Mount Beimang? Once the Demon Cult moves to rescue them, we can push the frontline towards the Heluo region, and take the initiative in our hands.¡± To be fair, Yun Hong True Person¡¯s plan was indeed not bad, more proactive and flexible than the strategy devised by Qiu Changtian. However, the more proactive a strategy is, the greater the potential losses if it is targeted. On the other hand, Qiu Changtian¡¯s approach to building ¡®strong fortifications and fighting a protracted war¡¯ was a straightforward plan that, even if known by the Demon Cult, would be hard to counter. ¡°Brother Yun Hong¡¯s plan is very good,¡± Qiu Changtian said with a light smile, ¡°However, Mount Beimang is the locale of the Nether Ghost Path, known to all. Would the Demonic Path not expect that we would employ a decapitation strategy?¡± ¡°If they set an ambush at Mount Beimang, our raiding forces would suffer heavy losses. As the coordinator of this operation, I cannot allow Kunlun cultivators to march into peril.¡± wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co ¡°True Person Changgeng makes sense, but haven¡¯t you heard ¡®to feint weakness when strong, and feint strength when weak¡¯?¡± Yun Hong True Person was unconvinced and simply turned his head to look at Elder Jiuce, continuing, ¡°Looking at our Kunlun¡¯s years of conflict with the Demon Cult, we have mostly taken a passive defense stance, which also gave the Demonic Path the impression that we are conservative and inflexible. Precisely because of this, the Nether Ghost Path would never expect that this time we would adopt such an aggressive policy.¡± ¡°In my view, why not do both? On one hand, follow Changgeng True Person¡¯s strategy, strengthen the defenses in the Guanzhong area to prevent the loss of various mines, and at the same time, confound the Demon Cult, making them think we still intend to maintain a defensive posture.¡± ¡°On the other hand, draw elite forces from among the elders and real persons to launch a surprise attack on Mount Beimang, forcing the Demon Cult to mount a rescue.¡± ¡°If this plan succeeds, not only will the crisis in Guanzhong be resolved immediately, but it will also restrain and inflict casualties on the Demon Cult¡¯s frontline forces.¡± ¡°True Person Yun Hong makes a good point,¡± Elder Jiuce nodded and stated with authority, ¡°True Person Changgeng, as a leader, you must be decisive, not indecisive and hesitant.¡± You¡¯re calling whom a mangy cur! Qiu Changtian fumed inwardly. Elder Jiuce¡¯s public support for True Person Yun Hong¡¯s proposal, coupled with his remark about ¡°indecision,¡± was undoubtedly a significant blow to Qiu Changtian¡¯s authority, as it was his first time coordinating a military campaign. And crucially, this Nascent Soul Elder, in terms of both seniority and experience, was not someone Qiu Changtian could openly rebut. Even if the other side suggested, ¡°I think Kunlun should surrender,¡± Qiu Changtian could only respond with, ¡°Haha, Elder is quite the humorist,¡± and could never directly denigrate or disagree, otherwise he would certainly give the other Nascent Soul elders the impression of being overly arrogant and brash. So Qiu Changtian laughed it off and made a tactful explanation: ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯m indecisive, but as Changgeng coordinates the battle, the slightest carelessness could lead to the downfall of our fellow sect members. Therefore, I can only proceed with the utmost caution, treading on thin ice, fearing any misstep.¡± ¡°True Person Changgeng is indeed kind-hearted,¡± another Nascent Soul Elder chimed in, smiling benevolently, ¡°But mercy does not command an army. If we are to fear this and that, how can we defeat the Demon Cult?¡± Qiu Changtian maintained his smile, but had a million curses running through his mind. Looking at the Ziwei Master, his master also wore a frosty expression, realizing that these elders who had jumped out to make ¡°sharp comments¡± were actually representing the Luo and Zhao families joining forces behind the scenes. Yet those people spoke only of facts, beyond reproach. Even if one were to complain to the Immortals, with Chi Song Immortal¡¯s disposition, it was unlikely he would interject in such a dispute of opinions. Soon, the elders present began to express their thoughts. The elders from the Luo and Zhao Families believed that Changgeng True Person¡¯s strategy was too conservative and would not have a deterrent effect on the Demon Cult. Conversely, the elders from the Xu and Ge Families defended Changgeng True Person, asserting that caution in military affairs was ultimately faultless. As for the majority of neutral elders, they mostly sided with Zhao Jinghong. The reason was simple: should Zhao Jinghong¡¯s strategy succeed, the strategic advantage it would bring to Kunlun was obvious. As for Qiu Zhang Tian¡¯s strategy, it was deemed standard and incapable of effecting fundamental change in the situation¡­ In the end, everyone was still basking in the glory of ¡°our Kunlun is the number one sect in the world,¡± hence the majority favored a swift victory and were unwilling to let the Demon Cult strut about for too long. Thinking thus, Qiu Zhang Tian heaved a long sigh. Alas, he might let down Kunlun, but this time Wei Dongliu truly could not afford to lose. He maintained his smile, showing no trace of displeasure, and simply said to the Ziwei Master: ¡°If that is the case, then let us follow the advice of the elders and adopt a two-pronged approach.¡± ¡°Very well,¡± nodded the Ziwei Master. Kunlun then began to mobilize personnel¡­ At the same time, a rumor that ¡°Changgeng True Person was publicly criticized by the elders for being too indecisive¡± began to circulate within Kunlun. There were quite a few Nascent Soul Elders in the Kunlun Main Hall that day. Although with their current status, they definitely would not betray Kunlun by leaking the final strategy, it was nevertheless possible that they would casually mention the sharp criticism of the Nine Strategies Elder to their juniors upon returning. Therefore, even though Qiu Zhang Tian knew that the Zhao Family was behind this, he had no way to respond, since the Nine Strategies Elder did indeed say that. ¡°This is outrageous!¡± Qiu Zhang Tian was not particularly angry (even feeling more guilt due to the incident about to unfold), but Xu Yinglian was furious and rushed to find Elder Xu in charge of the Scriptural Repository, demanding: ¡°How can they manipulate the situation and slander Brother like this? Is our family just going to stand by and watch?¡± ¡°This is public discourse,¡± Elder Xu consoled her, ¡°but as long as the war goes smoothly, such slanders will collapse of their own accord.¡± What was referred to as ¡°public discourse¡± was the discussion of the majority. Although the Xu Family of Southern Heaven was powerful in Kunlun, it could not possibly silence all Kunlun Cultivators and forbid any negative talk about Qiu Zhang Tian. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only This world had neither internet courts nor essays to twist the truth. One could not create the illusion of an overwhelmingly supportive force with just a team of dozens. The sole consolation was that people quickly forgot, as long as Qiu Zhang Tian remained in command and the war progressed smoothly, he would ultimately receive the credit due. As for the critique of being ¡°tentative and indecisive,¡± it was just some clowns seeking attention, unlikely to persist for long. Xu Yinglian was well aware of this, but couldn¡¯t contain her anger at the sarcastic comments of some cultivators. So, she sulkily returned to Golden Ridge, downcast. Qiu Zhang Tian then comforted his wife, telling her not to bother with those people, which made Xu Yinglian both exasperated and amused. Chapter 733 - Chapter 733: Chapter 67 The Xu Family of Southern Heavens Counterattack Chapter 733: Chapter 67 The Xu Family of Southern Heaven¡¯s Counterattack Yun Hong True Person had the appearance of a mature man in his thirties. Although he usually spoke in a gentle and friendly manner, his every move exuded a compelling and persuasive authority. Furthermore, with the strong backing of the Zhao Family of Guyuan behind him, many a true person of Kunlun were naturally willing to befriend him, or do things within their power for him, in exchange for the friendship of this ¡°important person¡± ¡ª by the time Qiu Changtian had joined the Kunlun Sect, Zhao had already been cultivating his reputation there. Therefore, in some ways, Zhao Jinghong was like an enhanced version of Song He ¡ª after all, Song He neither had the network built over hundreds of years at Kunlun nor the support from a powerful cultivator family at his back. Dealing with Song He, Qiu Changtian didn¡¯t even need to make a move; he only needed to place the evidence against himself in front of the Ziwei Master, and Song He would be finished. But confronting Zhao Jinghong¡­ first of all, he definitely wouldn¡¯t get his hands on evidence of the latter¡¯s actions against himself. With the status of a person like Yun Hong True Person, if he really wanted to make things difficult for someone, he wouldn¡¯t need to act personally; there would naturally be people willing to do it for him. Even if they failed, what harm could he suffer? It was just his subordinates overstepping their boundaries. That¡¯s why Qiu Changtian couldn¡¯t retaliate personally. He could only hint to his junior sister Xu Yinglian, letting the Xu Family of Southern Heaven take measures as they faced each challenge. Nascent Soul cultivators have long lifespans, and a sect leader often remains in position for a very long time, providing huge benefits for their family clan during their tenure. The current Ziwei Master comes from the Ge Family, the previous Head of the Kunlun Sect came from the Luo Family, and the one before that came from the Xu Family¡­ The Zhao Family of Guyuan was determined to secure the next leadership position, but the Xu Family of Southern Heaven had already missed out on two generations, their previous benefits nearly depleted. How could they willingly cede the position? After all, who decreed that the Head of the Kunlun Sect position must rotate among the four major families? wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.c0 As a result, the Xu Family of Southern Heaven quickly made a sharp counterattack, secretly notifying others: All cultivators allied with the Xu Family were to give priority to executing Changgeng True Person¡¯s defensive strategy for Guanzhong. What ¡°giving priority¡± really meant was ¡°no time to participate in Yun Hong True Person¡¯s surprise attack plan,¡± thus expressing a stance of rejection towards the Zhao Family. The response from the Zhao Family of Guyuan was swift, almost immediately issuing an internal notice countering the Xu family, instructing all cultivators in the Zhao camp to prioritize following Yun Hong True Person¡¯s directives (ignoring Changgeng¡¯s). The defensive strategy for Guanzhong required a large number of hands, whereas a surprise attack on Mount Beimang only needed the elite, meaning the higher the cultivation realm and magical combat abilities, the better. Due to the Xu Family¡¯s lack of cooperation, many vacancies appeared in the original roster for the surprise attack, and high rank cultivators were, after all, in the minority. The Zhao Family had to allocate even more high-rank cultivators than originally planned, which still wasn¡¯t enough to fill the gaps, so they had to persuade the Luo Family to contribute more manpower. As for Zhang Tian¡¯s defensive strategy, since it didn¡¯t have high requirements for cultivators, the Xu Family of Southern Heaven simply provided around a hundred more cultivators and easily compensated for the absence of the Zhao Family¡¯s cultivators without even needing to ask the Ge Family for help. The Zhao Family of Guyuan faced a setback and promptly launched a second retaliatory move: They approached Chi Song Immortal, denouncing the Xu Family for such despicable internal strife. Chi Song Immortal felt quite vexed by this as well. After all, the Xu Family hadn¡¯t said they ¡°didn¡¯t support Yun Hong True Person,¡± they simply stated they would ¡°give priority to cooperating with Changgeng True Person,¡± so what could he do? This was a cultivation sect, not a mundane imperial court! Moreover, as Chi Song Immortal was not an old ancestor from the Demon Cult, he naturally couldn¡¯t dictate to his subordinates, ¡°No! You must not prioritize cooperating with Changgeng True Person¡¯s plan,¡± which would blatantly take sides, right? As someone who had lived for a long time, Chi Song Immortal certainly wouldn¡¯t be stumped by these kinds of internal disputes among his subordinates. He immediately sent Zhao¡¯s people back and then summoned the Ziwei Master, throwing this mess at him to sort out. The Ziwei Master, hailing from the Ge Family, naturally had something to say about the matter: ¡°Yun Hong¡¯s surprise attack plan is too risky. If the Demon Cult got wind of it ahead of time, there would be absolutely no advantage to speak of.¡± ¡°Those in the hall that day were all our own people, right?¡± Chi Song Immortal leisurely asked. ¡°Yes,¡± the Ziwei Master answered, ¡°All the Kunlun Elders present are pillars of the Sect. The only True Persons present were Changgeng and Yun Hong.¡± The pillars of the Sect means their personal interests are tightly bound with Kunlun¡¯s, absolutely incapable of betrayal. Chi Song Immortal also felt relieved and waved his hand, saying, ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, if that lad Yun Hong wants to try out his clever stratagem, why not let him?¡± ¡°Actually, this is good too. If we win, all the merits of this battle will go to the Zhao Family; if we lose, the loss will mainly be borne by the Zhao Family anyway, and the Xu Family from the other side won¡¯t cause trouble over this, coming to me to make a fuss.¡± ¡°This¡­¡± Head of the Kunlun Sect furrowed his brows. If the Immortal didn¡¯t make it clear, even if the surprise attack succeeded, some of the merits would still fall upon Qiu Changtian. After all, most Kunlun Cultivators were kept in the dark about the plan; they only knew that Changgeng True Person was orchestrating the fight, so the prestige of victory would naturally fall to him. But with Chi Song Immortal putting it this way, it amounted to making it clear: The Zhao Family¡¯s victories go to the Zhao Family, the Xu Family¡¯s go to the Xu Family. If the surprise attack on Mount Beimang was successful, it would be considered a great merit; as for Qiu Changtian¡¯s defense plans for Guanzhong, what merit could there be? Even if every mine was successfully defended, everyone would feel it was only expected. On the other hand, if they were lost, it would become a huge fault. If things were to be divided so clearly, it would definitely be disadvantageous for Qiu Changtian. With this thought in mind, the Ziwei Master momentarily even harbored a sinister thought: If the surprise attack on Mount Beimang faced a significant setback, wouldn¡¯t that make Changgeng appear mature, prudent, and prescient? But in the end, he was the Head of the Kunlun Sect, generous in spirit, and quickly banished such thoughts from his mind. Let¡¯s not mention anything else, even if Yun Hong stole Changgeng¡¯s position as Sect Leader in the end, he wouldn¡¯t choose to harm the interests of the Kunlun Sect just to prevent this from happening. Since Changgeng thought Yun Hong¡¯s strategy was too radical, let¡¯s let the facts do the talking. If Changgeng was wrong in his anticipation, I naturally have nothing to say. Of course, if Changgeng ended up proven right, I would have to find the Immortal and have a good talk with him. What is with the Xu Family and Zhao Family? Fighting for power and profit has turned the Sect¡¯s internals hazy and murky, which is truly improper! Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Thinking this, the Ziwei Master didn¡¯t say much else, simply taking his leave cleanly and swiftly. And so, in front of the Heaven¡¯s Gate Hall, only Chi Song Immortal remained, sitting alone beneath the withered pine, before a stone chessboard, holding black in his left hand, white in his right, thoroughly enjoying playing against himself. ¡°One aggressive, one conservative, hey, these two are quite interesting.¡± ¡°But is the position of Head of the Kunlun Sect really to be determined by a single victory or defeat? In my view, the one who is undiscouraged despite defeat may well be more suitable to lead the Sect than the one who is arrogant in victory.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s continue to observe closely, see what these two men are like, before drawing any conclusions later.¡± Chapter 734 - Chapter 734: Chapter 68: A Mans Conscience and Bottom Line Chapter 734: Chapter 68: A Man¡¯s Conscience and Bottom Line Qiu Changtian suddenly found that the number of people speaking ill of him had begun to grow. The incident started when a Kunlun True Person visited Jian Qingnan¡¯s cave abode as a guest and casually mentioned that Changgeng True Person was too soft on the Demon Cult. As a result, Jian Qingnan turned her face and showed the guest out on the spot. After learning about it, Qiu Changtian investigated the background of the other party and discovered that they weren¡¯t from the Zhao or Luo families, nor from the Xu or Ge families, but rather from a neutral third party faction. Clearly, someone had started to spread rumors among the neutral cultivators, aiming to destroy Qiu Changtian¡¯s reputation in Kunlun. On how to fight the Demon Cult, a thousand Kunlun cultivators probably have a thousand ideas. Decision-makers can¡¯t possibly satisfy everyone, but it¡¯s outrageous for dissatisfaction to turn into slander. It must be Zhao Jinghong up to no good! Qiu Changtian then went to find Xu Yinglian to inquire about the recent arrangements of the Xu Family. ¡°Your plan shouldn¡¯t encounter any problems,¡± Xu Yinglian replied. ¡°The family will provide some manpower, and the Sect Leader will help coordinate.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not asking about that,¡± Qiu Changtian said with a sigh. ¡°No one¡¯s planning a surprise attack, right?¡± It wouldn¡¯t matter much if others died, but a man¡¯s conscience and bottom line forbid his wife¡¯s family and his master¡¯s kin from dying because of it! ¡°No,¡± Xu Yinglian shook her head, curious, she asked, ¡°Brother, do you really disapprove of the surprise attack plan?¡± Qiu Changtian was silent for a moment before saying: wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.c0 ¡°If such a simple surprise attack plan were to succeed, it would prove that Wei Dongliu is nothing but a waste.¡± Is Wei Dongliu a waste? Even with the support of the Blood Sea Ancestor, not just anyone can reunite the fragmented Mortal Life Path in their hands and sit on an equal footing with the Nether Ghost Path and the Heavenly Demon Path. In other words, according to Qiu Changtian¡¯s prediction, the surprise attack plan is very likely to be anticipated by the opposition in advance. Why is that? Xu Yinglian didn¡¯t ponder too much, knowing this was merely an analysis¨Cjust as when Guo Jia said Cao Cao had ten victories while Yuan Shao had ten defeats, Cao Cao wouldn¡¯t insist on asking ¡°Why ten victories, ten defeats?¡± She just thought it over for a long time before saying with difficulty: ¡°If Zhao Family cultivators suffer losses at Mount Beimang, it would probably be more misfortune than a blessing for us.¡± Qiu Changtian sighed continuously. How could he not understand what Xu Yinglian was saying? If the elite cultivators of the Zhao Family¡¯s camp were all to perish at Mount Beimang, it would be a great weakening of Kunlun¡¯s strength and prestige. Similarly, to the uninformed Kunlun cultivators, Qiu Changtian is the chief commander in charge of the war. With a large number of people perishing at Mount Beimang, most Kunlun cultivators, unaware of the high-level infighting, would undoubtedly blame Qiu Changtian. ¡°Yes,¡± Qiu Changtian said with a wry smile, ¡°even so, if I tell them not to go, would they listen?¡± They certainly would not. The Guyuan Zhao Family had already issued an order, giving top priority to ¡°the command of True Person Yun Hong.¡± What else could Qiu Changtian do? All he could probably do was ¡°hope for the best.¡± He and Xu Yinglian headed to the main hall to make the final preparations before the battle. Including Zhao Jinghong, many elders gathered again, starting to finalize the remaining miscellaneous matters. Once the decisions were made and consensus was reached, everyone gradually filed out of the main hall one after the other. Zhao Jinghong lingered behind until the elders had almost all departed, then suddenly turned back to speak to Qiu Changtian, ¡°Actually, I think there¡¯s nothing wrong with your strategy, Changgeng.¡± ¡°The Demon Cult is like a centipede¨Cdead but not stiff. As long as we can¡¯t eradicate it completely, no matter how hard we try to kill their people, more will emerge in a few years, rendering our efforts futile and pointless.¡± Qiu Changtian was somewhat surprised¨Cthis guy actually understood everything! For example, if the resources needed to nurture one Kunlun Cultivator could cultivate ten Demon Path Cultivators. Yet in a direct battle, one Kunlun Cultivator might only be able to fight to the death against three to five Demon Path Cultivators. The result would be that the more Kunlun wins battles, the more its manpower dwindles, while the Demon Cult¡¯s Six Paths just dust themselves off and quickly replenish their lost members. Otherwise, why would the Kunlun Taiqing Sect have been primarily on the defensive for thousands of years, rarely taking the initiative to attack the Demon Cult? ¡°If that¡¯s the case, why propose such an aggressive strategy?¡± Qiu Changtian asked with a smile. ¡°Because Kunlun needs to change,¡± replied Zhao Jinghong. ¡°After so many years of defense, everyone has grown weary.¡± ¡°Just because of that?¡± Xu Yinglian asked with a frown and disdain, ¡°You appeal to the masses with a dangerous strategy, but if it leads to all sorts of negative consequences, they will all be blamed on you!¡± Well said! Qiu Changtian felt invigorated. If Zhao Jinghong chose an aggressive strategy, and people supported him in taking the risk, only to tragically fall into an ambush and die, whose fault would it be? Of course, it would be Zhao Jinghong¡¯s. You see, aren¡¯t all the Kunlun Cultivators who listened to my advice free from any trouble? ¡°Hehe,¡± Zhao Jinghong just laughed, ¡°A risky strategy may not be dangerous, and a conservative one may not be safe. The Kunlun people long for change, and I bring them that transformation. Is there really any fault in that?¡± ¡°Changgeng, you see what the Kunlun Taiqing Sect needs, but you haven¡¯t seen what the Kunlun Cultivators need. You consider the overall situation but overlook the will of the people; that¡¯s why, despite having the support of the Sect Leader, you¡¯re still pressured to this extent by me.¡± Having said that, he soared into the air, stepping on his sword, and turned into a beam of light that flew away. Xu Yinglian¡¯s face turned sour as she turned back and said, ¡°Senior brother, it may be inappropriate to say this, but if the surprise attack succeeds and we achieve a great victory, I can¡¯t imagine how despicable he will look when he returns.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind either way,¡± Qiu Changtian said with an easy laugh, ¡°As long as Kunlun wins, that¡¯s what matters.¡± Xu Yinglian remained silent, secretly thinking that if True Person Yun Hong truly won, while her senior brother wouldn¡¯t mind with his broad-mindedness, she would be utterly speechless! No, wait¡­ Was her senior brother really that magnanimous? Song He, who had once opposed her senior brother, was still in prison! Upon this realization, Xu Yinglian suddenly came to her senses. Her senior brother had already firmly believed that Zhao Jinghong was bound to fail, so he simply didn¡¯t take him seriously! Heh, Zhao Jinghong thought he had everything figured out, but he hadn¡¯t anticipated that my senior brother had already seen right through him. Thus, Xu Yinglian felt a renewed sense of confidence. Qiu Changtian watched his junior sister¡¯s expressions change from disgust to contemplation to serene composure, not understanding the thoughts and processes she underwent, and he was secretly baffled. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only There was no need to elaborate on what happened next. Since the two had diverged in their strategical approaches, and with the Xu Family and Zhao Family openly opposing each other, they could only go their separate ways. Zhao Jinghong organized his troops, preparing to launch a surprise attack on Mount Beimang. Qiu Changtian, on the other hand, focused on arranging defenses in Guanzhong, deploying various kinds of manpower and materials. Both acted as if they were water from different wells, not interfering with each other, yet they were each more attentive to the other¡¯s situation than anyone else¨Cof course, this was the kind of attention that wished for the other¡¯s immediate failure. The more Qiu Changtian looked at Zhao Jinghong¡¯s plan, the more he felt it was full of flaws¡­ He couldn¡¯t really believe that such a crude strategy would succeed, could he? Surely not? Ah Jing, load Wei Dongliu¡¯s file! Chapter 735 - Chapter 735: Chapter 69 Wei Dongliu Boldly Initiates Battle Chapter 735: Chapter 69 Wei Dongliu Boldly Initiates Battle Wei Dongliu felt something was not quite right. Why, just after loading the game, did he find himself pinned down by Jiang the Witch? Well, hold on, it seems like¡­ ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Jiang Lian playfully lifted his chin, teasingly asking, ¡°Has my husband given up the struggle?¡± ¡°I declare war on Kunlun!¡± Wei Dongliu stated coldly. Jiang Lian: ? Before she could react, Wei Dongliu had already executed a carp flip and flipped her off him. ¡°Now is the best time to declare war on Kunlun!¡± Wei Dongliu bellowed, ¡°Guanzhong Area shall be the stake! Once Kunlun sends troops to Guanzhong, I¡¯ll use Iron City Mountain as a springboard to cut off their vanguard and rear!¡± I bet you¡¯ve lost your mind! Jiang Lian was about to lash out in anger, but upon second thought, this plan, though short, seemed to have some entertaining value and appeal. Iron City Mountain borders both Kunlun and Shushan of the Orthodox Sect and endures constant war pressure, so all monks that emerge from there are notably fierce. If Kunlun were to completely uproot Iron City Mountain, it would not be impossible, but it would certainly come with a heavy price. wuxiaworld.site On the other hand, as long as Iron City Mountain remains, it would prevent Kunlun from confidently reinforcing Guanzhong. However¡­ ¡°My husband must be confused,¡± she said, laughing mockingly, ¡°Mount Beimang lies between Mount Wutai and Guanzhong Area.¡± ¡°If you intend to seize control of Guanzhong Area, would the Nether Ghost Path be willing to step aside?¡± ¡°Who said I want to seize Guanzhong?¡± Wei Dongliu gave her a glance, ¡°Just give Guanzhong to the Nether Ghost Path in exchange for their troops!¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Jiang Lian found her husband¡¯s thoughts more and more unfathomable, to the point where even a Heavenly Demon couldn¡¯t grasp them, ¡°If we give Guanzhong to the Nether Ghost Path, what¡¯s in it for us?¡± ¡°Have the Nether Ghost Path propose terms, and give us benefits!¡± Wei Dongliu said domineeringly. ¡°If the Nether Ghost Path learns of this plan,¡± Jiang Lian pressed on, chuckling, ¡°they would just go to war with Kunlun themselves. Why would they bother with us?¡± ¡°They won¡¯t,¡± Wei Dongliu said with a cold laugh. ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Alone, the Nether Ghost Path cannot defeat Kunlun,¡± Wei Dongliu swept his arm grandly, ¡°It will take the combined forces of the Intercepting Cult¡¯s Six Paths to have a chance of defeating the Kunlun Taiqing Sect!¡± ¡°In any case, the Nether Ghost Path should lead the attack, exerting their greatest strength to contest Guanzhong with Kunlun, while we and the Heavenly Demon Path coordinate troops. Let the Nether Ghost Path distribute benefits. If three paths unite and we then involve the Asura Path and Eastern Emperor Path, success will be within our grasp!¡± Having said this, he left the bedroom without looking back and flew towards the summit of Central Peak. Jiang Lian: ??? Wait, haven¡¯t you forgotten something? Finally catching on, she realized the duck at her lips had flown away! Climbing out of bed resentfully, Jiang Lian also rode upon the black mist, flying towards the direction of Central Peak. Atop Central Peak, amidst the snow, the haggard Blood Sea Ancestor listened to Wei Dongliu¡¯s proposal and began stroking his beard in contemplation. ¡°This strategy is good,¡± he said slowly, ¡°but if it succeeds, it¡¯s not our Mortal Life Path but the Nether Ghost Path that would profit the most.¡± ¡°What the Ancestor says is very true,¡± Wei Dongliu replied calmly, ¡°If our Mortal Life Path were to profit the most this time, would the Nether Ghost Path be willing to cooperate with us?¡± With a raspy laugh, Blood Sea Ancestor replied: ¡°You make a good point. Since the Nether Ghost Path stands to gain the most this time, we shall ask Honored White Bone to cough up some benefits, otherwise, our Mortal Life Path is not going to cooperate with them.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go, the ancestor will accompany you on this excursion,¡± Having said that, a dense, foul-smelling cloud of blood rose around him, carrying the Blood Sea Ancestor and Wei Dongliu toward Mount Beimang. Jiang Lian hastily followed from behind, only to find herself grasping at air and stamping her feet in frustration, forced to closely pursue the blood cloud. Upon arriving at Mount Beimang, patrolling Nether Ghost Path Cultivators came to guide the group to the Nether Ghost Path encampment. Soon after, Honored White Bone greeted them with Wen Yang in tow¡­ Looking for all the world like a grandfather and his granddaughter. Could it be that Wen Yang was actually Honored White Bone¡¯s illegitimate great-great-great-granddaughter? While Wei Dongliu pondered this, the Blood Sea Ancestor had already started discussing intentions with Honored White Bone. ¡°Attack Kunlun?¡± Honored White Bone expressed surprise, ¡°Why such talk?¡± ¡°White Bone,¡± the Blood Sea Ancestor cackled, ¡°you¡¯re not scared, are you?¡± ¡°Old friend, still using such provocation?¡± Honored White Bone chuckled dismissively, ¡°Attacking Kunlun is not the problem; the question is what¡¯s in it for us?¡± ¡°How about the Guanzhong Area?¡± the Blood Sea Ancestor asked. ¡°Kunlun won¡¯t give up Guanzhong,¡± Honored White Bone shook his head as if to say, you have no clue. Before the Blood Sea Ancestor could react, Wen Yang spoke up: ¡°Master, why not listen to Sect Master Wei¡¯s thoughts before making a judgement?¡± ¡°Very well, I can¡¯t make it clear with this old blood fiend,¡± Honored White Bone chuckled, then turned to Wei Dongliu, ¡°For Wen Yang¡¯s sake, I¡¯ll give you a quarter of an hour. Speak.¡± This Wen Yang seems quite esteemed by the immortals¡­ Pressing down on his thoughts, Wei Dongliu said: ¡°Kunlun certainly won¡¯t give up Guanzhong, and we don¡¯t need to occupy the Guanzhong Area for centuries. As long as we can temporarily seize control of some resources, we can engage in destructive exploitation, quickly reaping massive profits. Even if Kunlun recaptures it later, we can accept that.¡± ¡°Of course, these benefits are secondary. The key is to shatter the myth of Kunlun¡¯s invincibility, letting the world know that Kunlun is not to be feared. That is the ultimate goal of this battle.¡± ¡°If you still have doubts about ¡®Kunlun not being worth fear,¡¯ you can announce an attack on Kunlun to your sect and see how many elders oppose it without even hearing the plan.¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± Honored White Bone was unconvinced, so he summoned three Nether Ghost Path elders and said, ¡°I¡¯m planning a siege on Kunlun, what are your thoughts?¡± The three elders exchanged glances, and after a moment, someone said tentatively: ¡°Honored one, why the sudden attack on Kunlun? It seems a bit hasty¡­¡± Surprised that Wei Dongliu guessed right, Honored White Bone was embarrassed and angrily said: ¡°I haven¡¯t even discussed the specifics, and you¡¯re already making excuses. Are you planning to rebel?¡± ¡°Not at all, not at all!¡± the elder hurriedly denied, ¡°I boldly ask the honored one to reveal the battle plan!¡± ¡°Listen carefully¡­¡± Honored White Bone was about to continue scolding when he realized he had no actual battle plan, suddenly putting on an air of superiority, he said: ¡°Sect Master Wei, you explain to these incompetent elders of our sect.¡± Typical of immortals to pass the buck, regardless of good or evil, all equally adept¡­ Wei Dongliu internally sighed but calmly said: Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°We¡¯ll declare war on Kunlun in the name of the Blood Sea Ancestor, on behalf of the Six Paths, openly contending for the Guanzhong Area.¡± ¡°If Kunlun responds, they must send troops to defend Guanzhong. We will use Iron City Mountain as a springboard, threaten Kunlun¡¯s flank, sever their connection with the frontline cultivators, and then fully seize the Guanzhong Area.¡± ¡°If Asura Path is unwilling to use Iron City Mountain as a springboard, what then?¡± a Nether Ghost Path elder questioned. ¡°If Mortal Life Path, Heavenly Demon Path, and Nether Ghost Path unite, how could Asura Path possibly object?¡± Wei Dongliu said assertively, ¡°If the three paths win, Asura Path can share the spoils; should the three paths lose, Kunlun won¡¯t spare Asura Path just because they didn¡¯t participate.¡± ¡°As long as Asura Path wishes to retain its name among the Six Paths, it must surely join the fight!¡± Chapter 736 - Chapter 736: 70th Chapter: Two Paths Converge, Collaboration Achieved Chapter 736: 70th Chapter: Two Paths Converge, Collaboration Achieved ¡°What if Shushan joins forces with the attackers, leaving the Asura Path unable to protect itself?¡± ¡°Impossible.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Shushan and Kunlun have been in conflict for many years. When Shushan was besieged by the Six Paths last time and suffered the most casualties, they didn¡¯t even ask Kunlun for help. Now that Kunlun is in trouble, even if Shushan is willing to lend a hand, Kunlun would certainly not accept it.¡± ¡°What if Penglai comes to the rescue from the East Sea?¡± ¡°Penglai is weak and feeble, even if they truly come to help, Mount Wutai would block them at the border; Mount Beimang need not worry.¡± ¡°What if the Heavenly Demon Path does not want to send troops?¡± ¡°That¡¯s absolutely impossible.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°If the Nether Ghost Path and Mortal Life Path join forces to attack Kunlun, and the Heavenly Demon Path does not intervene, I¡¯m afraid outsiders will think that the Heavenly Demon Path fears Kunlun.¡± ¡°What if the Heavenly Demon Path is not afraid of rumors and only wants benefits?¡± ¡°Then let the Nether Ghost Path name their price.¡± wuxiaworld.site ¡°Why is this?¡± ¡°If we win the battle, the Qinling, Long Mountain, the lands beyond the passes, and all the other famous mountains and great rivers will belong to the Nether Ghost Path. You stand to gain the most, so naturally, you should set the price to win over the allies.¡± ¡­¡­¡­ By the time Jiang Lianan rushed over, he saw three Nether Ghost Path elders surrounding Wei Dongliu, pattering out various questions, which were then cleverly resolved by Wei Dongliu one by one. Anyone who could simultaneously play five small roles and maneuver smoothly among five forces would naturally not be lacking in eloquence. The three Nether Ghost Path elders tried every possible means to find fault, but Wei Dongliu rebuffed them turn by turn, to the point where the Blood Sea Ancestor was delighted, the Honored White Bone frowned, and Wen Yang wanted to laugh but barely restrained himself. Jiang Lianan also didn¡¯t make an appearance but instead exercised the Heavenly Demon Great Law, hiding in the void to watch her husband¡¯s performance, her eyes brimming with brilliance. ¡°In summary, Kunlun is destined to fail this time, while our Intercepting Cult is assured of victory,¡± Wei Dongliu said, his words flowing smoothly until he blurted out about certain victory and certain defeat. Then, he suddenly realized that this notion of certain victory and defeat wasn¡¯t so easy to concoct and promptly changed the subject, ¡°If the Nether Ghost Path still doesn¡¯t want to confront Kunlun directly, then we from the Mortal Life Path will leave immediately and waste no more words here!¡± ¡°Hmph,¡± said the Honored White Bone haughtily, ¡°How the Nether Ghost Path acts is not for the Mortal Life Path to comment on! Wen Yang, see the guests out!¡± The Blood Sea Ancestor escorted Wei Dongliu away, and on the way said: ¡°Don¡¯t be fooled by that old codger White Bone still putting on airs; he¡¯s actually been persuaded by you, he just doesn¡¯t want to show it in front of his subordinates.¡± ¡°Once we leave, the Nether Ghost Path will stage a high-level meeting that¡¯s just for show and will finalize the matter.¡± ¡°The Ancestor is wise,¡± Wei Dongliu naturally wouldn¡¯t foolishly agree but offered his compliment instead. ¡°Now we need to visit the Heavenly Demon Path,¡± continued the Blood Sea Ancestor. ¡°The Self-reliant Ancestor is capricious, and communicating with her is very troublesome, but luckily for some reason, she holds your wife in high regard.¡± ¡°With that connection, the possibility of persuading her has increased considerably.¡± Jiang Lianan listened from behind and thought, Oh right! How could I have forgotten that? I must quickly get them to challenge my husband a bit! Together, the two made their way to the great Mount Dapan in the East Sea, only to see the island was full of exotic flowers and rare herbs. Fragrant birds and scented beasts loitered, and countless beautiful women bathed, picked flowers, and frolicked among them, as if it were an immortal realm on earth. It¡¯s a pity that all these beautiful women are cold-blooded killers who can snatch mortals to serve as sacrifices for the Heavenly Demon. After knowing this, Wei Dongliu lost all interest when he saw the charming poses they put on. Upon arriving at the palace on the mountain summit, Wei Dongliu calmly surveyed his surroundings, only to feel that this residence of the Carefree Ancestor was immensely luxurious, adorned everywhere with gold, jade, and pearls. The Carefree Ancestor came out dressed in a gorgeous palace attire, swaying gracefully. To those in the know, she was an immortal, but to the ignorant, she might appear as a consort out for a stroll in the imperial palace. The Blood Sea Ancestor also had a headache, for this woman was always so out of tune, lacking the dignity of an immortal. In the eyes of this junior, if they but think, ¡°Are all immortals from the Intercepting Cult like this?¡± then my reputation would be ruined. He didn¡¯t plan to stay long, so he quickly discussed matters with the Carefree Ancestor. ¡°Going to war with Kunlun? That¡¯s possible,¡± the Carefree Ancestor nonchalantly agreed, ¡°but Wei Dongliu, what¡¯s going on with you and my precious disciple?¡± ¡°Some days ago, she ran back to Mount Dapan weeping, saying you had neglected her after marriage. Is there any truth to this?¡± From the shadows, Jiang Lian clenched his teeth in rage, thinking I wanted you to question him, not to exaggerate and paint me as some resentful wife! The Blood Sea Ancestor had an odd look on his face, thinking I really don¡¯t want to stay here a second longer. You, a great immortal, going to question a junior about his private marital matters, is that appropriate? Wei Dongliu was also taken aback, and after a long pause, he said: ¡°I truly do not know. That day I was to visit the Golden Que Secret Realm and did not take my wife with me; it was not an intentional neglect.¡± ¡°I see,¡± the Carefree Ancestor said leisurely, ¡°but while it¡¯s commendable for a man to achieve success outside, he must not neglect his wife at home. As the head of your sect, you should know this.¡± ¡°If she indeed feels wronged, I, as the Carefree Ancestor, will have to support her¡­ when that time comes, it won¡¯t be easy for you to handle this situation.¡± What are all these nonsensical statements! Seeing the woman go off on even more outrageous tangents, the Blood Sea Ancestor hastened to interrupt her with a strained smile: ¡°Since we have come to an agreement, I will take my leave now.¡± He quickly pulled Wei Dongliu away, fearing the Carefree Ancestor would continue spouting madness, doing further damage to the dignity of the Intercepting Cult¡¯s immortals. As soon as the two of them left, Jiang Lian emerged from the void, furious: ¡°What absurdities are you spouting! Support her¡­ do I need you to support me? You make me sound like some weak woman who can¡¯t manage her husband!¡± ¡°Sister!¡± the Carefree Ancestor retorted, ¡°I have to play the part of an immortal. If I don¡¯t maintain an immortal¡¯s dignity when speaking with them, they¡¯ll suspect something!¡± ¡°In your eyes, are immortals fools who just ¡®cover for this¡¯ and ¡®support that¡¯?¡± Jiang Lian said, both amused and annoyed, ¡°Now, listen well, this is how one should act as an immortal¡­¡± On one side, the witch was at her wits¡¯ end and had to stay behind to teach her sister, temporarily forgetting about her intentions to overthrow her husband. On the other side, Wei Dongliu, having returned to Central Peak with the Blood Sea Ancestor, immediately inquired: Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°What about the Asura Path and the Eastern Emperor Path?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for us to attend to these two sects personally,¡± the Blood Sea Ancestor said calmly, stroking his beard, ¡°I will write a letter and send it to them. That will suffice.¡± Wei Dongliu verbally agreed but thought to himself that, indeed, within the Six Paths, there was a clear hierarchy and discrimination chain. Between the direct branches and major factions like the Heavenly Demons and Nether Ghosts, compared to the outsider and lesser factions like the Asuras and the Eastern Emperor, there were significant rifts¨Cperhaps even greater than the dissension between Kunlun and Shushan. Now, they were forcibly unified only by shared interests. Once I become the sovereign of the Six Paths, I will have to find an opportunity to dissolve these divisions; otherwise, they may become the cause of internal strife and fragmentation within the Six Paths in the future. Chapter 737 - Chapter 737: Chapter 71: Jiang the Witch Fights for Her Husbands Position Chapter 737: Chapter 71: Jiang the Witch Fights for Her Husband¡¯s Position The Six Paths Alliance laid siege to Kunlun, and soon reached a consensus with ease. Representatives from the Heavenly Demon Path, Mortal Life Path, Asura Path, and Eastern Emperor Path gathered at the Nether Ghost Path¡¯s headquarters on Mount Beimang to discuss how to contend with Kunlun for the Guanzhong Area¡­ That was the ostensible purpose, but since the Nether Ghost Path stood to gain the most from the Guanzhong dispute, the actual situation was everyone else haggling over the price with them, demanding sufficient compensation for their expenses. Wei Dongliu watched these people in the great hall, in a fierce battle of words over every little detail, and couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of amusement. He had attended many high-level meetings of the Three Pure Orthodox Sect, where sects like Kunlun, Shushan, or Penglai enjoyed conducting intricate and exhaustive ancient rituals, turning exchanges into long-winded affairs, lest they fail to showcase their own sect¡¯s cultivation of propriety. In contrast, over at the Intercepting Cult, people were rudely straightforward, opening with how much they stood to benefit and closing with how great their losses were, sometimes playing the victim about barely being able to sustain their sect, sometimes making threats to pull out unless they got more¡­ In short, they employed every tactic they had, turning the main hall of the Nether Ghost Path¡¯s underground palace into something akin to haggling in a vegetable market. Wei Dongliu was ¡°not adept¡± at such business negotiations, so he simply let Vice Sect Leader Jiang Li An take the stage to represent Mortal Life Path in the bargaining with the other paths. The negotiation over the distribution of benefits quickly concluded, after all, dealing with each other for so many years, everyone was quite clear about each other¡¯s bottom line, and no one harbored illusions of taking advantage on this matter. But when it came to who would serve as the commander of this war, there was fierce debate, as it involved the reputation and prestige of the sects. The representative sent by the Asura Path this time, Monk Jiukong, insisted that since Iron City Mountain was to be used as a springboard to attack Kunlun, the Asura Path should lead as the commander. ¡°If the Asura Path can withstand Kunlun¡¯s offensive head-on,¡± Wen Yang said leisurely, ¡°then letting Asura Path serve as the Alliance Hierarch could be considered.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not appropriate,¡± Monk Jiukong, dressed as a monk but without a trace of monk-like composure, simply said with a smirking smile, ¡°Our Iron City Mountain is situated between Kunlun and Shushan. To face Kunlun¡¯s attacks alone would be too great a pressure. Your sect could help share some of it.¡± ¡°How could that be?¡± Wen Yang immediately said, ¡°As the Alliance Hierarch, one naturally has to contribute the most in this war; otherwise, how can one command others?¡± wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co ¡°How about this, however many Nascent Soul and Golden Core cultivators the Nether Ghost Path dispatches, your Asura Path will send no less than that number. If you can achieve that, we might discuss the position of Alliance Hierarch.¡± Monk Jiukong was momentarily silenced. Even with the thickest skin, he couldn¡¯t utter the words, ¡°We can¡¯t afford to send that many people, but we still want to be the Alliance Hierarch.¡± Wen Yang calmly looked around and said, ¡°Is there anyone else who wishes to dispute the position of Alliance Hierarch with our Nether Ghost Path?¡± Ling Yun Zhen from Heavenly Demon Path chuckled, ¡°Lianshan Daoist Friend is joking. If the number of high-rank cultivators determines the Alliance Hierarch, then I think Kunlun should take that position.¡± So, laughter erupted in the room, as clearly no one agreed with that view. ¡°Using the number of dispatched cultivators as the standard for becoming the Alliance Hierarch is definitely not workable,¡± Jiang Li An said with a smile, ¡°Otherwise, we might as well just restrict the contribution of troops to the Alliance Hierarch and not to the sect of the Alliance Hierarch, and let everyone send as many troops as they want.¡± Wen Yang didn¡¯t respond, her mind quickly considering how to handle the situation. Since the main battlefield was set in the Guanzhong Area, the Nether Ghost Path was sure to contribute the most troops. But even so, support from the Heavenly Demon and Mortal Life paths would be indispensable. Jiang Li An used the share of troops as a threat and Wen Yang really couldn¡¯t sidestep it directly; however¡­ She narrowed her eyes suspiciously, wondering if Ling Yun Zhen of the Heavenly Demon Path had reached some kind of understanding with Jiang the Witch behind the scenes? The former had just made an opening, and the latter immediately chimed in, as if they had arranged it beforehand. ¡°I believe, to be the Alliance Hierarch of the Six Paths, one must first be recognized by all Six Paths,¡± Ling Yun Zhen said with a playful laugh, ¡°Without the consent of even one path, one cannot hold the position of shared ruler.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Jiang Lian agreed, ¡°If there is a sect that does not recognize our alliance, and therefore does not put in their full effort, how can we possibly win this war?¡± ¡°Not to mention,¡± continued Yun Zhen, the mystic from the Heavenly Demon Path, ¡°if the Alliance Hierarch position is held by the Nether Ghost Path, we of the Heavenly Demon Path will not accept it. The Nether Ghost Path has already reaped substantial benefits this time, and if they even want the nominal title for themselves, what are we, the allies, supposed to do? Sit by and sip on soup?¡± ¡°That¡¯s precisely the case,¡± Jiang Lian drew out her words, ¡°If the Nether Ghost Path truly wants to be part of the alliance, they shouldn¡¯t be too greedy.¡± Wen Yang: ¡­¡­¡­ Suddenly realizing that her bottom line had been seen through, she inwardly cursed her bad luck. Honored White Bone had sent her to negotiate, rather than empowering the Nether Ghost Sect Leader, precisely because the Nether Ghost Path had already taken substantial benefits. Therefore, they had no great desire for the nominal title of Alliance Hierarch and could give it up if necessary. However, the moment Fu Xie, the Sect Leader, was not present, the Nether Ghost Path¡¯s lack of enthusiasm for the position of Alliance Hierarch was immediately perceived by the others. A misstep! If only I had let the Sect Leader come and put on a show¡­ Wen Yang looked at Wei Dongliu, Sect Leader Wei, who sat quietly behind Jiang Lian without saying a word, and regretted it inwardly. ¡°Actually, the position of Alliance Hierarch is more fitting for us of the Mortal Life Path,¡± Jiang Lian said with a smile, ¡°and there are three reasons for this.¡± ¡°First, it was our Mortal Life Path that initiated this plan, which has benefited the Six Paths Alliance, hence we deserve the position of Alliance Hierarch on this occasion.¡± ¡°Second, the Nether Ghost Path and the Asura Path are too close to Kunlun. If they become the Alliance Hierarch for this Six Paths alliance, they would have to bear the full brunt of Kunlun¡¯s backlash. If Mount Wutai were to assume the role, we could share some of that burden for you.¡± Her shameless assertion that ¡°being the Alliance Hierarch is for your own good¡± was delivered so confidently and righteously that everyone was shocked by her composure and struggled to find words in response. Wen Yang, appalled by what she was hearing, kept glancing at Wei Dongliu behind Jiang Lian, thinking that such audacity knew no bounds. To play the virtuous saint when acting the complete opposite¨Cwho in this couple came up with such a notion? Surely, it must have been Jiang the Witch¡¯s own idea. ¡°This is indeed strange,¡± said Wan Ling, the representative of the Eastern Emperor Path, with a smile, ¡°If so, our Eastern Emperor Path, and even their Heavenly Demon Path, are further away from Kunlun, making us even more suitable for the role of Alliance Hierarch. After all, Kunlun can¡¯t retaliate against us.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Jiang Lian replied with a faint smile, ¡°but Shushan and Penglai could.¡± ¡°If Shushan moves south, the Eastern Emperor Path would seek help. If Penglai looks westward, the Heavenly Demon Path would be restrained. How absurd would it be for the Alliance Hierarch to be too busy defending their own turf to fight against Kunlun? That would truly be a laughingstock.¡± ¡°Only Mount Wutai, situated at the heart of the Divine Land and not directly bordered by the Three Pure Orthodox Sect, can enjoy the strategic depth in all directions¨Cwest, east, south¨Cand is therefore most suitable as the Alliance Hierarch, positioned behind the scenes, strategizing and orchestrating.¡± The crowd fell silent¨Cisn¡¯t her argument of geographical safety meant to be an advantage for becoming the Alliance Hierarch? ¡°Third, and the most critical point,¡± Jiang Lian continued with a charming smile, ¡°When it comes to strategizing, who can surpass my husband, Wei Dongliu, the Sect Leader of the Mortal Life Path?¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°If anyone among you believes that they have better management skills than my husband when it comes to leading a sect, they are welcome to contend for the position of Alliance Hierarch.¡± With that, the room fell utterly silent. Is Wei Dongliu capable of managing a sect? Just look at how the Mortal Life Path was once scattered and now observe the stringent laws and ordered structure of Mount Wutai, and his ability becomes apparent. Of course, if we were to compare, surely there would be some who would disagree, believing that they could do the job just as well. However, even if they felt that way, they couldn¡¯t voice it right then and there. Without any evidence, making baseless claims to compete with Wei Dongliu would turn them into a mere joke. Chapter 738 - Chapter 738: Chapter 72: Six Paths Alliance Leader Wei Dongliu Chapter 738: Chapter 72: Six Paths Alliance Leader Wei Dongliu In the main hall, all was silent. There wasn¡¯t anything wrong with what Jiang Lian said: When it came to managing a sect, no one present could match the accomplishments of Wei Dongliu. After all, sects like the Mortal Life Path with potential and foundation that couldn¡¯t leverage their full strength were rare in this world¨Cat least, there was only one within the Six Paths. But¡­ who said that being an Alliance Hierarch required one to be adept at managing a sect? Wen Yang had thought of a retort and was about to speak, when he suddenly heard Yun Zhen laughing, ¡°Indeed, if we¡¯re talking about strategic ability, we of the Heavenly Demon Path admit that Sect Master Wei surpasses us.¡± Wen Yang: ??? As expected! The Heavenly Demon Path and the Mortal Life Path had really secretly joined forces! It was well known that among the Five Paths present, both the Asura Path and the Eastern Emperor Path essentially lacked the ability to contest for the role of Alliance Hierarch. They mostly put up a token fight and then waited for the other three Paths to agree on an outcome, and they would just need to shout, ¡°I agree.¡± In reality, only the Nether Ghost Path, the Heavenly Demon Path, and the Mortal Life Path could contest and decide the Alliance Hierarch. In the past when the Mortal Life Path was weak, it was the Nether Ghost Path and the Heavenly Demon Path that would compete, trying to win the Mortal Life Path¡¯s support for themselves; Now, with the resurgence of the Mortal Life Path, logic would dictate that the former number one and number two should collaborate to suppress the now third wheel. wuxiaworld.site Yet, not only did the Heavenly Demon Path not suppress the Mortal Life Path, but it also colluded with them, turning a blind eye and even clearing the path for them, leaving the Nether Ghost Path powerless against them¡­ What exactly was going on? Wen Yang glanced at Jiang Lian silently, suspecting that the issue likely lay with his old friend. Being both a Direct Disciple of the Heavenly Demon Path¡¯s founding master and the wife and Vice Sect Leader of the Mortal Life Path¡¯s Sect Leader, she was obviously the link between the two sects. There had never been someone like her before, because both sects would worry about her passing benefits to the other side. But now, Jiang the Witch was openly siding with the Mortal Life Path Cultivators, striving for advantages for Wei Dongliu, and strangely enough, the Heavenly Demon Path showed no dissatisfaction at all. As she pondered this, she heard Jiang Lian continue to ask, ¡°Any more objections? If everyone agrees, then let¡¯s settle the matter of the Alliance Hierarch¡­¡± ¡°I have a question,¡± Wen Yang spoke up, ¡°Didn¡¯t we agree that to choose an Alliance Hierarch, all Six Paths must concur?¡± ¡°Now, only five Paths are here; one has yet to take a stand, have you forgotten?¡± Upon hearing this, everyone showed strange expressions. Although it was a gathering of the Six Paths, the Hell Path had never made a public appearance. This had been an unspoken agreement for hundreds of years. By raising this point out of the blue, Wen Yang was clearly banking on the Hell Path¡¯s silence, using this as a stalling tactic so he could return and consult with Honored White Bone for a counterstrategy! Jiang Lian sneered, saying, ¡°Since they haven¡¯t attended, they naturally consent by default. Why insist on making them express their stance? In my view¡­¡± ¡°Without the recognition of even one less Path, one cannot assume this joint leadership position,¡± Wen Yang boldly played the rascal, ¡°You had just agreed on this, friend Jiang.¡± Jiang Lian glared at her coldly, her expression darkening. You little bitch, deliberately spreading rumors about an affair between me and my husband within the Nether Ghost Path, do you really think I won¡¯t settle the score with you? If it weren¡¯t for our past friendship, I would have killed you long ago! Just as she was about to retort, she suddenly felt a hand on her shoulder. It was her husband Wei Dongliu behind her, signaling her to keep calm and watch what was unfolding. Jiang Lian quietly looked ahead, and in the emptiness at the center of the great hall, several lines of text suddenly appeared, as if an invisible hand was splashing ink and writing: ¡°With Wei as the Alliance Hierarch, the Hell Path seconds the motion.¡± At this, the entire great hall fell into complete silence. ¡°Hahaha!¡± A cultivator from the Eastern Emperor Path suddenly burst into laughter, ¡°How interesting, truly interesting! The Hell Path, which has never shown itself in public, has now actually made a statement for the Mortal Life Path!¡± Her narrow eyes squinted, the cold light in her pupils scanning the assembly: ¡°If that¡¯s the case, let¡¯s not get wrapped up in this any further. Let¡¯s leave it at that.¡± ¡°Wait!¡± Wen Yang, who was still struggling in desperation, said, ¡°These few lines of text alone may not necessarily prove that this is indeed the will of the Hell Path¡­¡± ¡°Not the Hell Path?¡± An Asura Path cultivator asked in surprise, ¡°This place is the main hall of the Nether Ghost Path, your own Sect¡¯s domain.¡± ¡°Besides the elusive Hell Path, who else could leave a message so openly in your Sect¡¯s main hall?¡± ¡°Perhaps it is the Nether Ghost Path putting on a play.¡± A cultivator from the Heavenly Demon Path said with a laugh, ¡°I heard that Lianshan is quite close to Sect Master Wei? Could it be that Lianshan indeed agrees that Sect Master Wei should be the Alliance Hierarch but, for the sake of the interests of his Sect behind the scenes, he¡¯s unable to say so openly and must falsely use the Hell Path¡¯s name to make the deal certain? This is quite the painstaking effort, isn¡¯t it?¡± Wen Yang had nothing to say in retort, knowing that if he continued to irrationally obstruct, these despicable people might concoct even more nauseating words to slander him. He simply sat back with a cold face, silent. And so, the matter of the Six Paths Alliance Leader was settled. The Mortal Life Path was in charge of leading the effort, coordinating and planning, with Wei Dongliu as the Alliance Hierarch. The Nether Ghost Path, Heavenly Demon Path, Asura Path, and Eastern Emperor Path each dispatched cultivators to join the alliance, besieging Kunlun! Wei Dongliu returned to Central Peak and reported the matter to Blood Sea Ancestor, also borrowing his name to write a declaration of war and sending envoys to deliver it to Kunlun. But let¡¯s not talk about Kunlun¡¯s response to the declaration of war for now. Days later, leaders of the five paths led their people to Mount Wutai to discuss tactics. The Mortal Life Path¡¯s Sect base was built on the site where Tong Xuan Gate had been annihilated. Ignoring the so-called ¡°ominous land¡± superstition, the various Sect Leaders were secretly impressed. After all, they thought, with Mount Wutai being so vast, why choose this specific site? And a site where a Sect had been annihilated at that? Apart from interpreting it as Wei Dongliu using it as a warning to deter other Sects, there seemed to be no other explanation. The Sect Leader of the Nether Ghost Path, Fu Xie, however, was largely approving of this: ¡°Forget about whether a Sect was annihilated or not. When Tong Xuan Gate was destroyed back then, the killer performed a mass soul refining ritual here, and later was struck down by Heavenly Thunder. Now the surrounding area is filled with malevolent energy. If we set up the Immortal Slaying Sword Formation here, we can leverage the power of this cursed land, and its might will increase by at least thirty percent. Sect Master Wei indeed has a discerning eye!¡± ¡°What¡¯s so great about that?¡± Mo Gu True Person retorted, ¡°I think he¡¯s just trying to save the trouble of finding another location to start a large construction project.¡± ¡°You understand nothing!¡± Sect Leader Fu Xie cursed without reservation, ¡°If you had even a third of Sect Master Wei¡¯s ability, I¡¯d give you my position as Sect Leader!¡± Mo Gu True Person remained silent, then turned his head and saw Wen Yang conversing with a few Mortal Life Path cultivators. He called out to her: ¡°Hey, Lianshan! What are you doing over there?¡± Wen Yang came back holding a book, smiling and saying: Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°These Mortal Life Path Cultivators are really interesting¡­ They have compiled Sect Master Wei¡¯s speeches into a volume for daily study and contemplation. I just flipped through it, and the statements on Sect governance and politics are quite innovative.¡± Hearing this, Sect Leader Fu Xie grew curious and took the book to glance through it: ¡°Hmm, not bad, it is indeed interesting.¡± ¡°Father, are you joking?¡± Mo Gu True Person scoffed, ¡°That book is merely¡­¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Sect Leader Fu Xie interrupted him sharply, ¡°If you mutter one more word, I will have you copy this book a hundred times!¡± Chapter 739 - Chapter 739: Chapter 73: Kunlun Resorting to the Last Strategy Chapter 739: Chapter 73: Kunlun Resorting to the Last Strategy In the main hall of the Mortal Life Path, the five great sects once again gathered together to discuss the details of how to attack Kunlun. ¡°This matter is quite simple,¡± Wei Dongliu laid out the plan explicitly, ¡°First, we shall dispatch one hundred and twenty elite monks from the Demon Cult to infiltrate from Mount Beimang into the Guanzhong Area and attack the mines, herb gardens, and other key nodes controlled by Kunlun.¡± ¡°In this way, Kunlun will have to send monks to save Guanzhong, so we assemble our army at Iron City Mountain and cut off the retreat of these monks towards Long Mountain.¡± Everyone in the main hall nodded in agreement. This plan had been set a long time ago and had enough feasibility; otherwise, no one would have agreed to join in. ¡°Then,¡± Wei Dongliu paused briefly before continuing, ¡°this is an overt strategy, and Kunlun is not without its wise men, who may well see through it.¡± ¡°If Kunlun wants to break the situation, they have the upper, middle, and lower strategies.¡± ¡°The best strategy is to seek the assistance of Shushan from the Southeast to pressure the Asura Path. With this threat, the army at Iron City Mountain won¡¯t be able to endanger Kunlun¡¯s flanks.¡± ¡°The middle strategy is to send more monks to firmly defend Guanzhong, while sending an elite force to threaten Iron City Mountain, striking on dual fronts.¡± ¡°The least desirable strategy is to send high-rank monks to launch a surprise attack on Mount Beimang, forcing us to withdraw our offensive activities in the Guanzhong Area.¡± ¡°What strategy does Sect Master Wei believe Kunlun shall choose?¡± the Sect Master of the Heavenly Demon Path, Dugu Xie, slowly asked. This person¡¯s appearance was that of a middle-aged woman with high cheekbones and a pale complexion. However, Wei Dongliu¡¯s biggest impression of her was not her appearance but that she was one of the culprits who had killed Elder Shi Ding. He would find an opportunity to deal with her later, but not now¡­ Wei Dongliu pondered for a moment and then said: wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, Kunlun will choose the least desirable strategy.¡± Laughter then broke out in the main hall. The upper, middle, and lower strategies are old cliches in this world. The best strategy signifies ¡°beautiful but non-viable strategies,¡± while the least desirable signifies ¡°overly hasty and doomed to fail strategies.¡± Generally, when mentioning these three strategies, the actual hope is for the adoption of the middle one. Although Wei Dongliu declared ¡°Kunlun will choose the least desirable strategy,¡± seeming to strategically belittle the opponent, it gave everyone a sense of satisfaction. However, strategic predictions aren¡¯t just for fun¨Cwould Kunlun really choose to launch a surprise attack on Mount Beimang? Everyone waited for Wei Dongliu to elaborate, yet the Alliance Leader Wei did not continue but instead lifted his cup and took a sip. Strategizing over drinks, sure enough, the big shot¡¯s attitude was completely on display. All were left speechless by this act, so the Sect Leader of Fu Xie silently looked at Mo Gu True Person, signaling with his eyes in silence. Everyone present was either a sect master or an elder, and of course, they couldn¡¯t deign to ask Wei Dongliu why he thought so because it would make the inquirer seem foolish. Bringing his son along was partly to let him gain some experience, and partly to have him be useful at times like this. Mo Gu True Person cursed inwardly but reluctantly said: ¡°Why would Kunlun choose the least desirable strategy? Not to mention other factors, how many times has Kunlun tried to exterminate our Nether Ghost Path throughout history? They have never even found our sect¡¯s location, so why risk such a perilous move this time?¡± Wei Dongliu pondered for a moment, thinking that he couldn¡¯t possibly tell the truth. The reason was simple: Zhao Jinghong suggested the surprise attack strategy partly because many Kunlun Cultivators really hoped for a swift victory, and partly because he was in a power struggle with Qiu Changtian, who had already chosen the middle strategy. If even a little was missing, or if the person proposing the surprise attack strategy wasn¡¯t Zhao Jinghong but just any Tom, Dick, or Harry, Kunlun ultimately wouldn¡¯t opt for the surprise attack. But this was not an easy thing to explain to these bigwigs of the Demon Cult¨Cevery one of them was extremely shrewd. If he accidentally revealed a flaw, it could indeed be fatal! Seeing Wei Dongliu remaining silent, Mo Gu True Person immediately looked at Wen Yang with a smug glance, laughing: ¡°If Kunlun is foolish to such a degree, then what need is there for the Six Paths Alliance? Our Nether Ghost Path could easily crush them¡­¡± He had not finished his words when he suddenly stopped with a suspicious look. Because Wei Dongliu, sitting at the head of the table, had already revealed a relaxed, mysterious smile and said leisurely, ¡°It¡¯s too troublesome to explain, so let¡¯s not mention it for now.¡± ¡°The Nether Ghost Path only needs to set up an ambush near Mount Beimang and wait quietly for Kunlun¡¯s surprise attack.¡± ¡°What if Kunlun doesn¡¯t come?¡± Mo Gu True Person immediately asked. ¡°What would you do?¡± Wei Dongliu asked with a smile in return. ¡°I would¡­¡± Mo Gu True Person was about to propose strict conditions, but was quickly cut off by the Fu Xie Sect Leader: ¡°Shut up!¡± Then he turned to Wei Dongliu and said, ¡°Sect Master Wei, please forgive my impetuous son for causing laughter among the esteemed guests.¡± Everyone laughed it off, as they had all heard of Mo Gu True Person¡¯s eccentric reputation. Despite the absence of a wager, if Kunlun did not launch a surprise attack as Wei Dongliu had predicted, everyone would surely see it as a joke on his part. In such a case, should Wei Dongliu later wish to issue orders in the name of Alliance Leader, he shouldn¡¯t be surprised if some passerby were to make odd remarks. Thus, the first meeting ended there, and the various Sect Leaders went back to select their forces, ready to form teams and launch a surprise attack on Guanzhong, while the Nether Ghost Path had to spare additional manpower to deal with the ¡°impending Kunlun surprise attack.¡± Wen Yang, however, did not leave with the Fu Xie Sect Leader but stayed behind alone. ¡°Does Brother Wen have something to say?¡± Jiang Lian asked leisurely by her side. ¡°I¡¯m just curious as to what makes Wei, my friend, so certain that Kunlun will launch a surprise attack?¡± Wen Yang asked candidly. Although Wei Dongliu was not willing to discuss it with everyone else, he might be willing to explain it to her. Even if he wanted to keep it a secret from her, she would at least have asked, so she could have something to report back to the Fu Xie Sect Leader. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about that, just have your Nether Ghost Path prepare well,¡± Wei Dongliu said indifferently. Wen Yang sighed helplessly and looked again at Jiang Lian. At once, Jiang the Witch revealed a smug and arrogant smile, which screamed ¡°Hahaha, I just want to see you jealous of me,¡± and immediately wrapped her arms around Wei Dongliu¡¯s, pleading sweetly, ¡°Husband, I have something I need to ask you¡­¡± With that, she dragged Wei Dongliu into the inner hall. Wen Yang watched their retreating figures blankly, and a thought suddenly popped into her head: If I had accepted my current gender earlier, would the person by Wei¡¯s side now not be Jiang the Witch? Wei Dongliu, dragged back to the room by Jiang Lian, had secretly called for Ah Jing, resolving that if his wife tried to force herself on him, he must have Ah Jing perform an Illusion Technique to freeze her in place. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only A small account is just that, destined to be nominal without real power; the only one who could do as he wished was Chen Guanshui, the bottom line for a devoted lover! However, Jiang Lian didn¡¯t get fresh, but asked curiously, ¡°Husband, how did you know that Kunlun would choose a surprise attack?¡± ¡°Hmph,¡± Wei Dongliu revealed a mysterious and unfathomable smile, but before he could speak, Madam Jiang reached out with two fingers, hooked them around his lips, and forcefully broke his smug expression. ¡°Don¡¯t play coy with me, spill it!¡± she threatened fiercely, ¡°Otherwise, I¡¯ll take your Yuan Yang!¡± Chapter 740 - Chapter 740: Chapter 74 Wei Demon Heads Evil Plan Chapter 740: Chapter 74 Wei Demon Head¡¯s Evil Plan Facing his wife¡¯s threats and temptations, Wei Dongliu had no choice but to falsely claim it was a ¡°message from the Hell Path.¡± Jiang Lian, somewhat believing, gave credence to it by a third, considering that the Hell Path had indeed sent messages to Wei Dongliu in the past. As for the other seven parts, it concerned the relationship between Wei Dongliu and the Hell Path. Back when he first went to the Hell Path, Wei Dongliu made the journey alone, while Madam Jiang was out in the market purchasing miraculous pills and elixirs for her disciples, thus she wasn¡¯t aware of the specific intricacies between Wei Dongliu and the Hell Path. Now it seemed her husband had quite a deep involvement with the Hell Path¡­ That¡¯s right, the Abi Devil Lord, Endless Hell! Could it be that her husband was the secret master of the Hell Path? At this thought, Jiang Lian was excited, and a small sense of pride in uncovering her husband¡¯s secret grew within her. ¡°So that¡¯s how it is, you shouldn¡¯t have kept this from me,¡± as she spoke, she pinned Wei Dongliu down on the bed like a cat pouncing on prey, planting a few kisses on his face, ¡°then tell me, if Kunlun¡¯s surprise attack troop were to be completely defeated, would Kunlun not recover from this blow, or perhaps even¡­¡± ¡°Stop dreaming,¡± Wei Dongliu pushed her head away and said with a cold laugh, ¡°It¡¯s just a defeat; it¡¯s far from a crippling blow to Kunlun.¡± ¡°However, this war wasn¡¯t meant to severely damage Kunlun¡­¡± Speaking up to this point, Wei Dongliu stopped suddenly, immediately silencing himself. Jiang Lian was also shrewd and cunning. Hearing what Wei Dongliu said, she immediately understood. What her husband desired wasn¡¯t any tangible benefit, but precisely the nominal supremacy as the lord of the Six Paths. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co As long as the war could end perfectly, the Six Paths would realize that Wei Dongliu, this Alliance Hierarch, wasn¡¯t just warming a seat but was a true leader who could lead them to confront the Three Pure Orthodox Sect. When such a consensus was formed, it would bring Wei Dongliu immense prestige¨Cthis prestige had already surpassed the limits of the Mortal Life Path¡¯s leader, as well as the limits of the Golden Core Cultivators and the Nascent Soul Cultivators. Based on the common interests of several interest groups, it was near indestructible. Her husband¡¯s vision was far-reaching, certainly not for overnight gains! ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª In the days that followed, as the Demon Cult commenced their infiltration activities in the Guanzhong area, Wei Dongliu suddenly became very busy. The Guanzhong area in the Cultivation Realm was different from its secular understanding. When commoners mentioned ¡°Guanzhong,¡± they thought of ¡°eight rivers encircling Chang¡¯an,¡± thinking of luxurious cities and vast farmlands. But these resources of an agricultural society were as worthless as dirt to Cultivators. What Cultivators truly needed¨Cspirit stones, spirit grass, exotic beasts¨Cmostly existed far away from the Human Race in remote mountains. Thus, the resources contested by the Six Paths and Kunlun in Guanzhong were places like the Qinling, Long Mountain, Liupan Mountain, and especially the Qinling. Although harsh and difficult for mortals, for Cultivators, it was a famous and treasured land brimming with abundant spirit grass and rich spirit mines, with countless Immortal Sect caves. Many of Kunlun¡¯s controlled resources were scattered throughout the vast Qinling, requiring Wei Dongliu to direct the Six Paths¡¯ cultivation troop to extract, occupy, and defend specific points. At the same time, he had to scout the movements of the Kunlun Cultivators, dispatch reinforcements and manpower, design evacuation routes as contingency plans, and more¨Che was incredibly busy. Of course, Wei Dongliu clearly knew how the Kunlun Cultivators would counterstrike¨Cafter all, the other side¡¯s plans were designed by Qiu Changtian. But precisely because it was designed by Qiu Changtian, and because a majority of the personnel employed came from the Xu Family and Ge Family, Wei Dongliu couldn¡¯t afford to let them take too much damage. This made things difficult; after all, one didn¡¯t want to hurt either side of their hand, so it was not acceptable to let the troops of the Mortal Life Path take casualties. For instance, it¡¯s like a test where you can neither score below sixty nor above eighty, which is much more difficult than simply aiming for a high score. This is a bona fide Sect war; it¡¯s not possible to rush out and say, ¡°We¡¯re all on the same side, stop fighting.¡± Just as Wei Dongliu was nursing a headache, he saw Jiang Lian come in from outside and chuckle, ¡°They¡¯re discussing the bet.¡± ¡°What bet?¡± Wei Dongliu asked, puzzled. ¡°The bet you made with Mo Gu True Person,¡± Jiang Lian said leisurely, ¡°about how Kunlun would respond to our infiltration.¡± After an explanation from Madam Jiang, Wei Dongliu finally understood. It turned out that the proposed strategies of upper, middle, and lower were enormously appealing to the aesthetic of the era. Therefore, once the meeting concluded, everyone enthusiastically debated the matter within their own Sects. Of course, the discussions were confined to the higher-ups of the Sects, but the discipline on the Demon Cult side was ultimately lax. Given time, it was certain that someone would inadvertently leak information, which would eventually reach Kunlun¡¯s ears. If Kunlun learned of these upper, middle, and lower strategies, what would their reaction be? One thing was certain¨Cthey wouldn¡¯t continue to opt for surprise attacks. If that happened, it would mean Wei Dongliu¡¯s predictions were wrong, and his prestige would suffer a massive blow¡­ With that thought, Wei Dongliu sneered. There was no need to think about it; it must be the Nether Ghost Path stirring the pot! With this in mind, Wei Dongliu then refocused his attention on the tasks at hand. Since Cultivators were mostly grouped into small teams, and those from the same Sect certainly knew each other well, the team compositions were mostly arranged with members of the same Sect together, like the Nether Ghost Path team or the Heavenly Demon Path team, and so on. In organizing the teams, Wei Dongliu upheld the fairness expected of an Alliance Hierarch. Whether it was the relatively simple raid missions or the more dangerous defense tasks, he distributed them evenly among all Sects without showing obvious favoritism. Such a distribution scheme, when presented to the Great Sects for review, left no room for criticism. However, if Qiu Changtian, due to some unforeseeable factors, learned of this distribution and then chose to focus on annihilating the Nether Ghost Path¡¯s teams and reclaiming the mines they occupied, how would that relate to me, Wei Dongliu? At that thought, Wei Dongliu revealed a sinister smile and continued to plan. Jiang Lian watched her husband¡¯s smile, and although she didn¡¯t know precisely what he was pondering, she surmised that he must be devising some wicked scheme. Leaning her arms on the desk, she stretched lazily and comfortably. Life with her husband was never dull¡­ She thought contentedly, absorbing the triumph and joy emanating from her spouse, and slowly drifted off to sleep. As the plan gradually unfolded, the nearly one hundred Demon Path Cultivators who¡¯d initially attacked the Guanzhong area, just as Qiu Changtian had predicted, successfully seized many resource points. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Some of these were already surveyed mines; others were places where Spirit Grass was still maturing or habitats belonging to various exotic beasts. Typically, mines required careful, meticulous mining to prevent damage to the stones. Spirit Grass and exotic beasts should be harvested at the right moment, but Wei Dongliu could no longer concern himself with such details¨Cafter all, Kunlun could reclaim everything at any moment. The mines immediately had extra workers dispatched; whatever could be mined was extracted and transported away the same day. The Spirit Grass, too, wasn¡¯t left to mature¨Cevery plant was harvested and taken away. And the exotic beasts, naturally, were hunted to extinction, skinned and gutted, in a rampant waste of resources. In a few days, the Six Paths¡¯ gains were so substantial that they were astounding! Chapter 741 - Chapter 741: Chapter 75: Steeling Ones Heart Chapter 741: Chapter 75: Steeling One¡¯s Heart Before this war, the Demon Cult had also besieged Penglai and Shushan in succession. The siege of Penglai had made everyone genuinely rich. A large amount of elixirs, talisman scripts, magic artifacts, and other cultivation resources that hadn¡¯t been transported away in time were still enough to leave the five sects completely sated even after being divided among them. As for the siege of Shushan, it was a complete surprise. In order to prevent the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword from falling into Shushan¡¯s hands, the Six Paths united to exert pressure on Shushan. Overall, it was a loss-making endeavor. Although Shushan lost many Sword Immortals in battle, the Demon Cult had far more casualties, and the key point was that they gained no benefits whatsoever. The only consolation was that the Intercepting Cult Immortal Sword was confirmed not to have been leaked. From that moment on, everyone had a pretty good idea: By combining the forces of the five paths, they could basically overwhelm Penglai and stand on equal footing with Shushan. Further speculation suggested that they would still be quite lacking when facing Kunlun. Therefore, although this collective siege on Kunlun was assembled in the face of enormous benefits, deep down, they weren¡¯t necessarily convinced they could come out ahead¡­ But because it was beyond expectations, that¡¯s why it could be considered a pleasant surprise. When the first batch of loot was laid out for everyone to see in the Main Hall of Mount Wutai¡¯s Mortal Life Path, everyone fell into a strangely silent and awkward state. They had originally thought that the Nether Ghost Path would take away the biggest share of the spoils, given that these resources in the Guanzhong Area could mostly only be operated and exploited long-term by the geographically closest Nether Ghost Path. Yet, they didn¡¯t expect that just the early destructive excavation would yield so many resources. Sect Leader Fu Xie was also somewhat regretful. If he had known that the initial harvest would be so rich, he wouldn¡¯t have agreed to so many conditions beforehand. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co After all, the others only agreed to send troops to join the alliance by using the pretext of ¡°Guanzhong falling into the hands of the Nether Ghost Path,¡± which required a substantial payment of resources from the Nether Ghost Path. Fortunately, those resources had not yet been paid. Could he possibly find an excuse to renege on the deal later? This Sect Leader was entertaining these impractical thoughts when suddenly, he heard Mo Gu True Person say: ¡°Alliance Leader Wei, it was because you said that Kunlun was going to launch a surprise attack on Mount Beimang that we deployed heavy troops near our sect to lay an ambush instead of immediately sending more manpower to plunder. Otherwise, we could have obtained much more.¡± ¡°For the loss caused by this misjudgment, could the Mortal Life Path please provide some compensation?¡± This was an utterly unreasonable demand since if they truly were to reward contributions, the achievements directed personally by Wei Dongliu would only be greater; there was definitely no precedent for the Mortal Life Path receiving less because of this. However, upon observing the representatives of the Heavenly Demon Path, Eastern Emperor Path, and Asura Path, each of them was feigning ignorance and none came forward to speak on behalf of the Mortal Life Path. The reason was not hard to guess: they were worried that Wei Dongliu would use their contributions to the strategic deployment as a reason to allocate the majority of the spoils to the Mortal Life Path, therefore they were happy to see the Nether Ghost Path scrambling for excuses to press down on the Alliance Leader. Jiang Lian watched Mo Gu True Person with cold eyes, thinking if you don¡¯t understand how to behave, perhaps I should eat your father and teach you a lesson in his stead? Wei Dongliu did not get angry, as he didn¡¯t expect to be embraced and revered by the other sects just because he had recently become the Alliance Leader. So, he simply replied with a light smile: ¡°It¡¯s still too early to determine whether Kunlun will launch a surprise attack. The Nether Ghost Path believes that if it¡¯s a misjudgment, the Mortal Life Path should compensate; but if Kunlun indeed launches an attack later, as the price for reminding you to be on guard, should the Nether Ghost Path not in turn offer a token of thanks?¡± Hearing him attribute the matter to ¡°the Nether Ghost Path believes so and so,¡± rather than Mo Gu True Person¡¯s personal opinion, Sect Leader Fu Xie understood that the issue could not be further obfuscated. He had to either admit to a bet with the Mortal Life Path: if Kunlun didn¡¯t launch an attack, the Mortal Life Path would pay ¡°missed work fees¡±; if Kunlun did attack, then the Nether Ghost Path would pay a ¡°thank-you gift.¡± Or he had to act as if nothing happened and push the blame onto Mo Gu True Person being naive, proceeding with the distribution as planned. With Wei Dongliu so confident, was he truly certain, or was it merely a bluff? Carefully considering it, if he were merely bluffing, why would he do so? It¡¯s just toying with the Nether Ghost Path, and being laughed at for a misjudgment; there¡¯s no point in that at all! This person is cunning and strategic, surely not the kind to do meaningless things! ¡°Cough cough.¡± Sect Leader Fu Xie coughed a few times, then glared at Mo Gu True Person forcefully, and said with an embarrassed smile, ¡°My foolish son has been rash, I apologize for any offense to Sect Master Wei.¡± ¡°Mo Gu! If you dare to spout nonsense again, get out! This is not the place for your madness!¡± Mo Gu True Person closed his mouth in annoyance, feeling extremely helpless inside. Since the leader of the Nether Ghost Path had backed down, Wei Dongliu did not press too hard and simply continued to discuss the distribution plan with everyone. An equal division was definitely not feasible, some sects had contributed more with both manpower and effort, while others were merely there to make up the numbers; an equal distribution would only dampen the enthusiasm of all the allies. However, some sects had bigger appetites, and some had lower expectations, so distributing benefits purely based on contribution wasn¡¯t appropriate either. Fortunately, with Wei Dongliu¡¯s abundant experience and Jiang Lian¡¯s eloquent negotiation skills, the two of them handled the discussions with other sects without ever being at a disadvantage. After concluding the Six Paths meeting, Wei Dongliu then called out Ah Jing, asking her to load Qiu Changtian¡¯s file to check on the situation. Leaving aside Shushan, Penglai, and the Eastern Emperor Realm for now, the pressing matter was to resolve the great war between Kunlun and the Demonic Path! [Location One: Kunlun Taiqing Sect, Golden Ridge.] [Identity: Qiu Changtian.] [Mirror Flower Water Moon Template overlaid, time-space travel in progress.] Upon arriving at Kunlun, Qiu Changtian continued to assign tasks. Now that Kunlun was at a slight disadvantage, many resources had been occupied by the Demon Cult, and they needed to be reclaimed one by one. Qiu Changtian scrutinized the map of the Guanzhong terrain, planning for a strong and swift recovery of all areas guarded by the Nether Ghost Path; As for other resource points, they were to be deployed according to their importance. It wasn¡¯t the case that they wouldn¡¯t touch the mines occupied by the Mortal Life Path Cultivators¨Cdoing so would be too intentional and obvious, and others would pick up on it. Upon further thought, even without my presence, as long as Kunlun remains a major force in the Cultivation Realm, a battle with the Demon Cult would be inevitable sooner or later. Where there¡¯s war, there are bound to be sacrifices. As long as Qiu Changtian dedicates himself wholly to Kunlun and Wei Dongliu serves the Demon Cult wholeheartedly, without intentionally sending people to the front lines as fodder, some casualties are unavoidable anyway. With this in mind, Qiu Changtian also hardened his heart and included the mines occupied by the Mortal Life Path Cultivators into the list of targets Kunlun planned to reclaim. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only After making all the arrangements, he took the plan he had devised to the Kunlun Main Hall for his master to review. But as soon as he reached the entrance of the Main Hall, he saw clusters of elders already gathered there, looking both serious and troubled. In the distant sky, more streaks of light were approaching rapidly, clearly indicating that many were hurrying to the Jade Void Palace. Qiu Changtian inquired briefly, and indeed he received the news he had anticipated: The force that had launched a surprise attack on Mount Beimang had suffered a great defeat, with barely three out of ten remaining. Chapter 742 - Chapter 742: Chapter 76: The Scapegoat Tactic, Huh? Chapter 742: Chapter 76: The Scapegoat Tactic, Huh? Not long after, Zhao Jinghong returned with the surprise attack force as well. There were no injuries on his body, after all, for cultivators, most fatal wounds can be healed as long as they are not instantly lethal. But from the tears and scorch marks on his robe, as well as the unmistakable fatigue on his face, it was clear that he had been badly tortured by the Nether Ghost Path. Looking at the number of people, indeed there were many fewer than there had been before the campaign. Qiu Changtian originally wanted to make a few sarcastic remarks, such as pretending to know nothing and asking if True Person Yun Hong¡¯s surprise attack was successful¡­ but when he thought about the fact that those who had died were Kunlun cultivators from the Zhao Family camp, but were still members of the Kunlun, he suddenly felt a faint sense of sadness. Xu Yinglian stood behind Qiu Changtian, looking at the dispirited returning team, her brows slightly furrowed with discomfort. ¡°So many casualties, someone must be held responsible,¡± she said coldly, ¡°Let¡¯s see if the Zhao Family from Guyuan still has the gall to continue this fight with us.¡± How could they not have the gall to continue? Qiu Changtian thought to himself. If the surprise attack had been successful, the Zhao Family of Guyuan might have considered reconciling with the Xu Family of Southern Heaven, as continuing the conflict would be detrimental to the entire Kunlun, and they could cut their losses while they were ahead. But now that the surprise attack had suffered a major setback, and the Zhao Family camp had lost a significant amount of strength, if they did not continue to oppose the Xu Family of Southern Heaven, the accountability and reflection from within their own family would be problems the high-ranking members simply couldn¡¯t handle. If the Zhao Family of Guyuan had an autocratic family head, they could make a one-hundred-and-eighty-degree turn and forcefully suppress any restless hearts. However, according to Qiu Changtian, the Zhao Family was likely run by the family head in conjunction with several high-ranking and influential elders through negotiation (and power games), making joint decisions. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co As a result, as soon as they admit to failure in the conflict, as Junior Sister Xu said, someone must be held accountable¡­ Who would it be? And after taking responsibility, should they ask for punishment? Would anyone still listen to them in the family afterward? It was better to stubbornly refuse to admit it! As long as they continued to oppose the Xu Family of Southern Heaven, with such a powerful external enemy, the Zhao Family members would naturally be coerced into moving forward, and the threat to the high-ranking members¡¯ rule would also be minimized. After all, in Qiu Changtian¡¯s cynical view, the Zhao Family of Guyuan would definitely continue the opposition, as it was in the collective interest of the high-ranking members of the family. Upon reaching the main hall, Qiu Changtian, as the commander, cleared his throat and said, ¡°Regarding the failure of this surprise attack, I, as the person in charge of military affairs, bear an undeniable responsibility¡­¡± This was, of course, just a formality; everyone knew that it was the Zhao Family of Guyuan who, against Qiu Changtian¡¯s advice and opposition, insisted on carrying out Zhao Jinghong¡¯s surprise attack plan. By saying this now, although Qiu Changtian was giving Zhao Jinghong a way out, it actually caused more damage to his own credibility. Zhao Jinghong didn¡¯t speak; he just nodded indifferently. A nod? What does that mean? Before Qiu Changtian could react, Elder Yuan Shou of the Zhao Family suddenly spoke up, ¡°The failure of this surprise attack plan was not due to Changgeng True Person¡¯s negligence, but rather because somebody in our sect leaked the information.¡± Having said that, two Golden Core True Persons stepped forward and brought a cultivator before the crowd. ¡°This person was a mole planted by the Nether Ghost Path,¡± Elder Yuan Shou said coldly, ¡°After interrogation, this person has fully confessed to his crimes. We have confirmed that the failure of the surprise attack is due to this person leaking information to the Nether Ghost Path.¡± Qiu Changtian: ??? A scapegoat tactic? Right in front of so many elders, you think I¡¯m a fool to be played with? Who leaked the secret, as if I don¡¯t know! ! ! ¡°May I ask Elder Yuan Shou,¡± Qiu Changtian said aloud, ¡°This person was not present in the main hall during the decision-making that day, was he?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct,¡± Elder Yuan Shou replied, ¡°But this person was one of the members who went to Mount Beimang for the surprise attack.¡± ¡°This is my fault,¡± Zhao Jinghong also said indifferently, ¡°The night before the surprise attack, in order to get everyone properly prepared, I shared the details with everyone.¡± ¡°After this person returned, he immediately sent an urgent message to the Nether Ghost Path via Flying Sword, thereby causing our plan to fail. I failed to detect the traitor within our surprise attack team, and for that, I should bear the responsibility¡­¡± ¡°True Person Yun Hong need not blame himself,¡± an elder immediately came out to console. ¡°The matter of a traitor is, after all, difficult to avoid.¡± ¡°Even in past years, when a traitor caused the sect to suffer heavy losses, the person in charge was never held responsible.¡± The elders of the Zhao Family¡¯s camp each had their say, quickly shifting all blame onto the traitor, as if without this traitor, Zhao Jinghong¡¯s surprise attack plan would have been successful. Qiu Changtian pondered for a moment and looked towards the Ziwei Master standing behind him. The Ziwei Master subtly shook his head. Indeed, everyone knew that the traitor was nothing but a scapegoat, yet there was no point in forcibly disputing with the Guyuan Zhao Family over this matter. Zhao Jinghong was, after all, a contender for the next Sect Leader, and the Guyuan Zhao Family would not allow his prestige to be undermined. If they were to forcefully confront the issue, both parties would inevitably end up in a lose-lose situation, and Kunlun could not afford to delay the overall situation with a big battle looming. It was better to let the matter drop; after all, weren¡¯t all the high-level participants present experienced and wise? From then on, whenever Zhao Jinghong proposed a plan, no matter how feasible it seemed, everyone would certainly weigh it carefully. ¡°Changgeng,¡± the Ziwei Master spoke, ¡°leave the matter of the traitor to the Disciplinary Hall to handle.¡± ¡°You may discuss the situation in the Guanzhong Area.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Qiu Changtian began to report the resource recovery plan he was responsible for to all the elders. As of yesterday, half of the mines had been recovered, and another third of the resource points were still engaged in battle with the Demon Cult, contesting for control. Such progress was indeed not slow. Even the elders of the Zhao Family camp could not pick faults with such results. ¡°That is very good,¡± Elder Jiuce then spoke, ¡°but there is still an issue.¡± ¡°Many cultivators from our sect are currently fighting the Demon Cult on the front lines in Guanzhong. Should the enemy send troops from Iron City Mountain, severing Kunlun¡¯s connection with the frontline, and also consume our deployments in Guanzhong with their elite forces, the sect will suffer a grave blow.¡± ¡°Changgeng, do you have any solution to this?¡± What solution could there be¡­ Qiu Changtian derided inwardly, but calmly said aloud: ¡°The only solution is to launch a preemptive attack on Iron City Mountain and prevent the enemy from dispatching troops; that is the proper course of action.¡± ¡°Doing so would mean fighting on two fronts,¡± Jiuce Elder mused. ¡°Could the cost of fighting on two fronts be too great?¡± Elder Yuan Shou asked with a half-smile, ¡°If the casualties are too heavy, even victory would be a Pyrrhic one.¡± It was the same issue: the average training cost per Kunlun Cultivator was much higher than that of a Demon Cult Cultivator, several times over. Engaging in a head-on fight with Demon Cult Cultivators before reaching a high rank was an extremely unprofitable affair. Besides, with True Person Yun Hong¡¯s surprise attack plan having failed, the hawkish elders had also fallen silent. Now, Qiu Changtian was suggesting expanding the scale of the war, which was indeed hard for them to accept. ¡°This action is necessary,¡± Qiu Changtian replied, ¡°Taking the offensive, regardless of the outcome, will at least confine the enemy to Iron City Mountain.¡± ¡°If we let it be, and Iron City Mountain forces capture Long Mountain, severing east from west, it will be much more difficult to push them back.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°What if we set up an ambush on Long Mountain?¡± Zhao Jinghong suddenly said. ¡°Since we already know that the Demon Cult will send troops from Iron City Mountain to cut off the connection with Guanzhong, why don¡¯t we wait for them on Long Mountain?¡± Qiu Changtian glanced at him, wordlessly. Eager to retaliate with an ambush after being ambushed himself, this True Person Yun Hong sure knew how to hold a grudge. But this strategy¡­ ¡°This plan is excellent!¡± Elder Yuan Shou clapped and laughed, the first to support the momentum, loudly echoing the sentiment, ¡°Taking the initiative to attack Iron City Mountain would force the Asura Path to mobilize their entire sect, determined to resist to the death. In that case, casualties would be inevitable.¡± ¡°But if we set up an ambush on Long Mountain, staying at ease as we wait for the enemy. Not only is the risk smaller, but also a heavy blow against the Demon Cult can immediately reverse the situation!¡± Chapter 743 - Chapter 743: Chapter 77: Alliance with Shushan! Chapter 743: Chapter 77: Alliance with Shushan! As Elder Yuan Shou finished speaking, other elders chimed in. However, the agreement quickly became subdued¡­ because they suddenly realized the chorus of approval was much smaller this time. To be more precise, only the elders from the Zhao Family of Guyuan were supporting him, while those from the Luo Family and the previously neutral camp were uncharacteristically silent. All eyes were focused on Qiu Changtian as if waiting to see what critical insights Changgeng True Person would offer. ¡°Though the plan is good, it has its flaws,¡± Qiu Changtian stated bluntly. ¡°What if the ambush fails?¡± Zhao Jinghong was taken aback for a moment and quickly retorted, ¡°According to your strategy, what if the siege of Iron City Mountain fails?¡± ¡°What constitutes failure?¡± Qiu Changtian asked with a faint smile. ¡°All strategies of calculation must aim to achieve their objectives.¡± ¡°The siege of Iron City Mountain is meant to contain the large army within and cut off our connection with Guanzhong. To consider it a failure, that would mean we are utterly defeated in front of Iron City Mountain, incapable of preventing their capture of Long Mountain.¡± ¡°If it ever comes to that, I believe we wouldn¡¯t be worrying about the safety of Guanzhong but rather the very existence and survival of our sect.¡± The elders nodded in agreement: With the strength of the Kunlun Taiqing Sect, it was almost impossible to fail in a siege of Iron City Mountain. The only question was how much they needed to pressure Iron City Mountain. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site If they intended to eradicate the Asura Path completely, then Kunlun would undoubtedly also suffer enormous losses. But if they could ¡°surround but not attack,¡± allowing the cultivators from the past to return fully intact, it would unquestionably be the best choice. Zhao Jinghong was also aware of this and continued, ¡°Surround but not attack, is a good concept, but will the Demon Cult really act as you anticipate?¡± ¡°Changgeng True Person, if the Demon Cult deploys its large army from Iron City Mountain, you¡¯ll face heavy casualties if you intercept them, and if you don¡¯t, you would be watching them cut off the connection with Guanzhong. What could you possibly do?¡± ¡°True Person Yun Hong,¡± Qiu Changtian said calmly. ¡°If we indeed face such danger and choose not to intercept, allowing their large forces to head toward Kunlun, what then?¡± Zhao Jinghong was left speechless. ¡°If the Demon Cult truly has the courage to risk mutual destruction,¡± Qiu Changtian continued composedly, ¡°then Kunlun has no choice but to fight, nothing else.¡± ¡°Well said!¡± the Ziwei Master suddenly exclaimed in praise. ¡°The Kunlun Taiqing Sect is merely sparing the lives of cultivators and reluctant to initiate battle, but that doesn¡¯t mean we desire not to fight or dare not to fight!¡± With those words, there was no doubt they were directed at certain elders¡¯ previous criticism of Qiu Changtian¡¯s ¡°indecisiveness¡± and ¡°mercifulness unsuited for commanding troops,¡± leading the Nine Strategies Elder to sigh and say, ¡°What Changgeng has said makes sense. If the Demon Cult musters troops from Iron City Mountain, a battle will be inevitable eventually.¡± ¡°Instead of passively awaiting their move, it¡¯s better for us to take the initiative by laying siege to Iron City Mountain and seizing control in our own hands.¡± Elder Yuan Shou, who didn¡¯t expect to find himself supporting Qiu Changtian, suddenly had a change in expression. Disaster, the Luo Family is going to switch to the other camp! Following the statement from the Nine Strategies Elder, cultivators from the Luo Family¡¯s camp also began echoing their support, and in no time support for Qiu Changtian surged. Senior Sister Luo Baiyuan was among them. Earlier, when the Luo Family supported Zhao Jinghong and asked her to help challenge Qiu Changtian, she reluctantly kept silent. Now that the Luo Family backed Qiu Changtian, she enthusiastically joined the chorus of support, too bad her articulation was poor, and she could only repetitively blurt out, ¡°Yes, yes, yes,¡± ¡°Right, right, right,¡± and ¡°You¡¯re absolutely correct¡± like a threefold loop. In the Kunlun Main Hall, opinions swiftly shifted to being one-sided, unifying in support of Qiu Changtian¡¯s dual-line troop deployment strategy, maintaining Guanzhong¡¯s defenses while pressuring Iron City Mountain. The Ziwei Master was outwardly calm and collected, but inside he was so proud he couldn¡¯t contain himself, thinking to himself, ¡°Even if the Luo Family wants to band together with the Zhao Family, they still have to see if Zhao Jinghong has the ability to challenge Qiu Changtian!¡± The difference in strategic capabilities between the two sides is stark. By choosing to follow Zhao Jinghong¡¯s advice, how many people did you lose at Mount Beimang? It¡¯s not too late to turn from the dark and seek the light! Hahahaha¡­ Qiu Changtian, unaware of his master¡¯s inner laughter, respectfully said: ¡°The dispute continues unresolved. Please, Sect Leader, decide.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± said the Ziwei Master, unperturbed, and spoke leisurely, ¡°Yun Hong, you don¡¯t support sending troops to Iron City Mountain, do you?¡± Zhao Jinghong instantly cursed in his heart. He had proposed the plan to set an ambush at Long Mountain merely to recover his reputation. Since Qiu Changtian did not approve of this strategy, he casually argued with the opponent and picked a few minor faults, essentially to save face. Now that everyone supported this strategy, how could he, True Person Yun Hong, openly oppose so many elders and stand on the opposite side? Moreover, with Zhao Jinghong¡¯s discernment, it was clear that pushing towards Iron City Mountain, though not particularly ingenious, was definitely a sufficient response. The risk of fighting on two fronts was indeed great, but the Demon Cult already embarked on this strategy. Kunlun, unless willing to abandon Guanzhong and pull back all forces to form a single fist, would definitely have to split its forces similarly. After quickly weighing his options in the Sea of Consciousness, Zhao Jinghong likewise spoke with respect: ¡°Yun Hong has no objections, only some thoughts.¡± ¡°Since we are sending troops to Iron City Mountain, why not propose to Shushan to join us and besiege the Asura Path?¡± The elders suddenly perked up at these words, seeing a glimmer of light. Everyone had already discussed that if Shushan threatened the Asura Path¡¯s flank, the latter would not be able to move north. But Shushan had always been in a quiet rivalry with Kunlun. They had never asked for help even when they were besieged by the Demon Cult for a long time. Now, for Kunlun to ask Shushan for help seemed like a sign of Kunlun¡¯s decline, a perception they wanted to avoid at all costs. Zhao Jinghong¡¯s suggestion undoubtedly presented another angle: Kunlun was not besieged by the Demon Cult, but instead, it was moving proactively to discipline the Asura Path. In this context, inviting Shushan would not be seeking help, but collaboration. However, this strategy seems sound, but are there any oversights we haven¡¯t considered? It¡¯s not that we don¡¯t trust you, True Person Yun Hong, but last time, a simple surprise attack led to the loss of seven-tenths of our forces, all elites¡­ No family can withstand such attrition! Seeing everyone remain silent, Zhao Jinghong felt a lump in his throat and almost spat out a mouthful of blood in frustration. So just because of one mistake, no one trusts me anymore, is that it? ¡°Excellent plan!¡± Amidst the silence, Qiu Changtian was the first to clap his hands, then turned to the Ziwei Master and said, ¡°Master, I think this plan is feasible.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Since it is a joint attack on the Asura Path, if the Shushan Shangqing Faction is concerned about their relationship with Kunlun, they must not only send a sufficient number of Sword Immortals but also deal a heavy blow to the Asura Path!¡± The Ziwei Master instantly understood the deeper meaning behind his words: You Shushan, wish to compete with us, Kunlun? Let¡¯s see who can slay more of the Demon Cult¡¯s scoundrels, shall we? ¡°Agreed,¡± he nodded. Then, looking at Zhao Jinghong, the True Person Yun Hong just stared blankly at Qiu Changtian, and gradually fell silent. Chapter 744 - Chapter 744: Chapter 78: Junior Sister Xu Confesses Her Feelings Chapter 744: Chapter 78: Junior Sister Xu Confesses Her Feelings ¡°What should we do next?¡± After the grand hall meeting ended, all the cultivators from the Zhao Family of Guyuan gathered in Elder Yuan Shou¡¯s cave dwelling to discuss countermeasures. The current situation was not optimistic. The Xu Family and the Ge Family had already joined forces, intending to support Qiu Changtian as the successor to the Sect Leader. If they achieved their goal, the Zhao and Luo families would undoubtedly suffer the most damage. Of course, if it were simply a competition between families of cultivators, the Zhao Family might not necessarily be at a disadvantage. But the problem at hand was that compared to Qiu Changtian, Zhao Jinghong was clearly inferior, both in terms of talent for the Path and strategic acumen. Within the Kunlun Taiqing Sect, despite the existence of the four great families, cultivators born within various small to mid-sized families and sects accounted for the majority of Golden Core True Persons and Nascent Soul Elders. If left unchecked, based on the current performances of the two candidates, most of these neutral high-rank cultivators would definitely support Qiu Changtian. Therefore, Elder Yuan Shou suggested interfacing with a selection of these neutral cultivators who were close to the Zhao Family, to have them cheer for Zhao Jinghong. Then with these people¡¯s help, to further expand their influence¡­ and ultimately surpass Qiu Changtian in terms of prestige. The other elders then started to do the math with him: if they were to buy enough Nascent Soul Elders, the cost would be astronomical. ¡°If Zhao Jinghong really does become the Head of the Kunlun Sect in the future, this money would have been well spent,¡± said an elder with a troubled look. ¡°The problem is, where in this world is there anything that¡¯s a hundred percent certain?¡± ¡°If he doesn¡¯t become the leader in the end, and the money has already been spent, it would be a severe blow to the vitality of our clan.¡± wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co ¡°By then, we won¡¯t need to apologize to the entire clan; the clanspeople below will have already risen in rebellion: with so many cultivation resources, instead of supporting our own people¡¯s training, they were spent to buy over outsiders, what does that mean?¡± Elder Yuan Shou waved his hand impatiently: ¡°You can¡¯t be tentative in doing things¡­ Don¡¯t forget, we¡¯ve already invested so much resource for Zhao Jinghong to become a candidate for Sect Leader; what are you suggesting now?¡± ¡°Are you saying all the previous investments have been wasted?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not exactly what we mean,¡± the elders suggested tentatively, ¡°We can continue to compete, but we can¡¯t fight at any cost. Even Changgeng True Person proposed attacking Iron City Mountain knew to control the scale of the war to avoid unnecessary casualties!¡± ¡°If we hadn¡¯t gone all in at the beginning, sending a large number of people to launch a surprise attack on Mount Beimang, we wouldn¡¯t be in this situation now¡­¡± Elder Yuan Shou became furious, just about to speak, when he heard Zhao Jinghong wave his hand and say: ¡°Third Grandfather, it¡¯s okay.¡± He spoke calmly and slowly: ¡°I¡¯ve already thought it through. The position of Sect Leader is still worth competing for, but there¡¯s no need for the family to continue depleting its resources.¡± ¡°Foolish boy, if you fight alone, how could you possibly win against Changgeng True Person!¡± Elder Yuan Shou said, disappointed in his lack of steel, ¡°Do you know how much effort and blood the Ziwei Master has poured into that Qiu Changtian? Do you know how much the Xu Family of Southern Heaven has invested in him? That Tianyuan Yiqi Sword carried by Qiu Changtian was a direct gift from the Xu Family of Southern Heaven!¡± ¡°So what?¡± Zhao Jinghong sighed and began to earnestly console Elder Yuan Shou, ¡°The other party has a Daoist Heart Clarity, a First Grade Golden Core! If our Zhao Family had been the first to discover his potential, how would we have treated him?¡± ¡°The family has been grooming you for so many years, it¡¯s impossible to switch bets to him at the last minute,¡± Elder Yuan Shou replied coldly. ¡°In any case, this Sect Leader position, you must fight for it, whether you want to or not!¡± ¡°All that previous investment can¡¯t be wasted just because such a monster appeared!¡± He left in a huff, leaving Zhao Jinghong and the other family elders looking at each other in silence, each lost in their thoughts. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª With the plan to besiege Iron City Mountain approved, Qiu Changtian began to deploy the strategy. At this time, Kunlun was engaged in battle with the Demon Cult in Guanzhong and to now besiege Iron City Mountain meant dispatching troops on two fronts, unavoidably expanding the scale of the war and requiring a surge in manpower. And because Iron City Mountain was the Asura Path¡¯s base, directly threatening their lineage, the Asura Path would surely resist with all their strength. How to control the intensity of the war and avoid escalation was a true test of Qiu Changtian¡¯s skills as a commander. Xu Yinglian returned to her cave dwelling and came to Qiu Changtian¡¯s side. Seeing him still engrossed in thought, she couldn¡¯t help but advise, ¡°Senior brother, don¡¯t wear yourself out too much. Kunlun has no shortage of wise and cunning individuals. Why must you take so much upon yourself?¡± ¡°Cough,¡± Qiu Changtian chuckled and said, ¡°It¡¯s my duty, I dare not neglect it.¡± ¡°Senior brother is still the same as always,¡± Xu Yinglian, seeing he wouldn¡¯t listen, wasn¡¯t annoyed, but sat down beside him and began to prepare tea. ¡°Junior sister.¡± Seeing her skillfully preparing the tea, Qiu Changtian suddenly felt an idea strike him and asked, ¡°Back when the Zhao Family of Guyuan approached the Xu Family for a marriage alliance, why did your clan leader not agree?¡± ¡°Of course, because they thought he wasn¡¯t worthy.¡± Xu Yinglian replied indifferently. ¡°Not worthy?¡± Qiu Changtian asked curiously, ¡°Although Zhao Jinghong can¡¯t compare to me, isn¡¯t his talent considered high among his peers? The Xu Family of Southern Heaven looks down on him?¡± Xu Yinglian: ¡­¡­¡­.. How can you say with such composure, ¡°Although he can¡¯t compare to me¡±? But considering that her husband was indeed formidable, having directly defeated the opponent in terms of strategic intellect, Xu Yinglian for a moment felt as if thinking, ¡°I¡¯m his wife, so by extension, it¡¯s like I¡¯m formidable too,¡± and, feeling slightly elated, said, ¡°Because I possess the Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart. To be my husband, one cannot surpass me in talent for cultivating immortality. How could that be acceptable?¡± ¡°Do you really think that way?¡± Qiu Changtian teased, ¡°Then if there was no me, Qiu Changtian with Daoist Heart Clarity, in the world, would you never marry?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not impossible,¡± Xu Yinglian spoke calmly, ¡°For us cultivators, marriage is but an optional matter. If I do not meet someone whom I approve of, I would rather remain unmarried forever.¡± ¡°What if one day, I suddenly lost my talent for Daoist Heart Clarity?¡± Qiu Changtian asked again, ¡°Would you, my wife, want to separate from me?¡± Hearing him switch from calling her junior sister to wife, Xu Yinglian felt a touch of shyness, but quickly regained her composure and answered, ¡°Once joined as Daoist companions, how could we separate? Unless my husband kept a concubine behind my back, then it wouldn¡¯t matter if he lost his talent for cultivation¨C even if he lost all his cultivation and became a mortal, I would not forsake my duties as a wife. At worst, I could simply support my husband for the rest of our lives.¡± ¡°Haha, is that so,¡± Qiu Changtian laughed awkwardly. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°What do you mean by ¡®is that so¡¯?¡± Xu Yinglian became somewhat irate at his dismissive attitude, ¡°In my husband¡¯s eyes, am I the kind of woman who sets high standards for others but not for herself, marrying only a genius?¡± Seeing his wife rarely showing anger, Qiu Changtian could only repeatedly offer soothing words of comfort and explained away his misstep. Internally, however, he felt a bit uneasy, thinking that with Junior Sister Xu¡¯s pride and high-spirited nature, if she knew about the existence of Miss Shi and Jiang the Witch, wouldn¡¯t she become angry enough to beat me until I lost all my cultivation and became a mortal? Impossible! Absolutely impossible! As long as my cultivation realm completely overpowers junior sister¡¯s, I will never face such a tragic fate! Chapter 745 - Chapter 745: Chapter 79: Qiu Changtian Personally Goes to War Chapter 745: Chapter 79: Qiu Changtian Personally Goes to War Not long after contacting Shushan, the reply came from the other side. Contrary to the expectations of the Kunlun Elders, Shushan declined the proposal to cooperate with Kunlun in attacking the Asura Path Sect, citing internal sect affairs that needed tending to. This was quite unusual. As everyone knew, whenever it came to matters related to battle, Shushan was always eager, even fearing they might fall behind others. What internal sect affairs could they be dealing with? Since Shushan¡¯s response was vague, Qiu Changtian was clueless about the specifics. Although he intended to seek information using Ling Yunpo, considering he was currently engaged in a strategic bout with another persona, Wei Dongliu, he had to let it go. Thus, the day for Kunlun¡¯s deployment arrived, with a host of High Rank Cultivators gathering in front of Jade Void Palace, with the Ziwei Master delivering a speech. It was the usual lengthy and tedious leadership speech that nearly bored one to explosion, as Qiu Changtian kept a stern face throughout the entire time, striving not to be distracted. He did so to set a good example for the other Kunlun Cultivators. After the speech, with a wave of the Ziwei Master¡¯s horsetail whisk, they immediately set off. Above the Kunlun Heavenly Pillar, suddenly, ten thousand strands of light brilliance lit up, making the sky above brightly transparent. Numerous streaks of Sword Light flew across the Kunlun Mountain Range, hastening towards Iron City Mountain at the edge of the plateau like a glorious meteor shower! The Sword Light of the Ziwei Master led the vanguard, with the Tai Yi Dividing Light Sword closely behind, ready to thwart any surprise attacks on the main force. Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian followed closely on their swords, with several Kunlun Elders guarding above, below, left, and right, protecting them so tightly that only a Demon Cultivate Immortal attacking could possibly breach such a formidable guard. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.c0 As for the Chi Song Immortal, there was no need to mention him. Being the Sect Guardian Immortal, he had his own divine techniques and secret methods that allowed him to move instantaneously between Kunlun and Iron City Mountain, thus not needing to accompany the main force. The Asura Path clearly had wind of the situation in advance; not a single monk could be found within a hundred miles of the outskirts of Iron City Mountain, foiling Kunlun¡¯s intention to kill a few Demon Path Cultivators as a sacrificial offering. When the Kunlun forces arrived at the base of Iron City Mountain, they immediately began setting up Formations on site. Formations are essentially the cultivation version of war machinery. The larger the scale of war, the more important Formations become. If no Formations were set up, and the Asura Path employed some super-powerful large area-of-effect secret techniques targeting Kunlun¡¯s main formation, the High Rank Cultivators might be able to protect themselves, but a multitude of Low Rank Cultivators would perish, ending the need for further combat. As the commander, Qiu Changtian went to personally inspect the setup of the Formations. The individual in charge of the Formations was the Nascent Soul Elder, Jinpo. This Nascent Soul Elder had a unique passion for Formations, and it was said that he originally intended to join Penglai but somehow ended up in Kunlun instead. Upon inspection, Qiu Changtian found that the arrangement techniques were merely standard, with anti-fly, weakening, and alert Runic Scripts, all employing the most conventional structures¨Cput in programmer¡¯s terms, this fellow was copying and pasting code, which should be fine. ¡°Changgeng True Person!¡± Jinpo Elder warmly greeted as he came over, ¡°Who would have thought you also understood Formations?¡± ¡°Not at all, not at all,¡± Qiu Changtian swiftly denied, shaking his head, ¡°Just came to see, how is the progress going?¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Jinpo Elder appeared somewhat disappointed, but quickly patted his chest confidently and said, ¡°There¡¯s definitely no problem with the Formation, I¡¯ve been arranging it like this for nearly a thousand years, absolutely no mistakes will occur!¡± Nearly a thousand years without an update? Mistakes might not happen, but the fear is that the Demon Cult might find a loophole! Qiu Changtian fell silent for a moment, thinking that this certainly wouldn¡¯t do. Martial matters must never be too cautiously addressed. If there were any vulnerabilities in the Formations, and those from the Demon Cult seized upon them, could Wei Dongliu really prevent them from exploiting the vulnerabilities? After pondering for a while, Qiu Changtian sincerely smiled and said: ¡°Although I don¡¯t understand, I wish to learn from the elder.¡± Jinpo Elder¡¯s eyes lit up, and he quickly replied: ¡°Sure! Changgeng, whatever you wish to learn, I¡¯ll hold nothing back!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s start with this Formation then,¡± Qiu Changtian said humbly. Eagerly, Jinpo Elder began to explain the Formation to him. Having explained a concept, Qiu Changtian pretended not to understand and started to ask questions. After only two or three questions, Elder Jinpo found himself unable to answer. As an elder who served in the Kunlun, although he was quite interested in formations, his main focus was always on practicing breathing exercises. He was no match for Qiu Changtian in the mastery of formations and soon became at a loss for words. With earnest persuasion, Qiu Changtian shared some of his insights, prompting Elder Jinpo to fall deep in thought. By the time he fully grasped the intricacies and knew how to modify the formation, he realized Qiu Changtian had quietly left long ago. Having taken care of the formation defenses, Qiu Changtian started to confirm the strategy for arranging the troops. Surrounding Iron City Mountain were many steep cliffs, many of which had been hollowed out to create stone caves to house Buddha statues. Careful inspection by the Kunlun Cultivators revealed numerous secret passages behind these caves, though their destinations were unknown. To be safe, Qiu Changtian ordered everyone to stay away from the caves to prevent the Asura Path monks from emerging and launching surprise attacks. He also sent people to the Asura Path Sect to openly challenge and engage in unceasing magical combat to attract the attention of the Demon Cult. After several days, both sides had suffered injuries. Although there were more victories than losses on the side of the Kunlun, two Golden Core True Persons unfortunately fell in battle¨Cone¡¯s spiritual light was shattered by a blow from a Vajra Pestle, causing his soul to disperse on the spot, while the other was sprayed with a mouthful of poison blood and failed to survive long enough for rescue, passing away upon return to their own ranks. Qiu Changtian was also troubled. Although casualties are inevitable on the battlefield, considering that the plan to approach Iron City Mountain was his proposal, the more Kunlun Cultivators who died there, the more the responsibility would inevitably be placed upon him. Furthermore, considering that most of the Kunlun Cultivators were venerable recluses, focusing only on breathing exercises and Qi refinement and nowhere near as combat-ready as the Shushan Sword Immortals, the only way to genuinely reduce the casualty rate was to strengthen the threshold of strength for those entering battle. The strength referred to here is in comparison to others of the same rank. For example, if the Asura Path sent out a Golden Core Realm Cultivator of Obscure Weave Rank, Kunlun certainly wouldn¡¯t dispatch a Nascent Soul Realm Cultivator to fight them. Yet, among those of the Golden Core Realm Obscure Weave Rank, the one with stronger magical competition abilities would more likely survive. Hmm, if one must use a standard of measure, the higher the grade of the Golden Core, the stronger the cultivator¡¯s strength among those of the same tier¡­ Having realized this, Qiu Changtian suddenly understood and laughed heartily. After all that¡¯s said and done, it would still take Changgeng True Person stepping forward to reduce the casualty rate of Kunlun to zero. I must personally join the battle! Qiu Changtian quickly proceeded to the Ziwei Sect Leader¡¯s location, repeated his reasoning to his master, and then volunteered for battle. The Ziwei Sect Leader mused in silence. In the past, he would definitely not have agreed to let his beloved disciple go to war. After all, there was only one First Grade Golden Core in the world¨Cif he went to battle, who knew how the Demon Cult might secretly conspire against him with all manner of schemes. But now, with the Kunlun Taiqing Sect and the Asura Path fully at war, if Qiu Changtian continued to conceal his strength, it could cause dissatisfaction among the sect members, suspecting favoritism or even doubting his abilities¡­ Enough of that. Since he¡¯s to succeed as the Sect Leader, how could he do so without proper tribulation and training? ¡°If I remember correctly, you said you have reached a bottleneck, right?¡± Ziwei Sect Leader asked leisurely. ¡°Yes, Master,¡± Qiu Changtian nodded and said. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Hmm.¡± The Ziwei Sect Leader then took the Tai Yi Dividing Light Sword and handed it over, saying, ¡°Take this for self-defense.¡± ¡°The Asura monks are fierce and skilled in combat. If you can break through your bottleneck in a life-and-death confrontation, it would be fortuitous.¡± ¡°But you must guard against complacency and never take things lightly¡­ though, with your temperament, I have no concerns,¡± the Sect Leader added. Qiu Changtian assented repeatedly, took the Tai Yi Dividing Light Sword, and left. The Ziwei Sect Leader watched his beloved disciple depart, feeling restless. Unable to help himself, he continued to divine his disciple¡¯s fate. Chapter 746 - Chapter 746: Chapter 80: The First Battle is Easily Won Chapter 746: Chapter 80: The First Battle is Easily Won Near the foot of Iron City Mountain, there was a vast desert blanketed with sand and stones, where only sparse wormwood plants managed to grow. Additionally, traces of blood were visible everywhere, like bloody roses blossoming across the ground. Cultivators from the Kunlun Taiqing Sect and Asura Path were engaging in magical competition above this desert. Since most cultivators tend to have stronger offense than defense, possessing more means of attack than protection, battles are usually decided in just a few breaths. The bodies of those who fall would often be swiftly retrieved by their own lines, and, in most cases, they could be saved as long as they could be kept breathing until they got back¡­ Of course, if their dantians were pierced or their crown chakras were shattered, or if they were afflicted with some fatal contamination for cultivators, the chances of survival were very slim. Above the desert, protruding from Iron City Mountain, there was a cliff where a foreign monk would regularly monitor below; if any Kunlun cultivators came to challenge, he would have to immediately shake the command flag to call for corresponding personnel from the sect. There were five colors of command flags: white, yellow, blue, red, black, symbolizing escalating levels of urgency. When a Golden Core Kunlun cultivator first issued a challenge, he would shake the white flag. If they killed two from the Asura Path, they would then shake the yellow flag, and the next time, fierce Golden Core rank foreign monks would be dispatched. The mechanism for the blue and red flags was similar, but corresponding to Nascent Soul cultivators. As for the black flag, everyone knew its meaning, so there was no need to mention it. Today¡¯s monk stationed on the cliff was named ¡°Guo Limao,¡± an ordinary monk who had yet to form a sarira (Golden Core). Seeing someone flying on a sword below, he stretched his hand toward the Buddha statue beside him and injected his True Yuan. The gem embedded in the forehead of the Buddha statue released a brilliant light, shining down on the desert below. wuxiaworld.site After a moment, the gem turned golden. Gold signified that the comer was a Golden Core cultivator who had not yet formed a Nascent Soul. Guo Limao skillfully picked up the white flag and began to wave it. He had only waved it a few times when he heard a loud voice from below: ¡°Kunlun Taiqing Sect, Changgeng True Person, has come to learn of the prowess of the Asura Path!¡± Changgeng True Person? Guo Limao was still shaking the white flag, thinking that the title sounded familiar¡­ Wasn¡¯t that the widely renowned First-Grade Golden Core from Kunlun, the one with clear Daoist Heart? He quickly planted the white flag beside him and drew the yellow flag, shaking it vigorously. What a joke, having this First-Grade Golden Core Changgeng True Person come over, how could an ordinary sarira monk be a match? Let¡¯s put aside Guo Limao¡¯s thoughts for now and mention that higher up on Iron City Mountain, there was the stronghold of the Asura Path sect. Both the temples and the Buddhist pagodas were constructed from stones mined deep within Iron City Mountain. As the stones were rich in magnetite, the walls of these buildings were black, interspersed with many blood-red veins, giving off a sense of strictness and cold austerity. In the open square in front of the mountain gate, the monks who were on duty for the day rested, waiting for the signal flag to be waved from below so that they could go down to fight. Seeing Guo Limao shake the white flag, someone asked: ¡°A white flag¡­ who is it today¡¯s turn?¡± ¡°Zhucuo,¡± another foreign monk replied. The monk named Zhucuo stood up, activated his magical artifact, and flew down the mountain. After a short while, a yellow flag began to be shaken below. ¡°Was Zhucuo slain by a Kunlun dog?¡± The foreign monks present were all shocked. ¡°No!¡± suddenly a monk exclaimed, ¡°Look, Brother Zhucuo is still flying down the mountain.¡± Everyone then breathed a sigh of relief. Although Zhucuo was not the strongest among them, he certainly possessed the ability to defend himself. If he were defeated in just a few breaths, then the opponent must be tough, and it would be imperative to call the senior brothers over quickly. Then why did they wave the white flag and then the yellow flag¡­ Ah, it must be because Kunlun has sent out two people this time, one of whom has never been seen before, and the other is formidable. ¡°I¡¯ll go,¡± the youth named Zhaxi stood up. Though he looked like an innocent youngster on the outside, his strength was the greatest among the monks present. It was said that his clear and pure features had caught the eye of a greatly virtuous monk high in the Sect hierarchy, which led to him gaining unrestricted access to cultivation resources, making his progress in cultivation exceedingly rapid. The other Tibetan monks privately sneered at this senior brother, yet dared not offend him openly, and they flattered him by saying: ¡°With Brother Zhaxi taking action, those Kunlun dogs won¡¯t return!¡± Meanwhile, Qiu Changtian stood calmly in midair, stepping on the Yu Long Sword, with the Tianyuan Yiqi Sword before him, and the Tai Yi Dividing Light Sword on his back. He then saw a Tibetan monk approaching on a Flying Bowl, who chanted a Buddha¡¯s name and asked: ¡°This poor monk is Zhucuo, may I ask for the Cultivator¡¯s Daoist name?¡± ¡°I am Changgeng of Kunlun,¡± replied Qiu Changtian indifferently. Upon hearing this, Zhucuo was taken aback, and cold sweat began to drip from his smooth forehead. Changgeng of Kunlun, who does not know of him? When he formed his First Grade Golden Core, the Kunlun Jade Void Palace held an ancestral sacrifice and even announced it to the entire world, going so far as to notify various powers just to show off¡­ At this thought, Zhucuo had already lost four parts of his seven parts of fighting spirit, and the remaining three parts had turned into an urge to urinate ¡ª was it still appropriate to excuse himself to relieve his bladder now? Before he could nervously speak, he saw Zhaxi also descending on his sword. ¡°You¡¯re the Kunlun challenger¡­ Eh, why is there only one of you?¡± Zhaxi said with an innocent smile, yet his tone carried a haughty edge, ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, let¡¯s make it quick.¡± ¡°Brother Zhaxi!¡± Zhucuo quickly reminded him in a whisper at the side, ¡°This person is¡­¡± ¡°No matter who he is!¡± Zhaxi flicked his sleeve, ¡°You step back and watch me slay him!¡± Having said this, he threw something from his sleeve. It was a pair of bronze knife-wheels that glittered coldly with murderous intent, lunging at Qiu Changtian¡¯s head. The so-called knife-wheels are a type of Magical Treasure unique to the Asura Path. They appear to be iron rings, but the inner edge is designed with sharp blades. In battle, once thrown into the air, they will spin toward the opponent, wrap around the neck, and with a turn, the head will be severed. Moreover, the trajectory of the knife-wheels is extremely unpredictable, vastly different from ordinary Flying Swords, so inexperienced Cultivators often suffer greatly when facing this Magical Treasure. But what kind of man was Qiu Changtian? After a hundred years of sword practice in Shushan, his swordsmanship was peerless, and in an instant, he pointed his finger and the Tianyuan Yiqi Sword shot out like lightning, precisely splitting the spinning knife-wheel coming towards him. The more vigorous the True Yuan injected into the Tianyuan Yiqi Sword, the greater its physical strength would be. With the strength of a First Grade Golden Core¡¯s True Yuan, its cutting power was enough to split mountains and rocks, immediately cutting the knife-wheel into two pieces. Zhaxi was stunned for a moment, then his eyes nearly popped out with fury as he roared: ¡°You¡­ You dare to destroy the gift bestowed upon me by my godfather?!¡± Qiu Changtian: ? Wait a minute, aren¡¯t we in a Magical Competition here? What on earth are you talking about? Looking at Zhaxi across from him, he was evidently consumed with rage, his face flushed red, his hands continuously forming spells, when suddenly he opened his mouth and spewed out a vast wave of flames. These weren¡¯t ordinary flames; they were deep red like cinnabar, indicating he had infused some fire poison within, exceedingly vicious and cunning. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only If an ordinary Cultivator were to encounter this poisoned fire, their limbs and meridians would rupture immediately, the fire would invade their heart, and no medicine could cure them. However, due to certain reasons, Qiu Changtian was exceptionally experienced in dealing with Fire System Daoist Magic. With a tap of his foot, the Yu Long Sword swiftly moved more than ten yards to the side, avoiding the spray of cinnabar poison fire. With a snap of his fingers, blue Thunder Light shot out towards the young Zhaxi. Zhaxi hastily brought his hands together and controlled a bronze bowl Magical Treasure for defense. The Jade Pivot Thunder struck the surface of the bowl, producing a thunderous boom, and blew a big hole in it. The remaining Thunder Light continued with undiminished force, piercing through Zhaxi¡¯s chest, and directly penetrating his body. Chapter 747 - Chapter 747: 81st Chapter: I Have a Secret Technique to Restrain Changgeng True Person Chapter 747: 81st Chapter: I Have a Secret Technique to Restrain Changgeng True Person Thunder Light pierced through Zhaxi¡¯s chest, and the young monk fell from the Flying Artifact. Zhucuo stared dumbly at this terrifying scene, suddenly finding the courage from nowhere, swiftly activated the Flying Artifact and rushed forward, snatching Zhaxi¡¯s body and fleeing desperately towards Iron City Mountain. Qiu Changtian stood with his hands behind his back, and did not pursue the victory. In his view, that Zhaxi was probably the offspring of some high-ranking clansman, arrogant but with limited strength. Killing him would serve no purpose; instead, releasing him could spread the formidable reputation of Changgeng True Person. Therefore, he simply stood quietly in the air, leisurely waiting for a response from the Asura Path. The news of Zhaxi¡¯s injury at the hands of Changgeng True Person spread quickly within the Asura Path. The first to react was none other than the Eternal Life King, Dorje Tsering, who was also Zhaxi¡¯s godfather within the Asura Path. The Eternal Life King was immediately furious and wanted to go out for revenge for his son, but was stopped by a group of elders. If the Asura Path really deployed a Nascent Soul Elder, to fight above their class against Changgeng True Person, the opponent would surely turn and run¨Cand with Changgeng True Person¡¯s importance to Kunlun, there were certainly many Kunlun Elders waiting in the Main Formation to come to the rescue. If they couldn¡¯t kill Changgeng True Person, the Asura Path¡¯s reputation would be completely ruined. In the eyes of the world, it would seem the Asura Path had no Golden Core Cultivator capable of defeating Changgeng True Person, so they shamelessly deployed a Nascent Soul monster to bully the weak, and still didn¡¯t succeed¡­ humiliating! After pacifying the Eternal Life King, everyone began to discuss strategies. wuxiaworld.site Kunlun¡¯s surprise attack had come too swiftly; the other Intercepting Sects hadn¡¯t yet come to the aid, and Iron City Mountain had already been blockaded by Kunlun. Since they couldn¡¯t face them head-on, the strategy set by the Asura Path was to stall and wait for rescue, waiting for the Six Paths Alliance Hierarch, Wei Dongliu, to send help. Although it was necessary to delay the time as much as possible, with someone blocking the door at the foot of the mountain, inaction was not an option, otherwise it would send the message that ¡°Changgeng True Person alone could terrorize the Asura Path¨Cno one dares to come down from Iron City Mountain,¡± completely diminishing the sect¡¯s reputation. They must defeat Changgeng True Person swiftly and crush Kunlun¡¯s morale! Of course, if they couldn¡¯t win quickly, it would also be acceptable to engage in a prolonged fight without falling behind. ¡°Danzeng Batu!¡± the Asura Path¡¯s Great Reverend Master, Monk of the Empty Void, said with a sinister voice, ¡°Your Sarira Realm has reached Perfection. Do you have confidence against that Changgeng True Person?¡± As soon as his words finished, a monk with a solemn expression stepped forward, clasped his hands together, and said: ¡°If I cannot defeat Changgeng True Person and must retreat in defeat, I am willing to suffer the agony of the demonic fire burning my heart.¡± ¡°Good!¡± The elders then cheered in unison, ¡°Danzeng Batu, Changgeng True Person is yours to handle!¡± Danzeng Batu, expressionless, turned and silently left the Treasure Hall. As soon as he stepped out of the mountain gate, he saw a figure emerge from behind the rocks, it was the old monk Gu Lie. ¡°Brother.¡± He said with a worried frown, ¡°Has the higher-up ordered you to confront Changgeng True Person?¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Danzeng Batu finally showed concern, frowning as he said, ¡°Changgeng True Person is a First Grade Golden Core, and has the Tianyuan Yiqi Sword and the Five Thunder True Law, I really can¡¯t see any chance of winning.¡± ¡°If brother seeks victory, that will be wishful thinking,¡± Gu Lie said with a pained expression, ¡°but if it¡¯s just about self-preservation, it isn¡¯t difficult.¡± ¡°Changgeng True Person¡¯s decision to fight is not to seek victory, but to minimize the casualties of Kunlun Cultivators in the Magical Competition. Otherwise, with his strength, he should have fought for victory on the first day.¡± ¡°Considering this, when you confront him later, brother, avoid going all out. Restrain as much as possible, and it¡¯s best to feign defeat intentionally, allowing Changgeng True Person to have the upper hand. Praise and flatter him excessively, convincing him not to strike a deadly blow, thereby delaying time.¡± ¡°If the opponent grows impatient and decides to use a killing move, brother, you can claim that your True Yuan is depleted and you need to go back to replenish with an Elixir.¡± ¡°With Kunlun¡¯s haughty attitude, Changgeng True Person will surely not pursue. At that time, brother, you can return to report, claiming a draw.¡± ¡°As long as we are not defeated in name, our revered masters will have no reason to blame elder brother,¡± ¡°So that¡¯s how it is!¡± Danzeng Batu instantly saw the light and hurriedly said, ¡°Brother Gu Lie, I hope your words come true. If I can return safely this time, I will definitely reward you handsomely!¡± He then rushed back to his room hurriedly, gathered a huge amount of defensive magical treasures, and then hurried down the mountain to meet his challenger. Qiu Changtian looked on with curiosity, only to see that the monk on the opposite side was a tall and sturdy man, about eight feet tall with bulging muscles, holding a bowl shield in his left hand and a Demon-Subduing Pestle in his right, looking less like a cultivator and more like a heavy infantryman with a war hammer who had crossed over from ancient times in the West. ¡°May I ask if this is Changgeng True Person in person?¡± Danzeng Batu bellowed. Qiu Changtian saluted with his hands, then with a flick of his finger, shot the Tianyuan Yiqi Sword at him. Danzeng Batu wanted to get closer and exchange some pleasantries, but Qiu Changtian¡¯s attack came too fast; he could only bellow like thunder, channeling all his True Yuan into the bowl shield in his left hand to form a shiny golden shield wall¡­ But then it was smashed head-on by the Tianyuan Yiqi Sword, the light shield shattered almost instantly, and the remaining force pushed Danzeng Batu to fly backward for several tens of meters before he managed to stop himself by using the Demon-Subduing Pestle to create friction with the ground. He can¡¯t win! Danzeng Batu felt a sharp pain in his belly and bitterly complained in his heart, knowing that the opponent had easily broken his defense with just a casual strike, showing that Qiu Changtian¡¯s true power far surpassed a Golden Core Realm cultivator, completely crushing him. The two were fighting in the desert, while countless cultivators from both the Kunlun Main Formation and the cliffs of Iron City Mountain had gathered to watch the battle. Seeing Qiu Changtian send his opponent flying, the Kunlun cultivators watching from afar did not cheer but showed a calm demeanor as if to say that this outcome was to be expected. After all, he was just a First Grade Golden Core of our Kunlun Sect; crushing a peer was nothing unusual. The expressions of the onlooking monks from the mountain were not as good. Danzeng Batu was one of the few most formidable elders among the monks possessing Sariras, and although he had recently fallen out of favor with the revered masters for unknown reasons, his impressive strength was undeniable. If even he could not defeat Changgeng True Person, it only meant that a First Grade Golden Core was ridiculously powerful, and facing the same rank was tantamount to suicide. However, sending a Nascent Soul Cultivator to deal with a Golden Core True Person would seem too embarrassing, and the Sect¡¯s senior management would definitely not agree. They needed to weigh carefully what mattered more: the reputation of the Sect or the lives of the Sarira monks? Of course, reputation was more important! The revered masters did not lack for disciples in the realm of Sariras; if one died, there were plenty of others to take their place, but the reputation of the Asura Path had to be earned through real combat and could not be compromised over such trivial matters. With these thoughts, all the monks felt a chill in their hearts, hoping that Danzeng Batu could hold on for a few more rounds so they wouldn¡¯t have to take his place. Whether he heard the inner voice of his Sect mates or not, Danzeng Batu, who had been sent flying, barely steadied himself on the ground, spat out a mouthful of blood, stuffed a few elixirs into his mouth, and then his True Yuan surged up, forming behind him a gigantic Dharma Body tens of meters tall with three heads and six arms. Asura Path secret technique, Immovable Ming King! The three-headed and six-armed Dharma Body, with each head displaying expressions of ecstasy, anger, and serenity, and each of the six arms wielding huge weapons, struck down at Qiu Changtian with a ferocity like a sudden storm and overwhelming thunder. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Qiu Changtian¡¯s expression remained unchanged; he raised his hand and released a Thunder Light, instantly shattering the Immovable Ming King, which dissipated in the air. Seeing this, he couldn¡¯t help but let out a sound of surprise. The Dharma Body of the opponent, while intimidating in appearance, was in substance not very powerful. As Qiu Changtian pondered this, he heard Danzeng Batu, pale-faced and fearful, say: ¡°Kunlun¡¯s Changgeng, your strength is terrifying. To shatter my Immovable Ming King Dharma Body with a single strike, truly remarkable!¡± Chapter 748 - Chapter 748: Chapter 82: A Cornered Beast Still Fights, Pretending to Falter Chapter 748: Chapter 82: A Cornered Beast Still Fights, Pretending to Falter Despite Danzeng Batu¡¯s efforts to put on a performance, on one hand, his acting skills were extremely crude, and on the other, Qiu Changtian, who was an expert deeply versed in this art, immediately saw through his clumsy tricks. However, even so, he didn¡¯t plan to expose the other party. Firstly, such a performance could bring in synchronization values for the Invincible Character Setting of Qiu Changtian. Although, thanks to the full effort of Kunlun Taiqing Sect in promoting him, Qiu Changtian¡¯s fame as Changgeng True Person had already spread throughout the Divine Land, bringing him an extremely large amount of synchronization values to the point where he did not need to perform for them anymore¡­ picking up easy gains was still good in the end. Secondly, this indeed made it convenient to be lazy. If Qiu Changtian saw through Danzeng Batu¡¯s performance and then simply and cleanly killed him, would the Asura Path give up sending challengers? Of course, it was impossible. After all, if someone was blocking the mountain gate, even if there was a delay in the magical competition, it would be more appropriate than refusing to fight¨C the latter, once spread, would make others look down on the sect. In other words, the Asura Path would continue sending challengers non-stop, creating an impression of ¡°We are not afraid of Kunlun.¡± The more Qiu Changtian killed, the more they would send¡­ what¡¯s the point in striving to win then? I¡¯m not Xu Yinglian! He always remembered his goal was to contain the Asura Path so that the Demon Cult¡¯s army couldn¡¯t pass through Iron City Mountain, not to show off his martial force or promote his fame. As long as the Kunlun Sect stayed at the entrance of Iron City Mountain, they would achieve their goal without any need for unnecessary additions, thereby avoiding complications. Seeing that Qiu Changtian stood still and did nothing, Danzeng Batu was even more convinced of Gu Lie¡¯s judgment, so he put on a tragic expression that said, ¡°Although I can¡¯t beat you, I still have to fight.¡± wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co For Qiu Changtian, it was just typical gritting of teeth. After roaring forcefully once again, Danzeng Batu mobilized his True Yuan and condensed behind him a six-armed Immovable Vajra Dharma Body, then violently clenched his fists to merge the Dharma Body into himself, covering his skin with a faint layer of golden light. Qiu Changtian watched with interest and thought that this seemed to be a spell simulating body refinement. With the fusion of the Dharma Body and the flesh body, the latter¡¯s sturdiness was greatly enhanced, even capable of defending against the piercing attacks of flying swords. Next, Danzeng Batu charged at Qiu Changtian, shouting as he threw out a punch. Immovable Ming King Fist! Qiu Changtian was extremely speechless: You¡¯re on the ground, I¡¯m controlling the sword in the air, are you trying to punch me? What on earth are you thinking? The roaring punch came whistling through the air, and he was so lazy to dodge that he simply lowered his arms naturally, allowing Tai Yi vital qi smog to billow from his sleeves, resembling large masses of clouds and mist. This treasure was one of the two defensive magical treasures that Qiu Changtian had acquired from Fenbao Rock of Kunlun, capable of reducing the speed and causing a delay in anything that entered it, including flying swords. The punch from the Immovable Ming King Fist, as it entered the clouds, was instantly like a clay ox entering the sea, vanishing without a trace in a moment. On the cliff of Iron City Mountain, the group of elders watched the battle below, each rendered speechless. ¡°Danzeng Batu has lost his courage,¡± said the Iron Vein Elder frowning. ¡°Having been knocked down to the ground, he should be flying up again to regain his speed¡­ How does it make sense to stand on the ground and keep fighting?¡± ¡°He has no choice but to lose courage,¡± said the Elder of the Void in a faint voice. ¡°Look at Changgeng¡¯s magical treasure. Isn¡¯t that the ¡®Tai Yi Vital Qi Smog?''¡± ¡°The Tai Yi Vital Qi Smog, once used by the True Person Yuan Qi,¡± an elder explained. ¡°It¡¯s said that this treasure is a defensive gem, especially good at defending against flying swords. True Person Yuan Qi, with it, stood against twelve Sword Immortals of equal rank from Shushan and won against all, where the flying swords could not penetrate.¡± ¡°So, that sword on his back, isn¡¯t that the Tai Yi Dividing Light Sword passed down generation after generation by the Head of the Kunlun Sect?¡± ¡°Having such an ultimate treasure as the Tai Yi Dividing Light Sword, even if you and I were to join forces, I¡¯m afraid we wouldn¡¯t be able to kill him, would we?¡± ¡°Stop talking such discouraging words!¡± the Demon Void Elder scolded. ¡°Since when do so many elders gang up to kill a True Person?¡± Some things are meant to be done in private. For instance, Qi Sha True Person Su Jian, a cultivator of the Golden Core Realm, Obscure Weave Rank, displayed such remarkable strength that he was seen as a grave threat by the Asura Path. Seizing the opportunity, several elders ambushed and killed him on his way¡­ but that was in private! Now, with Kunlun and the Asura Path at a standoff, such an unorthodox and treacherous move would not only face ridicule from the world but also stand little chance of success in killing Changgeng True Person, given the abundance of Kunlun elders. Of course, the main reason not to discuss it was that it was impossible to kill him, so the topic was dropped. As a result, the venerable masters of the Asura Path looked at each other, finding themselves at a loss for solutions. ¡°If Danzeng Batu is defeated, who shall we send next?¡± To break the awkward silence, the Iron Sand Elder asked. But the question was so disheartening that nobody wanted to answer. ¡°Let my disciple Long Xiang take his turn,¡± the Demon Void Elder spoke up. Long Xiang, whose original name was unknown, was known by this name because he devoted himself to practicing ¡°Dragon Elephant Mountain Lifting Divine Skills¡± within the Asura Path. He was a rare body refinement type of cultivator. Such cultivators, who focus on body refinement, have average combat strength no less than that of a Shushan Sword Immortal, and in terms of survival and endurance, they are even stronger. The only issue was the exceedingly slow progress in their cultivation level, which dictates lifespan and potential, which is why so few chose to follow this path. When it was mentioned that Long Xiang would be sent forth, the other elders had no objections and nodded in agreement, ¡°That is very good, let Long Xiang take the stage¡­ We do not ask for him to defeat Changgeng True Person. If he manages to last for a few hundred rounds without falling behind, that would suffice.¡± The Demon Void Elder almost spat blood: A few hundred rounds without falling behind? Did they think this was a play? Try taking a few hundred slices from his Tianyuan Yiqi Sword and then see! With a gloomy expression, he said coldly, ¡°Let¡¯s see how Danzeng Batu performs first.¡± In the desolate wilderness below, Danzeng Batu was fighting like a cornered beast. He knew that if he appeared too weak, Qiu Changtian would lose interest and simply blast him away; But if he seemed too strong, Qiu Changtian would feel threatened and use a powerful spell to kill him. Therefore, he could only keep forming Dharma bodies, like the Immovable Ming King, the Blood-Drinking Wrathful King, and integrate them into himself. One reason was to fortify his defenses to avoid being easily killed, and the other was to appear more intimidating. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only After merging with the Dharma bodies and shining with golden light, he started to fight erratically on purpose, allowing Changgeng True Person to easily break his attacks. Then, he feigned a look of someone short on True Yuan, gasping in shock, ¡°Preposterous! My killer move couldn¡¯t even touch a thread of your robe!¡± ¡°Brilliant! So brilliant! Even this has no effect, I am thoroughly impressed by your skills!¡± ¡°Enough! As a poor monk, I¡¯ve exhausted my True Yuan and cannot continue to fight. Surely, Kunlun doesn¡¯t want a dishonorable victory? Let this poor monk regain some strength, and I shall return to learn from Changgeng True Person¡¯s skills another day!¡± Feeling the time was right, Danzeng Batu suddenly halted his attacks and erupted with a fierce Dragon-Tiger roar so loud that even Kunlun Main Formation and Iron City Mountain could hear him clearly. Then, he turned around and fled. Chapter 749 - Chapter 749: Chapter 83: Good Fortune Comes to the Soul, Identical in Every Way Chapter 749: Chapter 83: Good Fortune Comes to the Soul, Identical in Every Way Danzeng Batu fled all the way back to Iron City Mountain, occasionally scanning behind him with his Divine Sense to confirm whether Qiu Changtian was pursuing him or not. Seeing that the other remained standing on the desolate plains, he secretly let out a sigh of relief, thinking to himself that this person indeed possessed the modesty of an ancient gentleman. Only after returning to the Treasure Hall did Danzeng Batu report to the various revered masters, his face filled with shame as he said: ¡°Disciples are incompetent and failed to defeat Changgeng True Person. Fortunately, there was no defeat but only depletion of True Yuan, leading to an early exit¡­ I ask the masters to punish me!¡± ¡°No defeat?¡± The elder known as Demon Void sneered, ¡°Compelled to a defensive fight the whole time, never having the upper hand, if that¡¯s not defeat, what is?¡± After giving Danzeng Batu a good scolding, he let him go. It was only after leaving the Treasure Hall that Danzeng Batu showed a relieved expression. His master, Reverend Baojing, had disappeared on a journey to explore the Western Region and had not returned since. The sect was inclined to believe that Reverend Baojing had perished, and his disciples either shifted their allegiance to other masters or secluded themselves in closed-door cultivation, but Danzeng Batu, as the senior brother of the Golden Core Realm, refused to accept any other Great Reverend Master¡¯s invitation, which naturally led to being troubled by the masters in turn. Not far from the Treasure Hall, Gu Lie emerged from the side, clasped his hands together with a smile, and said: ¡°Congratulations to Senior Brother for escaping the predicament.¡± ¡°Gu Junior Brother, thanks to your reminder, I was able to get through this ordeal,¡± replied Danzeng Batu with a hearty laugh, ¡°If there¡¯s anything you need, just ask me.¡± wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co ¡°Gu Mou is not interested in worldly possessions, only in Buddhist Scriptures,¡± replied Gu Lie, as he chanted the Buddha¡¯s name and seriously continued, ¡°I heard that Senior Brother has a copy of the ¡®Mandala Solemn Sutra¡¯, I wonder if you could part with it?¡± ¡°You mean that one,¡± Danzeng Batu said with difficulty, ¡°Indeed, it came into my possession by chance, but it¡¯s only a fragmentary volume. It seems the latter part was torn away by someone¡­¡± As he spoke, he fished out a Storage Bag and took out a damaged Scripture, handing it over and saying: ¡°It¡¯s of no use to me anyway, so let me give it to Junior Brother as a token of thanks.¡± Gu Lie accepted it with a calm expression, but inwardly knew that since Danzeng Batu carried it with him, it couldn¡¯t truly be ¡°of no use,¡± and he pretended to carefully examine it. ¡°Junior Brother,¡± after a while, Danzeng Batu tentatively asked, ¡°Have you gained any insight?¡± ¡°I have benefited a great deal,¡± Gu Lie said earnestly, ¡°Born from the great compassion, this Mandala arises from the Buddha¡¯s acquisition of all-encompassing wisdom through the power of great compassion, hence the creation of the endless solemnities of the Mandala, thus it is said to arise from compassion¡­¡± He spoke at length about the profound Buddhist principles, leaving Danzeng Batu completely baffled, resulting in a forced laugh as he said: ¡°So it is profound Buddhist wisdom; as long as Junior Brother likes it, as long as Junior Brother likes it¡­¡± He hurriedly walked away, while Gu Lie watched his Senior Brother depart, covertly calculating in his heart: I already possess the middle fragment of the ¡®Mandala Solemn Sutra,¡¯ allowing the cultivation of the endless solemnity of speech; now I have obtained the front fragment from Danzeng Batu, allowing the cultivation of the endless solemnity of body. Only the final fragment is missing, which is the endless solemnity of intent. Once I gather the complete ¡®Mandala Solemn Sutra,¡¯ I can cultivate the grand Mandala practice of the womb realm¡­ but where could that final fragment be? The only clue was hearing that a Mortal Life Path Cultivator had seen a similar Buddhist Scripture in the Dharma Transmission Hall. It looks like I¡¯ll need to find time to visit Sect Master Wei and his wife. I wonder if the relationship that I struck up with them in the past could still come in handy now. As he turned these thoughts over silently in his mind, Gu Lie sighed once more, intoning ¡®Amitabha,¡¯ and was about to leave when suddenly someone crossed the courtyard gate and strode towards him. It was the favorite disciple of Demon Void, Long Xiang. This man was eight feet eight inches tall, even taller than Danzeng Batu, his face gloomy as dripping water, resembling a debt collection firm¡¯s enforcer. ¡°Senior Brother Long Xiang.¡± Gu Lie quickly bowed in greeting. Long Xiang nodded slightly, not looking at Gu Lie next to him, and directly entered the Treasure Hall. After seeing the revered masters inside the hall, Long Xiang left the Treasure Hall again and noticed that Gu Lie had not gone. With a thought, he approached and inquired: ¡°Danzeng Batu lost to that Changgeng True Person earlier?¡± ¡°Yes, Senior Brother,¡± Gu Lie replied with utmost respect, ¡°Senior Brother Danzeng Batu was concerned about the opponent¡¯s First Grade Golden Core, whose strength was overwhelming. Hence, he engaged in a tough fight until ultimately, running out of True Yuan, he was forced to leave the stage.¡± ¡°Heh,¡± Long Xiang sneered. Surely Gu Lie had gone senile, spouting such incoherent nonsense. First, he¡¯s ¡°worried about the opponent¡¯s First Grade Golden Core,¡± then he¡¯s ¡°struggling in a bitter fight¡±; what¡¯s the causal connection between the two? He spoke with a tone full of disdain: ¡°Danzeng Batu is a jack-of-all-trades, master of none. When he faces someone who¡¯s also well-rounded in their skills and has better innate talent than him, naturally he can¡¯t win.¡± ¡°Once I descend the mountain and claim the head of that Changgeng True Person, I¡¯ll come back and properly mock your senior brother,¡± he declared. Having said this, Long Xiang burst into loud laughter and strode down the mountain. Gu Lie looked upon his retreating figure with pity, thinking that his senior brother¡¯s character was truly straightforward, which was no wonder he had chosen the path of body refinement. Would he be thrashed by Changgeng True Person, or would he be slain instantly? Emotionally, he hoped for the latter; but rationally, the likelihood of instant death was slim¨Cit would probably be a severe beating instead. Meanwhile, Long Xiang made his way down the mountain, eventually breaking into a run. With each step, he leaped tens of feet, and his very strides sounded like rolling thunder. Once he reached the wasteland, he saw a true person standing on a Flying Sword in the air ahead and immediately shouted: ¡°I am Long Xiang from Iron City Mountain! Come forth and meet your death, Kunlun cur!¡± After bellowing his lines, he drew a magical treasure from his Storage Bag¨Cit was an Octagonal Golden Spear, a rather uncommon sight. As for spear-type magical treasures among flying artifacts, they were rare indeed, mainly because their straight-line flight speed was comparable to Flying Swords, but they were cumbersome to maneuver. Miss once, and you¡¯re done for, which is why few cultivators chose to use them. Long Xiang grasped the Octagonal Golden Spear, and his body suddenly bent like a drawn bow, then he hurled the long spear toward Qiu Changtian. Qiu Changtian, seeing him assume the pose of a spear thrower, was first taken aback, then instantly reacted by shooting the Tianyuan Yiqi Sword forward with all his might. The Golden Spear tore through the air, emitting a thunderous boom, and collided head-on with the Tianyuan Yiqi Sword. Despite Qiu Changtian¡¯s robust True Yuan from his First Grade Golden Core, he failed to withstand the onslaught of the Golden Spear. The Tianyuan Yiqi Sword was sent flying, while the Octagonal Golden Spear, knocked off course by the tremendous force, whizzed by Qiu Changtian¡¯s right side, the sound alone threatening to rupture eardrums. Qiu Changtian immediately became furious. With his left hand, he steadied the Tianyuan Yiqi Sword, and with his right, he quickly unleashed Thunder Light, which was the life-extinguishing Shenxiao Thunder. Shenxiao Thunder, in ancient times, was specifically devastating to the Demon Race, as it could obliterate life directly. No matter how strong the physical body, one strike would destroy it¡­ Before the Thunder Light could reach him, Long Xiang sensed the immense danger, biting the tip of his tongue in a desperate move and spitting out a mouthful of Essence Blood to quickly weave a net in mid-air. The net was sticky and filthy, yet it only delayed the Shenxiao Thunder for a moment before being torn apart from the center. The remaining force unabated, it passed just over Long Xiang¡¯s head¨Che had used the brief delay to desperately execute a maneuver akin to a limbo dance, bending his upper body back 180 degrees to narrowly avoid the brunt of Shenxiao Thunder. The strike that missed him blasted a huge crater into the wasteland below. I¡¯m going to die¡­ I¡¯m going to die, I¡¯m going to die, I¡¯m going to die, I¡¯m going to die! Long Xiang, having narrowly escaped obliteration by Divine Thunder and though not yet understanding what had transpired, was overwhelmed by a gut-wrenching fear, realizing that the opponent¡¯s Thunder Method was extremely potent against the body refinement sect. A single misstep would mean being struck by lightning and reduced to ashes! What to do? Through his mind flashed a lightning-quick recollection of Gu Lie¡¯s earlier words: Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°¡­worried about facing a First Grade Golden Core, whose strength is formidable, thus engaging in a grueling fight, only to end up exhausted of True Yuan¡­¡± Suddenly, Long Xiang had an epiphany, and he began to shout: ¡°Such formidable Five Thunder True Law! Such a formidable Changgeng True Person! I, Long Xiang, am completely convinced and admit defeat. I intended to determine the better of us today, but my True Yuan is exhausted. I¡¯ll return after taking some Elixirs to continue the fight!¡± After the shout, he immediately turned, covered his face, and fled toward Iron City Mountain. One after another, two Cultivators from the Asura Path were beaten using the same excuse. Now, even the Kunlun Main Formation spectating from behind understood what was really happening and couldn¡¯t help but erupt into unreserved laughter. Chapter 750 - Chapter 750: Chapter 84: On Invincible Ground Chapter 750: Chapter 84: On Invincible Ground After winning two rounds in a row, and both victories seemingly inexplicable, the opponents would step onto the stage, take a few moves, and then start shouting ¡°What a mighty hero¡± leaving Qiu Changtian somewhat speechless. Before the third opponent appeared, however, he received a message from the Ziwei Sect Leader, reminding him not to be careless, as the Asura Path has always acted recklessly without restraint. Having already lost two men to him, they might resort to some devious tactics next. Qiu Changtian calmly replied to the message, telling the master not to worry, that he would be extremely cautious. Once the Flying Sword Messaging was sent back to the main formation, he continued to stand guard at the foot of Iron City Mountain, calm and speechless. As for Long Xiang, panicking and not watching his step, he tumbled and scrambled all the way back to the Sect at Iron City Mountain, sheepishly going to meet the great demon Reverend Master Mo Kong, stammering out: ¡°Disciple is no match for Changgeng True Person, his Thunder Method is too much of a counter to the Body Refinement Path. I fought until I could no longer muster any strength, and barely managed a draw before returning¡­¡± As he spoke, he found he couldn¡¯t continue, because Reverend Master Mo Kong¡¯s face had already turned an iron blue with anger. He had just reprimanded Danzeng Batu, and now in the blink of an eye, his own disciple was making excuses with the same reasoning. If word got to the other Great Reverend Masters, he didn¡¯t know how they would laugh at him! ¡°Enough,¡± Reverend Master Mo Kong, after all, had held his high position and influence for a long time, and was capable of brazening it out. He forced himself to step down gracefully, ¡°It¡¯s not your fault that the match-up was especially unfavorable to you; it¡¯s just bad luck.¡± Having said that, and before any other elders could interject with derision, Reverend Master Mo Kong sighed deeply and said: ¡°Now, with Kunlun fiercely pressing our position, they block our gates under the pretense of conducting a drowning battle but do not attack. What shall we do?¡± wuxiaworld.site If Kunlun directly attacked Iron City Mountain, it would mean disaster and the end of the Sect, and they would have to fight them off seriously. But with Kunlun merely blocking the gate without leaving, under the pretense of ¡°coming to learn,¡± the Asura Path was at a loss for good strategies. According to convention, fighting against Changgeng True Person would be an embarrassing loss after loss; if they disregarded the rules and directly sent out a Nascent Soul Reverend Master, first they would still not be able to handle the numerous elders of Kunlun¡¯s main formation, and secondly, it would be a complete loss of face. Neither left nor right were options, and apart from giving up, it seemed there was no other way out¡­ ¡°In that case, we just have to drag it out as long as we can until the other Sects come to our aid,¡± said the elders, looking at each other with a sigh. ¡°That¡¯s all we can do,¡± Reverend Master Mo Kong laughed it off, and then moved on from the topic, ¡°Who¡¯s the next to fight?¡± No one answered. That was not surprising, after all, while the Reverend Masters did not wish to see their Direct Disciples killed mercilessly on the battlefield, they also did not want them to come back saying things like ¡°I couldn¡¯t beat Changgeng True Person, after a tough battle, my True Yuan was depleted, and I barely managed a draw.¡± Yet Qiu Changtian was out there challenging them, and if no one was willing to respond, it would be a massive loss of face for the Asura Path. So Reverend Master Mo Kong coughed and said: ¡°In that case, let¡¯s send someone based on the ranking of the Reverend Masters.¡± The Asura Path did not have an actual Sect Leader, only the so-called Great Reverend Masters and other Reverend Masters, who shared the speaking rights of the Sect according to their ranking. The second-ranked Reverend Master Shahu was the one to speak up, and since the Great Reverend Master Mo Kong had just sent a disciple and suffered a loss, having sacrificed greatly, he couldn¡¯t think of an excuse and had to reluctantly agree with a glum expression. Upon leaving the Treasure Hall, Reverend Master Shahu summoned all his disciples, pondered for a moment, and said: ¡°Mantuo, you go.¡± Mantuo¡¯s face immediately turned unsightly. Zhaxi, Danzeng Batu, Long Xiang¡­ Once heroes within the Sect, now one after another they had been beaten to a pulp by Changgeng True Person and had fled back to Iron City Mountain. The news had already spread throughout the Asura Path. Mantuo was next to descend the mountain to face the challenge. Of course, he wasn¡¯t foolish enough to think that the three people before him hadn¡¯t perished and that if he faced Changgeng True Person himself he wouldn¡¯t be obliterated, so he immediately began to wail and complain: ¡°Great Reverend Master, even Long Xiang and Danzeng Batu couldn¡¯t match him, your disciple is of humble ability, how could I be the match for that Kunlun dog¡­¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Master Shihua indifferently said, ¡°I had no expectations of you defeating Changgeng True Person. You just need to delay the time, then you can claim that your True Yuan has run out and escape back here. That would be good enough.¡± Mantuo nodded with a bitter face, utterly speechless in his heart. Anyone who was sent to be trampled by the opponent, and moreover trampled in front of all of Asura Path and all of Kunlun¡¯s spectators, wouldn¡¯t have any positive emotions either. Master Shihua also knew this was too much; after all, although Mantuo¡¯s Sarira was Third Grade, it was far from comparable to Changgeng True Person¡¯s First Grade Golden Core by any measure. Therefore, after a slight hesitation, he reached into his sleeve, pulled out a wooden fish, and handed it over, saying: ¡°Look at your pathetic look¡­ Take this for self-defense!¡± Mantuo¡¯s face lit up with joy upon seeing this, and the faces of his fellow disciples also showed envy. This wooden fish was Master Shihua¡¯s signature Magical Treasure, known as the ¡°Iron Fish Chime.¡± One only needed to infuse it with True Yuan, strike it once, and it would release a defensive sonic wave that could block all attacks from Flying Swords, Spells, and the like, making it a treasured item that even low-rank Cultivators could easily use to protect their lives. ¡°Disciple will surely not let my master down, and will¡­¡± Mantuo spoke carelessly, almost blurting out, ¡°kill that Kunlun dog,¡± before quickly realizing his mistake and correcting himself, ¡°do my utmost to uphold the dignity of our Sect!¡± ¡°Go on, go on,¡± Master Shihua said, feeling worn out by the conversation. If you could defeat Changgeng True Person and defend the honor of our Asura Path, why don¡¯t I just make you the head of the Sarira realm monks right away? Just don¡¯t disgrace me too much! Mantuo swiftly left the Sect, controlling his Flying Sword down the mountain and arriving above the desert. When he saw Qiu Changtian, clad in Kunlun¡¯s Daoist robe, standing with his hands behind his back, Mantuo¡¯s confidence, which had been bolstered after receiving the treasured item, suddenly vanished without a trace. ¡°May I ask if this is Changgeng True Person in person?¡± he asked loudly, with his hands pressed together and chanting a Buddhist mantra. ¡°Indeed,¡± Qiu Changtian replied somewhat boredly, ¡°There is a clear divide between righteousness and evil, further words are pointless, let¡¯s fight!¡± ¡°Then this humble monk asks for True Person¡¯s guidance.¡± Mantuo quickly took out the Iron Fish Chime, poured all his True Yuan into it, and then started to strike it rapidly, not daring to pause for a moment. Dong, dong, dong, dong, dong, dong! For a time, whether it was the Kunlun Main Formation behind him or the distant cliffs of Iron City Mountain, everyone found it hard to keep a straight face. Including Qiu Changtian, none of the Kunlun Cultivators understood what was happening; they only saw the Asura Path¡¯s Cultivator come up and do nothing but ferociously strike the wooden fish, leaving them utterly bewildered. And the Asura Path Cultivators all looked surprised, thinking to themselves that Mantuo had gone straight into full defense without any attack, which was far too cowardly¡­ However, considering that the opponent was Changgeng True Person, perhaps it wasn¡¯t a bad strategy after all? Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Qiu Changtian was silent for a moment, then tentatively fired the Tianyuan Yiqi Sword directly at Mantuo. When the Tianyuan Yiqi Sword hit the sound wave barrier of the Iron Fish Chime, an explosive noise erupted, and it was completely deflected after having its force dissipated. There¡¯s hope! Mantuo was immediately overjoyed. As long as I can maintain this Magical Treasure, keeping Changgeng True Person at bay, I can stand on invincible ground! Then, by claiming that my True Yuan has run out and ending the duel in a draw, I can safely return to the Sect! Chapter 751 - Chapter 751: Chapter 85: Tai Xiao Thunder Dragon, Winning the 3rd Match Chapter 751: Chapter 85: Tai Xiao Thunder Dragon, Winning the 3rd Match Turtle shell. For some reason, Qiu Changtian thought of this phrase spontaneously. From the performance of the two thus far, it was obvious that the strategy of the Asura Path monks was nothing more than to delay time, to avoid a swift defeat. Then they could use the excuse of depleted True Yuan to go back to their sect and fend off the elders. This was indeed a matter of last resort. After all, the difference between a First Grade Golden Core and other Golden Cores was even greater than the gap between Di Du Fourth Middle School and a vocational high school. If you can¡¯t win, you can¡¯t win, what else could be done but delay? ¡°Can your True Yuan sustain the maintenance of the Magical Treasure like this?¡± Qiu Changtian curiously asked. Mantuo did not answer but concentrated on striking the wooden fish and fully activating his True Yuan to keep that sound barrier intact, his forehead already showing a trace of sweat. Qiu Changtian also felt somewhat emotional: I don¡¯t even need to lift a finger. In another quarter of an hour, he¡¯ll have depleted his Dantian himself. How can he be so reckless? I, Qiu the Great Kind One, can¡¯t stand to see such self-sacrifice. Let me help you find release! According to the scan result, this was purely an audio-related Magical Artifact. Its grade was extremely high, and all its features were focused on defense¨Csimple and crude, hence its defense was absurdly strong, even the Tianyuan Yiqi Sword could not do anything to it. This was the characteristic of magical competition in the Cultivating Immortality world: There existed all sorts of strange and curious restraining relationships. For example, the interactions of the Five Elements and the confrontation between a strong spear and a strong shield¡­ Qiu Changtian sighed and thought if he had the Yu Chen Thunder from the Ten Thunders, which could break any barrier, it would be wonderfully suited to deal with this kind of unreasonable defense Magical Treasure. wuxiaworld.site But since he had not found any trace of the Yu Chen Thunder, he might as well try the Tai Xiao Thunder of the same grade. Ever since he learned the correct mental method for the Tai Xiao Thunder in the ruins of the Donghua Sect, Qiu Changtian no longer needed the aid of Lei Gong¡¯s Awl and Thor¡¯s Hammer. Plus, he was now a First Grade Golden Core at the Great Perfection stage of Root Seeking, so the abundance of his True Yuan was terrifyingly immense, nearly matching that of an elder who had just condensed a Nascent Soul. With interlaced fingers, he formed a peculiar gesture, and soon, a large amount of tangible white Thunder Light began to seep out from between his fingers. The intertwining lights in mid-air quickly wove into a massive dragon nearly a hundred zhang long, with countless electricity serpents spiraling and jumping around its body, and an aura of Thunder Light circling it, as if a Heavenly Tribulation descended, a deathly aura piercing the skies. Below, Mantuo was stupefied, then saw the Thunder Dragon abruptly bow its head, its emotionless eyes firmly locking onto him. Following that, the Thunder Light dragon plunged straight down! Not even a hundred feet above the ground, a torrent of Thunder Light fell like a storm, striking the sound barrier around Mantuo. Each impact sapped a large amount of True Yuan from him¡­ not because the Magical Treasure couldn¡¯t resist Thunder Methods, but because the attack was too ferociously powerful for Mantuo¡¯s True Yuan to sustain any longer! Realizing imminent disaster, Mantuo could no longer stay cooped up in his ¡°turtle shell¡± and had to bite hard on the tip of his tongue, activating his Essence Blood, and instantly burrowed into the ground. Earth Escape Technique! At the crucial moment, he was willing to consume his Essence Blood Source to use the Earth Escape Technique, digging down far faster than normal toward the depths below. Simultaneously, the Tai Xiao Thunder Dragon finally struck the ground, raising smoke and dust over thirty zhang high instantly alongside a fierce explosion, dust, and thick smoke. The cultivators from both sides were uproarious. No one expected that this bushy-browed monk would have practiced such a niche Escape Technique like Earth Escape. Given that most cultivators nowadays used Flying Artifacts for transportation, unless one was particularly dedicated to fleeing, who would bother learning the Five Elements Escaping Technique? Even just practicing Sword Control Technique would be better! Compared to the Kunlun camp¡¯s cultivators, those from the Asura Path were even more anxious because the Thunder Dragon was far too formidable¨Cunder those circumstances, no one felt confident that they could evade the attack with Escape Techniques. The dust and smoke cleared, revealing an enormous pit, but there were no traces of blood inside¨Ceither the target had escaped, or they had been pulverized into dust, leaving no remains. Only Qiu Changtian, maintaining his scan, knew that Mantuo had activated a secret technique with his essence blood and bored hundreds of feet into the ground in an instant. Unless one used Earth Element spells, it was simply impossible to reach him. It didn¡¯t matter, as long as they could win. After winning three consecutive battles, the morale on Kunlun¡¯s side was at its peak. Everyone discussed the various methods used by Changgeng True Person, such as the straightforward Tianyuan Yiqi Sword and the immensely powerful Five Thunder True Law, among others. Just as Qiu Changtian was waiting for the next move, he received a message from the Flying Sword Messaging of the Ziwei Master, stating that Kunlun had already won three matches in a row, and their momentum was fiery hot. They could now withdraw their forces. Upon receiving the message, Qiu Changtian smiled faintly and then proclaimed loudly toward Iron City Mountain, ¡°I have learned much from everyone¡¯s brilliant moves today, and I¡¯m not yet satisfied. Let¡¯s meet again tomorrow!¡± After speaking, he turned the Sword Light and headed back to Kunlun¡¯s main formation, under the eager gaze of the Kunlun Cultivators. Returning to the side of the Ziwei Sect Leader, Qiu Changtian saw that the looks he received from the various elders were filled with appreciation, satisfaction, and admiration. No matter what family background or neutral faction they came from, at least their sense of identity with Kunlun was very strong. Qiu Changtian had defeated three Asura Path monks this time, and each victory was swift and decisive, truly earning a lot of face for Kunlun. The Ziwei Sect Leader was no longer reserved at this point and laughed heartily, ¡°I had initially suspected that laying siege to Iron City Mountain would risk heavy casualties. Now it seems that having one of my disciples take action is more than enough!¡± The elders all unanimously agreed, and in this joyful occasion, there was no need to confront the Sect Leader. They all began to express their complimentary and pleasing remarks. In contrast, atop Iron City Mountain, within the Asura Path, there was a gloom and despair. Mantuo utilized the Earth Escape Technique to dive nearly a hundred feet deep into the ground and then moved to the belly of Iron City Mountain, finally breaking through to the surface. Because Iron City Mountain and its vicinity had many iron mines, the consumption of the Earth Escape Technique was even more enormous and exaggerated than if it had been used under normal ground conditions. Mantuo had almost exhausted his last bit of True Yuan to barely emerge through the earth into the courtyard, immediately passing out and covered in charred marks from the effects of the Thunder Method, evidently severely injured. As the Thunder Method had long since declined in this era, no one thought of electricity¡¯s conduction through iron. They only knew that Changgeng True Person¡¯s Thunder Method was ridiculously powerful; not even burrowing deep into the ground was enough to escape, resulting in being beaten to such a state. What else could they do? They really were no match! The monks were nearly in a fervor, thinking that if they didn¡¯t resist now, in a few days the higher-ups would be sending them to die in queues! The crowd surged chaotically to the entrance of the Treasure Hall, about to protest loudly, when Mo Kong, the Great Reverend Master, stepped out from inside the hall and said coldly, Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°What is this noise about outside!¡± With the appearance of this great master of the Asura Path, the monks¡¯ fervor immediately dissipated by ninety percent. The leading monk, trembling with fear, forced a smile and said, ¡°Great Reverend Master, we came to ask how Brother Mantuo is doing.¡± ¡°He¡¯s fine, he¡¯s not dead,¡± Mo Kong replied impatiently. ¡°If you wish to avenge him, just stay here.¡± Upon hearing this, the monks dared not linger any longer and scattered immediately. Chapter 752 - Chapter 752: Chapter 86: The Struggle for Succession is Never Without Ruthlessness Chapter 752: Chapter 86: The Struggle for Succession is Never Without Ruthlessness The war at Iron City Mountain between Kunlun and the Asura Path had almost captured the entire attention of the Cultivation Realm. The Nether Ghost Path, Heavenly Demon Path, and Eastern Emperor Path quickly organized support forces, joining the Mortal Life Path and heading west from the Qinling Mountains, rushing over a thousand miles to aid Iron City Mountain. Penglai¡¯s response was also swift, organizing a batch of supplies for supporting Kunlun¡­ It wasn¡¯t that they were unwilling to send manpower; it was mainly that Kunlun didn¡¯t advise Penglai Cultivators to participate in the war, and those who understood knew why. Qiu Changtian still went to the foot of Iron City Mountain every day to provoke battles, beating the Asura monks who came to fight halfway to death, then sending them back to their sect to spread terror. Xu Yinglian, filled with envy, volunteered to fight to the Ziwei Master. So, the people who had been fighting regularly in the barren lands increased from one to two¡­ This was terrible news for the Asura Path because it meant the consumption of their resources had also doubled; now they needed to send out two people to respond to the challenges. Fortunately, a few days later, allies from the Intercepting Cult finally came to the aid, giving the monks of the Asura Path a much-needed breath of relief, and they quickly ushered them into Iron City Mountain and started entertaining them. What happened inside Iron City Mountain remained unknown, but on the Kunlun side, they quickly convened a high-level meeting to discuss how to deal with the Demon Cult¡¯s reinforcements. ¡°First of all, the arrival of the Demon Cult was something we had anticipated,¡± Qiu Changtian said calmly, ¡°If we had not besieged Iron City Mountain, the Demon Cult would have sent a large army north by now, severing our connection with Guanzhong.¡± ¡°Now, as long as we stay at the foot of Iron City Mountain, the Asura Path will not allow their allies to leave Iron City Mountain. In this way, Guanzhong will be safe, and this is a method of turning passivity into initiative.¡± All the Kunlun Elders nodded in agreement. Indeed, the reason Kunlun pressed against Iron City Mountain was not to uproot the Asura Path entirely but to restrain the subsequent actions of the Demon Cult. wuxiaworld.site As long as the Demon Cult¡¯s forces were tied up in Iron City Mountain, then the strategic objective would be achieved¡­ Changgeng True Person spoke wisely indeed! ¡°So, what should we do next?¡± Elder Yuan Shou asked with a smirk, ¡°Changgeng True Person, the two sides are currently at a standoff at Iron City Mountain, a slight misstep could lead to significant casualties!¡± ¡°This matter is quite simple, elder, please listen to me,¡± Qiu Changtian said with a slight smile, ¡°Now that both armies are concentrated at Iron City Mountain, neither side dares to act rashly. We worry about rashly starting a battle and incurring casualties, but isn¡¯t the Demon Cult equally concerned?¡± ¡°More importantly, the Demon Cult is not a united front but divided into five factions. If any faction suffers a significant loss, they will become discontent with that Wei Demon Head. Therefore, I imagine he¡¯s probably even more troubled than I am right now.¡± Ha ha ha ha! The Kunlun Elders then laughed in agreement. Indeed, we Kunlun are highly united, whereas the Demon Cult is made up of five sects, only temporarily allied due to shared interests. When considering battle losses, their internal strife is much more severe than ours! ¡°However, the key does not lie in Iron City Mountain right now,¡± Qiu Changtian continued after everyone had finished laughing, ¡°but in Guanzhong.¡± ¡°If Guanzhong is lost, even if we win at Iron City Mountain, the overall situation is still a loss. If Guanzhong is secured, even if we achieve nothing on the Iron City Mountain front, we eventually win. The elders here should understand this principle.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± the Ziwei Master agreed, ¡°Our Kunlun engagement in this war is to protect the resources of the Guanzhong area from being tainted by the Demon Cult, not to defeat the Asura Path for some empty fame.¡± ¡°Recently I¡¯ve heard some Cultivators claim that Changgeng True Person always leaves his opponent alive after fights, calling it an unnecessary womanly compassion, which is really absurd.¡± ¡°If we were to kill indiscriminately, pushing Iron City Mountain to a desperate state, prompting a last stand, what benefit would that bring to Kunlun? Why exactly are we fighting this battle? Please, elders, go back and explain to your disciples. I do not wish to hear such rumors again. Otherwise, under the charge of causing chaos within the sect, we will pursue the matter to the end!¡± The last remark, however, was directed at Elder Yuan Shou. The identity of those who spread rumors to defame Qiu Changtian was crystal clear to the elders present. Fairly speaking, most third-party neutral elders actually wished for the four major families of Kunlun to fight amongst themselves¡­ What they feared the most was the families being united, a solid front, monopolizing all the resources and leaving none for others. However, anyone could clearly see now that Changgeng True Person, whether in terms of cultivation talent, realm strength, or strategic decision-making, had no rivals in all of Kunlun. With the stubborn resistance of the Guyuan Zhao Family, stopping at nothing, even starting baseless rumors: stating that despite obvious advantages and successive victories at Iron City Mountain, we are showing womanly compassion¨Cit was somewhat too exaggerated. If it were not for the upright character of Changgeng True Person and the Ziwei Master considering the bigger picture, not holding grudges against your Guyuan Zhao Family, what if you still push your luck? Do you truly want to engage in a life-or-death struggle with the Xu Family, forcibly tearing Kunlun apart? Sensing the unfriendly gazes of the Kunlun Elders, Elder Yuan Shou also felt somewhat unable to step down from the situation, but he did not speak, merely scoffing coldly. After the high-level meeting concluded, Qiu Changtian was called over by the Ziwei Master. ¡°Changgeng, you need not concern yourself with the affairs of the Zhao Family; the Luo Family has already come to me to discuss this matter a few days ago,¡± the Ziwei Master said with the wisdom of a sage, calmly stating, ¡°A little ripple ultimately cannot stir up a storm.¡± ¡°You shall go to Guanzhong to preside over the grand scheme of things, and I will have Qiong Ying take charge of Iron City Mountain.¡± Qiu Changtian nodded, thinking to himself, could it be that the Luo Family has switched sides directly? It was indeed so. There was no irreconcilable conflict of interest between the Luo Family and me; now that I possess a significant advantage in terms of prestige within the sect, if the Luo Family could not see the situation for what it was, that indeed would be rather odd. In this case, no matter how stubborn the Zhao Family might be, they would not be able to shake the overall situation. Alas, I truly did not wish to be the Head of the Kunlun Sect! Once the fragment of the Heaven-Mending Stone is snatched away, and Chi Song Immortal immediately turns hostile, being forced to defect from the sect as the heir to the sect leader would be a colossal joke for Kunlun, wouldn¡¯t it? The more they value me now, I fear the more pain they will experience in the future! However, upon reflection, considering Shushan and Penglai must also go through a similar ordeal, and even Wei Dongliu from our side turned out to be the Six Paths Alliance Hierarch defecting from the Six Paths, the embarrassment seems not too bad, given everyone is losing face together, right? Lost in thought, Qiu Changtian was about to leave when he saw Zhao Jinghong waiting outside and said: ¡°True Person Changgeng, may I have a moment of your time for a chat?¡± ¡°Brother Yun Hong, what guidance do you have?¡± Qiu Changtian certainly would not be foolish enough to go with him. What if I were brought to some place and then several Zhao Family Elders emerged, ambushing and abruptly attacking me? Now that it was clear that the Zhao Family had lost its momentum, I had to be wary of them making a desperate move. Seeing that Qiu Changtian had no intention of leaving, Zhao Jinghong sighed and then checked that there was no one else around before lowering his voice and saying: ¡°Elder Yuan Shou plans to set up an ambush on your way to Guanzhong to kill you, and then frame it as the work of the Demon Cult.¡± Qiu Changtian: ??? Could it be, they¡¯re going to such extremes?! ¡°Brother Yun Hong, why tell me this?¡± he asked leisurely. ¡°If this plot fails, the Guyuan Zhao Family will have no reasoning to survive,¡± Zhao Jinghong said with a sorrowful expression. ¡°Even if it succeeds, how would we deceive the Xu Family, the Ge Family?¡± ¡°If Kunlun were to split over this, how then could we confront the Demon Cult¡¯s forces?¡± ¡°True Person Changgeng, please inform the Ziwei Master of this matter, so he may call upon the Chi Song Immortal to take action. The Immortal after all is wise and sagacious, with mana that reaches the heavens; he will surely only punish the ringleader, safeguarding my Zhao Family from this calamity and ensuring Kunlun does not suffer too heavily¡­ Actually, there are also some elders within our family who do not agree with Elder Yuan Shou¡¯s aggressive approach; they have now been placed under house arrest by him.¡± Hearing that some Zhao Family elders had been put under house arrest by Yuan Shou, Qiu Changtian immediately realized that the matter was very likely true and quickly said: ¡°Come with me to see the Sect Leader¡­¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only But then he saw Zhao Jinghong suddenly step back, shaking his head as he said: ¡°If I am detained by the Sect Leader, Elder Yuan Shou will naturally become suspicious. This matter is of great importance; we cannot afford any mishaps.¡± ¡°Just take my Flying Sword with you; my master¡­ he recognizes my Flying Sword, and will know at a glance.¡± Having said that, Zhao Jinghong tossed down the Flying Sword he carried and then took out another sword, quickly transformed into a beam of light with Sword Control, and flew away. After scanning the sword and surroundings briefly to ensure there were no problems, Qiu Changtian picked up the Flying Sword and turned to enter the Sect Leader¡¯s chamber. Chapter 753 - Chapter 753: Chapter 87: The Immortal Acts, Great Void Illusion Mirror Chapter 753: Chapter 87: The Immortal Acts, Great Void Illusion Mirror Hearing that Nascent Soul Elder Yuan Shou was driven to the wall, and seeing the flying sword that Zhao Jinghong carried with him, the Ziwei Master¡¯s face turned ashen: ¡°I never expected Yuan Shou to harbor such wild ambitions, plotting something so profoundly treacherous. Do not worry, I shall ask an immortal to intervene.¡± ¡°Master, matters involving immortals must be handled with great caution,¡± said Qiu Changtian thoughtfully, ¡°If this incident is indeed a trap laid out by the Zhao Family to frame us¡­ could that be possible?¡± ¡°With Yun Hong¡¯s flying sword here as evidence, even if they later argue that you stole it, the claim would be far-fetched,¡± judged the Ziwei Master, ¡°Moreover, I know Yun Hong¡¯s character. Though he is proud and unwilling to submit to others, he is ultimately willing to consider the bigger picture, which is entirely different from someone as arrogant and treacherous as Yuan Shou.¡± ¡°Before I return, you should not go out¡­ never mind, you will come with me.¡± To prevent any further complications, the Ziwei Master simply activated the Tai Yi Dividing Light Sword, wrapping Qiu Changtian in its sword light and heading straight for Kunlun. Traveling to their destination using the Tai Yi Dividing Light Sword, an extremely powerful Eleventh Rank flying sword, was indeed a luxurious experience for Qiu Changtian. A journey of thousands of miles was completed in an instant. Kunlun Mountain, Heavenly Gate Peak, after listening to the Ziwei Master recount the events coldly, the Chi Song Immortal also sighed: ¡°Brothers against brothers, spouses turning on each other. It happens in Shushan, and it seems my Kunlun cannot avoid such fate either.¡± ¡°I have already been informed of the matter. Changgeng, proceed as originally planned, and head from Iron City Mountain to Guanzhong,¡± instructed the immortal. With the Chi Song Immortal¡¯s assurance, the Ziwei Master and Qiu Changtian felt relieved. They took the Tai Yi Dividing Light Sword specially to send Qiu Changtian back to Iron City Mountain. Before leaving, Qiu Changtian found Xu Yinglian and cautioned her: wuxiaworld.site ¡°Junior sister, I will be overseeing the recovery efforts in Guanzhong. While you¡¯re at Iron City Mountain, be sure to measure your actions. On the one hand, we cannot disgrace our Kunlun Sect, and on the other, we must not push the Demon Cult too hard¡­ This is not a war where one side must die, and it should not become one. You do understand, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Xu Yinglian replied, and then in turn, cautioned him, ¡°Brother, your recent prominence in Iron City Mountain surely has made you a thorn in the side of the Demon Cult. When you get to Guanzhong, remember not to recklessly throw yourself into the fray¡­ No matter how promising a Golden Core True Person is, they cannot withstand the assault of two or three Nascent Soul Elders. You understand that as well, right?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Qiu Changtian said, with a laugh and a wry smile. Are you playing a game of matching couplets with me? But seeing junior sister is so spirited and energetic, it seems there won¡¯t be any problems. With this thought, Qiu Changtian embraced Xu Yinglian tightly and kissed her, then, ignoring his junior sister¡¯s shyness and annoyance, he turned and flew away on his sword. Speaking of sword flying, each person¡¯s flying sword is different, and so the sword light from controlling the sword varies as well. For instance, the sword light of the Ziwei Master¡¯s Tai Yi Dividing Light Sword is nearly transparent and faint; whereas Qiu Changtian¡¯s Tianyuan Yiqi Sword emits a bright white light, like a length of white silk ribbon. As he flew towards Guanzhong, Qiu Changtian began to scan his surroundings, wondering where Nascent Soul Elder Yuan Shou might be lying in ambush. Even though the Chi Song Immortal had given his word, Qiu Changtian naturally did not place all his hopes on the immortal. If anything were to go wrong with the immortal, I would of course need a contingency plan for a direct teleport to escape. Approaching a gorge the locals called ¡°Buddha Gorge,¡± said to be filled with numerous stone Buddha carvings embedded into the cliff walls, their origins unknown. Just as Qiu Changtian was about to proceed, a dazzling white light burst forth from below, as blinding as the sun and as swift as a shooting star, shooting directly towards him! In that instant, Qiu Changtian made a swift judgment: Unblockable, must dodge! He immediately moved the Sword Light, planning to sidestep, but just then, another large hand appeared above, swiftly reaching for him. Though the hand seemed not so large, it gave off an overwhelming feeling of permeating heaven and earth, leaving no route for escape. Perhaps Sun Wukong felt a similar despair when facing Tathagata Buddha¡¯s Five Finger Mountain? Qiu Changtian internally screamed, ¡°My life is over,¡± and was about to urge Ah Jing to transport him away when suddenly everything spun around, and he was released from Chi Song Immortal¡¯s sleeve. Oh, it¡¯s the Sleeve Divine Power of the Immortal; no need to worry then. Qiu Changtian, having barely recovered from his shock, maintained a composed demeanor, clasped his hands in salute and said, ¡°Thank you, Immortal, for saving me.¡± Chi Song Immortal did not reply, but continued to look towards the origin of the white light below and, with a light laugh, flung down a chess piece. The chess piece was a white one, which, halfway down, suddenly transformed into a mountain peak and smashed down. Below, the white light flared up once again, straining upwards as if to support the mountain, seemingly a futile gesture. ¡°I will not accept this!¡± The voice of Elder Yuan Shou came from below, his tone revealing his True Yuan exhausted and Dantian depleted, imbuing his words with a sensation of utter desperation, ¡°The Xu, Ge, Luo, Zhao families, the cycle of succession has been established! My Zhao Family has prepared for so many years, only to have all resources taken away because of this newcomer? Where is the justice in that, where is the retribution?¡± ¡°Nonsense!¡± Chi Song Immortal retorted with a cold laugh, ¡°The Head of the Kunlun Sect should be occupied by those with virtue¨Chow could we allow covetous people like you to conspire for it?!¡± ¡°Had it not been for Yun Hong¡¯s timely message, I reckon your Guyuan Zhao Family wouldn¡¯t exist any longer!¡± A sound of despairing laughter echoed from the canyon below after a moment¡¯s silence: ¡°So that¡¯s how it is, that¡¯s how it is! Zhao Jinghong, well done, well done indeed!¡± ¡°Chi Song Immortal! This was all my own doing, an act of unilateral decision! Let it not impact the other members of my Zhao Family, or even if I am reduced to ashes and vanish, I shall laugh at you from the boundless void¡­¡± Chi Song Immortal, with an annoyed expression, did not wait for him to finish, and dropped another black piece that turned into a majestic river spanning hundreds of miles, instantly overwhelming Elder Yuan Shou¡¯s defenses. Qiu Changtian watched from the side, stunned, wondering if this was the true strength of an Immortal when angered? Despite having observed from a distance the Magical Competition between Immortals after the Golden Que Secret Realm event had ended, witnessing it up close still rendered him utterly powerless to resist. With a wave of the hand a mountain is created, with a step a sea is formed! The Stone Buddha Gorge below had been completely filled by the mountains and seas, and Chi Song Immortal reached out again, seizing a round, rolling silver mirror, which he handed over to Qiu Changtian saying: ¡°The Great Void Illusion Mirror of the Guyuan Zhao Family was used by him to directly drive killings, which is truly a waste of a good treasure.¡± ¡°Take it and play with it, let it serve as a warning to the Zhao Family.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Thank you, Immortal, for bestowing this treasure.¡± Qiu Changtian earnestly saluted, accepted the Great Void Illusion Realm, and thought to himself that this object seemed familiar? Oh, could it be Ah Jing¡¯s original form¡­ ¡°What Great Void Illusion Mirror? It¡¯s just a mirror forged in imitation of mine,¡± the Kunlun Mirror disdainfully said, ¡°It lacks the ability to manipulate time and space, nor does it possess the authority to move wondrously¨Cit only concentrates light, momentarily dazzling the minds of others¡­ You Kunlun Immortals are indeed stingy!¡± ¡°Is the mirror useless then?¡± Qiu Changtian asked in surprise. ¡°Not to say it¡¯s useless, it¡¯s just that its uses are limited,¡± the Kunlun Mirror casually replied, ¡°Just keep it for now.¡± Chapter 754 - Chapter 754: Chapter 88: Designating Youll Have Good Fruit to Eat Chapter 754: Chapter 88: Designating You¡¯ll Have Good Fruit to Eat With the execution of Elder Yuan Shou by the Chi Song Immortal, the divisions within the Kunlun hierarchy were quickly settled. Qiu Changtian then arrived in Guanzhong, only to find that the situation was quite bleak. Not only had all the major mines and herb gardens that had been reclaimed been snatched away by the Demon Cult once again, but there were also subtle signs that the occupied zone was expanding, clearly indicating that Kunlun¡¯s defending troops here were no longer holding up. You really are something, Wei Dongliu! Such a fearsome opponent! No wonder the Ziwei Master was in such a hurry to call me back from handling the affairs of Iron City Mountain to rush back to Guanzhong to take charge¡­ If I had not returned sooner, the whole of Guanzhong might have changed hands by now. Upon reaching Kunlun¡¯s camp set up in the Qin Mountains, Qiu Changtian immediately began designing the counterattack plan. Of course, before launching the counterattack, it was necessary to confirm the movements of the Demon Cult first. As the saying goes, ¡°Know thyself, know thy enemy, and you shall never be imperiled in a hundred battles.¡± ¡°Ah Jing, load Wei Dongliu¡¯s file!¡± I knew it¡­ The Kunlun Mirror silently grumbled to itself, as it obediently loaded the file for its capricious host. [Data Point Four: Central Peak, Tong Xuan Gate.] [Character Identity: Wei Dongliu.] wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.cO [Mirror Flower Water Moon Template overlay in progress, time-space travel commencing.] Having arrived at Central Peak, Wei Dongliu began to calculate the time. At this point in time, the Guyuan Zhao Family¡¯s surprise attack force was on its way to Mount Beimang. Zhao Jinghong had not yet pulled back at the brink, Elder Yuan Shou had not yet made a desperate move, and most of the Kunlun Cultivators were still indulged in the dream of a swift and decisive victory over the Demon Cult, utterly unaware of how this war would evolve. Now that the Nether Ghost Path had already laid an ambush at Mount Beimang and was about to deliver a heavy blow to Kunlun¨Cthis also directly led to the complete loss of the Guyuan Zhao Family¡¯s reputation, clearing obstacles for Qiu Changtian¡¯s future prospects. Of course, this cannot be attributed to anyone¡¯s act of leaking secrets. Wei Dongliu thought to himself that even without the alter ego of Qiu Changtian, it would have been easy for him to see through Kunlun¡¯s actions and intentions¨Cobvious flaws, how could that be considered leaking secrets? Next, Qiu Changtian should propose a strategy to pressure Iron City Mountain, fighting on two fronts. Once his alter ego headed to Iron City Mountain, then Wei Dongliu could start to make his moves in Guanzhong without worrying about facing Qiu Changtian head-on. As he was gleefully planning this, he suddenly heard Guo Jin reporting that the Nether Ghost Path¡¯s Lianshan had come to visit. Lianshan was the Daoist title after Wen Yang¡¯s Core Formation. This sudden visit from Madam Wen must mean that the Nether Ghost Path had some results to share. Sure enough, Jiang Lian and Wen Yang walked in, arm in arm and laughing, looking quite affectionate. Madam Jiang opted to tie up her long hair at the back of her head today, adding a few touches of valor to her charm; Wen Yang, on the other hand, kept her refreshing shoulder-length hair, which, in a world where most women don¡¯t cut their hair, gave her a distinctively playful and endearing aura. Indeed, only us women of the Intercepting Cult have such distinctive personalities! What about those outdated styles of the Clarify Cult? A monotonous sea of long black hair draping down, not a single one who knows how to style their hair! ¡°Brother Wei, great news!¡± Wen Yang said cheerfully, ¡°The Taiqing Sect of Kunlun did just as you said, they organized a large force to launch a surprise attack on our market north of Mount Beimang, but we detected their movements in advance and dealt them a heavy blow!¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Wei Dongliu responded indifferently with a single word. ¡°My husband doesn¡¯t seem too happy?¡± Jiang Lian inquired curiously. It wasn¡¯t that she was deliberately trying to be obscure; she could clearly sense that there wasn¡¯t much surprise or joy in Wei Dongliu¡¯s mood at the moment, as if dealing Kunlun a heavy blow ahead of time was nothing more than a trivial matter. ¡°It was all within my expectations, so nothing is surprising,¡± Wei Dongliu shook his head. The two ladies exchanged glances, and then Wen Yang said with a smile: ¡°Then may I ask the all-calculating Alliance Leader Wei, what will Kunlun do next?¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Wei Dongliu pondered briefly before replying, ¡°We plan to use Iron City Mountain as a springboard to sever the connection between Kunlun and Guanzhong. Given the geographical location, Kunlun is unlikely to be unaware of this.¡± ¡°If I were Qiu Changtian, I would surely propose sending troops on a dual front: one to continue reclaiming Guanzhong and the other to march on Iron City Mountain, moving the frontline forward to neutralize the threat from Iron City Mountain.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s really the case, then that would be wonderful!¡± Wen Yang immediately exclaimed with great delight, ¡°Alliance Leader Wei, the Asura Path has recently been rumoring that they want to raise their price, otherwise they plan to pull out of this alliance!¡± Wei Dongliu uttered an ¡°Oh¡± and narrowed his eyes slyly. The so-called ¡°spreading rumors¡± was in fact just an excuse made by the spies. The Nether Ghost Path had planted spies within the Asura Path, and through gathering intelligence, they found out that the Asura Path thought the geographical location of Iron City Mountain was too important for the Demonic Path, and so they wanted to hike up their asking price. Though most of the price would be paid by the Nether Ghost Path, after all, if the Asura Path took more, the Mortal Life Path would naturally get less. And what do they mean by withdrawing if they don¡¯t get a price increase? Do they think my Wei the Demon Lord¡¯s alliance is some sort of book club, where you come and go as you please? They must be strictly punished! ¡°Hmph,¡± Wei Dongliu snorted coldly, ¡°The Asura Path is overestimating their ability. With Kunlun¡¯s army pressing down, they will surely lead to their own destruction.¡± Both Wen Yang and Jiang Lian nodded and applauded his statement. After leaving the Sect Leader¡¯s residence, Wen Yang finally showed a worried expression and said to Jiang Lian: ¡°How confident is Brother Wen about his prediction this time?¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Jiang the Witch asked in surprise, ¡°Brother Wen, my husband is right there, why didn¡¯t you ask him just now, yet now you come asking me?¡± ¡°If I asked him directly, what if he thought I was doubting his judgment?¡± Wen Yang replied dryly with a chuckle, then sighed, ¡°That Asura Path is too much. They had clearly agreed during the previous Six Paths meeting, how could they back out at the last minute?¡± ¡°If what Alliance Leader Wei said is true and Kunlun does indeed send forces to press Iron City Mountain, then it won¡¯t be us needing the Asura Path, but rather they will need us¡­ But can this really happen?¡± ¡°Reviewing past history, when facing external attacks, Kunlun typically adopts a rigid defense. Plus, with the recent surprise attack failure, causing them heavy damage, to say that they would continue to attack proactively¡­ Even if I were to repeat his exact words, I might not be able to convince the venerated one!¡± ¡°Brother Wen, you don¡¯t need to worry,¡± Jiang Lian said with a slight smile, ¡°Just say it¡¯s my husband¡¯s judgment.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Anyway, as long as the Asura Path openly takes a stance and aggressively pressures us, then certainly both the Nether Ghost Path and Mortal Life Path will join forces to suppress them.¡± ¡°That makes sense,¡± Wen Yang muttered softly, then quickly took his leave. Before long, a meeting of the Six Paths Alliance was convened once again. Mo Kong, a representative from the Asura Path, suddenly dropped a bombshell at the meeting: Due to Iron City Mountain being strategically located at the frontline against Kunlun, if the Demon Cult wanted to launch an offensive using Iron City Mountain, it would require doubling the benefits previously offered to the Asura Path! Chapter 755 - Chapter 755: Chapter 89: The Barbaric and Crude Asura Path Chapter 755: Chapter 89: The Barbaric and Crude Asura Path ¡°The risk is simply too great for us at Iron City Mountain, given our proximity to the Kunlun frontlines,¡± Demon Sky elder said with a worried frown. ¡°There were already complaints within our sect when we agreed to cooperate with you.¡± ¡°You must understand that the Asura Path¡¯s sphere of influence centers on the plateau. Even if the Guanzhong Area falls into the hands of the Six Paths, it would not benefit the Asura Path in the slightest¡­¡± ¡°May I ask the senior,¡± Wen Yang interjected unsparingly, ¡°the reward discussed with your sect previously was divided into two types, one being the goods delivered in two batches which include Spirit Stones, Spirit Grass, Spiritual Objects, and so on; the other being partial ownership of resource points on the western side of the Qinling Mountains.¡± ¡°Given that the Asura Path manages to gain benefits on the western side of the Qinling Mountains, why then say there is nothing gained? I am not smart enough to understand, please enlighten me, senior.¡± Demon Sky elder was inwardly annoyed at being interrupted but, given that she was a favorite disciple of the Honored White Bone, it wasn¡¯t appropriate to offend her outright, and all he could do was say brusquely: ¡°When it comes to benefits, what the Asura Path gains doesn¡¯t even compare to a fraction of what your faction receives, yet we must bear the greatest risks. How could that be fair to all?¡± His gaze swept quickly around the room, and he heard the Sect Leader of the Eastern Emperor Path, Shi Yao, speak indifferently: ¡°This does seem to have some truth to it.¡± Wei Dongliu watched coolly from the side, thinking this Jiaolong master sure is busy, shuttling between the Mortal Realm and the Eastern Emperor Realm. Wasn¡¯t it said that the impassable Boundary Gate between the Eastern Emperor Realm and the Mortal Realm was sealed by the fiery sword of Sun True Obscure Sword wielded by Long Hu¡¯s grandfather? So how exactly does Shi Yao manage to traverse it? Wait, if I remember correctly, Long Hu¡¯s aunt, the Marquis of Mount Tu, seems to be on good terms with Shi Yao¡­ Oh, so it¡¯s the aunt route. It seems that neither humans nor monsters are allowed to pass, but it¡¯s hard to stop an aunt. wuxiaworld.site Clever, senior! You really have your ways! While Wei Dongliu was lost in thought, the dispute between Wen Yang and Demon Sky elder was swiftly heating up. ¡°I don¡¯t understand and kindly ask for the master¡¯s guidance,¡± Wen Yang struggled to contain her anger and spoke coldly, ¡°The Asura Path claims the risk is too great, yet from the military structure of each sect, the troops fielded by the Asura Path don¡¯t even rank in the top three. Where, then, is this risk coming from? If proximity to Kunlun is considered a risk, then Iron City Mountain has always been sandwiched between Kunlun and Shushan and remains unscathed to this day. Doesn¡¯t this prove the alleged risks to be mere speculation?¡± ¡°Real Person Lianshan is truly naive,¡± Demon Sky elder laughed loudly. ¡°It is precisely because we are stuck between Kunlun and Shushan that we must tread carefully, like walking on thin ice. If any Tom, Dick, or Harry calls for battle, and we Asura Path blindly follow, I¡¯m afraid our lineage would have been long gone.¡± This ¡®any Tom, Dick, or Harry¡¯¨Cit was unclear whether he was insulting Wen Yang or someone else who proposed the strategic concept, causing Wei Dongliu to be unable to remain silent and hold back his laughter as he asked: ¡°Is the Asura Path contemplating withdrawing from the siege on Kunlun?¡± ¡°It has not been decided yet,¡± Demon Sky elder craftily stated. ¡°If the subsequent price negotiations are suitable, our Iron City Mountain is not averse to leading the charge for the Six Paths, putting forth all of our strength in battle against Kunlun.¡± ¡°But if we stick to the original terms, I am afraid my sect is willing but unable.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Wei Dongliu maintained his composure and chuckled, ¡°Then if Kunlun actively attacks the Asura Path, and we send reinforcements to Iron City Mountain, would that not be considered putting your sect at risk?¡± ¡°Of course not,¡± Demon Sky elder said dismissively. ¡°But the Kunlun Taiqing Sect has always been conservative and rigid, so how can they possibly take the initiative to attack Iron City Mountain? At most, they might do as Shushan does, engaging in hunts near the plateau, where cultivators from both sides fight and kill each other.¡± Suddenly, he quickly came to his senses and said with a mocking laugh: ¡°Alliance Leader Wei sure has a cunning way with calculations. This so-called ¡®reinforcement¡¯ naturally requires a ¡®call for help¡¯ to precede the ¡®assistance¡¯.¡± ¡°If the Asura Path has never sought help from all of you, Alliance Leader Wei could not use the guise of assistance as a pretext for proactively sending troops to Iron City Mountain. Otherwise, turning up uninvited would make you unwelcome guests, and naturally, the Asura Path could not just swallow the insult in silence.¡± ¡°Very well!¡± Wei Dongliu brushed his sleeve and rose to his feet, ¡°Then this venerable self shall wait for the senior to personally come and ask for help!¡± He coldly dropped a harsh sentence and then lifted his strides to leave, departing from the main hall. It wasn¡¯t that he was angered by the Demonic Void senior, but rather that he could hardly hold back his laughter anymore. The moment Wei Dongliu left, the conference site immediately burst into an uproar. The first to be dumbfounded was the Sect Leader of the Nether Ghost Path, Fu Xie. His original intention was to have Wen Yang play the role of the bad cop to test out where the Asura Path¡¯s bottom line was. If the asking price¡¯s bottom line was somewhat reasonable, then he would come out playing the good cop and agree to it¨Cafter all, matters of the military ultimately must prioritize the big picture, and you can¡¯t just fall out with allies over some minor disagreements. But who could have expected that the Demonic Void senior would suddenly mock Wei Dongliu? Now with the Mortal Life Path Sect Leader having stormed off, the conference simply couldn¡¯t proceed. Whatever you all negotiate afterwards, the Mortal Life Path definitely won¡¯t acknowledge it. After much thought, the only thing Sect Leader Fu Xie could do was to sigh deeply and urgently send Wen Yang to use her charms to persuade the departed Alliance Leader Wei to come back. The Demonic Void senior was also a bit embarrassed: he originally intended to demonstrate a tough stance to increase his asking price later, which is why he purposefully provoked Wen Yang, but he carelessly ended up offending Wei Dongliu as well. Now that he had come to his senses and the other party had already left in a huff, the Demonic Void senior could do nothing but sit back down in his original seat, remaining silent, adopting a calm and unruffled attitude. Hmph, it¡¯s nothing but a Golden Core junior who, relying on the Blood Sea Ancestor¡¯s favor, dares to play tough with us Nascent Soul venerable teachers? Thinking this, the Demonic Void senior¡¯s heart was filled with cold laughter as he turned to look at Sect Leader Fu Xie across from him. In his view, even though Wei Dongliu was the Alliance Leader, it was still the intentions of the Nether Ghost Path that truly mattered. When Sect Leader Fu Xie saw that look from the Demonic Void senior, how could he not understand the other¡¯s meaning? He coughed and said: ¡°Alliance Leader Wei left in a hurry and has yet to discuss this month¡¯s early gains with everyone. Let me share with you all¡­¡± As the subject of wartime gains was brought up, all the cultivators immediately perked up, and the previously tense and rigid atmosphere quickly eased. Meanwhile, Wei Dongliu left the main hall to take a short walk outside, dispelling the strange emotions in his heart. One could only say that under Qiu Changtian¡¯s leadership, Kunlun had significantly enhanced its tactical awareness and strategic vision, while the Asura Path was still stuck in old- fashioned notions of the past, so it was quite normal that they hadn¡¯t expected Kunlun¡¯s attack. However, this old ghost actually dared to mock him, clearly not taking him, the Alliance Leader, seriously at heart. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only If he could not use the Asura Path to establish his authority this time, how could the Eastern Emperor Path, Nether Ghost Path, Heavenly Demon Path, and the like be willing to submit? And how could he, the Six Paths Alliance Leader, truly act with ease? Still, it was best to wait until Changgeng True Person severely beat the Asura Path, then we could settle the score properly! Just as he was thinking this, suddenly a fragrant breeze hit his face; it was Wen Yang catching up from behind. ¡°Alliance Leader Wei, why leave the session early?¡± she gently and graciously urged, ¡°This is the home ground of Mortal Life Path, if the host leaves in anger, how can we guests sit comfortably?¡± ¡°Guests themselves can be good or troublesome,¡± Wei Dongliu said with a cold laugh. Chapter 756 - Chapter 756: Chapter 90: Bring Back Alliance Leader Wei! Chapter 756: Chapter 90: Bring Back Alliance Leader Wei! Wei Dongliu was somewhat embarrassed, unaware that Wen Yang was also secretly cursing inside. Of course, the curses weren¡¯t directed at Brother Wei, but rather at the Great Reverend Master of the Asura Path, Mokong, and the casual way the Nether Ghost Path¡¯s Fu Xie Sect Leader was ordering her around. It was clearly that blabbermouth monk who had offended Great Alliance Leader Wei, so why on earth do I have to be the one to mend relations? However, Wei Dongliu decisively left the scene, not giving that Reverend Master Mokong any face, which made Wen Yang, whose anger was nearly at its peak, secretly thrilled as well. So, she just continued to hold onto Wei Dongliu¡¯s arm and persuasively said in a gentle voice: ¡°The Asura Path has long resided beyond the borders, and their rudeness and barbarity are not surprising.¡± ¡°Now that the Six Paths have gathered in the hall to discuss matters, even if Reverend Master Mokong is rude, Brother Wei, as the Alliance Hierarch, should also forgive his mistakes and not take them too much to heart.¡± ¡°Hmph,¡± Wei Dongliu assumed an air of importance and said indifferently, ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t know the gravity of the situation, it¡¯s just shameful to work in the same hall as such ignorant mortals!¡± Wen Yang could see that he was putting on an act and had no choice but to get closer, starting to play the beauty card, and said with a coy laugh: ¡°Precisely because the Asura Path doesn¡¯t know any better, when Kunlun surrounds Iron City Mountain, just as you predicted, we can join forces and give them a good squeeze, right?¡± As she drew near, Wei Dongliu could smell a faint fragrance of exotic flowers and grasses coming from her. So, Wen Yang has not only gotten used to dressing up as a woman, but now she¡¯s actually started wearing perfume too? wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.cO That¡¯s outrageous! Where is the Brother Wen I used to know? Wake up, your soul is originally male! ¡°If that¡¯s the case,¡± Wei Dongliu suppressed his restless heart and sighed, ¡°then I will¡­¡± ¡°What are you two doing?¡± A voice suddenly rang out from outside. Both of them turned their heads to look, and saw Jiang Lian standing at the entrance to the courtyard, looking over with an unfriendly, mocking expression. Wen Yang immediately stepped back half a step and distanced herself from Wei Dongliu, smiling and saying: ¡°Brother Jiang arrives at just the right time, come and help me persuade Alliance Leader Wei.¡± ¡°Just now, during the discussion, Reverend Master Mokong of the Asura Path spoke arrogantly and offended Alliance Leader Wei quite a bit, and now I am persuading him!¡± Jiang Lian narrowed her eyes and silently scanned the opposite party with the Heavenly Demon Great Law, and combining this with the report her sister had brought earlier, she confirmed that what Wen Yang said was indeed true. Of course, there was also the intention to seduce Wei Dongliu, but it was not out of love. It was simply to persuade him to return. Thinking about this, the Miss Heavenly Demon retracted her fangs¨Cafter all, even though she didn¡¯t stick to the Human Race¡¯s etiquette and didn¡¯t forbid Wei Dongliu from having multiple wives and concubines, the premise was that he had to fulfill his duties as a husband, informing her beforehand and getting her consent. If Wei Dongliu truly had a secret meeting with Wen Yang behind her back, it would have gone beyond the affection due between husband and wife, and Jiang Lian was no longer willing to continue playing this game with him. First, she would cleanly devour Wen Yang, then destroy Wei Dongliu¡¯s flesh, capture his soul, and bring it to the Great Unrestrained Heaven for a proper education, until he became a servant soul completely obedient to her, then keep him by her side for her amusement¡­ Hmm, that also seemed like a decent plan. But upon further thought, Jiang Lian still preferred Wei Dongliu to not know her Heavenly Demon identity, so she covered her mouth and chuckled: ¡°I thought it was something serious! My husband, it¡¯s only a bald monk¡¯s rantings, why bother with him at all?¡± ¡°My lady is unaware,¡± Wei Dongliu said with a cold laugh, ¡°as the Six Paths Alliance Leader, how could I allow anyone to offend me lightly? Otherwise, where would the Alliance Leader¡¯s majesty be? It¡¯s only because that Ascendant from the Asura Path is a Great Reverend Master, and I do not wish to be at odds with an ally. If it were anyone else, I would have already flayed them, extracted their tendons, and seized their soul and spirit.¡± Jiang the Witch liked the latter half of what he said, so she laughed and said: ¡°Excellent idea. However, husband, although you have saved the monk¡¯s face, if you stay away too long, it will still damage the reputation of the Six Paths.¡± ¡°Since Brother Wen has also come on behalf of the Nether Ghost Path to make peace, husband should not ignore the Asura Path, and for the sake of the Nether Ghost Path¡¯s reputation, let¡¯s return and settle the matter first.¡± Jiang Lian truly deserved to be called a Heavenly Demon, as she instantly saw through the real reason Wei Dongliu left: As the Six Paths Alliance Leader, the Ascendant dares to disrespect me; I definitely cannot swallow this insult silently, or else the Alliance Leader¡¯s majesty is gone. But a Golden Core cannot defeat a Nascent Soul, and the Ascendant is also a Great Reverend Master of the Asura Path, so I cannot directly punish him. Therefore, I can only leave decisively, giving him the cold shoulder. As long as the Nether Ghost Path comes to mediate, Wei Dongliu will naturally return. In the eyes of those present, it seemed that the Nether Ghost Path still fully supported Wei Dongliu, and this way, the Alliance Leader¡¯s prestige could be somewhat mended¡­ If it had been Wen Yang persuading, rather than Sect Leader Fu Xie personally coming to request, would Wei Dongliu still need to put on airs? He¡¯d have gone back right away, right? Understanding the hint, Wen Yang immediately smiled and said: ¡°Alliance Leader Wei, our Sect Leader Fu Xie also said, this conference can¡¯t go on without you! He urged me repeatedly to bring you back, so could you please do me¡­ do your little sister this favor?¡± Wei Dongliu snorted coldly, then slowly turned around with his hands behind his back and walked back. Upon returning to the main hall, he found that all the sect representatives were sitting in their places. Seeing that Alliance Leader Wei had finally returned, they all immediately showed expressions of joy. The reason was quite simple: The harvest from this battlefield was divided into two parts: one was how many resource points were conquered, and the other was how many resources were plundered. Since these resource points were agreed in advance to be transferred to the Nether Ghost Path for management after the battle, Sect Leader Fu Xie was most concerned about the former; while other sects were too far from the Guanzhong Area, so they cared more about the latter, that is, how much money everyone could share. Sect Leader Fu Xie just now was going on and on, talking about how many mines, medicinal gardens, and estates they had seized¡­ Who wanted to know that, really? When it came to asking about the exact number of resources harvested, it was return to silence for Sect Leader Fu Xie. The tactics were set by Wei Dongliu, and he was also in charge of post-battle extraction. The Nether Ghost Path was only responsible for contributing manpower and funds, then regularly verifying the results of the battle. For domains not in the interests of the Nether Ghost Path, Sect Leader Fu Xie would not inquire too closely. Communicating like this among the attendees, they found that they had to wait for Wei Dongliu to come back; otherwise, everyone was totally clueless about the harvest thus far. How would that be acceptable? Wei Dongliu returned to the hall and couldn¡¯t bother to look at the Asura Path Ascendant¡¯s face, but simply strode back to the Alliance Leader¡¯s seat, then briefly reported on the progress of the war. Upon hearing that most of Guanzhong had fallen into the hands of the Six Paths and hearing the specific numbers of resources plundered, the various sects all showed delight. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Even if starting today a truce with Kunlun was established, the gains up to this point were no less than those from the previous siege of Penglai. By absorbing these benefits and then returning to incubate for a few hundred years, their sect¡¯s power was sure to meet a new surge of growth! ¡°In summary,¡± Wei Dongliu concluded, looking around at everyone, ¡°we must continue to expand the harvesting of benefits; this war must go on! Do you have any objections?¡± ¡°Not at all,¡± responded the Heavenly Demon Path, Nether Ghost Path, Eastern Emperor Path, and others in succession. As for the Asura Path¡¯s Ascendant, he naturally wouldn¡¯t speak up again to offend so many sects, just silently sneered without a word. Chapter 757 - Chapter 757: Chapter 91 Jiang the Witchs Sudden Brainwave Chapter 757: Chapter 91 Jiang the Witch¡¯s Sudden Brainwave Although the atmosphere on site was very heated due to the lure of benefits, as if they were about to attack Kunlun the next second, in reality, the Asura Path¡¯s Demon Kong Shangren didn¡¯t fall for this at all. He just sneered throughout, waiting to watch everyone¡¯s performance before returning to the Asura Path¨Cto continue waiting for the Nether Ghost Path to make an offer. It was nothing but sticking to the original plan in the face of myriad changes, relying on the unique position of Iron City Mountain, insisting on biting off a piece of flesh from the Six Paths Alliance. If it hadn¡¯t been for Wei Dongliu¡¯s incredible foresight and strategic planning¡­ they might have had to agree, after all, the overall situation is what matters, and they would have had to put up with the annoyance. Too bad for Asura Path, did you expect this? I¡¯m just waiting for you to come begging for help, pathetic and pitiable, hahaha! Wei Dongliu remained calm and composed, continuing to arrange the Guanzhong strategy. Based on the calculated timeline, by now, the decimated Kunlun surprise attack team should have returned to Kunlun, and Elder Yuan Shou should have already begun to forcefully clear things up. Though they were clearing things up, everyone wasn¡¯t a fool. The decline in prestige of the Zhao Family of Guyuan was inevitable, which conversely meant a significant increase in the influence of Qiu Changtian, enabling the strategy to mobilize a dual-front attack toward Iron City Mountain to pass. With Qiu Changtian¡¯s focus shifting to Iron City Mountain, Wei Dongliu naturally had to show his abilities on the Guanzhong front. What does ¡°two tigers cannot share one mountain¡± mean? This is what it means. Like the previous confrontation at White Bone Divine Palace, where Wei Qiu played both sides against each other, he certainly did not want to experience that again. After a few days, Wen Yang visited once more and was led by Jiang Lian into the inner hall. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.cO ¡°Alliance Leader Wei, Daoist Jiang,¡± she said gravely, ¡°our inside agent at Kunlun has been caught¡­ But before being captured, he managed to send back some interesting intelligence.¡± ¡°It is said that Kunlun is currently in internal conflict, with the current Sect Leader wanting to pass on the successor position to Changgeng True Person. However, the Zhao Family of Guyuan originally had their eyes set on the Sect Leader¡¯s successor, and so they have started to confront Changgeng True Person and his backing, the Xu Family.¡± ¡°The previous plan to raid Mount Beimang was actually proposed by the Zhao Family of Guyuan. The reason being that Changgeng True Person advocated for holding Guanzhong, so the Zhao Family did the opposite and asked for a surprise attack.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Wei Dongliu revealed an ¡°as expected, just as I thought¡± expression, ¡°Internal strife in Kunlun, how interesting.¡± Jiang Lian watched him from the side, noticing that her husband was not surprised at all, as if he had been confident this would happen. This made her wonder in her heart. Could it be that my husband also secretly set up an agent from the Mortal Life Path within Kunlun without telling me? Hmph! Usually, he dumps all internal affairs on me, and now that he¡¯s become the Six Paths Alliance Leader, he¡¯s suddenly gotten proactive in his undertakings! Wen Yang, however, was full of worry as she spoke: ¡°Alliance Leader Wei, with Changgeng True Person already advocating for holding Guanzhong, now that the Zhao Family of Guyuan¡¯s surprise attack has failed, Changgeng¡¯s influence within the sect will certainly increase¡­ Will Kunlun still send troops to Iron City Mountain?¡± Wei Dongliu smiled lightly and said nonchalantly: ¡°Changgeng True Person is not a man of outdated thinking. The reason he previously proposed holding Guanzhong was simply due to a lack of alternatives. The Zhao Family of Guyuan came up with a fanciful idea of a surprise attack, and you all saw the result.¡± ¡°But with Iron City Mountain¡¯s location being as it is, Changgeng True Person will not sit idly by. Defending Guanzhong is not just about being conservative, and attacking Iron City Mountain isn¡¯t about being rash. There was simply no other choice.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Wen Yang seemed thoughtful and then smiled, ¡°I feel that there¡¯s a sense of stratagem between you, Alliance Leader Wei, and Changgeng True Person, both combining the advantages of time, location, and various pieces of intelligence to predict each other¡¯s thinking and decisions.¡± ¡°Hmph,¡± Jiang Lian snorted and said, ¡°I think that Changgeng True Person, even before taking on the role of Kunlun¡¯s Sect Leader, is already being tripped up within Kunlun¡­ He is not as capable as my husband.¡± Having said this, she stealthily glanced at Wei Dongliu¡¯s expression. Wei Dongliu had no expression. Logically speaking, when a wife defends her husband in front of others, her husband should feel happy. But with such a flattering and trampling affair, especially when both sides were actually his own alternate accounts, Wei Dongliu found it quite hard to react and remained indifferent. This indifference, in Wen Yang¡¯s eyes, naturally became proof of the Great Alliance Leader Wei¡¯s composure amidst turbulence. But to Jiang the Witch, it seemed strangely eerie. She always had a subtle premonition that her husband Wei, the Demon Head, seemed to have the Changgeng True Person at his fingertips. The prior predictions about the Kunlun Sect, when thought through carefully and deeply, were actually predictions about the thoughts and decisions of Changgeng True Person. Could it be that her husband¡­ ¡­had planted a spy in the ranks of Changgeng True Person! Thinking it through, this seemed like the only possibility. Wen Yang bought a Calming Pill from Wei Dongliu and, after consuming it, left at ease¨Cshe needed to communicate Wei Dongliu¡¯s judgments to the Sect Leader Fu Xie and Honored White Bone, to adjust the next moves of the Nether Ghost Path. However, Jiang Lian quickly went to another back hall upon her departure and summoned her sister with a wave of her hand. ¡°I have a task for you,¡± she said in a drawn-out voice, ¡°I want all the information on Changgeng True Person from the Kunlun Taiqing Sect. Everything including his real name and surname, his family background, what type of person he is, his interpersonal relationships¨Cgather everything for me.¡± Days later, armed with the corresponding intelligence, Jiang the Witch began to study it meticulously. Changgeng True Person, originally named Qiu Changtian, had a background not as mysteriously untraceable as Wei Dongliu¡¯s but wasn¡¯t that remarkable either¨Chailing from a remote frontier stronghold known as Yunzhou beyond the Great Wall. Personality-wise, however, he was the exact opposite of Wei Dongliu: People said that before his Core Formation, even as the noble Direct Disciple of the Sect Leader, Qiu Changtian often led outer sect disciples on various missions and didn¡¯t take extra rewards, earning the nickname ¡°Generous and Righteous Chief Qiu.¡± In contrast, Wei the Lazy Dog, who needed his wife to worry about his disciples, made Jiang the Witch feel a sudden and inexplicable sense of disappointment. With his Daoist Heart Clarity, Qiu Changtian was chosen early on by the Xu Family of Southern Heaven, and before his Core Formation, he married the Phoenix Immortal, Xu Yinglian. Thinking of how Xu Yinglian¡¯s husband was shrewd and capable, and then considering her own husband, who never took charge of matters himself, Jiang the Witch felt increasingly discontented, and her impression of Xu Yinglian plummeted rapidly¨Cjealousy sprouted from her heart and soon became nourishment for the Great Unrestrained Heavenly Demon. In the end, although the Heavenly Demon enjoyed feeding on pursuit-driven emotions, they generally didn¡¯t spawn joy, anger, sorrow, or happiness themselves. Now, after being with Wei Dongliu for so long, Jiang Lian felt she was becoming more and more like a real person. Continuing to read the intelligence, Jiang Lian learned that although Changgeng True Person was sociable, he had no close friends or confidants. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Including his time as Chief Disciple, when he taught and took disciples on behalf of his master, he basically stopped teaching after his Core Formation. The only person who was always around him, even sharing his daily life, was his Daoist Companion, Xu Yinglian. Could it be that the traitor is¡­ no, no, no, what am I thinking! However, Xu Yinglian only possesses the Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart, which unlike Qiu Changtian¡¯s Daoist Heart Clarity, is almost not immune to the attack of the Heavenly Demon¡­ If I have my sister consume Xu Yinglian, wouldn¡¯t I be able to maintain surveillance on Qiu Changtian? Chapter 758 - Chapter 758: Chapter 92 Wei Bureau Chief Sharp Commentary on the Situation Chapter 758: Chapter 92 Wei Bureau Chief Sharp Commentary on the Situation Kunlun dispatched troops, pressuring Iron City Mountain! As myriad Sword Light set off from the Kunlun Heavenly Pillar, this news swiftly spread across every corner of Divine Land. Upon hearing this news, Jiang the Witch came to find Wei Dongliu, feigning curiosity as she asked, ¡°My lord, Changgeng True Person indeed did as you predicted, opting for a direct attack on Iron City Mountain¡­ How did you manage to guess that?¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t I told you before?¡± Wei Dongliu¡¯s heart instantly went on full alert, while he seriously said, ¡°Qiu Changtian may seem unpredictable and at odds with Kunlun¡¯s style, but in reality, he is fully assessing the situation, adopting strategies that he is compelled to take.¡± ¡°Military affairs concern life and death, survival and extinction. My lady, as the Deputy Sect Master of the Mortal Life Path, being entirely unaware of this won¡¯t do.¡± ¡°Oh my.¡± Jiang Lian immediately started acting coquettish, ¡°My lord has never taught me in detail, how could I possibly know? Why don¡¯t you tell me, if you were Changgeng True Person, what would you decide to do after Kunlun¡¯s troops moved towards the Iron City Mountain?¡± Wei Dongliu then began to contemplate. Predicting Qiu Changtian¡¯s decision? That¡¯s too easy, I could get it right one hundred percent, believe it or not? The problem is, even if I could predict with one hundred percent accuracy, wouldn¡¯t it arouse suspicion? On second thought, even if it raised suspicion, no one would ever guess ¡°I am the same person as Qiu Changtian¡±; at most they¡¯d suspect ¡°How is it that Wei Dongliu is unfailingly prescient? That¡¯s somewhat abnormal.¡± That¡¯s actually beneficial for me to continue maintaining my mysterious character setting. wuxiaworld.site Having thought this through, Wei Dongliu slowly said, ¡°My lady, let me ask you: why did Kunlun send troops to Iron City Mountain?¡± ¡°Because if they don¡¯t send troops to contain it, there¡¯s a risk of their connection to Guanzhong being severed,¡± Jiang Lian smoothly replied. Then she suddenly became a bit dumbfounded: How come I, the Great Unrestrained Heavenly Demon, am starting to learn the Human Race¡¯s art of war? Is this really necessary? ¡°Exactly,¡± Wei Dongliu said, leisurely, ¡°Since it¡¯s merely for containment, they certainly cannot launch a strong attack, to avoid excessive casualties.¡± ¡°Let me ask you again: since it is only for containment and they want to avoid casualties, what would Changgeng True Person choose to do?¡± Jiang Lian pondered briefly, then tentatively answered: ¡°A siege without an attack?¡± Wei Dongliu faintly smiled and said, ¡°If we only lay siege without attacking, how could we make the Asura Path believe that Kunlun intends to launch a strong attack? In that case, the deterrent effect would be completely lost.¡± ¡°This war is not a battle of strength, but a battle for the mind. Whichever side¡¯s sect cultivator¡¯s first lose their will to fight, and are forced to withdraw from the confrontation, that side will be deemed the loser.¡± A battle for the mind; when the topic of ¡°striking the heart¡± came up, Jiang the Witch immediately got excited. ¡°That is to say,¡± she began to try understanding the Human Race¡¯s military strategist¡¯s tactics, enthusiastically saying, ¡°My lord means that since both sides want to minimize losses, this war won¡¯t be a fierce battle, but it¡¯s likely to be a prolonged one. It¡¯s like a tug-of-war, where it seems whoever loses strength first will lose, but in reality, it¡¯s a matter of who lets go first.¡± ¡°` ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Wei Dongliu somehow felt an inexplicable unease¨CCould teaching her like this lead to trouble? Hey, it¡¯s my own wife, what could possibly go wrong? Could she even devour me? ¡°Husband, who do you think will lose their will to fight first in this war?¡± Jiang Lian asked with a smile, hugging Wei Dongliu¡¯s arm. Strangely enough, though she appeared slender and delicate, the physical contact was filled with a sense of fullness that almost overwhelmed Wei Dongliu. He quickly steadied his mind and calmly responded, ¡°Is that even a question? It¡¯s naturally our Six Paths.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Jiang Lian propped her chin with one hand and revealed a naive and innocent silly smile. ¡°Is it because the unity of the five sects is not strong enough?¡± ¡°Naturally,¡± Wei Dongliu nodded. ¡°An alliance bound by interests is doomed to dissolve over conflicting interests. This vulnerability is too fatal and cannot compare with the Kunlun Taiqing Sect.¡± ¡°But at present, isn¡¯t uniting to plunder Kunlun in everyone¡¯s interests?¡± Jiang Lian continued to ask. ¡°Of course not,¡± Wei Dongliu laughed. ¡°Even though it¡¯s about plundering Kunlun, the expected gains and acceptable losses differ among the sects.¡± ¡°If we were to estimate, the Nether Ghost Path would definitely be the most supportive of the war. They have intense interest demands and can tolerate higher casualties as well as time costs, so they would definitely advocate to keep fighting.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Jiang Lian nodded, thinking to herself how it¡¯s no wonder that little bitch keeps running here every two or three days. ¡°Next would probably be our Mortal Life Path,¡± Wei Dongliu continued his analysis. ¡°The actual benefits are secondary, but the title of Alliance Hierarch is too important for us. The Mortal Life Path has long been disorganized, with only the name of a large sect but unable to exert even half of its power, which almost everyone finds detrimental.¡± ¡°Now that I have managed to consolidate the sect, it is time to reshape it through the war. As long as we continue to win, it will bring a strong sense of pride and honor to our cultivators, which in turn will fuel their willingness to keep fighting.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Jiang Lian mused. ¡°For large sects like the Nether Ghost Path and the Heavenly Demon Path, the pride and honor of ¡®being a cultivator of a great sect¡¯ is natural and inherent, so they wouldn¡¯t value these titles too much.¡± ¡°But for the Mortal Life Path, we have been deprived of this honor of ¡®great sect cultivators¡¯ for too long. No wonder I find that most of our sect¡¯s cultivators seem mostly positive about this war, without much negativity or resentment.¡± ¡°Hmm, although that¡¯s mainly due to my leadership charm,¡± Wei Dongliu said unabashedly. ¡°Without proper guidance, the sense of sect honor couldn¡¯t be directly linked to cohesion¡­ Let¡¯s leave that aside for now, my dear. Do you know who is most likely to be the dragging force among the Six Paths right now?¡± ¡°It¡¯s naturally the Asura Path,¡± Jiang Lian said with a teasing smile. ¡°Their geographical location is less of a stepping stone for us to attack Kunlun and more like a thorn in the side, a nail in the eye that Kunlun must remove. The more firm Kunlun¡¯s stance becomes, the more the Asura Path will bear the brunt and suffer from it.¡± ¡°By contrast, the Eastern Emperor Path and the Heavenly Demon Path, being too far from the battlefield and less involved in interests, tend to sit on the fence¨Ceager to advance when the battle is going well; and if it comes to a stalemate, they would be the first to beat a retreat without hesitation.¡± ¡°Husband, is my analysis correct?¡± Jiang Lian asked, smiling sweetly as she came to the end of her question. ¡°Hmm, speaking of that, I also find it strange,¡± Wei Dongliu frowned slightly. ¡°The Heavenly Demon Path¡¯s attitude towards the war seems a bit too enthusiastic.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Though it¡¯s hard to say about the future, for now, they are contributing both manpower and effort¡­ It¡¯s indeed strange.¡± ¡°Hahaha,¡± Jiang Lian teased, ¡°Maybe they¡¯re also captivated by the charm of your personality, husband?¡± Qiu Changtian chuckled coldly, just about to speak, when suddenly, Wen Yang¡¯s crisp laughter could be heard from a distance outside, ¡°Wei Daoist Friend! Good news! The Asura Path can¡¯t hold on any longer, they¡¯ve come asking for help!¡± ¡°` Chapter 759 - Chapter 759: Chapter 93 Save the Asura Path Chapter 759: Chapter 93 Save the Asura Path ¡°If the Six Paths do not send troops soon, the Asura Path will no longer be able to hold on!¡± ¡°Although Kunlun doesn¡¯t dare to besiege Iron City Mountain, they have sent Changgeng True Person to suffocate us in battle. With a First Grade Golden Core, he has no rivals among his peers! Today he killed five, tomorrow he¡¯ll kill ten. If the Six Paths don¡¯t provide assistance, there will be no one left in the Asura Path! From then on, the Six Paths will become five!¡± Despite the rough appearance of the monk sent by the Demon Cult, his delivery of lines was surprisingly cadenced, filled with genuine emotion, moving the audience to a mix of strange expressions, all while wondering if the situation at Iron City Mountain had really deteriorated to such an extent. Only Wei Dongliu sat in the seat of honor, utterly unmoved by the monk¡¯s lament. Others might not know the situation at Iron City Mountain, but could he be unaware? Retreating ten thousand steps, even if the Asura Path suffered heavy losses, so what? Among the Six Paths, only the Nether Ghosts, Heavenly Demons, and Mortal Life Path Cultivators are capable of combat, the rest are just there to make up the numbers, with the Hell Path practically non-existent. Forget about the Six Paths becoming five, even if it became four or three, what difference would it make? If it weren¡¯t for the geographical advantage of Iron City Mountain and Yu Long Mountain (threatening the flanks of Kunlun and Shushan respectively), do you think you¡¯d be qualified to join the Six Paths? Of course, although this is what everyone probably thought, on the surface, they still shared a common enmity and indignantly said: ¡°Kunlun truly lacks the style of a great sect!¡± ¡°Surrounding without attacking, intentionally weakening Iron City Mountain¡¯s strength is utterly despicable!¡± ¡°Claiming to be the leader of the righteous path, yet committing such unjust actions, is simply laughable to the entire world!¡± wuxiaworld.site Talk as they might, when it came to actually assisting the Asura Path, not a soul was willing to mention it ¡ª just as when they had all eagerly agreed to fight, filled with righteous indignation, only the Demon Cult monk adamantly refused to budge on compensation. When it comes down to the interests of their sects, who isn¡¯t shrewd? Do they really expect someone to change their stance with just a few words? The monk cautiously forced a smile, sweat faintly visible on his forehead¡­ primarily because during the Six Paths conference, the Demon Cult monk had made grandiose statements, drawing too much animosity, to the point that now he could sense that although everyone seemed to be comforting him on the surface, they were actually reveling in the Asura Path¡¯s misfortune! ¡°That being said, where is the great Demon Cult master?¡± Wei Dongliu spoke faintly, ¡°Didn¡¯t the master say last time that if he didn¡¯t come in person, it wouldn¡¯t count as the Asura Path needing to ask for help?¡± ¡°This¡­¡± the monk said cautiously, ¡°The great Demon Cult master stated that the battle at Iron City Mountain is fierce, and he really couldn¡¯t leave, which is why he sent this humble monk to ask for help. Please forgive this indiscretion, Alliance Leader Wei¡­¡± ¡°Heh, heh, heh,¡± laughed Wei Dongliu coldly. ¡°Haha, haha,¡± the other Six Path cultivators also began to laugh mockingly. Embarrassment is indeed a supreme delight! It¡¯s just a shame that the bald Demon Cult monk isn¡¯t here; mocking from afar just doesn¡¯t feel quite the same. Now it all depends on what decision Great Alliance Leader Wei will make. If they decide to continue fighting, they definitely must save the Asura Path. But the Demon Cult monk only sent a messenger with a message, which is far too insincere. If they were to let it go just like that, everyone could rationally accept it, but emotionally, they felt as if something was missing. ¡°Given the circumstances, let us all head to Iron City Mountain to see if the great Demon Cult master is truly unable to leave,¡± Wei Dongliu declared, rising with a flick of his sleeves, his voice cold. ¡°Should this envoy be misrepresenting the truth and tarnishing the great Demon Cult master¡¯s reputation, that would be unacceptable.¡± ¡°Exactly, exactly,¡± said the other Sect cultivators upon hearing this, immediately nodding in agreement. So, you¡¯re going to Iron City Mountain to hear the great Demon Cult master beg in person, are you? The monk was taken aback when he heard this but then thought, if Alliance Leader Wei really brings the army for the rescue, doesn¡¯t that mean I¡¯ve accomplished my mission? As for the great Demon Cult master being humiliated¡­ that¡¯s not something this humble monk can prevent or change, right? ¡°Very good, then.¡± The monk chanted Amitabha and continued, ¡°I¡¯ll leave it to you all.¡± So the various Sects began to count their people and form teams to head to Iron City Mountain. Since it had already been decided to use Iron City Mountain as a springboard for their forces, everyone was quite prompt in their actions. Arriving in a grand manner near Iron City Mountain, they saw the Kunlun side with their flags fluttering and treasures shining up to the heavens, as if they had already set up a formidable array, just waiting for the Six Paths to fall into their trap. Seeing Kunlun deploying so many people, those from the Six Paths started feeling uneasy. Was Kunlun planning to go all out this time? This could be troublesome! If Kunlun really turned into a mad dog that bites anyone it sees, coupled with its thousand-year accumulation of depth and strength, it could inflict heavy damage on the Six Paths, even risking the total eradication of their teachings! ¡°Don¡¯t panic,¡± Wei Dongliu said calmly, noting the obvious desire to retreat among the crowd, ¡°It¡¯s just a bluff.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s march in boldly from the eastern side of Iron City Mountain. Let¡¯s see if Kunlun dares to block our way.¡± Having said that, Wei Dongliu didn¡¯t wait for a response and flew ahead. With the Sect Leader taking the initiative, the Mortal Life Path Cultivators naturally didn¡¯t dare fall behind and quickly followed close behind. Seeing the Mortal Life Path so valiant, the Nether Ghost and Heavenly Demon had no choice but to follow, purposely staying not far behind them in case they needed to flee should Kunlun turn hostile. The Eastern Emperor Path, on the other hand, was much more relaxed, dragging their feet at the rear, maintaining a distance from Mortal Life Path and the others. At this time, Qiu Changtian was still deep in battle in the desert to the north of Iron City Mountain, but Kunlun naturally had scouts placed in other directions as well. Seeing the Demon Cult¡¯s army spreading out under the sky and marching in with great fanfare, the scouting Cultivators immediately used Flying Sword Messaging to inform their Sect, and then hurriedly retreated back to their main formation. The people from the Six Paths continued advancing. As they got closer and closer to Iron City Mountain, Kunlun¡¯s interception forces still did not appear. Thus, the expressions on everyone¡¯s faces grew increasingly complex and hard to define: Could it be that Wei Dongliu was right in his prediction, that Kunlun¡¯s grand setup at Iron City Mountain was nothing but a feint? Was Kunlun still that cautious Sect that shied away from casualties and fought with hands tied? Thinking this, the Nether Ghost and Heavenly Demon quickly caught up, clinging tightly to the backs of the Mortal Life Path Cultivators, showing a stance of ¡®we are of the same branch, fighting together.¡¯ The Eastern Emperor Path also quickly closed the distance, ready to cheer for the Six Paths at any moment. Iron City Mountain, like drought-stricken earth relieved by rain, quickly sent out the monks to lead everyone into Iron City Mountain. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only In the main hall, the Reverend Master of the Void stood in the center, his expression shifting between light and dark. The surrounding Nascent Soul Elders remained calm, circling around him at a distance, intentionally clearing a round area of space. The returned messenger had already said that Alliance Leader Wei was willing to come to the Asura Path¡¯s aid, but he was quite dissatisfied with the previous attitude of the Reverend Master of the Void, and thus wanted to come over and ask if the Asura Path really intended to seek help? After some consideration, given that the Reverend Master of the Void had spoken harshly before and now had drawn the dissatisfaction of such an important ally, the high-ranking reverend masters of the Asura Path decided to ¡®sell¡¯ him out¡­ in other words, make him receive Great Alliance Leader Wei. The Reverend Master of the Void was fuming with anger, but although he was a Great Reverend Master, due to the decentralized power in the Asura Path, when the other reverend masters reached a consensus, there wasn¡¯t much he could do but grind his molars in silence, pondering how to behave so as to pacify the visitors while not losing too much face. Chapter 760 - Chapter 760: Chapter 94 Everyone has left, still plotting here Chapter 760: Chapter 94 Everyone has left, still plotting here Iron City Mountain, Asura Path, Sect Main Hall. Countless shiny bald heads dazzled Wei Dongliu until he felt a hint of dizziness¡­ Why did these foreign monks like to smear oil on their foreheads? According to the Asura Path¡¯s explanation, applying oil was a kind of ancient ceremonial practice inherited from the past, symbolizing the highest respect for guests. It seemed that although these foreign monks and Central Earth Buddhism were from the same origin, they had evolved into completely different cultural species. Sitting at the head of the main hall was not the leader of the Demon Cult, Wei Dongliu, but the King of Asura Path. This ¡°living Buddha¡± of the Asura Path was a person of high rank and realm, on par with Blood Sea Ancestor and Honored White Bone, akin to the Sect Guardian Immortal of the Asura Path. It appeared that the disturbance caused by Changgeng True Person from the Kunlun Taiqing Sect against the Sarira Monks of the sect had alarmed even the Sect Guardian Immortal ¡ª but since Kunlun had openly provoked them, the Asura Path had no choice but to unwillingly invite cultivators from the Six Paths to assist. It probably also knew that the Mysterious Immortal had seriously offended Alliance Leader Wei before, thus King Ashoka personally received Wei Dongliu, exchanged pleasantries with him with a smile, and then called over the Mysterious Immortal to give him a harsh scolding. As a living Buddha, the value of King Ashoka¡¯s personal favor did not need elaboration, so Wei Dongliu generously indicated that he did not take the matter to heart at all and that the Asura Path was an inseparable part of the Six Paths Alliance. Soon, both sides were pleased with each other, and then they started discussing strategies against Kunlun outside. The strength of Changgeng True Person¡¯s combat force had been kept a secret temporarily due to the protective policies of the Ziwei Master, but after the battle at Iron City Mountain, it had become known to the world. First Grade Golden Core, with maximum True Yuan strength and stamina; Tianyuan Yiqi Sword, a simple and brute force approach; Five Thunder True Law, which countered most devious demonic techniques. wuxiaworld.site The combination of these three elements created an invincible iron triangle, which had almost no flaws at the same level. The only solution seemed to be deploying Nascent Soul Cultivators to crush the advantage of ¡°First Grade Golden Core,¡± causing the iron triangle to collapse and hence possibly defeating Changgeng True Person. But now, with the Kunlun Main Formation nearby, even if a Nascent Soul Elder were deployed for assassination, the chances of success were minuscule unless King Ashoka took action¡­ ¡°I intend to take matters into my own hands and devise a plan to kill Changgeng True Person,¡± King Ashoka said with a joking tone but secretly transmitted his voice to Wei Dongliu, asking privately. Damn it, can you, as a living Buddha, have some martial integrity? For a moment, Wei Dongliu was almost rendered speechless, but he managed to maintain his facial expression without revealing too much. But as a Sect Guardian Immortal, King Ashoka naturally noticed his reaction and continued to voice transmit privately, explaining: ¡°It¡¯s not about the dignity of our sect, but rather, given how frightening this person¡¯s Golden Core strength is. If he is allowed to successfully form his Nascent Infant in the future, it may pose a significant threat to our Six Paths.¡± Wei Dongliu carefully chose his words before responding cautiously, ¡°Kunlun might have anticipated this situation, with Chi Song Immortal lurking nearby¡­ This junior dares to speak rashly: it won¡¯t be easy to kill Changgeng True Person.¡± ¡°Chi Song Immortal, I fear not,¡± King Ashoka scoffed. ¡°Just lure that Changgeng True Person within thirty paces of the perimeter of Iron City Mountain, and I shall activate the Fourfold Truths Wheel Formation.¡± ¡°Within this formation, the Yin Yang Universe is turned upside down, even the Sleeve Universe Great Method of Chi Song¡­ Chi Song Immortal will be powerless as well.¡± Perhaps finding the term ¡°Chi Song Immortal¡± to his liking, King Ashoka seemed quite pleased with Wei Dongliu. A young cultivator who didn¡¯t fear the majesty of an immortal and dared to directly call one an old thief was indeed a rarity these days. ¡°At that time, all of you can swarm in. Even if Changgeng True Person is a First Grade Golden Core, can he still withstand so many Golden Core True Persons?¡± Wei Dongliu kept silent, a slight smile in his thoughts. I thought this one would come up with some profound strategy, but it turns out he just wants to pass the buck. If King Ashoka truly intended to assassinate Qiu Changtian, why would he bother to discuss the matter with a junior like Wei Dongliu? However, even deploying such underhanded tactics to achieve his goal, he would have to face the relentless targeting and pursuit of the Chi Song Immortal from Kunlun. Therefore, King Ashoka did not wish the Asura Path to shoulder the blame alone but instead sought to drag all the Six Paths down with it. Once the great formation commenced, isolating the inside from the outside, and hordes of cultivators from the Six Paths were put inside, they could join forces to surround and kill Qiu Changtian. Would Chi Song Immortal be able to figure out who the murderer was? And whom would he seek revenge upon? Unfortunately for him, although the plan had some viability, taking advantage of the fact that Kunlun was unaware of the specifics of the Fourfold Truths Wheel Formation, Qiu Changtian had already fled to Guanzhong and was nowhere near Iron City Mountain, rendering your scheme fruitless! Thinking this, Wei Dongliu readily agreed: ¡°If that¡¯s the case, if we can kill Changgeng True Person and remove this thorn in our side, then of course the Six Paths will not hold back¡­ but I still need to discuss this matter with the ancestor.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± laughed King Ashoka immediately. In his view, whether it was the Blood Sea Ancestor, Honored White Bone, or the carefree grandmaster, none had any reason to refuse this plan. If targeting a single sect could invite targeted retaliation from the old thief Chi Song, what could he do against the united front of the Six Paths? If Kunlun could have uprooted the Six Paths, they would have done so long ago. As for the reckless act of revenge, such strikes against the enormous entity that was the Six Paths Alliance would mean nothing unless Kunlun no longer wished to hold the title of leader among the Orthodox Sects. Instead, they would have to bite the bullet and seek retribution later. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- Not long after, the atmosphere in the Treasure Hall turned increasingly fervent, with everyone eagerly requesting to deploy forces to meet Changgeng True Person¡¯s might. King Ashoka watched his allies with a content smile, thinking that once the Blood Sea Ancestor nodded his approval, it would only be necessary to use a few Mortal Life Path cultivators to lure Changgeng True Person close to Iron City Mountain during the magical competition. However, since the matter required the involvement of all Six Paths, Wei Dongliu would still need to summon the upper echelon of the Six Paths, explain the situation, and secretly select a group of trusted followers to rush into the Fourfold Truths Wheel Formation and ambush Changgeng True Person when the time came. If the plan were to leak and Kunlun got wind of it in advance, it would fail; hence, it would be best left until the very end. Announce the plan first, then immediately select your troops and charge in ¨C a swift decisive strike to cut through the chaos¡­ While King Ashoka was lost in his fantasy, suddenly the Flag Bearer came to report: The Taiqing Sect¡¯s Qiong Ying True Person from Kunlun is here to issue a challenge! Qiong Ying True Person, Second Grade Golden Core, although not as powerful as Changgeng True Person, would certainly make the hit list of the Six Paths Alliance. But this tactic could only be used once; if it were wasted on Qiong Ying True Person, how would they deal with Changgeng True Person afterward? Considering this, King Ashoka decided not to employ this move and signaled to Wei Dongliu with his eyes. Wei Dongliu immediately understood and stood up to say: Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Changgeng True Person really has got nerve! Thinking that the Six Paths have no one capable, and now even letting a woman issue a challenge? Let me test her strength!¡± At once, a Nascent Soul Elder from the Mortal Life Path burst into laughter and quipped a lewd joke: ¡°After witnessing the might of Alliance Leader Wei, that phoenix of the Xu Family might just consider divorcing Changgeng True Person!¡± Wei Dongliu¡¯s face darkened upon hearing this¨Cwhat is this, cuckolding myself? Shut your mouth! Seeing the unwelcoming look in Sect Master Wei¡¯s eyes, the elder took it as fear of his wife¡¯s Lion¡¯s Roar Skill and quickly shut up. Chapter 761 - Chapter 761: Chapter 95 Demon Head Wei Battles Phoenix Immortal Chapter 761: Chapter 95 Demon Head Wei Battles Phoenix Immortal ¡°` Xu Yinglian, dressed in white, stood atop her flying sword, looking like a lotus rising from the water from afar, and like a celestial maiden descending to the mortal realm up close, ethereal and holy, commanding presence without anger. In fact, her strength was indeed significantly superior to other cultivators of the Golden Core True Person rank. Before Wei Dongliu and the others arrived, she had already fought alongside Qiu Changtian for several days, her mastery of the Fire System Daoist Magic was unparalleled, in no way inferior to Qiu Changtian¡¯s Five Thunder True Law. For Kunlun, aside from the First Grade Golden Core Changgeng True Person, having such a formidable cultivator like the Phoenix Immortal was undoubtedly an enormous boost to morale. But for the Six Paths, it was naturally not such a good thing. Qiu Changtian had already left Iron City Mountain, heading towards the Qinling Mountains in Guanzhong. Xu Yinglian, fighting alone on the first day and fueled by a competitive desire to prove herself, had her fighting spirit ignited to two hundred percent. I must win the upcoming battle! Suddenly, dark clouds surged over the distant Iron City Mountain. Wei Dongliu, with his flaming red hair and dual-pupiled eyes, descending from the sky over the barren lands in black garb, scoffed and said, ¡°How come it¡¯s the Phoenix Immortal standing here? Where did Qiu Changtian go?¡± ¡°How come it¡¯s you,¡± ¡°Phoenix Immortal,¡± ¡°Qiu Changtian,¡± these three critical points in one sentence instantly loaded Xu Yinglian with tons of animosity to the point that she couldn¡¯t be bothered to say a single introductory phrase and simply pinched her spells with both hands, her vermillion lips parted slightly, and she spewed out intense, widespread flames. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site Great Bright Fire! Since the beginning of her cultivation journey, Xu Yinglian had diligently practiced Daoist Magic, with her core moves almost entirely fire-related, which had now come to form a complete combat system akin to the Five Thunder True Law. Great Bright Fire, spewing an endless stream of flames, transformed the surroundings into a high-temperature, blazing sea of fire. Crimson Feather Nine Phoenix Fire compressed the Fire System True Essence into a highly heated, exceedingly fine golden thread that, nearly invisible to the naked eye, could easily pierce through mountains and rocks, cleaving them as a blade slices through bamboo. Fire Escape Nine Methods, which could move through the flames soundlessly and instantaneously, worked wonderfully in conjunction with the Great Bright Fire. Nine Bushels Thunder Fire, fusing metal with fire and encasing fire with metal, a rare Daoist magic that holds both attributes, had the devastating power to melt mountains and boil seas. To summarize, it was ¡°wide-ranging incineration,¡± ¡°armour-piercing cutting,¡± ¡°instantaneous teleportation,¡± and ¡°continuous explosion,¡± each harmonizing exceptionally well with the others, easily forming chained attacks. A set of chained attacks would even make Qiu Changtian wary of taking them head-on, let alone Wei Dongliu, who was ¡°without the Five Thunder True Law.¡± Therefore, he did not dare to be reckless and promptly summoned the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword, rapidly deploying the Sword Array. Evil clouds layered upon one another, and an eerie atmosphere filled the air, the boundless aura of slaughter within it collided with the Great Bright Fire, akin to oil poured onto a raging fire, sparking an intense confrontation. Great Bright Fire indeed had the power to vanquish evil and cure afflictions, but even if one¡¯s technique was higher by a foot, it could not surpass the devil¡¯s by a yard. The superior rank of the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword was evident; its refined aura of slaying spread out and immediately suppressed the spreading sea of Bright Flame. Xu Yinglian slightly furrowed her brow, as the enemy Wei Dongliu almost instantly discerned her tactical weakness: Whether it was the Fire Escape Nine Methods, Crimson Feather Nine Phoenix Fire, or the Nine Bushels Thunder Fire Technique, each one on its own was an extremely powerful spell, but to perfectly integrate them, one had to rely on the Great Bright Fire. Fire Escape Nine Methods required the vast scope of the Great Bright Fire for its teleportation; the Crimson Feather Nine Phoenix Fire was too fine and easily avoided, so it needed the glow of the Great Bright Fire for concealment. Even the Nine Bushels Thunder Fire Technique could use the Great Bright Fire for an increase in power¡­ But Demon Head Wei, with the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword, had restrained the key pivot that was the Great Bright Fire, blocking many subsequent moves. ¡°Be careful,¡± Feng Lan in the Sea of Consciousness warned, ¡°The combat strength of this man is not on the same level as those enemies you¡¯ve faced before in your magical competition!¡± ¡°` ¡°I naturally know!¡± Xu Yinglian said with annoyance, rapidly activating the Fire Escape Nine Methods to instantly move behind Wei Dongliu, and then spat out an extremely thin, extremely bright golden thread. Crimson Feather Nine Phoenix Fire! Wei Dongliu did not turn around, but behind him, a thick black cloud suddenly rose like a shield, meeting the attack head on. Dark Demonic Foulness Technique! As the golden thread swept into the black cloud, it instantly burst into brilliant light, ferocious like a meteor falling from the sky, dazzling like the blazing sun, devouring the surrounding black cloud entirely. More black clouds kept coming, devoured by the golden thread without a trace. More black clouds kept coming¡­ Although the power of the Crimson Feather Nine Phoenix Fire was fierce, it could not withstand the overwhelming Demonic Qi of Wei Dongliu, which completely exhausted its True Yuan. Xu Yinglian immediately broke out in a cold sweat, realizing that her opponent¡¯s True Yuan was as majestic as her elder brother disciple Qiu Changtian¡¯s! But so what? Her fighting spirit rose again. The True Yuan throughout her body surged, scattering the Nine Bushels Thunder Fire wildly into the sky. You think you¡¯re full of Demonic Qi? I want to see how much Demonic Qi you still have! Xu Yinglian used a squeezing tactic, with Nine Bushels Thunder Fire covering the sky and the earth, blasting away the remaining traces of Wei Dongliu¡¯s Demonic Qi without leaving a single drop. Suddenly, a golden light, taking advantage of the cover of the dazzling firelight, struck directly at Xu Yinglian¡¯s face. It was actually that Hundred Poison Golden Silkworm Gu! In the nick of time, Xu Yinglian already had her sword in hand. With the Feather Jia Sword¡¯s cold light flashing, she slashed the Hundred Poison Golden Silkworm Gu away. The Hundred Poison Golden Silkworm Gu was impervious to knives and spears, unaffected by water and fire. Taking a direct hit from the Immortal Sword, it was not damaged at all; instead, its ferocity intensified, and the buzzing of its wings from behind became louder as it changed angles to attack again. Xu Yinglian flicked her sleeve with one hand, shooting out a ball of flame from within. It was Nine Bushels Thunder Fire compressed with the technique of the Crimson Feather Nine Phoenix Fire. The moment it struck the Hundred Poison Golden Silkworm Gu, it exploded, blasting the insect¡¯s body directly away. Before the golden silkworm gu could stabilize its form, another bolt of thunder fire struck, hitting the insect¡¯s trajectory precisely once more! A few shots of the Nine Bushels Thunder Fire, like an unerring series of chained arrows, chased the soul directly, blasting the Hundred Poison Golden Silkworm Gu out of the sea of fire. At last, the creature managed to stabilize and flew back to Wei Dongliu¡¯s side, emitting a pitiful buzzing sound. Wei Dongliu comforted the little insect for a moment, knowing that even though the Hundred Poison Golden Silkworm Gu was fierce, it was ultimately too few in number. On top of that, his wife had been honed by him for so long; these little tricks were not going to trouble her. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only So, he let his sleeves fall and spat out the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword from within, taking up a stance that indicated he was ready to teach a lesson in swordsmanship. This Demon Head had many sinister tricks up his sleeve, and his True Yuan was abnormally powerful. If he were to fight without regard, I might not be able to respond perfectly to everything. But if it¡¯s just a simple contest of Sword Control Technique, even that dog-like elder brother of mine who loves to bully others, would not be able to gain the slightest advantage over me! Xu Yinglian held the sword technique in her hand, and the Feather Jia Sword traced a fiercely aggressive path, stabbing directly towards the center of Wei Dongliu¡¯s brow. This was her answer! Chapter 762 - Chapter 762: Chapter 96 Still Let His Wife Win on Purpose Chapter 762: Chapter 96 Still Let His Wife Win on Purpose The flames shot up to the sky, and a gloomy wind swept across the land, filled with an aura of slaughter that spilled out in all directions, the clashing sounds of metal upon metal ringing incessantly in one¡¯s ears. The cultivators of the Kunlun Main Formation watched the distant magical competition with tense expressions. If Changgeng True Person were to compete in magic with that Demon Lord, everyone would naturally not be so anxious¨Cin fact, Changgeng True Person might not even give everyone time to get nervous, possibly executing that Wei Demon Head on the spot. However, since Qiong Ying True Person had been fighting the opposing Demon Head for so long without showing any signs of gaining the upper hand, let alone killing their foe, how could the Kunlun cultivators not worry? Although the cultivators below could only watch the excitement, the high-ranking elders of the Kunlun Taiqing Sect could certainly discern the intricacies of the battle. Xu Yinglian¡¯s performance had no issues; even if she lacked ninety percent of Qiu Changtian¡¯s strength, she had at least eighty percent¨CThe main reason the battle was at a stalemate was that the opposing Wei Demon Head was truly formidable. There were roughly three reasons for his fearsomeness: First was the incredibly pure demonic qi that enveloped him, which was almost the bane of all cultivators. In pursuit of power, the cultivation techniques of the Six Paths often prefer to add impurities to True Yuan, using it to empower attacks on the enemy. Because of the inertia, strong contamination, and difficulty in eradicating impurities, if they entered an enemy¡¯s body, they could have an effect similar to a fierce poison¡­ Of course, this kind of impurity is often a double-edged sword; if the proportion is too high, it becomes difficult to control and could even harm the user. But for some reason, the impenetrable impurities within that Wei Demon Head were not one percent, five percent, or ten percent, but one hundred percent, so intense that it completely transcended the category of impurities and became demonic qi. The purity level of this demonic qi was simply comparable to the ¡°Immortal True Qi¡± cultivated from the ¡°Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra.¡± If Xu Yinglian came into contact with even a little, her meridians would be immediately eroded, even impacting the performance of her body¡¯s majority of cultivation. wuxiaworld.site As a result, she had to be extra vigilant, focusing more on using fire system Daoist magic for suppression. This inevitably tied up much of her energy, preventing her from attacking fully. Second was his use of the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword. One of the Four Swords of the Intercepting Cult, its rank and power need not be mentioned. Xu Yinglian countered with the Feather Jia Sword, soon focusing on defense¨Cif she truly went all out, the intrinsic strength of the Feather Jia Sword may not be able to hold up. Wei Dongliu even had the leisure to activate the Myriad Aspects Ultimate Immortal Sword Formation, forcing Xu Yinglian to counter with Great Bright Fire, thus depleting her True Yuan. Third, naturally, were the Hundred Poison Gold Silkworm Gu. This vicious insect was impervious to knives and guns, unaffected by water or fire. Although there were only three, when Wei Dongliu used his inscrutable methods to unleash them, they often struck from unexpected angles, causing Xu Yinglian to break into a cold sweat. ¡°Qiong Ying is not a match for that Demon Head,¡± the Ziwei Master quickly concluded, ¡°If the Myriad Aspects Ultimate Immortal Sword Formation is fully activated, the power of Great Bright Fire is definitely insufficient to keep it at bay.¡± ¡°Is the Sect Leader suggesting that Wei Demon Head is going easy?¡± A Kunlun elder asked gravely. Without a word, the Ziwei Master looked at the other party and coughed before saying: ¡°Previously, Changgeng spared but did not kill the Asura Path cultivators, so now they are returning the favor.¡± The surrounding Kunlun elders were silent for a moment, then showed uncomfortable expressions as if they were insulted. Sparing but not killing does not necessarily stem from goodwill; it is more often an action taken when holding the advantage to prevent further provoking the enemy or even causing them to become desperate. But if one is at a disadvantage, naturally, nothing else matters, and they must seek victory by any means necessary. In other words, this Wei Demon Head from the Mortal Life Path is now considering the Demonic Path to have the upper hand, so he¡¯s starting to insult us Kunlun? ¡°Let Qiong Ying True Person come back,¡± the Ziwei Master ordered swiftly. ¡°Should we also call back Changgeng?¡± asked a Kunlun elder in a deep voice. ¡°The crux of this battle lies in Guanzhong. Although victory or defeat here is important, it¡¯s not enough to affect the overall situation,¡± the Ziwei Sect Leader replied, ¡°Let Changgeng focus on managing Guanzhong and prioritize reclaiming lost territory.¡± Soon, Xu Yinglian returned to the Kunlun Main Formation, fuming with anger, and petitioned the Ziwei Sect Leader for battle, saying, ¡°Master! Although Demon Head Wei is highly skilled in demonic techniques, I am not without the strength to fight! To retreat in the heat of battle, isn¡¯t this inviting the world to underestimate Kunlun?¡± ¡°So what?¡± the Ziwei Sect Leader asked indifferently. ¡°The main aim of this battle is to contain Iron City Mountain. As long as we can keep the Demonic Path from deploying troops from here, what does it matter if we lose some petty magical competitions?¡± Xu Yinglian bit her lip and said nothing, only managing to take her leave. Indeed, the outcome of her contest with Wei Dongliu held no real significance for either Kunlun or the Demon Cult. But for her, with her senior brother having just left for Guanzhong, the winning streak of Kunlun was broken on her watch, and how could Xu Yinglian rest easy with that? ¡°Senior Feng Lan.¡± Xu Yinglian returned to her dwelling, sat in silence all night, and finally spoke slowly, ¡°I am still too weak.¡± Inside her Sea of Consciousness, Feng Lan: ¡­¡­¡­ Don¡¯t be like that, Ying Lian! If you¡¯re still considered weak with your current strength, then all the other Golden Core True Persons and Transformation Cultivators might as well commit suicide, okay? But what kind of monsters are these on the Human Race side? Not to mention Qiu Changtian whose strength far exceeds the Golden Core Realm, now there¡¯s also a Wei Dongliu popping up? No wonder the ancient Demon Race was driven to the Eastern Emperor Realm by humans. With such a plethora of monsters among the Human Race, how could they possibly be defeated? ¡°Cough, actually, what you lack now is not secret techniques,¡± Feng Lan seriously analyzed. ¡°It¡¯s the strength of your True Yuan.¡± ¡°Look, Wei Dongliu, with his Myriad Aspects Ultimate Immortal Sword Formation, suppressed your Great Bright Fire, but if it were your husband¡¯s Five Thunder True Law, he might not be so easily overpowered. This is a difference in the quality of True Yuan.¡± ¡°If you seek vengeance against that demon head, what you need to do isn¡¯t to learn more secret techniques, but to strive to improve your Cultivation Realm.¡± ¡°I see,¡± realized Xu Yinglian. ¡°If I could advance to the Obscure Weave Rank ahead of schedule, overtaking senior brother by a Realm, even if there¡¯s still a gap in the Golden Core Rank, I would be able to suppress senior brother with ease.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Feng Lan pondered for a long while and couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°But is it not Wei Dongliu whom you wish to defeat?¡± ¡°How could Wei Dongliu be compared to my senior brother?¡± Xu Yinglian replied dismissively. ¡°As long as I can defeat senior brother, that mere demon head is not worth worrying about.¡± Clearly, whether at the beginning or now, whether as a young girl or as a married woman, Xu Yinglian¡¯s goal has always been singular. Even if she was once defeated by Ling Yunpo, by Wei Dongliu, and so on, none of these could make her change her goal. Elsewhere, Wei Dongliu, who was unaware that he had caused trouble for Qiu Changtian¡¯s alias, calmly returned to the Treasure Hall of the Iron City Mountain Asura Path¡¯s Sect as the victor. ¡°Wei young friend,¡± King Ajatasatru asked with a smiling face, ¡°You fought well. But with your formidable strength, why didn¡¯t you directly execute that Phoenix Immortal on the spot?¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Wei Dongliu replied with a light smile, ¡°Changgeng True Person does not kill the disciples of your sect even in defeat, so how could I disgrace the Six Paths?¡± ¡°If you could eliminate the Second Grade Golden Core Phoenix Immortal, removing such a thorn in the side for the Six Paths Sects, what¡¯s the harm in losing a little face?¡± King Ajatasatru asked, unconvinced. ¡°If senior you could make a move, blocking all the Kunlun Elders in the Main Formation, even that old thief Chi Song, preventing them from coming to the rescue, I would naturally slay the Phoenix Immortal,¡± Wei Dongliu answered composedly. Upon hearing this, King Ajatasatru laughed and decided to drop the subject. Chapter 763 - Chapter 763: Chapter 1: The Execution of Senior Sister An Chapter 763: Chapter 1: The Execution of Senior Sister An The war between Kunlun and the Six Paths had entered a phase of strategic stalemate. Near Iron City Mountain, Nascent Soul Elders clashed daily in magical competition. Despite the fierce battles, actual deaths were rare. The Qinling region, though less conspicuous, became a hidden grinding machine. Many cultivator teams encountered each other unexpectedly in close combat, followed by merciless slaughter¨Cthe outcome often being the extinction of one side. Both factions were losing manpower in the Guanzhong Area without gaining resources, a truly relentless internal struggle. Soon, a divergence of opinions arose among the Six Paths. The Asura Path and those from Iron City Mountain believed continuing the fight was futile as their own were dying off, while losing resource points in the Qinling region¨Cwhat was the point of fighting on? The Nether Ghost Path naturally disagreed, holding the resource points in their grip and proclaiming that if they held out for another half a year, the rewards could be several times greater. So, the issue fell to the Mortal Life Path and the Heavenly Demon Path¨Cshould both factions support a cessation of hostilities, the Nether Ghost Path alone could not sustain the fight. ¡°Husband,¡± whispered Jiang Lian with a coquettish smile, embracing his arm, ¡°do you think this war should continue?¡± Wei Dongliu pondered for a moment, thinking that he, as the Six Paths Alliance Leader, had established a modicum of prestige and led everyone to many benefits¨Cit was probably time to stop. Otherwise, once the return on investment continued to decline and the casualties further increased, wouldn¡¯t it be his turn to take the blame? wuxiaworld.site As he deliberated, he suddenly heard Jiang Lian laugh and say: ¡°I also think we should stop fighting. Otherwise, once Shushan frees up and assists Kunlun, the subsequent battle situation will definitely worsen.¡± ¡°Although the Nether Ghost Path still wants to persist, it¡¯s really just out of greed. Wen Yang spoke with me recently, saying that the Fu Xie sect leader was actually prepared to stop, but the opposition from the elders below was intense.¡± ¡°If you, as the alliance hierarch, were to speak up, they would likely listen, right?¡± So to the elders of the Nether Ghost Path, their own sect leader¡¯s analysis of the situation wasn¡¯t as credible as the judgement of me, the Six Paths Alliance Leader? Wei Dongliu smiled slightly in self-satisfaction and casually said: ¡°What¡¯s going on with Shushan? They haven¡¯t come to assist Kunlun for so long; I thought they were scared witless by our united Six Paths.¡± ¡°Oh, nothing too significant,¡± Jiang Lian replied with a sneer, ¡°Just that Long Eyebrow Immortal has gone mad, deciding to execute the only Second Grade Golden Core True Person in their sect.¡± ¡°Is that so, that¡¯s truly like cutting their own lifeline¡­¡± Wei Dongliu unconsciously echoed, then. Hm? Hm!!!!!!!! ¡°Which Second Grade Golden Core True Person?¡± His face remained unchanged, but his heart was already in turmoil. ¡°Jiao Xiao, I believe that¡¯s the name,¡± laughed Jiang Lian derisively, ¡°The struggle for Daoist orthodoxy is so fierce that even a Second Grade Golden Core True Person is not spared. The Shushan Shangqing Faction is becoming less and less capable.¡± Wei Dongliu: ¡­¡­ Don¡¯t panic, this information might not be true. Senior Sister An is a Second Grade Golden Core! Even if Long Eyebrow old thief is that paranoid, foolish, ignorant, and beastly, how could he execute a Second Grade Golden Core Sword Immortal over some trumped-up charge? It must be a miscommunication. After all, this world doesn¡¯t have mobile networks. Information is passed either through Flying Sword Messaging or word of mouth, and it¡¯s normal for details to be exaggerated or distorted in the process. Reload the save! Reload reload reload reload reload, Ah Jing, send me to Shushan immediately! After finding an excuse to part from Madam Jiang, a deeply concerned Wei Dongliu urged the Kunlun Mirror to reload the save and hurry to Shushan to confirm the situation. [Location Two: Shushan Shangqing Faction, Qingluo Peak.] [Character Identity: Ling Yunpo.] [Mirror Flower Water Moon Template overlaying, time-space travel in progress.] Back at Shushan, Ling Yunpo quickly summoned Sword Light and charged ferociously toward Emei Golden Summit. Ever since returning from the Golden Que Secret Realm last time, Senior Sister An had been taken away by the Disciplinary Hall for interrogation, and there¡¯s been no news for so long. Could something really have happened? There is a saying, ¡°Concern leads to chaos.¡± Ling Yunpo subconsciously neglected the fact that not much time had passed on the Shushan line and only felt this way because he had reloaded his save too many times. He hastily made his way to the Emei Golden Summit to seek an audience with the Jade Capital Sect Leader of Shushan. Soon, he received a reply: The Jade Capital Sect Leader was in the Ancestral Master Hall and summoned Qing Heng True Person to come in. Ling Yunpo stepped into the Ancestral Master Hall, feeling the serenity of the surroundings, but the atmosphere seemed somewhat ominous. Wait, could it be that Shushan has already decided to make a move against me at this time? Don¡¯t tell me that once I walk further inside, five hundred axemen will suddenly rush out from the surroundings and chop me into a pulp! Ah Jing! Scan! ¡°Don¡¯t be silly!¡± Kunlun Mirror said, half crying and half laughing, ¡°You are just a Golden Core True Person now. If Shushan really wanted to kill you, couldn¡¯t they just send a Nascent Soul Elder to take your dog¡¯s head? And five hundred axemen¨Cwhy not just say five hundred immortals lying in ambush for you?¡± ¡°There is some truth to what you¡¯re saying, but one can¡¯t be too careful, understand?¡± Ling Yunpo argued with her, ¡°Just scan for me, that¡¯s all.¡± Kunlun Mirror thought to herself that this guy had turned into a scaredy-cat because of Senior Sister An¡¯s situation¡­ Oh well, just go along with his wishes. ¡°Nothing.¡± After scanning for a moment, she replied, ¡°There are no ambushing axemen, and it feels so peaceful.¡± ¡°Shut up! Don¡¯t say the last half of the sentence!¡± Ling Yunpo became even more uneasy and didn¡¯t even want to continue walking in, just pacing back and forth inside the Ancestral Master Hall. Fortunately, before he hesitated for too long, probably because he hadn¡¯t come any further, the Jade Capital Sect Leader came out from inside and asked with a frown: ¡°Qing Heng, why do you seek an audience with the Sect Leader?¡± ¡°Sect Leader!¡± Ling Yunpo immediately brimmed with tears, acting indignant and unconquered, and earnestly asked, ¡°What fault has my Senior Sister committed?¡± ¡°If the Sect must pursue matters of fault, please do not target Senior Sister An; just come at me! Senior Sister is a Second Grade Golden Core and represents the future hope of the Sect. How can she be kept detained for so long without causing people to laugh at us?¡± Emphasis on tone: Second Grade Golden Core. ¡°Enough!¡± The Jade Capital Sect Leader also felt a headache listening to Qing Heng True Person spouting all this nonsense, and was exasperated, ¡°Your Senior Sister is merely undergoing questioning at the Disciplinary Hall, what do you mean the Sect is targeting her?¡± ¡°Besides, Shushan has its own rules! Even if we were to pursue faults, where is there any reason for you, her Junior Brother, to take her place?¡± ¡°You say such things here, I will not quarrel with you. But if you spread rumors in public, I¡¯ll have to punish you for the crime of defaming the Sect!¡± Ling Yunpo finally breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this, but his face still showed hesitation, and he continued to ask: ¡°Is my Senior Sister really alright? She won¡¯t be executed for any charges, will she?¡± ¡°What nonsense are you spouting?¡± The Jade Capital Sect Leader looked at him with a strange expression, ¡°Who told you that your Senior Sister was going to be executed?¡± ¡°Besides, whether your Senior Sister has wantonly killed fellow disciples or not, don¡¯t you know the truth in your heart? Or do you think the elders of the Sect are all people who cannot differentiate right from wrong and do not understand consequences?¡± Right and wrong, that is to say, An Zhisu had not killed fellow disciples at will, and there was the testimony of Jiao Xiao True Person; consequences refer to the fact that as An Zhisu was a Second Grade Golden Core, Shushan would surely prioritize her protection. Though the Jade Capital Sect Leader did not state it explicitly, his meaning was quite clear. ¡°Qing Heng dares not.¡± Ling Yunpo¡¯s heart finally settled, and he once again made his bows before departing. Seeing Ling Yunpo leave the Ancestral Master Hall as if granted amnesty, the Jade Capital Sect Leader chuckled a few times, shook his head, and turned away. This Qing Heng True Person, truly anxious ¡ª to worry that the Sect would execute a Second Grade Golden Core, was utterly ridiculous. ¡°Hmph.¡± Long Eyebrow Immortal stepped out from the inner hall and looked in the direction where Ling Yunpo had left, coldly saying, ¡°A Golden Core Sword Immortal worrying about such emotional affairs to the point of losing his bearings and shaking his Daoist Heart, what kind of example is this?¡± ¡°The Immortal might be a bit too harsh,¡± the Jade Capital Sect Leader said with a smile, ¡°Since Qing Heng Jiao Xiao has cultivated the Sentiment Inquiry Path, naturally, he values sentiments and righteousness.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Putting aside others,¡± Long Eyebrow Immortal gestured impatiently, ¡°let¡¯s not even discuss that absurd suspicion about executing a Second Grade Golden Core. Should one day Jiao Xiao True Person fall outside, and Qing Heng True Person hear the terrible news, wouldn¡¯t he immediately deviate from his path?¡± ¡°Conversely, should Qing Heng True Person unfortunately perish, with Jiao Xiao True Person¡¯s stubborn nature, she would likely choose to die for love on the spot!¡± ¡°You call it valuing sentiments and righteousness; I say it is being tied hand and foot, the height of folly!¡± The Jade Capital Sect Leader then chuckled bitterly. So many years had passed, and Long Eyebrow Immortal was still brooding over the incident when Qi Sha True Person Su Jian had tried to protect his beloved daughter and was seriously wounded in an ambush by the Asura Path. Chapter 764 - Chapter 764: Chapter 1 A Very Strange Turn of Events Chapter 764: Chapter 1 A Very Strange Turn of Events Shushan, Criminal Law Hall. The interrogation of Jiao Xiao True Person was drawing to a close, with both human and material evidence complete, it was basically confirmed to be the mischief of a Heavenly Demon. Long Eyebrow Immortal, Jade Capital Sect Leader, and Elder Ming Hua of Ziyun Peak, where the victim was from, all approved of the Criminal Law Hall¡¯s audit findings and were about to sign and make it official. An Zhisu, dressed in plain white linen clothes, stood serenely below the hall, silent and unspoken. Long Eyebrow Immortal suddenly asked: ¡°Jiao Xiao, in calling you here for questioning, do you harbor any resentment?¡± This question was so simple that even An Zhisu had no problem answering, she replied softly, ¡°The Sect handles matters according to the rules, Jiao Xiao holds no resentment.¡± ¡°Hmph,¡± Long Eyebrow Immortal was somewhat displeased. To Long Eyebrow Immortal, the initial impression of Jiao Xiao True Person was naturally unfavorable. Most valued disciple Seven Kills, who had fallen in love with a mortal while in the Mortal World, and who had a daughter, then for the sake of protecting his beloved child, faced a siege from the elders of the Asura Path and did not retreat, ultimately succumbing to heavy injuries and entering a seclusion that led to his death. How was Long Eyebrow Immortal supposed to feel about this? In his view, An Zhisu was the main culprit behind Su Jian¡¯s death in seclusion¡­ Of course, that might be an exaggeration, but not without reason. An Zhisu¡¯s very existence was a constant reminder of how much of a failure he was as a mentor, thus he could not possibly show her a kind face. wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co Only when An Zhisu formed her Second Grade Golden Core, displaying a talent for cultivation similar to her father, did Long Eyebrow Immortal¡¯s attitude soften somewhat. And then An Zhisu took up Sentiment Inquiry Path, getting herself entangled with her junior brother¡­ Overall, Long Eyebrow Immortal both admired and was annoyed with An Zhisu. What he admired was her talent for cultivation, her Golden Core Grade Rank, as well as the swordsmanship talent inherited from Su Jian; what annoyed him, of course, was her stubbornness, her lack of adaptability, as well as the deeply affectionate nature also inherited from Su Jian. ¡°Ah, if only there were no such thing as Ling Yunpo, how good that would have been¡­¡± ¡°May I ask the Immortal,¡± seeing Long Eyebrow Immortal had yet to make a sound, An Zhisu asked softly, ¡°what is the verdict of my trial? May I leave now?¡± ¡°You¡¯re in such a hurry to leave, is it to see your junior brother?¡± Long Eyebrow Immortal asked coldly. An Zhisu nodded faintly, her cheeks turning a slight red, head bowed without an answer. ¡°Let me ask you,¡± Long Eyebrow Immortal continued, ¡°if one day your father comes out of seclusion and does not approve of your relationship with Qing Heng True Person, what will you do?¡± An Zhisu¡¯s face turned somewhat pale, and she lowered her head to say, ¡°I will try my best to persuade my father.¡± ¡°And if he does not listen, what then?¡± Long Eyebrow Immortal scoffed, saying offhandedly, ¡°You are a Second Grade Golden Core, and Qing Heng True Person is but Third Grade, how could your father agree to you becoming Daoist Companions with him?¡± An Zhisu did not answer, but it was obvious that she completely disagreed with Long Eyebrow Immortal¡¯s speculation. How could her mentor be the type to judge a person¡¯s worth by their Golden Core Grade Rank? Long Eyebrow Immortal saw her stubborn look again and immediately felt a great headache. This father and daughter pair were exactly alike¨Cplacing too much trust in their own judgments, refusing to listen to others! ¡°Immortal, I would also like to say something,¡± Elder Ming Hua suddenly spoke. ¡°Speak,¡± Long Eyebrow Immortal gestured with a wave of his hand. ¡°May I ask Jiao Xiao True Person,¡± Elder Ming Hua said indifferently, ¡°if one day, you must choose between the Sect and your Daoist Companion, what would you do?¡± Jade Capital Sect Leader immediately interrupted him, saying, ¡°Ming Hua! At the Criminal Law Hall, do not ask questions irrelevant to the matter at hand!¡± It was clear that this was an attempt to sow discord, and one wrong answer could enrage the Long Eyebrow Immortal¨Cthe Jade Capital Sect Leader would never tolerate this! ¡°Jade Capital, hold.¡± Suddenly, the Long Eyebrow Immortal spoke up, his gaze fixated on An Zhisu, saying, ¡°I am actually curious as to what choice Jiao Xiao True Person would make.¡± ¡°If one day, the sect needs Qing Heng True Person to make a sacrifice, or else it will suffer great losses in strength, what would you, Jiao Xiao, choose?¡± An Zhisu fell silent, bowing her head without a word. Just as the Long Eyebrow Immortal was feeling somewhat disappointed, An Zhisu suddenly prostrated herself on the ground and said: ¡°If truly a sacrifice is needed for the sect, Jiao Xiao is willing to take the place, to preserve my junior brother¡¯s life.¡± The Long Eyebrow Immortal was at a loss for words. In his view, there was absolutely no need to carefully weigh the value of a Second Grade Golden Core against a Third Grade Golden Core. How could Shushan possibly agree to let a Second Grade Golden Core give up their life just to save a Third Grade Golden Core? You volunteered to take the place, but have you considered whether the sect is willing? Has the sect used so many resources to cultivate you just to let you sacrifice yourself at will? Just as the Long Eyebrow Immortal was feeling frustrated and speechless, Elder Ming Hua suddenly laughed and said: ¡°Such profound sentiment from Jiao Xiao True Person is admirable; however, in my opinion, were the roles reversed, Qing Heng True Person might not make the same choice.¡± Hearing this, An Zhisu could not contain her indignation and was about to retort, when Elder Ming Hua continued: ¡°If Jiao Xiao is found guilty this time and must be executed on the spot, how would Qing Heng True Person react?¡± ¡°Would he completely disregard the sect¡¯s laws and storm the prison to rescue Jiao Xiao True Person? Or would he, to protect himself, pretend that nothing has happened?¡± An Zhisu¡¯s face stiffened, wanting to say something but not knowing what to say. Emotionally, if such a situation really arose, she would naturally hope that her junior brother would not abandon her; But logically speaking, if her junior brother were to sacrifice himself to save her, An Zhisu would rather he feign ignorance. Long Eyebrow Immortal also became lost in thought, only to hear Elder Ming Hua continue: ¡°Immortal, I think we might as well stage a play, pretend to spread the news that Jiao Xiao True Person is to be executed; if Qing Heng True Person chooses self-preservation, it proves he truly does not deserve the sentiment of Jiao Xiao True Person. Jiao Xiao could then make a timely change of heart, turning to the Sentiment Inquiry Path of Forgetting Love instead.¡± The Long Eyebrow Immortal¡¯s interest was immediately piqued: in his view, Qing Heng was just another Golden Core True Person, how could he possibly dare to defy the entire sect of Shushan? As long as Qing Heng did not come to the rescue, Jiao Xiao would be greatly disappointed and would thus give up on Sentiment Inquiry to cultivate the Path of Forgetting Love, no longer bound by emotional ties or human weaknesses¡­ simply perfect! ¡°Utter nonsense!¡± said the Jade Capital Sect Leader coldly, ¡°Not to mention other things, to falsely accuse Jiao Xiao True Person of a crime to the outside world, how will you settle things afterwards?¡± ¡°Simple.¡± Elder Ming Hua laughed, ¡°Just say some traitor from the Demon Cult has murdered one of our Ziyun Peak¡¯s True Persons, and used this to frame Jiao Xiao True Person. The sect, to ascertain the traitor¡¯s identity, falsely proclaimed Jiao Xiao True Person guilty to lure the traitor into revealing themselves.¡± Blaming a traitor from the Demonic Path was a tactic that history had already proven to be extraordinarily effective¡­ The failed surprise attack plan from the Zhao Family of Guyuan was likewise attributed to a Demonic Path insider, and everyone¡¯s reaction was, ¡°Oh, so it was a Demon Cult betrayer, how despicable,¡± and it became a traditional skill of the Three Pure Orthodox Sect. ¡°If Qing Heng True Person comes to break out the prison, how will things be settled afterwards?¡± the Jade Capital Sect Leader asked sternly, ¡°Could it be that his crimes will still be pursued? Jiao Xiao True Person is actually innocent, aren¡¯t you afraid of causing Qingluo Peak to lose heart and loyalty?!¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°How could Qing Heng True Person possibly storm the prison?¡± said the Long Eyebrow Immortal abruptly, ¡°He is but a Golden Core True Person, could it be that he dares to go against the entire Shushan?¡± After speaking, he looked down at An Zhisu below, and said with a sneer: ¡°If Qing Heng True Person comes to me, claiming he is willing to die in your place, then I will acknowledge the bond between you and cease to bring up this matter in the future.¡± ¡°Otherwise¡­ with Su Jian not present, according to the seniority in our mentor-student relationship, the matter of your marriage will be decided by me. You better think it through.¡± Before An Zhisu could respond, the Jade Capital Sect Leader had already risen in displeasure, leaving with a sweep of his sleeves, without uttering another word. Chapter 765 - Chapter 765: Chapter 2: Defection from Shushan Chapter 765: Chapter 2: Defection from Shushan ¡°` In the presence of the Sect Guardian Immortal, walking away with a sleeve-fluttering exit was an extremely impolite behavior. But what the Jade Capital Sect Leader found even more intolerable was this playful attitude that treated important sect affairs as trifles. Could the Sect Guardian Immortal act recklessly within the sect just like a foolish ruler? Sorry, but they really could¡­ The very reason why the Sect Guardian Immortal could ¡°guard the sect¡± was the immense prestige brought about by his cultivation realm, which had a huge influence on the entire sect. The Chi Song Immortal cared about the overall situation and rarely interfered in political affairs. As a result, power within the sect was highly centralized in the Sect Leader¡¯s hands, and everyone was used to ¡°obeying the big picture.¡± The Wan Xiang Immortal preferred to cultivate his character and live a secluded life. Consequently, the whole of Penglai became lukewarm like water, adverse to conflict, and obsessed with academics. The Honored White Bone was diligent in his duties, so the Nether Ghost Path Cultivators worshipped the elite system, with all kinds of internal wrangling and fierce competition. The Blood Sea Ancestor was a chronic slacker, leading those of the Mortal Life Path to become disheartened, and even suffering several annihilations of the main sect, making them a joke to the world. Now that the Long Eyebrow Immortal had set a precedent in ¡°testing the hearts of people,¡± it was hard to say what kind of impact it would have on the winds within the Shushan Sect, but the Jade Capital Sect Leader knew that if the matter was not handled well, it would inevitably cause Qingluo Peak to completely lose faith and loyalty. Even more unpleasantly, if Qing Heng True Person did not know the truth and only knew that his sister was wrongfully executed, it was not impossible that he would impulsively defect from Shushan. wuxiaworld.site Novts`o.co By then, if the Long Eyebrow Immortal came out and said ¡°it was just a test,¡± could he still remedy the situation? Elder Ming Hua, the initiator of this mess, how reckless! After calming down for a moment, the Jade Capital Sect Leader returned to the Ancestral Master Hall and summoned his Direct Disciple, Jinghua True Person. ¡°Travel to Qingluo Peak and find Qing Heng True Person. Tell him, ¡®Black and white cannot be inverted, right and wrong must be clearly distinguished.¡¯ ¡°Disciple understands.¡± Jinghua True Person felt inexplicably puzzled but respectfully complied. ¡°Hmm, do not go immediately,¡± the Jade Capital Sect Leader thought for a moment and then said, ¡°Go in a few days.¡± No sooner had the Long Eyebrow Immortal decided to test Ling Yunpo than the Jade Capital Sect Leader considered sending someone to tip him off, which was practically opposing the Long Eyebrow Immortal head-on. Even if it was helping someone cheat, he couldn¡¯t make it too obvious. Thinking this way, the Jade Capital Sect Leader was unaware that, on the other side, Elder Ming Hua immediately used Flying Sword Messaging upon returning to his peak to send secret instructions to a certain place. Qingluo Peak, at the entrance of the Taoist temple. Ling Yunpo was somewhat bored sweeping the fallen leaves, but his heart was filled with indescribable unease. On one hand, rationally speaking, Shushan would definitely not harm a Second Grade Golden Core cultivator¨Cunless the Long Eyebrow Immortal was a Demon Cult spy, a traitor of the Hell Path! On the other hand, the history that had taken place couldn¡¯t be off the mark: so what exactly was the reason that even the Demon Cult had heard of Shushan¡¯s decision to execute Senior Sister An? Could it really be a case of misinformation spreading? Just as he was filled with anxiety, suddenly a person arrived on Sword Light at Qingluo Peak: it was Sima Changyan, looking panicked, shouting, ¡°Disaster! Qing Heng True Person, Jiao Xiao True Person are about to face calamity!¡± Huh, my sister in trouble? Ling Yunpo¡¯s heart raced as he quickly asked, ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know either, just that the first senior sister asked me to relay a message and to find you to explain things,¡± Sima Changyan, without saying another word, mounted his Sword Light again and rushed off, ¡°There¡¯s no time, come with me!¡± Ling Yunpo immediately mounted his Sword Light and followed closely behind Sima Changyan, thinking, What sister would want to speak to me in person? It couldn¡¯t be a trick, could it? Upon further reflection, even if it was a trick, it wouldn¡¯t be a big deal. Firstly, this was Shushan territory; could someone really set up an ambush here to kill me? Secondly, if someone really wanted to lure me into an ambush and murder me, I could simply use my Illusion Technique to bewilder them and then teleport to escape. My Illusion Technique has reached perfection; didn¡¯t it disrupt even the Ziwei Master¡¯s pursuit? Hehehe! The Kunlun Mirror stayed silent, merely watching his inner performance coldly. After a short while, the two of them finally arrived one after the other at a secluded canyon. ¡°` This gorge was located on the border of the Shushan Sect¡¯s territory, already nearing the Southern Border region, making it a place seldom traversed by cultivators, and thus a great spot for a clandestine meeting away from prying eyes. As soon as Ling Yunpo entered the valley, he sensed something was amiss. Standing in the middle of the gorge was not a beautiful and slim Senior Sister, but a middle-aged man with graying hair and a gloomy appearance. The Peak Master of Ziyun Peak, Elder Ming Hua. Ling Yunpo, realizing that the situation was not good, instinctively wanted to turn back, but found that Sima Changyan had already quietly cut off his escape route. ¡°Qing Heng True Person,¡± Elder Ming Hua spoke somberly, ¡°I have a query that I would like to consult with you about.¡± ¡°Senior is joking,¡± Ling Yunpo laughed it off, ¡°What abilities do I have that could possibly help you resolve your doubts?¡± ¡°It¡¯s like this,¡± Elder Ming Hua continued with an indifferent expression, ¡°I once had a beloved disciple named ¡®Lou Zhizheng,¡¯ who died at the hands of Qing Heng True Person during a magical competition.¡± ¡°Of course, that can only be attributed to his lack of skill, and his death is his death¡­ However, I am very curious about the Life-bound Sword Artifact that Qing Heng True Person used at that time. What kind of Flying Sword was it?¡± Ling Yunpo¡¯s expression changed slightly, and he heard Elder Ming Hua continue again: ¡°¡­Ah, it is that black sword, three feet and six inches long, with a lotus relief on the hilt, capable of wielding Water System Forbidden Techniques.¡± ¡°It¡¯s called ¡®Qing Ping,¡¯ and is said to be the personal sword of a great power from the Intercepting Cult in the Ancient Times.¡± Ling Yunpo, already aware that the other party meant ill, tentatively answered. ¡°Hmm, I originally thought the same,¡± Elder Ming Hua said impassively, ¡°but later, due to certain reasons, I found out and can confirm that the true Green Duckweed Sword had already followed that great figure of the Intercepting Cult through Feather Transformation Ascension, leaving this world.¡± ¡°So, Qing Heng True Person, what exactly is the Immortal Sword behind this ¡®Green Duckweed Sword¡¯ of yours? Observing the formidable power of its Water System Forbidden Technique, one can¡¯t help but become curious, and seeing that its techniques are mostly Yin with less Yang, it makes one even more eager to understand¡­¡± ¡°Elder Ming Hua,¡± Ling Yunpo suddenly interrupted him, ¡°After the battle of the Ancient Era between the Chan and Jie Sects ended, that great figure from the Intercepting Cult retreated to his hermitage and ceased to emerge.¡± ¡°Afterward, he ascended and, apart from a handful of Direct Disciples, no one knew the specifics.¡± ¡°Since the Senior is an elder of the Shushan Sect, how could you know the secret affairs of the Ancient Intercepting Cult? I also wish to understand this clearly.¡± Elder Ming Hua silently looked at him. After a long while, he suddenly burst into laughter: ¡°You guessed correctly,¡± he nodded in approval, ¡°I indeed am a traitor from the Hell Path¡­¡± ¡°¡­and also the longest planted, highest-ranking traitor within the Shushan Shangqing Faction.¡± ¡°I have answered your question, now it¡¯s your turn to answer mine. Your Life-bound Sword Artifact, is it really from the Tai Yin?¡± Before he could finish speaking, he suddenly felt the earth spin and the sky turn, his senses and consciousness muddled, limbs flailing uncontrollably as though he had encountered an extremely powerful Illusion Technique! By the time Elder Ming Hua broke free from the illusion with a Secret Technique, he found that Ling Yunpo had long vanished without a trace, leaving behind only Sima Changyan, who was also deeply trapped in the illusion, unable to move. Then, a Sword Light approached from outside the valley, which belonged to Elder Leng Quan, who asked in a deep voice: ¡°Ming Hua, how goes the questioning?¡± ¡°He got away,¡± Elder Ming Hua replied coldly. ¡°With your strength at the Great Perfection of the Nascent Soul Realm, you let that young man escape?¡± Elder Leng Quan frowned and asked. ¡°Who would have known? That youngster indeed has some tricks up his sleeve.¡± Elder Ming Hua glanced at the unconscious Sima Changyan and suddenly thrust his sword through her chest, pinning her to the ground. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Elder Leng Quan raised his eyebrows, making no move to stop him but asked in wonder, ¡°Why kill him?¡± ¡°Qing Heng True Person attacked a fellow sect member and defected from the Shushan Sect, witnessed by your own eyes.¡± Elder Ming Hua activated the Water System Daoist Magic on his sword, wiping out Sima Changyan¡¯s life force completely and coldly said, ¡°This matter needs to be reported to the Sect Leader and the Immortals as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Elder Leng Quan was silent for a moment, then spoke, ¡°Even so, the Long Eyebrow Immortal will not be able to do much to Jiao Xiao True Person, after all, she is a Second Grade Golden Core.¡± ¡°We can use Jiao Xiao as bait to lure out Qing Heng True Person,¡± Elder Ming Hua responded, ¡°If we do not handle Qing Heng¡¯s crime of betrayal, where is the dignity of the Shushan Shangqing Sect? But, if we employ this tactic, then Jiao Xiao will surely feel alienated from the sect.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°With Long Eyebrow Immortal¡¯s thinking, he will definitely use this strategy, pretending to execute Jiao Xiao True Person to make Jiao Xiao give up on Qing Heng¨Cbecause he believes Qing Heng won¡¯t possibly come out to rescue his Senior Sister.¡± ¡°Will Qing Heng actually come to save her?¡± Elder Leng Quan revealed a smile that wasn¡¯t quite a smile. ¡°Maybe he will, maybe he won¡¯t,¡± Elder Ming Hua said somberly, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter anymore.¡± ¡°If he doesn¡¯t come to the rescue, Jiao Xiao, regardless of whether she severs her affections or not, will hold no fondness for the Shushan Shangqing Sect; if he does come, then we will have the opportunity to seize that sword¡­ Of course, before this, we need to solidify the betrayal charges against him.¡± ¡°Leng Quan, you have never been involved in any affairs related to Qingluo Peak. Having you serve as a witness is foolproof.¡± Chapter 766 - Chapter 766: Chapter 3 Make Your Choice Chapter 766: Chapter 3 Make Your Choice Traitor. Hateful, despicable traitor! Ling Yunpo had never despised the existence of traitors more than he did at this moment. What Netherworld Sect? And Shushan, to think that a peak master was actually a spy for the Hell Path, even daring to attempt to kill a promising young cultivator like me, a Golden Core True Person. I¡¯m afraid Shushan is¡­ done for! ¡°Is there a possibility that he wasn¡¯t trying to kill you, but instead trying to snatch your sword?¡± Kunlun Mirror reminded him. ¡°What¡¯s the difference?¡± Ling Yunpo retorted, ¡°If he steals my sword, won¡¯t he just kill me as well?¡± However, after being prompted by Kunlun Mirror, Ling Yunpo immediately realized: Wait a minute, my Green Duckweed Sword¡­ has Qing Ping already ascended through Feather Transformation? Then what exactly is my Green Duckweed Sword? ¡°Qing Ping, let me ask you something,¡± Ling Yunpo took out the Green Duckweed Sword from inside his body and inquired. The Green Duckweed Sword kept silent, evidently pretending to be dead. ¡°I didn¡¯t quite understand what Elder Ming Hua said earlier,¡± Ling Yunpo continued, ¡°You¡¯re not my Qing Ping, then what sword could you be? Ru Ping?¡± ¡°Who is Ru Ping?¡± Due to the anachronism of the joke, even the Green Duckweed Sword couldn¡¯t hold back, and asked out of curiosity. ¡°Ru Ping is¡­¡± Ling Yunpo pondered for a moment, then said, ¡°How about this, you tell me who you really are, and I¡¯ll tell you who Ru Ping is.¡± ¡°Sword Master, instead of trying to figure out who I am, you should be thinking about how to save your Senior Sister An,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword said in a drawn-out voice, calmly stating, ¡°After all, if Elder Ming Hua dares to make a move against you within Shushan, it must be because he¡¯s certain that An Zhisu won¡¯t come to save you, or go to the Jade Capital Sect Leader to ask for help on your behalf, right?¡± wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co That¡¯s right! The primary task now is to find out what happened to Senior Sister An! Ling Yunpo could not continue to press the matter, so he quickly left Shushan territory and found a nearby market, where he concealed his identity and started gathering information. It didn¡¯t take long for him to hear even more tragic news: Qing Heng True Person is suspected of killing a fellow disciple, Sima Changyan, and is currently being hunted with a bounty by Shushan. Anyone who captures him alive and takes him back to Shushan will be rewarded handsomely. The use of ¡°suspected¡± and ¡°want alive,¡± rather than ¡°confirmed¡± and ¡°kill on sight,¡± indicates that the Shushan higher-ups do not fully believe Elder Ming Hua¡¯s frame-up, and thus still wish to capture Qing Heng True Person to uncover the truth. But if Elder Ming Hua could kill Sima Changyan to frame him, he might well have other contingencies in place. If he were to return to Shushan now, he¡¯d most likely be walking into a trap and sitting duck. He needed to come up with a plan. As Ling Yunpo was thinking, he noticed quite a few cultivators of unknown affiliation in the market. Were they Shushan cultivators here to capture me? No, according to the scan results, some practiced cultivation techniques entirely different from Shushan¡¯s, likely attracted by the bounty. He utilized Ah Jing¡¯s Illusion Technique, cleverly slipping away from the search without anyone being the wiser to his presence. The Sword Light fled southward, heading straight into the Southern Border territory. During this season, the Southern Border was filled with peach blossom miasma, a place where even high-rank cultivators struggled to survive. But Ling Yunpo had mastered the Innate Chaotic Great Five Elements Divine Light. At this point, manipulating the Five Elements Transformation was as easy as breathing. He immediately activated the profound technique to dissolve all the peach blossom miasma around him, creating a safe passage. Once he hid deep within the miasma of the Southern Border, Ling Yunpo finally let out a sigh of relief. Shushan cultivators wouldn¡¯t be able to pursue him here, but what should he do next? Not hearing any message from Senior Sister An was unsettling. But just as the Green Duckweed Sword had said, since Elder Ming Hua dared to attack me, Senior Sister An¡¯s situation was probably not much better. Wait a second, they wouldn¡¯t be planning to declare Senior Sister An guilty and then execute her publicly, would they? If that were the case, it would explain why Wei Dongliu, from the future timeline, would hear the news in the Demon Cult¡¯s main base ¡ª because Shushan wanted to use the news of executing Senior Sister An to lure me back to the sect! Damn, how could I possibly be fooled! ¡°Is that so?¡± The Kunlun Mirror suddenly asked, ¡°But if you don¡¯t return, and they do execute An Zhisu, won¡¯t you live with lifelong regret?¡± ¡°Senior Sister An is a Second Grade Golden Core,¡± replied Ling Yunpo. ¡°Unless Long Eyebrow Immortal is possessed by a Heavenly Demon, how could he possibly execute a Second Grade Golden Core?¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re absolutely certain that even if you don¡¯t go back, your Senior Sister will be perfectly fine?¡± asked the Kunlun Mirror, surprised. Ling Yunpo fell silent. The question posed by the Kunlun Mirror was, in fact, his deepest concern: Logically speaking, Shushan would not destroy its own defenses by executing a Second Grade Golden Core. It would take how many millennia to witness the rise of a Second Grade Golden Core! But the developments of the situation were too bizarre. First, Senior Sister An was taken away for no apparent reason, then Elder Ming Hua, the Netherworld Sect traitor within, rashly self-destructed; and then he was framed and falsely accused, leading to being wanted and hunted down by Shushan¡­ Even if Senior Sister An was safe and sound, or if Elder Ming Hua, the traitor, didn¡¯t exist, I would have gone straight to the Jade Capital Sect Leader and revealed my deepest thoughts. But what if¡­ Considering the two points mentioned above, what if Long Eyebrow Immortal gets deceived by an insider from the Hell Path and really wants to kill our Qingluo Peak lineage? What then? Senior Sister An is now in imprisonment, and the only one who can make a decision is me! I must be cautious! If I lightly choose to return to the Sect and fall into a death trap, the consequences would be irreversible! Ling Yunpo thought long and hard but felt his scalp tingling, unable to organize his thoughts clearly. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Every so often, Ling Yunpo would leave the miasma cover of the Southern Border to go out to the market and gather information. This new piece of information was expected. Jiao Xiao True Person, for the crime of killing a fellow sect member without permission, was sentenced to a public interrogation at the Emei Golden Summit¡¯s Sky Extremity Square one month later. Killing a fellow sect member, if it happened in other Sects, would typically warrant a life-for-a-life punishment, but within Shushan, due to intense internal competition and frequent private duels, the outcome is less certain. It might be a death sentence or imprisonment for a few hundred years, or even more likely, they had no intention to convict at all but merely wanted to lure me back! With such a petty trick, would I fall for it? I bet that you won¡¯t do anything to Senior Sister An! ¡°By the way, haven¡¯t you decided yet?¡± The Kunlun Mirror asked out loud, ¡°If you¡¯re convinced this is a ploy to lure you back, then perhaps it¡¯s best to temporarily put aside your identity as Ling Yunpo of Shushan.¡± ¡°As long as the suspicion on you remains uncleared, it¡¯s impossible for you to obtain the Heaven-Mending Stone fragment from Long Eyebrow Immortal. You might as well focus on other identities for now.¡± ¡°What do you mean by not having decided? I¡¯m merely planning to proceed with caution,¡± Ling Yunpo still stubbornly insisted. The Kunlun Mirror sighed without a word, knowing that Ling Yunpo¡¯s so-called caution was actually still indecision. If An Zhisu is indeed sentenced to death and executed publicly, what should be done? To prevent this, Ling Yunpo would definitely have to go back and save her. But how to save her? Battle the entire Shushan Shangqing Faction, and face the Dual Polarity Dust Sword Formation head-on? Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Once back, he would be like a fish on a chopping board, a reality laid bare. ¡°Sigh,¡± the Kunlun Mirror sighed, ¡°If you ask me, it might be better not to go back at all.¡± ¡°Once you expose yourself in front of the whole Shushan, I won¡¯t be able to save you and An Zhisu together, and even if I were to help you flee, there¡¯s a risk of my powers being exposed to the public.¡± ¡°Besides, your relationship with An Zhisu was just for show, and your real goal is still to collect the fragments of the Heaven-Mending Stone, right?¡± Ling Yunpo fell silent. Chapter 767 - Chapter 767: Chapter 4 Thats Almost It Chapter 767: Chapter 4 That¡¯s Almost It ¡°` Ling Yunpo often wondered whether his relationship with An Zhisu was merely a flirtation of the moment. If it were not, could all those moments of deep affection they shared, along with An Zhisu¡¯s almost boundless trust, tolerance, and dependence on him, have been false? If it were so, then how could he explain the fact that he, as a traitor, would one day betray Shushan, and An Zhisu had never known this? This involved an even deeper fundamental question: What exactly was he after? If his goal remained to collect all the Heaven-Mending Stones, he should avoid getting himself into unnecessary danger. What is ¡°unnecessary¡± danger? Even if he returned to Shushan to rescue someone from execution, even with his First Grade Golden Core, numerous Immortal Rank secret techniques, and unmatched Sword Control Technique, facing the many Nascent Soul Elders of Shushan, as well as the Long Eyebrow Immortal wielding the Dual Polarity Dust Sword, it would basically be like being crushed by a slap without a second thought. That is unnecessary danger! Chen Guanshui, what can you do by going back? If An Zhisu were indeed to be executed, your return would merely accompany her on the path to the Netherworld; But if Shushan had no intention of punishing An Zhisu, then whether you go back or not, the outcome will be the same. Ah Jing was right, there¡¯s nothing I can do if I go back. It¡¯s better to put my Shushan account on hold for the time being and wait to see how Shushan will deal with Senior Sister An. But¡­ However, if Shushan really intends to¡­ wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.cO Within the hidden cave, Ling Yunpo tugged at his hair in frustration, his eyes already showing the faint signs of blood vessels. His expression was stiff as he stared vacantly outside the cave, like a beast trapped in a swamp, struggling in vain. In the Sea of Consciousness, Ah Jing and Qing Ping Sword looked at each other, speechless. Ling Yunpo¡¯s analysis of the situation was naturally agreed upon by a mirror and a sword. The final fate of An Zhisu depended on Shushan¡¯s real attitude towards her. The possibility of Ling Yunpo¡¯s choice to save her having any effect was probably less than 0.1 percent. If you don¡¯t believe it, ask a thousand Ling Yunpos if they could come together and rescue Senior Sister An from Shushan? Even if ten thousand Ling Yunpos were tied together, they wouldn¡¯t last a single move in the hands of Long Eyebrow Immortal! To save her or not will change nothing. The Cultivation Realm of the Golden Core is too weak when facing the colossal Shushan Shangqing Faction¨Clike a mantis attempting to stop a wheel, utterly powerless. If one were to think purely rationally, the choice would be not to go back to save her. That way, if Shushan truly decided to kill An Zhisu, at least Ling Yunpo wouldn¡¯t be sending himself to his death as well. However, if Ling Yunpo could really think rationally, then he wouldn¡¯t be tormented for so long. Since he is tormented, regardless of whether he admits it or not, deep down he desires to save Senior Sister An¨Cdespite being utterly unable to convince himself with reason. ¡°Guan Shui,¡± Kunlun Mirror sighed, ¡°or perhaps we switch to another account and go to the future to find out Shushan¡¯s stance. How about it? You sitting here agonizing over it isn¡¯t a solution.¡± ¡°If another account went to inquire and found that Shushan has already executed Senior Sister, what then?¡± Ling Yunpo said indifferently, ¡°It would be too late; the deed is done.¡± His voice was somewhat hoarse, causing the Kunlun Mirror to feel unbearable pity, so after a long silence, she asked: ¡°Guan Shui, do you actually¡­¡± ¡°¡­have fallen in love with An Zhisu, right?¡± In that instant, Ling Yunpo¡¯s figure abruptly froze. ¡°` Before his identity was exposed, he could banter and chatter with Ah Jing, saying, ¡°How could I not love Senior Sister An with her large chest, slim waist, and long legs?¡± and ¡°From the first glance I saw Senior Sister, I already belonged to Qingluo Peak¡­¡± But that was merely smooth talking to get by. If you truly fell for her, then after you brazenly pilfer the Heaven-Mending Stone and truly defect from the Shushan Shangqing Faction, how will you face her then? Subjecting Senior Sister An to the pain and despair of being deceived and betrayed¨Cis this what you call ¡°loving her¡±? How moving indeed. In a sense, the grave crisis brought by Elder Ming Hua merely brought the inevitable future crisis forward, forcing Ling Yunpo to suffer the psychological torment he deserved ahead of time. ¡°How about,¡± the Kunlun Mirror slowly said, as if making a very difficult decision, to the point that her voice trembled slightly, ¡°we forget about the theft of the Heaven-Mending Stone?¡± ¡°And you, continue being your Shushan Sword Immortal Ling Yunpo. I can find another host to start over with, so you won¡¯t have to defect from Shushan later on, and won¡¯t have to part from your beloved Senior Sister. That way, it won¡¯t look like I¡¯m some evil Magical Treasure specializing in tormenting my host¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Ling Yunpo replied softly. ¡°What?¡± the Kunlun Mirror asked in surprise. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Ling Yunpo said, gazing at the chaotic sandy ground, repeating, ¡°I don¡¯t know if I have fallen for her.¡± Of course. The Kunlun Mirror suddenly recalled fiercely that this guy couldn¡¯t even prove the Sentiment Inquiry Path back in the Shushan Qixin Cave. Of course, he would play to the crowd; after all, that was what he was best at. He could call Xu Yinglian, Shi Liuli, and Jiang Li An his wives, and tell Long Hu, ¡°I will protect you for a lifetime,¡± but he had never said the words ¡°I love you¡± to any of them. Maybe he found it too melodramatic, maybe he feared exposing himself, or maybe he simply couldn¡¯t utter the words¨Cwho knows? Perhaps even he himself didn¡¯t know the answer¡­ The Kunlun Mirror pondered almost in a daze, when suddenly she heard the Green Duckweed Sword sigh and say: ¡°Sword Master, sometimes, following one¡¯s instincts isn¡¯t necessarily right.¡± ¡°Like a mother with her child, facing a vicious wolf¨Ceven if she bravely charges at the wolf to fight, it¡¯s merely a matter of life and death for both. Wouldn¡¯t it be better to abandon the child and flee for her life? Busy with the child, the wolf wouldn¡¯t chase after the mother, right?¡± ¡°Hey! That¡¯s enough!¡± the Kunlun Mirror, her head full of black lines, quickly interrupted, ¡°If you don¡¯t have anything nice to say, say less!¡± ¡°But you know,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword chuckled, ¡°Ah, in the end, humans are such foolish creatures. They know hiding is the best choice, but when the critical moment comes, they just rush out on a hot head.¡± ¡°Sword Master, you¡¯re not that kind of fool, right?¡± Ling Yunpo didn¡¯t answer, just continued to look down at the ground. Several ants marched through the loose sand. Their steps were steady and unhesitating, as if they would never get entangled in indecision, quickly leaving the shadow and moving into the sunlight outside the cave. Sunlight¡­ Oh, it¡¯s about time¡­ Ling Yunpo suddenly picked up his sword and walked out of the cave. The hem of his robe was still stained with the sandy soil, and his hair was a mess, filled with the dew from the cave¡¯s dust, but he was equally unhesitant, taking a step into the blazing sunlight outside. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Sword Master?¡± the Green Duckweed Sword asked, puzzled. ¡°I¡¯m going to save her,¡± Ling Yunpo answered. ¡°But you can¡¯t confront the entire Shushan,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword seemed somewhat regretful, wistfully saying, ¡°Without me and Yao Yao stepping in to help, you¡¯ll be just walking to your death.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Ling Yunpo paused for a moment, ¡°I know.¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s just like you said, in this world¡­ there really are things harder to accept than death, and fools like me who aren¡¯t afraid of dying¡­¡± Chapter 768 - Chapter 768: Chapter 5: Teaching You an Incantation Chapter 768: Chapter 5: Teaching You an Incantation Emei Golden Summit, Tianji Square. An Zhisu, wearing light clothes, carried the weight of her shackles, bound to the Dragon-Imprisoning Pillar, silent and non-verbal. ¡°Jiao Xiao, do you realize your mistake?¡± Long Eyebrow Immortal asked coldly. ¡°Jiao Xiao does not.¡± An Zhisu answered indifferently. ¡°In the past, you and I, your mentor, had an agreement, if Qing Heng True Person abandoned you, you would sever these sentimental ties,¡± Long Eyebrow Immortal said angrily, ¡°Now because he has doubts about you, he is questioned and is in a state of fearful unrest but has not come to me to plea for you. Instead, he chose to flee Shushan in panic.¡± ¡°When he encountered fellow sect disciples and was questioned, he even suspiciously attacked and killed them. It¡¯s clear that in Qing Heng True Person¡¯s heart, neither the sect nor you, his senior sister, are as important as his own life!¡± ¡°Why do you still hold on to such an unfaithful man?¡± At this point, Long Eyebrow Immortal was so angry he nearly pulled out his beard. That Qing Heng¡­ had indeed disappointed him. Abandoning his senior sister, betraying Shushan, and killing fellow sect members, any one of these acts was an unforgivable capital offense. But what made him even more furious was that An Zhisu refused to accept reality, insisting there must be something unusual and demanding that Long Eyebrow Immortal must bring Qing Heng for questioning. He has already fled Shushan, where should I look for him to come and be questioned? You still hope that he will come to save you, how foolish! ¡°You are a Second Grade Golden Core! Without these sentimental entanglements, your future path would undoubtedly be boundless,¡± Long Eyebrow Immortal continued to persuade, ¡°Although your father had a talent for swordsmanship, he was not well-known. Once he became my disciple, in an instant, he soared like a dragon in the sky, and every sect¡¯s miraculous pills and elixirs, swordsmanship manuals, were at his disposal for the taking!¡± ¡°As long as you sever ties with that traitor and once again call me great-teacher, you will be the direct disciple of an immortal, isn¡¯t that much better than holding on to an unfaithful and heartless thief?¡± wuxiaworld.site An Zhisu¡¯s lips moved slightly, and she closed her eyes: ¡°Thank you for your generous affection, Immortal, but¡­¡± ¡°If I could easily let go of this emotional bond, then I¡­ would no longer be myself.¡± ¡°Silly girl!¡± Long Eyebrow Immortal was already quick-tempered, hearing her stubborn words, he was nearly driven mad with rage and wished he could immediately find Qing Heng and chop him into mincemeat. A grand Second Grade Golden Core Sword Immortal, with limitless prospects ahead, due to a woman¡¯s sentimental attachment to an unworthy man is now refusing to accept the reality of him betraying the sect ¨C this Sentiment Inquiry Path¡­ truly brings disaster! Elsewhere, at Shushan Qingluo Peak, in a hidden chamber within the mountain. Using an Illusion Technique to sneak in, Ling Yunpo came before the stone wall where Su Jian was in seclusion, knelt heavily on the meditation cushion, and bowed deeply: ¡°Master! Senior Sister has been captured, and your disciple has been framed and entrapped; now the Qingluo Peak¡¯s lineage is in immediate danger. I earnestly implore Master to leave seclusion!¡± All around, it was silent. Ling Yunpo knelt and bowed again, pretending to be in tears: ¡°Senior Sister did not kill fellow sect members with intent, yet she is irregularly imprisoned by the Criminal Law Hall, indeed, using her practice of the Sentiment Inquiry Path as a reason, they want to forcibly make her change sects!¡± ¡°Your disciple has been wrongfully accused by a traitor from the Hell Path and had to bear the name of a deserter. With the traitor being of high rank and power, your disciple has nowhere to turn. If Master cannot leave seclusion to save us, your disciple and Senior Sister will go to Netherworld together, dead without a place to bury.¡± There was still no response from the surroundings. How could one, through thick stone walls, awaken someone in the depths of seclusion? Ling Yunpo did not know what to do, only placing his last hope on Su Jian. Since Su Jian still had not awakened, that last glimmer of hope was also extinguished, leaving only one path ahead. Ling Yunpo sat in front of the stone wall for a long while, stood up in silence. ¡°I¡¯m going to rescue Senior Sister,¡± he left a message, ¡°Master, take good care of yourself inside¡­¡± After speaking, he took long strides and left. Upon leaving the hidden chamber of Qingluo Peak, Ling Yunpo controlled his sword to rise, flying towards the direction of the Emei Golden Summit. He channeled all his True Yuan into it, flying faster and faster, eventually achieving Man-Sword Unity, shooting towards Tianji Square like a meteor. Arriving above Emei, he saw An Zhisu bound to the Dragon-Imprisoning Pillar, with Long Eyebrow Immortal beside her, coldly scolding as though he was humbling her. Numerous Peak Masters and elders stood along the outer ring of Tianji Square, each with a solemn expression, silent, merely exchanging glances. Everyone felt that, given An Zhisu¡¯s rank as a Second Grade Golden Core, Long Eyebrow Immortal would certainly be reluctant to kill her. But now, as she stubbornly refused to open up under the public eye, completely disregarding the Immortal¡¯s reputation, if she were to truly provoke Long Eyebrow Immortal beyond patience, she would surely have no good outcome. Ling Yunpo, not knowing all these details, became furious on seeing his Senior Sister publicly shackled. What wrong had she done to be treated with such humiliation? This Shushan¡­ he could not stay for another moment! Just as he was about to swoop down to rescue his Senior Sister, he suddenly felt his whole body stiffen, and his Dantian¡¯s True Yuan came completely out of control. Ming Hua Elder appeared behind him, smiling as he said to Long Eyebrow Immortal: ¡°Immortal, this traitor has been captured without a fight!¡± As he spoke, he tapped several of Ling Yunpo¡¯s vital points, sealing off his meridians with a Secret Technique. ¡°` Ling Yunpo did not struggle (after all, he couldn¡¯t win in a fight, especially with so many Nascent Soul Elders present), but just glared angrily at Long Eyebrow Immortal. ¡°Perfect timing!¡± Long Eyebrow Immortal reached out his hand and grabbed Ling Yunpo, demanding, ¡°Scoundrel! How did you murder your fellow disciples and betray the Sect? Confess everything here and now!¡± ¡°I have not killed my fellow disciples, nor have I betrayed the Sect!¡± Ling Yunpo shouted back with furious eyes. ¡°Then how did Sima Changyan die?¡± Long Eyebrow Immortal sneered. ¡°It was Elder Ming Hua who killed him!¡± Ling Yunpo shouted again. ¡°Absurd,¡± Elder Ming Hua said disdainfully, ¡°I wasn¡¯t even at the scene, and I have witnesses. Moreover, Elder Leng Quan personally witnessed you committing the act. The evidence is ironclad. Do you still want to quibble?¡± ¡°Elder Leng Quan is in cahoots with you!¡± Ling Yunpo shouted defiantly, his expression resolute and unyielding, ¡°You are all spies from the Hell Path!¡± Accusing two Shushan elders of being spies was an extremely serious allegation, serious enough that even the Jade Capital Sect Leader at the side couldn¡¯t hold back and said, ¡°Qing Heng, if you have evidence, bring it out now. The Immortal will surely give you justice.¡± Evidence, what evidence do I have? Ling Yunpo smiled wryly and said, ¡°Since I accuse Elder Leng Quan of being a spy, how can his witness testimony be counted? If the Immortal is truly fair and just, he should imprison both elders and myself for a thorough investigation, not capture me here while allowing those two to roam free outside!¡± Long Eyebrow Immortal was immediately furious and shouted, ¡°How can a mere Golden Core True Person make accusations and expect two Nascent Soul Elders to be imprisoned for investigation?¡± Ling Yunpo did not answer, but instead turned to look at An Zhisu. He saw An Zhisu struggling fiercely, repeatedly signaling him with her eyes to ¡°run.¡± Ling Yunpo suddenly understood everything. The one Shushan truly wanted to kill was not Senior Sister An bound to the Dragon-Imprisoning Pillar, but himself. Killing a Third Grade Golden Core True Person to replace him with a Second Grade Golden Core True Person without emotional weaknesses might seem like a worthwhile trade to Long Eyebrow Immortal, seeing the Sentiment Inquiry Path as a ferocious flood and beast. ¡°What do you think, Sword Master?¡± the Green Duckweed Sword asked in his Sea of Consciousness, its tone somewhat schadenfreude, ¡°Regretting it now? I told you not to foolishly rush back here!¡± Ling Yunpo was silent for a moment, then replied, ¡°Why should I regret? Now that I know Senior Sister An will be safe, I can rest assured and let Ah Jing teleport away.¡± ¡°You¡¯re content to just leave Shushan like this?¡± the Kunlun Mirror also spoke up. ¡°What can I do if I¡¯m not content?¡± Ling Yunpo asked coldly in return, ¡°Am I supposed to slaughter this damned Shushan?¡± ¡°What if I teach you an incantation?¡± the Green Duckweed Sword said nonchalantly, ¡°Just recite that incantation, and you can slaughter everyone in Shushan. Would you recite it?¡± Seeing Senior Sister An¡¯s miserable state on the Dragon-Imprisoning Pillar, Ling Yunpo was already filled with bitter sorrow and tears of blood, almost gritting his teeth in hatred as he said, ¡°Recite it! I¡¯ll recite it a thousand times daily until Emei collapses!¡± ¡°Think it through,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword suddenly sighed, saying, ¡°Once you recite the incantation, there¡¯s no turning back.¡± ¡°Just hurry up and teach it to me!¡± ¡°Listen carefully¡­¡± The Green Duckweed Sword cleared its ¡®throat¡¯ and said, ¡°Silence envelopes the eight desolations, brightly shining in splendor.¡± Feeling the cold murderous intent of Long Eyebrow Immortal so close at hand, Ling Yunpo recited in his heart, ¡°Silence envelopes the eight desolations, brightly shining in splendor.¡± Green Duckweed Sword continued to recite, ¡°When Qi meets fate, grievous worries abound.¡± Seeing Senior Sister An strenuously struggling on the Dragon-Imprisoning Pillar, her beautiful face filled with panic, her fair wrists already chafed and bloody from the iron chains, Ling Yunpo gnashed his teeth in loathing and recited with hate, ¡°When Qi meets fate, grievous worries abound.¡± Green Duckweed Sword hesitated for a moment, then sighed and said, ¡°Three paths of trial correspond, sinking into endless calamities.¡± The Jade Capital Sect Leader seemed to be unable to bear watching any longer, and he left in a huff with a sweep of his sleeve. Only the surrounding Peak Masters and Elders remained, casting cold gazes down upon the Plaza of Heaven¡¯s Extent, looking at Ling Yunpo as if they were looking at a dead man. Recalling all of Shushan¡¯s past tragic treatments, Ling Yunpo no longer had any hesitation and said coldly, Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Three paths of trial correspond, sinking into endless calamities.¡± ¡°Now the last sentence, don¡¯t get it wrong,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword said teasingly. Dragging out its voice deliberately, the Green Duckweed Sword said slowly, ¡°¡­In the Moon Mansion, Su Yao shines, as Tai Yin Suming quietly chants.¡± ¡°` Chapter 769 - Chapter 769: Chapter 6: Burning Essence, Suming Shows Off Chapter 769: Chapter 6: Burning Essence, Suming Shows Off When Ling Yunpo recited the last sentence, a certain power burst forth from within the Green Duckweed Sword inside his body ¡ª more precisely, from the Tai Yin Suming Sword. ¡°As expected¡­,¡± he trembled in both pain and a bizarre way, trying hard to speak, ¡°As expected you are¡­¡± ¡°I never said I wasn¡¯t, did I?¡± the Suming Sword giggled, ¡°When we first met, it was you who checked various resources, and then unilaterally decided I was the Green Duckweed Sword.¡± ¡°At that time, I found it quite amusing, so I replied ¡®If you want to think that, you can,¡¯ after all, a name is just a code. I can be called Suming Sword, or Green Duckweed Sword, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Ling Yunpo could not reply because endless streams of pure yin energy had filled his meridians, and even more power was being forcefully poured into him. The restrictions set by Elder Ming Hua on him were almost effortlessly broken through, but he felt no joy¡­ He felt like a water balloon being blown up, with water still being poured incessantly into it. He was about to explode. ¡°You see.¡± Suming Sword spoke leisurely, ¡°I gave you a chance. Once you utter those maxims, there¡¯s no turning back.¡± ¡°Generally. To wield my power, Immortal Rank is the minimum threshold. But you are currently only at the Golden Core Rank. Whether you can bear it or not depends on the Sword Master¡¯s ability.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Ling Yunpo really wanted to curse, but that force rampaged within his body, each collision causing him heartrending pain. ¡°Meeting me is your good fortune,¡± Suming Sword said, seemingly oblivious to his condition, or perhaps deliberately ignoring it, continuing to speak with ill intent, ¡°If it were the stubborn Suming Sword, without reaching the Immortal Rank and without undergoing the entire Human Race¡¯s sword-giving ceremony, it wouldn¡¯t even acknowledge you, you know?¡± ¡°It¡¯s only the exceedingly compassionate me, who was willing to follow you when you were at the Foundation Establishment Realm.¡± ¡°That¡¯s about enough.¡± Kunlun Mirror, unable to watch any longer, interrupted her, ¡°Keep this up, and he¡¯s going to die.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not joking though, Yao Yao.¡± Suming Sword replied in surprise, ¡°Once my power is activated, it can¡¯t be taken back.¡± wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.Co ¡°What should we do then?¡± Kunlun Mirror also panicked, ¡°You don¡¯t really intend to kill him, do you?¡± ¡°Although I¡¯m called the ¡®Demon Sword,¡¯ I still have the basic integrity of an Immortal Sword, okay?¡± Suming Sword said, very exasperated, reminding her, ¡°Don¡¯t you have that thing, Burning Essence?¡± Kunlun Mirror then remembered that when An Zhisu was about to awaken his Innate Sword Heart, she had tempted him to help with recording by promising to teach him a secret technique. Innate Sword Bone, Burning Essence, could almost possess an immortal body in the short term, the downside being that it would severely damage the essence of the Innate Sword Bone. But where did this fellow get an Innate Sword Bone from? It was all simulated by her divine skills. If he had to burn anything, it could only be his Spiritual Power. ¡°How about it, Yao Yao?¡± Suming Sword asked with a cheeky grin, ¡°You and I join forces, how about causing a big scene here at Shushan?¡± ¡°Ah, I¡¯m so done with you.¡± Kunlun Mirror sighed. However¡­ She gazed quietly at Chen Guanshui who was struggling to maintain consciousness in his agony, and thought to herself: To go so far as to risk his life for An Zhisu, I don¡¯t dislike such a host either. The dialogue that unfolded within the Sea of Consciousness was but a fleeting instant in reality. Ling Yunpo, restrained by the Long Eyebrow Immortal, suddenly erupted with a purplish-black gas from his seven orifices, despite being immobilized. The wispy purplish-black mist fluttered like raging flames, scorching so intensely that the Long Eyebrow Immortal immediately let go. This is¡­ Innate Tai Yin Energy? The Long Eyebrow Immortal was extremely astonished. The so-called Innate Tai Yin Energy was a thread of Yin energy born at the very beginning when heaven and earth first divided. Sun energy rules clarity, while Yin energy rules turbidity; Innate Sun Energy is ethereal and sublime, but Innate Yin Energy is substantial and flowing, giving a sense of heaviness when touched. But whether it is Innate Sun Energy or Innate Tai Yin Energy, both are treasures even immortals find difficult to come by¡­ As thousands of thoughts raced through the Long Eyebrow Immortal¡¯s mind, he saw that Ling Yunpo¡¯s seven orifices were nearly rupturing, spewing purplish-black flames incessantly; it was as if his physical body could not contain so much Tai Yin Energy. Anyone else would have exploded and perished within a few breaths¡¯ time, but Ling Yunpo did not die; instead, he trembled as he raised his right arm, and a black Immortal Sword shot out, severing the Dragon-Imprisoning Pillar binding An Zhisu. The Dragon-Imprisoning Pillar was incredibly thick, beyond the embrace of three to five men with arms outstretched, and its material was extremely hard; even an Immortal Sword would struggle to leave a mark on it. However, under the thrust of the black Immortal Sword, it split as easily as an axe through bamboo, breaking instantly upon contact. The surrounding Peak Masters and elders were now in an uproar, with none expecting Qing Heng True Person, who was under the control of the Long Eyebrow Immortal, to suddenly self-ignite, break free of his bonds, and even slice through the Dragon-Imprisoning Pillar with a sword. Ming Hua elder was also greatly shocked, thinking to himself that with this man¡¯s Golden Core rank, the Tai Yin Summoning Sword could not possibly recognize him as its master! Without recognition by its master, the Immortal Sword couldn¡¯t exert its fundamental strength; that¡¯s why Ming Hua elder had dared to strike at him before. But now¡­ ¡­judging by the current situation, the Summoning Sword seems to have acknowledged its master? Without a change in expression, he prepared to retreat, only to see Ling Yunpo cut An Zhisu¡¯s bonds and then suddenly turn his head. His eyes were ablaze, with purplish-black flames spurting incessantly from his ears, nose, and mouth, resembling a ferocious and fearsome demon dragon. A streak of black light flashed, and the Tai Yin Summoning Sword lunged forth, crossing dozens of yards in a flash, targeting the about-to-flee Elder Ming Hua! ¡°Audacious fiend!¡± Several Peak Masters and elders, friends of Ziyun Peak, immediately cried out in angered protest and quickly mobilized their Immortal Swords to rescue. The first cyan Immortal Sword intercepted in the front but met the Tai Yin Summoning Sword without even the sound of metal striking; it was simply cut in two like a wooden sword, stunning its Peak Master into petrified stillness, his face filled with disbelief. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only The second, a red Immortal Sword, arrived, with Samadhi True Fire erupting around it, looking to engulf the Tai Yin Summoning Sword within. However, once the Samadhi True Fire touched the purplish-black energy on the Summoning Sword, it dispersed as quickly as sea tide hitting rocks. With a mere upward flick during its assault, the Tai Yin Summoning Sword casually sent the red Immortal Sword flying. The point of contact cracked open a thumb-sized gap, from which fissures spread out like a spider¡¯s web in every direction. As for the red Immortal Sword¡¯s master, he spat out a mouthful of blood, obviously heavily injured as his Life-bound Sword Artifact had been significantly damaged, with repercussions to his own condition due to the psychic link. With the fates of these two Immortal Swords as a warning, how could the other Peak Masters and elders fail to realize the danger? They hastily retracted their intercepting swords intended for blocking, as if an entire charge of cavalry had come to an abrupt halt. They allowed the Tai Yin Summoning Sword to continue its relentless advance toward Elder Ming Hua! Chapter 770 - Chapter 770: Chapter 5 Chapter 770: Chapter 5 From thousands of miles away, the sky above the Shushan mountain range was completely enveloped by a vast expanse of dark clouds. The clouds were so dense that sunlight was entirely blocked out, suggesting the massive force of an impending storm. Above the Emei Golden Summit, the assembly of swordsmen recoiled in hesitation, save for Ling Yunpo, shrouded in black aura, standing mid-air with a cold gaze fixed on Elder Minghua below and the Long Eyebrow Immortal before him. Just moments ago, the Long Eyebrow Immortal had suddenly made a move, using the Dual Polarity Dust Sword to parry the Tai Yin Suming Sword. ¡°Does the immortal wish to stop me?¡± Ling Yunpo asked indifferently. His mere utterance conjured a robust gloomy wind, causing the robes of the Shushan Peak Masters below to flutter wildly, their forms tottering as if about to fall. By now, if anyone still could not recognize the Tai Yin Suming Sword, then the title of Shushan Sword Immortal would indeed be unworthy. ¡°Do you intend to betray the Sect?¡± the Long Eyebrow Immortal asked sharply, his anger surging to his head as his sword pointed in question. Ling Yunpo let out a cold laugh, raising his arm as the Tai Yin Suming Sword ascended into the sky, its body as black as ink as if it could swallow the radiance of the sun and the moon. ¡°Elder Minghua, I must kill him. If the immortal insists on obstructing me, then please, receive my sword,¡± Ling Yunpo declared. As he spoke with such coldness, everyone felt as if the Tai Yin Suming Sword had suddenly become a great vortex, voraciously absorbing the surrounding spiritual energy. The murderous aura emanating from Ling Yunpo rapidly climbed, almost overwhelming all the Peak Masters present¨Cthey then realized, this man was serious! Heavens! The Tai Yin Sword Master had reappeared after more than a hundred thousand years, and his first act was to draw his sword against the Sect Guardian Immortal of Shushan! Ling Yunpo¡¯s face bore no expression, neither joy nor sorrow, as he simply swung his arm in a light flourish, without employing any sword control technique, and hacked down with one simple sword strike. wuxiaworld.site The Long Eyebrow Immortal spurred his True Yuan, and the Dual Polarity Dust Sword Formation was laid out in an instant. Countless Sword Qi coalesced into an impenetrable barrier above Emei, protecting the various Peak Masters and Elders below. However, with a single slash of the Tai Yin Suming Sword, the barrier of Sword Qi was split apart, followed by the Dual Polarity Dust Sword Formation shattering with a thunderous crack. The residual Sword Qi shot chaotically in all directions, forcing the Peak Masters and Elders to draw their swords in defense, resulting in utter disarray. Unaffected, Ling Yunpo raised his sword once more. The second sword strike! The Long Eyebrow Immortal lifted the Dual Polarity Dust Sword, and under the resonance of Qi, he could hear his own sword, overburdened, wailing continuously. Although the Dual Polarity Dust Sword was a top-rank Immortal Sword, the Tai Yin Suming Sword transcended the category of immortal swords as a Divine Artifact. It was a struggle to parry one strike with all his might; another slash, and then a third¡­ the sword would certainly break without a doubt. Yet, the Long Eyebrow Immortal had no other choice. In the face of the Tai Yin Suming Sword, even an immortal found it hard to cope; were it a Nascent Soul Elder who had yet to attain Feather Transformation, they would surely be cut down like livestock. Nearly all the Peak Masters and Elders of Shushan were presently at the Emei Golden Summit. Should the Tai Yin Sword Master manage to land a blow, the Shushan Shangqing Faction might as well declare its end. Dual Polarity Dust Sword Formation, once more! This time, the Sword Qi was much sparser, not due to a lack of strength in the Long Eyebrow Immortal, but because the Dual Polarity Dust Sword could no longer withstand the strain. Seeing the Long Eyebrow Immortal showing signs of fatigue, the Peak Masters and Elders below couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of fear and despair. If we had known it was the Tai Yin Sword Master in person, why bother witnessing the Immortal¡¯s demonstration? Now we¡¯ve mistakenly entered the Thunder Pond, with slim chances of survival! All or nothing! A multitude of Sword Lights suddenly soared, evidently the many Peak Masters and Elders unwilling to sit idly by, all stimulating their Immortal Swords to rise and fill the gaps in the Dual Polarity Dust Sword Formation. Another strike came down, with the force of the Tai Yin Sword Qi this time even more potent than before, by a third. The Dual Polarity Dust Sword Formation collapsed with a thunderous crash, followed by the sudden extinguishing of countless sword lights, as many elders spat out blood, their Life-bound Sword Artifacts damaged, their bodies heavily wounded, they fell to the ground, unable to get up. The remaining Sword Qi, undiminished in strength, surged toward the area behind everyone¡­ No! That direction was¨C At the edge of the Sky¡¯s End Plaza, Elder Ming Hua had already achieved Man-Sword Unity, the sword light speeding towards the interior of the Shushan Ancestral Master Hall. With his insight, he naturally realized that Tai Yin Sword Master was too formidable with the cheats activated, and that the combined strength of the Shushan Sect was no match. Staying any longer meant death for everyone, or an early execution by the Tai Yin Sword Master¡­ Taking advantage of Long Eyebrow Immortal¡¯s ability to restrain the adversary, if he didn¡¯t flee now, when would he? He had just rushed into the Ancestral Master Hall when infinite Sword Qi followed, destroying his activated Protective Dharma Treasure, Life-bound Sword Artifact, his own body, along with the majestic and grand Shushan Ancestral Master Hall and the many sword steles that recorded the myriad illustrious accomplishments of Shushan ancestors, all torn asunder in the ferocious Sword Qi! Witnessing the Ancestral Master Hall collapse with a booming sound, Long Eyebrow Immortal¡¯s face turned ashen, while the Peak Masters were half in despair and half in shock and anger. The despair lay in the very existence of the Ancestral Master Hall, which for the Shushan Shangqing Faction was nearly equivalent to the Sect¡¯s lineage. If even the Ancestral Master Hall could be split by a single sword strike, how could the Shushan Shangqing Faction not be doomed? The shock and anger were because everyone was jointly resisting the Tai Yin Sword Master while Elder Ming Hua sneakily fled for his life, even thinking of using the Ancestral Master Hall as cover¨Chis heart deserved condemnation! Long Eyebrow Immortal, however, showed no anger, only pain. In his eyes, every Peak Master was a pillar of the Shushan Shangqing Faction. How could they possibly betray the Sect? It was for this reason that he had scoffed at Ling Yunpo¡¯s accusations¨Cit wasn¡¯t due to any bias against Ling Yunpo. But now, Elder Ming Hua had fled behind everyone¡¯s backs, quietly abandoning the Sect, which was undeniably a slap in Long Eyebrow Immortal¡¯s face. If Elder Ming Hua could abandon the Sect, could he indeed be a traitor from the Demonic Path? If he truly were a traitor, wouldn¡¯t that mean I was misled by the traitor and wronged Qing Heng True Person¡­ Lost in thought, Long Eyebrow Immortal stood stunned while the Peak Masters below were already restless. With the Ancestral Master Hall struck down by the Tai Yin Sword Master, killing us would be as easy as slaughtering chickens, wouldn¡¯t it? Soon someone found An Zhisu and shouted at her: ¡°Jiao Xiao True Person, have your Qing Heng take back his Divine Skills! Even if we Shushan have done wrong, we shouldn¡¯t resort to violence; can¡¯t we just talk things over peacefully?¡± The fact that the men of Shushan, accustomed to drawing their swords, would speak such words as ¡°shouldn¡¯t resort to violence¡± showed the depth of their fear at being slaughtered. An Zhisu just stood there, dumbstruck, looking up at Ling Yunpo in the sky, unable to find her voice. She was well aware that Long Eyebrow Immortal had no intention to kill her, but the conflict between the Immortal and Ling Yunpo had escalated to such a point that reconciliation seemed almost impossible. If she asked her junior brother to stop now and let Shushan go, might it lead to greater disaster in the future? ¡°Qing Heng!¡± shouted Long Eyebrow Immortal, his voice booming like a bell, ¡°The many sins and responsibilities are all mine! It¡¯s Long Eyebrow Immortal who has failed you, not the Shushan Shangqing Faction!¡± ¡°If there is blame to be assigned, come after me! Stop involving the innocent!¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Ling Yunpo confirmed that Elder Ming Hua had no life force left and was about to speak, when suddenly he noticed that Elder Leng Quan was also not among the crowd. A sweep of his senses revealed that Leng Quan had already fled Shushan and was heading down towards Thunder Pond Plains! Without a second thought, Ling Yunpo immediately struck downwards with a sword. This sword strike was so mighty that it spared Long Eyebrow Immortal and the various Peak Masters, targeting the lower-positioned Elder Leng Quan instead. The Emei Golden Summit, under the aftershocks of this Sword Qi, shook violently and boomed, splitting in two! Chapter 771 - Chapter 771: Chapter 8 Splitting Well Chapter 771: Chapter 8 Splitting Well Mount Emei, soaring over a thousand feet high. Its unparalleled steepness, with withered pines dangling upside down, has been home to the ¡°Emei Sword Sect¡± since ancient times, making it the indisputable Sacred Mountain in the hearts of Sword Immortals. However, even the Mount Emei adored and yearned for by Sword Immortals was now cleaved open by a strike of the Tai Yin Suming Sword! The Tai Yin Suming Sword, entirely pitch-black, had Sword Qi of a purple hue. With just a single swing of Ling Yunpo mid-air, the Sword Qi abruptly extended nearly a thousand feet, piercing straight down from above into the Emei Golden Summit. Destroying everything in its path as if tearing through decayed wood or splitting bamboo! The body of Mount Emei was brutally torn apart by the Sword Qi, with massive amounts of earth and rock collapsing down the sides like rivers in spate, plummeting like torrential rain. Birds took flight in startled flocks, and beasts fled with mournful cries; everywhere one looked, the earth shook and mountains quivered like the mortal world had turned into purgatory! In the mountain side ravines, within the Thunder Cave Flat, the Demon Locking Tower also swayed in the aftermath of this earth-shattering event, causing many Peak Masters and Nascent Soul Elders of Shushan to cry out in terror, ¡°Tai Yin Sword Master, withdraw your divine skills,¡± almost pleading as they looked towards Qing Heng True Person. If the Demon Locking Tower truly collapsed, releasing a large number of demons trapped inside, not to mention Shushan which would surely face cruel vengeance, the entire Sichuan Shu region would likely turn into a mortal purgatory! Although Ling Yunpo was furious, he remained lucid, knowing full well that if he really did bring down the Demon Locking Tower, the countless karmic retributions brought upon the world¡¯s creatures would definitely fall on his own shoulders. Therefore, the way he dispatched his Sword Qi was carefully angled to avoid affecting the Demon Locking Tower at all. It was only that Nascent Soul Elder Leng Quan who deliberately fled towards the Demon Locking Tower, trying to make Ling Yunpo hesitate between catching a rat and breaking a valuable vase. As he slightly adjusted the angle, Nascent Soul Elder Leng Quan seized the opportunity to activate a Secret Technique or some Magical Treasure¡­ His figure instantly vanished from the spot, and moments later, reappeared on the other side of the Demon Locking Tower¨Castonishingly avoiding the terrifying Sword Qi that split Mount Emei. Ling Yunpo gave a cold glance, easily discerning that it was some kind of space-related Secret Technique, allowing instantaneous movement over a distance regardless of space, but at the cost of a huge consumption of True Yuan. Ah Jing had said before that every time she used her save-point teleportation, the Spiritual Energy consumption was astronomical. You, a mere Nascent Soul Elder, how many times can you use this space Secret Technique? As many times as you teleport, that¡¯s how many times I¡¯ll strike you down! Ignoring the wails of the Shushan Peak Masters and Elders below, Ling Yunpo once again raised his arm and delivered another strike. The Tai Yin Suming Sword fell once again, but from a different angle, thrusting its Sword Qi into the Emei Golden Summit for a second time! And so, the mountain sides, once split in two, were again divided further. The cascading streams of earth and stone, like surging rivers and streams, mixed with shattered trees, carcasses of birds and beasts, fragmented ruins of mountain paths, stone steps, and houses, tumbled down in torrents. At the center of the Sword Qi impact, Nascent Soul Elder Leng Quan indeed failed to dodge this second strike and was instantly blasted into oblivion on the spot. The Sword Qi intermixed with Innate Tai Yin Energy tore his body apart and obliterated him, leaving no trace of life. Finally achieving his revenge, Ling Yunpo felt a sense of enlightening clarity. Glancing below at the people of Shushan, Long Eyebrow Immortal¡¯s complexion was as dark and defeated as that of a beaten dog, while the expressions of the Peak Masters and Elders shrank away like frightened quails, clearly devoid of any will to fight back. Only Senior Sister An Zhisu stood there, staring blankly in the distance¡­ Ling Yunpo then felt a jolt in his body¨Ccould it be? Wait, although I deliberately avoided the Demon Locking Tower, did I accidentally hit Qingluo Peak? Ling Yunpo quickly looked more carefully, scanning for a moment before realizing that he hadn¡¯t struck his own Taoist temple. It was merely the earthquake caused by the residual Sword Qi that had spread over, causing a minor landslide on Qingluo Peak that made it look as if it had been sliced. If I indeed had cleaved my own doorstep, how would I explain it to Senior Sister? Fortunately, all is well¡­ Just as he was inwardly relieved, he suddenly saw a brilliant azure Sword Light shoot out from a collapsed area of Qingluo Peak. The Sword Light circled quickly above Qingluo Peak, then rapidly turned towards the Emei Golden Summit. Then, seeing the dejected and dispirited crowd of Shushan ready to meet their fate and Ling Yunpo imperiously standing in midair, his body enshrouded with black flames like an ancient demon, who wouldn¡¯t (fill in the blank) understand what had happened? A clear voice shouted: ¡°You scoundrel! Come and pay with your life!¡± The unfamiliar visitor directly merged with his sword and charged ferociously towards Ling Yunpo, not hesitating in the slightest. Ling Yunpo subconsciously used the Tai Yin Suming Sword to block, and halfway through the block, he suddenly realized something and hurriedly reduced the physical strength exerted on the sword¡­ However, it was ultimately too late to withdraw, and the incoming figure collided with the Tai Yin Suming Sword, immediately rebounding and flying backwards, landing amidst the crowd from Mount Emei below. They staggered to the ground, spat out blood, but appeared to be a middle-aged handsome man with a long beard and a tall figure. ¡°Master!¡± An Zhisu cried out in sorrow, quickly rushing over to support him. ¡°Su¡¯er, step back!¡± Without further explanation, Su Jian pulled his daughter¡¯s arm away, ¡°This demon is too formidable for you to handle. Leave it to the elders!¡± ¡°No! That¡¯s Junior Brother!¡± An Zhisu said with a sob in her voice, weeping as she spoke. ¡°So it¡¯s your Junior Brother, then I will¡­¡± Su Jian unconsciously began to reply, and then. After that, he didn¡¯t know what else to say. For a moment, no one spoke, and only the sound of the collapsing mountains could be heard in the distance. ¡°Master!¡± Ling Yunpo also reacted sharply, immediately instructing Ah Jing and Suming to temporarily withdraw their divine skills, gathered all the Tai Yin Energy within his body, and rapidly descended to land in front of Su Jian, crying out, ¡°Master has finally awakened! If you had not come down from the mountain, our Qingluo Peak¡¯s lineage would have been destroyed!¡± Su Jian: ??? Wait a minute, with these eyes of mine, isn¡¯t it the lineage of Mount Emei that¡¯s on the verge of destruction? The Ancestral Master Hall of Shushan is already gone, not to mention Emei¡¯s Golden Summit being split into four parts, and then you¡¯re telling me that Qingluo Peak is in imminent danger? What a joke! Another streak of sword light flew in from afar, landing in front of everyone; it was the Jade Capital Sect Leader who had already left the scene. Because he was displeased with how the Long Eyebrow Immortal treated the two True Persons, the Sect Leader left the scene again in anger, took a walk down the Yangtze River to calm his mind, and then took a detour back to Mount Emei. What he saw was Mount Emei almost being annihilated, his eyes bulging like copper bells, he had the same dumbfounded expression as Su Jian. It was at this moment that Ling Yunpo, fully aware of the importance of ¡°complaining first,¡± took advantage of the fact that the people of Mount Emei hadn¡¯t yet come down from their high horses (or had not recovered from their arrogance), to quickly wail, with snot and tears, about the many grievances Qingluo Peak had suffered during the years of Su Jian¡¯s seclusion, one by one. The monthly stipend of Qingluo Peak had been deducted for nearly a hundred years, that¡¯s true, right? Many cultivators coming to challenge Senior Sister An to duels, and some even using secret techniques to injure her till she spat blood, that¡¯s no lie, right? Ling Yunpo, upon joining Qingluo Peak, acquired an Immortal Sword from the Sword Pool and immediately became the target of Ziyun Peak¡¯s scheming and robbery, I¡¯m not lying, am I? And all the various targeting and ostracization from the rest of Mount Emei, such as the coveted task of conquering the Hundred Thousand Mountains to the south, which came around once in decades; or the grim task of guarding the Demon Locking Tower, which was assigned to them time and time again¡­ Such hardships and grievances are simply too numerous to record! Finally, Senior Sister An was framed and tied to the Dragon-Imprisoning Pillar to be tortured; I, as her disciple, was forced to flee from Mount Emei, and only dared to return at the risk of my own life upon hearing that Senior Sister was to be executed. Without the assistance of the Immortal Sword, there would have been no chance of survival! Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Su Jian listened with a face turning pale, then he turned his head to look at the people of Mount Emei: seeing the Long Eyebrow Immortal ashamed and speechless, and the Peak Masters and Elders looking around guiltily, he clearly understood that what Ling Yunpo said was true, and was so angry that smoke nearly came out of his seven orifices! Fucking hell, I just went into seclusion to heal for a while, and Qingluo Peak has been bullied to this state? A Shushan so unjust might as well be split by a sword! Well split! wuxiaworld.site .co Chapter 772 - Chapter 772: Chapter 9: The Sect Leader Retires, The Immortal Resigns Chapter 772: Chapter 9: The Sect Leader Retires, The Immortal Resigns Although Su Jian was so angry that he was fuming, everyone else, feeling guilty, was secretly relieved. The former Qi Sha True Person, although merciless in sword fights and hence slandered by his fellow disciples as the Shushan Slaughter Star, still abided by the rules after all. But this Current Qing Heng True Person, he is far more ruthless than Qi Sha True Person. One sword defeated the Long Eyebrow Immortal, two swords destroyed the Ancestral Master Hall, and with three swords, four swords, Mount Emei would have been chopped into four parts! Compared to the Tai Yin Sword Master, Qi Sha True Person was simply a role model of Shushan. Taking into account that this person was also the father-in-law of the Tai Yin Sword Master, and that the Tai Yin Sword Master practiced the Sentiment Inquiry Path, shouldn¡¯t they at least give some respect to the relatives on the wife¡¯s side and not continue with this havoc? Mount Emei is not a mooncake! It can¡¯t be cut anymore! Under the watchful eyes of everyone, the Jade Capital Sect Leader also knew the matter was urgent and could not be delayed any longer, otherwise, the morale of the Shushan Sword Immortals would truly dissipate. So he opened his mouth and said: ¡°Elder Qi Sha, we all understand the resentment of Qingluo Peak. But the most urgent task at hand is to figure out how to solve the problem.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Su Jian nodded as well. Shushan is now in such a broken state, he understood the priority of issues without the Sect Leader having to say more. So he looked towards Ling Yunpo and said: ¡°That¡­¡± Wait, what was his disciple¡¯s name again? He was taken as a disciple by Su¡¯er during my seclusion! I have no idea what his surname or personal name is, nor where he hails from! ¡°Disciple Ling Yunpo, with the Taoist name Qing Heng.¡± Ling Yunpo promptly said. ¡°Hmm,¡± Su Jian nodded and said, ¡°Qing Heng, don¡¯t worry. Now that your master has left seclusion, he will definitely stand up for you.¡± The surrounding Peak Masters and elders were on the verge of tears: Having Su Jian to stand up for them, that would be wonderful! Otherwise, if Qing Heng True Person continued on his rampage, he would have killed off everyone in Shushan. ¡°We¡­¡± The Jade Capital Sect Leader was about to subconsciously say ¡°Let¡¯s talk in the Ancestral Master Hall,¡± before suddenly realizing the hall was gone. Shushan, how tragic! Thinking this, the Jade Capital Sect Leader quickly signaled to Long Eyebrow Immortal with his eyes. Long Eyebrow Immortal understood the hint in his gaze and couldn¡¯t help but sigh deeply. Seeing this, it¡¯s time to make it clear: With Ling Yunpo devastating Shushan like this, it seems the deep-seated hatred and grievances between the two could never be resolved, right? Actually, not really. To kill a fellow disciple warrant an eye for an eye; to murder an elder was a greater crime; to assassinate the Sect Leader was unforgivable; to defeat an immortal was something else¡­ ¡­ Then you are the pride of Shushan! This was the harsh reality faced by everyone in Shushan. Qing Heng True Person, Tai Yin Sword Master, they were definitely unbeatable for the majority. It was not only important to avoid becoming his enemy but also to ensure he felt at ease, understanding that Shushan had abandoned any previous grievances and would not target him again. Otherwise, if the Tai Yin Sword Master decided to act decisively and wiped out Shushan completely, then there would be nothing left to discuss. Luckily, Su Jian chose this moment to emerge from his seclusion, neither too early nor too late, providing a bridge for reconciliation between Shushan and Qing Heng True Person. Without Su Jian, just to ease the Tai Yin Sword Master¡¯s wariness would require the Shushan Shangqing Faction to humble themselves, kneel, and admit their mistake¡­ but by doing so, they would lose all initiative, and the whole sect would lose its authority and dignity. With Su Jian present, things became much easier. ¡°I wish to resign from the position of Sect Leader,¡± the Jade Capital Sect Leader said concisely, ¡°Elder Qi Sha, with your profound seniority and strength far surpassing your peers, is the rightful candidate to take on the role of Shushan Sect Leader.¡± He had already clearly seen that after his latest seclusive meditation, Su Jian had had a moment of enlightenment at the brink of life and death, making leaps and bounds in his cultivation realm. Now his level was probably at the intermediate rank of the Nascent Soul Realm. Although he did not know how Su Jian achieved this, this level of cultivation was certainly enough to be the Sect Leader. ¡°Mm,¡± Long Eyebrow Immortal first nodded in agreement, then said, ¡°I wish to resign from the position of Sect Guardian Immortal of Shushan, and henceforth be a Guest Elder Scattered Immortal. That will suffice.¡± Who forced the Tai Yin Sword Master into rebellion? This pot was first for Long Eyebrow Immortal to carry; resigning from the position of Sect Guardian Immortal meant also losing the power to intervene in Shushan¡¯s political affairs, offering an explanation to Qingluo Peak and aiming to alleviate Qing Heng True Person¡¯s wariness. What is the role of a guest elder for? When Shushan needs to fight someone, you have to come and lend a hand. At other times, go about your business as usual and don¡¯t have the right to interfere here. Having secluded himself for many years, Su Jian heard about the ostracism Qingluo Peak had faced but never personally experienced it. Now, witnessing the Sect Leader resigning and the Immortal stepping down, his expression inevitably showed some reluctance. Reluctant as he was, he knew that without doing so, the situation at hand simply couldn¡¯t be settled. Shushan had been beaten to such a state that, although the high levels swallowed their anger for the sake of the Tai Yin Suming Sword, the cultivators below might not understand, having lost all face. With the Jade Capital Sect Leader and Long Eyebrow Immortal both gone, it signified the comprehensive rise of the Qingluo Peak lineage. Tai Yin Sword Master Qing Heng True Person immediately transformed from a traitorous deserter to Shushan¡¯s direct descendant of the Sect Leader¡¯s lineage¨Csurely he couldn¡¯t continue to oppose Shushan? The Sect Leader is your father-in-law, after all! At the same time, with Su Jian, this great Sect Leader deity, presiding, the Various Peaks would have to weigh the pros and cons before picking a fight with the Tai Yin Sword Master¡­ But on further thought, this risk wasn¡¯t too great. Firstly, despite the catastrophe of Shushan, the Ancestral Master Hall being destroyed, and Mount Emei being split, not many lives were lost, only the two traitors, Ming Hua and Leng Quan. Although the exact nature of their conspiracy wasn¡¯t clear, since the Tai Yin Sword Master said they were traitors of the Demon Cult, then of course they were traitors of the Demon Cult. As long as there were no deaths, it wasn¡¯t a grievous hatred. The Ancestral Master Hall could be rebuilt, Mount Emei¡­ Split into four, just to highlight the Tai Yin Sword Master of Shushan¡¯s superior swordsmanship. Secondly, despite Long Eyebrow Immortal¡¯s retirement, his reputation from many years still stood, and he would surely fully support his disciple Su Jian, helping him consolidate his authority as the Sect Leader. Next, the Shushan Shangqing Sect would surely enter an era where the word of the Sect Leader was law. With Long Eyebrow Immortal¡¯s strong support above and the shrewd gaze of the Tai Yin Sword Master below, who would dare to disobey Su Jian¡¯s command? This was the best solution and the only one. Ling Yunpo, a shrewd man, caught on to the calculations between the two as they spoke, immediately deciphering their strategies. He had to admit, there truly was a moment when he considered killing Long Eyebrow Immortal on the spot, taking the piece of Heaven-Mending Stone, and fleeing. But by doing so, the other Immortals in possession of Heaven-Mending Stone pieces would be extremely vigilant, and obtaining a second piece wouldn¡¯t be easy anymore. Now that his father-in-law had emerged from seclusion and his own status in Shushan was about to rise, instead of acting rashly, it was better to plan carefully¡­ Having schemed for over a hundred years, waiting a bit longer wouldn¡¯t make a difference. Once he entered the Nascent Soul Realm and his true strength matured, he would seize all their pieces of the Heaven-Mending Stone! The Jade Capital Sect Leader and Long Eyebrow Immortal were still eagerly looking at Ling Yunpo, fearful that the Tai Yin Sword Master might make a ruthless move and declare, ¡°Father-in-law, we don¡¯t care for the position of Sect Leader, let¡¯s plan!¡± But Ling Yunpo did not show any unusual signs, merely looking excitedly at Su Jian and saying, ¡°Master, you¡¯ve finally emerged from seclusion! My senior sister and I have waited far too long for this day!¡± Su Jian felt a bit embarrassed at those words. Although originally he had entered a deadly seclusion due to severe injuries, he had long since passed the point of life-threatening danger in his cultivation. However, during his recovery, he had caught a glimmer of enlightenment, so he chose not to leave seclusion but focused all his attention on comprehending it. Had it not been for Ling Yunpo splitting Qingluo Peak with a single sword, Su Jian might have continued his seclusion indefinitely! Of course, he could not have anticipated that, without him, Qingluo Peak would be subjected to such ostracism. Long Eyebrow Immortal was especially mortified, aware that the reason Qingluo Peak had suffered so was ultimately due to his dissatisfaction with Su Jian for sustaining severe injuries while saving his daughter. The demeanor of an immortal can lead to a change in the entire sect¡¯s atmosphere, something Su Jian had not anticipated at all¨Che had thought Long Eyebrow Immortal would look after his daughter. The two of them stood there in real embarrassment, until a Jade Capital elder stepped forward to break the silence, saying, Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Qi Sha True Person emerges from seclusion and ascends to the Sect Leader¡¯s position; it is only right to hold a grand ancestral worship ceremony.¡± Let¡¯s not dredge up past conflicts, the more we discuss, the harder they are to resolve; instead, let¡¯s look forward to the future. But as for this grand ancestral worship ceremony¡­ Everyone looked at the fractured Emei Golden Summit, falling into silence and deep contemplation once again. wuxiaworld.site .co Chapter 773 - Chapter 773: Chapter 10: Tai Yin Sword Master Tops the List Chapter 773: Chapter 10: Tai Yin Sword Master Tops the List ¡°` After more than a hundred thousand years, a new generation Tai Yin Sword Master had finally emerged from the Shushan School! Such earth-shattering news spread swiftly throughout the Divine Land Continent, hand in hand with the announcement that the Shushan Shangqing Faction was going to hold an Ancestral Ceremony. Those with memories of the past would recall a similar groundbreaking event when True Person Changgeng achieved a First Grade Golden Core, and the Kunlun Taiqing Sect also held a grand Ancestral Ceremony. The purpose of the ceremony was actually a pretext to invite you to come and watch, so they could start bragging non-stop about how powerful the Tai Yin Sword Master is¡­ Of course, the reality was indeed so. Those unaware praised the flourishing destiny of the Orthodox Sects, thinking that with the First Grade Golden Core from Kunlun followed by the Tai Yin Sword Master from Shushan, such formidable cultivators were emerging one after another. But those in the know couldn¡¯t help but ridicule Shushan for handling funeral matters as if they were celebrations, a bizarre practice indeed. Although Shushan tried hard to keep this aspect confidential, the public execution of True Person Jiao Xiao was never a secret. If True Person Qing Heng had not returned to save her, Shushan could perhaps explain it away by saying they had only staged an ¡°execution¡± to lure out a traitor. But True Person Qing Heng did not just return, he even transformed into the Tai Yin Sword Master. To save his elder sister, he had slashed the Ancestral Master Hall into kindling and cut Mount Emei into four parts, leaving Shushan completely unable to justify themselves. The Ancestral Master Hall could be rebuilt, but Mount Emei could not be glued back together. To say they had split Mount Emei ¡°just for show¡± would be an insult to the intelligence of the vast majority of cultivators. In this regard, Shushan naturally had no good solution and could only consult the newly appointed Seven Kills Sect Leader Su Jian. Due to his more extensive experience, Su Jian¡¯s emotional intelligence was a bit higher than An Zhisu¡¯s, but given their father-daughter relationship, the increase in emotional intelligence wasn¡¯t all that significant. Faced with such trivial publicity problems, the Sect Leader waved his hand magnanimously and gave three brief words: ¡°Handle it.¡± These seemingly simple words encapsulated the highest essence of management in our traditional culture. The Shushan disciples then proceeded to explain to their close friends and inquirers according to their own understanding. ¡°The Ancestral Master Hall is gone? That¡¯s only because the Tai Yin Sword Master found it too small, so he razed it to the ground intending to build a new one, nothing to make a fuss about. It will be reconstructed on the day of the Ancestral Ceremony, and it will be even more majestic and grand than before.¡± ¡°The Four Emei Mountains result from the Tai Yin Sword Master¡¯s deliberate act. Although the original Mount Emei was splendid, it wasn¡¯t perilous enough to match the temperament of a Sword Immortal. Therefore, the Tai Yin Sword Master wielded great divine power to split it into Great Emei Mountain, Second Emei Mountain, Third Emei Mountain, and Fourth Emei Mountain. The Four Emei stands like Four Swords, guarding Shushan steadfastly.¡± ¡°Tai Yin Sword Master battling the elders of Shushan? Who would believe such a lowly rumor? Take the Suming Sword for instance, even immortals dare not grasp its sharpness, how could the Nascent Soul elders dare to challenge the Sword Master? Don¡¯t just blindly believe rumors, use your brains and think about it.¡± ¡°The reason why the heavens and earth changed color that day was simply that an elder wished to witness the might of the Suming Sword, so the Tai Yin Sword Master displayed a bit of his divine skills. Don¡¯t be incredulous! If the Tai Yin Sword Master was really going to strike at the Shushan elders, how many do you think could survive? Go and see, all the elders are still very much alive!¡± ¡°The new Seven Kills Sect Leader of Shushan is the master of the Tai Yin Sword Master; True Person Jiao Xiao, the daughter of the Seven Kills Sect Leader, is the beloved of the Tai Yin Sword Master. To say that the Tai Yin Sword Master is dissatisfied with Shushan is clearly making a fool of everyone with these rumors!¡± A multitude of such whitewashing accounts were flying everywhere, with some believing them and others not. In general, those who were friendly towards the Orthodox Sects believed them, those who were opposed did not, and as for the neutral onlookers¡­ they didn¡¯t care about the truth, so it mattered little to them. Su Jian mostly adopted an attitude of indifference toward these messages. After all, he believed in the supremacy of strength and was straightforward in character, convinced that as long as the Shushan Shangqing Faction stood unyielding, it would be the best counterattack, and there was no need to pay attention to some outside rumors. However, one piece of news really troubled Su Jian: What do they mean ¡°True Person Jiao Xiao is the beloved of the Tai Yin Sword Master¡±? My daughter is still unwed, and her purity can¡¯t be stained by such baseless rumors! Previously, because Long Eyebrow Immortal disliked gossip, the people of Shushan, although mostly aware of the relationship between Jiao Xiao and Qing Heng, had tacitly agreed not to discuss it¨Cthey had become accustomed to it. So much so that when Su Jian took office, no one spoke to him about it. ¡°` This cheap father-in-law still doesn¡¯t know a thing! After learning about Ling Yunpo¡¯s past from An Zhisu, Su Jian was very pleased with this disciple. First of all, this disciple¡¯s character is firm and unyielding, just like me. In the past, Ziyun Peak spotted Ling Yunpo¡¯s talent with his Innate Sword Bone and sent his disciple, Lou Zhizheng, to recruit him, only to be sternly rejected by Ling Yunpo. He preferred to stay at Qingluo Peak without a master¡¯s guidance, which Su Jian found no fault with. Later, Ling Yunpo decisively killed Lou Zhizheng during a magical competition, which made Su Jian cheer with delight. Secondly, this disciple¡¯s strength is exceptional, just like me. In the Foundation Establishment Realm, he secured the second place on the Shushan Immortal Sword Ranking, and was respectfully known as ¡°Po Yun Sword Immortal.¡± There¡¯s no need to elaborate on his strength. Although he didn¡¯t take first place, first place was after all his own precious daughter, so actually, this disciple had performed quite excellently. During Core Formation, he formed a Third Grade Golden Core. Among the true persons of the Shushan Shangqing Faction, he was only second to the top¨Ctop being the Second Grade Golden Core Su¡¯er, and it¡¯s quite normal that you can¡¯t surpass her. Not to mention the great White Jade Capital competition and the exploration of the Golden Que, the few spots for the twelve secret realms given to Shushan were won by the daughter and disciple. In Su Jian¡¯s view, An Zhisu was taught by him personally, so it was normal for her to have such talent and strength. Since he had not taught Ling Yunpo at all, the only explanation was ¡°this boy is a chip off the old block.¡± It was precisely because he was so much like Su Jian that An Zhisu instantly took a liking to him when he first joined Shushan. That made sense, too. ¡°Qing Heng.¡± Finally finding some leisure time, Su Jian called Ling Yunpo to the area under Thunderbane and inquired, ¡°What is your current cultivation level now?¡± ¡°Replying to Master, your disciple has just broken through a bottleneck recently and has entered the Golden Core Realm at the Obscure Weave Rank,¡± Ling Yunpo answered respectfully. From the moment he resolved to rescue his senior sister and stepped out of the hiding cave, the bottleneck that had troubled him was thoroughly cleared. ¡°Hmm,¡± said Su Jian. Although he had understood in detail from An Zhisu, he still needed to personally test his cheap disciple¡¯s true strength, ¡°Given your current lifespan, this cultivation realm can also be considered as having advanced rapidly.¡± I am a Fifth Rank Qi Lian! Could you possibly find someone who levels up faster than me? Ling Yunpo mumbled in his mind, while continuously expressing modesty with his words. ¡°Let¡¯s test your swordsmanship level,¡± said Su Jian, extending a hand and summoning the Harsh Cold Sword that An Zhisu had returned to him the day before, ¡°Go ahead and draw your sword.¡± ¡°Then your disciple shall not decline.¡± Ling Yunpo nodded slightly, pulling out the Tai Yin Suming Sword from within his body. Su Jian¡¯s eyelids immediately twitched, and his facial muscles spasmed, forcing him to cough and say, ¡°The Tai Yin Suming Sword is a Divine Artifact of the Human Race and should not be handled carelessly. Switch to another sword.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Ling Yunpo hastily withdrew the Suming Sword and conjured the Thunderbane and Myriad Bamboo swords, then respectfully bowed to his master, Su Jian. If anyone else did this, they would certainly be despised by Su Jian as being over-fastidious. But at this moment, Su Jian was in a state of ¡°the more I look at you, the more pleased I am¡± with Ling Yunpo, and immediately took a liking to his reverence for the master and his teachings, laughing aloud, ¡°No need to be reserved, come at me with all you¡¯ve got.¡± wuxiaworld.site .co Chapter 774 - Chapter 774: Chapter 11: Shushan Ancestor Worship Grand Ceremony Chapter 774: Chapter 11: Shushan Ancestor Worship Grand Ceremony ¡°If one were to evaluate Su Jian¡¯s swordsmanship, it fundamentally amounts to an ultra-enhanced version of An Zhisu¡¯s.¡± ¡°Based on the scan results, it¡¯s certain Su Jian doesn¡¯t possess an Innate Sword Heart.¡± ¡°However, this guy¡¯s mastery in the way of the sword is also unbelievably strong, and the fact that it¡¯s purely self-taught ultimately garners more respect than abilities like Ling Yunpo¡¯s, which feel like cheating.¡± Ling Yunpo was secretly shocked, while Su Jian grew more and more satisfied with the battle, thinking that although his disciple Qing Heng¡¯s swordsmanship was mediocre, that was when judged by the standards of the Golden Core Realm¡¯s Obscure Weave Rank. ¡°Considering his age of entry into the field, having such swordsmanship attainment is already outstanding¨Cjust like the speed of his cultivation¡¯s advancement.¡± ¡°Well fought.¡± Su Jian quickly stopped and provided some very precise critiques and suggestions according to Ling Yunpo¡¯s specific circumstances. Here again, one could spot the difference between Su Jian and An Zhisu: although Senior Sister An had impressive swordsmanship herself, her ability to teach others was really not up to par, often she could only have the younger brother practice hard to reach understanding on his own. With Su Jian¡¯s incisive advice, Ling Yunpo had an epiphany and couldn¡¯t help but admit that having a master was indeed a good thing. At least in the aspect of the Sword Control Technique, neither the Ziwei Master nor Elder Shi Ding could possibly teach him much. An Zhisu watched from the side, occasionally bringing tea to Su Jian and wiping sweat for Ling Yunpo, appearing even busier than the other two. Although cultivators don¡¯t need to drink water or wipe away sweat, this was the girl¡¯s way of showing her kindness, and the two were also not so ungracious as to outright reject it. However, as Su Jian drank his tea while watching his daughter wipe the sweat off his disciple, he suddenly felt quite uneasy. ¡°Su¡¯er,¡± Su Jian casually inquired when An Zhisu came over to serve him tea, ¡°In all those years I was in seclusion, have you found yourself a Daoist Companion?¡± ¡°No,¡± replied An Zhisu, her cheeks reddening, her voice quiet. As for the matter with her junior brother, having to explain everything about her and her junior brother to her father in detail¨Ceven most likely facing a barrage of probing questions from him¨Cwas just too embarrassing. An Zhisu was too shy to speak up, but since this matter was common knowledge in Shushan, and given that Wen Qingliu had recently re-emerged, she suspected that her father would eventually find out anyway. There would be time to discuss it when he asked about it. Yet Su Jian wasn¡¯t so preoccupied with such thoughts; hearing An Zhisu claim she hadn¡¯t sought a Daoist Companion, he immediately felt relieved. I knew it; my daughter couldn¡¯t have been fooled by someone in just the time I was in seclusion. To be fair, if it came to finding a Daoist Companion for An Zhisu, Ling Yunpo, being the current Tai Yin Sword Master with both talent and good looks, would be a perfectly well-matched suitor due to his strong capabilities and deep connection with her family¨Cof course, he would be the prime candidate. But Su Jian had been in seclusion for at least a hundred years, and in his heart, An Zhisu was still that naive and fragile girl who had just lost her mother and returned to Shushan with him. My Su¡¯er doesn¡¯t understand anything; it¡¯s too early for her to seek a Daoist Companion, too early! In some respects, he shared the same sentiment as many fathers who dislike the idea of their daughters getting married¨Calmost unanimously choosing ¡°she¡¯s still too young¡± as their excuse, regardless of the actual circumstances. Now reassured that his daughter hadn¡¯t been led astray, Su Jian breathed a sigh of relief and turned his attention back to Ling Yunpo¡¯s affairs. Truth be told, regarding the disciple his daughter took on during his seclusion, Su Jian couldn¡¯t be more satisfied. With exceptional talent, formidable strength, a stable realm, and his Life-bound Sword Artifact being a super god-level existence. Su Jian, as the newly appointed Seven Kills Sect Leader of Shushan, had a reputation that, for the moment, only circulated within the Righteous Three Pure Ones and the Evil Six Paths, but the Tai Yin Sword Master had become almost universally known in the Cultivation Realm¡­ Just now, the Guan Family¡¯s Ancestor, a guest elder of Shushan, had rushed over unable to contain himself any longer, eager to catch a glimpse of the true face of the Tai Yin Suming Sword. ¡°This is truly impressive, truly impressive!¡± Admiring the Tai Yin Suming Sword summoned by Ling Yunpo, the Guan Family¡¯s Ancestor looked over it from left to right, full of praise, ¡°May I try to cleave with it just once?¡± ¡°Absolutely not!¡± Before Su Jian, the Sect Leader, had a chance to speak, the elders were hastily interjecting in panic, ¡°A Human Race Divine Artifact, how could it be taken lightly?¡± ¡°Haha.¡± The Guan Family¡¯s Ancestor also realized his gaffe, remembering that the four quarters of Mount Emei were still strewn outside, and awkwardly made his attempt to joke, ¡°Just kidding.¡± The joke wasn¡¯t funny at all, so much so that no one laughed. Since the original Emei Golden Summit had split into four pieces, the Great Emei Mountain received the most debris from the former Heavenly Extremes Square, and a new Ancestral Master Hall was planned to be built on the summit of the Great Emei Mountain, in preparation for the grand ancestral ceremony. Those with good relations with Shushan, like the Guan Family¡¯s Ancestor, didn¡¯t have to wait until the day of the grand ceremony, and could directly come to Shushan in advance to prepare for the viewing ceremony and incidentally meet the newly emerged Tai Yin Sword Master. Of course, the latter was their main purpose. After a few days had passed, and the day of the grand ancestral ceremony arrived, immortals like the Chi Song Immortal from Kunlun, the Ziwei Master, the Wan Xiang Immortal from Penglai, and the Master of Xuan Du had also consecutively reached the site. It was said that the war between Kunlun and the Six Paths had also come to an abrupt end with the sudden emergence of the Tai Yin Sword Master. Although Ling Yunpo was at Shushan during this time, it was not difficult to guess what had happened: apart from the Nether Ghost Path, the rest of the Six Paths had already lost their desire to continue the fight. Now with the Tai Yin Sword Master of Shushan making his appearance, it made a perfect reason to back down and agree to a truce with Kunlun. As long as Kunlun could reclaim the many resources of the Guanzhong Area, they would definitely wish to agree in order to reduce losses. As for those losses caused by destructive exploitation, they could only acknowledge them as they were. However, even though a truce had been reached with the Six Paths, Kunlun became even more worried about the current situation. The Shushan Shangqing Faction, which used to rank second, suddenly had the Tai Yin Sword Master making his appearance. To say that they had no intentions towards the leading position of the righteous path would be sheer self-deception. Add to that the new Seven Kills Sect Leader Su Jian, whose past was no secret¡­ He was a fierce star always fighting in duels and cutting down his fellow sect members till they were battered and bloodied! With no mercy even for his Shushan sect members, could anyone expect him to harbor thoughts of harmony towards Kunlun? Impossible! The two immortals came with a pure motive, simply to witness the once Human Race Divine Sword, the Tai Yin Suming; the Ziwei Master, on the other hand, arrived with deep probe and wariness, intending to clarify Shushan¡¯s next moves as much as possible. There¡¯s no need to mention the Master of Xuan Du. Originally holding firmly to Kunlun¡¯s side, considering a shift to Shushan wasn¡¯t out of the question, deciding first to assess the quality of Shushan. Ling Yunpo felt utterly helpless, him being the esteemed Tai Yin Sword Master yet feeling like a museum treasure subject to the onlookers¡¯ gazes, it was truly speechless. All he could do was to summon the Tai Yin Suming Sword, let it hover three inches above the palm of his hand, and then display it for the guests to observe. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Tut tut tut! These were the fascinated exclamations of the immortals. Hmm hmm hmm, these were the contemplative hums of the elders. Although the Tai Yin Suming Sword was pitch-black and unremarkable in appearance, now that everyone was aware of its status, it could be explained as ¡°divine light retracted, precious without fame.¡± Yet this Qing Heng True Person¡­ apart from the talent of an Innate Sword Bone, it was hard to find anything special about him that could qualify him as the Tai Yin Sword Master! wuxiaworld.site .co Chapter 775 - Chapter 775: Chapter 12 Need to Recharge and Renew Chapter 775: Chapter 12 Need to Recharge and Renew Kunlun had sent someone to attend the ceremony this time, but did not bring Changgeng True Person, much to the disappointment of many guests who had hoped to see the excitement. The First Grade Golden Core of Kunlun and the Tai Yin Sword Master of Shushan, these two young rising stars colliding could spark what kind of fireworks, or alternatively, a massive explosion, was something everyone was eager to see. Although the onlookers were incredibly keen to witness it, the parties involved may not necessarily feel the same. The incident that day at Shushan was difficult to keep a secret, and the Tai Yin Sword Master, when provoked, could even beat up immortals. Naturally, Kunlun would not allow Changgeng True Person to have a head-on clash with the Tai Yin Sword Master. Therefore, the Head of the Kunlun Sect did not bring Changgeng True Person with him on this trip, also out of such considerations. There wasn¡¯t much to say about the ancestral rites ceremony; the history of the Shushan Shangqing Faction traced back to all being from the Clarify Cult, naturally too familiar to be any more well-known. However, the Tai Yin Sword Master, Qing Heng True Person, was throughout treated as a mascot to be paraded around, with no opportunity to display his strength¨Cnot that he needed to, for after Qiu Changtian¡¯s Core Formation, he had already gone through this process once which boosted his personal reputation, so Ling Yunpo didn¡¯t really resist it, As for the display of strength, just looking at Mount Emei outside, there was no need for him to truly draw his sword. After the ancestral rites ceremony was over, everyone returned to their respective homes. ¡°What about the Tai Yin Sword Master?¡± Chi Song Immortal asked slowly. Even though Ling Yunpo was not completely unknown before becoming the Tai Yin Sword Master, he was still not reputable enough to catch the eye of immortals from other sects. ¡°A worthy young talent of the Orthodox Sect,¡± was the terse reply of the Ziwei Master. A young talent of the Orthodox Sect meant that among the young generation of Golden Cores, Ling Yunpo was definitely at the top tier, which was indisputable. But what Chi Song Immortal was clearly asking was not that; as someone who had lived for over ten thousand years and seen generation after generation of ¡°talents,¡± he was actually interested in knowing how Ling Yunpo compared to someone like Changgeng True Person, a cultivation genius that rarely appeared in millennia. The Ziwei Master¡¯s reply of ¡°a young talent of the Orthodox Sect¡± subtly conveyed a nuance of ¡°merely a young talent of the Orthodox Sect, still inferior to Changgeng,¡± a typically understated way of speaking among the people of Kunlun. ¡°Hmm,¡± Chi Song Immortal didn¡¯t show much reaction, merely commenting, ¡°The Tai Yin Suming Sword is indeed as renowned as its reputation claims.¡± ¡°Very powerful?¡± asked the Ziwei Master. Powerful it certainly was, as the Head of the Kunlun Sect wouldn¡¯t lack the ability to judge strength. But the strength discernible to someone at the Nascent Soul Realm might not align with what an immortal could perceive as powerful. ¡°The Innate Yin Energy is indeed extraordinary,¡± sighed Chi Song Immortal, ¡°probably the last thread of Innate Yin Energy in the world since the cosmos was divided in ancient times.¡± The Ziwei Master certainly understood the immortal¡¯s meaning. Tai Yin Energy, rare as it might be in the world, was only considered ¡®rare.¡¯ But Innate Tai Yin Energy was the strand of Yin Energy that emerged when Pangu split heaven and earth, an ultimate and purest Yin object in existence, overwhelmingly superior in rank. The Tai Yin Suming Sword, forged from this energy, was less a sword and more an ¡°innate treasure¡± in the shape of a sword. Using it in a direct confrontation with any Immortal Sword would result in nothing but the latter shattering, no other outcome possible. Moreover, what concerned Kunlun was that on that day, the Tai Yin Sword Master had only wielded Sword Qi and had not used any Sword Forbidden Law. As an ancient treasure of the Human Race, various forbidden laws were naturally sealed within the Tai Yin Suming Sword. Regrettably, the times were too distant to mention, and ancient historians tended to gloss over details, often summarizing with phrases like ¡°Sword Emerges, corpses strewn all over the field,¡± leaving unclear whether they meant Sword Qi or Sword Dao Techniques. No one really knew. The Ziwei Master naturally couldn¡¯t assume that the abilities of the former Green Duckweed Sword were the same as the Sword Dao Techniques of the Tai Yin Suming Sword. If the Sword Qi could cleave through Mount Emei, the Sword Dao Techniques would most likely be world-shattering. Otherwise, it would not do justice to the rank of the Innate Tai Yin Energy. ¡°In short, although the Tai Yin Suming Sword has appeared, it cannot change the world¡¯s balance of power in a short time,¡± the Ziwei Master slowly said, ¡°After all, Qing Heng True Person is merely at the Golden Core rank.¡± One must be at the Immortal rank to use the Tai Yin Suming Sword, which is not difficult to infer from the ancient texts. Although it¡¯s unclear what method Qing Heng True Person used last time to successfully activate the Tai Yin Suming Sword, it¡¯s likely not something that can be easily repeated. Otherwise, the current attitude of the Shushan Shangqing Faction towards Kunlun would be a completely different one. ¡°Naturally so,¡± the Chi Song Immortal agreed, ¡°Changgeng, Qiong Ying, and others, need to rapidly enhance their Cultivation Realm.¡± As long as Changgeng True Person enters the Daluo Golden Immortal realm before the Tai Yin Sword Master undergoes the Feather Transformation, Kunlun will not be at a significant disadvantage even if they compete with Shushan for the position of the Orthodox Sect¡¯s leader. Of course, even Chi Song Immortal has no confidence against the Tai Yin Suming Sword. Both were seasoned old demons, and even if they were secretly worried, they did not show it on their faces. Instead, they discussed other matters, such as how the power shuffle at the top of Shushan would affect its strength, how its stance towards others would change, and what the reaction of the Six Paths would be, and so on. Meanwhile, on the journey back to the East Sea, the Wan Xiang Immortal and the Master of Xuandu were talking about nearly the same topics, but let¡¯s not dwell on that for now. Ling Yunpo was extremely busy during this period, entertaining guests from all directions and building his relationship with his master Su Jian, even reducing his interactions with Senior Sister An. Once the ancestral worship ceremony was over, he finally found some free time and asked the Summoning Sword in his Sea of Consciousness: ¡°So, Su Su¡­¡± ¡°Whom are you calling?¡± The Summoning Sword asked with a seemingly amused tone, ¡°Are you mistaking me for your Senior Sister An?¡± ¡°Ahem, isn¡¯t it just a nicer way to address someone?¡± Ling Yunpo was not embarrassed at all, he said with a chuckle, ¡°Suming, since we are now honest with each other, can you tell me about the Daoist Magic that you possess?¡± The Tai Yin Suming Sword was somewhat speechless; this Sword Master really had no ounce of reserve! Now that he knew his true identity, he had not a hint of awe? However, the Sword Dao Techniques were not a secret, so it explained them in great detail. First and foremost, any Sword Dao Techniques could only be activated by someone of the Immortal rank. Next, the Forbidden Technique on the Tai Yin Suming Sword was called ¡°Innate Tai Yin Five Elements Formation,¡± which simply put, was a series of powerful Yin Five Elements Spells. The various Water System Forbidden Techniques that it appeared to use when impersonating the Green Duckweed Sword were actually just Gui Water Spans from the Yin Five Elements. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only The Yang Five Elements are known for their overwhelming and irresistible force; the Yin Five Elements are known for their endless and unceasing nature. Although the Sword Dao Techniques of the Tai Yin Suming Sword may not be as overbearing as those of the Sun True Obscure Sword, they have a relatively larger range and consume less True Yuan. But even this small consumption was not something a Golden Core True Person could afford. Unless the Summoning Sword voluntarily lowered the strength cap of the Daoist Magic, adjusting it to a level that a Golden Core True Person could easily use, its combat power would be about the same as the former Green Duckweed Sword. As for transferring the consumption of True Yuan¡­ unless it was a life-or-death situation, Ling Yunpo knew that Ah Jing would not casually expend an almost vast amount of Spiritual Energy to help him recharge and renew the Tai Yin Sword Master¡¯s energy. In other words, the Tai Yin Suming Sword most of the time could only serve as a nuclear weapon for deterrence and could not, like the last time it split Mount Emei, unleash its full strength at will. wuxiaworld.site .co Chapter 776 - Chapter 776: Chapter 13 Harmonious Master and Apprentice Chapter 776: Chapter 13 Harmonious Master and Apprentice For his identity as the Tai Yin Sword Master, Ling Yunpo naturally had been prepared for the need to recharge and pay renewal fees every time he used his power. The reason was simple: if Ah Jing could burn spiritual power without any burden and allow him to use the Tai Yin Summoning Sword three hundred and sixty-five days a year, he would have long since gone to attack the Four Sects and seized every fragment of the Heaven-Mending Stone. Why would he need to play the game of being an Endless mole? The existence of the Tai Yin Summoning Sword served not only as a trump card in a strategic nuclear sense but was more often used for conventional deterrence and the spread of reputation. The former goes without saying, with the four petals of Mount Emei still standing there! The latter, of course, needs no further explanation, as the identity of the Tai Yin Sword Master actually means far more to the sword cultivators of the world than the strength he could exert himself. Take Shushan as an example, these days the stream of True Persons from Various Peaks visiting Qingluo Peak was unending, almost perfectly replicating the scene that had occurred at the entrance of Golden Ridge Cave Abode when Qiu Changtian forged his First Grade Golden Core. Unlike Changgeng True Person, whom everyone adored, the Shushan True Persons who came to visit Qing Heng and Jiao Xiao this time were mostly there to make amends. Make amends for what? Naturally, it was past grudges. Due to Su Jian¡¯s overbearing strength back in the day, many grudges were created among his Shushan peers. These grudges blossomed through relationships such as mentor-mentee, senior-junior brothers, and Daoist companions, resulting in a large group within Shushan who were displeased with Qingluo Peak, with some even troubling An Zhisu during Su Jian¡¯s secluded cultivation. However, numerous as these people were, they were not the entirety of the Shushan Shangqing Faction, as there were always individuals among the Various Peaks not entangled in the web of grudges. Now, with Su Jian emerging from seclusion to succeed as Sect Leader and Qing Heng True Person becoming the Tai Yin Sword Master, Qingluo Peak has completely turned the tables, soaring like a dragon in the sky. If the Various Peaks still cannot recognize the current situation, then they might as well join Ziyun Peak in tough brotherhood¨Csince Elder Ming Hua was killed as a traitor, his disciples from Various Peaks scattered, seeking refuge in other peaks, leaving only the abandoned Ziyun Peak temple, standing forlornly at the mountaintop. Although the Tai Yin Sword Master did not possess the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal¡¯s infamous reputation of ¡°ruthlessly slashing one¡¯s Life-bound Sword Artifact,¡± the act of cleaving Mount Emei was far too frightening. Moreover, no one wanted to one day be suddenly branded a traitor and have their mountain peak cleaved by a sword¡­ Consequently, they quickly listed those True Persons who hadn¡¯t made enemies with An Zhisu, rushed to Qingluo Peak to reconcile grudges, and apologize. As a result, for over ten consecutive days, Qingluo Peak was filled with guests, bustling with activity, to the point where the temple threshold was nearly worn out by the visitors. Although An Zhisu was quite capable in combat, she was utterly inept at receiving and treating people. Ling Yunpo had no choice but to ask her to continue being the backdrop, usually sitting beside with a smile. When guests engaged in light talk, she would respond with ¡°Yes,¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Handling the guests was a task that Ling Yunpo had to undertake himself. Although the task was monotonous and boring, Ling Yunpo was experienced and adept, managing the guests so skillfully that nobody could find any fault in this aspect. When Su Jian heard about this, he even made a special trip from the Ancestral Master Hall to take a look, and upon seeing Ling Yunpo¡¯s adept social skills, he couldn¡¯t help but feel greatly relieved. Although he was not adept at interpersonal interactions, it was merely due to the aloofness that came with overpowering strength, not because he truly lacked emotional intelligence. He was well aware that An Zhisu, being his daughter, was as much of a reticent person in this regard. I am truly satisfied that Qing Heng¡¯s disciple is able to uphold the dignity of my Qingluo Peak on his own in this respect. With that thought in mind, Su Jian, despite the busy responsibilities of a Sect Leader, still stayed to interact more with Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu. Although An Zhisu greatly respected and revered her father, for some reason, she always referred to him as ¡°Master¡± rather than ¡°Father¡± and treated Su Jian with the formality of a disciple rather than the intimacy of a daughter. Su Jian was used to this and, after inquiring about his daughter¡¯s situation for a while, began to encourage Ling Yunpo: ¡°These days have been hard on you.¡± ¡°Not at all, not at all,¡± Ling Yunpo hurriedly replied modestly, smirking inwardly. Compared to this period, the true hardship was when you, sir, were in seclusion! Su Jian also seemed to realize the problem with his words and quickly said with emotion: ¡°During that period when I was in seclusion, it was entirely thanks to you and Su¡¯er that Qingluo Peak was supported,¡± Qiu Changtian said. ¡°You and Su¡¯er¡± ¡ª it started with Ling Yunpo, and then An Zhisu. It seemed that the foster father knew very well who played the more significant role. However, he probably didn¡¯t mean to reassure Ling Yunpo with his words; he might have just blurted out what he was thinking without the intention to soothe. But this personality trait really did run in the same vein as An Zhisu. With Ling Yunpo¡¯s astute ability to read people, he instantly discerned Su Jian¡¯s thoughts. First of all, this master, like Senior Sister An, possessed a strong ¡°clan-oriented mindset.¡± What does a clan-oriented mindset mean? It¡¯s categorizing the people around you into ¡°our people¡± and ¡°outsiders.¡± ¡°Our people¡± are absolutely trustworthy, so they must be treated without any shortcomings. In more colloquial terms, it meant ¡°covering for one¡¯s own people¡± ¡ª unreasonably protective of one¡¯s own clan. Since Ling Yunpo was already a disciple and had contributed so much to Qingluo Peak, he was without a doubt considered completely one of ¡°our people,¡± so Su Jian naturally valued him highly. However, no matter how much he was valued, it could not offset the fact that Su Jian had been in seclusion for many years. The master and disciple hadn¡¯t just grown unfamiliar with each other at that point; they were virtually strangers not long ago, which naturally made Su Jian feel awkward and uncomfortable. On one hand, he wanted to get close and be protective, but on the other hand, they really were not familiar. Thus, it was imperative to get to know each other quickly. Being a mentor, Su Jian of course chose the ¡°small talk¡± approach to vigorously bridge the gap between them. Knowing this, Ling Yunpo had a corresponding plan ¡ª ¡°remember the hardship and reflect on the sweetness.¡± Although the two were not familiar with each other, they shared common grounds: Qingluo Peak and An Zhisu. Since the master took the initiative to start the conversation, Ling Yunpo naturally went with the flow, talking excitedly about ¡°the hardships Senior Sister and I endured during the time of your seclusion, master.¡± When it came to the hardships, and seeing Su Jian¡¯s hesitant and ashamed demeanor, Ling Yunpo immediately grasped his meaning and swiftly switched the topic from the original bitter narrative to ¡°but after unremitting efforts, Senior Sister and I finally achieved such and such¡­¡± It must be known that while Su Jian might be possessive in nature, he was not one to be coerced by force. Now, as the Sect Leader of Shushan, all the Various Peaks were hastening to apologize to Qingluo Peak, and he certainly couldn¡¯t say, ¡°I won¡¯t forgive you, I want revenge,¡± otherwise Shushan might just disintegrate on the spot. As Ling Yunpo spoke of the past, Su Jian felt regret and an inability to change the present, fueling his self-blame. But when Ling Yunpo started talking about later achievements, it made Su Jian feel that ¡°the younger generation did ultimately make something of themselves,¡± brightening his mood instantly. While Ling Yunpo spoke, An Zhisu couldn¡¯t tear down her junior brother¡¯s stage and just continued with ¡°um,¡± ¡°that¡¯s right,¡± ¡°Junior Brother speaks the truth.¡± In Su Jian¡¯s eyes, this naturally became proof of the validity of everything Ling Yunpo said. It could only be said that though Su Jian¡¯s swordsmanship was exceptional, he still fell behind by leagues in some aspects compared to someone else. After leaving Qingluo Peak, the Sect Leader of Shushan felt pleased and was about to return to the Ancestral Master Hall to deal with matters of state when he encountered Elder Jade Capital passing by, so they exchanged greetings. Elder Jade Capital saw his good spirits and thought that his father-in-law must be extremely satisfied with his son-in-law. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only It made sense, after all. Being the Tai Yin Sword Master and having loved Jiao Xiao True Person for many years, how could Su Jian not be satisfied? It was just unclear when the two might become Daoist Companions¡­ with all the grudges Su Jian had accumulated in the past, and although now he was the new Sect Leader and had the support of Long Eyebrow Immortal in the shadows, his reputation and foundation were still unstable. If the Tai Yin Sword Master and Jiao Xiao True Person could formally become Daoist Companions, it would undoubtedly benefit him in solidifying his position as Sect Leader. Hmm, I should go and remind him of that. wuxiaworld.site .co Chapter 777 - Chapter 777: Chapter 14 Are You Still in the Dark? Chapter 777: Chapter 14 Are You Still in the Dark? Just as the Jade Capital elder had predicted, Su Jian was in very high spirits at this time. Of course, the reason for his elation might differ from what the Jade Capital elder had believed, but he was blissfully unaware, simply considering how to subtly give a hint without raising any suspicion. During his tenure as Sect Leader, Jade Capital had a reasonably good relationship with Su Jian. After all, the latter was a Direct Disciple of an immortal, and although there was a time when Long Eyebrow showed preference for True Person Daoyan, leading most to look down upon Qi Sha True Person, Jade Capital, as Sect Leader, had not shown undue favoritism, and Su Jian was the type who wouldn¡¯t provoke trouble as long as no one deliberately antagonized him. ¡°Seven Kills,¡± Jade Capital elder caught up and said, ¡°I forgot to ask you, after taking up the Sect Leader position, are you still familiar with the affairs of the Sect?¡± ¡°Sect affairs?¡± Su Jian gave a faint smile, ¡°What¡¯s so difficult about that?¡± Confident, prideful, untamed¨Cthat¡¯s how most Shushan cultivators perceived Su Jian. As for the image of a kind, gentle, chatty elder, that was exclusive to An Zhisu and Ling Yunpo. Jade Capital elder was simply at a loss for words, because Su Jian had only one approach to handling daily affairs: See to it yourself. Strictly speaking, ¡°see to it yourself¡± wasn¡¯t an unacceptable response. After all, the Shushan Shangqing Faction was a large Sect, with numerous elders responsible for various matters, and the specific tasks were as numerous as hairs on an ox. If every single matter required the Sect Leader¡¯s personal attention and action, then the leader wouldn¡¯t need to cultivate at all and could just serve as a dedicated political affairs processing machine. But Su Jian¡­ it didn¡¯t matter what the matter was, his one and only response from start to finish was, ¡°See to it yourself.¡± Perhaps the new Sect Leader of Shushan thought everything was of minor importance, but among these were indeed tasks involving finance, troops, punishment, and other major issues which needed the Sect Leader¡¯s approval, because without it, how could those below dare to make decisions on their own? If handled improperly, they would have to take the blame! So they went to seek Long Eyebrow Immortal instead. In the past, Long Eyebrow Immortal was quite enthusiastic about politics; or rather, he was the immortal within the Three Pure Orthodox Sect most keen on managing Sect affairs. However, after making significant principle errors in handling the matters of True Persons Qing Heng and Jiao Xiao, Long Eyebrow Immortal lived up to his word and withdrew entirely, no longer concerning himself with the affairs of the Sect. Having been snubbed by Long Eyebrow Immortal, everyone else was at their wits¡¯ end, to the point where some actually approached Jade Capital elder for advice, asking the former Sect Leader for suggestions. Jade Capital elder wasn¡¯t particularly power-hungry, otherwise he wouldn¡¯t have abdicated the Sect Leader position so decisively, but his loyalty to the Shushan Shangqing Faction was genuine. Hearing that the new Sect Leader didn¡¯t care about anything, leaving his subordinates running around like headless flies, that just wouldn¡¯t do. He had no choice but to overstep and provide decisions. But he was cunning enough to instruct these responsible elders not to implement the decisions directly, instead taking them to Su Jian to go through the request procedure once more. Since Su Jian had already said ¡°see to it yourself,¡± clearly indicating his reluctance to deal with these matters, he naturally approved them all. As a result, the Shushan Shangqing Faction continued to operate magically without coming to a halt, even though the Sect Leader was completely uninvolved, which truly baffled everyone. Now, hearing Su Jian claim that dealing with political affairs was a trifling matter, Jade Capital elder was simply speechless. After his speechlessness gave way to frustration, he thought, I¡¯m not the Sect Leader of Shushan anymore. I haven¡¯t enjoyed the status and benefits, but I still have to keep doing the work, and now you, the current Sect Leader, think it¡¯s easy? Do you really not know who¡¯s been handling these matters for you? At this thought, Jade Capital elder even felt a surge of impulse: Why not emulate Long Eyebrow Immortal and shut himself away completely? Let Shushan deal with its own issues and see if its rightfuI Sect Leader can still say ¡°What¡¯s so difficult about that?¡± But after all, he remembered why he had come here and casually mentioned: ¡°Qing Heng is now the Tai Yin Sword Master, commanding great respect, but in the end, he¡¯s only at the Golden Core Rank and needs you, as his Sect Leader and mentor, to give more guidance.¡± Jade Capital elder was well aware of Su Jian¡¯s arrogance. If he had directly suggested, ¡°Marry your daughter to Tai Yin Sword Master to solidify your prestige and power,¡± Su Jian would most likely retort, ¡°A mere Sect Leader of Shushan, I stand on my own, why should I rely on my daughter?¡± So he changed his approach, suggesting Su Jian ¡°to guide Tai Yin Sword Master more,¡± implying he should strengthen their relationship. Su Jian really fell for it and nodded, saying: ¡°That¡¯s for sure. But I¡¯ve noticed his cultivation level progressing at an astonishing speed. Even if I don¡¯t push or urge him, he is likely to diligently cultivate on his own.¡± Upon hearing this, the elder from Jade Capital realized that Su Jian had completely misunderstood, his thoughts still stuck on the master-disciple relationship, and felt compelled to continue: ¡°However, there is a very close relationship between True Person Jiao Xiao and True Person Qing Heng. In the past, whether it was the expedition to Demon Locking Tower or the campaign against the Hundred Thousand Mountains, they were almost always inseparable.¡± If they are so affectionate, why don¡¯t they become Daoist companions earlier? Su Jian still didn¡¯t catch the hint and just smiled, saying: ¡°Of course, we at Qingluo Peak have always valued support and brotherly love. Just like me, Su Su would never treat her junior brother poorly.¡± The elder from Jade Capital was at a loss for words, wondering if Su Jian really didn¡¯t know about his daughter¡¯s relationship with the Tai Yin Sword Master? Did he really think they still had a pure sibling-like relationship? Both of them had cultivated the Sentiment Inquiry Path. Who are they inquiring about? Don¡¯t they have any idea? He wanted to continue dropping hints, but lacked confidence in Su Jian¡¯s ability to ¡°read between the lines¡±, so he had to grit his teeth and say it straightforwardly: ¡°True Person Jiao Xiao has just formed her Golden Core, and immediately afterward, she validated the Sentiment Inquiry Path in the Inquiring Heart Cave. Such swift progress is truly enviable.¡± Su Jian: ??? My daughter validated the Sentiment Inquiry Path? When did that happen? Who with? How come I didn¡¯t know! His mind in utter disarray, the elder from Jade Capital could see that the other party had finally understood and quickly found an excuse to leave. Su Jian, without saying another word, turned around and hurried back to Qingluo Peak, only to find it deserted, not knowing that An Zhisu had once again gone out with Ling Yunpo to drink. In recent days, with too many guests to entertain, even An Zhisu, who had been tolerantly enduring, had run out of patience, resulting in her insisting that Ling Yunpo shut his door for half a day so they could sneak out for a drink. Most cultivators of Shushan lived on the mountain peaks, while various markets occupied the valleys below. Although cultivators frequented the markets, there were even more ordinary mountain folk there, many of whom did not know the name Tai Yin Sword Master. It was the perfect place to have a drink away from visitors. The two found an empty private spot on the second floor of the tavern. An Zhisu eagerly ordered a pot of Huadiao wine, a plate of chicken, and a plate of beef, then hurried the server to bring the food and drinks. Ling Yunpo, used to seeing his senior sister being pretty, gentle, and composed, found her current impatience amusing and joined in banging the table to hurry the server. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only The server hadn¡¯t arrived yet when suddenly they heard a loud discussion from below, seemingly among cultivators: ¡°Now that the Tai Yin Sword Master has appeared in Shushan, we should take the lead as the head of the Orthodox Sect!¡± ¡°Exactly! Kunlun failed to triumph over the Six Paths quickly, and the Guanzhong Qin Mountains seemed to have changed rulers. What right do they have to continue claiming to be the leader?¡± ¡°True Person Changgeng, a First Grade Golden Core, is just so-so!¡± wuxiaworld.site .co Chapter 778 - Chapter 778: Chapter 15 Ive already told my father! Chapter 778: Chapter 15 I¡¯ve already told my father! Hearing what everyone had said, Ling Yunpo also sensed that something was amiss. It was obvious that if Shushan wanted to compete with Kunlun for the leadership of the Orthodox Sect, Ling Yunpo and Qiu Changtian would inevitably be pushed into the eye of the storm, and it was not impossible that the two sects would push them to face off against each other. Fighting oneself, how painfully absurd! From the perspective of their personas, Qiu Changtian absolutely couldn¡¯t lose, which meant Ling Yunpo would be destined for defeat. But first, how could the Tai Yin Sword Master possibly be defeated? It would be unthinkable for any ordinary cultivator¨Cjust drawing my Tai Yin Summoning Sword out of its sheath and the Kunlun Heavenly Pillar would immediately split into four pieces, begging for mercy from the Chi Song Immortal, right? Secondly, even if a loss was forcibly justified, Shushan would regard it as an utter disgrace. Given Senior Sister An and Sect Leader Su Jian¡¯s protective temperaments, it was hard to say what they might do. After all, wasn¡¯t it because the Tai Yin Summoning Sword was too powerful that it left Qing Heng True Person in a dilemma? ¡°Heh.¡± The Summoning Sword responded with a light ¡°heh,¡± without retorting. Ling Yunpo said no more and busied himself pouring wine for Senior Sister An. After drinking until slightly tipsy, they leisurely made their way back to Qingluo Peak. At the entrance to the Daoist temple, Ling Yunpo first saw Senior Sister An back, then found a place nearby to prepare for reloading his save. Feeling cheerful, An Zhisu returned to the Daoist temple entrance, only to see Sect Leader Su Jian standing in the middle of the main hall with a gloomy face, which made her somewhat puzzled. Moments later, the sound of heated argument erupted. ¡°Am I not free to choose whether to follow the Sentiment Inquiry Path or some other school of thought?¡± An Zhisu said angrily, ¡°Am I not allowed to make my own decisions?¡± ¡°Nonsense!¡± Su Jian thundered, ¡°Without parental approval, how can you casually pursue the Sentiment Inquiry Path?¡± ¡°Did you have parental approval back then?¡± An Zhisu retorted with fervor. ¡°Your grandparents are long gone, so naturally, I had only myself to decide!¡± Su Jian replied irritably, ¡°But I¡¯m still here! How can you pursue the Sentiment Inquiry Path without discussing it with your father beforehand?¡± ¡°I did speak to father through the stone wall that day!¡± An Zhisu was exasperated, even referring to him as father now. Su Jian was immediately choked up, explaining through the stone wall¡­ what was that supposed to mean?! I was in seclusion, I couldn¡¯t hear! ¡°Su¡¯er.¡± His only choice was to soften his tone, trying to soothe her, ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t allow you to pursue the Sentiment Inquiry Path, but I¡¯m worried you might be led astray by unworthy people¡­¡± ¡°Do you not approve of Junior Brother¡¯s character?¡± An Zhisu coldly counter-asked. ¡°Not at all.¡± Su Jian frowned, ¡°Of course, Qing Heng has a good character, but being good doesn¡¯t necessarily mean he¡¯s right for you.¡± ¡°You have been brought up by your mother and me since you were young and have barely interacted with others. You don¡¯t even understand the basics of human relations, let alone matters of romantic love.¡± An Zhisu was at a loss for words, but with her inherently determined nature, she immediately turned and left her father with a cold back, saying: ¡°I have already committed to the Sentiment Inquiry Path, and there¡¯s no turning back. Even the Long Eyebrow Immortal from the past couldn¡¯t have forced me to submit!¡± ¡°If father insists on separating me from Junior Brother, then you¡¯re asking me to destroy my own path.¡± Having said that, she left without looking back, leaving Su Jian in the main hall with a half-green, half-white face, unable to speak for a long time. Unaware of the argument between Senior Sister An and Su Jian, Ling Yunpo simply gave his command with composure: ¡°Load the Penglai save.¡± [Location Three: Penglai Yuqing View, Heavenly Craft Workshop.] [Identity: Luo Yan.] [Mirror Flower Water Moon Template Overlay, currently traveling through time-space.] Upon arriving at Penglai, Luo Yan estimated the time period. At this moment, Wei Dongliu had not yet become the leader of the Six Paths, Kunlun and the Demon Cult had not yet gone to full-scale war, and Mount Emei had not been split into four pieces. The timeline of this story was so early that Luo Yan didn¡¯t even remember when he had saved this particular progress. Wait, what was I supposed to do next? He turned his head around and realized that he was probably in his own study. On the desk in the study lay a crystal-clear Liuli branch, its form exquisitely lifelike. What is this? Luo Yan picked up the branch and studied it closely. Its property of bringing enlightenment upon contact activated, and he then understood that it was the Seven Treasures Bodhi Liuli branch given to him by the Wan Xiang Immortal after passing through the Golden Que Secret Realm. This thing was said to cleanse the mind and increase the chances of sudden enlightenment, but such enlightenment was so profound and elusive, how much could an increased chance really amount to? Luo Yan was puzzled, but decided to put the branch into his Heavenly Craft Treasure Bag before heading out the door. Little junior sister Shi Qing had already arrived at the Heavenly Craft Workshop and was learning the basics of artifact crafting with the third senior sister, Liang Ruohua. Liang Ruohua had reached the Great Perfection of the Soul Storing Rank and was trying to break through the bottleneck to advance to the Root Seeking Rank. However, such breakthroughs required the right opportunity, so she had temporarily stopped her daily breathing exercises to focus entirely on studying the way of artifact crafting. Shi Liuli¡¯s Sword Casting Technique had grown increasingly sophisticated. Although there was no increase in quality, the cost and price had decreased repeatedly. Now, her swords were so popular they threatened to dominate the Divine Land market, squeezing out the small sword casting workshops that competed with the Heavenly Craft Workshop. Upon learning of this, Luo Yan was flabbergasted. You say our Heavenly Craft Workshop, which specializes in high-end artifact crafting, has suddenly started to shift to the affordable market in the field of sword casting? ¡°Why?¡± When her husband asked this question, Shi Liuli replied, ¡°Naturally, it is to avoid competition with big senior brother.¡± ¡°Or does my husband think that my current Sword Casting Technique can compete with big senior brother¡¯s?¡± Luo Yan suddenly had a moment of realization. Big senior brother Linghu Chu¡¯s Sword Casting Technique was now indeed peerless in the world. Any High Rank Cultivator who wanted to order a custom Flying Sword would definitely think of Linghu Chu first, rather than Shi Liuli, a Golden Core True Person. If Shi Liuli insisted on competing in this area, not only would her efforts be less effective, but it was also likely to harm their relationship ¡ª since Linghu Chu had established his own sect, their goodwill was diminishing with every use, so it was best avoided if possible. ¡°However, if we focus solely on the affordable market, what about connections?¡± Luo Yan asked another question. One issue with the affordable market is that most purchases are mainly paid for with Spirit Stones. In contrast, orders from High Rank Cultivators could require rare materials from heaven and earth as payment, and it also presented opportunities to build connections. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Now that Shi Liuli¡¯s sword casting targeted the affordable market, her income from Spirit Stones was undoubtedly secure, but the materials for artifact crafting would inevitably be affected. Moreover, as her development continued, people would gradually form the stereotype that ¡°Shi Liuli¡¯s Sword Casting Grade Rank is not up to standard,¡± which would definitely affect her ability to transform and level up later on. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Shi Liuli didn¡¯t seem to have a good strategy either, humming in contemplation for a long time without a clear answer. Seeing her at a loss, Luo Yan felt a pang of sympathy. If only there were a way to quickly improve her Sword Casting Technique. Sword casting¡­ wait, could the Summoning Sword have a solution? wuxiaworld.site .co Chapter 779 - Chapter 779: Chapter 16: Shennong Cauldron Chapter 779: Chapter 16: Shennong Cauldron Speaking of the Sun and Tai Yin Swords, there¡¯s an issue that simply can¡¯t be explained, which has led to their being overlooked: how exactly were such divine artifacts forged? Many godly weapons remain from ancient times, but few are definitively known to have been crafted by the mighty of the Human Race. Among them, three are most renowned for each having averted a great cataclysm. The Heaven-Mending Stone, refined by Nuwa herself. After repairing the Heavenly Dome, the Demon Heads from beyond could no longer easily descend upon the Lower Realm en masse. The Shennong Cauldron, cast by Shennong. By subduing the Earth Veins of the Nine Provinces, the ghosts and specters of the Nine Serenities Underworld were sealed within the Underworld. The Yin Yang Sword, forged by Fuxi. It decimated the Demons, far outnumbering the Human Race, forcing their retreat into the Eastern Emperor Realm. It was precisely these three sets of divine artifacts of the Human Race that saved them in times of peril, hence their fame has endured far beyond those equally powerful but obscure divine artifacts. ¡°How was I forged?¡± The Summoning Sword was amused by this question, ¡°Sword Master, do you remember how you were born?¡± Luo Yan was at a loss for words and after a long pause, he said, ¡°Between the Sun True Obscure Sword and you, which was forged first?¡± If the Summoning Sword was created first, then perhaps it might have witnessed the forging of the True Obscure Sword. ¡°The True Obscure Sword came into existence first,¡± the Summoning Sword said softly, ¡°Initially, I was forged as a backup for the True Obscure Sword.¡± ¡°A backup?¡± ¡°It means to prevent a scenario where, if anything were to happen to the True Obscure Sword, the Human Race wouldn¡¯t be left without recourse,¡± explained the Summoning Sword. Luo Yan instantly understood. When considered carefully, wasn¡¯t this the case with other divine artifacts as well? The piece of the Heaven-Mending Stone that I am looking for is the backup Nuwa created during her refinement process, isn¡¯t it? ¡°Speaking of which, I remember that Shennong originally refined ten cauldrons,¡± the Summoning Sword suddenly asked the Kunlun Mirror, ¡°Nine to subdue the Earth Veins of the Nine Provinces, with one spare. Do you know where the spare went?¡± ¡°It seems to be in the Shennongjia,¡± replied the Kunlun Mirror. ¡°But over the years, the Shennongjia Mountain Range must have been thoroughly explored, right?¡± commented the Summoning Sword. ¡°Yes, but if it had been discovered, it wouldn¡¯t still be missing today,¡± the Kunlun Mirror pondered, ¡°Such Strange Objects like the Shennong Cauldron would certainly only be obtained by major sects, and if these sects got their hands on it, they¡¯d definitely use it, not hide it away.¡± ¡°Sword Master, why don¡¯t we seek out that Shennong Cauldron?¡± proposed the Summoning Sword with a smile, ¡°Aren¡¯t you seeking a superior Sword Casting Technique for your consort?¡± ¡°It¡¯s said that on the Shennong Cauldron are engraved all the secret techniques of Artifact Forging, Alchemy, Formation, and others practiced by the Human Race at that time¨Ccertainly including Sword Casting.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Luo Yan¡¯s interest was piqued, but then he pondered and asked, ¡°Why would the Shennong Cauldron have all these secret techniques engraved on it?¡± ¡°Because Shennong was a person who loved to study various subjects,¡± answered the Kunlun Mirror, ¡°His expertise was in Spirit Grass identification and Alchemy, but he was also proficient in other areas.¡± Hearing this from the mirror and the sword, Luo Yan began to entertain the idea of exploring Shennongjia. As the Summoning Sword said, theoretically, after several hundred thousand years since the ancient era, Shennongjia Mountain Range should have been completely scoured by now. Just by the name alone, who wouldn¡¯t know that the spare Shennong Cauldron was most likely hidden there? However, armed with his scanning ability and a talent for deriving truths from the faintest of clues, along with Shi Liuli¡¯s exceptional skills in Art Calculation, Luo Yan was full of confidence for this venture. Arriving at Shi Liuli¡¯s Sword Casting Workshop, he saw her retrieving a Sword Embryo from molten iron and then delineating a Formation upon it with her sword chisel. The Sword Casting Workshop, as the name would suggest, was a place brimming with energy, and indeed it was thus, with temperatures inside reaching well above fifty degrees. The heat waves incessantly rolling out from the furnace Magic Artifact made one subconsciously imagine the place being filled with topless, muscular men at work. But Shi Liuli was a Golden Core True Person after all, wearing only a single cloth imbued with a cooling Formation, she resumed her focused work. With graceful hands, she skilfully carved patterns on the Sword Embryo, filled with rhythm and a sense of geometric beauty. Luo Yan knew that enchanting the Flying Sword was the most crucial moment in the sword casting process, so he dared not disturb her. After Shi Liuli finished engraving, she placed the red-hot sword embryo into a container filled with liquid next to her and turned around to ask, ¡°Husband, did you need me for something?¡± ¡°You¡¯re done?¡± Luo Yan asked in surprise, pointing at the sword embryo. Although he specialized in cauldron casting and formation, he was not completely ignorant about sword casting. Each time a pattern was engraved onto the sword embryo, a layer of Daoist magic would adhere to it. It needed to be reheated, then submerged in molten iron for sealing, followed by another pattern engraving. This process would repeat several times. Having only one engraving meant there was just a single layer of Daoist magic, and without sealing, it would consume even more True Yuan¡­ Could such a Flying Sword really sell? Shi Liuli understood what Luo Yan meant and answered calmly, ¡°If they want it sealed, the price will have to be much higher.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not willing to spend even that bit of Spirit Stone?¡± Luo Yan blurted out subconsciously, then realized that loose cultivators indeed didn¡¯t have much income, ¡°What about the Daoist magic? Don¡¯t they need multiple layers?¡± ¡°No need,¡± Shi Liuli confirmed, ¡°According to market feedback, what loose cultivators look for in the Daoist magic of a Flying Sword is simply the more powerful, the better.¡± ¡°If two layers of Daoist magic were engraved, they would definitely use the set with greater power and discard the other, so there¡¯s no need to seal multiple layers onto it.¡± ¡°What about auxiliary and defensive Daoist magic?¡± Luo Yan inquired. ¡°They won¡¯t use it,¡± Shi Liuli replied. ¡°Alright then¡­¡± Luo Yan was after all gifted with the ability to catch on quickly. He pondered for a moment and understood. Most loose cultivators have low cultivation levels and lack defensive capabilities, thus during magical competitions they tend to fully unleash their attacks on their opponents. If the opponent falls, won¡¯t I then not need to defend myself? Quite a simplistic line of thinking, but it matches the characteristics of loose cultivators very well. ¡°Husband, was there something you needed me for?¡± Shi Liuli continued to inquire. ¡°Liuli,¡± Luo Yan organized his thoughts anew and asked, ¡°Would you be willing to join me in exploring Shennongjia?¡± Shi Liuli was silent for a moment before asking, ¡°Husband, are you planning to search for traces of the Shennong Cauldron?¡± ¡°Actually, the number of expeditions Yuqing View has sent to Shennongjia over the years is not one thousand, then eight hundred, yet each time they have found nothing.¡± ¡°It¡¯s said that not only is there no Shennong Cauldron, but there aren¡¯t even any ruins that might contain clues. The entire Shennongjia mountain area is full of trees and wild beasts; there¡¯s no trace of anything left behind by the Human Race.¡± ¡°The view now suspects that the area might just be a result of compounded errors in transmission, and in fact, it might not be the place where Shennong once lived.¡± Unmoved, Luo Yan chuckled, ¡°Then why not have my wife perform a divination to see what fortunes this trip may bring us?¡± Shi Liuli nodded and flipped a copper coin from her hand to start the divination. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only After a moment, she furrowed her brows thoughtfully and said, ¡°Hmm, strange¡­ it seems we can make the trip.¡± ¡°What¡¯s strange about it?¡± Luo Yan asked. ¡°The hexagram shows two outcomes,¡± Shi Liuli answered, ¡°One of coming up empty-handed and the other of gaining something.¡± wuxiaworld.site .co Chapter 780 - Chapter 780: Chapter 17 Luo Yan Wants to Defend the Orthodox Tradition Chapter 780: Chapter 17 Luo Yan Wants to Defend the Orthodox Tradition Now, Luo Yan¡¯s status within the Penglai Yuqing View naturally wasn¡¯t as high as that of a First Grade Golden Core or the Tai Yin Sword Master. If he revealed the Innate Five Elements Great Chaos Divine Light, he might quickly elevate his own importance, but firstly, Luo Yan needed to maintain his guise of Falsehood, reaping far greater benefits from playing the pig to eat the tiger than sitting at the eye of the storm; secondly, should the Sect lift him into confrontation with Qiu Changtian and Ling Yunpo in a three-way fray, that would be utterly disgusting. Of course, as the master of the Heavenly Craft Workshop, his status wasn¡¯t low either, so whenever he went out, he still needed to report to the Sect. After reporting, Luo Yan then took Shi Liuli with him and flew towards the direction of the Divine Land. The results of Shi Liuli¡¯s Divination were rather odd: coming up empty-handed and gaining something; this was akin to saying your coin toss will definitely land heads or tails, which is a completely useless tautology. Regardless, taking a spin around wouldn¡¯t be a loss anyway. Luo Yan was pondering this quite casually when suddenly, he shivered violently. Wait a minute, it seemed like every time I anticipated an easy journey, trouble would always emerge halfway through. Better not jinx it; just stay cautious and alert. The two controlled their swords, passing over the Yangzhou region, directly heading for the Shennongjia Mountain Range. Due to the rugged terrain here, the area lacked any villages in the mountains and was seldom entered by woodcutters, becoming instead a paradise for wild animals. As Luo Yan swept through the high-altitude, he spotted at least twenty Demonic Beasts wandering through the forest below. But there were no relics to be found. He again brought his Sword Light to a halt, silently calculating for a moment and confirming he had scanned over the entire mountain range, without missing any place. However, indeed, he found no clues. If the Shennong Relic really existed, then, of course, it wouldn¡¯t be easy to find; otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t have remained undiscovered for over a hundred thousand years. But even my scanning didn¡¯t achieve anything; whether this thing truly exists really ought to be questioned now¡­ As Luo Yan was lost in his thoughts, he suddenly heard Shi Liuli, who was casting the hexagram beside him, urgently speak out: ¡°Danger!¡± The two quickly reversed their Sword Light, descending hastily, darting into the canopy of trees. Within the sea of trees, there just happened to be a slope and a stream. Luo Yan quickly scanned and discovered a recess behind the stream, promptly ushering Shi Liuli to hide with him behind it. Concealed in the recess, they held their breath and focused their minds, retracting all their Divine Sense to avoid detection by anyone outside. However, Ah Jing¡¯s scanning was unrelated to Divine Sense; fundamentally, it was a form of Art Calculation, so Luo Yan scanned the surroundings wildly without any scruples, quickly detecting that three people were approaching from afar. A man and two women. The man was an elder; though he donned a dirty, hemp robe, there was a glint of sharpness occasionally flickering in his eyes that commanded respect. The women were a matron and a young girl. Both were familiar to Luo Yan; they were the Jiaolong Shi Yao, who was supposed to be in the Eastern Emperor Realm, and Long Xiaoqi who had previously interacted with Wei Dongliu. All three were of the Dragon Clan! And the elder¡¯s Rank seemed to be high, looking less like a Nascent Soul Cultivator and more like an ancient Dragon ancestor! Luo Yan quickly asked Ah Jing to strengthen the Illusion Technique, sealing off the entrance behind the waterfall thoroughly. Although Shi Liuli couldn¡¯t see the outside and had no Divine Sense projected, she must have confirmed there was no one around. The conversation of the three above the sea of trees carried faintly, allowing her to hear clearly as well. ¡°Your Majesty,¡± Shi Yao asked, ¡°is it here?¡± ¡°It is here,¡± the elder answered with a gentle chuckle, ¡°Long ago, Shennong used great divine power to open a space for hiding treasures right here. However, although the inside was well constructed, just as he was about to complete the entrance, he met with sudden misfortune and perished, leaving this secret realm without a conventional way to enter.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re saying we can enter through unconventional methods?¡± Long Xiaoqi asked from the side. ¡°Precisely,¡± the elder¡¯s tone suddenly turned cold and grim as he said, ¡°As long as it¡¯s a Secret Realm, one can break through the barriers with space magic and sneak inside.¡± ¡°But this method is too dangerous, and the slightest carelessness can lead to teleportation failure, resulting in being torn apart by storms beyond space. During the teleportation process, you are not allowed to make any superfluous movements to prevent failure.¡± As he spoke, the elder took out a bead. Luo Yan looked at it with his Divine Sense and saw that it was a Dragon Ball. Dragon Balls are essentially a dragon¡¯s Golden Core, which, once practiced to a profound level, can be ejected to harm others. Luo Yan didn¡¯t know whether the Dragon Ball was the elder¡¯s Demon Core; he only saw him toss the bead into the air, where it immediately disappeared into the void, stirring up dense and shimmering ripples that made one¡¯s vision swirl. ¡°If not now, when?¡± the elder suddenly shouted loudly, pushing Shi Yao and Long Xiaoqi into the ripples, then stepping in himself. Soon, the ripples settled back into calmness. Outside, all was silent once again. Shi Liuli cast another divination and found that the danger they had sensed earlier was no longer present. Only then did she quietly breathe a sigh of relief. ¡°Husband,¡± she said with concern, ¡°since the entrance to that Secret Realm no longer exists and we don¡¯t possess the secret technique to break through space, perhaps we should return to Penglai Yuqing View and report this matter to the Sect Leader first.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Luo Yan pondered for a moment then suddenly seemed to reach an understanding and said, ¡°If we return like this, we gain nothing; but if we force our way in, there may be something to gain, right?¡± After thinking for a while, Shi Liuli nodded and said: ¡°Perhaps so. The Art Calculation is ultimately just a prediction of the future; it cannot foresee everything.¡± ¡°Husband, forcefully entering might indeed yield some gain, but the corresponding risks are also present,¡± she said. ¡°And according to the hexagram, that elder is extremely dangerous, and it¡¯s very likely he¡¯s a Demon Path Immortal¡­ Even so, do you still want to enter?¡± Her stance was clear: for some uncertain gains, the risk of forcing an entry was too great and not worth it. But Luo Yan had other considerations. Firstly, with Ah Jing¡¯s help, he could easily elude detection. Secondly, he held the Suming Sword in his hand, and if it came down to it, he could just knock Liuli unconscious and then draw his sword to slay the adversary. If even Long Eyebrow Immortal couldn¡¯t withstand it, how could that old dragon be mightier than the Dual Polarity Dust Sword? Therefore, what Shi Liuli considered ¡°extremely dangerous,¡± Luo Yan saw as bearable. But of course, these thoughts were not to be openly acknowledged, so Luo Yan put on a righteous and resolute look as he said: ¡°Liuli, according to the elder, the Shennong Cauldron is likely hidden within the Secret Realm!¡± ¡°If we return to the Yuqing View and report, allowing the Demon Cult to obtain the Shennong Cauldron, it might endanger the survival of the Orthodox Sect¡¯s lineage.¡± ¡°The Demon Cult once besieged our Penglai, causing massive losses and lamentation among all families; such a tragedy must not be repeated!¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Luo Yan spoke with righteousness and forcefulness, unwavering, immediately infecting Shi Liuli with his conviction. Remembering her father who died at the hands of a Demon Cult elder, she also nodded and said: ¡°In that case, let¡¯s do as you say, husband.¡± Luo Yan took out the Heavenly Weaving God Shuttle and instructed Ah Jing within his Sea of Consciousness: ¡°Ah Jing, lock on to the position where that old dragon broke through the space barrier for me!¡± wuxiaworld.site .co Chapter 781 - Chapter 781: Chapter 18: It Turns Out to Be the Innate Five Elements Divine Light Chapter 781: Chapter 18: It Turns Out to Be the Innate Five Elements Divine Light Having infused his True Yuan into the Heavenly Weaving God Shuttle, and with Ah Jing confirming the spatial coordinates, Luo Yan promptly transported himself and Shi Liuli to the Shennong Secret Realm. Even though they were up against an elder of the Demon Race, Luo Yan also had extremely rich experience in dealing with enemies of the elder rank. For example, in the underground caverns of South State in the Eastern Emperor Realm, Long Long had led a group of friends, following behind the elder-ranking Lv Yan, using the Mirror Flower Water Moon Illusion Technique to conceal their presence and scanning to maintain distance, without ever revealing their tracks throughout the journey. With the successful experience from last time, Luo Yan was naturally completely unhurried now, simply holding the Heavenly Weaving God Shuttle and steadily stimulating the True Yuan. On the other hand, Shi Liuli hugged his arm with one hand to avoid being separated during the transportation process, while the other hand was constantly flipping a copper coin, silently calculating something. Although she was calm and composed, she had never done something as dangerous as tracking an immortal before, so even though she appeared as composed as Luo Yan on the outside, she was actually extremely nervous inside. The sensation of breaking into the spatial barrier felt like being trapped in a thick mattress, with pressure coming from all directions making it difficult to breathe. Suddenly, the surrounding pressure vanished, and as Luo Yan focused his gaze once again, he found that the two of them had now unexpectedly found themselves within a strange cave heaven. Nearby were rolling bare hills with neither grass nor trees, and the soil beneath their feet had become dry and hard, cracked with spider-web-like fissures that extended densely towards the horizon. In the distance were towering peaks sharp like knife blades, also without a hint of green, seemingly comprised entirely of stone. Luo Yan licked his lips, realizing that even the air was devoid of any moisture, extremely dry. ¡°This place¡­¡± Shi Liuli quickly scanned the surroundings to confirm there was no trace of the old dragon, then hesitantly said, ¡°This place doesn¡¯t seem to be like a cave heaven.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Luo Yan nodded and said, ¡°The Five Elements are completely out of balance here.¡± ¡°A normal Immortal Sect¡¯s cave heaven should have both Yin and Yang, and the complete set of Five Elements, but here the Metal element is overwhelmingly strong, which overwhelms Wood, hence there¡¯s no wood.¡± As if to validate his claim, Luo Yan took out a Peach Wood Sword from his Heavenly Craft hundred treasure bag and pointed it towards the ground. Instantly, a tree sprouted from the ground, but it only grew to a few meters before it seemed to be sliced by a blade and disintegrated, turning into numerous rustling wood chips, scattering in the knife-like sharp wind. ¡°So that¡¯s how it is,¡± Shi Liuli said, feeling truly enlightened, ¡°But what does this tell us? Where should we go next?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know, my lady?¡± Luo Yan asked. ¡°How would I know?¡± ¡°Ask your copper coin.¡± Shi Liuli paused for a long time before she realized he meant for her to perform Divination, and not without embarrassment, she coughed a few times and asked: ¡°Calculate what?¡± ¡°Calculate where those people went,¡± Luo Yan answered, ¡°From the previous conversation, these people seemed to have come prepared.¡± Shi Liuli sighed, thinking to herself that if others encountered an enemy immortal from an opposing faction, they would wish to flee thousands of miles away, yet here they were purposely drawing closer. She then cast the copper coin to start the divination, and after a moment, she pointed towards the blade-like mountain range in the distance and said: ¡°They should have gone in that direction.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Luo Yan quickly commanded the Sword Light. ¡°Wait a moment¡­¡± Shi Liuli wanted to remind him that controlling the sword was too ostentatious and could easily be detected, but Luo Yan had already darted a hundred yards away. She could only hurry to follow, inwardly blaming her husband¡¯s reckless behavior. But this was actually a misunderstanding of Luo Yan: after all, he had Great Divine Powers like scanning at his disposal, and the Mirror Flower Water Moon Illusion Technique to confound Divine Sense. It was uncertain who would detect it first. The two skimmed over vast wastelands, only to see many Demonic Beasts gradually appearing on the plains below. Upon closer inspection, Luo Yan recognized them as sword slaves. Sword slaves were demonized remnants of broken swords that absorbed Sun Essence and Moon Splendor. They were a very special type of demon. From their appearance, they looked like segments of broken sword blades hovering in mid-air with many tiny metal fragments orbiting around the sword body like stars around the moon. Although these sword slaves looked bizarre and ferocious, they didn¡¯t have much of a fighting spirit. They preferred to dig through soil to find ores, gnawing and digesting metal to repair themselves, until the sword body was completely mended, and then they would officially transform into Flying Swords¨CShushan Demon Locking Tower raised a large number of sword slaves for this purpose, to provide a stable output of Flying Swords. However, the sword slaves here seemed different. Seeing the two people swiftly skimming through the air, they quickly shot their fragments toward them, as if trying to knock them down. The power of these fragments wasn¡¯t significant, roughly only one-fifth or even one-seventh of the force exerted by an ordinary Golden Core True Person using a Flying Sword thrust. But the issue was their overwhelming numbers, which made them difficult to defend against. Luo Yan, who was well-versed in Sword Control Technique, naturally did not fear this barrage of attacks. He nimbly wove through them unscathed. Shi Liuli, however, dealt with it somewhat clumsily. She wasn¡¯t very experienced in Magical Competitions and faced with such chaotic onslaughts, she could only rely on the Southern Dipper Galaxy Secret Technique and the minuscule star sands from the constellation of Taiwei star to protect herself. The Southern Dipper Galaxy Secret Technique consumed too much True Yuan for defense, and when it was usually employed for trapping and killing enemies, it wasn¡¯t suitable. Therefore, she manipulated a massive amount of star sands to shield herself, ensuring that she wouldn¡¯t be injured by the fragments. As the star sands enveloped her, their weight increased, and the speed of the Purple Extreme Han Yuan Sword slowed down. Seeing his wife in distress, Luo Yan had no choice but to turn back and rescue her. Seeing the sword slaves below becoming more vigorous in their attacks, he couldn¡¯t help but feel annoyed. I¡¯m just trying to hurry along, and not in the mood to fight with you all, and yet you¡¯re getting all excited, huh? He rubbed his hands together, and a surge of Five-colored Divine Light burst forth, plunging towards the ground. The sword slaves uttered a terrified hum and scattered in panic, but how could they outrun the speed of Divine Light? In an instant, they were engulfed by the radiant multicolored streamers. Under the cycle of creation and destruction of the Five Elements, they were instantly obliterated. This Divine Light spread out, and a wide expanse of sword slaves rapidly melted into liquid metal, spreading over the cracked and parched wasteland, immediately forming ponds like oases in the desert. Shi Liuli silently watched her husband wield his Divine Skills, thinking to herself that the power of the Five Elements Divine Light seemed much stronger than before. When her husband used to deploy the Five Elements Divine Light, wherever it swept would disintegrate, but it had never altered the environment within a hundred paces so thoroughly as it did now. Unnoticed, she took out a copper coin and tossed it a few times, divining that Luo Yan¡¯s Five Elements Divine Light had actually advanced to Innate. Seeing Shi Liuli¡¯s shocked expression, Luo Yan realized she had figured it out and felt secretly pleased. Since he would definitely be using this Innate Five Elements Great Chaos Divine Light frequently in the future, it was better to let his wife know about it first, but he had to choose carefully how to reveal it. If he were playing the role of Qiu Changtian, he could nonchalantly say to Junior Sister Xu, ¡°This Innate Five Elements Great Chaos Divine Light wasn¡¯t too difficult to master, I¡¯ve already got it,¡± and bolster his Invincible Character Setting¡¯s Synchronization Value. Xu Yinglian, spurred by a competitive spirit, would have her mind filled with thoughts of surpassing her senior brother, negating any attention to potential discrepancies. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only But Shi Liuli had no such concerns. If he directly told her about the advancement of the Five Elements Divine Light, there was no guarantee she wouldn¡¯t ask, ¡°Oh, where did the Innate Five Elements True Vein come from?¡± If he were to gloss it over, it might not deceive her, as she would do all sorts of calculations¡­ It was better not to articulate it explicitly, just hint at it subtly, letting her decide it was too challenging to pursue. As Luo Yan expected, Shi Liuli¡¯s thoughts were now dominated by ¡°Where did my husband find the Innate Five Elements True Vein? He actually managed to gather it!¡± She was tempted to ask, but remembering that her husband had not mentioned it, she worried that if she asked hastily, he would retort, ¡°How do you know my Five Elements Divine Light has become Innate?¡± exposing the fact that she had been using the copper coin to divine his secrets. Never mind, since he¡¯s not saying anything, I won¡¯t pry further. I¡¯ll wait for him to tell me himself. wuxiaworld.site .co Chapter 782 - Chapter 782: Chapter 19 Unworthy Dragon Deserves No Treasure Chapter 782: Chapter 19 Unworthy Dragon Deserves No Treasure The two battled their way through the plain dominated by sword slaves and finally arrived at the foot of the Blade Ridge Mountains. From a distance, the mountains were steep and lofty; now that they were up close, they found them even more terrifying. All the rocks were sharp and jagged, sticking out in an irregular fashion, and the entire range was made up of thousands of such sharp stones, which reminded Luo Yan of Blade Mountain in the Demon Locking Tower where Ying Long was imprisoned, seemingly modeled after this place. However, that Blade Mountain was truly too small compared to the endless, sprawling Knife Edge Mountains before them, which emanated a chilling aura just by looking at them. Having chased them here, Luo Yan expanded his scanning range once again and knew that the members of the Dragon Clan were deep within the mountain. But how the other party had managed to get into the Blade Ridge Mountains ahead of time remained a mystery. ¡°Liuli,¡± Luo Yan ordered Shi Liuli, ¡°calculate their location.¡± Shi Liuli cast a divination according to his words and soon concluded: ¡°They are inside the belly of the mountain.¡± Her calculation was quite accurate, and Luo Yan mused to himself, wondering whether Ah Jing¡¯s scan was more formidable or Shi Liuli¡¯s Art Calculation. Hey, what would happen if I had Liuli calculate Ah Jing? ¡°You could give it a try,¡± Kunlun Mirror said with a teasing tone. Hearing the mirror¡¯s confident tone, Luo Yan knew for sure that Ah Jing¡¯s scan was the superior one. ¡°Then how do we get inside the mountain?¡± he asked casually once again. ¡°That¡¯s a question for you,¡± Shi Liuli replied. ¡°How would I know?¡± Luo Yan was surprised. ¡°Don¡¯t you have the Five Elements Divine Light?¡± Shi Liuli asked in astonishment, ¡°Can¡¯t you just create a path through this metallic mountain range using the Five Elements Genesis technique?¡± Luo Yan sighed, thinking he had hoped his wife had some crafty shortcut, but it turned out he had to do the hard labor himself. He then activated the Innate Five Elements Divine Light, sweeping it over the area, and the mountain made of metal, as firm as it was, melted as quickly as snow meets the warmth of spring, turning into molten metal. As the two continued along the newly created path, the deeper they went into the mountain¡¯s belly, the more they felt a strange suction force pulling them toward a distant location. ¡°Earth¡¯s core magnet,¡± Shi Liuli quickly judged, ¡°There must be a core magnet inside this mountain.¡± A magnet, or a core magnet, is a kind of giant magnet that can disrupt and attract metal objects. For example, the Coiled Dragon Gold-Dissolving Ball that Shi Yao had bestowed upon Long Long was made from a magnet, which could draw in flying swords shot by others; likewise, during the competition at White Jade Capital, Luo Yan had taken out the Magnetic Cloud Mother from his storage bag to absorb the magneto-light. But the curious thing about the Earth¡¯s core magnet was that it didn¡¯t just attract metal objects but all kinds of objects, and the closer to the magnet, the stronger the suction force. Therefore, the best course of action upon encountering an Earth¡¯s core magnet was to get as far away as possible as soon as you could; if you got too close and the suction exceeded your ability to break free, then you would be done for. Upon hearing it was an Earth¡¯s core magnet, Luo Yan also got a headache. If Liuli wasn¡¯t here, he would have dared to burst right through with the help of Ah Jing¡¯s teleporting abilities. But now with Liuli here, if they ran into danger, it wouldn¡¯t be easy to rescue her¡­ He might as well have her calculate first. ¡°Liuli, can you calculate the range of that Earth¡¯s core magnet?¡± Luo Yan asked tentatively. ¡°Hard to say,¡± Shi Liuli cast a divination and answered, ¡°The Earth¡¯s core magnet is one with the mountain range, so it¡¯s impossible to determine the exact location. However, we can roughly estimate its range based on the strength of the suction force.¡± ¡°Husband, are you planning to target the Earth¡¯s Core Magnetite Mother?¡± ¡°How could I?¡± Luo Yan laughed and shook his head, ¡°The Earth¡¯s Core Magnetite Mother is an Innate Spiritual Object. The closer one gets, the greater the magnetic pull becomes. If one were to be in full contact, even immortals might not be able to withstand its force. How could I possibly have the ability to target it?¡± ¡°Then your meaning is¡­¡± Shi Liuli pondered for a moment before speaking, ¡°This heavenly cave was artificially created, so the likelihood that the Earth¡¯s Core Magnetite Mother naturally exists here is very slim. It is more likely that it was moved here from somewhere else.¡± ¡°To seal something,¡± Luo Yan also said with a smile. ¡°What could be safer than hiding it near the Earth¡¯s Core Magnetite Mother?¡± ¡°We just have to be careful, those people may also have their eyes on the treasures near the Earth¡¯s Core Magnetite Mother,¡± Shi Liuli added, pausing, ¡°if our speculation is correct.¡± So the two of them continued to forge their path with the Five Elements Divine Light, winding carefully forward for about a quarter of an hour before finally entering a man-made tunnel. ¡°This should be the normal entrance,¡± Shi Liuli took out a copper coin and casted a divination, ¡°Mmm, they indeed passed through here earlier.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s follow them and have a look,¡± said Luo Yan. ¡°Be careful, they might have set traps along their path,¡± Shi Liuli reminded him. ¡°Your husband is an expert in formation (scanning),¡± Luo Yan said with a smile. ¡°If I could be tricked by such petty tricks, I might as well shut down the Heavenly Craft Workshop.¡± ¡°But the other party consists of immortals,¡± Shi Liuli said. ¡°Unless they specialize in the art of formations, immortals might not necessarily be better than me,¡± Luo Yan replied. As they chatted and walked, suddenly Shi Liuli stopped in her tracks and said, ¡°They¡¯ve stopped up ahead.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Luo Yan, who had already confirmed it with a scan, pretended as if he had just learned of it, frowning, ¡°They must have discovered something¡­ Do you know exactly where they stopped?¡± ¡°It should be somewhere spacious,¡± Shi Liuli answered. To be precise, it was inside a large hall. Luo Yan nodded to indicate understanding and scanned the area again. He saw three people standing in the distance inside a hall. In the very center of the hall was a scroll, vividly depicting city streets, the ordinary life of folks, and a multitude of civilians. What was even more miraculous was that the civilians depicted on the canvas were all moving, some lingering in the market, some haggling, some soliciting sales¨Cvarious scenes, too many to count. ¡°Exquisite indeed!¡± the elder exclaimed in admiration, clapping his hands, ¡°What a wonderful ¡®Scroll of a Hundred Mortal Lives¡¯!¡± ¡°This painting is most adept at trapping enemies. In the heat of battle, it ensnares a person inside, and they become immediately lost in the illusion, as though living through a hundred lifetimes without the hope of awakening!¡± Having said that, the elder quickly took down the scroll, swiftly rolled it up, and stuffed it into his storage bag. Luo Yan: ¡­¡­¡­ It has to be said, watching others claim treasures like this always feels a bit odd¡­ It seems as though that treasure should have been claimed by me instead. Could I have a predestined connection with this treasure? Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°I will be content with claiming just one thing from here,¡± the elder dragon said calmly after securing the scroll, ¡°You two can divide the rest among yourselves.¡± Thus, Shi Yao and Long Xiaoqi swept through, left and right, and ransacked everything in sight, leaving Luo Yan salivating with envy¡­ no, it¡¯s more like burning with rage. Shennong is our ancestor of the Human Race, and his legacy should rightfully be dealt with by our race¨Chow can it end up in the hands of you despicable dragons? No, I must think of something! wuxiaworld.site .co Chapter 783 - Chapter 783: Chapter 20 The Hundred Lifetime Chart of the Mortal World Chapter 783: Chapter 20 The Hundred Lifetime Chart of the Mortal World ¡°Hey, don¡¯t act rashly!¡± Hearing his inner shout, the Kunlun Mirror quickly spoke up. At this stage, Luo Yan absolutely couldn¡¯t defeat someone of the Immortal Rank, even with the help of Mirror Flower Water Moon. The only possibility was to burn his essence and once again summon the Tai Yin Sword Master. But not to mention the issue of whether Shi Liuli beside him might expose the deception, the key point was that burning essence was too much of an energy drain¨Cit was enough for the Kunlun Mirror to save and load a few tens of thousands of times. Mama doesn¡¯t have that much spiritual energy for you to show off! ¡°Hmph, useless mirror.¡± Luo Yan said with a tone of disdain, ¡°Alas, fine, fine, for the sake of our many years of partnership, I won¡¯t take the risk.¡± Kunlun Mirror: ??? So, if I hadn¡¯t spoken up, you¡¯d have really considered challenging an immortal, huh? ¡°Don¡¯t fall for his trick.¡± The Summoning Sword suddenly spoke to her, ¡°He never intended to risk it all. Although he said that, he was just looking to see if there was a chance.¡± The Kunlun Mirror was taken aback, then swiftly came to a realization. Idiot. Such an idiot, why did I take his words seriously? Ah, I shouldn¡¯t have changed my opinion of him¡­ While the Kunlun Mirror was self-criticizing, Shi Liuli remained clueless. Obviously, her art calculation couldn¡¯t compare to the scanning of the Kunlun Mirror, so she could only roughly deduce that the other had stopped, but didn¡¯t know why. Seeing Luo Yan stop, she obediently stood by the side and kept silent. It wasn¡¯t until the three from the Dragon Clan had left the hall that Luo Yan sighed and continued onward with Shi Liuli. Following the corridor to the hall where the others had been, they finally stood agape. Although he had already seen it in the scan, being physically present in the hall, Luo Yan came to understand just how shameless the others were. Picked clean! The entire hall had been ransacked, not to mention the chests that held the treasure, even the nails for the hanging scrolls had been pulled out and taken away. As a result, the two looked around to see an entirely empty hall, as if nothing had ever been there. Shi Liuli also fell silent, thinking, if we continue at this pace, even if we safely follow their entire journey, maintaining an undetected status, what would be the point? No gain at all, just practicing bravery? Luo Yan was still not giving up; he turned the scanning process to maximum, sweeping every crevice, every gap in the floor. Damn it, you really didn¡¯t plan on leaving anything behind, huh¡­ Huh? Indeed, nothing remained, the Jiaolong ancestor¡¯s divine sense sweep wouldn¡¯t miss anything. However, on a certain wall, there was a slight spatial fluctuation. Under normal circumstances, space is stable and continuous, there shouldn¡¯t be any fluctuations. If there were, it would indicate there must be traces left by some kind of operation on the space. It could be a spell, a magical treasure, or perhaps¡­ ¡°A formation.¡± Luo Yan suddenly said, ¡°There are residual traces of a formation here.¡± ¡°Was it set up by those people from before?¡± Shi Liuli asked. ¡°No,¡± Luo Yan saw it clearly before, the opponent hadn¡¯t set up anything in this hall. Which meant that it must be traces left from an earlier time. ¡°Liuli, help me calculate this,¡± Luo Yan instructed. Shi Liuli tossed out the copper coin to start the divination and then fell into a silent contemplation. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Luo Yan asked. ¡°The result is incomplete,¡± Shi Liuli responded, ¡°The formation was set up a very long time ago, and much later on, it encountered a problem, and that¡¯s what led to its current incomplete state.¡± ¡°If that weren¡¯t the case, it wouldn¡¯t be possible for this hall to be without any mechanisms remaining,¡± Luo Yan nodded in agreement, ¡°That would be like leaving the door open for thieves, right? There must have been a problem with the formation.¡± ¡°Due to the lengthy interval, I¡¯m unable to deduce the details,¡± Shi Liuli continued, ¡°but I know the issue didn¡¯t come from the outside; it came from within.¡± ¡°Inside?¡± Luo Yan began to ponder. If it was from the outside, one could understand it as someone having intruded upon this secret realm to break down the formation. But from within¡­ was there something with intelligence in this hall that attempted to break this formation? Luo Yan thought silently, his fingers tracing along the remnants of the formation, drawing the corresponding patterns in the air. A normal array master would take months to restore a formation based on an incomplete diagram, but Luo Yan, with his talent for learning at a glance, had handled formations millions of times more complicated than this before (such as the multidimensional compression array in the Gui Xu Secret Realm of the past). Now, with just a few sketches, he had memorized the situation of the formation. It indeed had been breached from the inside, but only halfway. The one who attempted to destroy the formation¡­ was hiding in a nearby space crack; that explained the spatial fluctuations. Luo Yan smiled faintly and took out the Heavenly Weaving God Shuttle, casting it towards the location of the fluctuations. The Divine Shuttle passed through the ripples and vanished, then reappeared, and with a snap, something was knocked out of the void by the Divine Shuttle and fell to the ground. It was an unfurled scroll. By its mounting and decoration, it was identical to the ¡®Mortal World Hundred Lives Painting¡¯ that the old dragon had taken, but the content of the scroll was different. The ¡®Mortal World Hundred Lives Painting¡¯ the old dragon took depicted an extremely crowded market with countless citizens bustling, trading, hawking¨Cshowing a prosperous and lively city. But the scroll on the ground still showed that market, only without any living people; instead, corpses were everywhere on the street. The surrounding buildings were either ruins or ablaze, evidently having suffered a severe military disaster. Just as Luo Yan was about to go pick it up, he suddenly heard Shi Liuli shout, ¡°Be careful!¡± The scroll sprang up from the ground and pounced towards Luo Yan and Shi Liuli. In a whirl of vertigo, the two found themselves in the middle of the marketplace. This was a brick path paved with bluestone, now covered with large swaths of blood. The buildings on both sides either had their doors tightly shut or had been violently broken into from the outside, and after being plundered, they were set on fire, engulfed in raging flames. Suddenly, a chilling wind blew through, sweeping over the strewn corpses. From the cold wind emerged a host of evil spirits brandishing weapons, rushing toward them ferociously. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Before Luo Yan could make a move, Shi Liuli had already started a Daoist formula, activating the Southern Dipper Galaxy Secret Technique. A torrential flood surged from the void, instantly washing over and submerging the entire street. The evil spirits were swept away and the corpses too were carried off; the burning buildings fell to the riverbed, reduced to desolate ruins. Suddenly, from the river, a huge ice Jiaolong surged forth, raising its upper body upright, its fierce dragon eyes fixed on Luo Yan and Shi Liuli. As it opened its maw, a great blast of white breath was expelled forward, turning everything in its path to ice, as if it were the cold hell! wuxiaworld.site .co Chapter 784 - Chapter 784: Chapter 21: Bidirectional Channel Chapter 784: Chapter 21: Bidirectional Channel From the moment they fell into this place, Luo Yan and Shi Liuli were very clear that this must be an illusion domain within the Mortal World Lifetimes Painting. But knowing was one thing, how to deal with the illusions here was quite another. ¡°Is there no way to break it?¡± Luo Yan asked in his mind. ¡°Not only does this place have illusion techniques, but it also combines them with spatial spells,¡± the Kunlun Mirror answered, ¡°It¡¯s quite complex.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t both of these your strong points?¡± Luo Yan asked with feigned ignorance. ¡°I can forcefully break through the illusions here,¡± the Kunlun Mirror replied with a cold laugh, ¡°But doing so would certainly damage the artifact spirit, and could even affect the magical treasure itself.¡± ¡°Ahem.¡± Luo Yan immediately changed the subject and said gravely, ¡°I was just asking. Since this magical treasure¡¯s artifact spirit has set up this test, how could I possibly cheat and bully it? I will absolutely make it lose convincingly!¡± The Kunlun Mirror was astounded at his quick-wittedness and had nothing to say in reply. At this time, the surroundings were filled with Shi Liuli¡¯s Milky Way waters, and the Jiaolong was spewing frosty air in all directions, freezing everything in its path. But Luo Yan remained calm and collected, simply bringing his hands together. From between his fingers, a great amount of five-colored light began to spill out. With the approaching five-colored radiance, the vast expanse of icy air receded like a tide, and soon the five-colored light enveloped the frosty Jiaolong, quickly reducing it to ashes that vanished into thin air. Only the calm surface of the water remained, and the two stood in the air on their swords, with Luo Yan putting on an air of a master, calmly saying: ¡°If there are any more tricks up your sleeve, bring them on.¡± Silence. After a long silence, a childish voice finally spoke up: ¡°Did you just use the Innate Five Elements Great Chaos Divine Light?¡± Before Luo Yan could respond, the voice hesitantly continued: ¡°So, you¡¯re from the Peacock Clan, my grandfather told me to never listen to the Demon Race¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m from the Human Race!¡± Luo Yan burst out angrily, ¡°You can¡¯t even distinguish between human and demon, and you¡¯re here babbling nonsense with me!¡± After a moment, the voice said: ¡°If you¡¯re from the Human Race, why do you have the Innate Five Elements Great Chaos Divine Light?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve learned it,¡± Luo Yan replied. ¡°How could the Human Race possibly learn¡­¡± ¡°How could the Human Race not possibly learn?¡± Luo Yan retorted impatiently, ¡°But back to the point, you¡¯re the artifact spirit of the painting from before, aren¡¯t you? And what is this place?¡± ¡°I am the artifact spirit of the ¡®Mortal World Lifetimes Painting,''¡± the voice answered, ¡°You are now in the space of my Yin Scroll.¡± ¡°Yin Scroll?¡± Luo Yan thought of the painting the old dragon had taken, ¡°So the ¡®Mortal World Lifetimes Painting¡¯ has two scrolls?¡± ¡°When my grandfather made me, he intentionally made the Yin and Yang Scrolls. I usually reside in the Yin Scroll,¡± the voice explained. ¡°Who is your grandfather?¡± Shi Liuli suddenly asked. ¡°Grandfather is just grandfather¡­¡± the voice started to sound confused again. ¡°What¡¯s his full name and title?¡± Luo Yan asked rapidly. The other party seemed stumped by the question and after a long time finally answered: ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± Luo Yan frowned. ¡°My husband, let me ask,¡± Shi Liuli suggested to him. Though the artifact spirit possessed spiritual wisdom, it clearly lacked worldly experience; its intelligence was about that of a five or six-year-old child. Considering this, Shi Liuli softened her tone and said gently: ¡°We really are from the Human Race, not the Demon Race.¡± ¡°How am I to believe you?¡± the voice asked, ¡°If you are from the Demon Race, I¡¯ll have to trap you here forever.¡± ¡°That¡¯s very simple,¡± Shi Liuli responded, ¡°If I were from the Demon Race and already knew you disliked the Demon Race, I would have just attacked to escape by now. Why would I still be here calmly talking to you?¡± Luo Yan thought this reasoning was full of holes, but the voice pondered for a moment and then said: ¡°That makes sense. Knowing that I am against the Demon Race, and you are still so composed, then you surely are not from the Demon Race.¡± After she finished speaking, the surroundings suddenly changed, and the two of them returned to the original hall. In front of Luo Yan, a painting scroll hung in the air, twirling itself up as it spoke: ¡°My Yang Diagram has been taken away by those bad people. I need to retrieve it.¡± ¡°How about sister accompanies you?¡± Shi Liuli immediately realized that the bad people it was referring to were the group from before, and thus she coaxingly said, ¡°Those bad people are too powerful, and you, a single painting¡­ I¡¯m afraid you¡¯re not a match for them.¡± ¡°No need.¡± The painting scroll innocently said, ¡°There is a mutual connection between the Yin Scroll and the Yang Diagram. I just need to break through space, utilize this mysterious connection, and I will be able to retrieve the Yang Diagram. No matter where they take the Yang Diagram, it will be useless.¡± ¡°Can it be retrieved even if it¡¯s in a Storage Bag?¡± Luo Yan first was startled, then his intelligent insight was activated, and quickly he had a flash of inspiration and said right away, ¡°But, if those bad people realize the Yang Diagram is gone, they are certain to come back looking for it, right? Then, if you have both the Yin and Yang Diagrams, where could you possibly run off to? Wouldn¡¯t you just be caught by them again?¡± The painting scroll seemed to be stumped by his question and after a long silence, it finally said: ¡°I can hide in the spatial fissures¡­¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you hide in the spatial fissures just now and were still discovered by me?¡± Luo Yan laughed heartily, ¡°How do you know those bad people from before haven¡¯t discovered your tricks?¡± The painting scroll fell silent and began to roll slowly in mid-air, murmuring to itself: ¡°What should I do then, I am not good at using my brain because I don¡¯t have one¡­¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you come with us?¡± Shi Liuli timely suggested, ¡°Once we take you to a safe place, you can retrieve the Yang Diagram. Even if those bad people realize what happened, they won¡¯t be able to find you, right?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± The painting scroll didn¡¯t think too much and merely said, ¡°Following you could work, but¡­¡± ¡°But what?¡± Shi Liuli asked with a smile. ¡°But I need to know who you are, your full names and Daoist titles.¡± The painting scroll said. Oh, this Artifact Spirit is quite the scholar, eh? As soon as Luo Yan heard this question, which he had asked earlier, his impression of it significantly improved. Many Magical Treasures could give birth to Artifact Spirits, but very few had the basic Spiritual Wisdom to communicate. And among those, Magical Treasures that could learn from their masters and achieve self-growth were exceedingly rare, and every single one of them had an incredibly terrifying foundation, like Ah Jing and Suming. ¡°My name is Shi Liuli, my Daoist title is Dong You.¡± Shi Liuli cheerfully said, ¡°His name is Luo Yan, his Daoist title is Jingyun.¡± The painting scroll was silent for a good while before saying: ¡°I was asking for your full names, not what you are called.¡± So this Artifact Spirit doesn¡¯t even know what a ¡°name¡± is? Luo Yan was nearly floored by the absurdity, but Shi Liuli was quite patient and took the painting scroll in her hand, continuing to explain: ¡°The so-called name, you see, includes a surname and a given name¡­¡± The two continued on the path previously traversed by the Dragon Clan Cultivators, and Shi Liuli managed to ease the Artifact Spirit¡¯s shyness after a while, coaxing out many words from it. The creator of the Mortal World¡¯s Hundred Lifetimes Diagram had made the Yin and Yang Diagrams with the intention of making them serve as a gateway connecting this Dwelling Cave Heaven with the outside world. The Yang Diagram and the Yin Diagram had a mysterious linkage in space. Anyone standing near the Yang Diagram could use this connection to transport to the location of the Yin Diagram, and vice versa. However, the real control over this transport lay in the hands of the Mortal World¡¯s Hundred Lifetimes Diagram¡¯s Artifact Spirit. But according to what it said, since its creation, it hadn¡¯t yet had a real opportunity to carry out its transport function. Luo Yan, listening on the side, was bored to tears, thinking isn¡¯t this just an inferior version of Ah Jing¡¯s transport? Ah Jing¡¯s transport could not only cross space but also time, and it was highly flexible with coordinate positioning. This required one to hold both the Yin and Yang Diagrams at two places in order to achieve point-to-point transport, which was nowhere near as good as my Ah Jing! Hey, wait a minute¡­ ¡°This, Little Red,¡± Luo Yan suddenly called out to it, ¡°Can you currently pinpoint where the Yang Diagram is?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the Mortal World¡¯s Hundred Lifetimes Diagram replied. ¡°Even if it¡¯s in a Storage Bag?¡± Luo Yan first instinctively asked, but then realized it probably didn¡¯t know what a Storage Bag was and added, ¡°That¡­ If it¡¯s two-way transport, then things near the Yang Diagram, you can transport them over as well, right?¡± ¡°Yes, I can.¡± The Mortal World¡¯s Hundred Lifetimes Diagram gave a positive answer. ¡°Husband.¡± At this moment, Shi Liuli finally reacted with astonishment, ¡°You can¡¯t be thinking of stealing¡­¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Liuli,¡± Luo Yan said calmly, ¡°Don¡¯t you think that the Demonic Path Immortal¡¯s Storage Bag must contain many incredibly lethal Magical Treasures?¡± ¡°If they remain in the opponent¡¯s hands, put to use, can you calculate how many Righteous Path Cultivators will die in the future?¡± ¡°Given the situation, if we eliminate this hidden danger in advance, wouldn¡¯t it be a great Merit to the Righteous Path Sects? And indirectly save how many lives?¡± ¡°Think about the previous encirclement of Penglai by ten thousand gods and demons, think about the losses suffered by Yuqing View. Can we stand by, indifferent and do nothing?¡± wuxiaworld.site .co Chapter 785 - Chapter 785: Chapter 22 Mysterious Talisman Chapter 785: Chapter 22 Mysterious Talisman Shi Liuli remained silent without a word. ¡°To speak of taking something out of someone¡¯s pocket as if it were a grand and righteous act, my husband truly is a talent¡­¡± Of course, she wasn¡¯t any moral crusader herself, thinking that since the hexagram indicated danger, the other party was most likely from the Demon Cult¡¯s Six Paths¨Cshould there be a way to weaken the opponent and strengthen themselves, even if it was despicable, they might as well use it. However¡­ employing such vile tactics was one thing. To actually use them while finding a seemingly righteous justification was quite another. While Shi Liuli was lost in her thoughts, Luo Yan already felt that this plan was exceedingly feasible, and hastily began discussing it with the Mortal World Painting: ¡°We shall take it, but we can¡¯t do so too early. What if they realize it?¡± ¡°How about waiting until they are ahead of us, have swept away all the treasures, and put everything into their storage bag, then you take it all¡­ By the way, how much can you transfer in one breath now?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Mortal World Painting hesitated, ¡°I haven¡¯t tried it.¡± ¡°We can give it a try!¡± Luo Yan immediately said, ¡°Let¡¯s first move everything from his storage bag here, then we can count the number and weight of the items before moving them back to avoid his detection¡­¡± ¡°Cough, cough, cough.¡± Shi Liuli suddenly started coughing. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Liuli?¡± Luo Yan immediately asked with concern. ¡°I think this is not very nice?¡± said Shi Liuli. ¡°Surely you¡¯re not one of those moral paragons, are you?¡± Luo Yan exclaimed, shocked. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s not what I mean,¡± Shi Liuli explained, ¡°It¡¯s fine to weaken the Demonic Path, but taking advantage of that to fill our own pockets with shady methods, I think we better not do that. After all, a gentleman should know what to do and what not to do. Once we do certain things, we¡¯ll have crossed a line, and we might end up becoming something we never wanted to be.¡± Luo Yan¡¯s mouth hung open in surprise, only to hear the Artifact Spirit of the Kunlun Mirror say disdainfully in the Sea of Consciousness: ¡°Liuli is not wrong, but some people simply lack the thing called a bottom line to begin with, Liuli is talking to a wall.¡± ¡°Broken Mirror, shut your mouth!¡± First scolding it, Luo Yan then righteously said to Shi Liuli: ¡°You¡¯re right, Liuli. Let¡¯s do this then, we won¡¯t keep anything for ourselves but will hand it over to the Sect, how about that?¡± ¡°That¡¯s better,¡± Shi Liuli said with a smile. Seeing her husband so agreeable, she felt somewhat heartened for a moment, but also a bit embarrassed about her own meddling. ¡°Now that it¡¯s to be handed over to the Sect.¡± Luo Yan continued, ¡°If there¡¯s anything good in it, requesting to use it should still be okay, right?¡± Shi Liuli almost choked. Hand it over to the Sect and then request to use it? How could you even bring yourself to say that, husband! However, after giving it some thought, she found something odd. To say ¡°No, you can¡¯t ask the Sect for them¡± would seem rather overbearing¨CI hand over treasures to the Sect, but I can¡¯t apply to use them myself? That¡¯s obviously unreasonable. But if they could be used, then Luo Yan could hand over everything to the Sect and then, under the identity of Master Jingyun of the Heavenly Craft Workshop, borrow it all back from the Sect¨Chow could Penglai Yuqing View possibly refuse? He could borrow them for as long as he wanted! If everything was taken back, what difference would there be from not handing them over in the first place? It would only be a nominal belonging to Yuqing View. Upon realizing this, Shi Liuli turned her gaze back to the Mortal World Painting, only to hear the incomprehending Artifact Spirit say: ¡°So that¡¯s it! As long as we do this, we don¡¯t have to worry about crossing the line, right?¡± Shi Liuli closed her eyes: Great, the Artifact Spirit is going to be spoiled by my husband. No, this won¡¯t do! She suddenly rolled up the Mortal World Painting and said: ¡°We can talk about this when we are in a safe place. The urgent matter at hand is to keep up with the other party and ascertain the whereabouts of the Shennong Cauldron.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± This reminded Luo Yan. Compared to the treasures of some immortals, the Shennong Cauldron was obviously of much higher value. ¡°The Shennong Cauldron?¡± asked the Mortal World Painting, ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Shi Liuli then described the appearance of the cauldron. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s not a cauldron, it¡¯s a pot,¡± corrected the Mortal World Chart, ¡°Grandpa often uses it to cook things to eat.¡± Luo Yan: ¡­ Shi Liuli: ¡­ Upon careful thought, cauldrons were indeed used as cooking utensils before being used as formation devices. But using the Shennong Cauldron to cook¡­ why did that sound so strange? ¡°The pot you¡¯re talking about, is it inscribed with dense text inside?¡± Luo Yan suddenly asked. ¡°Not just inside.¡± The Mortal World Chart replied, ¡°The outside too.¡± ¡°The Shennong Cauldron is inscribed with text inside and out?¡± Shi Liuli immediately asked. ¡°I suppose so,¡± Luo Yan said vaguely. Here we go again! Shi Liuli was getting annoyed. Back when she first entered the sect, she thought this little junior brother was the honest and simple type. Now, having worked together until today, she had long realized that beneath Luo Yan¡¯s seemingly simple squinty eyes lay a heart full of cunning and tricks. Of course, as the head of the Heavenly Craft Workshop, it was better to be cunning than to be of pure character, but being treated as a fool every time frustrated Shi Liuli a great deal. She fell silent for a moment, then asked: ¡°Husband, are you sure about this?¡± Instead of asking directly ¡°Where did you learn this from?¡±, she asked ¡°Are you sure about this?¡± This was Shi Liuli¡¯s way of showing restraint¨Cthe former comes off as somewhat accusatory, likely to put her husband on guard. However, Luo Yan didn¡¯t fall for it either and just chuckled, saying, ¡°Not really, just play it by ear.¡± Shi Liuli: ¡­¡­ She really wanted to bite him to death. The two continued along the passageway, and the deeper they went, the stronger the suction they felt, even subtly affecting their balance. Clearly, they were now under threat from the distance, but according to Luo Yan¡¯s scanning and Shi Liuli¡¯s divination, the other party continued to move forward¨Cprobably because the Dragon Clan cultivators were physically strong and could bear greater risks. After a short walk, Shi Liuli suddenly stopped: ¡°They¡¯ve stopped.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Luo Yan feigned ignorance, although he had already scanned and confirmed that the Dragon Clan cultivators had broken through space and entered the next one ahead. ¡°Yes.¡± Shi Liuli performed another divination and confirmed, ¡°They are no longer here, it seems they have gone to another Dwelling Cave Heaven.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go take a look first,¡± said Luo Yan. After roughly a quarter of an hour¡¯s walk, they finally arrived at the spot where the Dragon Clan cultivators had disappeared. The place was still a corridor extending straight down, and the gravitational pull on them was already very clear, practically dragging them forward. Luo Yan held onto the rocky wall with one hand and grabbed Shi Liuli¡¯s arm with the other. Fortunately, the rock was rough and jagged, with sharp protrusions of metal ore everywhere, allowing Luo Yan to secure himself easily. ¡°This is where they disappeared,¡± said Shi Liuli. ¡°Husband, where would it be best to use your Divine Shuttle?¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Right.¡± Luo Yan activated his scan and began to look around. Hmm? Before he could spot fluctuations in the spatial ripples, he suddenly detected at the depths of the earth, near the location of the geo-magnetic mother lode, an object shining with golden light. It appeared to be a Talisman Script. wuxiaworld.site .co Chapter 786 - Chapter 786: Chapter 23 Seven Treasures Giant Clam Chapter 786: Chapter 23 Seven Treasures Giant Clam What talisman script? Given its Divine Light is restrained inwardly but has treasure light radiating outwardly, it¡¯s obvious that its grade rank is no ordinary one! Could it be the Chaos Red Talisman required to unlock the second layer of the Heavenly Weaving God Shuttle? Luo Yan guessed as much in his mind, but since he wasn¡¯t able to get close to the Earth Pole Magnet, he couldn¡¯t confirm it. ¡°Ah Jing!¡± he commanded in his heart, ¡°Send that thing over to me!¡± ¡°Can¡¯t send it.¡± Kunlun Mirror responded, ¡°Around the Earth Pole Magnet, space is distorted. Trying to send it would likely damage the item.¡± ¡°You really are unreliable, Ah Jing!¡± Luo Yan said disappointedly, ¡°If it were the Yang Scroll of the Mortal World Lifetimes Map by my side, perhaps I would have gotten it right then and there.¡± ¡°Mortal World Lifetimes Map is point-to-point transportation, not coordinate-based.¡± Kunlun Mirror wasn¡¯t provoked by his challenge and said indifferently, ¡°If the Yang Scroll were by the Earth Pole Magnet¡¯s side, it would have been sucked in and shattered long ago.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Luo Yan suddenly asked curiously, ¡°Then why hasn¡¯t that talisman script been sucked in?¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s exerting Divine Skills to resist the magnetism of the Earth Pole Magnet,¡± Kunlun Mirror answered. ¡°If this talisman script can resist the Earth Pole Magnet, it¡¯s certainly no ordinary item,¡± Luo Yan concluded immediately, ¡°Ah Jing, is there another way to get our hands on it?¡± ¡°No.¡± Kunlun Mirror replied bluntly. ¡°What if I use the Tai Yin Summoning Sword to shatter it?¡± Luo Yan asked again. ¡°Then you would expose to Shi Liuli that you are the Tai Yin Sword Master,¡± the Summoning Sword said quickly. Finally, Luo Yan gave up and sighed, ¡°We¡¯ll speak of it next time; let¡¯s leave it for next time.¡± He took out the Heavenly Weaving God Shuttle and, using Ah Jing¡¯s positioning coordinates, quickly broke through the space, then proceeded to the next space with Shi Liuli. To their surprise, they found themselves in the deep sea, bombarded from all sides by the enormous pressure of deep water, leaving the two newcomers to the cave heavens somewhat caught off guard. But as Penglai Cultivators, both were battle-hardened in such aquatic environments. Luo Yan immediately released the Five Elements Divine Light, dispelling all the deep water pressure around them. ¡°Where are they?¡± About thirteen miles straight ahead,¡± Shi Liuli said silently after a moment, then suddenly spoke, ¡°They¡¯re not humans, they¡¯re Jiaolong, now showing their true bodies, swimming forward on the seabed.¡± ¡°What, they¡¯re Demons?¡± Luo Yan quickly showed an expression of utter shock, disbelief, extreme fear, and lingering dread, then followed with a concerned frown, ¡°If they are from the Demon Race, we must not let them successfully steal the treasures of the Human Race.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Shi Liuli agreed, somewhat exhaustedly, ¡°I will confirm the situation of the others using Divination. If there¡¯s a chance, you take the item with the Mortal World Lifetimes Map.¡± Indeed, once they knew the others were Demons, what Shi Liuli had originally considered a ¡°line-crossing¡± tactic immediately turned into a race conflict, a fight to the death, a struggle for which they had no choice but to fight. Luo Yan then asked the Mortal World Lifetimes Map: ¡°Have you clearly seen everything around the Yang Scroll?¡± ¡°Not many things.¡± The Mortal World Lifetimes Map responded, ¡°Apart from my Yang Scroll, there is a small vial, a scripture, and a Taoist robe.¡± ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Luo Yan was greatly disappointed. ¡°The other party couldn¡¯t possibly carry all their belongings in their storage bag with them,¡± Shi Liuli said. ¡°It seems we can only wait until they¡¯ve finished looting before we make our move,¡± Luo Yan nodded in agreement. The two continued to move forward in the water. In the depths, the speed of the Sword Control Technique was nowhere near as fast as the swimming speed of a Jiaolong, and physical swimming wasn¡¯t as fast as the Water Escape, but Luo Yan activated the Five Elements Divine Light, completely disrupting the environmental waters, which meant there was no reduction in their speed. In fact, they were even faster than the opposite party, steadily closing the distance. Therefore, Shi Liuli had to remind her husband again to slow down their pace, to prevent getting too close and risking detection by the other party. The two were not new to moving in deep-sea environments. The biggest trouble here was the lack of terrain as reference points, making it difficult to discern directions; one might start going in circles without realizing it. Shi Liuli had to employ Art Calculation techniques every so often to explore the surroundings, partly to confirm the situation of the distant Dragon Clan, and partly to ensure they weren¡¯t going the wrong way. Luo Yan had an easier time, seemingly relying completely on his wife, Shi Liuli, for direction and tracking; in reality, he was personally scanning and monitoring, double insurance, secure beyond measure. ¡°Husband, be careful!¡± Shi Liuli suddenly warned. Luo Yan promptly used his Divine Sense to scan the vicinity and discovered a huge abyss had suddenly appeared near the sea floor ahead. This sea abyss seemed bottomless, like a beast opening its gaping mouth¨Calthough hard to detect, a scan would reveal that above the abyss was a massive underwater current and vortex, constantly drawing in vast quantities of sea water from around, before compressing and injecting it into the abyss. If a cultivator didn¡¯t have Art Calculation or scanning abilities and continued moving forward, they¡¯d inevitably suffer greatly, possibly getting sucked down below and unable to come out. Just as Luo Yan was about to say something, he suddenly scanned and noticed Dragon Clan cultivators stopping in a Coral Forest in the distance. ¡°It¡¯s actually a Giant Clam Pearl!¡± The old dragon laughed heartily, saying, ¡°Do you know the origin of this Giant Clam Pearl?¡± ¡°Giant Clam Pearl, it seems to be one of the Buddhist Seven Treasures,¡± Shi Yao said uncertainly. ¡°Correct,¡± the old dragon said with approval, nodding his head, ¡°Compared to Seven Treasures Colored Glaze, Seven Treasures Giant Clam is relatively common and easier to find, and its function as a magical treasure is more singular, mainly used for immobilization.¡± ¡°If you encounter an enemy, just throw the Giant Clam Pearl at them. Once they are illuminated by the pearl¡¯s radiance, they¡¯ll be like trapped inside a giant clam, unable to move, completely at the mercy of others.¡± ¡°Of course, the higher the enemy¡¯s Bloodline Rank, the harder it is to immobilize them. Aside from your own Cultivation Level, the Giant Clam Pearl¡¯s Grade Rank is also important. Judging from its color, the whiter the better, the yellower the inferior.¡± ¡°As for pearls of such high quality like this one, they are of ancestral level quality; unguarded, one would suffer a great loss.¡± As he spoke, the old dragon kicked open the biggest Giant Clam Shell within the Coral Forest, extracted the pure white Giant Clam Pearl from inside, and placed it into his Storage Pouch, saying contentedly: ¡°The rest of the Giant Clam Pearls are yours to take.¡± Hence, Shi Yao and Long Xiaoqi began to work, shattering all the surrounding Giant Clam Shells to take their pearls. Although there were many, their color showed at least a hint of yellow, completely inferior to the one the old dragon had taken from the largest clam. Not stopping with the Giant Clam Pearls, the two also exposed their dragon claws and uprooted all of the corals to take with them, clearly intending to prevent any missed opportunities. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only The old dragon saw this but didn¡¯t interfere. In his view, while these corals were not very useful, the world is full of wonders. Even the most experienced cultivators couldn¡¯t be sure they won¡¯t miss something valuable. It¡¯s always a good habit to take whatever you can carry. In the distance, Luo Yan watched with rage boiling in his eyes, thinking how the Shennong Secret Realm, a sacred place of the Human Race, was being desecrated by these contemptible dragons, making it unbearable to restrain his anger! wuxiaworld.site .co Chapter 787 - Chapter 787: Chapter 24: The Godspeed Talisman Revisited Chapter 787: Chapter 24: The Godspeed Talisman Revisited In Luo Yan¡¯s opinion, if this Dwelling Cave Heaven was truly built by Shennong, it shouldn¡¯t appear so impoverished¨Cat the very least, it wouldn¡¯t lack high-rank magical treasures. But now it seemed that this place really was just an unfinished product. Not to mention the lack of an entrance, Luo Yan¡¯s evaluation of this Deep Sea Cave Heavens was ¡°large but empty.¡± Although it was spectacular, it was barren, with precious items even rarer. Of course, having been so scarce already, and then plundered by the Dragon Clan cultivators, not even leaving the slightest bit behind, the thought of it was even more infuriating. The treasures obtained by the old dragon could be recovered with the help of the Mortal World Lifetimes Map; as for those scavenged by Shi Yao and Long Xiaoqi, it was probably impossible to get them back. Fortunately, the most powerful and highest-rank magical treasures were basically swallowed by the old dragon alone, so in the end, the loss wouldn¡¯t be too severe. As Luo Yan and Shi Liuli tried carefully to bypass the Sea Abyss, they discovered that the dark currents ahead formed a tremendous vortex; detouring would take too much time, surely causing them to fall behind the Dragon Clan cultivators ahead. Based on the speed of the others, it was inferred that those Dragon Clan cultivators must have crossed directly through the giant vortex. Shi Liuli fired the Purple Extreme Han Yuan Sword forward, only to find that after advancing a mere dozen yards, it was immediately swept up by the undercurrents, making it extremely difficult to continue forward by force. ¡°What can we do now?¡± Luo Yan sighed and said, ¡°The Dragon Clan possesses extreme physical strength, which allows them to withstand the mighty, unruly undercurrents and force their way through the vortex. We simply don¡¯t have that ability.¡± ¡°How can there be no way?¡± Shi Liuli asked in surprise, ¡°Husband, what nonsense are you talking about?¡± ¡°How did I talk nonsense?¡± Luo Yan was shocked. ¡°Stop hiding your capabilities,¡± Shi Liuli said with some impatience. ¡°Come on, show your hand.¡± Could my identity as Long Long have been discovered by Liuli Lady! Luo Yan almost panicked, but he forced himself to remain calm. Impossible, absolutely impossible! Long Long had never been to the Cultivation Realm, let alone exposing any loopholes; he was completely unrecognizable, so how could Liuli possibly know the connection between these two identities? Wait, could it be Art Calculation? Seeing him silent for a long time, Shi Liuli sighed and said softly: ¡°Husband, can¡¯t you just use your Five Elements Divine Light to clear the way and get through?¡± Luo Yan¡¯s heart immediately felt lighter, relieved, but he continued to pretend and said: ¡°To forcefully clear such a large vortex with Five Elements Divine Light would likely consume too much True Yuan.¡± ¡°I believe you can do it,¡± Shi Liuli said lightly. Luo Yan then revealed a helpless expression and stimulated the Five Elements Divine Light, shooting it forward. The current, which had been spinning at extremely high speed, encountered the Five Elements Divine Light and was swiftly neutralized, revealing a waterless vacuum passage ahead. The two continued on their Sword Control journey through the path, Luo Yan keeping the Divine Light active, thinking it was fortunate he had advanced the Five Elements Divine Light to the Innate level; otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to easily pave the way through such a huge dark current vortex. It¡¯s just that, although Liuli Lady didn¡¯t ask, she might still have suspicions in her heart. After all, an Innate Five Elements True Vein isn¡¯t something common. To collect the five types of True Veins, Luo Yan crossed a total of three realms and two worlds (the Mortal Realm and the Eastern Emperor Realm), searching hard and relying on incredible luck to finally gather them all. If Liuli were to rigorously inquire about the origins of the five True Veins, I really wouldn¡¯t be able to tell the truth; I¡¯d have to make something up. But fabricating a story is one thing; what if Liuli uses Art Calculation to verify the truth and finds out I¡¯m lying? That¡¯s why from the beginning, I shouldn¡¯t have allowed her to learn Art Calculation! Remembering the Kuocang Mountain Secret Realm, where I had painstakingly gathered information and taken Miss Shi to experience it, Luo Yan wished he could travel back in time and give his past self a good slap on the ear. The two finally passed through the vortex and torrents above the Sea Abyss, and Shi Liuli¡¯s expression remained calm, as if she had no intention to ask any further questions. Luo Yan, with a guilty conscience, naturally didn¡¯t seek to make things difficult for himself, so he continued to lead the way for Shi Liuli, and soon they arrived at the Coral Forest where the Dragon Clan cultivators had previously stopped. What they saw were coral stumps and roots scattered everywhere after being uprooted, and the shattered fragments of the giant clams strewn about. ¡°What a pity,¡± Shi Liuli said with a sigh as she looked at the devastation around her. If it had not been destroyed by the Dragon Clan, this place might have been a beautiful scene, right? ¡°It is indeed a pity,¡± Luo Yan also echoed with a sense of regret. How many treasures had fallen into the hands of the Demon Race; it was a disgrace for the Human Race! Although both lamented the loss, the objects of their pity were completely different. Luo Yan repeated his old trick and began scanning the area once more. Regrettably, this time he did not find any overlooked treasures like the Mortal World Map he had found in the previous cave heavens. After checking several times with a sense of unwillingness, Luo Yan finally had to admit that not every time would there be leftovers to pick up. Leaving the Coral Forest behind, the two continued onward and eventually reached a flat area on the sea floor. ¡°They disappeared right here before,¡± commented Shi Liuli. ¡°Hmm, there are indeed spatial fluctuations here. It appears to be a weak point in the barrier that leads to the next cave heaven,¡± said Luo Yan. Just as he was about to throw the Heavenly Weaving God Shuttle, he suddenly heard Shi Liuli say, ¡°Wait a moment!¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Lift your foot,¡± Shi Liuli requested. Luo Yan then lifted his right foot, standing on one leg, as Shi Liuli gathered her skirts, and squatted down to peel off a piece of yellow paper that was stuck to the sole of Luo Yan¡¯s boot. Although the yellow paper had been soaked at the bottom of the sea for who knows how long, it had not decayed or deteriorated, showing that it was no ordinary object. Written on it in vermillion were many patterns. Despite the spiritual power being exhausted and the paper appearing dull and lightless, Luo Yan, with his ability to recognize things in an instant, immediately identified that he had seen this item before. A Thousand Mile Water Vein Godspeed Talisman. This yellow paper was a Godspeed Talisman of the Thousand Mile Water Vein whose spiritual power was completely depleted. Since it had been discarded here for who knows how many years, it had become indistinguishable from ordinary yellow paper. But if there was a way to replenish its spiritual power, perhaps it could be restored to its original state¡­ Hmm? Luo Yan suddenly realized something. The function of the Thousand Mile Water Vein Godspeed Talisman was to activate from one water source and randomly leap to another completely unconnected water source. This jump was a spatial transfer, leveraging the mysterious connection between water veins, regardless of whether there were rocks, voids, or any formations and restrictions between the two water sources¨Cit could bypass these obstructions. However, within this Water System Cave Heaven, water flowed endlessly in all directions, making the whole a vast water source. The Thousand Mile Water Vein Godspeed Talisman could leap between different water sources but could not accelerate movement within the same water source. So why would this talisman paper appear here? Who cast it aside in this place? Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Unless, beyond this deep sea, there was another isolated water source¡­ With this thought, Luo Yan looked down at his feet. In front, behind, to the left, right, and above, there was water everywhere. The only place that could possibly hide another water source was deep within the rock layer beneath his feet. wuxiaworld.site .co Chapter 789 - Chapter 789: Chapter 26 Yu Chen Lei Chapter 789: Chapter 26 Yu Chen Lei This is a spacious, fully enclosed underground cavern, almost the size of a football field, and when you look up, you can see the cavern ceiling is very high above. There are shallow puddles at your feet, with tiny electric arcs dancing across the surface of the water. Luo Yan tried extending his foot over and discovered a tingling sensation. It was indeed electricity beyond doubt. With his expertise in Thunder Method, he quickly determined that this electricity was not derived from Thunder Method, but was closer to some form of natural lightning, and it wasn¡¯t under any control. It must have been triggered by the Divine Skills of the Demon Race¡¯s bloodline. Indeed, as the two turned a corner, they saw a huge bird carcass lying in the center of the puddle. Around it, numerous feathers floated on the surface of the water, and countless electric snakes meandered and roamed everywhere on them. With a scan, Luo Yan discovered a thin scripture scroll hidden within the bones of the giant bird. On the scripture scroll, the words ¡°Jade Morning Thunder¡± were strikingly written. Jade Morning Thunder? Luo Yan¡¯s mind immediately became active, and he heard Shi Liuli beside him say, ¡°That¡¯s the carcass of a Thunderbird.¡± ¡°Thunderbird?¡± Luo Yan was surprised. ¡°The Phoenix births nine young, among which the Thunderbird is one,¡± Shi Liuli replied. ¡°Oh, I see,¡± Luo Yan feigned a sudden realization, thinking that it was indeed the remains of a Thunderbird. Although the Human Race often says that the Phoenix births nine young, Long Long knew from dealing with the Feathered Clan in the Eastern Emperor Realm that the phoenix¡¯s offspring actually only diverged into five kinds. The other four had no blood relation to the Phoenix at all, just like how the Eastern Emperor Path and the Asura Path were grouped with the other four sects into the Six Paths, but in truth, had no relation to the Intercepting Cult, and it was just to glorify their ancestors. The status of the Thunderbird within the Feathered Clan was almost as high as the Golden-Winged Roc, and their Bloodline Rank was also quite high. However, this species had a very poor fertility rate; most Thunderbird couples would only lay one egg over hundreds or thousands of years, and it was a miracle they hadn¡¯t gone extinct. ¡°My lord, there seems to be a scripture inside the remains of that Thunderbird,¡± Shi Liuli continued. ¡°Oh, indeed.¡± Luo Yan pretended to be surprised and said, ¡°I see it too.¡± ¡°How clever,¡± Shi Liuli pondered for a moment and said, ¡°It¡¯s impossible for the scripture to have entered the Thunderbird¡¯s body normally; it must have been placed inside the carcass after death.¡± ¡°Thus forming a kind of container,¡± Luo Yan followed her analysis and said, ¡°Liuli, look, the bones of the Thunderbird are hollow and fragile, filled with a great amount of lightning.¡± ¡°If we try to extract the scripture with the Flying Sword and touch the bones, the violent lightning inside will erupt directly and will utterly destroy the scripture.¡± ¡°Lightning does not conform to the Five Elements, so your Five Elements Divine Light won¡¯t handle it well,¡± Shi Liuli continued to ponder, ¡°To retrieve the treasure, we likely need to find a cultivator who understands Thunder Method; only then might we obtain the scripture.¡± ¡°Not just understand Thunder Method, but must be proficient in it,¡± Luo Yan echoed, ¡°If the expertise isn¡¯t enough, even the Thunderbird carcass will be untouchable.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Shi Liuli thought, what¡¯s there to say? Whether it¡¯s a cultivator who understands Thunder Method or is proficient in it, there are none here anyway. ¡°Shall we go, my lord?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Luo Yan sighed and said. Even if Qiu Changtian were here, he wouldn¡¯t know what to do with the Thunderbird carcass. If it were only about breaking the carcass, he probably had a thousand ways to do so, but to preserve the scripture inside, Qiu Changtian was truly at a loss. We¡¯ll talk about it later! After all, this place is so concealed, and the scripture won¡¯t grow legs and run away. The two returned to the formation stones, and then Luo Yan once again activated the Cauldron Vessel, teleporting them back to the Deep Sea Cave Heavens. He then took out the Heavenly Weaving God Shuttle and, following the spatial fluctuations left by the Dragon Clan cultivator, broke through the barrier to the next space. The third Dwelling Cave Heaven was an intensely dense and thriving tropical rainforest. Looking around, not a single piece of level ground could be seen underfoot, but rather, thick, coiling tree roots everywhere. Beyond the roots, wild grasses grew unrestrained, reaching waist-high when one walked into them, to the extent that it hindered movement. Luo Yan remembered the poisonous marsh that Long Long had crossed in the Eastern Emperor Realm, which was probably quite similar to this environment. Shi Liuli, however, was not quite comfortable, clinging tightly to Luo Yan¡¯s arm, she asked worriedly, ¡°There aren¡¯t any bugs here, are there?¡± ¡°Liuli, we¡¯re cultivators,¡± reminded Luo Yan. ¡°Seeing bugs makes me feel sick,¡± Shi Liuli stated, indicating that even as a cultivator, she couldn¡¯t help being afraid of bugs. Luo Yan sighed and could only continue leading his lady forward, while constantly scanning the surroundings to ensure no squishy or multi-legged bugs would suddenly pop out. However, unlike the swamp in the Eastern Emperor Realm, although this place was covered with green plants, no birds, beasts, or even insects were found¨Cclearly, when this Dwelling Cave Heaven was created, the maker didn¡¯t include any living creatures here. This eased Shi Liuli¡¯s mind, and she took out a copper coin to calculate another divination, reconfirming the direction of the Dragon Clan cultivator. ¡°Strange,¡± Shi Liuli suddenly said, ¡°they seem to be fighting with something.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Luo Yan quickly scanned the area. They had probably been delayed in the cave for a while, and by now, they had been left a considerable distance behind by the Dragon Clan cultivators, so much so that they were beyond the range of precise scanning. Luo Yan could only get a vague idea of their location. As for the distance between them, the other party¡¯s moving speed, and what they were doing¨Cthese were all unknown. So, the two of them quickly moved forward and when they got within scanning range, Luo Yan discovered that the battle had already ended. In a clearing in the distance, a colossal tree had been felled, with three members of the Dragon Clan standing in a triangular formation, staring blankly at the remnants of the tree. ¡°What a Millennium Tree Demon,¡± the old dragon said with satisfaction, clapping his hands. ¡°Had it continued cultivating here, who knows, one day it might have achieved a true form.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a pity that it encountered His Majesty, proving that this tree demon¡¯s fate had this calamity written in it from the start,¡± said Shi Yao, with a flat tone of flattery. The old dragon seemed increasingly pleased and continued, ¡°The core of this Tree Demon is indeed a top-notch goodie. Whether used for cultivating Wood System Daoism, refining elixirs, or feeding exotic beasts, it has endless uses.¡± As he spoke, he stuffed the tree core into his Storage Bag. ¡°Wait,¡± Shi Yao suddenly said, ¡°someone is following us.¡± Luo Yan¡¯s heart gave a sudden jolt: We¡¯ve been discovered? How were we discovered? I¡¯ve been scanning all along without any anomalies! ¡°Someone?¡± the old dragon asked in surprise, ¡°Entering this Dwelling Cave Heaven requires a Magical Treasure or Secret Technique capable of breaking through space, not something ordinary people could manage.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°I will go back to check,¡± Shi Yao volunteered. ¡°Good,¡± the old dragon nodded. ¡°Regardless of who it is, show no mercy.¡± Seeing Shi Yao turn to approach in their direction, and noticing that Shi Liuli¡¯s complexion had changed¨Cno doubt having divined something¨CLuo Yan hurriedly spoke up, ¡°Not good, we¡¯ve been discovered, let¡¯s go!¡± wuxiaworld.site .co Chapter 790 - Chapter 790: Chapter 27 Peacock Luo Yan Chapter 790: Chapter 27 Peacock Luo Yan The two hurriedly retreated, and Luo Yan was also at a loss for explanation until he heard Shi Liuli suddenly say in vexation: ¡°I¡¯ve figured it out. It must have been when I used Art Calculation to spy on her fate; she noticed something amiss.¡± So it wasn¡¯t my fault? Luo Yan paused for a moment before asking: ¡°Art Calculation¡­ can be detected by the opposition as well? I thought that method of calculation was undetectable.¡± ¡°Using Art Calculation to spy on someone is bound to leave traces.¡± Shi Liuli explained, ¡°The difference is, most Cultivators who don¡¯t understand Art Calculation are completely unable to detect this kind of trace.¡± ¡°Judging by her reaction, she probably hasn¡¯t cultivated the way of Art Calculation¡­ My guess is that she sensed someone calculating her fate through some kind of special Magical Treasure or Secret Technique.¡± ¡°Since it¡¯s a Magical Treasure or Secret Technique providing the counter-surveillance, she won¡¯t be able to lock onto us for long. As long as we create enough distance or buy enough time, we should be able to shake her off.¡± ¡°Even so, we¡¯ve ultimately been noticed by her¡­¡± Luo Yan had just begun to speak when he suddenly exclaimed in shock, ¡°Damn, she flies so fast!¡± Riding the clouds and commanding the mist is a Bloodline Supernatural Power unique to the Dragon Clan, which involves gathering Water System Essence under the body to negate weight and using Wood System Essence to summon demon winds that propel the body forward. Although that¡¯s the principle, the actual effect largely depends on the Bloodline Rank setting the upper limit and the Cultivation Level determining the lower limit. On the other end, Shi Yao¡¯s display of riding the clouds was undoubtedly a manifestation of her high proficiency¨Cgod knows how many years she has researched this Supernatural Power. The momentum of her cloud riding might not be conspicuous, but her speed was astonishingly fast. In Luo Yan¡¯s scanning vision, she almost dashed straight toward them, covering a third of the distance in an instant. Luo Yan was so startled that he was nearly out of his wits. Don¡¯t let the seemingly gentle and approachable appearance of this bargain mentor against Long Long fool you. After all, she was born in the perilous lineage of the Jiaolong, surviving who knows how long among the Azure Dragon Clan, perhaps concealing three or four secret deadly techniques. Any moment now, she could unleash all of them without hesitation and bomb me and Liuli into oblivion! He quickly began to flee with Shi Liuli, but the other party was just too fast; where could they possibly escape to? The dragon had yet to arrive, but its attack was already approaching¨Cit was the boundless Dragon¡¯s Might! This invisible Dragon¡¯s Might pressed down like a cover over the heavens, and Shi Liuli instantly felt like a small animal facing a fierce tiger, her heart almost skipping a beat. However, having previously received Shi Yao¡¯s guidance, Long Xiaoqi had predicted that this cheap mentor would prioritize Dragon¡¯s Might, followed by Spells and Divine Skills. He had already anticipated her opening move, so he immediately released Ah Jing from the control, simultaneously embraced the immobilized Shi Liuli with his left hand, and grabbed the Heavenly Weaving God Shuttle with his right hand, injecting power fiercely and disappearing a great distance in a flash. Any other Cultivator from the Human Race might have been caught off guard by Dragon¡¯s Might. How could Luo Yan, with his alias Long Xiaoqi, not understand Shi Yao¡¯s tactical intent? The other party arrived from afar riding the clouds, flying above the forest rather than through the trees, for if they were obstructed by trees, they certainly wouldn¡¯t be so swift. Flying above the forest canopy, one¡¯s vision would inevitably be obstructed by layers of tree crowns. Since Dragon¡¯s Might is a wide-scale Spell and Divine Skill mysteriously connected to a dragon¡¯s body, once the target felt intimidated, an instinctual sense would arise within oneself, revealing the target¡¯s exact location. It seems like a control skill, but its true nature is for surveillance! On Luo Yan¡¯s side, using the Heavenly Weaving Divine Shuttle to teleport instantly was also to immediately leave Shi Yao¡¯s locked position. Indeed, less than a second later, the next attack from the opponent came one after another. Suddenly, a biting cold and frosty rain came down from the sky like a cold tide, instantly covering the forest with a vast frost, causing flowers to wither, and trees to whither, as if it were the silence of deep winter. This move¡­ Luo Yan¡¯s pupils once again shrank sharply. This move was not a commonly practiced spell of the Dragon Clan, but a unique and special divine skill recorded in the Jiaolong Secret Scroll called the ¡°Eternal Night Tidal Wave Technique.¡± According to the scroll, if a Jiaolong of the Demon King level fully activated it, it could create an extremely vast environment of wind and snow, which could even completely obscure the sunlight in the sky. Although the wind was violent and the snow fierce, the real killer move was not the cold but¡­ Luo Yan dared not slacken his efforts for a moment, he brought his palms together and rapidly activated the Innate Five Elements Great Chaos Divine Light. Before him, within the forest sea, suddenly exploded a great number of frost edges and ice flowers, towering several meters tall and exceptionally sharp, piercing and tearing everything around them! This Eternal Night Tidal Wave Technique, with its wind and snow, were all illusions, disguises, merely a front. The real killer move was the hidden Demon Essence Bomb, extremely low in temperature and colorless and transparent to the point of invisibility to the naked eye. Scattered around by the blizzard, then it would explode violently¨Cwith the frail flesh of a Human Race cultivator, being hit by it would make remaining intact a rarity. After all, it was the war-torn Eastern Emperor Realm; the demon arts and divine skills that have been passed down to this day were certainly not particularly powerful, but absolutely cunning and filthy. The Five Elements Divine Light that Luo Yan timely activated was also worthy of being an Immortal Rank secret technique. It met the vast ice edges and frost flowers and immediately swept through them like a hot knife through butter, clearing a swath. Shi Yao had been on guard; they had caught one with the Dragon¡¯s Might and one had escaped¨Cclearly, the opponent understood Dragon Clan tactics, and it was highly likely that they would rapidly vacate the area. That¡¯s why she used the Eternal Night Tidal Wave Technique, a spell of even greater range than Dragon¡¯s Might, to force the other out from the cover of the forest sea. However, at the edge of the cold wave, out of nowhere flourished the Five-colored Divine Light. Its colors were as intense as the positive sun, its force as vast as the rivers and seas, rapidly rolling upwards from below. It broke through the wind and snow and lunged towards her at great speed! Shi Yao hurriedly drove the clouds and mist, twisting her body to retreat rapidly while also casting various powerful spells forward, hurling them without regard for any cost to stop the Five Elements Divine Light. However, the Jiaolong clan was most proficient in the Water System divine skills and spells. No matter how powerful these spells were, once they met the Divine Light, they were like a clay ox entering the sea, instantly becoming formless and dissipating. It wasn¡¯t until the old dragon and Long Xiaoqi arrived from behind that the former spat out a Dragon Ball, aiming it straight at the Five Elements Divine Light. Suddenly, a large swath of gray barriers appeared in midair, holding off and stopping the Five-colored Divine Light. The latter was already far away from Luo Yan. Although it was not getting replenished with True Yuan, it had not dissipated and kept changing colors, continuing to struggle against the barrier. ¡°Innate Five Elements Great Chaos Divine Light?¡± the old dragon exclaimed, ¡°Someone from the Peacock Clan is here?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± said Shi Yao quickly, ¡°There were two of them. One was contained by my Dragon¡¯s Might, and the other broke free on time. Their cultivation level doesn¡¯t seem high, but this Divine Light is truly troublesome!¡± ¡°Of course, their cultivation level cannot be high,¡± the old dragon snorted coldly, speaking in a low voice, ¡°If it were a Demon King level Peacock using this Five Elements Chaos Divine Light on you, you would have perished right there and then.¡± He looked forward again and took back the Dragon Ball into his mouth, muttering, Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°The other party is hit-and-run, unwilling to engage in battle.¡± ¡°Your Majesty, this is not a good time to delay any further,¡± Shi Yao reminded him quickly, seeing the old dragon starting to lapse again. ¡°Hmm,¡± the old dragon responded after a moment, coming back to his senses, ¡°That Peacock, retreating with its companion, I wonder if they are going to get reinforcements.¡± ¡°We should resolve the battle quickly and find the Divine Cauldron sooner to leave this place!¡± wuxiaworld.site .co Chapter 791 - Chapter 791: Chapter 28: The Beast Chapter 791: Chapter 28: The Beast Luo Yan led Shi Liuli and fled several miles away under the cover of the forest before Shi Liuli managed to struggle free from the Dragon¡¯s Might, gasping as she swallowed an elixir. ¡°They haven¡¯t caught up?¡± Shi Liuli asked anxiously. Although his wife was incredibly intelligent, she lacked experience in life-and-death struggles, and her psychological resilience sometimes couldn¡¯t keep up. Luo Yan gently stroked her back and nodded, saying, ¡°Mhm.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Shi Liuli frowned and asked. It wasn¡¯t that she hoped those Dragon Clan cultivators would catch up, but rather she worried there might be some conspiracy or trap involved. ¡°Because they think I¡¯m very strong,¡± Luo Yan chuckled. Shi Liuli fell silent for a moment before asking, ¡°The Peacock Clan?¡± Well, that was a fail at pretending to be cool. His wife was too clever, and sometimes that really wasn¡¯t a good thing¡­ Luo Yan could only nod in admission and said, ¡°Innate Five Elements Great Chaos Divine Light¨Cif a Human Race cultivator were to master it, do you think anyone would believe it?¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Shi Liuli sighed. It was like how people would immediately assume someone was a Penglai Cultivator during a magical competition if they tossed out Talisman Scripts without worrying about the cost, due to the stereotyped impressions built up over the years. ¡°So what should we do now?¡± Shi Liuli continued to ask. ¡°Why not have the lady make a calculation?¡± ¡°In matters of life and death, it¡¯s better to be cautious,¡± Shi Liuli shook her head in refusal. ¡°What if the enemy perceives and follows our Qi signature to track us down?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Luo Yan thought she made sense and decided to perform a scan himself. When he scanned the area, he realized that Shi Yao and the others were nowhere to be found within the vicinity. They¡¯ve run off so quickly? Luo Yan looked around once more, only to be surprised to find that the two of them had already reached a valley. It was surprising because throughout their journey, there were wildly growing trees and weeds everywhere, scarcely a comfortable place to settle down. But in this valley, there was a clearing. The trees around the edge of the clearing didn¡¯t encroach any further, as if some invisible barrier had stopped them. Shi Liuli also noticed the anomaly here, and speculated thoughtfully, ¡°There may be a treasure hidden in this place.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Luo Yan thought, do I not already know that? Judging by the way those trees can¡¯t enter, it¡¯s obviously due to some treasure that restrains the growth of trees! But no matter how I scan, why can¡¯t I detect any trace of it? Not even spatial fluctuations¨CAh Jing, can you do it? ¡°Dumb!¡± the Kunlun Mirror mocked him, ¡°The trees avoid this place not because there is a treasure hidden here, but because some treasure once passed through this place, and the trees fear the aura it left behind.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s how it is!¡± Startled into realization, Luo Yan then turned to look at Shi Liuli, who was still frowning over her calculations, and suggested, ¡°My lady, is it possible that some treasure once left its aura here, causing the trees to grow around this particular area?¡± ¡°Oh, right.¡± Shi Liuli also understood, and after casting another prediction, she confirmed this idea. ¡°In that direction,¡± she pointed forward and said, ¡°we should head that way.¡± The two didn¡¯t bother about those Dragon Clan cultivators and quickly proceeded in the direction indicated by the aura of the treasure. A moment later, they came upon a similar clearing ahead, with trees only capable of growing around the edges of the clearing. ¡°Liuli,¡± Luo Yan pondered, then said, ¡°You mentioned¡­ if this treasure moves in a straight line, then the area without trees should form a straight line, running directly from the clearing we saw earlier to this one.¡± ¡°However, in reality, these are two separate clearings that are not connected.¡± Shi Liuli considered for a moment, then said, ¡°So, could it be a kind of jumping movement?¡± ¡°Every time the magical treasure lands, it destroys the surrounding trees and vegetation, then ¡®jumps¡¯ up, flies through the air, and lands in another place, creating such a clearing without trees.¡± ¡°That being said, it might not necessarily be a magical treasure,¡± Luo Yan expressed his doubt, ¡°Could it be some kind of mystical creature?¡± He immediately rose on his sword, lifting himself above the canopy of trees. He could see a series of similar circular clearings throughout the distant green sea of trees, but there were no signs of any jumping mystical creatures. Shi Liuli crouched down to look at the ground beside her feet and said: ¡°The outside is all soil, but this clearing is filled with sand.¡± ¡°Is the sand produced by burning soil?¡± Luo Yan asked, surprised. ¡°Mhm.¡± Shi Liuli brought her two fingers together, and the Purple Extreme Han Yuan Sword plunged into the ground, swiftly shaking the sand aside. ¡°Husband, look, even several feet deep underground, it¡¯s still this kind of dry sand¡­¡± ¡°The other party is not jumping through the air,¡± Luo Yan also quickly realized, ¡°but moving underground.¡± ¡°Every time it emerges from the underground, it destroys the surrounding trees. This does make sense,¡± he acknowledged. ¡°If the other party is hiding underground, then it will be difficult to find,¡± Shi Liuli began to cast divination. Luo Yan also scanned with his hand, indeed finding that the underground around them was all soil, only this spot on the ground was sandy, and it stretched downward, the quality of the soil starkly different from the surrounding area. ¡°I can¡¯t figure it out,¡± Shi Liuli sighed, ¡°Maybe I¡¯ve done too much divination today.¡± Luo Yan suddenly wondered: Is your Art Calculation powered by a battery, and can it run out of power after prolonged use? As if she saw through her husband¡¯s puzzled thoughts, Shi Liuli explained: ¡°To put it in simple terms, the fate of all things is arranged by the Heavenly Dao, and some people can guess the subsequent arrangements of the Heavenly Dao by peeking into it.¡± ¡°The so-called peeking is still just exploiting the loopholes in the Heavenly Dao. After peeking too much in a short time, the Heavenly Dao is bound to react, and trying to probe further can easily lead to accidents.¡± ¡°In that case, my wife need not worry about this for now, leave it to me,¡± Luo Yan immediately said. He rubbed his hands together and conjured the Five-colored Divine Light, rapidly shooting it into the ground. Before long, the sand underground was completely transformed by the Five-colored Divine Light, and it even solidified into metal around it, creating a tunnel that supported and prevented the earth from collapsing. Looking down, Shi Liuli saw that Luo Yan had even thoughtfully made steps for her, which truly warmed her heart. As the two descended the staircase, Shi Liuli suddenly asked: ¡°Husband, doesn¡¯t the temperature around us seem a bit high?¡± ¡°Yes, the Fire System Spiritual Energy is a bit too active,¡± Luo Yan nodded and said, ¡°It seems it¡¯s either a Fire System magical treasure or a Fire System mystical creature.¡± After descending for several hundred feet, the surrounding area suddenly began to tremble eerily. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Be careful!¡± Luo Yan immediately activated his True Yuan, and the Five-colored Divine Light surged out, swirling in all directions. Shi Liuli also formed a Daoist Formula, activating the cosmic Sand of Solar Brilliance to create a thick and solid barrier around them, ready to defend against potential attacks from all sides. Just a moment later, the tunnel ahead suddenly collapsed. From the breach in the wall, three sets of blood-red circular eyeballs appeared. wuxiaworld.site .co Chapter 792 - Chapter 792: Chapter 29: Fire Element Cave Heaven Chapter 792: Chapter 29: Fire Element Cave Heaven Three pairs of eyes? Luo Yan was taken aback for a moment, unable to think of any demonic beast with three pairs of eyes. It was not until the creature revealed half of its body through the gap that Luo Yan and Shi Liuli could see that it was a giant spider. This spider was about several meters long, with eight furry thick legs, and flames like flowing light with red stripes on its body. Its three pairs of eyeballs shone like rubies, dazzling and emanating a strange, cruel beauty. ¡°A Wen Spider?¡± Shi Liuli exclaimed in shock. Luo Yan was also startled by her words. Now that he possessed the Innate Five Elements Great Chaos Divine Light, he could safely retreat unscathed even when facing a Nascent Soul Elder head-on¨Cas his previous escape from Shi Yao had proved. But a Wen Spider was a notorious fierce beast in the world, difficult to subdue even for immortal and buddha-like beings, let alone for two people at the Golden Core Realm. ¡°That¡¯s not a Wen Spider,¡± Kunlun Mirror suddenly said. ¡°It¡¯s just an ordinary Fire Spider.¡± ¡°However, given that it has lived here for who knows how long, its cultivation realm is also at the Nascent Soul Realm, so you shouldn¡¯t think about fighting it. Better to run away quickly.¡± Luo Yan then single-handedly maintained the Five-colored Divine Light while pulling Shi Liuli with the other hand, as the two slowly backed away facing the Fire Spider. The Fire Spider was extremely vicious, seemingly wanting to lunge at them, yet wary of Luo Yan¡¯s Five Elements Divine Light¡¯s prowess, merely kept tapping the ground with its legs and snapping its fangs non-stop. Quickly returning to the surface through the tunnel, the two did not dare to breathe a sigh of relief. Instead, they promptly flew up on their swords, leaving the forest. ¡°We should continue to track those Dragon Clan cultivators,¡± Shi Liuli sighed. ¡°Let¡¯s not explore alone like this anymore.¡± Luo Yan also lamented in his heart: Reviewing their journey in this secret realm, aside from the fortuitously found Mortal World Hundred Lives Map, most of the treasures they encountered were not secured. In the Metal Element Secret Realm, the treasure was near the Extreme Pole Magnetic Mother, and they couldn¡¯t take it. In the Water Element Secret Realm, the treasure was inside the remains of a Thunderbird, and they couldn¡¯t take it. Now in this Wood Element Secret Realm, they encountered this demonic Fire Spider that they couldn¡¯t deal with¡­ All these events pointed to one conclusion: The rank of this Cave Heaven Secret Realm was not something that Golden Core Realm cultivators could traverse freely. It was only because Luo Yan and Shi Liuli were not ordinary Golden Core Cultivators that they managed not to falter at the very first Dwelling Cave Heaven. ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± he sighed. ¡°Let¡¯s have the Dragon Clan pave the way for us.¡± After resetting their strategy, the two continued on their way to the previous location. Since the Dragon Clan had discovered their presence, both of them were exceedingly cautious on their way forward. Shi Liuli had already cast too many divinations today, but given their life-and-death situation, she had to take the risk, never letting the copper coin out of her hand. Divinations vary in significance, and Shi Liuli knew all too well which ones could attract the attention or even the wariness of the Heavenly Dao and which were more covert and less likely to be detected. Luo Yan was also extremely busy, almost every five or six seconds asking Ah Jing if there were any dangers detected, annoying Kunlun Mirror to the point of telling him to shut up repeatedly. Finally reaching the edge of a certain rift valley, Shi Liuli looked down and said: ¡°They should have gone down there.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Luo Yan scanned carefully and indeed discovered several traps. Although many places were treacherously designed from the human perspective, and difficult to guard against, Luo Yan, having studied with the Dragon Clan for many years coupled with Ah Jing¡¯s scanning to find leaks and fill the gaps, naturally comprehended all these traps thoroughly. He then unleashed the Five Elements Divine Light, sweeping it over the areas where the traps lay. Everywhere surged with waves of mountains collapsing and ground splitting open, bursts of chaos exploding at various locations within the rift valley. Boulders shot into the sky, thunder roared, and wind currents swept up sand a thousand feet high, startling Shi Liuli, who turned slightly pale. She thought to herself that if she were to calculate, even if she discovered the traps in nine out of ten spots in advance, the one remaining would be enough to claim her life. Unlike Luo Yan¡¯s Five Elements Divine Light, which was so brutal and didn¡¯t care where the traps were located, as long as it swept over everything, any traps would be rendered nonexistent. My Southern Dipper Galaxy Secret Technique¡­ can¡¯t do that. If it were the Southern Dipper Galaxy Secret Technique, it would be quite good for trapping enemies, but since the traps were hidden beneath the rock layers, it would require the rough impact of the Milky Way¡¯s waters to flush out each rock layer, which would be much less efficient. After the Five Elements Divine Light swept across everything, the ravine had completely changed its appearance, leaving no trace of what it had been before. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± said Luo Yan, leading Shi Liuli leaping down after the landslide had completely subsided. The two used Sword Control to descend, passing through the chaotic layers of jagged rocks, until they finally reached the bottom of the valley. This place was completely buried by broken stones and sand, unrecognizable from its original topography. Luo Yan confirmed the spatial coordinates, then he threw the Heavenly Weaving God Shuttle in his hand, piercing through space, and creating a path to the next Cave Heaven and Earth. Upon entering the next Cave Heaven, as expected, they found themselves in a landscape akin to a scorched hell. In the distance, there were smoking volcanoes and flowing red-hot magma, the air was filled with a burnt smell, and from time to time, oppressively hot waves rushed towards them as if they were about to burn through their skin and flesh. ¡°A Fire Element Cave Heaven.¡± Luo Yan asked with concern, ¡°Liuli, do you feel any discomfort?¡± Shi Liuli didn¡¯t answer but began to form Daoist Formulae with her hands, and little by little, starlight began to emanate from her body. Ordinary cultivators in such high-temperature environments, unless they used spells or took medicine, would be scorched by the heat. But Shi Liuli, who had studied from the Five Latitudes Heavenly Secret Record, happened to know Daoist Magic resistant to high temperatures, while Luo Yan was skilled in Innate Five Elements Divine Light, so needless to say, he was in his element. Each using their Divine Skills to protect their bodies, they then proceeded on their Sword Control flight. It wasn¡¯t Luo Yan¡¯s first time in such high-temperature environments; for instance, the East Sea Pavilion Trial Secret Realm, beneath the Shushan Thunder Cave Plateau¡¯s Fire Element Cave, and the ruins of Kunlun¡¯s Divine Flame Path¡¯s Hundred Thousand Fire Mansion, etc., therefore his expression remained calm and composed as he continuously scanned the surroundings. Sure enough, he saw many crocodile-like demonic beasts swimming in the magma below. ¡°Those are Flame Dermochelys,¡± Shi Liuli spoke, ¡°Their roar is like thunder, said to be able to harm from a distance. We should not descend too low, otherwise, if we startle them, it would be troublesome.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Luo Yan tried raising the height of their Flying Swords but found that the higher they ascended, the hotter the surrounding temperature became, to the point where even the Five-colored Divine Light couldn¡¯t withstand it, and their True Yuan was being consumed terribly. So that¡¯s how it was. Flying too high would result in being burned, while too low would attract the Flame Dermochelys¡¯ attention and would lead to being attacked en masse. They had to maintain a proper height while controlling their swords. Approximately half an hour later, Luo Yan¡¯s scanning range finally revealed the figures of three Dragon Clan cultivators. He saw the elder dragon engaged in combat with a huge Flame Dermochelys, which was as large as a mountain. Any casual swing of its tail carried a destructive might, as if the very heavens and earth were rending apart. Shi Yao and Long Xiaoqi were supporting from the sides, but as this was a battle at the level of the old ancestors, the two of them could hardly be of any help and could only fly around, moving to and fro. ¡°Husband.¡± Shi Liuli called out, as the noise from the magical competition was truly too loud, ¡°They seem to be fighting with something, shall we go and take a look?¡± To go and take a look actually meant to see if there was an opportunity to exploit. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Luo Yan pondered for a moment, then suddenly realized that the elder dragon in the distance did not seem to be fighting seriously. The most apparent thing was that from the beginning to the end, the elder dragon had not used Dragon¡¯s Might, seldomly employed spells, and for the most part, relied on its physical body to fight the Flame Dermochelys. Then, looking at Shi Yao and Long Xiaoqi¡¯s positioning, though it seemed aimless, they were actually always vigilant of their surroundings, as if guarding against something. I see, so they are trying to lure and tempt us to reveal ourselves? wuxiaworld.site .co Chapter 793 - Chapter 793: Chapter 30: Shennong Cauldron Chapter 793: Chapter 30: Shennong Cauldron Luo Yan and Shi Liuli were long overdue, leaving the three dragons somewhat restless. ¡°Forget it,¡± the elder dragon suddenly said. ¡°They probably saw through us.¡± He suddenly stretched out a finger and immobilized the Flame Crocodile, then spewed a Dragon Ball from his mouth, smashing it directly onto the creature¡¯s spine. The Flame Crocodile¡¯s body was covered in hard scales, impervious to sword and spear, but when struck by the Dragon Ball, its back caved in immediately. In pain, the Flame Crocodile swiftly turned around, lashed its tail to push the elder dragon back, and then fled straight into the depths of the lava. The elder dragon did not pursue, but said to Shi Yao and Long Xiaoqi: ¡°To enter the final Dwelling Cave Heaven, this is the only point of spatial weakness.¡± ¡°Stand guard here, and they won¡¯t be able to follow anymore.¡± With that, the elder dragon spewed out another Dragon Ball, smashing through the spatial barrier, and then strode through it. From a distance, Luo Yan watched Shi Yao and the others remain in place, and he also began to feel a headache. This divide-and-conquer strategy wasn¡¯t ingenious, but it hit Luo Yan and his party¡¯s Achilles¡¯ heel¨C even if they isolated Shi Yao, Luo Yan and his wife were no match for her! Shi Liuli, having divined this far, could only sigh in helplessness and said: ¡°Husband, it seems we can¡¯t go any farther on this trip. Why don¡¯t we head back?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve come so far only to stop here, I¡¯m reluctant to give up!¡± Luo Yan said through clenched teeth. ¡°Husband.¡± Shi Liuli had to softly persuade, ¡°Don¡¯t forget that all along our way here, all the treasures and magical beasts we encountered were out of our reach, weren¡¯t they? This indicates that the difficulty of this secret realm far exceeds our abilities.¡± ¡°Rather than continuing to take risks for nothing, it is better to preserve our useful lives, return to Yuqing View to report to the Sect Leader, and then make further plans.¡± Seeing that Luo Yan was still unmoved, Shi Liuli had to resort to coquetry: ¡°Please, husband~ When we return, your wife will prepare delicious food for you.¡± ¡°Sigh, it seems that¡¯s the only way,¡± Luo Yan finally relented and nodded in agreement. The couple then turned and began to fly back. After leaving the Fire Element Dwelling Cave Heaven and returning to the Wood Element one, Shi Liuli suddenly came to a sharp realization. Wait, hadn¡¯t her husband already made up his mind to use the Red Dust Hundred Generations Picture to steal all the treasure obtained by the demonic dragon? In that case, what difference did it make whether they continued to follow deeper or turned and fled? And why bother to cajole him! Feeling utterly frustrated, she couldn¡¯t help but ask: ¡°Husband, weren¡¯t you planning to use the Red Dust Hundred Generations Picture to take the old dragon¡¯s treasures?¡± ¡°Oh, oh!¡± Luo Yan, as if he had just remembered, nodded and said, ¡°Let¡¯s wait a little longer. We¡¯ll talk about it after we leave this secret place.¡± Seeing his genuine expression, Shi Liuli began to waver, wondering if she had misunderstood him. Maybe he had indeed forgotten about the existence of the Red Dust Hundred Generations Picture, which is why he was so unwilling to give up; it wasn¡¯t him deliberately opposing her to get her to cajole him. With this thought, Shi Liuli also breathed a sigh of relief. The two of them left the secret area and returned to the Shennongjia Mountain Range, then began to fly towards the East Sea. Shi Liuli took out the Red Dust Hundred Generations Picture and asked: ¡°What¡¯s near the Yang volume right now?¡± ¡°A small bottle, scriptures, a Taoist robe, a pearl, a piece of wood.¡± The Red Dust Hundred Generations Picture listed, ¡°Oh, and a small plate was just stuffed in.¡± ¡°A small plate?¡± Luo Yan asked. ¡°The little yellow dish, the kind with many lines drawn on it,¡± described the Mortal World Life Chart. ¡°Probably talking about the Eight Trigrams,¡± Shi Liuli reminded. ¡°What Eight Trigrams?¡± asked the Mortal World Life Chart. ¡°Never mind that, just keep talking about what else is there,¡± Luo Yan hurriedly interrupted it. The thing with the Eight Trigrams isn¡¯t something that can be explained clearly in just a few words. It¡¯s more important to have it continue with the task at hand. ¡°There shouldn¡¯t be anything else¡­¡± the Mortal World Life Chart continued to confirm, when suddenly it hummed a sound, ¡°Huh? Eh? Ah?¡± ¡°What happened?¡± asked Luo Yan anxiously. ¡°The big pot you were talking about earlier has come in,¡± the Mortal World Life Chart replied, ¡°but it looks so tattered, nothing like when I saw it before.¡± ¡°The Shennong Cauldron is damaged?¡± Luo Yan and Shi Liuli were both shocked and turned pale. ¡°Mhm,¡± nodded the Mortal World Life Chart, ¡°lots of green stuff has been added.¡± Oh, it¡¯s rusted. Only then did the duo breathe a sigh of relief. Magical Treasures naturally shouldn¡¯t rust. The only explanation is that the essence of the Magical Treasure has been damaged, unable to resist even the erosion of the external environment. But as long as True Yuan is replenished in time, it can ultimately be restored. The worry would be the kind of irreversible damage, such as if a Flying Sword were destroyed halfway down its blade. To say it could still be used as a Flying Sword would simply be a fool¡¯s dream. According to what the Mortal World Life Chart said, at least there were no severe issues like missing ears or feet of the Shennong Cauldron, so repairs could be made. ¡°Husband, let¡¯s get started,¡± Shi Liuli said solemnly. ¡°Wait a bit longer,¡± Luo Yan waved his hand, ¡°What if there are other treasures? If we take the Shennong Cauldron now, the old dragon will surely notice something¡¯s off next time it places treasures inside and we won¡¯t be able to get them anymore.¡± ¡°But you also have to consider, what if the old dragon takes a liking to the Shennong Cauldron and refuses to put it back in the Storage Bag?¡± Shi Liuli insisted, ¡°We¡¯d better take it now while it¡¯s still in the Storage Bag to prevent any accidents.¡± Luo Yan thought for a moment, and indeed, there was reason in that. For example, Cultivators from Penglai Yuqing View mostly prefer to keep their Flying Swords in their sword sheaths, only taking them out when needed. However, Luo Yan carries the Huangting Kunwu Sword on his back, with no other reason but the fact that he thinks the sword looks very impressive and wants his fellow Cultivators to see it more. What if that old dragon also has a show-off character, and decides to play with the Shennong Cauldron? Even if it doesn¡¯t play with it, it will certainly study it, won¡¯t it? Upon thinking this, Luo Yan hardened his heart and said: ¡°Go!¡± Obeying the command, the Mortal World Life Chart sent over the items. First was an Elixir Bottle, made from a material that was neither gold nor jade, looking dull like pottery. Luo Yan very cautiously did not open the bottle stopper but simply placed it in a separate Storage Bag¨Cafter the lesson of this incident, he dared not put everything into his Heavenly Craft Treasure Bag anymore. My Heavenly Craft Treasure Bag, the items inside are far more than what that old dragon has! If anything goes wrong, I¡¯m afraid I would cry myself to death in front of my master¡¯s tablet. Next was a Scripture, and at a glance at the title on the cover, it was a mental method for Meditative Concentration to suppress Deviation. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only This sort of thing, to be collected by an Immortal Level Dragon Clan, must be extraordinary. However, with Ah Jing¡¯s help, Luo Yan could not possibly undergo Deviation, so he also quietly stored it away. Following that was a Taoist robe that didn¡¯t seem to have any special features. He stored it away, planning to identify it after returning to Yuqing View. After that came the Giant Clam Pearl, the Jade Tree Heart, the Shennong Cauldron, and the Yang Volume of the Mortal World Life Chart. Even though they knew from the old dragon¡¯s explanations that these items are highly valuable, Luo Yan and Shi Liuli¡¯s gaze was still firmly fixed on the Shennong Cauldron. wuxiaworld.site .co Chapter 794 - Chapter 794: Chapter 31: The Debate Over the Discourse of Tool-Making Chapter 794: Chapter 31: The Debate Over the Discourse of Tool-Making The Shennong Cauldron was a bronze quadrupedal cauldron with two ears, looking unremarkable on the outside. In fact¡­ In fact, it seemed nothing special as well. When True Yuan was injected into it, it was like injecting into a stone, without any reaction. The two didn¡¯t have the time to test everything, and rushed toward the Penglai Jade Pure View at full speed. Meanwhile, within the Penglai Jade Pure View, things were far from calm. All seven elder Magic Artifact experts of the Sect had come together to visit the Master of Xuandu to discuss the matter of resource reallocation. ¡°When Elder Shi Ding was still with us, the output and quality of the Heavenly Craft Workshop¡¯s Magic Artifacts were the best in Yuqing View, so it was reasonable for us to take the largest share of the Sect¡¯s resources,¡± grumbled one elder, ¡°But now that Shi Ding has tragically fallen, the number of high-rank Magic Artifacts produced by the Heavenly Craft Workshop has drastically decreased. If the original allocation of resources remains unchanged, it would seem quite unreasonable.¡± ¡°Ahem,¡± the Master of Xuandu clearly wanted to smooth things over, and coughed before speaking, ¡°It seems to me that the income brought in by the Heavenly Craft Workshop has not decreased by much.¡± ¡°That¡¯s only because they¡¯ve been selling poorly made and cheap Flying Swords in bulk to Loose Cultivators, which has led to a slight rebound in revenue!¡± another elder said while bringing out a Flying Sword for everyone to see, ¡°Look at this, the most basic Daoist Magic seals haven¡¯t even been applied. If it¡¯s hit by any strong Daoist Magic, it¡¯ll immediately be damaged and fail!¡± ¡°A few days ago, an old friend brought this very Flying Sword to me, asking if it was from our Yuqing View. I was too embarrassed to even answer!¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Although the Master of Xuandu was not a Sword Caster himself, he knew how to distinguish good from bad. When the elder presented the sword right before his eyes, he couldn¡¯t possibly lie and say ¡°This sword is fine,¡± and could only insist, ¡°There¡¯s no regulation within the View that the Magic Artifacts sold to the outside world have to be of a certain quality.¡± ¡°The Sect Leader is not wrong,¡± said the third elder, joining in the conversation, ¡°However, selling good products naturally requires good materials; if you¡¯re selling poor products, why would you need so many resources?¡± ¡°The Heavenly Craft Workshop can certainly choose a strategy of thin margins and high volume, but everyone knows how much that costs. Our point is, if the Heavenly Craft Workshop is only going to produce Golden Core Rank Magic Artifacts, then they might as well be treated as Golden Core Rank Artifact Refiners, with materials and salaries adjusted downward for the time being.¡± ¡°Once the quality of their Magic Artifacts improves, it won¡¯t be too late to increase it back!¡± ¡°Exactly, exactly!¡± the elders chorused noisily. The Master of Xuandu could only give a wry smile without saying a word. Although these people were talking about ¡°temporary adjustments,¡± once the extra portion of resources was cut, wouldn¡¯t it immediately be snatched up by these elders? And later, when it was time to increase it back, from whose share would it come? Could the meat that reached their mouths be spat back out? Obviously, it would become a muddled mess of disputes! After pondering for a moment, the Master of Xuandu turned to look at Elder Miaoling of the Jade Light Pavilion. Since the passing of Elder Shi Ding, the Jade Light Pavilion had become the leading Artifact Refining faction, and Elder Miaoling¡¯s reputation among the View¡¯s refiners had risen rapidly, seemingly poised to replace Elder Shi Ding. As for Master Jingyun¡­ even though he was Second Grade Golden Core, he had not yet reached the Nascent Soul Realm. For the Sect, he might be a Cultivation Seed, but the Artifact Refining circle didn¡¯t care about one¡¯s potential. If you couldn¡¯t refine a Magic Artifact of sufficient grade, your seniors wouldn¡¯t give you the time of day. With the wisdom of the Master of Xuandu, how could he not see that although these people had ¡°come together to visit,¡± in reality, they were revolving around Elder Miaoling? Even if it was a time to divide the spoils, these people were just the knives for cutting the meat, and in the end, the matter still had to be negotiated with the person holding the knife. ¡°Hehe,¡± Elder Miaoling, still looking like a kind-faced old woman, tapped her cane on the floor upon noticing the Sect Leader¡¯s gaze, ¡°Elder Shi Ding¡¯s body is barely cold, and you all press so hard, is that really alright?¡± The several elders, who were still arguing loudly, suddenly fell silent, each showing an expression of some embarrassment. Act! Keep acting! Master of Xuan Du sneered inwardly. ¡°Sect Leader, I too shall speak a word of justice,¡± Elder Miaoling continued, ¡°The distribution rules within our sect were set by Wan Xiang Immortal in the past, and they emphasize one thing above all: fairness. You get as much as you contribute in resources and produce.¡± ¡°Ever since Elder Shi Ding¡¯s fall, the production of magic artifacts from the Heavenly Craft Workshop has sharply decreased, which everyone can understand¡­ Master Jingyun has just formed his Golden Core, and it¡¯s unlikely that he could have mastered his father-in-law¡¯s artifact crafting skills so thoroughly in such a short time.¡± ¡°Therefore, this distribution system has been maintained for several years, mainly to give the Heavenly Craft Workshop time to recover.¡± ¡°Now that enough time has passed, it¡¯s natural that we, the elders, must think of ways to fill the gap in the output from the Heavenly Craft Workshop; otherwise, we can¡¯t explain ourselves to the various Daoist friends from outside, can we?¡± Master of Xuan Du pondered in silence, unable to deny in his heart that Elder Miaoling was correct. The standing of Penglai Jade Pure View today is partly due to its political alliance with the powerful Kunlun Taiqing Sect, and partly because it has made many good connections outside. Elixirs, Talisman Scripts, Magic Artifacts¡­ Many high-rank cultivation resources can only be produced by Penglai Jade Pure View; hence those high immortals in need naturally have to give Penglai some face. The fall of Elder Shi Ding of Heavenly Craft Workshop led to a production shortfall in high-grade magical treasures. The high-rank cultivators who used to seek out Elder Shi Ding for artifact crafting now don¡¯t even know whom to approach, and some have even come to the Master of Xuan Du with their inquiries. What could the Master of Xuan Du do? Indeed, there was no one to replace him, so all he could do was to patiently appease them and send them away. If Elder Miaoling and the others could make progress in the art of crafting and fill eight or nine parts out of ten of the gap left by Elder Shi Ding, that would certainly be ideal. But this meant that the Heavenly Craft Workshop¡¯s share of resources would have to be correspondingly reduced¡­ Since the Protective Sect Array still relied on Master Jingyun for maintenance, how could he kick the Heavenly Craft Workshop while it was down! ¡°I hear that it is Master Jingyun who is currently in charge of the Protective Sect Array?¡± Elder Miaoling suddenly asked. ¡°Indeed,¡± replied the Master of Xuan Du with a nod. ¡°Hehe, it has been many years since the Demon Cult besieged Penglai,¡± said Elder Miaoling with a gentle smile, ¡°After working on it for so long, it still hasn¡¯t been fixed? I suppose it¡¯s because Master Jingyun is not very familiar with formations.¡± ¡°I happened to meet Elder Yun Zhen while I was out visiting friends recently. Upon hearing that the Penglai Great Formation had been breached by the Demon Cult, the elder expressed a willingness to come back and take a look.¡± The Master of Xuan Du was slightly taken aback. Elder Yun Zhen, once an elder of Penglai Jade Pure View, specialized in Talisman Scripts, but he also dabbled in Formation research. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only However, this elder went outside to establish his own sect later on, so many Penglai cultivators today don¡¯t recognize this senior. The Protective Sect Array, if left to Master of Xuan Du¡¯s preference, should absolutely not be handled by anyone outside of Penglai cultivators. But strictly speaking, Elder Yun Zhen is not an outsider, but a ¡°former Penglai resident¡±¡­ It¡¯s hard to say whether he can be trusted or not. He will need to seek guidance from Wan Xiang Immortal before proceeding. wuxiaworld.site .co Chapter 795 - Chapter 795: Chapter 32: Investing in Advance Chapter 795: Chapter 32: Investing in Advance The Sect Leader of Xuan Du sought out the Wan Xiang Immortal and explained the situation. The Wan Xiang Immortal immediately understood his meaning. With so many elders coming forth together, the Sect Leader of Xuan Du ultimately had to provide an explanation. However, if he favored Master Jingyun without a good reason, the elders would certainly not let the matter rest, and it would be a blow to the Sect Leader¡¯s reputation as well. But if the Wan Xiang Immortal spoke up, whether the elders were convinced or not, they would have to comply without any room for negotiation. A Sect Leader must be fair and just, but an immortal need not be reasonable. This is true not only for the Yuqing View of Penglai, but for the entire Three Pure Ones. ¡°Given the circumstances, you may go and make the announcement,¡± said the Wan Xiang Immortal, stroking his beard and pondering for a moment before replying, ¡°Keep the resource allocation for the Heavenly Craft Workshop unchanged, that is my wish. Ask them if they have any objections.¡± ¡°Immortal,¡± the Sect Leader of Xuan Du sighed, ¡°Is this not a compromise of fairness?¡± A compromise of fairness, of course, was only a diplomatic expression. The true intention of the Sect Leader of Xuan Du was to ask if it was somewhat excessive for you to openly favor Master Jingyun so directly. ¡°Xuan Du,¡± the Wan Xiang Immortal leisurely inquired, ¡°Which do you think is more important, Cultivation Realm or artifact crafting skill?¡± ¡°Naturally, it is the Cultivation Realm that is more important,¡± replied the Sect Leader of Xuan Du without hesitation. ¡°Is the current dilemma of the Heavenly Craft Workshop due to Master Jingyun¡¯s inferior artifact crafting skill? Not at all,¡± continued the Wan Xiang Immortal. ¡°It is because he is only in the Golden Core Realm.¡± ¡°Yet he is, after all, a Second Grade Golden Core and the probability and Grade Rank of forming a Nascent Infant are higher than for other Golden Core Cultivators. Thus, even if we look to the future, whether in terms of cultivation strength or artifact crafting skill, the Heavenly Craft Workshop is bound to regain its number one status.¡± ¡°It would be foolish to let the Heavenly Craft Workshop become disillusioned and lose its loyalty merely over a temporary predicament.¡± The Sect Leader of Xuan Du had an epiphany. Regarding whether to favor the Heavenly Craft Workshop, he actually did not have much doubt, but had he been in the place of the Wan Xiang Immortal, he really could not have come out in such direct support of the Heavenly Craft Workshop. But as the Wan Xiang Immortal said, the current predicament of the Heavenly Craft Workshop was only a temporary and urgent issue. With Master Jingyun¡¯s Second Grade Golden Core, a rise in power was inevitable. Now, with the Wan Xiang Immortal voicing support for Master Jingyun, as long as it could ensure the future allegiance of the Heavenly Craft Workshop, it was undoubtedly a very worthwhile deal. With this in mind, the Sect Leader of Xuan Du took his leave from the Wan Xiang Immortal. Meanwhile, Luo Yan and Shi Liuli had finally arrived at Penglai and placed the Shennong Cauldron within the Heavenly Craft Workshop. Shi Liuli went to notify the Sect Leader and the Immortal, while Luo Yan circled around it, scanning and studying it without finding any way to activate it. ¡°This is indeed strange,¡± said the Kunlun Mirror, baffled, ¡°Based on the scanning results, this thing is no different from an ordinary bronze cauldron.¡± ¡°Who says the Shennong Cauldron must be a Magical Treasure?¡± the Summoning Sword chimed in, ¡°If you ask me, there¡¯s nothing extraordinary about the Shennong Cauldron itself, but isn¡¯t the most precious aspect the secret techniques of various scholars recorded on it?¡± ¡°Ah! Yes, exactly!¡± exclaimed Luo Yan as he suddenly remembered and hurriedly began to memorize the various ancient characters on the body of the cauldron, ¡°I must write them down quickly!¡± He scanned the text rapidly, practically reading ten lines in a single glance, and quickly memorized the content. Legend has it that Shennong was a mighty figure of the Human Race, a master of myriad schools of thought, but was most skilled in discerning herbs and Alchemy. As it now seemed, the legend was indeed true. The many methods recorded on it included a full third that were Alchemy techniques. The remaining Talisman Scripts, Art Calculation, Artifact Forging, and so on, although mostly touched upon, were also of high Quality, and could be said to contain profound and valuable lessons, capable of enlightening and educating profoundly. As he feverishly took notes on one side, Shi Liuli found the Master of Xuan Du on the other and saw that the Sect Leader was having tea with several elders. Seeing Master Dong You come for a visit, the expressions of the elders turned somewhat unsightly. After the Sect Leader of Xuan Du had returned, he directly stated that Wan Xiang Immortal had decreed that the allocation of resources must remain unchanged. Since the Immortal had spoken, no one had anything to say, but while the resource allocation ratio remained the same, nobody said the sales position distribution couldn¡¯t change. The so-called sales position distribution referred to the shops set up by Penglai within the many markets, dictating which goods could be placed and sold at which stalls. You see, the sales volume of a store with high foot traffic could be more than a hundred times that of a store with low foot traffic. In the past, the best spots were always prepared for the Heavenly Craft Workshop. But now, with the Heavenly Craft Workshop producing Flying Swords that prioritized low price and low cost, putting them at the original prime spots no longer seemed appropriate, right? Seeing the elders bringing this matter up, the Master of Xuan Du was also a bit troubled. The main issue was that even though the Flying Swords from the Heavenly Craft Workshop were meant for thin margins and high volume, their quality was indeed too low. If they continued to occupy the same prestigious positions as before, it would definitely have a negative impact on the reputation of Yuqing View¡¯s artifact forging. But Wan Xiang Immortal had already spoken: this time, what was needed wasn¡¯t fairness or justice, but to win over a Second Grade Golden Core True Person. Hence, it wouldn¡¯t just be for low-grade Flying Swords¨Ceven if Master Dong You produced a pile of excrement, it would still have to take up a sales position¨Cof course, the underlying intentions couldn¡¯t be revealed to the elders, or it would seem too deliberate. Since the Master of Xuan Du wasn¡¯t willing to relent and couldn¡¯t explain his reasons, the elders naturally argued with reason on their side. While both parties were at this impasse, suddenly Master Dong You paid a visit, inevitably making the elders, who were raising difficulties, feel rather awkward, thinking that she had heard the rumors and came directly to them to plead her case. To be honest, if it came to a straightforward discussion of the matter at hand, the elders would not be afraid. After all, everyone was well aware of the quality of the Flying Swords forged by Master Dong You, who had not been in the field for long. But Master Dong You excelled in art calculation and was known for her astute and intelligent nature; how could she possibly stick merely to the facts? Just by shedding a few tears in front of the Master of Xuan Du and complaining about the contributions Elder Shi Ding had made to the sect in the past, they would all be restless, not just the Master of Xuan Du. The elders would be burdened with the guilt of kicking someone when they were down. Elder Miaoling pondered for a moment and quickly made her decision. As Shi Liuli entered the hall, she spoke first to take the initiative, saying: ¡°Master Dong You, I hear that your Daoist Companion, Master Jingyun, has not yet repaired the Penglai Protective Sect Array?¡± Startled by the question, Shi Liuli glanced at the elders present, led by Elder Miaoling, most of whom were practitioners of artifact forging, and immediately understood their intentions. ¡°Hehe, indeed,¡± she replied with a slight smile, ¡°the Protective Sect Array has been in disrepair for many years, and my husband has been researching it extensively and has recently made significant progress.¡± ¡°Recently, while I was out visiting friends, I happened upon Elder Yun Zhen,¡± Elder Miaoling quickly said, ¡°Upon hearing that the Penglai Great Formation was breached by the Demon Cult, he took the initiative to offer his help in examining it. I wonder what your husband thinks of this?¡± This statement was a deeply cutting accusation. It implied whether the former elder of Penglai, now seeking to inspect the Protective Sect Array, had any qualifications to do so, was ultimately for the Master of Xuan Du to decide. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only The aim of questioning Shi Liuli was to insinuate that Luo Yan was monopolizing the important task of maintaining the Great Formation, forbidding others from getting involved. Naturally, Shi Liuli wasn¡¯t fooled and she said to the Master of Xuan Du: ¡°Whether he can come to take a look, naturally depends on the Sect Leader¡¯s opinion.¡± ¡°However, my husband has recently come across a Cauldron Vessel, which would be perfect for the heart of the Protective Sect Array. This matter is crucial, so I hope the Sect Leader will invite the Immortal to confirm it.¡± wuxiaworld.site .co Chapter 796 - Chapter 796: Chapter 33: Its Actually the Shennong Cauldron Chapter 796: Chapter 33: It¡¯s Actually the Shennong Cauldron Cauldron Vessel? The so-called cauldron arrays are interrelated; there are many schools within the artifact crafting field, but only Array Masters delve into Cauldron Casting. The reason is that cauldron-class magical treasures possess supreme suppressive capabilities. Using a cauldron as the array¡¯s focal point can maximize the formation¡¯s stability and resilience. Common alternatives include array flags and formation maps, and although they can also be used to anchor the focal point, their effects are not necessarily as good as those of cauldron vessels. Upon hearing from Shi Liuli that Luo Yan had ¡°found a cauldron¡± from outside, the elders were initially stunned, followed by a surge of intense unease. This Cauldron Vessel¡­ what kind of Cauldron Vessel is it exactly? Elder Miaoling, however, remained composed, thinking it must be some ancient cauldron vessel specially sought for the task. If it were an ordinary cauldron, using it as the focal point of Penglai¡¯s Protective Sect Array wouldn¡¯t be agreed upon by the Wan Xiang Immortal, let alone the Sect Leader of Xuandu. Fortunately, I have already spoken with Senior Yun Zhen. No matter how you all perform, it is essential to find faults in it. No matter how proficient Master Jingyun is in formations, he is still only at the Golden Core Realm. Could he really be more formidable than Senior Yun Zhen from the Nascent Soul Realm? As long as we undermine the maintenance work of the Sect Guardian Grand Formation that Master Jingyun relies on, his importance within Penglai will naturally decline, and then we can slowly scheme to take over the resources of the Heavenly Craft Workshop. But this Master Dong You is indeed a significant figure. While Elder Shi Ding was still here, she kept a low profile, but as soon as the pillar of the Heavenly Craft Workshop fell, she promptly rose to action. First, she secured the maintenance work of the Sect Guardian Grand Formation for her husband, Master Jingyun, and then she taught herself the Sword Casting Technique. The average sword casting apprentice, with the same amount of training as her, would still be doing miscellaneous tasks as an assistant to their master by this time! Not only has Master Dong You begun to forge complete swords, but she also managed to achieve top sales worldwide, with many low-rank cultivators flocking to purchase and heap praise on her work. Although the elders criticized her sword quality as poor, how long has she been an apprentice? To achieve this level at such an early stage¡­ she might indeed be described as strangely talented. Despite the opposition, Elder Miaoling couldn¡¯t help but admire her discernment. Knowing how excellent this girl was, she should have proposed a marriage alliance with Shi Ding from the beginning. The Sect Leader of Xuandu went to notify the Wan Xiang Immortal, and both headed towards the Heavenly Craft Workshop. The rest of the elders hurriedly followed, only to see Senior Yun Zhen standing leisurely outside the main hall, casually observing his surroundings. This senior left Penglai quite early in the past, so many Penglai cultivators today do not recognize him. Still, the present elders certainly knew him well and immediately went up to greet him. As the host, the Sect Leader of Xuandu, of course, had to exchange pleasantries, and Daoist Yun Zhen responded with a smile, then came over to greet the Wan Xiang Immortal. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s Yun Zhen,¡± said the Wan Xiang Immortal in surprise, ¡°weren¡¯t you managing the ¡®Five Flags Sect¡¯ outside Qingzhou¡¯s seas? What brings you back to Penglai now?¡± ¡°To answer the Immortal,¡± replied Daoist Yun Zhen respectfully, ¡°I heard that Penglai had been besieged by the Demon Cult and the Sect Guardian Grand Formation had been compromised by a spy who stole secrets. Therefore, I thought of returning to contribute my humble efforts.¡± As soon as the spy was mentioned, everyone naturally recalled that the spy had come from Elder Shi Ding of the Heavenly Craft Workshop, so the elders turned their gazes toward Shi Liuli. Shi Liuli remained expressionless, as if unconcerned about the issue. The Wan Xiang Immortal didn¡¯t pursue the topic and simply commented: ¡°Oh, that¡¯s thoughtful of you.¡± Daoist Yun Zhen felt somewhat helpless. Logically, entrusting the maintenance of the Protective Sect Array to a Nascent Soul Elder should be more reliable than leaving it in the hands of a Golden Core True Person. However, having established his own sect outside for many years, though nominally still a Penglai branch, how much affection and connection remained with Penglai was questionable. For safety reasons, it¡¯s quite normal for them not to want to show him the Protective Sect Array¡­ But Yun Zhen Daoist indeed has no ill intentions, only because he encountered Elder Miaoling outside, and heard from her that the Protective Sect Array was in the charge of an immature youngster who had just formed his Golden Core, and even up to now, it hadn¡¯t been repaired, which is why he came back to check on the situation. After all, the Protective Sect Array is of great importance and must not be taken lightly. If it hadn¡¯t been breached by a spy from within, Penglai wouldn¡¯t have suffered such severe damage. Therefore, caution is still necessary. Noticing Wan Xiang Immortal¡¯s cold attitude, how could Yun Zhen Daoist not know that this immortal sided with Master Jingyun? He immediately smiled wryly in his heart. If the immortal has already made his stance clear, Miaoling, what else do you want to do? Are you planning a rebellion? ¡°We are just about to go to the Heavenly Craft Workshop to see the Cauldron Vessel,¡± said Wan Xiang Immortal, playing the bad cop and spoiling the mood, whereupon the Master of Xuandu immediately played the good cop to smooth things over, ¡°Yun Zhen, why not join us?¡± ¡°Join, I will join.¡± Yun Zhen Daoist quickly took the offered way out and stepped down gracefully. The group then made their way together to the Heavenly Craft Workshop, attracting the attention of many passing cultivators along the way; immortals, sect leaders, elders, and an unrecognized outsider¨Cwhere could they be going? Arriving at the Heavenly Craft Workshop, they saw Luo Yan sitting in a vine chair in the courtyard, fiddling and playing with an Eight Trigrams Mirror in his hands. In the center of the courtyard was a battered Bronze Quadrilateral Two-Eared Cauldron, engraved with various characters, partially obscured by verdigris. At first glance, Wan Xiang Immortal thought, Oh, this style looks a bit like the Shennong Cauldron¡­ Looking more closely the second time, Hmm, could it really be the Shennong Cauldron? He blinked hard, then took a third look, Holy shit! Wan Xiang Immortal swiftly moved his sleeves, tossing out an array flag that enveloped the entire courtyard, and urgently shouted: ¡°Xuandu, close the door!¡± The Master of Xuandu quickly gestured, shutting the doors of the Heavenly Craft Workshop, preventing all those cultivators who had followed over for the excitement from entering. With the array flag deployed, it immediately isolated the inside from the outside, causing the sect leader and elders to change their expressions, with Yun Zhen Daoist¡¯s expression undergoing an even greater change, wondering why the immortal was adopting such a stance? Could it be that he intended to hold him accountable for something? But Wan Xiang Immortal paid him no heed and simply pointed at Luo Yan, exclaiming, ¡°You, you, you¡­ Jingyun! How can such a divine object be left here!¡± ¡°Immortal.¡± Luo Yan also stood up to salute, ¡°I also request that the immortal confirms the authenticity of this item.¡± Wan Xiang Immortal didn¡¯t respond, instead he walked up to the Shennong Cauldron, his sleeve swept over it, and the verdigris fell off in chunks, revealing the underlying inscriptions. ¡°Such¡­ like this¡­¡± he muttered to himself, unable to help but say, ¡°How can this not be the Shennong Cauldron?¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Hearing this, the Master of Xuandu¡¯s face immediately became somber. Looking at the elders and Yun Zhen Daoist beside him, all of them appeared shocked, and his mind quickly became fraught with tension. If he had known earlier that it was the Shennong Cauldron, he would have insisted on keeping it strictly confidential. Now, he could only instruct everyone to keep it a secret with the utmost severity. All the elders were from the Penglai Sect, so there was no need to worry, but what to do with Yun Zhen? If he were to spread the word, it would inevitably cause trouble for Penglai. Before deciding exactly how to handle the Shennong Cauldron, not a single bit of information could be leaked! wuxiaworld.site .co Chapter 797 - Chapter 797: Chapter 34 Have fun playing with it Chapter 797: Chapter 34 Have fun playing with it Realizing it was actually the Shennong Cauldron, everyone was at a loss for words for a moment. The Sect Leader of Xuandu was first shocked, but after coming to his senses, he immediately turned to ecstatic joy. The group of elders was extremely downcast, and elders like Miaoling even wished they could cover their faces and leave at once. What would be an appropriate reward from the sect for retrieving such a divine object like the Shennong Cauldron? Hard to say. Generally speaking, the reward should be equivalent to the effort put in. Since Masters Jingyun and Dong You had retrieved the Shennong Cauldron, at the very least the sect should give them a divine object of equal value. However, where could a sect casually produce a divine object of the Shennong Cauldron¡¯s caliber? If the sect could not come up with a reward, it would be as good as capturing Elder Miaoling and giving her a beating, saying ¡°Master Jingyun, this scoundrel plotted against the resources of the Heavenly Craft Workshop, and now we are seeking justice for you¡­¡± Of course, they definitely wouldn¡¯t actually do that, but that was the general idea. This is bad! I must extricate myself from this situation quickly! At this moment, Elder Miaoling¡¯s mood was like someone who had finally assembled a great hand of cards, only for the opponent to play a series of trump cards¡­ Forget winning, even managing not to lose too terribly was cause for thanks to the heavens. Just as she was about to speak with a pained expression, suddenly she heard Daoist Yun Zhen say, ¡°Wan Xiang Immortal, I have an urgent matter to report to you!¡± Elder Miaoling¡¯s face turned pale at once, but Daoist Yun Zhen seemed oblivious, embellishing the task that Elder Miaoling had entrusted to him. Such as picking faults with the Protective Sect Array, questioning Master Jingyun¡¯s formation arts expertise, and even criticizing his work attitude and more. Some of these were indeed hints from Elder Miaoling, while others were fabrications by Daoist Yun Zhen, who exaggerated as much as possible. As for Daoist Yun Zhen¡¯s own account, he naturally agreed on the surface but had no intention of meddling in Penglai¡¯s internal affairs. He only came to see what was going on because he heard Elder Miaoling disparaging Master Jingyun as utterly worthless. Upon hearing this, Elder Miaoling almost spat out a mouthful of old blood. She certainly knew why Daoist Yun Zhen was slandering her: after all, Yun Zhen had already started his own sect outside, and it was becoming a rather blurred concept whether he still counted as one of Penglai¡¯s own. Elder Miaoling herself still had the protection of her title as a Penglai elder, while Daoist Yun Zhen¡¯s position was even more precarious. If Wan Xiang Immortal truly intended to eliminate any leaks and silently take out Daoist Yun Zhen, crushing him to dust, it wasn¡¯t without possibility¡­ Yun Zhen¡¯s act of turning against her was to prove his loyalty to Wan Xiang Immortal! ¡°There is no such thing!¡± Elder Miaoling hurriedly defended herself, ¡°This old one was simply discussing the matter at hand, with no personal interest involved. Why would Daoist Yun Zhen bite back with baseless accusations!¡± The two quarreled and pointed fingers at each other as Wan Xiang Immortal and the Sect Leader of Xuandu watched coldly, and the other elders shrank their necks and kept silent. Luo Yan, who was still somewhat confused, gradually started to understand what was happening. Oh, so someone was trying to scheme against me! Looking at Shi Liuli beside him, with a barely discernible smile on her face, Luo Yan realized what was going on and began to speak, ¡°If one questions my expertise in formation arts, it is not a concern. If my formation arts are indeed as worthless as a pillow embroidered with straw, then Elder Miaoling¡¯s exposure of this fact should not be considered a crime for Yuqing View. Instead, it would be a merit, wouldn¡¯t you agree, Elder Miaoling?¡± Elder Miaoling, of course, did not dare to answer directly and could only force a smile, saying, ¡°This old one was merely curious as to why the great array has not yet been repaired and casually inquired about it. It is not as Daoist Yun Zhen has described, with any malice towards you, Master Jingyun¡­¡± ¡°That can be easily resolved,¡± Luo Yan did not wait for her to cleanse her name but swiftly turned words into action, speaking to Wan Xiang Immortal, ¡°I am willing to discuss the matter with Daoist Yun Zhen. If indeed there are deficiencies in my formation arts, I willingly accept any punishment.¡± Conversely, if Master Yun Zhen proves that Luo Yan¡¯s Formation expertise is unproblematic, then it would be the rashly questioning Elder Miaoling who must accept punishment. As to what Master Yun Zhen would choose, do we even need to say? The Shennong Cauldron is still standing right there in the center of the courtyard! Even if Luo Yan said ¡°I don¡¯t understand Formations,¡± Master Yun Zhen would have to grit his teeth and say, ¡°The young friend is being excessively modest, surely he has achieved mastery in the way of Formations, so there is probably no need for further testing¡±¡­ This wager, Elder Miaoling was bound to lose without a doubt! She was eager to speak, but then she heard the Wan Xiang Immortal slam his hand down and say, ¡°Hmm. Whether this is a false accusation, let Yun Zhen determine that.¡± How did it become false accusation now¡­ Elder Miaoling¡¯s heart truly sank, and she said no more. Master Yun Zhen, as if granted amnesty, hurriedly asked Luo Yan a few simple questions about Formations, to which the latter naturally responded smoothly and without hesitation. ¡°These questions are far too simple.¡± Probably because he was making it too easy, even the Wan Xiang Immortal couldn¡¯t stand by, and pointedly said, ¡°Again.¡± Master Yun Zhen had no choice but to increase the difficulty of the questions, but Luo Yan still answered without a second thought, and many of his ideas were innovative, exhibiting an ancient style of simplicity and ingenuity. This allowed Master Yun Zhen to also relax, and he simply continued with normal difficulty questions, which still did not trouble Luo Yan at all. So the matter was thus proven clear, and the punishments for the various Elders were also quickly decreed. Elder Miaoling, for personal gain, had unjustly framed a fellow sect¡¯s real person, violating the rules of Penglai Sect, and was sentenced to three hundred years of imprisonment, during which time all monthly stipend and privileges of Yuqing Pavilion were to be stripped and transferred to the ownership of Heavenly Craft Workshop. As for the other Elders involved, three years¡¯ worth of monthly stipends were stripped and transferred to the ownership of Heavenly Craft Workshop. Such punishment was actually somewhat excessive. Especially for the other Elders involved, although they claimed to be discussing the matter based on facts, the Wan Xiang Immortal didn¡¯t bother with evidence, directly using the momentum of punishing Elder Miaoling to also hand out punishment to everyone, clearly implying, ¡°Heavenly Craft Workshop, you¡¯re not to be touched ¨C if you covet his money, I¡¯ll fine you your money.¡± Thus all were on the verge of tears, admitting their wrongs and retreating. Luo Yan also reflected deeply. It was the same scenario of being picked on, but the compensation from Penglai was far less than what he received from Shushan. However, upon closer consideration, it also made sense¨Cover at Shushan, the one picking on him was none other than the Long Eyebrow Immortal! Within the Sect, a Sect Guardian Immortal is almost like an emperor. Now that the emperor had been forced to issue an edict confessing his faults and had returned the great powers to the Prime Minister (Sect Leader), in the eyes of the Shushan Sect Disciples, Ling Yunpo had undeniably won a complete victory. But to Ling Yunpo himself, it felt like the Long Eyebrow Immortal hadn¡¯t suffered any loss at all ¨C at the very least, he should have offered compensation, such as the Dual Polarity Dust Sword? If you¡¯re no longer the Sect Guardian Immortal, what¡¯s the use of holding on to such a fine Flying Sword? The bandwagoners among the Peak Masters and Elders, who had kicked him when he was down, were now shamelessly groveling and sucking up to him, the Tai Yin Sword Master ¨C they were getting off too cheaply¡­ If I were Su Jian, I would have them make compensation to Qingluo Peak, starting with returning all the monthly stipends they had greedily taken over the years! No, it should be tripled! Tenfold! Oh, the money they¡¯ve brought over to apologize and make amends seems to have far exceeded that amount already¡­ Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only As Luo Yan was lost in such wild thoughts, he saw the Wan Xiang Immortal looking somewhat pained as he fumbled in his sleeve, eventually pulling out a small seal and handing it over to Luo Yan, saying, ¡°Master Jingyun, you have recovered the Shennong Cauldron for Penglai, a feat of great merit. Penglai doesn¡¯t have much to offer as a reward, only a Magical Treasure previously bestowed upon me by my master¡­ Take it and have fun with it.¡± Luo Yan took a close look and was immediately astounded. This¡­ this isn¡¯t the Heaven-overturning Seal, is it? wuxiaworld.site .co Chapter 798 - Chapter 798: Chapter 35 Sword Casting Master Luo Yan Chapter 798: Chapter 35 Sword Casting Master Luo Yan Long ago, Miss Shi once had a magical treasure called the Heaven-flipping Seal, which was a replica of the Heaven-overturning Seal. The reason it was a replica was that the grade rank of the Heaven-flipping Seal was very low; it only required the True Yuan of the Foundation Establishment Realm to activate, and naturally, it could only strike down enemies at the Foundation Establishment level. Therefore, once Shi Liuli achieved Core Formation, she completely abandoned this magical treasure. Now, having obtained the genuine Heaven-overturning Seal, Luo Yan finally witnessed the extraordinariness of a divine artifact. Look! This angular shape, filled with a rustic beauty; holding it in one¡¯s hand, this profound weight, brought incomparable reassurance; the brilliant radiance flickering on its surface, the best emblem of a divine artifact¡­ ¡°Wake up, my husband.¡± Shi Liuli poked him with her finger at his side, ¡°The immortal took the Shennong Cauldron away.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Luo Yan finally came to his senses and waved his hand, ¡°Let it be taken away then, since we¡¯ve exchanged it for this Heaven-overturning Seal, we¡¯re not at a loss.¡± Shi Liuli uttered an ¡°Oh,¡± ready to go back to continue her work, only to see Luo Yan fiddling with the Heaven-overturning Seal in his hand for quite a while before handing it over, ¡°Take it.¡± ¡°What for?¡± ¡°For your protection,¡± Luo Yan said, ¡°I have the Innate Five Elements Great Chaos Divine Light, I don¡¯t need this Heaven-overturning Seal.¡± A warmth immediately surged in Shi Liuli¡¯s heart. How could such a divine object like the Heaven-overturning Seal be useless? Even if Luo Yan had the Five-colored Divine Light, able to overcome all things not from the Five Elements, there are always things outside the scope of the Five Elements, such as the Thunder Method, such as yin and yang¡­ And the Heaven-overturning Seal¡¯s crude and powerful physical attacks were perfectly suited to make up for Luo Yan¡¯s shortcomings. But Shi Liuli understood the mindset of men better; she knew she couldn¡¯t reject it outright in this situation, or it would make her husband lose face, giving the impression ¡°my wife doesn¡¯t appreciate my kindness.¡± So she willingly hummed in agreement, taking the Heaven-overturning Seal and securing it. Since I¡¯ll be accompanying him whenever he leaves home in the future, my magical treasure might as well be his. After Shi Liuli left the room, she saw the Sect Leader of Xuandu standing outside, who spoke to her: ¡°Let¡¯s put this matter to rest. There likely won¡¯t be anyone coming to trouble you after this, and you shouldn¡¯t pursue this matter further.¡± ¡°Naturally,¡± Shi Liuli, understanding her position, immediately agreed, ¡°We won¡¯t make it difficult for the Sect.¡± ¡°Also, you should still enhance your sword casting skills,¡± the Sect Leader advised her, ¡°A well-sold Flying Sword is not necessarily a good one; in the Cultivation Realm, the right of speech often doesn¡¯t lie with the side with more people.¡± After the Sect Leader gracefully departed, Shi Liuli stood in the center of the courtyard, smiling bitterly after a while. If I could cast higher-quality Flying Swords, why would I abandon the essentials to chase after trifles? Elder Shi Ding was no more, and the only one left to consult was Master Linghu Chu, but Linghu Chu had already set up his own faction within the Sect, and was in a competitive relationship with the Heavenly Craft Workshop. Shi Liuli did not wish to use up the goodwill from before, preferring to immerse herself in researching the scriptures left by her father. After reading the scriptures several more times, Shi Liuli took out new materials, ready to melt them into a Sword Embryo. This stage of melting the Sword Embryo is crucial as it determines the Five Elements Attribute and other features of the final Flying Sword. The problem is that one must wait until the sword is truly forged to confirm the quality of the Flying Sword itself. Often, the Sword Embryo melting step already has issues that go unnoticed. Once the Flying Sword is fully forged and problems are detected, going back to meticulously investigate and locate the issue consumes a great deal of time and energy, causing Shi Liuli considerable distress. If only my father were still here¡­ Just watching me during sword refinement, he would have told me immediately if something went wrong. With this thought, Shi Liuli felt a tinge of sadness, so she sat by the window to rest for a while, wiped the moisture from the corners of her eyes, and spaced out. She then stood up once more, ready to resume her work, only to see Luo Yan had already pushed the door open and come in. ¡°Husband?¡± Shi Liuli asked, meaning ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing, I just came to see,¡± Luo Yan said with a smile. ¡°Oh.¡± Since he said it was nothing, Shi Liuli didn¡¯t bother with him any further and continued with her work. She first needed to sieve the finely-ground jade powder, then mix it with water to dissolve impurities, filter it, and proceed to drying before it could be shaped. Just as Shi Liuli was about to employ Fire System spells, Luo Yan suddenly grabbed her arm. ¡°Making a sword with jade quality, its attribute is metal, and one must not use open fire on it. Otherwise, with fire overcoming metal, the refined metal will be dull, brittle, and prone to shattering.¡± Shi Liuli: ??? Though unexpected, his words were indeed correct. During her previous attempts at sword refinement, the final products had poor flexibility and strength; she just hadn¡¯t figured out the reason and was still investigating it. However¡­ does my husband also understand sword refinement? ¡°Without applying open flame, yet needing to heat and melt the jade powder, how should one do it?¡± Shi Liuli asked slowly. ¡°That¡¯s simple.¡± Luo Yan laughed, ¡°Use plants as fuel, burn them until they turn to ash, and while they¡¯re still red-hot, cover the jade powder to heat it up. This method is called the ¡®hidden fire technique,¡¯ specifically designed for refining jade swords.¡± Shi Liuli thought carefully and realized that the classical texts left by her father did not mention this ¡°hidden fire technique.¡± But what her husband said seemed to make sense¡­ She obediently followed his instructions, burnt the plants at high temperature to ash, then covered the jade powder with the ash separated by a layer of rock wool, and indeed, she smoothly melted it. After pouring the jade liquid into the mold, Shi Liuli waited for it to solidify, only to hear Luo Yan say again: ¡°Jade is fragile by nature, but if you add a little meteoric iron, it becomes more ductile.¡± ¡°Meteoric iron?¡± Shi Liuli couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Can meteoric iron, that thing, really be compatible with jade?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll know once we try,¡± Luo Yan said with confidence. Although the Heavenly Craft Workshop had declined, they were not short of materials. Shi Liuli then fetched some meteoric iron and asked: ¡°How should it be melted?¡± ¡°Still with the hidden fire technique.¡± After melting the meteoric iron, she injected it into the mold, and saw that the two materials quickly blended together perfectly, becoming one and the same, indistinguishable from each other. ¡°This¡­¡± Shi Liuli was surprised for a moment, then she started pondering deeply. Once the mixture was completely cooled, it turned into a dull jade color. Shi Liuli marveled in her heart, but asked aloud: ¡°What¡¯s next?¡± ¡°Continue,¡± said Luo Yan. Shi Liuli: ¡­¡­¡­. She took the solidified jade from the mold, and carefully polished it into shape, then began to engrave formations on it. ¡°My dear,¡± Luo Yan said again, ¡°that¡¯s not how you carve formations. Let me teach you.¡± Taking the file, he moved it over the sword embryo like a dragon or serpent, quickly completing all three formations. ¡°Did you see clearly?¡± Luo Yan asked. ¡°No,¡± Shi Liuli shook her head honestly. The formations sealed on the sword were not like the formations Luo Yan usually studied, which emphasized simplicity and compactness, similar in some ways to talisman scripts. How had her husband learned to do this? Lost in thought, Shi Liuli watched as Luo Yan again melted some jade powder and meteoric iron, then attached it to the sword embryo, sealing the formations within, and said: ¡°With this, a fine sword is made.¡± ¡°My dear, here I have many years of experience in sword casting for you to study. Don¡¯t let me down, okay?¡± he said. Years of experience in sword casting? When have you ever cast a sword? Shi Liuli was baffled as she took the scripture. After studying it for a while, she finally realized¨Cit was the sword casting essentials recorded on the Shennong Cauldron. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Once she understood, she couldn¡¯t help but turn around and wipe the corner of her eye. ¡°Why are you crying, my dear?¡± Luo Yan asked, puzzled. I went to great lengths, taking risks for you to obtain these sword casting secrets, and you are not even thankful, so why the crying and sobbing? ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± Shi Liuli shook her head, smiled, and said, ¡°Just tears of joy, that¡¯s all.¡± wuxiaworld.site .co Chapter 799 - Chapter 799: Chapter 36 Inventory Check Chapter 799: Chapter 36 Inventory Check Looking back, although his initial intention was to find the sword casting secrets for his wife, he never expected to accidentally obtain the Shennong Cauldron instead. Having traded the merits of recovering the Shennong Cauldron for the future protection of the Wan Xiang Immortal in the event of any unreasonable treatment, Luo Yan believes it to be quite a worthwhile deal. After all, for his ultimate goal, gaining the highest trust within the sect is more important than anything else. Among the five characters set up, Qiu Changtian and Wei Dongliu are the busiest due to the power struggles of their respective backers. The situation of Ling Yunpo was originally much more perilous, but now with Su Jian emerging from seclusion and taking charge, his predicament has improved considerably. Long Long¡¯s side was originally quite relaxed, but now with the Eastern Emperor Realm¡¯s wars igniting, he has become extremely busy. Only Luo Yan, due to the Penglai Yuqing View¡¯s lack of strength and not daring to make enemies everywhere, is the most leisurely in nurturing his health. Everything is handled by his wife, no need for hands-on involvement like Qiu Changtian; nor is he criticized for not doing serious work like Wei Dongliu, which is truly comfortable. After handing over the Shennong Cauldron to the sect, Shi Liuli does not mention anything about other treasures, which gives Luo Yan the perfect opportunity to study it. First is the ¡°Mortal World Through Ages¡± painting; this scroll comes with inbuilt illusion techniques and a secret spatial realm which can trap enemies within. Without a way to escape, they could only be at the mercy of others. Considering that illusion techniques and spatial spells are quite scarce types of magic, the value of this magical treasure is not low. It¡¯s a shame that it greatly overlaps with the functions of the Kunlun Mirror, and its artifact spirit is rather simple-minded; might as well let Liuli play with it! Second is the Seven Treasures Giant Clam Pearl. It must be said that the old dragon has quite an eye. Luo Yan, with his knowledge and experience, has indeed seen Giant Clam Pearls before, but never one of such fine quality. It is white and bright, with lustrous pearl radiance, and upon injecting True Yuan and tossing it out, a faint halo of light emerges. Once an enemy is enveloped by the light ring, their body becomes immobile, left to be slaughtered at will. The only problem is that immobilizing the enemy requires consuming the True Yuan stored within the Seven Treasures Giant Clam Pearl. The higher the cultivation realm of the opponent, the faster the True Yuan in the pearl will deplete. If it runs out, naturally, the pearl can¡¯t continue immobilizing the opponent. After carefully contemplating for a moment, Luo Yan realizes that with the robustness of his own True Yuan, within the Golden Core Realm he fears no enemy, but it would definitely not be sufficient against Nascent Soul Realm masters. If facing a Golden Core True Person, the immobilizing effect of the Seven Treasures Giant Clam Pearl would certainly be very effective, but even without this treasure, using the Five Thunder True Law or the Five-colored Divine Light would instantly kill the opponent, so why bother immobilizing them? And against Nascent Soul Elders, the pearl doesn¡¯t have much use¡­ In short, it is suitable for those cultivators who are average in strength within their own realm, effectively increasing their control methods, but for Luo Yan, it¡¯s not of much use. Might as well let Liuli play with it. Thirdly, it¡¯s the heart of a ten-thousand-year tree demon. After studying for a long time, Luo Yan finally draws a conclusion. It¡¯s for concocting medicine. If it were before, he would probably have sold it directly to Penglai¡¯s internal alchemists. But now, having copied the alchemy technique from the Shennong Cauldron, Luo Yan suddenly has the confidence to self-study¡­ After all, this isn¡¯t about stealing someone else¡¯s cultivation tradition. It¡¯s a cultivation technique recorded on the Shennong Cauldron, so self-study should be an option. Elder Shi Ding is proficient in most artifact crafting techniques, but not so much in areas outside of artifact crafting. Why can¡¯t I, Master Jingyun, surpass the blue (to be better than my master), integrating all the Penglai scholars¡¯ various doctrines? By then, the Heavenly Craft Workshop won¡¯t be called ¡°Heavenly Craft Workshop¡± anymore, let¡¯s call it ¡°Penglai Workshop¡±. Whatever Penglai has, my workshop will also have, and can teach everything ¨C grand! Luo Yan lets his imagination run wild for a while, then continues to inspect his gains. Fourth is an elixir bottle, which was originally part of the old dragon¡¯s storage bag. After confirming there is no problem with it, Luo Yan opens the elixir bottle and discovers that inside there is a bottle of Dragon Blood Pill. The so-called Dragon Blood Pill is an elixir refined from the essence blood of a dragon of ancestral level, similar in nature to the Phoenix¡¯s Nine Revolutions Vermilion Phoenix Pill. Those who take it must possess dragon clan bloodline; otherwise, most of the elixir¡¯s potency would go to waste. Although Luo Yan does not have the dragon clan bloodline, Long Long does! It¡¯s really unexpected that in the cultivation world here, there is actually something that can help Long Long; this world is truly marvelous. The fifth item is an old Taoist robe. Although it had been washed to the point of whiteness and bears many patches, it doesn¡¯t appear filthy; instead, it¡¯s clean and tidy. According to the Kunlun Mirror¡¯s scan, no trace of spiritual power was detected, as if it were truly just an ordinary Taoist robe. But if it were truly an ordinary robe, why would the old dragon specially carry it with him? If it were some kind of silk stockings or underwear, it could be explained as the old dragon¡¯s peculiar taste, but a Taoist robe¡­ That truly makes no sense. There must be a mystery to it! Thinking so, Luo Yan planned to also put the Taoist robe into the Heavenly Craft Treasure Bag and carry it close to his body. But on second thought, could it be that the old dragon also obtained it from someone and wondered why the other party carried it close, so he did the same? If that is the case, how ridiculously vexing that would be for me! Luo Yan didn¡¯t bother with it and continued to study the sixth gain, which turned out to be a thin scripture. This scripture is named ¡°Ice Heart Manual,¡± a very unadorned title. Luo Yan flipped through it, finding the contents rather profound ¡ª teaching cultivators how to guard their Daoist Heart, avoid deviation, and, in case they do deviate, how to heal injuries of the Sea of Consciousness. Speaking of this, Luo Yan suddenly remembered a black-robed Taoist from a distant island. That Taoist, too, due to deviation, had to stay on the island, using the ice beneath the earth¡¯s layer to slow the Heart Demon¡¯s attack. Later on, he even imparted his teachings to Su Jian, sister-apprentice, and myself. Perhaps this scripture could help him somewhat if given to him. But the issue lies in: First, although the old man highly praised An Zhisu, for some reason he looked down on me, always scrutinizing with a critical eye, without a single word of kindness. Helping that old man, Ling Yunpo does not find satisfaction in his heart! Second, one day Ling Yunpo must steal or even seize the Heaven-Mending Stone fragments from Shushan, which means becoming an enemy of Shushan¡¯s Sect Leader Su Jian. Assisting such a sword immortal predecessor, who has significant ties with Su Jian, doesn¡¯t seem like a necessarily good thing. Third, with the old man¡¯s poor impression of me, it seems unlikely that I could use this scripture to extract any benefits from him. Forget it, let¡¯s just set it aside for now! Old man, blame yourself for looking down on others, offending your grandfather Ling Yunpo! After placing the scripture into the Heavenly Craft Treasure Bag, Luo Yan turned his attention to the final item, the Eight Trigrams Mirror. It was a bronze mirror with a bright and shining reflective surface at the center, surrounded by reliefs of the Eight Trigrams. Luo Yan tried to channel True Yuan into it, and found the mirror¡¯s surface gradually lighting up, emitting a great brightness. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only But as for the use of this mirror light, he had no idea. Additionally, the purpose of the surrounding Eight Trigrams pattern was also unknown. After asking both the Kunlun Mirror and the Suming Sword, they claimed ignorance, suggesting it was likely a magical treasure that Shennong himself refined and never used publicly, hence its absence of renown. With that being said, it can only be put away for now, to be used later. wuxiaworld.site .co Chapter 800 - Chapter 800: Chapter 37 Princess Feng Yan Has Already Made Her Decree Chapter 800: Chapter 37 Princess Feng Yan Has Already Made Her Decree However, Luo Yan sorted through his various gains and found that most of them were not suitable for his own use, so he could only toss them to Liuli for her amusement. On second thought, it was expected: items that could now catch his eye must be of the same caliber as the Innate Five Elements Divine Light, being either peerless Secret Techniques or Magical Treasures. For instance, the Chaos Red Luopan, the Morning Jade Thunder, the Shennong Cauldron, and the like¡­ How could such treasures possibly be just stumbled upon casually? Let¡¯s not worry about those for now, and just reload the save and go to the Eastern Emperor Realm. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- In the Eastern Emperor Realm, the war was raging. Although it was the Horned Clan of West State and the Kun Race of North State that initiated the war, what no one expected was that the fiercest battles would actually take place in South State. The White Tiger army of West State took a detour through the imperial capital and joined up with the Qilin of Central State, then headed southward to the Two Rivers Plain. Within a few days, two-thirds of the territory had fallen, so that the entire Feathered Clan had already begun a nationwide mobilization, determined to fight to the death with the allied forces. In Eastern State, the Dragon Clan finally could no longer sit idly by. Not to mention the secret offensive and defensive alliance signed between the two clans, the primary concern was that the military strength of the Central State and West State allied forces far exceeded the strategic predictions of the Dragon Clan in the past. To watch the Feathered Clan perish would be tantamount to seeking their own doom, hence rescue was imperative. Thus, thousands of Dragon Clan cultivators crossed the Three-legged Mountain Range, led by the Great Elder Qin Chaocang commanding the forces, preparing to enter the battlefield from the east side of the Two Rivers Plain. The old friends who had become separated in the Two Rivers Plain in the past were now reunited, yet this time there was no so-called Crown Prince¡¯s gilt-edged group¡­ Faced with the current crisis concerning the life and death of both clans, every bit of available strength would be undoubtedly thrown into the fray by the Great Elder without hesitation. At the campsite, Long Long encountered an old acquaintance, Feng Yan. This Prince of the Vermilion Bird was now the supreme commander of the Feathered Clan, on equal footing with the Great Elder Qin Chaocang, whose daily routine included calling the returning Feathered Clan generals from the front lines for a severe rebuke, loud enough for the whole camp to hear. It¡¯s only fitting for the Feathered Clan, even their scolding is fierce. Long Long was roaming about the camp when he happened to run into Feng Yan stepping out of the tent, who frowned and asked: ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°Your Highness, I am one of the cultivators who came to support from the Dragon Clan.¡± Long Long responded. ¡°Nonsense.¡± Feng Yan replied, ¡°I¡¯m asking why you aren¡¯t on the battlefield.¡± ¡°I¡¯m waiting for orders.¡± said Long Long. ¡°Then I order you, go immediately to Yuanjiang City and lead the remaining troops to retreat from the encirclement.¡± Feng Yan said bluntly. ¡°Sorry, Your Highness.¡± Long Long spoke with some exasperation, ¡°We only take orders from the Great Elder; you are overstepping your command.¡± ¡°Fine, I will go and find your Great Elder.¡± Feng Yan immediately walked away without looking back. Long Long: ¡­¡­¡­ Feng Yan stepped into the command center, found Qin Chaocang, and said concisely: ¡°If the troops in Yuanjiang City don¡¯t retreat now, once they¡¯re devoured by the allied forces, we¡¯ll have no chance of turning the tables on Two Rivers Plain.¡± ¡°The problem is, Lv Yan knows this too.¡± Qin Chaocang handed her the battle map, ¡°See? The few possible breakout directions are just traps he purposely left for us. The more we enter, the more we die; there¡¯s no chance.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care about that.¡± Feng Yan said firmly without looking at the battle map, ¡°The Feathered Clan troops in Yuanjiang City must be saved; their isolated force won¡¯t hold out for long.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve said it before, the key question is how to save them?¡± Qin Chaocang skillfully tossed the question back. ¡°Send Long Long to the rescue,¡± Feng Yan said. ¡°Didn¡¯t he manage to escape from the ambush set by the Horned Clan on the Two Rivers Plain? I think he has a real talent for infiltration and escape.¡± Qin Chaocang felt somewhat helpless. As much as he didn¡¯t want to deny Long Long¡¯s talent, was it not too arbitrary to make such a judgment based on one successful escape? ¡°Elder Qin,¡± Feng Yan said gravely, ¡°if our Feathered Clan falls, your Dragon Clan won¡¯t fare any better.¡± ¡°Your Highness, there¡¯s no need to remind me of that,¡± Qin Chaocang said calmly. ¡°I¡¯m just wondering whether he actually has the capability.¡± ¡°He must have it,¡± Feng Yan asserted. ¡°Back on Divine Dragon Island, when we explored the ruins, he was the one who reaped the biggest reward, right?¡± Qin Chaocang¡¯s eyebrows twitched. The outcome of the expedition to Divine Dragon Island was a secret within the Dragon Clan. How could the Feathered Clan know about it? Though puzzled, he didn¡¯t acknowledge it and instead asked: ¡°Why would you say that, Your Highness?¡± ¡°Why play dumb, Elder?¡± Feng Yan countered. ¡°I refuse to believe that your Dragon Clan hasn¡¯t planted spies within our Feathered Clan.¡± ¡°Hahaha, that we really haven¡¯t done,¡± Qin Chaocang laughed offhandedly. ¡°It¡¯s not in the Dragon Clan¡¯s nature to spy on allies.¡± ¡°Hehe,¡± Feng Yan laughed derisively at the obvious lie, then continued, ¡°From what I see, Long Long is an excellent choice in terms of intelligence, strategy, and courage. If you only value his lineage, you would be underutilizing a great talent.¡± ¡°The clan hasn¡¯t planned any marriage arrangements for him yet,¡± Qin Chaocang said casually. ¡°But Your Highness seems to have too much confidence in him. Could it be that you don¡¯t feel a loss when a genial seed from another clan dies in battle?¡± ¡°What good are geniuses who don¡¯t go to battle? That¡¯s just a breeding stallion!¡± Feng Yan said dismissively. ¡°True geniuses are always forged on the battlefield. Just look at the White Tiger Divine General, Lv Yan.¡± Qin Chaocang fell silent. Indeed, if Long Long didn¡¯t go to battle, he would just stay within the clan focusing on procreation; although calling it ¡°breeding stallion¡± was rather crude, there really wasn¡¯t much difference. A true genius needs to absorb the experiences of blood and fire on the battlefield to shine brightly. As for whether a genius or a breeding stallion was more beneficial to the Azure Dragon Clan, the answer was self-evident. ¡°I need to think it over,¡± Qin Chaocang finally conceded. ¡°Don¡¯t make me wait too long,¡± Feng Yan narrowed his long phoenix eyes. ¡°I¡¯m very impatient.¡± No sooner had Feng Yan departed in haste than Qin Chaocang, after much contemplation, summoned Long Long and Long Hu. As soon as Long Long heard the Great Elder¡¯s summons, he had a bad feeling, yet he could only bring Long Hu with him. Upon entering the command tent, they saw Qin Chaocang pacing around. In the center of the room was a large sand table Magical Treasure, with countless clay soldiers engaged in combat upon it, the scene meticulously crafted. ¡°The red ones inside the city are the remaining Feathered Clan troops,¡± Qin Chaocang began. ¡°The white ones on the outside are the allied forces of the Horned Clan and the Mao Clan.¡± ¡°The blue ones at the outermost are our Azure Dragon support troops alongside theirs from the Vermilion Bird.¡± ¡°The current situation is this: if we don¡¯t rescue them, the inside Defensive Array will eventually run out of resources, and the Feathered Clan¡¯s remaining forces will be devoured.¡± ¡°If we go for the rescue, the allied forces may very well turn around and devour the troops we send.¡± ¡°If you were the supreme commander, what would you do?¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Long Hu stared at the sand table with a pensive look, while Long Long hurriedly responded with humility: ¡°Back to the Elder, I am naive and dare not recklessly spout nonsense.¡± ¡°Just say it!¡± Qin Chaocang waved his hand, thinking to himself that Feng Yan might have had a point. So young, Long Long already knew to hide his talents, and it was time to push him a bit. wuxiaworld.site .co Chapter 801 - Chapter 801: Chapter 38: Why Dont I Take Command Chapter 801: Chapter 38: Why Don¡¯t I Take Command Long Long stared at the sand table terrain map, pondered for a moment, and answered: ¡°Yuanjiang City is surrounded by plains on three sides, while almost entirely bordered by the river to the west. For our Dragon Clan, entering the siege through the western waterway to support the city is undoubtedly the best plan.¡± ¡°Of course, the allied forces couldn¡¯t possibly be unaware of this. Judging from the distribution of troops, the fact that the enemy has not set up defenses to the west means that there are definitely ambushes in place, waiting to annihilate our support troops.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Qin Chaocang and Feng Yan could both see these strategic judgments, so the Great Elder of the Dragon Clan waved his hand and said, ¡°Keep going.¡± ¡°But if we attempt to break through from any of the other three directions, we¡¯ll undoubtedly hit a wall of iron and copper.¡± Long Long continued, ¡°So we still need to enter from the west.¡± ¡°However, it can¡¯t be a small detachment; it must be a force of sufficient size.¡± ¡°Since the enemy has set up an ambush, they can¡¯t have too many troops, otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t serve the purpose of being a hidden ambush.¡± ¡°As long as our troop strength exceeds this critical point, the ambush won¡¯t be effective.¡± ¡°I have a question.¡± Long Hu suddenly asked from the side, ¡°The one across from us is the White Tiger Divine General, could he have already considered this possibility?¡± ¡°Probably.¡± Long Long calmly replied, ¡°If he wants to counter the above strategy, he will most likely divert troops from the north and south.¡± ¡°So does this mean there will be gaps on the northern and southern sides of the encirclement?¡± Qin Chaocang¡¯s eyes lit up. The next second, Long Long¡¯s answer surprised him again: ¡°Hard to say, we¡¯ll have to see it on the spot.¡± ¡°If the Great Elder wants to send me to the rescue, he will have to give me command of the troops on the scene.¡± Qin Chaocang immediately fell into deep contemplation. ¡°You may go back first.¡± He finally said slowly after a while, ¡°I¡¯ll give it some thought.¡± Long Long then left the command room with Long Hu. As soon as they stepped outside, the little fox asked curiously: ¡°Long Long, you actually dared to ask for command of the front-line troops, how could the Great Elder possibly agree?¡± ¡°He has no choice but to agree.¡± Long Long replied. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because he can¡¯t find anyone suitable to carry out this mission.¡± Long Long said, ¡°Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have called for the two of us in the Transformation Realm.¡± ¡°What if he really doesn¡¯t trust you?¡± Long Hu continued to ask, ¡°For example, the front-line troops can¡¯t afford to fail¡­ something like that?¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that be even better?¡± Long Long said with a slight smile, ¡°That way, we wouldn¡¯t have to take action.¡± ¡°Thinking quite wishfully, aren¡¯t you?¡± Feng Yan suddenly appeared from the side, sneering, ¡°Daring to ask for command of the Dragon Clan¡¯s front-line troops, you¡¯ve really presented Qin Chaocang with a difficult problem! Is the internal education of the Dragon Clan so poor that just any clansmember won¡¯t serve for the clan?¡± ¡°Your Highness is mistaken.¡± Long Long corrected seriously, ¡°It¡¯s not just the Dragon Clan¡¯s troops, but also the Feathered Clan¡¯s support troops stationed at the front-line of Yuanjiang City, I want command of them as well.¡± Feng Yan: ¡­¡­ Just finished mocking the Dragon Clan, and now the other party is trying to take away command of the Feathered Clan¡¯s troops as well. ¡°What do you want command for?¡± Feng Yan instinctively looked for faults. ¡°Your Highness wouldn¡¯t think that by using a few predetermined strategies, you could successfully break through the encirclement laid by the White Tiger Divine General, right?¡± Long Long asked with a sneer. Feng Yan was immediately at a loss for words. How could she not know that a rescue mission must be commanded on the scene? The problem is, when I ask you ¡°what do you want the command for,¡± I¡¯m asking about your plan and roughly how confident you are in it. At the very least, you could¡¯ve shown some loyalty and assured me with a few ¡°I guarantee to complete the mission,¡± would that not have put my mind at ease? Facing such an indifferent and arrogant attitude from Long Long, any other Feathered Clan general would have blasted him with a barrage of scolding. You want command? Then I ask, how do you plan to lead? If you can¡¯t convince me, do you still dare ask for command? But when it comes to this Long Long, if she were to scold him fiercely, he would certainly seize the opportunity to step down, saying I can¡¯t do it, find someone more capable¡­ Fuming with frustration, Feng Yan wished she could transform into her Vermilion Bird form and peck him furiously. ¡°You.¡± Feng Yan finally suppressed her negative emotions and asked coldly, ¡°Command should not be entrusted lightly, especially to a foreign Cultivator. First, tell me how you would command if you were granted it.¡± Long Long: ??? After a moment of silence, he slowly asked Feng Yan: ¡°Your Highness¡­¡± ¡°What is it? If you have something to say, spit it out!¡± Feng Yan barked. ¡°Your Highness couldn¡¯t possibly believe that just a few preconceived strategies would be enough to break through the encirclement laid by the White Tiger Divine General, could you?¡± Long Long repeated his previous remark with disbelief. ¡°Fine, fine, fine!¡± In the end, Feng Yan couldn¡¯t keep her composure and exploded in anger, ¡°I won¡¯t talk with you, I¡¯m going to find your Dragon Clan¡¯s Great Elder!¡± She stormed toward the command room with great momentum, while the little fox next to her covered her mouth with her hand, but her eyes were already curving with laughter, almost unable to open. ¡°Well said, Long Long,¡± she praised with a smile, ¡°Seeing how angry you¡¯ve made her¡­¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t do it on purpose,¡± Long Long shook his head and said soberly, ¡°I was speaking the truth.¡± ¡°Yes, the truth.¡± As Long Long thought about the danger of the mission, the fun dissipated immediately, and he sighed, ¡°Ah, if only the opponent wasn¡¯t the White Tiger Divine General. Long Long, how confident are you against him?¡± Long Long patted her head and asked: ¡°If I say I¡¯m not 100% confident, you¡¯ll still be worried, right?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Long Hu said, ¡°As long as it¡¯s not 100%, there¡¯s always a risk.¡± ¡°In that case, let¡¯s not talk about it,¡± Long Long said, ¡°We¡¯ll just do our best.¡± Of course, he did not reveal his biggest assurance. We, a dragon and a fox, may not be a match for the White Tiger Divine General, but if we add a mirror and a sword, it would be a different story entirely. On the other side, Feng Yan burst into the command room full of rage, saying to Qin Chaocang: ¡°What is up with your clansman Long Long? He actually demands the command of our frontline Feathered Clan troops!¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s understandable.¡± Qin Chaocang pointed at the sand table map and explained Long Long¡¯s plan. ¡°Hmm.¡± Feng Yan immediately calmed down, staring at the sand table and pondering, ¡°To tear open the siege of Yuanjiang City with large-scale troop movements? That would indeed require simultaneous command of both clans¡¯ forces.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°The idea is not bad, but commanding so many troops places high demands on the level of leadership, doesn¡¯t it? In this aspect, is Long Long really a match for the White Tiger Divine General?¡± She hesitated subconsciously as she spoke, but noticed Qin Chaocang looking at her with a strange expression. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Your Highness,¡± Qin Chaocang said with a mix of laughter and helplessness, ¡°Wasn¡¯t it Your Highness who first expressed confidence in Long Long?¡± wuxiaworld.site .co Chapter 802 - Chapter 802: Chapter 39 Taking Command Authority Chapter 802: Chapter 39 Taking Command Authority When Qin Chaocang posed such a question, it immediately stumped Feng Yan. Indeed, favoring Long Long was a judgment made by Lady Feng Yan herself, but she also hoped that the allies from the Azure Dragon Clan would acknowledge this judgment. However, Qin Chaocang always maintained a kind of unfathomable and non-committal attitude, which Feng Yan also found somewhat annoying. Let alone whether I favor him or not¡­ Shouldn¡¯t you, the Cultivators of the Dragon Clan, be the clearest about your own capabilities and methods? Why then come to ask me? Feng Yan then chuckled and said: ¡°Does Elder Qin lack confidence in Long Long? That makes me even more curious about him.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± Qin Chaocang wondered aloud. ¡°Talents who shine brightly are as numerous as stars, but only one in ten thousand knows how to hide their prowess,¡± Feng Yan said. Upon hearing this, Qin Chaocang was speechless, thinking to himself that it really made sense. I had called that boy into the command room to ask his views on the current war situation. Had it been any of his passionately enthusiastic peers from the Dragon Clan, they would have eagerly volunteered their strategies. Instead, this young man responded with ¡°Out of ignorance, I dare not speak rashly,¡± which almost made Qin Chaocang struggle to maintain his expression. If there is no capability, why hide it? Lady Feng Yan¡¯s words also make some sense; perhaps I should indeed trust Long Long more. ¡°Then, what does Lady Feng Yan think?¡± Qin Chaocang probed, ¡°regarding the authority over the Feathered Clan¡¯s army¡­¡± ¡°And what does Elder Qin think?¡± Feng Yan countered. ¡°How about this,¡± Qin Chaocang said, ¡°we write our thoughts in our palms and then open our hands at the same time, how about that?¡± ¡°Very well,¡± Feng Yan nodded and agreed. So the two turned around, wrote on their hands, and then, facing each other, slowly opened their fists. Qin Chaocang¡¯s hand was empty, and so was Feng Yan¡¯s. But both of them burst into laughter, the reason being clear: since they opened their hands, it meant ¡°granting authority¡± was the intention. Soon, Long Long received an order to take Long Hu to the front lines south of Yuanjiang City in the north, to carry out a mission to rescue the remaining forces within the city. Accompanying the order were Qin Chaocang¡¯s Azure Scale command and Feng Yan¡¯s Crimson Feather Arrow, both symbols of military authority within their respective clans, allowing Long Long to command any Feathered Clan or Scaled Clan Cultivators at the front line battles. The one who delivered the order was a young girl; Long Long remembered she was one of Qin Chaocang¡¯s granddaughters, named Qin Lie. Although she had a fair and delicate appearance, she was usually quiet, hence she was less well-known among the second-generation elites of the Dragon Clan. ¡°Grandfather said to accompany the two of you,¡± Qin Lie said calmly, ¡°there are subordinates of my grandfather in the army, seeing me will make them understand it¡¯s grandfather¡¯s will.¡± Long Long and Long Hu quickly understood, realizing that Qin Chaocang was worried that just an Azure Scale command might not be enough to control the unruly Cultivators of the Dragon Clan at the front lines, which is why he specifically sent Qin Lie to support them. In fact, for large Demon Races like the Azure Dragon and Vermilion Bird, it is common to have both compulsory and volunteer military enrollment systems, where every Cultivator in the clan must serve on the battlefield for a certain period, but after their service, they can choose to retire to the clan to rest or continue serving on the battlefield. Due to the fierce nature of the inhabitants of the Eastern Emperor Realm and the frequent wars, all clans invest heavily in military aspects, and military service is considered a well-compensated position in the clans. Many descendants of noble bloodlines enjoy going to the battlefield to earn merits and secure rewards to sustain their cultivation. And those Cultivators who voluntarily serve long-term naturally form tight-knit military factions within the clan, becoming advocates for war and exclusionary towards outsiders. For someone like Long Long, who hasn¡¯t served long-term and is merely drafted because of the war, being directly parachuted in as the overall commander is likely to be resented and even resisted by these factions. With the granddaughter of Qin Chaocang accompanying them, it was as if Qin Chaocang himself had appeared. Even the unruly ones would have to give face to the Great Elder of the Dragon Clan. The trio quickly set off, riding clouds and traveling day and night, soon reaching the southern plains of Yuanjiang City. Encircling some hills around the plain, there were densely packed battle formations, leaving almost no space for infiltration. To the left, by the river, was the Dragon Clan¡¯s ¡°Thousand Scales Myriad Layers Formation.¡± Those who entered the formation would be entangled by fierce winds, rendering them immobile and easy to slaughter. To the right, by the hills, was the Feathered Clan¡¯s ¡°Crimson Blood Heartburning Formation.¡± Those who entered this formation would feel a fire ignite within their hearts, growing more intense until it consumed them. Long Long carefully examined, both formations were relatively simple in individual structure, but the terror lay in their density, with at least several hundred thousand laid on the ground. The Crystal Stones used to support the energy consumption of the formations were surely an astronomical number, With so many formations, even if a celestial ancestor dared to intrude, being bombarded with all the energy by the person controlling the formation behind would likely result in death or severe injury. In past wars, there was no need for such a luxurious display of tactical positioning. But earlier, during the battle between West State and North State, the White Tiger Divine General, Lv Yan, broke the defenses of North State¡¯s largest fortress with a single strike, making everyone now skittish like frightened birds, laying down billions of formations during encampment, ensuring that any Divine General breaking in would be reduced to ashes. Soon, cultivators from the Dragon Clan and Feathered Clan came out, confirmed the bloodline and identities of Long Long, Long Hu, and Qin Lie, and then led them through the great formation towards the direction of the frontline command post. The frontline command center was set up inside the hills, personally constructed by the skillful Scaled Clan to prevent the White Tiger Divine General from using decapitation tactics to completely wipe out the command center, leading to total chaos in the battles of South State. Long Long, along with Long Hu and Qin Lie, followed the winding tunnels, passing through countless checkpoints, going through various identity verification processes, and finally arrived at the command center. The interior space here was not large, yet it was quite crowded. Long Long squinted his eyes to see, five Dragon Clan cultivators and five Feathered Clan cultivators were loudly disputing around a war sand table, plus two Feathered Clan cultivators who seemed to be running errands¨Cone was making tea in a corner, and the other was daydreaming at the door. The one daydreaming happened to be Jin Yan, a cultivator from the Vermilion Bird Clan. In the past, this birdman, as a guard of Lord Feng Yan, had once clashed with Long Long, resulting in a terrible defeat and still refusing to admit his loss, he had given a feather to Long Long as a token of revenge, promising to take it back after winning against him. Upon seeing Long Long and the others approaching, Jin Yan immediately exclaimed loudly: ¡°How is it you?¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t it be me?¡± Long Long retorted. Their exchange suddenly interrupted the noisy disputes inside the room. ¡°Jin Yan, what¡¯s the yelling about!¡± one of the Feathered Clan elders shouted. Jin Yan hurriedly explained: ¡°Elder Zhu Ping, these are newly arrived cultivators from the Dragon Clan. I was just asking about their purpose here.¡± The Feathered Clan elder, who seemed to be the leader among the Feathered Clan cultivators present, then turned toward Long Long and the others. His gaze merely swept over them, then he realized Long Long was the leader among the trio. His eyebrows furrowed, his expression turned cold, and he commanded authoritatively: Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°This is a military zone. What is your purpose here?¡± ¡°By the order of Elder Qin and Lord Feng Yan, we are here to take over the command authority of the frontline from you all,¡± Long Long replied indifferently. Behind him, Long Hu and Qin Lie promptly displayed the Green Scale Order and Red Feather Arrow to the crowd for inspection. The room immediately fell into an eerie silence, the atmosphere turning bizarrely weird. wuxiaworld.site .co Chapter 803 - Chapter 803: Chapter 40 I Personally Command the Frontline Battle Chapter 803: Chapter 40 I Personally Command the Frontline Battle If it weren¡¯t for the Azure Dragon Command and the Vermilion Bird Arrow, everyone would have just laughed it off and kicked these three out for a good beating. Seeing that they belong to the Dragon Clan, the Feathered Clan, no matter how much they complain internally, must give face to their allies and not execute them on the spot. However, the other side not only produced the command seals of both clans immediately, but damn it, they were actually real! Three small demons of the Transformation Realm got hold of the command seals of the two clans. Such an outrageous event actually happened. If one refuses to obey orders, it would be considered a violation of clan rules, which is not a trivial matter. But if one complies and lets others dispatch orders, wouldn¡¯t that be a loss of face if the word spread? In the battlefront, by simply retorting with ¡°You¡¯ve been a dog under a little demon of Transformation Realm,¡± the morale would totally fall to a lower position. Thus, the feelings of everyone present were very complex. On one hand, they really didn¡¯t want to follow the orders; on the other hand, they didn¡¯t want to be the first to protest and preferred to let others take the lead while they cheered from behind. Everyone¡¯s attention quickly focused on Elder Kong Ping. Kong Ping, from the surname, it¡¯s clear he¡¯s from the Peacock Clan. Due to a certain powerful ancestor¡¯s fame, the descendants followed suit, each one with an incredibly arrogant character, wishing to raise their chins parallel to the ground and look down on others through their nostrils. Elder Kong Ping was relatively normal, at least he didn¡¯t face others with his nostrils, but his haughty air was unmistakable. As expected, he coldly said: ¡°Vermilion Bird Arrow? Where did you steal that from?¡± ¡°You can ask Lady Feng Yan,¡± Long Long replied. ¡°If this is some kind of entertainment arranged by our ally, then we must politely decline to entertain it,¡± said Kong Ping, casting a glance towards the Dragon Clan elders at the scene, then harshly dropped a comment and left with strides. The other Feathered Clan elders exchanged glances and then followed suit. Long Long¡¯s expression remained unchanged; he just exchanged a glance with Qin Lie. Consequently, Qin Lie stepped forward and said: ¡°Handing authority to Long Long is the decision of my grandfather and Lady Feng Yan.¡± ¡°You have been operating independently on the frontline for too long already. The situation has not improved at all. Grandfather has lost confidence in you, so he sent Long Long, Long Hu, and me here.¡± This young lady spoke too bluntly, causing the Dragon Clan Cultivators to grimace, yet they couldn¡¯t object¨CFeathered Clan¡¯s remnants were still desperately maintaining defensive formations in Yuanjiang City! At this time, any excuse sounded unconvincing. Instead of openly defying clan regulations, it¡¯s better to wait for Long Long to take over the military command and clash head-on with the White Tiger Divine General. That way, even if the remnants at Yuanjiang City are not saved, someone else will take the blame for us. With this rationale, everyone finally found a reason to convince themselves to follow this young leader¡¯s commands, so the leading Dragon Clan elder came forward and said: ¡°Since the Great Elder has given the order, henceforth Long Long will take command. Everyone clear on that?¡± ¡°Understood!¡± The crowd responded half-heartedly. Long Long looked at the elder; after searching his memory for a moment, he recognized that this was Elder Qin Sitong from the military faction. Qin Sitong, within the Dragon Clan, belongs to the solid faction of the Great Elder Qin Chaocang. It¡¯s said that back when the Great Elder was serving, this elder was already his subordinate, which, in some respects, made him a bit of an insider. Since this person had spoken, it was virtually set in stone, and Long Long no longer had to worry about the Dragon Clan going against the grain. As for the Feathered Clan, an opportunity still needed to be found to handle them. Thinking this, Long Long began issuing orders: ¡°Let¡¯s go over the current battlefield situation once more.¡± Qin Sitong did not get annoyed, but instead began to explain gently. Currently, the alliance between the Dragon Clan and Feathered Clan is in the south, Yuanjiang City is in the north, and the alliance of Qilin and White Tiger surrounds Yuanjiang City from the north, east, and south. Among them, the southern forces are the strongest, followed by the east, and then the north. The west side is covered by the river and the Water Domain, therefore only the Mao Clan¡¯s cultivators patrol there regularly, without any permanent stationing. If we disregard the high-rank combat power, the military strength of both sides is essentially equal. Including the high-rank powers, this side might still have a slight advantage. Azure Dragon and Vermilion Bird each have an old ancestor-level combatant stationed, while the opposing side has only one, the White Tiger Divine General. The only problem is that both old ancestors are purely from the Martial Faction, unable to assist in anything but combat, whereas the opposing White Tiger Divine General is well-versed in military strategies and tactics, frequently disrupting our arrangements with various ingenious tactics, which has currently given the Qilin alliance the upper hand. Upon hearing this, Long Long already had a rough idea in mind. It¡¯s like two robust men fighting each other, where one of them, despite being stronger, is unskilled in fighting techniques and therefore gets outmaneuvered by the skilled opponent. Fortunately, no matter how formidable the White Tiger Divine General is, he does not have the ability to breach the defensive formations, so the situation on the field can still continue in a deadlock¡­ If it continues this way, the remnants in the city might not be able to hold out. ¡°What¡¯s the situation inside the city?¡± Long Long asked. ¡°It¡¯s hard to say,¡± answered Qin Sitong, ¡°The messages from Flying Sword Messaging coming from within the city are usually intercepted midway. Only from the west side of the city do the occasional messages slip through the encirclement and reach our hands.¡± ¡°Can you confirm if they are authentic?¡± Long Long asked. Qin Sitong was momentarily startled, unsure how to respond. What does ¡°authentic¡± mean? Could it be that he¡¯s worried that the messages might be forgeries by the White Tiger Divine General? ¡°Since you mentioned the messages from within the city are often intercepted midway, then why does the west side have loopholes?¡± Long Long coldly remarked, ¡°Starting today, treat all suspect messages from within the city as if we have not received them!¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Qin Sitong quickly agreed. ¡°Take me to the left wing of the front line,¡± Long Long said. A group of people then left the command camp, passing through the continuous defensive formations, and stepped into the waters of the river to the west. Belonging to the Dragon Clan, mastering the Water Escape technique was naturally a must, thus they quickly approached the front line. ¡°If we go further forward, we¡¯re likely to be noticed by the airborne Mao Clan cultivators,¡± Qin Sitong pointed ahead and said, ¡°This place is twenty-four li from the west side of Yuanjiang City.¡± ¡°Since the Mao Clan cultivators patrol over the river, have you sent out cultivators to intercept?¡± Long Long asked. Qin Sitong was at a loss for words. Earlier on, cultivators had indeed been dispatched to intercept, but later on, as messages from the city ceased except for occasional ones from the west delivered under the cover of the river using Flying Sword Messaging. This side, consisting of the Dragon Clan and Feathered Clan, worried that intensifying battles on the western side would attract more alliance troops to the river battlefield, thus potentially exposing this information channel, decided not to continue the intercepts. By now, Long Long had started doubting the authenticity of the Flying Sword Messaging, and Qin Sitong, aware of what should be done, could only nod and say: Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°I¡¯ll make arrangements right away.¡± ¡°How many people do you plan to deploy?¡± Long Long asked. ¡°Uh, twenty people?¡± Qin Sitong cautiously inquired. ¡°Too few,¡± Long Long shook his head, ¡°It should be at least two hundred people.¡± wuxiaworld.site .co Chapter 804 - Chapter 804: Chapter 41 Being Lectured Chapter 804: Chapter 41 Being Lectured Two hundred people¡­ Qin Sitong was suddenly stunned. At present, with the Dragon Clan and the Feathered Clan on one side, there were only about a thousand Cultivators in total. On the opposing side, the Qilin and White Tiger alliance armies surrounding Yuanjiang City were estimated to have roughly twelve hundred Cultivators, but they had to split their attention to block the forces inside Yuanjiang City, thus overall, the two sides were evenly matched. If they followed Long Long¡¯s suggestion to directly pull out one-fifth of the Cultivators to ambush the enemy patrol troops on the western Water Domain¡­ that wasn¡¯t an ambush, that was clearly a forceful attack! Moreover, if it were only twenty or so people, Qin Sitong could easily reassign them from somewhere else. However, Long Long wanted two hundred people, which wasn¡¯t something that could be reassigned lightly, as it would inevitably affect the density of the frontline defense. Seeing Qin Sitong deep in thought, Long Long asked: ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Qin Sitong tactfully said: ¡°Long Long, what you do not know is that these two hundred people¡­ are not so easy to reassign.¡± Long Long naturally guessed the reason, thinking it was because the Feathered Clan was unwilling to cooperate, and if the Dragon Clan provided these two hundred people, it would affect the front line defense. Therefore, he said: ¡°There¡¯s no rush for this matter. Let¡¯s go back first, and I¡¯ll take a look at the distribution of forces on the front line.¡± The group again left the surface of the river and returned to the underground command center. Qin Sitong¡¯s expression unchanged, he explained the distribution of forces to Long Long using the command sand table. The other Dragon Clan generals, although silent, continued to communicate through concealed incantations, opening channels to discuss: ¡°What¡¯s with this one? He doesn¡¯t even understand the distribution of forces and just asks to reassign two hundred people right off the bat?¡± ¡°What can be done? The man has the Great Elder behind him!¡± ¡°Since it¡¯s the Great Elder¡¯s will, even if Fourth Master is asked to go to the battlefield himself, he probably would not object.¡± After patiently listening, Long Long understood that the Dragon Clan was deployed on the left wing, and the Feathered Clan on the right, each with completely independent command systems, just like fingers unable to make a fist, no wonder they couldn¡¯t beat the White Tiger Divine General on the opposite side. Qin Sitong explained the situation in one breath, and the discussions among the other Dragon Clan generals ceased. Everyone wanted to see how Long Long would react and what command he would give. Long Long pondered for a long time, and just when everyone was getting a bit impatient, he slowly asked: ¡°How does this sand table Magical Treasure function?¡± All the Dragon Clan generals were dumbfounded, thinking Qin Sitong had explained so much to you and you didn¡¯t listen to any of it, focusing all your attention on ¡°What is this sand table Magical Treasure¡±, right? Qin Sitong was speechless but still elaborated: ¡°Each of our Dragon Clan Cultivators in service carries a chess piece Magic Artifact for messaging.¡± ¡°This sand table Magical Treasure, named ¡®Strategic Chessboard¡¯, can then display the actual distribution and formation of forces based on the specific locations of all the chess piece Magic Artifacts.¡± ¡°If a Cultivator falls on the battlefield, we can also promptly be informed and confirm it through this chessboard Magical Treasure.¡± ¡°I see,¡± said Long Long, nodding, ¡°So the terrain on this sand table is also a real-time representation scanned by the Magical Treasure from the actual battlefield, correct?¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s not the case.¡± ¡°How is that so?¡± ¡°It¡¯s based on the scouts¡¯ memories of surveilling the surrounding terrain, manually drawn onto the Chessboard Magic Artifact¡­¡± Long Long was momentarily at a loss for words, thinking to himself that he had expected this Magic Artifact to be a simplified version of Ah Jing¡¯s, yet it was not even on par with a simplified version. ¡°Given the circumstances, then let me rearrange the forces.¡± Saying this, Long Long picked up the chess pieces symbolizing the troops on the sand table and pushed them straight forward. ¡°Wait!¡± Qin Sitong hurriedly intervened. ¡°Hmm?¡± Long Long asked, but his hands kept moving nonetheless. ¡°If you directly adjust the troop distribution on the Magic Artifact, the cultivators outside will sense it,¡± Qin Sitong explained helplessly, ¡°They will adjust their actual formations based on the new arrangement here.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that perfect!¡± Long Long laughed, ¡°With this treasure in hand, strategizing is just like playing a game of chess.¡± He continued to adjust the troops, quickly moving all the available forces to the front, and then dispatched two hundred men towards the western Water Domain. The other Dragon Clan generals couldn¡¯t sit still either. It seemed like Long Long was merely moving pieces on the Chessboard Magic Artifact, but each change in placement meant that a cultivator had to leave their originally stationed position. Long Long¡¯s bold actions almost completely disrupted the prior arrangement. Such large-scale troop movement was bound to cause confusion amongst the cultivators below, and without the cooperation of corresponding generals, chaos would ensue. Thus, the others could only curse to themselves, ¡°This fool treats military matters as child¡¯s play,¡± while they quickly left the command room to pacify their subordinates. Qin Sitong stood by the side, wanting yet hesitating to speak. He wanted to persuade Long Long not to act rashly, or at least to understand the situation a bit more before doing so. But upon closer inspection of Long Long¡¯s placements, though more aggressive than the original troop deployments, they didn¡¯t seem inappropriately so¨Cif the front line were to push forward a few hundred more zhang, they would enter the long-range attack radius of the Qilin and White Tiger allied forces, making the risk unacceptable. Eh? Looking more closely, Qin Sitong noticed that due to the combined front lines of the Dragon and Feathered Clans, they were encircling the southern forces of the Qilin and White Tiger alliance. Long Long¡¯s comprehensive forward push was tightening the encirclement, which meant that not as many cultivators were needed as before. Therefore, the cultivators that could be drawn out¡­ amounted to about two hundred people. Realizing this, Qin Sitong felt an urge to cry tears of relief. He finally remembered: previously, beneath the riverbed, Long Long said he wanted to move two hundred men to cleanse the surface of the river, and he had responded that these two hundred people weren¡¯t so easy to move around, so Long Long came back to operate the Chessboard himself. It wasn¡¯t to play the game of commanding troops; he was personally demonstrating ¡°how to move these two hundred men.¡± Damn it! As an old general, could I not understand such matters of troop movements? Qin Sitong looked at the Chessboard again, wondering why he hadn¡¯t thought of reducing the troops needed for the forward-moving front line. Why did we station our troops at the original position at the beginning? Oh, I remember now. It was the Feathered Clan who first stationed there, and then our Dragon Clan, in order to ensure a pincer position with the Feathered Clan, set up our defenses on their left flank. The original position, though not the most advantageous terrain-wise, allowed for the best coordination with the Feathered Clan. Now, Long Long¡¯s commands, although saving more troops, caused a gap in the line with the Feathered Clan, with no coordination. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Long Long, is there a gap here?¡± Qin Sitong decided not to point out the problem directly to spare the young man some embarrassment, pretending to be unsure as he inquired. ¡°Indeed,¡± Long Long nodded, ¡°If the White Tiger Divine General breaks through here with troops, there is a risk of cutting off and isolating our combined Dragon and Feathered forces.¡± ¡°Hmm, so perhaps¡­¡± Qin Sitong was about to say ¡°maybe we should stick to the original positioning,¡± when he heard Long Long say: ¡°Send a message to the Feathered Clan, asking them to move their front lines forward as well, to coordinate with my troops pressing against Yuanjiang City!¡± wuxiaworld.site .co Chapter 805 - Chapter 805: Chapter 42: Didnt Expect It, Did You? Long Long Chapter 805: Chapter 42: Didn¡¯t Expect It, Did You? Long Long If one were to say that the Dragon Clan was rendered speechless, then the Feathered Clan was utterly furious. Elder Kong Ping immediately lashed out at the envoy of the Dragon Clan, icily saying: ¡°Go back and tell Qin Sitong that the Dragon Clan might entertain some young kid¡¯s play-pretend, but we of the Feathered Clan have no time for such nonsense!¡± Seeing Elder Kong indeed did not let everyone down, berating the envoy from the Dragon Clan harshly, everyone instantly felt very relieved and gratified. After finishing the scolding, they all began to murmur amongst themselves. Princess Feng Yan¡¯s skill in cursing people, was indeed much higher than that of Elder Kong. If the latter could make people blush in anger, burning with rage, then the former could make people feel such intense shame they¡¯d wish to leap into a well to end their own lives. We are openly defying her order, not giving face to Long Long, and afterwards, even if we shift all the blame onto Elder Kong, we will likely still be implicated. Thinking this, everyone began to feel somewhat guilty, and thus someone looked at the command sand table, trying to divert their unease, and curiously asked: ¡°Eh? What madness has possessed Qin Sitong to actually listen to that young man¡¯s orders and move the battle line fully forward? Isn¡¯t he afraid that the White Tiger Divine General will make a tactical adjustment and utilize the gaps during their formation change to crush our troops?¡± ¡°Who knows,¡± a Feathered Clan cultivator sneered, ¡°If they, the Dragon Clan, seek their own demise, can we even stop them?¡± Everyone began mocking in loud whispers, and with the inherently high-pitched and distinguishable voices of the Feathered Clan, the command room was filled with scornful laughter. ¡°If the White Tiger Divine General thus defeats the Dragon Clan, wouldn¡¯t we be the next target?¡± Suddenly, someone blurted out a disheartening remark. The atmosphere quickly stiffened again. Everyone was enjoying their sarcastic banter when this comment abruptly cut them off, leaving them in an awkward silence, as everyone¡¯s eyes darted around in search of the killjoy. ¡°What does it matter?¡± Elder Kong waved his hand dismissively, ¡°If the Dragon Clan reveals such a flaw and gets defeated, it proves that they are unworthy of being allies with our Feathered Clan. If it¡¯s not this time, there will be a next time, and a time after that, it¡¯s inevitable.¡± ¡°Exactly, exactly,¡± everyone nodded in agreement. ¡°In any case, let us stick to our own plans,¡± continued Elder Kong, ¡°Everyone hold your positions and do not give the enemy any opportunity.¡± After a while, a messenger arrived to report that the Dragon Clan¡¯s battle line had indeed moved forward as expected. Although the Feathered Clan did not possess magical treasures like the Chessboard of Command, they excelled in flying and spellcasting for communication, so their command system was not far behind. Very quickly, everyone noticed, just as previously stated by the Dragon Clan, a conspicuous disconnection and gap appearing between the formations of the two sides. ¡°Ignore it!¡± Elder Kong exclaimed with a sweep of his hand, ¡°That is an issue caused by the Dragon Clan¡¯s unilateral movement of their battle line, it has nothing to do with us.¡± ¡°But it seems like some troops from the opposite side are moving towards this gap,¡± the messenger quickly added, ¡°about three hundred¡­no, four hundred!¡± Elder Kong furrowed his brow, sensing that things weren¡¯t as simple as they appeared, and the surrounding Feathered Clan generals began murmuring amongst themselves: ¡°So many cultivators, they must be planning to split and annihilate us by thrusting through the gap, right?¡± ¡°Split and annihilate?¡± Elder Kong scoffed, ¡°With just that small number of theirs, can they even achieve it?¡± ¡°What if the White Tiger Divine General calls troops from the eastern position in Yuanjiang City?¡± another worried Feathered Clan general spoke up, ¡°First cutting off our connection with the Dragon Clan, then encircling and besieging us, and bringing even more troops to annihilate us afterwards¡­¡± Hearing this, everyone was no fool and quickly grasped the hidden dangers of the situation. Elder Kong Ping was aware of his error, but the inherent stubbornness of the Feathered Clan still prevailed, as he argued: ¡°If that is the case, the Dragon Clan would not have failed to consider this point. Yet, why did they still risk the disarray of their formation to push the frontline forward?¡± ¡°They can use the waterways, they won¡¯t be trapped¡­¡± Someone muttered, and Elder Kong Ping was struck as if by Thunderbane, realizing the truth. If their connection with the Dragon Clan was severed by the enemy, the Dragon Clan could still escape via waterways, but what about the Feathered Clan? Although the Feathered Clan can fly, the flat terrain nearby leaves almost everything visible from the ground, likely causing them to pay a heavy price. ¡°Quick!¡± he roared abruptly, ¡°Align our front with the Dragon Clan!¡± This command might seem like afterthought, but the Feathered Clan Cultivators present knew the stakes, and hurriedly carried out the order with utmost urgency. Despite the delayed command, the high mobility of the Feathered Clan compensated for this as Cultivators merely flapped their wings, dove, and then descended into new positions to form the defense. As the Qilin-White Tiger coalition army had just crossed half the distance, the Feathered Clan¡¯s defense formation was swiftly reestablished, seamlessly reconnecting with the Dragon Clan¡¯s formation. In Yuanjiang City¡¯s siege camp, Lv Yan sat on one side of the chessboard, holding a white piece, nodded after hearing the messenger¡¯s report: ¡°It¡¯s too late to catch up, which is normal. Often, the flaws exposed by the adversary are fleeting; you must discern which flaws you can exploit, and invest all efforts, and which ones are unattainable, only worth a few tentative probes.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll remember that, Master,¡± Qi Yingzhu, sitting across the chessboard, replied earnestly with a nod. ¡°Right, the vanguards can be recalled now.¡± Lv Yan placed his chess piece down, ¡°Also, have the third team from the waterway return to the main formation, the fourth team switch from ambush to defense.¡± ¡°Earlier, Master, didn¡¯t you purposely reduce the guards on the waterway to lure the enemy into the trap?¡± Qi Yingzhu suddenly asked curiously, ¡°Why abandon that plan now?¡± ¡°Look at the current situation,¡± Lv Yan responded without giving a direct answer. Qi Yingzhu observed attentively and seemed to have an epiphany. The defense lines of the Dragon Clan and Feathered Clan were previously distanced from the Qilin-White Tiger¡¯s siege positions, allowing this side to react feasibly to any military actions by the enemy. If the enemy took the land route for a swift attack, they would be fiercely counterattacked; if they opted for an underwater sneak attack, upon entering the trap, an ambush would be launched. But the enemy did not take either route and instead chose to move their stand-off position forward. The distance the position was moved forward was also perfectly judged, coming to the point where a clash was imminent, yet just short of a distance where they could strike at each other. Seeing this, a full-scale attack seemed inevitable, so the plan to lure the enemy into a waterway sneak attack was naturally paused, shifting to overt defense¨Cto achieve the effect of encirclement, more troops are required for an ambush than for open defense. Redeploying some troops would also bolster the frontal defenses. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only The next second, another messenger reported: The Dragon Clan deployed two hundred Cultivators to attack the right flank of the allied forces directly via the waterway! As expected! Qi Yingzhu sneered coldly, the enemy did not resort to a sneak attack but chose an overt assault. Did you expect that, Long Long? Your every move is within our expectations, Master and I! Chapter 806 - Chapter 806: Chapter 43 If My Guess Is Not Wrong Chapter 806: Chapter 43 If My Guess Is Not Wrong The two hundred members of the Long Long Sect who had set out quickly encountered an enemy on the surface of the river. In river and water domains, the Dragon Clan should have an advantage. However, they encountered a subgroup from the White Tiger Squad, directly under Lv Yan¡¯s command. Each of them had extremely rich experience in magical competition, so the battle situation surprisingly became deadlocked on the spot, with neither side able to overcome the other. There was no need for a messenger to send news; Long Long, through Ah Jing¡¯s scanning, had already seen the live scene from afar. With his vision, he could naturally see that although most of those White Tiger Cultivators were in the Transformation Realm, their fighting power and morale were very strong. There even seemed to be coordination amidst the magical competition, clearly indicating they were well-trained battle-hardened troops, causing the two hundred-member teams of the Dragon Clan to be unable to break through at the moment. Long Long flashed a slight smile, quickly continuing to move his chess pieces, commanding a few nearby teams to go over and encircle the White Tiger Cultivators on the river. ¡°Long Long,¡± Long Hu curiously asked, ¡°Why are you still transferring troops to the left flank water domain? Is it because two hundred people can¡¯t achieve a decisive ambush?¡± Of course, Long Long could not tell her about the scanning, so he mysteriously smiled and said: ¡°If my predictions are not wrong, the opponent will certainly deploy elite troops over there. It is nearly impossible for two hundred people to achieve a successful ambush without backup.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, a messenger immediately came to report: ¡°The attack on the left flank water domain is blocked, the battle line is stuck, requesting support!¡± This revealed a look of surprise on the ordinarily composed face of Qin Sitong. ¡°Long Long is so impressive!¡± Long Hu clapped her hands and laughed, ¡°But how did you predict this?¡± Although Qin Sitong and Qin Lie did not speak, their ears perked up clearly as well, wanting to know the basis of Long Long¡¯s judgment. ¡°It¡¯s not difficult at all,¡± thought Long Long, who already knew the answer, and had to find corresponding supportive evidence, ¡°Given the water domain environment suitable for the Dragon Clan, how could the White Tiger Divine General possibly be unprepared? If two hundred people could take them down, that would actually surprise me.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Qin Sitong nodded in understanding, then quickly left the command room to send a Flying Sword Messaging, notifying the generals to cooperate with Long Long¡¯s command. The Dragon Clan generals outside, just after stabilizing the new frontline and having redeployed the defense formation, their carried chess piece magic artifacts suddenly began to resonate, indicating they were ordered from above to head west for support, creating a moment of shared glances. Qin Sitong¡¯s Flying Sword Messaging arrived shortly thereafter, and after reading the contents, the last bit of doubt in the generals¡¯ hearts was dispelled, and they rapidly moved west following Long Long¡¯s command. With a large number of reinforcements joining in, the scales of war in the water domain finally began to tilt, the White Tiger Cultivators unable to hold on, fighting while retreating, beginning a slow retreat. The news reached the battlefront of the Qilin White Tiger allied forces. Since Lv Yan did not have any real-time scanning divine artifacts like the Kunlun Mirror, he received the news a bit late. ¡°Master,¡± Qi Yingzhu spoke seriously, ¡°From this situation, the breakthrough point for the Dragon Clan is set on the western waterway of Yuanjiang City, right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not yet certain,¡± Lv Yan replied without hesitation, ¡°But if they attack by land, it¡¯s like fighting with a short weapon against a long one. The Horned Clan Cultivators have too much advantage. One can only say that the waterway is a relatively safe choice for the Dragon Clan.¡± ¡°But the Dragon Clan knows that we are aware of this, so it might not be completely safe,¡± Qi Yingzhu agreed. ¡°Exactly,¡± concluded Lv Yan, ¡°This is all about scheming and counter-scheming. Any strategy on the battlefield must be based on the psychological gameplay between the two sides.¡± ¡°So master, how should we respond?¡± Yingzhu asked, curious. ¡°Since the opponent chose to attack our right flank, we need to respond appropriately,¡± Lv Yan said, smiling as he placed a chess piece. Soon, within the confronting battle lines, several Demon Kings from the Dong Yuan Realm, both from the Horned Clan and Mao Clan, quietly left, using the Hundred-Miles Divine Walk or wind-riding techniques, rushing towards the western rivers. Although their actions were secretive, how could they escape the detection of Long Long, who was scanning from behind the battlefield? Therefore, Long Long immediately said: ¡°Reinforcing our left wing will increase our advantage on the battlefield, and the White Tiger Divine General will surely come to the rescue. Given that the water domain environment is disadvantageous for both the Horned Clan and the Mao Clan, the number of cultivators sent will not be many, but their ranks will undoubtedly be high.¡± ¡°Are you suggesting that the White Tiger Divine General will deploy cultivators of the Dong Yuan Realm?¡± Qin Sitong speculated. The so-called Dong Yuan Realm is equivalent to the Human Race¡¯s Nascent Soul Realm. Naturally, there are considerably fewer cultivators at this level than in the Transformation (Golden Core) Realm, but each one of them is a cornerstone of the frontlines, capable of withstanding the combined assault of hundreds of Transformation Realm cultivators. If Dong Yuan Realm cultivators are diverted to the west, then a certain area¡¯s defense on the frontline will definitely weaken. It¡¯s a pity that the two armies have not yet engaged in direct combat, so it is impossible to make judgments based on changes in the war situation¡­ As Qin Sitong was pondering this, he saw Long Long suddenly point at a spot on the sand table and say with a cold laugh: ¡°If my predictions are correct, the enemy will certainly move troops from here.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± Long Hu asked, playing along. ¡°It¡¯s quite simple.¡± Long Long laughed heartily, ¡°Right in front, there¡¯s a hill that faces the junction between our Dragon Clan and the Feathered Clan. To attack this place, both clans must dispatch troops, striking from both sides of the hill to achieve maximum effect.¡± ¡°The White Tiger Divine General has previously noticed that our battle lines with the Feathered Clan have some disconnections, thus guessing that the cooperation between us is not tight, and that¡¯s why he chose to divert forces from here.¡± ¡°What a cunning White Tiger Divine General!¡± Qin Sitong exclaimed, ¡°In that case, shall we take this opportunity to attack here?¡± ¡°Heh.¡± Long Long sneered, ¡°Elder Qin, I would trouble you to personally negotiate with the Feathered Clan, each side dispatching ten Dong Yuan Realm cultivators, as well as some Transformation Realm cultivators, to jointly launch a pincer attack on this location!¡± He pointed his hand at the sand table, precisely at the line beyond that hill. Qin Sitong did not dare to delay, and immediately hurried to the right wing where the Feathered Clan was, delivering a note requesting entry. In the command center of the Feathered Clan, the commanders had just been busy advancing the front line, coordinating with the rhythm of the Dragon Clan; only after they had just about managed to handle various matters did they finally take a breather. That was when they learned of the visit from Dragon Clan Elder Qin Sitong, which instantly ruffled their feathers. ¡°Let him in!¡± Elder Kong Ping said angrily, ¡°I want to have a good talk with him about what he means to do next!¡± In the eyes of the Feathered Clan¡¯s commanders, Qin Sitong must have come due to orders from Great Elder Qin Chaocang, compelled to adhere to Long Long¡¯s unreasonable commands, and now he was visiting to apologize to the ally. However, Qin Sitong entered and, without a word, quickly pointed to the sand table and said: ¡°Kong Ping, immediately lead an attack here, my Dragon Clan will dispatch ten Dong Yuan Realm cultivators! How about your side provides the other half of the troops?¡± ¡°Ten Dong Yuan Realm cultivators? Have you lost your mind!¡± Kong Ping immediately frowned and exclaimed, ¡°Where am I supposed to find you ten Dong Yuan Realm cultivators!¡± ¡°The enemy¡¯s Dong Yuan Realm cultivators here have already been transferred to the water domain!¡± Qin Sitong spoke urgently, pushing on, ¡°If we join forces to take this place, we can break through the front lines of the Qilin-White Tiger allied forces!¡± Upon hearing there was a breach in the defensive line, Kong Ping immediately asked: Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Are you certain of this?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Although Qin Sitong wasn¡¯t really sure, he pretended to be fully confident and repeated, ¡°We¡¯ll send out ten Dong Yuan Realm cultivators!¡± Since the ally had made such a significant commitment, it must not be a jest, and Kong Ping¡¯s doubts dissipated as he said: ¡°Fine! As the Dragon Clan leads the charge, we Feathered Clan as allies will naturally coordinate.¡± ¡°I will take command of this assault personally!¡± Chapter 807 - Chapter 807: Chapter 44: Advancing by Retreating Chapter 807: Chapter 44: Advancing by Retreating Elder Kong Ping personally led the team, immediately relieving Qin Sitong. Although this Birdman wasn¡¯t the brightest, his strength was top-notch, which was why he was appointed by Feng Yan as the supreme commander of the frontline. It just goes to show that in the Eastern Emperor Realm, where individual strength is highly valued, one can hold a significant position even without brains, which is quite an absurd reality. Both sides quickly agreed and transferred ten Dong Yuan Realm cultivators each, along with nearly two hundred Transformation Realm cultivators, to attack the gap pointed out by Long Long. Although several Transformation Realm cultivators were dispatched, the defense line seemed unchanged to the naked eye, but as soon as the combined forces of the Dragon and Feathered Clans attacked, it immediately showed signs of collapse. Lacking in numbers of high rank cultivators and outnumbered, the outcome was evident. A call for help quickly reached the rear. After the Messenger Officer rapidly relayed the information, Lv Yan sighed and stood up. Qi Yingzhu immediately put away the chess board and pieces, asking: ¡°Master, should we dispatch reinforcements to rescue them?¡± ¡°It¡¯s too late now,¡± Lv Yan responded, ¡°Twenty Dong Yuan Realm cultivators must have already taken over that defense point by now.¡± ¡°But coming in easily doesn¡¯t mean they can leave just as easily,¡± he muttered, then took Qi Yingzhu with him out of the chess room to the command center to issue a series of orders. Watching her master issue commands methodically, Qi Yingzhu thought to herself that he truly lived up to being her master, turning even a setback into a calculation against the enemy¡­ As Lv Yan shifted his focus to the warfare, the defense point previously managed by Qin Sitong and Kong Ping was quickly overwhelmed by a fierce attack from the northern Horned and Mao Clans, like a tidal wave. Kong Ping cast out his Five-colored Divine Light only to see the White Tiger Cultivators collectively shout loudly, with their sound waves rushing towards and barely holding off the Five-colored Divine Light. ¡°Damn it!¡± Despite Kong Ping¡¯s usually high pride, he couldn¡¯t help but laugh angrily at the scene. If those White Tiger Cultivators were to come out for one-on-one battles, none would be his match, hence the White Tiger Divine General cunningly assigned a large group of cultivators to do nothing but counter Kong Ping alone. Whenever Kong Ping deployed the Five-colored Divine Light, they collectively countered it with the divine skill ¡°Tiger Roar Skill¡± of the White Tiger Clan. The Five-colored Divine Light, although restraining all that does not belong to the Five Elements, could not contend with sound waves, which were completely outside the Five Elements, leaving Kong Ping incapable of countering. ¡°We can¡¯t keep this up,¡± said Qin Sitong quickly, analyzing, ¡°The enemy¡¯s numbers are too great, and they¡¯re desperate to capture this point. The pressure on our defense is too huge.¡± The words ¡°I fear we can¡¯t hold it¡± were left unsaid by Qin Sitong, but Kong Ping vaguely felt him beating a retreat and quickly responded: ¡°What, Old Dragon, are you scared?¡± Qin Sitong was speechless. How to clarify this to a Birdman like you? Is this a matter of fear? If all our forces perish here, will you be the one to take the blame? ¡°Why not ask that youngster from your clan?¡± Kong Ping continued mockingly, ¡°If he agrees to retreat, then we can all retreat together, right?¡± In Kong Ping¡¯s view, the young people being too proud, most likely wouldn¡¯t agree to retreat. But Qin Sitong saw that Long Long¡¯s character was not arrogant or disrespectful; his earlier dominance was just to quickly establish authority among them. Compared with a Birdman like Kong Ping, that show of power was nothing¡­ so he immediately sent someone to inform Long Long. The reply from Long Long, conveyed back by the Messenger Officer, arrived quickly: ¡°Elder Qin Sitong, I ordered you to retreat swiftly, why didn¡¯t you comply?¡± Qin Sitong was stunned for a long while before realizing that the chess piece Magic Artifact at his waist had been vibrating and buzzing for quite some time. Ah, this chess piece Magic Artifact is used for receiving commands! Being a Dragon Clan commander, I¡¯m used to directing others most of the time, and truly forgot to pay attention to this Magic Artifact. Moreover, given the intensity of the battle, it¡¯s quite normal not to notice the odd behavior of the chess piece. Though he thought this nonchalantly, he definitely couldn¡¯t use this explanation with Long Long, or it would be suicidal. Qin Sitong skillfully deployed the leadership blame-shifting tactic and asked the deputy commander from Dong Yuan Realm: ¡°The commander had previously issued orders, why did you not notice them?¡± The deputy commanders were also at a loss for words; they had actually noticed the situation with the Magic Artifact, but since Qin Sitong did not speak up, how dared the deputies remind him? Perhaps, my lord, you noticed it earlier but pretended not to receive Long Long¡¯s message, just to avoid executing military orders. Then how could we purposely expose your feigned ignorance and still get along in the military? ¡°The battle was fierce just now, maybe it was not noticed, my fault, my fault,¡± the deputy commanders could only assertively argue. Qin Sitong was very satisfied with this explanation, just about to instruct the Messenger Officer to reply accordingly, when suddenly Kong Ping chillingly said: ¡°So many of you, and all just happened to not notice that Magic Artifact sending messages? What a coincidence!¡± This darn man, always pointing out the inconvenient truths! Qin Sitong cursed inwardly, but seriously responded: ¡°Exactly, because we have so many people, yet not a single one noticed the Magic Artifact sending messages, it precisely illustrates the intense degree of the battle, as heavy as a mountain of pressure indeed!¡± Kong Ping scoffed and continued to proceed towards the front line. Suppressing his irritation, Qin Sitong instructed the Messenger Officer to quickly go back and apologize to Long Long on behalf of everyone, then he took out the chess piece Magic Artifact and looked at it. The order transmitted through the chess piece Magic Artifact was to have the Dragon Clan members withdraw from this defensive position to the southern hillside, and then mount a fierce attack on the defense point. Qin Sitong: ??? What does that mean? We¡¯ve already occupied this position, then we have to abandon it and retreat, only to attack and recapture it again? Although he was initially confused, Qin Sitong, being an experienced old general, after a moment of contemplation, quickly understood. This defensive position¡¯s terrain, truly, is not good. Looking north towards the Qilin and White Tiger allied army¡¯s direction, it is a vast plain terrain. The terrain poses no restrictions on cultivators¡¯ movements, mainly it¡¯s a matter of visibility. The open plain terrain facilitates mutual attacks; both sides can clash fiercely even from a great distance, resulting in a high casualty rate exchange. The enemy army launching attacks from the Northern Plains might form a semi-encirclement around the position. Coupled with the Defensive Array inside the position being nearly destroyed and impossible to repair temporarily, defending this position has been very strenuous for everyone. However, if we withdraw from this position, the position¡¯s directly west, east, and south directions each have hilltops for cover. Hilltops are advantageous for containment defense; with a small force occupying the top, enemy¡¯s Daoist Magic, Flying Swords, and Magical Treasures coming at them could be countered by retreating lower in height, thus using the hilltop to block the enemy¡¯s line of sight. But it¡¯s also not conducive for attacking, because exposing themselves would lead to being attacked by a large group of enemies below, thus it can only be used to buy time. The real cleverness lies in the two passages that lie between the three hilltops. If the Dragon Clan occupies the left passage and the Feathered Clan occupies the right one, and both launch a fierce attack on the position, they can also form an encirclement around the position. In that case, the ones in trouble would be the enemies. The Defensive Array completely destroyed, and various facilities barely existing, take such a rundown position, and you guys just put all your thoughts and full effort into defending it! Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only The more Qin Sitong thought about it, the more ingenious he found it, hurriedly calling for the frontline glowing Kong Ping, and explaining this strategy to him in detail. ¡°Huh?¡± Kong Ping clearly didn¡¯t understand. Qin Sitong patiently repeated it once more, concluding: ¡°All in all, it¡¯s not that our strength is inferior to the opposition, but because this position is too dilapidated, which constrained our performance!¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± Kong Ping particularly liked this statement, and nodded, ¡°Then let¡¯s do as you say!¡± Chapter 808 - Chapter 808: Chapter 45: Distracting Attention Chapter 808: Chapter 45: Distracting Attention Upon learning that the Dragon Clan and the Feathered Clan had withdrawn from their stronghold and then launched a fierce attack on it, Lv Yan was somewhat surprised and soon couldn¡¯t help but let out a wry laugh. ¡°This tactic of retreating in order to advance is truly ingenious!¡± Qi Yingzhu also exclaimed, ¡°In this way, the roles of offense and defense have changed.¡± ¡°So what if they have?¡± Lv Yan asked calmly in response. Qi Yingzhu was stunned for a moment, then said: ¡°If they turn defense into offense like this, we will be the ones getting worn down.¡± ¡°But who is really afraid of getting worn down?¡± Lv Yan asked, appearing quite at ease. Qi Yingzhu pondered for a while before she realized with sudden insight: ¡°It¡¯s the Feathered Clan¡¯s defensive forces in Yuanjiang City!¡± ¡°Even if such a fruitless stalemate leads to us suffering slightly more losses in battle, it is still worth the trade-off.¡± Lv Yan smiled slightly and instructed her, ¡°Once the resources of Yuanjiang City are exhausted and they open the gates to surrender, the overall situation of the Two Rivers Plain will be settled.¡± ¡°Looking at their tactic, they may have won a tactical victory, but strategically it¡¯s a major failure. Yingzhu, you must never make such mistakes in the future.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Qi Yingzhu nodded, thinking to herself that if this is the case, Long Long, you¡¯ve really disappointed me. After parting ways with Lv Yan, she went to the intelligence department and asked the deputy general: ¡°Is there any word from the Dragon Clan side?¡± ¡°It is said that Long Long is still in command.¡± The deputy general said respectfully, yet he seemed barely able to conceal a chuckle. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Qi Yingzhu noticed his odd expression. ¡°Ahem.¡± The deputy general then said softly, ¡°Our spies can¡¯t infiltrate the command room, but looking at some of the orders we¡¯ve obtained, Long Long¡¯s commands are overly meticulous.¡± ¡°Take this order for example: ¡®Move the seventh squad forward fifty zhang.¡¯ The specifics even detail down to the ten zhang. Does Long Long think he¡¯s playing chess or something?¡± Upon hearing this, Qi Yingzhu also looked somewhat perplexed. In the ever-changing circumstances of the battlefield, most details usually require frontline generals to make adjustments based on the situation. If Long Long is indeed micromanaging each squad, then he is trying to replace all frontline contingency reactions with strategies devised from the back, which is a classic example of armchair generalship. Although the enemy¡¯s command is so incompetent that, from her stance, she should be pleased. Yet for some reason, she felt quite disappointed in her heart. ¡°Keep probing.¡± Qi Yingzhu said in a low voice, ¡°Report any intelligence to me and my master at any time.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± The White Tiger deputy acknowledged with a nod, but didn¡¯t take it seriously. With Long Long¡¯s cumbersome command on the other side, and with most orders being unrealistic, if he were to report it to the Divine General, the old man would surely question my sense of priority. It¡¯s better to wait for important intelligence before reporting. Let¡¯s not discuss the White Tiger side for now; as for Long Long in the command room, in just a short time, he had issued hundreds of orders, causing both Long Hu and Qin Lie to be taken aback. Although neither of them was well-versed in military strategy, they also knew that Long Long¡¯s way seemed a bit over the top¡­ Now nearly no Dragon Clan cultivators on the frontline have a moment of rest, as they are all being commanded around incessantly! Qin Lie couldn¡¯t speak out, so he quietly used Flying Sword Messaging to send a message to the Great Elder Qin Chaocang in the rear, detailing Long Long¡¯s armchair generalship, and then expressed his own confusion and doubts. As for how to deal with it, he would leave it to his grandfather to decide. Long Hu, on the other hand, couldn¡¯t help but speak up: ¡°Long Long! Who commands with such attention to detail? The soldiers at the front are not Magic Artifacts; they can¡¯t carry out orders with such precision!¡± ¡°What do you know.¡± Long Long pressed down on the fox¡¯s head with its paw, ¡°This is tactics! Tactics, understand?¡± ¡°Eh, so it¡¯s just a scheme?¡± Long Hu asked naively. Next to him, Qin Lie¡¯s expression changed slightly, thinking that it was a ruse after all? Bad, I¡¯ve been too presumptuous! The message-conveying Flying Sword had already been sent out just now, and it was impossible to recall it at the last moment. To prevent Grandpa from misunderstanding, another message-conveying Flying Sword could only be sent, with seven large characters written in the letter: ¡°Long Long says, it¡¯s a strategy.¡± ¡°So, it¡¯s a feint?¡± Long Hu was still trying to understand, ¡°By using overly meticulous handiwork to command, you make the enemy think Long Long you are nothing but a mediocre strategist only capable of tactics on paper. Then, when underestimated, you bring out the secret weapon to turn defeat into victory, right?¡± If that was the case, it seemed plausible, and Qin Lie also thought to himself. The White Tiger Divine General was long renowned for his military expertise, and coupled with Long Long¡¯s maneuver, it was very likely that he would underestimate him. Just don¡¯t know what that killer move is¡­ Several hours passed, and Long Long was still tirelessly detailing his commands with extreme attention. Looking at the front lines again, most areas had gained a slight advantage. The opposing Qilin and White Tiger allied forces didn¡¯t seem to plan on combating with equally intricate and tedious strategies; they were simply defending and stalling methodically. But such minor advantages were not enough to secure a victory, let alone alter the tide of the battlefield considerably. Thus, Long Hu finally came back to her senses: was Long Long bluffing me? She remained silent, observing coldly, and the more she watched, the more she felt ¡°he¡¯s just playing around.¡± Suddenly furious, she began grinding her teeth fiercely. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Long Long had just made a move and turned his head to ask, ¡°If you¡¯re hungry, I actually have a leftover chicken leg from lunch here¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not about the chicken leg!¡± Long Hu was so angry she twisted his ear, ¡°Where¡¯s the promised secret weapon? Where is the grand move you talked about?¡± Qin Lie turned his head away, embarrassed to watch their close interaction, while Long Long pretended to push the fox away and took the opportunity to stroke her a few times. Then calmly said: ¡°The grand move? It¡¯s quite simple.¡± What followed was something that made both Long Hu and Qin Lie stare in astonishment: he packed up the chessboard magic artifact into his storage pouch and took it with him. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Long Long said, ¡°We¡¯re moving to the rescue of Yuanjiang City¡¯s remaining troops.¡± Long Hu: ??? Qin Lie: ??? Both were confounded, but seeing Long Long¡¯s confidence, they put aside their doubts and followed along. Leaving the tunnel and coming to the river, Long Long took the lead with the Water Escape Technique. He sometimes veered east, sometimes looped back west, but the shifts were not great¨Cit was mainly a northward advance. Long Hu and Qin Lie followed behind, wondering about the strange route. After following for a while, they suddenly realized in shock: Along the way, let alone encountering enemy troops, they hadn¡¯t even run into a single ally! ¡°What¡¯s there to be surprised about?¡± Long Long said with a composed expression, ¡°Did you really think my previous command was just showing off my paper strategy?¡± Long Hu and Qin Lie were taken aback, a certain realization dawning on them: Could it be that through meticulous and tedious command, the habitual thinking of the enemy commanders stationed here had been thoroughly probed? In this way, whether it was on the offensive, for diversion, or defense, it was possible to make corresponding predictions based on the enemy¡¯s responses. With such predictions, one could move cleverly, completely bypassing the enemy¡¯s patrol defenses! Let¡¯s not discuss further how shocked the two of them were. Inside the Sea of Consciousness, the Kunlun Mirror asked the Summoning Sword curiously: ¡°Do you think his command just now was really about probing?¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°There should be an element of probing, but mainly it was to paralyze the enemy,¡± the Summoning Sword said languidly, ¡°With your scanning ability, any ambush is simply impossible to hide from his sight.¡± ¡°But even if he can see through the battlefield situation, if that White Tiger gets the message and sends a large force to block and slaughter us on this water route, we still can¡¯t get through.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why the eyes and ears of the White Tiger Divine General must be dulled,¡± the Kunlun Mirror realized, ¡°With such detailed and complex orders on our side, adjusting the military like a game of chess, the enemy surely wouldn¡¯t choose to respond one by one, or else they¡¯d be too passive.¡± ¡°Since they won¡¯t respond to each, they certainly won¡¯t report it to the White Tiger,¡± the Summoning Sword said with a cold laugh, ¡°No matter how clever a general is, if they can¡¯t get first-hand information from the battlefield, what¡¯s the difference between them and a deaf and blind person?¡± ¡°So, the key is to make the first-hand information from the battlefield overwhelmingly abundant!¡± the Kunlun Mirror finally wholeheartedly conceded, ¡°This guy, he does have some skills!¡± Chapter 809 - Chapter 809: Chapter 46 Who Goes and Who Stays Chapter 809: Chapter 46 Who Goes and Who Stays Just like that, Long Long, relying on his wisdom, courage, and scanning ability, successfully led Long Hu and Qin Lie through the water route and directly to the water gate beneath Yuanjiang City. The port of Yuanjiang City, originally used for the docking, resupplying, and taxing of merchant fleets, was now completely sealed off during wartime, with the water gate tightly shut. Thus, a problem arose: how to inform the city¡¯s garrison? Knocking on the gate was impossible; if the city¡¯s garrison didn¡¯t hear them, it might attract the enemy forces outside instead. Even if the garrison received the message and came to inquire, proving their identities posed another problem. The two instinctively turned their eyes to Long Long to see if he had any good ideas on how to enter the heavily fortified Yuanjiang City without alerting the enemy forces outside. ¡°Why are you looking at me?¡± Long Long asked in confusion. ¡°Waiting for you to come up with a plan,¡± Long Hu directly stated. ¡°Wait for me?¡± Long Long was astonished, ¡°Use your Golden Crow Divine Fire Fan!¡± Long Hu¡¯s face turned red instantly, having forgotten about this magical treasure. Last time, while underground, everyone had relied on the Golden Crow Divine Fire Fan to melt gold and stone from the riverbed, carving out a tunnel and escaping¨Chow could she have forgotten so soon? Ashamed for a moment, Long Hu attributed it to Long Long¡¯s attitude of taking charge and doing everything himself, which she claimed stifled her usually sharp mind. She activated the True Yuan in the Golden Crow Divine Fire Fan and waved it around. In the waters, countless bubbles instantly swirled up; flames poured downward, quickly melting a Great Hollow in the riverbed. Long Hu led the way with the fire, tunneling underground with the two of them, then gradually dug upward. Finally, light appeared above, and the three were instantly excited and hastily broke through the ground¡­ only to be surrounded by a large group of Feathered Clan cultivators. It wasn¡¯t Long Hu¡¯s fault. Given the powerful might of the Golden Crow Divine Fire Fan, the ruckus it created was naturally not small. Last time, they dug deep under the riverbed, so no one noticed. This time, however, they were navigating through shallow ground surfaces. The city¡¯s Feathered Clan cultivators quickly felt unceasing tremors on the ground, and faint red heat seeping through the soil¡­ It would be odd not to notice unless everyone was blind. Upon seeing the three emerge from the ground, the Feathered Clan cultivators didn¡¯t wait for them to identify themselves and immediately launched attacks from all directions. Long Long reacted the fastest. Seeing that most attacks were Feathered Clan flying swords, he quickly threw out the Coiled Dragon Gold-Dissolving Ball. A great magnetic force appeared, immediately disrupting the flying swords around, causing them to lose balance and be attracted to the ball. Long Hu also hurriedly activated the Eastern Pure Light Glazed Lamp, and instantly an endless brilliance emerged, forming a brightly shining lamp shield around them, protecting everyone within. No matter what divine secret skills the outside Feathered Clan cultivators launched, they only hit the lamp shield and could not break through. Qin Lie looked the calmest, holding the red feather arrow given by Feng Yan as if it were an imperial saber, not moving at all. Soon, a Feathered Clan leader noticed the object in her hand, and immediately shouted in surprise: ¡°Stop! Everyone stop!¡± ¡°By the order of Princess Feng Yan, Long Long of the Dragon Clan has come to rescue the garrison of Yuanjiang City!¡± Qin Lie continued to borrow power from others¡¯ fame, loudly declaring, ¡°All Feathered Clan, must cooperate unconditionally. Seeing this feather is as seeing the Princess!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to say the last part.¡± Long Long corrected quietly beside her. ¡°Got it,¡± Qin Lie nodded. While they whispered among themselves, the surrounding Feathered Clan cultivators showed no hint of doubt, but rather, they were tearfully grateful and extremely emotional, unable to contain themselves. Although the Feathered Clan was generally xenophobic, often habitually giving a hard time to non-Feathered Clan cultivators, these cultivators had been trapped inside Yuanjiang City for a long time, calling to heaven in vain, and even unsure if reinforcement would arrive. They watched daily as the resources to maintain the Defensive Array dwindled, nearly worrying themselves to the point of losing feathers. Now that reinforcements have finally arrived, although they are from the Dragon Clan instead of the Feathered Clan, what does it matter? We can finally escape unscathed! As Long Long inquired in detail, the Feathered Clan cultivators looked at each other for a moment before pushing a young Feathered Clan member forward. It turned out that the lord of Yuanjiang City, Qiu Jiang, who was originally in charge of the city¡¯s defenses, was accidentally killed by several cultivators of the Dong Yuan Realm during the siege by the Qilin and White Tiger allied forces. According to the rules of the Feathered Clan, the leadership would be handed over to his eldest son, who was this disheveled young commander named ¡°Qiu Ying¡±. Although Qiu Ying was young, he had been toughened by war and had lost the typical haughty demeanor of Feathered Clan nobility, and simply said to Long Long: ¡°Now that our allies possess the Red Feather Arrow, just give us your orders. Even if it requires us going through fire and water, we will not hesitate!¡± ¡°Very well,¡± Long Long nodded, ¡°I indeed need you guys to go through fire and water.¡± ¡°What?¡± Qiu Ying was shocked. ¡°Our mission is to save as many of you as possible, not to cling to Yuanjiang City,¡± Long Long stated bluntly, ¡°but with so many of you, if we blatantly leave with you, leaving an empty city, the White Tiger Divine General would surely notice and send a large army to intercept us halfway.¡± ¡°The best strategy now is to let some of you leave first, and leave the rest to continue defending the city, making the enemy believe that the city¡¯s defenders are still trapped.¡± ¡°As for who leaves and who stays¡­¡± Long Long quickly scanned the number of people in the city, estimated the defense needs, and then swiftly said, ¡°About two-thirds of the people will leave first, leaving one-third behind. You all decide the specific names.¡± Immediately, the atmosphere around became tense. Yuanjiang City now resembled a sinking ship, with everyone wanting to abandon ship and escape, only to find out the lifeboat could only carry a portion of them, making it quite awkward. If I leave and he stays, he would definitely be upset. But what criteria should be used to decide who goes and who stays? Sorry to say, no matter what criteria are proposed, the cultivators who are determined to stay will certainly feel the criteria are unfair. Qiu Ying pondered painfully for a moment and said: ¡°Then let the High Rank Cultivators stay here, and the Low Rank Cultivators leave first with the ally!¡± Noticing the slight change in expression among the senior officers (the High Rank Cultivators were mostly elders), he hastily added: ¡°Of course, as the commander, I am definitely staying with the elders!¡± The High Rank Cultivators were originally ready to protest, but Qiu Ying¡¯s remark ¡°I will also stay¡± somewhat silenced those who intended to criticize him, only to hear Long Long curiously remark: ¡°Although I am an outsider, I still need to remind you: Shouldn¡¯t you all be aware of why Lord Feng Yan sent someone to save you?¡± ¡°Exactly!¡± the senior officers exclaimed in great relief, ¡°The lord wants to preserve our vital force, but if all the High Rank Cultivators die in battle, what vital force will remain?¡± The Low Rank Cultivators felt somewhat unconvinced, but given the difference in seniority, age, and cultivation level, they had no argument to offer at the moment. ¡°Then let the High Rank Cultivators leave first, and the Low Rank Cultivators stay!¡± Realizing something was amiss, Qiu Ying quickly corrected his statement. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only The young commanders immediately began to clamor, only to hear Long Long say again: ¡°If all the High Rank Cultivators are gone, do you really think that you lowlifes can defend the city for long? And could that possibly be concealed from the White Tiger Divine General?¡± Thus, the young commanders silently cried in their hearts: Although what he says is to help us, why does it feel so annoying to hear? Qiu Ying immediately found himself speechless, stunned for a long while, then suddenly enlightened, he respectfully said: ¡°Since the ally has come bearing the Red Feather Arrow, then your wish is also the wish of our lord. You should be the one to decide who goes and who stays!¡± Chapter 810 - Chapter 810: Chapter 47: Scheming Chapter 810: Chapter 47: Scheming Long Long was very satisfied with his perceptiveness. After all, those with developed muscles should fight, those with clever minds should command; this is what specialization is. As for those who clearly lack wisdom, yet because of a high Cultivation Realm are elevated to positions they are not competent in¨CLong Long has always despised such matters deeply. For example, the group of bird people, led by Elder Kong Ping, who out of jealousy for his commanding talent are unwilling to follow his orders, bear in mind, I¡¯ve remembered all of you! Let¡¯s set aside the older ones for now and deal with these younger ones first. Long Long¡¯s gaze turned to the crowd, seeing the Feathered Clan Cultivators showing nervousness, unease, fear, and anxiety with various expressions. He suddenly smiled and said: ¡°There¡¯s no rush to finalize the list; let me first get to know everyone.¡± Everyone was dumbfounded. In such a critical time for escape, and you¡¯re saying you need to get to know each person before deciding who stays and who leaves, are you out of your mind? Although everyone thought this way, no one dared to challenge him directly; they could only manage forced smiles. If anyone questioned him and then ended up being assigned to ¡°stay and guard Yuanjiang City,¡± who could accept that? Long Hu silently observed this and suddenly had some inspiration: The Feathered Clan¡¯s xenophobia and unreasonableness were something she had known ever since she and Long Long passed through South State. The Red Feather Arrow given by Feng Yan would be effective if held by the Feathered Clan, but in the hands of the Dragon Clan¡­ encountering someone as obstinate as Elder Kong Ping, he would definitely claim it was stolen and no one could do anything about it. Similarly, these Feathered Clan Cultivators from Yuanjiang City, originally wouldn¡¯t take the three persons seriously. But now, Long Long could manipulate them at will for three reasons: First, naturally, because it¡¯s a special period, everyone is thinking about how to escape, so they don¡¯t have time to oppose him. Second, Long Long¡¯s ability to bypass multiple blockades, ultimately reaching the isolated Yuanjiang City, had given these Feathered Clan Cultivators a lot of confidence. If there were only these two points, it would only mean that Long Long had the capital to communicate with these Feathered Clan Cultivators on an equal basis. They might listen to his suggestions; but to dominate them like now was absolutely impossible. The most important thing is the third point: he could decide everyone¡¯s ¡°stay or leave.¡± To leave, if they managed to escape, of course, there would be no more danger; to stay, whether or not more reinforcements will come, or whether they can succeed if they do come, is unknown, with risks truly terrifying. Originally, the power to decide who stays or leaves was in the hands of the city¡¯s guarding General Qiu Ying, but Long Long saw that this general had no ambition for power, only thinking about saving as many as he could. Therefore, Long Long cleverly used his words to strike, making the other party willingly choose to capitulate and give up, thus taking the power to decide ¡°stay or leave¡± into his own hands. With this power, all Feathered Clan Cultivators, in order to get into the first batch of evacuees, had to try their best to please him. And this kind of pleasing, if managed properly, would subsequently form a kind of mental inertia¨Cwhat is often referred to historically as ¡°prestige.¡± Long Hu, silently pondering alone, joins Qin Lie and Long Long in finding a small hall in the nearby city guard¡¯s office, starting to receive the queueing Feathered Clan Cultivators. Every Feathered Clan Cultivator had to introduce themselves, stating their life, Cultivation Realm, and their general combat capabilities. Again, under normal circumstances these pieces of information are privately sensitive details, ones that would cause individuals to become defensive if questioned. Now, as everyone is competing to be selected for the first batch of evacuees, they can only obediently report to Long Long, not daring to make any false moves. Thus, detailed situations of all four hundred and twenty Feathered Clan Cultivators in the city were now under Long Long¡¯s control. Next, Long Long did something that greatly infuriated the Feathered Clan Cultivators: He publicly announced that he was going to close the door to study the list. If this topic were not brought up, everyone would only feel slightly alarmed; yet, this person deliberately made it clear by saying, ¡°researching the list,¡± which made everyone too nervous to just sit and wait, leading them to take action in order to save themselves. The most common idea that came to people¡¯s minds was naturally a classic traditional essence of the culture: giving gifts. A massive line of gift-givers formed outside the city guard residence, looking much like a checkpoint, but everyone was quickly dismissed without success. When Long Long said ¡°shut the doors to research,¡± it meant truly shutting the doors ¨C no knocks would be answered, the same went for Qiu Ying. Since the main hosts refused to accept gifts, everyone tried their best to bribe the messengers. Qin Lie maintained a stern expression, refusing to accept any gifts. However, some utterly shameless people would shove the items through the door crack and immediately fly away, leveraging the Feathered Clan¡¯s swift speed to vanish into some alley before one could blink. Unable to immediately return the items to their owners, Qin Lie found the Magic Artifacts and Elixirs quite troubling and decided to consult Long Long on what to do. On his way, he encountered Long Hu, who, after hearing his complaints, suggested: ¡°You can just give everything to Qiu Ying and have him distribute the items back to the original givers. He¡¯s familiar with these Feathered Clan cultivators, and we are not!¡± ¡°That works?¡± Qin Lie wondered, ¡°But what if the original owners cannot be found?¡± ¡°How could there be no way to find the original givers?¡± Long Hu laughed, ¡°If they didn¡¯t leave their life essence in the gifts, how would we know who sent them? What¡¯s the point of such bribery then?¡± Finally understanding, Qin Lie packed up everything and handed it over to Qiu Ying. Qiu Ying nearly had a meltdown when he saw the quantity: he knew a lot of people were trying to bribe Long Long, but he hadn¡¯t expected there to be so much. How could he possibly manage to return each one? He immediately notified everyone to come and claim their items. When people heard their items were with Qiu Ying, they panicked at once. Had the items been with Long Long, whether or not he appreciated the gesture, there would¡¯ve been some peace of mind¨Cthe last thing anyone wanted was to be seen as the only person who hadn¡¯t given a gift, which could be fatal. But with the items in Qiu Ying¡¯s hands, it became a matter of character. Qiu Ying¡¯s character was deemed reliable by those who knew him, but who could guarantee it? What if he saw something nice among the items and kept it for himself, simply claiming that Long Long¡¯s gifts didn¡¯t include it? The owner would have to swallow the loss, unable to confront Long Long about it. Thus, within an hour, the items were miraculously cleared out completely, which was a sight to behold. The items were reclaimed, but what about the list? Everyone helplessly discovered that after all the twists and turns, they ended up back where they started. What could be done? Before Long Long announced the results, there was absolutely nothing the crowd could do but wait for the outcome. However, Long Hu didn¡¯t have this worry; she was currently pestering Long Long, clamoring to see the finalized list he had produced! ¡°Is there any pattern to this?¡± After holding the list for a long while, Long Hu couldn¡¯t resist asking. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only In the two-thirds of the evacuation list, High Rank Cultivators, Low Rank Cultivators, older cultivators, younger cultivators, even male and female cultivators¨Cwere all in a relatively balanced proportion. There was no specific group of cultivators who were mostly slotted into either evacuation or stay behind¨Cmaking it seem as if who stayed and who left was randomly chosen by egalitarianism. ¡°Of course, there is.¡± Long Long replied, ¡°Look at the remarks.¡± Long Hu then closely examined the remarks, and at the very top of the stay behind list, she noticed a line of small text: ¡°Extremely adept at Wind Escape, the fastest at fleeing.¡± Chapter 811 - Chapter 811: Chapter 48: Qin Lies Headache Chapter 811: Chapter 48: Qin Lie¡¯s Headache The fastest retreat¡­ Long Hu never imagined that Long Long¡¯s decision on who should stay behind would be based on their ability to flee. Thinking about it, it wasn¡¯t unreasonable. The first batch to evacuate had the element of surprise, so it would certainly be the easiest. The second batch would face more precautions from the enemy, requiring a greater ability to flee. Keeping those adept at escaping for later would definitely increase the survival rate of the second evacuation. Who would have thought, dear Feathered Clan friends on the list? Because of your usual indifference to proper pursuits and your specialized research in fleeing tactics, you have now been included in the second batch of the evacuation plan. While Long Hu was still mourning in silence, Long Long had already picked up the list and walked out. With the announcement of the list, naturally some were delighted while others were despondent. The cultivators listed to stay behind naturally cried out at the injustice, clamoring for Long Long to provide a basis for his decision. Meanwhile, those included in the evacuation list immediately and clearly sided with Long Long, as if fearfully arguing their case, lest he be persuaded to announce a revision of the list¡­ How could they possibly let that happen! Long Hu was surprised to find that, since Long Long had predetermined that the number of people evacuating versus staying would be two to one, there were now far more Feathered Clan cultivators supporting Long Long than opposing him. The latter were almost completely overpowered in terms of momentum, simply refusing to concede due to their stubbornness, for it was a matter of life and property, not easily persuaded. If one lacked reason, they had to stir up some trouble. As a result, Long Long used merely six words to defeat these Feathered Clan cultivators just as he had with Long Hu before: ¡°You excel at escaping.¡± Because of their expertise in fleeing, they were assigned to the more dangerous second evacuation. Such logical reasoning mostly silenced the opposition. A minority of cultivators tried to persist with unfounded arguments, claiming the intelligence records were wrong and that they were not skilled in fleeing. They were quickly ruthlessly suppressed by the large number of supporters¨Cafter all, they had been comrades for many years, who didn¡¯t know each other? Then, with another six words, Long Long quashed the last of their complaints: ¡°I will stay here.¡± When the commander himself decided to stay for the second wave of evacuation, you grunts still fear for your lives, is that appropriate? The opposition could of course say ¡°it¡¯s appropriate,¡± but such unfounded clamor lacks persuasiveness. Now everyone understood very clearly that someone had to stay behind in the city to distract the enemy and create favorable conditions for the first wave of evacuees. It¡¯s either you or him, why shouldn¡¯t you stay? In contrast, the reasoning ¡°skilled at fleeing, high survival rate¡± was simple and much harder to refute. Thus, the matter was settled, and the cultivators of the first batch of evacuees were naturally tearfully grateful to Long Long; those who were left behind, although accompanied by Long Long, still held little regard for him, each silently in low spirits. Just as everyone was coming to terms with the situation, Long Long threw out a second decree: ¡°Given that the number of defenders in the city has been reduced to a third, the pressure to face a siege will inevitably be greater.¡± ¡°Therefore, in order for the remaining cultivators to better complete their mission of holding the fort and to create opportunities for the evacuating cultivators, I suggest all evacuating cultivators donate some Magic Artifacts and Elixirs to those staying behind.¡± Upon these words, silence befell. For the cultivators staying behind, this was certainly like receiving timely help during a snowstorm. Yet realizing that it was Long Long, who had insisted on their staying, that proposed this help, they couldn¡¯t quite bring themselves to be happy about it. And as for the evacuating cultivators, if giving away some Magical Treasures and Elixirs meant saving their lives, it naturally didn¡¯t seem like much. However, people are all selfish. Since it¡¯s a donation, it naturally depends on an individual¡¯s wealth¨Cwith the rich giving more and the poor giving less. What if I say I¡¯m very poor and just donate some junk metal? Would that work? Therefore, everyone started to claim poverty. Before the commotion could go on for long, Long Long said: ¡°Hu, go bring the gift list from last time.¡± Long Hu was momentarily stunned, but quickly grasped the implications and cleverly said: ¡°It¡¯s in the City Guard Mansion. I¡¯ll fetch it right now.¡± The cultivators planning to leave were taken aback at the sight of this. Damn, there¡¯s such a trick? Judging one¡¯s wealth by the gift list might seem odd at first, but it actually makes perfect sense upon reflection. Especially because the list hadn¡¯t been released at the time, everyone was worried about gifting too little and being put on the stay-behind roster, so they all made a hefty contribution. As a result, Long Long returned the gifts with one hand and then called for a donation with the other, leaving the departing cultivators dazed by his dazzling maneuvers. In essence, he had the departing cultivators directly donate their wealth to those staying behind. This eased the grievances of both parties: the former avoided disaster by losing wealth, while the latter took risks to gain wealth. ¡°I don¡¯t quite understand,¡± Qin Lie whispered to Long Hu, ¡°Why not just accept those gifts at the start and then distribute them to the cultivators staying behind? Wouldn¡¯t that be more direct?¡± ¡°Of course not,¡± Long Hu revealed a ¡°only I understand him¡± subtle smile and confidently said, ¡°If we did that, it wouldn¡¯t be a voluntary donation.¡± ¡°How much we collected and distributed, only we would know. Even if we handed out all the received gifts, people would still suspect us of secretly keeping a portion.¡± ¡°But if we first let everyone take their gifts back and then call for a ¡®voluntary donation,¡¯ those concerns would not arise.¡± Qin Lie suddenly realized and nodded, thinking that Long Long, indeed favored by his grandfather, had much to teach him! What Long Hu didn¡¯t say was that Long Long wanted everyone to voluntarily donate as a way to ¡°pressure with prestige.¡± You do as I ask, willingly or because of the situation. Regardless, it creates a mindset that eventually leads to everyone not thinking for themselves, simply following whatever Long Long says¨Cthat is the so-called ¡°prestige.¡± Of course, these were sensitive matters, probably not good to discuss with Qin Lie¨Cwho knows if Long Long would use this strategy against the Dragon Clan in the future? Qin Lie pondered silently and returned to the City Guard Mansion. Suddenly, she sensed a Flying Sword Messaging heading straight for her. She reached out to call the Flying Sword to her hand, and upon close inspection, she saw the message from Qin Chaocang expressing utter shock at Long Long¡¯s armchair strategies, questioning whether what Qin Lie said was true? If true, he ordered to immediately stop Long Long¡¯s command, take control of his troops and hand them over to Qin Sitong, then hastily bring him back to the rear camp, making sure he doesn¡¯t cause any further trouble. Qin Lie almost choked from exasperation. Grandpa, why so impatient? Couldn¡¯t you wait for my second message before replying? Soon enough, the second message arrived, with just four simple characters: Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only What does this mean? Qin Lie kept a poker face, wondering how she should explain. To say that Long Long¡¯s actions were merely a ruse, actually aiming to clarify the defensive movements for infiltrating Yuanjiang City¡­ With so much having happened since the earliest infiltration, the Yuanjiang City defense was now entirely at his mercy. Explaining such an outdated strategy now might seem as if she were hiding the current situation, wouldn¡¯t it? But reporting the current status wasn¡¯t something a few messages could cover, and grandpa¡¯s questions would likely increase. What a headache. Chapter 812 - Chapter 812: Chapter 49 Siege Chapter 812: Chapter 49 Siege Regarding the donation drive proposed by Long Long, the first batch of Cultivators from the Feathered Clan, who were set to retreat, displayed extremely high enthusiasm. While generously donating a variety of Cultivation Treasures, Flying Swords, and Miraculous Pills and Elixirs with openhanded spirit, they also went out of their way to privately contact familiar Cultivators staying behind in Yuanjiang City, giving them similar instructions: ¡°Make sure to grab my precious item during the distribution of donated goods; you must secure it first and keep it safe for my return!¡± This was a moment that tested the warmth of relationships. Those who were indifferent would outright refuse, claiming it was Long Long¡¯s random distribution and they had no such ability, then leave indifferently amidst the other¡¯s wails of despair. For those with deep friendships, naturally, no words were needed. A nod was a man¡¯s promise, not to be broken. The most dreaded are those who are indifferent but pretend to be warm-hearted hypocrites, verbally agreeing to help enthusiastically while plotting to take the items for themselves, then later denying any recognition¡­ If you encounter such a person, all you can do is admit defeat. The various unsightly behaviors of the crowd go without saying. While both tasked with either staying or retreating, Long Long and Long Hu didn¡¯t have as many disputes; on the contrary, there was an air of warm affection between them. ¡°Be mindful of conserving strength when you activate the True Fire Fan; don¡¯t overconsume your True Yuan,¡± Long Long instructed her, ¡°As long as the tunnels are dug deep enough, there should be little risk of being discovered in the short term.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± Long Hu obediently replied. ¡°These Feathered Clan Cultivators may seem to be on our side, but we can¡¯t fully trust them,¡± Long Long continued to caution, ¡°If possible, observe carefully during the underground retreat to see who is truly close to us and who is duplicitous, then ally with some and dismiss others. At least ensure you call the shots during the retreat. Do you understand?¡± ¡°Understood,¡± Long Hu responded with a beaming smile. ¡°Ally with some, dismiss others.¡± This phrase matched perfectly with what she had recently learned, so the little fox intended to give it a good try. ¡°Although Qiu Ying was initially forced into his position, it¡¯s clear that he¡¯s not entirely without ideas,¡± analyzed Long Long earnestly, ¡°He just lacks confidence and is often easily swayed. If any of the Feathered Clan try to push him to seek power, you just need to verbally knock him back, and he¡¯s likely to step down voluntarily.¡± ¡°Even though Qin Lie was sent by Qin Chaocang to aid us, there¡¯s no doubt there is also intent to monitor. Don¡¯t tell her everything, keep an eye open, got it?¡± Long Hu obediently confirmed his instructions one by one, sparking some emotion in Long Long. What¡¯s this feeling like sending a daughter on a long journey? After sending away Long Hu and the first retreat group, Long Long called over the deputy general responsible for assisting him among the remaining forces, asking: ¡°How does the allied army regularly conduct siege operations?¡± The deputy general, named Lou Ming, was originally assisting Qiu Ying in command. Since this city lord was a military novice, Lou Ming was the one handling most of the affairs. Upon Long Long¡¯s inquiry, Lou Ming answered earnestly: ¡°The frequency is uncertain; sometimes they attack the city three times a day, sometimes they don¡¯t come at all¡­ Looking at it now, they probably won¡¯t attack today.¡± ¡°Hmph, psychological warfare,¡± Long Long contemptuously scoffed through his nose upon realizing why the White Tiger Divine General carried out such irregular operations¨Cit was to keep the Feathered Clan of Yuanjiang City on edge. Lou Ming also felt helpless. Sometimes even if you understand why the opponent acts a certain way, you can¡¯t actively stop them; this is what¡¯s called an ¡®open conspiracy¡¯. Just as Long Long was about to continue his sharp critique, a sudden loud noise came from outside. The city is under siege! The two of them hurried out of the house and saw a huge formation shield rising above the city. Countless flames, thunder, and shockwaves exploded like fireworks across the shield in the sky, making Long Long feel as if he were a mouse crouching inside an upside-down fishbowl, nervously watching numerous ferocious cats swipe through the glass. Lou Ming, however, had become numb to the situation and only said: ¡°I must rush to supervise the defenses, I will take my leave now.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± nodded Long Long. He quickly scanned outside the city and indeed found that the siege positions in the south, east, and north were all outputting firepower towards the city. The southern position, having to guard against sudden attacks from Qin Sitong and Kong Ping, was clearly more reserved in its offense, while the northern and eastern positions were unrestrained in their attacks, sparing no effort. Long Long found a safe spot, lay down comfortably, and after observing for a moment, roughly estimated that the attacking and defending forces were evenly matched, making it difficult to determine the victor in a short period. Of course, since the supplies inside the city were completely cut off while the siege positions could be replenished from Central State, a prolonged assault would surely lead to Yuanjiang City¡¯s defeat. So why would the White Tiger Divine General play this game of irregular attacks? After a moment of thought, Long Long figured it was likely to save on costs. War is, of course, expensive. Judging by the current attacking lights in the sky, they are mostly from magical treasures or formations, with very few divine skills or spells from cultivators themselves. Magical treasures and formations are activated using True Yuan and crystal stones¨Cthey represent money! Looking at the incessant glittering above, one can see countless funds vanishing every moment. If a direct assault until the city¡¯s fall needs ten thousand tons of crystal stones, but an intermittent attack strategy can demoralize the defenders with only six thousand tons, the White Tiger Divine General would definitely choose the latter. In Long Long¡¯s view, knowing how to minimize war expenditures is something the White Tiger Divine General surely excels in. Considering this, if I rescue everyone, causing the already invested war costs to go to waste, wouldn¡¯t the White Tiger Divine General be infuriated? Thinking this way, I shouldn¡¯t leave too early; it¡¯s better to let the enemy expend more ammunition. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t screw this up!¡± Even the Kunlun Mirror couldn¡¯t stand by anymore, its reminder coming through, ¡°The enemy is an Immortal Rank Demon! Even if you manage to win a battle of wits by fluke, a flick of his finger could squash you to death!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that what you and Suming are for,¡± retorted Long Long, implying that if necessary, he would simply transform into the Tai Yin Sword Master. Was he really afraid of some old ancestor from the Demon Race? Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Not playing the role of Long Long anymore? No longer want to be a fox?¡± The Kunlun Mirror delivered a double hit, and it was a critical one at that, leaving Long Long speechless, only able to hum in disagreement. Meanwhile, the siege battle finally came to a pause. A large amount of data was summarized by the various frontline units. Information such as which barrier showed signs of weakening when attacked, and which barrier counter-attacked at what time, were all clearly annotated and compiled, ending up in Lv Yan¡¯s hands. Qi Yingzhu admired from the sidelines. By now, she understood how important intelligence was to warfare, and she knew how difficult it was to extract useful clues from such a mass of data. ¡°The data is incorrect,¡± Lv Yan suddenly said. Chapter 813 - Chapter 813: Chapter 50 Consecutive Formation Map Chapter 813: Chapter 50 Consecutive Formation Map Is there something off with the data? Qi Yingzhu leaned in to look, but in this world, there was neither Excel nor any kind of tabular rules; a mass of data was squeezed together in plain text form. Little Tiger felt dizzy at just one glance, not to mention discerning anything amiss. Seeing her confused expression, Lv Yan circled a certain piece of data. Then another¡­ and so on until he had circled about a dozen figures, then he put down the pen without a word. Qi Yingzhu immediately understood the implication and compared the data she held with the previous set, focusing specifically on the numbers her master had encircled. Indeed, upon comparison, she discovered where the issue lay. In wars among mortals, if the number of soldiers suddenly decreased by one-third, it would be conspicuously obvious, and therefore military strategists derived many corresponding tactics, such as doubling the number of cooking pots, adding clothes to straw dummies, tying branches to horses¡¯ tails to sweep back and forth ¡ª creating the momentum of an overwhelming force and so on. Since cultivators rely on magical treasures and formations for their offensive methods, it is not easy to make direct assessments based on their numbers. High Rank Cultivators with higher Cultivation Realms could unleash spell power equivalent to two, three, even four or five Low Rank Cultivators, or even more. If one were to judge the number of combatants solely by the effects of spells, it would be near impossible. However, the data Lv Yan highlighted were the ¡°recovery speeds of war formations¡± ¡ª a figure few people pay attention to. Though war formations are easy to manipulate, they are still formations after all. Besides needing resources for energy consumption, they also require someone to operate the Formation Device to maintain it. If a spell hits a part of the formation, depleting the energy there, resources must be quickly extracted for repairs. When the average mastery over formations is moderate, the more people involved in maintaining the formation, the faster its recovery speed. Upon close examination of the data, Qi Yingzhu realized that extrapolating from this point, there was a noticeable decrease in the number of cultivators inside the city today responsible for maintaining the Defensive Array. It was only because they had increased resource consumption and formation output that no significant weakness was exposed. So the question arose: why would the number of cultivators defending the city decrease? Thinking positively, it could be that under her master¡¯s psychological strategy, these cultivators had completely lost their will to fight and didn¡¯t plan to persist stubbornly. Taking a more negative view, could it be that these cultivators have already¡­ ¡°It¡¯s hard to say,¡± Lv Yan said, shaking his head after hearing Qi Yingzhu¡¯s conjecture, ¡°but indeed, we can¡¯t rule out the possibility that they have broken out of the encirclement.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve looked through the intelligence department¡¯s information,¡± Qi Yingzhu continued, ¡°If hundreds of cultivators were to retreat from Yuanjiang City, it wouldn¡¯t be possible without leaving any trace.¡± ¡°In this world, there are indeed ways to escape without leaving a trace,¡± Lv Yan said leisurely, ¡°such as using a Teleportation Array.¡± ¡°Master,¡± Qi Yingzhu said in disbelief, ¡°If the Dragon Clan or the Feathered Clan had mastered the means of mass teleportation, they certainly wouldn¡¯t have just used it to rescue the Yuanjiang City defenders!¡± ¡°Just by dispatching a spy to infiltrate Central State, West State, find a deserted area to set up a formation, and then whoosh, a large group of Dragon Clan and Feathered Clan cultivators are teleported over, then we¡¯d literally have fires flaring up in our backyard! It¡¯s impossible to keep watch over every inch of land, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Could there be such a possibility?¡± Mired in thought, Lv Yan¡¯s expression grew serious, while Qi Yingzhu¡¯s face turned deathly pale. Even the master couldn¡¯t deny this possibility, could it be that I¡¯ve really guessed it right? Of course, suspecting such a possibility was merely Lv Yan¡¯s habit as a military general: to avoid missing any detail. But to truly take it as fact and guard against it without any evidence would be overly paranoid. Though the Mao Clan of West State all address him as the White Tiger Divine General, Lv Yan is clear that he has not reached the divine level of ¡°victorious in every battle¡±. Cultivator warfare is unlike mundane conflicts, filled with all kinds of odd and unheard of artifacts that can suddenly turn the tide of battle. Take the ancient wars between the Demon Race and Human Race: the former dominated initially, but the latter suddenly produced the Sun and Moon Immortal Weapons, decapitating demons in droves and causing rivers of blood¡­ Thinking of those two Immortal Weapons, Lv Yan couldn¡¯t help but sigh, increasingly feeling the insignificance of human efforts under the dictate of fate. If the enemy truly mastered a group Teleportation Array, as Qi Yingzhu said, the alliance between Central State and West State would immediately face the danger of defeat and collapse. If you seize land and attack cities in the front, while the enemy teleports a few ancestors to your doorstep and takes over your home, how would you continue to fight? Although there is no evidence at the moment, it¡¯s not a bad idea to make a contingency plan in one¡¯s spare time¡­ Thus, Lv Yan thought about how to deal with this kind of Teleportation Array while also ordering the divisions to strengthen their siege without sparing any expenses. A Formation capable of transporting so many people at once must leave traces within the city. Capturing Yuanjiang City sooner would confirm this matter as quickly as possible. In addition, other potential methods of mass transport, such as space-based mobility, also need to be ruled out one by one. Using rivers for Water Escape? Using the earth for Earth Escape? Using Illusion Techniques for group Invisibility and then finding a secret route to slip away from the battlefield? These feats are beyond the abilities of ordinary cultivators. However, since the whereabouts of that group are currently unknown, all possible scenarios must be thoroughly investigated. The following day, as the defenders of Yuanjiang City just received donated supplies, they were horrified to discover that today¡¯s siege was exceptionally fierce: it was as if they would not rest until the city was broken. Lou Ming hurriedly flew back to the city¡¯s defense office, seeking an urgent audience with Long Long to report: ¡°The enemy has intensified their siege!¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Long Long was drinking tea and slowly set down the teacup upon hearing the news, calmly stating, ¡°Then we should correspondingly increase our defensive efforts.¡± ¡°We have increased them!¡± Lou Ming¡¯s voice became shrill with urgency, ¡°Have you forgotten, sir? There are only a third of our forces left in the city, and the strength of the Defensive Array has been increased to four times its original power!¡± An array that originally required three people to maintain now has only one, leading to less flexibility and necessitating an increase in the upper limit of the array¡¯s endurance to three or even four times the original¨Cwhich also means that the consumption rate of resources has tripled or quadrupled accordingly. ¡°Tsk,¡± Long Long said scornfully, ¡°I have already reviewed your Defensive Array. It¡¯s terribly poor, no wonder it couldn¡¯t withstand the siege from outside.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Lou Ming nearly wanted to kneel down. What kind of timing was this? It was like the enemy was at the gates of the command post, yet the commander was not considering strategic retreat but instead criticizing inadequate equipment¡­ Was that really the point right now? ¡°Take this.¡± Long Long picked up a scroll from the table and threw it on the ground. Lou Ming eagerly caught it, with the fervor of a hawk snatching its prey, and urgently unrolled it to look. What was written on it was not an evacuation plan for the troops, but a Formation Map of a kind he had never seen before. ¡°Follow the chained Formation Map I¡¯ve drawn here to connect all the isolated and scattered small Defensive Arrays, which require a large number of cultivators to maintain, into one linked system,¡± Long Long said casually. Chapter 814 - Chapter 814: Chapter 51 The Magnanimity of a General Chapter 814: Chapter 51 The Magnanimity of a General Lou Ming left with an utterly devastated heart, holding the Formation Map given by Long Long. Although he was capable of commanding everyone in defense, he knew nothing about formations, thus he could only find a few brothers responsible for drawing formations to have them modify the Formation Map according to Long Long¡¯s instructions. But come to think of it, at such a critical moment with a shortage of manpower, was it really okay to divert some people to improve the formations? Lou Ming was exceedingly anxious, yet Long Long remained calm and collected. All he could hear was the Kunlun Mirror mocking him in his Sea of Consciousness: ¡°You¡¯ve been meticulously designing that Formation Map for so long. Not to mention realizing its value, I¡¯m afraid the other side probably can¡¯t understand it at all, right?¡± ¡°What, is that Formation Map very precious?¡± the Summoning Sword suddenly asked. ¡°Otherwise?¡± Kunlun Mirror retorted, ¡°Do you think it¡¯s very simple and easy to recombine numerous small formations into a larger one? That¡¯s even more troublesome than redrawing it into a large formation!¡± ¡°War formations are essentially about simplifying formations to the extreme so that every cultivator who doesn¡¯t understand formations can also master them quickly. He has painstakingly recombined many small formations into a larger one to minimize the understanding and mastery cost of these Feathered Clan cultivators. It¡¯s really quite thoughtful.¡± ¡°Even so, the other side fails to recognize its preciousness, I guess that Feathered Clan member probably left here thinking ¡®what the hell is this guy up to?''¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± The Summoning Sword nodded in agreement. ¡°It¡¯s better if they don¡¯t understand.¡± Long Long replied. ¡°Oh?¡± Kunlun Mirror chuckled and said, ¡°Why is it better if they don¡¯t understand? Are you not just showing off?¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± Long Long scoffed, ¡°Fool, you think I¡¯m like you?¡± ¡°Then what is your purpose?¡± ¡°Kunlun, have you forgotten what race I am?¡± Kunlun Mirror fell silent for a moment, then stopped speaking. This guy¡­ is from the Dragon Clan. Being from the Dragon Clan, even though he has the obligation of an ally to help the Feathered Clan, why would he give them a new defense formation for free? Isn¡¯t that obvious? ¡°But,¡± Kunlun Mirror, realizing its blunder, began to recover its dignity, ¡°even if they are not aware of its value at this moment, once this formation successfully withstands the assault of the Qilin and White Tiger Alliance, even a fool will realize this formation is extraordinary, right?¡± ¡°So what?¡± Long Long said dismissively, ¡°This formation incorporates extensive environmental factors, so it can only be effective in Yuanjiang City. Haven¡¯t you noticed that I have strict requirements for the drawing locations of the formations?¡± Kunlun Mirror was rendered speechless once again. Although it couldn¡¯t speak, in its mind it thought, ¡°Wow, you really had ill intentions. I thought you¡¯d generously hand over a great gift without any ulterior motive, but it seems I¡¯ve underestimated just how shamelessly cunning you are!¡± ¡°The very reason it took so long to design was to prevent the reuse of this great formation,¡± Long Long concluded, ¡°If it was just about recombining several small formations into a large one, that would be a matter of moments. Of course, with your understanding of formations, it might be quite difficult¡­¡± Kunlun Mirror was fuming! However, her expertise lay in spatiotemporal and Illusion Techniques. She didn¡¯t have much insight into formations, so naturally, she couldn¡¯t retort to Long Long. A formation is fundamentally a language, a way intelligent life manipulates energy and space-time. Kunlun Mirror is like an electric eel; although it can generate electricity with its powerful Innate Talent, it certainly would have no clue what voltage and resistance really are. After being ridiculed for a while by Long Long, and unable to out-talk him, Kunlun Mirror began playing dead until she heard Long Long speak again: ¡°Stop playing dead, Ah Jing, I still have some tasks for you.¡± Kunlun Mirror immediately perked up, scoffing: ¡°After all that talk, you still need my help, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Suppose you could say that.¡± Long Long smiled, ¡°Now, sneak into the siege camp for me and see what the White Tiger Divine General is planning for his next move to attack my city.¡± Kunlun Mirror:¡­¡­¡­ Summoning Sword: ¡­¡­¡­ The sword and the mirror were utterly stupified: How can you maintain such composure while spouting such shameless remarks? I always knew your shamelessness knew no bounds, but to astonish us anew every time is simply too preposterous. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, is that not allowed?¡± Long Long frowned slightly and said earnestly, ¡°Comrade Ah Jing, that¡¯s where you¡¯re mistaken! When armies face off, one must pull out all the stops to achieve victory. What¡¯s wrong with asking you to snoop on the enemy commander¡¯s tactics? I didn¡¯t tell you to behead the enemy commander directly; I¡¯m already being a gentleman by not doing everything that¡¯s possible, aren¡¯t I?¡± The Kunlun Mirror thought to itself, right, if it was to use an Illusion Technique to bind the White Tiger Divine General and then let the Summoning Sword behead him¡­ ptooey ptooey ptooey! How could I follow the thought process of this shameless person? It¡¯s easy to restrain an immortal, but to kill one? If it were that simple, I¡¯d join forces with the Summoning Sword, slay all those immortals from every sect, and take the Heaven-Mending Stone fragments without any fuss! ¡°Cough cough.¡± The Summoning Sword coughed, ¡°How have you been corrupted by this guy too? Every time there¡¯s an assassination or a strong-arm theft of fragments. Can¡¯t we have a little moral integrity?¡± The Kunlun Mirror looked blank and responded only after a moment: ¡°This¡­ isn¡¯t it all about doing whatever it takes to save the world?¡± The Summoning Sword was left speechless, thinking that you¡¯ve already completely become like him, haven¡¯t you? Having no other choice, the Kunlun Mirror could only transform back into a young girl with a round face, escaping the city in some random direction ¨C with Yuanjiang City besieged on three sides, who knows where the White Tiger Divine General was hiding? She would have to conduct a thorough scan one section at a time. Without the ability to scan from Long Long¡¯s side, he couldn¡¯t sit and watch the siege from within the city. However, the tea leaves left by the former city lord were pretty good; after brewing them with water from the Jiang river, they had a unique flavor. Deep underground, Long Hu was vigorously wielding the Golden Crow True Fire Fan, melting and burning away the path ahead, forging a new route. The Feathered Clan cultivators behind finally understood how those from the Dragon Clan had managed to infiltrate the city previously. The Golden Crow True Fire Fan! Although they had not seen this famous magical treasure of the Golden Crow Clan, it was after all a Feather Fan, not a scale fan. Using common sense, they knew it belonged to the Feathered Clan. And with such fierce flames, could the answer be any more obvious? Normally, everyone would be racing to take down these outsiders from other clans. A treasure of the Feathered Clan must not fall into the hands of others! Of course, whether to return it to the Golden Crow Clan was another matter. However, this time was an exception: Firstly, they had to rely on Long Hu to clear the path. Although the Feathered Clan was arrogant and disrespectful, outright ingratitude, especially in front of others, was something they grappled with. Killing and stealing treasures could be contemplated, but whoever first voiced it would certainly be despised. Secondly, Long Hu and the others had once revealed the Red Feather Arrow, which meant that Lord Feng Yan was aware of this matter. Killing and stealing required two conditions: nobody witnesses before the act, and nobody knows after the act. If neither condition was met, then there¡¯s no point in killing. For this reason, the group followed Long Hu like obedient chicks, watching her use the Feathered Clan¡¯s magical treasure to clear the way while occasionally passing Elixirs to her, helping her restore her True Yuan to speed up progress. ¡°How is Long Long doing?¡± Despite the replenishment of Elixirs, Long Hu¡¯s True Yuan was still greatly depleted, leaving her pallid face showing signs of fatigue. But she knew that she had it easy compared to Long Long, who might be exhausted from defending against the White Tiger Divine General¡¯s attack in Yuanjiang City by now. With this thought, Long Hu¡¯s heart grew somewhat tender concerning him. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Inside Yuanjiang City, after modifying the defense Formation according to the Formation Map, Lou Ming and the Feathered Clan cultivators defending the city were surprised to find that the efficiency of the Formation seemed to have greatly increased. He hurriedly went to report this good news to Long Long, only to find him leisurely flicking away the froth from his tea with the lid, and leisurely sipping it with his legs crossed. Not bad; my skills have improved again. Observing Long Long¡¯s unflappable composure even as Mount Tai could crumble before him, Lou Ming finally couldn¡¯t help but feel full of admiration and respect welling up from the depths of his heart. Just look, this is the bearing of a true General! Chapter 815 - Chapter 815: Chapter 52: Smuggling Feng Yan Over Chapter 815: Chapter 52: Smuggling Feng Yan Over ¡°After your improvements to the Formation, the balance between offense and defense has finally stabilized,¡± Lou Ming said swiftly. ¡°Hmm, I know,¡± Long Long nodded calmly, his expression one of ¡®just as I expected¡¯. How to design a Formation that minimizes manpower expenses while ensuring defensive output¡­ these were basic skills for an Array Master, how could he possibly not know? ¡°However, the speed of resource consumption is still a major issue,¡± Lou Ming continued with concern. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid,¡± Long Long waved grandly, ¡°the siege party¡¯s resource consumption will only be faster than ours!¡± Lou Ming was speechless. What time is it, and you¡¯re still comparing this? True, besieging consumes more resources than defending, but their supplies are incessant, and we have to use the river¡¯s cover even to send a Flying Sword message, lest it be intercepted! Can we really compare? ¡°When do you plan to lead us to evacuate?¡± Lou Ming asked cautiously, fearful that this fellow might declare ¡°we won¡¯t retreat, we¡¯ll fight the enemy to the death.¡± ¡°No rush on that,¡± Long Long said leisurely, ¡°Let me study it a bit.¡± Lou Ming left, feeling drained and helpless. This isn¡¯t urgent? Then what is? The thought process of the Dragon Clan, I, as a member of the Feathered Clan, truly cannot comprehend! However, what Lou Ming didn¡¯t know is that, to be fair, Long Long wasn¡¯t lying. He really did need to study it. About half a day passed, the siege still did not cease, but Kunlun Mirror finally returned. The round-faced young lady hurried into the hall, and Long Long quickly went to greet her. Oh my, young lady, how long have I waited for you! Without your intelligence, I couldn¡¯t make any strategic decisions! Below, a bunch of bird-people all gaze eagerly at us! Long Long had a litany of complaints ready, but was immediately interrupted by Kunlun Mirror: ¡°I¡¯m dying of thirst, get some tea!¡± ¡°After transforming, do Divine Artifacts still get thirsty?¡± Long Long teased as he poured her tea. Kunlun Mirror downed the cup of tea in one gulp, then gave him a look, saying: ¡°What? Just because I¡¯ve transformed should I work tirelessly and thanklessly without eating or drinking?¡± ¡°¡­Never mind, continue talking,¡± Long Long could only respond with a forced smile. There were still many uses for this broken mirror, best not to offend her. ¡°That White Tiger Divine General, is really too devious, too sleazy, too disgraceful, too cunning!¡± Kunlun Mirror said indignantly. Long Long merely oh¡¯ed, then continued asking: ¡°How is he devious, sleazy, disgraceful, and cunning?¡± ¡°He has planted insiders within the city!¡± Kunlun Mirror said. ¡°Ah, spies.¡± Long Long thought this was trivial, then suddenly snapped back to reality. Could this be you implying something by beating around the bush? ¡°Who are the insiders?¡± Long Long asked, smilingly. Kunlun Mirror quickly reported three names, then said: ¡°The White Tiger Divine General has already turned these three people. They¡¯re planning to coordinate from inside and outside at the right time to seize the city in one fell swoop.¡± Long Long quickly noted down the names and disdainfully said: ¡°I thought it was something big. Turns out it¡¯s just this outdated tactic of internal-external collaboration.¡± ¡°If it were me, I¡¯d play the long game and let these spies climb the ranks, gain Long Long¡¯s trust, and then wait for a chance to directly assassinate and decapitate! By then, Yuanjiang City¡¯s people would be disheartened, and wouldn¡¯t it be easy to take over?¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Kunlun Mirror earnestly said, ¡°But you also have to consider the quality of the spies. If they aren¡¯t truly sinister, seedy, despicable, and cunning, they wouldn¡¯t last long as spies without being detected.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Long Long seriously agreed, ¡°Another point to consider is that spies might not be willing to take on such dangerous tasks. The White Tiger Divine General¡¯s method of bribery and turning might not put much constraint on spies.¡± ¡°What if there were Artifact Spirits that could live inside the spies¡¯ Sea of Consciousness, tempting them all day to commit shameless acts? Forget about assassinating the enemy¡¯s commander, even if it¡¯s the major responsibility of stealing a Sect¡¯s Divine Artifact, spies wouldn¡¯t be able to refuse, right?¡± ¡°Makes some sense.¡± Kunlun Mirror passed over the tea cup, ¡°Any more tea?¡± ¡°Plenty here.¡± Long Long hurriedly filled it up. ¡°This tea tastes really good.¡± Kunlun Mirror smacked her lips, seemingly quite pleased with the flavor. ¡°I¡¯ve practiced my tea brewing skills for a long time.¡± Long Long immediately boasted. ¡°The quality of the tea leaves is quite good,¡± Kunlun Mirror suddenly said, ¡°Even if a pig were to brew the tea, the taste probably wouldn¡¯t be bad.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not necessarily true.¡± Long Long objected, ¡°The art of brewing tea complements the art of tasting tea. If you bring a pig over, even if it chews on tea stems, it might still think they taste good.¡± ¡°Ah, let¡¯s drop it, I¡¯m dead tired.¡± Kunlun Mirror put down her tea cup and transformed into a streak of light, hiding inside Long Long¡¯s Sea of Consciousness. ¡°Speaking of which, how much longer do you plan to stay in my Sea of Consciousness?¡± Long Long suddenly asked. ¡°Why?¡± Kunlun Mirror said discontentedly, ¡°Just because I made a few jokes, you¡¯re in such a hurry to drive me away?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it,¡± Long Long replied, ¡°But haven¡¯t I already collected the fragments of your true body for you? You¡¯ve already transformed; continuing to reside in my Sea of Consciousness as you did before when you had no physical form is somewhat strange, right?¡± ¡°If I don¡¯t hide in your Sea of Consciousness and stay next to you, what will you do when other people like Junior Sister Xu, Senior Sister An, Miss Shi, and Jiang the Witch see me?¡± Kunlun Mirror scoffed. ¡°Well, it¡¯s not like I¡¯m completely alone now,¡± Long Long said nonchalantly. ¡°So I¡¯m just a substitute for them, huh,¡± Kunlun Mirror grew even more displeased. ¡°Who said that?¡± Long Long immediately denied it, ¡°I just wanted you to experience the beauties of the world more, instead of staying in the Sea of Consciousness all day chatting with that sword. Its troublemaking character is just terrible, I¡¯m worried it might negatively affect you.¡± The Summoning Sword caught in the crossfire: ¡­¡­ ¡°Alright then.¡± Kunlun Mirror reappeared, transformed into a cute, round-faced girl, sat down in a chair next to Long Long, and started cracking melon seeds, ¡°What do you intend to do with these three insiders?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just watch for now.¡± Long Long also began to crack melon seeds, ¡°If we arrest them without any evidence, it could get tricky.¡± ¡°Your position is still too awkward.¡± Kunlun Mirror pointed out bluntly, ¡°If it were a member of the Feathered Clan here, they definitely wouldn¡¯t be so hamstrung.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that the truth?¡± Long Long sighed, ¡°Maybe I should have just assumed a Feathered Clan identity.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°That definitely wouldn¡¯t work.¡± Kunlun Mirror said, ¡°It¡¯s because of your identity as Long Long that you got this mission from Qin Chaocang and Feng Yan.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Long Long finished his seeds and then tried to steal some from Ah Jing¡¯s stash. ¡°So the problem really lies with the Feathered Clan themselves.¡± Kunlun Mirror slapped his hand away, ¡°It¡¯s Feng Yan who should be introspective.¡± ¡°Hey, I¡¯ve got an idea!¡± Long Long suddenly had a burst of inspiration, ¡°What do you say if we smuggle Feng Yan over here?¡± Kunlun Mirror was suddenly baffled. Chapter 816 - Chapter 816: Chapter 53: The Dragon Borrows the Phoenixs Power Chapter 816: Chapter 53: The Dragon Borrows the Phoenix¡¯s Power The Kunlun Mirror was stunned for a moment before coming back to its senses. This fellow, in some ways, could also be considered an unpredictable genius. In a situation like Yuanjiang City, besieged from all sides, others would think about evacuating their troops as quickly as possible. Long Long, on the other hand, suddenly employed reverse thinking, wanting to bring others in from outside¡­ But upon closer consideration, bringing Feng Yan inside, although it could significantly boost Long Long¡¯s prestige, also came with the possibility of being usurped. If there were to be differences of opinion between Feng Yan and Long Long, whom should one listen to? Kunlun Mirror shared its concerns with Long Long, only to hear him disdainfully say: ¡°How could that be possible? If Feng Yan had any strategies for escape, wouldn¡¯t she have sorted it out herself? I will just go back and rest.¡± Kunlun Mirror was at a loss for words, thinking, how could I have forgotten about this? Long Long originally didn¡¯t want to meddle in these troubled waters. It was Feng Yan and Qin Chaocang who, being at their wit¡¯s end, had to resort to all kinds of methods to force him over. At a time like this, shouldn¡¯t one be scrambling to take his side, rather than opposing him? ¡°That settles it!¡± Long Long declared in the end. A man and a mirror, they said they¡¯d leave and just vanished, directly teleporting into the heart of the allied forces¡¯ camp. At the camp, Qin Chaocang was pacing anxiously. The reason was nothing else but the letter Qin Lie had sent back. Qin Chaocang was naturally shocked and distressed, wondering if Long Long really was all show and no substance. Just then, Qin Lie sent another cryptic letter saying, ¡°It¡¯s all part of the plan,¡± which left Qin Chaocang even more puzzled. While waiting for further explanations, his granddaughter suddenly stopped sending messages, causing Qin Chaocang even greater unease. Could it be that the area from the front line to the rear camp had also been infiltrated by the Qilin and White Tiger allied forces, starting to intercept the Flying Sword Messaging? If that were the case, it could mean that the front line positions might have completely fallen¡­ Qin Chaocang hastily dispatched scouts to verify the situation at the front line. The scouts hadn¡¯t returned yet, and he couldn¡¯t afford to show his worry in front of his Feathered Clan allies (in case it all turned out to be a misunderstanding, it would greatly damage his dignity), so Qin Chaocang could only frown and pace back and forth in the command center, trying to dispel his inner distress. As he grew increasingly anxious, he suddenly caught a glimpse of Long Long floating past the window. Qin Chaocang: ???!!! He quickly dashed out of the command center, sweeping the area with his Divine Sense, but Long Long¡¯s trace was nowhere to be found. The front line couldn¡¯t have truly been lost, could it? Long Long teleported into the command campsite, and had Ah Jing shield him from any external inspections (just as Qin Chaocang dashed out from the command center), then with a quick scan, confirmed that Feng Yan was not in the camp, but was out hunting. Hunting¡­ during a wartime, our soldiers are out there risking their lives, and you, a noble of royal descent, are still out hunting? Long Long stealthily approached, watching Feng Yan with a small bow and arrows, shooting aimlessly. The bow and arrows were not Magical Treasures, merely mundane items, and her Highness¡¯ aim was terribly poor. The birds and beasts in front were terrified and scattered in all directions, quickly disappearing without a trace. The guards by her side remained stoic, while Feng Yan somewhat awkwardly mumbled to herself: ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve practiced, I¡¯m a bit rusty, haha.¡± After another full quiver of arrows shot into the air, she finally managed to down a wild duck flying by ¡ª although Long Long could see clearly that the duck had taken flight in fright and was inadvertently hit by an arrow fired by Feng Yan. Feng Yan immediately ran to retrieve the duck, just picking up its wing when she heard Long Long say: ¡°Your Highness¡¯s archery skills are quite impressive.¡± ¡°Cough.¡± Feng Yan coughed and asked in surprise, ¡°How come you¡¯re here? Shouldn¡¯t you be at¡­¡± ¡°As entrusted by Your Highness, I have successfully infiltrated Yuanjiang City,¡± Long Long said calmly, ¡°though I encountered a little trouble.¡± ¡°Little trouble?¡± Feng Yan thought to himself, the biggest trouble would be breaking the siege, wouldn¡¯t it? How could¡­ Ah, I see. Within the Feathered Clan, opinions had already differed on multiple fronts. There were those who wished to go to war with the Qilin, those who did not, those who wanted to form an alliance with the Dragon Clan of Eastern State, and those who did not. However, it was only because the Qilin-Vermilion Bird coalition launched the first attack and pressured the entire Two Rivers Basin that the diverse voices within the Vermilion Bird were forced to unify, making the defense of Central State the top priority. But even as they resisted, even though they agreed to an alliance with the Dragon Clan of Eastern State due to being isolated and weak, not everyone was convinced. It was irritating enough for Feng Yan when Long Long took the Red Feather Arrows there, and some still did not obey his command, essentially a slap in the face to him. ¡°So you want me to back you up?¡± Feng Yan asked with a raised eyebrow. ¡°If Your Highness wishes, Long Long would not dare to disobey,¡± Long Long said with a smile. Heh, Feng Yan sneered inwardly. Clearly, it is you who wants to invite me, yet you frame it as if I am the one eager to go¡­ No matter, the situation in Yuanjiang City is serious after all. So what if I go along with his request? Feng Yan went back to instruct his two bodyguards briefly, dismissed them, and then returned to say: ¡°Let¡¯s go, you lead the way.¡± ¡°Your Highness is not bringing bodyguards?¡± Long Long asked in surprise. ¡°No need,¡± said Feng Yan. ¡°Travel light and get it over with quickly.¡± The two of them took to the skies at the same time. Long Long used the technique of riding clouds and commanding fog, while Feng Yan simply transformed into winged form, flying together towards the north. This teleportation had returned them in just an instant; flying back using spells, however, would take some time. Inside Yuanjiang City, Lou Ming found the city defense mansion empty and was so shocked he almost spat out blood. After a more thorough search, he found a letter left behind by Long Long before teleporting, saying he went out to get reinforcements. Unable to hold back, anger attacked his heart, and he coughed up blood. Could the Dragon Clan have seen the siege was too overpowering and impossible to escape from, hence they fled alone? Thinking of this possibility, Lou Ming felt even colder. If the Feathered Clan cultivators outside were to find out about this, the army would surely be thrown into chaos, and the city might not survive! Fortunately, Long Long usually kept to himself, and if there were orders, he would only discuss them with him. If Lou Ming didn¡¯t say anything and pretended that Long Long was still in the city defense mansion giving orders, maybe he could hide the truth for a little while. As for later¡­ Deal with that later! Staying alive is the most important thing! While Lou Ming had made up his mind to defend Yuanjiang City with his comrades to the death, Long Long had already taken Feng Yan to the front lines. Long Hu and his group were digging tunnels, and their progress wasn¡¯t fast, so they hadn¡¯t retreated back to their position yet. Long Long didn¡¯t go to the Dragon Clan¡¯s command camp either. He only brought Feng Yan to the Feathered Clan¡¯s side and said: Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°I wish to see Elder Kong Ping.¡± The Feathered Clan cultivator, seeing a strange member of the Dragon Clan whom he had never seen before, scoffed and said: ¡°Elder Kong Ping is not someone a little dragon like you can meet.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Feng Yan emerged from behind, his voice dark and grim, ¡°He can¡¯t meet, but can I? Or do I also need to write a visiting card for you to report to him?¡± Recognizing this person as the Vermilion Bird prince, the Feathered Clan cultivator immediately bowed his head, his demeanor trembling and fearful, shaking like chaff, repeatedly saying he wouldn¡¯t dare. Chapter 817 - Chapter 817: Chapter 54 Silly Geese in Line Chapter 817: Chapter 54 Silly Geese in Line These patrolling Feathered Clan Cultivators might not recognize Long Long, but it was entirely impossible for them not to recognize Feng Yan. Seeing His Highness charging in with murderous intent, where would they dare to obstruct him? Of a sudden, nine out of ten Feathered Clan members fled in terror, with the only one remaining swiftly grasping the situation and hurrying off to report to the military leaders. The military leaders, upon hearing of Princess Feng Yan¡¯s sudden arrival, were each shocked to their core, especially the elder Kong Ping. Born of the Peacock Clan, arrogance and impoliteness were not only racial traits but also a way to pay homage to their ancestors. This attitude might have worked on outsiders, but it was simply laughable in the face of Feng Yan. What status did Feng Yan hold? In terms of combat, she might not match the military leaders, but when it came to intelligence and tactics¡­ if all present were tied together, they still wouldn¡¯t match up to her alone. Additionally, possessing the fiery nature of the Vermilion Bird, Feng Yan¡¯s scolding was particularly fierce and vicious, capable of slashing with each word and stabbing with each sentence; she could berate someone to the point of blood boiling, yet leave them utterly unable to retort. For the inherently proud Peacock Clan, this was more humiliating than defeat in a Magical Competition, and so Kong Ping hurriedly claimed to be scouting the front lines and hastily fled to the battlefield. When the reluctant military leaders finally gathered together, they discovered Elder Kong Ping was absent, which immediately infuriated them, resulting in an outburst of cursing. In mid-curse, as they looked upon Feng Yan¡¯s furious visage, their voices involuntarily diminished. ¡°I heard that Long Long came here with my Crimson Feather Arrow, yet someone has slandered him, claiming it was stolen?¡± Feng Yan sneered as she spoke. ¡°There¡¯s no such thing!¡± ¡°It¡¯s all Elder Kong Ping¡¯s doing!¡± ¡°We truly had no choice in the matter!¡± The crowd spoke over one another, shirking responsibility cleanly away. Elder Kong Ping, absent from this place, naturally became the perfect scapegoat. Feng Yan merely sneered, and then she spared no niceties as she fiercely reproached them, leaving each person called before her unable to hold their head up high. Long Long, listening by the side, felt that her verbal prowess was truly formidable, something no one would dare to test lightly. After she finished scolding everyone into silence, like nodding garlic heads, Feng Yan waved her hand to dismiss the crowd. Some of the clever ones came over to apologize to Long Long. Naturally, he absolved grievances with a smile, taking no account of their earlier misdeeds¨Cor so he said aloud, whether you believe him or not was up to you. After venting her anger quite satisfyingly, Feng Yan spoke to Long Long: ¡°This way, that old thief Kong Ping won¡¯t be able to incite the crowd any longer. You have tactics to employ, just command these birdmen at will.¡± Hearing this, Long Long felt somewhat awkward. Your Highness, are you sure using the term ¡°birdmen¡± is alright? ¡°What¡¯s our next step?¡± Feng Yan inquired. ¡°We¡¯re heading to Yuanjiang City,¡± replied Long Long. ¡°What are we doing in Yuanjiang City?¡± Upon hearing they would be entering deep into enemy territory, Feng Yan did not immediately refuse but merely asked. So Long Long explained the plan to retreat in two separate groups, concluding with: ¡°Leaving the second group behind, these Cultivators have already shown dissent. Without someone of significant stature to suppress them, I fear further purging may lead to trouble.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Feng Yan said with meaningful depth, ¡°you mean there¡¯s thorn among us, right?¡± ¡°Not just a thorn,¡± Long Long said, ¡°a Traitor.¡± ¡°A Traitor?¡± Feng Yan was surprised, ¡°How did you discover this?¡± ¡°How should I put this¡­¡± Long Long said with some difficulty, ¡°the reasoning process is quite complex.¡± ¡°Then forget it.¡± Feng Yan waved her hand dismissively, ¡°Just take me there.¡± Long Long took Feng Yan again along the water route. This time during the scanning, he realized that the patrolling cultivators on the surface were similar to last time, but the number of hidden ones had doubled, clearly on alert. Regrettably, under my scan, all these arrangements were fully exposed! On Long Long¡¯s end, he cleverly designed the route, deftly weaving through the gaps in the patrol teams. Thus, even the White Tiger Divine General, no matter how formidable, could not have foreseen and countered this¡­ No commander, no matter how meticulous and badass, could make the frontline troops patrol precisely along the set route without a single deviation. With this inaccuracy, naturally, there were flaws. A scan here and there, flaws were everywhere, there was no need to even use Illusion Technique to hide. Just Long Long and Feng Yan, weaving and moving through covertly, it was as if they were entering a realm devoid of people. Feng Yan, following Long Long for a while, suddenly had an expression like Long Hu and Qin Lie before¨Cfirst sensing something was amiss, then astonished and shocked, followed by contemplation, and finally a realization of ¡°Wow, this is also possible¡±, and her gaze towards Long Long changed. ¡°So how did you manage it?¡± she asked directly. ¡°You predicted the arrangements of the White Tiger Divine General and then memorized the patrol routes, calculating the insertion points to pass unnoticed, correct?¡± Before Long Long could finish, Feng Yan overthrew her own guess: ¡°No, that¡¯s not right. The patrol routes could be adjusted at any time, how could you possibly observe and calculate beforehand? So, you must have some kind of long-distance reconnaissance secret technique.¡± ¡°Your Highness,¡± Long Long said with a smile, ¡°guessing is of no use.¡± ¡°Is this how you treat your allies?¡± Feng Yan said, dissatisfied. ¡°It¡¯s precisely because we are allies that we cannot become too close,¡± Long Long said with a laugh, ¡°It¡¯d hurt the feelings.¡± Feng Yan fell silent. This statement was indeed brutally honest: the best thing about allies is not getting emotionally involved, being tightly bound together by common interests; the worst is when the interests conflict, yet one cannot separate due to emotional ties. If Long Long were to lay bare all these secrets, then it would no longer be cooperation with Feng Yan, but developing a private relationship¡­ If their feelings became deep and later the Dragon Clan and Vermilion Bird became foes, how would they interact then? Better to keep the relationship within a proper distance from the start! ¡°You do see things clearly,¡± Feng Yan remarked. ¡°Your Highness is too kind,¡± he replied. ¡°If there is a chance, consider forming a marital alliance,¡± Feng Yan continued. ¡°Even if not marrying me, the Feathered Clan has many excellent ladies for you to choose from.¡± ¡°Hahaha.¡± Long Long couldn¡¯t help laughing, ¡°I am honored by your high regard, Your Highness.¡± Honored, which means grateful and nothing more. Feng Yan understood Long Long¡¯s implication and wasn¡¯t disappointed or resentful, thinking to herself that this is a long-term battle, and what our Feathered Clan excels in is endurance. As long as South State and Eastern State are not at war, I will eventually have you, Long Long! Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only The two finally passed through the multilayered defenses, and then arrived beneath Yuanjiang City. The passage previously scorched by Long Hu¡¯s Golden Crow True Fire Fan had now been thoroughly sealed. Long Long was not in the least bit flustered; he simply carried Feng Yan up into the air, directly flying over the city wall to enter. There were defensive formations in the air meant to attack flying intruders. But those formations had been modified by Long Long¨Chow could he not leave a back door for himself? As the two flew over the city wall to enter, the formation showed no reaction at all. The Feathered Clan cultivators inside were immediately thrown into a panic, hurriedly taking to the skies to confront the intruders. However, after seeing Long Long, they were stunned; and upon recognizing Feng Yan, they were dumbfounded. A group of bird-people hovered in the air, shocked and dazed, looking like a line of silly geese. Chapter 818 - Chapter 818: Chapter 55: Emotions Must Be Conveyed Chapter 818: Chapter 55: Emotions Must Be Conveyed Feng Yan¡¯s gaze circled among the Feathered Clan Cultivators before she suddenly asked Long Long: ¡°Who is the traitor?¡± Long Long calmly raised his arm and swiftly pointed out three individuals. The faces of those three changed, and they quickly protested: ¡°Injustice! How could we possibly be traitors?¡± ¡°That Dragon Clan slanderer is spitting lies!¡± ¡°He must be deliberately framing us, seeking a reason to eliminate those who are different!¡± Looking at the expressions of the surrounding Feathered Clan Cultivators, even such unfounded accusations had already made many show signs of doubt; the exclusionary habits of the Feathered Clan were thus evident. If Feng Yan were not present, chaos might have truly erupted by now, but Feng Yan simply swept her gaze over them, and those caught by her eye immediately chose to stay silent¨Cotherwise, they would be sternly reprimanded, leaving them without the chance to retort; everyone already harbored psychological shadows. The trio also turned ashen-faced, knowing that since Feng Yan was there, they stood no chance of inciting the crowd, and so they suddenly transformed into three streaks of light, revealing their True Bodies and fleeing towards the city outskirts with all their might. Feng Yan raised her hand, and likewise, three streaks of light flashed past, instantly shooting down three large birds in the distance. Scanning behind them, Long Long found they were hit by three red-feathered small arrows. It turned out that those red-feathered arrows, not only signifying the authority of the Commander¡¯s Seal, were also Magical Treasures capable of inflicting damage. ¡°The colluders have been executed,¡± Feng Yan said coldly. ¡°Those harboring malicious intentions, this is your fate!¡± The crowd fell silent as if struck by a cold spell. Back in the city defense mansion, Feng Yan asked Long Long: ¡°What should we do next?¡± ¡°I have three strategies: superior, intermediate, and inferior,¡± Long Long replied calmly. ¡°Please choose, Your Highness.¡± ¡°Start with the superior strategy,¡± Feng Yan said. ¡°The superior strategy is to maintain the status quo as much as possible,¡± Long Long explained. ¡°Yuanjiang City may seem besieged, but isn¡¯t it also like a nail driven into the occupied territory of the Qilin and White Tiger allied forces?¡± ¡°As long as Yuanjiang City does not fall, the Qilin and White Tiger allied forces cannot completely occupy the Two Rivers Plain. The Feathered Clan only risks the annihilation of their remaining forces, which is definitely a cost-effective trade-off.¡± ¡°The superior strategy is not viable,¡± Feng Yan sighed. ¡°If Yuanjiang City¡¯s remaining forces suffer losses, there would definitely be those within the clan who would use this to fault me. What about the intermediate strategy?¡± ¡°The intermediate strategy is to staunchly defend Yuanjiang City for a period, then withdraw in a timely manner,¡± Long Long said. ¡°This will increase the chances of preserving the remaining forces.¡± ¡°The inferior strategy is to withdraw as soon as possible.¡± Feng Yan patiently listened to all three strategies, understanding that Long Long advocated for holding out as long as possible, depleting the enemy¡¯s resources and energy. Objectively speaking, she did not think there was a problem with this strategic direction, but some factors were beyond the battlefield, and she herself was powerless. ¡°How long roughly would we need to defend for the intermediate strategy?¡± Feng Yan asked. ¡°That would depend on the situation of the battlefield,¡± Long Long responded. ¡°Then let¡¯s go with the intermediate strategy!¡± Feng Yan made her decision. ¡°We¡¯ll shift to the inferior strategy depending on the circumstances!¡± ¡°Very well.¡± ¡°Escort me out of the city,¡± Feng Yan said. ¡°If Your Highness is willing to defend Yuanjiang City, the morale will certainly soar,¡± Long Long took the opportunity to offer insidious advice. ¡°My precious body, how could I stay too long in such peril?¡± Feng Yan immediately saw through his despicable intentions. He merely wanted to use her banner to train and command those Cultivators of the Feathered Clan for his own benefit, ¡°First escort me to the front lines, and if you find yourself incapable again, then come seek my assistance.¡± At that, Long Long merely chuckled, heh heh, and remained silent. Since the other party even said ¡°if you find yourself incapable again,¡± could he really admit to being ¡°incapable¡±? Therefore, Long Long ordered Lou Ming to continue supporting the defense, while he took Feng Yan out of the city. Hearing that Long Long was leaving again after just arriving, Lou Ming¡¯s face turned into a bitter gourd, nearly squeezing out water. That Qiu Ying, with his hands-off approach, was bad enough, but Long Long was even worse, spending most of his time outside of the city¡­ However, since Feng Yan was right beside him, he naturally couldn¡¯t voice any complaints and could only nod in agreement. As Long Long escorted Feng Yan out of the city, the path was unobstructed, treating every barrier as if invisible, to Feng Yan¡¯s amazement. ¡°This Qilin and White Tiger coalition¡¯s blockade is much too lax,¡± Feng Yan complained. ¡°Don¡¯t they ever change their patrol routes?¡± ¡°There¡¯s only a need to change them if someone sees through the patrol routes,¡± Long Long casually remarked. ¡°True,¡± Feng Yan mused, ¡°Even the White Tiger Divine General can¡¯t predict the future, foreseeing that you could completely see through the blockade formed by these patrol routes.¡± ¡°The other side must have become aware; otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t have intensified their siege,¡± Long Long chuckled, ¡°The White Tiger Divine General is truly a monster, to be able to counter even this.¡± ¡°To force the White Tiger Divine General into such a situation, aren¡¯t you even more monstrous?¡± Feng Yan was in high spirits now and teased, ¡°Thankfully, most of our Feathered Clan¡¯s patrols are airborne and are not so easily seen through by you.¡± Long Long smiled without saying a word. ¡°Hey, are you suggesting you could directly see through even the patrolling net spread across the higher skies?¡± Feng Yan suddenly frowned and asked. Long Long continued to smile without replying, but seeing a hint of apprehension on Feng Yan¡¯s face, he quickly said: ¡°Of course, I couldn¡¯t see through that. The Qilin and White Tiger roam at low altitudes, dealing merely with the issues of east, south, west, and north positions, but the Feathered Clan can take to the skies, which adds the dimension of altitude on top of the directions, multiplying the complexity. It¡¯s truly beyond my capabilities.¡± He would¡¯ve been better off keeping quiet. By saying this, he seemed almost too eager to deny it, which only deepened Feng Yan¡¯s ambitions to make use of him. Just what sort of charm did that fox have, or was Long Long¡¯s nature simply too obstinate? No matter how much Feng Yan tried threats, inducements, and seductions, Long Long wouldn¡¯t budge and it irritated her to the point that the Vermilion Bird within her practically itched to peck at him furiously. Having returned to the front-line stronghold, Long Hu had already led the first group of evacuating Cultivators to reach the two clans¡¯ main base. Among the Cultivators of the Feathered Clan at the front lines, many had family and friends among the evacuees. Now that they were reunited, they were moved to tears and deeply touched. When asked how they managed to evacuate, the Cultivators both praised Long Long¡¯s life-saving grace. Of course, some resented the forced donations and wanted to scoff, but they immediately fell silent under Feng Yan¡¯s sharp gaze. Long Hu hadn¡¯t expected that after bidding farewell to Long Long before departure, he would still see Long Long upon arrival; he immediately threw himself into his embrace. The fluffy tail gave a few slaps and tightly coiled around Long Long¡¯s leg. The Cultivators of the Dragon Clan watching this felt rather strange. Although the Azure Dragon Clan had accepted that Long Hu possessed Dragon Clan Bloodline, seeing that typical tail of the Mao Clan was still hard to come to terms with. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Feng Yan watched with a cold eye, thinking that if Long Long could accept even such a tail, it showed that he wasn¡¯t an ¡°Absolutist of Dragon Clan Bloodline.¡± That is to say, his loyalty to the Dragon Clan was due to deep, old feelings. It seems that Long Long was, after all, a very devoted dragon. Against such a character, mere enticements surely would not work; one must appeal to emotions to succeed. With that in mind, Feng Yan gradually began to conceive a new plan. Chapter 819 - Chapter 819: Chapter 56: Explosion on the Spot Chapter 819: Chapter 56: Explosion on the Spot The Feathered Clan and Dragon Clan allied forces encircled the area around the original Yuanjiang City on the Two Rivers Plain, engaging in a series of fierce battles with the Qilin and White Tiger allied forces. This war, which also involved the Imperial Clan and the three major feudal lords, was known as the Half Realm Battle in the Eastern Emperor Realm. Clearly, if the Two Rivers Plain were to be completely occupied by Central State, South State would no longer have any buffer zone, allowing the Qilin and White Tiger forces to sail down along the two rivers and strike directly into the heartland core of South State, akin to ¡°half the realm collapsing in an instant¡±. But if the defense of the Two Rivers Plain holds, it would be possible to contain the allied forces of Central State and West State, providing the Northern State¡¯s Xuanwu a breather. As for the final outcome, no one could say for certain. In Yuanjiang City, Long Long personally commanded day and night. The defensive formations were repeatedly shattered by the besieging forces, but he quickly repaired them with his extensive experience and then counterpushed back. Whenever the pace of the siege briefly slowed, he would find a secluded corner in the city guard¡¯s mansion to take and refine one of the Dragon Blood Pills stolen from the old dragon. From the previous journey to the Shennongjia Mountain Range, the contents of the old dragon¡¯s storage bag were plentiful but useless, and Luo Yan gave most of them to his wife, Shi Liuli. Trading the Shennong Cauldron for the Heaven-overturning Seal, yet to make sense of the Eight Trigrams Mirror, only the Dragon Blood Pill could be immediately cashed in to increase combat power and naturally should not be wasted. The elixirs carried by this immortal indeed had extraordinary effects. Once the medicinal power was refined, Long Long felt that all the painstaking efforts triggered by the domineering blood energy were resolved with ease, transforming into solid hard cultivation. In hindsight, his growth in cultivation level from the Soul Storing Rank to the Root Seeking Rank, and then to the Obscure Weave Rank, was not actually from hard cultivation, but rather benefited from various top-tier Immortal Pills obtained from the Ziwei Master, Wan Xiang Immortal, and the old dragon, which truly left one speechless. Working will not make one rich overnight, and hard cultivation will not allow one to ascend to the heavens in a day. Only by relying on the support of high rank cultivators can one manage to maintain a swift pace of leveling up. With a brief calculation, Long Long knew that it would take a few months to reach the Great Perfection of the Obscure Weave Rank. After Great Perfection, comes the Nascent Infant Heavenly Tribulation. Back when he was advancing to the First Grade Golden Core Rank, even with his extraordinary talent, he was nearly wiped out by the overly challenging Heavenly Tribulation. This First Grade Divine Infant tribulation would likely be even more perilous than the Golden Core Tribulation. Luckily, he now possessed magical treasures, cultivation techniques, and Flying Swords, many more resources than he had during the Foundation Establishment Great Perfection, so he wasn¡¯t completely without assurance in overcoming the tribulation. But certainly, he would not cross the tribulation in the Eastern Emperor Realm. ¡°Ah Jing, let¡¯s go to Kunlun for the save.¡± [Location One: Qinling, Kunlun frontline position.] [Character Identity: Qiu Changtian.] [Overlaying the Mirror Flower Water Moon Template, time-space traveling in process.] Qiu Changtian opened his eyes and sighed helplessly. In the Eastern Emperor Realm, a large-scale war had unfolded. In the Cultivation Realm, a not insignificant war had also broken out. In the Eastern Emperor Realm, I am playing the role of Long Long of the Azure Dragon Clan, taking on the task of commanding the war zone and leading my subordinate cultivators against the allied forces of the Qilin and White Tiger. In the Cultivation Realm, I am playing the role of Qiu Changtian of the Kunlun Taiqing Sect, similarly¡­ I couldn¡¯t continue. If this were put into a novel, I might be accused of padding out the word count. But considering the repetitive nature of history, it¡¯s actually not that surprising. Just as the end of the Han Dynasty saw the decline of the Han royal house with numerous warlords contending for dominance, the end of the Sui Dynasty also witnessed the decline of the Sui royal house with various warlords vying for power. Heroes like Guan Yu, Zhang Liao, and Zhou Yu appeared during the Han Dynasty¡¯s end, just as Qin Qiong, Yu Chigong, and Cheng Yaojin emerged at the end of the Sui Dynasty¡­ Anyway, warfare, it¡¯s all somewhat similar. Although Qiu Changtian felt like he had just crawled out of one muddy pit only to fall into another, he had no choice but to make do and muddle through. ¡°Brother.¡± Guan Zhan pushed the door and entered from outside, ¡°We have recaptured several mines.¡± ¡°Excellent.¡± Qiu Changtian applauded with a smile, ¡°Junior brother, I have a new list here. Take your men and subdue them.¡± After Guan Zhan¡¯s Core Formation, his Daoist name became ¡°Pingchuan¡±, but Qiu Changtian still preferred to address him as brother. As for the cultivators outside, they didn¡¯t call Guan Zhan ¡°Real Person Pingchuan¡±, but rather ¡°Desperate Guan Lang¡±. The reason is needless to say. Guan Zhan silently took the list, but was in no hurry to leave, merely gazing at Qiu Changtian with eager eyes. ¡°I also have a sword technique here. Junior brother, go have fun with it.¡± Qiu Changtian, imitating the manner of an immortal bestowing gifts, said indifferently. Guan Zhan took the sword technique and hurriedly left while eagerly reading it like a person starved for knowledge. Qiu Changtian watched his retreating figure and sighed. Why Guan Zhan was so desperate for power, he knew all too well. Back when the two were of the same realm, now their cultivation levels have become vastly different, such that even the little trickle from the gaps between his fingers would make him overflow with gratitude and be at his beck and call¡­ It can only be said that the ¡°Matthew effect¡± in the Cultivation Realm is excessively outrageous; one step behind, and you fall behind at every step. In light of this, I must also hurry to perfect the Golden Core Realm and undergo the Nascent Infant Tribulation. Thinking this way, Qiu Changtian returned to reviewing the detailed battle plans. If the alliance between the Feathered Clan and the Dragon Clan had a four or five in ten chance of defeating the Qilin and White Tiger allied forces, then the strength comparison between the Kunlun Taiqing Sect and the Six Paths alliance should be above seven to three. In terms of overt strength, the Demon Cult is definitely not a match¨Ceven if all Six Paths joined forces and united to oppose Kunlun, they would not be able to win. The strategy adopted by Wei Dongliu was nothing more than surprise attacks (on Guanzhong), and containment (at Iron City Mountain), snatch a wave and then leave. If Kunlun turned hostile and seriously wanted to fight, then everyone would immediately scatter, leaving you unable to even find our Sect Residences. However, Kunlun¡¯s perspective was somewhat reminiscent of the ancient Central Plain dynasties¡¯ helplessness towards nomadic tribes: I know you¡¯ve come to take advantage; I also know I can¡¯t completely get rid of you, so I can only try to send you away as quickly as possible. Qiu Changtian sighed and received another Flying Sword Messaging from Xu Yinglian. As he unfolded it, he saw that Xu Yinglian cursed Wei Dongliu out, her writing conveying ¡°I was so close to defeating him, but the Master feared some mishap, so we had to sound the retreat. That old Wei is just too lucky,¡± which made Qiu Changtian laugh uncontrollably. Do I not know the specific situation? My wife, you still need to practice well! In any case, with the elders out in full force at Iron City Mountain, Nascent Souls abounding everywhere, there should be no more changes to come. As long as the various resources in the Guanzhong area are recaptured, this battle will be considered over. Qiu Changtian continued his orderly command, recapturing each lost region one by one. Most were decided in one battle, with a few stubborn holdouts; for those, he sent Guan Zhan to charge, slay, and cause chaos until no resistance was left. Having recaptured roughly eighty or ninety percent, the remnants of the Six Paths were gathering for what seemed to be their final counterattack. As Qiu Changtian was directing the encirclement, suddenly there came a sky-shaking explosion from afar, as if mountains were collapsing and the earth was splitting. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Both sides, locked in combat, stopped simultaneously and turned their heads to look. They saw massive dark clouds rising in the south, like a tidal wave of darkness bearing down. That direction¡­ was Shushan! Another loud boom, shaking the wilds, thunderous like a stampede, galvanized the morale of the Demon Cult, thinking that the Shushan Shangqing Faction had committed too many evils and thus suffered divine retribution that exploded on the spot. They took the opportunity to counterattack. In contrast, the cultivators from Kunlun were caught off guard and almost pushed back by the Demon Cult¡¯s counterattack. Qiu Changtian heaved a sigh and leapt up with his sword in hand. Chapter 820 - Chapter 820: Chapter 57: Qiu Changtian Fights the Demons Alone Chapter 820: Chapter 57: Qiu Changtian Fights the Demons Alone The Demon Cult took advantage of the chaos among the Kunlun people and launched a surprise attack. Gusts of chill wind and ominous dark clouds signaled the arrival of the Nether Ghost Path cultivators. Swaying heavenly demons and seductive women indicated the Heavenly Demon Path cultivators. Wrathful Vajras and surging murderous aura heralded the Asura Path cultivators. Poisonous insects and fierce beasts were from the Eastern Emperor Path cultivators. All above mentioned, bizarre and extraordinary, were from the Mortal Life Path cultivators. The people of Kunlun hastily retreated, each with an expression of unparalleled panic. A Nether Ghost Path Cultivator at the forefront clapped his hands together, unleashing a vast expanse of white fog, enveloping the Kunlun cultivators in a blinding assault. A few who were not quick enough got caught by the fog, their bodies turning purplish-black as their limbs necrotized, falling downwards. This Multiriver Cold Technique of the Nether Ghost Path was indeed extremely venomous and harsh! All retreated, but Qiu Changtian alone drew his sword, striking with the Tianyuan Yiqi Sword, instantly slashing through the chill, as if slashing through leather. The Nether Ghost Path True Person paled in fear, realizing the prowess of this First Grade Golden Core, and immediately twisted his body to retreat hastily. Qiu Changtian would not give him the chance, pointing his hand, the Tianyuan Yiqi Sword shot out like lightning, targeting the Nether Ghost Path True Person. At that moment, the opponent¡¯s chest exploded open, but it turned out that the Tianyuan Yiqi Sword stabbed empty air. This joint dislocation technique was also one of the many despicable moves of the Nether Ghost Path. At the elementary level, the joints break, but at a higher level, like this person¡¯s, every part of the body can be separated and reassembled, almost immune to all physical attacks. But Qiu Changtian had anticipated this, swinging out a bolt of Thunder Light in a splitting motion, striking the separated half of the opponent¡¯s body, instantly turning it to ash. The Nether Ghost Path True Person was once again terrified, and his remaining body fell, hastily grabbed by other Nether Ghost Path members, barely saving his life. Just as Qiu Changtian was about to pursue further, suddenly a Heavenly Demon Daoist Master blocked his path, indeed the very Lingyun True Person who had previously interacted with Wei Dongliu, a direct disciple of the Heavenly Demon Sect Leader. Lingyun True Person also knew of Qiu Changtian¡¯s Daoist Heart Clarity; all the Heavenly Demon Illusory Arts were ineffective against him, so he vigorously shook his sleeves, dropping many demon heads that instantly pounced towards Qiu Changtian. This was the Seventy-Two Formless Demonic Spirits, even more secretive and venomous compared to the Thirty-Six Formed Demonic Spirits. Without specific magical treasures or secret techniques, even Nascent Soul Elders were at risk of being affected. Qiu Changtian, expressionless, merely scanned and locked onto the demons¡¯ positions, then fired a Great Hollow Thunder, a divine counter to Heavenly Demons, instantly turning half of the Seventy-Two Formless Demonic Spirits to ash. This shocked Lingyun True Person, her face draining of color, quickly withdrawing the remaining demons and turning to flee. As Qiu Changtian was about to give chase, he saw another figure charging towards him, a monk from the Asura Path, wielding a Zen Staff ferociously with a colossal Dharma Body appearing behind him, brandishing six weapons to smash down. Before the weapons even struck, a mighty ferocious wind faced him. Qiu Changtian, fearless, merely formed a Daoist Formula and cast a Supreme Jasper Spiritual Talisman. The talisman, known for its suppression capabilities, becomes increasingly powerful the more vigorous the True Yuan is. With Qiu Changtian now at the Obscure Weave Rank of the Golden Core Realm, his True Yuan was almost invincible just below the Nascent Soul. When the talisman hit the gigantic Dharma Body, the aura around it immediately stiffened, and the striking weapons froze mid-air, unable to descend, creating a comedic sight. The monk intended to strike with his Zen Staff, but seeing his trump technique immobilized by a talisman, he hastily discarded the staff, rolled on the ground, and with an Earth Escape Technique merged into the soil, disappearing instantly. With just these moves, Qiu Changtian consecutively defeated three Golden Core True Persons of the same rank. Seeing him formidable in a one-on-one fight, the remaining Demon Cult Cultivators spontaneously surged forward, hurling all sorts of magical treasures, Flying Swords, and secret techniques in disarray. The brilliance of spells filled the sky and earth, raging like tidal waves towards him, looking quite terrifying. If it were an ordinary cultivator seeing such a formation, they would¡¯ve trembled with fear and become utterly paralyzed. Qiu Changtian had just returned from the Eastern Emperor Realm, and the siege firepower of the Qilin-White Tiger coalition forces was countless times more formidable than the chaotic joint efforts of your Demon Cult Cultivators. Without panicking, he first cast the Supreme Jasper Spiritual Talisman towards the most fiercely attacked direction, turning all sorts of spells into nothingness. Then, he activated the Taiqing Yuan Qi Mist, enveloping himself without any blind spots, where all sorts of attacks that fell into it were like a clay ox entering the sea, hardly advancing an inch. Finally, he played the Tidewave Horizontal Flute for a moment, and the sound waves rolled out, completely shattering the remaining spells. The members of the Demon Cult were stunned, followed by inexplicable horror. It was within everyone¡¯s expectations that a cultivator from the same rank couldn¡¯t defeat Qiu Changtian, after all, the reputation of being a First Grade Golden Core was not unfounded. But how could so many Golden Core True Persons, with their combined force of attacks, not even touch a piece of his clothing? In the hearts of the crowd, a certain sense of powerless enlightenment gradually emerged: Changgeng True Person initially had Daoist Heart Clarity and extraordinary talent; then, in Kunlun, he was taught the secret techniques of the Immortal Sect, solidified his Daoist Foundation, and achieved the First Grade Golden Core. Lastly, he was endowed with various Magical Treasures by his maternal home and sect, whether it was the Tianyuan Yiqi Sword, Taiqing Yuan Qi Mist, or the Tidewave Horizontal Flute, all were not ordinary grade treasures and were more than sufficient even for a Nascent Soul Elder to wield. Talent, Daoist Foundation, Magical Treasures, these three together forged an invincible peak powerhouse who could ascend beyond his level. Now among the Golden Core Realm cultivators, no one could rival him. Thus, the Golden Core True Persons of the Six Paths retreated one after another, and about a dozen Nascent Soul Elders jointly charged out, rushing towards the solitary Changgeng True Person. Upon seeing this, Qiu Changtian almost spat blood: Although it¡¯s true I¡¯m invincible among my peers, does it really merit a mob of more than a dozen Nascent Soul Elders? That¡¯s too much, way too much! He simply laughed loudly, assuming a fearless demeanor, and charged towards those dozen or so Demon Cult Elders. This fearless charge instantly scared everyone present. The Golden Core True Persons of the Demon Cult, seeing this, wondered if this Changgeng True Person of Kunlun could already contend with Nascent Soul Realm cultivators? The crowd became even more terrified, hastily using their life-saving spells to disperse in a panic. The Nascent Soul Elders of the Demon Cult also felt a chill in their heart, speculating whether Changgeng True Person had borrowed some powerful magical treasure from Chi Song the old thief, capable of annihilating several Nascent Soul Elders in one strike? Thinking so, they all halted their charge, preparing to cast various defensive/life-saving methods. The Nascent Soul Elders of Kunlun behind them were even more terrified and restless. If Changgeng True Person truly died here, not to mention the loss to Kunlun, just offending both the Ziwei Master and Chi Song Immortal meant they would definitely take the blame. Thus, the Kunlun Elders charged out together, instantly surpassing Qiu Changtian, and clashed with the Demon Cult Elders. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only The situation on the battlefield escalated to a bombardment among Nascent Soul Elders, allowing Qiu Changtian to finally extricate himself. Returning to his own formation, he received a Flying Sword message from Ziwei Master, which contained only eight simple words: ¡°Shushan is changing, cease the fighting temporarily.¡± Qiu Changtian silently read it, aware that his master also definitely did not know what had happened in Shushan, but the splitting of Mount Emei into four parts was too frightening. If some old demon had made a move, how should Kunlun respond? Therefore, they must definitely hold their ground. Having quietly contemplated, he showed the message to the surrounding elders. Thus, the next day, Kunlun withdrew its troops. Chapter 821 - Chapter 821: Chapter 58: The Damaged Mask Chapter 821: Chapter 58: The Damaged Mask The great upheaval from Shushan caused both Kunlun and the Six Paths to cease their war simultaneously. For the former, the resource points in the Guanzhong Area that had been lost were almost all reclaimed; for the latter, the occupation of resource points during this period had basically netted them enough spoils. Thus, both sides exhibited a rare weariness of war, which coincided with the sudden incident at Shushan, prompting both to tacitly lay down their arms. Upon receiving the information, Qiu Changtian hurried back to the Iron City Mountain base, only to see that all the Elders had arrived, with the Ziwei Master wearing a deeply furrowed frown. On closer inspection, even the rarely seen Chi Song Immortal was present, standing at the center of the crowd, forming Daoist seals with his hands, exuding a composed aura. ¡°Zhang Tian, come here,¡± the Ziwei Master called Qiu Changtian to his side. Qiu Changtian approached his master without uttering a word. With Chi Song Immortal remaining silent, the Ziwei Master naturally did not speak either, and the other Nascent Soul Elders were even more mute, making the atmosphere as solemn as a silent segment of an ancestral ceremony. After approximately a quarter of an hour, Chi Song Immortal suddenly spoke: ¡°Why is no one talking?¡± The crowd was dumbfounded¨Cif the elder did not speak, how could we dare to say a word? Qiu Changtian saw the figure of the Ziwei Master shake slightly but soon stabilized, then leaned to Chi Song Immortal¡¯s ear and said: ¡°Let¡¯s set a tone first.¡± Chi Song Immortal immediately realized his gaffe, gave an embarrassed cough, and said: ¡°After so many years, the Tai Yin Sword Master has finally emerged in Shushan, this is indeed a fortunate event for our Orthodox Sect!¡± With this remark, all the Kunlun Elders understood that the official stance of Kunlun was one of support for this event. Since they were openly supportive, they obviously couldn¡¯t speak ill too bluntly, so everyone began to echo in agreement: ¡°Yes, indeed, with the emergence of the Tai Yin Sword Master, the fortunes of our Orthodox Sect truly are incessant!¡± ¡°With the Tai Yin Sword Master, the strength of Shushan has leapt forward significantly.¡± ¡°The Demon Cult has heard of the arrival of the Tai Yin Sword Master, and now they have completely retracted, hahaha.¡± Seeing that everyone was following the lead without touching on the crux, the Ziwei Master had no choice but to clear his throat and casually said: ¡°The significant progress of Shushan¡¯s power is truly the blessing of the Orthodox Sect. However, we in Kunlun are not content to lag behind; how to deal with the competition from our fraternal Sects requires cautious consideration.¡± Firstly, he followed the tone set by Chi Song Immortal by calling it a blessing for the Orthodox Sect, and secondly, within this great blessing, there also hides the worry of competition within the Orthodox Sect, meaning Kunlun is undoubtedly facing greater pressure. After the steering by the Ziwei Master, everyone continued along the line of discussion initiated by the Sect Leader: ¡°Although Shushan has the Tai Yin Sword Master, our Kunlun also has Changgeng True Person.¡± ¡°To be fair, though Changgeng is a First Grade Golden Core, he is still not on par with the Tai Yin Sword Master.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a temporary insufficiency. The Tai Yin Suming Sword is a Divine Artifact of the Human Race. But the Tai Yin Sword Master himself is said to be only a Third Grade Golden Core; with an inferior Daoist Foundation, he is constantly behind, and the gap will only get narrower.¡± The crowd discussed and conversed among themselves, quickly reaching a consensus: Despite Changgeng True Person currently being inferior to the Tai Yin Sword Master, in the future, this gap will only decrease¡­ ¡°The Synchronization Value has fallen below the alert threshold,¡± Kunlun Mirror suddenly said. ¡°Pay attention to it.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Qiu Changtian was shocked. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you remind me earlier?¡± The Kunlun Mirror fell silent. Although she was eager to see this guy¡¯s disguise unveiled and him dealt a blow, the matter concerned infiltrating Kunlun; Ah Jing naturally wouldn¡¯t confuse priorities and intentionally cause mischief¨Cit was just that the Synchronization Value had really dropped too swiftly, and she too hadn¡¯t had the time to react. ¡°The news spread too quickly.¡± The Kunlun Mirror said worriedly, ¡°In the past, the source of your Invincible Character Setting¡¯s Synchronization Value, Kunlun had an exclusive seventy percent, while the rest of the world shared thirty percent.¡± ¡°Now that the Tai Yin Sword Master has emerged, Kunlun received the news faster than other sects, leading to the impact on the exclusive seventy percent source, causing the Synchronization Value to plummet.¡± ¡°Wait a moment.¡± Qiu Changtian raised a question, ¡°Even if it was affected by the news of the Tai Yin Sword Master, causing the source of the Synchronization Value to be damaged, it should have been ¡®temporarily stopped increasing¡¯, not ¡®decreasing¡¯, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± The Kunlun Mirror nodded, ¡°The current decrease can only indicate one thing.¡± ¡°Someone inside Kunlun is spreading the rumor that ¡®Changgeng True Person is inferior to the Tai Yin Sword Master¡¯.¡± Qiu Changtian: ¡­¡­¡­. Who the hell has so much free time! Better not let me catch you, or you¡¯ll wish you hadn¡¯t! ¡°By the way, what happens if the Synchronization Value falls below the alert threshold?¡± Qiu Changtian asked again. ¡°The effect of the Illusion Technique¡¯s concealment might be insufficient,¡± said the Kunlun Mirror offhandedly, ¡°For example, the Invincible Character Setting is like a mask for Qiu Changtian, and the face underneath the mask is Chen Guanshui.¡± ¡°Your Junior Sister Xu is accustomed to the mask of Qiu Changtian; if one day the mask is discarded, she won¡¯t associate Chen Guanshui with Qiu Changtian.¡± ¡°But now the mask has cracks, and so Xu Yinglian will gradually become familiar with the demeanor of Chen Guanshui. When the day comes that you take off the mask, she will still have a certain probability of feeling ¡®deja vu¡¯¡­ Of course, that¡¯s not a big deal, after all, by that time, you would have long been gone without a trace, right?¡± ¡°Who are you kidding, Broken Mirror!¡± Qiu Changtian retorted with a sneer, ¡°This matter is very serious, okay?¡± ¡°If I really abandon the persona of Qiu Changtian, with Junior Sister¡¯s temperament, wouldn¡¯t she search the world for her husband? If my True Body gets exposed to her, wouldn¡¯t that mean I have to hide and be afraid of being discovered by Junior Sister any day?¡± ¡°That may be true, but even if you are now impeccably disguised, do you dare to appear openly before Xu Yinglian after abandoning your persona?¡± The Kunlun Mirror countered. Qiu Changtian had no response. ¡°No matter how well you disguise yourself now, later as Chen Guanshui, you should avoid encountering Xu Yinglian as much as possible,¡± said the Kunlun Mirror, ¡°So whether the mask is intact or not isn¡¯t actually that important to you, am I wrong in saying that?¡± ¡°More than the issue of the mask¡¯s disguise, there is another thing you should worry about.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the other thing?¡± ¡°Have you forgotten where the talent of Daoist Heart Clarity comes from?¡± the Kunlun Mirror reminded him. Qiu Changtian: !!! ¡°My talent of Daoist Heart Clarity is going to vanish?¡± he said in disbelief, ¡°That¡¯s absolutely unacceptable, I cannot bear this!¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°It¡¯s not vanishing, just incapable of exerting its full one hundred percent efficiency,¡± the Kunlun Mirror explained. ¡°That¡¯s still not okay!¡± Qiu Changtian hastily said, ¡°I am aiming to reach the Great Perfection of the Obscure Weave Rank! Now with the Daoist Heart Clarity efficiency reduced, what do you expect me to do?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± The Kunlun Mirror appeared troubled, ¡°How about we boost the Synchronization Value of the Invincible Character Setting?¡± The Synchronization Value really hasn¡¯t been boosted for a long time¡­ Qiu Changtian pondered for a moment, then fiercely said: ¡°Boost it!¡± Chapter 822 - Chapter 822: Chapter 59: Restless Junior Sister Xu Chapter 822: Chapter 59: Restless Junior Sister Xu Speaking of which, it¡¯s been a long time since the synchronization value was brushed. Qiu Changtian thought that since he formed the First Grade Golden Core, he would no longer need to brush the synchronization value. However, he didn¡¯t expect that the Invincible Golden Body he condensed would be broken by another of his own smaller accounts¨Ctruly a situation more speechless than the battle with Qiu Wei. Indeed, no matter which world, there are only a few people standing at the top of the pyramid, and competition between them is simply inevitable. Still have to brush it! Qiu Changtian then went to the Ziwei Master and proposed that since the war had ended and he was no longer the commander, he could do some feasible things for the sect, such as discussing the Dao and competing with other true cultivators, etc. Ziwei Master listened quietly and then advised Qiu Changtian, saying it¡¯s good that you have this intention, Changgeng True Person, but what time is it now? Not just within our Kunlun Sect, but the whole world is comparing you to the Tai Yin Sword Master. If you show off yourself so eagerly, everyone will say that Changgeng knows he is no match and is deliberately showing off¡­ which goes against our Kunlun¡¯s principle of restraint. Upon hearing this, Qiu Changtian was also dumbfounded. Is the problem being reserved and keeping a low profile? My synchronization value is almost dropped out; still keeping a low profile! He silently left the Scripture Lecture Hall of the Jade Void Palace and then saw Xu Yinglian descending from the side. Xu Yinglian saw Qiu Changtian¡¯s gloomy expression and probably guessed it was because of the Tai Yin Sword Master, she couldn¡¯t help but feel a ripple in her heart and secretly thought: So the senior brother also has times when he feels downcast and sorrowful due to being surpassed by others. Thinking thus, infinite tenderness arose in her heart, she went up and hugged Qiu Changtian¡¯s arm, gently saying: ¡°Senior brother, why be so unhappy? If it¡¯s just because of the Tai Yin Sword Master, I think you really shouldn¡¯t bother.¡± ¡°The Tai Yin Sword Master is just a Third Grade Golden Core, what can the Tai Yin Summoning Sword do? External objects, no matter how powerful, ultimately do not fall within one¡¯s own Daoist foundation. Subsequent forming of the Nascent Infant and ascending to immortality, the distance is bound to widen, so why worry about the order of advancement at this moment?¡± Upon hearing this, Qiu Changtian¡¯s heart also felt incredibly warm. He understood all these ideas; the Kunlun Elders had said them hundreds of times. But what kind of proud and lofty person is Junior Sister Xu? If it were any other cultivator weaker than her in realm and strength, she wouldn¡¯t even spare them a second glance, let alone comfort them. No matter if I am that invincible senior brother or not, I am in junior sister¡¯s heart! The two returned to Golden Ridge Cave Abode, greatly moved, Qiu Changtian combed Xu Yinglian¡¯s hair, holding her and talking for a while, just like Luo Yan treated Shi Liuli. But Xu Yinglian wasn¡¯t used to these tender methods. Although the senior brother was refined and courteous in the past, he never overstepped the bounds. He occasionally hugged her, cherished the moment briefly, seeing her blush and shy away, he would immediately let go. Frankly speaking, although they have already become Daoist companions, it¡¯s more like being senior brother and sister. This sort of interaction now, seems to be what should exist between husband and wife¡­ Thinking of this, Xu Yinglian felt her Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart melting in this boundless tenderness and sweetness. Qiu Changtian also felt somewhat amused, presumably because of the temperament of Junior Sister Xu, which was completely different from Shi Liuli¡¯s. For instance, when coaxing her with sweet little words, Shi Liuli would immediately snuggle like a bird into his embrace, sticking close in his arms. But Xu Yinglian, by nature reserved and aloof, even if shy at heart, at most would just blush. As for proactively hugging like Shi Liuli did, that was absolutely impossible. However, the more she maintained this self-pride, the more Qiu Changtian felt amused. What¡¯s wrong with teasing one¡¯s own wife? It¡¯s just the fun between husband and wife after all. He then tested all the proactive offensive tactics he learned from Jiang the Witch on Junior Sister Xu, one by one. Lifting her chin with a gaze, pretending to whisper but actually blowing air, holding her face for a kissing breath-hold challenge for the duration of an incense stick¡­ So much that Xu Yinglian¡¯s body became half-soft, yet she was still stubbornly refusing to yield, just glaring angrily at Qiu Changtian, thinking ¡®Brother loves¡­ me, but he shouldn¡¯t be so frivolous, what does he think I am?¡¯ Glare at him! The two of them alternated between offense and defense, back and forth. Qiu Changtian saw that at first his junior sister maintained her reserved defense, but later she became limp and powerless, seemingly resisting but also welcoming, obviously having given up most of her resistance, which made him feel a bit regretful. How wonderful it would be if at this moment he didn¡¯t wear Qiu Changtian¡¯s mask, but showed himself as Chen Guanshui? Thinking about this dejectedly, he forgot that the synchronization value had already dropped too low, and at this moment in Xu Yinglian¡¯s eyes, there was not a trace of the arrogant aloofness or superiority of the invincible character setting on her brother, although the dazzling brilliance of the old days was gone, he seemed more approachable and lively. Seeing his sudden gloomy expression, Xu Yinglian thought it was because she pushed him away too much, causing her husband to feel a bit down. After hesitating for a moment with intertwined emotions, she suddenly hugged him and took the initiative to kiss him. Qiu Changtian was taken by surprise and was pushed down by Junior Sister Xu. They rolled around on the stone bed for a few times, with clothes askew and sleeves slightly disheveled. Qiu Changtian kissed Xu Yinglian¡¯s lips, feeling her warm and rich breath coming from her mouth, almost igniting his dantian. Xu Yinglian¡¯s long black hair was evenly spread on the bed, like a blooming beguiling rose. Her slender legs nervously tightened, but her white jade-like arms tightly hugged Qiu Changtian¡¯s back, her fingers gently scratching like a little cat. Qiu Changtian kissed her lips, then moved on to her swan-like pale and elegant neck, soon leaving Junior Sister Xu with only enough energy to gasp for air. Her eyes uncontrollably flickered, and her body became unbearably hot, even through the clothes one could feel its searing heat. Just when the moment was right, with Qiu Changtian¡¯s hands already on his belt, he suddenly realized something. Ah Jing and Suming Sword are still watching! ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯m not watching,¡± said Kunlun Mirror hastily. She really wasn¡¯t watching, not only withdrawing all her divine sense, but also attempting to block Suming Sword¡¯s perception. ¡°I¡¯m not watching either,¡± Suming Sword said righteously. But this darned sword was lying; it was trying by all means to break through the blockage of Kunlun Mirror. With the sword and the mirror speaking up, it instantly extinguished the burning passion in Qiu Changtian. No matter how liberal he was, he wasn¡¯t about to make an action movie for this sword and mirror to watch, so his hand movements gradually slowed. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Xu Yinglian finally caught her breath, just holding on to Qiu Changtian and quietly feeling the body warmth transmitted through the Daoist robe. The two of them continued to be intimate for a while before separating from each other. Xu Yinglian then sat cross-legged and began to circulate her energy to disperse the lingering whims within her body, soon reaching a state of mind like still water. Qiu Changtian also sat with his Five Hearts Facing the Sky, trying to enter a meditative concentration, but now the Daoist Heart Clarity talent was only four or five tenths of what it used to be, where was the immediate concentrating effect of before? Considering Qiu Changtian¡¯s current Invincible Character Setting had also been scrambled by Ling Yunpo, he sighed deeply in his heart, planning to reload to another character setting, cultivate his Golden Core Realm Obscure Weave to Great Perfection, transcend the Heavenly Tribulation, then come and show you all the formidable power of Elder Changgeng¡¯s First Grade Immortal Infant! Chapter 823 - Chapter 823: Chapter 60: Ones Own Path is the Most Important Chapter 823: Chapter 60: One¡¯s Own Path is the Most Important [Location Four: Iron City Mountain, Asura Path Domain.] [Character Identity: Wei Dongliu.] [Mirror Flower Water Moon Template overlaid, currently time-space traveling.] On Wei Dongliu¡¯s timeline, the war is still far from over. At the foot of Iron City Mountain, the Nascent Soul Elders of the Six Paths take turns to fight, engaging in fierce battles with the Kunlun Elders. Watching from behind, Wei Dongliu thinks to himself that the current alliance of the Six Paths¡­ no, the Five Paths, still falls short of the Kunlun Taiqing Sect. But if the Hell Path were to reveal its hidden strengths, relying on the terrifying power that resides deep within Hell itself, and combined with the other Five Paths, they should be able to firmly suppress Kunlun, though still not surmount the Three Pure Ones¡¯ alliance. Thus, the reason why the Hell Path conceals its movements becomes clear. Without the Hell Path, the rest of the Five Paths combined cannot defeat either Kunlun or Shushan. Naturally, Kunlun and Shushan don¡¯t feel threatened, allowing them to maintain a delicate balance of ¡°alliance yet competition.¡± But if Hell Path were to demonstrate its power, it would inevitably prompt the Three Pure Ones of the Orthodox Sect to unite, spelling disaster for the Six Paths. However, now that Hell Path has somehow ensured his rise to the joint leadership of the Six Paths, does this imply that they are also plotting to emerge into the limelight? Could it be that they already have the confidence and means to deal with the Three Pure Orthodox Sect? As dusk falls, both parties sound the retreat, calling back their elders. Night battles pose no issue for cultivators, but there¡¯s simply no need for that. The Six Paths have no chance of victory, and Kunlun is unwilling to invest too much and only achieve a Pyrrhic victory, so both sides exercise a fair degree of restraint. For example, in the battle at the front lines, each Party fights with their own methods, regardless of life or death. When one falls, another quickly takes their place, with no attempts at ganging up on a single opponent¡­ not because everyone plays by the rules, but simply because they don¡¯t see the need to do so. Wei Dongliu quietly observes the battlefield, unaware that Jiang Lian is also secretly watching him. This Great Unrestrained Heavenly Demon, a witch who took the conquest of her husband¡¯s body and heart as a game, therefore always maintaining a carefree attitude towards immediate victories or losses, has recently become somewhat agitated. The reason: a few days ago, Wei Dongliu fought Xu Yinglian, and while others might not have noticed, how could she, his wife, not see that her husband was intentionally going easy? If she were Wei Dongliu, she would set up the Myriad Aspects Ultimate Immortal Sword Formation to block the enemy¡¯s escape route, infuse the place with a sweeping influx of Demonic Qi, and use the Hundred Poison Golden Silkworm Gu hidden in the demonic energy for a sneak attack. Even with a hundred ways to fight back, how could the Phoenix Immortal escape from such an ordeal? Wei Dongliu¡¯s explanation was that the mission was not to clash with Kunlun to the death, and killing the Phoenix Immortal would only anger Kunlun to no avail. However, Jiang the Witch, always adept at reading between the lines, felt that her husband was not telling the whole truth despite no concrete evidence. For a Witch, who needs evidence? If I feel you¡¯re guilty, you¡¯re done for, you know that! That night, Wei Dongliu was estimating the days required for the Ling Yunpo sword to breach Shushan, when suddenly Madam Jiang pushed the door open and sharply exclaimed: ¡°Wei the old scoundrel, your secret has been exposed!¡± Taken completely by surprise, Wei Dongliu got a fright, thinking that his disguised identity had been compromised, but he quickly realized. If my spy identity were revealed, the other party¡¯s first reaction would surely be, ¡°who are you, exactly?¡± Why would they call me Wei the old scoundrel? Goodness gracious, she dares to trick me! ¡°What now?¡± Wei Dongliu looks at her askance, ¡°What are you hiding from me this time?¡± Jiang Lian was suddenly shocked, subconsciously thinking that her identity as a Heavenly Demon was discovered by the other party, but she quickly realized that wasn¡¯t the case. ¡°If my identity as a Heavenly Demon were exposed, the first reaction would surely be ¡®Heavenly Demon, retreat at once!¡¯, who would dare to gaze at me disdainfully?¡± You dare to deceive me! With arms crossed, Jiang Lian coldly spoke: ¡°The one hiding things from me is you, confess everything now!¡± ¡°That means, you don¡¯t deny that you are hiding things from me.¡± Wei Dongliu said with a sneer. ¡°Aren¡¯t you also not denying it?¡± Jiang Lian thought to herself that if this went on with neither understanding the other, when would they ever stop? She impatiently cut to the chase: ¡°Wei Dongliu, what is your relationship with that Xu Yinglian?¡± ¡°Our paths differ, we do not plan together.¡± Wei Dongliu said indifferently. Although Junior Sister Xu, whether arrogant or shy, was indeed cute, he was currently playing the role of Wei Dongliu, and naturally would not show even a hint of fondness; to say he hated her seemed a bit too forced. This kind of indifferent attitude, ¡®I know she¡¯s my enemy, but I don¡¯t think she¡¯s worthy¡¯, was the most perfect response. Jiang Lian did not detect anything amiss but, as women naturally don¡¯t need to speak reasonably, she harrumphed and said: ¡°Tell me honestly, do you have a clandestine relationship with that Xu Yinglian?¡± Wei Dongliu was first dumbstruck, then quickly showed an expression of ¡®don¡¯t be hysterical here,¡¯ looking contemptuously at her. Seeing his response, Jiang Lian felt a surge of unnamed anger. If it were any other heartless and frivolous man, he would at least find some excuse to deceive his wife. Yet my husband right here, can¡¯t even bother to concoct a single lie, making me, his wife, seem as if I¡¯m not someone who shares his bed! On this thought, Jiang Lian suddenly came to a realization: Although I¡¯m someone who shares his bed, I have never actually slept with this husband of mine, have I? Every time I sought to explore the ultimate bliss with him, he would either make excuses or block my advances with utter indifference and disdain! What does ¡®retaining Yuan Yang¡¯ even mean? You, a cultivator of Demonic Techniques and a Demon Lord, are not one of those Daoist ascetics with their clean living and desires restrained; you are not practicing any noble Daoist tradition, so what need do you have for Yuan Yang? At that thought, Jiang the Witch had an epiphany, no longer bound by any fetters, though she maintained an impassive exterior. She inched closer to Wei Dongliu and deployed the ¡®Heavenly Demon Enchanting Sound Technique¡¯, speaking coaxingly: ¡°Husband, if you truly have no romantic involvement with Xu Yinglian, why did you show her mercy that day? You¡¯re not one to pity and spare women.¡± ¡°It was merely to avoid conflict with Kunlun,¡± Wei Dongliu said with detachment, ¡°Didn¡¯t I also withhold my full strength when facing Changgeng True Person in the White Bone Divine Palace?¡± ¡°Wife, don¡¯t be so quick to resort to violence.¡± Perhaps realizing his attitude was too cold, he changed to a tone laden with deep feeling, advising, ¡°For us cultivators, our own Dao is of utmost importance, nothing else matters.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°If someone obstructs our Dao, they should be eliminated; but if it is only to satisfy a momentary impulse, to fight for a moment¡¯s vain glory, what difference does it make if we kill or not? Does it make us seem very powerful?¡± ¡°For me, I have long since transcended the realm where one has to prove oneself through victory or defeat.¡± Jiang Lian seemed to ponder his words, nodding with a coy smile and said: ¡°I see, the Dao is indeed above all else. I understand now.¡± ¡°My husband, I am currently practicing a Dual Cultivation Technique that requires your Yuan Yang as a catalyst¡­ According to what my husband says, nothing is more important than one¡¯s own Dao, so I believe my husband will surely lend me a helping hand, right?¡± Chapter 824 - Chapter 824: Chapter 62: Ah Jing is Frustrated by the Absence of Yuan Yang Chapter 824: Chapter 62: Ah Jing is Frustrated by the Absence of Yuan Yang A night passed, and both remained silent. Upon waking the next day, Wei Dongliu sat on the bed in silence, his mood indescribable. Not many cultivation techniques in this world strictly require the preservation of Yuan Yang, but indeed, many allow for faster cultivation with it intact. Unluckily, the Immortal Sect¡¯s secret technique that he truly relied on, the Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra, was precisely one of the latter. Without Yuan Yang, it¡¯s not that he couldn¡¯t continue to cultivate, but the efficiency would definitely suffer a blow. For instance, what originally took one hour to complete a Grand Circulation would now take one hour and two-thirds of a quarter hour. What does this decreased efficiency result in? Dopamine¡­ Every time he thought about this, Wei Dongliu even had the urge to strangle Jiang the Witch. Of course, he wasn¡¯t Guan Zhan¡¯s father, and wouldn¡¯t let such a setback drive him to vent his frustration on his wife. After all, when it came down to it, it was his own guilty conscience that prevented him from consummating the marriage first. Moreover, this Demon Cult woman¡¯s flavor was indeed uniquely appealing¡­ Thinking up to here, Wei Dongliu found himself lacking the strength to stay angry and merely sighed in his heart as he asked the Kunlun Mirror: ¡°Did you see it?¡± ¡°I did not watch,¡± the Kunlun Mirror responded indifferently. ¡°I didn¡¯t see it either,¡± the Summoning Sword said with a sense of grievance. This time it was not lying. In a head-on fight, a hundred Kunlun Mirrors would not be a match for it; however, when it comes to scanning, seeing through, and shielding, a million Summoning Swords could not compare with Ah Jing. This had nothing to do with grade rank but was a limitation inherent to the Magic Sword and Mirror Seal, just as a man, no matter how impressive, could never give birth to a child. Wei Dongliu just hummed in response, neither happy nor sad, and was just about to put on his trousers when a jade arm wrapped around his waist from behind, pulling him back down onto the bed. As the sun rose high, Wei Dongliu finally dressed himself and left the bedroom, feeling as though his entire body had been drained of energy, wobbling with every step he took. Even though cultivators undergo Marrow Cleansing and Root Seeking and don¡¯t have to worry about kidney depletion, this loss of vital essence was severe. ¡°Isn¡¯t that the case?¡± Inside the Sea of Consciousness, the Kunlun Mirror and Summoning Sword idly chatted, ¡°That Demon Head didn¡¯t intend to harm him, but what does the Great Unrestrained Heavenly Demon know of love? It¡¯s merely inducing extreme pleasure while incidentally consuming marrow¡­ If this goes on, I reckon he¡¯ll be finished sooner or later.¡± ¡°Ah, no worries,¡± the Summoning Sword was unconcerned, ¡°The Sword Master of my Tai Yin Summoning Sword, how could he be so fragile? Besides, can¡¯t you infuse him with spiritual power?¡± ¡°Me, infuse him with spiritual power to replenish his essence while he¡¯s indulging in sensuous luxury? What kind of foolish dream are you speaking of?¡± scoffed the Kunlun Mirror. ¡°First of all, he hasn¡¯t been indulging anywhere; that Demon Head is one of his legitimate wives,¡± the Summoning Sword chuckled, ¡°Secondly, if he cannot withstand it and his Daoist Foundation collapses, who then will find the fragments of the Heaven-Mending Stone for you?¡± Kunlun Mirror: ¡­¡­ ¡°If I don¡¯t save this scumbag, am I completely helpless?¡± she retorted instinctively with a tough tone, ¡°Anyway, now that I have my true form, I can just find it myself if it comes to that!¡± The Summoning Sword did not counter but just laughed softly. The Kunlun Mirror felt somewhat embarrassed; after all, her previous statements were full of loopholes. If she really had the intention to restore her true form and find the fragments of the Heaven-Mending Stone, she could have left this man long ago, so why hasn¡¯t she taken the initiative to leave? In the end, the Kunlun Mirror had to admit that although she often disapproved of his ways, his extraordinary adaptability was indeed an essential quality in the process of assembling the fragments of the Heaven-Mending Stone. Survival in the Cultivation Realm is not an easy task, with numerous risks at every turn. No matter how high your Cultivation Level is, there always exists a Cultivator stronger than you, who could slap you to death with a single blow. Leveraging people, power, items, and momentum, utilizing every force you can, is the only way to make a name for yourself in this Cultivation Realm. Whether it¡¯s worth abandoning your moral bottom line for that is a different matter. Sometimes, the Kunlun Mirror can¡¯t help but doubt whether it enjoys the fruits of others¡¯ labor on one hand, using its nimbleness to infiltrate Sects, gather intelligence, and scheme for the Heaven-Mending Stone fragments, while on the other hand it stands on moral high ground to lecture and disdain them? Isn¡¯t that too full of Falsehood? This kind of self-analysis is undoubtedly excruciatingly painful, but if you consider it from another angle, since one must abandon some moral principles to achieve one¡¯s goals in this Cultivation Realm, then why should I set boundaries for myself? I want him to help me obtain the Heaven-Mending Stone, I don¡¯t want him to completely forsake his moral principles, and I also want to help him be a good person¨Cis that not possible? It¡¯s possible, it¡¯s possible, it¡¯s possible! Convincing himself with Chen Guanshui¡¯s typical logic, the Kunlun Mirror quickly found peace with it. ¡°Anyway, I don¡¯t like that Demon Head,¡± she continued to argue with the Summoning Sword, ¡°Nor will I actively help him restore his body. Just wait and see how he begs me!¡± The Summoning Sword continued to chuckle in response, not disputing her claims. Of course, it could see the Kunlun Mirror¡¯s unreasonable attitude stemmed from being influenced by Chen Guanshui, but¡­ who cares! As long as there¡¯s entertainment to be had, that¡¯s all that matters. Upon leaving the camp, Wei Dongliu saw a vast expanse of dark clouds approaching from the south, like an army of iron-clad heavenly soldiers descending upon the world, shrouding the skies above Shushan so thickly that not a ray of light could penetrate. Thunderous roars and the sounds of mountains crumbling and the earth splitting were non-stop. A surge of cold energy shot into the sky. Although it resembled the Sword Array of the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword, the purity of its essence was incomparably higher, like the difference between a multitude of stars and the bright moon. Atop Iron City Mountain, Cultivators of the Six Paths gazed in shock towards the direction of Mount Emei, talking animatedly among themselves for a moment. ¡°Hah, the Tai Yin Summoning Sword has emerged,¡± King Asoka suddenly said. ¡°The Tai Yin Summoning Sword?¡± Cultivators of the Asura Path were immediately struck with indescribable shock. If the Tai Yin Sword Master has returned to Shushan, wouldn¡¯t our Iron City Mountain, being closest to Shushan, be the first to suffer harm? ¡°However, judging by the direction of the Sword Qi, it seems to be heading towards Mount Emei,¡± King Asoka said with a chuckle, ¡°Given this momentum, the Emei Golden Summit is probably going to face calamity.¡± Consequently, the atmosphere around them quickly shifted from heavy tension to excited exhilaration. Could it be that this Tai Yin Sword Master is actually an enemy of Shushan? Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only That would be excellent! If the Tai Yin Sword Master could annihilate the entirety of Shushan, it couldn¡¯t get any better! With just a few words, King Asoka flipped the mood of those present, but while he could deceive most Cultivators, how could he fool everyone? Anyone with clear eyesight could tell, the Tai Yin Summoning Sword appeared in Shushan, its Sword Master must be someone from Shushan. Even if the Tai Yin Sword Master harbors a deep hatred for someone from Shushan, leading him to unleash the power of the Tai Yin Summoning Sword, how could he possibly exterminate the entirety of Shushan? With the Tai Yin Sword Master¡¯s exalted status, wouldn¡¯t it be more desirable to be a Sect Guardian Immortal in disguise? The appearance of the Sword Master is an absolute disaster for Iron City Mountain, the Asura Path, and even the entire Six Paths! Chapter 825 - Chapter 825: Chapter 63: Six Paths Ceasefire, Alliance Hierarchs Task Completed Chapter 825: Chapter 63: Six Paths Ceasefire, Alliance Hierarch¡¯s Task Completed Tai Yin Sword Master, has emerged from Shushan. This news swiftly spread across the world. The sects of the Six Paths that received this message rapidly reconvened their meeting. Aside from the Mortal Life Path and the Nether Ghost Path, the other sects unanimously reached a consensus to withdraw their forces, especially the Asura Path who stated it most bluntly: ¡°If we don¡¯t withdraw now, are we waiting for the Tai Yin Sword Master to come slaying his way up to Iron City Mountain?¡± ¡°Since the Tai Yin Sword Master has cleaved Emei, it proves that his relationship with Shushan isn¡¯t that harmonious,¡± Wen Yang began, ¡°Whether he truly wishes to serve as Shushan¡¯s vanguard remains unknown.¡± Clearly, although the Nether Ghost Path did not explicitly state their stance, they were certainly not inclined to withdraw their forces. ¡°If the Tai Yin Sword Master doesn¡¯t come to us, your Nether Ghost Path can continue to plunder profits from Guanzhong,¡± the sect leader of the Eastern Emperor Path, Shi Yao, said coldly, ¡°And if he does come, then the Asura Path and the Eastern Emperor Path will be the ones to bear the brunt. Your sect is playing a very clever game.¡± Wen Yang was neither angry nor resentful, but only said in a deep voice: ¡°The remuneration for joining the united battle has already been paid to you all in advance, not just to my sect alone.¡± ¡°The agreed-upon united battle¨Cwe have already fulfilled our obligations,¡± the real person of the Heavenly Demon Path, Yun Zhen, spoke slowly, ¡°It is not that we are reluctant to fight, but that the situation truly calls for no other choice.¡± Wen Yang quietly listened to the end, then turned to Wei Dongliu and asked: ¡°What does the Mortal Life Path mean by this?¡± ¡°The Tai Yin Sword Master is not an opponent one can contend with,¡± Wei Dongliu said indifferently. So Wen Yang said nothing more. The meeting came to a temporary conclusion, and Wen Yang went back to report in detail to the Honored White Bone about the attitudes of all parties, eventually stating: ¡°If the Tai Yin Sword Master can really exhibit the strength he did that day, then what we need to discuss is not how to cease the battle, but how to preserve the lineage of our path.¡± ¡°But presently, aside from promoting themselves, Shushan has shown no further action, which indicates that either they cannot freely command the Tai Yin Sword Master, or the Tai Yin Sword Master cannot always unleash the full power of the Tai Yin Suming Sword at will.¡± The Honored White Bone laughed bitterly. What Wen Yang said certainly made sense, but the problem is that in this world, it doesn¡¯t mean others will listen to you just because you are reasonable. Aside from the Nether Ghost Path, which gained substantial profits, and the Mortal Life Path, which gained fame, the enthusiasm of the other three paths to participate was not high to begin with. Originally, aside from many other factors, the main consideration was whether there were any easy gains to be made. After fighting for so long, they realized that the results were mediocre. Coupled with the emergence of the Tai Yin Sword Master, it became natural for them to take this as a reason to exit. Wen Yang said the Tai Yin Sword Master was not worth worrying about, but even without the emergence of the Tai Yin Sword Master, the allies would find other excuses to cease hostilities, it just wouldn¡¯t be as swift and unanimous as now. ¡°Let¡¯s cease fighting!¡± declared the Honored White Bone. So the second meeting began, and Wen Yang readily announced the Nether Ghost Path support for cessation of hostilities, to the great joy of all parties involved. Although a ceasefire was decided, with Kunlun still entrenched at the foot of Iron City Mountain, they obviously could not just retreat directly, otherwise what if the enemy took advantage of the situation to launch a surprise attack? Wei Dongliu thus declared: ¡°How about we execute the strategy of reducing troops while increasing battles, with the sects withdrawing in batches in an orderly fashion.¡± The so-called reducing troops while increasing battles means reducing the number of troops stationed on one hand, while on the other hand, increasing the frequency of battles. The latter would give the impression to the enemy that ¡°the attacking vigor of the enemy forces is growing stronger¡±, naturally deterring them from thinking in the direction of the former. ¡°If you start to withdraw and Kunlun suddenly launches a major attack on Iron City Mountain halfway through, what then?¡± a Venerable Master from the Asura Path asked. ¡°Kunlun will not,¡± Wei Dongliu asserted confidently. ¡°Why?¡± The monk was startled at the remark. ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, Kunlun must also have the intention to retreat.¡± Wei Dongliu said with confidence, ¡°With the emergence of the Tai Yin Sword Master in Shushan, how could Kunlun not worry?¡± Everyone laughed. As both strategic allies and competitors, who could be more skilled in these matters than the folks of the Six Paths? Just the art of ¡°how to secretly weaken an ally without causing them to react¡± alone, the people present had ten thousand ways to achieve it, and Kunlun was no match in this regard. ¡°With the emergence of the Tai Yin Sword Master in Shushan, Kunlun must be truly in a frazzled state.¡± Wen Yang also agreed, laughing, ¡°If handled improperly, the leader of the Orthodox Sect might just end up in their court.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± An Asura Path master suddenly had a brainwave, ¡°Since Kunlun also fears Shushan, why don¡¯t we join hands with Kunlun to jointly oppose Shushan?¡± The laughter stopped abruptly as everyone looked at the foreign monk elder as if he were an idiot. ¡°Ahem.¡± Realizing his flights of fancy, he quickly rectified, ¡°I meant in secret, in secret.¡± Even in secret, that¡¯s impossible! Putting aside the risks to one¡¯s reputation and Kunlun¡¯s own loftiness, just in terms of strength alone, the combined might of the Six Paths was not yet enough to make Kunlun consider an alliance. If the Six Paths truly unified, presenting a united front, then maybe Kunlun would actually consider it. However, everyone knew that the Six Paths Alliance was only united in interest and did not represent diplomatic consistency. The so-called ¡°cooperating with the Six Paths Alliance¡± actually meant negotiating separately with each entity¡­ The cost-effectiveness was simply not worth it, especially for Kunlun. ¡°In conclusion.¡± Wei Dongliu spoke calmly as if he hadn¡¯t heard the other person¡¯s words, ¡°Kunlun won¡¯t stay in Iron City Mountain for too long, the rest of you can prepare to return to your Sects.¡± ¡°However, after returning, please keep a low profile and try to avoid high-profile actions.¡± He spoke unhurriedly, and among those seated some had expressions as still as water, some were unreadable, and some were disdainful. Those in the know understood that Wei Dongliu was reminding everyone that although Kunlun was retreating openly, there would definitely be several successive punitive expeditions meant as retribution. Although everyone had immense experience in avoiding confrontations, if someone carelessly fell victim and many people died, it would indeed be a severe blow to their vital energy. Of course, not everyone at the meeting could guess Wei Dongliu¡¯s intentions. Some who were unaware thought to themselves that Great Alliance Leader Wei was only the leader during this war. Now that a truce had been confirmed, his role as the leader was already null and void, yet he was trying to give us orders? I simply won¡¯t listen! Wei Dongliu¡¯s face remained expressionless, taking note of those young hotheads showing dissatisfaction, contempt, and scorn, and finally said: ¡°Then, everyone should return and carry out the retreat.¡± The meeting ended, and there were a lot of tasks to arrange afterward, so everyone went their separate ways. ¡°Sect Master Wei seems to be quite radiant lately.¡± With Jiang the Witch not around, Wen Yang came over to chat. ¡°Is that so?¡± Wei Dongliu felt like crying without tears. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Radiant? It¡¯s probably more like the last glimmers of life. If this night-to-night torment continues, I might really get killed by her. No, I must think of a way. As Wei Dongliu was thinking this, he suddenly felt something vibrating at his waist. It was the Communication Treasure given by the Hell Path¡¯s Luo Daozhang. Chapter 826 - Chapter 826: Chapter 64 Help from Maternal Family Chapter 826: Chapter 64 Help from Maternal Family ¡°Sect Master Wei, you have performed exceptionally well, far beyond what the sect had originally expected of you.¡± ¡°Now that the war has subsided, please make haste to the Mountain God Temple where we met last time, and return to the sect headquarters to receive your reward.¡± In Mount Wutai, Wei Dongliu, without a change in expression, read the message from Hell Path to its end, then stood up and explained to Jiang Lian: ¡°I need to step out for a bit. If anything arises within the sect in my absence, I entrust you with full authority to make decisions.¡± ¡°Where are you going, husband?¡± Jiang Lian hastily asked. This Great Unrestrained Heavenly Demon¡­ no, this newlywed who had just had a taste couldn¡¯t wait to stick to her husband twenty-four hours a day. How could she bear to let her husband travel far away? ¡°There is an urgent matter I must attend to,¡± Wei Dongliu said curtly. Seeing that he did not wish to disclose the nature of the matter, Jiang the Witch took a different approach, inquiring indirectly: ¡°Then, roughly how long might you be gone?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t say for sure,¡± replied Wei Dongliu. ¡°It could be as short as half a day, or as long as two to three months. Anything is possible.¡± On hearing that it might take a month or so, Jiang the Witch immediately felt a slight mood swing, but the Great Unrestrained Heavenly Demon is the epitome of falsehood; surely she would not directly say whatever was on her mind, and so she replied with a diplomatic smile: ¡°I see. Go without worry, husband; I will take care of the sect affairs.¡± As soon as Wei Dongliu left, Jiang the Witch¡¯s ferocity erupted. She summoned two younger sisters hiding nearby and said fiercely: ¡°Is there anything urgent that needs to be dealt with within the Mortal Life Daoist Sect?¡± Her sister Li Hen was somewhat confused, while Li Chou, more astute in reading the situation, quickly spoke up: ¡°What else could it be? It¡¯s all about asking for cultivation techniques, seeking resources, coming for advice, wanting to transfer positions, looking for assignments, climbing relationships, getting acquainted, and so forth.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for you, big sister, to step in; we can handle it just fine.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Jiang the Witch said coldly. ¡°Then I¡¯ll leave these matters in your hands. If there¡¯s the slightest mistake, beware of your skins!¡± Having said that, the Heavenly Demon mounted her dark clouds and quickly departed. Li Chou and Li Hen looked at each other, speechless. Even though their brother-in-law was clearly the Sect Leader of the Mortal Life Daoist Sect, he was extremely impatient with mundane affairs, preferring to push them onto their sister. Their sister bent over backwards to please her husband, but was ruthless in exploiting and extorting them, pushing down the responsibilities layer by layer, and while the couple would go off to enjoy themselves, they were left to toil in misery! How the two Heavenly Demons complained in their hearts is not the focus for now. Let¡¯s say that Jiang the Witch secretly followed behind Wei Dongliu, thinking she was unnoticed, but unexpectedly the Kunlun Mirror alerted him saying: ¡°Your wife is following you.¡± Wei Dongliu was jolted by the remark and quickly retorted: ¡°My wife? Which wife?¡± The Kunlun Mirror was also taken aback by his question, and after a moment regained its composure, correcting its statement: ¡°Jiang Lian, she¡¯s right behind you.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Wei Dongliu promptly sped up. However, as he sped up, Jiang the Witch did the same, and the two of them, like competitors in a race, kept a very close distance, making it impossible for him to shake her off. Wei Dongliu was helpless, knowing very well that his witch wife¡¯s cultivation realm was far superior to his own, making it impossible to create any distance between them. But fortunately, reaching the deep parts of Hell from here requires passing through a Mountain God Temple. The temple houses a Spatial Transmission Array, and its controls are held by the Hell Path. Even if my wife chases me into the Mountain God Temple, she won¡¯t be able to get through the Spatial Transmission Array. Wouldn¡¯t she still end up being shaken off by me eventually? Brilliant! That being said, I really need to thoroughly study this long-distance Teleportation Array. It will be quite convenient for evading pursuit from relatives, friends, and enemies alike in the future. Wei Dongliu quickly made his way to the Market of Mount Wutai and arrived at the previously visited Mountain God Temple, before slipping inside. He adeptly moved behind the deity statue, and immediately his figure vanished from sight. Jiang Lian followed soon after, entering the Mountain God Temple as well, but she couldn¡¯t find any trace of Wei Dongliu. She searched inside and outside the temple, finally finding some characters behind the deity statue¨Cthe entrance to the Array. However, the entrance to this Array was designed with protection. Those with authority need only glance at it to be instantly transported away; those without authority could stand right there, wielding a Spatial Magical Treasure like the Heavenly Weaving God Shuttle to breach space, and still not be able to locate the coordinates on the other side. When Wei Dongliu first entered the Hell Path and before he found this Mountain God Temple, he was once intercepted by a fortune teller on the road, just to capture his aura and grant him the corresponding access permissions. Now where can Jiang Lian find this access? She could only employ various techniques of the Great Unrestrained Heavenly Demon, which turned out to be completely useless, infuriating her to the point where she kicked the deity statue down to the ground. Well then, should I just wait here for my husband to come out? Jiang Lian subconsciously thought about waiting like guarding for a tree stump to catch a rabbit; however, upon second thought, if my husband is inside enjoying himself with another woman while I, as his legal wife, am bitterly waiting outside, how suffocating would that be! Unacceptable! How can I, the Great Unrestrained Heavenly Demon, suffer such humiliation! Jiang Lian clenched her teeth in determination and transformed into a black mist, soaring up into the sky above the Heavenly Dome. Above the Cultivation Realm, the Heavenly Dome, when observed from beyond the skies, appears as a hemisphere with its core located slightly westward of the centre¨Cthis is where Nuwa once mended the heavens. The Heaven-Mending Stone embedded there has always provided a continuous flow of energy to the barriers of the Heavenly Dome, though its radiance has recently dimmed significantly. The farther one is from the Heaven-Mending Stone, the weaker the spatial barriers become, but not to the extent that they could be breached by a Heavenly Demon. In recent years, when Demon Heads from beyond desired to descend to the Lower Realm, they would search for those occasional breaches¨Cgiven that the energy of the Heavenly Dome¡¯s Array comes from the output of the Heaven-Mending Stone, and since the output cannot remain stable for long, some places always end up with holes. Even though they are fleeting, they are enough for a single Heavenly Demon to seize the opportunity and swiftly pass through to the Lower Realm. Now that Jiang Lian¡¯s Demonic Techniques are fully matured, she no longer has to wander around the barriers of the Heavenly Dome like those Low Rank Heavenly Demons, who search for luck as if begging for crumbs. She mobilized all her demonic power and slammed fiercely against the Heavenly Dome¡¯s barrier. Once, twice, thrice¡­ Until her head spun and eyes blurred, and finally, a tiny crack appeared on the barrier of the Heavenly Dome. In a flash, Jiang Lian transformed into a wisp of black mist, passing through the slight fissure in the Heavenly Dome, arriving in the world beyond the skies. Upon reaching this external world, she no longer needed to maintain her charming young wife appearance. Revealing her true form of black mist, she soared upwards, heading straight for the Demon Palace of the sixth layer¡¯s self-transforming ruler of Great Unrestrained Heaven, the Great Unrestrained Demon King. The Great Unrestrained Demon King had been missing for many years. Rumors claimed he was refined into the Heaven-Mending Stone by Nuwa, but Jiang Lian well knew it was not so¨Che had simply vanished without a trace. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only With no Demon King, the princess witches indulged in revelry within the Demon Palace. Perhaps after tens of thousands of years, everyone would lose their taste for play, so they each found their places to settle down. When Jiang Lian returned to the Demon Palace, she immediately drew hundreds of gazes, and shouted out loud: ¡°Those who know how to identify coordinates from the spatial entrance, come here! Those who don¡¯t, scram!¡± Almost instantly, more than four hundred wraithlike black mists surged out from the palace chambers, encircling Jiang Lian, shouting noisily: ¡°I can do it! I can do it!¡± Chapter 827 - Chapter 827: Chapter 65 Blocking the Door Chapter 827: Chapter 65 Blocking the Door Seeing her sisters swarm out, scrambling over each other, Jiang Lian grew not pleased but angry instead. I¡¯m here to find someone who can read spatial coordinates, not to start a travel agency! Why are all of you bothering me? ¡°We don¡¯t need that many people!¡± she said irritably, ¡°Just need a few who can read the coordinates!¡± ¡°What does Sister An want with the coordinates?¡± giggled a witch. ¡°If you want to cross the barrier to the Lower Realm, just look for those occasional breaches, right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s none of your damn business!¡± Jiang Lian kept her mouth shut tight, continuing to survey the demons with her Illusionary Vision. ¡°Is there anyone here?¡± Although she was tight-lipped, the witch sisters were very clever and immediately sensed there was a mystery at play. If there was no mystery, why would she not speak plainly? ¡°I can, I can!¡± And so the voices, clamorous and overlapping, rose again, the scene a complete mess. ¡°What the hell do any of you know!¡± Jiang Lian was instantly enraged, ¡°Not to mention others, Huanyin, when did you learn to read coordinates?¡± The called-out Huanyin Witch stubbornly retorted, ¡°What¡¯s it to you, I¡¯ve just recently learned, isn¡¯t that alright?¡± ¡°And you have the nerve to say so, you directionless fool?¡± Jiang Lian ridiculed her, ¡°Who was it that was at their wit¡¯s end in the East Sea of the Lower Realm last time, begging me to take her along? Such an idiot that gets lost even in the Demon Palace!¡± Huanyin, scolded so, was fuming with anger, and with the sisters¡¯ laughter echoing in mocking waves, she quietly shrank back. Jiang Lian looked around and cursed again: ¡°A bunch of lazy good-for-nothings! I really don¡¯t know why I¡¯m sisters with you lot? After millions of years of cultivation, even a pig could have mastered Great Divine Powers! Yet you wastes can¡¯t even handle a mere set of spatial coordinates!¡± ¡°Sister An, you can¡¯t blame us for this.¡± a witch said in defense, ¡°Although we, the Great Unrestrained Heavenly Demons, have infinite life and move unseen, that¡¯s all due to our Innate Talent. Who would bother to work on what¡¯s naturally gifted? Let¡¯s say it¡¯s a secret spatial technique; if you want to go somewhere, we can take you through Blade Mountain and seas of flame, but reading coordinates, how would we know that?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t know, then roll out!¡± Jiang Lian said furiously. So the witches grumbled their way out, leaving only two sisters behind. One of these sisters was called Aile, and the other was Aiyin, both of whom were quite familiar with Jiang Lian. Seeing Jiang the Witch look over, Aile spoke up: ¡°Aiyin has recently learned a secret technique that can sense subtle traces in space, and I have a bit of research on spatial coordinates. It¡¯s just that we wonder what you need the coordinates for, Sister An?¡± ¡°Right, just follow me for now.¡± Jiang Lian thought, two is just two then, they¡¯re just tools anyway, and turned into black mist, leaving the Demon Palace. Aile and Aiyin followed right after, the three great Heavenly Demons quickly descending to the Lower Realm, only to hear Aiyin suddenly say: ¡°They are all following behind.¡± ¡°Yeah, I know.¡± said Jiang Lian coldly. The Heavenly Demon sisters had pretended to scatter in chaos previously, but in reality, they each hid themselves and quietly followed behind¨Cthe Witch was so desperate for emotional nourishment that she would never miss any chance for fun. Wei Dongliu didn¡¯t fear being followed by Jiang the Witch, and why would Jiang the Witch be worried about these little tails? She took the Aile and Aiyin sisters straight down to the Sixth Heaven, arriving at the location of the Heavenly Dome barrier. Executing the Iron Head Divine Skill, she opened a crack, and the three Demon Heads quickly passed through the barrier, then swiftly escaped towards the Lower Realm. The numerous Witches behind them eagerly rushed towards it, but the crack was fleeting, and where could it be found now? Not willing to give up, they continued to scout around in hopes of chancing upon a naturally formed rift. After searching for half an hour, they finally found a passage, but by that time, there was no sign of Jiang the Witch and the others. Infuriated, they screamed and swooped down on a nearby island, devouring all of its people and livestock before returning to the Upper Realm. Jiang Lian entered the Cultivation Realm from the East Sea, then traveled westward to reach Divine Land, arriving at a Mountain God Temple within Mount Wutai, where she took the Aile and Aiyin sisters behind the statue. ¡°Intriguing coordinate design,¡± Aile commented. ¡°Its internal frequency changes once every three and one-quarter hours. The spatial fluctuations on the user must completely match the coordinate frequency for resonance transmission to occur.¡± ¡°Blah blah blah blah blah,¡± Jiang Lian said. ¡°Is that what I wanted to hear? What I want to hear is a solution!¡± ¡°There are two methods,¡± Aile said. ¡°The first one, we stay here.¡± ¡°As long as someone tries to transmit through here, their spatial fluctuations will naturally match the required coordinate frequency. At that time, we just need to capture them to decode the correct coordinate frequency¡­¡± Seeing the discontent in Jiang Lian¡¯s expression, she quickly explained, ¡°For example, this is a door lock, we don¡¯t have the key, but anyone who can pass through here must have the key, catching them is enough.¡± ¡°Got it,¡± Jiang Lian impatiently said, ¡°What¡¯s the second method?¡± ¡°Brute force breaking,¡± Aiyin said. ¡°I can¡¯t say when we¡¯ll be able to break through, it all depends on luck.¡± ¡°Do both!¡± Jiang Lian waved her hand grandly, showing a leadership style reminiscent of Wei Dongliu¡¯s commanding presence, ¡°You two try to brute force it, and I¡¯ll stay here to watch if anyone passes by.¡± So, the Great Unrestrained Heavenly Demons began to fiddle with the space. On the other hand, Wei Dongliu arrived deep within Hell, breathing in the sulphurous, scorched air, enjoying a sense of long-missed pleasure. His Chaotic Demon Body was naturally very well-suited and fond of the Hellish environment, full of the aura of Chaos, but Hell was, after all, unsuitable for most of the Human Race to live in. Perhaps that¡¯s why the Hell Path wanted to use fragments of the Heaven-Mending Stone to create a paradise deep within Hell, right? This approach was clearly much more grand and visionary than what the Three Pure Orthodox Sect did, using the fragments to maintain their Sect Residences¡­ Of course, it was also much more difficult. Entering the city gates, Wei Dongliu didn¡¯t know what Divine Skills the Daoist Luo had used, but the Demon soldiers guarding the gate weren¡¯t surprised by Wei Dongliu¡¯s red hair and heavy pupils. Although their eyes rolled around him curiously, they didn¡¯t stop him to interrogate anything. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only As Wei Dongliu stepped into the city, he saw that both sides of the street were filled with dilapidated houses, from which faint roars could be heard. Most of the residents in this city were demons, and given the harsh environment, they were naturally extremely ferocious. Kind-hearted beings simply couldn¡¯t survive here. Approaching the residence of the Hell Path, Wei Dongliu covered his form with black mist, about to step inside, when suddenly he heard someone nearby saying: ¡°Great Alliance Leader Wei is so well-known throughout the Six Paths that there¡¯s no one who doesn¡¯t know of him. Even though our tasks are different and we¡¯re usually far apart, I can hear of Alliance Leader Wei¡¯s great reputation from where I am. So why bother hiding now?¡± ¡°When in Rome, do as the Romans do,¡± Wei Dongliu said with a light smile. Chapter 828 - Chapter 828: Chapter 66 Artificial Immortal Realm Chapter 828: Chapter 66 Artificial Immortal Realm Wei Dongliu carefully observed the newcomer, only to see that the other party also used techniques to conceal their figure, revealing only a faint and vague outline. Interestingly, on one hand, you say there¡¯s no need for me to conceal, while on the other hand, you disguise yourself thoroughly. Don¡¯t you find yourself hypocritical? With this thought, Wei Dongliu attempted to scan the other, only to discover that their true body wasn¡¯t even present; the figure before him was merely a projection. ¡°Fellow Wei need not worry,¡± the other continued with a smile, ¡°What I said was just a greeting.¡± ¡°I have long admired Fellow Wei¡¯s elegance, unfortunately, with duties at hand, I cannot return to the residence to pay respect in person. Next time, we must find time to meet properly.¡± ¡°Well said, well said,¡± Wei Dongliu responded, thinking to himself that if it were a woman admiring him, it would be alright, but if it¡¯s a man constantly praising his ¡°elegance,¡± he would rather decline such flattery. He exchanged a few words with the other party, then stepped into the residence. As soon as he entered the hall, Elder Luo greeted him warmly: ¡°Fellow Wei, your journey must have been arduous!¡± ¡°Indeed, inviting Fellow Wei to join our Hell Path was an absolutely correct decision!¡± Wei Dongliu, sharp as ever, immediately asked: ¡°So, initially, there were people who were reluctant to let me join the Hell Path?¡± Elder Luo laughed heartily: ¡°For so many years, our Hell Path has always remained hidden deep within Hell, mainly due to considerations for secrecy.¡± ¡°Because of this, every time we accept a new member, there is a risk of leaks, so there is a lot of concern in this regard.¡± Wei Dongliu pondered for a moment and then nodded: ¡°I see, so most of the time, the sect starts training new people from scratch to avoid risks related to secrecy.¡± ¡°Exactly, Fellow Wei is indeed meticulous,¡± Elder Luo admitted, ¡°Currently, most cultivators in our sect are led into the entry level by Hell Path cultivators right from the mortal stage.¡± ¡°Of course, before entry, we also assess intelligence, resourcefulness, courage, and other qualities. If they are not suitable for major responsibilities, even if they have great talent for cultivation, the sect would not accept them as disciples.¡± ¡°Fellow Wei, like you, who initially cultivated and even reached Core Formation elsewhere and later joined the Hell Path, is quite rare, and they are mostly loose cultivators.¡± ¡°If they are from the Orthodox Sect or the Six Paths and had mentors, our sect would absolutely not accept them.¡± Wei Dongliu listened silently, thinking to himself whether most disciples indeed start from zero? This Hell Path is perhaps overly cautious¡­ By doing so, although the loyalty of the sect members is secured, it inevitably leads to clique formation and significant exclusivity. No wonder my entry mission was to become the Six Paths Alliance Leader. Seeing Elder Luo being quite open and exhaustive in his explanations, Wei Dongliu straightforwardly expressed all his doubts and asked: ¡°There is one thing I don¡¯t understand: what is the significance of becoming the Six Paths Alliance Leader to the sect?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a long story,¡± Elder Luo said slowly, ¡°Does Fellow Wei remember, the founding mission of our Hell Path was to extend the existence of the Intercepting Cult¡¯s teachings as much as possible?¡± ¡°To create paradise in Hell, it is necessary to seal the Chaos channel, which requires the Heaven-Mending Stone remnants of the Nuwa Stone.¡± ¡°However, the Heaven-Mending Stone is shattered and spread, now all whereabouts are unknown.¡± ¡°We have guessed through some intelligence that the Three Pure Orthodox Sect might possess fragments of the Heaven-Mending Stone; hence, to snatch these fragments, we need to plunge the world into chaos.¡± ¡°The Three Pure Orthodox Sect is a colossal entity, not easily shaken by ordinary forces. Without the power to threaten the Orthodox Sect, the situation would stale into deadlock, and we wouldn¡¯t be able to ¡®pluck chestnuts from the fire¡¯ or ¡®fish in troubled waters¡¯.¡± ¡°Therefore, we need to unite the Six Paths to form a chess piece capable of contending with the Three Pure Orthodox Sect¡­¡± Elder Luo spoke at length, essentially repeating what had been discussed before, yet never addressing the crucial point: Does this mean that by making Wei Dongliu the Six Paths Alliance Leader, he would obtain the fragments of the Heaven-Mending Stone? It¡¯s like someone saying, to get into a prestigious university, you now need to attend tutoring classes. Although it seems logically sound, the problem is there are millions of kids in tutoring classes, but how many of them actually achieve their desire? Wei Dongliu sneered internally, guessing it surely wasn¡¯t as simple as ¡°becoming the Six Paths Alliance Leader, then challenging the Three Pure Orthodox Sect.¡± This Hell Path definitely has a very secretive plan, which must be set in motion using the ¡°Six Paths Alliance Leader¡± chess piece to bring substantial harm to the Three Pure Orthodox Sect. And this harm would directly target the Heaven-Mending Stone fragments in the hands of the Sect Guardian Immortal of the Three Pure Orthodox Sect! Thinking this, Wei Dongliu felt his heart stir with excitement. I opened three sub-accounts in three different Sects, diligently infiltrated to this day, just to wait for such an occasion, right? Since the Hell Path also intends to get the Heaven-Mending Stone fragments, I could fully cooperate sincerely with this Sect Leader for mutual benefit! He¡¯s responsible for throwing the Three Major Sects into chaos, while I use the sub-account to seize treasures amidst the confusion, how perfect is that? Seeing Wei Dongliu fall silent, Elder Luo appropriately paused his talk and then said: ¡°Daoist Wei, now is not the time for a Sect meeting in the Hell Path. The reason for summoning you alone is to take you to see something.¡± ¡°Thank you, Sect Leader, for leading the way.¡± Wei Dongliu hastened to reply. Elder Luo led Wei Dongliu deeper into the hall, then downward, quickly entering into a certain passageway. The deeper they went, the more keenly Wei Dongliu sensed that the unique pressing atmosphere of Hell around was gradually fading, replaced by a somewhat familiar aura. This is¡­ Immortal Essence? Wei Dongliu suddenly realized that the faint, ethereal aura surrounding him was roughly fifty to sixty percent similar to the Immortal True Essence cultivated through the Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra! ¡°This deep place in Hell has collected most of the Yin Energy accumulated since Pangu created the heaven and the earth,¡± said Elder Luo calmly, ¡°and because it¡¯s close to Chaos, the rules here are extremely chaotic, thus the Yin Energy is turbid and foul.¡± ¡°But if the Chaos channel is sealed on a small scale by a Secret Technique, it can restrain the influence of Chaos on this place¡¯s rules. Over time, the Yin Energy will be purified, thus sublimating into Innate Tai Yin Energy.¡± ¡°Damn!¡± Hearing this, the Tai Yin Suming Sword couldn¡¯t help but curse. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Suming?¡± Wei Dongliu quickly asked. ¡°This guy has some big ambitions!¡± explained the Tai Yin Suming Sword, ¡°He¡¯s not just simply looking to transform the deep territories of Hell into an environment suitable for the Human Race to live in.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, his real aim is to create an artificial Immortal Realm!¡± Wei Dongliu felt a surge of admiration, though not fully understanding what ¡°artificial Immortal Realm¡± meant, it sounded incredibly formidable. Unaware of this, Elder Luo continued: ¡°With this Innate Tai Yin Energy, whenever we cultivate various Demonic Techniques in the future, we won¡¯t have to worry about contamination from foul energy, achieving twice the result with half the effort.¡± ¡°Daoist Wei, given that you possess the Chaotic Demon Body, the reward given to you by the Sect this time is to cultivate for an hour in this extremely Yin land.¡± Chapter 829 - Chapter 829: Chapter 67 Installment Payment Chapter 829: Chapter 67 Installment Payment ¡°Innate Tai Yin Energy my foot,¡± the Suming Sword sneered, ¡°after being polluted and purified again, it has long lost its innate rank, at most it can only be considered as Acquired Tai Yin Qi.¡± ¡°However¡­¡± Its voice subtly paused, ¡°for you, it is indeed a rare benefit.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Wei Dongliu asked curiously, ¡°I would like to hear the details.¡± ¡°If we assess by rank and purity, the lowest rank is inevitably turbid qi,¡± the Suming Sword replied. ¡°Refined turbid qi becomes Demonic Qi; when compressed and condensed, it becomes Demon Origin.¡± ¡°Ascending further, there are Lesser Yin, Shangyin, and so on¡­ Tai Yin is the highest rank among them, the most pure Yin energy. Do you think it will be useful to you?¡± ¡°In that case, it indeed sounds useful,¡± Wei Dongliu thought, considering that this Yin energy and Demonic Qi came from the same source, yet this was of a much higher rank and purity, it must be of great benefit to his Chaotic Demon Body. ¡°It¡¯s not only useful for you, but it¡¯s also a great supplement for me,¡± the Suming Sword said leisurely, ¡°Later, I will guide you to find the place in this area with the highest concentration of Yin energy.¡± After Luo Daolong gave a few more irrelevant remarks, he quietly left. No sooner had he departed than the Suming Sword immediately commanded: ¡°Continue forward!¡± ¡°Turn left, hurry up!¡± ¡°Keep going, keep going¡­ hey, you¡¯ve gone too far!¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you speak more clearly?¡± Wei Dongliu couldn¡¯t bear it anymore, ¡°Ah Jing, teach it how to report coordinates properly!¡± The Kunlun Mirror, left with no choice, murmured a few words to the Suming Sword, then displayed the distribution of Tai Yin Energy in the vicinity. Being accustomed to scanning, Wei Dongliu was very familiar with this way of doing things. He quickly followed the route, turning left and right, and finally arrived at the place where the Tai Yin Energy was most concentrated. As soon as he settled into meditation and began breathing exercises, he immediately recognized the extraordinariness of this energy. If ordinary Demonic Qi and Demon Origin were likened to mint candies or chewing gum, then this Tai Yin Energy was like frosting, like industrial-grade sweetener, many times more concentrated than the ordinary Demonic Qi and Demon Origin! As he breathed in the Tai Yin Energy, it was like drinking sweet, refreshing dew on a hot summer day, making Wei Dongliu feel exhilaratingly comfortable. Consequently, he fully activated his Chaotic Demon Body, with his red hair becoming redder and his double pupils deepening, swallowing and siphoning the surrounding Tai Yin Energy. His cultivation level surged dramatically. ¡°Don¡¯t be too hasty, leave some for me!¡± Seeing his unseemly greed, the Tai Yin Suming Sword could not care less about its own image, hastily starting to absorb the surrounding Tai Yin Energy as well. Time passed, unknown how long. Wei Dongliu abruptly awoke from his deep meditative state, hearing the sound of a bell outside¨Cit was one hour since. He hastily inspected himself internally, examining his cultivation, only to find that the Dantian inside his abdomen was now completely empty. The Golden Core, gone! Of course, the disappearance of the Golden Core was not without reason; it had been refined until it dispersed into his inner sea and no longer formed a solid state. In Wei Dongliu¡¯s Dantian, although the Golden Core was gone and it was dark, there were specks of dim starlight, like the stars on a night sky, known as the ¡°Obscure Weave Rank.¡± Next, as long as he could successfully transcend the Heavenly Tribulation, he would be able to reassemble all the scattered energy into a Nascent Soul, capable of housing his soul! Considering Wei Dongliu¡¯s First Grade Golden Core, the difficulty of the Nascent Infant Heavenly Tribulation would likely far exceed the challenges of the entire Golden Core Realm cultivation. Recalling the situation of his last Golden Core Tribulation, Wei Dongliu decided that he needed to find a treasured land, prepare many magic artifact resources, and only when everything was fully in place, he could begin to attempt the dangerous challenge. Before that, it¡¯s best to take it slowly. ¡°How goes your cultivation, Wei Dao You?¡± Seeing Wei Dongliu¡¯s divine glow restrained and his aura rich, Long Eyebrow Immortal immediately knew his cultivation level had greatly advanced and congratulated him, ¡°It appears you¡¯ve made a breakthrough, very joyous and congratulatory indeed.¡± ¡°Many thanks to the Sect Leader for your blessings,¡± Wei Dongliu said with a cupped-fist salute. ¡°No need for formalities,¡± Long Eyebrow Immortal waved his hand with a smile, ¡°Now that your cultivation has greatly improved, the Sect happens to have an urgent task that requires your attention.¡± Wei Dongliu: ¡­¡­¡­. I knew it would be like this! ¡°The Tai Yin Sword Master of Shushan has made an unexpected appearance,¡± Long Eyebrow Immortal said gravely, ¡°Two of our Sect¡¯s elder-level figures have fallen at the hands of the Tai Yin Sword Master.¡± ¡°However, the Tai Yin Sword Master¡¯s cultivation is low and thus cannot unleash the full power of the Tai Yin Suming Sword. Therefore, the Shushan Shangqing Faction is searching for a strange object called ¡®Yunmeng Sword Scabbard¡¯.¡± ¡°Your mission is to lead six elite disciples to prevent Shushan from obtaining the Yunmeng Sword Scabbard!¡± What kind of Sword Box is this Yunmeng Sword Scabbard that I¡¯ve never even heard of it? Wei Dongliu kept to himself, curious to know: ¡°What is the origin of this Yunmeng Sword Scabbard that Shushan would go to such lengths to find it?¡± ¡°I am not sure myself,¡± Long Eyebrow Immortal shook his head, ¡°It is said that this Sword Box can be pre-charged with True Yuan, so that during sword control, the Sword Box¡¯s True Yuan would be consumed first, thus not depleting the Sword Master¡¯s own True Yuan.¡± Upon hearing this, Wei Dongliu was initially stunned but then quickly understood the implications. Why is the Tai Yin Suming Sword difficult to wield? The reason is the consumption is too great; it cannot be sustained by anyone below the Immortal Rank. But with the Yunmeng Sword Scabbard, couldn¡¯t Immortals inject sufficient Immortal Rank True Yuan each time? That way, the sword could be used freely, couldn¡¯t it? Nice, Long Eyebrow Immortal, you have once wronged me greatly, and now you will serve as my fueling station to atone for it! Seeing Wei Dongliu with furrowed brows, Long Eyebrow Immortal thought he too understood the high stakes involved, so he continued with a sigh: ¡°Should the Tai Yin Sword Master obtain this Sword Box, it would be akin to giving wings to a tiger. To contend with Shushan, however, the combined efforts of the Six Paths are indispensable.¡± ¡°Since you are the leader of the Six Paths, you should call upon them to jointly resist Shushan.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Wei Dongliu nodded slightly, agreeing to the task. Not to mention anything else, even if Long Eyebrow Immortal hadn¡¯t provided this information, he himself would still have to prevent Shushan from acquiring the Yunmeng Sword Scabbard. Why? Because once Ling Yunpo has unlimited use of the Tai Yin Suming Sword, would Shushan let him keep loafing about, reaping the benefits? Certainly not. And if Ling Yunpo were to show his might while away, it would no doubt further diminish Qiu Changtian¡¯s authority¡­ In short, Ling Yunpo must not publicly obtain the Yunmeng Sword Scabbard! Of course, acquiring it in an underhanded way, and using it secretly, is another matter. For instance, if Wei Dongliu encounters a powerful enemy and can¡¯t overcome them, it would be perfectly normal to draw out the Tai Yin Suming Sword¡­ and if even the Tai Yin Suming Sword came out, taking out the Yunmeng Sword Scabbard would also be a perfectly normal thing to do, right? Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only As for charging it, one can¡¯t let any Immortal to do it, otherwise, it would be tantamount to exposing the existence of the Yunmeng Sword Scabbard. But I can have Ah Jing charge it! ¡°Is there a possibility that letting me charge the Sword Box for you and directly providing energy for you to use the Summoning Sword are actually no different?¡± the Kunlun Mirror asked helplessly. ¡°Not exactly,¡± Wei Dongliu explained, ¡°The latter is akin to paying in full up front, while the former is like installment payments. Can these be the same to you? Oh, I forgot, Ah Jing, you are like a tycoon when it comes to spiritual energy reserves, so it might indeed be better to directly provide me with spiritual power¡­¡± ¡°Scram!¡± Chapter 830 - Chapter 830: Chapter 68 Jiang Lian Cleverly Takes in Two Sisters Chapter 830: Chapter 68 Jiang Lian Cleverly Takes in Two Sisters About the Yunmeng Sword Scabbard, although Wei Dongliu does not need it, he must prevent Shushan from obtaining it. Strangely, the reason why Shushan is searching for this item is for the Tai Yin Sword Master Ling Yunpo¡­ So the more one wears a spy mask, the more blurred the lines between truth and falsehood become, complicating the stakes, making it difficult to explain clearly. In any case, after receiving a new mission from Hell Path, Wei Dongliu plans to return to Mount Wutai. Just as he was about to take the same way back, Luo Daozhang suddenly extended his hand to stop him. ¡°Daoist Wei, please hold on.¡± This Sect Leader of Hell Path said with a smiling face, ¡°The Teleportation Array is currently under maintenance, it is inconvenient to go through, please follow me to another place.¡± Wei Dongliu: ??? What does that mean? The Teleportation Array is broken? He quickly guessed that probably someone had come to the Mountain God Temple, making it inconvenient for him to meet them, hence he was being redirected elsewhere. After being led by Luo Daozhang to another formation outside the city and teleporting, Wei Dongliu found himself deep beneath the sea. He swiftly surfaced, and after circling the area for a moment, he confirmed he should be in the Southern Sea waters. They say a cunning rabbit has three burrows, and it¡¯s no wonder Hell Path, with possibly many escape routes, has remained elusive for so many years without being discovered by the Orthodox Sect. After studying the formation carefully for a moment, Wei Dongliu could confirm that this must be some extremely obscure ancient formation, whose layout style and modern formations were vastly different. Even the ¡°Ancient Formations¡± taught at Yuqing View, notorious for their complexity, seemed like child¡¯s play compared to this one. Unable to thoroughly understand it momentarily, Wei Dongliu patiently memorized it, then continued northward, flying towards Mount Wutai. Meanwhile, at the Mountain God Temple at Mount Wutai, the sisters Aiyin and Aile couldn¡¯t wait for someone to come, but their forceful brute force decryption unexpectedly produced results first. ¡°There we go.¡± Aile said, ¡°I know these coordinates, it leads either to the Nine Serenities Underworld or deep into Hell.¡± ¡°So what?¡± Jiang Lian¡¯s eyebrows furrowed. ¡°So, it¡¯s a long-distance teleport.¡± Knowing this dark sister¡¯s explosive temper, Aiyin quickly explained, ¡°Long-distance teleports have a higher probability of issues than ordinary Teleportation Arrays, so there¡¯s some verification methods.¡± ¡°Though random changes are adopted for the transit coordinates, verification cannot be treated the same way, otherwise it would affect stability and safety.¡± ¡°So, starting from verification, we can locate¡­¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Jiang Lian finally snapped, ¡°Don¡¯t report progress to me until everything is completely sorted out!¡± Thus, Aiyin and Aile hurriedly kept quiet and worked. About half an hour later, Aile finally exclaimed: ¡°Found it, it¡¯s in the Nine Serenities Underworld!¡± ¡°Transport immediately!¡± Jiang Lian waved her hand, then quickly realized, ¡°Wait, teleport me there, and then you can scram!¡± Really, if she let these two sisters accompany her, and they saw such a grand effort was just to find a human husband, wouldn¡¯t all the secrecy efforts be in vain? Aiyin and Aile exchanged glances, thinking there must indeed be some trickery involved. The less she wants us to see, the more we want to see! Aile immediately nodded and said: ¡°Alright, let me make a copy of the Teleportation Array.¡± Seeing her agree so readily, without any nagging or clinging, Jiang Lian immediately became suspicious. Oh, are you planning to tamper with it and follow me when I teleport? Aiyin also quickly realized, knowing that her sister¡¯s quietness was actually the biggest giveaway, and hurriedly remedied by saying: ¡°Though that¡¯s the case, shouldn¡¯t we sisters know exactly what dark sister is going to do? Otherwise, we put in so much effort in good faith, only to be kept in the dark, how could we continue to assist dark sister next time?¡± Jiang Lian chuckled coldly and said: ¡°It¡¯s alright to tell you, but I cannot tell the other sisters.¡± Aiyin and Aile waited for a moment, but they did not hear the rest of the sentence. Seeing Jiang Lian¡¯s sarcastic expression, they finally understood: Sister Li An thinks that if she tells us, we will spill it to others! ¡°If Sister Li An tells me, I swear I won¡¯t leak it!¡± Aile immediately swore. Jiang Lian laughed loudly: ¡°We are all Heavenly Demons, who would deceive whom? Do Heavenly Demons have any credibility?¡± Aiyin and Aile were rendered speechless. Although they didn¡¯t want to admit it, the Great Unrestrained Heavenly Demons were indeed a group of unreliable creatures, and credibility was even more out of the question¨Cswearing solemnly one moment and betraying others the next, they did it without any pressure. The only thing that could be trusted was dominance based on overwhelming strength. For instance, the reason Jiang Lian could trust Li Chou and Li Hen was because she was far stronger than her two sisters. Betray me, and I will beat you to death a hundred, a thousand times. As long as everyone understands this, then the bond between sisters is indestructible. Aiyin and Aile were speechless for a long time, only to hear Jiang Lian say again: ¡°If you two are willing to be my sisters, this matter is not important and sharing it with you is fine.¡± ¡°It¡¯s good if Sister Li An trusts us,¡± Aiyin replied, ¡°but isn¡¯t it presumptuous to take on both of us alone?¡± Meaning, it¡¯s not enough to beat us one by one; you have to defeat both of us at the same time. ¡°To the heavens.¡± Jiang Lian was succinct. The three Heavenly Demons turned into black mist, soared straight to the Nine Heavens, and then started fighting fiercely. In less than half an hour, Aiyin and Aile were indeed defeated, both looking incredulous. ¡°How are Sister Li An¡¯s demonic techniques so profound?¡± Aiyin flattered with admiration, ¡°With such strength, let alone being our sister, even being a big sister of five hundred would be more than sufficient!¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± Jiang Lian scoffed, ¡°How could I dare to bring you here without some true skills?¡± Aiyin and Aile were genuinely convinced. After taking the two Heavenly Demons as younger sisters, Jiang Lian finally revealed the truth: ¡°I came here because a male pet got lost, so I am searching for him to bring him back.¡± A male pet? The eyes of the two sisters suddenly brightened. For the Great Unrestrained Heavenly Demon, food is plentiful and always available from the Lower Realm. But a male pet is really a rare novelty, basically similar to food¡­ The two Heavenly Demons exchanged glances for a moment, wisely holding back any snide remarks and instead unanimously praised: ¡°To be able to keep a male pet, truly worthy of Sister Li An!¡± ¡°Stop the idle chatter and quickly take me through the teleportation.¡± Jiang Lian said impatiently. The three Heavenly Demons returned to the Mountain God Temple, and Aile set up and activated the Formation. Jiang Lian stepped in first, not at all worried about any deceit within. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only With her current rank, not to mention killing her, there are hardly any forces in this world that could trap her. Aiyin and Aile followed closely, observing cautiously and trying hard to suppress their curiosity. In an instant of spinning sky and earth, the three of them appeared over the vast sea. Jiang Lian took a closer look and almost couldn¡¯t catch her breath. Where else could this place be if not the Boundary Ocean, ten thousand eight hundred miles east of the Divine Land? Chapter 831 - Chapter 831: Chapter 69: Alliance Leader Wei Summons the Heroes Again Chapter 831: Chapter 69: Alliance Leader Wei Summons the Heroes Again Wei Dongliu returned to Mount Wutai, only to find that Madam Jiang was not there, and he slightly frowned. This wife¡­didn¡¯t we agree that she would handle the sect affairs for me? Where could she have run off to again? Little did he know, Li Chou and Li Hen, the two younger sisters, seeing their brother-in-law return alone all of a sudden with their sister nowhere to be seen, were so frightened that they hurriedly hid themselves. It is known that during the absence of both husband and wife, it was Li Chou who impersonated Jiang Lian to deal with sect affairs. She is not afraid of other people, but with the return of her brother-in-law, what should she do if he wanted to get intimate with his wife? As the Great Unrestrained Heavenly Demon, even though he regards humans as livestock and poultry, Wei Dongliu, being of Demon Lord blood and their brother-in-law, is naturally different¡­ Under normal circumstances, getting intimate wouldn¡¯t be a problem, because after all, acting needs to be complete, right? But the two younger sisters are too familiar with Jiang the Witch, knowing she is indeed a powerful and good sister, yet occasionally possessive, controlling, violent, and utterly ruthless. If she learned of this matter, she wouldn¡¯t care about the ¡°need for acting,¡± she¡¯d directly capture and kill repeatedly without any hesitation. For that reason, the two sisters quickly removed their disguises and made themselves invisible to avoid being discovered by their brother-in-law. Wei Dongliu, unable to find Jiang Lian, could only handle the sect affairs himself and took the opportunity to ponder how to complete the new tasks set in the Hell Path. Looking through the history of the Six Paths, collaborations have essentially been based on two situations: First, there is profit to be made; Second, it is a necessity. For example, the previous sieges on Penglai and Kunlun were all about profit, where everyone quite consciously united. Although there were some quarrels, disputes, and differences during the process, as long as there was still room for profit, there was no worry about the team splitting up. As for the siege on Shushan, it was a clear case of necessity, since the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword must not fall into the hands of the Clarify Cult, which everyone agreed on. The difficulty lies in convincing each sect that it is indeed a necessity, as there is no profit to be made and risks and losses are to be borne¡­ But once the sects are convinced, there is no need to worry about follow-up matters. After careful deliberation for a long time, Wei Dongliu finally made a decision. He still had to start with the immortals. The Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword is a treasure of the Intercepting Cult, it must be obtained; the Tai Yin Suming Sword is too renowned, at full force even the Long Eyebrow Immortal has to avoid its edge, how could the Intercepting Cult Immortals not fear it? On the way to Central Peak, Wei Dongliu had already drafted his plan. When seeking an audience with the Blood Sea Immortal, his expression was calm, yet his brow seemed burdened with a heavy weight. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Naturally, the Blood Sea Immortal wouldn¡¯t fail to notice and immediately asked. ¡°Immortal.¡± Wei Dongliu was hesitant to speak, and after a long pause, he said, ¡°I have obtained some intelligence, but I¡¯m unsure of its authenticity and would trouble the Immortal to spare some time to listen.¡± He omitted the detailed information, merely saying, ¡°I heard that Shushan is looking for a sword box¡± ¡°It is said to compensate for the Tai Yin Sword Master¡¯s low cultivation level deficiencies.¡± Though these were just a few words, the Blood Sea Immortal realized the urgency and frowned, saying: ¡°If that¡¯s really the case, it would not be a fortune for us.¡± ¡°But your information is too vague¡­ Well, I¡¯ll write a letter first, and you bring it to the Nether Ghost Path for me, to ask if Honored White Bone has received any similar rumors.¡± When it comes to espionage, besides the unpredictable Hell Path, the Nether Ghost Path has always been the most advanced. It is rumored that they have a secret technique within that allows free alteration of one¡¯s external appearance, making it particularly suitable for planting spies. Wei Dongliu had no objections to this point, nodded in agreement, but was internally calculating what to do if the Nether Ghost Path had not received similar intelligence, and how again to persuade the Blood Sea Ancestor? Could it be that he hacked into Ling Yunpo¡¯s account and then fabricated some solid evidence? As he commanded his sword to fly toward Mount Beimang, his mind wandered, unaware that Jiang Lian, along with the sisters Aiyin and Aile, were furiously rushing from the distant borders of the East Sea toward Divine Land, grinding their teeth in anger. ¡°Wei the old thief, you better not let me catch you! If I do, I¡¯ll eat you!¡± Clearly, Jiang the Witch had attributed the strategy of temporarily avoiding the sharp edge of the Hell Path to Wei Dongliu. Meanwhile, Wei Dongliu was unaware of this, merely flying his sword high in the sky, where the cold wind made him sneeze several times, so he deployed a warming technique and continued his journey toward the region of River Luo. Upon reaching Mount Beimang, he sought an audience with Honored White Bone. It wasn¡¯t long before Wen Yang came out to greet him, smiling like a flower as she said: ¡°It¡¯s rare to have Alliance Leader Wei visiting.¡± ¡°The war is over, there¡¯s no need for ¡®Alliance Leader¡¯ anymore,¡± Wei Dongliu waved his hand dismissively. ¡°As long as the alliance hasn¡¯t disbanded, the title of Alliance Leader still holds,¡± Wen Yang flattered him for a moment, then said, ¡°My master is currently cultivating a crucial technique¡­¡± ¡°Honored White Bone is in seclusion?¡± Wei Dongliu asked in surprise. ¡°Not exactly,¡± Wen Yang replied, then closed her mouth and said no more. Reading her expression, Wei Dongliu understood the underlying meaning to be ¡°important matters can be discussed, but casual visits are not entertained,¡± and thus he said: ¡°First, take me to see the Honored one.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Seeing his determination to meet, Wen Yang realized there must indeed be an urgent matter. Although neither spoke explicitly, their interaction had already made their intentions clear to each other. Walking through the Underground Palace, Wen Yang suddenly said: ¡°Actually, what my master is busy with is related to the residual forces that previously besieged Kunlun.¡± ¡°Since the cease-fire, Kunlun has been cleaning up our outer strongholds. We do not want to engage in a prolonged battle, but Kunlun is really bothersome, hence we can only temporarily avoid direct confrontation¡­ My master has determined a retreat strategy, but the specific execution still needs to be discussed and considered with the Sect Leader, so both have been really tied up lately.¡± ¡°By the way, how is the Mortal Life Path doing?¡± Wei Dongliu smiled slightly: ¡°Mortal Life Path cultivators are united in spirit. Kunlun doesn¡¯t dare to provoke them lightly, so their harassment at the periphery is negligible.¡± Wen Yang: ¡­¡­¡­ That statement is really infuriating! But it¡¯s not exactly wrong either. The main reason is that the territory of the Mortal Life Path does not directly border the Kunlun Taiqing Sect; instead, the Nether Ghost Path¡¯s River Luo area lies in between, hence the priority in conflict. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Another reason is the establishment of the transmission mechanism: Since killing enemies rewards contributions, which can be exchanged for cultivation techniques in the Dharma Transmission Hall, the cultivators of the Mortal Life Path have a much higher desire to fight compared to those of the Nether Ghost Path Cultivators. Of course, everyone understands the principle, but each sect has its own circumstances: the major cultivation techniques of the Nether Ghost Path are mainly held by the elders of various branches. Who would willingly hand over their contribution to a disciple not of their own lineage? Mortal Life Path¡­ all techniques are owned by Wei Dongliu. It¡¯s his prerogative to use them to motivate his disciples. The two continued deeper and finally arrived at the heart of the Underground Palace. True to her word, Honored White Bone, Fu Xie the Sect Leader, and other elders of the Nether Ghost Path were gathered there discussing matters. Chapter 832 - Chapter 832: Chapter 70: Reunion with Madam Jiang Chapter 832: Chapter 70: Reunion with Madam Jiang Wei Dongliu naturally wouldn¡¯t be inappropriate to the extent of eavesdropping on another sect¡¯s meeting. He found an excuse and slipped away to rest in a nearby side room. After a long while, Wen Yang came in to notify him that Honored White Bone was available to meet with him. Wei Dongliu slightly adjusted his clothes, and then followed Wen Yang to Honored White Bone¡¯s residence. Among the three major direct lineages of the Intercepting Cult, the residence of Blood Sea Ancestor was the coldest, spending all day freezing under the icy snow-covered rocks; The residence of the carefree patriarch was the most luxurious, with a specially built palace at the top of the great mountain, filled everywhere with soft and delicate cushions. The residence of Honored White Bone seemed very simple, and if not for Wen Yang leading the way personally, Wei Dongliu might have mistaken it for a room where ordinary servants lived. ¡°What business do you have with me?¡± Honored White Bone chuckled with a joyful smile. Wei Dongliu took out a letter from Blood Sea Ancestor and handed it over. Seeing Wei Dongliu¡¯s solemnity, Honored White Bone also became serious, took the letter, read it for a moment, and frowned, saying: ¡°This object¡­ although peculiar, if paired with Tai Yin Sword Master, it will surely become a great threat.¡± Wei Dongliu showed no expression. Blood Sea Ancestor had already mentioned this conclusion once, what¡¯s the point of repeating it? Fortunately, Honored White Bone quickly realized something: since Blood Sea Ancestor chose to send Wei Dongliu over instead of using Flying Sword Messaging, he must have felt a sense of urgency. Thus, he spoke with Wei Dongliu: ¡°Our intelligence network on our side has gleaned that there¡¯s indeed some activity going on over at Shushan.¡± ¡°Combining the contents of the letter from Blood Sea, we can currently deduce that they are searching for a secret realm called ¡®Cloud Dream Marsh¡¯.¡± ¡°Cloud Dream Marsh?¡± Wei Dongliu asked in surprise. ¡°Cloud Dream Marsh was originally a cluster of lakes in the plains to the north of ancient Jingzhou,¡± Wen Yang explained, ¡°In the ancient era, it was said that the area was densely dotted with stars and crisscrossed by a network of waterways, which is why it was also known as ¡®Marsh Country¡¯.¡± ¡°But in the late ancient times, all these lakes disappeared, turning into vast low-lying plains¡­ Everyone believes that a powerful entity must have taken action, excavating this entire marsh country and relocated it into their own secret realm.¡± ¡°Heh,¡± Honored White Bone also sighed, ¡°You see, from ancient times to early antiquity, to modern times, why has the overall power of the Cultivation Realm continued to decline? It is because too many exceptional Cultivation Techniques have been kept secret and, as a result, their lineages lost due to accidents; too many Magic Artifacts and Elixirs have been hoarded away in secret, hidden in secret realms, never to be found again.¡± ¡°Without Cultivation Techniques, without Magic Artifacts, how can we expect any development? In my opinion, if we went back to the era of the great war between the Human Race and Demon Race, it would be uncertain whether the Human Race could even achieve victory¡­¡± Wei Dongliu did not respond, inwardly snickering: There¡¯s no need for the predecessor to worry, the Demon Race of the Eastern Emperor Realm is even more of a mess than their ancestors, currently caught up in their own joyous infighting! ¡°Master.¡± Wen Yang suddenly interjected, ¡°We should discuss the important matters, let¡¯s not dwell on irrelevant topics.¡± ¡°Alright, alright.¡± Honored White Bone actually nodded earnestly when spoken to like this by his disciple, showing his excessive indulgence towards Wen Yang, ¡°Continue, please.¡± ¡°As for the Cloud Dream Marsh secret realm, let¡¯s temporarily refer to it as such. Originally, it was speculated to possibly exist solely due to unexplained changes in the terrain.¡± Wen Yang continued, ¡°However, based on recent movements from Shushan, they must have obtained some evidence that we don¡¯t have, confirming the existence of this secret realm.¡± ¡°As for the location of the entrance to the secret realm, how to open it, and what treasures lie within, since Shushan has kept strict secrecy, this too remains unclear. However¡­¡± At this point, Wen Yang paused for a moment, and Wei Dongliu immediately understood and took over the conversation, saying: ¡°However, if Shushan is going on an expedition to the secret realm, the Tai Yin Sword Master and Jiao Xiao True Person will inevitably be included.¡± ¡°As long as we closely monitor the movements of these two people, we can naturally follow the clues and find that Marsh Country.¡± ¡°Precisely.¡± Wen Yang said with a smile to the Honored White Bone, ¡°Master, look, what kind of person is Alliance Leader Wei? Where does he need me to explain the plan in detail? Just a little clue from me, and he¡¯s already able to guess it almost completely right.¡± The Honored White Bone chuckled and said: ¡°The main purpose of this operation in the Marsh Country is to prevent Shushan from acquiring treasures. Only second to that is for us to take the treasures for ourselves.¡± ¡°Originally, the Nether Ghost Path only planned to contend with Shushan by ourselves, but since the intelligence from the Mortal Life Path indicates that Shushan¡¯s trip this time is for the sake of the Tai Yin Sword Master, they will certainly go all out.¡± ¡°In light of this, the Six Paths must also cooperate with sincerity, and bring forth our elite forces.¡± ¡°Alliance Leader Wei, you led everyone last time against Kunlun and your performance was there for all to see. This time, let¡¯s continue with you in command, how about that?¡± Wen Yang stood by with a light smile, seemingly without any small moodiness about being stripped of command¨Cafter all, if the Nether Ghost Path had gone to battle alone, given her status as the disciple of the Honored White Bone, she would almost certainly have been selected as the leader. It¡¯s just that in her heart, no matter whether in terms of strength, talent or character, Wei Dongliu is more fit to be the team leader than she is. Wei Dongliu pondered for a moment and said: ¡°I dare not decline. But still, I must first report to the Ancestor.¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± The Honored White Bone gestured dismissively. Wei Dongliu bid farewell to the two and left Mount Beimang, flying towards the direction of the great Mount Dapan in the East Sea. No sooner had he entered the sea area than he saw a distant fog of murderous intent surging forth. Who else could it be but Jiang Lian, Madam Jiang, who had traveled thousands of miles? Jiang Lian had come all the way from the far reaches of the East Sea, already filled with sorrow, resentment, bitterness, and impatience. Upon seeing Wei Dongliu near the sea area of Mount Dapan, she immediately drove her Demonic Techniques at full force and rushed over. Aiyin and Aile watched from behind, thinking that this male pet really couldn¡¯t handle it. Encountering Sister Li An when she¡¯s in the worst mood, he¡¯s probably going to be devoured alive, right? Then they saw Jiang Lian rush into Wei Dongliu¡¯s arms, like a swallow returning to the forest, and began to whine and act coquettishly, leaving the two Heavenly Demons completely stunned. After all, it was his own wife with whom he was intimately familiar; although Wei Dongliu was quite dissatisfied with her abandoning the Sect affairs to head out. Still, he comforted her with kind words, and then he started asking what had happened. Jiang Lian sobbed and whined, telling him roughly what had transpired. Wei Dongliu immediately had a clear understanding in his heart, realizing that his wife was worried about him and followed him, only to be discovered by the Hell Path¡¯s Elder Luo, who deliberately adjusted the Teleportation Array, sending her far away. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only However¡­ On careful consideration, this was somewhat strange. Logically speaking, if the Hell Path is as sly as a rabbit with many bolt holes, then every entrance should be a secret. Although I would be emotionally reluctant for such an incident to happen, if I were the Sect Leader of the Hell Path, and encountered someone like Jiang Lian who dared to pry into our affairs, I would have sent her directly to a trap to silence her¨Cnot merely to the outskirts of the East Sea. That¡¯s truly bizarre. It felt as if there was a sentiment of ¡°can¡¯t be dealt with, can only be driven far away¡±¡­ Chapter 833 - Chapter 833: Chapter 71 Tai Yin Sword Master, A House as Busy as a Marketplace Chapter 833: Chapter 71 Tai Yin Sword Master, A House as Busy as a Marketplace Hearing Wei Dongliu¡¯s intentions, Jiang Li An was rather indifferent. It¡¯s just about searching for that¡­ what¡­ Marsh Country right? I¡¯ll go back and mention it to the sect leader, isn¡¯t that enough? Although she didn¡¯t care much about it, she couldn¡¯t let her husband find out, so she had to take the initiative to join him. Wei Dongliu had no objections, after all, the Heavenly Demon Path was Jiang Madam¡¯s maternal home! Her joining would increase the chances of persuading the others. Upon arriving at the grand palace on Mount Dapan, Wei Dongliu easily met with the Zizai Patriarch and Sect Leader Dugu. Unexpectedly, both were quite agreeable. The Zizai Patriarch hadn¡¯t even heard Wei Dongliu out before expressing that the Heavenly Demon Path would fully support matters concerning the Six Paths. Sect Leader Dugu Xie seemed somewhat embarrassed, but since the Sect Guardian Immortal had spoken, he could only force a smile and nod, affirming the responsibility of the Heavenly Demon Path. After Wei Dongliu and Jiang Li An left satisfied, Dugu Xie finally couldn¡¯t hold back and asked the Zizai Patriarch: ¡°Patriarch, we¡¯ve agreed to provide support without fully understanding the situation, is this really alright?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t overthink it,¡± the Zizai Patriarch interrupted her impatiently, ¡°Alliance Leader Wei is one of us, he won¡¯t let us suffer.¡± Dugu Xie: ¡­¡­ How did the Mortal Life Path¡¯s sect leader become one of us? If we really need to clarify, it should be Jiang Li An who married into the other side and became their person, right? But on one hand, the Sect Guardian Immortal had set the tone, making it difficult for her to refute; on the other hand, as the Zizai Patriarch said, judging from Wei Dongliu¡¯s past experiences, collaborating with him hadn¡¯t been much of a loss. This Alliance Leader, unlike other sect leaders, wasn¡¯t nitpicky about tangible benefits for the sect, but seemed to be extremely keen on the ephemeral fame among the Six Paths. Following such an Alliance Leader wasn¡¯t too bad for the Heavenly Demon Path¡­ alright then, let it be! After persuading the Heavenly Demon Path and the Nether Ghost Path, the remaining Eastern Emperor Path and Asura Path, not having the status to stand alongside the three major paths of the Intercepting Cult, didn¡¯t warrant a personal visit by Wei Dongliu. A letter inviting them to join in and share the spoils was already a significant show of respect. After returning to Mount Wutai, Wei Dongliu and the Blood Sea Ancestor completed their report. Upon returning to the Mortal Life Path settlement and about to check on his two disciples¡¯ studies, he was instead dragged by Jiang Li An into a side room. ¡°Husband, come quickly,¡± she said excitedly, ¡°I was transported to the East Sea this time, and on my way back I got a great treasure to show you.¡± ¡°What treasure?¡± Puzzled, Wei Dongliu let her pull him into the room. A moment later, he deeply regretted it. After venting the resentment in his heart, Jiang the Witch left the room briskly and refreshed, while Wei Dongliu could only sit on the bed in meditative concentration, using his Chaotic Demon Body to recuperate his physical deficits. They say there¡¯s only worn-out oxen, not plowed-out fields, ancient wisdom indeed doesn¡¯t deceive. But then, a field that actively undulates and forces the oxen to plow, the ancients probably never envisioned such a scenario, right? If I weren¡¯t a cultivator, I¡¯d probably really die under my lady¡¯s belly one day. After recuperating, Wei Dongliu decided to reload a save. First to understand what Shushan plans to do. ¡°Ah Jing, load Ling Yunpo!¡± [Position Second: Shushan Shangqing Faction, Qingluo Peak.] [Character Identity: Ling Yunpo.] [Mirror Flower Water Moon Template overlay, engaging in time-space travel.] As the Tai Yin Sword Master, Ling Yunpo recently has been quite pleased with himself. Not only do many fellow disciples eagerly seek his favor, but elders also shower him with affection. Even many guest elders and scattered immortals who originated from Shushan or are friendly with Shushan have come to visit this Tai Yin Sword Master, primarily to witness the splendor of the Tai Yin Suming Sword. The Suming Sword was rather critical of this, feeling that it was being treated as a mere object on display, which compromised its dignity. But who was Ling Yunpo? Naturally, he suppressed any slight discontent without discussion. The Suming Sword, greatly displeased, threatened to leave him and choose another sword master. Ling Yunpo, not intimidated at all, countered with a question: ¡°If you were to choose another sword master, do you know what would happen?¡± ¡°At least I wouldn¡¯t be treated like a decorative piece, flaunted everywhere,¡± the Suming Sword replied. ¡°Wrong! Completely wrong!¡± Ling Yunpo laughed heartily, ¡°If you choose another sword master, it would prove that you are not a loyal life-bound sword artifact. Then, everyone who covets you will think: ¡®If he can be the sword master, why can¡¯t I?''¡± ¡°Thus, the world would be thrown into chaos over the scramble for you. Most likely, you would end up in the hands of an immortal, who would then fear other immortals trying to snatch you away, sealing you tightly and hiding you away, never to see the light of day again¡­ Is this what you want?¡± The Suming Sword was speechless, thinking it was indeed true. It has not been fought over, partly because everyone fears the influence of the Shushan Shangqing Faction, and partly because it has already chosen its master, and even if stolen, it could not be used by others. If it were to choose another master, it would prove that the position of Tai Yin Sword Master could change, and then wouldn¡¯t everyone be fighting over it? In that case, the new sword master, to prevent being robbed of it, would surely lock it away¡­ which would be far worse than being displayed as an exhibit. After all, in a way, being paraded around by Ling Yunpo could also be seen as asserting ownership, right? The Suming Sword eventually persuaded itself and sighed without a word. The Kunlun Mirror, coldly looking on, thought, ¡°If one day this guy sells me, do I also have to help him count the money and think it¡¯s a good sale?¡± This magic artifact has no physical form, and facing such a master with speech as deceiving as illusion techniques, it could only let itself be manipulated. Fortunately, I have already collected my physical components and can transform and leave at any time! The Tai Yin Suming Sword has been in the Sword Pool for too long, its mind has gone dull; I cannot afford to repeat its mistake. Leaving aside the pondering of the sword and the mirror with their own intentions, outside, the elder of Guan Family paid another visit, heaping praise upon the Tai Yin Suming Sword: ¡°Look at this lotus relief? The lotus, emerging from the muck unstained. This symbolizes the Suming Sword ¡®gathering Tai Yin Energy without being muddied¡¯, a profound and lofty concept!¡± ¡°And look at the length of this sword, three feet and six inches, which is quite unusual among Flying Swords. Normally, a Flying Sword would be forged to three feet and six and a half inches, but Fuxi deliberately cast it five points less, but why is that?¡± He spoke and fell into deep thought. ¡°Why is that?¡± Ling Yunpo curiously asked. ¡°The Innate Tai Yin Energy was insufficient, so it could only be forged to three feet and six inches,¡± the Suming Sword responded. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°There must be profound meaning in this.¡± The Guan Family elder concluded, ¡°This missing five points may well be the key to the current formidable power of the Tai Yin Suming Sword, but unfortunately, I can¡¯t quite grasp it yet, I need to consult with our sect¡¯s sword-casting masters.¡± This elder came boastfully and left hastily, which really left Ling Yunpo at a loss for words. ¡°Has Guan Family elder left?¡± An Zhisu stepped out from the side hall and asked. ¡°Yes, he took a look at the Flying Sword.¡± Sect Leader Su Jian followed his daughter, emerging from the side hall, his expression gloomy like water, clearly having just been scolded by his daughter, looking quite upset. Chapter 834 - Chapter 834: Chapter 72 What is Called Outsmarting Oneself Chapter 834: Chapter 72 What is Called Outsmarting Oneself Su Jian¡¯s mood is extremely depressed right now. Although he had been in closed-door cultivation for a century, in his memory, his daughter was always the obedient and well-behaved little girl she used to be. How did she suddenly enter a rebellious phase??!! But An Zhisu paid no attention to her father, and only said to Ling Yunpo: ¡°Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s drink.¡± ¡°But what about Master¡­¡± Ling Yunpo hesitated as he spoke, which greatly comforted Su Jian. Sure enough, even though his daughter had become rebellious, at least this disciple still knew to uphold his master¡¯s dignity! ¡°As the Sect Leader with countless responsibilities, where does he have the time to bother with our little affairs and romantic emotions?¡± Senior Sister An seriously said, ¡°It¡¯s better not to trouble him.¡± Ling Yunpo wanted to say more, but was quickly dragged away by An Zhisu without further explanation. As the two left Qingluo Peak, Ling Yunpo noticed that Senior Sister An did not head towards the market, but instead flew towards the Demon Locking Tower with him. ¡°Senior Sister?¡± ¡°Of course, we¡¯re not going to the market.¡± An Zhisu sighed, ¡°Otherwise, what if Master follows us?¡± Ling Yunpo was suddenly shocked: Senior Sister An actually had a brain! ¡°So, where are we going?¡± ¡°To the Demon Locking Tower.¡± An Zhisu said with a chilling air, ¡°To blow off some steam at the Demon Locking Tower.¡± Ling Yunpo:¡­¡­¡­ Who goes to kill monsters to blow off steam? However, he knew that when Senior Sister was in a bad mood, she loved to drink and practice swordsmanship. Now that the market was off-limits and there was no wine to drink, the only option left was to fight demons with her sword. Having previously guarded the Demon Locking Tower for some time, the two were very familiar with its internal structure and environment. Inside the Demon Locking Tower, it was survival of the fittest. Most of the demons were not only ruthless towards people on sight but were also merciless towards other demons, extremely ferocious and barbaric. Therefore, even from the perspective of Long Long of the Eastern Emperor Realm, killing these demons caused no psychological burden at all. As for Ling Yunpo¡­ he cared even less. Upon entering the Demon Locking Tower, An Zhisu quickly led Ling Yunpo to the lower levels, then chose the Death Gate to barge in and began slaughtering wildly. This layer¡¯s Death Gate led to a secret realm inhabited by a type of demon called ¡°Ba.¡± They were not the drought fiends but a closely related branch, extremely aggressive and cruel, who especially liked to use their long fingernails to pin down prey, rip open their bellies, and eat their organs alive. But compared to An Zhisu, these demons were not considered fierce at all¡­ One could only see An Zhisu, having achieved Man-Sword Unity, charging into the crowd of Ba, then suddenly countless Sword Qi erupted in all directions, carrying fierce flames and black smoke, instantly driving back all the surrounding Ba. Ling Yunpo was also stunned. He knew that this was Daoist magic sealed within the Flying Smoke Sword, which released a Sword Qi resembling black smoke. This Daoist magic was somewhat like a semi-automatic rifle, using True Yuan to stimulate a blast of Sword Qi each time. What An Zhisu was doing at that moment was rapidly spinning in a state of Man-Sword Unity, accurately shooting Sword Qi at every Ba around her during the spin, creating an effect as if a hedgehog was exploding its quills, piercing through the sky and shooting in all directions. Indeed, in terms of swordsmanship attainment, he was no match for Senior Sister An who had an Innate Sword Heart. ¡°Tsk, tsk, tsk.¡± The Suming Sword muttered secretly to the Kunlun Mirror, ¡°Do you think he¡¯s being sincere in what he says? Or is he just posturing?¡± ¡°He¡¯s not wrong though,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said perplexedly, ¡°Purely in terms of sword technique, he indeed cannot compare with An Zhisu, but this guy¡¯s starting point is too high, and he has had a smooth journey, with his Daoist Foundation Realm far surpassing his peers. He¡¯s now habitually using brute force over finesse. Expecting him to meticulously research swordsmanship seems unrealistic.¡± The Green Duckweed Sword nodded in agreement. An Zhisu was at the front engaging the enemy, while Ling Yunpo swept through the rear. Unlike Senior Sister An¡¯s mighty and meticulous strikes, Ling Yunpo¡¯s sword moves were undoubtedly much simpler. Upon seeing an approaching demon, he performed a Sword technique and executed the move ¡®Rainbow Through The Sun¡¯ followed directly by ¡®Straight to the Dragon¡¯s Lair.¡¯ The moves were nothing extraordinary, yet the speed of the sword was astonishing, making it a sword strike per adversary. Although not as swift in killing as An Zhisu, there was a kind of efficient elegance to it. After this round of battle, An Zhisu had significantly vented her frustrations, exclaiming how exhilarating it was. Ling Yunpo looked closely and saw that there were no longer any living demons around. When previously guarding the Demon Locking Tower, Senior Sister An often took him there to practice swordsmanship. Every time they went to a place and fought until the end, the local demons would either flee upon seeing An or kneel and beg for mercy, making it hard for An Zhisu to strike them down. Ultimately, there¡¯s a difference between humans and demons. It¡¯s the kind of relationship Senior Sister An hopes for, where a straightforward and joyful fight is preferred. Your direct pleas make me seem like a genocidal star who wipes out races at the slightest provocation. Little did they know that in the eyes of the Demon Race, An Zhisu was indeed a genocidal star. Other Shushan Cultivators would enter the Demon Locking Tower, often seeking resources produced by certain demons or secret realms. Who else but a genocidal star would take pleasure purely in slaughter? Feeling thrilled by the bloodshed, An Zhisu spoke to Ling Yunpo: ¡°These demons are extremely ferocious, resorting to a fight to the death without retreat, nor understanding of begging for mercy. Junior Brother, we shall come here for our swordsmanship practice in the future.¡± Ling Yunpo was silent for a moment before cautiously saying: ¡°The collection of these types in the Demon Locking Tower must have a purpose. Senior Sister, while we practice our swordsmanship, let¡¯s not actually drive them to extinction. Otherwise, if the blame comes from above later, it won¡¯t be easy to explain.¡± As soon as these words left his mouth, Ling Yunpo realized: How could the higher-ups possibly blame us? They don¡¯t see who the current Sect Leader of Shushan is! Given Su Jian¡¯s overprotective nature, let alone exterminating a demon clan, even if he were to slaughter all the demons in the Demon Locking Tower, he might well praise, ¡°Well slaughtered,¡± and then go searching the world to recollect demons¡­ ¡°That¡¯s also true,¡± An Zhisu, who hadn¡¯t realized this or had simply agreed with whatever her junior brother said, as she had given up on thinking, nodded and replied, ¡°Then let¡¯s call it a day for today¡¯s combat training.¡± The two left the Demon Locking Tower and returned to Qingluo Peak, and the day ended without event. However, Ling Yunpo felt something was amiss. What about the promised trip to the Marsh Country? According to the Nether Ghost Path, the Marsh Country should be a Realm of extremely high Grade Rank. After all, its creators were capable of moving mountains and filling seas, so the treasures placed within would naturally not be inferior¨Cthe difficulty would surely match. In that case, Shushan should be sending their elite forces, and such a move would certainly not go unnoticed. Even a Nether Ghost Path spy could learn of it, so why have I not heard anything at all? Therefore, he went to visit Su Jian. Su Jian was not in the best of moods at that time, as his daughter had a rebellious nature, somewhat affecting his behavior towards Ling Yunpo. But he was not unreasonable, so he asked indifferently: ¡°What brings my disciple to seek me out?¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Master,¡± Ling Yunpo cautiously began, ¡°Although I hold the title of Tai Yin Sword Master, I lament that my power and Realm are insufficient to wield the sword¡¯s might. Therefore, I wish to ask Master, is there a Magical Treasure that could resolve this issue?¡± He thought Su Jian might say, ¡°Coincidentally, the Sect is seeking a secret treasure for you,¡± but instead saw Su Jian staring at him blankly. ¡°What Magical Treasure?¡± Su Jian asked, showing confusion, then quickly came to a realization. If there truly were such a treasure that could compensate for the Tai Yin Sword Master¡¯s inability to wield the Tai Yin Suming Sword smoothly, it would be of incalculable strategic importance to the Shushan Shangqing Faction! ¡°Wait here,¡± Su Jian immediately put on his Master¡¯s attitude, stating, ¡°Your Master is not currently aware, but allow me to consult the immortals.¡± Chapter 835 - Chapter 835: Chapter 73 Cloud Dream Marsh Country Chapter 835: Chapter 73 Cloud Dream Marsh Country At the bottom of the Demon Locking Tower has been the residence of the Long Eyebrow Immortal ever since he ceased to interfere with the Sect¡¯s affairs. Seeing Ling Yunpo coming to visit behind Su Jian, the old immortal¡¯s expression turns somewhat awkward. In the past few days, both Chi Song Immortal and Wan Xiang Immortal had sent him messages to console him, saying ¡°don¡¯t be too upset,¡± ¡°everyone makes mistakes in judgment,¡± and ¡°who could have known that a little known disciple would turn out to be the Tai Yin Sword Master?¡± Such words made the Long Eyebrow Immortal unbearably embarrassed. As for being little known, that¡¯s not true at all. Before the identity of Tai Yin Suming Sword came to light, Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu, with their extraordinary swordsmanship and extensive experience in Magical Competitions, had already stood out among many major competitions. The real issue was that the Long Eyebrow Immortal was too stubborn by nature, and due to the Su Jian issue, he unfairly projected his anger onto An Zhisu, thus completely ignoring the outstanding qualities of the two. As an Immortal, he did indeed have the authority to do so; after all, no matter how talented the two were, they were merely Golden Core True Persons. With An Zhisu¡¯s advancement to Second Grade Golden Core, the Long Eyebrow Immortal had begun to see her in a new light, and correspondingly, he looked down on Ling Yunpo even more, believing him to have hindered his disciple and beloved daughter in the pursuit of Qing Heng True Person¡¯s teachings, which he found detestable¡­ To his surprise, Ling Yunpo suddenly pulled off a coup by becoming the Tai Yin Sword Master, slapping the Immortal¡¯s face like a giant backhand. From then on, even though the Long Eyebrow Immortal still held prejudice against Qing Heng True Person, he no longer had the face to intervene arbitrarily anymore. After all, some Shushan Sect disciples had been grumbling in private, saying ¡°the Immortal underestimated An Zhisu, yet she is a Second Grade Golden Core,¡± ¡°he underestimated Ling Yunpo, and now he is the Tai Yin Sword Master,¡± ¡°I wonder who he will underestimate next.¡± When these words reached the Long Eyebrow Immortal¡¯s ears, he almost couldn¡¯t bear the shame. Now that Ling Yunpo had also come, the Long Eyebrow Immortal forced a strained smile and simply asked Su Jian: ¡°What brings you here?¡± ¡°Master.¡± Su Jian quietly explained Ling Yunpo¡¯s request and concluded, ¡°In summary, if we can find such magical artifacts, my disciple will be able to more easily bring out the strength of the Tai Yin Suming Sword.¡± Ling Yunpo was utterly speechless: This really isn¡¯t what I asked for! I was just asking if such treasures exist¡­ Hey, what are you doing! ¡°I see.¡± Thinking this was a good opportunity to mend their relationship, the Long Eyebrow Immortal quickly replied, ¡°If this treasure is useful for Qing Heng True Person, then our Shushan Sect will mobilize all hands to find it!¡± ¡°I will write to a few trustworthy old friends to see if they have any similar leads.¡± Having said that, the Long Eyebrow Immortal waved his sleeve, releasing countless Message-Conveying Flying Swords that flew off in all directions. Su Jian hurriedly pulled Ling Yunpo with him to offer thanks. After leaving the Demon Locking Tower, Su Jian comforted him: ¡°Now that the Immortal is helping, there will surely be a good outcome, don¡¯t worry about it and return to your peak to cultivate.¡± Ling Yunpo had no response, thinking that there would certainly be an outcome, but whether it would be a good one was another story. I¡­ I really didn¡¯t expect it to turn out like this! Back at Qingluo Peak, Ling Yunpo went to find Senior Sister An and recounted what had happened to her. ¡°That¡¯s great indeed.¡± An Zhisu said joyfully, ¡°If we can find the corresponding treasure, your power should greatly increase, right?¡± Not just greatly increase, it¡¯s practically like a cheat code for invincibility! I¡¯m about to steal Qiu Changtian¡¯s Invincible Character Setting! Ling Yunpo had a continual stream of complaints in his heart, but he couldn¡¯t openly discuss it with his caring Senior Sister, so he had to silently keep it to himself. Several days later, news indeed came from Long Eyebrow Immortal, who said that a friend had found fragments in ancient texts implying the possible existence of something called the ¡°Yunmeng Sword Scabbard¡± in Marsh Country. This artifact would allow the Sword Master to infuse True Yuan into it beforehand, which could then be used to activate the Flying Sword during battle. The subtlety here lies in that the concentration of True Yuan from immortals vastly surpasses that of Golden Core Cultivators, hence if the True Yuan is infused by an immortal, it could fulfill the demanding requirements to activate the Tai Yin Summoning Sword. Upon receiving the message, Long Eyebrow Immortal treasured it like a precious find, promptly summoning Su Jian, Ling Yunpo, and An Zhisu to notify them of this matter. ¡°If that is the case, I will issue an order for our disciples to fully commit to the search for traces of Marsh Country,¡± said Su Jian. ¡°And do not make it too conspicuous,¡± An Zhisu suddenly interjected, ¡°Be cautious of leaking the information.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Su Jian nodded in agreement. If the Yunmeng Sword Scabbard truly exists, its significance to the Tai Yin Sword Master and the entire Shushan would be self-evident. If the Demon Cult were to learn of this, they would certainly go to all lengths to interfere and prevent Shushan from obtaining such a treasure. Ling Yunpo remained expressionless, thinking to himself that the Demon Cult had not only learned of this long ago, but Wei Dongliu had even readied his elite forces, preparing to ambush you at any moment! Su Jian here was completely unaware, simply quickly tallying up his people to search for the traces of Marsh Country. About half a month later, they finally received exhilarating news: The clues to Marsh Country have been found! This time, the merit belonged to an outer sect disciple, who claimed that before he had joined Shushan, while living in the northern part of Jingzhou in his hometown, he had drowned in a river as a child and accidentally entered a mysterious marsh country filled with dangers and demons everywhere. Not daring to venture too far, he could only stubbornly swim in the pond from his original journey, managing to return to Jingzhou safely. Shushan sent people, following the clues provided by the outer sect disciple, to find the river where he had nearly drowned. Strangely, they found no trace of any secret realm¡¯s entrance. However, according to the nearby fishing village, this river was indeed somewhat eerie; in earlier years, there were frequent reports of people drowning here and mysteriously disappearing without a trace, even their bodies were never found, hence the villagers nearly all avoided this place. After understanding the situation, Shushan went to Qingzhou to invite the Master of Art Calculation, Jian Buyan, to help explore the way to open the secret realm. In the modern Cultivation Realm, there are not many cultivators who excel in Art Calculation, needless to say, old masters like the Diviner Jian Buyan. It was rumored that Qing Heng True Person from Yuqing View was also adept in this area. However, Shushan demanded strict confidentiality this time and could not reveal any information to Yuqing View, thus the idea of seeking help from Qing Heng True Person was also rejected. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Jian Buyan was brought to Shushan, and Su Jian quickly assembled his team: several Nascent Soul Elders, many Golden Core True Persons, as well as Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu, to accompany Jian Buyan to the northern plains of Jingzhou. The group arrived at the northern plains of Jingzhou and located the problematic river. The vicinity was all jungle, with the river flowing between undulating hills, everything seemed quite ordinary at a glance. ¡°This terrain of mountains and rivers is quite interesting,¡± said Jian Buyan. ¡°May I ask Senior, what is interesting here?¡± Ling Yunpo asked with curiosity. ¡°Simply put, the normal transformations of the sea into mulberry fields couldn¡¯t have produced such topography,¡± said Jian Buyan with a smile, ¡°It feels as if a clumsily-skilled painter took this vast land as a canvas and forcibly drew upon it.¡± Chapter 836 - Chapter 836: Chapter 74 What About Me? Chapter 836: Chapter 74 What About Me? ¡°If my divination is accurate, the builder of this Marsh Country of Cloud Dream should not be from the Human Race,¡± Jian Buyan said. ¡°Not from the Human Race?¡± Su Jian slightly frowned, but did not show much difficulty. Normally, when thinking about a powerful entity of the mystical realm not being from the Human Race, the first concern should be that they might dislike the Human Race and might purposefully target them within the mystical realm. However, Su Jian¡¯s thought process was different from others; hearing that it was not a Human made him feel relieved: Doesn¡¯t this mean one could engage in a fierce and carefree battle? In some sense, An Zhisu¡¯s ¡°fondness for practicing swordsmanship¡± wasn¡¯t a result of genetic mutation either. ¡°Then how should we activate it?¡± Su Jian asked again for confirmation. ¡°One needs to be submerged in water,¡± Jian Buyan stated, ¡°When a person is drowning, trapped in the terrifying brink of life and death, only then can the chance to trigger the opening of the mystical realm be activated.¡± Everyone then fell silent. The ignorant villagers who cannot swim naturally fear falling into water. But everyone present was a Cultivator, and for them, even being thrown into the sea without eating, drinking, or breathing wouldn¡¯t cause any harm, how could they possibly experience the fear of drowning? If it were the Demon Cult here, it would be simple ¨C just grab a nearby villager, push them into the water and prevent them from breathing, and the opportunity would naturally arise. But since Shushan claims to be the Orthodox Sect, they definitely lack the face to engage in such bullying of the weak, thus everyone was troubled. ¡°How about offering a hefty reward?¡± suggested an elder from Shushan. With a substantial reward, stirred by greed, find someone who cannot swim to go over the water. Once they drown and the mystical realm opens, we can just rescue them, it won¡¯t be against the baseline of the Orthodox Sect¨Cit¡¯s voluntary, after all. Upon hearing this, Su Jian immediately decided: ¡°Let¡¯s do it this way!¡± Golds and jewels, useless to those of the Immortal Sect, held enough allure for these mundane people; thus, this could be considered meeting each other¡¯s needs. Several Golden Core Sword Immortals were tasked and dispersed. Not long after, they brought back dozens of people to the riverside. Su Jian was very decisive, paying half upfront. Once the people had crossed the river, successful or not, he would pay the remaining half. Those willing to risk their lives for this money were certainly not virtuous and honest folk, and immediately someone questioned: ¡°If we were to drown in the river, and you pull us out, wouldn¡¯t you end up paying nothing? You must pay the full amount first, let us send it back home to keep it safe, only then it counts.¡± Though this argument seemed reasonable, the moment the money is taken home, they would definitely find an opportunity to escape. Upon hearing this, Su Jian nodded and said: ¡°Please escort this person away.¡± The speaker¡¯s complexion changed drastically, but seeing the surrounding Sword Immortals draw out their swords, he took them to be ruthless and uncommunicative people of the martial world, and could only leave compliantly. With this example set, the others dared not bargain further, only going to Shushan to receive the money and then entering the river to swim to the other side. Ling Yunpo watched from the side and saw them walk a few steps along the riverbed, gradually losing footing, flailing around helplessly¨Cit turned out they truly couldn¡¯t swim. Soon, these folks ran out of strength and sank down, disappearing without a trace. The people of Shushan silently watched over the river, on one hand wanting to rescue them, yet fearing that intervening might hinder the opening of the mystical realm, they truly did not know what to do. Suddenly, they heard Jian Buyan say: ¡°Someone has disappeared!¡± Disappeared? Then they must have entered the secret realm! ¡°Rescue!¡± Su Jian quickly commanded, and everyone deployed their techniques to rescue the remaining drowned individuals, then treated them using Elixirs, and paid the money they had promised earlier. These people had just skirted the ghost gates, each of them still shaken, not daring to speak much with the people from Shushan. They took the money and ran off, likely never to return to this river again in their lifetimes. Jian Buyan then quickly initiated the Seven Star Gang Step, beginning to Divinate the exact whereabouts of the missing person. Before they had stepped into the river, he had made sure to ask for everyone¡¯s birth dates and times, and knew that the missing person was a female villager. With hands forming seals and feet moving circularly, it took about a quarter of an hour before Jian Buyan finally spoke: ¡°The mechanism to open it is under the riverbed.¡± He led the Shushan Sword Immortal with Sword Control to a specific spot at the riverbed, dug several feet deep, and indeed found a bizarre human figurine. This figurine, buried in the riverbed mud, was all dark, with three eyes on its head, green-faced and with fierce teeth, and rugged in design, giving it an eerie sensation. ¡°It is this object that connects to the Marsh Country of the Dream Clouds,¡± said Jian Buyan to Su Jian, ¡°If someone proficient in Illusion Technique, infusing it with Seven Emotions and Six Desires, could presumably open a path to the secret realm.¡± ¡°Does anyone here specialize in that kind of Illusion Technique?¡± Su Jian immediately looked around at the group and asked. ¡°I did recently obtain a sword technique of the Heavenly Demon Path called Six Desires Seven Emotions Sword,¡± one elder suddenly spoke up, ¡°This sword technique, when deployed, infiltrates the opponent¡¯s mind with a silent illusion. I thought it was not very useful, but did not expect it could be used here.¡± ¡°Then please, Elder Qingyan, perform the technique,¡± Su Jian said impatiently. The elder was not offended, knowing well what Su Jian¡¯s temper was like, and calmly went forward to perform the swordsmanship. The performed swordsmanship looked graceful and magnificent, yet emitted a strange essence. Shortly after, the double eyes of the figurine suddenly lit up, emitting a deep purple light. Everyone felt a pulling force and were quickly dragged inside. The people did not resist, and amidst the spinning world, they were transported to another place. Indeed, the area was a vast marsh, even the ground beneath was hard to find dry. Looking around, puddles and mud were interwoven, resembling the patterns on a zebra¡¯s coat. A bit ugly. More uncomfortable than this grotesque environment was the pervasive and nauseating aura of Demons in the air. Of course, for Shushan cultivators, the aura of Demons was just the scent of Demons, like the earthy smell commonly found in freshwater fish, quite noticeable. But for Ling Yunpo, who has been in the Eastern Emperor Realm for quite a long time, he was able to discern a different scent factor from these auras. There were mainly two types: the Scaled Clan and the Kun Race. Both these Demon races are aquatic and it¡¯s not strange to find them in Marsh Country. However, within the Scaled Clan, there was no dragon-like aura, rather more like that of snakes. On the Kun Race side, there was no Xuan Gui aura, but rather a faint, rotting scent, likely insect-like Demons. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Snakes and insects, if appearing in front of a girl at once, might scare her into screams, however, for the Shushan Sword Immortals who are adept at exorcising Demons, there was utterly no fear. ¡°First, divide into four groups, explore twenty li in the directions of east, west, south, and north, then return back on the same path and report findings,¡± Su Jian quickly ordered. Under his command, everyone quickly separated into four groups, only to hear An Zhisu suddenly ask: ¡°What about me?¡± ¡°You are not allowed to go anywhere!¡± Su Jian said annoyingly. Chapter 837 - Chapter 837: Chapter 75 Xuanwu Temple Chapter 837: Chapter 75 Xuanwu Temple An Zhisu was fuming with anger. Although she also knew Su Jian was looking out for her well-being, who, in nearly a hundred years at Shushan, had dared to question her strength, which more oft than not led her to victory? Why was she not even allowed to partake in the reconnaissance before being barred from battle? Did her skills mean so little in her master¡¯s eyes? Ling Yunpo, standing by her side, gently consoled her, but internally he saw the clear picture: Senior Sister An must be going through a rebellious phase. What is a rebellious phase? It is when adolescents, in the process of growing up, shift from dependency on their parents to an awakening of self-awareness, eager to prove to their parents ¡°I can do it¡±, even to the extent of deliberately acting against them. Although Senior Sister An was not young, the time she had actually spent with Su Jian was not long. Moreover, cultivators often engaged in isolated self-study, lacking social experiences, hence it was not surprising for her to enter a rebellious phase only now. The only problem was that Su Jian seemed oblivious to the concept of a ¡°rebellious phase¡±. Judging by his expression, he probably thought his daughter no longer loved her father and could only cast a heartbroken look towards Ling Yunpo. Of course, Ling Yunpo could understand his father-in-law¡¯s silent plea: Good son-in-law, please help persuade her! Persuasion was out of the question, for Senior Sister An came to him to vent, certainly not to hear the response ¡°Your father has his difficulties¡±. Often for women, ¡°which side you stand on¡± holds more significance than ¡°who is right or wrong¡±. So he slowly reached into his sleeve and pulled out a¡­ wine flask. An Zhisu¡¯s eyes immediately brightened. After all, she only had two hobbies: drinking and sword training. Now sword training was not an option, but having some wine didn¡¯t sound too bad. ¡°Junior Brother, what kind of wine is this?¡± ¡°Green Li Red.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of it¡­ Is it from Shushan?¡± ¡°No, I bought it from Yangzhou.¡± ¡°The taste is a bit light, but it has a slightly sweet aftertaste. Not bad.¡± An Zhisu poured herself a drink and also filled a few cups for Ling Yunpo, her previously sullen expression easing somewhat. Alright, Master, I¡¯ve calmed Senior Sister down. Ling Yunpo looked towards Su Jian, who was eagerly watching the two drink, his throat seemingly twitching. ¡­Master, at least maintain some dignity! Sighing, Ling Yunpo, with a reluctant Senior Sister An in tow, poured a cup for Su Jian as well. Then Su Jian immediately felt contented and solemnly said: ¡°We are on an important mission, and it is not convenient to drink, but since this is the first time my disciple is offering wine, so be it, I will join you for a cup.¡± An Zhisu twitched her mouth at the side, revealing an expression that seemed mocking but she held back. The others had already split up into four groups to explore the surroundings, leaving only the trio of master and disciples drinking together, quickly emptying the entire flask of wine. ¡°Qing Heng,¡± said Su Jian contentedly, ¡°you have been under my tutelage for quite some time, but I was in seclusion when you joined, and I didn¡¯t have much to teach you.¡± ¡°Here are some of my sword training insights from my Golden Core Realm period, I¡¯ll hand them over to you.¡± ¡°Thank you, Master!¡± Ling Yunpo knew this was a reward for his offering of wine, and he earnestly accepted it. Su Jian then went to chat idly with his daughter, while Ling Yunpo took out the Scripture and started reading it. On the first page, Su Jian had written ¡°In swordsmanship, the thrust is essential.¡± Not a bad point, Ling Yunpo thought to himself. In Sword Control Technique, a thrust indeed moves faster than a slash, for the simple reason that when a Flying Sword flies, it heads in the direction of the sword tip. If it¡¯s a slashing strike, it requires the sword to swing sideways quickly upon reaching the target; but if it¡¯s a thrust to kill the enemy, there¡¯s no need for the hassle of changing moves¨Cjust thrust straight ahead. Ling Yunpo looked at the second line and saw Su Jian continue to write: ¡°Today, as I was heading to the high plateau, I killed a few bald monks.¡± Ling Yunpo: ??? How did it suddenly turn into a diary? It was only after he carefully read on that he understood these were ¡°some insights¡± Su Jian had mentioned; indeed, there was not a single lie. The pages messily recorded his various thoughts at different times. Some were indeed contemplations on swordsmanship, while others were simply diary entries, such as ¡°I defeated someone¡± or ¡°I killed someone,¡± and even trivial matters like ¡°the wine from this place is good.¡± Finding truly useful information from all this was not an easy task. Ling Yunpo idly flipped through the scriptures, choosing not to disturb the father-daughter conversation happening elsewhere. On the other side, all four groups of cultivators that had gone out to scout had quickly returned. Based on these cultivators¡¯ reports, everyone understood that there was an expansive water domain to the south, but it was not yet clear whether it was a lake or an ocean. Both the east and west were swamps, and the farther one went, the more water there was and the less solid ground. To the north lay rolling hills, accompanied by typical tropical rainforests, along with numerous vines, venomous snakes, and poisonous insects. Next, they needed to choose a direction to explore in depth. ¡°Choose¡­¡± Su Jian was about to say something offhand when suddenly he asked Ling Yunpo, ¡°Qing Heng, which direction do you think we should explore?¡± You¡¯re asking me this? Ling Yunpo criticized internally, but verbally he said: ¡°Let¡¯s choose the north.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Su Jian asked with interest. ¡°First, eliminate the south.¡± Ling Yunpo began explaining, ¡°Us Shushan cultivators may not fear water domains, but after all, we are not as familiar with the environment as the waterborne Demon Race. It¡¯s always better to avoid them if possible.¡± ¡°Therefore, we must choose between the east, west, and north.¡± ¡°Both east and west are swamps, likely connected to the vast marshes of the south due to the increasing water streams.¡± ¡°The north is a jungle area with a complex environment. It is suitable for the Demon Race to hide, and the likelihood of finding hidden treasures is also greater.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Su Jian nodded, but did not ponder further, apparently just like An Zhisu with the attitude of ¡°whatever you say goes,¡± and straightforwardly gave the order: ¡°Let¡¯s explore the north first!¡± The Shushan Sword Immortals then set out towards the north and entered the jungle. The jungle was truly rugged and difficult to navigate, with intertwined tree roots and dense vines, leaving hardly any room to set one¡¯s foot. Hence, everyone employed their swordsmanship, or unleashed their Sword Dao Techniques, quickly clearing a path ahead. Ling Yunpo couldn¡¯t help but think, with us making such a big show, aren¡¯t we more likely to startle any snakes in the grass? But he knew well that if he really said that, with Su Jian¡¯s character, he would probably answer, ¡°Isn¡¯t that better? Just to catch them all in one fell swoop.¡± Thinking this, Ling Yunpo sighed silently, thinking that with the invincible formation Shushan had deployed, there truly was no possibility of defeat. Forget it, let it be. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Only, he wondered how Wei Dongliu was doing¡­ Oh, I read Ling Yunpo¡¯s files first, so the future Wei Dongliu would definitely know how to enter the secret realm. No need to worry about that, then. The Shushan group quickly pushed deeper into the jungle, blazing a trail through the underbrush, slicing through obstruction like cutting melons and vegetables, and soon they arrived deep within the jungle, where they discovered a temple. Ling Yunpo looked at the relief carvings on the temple¡¯s exterior walls, and a strange emotion surged in his heart. Interwined tortoise and snake, is this¡­ Xuanwu? Chapter 838 - Chapter 838: Chapter 76: The Dragon Turtle Monster Chapter 838: Chapter 76: The Dragon Turtle Monster Speaking of Xuanwu, one has to trace back to the ancient times. In that era, there were no such distinctions as furry, scaly, horned, or feathered races among the Demon Race. Many demons gathered together not because of blood ties but for better survival. The Jiaolong was adept at attack, while Xuan Gui excelled in defense; thus, the two species grew close and even lived together, forming the same clan and taking the name ¡°Xuanwu¡±. As for when the Xuanwu disintegrated, that¡¯s another story altogether. ¡°Xuanwu Temple?¡± Among the Shushan elders, there were several who were well-versed in the history of the Demon Race, and couldn¡¯t help being astonished. ¡°What¡¯s the story behind this Xuanwu Temple?¡± Su Jian immediately asked. ¡°Xuanwu was once one of the four strongest clans of the ancient Demon Race,¡± replied an elder from Shushan, ¡°Though referred to as one clan, it actually consisted of the Jiaolong and Xuan Gui.¡± ¡°After the defeat of the Demon Race, they collectively withdrew to the Eastern Emperor¡¯s Realm. Some of the Demon Race still remained in the remote corners of the Divine Land, continuing their lineage. It seems that this Xuanwu Temple must have been built by the remnants of the Xuanwu Clan.¡± No, Ling Yunpo frowned in thought. The reliefs on the outer walls of this temple were all wrong: the pattern on the Xuan Gui¡¯s shell was completely incorrect, the Jiaolong¡¯s body wasn¡¯t that long, and its horns bore the style of a Qilin¡¯s¡­ The builders of this temple clearly had never seen the Xuanwu Clan and merely carved based on some vague conjectures. Perhaps this Marsh Country was indeed established by the Xuanwu Clan at the beginning, but a certain cataclysm must have happened later that caused a complete discontinuation of Xuanwu¡¯s cultural heritage, otherwise the temple wouldn¡¯t have been built this way. You must understand, in the Demon Race where clan culture is prevalent, temples are equivalent to the ancestral halls of humans ¨C representing the face of ancestors! Constructing the outer walls with such glaring errors could almost be considered a scandal. If the Xuanwu Clan were still around, how could they have allowed it to stand until today? The group chose not to use Sword Control to vault over the walls because, after all, as the elder had said, Xuanwu was once one of the strongest clans of the Demon Race. Who knew what kind of Restrictions were inside the temple that might attack those who trespassed? After walking a short distance, they quickly found the temple¡¯s main entrance. Su Jian led the way in, quickly scanning the surroundings. ¡°There¡¯s a smell of blood, and it¡¯s recent,¡± he said gravely. Which meant that not long ago there had been a slaughter here, and that¡¯s why the temple courtyard was now empty. Seeing this, the faces of the Shushan Sword Immortals darkened concurrently. Thinking optimistically, it could be that there was infighting among the natives of the secret realm, leading to them slaughtering each other. But on the pessimistic side, perhaps someone had gotten here first and ransacked the place¡­ With this thought, everyone couldn¡¯t help feeling disturbed. Su Jian¡¯s expression turned grim as he entered the main hall. Suddenly, his eyes lit up, and the Harsh Cold Sword was already unsheathed. As if on cue, the Magic Swords of the True Elders behind him were drawn in unison, and they saw a group of Demon Cult followers standing in the hall, led by Wei Dongliu, the infamous Demon Head who had once besieged Kunlun. ¡°I¡¯d advise you not to start a fight here,¡± Jiang Lian, standing beside Wei Dongliu, said with a grin, ¡°lest you say we bullied you for being few in number.¡± Indeed, the number of people on the Demon Cult¡¯s side seemed to be more than those from Shushan¡­ As Ling Yunpo quickly surveyed his opponents, he heard Su Jian sneer: ¡°What a Demon Head!¡± The words had barely faded when the Harsh Cold Sword shot out like an arrow, aiming straight for Jiang Lian¡¯s head. Wei Dongliu remained expressionless, Jiang Lian¡¯s face was full of smiles, and the Six Paths followers behind him did not intervene, only showing a look of ridicule and mockery. Suddenly, Su Jian¡¯s face changed, as a blue light emerged from the void and slashed viciously towards his head. In the blink of an eye, he swiftly executed his Sword technique, transforming the Harsh Cold Sword from thrust to pick, and quickly met the blue light shadow. The light shadow immediately split in two, cleanly severed by the Harsh Cold Sword, which caused Su Jian¡¯s face to pale suddenly¨Cit must have been due to the Harsh Cold Sword being damaged, a sympathetic response from its connection to him. The blue light shadow seemed swift and silent, unexpectedly powerful enough to shake the essence of the Harsh Cold Sword? Ling Yunpo suddenly realized, and hurriedly said to everyone: ¡°Do not act rashly, there are Restrictions in the hall!¡± The members of Shushan already had their swords drawn, but upon hearing Qing Heng True Person¡¯s warning, they all restrained their movements, ceasing their advance. Consequently, the faces of the Demon Cult members opposite them showed disappointment, and Jiang Lian narrowed his eyes with ill intent towards Ling Yunpo. An Zhisu quietly stepped forward, shielding from the malevolent gaze of the Great Unrestrained Heavenly Demon. Seeing that the Demon Cult members didn¡¯t launch a counterattack, the Shushan sect members also understood: In this hall, there must be some mechanism that forbids combat, otherwise the powerful blue light shadow would strike directly. It was only because Su Jian¡¯s swordsmanship was so formidable, able to switch from offense to defense at the crucial moment. Had an ordinary Cultivator been hit, they would likely have been split asunder on the spot. Ling Yunpo, however, was secretly astonished, replaying the blue light shadow in his mind. The shape and outline of that light shadow, why did it so resemble the tail of a Jiaolong? Oh, a lashing tail? Both sides occupied the left and right sides of the main hall, neither making a sound. However, while Shushan¡¯s side was bewildered, unclear about what to expect here; Six Paths¡¯ side seemed confident, though it was unclear if they truly understood the secrets within or were merely feigning knowledge. Soon, a sinister voice came from inside: ¡°Another wave of enemies? It doesn¡¯t matter. Once I¡¯ve fully cultivated my Divine Cultivation, not a single one of you will leave alive; you¡¯ll all die! All of you will die!¡± The Shushan side remained silent, still clueless in their hearts. The Demon Cult, on the other hand, suddenly tensed up, seemingly brewing a preemptive strike¡­ which made Shushan¡¯s side feel as if facing a formidable foe. ¡°Now is the moment!¡± Wei Dongliu suddenly shouted. At his command, the Demon Cult members all took action. The brilliances of various Spells, Magical Treasures, and Magic Swords simultaneously bombarded the Xuanwu statue deep within the hall. The Shushan side had their counterattack Sword techniques ready, but when they realized the attack was not aimed at them, they quickly redirected their efforts towards the statue as well. The statue, hit by everyone¡¯s assault, immediately exploded violently, revealing the grotesque True Body inside. Ling Yunpo took a hard look and almost spat out the wine he drank earlier. What kind of monstrous creature was this? It appeared to have a carapace like that of the Xuan Gui, but with six legs that extended from beneath the shell, and a neck as slender as a snake, as if it was spliced together from the flesh of Jiaolong and Xuan Gui. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only The creature roared furiously, with the oppressive might of Mount Tai, rolling towards the crowd. It was clear that Six Paths was well-prepared, quickly splitting into two groups. One group ignored the monster, taking advantage of the shattered doorway statue to rush through the passage that had appeared behind it. The other group hurriedly attracted and intercepted the monster¡¯s assault to prevent it from attacking the first group, also deliberately drawing the attacks towards the Shushan side. Caught off guard due to lack of preparation, Shushan could only pour their attacks onto the massive creature. The more pain the creature felt, the angrier it became, and it powerfully swung its tail from under the shell, subsequently lashing heavily at the members of Shushan. Chapter 839 - Chapter 839: Chapter 77: Witch Kills Husband Chapter 839: Chapter 77: Witch Kills Husband Shushan Sword Immortal, indeed possesses exceptional combat strength. With just one simultaneous release of Flying Swords, they inflicted numerous wounds on the monster, causing blood to flow profusely. But the vitality of that monster is astonishing; within a few breaths, its wounds had completely healed. ¡°What should we do?!¡± Several Shushan elders retreated to Su Jian¡¯s side and quickly asked. The current situation is complicated. The intentions of the Demon Cult have been revealed; they do not wish to entangle with Shushan here but aim to prioritize entering the passage behind the monster to plunder the treasures of the Marsh Country. In fact, their tactic was successful, seizing the moment when the monster did not react and the Shushan people were still unaware of what was going on. Now if Shushan wants to repeat the trick, they have to risk both the monster¡¯s attacks and opportunistic attacks from the Demon Cult¨Crisks unimaginably greater than those faced by the Demon Cult¡¯s team. But if they choose to first eliminate the monster or the opposing Demon Cult, it could take too long. What to do? ¡°Prioritize a strong attack on the monster!¡± Su Jian quickly decided. If there was only the monster, he would have let people forcefully break through to try it. The current problem is that the opposing Demon Cult Cultivators will definitely not stand idly by, and human intelligence far surpasses the monster¡¯s; the risk of a forceful attack is too great. They might push forward one or two people but could lose six or seven lives. It is undoubtedly a more prudent choice to first focus fire and kill the monster, then quickly split into two teams: one to plunder the treasures and the other to wipe out the Demon Cult Cultivators outside. As the Shushan Cultivators focused their attack on the monster, it howled even more fiercely, but was completely no match for the Sword Immortals. Although it possesses biological features of both the Jiaolong and Xuan Gui, it seems not to have inherited the corresponding knowledge¨CBloodline Supernatural Power requires both bloodline inheritance and learning Divine Skills; without learning, it can¡¯t use them, and can only continuously use its shell to withstand attacks and its tail to strike people. Even so, with just the simplest physical attacks and defenses, it could barely hold up against the relentless attacks of the Shushan Sword Immortals. The myriad of Flying Swords rained down rapidly, striking the monster so hard that it couldn¡¯t come out of its shell, only able to swing its tail wildly, with everyone focusing their swordsmanship attacks on its exposed tail, causing flesh to fly and scales to scatter. Among them, the Harsh Cold Sword and Flying Smoke Sword were especially powerful. Ling Yunpo observed carefully, seeing that every strike of the Harsh Cold Sword found the weakest points in the dragon¡¯s tail strength, cleverly disrupting its attack angles to avoid hitting the Shushan crowd. The Flying Smoke Sword, even more direct, targeted the monster¡¯s wounds, each hit causing deeper damage. Besides attacking the monster, Shushan also allocated some Cultivators to defend against the Demon Cult Cultivators¡¯ attacks. Originally, the Demon Cult Cultivators were also focusing fire on the monster, but seeing that Shushan seemed to manage well alone, they immediately shifted fire to attempt a sneak attack on Shushan. On Shushan¡¯s side, Ling Yunpo activated the Sword technique, and the Tai Yin Suming Sword immediately rushed out, activating Sword Dao Techniques, causing a vast amount of river water to pour out from the void, forming a huge barrier between Shushan and the Demon Cult Cultivators. The three-way battle was incredibly chaotic. Shushan Cultivators fighting the monster, the monster counterattacking; Demon Cult Cultivators sneak attacking Shushan, and Shushan retaliating¡­ It seemed like both parties were sandwiching Shushan Cultivators. But as the monster attacked, it also inadvertently swung its tail towards the Demon Cult side. At this time, whether it was Su Jian, An Zhisu, or other Shushan Cultivators, their attacks would subtly pause. The Demon Cult side only defended and did not counterattack, knowing that the monster primarily targeted Shushan, and thus even often intercepted attacks on behalf of the other side to block damage from Shushan. This kind of tactical maneuver was naturally orchestrated by Wei Dongliu, who remained outside. And Jiang Lian had already led the team inside at the first opportunity, now no one knows what treasures they had plundered¡­ Su Jian¡¯s face grew increasingly grim, continuously activating more fierce attacks. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Wei Dongliu suddenly ordered. The Demon Cult Cultivators did not hesitate and quickly retreated collectively out of the hall. The enemy forces split into two paths, causing the Shushan Cultivators to be momentarily at a loss. Should they first kill the monster? Or chase after the Demon Cult? ¡°Continue the attack!¡± Su Jian ordered again. Thus, everyone ignored the retreating Demon Cult Cultivators and focused solely on attacking the monster. Without the harassment of the Demon Cult, the monster eventually fell to the ground, screaming in agony: ¡°No, it¡¯s not possible! I am the heir of the Xuanwu bloodline, I am of the noble Xuanwu Clan!¡± Although the lines were cliche, they were delivered with passionate emotion, and even though it was a hoarse roar, it had a heart-wrenching feel that involuntarily resonated with the listeners. Unfortunately, the Shushan side consisted of a group of unsympathetic brutes who coldly ignored the monster¡¯s wails and pinned it to the ground with relentless stabbing. ¡°Pursue!¡± Su Jian could not care less, still unaware of what treasures the Demon Cult Cultivators in front had seized. Everything else could be set aside, but the Yunmeng Sword Scabbard must not be lost! Thus, the Shushan Cultivators converged into Man-Sword Unity, stepping over the monster¡¯s corpse and breaking into the inner sanctum. Inside the sanctum, unlike the spacious main hall outside, many corridors were quite narrow, with several spots allowing only bent-over adults to pass through, unmistakably styled by the Serpent Clan. The Shushan Cultivators did not care much, they simply destroyed the doorways brutally and forced their way in. Some even directly used Sword Dao Techniques to smash huge holes in the walls, utterly ignoring the geographical design, progressing straight forward. Under the ruthless sweep of the Shushan Sword Immortals who were completely unreasonable, the Demon Race members who had tried to hide were quickly exposed with no place to escape. Sword lights and blade shadows, flesh and blood flew everywhere, with Demon Cult Cultivators continuously slain by Shushan. Of course, there were a few Demon Cult Cultivators who attempted to ambush the Shushan Sword Immortals, but with the former¡¯s rich combat experience and overwhelming numbers, they quickly regained footing and counterattacked. Ling Yunpo was incredibly emotional: Wouldn¡¯t it have been better to leave earlier? Why stay here? Just for some more treasures? People die for wealth, birds die for food, this saying indeed holds true. As he was somewhat lost in thought, suddenly he heard the Kunlun Mirror issue a warning: ¡°Behind you! Be careful!¡± Upon hearing the word ¡°behind,¡± Ling Yunpo immediately performed the Cloud-Parting Eight Trigrams Step, swiftly moving away from his original position. However, the opponent¡¯s attack followed like a shadow. Although silent and imperceptible, the Kunlun Mirror had already locked onto the opponent¡¯s position with its scanning ability and maintained a constant display. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Right behind me! With a thought, Ling Yunpo suddenly swung the Tai Yin Suming Sword behind him. The sword blade passed through the opponent¡¯s body, splitting it like slicing through fog, as the opponent, like a dark cloud, rushed towards him and instantly merged into Ling Yunpo¡¯s body, breaking into his Sea of Consciousness. ¡°Scram!¡± shouted the Kunlun Mirror sharply, and Ling Yunpo saw a burst of light in his mind, soon feeling something being shaken out of his body. Jiang Lian reformed his figure in front, shooting a hateful glance at Ling Yunpo, then ignoring the surrounding Shushan Sword Immortal attacks, his body spun, cleverly disappearing from the spot. Chapter 840 - Chapter 840: Chapter 78: This Demon Cult has produced another immortal Chapter 840: Chapter 78: This Demon Cult has produced another immortal Jiang Lian vanished in an instant, catching the surrounding Shushan Sword Immortals off guard. With their experience, they couldn¡¯t even discern what technique the opponent had used ¡ª it was certainly not a low-ranked spell like invisibility, but rather a high-rank method that couldn¡¯t be located even with Divine Sense. In a blink of an eye, the witch reappeared silently behind Ling Yunpo, lunging at his back once again. Having failed to possess his body the previous time, Jiang Lian knew that this person was protected by a miraculous treasure; the physical possession of a Heavenly Demon was ineffective. Therefore, this time she resorted to the Heavenly Demon Blood-Sucking Technique ¡ª just a light suction towards the target would mobilize their essence blood to be drawn out of their body and quickly digested in the belly of the Heavenly Demon. But Ling Yunpo possessed the Innate Sword Bone and shared mutual resonance with the Tai Yin Suming Sword. The sword would not allow its Sword Master to be so easily affected without giving a prompt warning first. Only when Ling Yunpo¡¯s essence blood surged and was about to burst out of his body did it suddenly resonate and vibrate, leveraging Ling Yunpo¡¯s Sword Bone to reverberate and reel the escaping essence blood back into his body. Halfway through siphoning, Jiang Lian suddenly felt an even stronger suction from the other side, almost causing her to retch it out. She hastily interrupted the Blood-Sucking Technique, feeling a sweetness in her throat followed by a rebound from her cultivation technique. Although this backlash did no significant harm to the Great Unrestrained Heavenly Demon, what mattered was the loss of face¡­ Ever since her descent to the Lower Realm, when had she ever suffered such humiliation? Thus, the witch immediately activated the Heavenly Demon Enchanting Sound Technique, screeching sharply and fiercely. All the Shushan Cultivators present, regardless of their cultivation level and grade rank, immediately felt an intense headache and found it difficult to control their actions. Although Su Jian and An Zhisu were affected as well, both reacted with remarkable swiftness. While their bodies were not yet fully out of control, one used swordsmanship, the other Daoist Magic, directing simultaneous attacks at Jiang Lian in an attempt to interrupt her spellcasting. As a high-rank Great Unrestrained Heavenly Demon, Jiang Lian naturally wouldn¡¯t be disturbed by such low-rank attacks by Nascent Soul and Golden Core cultivators. One saw Jiang Lian¡¯s figure become ethereal as all attacks passed through her without causing any harm, yet the screaming that made it impossible to control one¡¯s mind never ceased for a moment. Immediately after, Ling Yunpo suddenly appeared behind her. ¡°Such a noise!¡± he complained, as the Tai Yin Suming Sword quickly slashed through Jiang Lian¡¯s body. The secret technique, which even attacks from the Nascent Soul Realm had left no mark on, was almost instantaneously torn open under the devastation of the Tai Yin Energy of the Suming Sword. Jiang Lian¡¯s body exploded violently, turning into a dense, swirling black fog. Within it, the deep purple Tai Yin Energy could be seen as distinctly as milk staining an ink drop. The black fog quickly dispersed, then condensed again on the outside. The deep purple Tai Yin Energy was forcibly stripped away, making the fog itself much dimmer and sparser, reminiscent of a gecko shedding its tail. The black fog managed to congeal only the witch¡¯s head, which cast a resentful glance at Ling Yunpo before whooshing away and disappearing. As the witch made her escape, the Shushan Sword Immortals on the scene finally recovered from the torment of the magic sound. ¡°What kind of Demon Head was that?¡± One of the Shushan Elders asked with a trembling voice, in disbelief, ¡°Since when did the Demon Cult produce such a terrifying Immortal?¡± No one answered the question, and no one questioned the opponent¡¯s realm and rank. Being able to ignore the attacks of several Nascent Soul Elders and even rendering Sect Leader Su Jian utterly helpless, what else but Immortal Rank could it be? If the Tai Yin Sword Master had not been present and used the grade rank of the Tai Yin Suming Sword to force her retreat, it is feared that everyone there might have perished¡­ In past history, encountering an Immortal of an opposing faction without an Immortal on their side usually meant at least half of the team would be decimated; if one lacked powerful escaping secret techniques, it was not uncommon for all to be annihilated. It¡¯s just a mere secret realm, why would they even deploy an Immortal? Everyone turned their gazes toward Su Jian, waiting for the Sect Leader to make a decision. At this point, the Demon Cult¡¯s demonstrated combat power had already far surpassed Shushan¡¯s initial estimates. If they continued to stay in this secret realm, the risk would be so high as to be incalculable. But if they were to retreat now, what about the Yunmeng Sword Scabbard that had yet to be acquired? The Peak Masters and Elders accompanying the mission could also see that the enemy¡¯s strength was indeed profound and unfathomable. It was only because the invisibility spell¡¯s divine skill had just been restrained by the Tai Yin energy of the Tai Yin Summoning Sword, and the enemy had been too arrogant, thinking they could act unbridled, that they fell into an ambush and were wounded at their foundation. But what if the enemy used Elixirs to recover from their injuries and attacked again? What if they continued to launch stealth attacks from the shadows? What if they called for additional friends and even invited an immortal to join them? Actually, everyone had the unpleasant thought that ¡°it is not advisable to stay here for long,¡± but no matter what, nobody wanted to be the first to speak up. The Shushan Sword Immortals, after all, were proud and unyielding. Others could suggest retreating first, and one could imply consent; but if one took the initiative to suggest retreating, they feared being ridiculed as cowards, and if this were to be brought up later, it would be uncomfortable and difficult to retort. At such times, it is generally required that the Sect Leader steps in to ¡°look after the bigger picture,¡± with some empty talk like ¡°although it may damage the sect¡¯s prestige, right now safety is the priority,¡± and everyone else would conveniently express reluctance, anger, a desire to fight to the death, but then ¡°since the Sect Leader has spoken, who dares to disobey,¡± and promptly comply with the order to withdraw from the secret realm. But Su Jian was also of the highest pride and arrogance, even more so than the other Shushan Sword Immortals. What kept circling in his mind was ¡°although the enemy might probably maybe be of Immortal Rank, but so what? Didn¡¯t my disciple injure them?¡± If the subsequent responses were handled correctly, it seemed that this Immortal Rank wasn¡¯t completely unkillable¡­ ¡°Master!¡± An Zhisu finally couldn¡¯t stand it anymore and said in a stern voice, ¡°We must decide whether to go or stay!¡± She spoke with impassioned fervor and quickly gave Ling Yunpo a significant look. Ling Yunpo also knew that at this time, he must not hesitate or delay, and immediately echoed: ¡°Since an immortal has intervened this time, we must immediately return and report to the immortals, and then make further plans. The overall situation is of the utmost importance, and the esteemed elders must not act rashly!¡± The Peak Masters and Elders felt deeply moved upon hearing this. Indeed, the intelligence and speech level of Qing Heng True Person is not something his senior sister and master could compare to. Look at that! It¡¯s not ¡°we can¡¯t beat them so we must retreat,¡± it¡¯s ¡°we need to rush back and report to the Sect Leader¡±; it¡¯s not ¡°fleeing in a panic,¡± it¡¯s ¡°considering the greater situation¡±! Thus, everyone began to speak up, one after another: Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Indeed, even though we do not fear the Demon Cult, there are priorities and urgencies to consider.¡± ¡°With the appearance of an immortal from the Demon Cult, we must urgently report back to the sect, and not delay.¡± ¡°Missing the Yunmeng Sword Scabbard is a minor issue, but we must not let the Demon Cult¡¯s schemes succeed¨Cthat is the major concern!¡± Su Jian listened and was somewhat speechless, but he also saw that the people¡¯s hearts were wavering, so insisting on staying would be even more pointless. ¡°Tally up the spoils of the battlefield.¡± He could only sigh and say, ¡°In half an incense stick¡¯s time, we return to Shushan!¡± Chapter 841 - Chapter 841: Chapter 79: Wei Donglius Deduction Chapter 841: Chapter 79: Wei Dongliu¡¯s Deduction ¡°I understand,¡± Long Eyebrow Immortal sighed. After returning to Shushan, Su Jian reported the situation to Long Eyebrow Immortal. Once Long Eyebrow Immortal was informed, he regretted not having gone with them on one hand, and on the other hand, he felt that the situation was rather serious. In the current battle between good and evil in the Cultivation Realm, the power balance between the two camps is generally stable. In terms of the number of immortals, the Six Paths hold a slight advantage; however, in one-on-one combat and overall power, the Orthodox Sect is the superior force. This situation, if delved deeper, is actually a clash of ideologies. The Three Pure Orthodox Sect adheres to careful cultivation, strictly ensuring disciple quality from the Entry Level, preferring scarcity over excess; whereas the Six Paths follows the principle of survival of the fittest, first increasing their numbers and then fiercely fostering internal competition to filter out the elites. It¡¯s hard to say which method is superior. The result is that disciples of the Orthodox Sect tend to have better innate talents, while the Demon Cult has greater numbers. As they gradually progress from Foundation Establishment to Golden Core and Nascent Soul, and eventually achieve Feather Transformation to ascend to immortality, this ultimately leads to a rough balance in the overall strength of immortals on both sides. This balance is both stable and fragile. It is stable enough to remain unchanged for hundreds of thousands of years since immortals are exceedingly rare, yet the fragility lies in the chance that if one side gains an additional immortal, the scales of war could tip in their favor. Now that a new immortal has emerged from the Demon Cult, how can the Three Pure Orthodox Sect not be alarmed? If the loss of the Yunmeng Sword Scabbard meant only that the Tai Yin Sword Master¡¯s power was limited, then the appearance of a new immortal from the Demon Cult is a matter of life and death for the Three Pure Ones¡¯ succession. Hence, Long Eyebrow Immortal could not care for anything else and hurriedly went to contact Chi Song Immortal and Wan Xiang Immortal to plan a meeting. Of course, before this, it was impossible to not comfort Qing Heng True Person. After all, in the eyes of both Long Eyebrow Immortal and Su Jian, Ling Yunpo was the one who suffered the most in this incident. He had originally thought he could gain control of the Tai Yin Summoning Sword ahead of time, but due to the Demon Cult¡¯s sudden interference, he missed out on the treasure. How could he not feel pained? Ling Yunpo, of course, would not express a sentiment like ¡°I wish to hide my capabilities¡± and instead exhibited an unyielding spirit that seemed to say, ¡°Although I am disappointed and unwilling, I am still firm and strong,¡± which increased the admiration of both Su Jian and Long Eyebrow Immortal for him, and his Synchronization Value shot up accordingly. After leaving the Demon Locking Tower, Ling Yunpo was taken by An Zhisu for a drink. ¡°After all, the Yunmeng Sword Scabbard is just an external object,¡± An Zhisu consoled him amidst the drinks, ¡°Having it is good, but there¡¯s no need to be too dejected if not ¨C after all, what we Sword Immortals truly rely on is our own power.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Ling Yunpo took a swig of the liquor and forced a smile, saying, ¡°Now that Master has come out of seclusion, you must not hold back when teaching me in the future, Senior Sister.¡± ¡°What are you talking about? When have I ever held back?¡± An Zhisu retorted, slightly annoyed, and poured Ling Yunpo another drink. As the two sat drinking, An Zhisu¡¯s brows furrowed and she said: ¡°That Demon Head¡­ I feel like there¡¯s something familiar about him¡­¡± Ling Yunpo was shocked in his heart. When Jiang Lian ambushed and attempted to assassinate him, he was shrouded in dense fog, his true face unseen. He knew it was Madam Jiang hiding in the fog only because of the scanning function, but how could his Senior Sister know? ¡°Could it be?¡± he said covertly, ¡°With such a high Cultivation Realm, how could Senior Sister possibly recognize him in advance?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± An Zhisu hesitated, then shook her head, ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s just my imagination¡­¡± ¡°¡­In any case, it¡¯s a very unpleasant aura.¡± After finishing the drinks with An Zhisu, Ling Yunpo returned to Qingluo Peak to start reading files. At Wei Dongliu¡¯s side, as the Six Paths each gave their responses, an elite team of cultivators quickly organized to set out on the expedition to Jingzhou. The leader of the team was Wei Dongliu, with Jiang Lian as his deputy, and another deputy from the Nether Ghost Path, known as ¡°Ghost Orchid True Person¡±. Although the Taoist name sounds rather feminine, he is undoubtedly a male True Person. ¡°I have long admired the great name of Alliance Leader Wei,¡± Ghost Orchid True Person complimented, ¡°I heard from True Person Lianshan long ago that Alliance Leader Wei possesses extraordinary strategy and unparalleled intelligence. Now that we must contend with the elite of Shushan, we¡¯ll rely on Alliance Leader Wei¡¯s command.¡± ¡°You flatter me,¡± Wei Dongliu said curtly, only to ask, ¡°What is your Sect¡¯s anticipated goal for this mission?¡± ¡°Anticipated goal?¡± Ghost Orchid True Person paused slightly before replying, ¡°Naturally, it is primarily to prevent Shushan from obtaining the Yunmeng Sword Scabbard.¡± ¡°Besides that, would it be even better to seize some treasures as well?¡± Jiang Lian added from the side. ¡°Of course,¡± Ghost Orchid True Person replied with a carefree smile, ¡°I believe that¡¯s what everyone here is thinking.¡± ¡°In that case, to maximize our gains as much as possible,¡± Wei Dongliu spoke gravely, ¡°during the mission, everyone will take what they need first, and we will redistribute them after it¡¯s done.¡± This requirement was somewhat unconventional: after all, in the Cultivation Realm, when multiple individuals collaborate to explore a secret realm, it is usually the case that whoever retrieves an item keeps it. If there are objections, they would have to resolve it through a Magical Competition. However, upon further thought, everyone could understand his reasoning. This mission was not purely about exploration, but to compete against Shushan. If before encountering Shushan, everyone starts fighting over the treasures and falls into disarray, what would be the point of that! While the logic made sense, had anyone else proposed this idea, they certainly wouldn¡¯t be able to convince the crowd. But Wei Dongliu, after all, had a shining command track record, and the Great Sects were very satisfied with him, repeatedly instructing everyone before departure to follow his command. Therefore, although those who came were all proud members of their respective Sects, and quite arrogant at heart, as long as their interests were not directly harmed, they tacitly accepted Wei Dongliu¡¯s proposal. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Wei Dongliu waved his hand and took the lead to fly away with Sword Control. The others swiftly followed, flying from Mount Wutai towards the north of Jingzhou. Wei Dongliu silently calculated the time, knowing that he should be about half a day ahead of Shushan. Which means there should be something within the secret realm that could delay him and the others. Remembering the unobstructed journey of the Shushan group after entering the secret realm, Wei Dongliu already had a rough guess. Arriving at the northern plains of Jingzhou, Ghost Orchid True Person spoke: ¡°Our spy from Shushan has found out that the entrance to the secret realm should be near a certain river, but exactly where it is remains unknown.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Wei Dongliu nodded slightly and said, ¡°Guessing this clue is actually rather simple.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°If this secret realm in the Marsh Country has remained undetected by the Cultivation Sects for so many years, it suggests that very few people wander near it; otherwise, the sheer number of people who stumble upon it by accident would make it hard to keep the existence of the secret realm a secret. What we are looking for is a river that is rarely frequented by people.¡± ¡°But if it¡¯s completely untouched, Shushan shouldn¡¯t be able to get any information,¡± Jiang Lian curiously asked. ¡°Exactly,¡± Wei Dongliu affirmed with a nod, ¡°Since Shushan has the clues, it means that someone must have come into contact with this secret realm.¡± ¡°A few people have encountered the secret realm, yet the Cultivation Sects are unaware. Considering the population density of the Jingzhou northern plains, I speculate that it¡¯s likely the local people who know about this river. They simply avoid it on purpose for some reason and do not venture there.¡± Hearing Wei Dongliu briefly conclude, the Cultivators of the Six Paths showed expressions of surprise. Chapter 842 - Chapter 842: Chapter 80: Rob Chapter 842: Chapter 80: Rob Many times, people do not care about the rigour of the reasoning process¨Cthe most important thing is whether the result is correct. For example, when Cao Cao was preparing for the Battle of Guandu, his strategist Guo Jia presented the ¡°Ten Victories and Ten Defeats¡± theory. At first glance, each point seemed to make sense, but there was not half a point of verification of their truth. However, Cao Cao needed such statements to boost morale, and the generals also needed to inspire confidence; thus, they chose not to question them. Similarly, Wei Dongliu¡¯s analyses throughout are all ¡°in my view,¡± actually lacking sufficient supporting arguments. But since everyone originally had no clue, now that the Alliance Hierarch has an idea, it wouldn¡¯t hurt to try. In Wei Dongliu¡¯s view, his reputation among the Six Paths has undoubtedly reached the point of ¡°going with the flow,¡± where the cultivators from various sects do not resist his commands and cooperate very well, without considering whether it is in their own interest. The group arrived at the Northern Jing Plains and quickly dispersed to search for clues. Sure enough, they soon found the river located by Shushan. Since Ling Yunpo had already found the key small deity statue for entering the secret realm before, Wei Dongliu didn¡¯t bother to play along and scanned directly towards the location of the small deity statue. Hmm, nothing? Wei Dongliu was first stunned, then quickly recovered. That means the deity statue was not originally in the riverbed. He pondered for a moment, then called over Madam Jiang and Real Person Youlan, describing the appearance of the deity statue. ¡°What is the function of this deity statue?¡± Real Person Youlan asked. ¡°If I am not mistaken, it is the key to entering the Cloud Dream Marsh Country,¡± Wei Dongliu replied. So why is it a deity statue? Real Person Youlan couldn¡¯t figure it out, but seeing Jiang Li An had no questions, it would seem foolish of him, as the deputy, to keep asking. Therefore, he also summoned his own subordinates and ordered: We are looking for a deity statue, about the size of a palm, with a third eye on the forehead, green face and fierce fangs, extremely ferocious. Upon hearing it was Wei Dongliu¡¯s intention, the cultivators of the Nether Ghost Path did not question and quickly dispersed to look for clues, making Real Person Youlan even more uneasy. Could it only be me who doesn¡¯t know why are we looking for this deity statue? With that thought, he quickly put on a calm and profound expression, as if he had already seen through everything. By the time it was nearly evening, there was finally a result. A cultivator disguised as a wealthy merchant went to a nearby village to inquire, and a villager provided a clue, saying that such a statue had been seen in a deserted land temple. The cultivator did not dare to delay and after verifying it at the land temple, hurried back to report to the higher-ups. Wei Dongliu then led the people majestically to the Mountain God Temple. The Mountain God Temple was hidden in a mountain to the north of this place, behind a creek waterfall. Using spells to remove the vines, they saw there was no Mountain God Temple at all, just a shabby cave. It seemed that passers-by had come in to take shelter from the rain, as there were dirty sheepskin mats, burnt firewood, and empty bamboo baskets inside the cave. Deeper inside, near the pile of decayed wood and brick debris, a small deity statue lay on the ground. It was precisely the deity statue Ling Yunpo had seen before. Wei Dongliu took the deity statue, then went near the river and handed it to Jiang Lian, saying: ¡°Madam, please infuse the Seven Emotions and Six Desires into it.¡± Jiang Lian immediately cast a spell as instructed, and indeed, a purple light flashed in the eyes of the deity statue, creating a force that pulled everyone towards another world. Soon, the cultivators of the Six Paths found themselves in the midst of Marsh Country¡¯s Yun Dream. Before anyone could react, a terrifyingly shrill scream pierced the entire Heavenly Dome. Immediately after, a massive army of demons emerged from the opposite rainforest. Wei Dongliu scrutinized them and recognized that the opposing side consisted entirely of snakes, insects, rats, and ants¨Ccreatures of the lowest Bloodline Rank even in the Eastern Emperor Demon Realm. There was no need for specific orders, as numerous cultivators unleashed their Demonic Techniques and spells to repel the assault of these creatures. Though numerous, the opponents seemed to have relatively low Ranks, with only about thirty to forty capable of Transformation and Core Formation, and merely five to six Demon Kings in the Dong Yuan Realm, which relieved the Six Paths side. After battling fiercely for around the time it takes an incense stick to burn, the demons were steadily defeated, retreating towards the north, leaving behind nothing but scattered corpses that gradually sank into the mud beneath. ¡°Alliance Hierarch, we¡¯ve captured a prisoner alive,¡± said Real Person Youlan, instructing his subordinates to bring the small demon forward. The snake demon was close to achieving Core Formation and had a human-like physique, except for the scales remaining on its face. ¡°Why did you attack us?¡± inquired Wei Dongliu coldly. The snake demon was initially startled, then slowly said: ¡°Lord Ba Snake decreed that any humans invading Marsh Country of Yun Dream shall be killed without exception.¡± Wei Dongliu waved his hand, and Real Person Youlan had his subordinates drag the snake demon away for a Soul Search. After a while, they finally gathered most of the information about Marsh Country of Yun Dream: It turns out that this Marsh Country was indeed founded by the ancient Xuanwu Clan, with the Jiaolong and Xuan Gui Clans residing here like a hidden paradise, avoiding extermination by humans. However, later on (around the period of elucidation), as Marsh Country¡¯s understanding of the outside world deepened, internal conflicts over viewpoints arose. The Jiaolong side insisted on isolationism, believing that Marsh Country¡¯s existence must not be revealed to the outer world, but many cultivators from the Xuan Gui Clan thought otherwise. They believed that the Demon Race should help each other and could accept some demons persecuted by the Human Race to live and multiply in Marsh Country. Demons should help demons! What followed is needless to say. Unable to accept this, a large number of dragons left, and those who remained could not contend with the Xuan Gui, resulting in Marsh Country secretly accepting immigrants from the outside world. Since demons of higher Bloodline Ranks tend to have lower reproductive capacity within the Demon Race, over the years, the population ratio of the Xuanwu Clan was increasingly diluted, while the numbers of various snakes, insects, rats, and ants surged, eventually evening out the disparity in strength between the majority and minority clans. During this period, several upheavals occurred. For instance, reformist factions emerged among the dragons and the Xuan Gui, aspiring to restore the greatness of the Xuanwu Clan, with radicals even proposing the reinstatement of bloodline hierarchy and slavery¨Cyet due to the Xuanwu Clan¡¯s diminishing strength, these efforts came to naught. Until about 3,600 years ago, when the last dragon fell during his Tribulation, power in Marsh Country finally fell into the hands of the Ba Snake Clan. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only After understanding the situation, they realized that the current Marsh Country truly lacked any high Rank demons with formidable bloodlines. Considering the abundant resources left by the ancient Xuanwu Clan, such as Magical Treasures, Elixirs, and Scriptures, it¡¯s as if an undefended piece of fat meat was laid bare before them, ready for the taking. Thus, Wei Dongliu, under the expectant eyes of everyone, pretended to ponder for a moment before nodding: ¡°Before Shushan finds this place, act quickly!¡± Rob! Chapter 843 - Chapter 843: Chapter 81 Im Injured Chapter 843: Chapter 81 I¡¯m Injured Within Marsh Country of Yunmeng, a horrific massacre was quickly unleashed. These lowly monsters, such as snakes, worms, rats, and ants, soon realized the terror of the Human Race, which was of a completely different nature compared to the Xuanwu Clan that had once ruled over them. What the Xuanwu Clan considered was control and exploitation, and thus they could tolerate these creatures flourishing, competing with them, and even to the point where, in the end, the Xuanwu Clan itself declined and perished first. The Human Race only thought of exterminating the Demon Race, without any intention of reasoning with them. As a result, the tactics they usually employed against the Xuanwu were now utterly useless. As the casualties mounted, the Demon Race also began to feel nervous and unsettled. Within the temple, more and more of the Demon Race sought out Ba She, the current clan leader, demanding that he quickly arrange an evacuation plan¨Ceveryone had completely lost confidence in how to deal with the invading Human Race. In the face of the demons¡¯ clamor, Ba She remained silent, continuing to deal with the matters at hand. He knew that with the Human Race¡¯s policy of eradication, if they gave up resistance and chose to flee, there was a high probability that their clan would be destroyed there and then, and what use would it be even if a few managed to escape? They must find a way to counter-kill. He had recently been studying the secret documents left by the Xuanwu Clan and found clues to some forbidden bloodline fusion spell. It is well known that the Jiaolong Clan has profound research on the bloodlines of the Demon Race, and due to the awkward predicament of Yunmeng Marsh Country, they had once studied how to enable the Jiaolong Clan to maintain their Bloodline Rank while obtaining the high fertility of the low-ranking demon species. The final result was somewhat embarrassing: it was practically impossible to increase the birth rate among the high-ranking demons. The strong individual power would greatly extend the gestation period of the mother body and increase the cost of nurturing. However, if you fuse the bloodline of a high-ranking demon into a low-ranking demon, you could temporarily utilize its high fertility to birth more successors of the high-ranking demons in a short time. Simply put, it means using the more fertile low-ranking creatures like snakes, worms, rats, and ants as breeding machines for Jiaolong and Xuan Gui. This experiment was eventually shelved because some cultivators of their own clan believed that the Jiaolong hatched from snake eggs would be tainted by the mother¡¯s bloodline¡­ but in Ba She¡¯s view, what if the approach were reversed? Could it be possible to advance one¡¯s own Bloodline Rank a step further towards the levels of Jiaolong and Xuan Gui? In normal times, he would definitely use a large number of individuals for preliminary experiments. But now that the Human Race has invaded and Yunmeng Marsh Country is in dire straits, if he does not take a risky gamble, by the time the Human Race completely breaches the Xuanwu Temple, then the last chance for a turnaround will be gone! The materials for bloodline fusion were already prepared, obtained from the clan treasuries of the Jiaolong and Xuan Gui, rumored to be the remaining flesh and blood of two of their ancient great ancestors. From the perspective of success rate, of course, it would be better to fuse the bloodline of the Jiaolong, which is closer in kinship to the Serpent Clan. But the invading Human Race is too powerful; without the defensive capabilities of the Xuanwu Clan, relying solely on the fusion of Jiaolong bloodline, the hope of survival is not great. If you¡¯re going to take risks, you¡¯ve got to go all in. ¡­¡­ Wei Dongliu led his men to the north and soon arrived at the Xuanwu Temple. The temple was tightly guarded by a Protective Sect Array, and ordinary attack methods could not break the barrier. Since they did not bring an Array Master this time, they could only stand by helplessly. ¡°Is there anyone who knows a bit about formations?¡± True Person Youlan refused to give up hope and continued to ask the crowd. No one answered. Formation was a tedious and complicated matter that required a certain talent and persistent study. Unless one was truly interested, one wouldn¡¯t even touch it. ¡°Is that all?¡± True Person Youlan was still inquiring when suddenly Wei Dongliu said: ¡°Let me try.¡± ¡°My husband does have some research into formations indeed.¡± Jiang Lian said with a smiling expression. In the past, within the depths of Shiping Mountain, Wei Dongliu had been able to set up an Enchanting Formation to protect their location, completely preventing Jiang the Witch from escaping¡­ Now, having assessed with the knowledge of the Great Unrestrained Heavenly Demon, she still believed this Old Wei¡¯s mastery of formations was far from simple. Master Yulan had no objections. Thus, everyone watched as Wei Dongliu approached the outer wall of the Xuanwu Temple, observing it leisurely with his hands clasped behind his back, as if he were a tourist admiring a scenic spot. Upon careful inspection, Wei Dongliu found it to be true. While the formation appeared intact on the surface, many of its nodes had decayed on the inside, indicating that it hadn¡¯t been maintained for a long time. It seemed that the fallen Xuanwu Clan hadn¡¯t been foolish enough to impart everything to outsiders¡­ Of course, it could also simply be a rupture in the lineage, a common occurrence in the Cultivation Realm. If the formation had been intact and maintained by a dedicated Array Master, even Wei Dongliu, at the Great Perfection level of the Golden Core Realm, would have been helpless against it. As for now, breaking the formation was practically as easy as blowing off dust. With a single hand, he executed the Sword technique, and the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword soared into the sky, quickly piercing into the Protective Sect Array¡¯s barrier and promptly tearing open a hole. Although the hole closed in the blink of an eye, three beams of golden light, swift as lightning, shot through the opening and into the Protective Sect Array. The six cultivators behind silently watched, thinking to themselves that this was not some ¡°art of formation¡± but rather a brute force solution. Three Hundred Poisons Golden Silkworm Gu burrowed into the array, swiftly following the direction of Wei Dongliu¡¯s scan, heading towards the north, southeast, and southwest directions respectively. In the temple buildings of the three directions, the Formation Cauldrons of the Protective Sect Array were placed. However, the lesser demons no longer knew how to operate the formation. They were targeted by the three Hundred Poisons Golden Silkworm Gu, which then began to viciously gnaw on them. Before long, the Cauldron Vessels were all destroyed, and the Protective Sect Array outside crumbled and vanished as well. The six cultivators immediately cheered. Although they didn¡¯t understand the underlying principles, the formation had been broken by Alliance Leader Wei, after all! So everyone fervently rushed into the temple, effortlessly slaughtering their way through hordes of demons, leaving corpses scattered everywhere. Inside the main hall of the temple, the Serpent Clan¡¯s Bashe silently listened to the reports of enemy forces invading the temple, finally resolving to make a final decision. He sent everyone outside and went behind the Xuanwu statue, opening a hidden door on its back. This statue was also a magical treasure, said to have been made from the remains of the Jiaolong and Xuanwu, the ancestors of the Xuanwu Clan, and served as the Punishment Treasure for enforcing clan rules. Once activated, the magical treasure would automatically punish those who violated the clan rules. What Bashe intended to utilize was the rule that ¡°no fighting was allowed in the ancestral hall.¡± If the Human Race could not fight here, they would have no choice but to watch him complete the bloodline transformation and fusion. Almost at the same moment as the statue was activated, Jiang the Witch was the first to rush into the main hall. Scanning with the Divine Sense of the Great Unrestrained Heavenly Demon, she swiftly pounced towards the Xuanwu statue. The next second, she was sent flying out as if hit by an invisible Jiaolong tail, much like a baseball batting away. That tail shadow was also composed of pure energy, which meant it could harm the incorporeal Great Unrestrained Heavenly Demon. Caught off guard, she was flung backward and ended up in the arms of Wei Dongliu who had just arrived. ¡°What happened?¡± Wei Dongliu asked in surprise. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Husband, I am injured!¡± Jiang the Witch immediately covered her chest with both hands, making a pitiful heart-clutching gesture as she spoke. Wei Dongliu: ¡­¡­ This woman, whom even so many Peak Masters and elders of Shushan couldn¡¯t handle, how could she possibly be injured? He looked again at the Xuanwu statue before him, thinking to himself that the statue¡¯s defensive power was formidable, its attacks auto-triggered, requiring no provision of True Yuan, indeed a fine magical treasure for facing Heavenly Tribulation. When the Shushan cultivators arrive later, I¡¯ll have my lady help me take it before we leave. Chapter 844 - Chapter 844: Chapter 82: No Yunmeng Sword Scabbard Chapter 844: Chapter 82: No Yunmeng Sword Scabbard Soon, the people from Shushan appeared abruptly from the outside, just like they had in the historical timeline. The crowd from the Six Paths suddenly braced themselves as if facing a formidable enemy, but since Alliance Leader Wei had not yet given the command, they could only prepare to defend themselves at any time. Jiang the Witch, seeing the arrival of the Shushan group, slyly uttered some provocative words to lure Su Jian, the Sect Leader of Shushan, into action. As expected, he was directly hit by the shadow of the Jiaolong¡¯s tail, his figure stumbled, sustaining serious injuries. Seeing An Zhisu gritting her teeth in anger, Wei Dongliu merely watched coldly, thinking to himself that if even Su Jian could be beaten like this, it would be wonderful to seize this treasure. When it came time to transcend tribulation, simply place one of these treasures to fend off the thunder, the key being that no expenditure of True Yuan was needed. He then transmitted a secret message to Jiang Lian, whispering: ¡°This shadow of the Jiaolong¡¯s tail is produced by a demon hiding within the statue, activating and inducing the statue.¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± As the Great Unrestrained Heavenly Demon, Jiang Lian could certainly detect the anomaly in the statue and nodded, ¡°This statue is indeed interesting, it should be made from the remains of a demon ancestor.¡± Her voice paused for a moment, then said: ¡°If the Shushan group hadn¡¯t come, we could directly launch a strong assault and break the statue despite the counterattacks.¡± But now that the Shushan people are right beside them, attacking the demon inside the statue would simply be foolish, equivalent to gifting others with wedding dresses and allowing Shushan to freely launch their attack. Sly as Jiang the Witch and shrewd as the old thief Wei, naturally they wouldn¡¯t do such a foolish thing. ¡°From what I see, it¡¯s unlikely that the demon will just sit there and wait for death; it must be waiting for an opportunity,¡± Wei Dongliu continued, ¡°If there is a change later, you¡¯ll lead your men to forcibly break in and loot the treasure. I will restrain the Shushan people as much as possible from the outside.¡± ¡°Then please cover for me, my husband,¡± said Jiang the Witch with full confidence. ¡°If the opportunity arises, I can also conveniently take this treasure for myself,¡± Wei Dongliu said, ¡°There are two cores in this Magical Treasure of the statue: one is the scale seven inches below the dragon¡¯s apex, and the other is the central armored plate of the turtle shell. Apart from these two, the rest is useless.¡± Her husband wants this thing? Jiang the Witch was somewhat surprised. In her view, this statue was nothing more than a turtle shell Magical Treasure. Apart from diving into it to activate and reflect external attacks, there was nothing else worth paying extra attention to. But since her husband wanted it, there was no harm in getting it for him to play with when the time came. Everyone in the arena was staring at the statue, on one hand noticing that it was undergoing some ominous changes, and on the other hand, hesitant to attack for fear of retaliation, with enemies lurking on the side. At the moment, everyone was stalled, unable to make a move. Wei Dongliu silently scanned and saw that inside, the demon was undergoing a strange fleshly transformation. Under the scales, powerful claws of a Jiaolong began to emerge, and round disks started to rise on its back, gradually revealing the majestic patterns of the Xuan Gui. To some extent, it was becoming more and more like the Xuanwu statue itself, which exuded a sense of dominance and grandeur. But the problem was that the Xuanwu statue was made up of two demons! If this single demon was to transform into a combination of the two, it would neither be commanding nor impressive, but rather nauseating to behold. At the same time, this transforming snake demon was also slowly absorbing the bloodline power within the Xuanwu statue. To be honest, Wei Dongliu wouldn¡¯t care even if the snake demon transformed into Godzilla, with their Cultivation Realm being so established. What¡¯s the use of merely enhancing its Bloodline Rank? Could it defeat so many of them? But the other party was absorbing the bloodline power contained within the remnants of the statue ¡ª that was the essence of this Magical Treasure! Why do I need this magical treasure to transcend the Heavenly Tribulation? There are plenty of things capable of transcending the tribulation, but essentially, they all consume the cultivator¡¯s True Yuan, and during the tribulation, every bit of True Yuan is extremely precious. Thus, a magical treasure like this, which consumes the internal power of the bloodline to withstand external attacks, truly holds the most precious value. Seeing the opponent recklessly squandering the fundamental essence of the magical treasure, Wei Dongliu couldn¡¯t bear it and hastily roared: ¡°Now is the time!¡± The cultivators of the Six Paths had been taut with tension all along, and upon hearing the order from Alliance Leader Wei, they disregarded the lingering image of the Jiaolong¡¯s tail, unleashing their prepared offensive techniques towards the statue of Xuanwu in a fierce bombardment. Fierce attack! Although the Bashe was hiding inside the statue, it was not completely blind to the outside world. Seeing that the Human Race had finally launched a strong attack, it dared not continue to huddle inside and hastily used spells to complete the final step of its mutation, then forcefully broke the Xuanwu statue, revealing its hideous and terrifying true body. Jiang the Witch immediately led her people to charge forward, aiming for the entryway to the inner hall which was previously obstructed by the Xuanwu statue but now finally exposed. Just as they brushed past the side of the monster, passing through the fragments of the statue, a hook and roll of the surrounding black mist quickly secured two items in hand, before turning and heading without looking back into the inner hall. The people of Shushan were caught off guard and also directed their attacks towards the monster. Due to the sword immortals¡¯ attacks being exceedingly sharp, they swiftly drew the majority of the monster¡¯s attention. Wei Dongliu also deliberately ordered everyone to relax their assault, to let the monster engage more with Shushan, even occasionally intervening to annoy the Shushan sword immortals to no end. Only when the monster was finally on the verge of faltering, did Wei Dongliu issue another command. Everyone hurriedly evacuated from the Xuanwu Temple, to prevent Shushan from dealing with the monster and then turning to them with freed hands. Upon leaving the Xuanwu Temple and retreating from the rainforest area, Wei Dongliu then ordered: ¡°First, take refuge in the southern marshes.¡± ¡°Alliance Leader Wei,¡± True Person Youlan inquired, ¡°are we to lie in ambush for the Shushan people coming out later?¡± Wei Dongliu gave him a puzzled look. With Sect Leader Su Jian, Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal An Zhisu, Tai Yin Sword Master Ling Yunpo, and a host of Peak Masters and elders on the opposing side, are our few hands going to ambush them, or are we just delivering ourselves up to them? ¡°Prepare to provide support later.¡± Seeing that True Person Youlan still didn¡¯t understand, Wei Dongliu could only explain briefly and to the point. True Person Youlan finally remembered the disparity in fighting power between the sides. Furthermore, their side had already split their cultivator forces, logically seeing no reason to use half of their troops to ambush the entire opposing team, so retreated in embarrassment. Before long, cultivators from the Six Paths began to flee from the temple one after another, saying that the burly men of Shushan were massacring inside, and that they were no match at all. But fortunately, due to having gained a significant advantage earlier, nearly every escaping cultivator from the Six Paths had their storage bags nearly filled with various treasures. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only True Person Youlan reviewed the spoils and compiled a list for Wei Dongliu to peruse. Wei Dongliu took a careful look. Although there were items that would tempt an ordinary cultivator, his current perspective and experience meant there were indeed few that could catch his eye¡­ Hmm, why isn¡¯t the Yunmeng Sword Scabbard here? Given Ling Yunpo¡¯s presence on Shushan¡¯s side, it was certain they hadn¡¯t acquired the Yunmeng Sword Scabbard, so he had originally thought that it had fallen into the hands of someone from the Six Paths. It seemed he would have to wait for his wife¡¯s return before making further inquiries. Chapter 845 - Chapter 845: Chapter 83 Ungrateful Chapter 845: Chapter 83 Ungrateful Not long after, Jiang Lian finally returned. Although the Heavenly Demon Lady seemed unharmed from head to toe, her expression was quite embarrassed, and Wei Dongliu immediately knew that she had been wounded by the Tai Yin Suming Sword. Feeling guilty, he quickly went to her to express concern, his face showing a look of tender care. Jiang Lian, seeing her husband so concerned, was naturally deeply moved and thought to herself that her affection for her husband was indeed well-placed. Wei Dongliu then inquired about the Yunmeng Sword Scabbard, only to hear Jiang the Witch say: ¡°Husband, I have searched through the entire rear hall, but not only did I not find the Yunmeng Sword Scabbard, I didn¡¯t even find a single Flying Sword¡­ Could there have been a mistake?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t find the Yunmeng Sword Scabbard?¡± Wei Dongliu pondered. This clue was provided by the connections of the Long Eyebrow Immortal, who seemed to have found it in ancient texts, so its authenticity couldn¡¯t be verified in advance. However, the purpose of this trip was not to obtain the Yunmeng Sword Scabbard but to prevent Shushan from acquiring it, so one could say that the goal was not entirely missed. ¡°Take these.¡± Jiang the Witch then took out two items and tossed them to Wei Dongliu. Upon receiving them, Wei Dongliu saw that one of the items was a Jiaolong scale, about the size of a palm, shaped like a maple leaf, its surface shimmering with a splendid, iridescent luster. As his fingers gently traced the surface, he could feel the finely engraved lines, done in the style of Talisman Scripts, with a pretty straightforward effect: Once activated, it consumed the bloodline power within, forming a huge shadow of a Jiaolong¡¯s tail, lashing out at the enemy. Just in terms of attack power, it was far less than the Heaven-overturning Seal obtained by Luo Yan. However, this item had the advantage of not requiring the injection of True Yuan, being self-activated instead. The other item was a Xuanwu shell fragment, much larger than the Jiaolong scale, but its surface was dull and unimpressive. When Divine Sense probed into it, it revealed a tremendous force of bloodline power. In other words, the so-called Xuanwu divine image simply relied on the bloodline power within the Xuan Turtle shell fragment to supply energy and then used the Talisman Scripts and Dharma Seals engraved on the Jiaolong scale to inflict injuries. Hmm? ¡°Ah Jing,¡± Wei Dongliu suddenly asked, ¡°do you think the principles behind these two items are somewhat similar to the description of the Yunmeng Sword Scabbard?¡± ¡°The tale of the Yunmeng Sword Scabbard speaks of using the True Yuan within the scabbard to drive Flying Swords, without consuming the user¡¯s True Yuan. If we replace ¡®scabbard¡¯ with ¡®shell fragment¡¯ and ¡®Flying Swords¡¯ with ¡®tail shadow,¡¯ there seems to be no discrepancy.¡± ¡°Perhaps,¡± mused the Kunlun Mirror, ¡°what do you plan to do then?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take them back for refinement first.¡± Wei Dongliu responded, ¡°Then it¡¯s time to prepare for Tribulation.¡± As for the location of the Tribulation, Wei Dongliu had also considered it carefully recently and planned to choose the Eastern Emperor Demon Realm. The reason was simple: Ling Yunpo could not be flaunted any longer, as doing so would further contest the living space of Qiu Changtian, and with both Qiu Changtian and Wei Dongliu having attracted attention recently, they faced threats from potential antagonistic forces, thus making neither the best candidate for undergoing Tribulation. The only choices were Luo Yan and Long Long, both being relatively low-profile with less attention from their surroundings, hence they could find a place to discreetly undergo Tribulation. The reason for choosing Long Long over Luo Yan was mainly that Miss Shi¡¯s rank was much higher than that of the little fox, and since this Tribulation was bound to require disappearing for a while, deceiving the former would be much more difficult than the latter. Although the Eastern Emperor Realm was in a state of war, if one needed to ascend from the Transformation Realm to the Dong Yuan Realm, it was unlikely that the clan would insist on sending one to battle instead of allowing the Tribulation to occur. Of course, before that, he would need to refine the Jiaolong scales and Xuan Turtle shell first. ¡°Ah Jing, save the progress of Luo Yan!¡± [Location three: East Sea, Penglai Jade Pure View.] [Character Identity: Luo Yan.] [Mirror Flower Water Moon Template overlay, currently in time-space travel.] Returning to the long-missed Penglai Island, Luo Yan discovered that there seemed to be some disturbances in Yuqing View recently. After inquiring carefully, he learned that this was because Shennong Cauldron recorded various secret techniques from all the scholars, so whether it was alchemists, talisman artists, or herbalists, nearly everyone was flocking towards the Sect Leader, wanting to obtain some secret techniques to enrich their own doctrines. But the Shennong Cauldron was something that Wan Xiang Immortal exchanged with Luo Yan for the Heaven-overturning Seal; how could the secret techniques inscribed upon it be freely given away? Especially since Wei Dongliu of Mount Wutai had initiated reforms before, Wan Xiang Immortal seized the opportunity to declare that those who wanted the techniques from the cauldron could exchange them for sect contributions. But how exactly are these sect contributions calculated? The Mortal Life Path at Mount Wutai has a very well-established point contribution system. For example, if there is an invasion by loose cultivators in the northern mountain region, dispersing, killing, or even capturing them alive all have corresponding contribution values assigned, and these points can be exchanged for cultivation techniques at clearly defined prices. As for Wan Xiang Immortal¡¯s approach, it was more whim-driven. He would mention something off the cuff, and with everyone¡¯s urgency, they had no choice but to go and bother the Master of Xuandu, seeking clarification on how exactly ¡°sect contributions¡± were calculated. As a result, the Master of Xuandu recently confined himself indoors, not venturing out, and yet there were still lines of people waiting outside his residence, all sent by the elders to stand guard in shifts of twelve hours, determined to acquire the desired secret techniques before their competitors did. As for the series of troubles that arose due to the Shennong Cauldron he snatched back, Luo Yan was too lazy to bother with them, focusing instead on beginning his plan for the reforging of his treasures. ¡°Husband?¡± Shi Liuli¡¯s voice came from outside the door, ¡°Are you there?¡± ¡°Come in.¡± ¡°About the sword casting technique from last time, I have some questions I would like to discuss with you.¡± Shi Liuli entered the room, and upon seeing the Jiaolong scales and Xuan Gui shell pieces on the table, she asked in surprise: ¡°Where did these come from?¡± ¡°A friend gave them to me,¡± Luo Yan said nonchalantly. Miss Shi¡¯s problem is that she¡¯s too perceptive. If it were a junior sister or senior sister, they wouldn¡¯t have noticed them the moment they walked in. ¡°Oh,¡± Shi Liuli nodded, ¡°Husband, are you planning to refine a magical treasure?¡± ¡°Sort of, I haven¡¯t decided what to make yet.¡± Luo Yan thought to himself that Shushan hadn¡¯t seen the items, and Jiang the Witch naturally wouldn¡¯t corroborate with Shi Liuli, so he confidently said, ¡°I want to refine a magical treasure that triggers a counterattack when it is attacked from outside, without consuming the user¡¯s True Yuan.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, you should cast a mirror,¡± said Shi Liuli. ¡°Wife, indeed your insight is as sharp as a torch!¡± Luo Yan praised, thinking that he didn¡¯t need her to point out the obvious. The scales and shells were all flat; could he not have thought of crafting mirror-type magical instruments? ¡°Have you consulted with Third Senior Sister?¡± ¡°Not yet, I plan to research it on my own this time.¡± Shi Liuli hummed in acknowledgment, wondering what use there was for her husband to refine such a magical treasure. Could it be something that Third Senior Sister must not know about? Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Her mind brimmed with doubt, but she quickly realized she had no evidence, and she shouldn¡¯t be distrustful of her husband without reason. Thus, she suppressed her suspicions and gently smiled, saying: ¡°Then is there anything I can help with?¡± Luo Yan asked with surprise: ¡°Wife, do you also understand mirror-making?¡± Shi Liuli: ¡­¡­¡­ Chapter 846 - Chapter 846: Chapter 84 Messages Chapter 846: Chapter 84 Messages The difficulty in crafting this time lies in how to stitch the two together. The Xuanwu shell provides energy, while the Jiaolong scales are responsible for output; both are indispensable. However, the problem is how to link the two without any issues, especially since this artifact is to be used for Transcending Heavenly Tribulation. Luo Yan thought carefully for a long time, finally deciding to just make a dual-sided mirror. Carve an appropriately sized hole in the back of the Xuanwu shell, then embed the Jiaolong scales into it, and finally recombine the Runic Scripts of the two¡­ Is that even possible? By using the scan function to recheck the Array structures inside both, it becomes evident that they are almost entirely different. To combine them seamlessly is like embedding a phone into a computer, then trying to make a call through the computer¡­ It¡¯s not impossible, but certainly not simple. He pensively sketched and scribbled on paper, while Shi Liuli sat quietly beside him watching, suddenly asking: ¡°Since you are trying to merge the two into one, why not add an intermediary part?¡± The so-called intermediary part is like a ¡°converter plug¡± structure, generally used to connect two different Magical Treasures and is a somewhat obscure and niche method in artifact forging. Why niche? Because the resulting Magical Treasure ends up hideously ugly, similar to the monster from the Cloud Dream Marsh Country, where the dragon doesn¡¯t look like a dragon, and the turtle doesn¡¯t look like a turtle, making one want to vomit upon seeing it. Such a Magical Treasure, even if it meets the client¡¯s requirements, would still disgrace an Artifact Refiner¡¯s reputation¡­ Hmm? Luo Yan suddenly realized something, these two Magical Treasures originally came from the Xuanwu statue. Could the Xuanwu statue itself originally be an intermediary part, designed to connect these Xuanwu shell pieces and Jiaolong scales? Thinking this, Luo Yan finally had a moment of clarity. If an intermediary part is to be used for connection, the final product will inevitably be bulky and crude, not much smaller than the original Xuanwu statue. Whether it¡¯s a Flying Sword, mirror, Dharma Seal¡­ most Magical Treasures must be lightweight, otherwise they move too sluggishly in flight, missing their targets, not to mention other consequences. However, there¡¯s a type of Magical Treasure that doesn¡¯t need to be moved once set up. Cauldron Vessel. What if the Jiaolong scales and Xuanwu shell pieces were crafted into a corresponding Array Cauldron Vessel? Since the Heavenly Tribulation won¡¯t move either, just place the Cauldron Vessel on the ground when the time comes; it doesn¡¯t matter how heavy it is. Abandoning the original idea of making a mirror, Luo Yan suddenly had a complete change of approaches, deciding not to consider various limitations, wanting the functions to be comprehensive and the effects to be powerful. Of course, the most important thing is to be sufficiently resilient, not letting the Heavenly Tribulation smash it with a single strike. Sketching and smearing away, Luo Yan concentrated on his work, while Shi Liuli, glancing over, thought to herself, is her husband drawing a¡­ fortress? What¡¯s happening, planning to completely overhaul Heavenly Craft Workshop? Wrong, from her husband¡¯s design, the defensive and retaliatory features are almost crying out to be noticed. Heavenly Craft Workshop, situated inside Penglai Jade Pure View, doesn¡¯t need so much individual defense design. These installations clearly aren¡¯t portable, so what situation requires building such an immovable fortress? A flash of Spiritual Light crossed Shi Liuli¡¯s mind. Transcending Tribulation¡­ Husband, has he already started preparing for the tribulation? Still not right. With his lazy nature, even unwilling to handle affairs of Heavenly Craft Workshop, how could he possibly prepare specifically for an impending Heavenly Tribulation? Unless he plans to transcend the tribulation soon! Through a series of guesses and deductions, Shi Liuli felt she was very close to the truth, yet suddenly felt a bit lost and uneasy. So, is the husband going to become a Nascent Soul Cultivator soon? Well, since he¡¯s reluctant to mention it to me, it must be because he¡¯s afraid that I¡¯ll worry and feel anxious. I must also quickly enhance my cultivation level and not hold back my husband. Thinking that the Heavenly Craft Workshop could finally have a Nascent Soul Cultivator, Shi Liuli was somewhat thrilled. She decided to push off the work for the next few months, planning to concentrate on improving her cultivation progress. Of course, maintaining a steady routine and grinding out the practice, expecting a quick upgrade would be delusional. Searching for a secret realm and seeking lucky encounters is the right way. ¡­¡­¡­ Luo Yan took a few days to design a rough outline. Just as he intended to refine it further, he suddenly heard his junior sister apprentice Shi Qing seeking an audience outside. ¡°Something terrible has happened, Brother Jingyun!¡± she called out in panic from outside the door, ¡°There¡¯s a mountain of tasks piling up in the workshop, Third Sister can¡¯t handle them and is almost going insane!¡± Unaware of the reason, Luo Yan followed Shi Qing and came to the back hall of Heavenly Craft Workshop. Only then did he learn that, for some reason, Shi Liuli had taken leave a few days ago and left the workshop tasks in the hands of Third Sister Liang Ruohua temporarily. Normally, Shi Liuli would do the same but would return the next day or the day after. However, she had not returned for several days now. Liang Ruohua, not being very familiar with many tasks, had gotten overwhelmed as work kept piling up, requiring Luo Yan to come back to save the situation. Luo Yan was also puzzled, wondering where on earth his wife had run off to? Forget it, she has great fortune and is protected by Art Calculation; she most likely won¡¯t encounter any problems. As for these tasks, it looks like I have to take over. ¡°What are all these tasks?¡± he casually picked up the documents for approval from the desk. ¡°Business accounting statistics, sales transactions handover, maintenance of material supplies, and some daily tasks assigned by the Sect,¡± Liang Ruohua pointed to the documents piled up like a mountain on the desk, ¡°That¡¯s about it.¡± Luo Yan: ¡­¡­¡­¡­ ¡°I¡¯ll go bring Liuli back,¡± he said helplessly supporting his forehead. Leaving Yuqing View, Luo Yan began to worry again. She left without saying a word; where am I supposed to start looking? ¡°Ah Jing, where do you think Liuli could have gone?¡± Luo Yan unconsciously asked the Kunlun Mirror. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± the Kunlun Mirror replied shaking, ¡°but with her personality, it¡¯s unlikely that she would leave without notice. She should have left a message telling you where she went.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Luo Yan pondered for a moment, then ran to the gate of Yuqing View, found the gatekeeper White Jade Puppet Nian Nu, and asked, ¡°Did you see when Dong You left Penglai?¡± ¡°Dong You left a message for you,¡± Nian Nu answered. ¡°She went to Yuling Island to explore a secret realm.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Luo Yan asked in surprise, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me about such a big matter earlier?¡± ¡°Dong You specifically instructed,¡± Nian Nu continued, ¡°If you actively ask about her whereabouts, Nian Nu will respond truthfully; if not asked, then do not mention it.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Luo Yan was left speechless, after a while he said: ¡°Was it arranged like this every time she left before?¡± ¡°So far, Dong You has left 33 times, leaving a message about her specific whereabouts,¡± Nian Nu answered. ¡°You have never asked in 32 instances.¡± Luo Yan was silent for a long time, then said: ¡°Do not tell Dong You about this matter, and if she asks¡­ say that I asked every time.¡± Chapter 847 - Chapter 847: Chapter 85: Revisiting Old Dreams Chapter 847: Chapter 85: Revisiting Old Dreams Yuling Island, located to the north of Penglai Island, falls within the cold climate invasion zone, and often hosts birds from the northern polar regions as they overwinter here. Upon arriving at Yuling Island, Luo Yan circled overhead only to see that the island was covered with grasslands and frozen tundra moss, devoid of any trees for cover; most places were completely exposed. The only noteworthy aspect was the Snow Peak at the center of the island. Shi Liuli had mentioned before that this peak was called ¡°Saint Peak.¡± She had once been brought here by Elder Shi Ding when she was at the Foundation Establishment Realm, and bathed in what was called the moral radiance, which enhanced her cultivation level to the Refining Mansion stage. Luo Yan stayed at the top of the peak for a while, and didn¡¯t encounter any form of radiance. He then activated the scanning mode and meticulously scanned around the mountain yet still found no clues. ¡°This isn¡¯t right,¡± Luo Yan discussed with the Kunlun Mirror, ¡°Since Liuli said she was coming to Yuling Island, she definitely wouldn¡¯t have gone elsewhere.¡± ¡°In other words, she must be caught up somewhere here and unable to leave.¡± ¡°Is there a possibility?¡± Suming Sword interjected, ¡°That she was ambushed by a Six Paths Demon Head on her way here?¡± ¡°Not likely,¡± Luo Yan replied. ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Because she knows Art Calculation¡­¡± Suming Sword fell silent for a moment, realizing he was being foolish. ¡°Indeed, with her capability in Art Calculation, she wouldn¡¯t forget to calculate the auspiciousness and danger of the journey before setting out,¡± Kunlun Mirror, as an expert in this area, reassured Luo Yan, ¡°This is the simplest matter.¡± ¡°Guan Shui, I think she has suddenly been swept into a secret realm here, which is why she lost contact.¡± ¡°Mm,¡± Luo Yan thought, Ah Jing really is clever, deserving of one who could transform. Although Suming is one of the Fuxi Dual Swords and excels in martial force, its brain is indeed not so sharp. Seeing Suming Sword fall silent again, he spoke up to console him: ¡°It¡¯s okay, Suming, thinking of these things is impressive enough.¡± Suming Sword felt annoyed inwardly, thinking are you comforting me or deliberately irritating me? ¡°However, since it¡¯s an accidental encounter with a secret realm, there must still be some trace,¡± Luo Yan continued to ponder, ¡°It can¡¯t just be walking along and suddenly falling into a secret realm; that would be too absurd.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± agreed Kunlun Mirror, ¡°If there were to be a trace, it would most likely be this Saint Peak on the island.¡± ¡°Apart from Saint Peak, the rest are all grassy lowlands, clearly with no differences,¡± Luo Yan agreed. ¡°But we have scanned around Saint Peak thoroughly, and found nothing amiss,¡± Kunlun Mirror began to ponder. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s not the right time,¡± Luo Yan suddenly had a flash of inspiration, ¡°A Saint Peak with moral radiance and one without it are obviously not the same.¡± ¡°I remember now,¡± Kunlun Mirror suddenly realized, ¡°Back then, Shi Liuli encountered the Saint Peak bathed in moral radiance because she was brought here by her father.¡± ¡°Perhaps even then she had noticed the existence of the entrance to the secret realm, but due to her low cultivation level, she didn¡¯t explore it!¡± ¡°Given that, I can only wait for the moral radiance to appear again,¡± Luo Yan sighed, ¡°If it opens on a certain cycle, it would be fine, but what if it requires some kind of trigger condition?¡± ¡°How about going around and asking nearby?¡± Kunlun Mirror suggested. ¡°Sounds good.¡± Luo Yan circled around the nearby seas and finally encountered some fishermen who were out fishing. According to the fishermen, indeed, rainbow-colored lights would appear above Yuling Island, but they only showed up at night. Moreover, there were certain days each month when they appeared and certain days when they didn¡¯t, with no identifiable pattern whatsoever. After figuring this out, Luo Yan returned to Yuling Island and began meditative concentration on the peak of the Saint Mountain. As he entered the meditation, his mind began to wander vaguely. Liuli, nothing should happen to her, right? He recalled the time when he first joined the Heavenly Craft Workshop, where the atmosphere truly felt like that of a big family. Elder Shi Ding was like a kind father to all the disciples, especially doting on Miss Shi; and Shi Liuli was like a carefree child who never grew up, always dragging Luo Yan around to find fun and games. Who could have predicted that one day, Elder Shi Ding would pass away suddenly, and that Miss Shi could never return? Well¡­ if I thought about it, if I as a husband could be more ambitious, capable of shouldering the responsibilities of Heavenly Craft Workshop like Elder Shi Ding, perhaps Liuli wouldn¡¯t have had to mature so quickly. Luo Yan slightly criticized himself in his heart and then sighed inwardly. It wasn¡¯t just because he was too lazy, but mainly because there was no Nascent Soul Cultivator to defend the workshop, which made Liuli¡¯s sense of security disappear too quickly. Once I achieve my Nascent Soul, and the situation in the workshop stabilizes, Liuli should be able to breathe a sigh of relief¡­ As he was thinking this, suddenly, the rainbow-colored lights descended from the sky, like a goddess¡¯ ribbon, brilliantly dazzling and shimmering vibrantly. Luo Yan, having a clear view, noticed that within those rainbow lights there was indeed a flicker of spatial fluctuation. He quickly took out the Tai Yin Suming Sword, merging man and sword as one, and charged towards the lights. Entering the lights felt like immersing in warm, steaming water, his whole body as if bathed in warm soup, extremely comfortable. For Foundation Establishment Realm Cultivators, this moral light could solidify their Daoist foundation and reduce the cultivation hardship, but now Luo Yan, already at the Great Perfection of the Golden Core Realm, gained almost no benefits other than replenishing some True Yuan. He swiftly scanned his surroundings and noticed that a spatial rift was moving along with the fluctuating waves of the rainbow lights, changing its position swiftly without stopping. Without a second thought, Luo Yan charged his sword directly towards the spatial rift. After chasing for about half a quarter of an hour, he finally caught up with the rift and entered it. As the world spun around, Luo Yan found himself back in Penglai Jade Pure Hall; he was in some lecture room surrounded by cultivators deeply immersed in their studies. Huh? A lecture room?! It is well-known that Penglai Jade Pure Hall divides its disciples into the External and Inner Sect. The External Sect disciples do not have a fixed mentor and need to attend elders¡¯ lectures every day. Back when Luo Yan first joined Yuqing Hall, he had also been an External Sect disciple for a while. After being taken in by Elder Shi Ding, he never attended the lecture room again. But unexpectedly, he revisited those old days suddenly, evoking a wave of nostalgic affection in his heart. ¡°Ah Jing, is this an illusion or a time jump?¡± he quickly asked the Kunlun Mirror. ¡°Neither,¡± the Kunlun Mirror replied after a pause, ¡°This place¡­ seems to be some sort of mental state.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Mental state?¡± Luo Yan was bewildered. ¡°A mental state, or perhaps a memory,¡± the Kunlun Mirror replied uncertainly, ¡°If I¡¯m not wrong, you are within someone¡¯s memory.¡± In someone¡¯s memory? Luo Yan was momentarily stunned. The next second, he saw Miss Shi appearing at the back door of the classroom, waving at him. ¡°Luo Yan, why are you still here?¡± she called out impatiently, ¡°Hurry up, father is looking for you!¡± Chapter 848 - Chapter 848: Chapter 86: How to Wake Someone Who is Pretending to Sleep Chapter 848: Chapter 86: How to Wake Someone Who is Pretending to Sleep ¡°Father?¡± Luo Yan showed an astonished expression. Your father hasn¡¯t already passed away? ¡°Yes.¡± Shi Liuli smiled and said, ¡°Father saw your entry-level test and wanted to meet you.¡± Luo Yan: ¡­¡­¡­ So I haven¡¯t joined the Heavenly Craft Workshop, have I? He didn¡¯t talk any further with the other party, just asked Ah Jing: ¡°Is this the real person? Or an illusion?¡± If this is just a Shi Liuli generated from memories, then I should really give a few hard slaps, huh? You¡¯re a fake and still trying to evoke my nostalgia for the master? ¡°Real person.¡± Kunlun Mirror answered. ¡°Real person?¡± Luo Yan asked in surprise, ¡°Then is this caught in an illusion technique, unable to extricate myself?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t noticed that.¡± Luo Yan immediately fell silent. Ah Jing¡¯s response was quite tactful; she didn¡¯t notice Shi Liuli was under any illusion technique, doesn¡¯t that mean Miss Shi is pretending to be ignorant on purpose? Since the lady wishes to role-play and revisit the past, Luo Yan could only nod his head and stand up. In the midst of astonished, envious, and jealous glances from all around, he followed Shi Liuli out of the classroom. As soon as they stepped out, Luo Yan suddenly made his move, quickly grabbing Shi Liuli¡¯s small hand, feeling her fingers noticeably tremble. Merely surprised, but without any fear or shock, you really are pretending to be ignorant¡­ If you were really lost in the illusion technique, convinced you were the Shi Liuli of the past, being held hands by a strange man would certainly make you jump immediately. Luo Yan was certain in his heart, yet pretended to be unaware, and said: ¡°Liuli, your hands are so cold.¡± ¡°If they¡¯re cold, then don¡¯t hold them.¡± Shi Liuli said indifferently, quickly pulling her hand back. ¡°Your voice has also changed,¡± Luo Yan reminded her, ¡°The lively and cute temperament is gone, isn¡¯t it?¡± Shi Liuli stiffened for a moment, then slowly showed a cute, cheeky, grinning smile, baring her little tiger teeth and said: ¡°If you keep this up, I¡¯ll tell father you¡¯re bullying me!¡± Luo Yan: ¡­¡­¡­ This was his second time being speechless. Now it seems, although Miss Shi is not under an illusion, the situation is perhaps more complicated than being under one: She is very aware of who she is, but because her father in this illusion domain has not died, so Miss Shi has voluntarily chosen to indulge in it¨Cknowing full well it¡¯s not real. You can¡¯t wake a person who is pretending to sleep, Shi Liuli, who willingly drowns in her memories, can I really forcibly pull her ear and tell her to get tired of playing and come back with her husband? Brooding, Luo Yan arrived at the Heavenly Craft Workshop and saw Elder Shi Ding in the study, he looked up from his papers and asked: ¡°Are you Luo Yan?¡± ¡°This disciple is Luo Yan indeed.¡± Luo Yan quickly performed the ritual of apprenticeship, but was stopped by Elder Shi Ding saying, ¡°Don¡¯t hurry with the apprenticeship, I still need to test you¡­ Liuli told me, you have a photographic memory?¡± ¡°In response to the elder.¡± Luo Yan respectfully said, ¡°This disciple has the ability to comprehend a thousand things from one hearing; a photographic memory is just the basics.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Elder Shi Ding looked at Shi Liuli, gesturing for her to go ahead and test him. In the original history, Shi Liuli did not believe Luo Yan had this ability, thus she quickly recited a piece of elixir scripture, the result being Luo Yan indeed answered fluidly, clearly having memorized and completely understood upon hearing the original text. But at this moment, Shi Liuli just stared blankly at him, causing even Elder Shi Ding to run out of options, personally posing a question saying: ¡°I have a question for you to try answering; how should the scriptures in the book be interpreted?¡± He swiftly recited a section from the Sword Casting essential texts, yet how could this pose any challenge to Luo Yan? He answered smoothly as ever. ¡°Excellent! Most excellent!¡± Elder Shi Ding laughed heartily as he clapped his hands, ¡°If you are willing, you may become a disciple of my Heavenly Craft Workshop!¡± Thus, Luo Yan sincerely performed the ritual of becoming a disciple, and was then taken by Elder Shi Ding to meet the eldest brother Linghu Chu, third sister Liang Ruohua, and fourth brother Shi Wenshi. ¡°Why is there no second sister?¡± Luo Yan suddenly asked, knowing full well. ¡°Your second sister failed to overcome her Tribulation and ultimately perished,¡± replied Elder Shi Ding. Perished? Luo Yan was stunned, then he understood. It wasn¡¯t just his memories, Shi Liuli could freely edit things therein according to her needs. Because the second sister, Lei Caiyan, was a traitor, Shi Liuli didn¡¯t want her to appear in her memories, so here the second sister became ¡°one who perished from the Heavenly Tribulation.¡± Also, because of his unique significance to Shi Liuli, she didn¡¯t create a false ¡®Luo Yan¡¯ in the memories, but waited for him to find her. Then she staged a drama of their first meeting¡­ So what exactly is going on, my lady? After the introductions, Elder Shi Ding asked Shi Liuli to take Luo Yan for a tour around the workshop. Upon leaving the study, Luo Yan couldn¡¯t help but say: ¡°My lady, if there¡¯s anything I¡¯ve done wrong, can we find some time to talk properly? Your obsession is kind of scaring me¡­¡± Shi Liuli was speechless at his words and after a long pause she said: ¡°What are you talking about? I can¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°So you don¡¯t deny the address of ¡®my lady,¡¯ do you?¡± Luo Yan immediately followed up, ¡°You really do retain your memories!¡± Shi Liuli¡¯s expression darkened, showing a ¡®if that¡¯s the case, then I¡¯ll indulge you¡¯ look, and fiercely said: ¡°Don¡¯t call me ¡®my lady¡¯! Otherwise, I¡¯ll tell father that you¡¯re harassing me!¡± ¡°But, wasn¡¯t it Master who betrothed you to me from the beginning?¡± Luo Yan said, looking puzzled. Shi Liuli was at a loss for words, thinking that while he had the intention before, he never actually voiced it. What¡¯s more, after father died, it was I who voluntarily asked for the celestial marriage¡­ Thinking thus, she felt a pang in her heart and turned her head away, refusing to speak. Seeing that she ignored him, Luo Yan resorted to being persistently annoying: ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll go ask Master to betroth you to me again!¡± Having said that, he turned around and left without hesitation. Shi Liuli hurried to pull him back, but grasped at air instead. Luo Yan, full of forceful energy, stormed into Elder Shi Ding¡¯s study and declared: ¡°Master! Sister Liuli and I are mutually in love, please betroth her to me!¡± He shouted so loudly that the eldest brother, third sister, and fourth brother all heard him from their own rooms and curiously popped their heads out to listen in on the gossip. Shi Liuli¡¯s cheeks flushed with embarrassment, and she had to chase after him with three steps merging into two, but as Luo Yan pushed open the door, he saw the study was empty, with no trace of Elder Shi Ding. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Wait, I just left and haven¡¯t been away, how is there no one here when I turned back? Oh, Liuli, you¡¯re cheating again, aren¡¯t you! ¡°Unfortunately, father is not here,¡± Shi Liuli said stiffly behind him, ¡°Your inappropriate thoughts probably won¡¯t be realized.¡± ¡°If Master is not here, then I can call the eldest brother to witness; that will do as well,¡± Luo Yan replied quickly. ¡°Witness what?¡± Shi Liuli hastily tugged at his arm, ¡°How can the eldest brother decide on my marriage matters?¡± ¡°Just to witness, to know that I, Luo Yan, am set on marrying Shi Liuli, and all of the brothers and sisters in Heavenly Craft Workshop are aware¡­ Ouch!¡± Suddenly, Luo Yan cried out in pain; it was Shi Liuli who had lunged at him and bit his lip to stop his reckless blather. Chapter 849 - Chapter 849: Chapter 87 I Need Your Help to Break Through Chapter 849: Chapter 87 I Need Your Help to Break Through Luo Yan hurriedly pulled Shi Liuli off him, only to realize that his lower lip was already covered in blood. Her bite had drawn blood¡­ Although for a cultivator, such a wound hardly counts as a light injury, this woman was still fiercely ruthless. Shi Liuli was still glaring at him ferociously, completely ignoring the ambiguous glances from the eldest senior brother, the third senior sister, and the fourth senior brother, looking as if she wanted to devour Luo Yan, resembling a fiercely angry little beast. Thus, Luo Yan could only gently hold her in his arms and said: ¡°Liuli, dreams are good, but it¡¯s about time to wake up.¡± Shi Liuli¡¯s body stiffened noticeably, then slowly relaxed. After a long while, she finally spoke in a low voice: ¡°Can¡¯t you let me indulge a little longer?¡± Hearing her voice seemingly carrying a sobbing tone, Luo Yan also felt somewhat reluctant, but soon he steeled his heart and said with a bitter smile: ¡°Liuli, if you keep on playing, the third senior sister is going to go crazy!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Shi Liuli was somewhat confused. Third senior sister Liang Ruohua from the illusion domain, hearing her name, curiously came over, just as she was about to speak, Shi Liuli gestured with her hand, and she immediately went back to her room as if nothing had happened. ¡°Before you leave, did you delegate all your work to her?¡± Luo Yan continued to ask. ¡°Mm.¡± Shi Liuli was silent for a moment and quickly figured out the issue, she said laughing and crying, ¡°There wasn¡¯t that much work though!¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Luo Yan sincerely said, ¡°I just glanced at it and felt like I¡¯m going to have nightmares tonight.¡± ¡°Husband.¡± Shi Liuli sighed and said, ¡°After all, you are the master of Heavenly Craft Workshop.¡± Being the master of Heavenly Craft Workshop but unable to handle administrative affairs, isn¡¯t that somewhat unreasonable? ¡°Wife.¡± Luo Yan then took her hand, placed it over his heart, and said, ¡°I¡¯m not adept at handling these administrative affairs, but you are intelligent and have a compassionate heart. I wouldn¡¯t feel at ease entrusting these matters to anyone else.¡± Shi Liuli didn¡¯t know whether to laugh or cry, she could only look at him speechlessly. Luo Yan continued: ¡°Heavenly Craft Workshop is our master¡¯s life¡¯s work.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why we need to join hands and manage it well together.¡± ¡°In the future, it will also be passed on to our children.¡± ¡°What do you mean ¡®our children¡¯!¡± Shi Liuli finally couldn¡¯t help but feel extremely embarrassed and spat at him, saying, ¡°I haven¡¯t decided whether I want children or not.¡± Cultivators have long lifespans, so they don¡¯t need to consider the issue of offspring unless the relationship has developed to a certain depth. Hearing Shi Liuli say she hadn¡¯t decided yet, Luo Yan didn¡¯t mind, but simply took Shi Liuli¡¯s hand and smiled, saying: ¡°Wife, let¡¯s head back.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Shi Liuli also stood up, suddenly felt something, and turned her head. She saw Elder Shi Ding stepping out from the study, looking at her lovingly. ¡°Father.¡± Shi Liuli smiled and said, ¡°I am leaving.¡± ¡°Liuli.¡± Elder Shi Ding nodded and smiled, ¡°From now on, live well with Luo Yan.¡± He waved goodbye tenderly, Shi Liuli wanted to say more, but something blurred her eyes, making her unable to see her father¡¯s face clearly. Only a vague outline remained. Leaving the tearing rift of Daoist Heart, Shi Liuli spoke again: ¡°I have just discovered this secret domain too. Inside, it seems to be some kind of introspective mechanism that allows one to return to a particular segment of memory that holds their deepest obsessions.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Luo Yan was naturally familiar with it, as places like the Shushan Qixin Cave have similar mechanisms. This type of mechanism is not primarily designed to confuse Cultivators; rather, it aims to help people resolve their inner conflicts and perfect their Daoist Heart. So, has Shi Liuli perfected her Daoist Heart? Luo Yan looked at his wife, only to see not a trace of loss on her face, but just smiles. It was as though she had awakened from a big dream, a smile that seemed to lift a great burden. The lady must have released her emotional knots; that¡¯s good. Back at the Heavenly Craft Workshop, the couple returned to the main hall, where they saw Shi Qing sitting at a desk with a sorrowful expression, ceaselessly dealing with documents. Liang Ruohua sat beside her, leisurely saying: ¡°Sister, push a little harder, I have high hopes for you.¡± Luo Yan and Shi Liuli exchanged looks, thinking about delegating troublesome tasks to subordinates and juniors, indeed a traditional human talent. ¡°I¡¯ll take over.¡± Shi Liuli hurriedly went to rescue her junior sister. Seeing his lady taking charge of the workshop affairs again, Luo Yan finally heaved a sigh of relief. With this, I can also prepare to face the Tribulation with peace of mind. Load save! [Scene Five: South State, Eastern Emperor Realm, Two Rivers Plain.] [Character Identity: Long Long.] [Mirror Flower Water Moon Template overlaying, in the process of Time-Space Travel.] At the frontline command center to the south of Yuanjiang City, Longlong was discussing tactics with Feng Yan. ¡°¡­Your Highness, do you remember the last time when I offered three strategies, and the best one was to defend Yuanjiang City at all costs, detaining the advancing pace of the White Tiger-Qilin allied forces from the south.¡± ¡°Correct,¡± Feng Yan nodded and said, ¡°but this strategy is not feasible, I have explained the reasons to you before.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Longlong knew it was due to the political situation within the Zhu Niao Clan that wouldn¡¯t allow Feng Yan to take such a risk. He then said with a smile, ¡°Although we cannot do this, we can make the White Tiger Divine General believe that this is indeed our plan, which is another way of ¡®all¡¯s fair in war¡¯.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Feng Yan¡¯s eyes lit up immediately. Even though she hadn¡¯t grasped the crux yet, she liked the phrase ¡°all¡¯s fair in war.¡± ¡°As long as the White Tiger Divine General realizes that we are trying to delay, he will definitely attack us ruthlessly,¡± Longlong continued with his analysis, ¡°Using strong attacks to deplete the allied forces¡¯ resources, although it doesn¡¯t quite achieve the purpose of delaying time, it¡¯s not too bad.¡± ¡°The real risk lies in,¡± Feng Yan reminded him, ¡°that the defensive forces inside Yuanjiang City must not fail.¡± ¡°The reason the White Tiger Divine General would choose to launch a fierce attack is precisely because he assumes we can¡¯t massively shift our troops. The underground tunnels used previously have already been exploited once, and now with the Horned Clan deploying Di Ting, we can¡¯t use the same strategy anymore.¡± ¡°That¡¯s within my expectations, Your Highness,¡± Longlong smiled slightly, then took out a Mortal World¡¯s Hundred Lifetimes Map that Luo Yan had gotten from Shi Liuli, and unrolled it saying, ¡°This Magical Treasure is a two-scroll set; any troops at one scroll¡¯s location can be teleported to the other scroll¡¯s location at any time.¡± Feng Yan raised her eyebrows, showing a surprised expression: Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°There is actually such a miraculous treasure in the world?¡± With this, not to mention evacuating the troops defending Yuanjiang City, but if we even send a spy with this Magical Treasure into the heartland of the White Tiger Clan, then transfer a large number of High Rank Cultivators to cause havoc, and leave when the old ancestors arrive¡­ repeating this three to five times, the White Tigers will surely come forward to discuss a peace agreement!¡± Seeing the coveting in Feng Yan¡¯s heart, Longlong continued with a smile: ¡°This treasure has already recognized me as its master; only I can carry and activate it. But my Cultivation Rank is low and True Yuan limited, so I can¡¯t teleport too many people at once.¡± ¡°However, if I could breakthrough to the Dong Yuan Realm during the Tribulation, then even if the number inside Yuanjiang City doubles, I can easily take them out!¡± Chapter 850 - Chapter 850: Chapter 88: The Three Calamities of the Nascent Soul Chapter 850: Chapter 88: The Three Calamities of the Nascent Soul Long Long possesses a kind of magical treasure that enables long-distance transport of cultivators, and this news quickly spread among the Feathered Clan and the Dragon Clan. The Great Elder personally rushed to the frontline, and privately reprimanded Long Long: ¡°Next time such a thing happens, the first thing to do is to inform our clan.¡± Long Long naturally knew what he meant, it was simply that the Feathered Clan knew this news before the Dragon Clan, which was a bit annoying. Therefore, he tactfully reminded the other party: ¡°If you want to use this treasure to gain a war advantage, you can¡¯t bypass the Feathered Clan anyway, so it would be better to use it to gain their trust and show our sincerity.¡± Qin Chaocang sighed. He didn¡¯t intend to blame Long Long anyway, and then changed the subject, saying: ¡°That magical treasure of yours is truly a strange object. The White Tiger Divine General would never expect¡­ In fact, using it to rescue in Yuanjiang City is under-utilizing it.¡± Upon hearing this, Long Long was stunned for a moment, then suddenly realized: Wow, our clan is so ruthless! The meaning of Qin Chaocang was that since they wanted to catch them off guard, it would be better to strike decisively the first time, such as sending a large number of cultivators to the imperial capital and smashing the Qilin¡¯s lair. As long as they can cripple the Qilin Clan, who cares about the defense of Yuanjiang City then? However, since Long Long had already informed the Feathered Clan first, the attitude of the Feathered Clan also needed to be considered. Since Qin Chaocang said this, Feng Yan must advocate for rescuing Yuanjiang City first, hence why Qin Chaocang said ¡°the clan should be informed beforehand¡±. ¡°Forget it, the top priority now is to quickly enhance your cultivation realm.¡± Qin Chaocang waved his hand, ¡°You go back to the clan first and see the Ancestral Azure Dragon.¡± Long Long nodded in agreement, and then asked: ¡°What about Long Hu?¡± Qin Chaocang, unable to help but smile wryly, simply waved his hand: ¡°Let her go back with you!¡± The battlefield won¡¯t lack for a warrior like Long Hu, but if her absence caused Long Long to have a gap in his mental state and fail the tribulation, the clan would absolutely not allow such an event. Now that the teleportation effect of the Mortal World Map is highly related to Long Long¡¯s own realm and cultivation level, his cultivation is the most urgent matter for the clan, without a doubt. Long Long then handed over his duties to Qin Sitong, called Long Hu, and together they left the battlefield and headed to the Eastern State. Upon returning to the Jianmu Shrine, the Ancestral Azure Dragon quickly met with the two of them, and the first thing he did was to inquire about Long Long¡¯s cultivation realm: ¡°How refined is your bloodline now?¡± ¡°To answer the Elder,¡± Long Long respectfully said, ¡°the demon core has now dissipated into my limbs and body, it can no longer be seen.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± The Ancestral Azure Dragon also understood. The disappearance of the demon core indicates that the Transformation Realm is nearly at completion, just waiting for a breakthrough to enter the Dong Yuan Realm. This Long Long¡­ It hasn¡¯t been long since he transformed, how can he be advancing to the Dong Yuan Realm so quickly? Is the bloodline rank on his body truly exceptional, enabling the rapid advancement in cultivation as if traveling a thousand miles in a day? Ancestral Azure Dragon looked toward Long Hu and thought that Long Long¡¯s bloodline is far superior to Long Hu¡¯s, indicating that Long Long¡¯s marital matters should be handled with extra caution. ¡°Since you¡¯ve achieved Perfection in the Transformation Realm, let me explain the matters of Tribulation,¡± Ancestral Azure Dragon patiently spoke to him about the considerations when advancing to the Dong Yuan Realm. For the Human Race in the Nascent Soul Realm, the formed Nascent Soul appears like a child; for the Demon Race in the Dong Yuan Realm, the formed ¡°Nascent Soul¡± is an ethereal image of the original body. For instance, if a member of the Azure Dragon Clan enters the Dong Yuan Realm, a small blue dragon appears in the Dantian. Despite the difference in appearance, the Nascent Souls possess various other abilities, such as hosting Divine Sense, even the Soul, manipulating Magical Treasures with divided attention, and even possessing others¡¯ bodies ¨C the ethereal image of Dong Yuan of the Demon Race is also capable of these, with no fundamental differences between the two. The information Ancestral Azure Dragon provided at this time was essentially similar to what other Human Race members had investigated. Firstly, the Nascent Infant Heavenly Tribulation is far more challenging than the Core Condensation Tribulation. Many cultivators of the Demon Race manage well during the Transformation Core Condensing phase, but fail to withstand the Heavenly Tribulation when condensing the Dong Yuan, directly being killed by Divine Thunder, with countless such cases. Otherwise, there wouldn¡¯t be so few cultivators in the Dong Yuan Realm compared to the Transformation Realm, after all, there¡¯s such a significant filter in place. Secondly, the tribulations of the Nascent Soul Realm are not singular but three types, collectively known as the ¡°Three Disasters.¡± Chen Guanshui, while forming his First Grade Golden Core in the past, faced the Five Elements Tribulation, the Heart Devil Tribulation, and the Yin Yang Tribulation. Among these, the Heart Devil Tribulation involves outside Demonic interference and has no relation to the Heavenly Dao, which actually only sends down one type of calamity, the ¡°Thunder Tribulation.¡± The Five Elements Tribulation is the Five Elements Attribute of Thunder Tribulation, and the Yin Yang Tribulation is the Yin Yang Attribute of Thunder Tribulation, fundamentally all being Thunder Tribulations. But from Golden Core to Nascent Soul, one needs to simultaneously transcend the ¡°Thunder Tribulation,¡± ¡°Fire Tribulation,¡± and ¡°Wind Tribulation.¡± The Thunder Tribulation needs no further explanation, still involving heavenly Thunder Tribulation striking you ¨C these can be preemptively shattered using various formations, Daoist Magic, Magical Treasures, and Flying Swords, however, the Tribulation Lightning is often dense and powerful, testing the cultivator¡¯s True Yuan richness and wealth of resources significantly. The Fire Tribulation, being Yin Fire, will spontaneously ignite from the Yongquan Point at the sole of the foot, gradually burning upwards along the legs, entering the limbs and body parts, and eventually burning directly into the Dantian, resulting in instant death. Because it ignites suddenly from the sole of the foot, it cannot be intercepted or dodged like Thunder Tribulation; once the Yin Fire is detected, the cultivator has already been targeted, so efforts must focus on how to counteract the Yin Fire. Ancestral Azure Dragon¡¯s advice is to refine the Body Refining Secret Technique of the Jiaolong in the clan to the extreme, so when the Yin Fire arises, immediately suppress it with the power of Dragon Blood, trying not to let the Yin Fire rise above the ankles. The last Wind Tribulation is ¡°Guiao Wind,¡± the challenge being its invisibility and silence, directly blowing into the crown of the head, damaging the Sea of Consciousness, causing instantaneous death to the cultivator. This Wind Tribulation is the hardest to guard against, as you might be caught up guarding against Thunder Tribulation and Yin Fire, completely unaware of the Guiao Wind strike. Unlike Yin Fire, which attacks from the top of the head directly targeting the Sea of Consciousness, it is impossible to defend against ¨C one must evade beforehand, or it¡¯s beyond recovery once struck. The numerous and dense Thunder Tribulations, the unavoidable Yin Fire, and the indefensible Guiao Wind, these three combined are called the Three Disasters, forming the greatest calamity for breaking through from the Golden Core Realm to the Nascent Soul Realm. Of course, the Heavenly Demon is still active during this period, seizing any opportunity to join forces with the Three Disasters to completely annihilate you, no matter if you¡¯re undergoing Tribulation or not. After understanding the situation, Long Long bid farewell to Ancestral Azure Dragon and left, secretly strategizing in his mind. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only For Thunder Tribulation, the old tactics apply¨Cfirst use disposable Magical Treasures, Flying Swords, etc., to save True Yuan, then rely on formations for endurance, use Daoist Magic for sweeping, and Flying Swords for defense, altogether testing whose Magical Competition abilities are superior. Since there¡¯s no dodging Yin Fire, defense capabilities must be prioritized. Thus, although he is in the Eastern Emperor Realm, he can¡¯t undergo Tribulation as Long Long but must rely on Ling Yunpo¡¯s Innate Sword Bone to withstand it. If all else fails, he might even ask Ah Jing to burn Essence and forcefully suppress the Yin Fire regardless of injuries. Guiao Wind seems to be the most troublesome, yet it might also be the simplest. Others might find it hard to detect the assault of Guiao Wind, but Long Long firmly believes in his scanning ability being Invincible; how could Ah Jing scan the incoming Guiao Wind without alerting me in advance? Definitely not right! ¡°Ah right, right, right,¡± Kunlun Mirror said helplessly, ¡°but you should also prepare well, don¡¯t rely on me for everything!¡±