<h4>Chapter 953: Chapter 950: Bing the Furnace, Ritesmithing Heaven and Earth</h4>


    Time flew by.


    In the blink of an eye, six days had passed.


    During these six days, the Eight Provinces’ Cultivators continuously attempted to break the formation.


    But they did not seed and suffered heavy losses instead.


    Xu Wendong’s strength showed no improvement.


    However.


    The writing on the token in his Sea of Consciousness gradually appeared with a sh mark.


    Soon, the red character would be fully revealed.


    Night.


    Dark as ink.


    Stillness enveloped the world.


    "Wendong, the three of us have agreed. We’ll leave Jade Maiden Pce tonight ande back to aid you after oveing the tribtion!"


    Xu Canghai found Xu Wendong, his expression grave.


    Xia Hou and Qiu Yuanshan’s expressions were equally heavy, for the tribtion was fraught with danger, and even they were uncertain if they could survive.


    Xu Wendong smiled and said, "Focus on oveing the tribtion, leave this side to me!"


    He understood.


    Once the three of them returned sessfully from the tribtion, he could borrow their strength to set up a new Nine Heavens Thunder Formation.


    With this, even the Nascent Soul Stage Experts from the Nine Provinces Imperial Family wouldn’t be able to shake Jade Maiden Pce the slightest.


    Xu Canghai’s gaze wasplex. He heavily patted Xu Wendong on the shoulder: "Take care!"


    Xia Hou also patted Xu Wendong on the shoulder and whispered, "Even if we fail the tribtion, even if the Eight Provinces’ Cultivators truly tten Jade Maiden Pce, it doesn’t matter, at least... we tried!"


    Xu Wendong nodded solemnly.


    Qiu Yuanshan didn’t say much, but patted Xu Wendong on the shoulder, then resolutely turned around and, alongside Xia Hou and Xu Canghai, rose into the sky.


    Though powerful adversaries were everywhere outside, they did not take it to heart.


    Because they knew.


    Even if they left, the experts from the Eight Provinces wouldn’t stop them.


    After all, their target was the female cultivators of Jade Maiden Pce.


    But at this moment.


    A dazzling re suddenly erupted in the void, instantly illuminating the darkness, making it as bright as day and hard to look at directly.


    The next moment.


    The re transformed into an enormous hand, covering the sky and exuding a world-destroying aura.


    Upon seeing this scene.


    Everyone felt as if their hearts had stopped beating, as a powerful sense of oppression swept over them,pelling a desire to worship.


    Indeed.


    In front of this giant fiery hand, whether it was the Qingzhou Cultivators of Jade Maiden Pce or the Eight Provinces’ Cultivators outside, all felt as insignificant as ants.


    Xu Wendong eximed in shock, "Not good, a Nascent Soul Stage expert has made a move!"


    In the air, Xu Canghai and the others also had solemn expressions. They never expected a Nascent Soul Stage expert to strike at this moment.


    This filled them with reluctance, but more with despair.


    Even if the three of them had reached Half-Step Nascent Soul.


    Half-Step Nascent Soul was still Half-Step Nascent Soul.


    As long as the Golden Core didn’t evolve into a Nascent Soul.


    There remained an insurmountable gap between them!


    But at this moment.


    They had no retreat.


    "I will cover your retreat!" Qiu Yuanshan, standing with one hand behind him, his white robe pping in the wind, his gaze indifferent, devoid of emotional fluctuation.


    Though Xu Canghai and Xia Hou were not afraid of death.


    They also knew.


    To break the deadlock, they must escape this ce.


    Even if one of them was destined to die in regret here.


    They must find a way to escape.


    The next moment.


    Qiu Yuanshan moved.


    He pinched the spell with both hands, unleashing soul force, drawing a dazzling rune in the void.


    Though the rune’s area was smaller than the enormous fiery hand.


    It imparted a sense of indestructibility.


    As if.


    Only these two colors remained in the world.


    Upon witnessing this scene.


    Xu Wendong felt a stabbing pain in his heart, almost suffocating.


    He knew.


    Qiu Yuanshan was writing the divine rune with his soul force.


    This would be thest divine rune of his life!


    Simultaneously, Qiu Yuanshan’s voice echoed through the heavens, filled with endless mncholy: "The majestic mountains and rivers weep with tears, the vastnd sings a mournful song."


    "For ages past, the hero’s soul finds its return, apanied by a thousand miles of smoke and clouds."


    With those words, he pinched the spell with utmost solemnity.


    The rune covering the sky also erupted in dazzling rays.


    But just at this moment.


    The fiery hand crashed upon the rune.


    Boom!


    Without any forewarning.


    A deafening roar erupted between heaven and earth.


    Though the fiery hand carried cataclysmic might, it failed to breach the divine rune that Qiu Yuanshan wrote with his soul force!


    Seizing this opportunity, Xu Canghai and Xia Hou flew southward, but just as they had flown over ten kilometers.


    The sound of shattering came from the void behind them.


    Followed by an earth-shattering crash.


    Though they never looked back.


    Everyone knew that the divine rune Qiu Yuanshan inscribed with his soul force had been breached by the opponent.


    Even so.


    They had to escape.


    Even if Jade Maiden Pce was ttened, even if all Qingzhou Cultivators were ughtered.


    They must go to undergo the tribtion.


    Only by doing this could they return and avenge the Qingzhou Cultivators!


    "Did you think you two could leave here alive?" Suddenly, an enchanting voice exploded in Xu Canghai’s mind.


    Xu Canghai’s scalp tingled, instantly stopping in mid-air.


    Because.


    He clearly saw that in front of them appeared a Nascent Soul Stage elder, dressed in a gray robe, face full of wrinkles, holding a cane.


    Seeing this person, Xu Canghai’s heart trembled.


    He knew.


    Today, there was no hope of leaving here alive.


    The Nine Provinces Imperial Family’s Nascent Soul Stage expert never intended to let them leave alive.


    "Old Xia, Old Qiu, since we can’t escape, let’s give it our all!"


    "Even in death, we can still apany each other on the Road to the Underworld!" Xu Canghai let out a loudugh, then pinched the spell with both hands, and a golden longsword slowly flew out from within him.


    This was his sword bone!


    It was honed over a millennium.


    Although his sword bone was not as strong as Xu Fan’s Innate Sword Bone, its power was still terrifying,parable to a Spiritual Artifact.


    However.


    His sword bone could only be used once in a lifetime!


    Xia Hou’s body also erupted with a dazzling golden light, illuminating the darkness, appearing brilliant and sacred.


    "Wendong, do you know what alchemy truly is?" Xia Hou, shrouded in golden light, looked like a celestial god descending, his long hair fluttering in the wind.


    "The world says you are an alchemy prodigy,parable to the ancients."


    "Though your talents are immense."


    "I still want to say, in front of this Sect Leader, you’re nothing more than a speck!"


    "Even though I have never refined elixirs."


    "But your alchemical attainmentspared to mine truly differ significantly!"


    "Today, I will show you what alchemy truly is."


    As he pinched the spell with his hands, his face instantly turned haggard, and in the void suddenly appeared a Pill Furnace formed from Golden Core Power.


    This Pill Furnace was about one hundred meters tall, resembling a mountain, exuding immortal golden light.


    "He... ultimately used this move!" Tear-streaked down Wuming’s face, his eyes filled with pain.


    Xu Wendong couldn’t help but ask, "Master, what does the Sect Leader intend to do?"


    Wuming, word by word, replied, "To be a furnace, sacrificing oneself to forge heaven and earth!"